TUDCA alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome and enhancing cholesterol efflux capacity in macrophage

Cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) dysfunction in macrophages is important in atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism underlying CEC dysfunction remains unclear. We described the characteristics of ATF4 and inflammasome activation in macrophages during atherosclerosis through scRNA sequencing analysis. Then model of hyperlipemia was established in ApoE-/- mice; some were treated with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). TUDCA decreased the ATF4, Hspa, and inflammasome activation, reduced plaque area of the artery, and promoted CEC in macrophages. Furthermore, TUDCA abolished oxLDL-induced foam cell formation by inhibiting activation of the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 and AIM2 inflammasome in macrophages. Further assays revealed ATF4 binding to AIM2 promoter, promoting its transcriptional activity significantly. Then we discovered that ATF4 affected AIM2-mediated foam cell formation by targeting ABCA1, which could be blocked by TUDCA. Our study demonstrated that TUDCA alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting AIM2 inflammasome and enhancing CEC of macrophage, which provided possibilities for the development of therapies.

Development and validation of a novel score for predicting perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing noncardiac surgery

BACKGROUND

A model developed specifically for stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) patients to predict perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) has not been previously reported.

METHODS

The derivation cohort consisted of 5780 patients with SCAD undergoing noncardiac surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, from January 1, 2013 until May 31, 2021. The validation cohort consisted of 2677 similar patients from June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2023. The primary outcome was a composite of MACEs (death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke) intraoperatively or during hospitalization postoperatively.

RESULTS

Six predictors, including Creatinine >90 μmol/L, Hemoglobin <110 g/L, Albumin <40 g/L, Leukocyte >10 ×109/L, high-risk Surgery (general abdominal or vascular), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class (III or IV), were selected in the final model (CHALSA score). Each patient was assigned a CHALSA score of 0, 1, 2, 3, or > 3 according to the number of predictors present. The incidence of perioperative MACEs increased steadily across the CHALSA score groups in both the derivation (0.5%, 1.4%, 2.9%, 6.8%, and 23.4%, respectively; p < 0.001) and validation (0.3%, 1.5%, 4.1%, 9.2%, and 29.2%, respectively; p < 0.001) cohorts. The CHALSA score had a higher discriminatory ability than the revised cardiac risk index (C statistic: 0.827 vs. 0.695 in the validation dataset; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The CHALSA score showed good validity in an external dataset and will be a valuable bedside tool to guide the perioperative management of patients with SCAD undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Genetically predicted systemic inflammation and the risk of atrial fibrillation: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Background

Systemic inflammation has been proposed to be associated with the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), but whether it is a cause or a consequence of AF remains uncertain. We sought to explore the causal associations between systemic inflammation and AF using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

Independent genetic variants strongly associated with AF were selected as instrumental variables from the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) with up to 1,030,836 individuals. Regarding inflammation traits, genetic associations with 41 inflammatory cytokines and 5 inflammatory biomarkers were obtained from their corresponding GWASs databases. Effect estimates were primarily evaluated using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented by sensitivity analyses using MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO methods.

Results

In our initial MR analyses, we observed suggestive associations of genetically predicted interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-2 receptor subunit alpha (IL-2rα), and procalcitonin (PCT) with AF. One standard deviation (SD) increase in IL-17, IL-2rα, and PCT caused an increase in AF risk by 6.3 % (OR 1.063, 95 %CI 1.011---1.118, p = 0.018), 4.9 % (OR 1.049, 95 %CI 1.007---1.094, p = 0.023) and 3.4 % (OR 1.034, 95 %CI 1.005---1.064, p = 0.022), respectively. Furthermore, our reverse MR analyses indicated that genetically predicted AF contributed to a suggestive increase in the levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP1β) (β 0.055, 95 %CI 0.006 to 0.103, p = 0.028), while a decrease in the levels of fibrinogen (Fbg) (β -0.091, 95 %CI -0.140 to -0.041, p < 0.001), which remained significant after multiple test correction.

Conclusions

Our MR study identified several inflammatory biomarkers with suggestive causal associations regarding the upstream and downstream regulation of AF occurrence, offering new insights for therapeutic exploitation of AF. Further research is required to validate the underlying link between systemic inflammation and AF in larger cohorts.

Somatosensory Electro-Thermal Actuator through the Laser-Induced Graphene Technology

The biological system realizes the unity of action and perception through the muscle tissue and nervous system. Correspondingly, artificial soft actuators realize the unity of sensing and actuating functions in a single functional material, which will have tremendous potential for developing intelligent and bionic soft robotics. This paper reports the design of a laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrothermal actuator with self-sensing capability. LIG, a functional material formed by a one-step direct-write lasing procedure under ambient air, is used as electrothermal conversion materials and piezoresistive sensing materials. By transferring LIG to a flexible silicone substrate, the design ability of the LIG-based actuator unit is enriched, along with an effectively improved sensing sensitivity. Through the integration of different types of well-designed LIG-based actuator units, the transformations from multidimensional precursors to 2D and 3D structures are realized. According to the piezoresistive effect of the LIG units during the deformation process, the visual synchronous deformation state feedback of the LIG-based actuator is proposed. The multimodal crawling soft robotics and the switchable electromagnetic shielding cloak serve as the demonstrations of the self-sensing LIG-based actuator, showing the advantage of the design in remote control of the soft robot without relying on the assistance of visual devices.

Clinical outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation guided by intracardiac echocardiography for Chinese atrial fibrillation patients: a single-center, retrospective study

Background

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is a novel technology with certain advantages in treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), yet there is limited research on the use of ICE in radiofrequency ablation for AF treatment in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the total fluoroscopy time and dose, safety, and effectiveness of ICE guided vs. traditional fluoroscopy (non-ICE) guided radiofrequency ablation for AF in China.

Methods

We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of patients who underwent ICE or traditional fluoroscopy-guided radiofrequency ablation for AF. The primary endpoint of this study was total fluoroscopy time, and the secondary endpoints included total fluoroscopy dose, acute surgery failure, transseptal puncture time, ablation time, total procedure time, and 6-month surgery success (no AF recurrence or atrial flutter). As an exploratory analysis, outcomes of interest by different types of AF were examined.

Results

A total of 97 patients were included in the analysis. Forty-eight were in the ICE group and 49 were in the non-ICE group with comparable demographic and clinical characteristics at the baseline. None of patients experienced acute surgery failure with no major procedure-related complications occurred. The fluoroscopic time and dose were significantly lower in the ICE group compared to the non-ICE group (0.00 vs. 9.67±4.88 min, P<0.001; 0.00 vs. 77.10±44.28 mGy/cm2, P<0.001, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in transseptal puncture time, ablation time and total procedure time between the two groups. There were two AF recurrences observed during the 6-month follow-up in each group (P>0.99).

