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Highlights: Abnormal changes in P-wave parameters indicative of atrial electrical remodeling often manifest earlier than changes in other indicators reflecting atrial structural remodeling in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Preoperative absolute values of Maximum P Wave Duration, P Wave Dispersion, and P Wave Terminal Force of V1, as well as postoperative absolute values of Maximum P Wave Duration, P Wave Duration, P Wave Dispersion, P Wave Terminal Force of V1, and P Wave Area, demonstrate strong predictive value for recurrence risk of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after Catheter Ablation. The nomogram model based on P-wave parameters before and after catheter ablation exhibits notably strong predictive performance and offers significant clinical benefits. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the predictive utility of perioperative P-wave parameters in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) undergoing catheter ablation, and to develop a predictive model using these parameters. Methods: A total of 213 patients with PAF undergoing catheter ablation were retrospectively analyzed. P-wave parameters were measured within 3 days preoperatively and on the day postoperatively to determine their predictive significance for postoperative PAF recurrence. Results: Post-ablation, PAF did not recur in 168 patients, while 45 experienced recurrence. Significant differences were observed in preoperative P-wave parameters as Maximum P Wave Duration(Pmax), absolute value of P Wave Terminal Force of V1 (PtfV1) and P Wave Dispersion(Pd), postoperative P-wave parameters as P Wave Duration (PWDII, III, aVF), Pmax, P Wave Area(P-area), absolute value of PtfV1 and Pd, and changes in perioperative P-wave parameters (Delta-Pmax, Delta-PtfV1 absolute value, Delta-Pd, Delta-PWDII, III, aVF). Univariate logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and hazard ratio assessment identified predictive indicators for postoperative recurrence, including Pmax, PtfV1 absolute value, Pd, post-P area, post-PWDII, III, aVF and Delta-pwdII, III, aVF). A personalized nomogram model based on these P-wave parameters was developed. Calibration curve assessment demonstrated that the predictive performance of the nomogram for PAF recurrence following catheter ablation closely matched actual observed outcomes. ROC curve analysis indicated a sensitivity of 89.3% for the model, and decision curve analysis confirmed its significantly favorable predictive use and clinical benefits. Conclusions: P-wave parameters like PWDШ, PWDaVF, Pmax, Pd, and PtfV1 serve as predictors of PAF recurrence following catheter ablation. The nomogram model constructed using these P-wave parameters demonstrates robust predictive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the efficacy and complication rates of quantitative radiofrequency ablation guided by ablation index (RFCA-AI) with those of second-generation cryoballoon ablation (CBA-2). Consecutive patients (n = 230) with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing a first ablation CBA-2 (92 patients) or RFCA-AI (138 patients) procedure were enrolled in this study. The late recurrence rate in the CBA-2 group was higher than that in the RFCA-AI group (P =.012). Subgroup analysis showed the same result in patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF) (P =.039), but no difference was found in patients with persistent AF (P =.21). The average operation duration in the CBA-2 group (85 [75-99.5] minutes) was shorter than that in the RFCA-AI group (100 [84.5-120] minutes) (P <.0001), but the average exposure time (17.36(13.87-22.49) vs 5.49(4.00-8.24) minutes) in the CBA-2 group and X-ray dose (223.25(149.15-336.95) vs 109.15(80.75-168.7) mGym) were significantly longer than those in RFCA-AI group (P <.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that left atrial diameter (LAD), early recurrence, and methods of ablation (cryoballoon ablation) were independent risk factors for late recurrence after AF ablation. Early recurrence of AF and LAD were independent risk factors for predicting late recurrence after AF ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As two typical layered nickel-rich ternary cathode materials, NCA and NCM are expected to be commercialized in lithium-ion power batteries. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the pros and cons of these two nickel-rich materials in industry. Herein, LiNi0.85Co0.1Al0.05O2 and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. It is found that LiNi0.85Co0.1Al0.05O2 delivers a better cycling stability than LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, even with a higher nickel content. Characterization of the internal structure and the chemical composition of materials after cycles indicated serious Mn dissolution in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 during the long cycles. The Mn dissolution will lead to more serious Li/Ni mixing and Ni dissolution, which would finally cause the worse structural stability of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2. Besides, first principles calculations were used to calculate the difficulty of generating oxygen vacancies in LiNi0.85Co0.1Al0.05O2 and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 during cycling, and the result showed that the