The Tunable Electronic and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional Bismuth Oxyhalides.

Two-dimensional (2D) bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX) have attracted much attention as potential optoelectronic materials. To explore their application diversity, we herewith systematically investigate the tunable properties of 2D BiOX using first-principles calculations. Their electronic and optical properties can be modulated by changing the number of monolayers, applying strain, and/or varying the halogen composition.

Long-term outcomes of drug-coated balloon treatment of calcified coronary artery lesions: a multicenter, retrospective, propensity matching study.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is associated with high rates of restenosis and adverse clinical events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of drug-coated balloon (DCB)-only treatment for lesions with and without CAC.

Methods: Patients with coronary disease treated with the DCB-only strategy were retrospectively enrolled from three centers and categorized into a CAC group and a non-CAC group.

Structural, Electronic and Optical Properties of Some New Trilayer Van de Waals Heterostructures.

Constructing two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures is an effective strategy for tuning and improving the characters of 2D-material-based devices. Four trilayer vdW heterostructures, BP/BP/MoS, BlueP/BlueP/MoS, BP/graphene/MoS and BlueP/graphene/MoS, were designed and simulated using the first-principles calculation. Structural stabilities were confirmed for all these heterostructures, indicating their feasibility in fabrication.

Short-term outcomes of drug-coated balloon versus drug-eluting stent for saphenous vein graft lesions in coronary heart disease.

Background: As a device for percutaneous coronary intervention, drug-coated balloon (DCB) is widely used to treat in-stent restenosis. However, data regarding the use of DCB in treating saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions are limited. This study aimed to explore the outcomes of using the DCB in the treatment of SVG lesions of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Long-term outcomes of less drug-eluting stents by the use of drug-coated balloons in coronary chronic total occlusion intervention: A multicenter observational study.

Background: Data on drug-coated balloons (DCB) for coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) are limited. We aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of substitution of drug-eluting stents (DES) by DCB.

Methods: We compared the outcomes of less DES strategy (DCB alone or combined with DES) and DES-only strategy in treating coronary CTO in this prospective, observational, multicenter study.

Investigating the Mediating Effect of Patient Self-Efficacy on the Relationship between Patient Safety Engagement and Patient Safety in Healthcare Professionals.

Patient safety and involvement of the patients in their safety engagement activities are considered the most important elements in the healthcare professions due to their impact on various individual and organizational outcomes. The study used responses of 456 patients. The simple random sampling (SRS) technique was used to collect data from the respondents.

Drug-Coated Balloon-Only Angioplasty Outcomes in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Patients with De Novo Small Coronary Vessels Disease.

Background: The revascularization of small vessels using drug-eluting stents remains challenging. The use of the drug-coated balloon is an attractive therapeutic strategy in de novo lesions in small coronary vessels, particularly in the diabetic group. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of DCB-only angioplasty in small vessel disease.

Clinical Outcomes of Drug-Coated Balloon in Coronary Patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus: A Multicenter, Propensity Score Study.

Background: Relative to nondiabetic patients, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with inferior clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of drug-coated balloon (DCB) in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients.

Methods And Results: In this observational, prospective, multicenter study, we compared the outcomes of patients with and without DM after undergoing PCI with DCBs.

Clinical outcomes of drug-coated balloon in coronary lesions: a real-world, all-comers study.

Backgrounds: Although drug-eluting stents are the most common interventional devices for patients with coronary disease, drug-coated balloons (DCBs) represent a novel therapeutic alternative in certain scenarios. This prospective, observational all-comers study explored the clinical outcomes of DCB use in patients with coronary lesions.

Methods And Results: All patients treated with DCBs were enrolled in this study, including patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR) or de novo lesions.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 as a miR-26a-5p sponge regulates ATG12-mediated cardiomyocyte autophagy and aggravates myocardial infarction.

Background: As a dominant cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction (MI) causes a considerable mortality globally. KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) was reported to be overexpressed in MI patients. However, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear.

The effect of left atrial remodeling after cryoballoon ablation and radiofrequency ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are the most common procedures used to treat refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) and are performed through pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Studies have shown that CBA can approximately match the therapeutic effects of RFA against AF. However, few studies have investigated the difference between CBA and RFA of the effects on left atrial remodeling for paroxysmal AF.

Effects of tri-frequency ultrasound-ethanol pretreatment combined with infrared convection drying on the quality properties and drying characteristics of scallion stalk.

Background: Having short drying time and attractive product quality are important in fruit and vegetable dehydration processing. In this work, tri-frequency (20, 40 and 60 kHz) ultrasound-ethanol pretreatment, ultrasound-water pretreatment and ethanol pretreatment were employed before infrared convection drying (ICD) of scallion stalks, which was aimed at improving the drying process and quality of the end products. The mass transfer, drying characteristics (moisture ratio and drying rate and quality properties of scallion (rehydration, color, flavor, optical microscope image, moisture distribution and microbiological quality) were analyzed.

Drug-coated balloon angioplasty: predicting outcomes based on different patterns of drug-eluting stent restenosis.

