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Background: The optimal revascularization strategy for isolated left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery lesion between minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial. This updated meta-analysis aims to compare the long- and short-term outcomes of MIDCAB versus PCI for patients with isolated LAD coronary artery lesions. Methods: The Pubmed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched for retrieving potential publications from 2002 to 2022. The primary outcome was long-term survival. Secondary outcomes were long-term target vessel revascularization (TVR), long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and short-term outcomes, including postoperative mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), TVR, and MACEs of any cause in-hospital or 30 days after the revascularization. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and eight observational studies were included in this updated meta-analysis. In total, 1757 patients underwent MIDCAB and 15245 patients underwent PCI. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the rates of long-term survival. MIDCAB had a lower long-term MACE rate compared with PCI. Besides, PCI resulted in an augmented risk of TVR. Postoperative mortality, MI, TVR, and MACEs were similar between the two groups. Conclusions: The updated meta-analysis presents the evidence that MIDCAB has a reduced risk of long-term TVR and MACEs, with no benefit in terms of long-term mortality and short-term results, in comparison with PCI. Large multicenter RCTs, including patients treated with newer techniques, are warranted in the future.

BACKGROUND The main aim of this study was to determine some simple but meaningful parameters that indicate immunochemotherapy-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) early in B-cell lymphoma and provide direction to hematologists. METHODS The clinical and laboratory characteristics, the treatments and outcomes of 21 B-cell lymphoma patients with ILD who underwent rituximab (RTX) -based immunochemotherapy were collected and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS More cycles of immunochemotherapy and higher cumulative doses of RTX and doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome conferred a high risk of ILD. Compared to the baseline, patients had a significantly lower white blood cell count (WBC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), and albumin level (4.95×109 vs. 6.32×109, 0.71×109 vs. 1.61×109, 34.1 vs. 40.4 g/L; P

BackgroundBoth catheter left atrial appendage occlusion combined with ablation (COA) and thoracoscopic surgical left atrial appendage clipping combined with ablation (TCA) have shown favorable outcomes in management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). However, studies comparing the endpoints of both techniques are still lacking. Herein, a meta-analysis of safety and efficacy outcomes of COA versus TCA was performed in patients with AFib.MethodsPubmed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for retrieving potential publications. The primary outcome was the incidence of stroke during follow-up period of at least 12 months. Secondary outcomes were acute success rate of complete left atrial appendage (LAA) closure by COA or TCA, postprocedural mortality and complications, and all-cause mortality during follow-up period of at least 12 months.Results19 studies of COA containing 1,504 patients and 6 studies of TCA with 454 patients were eligible for analysis. No significant difference in stroke and all-cause mortality was found in patients undergoing COA versus TCA after at least a 12-month follow-up (stroke: p = 0.504; all-cause mortality: p = 0.611). COA group had a higher acute success rate compared with TCA group (p = 0.001). COA placed the patients at a higher risk of hemorrhage during the postprocedural period compared with TCA (p = 0.023). A similar risk of other postprocedural complications (stroke/transient ischemic attack and pericardial effusion) and mortality was found in the COA group in comparison with TCA group (p>0.05).ConclusionThis meta-analysis showed that COA and TCA did not differ in stroke prevention and all-cause mortality in patients with AFib after a follow-up of at least 12 months. Postprocedural complications and mortality were almost comparable between the two groups. In the near future, high-quality randomized controlled trials exploring the optimal surgical strategies for AFib and endpoints of different procedures are warranted.Systematic review registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42022325497].

Background: The present study aimed to explore the relationship between serum anion gap (AG) and long-term mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Clinical variables were extracted among patients undergoing CABG from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC III) database. The primary outcome was four-year mortality following CABG. An optimal cut-off value of AG was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis and multivariate Cox hazard analysis were performed to investigate the prognostic value of AG in long-term mortality after CABG. In order to eliminate the bias between different groups, propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to validate the findings. Results: The optimal cut-off value of AG was 17.00 mmol/L. Then a total of 3,162 eligible patients enrolled in this study were divided into a high AG group (≥17.00, n=1,022) and a low AG group (Conclusions: The AG is an independent predictive factor for long-term all-cause mortality in patients following CABG, where a high AG value is associated with an increased mortality.

