Privacy-preserved learning from non-i.i.d data in fog-assisted IoT:A federated learning approach

With the prevalence of the Internet of Things(IoT)systems,smart cities comprise complex networks,including sensors,actuators,appliances,and cyber services.The complexity and heterogeneity of smart cities have become vulnerable to sophisticated cyber-attacks,especially privacy-related attacks such as inference and data poisoning ones.Federated Learning(FL)has been regarded as a hopeful method to enable distributed learning with privacypreserved intelligence in IoT applications.Even though the significance of developing privacy-preserving FL has drawn as a great research interest,the current research only concentrates on FL with independent identically distributed(i.i.d)data and few studies have addressed the non-i.i.d setting.FL is known to be vulnerable to Generative Adversarial Network(GAN)attacks,where an adversary can presume to act as a contributor participating in the training process to acquire the private data of other contributors.This paper proposes an innovative Privacy Protection-based Federated Deep Learning(PP-FDL)framework,which accomplishes data protection against privacy-related GAN attacks,along with high classification rates from non-i.i.d data.PP-FDL is designed to enable fog nodes to cooperate to train the FDL model in a way that ensures contributors have no access to the data of each other,where class probabilities are protected utilizing a private identifier generated for each class.The PP-FDL framework is evaluated for image classification using simple convolutional networks which are trained using MNIST and CIFAR-10 datasets.The empirical results have revealed that PF-DFL can achieve data protection and the framework outperforms the other three state-of-the-art models with 3%–8%as accuracy improvements.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and the first law of thermodynamics

In heart failure with preserved ejection fraction,significant left ventricular diastolic abnormalities are present,despite a normal systolic ejection fraction.This article will consider whether this is consistent with the law of conservation of energy,also know as the first law of thermodynamics.

Epicardial adipose tissue in obesity with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance biomarker study

BACKGROUND Obesity has become a serious public health issue,significantly elevating the risk of various complications.It is a well-established contributor to Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Evaluating HFpEF in obesity is crucial.Epicardial adipose tissue(EAT)has emerged as a valuable tool for validating prognostic biomarkers and guiding treatment targets.Hence,assessing EAT is of paramount importance.Cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR)imaging is acknowledged as the gold standard for analyzing cardiac function and mor-phology.We hope to use CMR to assess EAT as a bioimaging marker to evaluate HFpEF in obese patients.AIM To assess the diagnostic utility of CMR for evaluating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction[HFpEF;left ventricular(LV)ejection fraction≥50%]by measuring the epicardial adipose tissue(EAT)volumes and EAT mass in obese patients.METHODS Sixty-two obese patients were divided into two groups for a case-control study based on whether or not they had heart failure with HFpEF.The two groups were defined as HFpEF+and HFpEF-.LV geometry,global systolic function,EAT volumes and EAT mass of all subjects were obtained using cine magnetic resonance sequences.RESULTS Forty-five patients of HFpEF-group and seventeen patients of HFpEF+group were included.LV mass index(g/m2)of HFpEF+group was higher than HFpEF-group(P<0.05).In HFpEF+group,EAT volumes,EAT volume index,EAT mass,EAT mass index and the ratio of EAT/[left atrial(LA)left-right(LR)diameter]were higher compared to HFpEF-group(P<0.05).In multivariate analysis,Higher EAT/LA LR diameter ratio was associated with higher odds ratio of HFpEF.CONCLUSION EAT/LA LR diameter ratio is highly associated with HFpEF in obese patients.It is plausible that there may be utility in CMR for assessing obese patients for HFpEF using EAT/LA LR diameter ratio as a diagnostic biomarker.Further prospective studies,are needed to validate these proof-of-concept findings.

Preserved amplitude migration based on the one way wave equation in the angle domain

Traditional pre-stack depth migration can only provide subsurface structural information. However, simple structure information is insufficient for petroleum exploration which also needs amplitude information proportional to reflection coefficients. In recent years, pre-stack depth migration algorithms which preserve amplitudes and based on the one- way wave equation have been developed. Using the method in the shot domain requires a deconvolution imaging condition which produces some instability in areas with complicated structure and dramatic lateral variation in velocity. Depth migration with preserved amplitude based on the angle domain can overcome the instability of the one-way wave migration imaging condition with preserved amplitude. It can also offer provide velocity analysis in the angle domain of common imaging point gathers. In this paper, based on the foundation of the one-way wave continuation operator with preserved amplitude, we realized the preserved amplitude prestack depth migration in the angle domain. Models and real data validate the accuracy of the method.

