CD4+ T-Cell Legumain Deficiency Attenuates Hypertensive Damage via Preservation of TRAF6.

BACKGROUND: T cells are central to the immune responses contributing to hypertension. LGMN (legumain) is highly expressed in T cells; however, its role in the pathogenesis of hypertension remains unclear. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with hypertension, and cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells were sorted for gene expression and Western blotting analysis. TLGMNKO (T cell-specific LGMN-knockout) mice (Lgmnf/f/CD4Cre), regulatory T cell (Treg)-specific LGMN-knockout mice (Lgmnf/f/Foxp3YFP Cre), and RR-11a (LGMN inhibitor)-treated C57BL/6 mice were infused with Ang II (angiotensin II) or deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt to establish hypertensive animal models. Flow cytometry, 4-dimensional label-free proteomics, coimmunoprecipitation, Treg suppression, and in vivo Treg depletion or adoptive transfer were used to delineate the functional importance of T-cell LGMN in hypertension development. RESULTS: LGMN mRNA expression was increased in CD4+ T cells isolated from hypertensive patients and mice, was positively correlated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and was negatively correlated with serum IL (interleukin)-10 levels. TLGMNKO mice exhibited reduced Ang II-induced or deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt-induced hypertension and target organ damage relative to wild-type (WT) mice. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of LGMN blocked Ang II-induced or deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt-induced immunoinhibitory Treg reduction in the kidneys and blood. Anti-CD25 antibody depletion of Tregs abolished the protective effects against Ang II-induced hypertension in TLGMNKO mice, and LGMN deletion in Tregs prevented Ang II-induced hypertension in mice. Mechanistically, endogenous LGMN impaired Treg differentiation and function by directly interacting with and facilitating the degradation of TRAF6 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6) via chaperone-mediated autophagy, thereby inhibiting NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) activation. Adoptive transfer of LGMN-deficient Tregs reversed Ang II-induced hypertension, whereas depletion of TRAF6 in LGMN-deficient Tregs blocked the protective effects. CONCLUSIONS: LGMN deficiency in T cells prevents hypertension and its complications by promoting Treg differentiation and function. Specifically targeting LGMN in Tregs may be an innovative approach for hypertension treatment.

Breaking Through the Trade-Off Between Wide Band Gap and Large SHG Coefficient in Mercury-Based Chalcogenides for IR Nonlinear Optical Application.

It is substantially challenging for non-centrosymmetric (NCS) Hg-based chalcogenides for infrared nonlinear optical (IR-NLO) applications to realize wide band gap (Eg > 3.0 eV) and sufficient phase-matching (PM) second-harmonic-generation intensity (deff > 1.0 × benchmark AgGaS2 ) simultaneously due to the inherent incompatibility. To address this issue, this work presents a diagonal synergetic substitution strategy for creating two new NCS quaternary Hg-based chalcogenides, AEHgGeS4 (AE = Sr and Ba), based on the centrosymmetric (CS) AEIn2 S4 . The derived AEHgGeS4 displays excellent NLO properties such as a wide Eg (≈3.04-3.07 eV), large PM deff (≈2.2-3.0 × AgGaS2 ), ultra-high laser-induced damage threshold (≈14.8-15 × AgGaS2 ), and suitable Δn (≈0.19-0.24@2050 nm), making them highly promising candidates for IR-NLO applications. Importantly, such excellent second-order NLO properties are primarily attributed to the synergistic combination of tetrahedral [HgS4 ] and [GeS4 ] functional primitives, as supported by detailed theoretical calculations. This study reports the first two NCS Hg-based materials with well-balanced comprehensive properties (i.e., Eg > 3.0 eV and deff > 1.0 × benchmark AgGaS2 ) and puts forward a new design avenue for the construction of more efficient IR-NLO candidates.

PCSK9 inhibitor added to high-intensity statin therapy to prevent cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized, double- blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter SHAWN study.

