Progress of uric acid in cardiovascular disease.

Due to the global prevalence of hyperuricemia (HUA), there is growing interest in research on uric acid (UA). HUA is a common condition that has various adverse consequences, including gout and kidney disease. However, recent studies have also implicated UA in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Experimental and clinical research has extensively demonstrated the detrimental effects of elevated serum UA levels on cardiovascular health. Furthermore, serum UA levels have been identified as predictors of CVD outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and catheter ablation. Additionally, the use of UA-lowering therapy holds important implications for the management of CVD. This review aims to consolidate the current evidence on the relationship between serum UA and CVD.

Tailoring chemical composition of solid electrolyte interphase by selective dissolution for long-life micron-sized silicon anode.

Micron-sized Si anode promises a much higher theoretical capacity than the traditional graphite anode and more attractive application prospect compared to its nanoscale counterpart. However, its severe volume expansion during lithiation requires solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with reinforced mechanical stability. Here, we propose a solvent-induced selective dissolution strategy to in situ regulate the mechanical properties of SEI. By introducing a high-donor-number solvent, gamma-butyrolactone, into conventional electrolytes, low-modulus components of the SEI, such as Li alkyl carbonates, can be selectively dissolved upon cycling, leaving a robust SEI mainly consisting of lithium fluoride and polycarbonates. With this strategy, raw micron-sized Si anode retains 87.5% capacity after 100 cycles at 0.5 C (1500 mA g-1, 25°C), which can be improved to >300 cycles with carbon-coated micron-sized Si anode. Furthermore, the Si||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 battery using the raw micron-sized Si anode with the selectively dissolved SEI retains 83.7% capacity after 150 cycles at 0.5 C (90 mA g-1). The selective dissolution effect for tailoring the SEI, as well as the corresponding cycling life of the Si anodes, is positively related to the donor number of the solvents, which highlights designing high-donor-number electrolytes as a guideline to tailor the SEI for stabilizing volume-changing alloying-type anodes in high-energy rechargeable batteries.

The Correlation of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Hippocampal Perfusion in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is closely related to abnormal cerebral blood flow. Inflammation and oxidative stress have always been important factors in the pathophysiology of AF. It remains unknown whether inflammation and oxidative stress are correlated to hippocampal perfusion in patients with AF.Sixty-three patients with AF with normal hippocampal blood perfusion (NHBP) were compared to 71 patients with AF with abnormal hippocampal blood perfusion (AHBP) using a case-control study design. The serum levels of inflammation and oxidative stress were measured. The hippocampal perfusion was detected. (1) The serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) were statistically higher in the AHBP group than in the NHBP group. In the AHBP subgroup analysis, the serum levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 were statistically higher in patients with persistent AF than those with paroxysmal AF. (2) The relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (MTT), and the time-to-peak (TTP) were statistically higher in the AHBP group than in the NHBP group. Moreover, cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was statistically lower in the AHBP group than in the NHBP group. (3) relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), rCBF, MTT, and TTP were passively associated with serum hs-CRP and IL-6; rCBV, rCBF, and MTT were positively associated with ox-LDL. The serum levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and ox-LDL were associated with AHBP in patients with AF after multivariate logistic regression analysis.Oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers were increased in patients with AF with AHBP, in which the serum levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 in the persistent AF group were statistically higher than those in the paroxysmal AF group. The serum levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and ox-LDL were associated with AHBP in patients with AF.

Incidence and risk factors of unplanned retreatment following dental general anesthesia in children with severe early childhood caries.