Amplitude preserved VSP reverse time migration for angle-domain CIGs extraction

An improved method of generating angle-domain common-image gathers（ADCIGs） by VSP reverse time migration（RTM） is introduced in this paper.The formula which is used to compute the receiver wavefield for VSP RTM is modified by adding an amplitude correction term in order to conveniently output amplitude-preserved ADCIGs.Compared with the surface seismic data,VSP data contains much richer wavefields.However,the direct and downgoing waves can bring about serious imaging artifacts in ADCIGs,especially the direct wave.The feasibility and validity of this method is demonstrated by both numerical and real VSP data from western China.Thus,the ADCIGs from this method can provide reliable basic data for VSP migration velocity analysis,VSP AVO/AVA analysis,and inversion.

Challenging aspects of treatment strategies in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: “Why did recent clinical trials fail?”

Heart failure(HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults and the prevalence is growing with the aging populations in the Western countries. Epidemiologic reports suggest that approximately 50% of patients who have signs or symptoms of HF have preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. This HF type predominantly affects women and the elderly with other co-morbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, and overt volume status. Most of the current treatment strategies are based on morbidity benefits such as quality of life and reduction of clinical HF symptoms. Treatment of patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction displayed disappointing results from several large randomized controlled trials. The heterogeneity of HF with preserved ejection fraction, understood as complex syndrome, seems to be one of the primary reasons. Here, we present an overview of the current management strategies with available evidence and new therapeutic approach from drugs currently in clinical trials, which target diastolic dysfunction, chronotropic incompetence, and risk factor management. We provide an outline and interpretation of recent clinical trials that failed to improve outcome and survival in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction.

Therapeutic interventions for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction:A summary of current evidence

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFPEF)is common and represents a major challenge in cardiovascular medicine.Most of the current treatment of HFPEF is based on morbidity benefits and symptom reduction.Various pharmacological interventions available for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction have not been supported by clinical studies for HFPEF.Addressing the specific aetiology and aggressive risk factor modification remain the mainstay in the treatment of HFPEF.We present a brief overview of the currently recommended therapeutic options with available evidence.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of circulating micro RNAs in heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction

micro RNAs(mi RNAs) are powerful regulators of posttranscriptional gene expression and play an important role in pathophysiological processes. Circulating mi RNAs can be quantified in body liquids and are promising biomarkers in numerous diseases. In cardiovascular disease mi RNAs have been proven to be reliable diagnostic biomarkers for different disease entities. In cardiac fibrosis(CF) and heart failure(HF) dysregulated circulating mi RNAs have been identified,indicating their promising applicability as diagnostic biomarkers. Some mi RNAs were successfully tested in risk stratification of HF implementing their potential use as prognostic biomarkers. In this respect mi RNAs might soon be implemented in diagnostic clinical routine. In the young field of mi RNA based research advances have been made in identifying mi RNAs as potential targets for the treatment of experimental CF and HF. Promising study results suggest their potential future application as therapeutic agents in treatment of cardiovascular disease. This article summarizes the current state of the various aspects of mi RNA research in the field of CF and HF with reduced ejection fraction as well as preserved ejection fraction. The review provides an overview of the application of circulating mi RNAs as biomarkers in CF and HF and current approaches to therapeutically utilize mi RNAs in this field of cardiovascular disease.

Risks of incident heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in Chinese patients hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases

Background Endogenous aldehyde damages DNA and potentiates an ageing phenotype. The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2) rs671 polymorphism has a prevalence of 30%–50% in Asian populations. In this study, we aimed to analyze risk factors contributing to the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF) along with the genetic exposure in Chinese patients hospitalized with cardiovascular diseases(CVD). Methods From July 2017 to October 2018, a total of 770 consecutive Chinese patients with normal left ventricular ejection fractions(LVEF) and established CVD(hypertension, coronary heart diseases, or diabetes) were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. HFpEF was defined by the presence of at least one of symptom(dyspnoea and fatigue) or sign(rales and ankle swelling) related to heart failure;N-terminal pro-B-Type natriuretic peptide(NT pro-BNP ≥ 280 pg/mL);LVEF ≥ 50%;and at least one criterion related to elevated ventricular filling pressure or diastolic dysfunction(left atrial diameter > 40 mm, E/E’ ≥ 13, E’/A’ < 1 or concurrent atrial fibrillation). Logistic regression was performed to yield adjusted odds ratios(ORs) for HFp EF incidence associated with traditional and/or genetic exposures. Results Finally, among 770 patients with CVD, 92(11.9%) patients were classified into the HFpEF group according to the diagnostic criteria. The mean age of the participants was 67 ± 12 years, and 278(36.1%) patients were females. A total of 303(39.4%) patients were ALDH2*2 variant carriers. In the univariate analysis, eight exposures were found to be associated with HFpEF: atrial fibrillation, ALDH2*2 variants, hypertension, age, anaemia, smoking, alcohol consumption and sex. Multivariable logistic regression showed that 4 ‘A’ variables(atrial fibrillation, ALDH2*2 variants, age and anaemia) were significantly associated with an increased risk of HFpEF. Atrial fibrillation was associated with a 3.8-fold increased HFpEF risk(95% CI: 2.21–6.61, P < 0.001), and the other three exposures associated with increased HFpEF risk were the ALDH2*2 variant(OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.49–3.87, P < 0.001), age(OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.27–3.60, P = 0.004), and anaemia(OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.05–3.03, P = 0.032). These four variables predicted HFpEF incidence in Chinese CVD patients(C-statistic = 0.745, 95% CI: 0.691–0.800, P < 0.001). Conclusions 4 A traits(atrial fibrillation, ALDH2*2 variants, age and anaemia) were associated with an increased risk of HFpEF in Chinese CVD patients. Our results provide potential clues to the aetiology, pathophysiology and therapeutic targets of HFpEF.

Research on in-situ condition preserved coring and testing systems

As shallow resources are increasingly depleted,the mechanics'theory and testing technology of deep insitu rock has become urgent.Traditional coring technologies obtain rock samples without retaining the in-situ environmental conditions,leading to distortion of the measured parameters.Herein,a coring and testing systems retaining in-situ geological conditions is presented:the coring system that obtains in-situ rock samples,and the transfer and testing system that stores and analyzes the rocks under a reconstructed environment.The ICP-Coring system mainly consists of the pressure controller,active insulated core reactor and insulation layer and sealing film.The ultimate bearing strength of 100 MPa for pressurepreservation,temperature control accuracy of 0.97%for temperature-retained are realized.CH_(4)and CO permeability of the optimized sealing film are as low as 3.85 and 0.33 ppm/min.The average tensile elongation of the film is 152.4%and the light transmittance is reduced to 0%.Additionally,the pressure and steady-state temperature accuracy for reconstructing the in-situ environment of transfer and storage system up to 1%and±0.2 is achieved.The error recorded of the noncontact sensor ring made of lowdensity polymer is less than 6%than that of the contact test.The system can provide technical support for the deep in-situ rock mechanics research,improving deep resource acquisition capabilities and further clarifying deep-earth processes.

Preserved egg white alleviates DSS-induced colitis in mice through the reduction of oxidative stress,modulation of inflammatory cytokines,NF-κB,MAPK and gut microbiota composition

Traditional Chinese preserved egg products have exhibited some anti-inflammatory effects,but their mechanisms of action remain unknown.This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of preserved egg white(PEW)treatment on dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced colitis in mice and the underlying mechanisms.The results showed that treatment with PEW in mice with DSS-induced colitis for 14 days effectively improved the clinical signs,inhibited the secretion and gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines,and reduced myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity and oxidative stress levels.In addition,western blotting results showed that PEW significantly suppressed DSS-induced phosphorylation levels of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)p65 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)in colon tissues of mice with colitis.PEW also enhanced the production of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)and modulated gut microbiota composition in mice with DSS-induced colitis,including increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria Lachnospiraceae,Ruminococcaceae and Muribaculaceae,and reducing the relative abundance of harmful bacteria Proteobacteria.Taken together,our study demonstrated that preserved egg white could alleviate DSS-induced colitis in mice through the reduction of oxidative stress,modulation of inflammatory cytokines,NF-κB,MAPK and gut microbiota composition.

