Body mass index and the risk of abdominal hernia: a Mendelian randomization study

PURPOSE

Abdominal hernia (AH) is one of the most common clinical diseases. A large number of observational studies have found that obesity is an important risk factor for AH. However, the causal relationship between obesity and AH cannot be determined because of the clinical studies on AH induced by obesity are relatively few and only have some small- or medium-scale observational studies. Observational studies have so many confounding factors and reverse causality due to their shortcomings. From an evidence-based medicine perspective, they are not sufficiently convincing. Therefore, there is still a lack of high-quality, evidence-based medical evidence supporting a causal relationship between obesity and AH. A causal relationship between obesity and AH is also almost impossible to confirm by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Our study based on Mendelian randomization (MR) may provide a higher level of evidence-based medical support for the relationship between obesity and AH. Body mass index (BMI) is the most common measure used for defining obesity. Finally, we employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) to explore the causal relationship between BMI and AH.

METHODS

AH-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the FinnGen Biobank (FB), and BMI-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB). Genetic loci are used as instrumental variables (IVs), methods such as inverse variance weighted (IVW) were used for two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis, and the odds ratio (OR) value was used to evaluate the causal relationship between BMI and AH.

RESULTS

The results of the horizontal pleiotropy test were calculated by Egger-intercept method: p = 0.34 > 0.05. The Cochran Q test of MR-Egger method and IVW method showed heterogeneity P = 0.03 < 0.05, so the IVW random effect model was used as the gold standard. We found a genetically determined 1-standard deviation (SD) increment of BMI causally increased a 66.0% risk of AH (N = 371 SNPs, OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.46-1.89, p = 1.55E-14) based on the IVW random effect model which was almost consistent with the results of other seven methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MR found genetic evidence for BMI and AH. The risk of developing AH increases with the number of BMI. This finding provides further evidence that maintaining a healthy BMI can prevent the development of AH. In addition, clinicians may need to focus on the potential risk of AH on some high-BMI patients.

Current census of oncology critical care medicine in China

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this survey were to show the current situation of oncology critical care medicine in China by questionnaire, to understand the resource distribution of oncology critical care medicine and to analyze and evaluate the existing resources and reserve capacity of oncology critical care medicine in China.

METHODS

We conducted the survey mainly in the form of an online questionnaire. The Committee of Cancer Critical Care Medicine of the Chinese Anticancer Association (CACA) initiated the survey on 1 November 2017, and 36 member hospitals nationwide participated in the survey. The questionnaire included 10 items: investigator information, hospital information, general information of oncology critical care department, staffing of oncology critical care department, management in oncology critical care department, technical skills in oncology critical care department, patient source in oncology critical care department, equipment configuration in oncology critical care department, special skills in oncology critical care department and summary of the information.

RESULTS

The survey results included information from 28 member units, all of which were tertiary hospitals, distributed in 20 provinces and 4 direct-controlled municipalities. The results are as follows. (i) The total ratio of beds in the oncology critical care department to hospital beds was 1.06%, and the average number of beds in the oncology critical care department was 16.36. (ii) The ratio of physicians in the oncology critical care department to beds was ∼0.62:1, and the ratio of nurses to beds was ∼1.98:1. (iii) According to the census of the population and gross domestic product (GDP) of different regions conducted by the State Statistics Bureau in 2017, the ratio of beds in the oncology critical care department for tumor patients to the population was 4.55 beds per 10 million people, and the ratio of beds in the oncology critical care department to GDP was 8.00 beds per RMB 100 billion, on average. (iv) According to the requirements of the guidelines for the development and management of critical care medicine in China, the facilities in departments of oncology critical care medicine meet the requirements, and the technical skills of medical staff are competent.

CONCLUSION

The development of oncology critical care in China is becoming better, but there is still a certain gap compared with the intensive care unit standards in China and the average level of the nationwide. The development of oncology critical care medicine is urgent.

[CIC-rearranged sarcoma with rhabdoid features: a clinicopathological analysis]

Objective: To investigate the histopathologic, immunohistochemical, molecular genetic characteristics of CIC-rearranged sarcoma (CRS) with rhabdoid features. Methods: The clinical and pathologic data of two cases of CRS diagnosed between 2019 and 2021 at the Department of Pathology, Jiangsu Province Hospital were analyzed. Immunohistochemical study and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed. The relevant literature was reviewed. Results: Both patients were female, one was 58 years old, with tumor located in left thigh; the other was 43 years old, with tumor located in left pelvic cavity. Microscopically, both tumors were composed of small to medium-sized round, oval cells, arranged in nodules or sheets. The tumor cells showed irregular nuclear outline, coarse chromatin with prominent nucleoli and brisk mitotic activity. Both cases showed rhabdoid phenotype with myxoid stromal changes. Immunohistochemically, both cases were positive for CD99 and c-myc. High WT1 reactivity was seen in classic area, with low reactivity in rhabdoid area. There was no INI1 lost in both cases. Both were negative for NKX2.2 and NKX3.1. By FISH both cases demonstrated convincing break-apart signals of CIC gene. One patient died of disease after 1 month, and the other died of disease after 3 months. Conclusions: CRS is a small round cell undifferentiated sarcoma of the bone and soft tissue defined by molecular genetic characteristics, and may show atypical morphologic and immunophenotypic characteristics such as rhabdoid features. A correct understanding of its rare morphologic and immunophenotypic characteristics, combined with molecular pathologic detection, is conducive to correct diagnosis.