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively describe the unplanned retreatment of dental general anesthesia (DGA) in children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and explore potential factors that may influence the outcome of DGA treatment. Methods: Medical records of children with S-ECC who received DGA treatment were screened, and necessary data were extracted. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used to estimate the DGA survival rate and explore the potential factors affecting the success rate of DGA treatment. Results: Medical records of 852 children were included; 509 (59.7%) children with 1,212 (10.7%) teeth underwent unplanned retreatment. Restoration failure (30.12%) and new caries (29.46%) accounted for the most significant proportion of all failures. The median survival times were 510 and 1,911 days at the child and tooth levels, respectively. Unplanned retreatment risk was associated with the age of S-ECC children, frequency of follow-up, and fluoride application (hazard ratio = 0.97, 0.78, 0.69, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The treatment outcome of DGA administered to children with S-ECC was satisfactory at the tooth level from the perspective of the incidence of unplanned retreatment. Restoration failure was the main reason for the high unplanned retreatment rate. Strategies for a better outcome of DGA include improving the professional knowledge and skills of pediatric dentists and enhancing compliance of parents/patients. Health education and regular topical fluoride application may improve the success rate of DGA treatment.

Effect of sleep ambient music on sleep quality and mental health in college students: a self-controlled study.

To verify the effect of sleep ambient music intervention (SAMI) on sleep quality and mental status of college students, and to further explore the minimum effective duration of SAMI, this study was designed as a pre-and post-intervention self-controlled exploratory study. Participants were subjected to a one-week no-intervention test, then 4 weeks of music intervention followed. Subjective sleep quality data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); objective sleep quality data were collected with Actigraphy; and mental status data were collected using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Data were analyzed and processed using mixed-effects models and repeated measures. The results showed that compared with the no-intervention week, college students' subjective sleep quality, objective sleep onset latency (SOL), trait anxiety, and depression symptom were reduced at week 1; week 2; week 3; week 4 under SAMI; state anxiety of college students at week 3 and week 4 under SAMI were also reduced. And there were differences in sleep quality among college students of different genders too. Compared with females, males had worse sleep efficiency (SE), shorter total sleep time (TST), and more awaking times (AT). In addition, 3 days was the minimum effective length for SAMI to shorten objective SOL, and 2 days was the minimum effective length to shorten the subjective SOL of college students. The findings of this study suggest that SAMI can improve subjective sleep quality, shorten objective SOL, and reduce anxiety and depression in college students. Interventions for more than 3 days had a significant effect on shortening SOL and long-term effects seemed to emerge after 3 weeks.

Microvesicles with mitochondrial content are increased in patients with sepsis and associated with inflammatory responses.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial activation plays an important role in sepsis-mediated inflammation, but the triggering factors have not been fully elucidated. Microvesicles carrying mitochondrial content (mitoMVs) have been implicated in several diseases and shown to induce endothelial activation. AIM: To explore whether mitoMVs constitute a subset of MVs isolated from plasma of patients with sepsis and contribute to endothelial activation. METHODS: MVs were isolated from human plasma and characterized by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1 were detected by ELISA. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated with the circulating MVs to evaluate their effect on endothelial activation. RESULTS: MitoMVs were observed in plasma from patients with sepsis. Compared with those in healthy controls, expression of MVs, mitoMVs, proinflammatory cytokines and sVCAM-1 was increased. The number of mitoMVs was positively associated with TNF-α and sVCAM-1. In vitro, compared with MVs isolated from the plasma of healthy controls, MVs isolated from the plasma of patients with sepsis induced expression of OAS2, RSAD2, and CXCL10 in HUVECs. MitoMVs were taken up by HUVECs, and sonication of MVs significantly reduced the uptake of mitoMVs by HUVECs and expression of the above three type I IFN-dependent genes. CONCLUSION: MitoMVs are increased in the plasma of patients with sepsis, which induces elevated expression of type I IFN-dependent genes. This suggests that circulating mitoMVs activate the type I IFN signalling pathway in endothelial cells and lead to endothelial activation.

