Analysis of the evolution and collaboration networks of citizen science scientific publications

The term citizen science refers to a broad set of practices developed in a growing number of areas of knowledge and characterized by the active citizen participation in some or several stages of the research process. Definitions, classifications and terminology remain open, reflecting that citizen science is an evolving phenomenon, a spectrum of practices whose classification may be useful but never unique or definitive. The aim of this article is to study citizen science publications in journals indexed by WoS, in particular how they have evolved in the last 20 years and the collaboration networks which have been created among the researchers in that time. In principle, the evolution can be analyzed, in a quantitative way, by the usual tools, such as the number of publications, authors, and impact factor of the papers, as well as the set of different research areas including citizen science as an object of study. But as citizen science is a transversal concept which appears in almost all scientific disciplines, this study becomes a multifaceted problem which is only partially modelled with the usual bibliometric magnitudes. It is necessary to consider new tools to parametrize a set of complementary properties. Thus, we address the study of the citizen science expansion and evolution in terms of the properties of the graphs which encode relations between scientists by studying co-authorship and the consequent networks of collaboration. This approach - not used until now in research on citizen science, as far as we know- allows us to analyze the properties of these networks through graph theory, and complement the existing quantitative research. The results obtained lead mainly to: (a) a better understanding of the current state of citizen science in the international academic system-by countries, by areas of knowledge, by interdisciplinary communities-as an increasingly legitimate expanding methodology, and (b) a greater knowledge of collaborative networks and their evolution, within and between research communities, which allows a certain margin of predictability as well as the definition of better cooperation strategies.

[Satisfaction survey of patients with sequels of peripheral facial palsy treated with botulinum toxin A]

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of peripheral facial palsy with botulinum toxin A is safe and effective. Although its beneficial impact on patients' quality of life is known, to date, there have been no studies specifically analysing patients' subjective perceptions.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

We performed a prospective study in a random sample of patients with sequels of peripheral facial palsy treated with botulinum toxin in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service of our hospital. We created a simple questionnaire to assess both patient satisfaction and subjective perception of improvement after botulinum toxin treatment.

RESULTS

After infiltration, 95% of the patients felt good or very good. More than 80% noted improvement in the sensation of tightness in the cheek and neck. Around 75% of patients perceived an improvement in the range of voluntary movement and approximately 80% reported improvement in synkinesis. Almost all the patients would repeat the treatment, if proposed, and 100% would recommend botulinum toxin infiltration to other patients with facial palsy.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients treated with botulinum toxin experience substantial subjective improvement in the sequels of peripheral facial palsy, both in repose and in the control of synkinesis. Satisfaction was higher than 8/10 in 99% of patients in this study.

Association between PD1 mRNA and response to anti-PD1 monotherapy across multiple cancer types

Background

We hypothesized that the abundance of PD1 mRNA in tumor samples might explain the differences in overall response rates (ORR) observed following anti-PD1 monotherapy across cancer types.

Patients and methods

RNASeqv2 data from 10 078 tumor samples representing 34 different cancer types was analyzed from TCGA. Eighteen immune-related gene signatures and 547 immune-related genes, including PD1, were explored. Correlations between each gene/signature and ORRs reported in the literature following anti-PD1 monotherapy were calculated. To translate the in silico findings to the clinical setting, we analyzed the expression of PD1 mRNA using the nCounter platform in 773 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor samples across 17 cancer types. To test the direct relationship between PD1 mRNA, PDL1 immunohistochemistry (IHC), stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and ORR, we evaluated an independent FFPE-based dataset of 117 patients with advanced disease treated with anti-PD1 monotherapy.

Results

In pan-cancer TCGA, PD1 mRNA expression was found strongly correlated (r > 0.80) with CD8 T-cell genes and signatures and the proportion of PD1 mRNA-high tumors (80th percentile) within a given cancer type was variable (0%-84%). Strikingly, the PD1-high proportions across cancer types were found strongly correlated (r = 0.91) with the ORR following anti-PD1 monotherapy reported in the literature. Lower correlations were found with other immune-related genes/signatures, including PDL1. Using the same population-based cutoff (80th percentile), similar proportions of PD1-high disease in a given cancer type were identified in our in-house 773 tumor dataset as compared with TCGA. Finally, the pre-established PD1 mRNA FFPE-based cutoff was found significantly associated with anti-PD1 response in 117 patients with advanced disease (PD1-high 51.5%, PD1-intermediate 26.6% and PD1-low 15.0%; odds ratio between PD1-high and PD1-intermediate/low = 8.31; P < 0.001). In this same dataset, PDL1 tumor expression by IHC or percentage of sTILs was not found associated with response.