BACKGROUND: It is currently uncertain whether the combination of a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor and high-intensity statin treatment can effectively reduce cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for culprit lesions. METHODS: This study protocol describes a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter study aiming to investigate the efficacy and safety of combining a PCSK9 inhibitor with high-intensity statin therapy in patients with ACS following PCI. A total of 1,212 patients with ACS and multiple lesions will be enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either PCSK9 inhibitor plus high-intensity statin therapy or high-intensity statin monotherapy. The randomization process will be stratified by sites, diabetes, initial presentation and use of stable (≥4 weeks) statin treatment at presentation. PCSK 9 inhibitor or its placebo is injected within 4 hours after PCI for the culprit lesion. The primary endpoint is the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, re-hospitalization due to ACS or heart failure, or any ischemia-driven coronary revascularization at 1-year follow-up between 2 groups. Safety endpoints mean PCSK 9 inhibitor and statin intolerance. CONCLUSION: The SHAWN study has been specifically designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of adding a PCSK9 inhibitor to high-intensity statin therapy in patients who have experienced ACS following PCI. The primary objective of this study is to generate new evidence regarding the potential benefits of combining a PCSK9 inhibitor with high-intensity statin treatment in reducing cardiovascular events among these patients.

Pulsed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: Mechanisms, Advantages, and Limitations.

Pulsed field ablation with irreversible electroporation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation involves tissue-specific and non-thermal energy-induced cell necrosis, which helps avoid complications, such as pulmonary vein stenosis, atrial collateral tissue damage, and extensive atrial structural damage, often encountered with traditional thermal ablation. In existing clinical trials, pulsed field ablation has shown excellent effects on pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. Pulsed field ablation is easy, simple, and quick and can reduce iatrogenic injury. Therefore, the application of pulsed field ablation technology in the treatment of atrial fibrillation has a promising future. Notably, the adjustment of parameters in pulsed field ablation with different ablation catheter systems can strongly affect the area and depth of the necrotic myocardium, which greatly affects the likelihood of atrial fibrillation recurrence and incidence of adverse complications after ablation. In this paper, we review the mechanisms, advantages, and limitations of pulsed field ablation based on the results of a series of previous studies and provide ideas and directions for future research.

Engraving Polyamide Layers by In Situ Self-Etchable CaCO3 Nanoparticles Enhances Separation Properties and Antifouling Performance of Reverse Osmosis Membranes.

Nanovoids within a polyamide layer play an important role in the separation performance of thin-film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. To form more extensive nanovoids for enhanced performance, one commonly used method is to incorporate sacrificial nanofillers in the polyamide layer during the exothermic interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction, followed by some post-etching processes. However, these post-treatments could harm the membrane integrity, thereby leading to reduced selectivity. In this study, we applied in situ self-etchable sacrificial nanofillers by taking advantage of the strong acid and heat generated in IP. CaCO3 nanoparticles (nCaCO3) were used as the model nanofillers, which can be in situ etched by reacting with H+ to leave void nanostructures behind. This reaction can further degas CO2 nanobubbles assisted by heat in IP to form more nanovoids in the polyamide layer. These nanovoids can facilitate water transport by enlarging the effective surface filtration area of the polyamide and reducing hydraulic resistance to significantly enhance water permeance. The correlations between the nanovoid properties and membrane performance were systematically analyzed. We further demonstrate that the nCaCO3-tailored membrane can improve membrane antifouling propensity and rejections to boron and As(III) compared with the control. This study investigated a novel strategy of applying self-etchable gas precursors to engrave the polyamide layer for enhanced membrane performance, which provides new insights into the design and synthesis of TFC membranes.

