Particle-Hole Symmetry Breaking in a Spin-Dimer System TlCuCl_{3} Observed at 100 T

The entire magnetization process of TlCuCl_{3} has been experimentally investigated up to 100 T employing the single-turn technique. The upper critical field H_{c2} is observed to be 86.1 T at 2 K. A convex slope of the M-H curve between the lower and upper critical fields (H_{c1} and H_{c2}) is clearly observed, which indicates that a particle-hole symmetry is broken in TlCuCl_{3}. By quantum Monte Carlo simulation and the bond-operator theory method, we find that the particle-hole symmetry breaking results from strong interdimer interactions.

Prevalence and impact of ischemic risk on long-term bleeding and ischemic event for high bleeding risk patients

Background

Impact of ischemic risk (IR) on long term outcomes in patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) after everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation remains unclear.

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate long term bleeding and ischemic events in patient with HBR or IR after EES implantation.

Methods

The study population comprised 1219 patients treated with EES without in-hospital events between 2010 and 2011. The follow-up period was 2996±433 days. HBR was defined as Academic research consortium. IR defined as high-risk features of stent-driven recurrent ischemic events in Europe society of cardiology guidelines in 2019: prior stent thrombosis on adequate antiplatelet therapy, diffuse multivessel disease especially in diabetic patients, creatinine clearance <60 ml/min, at least three stents implanted, bifurcation two stents implanted, total stent length >60 mm, and treatment of a chronic total occlusion. Major bleeding (MB) was defined as defined as the occurrence of a Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 3 or 5 bleeding event. Primary ischemic events included myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, and cardiac death. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for time-to-event analyses.

Results

Of the 1219 patients, 317 (26.0%) patients had no risk, 114 (9.4%) patients had only HBR, 288 (23.6%) patients had only IR, and 500 (41.0%) patients had both risks. The 81.4% of HBR patients had IR. The figure of Kaplan-Meier showed MB and CE for 7–8 years. Both risk groups had higher bleeding risk and Ischemic events (log rank p=0.0039, 0.0001).

Conclusion

HBR patients with EES had a high incidence of IR. Patients who had both HBR and IR are especially at risk for both ischemic events and bleeding compared to those who had no or only one risk.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

UV-pumped visible Tb3+-lasers

We report on continuous-wave laser operation of Tb³⁺:LiLuF₄ under UV pumping. More than five times higher absorption cross sections in the UV allow for shorter gain media, which are required for future high-power diode pumping. The cross-relaxation process is found to efficiently populate the upper laser level ⁵D₄ at doping concentrations typically used in Tb³⁺-doped gain media. Pumping with a frequency doubled Ti:sapphire laser at 359 nm enables laser operation in the green and yellow spectral range with slope efficiencies of 41% and 20%, respectively, at optical-to-optical efficiencies a factor of two higher than under cyan-blue pumping.

Early restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon after newer biodegradable- and durable-polymer drug-eluting stent implantations

Background

It is yet to be known whether mechanisms underlying restenosis in newer-generation durable-polymer (DP) and biodegradable-polymer (BP) drug-eluting stents (DES) are different.

Purpose

This study aims to assess the incidences and predictors of early restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon after newer-generation durable-polymer (DP) and biodegradable-polymer (BP) DES.

Methods

Between 2010 and 2017, 13858 lesions in 6350 patients were treated with DES (4393 BP-DES, 9465 DP-DES). The early-term (within 1 year) and late-term (from 1 to 2 years) follow-up angiographies were scheduled. Late catch-up phenomenon was defined as in-stent restenosis (ISR) in lesions that evaded ISR within 1 year after stent implantation. ISR was defined as angiographic restenosis of more than 50%.

Results

The mean patient age was 71 years, and 76.7% were male. Early-term angiographies were performed in 10955 lesions (79.0%). Of those without early-term ISR, late-term angiographies were performed in 7771 lesions (56.1%). The incidences of mid-term restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon were 6.6% and 3.9%, respectively.

