Differences in cancer rates among adults born between 1920 and 1990 in the USA: an analysis of population-based cancer registry data.

BACKGROUND: Trends in cancer incidence in recent birth cohorts largely reflect changes in exposures during early life and foreshadow the future disease burden. Herein, we examined cancer incidence and mortality trends, by birth cohort, for 34 types of cancer in the USA. METHODS: In this analysis, we obtained incidence data for 34 types of cancer and mortality data for 25 types of cancer for individuals aged 25-84 years for the period Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2019 from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and the US National Center for Health Statistics, respectively. We calculated birth cohort-specific incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and mortality rate ratios (MRRs), adjusted for age and period effects, by nominal birth cohort, separated by 5 year intervals, from 1920 to 1990. FINDINGS: We extracted data for 23 654 000 patients diagnosed with 34 types of cancer and 7 348 137 deaths from 25 cancers for the period Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2019. We found that IRRs increased with each successive birth cohort born since approximately 1920 for eight of 34 cancers (pcohort<0·050). Notably, the incidence rate was approximately two-to-three times higher in the 1990 birth cohort than in the 1955 birth cohort for small intestine (IRR 3·56 [95% CI 2·96-4·27]), kidney and renal pelvis (2·92 [2·50-3·42]), and pancreatic (2·61 [2·22-3·07]) cancers in both male and female individuals; and for liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in female individuals (2·05 [1·23-3·44]). Additionally, the IRRs increased in younger cohorts, after a decline in older birth cohorts, for nine of the remaining cancers (pcohort<0·050): oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, uterine corpus cancer, colorectal cancer, non-cardia gastric cancer, gallbladder and other biliary cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, anal cancer in male individuals, and Kaposi sarcoma in male individuals. Across cancer types, the incidence rate in the 1990 birth cohort ranged from 12% (IRR1990 vs 1975 1·12 [95% CI 1·03-1·21] for ovarian cancer) to 169% (IRR1990 vs 1930 2·69 [2·34-3·08] for uterine corpus cancer) higher than the rate in the birth cohort with the lowest incidence rate. The MRRs increased in successively younger birth cohorts alongside IRRs for liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in female individuals, uterine corpus, gallbladder and other biliary, testicular, and colorectal cancers, while MRRs declined or stabilised in younger birth cohorts for most cancers types. INTERPRETATION: 17 of 34 cancers had an increasing incidence in younger birth cohorts, including nine that previously had declining incidence in older birth cohorts. These findings add to growing evidence of increased cancer risk in younger generations, highlighting the need to identify and tackle underlying risk factors. FUNDING: American Cancer Society.

Transseptal approach versus retrograde aortic approach in mapping and ablation of ventricular arrhythmias from anterolateral papillary muscles.

INTRODUCTION: The anterior and lateral position of the anterolateral papillary muscle (ALPM) has found to be reached with better catheter stability and less mechanical bumping via the transseptal (TS) compared to the retrograde aortic (RA) approach. The aim of this study is to compare the TS and RA approaches on mapping and ablation of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) arising from ALPMs. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with ALPM-VAs undergoing mapping and ablation via the TS approach were included and compared with 31 patients via the RA approach within the same period. Acute success was compared, as well as other outcomes including misinterpreted mapping results due to bumping, radiofrequency (RF) attempts, procedural time and success rate at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Acute success was achieved in more cases in the TS group (96.4% vs. 72.0%, p = .020). During activation mapping, bump-provoked premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) misinterpreted as clinical PVCs were more common in the RA group (30.0% vs. 58.3%, p = .036), leading to more RF attempts (3.5 ± 2.7 vs. 7.2 ± 6.8, p = .006). Suppression of VAs were finally achieved in the unsuccessful cases by changing to the alternative approach, but the procedural time was significantly less in the TS group (90.0 ± 33.0 vs. 113.7 ± 41.1 min, p = .027) with less need to change the approach, although follow-up success rates were similar (75.0% vs. 71.0%, p = .718). CONCLUSION: A TS rather than RA approach as the initial approach appears to facilitate mapping and ablation of ALPM-VAs, specifically by decreasing the possibility of misleading mapping results caused by bump-provoked PVC, and increase the acute success rate thereby.

Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia originating from the vicinity of lateral tricuspid annulus: the precise origin and anatomical concerns.