Conclusions

ICE significantly reduced the fluoroscopic time and dose for radiofrequency catheter ablation in AF patients. There were no significant differences in safety or effectiveness outcomes between the ICE and non-ICE groups.

Prognostic implications of premature ventricular contractions and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in light-chain cardiac amyloidosis

AIMS

Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) are commonly observed in light chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA), but their association with prognosis is still unclear. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of PVCs and NSVT in patients with moderate-to-advanced AL-CA.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We retrospectively included patients with AL-CA at modified 2004 Mayo stages II-IIIb between February 2014 and December 2020. Twenty-four-hour Holter recordings were assessed on admission. The outcomes included (i) new onset of adverse ventricular arrhythmia (VA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) and (ii) cardiac death during follow-up. Of the 143 patients studied (60.41 ± 11.06 years, male 64.34%), 132 (92.31%) had presence of PVC, and 50 (34.97%) had NSVT on Holter. Twelve (8.4%) patients died in hospital and 131 patients were followed up (median 24.4 months), among whom 71 patients had cardiac death, and 15 underwent adverse VA/SCD. NSVT [hazard ratio (HR): 13.57, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.06-60.18, P < 0.001], log-transformed PVC counts (HR: 1.46, 95%CI: 1.15-1.86, P = 0.002) and PVC burden (HR: 1.43 95%CI:1.14-1.80, P = 0.002) were predictive of new onset of adverse VA/SCD. The highest tertile of PVC counts (HR: 2.33, 95%CI: 1.27-4.28, P = 0.006) and PVC burden (HR: 2.58, 95%CI: 1.42-4.69, P = 0.002), rather than NSVT (HR: 1.16, 95%CI: 0.67-1.98, P = 0.603), was associated with cardiac death. Higher PVC counts/burden provided incremental value on modified 2004 Mayo stage in predicting cardiac death, with C index increasing from 0.681 to 0.712 and 0.717, respectively (P values <0.05).

CONCLUSION

PVC count, burden, and NSVT significantly correlated with adverse VA/SCD during follow-up in patients with AL-CA. Higher PVC counts/burdens added incremental value for predicting cardiac death.

The China Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Project (CHCMP): The Rationale and Design of a Multicenter, Prospective, Registry Cohort Study

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with adverse outcomes, such as heart failure, arrhythmia, and mortality. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a common cause of death in HCM patients, and identification of patients at a high risk of SCD is crucial in clinical practice. The China Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Project is a hospital-based, multicenter, prospective, registry cohort study of HCM patients, covering a total of 3000 participants and with a 5-year follow-up plan. A large number of demographic characteristics and clinical data will be fully collected to identify prognostic factors in Chinese HCM patients. Furthermore, the main purpose of this study is to integrate demographic and clinical characteristics to establish new 5-year SCD risk predictive equations for Chinese HCM patients by the use of machine learning technologies. The project has crucial clinical significance for risk stratification and determination of HCM patients with high risk of adverse outcomes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2300070909.

Association Between Free Fatty Acids and Cardiometabolic Risk in Coronary Artery Disease: Results From the PROMISE Study

CONTEXT

The association between free fatty acids (FFAs) and unfavorable clinical outcomes has been reported in the general population. However, evidence in the secondary prevention population is relatively scarce.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the relationship between FFA and cardiovascular risk in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

This study was based on a multicenter cohort of patients with CAD enrolled from January 2015 to May 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause death. Secondary outcomes included cardiac death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and unplanned revascularization.

RESULTS

During a follow-up of 2 years, there were 468 (3.0%) all-cause deaths, 335 (2.1%) cardiac deaths, and 1279 (8.1%) MACE. Elevated FFA levels were independently associated with increased risks of all-cause death, cardiac death, and MACE (all P < .05). Moreover, When FFA were combined with an original model derived from the Cox regression, there were significant improvements in discrimination and reclassification for prediction of all-cause death (net reclassification improvement [NRI] 0.245, P < .001; integrated discrimination improvement [IDI] 0.004, P = .004), cardiac death (NRI 0.269, P < .001; IDI 0.003, P = .006), and MACE (NRI 0.268, P < .001; IDI 0.004, P < .001). Notably, when stratified by age, we found that the association between FFA with MACE risk appeared to be stronger in patients aged ≥60 years compared with those aged <60 years.

CONCLUSION

In patients with CAD, FFAs are associated with all-cause death, cardiac death, and MACE. Combined evaluation of FFAs with other traditional risk factors could help identify high-risk individuals who may require closer monitoring and aggressive treatment.

3D Chiral Energy-Absorbing Structures with a High Deformation Recovery Ratio Fabricated via Selective Laser Melting of the NiTi Alloy

Excellent energy-absorbing structures have been highly sought after in engineering applications to improve devices and personal safety. The ideal energy absorption mechanism should exhibit characteristics such as lightweight, high energy absorption capacity, and efficient reusability. To address this demand, a novel three-dimensional (3D) chiral lattice structure with compression-twist coupling deformation is fabricated by combining the left and right chiral units. The proposed structure was fabricated in NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) by using laser powder bed fusion technology. The compression experiment result indicates that the shape recovery ratio is as high as 94% even when the compression strain is over 80%. Additionally, the platform strain reaches as high as 66%, offering high-level specific energy absorption, i.e., 213.02 J/g. The obtained results are of great significance for basic research and engineering applications of energy-absorbing structures with high deformation recovery ratios.

Prognostic significance of inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease at low residual inflammatory risk

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at low residual inflammatory risk are often overlooked in research and practice. This study examined the associations between fourteen inflammatory indicators and all-cause mortality in 5,339 CAD patients with baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) <2 mg/L who received percutaneous coronary intervention and statin and aspirin therapy. The median follow-up time was 2.1 years. Neutrophil-derived systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) yielded the strongest and most robust association with all-cause mortality among all indicators. Lower hsCRP remained to be associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. A newly developed comprehensive inflammation score (CIS) showed better predictive performance than other indicators, which was validated by an independent external cohort. In conclusion, neutrophil-derived indicators, particularly SIRI, strongly predicted all-cause mortality independent of hsCRP in CAD patients at low residual inflammatory risk. CIS may help identify individuals with inflammation burdens that cannot be explained by hsCRP alone.

Hardness and electronic properties of Si-C-N structures

Three novel hexagonal Si-C-N structures, namely SiC3N3, SiC7N6, and SiC13N14, were constructed on the basis of the α-Si3N4 crystal structure. The stability of the three structures is demonstrated by analyzing their elastic constants and phonon dispersion spectra and by calculating their formation energies. The calculated band structures and partial densities of states suggest that the SiC3N3 and SiC7N6 structures possess hole conductivity. The electron orbital analyses indicate that the SiC3N3 and SiC7N6 crystals possess three-dimensional and one-dimensional conductivity, respectively. SiC13N14 is a semiconductor with a wide bandgap of 4.39 eV. Based on two different hardness models and indentation shear stress calculations, the Vickers hardness values of SiC3N3, SiC7N6, and SiC13N14 are estimated to be 28.04/28.45/16.18 GPa, 31.17/34.19/20.24 GPa, and 40.60/41.59/36.40 GPa. This result indicates that SiC3N3 and SiC7N6 are conductive hard materials while SiC13N14 is a quasi superhard material.