formation energy of vacancy defects of O adjacent to the dopant atoms in the Al doped structure is higher than that of the Mn doped structure. The existence of oxygen vacancies provides a channel for the migration and dissolution of transition metal atoms. Finally, it is calculated and proved that the Al–O bonding stability under the TM–O octahedral coordination system is much greater than the Mn–O bonding stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telmisartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker that displays unique PPAR-γ modulating activity. PPAR-γ agonists have been shown to decrease susceptibility to atrial fibrillation through their antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether telmisartan would have a greater effect on susceptibility to atrial arrhythmia in a hypertensive rat model than valsartan, which is a traditional angiotensin II receptor blocker. In this study, spontaneously hypertensive rats were treated with 10 mg·(kg body mass)-1·d-1 telmisartan (TEL group), 10 mg·(kg body mass)-1·d-1 valsartan (VAL group), or vehicle (saline; SHR group) for 4 weeks. Age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were used as normotensive controls. After 4 weeks of treatment, we performed echocardiographic assessment, electrophysiological analysis, histological evaluation, and Western blot analysis. Telmisartan decreased systolic blood pressure to a similar extent as valsartan. Relative to the WKY controls, atrial arrhythmia susceptibility was significantly increased in the SHR group, and was significantly decreased by both telmisartan and valsartan, albeit to a greater extent with telmisartan. Arrhythmogenic atrial remodeling, including enlargement of the left atrium, myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and myocyte apoptosis, was observed in the SHR group, and was accompanied by activated RAS-ERK signaling and suppressed PI3K-Akt-eNOS signaling. The results suggest that telmisartan reduced susceptibility to atrial arrhythmia to a greater extent than valsartan, ameliorated atrial remodeling, and reversed imbalances in the RAS-ERK and PI3K-Akt-eNOS pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report explores some properties of 80-200 nm nanoparticles containing 5-aminolevulinic acid ( ALA) and fullerene (C60) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Compared with ALA, the nanoparticles yielded more protoporphyrin IX (Pp IX) formation in cells and tissues and to a significant improvement in antitumor efficacy in tumor-bearing mice. Maximum levels of Pp IX were obtained 4 h after administration and selective Pp IX formation in tumor was observed. These nanoparticles appear to be a useful vehicle for drug delivery purposes. In this study, a procedure for preparing fullerene nanoparticles containing ALA was developed. The product alone exhibited no detectable toxicity in the dark and was superior to ALA alone in promoting Pp IX biosynthesis and PDT efficacy both in culture and in a murine tumor model. These results suggest that this procedure could be the basis for an improved PDT protocol for cancer control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The respiratory chain plays a key role in the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). However, the exact regulatory mechanisms of this system still need to be elucidated, and only a few studies have investigated the impact of genetic mutations within the respiratory chain on MTBC transmission. This study aims to explore the impact of respiratory chain gene mutations on the global spread of MTBC. Results: A total of 13,402 isolates of MTBC were included in this study. The majority of the isolates (n = 6,382, 47.62%) belonged to lineage 4, followed by lineage 2 (n = 5,123, 38.23%). Our findings revealed significant associations between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of specific genes and transmission clusters. These SNPs include Rv0087 (hycE, G178T), Rv1307 (atpH, C650T), Rv2195 (qcrA, G181C), Rv2196 (qcrB, G1250T), Rv3145 (nuoA, C35T), Rv3149 (nuoE, G121C), Rv3150 (nuoF, G700A), Rv3151 (nuoG, A1810G), Rv3152 (nuoH, G493A), and Rv3157 (nuoM, A1243G). Furthermore, our results showed that the SNPs of atpH C73G, atpA G271C, qcrA G181C, nuoJ G115A, nuoM G772A, and nuoN G1084T were positively correlated with cross-country transmission clades and cross-regional transmission clades. Conclusions: Our study uncovered an association between mutations in respiratory chain genes and the transmission of MTBC. This important finding provides new insights for future research and will help to further explore new mechanisms of MTBC pathogenicity. By uncovering this association, we gain a more complete understanding of the processes by which MTBC increases virulence and spread, providing potential targets and strategies for preventing and treating tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large‐sized nanofilm‐constructed hierarchical porous SiO2 (LNCHPS) is successfully prepared by the dual templating approach and subsequently used as the support for g‐C3N4. A series of characterization techniques are conducted to evaluate the structure and property of the as‐prepared materials. The LNCHPS possesses two sets of explicated successive pass‐through macropores (0.5–1.0 µm) with large specific surface area. In addition, the macropore wall is constructed by uniform mesoporous nanofilms with