[Comparative analysis of metagenomic and 16S rDNA sequencing in gut microbiota of healthy elderly]

Objective: To explore the differences in subsequent analysis between metagenomic and 16Sr DNA sequencing in compositionally characterizing gut microbiota of healthy elderly. Methods: By using a panel study design, five monthly repeated measurements were performed among 76 healthy older people in Jinan City, Shandong Province. Their fecal samples were collected, and genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed through metagenomic and 16Sr DNA sequencing to compare the composition and diversity of gut microbiota. The correlation between species abundance and α diversity was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, and the correlation between species abundance and β diversity was determined by Procrustes analysis. Results: The age of 76 participants was (65.07±2.75), and the body mass index was (25.03±2.40) kg/m². There were 38 males and 38 females. A total of 345 fecal samples were obtained from five monthly repeated measurements. Compared with 16S rDNA sequencing, metagenomic sequencing showed more annotated species at each level. The difference in the number of two sequencing species increased with the decrease of the level. Although there were significant differences in species richness between the two sequencing methods. Their species richness was highly correlated at both phylum (r=0.88, P<0.001) and genus (r=0.77, P<0.001) levels. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the common dominant species. Gut microbiota diversity analysis further showed that there was a significantly positive correlation between α diversity (r=0.70, P<0.001) and β diversities (M²=0.84, P<0.05) in the two groups. Conclusion: The annotation efficiency of metagenomic sequencing is much higher than that of 16S rDNA sequencing. The two sequencing methods are consistent in phylum abundance as well as α diversity.

Insights into the spontaneous multi-scale supramolecular assembly in an ionic liquid-based extraction system

Herein, we report a four-step mechanism for the spontaneous multi-scale supramolecular assembly (MSSA) process in a two-phase system concerning an ionic liquid (IL). The complex ions, elementary building blocks (EBBs), [EBB]_n clusters and macroscopic assembly (MA) sphere are formed step by step. The porous large-sized [EBB]_n clusters in the glassy state can hardly stay in the IL phase and they transfer to the IL-water interface due to both electroneutrality and amphiphilicity. Then, the clusters undergo random collision in the interface driven by the Marangoni effect and capillary force thereafter. Finally, a single MA sphere can be formed owing to supramolecular interactions. To our knowledge, this is the first example realizing spontaneous whole-process supramolecular assembly covering microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic scales in extraction systems. The concept of multi-scale selectivity (MSS) is therefore suggested and its mechanism is revealed. The selective separation and solidification of metal ions can be realized in a MSSA-based extraction system depending on MSS. In addition, insights into the physicochemical characteristics of ILs from microscopic, mesoscopic to macroscopic scales are provided, and especially, the solvation effect of ILs on the large-sized clusters leading to the phase-splitting is examined. It is quite important that the polarization of uranyl in its complex, the growing of uranyl clusters in an IL as well as the glassy material of uranyl are investigated systematically on the basis of both experiment and theoretical calculations in this work.

Neuroinflammation: A Distal Consequence of Periodontitis

Periodontitis, a chronic, inflammatory disease, induces systemic inflammation and contributes to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The precise etiology of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, such as sporadic Alzheimer's, Parkinson's diseases and multiple sclerosis (AD, PD, and MS, respectively), remains to be revealed. Chronic neuroinflammation is a well-recognized component of these disorders, and evidence suggests that systemic inflammation is a possible stimulus for neuroinflammation development. Systemic inflammation can lead to deleterious consequences on the brain if the inflammation is sufficiently severe or if the brain shows vulnerabilities due to genetic predisposition, aging, or neurodegenerative diseases. It has been proposed that periodontal disease can initiate or contribute to the AD pathogenesis through multiple pathways, including key periodontal pathogens. Dysbiotic oral bacteria can release bacterial products into the bloodstream and eventually cross the brain-blood barrier; these bacteria can also cause alterations to gut microbiota that enhance inflammation and potentially affect brain function via the gut-brain axis. The trigeminal nerve has been suggested as another route for connecting oral bacterial products to the brain. PD and MS are often preceded by gastrointestinal symptoms or aberrant gut microbiome composition, and alterations in the enteric nervous system accompany the disease. Clinical evidence has suggested that patients with periodontitis are at a higher risk of developing PD and MS. This nexus among the brain, periodontal disease, and systemic inflammation heralds new ways in which microglial cells, the main innate immune cells, and astrocytes, the crucial regulators of innate and adaptive immune responses in the brain, contribute to brain pathology. Currently, the lack of understanding of the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration is hindering treatment development. However, we may prevent this pathogenesis by tackling one of its possible contributors (periodontitis) for systemic inflammation through simple preventive oral hygiene measures.

