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Over the past 50 years, fossil fuel consumption has increased dramatically, rising approximately eight-fold since 1950 and doubling since 1980. This surge has led to increased emissions of brown carbon (BrC) into the atmosphere, which are subsequently deposited onto oceans and land through dry or wet deposition processes. However, the source-specific fluxes of atmospheric organic carbon (OC) and BrC into the ocean are not adequately represented in the global carbon cycle. For the first time, we calculated BrC concentration using the optical intensity of organic matter and determined the global wet depositional flux of fossil fuel-derived BrC. Using the ratio of humic-like substances to OC fluxes, we estimated the global wet deposition of fossil fuel-derived BrC to be 2.0 ± 0.6 Tg C yr-1. Of this amount, the flux into oceans (0.7 ± 0.2 Tg C yr-1) represents 1.6% of the production rate of refractory dissolved organic carbon (RDOC) in the ocean (43 Tg yr-1). Notably, an increase in the proportion of fossil fuel-derived BrC in atmospheric OC may change the composition of OC in precipitation, resulting in a more refractory composition, which deviates from previously established paradigms. Our findings indicate that the flux of fossil fuel-derived RDOC from the atmosphere into the ocean, which is inadequately represented in current global DOC cycling models, may play a significant role in oceanic carbon cycles. These findings necessitate reconsidering our understanding of oceanic carbon cycling and highlight the need to improve existing models to better account for these newly identified processes and their potential impacts on global carbon dynamics.
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BACKGROUND: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) decreases in the first few hours or days following resuscitation from cardiac arrest, increasing the risk of secondary cerebral injury. Using data from experimental studies performed in minipigs, we investigated the relationships of parameters derived from arterial and jugular bulb blood gas analyses and lactate levels (jugular bulb parameters), which have been used as indicators of cerebral perfusion and metabolism, with CBF and the cerebral lactate to creatine ratio measured with dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 36 sets of the following data obtained during the initial hours following resuscitation from cardiac arrest: percent of measured CBF relative to that at the prearrest baseline (%CBF), cerebral lactate to creatine ratio, and jugular bulb parameters, including jugular bulb oxygen saturation, jugular bulb lactate, arterial-jugular bulb oxygen content difference, cerebral extraction of oxygen, jugular bulb-arterial lactate content difference, lactate oxygen index, estimated respiratory quotient, and arterial-jugular bulb hydrogen ion content difference. Linear mixed-effects models were constructed to examine the effects of each jugular bulb parameter on the %CBF and cerebral lactate to creatine ratio. RESULTS: The arterial-jugular bulb oxygen content difference (P = 0.047) and cerebral extraction of oxygen (P = 0.030) had a significant linear relationship with %CBF, but they explained only 12.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.002-0.371) and 14.2% (95% CI 0.005-0.396) of the total %CBF variance, respectively. The arterial-jugular bulb hydrogen ion content difference had a significant linear relationship with cerebral lactate to creatine ratio (P = 0.037) but explained only 13.8% (95% CI 0.003-0.412) of the total variance in the cerebral lactate to creatine ratio. None of the other jugular bulb parameters were related to the %CBF or cerebral lactate to creatine ratio. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, none of the jugular bulb parameters appeared to provide sufficient information on cerebral perfusion and metabolism in this setting.