Application and Development of EEG Acquisition and Feedback Technology: A Review

This review focuses on electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition and feedback technology and its core elements, including the composition and principles of the acquisition devices, a wide range of applications, and commonly used EEG signal classification algorithms. First, we describe the construction of EEG acquisition and feedback devices encompassing EEG electrodes, signal processing, and control and feedback systems, which collaborate to measure faint EEG signals from the scalp, convert them into interpretable data, and accomplish practical applications using control feedback systems. Subsequently, we examine the diverse applications of EEG acquisition and feedback across various domains. In the medical field, EEG signals are employed for epilepsy diagnosis, brain injury monitoring, and sleep disorder research. EEG acquisition has revealed associations between brain functionality, cognition, and emotions, providing essential insights for psychologists and neuroscientists. Brain-computer interface technology utilizes EEG signals for human-computer interaction, driving innovation in the medical, engineering, and rehabilitation domains. Finally, we introduce commonly used EEG signal classification algorithms. These classification tasks can identify different cognitive states, emotional states, brain disorders, and brain-computer interface control and promote further development and application of EEG technology. In conclusion, EEG acquisition technology can deepen the understanding of EEG signals while simultaneously promoting developments across multiple domains, such as medicine, science, and engineering.

Inverse Association of Lipoprotein(a) on Long-Term Bleeding Risk in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: Insight from a Multicenter Cohort in Asia

BACKGROUND

 Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), has been recognized as a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between Lp(a) and bleeding remains indistinct, especially in the secondary prevention population of coronary artery disease (CAD). This investigation aimed to evaluate the association of Lp(a) with long-term bleeding among patients with CAD.

METHODS

 Based on a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with CAD consecutively enrolled from January 2015 to May 2019 in China, the current analysis included 16,150 participants. Thus, according to Lp(a) quintiles, all subjects were divided into five groups. The primary endpoint was bleeding at 2-year follow-up, and the secondary endpoint was major bleeding at 2-year follow-up.

RESULTS

 A total of 2,747 (17.0%) bleeding and 525 (3.3%) major bleeding were recorded during a median follow-up of 2.0 years. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the highest bleeding incidence in Lp(a) quintile 1, compared with patients in Lp(a) quintiles 2 to 5 (p < 0.001), while the incidence of major bleeding seemed similar between the two groups. Moreover, restricted cubic spline analysis suggested that there was an L-shaped association between Lp(a) and 2-year bleeding after adjustment for potential confounding factors, whereas there was no significant association between Lp(a) and 2-year major bleeding.

CONCLUSION

 There was an inverse and L-shaped association of Lp(a) with bleeding at 2-year follow-up in patients with CAD. More attention and effort should be made to increase the clinician awareness of Lp(a)'s role, as a novel marker for bleeding risk to better guide shared-decision making in clinical practice.

Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Diabetic Chronic Coronary Syndrome Patients

Limited evidence exists on the combined and mediating effects of systemic inflammation on the association between insulin resistance and cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). This secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort included 4419 diabetic CCS patients. Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were applied to evaluate insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, respectively. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac event (MACE). Associations of TyG and hsCRP with cardiovascular events were estimated using Cox regression. A mediation analysis was performed to assess whether hsCRP mediates the relationship between TyG and cardiovascular events. Within a median 2.1-year follow-up period, 405 MACEs occurred. Patients with high levels of TyG and hsCRP experienced the highest MACE risk (hazard ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval: 1.24-2.70, p = 0.002) compared to individuals with low levels of both markers. HsCRP significantly mediated 14.37% of the relationship between TyG and MACE (p < 0.001). In diabetic CCS patients, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation synergically increased the risk of cardiovascular events, and systemic inflammation partially mediated the association between insulin resistance and clinical outcomes. Combining TyG and hsCRP can help identify high-risk patients. Controlling inflammation in patients with insulin resistance may bring added benefits.

Interfacial Adhesion Property of Asphalt Binder with Calcium Alginate Carrier of Asphalt Rejuvenator

Recently calcium alginate has been successfully applied to encapsulate asphalt rejuvenator, which can protect asphalt rejuvenator from early leakage and release asphalt rejuvenator when triggered by specific factors such as cracks. The interfacial adhesion property of asphalt binder with calcium alginate carrier is of great importance to its actual performance. In this paper, the molecular model of the interface region between asphalt binder and calcium alginate was established, and molecular dynamics simulations were performed on it to investigate the molecular interaction at the interface region. By extracting and processing the data during the simulation process, the interfacial adhesion behavior was expounded using the spreading coefficient (S), permeation depth and permeation degree. Furthermore, the interfacial adhesion strength was evaluated by adopting the interfacial adhesion work. Results showed that the value of S was greater than 0, implying that asphalt binder could wet the surface of calcium alginate. Saturate had the highest value of permeation degree, followed by resin, aromatic and asphaltene. However, asphalt binder could not infiltrate into the interior of TiO₂, only accumulating and spreading on the surface of TiO₂. The interfacial adhesion work of unaged and aged asphalt binder to calcium alginate was -114.18 mJ/m² and -186.37 mJ/m², respectively, similar to that of asphalt-aggregate interface. The van der Waals interactions contributed the most to the formation of the interfacial adhesion strength. In addition, a certain degree aging of asphalt binder and addition of titanium dioxide in the calcium alginate carrier were helpful to enhance the interfacial adhesion strength.

Stress hyperglycemia ratio and long-term prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A multicenter, nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR), a novel biomarker of stress hyperglycemia, was proved to be a reliable predictor of short-term adverse outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, its impact on long-term prognosis remained controversial.

METHODS

A total of 7662 patients with ACS from a large nationwide prospective cohort between January 2015 and May 2019 were included. SHR was calculated by the following formula: SHR = admission glucose (mmol/L)/(1.59 × HbA1c [%]-2.59). The primary end point was a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) during follow-up, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and unplanned revascularization. The second end point was the separate components of the primary end points.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, 779 MACE events occurred. After multivariable adjustment, ACS patients with the highest SHR tertile were significantly associated with increased long-term risks of MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-1.88), all-cause death (HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.29-2.51) and unplanned revascularization (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.09-1.91). Although significant associations between the highest SHR tertile and risks of MACE and all-cause death were assessed in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients, the patterns of risk were different in these two groups.