BACKGROUND: Although the electrcardiographic and electrophysiological properties of ventricular arrhythmias (VA) from the vicinity of lateral tricuspid annulus (TA) have been reported in previous studies, their precise site of origin have not been addressed. OBJECTIVE: To describe the precise origin of lateral TA-VA and the relevant anatomy. METHODS: Consecutive patients with idiopathic lateral TA-VAs were reviewed and analyzed. Three-dimensional mapping system combined with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) was used for anatomical reconstruction, mapping, and ablation. RESULTS: During the study period, 63 patients with lateral TA-VAs were included. Under ICE view, a prominent enfoldment structure was observed under the valve along lateral TA. The muscular bundle was documented in all patients (100%) within the sub-valvular enfoldment with an average number and diameter of 4±2 and 4.10±0.73mm, respectively. Initial ablation was attempted via the antegrade approach in 15 patients but succeeded in none. To reach the ventricular side of TA, the catheter needed to enter ventricular chamber and retroflexed toward the atrial side with a reverse curve. The earliest activation site was found at the valvular end of muscular bundles in 51 of the 63 (80.9%) patients with a local activation time of -26.78±4.63ms. The VAs were eliminated after an average of 4±2 seconds of ablations. CONCLUSION: The ventricular adjacent to the lateral TA exhibits a sub-valvular enfoldment-like structure, which is rich in muscular bundles and serves as the origin of TA-VAs in most patients. To reach the origins, a reverse technique is required.

Trends in breast cancer incidence by estrogen receptor status in the United States, 2004-2020.

Divergent trends of breast cancer incidence by subtype have been reported in the United States and elsewhere; however, it remains unknown whether this trend has continued until the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using high-quality population-based cancer registry data, representing 83% of the US population, this study examined breast cancer incidence rates by estrogen receptor (ER) status in women aged 20-84 years from 2004 to 2020. The incidence rate of ER-positive cancer increased by 1.75% per year from 2004 to 2009 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.26%-3.15%) and has slowed to a 0.87% annual increase (95% CI = 0.41%-1.03%) from 2009 to 2019, followed by a 10.2% reduction from 2019 to 2020. Trends were generally similar across race and ethnicity, although young women (20-49 years), Asian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic women experienced steady increases until 2019. The incidence rate of ER-negative cancer decreased by 3.13% annually (95% CI = -4.2% to -2.55%) from 2004 to 2012, and the decrease stabilized from 2012 to 2019 (annual percent change: 0.55%; 95% CI = -1.30% to 0.92%), followed by a 6.0% reduction from 2019 to 2020, with trends generally consistent by age and across racial and ethnic groups. The stabilization of the steep decline in ER-negative cancer suggests a departure from the encouraging trajectories projected in earlier studies. Coupled with the deceleration in the rise of ER-positive cancer, the latest trend signals a potential stabilization in the previous rise of the proportional burden of ER-positive cancer. Understanding the impact of the pandemic on each subtype of breast cancer individually may provide a more comprehensive insight into its long-term sequelae on survival and mortality.

Preparation of polyclonal antibody against thrombospondin 2 recombinant protein and its functional verification in pulmonary hypertension syndrome in broilers.

Cell migration regulated by Thrombospondin 2 (THSB2) is important for the development of pulmonary artery remodeling, but the mechanism by which THBS2-mediated cell migration regulates the development of pulmonary artery remodeling in broiler ascites syndrome (AS) is unclear. In addition, the lack of chicken THBS2 antibodies makes it difficult to study the mechanism in depth. In our study, we used recombinant gene technology, protein purification, and other techniques to obtain mouse anti-chicken THBS2 antibody and analyze its expression in broilers, ascites broilers and other animals. The results showed that we immunized mouse with recombinant THBS2 protein and obtained an antibody titer of 1:204,800, and the addition of astragalus polysaccharide as an immunomodulator during immunization significantly increased the titer of the antibody. Western blotting (WB) and immunofluorescence results showed that the THBS2 was significantly down-regulated in the ascites broiler. The THBS2 antibody we prepared can also detect THBS2 protein in duck, mouse, goat, and rabbit tissues. These results provide a foundation for further investigation of the role of THBS2 in pulmonary artery remodeling in broiler ascites syndrome and a powerful tool for studying the role of THBS2 in AS.