Conclusions

Our study provides a clinically applicable assay that links PD1 mRNA abundance, activated CD8 T-cells and anti-PD1 efficacy.

Apps para el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en educación infantil

Las Tecnologías del Aprendizaje y el Conocimiento (TAC) tienen una influencia cada vez mayor en la manera de mediar el aprendizaje de los más jóvenes. El incremento del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje mediado por las TAC en el ámbito de la educación y en el ámbito doméstico, induce a la creación de nuevas herramientas efectivas, avaladas por la ciencia y diseñadas para mejorar el aprendizaje de nuestros alumnos. El desafío al que se enfrenta la psicología de la educación consiste en fomentar éstas tecnologías y ponerlas al servicio de la comunidad educativa y sin perder de vista el hecho de generar productos atractivos para los usuarios y que puedan generar rendimiento comercial para las empresas. Pretendiendo generar además de una transferencia efectiva de la labor científica, el aumento en la visibilidad de la investigación. En este trabajo, presentamos 9 aplicaciones (APPs) diseñadas para Tablet y Smartphone, adaptadas a los diferentes sistemas operativos actuales, destinadas a trabajar sobre las bases cognitivas asociadas con el aprendizaje de la matemática temprana. Con el objeto de crear una herramienta atractiva para el alumnado de 4 a 7 años, se ha contado con la colaboración de la empresa de entretenimiento y divulgación infantil Babyradio, colaborando en el desarrollo gráfico y en la transferencia de los resultados de la inves tigación. Una vez demostrada la validez empírica de estas APPs, los maestros, el sistema educativo y las empresas de software dispondrían de un material de apoyo didáctico contrastado. El objetivo principal del trabajo es contribuir en el desarrollo de las habilidades matemáticas de los niños de 4 a 7 años para que estos puedan afrontar con éxito los requerimientos de la escuela y para que puedan resolver situaciones en sus vidas diarias, promoviendo por otro lado, el cambio actitudinal del alumnado con respecto a las matemáticas

Targeting Barriers of Systems of Care in a Growing Multi-disciplinary Field

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardio-oncology is a growing multi-disciplinary field that focuses on treating and preventing cardiovascular complications in cancer survivors and patients. This review summarizes the current clinical needs and system-based approaches to target barriers of care.

RECENT FINDINGS

The field of cardio-oncology has experienced significant growth in recent years, and an increasing number of programs have been developed across the nation to provide improved and multi-disciplinary care to this patient population. Despite this burgeoning growth, practitioners in the field continue to face important challenges which include lack of administrative and departmental support, funding limitations, and gaps in the areas of mentoring, education, and research. Despite continued growth, cardio-oncology providers continue to face a multitude of challenges. Early inclusion of multi-disciplinary stakeholders, oncologists, cardiovascular team members, and administrative leadership provides an opportunity to collaborate and achieve unique patient care and health system benefits, such as prevention of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, and facilitates the delivery of optimal oncologic treatment.

Electrophysiological and Histological Measures of Retinal Injury in Chronic Ocular Hypertensive Monkeys

PURPOSE

This study was performed to determine whether components of the standard ERG (electroretinogram), multifocal ERG, and flash VECP (visually-evoked cortical potential) response might provide a sensitive measure of retinal ganglion cell injury in a monkey model for chronic ocular hypertension.

METHODS

Argon laser treatment of the aqueous outflow tissue was used to induce chronic elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the right eye of 18 young adult cynomolgous monkeys. At 15 months post- IOP elevation, standard methods were used to record ERG and VECP responses. Multifocal ERG responses were also recorded at this time. Loss of retinal ganglion cells due to ocular hypertensive injury was determined by histological analysis of all retinas.