This study explores the psychological factors affecting small tourism firm (STF) owners’ decision making about reopening businesses in the midst of COVID-19 based on protection motivation theory and the theory of planned behaviour. The data were collected from a sample of 300 STFs in the Ancient City of Pingyao when the lockdown policy was lifted in China. A symmetric approach, i.e., partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM), and an asymmetric model, i.e., a fuzzy set/qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), were used to analyse the net effect of the psychological determinants and correlations between the variables leading to high and low behavioural intentions to reopen businesses. The results indicate that social norms and perceived business uncertainty were the critical factors influencing the intention to reopen. The pathway (low perceived risk of infection, low perceived business uncertainty, high reward, high response efficacy, high self-efficacy, high attitude, and high subjective norm) was only one configuration for a high intention to reopen. The study results are discussed based on dual-process theory, and practical implications are offered to guide STF recovery amid COVID-19.

Background Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) represents a serious health threat to elderly patients. Post-stenotic aortic dilation, a common feature in CAVS patients, might progress into aneurysm and even dissection, potential consequences of CAVS, and predicts a poor prognosis. This study sought to investigate the association of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), an inflammatory biomarker, with severe post-stenotic aortic dilation in a case–control study in Chinese population. Materials and methods 208 consecutive patients with CAVS were recruited retrospectively in a case–control study in Chinese population, from July 1, 2015 to June 31, 2018. LMR was statistically analyzed using the ROC curve and binary logistic regression analyses for its prognostic value in severe post-stenotic aortic dilation. Results LMR was significantly reduced in patients with severe post-stenotic aortic dilation (2.72 vs. 3.53, p = 0.002 p = 0.002 p p = 0.003 p = 0.025). Conclusions This study provided the evidence of an inverse correlation between severe post-stenotic aortic dilation and LMR. LMR is potentially independently associated with severe post-stenotic aortic dilation.

The long retention of dust air masses in polluted areas, especially in winter, may efficiently change the physicochemical properties of aerosols, causing additional health and ecological effects. A large-scale haze-to-dust weather event occurred in the North China Plain (NCP) region during the autumn-to-winter transition period in 2018, affecting the coastal city Qingdao several times between Nov. 27th and Dec. 1st. To study the evolution of the pollution process, we analyzed the chemical characteristics of PM

Aim: This study examined the role of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), an inflammatory biomarker, in predicting the severity of calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) in a Chinese case–control study. Results: The LMR significantly decreased in the patients with CAVS compared with healthy controls. An inverse correlation was observed between the severity of stenosis and LMR in the patients. Additionally, the LMR was identified in the multivariate analysis as an independent predictor of severe CAVS. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of an inverse correlation between the severity of CAVS and LMR. LMR could potentially be applied as an independent predictor of severe CAVS and could be incorporated into a novel predictive model.

Object: This study analyses the changes of pulmonary arterial elastin expression inhibited by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.Method: The research used 30 healthy...

Cubic perovskite-type Sm0.3Sr0.7Nb0.08Co0.92O3−δ (SSNC) demonstrated excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity at 600 °C due to a high concentration and high mobility of oxygen vacancies, which were derived from the low average cobalt valence and cubic structure in SSNC at room temperature.

Background: Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) represents a serious public health threat to elderly patients. Post-calcific stenotic aortic dilatation, a common feature in CAVS patients, might progress into aneurysm and even dissection, potentially lethal consequences of CAVS, and predicts a dismal prognosis. This study sought to testify the role of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), an inflammatory biomarker, in predicting the severe post-calcific stenotic aortic dilatation in a Chinese case-control study.Materials and Methods: 208 consecutive patients with CAVS were recruited retrospectively in a Chinese case- control study, from July 1, 2015 to June 31, 2018. The LMR was statistically analyzed for its prognostic value in the severe post-calcific stenotic aortic dilatation.Results: The LMR was significantly reduced in patients with severe post-calcific stenotic aortic dilatation (2.72 vs. 3.53, p=0.002Conclusions: This study provided the evidence of an inverse correlation between the severe post- calcific stenotic aortic dilatation and LMR. And the LMR is potentially applied as an independent predictor of severe post-calcific stenotic aortic dilatation.