Association between the preprocedural serum potassium level and atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: The association between serum potassium and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether preprocedural serum potassium influences AF recurrence in patients who underwent catheter ablation. METHODS: We used data of patients with AF who underwent de novo catheter ablation from the prospective Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry Study. Patients with prior ablation and without baseline serum potassium were excluded. The primary outcome was 1-year AF recurrence after a 3-month blanking period from the ablation procedure. Restricted cubic spline and Cox proportional models were used to compare outcomes across serum potassium categories. RESULTS: A total of 4838 patients with AF who underwent de novo catheter ablation was enrolled. At 1 year, AF recurrence occurred in 1347 patients (27.8%). The relationship between preprocedural serum potassium and 1-year AF recurrence after ablation presented as U shape (P for nonlinear = .048). Compared with the group of serum potassium within 4.41-4.60 mmol/L, the risk of AF recurrence increased significantly in the lowest serum potassium group (≤4.00 mmol/L) after multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] 1.26; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.51; P = .010). Other categories with lower or higher serum potassium levels including 4.01-4.20 mmol/L (HR 1.18), 4.21-4.40 mmol/L (HR 1.16), 4.61-4.80 mmol/L (HR 1.07), and ≥4.81 mmol/L (HR 1.11) showed nonsignificant higher recurrence risk. CONCLUSION: The relationship between preprocedural potassium and AF recurrence was U shaped, with an optimal potassium range (4.41-4.60 mmol/L). Lower potassium level is associated with increased AF recurrence risk after catheter ablation.

The relativity analysis of hypoxia inducible factor-1α in pulmonary arterial hypertension (ascites syndrome) in broilers: a review.

Ascites syndrome (AS) in broiler chickens, also known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is a significant disease in the poultry industry. It is a nutritional metabolic disease that is closely associated with hypoxia-inducible factors and rapid growth. The rise in pulmonary artery pressure is a crucial characteristic of AS and is instrumental in its development. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is an active subunit of a key transcription factor in the oxygen-sensing pathway. HIF-1α plays a vital role in oxygen homeostasis and the development of pulmonary hypertension. Studying the effects of HIF-1α on pulmonary hypertension in humans or mammals, as well as ascites in broilers, can help us understand the pathogenesis of AS. Therefore, this review aims to (1) summarize the mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of pulmonary hypertension, (2) provide theoretical significance in explaining the mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (ascites syndrome) in broilers, and (3) establish the correlation between HIF-1α and pulmonary arterial hypertension (ascites syndrome) in broilers. HIGHLIGHTSExplains the hypoxic mechanism of HIF-1α.Linking HIF-1α to pulmonary hypertension in broilers.Explains the role of microRNAs in pulmonary arterial hypertension in broilers.

Characterization of Escherichia coli pathogenicity and drug resistance in yolk peritonitis.

Yolk Peritonitis can lead to a rapid decline in egg production, which seriously affects the health of laying hens and the profitability of chicken farms. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most common cause of yolk peritonitis in laying hens. In this study, bacterial samples were collected from the ovaries and fallopian tubes of laying hens with suspected yolk peritonitis from a laying farm in Jiangsu Province, and their pathogenicity and drug resistance were investigated. Initially, morphological and biochemical detection methods were employed to isolate and identify the pathogenic bacteria. The results showed that a total of 16 strains of E. coli were isolated from laying hens with yolk peritonitis. Subsequently, the drug resistance and pathogenicity of a randomly selected E. coli strain were analyzed and predicted by genome sequencing technology, and the drug resistance of E. coli was verified by drug sensitivity test and PCR. Finally, the virulence was verified by infection experiment in mice. The study revealed that the egg-yolk peritonitis in laying hens was caused by E. coli infection, and the genome sequencing analysis revealed that the bacteria had multidrug resistance and high virulence. The drug susceptibility testing indicates that E. coli exhibited resistance to aminoglycosides, ß-lactam, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and sulfonamides. In this study, resistance genes including KdpE, aadA5, APH(3 ")-ID, APH(6)-ID, and TEM-1 were identified, and their expression levels varied across different stages of bacterial growth. The results of virulence analysis indicated a mortality rate of 50% in mice infected with E. coli at a concentration of 2.985 × 107 CFU/mL. E. coli infection resulted in damage to various tissues and organs in mice, with the intestinal tissue structure being the most severely affected. This study provides a reference for the study of drug resistance mechanisms in E. coli and provides valuable insights into the selection of drugs for the treatment of vitelline peritonitis.

