Piezoelectric Polymer Solid Electrolyte Integrating Electromechanical Coupling and Ferroelectric Polarization Effects.

The unsatisfactory lithium-ion conductivity (σ) and limited mechanical strength of polymer solid electrolytes hinder their wide applications in solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs). Here, a thin piezoelectric polymer solid electrolyte integrating electromechanical coupling and ferroelectric polarization effects has been designed and prepared to achieve long-term stable cycling of SSLMBs. The ferroelectric Bi4Ti3O12 nanoparticle (BIT NPs) loaded poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) piezoelectric nanofibers (B-P NFs) membranes are introduced into the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix, endowing the composite electrolyte with unique polarization and piezoelectric effects. The piezoelectric nanofiber membrane with a 3D network structure not only promotes the dissociation of lithium (Li) salts through the polarization effect but also cleverly utilizes the coupling effect of a mechanical stress-local electric field to achieve dynamic regulation of the Li electroplating process. Through the corresponding experimental tests and density functional theory calculations, the intrinsic mechanism of piezoelectric electrolytes improving σ and suppressing Li dendrites is fully revealed. The obtained piezoelectric electrolyte has achieved stable cycling of LiFePO4 batteries over 2000 cycles and has also shown good practical application potential in flexible pouch batteries.

Maresin 1 alleviates neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in a mouse model of cecal ligation and puncture. / Maresin 1å‡è½»ç›²è‚ ç»“æ‰Žç©¿å­”å°é¼ æ¨¡åž‹ä¸­çš„ç¥žç»ç‚Žç—‡å’Œè®¤çŸ¥å‡é€€ï¼ˆè‹±æ–‡ï¼‰.

OBJECTIVES: Inflammation in the central nervous system plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of sepsis-associated encephalopathy. This study aims to explore the effects of maresin 1 (MaR1), an anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediator, on sepsis-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. METHODS: Mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups: A sham group (sham operation+vehicle), a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group (CLP operation+vehicle), a MaR1-LD group (CLP operation+1 ng MaR1), and a MaR1-HD group (CLP operation+10 ng MaR1). MaR1 or vehicle was intraperitoneally administered starting 1 h before CLP operation, then every other day for 7 days. Survival rates were monitored, and serum inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6] were measured 24 h after operation using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cognitive function was assessed 7 days after operation using the Morris water maze (MWM) test and novel object recognition (NOR) task. The mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-4, IL-10, and arginase 1 (Arg1) in cortical and hippocampal tissues was determined by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression of iNOS, Arg1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and phosphorylated STAT6 (p-STAT6) in hippocampal tissue. Microglia activation was visualized via immunofluorescence. Mice were also treated with the PPARγ antagonist GW9662 to confirm the involvement of this pathway in MaR1's effects. RESULTS: CLP increased serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, and reduced body weight and survival rates (all P<0.05). Both 1 ng and 10 ng doses of MaR1 significantly reduced serum TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 levels, improved body weight, and increased survival rates (all P<0.05). No significant difference in efficacy was observed between the 2 doses (all P>0.05). MWM test and NOR task indicated that CLP impaired spatial learning, which MaR1 mitigated. However, GW9662 partially reversed MaR1's protective effects. Real-time RT-PCR results demonstrated that, compared to the sham group, mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and iNOS significantly increased in hippocampal tissues following CLP (all P<0.05), while IL-4, IL-10, and Arg1 showed a slight decrease, though the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Compared to the CLP group, both 1 ng and 10 ng MaR1 decreased TNF-α, IL-1ß, and iNOS mRNA expression in hippocampal tissues and increased IL-4, IL-10, and Arg1 mRNA expression (all P<0.05). Immunofluorescence results indicated a significant increase in Iba1-positive microglia in the hippocampus after CLP compared to the sham group (P<0.05). Administration of 1 ng and 10 ng MaR1 reduced the percentage area of Iba1-positive cells in the hippocampus compared to the CLP group (both P<0.05). Western blotting results showed that, compared to the CLP group, both 1 ng and 10 ng MaR1 down-regulated the iNOS expression, while up-regulated the expression of Arg1, PPARγ, and p-STAT6 (all P<0.05). However, the inclusion of GW9662 counteracted the MaR1-induced upregulation of Arg1 and PPARγ compared to the MaR1-LD group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MaR1 inhibits the classical activation of hippocampal microglia, promotes alternative activation, reduces sepsis-induced neuroinflammation, and improves cognitive decline.