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BACKGROUND: LIM (Lineage-11 (LIN-11), Insulin-1 (ISL-1), and Mechanotransduction-3 (MEC-3)) genes belong to a family that hold ubiquitous properties contributing to organ, seed, and pollen development as well as developmental and cellular responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a highly consumed vegetable crop susceptible heat stress. High temperatures limit lettuce's overall yield, quality and marketability. Lettuce LIM genes have not been identified and their role in response to high temperatures is not known. Aiming to identify potential new targets for thermoresilience, we searched for LIM genes in lettuce and compared them with orthologous of several dicotyledons and monocotyledons plant species. RESULTS: We identified fourteen lettuce LIM genes distributed into eight different subgroups using a genome-wide analysis strategy. Three belonging to DAR (DA means "large" in Chinese) class I, two DAR class II, one in the WLIM1, two in the WLIM2, one in the PLIM1, two in the PLIM2 class, one ßLIM and two δLIMs. No DAR-like were identified in any of the species analyzed including lettuce. Interestingly, unlike other gene families in lettuce which underwent large genome tandem duplications, LIM genes did not increase in number compared to other plant species. The response to heat stress induced a dynamic transcriptional response on LsLIM genes. All heat stress regimes, including night stress, day stress and day and night stress were largely responsible for changes in LIM transcriptional expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our global analysis at the genome level provides a detailed identification of LIM genes in lettuce and other dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plant species. Gene structure, physical and chemical properties as well as chromosomal location and Cis-regulatory element analysis together with our gene expression analysis under different temperature regimes identified LsWLIM1, LsWLIM2b, LsDAR3 and LsDAR5 as candidate genes that could be used by breeding programs aiming to produce lettuce varieties able to withstand high temperatures.
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Respuesta al Choque Térmico , Lactuca , Proteínas de Plantas , Lactuca/genética , Lactuca/fisiología , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Respuesta al Choque Térmico/genética , Genes de Plantas , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , FilogeniaRESUMEN
Fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) reduces opioid consumption and pain scores after total hip arthroplasty (THA), and has recently been widely applied. We investigated whether FICB could also reduce postoperative bleeding. One hundred and fifteen consecutive patients who underwent elective THA under general anesthesia over 5 months were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into 2 groups: the FICB group received an epinephrine-mixed FICB procedure and the control group did not receive any block. Using the hematocrit measured at 4 different time points (preoperative and 1, 24, and 48 hours after surgery), the estimated blood loss (EBL) was calculated for 3 different time periods (0-1, 1-24, 24-48 hours after surgery). EBL at 1 to 24 hours (226 vs 398 mL, Pâ =â .008) was significantly lower in the FICB group than in the control group. Additionally, the number of packed red cell (PRC) units transfused per patient over 48 hours was 0.38 units in the FICB group, which was significantly lower than the 0.70 units used in the control group (Pâ =â .040). Epinephrine-mixed FICB in THA has the potential to reduce postoperative bleeding in the first 24 hours after surgery as well as reduce PRC transfusion requirements.
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Artroplastia de Reemplazo de Cadera , Epinefrina , Bloqueo Nervioso , Hemorragia Posoperatoria , Humanos , Artroplastia de Reemplazo de Cadera/efectos adversos , Artroplastia de Reemplazo de Cadera/métodos , Epinefrina/administración & dosificación , Estudios Retrospectivos , Masculino , Femenino , Anciano , Hemorragia Posoperatoria/prevención & control , Hemorragia Posoperatoria/etiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Bloqueo Nervioso/métodos , Fascia/inervación , Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Anestésicos Locales/uso terapéutico , Vasoconstrictores/uso terapéutico , Vasoconstrictores/administración & dosificación , Dolor Postoperatorio/prevención & control , Dolor Postoperatorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Dolor Postoperatorio/etiologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Increased left atrial pressure (LAP) contributes to dyspnea and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in baseline LAP and LAP response to rapid pacing between paroxysmal and persistent AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: This observational study prospectively enrolled 1369 participants who underwent AF catheter ablation, excluding those with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. H2FPEF score was calculated by echocardiography and baseline characteristics. Patients underwent LAP measurements during AF, sinus rhythm, and heart rates of 90, 100, 110, and 120 beats per minute (bpm), induced by right atrial pacing and isoproterenol. The baseline LAP-peak in the persistent AF group consistently exceeded that in the paroxysmal AF (PAF) group across each H2FPEF score subgroup (all P<0.05). LAP-peak increased with pacing (19.5 to 22.5 mm Hg) but decreased with isoproterenol (20.4 to 18.4 mm Hg). Under pacing, patients with PAF exhibited a significantly lower LAP-peak (90 bpm) than those with persistent AF (17.7±8.2 versus 21.1±9.3 mm Hg, P<0.001). However, there was no difference in LAP-peak (120 bpm) between the 2 groups (22.1±8.1 versus 22.9±8.4 mm Hg, P=0.056) because the LAP-peak significantly increased with heart rate in the group with PAF. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PAF exhibited lower baseline LAP with greater increases during rapid pacing compared with individuals with persistent AF, indicating a need to revise the H2FPEF score for distinguishing PAF from persistent AF and emphasizing the importance of rate and rhythm control in PAF for symptom control. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique Identifier: NCT02138695.