Although drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty is an effective therapy for drug-eluting stent- in stent restenosis (DES-ISR) after coronary stenting, recurrent ISR after DCB angioplasty still occurs. Different patterns of DES-ISR responding to DCB are largely unknown. This study sought to assess outcomes of different patterns of DES-ISR treated with DCB.

Cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide protects against cardiac fibrosis in diabetic mice heart by regulating endothelial-mesenchymal transition.

(CRAMP), antimicrobial peptide, was reported to protect against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. In the pathology of diabetic cardiomyopathy, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) results from hyperglycemia-induced endothelial injury, leading to cardiac fibrosis. This study aims to evaluate the effect of CRAMP on EndMT and cardiac fibrosis on diabetic mice heart.

The Glp-1 Analog Liraglutide Protects Against Angiotensin II and Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy via PI3K/Akt1 and AMPKa Signaling.

The Glp-1 analog, liraglutide (Lir), has been shown to reduce infarct size and improve cardiac function after myocardial ischemia in rodents with or without diabetes. However, the effect of Lir on angiotensin II (AngII) and pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy in nondiabetic mice and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lir on cardiac hypertrophy induced by AngII infusion and pressure overload and to explore its possible mechanism.

Effect of vacuum and ethanol pretreatment on infrared-hot air drying of scallion (Allium fistulosum).

This study examined the effects of vacuum, ethanol pretreatment, and infrared-hot air drying methods on the characteristics and quality of scallion slices. The pretreatment of scallion includes four conditions: 1) Control: soaking in distilled water under normal pressure, 2) Ethanol: soaking in 75% ethanol under normal pressure, 3) Water + VC: soaking in distilled water under a vacuum of 0.6 bar, 4) Ethanol + VC: soaking in 75% ethanol under a vacuum of 0.

Short-term outcomes from drug-coated balloon for coronary de novo lesions in large vessels.

Background: A drug-coated balloon (DCB) has been designed as a new device for the treatment of coronary artery disease. The data regarding DCB-treated lesions in large coronary artery are limited. The purpose of our study was to explore the effectiveness and safety of DCB in large coronary artery.

Drug-coated balloon in combination with bare metal stent strategy for de novo coronary artery disease: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Background: Studies examining the efficiency of drug-coated balloon (DCB) + bare metal stent (BMS) compared with stents alone for de novo lesions have reported inconsistent results. The present comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessed and compared the clinical efficacy and safety of DCB + BMS with those of stents alone for de novo coronary artery disease.

Methods: We formally searched electronic databases before September 2016 to identify potential studies.

The Effect of Anthocyanins on Blood Pressure: A PRISMA-Compliant Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

The findings of clinical studies concerning the association between anthocyanins supplementation and blood pressure (BP) are inconsistent. In order to provide a more precise estimate of the overall effect of anthocyanins on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), we conducted a meta-analysis of clinical trials about anthocyanins supplementation and BP. PubMed, Web of Science, Wanfang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (until October 2015) were searched to identify potential studies with information on anthocyanins extract supplementation and arterial BP.

Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Cardiac Nerves on Atrial Arrhythmia in Experimental Pulmonary Artery Hypertension.

Atrial arrhythmia, which includes atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL), is common in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), who often have increased sympathetic nerve activity. Here, we tested the hypothesis that autonomic nerves play important roles in vulnerability to AF/AFL in PAH. The atrial effective refractory period and AF/AFL inducibility at baseline and after anterior right ganglionated plexi ablation were determined during left stellate ganglion stimulation or left renal sympathetic nerve stimulation in beagle dogs with or without PAH.

[Beneficial effects of renal denervation on pulmonary vascular remodeling in experimental pulmonary artery hypertension].

Objective: To explore the effects of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) on pulmonary vascular remodeling in a model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: According to the random number table, 24 beagles were randomized into control, PAH and PAH+RSD groups (n=8 each). The levels of neurohormone, echocardiogram and dynamics parameters were measured.

[Renal sympathetic denervation suppresses ventricular substrate remodeling in a canine high-rate pacing model].

Objective: To explore the role of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) on ventricular substrate remodeling in dogs with pacing-induced heart failure (HF).

Methods: A total of 19 dogs were randomized into 3 groups of sham-operated control (n = 7), right ventricular pacing induction of HF (n = 6) and RSD (n = 6). After 8-week pacing induction of HF.

Beneficial Effects of Renal Denervation on Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Experimental Pulmonary Artery Hypertension.

Introduction And Objectives: Activation of both the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is closely associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. We hypothesized that renal denervation decreases renin-angiotensin-aldosterone activity and inhibits the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods: Twenty-two beagles were randomized into 3 groups.

Changes of serum neurohormone after renal sympathetic denervation in dogs with pacing-induced heart failure.

Background: Neurohormonal activation is a commonly cited array of phenomena in the body's physiologic response to heart failure (HF). The aim of the present study was to determine the change law of serum neurohormones after renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) in dogs with pacing-induced HF.

Methods: Twenty-eight beagles were randomly divided into control group, RSD group, HF group and HF + RSD group.