Muscle-secreted granulocyte colony-stimulating factor functions as metabolic niche factor ameliorating loss of muscle stem cells in aged mice.

The function and number of muscle stem cells (satellite cells, SCs) decline with muscle aging. Although SCs are heterogeneous and different subpopulations have been identified, it remains unknown whether a specific subpopulation of muscle SCs selectively decreases during aging. Here, we find that the number of SCs expressing high level of transcription factor Pax7 (Pax7Hi ) is dramatically reduced in aged mice. Myofiber-secreted granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) regulates age-dependent loss of Pax7Hi cells, as the Pax7Hi SCs are replenished by exercise-induced G-CSF in aged mice. Mechanistically, we show that transcription of G-CSF (Csf3) gene in myofibers is regulated by MyoD in a metabolism-dependent manner. Furthermore, myofiber-secreted G-CSF acts as a metabolic niche factor required for establishing and maintaining the Pax7Hi SC subpopulation in adult and physiological aged mice by promoting the asymmetric division of Pax7Hi and Pax7Mi SCs. Together, our findings uncover that muscles provide a metabolic niche regulating Pax7 SC heterogeneity in mice.

Airflow Synergistic Needleless Electrospinning of Instant Noodle-like Curly Nanofibrous Membranes for High-Efficiency Air Filtration.

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has become a serious environmental concern. Nanofibrous filters are widely reported to remove PM from polluted air. Herein, efficient and lightweight PM air filters are presented using airflow synergistic needleless electrospinning composed of auxiliary fields such as an airflow field and a secondary inductive electric field. Compared to needleless electrospinning with other spinnerets, it significantly improves productivity, fiber diameter, and porosity of fibrous air filters. The instant noodle-like nanofiber structure can also be controlled by adjusting the airflow velocity. These air filters exhibit high (2.5 µm particulate matter) PM2.5 removal efficiency (99.9%) and high (0.3 µm particulate matter) PM0.3 removal efficiency (99.1%), low pressure drop (56 Pa for PM2.5 and 78 Pa for PM0.3 ), and large dust holding capacitance (the maximum value is 168 g m-2 for PM2.5 , while 102 g m-2 for PM0.3 ). Meanwhile, the proposed PM filters are also tested suitable and stable to other polluted air filtrations such as cigarette smoke and sawdust. The large-scale synthesis of such an attractive nanofiber structure presents the great potential of high-performance filtration/separation materials.

Customized Structure Design and Functional Mechanism Analysis of Carbon Spheres for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are attracting much attention due to their high theoretical energy density and are considered to be the predominant competitors for next-generation energy storage systems. The practical commercial application of LSBs is mainly hindered by the severe "shuttle effect" of the lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the serious damage of lithium dendrites. Various carbon materials with different characteristics have played an important role in overcoming the above-mentioned problems. Carbon spheres (CSs) are extensively explored to enhance the performance of LSBs owing to their superior structures. The review presents the state-of-the-art advances of CSs for advanced high-energy LSBs, including their preparation strategies and applications in inhibiting the "shuttle effect" of the LiPSs and protecting lithium anodes. The unique restriction effect of CSs on LiPSs is explained from three working mechanisms: physical confinement, chemical interaction, and catalytic conversion. From the perspective of interfacial engineering and 3D structure designing, the protective effect of CSs on the lithium anode is also analyzed. Not only does this review article contain a summary of CSs in LSBs, but also future directions and prospects are discussed. The systematic discussions and suggested directions can enlighten thoughts in the reasonable design of CSs for LSBs in near future.

Linc-RAM is a metabolic regulator maintaining whole-body energy homeostasis in mice.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to have profound functions in regulating cell fate specification, cell differentiation, organogenesis, and disease, but their physiological roles in controlling cellular metabolism and whole-body metabolic homeostasis are less well understood. We previously identified a skeletal muscle-specific long intergenic noncoding RNA (linc-RNA) activator of myogenesis, Linc-RAM, which enhances muscle cell differentiation during development and regeneration. Here, we report that Linc-RAM exerts a physiological function in regulating skeletal muscle metabolism and the basal metabolic rate to maintain whole-body metabolic homeostasis. We first demonstrate that Linc-RAM is preferentially expressed in type-II enriched glycolytic myofibers, in which its level is more than 60-fold higher compared to that in differentiated myotubes. Consistently, genetic deletion of the Linc-RAM gene in mice increases the expression levels of genes encoding oxidative fiber versions of myosin heavy chains and decreases those of genes encoding rate-limiting enzymes for glycolytic metabolism. Physiologically, Linc-RAM-knockout mice exhibit a higher basal metabolic rate, elevated insulin sensitivity and reduced fat deposition compared to their wild-type littermates. Together, our findings indicate that Linc-RAM is a metabolic regulator of skeletal muscle metabolism and may represent a potential pharmaceutical target for preventing and/or treating metabolic diseases, including obesity.