RESULTS

Ocular hypertensive retinal injury was associated with a loss of retinal ganglion cells. There was no histological or electrophysiological evidence for injury to any other retinal cell type. Correlation of electrophysiological response amplitudes with histological measures of retinal ganglion cell loss/survival yielded results which suggest that activity in retinal ganglion cells makes a substantial contribution to components of the 30 Hz flicker ERG, the flash VECP, and both first and second order multifocal ERG responses. Of the electrophysiological measures used in this study, multifocal ERG response amplitude had the greatest sensitivity to retinal ganglion cell loss.

CONCLUSIONS

Components of the multifocal ERG provide a sensitive measure of ganglion cell injury in a monkey model of chronic ocular hypertension. These same measures may have utility in the clinical diagnosis and management of glaucoma.

Impaired Fibrinolysis in Sickle Cell Disease

Coagulation studies were performed in 52 patients with sickle cell disease during asymptomatic periods and during episodes of crisis and infection. Platelet counts averaged 473,000, 469,000, and 461,000 per mm3 in these 3 groups, and factor VIII concentrations were elevated in all. Fibrinogen was increased to the same extent in both sickle cell and non-sickle cell patients with infection. Fibrinolytic activity, as measured by euglobulin lysis times and zones of lysis on fibrin plates, was markedly reduced during periods of infection in sickle cell patients but not in non-sickle patients. Impairment of fibrinolysis in most patients was not on the basis of overutilization or consumption, since no decrease in the levels of clotting factors or plasminogen was observed. It was suggested that generalized intravascular sickling in these patients may have caused widespread endothelial damage, resulting in decreased production of plasminogen activator.

In addition, several sickle cell patients with infection were found to possess elevated levels of an inhibitor directed against urokinase.

Using Real World Evidence to Describe Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treatment Patterns, Healthcare Resource Utilization, and Costs Associated with PDE-5 Inhibitor Monotherapy

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is described by proliferation of small pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular failure, and death. Research confirms long-term improvement in composite morbidity and mortality endpoints on some endothelin receptor antagonists alone and in combination with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5is) but not with PDE-5i monotherapy. While current treatment guidelines incorporate these findings, a substantial number of patients are started or maintained on PDE-5i monotherapy. Objectives: This study describes real-world clinical practice and treatment patterns with PDE-5i monotherapy including events indicative of clinical worsening, treatment modifications, adherence, allcause healthcare resource utilization, and costs. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed PharMetrics Plus claims data including 150 million lives; study period was January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2013. Eligible patients were ≥18 years with ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient claims ≥30 days apart, a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension or other chronic pulmonary heart disease, and an initial PDE-5i prescription. To include only World Health Organization group 1 PAH patients, ≥1 encounter for right-heart catheterization or Doppler echocardiogram was required during the pre-index period. Results: PDE-5i monotherapy for PAH treatment was associated with high treatment modification rates, low adherence, increased healthcare resource utilization, and high costs. At 12 months post index, 41.5% of patients experienced treatment modification. For the index therapy, 47% of patients had ≥80% adherence to therapy. Almost 50% of patients had ≥1 hospitalization, with costs increased three fold to $197 111 compared to $59 164 for non-hospitalized patients. Conclusions: Initial treatment with PDE-5i monotherapy was associated with substantial direct medical costs, including hospitalizations and emergency department visits, low therapy adherence and a high rate of treatment modifications.

Microbial competition in environmental nosocomial reservoirs and diffusion capacity of OXA48-Klebsiella pneumoniae: potential impact on patients and possible control methods

BACKGROUND

We have found clusters of Klebsiella pneumoniae with OXA48-carbepenemase cases in some hospital rooms, and decided to investigate whether bathroom siphons could be a reservoir for OXA48 bacteria, as occurs with K. oxytoca with other types of carbepenemases.

METHODS

We evaluated the microbial competition between strains with OXA48 and VIM carbepenemases, in diluted nutrient-broth, on a slime germ-carrier. We compared the number of colonies at 5 and 10 days on the contaminated carriers with one or two strains. We evaluated the dissemination of K. pneumoniae with carbepenemase OXA48 or VIM from thumbs and index fingers of volunteers, to standard surfaces (20 glass germ-carrier by each volunteer). After, we counted the number of microorganisms on each carrier. Microbiological weekly studies of faecal microbiota of all patients were obtained in Traumatology and Oncology. Moreover, we studied samples of the sink in their rooms. PCR and MLST sequence-type was determined in all K. pneumoniae diagnosed from patients and sinks.