CDP-GAN:Near-Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Via Color Distribution Preserved GAN

Dear Editor,This letter is concerned with dealing with the great discrepancy between near-infrared(NIR)and visible(VS)image fusion via color distribution preserved generative adversarial network(CDP-GAN).Different from the global discriminator in prior GAN,conflict of preserving NIR details and VS color is resolved by introducing an attention guidance mechanism into the discriminator.Moreover。

Performance of cold-preserved rat liver Microorgans as the biological component of a simplified prototype model of bioartificial liver

AIMTo develop a simplified bioartificial liver (BAL) device prototype, suitable to use freshly and preserved liver Microorgans (LMOs) as biological component. METHODSThe system consists of 140 capillary fibers through which goat blood is pumped. The evolution of hematocrit, plasma and extra-fiber fluid osmolality was evaluated without any biological component, to characterize the prototype. LMOs were cut and cold stored 48 h in BG35 and ViaSpan® solutions. Fresh LMOs were used as controls. After preservation, LMOs were loaded into the BAL and an ammonia overload was added. To assess LMOs viability and functionality, samples were taken to determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and ammonia detoxification capacity. RESULTSThe concentrations of ammonia and glucose, and the fluids osmolalities were matched after the first hour of perfusion, showing a proper exchange between blood and the biological compartment in the minibioreactor. After 120 min of perfusion, LMOs cold preserved in BG35 and ViaSpan® were able to detoxify 52.9% ± 6.5% and 53.6% ± 6.0%, respectively, of the initial ammonia overload. No significant differences were found with Controls (49.3% ± 8.8%, P ® cold preserved LMOs, respectively (n = 6, P CONCLUSIONThis prototype relied on a simple design and excellent performance. It’s a practical tool to evaluate the detoxification ability of LMOs subjected to different preservation protocols.

Biomechanical Manifestations of Diastolic and Systolic Function in Rats with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Objective Heart failure(HF)is divided into two types:Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).The latter always results in diastolic dysfunction,characterized by changes in mechanical properties.The objective of this study is to build a finite element(FE)model of HFpEF and analyze diastolic and systolic function in rats.Methods Ten Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed either a low-salt(LS)(n=5)or highsalt(HS)(n=5)diet beginning at 7 weeks of age and scanned by ultrasonic machine at 14 weeks of age.A non-linear FE model of the left ventricle(LV)was built from cardiac echo images at end-diastole and passive material properties of the LV were prescribed using Fung’s transversely isotropic constitutive law.Fiber angles of the endocardium and epicardium were prescribed as 53°°and-52°,respectively,with respect to the circumferential direction and varied linearly through the LV wall.The method developed by Krishnamurthywas used to determine the unloaded geometry to estimate the Fung passive material parameters.LV end-diastolic pressure(EDP)was determined from the measured pressure waves and applied to the endocardium at the unloaded geometry to simulate passive filling.Active material properties of the LV were prescribed using Guccione’s time-varying elastance model and maximum isometric tension was scaled to match the measured peak systolic pressure.The finite element model was then coupled to the Windkessel model,whose parameters were adjusted to the measured hemodynamics.Results Measured LVEDPs of LS and HS rats were 4.9±3.4 mmHg and 13.2±5.4 mmHg(P-0.030 8),respectively.End-diastolic Cauchy stress along the fiber direction for LS rats was significantly lower than for HS rats(0.91±0.60 kPa vs 3.00±0.63 kPa,P=0.001 4)and there was a similar trend in end-diastolic Green Strain along the fiber direction(0.058±0.003 vs 0.072±0.010,P=0.012 8,Figure 1b),as well.There was no distinctive difference between end-systolic Cauchy stress along the fiber direction for LS rats and HS rats(17.2±4.3 kPa vs 17.2±5.5 kPa,P=0.991 9)but end-systolic Green Strain along the fiber direction for LS rats was significantly higher than for HS rats(-0. 108±0.017 vs-0.065±0.024,negative sign represents direction).Conclusions For rats with HFpEF,it is the elevated LVEDP that induces the increase in end-diastolic stress and strain,thereby leading to diastolic dysfunction.Because of the preserved ejection fraction,HFpEF has less effect on systolic function.