BackgroundThis study examined the role of blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio (BAR) in predicting long-term mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, patients undergoing CABG were enrolled from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC III) database. Patients were divided into the three groups according to the optimal cutoff values of BAR determined by X-tile software. The survival curve was constructed by the Kaplan–Meier method and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the independent prognostic factors of 1- and 4-year mortality after CABG. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were calculated to estimate the accuracy of BAR in predicting the outcomes. Subgroup analyses were also carried out.ResultsA total of 1,462 patients at 4-year follow-up were included, of which 933, 293, and 236 patients were categorized into the group 1 (≤ 6.45 mg/g), group 2 (>6.45 and ≤ 10.23 mg/g), and group 3 (>10.23 mg/g), respectively. Non-survivors showed an increased level of BAR at both 1- (p < 0.001) and 4-year (p < 0.001) follow-up compared with the survivors. The patients with a higher BAR had a higher risk of 1- and 4-year mortality following CABG (33.05 vs. 14.33 vs. 5.14%, p < 0.001 and 52.97 vs. 30.72 vs. 13.08%, p < 0.001, respectively). Cox proportional hazards regression model suggested a higher BAR as an independent risk factor of 1-year mortality (HR 3.904; 95% CI 2.559–5.956; P < 0.001) and 4-year mortality (HR 2.895; 95% CI 2.138–3.921; P < 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. Besides, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed the better predictive ability of BAR compared to other grading scores at both 1- (0.7383, 95% CI: 0.6966–0.7800) and 4-year mortality (0.7189, 95% CI: 0.6872–0.7506). Subgroup analysis demonstrated no heterogeneous results of BAR in 4-year mortality in particular groups of patient.ConclusionThis report provided evidence of an independent association between 1- and 4-year mortality after CABG and BAR. A higher BAR was associated with a higher risk of long-term mortality and could serve as a prognostic predictor in patients following CABG.

BACKGROUND: Lost of adhesion of the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) to the extracellular matrix (i.e., anoikis) caused poor survival, which limited the therapeutic efficacy of the MSCs. We recently found that the suppression of the mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) protected the mouse bone marrow MSCs (mBMSCs) from ROS-mediated cell apoptosis. However, the effect of Mst1 inhibition on the anoikis of mBMSCs remains elusive. METHODS: We propose the use of poly-HEMA-induced anoikis following the Mst1 silencing in the mBMSCs, then cell anoikis were tested by Anoikis Assay Kit and TUNEL Assay Kit, and the change of integrin (ITG)/FAK signal pathway were measured.RESULTS: The mBMSCs were susceptible to anoikis but became anoikis-resistant via Mst1 inhibition. In addition, p- focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) was upregulated, whereas activated caspase 3 was downregulated in the poly-HEMA-treated mBMSC/sh-Mst1. Mst1 inhibition activated ITGα5 and ITGβ1 but not ITGα4, ITGαv, or ITGβ3. Further analysis revealed that anoikis resistance conferred by sh-Mst1 was disrupted by either inhibiting ITGα5 or ITGβ1 by using siRNA.CONCLUSIONS: Mst1 inhibition resulted in the anoikis resistance of mBMSCs by activating the ITGα5β1/FAK signaling pathway. Inactivation of Mst1 may provide a promising strategy to overcome the anoikis of the implanted MSCs.

Background: The prosthesis selection in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) has always been a challenge, especially in dual valve replacement (DVR, combined aortic and mitral valve replacement). The present study aimed to analyze early-term hemodynamic parameters of 19-mm St. Jude Medical Regent ( SJMR19 ) valve in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing DVR. Methods: Between January 2015 to December 2020, 54 patients with small aortic annulus who underwent DVR were divided into two groups: SJMR19 valve group (n=30) and 21-mm mechanical (M21) valve group (n=24). The perioperative and early-term hemodynamic data were collected and analyzed. Results: A significant difference in terms of maximum transaortic flow velocity (Vav max), maximum transaortic pressure gradient (PGav max), left ventricular mass index (LVMi) and left ventricular mass (LVM) was observed postoperatively in both groups. The postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly higher while the LVM and LVMi was evidently decreased in the SJMR19 group, compared with the M21 group. In order to confirm the influencing factors on postoperative LVEF, a multiple linear regression analysis model was established by including all candidate variables and the implanted valve type was identified in the multivariate analysis as an independent predictor for postoperative LVEF. Conclusions: The postoperative cardiac function and hemodynamic parameters was improved both in the SJMR19 and M21 groups. The postoperative LVEF, LVM and LVMi were better in the SJMR19 group compared with those of the M21 group. And the implanted valve type might possess the predictive value of postoperative LVEF in patients with small aortic annulus undergoing DVR.

