Value of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide,High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein,and Homocysteine Levels in Predicting Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Heart Failure Patients After Discharge

Objective:To investigate the value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and homocysteine(Hcy)levels in predicting cardiovascular events(CV)in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:A total of 63 patients with CHF admitted to our hospital between June 2019 and July 2021 were selected.Their NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels were detected at discharge,and a 12-month follow-up was done after their discharge to collect clinical data.The collected data were inclusive of data from 21 CHF patients with cardiovascular disease and 42 CHF patients without cardiovascular disease.The effect of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels on the occurrence of CV was analyzed.Results:The levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy in the group with cardiovascular disease were significantly higher than those in the group without cardiovascular disease(P<0.05);the levels of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy at discharge had certain value in predicting short-term CV in CHF patients(P<0.05).Conclusion:NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels can be used to predict CV in CHF patients,thus having clinical application value.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponins in everyday clinical practice

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin(hs-cTn) assays are increasingly being used in many countries worldwide,however,a generally accepted definition of high-sen-sitivity is still pending.These assays enable cTn mea-surement with a high degree of analytical sensitivity with a low analytical imprecision at the low measuring range of cTn assays(coefficient of variation of < 10% at the 99th percentile upper reference limit).One of the most important advantages of these new assays is that they allow novel,more rapid approaches to rule in or rule out acute coronary syndromes(ACSs) than with previous cTn assay generations which are still more commonly used in practice worldwide.hs-cTn is also more sensitive for the detection of myocardial damage unrelated to acute myocardial ischemia.Therefore,the increase in early diagnostic sensitivity of hs-cTn assays for ACS comes at the cost of a reduced ACS specificity,because more patients with other causes of acute or chronic myocardial injury without overt myocardial isch-emia are detected than with previous cTn assays.As hs-cTn assays are increasingly being adopted in clinical practice and more hs-cTn assays are being developed,this review attempts to synthesize the available clinical data to make recommendations for their everyday clini-cal routine use.

Distribution of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein Status in an Urban Population in China

Objectives To evaluate the distribution by age and sex of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP)in an urban Chinese population and to provide a profile prediction for the risk of bacterial infection,inflammatory diseases,or tissue damages in the body.Methods Serum hsCRP was determined using the Roche Tina-quant immuno-turbidimetric assay on a Hitachi 7600–010 automatic biochemical analyzer(Roche Diagnostics)in 1,572 males and 1,800 females,including 78 pregnant women,who were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in2010–2012.Results The average hsCRP concentration in urban China was 0.68 mg/L for males and 0.65 mg/L for females.Significant differences in hsCRP were found among different age groups(P<0.05).Monitoring results showed no significant differences among the 6–11,45–59,and≥60-year-old groups in the comparison of hsCRP between males and females in large cities.However,hsCRP concentration was significantly higher in men aged 12–17 and 18–44 years than in women.Conclusion The distribution of the hsCRP status of residents in large cities in China was influenced by age and gender,and the hsCRP levels of both sexes increased gradually with age.In addition,hsCRP concentration was higher in healthy pregnant women than in non-pregnant women.Basing on our results,we recommend that this parameter be included in future national and international screening for early detection of various illnesses.

Elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in periodontitis patients in Kosovo: A pilot study

The following article has been retracted due to the investigation of complaints received against it. The Editorial Board found that the same contents have been published in another journal at the same time. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter, and the Open Journal of Stomatology treats all unethical behavior such as plagiarism seriously. This paper published in Vol.3 No.1 32-38, 2013 has been removed from this site. Title: Elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in periodontitis patients in Kosovo: A pilot study Authors: Zana Sllamniku-Dalipi, Hasan Mehmeti, Fatmir Dragidella, Ferit Kocani, Metush Disha, Kastriot Meqa, Luljeta Begolli, Gramos

Responses of serum inflammatory factor high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in elderly males with cerebral infarction Non-randomized concurrent control