RESULTS

A large possibility of diffusion from contaminated hands, which continue to transmit high numbers of microorganisms after more than 10 successive surface contacts, was highlighted; OXA bacteria were more persistent than VIM bacteria. Microbial competition studies showed that VIM bacteria are inhibited by OXA ones. These observations can explain the concentration of cases of K. pneumoniae OXA48 in some rooms in Traumatology and Oncology, producing a significant OR between rooms with OXA48-bacteria-contaminated siphons and other rooms (3.1 and 3.3 respectively). Risk was lowered after changing or disinfecting (heat plus chlorinated disinfectant) the contaminated siphons. Siphon colonization by VIM bacteria was not related with human infections by similar microorganisms.

CONCLUSIONS

Bathroom siphons can be a reservoir for K. pneumoniae OXA48 and lead to outbreaks. Outbreaks can be controlled by replacement or heat plus chemical treatment of the sink-siphons.

Diagnostic contribution of cytological specimens obtained from biopsies during gastrointestinal endoscopy in dogs and cats

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to compare cytological samples obtained from endoscopic biopsies using "imprint" and "squash" techniques, and to evaluate the potential value of cytology compared to histology in reaching the diagnosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen dogs and five cats undergoing endoscopy for chronic gastrointestinal signs were prospectively included. Imprint and squash samples were obtained from one biopsy and then analysed. Comparison between cytology and histology was performed using Cohen's j coefficient.

RESULTS

Appropriate samples for cytological evaluation were more often obtained with the squash technique (96% of the cases versus 68% with the imprint technique). The diagnoses obtained with cytological samples and by histology, considered as the gold standard, were compared. The same diagnosis was obtained with the squash technique in 65% of the cases. Furthermore, cytology was considered complementary to histology for gastric spiral organisms and mast cells identification.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that squash cytology obtained from endoscopic biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract can provide relevant and additional information to histology in dogs and cats.

Taraxacum officinale and related species-An ethnopharmacological review and its potential as a commercial medicinal plant

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dandelion (Taraxacum spec) is a wild plant that has been used for centuries as a traditional medicine in the relief and treatment of several diseases. This use is due to the presence of sesquiterpenes, saponins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and sugars, among others, found in the organs of the plant.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this work is to provide a current review of developments and trends in research on the Taraxacum genus, with a focus on traditional uses and pharmacological properties. This should shed light on the potential of this plant as an attractive commercial herbal medicine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Documents were collected, analyzed, and classified for information regarding medical, agronomic, genetic, and biological aspects of the Taraxacum species. This process was based on a thorough search of documents indexed by scientific search engines.

RESULTS

Two important periods of research on Taraxacum have been identified: the first, between 1930 and 1950; and the second, from 1990 to today. During the former, agricultural and genetics research on this plant were, due to the shortage of natural rubber, the focus. In contrast, the main drive in Taraxacum research is now the recovery of bioactives and/or applications in medicine. Pharmacology is the main area in which these plants have been tested, thanks in part to its widely known traditional uses; however, there is less than enthusiastic interest in further human clinical trials. In other areas, Taraxacum sports an enormous list of compounds of industrial interest; and while it is true that only a small amount of these compounds is immediately available in Taraxacum organs and makes it relatively commercially unattractive, only scarce efforts have been made to improve yields. Compounding this issue, most studies of its growth and cultivation have been focused mainly on controlling it as a weed detrimental to certain industrial crops. To wit, in spite of all the research carried out, less than 1% of all the species identified so far (>2500) have been studied (including Taraxacum officinale, Taraxacum coreanum, Taraxacum mongolicum and Taraxacum platycarpum). This is a indication of the little knowledge that we have about this genus so far. Biotechnology (involving genetics, agriculture, and biology) is the most powerful means by which to take advantage of all the medicinal potential of Taraxacum. Great strides have been made in identifying metabolic pathways for synthesizing terpenes, one of the most important compound families in clinical applications. In order to improve yield and performance of the plant in the field, greenhouse cultivation is another aspect taken into account, deriving an increase in recovery of bioactives from Taraxacum organs. Even while considering that only a few species have been studied, their different biochemical and cultivation profiles indicate huge potential for qualitative improvements in composition through genetic engineering, thus directly impacting pharmacological properties.

