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Aims Advanced atrial fibrillation (AF) is currently a dilemma for electrophysiologists when choosing a minimally invasive treatment strategy. Previous studies have demonstrated the outcome of either catheter ablation or thoracoscopic surgical ablation (SA) is unsatisfactory in these patients. Whether hybrid ablation (HA) could improve outcomes in these patients is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of HA for the treatment of advanced AF. Methods and results A randomized controlled trial was designed to enrol patients with persistent AF (PerAF) and enlarged left atrium or long-standing persistent AF (LSPAF) who were randomized to HA or thoracoscopic SA at a 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint was freedom from any recurrence of AF off antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) 12 months after operation. The primary endpoint was monitored by 7-day electrocardiogram monitoring devices. One hundred patients were enrolled. The mean age was 58.5 ± 7.6 years, and the mean left atrial diameter (LAD) was 50.1 ± 6.1 mm. At 12 months, freedom from AF off AADs was recorded in 71.4% (35/49) of patients in HA group and 45.8% (22/48) in SA group [odds ratio 2.955, 95% confidence interval (1.275–6.848), P = 0.014]. HA significantly reduced patients' AF burden (30.2% in SA group and 14.8% in HA group, P = 0.048) and the LAD (mean differences: −5.53 ± 4.97 mm in HA group and −3.27 ± 5.20 mm in SA group, P = 0.037) at 12 months after operation. Conclusion In patients with PerAF and enlarged left atrium or LSPAF, HA achieved better freedom from AF after 1 year of follow-up compared with thoracoscopic SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sound quality subjective evaluation method for the high-speed train compartments using semantic scoring method with equal even intervals is proposed. The acoustic metrics in the compartment was studied at different positions and under different operating conditions, and two subjective evaluation experiments using selected sound samples were carried out. The least square method was used to point-fit the sound pressure level values of the original signal, so as to select the appropriate short-term intercepting samples. To avoid the unclear distinction between samples evaluated with the unit interval scoring table, a novel evaluation method that equals even interval semantic scoring method was designed by increasing the interval between adjacent scoring numbers in the scoring table. The results show that the proposed method distinguishes the perceived auditory differences between samples more clearly compared with the unit interval semantic scoring table. And the correlation of the evaluation results obtained by using the equal even interval scoring method between participants is also higher, so the proposed method is suitable for evaluating the sound quality of the interior high-speed train compartments. Psychoacoustic attribute metrics such as loudness, roughness, and sharpness were calculated for the various samples, and loudness was found to have a strong correlation with the subjective evaluation results obtained using the proposed equal even interval method. This further verifies that, compared with unit interval scoring, the proposed method facilitates the sound quality evaluation of the interior high-speed train compartments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton activated carbon that had high specific surface area (HSAPFAC) was modified on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for preparing a HSAPFAC/GCE, and on this basis, a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method for the simultaneous determination of zinc and cadmium ions ([Zn.sup.2+] and [Cd.sup.2+]) was developed by using HSAPFAC/GCE. The determination conditions such as the film thickness, deposition potential, deposition time, and electrolyte acidity were investigated. The amperometric determination was carried out in a NaAc-HAc buffer solution (0.1 mol [L.sup.-1], pH 5.5) after enriching for 550 s at -1.3 V. The oxidation peaks appear at -1.160 V and -0.845 V for [Zn.sup.2+] and [Cd.sup.2+], respectively. The oxidation peak currents of [Zn.sup.2+] and [Cd.sup.2+] are proportional to their concentrations in the ranges of 0.5 ~ 20 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] and 0.25 ~ 10 [micro]g [L.sup.-1], with the detection limits of 0.15 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] and 0.01 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] (signal/noise (S/N) = 3). The proposed method was applied to the determination of [Zn.sup.2+] and [Cd.sup.2+] in tap water samples. The recoveries were 101.6%~103.0% and 84.0%~88.8%, respectively. Key words: Perilla frutescens, activated carbon, modified electrode, zinc ion, cadmium ion. Nous avons modifie la surface d'une electrode de graphite vitrifie (EGV) a l'aide de charbon actif a grande surface specifique issu de Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton (CAGSSPF) pour preparer une EGV/CAPFSSE, et nous nous sommes fondes sur ces caracteristiques pour mettre au point une methode de voltamperometrie differentielle pulsee (VDP) pour le dosage simultane des ions de zinc et de cadmium ([Zn.sup.2+] et [Cd.sup.2+]) en utilisant cette EGV/CAGSSPF. Nous avons etudie en detail les conditions experimentales de dosage, telles que l'epaisseur du film, le potentiel d'electrodeposition, le temps de deposition et l'acidite de l'electrolyte. Nous avons effectue le dosage amperometrique dans une solution tampon de NaAc-HAc (0,1 mol [L.sup.