Abdominal obesity is associated with increased worsening renal function risk in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Worsening renal function (WRF) is a frequent comorbidity of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, its relationship with abdominal obesity in terms of HFpEF remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the value of waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) in predicting WRF and examine the correlation between abdominal obesity and the risk of WRF in the HFpEF population. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist trial. Abdominal obesity was defined as WC ≥ 102 cm for men and ≥ 88 cm for women. WRF was defined as doubling of serum creatinine concentration from baseline. Restricted cubic splines and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the value of WC and BMI in predicting WRF. Cumulative incidence curves and cox proportional-hazards models were used to compare patients with and without abdominal obesity. RESULTS: We included 2,806 patients with HFpEF in our study (abdominal obesity, n: 2,065). Although baseline creatinine concentrations did not differ, patients with abdominal obesity had higher concentrations during a median follow-up time of 40.9 months. Unlike BMI, WC exhibited a steady linear association with WRF and was a superior WRF predictor. Patients with abdominal obesity exhibited a higher risk of WRF after multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio: 1.632; 95% confidence interval: 1.015-2.621; P: 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal obesity is associated with an increased risk of WRF in the HFpEF population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://beta. CLINICALTRIALS: gov . Unique identifier: NCT00094302.

Artificially sweetened beverage consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: an updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) are consumed globally, but their impact on overall health remains uncertain. We summarized published associations between ASB intake with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases until August 2023. Random effect meta-analysis was conducted to calculate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for highest versus lowest categories of ASB consumption in relation to all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were also performed. RESULTS: Our systematic review and meta-analysis included 11 prospective cohort studies. During a median/mean follow-up period of 7.0 to 28.9 years, 235,609 deaths occurred among 2,196,503 participants. Intake of ASB was associated with higher risk of all-cause and CVD mortality with pooled RRs (95%CIs) of highest vs. lowest intake categories of 1.13 (1.06, 1.21) (I2 = 66.3%) for all-cause mortality and 1.26 (1.10, 1.44) (I2 = 52.0%) for CVD mortality. Dose-response analysis revealed a non-linear association of ASB with all-cause mortality (pnon-linearity = 0.01), but a linear positive association with CVD mortality (pnon-linearity = 0.54). No significant association was observed for ASB intake and cancer mortality. Moreover, a secondary meta-analysis demonstrated that replacing 1 serving/day of sugary sweetened beverages (SSB) with ASB was associated with 4-6% lower risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. Per NutriGrade, the evidence quality for associations between ASB intake with all-cause and CVD mortality was moderate. CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake of ASB was associated with higher risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, albeit a lower risk than for SSB. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42022365701.

Comparison between conventional approach and three-dimensional mapping system in the catheter ablation of accessory pathway associated with coronary sinus diverticulum: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Posteroseptal accessory pathways (APs) associated with coronary sinus (CS) diverticulum present a rare and challenge for ablation. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of conventional approach and three-dimensional (3D) mapping system in the catheter ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a retrospective study of all patients (from January 2013 to July 2022) who underwent catheter ablation of posteroseptal AP associated with CS diverticula in our center. Patients who underwent catheter ablation using the traditional fluoroscopy method were included in the conventional method group (n = 13). Patients who underwent catheter ablation using the 3D mapping method were included in the 3D mapping group (n = 11). Clinical characteristics, ablation procedure, and outcomes were recorded and analyzed between the two groups. Out of 669 patients with posteroseptal APs, 24 of them (3.6%) were associated with CS diverticula. All patients in both groups successfully completed the electrophysiological study. In the conventional method group, two patients experienced complications (one patient with pericardial effusion and the other patient with femoral arterial hematoma), and two patients had recurrence. However, no patients suffered from complications or recurrence during follow-up. The procedure time and fluoroscopy time in the conventional method group were significantly longer than those in the 3D mapping method group. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of 3D mapping led to reduced fluoroscopy time, shorter procedure duration, enhanced acute success rates, and decreased incidence of complications.