CONCLUSIONS

Taraxacum is has been traditionally considered a natural remedy, well-inserted into popular knowledge, but with low commercial applicability. Only once the recovery of pure and highly reactive compounds can be pursued at (a qualitatively and quantitatively attractive) economical scale, human clinical trials would be of interest in order to prove their efficacy and safety, positioning Taraxacum as an important commercial source of natural drugs.

Associations among Depression Symptoms with Alcohol and Smoking Tobacco Use in Adult Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

BACKGROUND

Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients have high rates of untreated depression and anxiety disorders. We evaluated associations among self-reported depression symptoms and alcohol/smoking tobacco use.

METHODS

From 2009 to 2013, 202 ACHD patients (45% male) completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and substance use as part of routine clinical care. Data were collected by retrospective chart review.

RESULTS

Mean age was 31 ± 10 years, 21% reported often feeling depressed and 33% reported feeling nervous or anxious. Sixty-one percent of patients reported some alcohol intake; 25% reported current or previous smoking tobacco use. Patients with depressive symptoms were 3× as likely to report drinking alcohol (OR 2.89; 95% CI 1.29-6.5) and 5× more likely to report smoking tobacco use (OR 5.17; 95% CI 1.49-17.87). Fourteen percent of patients were prescribed antidepressant/antianxiety medications; 43% of patients on medication reported depressive symptoms. In patients reporting symptoms, those who consumed alcohol were less likely to be on antidepressant/antianxiety medications (21%) than those who did not consume alcohol (56%).

CONCLUSION

Self-reported depressive symptoms are associated with increased alcohol and smoking tobacco use by ACHD patients. Alcohol use may be a means of self-medicating for untreated depression, but further investigation is needed. Risk factors, including depressive symptoms and substance use, should be routinely assessed and addressed in ACHD patients.

Combination therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension: is this the new standard of care?

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, progressive, and potentially fatal cardiopulmonary syndrome that imposes a significant burden on patients in terms of morbidity and mortality, and on managed care organizations in terms of resource utilization. The majority of PAH-approved therapies are high-touch, high-management, high-cost treatments dispensed through specialty pharmacies. Current treatment guidelines recommend combination therapy for patients who show inadequate clinical response or who deteriorate on monotherapy. Combination therapies target 2, or sometimes 3, distinct PAH-associated signaling pathways: the endothelin, prostacyclin, and nitric oxide pathways. Registry data suggest that combination therapy is utilized in more than half of patients with PAH in the United States. Evidence supporting the use of combination therapy is provided through clinical trials, retrospective research, registry data, and expert guidelines. Managed care decision makers are charged with making population-based decisions on resource allocation. These decision makers must always consider cost, but must also be aware that clinical evidence suggests that early treatment with combination therapy can significantly reduce disease burden, may reduce hospitalizations, and should be considered when making coverage decisions.

Impaired exercise capacity following atrial septal defect closure: an invasive study of the right heart and pulmonary circulation

Patients with early repair of an isolated atrial septal defect (ASD) are expected to have unremarkable right ventricular (RV) and pulmonary circulation physiology. Some studies, however, suggest persistent functional impairment. We aimed to examine the role of abnormal RV and pulmonary vascular response to exercise in patients who had undergone ASD closure. Using a previously published data set, we reviewed invasive exercise cardiopulmonary testing with right-sided hemodynamic data for 12 asymptomatic patients who had undergone ASD closure. The 5 (42%) patients with impaired maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) were older and exhibited a lower peak cardiac index (5.6 ± 0.8 vs. 9.0 ± 1.2 L/min/m(2); P = .005) because of abnormal stroke volume augmentation (+3.2 ± 3.9 vs. +17.4 ± 10.2 mL/m(2); P = .02). While all resting hemodynamic variables were similar, patients with low [Formula: see text] tended to have abnormal total pulmonary vascular resistance change during exercise (+11% ± 41% vs. -28% ± 26%; P = .06) and had a steeper relation between mean pulmonary arterial pressure and cardiac index (5.8 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.1 L/min/m(2); P = .02). The increase in peak mean RV power during exercise was also significantly lower in the impaired-[Formula: see text] patients (4.7 ± 1.6 vs. 7.6 ± 2.1 J/s; P = .04). As described in the original study, despite normal resting hemodynamics, a subset of asymptomatic patients with repaired ASD had diminished exercise capacity. Our analysis allows us to conclude that this is due to a combination of abnormal pulmonary vascular response to exercise and impaired RV function.