In vitro performance and in vivo fertility of antibiotic-free preserved boar semen stored at 5℃

Background: Hypothermic preservation of boar semen is considered a potential method for omitting antibiotics from insemination doses, thereby contributing to the global antibiotic resistance defence strategy. The main challenges are chilling injury to spermatozoa and bacterial growth during semen storage leading to reduced fertility.Objectives: To examine chilling injury and the number and type of bacteria in boar semen stored at 5 ℃ in the absence of antibiotics, and to assess the applicability of hypothermic semen storage under field conditions.Material and methods: Boar ejaculates were extended with AndroStar~? Premium, stored at 17 ℃ with and at 5 ℃ without antibiotics and tested for functional sperm parameters by flow cytometry. Raw semen and extended samples were investigated bacteriologically. Fertility was evaluated after once-daily inseminations of 194 sows in a field study.Results: Lethal sperm damage assessed by motility and membrane integrity was low throughout storage in both experimental groups. Sublethal chilling effects based on the decrease of viable spermatozoa with low membrane fluidity were higher(P < 0.05) up until 72 h in sperm stored at 5 ℃ compared to 17 ℃ but did not differ after 144 h.After 72 h, incubation in capacitating medium for 60 min induced a similar decrease in viable sperm with high mitochondria membrane potential and low cytosolic calcium in both groups. In semen stored at 5 ℃, bacteria counts were below 103 CFU/mL and the bacteria spectrum was similar to that of raw semen. In 88% of 34 boars,cooled semen fulfilled the requirements for insemination. Fertility was high and did not differ(P > 0.05) between sow groups inseminated with semen stored antibiotic-free at 5 ℃ and semen stored at 17 ℃ with antibiotics.Conclusion: Despite subtle chilling effects and low bacterial numbers, antibiotic-free hypothermic storage of boar semen offers the possibility to reduce the use of antibiotics in pig insemination. However, strict sanitary guidelines must be maintained and further evidence of efficiency under field conditions is considered desirable.

The application of amplitude-preserved processing and migration for carbonate reservoir prediction in the Tarim Basin,China

Conventional seismic exploration method based on post-stack data usually fails to identify the distribution of fractured and caved carbonate reservoirs in the Tarim Basin,so the rich pre-stack information should be applied to the prediction of carbonate reservoirs.Amplitude-preserved seismic data processing is the foundation.In this paper,according to the feature of desert seismic data （including weak reflection,fast attenuation of high frequency components,strong coherent noises,low S/N and resolution）,a set of amplitude-preserved processing techniques is applied and a reasonable processing flow is formed to obtain the high quality data.After implementing a set of pre-stack amplitude-preserved processing,we test and define the kernel parameters of amplitude-preserved Kirchhoff PSTM （pre-stack time migration） and subsequent gathers processing,in order to obtain the amplitude-preserved gathers used to the isotropic pre-stack inversion for the identification of caved reservoirs.The AVO characteristics of obtained gathers fit well with the synthetic gathers from logging data,and it proves that the processing above is amplitudepreserved.The azimuthal processing techniques,including azimuth division and binning enlargement,are implemented for amplitude-preserved azimuthal gathers with the uniform fold.They can be used in the anisotropic inversion to detect effective fractures.The processing techniques and flows are applied to the field seismic data,and are proved available for providing the amplitude-preserved gathers for carbonate reservoir prediction in the Tarim Basin.

Thirty-day readmission in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction:Insights from the nationwide readmission database

BACKGROUND There are rising numbers of patients who have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF).Poorly understood pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction and due to a sparsity of studies,the management of HFpEF is challenging.AIM To determine the hospital readmission rate within 30 d of acute or acute on chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and its effect on mortality and burden on health care in the United States.METHODS We performed a retrospective study using the Agency for Health-care Research and Quality Health-care Cost and Utilization Project,Nationwide Readmissions Database for the year 2017.We collected data on hospital readmissions of 60514 adults hospitalized for acute or acute on chronic HFpEF.The primary outcome was the rate of all-cause readmission within 30 d of discharge.Secondary outcomes were cause of readmission,mortality rate in readmitted and index patients,length of stay,total hospitalization costs and charges.Independent risk factors for readmission were identified using Cox regression analysis.RESULTS The thirty day readmission rate was 21%.Approximately 9.17%of readmissions were in the setting of acute on chronic diastolic heart failure.Hypertensive chronic kidney disease with heart failure(1245;9.7%)was the most common readmission diagnosis.Readmitted patients had higher in-hospital mortality(7.9%vs 2.9%,P=0.000).Our study showed that Medicaid insurance,higher Charlson co-morbidity score,patient admitted to a teaching hospital and longer hospital stay were significant variables associated with higher readmission rates.Lower readmission rate was found in residents of small metropolitan or micropolitan areas,older age,female gender,and private insurance or no insurance were associated with lower risk of readmission.CONCLUSION We found that patients hospitalized for acute or acute on chronic HFpEF,the thirty day readmission rate was 21%.Readmission cases had a higher mortality rate and increased healthcare resource utilization.The most common cause of readmission was cardio-renal syndrome.