The effectiveness and safety of temporary transvenous cardiac pacing leads placement into coronary sinus vein in patients with sick sinus syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The temporary pacing lead routinely is placed into right ventricular (RV), which pose a risk of dislocation and cardiac perforation. OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of temporary transvenous cardiac pacing (TTCP) leads placement into the coronary sinus vein (CSV) in patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS). METHODS: We investigated patients with SSS who underwent TTCP lead placement into the CSV under the guidance of X-ray between January 2013 and May 2023. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: RV group (n = 33) and CSV group (n = 22). The ordinary passive bipolar electrodes were applied in both groups. In RV groups, electrodes were placed into RV. In CSV group, electrodes were placed into CSV. We evaluated the operation duration, fluoroscopic exposure, first-attempt success rate of leads placement, pacing threshold, success rate of leads placement, rate of leads displacement, and complications. RESULTS: Compared with that in RV group, the procedure time, fluoroscopic exposure was significantly prolonged, while the first-attempt success rate of lead placement was obviously increased in CSV group (both p < .05). Compared with that in RV group, the rate of leads displacement is lower in CSV group (both p < .05). There were three patients occurred cardiac perforation in RV group, but no cardiac perforation was reported in CSV group (p > .05). CONCLUSION: TTCP leads placement into the CSV is an effective and safe strategy in patients with SSS. It indicates a high rate of pacing effectiveness with low device replacement and complication rates.

Changes in Life's Essential 8 and risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese people.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association recently released an updated algorithm for evaluating cardiovascular health-Life's Essential 8 (LE8). However, the associations between changes in LE8 score over time and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain unclear. METHODS: We investigated associations between 6-year changes (2006-12) in LE8 score and risk of subsequent CVD events (2012-20) among 53 363 Chinese men and women from the Kailuan Study, who were free from CVD in 2012. The LE8 score was calculated based on eight components: diet quality, physical activity, smoking status, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We documented 4281 incident CVD cases during a median of 7.7 years of follow-up. Compared with participants whose LE8 scores remained stable in a 6-year period, those with the large increases of LE8 score over the 6-year period had a lower risk of CVD, heart disease and stroke in the subsequent 8 years [HRs and 95% CIs: 0.67 (0.64, 0.70) for CVD, 0.65 (0.61, 0.69) for heart disease, 0.71 (0.67, 0.76) for stroke, all Ptrend < 0.001]. Conversely, those with the large decreases of LE8 score had 47%, 51% and 41% higher risk for CVD, heart disease and stroke, respectively. These associations were consistent across the subgroups stratified by risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Improving LE8 score in a short- and moderate-term was associated with a lower CVD risk, whereas decreased LE8 score over time was associated with a higher risk.

Investigation of clinical significance of ST-segment depression during paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

INTRODUCTION: There are great differences in ST-segment depression during PSVT episodes. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of ST segment depression during PSVT. METHODS: The study enrolled 333 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with PSVT by electrophysiological test from Jan 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022. The range, magnitude and morphology of ST-segment depression were described. The correlation between ST-segment depression and symptoms of chest tightness, chest pain or hypotension, the correlation between ST-segment depression and coronary stenosis, and the possible influencing factors were analyzed. In addition, the diagnostic efficacy of ST-segment depression for AVRT was determined. RESULTS: ST-segment depression was present in 85% of patients, in 70% of which the depression range was more than six leads. The magnitude of the depression was more significant in precordial leads (P < 0.001). ST-segment depression of >1 mm in limb leads and precordial leads was found in 36.0% and 49.8% of the patients, respectively, while >3 mm was found in 2.4% and 9.6%, respectively. The morphology of ST-segment depression in limb leads was different from that in precordial leads (P < 0.001). Downsloping ST-segment depression was more common in limb leads (limb vs. precordial: 40.5% vs. 12.6%), whereas upsloping depression was more common in precordial leads (limb vs. precordial: 3.0% vs. 23.1%). Correlation analysis showed that ST-segment depression was not correlated with symptoms of chest tightness and pain, nor was it correlated with coronary artery stenosis. The most important influencing factor is the type of PSVT, especially affecting the morphology of depression in limb leads (OR = 10.27 [5.93-17.79], P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of downsloping ST-segment depression in limb leads for diagnosis of AVRT were 75.5% and 76.7%. CONCLUSION: ST-segment depression is a common ECG change during PSVT episodes, and it's not associated with severe coronary stenosis. The type of PSVT has a significant effect on the manifestation of ST-segment depression. The downslope morphology of ST-segment depression in limb leads is helpful in differentiating AVRT from AVNRT.