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Background: The impact of delaying atrial fibrillation catheter ablation (AFCA) for antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) management on the disease course remains unclear. This study investigated AFCA rhythm outcomes based on the diagnosis-to-ablation time (DAT) and AAD responsiveness in participants with persistent AF (PeAF). Methods: We included data from 1038 AAD-resistant PeAF participants, all of whom had a clear time point for AF diagnosis, especially PeAF at diagnosis time, and had undergone an AFCA for the first time. Participants who experienced recurrences of paroxysmal type on AAD therapy were analyzed as a cohort of AAD-partial responders; those maintaining PeAF on AAD were AAD-non-responders. We determined the DAT cutoff for best discriminating long-term rhythm outcomes using a maximum log-likelihood estimation method based on the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: Of the participants (79.8% male; median age 61), 806 (77.6%) were AAD-non-responders. AAD-non-responders had a higher body mass index and a larger left atrial diameter than AAD-partial-responders. They also had a higher incidence of AF recurrence after AFCA (adjusted hazard ratio 1.75, 95% confidence interval 1.33-2.30; log-rank p < .001) compared to AAD-partial-responders. The maximum log-likelihood estimation showed bimodal cutoffs at 22 and 40 months. The optimal DAT cutoff rhythm outcome was 22 months, which discriminated better in the AAD-partial-responders than in the AAD-non-responders. Conclusions: Both DAT and AAD responsiveness influenced AFCA rhythm outcomes. Delaying AFCA to a DAT of longer than 22 months was inadvisable, particularly in the participants in whom PeAF was changed to paroxysmal AF during AAD therapy.
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Within the context of seeking eco-friendly and readily available materials for energy storage, there is a pressing demand for energy storage solutions that employ environmentally sustainable, high-performance, and adaptable constituents. Specifically, such materials are essential for use in wearable technology, smart sensors, and implantable medical devices, whereas, more broadly, their use plays a pivotal role in shaping their efficiency and ecological footprint. Here, we demonstrate an entirely biopolymer-based supercapacitor with a remarkable performance, achieving a capacitance greater than 0.2 F cm-2 at a charge-discharge current of 10 mA cm-2 with 94% capacitance retention after 20,000 cycles. The supercapacitor is composed of three distinct silk fibroin (SF) composite materials, namely, photo-cross-linkable SF (Sil-MA) hydrogel, SF-polydopamine (SF-PDA), and SF bioplastic, to create a gel electrolyte, electrode binder, and encapsulation, respectively. Together, these elements form a mechanically and electrochemically robust skeleton for biofriendly energy storage devices. Moreover, these biomaterial-based supercapacitor devices show stretchability, flexibility, and compressibility while maintaining their electrochemical performance. The biomaterials and fabrication techniques presented can serve as a foundation for investigating various aqueous electrochemical energy storage systems, especially for emerging applications in wearable electronics and environmentally friendly material systems.
