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Background/Purpose Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is conventionally guided by fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography. We introduce an LAAC technique without fluoroscopy exposure using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and electroanatomic mapping system (EAMS) under local anesthesia. Methods Seven non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients who underwent LAAC with the LAmbre devices under the ICE and EAMS guidance were compared to 7 patients following the conventional approach by propensity score matching. ICE probe was advanced into the left atrium (LA) to guide sizing and device implantation following the orthogonal tri-axial technique (Axis-X: from left pulmonary veins [PVs] to LAA; Axis-Y: from right PV ostium to LAA; Axis-Z: from lower LA to LAA). Results The mean diameters of ostia and landing zone were 21.4 ± 3.9 mm and 20.4 ± 4.2 mm, respectively. LAmbre devices with a mean umbrella diameter of 23.7 ± 4.2 mm and cover disc diameter of 29.4 ± 3.6 mm were successfully implanted and acute complete LAA sealing without peri-device leak (PDL) were achieved in all cases. Neither fluoroscopy exposure nor contrast consumption was recorded. No procedure related complications were documented. The mean procedural time and PDLs at follow-ups were comparable to those in the conventional group. No stroke or thromboembolic events were documented. Conclusion The fluoroscopy exposure could be minimized, even to zero, in the ICEguided LAAC procedures feasibly and safely using LAmbre devices. The orthogonal triaxial technique is considered efficacious and safe for the procedures.

V2O5 is a promising candidate for cathode active material for Li-ion batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity but suffers from poor rate capability and cycling stability. To cover these disadvantages, in this work, a low-cost and facile sol-gel method to prepare TiO2-coated V2O5 microspheres is developed for the first time. The prepared V2O5@TiO2 composite could deliver an initial capacity of 297.7 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 in the potential range of 2.0–4.0 V (vs. Li+/Li). Moreover, the capacity of 247.0 mA h g−1 could be delivered at 1000 mA g−1, and 86% of capacity could be retained after 100 cycles. Even at a large current density of 5000 mA g−1, it could still deliver a high capacity of 197.3 mA h g−1 with a capacity retention of 93.5% after 200 cycles. The outstanding rate and cycling stability of V2O5@TiO2 composite indicate that it holds bright prospect for using as an excellent cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries.

BACKGROUND The pathologic process of ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy) typically originates in the epicardium or subepicardial layers with progression toward endocardium. However, in the most recent ARVC international task force consensus statement, epicardial ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation is recommended as a Class I indication only in patients with at least one failed endocardial VT ablation attempt. OBJECTIVE The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the outcomes of ARVC patients undergoing combined endo-epicardial VT ablation, as compared to endocardial ablation alone. METHODS A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane was performed for studies reporting clinical outcomes of endo-epicardial VT ablation vs endocardial-only VT ablation in patients with ARVC. Fixed-Effect model was used if I2 < 25 and the Random-Effects Model was used if I2 ≥ 25%. RESULTS Nine studies consisting of 452 patients were included (mean age 42.3 ± 5.7 years; 70% male). After a mean follow-up of 48.1 ± 21.5 months, endo-epicardial ablation was associated with 42% relative risk reduction in VA recurrence as opposed to endocardial ablation alone (risk ratio [RR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.75; P

Alumina as dielectric material is commonly prepared via anodizing high purity etched foils in electrolyte, which vitally determines the performance of aluminum electrolytic capacitor. However, the ...

Field muskmelon seeds contain plenty of oil. However, its potential as vegetable food oil has not been explored comprehensively. This study used three different processes, cold extrusion (CE), coasting followed by cold extrusion (R-CE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), for the extraction of field muskmelon seed oil (FMSO) and studied its quality characteristics such as color, fatty acid composition, and volatile components. The study found that FMSO is abundant in unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and has a pleasant aroma. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that FMSO contains five main fatty acids, palmitic (11.85 ± 0.03 to12.52 ± 0.03%), linoleic (60.94 ± 1.31 to 64.78 ± 0.77%), oleic (16.64 ± 0.26 to 18.95 ± 0.47%), elaidic (0.85 ± 0.05 to 1.06 ± 0.03%), and stearic (5.67 ± 0.03 to 8.44 ± 0.06%) acids. The relative content of fatty acids showed significant variation depending on the extraction process (P < 0.05). Furthermore, volatile components were obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by GC-MS. In total, 42, 53, and 91 volatile components were identified in FMSO extracted by CE, R-CE, and SFE, respectively. R-CE extraction promoted pyrazines content (51.51 ± 3.15%) and reduced esters and acids, while SFE extraction promoted the contents of hydrocarbons (26.00 ± 2.10%) and aldehydes (26.00 ± 2.78%). Meanwhile, the contents of esters (13.43±0.6%), alcohols (12.81 ± 0.16%), and acids (11.41 ± 0.23%) were higher in CE extracted FMSO than that extracted by R-CE and SFE. These results suggest that FMSO with high UFA content and pleasant aroma could be a potential source of vegetable food oil.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMJs) combined with FOLFOX4 regimen could achieve favorable effects in the treatment of gastric cancer. However, the efficacy and safety of different TCMJs combined with FOLFOX4 in the treatment of gastric cancer have not been fully clarified. Due to the fact that there are as many as 10 kinds of TCMJs, how to choose an appropriate TCMJ has become an urgent clinical problem. The objective of this network meta-analysis is to explore the optimal options among different TCMJs for gastric cancer. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, China Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang Data were searched to identify randomized controlled trials which focused on TCMJs combined with FOLFOX4 against gastric cancer from its inception to September 2021. Subsequently, 2 researchers will be independently responsible for literature screening, data extraction, and assessment of their quality. Standard pair-wise and Bayesian network meta-analysis will be performed to compare the efficacy and safety of different TCMJs combined with FOLFOX4 regimen via Stata 14.0 and WinBUGS1.4 software. Results: The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusions: The conclusion of this systematic review will provide evidence for selecting an optimal TCMJ combined with FOLFOX4 for patients with gastric cancer.