Small Left Ventricle in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Risk.

BACKGROUND: It is still unclear whether small left ventricle (LV) is an adverse structural prognostic feature in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between small LV and risk of cardiovascular events in AF population. METHODS: From the China-AF registry, 7,764 patients with AF were enrolled and divided into groups with normal, small, and large LV size based on left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) measurement per the American Society of Echocardiography references. Cox models were used to assess the association between LV size or LVEDD with composite cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, or major bleeding). RESULTS: There were 308 (4.0%) participants assessed with small LV who were older, with lower body mass and blood pressure, and fewer comorbidities, and 429 (5.5%) were identified with large LV. Compared with the normal LV group, small LV and large LV were significantly associated with higher incidence of composite cardiovascular events (adjusted HR [aHR]: 1.54 [95% CI: 1.07-2.20] for small LV; aHR: 1.36 [95% CI: 1.02-1.81] for large LV) and cardiovascular death (aHR: 1.94 [95% CI: 1.14-3.28] for small LV; aHR: 1.83 [95% CI: 1.24-2.69] for large LV). Small LV was also associated with increased risk of major bleeding [aHR: 2.21 [95% CI: 1.01-4.86]). A U-shaped relationship between LVEDD and composite cardiovascular events was identified (Pnonlinear < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective AF cohort, small LV was independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, which needed consideration in risk stratification and management for patients with AF. (ChiCTR-OCH-13003729).

Characteristics of Right-Sided Accessory Pathways Associated With Right Cardiac Veins.

BACKGROUND: The anatomy of myocardial fibers around the right cardiac veins (RCVs) and their roles in accessory pathways (APs) are rarely reported. METHODS: Six RCV-APs were identified from 566 patients with right-sided APs. Mapping of retrograde atrial activation was performed using CARTO 3 system under orthodromic tachycardia or right ventricular pacing. Venography of RCVs was acquired at the earliest retrograde atrial activation. RESULTS: Patients enrolled had a median age of 30 (11-51) years, 5 of them were male. Venography of RCVs could be classified into 3 distinct patterns based on the identified ventricular branches, right marginal vein only (type I; n=3), both right marginal vein and anterior cardiac veins (type II; n=2), and anterior cardiac vein only (type III; n=1). Patients with type I venography had rS QRS pattern in lead V1, negative delta wave in lead III and negative or isoelectric delta wave in lead aVF. However, patients with type II and III venography had QS QRS patterns in lead V1 and variable patterns of delta wave in inferior leads. Earliest retrograde atrial activation was found at a median of 16.75 (14.60-20.00) mm away from the tricuspid annulus, all with A larger than V. At the earliest retrograde atrial activation, far-field ventricular electrogram was found 30 ms later than QRS onset in 1 patient under sinus rhythm. AP conduction was eliminated by mechanical pressure in 2 and by radiofrequency ablation in 4 at the ostium of the veins colocalizing with the earliest retrograde activation of the right atrium. No recurrence was observed during 36 (10-60) months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The RCV-AP is a rare form of right-sided APs characterized by atrial insertions distant from the annulus. ECG-speculated ventricular insertion sites conformed to the location of identified RCVs.

Current application and future perspectives of antimicrobial degradable bone substitutes for chronic osteomyelitis.

Chronic osteomyelitis remains a persistent challenge for the surgeons due to its refractory nature. Generally, treatment involves extensive debridement of necrotic bone, filling of dead space, adequate antimicrobial therapy, bone reconstruction, and rehabilitation. However, the optimal choice of bone substitute to manage the bone defect remains debatable. This paper reviewed the clinical evidence for antimicrobial biodegradable bone substitutes in the treatment of osteomyelitis in recent years. Indeed, this combination was proved to eradicate infection and facilitate bone reconstruction, which might reduce the cost and hospital stay. Handling was associated with increased risk of unwanted side effect to affect bone healing. The study provides some valuable insights into the clinical evaluation of treatment outcomes in the aspects of infection eradication, bone reconstruction, and complications caused by materials. However, achieving complete infection eradication and subsequently perfect bone reconstruction remains challenging in compromised conditions, hence advanced innovative bone substitutes are imperative. In this review, we mainly focus on the desired functional effects of advanced bone substitutes on infection eradication and bone reconstruction from the future perspective. Handling property was optimized to simplify surgery process. It is expected that this review will provide an important opportunity to enhance the understanding of the design and application of innovative biomaterials to synergistically eradicate infection and restore integrity and function of bone.

