Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure with SeaLA device in non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES: The clinical efficacy and safety of a novel left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder of the SeaLA closure system in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) were reported. BACKGROUND: Patients with NVAF are at a higher risk of stroke compared to healthy individuals. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has emerged as a prominent strategy for reducing the risk of thrombosis in individuals with NVAF. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in NVAF patients with a high risk of stroke. RESULTS: The LAAC was successfully performed in 163 patients. The mean age was 66.93 ± 7.92 years, with a mean preoperative CHA2DS2-VASc score of 4.17 ± 1.48. One patient with residual flow >3 mm was observed at the 6-month follow-up, confirmed by TEE. During the follow-up, 2 severe pericardiac effusions were noted, and 2 ischemic strokes were observed. Four device-related thromboses were resolved after anticoagulation treatment. There was no device embolism. CONCLUSIONS: The LAAC with the SeaLA device demonstrates encouraging feasibility, safety, and efficacy outcomes.

Solution Sequential Deposition Pseudo-Planar Heterojunction: An Efficient Strategy for State-of-Art Organic Solar Cells.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) are considered as a promising new generation of clean energy. Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure has been widely employed in the active layer of efficient OSCs. However, precise regulation of morphology in BHJ is still challenging due to the competitive coupling between crystallization and phase separation. Recently, a novel pseudo-planar heterojunction (PPHJ) structure, prepared through solution sequential deposition, has attracted much attention. It is an easy-to-prepare structure in which the phase separation structures, interfaces, and molecular packing can be separately controlled. Employing PPHJ structure, the properties of OSCs, such as power conversion efficiency, stability, transparency, flexibility, and so on, are usually better than its BHJ counterpart. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of the film-forming process, morphology control, and device performance of PPHJ structure should be considered. In terms of the representative works about PPHJ, this review first introduces the fabrication process of active layers based on PPHJ structure. Second, the widely applied morphology control methods in PPHJ structure are summarized. Then, the influences of PPHJ structure on device performance and other property are reviewed, which largely expand its application. Finally, a brief prospect and development tendency of PPHJ devices are discussed with the consideration of their challenges.

Dual Function of the Third Component in Ternary Organic Solar Cells: Broaden the Spectrum and Optimize the Morphology.

Ternary organic solar cells (T-OSCs) have attracted significant attention as high-performance devices. In recent years, T-OSCs have achieved remarkable progress with power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 19%. However, the introduction of the third component complicates the intermolecular interaction compared to the binary blend, resulting in poor controllability of active layer and limiting performance improvement. To address these issues, dual-functional third components have been developed that not only broaden the spectral range but also optimize morphology. In this review, the effect of the third component on expanding the absorption range of T-OSCs is first discussed. Second, the extra functions of the third component are introduced, including adjusting the crystallinity and molecular stack in active layer, regulating phase separation and purity, altering molecular orientation of the donor or acceptor. Finally, a summary of the current research progress is provided, followed by a discussion of future research directions.

Difference of ventricular synchrony between LBBP, LBFP and LVSP: A speckle tracking echocardiographic study.

PURPOSE: Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has emerged as a physiological and stable form of pacing. We aim to compare the mechanical ventricular synchrony of LBBP, LBFP, and LVSP. METHODS: Proximal Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP), left bundle fascicular pacing (LBFP) and left ventricular septal pacing (LVSP) were identified in patients with bradycardia who successfully underwent LBBAP. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% or QRS duration (QRSd) ≥ 120 ms were excluded. By using electrocardiograms, the left ventricular activation time (LVAT) and QRS duration (QRSd) were measured to examine electrophysiological synchrony. As indications of mechanical synchrony, global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global radial strain (GRS), and peak strain dispersion (PSD) were evaluated by using 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). RESULTS: In 56 patients, data were collected during LBBP (n = 18), LBFP (n = 16), and LVSP (n = 22). LVSP resulted in a longer LVAT (91.3 ± 14.9 ms) than LBBP (77.1 ± 10.8 ms, P < 0.05) and LBFP (72.1 ± 9.6 ms, P < 0.05), but all three groups had similar QRSd. There were no differences in GLS, GCS, GRS, or PSD between LBBP, LBFP, and LVSP. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with normal cardiac function and narrow QRS, though LBBAP with LBB capture resulted in better electrophysiological synchrony than without, the mechanical synchrony of the three groups was comparable.