BACKGROUND： Cerebral infarction is poorly treated due to neuronal necrosis and secondary pathophysiological changes; for example, free radical production and inflammatory reactions. OBJECTIVE： To detect the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）, interleukin-6 （IL-6）, and tumor necrosis factor- a （TNF- α ） in elderly males with cerebral infarction. DESIGN： Non-randomized current control study. SETTING： Cadre Medical Department, Guizhou Provincial People＇s Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： Forty elderly males （65-89 years old） with cerebral infarction were selected from Cadre Medical Department, Guizhou Provincial People＇s Hospital from February 2004 to December 2006. All patients met the diagnostic criteria of cerebral infarction modified at the 4th National Cerebrovascular Disease Academic Meeting, and were diagnosed on the basis of CT or MRI tests. Furthermore, 35 elderly male inpatients （65-87 years old） without cerebral infarction were selected as the control group. Included subjects provided confirmed consent and did not have heart disease, diabetes mellitus, lipid disorder, acute trauma, infection, rheumatism, or other inflammatory diseases. The study was approved by the local ethics committee. There were no significant differences in age, blood pressure, and lipid levels between the cerebral infarction group and the control group （P 〉 0.05）, and this suggested that the baseline data of both groups were comparable. METHODS： Fasting venous blood was drawn from cerebral infarction patients 24 hours after cerebral infarction attack and from control subjects 24 hours after hospitalization. A latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect the levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF- α in the serum. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The levels of hs-CRP, 1L-6, and TNF- α in the serum in both groups. RESULTS： Forty cerebral infarction patients and thirty-five control subjects were included in the final analysis without any loss. Levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in the cerebral infarction group were significantly higher than those in the control group （P 〈 0.01 ）. CONCLUSION： Levels of serum inflammatory reactive factors are increased in elderly males with cerebral infarction.

A dual-axis, high-sensitivity atomic magnetometer

Atomic magnetometer （AM） operated in a spin-exchange relaxation-free （SERF） regime features superior sensitivity and non-cryogenic operation, and thus is competitive with the best superconducting quantum interference devices. Previously, SERF AM with fT/Hz1/2 level sensitivity commonly acted as a single-axis sensor. Here we demonstrate a dual-axis SERF AM capable of simultaneously and independently detecting x-and y-field components with a sensitivity of 20 fT/Hz1/2. As there is no necessity to worry about the cross-talk effects arising from field modulations, the dual-axis scheme proposed here is of particular interest to AM array and hence the biomagnetic applications.

High-Sensitivity Magnetization Measurements

The three most common instruments for high-sensitivity magnetization measurements (the vibrating-sampie magnetometer, the alternating gradient magnetometer, and the SQUID magnetometer) are described and their limiting sensitivities are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of each are described. Magnetometers using micro-machined force detectors are briefly mentioned.

A High-Sensitivity Refractive-Index Sensor Based on Plasmonic Waveguides Asymmetrically Coupled with a Nanodisk Resonator

A high-sensitivity plasmonic refractive-index sensor based on the asymmetrical coupling of two metal-insulator- metal waveguides with a nanodisk resonator is proposed and simulated in the finite-difference time domain. Both analytic and simulated results show that the resonance wavelengths of the sensor have an approximate linear relationship with the refractive index of the materials which are filled into the slit waveguides and the disk- shaped resonator. The working mechanism of this sensor is exactly due to the linear relationship, based on which tile refractive index of the materials unknown can be obtained from the detection of the resonance wavelength. The measurement sensitivity can reach as high as 6.45 × 10-7, which is nearly five times higher than the results reported in the recent literature [Opt. Commun. 300 （2013） 265]. With an optimum design, the sensing value can be further improved, and it can be widely applied into the biological sensing. Tile sensor working for temperature sensing is also analyzed.

Design and Implementation of a High-Sensitivity Magnetic Sensing System Based on GMI Effect

A high-sensitivity magnetic sensing system based on giant magneto-impedance(GMI)effect is designed and fabricated.The system comprises a GMI sensor equipped with a gradient probe and an signal acquisition and processing module.A segmented superposition algorithm is used to increase target signal and reduce the random noise.The results show that under unshielded,room temperature conditions,the system achieves successful detection of weak magnetic fields down to 2 pT with a notable sensitivity of 1.84×108V/T(G=1000).By applying 17 overlays,the segmented superposition algorithm increases the power proportion of the target signal at 31 Hz from6.89%to 45.91%,surpassing the power proportion of the 2 Hz low-frequency interference signal.Simultaneously,it reduces the power proportion of the 20 Hz random noise.The segmented superposition process effectively cancels out certain random noise elements,leading to a reduction in their respective power proportions.This high-sensitivity magnetic sensing system features a simple structure,and is easy to operate,making it highly valuable for both practical applications and broader dissemination.