Inhibitory Effect of Lactococcus and Enterococcus faecalis on Citrobacter Colitis in Mice.

Probiotics are beneficial for intestinal diseases. Research shows that probiotics can regulate intestinal microbiota and alleviate inflammation. Little research has been done on the effects of probiotics on colitis in mice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of the strains isolated and screened from the feces of healthy piglets on the enteritis of rocitrobacter. The compound ratio of isolated Lactobacillus L9 and Enterococcus faecalis L16 was determined, and the optimal compound ratio was selected according to acid production tests and bacteriostatic tests in vitro. The results showed that when the ratio of Lactobacillus L9 to Enterococcus faecalis L16 was 4:1, the pH value was the lowest, and the antibacterial diameter was the largest. Then, in animal experiments, flow cytometry was used to detect the number of T lymphocytes in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of mice immunized with complex lactic acid bacteria. The results showed that the number of T lymphocytes in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of mice immunized with complex lactic acid bacteria significantly increased, which could improve the cellular immunity of mice. The microbiota in mouse feces were sequenced and analyzed, and the results showed that compound lactic acid bacteria could increase the diversity of mouse microbiota. It stabilized the intestinal microbiota structure of mice and resisted the damage of pathogenic bacteria. The combination of lactic acid bacteria was determined to inhibit the intestinal colitis induced by Citrobacter, improve the cellular immune response of the body, and promote the growth of animals.

Efficiency and Durability of EIVOM on Acute Reconnection After Mitral Isthmus Bidirectional Block.

BACKGROUND: Reconnection after mitral isthmus (MI) block with radiofrequency ablation is common. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol infusion in the vein of Marshall (EIVOM) on acute reconnection after MI bidirectional block. METHODS: Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who were scheduled to receive radiofrequency ablation for the first time were randomly assigned to the radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) group (n = 44) or the EIVOM group (n = 45). The RFCA group's strategy was bilateral pulmonary vein ablation and linear ablation; in the EIVOM group, EIVOM was performed first. The primary endpoint was acute reconnection 30 minutes after MI bidirectional block. RESULTS: A total of 89 patients (average age 62.9 years; 57.3% male) were enrolled. The average duration for persistent atrial fibrillation was 2.3 years. Before observation, all patients in the EIVOM group achieved MI bidirectional block (45 of 45 [100%]), compared with 84.1% (37 of 44) in the RFCA group. After the observation, 3 cases of MI reconnection occurred in the EIVOM group and 13 cases in the RFCA group (6.7% vs 35.1%; P < 0.05). After additional ablation, the final MI block rates in the EIVOM and RFCA groups were 97.8% (44 of 45) and 72.7% (32 of 44), respectively. During a 1-year follow-up, 8 of 45 patients who underwent EIVOM had recurrent atrial fibrillation, compared with 14 of 44 in the RFCA group (17.8% vs 31.8%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: EIVOM can reduce acute reconnection after MI bidirectional block and significantly increase first-pass MI block.

Analysis of differences in aroma and sensory characteristics of the mainstream smoke of six cigars.