Preparation and evaluation of a glycerol-preserved direct agglutination antigen for long-term preservation:a comparative study of the detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in human and dog

Objective:To prepare and evaluate a glycerol-preserved antigen from an Iranian strain of Leishmania infantum(L infantum) for use in glycerol-preserved direct agglutination tests (GP-DAT) as an alternative to freeze dried direct agglutination teals(FD-DAT) that use freezedried antigen.Methods:Glycerol-preserved DAT antigen was prepared and stored at different temperatures.We tested antigen stored at 4℃,22-37℃and 50℃over a period of 365 days. Seven hundred twenty-nine serum samples were collected from different geographical zones of Iran from 2007-2009,and 80 of these samples were pooled to produce sera.Each pooled serum contained 10 sera.All positive and negative pooled sera were separately tested for anti-L. infantum antibodies with GP-DAT,FD-DAT and formaldehyde-fixed direct agglutination test (FF-DAT) antigens;tests were performed on both human and dog sera over a period of 12 months. Results:There was strong agreement between the results obtained using GP-DAT and FDDAT antigens stored at 22-37℃for 12 months for both human(100%) and dog(100%) pooled sera.The direct agglutination test results were highly reproducible(weighted kappa:GP=0.833, FD=0.979 and FF=0.917).Conclusions:Because GP-DAT antigen is highly stable over a range of temperatures and is easy to transport in the field,this type of antigen may be particularly useful in areas with endemic visceral leishmaniasis.

Targeting epicardial adipose tissue:A potential therapeutic strategy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)is a heterogeneous syndrome with various comorbidities,multiple cardiac and extracardiac pathophysiologic abnormalities,and diverse phenotypic presentations.Since HFpEF is a heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes,individualized treatment is required.HFpEF with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)represents a specific phenotype of HFpEF,with about 45%-50% of HFpEF patients suffering from T2DM.Systemic inflammation associated with dysregulated glucose metabolism is a critical pathological mechanism of HFpEF with T2DM,which is intimately related to the expansion and dysfunction(inflammation and hypermetabolic activity)of epicardial adipose tissue(EAT).EAT is well established as a very active endocrine organ that can regulate the pathophysiological processes of HFpEF with T2DM through the paracrine and endocrine mechanisms.Therefore,suppressing abnormal EAT expansion may be a promising therapeutic strategy for HFpEF with T2DM.Although there is no treatment specifically for EAT,lifestyle management,bariatric surgery,and some pharmaceutical interventions(anti-cytokine drugs,statins,proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors,metformin,glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists,and especially sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors)have been shown to attenuate the inflammatory response or expansion of EAT.Importantly,these treatments may be beneficial in improving the clinical symptoms or prognosis of patients with HFpEF.Accordingly,well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the efficacy of current therapies.In addition,more novel and effective therapies targeting EAT are needed in the future.

Morphological Characteristics of the Endothelial Ceils of Corneas of Rabbits Preserved by Desiccation

The endothelial cells of the corneas of rabbits preserved by desiccation for vari-ous duration showed no hexagonal form of normal cells but broad bean-like nuclci afterdouble staining with alizarin red and trypan blue.Scanning electron microscopic examina-tion revealed interdigitation at the intercellular junction together with intercellularvacuoles and cellular edema.Transmission electron microscopic examination showedincomplete nuclear membrane,karyopyknosis,vacuoles and remnant organellae in thecytoplasm.Partial penetrating keratoplasties were done in 37 rabbits(37 eyes)with pre-served corneas.The grafts remained transparent for a minimum of 4 days to a maximumof over 1 year,and 7 grafts remained transparent for more than 30 days.Staining ofthe transparent grafts revealed normal hexagonal endothelial cells in mosaic arrange-ment.We assumed that after transplantation of the preserved cornea the endothelial cellsregained their activities owing to the nutrient effect of the aqueous humor.