Is primary transcatheter aortic valve implantation the new normal?

Degenerative calcific aortic valve stenosis(AS)is the most common valvular heart disease in elderly.^[1] It is well documented that symptomatic severe AS follows a malignant course leading to cardiogenic shock(CS).

Nursing Care and Causative Analysis of Grade IV Capsular Contracture Following Breast Cancer Expander Implantation

Objective: By observing the treatment and nursing care of a patient with Grade IV capsular contracture following breast cancer expander implantation and subsequent Stage II reconstruction, we aim to analyze the reasons for the formation of capsular contracture after Stage I expander implantation and prevent its recurrence following Stage II reconstruction. Methods: In May 2020, the patient noticed an increase in the size of a breast mass. In August, she underwent AC-THP neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by a “right breast-conserving nipple-areolar subglandular excision + right axillary lymph node dissection + expander implantation” surgery in November 2020. Radiation therapy began in January 2021. During radiation therapy, the patient experienced severe breast hardening, distortion, tenderness, and was diagnosed with Grade IV capsular contracture. To relieve the capsular contracture, the patient underwent a “contracted capsule incision and release procedure + removal of the right breast expander + right breast implantation” surgery in July 2021. Postoperatively, measures were taken to prevent incision infection, emphasizing aseptic techniques, ensuring smooth negative pressure drainage, reducing skin flap tension, monitoring skin flap blood supply, actively preventing subcutaneous effusion and hematoma, and applying appropriate compression dressings. Results: The patient was discharged after the removal of the drainage tube. During the postoperative follow-up at 3 and 6 months, there was no recurrence of capsular contracture, and the breast appeared full, upright, and relatively soft. There were no complications such as hematoma, infection, breast implant rupture, breast sagging, or displacement. The patient had a good outcome without additional financial or surgical burdens. Conclusion: The occurrence of Grade IV capsular contracture in the patient is generally related to infection after Stage I expander implantation, improper compression dressing, excessive saline injection causing content infiltration, and radiation therapy. Therefore, it is recommended to enhance the intraoperative and postoperative prophylactic use of antibiotics after Stage I expander implantation. Intermittent saline injection after surgery, with the amount of saline gradually increasing rather than filling all at once, is advisable. This helps the breast tissue gradually adapt to expansion, reducing the risk of capsular contracture. Postoperatively, patients should be instructed to wear pressure garments and breast elastic bandages while intensifying breast monitoring during radiation therapy and increasing postoperative follow-up.

In‑depth proteome characterization of endometrium and extraembryonic membranes during implantation in pig

Background Proteome characterization of the porcine endometrium and extraembryonic membranes is important to understand mother-embryo cross-communication.In this study,the proteome of the endometrium and cho-rioallantoic membrane was characterized in pregnant sows(PS)during early gestation(d 18 and 24 of gestation)and in the endometrium of non-pregnant sows(NPS)during the same days using LC-MS/MS analysis.The UniProtKB database and ClueGO were used to obtain functional Gene Ontology annotations and biological and functional networks,respectively.Results Our analysis yielded 3,254 and 3,457 proteins identified in the endometrium of PS and NPS,respectively;of these,1,753 being common while 1,501 and 1,704 were exclusive to PS and NPS,respectively.In addition,we iden-tified 3,968 proteins in the extraembryonic membranes of PS.Further analyses of function revealed some proteins had relevance for the immune system process and biological adhesion in endometrium while the embryonic chorion displayed abundance of proteins related to cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organization,suggesting they dominated the moment of endometrial remodeling,implantation and adhesion of the lining epithelia.Data are available via Pro-teomeXchange with identifier PXD042565.Conclusion This is the first in-depth proteomic characterization of the endometrium and extraembryonic mem-branes during weeks 3 to 4 of gestation;data that contribute to the molecular understanding of the dynamic environ-ment during this critical period,associated with the majority of pregnancy losses.