Cigars have unique aroma and style characteristics. In order to clarify the differences of aroma components between domestic and imported cigars and the material basis of the stylistic characteristics of different cigars, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and sensory evaluation were used to compare and analyze the aroma components in the mainstream smoke of four domestic cigars and two imported cigars. The GC-MS results showed that a total of 97 aroma components were measured in the smoke of the six cigars, and the types of aroma components were similar, but there were differences in their contents. In comparison with those of domestic cigars, imported cigars had suitable nicotine content, and higher contents of phytol, neophytadiene, 3-methylpentanoic acid, and (+)-δ-cadinene. To further explore the differences in the aroma components of the six cigars, GC-MS data combined with chemometrics were used to screen out 14 key aroma components based on P-value (P) < 0.05, Variable Importance Projection (VIP) > 1, and Aroma Activity Values (OAV) > 1. The key aroma components of each cigar were obtained, Snow Dream No. 5: cedrol; Wangguan Guocui: 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, pyridine, 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine; General Achileus No. 3: p-cresol, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, methyl cyclopentenolone; Montecristo No. 4: cedrol, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, guaiacol, 4-vinylguaiacol, methyl cyclopentenolone; Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills: cedrol, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine, 2-heptanone, phenethyl alcohol; Great Wall No. 2: p-cresol, phenethyl alcohol, geranylacetone, methyl cyclopentenolone, dihydroactinidiolide. The odor descriptors of these compounds were consistent with the aroma profiles that were prominent in the senses of each cigar. This experiment initially explored the differences in aroma composition and style characteristics of cigars and provided data to support the quality improvement of domestic cigars.

Toward viewing behavior for aerial scene categorization.

Previous work has demonstrated similarities and differences between aerial and terrestrial image viewing. Aerial scene categorization, a pivotal visual processing task for gathering geoinformation, heavily depends on rotation-invariant information. Aerial image-centered research has revealed effects of low-level features on performance of various aerial image interpretation tasks. However, there are fewer studies of viewing behavior for aerial scene categorization and of higher-level factors that might influence that categorization. In this paper, experienced subjects' eye movements were recorded while they were asked to categorize aerial scenes. A typical viewing center bias was observed. Eye movement patterns varied among categories. We explored the relationship of nine image statistics to observers' eye movements. Results showed that if the images were less homogeneous, and/or if they contained fewer or no salient diagnostic objects, viewing behavior became more exploratory. Higher- and object-level image statistics were predictive at both the image and scene category levels. Scanpaths were generally organized and small differences in scanpath randomness could be roughly captured by critical object saliency. Participants tended to fixate on critical objects. Image statistics included in this study showed rotational invariance. The results supported our hypothesis that the availability of diagnostic objects strongly influences eye movements in this task. In addition, this study provides supporting evidence for Loschky et al.'s (Journal of Vision, 15(6), 11, 2015) speculation that aerial scenes are categorized on the basis of image parts and individual objects. The findings were discussed in relation to theories of scene perception and their implications for automation development.

Effect of RNA interference with HIF-1α on the growth of pulmonary artery endothelial cells in broiler chickens.

Pulmonary artery remodeling is a characteristic feature of broiler ascites syndrome (BAS). Pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) regulated by HIF-1α play a critical role in pulmonary artery remodeling, but the underlying mechanisms of HIF-1α in BAS remain unclear. In this experiment, primary PAECs were cultured in vitro and were identified by coagulation factor VIII. After hypoxia and RNA interference, the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF were determined by qPCR and Western blotting. The transcriptome profiles of PAECs were obtained by RNA sequencing. Our results showed that the positive rate of PAECs was more than 90%, hypoxia-induced promoted the proliferation and apoptosis of PAECs, and RNA interference significantly downregulated the expression of HIF-1α, inhibited the proliferation of PAECs, and promoted the apoptosis of PAECs. In addition, transcriptome sequencing analysis indicated that HIF-1α may regulate broiler ascites syndrome by mediating COL4A, vitronectin, vWF, ITGα8, and MKP-5 in the ECM, CAMs and MAPK pathways in PAECs. These studies lay the foundation for further exploration of the mechanisms of pulmonary artery remodeling, and HIF-1α may be a potentially effective gene for the prevention and treatment of BAS.

A portable/miniaturized analytical kit for on-site analysis: Chemical vapor generation-visual colorimetric and smartphone RGB dual-mode for detection of sulfide ion in water and food additives.