CONCLUSION

Elevated SHR was independently associated with a higher risk of long-term outcomes irrespective of diabetic status, suggesting that SHR was a potential biomarker for risk stratification after ACS.

Dual-Phase Inspired Soft Electronic Sensors with Programmable and Tunable Mechanical Properties

Wearable and stretchable sensors are important components to strictly monitor the behavior and health of humans and attract extensive attention. However, traditional sensors are designed with pure horseshoes or chiral metamaterials, which restrict the biological tissue engineer applications due to their narrow regulation ranges of the elastic modulus and the poorly adjustable Poisson's ratio. Inspired by the biological spiral microstructure, a dual-phase metamaterial (chiral-horseshoes) is designed and fabricated in this work, which possesses wide and programmable mechanical properties by tailoring the geometrical parameters. Experimental, numerical, and theoretical studies are conducted, which reveal that the designed microstructures can reproduce mechanical properties of most natural animals such as frogs, snakes, and rabbits skin. Furthermore, a flexible strain sensor with the gauge factor reaching 2 under 35% strain is fabricated, which indicates that the dual-phase metamaterials have a stable monitoring ability and can be potentially applied in the electronic skin. Finally, the flexible strain sensor is attached on the human skin, and it can successfully monitor the physiological behavior signals under various actions. In addition, the dual-phase metamaterial could combine with artificial intelligence algorithms to fabricate a flexible stretchable display. The dual-phase metamaterial with negative Poisson's ratio could decrease the lateral shrinkage and image distortion during the stretching process. This study offers a strategy for designing the flexible strain sensors with programmable, tunable mechanical properties, and the fabricated soft and high-precision wearable strain sensor can accurately monitor the skin signals under different human motions and potentially be applied for flexible display.

Fate mapping RNA-sequencing reveal Malat1 regulates Sca1+ progenitor cells to vascular smooth muscle cells transition in vascular remodeling

Regeneration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is vital in vascular remodeling. Sca1⁺ stem/progenitor cells (SPCs) can generate de novo smooth muscle cells after severe vascular injury during vessel repair and regeneration. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been conclusively determined. Here, we reported that lncRNA Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) was down-regulated in various vascular diseases including arteriovenous fistula, artery injury and atherosclerosis. Using genetic lineage tracing mice and veingraft mice surgery model, we found that suppression of lncRNA Malat1 promoted Sca1⁺ cells to differentiate into SMCs in vivo, resulting in excess SMC accumulation in neointima and vessel stenosis. Genetic ablation of Sca1⁺ cells attenuated venous arterialization and impaired vascular structure normalization, and thus, resulting in less Malat1 down-regulation. Single cell sequencing further revealed a fibroblast-like phenotype of Sca1⁺ SPCs-derived SMCs. Protein array sequencing and in vitro assays revealed that SMC regeneration from Sca1⁺ SPCs was regulated by Malat1 through miR125a-5p/Stat3 signaling pathway. These findings delineate the critical role of Sca1⁺ SPCs in vascular remodeling and reveal that lncRNA Malat1 is a key regulator and might serve as a novel biomarker or potential therapeutic target for vascular diseases.

Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Malnutrition in Patients with Abnormal Glycemic Status and Coronary Artery Disease: A Multicenter Cohort Study in China

This study sought to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of malnutrition in patients with an abnormal glycemic status and coronary artery disease (CAD). This secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort included 5710 CAD patients with prediabetes and 9328 with diabetes. Four objective tools were applied to assess the nutritional status of the study population. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. The association of malnutrition with clinical outcomes was examined using Cox proportional hazards regression. The proportion of malnutrition varied from 8% to 57% across the assessment tools. Diabetic patients were more likely to be malnourished than prediabetic patients. During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, 456 all-cause deaths occurred. The adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval for all-cause deaths of moderate-severe malnutrition defined by different tools ranged from 1.59 (1.03, 2.46) to 2.08 (0.92, 4.73) in prediabetic patients and 1.51 (1.00, 2.34) to 2.41 (1.78, 3.27) in diabetic patients. In conclusion, malnutrition is not rare in CAD patients with abnormal glycemic status. Moderate-severe malnutrition strongly predicted all-cause death regardless of the assessment tool. Assessing the nutritional status for all CAD patients with prediabetes and diabetes to identify individuals at high risk of all-cause death may help the risk assessment and prognosis improvement.

Mechanistic Insights into the Cu(II)/DBU-Catalyzed Incorporation of CO2 into Homopropargylic Amines

The mechanisms of Cu(II)/DBU-catalyzed carboxylation of homopropargylic amines with CO2 construct 6-methylene-1,3-oxazin-2-ones are studied using the density functional theory. The calculations suggest that Cu(II) catalysts exhibit the positive effect on...

Multilineage commitment of Sca-1+ cells in reshaping vein grafts

Vein graft failure remains a significant clinical problem. Similar to other vascular diseases, stenosis of vein grafts is caused by several cell lines; however, the sources of these cells remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the cellular sources that reshape vein grafts. By analyzing transcriptomics data and constructing inducible lineage-tracing mouse models, we investigated the cellular components of vein grafts and their fates. The sc-RNAseq data suggested that Sca-1+ cells were vital players in vein grafts and might serve as progenitors for multilineage commitment. By generating a vein graft model in which the venae cavae from C57BL/6J wild-type mice were transplanted adjacent to the carotid arteries of Sca-1(Ly6a)-CreERT2; Rosa26-tdTomato mice, we demonstrated that the recipient Sca-1+ cells dominated reendothelialization and the formation of adventitial microvessels, especially at the perianastomotic regions. In turn, using chimeric mouse models, we confirmed that the Sca-1+ cells that participated in reendothelialization and the formation of adventitial microvessels all had a non-bone-marrow origin, whereas bone-marrow-derived Sca-1+ cells differentiated into inflammatory cells in vein grafts. Furthermore, using a parabiosis mouse model, we confirmed that non-bone-marrow-derived circulatory Sca-1+ cells were vital for the formation of adventitial microvessels, whereas Sca-1+ cells derived from local carotid arteries were the source of endothelium restoration. Using another mouse model in which venae cavae from Sca-1 (Ly6a)-CreERT2; Rosa26-tdTomato mice were transplanted adjacent to the carotid arteries of C57BL/6J wild-type mice, we confirmed that the donor Sca-1+ cells were mainly responsible for smooth muscle cells commitment in the neointima, particularly at the middle bodies of vein grafts. In addition, we provided evidence that knockdown/knockout of Pdgfrα in Sca-1+ cells decreased the cell potential to generate SMCs in vitro and decreased number of intimal SMCs in vein grafts. Our findings provided cell atlases of vein grafts, which demonstrated that recipient carotid arteries, donor veins, non-bone-marrow circulation, and the bone marrow provided diverse Sca-1+ cells/progenitors that participated in the reshaping of vein grafts.