Application of Duplex Droplet Digital PCR Detection of miR-888 and miR-891a in Semen Identification.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a system for simultaneous detection of miR-888 and miR-891a by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and to evaluate its application value in semen identification. METHODS: The hydrolysis probes with different fluorescence modified reporter groups were designed to realize the detection of miR-888 and miR-891a by duplex ddPCR. A total of 75 samples of 5 body fluids (including peripheral blood, menstrual blood, semen, saliva and vaginal secretion) were detected. The difference analysis was conducted by Mann-Whitney U test. The semen differentiation ability of miR-888 and miR-891a was evaluated by ROC curve analysis and the optimal cut-off value was obtained. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the dual-plex assay and the single assay in this system. The detection sensitivity was up to 0.1 ng total RNA, and the intra- and inter-batch coefficients of variation were less than 15%. The expression levels of miR-888 and miR-891a detected by duplex ddPCR in semen were both higher than those in other body fluids. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of miR-888 was 0.976, the optimal cut-off value was 2.250 copies/µL, and the discrimination accuracy was 97.33%; the AUC of miR-891a was 1.000, the optimal cut-off value was 1.100 copies/µL, and the discrimination accuracy was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a method for detection of miR-888 and miR-891a by duplex ddPCR was successfully established. The system has good stability and repeatability and can be used for semen identification. Both miR-888 and miR-891a have high ability to identify semen, and the discrimination accuracy of miR-891a is higher.

A stepwise strategy to distinguish menstrual blood from peripheral blood by Fisher's discriminant function.

Blood samples are the most common and important biological samples found at crime scenes, and distinguishing peripheral blood and menstrual blood samples is crucial for solving criminal cases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important molecules with strong tissue specificity that can be used in forensic fields to identify the tissue properties of body fluid samples. In this study, the relative expression levels of four different miRNAs (miR-451, miR-205, miR-214 and miR-203) were analysed by real-time PCR, with 200 samples from 5 different body fluids, including two kinds of blood samples (peripheral blood and menstrual blood) and three kinds of non-blood samples (saliva, semen and vaginal secretion). Then, a strategy for identifying menstrual and peripheral blood based on Fisher's discriminant function and the relative expression of multiple miRNAs was established. Two sets of functions were used: Z1 and Z2 were used to distinguish blood samples from non-blood samples, and Y1 and Y2 were used to distinguish peripheral blood from menstrual blood. A 100% accuracy rate was achieved when 50 test samples were used. Ten samples were used to test the sensitivity of the method, and 10 ng or more of total RNA from peripheral blood samples and 10 pg or more of total RNA from menstrual blood samples were sufficient for this method. The results provide a scientific reference to address the difficult forensic problem of distinguishing menstrual blood from peripheral blood.

Linc-RAM is required for FGF2 function in regulating myogenic cell differentiation.

Myogenic differentiation of skeletal muscle stem cells, also known satellite cells, is tightly orchestrated by extrinsic and intrinsic regulators. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) is well documented to be implicated in satellite cell self-renewal and differentiation by repressing MyoD. We recently identified a MyoD-regulated and skeletal muscle-specifically expressed long non-coding RNA Linc-RAM which enhances myogenic differentiation by facilitating MyoD/Baf60c/Brg1 complex assembly. Herein, we investigated the transcriptional regulation and intracellular signaling pathway in mediating Linc-RAM gene expression during muscle cell differentiation. Firstly, we demonstrate Linc-RAM is negatively regulated by FGF2 via Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk signaling pathway in muscle cells. Overexpression of MyoD significantly attenuates repression of Linc-RAM promoter activities in C2C12 cells treated with FGF2. Knockout of MyoD abolishes FGF2-mediated repression of Linc-RAM gene transcription in satellite cells sorted from skeletal muscle of MyoD-/-;Pax7-nGFP mice, suggesting inhibition of MyoD is required for FGF2-mediated expression of Linc-RAM. For the functional significance, we show that overexpression of Linc-RAM rescues FGF2-induced inhibition of C2C12 cell differentiation, indicating inhibition of Linc-RAM is required for FGF2-mediated suppression of myogenic differentiation. Consistently, we are able to further corroborate the requirement of Linc-RAM inhibition for FGF2-modulated repression of myogenic differentiation by using an ex vivo cultured single fiber system and satellite cells sorted from Linc-RAM-/-;Pax7-nGFP knockout mice. Collectively, the present study not only reveals the intracellular signaling in FGF2-mediated Linc-RAM gene expression but also demonstrate the functional significance of Linc-RAM in FGF2-mediated muscle cell differentiation.