In this work, correlative parameters of the interfacial layer adjacent to an electrode in BaZr0.35Ti0.65O3 (BZT) films, including the thickness of an interface layer ( δ), the effective charge density ( Neff) in a depleted layer, and other material related parameters, were evaluated. To the 145 nm-thick BZT films on different bottom electrodes, the sample with thick δ and large Neff behaved with slim P– E loops (efficiency >85.0%) and a desirable energy density of 42.1 J/cm3. While in the bulk effect dominated 300 nm-thick BZT films, a much high energy density of 83.5 J/cm3 with an efficiency of 80.5% was achieved. These suggest that the energy storage properties can be modulated through the control of the structure of the electrode/BZT interface and the film thickness.

Atrial fibrosis occurs frequently with structural heart disease and is considered as a major cause of arrhythmia. Microarray-based profiling predicted the differential expression of SPP1 in atrial fibrosis. Herein, we aimed to analyze the role of shRNA-mediated SPP1 knockdown in the progression of atrial fibrosis as well as the downstream mechanism. In vivo model in mice and in vitro HL-1 cell model of atrial fibrosis were developed by the angiotensin II (Ang II) method, where SPP1 expression was validated by RT-qPCR. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed in Ang II-induced mice and HL-1 cells to evaluate the effect of the SPP1/TGF-β/SREBP2/PCSK9 axis on cell viability, apoptosis, collagen production and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in atrial fibrosis. Expression of SPP1, TGF-β, SREBP2 and PCSK9 was increased in Ang II-induced mice and HL-1 cells. Silencing of SPP1 inhibited the occurrence of atrial fibrosis, as reflected by attenuated cell viability and collagen production as well as increased cell apoptosis. Conversely, upregulated SPP1 enhanced atrial fibrosis, which was related to upregulation of TGF-β. In addition, TGF-β elevated the expression of SREBP2, which promoted mtDNA damage and the consequent atrial fibrosis by augmenting the expression of PCSK9. This study uncovers previously unrecognized pro-fibrotic activities of SPP1 in atrial fibrosis, which is achieved through activation of the TGF-β/SREBP2/PCSK9 signaling pathway and promotion of mtDNA damage.

6G is believed to go beyond communication and provide integrated sensing and computing capabilities for a vision of Connected Intelligence with everything connected, everything sensed, and everything intelligent. Integrated sensing and communication will play a vital role for the fusion of physical and cyber worlds. The exploration of higher frequency bands, larger bandwidth, and more advanced large antenna technologies is paving the way towards the goal. In particular, the study of THz opens the possibility to have high resolution sensing and imaging capability on a communication mobile device. In this paper, we take a step along this direction and justify such possibility by building a THz sensing prototype with millimeter level imaging resolution while considering the physical aperture constraint of typical mobile device.

This prospective study evaluated the image quality and accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), in which CCTA used adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR) with a low tube voltage and low concentration of isotonic contrast agent. Sixty-eight consecutive patients with AF and suspected CAD were equally and randomly apportioned to two groups and underwent CCTA. In the experimental group, the contrast agent was iodixanol (270 mg I/mL), patients were scanned with 100 kV, and reconstruction was by AIDR. In the conventional scanning (control) group, the contrast agent was iopromide (370 mg I/mL), patients were scanned with 120 kV, and reconstruction was by filtered back projection. The image quality, effective radiation dose (E), and total iodine intake of the groups were compared. Thirty-nine patients with coronary artery stenosis later were given invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The groups were similar with regard to mean CT value, noise, and signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios. The figure of merit of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, while the E and total iodine were significantly lower. Using ICA as the diagnostic reference, the groups shared similar sensitivity, specificity, and false positive and false negative rates for diagnosing coronary artery stenosis. For determining CAD in patients with AF, CCTA with isotonic low-concentration contrast agent and low-voltage scanning is a feasible alternative that improves accuracy and reduces radiation dose and iodine intake.