Data-driven decisions for reducing readmissions for heart failure: general methodology and case study

BACKGROUND

Several studies have focused on stratifying patients according to their level of readmission risk, fueled in part by incentive programs in the U.S. that link readmission rates to the annual payment update by Medicare. Patient-specific predictions about readmission have not seen widespread use because of their limited accuracy and questions about the efficacy of using measures of risk to guide clinical decisions. We construct a predictive model for readmissions for congestive heart failure (CHF) and study how its predictions can be used to perform patient-specific interventions. We assess the cost-effectiveness of a methodology that combines prediction and decision making to allocate interventions. The results highlight the importance of combining predictions with decision analysis.

METHODS

We construct a statistical classifier from a retrospective database of 793 hospital visits for heart failure that predicts the likelihood that patients will be rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge. We introduce a decision analysis that uses the predictions to guide decisions about post-discharge interventions. We perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of 379 additional hospital visits that were not included in either the formulation of the classifiers or the decision analysis. We report the performance of the methodology and show the overall expected value of employing a real-time decision system.

FINDINGS

For the cohort studied, readmissions are associated with a mean cost of $13,679 with a standard error of $1,214. Given a post-discharge plan that costs $1,300 and that reduces 30-day rehospitalizations by 35%, use of the proposed methods would provide an 18.2% reduction in rehospitalizations and save 3.8% of costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Classifiers learned automatically from patient data can be joined with decision analysis to guide the allocation of post-discharge support to CHF patients. Such analyses are especially valuable in the common situation where it is not economically feasible to provide programs to all patients.

Intravenous Epoprostenol for Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension during Pregnancy

Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension carries a high risk of mortality in pregnancy. Recent advances in treatment may improve disease course and allow for successful management of the pregnancy. Case Report We present the case of a 20-year-old gravida 1, para 0 with diagnosis of severe primary pulmonary hypertension. The patient was managed with epoprostenol (prostacyclin) infusion via an indwelling catheter, which was initiated at 23 weeks' gestation. The dose was adjusted to the patient's symptoms and a successful vaginal delivery was achieved at 36 weeks' gestation. Although maternal postpartum course was uncomplicated, unexplained neonatal demise occurred at 11 days of life. Conclusion Successful management of pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy can be accomplished with a multidisciplinary approach and intensive therapy. Long-term effects of epoprostenol on fetal or neonatal well-being are unknown.

The effect of c-fos on acute myocardial infarction and the significance of metoprolol intervention in a rat model

Over-expression of c-fos may play a role in some diseases. Research pertaining to the expression of c-fos in acute myocardial ınfarction (AMI) is rare, and the detailed role of c-fos in AMI has not been reported. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to elucidate the detailed effect of c-fos on AMI rats and evaluate the effect of a metoprolol intervention. An AMI rat model was established for the purposes of this study. The expression of c-fos in AMI was evaluated via immunohistochemical analysis and in situ hybridization. Simultaneously, we investigated the effect of c-fos on AMI rats via medicinal treatment with c-fos monoclonal antibody, isoproterenol, and metoprolol. Positive c-Fos protein expression and c-fos mRNA expression in cardiomyocytes were increased at 1, 3, 7, and 10 days after ligation in AMI rats compared with a sham-operated group. Peak expression occurred at 3 days after ligation. The weight percentage fraction of infarct size was decreased in rats treated with c-fos monoclonal antibody compared with the control normal saline treatment group. The weight percentage fraction of infarction size was increased after c-fos was increased via the administration of isoproterenol. c-Fos protein expression and the infarct size in rats treated with metoprolol were also decreased compared with the control normal saline treatment group. The results showed that c-fos expression rapidly increased after coronary ligation; c-fos plays an important role in myocardial lesions and is likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of AMI as well. Metoprolol can inhibit the expression of c-fos and has a positive therapeutic effect on rats after AMI; the involvement effect of metoprolol on myocardial infarction might be correlated with its effect on the inhibition of c-fos.