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Capacidad Eléctrica , Fibroínas , Hidrogeles , Fibroínas/química , Hidrogeles/química , Polímeros/química , Dispositivos Electrónicos Vestibles , Materiales Biocompatibles/química , Bombyx/química , Electrodos , IndolesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have demonstrated favourable outcomes following endovascular therapy for femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease. However, uncertainty remains whether the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can improve the outcomes of DCBs. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre, randomized trial, conducted at seven centres in South Korea, compared the outcomes of IVUS-guided vs. angiography-guided angioplasty for treating FPA disease with DCBs. Patients were assigned to receive IVUS-guided (n = 119) or angiography-guided (n = 118) angioplasty using DCBs. The primary endpoint was 12-month primary patency. RESULTS: Between May 2016 and August 2022, 237 patients were enrolled and 204 (86.0%) completed the trial (median follow-up; 363 days). The IVUS guidance group showed significantly higher primary patency [83.8% vs. 70.1%; cumulative difference 19.6% (95% confidence interval 6.8 to 32.3); P = .01] and increased freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization [92.4% vs. 83.0%; difference 11.6% (95% confidence interval 3.1 to 20.1); P = .02], sustained clinical improvement (89.1% vs. 76.3%, P = .01), and haemodynamic improvement (82.4% vs. 66.9%, P = .01) at 12 months compared with the angiography guidance group. The IVUS group utilized larger balloon diameters and pressures for pre-dilation, more frequent post-dilation, and higher pressures for post-dilation, resulting in a greater post-procedural minimum lumen diameter (3.90 ± 0.59 vs. 3.71 ± 0.73 mm, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Intravascular ultrasound guidance significantly improved the outcomes of DCBs for FPA disease in terms of primary patency, freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization, and sustained clinical and haemodynamic improvement at 12 months. These benefits may be attributed to IVUS-guided optimization of the lesion before and after DCB treatment.
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Angioplastia de Balón , Arteria Femoral , Enfermedad Arterial Periférica , Arteria Poplítea , Ultrasonografía Intervencional , Grado de Desobstrucción Vascular , Humanos , Ultrasonografía Intervencional/métodos , Masculino , Angioplastia de Balón/métodos , Arteria Femoral/diagnóstico por imagen , Femenino , Arteria Poplítea/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedad Arterial Periférica/terapia , Enfermedad Arterial Periférica/diagnóstico por imagen , Estudios Prospectivos , Anciano , Persona de Mediana Edad , Materiales Biocompatibles Revestidos , Resultado del Tratamiento , AngiografíaRESUMEN
Synaptic transistors require sufficient retention (memory) performances of current signals to exactly mimic biological synapses. Ion migration has been proposed to achieve high retention characteristics but less attention has been paid to polymer-based solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for organic synaptic transistors (OSTRs). Here, OSTRs with water-processable polymer-based SSEs, featuring ion migration-controllable molecular bridges, which are prepared by reactions of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), and lithium hydroxide (LiOH) are demonstrated. The ion conductivity of PSSA:LiOH:DETA (1:0.4:X, PLiD) films is remarkably changed by the molar ratio (X) of DETA, which is attributed to the extended distances between the PSSA chains by the DETA bridges. The devices with the PLiD layers deliver noticeably changed hysteresis reaching an optimum at X = 0.2, leading to the longest retention of current signals upon single/double pulses. The long-term potentiation test confirms that the present OSTRs can gradually build up the postsynaptic current by gate pulses of -2 V, while the long-term depression can be adjusted by varying the depression gate pulses (≈0.2-1.2 V). The artificial neural network simulations disclose that the present OSTRs with the ion migration-controlled PLiD layers can perform synaptic processes with an accuracy of ≈96%.
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Water-based processing plays a crucial role in high technology, especially in electronics, material sciences and life sciences, with important implications in the development of high-quality reliable devices, fabrication efficiency, safety and sustainability. At the micro- and nanoscale, water is uniquely enabling as a bridge between biological and technological systems. However, new approaches are needed to overcome fundamental challenges that arise from the high surface tension of water, which hinders wetting and, thus, fabrication at the bio-nano interface. Here we report the use of silk fibroin as a surfactant to enable water-based processing of nanoscale devices. Even in minute quantities (for example, 0.01 w/v%), silk fibroin considerably enhances surface coverage and outperforms commercial surfactants in precisely controlling interfacial energy between water-based solutions and hydrophobic surfaces. This effect is ascribed to the amphiphilic nature of the silk molecule and its adaptive adsorption onto substrates with diverse surface energy, facilitating intermolecular interactions between unlikely pairs of materials. The approach's versatility is highlighted by manufacturing water-processed nanodevices, ranging from transistors to photovoltaic cells. Its performance is found to be equivalent to analogous vacuum-processed devices, underscoring the utility and versatility of this approach for water-based nanofabrication.
