Establishment of an Animal Model of Dog Bite Injuries.

Nowadays dog bite is becoming a world public health problem. Therefore, the study aimed to develop a dog bite animal model that is helpful to solve these problems. In this study, the skull of an adult dog was scanned. The three-dimensional model of the dog maxillofacial bones and dentition was built by MIMICS. Next, the model was printed with Co-Cr alloy by using selective laser sintering technology to develop the dog bite simulation pliers. Then, to simulate dog bite to most, the maximum bite force of the pliers was measured and actions contained in dog bite process was analyzed. Afterwards, according to action analysis results, rabbits were bitten by the prepared instrument in actions that simulate dog's bite. Finally, the reproducibility and controllability of this animal model of dog bite injuries was validated in an in vivo study. The results showed a reliable animal model of dog bite injuries has been developed in this study. The sites and severities of the injuries could be adjusted as the operator wishes and the animal model of dog bite injuries was highly repeatable. This study also indicates the feasibility of using digital technology in establishing animal bite models.

Empagliflozin Protects against Pulmonary Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via an Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases 1 and 2-Dependent Mechanism.

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lung can lead to extensive pulmonary damage. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are insulin-independent, oral antihyperglycemic agents used for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although their cardioprotective properties have been reported, their potential roles in pulmonary protection in vivo are poorly characterized. Here, we tested a hypothesis that empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, can protect lungs in a mouse model of lung I/R injury induced by pulmonary hilum ligation in vivo. We assigned C57/BL6 mice to sham-operated, nonempagliflozin-treated control, or empagliflozin-treated groups. Pulmonary I/R injury was induced by 1-hour left hilum ligation followed by 2-hour reperfusion. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and Western blot analysis, we demonstrate that SGLT2 is highly expressed in mouse kidney but is weakly expressed in mouse lung (n = 5-6 per group, P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). Empagliflozin improved respiratory function, attenuated I/R-induced lung edema, lessened structural damage, inhibited apoptosis, and reduced inflammatory cytokine production and protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid [P < 0.05 or P < 0.001 versus control group (CON)]. In addition, empagliflozin enhanced phosphorylation of pulmonary extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) post-I/R injury in vivo (P < 0.001, versus CON, n = 5 per group). We further showed that pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 activity reversed these beneficial effects of empagliflozin. In conclusion, we showed that empagliflozin exerts strong lung protective effects against pulmonary I/R injury in vivo, at least in part via the ERK1/2-mediated signaling pathway. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) can exacerbate lung injury. Empagliflozin is a new antidiabetic agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study shows that empagliflozin attenuates lung damage after pulmonary I/R injury in vivo. This protective phenomenon was mediated at least in part via the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2-mediated signaling pathway. This opens a new avenue of research for sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in the treatment of reperfusion-induced acute pulmonary injury.

Impact of comorbidities on atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of comorbid disease states on the development of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unresolved. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the association of comorbidities linked to arrhythmias in other cardiovascular diseases (e.g., obesity, systemic hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, renal disorders, tobacco, and alcohol use) to atrial fibrillation (AF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) events in a large cohort of HCM patients. METHODS: A total  of 2269 patients, 54 ± 15 years of age, 1392 males, were evaluated at the Tufts HCM Institute between 2004 and 2018 and followed for an average of 4 ± 3 years for new-onset clinical AF and SCD events (appropriate defibrillation for ventricular tachyarrhythmias, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or SCD). RESULTS: One or more comorbidity was present in 75% of HCM patients, including 50% with ≥2 comorbidities, most commonly obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2 ) in 43%. New-onset atrial fibrillation developed in 11% of our cohort (2.6%/year). On univariate analysis, obesity was associated with a 1.7-fold increased risk for AF (p = .03) with 12% of obese patients developing AF (3.3%/year) as compared to 7% of patients with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (1.6%/year; p = .006). On multivariate analysis, age and LA transverse dimension emerged as the only variables predictive of AF. Comorbidities, including obesity, were not independently associated with AF development (p > .10 for each). SCD events occurred in 3.3% of patients (0.8%/year) and neither obesity nor other comorbidities were associated with increased risk for SCD (p > .10 for each). CONCLUSIONS: In adult HCM patients comorbidities do not appear to impact AF or SCD risk. Therefore, for most patients with HCM, adverse disease related events of AF and SCD appear to be primarily driven by underlying left ventricular and atrial myopathy as opposed to comorbidities.