In the multivariate regression analyses, history of diabetes, hemodialysis and previous PCI were independent predictors of both early restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon. Also, some lesion characteristics such as chronic total occlusion, right coronary artery ostial lesion, small vessel (defined as reference diameter <2.5mm), long lesion (defined as lesion length >30mm) and treatment of ISR lesion were independent predictors of both early restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon.

Bifurcation lesion and heavily calcified lesion treated with rotablator were independent risk of early restenosis. Bypass graft lesion was an independent predictor of late catch-up phenomenon.

Early restenosis was observed less frequently in DP-DES than in BP-DES (6.3% versus 7.4%, P=0.012). On the contrary, late catch-up phenomenon was observed more frequently in DP-DES than in BP-DES (4.3% versus 2.9%, P=0.026).

Conclusions

Some lesion characteristics were independent predictors of early restenosis and late catch-up phenomenon after newer-generation DES implantation. The deployment of BP-DES resulted in more early restenosis and less late catch-up phenomenon compared to that of DP-DES.

Early Restenosis and Late Catch-Up

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Clinical features and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery embolism

Background

Coronary artery embolism (CE) is one of the important causes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The feature of CE is that angiographic evidence of coronary artery embolism and thrombosis without atherosclerotic components. However, the prevalence of CE remains unknown because of the diffifulty to diagnose in the acute settings. A recent retrospective analysis suggested that up to 3% of ACS cases may result from CE.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to elucidate the prevalence, clinical features and long-term outcomes including all-cause and cardiac death.

Methods

We analysed the consecutive 2695 patients with first AMI performed coronary intervention between January 2004 and July 2017. CE was diagnosed by clinical histories and angiographic findings. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and lesion characteristics and outcomes including all-cause and cardiac death.

Results

The prevalence of CE was 2.0% (n=55; CE group and n=2640; non-CE group), including 8 (15%) patients with multivessel CE. The CE group had higher average age (70.8±14.9 vs. 68.4±12.6, p<0.01), prevalence of female (54% vs. 27%, p<0.01), lower prevalence of smoking (34% vs. 62%, p<0.01). The common causes with CE were atrial fibrillation (47%), and malignant tumor (9%), and cardiomyopathy (5%), and patent foramen ovale (4%). Only 20% of patients with CE were treated with anti-coagulant therapy. The rate of distal infarction site (defined as #4, #8, #14–15) was significantly higher in CE group than non-CE group (54.0% vs. 4.9%, p<0.01). During median follow-up of 53.6 [32.6–77.3] months, CE and thromboembolism recurred in 5 patients (CE: 1 patient, stroke 4 patients). The 4-year incidence of all-cause death was significantly higher in the CE group, but cardiac death was not significantly different between the groups (28.8% vs. 14.8%, p=0.03; 12.8% vs. 5.1%, p=0.11).

Conclusion

Compared with non-CE group, the prevalence of distal infarction site was significantly higher in the CE group, and the incidence of cardiac death is not significantly different.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Association between clinical risk factors and left ventricular function in patients with breast cancer following chemotherapy

Background

The sequential or concurrent use of two different types of agents such as anthracyclines and trastuzumab may increase myocardial injury and cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD), which is often the result of the combined detrimental effect of the two therapies for breast cancer patients. For risk stratification to detect the development of CTRCD, the current position paper from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) lists several factors associated with risk of cardiotoxicity following treatment with chemotherapy. However, the association between clinical risk factors and left ventricular (LV) function in breast cancer patients is currently unclear.

Purpose

Our purpose was to investigate the impact of baseline risk factors on LV function in patients with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF) who have undergone anthracycline or trastuzumab chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Methods

We studied 86 breast cancer patients treated with anthracyclines, trastuzumab, or both. Mean age was 59±13 years and LVEF was 67±5%. In accordance with the current definition, CTRCD was defined as a decline in LVEF of >10% to an absolute value of <53% after chemotherapy. Based on the 2016 ESC position paper, clinical risk factors for CTRCD were defined as: (1) a cumulative total doxorubicin dose of ≥240 mg/m2, (2) age ≥65-year-old, (3) body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, (4) a previous history of radiation therapy to chest or mediastinum, (5) B-type natriuretic peptide ≥100pg/mL, (6) a previous history of cardiovascular disease, (7) atrial fibrillation, (8) hypertension, (9) diabetes mellitus, (10) current or ex-smoker.