the thickness ranging from 35 to 50 nm. Then, the photocatalytic property is investigated by degradations towards Rhodamine B (RhB) under simulated sunlight, in which experiments have been performed through controlling the g‐C3N4 loading contents, solution pH values, and photocatalyst dosages. The apparent rate constant of g‐C3N4/LNCHPS could reach 0.03 min−1 under optimum conditions, showing 6.0 times that of the bulk g‐C3N4. In addition, g‐C3N4/LNCHPS also exhibits significantly enhanced performance in H2 evolution (39.9 µmol h−1) compared to that of the bulk g‐C3N4. High light absorption and utilization, enhanced adsorption capability and quick electron hole separation can render this fine structure excellent photocatalytic performance. Our work enables a facile route for large‐scale preparation of g‐C3N4/LNCHPS for addressing the wastewater treatment and hydrogen energy production simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Recent progress on the applications of 2D materials in perovskite solar cells is discussed from the views of bottom interfaces, top interfaces, and electrodes. The roles of van der Waals heterojunction in enhancing the performance of perovskite solar cells are highlighted. The future directions and challenges in development of 2D materials-based perovskite solar cells are provided. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) offer low costs and high power conversion efficiency. However, the lack of long-term stability, primarily stemming from the interfacial defects and the susceptible metal electrodes, hinders their practical application. In the past few years, two-dimensional (2D) materials (e.g., graphene and its derivatives, transitional metal dichalcogenides, MXenes, and black phosphorus) have been identified as a promising solution to solving these problems because of their dangling bond-free surfaces, layer-dependent electronic band structures, tunable functional groups, and inherent compactness. Here, recent progress of 2D material toward efficient and stable PSCs is summarized, including its role as both interface materials and electrodes. We discuss their beneficial effects on perovskite growth, energy level alignment, defect passivation, as well as blocking external stimulus. In particular, the unique properties of 2D materials to form van der Waals heterojunction at the bottom interface are emphasized. Finally, perspectives on the further development of PSCs using 2D materials are provided, such as designing high-quality van der Waals heterojunction, enhancing the uniformity and coverage of 2D nanosheets, and developing new 2D materials-based electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study was conducted to observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the postoperative sleep quality of patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor surgery and to verify the possible mechanism. Methods: Eighty-three patients were allocated to the TEAS or Sham group. Patients in the TEAS group received TEAS treatment (disperse-dense waves; frequency, 2/100 Hz) on bilateral Shenmen (HT7), Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) points for 30 min each time, total three times in the perioperative period. In the Sham group, electrodes were placed; however, no current was given. Sleep quality was assessed on the day before surgery (P1) and the first and third days after surgery (D1 and D3) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Postoperative pain was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) 72 h postoperatively. The incidences of abdominal distension, dizziness, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pulmonary complications were recorded. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and the expression of key factors of oxidative stress and key molecules of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) signal pathway were measured. Results: TEAS ameliorated sleep quality at D1 and D3 (PSQI P < 0.05, AIS P < 0.05) and decreased postoperative pain as demonstrated by lower VAS scores compared to the Sham group (P < 0.05). The incidences of abdominal distension and PONV were also lower in the TEAS group. Markers of oxidative stress were increased (P < 0.05), and the serum concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was significantly lower in the TEAS group. The key mediators of the Nrf2/ARE pathway were enhanced after TEAS. Conclusion: Perioperative TEAS improved postoperative sleep quality, reduced postoperative pain and alleviated postoperative adverse effects in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrointestinal tumor surgery resection. This may be associated with activating Nrf2/ARE signal pathway and decreasing its inflammatory actions. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx), ChiCTR2100054971. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal the regularity of variation in the rare earth occurrence states of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores, ore samples from different weathering crust layers were obtained by performing the sequential extraction procedure. The order of rare earth contents firmly obeyed the following sequence: the weathered layer > humic layer > partly weathered layer. The occurrence states of rare earth elements were mainly the ion exchange state, carbonate bound state, iron–manganese oxide state, organic binding state and residual state. The proportions of rare earth elements found in the rare earth ion exchange state of the weathered layer, humic layer and partly weathered layer were 78.55%, 73.53% and 53.88%, respectively. The light rare earth elements (LREEs) found in the rare earth ion exchange state were enriched in the upper part of the weathering crust, while the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) were enriched in the lower part. There were also obvious negative anomalies in the content of cerium in the ion exchange state. The content of rare earth elements found in the carbonate bound state was small, and the rare earth partition pattern was basically consistent with that of the ion exchange state, which had little effect on the differentiation of the rare earth elements. The iron–manganese oxide state was mainly enriched with cerium, and the content of cerium increased with the depth of the weathering crust. The iron–manganese oxide state was the main factor causing the phenomenon of the anomaly in the cerium content. Meanwhile, the iron oxides in the iron–manganese oxide state were mainly hematite and goethite. The organic binding state mainly beneficiated yttrium and cerium by complexation and certain adsorption. The content of elements found in the rare earth residual state was related to the degree of weathering and reflected the release sequence of rare earth elements in the mineralization process. Clarifying the rare earth occurrence states is conducive to better revealing the metallogenic regularity of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. In addition, the results can provide a valuable reference for expanding the available rare earth resources and the efficient comprehensive utilization of rare earth ore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The prognostic value of tumor size in neuroblastoma (NB) patients has not been fully evaluated. Our purpose is to elucidate the prognostic significance of tumor size in surgery performed on neuroblastoma patients. Methods: Neuroblastoma patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) for the study. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to identify risk factors and the independent prognostic influences of tumor size on NB patients. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed through univariate Cox regression analysis. To determine the optimal cutoff value of tumor size, we first divided the cohort into three groups (≤5 cm, 5–10 cm, >10 cm). Subsequently, the patients were divided into two groups repeatedly, with tumor size at 1 cm intervals. The cutoff value that maximized prognostic outcome difference was selected. Furthermore, we performed the Kaplan–Meier methods to visually present differences in prognosis between the optimal tumor size cutoff value in different subgroups. Results: A total of 591 NB patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected from the SEER database in this study. Cox analysis showed that age >1 year (HR = 2.42, p < 0.0001), originate from adrenal site (HR = 1.7, p = 0.014), distant stage (HR = 6.4, p < 0.0001), undifferentiated grade (HR = 1.94, p = 0.002), and large tumor size (HR = 1.5, p < 0.0001) independently predicted poor prognosis. For tumor size, there were significant differences in tumor size distribution in different ages, tumor grade, disease stage, and primary site subgroup but not in sex, race, and histology subgroup. Furthermore, both univariate (HR = 4.96, 95% CI 2.31–10.63, p < 0.0001) and multivariable analysis (HR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.29–6.08, p < 0.0001) indicated the optimal cutoff value of tumor size was 4 cm for overall survival of NB patients. Using a 4 cm of tumor size cutoff in subgroups, we found that it can identify poor prognosis patients whatever their age or primary site. Interestingly, tumor size of 4 cm cutoff can only identify unfavorable NB patients with diagnosis at distant‐stage disease, or differentiated grade tumor, but not with regional and local or undifferentiated tumor. Conclusions: Tumor size is first to be recognized as a key prognostic factor of neuroblastoma patients and a cutoff value >4 cm might predict poor prognosis, which should be included in the evaluation of prognostic factors for NB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various strategies have been developed to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces with the guidance of adding rough micro‐nano structure and decreasing surface energy. However, it is still a challenge to prepare a superhydrophobic coating with multifunction, eco‐friendliness, and broad applicability to substrates. The mussel‐inspired polydopamine (PDA) possessing superior material‐independent adhesion was considered as the promising candidate material. Herein, a hierarchical superhydrophobic PDA coating was fabricated on Cu substrate via a facile self‐assembly method. Thanks to PDA's self‐roughening and self‐adhesive effects, the coating obtains sufficient surface roughness and good interface adhesion. The superhydrophobic coating exhibits excellent self‐cleaning performance and enhanced corrosion resistance based on the surface wettability. Moreover, it possesses the additional functions of UV resistance and self‐healing, inheriting from the PDA coating. PDA and the surface modifier are nontoxic, biodegradable, and eco‐friendly. Our findings indicate that