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Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an indicator of frailty in old patients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of frailty on the use of oral anticoagulants (OAC) and clinical outcomes in a nationwide cohort of patients with new-onset AF. Methods: This study included 451,368 participants without AF from the Korea National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening cohort between 2002 and 2009. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score was retrospectively calculated for each patient using all available International Classification of Disease 10th revision diagnostic codes. According to the aggregate score, patients were divided into two groups: the participants without frailty ( < 5 points) and the participants with frailty ( ≥ 5 points). The primary outcome was death from any cause, and the secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke, major bleeding, and heart failure admission. Results: With up to 7.2 ± 1.5 years of follow-up, 11,953 participants (median age, 67 [interquartile range, 59.5-74.5] years; 7200 [60.2%] males) developed new-onset AF. Among the patients with AF, 3224 (26.9%) had frailty. Frailty was significantly associated with old age, female sex, polypharmacy, and other comorbidities. In patients with AF, frailty was negatively associated with OAC prescription after new-onset AF (p < 0.001). Compared to patients without frailty, patients with frailty had a significantly higher incidence and risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.65-3.14), cardiovascular death (HR 2.42, 95% CI 2.10-2.80), ischemic stroke (HR 2.25, 95% CI 2.02-2.51), major bleeding (HR 2.44, 95% CI 2.17-2.73), and heart failure admission (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.09-1.52). In subgroup analysis, when compared to the non-OAC group, the risks associated with frailty were significantly lower in the OAC group for all-cause death, cardiovascular death, ischemic stroke, and heart failure admission. Conclusions: Frailty was negatively associated with the use of OAC and was a predictor of poor prognosis owing to the association of frailty with death, thromboembolic events, bleeding, and heart failure admission. However, OAC use was associated with lower risks related to frailty for all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with AF.
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Background: Polypharmacy is commonly observed in atrial fibrillation (AF) and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Our study aimed to elucidate the polypharmacy prevalence, its associated risk factors, and its relationship with adverse clinical outcomes using a 'real-world' database. Methods: This study included 451,368 subjects without prior history of AF (median age, 54 [interquartile range, 48.0-63.0] years; 207,748 [46.0%] female) from the Korea National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening (NHIS-HealS) database between 2002 and 2013. All concomitant medications prescribed were collected, and the intake of five or more concomitant drugs was defined as polypharmacy. During the follow-up, all-cause death, major bleeding events, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke, and admission due to worsened heart failure were recorded. Results: Based on up to 7.7 (6.8-8.3) years of follow-up and 768,306 person-years, there were 12,241 cases of new-onset AF identified. Among patients with new-onset AF (40.0% females, median age 63.0 [54.0-70.0] years), the polypharmacy prevalence was 30.9% (3784). For newly diagnosed AF, factors, such as advanced age (with each increase of 10 years, odds ratios (OR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-1.40), hypertension (OR 4.00, 95% CI 3.62-4.43), diabetes mellitus (OR 3.25, 95% CI 2.86-3.70), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.51-3.57), TIA/ischemic stroke (OR 2.36, 95% CI 2.03-2.73), dementia history (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.06-4.98), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.38-2.82), and heart failure (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.69-2.26), were found to be independently correlated with the incidence of polypharmacy. Polypharmacy significantly increased the incidence and risk of major bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.26, 95% CI 1.12-1.41). The study observed a statistically significant increase in the incidence of all-cause mortality, however, the risk for all-cause mortality elevated but did not show significance (aHR 1.11, 95% CI 0.99-1.24). The risk of stroke and admission for heart failure did not change with polypharmacy. Conclusions: In our investigation using data from a nationwide database, polypharmacy was widespread in new-onset AF population and was related to major bleeding events. However, polypharmacy does not serve as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes, with exception of major bleeding event. For AF patients, ensuring tailored medication for comorbidities as well as reducing polypharmacy are essential considerations.