Results

The relative decrease in LVEF after chemotherapy for patients with more than four risk factors was significantly greater than that for patients without (−9.3±10.8% vs. −2.2±10.2%; p=0.02). However, this finding did not apply to patients with more than one, two or three risk factors. Patients with more than four risk factors also tended to show a higher prevalence of CTRCD than those without (14.3% vs. 2.8%, p=0.12). Moreover, patients with more than four risk factors were more likely to have higher LV mass index (109.3±29.0 g/m2 vs. 83.2±21.0g /m2, p<0.001), lower global longitudinal strain (18.4±2.8% vs. 20.0±2.6%, p=0.06) and higher E/e' (10.4 (8.9–13.0) vs. 9.0 (7.4–10.9), p=0.06) compared to those without.

Conclusions

Association between clinical risk factors and LV dysfunction following chemotherapy became stronger with an increase in the number of risk factors in breast cancer patients, and was especially strong for patients treated with chemotherapy who had more than four risk factors. Our findings can thus be expected to have clinical implications for better management of patients with breast cancer referred for chemotherapy.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Consideration of non-valvular atrial fibrillation with left atrial appendage thrombus formation despite under appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently sustained cardiac arrhythmia, with a prevalence of about 2–3% in the general population. In accordance with CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc score, appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy such as warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) significantly reduced the risk of thromboembolic events. However, left atrial (LA) thrombus can be detected in the LA appendage (LAA) in AF patients despite appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy.

Purpose

Our purpose was to investigate the associated factors of LAA thrombus formation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients despite under appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively studied consecutive 286 NVAF patients for scheduled catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion for AF in our institution between February 2017 and September 2019. Mean age was 67.1±9.4 years, 79 patients (29.5%) were female, and 140 (52.2%) were paroxysmal AF. All patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography before catheter ablation or electrical cardioversion. All patients received appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy including warfarin or DOAC for at least 3 weeks prior to transesophageal echocardiography based on the current guidelines. LAA thrombus was defined as an echodense intracavitary mass distinct from the underlying endocardium and not caused by pectinate muscles by at least three senior echocardiologists.

Results

Of 286 NVAF patients with under appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy, LAA thrombus was observed in 9 patients (3.3%). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, paroxysmal AF, CHADS2 score ≥3, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), LA volume index (LAVI), mitral inflow E and mitral e' annular velocities ratio (E/e'), and LAA flow were associated with LAA thrombus formation. It was noteworthy that multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LAA flow was independent predictor of LAA thrombus (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59–0.89, p<0.005) as well as LVEF. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified the optimal cutoff value of LAA flow for predicting LAA thrombus as ≤15cm/s, with a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 93%, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.95.

Conclusions

LAA flow was strongly associated with LAA thrombus formation even in NVAF patients with appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy. According to our findings, further strengthen of oral anticoagulation therapy or percutaneous transcatheter closure of the LAA may be considered in NVAF patients with appropriate oral anticoagulation therapy but low LAA flow, especially <15cm/s.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Early vascular healing following bioresorbable-polymer sirolimus-eluting stent implantation in comparison with durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent: sequential optical coherence tomography study

Background

Orsiro ultrathin-strut bioresorbable-polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) might facilitate early vascular healing responses that seems to be associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes. We compared the early vascular healing responses to BP-SES and Xience durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent (DP-EES) in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods

A total of 40 patients with CCS receiving OCT-guided PCI were included. 20 patients were assigned to BP-SES, and 20 to DP-EES. OCT was performed immediately after stent placement (post-procedure) and at 1 month follow-up. Struts were recorded as uncovered if any part was visibly exposed in the lumen or covered if a layer of tissue covered all reflecting surfaces. The incidence of intrastent thrombus (IS-Th) and irregular protrusion (IRP) were also assessed.