Virtual surgical planning is a useful tool in the surgical management of mandibular condylar fractures.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the application value of virtual surgical planning in the management of mandibular condylar fractures and to provide a reliable reference. METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled study and recruited 50 patients requiring surgical treatment for their mandibular condylar fractures. The inclusion criteria were patients (1) diagnosed with a condylar fracture by two clinically experienced doctors and required surgical treatment; (2) have given consent for the surgical treatment; and (3) had no contraindications to the surgery. Patients were excluded from this study if: (1) they were diagnosed with a non-dislocated or only slightly dislocated condylar fracture; (2) the comminuted condylar fracture was too severe to be treated with internal reduction and fixation; or (3) patients could not complete follow-up for 3 months. There were 33 male and 17 female patients with 33 unilateral condylar fractures and 17 bilateral condylar fractures included. The 50 patients were randomly (random number) divided into control group (25 patients with 35 sides of condylar fractures) and experimental group (25 patients with 32 sides of condylar fractures). Virtual surgical planning was used in the experimental group, but only clinical experience was used in the control group. The patients were followed up for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation. Variables including the rate of perfect reduction by radiological analysis, the average distance of deviation between preoperative and postoperative CT measurements using Geomagic software and postoperative clinical examinations (e.g., mouth opening, occlusion) were investigated for outcome measurement. SPSS 19 was adopted for data analysis. RESULTS: The average operation time was 180.60 min in the experimental group and 223.2 min in the control group. One week postoperatively, CT images showed that the anatomic reduction rate was 90.63% (29/32) in the experimental group and 68.57% (24/35) in the control group, revealing significant difference (X2 = 4.919, p = 0.027). Geomagic comparative analysis revealed that the average distance of deviation was also much smaller in the experimental group than that in the control group (0.639 mm vs. 0.995 mm; t = 3.824, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that virtual surgical planning can assist surgeons in surgical procedures, reduce operative time, and improve the anatomic reduction rate & accuracy, and thus of value in the diagnosis and treatment of condylar fractures.

Mini suture anchor: An effective device for reduction and fixation of displaced temporomandibular joint disc with intracapsular condylar fracture.

PURPOSE: The main aim is to provide clinical reference for the application of mini suture anchor in the reduction and fixation of displaced temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc with intracapsular condylar fracture. METHODS: From October 2018 to October 2019, 21 patients (31 sides) with intracapsular condylar fractures and articular disc displacement from West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University were included. The selection criteria were: (1) mandibular condylar fractures accompanied by displacement of the TMJ disc, confirmed by clinical examination, CT scan and other auxiliary examinations; (2) indication for surgical treatment; (3) no surgical contraindications; (4) no previous history of surgery in the operative area; (5) no facial nerve injury before the surgery; (6) informed consent to participate in the research program and (7) complete data. Patients without surgical treatment were excluded. The employed patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation. Outcomes were assessed by success rate of operation, TMJ function and radiological examination results at 3 months after operation. Data were expressed as number and percent and analyzed using SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: All the surgical procedures were completed successfully and all the articular discs were firmly attached to the condyles. The articular disc sufficiently covered the condylar head after the fixation. The fixation remained stable when the mandible was moved in each direction by the surgeons. No complications occurred. The functions of the TMJ were well-recovered postoperatively in most cases. CT scan revealed that the screws were completely embedded in the bone without loosening or displacement. CONCLUSION: Mini suture anchor can provide satisfactory stabilization for the reduced articular disc and also promote the recovery of TMJ functions.

Chemical Fingerprinting of HULIS in Particulate Matters Emitted from Residential Coal and Biomass Combustion.