Exploring high-performance and low-cost metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts from biomass-derived materials is vital to the development of novel energy conversion devices such as fuel cells, etc. Herein, nitrogen-enriched soybean milk derived carbon (BDC/rGO-HT-NH3) intercalated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrocatalyst is prepared via one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method followed with nitridation by NH3. The resultant catalyst with high surface area, good conductivity and high content of N (9.4 at.%) shows high electrocatalytic activity towards ORR in alkaline medium, which mainly happens through the direct 4-electron pathway. The onset potential of BDC/rGO-HT-NH3 catalyzed ORR is 0.96 V vs RHE, which is only 0.11 V lower than that of the commercial Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst. In addition, the BDC/rGO-HT-NH3 catalyst shows superior long-term running durability. The desirable catalytic performances enable the facile synthesis approach of BDC/rGO-HT-NH3 to be a promising methodology for transforming other biomass materials to N-enriched carbon based materials as low-cost and environmental friendly catalysts for ORR.

This study aims to examine cultural tourists’ leisure experience characteristics and their relationship with satisfaction. Using a sample of cultural tourists (n = 850) in the Huizhou Cultural and ...

We presented a rare case of traumatic mitral annular avulsion and interventricular septum dissection after an unintentional falling injury in a 5-year-old female child. A successful surgical repair of mitral annulus and interventricular septum was performed to restore the haemodynamic stability.

BACKGROUND The widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) has significantly decreased pneumococcal disease worldwide. However, China has not adopted PCVs in their national immunization schedules and had only approved these vaccines for children aged 2-15 months by 2020. METHODS In an open-label trial, enrolled healthy children aged 2-5 years old were randomized 1:1 and divided into a 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) group and a Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (Hib) group. Children in the PCV7 group received a single dose of PCV7, and the Hib group received a single dose of Hib vaccine. Blood samples were collected before and 6 months after vaccination. Immunogenicity and safety of PCV7 were assessed at prespecified time points. RESULTS Six months after a single dose of PCV7, children in the PCV7 group for all 7 serotypes, IgG mean concentrations (GMCs) and opsonophagocytic geometric mean titres (GMTs) were significantly higher (P

Chinese sacbrood virus (CSBV) poses a serious threat to the apiculture of China. Although several approaches have been attempted to control CSBV infection, their applications have been greatly limited in practical breeding of honeybees due to poor effectiveness. Egg yolk antibodies (EYA) have shown a promising protection for bees against CSBV infection. This study was conducted to produce high titer EYA and then further improve their antiviral effect. Among three vaccination groups, the EYA titer in graphene oxide-chitosan group was highest (1.591 ± 0.145), in Freund's group was modest (1.195 ± 0.040), and in white oil group was lowest (1.058 ± 0.056). After three injections of each vaccine in hens, EYA were produced at the highest level with a 14-day period. After application of EYA for more than two years in actual bee breeding, prevention and treatment assays showed that EYA confered 98.9 to 100% protection from CSBV infection. The mortality of the control group reached to a range of 91.2 to 100%. This study demonstrated that the high titer EYA have been successfully prepared with significant anti-CSBV activity and that these antibodies may feasibly be used for CSBV treatment to meet the practical needs of apiculture.