Screening Strategy Identifies an Overlooked Deep-Ultraviolet Transparent Nonlinear Optical Crystal.

In the deep-ultraviolet (DUV) region, nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals must meet stringent requirements, including a large optical band gap and sufficient second harmonic generation (SHG) response. Typically, these criteria are fulfilled by borates, carbonates and nitrates containing π-conjugated groups. In contrast, sulfates and phosphates, with polarizabilities significantly smaller than those of π-conjugated groups, struggle to achieve similar performance. Here, we present the discovery of Mg2PO4Cl, a magnesium-based phosphate, identified from over 10,000 phosphates based on a polar-axial-symmetry screening strategy, which exhibits the highest SHG response (5.2×KH2PO4 (KDP)) with phase-matching ability among non-π-conjugated DUV transparent NLO crystals. This compound belongs to the Pna21 space group, with [PO4] units consistently aligned along the 21 screw axis and glide planes throughout its crystal structure. Theoretical calculations attribute its remarkable SHG effect to the orderly arrangement of heteroanionic [MgO5Cl] and [MgO4Cl2] polyhedra alongside isolated [PO4] tetrahedra, supported by Berry phase analysis. Furthermore, a crystallographic structure analysis of phosphates and sulfates with significant SHG effects validates the effectiveness of our screening strategy. These findings offer valuable insights into the origins of NLO effects in non-π-conjugated compounds from both a material design and structural chemistry perspective, inspiring future efforts to revitalize DUV phosphates.

Rational Design of a Rare-Earth Oxychalcogenide Nd3 [Ga3 O3 S3 ][Ge2 O7 ] with Superior Infrared Nonlinear Optical Performance.

Inorganic chalcogenides have been studied as the most promising infrared (IR) nonlinear optical (NLO) candidates for the past decades. However, it is proven difficult to discover high-performance materials that combine the often-incompatible properties of large energy gap (Eg ) and strong second harmonic generation (SHG) response (deff ), especially for rare-earth chalcogenides. Herein, centrosymmetric Cs3 [Sb3 O6 ][Ge2 O7 ] is selected as a maternal structure and a new noncentrosymmetric rare-earth oxychalcogenide, namely, Nd3 [Ga3 O3 S3 ][Ge2 O7 ], is successfully designed and obtained by the module substitution strategy for the first time. Especially, Nd3 [Ga3 O3 S3 ][Ge2 O7 ] is the first case of breaking the trade-off relationship between wide Eg (>3.5 eV) and large deff (>0.5 × AgGaS2 ) in rare-earth chalcogenide system, and thus displays an outstanding IR-NLO comprehensive performance. Detailed structure analyses and theoretical studies reveal that the NLO effect originates mainly from the cooperation of heteroanionic [GaO2 S2 ] and [NdO2 S6 ] asymmetric building blocks. This work not only presents an excellent rare-earth IR-NLO candidate, but also plays a crucial role in the rational structure design of other NLO materials in which both large Eg and strong deff are pursued.

PCSK9 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9) Triggers Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence and Apoptosis: Implication of Its Direct Role in Degenerative Vascular Disease.

OBJECTIVE: PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) plays a critical role in cholesterol metabolism via the PCSK9-LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor) axis in the liver; however, evidence indicates that PCSK9 directly contributes to the pathogenesis of various diseases through mechanisms independent of its LDL-cholesterol regulation. The objective of this study was to determine how PCSK9 directly acts on vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), contributing to degenerative vascular disease. Approach and Results: We first examined the effects of PCSK9 on cultured human aortic SMCs. Overexpression of PCSK9 downregulated the expression of ApoER2 (apolipoprotein E receptor 2), a known target of PCSK9. Treatment with soluble recombinant human ApoER2 or the DNA synthesis inhibitor, hydroxyurea, inhibited PCSK9-induced polyploidization and other cellular responses of human SMCs. Treatment with antibodies against ApoER2 resulted in similar effects to those observed with PCSK9 overexpression. Inducible, SMC-specific knockout of Pcsk9 accelerated neointima formation in mouse carotid arteries and reduced age-related arterial stiffness. PCSK9 was expressed in SMCs of human atherosclerotic lesions and abundant in the "shoulder" regions of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. PCSK9 was also expressed in SMCs of abdominal aortic aneurysm, which was inversely related to the expression of smooth muscle α-actin. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that PCSK9 inhibits proliferation and induces polyploidization, senescence, and apoptosis, which may be relevant to various degenerative vascular diseases.