Identification of humic-like substances (HULIS) structures and components is still a major challenge owing to their chemical complexity. This study first employed a complementary method with the combination of two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry to address low-polarity and polar components of HULIS in PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm), respectively. The combination method showed a significant correlation in identifying overlapping species and performed well in uncovering the chemical complexity of HULIS. A total of 1246 compound species in HULIS (65.6-81.0% for each sample), approximately 1 order of magnitude more compounds than that reported in previous studies, were addressed in PM2.5 collected in real-world household biomass and coal combustion. Aromatics were the most abundant compounds (37.4-64.1% in biomass and 34.5-70.0% in coal samples) of the total mass in all HULIS samples according to carbon skeleton determination, while the major components included phenols (2.6-21.1%), ketones (6.0-17.1%), aldehydes (1.1-6.8%), esters (2.9-20.0%), amines/amides (3.2-8.5%), alcohols (3.8-17.0%), and acids (4.7-15.1%). Among the identified HULIS species, 11-36% mass in biomass and 11-41% in coal were chromophores, while another 22-35 and 23-29% mass were chromophore precursors, respectively. The combination method shows promise for uncovering HULIS fingerprinting.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: An Effective Auxiliary Treatment Method for Large Jaw Cysts.

Background: To evaluate hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on infection rates and repair rates during the treatment of large jaw cysts. Methods: A prospective randomized, non-blinded, controlled clinical trial included 90 patients with jaw cysts, randomly divided into three groups. Patients were treated with enucleations and bone substitute was used in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received HBOT. The primary predictor variable was HBOT. The infection rate, repair rate, preoperative volume of the jaw cysts, age, and sex were statistically analyzed. The Fisher exact test was used to compare the infection rate and postoperative complications. The repair rate of the bone defects was analyzed using the repeated-measures analysis of variance and the least significant difference tests. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance and Kappa statistics were calculated to evaluate the consistency between the two investigators. Results: The infection rate was 3.4% in the experimental group, 14.3% in the blank group, and 32.1% in the control group (P<0.05). The repair rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control and blank groups at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that HBOT reduced the postoperative infection rate following the enucleation of large jaw cysts with bone substitute filling, and it also improved the bone repair rate.

Solid-Phase Microextraction Fiber in Face Mask for in Vivo Sampling and Direct Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Exhaled Breath Aerosol.

Molecular analysis of exhaled breath aerosol (EBA) with simple procedures represents a key step in clinical and point-of-care applications. Due to the crucial health role, a face mask now is a safety device that helps protect the wearer from breathing in hazardous particles such as bacteria and viruses in the air; thus exhaled breath is also blocked to congregate in the small space inside of the face mask. Therefore, direct sampling and analysis of trace constituents in EBA using a face mask can rapidly provide useful insights into human physiologic and pathological information. Herein, we introduce a simple approach to collect and analyze human EBA by combining a face mask with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber. SPME fiber was inserted into a face mask to form SPME-in-mask that covered nose and mouth for in vivo sampling of EBA, and SPME fiber was then coupled with direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) to directly analyze the molecular compositions of EBA under ambient conditions. The applicability of SPME-in-mask was demonstrated by direct analysis of drugs and metabolites in oral and nasal EBA. The unique features of SPME-in-mask were also discussed. Our results showed that this method is enabled to analyze volatile and nonvolatile analytes in EBA and is expected to have a significant impact on human EBA analysis in clinical applications. We also hope this method will inspire biomarker screening of some respiratory diseases that usually required wearing of a face mask in daily life.

Transmission of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus by Haemaphysalis longicornis Ticks, China.

We demonstrate maintenance and transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus by Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in the larva, nymph, and adult stages with dissemination in salivary gland, midgut, and ovarian tissues. The H. longicornis tick is a competent vector to transmit this virus in both transovarial and transstadial modes.

[Effects of Tranexamic Acid after Cardiopulmonary Bypass on the Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the outcomes of cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult patients (≥18 years old) who underwent elective valve replace surgery and/or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with CPB from July 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The patients were divided into TXA group (n=2 062), who received TXA after CPB, and the control group (n=4 236), who did not receive any TXA at all. The differences in postoperative complications such as death, excessive bleeding, ischemic event and bleeding related event, ICU and hospitality duration of the two groups were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of TXA on the outcomes of the patients. RESULTS: The rate of excessive bleeding and the median chest tube drainage of TXA group were less than those of control group (P<0.05), while the incidences of death, ischemic event and bleeding related event were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed TXA after CPB was associated with the reduced risks of excessive bleeding [odds ratio (OR):0.55, 95%confidence interval (CI):0.49-0.62, P<0.001] and death (OR: 0.55, 95%CI:0.30-0.98, P=0.044), but was not associated with ischemic event and bleeding related event. CONCLUSION: TXA after CPB following cardiac surgery could reduce the risk of excessive bleeding and death without increase of ischemic event.