Background Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) has been shown to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases the apoptosis of BM-MSCs, leading to poor survival and engraft efficiency. Thus, improving the ability of BM-MSCs to scavenge ROS may considerably enhance the effectiveness of transplantation therapy. Mammalian Ste20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) is a pro-apoptotic molecule which increases ROS production. The aim of this study is to uncover the underlying mechanisms the effect of Mst1 inhibition on the tolerance of BM-MSCs under H2O2 condition. Methods Mst1 expression in BM-MSCs was inhibited via transfection with adenoviruses expressing a short hairpin (sh) RNA directed against Mst1 (Ad-sh-Mst1) and exposure to H2O2. Cell viability was detected by Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V-FITC/PI, Caspase 3 Activity Assay kits, and pro caspase 3 expression. ROS level was evaluated by the ROS probe DCFH-DA, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) assay, SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression. Autophagy was assessed using transmission electron microscopy, stubRFP-sensGFP-LC3 lentivirus, and autophagy-related protein expression. The autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal in H2O2-treated BM-MSC/sh-Mst1 was also measured. Results Mst1 inhibition reduced ROS production; increased antioxidant enzyme SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression; maintained ΔΨm; and alleviated cell apoptosis in H2O2-treated BM-MSCs. In addition, this phenomenon was closely correlated with the autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Moreover, the antioxidant pathway Keap1/Nrf2 was also blocked when autophagy was inhibited by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. However, Keap1 or Nrf2 knockout via siRNA had no effect on autophagy activation or suppression. Conclusion Mst1 inhibition mediated the cytoprotective action of mBM-MSCs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury. The underlying mechanisms involve autophagy activation and the Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Graphical abstract

Background The acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a frequent complication following open thoracic aortic surgery (OTAS) and worsens the postoperative prognosis. It remains unclear that whether the predictors of AKI following OTAS are different in the patients with or without acute aortic syndrome (AAS). Methods Preoperative and intraoperative variables were compared between the patients with or without AKI, and were further analyzed for identifying the potential predictors of postoperative AKI. Subgroup analysis was conducted in the patients with or without AAS, respectively. Results AKI after OTAS occurred in 57.6% of the overall cohort, 70.1% of the patients with AAS and 46.7% of the patients without AAS. In the multivariate analysis, history of hypertension (OR 1.011, 95% CI: [1.001–1.022], p = 0.04), preoperative platelet (OR 0.995, 95% CI: [0.991–0.999], p = 0.006) and operation time (OR 1.572, 95% CI: [1.355–1.823], p p < 0.001) and preoperative LMR (OR 0.823, 95% CI: [0.701–0.966], p = 0.02) as independent predictors for the patients with AAS; age (OR 1.045, 95% CI: [1.015–1.076], p = 0.003), preoperative platelet (OR 0.993, 95% CI: [0.988–0.998], p = 0.04) and operation time (OR 1.496, 95% CI: [1.166–1.918], p = 0.002) as independent predictors for the patients without AAS. Conclusions The patients with AAS carry a higher risk for postoperative AKI compared with those without AAS. The predictive factors for postoperative AKI after OTAS are different for AAS- and non-AAS subgroups and operation time, CPB time and preoperative platelet are modifiable predictors of AKI.

Background Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) has been shown to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases the apoptosis of BM-MSCs, leading to poor survival and engraft efficiency. Thus, improving the ability of BM-MSCs to scavenge ROS may considerably enhance the effectiveness of transplantation therapy. Mammalian Ste20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) is a pro-apoptotic molecule which increases ROS production. The aim of this study is to uncover the underlying mechanisms the effect of Mst1 inhibition on the tolerance of BM-MSCs under H2O2 condition. Methods Mst1 expression in BM-MSCs was inhibited via transfection with adenoviruses expressing a short hairpin (sh) RNA directed against Mst1 (Ad-sh-Mst1) and exposure to H2O2. Cell viability was detected by Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V-FITC/PI, Caspase 3 Activity Assay kits, and pro caspase 3 expression. ROS level was evaluated by the ROS probe DCFH-DA, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) assay, SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression. Autophagy was assessed using transmission electron microscopy, stubRFP-sensGFP-LC3 lentivirus, and autophagy-related protein expression. The autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal in H2O2-treated BM-MSC/sh-Mst1 was also measured. Results Mst1 inhibition reduced ROS production; increased antioxidant enzyme SOD1/2, CAT, and GPx expression; maintained ΔΨm; and alleviated cell apoptosis in H2O2-treated BM-MSCs. In addition, this phenomenon was closely correlated with the autophagy/Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Moreover, the antioxidant pathway Keap1/Nrf2 was also blocked when autophagy was inhibited by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. However, Keap1 or Nrf2 knockout via siRNA had no effect on autophagy activation or suppression. Conclusion Mst1 inhibition mediated the cytoprotective action of mBM-MSCs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury. The underlying mechanisms involve autophagy activation and the Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway. Graphical abstract Supplementary information Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s13287-020-02041-7.