Chemical vapor generation (CVG) was used as a gaseous sample introduction technique for the visual/smartphone RGB readout colorimetric system, with the advantages of efficient matrix elimination and high vapor generation efficiency, this analytical system exhibits a good selectivity and sensitivity. Sulfide ion (S2-) in solution was transformed to its volatile form (H2S), the generated H2S reacted with a silver-containing metal organic framework (Ag-BTC) selectively, Ag2S was thus generated. Ag-BTC (fabricated on paper sheet) changed from white to dark brown, the color variance was identified by smartphone and naked-eye simultaneously. Under the optimized conditions, a limit of detection of 0.02 µg/mL was obtained by naked-eye. Several water samples and commercial food additives were analyzed for confirming its accuracy and potential application for on-site detection, recoveries ranging 94-110 % were obtained. To meet the demand of on-site analysis of S2-, this colorimetric system was integrated in a portable/miniaturized analytical kit. It is an easy-used, affordable and portable analytical kit for S2- detection in field.

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with left bundle branch block.

BACKGROUND: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are commonly coexisting conditions. The impact of LBBB on catheter ablation of AF has not been well determined. This study aims to explore the long-term outcomes of patients with AF and LBBB after catheter ablation. METHODS: Forty-two patients with LBBB of 11,752 patients who underwent catheter ablation of AF from 2011 to 2020 were enrolled as LBBB group. After propensity score matching in a 1:4 ratio, 168 AF patients without LBBB were enrolled as non-LBBB group. Late recurrence and a composite endpoint of stroke, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular hospitalization were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Late recurrence rate was significantly higher in the LBBB group than that in the non-LBBB group (54.8% vs. 31.5%, p = .034). Multivariate analysis showed that LBBB was an independent risk factor for late recurrence after catheter ablation of AF (hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-4.40, p = .031). LBBB group was also associated with a significantly higher incidence of the composite endpoint (21.4% vs. 6.5%, HR 3.98, 95% CI 1.64-9.64, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: LBBB was associated with a higher risk for late recurrence and a higher incidence of composite endpoint in the patients underwent catheter ablation.

Predictive value of valvular calcification for the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Valvular calcification (VC) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The relationship between VC and atrial fibrillation is not clear. HYPOTHESIS: We treated the aortic valve, mitral valve, and tricuspid valve as a whole and considered the possible association between VC and recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). METHODS: This study involved 2687 PsAF patients who underwent RFCA. Data were collected to explore the relationship between VC and outcome. VC was defined by echocardiography in aortic valve, mitral valve, or tricuspid valve. After 1 year follow-up, subgroup analysis, mixed model regression analysis, and score system analysis were performed. The external validation of 133 patients demonstrated the accuracy of this clinical prediction model. RESULTS: Overall, 2687 inpatients were assigned to the recurrence group (n = 682) or the no recurrence group (n = 2005) with or without VC. Compared to patients with no recurrence, the incidence of VC was higher in recurrence patients. Recurrence was present in 18.5%, 34.9%, 39.3%, and 52.0% of the four groups, which met VC numbers of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, VC was an independent risk factor for AF recurrence in several models. For multivariable logistic regression, a scoring system was established based on the regression coefficient. The receiver operating characteristic area of the scoring system was 0.787 in the external validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: VC was an independent risk factor for AF recurrence in PsAF after RFCA. The scoring system may be a useful clinical tool to assess AF recurrence.

BI-FedGNN: Federated graph neural networks framework based on Bayesian inference.

The development of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in recent years has resulted in an increase in the amount of data generated by connected devices, creating new opportunities to enhance the quality of service for machine learning in the IIoT through data sharing. Graph neural networks (GNNs) are the most popular technique in machine learning at the moment because they can learn extremely precise node representations from graph-structured data. Due to privacy issues and legal restrictions of clients in industrial IoT, it is not permissible to directly concentrate vast real-world graph-structured datasets for training on GNNs. To resolve the aforementioned difficulties, this paper proposes a federal graph learning framework based on Bayesian inference (BI-FedGNN) that performs effectively in the presence of noisy graph structure information or missing strong relational edges. BI-FedGNN extends Bayesian Inference (BI) to the process of Federal Graph Learning (FGL), adding random samples with weights and biases to the client-side local model training process, improving the accuracy and generalization ability of FGL in the training process by rendering the graph structure data involved in GNNs training more similar to the graph structure data existing in the real world. Through extensive experimental tests, the results show that BI-FedGNN has about 0.5%-5.0% accuracy improvement over other baselines of federal graph learning. In order to expand the applicability of BI-FedGNN, experiments are carried out on heterogeneous graph datasets, and the results indicate that BI-FedGNN can also have at least 1.4% improvement in classification accuracy.