Epidemical features of HAdV-3 and HAdV-7 in pediatric pneumonia in Chongqing, China.

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) of species B, C, and E (HAdV-B, -C, -E) are frequent causative agents of acute respiratory infections worldwide. No specific analysis has been done on the epidemiological and clinical features of HAdV in pediatric pneumonia in China. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from hospitalized children with pneumonia from June 2009 to May 2014. All samples that tested positive for HAdV were typed by sequencing the hexon and fiber genes. From a total of 3089 samples, 208 (6.7 %) were positive for HAdV, identified as belonging to HAdV-B (186, 89.4 %), HAdV-C (9, 4.3 %) and HAdV-E (1, 0.5 %). HAdV-7 (104, 50.0 %) and HAdV-3 (78, 37.5 %) were the two major types, followed by HAdV-1, HAdV-55 and HAdV-14. There were 87 (41.8 %) single HAdV infections, of which 80 % were HAdV-7 infections. Multivariate analysis showed that single infections with HAdV-7 were associated with a higher prevalence of severe pneumonia. Temporal patterns showed that, except for a simultaneous outbreak of HAdV-3 and HAdV-7 during the years 2010-2011, HAdV-7 and HAdV-3 were alternately predominant, and the dominance shifted to HAdV-3 after 2014. Identification of the predominant HAdV genotypes and their epidemical features is useful for determining preventive strategies. HAdV-7 associated severe pneumonia needs to be considered with high priority in clinical practice.

Detection and complete genome characterization of human enterovirus 118 from children with acute respiratory disease in China.

Enterovirus 118 (EV-118) within species HEV-C was detected in two 5-month-old boys with pneumonia in China. The EV-118 from both cases was genetically closer to ISR10 strain from Israel than to PER161 strain from Peru based on VP1 gene sequences. The complete genome of the detected EV-118 consists of 7,360 nucleotides, excluding the poly (A) tail. The 5'UTR contains 669 nucleotides, and 3'UTR consists of 73 nucleotides. A single open reading frame from base 670 to 7,287 that encodes a 2,206-amino-acid polyprotein was featured. The base composition of the full genome is 27.9 % A, 24.2 % C, 24.4 % G, and 23.6 % U. Phylogenetic analysis of the full genome sequences illustrated EV-118 was genetically closer to EV-109 and EV-105, and the Chinese strain differed from Peru strain. In summary, the presence of EV-118 was confirmed in pediatric pneumonia cases and complete genome sequences were identified for the first time in China.

A multifunctional collagen-base bilayer membrane integrated with a bimetallic/polydopamine network for enhanced guided bone regeneration.

The guided bone regeneration (GBR) technique is an effective treatment for small and medium-sized bone defects in the oral and maxillofacial region. However, currently available collagen membranes have limited functionality and are inadequate for clinical requirements. To address this challenge, this study pioneeringly developed a multifunctional bilayer membrane. Specifically, a bimetallic/polydopamine network (BPN), consisting of silver, magnesium, and dopamine, was successfully synthesized for the first time and integrated with collagen and hydroxyapatite. The resulting material was characterized, and its physicochemical properties, along with its barrier, osteogenic, angiogenic, antibacterial, hemostatic, and biosafety effects, were evaluated through both in vitro and in vivo studies. The results indicated that the BPN, composed of magnesium ions, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), and polydopamine (PDA), exhibited excellent thermal stability and slow release of silver and magnesium elements. The BPN/Col-HA membrane featured a bilayer structure with uniform distribution of silver and magnesium. It also demonstrated good hydrophilicity, suitable degradation and mechanical properties, as well as sustained release of silver and magnesium. In vitro experiments showed that the BPN/Col-HA membrane possessed desirable barrier, osteogenic, angiogenic, antibacterial, hemostatic, and biocompatible properties. In vivo results further confirmed its biosafety, hemostatic efficacy, and ability to effectively promote bone defect repair and angiogenesis. Thus, the BPN/Col-HA membrane emerges as a multifunctional GBR membrane with potential for clinical translation.

Mono+ algorithm assessment of the diagnostic value of dual-energy CT for high-risk factors for colorectal cancer: a preliminary study.