Survival Analysis and Risk Factors of Pulpectomy among Children with Severe Early Childhood Caries Treated under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to retrospectively evaluate the survival rate of pulpectomy performed under dental general anesthesia (DGA) through long-term follow-up and to explore the risk factors associated with treatment failure. METHODS: The medical records of the children who were diagnosed with S-ECC and received pulpectomy treatment under general anesthesia (GA) from 1 August 2014 to 1 December 2019, in the Stomatological Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, were collected. Two dentistry postgraduates extracted the necessary information and filled in a predesigned excel form. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The shared frailty model was used to explore possible factors affecting the success rate of pulpectomy in primary teeth. RESULTS: A total of 381 children (mean age 3.49 ± 0.90) with S-ECC and 1220 teeth were included in the study, including 590 primary anterior teeth and 630 primary molars. The overall 35-month survival rate was 38.5%, which was 52.9% for anterior teeth and 31.1% for molars. The overall median survival time was 31 months, in which anterior teeth were 35 months and molars were 26 months. The older the children were, the greater the risk of treatment failure (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.09, 2.24). The risk of pulpectomy failure of primary molars was 1.9 times that of primary anterior teeth (95% CI 1.36, 2.65) and the teeth with abnormal radiological findings before treatment was 1.41 times higher than that of teeth without imaging abnormalities (95% CI 1.74, 3.36). CONCLUSION: The survival rate of primary tooth pulpectomy is acceptable but decreased gradually with time. The failure rate of pulpectomy in primary molars is higher than that of primary anterior teeth. When the primary caries has extended to the pulp and resulted in a nonvital lesion, pulpectomy could be an option for maximum retention of the primary tooth.

LINC01089 blocks malignant progression of thyroid cancer by binding miR-27b-3p to enhance the FBLN5 protein level.

LINC01089 suppresses the malignant progression of breast, colorectal, and non-small cell lung cancers. However, the function of LINC01089 in thyroid cancer has not yet been elucidated. Here, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database showed that LINC01089 expression is remarkably reduced in thyroid cancer tissues. Lower LINC01089 expression was correlated with higher tumor stage and regional lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, LINC01089 overexpression effectively blocked thyroid cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. LINC01089 acted as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-27b-3p, thus inhibiting miR-27b-3p expression. miR-27b-3p overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of thyroid cancer, reversing the effect of LINC01089 overexpression on thyroid cancer. Fibulin-5 (FBLN5) was discovered as a target of miR-27b-3p in thyroid cancer. FBLN5 expression was found to be underexpressed in thyroid cancer and was enhanced and reduced by LINC00987 overexpression and miR-27b-3p overexpression, respectively. Furthermore, FBLN5 knockdown promoted the malignant progression of thyroid cancer cells by counteracting the effect of LINC00987. In conclusion, LINC01089 plays a tumor-suppressive role by binding miR-27b-3p to increase FBLN5 expression, confirming that LINC01089 has tremendous potential to become a therapeutic target for thyroid cancer treatment.

Initiating ivabradine during hospitalization in patients with acute heart failure: A real-world experience in China.

BACKGROUND: Initiating ivabradine in acute heart failure (HF) is still controversial. HYPOTHESIS: Ivabradine might be effective to be added in acute but hemodynamically stable HF. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of hemodynamically stable acute HF patients was enrolled from January 2018 to January 2020 and followed until July 2020. The primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for HF. Secondary endpoints included heart rate (HR), cardiac function measured by New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and adverse events, which were compared between patients with or without ivabradine. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients were enrolled (50 males, median age 54 years, 81% with decompensated HF, median follow-up of 9 months). In patients treated with ivabradine, although baseline HRs were higher than the reference group (96 vs. 80 bpm), they were comparable after 3 months; more patients tolerated high doses of ß-blockers (27% vs. 7.9%), improved to NYHA class I function (55.6% vs. 23.8%) and exhibited normal LVEFs (37.8% vs. 14.3%) than the reference group (all p < .05). Ivabradine was associated with a significant reduction of rehospitalization for HF than the reference group (25.4% vs.61.9%), with longer event-free survival times (hazard ratio: 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.25-0.79), and was related with primary endpoints negatively (hazard ratio 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.91) (all p < .05). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute but hemodynamically stable HF, ivabradine may significantly reduce HR, improve cardiac function, and reduce HF rehospitalization.

A highly stable pre-lithiated SiOx anode coated with a "salt-in-polymer" layer.

An artificial "salt-in-polymer" SEI, composed of poly-(1,3-dioxolane) and high-modulus fluorinated products generated from the in situ decomposition of Li salts, was constructed on the surface of Li-MSiOx particles. This LiF-rich SEI helps to maintain the structural integrity of Li-MSiOx particles and improves the Li storage reversibility of the Li-MSiOx anode.