Clinical prediction of insufficient vaults after implantable collamer lens implantation

AIM:To determine the factors related to preoperative ocular characters that are predictive of insufficient vault(<250μm)after implantable collamer lens(ICL V4c;STAAR Surgical)implantation.METHODS:The participants underwent ICL surgery and were divided into the low(<250μm)and normal(250-1000μm)vault groups based on the postoperative vault at 3mo.The preoperative biometric parameters and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups.The relationship between the 3-month vault values and preoperative ocular parameters were evaluated by Generalized estimating equations.RESULTS:Sixteen(23 eyes)and 36 patients(63 eyes)were in the low and normal vault groups,respectively.All implantation procedures were uneventful with no cataract formation in the early postoperative period.The sulcusto-sulcus lens rise(STSL)and iris ciliary angle(ICA)were correlated with vault at 3mo after surgery.Every 0.1 mm increase in STSL was associated with 38.9μm decrease in the postoperative 3-month vault.A rise of 1 degree in ICA is associated with a reduction of 4μm in vault.CONCLUSION:Eyes with a narrow ciliary sulcus are associated with a higher rate of low vault after ICL implantation,suggesting a need for adjustments to the ICL size in these patients.Evaluating the characteristics of the ciliary sulcus contributes valuable information to predict low vault after surgery.

Glaucoma drainage device implantation and cyclophotocoagulation in the management of refractory glaucoma after Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty

AIM:To compare the surgical outcomes of glaucoma drainage device implantation(GDI)and trans-scleral neodymium:YAG cyclophotocoagulation(CPC)in the management of refractory glaucoma after Descemetstripping automated endothelial keratoplasty(DSAEK).METHODS:This retrospective study on observational case series enrolled 29 patients who underwent DSAEK and posterior anti-glaucoma surgery(15 with GDI and 14 with CPC).The main outcome measures were intraocular pressure(IOP),glaucoma surgery success rate(defined as IOP of 6–21 mm Hg without additional anti-glaucoma operation),number of glaucoma medications,endothelial graft status,and best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA).RESULTS:The mean follow-up time was 34.1 and 21.0mo for DSAEK or glaucoma surgeries,both for the GDI and CPC groups.Both groups showed significant IOP reduction after glaucoma surgery.The GDI group presented a significantly higher success rate in IOP control than the CPC group(60%vs 21.4%,P=0.03).Both procedures significantly decreased the number of glaucoma medications(P=0.03).Forty percent and 57%of cases in the GDI and the CPC group,respectively,experienced endothelial graft failure during follow-up(P=0.36).Significantly worse BCVA after surgery was observed in the CPC group but not in the GDI group.CONCLUSION:Both GDI and CPC significantly decrease IOP in eyes with glaucoma after DSAEK.GDI is preferable to CPC in refractory glaucoma cases after DSAEK,as it manifests a significantly higher success rate for IOP control,similar endothelial graft failure rate,and relatively preserves BCVA than CPC.

Embryo Transfer Strategies for Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure During the Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles:Sequential Embryo Transfer or Double-blastocyst Transfer?

Objective Both sequential embryo transfer(SeET)and double-blastocyst transfer(DBT)can serve as embryo transfer strategies for women with recurrent implantation failure(RIF).This study aims to compare the effects of SeET and DBT on pregnancy outcomes.Methods Totally,261 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles of 243 RIF women were included in this multicenter retrospective analysis.According to different embryo quality and transfer strategies,they were divided into four groups:group A,good-quality SeET(GQ-SeET,n=38 cycles);group B,poor-quality or mixed-quality SeET(PQ/MQ-SeET,n=31 cycles);group C,good-quality DBT(GQ-DBT,n=121 cycles);and group D,poor-quality or mixed-quality DBT(PQ/MQ-DBT,n=71 cycles).The main outcome,clinical pregnancy rate,was compared,and the generalized estimating equation(GEE)model was used to correct potential confounders that might impact pregnancy outcomes.Results GQ-DBT achieved a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(aOR 2.588,95%CI 1.267–5.284,P=0.009)and live birth rate(aOR 3.082,95%CI 1.482–6.412,P=0.003)than PQ/MQ-DBT.Similarly,the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in GQ-SeET than in PQ/MQ-SeET(aOR 4.047,95%CI 1.218–13.450,P=0.023).The pregnancy outcomes of GQ-SeET were not significantly different from those of GQ-DBT,and the same results were found between PQ/MQ-SeET and PQ/MQ-DBT.Conclusion SeET relative to DBT did not seem to improve pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients if the embryo quality was comparable between the two groups.Better clinical pregnancy outcomes could be obtained by transferring good-quality embryos,no matter whether in SeET or DBT.Embryo quality plays a more important role in pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients.