Ba5Ga2SiO4S6: a Phase-Matching Nonlinear Optical Oxychalcogenide Design via Structural Regulation Originated from Heteroanion Introduction.

Tailored structural regulation to obtain a new non-centrosymmetric (NCS) compound with excellent optical properties is highly desirable but remains a challenge for nonlinear optical (NLO) material design. In this work, centrosymmetric celsian-type BaGa2Si2O8 was selected as a template structure, and a novel NCS oxychalcogenide, namely, Ba5Ga2SiO4S6, was successfully designed via the introduction of heteroanions under high-temperature solid-state conditions. Ba5Ga2SiO4S6 adopts the monoclinic space group of Cc (no. 9) and is formed by charges balancing Ba2+ cations and discrete [Ga2SiO4S6] clusters made of corner-sharing [SiO4] and [GaOS3] tetrahedra. Notably, Ba5Ga2SiO4S6 exhibits the critical requirements as a potential UV NLO candidate, including a phase-matching second-harmonic generation intensity (∼1.0 × KDP), a beneficial laser-induced damage threshold (1.2 × KDP), a large birefringence (Δn = 0.10@546 nm), and a short UV absorption cutoff edge (ca. 0.26 µm). Furthermore, the theoretical calculation is implemented to provide a deeper analysis of the structure-activity relationship. The investigated example of structural regulation originated from heteroanion introduction in this study may offer a feasible strategy for high-performance NLO candidate design.

Transient cardiac electrophysiological changes in a rat model of subarachnoid haemorrhage: a brain-heart interaction.

AIMS: Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is one of the causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, the time course of ventricular arrhythmias and potential mechanisms responsible for this effect after SAH remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effect of SAH on ventricular electrophysiological changes and its potential mechanisms in long-term phase. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the ventricular electrophysiological remodelling and potential mechanisms in a Sprague Dawley rat model of SAH at six time points (baseline, and Days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28) and explored the potential mechanisms. We measured the ventricular effective refractory period (ERP), ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) and left stellate ganglion (LSG) activity at different time points before and after SAH. We also detected neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in plasma and myocardial tissues by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and quantified NPY 1 receptor (NPY1R) protein and mRNA expression levels by western blotting and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Subarachnoid haemorrhage gradually prolonged QTc intervals, shortened ventricular ERP and reduced VFT during the acute phase, peaking at Day 3. However, no significant changes were observed from Days 14 to 28 compared to Day 0. Subarachnoid haemorrhage gradually increased LSG activity, increased NPY concentrations and up-regulated NPY1R expression in the acute phase of SAH, peaking at Day 3. However, no significant variations were found from Days 14 to 28 compared to Day 0. CONCLUSION: Subarachnoid haemorrhage increases the transient susceptibility of VAs in the acute phase, and the underlying mechanisms for this response included increased sympathetic activity and up-regulated NPY1R expression.

Dietary fruits and vegetables and risk of cardiovascular diseases in elderly Chinese.

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the potential effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was limited and inconsistent among Asian people. METHODS: We prospectively examined associations of fruit and vegetable consumption with the risk of CVD among 9740 participants aged 65 years and older (mean baseline age: 88 years) in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (2008-2018). Dietary data were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: During 37 366 person-years of follow-up, a total of 3738 CVD cases were recorded. After adjusting for demographics, dietary, lifestyle and economical social factors, higher intakes of total fruits and vegetables were associated with lower risk of CVD [comparing with extreme quintiles, hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval: 0.84 (0.74, 0.95)]. The inverse association was mainly driven by vegetable consumption [0.86 (0.77, 0.95)]. Furthermore, the inverse association was stronger for the risk of hypertension [0.84 (0.72, 0.98)]. These associations were consistent across age, sex, body mass index, residence, exercise status, smoking, drinking, meat intake, modified hPDI and health status. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests higher intakes of total fruits and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of CVD among elderly Chinese people, supporting the current recommendations of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption as part of a healthy diet for the prevention of CVD.