Background: Chronic liver disease is traditionally conceived as a risk factor for cardiovascular surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has recently burgeoned to precede surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis at intermediate to high surgical risk. The evidence regarding TAVI in the patients with chronic liver disease is currently scarce. Methods: This article aims to assess the application of TAVI technique in the patients with chronic liver disease. Results: TAVI in the patients with chronic liver disease produced acceptable postoperative results. The post-TAVI outcomes were comparable between the patients with or without chronic liver disease, except for a lower rate of pacemaker implantation in the patients with chronic liver disease (OR, 0.49[0.27–0.87], P = .02). In the patients with chronic liver disease, compared to SAVR, TAVI led to a decrease in the in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.43[0.22–0.86], P = .02) and need for transfusion (OR, 0.39[0.25–0.62], P

Cubic perovskite-type Sm0.3Sr0.7Nb0.08Co0.92O3-δ (SSNC) demonstrated excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity at 600 °C due to a high concentration and high mobility of oxygen vacancies, which were derived from the low average cobalt valence and cubic structure in SSNC at room temperature.

Additional file 3. Supplementary Table 2 Surgical options of AAS patient

Additional file 2. Supplementary Table 1 Surgical options of the overall cohort

Additional file 4. Supplementary Table 3 Surgical options of non-AAS patients

Additional file 1.

Phosphor NaYPO4F:Ce3+ was synthesized via a high-temperature solid-state reaction, and Na+ and Y3+ ion were partially replaced by Li+ and La3+ ion, respectively. X-ray diffraction patterns, excitation and emission spectra were recorded to investigate the phosphors. The phosphor shows a typical doublet emission of Ce3+ ion in the spectral range ~ 310–420 nm. The emission peak of Ce3+ ion at short-wavelength side gradually enhances when Li+ ion gradually substitute for Na+ ion. The emission peak at short-wavelength side gradually decline when La3+ ion gradually substitute for Y3+ ion. The different luminescence behaviors among NaYPO4F:Ce3+, YPO4:Ce3+ and LaPO4:Ce3+ also are simply discussed according to the Ce3+ coordination environment. The results show that high concentration of Li+ or La3+ ion results in the occurrence of a second phase YPO4 or LaPO4, and that the optimal concentration of Li+ and La3+ ion are 0.4 and 0.2, respectively.

Bearing fault diagnosis is of significance to enhance the reliability and security of electric locomotive. In this paper, a novel convolutional deep belief network (CDBN) is proposed for bearing fault diagnosis. First, an auto-encoder is used to compress data and reduce the dimension. Second, a novel CDBN is constructed with Gaussian visible units to learn the representative features. Third, exponential moving average is employed to improve the performance of the constructed deep model. The proposed method is applied to analyze experimental signals collected from electric locomotive bearings. The results show that the proposed method is more effective than the traditional methods and standard deep learning methods.

The vibration signals collected from rolling bearing are usually complex and non-stationary with heavy background noise. Therefore, it is a great challenge to efficiently learn the representative fault features of the collected vibration signals. In this paper, a novel method called improved convolutional deep belief network (CDBN) with compressed sensing (CS) is developed for feature learning and fault diagnosis of rolling bearing. Firstly, CS is adopted for reducing the vibration data amount to improve analysis efficiency. Secondly, a new CDBN model is constructed with Gaussian visible units to enhance the feature learning ability for the compressed data. Finally, exponential moving average (EMA) technique is employed to improve the generalization performance of the constructed deep model. The developed method is applied to analyze the experimental rolling bearing vibration signals. The results confirm that the developed method is more effective than the traditional methods.

Despite increased academic attention to tourism lifestyle entrepreneurship (TLE), different discourses and continuous controversy have impeded an understanding of the phenomenon. This paper seeks to provide a new and in-depth understanding through a case study. We select the case of Naked Retreats Enterprise (NRE), a well-known tourism lifestyle corporation in China that has distinctive and deviant TLE. Based on the proposed research framework and multiple-source longitudinal data, we described and interpreted the change in the lifestyle role during the tourism entrepreneurial process. The findings suggest that the role of lifestyle in NRE changed from entrepreneurial motivation to a customer product and then to enterprise capital. The change dynamic is complex and related to contextual factors. This research verifies the effectiveness of a case study and features a dynamic lens and contextual sensibility as applied to TLE research. Moreover, and more broadly, the possibility of bridging the isolated lifestyle discourse in tourism is reflected.