E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Cbl-b Regulates Thymic-Derived CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cell Development by Targeting Foxp3 for Ubiquitination.

CD28 costimulation is essential for the development of thymic-derived CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells ("tTregs"). E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b has been shown to regulate CD28 dependence of T cell activation. In this paper, we report that the loss of Cbl-b partially but significantly rescues the defective development of tTregs in Cd28(-/-) mice. This partial rescue is independent of IL-2. Mechanistically, Cbl-b binds to Foxp3 upon TCR stimulation and, together with Stub1, targets Foxp3 for ubiquitination and subsequently degradation in the proteasome. As Cbl-b self-ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation is impaired in Cd28(-/-) T cells, the defective development of tTregs in Cd28(-/-) mice may in part be due to increased Foxp3 ubiquitination and degradation targeted by Stub1 and Cbl-b. Treating Cd28(-/-) mice with a proteasome inhibitor completely rescues defective tTreg development in these mice. Therefore, Cbl-b, together with Stub1, ubiquitinate Foxp3, and regulate tTreg development.

miR-30e is negatively regulated by myostatin in skeletal muscle and is functionally related to fiber-type composition.

Myostatin (MSTN) negatively regulates skeletal myogenesis in which microRNAs (miRNAs) also play critical roles. Using miRNA microarrays of skeletal muscle from MSTN-knockout (MSTN-/-) mice, we recently showed that miR-431 is regulated by MSTN signaling. To identify additional miRNAs regulated by MSTN, we re-analyzed these miRNA arrays and validated their expression by quantitative RT-PCR. Herein, we demonstrated that miR-30e was significantly upregulated in skeletal muscle of MSTN-/- mice compared with that of the wild-type littermates. Importantly, the predicted targets of miR-30e are functionally involved in myocyte differentiation and fiber-type formation. Using luciferase reporter gene assays, we further showed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 alpha (Pgc1α), is a direct target of miR-30e. Overexpression of miR-30e in C2C12 cells significantly decreased Pgc1α and increased type II form of myosin heavy chain gene expression, suggesting that miR-30e functionally associates with glycolytic myofiber formation. Thus, our data indicate that the altered fiber-type composition in MSTN-/- mice are attributable in part to deregulated expression of miR-30e.

[Y-27632 reduces the MMP2 and MMP9 expression in endothelial cell via inhibition of ROCK signal pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 on the matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP2 and MMP9) gene expression and activity in tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC).
 METHODS: HHUVEC was divided into 3 groups, a control group, a TNF-α group, and a TNF-α plus Y-27632 group. The expressions of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), MMP2 and MMP9 were examined by real-time PCR. The MMP2/9 activity was measured by gelatin zymography.
 RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the mRNA expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MMP2 and MMP9 were increased TNF-α-treated cells, which were suppressed by ROCK inhibitor (P<0.01). The MMP2/9 activity was elevated in TNF-α-treated cells, which was reversed by ROCK inhibitor (P<0.05).
 CONCLUSION: ROCK inhibitor can suppress TNF-α-induced inflammation in endothelial cells through down-regulation of MMP2/9.

T cell activation threshold regulated by E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b determines fate of inducible regulatory T cells.