Results

At 1 month, the percentage of uncovered struts was significantly lower in the BP-SES compared with the DP-EES (2.8±1.6% vs. 5.8±1.8%, respectively; p<0.001), and that of malapposed struts was similar between both groups (2.5±3.1% vs. 2.4±2.2%; p=0.76). There were no differences in the incidence of IS-Th (65.0% vs. 55.0% at post-procedure; p=0.54, 30.0% vs. 35.0% at 1 month; p=0.75) and IRP (30.0% vs. 25.0% at post-procedure; p=0.74). IRP had completely resolved at 1 month in both groups.

Conclusion

Early vascular healing response to Orsiro BP-SES implantation was revealed in CCS patients at 1 month compared with Xience DP-EES. Orsiro BP-SES may have a potential to shorten the dual antiplatelet therapy duration.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Risk stratification based on academic research consortium high bleeding risk criteria for long-term bleeding event after everolimus-eluting stent implantation

Background

Recently, the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria has been suggested as the standard definition of HBR.

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the risk stratification based on ARC-HBR Criteria for long-term bleeding event after everolimus-eluting stent implantation

Methods

The study population comprised 1193 patients treated with EES without in-hospital event between 2010 and 2011. Individual ARC-HBR criteria was retrospectively assessed. Major bleeding were defined as the occurrence of a Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3 or 5 bleeding event. The mean follow-up period was 2996±433 days.

Results

There were 656 patients (55.0%) in HBR-groups. Cumulative incidence of major bleeding was significantly higher in HBR-group (8.1% vs 3.4% at 4 year, and 16.2% vs 5.7% at 8 year, P<0.001). Cumulative rate of major bleeding tend to be higher as the number of ARC-HBR criteria increased (≥2 Majors: 24.3%, 1 Major: 17.0%, ≥2 Minors:11.7%, and Non-HBR: 5.7%, P<0.001).

Conclusion

ARC-HBR criteria successfully stratified the long-term bleeding risk after drug-eluting stent implantation in real-world practice.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Positive effect of dapagliflozin on left ventricular longitudinal function for type 2 diabetic mellitus patients with chronic heart failure

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has come to be considered an independent predictor of mortality, and also a contributor to the development of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Left ventricular (LV) longitudinal myocardial dysfunction as assessed in terms of lower global longitudinal strain (GLS), has been identified even in T2DM patients with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and should be considered the first marker of a preclinical form of DM-related cardiac dysfunction, leading to HFpEF. Sodium glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors represent a new class of anti-hyperglycemic agents for T2DM, but the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on LV longitudinal myocardial function in T2DM patients with HF remains uncertain. To examine this effect, as well as the association of LV longitudinal myocardial function with LV diastolic function after administration of SGLT2 inhibitor in T2DM patients with stable HF, we analyzed data from our previous prospective multicenter study, in which we investigated the effect of SGLT2 inhibitor on LV diastolic functional parameters of T2DM patients with stable HF at five institutions in Japan.

Methods

Our previous trial was a prospective multicenter study of 58 T2DM patients with stable HF at five institutions in Japan. Patients who had been taking at least one antidiabetic drugs other than SGLT2 inhibitors started the administration of 5 mg/day of dapagliflozin. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and 6 months after administration of dapagliflozin. LV diastolic function was defined as the ratio of mitral inflow E to mitral e' annular velocities (E/e'). LV longitudinal myocardial function was assessed as GLS based on the current guidelines.