System-on-chip approach microwave imaging reflectometer on DIII-D tokamak

System-on-chip millimeter wave integrated circuit technology is used on the two-dimensional millimeter-wave imaging reflectometer (MIR) upgrade for density fluctuation imaging on the DIII-D tokamak fusion plasma. Customized CMOS chips have been successfully developed for the transmitter module and receiver module array, covering the 55-75 GHz working band. The transmitter module has the capability of simultaneously launching eight tunable probe frequencies (>0 dBm output power each). The receiver enclosure contains 12 receiver modules in two vertical lines. The quasi-optical local oscillator coupling of previous MIR systems has been replaced with an internal active frequency multiplier chain for improved local oscillator power delivery and flexible installation in a narrow space together with improved shielding against electromagnetic interference. The 55-75 GHz low noise amplifier, used between the receiver antenna and the first-stage mixer, significantly improves module sensitivity and suppresses electronics noise. The receiver module has a 20 dB gain improvement compared with the mini-lens approach and better than -75 dBm sensitivity, and its electronics noise temperature has been reduced from 55 000 K down to 11 200 K. The V-band MIR system is developed for co-located multi-field investigation of MHD-scale fluctuations in the pedestal region with W-band electron cyclotron emission imaging on DIII-D tokamak.

Hysteresis analysis reveals dissolved carbon concentration - discharge relationships during and between storm events

The dissolved carbon concentration, which is responsible for aquatic ecosystem productivity and water quality, is tightly coupled with hydrological processes. Excess dissolved carbon may exacerbate eutrophication and hypoxia in aquatic ecosystems and lead to deterioration of water quality. Storm events dominate the dynamics of dissolved carbon concentrations, and this nonlinear behavior exhibits significant time scale dependence. Here, we identified inter- and intra-event variability in the dissolved carbon concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationship in an agriculture-intensive catchment. The driving factors of C-Q hysteresis patterns for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) were quantified by redundancy analysis combined with hierarchical partitioning. At the inter-event scale, DIC exhibited mainly clockwise hysteresis, indicating an exhaustible, proximal source (e.g., groundwater). However, DOC hysteresis was generally counter-clockwise, indicating distal and plentiful sources (e.g., soil water) in the agricultural catchment. Hierarchical partitioning showed that total rainfall, peak discharge and flood intensity explained 28.38% of the total variation in C-Q hysteresis for DIC and 39.87% for DOC at the inter-event scale. At the intra-event scale, time series analysis of dissolved carbon concentration and discharge indicated the interconversion of supply limitation to transport limitation, which depends on the activation of the specific DIC or DOC source zones. These findings provide significant insights into understanding the dynamics of dissolved carbon during storm periods and are important for targeted watershed management practices aimed at reducing carbon loading to surface waters.

Observation of Azimuth-Dependent Suppression of Hadron Pairs in Electron Scattering off Nuclei

We present the first measurement of dihadron angular correlations in electron-nucleus scattering. The data were taken with the CLAS detector and a 5.0 GeV electron beam incident on deuterium, carbon, iron, and lead targets. Relative to deuterium, the nuclear yields of charged-pion pairs show a strong suppression for azimuthally opposite pairs, no suppression for azimuthally nearby pairs, and an enhancement of pairs with large invariant mass. These effects grow with increased nuclear size. The data are qualitatively described by the gibuu model, which suggests that hadrons form near the nuclear surface and undergo multiple scattering in nuclei.These results show that angular correlation studies can open a new way to elucidate how hadrons form and interact inside nuclei.

[P2X7R promotes migration and invasion of Lewis lung cancer cells by activating the AKT signaling pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) in migration and invasion of mouse Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells and examine the tumorigenic ability of LLC cells in P2X7R-knockout mice.

METHODS

RT-PCR was used to examine P2X7R mRNA expression in LLC cells. LLC cells were treated with ATP (as a P2X7R agonist) or 2'- 3'- O- (4-benzoyl- benzoyl)-ATP (BzATP) (a P2X7R agonist) with or without pretreatment with P2X7R antagonist oxATP or A438079. The changes in migration and invasive abilities of the cells were evaluated using wound healing assay and Transwell assay; Western blotting was performed to determine the activation level of the key proteins in the AKT signaling pathway. The effects of BzATP, A438079, and LY294002 (a inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT pathway) on migration and invasion of LLC cells were also examined. In wild-type (WT) and P2X7R knockout (P2X7^-/-) C57BL/6 mice, the growth of subcutaneous LLC cell xenografts were observed by measuring tumor volume and weight.

RESULTS

P2X7R expression was detected in LLC cells. Treatment with P2X7R agonist significantly enhanced migration and invasion abilities of LLC cells, and this effect was inhibited by application of P2X7R antagonists (P < 0.001). Western blotting showed that BzATP treatment of LLC cells significantly increased the expression level of p-AKT protein, which was obviously lowered by treatment with P2X7R antagonist (P < 0.01). P2X7R antagonist strongly inhibited BzATP-induced enhancement of LLC cell migration and invasion (P < 0.001). In the tumor- bearing mice, the tumor volume and weight were significantly lower in P2X7^-/- mice than in WT mice (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

P2X7R promotes migration and invasion of LLC cells by activating the AKT signaling pathway, and LLC cells show lowered tumorigenic capacity in P2X7^-/- mice.

[A case of delirium caused by carbamate insecticide poisoning treated with penehyclidine hydrochloride]

The incidence of carbamate insecticide poisoning has increased gradually in recent years, and anticholinergic drugs are the specific antidotes. In 2020, the Peking University Third Hospital admitted a patient with carbamate insecticide poisoning, whose main clinical manifestations were dizziness, vomiting and blurred vision. During the treatment with penehyclidine hydrochloride, the patient developed delirium. This paper retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and treatment process of the patient to improve people's understanding of the side effects of penhyclidine hydrochloride in the treatment of insecticide poisoning.