-1], pH = 5,5) apres une periode d'enrichissement de 550 s a -1,3 V. Les pics d'oxydation sont apparus a -1,160 V pour le [Zn.sup.2+] et a -0,845 V pour le [Cd.sup.2+]. Les courants de crete de l'oxydation du [Zn.sup.2+] et du [Cd.sup.2+] sont proportionnels a la concentration de ces ions dans les intervalles respectifs de 0,5 a environ 20 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] et de 0,25 a environ 10 [micro]g [L.sup.-1], et la limite de detection est respectivement de 0,15 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] et de 0,01 [micro]g [L.sup.-1] (rapport signal/bruit = 3). Nous avons applique la methode proposee au dosage du [Zn.sup.2+] et du [Cd.sup.2+] dans des echantillons d'eau de robinet. Les taux de recuperation ont varie de 101,6 % a environ 103,0 % et de 84,0 % a environ 88,8 %, respectivement. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: Perilla frutescens, charbon actif, electrode modifiee, ion de zinc, ion de cadmium., Introduction Zinc (Zn) is a trace element essentially for the life activity of human beings. It acts as a significant role in various functions of the human body. Inadequate or [...]

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) in preventing arrhythmic events among patients with symptomatic Brugada syndrome (BrS) who declined implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Methods and results A total of 40 patients with symptomatic BrS were included in the study, of which 18 refused ICD implantation and underwent CA, while 22 patients received ICD implantation. The study employed substrate modification (including endocardial and epicardial approaches) and ventricular fibrillation (VF)-triggering pre-mature ventricular contraction (PVC) ablation strategies. The primary outcomes were a composite endpoint consisting of episodes of VF and sudden cardiac death during the follow-up period. The study population had a mean age of 43.8 ± 9.6 years, with 36 (90.0%) of them being male. All patients exhibited the typical Type 1 BrS electrocardiogram pattern, and 16 (40.0%) were carriers of an SCN5A mutation. The Shanghai risk scores were comparable between the CA and the ICD groups (7.05 ± 0.80 vs. 6.71 ± 0.86, P = 0.351). Ventricular fibrillation–triggering PVCs were ablated in 3 patients (16.7%), while VF substrates were ablated in 15 patients (83.3%). Epicardial ablation was performed in 12 patients (66.7%). During a median follow-up of 46.2 (17.5–73.7) months, the primary outcomes occurred more frequently in the ICD group than in the CA group (5.6 vs. 54.5%, Log-rank P = 0.012). Conclusion Catheter ablation is an effective alternative therapy for improving arrhythmic outcomes in patients with symptomatic BrS who decline ICD implantation. Our findings support the consideration of CA as an alternative treatment option in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Limited randomized controlled studies showed that thoracoscopic surgical left atrial ablation was not superior to catheter ablation (CA) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PerAF). Right atrium might play an important role in triggering and maintaining atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with PerAF. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of thoracoscopic surgical biatrial ablation versus CA in patients with PerAF. Methods. Patients with PerAF underwent thoracoscopic surgical biatrial ablation or CA were included in this study. Propensity score matching (1 : 2) was applied to select patients in CA group and surgical ablation (SA) group. The primary endpoint was to compare the probability of freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias between SA and CA. Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was defined as any atrial tachyarrhythmias longer than 30 s documented by 24-hour Holter monitoring after the 3-month blanking period. Results. After propensity score matching, 51 patients in surgical biatrial ablation group and 102 patients in CA group were enrolled (mean left atrial diameter: 45.8 mm). The probability of freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias on antiarrhythmia drugs was 62.7%, 60.6%, and 60.6% in SA group and 42.0%, 39.6%, and 36.7% in CA group at 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively (p = 0.011), and off antiarrhythmia drugs were 56.9%, 52.5%, and 52.5% in SA group and 36.0%, 31.4%, and 27.5% in CA group at 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively (p = 0.007). After adjustment of age, sex, left atrial diameter, and AF duration history, multivariable Cox regression analysis suggested that SA procedure was an independent factor to reduce the risk of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence (HR: 0.589, 95% CI 0.370–0.937, p = 0.025). Conclusion. Compared with CA, thoracoscopic surgical biatrial ablation might achieve superior effectiveness for patients with PerAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]