Results

E/e' significantly decreased from 9.3 to 8.5 cm/s 6 months after administration of dapagliflozin (p=0.020) as previously described, while GLS showed significant improvement from 15.5±3.5% to 16.9±4.1% (p<0.01) 6 months after administration of dapagliflozin. Furthermore, improvement of GLS in HFpEF patients was more significant from 17.0±1.9% to 18.7±2.0% (p<0.001), compared to that in HFrEF patients from 11.3±3.8% to 11.8±4.6% (p=0.13). It was noteworthy that multiple regression analysis showed that the change in GLS after administration of dapagliflozin was the only independent determinant parameter for the change in E/e' after administration of dapagliflozin.

Conclusion

Dapagliflozin was found to be associated with improvement of LV longitudinal myocardial function, which led to further improvement of LV diastolic function of T2DM patients with stable HF. GLS-guided management may thus lead to improved management of T2DM patients with stable HF.

Representative case

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Early vascular responses to ultrathin biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent for the treatment of st-elevation myocardial infarction

Background

Recent clinical study suggests newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) that combine ultrathin strut and nano-coating with biodegradable polymers sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) could improve long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over current generation DES. However, safety profiles in very early phase have not been systematically addressed.

Objective and method

We exploratory investigate early vascular response following BP-SES implantation in patients with STEMI to reveal mechanism of the favorable clinical outcomes in recent studies using frequency domain-optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT).

Consecutive twenty patients with STEMI who underwent FD-OCT immediately after primary PCI and were eligible for follow-up FD-OCT at 2 weeks after implantation were enrolled between June 2018 and November 2019.

Results

Twenty patients (age 62.7±11.3 years, male 85.0%) were enrolled with frequencies of hypertension (45.0%), diabetes mellitus (35.0%), dyslipidemia (55.0%) and smoking (80.0%). Aspiration catheter were used in all patients, and 1.13±0.34 stents were used. Only one patient (5.0%) received chronic antiplatelet therapy with aspirin prior to the onset of STEMI. All patients started to receive prasugrel as thienopyridine from this event and continued dual antiplatelet therapy for 2 weeks.

The percentage of uncovered struts significantly decreased from post-procedure to 2W follow-up (69±18% post-procedure versus 30±11% at 2W follow up, p<0.0001). Malapposed struts also decreased (5.6±5.7% post-procedure versus0.9±1.2% at 2W follow up, p<0.0001).The average protrusion area of athero-thrombotic burden numerically decreased (0.37±0.19 at post-procedure versus 0.34±0.14 mm2 at 2W follow up, p=0.19) and its volume showed similar tendency (10.60±6.40 at post-procedure versus 9.36±5.14 mm3 at 2W follow up, p=0.19).

Conclusion(s)

This study firstly elucidated very early vascular responses following ultrathin strut BP-SES implantation in STEMI patients, showing early progression of strut coverage and resolution of athero-thrombotic materials. This technology may have a potential to overcome the current generation DESs in this clinical setting.

Thrombus, uncovered and malapposed struts

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction due to unprotected left main trunk lesion: insight from the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit network multicenter registry

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) due to unprotected left main trunk (LMT) lesion remains a clinical challenge because it requires prompt and efficient revascularization in catastrophic clinical presentation. However, predictors of in-hospital prognosis in patients with LMT-AMI are still not fully understood.

Purpose

To examine the predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with LMT-AMI.

Methods

From 20,257 AMI patients in the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit network registry (comprising 72 hospitals) from 2013 to 2017, we identified 371 (1.8%) eligible LMT-AMI patients without a history of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and divided them into two groups: 254 survivors and 117 non-survivors. Measured variables included patient demographics, vital signs, laboratory data on admission, and in-hospital treatment. The outcome was in-hospital mortality. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis for in-hospital mortality with adjustment for the following 9 potential confounders, based on previous studies: (1) age, (2) sex, (3) Killip class, (4) ST elevation, (5) wide QRS (>120 msec), (6) the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade on initial coronary angiography, (7) number of vessels with significant stenosis other than LMT, (8) renal dysfunction on admission, and (9) plasma glucose on admission.