Measured proton electromagnetic structure deviates from theoretical predictions

The visible world is founded on the proton, the only composite building block of matter that is stable in nature. Consequently, understanding the formation of matter relies on explaining the dynamics and the properties of the proton's bound state. A fundamental property of the proton involves the response of the system to an external electromagnetic field. It is characterized by the electromagnetic polarizabilities¹ that describe how easily the charge and magnetization distributions inside the system are distorted by the electromagnetic field. Moreover, the generalized polarizabilities² map out the resulting deformation of the densities in a proton subject to an electromagnetic field. They disclose essential information about the underlying system dynamics and provide a key for decoding the proton structure in terms of the theory of the strong interaction that binds its elementary quark and gluon constituents. Of particular interest is a puzzle in the electric generalized polarizability of the proton that remains unresolved for two decades². Here we report measurements of the proton's electromagnetic generalized polarizabilities at low four-momentum transfer squared. We show evidence of an anomaly to the behaviour of the proton's electric generalized polarizability that contradicts the predictions of nuclear theory and derive its signature in the spatial distribution of the induced polarization in the proton. The reported measurements suggest the presence of a new, not-yet-understood dynamical mechanism in the proton and present notable challenges to the nuclear theory.

[The application value of cardiac magnetic resonance quantitative T1 mapping technique for risk stratification in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension]

Objective: To explore the application value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) native T₁ mapping for risk stratification in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methods: A total of 59 patients with diagnosed PAH and clear-documented risk status in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and underwent CMR examination between January 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively included, which including 12 males and 47 females, aged from 4 to 77 (31±13) years. Those patients were subdivided into two groups based on the clinically-assessed risk status: low-risk group (n=30) and intermediate-/high-risk group (n=29). Twenty-five healthy individuals were included as controls. Base, midventricular, and apical inferior right ventricular insertion point (IRVIP) native T₁ values on short axis images were measured. Native T1 values in PAH patients and control group, in low-risk group and intermediate-/high-risk group were compared, respectively, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves with area under the curves (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the application value of native T₁ values for risk stratification in PAH patients. Results: Base, midventricular and apical IRVIP native T₁ of PAH patients were all significantly increased as compared to controls [Base:(1 439.31±129.96) vs (1 282.36±37.18) ms;midventricular:(1 450.32±111.55) vs (1 287.56±53.16) ms;apical:(1 444.12±109.15) vs (1 266.36±75.31) ms](all P<0.001). The midventricular IRVIP native T₁ values were significantly higher in patients in intermediate-/high-risk status as compared to those in low-risk status [ (1 493.24±126.32) vs (1 428.50±85.73) ms,P=0.026]. The AUC of mid ventricle IRVIP native T₁ for distinguishing patients in intermediate-/high-risk status was 0.741. The base [(1 458.21±134.96) vs (1 421.03±104.75) ms, P=0.241] and apical [(1 465.90±125.36) vs (1 423.07±87.87) ms,P=0.136] IRVIP native T1 values in patients in intermediate-/high-risk group were also numerically higher as compared with patients in low-risk status, however, without statistical significant (both P>0.05). Conclusion: Midventricular IRVIP native T₁ value might have a role for assisting in risk stratification in PAH patients, which was clinically significant for facilitating the work-up and prognosis improvement of PAH patients.

Hallucinating symmetric protein assemblies

Deep learning generative approaches provide an opportunity to broadly explore protein structure space beyond the sequences and structures of natural proteins. Here, we use deep network hallucination to generate a wide range of symmetric protein homo-oligomers given only a specification of the number of protomers and the protomer length. Crystal structures of seven designs are very similar to the computational models (median root mean square deviation: 0.6 angstroms), as are three cryo-electron microscopy structures of giant 10-nanometer rings with up to 1550 residues and C33 symmetry; all differ considerably from previously solved structures. Our results highlight the rich diversity of new protein structures that can be generated using deep learning and pave the way for the design of increasingly complex components for nanomachines and biomaterials.

Real-world assessment of anti-platelet therapies for recurrent stroke prevention in non-atrial fibrillation Japanese patients after recent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack

Background

Stroke is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular-related deaths and disability for adults in Japan and is more commonly seen among the elderly. The risks of developing a secondary stroke resulting in permanent damage after the incident ischemic stroke (IS)/transient ischemic stroke (TIA) are very high. It is critical to understand the treatment landscape for the secondary stroke prevention (SSP) and unmet needs of patients with prior IS/ TIA events.

Purpose

To evaluate the antiplatelet therapy (APT) treatment patterns for SSP after first hospitalization for IS/TIA events among the Japanese population.

Methods

Japan's Medical Data Vision (MDV) from Q12011 to Q22021 was used for this study. MDV is a hospital-based claims database covering approximately 35.5 million individuals in the inpatient and outpatient settings among 438 hospitals. Adult patients with an inpatient primary diagnosis of IS/TIA during the index period were identified. Patients require at least one medical claim each quarter within the 1 year before and after index date to ensure longitudinal analysis. Atrial fibrillation patients or patients on oral anticoagulant use were excluded. Patients' characteristics, treatment pattern and duration were evaluated.