Micrometer-Sized SiMgy Ox with Stable Internal Structure Evolution for High-Performance Li-Ion Battery Anodes.

In recent years, micrometer-sized Si-based anode materials have attracted intensive attention in the pursuit of energy-storage systems with high energy and low cost. However, the significant volume variation during repeated electrochemical (de)alloying processes will seriously damage the bulk structure of SiOx microparticles, resulting in rapid performance fade. This work proposes to address the challenge by preparing in situ magnesium-doped SiOx (SiMgy Ox ) microparticles with stable structural evolution against Li uptake/release. The homogeneous distribution of magnesium silicate in SiMgy Ox contributes to building a bonding network inside the particle so that it raises the modulus of lithiated state and restrains the internal cracks due to electrochemical agglomeration of nano-Si. The prepared micrometer-sized SiMgy Ox anode shows high reversible capacities, stable cycling performance, and low electrode expansion at high areal mass loading. A 21700 cylindrical-type cell based on the SiMgy Ox -graphite anode and LiNi0.8 Co0.15 Al0.05 O2 cathode demonstrates a 1000-cycle operation life using industry-recognized electrochemical test procedures, which meets the practical storage requirements for consumer electronics and electric vehicles. This work provides insights on the reasonable structural design of micrometer-sized alloying anode materials toward realization of high-performance Li-ion batteries.

trans-Difluoroethylene Carbonate as an Electrolyte Additive for Microsized SiOx@C Anodes.

Microsized SiOx has been vigorously investigated as an advanced anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, its practical application is seriously hampered by its huge volume variation during the repeated (de)lithiation process, which destroys the microparticle structure and results in rapid capacity fading. Herein, we propose the usage of trans-difluoroethylene carbonate (DFEC) as an electrolyte additive to maintain the structural integrity of microsized SiOx with a uniform carbon layer (SiOx@C). Compared with ethylene carbonate and fluoroethylene carbonate, DFEC has lower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy and higher reduction potential, which is easily reduced and promotes the in situ formation of a more stable LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of anode materials. The LiF-rich SEI exhibits enhanced mechanical rigidity and ionic conductivity, thus enabling the microsized SiOx@C anodes' excellent lithium storage stability and high average Coulombic efficiency.

A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge among Chinese dentists regarding the treatment of traumatic injuries in primary teeth.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Injuries to the primary dentition affect children's esthetics, function, and mental health. They may also affect the development of the permanent teeth. The knowledge of dentists about deciduous tooth trauma is rarely evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of dentists in China regarding traumatic dental injuries to primary teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire containing questions on demographic data and knowledge based on a clinical scenario was given to a purposive sample of dentists, recruited by a non-probability convenience sampling method. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis, with the significance level set at P <.05. RESULTS: A total of 394 out of 409 dentists provided valid data. There was no significant difference in demographic data. Questions about the treatment of hard dental tissue injuries in primary teeth presented a correct-response rate of 66.4%, with the highest correct-response rate for enamel fracture (n = 368, 93.4%) and lowest for complicated crown-root fracture with pulp exposure (n = 104, 26.4%). Questions about treatment of luxation injuries in primary teeth presented a correct-response rate of 66.6%, with subluxation presenting the highest correct-response rate (n = 391, 99.2%). Factors associated with higher correct-response rates were specialist disciplines, educational qualifications, workplaces, experience of injured teeth treated, and educational experience about primary tooth trauma. No significant differences were found in the correct-response rates of dentists with different years of work experience. Lack of cooperation from children was considered a major obstacle for treatment. Special lectures and Internet courses were the most preferred methods of obtaining knowledge. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that it is necessary to enhance dental trauma education for dentists in China. More attention needs to be paid to trauma in primary dentition to ensure adequate treatment for traumatized primary teeth.

Impact of catheter-tissue contact force on lesion size during right ventricular outflow tract ablation in a swine model.