Globular adiponectin-mediated vascular remodeling by affecting the secretion of adventitial-derived tumor necrosis factor-α induced by urotensin II

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we explored how adiponectin mediated urotensin II (UII)‍-induced tumor necrosis factor-‍α (TNF-‍α) and α‍-smooth muscle actin (α‍-SMA) expression and ensuing intracellular signaling pathways in adventitial fibroblasts (AFs).

METHODS

Growth-arrested AFs and rat tunica adventitia of vessels were incubated with UII and inhibitors of signal transduction pathways for 1‍‒‍24 h. The cells were then harvested for TNF-α receptor (TNF-‍α-R) messenger RNA (mRNA) and TNF-‍α protein expression determination by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Adiponectin and adiponectin receptor (adipoR) expression was measured by RT-PCR, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), immunohistochemical analysis, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) cell proliferation experiments. We then quantified TNF-α and α-SMA mRNA and protein expression levels by qPCR and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to explore the function of the adipoR genes. To investigate the signaling pathway, we applied western blotting (WB) to examine phosphorylation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)‍-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In vivo, an adiponectin (APN)‍-knockout (APN-KO) mouse model mimicking adventitial inflammation was generated to measure TNF-α and α‍-SMA expression by application of qPCR and IF, with the goal of gaining a comprehensive atlas of adiponectin in vascular remodeling.

RESULTS

In both cells and tissues, UII promoted TNF-α protein and TNF-α-R secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner via Rho/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. We detected marked expression of adipoR1, T-cadherin, and calreticulin as well as a moderate presence of adipoR2 in AFs, while no adiponectin was observed. Globular adiponectin (gAd) fostered the growth of AFs, and acted in concert with UII to induce α-SMA and TNF-α through the adipoR1/T-cadherin/calreticulin/AMPK pathway. In AFs, gAd and UII synergistically induced AMPK phosphorylation. In the adventitial inflammation model, APN deficiency up-regulated the expression of α-SMA, UII receptor (UT), and UII while inhibiting TNF-‍α expression.

CONCLUSIONS

From the results of our study, we can speculate that UII induces TNF‍-‍α protein and TNF-‍α‍-R secretion in AFs and rat tunica adventitia of vessels via the Rho and PKC signal transduction pathways. Thus, it is plausible that adiponectin is a major player in adventitial progression and could serve as a novel therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease administration.

The AIM2 inflammasome: A novel biomarker and target in cardiovascular disease

Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a cytoplasmic sensor that recognises the double-strand DNA. AIM2 inflammasome is a protein platform in the cell that initiates innate immune responses by cleaving pro-caspase-1 and converting IL-1β and IL-18 to their mature forms. Additionally, AIM2 inflammasome promotes pyroptosis by converting Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) to GSDMD-N fragments. An increasing number of studies have indicated the important and decisive roles of the AIM2 inflammasome, IL-1β, and pyroptosis in cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, ischaemia/reperfusion injury, heart failure, aortic aneurysm and ischaemic stroke. Here, we review the molecular mechanism of the activation and effect of the AIM2 inflammasome in cardiovascular disease, revealing new insights into pathogenic factors that may be targeted to treat cardiovascular disease and related dysfunctions.

Causal associations between CD40/CD40L and aortic diseases: A mendelian randomization study

Background: CD40 and CD40L have been reported as associated with aortic dissection (AD) and aortic aneurysm (AA), but the causality of the associations has not been established yet.

Methods: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess the causal inference between CD40/CD40L and aortic diseases including AD and AA. The instrumental variables (IVs) for CD40 and CD40L were selected from a high-quality protein quantitative trait loci dataset released by a genomic study involving 30,931 individuals of European ancestry. The genome-wide association studies summary statistics for AD and AA were from the FinnGen Release 7, with 288638 controls for all outcomes of interests, 680 cases for AD and 6,092 cases for AA, also from European ancestry. For AA subtypes, there were 5,881 cases of thoracic AA (TAA) and 2,434 cases of abdominal AA (AAA) respectively. Inverse-variance weighted and Wald ratio were applied for calculating causal estimates. Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were assessed using MR-Egger regression analysis and Cochran Q test, respectively. Leave-one-out analyses were further performed.

Results: Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for CD40 and one SNP for CD40L were selected as IVs. We found genetic proxied CD40 levels inversely associated with the risk of AD (odds ratio [OR]: 0.777, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.618–0.978, p = 0.031) and AA (OR: 0.905, 95% CI: 0.837–0.978, p = 0.012), consistent across TAA (both p &lt; 0.050). There were trends of increased risks of AD and AA in the presence of CD40L while not reaching statistical significance. No significant horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity was observed.

Conclusion: Our MR study provides evidence supporting the causal association between CD40 and the reduced risks of both AD and AA.

Lack of causal association between heart failure and osteoporosis: a Mendelian randomization study

Objectives

Heart failure (HF) has been implicated in osteoporosis. However, causality remains unestablished. Here, we sought to assess causal associations of genetic liability to HF with osteoporosis using Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.

Methods

Independent single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with HF at genome-wide significance were derived from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) (including up to 977,323 individuals). We obtained summary statistics for forearm (FA) bone mineral density (BMD) (n = 8,143), femoral neck (FN) BMD (n = 32,735), lumbar spine (LS) BMD (n = 28,498), heel (HE) BMD (n = 426,824), and fracture (n = 1,214,434) from other GWAS meta-analyses. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) and several supplementary methods were performed to calculate the MR estimates.

Results

Genetically determined HF has no causal effect on FA-BMD (odds ratio (OR) 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82, 1.66; P = 0.389), FN-BMD (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.85, 1.19; P = 0.936), LS-BMD (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.80, 1.17; P = 0.705), HE-BMD (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.90, 1.13; P = 0.884), and fracture risk (OR 1.00; 95% CI 0.92, 1.10; P = 0.927). Complementary analyses returned broadly consistent results.

Conclusion

This MR study provides genetic evidence that HF may not lead to an increased risk of reduced BMDs or fracture.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-022-01385-8.