Results

Of 18,948 patients in this study, the mean age was 75 years and 36.7% were female; 91.5% were treated with APT and 8.5% were untreated within 90 days of hospital discharge. Among 17,332 APT treated patients, 76.9% were initiated on single APT (SAPT), 22.7% were initiated on dual APT (DAPT), and &lt;1% were initiated on multiple APT (MAPT). The most used SAPT were aspirin (ASA; 33.2%), clopidogrel (28.7%) or cilostazol (14.8%) and the most used DAPT were ASA+clopidogrel (15.1%), ASA+cilostazol (4.2%) or cilostazol+clopidogrel (2.7%). The median duration of APT was 320, 414 and 411 days for patients who initiated ASA, clopidogrel and cilostazol, respectively. The median duration of APT for patients who initiated ASA+clopidogrel, ASA+cilostazol and cilostazol+clopidogrel was 298, 359 and 473 days respectively. Of patients initiated on ASA+clopidogrel, 52.4% were de-escalated to SAPT (71% clopidogrel, 29% ASA; median duration of 20 days); 36.2% of patients initiated on ASA+cilostazol were de-escalated to SAPT within a median of 19 days (84% cilostazol, 16% ASA); lastly, 54.4% of patients initiated on cilostazol+clopidogrel de-escalated to SAPT within a median of 35 days (76% cilostazol, 24% clopidogrel). Two years after initial hospitalization of IS/TIA, 52%-56% discontinued APT treatments among those previously receiving SAPT while 46%-57% of patients receiving DAPT discontinued treatment.

Conclusion

Majority of patients at risk of secondary stroke received APT. Further analyses are needed to explore reasons for early APT discontinuation, for no APT use, and to evaluate outcomes of patients in this study.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): This study was sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb and Janssen Research & Development, LLC. – Anonymised and used for statistical purposes only

Outcomes of very high-power short-duration ablation using 90w for pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation: a real world observation study

Introduction

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation is the established gold standard therapy for patients with symptomatic drug refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). Advancements in radiofrequency (RF) ablation, have led to the development of the novel contact force-sensing temperature-controlled very high-power short-duration (vHPSD) RF ablation. This setting delivers 90W for up to 4 seconds with a constant irrigation flow rate of 8ml/min. The aim of this study was to compare procedural outcomes and safety with conventional radiofrequency ablation.

Methods

An observational study was conducted with patients who underwent first time PVI ablation from 2019 to 2021. The cohort was divided in to: 1) vHPSD ablation – QMODE+ via QDOT MICRO catheter, 2) QMODE via QDOT MICRO catheter and 3) Conventional power-controlled RF (PCRF) ablation via THERMOCOOOL SMARRTOUCH SF (STSF) catheter. The QMODE+ vHPSD ablation group was prospectively recruited while the QMODE and PCRF group were retrospectively collected. Primary outcomes were procedural success, PVI duration, ablation duration and incidence of perioperative adverse events. Secondary outcomes were intraprocedural morphine and midazolam requirement.

Results

A total of 155 patients were included in the study with 80, 30 and 45 patients in the QMODE+ (vHPSD), QMODE and PCRF, respectively. PVI was successfully attained in all patients. QMODE+ (vHPSD) demonstrated significantly reduced time required for PVI and total energy application in comparison to the QMODE and PCRF groups (68.3±3.30 vs. 92.9±4.86 vs. 93.6±4.34 min, P&lt;0.0001; 9.7±0.452 vs. 33.9±0.452 vs. 36.0±1.56 min, P&lt;0.0001, respectively) (Figure 1). Intravenous morphine and midazolam requirement was lower in the QMODE+ (vHPSD) group compared to the QMODE and PCRF groups (10.3±0.45 vs. 16.1±0.935 vs. 15.3±0.686 mg, P&lt;0.0001; 4.05±0.402 vs. 8.63±1.07 vs. 8.58±0.821 mg, P&lt;0.0001) (Figure 2). QMODE+ (vHPSD) observed a non-significant reduction in fluoroscopy time compared to QMODE and PCRF. One cardiac tamponade were observed in both the QMODE+ (vHPSD) and QMODE group while the PCRF group exhibited an embolic stoke and two pericardial effusions that did not require drainage.

Conclusion

In this study, QMODE+ (vHPSD) demonstrated a comparable safety profile to the other treatment arms. Procedural duration and energy application time was substantially reduced while a non-significant reduction was observed for fluoroscopy time for QMODE+. Furthermore, sedation requirement was reduced and thus potentially conveyed greater patient tolerability of the procedure when conducted with QMODE+.

Notwithstanding the limitations of observational study design, these preliminary findings are promising with respect to periprocedural outcomes and safety of QMODE+. Longer term outcomes with respect to maintenance of sinus rhythm and symptomatic burden will be essential to assessing the overall efficacy of this novel technology.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Bariatric surgery reverses ventricular repolarisation heterogeneity in obesity: mechanistic insights into fat-related arrhythmic risk

Background

Obesity is a growing global health problem that confers higher risks of atrial arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Despite this, the proarrhythmic substrate in obesity and its reversibility with weight loss has not been studied in-depth.