Effects of tea polyphenols (TP) on the structural and physicochemical properties of rice starch were evaluated under a 30 min high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment (200–600 MPa). The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated a reduction in the gelatinization temperatures and the gelatinization enthalpy of rice starch/tea polyphenols (RS/TP) mixtures with increasing pressure levels. At 400 MPa, RS/TP mixtures (30% TP addition, starch basis) were entirely gelatinized in 30 min, and the rice starch gelatinization was enhanced with increasing TP concentration. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and NMR (solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMRs) revealed a reduction in crystallinity and peak intensity of RS/TP mixtures with increasing TP concentration at 400 MPa, which resulted from the increasing starch disruption extent induced by TP. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the surface and interior structures of starch granules were destroyed depending on the pressure level and TP concentrations. In summary, the overall results suggested that the TP accelerate HHP-induced gelatinization and changed the structural and physicochemical properties of rice starch under sufficiently high pressure (≥400 MPa) at room temperature.

The study was to improve the stability of blueberry anthocyanins (ANS) by encapsulating it with carboxymethyl starch (CMS)/xanthan gum (XG) combinations of five ratios (CMS/XG: 30/1, 60/1, 90/1, 120/1, 150/1, w/w). The results revealed that all the microcapsules presented high encapsulation efficiency. Fluorescence microscopy showed that ANS distributed homogenously through CMS/XG combinations, and the microcapsules revealed red-purple color. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that CMS/XG combinations working as wall materials increased the thermal stability of ANS. The cross-linking interactions between the CMS/XG combinations and ANS were confirmed by FTIR and 13C solid-state NMR. Microcapsules created with an CMS/XG ratio of 30/1 provided superior antioxidant stability. Furthermore, the storage stability results showed that the stability of ANS was increased to 76.11% after the 30-day storage (37 °C) through CMS/XG. The in vitro release experiments revealed that the ANS were majorly retained inside CMS/XG-ANS microcapsules in the stomach, and released in the intestine. CMS/XG combinations microencapsulation can be a suitable method for stabilizing blueberry anthocyanins.

Quality characteristics of parboiled rice pre-treated by ultra-high pressures (UHP, 100–600 MPa) were investigated in this study. The LF-NMR results and morphologies of parboiled rice grain showed that UHP treatment promoted uniform distribution of water in rice grain and effectively eliminated “white-core” grain. The total colour difference (ΔE*) increased with increasing treatment pressures. DSC results showed that onset gelatinization temperature (To) of rice flour was increased after soaking but decreased after UHP treatment. And the degree of starch gelatinization (DSG) presented an increase at 100 and 200 MPa, but opposite trends were found at 200–600 MPa. Scanning electron microscopic images showed that the morphology of starch in rice changed a little after UHP treatment but lost polygonal shape after steaming. RVA results showed that the viscosity of rice flour increased after soaking and whether rice flour or parboiled rice flour's viscosity decreased with increasing pressures.

Background/Purpose: Experience in procedures combining left atrial appendage (LAA) closure (LAAC) and catheter ablation (CA) was scarce in Chinese nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with high risks for stroke and bleeding. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy with LAAC and AF CA in a single procedure based on the multicenter data and medium-term follow-up results. Methods: A total of 122 AF patients with a mean CHA2DS2-VASc score of 4.3 ± 1.4 and HAS-BLED score of 3.3 ± 1.0 were enrolled. The Watchman (n = 83) devices were implanted either before or after AF ablations in the same procedure, while the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP, n = 39) devices were implanted immediately after CA. AF recurrence and transesophageal echocardiography results were evaluated. Results: All devices were successfully implanted and acute complete LAA occlusions were achieved in 115 (94.3%) of patients. Neither acute nor chronic peri-device leaks greater than 5 mm were detected. Oral anticoagulation was held in all patients but two with asymptomatic device-related thrombi, which were resolved after prolonged anticoagulation. AF-free success rate without antiarrhythmic drugs was 76.2% after a mean follow-up of 11.5 ± 6.8 months. No serious complications were observed during the follow-up. Conclusion: The combination therapy with LAAC and AF ablation in a single procedure was efficacious and safe in the Chinese symptomatic AF population with high risk for stroke and bleeding. Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, Catheter ablation, Left atrial appendage closure, Oral anticoagulation