Results

Overall, mean age was 70.6±11.8 years and 81.9% were male. ST-elevation myocardial infarction accounted for 61.8%. Cardiac arrest was observed in 102 (33.6%) patients. Percutaneous coronary intervention and CABG were performed in 302 (81.8%) and 63 (17.0%) patients, respectively. Intra-aortic balloon pumping and veno-arterial extracorporeal membranous oxygenation were used in 288 (77.8%) and 81 (21.9%) patients, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 31.5%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that higher in-hospital mortality was significantly associated with Killip class IV (adjusted odds ratio 3.41 [95% confidence interval 1.36–8.56]; reference: Killip I), TIMI grade 0 (3.51 [1.22–10.14]; reference: TIMI grade 3), renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration <60 mL/min/1.73m2; 6.48 [2.53–16.57]), and high plasma glucose on admission (>150 mg/dl; 3.64 [1.33–9.97]). Age, sex, ST-elevation, wide QRS, and multi-vessel disease were not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions

LMT-AMI remains life-threatening in the current era of widely available revascularization. Our results showed that haemodynamic compromise, no coronary flow, renal dysfunction, and high plasma glucose on admission were strong predictors of in-hospital mortality after LMT-AMI. Given the high cardiac arrest rate, more aggressive therapeutic measures including mechanical circulatory support may be required to improve the prognosis of LMT-AMI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Suppression of gastric acid secretion decreased cardiovascular events independent of severe bleeding events in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention – sub-analysis from multicenter registry

Background

Suppression of gastric acid secretion by proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) or potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) has recently been developed as a standard strategy for preventing gastrointestinal bleeding for patients receiving antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there has been limited evidences on the association between PPI/P-CAB administration and adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing PCI.

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the prescription of PPI/P-CAB on clinical outcomes in patients after PCI.

Methods

This study is a subanalysis from the TWINCRE registry that is a multicentral prospective cohort including patients who underwent PCI at 12 hospitals in Japan between 2017 and 2019. Among registered patients, we ultimately evaluated 1,428 patients who were followed-up. They were divided into two groups by the prescriptions of PPI or P-CAB at discharge for the index PCI; the PPI/P-CAB group (n=1,023), and the Non-PPI/P-CAB group (n=407). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) including death, acute coronary syndrome, stent thrombosis, hospitalization due to heart failure and ischemic stroke. Secondary endpoints was major bleeding events defined BARC3, 4 and 5.

Results

The average age of the study population was 70.3 years and 80.3% were male. Baseline clinical profiles were comparable between the groups, except that the PPI/P-CAB group included significantly higher rate of patients who had history of prior PCI (28.4% vs 18.7%, P=0.02). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy between the PPI/P-CAB group and Non-PPI/P-CAB group (average duration; 287±8 vs. 285±8 days, P=0.66). Overall, MACCE was developed in 132 patients (9.3%), and bleeding event was observed in 24 patients (1.7%) during 574 days of median follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the PPI/P-CAB group had a significantly lower rate of MACCE than those in the Non-PPI/P-CAB group (Log-rank test, p=0.0003, Figure 1A). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the prescription of PPI/P-CAB still was independently associated with the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 0.532, 95% confidence interval 0.369–0.766, p=0.0007), even after the adjustment by diverse covariates. Whereas, there was no significant difference in the bleeding event (p=0.64, Figure 1B).

Conclusion

PPI or P-CAB therapy was associated with better clinical outcomes after PCI, independent of the incidences of severe bleeding events.