Purpose

To characterise the proarrhythmic substrate in obese patients, and its reversibility with bariatric surgery, using electrocardiographic imaging (ECGi).

Methods

ECGi was performed in 16 obese patients pre-bariatric surgery (PreSurg; mean age 43±12 years, 13 female) and 16 age- and sex-matched non-obese (lean) individuals (42±11 years). 12 of the 16 obese patients also underwent ECGi after bariatric surgery (PostSurg). Over 2000 atrial and ventricular epicardial electrograms were computed using high density body surface mapping (256-lead ECG) and heart-torso geometries from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, by solving the inverse problem of electrocardiography. Local atrial and ventricular epicardial activation times (AT) were calculated as the steepest downslope of their respective activation complexes, and local ventricular repolarisation times (RT) as the steepest upslope of the T-wave. Atrial activation gradients (ATG) and ventricular repolarisation gradients (RTG) were calculated as the maximum difference within 10 mm radius divided by the corresponding distance.

Results

Body mass index was greater in PreSurg vs lean (46.7±5.5 vs 22.8±2.6 kg/m2, p&lt;0.0001) and decreased with surgery (PostSurg 36.8±6.5 kg/m2, p&lt;0.0001). Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) was greater in PreSurg vs lean (83±56 vs 28±13 ml, p&lt;0.0001) and decreased post-surgery (PostSurg 69±45 ml, p=0.0010). Total atrial AT was prolonged in PreSurg vs lean (62±15 vs 46±12 ms, p=0.0028), which persisted post-surgery (PostSurg 67±15 ms, p=0.86). Atrial ATG were also greater in PreSurg vs lean (26±11 vs 14±8 ms, p=0.0007) and did not change with weight loss (PostSurg 25±12, p=0.44). Ventricular RTG were greater in PreSurg vs lean (26±11 vs 15±7 ms/mm, p=0.0024) and decreased with weight loss (PostSurg 19±8, p=0.0009). Ventricular RTG were similar between PostSurg and lean (p=0.20). EAT from lean and PreSurg individuals correlated with atrial ATG (r=0.36, p=0.044) and ventricular RTG (r=0.54, p=0.0014). Ventricular AT were similar between lean (31±6 ms), PreSurg (34±5 ms) and PostSurg (35±9 ms); all p&gt;0.05.

Conclusion

Steep ventricular repolarisation gradients and prolonged atrial activation contribute to the proarrhythmic substrate in obesity. Ventricular repolarisation gradients correlate with epicardial adiposity and both regress post-bariatric surgery. By contrast, atrial activation remains prolonged after weight loss. These results provide mechanistic insights into obesity-related arrhythmic risks and their reversibility with weight loss following bariatric surgery.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): British Heart FoundationNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Atrial fibrillation virtual ward: reshaping the future of AF care

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) hospital admissions represent significant AF related treatment costs nationally. In the year 2019–2020 our hospital reported 1,333 admissions with a primary diagnosis of AF, with a 10% annual increase. A virtual ambulatory AF ward providing multidisciplinary care with remote hospital-level monitoring could reshape the future model of AF management.

Methods

An AF virtual ward was implemented at our UK tertiary centre, as a proof-of-concept model of care. Patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of AF satisfying the AF virtual ward (AFVW) entry criteria (i.e., haemodynamically stable, HR &lt;140 bpm with other acute conditions excluded) were given access to a single lead ECG recording device, a Bluetooth integrated blood pressure machine and pulse oximeter with instruction to record daily ECGs, blood pressure readings, oxygen saturations and fill an online AF symptom questionnaire via a smart phone or electronic tablet. Data were uploaded to an integrated digital platform for review by the clinical team who undertook twice daily virtual ward rounds. Medication adjustment was arranged through the hospital pharmacy. Data was collected prospectively for patients admitted to the AF virtual ward between 31 January and 11 March 2022. Outcomes included length of hospital stay, admission avoidance and re-admissions. Re-admission avoidance was assessed using the index admission criteria as a parameter for re-admission likelihood. Patients' satisfaction was assessed using the NHS family and friends' test (FFT).

Results

Over the 6-week period a total of 14 patients were enrolled. One patient was unable to be onboarded because of technology related anxiety with 13 patients onboarded to the virtual ward, 30.7% (n=4) did not have smart phones and were provided with electronic tablets. The age on admission was 64±10 years (mean±SD) with the oldest at 78 years of age. All patients were in AF with a mean heart rate of 122±24 bpm, and 38.5% (n=5) were discharged from the virtual ward in sinus rhythm. One patient was onboarded directly from pacemaker clinic and hence hospital admission was completely avoided, and 5 re-admissions were avoided for 3 patients. One patient required brief readmission due to persistent tachycardia requiring acute cardioversion. The FFT yielded 100% positive responses among patients.