Enhanced Fano resonance for high-sensitivity sensing based on bound states in the continuum

Although previously reported terahertz absorbers can achieve high-sensitivity refractive index sensing,the resonant peak is too broad,which leads to a low figure of merit[FOM].Transmissive sensors based on bound states in the continuum[BIC]can achieve high FOM,but they have some limitations in high sensitivity.Herein,we propose a periodic triple parallel metal bars structure to obtain high quality,a strong field,and multiple hot spots by the Friedrich-Wintgen BIC.Numerical results show the sensitivity and FOM can reach 1877 GHz/RIU and 665,respectively.Compared to the previously reported transmissive sensors based on BIC,the sensitivity has been greatly improved.

Facile fabrication of microstructured surface using laser speckle for high-sensitivity capacitive pressure sensors

The design of a maskless exposure system for fabricating the microstructured surface based on the grainy light illumination generated by laser speckle is reported. Upon combining with soft lithography, we obtained microstructured polydimethylsiloxane electrodes with microstructure sizes of 20 μm and 40 μm and microstructure fill factors ranging from 10% to 90%. The feasibility of using this method in fabricating high-sensitivity capacitive pressure sensors was demonstrated. The sensor shows the highest sensitivity of 2.14 k Pa-1under 0–100 Pa pressures, the low detection limit of 4.9 Pa, and the excellent stability and durability of 10000 cycles. The method of employing laser speckle in fabricating microstructures with different morphologies is simple and robust, which is superior to other methods such as traditional photolithography.

Elevated level of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I as a predictor of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background:The relationship between the elevation of cardiac troponin and the increase of mortality and hospitalization rate in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is clear.This study investigated the association between the extent of elevated levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I(hs-cTnI)and the prognosis in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study consecutively enrolled 470 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction from September 2014 to August 2017.According to the level of hs-cTnI,the patients were divided into the elevated level group(hs-cTnI>0.034 ng/mL in male and hs-cTnI>0.016 ng/mL in female)and the normal level group.All of the patients were followed up once every 6 months.Adverse cardiovascular events were cardiogenic death and heart failure hospitalization.Results:The mean follow-up period was 36.2±7.9 months.Cardiogenic mortality(18.6%[26/140]vs.1.5%[5/330],P<0.001)and heart failure(HF)hospitalization rate(74.3%[104/140]vs.43.6%[144/330],P<0.001)were significantly higher in the elevated level group.The Cox regression analysis showed that the elevated level of hs-cTnI was a predictor of cardiogenic death(hazard ratio[HR]:5.578,95%confidence interval[CI]:2.995-10.386,P<0.001)and HF hospitalization(HR:3.254,95%CI:2.698-3.923,P<0.001).The receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that a sensitivity of 72.6%and specificity of 88.8%for correct prediction of adverse cardiovascular events when a level of hs-cTnI of 0.1305 ng/mL in male and a sensitivity of 70.6%and specificity of 90.2%when a level of hs-cTnI of 0.0755 ng/mL in female were used as the cut-off value.Conclusion:Significant elevation of hs-cTnI(≥0.1305 ng/mL in male and≥0.0755 ng/mL in female)is an effective indicator of the increased risk of cardiogenic death and HF hospitalization in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients.

Associations of plasma homocysteine and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels with arterial stiffness in Chinese population： a community-based study

Background Arterial stiffness increases with age and is also associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Little is known about the relations of homocysteine and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP） to arterial stiffness in the Chinese community. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of plasma homocysteine and hs-CRP levels with arterial stiffness in a community-based cohort. Methods We related levels of homocysteine and hs-CRP to four measures of arterial stiffness （carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity （PWV）, carotid-radial PWV, carotid-ankle PWV and heart rate corrected augmentation index） in 1680 participants from two communities of Beijing, China. Arterial stiffness was measured within two days of the time of biomarker measurement. Results In univariate analysis, homocysteine was positively associated with the carotid-femoral PWV （r=0.211, P 〈0.0001）, carotid-radial PWV （r=0.120, P 〈0.0001） and carotid-ankle PWV （r=0.148, P 〈0.0001）, whereas it was inversely related to the augmentation index （r= -0.052, P=0.016）. Hs-CRP was positively associated with the carotid-femoral PWV （r=0.074, P=0.001） and carotid-ankle PWV （r=0.050, P=0.02）. In multiple-adjusted models （R2=0.57）, homocysteine levels remained a significant determinant of the carotid-femoral PWV （standardized 13=0.065, P=0.007）, whereas the association of hs-CRP with measurements of arterial stiffness was not present. Conclusions In the Chinese population, plasma homocysteine levels are associated with alterations of aortic stiffness, whereas plasma levels of hs-CRP are not independently related to artery stiffening.