Figure 1

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

High environmental stress and productivity increase functional diversity along a deep-sea hydrothermal vent gradient

Productivity and environmental stress are major drivers of multiple biodiversity facets and faunal community structure. Little is known on their interacting effects on early community assembly processes in the deep sea (>200 m), the largest environment on Earth. However, at hydrothermal vents productivity correlates, at least partially, with environmental stress. Here, we studied the colonization of rock substrata deployed along a deep-sea hydrothermal vent gradient at four sites with and without direct influence of vent fluids at 1,700-m depth in the Lucky Strike vent field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge [MAR]). We examined in detail the composition of faunal communities (>20 μm) established after 2 yr and evaluated species and functional patterns. We expected the stressful hydrothermal activity to (1) limit functional diversity and (2) filter for traits clustering functionally similar species. However, our observations did not support our hypotheses. On the contrary, our results show that hydrothermal activity enhanced functional diversity. Moreover, despite high species diversity, environmental conditions at surrounding sites appear to filter for specific traits, thereby reducing functional richness. In fact, diversity in ecological functions may relax the effect of competition, allowing several species to coexist in high densities in the reduced space of the highly productive vent habitats under direct fluid emissions. We suggest that the high productivity at fluid-influenced sites supports higher functional diversity and traits that are more energetically expensive. The presence of exclusive species and functional entities led to a high turnover between surrounding sites. As a result, some of these sites contributed more than expected to the total species and functional β diversities. The observed faunal overlap and energy links (exported productivity) suggest that rather than operating as separate entities, habitats with and without influence of hydrothermal fluids may be considered as interconnected entities. Low functional richness and environmental filtering suggest that surrounding areas, with their very heterogeneous species and functional assemblages, may be especially vulnerable to environmental changes related to natural and anthropogenic impacts, including deep-sea mining.

In-vitro fertilisation-embryo-transfer complicates the antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum using MRI: a retrospective analysis

AIM

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from 95 patients with placenta previa or low-lying placenta who underwent MRI at Osaka University Hospital for the antenatal diagnosis of PAS between January 2013 and December 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The antenatal MRI signs suggesting PAS were assessed. Patients were divided into two groups depending on whether they were diagnosed with PAS. Factors that affected PAS diagnosis were identified using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The diagnostic accuracy of MRI for detecting PAS was as follows: 71.4% sensitivity, 96.4% specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.839 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-0.91). The diagnostic accuracy was lower in patients with in-vitro fertilisation with embryo transfer (IVF-ET): 22.2% sensitivity, 93.3% specificity, and AUC=0.578 (95% CI: 0.417-0.724). On multivariate analysis, only IVF-ET showed a significant association with false-positive or -negative MRI diagnosis of PAS (adjusted odds ratio: 26.5; 95% CI: 2.42-289.4; p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

IVF-ET affects the antenatal diagnosis of PAS using MRI.

Inhibitors of a Na+-pumping NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase play multiple roles to block enzyme function

The Na⁺-pumping NADH-ubiquinone (UQ) oxidoreductase (Na⁺-NQR) is present in the respiratory chain of many pathogenic bacteria and is thought to be a promising antibiotic target. Whereas many details of Na⁺-NQR structure and function are known, the mechanisms of action of potent inhibitors is not well-understood; elucidating the mechanisms would not only advance drug design strategies but might also provide insights on a terminal electron transfer from riboflavin to UQ. To this end, we performed photoaffinity labeling experiments using photoreactive derivatives of two known inhibitors, aurachin and korormicin, on isolated Vibrio cholerae Na⁺-NQR. The inhibitors labeled the cytoplasmic surface domain of the NqrB subunit including a protruding N-terminal stretch, which may be critical to regulate the UQ reaction in the adjacent NqrA subunit. The labeling was blocked by short-chain UQs such as ubiquinone-2. The photolabile group (2-aryl-5-carboxytetrazole (ACT)) of these inhibitors reacts with nucleophilic amino acids, so we tested mutations of nucleophilic residues in the labeled region of NqrB, such as Asp⁴⁹ and Asp⁵² (to Ala), and observed moderate decreases in labeling yields, suggesting that these residues are involved in the interaction with ACT. We conclude that the inhibitors interfere with the UQ reaction in two ways: the first is blocking structural rearrangements at the cytoplasmic interface between NqrA and NqrB, and the second is the direct obstruction of UQ binding at this interfacial area. Unusual competitive behavior between the photoreactive inhibitors and various competitors corroborates our previous proposition that there may be two inhibitor binding sites in Na⁺-NQR.