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Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease affecting more than 10% of the global adult population. It is classified into Th1, Th2, and Th17 endotypes and eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic types. Th2-based inflammation and eosinophilic CRS (ECRS) are associated with tissue remodeling and fibrinolytic system impairment. Objective: To elucidate the role of eosinophils in inducing fibrin deposition in CRS nasal polyp tissues and explore potential regulatory mechanisms. Methods: We analyzed the expression of genes related to the serpin family and fibrinolytic system using Gene Expression Omnibus and Next-generation sequencing data. Differentially expression genes (DEGs) analysis was used to compare control and nasal polyp tissues, followed by KEGG and Gene ontology (GO) analysis. We measured the expression and correlation of plasminogen activator-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA), and urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor (u-PAR) in CRS tissues, and evaluated the effect of eosinophils on the fibrinolytic system using a cytokine array and co-culture. Results: Nasal polyp tissues showed upregulated PAI-1, u-PA, and u-PAR expression and downregulated t-PA expression. Fibrinolytic system-related genes positively correlated with Th2 cytokines, except for t-PA. Eosinophil-derived Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) increased PAI-1 expression and decreased t-PA levels in fibroblasts and epithelial cells. The inhibition of CHI3L1 suppresses these alterations. Conclusion: CHI3L1 contributes to fibrin deposition by impairing the fibrinolytic system during nasal polyp formation. The regulation of CHI3L1 expression may inhibit fibrin deposition and edema in ECRS, presenting a potential treatment for this condition.
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Proteína 1 Similar a Quitinasa-3 , Eosinófilos , Fibrinólisis , Pólipos Nasales , Inhibidor 1 de Activador Plasminogénico , Rinitis , Sinusitis , Humanos , Pólipos Nasales/metabolismo , Pólipos Nasales/inmunología , Sinusitis/metabolismo , Sinusitis/inmunología , Rinitis/metabolismo , Rinitis/inmunología , Enfermedad Crónica , Inhibidor 1 de Activador Plasminogénico/metabolismo , Inhibidor 1 de Activador Plasminogénico/genética , Proteína 1 Similar a Quitinasa-3/metabolismo , Proteína 1 Similar a Quitinasa-3/genética , Adulto , Femenino , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Eosinófilos/inmunología , Eosinófilos/metabolismo , Receptores del Activador de Plasminógeno Tipo Uroquinasa/genética , Receptores del Activador de Plasminógeno Tipo Uroquinasa/metabolismo , Activador de Plasminógeno de Tipo Uroquinasa/genética , Activador de Plasminógeno de Tipo Uroquinasa/metabolismo , Activador de Tejido Plasminógeno/metabolismo , Activador de Tejido Plasminógeno/genética , Citocinas/metabolismo , RinosinusitisRESUMEN
The evidence about the associations of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and intermediary cardiovascular phenotypes with adverse cardiovascular outcomes is inconclusive. This study assessed these relationships with cardiovascular imaging, electrocardiography, and the risks of sudden cardiac death (SCD), coronary events, and heart failure (HF) admission. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank participants enrolled between 2006 and 2010. LTL was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reactions. Electronic health records were used to determine the incidence of SCD, coronary events, and HF admission. Cardiovascular measurements were made using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and machine learning. The associations of LTL with SCD, coronary events, and HF admission and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, electrocardiogram parameters of 33,043 and 19,554 participants were evaluated by multivariate regression. The median (interquartile range) follow-up period was 11.9 (11.2-12.6) years. Data was analyzed from January to May 2023. Among the 403,382 white participants without coronary artery disease or HF, 181,637 (45.0%) were male with a mean age of 57.1 years old. LTL was independently negatively associated with a risk of SCD (LTL third quartile vs first quartile: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72-0.92), coronary events (LTL third quartile vs first quartile: HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.84-0.92), and HF admission (LTL fourth quartile vs first quartile: HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.95). LTL was also independently positively associated with cardiac remodeling, specifically left ventricular mass index, left-ventricular-end systolic and diastolic volumes, mean left ventricular myocardial wall thickness, left ventricular stroke volume, and with electrocardiogram changes along the negative degree of T-axis. Cross-sectional study results showed that LTL was positively associated with heart size and cardiac function in middle age, but electrocardiography results did not show these associations, which could explain the negative association between LTL and risk of SCD, coronary events, and HF admission in UK Biobank participants.