All layers patterned conical nanostructured thin-film silicon solar cells for light-trapping efficiency improvement.

Thin-film silicon solar cells (TSSC) has received great attention due to its advantages of low cost and eco-friendly. However, traditional single-layer patterned solar cells (SPSC) still fall short in light-trapping efficiency. This article presents an all layers patterned (ALP) conical nanostructured TSSC to enhance the low absorption caused by the thin absorption layers. The Finite-Difference Time-Domain result shows that a photocurrent density up to 41.27 mA/cm2 can be obtained for the structure, which is 31.39% higher than that of the SPSC. An electrical optimization simulation of doping concentration was carried out on the parameters of the optically optimal structure of the model. The power conversion efficiency is 17.15%, which is 1.72 times higher than that of the planar structure. These results demonstrate a success for the potential and prospect of the fully patterned nanostructures in thin-film photovoltaic devices.

Tunable slow light device based on a graphene metasurface.

Slow light devices have significant applications in memory, switching, and quantum optics. However, the design and fabrication of slow light devices with large tunable group delay are still challenging. Here, a graphene-based slow light device that can electrically modulate the group delay of terahertz (THz) waves is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The unit cell of the device consists of a U-shaped metal resonator and an Ω-shaped metal resonator, with three graphene ribbons embedded between the two resonators. Under electrical stimuli, a relatively high amplitude modulation depth of 74% is achieved and the maximum transmission amplitude is as high as 0.7 at the transmission peak of 0.6 THz. Most importantly, the maximum group delay variation reaches 5 ps at 0.76 THz and the maximum group delay amplitude is as high as 8.8 ps. The experiment shows good agreement with simulation. This study paves a new way for developing novel switchable nanophotonic devices and slow light devices.

Fibroblast activation protein imaging in atrial fibrillation: a proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility of using radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT imaging to assess activated fibroblasts in the atria of individuals with AF and to identify factors contributing to enhanced atrial activity. METHODS: We constructed left atrial appendage (LAA) pacing beagle dog AF models (n = 5) and conducted 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging at baseline and eight weeks after pacing. Right atrial (RA) specimens were collected from these models. Additionally, 28 AF patients and ten age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers underwent 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging. RESULTS: RA of AF beagles showed increased 18F-FAPI uptake. Among AF patients, 18 out of 28 (64.3%) exhibited enhanced atrial FAPI activity. No atrial 18F-FAPI uptake was observed in the sham beagle and healthy volunteers. In animal RA specimens, 18F-FAPI activity correlated positively with FAP mRNA (r = .98, P = .002) and protein (r = .82, P = .03) levels, as well as collagen I mRNA expression (r = .85, P = .02). B-type natriuretic peptide levels were associated with atrial 18F-FAPI activity (OR = 3.01, P = .046). CONCLUSION: This proof-of-concept study suggests that 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging may be a feasible method for evaluating activated fibroblasts in the atria of AF patients.

Pulsed field ablation of superior vena cava in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a case report.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation originates most commonly in the pulmonary veins. However, the superior vena cava has proved to be arrhythmogenic in some cases. Pulsed field ablation, an emerging ablation technology, selectively affects myocardial tissue. Herein, we present a case of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a 64-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital for pulsed field ablation. The tachycardia was recurrent despite four successful pulmonary vein isolations. The superior vena cava was determined to be involved in arrhythmogenesis. The atrial fibrillation terminated immediately after the pulsed field ablation discharge at the superior vena cava.

Residues, potential source and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water of the East Liao River, Jilin Province, China.