Background: Risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC) affect the way patients are subsequently treated and their prognosis. Dual-energy computerized tomography (DECT) is an advanced imaging technique that enables the quantitative evaluation of lesions. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of DECT images based on the Mono+ algorithm in CRC, and based on this, to assess the value of DECT in the diagnosis of CRC risk factors. Methods: This prospective study was performed from 2021 to 2023. A dual-phase DECT protocol was established for consecutive patients with primary CRC. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), overall image quality, lesion delineation, and image noise of the dual-phase DECT images were assessed. Next, the optimal energy-level image was selected to analyze the iodine concentration (IC), normalized iodine concentration (NIC), effective atomic number, electron density, dual-energy index (DEI), and slope of the energy spectrum curve within the tumor for the high- and low-risk CRC groups. A multifactor binary logistic regression analysis was used to construct a differential diagnostic regression model for high- and low-risk CRC, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the diagnostic value of the model. Results: A total of 74 patients were enrolled in this study, of whom 41 had high-risk factors and 33 had low-risk factors. The SNR and CNR were best at 40 keV virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) based on the Mono+ algorithm (VMI+) (SNR 8.79±1.27, P<0.001; CNR 14.89±1.77, P=0.027). The overall image quality and lesion contours were best at 60 keV VMI+ and 40 keV VMI+, respectively (P=0.001). Among all the DECT parameters, the arterial phase (AP)-IC, NIC, DEI, energy spectrum curve, and venous phase-NIC differed significantly between the two groups. The AP-IC was the optimal DECT parameter for predicting high- and low-risk CRC with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and cut-off values of 0.96, 97.06%, 87.80%, and 2.94, respectively, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the AUC was 0.88-0.99. Integrating the clinical factors and DECT parameters, the AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracy of the model were 0.99, 100.00%, 92.68%, and 94.67%, respectively, and the 95% CI of the AUC was 0.93-1.00. Conclusions: The DECT parameters based on 40 keV noise-optimized VMI+ reconstruction images depicted the CRC tumors best, and the clinical DECT model may have significant implications for the preoperative prediction of high-risk factors in CRC patients.

Interaction Between Risk Factors, Coronary Calcium, and CCTA Plaque Characteristics in Patients Age 18-45.

AIMS: The atherosclerotic profile and advanced plaque subtype burden in symptomatic patients ≤45 years old have not been established. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of coronary artery calcium (CAC), plaque subtypes, and plaque burden by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in symptomatic young patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 907 symptomatic young patients (18-45 years) from Montefiore undergoing CCTA for chest pain evaluation. Prevalence and predictors of CAC, plaque subtypes, and burden were evaluated using semi-automated software. In the overall population (55% female and 44% Hispanic), 89% had CAC = 0. The likelihood of CAC or any plaque by CCTA increased with >3 risk factors (RF, OR 7.13 [2.14-23.7] and OR 10.26 [3.36-31.2], respectively). Any plaque by CCTA was present in 137 (15%); the strongest independent predictors were age ≥35 years (OR 3.62 [2.05-6.41]) and family history of premature CAD (FHx) (OR 2.76 [1.67-4.58]). Stenosis ≥50% was rare (1.8%), with 31% of those having CAC = 0. Significant non-calcified (NCP, 37.2%) and low-attenuation (LAP, 4.24%) plaque burdens were seen, even in those with non-obstructive stenosis. Among patients with CAC = 0, 5% had plaque, and the only predictor of exclusively non-calcified plaque was FHx (OR 2.29 [1.08-4.86]). CONCLUSIONS: In symptomatic young patients undergoing CCTA, the prevalence of CAC or any coronary atherosclerosis was not negligible, and the likelihood increased with RF burden. The presence of coronary stenosis ≥50% was rare and most often accompanied by CAC > 0 but there was a significant burden of NCP and LAP even within the non-obstructive group.