A BCI painting system using a hybrid control approach based on SSVEP and P300

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can help people with disabilities to communicate with others, express themselves, and even create art. In this paper, a BCI painting system using a hybrid control approach based on steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) and P300 was developed, which can enable simple painting through brain-controlled painting tools. The BCI painting system is composed of two parts: a hybrid stimulus interface and a hybrid electroencephalogram (EEG) signal processing module. The user selects the menus and tools through the SSVEP and P300 stimulus matrices, respectively, and the paintings are displayed in the canvas area of the hybrid stimulus interface in real time. Twenty subjects participated in this study. An offline training experiment was performed to construct the P300 and SSVEP recognition models for each subject; an online painting experiment, which included a copy-painting task and a free-painting task, was performed to evaluate the BCI painting system. The results of the online painting experiment showed that the average tool selection accuracy (88.92 ± 3.94%) of the BCI painting system using the hybrid stimulus interface was slightly higher than that of the traditional brain painting system based on the P300 stimulus interface; the average information transfer rate (ITR) (74.20 ± 5.28 bpm, 71.80 ± 5.15 bpm) in the copy-painting and free-painting tasks of the BCI painting system was significantly higher than that of the traditional brain painting system. Our BCI painting system can effectively help users express their artistic creativity and improve their painting efficiency, and can provide new methods and new ideas for developing BCI-controlled applications.

Dynamic and static biomechanical traits of cardiac fibrosis

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathology in cardiovascular diseases which are reported as the leading cause of death globally. In recent decades, accumulating evidence has shown that the biomechanical traits of fibrosis play important roles in cardiac fibrosis initiation, progression and treatment. In this review, we summarize the four main distinct biomechanical traits (i.e., stretch, fluid shear stress, ECM microarchitecture, and ECM stiffness) and categorize them into two different types (i.e., static and dynamic), mainly consulting the unique characteristic of the heart. Moreover, we also provide a comprehensive overview of the effect of different biomechanical traits on cardiac fibrosis, their transduction mechanisms, and in-vitro engineered models targeting biomechanical traits that will aid the identification and prediction of mechano-based therapeutic targets to ameliorate cardiac fibrosis.

Stretchable Sensors and Electro-Thermal Actuators with Self-Sensing Capability Using the Laser-Induced Graphene Technology

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) represents a fast-speed and low-cost method to prepare the customizable graphene-based patterns in complex configurations with exceptional electrical performance. This paper presents the applications of LIG formed on the commercial polyimide (PI) film as the stretchable strain sensor and electrical-actuated actuators. First, the conductive performances of the LIG were systematically revealed under different fabrication conditions via investigating the effects of processing parameters, and the fluence of the laser was experimentally demonstrated as the only crucial parameter to evaluate the LIG formation, facilitating the selection of optimized manufacturing parameters to prepare the LIG with desired electrical performances. Then, the LIG-based strain sensor which can undergo over 50% tensile strain was fabricated by transfer of the LIG from the PI film to polydimethylsiloxane. The variety of LIG-based electro-thermal actuators to achieve pre-designed 3D architectures was presented, along with their parameter analysis. After incorporating the multimeter system, the actuator can even feedback its transformation from 2D precursor to 3D architecture by monitoring the resistance variation of LIG, revealing the integrated capability of our design in serving as sensors and actuators. Finally, the wearable glove with the LIG sensors was presented to demonstrate its ability to remotely control the soft robotic hand.

Progesterone Receptor Modulates Extraembryonic Mesoderm and Cardiac Progenitor Specification during Mouse Gastrulation

Progesterone treatment is commonly employed to promote and support pregnancy. While maternal tissues are the main progesterone targets in humans and mice, its receptor (PGR) is expressed in the murine embryo, questioning its function during embryonic development. Progesterone has been previously associated with murine blastocyst development. Whether it contributes to lineage specification is largely unknown. Gastrulation initiates lineage specification and generation of the progenitors contributing to all organs. Cells passing through the primitive streak (PS) will give rise to the mesoderm and endoderm. Cells emerging posteriorly will form the extraembryonic mesodermal tissues supporting embryonic growth. Cells arising anteriorly will contribute to the embryonic heart in two sets of distinct progenitors, first (FHF) and second heart field (SHF). We found that PGR is expressed in a posterior–anterior gradient in the PS of gastrulating embryos. We established in vitro differentiation systems inducing posterior (extraembryonic) and anterior (cardiac) mesoderm to unravel PGR function. We discovered that PGR specifically modulates extraembryonic and cardiac mesoderm. Overexpression experiments revealed that PGR safeguards cardiac differentiation, blocking premature SHF progenitor specification and sustaining the FHF progenitor pool. This role of PGR in heart development indicates that progesterone administration should be closely monitored in potential early-pregnancy patients undergoing infertility treatment.

Frailty index and risk of cardiovascular diseases: a mendelian randomization study

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Mitochondrial dysfunction in heart failure and its therapeutic implications

The ATP consumption in heart is very intensive to support muscle contraction and relaxation. Mitochondrion is the power plant of the cell. Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been believed as the primary mechanism responsible for the inability of energy generation and utilization in heart failure. In addition, emerging evidence has demonstrated that mitochondrial dysfunction also contributes to calcium dysregulation, oxidative stress, proteotoxic insults and cardiomyocyte death. These elements interact with each other to form a vicious circle in failing heart. The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of heart failure has attracted increasing attention. The complex signaling of mitochondrial quality control provides multiple targets for maintaining mitochondrial function. Design of therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction holds promise for the prevention and treatment of heart failure.

Protective Effects of Circulating TIMP3 on Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarction: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) is a protease with high expression levels in the heart and plays an essential role in extracellular matrix turnover by maintaining equilibrium with matrix metalloproteinases. Considerable data in experimental models have demonstrated a protective role of TIMP3 in coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). However, causality remains unexplored in population studies. Here, we sought to decipher the potential causality between TIMP3 and CAD/MI using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method. We extracted summary−level datasets for TIMP3 and CAD/MI from the genome−wide association studies performed in the KORA study and CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium, respectively. Seven independent SNPs were obtained as instrumental variables for TIMP3. The MR analyses were replicated using FinnGen datasets, and the main results were combined in meta−analyses. Elevated genetically predicted serum TIMP3 levels were causally associated with a lower risk of CAD [odds ratio (OR), 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.95, 0.98; p = 5.29 × 10⁻⁵] and MI (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95, 0.98; p = 3.85 × 10⁻⁵). The association patterns persisted in the meta−analyses combining the different datasets (CAD: OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96, 0.99; p = 4.37 × 10⁻⁵; MI: OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96, 0.99; p = 9.96 × 10⁻⁵) and was broadly consistent across a set of complementary analyses. Evidence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy was limited for all associations considered. In conclusion, this MR study supports inverse causal associations between serum TIMP3 and the risk of CAD and MI. Strategies for raising TIMP3 levels may offer new avenues for the prevention strategies of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Submillimeter-scale multimaterial terrestrial robots

Robots with submillimeter dimensions are of interest for applications that range from tools for minimally invasive surgical procedures in clinical medicine to vehicles for manipulating cells/tissues in biology research. The limited classes of structures and materials that can be used in such robots, however, create challenges in achieving desired performance parameters and modes of operation. Here, we introduce approaches in manufacturing and actuation that address these constraints to enable untethered, terrestrial robots with complex, three-dimensional (3D) geometries and heterogeneous material construction. The manufacturing procedure exploits controlled mechanical buckling to create 3D multimaterial structures in layouts that range from arrays of filaments and origami constructs to biomimetic configurations and others. A balance of forces associated with a one-way shape memory alloy and the elastic resilience of an encapsulating shell provides the basis for reversible deformations of these structures. Modes of locomotion and manipulation span from bending, twisting, and expansion upon global heating to linear/curvilinear crawling, walking, turning, and jumping upon laser-induced local thermal actuation. Photonic structures such as retroreflectors and colorimetric sensing materials support simple forms of wireless monitoring and localization. These collective advances in materials, manufacturing, actuation, and sensing add to a growing body of capabilities in this emerging field of technology.