High-sensitivity integrated devices based on surface plasmon resonance for sensing applications

A metallic nanostructured array that scatters radiation toward a thin metallic layer generates surface plasmon resonances for normally incident light. The location of the minimum of the spectral reflectivity serves to detect changes in the index of refraction of the medium under analysis. The normal incidence operation eases its integration with optical fibers. The geometry of the arrangement and the material selection are changed to optimize some performance parameters as sensitivity, figure of merit, field enhancement, and spectral width. This optimization takes into account the feasibility of the fabrication. The evaluated results of sensitivity(1020 nm/RIU)and figure of merit(614 RIU^(-1)) are competitive with those previously reported.

Prognostic role of high-sensitivity troponin T in elderly patients with sepsis in intensive care unit

Background Paucity of data is available on the in-hospital and 28-day prognostic value of at-admission highsensitivity troponin T(hs-TnT)level in elderly patients with sepsis admitted to intensive care units.Methods Patients aged 65 or older with sepsis or septic shock admitted to geriatric ICU in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital between January 2010 and December 2017 were enrolled in the study.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of hs-TnT for in-hospital mortality.Multivariate Cox survival regression was used to determine independent risk factor of hs-TnT for 28-day death.Results The in-hospital mortality was 64.4%.According to the receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve analysis,the cut-off for predicting in-hospital death was 65.2 pg/mL.Patients with elevated hs-TnT had a higher rate of in-hospital mortality(75%vs.53.4%,P<0.001)and 28-day mortality(47.7%vs.27.6%,P<0.001).Multivariate regression showed that lg(hs-TnT)was an independent risk factor for in-hospital death(adjusted HR:1.53,95%CI:1.16-2.01,P=0.03).Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that elderly patients with at-admission hs-TnT>65.2 pg/mL had a worse outcome than those with hs-TnT<65.2 pg/mL(Log-rank test:17.46,P=0.000).Conclusions In elderly patients with sepsis admitted to intensive care units,elevated hs-TnT level measured upon admission was associated with increased mortality rate.hs-TnT independently contributed to the prediction of 28-day mortality.

High-sensitive terahertz detection by parametric up-conversion using nanosecond pulsed laser

A high-sensitive terahertz detector operating at room temperature was demonstrated based on parametric upconversion.A nanosecond 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser was used to pump the parametric up-conversion detector and the upconversion from terahertz wave to NIR laser was realized in a lithium niobate crystal.The minimum detectable terahertz energy of 9 p J was realized with the detection dynamic range of 54 d B,which was three orders of magnitude higher than that of commercial Golay cell.The detectable terahertz frequency range of the detection system was 0.90 Thz–1.83 THz.Besides,the effects of pump energy and effective gain length on the detection sensitivity were studied in experiment.The results showed that higher pump energy and longer effective gain length are helpful for improving the detection sensitivity of parametric up-conversion detector.

High-sensitive phototransistor based on vertical HfSe_(2)/MoS_(2) heterostructure with broad-spectral response

Van der Waals heterostructures based on the two-dimensional(2D)semiconductor materials have attracted increasing attention due to their attractive properties.In this work,we demonstrate a high-sensitive back-gated phototransistor based on the vertical HfSe_(2)/MoS_(2)heterostructure with a broad-spectral response from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared and an efficient gate tunability for photoresponse.Under bias,the phototransistor exhibits high responsivity of up to 1.42×103A/W,and ultrahigh specific detectivity of up to 1.39×1015cm·Hz^(1/2)·W^(-1).Moreover,it can also operate under zero bias with remarkable responsivity of 10.2 A/W,relatively high specific detectivity of 1.43×1014cm·Hz^(1/2)·W^(-1),ultralow dark current of 1.22 f A,and high on/off ratio of above 105.These results should be attributed to the fact that the vertical HfSe_(2)/MoS_(2)heterostructure not only improves the broadband photoresponse of the phototransistor but also greatly enhances its sensitivity.Therefore,the heterostructure provides a promising candidate for next generation high performance phototransistors.