E3 ubiquitin ligase Casitas-B-lineage lymphoma protein-b (Cbl-b) is critical for establishing the threshold for T cell activation and is essential for induction of T cell anergy. Recent studies suggest that Cbl-b is involved in the development of CD4(+)CD25(+) inducible regulatory T cells (iTregs). In this study, we report that the optimal induction of Foxp3 by naive CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells requires suboptimal TCR triggering. In the absence of Cbl-b, the TCR strength for optimal Foxp3 induction is downregulated in vitro. Using TCR-transgenic Rag(-/-) mice in combination with Cbl-b deficiency, we show that in vivo iTreg development is also controlled by Cbl-b via tuning the TCR strength. Furthermore, we show that Akt-2 but not Akt-1 regulates Foxp3 expression downstream of Cbl-b. Therefore, we demonstrate that Cbl-b regulates the fate of iTregs via controlling the threshold for T cell activation.

TCR-induced, PKC-θ-mediated NF-κB activation is regulated by a caspase-8-caspase-9-caspase-3 cascade.

It has been documented that caspase-8, a central player in apoptosis, is also crucial for TCR-mediated NF-κB activation. However, whether other caspases are also involved this process is unknown. In this report, we showed that in addition to caspase-8, caspase-9 is required for TCR-mediated NF-κB activation. Caspase-9 induces activation of PKC-θ, phosphorylation of Bcl10 and NF-κB activation in a caspase-3-dependent manner, but it appears that Bcl10 phosphorylation is uncoupled from NF-κB activation. Furthermore, caspase-8 lies upstream of caspase-9 during T cell activation. Therefore, TCR ligation elicits a caspase cascade involving caspase-8, caspase-9 and caspase-3 which initiates PKC-θ-dependent pathway leading to NF-κB activation and PKC-θ-independent Bcl10 phosphorylation which limits NF-kB activity.

Influence of LVAD Cannula Outflow Graft Flow Rate and Location on Fluid-Particle Interactions and Thrombi Distribution: A Primary Numerical Study.

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) supports hemodynamics in heart failure patients. To deepen the understanding of hemodynamic changes and the movement of thrombi in the aorta, we examined three distinct LVAD blood flow rates across two implantation sites using the theory of computational fluid dynamics. Our findings revealed the complex dynamics of blood flow during cardiac systole under various scenarios. We also analyzed thrombi residence time and flow probabilities into aortic branches. Simulation results indicate that thrombi distribution in the aorta is significantly influenced by the location of the LVAD outflow graft and the flow rate. When the LVAD outflow graft is implanted into the ascending aorta, higher flow rates may reduce the risk of cerebral thrombosis. However, lower flow rates may reduce the risk of cerebral thrombosis while it is implanted into the descending aorta. The study may offer valuable insights into the LVAD implantation about the risk of cerebrovascular embolism.

Flexible self-supporting inorganic nanofiber membrane-reinforced solid-state electrolyte for dendrite-free lithium metal batteries.

Compounding of suitable fillers with PEO-based polymers is the key to forming high-performance electrolytes with robust network structures and homogeneous Li+-transport channels. In this work, we innovatively and efficiently prepared Al2O3 nanofibers and deposited an aqueous dispersion of Al2O3 into a membrane via vacuum filtration to construct a nanofiber membrane with a three-dimensional (3D) network structure as the backbone of a PEO-based solid-state electrolyte. The supporting effect of the nanofiber network structure improved the mechanical properties of the reinforced composite solid-state electrolyte and its ability to inhibit the growth of Li dendrites. Meanwhile, interconnected nanofibers in the PEO-based electrolyte and the strong Lewis acid-base interactions between the chemical groups on the surface of the inorganic filler and the ionic species in the PEO matrix provided facilitated pathways for Li+ transport and regulated the uniform deposition of Li+. Moreover, the interaction between Al2O3 and lithium salts as well as the PEO polymer increased free Li+ concentration and maintained its stable electrochemical properties. Hence, assembled Li/Li symmetric cells achieved a cycle life of more than 2000 h. LFP/Li and NMC811/Li cells provided high discharge specific capacities of up to 146.9 mA h g-1 (0.5C and 50 °C) and 166.9 mA h g-1 (0.25C and 50 °C), respectively. The prepared flexible self-supporting 3D nanofiber network structure construction can provide a simple and efficient new strategy for the exploitation of high-performance solid-state electrolytes.

Fabrication of PS/PVDF-HFP Multi-Level Structured Micro/Nano Fiber Membranes by One-Step Electrospinning.