Molecular dynamics simulation study of nitrogen vacancy color centers prepared by carbon ion implantation into diamond

Nitrogen vacancy(NV)color centers in diamond have useful applications in quantum sensing andfluorescent marking.They can be gen-erated experimentally by ion implantation,femtosecond lasers,and chemical vapor deposition.However,there is a lack of studies of the yield of NV color centers at the atomic scale.In the molecular dynamics simulations described in this paper,NV color centers are pre-pared by ion implantation in diamond with pre-doped nitrogen and subsequent annealing.The differences between the yields of NV color centers produced by implantation of carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)ions,respectively,are investigated.It is found that C-ion implantation gives a greater yield of NV color centers and superior location accuracy.The effects of different pre-doping concentrations(400–1500 ppm)and implantation energies(1.0–3.0 keV)on the NV color center yield are analyzed,and it is shown that a pre-doping concentra-tion of 1000 ppm with 2 keV C-ion implantation can produce a 13%yield of NV color centers after 1600 K annealing for 7.4 ns.Finally,a brief comparison of the NV color center identification methods is presented,and it is found that the error rate of an analysis utiliz-ing the identify diamond structure coordination analysis method is reduced by about 7%compared with conventional identification+methods.

Current knowledge for the risk factors of early permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement and what is next for the primary prevention?

In this editorial,we comprehensively summarized the preoperative risk factors of early permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)among patients with severe aortic stenosis from several renowned clinical studies and focused on the primary prevention of managing the modifiable factors,e.g.,paroxysmal atrial fibrillation before the TAVR.

Effect of capsule treatment on visual acuity and quality after phacoemulsification lens implantation in myopic patients with cataract

BACKGROUND Cataracts pose a significant clinical burden due to their complex pathogenesis.In recent years,an increase in cataracts coexisting with myopia has heightened the incidence of retinopathy and posterior vitreous detachment.Additionally,symptoms of ocular axis elongation,lens nucleus hardening,and vitreous liquefaction have become more prevalent.While conventional extracapsular cataract extraction is commonly employed,it often yields suboptimal visual outcomes.Subsequent advancements in cataract phacoemulsification and lens implantation surgeries have gained widespread acceptance for their ability to improve refraction and significantly improve uncorrected visual acuity.AIM To investigate the effect of capsular treatment after phacoemulsification lens implantation in myopic patients with cataract.METHODS We selected 110 patients(with 134 eyes)with myopia and cataracts treated.These patients were categorized into two groups:an observation group(57 patients with 70 eyes)and a control group(53 patients with 64 eyes).The control group underwent cataract phacoemulsification and lens implantation,while the observation group received a refined capsular treatment based on the control group’s procedure.We assessed the differences in visual acuity and quality between the two groups before and after surgery.RESULTS At six months post-operation,the observation group exhibited significantly improved far vision,intermediate vision,near vision,lower objective scattering index,higher Modulation transfer function cut-off frequency,and overall vision metrics at different contrast levels(100%,20%and 9%)compared to the control group(P<0.05).The total score of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in the observation group at 6 months after operation was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).No significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions was observed between the observation group and control group(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Capsular treatment demonstrates efficacy in improving visual acuity and quality after phacoemulsification lens implantation in myopic patients with cataracts,warranting its clinical application.