Conclusion

This proof-of-concept is a first real world experience of a virtual ward for hospital patients with fast AF. It demonstrates a promising new telemedicine-based care model and with clear appetite among both patients and health professionals. This model of care has the potential to reduce the financial and backlog pressures caused by AF admissions without compromising patients' care or safety. Work is ongoing to further confirm the safety and cost-effectiveness upon further progress in a larger patient cohort.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Diagnosing the pedestal magnetic field and magnetohydrodynamics radial structure with pedestal-scrape of layer electron cyclotron emission radiation inversion in H-mode plasma (invited)

Forward modeling is used to interpret inversion patterns of the pedestal-Scrape of Layer (SOL) Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) in DIII-D H-mode experiments. The modeling not only significantly improves the ECE data interpretation quality but also leads to the potential measurements of (1) the magnetic field strength |B| at the separatrix, (2) the pedestal |B| evolution during an inter-Edge Localized Mode (ELM) period, and (3) the pedestal Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) radial structure. The ECE shine-through effect leads to three types of pedestal-SOL radiation inversions that are discussed in this paper. The first type of inversion is the non-monotonic T_e,rad profile with respect to the major radius. Using the ECE frequency at the minimum T_e,rad, the inversion can be applied to measure the magnetic field |B| at the separatrix and calibrate the mapping of the ECE channels with respect to the separatrix. The second type of inversion refers to the opposite phase between the radiation fluctuations δT_e,rad at the pedestal and SOL. This δT_e,rad phase inversion is sensitive to density and temperature fluctuations at the pedestal foot and, thus, can be used to qualitatively measure the MHD radial structure. The third type of inversion appears when the pedestal and SOL T_e,rad evolve in an opposite trend, which can be used to infer the pedestal |B| field change during an inter-ELM period. The bandwidth effect on measuring δT_e,rad due to pedestal MHD is also investigated in the radiation modeling.

Predicting the probability of malignant pathological type of kidney cancer based on mass size: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Different degrees of malignancy of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) correspond to dissimilar therapies, and the prediction of malignancy of kidney cancer based on tumor size is still not fully studied.

METHODS

We evaluated a total of 50,776 patients with T1-T2, N0, M0 RCC diagnosed between 2004 to 2015 based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Three and four fuhrman grade clear cell RCC, three and four fuhrman grade papillary RCC, collecting duct RCC, sarcomatoid differentiation RCC and unclassified RCC were classified as aggressive RCC. The other RCC was classified as indolent RCC. The probability of aggressive and indolent was estimated according to tumor size using a logistic regression model. Differences in survival between subgroups were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

There were 38,003 cases of indolent tumor and 12,773 cases of aggressive tumor totally. As tumor size increases, the predicted probability of an aggressive tumor also increases. Concretely, kidney cancers of 2cm, 3cm and 4cm were estimated to be 19.6%, 21.6% and 23.7% more likely to be aggressive. And for the same tumor size, clear cell RCC in men is more likely to be invasive relative to women and other kidney cancer pathology types. In addition, both the overall and tumor-specific survival are longer for indolent tumors than for aggressive tumors.

CONCLUSION

We evaluated the degree of malignancy of different sizes RCC in a retrospective study. This result may be helpful in the choice of initial therapy strategies for kidney cancer patients.

Correlations between photosynthetic heat tolerance and leaf anatomy and climatic niche in Asian mangrove trees

Photosynthetic heat tolerance (P_HT ) is a key predictor of plant response to climate change. Mangroves are an ecologically and economically important coastal plant community comprised of trees growing at their physiological limits. Mangroves are currently impacted by global warming, yet the P_HT of mangrove trees is poorly understood. In this study, we provide the first assessment of P_HT in 13 Asian mangrove species, based on the critical temperature that causes the initial damage (T_Crit ) and the temperature that causes 50% damage (T₅₀ ) to photosystem II. We tested the hypotheses that the P_HT in mangroves is: (i) correlated with climatic niche and leaf traits, and (ii) higher than in plants from other tropical ecosystems. Our results demonstrated correlations between P_HT and multiple key climate variables, the palisade to spongy mesophyll ratio and the leaf area. The two most heat-sensitive species were Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina. Our study also revealed that mangrove trees show high heat tolerance compared to plants from other tropical ecosystems. The high P_HT of mangroves thus demonstrated a conservative evolutionary strategy in heat tolerance, and highlights the need for integrative and comparative studies on thermoregulatory traits and climatic niche in order to understand the physiological response of mangrove trees to climate change-driven heatwaves and rising global temperatures.

[A comparison of CAS risk model and CHA2DS2-VASc risk model in guiding anticoagulation treatment in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation]