B, O and N Codoped Biomass-Derived Hierarchical Porous Carbon for High-Performance Electrochemical Energy Storage

High specific surface area, reasonable pore structure and heteroatom doping are beneficial to enhance charge storage, which all depend on the selection of precursors, activators and reasonable preparation methods. Here, B, O and N codoped biomass-derived hierarchical porous carbon was synthesized by using KCl/ZnCl2 as a combined activator and porogen and H3BO3 as both boron source and porogen. Moreover, the cheap, environmentally friendly and heteroatom-rich laver was used as a precursor, and impregnation and freeze-drying methods were used to make the biological cells of laver have sufficient contact with the activator so that the layer was deeply activated. The as-prepared carbon materials exhibit high surface area (1514.3 m2 g−1), three-dimensional (3D) interconnected hierarchical porous structure and abundant heteroatom doping. The synergistic effects of these properties promote the obtained carbon materials with excellent specific capacitance (382.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1). The symmetric supercapacitor exhibits a maximum energy density of 29.2 W h kg−1 at a power density of 250 W kg−1 in 1 M Na2SO4, and the maximum energy density can reach to 51.3 W h kg−1 at a power density of 250 W kg−1 in 1 M BMIMBF4/AN. Moreover, the as-prepared carbon materials as anode for lithium-ion batteries possess high reversible capacity of 1497 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 and outstanding cycling stability (no decay after 2000 cycles).

Outcomes of Different Ablation Approaches for Para-Hisian Accessory Pathway and Ablation Safety at Each Site

Background

This study describes the electrophysiologic characteristics of the para-hisian accessory pathway (AP), the outcome of different ablation approaches, and ablation safety at different sites.

Method

A total of 120 patients diagnosed as para-hisian AP were included in this study. The electrophysiologic characteristics and outcomes at different ablation sites were analyzed.

Results

In total, 107 APs and 13 APs were diagnosed as right anteroseptal (RAS) and right midseptal (RMS), respectively. The significant ECG difference between RAS and RMS was lead III, which mainly manifested as positive and negative delta waves, respectively. Catheter trauma to AP was recorded in 21 of 120 (17.5%) patients. The recurrence rate of direct ablation at the “bumped” sites was higher than the conventional ablation method (37.5 vs. 14.1 %, p = 0.036). For RAS APs, there was no significant difference in the success rate between the inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC) approaches (76.6 vs. 73.3%, p = 0.63). The RAS was separated into three regions: (1) Site 1: superior part above the real “His” recorded site with far-field “His” potential; (2) Site 2 (true para-hisian): the site with near-field “His” potential; and (3) Site 3: inferior part below the biggest real “His” with far-field “His” potential. Mid-septal was defined as an area that is bounded anteriorly by His recording location and posteriorly by the roof of coronary sinus (CS) ostium. The incidence of atrioventricular (AV) conduction injury at different sites was as follows: 3 of 6 (50%) at Site 2, 4 of 13 (30.8%) at RMS, 7 of 34 (20.6%) at Site 3, and 3 of 46 (6.5%) at Site 1. Even if ablation was performed at the atrial side of the para-hisian region, the right bundle branch block (RBBB) was caused in 6 patients (5%).

Conclusion

Ablation via IVC or SVC was comparative for para-hisian APs, but not for the noncoronary cusp (NCC) approach. The AV conduction injury risk ranks as follows: Site 2 > RMS > Site 3 > Site 1. RBBB could be caused while ablating at the atrial side, which could further demonstrate the His bundle longitudinal dissociation theory.

Laser-Induced Graphene Based Flexible Electronic Devices

Since it was reported in 2014, laser-induced graphene (LIG) has received growing attention for its fast speed, non-mask, and low-cost customizable preparation, and has shown its potential in the fields of wearable electronics and biological sensors that require high flexibility and versatility. Laser-induced graphene has been successfully prepared on various substrates with contents from various carbon sources, e.g., from organic films, plants, textiles, and papers. This paper reviews the recent progress on the state-of-the-art preparations and applications of LIG including mechanical sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, electrochemical sensors, electrophysiological sensors, heaters, and actuators. The achievements of LIG based devices for detecting diverse bio-signal, serving as monitoring human motions, energy storage, and heaters are highlighted here, referring to the advantages of LIG in flexible designability, excellent electrical conductivity, and diverse choice of substrates. Finally, we provide some perspectives on the remaining challenges and opportunities of LIG.

Comparison of Using Second-Generation Cryoballoon and Radiofrequency Catheter for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Patients With the Common Ostium of Inferior Pulmonary Veins

Aims: To compare the procedural outcomes of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with the common ostium of inferior pulmonary veins (COIPV) and to explore the effect of COIPV on CBA performance through the assessment of anatomical factors.

Methods: A total of 18 AF patients with COIPV were included. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was performed with second-generation CBA or RFA. The anatomical characteristics of COIPV and procedural outcomes were collected.

Results: The prevalence of COIPV was 0.82% in the enrolled population. PVI was achieved in all pulmonary veins (PVs) without any complications. The “tricircle” strategy was applied for RFA, and the segmental freeze strategy was performed for CBA. Compared with RFA, CBA had shorter procedural time (median: 53.0 vs. 78.0 min, p < 0.001) and longer fluoroscopy time (median: 13.5 vs. 6.0 min, p < 0.001). Higher ovality index of the ostium was seen in patients with ≥4 freezes in inferior PVs [IPVs; 0.95 (0.78–1.05) vs. 0.49 (0.21–0.83), p = 0.047]. During a median of 23.5 months of follow-up, the atrial arrhythmias-free survival after the procedure was comparable between CBA and RFA (p = 0.729).

Conclusion: The second-generation CBA is an efficient and safe alternative for RFA in AF patients with COIPV. Anatomical characteristics of COIPV bring the challenge to the procedure performance of RFA and CBA.