Colocated MIMO Radar Waveform-Array Joint Optimization for Sparse Array.

Colocated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar can transmit a group of distinct waveforms via its colocated transmit antennas and the waveform diversity leads to several advantages in contrast to conventional phased-array radar. The performance depends highly on the degrees available, and element spacing can be deemed as another source of degrees of freedom. In this paper, we study the joint waveform and element spacing optimization problem. A joint waveform and array optimization criterion is proposed to match the transmit beampattern, the suppression range, and the angular sidelobes, under the constraints of minimal element spacing and total array aperture. Meanwhile, the effect of receive beamforming on suppressing mutual correlation between returns from different spatial directions is also incorporated into the optimization criterion. The optimization problem is solved by the sequential quadratic programming algorithm. Numerical results indicate that with more degrees of freedom from array spacings, colocated MIMO radar achieves a better transmit beampattern matching performance and a lower sidelobe level, compared with a fixed half-wavelength spaced array, but the benefits from additional degrees of freedom from array spacing optimization have a limit.

Reversible Luminescent Switching Induced by Heat/Water Treatment in a Zero-Dimensional Hybrid Antimony(â ¢) Chloride.

Recently zero-dimensional (0-D) inorganic-organic metal halides (IOMHs) have become a promising class of optoelectronic materials. Herein, we report a new photoluminescent (PL) 0-D antimony(III)-based IOMH single crystal, namely [H2BPZ][SbCl5]·H2O (BPZ = benzylpiperazine). Photophysical characterizations indicate that [H2BPZ][SbCl5]·H2O exhibits singlet/triplet dual-band emission. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that [H2BPZ][SbCl5]·H2O has the large energy difference between singlet and triplet states, which might induce the dual emission in this compound. Temperature-dependent PL spectra analyses suggest the soft lattice and strong electron-phonon coupling in this compound. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the water molecules in the lattice of the title crystal could be removed by thermal treatment, giving rise to a dehydrated phase of [H2BPZ][SbCl5]. Interestingly, such structural transformation is accompanied by a reversible PL emission transition between red light (630 nm, dehydrated phase) and yellow light (595 nm, water-containing phase). When being exposed to an environment with 77% relative humidity, the emission color of the dehydrated phase was able to change from red to yellow within 20 s, and the red emission could be restored after reheating. The red to yellow emission switching could be achieved in acetone with water concentration as low as 0.2 vol%. The reversible PL transition phenomenon makes [H2BPZ][SbCl5]·H2O a potential material for luminescent water-sensing.

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Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a hereditary cardiac disorder characterized primarily by septal hypertrophy and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Traditional therapeutic modalities, such as medications and surgeries, do not yield satisfactory outcomes in a subset of patients. The advancements have been made in novel treatments, including new drugs and percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PIMSRA), still need further observation to obtain long-term efficacy and safety. In recent years, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an innovative non-invasive approach for treating HOCM. Studies indicate that SBRT allows for precise targeting of the hypertrophied septal region, causing both direct and indirect damage to targeted myocardial cells. This can alleviate left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and myocardial ischemia, fulfilling the therapeutic objective. For those with HOCM who neither respond well to medications nor are surgical candidates, SBRT offers a potential new therapeutic alternative. However, the latent risks of radiation therapy persist, such as the onset of radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). The preliminary investigations guarantee the safety and feasibility of SBRT in HOCM management, an increased volume of clinical studies and prolonged follow-up data are essential to evaluate its real efficacy and potential hazards. In addition, research regarding the therapeutic mechanisms of SBRT for HOCM, optimal dosages and treatment durations, indications and contraindications, prevention of complications, and enhancing the precision of radiation therapy, still needs to be further exploration, to determine the best therapeutic strategies.