Association of cardiometabolic and vascular atherosclerosis phenotypes on non-contrast chest CT with incident heart failure in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcium (CAC), thoracic aorta calcification (TAC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and heart failure (HF). OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether these cardiometabolic and atherosclerotic risk factors identified by non-contrast chest computed tomography (CT) are associated with HF hospitalizations in patients with LDL-C≥ 190 mg/dL. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with LDL-C ≥190 mg/dL, aged ≥40 years without established ASCVD or HF, who had a non-contrast chest CT within 3 years of LDL-C measurement. Ordinal CAC, ordinal TAC, EAT, and NAFLD were measured. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression models were built to ascertain the association with HF hospitalization. RESULTS: We included 762 patients with median age 60 (53-68) years, 68% (n=520) female, and median LDL-C level of 203 (194-216) mg/dL. Patients were followed for 4.7 (interquartile range 2.75-6.16) years, and 107 (14%) had a HF hospitalization. Overall, 355 (47%) patients had CAC=0, 210 (28%) had TAC=0, 116 (15%) had NAFLD, and median EAT was 79 mL (49-114). Moderate-Severe CAC (log-rank p<0.001) and TAC (log-rank p=0.006) groups were associated with increased HF hospitalizations. This association persisted when considering myocardial infarction (MI) as a competing risk. NAFLD and EAT volume were not associated with HF. CONCLUSIONS: In patients without established ASCVD and LDL-C≥190 mg/dL, CAC was independently associated with increased HF hospitalizations while TAC, NAFLD, and EAT were not.

The Effects of Feeling Envied on Employees' Psychological Safety and Work Engagement: The Role of Workplace Friendship.

Despite the increasing interest of feeling envied in recent studies, understanding of its outcome is still limited. Based on the theory of social information processing, this study aims to examine how feeling envied affects work engagement through psychological safety, and how the effect of feeling envied is moderated by workplace friendship. Two rounds of surveys were conducted, and a sample of 340 participants was collected in China. The results show that feeling envied reduces employees' psychological safety, which in turn impacts their work engagement. Further, the negative effect of feeling envied is mitigated under a higher level of workplace friendship. This study contributes to the literature by further explaining the theoretical mechanism regarding the outcomes of feeling envied. The results can provide managers helpful suggestions to alleviate the negative outcomes of feeling envied.

Hmmr Acts as a Key Regulator in the ADSCs Proliferation and Mitosis.

Obesity is a common chronic health problem that requires lifelong efforts for the successful treatment. The proliferation of ADSCs is an essential step in the development of obesity. Identifying key regulators of ADSCs will be a novel strategy for adipogenesis inhibition and obesity prevention. In this study, transcriptomes of 15532 ADSCs were firstly profiled by single cell RNA-sequencing. On the basis of gene expression patterns, 15 cell subpopulations (six defined cell types) were distinguished. A subpopulation was identified as CD168+ ADSCs, and it was demonstrated to play a vital role in ADSCs proliferation. Furthermore, Hmmr, a specific marker gene of CD168+ ADSCs was found to be a critical gene associated with ADSCs proliferation and mitosis. Hmmr knockout resulted that ADSCs growth nearly arrested and aberrant nuclear division occurred. Finally, it was revealed that Hmmr promoted ADSCs proliferation through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathway. This study identified Hmmr as a key regulator in ADSCs proliferation and mitosis, and suggested that Hmmr may be a novel target for obesity prevention.

Left ventricular stroke volume index following transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an early predictor of 1-year survival.

BACKGROUND: Adverse cardiac events are common following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Our aim was to investigate the low left ventricular stroke volume index (LVSVI) 30 days after TAVR as an early echocardiographic marker of survival. HYPOTHESIS: Steady-state (30-day) LVSVI after TAVR is associated with 1-year mortality. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing TAVR from 2017 to 2019. Baseline and 30-day post-TAVR echocardiographic LVSVI were calculated. Patients were stratified by pre-TAVR transaortic gradient, surgical risk, and change in transvalvular flow following TAVR. RESULTS: This analysis focuses on 238 patients treated with TAVR. The 1-year mortality rate was 9% and 124 (52%) patients had normal flow post-TAVR. Of those with pre-TAVR low flow, 67% of patients did not normalize LVSVI at 30 days. The 30-day normal flow was associated with lower 1-year mortality when compared to low flow (4% vs. 14%, p = .007). This association remained significant after adjusting for known predictors of risk (adjusted odds ratio [OR] of 3.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-11.63 [per 1 ml/m2 decrease], p = .046). Normalized transvalvular flow following TAVR was associated with reduced mortality (8%) when compared to those with persistent (15%) or new-onset low flow (12%) (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: LVSVI at 30 days following TAVR is an early echocardiographic predictor of 1-year mortality and identifies patients with worse intermediate outcomes. More work is needed to understand if this short-term imaging marker might represent a novel therapeutic target.