The contribution of different states of adsorbed water to the sub-Tg dynamics of cellulose was investigated by means of dielectric spectroscopy in couple with LF-NMR. The distribution and hydration state of adsorbed water in cellulose were determined by LF-NMR, based on which the role that different state of adsorbed water plays in typical secondary dielectric relaxations is discussed in detail. The variation of the dynamic characteristics of these relaxations suggested that three states of bound water present in moist cellulose, including tightly bound, non-freezable loosely bound, and freezable loosely bound water. It was discovered that different state of adsorbed water has obviously different contribution to these relaxations and the role that a certain state of bound water plays in different relaxations also varies. For cellulose with very high moisture content, an additional relaxation due to the dynamics of interfacial ice-like water was also observed.

Green tea extract (GTE), black tea extract (BTE) and oolong tea extract (OTE) were added into noodle formulation at 0.5–2.0% levels (based on flour weight) to produce dry Chinese white salted noodles with enhanced antioxidant capacity and starch digestion inhibitory ability. Dough mixing properties, and subsequent noodle color, cooking yield and cooked noodle texture were affected by the tea extract level and type. Meanwhile, the total phenolic contents (0.23–0.90 GAE g/100 g dry weight), DPPH free radical scavenging activity (1.96–6.25 g DPPH/100 g dry weight) and resistant starch content (0.64–18.48 g/100 g, dry weight) of noodles increased as the tea extract addition increased from 0.0 to 2.0%. The predicted glycemic index (pGI) had the greatest reduction from 91.12% for control to 76.23% for 2.0% OTE. Tea extracts at 1.0–2.0% addition levels are recommended as they had little effect on the cooking qualities of noodles, but were very effective to improve the antioxidant properties and glycemic response control.

Low-cost and earth-abundant nickel chalcogenides with versatilities in electrocatalysis, conversion and storage of energy are hindered in practical application due to the low electrical conductivity and small specific surface area. In the present work, we report a simple preparation of 2D nanocomposites of NiSx (5 nm) uniformly embedded in several layered graphite (NiSx@graphite) through the sulfidation of nickel naphtalenedicarboxylic acid framework nanosheets (∼9 nm). The obtained NiSx@graphite nanosheet composites are used for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis. Electrochemical studies reveal that their OER activities under strongly alkaline conditions are ranked in the order of Ni9S8@graphite > NiS@graphite > NiS2@graphite. The outstanding OER performance offered by Ni9S8@graphite owes to the synergistic effects of large specific surface area and the special structure between nickel sulfide and graphite layer, and the intrinsic large TOFs and the optimal adsorption energy of Ni9S8. Furthermore, Ni9S8@graphite as an anode material used for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) also shows a high specific capacity with competitive rate performance. Such excellent performance and low price render nickel chalcogenides a promising candidate for the future OER catalyst and LIBs application. Ministry of Education (MOE) This work was financially supported by the China Scholarship Council (201706280166), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 51472198, 51772237, 51777152), Singapore MOE Tier 1 (grant number M4011959), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant number XJJ2016020), the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars.

Background: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is an alternative to oral anticoagulation for thromboembolic prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Left atrial (LA) catheter ablation (CA) in patients with LAAO devices has not been well investigated. Here, we report on the safety and efficacy of LA CA in patients with nitinol cage or plug LAAO devices. Methods: A total of 18 patients (aged 67 ± 11 years; 14 males; 5 paroxysmal AF) with LAAO devices (nitinol cage, n = 10; nitinol plug, n = 8) and symptomatic LA tachyarrhythmias were included. Periprocedural and follow-up data were assessed. Results: A total of 20 LA CA procedures were performed at a median of 130 (63, 338) days after LAAO. The strategy of CA consisted of circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (n = 16), linear lesions (n = 14) and complex fractionated atrial electrogram ablation (n = 6). No major adverse events occurred periprocedurally. Repeated transesophageal echocardiography showed no device-related thrombus, newly developed peridevice leakage or device dislodgement. After a median follow-up period of 793 (376, 1090) days, four patients (22%) experienced LA tachyarrhythmias recurrence and two received redo LA CA. No patients suffered stroke or major bleeding events during follow-up. Conclusions: LA CA in patients with LAAO devices (either nitinol cages or nitinol plugs) seems to be safe and efficient in our single-center experience.