e14545 Background: BJ-001 is the first tumor-targeting Interleukin-15 (IL-15) fusion protein, composed of an integrin-binding Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-4C motif, linked with a human IgG1 Fc, and then a modified sushi domain of human IL-15Rα unit and a human IL-15. Tumor-targeting is achieved with RGD-4C motif which binds to αvβ3, αvβ5, and αvβ6 integrins, commonly overexpressed in solid tumors. The molecule has shown an ability to activate Natural Killer (NK) and T cells in vitro and in pre-clinical in vivo studies. Methods: This first in-human (FIH) study has 2 phases: Phase 1a and Phase 1b. Phase 1a consists of 3 parts. In all 3 parts patients receive escalating doses of BJ-001 as a once weekly subcutaneous injection for 4 weeks in 6-week cycles. Part 1 utilizes an accelerated dose escalation design with single patient cohort for the first 3 dose levels. Part 2 uses a 3+3 dose escalation design. Part 3 uses a 3+3 dose escalation of BJ-001 but in combination with a fixed-dose PD-(L)1 inhibitor. Dose escalation will proceed based on clinical safety and tolerability data observed during the Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT) period, i.e., Cycle 1 Days 1 through 28 for Part 1 and Cycle 1 Days 1 through 42 for Parts 2 and 3. Adult patients (ECOG PS ≤ 2) with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors refractory to or intolerant of all existing therapies are eligible for Phase 1a. Phase 1b will enroll cohorts of adult patients with selected solid tumors known to have high levels of integrin expression at the Maximum Tolerated Dose or Recommended Phase 2 Dose of BJ-001 in combination with a PD-(L)1 inhibitor, as identified in Phase 1a, Part 3. Results: As of Jan 31, 2021, 9 patients have received BJ-001 dosing as a single agent at 0.21 µg/kg (n = 1), 0.9 µg/kg (n = 1), 3 µg/kg (n = 1), 6 µg/kg (n = 3), or 10 µg/kg (n = 3) in Phase 1a Parts 1 and 2, wherein 7 patients, including 1 patient in the 10 µg/kg cohort, have completed the DLT period. Among these 7 patients, 2 (1 in 3 µg/kg and 1 in 6 µg/kg cohorts) have stable disease and are still receiving BJ-001 treatment beyond Cycle 1. The longest duration in the study, to date, is approximately 4 cycles (over 5 months). Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TRAEs) include injection site reactions (6/7, Grade 1-2), anorexia (2/7, Grade 1-2), cytokine release syndrome (1/7, Grade 1, resolved in 1 day), and temporal wasting (1/7, Grade 1). The AEs did not result in dose interruption or dose level adjustment. No DLTs observed to date. With escalating doses, a trend of increased post-dose NK cell counts observed, whereas Regulatory T cell (Treg) counts remained stable. Conclusions: To date, BJ-001 is well tolerated up to 6 µg/kg. The safety evaluation for 10 µg/kg is ongoing. The observed NK and Treg cell profiles are consistent with known IL-15 biology. Clinical trial information: NCT04294576.

The fluid dynamics in weld pool and keyhole behaviors in laser–gas metal arc hybrid welding play a dominant role in affecting the weld quality of ferrite stainless steel plates. In this study, a transient model is developed for numerical simulation of the keyhole dynamics and heat transfer & fluid flow in hybrid weld pool. The heat, mass and momentum transfer due to droplets as well as the interaction between laser and arc are taken into account. The formation, expansion and sustainment of keyhole in weld pool are numerically simulated, and the transient variation of keyhole is demonstrated in three stages. The weld pool and keyhole shapes and sizes, and the fluid flow and thermal field in hybrid weld pool are quantitatively analyzed. The model is validated by hybrid welding experiments on ferrite stainless steel plates. It lays foundation for optimizing the process parameters in hybrid welding.