The environmental risks posed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the diversity of their anthropogenic origins make them a global issue. Therefore, it is of utmost significance for protecting the aquatic environment and the growth of neighboring populations to identify their possible origins and ecological risk. Here, we detail the contamination profiles of 15 PAHs found in the East Liao River's surface waters in Jilin Province and use the receptor model Absolute Principal Component Analysis - Multiple Linear Regression (APCS-MLR) and diagnostic ratios method to identify the primary potential sources of pollution. Based on the natural hazard risk formation theory (NHRFT), an ecological risk assessment (ERA) model for PAHs in the East Liao River was developed. The method assesses the ecological risk status of PAHs by integrating the risk quotient (RQ) approach and the DPSIRM (driving force, pressure, state, impact, response, management) conceptual framework. Total concentrations in the surface water body were between 396.42 and 624.06 ng/L, with an average of 436.99 ng/L. The source research revealed that coal, biomass, and traffic emission sources are the most likely PAH contributors to the East Liao River. The ERA found that the majority of the sites' locations of the study were at low risk for PAHs in surface water bodies (30.7 % and 32.2 %, respectively), while only a tiny percentage of sites were at high or very high risk (1.8 % and 13.6 %). The study results provide theoretical support for the East Liao River's ecological, environmental protection, and policy formulation.

His-Purkinje conduction system pacing combined with atrioventricular node ablation improves quality of life in older patients with persistent atrial fibrillation refractory to multiple ablation procedures.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with persistent AF even after multiple ablation procedures. His-Purkinje conduction system pacing (HPCSP) combined with atrioventricular node ablation (AVNA) is effective in managing patients with AF and heart failure. This study aimed to determine whether HPCSP combined with AVNA can improve quality of life and alleviate symptoms in older patients with symptomatic persistent AF refractory to multiple ablation procedures, as well as evaluate the feasibility and safety of this therapy. METHODS: Older patients (≥ 65 years) with symptomatic persistent AF refractory to at least two ablation procedures were treated with combined HPCSP and AVNA. The success rates and complications were recorded. Pacing parameters, European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) scores, and Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) scores obtained perioperatively were compared with those recorded at the 6-month follow-up examination. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were enrolled; of those, only thirty patients were eventually treated with AVNA because one patient developed a complete atrioventricular block following the withdrawal of the His bundle pacing lead. The success rates were 100% for HPCSP (22 cases with His bundle pacing, and 9 cases with left bundle branch pacing) and 93.3% (28/30) for AVNA, respectively. By the 6-month follow-up examination, EHRA scores improved significantly (3.00 ± 0.73 vs. 2.44 ± 0.63, P = 0.014) and AFEQT scores increased markedly (49.6 ± 20.6 vs. 70.9 ± 14.0, P = 0.001). No severe complications developed. CONCLUSIONS: When used in older patients with symptomatic persistent AF refractory to multiple ablation procedures, HPCSP combined with AVNA significantly alleviated symptoms and improved quality of life during short-term follow-up. This therapy was proved to be safe and effective in this patient population.

Application of transcriptome in time analysis and donor characterization in blood samples.

As an effective supplement to the current forensic DNA typing and one of the research hotpots in forensic science, the in-depth mining and characterization of biological evidence can provide rich and reliable clues for case investigation. In this study, the time-dependent variations of transcriptome were confirmed in in vitro blood samples within 0-168 days and a random forest model was established to realize the classification of blood samples with different TSD (time since deposition). Meanwhile, significant differences were observed in the transcripts of blood samples with different smoking habits and genders within a certain time period. HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DQA2 were identified as markers for smoking habit identification, while the transcripts for RPS4Y1 and EIF1AY from the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome (NRY) were identified as markers for male sex identification. Thus, this study provides a theoretical foundation and experimental strategy for establishing a transcriptome-based method for characterizing blood sample retention time and donor characteristics in the field of forensic investigation.

Degree of Coupling in Microwave-Heating Polar-Molecule Reactions.