BACKGROUND: The catheter-tissue contact force (CF) is one of the significant determinants of lesion size and thus has a considerable impact on the effectiveness of ablation procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of CF on the lesion size during right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) ablation in a swine model. METHODS: Twelve Guangxi Bama miniature male pigs weighing 40 to 50 kg were studied. After general anesthesia, a ThermoCool SmartTouch contact-sensing ablation catheter was introduced to the RVOT via the femoral vein under the guidance of the CARTO 3 system. The local ventricular voltage amplitude and impedance were measured using different CF levels. We randomly divided the animals into the following four groups according to the different CF levels: group A (3-9 g); group B (10-19 g); group C (20-29 g); and group D (30-39 g). Radiofrequency ablations were performed at three points in the free wall and septum of the RVOT in power control mode at 30 W for 30 s while maintaining the saline irrigation rate at 17 mL/min. At the end of the procedures, the maximum depth, surface diameter, and lesion volume were measured and recorded. A linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 72 ablation lesions were created in the RVOT of the 12 Bama pigs. The maximum depth, surface diameter, and volume of the lesions measured were well correlated with the CF (free wall: ß = 0.105, ß = 0.162, ß = 3.355, respectively, P < 0.001; septum: ß = 0.093, ß = 0.150, ß = 3.712, respectively, P < 0.001). The regional ventricular bipolar voltage amplitude, unipolar voltage amplitude, and impedance were weakly positively associated with the CF (ß = 0.065, ß = 0.125, and ß = 1.054, respectively, P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the incidence of steam pops among groups A, B, C, and D (free wall: F = 7.3, P = 0.032; septum: F = 10.5, P = 0.009); and steam pops occurred only when the CF exceeded 20 g. Trans-mural lesions were observed when the CF exceeded 10 g in the free wall, while the lesions in the septum were non-trans-mural even though the CF reached 30 g. CONCLUSIONS: CF seems to be a leading predictive factor for the size of formed lesions in RVOT ablation. Maintaining the CF value between 3 and 10 g may be reasonable and effective for creating the necessary lesion size and reducing the risk of complications, such as steam pops and perforations.

Retraction Note: Resveratrol rescues hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction via activation of Akt.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Comparative and Functional Analyses of Two Sequenced Paenibacillus polymyxa Genomes Provides Insights Into Their Potential Genes Related to Plant Growth-Promoting Features and Biocontrol Mechanisms.

Many bacteria belonging to Paenibacillus polymyxa are plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) with the potential to promote plant growth and suppress phytopathogens and have been used as biological control agents (BCAs). However, the growth promotion and biocontrol mechanisms of P. polymyxa have not been thoroughly elucidated thus far. In this investigation, the genome sequences of two P. polymyxa strains, ZF129 and ZF197, with broad anti-pathogen activities and potential for growth promotion were comparatively studied. Comparative and functional analyses of the two sequenced P. polymyxa genomes showed that the ZF129 genome consists of one 5,703,931 bp circular chromosome and two 79,020 bp and 37,602 bp plasmids, designated pAP1 and pAP2, respectively. The complete genome sequence of ZF197 consists of one 5,507,169 bp circular chromosome and one 32,065 bp plasmid, designated pAP197. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZF129 is highly similar to two P. polymyxa strains, HY96-2 and SQR-21, while ZF197 is highly similar to P. polymyxa strain J. The genes responsible for secondary metabolite synthesis, plant growth-promoting traits, and systemic resistance inducer production were compared between strains ZF129 and ZF197 as well as other P. polymyxa strains. The results indicated that the variation of the corresponding genes or gene clusters between strains ZF129 and ZF197 may lead to different antagonistic activities of their volatiles or cell-free supernatants against Fusarium oxysporum. This work indicates that plant growth promotion by P. polymyxa is largely mediated by phytohormone production, increased nutrient availability and biocontrol mechanisms. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the genome architecture of P. polymyxa, revealing great potential for the application of this bacterium in the fields of agriculture and horticulture as a PGPR.

Tuning wettability of molten lithium via a chemical strategy for lithium metal anodes.