Context: Yes-associated protein (Yap) has been linked to several cardiovascular disorders, but the role of this protein in septic cardiomyocytes is not fully understood. Objective: The aim of our study was to explore the influence of Yap in septic cardiomyopathy in vivo and in vitro. Materials and methods: In the current study, Yap transgenic mice and Yap adenovirus-mediated gain-of-function assays were used in an LPS-established septic cardiomyopathy model. Mitochondrial function and mitochondrial fission were determined through western blotting, immunofluorescence analysis and ELISA. Results: Our results demonstrated that Yap expression was downregulated by LPS, whereas Yap overexpression sustained cardiac function and attenuated cardiomyocyte death. The functional exploration revealed that LPS treatment induced cardiomyocyte mitochondrial stress, as manifested by mitochondrial superoxide overproduction, cardiomyocyte ATP deprivation, and caspase-9 apoptosis activation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that LPS-mediated mitochondrial damage was controlled by mitochondrial fission. However, Yap overexpression reduced mitochondrial fission and therefore improved mitochondrial function. A molecular investigation revealed that Yap overexpression inhibited mitochondrial fission by reversing ERK activity, and the inhibition of the ERK pathway promoted DRP1 upregulation and thereby mediated mitochondrial fission activation in the presence of Yap overexpression. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that the cause of septic cardiomyopathy appears to be connected with Yap downregulation. The overexpression of Yap can attenuate myocardial inflammation injury through the reduction of DRP1-related mitochondrial fission in an ERK pathway activation-dependent manner.

Background Constrictive Pericarditis(CP) can be viewed as a constellation of syndromes resulting from compression of the heart, etiologies, course and types are well discussed in other reports. However, localized CP as a cause of right heart failure is rare, and presentation with interposed fluid under-pressure is extremely odd. Case report A case of C.X. Z, male aged 39 years old, who presented to our department with sudden onset of symptoms of subacute right heart failure due localized CP. In January, 2018 C.X.Z presented to the county hospital with complaints of 10-day history of transient mild bilateral pedal edema. He was managed on diuretic therapy and symptoms resolved completely. 10 months later, he suddenly presented to the local facility with symptoms of subacute right heart failure. 7 days after on-set of symptoms, his condition shifted from NYHA I to III-IV. Although wake-up chest radiography appeared normal, standard medical therapy yielded no positives results. He was referred to our hospital, upon which after echocardiography and computed tomography investigations, aforementioned diagnosis was made. We performed off-pump partial pericardiectomy with no complications. After operation, he received analgesics and diuretics for pain and edema(ascites) respectively. He was discharged 7-days after operation on analgesics only, with no symptoms of right heart failure. Conclusion Localized constrictive pericarditis as a cause of subacute right heart failure (RHF) has never been reported elsewhere, and presentation with interposed fluid is extremely odd. Progressive symptoms of Acute RHF in the absence of typical radiologic clue ‘egg-shell’ should heighten suspicion index of CP. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13019-019-0916-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The seasonal variations of blood lipids have recently gained increasing interest in this field of lipid metabolism. Elucidating the seasonal patterns of blood lipids is particularly helpful for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, the previous results remain controversial and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This mini-review is focused on summarizing the literature relevant to the seasonal variability of blood lipid parameters, as well as on discussing its significance in clinical diagnoses and management decisions.

Background Cardiac myxoma, a common benign primary tumor of the heart can be categorized into syndromic (Carney Complex) and non-syndromic(isolated). Carney Complex associated myxomas can be found in any region and system (cardiac, cutaneous, osseous, genitalia), and may manifest at a tender age. On the contrary, non-syndromic cardiac myxomas are usually confined to the chambers, and symptoms often present from 5th decade of life. Aortic valve myxoma is a very unusual occurrence, and presentation in a teen is extremely rare. Case report We share a case of aortic valve myxoma, uncovered using echocardiography in a 16-year-old male, admitted with complaints of exertional chest pain, dyspnoea and systolic murmur. Patient underwent uneventful surgery for tumor excision, and discharged 6-days post operation. Conclusion Given the high risk of developing cardiogenic stroke, infective endocarditis, degenerative effects on aortic valve leaflets and possible sudden death, like many other centers, we advocate for immediate liquidation of aortic myxoma regardless of age and symptoms.

An alternative peratrial device closure technique for ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm into the right atrium under exclusive transesophageal echocardiographic guidance is presented. The ruptured site was occluded with a hollow probe–assisted delivery system through a fourth intercostal mini-incision. The peratrial approach provided perfect alignment and positioning for device deployment to avoid device impingement on the aortic valve. This technique may help a certain number of patients, especially those patients with a prior history of radiocontrast media allergy.