The Relationship between Uric Acid and the Development, Complication, and Prognosis of Atrial Fibrillation: The Views from a Clinical Study

A large number of studies suggest that uric acid (UA) is related to the occurrence, complications, and prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the guidelines did not clearly elaborate on this issue. The current research results need to be summarized to analyze the association between UA and AF. This study found that in the current clinical research on the relationship between UA and AF, studies mainly focus on the development or complications of AF. A lot of repetitive work does not deepen awareness of this question. In contrast, studies investigating the effects of UA-lowering therapy on the management of AF are limited. The only reports deny the protective effect of UA-lowering therapy. For now, we suggest that UA is close to the occurrence and progression of AF; therefore, it may have important significance as a clinical marker. The role of UA-lowering therapy in the management of AF is one of the next key issues to be explored. It will be a meaningful topic to focus on the latest research on AF ablation and to conduct a secondary analysis to explore the prognostic impact of UA on the latest treatment methods for AF. Multiomics techniques may allow us to have a deeper understanding of the role of UA in AF management in the future.

Phosphoproteomic Analysis Reveals Downstream PKA Effectors of AKAP Cypher/ZASP in the Pathogenesis of Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major cause of heart failure worldwide. The Z-line protein Cypher/Z-band alternatively spliced PDZ-motif protein (ZASP) is closely associated with DCM, both clinically and in animal models. Our earlier work revealed Cypher/ZASP as a PKA-anchoring protein (AKAP) that tethers PKA to phosphorylate target substrates. However, the downstream PKA effectors regulated by AKAP Cypher/ZASP and their relevance to DCM remain largely unknown.

Methods and Results: For the identification of candidate PKA substrates, global quantitative phosphoproteomics was performed on cardiac tissue from wild-type and Cypher-knockout mice with PKA activation. A total of 216 phosphopeptides were differentially expressed in the Cypher-knockout mice; 31 phosphorylation sites were selected as candidates using the PKA consensus motifs. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that differentially expressed proteins were enriched mostly in cell adhesion and mRNA processing. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of β-catenin Ser675 was verified to be facilitated by Cypher. This phosphorylation promoted the transcriptional activity of β-catenin, and also the proliferative capacity of cardiomyocytes. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that Cypher colocalised with β-catenin in the intercalated discs (ICD) and altered the cytoplasmic distribution of β-catenin. Moreover, the phosphorylation of two other PKA substrates, vimentin Ser72 and troponin I Ser23/24, was suppressed by Cypher deletion.

Conclusions: Cypher/ZASP plays an essential role in β-catenin activation via Ser675 phosphorylation, which modulates cardiomyocyte proliferation. Additionally, Cypher/ZASP regulates other PKA effectors, such as vimentin Ser72 and troponin I Ser23/24. These findings establish the AKAP Cypher/ZASP as a signalling hub in the progression of DCM.

Endothelial repair by stem and progenitor cells

The integrity of the endothelial barrier is required to maintain vascular homeostasis and fluid balance between the circulatory system and surrounding tissues and to prevent the development of vascular disease. However, the origin of the newly developed endothelial cells is still controversial. Stem and progenitor cells have the potential to differentiate into endothelial cell lines and stimulate vascular regeneration in a paracrine/autocrine fashion. The one source of new endothelial cells was believed to come from the bone marrow, which was challenged by the recent findings. By administration of new techniques, including genetic cell lineage tracing and single cell RNA sequencing, more solid data were obtained that support the concept of stem/progenitor cells for regenerating damaged endothelium. Specifically, it was found that tissue resident endothelial progenitors located in the vessel wall were crucial for endothelial repair. In this review, we summarized the latest advances in stem and progenitor cell research in endothelial regeneration through findings from animal models and discussed clinical data to indicate the future direction of stem cell therapy.

FeNb2O6/reduced graphene oxide composites with intercalation pseudo-capacitance enabling ultrahigh energy density for lithium-ion capacitors

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), which combine the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, have been well studied recently. Extensive efforts are devoted to developing fast Li⁺ insertion/deintercalation anode materials to overcome the discrepancy in kinetics between battery-type anodes and capacitive cathodes. Herein, we design a FeNb₂O₆/reduced graphene oxide (FNO/rGO) hybrid material as a fast-charge anode that provides a solution to the aforementioned issue. The synergetic combination of FeNb₂O₆, whose unique structure promotes fast electron transport, and highly conductive graphene shortens the Li⁺ diffusion pathways and enhances structural stability, leading to excellent electrochemical performance of the FNO/rGO anode, including a high capacity (770 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.05 A g⁻¹) and long cycle stability (95.3% capacitance retention after 500 cycles). Furthermore, the FNO/rGO//ACs LIC achieves an ultrahigh energy density of 135.6 W h kg⁻¹ (at 2000 W kg⁻¹) with a wide working potential window from 0.01 to 4 V and remarkable cycling performance (88.5% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 2 A g⁻¹).

FeNb₂O₆/reduced graphene oxide (FNO/rGO) hybrid material as a fast charge anode for LICs that provides a solution to overcome the discrepancy in kinetics between battery-type anodes and capacitive cathodes.

Infestation and distribution of chigger mites on Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in Yunnan Province, Southwest China

Chigger mites is a group of arthropods and some of them are vectors of scrub typhus. As a common synanthropic rodent species, the Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) often harbors lots of ectoparasites including chigger mites. According to some "data mining" strategies, the present study took the advantage of the abundant original data from a long-term field ecological investigation between 2001 and 2015 to make a detailed analysis of chigger mites on R. norvegicus in Yunnan Province, Southwest of China. From 18 of 33 investigated counties, only 1414 chigger mites were collected from 1113 Brown rats with relatively low infestations. The 1414 individual chigger mites were identified as comprising 61 species, 11 genera and 2 subfamilies of the family Trombiculidae with a high species diversity (S=61, H'=3.13). Of 61 mite species, there were four main species, Walchia ewingi, Ascoschoengastia indica, W. koi and A. rattinorvegici, which accounted for 44.41% of the total mites. All the chigger mites were of aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. norvegicus. The Brown rats in the outdoor habitats harbored much more individuals and species of chigger mites with a higher mean abundance (MA=1.46) and mean intensity (MI=12.53) than in the indoor habitats (P<0.05). The overall infestation of the rats was significantly higher in the mountainous landscapes than in the flatland landscapes (P<0.001). The species similarity (C_ss) of the mites on the male and female rats reached 64.44% with sex biased infestations. The male rats harbored more species and individuals of the mites than the female rats. The adult rats harbored more species and individuals of the mites than the juvenile rats. The species abundance distribution of the mites was successfully fitted by Preston's lognormal model with ŝ(R)=15e^{-[0.31(R-1)]2} (α=0.31, R²=0.95). On the basis of fitting the theoretical curve by Preston's model, the total mite species on R. norvegicus was estimated to be 86 species, and 25 rare mite species were missed in the sampling field investigation. The curve tendency of the species-plot relationship indicates that R. norvegicus have a great potential to harbor many species of chigger mites, and more species of the mites would be collected if more rats are sampled.