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Background: The impact of sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on the postoperative recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with persistent AF undergoing an initial radiofrequency ablation is not yet established. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors on the recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation in patients with type 2 diabetes complicated persistent AF. Methods: A total of 182 patients with type 2 diabetes and persistent AF, who underwent their first radiofrequency ablation for AF at our center, were enrolled and divided into two groups: the SGLT2 inhibitor group and the non‐SGLT2 inhibitor group. The main outcome of the follow‐up was the postoperative recurrence of AF. Results: A total of 49 participants experienced AF recurrence. The use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent AF ablation was associated with a significantly lower risk of AF recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.28–0.83; p <.01). Conclusions: The use of SGLT2 inhibitors is associated with a decreased risk of arrhythmia recurrence after AF ablation in patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with persistent AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins have the potential to increase the risk of airway or intestinal infection due to their effects on epithelial integrity and function. The bacterium Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is often carried in pigs and can cause outbreaks of invasive disease, leading to sepsis and meningitis in postweaning piglets. In this study, we tested the effect of two Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2) on the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and their interaction with S. suis. Porcine ileal organoids were exposed to DON and T-2 individually or in combination and co-cultured with or without S. suis. Both DON and T-2 were toxic for ileal organoid monolayers at a concentration of 1 µM but not S. suis, even at a higher concentration of 4 µM. To mimic sub-clinical exposures on farms, DON was tested at a concentration of 0.1 µM and T-2 at a concentration of 0.01 µM. The mycotoxins alone did not affect cell permeability, but in combination with S. suis there was an increase in epithelial permeability. Furthermore, DON and T-2 together decreased the transepithelial electrical resistance and increased bacterial translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the progression of electrophysiological phenomena in atrial fibrillation (AF) and elucidate the association between the left atrial conduction velocity (LACV) and AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation. Methods: A total of 188 AF patients (121 paroxysmal AF and 67 persistent AF) who underwent PVI for the first time were enrolled in this prospective study. The left atrium was mapped using a 20‐pole electrode catheter combined with the CARTO3 system. The conduction distances and conduction times of the left atrium from the Bachmann bundle area to the mitral isthmus were calculated. Anterior, posterior, and septal LACV were calculated as conduction distance divided by conduction time. Results: The anterior, posterior, and septal LACVs in the AF recurrence group were slower than those in the nonrecurrence group (anterior: 0.807 [0.766, 0.848] and 1.048 [1.000, 1.093] m/s, p <.05; posterior: 1.037 [0.991, 1.084] vs. 1.315 [1.249, 1.380] m/s, p <.05; septal: 0.904 [0.862, 0.946] vs. 1.163 [1.107, 1.219] m/s, p <.05). The best cut‐off value of anterior LACV for predicting AF recurrence was 0.887 m/s (sensitivity 73.9% and specificity 76.5%). Multivariate analysis showed slow anterior LACV <0.887 m/s was an independent predictor of AF recurrence with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.42 (1.04, 1.94). Conclusions: Slowing conduction velocity is a predictor of AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The visually assessed time difference between the mitral valve and tricuspid valve opening (VMT) score was correlated with the increase of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP). Hypothesis: We suspected that the VMT score might be a valuable prognostic biomarker for heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) patients. This study was to evaluate the predictive value of VMT score for 1‐year all‐cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)‐cause mortality in HFmrEF patients. Methods: This cohort study enrolled 379 patients aged ≥18 years old with HFmrEF. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis was employed to assess the association between VMT score and all‐cause or CVD‐cause mortality in HFmrEF patients. Hazards ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were effect sizes. Kaplan–Meier curves showed the survival probability of patients. The area under the curve (AUC) evaluated the prognostic value of the VMT score. Results: The risk of all‐cause mortality was increased in HFmrEF patients in the VMT score of 2 (HR = 2.80, 95%CI: 1.04–7.52) and 3 (HR = 4.29, 95%CI: 1.58–11.66). The VMT score of 3 was associated with an increased risk of 1‐year CVD‐cause mortality in patients with HFmrEF (HR = 7.63, 95%CI: 1.70–34.33). The AUC of VMT score for predicting 1‐year all‐cause mortality of HFmrEF patients was 0.724, and for predicting 1‐year CVD‐cause mortality of HFmrEF patients was 0.748. The survival probability of patients with the VMT score < 2 was higher than those with the VMT score of 2 and 3. Conclusion: The VMT score might be a reliable prognostic index for 1‐year all‐cause or CVD‐cause mortality of HFmrEF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedded liquid cooling is a preferred solution for dissipating the heat generated by high-power chips. The cooling capacity and pump power consumption of embedded liquid cooling heat sinks differ significantly between different structures. To achieve an accurate match between cooling capacity and heat dissipation requirements, the selection of a liquid-cooled heat sink should be carefully considered in conjunction with the heat dissipation needs of heat sources in real-world thermal management issues. Based on the manufacturing limitations on chip temperature and microchannel pressure, a composite performance index function was developed to assess the cooling capacity and cooling cost of the heat sink. This allowed for the establishment of an evaluation standard to determine the suitability of embedded liquid cooling and heat sink for the heat source. In this study, the suitability of four microchannel heat sinks with the same feature length and fin volume was evaluated under various thermal load conditions. The results show that the best-suited heat sink changes with variations in the thermal load of the chip. In the example, when the heat source was homogeneous at 100 W, the circular section pin fins have an optimal suitability of 0.928 for Re = 500. When the heat source was a heterogeneous heat source with a power of 100 W, the value of Θ was found to be 0.389. Additionally, the optimal suitability of drop section pin fins for Re = 971.5 was determined to be 0.862. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effect of frailty on the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods: The data of 238 AMI patients (aged ≥ 75 years) were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into two groups according to the Modified Frailty Index (mFI): frailty group (mFI≥ 0.27, n=143) and non-frailty group (mFI< 0.27, n=95). The major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACEs) and Kaplan–Meier survival curves of the two groups were compared. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for MACEs.Results: The frailty group showed a significantly older age as well as a higher N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide level, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events score, and CRUSADE bleeding score compared with the non-frailty group (P< 0.05). A significantly greater proportion of patients with combined heart failure, atrial fibrillation, comorbidity, and activities of daily living score of < 60 was also observed in the frailty group compared with the non-frailty group (P< 0.05). At 36 months after AMI, the frailty group vs the non-frailty group showed a significantly poorer survival (log-rank P=0.005), higher incidence of MACEs (50.35 vs 29.47, P=0.001), higher overall mortality rate (20.98% vs 7.37%, P=0.006), higher 30-day mortality rate (13.99% vs 5.26%, P=0.033), higher major bleeding rate (14.69% vs 5.26, P=0.018), and lower repeat revascularization rate (2.10% vs 8.42%, P=0.03). Frailty, type 2 diabetes, and N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide ≥ 1800 pg/mL were independent risk factors for MACEs.Conclusion: Frailty is an independent risk factor affecting the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]