Effects of systematic cardiac rehabilitation training in elderly patients with unstable angina following cardiac stent implantation

BACKGROUND Coronary stent implantation is usually used to treat unstable angina to alleviate stenosis or occlusion,promoting blood flow restoration and alleviating symptoms such as myocardial ischemia.And postoperative cardiac rehabilitation is essential for enhancing recovery and prognosis.Nevertheless,conventional rehabilitation lacks specificity,particularly for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and poor compliance,rendering it less effective.AIM To investigate the effects of systematic cardiac rehabilitation training in elderly patients with unstable angina following coronary stenting intervention.METHODS A retrospective enrollment was conducted comprising fifty-four elderly patients with unstable angina pectoris who underwent systematic cardiac rehabilitation training after receiving coronary intervention as the rehabilitation group,while fifty-three elderly patients who received basic nursing and rehabilitation guidance measures after coronary intervention were assigned to the control group.Differences in Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores,survival quality(SF-36)scores,cardiopulmonary exercise function assessment index,echocardiographic cardiac function index,and adverse cardiovascular events were compared between the two groups.RESULTS After intervention,the rehabilitation group observed greater VO2 Max,maximum metabolic equivalent,eft ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and smaller left ventricular end-systolic diameter.And the rehabilitation group observed greater scores of physical activity limitation,stable angina pectoris,treatment satisfaction,and SF-36 score.The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in the two groups,showed no significant difference.CONCLUSION Systematic cardiac rehabilitation following coronary stenting in elderly patients with unstable angina pectoris can enhance cardiac function recovery,consequently enhancing both quality of life and cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance.

Clinical Effect Analysis of Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantation for Correcting High Myopia and Astigmatism

Objective:To explore the corrective effect of posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation with phakic eyes in the treatment of high myopia and astigmatism.Methods:From May 2023,the hospital began to collect the case data of diagnosis and treatment of high myopia and astigmatism.By May 2024,310 cases were included,all of which were treated with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation.The visual acuity,astigmatism and axial position of the intraocular lens were observed before and after treatment.Results:At different time points after the operation,the patient’s vision was significantly improved compared with that before the operation(P<0.05),and the vision level was equal to or greater than the best-corrected vision before the operation.At different time points after the operation,the average rotation of the intraocular lens was less than 5 degrees.Astigmatism was significantly lower than that before the operation(P<0.05).After the operation,the intraocular pressure increased in 11 cases,accounting for 3.55%,with no adverse complications such as lens turbidity,glare and obvious halo occurring.Conclusion:The posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation with phakic eyes has an ideal correction effect in the treatment of high myopia and astigmatism,which can effectively improve the vision level of patients and reduce the degree of astigmatism,and has high effectiveness and safety.

Effects of Continuous Precision Nursing Model on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Behavior and Cardiac Function in Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Angiography and Stent Implantation

Objective:To explore the impact of a continuous precision nursing model on patients’Knowledge,Attitudes,and Practices(KAP)and cardiac function during the nursing process of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angiography and stent implantation.Methods:Ninety patients who underwent percutaneous coronary angiography and stent implantation in our hospital from April 2022 to April 2023 were selected and randomly divided into the control group(45 cases),in which routine nursing support was carried out during the treatment process,and the observation group(45 cases),in which continuous precision nursing model was carried out during the treatment process.Comparisons were made between the two groups of patients on their KAP,cardiac function,and quality of life during recovery.Results:There was no difference in the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),cardiac output(CO),and cardiac index(CI)levels before intervention.After the intervention,the levels of cardiac function in the observation group were higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).There was no difference in the Exercise of Self-Care Agency(ESCA)self-care ability scale scores before the intervention.After the intervention,the observation group had higher ESCA scores than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Implementation of a continuous precision nursing model in the care of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angiography and stent implantation improved the patient’s cardiac function,and KAP,and promoted recovery.