Layered Li2MnO3 mixed with sucrose is heat-treated at low temperature under air atmosphere. A uniform carbon layer is found to be coated on Li2MnO3 active material according to the analysis of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The thin carbon coating is in favor of good electrical contact between the cathode active particles as well as prevents the direct contact between the active material and electrolyte. Based on X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, the crystal structure of Li2MnO3 is not degraded and some Mn4+ on the surface is reduced to Mn3+ during the carbon coating process in air. The galvanostatic charge-discharge results show the carbon coated Li2MnO3 exhibits greatly improved discharge capacity and rate capability. The carbon modified Li2MnO3 treated for 40 min delivers initial discharge capacity of 280.5 mAh g−1 at 10 mA g−1 and 117.5 mAh g−1 at 400 mA g−1 while the pristine sample only delivers 229.1 and 51.8 mAh g−1 at the same current densities. The significantly improved high rate performance demonstrates this synthesis route is a reliable approach for conductive carbon coating on cathode materials used in lithium ion batteries.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Anticoagulant therapy is suggested within 45 days after Watchman device implantation for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). A previous study demonstrated that non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were a feasible peri- and postprocedural alternative to warfarin. The present study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of using different anticoagulants (low-dose NOACs vs. warfarin) within 45 days after Watchman device implantation in a Chinese population. METHODS Patients with successful Watchman device implantation from October 2014 to June 2020 were included. All patients received anticoagulants within 45 days after the procedure, and those patients were divided into three groups according to the type of postprocedural anticoagulants. Transesophageal echocardiography follow-up was performed 45 days post procedure to assess residual flow and the occurrence of device-related thrombus (DRT). RESULTS A total of 368 patients were enrolled in the study. The study population was divided into three groups: the warfarin group (n = 77), the dabigatran group (n = 165) and the rivaroxaban group (n = 126). Periprocedural major bleeding was higher in the warfarin group (2.6% vs. 0% vs. 0%, P = 0.043), while minor bleeding was comparable among the groups (3.9% vs. 1.2% vs. 0.8%, P = 0.230). No periprocedural transient ischemic attack/stroke occurred. At follow-up, the incidence of DRT was higher in the warfarin group than in the other groups (4.2% vs. 0.6% vs. 0.8%; P = 0.116), but the difference was not statistically significant. The rates of thromboembolic and bleeding events were similar in the three groups. CONCLUSION The safety and efficacy of low-dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban were comparable to those of warfarin within 45 days after Watchman device implantation in a Chinese population.

IntroductionMultiple algorithms based on 12-lead ECG measurements have been proposed to identify the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) locations from which ventricular tachycardia (VT) and frequent premature ventricular complex (PVC) originate. However, a clinical-grade machine learning algorithm that automatically analyzes characteristics of 12-lead ECGs and predicts RVOT or LVOT origins of VT and PVC is not currently available. The effective ablation sites of RVOT and LVOT, confirmed by a successful ablation procedure, provide evidence to create RVOT and LVOT labels for the machine learning model.MethodsWe randomly sampled training, validation, and testing data sets from 420 patients who underwent successful catheter ablation (CA) to treat VT or PVC, containing 340 (81%), 38 (9%), and 42 (10%) patients, respectively. We iteratively trained a machine learning algorithm supplied with 1,600,800 features extracted via our proprietary algorithm from 12-lead ECGs of the patients in the training cohort. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated from the internal validation data set to choose an optimal discretization cutoff threshold.ResultsThe proposed approach attained the following performance: accuracy (ACC) of 97.62 (87.44–99.99), weighted F1-score of 98.46 (90–100), AUC of 98.99 (96.89–100), sensitivity (SE) of 96.97 (82.54–99.89), and specificity (SP) of 100 (62.97–100).ConclusionsThe proposed multistage diagnostic scheme attained clinical-grade precision of prediction for LVOT and RVOT locations of VT origin with fewer applicability restrictions than prior studies.

In this study, wheat starch (WS) and rice protein hydrolysates (RPHs) RPH2 and RPH4 were subjected to hydrothermal treatment to explore the interaction between the two and the relationship between this interaction and starch digestibility in vitro. Rice protein hydrolysates limit the hydration and expansion of starch, increase the gelatinization temperature and decrease the gelatinization enthalpy. The addition of hydrolysates showed a potent ability to mitigate starch digestion. Compared with the content of WS, the contents of the slowly digested starch and resistant starch in the WS-12%RPH4 complexes increased from 31.4% and 36.1%to 33.3% and 46.7%, respectively. RPH2 and RPH4 had similar but different effects on starch properties. RPH changed the water distribution by affecting the interactions between starch molecular chains, resulting in changes in the gel network. The recrystallization of starch molecules was inhibited by the addition of 4% and 8% RPH, while 12% RPH promoted defective but extensive co-crystallization. The phase separation induced by 20% RPH addition enhanced the interaction between amylopectin chains.