Objective: To compare the differences between CAS risk model and CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score in predicting all cause death, thromboembolic events, major bleeding events and composite endpoint in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. From the China Atrial Fibrillation Registry cohort study, the patients with atrial fibrillation who were>18 years old were randomly divided into CAS risk score group and CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score group respectively. According to the anticoagulant status at baseline and follow-up, patients in the 2 groups who complied with the scoring specifications for anticoagulation were selected for inclusion in this study. Baseline information such as age and gender in the two groups were collected and compared. Follow-up was performed periodically to collect information on anticoagulant therapy and endpoints. The endpoints were all-cause death, thromboembolism events and major bleeding, the composite endpoint events were all-cause death and thromboembolism events. The incidence of endpoints in CAS group and CHA₂DS₂-VASc group was analyzed, and multivariate Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze whether the incidence of the endpoints was statistically different between the two groups. Results: A total of 5 206 patients with AF were enrolled, average aged (63.6±12.2) years, and 2092 (40.2%) women. There were 2 447 cases (47.0%) in CAS risk score group and 2 759 cases (53.0%) in CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score group. In the clinical baseline data of the two groups, the proportion of left ventricular ejection fraction<55%, non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, oral warfarin and HAS BLED score in the CAS group were lower than those in the CHA₂DS₂-VASc group, while the proportion of previous diabetes history and history of antiplatelet drugs in the CAS group was higher than that in the CHA₂DS₂-VASc group, and there was no statistical difference in other baseline data. Patients were followed up for (82.8±40.8) months. In CAS risk score group, 225(9.2%) had all-cause death, 186 (7.6%) had thromboembolic events, 81(3.3%) had major bleeding, and 368 (15.0%) had composite endpoint. In CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score group, 261(9.5%) had all-cause death 209(7.6%) had thromboembolic events, 112(4.1%) had major bleeding, and 424 (15.4%) had composite endpoint. There were no significant differences in the occurrence of all-cause death, thromboembolic events, major bleeding and composite endpoint between anticoagulation in CAS risk score group and anticoagulation in CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score group (log-rank P =0.643, 0.904, 0.126, 0.599, respectively). Compared with CAS risk score, multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models showed no significant differences for all-cause death, thromboembolic events, major bleeding and composite endpoint between the two groups with HR(95%CI) 0.95(0.80-1.14), 1.00(0.82-1.22), 0.83(0.62-1.10), 0.96(0.84-1.11), respectively. All P>0.05. Conclusions: There were no significant differences between CAS risk model and CHA₂DS₂-VASc risk score in predicting all-cause death, thromboembolic events, and major bleeding events in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Exogenous application of acetic acid enhances drought tolerance by influencing the MAPK signaling pathway induced by ABA and JA in apple plants

The external application of acetic acid (AA) has been shown to improve drought survival in plants, such as Arabidopsis, rice, maize, wheat, rapeseed and cassava, and the application of AA also increased drought tolerance in perennial woody apple (Malus domestica) plants. An understanding of AA-induced drought tolerance in apple plants at the molecular level will contribute to the development of technology that can be used to enhance drought tolerance. In this study, the morphological, physiological and transcriptomic responses to drought stress were analyzed in apple plants after watering without AA (CK), watering with AA (AA), drought treatment (D) and drought treatment with AA (DA). The results suggested that the AA-treated apple plants had a higher tolerance to drought than water-treated plants. Higher levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids were found under the DA conditions than under D stress. The levels of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate were increased in AA-treated apple plants. Transcriptomic profiling indicated the key biological pathways involved in metabolic processes, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, plant hormone signal transduction and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in response to different drought conditions. The 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, (9S,13S)-cis-oxophytodienoic acid reductase, allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase and lipoxygenase genes participate in the synthase of ABA and JA under drought and AA treatments. Collectively, the results showed that external application of AA enhanced drought tolerance in apple plants by influencing the ABA- and JA-induced MAPK signaling pathways. These data indicated that the application of AA in plants is beneficial for enhancing drought tolerance and decreasing growth inhibition in agricultural fields.

P12.09.B Extracellular vesicle derived-miR-146a increases melanoma brain metastasis progression via Notch signalling pathway dysregulation

Background

Melanoma has the highest tropism of any cancer to metastasize to the brain, and 40% of late-stage patients develop brain metastasis. Invasion, survival, and progression of tumors is dependent on the support of the surrounding microenvironment; therefore, modulation of neighboring cells is a key factor in metastasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important in cell-to-cell signalling, shuttling proteins, RNA and DNA to alter the surroundings into a favorable tumor microenvironment. Our aims were to investigate the role of melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) derived EVs in MBM development to find possible contributing mechanisms to cancer progression for eventual therapeutic targeting.

Material and Methods

MBM-EVs isolated via sequential ultracentrifugation were injected into mice as a pre-treatment prior to intracardial injection of MBM cells. EVs were co-cultured with normal human astrocytes (NHA) to investigate phenotypic changes. MiRNA sequencing was performed on EVs collected from MBM cells and compared to NHA and melanocytes to determine a candidate miRNA for targeting. In situ hybridization was utilized to evaluate the level of miRNA in clinical patient MBM samples. Functional in vivo validation was performed by injecting miRNA knockout MBM cells into mice. Sequencing of NHA in the presence or absence of target miRNA mimic was used to determine downstream targets.

Results

Mice primed with EVs had a significant increase in MBM tumor burden, compared to non-primed mice. Co-culture with MBM-EVs resulted in NHA activation in vitro, with increased proliferation, invasion, cytokine production, and upregulation of GFAP. MiR-146a was highly upregulated in MBM EVs, and miR-146a mimics activated NHA. Patient samples had a significant increase in miR-146a expression, compared to healthy brain controls. MiR-146a knockdown in MBM mice models reduced MBM burden and prolonged animal survival. Sequencing of NHA determined NUMB, an inhibitor of the Notch signalling pathway, as a target of miR-146a. Numb and other downstream Notch proteins expression was significantly altered in NHA in the presence of both MBM-EVs and miR-146a.

Conclusion

In conclusion, EVs are important regulators of MBM and establish tumor-supporting reactive astrocytes by delivery of miR-146a. MiR-146a alters Notch signalling in astrocytes via inhibition of the tumor suppressor gene NUMB. Elevated miR-146a levels in patients suggests a potential clinical intervention is possible via miR-146a targeting.