Ultrasensitive and Highly Stretchable Multiple‑Crosslinked Ionic Hydrogel Sensors with Long‑Term Stability

Flexible hydrogels are receiving significant attention for their application in wearable sensors.However,most hydrogel materials exhibit weak and one-time adhesion,low sensitivity,ice crystallization,water evaporation,and poor self-recovery,thereby limiting their application as sensors.These issues are only partly addressed in previous studies.Herein,a multiplecrosslinked poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide-co-acrylamide)(P(SBMA-co-AAm))multifunctional hydrogel is prepared via a one-pot synthesis method to overcome the aforementioned limitations.Specifically,ions,glycerol,and 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide are incorporated to reduce the freezing point and improve the moisture retention ability.The proposed hydrogel is superior to existing hydrogels because it exhibits good stretchability(a strain of 2900%),self-healing properties,and transparency through effective energy dissipation in its dynamic crosslinked network.Further,2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide as a zwitterion monomer results in an excellent gauge factor of 43.4 at strains of 1300-1600%by improving the ion transportability and achieving a strong adhesion of 20.9 kPa owing to the dipole-dipole moment.The proposed hydrogel is promising for next-generation biomedical applications,such as soft robots,and health monitoring.

A high-sensitive and self-selective humanoid mechanoreceptor for spatiotemporal tactile stimuli cognition

The cognition of spatiotemporal tactile stimuli,including fine spatial stimuli and static/dynamic temporal stimuli,is paramount for intelligent robots to feel their surroundings and complete manipulation tasks.However,current tactile sensors have restrictions on simultaneously demonstrating high sensitivity and performing selective responses to static/dynamic stimuli,making it a challenge to effectively cognize spatiotemporal tactile stimuli.Here,we report a high-sensitive and self-selective humanoid mechanoreceptor(HMR)that can precisely respond to spatiotemporal tactile stimuli.The HMR with PDMS/chitosan@CNTs(PDMS:polydimethylsiloxane;CNT:carbon nanotube)graded microstructures and polyurethane hierarchical porous spacer exhibits high sensitivity of 3790.8 kPa^(-1).The HMR demonstrates self-selective responses to static and dynamic stimuli with mono signal through the hybrid of piezoresistive and triboelectric mechanisms.Consequently,it can respond to spatiotemporal tactile stimuli and generate distinguishable and multi-type characteristic signals.With the assistance of the convolutional neural network,multiple target objects can be easily identified with a high accuracy of 99.1%.This work shows great potential in object precise identification and dexterous manipulation,which is the basis of intelligent robots and natural human-machine interactions.

Elevated IL-37 levels in the plasma of patients with severe coronary arterycalcification

Background Coronary artery calcification （CAC） is a predictor of cardiovascular events and plaque burden and is closely associatedwith chronic inflammation. Intedeukin （IL）-37 is a newly discovered member of the IL-1 family and is considered an anti-inflammatorycytokine. Our recent study on mice indicated that IL-37 could attenuate atherosclerosis and vascular calcification, which suggests that IL-37could be associated with the development of atherosclerosis and related diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate if IL-37 plays arole in the progression of CAC in patients. Methods Two hundred participants with suspected cardiovascular disease were recruited. Thelevels of plasma IL-37, osteoprotegerin （OPG）, hypersensitive C-reactive protein （hsCRP） together with other biochemical parameters weremeasured, and a coronary calcium assessment was carried out by multi-detector row CT. A score of 〈 10 AU （Agatston units） denotes anabsence of CAC, a score of 11-100 AU denotes mild CAC, 101-400 denotes moderate CAC, and 〉 400 AU denotes severe CAC. ResultsOur initial data showed that there were no apparent differences in plasma IL-37 levels among patients with or without mild or moderate CAC.However, IL-37 levels were significantly increased in patients with severe CAC （P 〈 0.001）. Similar results were observed for plasma OPGand hsCRP levels. When IL-37 levels in patients with severe calcification were compared with that in all of the other non-severe CAC groups,it became apparent that there was a significant positive correlation between IL-37 level and severe CAC （r = 0.360, P 〈 0.001; OR = 1.033）using Spearrnan＇s correlation and binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the anti-inflammatory cy-tokine IL-37 is associated with high coronary calcium levels, suggesting that IL-37 expression may be caused by the activation ofinf/amma-tion and that IL-37 might become a predictor of severe CAC in the future, which requires further investigation.