Microwave-assisted chemical reactions have been widely used, but the overheating effect limits further applications. The aim of this paper is to investigate the coupling degree of the electromagnetic field and thermal field in microwave-heating chemical reactions whose polarization changes as the reactions proceed. First, the entropy-balance equation of microwave-heating polar-molecule reactions is obtained. Then, the coupling degree of the electromagnetic field and the thermal field in microwave-heating polar-molecule reactions is derived, according to the entropy-balance equation. Finally, the effects of reaction processes on the degree of coupling are discussed. When the time scale of the component-concentration variation is much greater than the wave period during the chemical processes, the degree of coupling is sufficiently small, and the electric and thermal fields are considered as weakly coupled. On the other hand, the degree of coupling may change during the reactions. If the absolute value of the coupling degree becomes larger, due to the change in component concentration, this will lead to a transition from weak coupling to strong coupling.

Highly Sensitive Multi-Channel Biosensor for Low-Interference Simultaneous Detection.

In this paper, we propose a multi-channel photonic crystal fiber sensor, which adopts dual-polarization and multiple materials to effectively reduce the mutual interference between channels and enhance the surface plasmon resonance, thus achieving simultaneous detection of a multi-channel with low interference. Four channels are polished around the cylindrical fiber, and then different metal films (gold or silver) and plasmonic materials (titanium dioxide, thallium pentoxide, or graphene) are added to the sensing area of each channel. All channels detect refractive indices in the range of 1.34 to 1.42. The sensing performance of the fiber optic sensor was numerically investigated using the full vector finite element method. After the optimization of structural parameters, the maximum wavelength sensitivity of channel-1, channel-2, channel-3, and channel-4 are 49,800 nm/RIU, 49,000 nm/RIU, 35,900 nm/RIU, and 36,800 nm/RIU, respectively. We have theoretically analyzed the sensor's capabilities for partial bio-detection and simulated its detection capability with a wavelength sensitivity of 11,500 nm/RIU for normal red blood cells and 12,200 nm/RIU for MCF-7 cancerous cells. Our proposed sensor has a novel design, can detect multiple channels simultaneously, has strong anti-interference capability and high sensitivity, and has good sensing characteristics.

Is the pacing site closer to the left ventricular septal endocardium in left bundle branch pacing or in left ventricular septal pacing?

PURPOSE: Distinguishing between left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) and left ventricular septal pacing (LVSP) is challenging. This study aimed to compare the echocardiographic distance from the pacing lead tip to the left ventricular (LV) septal endocardium between patients who underwent LBBP and those who underwent LVSP successfully. METHODS: Fifty-nine consecutive patients (age 71.9 ± 12.0 years, 35.6% male) with traditional indications for permanent cardiac pacing were included (LBBP group, n = 46; LVSP group, n = 13). Unipolar pacing from the final pacing sites generated narrow QRS complexes with a right bundle branch block pattern in all patients. After the procedure, a physician blinded to the group allocation performed echocardiographic measurements of the distance between the lead tip and the LV septal endocardium. RESULTS: The mean paced QRS duration was comparable between the LBBP group and the LVSP group (105.3 ± 15.6 ms vs. 109.2 ± 9.6 ms, P = 0.287). In the LBBP group, the interval from the left bundle branch potential to QRS onset was 28.7 ± 9.0 ms. During diastole, the mean distance between the lead tip and the LV septal endocardium was 0.6 ± 0.9 mm in the LBBP group and 3.0 ± 1.6 mm in the LVSP group (P < 0.001). During systole, the distance was 1.5 ± 1.4 mm in the LBBP group and 4.3 ± 2.6 mm in the LVSP group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The landing zone of the lead tip was closer to the LV septal endocardium in the patients who underwent LBBP. There is a need for real-time intraprocedural monitoring of the distance between the lead tip and the LV septal endocardium when performing LBBP.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for refractory premature ventricular contractions that originate from the left ventricular summit: A case report.

The case highlights an available method to minimize the target volume and reduce the radiation dose by using a temporary catheter, to reduce the long-term risk of radiotherapy for ventricular arrhythmias.