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Leucocitos , Fenotipo , Telómero , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Leucocitos/metabolismo , Estudios Transversales , Telómero/genética , Anciano , Muerte Súbita Cardíaca/etiología , Muerte Súbita Cardíaca/patología , Insuficiencia Cardíaca/genética , Insuficiencia Cardíaca/patología , Población Blanca/genética , Homeostasis del Telómero , Electrocardiografía , Factores de Riesgo , Reino Unido/epidemiología , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/genéticaRESUMEN
The primary drawback of concrete lies in its low tensile strength, prompting the development of various solutions to enhance this aspect. A notable approach is the utilization of Prestressed Reinforced Concrete (PRC) with tendons, aimed at bolstering its tensile strength. As the use of diverse tendon types in the PRC continues to surge, a review becomes imperative to delve into this evolution. Therefore, this study delved into the engineering characteristics, performance, and evolution of different tendon varieties, encompassing both steel and composite options. Despite certain drawbacks associated with employing composite materials such as Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) tendons - such as heightened costs, limited availability of composite materials, and intricate manufacturing processes - there are distinct advantages and merits to incorporating FRP composite tendons in the realm of construction. In this respect, Carbon FRP tendons exhibited superior strength, comparable to their steel counterparts. Glass FRP tendons, lacking metallic components, possessed non-magnetic properties, rendering them resistant to corrosion. Additionally, Aramid FRP tendons boasted low flammability and exceptional resistance to elevated temperatures. Lastly, Basalt FRP tendons offered sustainability, rust resistance, and non-corrosiveness. The findings derived from this review study serve as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to advance the applications of steel tendons and FRP composite materials within the construction industry.
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Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared clinical, echocardiographic, and electrophysiological parameters between HCM subtypes and those without HCM at AF catheter ablation (AFCA) and analyzed post-AFCA reverse remodeling and AF recurrence based on HCM presence and subtype. Methods: Among 5161 consecutive patients who underwent de novo AFCA, we included HCM patients and control patients who were age-, gender-, and AF type-matched. Between AF-HCM patients and controls, we compared baseline values for left atrium (LA) wall thickness (LAWT), reverse remodeling at 1-year follow-up, and procedural outcomes over the course of follow-up between two groups. Results: A total of 122 AF-HCM patients and 318 control patients were included. AF-HCM patients had more frequent heart failure and higher LA diameter, E/Em, and LA pressure (all, p < .001). However, LAWT did not differ from control group. A year after AFCA, degree of LA reverse remodeling was significantly lower in AF-HCM than in control group (ΔLA dimension, p = .025). Nonapical HCM (HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.05-2.80), persistent AF (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.05-2.04), and LA dimension (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.06) were independent risk factors for AF recurrence. During 78.0 months of follow-up, nonapical HCM patients showed higher AF recurrence rate than both apical HCM (log-rank p = .005) and control patients (log-rank p = .002). Conclusions: The presence of HCM, particularly nonapical HCM, displayed increased LA hemodynamic loading with diastolic dysfunction and had poorer rhythm outcomes after AFCA compared to both apical HCM and control group.
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Heat buildup from factors like mechanical, electrical, or thermal stress is the main safety issue in lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Even without such stressors, however, LMBs may remain fire-prone because of the development of unstable electrode-electrolyte interphase on charge-discharge, potentially leading to internal short circuits. In this study, a stable cathode-electrolyte interphase inducer (SCEI-I) is proposed to tackle both the cycling stability issue and safety concerns. SCEI-I is synthesized by incorporating montmorillonite, a clay mineral, and methylphosphonic acid dimethyl ester, a flame-retardant material, onto a porous polyethylene film. On cycling, SCEI-I can induce a thin (<8 nm), uniform and robust cathode-electrolyte interphase layer, contributing to a steady and high Coulombic efficiency of 99.6%-99.8% with decreased impedance. SCE-I improves electrochemical performance by reducing the capacity degradation from â¼21.9% to â¼8.9% after 100 cycles. SCE-I also demonstrates strong thermal stability as the endothermic energy of SCEI-I is only -32.4 J/g (24 °C-280 °C), which is less than one-third of that of polypropylene separator (-118.9 J/g). Furthermore, when exposed to fire, the SCEI-I membrane instantly extinguished flames by disrupting combustion chain reaction. The present study proposes an interfacial engineering approach to improve the stability and safety of LMBs.