Background Substrate catheter ablation of scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a widely accepted therapeutic option for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate whether concomitant amiodarone therapy affects procedural outcomes. Methods A total of 134 consecutive patients (89% male; age 66 ± 10 years) with ICM undergoing catheter ablation of VT were included in the study. Patients were sorted by amiodarone therapy before ablation. In all patients, a substrate-based catheter ablation (endocardial ± epicardial) in sinus rhythm abolishing all “abnormal” electrograms within the scar was performed. The endpoint of the procedure was VT noninducibility. After the ablation procedure, all antiarrhythmic medications were discontinued. All patients had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, and recurrences were analyzed through the device. Results In 84 patients (63%), the ablation was performed on amiodarone; the remaining 50 patients (37%) were off amiodarone. Patients had comparable baseline characteristics. Mean scar size area was 143.6 ± 44.9 cm2 on amiodarone vs 139.2 ± 36.8 cm2 off amiodarone (P = .56). More radiofrequency time was necessary to achieve noninducibility in the off-amiodarone group compared to the on-amiodarone group (68.1 ± 20.1 minutes vs 51.5 ± 19.7 minutes; P Conclusion Albeit, VT noninducibility after substrate catheter ablation for scar related VT was achieved faster, with less radiofrequency time and less need for epicardial ablation in patients taking amiodarone, these patients had significantly higher VT recurrence at long-term follow-up when this medication was discontinued.

In situ scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was used for depth profiling of black rice and the visualisation and quantification of the heterogeneous protein distribution. The SEM-EDS images of black rice grains revealed high protein content in the aleuronic layer, cell membrane and amyloplasts, especially in the spheroidal particles among the amyloplasts. This phenomenon has not been directly observed by other apparatuses because successive abrasion of brown rice by milling destroys the integrity of the cell walls and amyloplasts. Consistent with the SEM-EDS findings, confocal laser scanning microscopy and the Kjeldahl method preformed after successive milling indicated that the protein content of black rice decreases from the surface to the inner layer. Pasting curves obtained with a viscometer indicate that the protein distribution significantly affects the peak viscosity, setback viscosity, and pasting temperature of rice starch. Protein extraction weakened the structural stability of starch granules, possibly because the protective effect of protein is lost during extraction. This study improves the understanding of the protein distribution in rice grains and its effect on the pasting properties of rice starch; the findings are useful in food processing for managing rice nutrient compositions.

In this work, Al2O3 coated Mn3O4@C composite was prepared using normal solution deposition method. A uniformly ultrathin Al2O3 coating grown directly on a nanosized Mn3O4@C composite electrode prevents dissolution of manganese elements in electrolyte, decreases capacity loss and maintains structure stability. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction confirm the presence of Mn3O4, C and Al. The Mn3O4@C@Al2O3 electrode delivers an initial charging capacity of 589 mA h g−1 at current rate of 100 m A g−1 and maintains high reversible charging capacity of 558 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles. When current density increases to 1000 mA g−1, it still shows an excellent rate performance of 337 mA h g−1. Al2O3 coated Mn3O4@C composite are promoting battery performance such as cycling stability and high-rate performance.

Derived from avocado fruit, a three dimension (3D) carbon is prepared via a hydrothermal/pyrolysis process followed by embedding with MnO nanoparticles by a wet chemical method and coating with Al 2 O 3 through an atomic layer deposition technique. The obtained material presents a hierarchical structure that MnO nanocrystals wrapped in 3D carbon and then encapsulated in a uniform Al 2 O 3 layer with a thickness of about 5 nm. Benefiting from this hierarchical structure in which 3D carbon offers numerous electronic pathways to enhance the conductivity and Al 2 O 3 nanolayer provide a shelter to keep away from dissolution of Mn 4+ and volume changes during charge/discharge process. This material (marked as C/MnO@Al 2 O 3 ) has exhibited high rate performance and excellent cyclability as an anode for lithium ion batteries. A high specific capacity of about 600 mA h g −1 is achieved at a current density of 1000 mA g −1 and the electrode can still deliver a high specific capacity of about 1165 mA h g −1 at 150 mA g −1 after 100 cycles. These results facilitate a green and high potential of anode materials towards promising devices for advance performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Objectives This was a meta-analysis of published studies to examine the impact of early referral on outcomes after catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with structural heart disease. Background Patients are frequently referred for VT ablation after failure of antiarrhythmic drugs to control VT. Some studies have suggested that early referral might confer better outcomes. Methods An electronic search was performed using major databases. The primary outcomes were long-term VT recurrence and total mortality. Secondary outcomes were acute procedural success and acute complications. Results Three studies were included with a total of 980 patients (mean age 64 ± 12 years, 71% males). Mean follow-up was 29 ± 27 months. Early referral for VT ablation was associated with decreased VT recurrence and acute complications compared with late referral (relative risk: 0.69 [95% confidence interval: 0.58 to 0.82], p Conclusions Late referral for VT ablation was associated with worse outcomes (VT recurrence and acute complications) in patients with structural heart disease, which suggests that early referral for VT ablation might be a reasonable consideration in this patient population.