Postoperative efficacy,safety,predictability,and visual quality of implantable collamer lens implantation versus small incision lenticule extraction in myopic eyes:a Meta-analysis

AIM:To compare the postoperative efficacy,safety,predictability,and visual quality of implantable collamer lens(ICL)implantation versus small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE)in myopia eyes.METHODS:Pub Med,EMBASE,Web of Science,Cochrane Library and several Chinese databases were searched at May 2021 to select relevant studies in comparison of clinical outcomes between ICL implantation and SMILE for myopia.The primary outcomes were efficacy,safety,and predictability.And the secondary outcomes were postoperative higher-order ocular aberrations(HOAs),modulation transfer function cutoff frequency(MTF),objective scatter index(OSI),contrast sensitivity and a quality of vision(Qo V)questionnaire.RESULTS:A total of 1036 eyes from 10 studies,of which 503 eyes underwent ICL implantation and 533 eyes underwent SMILE,were enrolled in this Meta-analysis.Pooled results revealed that ICL group had a better safety index and post-corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA)(P=0.007,<0.00001,respectively),and a lower percentage of eyes with a postoperative CDVA lost 1 line(P=0.007)than the SMILE group.No significant differences were found in comparison of the other primary outcomes.In the longterm follow-up(>6mo),ICL group had a lower total HOA,coma,and spherical aberration than SMILE group(P=0.003,<0.00001,0.04).Yet higher trefoil was found in ICL group at 6mo after surgery(P=0.003).Additionally,ICL group also had a higher MTF value(P=0.02),and a higher contrast sensitivity score for spatial frequencies of 1.5,6,and 12 cpds(P=0.02,0.005,0.02,respectively).And it also had a lower score of bothersome in Qo V questionnaire than SMILE group(P=0.003).CONCLUSION:ICL implantation and SMILE have similar and comparable outcomes in term of the efficacy and predictability for correcting high myopia.However,ICL group is relatively safer and also has better visual quality in comparison of SMILE group.

Role of dendritic cells in MYD88-mediated immune recognition and osteoinduction initiated by the implantation of biomaterials

Bone substitute material implantation has become an important treatment strategy for the repair of oral and maxillofacial bone defects.Recent studies have shown that appropriate inflammatory and immune cells are essential factors in the process of osteoinduction of bone substitute materials.Previous studies have mainly focused on innate immune cells such as macrophages.In our previous work,we found that T lymphocytes,as adaptive immune cells,are also essential in the osteoinduction procedure.As the most important antigen-presenting cell,whether dendritic cells(DCs)can recognize non-antigen biomaterials and participate in osteoinduction was still unclear.In this study,we found that surgical trauma associated with materials implantation induces necrocytosis,and this causes the release of high mobility group protein-1(HMGB1),which is adsorbed on the surface of bone substitute materials.Subsequently,HMGB1-adsorbed materials were recognized by the TLR4-MYD88-NFκB signal axis of dendritic cells,and the inflammatory response was activated.Finally,activated DCs release regeneration-related chemokines,recruit mesenchymal stem cells,and initiate the osteoinduction process.This study sheds light on the immune-regeneration process after bone substitute materials implantation,points out a potential direction for the development of bone substitute materials,and provides guidance for the development of clinical surgical methods.

Long-term observation on safety and visual quality of implantable collamer lens V4c implantation for myopia correction:a 5-year follow-up

AIM:To elucidate the safety and visual quality of implantable collamer lens with central hole(ICL V4c)implantation for correcting moderate and high myopia for at least 5y.METHODS:This retrospective study was conducted on 58 patients(114 eyes)who were followed up for at least 5y after ICL V4c implantation.The observation was done before and on 1d,1mo,1 and 5y or more after the surgical procedure.The visual acuity,subjective refraction,intraocular pressure,vault,axial length,central hole position,pupil diameter,visual quality,and adverse events were analyzed.The visual quality includes aberration,the modulation transfer function cutoff frequency(MTF cutoff),objective scattering index(OSI),Stroller's ratio(SR),and visual quality questionnaire.RESULTS:The average follow-up period was 69.25±3.80mo(range 60–82mo)and the preoperative spherical equivalent(SE)was-8.66±1.97 D.At 5y after operation,the safety index was 1.01±0.02 and the efficacy index was 0.99±0.42 and SE was-0.65±0.63 D.The 59.6%of the eyes achieved an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20,76.3%of the eyes had SE within±1.0 D at the last visit.The axial length increased by 0.29±0.71 mm 5y after the surgery(t=-3.843,P<0.001).The mean vault at the last follow-up was 510.59±245.61μm.The central hole was on the temporal side in 80 eyes(84.2%).The visual quality questionnaire showed that 98.2%patients were satisfied with the surgical procedure.Adverse events occurred in 4 eyes(3.5%),including the posttraumatic toric ICL rotation(2 eyes),iris incarceration(1 eye),and posttraumatic ICL displacement(1 eye)at the last follow-up.CONCLUSION:Long-term ICL V4c implantation is safe,effective,and stable for correcting moderate and to high myopia,and the visual quality with patients is excellent and satisfactory,but the progression of axial length still needs attention after surgery.

