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This study aimed to evaluate predictors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing coronary stenting.We retrospectively recruited consecutive patients with previously documented non-valvular AF who underwent coronary stenting between January 2010 and June 2015 in 12 hospitals of Beijing, China. Major adverse cardiac/cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and ischaemic stroke/systemic thromboembolism (IS/STE). Major bleeding referred to grade 2 or higher of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria.A total of 2394 patients (men: 72.3%Chinese patients with AF and coronary stenting had high mortality and incidence of MACCE. We compiled separate predictive models for all-cause death, IS/STE, MACCE, and major bleeding.

Desmoplakin (DSP), encoded by the DSP gene, is the main desmosome component and is abundant in the myocardial tissue. There are three DSP isoforms that assume the role of supporting structural stability through intercellular adhesion. It has been found that DSP regulates the transcription of adipogenic and fibrogenic genes, and maintains appropriate electrical conductivity by regulating gap junctions and ion channels. DSP is essential for normal myocardial development and the maintenance of its structural functions. Studies have suggested that DSP gene mutations are associated with a variety of hereditary cardiomyopathy, such as arrhythmia cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), left ventricular noncompaction, and is also closely associated with the Carvajal syndrome, Naxos disease, and erythro-keratodermia-cardiomyopathy syndrome with skin and heart damage. The structure and function of DSP, as well as the clinical manifestations of DSP-related cardiomyopathy were reviewed in this article.

Objective: Physiologic cardiac pacing is a novel technique which has been largely popularized in recent decades. His bundle pacing (HBP) has been long considered the most physiologic pacing method; however, with the widespread implementation of this method, its disadvantages have become apparent. In this context, left bundle branch pacing (LBBP)—directly engaged in the His-Purkinje system—has been foreseen as the best pacing method to mimic physiologic activation patterns. This review aimed to summarize recent approaches to physiologic cardiac pacing. Data sources: This review included fully peer reviewed publications up to July 2018, found in the PubMed database using the keywords "His bundle branch pacing," "right ventricular pacing," and "physiologic pacing." Study selection: All selected articles were in English, with no restriction on study design. Results: The HBP has been studied worldwide, and is currently considered the most physiologic pacing method. However, it has disadvantages, such as high pacing threshold, unsatisfactory sensing and long procedure times, among others. Although LBBP is theoretically superior to HBP, the clinical relevance of this difference remains under debate, as few large randomized clinical trials with LBBP have been published. Conclusions: Although HBP indeed appears to be the most physiologic pacing method, it has certain shortcomings, such as high pacing threshold, difficult implantation due to specific anatomic features, and others. Further studies are required to clarify the clinical significance of LBBP. Key words: His-Purkinje pacing; His bundle pacing; Cardiac resynchronization therapy; Left bundle branch pacing

The polarized Brillouin scattering spectra were systematically measured to study the elastic properties of bulk hexagonal close-packed (hcp) ZnO single crystal in this paper. The peak polarizations of all modes in spectra were analyzed firstly. The elastic properties, such as the whole set of Elastic constants were accordingly calculated and compared with the previous literatures. Also investigated were the effects of the rotation of the sample in the (0001) plane perpendicular to the z axis on different acoustic modes. The results show that the quasi-longitudinal and quasi-transverse modes perpendicular to the (0001) plane act as the expected trigonometric function of the rotation angle, while the longitudinal and transverse modes on the (0001) plane remain constant.