The swollen culms of Zizania latifolia is a popular vegetable and traditional herbal medicine mainly consumed in some Asian countries. In our previous study, water extractable polysaccharide (ZLPs-W) and alkali extractable polysaccharide (ZLPs-A) was sequentially prepared from the swollen culms of Zizania latifolia. In vitro cell assay revealed that ZLPs-W without cytotoxicity had higher immunomodulatory activity than ZLPs-A. Therefore, in this study, ZLPs-W was further separated to three purified polysaccharides of ZLPs-W1, ZLPs-W2, and ZLPs-W3 by anion exchange chromatography and size exclusive chromatography in sequence. They were found to be homogeneous polysaccharides in β-type glycosidic linkage. ZLPs-W1 and ZLPs-W2 without triple helix conformation mainly contained Glc in molar percentage of 96.47% and 85.1%, respectively. ZLPs-W3 with triple helix conformation mainly consisted of Man, Rha, GalA, Glc, Gal and Ara in the molar ratio of 10.23:14.14:37.44:17.14:16.54:4.51. In addition, all the three purified polysaccharides could effectively enhanced the proliferation, phagocytosis, and nitric oxide production of murine macrophage RAW 264.7, suggesting that they possessed a potent immunostimulatory activity and could be developed as immunomodulator in medicine or functional food areas.

Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite has emerged as a potentially scalable approach to prepare graphene. However, most of exfoliated graphite particles are inhomogeneous and multilayer stacked structures including tens of layers thick graphite exist inevitably, thus the yield of few-layer graphene remains limited. In this study, we here propose a high-yield, scalable electrochemical exfoliation method in a ternary deep eutectic melts containing acetamide, urea and ammonium nitrate, where high viscosity, higher anionic intercalation potential and low migration speed can bring anions with solvents could co-intercalated into graphite uniformly, expand the interlayer of graphite gallery and then form steady graphite intercalation compounds, affording to complete sufficient intercalation. Finally decomposition of the intercalant facilitates expanded graphite to be exfoliated into graphene. Consequently, the yield is improved to 76% and the product primarily consists of 1–5 layer graphene, which exhibits a specific surface area (878 m2 g−1) close to the theoretical value of three-layer graphene. Furthermore, all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on the graphene deliver a high area capacitance of 120 mF cm−2, excellent mechanical flexibility and cycling stability (97.2% retention after 10000 cycles). This approach offers the potential for cost-effective, environmentally friendly and large-scale production of graphene and numerous advanced applications.

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common adverse events of anticancer therapies, with an incidence of up to 90%, which seriously affects the quality of life in cancer patients. Complementary and alternative therapies for CRF include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Tai Chi, Qigong, and massage therapy. Several studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exercise therapies, such as Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin, the classics of tendon changing, Six Healing Sounds, and Wu Qin Xi, can improve CRF, anxiety symptoms, and sleep quality in cancer patients. However, their specific efficacy and which TCM exercise therapy is the best remain controversial. In this study, we assess and compare the effects of different TCM exercise therapies on CRF, anxiety, and sleep quality in cancer patients by network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: Randomized controlled trials reporting TCM exercise therapies for CRF, anxiety and sleep quality in cancer patients published before October 2021 will be searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, China Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang Data. Two researchers will be independently responsible for literature screening, data extraction and assessment of their quality. Standard pair-wise and NMA will be performed to compare the efficacy of different TCM exercise therapies on CRF, anxiety and sleep quality in cancer patients using Stata 14.0 software. Results: The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusions: This NMA will contribute to identify the optimal TCM exercise therapy for CRF and provide evidence-based bias for clinical decision-making. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was not required for this study. The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences, and shared on social media platforms. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/MJ8DA.

The effects of the molecular structures of amylopectins on the enzymatic hydrolysis of waxy-rice amylopectin (WRA) and normal-rice amylopectin (NRA) were investigated. The results indicated that compared to NRA, WRA possessed larger chain length, number of chains, internal chain length, degree of polymerisation, interblock chain length, and lower degree of branching and short:long B-chains, which caused WRA was much less susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis than NRA. The digestibility curves for WRA and NRA were well fitted by the first-order kinetic equation. WRA and NRA were hydrolyzed in two separates phases in the LOS plots. Whether using α-amylase alone, or together with amyloglucosidase, WRA and NRA exhibited different digestibility rates due to different chain structure of amylopectin. The low C 1∞ values predicted that WRA and NRA would have little impact on blood glucose concentrations in the early digestion stage. HPLC results showed that G1 ∼ G5 from WRA using α-amylase were lower than that from NRA, whereas from WRA were higher than that from NRA. There was the synergism between α-amylase and amyloglucosidase in glucose released from WRA and NRA.