Vault predicting after implantable collamer lens implantation using random forest network based on different features in ultrasound biomicroscopy images

AIM:To analyze ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM)images using random forest network to find new features to make predictions about vault after implantable collamer lens(ICL)implantation.METHODS:A total of 450 UBM images were collected from the Lixiang Eye Hospital to provide the patient’s preoperative parameters as well as the vault of the ICL after implantation.The vault was set as the prediction target,and the input elements were mainly ciliary sulcus shape parameters,which included 6 angular parameters,2 area parameters,and 2 parameters,distance between ciliary sulci,and anterior chamber height.A random forest regression model was applied to predict the vault,with the number of base estimators(n_estimators)of 2000,the maximum tree depth(max_depth)of 17,the number of tree features(max_features)of Auto,and the random state(random_state)of 40.0.RESULTS:Among the parameters selected in this study,the distance between ciliary sulci had a greater importance proportion,reaching 52%before parameter optimization is performed,and other features had less influence,with an importance proportion of about 5%.The importance of the distance between the ciliary sulci increased to 53% after parameter optimization,and the importance of angle 3 and area 1 increased to 5% and 8%respectively,while the importance of the other parameters remained unchanged,and the distance between the ciliary sulci was considered the most important feature.Other features,although they accounted for a relatively small proportion,also had an impact on the vault prediction.After parameter optimization,the best prediction results were obtained,with a predicted mean value of 763.688μm and an actual mean value of 776.9304μm.The R²was 0.4456 and the root mean square error was 201.5166.CONCLUSION:A study based on UBM images using random forest network can be performed for prediction of the vault after ICL implantation and can provide some reference for ICL size selection.

The role of cochlear implantation in alleviating Tumarkin drop attacks of Meniere's disease;a case report

Ménière’s disease(MD)patients may suffer episodes of sudden falls,named Tu markin drop attacks(DAs).This fall occurs abruptly and without warning or loss of consciousness.DAs usually aggravate the clinical picture of MD and are challenging to manage.The present report describes a case treated by cochlear implantation(CI)due to concomitant deafness and offers some clinical considerations for this condition.A male patient aged 48 years with a 10-year history of definite bilateral MD had profound SNHL on the right and severe SNHL on the left side.He suffered from intermittent attacks of vertigo,ear fullness,and tinnitus and,in the last year,had developed DAs and experienced 14 episodes in the previous six months.The preoperative category of acoustic performance was 3.The Dizziness Handicap Inventory(DHI)questionnaire showed a total score of 46,which indicated a moderate degree of disability.A CI was planned for the right side.The patient did not report any further DAs episode for two years since then.The postoperative category of acoustic performance became 11,and the postoperative DHI questionnaire showed a decrease in the total score(from 46 to 19),which indicated a mild disability.Unilateral CI effectively alleviated the DAs associated with bilateral MD.Our report proposes a new modality for managing vertiginous symptoms in cases of MD with hearing loss without the need for more aggressive surgical interventions with the need for clinical trials to confirm our results.

Prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation improves long-term prognosis for acute coronary syndrome:five-year results from a large cohort study

BACKGROUND:To investigate the most appropriate dual antiplatelet therapy(DAPT)duration for patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS)after drug-eluting stent(DES)implantation in the largest cardiovascular center of China.METHODS:We enrolled 5,187 consecutive patients with ACS who received DES from January to December 2013.Patients were divided into four groups based on DAPT duration:standard DAPT group(11-13 months,n=1,568)and prolonged DAPT groups(13-18 months[n=308],18-24 months[n=2,125],and>24 months[n=1,186]).Baseline characteristics and 5-year clinical outcomes were recorded.RESULTS:Baseline characteristics were similar across the four groups.Among the four groups,those with prolonged DAPT(18-24 months)had the lowest incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events(MACCEs)(14.1%vs.11.7%vs.9.6%vs.24.2%,P<0.001),all-cause death(4.8%vs.3.9%vs.2.1%vs.2.6%,P<0.001),cardiac death(3.1%vs.2.6%vs.1.4%vs.1.9%,P=0.004),and myocardial infarction(MI)(3.8%vs.4.2%vs.2.5%vs.5.8%,P<0.001).The incidence of bleeding was not different among the four groups(9.9%vs.9.4%vs.11.0%vs.9.4%,P=0.449).Cox multivariable analysis showed that prolonged DAPT(18-24 months)was an independent protective factor for MACCEs(hazard ratio[HR]0.802,95%confidence interval[CI]0.729-0.882,P<0.001),all-cause death(HR 0.660,95%CI 0.547-0.795,P<0.001),cardiac death(HR 0.663,95%CI 0.526-0.835,P<0.001),MI(HR 0.796,95%CI 0.662-0.957,P=0.015),and target vessel revascularization(HR 0.867,95%CI 0.755-0.996,P=0.044).Subgroup analysis for high bleeding risk showed that prolonged DAPT remained an independent protective factor for all-cause death and MACCEs.CONCLUSION:For patients with ACS after DES,appropriately prolonging the DAPT duration may be associated with a reduced risk of adverse ischemic events without increasing the bleeding risk.

Prediction of permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement:The role of machine learning

BACKGROUND Atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker(PPM)implantation is an important complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR).Application of machine learning could potentially be used to predict preprocedural risk for PPM.AIM To apply machine learning to be used to predict pre-procedural risk for PPM.METHODS A retrospective study of 1200 patients who underwent TAVR(January 2014-December 2017)was performed.964 patients without prior PPM were included for a 30-d analysis and 657 patients without PPM requirement through 30 d were included for a 1-year analysis.After the exclusion of variables with near-zero variance or≥50%missing data,167 variables were included in the random forest gradient boosting algorithm(GBM)optimized using 5-fold cross-validations repeated 10 times.The receiver operator curve(ROC)for the GBM model and PPM risk score models were calculated to predict the risk of PPM at 30 d and 1 year.RESULTS Of 964 patients included in the 30-d analysis without prior PPM,19.6%required PPM post-TAVR.The mean age of patients was 80.9±8.7 years.42.1%were female.Of 657 patients included in the 1-year analysis,the mean age of the patients was 80.7±8.2.Of those,42.6%of patients were female and 26.7%required PPM at 1-year post-TAVR.The area under ROC to predict 30-d and 1-year risk of PPM for the GBM model(0.66 and 0.72)was superior to that of the PPM risk score(0.55 and 0.54)with a P value<0.001.CONCLUSION The GBM model has good discrimination and calibration in identifying patients at high risk of PPM post-TAVR.

A Custom Manipulator for Dental Implantation Through Model-Based Design

This paper presents a Model-Based Design(MBD)approach for the design and control of a customized manipulator intended for drilling and position-ing of dental implants accurately with minimal human intervention.While performing an intra-oral surgery for a prolonged duration within a limited oral cavity,the tremor of dentist's hand is inevitable.As a result,wielding the drilling tool and inserting the dental implants safely in accurate position and orientation is highly challenging even for experienced dentists.Therefore,we introduce a customized manipulator that is designed ergonomically by taking in to account the dental chair specifications and anthropomorphic data such that it can be readily mounted onto the existing dental chair.The manipulator can be used to drill holes for dental inserts and position them with improved accuracy and safety.Further-more,a thorough multi-body motion analysis of the manipulator was carried out by creating a virtual prototype of the manipulator and simulating its controlled movements in various scenarios.The overall design was prepared and validated in simulation using Solid works,MATLAB and Simulink through Model Based Design(MBD)approach.The motion simulation results indicate that the manipulator could be built as a prototype readily.