Metallic lithium affords the highest theoretical capacity and lowest electrochemical potential and is viewed as a leading contender as an anode for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries. However, the poor wettability of molten lithium does not allow it to spread across the surface of lithiophobic substrates, hindering the production and application of this anode. Here we report a general chemical strategy to overcome this dilemma by reacting molten lithium with functional organic coatings or elemental additives. The Gibbs formation energy and newly formed chemical bonds are found to be the governing factor for the wetting behavior. As a result of the improved wettability, a series of ultrathin lithium of 10-20 µm thick is obtained together with impressive electrochemical performance in lithium metal batteries. These findings provide an overall guide for tuning the wettability of molten lithium and offer an affordable strategy for the large-scale production of ultrathin lithium, and could be further extended to other alkali metals, such as sodium and potassium.

Micro-reentry right atrial tachycardia originating from fossa ovalis: a case report of high-density mapping by PentaRay catheter.

BACKGROUND: Micro-reentry tachycardia usually emerges in scar tissues related to post-atrial fibrillation ablation and cardiomyopathy. It is difficult to identify the micro-reentry circuit accurately by conventional mapping method. CASE SUMMARY: A 74-year-old man presented with paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (AT) presenting as palpitations. He was evaluated by an electrophysiological examination using a high-density CARTO mapping system. The mapping results showed the AT with a cycle length of 184 ms was focused on his right atrial fossa ovalis (FO). In this small area, the high-density mapping demonstrated a significant micro-reentrant tachycardia. Radiofrequency ablation at the centre of the micro-reentrant circuit successfully terminated the AT. No recurrences were observed during a 12-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: This case demonstrated a micro-reentrant AT originates from the FO without cardiomyopathy or previous ablation with specific loops. This is an unusual location for AT though and can cause difficulty for operators if it terminates or is non-sustained. High-density mapping using a PentaRay catheter can effectively characterize micro-reentrant circuits and determine the real target for ablation therapy.

Efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban on the resolution of left atrial/left atrial appendage thrombus in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients.

Data on LA/LAA thrombus resolution after rivaroxaban treatment has not been established. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety on the resolution of LA/LAA thrombus between rivaroxaban and warfarin in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. 80 AF patients with LA/LAA thrombus between January 2013 and June 2016 were randomized divided into warfarin group (n = 40) and rivaroxaban group (n = 40). Compared to warfarin group, thrombin time (TT; p < 0.0001), plasma prothrombin time (PT; p < 0.0001), and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT; p = 0.0019) were significantly lower, and fibrinogen (FIB; p < 0.0001) was significantly higher in rivaroxaban group. TEE shown the average length (p < 0.0001), average width (p = 0.0008) and average area (p < 0.0001) of thrombus were significantly lower in rivaroxaban group compared to warfarin group after 6-week treatments. No major or fatal bleeding and ischemic stroke occurred in both two groups. The 20 mg dose Rivaroxaban is more effective than warfarin on the resolution of LA/LAA thrombus in nonvalvular AF patients especially after 6-week treatments. The results suggest that rivaroxaban is a potential option for the treatment of LA/LAA thrombus in patients with nonvalvular AF.

Nitriding-Interface-Regulated Lithium Plating Enables Flame-Retardant Electrolytes for High-Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries.

Safety concerns are impeding the applications of lithium metal batteries. Flame-retardant electrolytes, such as organic phosphates electrolytes (OPEs), could intrinsically eliminate fire hazards and improve battery safety. However, OPEs show poor compatibility with Li metal though the exact reason has yet to be identified. Here, the lithium plating process in OPEs and Li/OPEs interface chemistry were investigated through ex situ and in situ techniques, and the cause for this incompatibility was revealed to be the highly resistive and inhomogeneous interfaces. Further, a nitriding interface strategy was proposed to ameliorate this issue and a Li metal anode with an improved Li cycling stability (300 h) and dendrite-free morphology is achieved. Meanwhile, the full batteries coupled with nickel-rich cathodes, such as LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 , show excellent cycling stability and outstanding safety (passed the nail penetration test). This successful nitriding-interface strategy paves a new way to handle the incompatibility between electrode and electrolyte.