Recently, the multi-level interwoven structured micro/nano fiber membranes with coarse and fine overlaps have attracted lots of attention due to their advantages of high surface roughness, high porosity, good mechanical strength, etc., but their simple and direct preparation methods still need to be developed. Herein, the multi-level structured micro/nano fiber membranes were prepared novelly and directly by a one-step electrospinning technique based on the principle of micro-phase separation caused by polymer incompatibility using polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (PVDF-HFP) as raw materials. It was found that different spinning fluid parameters and various spinning process parameters will have a significant impact on its morphology and structures. Under certain conditions (the concentration of spinning solution is 18 wt%, the mass ratio of PS to PVDF-HFP is 1:7, the spinning voltage is 30 kV, and the spinning receiving distance is 18 cm), the PS/PVDF-HFP membrane with optimal multi-level structured micro/nano fiber membranes could be obtained, which present an average pore size of 4.38 ± 0.10 µm, a porosity of 78.9 ± 3.5%, and a water contact angle of 145.84 ± 1.70°. The formation mechanism of micro/nano fiber interwoven structures was proposed through conductivity and viscosity tests. In addition, it was initially used as a separation membrane material in membrane distillation, and its performance was preliminarily explored. This paper provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the research and development of an efficient and feasible method for the preparation of multi-level micro/nano fiber membranes.

Clinical effectiveness and efficiency of a new steerable sheath technology for radiofrequency ablation in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation: a retrospective comparative cohort study.

Background: The clinical effectiveness and efficiency of a steerable sheath for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) needs to be compared with a fixed curve sheath to optimize RFCA procedure. Methods: This retrospective study included adult AF patients with their first RFCA that was conducted by the same electrophysiologist using a steerable sheath (VIZIGO, Biosense Webster, Inc.) or a fixed curve sheath (NaviEase, Synaptic Medical) in a Chinese tertiary care hospital from January to November 2021. The medical records kept at the hospital were the source of study data that included patient baseline characteristics and outcome measures for the clinical effectiveness and efficiency of RFCA procedure. Multivariate generalized linear regression analyses were performed to explore the impact of sheath type on clinical effectiveness and efficiency after adjustment. Results: Fourteen patients using steerable sheath and 34 patients using fixed curve sheath for RFCA were included in the data analysis. Most of patient baseline characteristics associated with the two study groups were comparable except that the steerable sheath group had significantly higher left atrium diameter (41.9±6.5 vs. 38.1±3.9 mm, P=0.017) and larger left atrium volume (150.4±29.5 vs. 126.8±27.5 mL, P=0.017) than the fixed curve sheath group. Using steerable sheath was associated with significantly shorter total pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) fluoroscopy time and post-surgery hospital length of stay (LOS) than using fixed curve sheath in both unadjusted comparisons (PVI fluoroscopy time: 1.3±1.5 vs. 4.0±3.9 min, P=0.004; post-surgery LOS: 2.1±0.7 vs. 2.9±1.5 days, P=0.034) and multivariate generalized regression analyses (PVI fluoroscopy time: coefficient =-0.859, P=0.014; post-surgery LOS: coefficient =-0.303, P=0.018). Conclusions: Compared to fixed curve sheath, steerable sheath used for RFAC could have the potential to shorten the PVI fluoroscopy time and reduce post-surgery LOS in a Chinese real-world hospital setting. Future real-world studies with large sample size are needed to confirm our study findings.

The screening and validation process of miR-223-3p for saliva identification.

More accurate identification of the types of body fluids left at a crime scene is indispensable for improving the judicial chain of evidence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have become recognized as ideal molecular markers for the identification of body fluids in forensic science due to their short length, stability and high tissue specificity. In this study, small RNA sequencing was performed on 20 samples of five types of body fluids (peripheral blood, menstrual blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions) with the BGISEQ-500 sequencing platform, and the specific miRNA markers of saliva and vaginal secretions were screened by bioinformatics methods, including differential expression analysis and significant enrichment analysis. Through RT-qPCR validation of 169 samples, we confirmed that miR-223-3p can be used as a saliva-specific marker. In addition, we considered miR-223-3p in combination with four other miRNA molecules (miR-451a, miR-891a-5p, miR-144-5p, miR-203a-3p) that had been previously screened and verified in our laboratory, and seven body fluid prediction models based on machine learning algorithms were constructed and verified. The results showed that a kernel density estimation (KDE) model based on the five miRNA markers for body fluid identification could achieve 100% accuracy in the samples tested in the present study.