The effects of various glycerol concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 50%, w/w) on the morphologies and gelatinization behaviours of corn starch were evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rapid visco-analyzer (RVA). When corn starch granules with no added glycerol were treated at 65°C, the granules of corn starch were almost completely broken and tightly connected, and the characteristic birefringence of the starch granules disappeared. Various microscopic techniques revealed that starch gelatinization was delayed to higher temperatures as the glycerol concentration increased. In the presence of glycerol-water systems (5%, 10%, 20%, and 50%, w/w), the peak temperatures of corn starch increased by 1.6°C, 7.4°C, 10.7°C, and 19.7°C, respectively, compared to corn starch in water. The RVA pasting profiles showed that the gelatinization temperature increased as the glycerol concentration increased, which was consistent with polarized light microscope observations and DSC tests.

Green roofs are an important part of urban green spaces. A good roof soil system contributes to the stability of the green roof ecosystem in harsh environments. Biochar as a soil additive can improve soil nutrients, although the mechanism of improvement on the roof substrate is still unclear. This research studied the effects on the physical and chemical properties of green roof soil and analyzed the biological characteristics of green roofs at five gradient ratios of biochar addition (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% biochar, v/v). The results indicated that biochar could improve the soil porosity (5.3–9.3%) and reduce the bulk density (3.9–10.8%), increase the soil moisture (14.0–37.2%), adjust the temperature, available nutrients and cation exchange capacity (38.1–75.9%) and regulate the soil pH values of the green roof. The biomass of soil microbes, eukaryotes and plants were increased by 75.3%, 199.2% and 57.5%, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation between microbial diversity and soil nutrients was more significant due to the addition of biochar, and the increase of the phosphorus (P) and carbon (C) contents was the main factor affecting the microbial community. The structural equation model showed that biochar has a direct impact on the microbial diversity by improving the soil moisture, temperature and available nutrients, and the increase of the microbial diversity is conducive to plant growth. Summarily, biochar can be considered as a potential additive for roof soil amendment and promoting the growth of plants and microbes, which is beneficial to the development of a roof ecosystem.

Benefitting from high abundance and low cost, sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) have been considered as promising energy storage device in large-scale application. However, low cycling stability and poor rate performance originated from the large size and heavy weight of the sodium ions hinder its application. In this work, a green ball dianthus-like sodium titanate (Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 ) with a tunnel structure and large interlayer space has been synthesized via hydrothermal method and its formation mechanism has been investigated. As NIBs anode materials, Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 exhibits excellent rate performance and superior cyclability. A high reversible capacity over 100 mA h g −1 is delivered at 1000 mA g −1 after 300 cycles. Even after 200 cycles at 500 mA g −1 and 200 cycles at 1000 mA g −1 , the electrode can afford a capacity of 66 mA h g −1 at 2000 mA g −1 without apparent decay after 200 cycles. This outstanding performance can attribute to the unique nano-structure and large interlayer space of Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 with a green ball dianthus-like morphology.

The effect of glycerol on gelatinization behaviours of high-amylose maize starch was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), texture analyzer (TPA) and rheometer. Gelatinization of the high-amylose maize starches with glycerol content of 10% (w/w) began at 95.4 °C (To), peaked at 110.3 °C (Tp), and completed at 118.9 °C (Tc). The birefringence began to disappear at around 100 °C and finished at 120 °C which corresponded well to the onset and conclusion temperatures obtained by DSC. The high-amylose maize starch granules maintained original morphological structure at 100 °C and swelled to a great degree at 110 °C. The high-amylose maize starch paste formed at 100 °C showed the lowest hardness (39.92 g), while at 120 and 130 °C, showed the highest hardness (610.89 g and 635.43 g, respectively). It should be noted that in going from 100 °C to 110 °C there is a significant increase in the viscosity of the slurry solution. The identical apparent viscosity was observed when the shear rate exceed 100 s−1, resulting from the high-amylose maize starch granules were completely gelatinized at 120 °C, which was consistent with DSC analysis.

A small-angle tilting technique, applied to scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), was used together with multislice image simulation to reveal new atomic-scale information about the structural evolution of single-crystalline Pt-doped CaTiO3 thin films, grown by pulsed laser deposition, that occurs in response to reduction and reoxidation treatments. Specifically, we were able to confirm that Pt atoms are randomly dispersed throughout the as-grown film, most often occupying Ti sites, show that the smallest (∼1 nm) Pt-rich clusters embedded within CaTiO3 after reduction have a structure consistent with metallic Pt, and demonstrate that the Pt atoms from these clusters occupy mainly Ca sites, in the form of ordered Pt-atom arrays, after reoxidation.