Estimate earth fissure hazard based on machine learning in the Qa' Jahran Basin, Yemen.

Earth fissures are potential hazards that often cause severe damage and affect infrastructure, the environment, and socio-economic development. Owing to the complexity of the causes of earth fissures, the prediction of earth fissures remains a challenging task. In this study, we assess earth fissure hazard susceptibility mapping through four advanced machine learning algorithms, namely random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), Naïve Bayes (NB), and K-nearest neighbor (KNN). Using Qa' Jahran Basin in Yemen as a case study area, 152 fissure locations were recorded via a field survey for the creation of an earth fissure inventory and 11 earth fissure conditioning factors, comprising of topographical, hydrological, geological, and environmental factors, were obtained from various data sources. The outputs of the models were compared and analyzed using statistical indices such as the confusion matrix, overall accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve. The obtained results revealed that the RF algorithm, with an overall accuracy of 95.65% and AUROC, 0.99 showed excellent performance for generating hazard maps, followed by XGBoost, with an overall accuracy of 92.39% and AUROC of 0.98, the NB model, with overall accuracy, 88.43% and AUROC, 0.96, and KNN model with general accuracy, 80.43% and AUROC, 0.88), respectively. Such findings can assist land management planners, local authorities, and decision-makers in managing the present and future earth fissures to protect society and the ecosystem and implement suitable protection measures.

Tunable and anisotropic perfect absorber using graphene-black phosphorus nanoblock.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which have attracted attention due to intriguing optical properties, form a promising building block in optical and photonic devices. This paper numerically investigates a tunable and anisotropic perfect absorber in a graphene-black phosphorus (BP) nanoblock array structure. The suggested structure exhibits polarization-dependent anisotropic absorption in the mid-infrared, with maximum absorption of 99.73% for x-polarization and 53.47% for y-polarization, as determined by finite-difference time-domain FDTD analysis. Moreover, geometrical parameters and graphene and BP doping amounts are possibly employed to tailor the absorption spectra of the structures. Hence, our results have the potential in the design of polarization-selective and tunable high-performance devices in the mid-infrared, such as polarizers, modulators, and photodetectors.

Individually tunable array reflector for amplitude and phase modulation.

Based on graphene's phase modulation property and vanadium dioxide's amplitude modulation property, we developed an array reflector for terahertz frequencies that is individually adjustable. Starting with a theoretical analysis, we look into the effects of voltage on the Fermi level of graphene and temperature on the conductivity of vanadium dioxide, analyze the beam focusing characteristics, and finally link the controllable quantities with the reflected beam characteristics to independently regulate each cell in the array. The simulation findings demonstrate that the suggested array structure can precisely manage the focus point's position, intensity, and scattering degree and that, with phase compensation, it can control the wide-angle incident light. The array structure offers a novel concept for adjustable devices and focusing lenses, which has excellent potential for study and application.

Dynamically Tunable and Multifunctional Polarization Beam Splitters Based on Graphene Metasurfaces.

Based on coupled-mode theory (CMT) and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach, we propose a graphene metasurface-based and multifunctional polarization beam splitter that is dynamically tunable. The structure, comprising two graphene strips at the top and bottom and four triangular graphene blocks in the center layer, can achieve triple plasma-induced transparency (PIT). In a single polarization state, the computational results reveal that synchronous or asynchronous six-mode electro-optical switching modulation may be performed by modifying the Fermi levels of graphene, with a maximum modulation degree of amplitude (MDA) of 97.6% at 5.148 THz. In addition, by varying the polarization angle, a polarization-sensitive, tunable polarization beam splitter (PBS) with an extinction ratio and insertion loss of 19.6 dB and 0.35 dB at 6.143 THz, respectively, and a frequency modulation degree of 25.2% was realized. Combining PIT with polarization sensitivity provides a viable platform and concept for developing graphene metasurface-based multifunctional and tunable polarization devices.