PDA can be used as an independent structural coating with multiple functions of corrosion protection, UV resistance, and superhydrophobic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the removal of organic matter and nitrogen and explored the feasible operation strategies to achieve short-cut nitrification and denitrification in two constructed wetlands (CWs), which were designed to treat the actual landfill leachate from a small county in parallel. The two CWs were horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands (HFCW) with partial-area aeration and vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetlands (VFCW) with full-area aeration. The experimental results showed that both CWs could achieve an excellent organic matter and nitrogen removal performance under the conditions of intermittent aeration with high frequency and medium intensity (2 h of aeration and 4 h of rest). The removal efficiencies of COD and total nitrogen by HFCW were 89.08% and 73.22%, and the corresponding values of VFCW were 84.51% and 71.44%, respectively. Meanwhile, the inhibition kinetics model indicated that HFCW with partial-area aeration could enhance the free ammonium (FA) tolerance of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and reduce the conversion percentage of ammonia nitrogen. In addition, the intermittent aeration mode with high frequency and medium intensity could keep the DO concentration below under 0.60 mg L−1 in HFCW, which helped to achieve stable short-cut nitrification and ensure the average nitrite accumulation rate (NAR) reach 50.96%. These results suggested that the intermittent aeration in partial-area could achieve successful short-cut nitrification in HFCW, thereby improving the removal efficiency of nitrogen in landfill leachate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of ReCell® autologous cell regeneration techniques combined with dermabrasion treatment on the therapy of acne scars. Methods: We analyzed retrospectively 78 patients with acne scars who presented to the Department of Plastic Surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from May 2015 to May 2017; 30 patients were treated with dermabrasion (Group 1), and the other 48 patients were treated with ReCell® autologous regeneration techniques combined with dermabrasion (Group 2). Efficacy was evaluated through self-evaluation of the patient, third-party evaluation and photographs taken before and after treatment. The wound healing time and postoperative complication rate were also recorded. Results: The study revealed a significant difference in healing time (P < 0.001) between patients treated with dermabrasion (Group 1) and patients treated with ReCell® autologous regeneration techniques combined with dermabrasion (Group 2). The average healing time of Group 1 was 12.30 ± 1.725 days, while the average healing time of Group 2 was 5.27 ± 1.086 days. In Group 2, patient self-evaluation and third-party evaluation were more satisfactory than those of Group 1 (P < 0.001). Moreover, there were no postoperative complications in Group 2 such as pigmentation and scar hyperplasia. Conclusion: The ReCell® technique is simple, minimally invasive, biocompatible and effective in the treatment of acne scars. It can shorten healing time and reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications, thereby providing a safe and effective treatment approach for patients with facial acne scars. Level of Evidence IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mg2+ doped Bi2WO6 photocatalysts were synthesized through a hydrothermal method. Chemical compositions, morphologies, and photocatalytic activities of the products were studied. The Mg2+ doped Bi2WO6 was constructed by many loosely connected nanosheets and the surface area was greatly increased. The crystal lattice was distorted and the absorption edges were red-shifted after Mg2+ doping. When added 1.0% molar ratio of Mg(NO3)2 in the precursor, the Mg2+ doped Bi2WO6 product showed the best photocatalytic activity, and 94.1% RhB was decomposed after 45 min irradiation, which was 24.6% higher than that of the undoped one. Reasons for the improved photocatalytic activity were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, namely melitensin 15-O-β-D-glucoside (1) and 11β,13-dihydrosalonitenolide 15-O-β-D-glucoside (2), along with eight known compounds (3–10) were isolated from the aerial part of Cnicus benedictus L. Their structures were elucidated from analyses of extensive spectroscopic data. Compounds 1–6 all possessed an α-methyl-γ-lactone moiety. Moreover, compound 5 exhibited moderate activity against the growth of Aspergillus fumigatus, with IC50 values of 17.67 μg mL−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a sound impedance matching induced by asymmetry coupling vibrations. To achieve the vibration, acoustic waveguides with two different winding branch pipes are designed. In the acoustic device, the coupling effects of the two different winding branch pipes generate resonant vibrations, which constructs an impedance matching layer and produces a sound transmission with a wide band at lower frequencies. Importantly, multi-mode vibration can be adjusted by adding water. Consequently, the asymmetry winding branch pipes realize multi-mode vibrations that have the potential for use in sound control in broad frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]