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Recently, extensive research has been reported on the detection of metal nanoparticles using terahertz waves, due to their potential for efficient and nondestructive detection of chemical and biological samples without labeling. Resonant terahertz nanoantennas can be used to detect a small amount of molecules whose vibrational modes are in the terahertz frequency range with high sensitivity. However, the positioning of target molecules is critical to obtaining a reasonable signal because the field distribution is inhomogeneous over the antenna structure. Here, we combine an optical tweezing technique and terahertz spectroscopy based on nanoplasmonics, resulting in extensive controllable tweezing and sensitive detection at the same time. We observed optical tweezing of a gold nanoparticle and detected it with terahertz waves by using a single bowtie nanoantenna. Furthermore, the calculations confirm that molecular fingerprinting is possible by using our technique. This study will be a prestep of biomolecular detection using gold nanoparticles in terahertz spectroscopy.
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Background: Although left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is more related to functional capacity after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the determinants of LV diastolic functional change after reperfused AMI remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of microvascular obstruction (MVO) on mid-term changes in LV diastolic function after reperfused AMI. Methods: In a cohort of 72 AMI patients who underwent successful revascularization, echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging were repeated at 9-month intervals. The late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) amount, segmental extracellular volume fraction, global LV, and left atrial (LA) phasic functions, along with mitral inflow and tissue Doppler measurements, were repeated. Results: Among the included patients, 31 (43%) patients had MVO. During the 9-month interval, LV ejection fraction (EF) and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) were significantly improved in accordance with a decrease in LGE amount (from 18.2 to 10.3â g, p < 0.001) and LV mass. The deceleration time (DT) of early mitral inflow (188.6â ms-226.3â ms, p < 0.001) and LV elastance index (Ed; 0.133â 1/ml-0.127â 1/ml, p = 0.049) were significantly improved, but not in conventional diastolic functional indexes. Their improvements occurred in both groups; however, the degree was less prominent in patients with MVO. The degree of decrease in LGE amount and increase in LVEF was significantly correlated with improvement in LV-Ed or LA phasic function, but not with conventional diastolic functional indexes. Conclusions: In patients with reperfused AMI, DT of early mitral inflow, phasic LA function, and LV-Ed were more sensitive diastolic functional indexes. The degree of their improvement was less prominent in patients with MVO.
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OBJECTIVES: In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is a focus on managing diverse medical data to improve healthcare and prevent disease. The challenges include tracking detailed medical records across multiple institutions and the necessity of linking domestic public medical entities for efficient data sharing. This study explores MyHealthWay, a Korean healthcare platform designed to facilitate the integration and transfer of medical data from various sources, examining its development, importance, and legal implications. METHODS: To evaluate the management status and utilization of MyHealthWay, we analyzed data types, security, legal issues, domestic versus international issues, and infrastructure. Additionally, we discussed challenges such as resource and infrastructure constraints, regulatory hurdles, and future considerations for data management. RESULTS: The secure sharing of medical information via MyHealthWay can reduce the distance between patients and healthcare facilities, fostering personalized care and self-management of health. However, this approach faces legal challenges, particularly relating to data standardization and access to personal health information. Legal challenges in data standardization and access, particularly for secondary uses such as research, necessitate improved regulations. There is a crucial need for detailed governmental guidelines and clear data ownership standards at institutional levels. CONCLUSIONS: This report highlights the role of Korea's MyHealthWay, which was launched in 2023, in transforming healthcare through systematic data integration. Challenges include data privacy and legal complexities, and there is a need for data standardization and individual empowerment in health data management within a systematic medical big data framework.