Surface oxygen concentration on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (2017-2022).

For the ecologically vulnerable Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), hypoxia is increasingly becoming an extremely important environmental risk factor that significantly affects the health of both humans and livestock in the plateau region, as well as hindering high-quality development. To focus on the problem of hypoxia, it is especially urgent to study the surface oxygen concentration (i.e., oxygen concentration). However, the existing research is not sufficient, and there is a lack of oxygen concentration data collected on the QTP. In this study, through the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research and field measurements, the oxygen concentration data and corresponding geographic environmental data were collected at 807 measurement points on the QTP from 2017 to 2022, and the spatiotemporal oxygen concentration patterns were estimated. This work filled the gaps in the measurement and research of oxygen concentrations on the QTP while providing data support for analyses of the influencing factors and spatiotemporal characteristics of oxygen concentrations, which is of great significance for promoting the construction of ecological civilization in the QTP region.

Nonlinear generation of an optical bottle beam in domain-engineered ferroelectric crystals.

Nonlinear wavefront shaping in periodically poled ferroelectric crystals has received great attention because it offers a convenient way to generate a structured light beam at new frequencies. In contrast to structurally uniform beams like Laguerre-Gaussian or Hermite-Gaussian modes, here we demonstrate the possibility to generate a spatially varied optical bottle beam via a frequency doubling process in a domain-engineered Sr0.61Ba0.39Nb2O6 (SBN) crystal. The nonlinear holography method was employed to design the modulation pattern of the second-order nonlinear coefficient χ(2), and the femtosecond laser poling was used to imprint the χ(2) pattern into the SBN crystal via ferroelectric domain inversion. The second harmonic bottle beam with zero intensity in its center that is surrounded in all three dimensions by light was observed with the incidence of a fundamental Gaussian beam. These results are useful for nonlinear generation and control of structured light at new frequencies, which has important applications in nonlinear photonics and quantum optics.

Climatic niche and range shifts of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin) in Europe: An invasive pest displacing native squirrels.

BACKGROUND: As an invasive pest from North America, grey squirrels (GSs; Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin) are displacing native squirrels in Europe. However, the climatic niche and range dynamics of GSs in Europe remain largely unknown. Through niche and range dynamic models, we investigated climatic niche and range shifts between introduced GSs in Europe and native GSs in North America. RESULTS: GSs in North America can survive in more variable climatic conditions and have much wider climatic niche breadth than do GSs in Europe. Based on climate, the potential range of GSs in Europe included primarily Britain, Ireland, and Italy, whereas the potential range of GSs in North America included vast regions of western and southern Europe. If GSs in Europe could occupy the same climatic niche space and potential range as GSs in North America, they would occupy an area ca. 2.45 times the size of their current range. The unfilling ranges of GSs in Europe relative to those of GSs in North America were primarily in France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, and Portugal. CONCLUSION: Our observations implied that GSs in Europe have significant invasion potential, and that range projections based on their occurrence records in Europe may underestimate their invasion risk. Given that small niche shifts between GSs in Europe and in North America could lead to large range shifts, niche shifts could be a sensitive indicator in invasion risk assessment. The identified unfilling ranges of the GS in Europe should be prioritized in combating GS invasions in the future. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A wearable electrochemical fabric for cytokine monitoring.

Wearable biosensors monitoring various biomarkers in sweat provide comprehensive and prompt profiling of health states at molecular levels. Cytokines existed in sweat with trace amounts play an important role in cellular activity modulation. Unfortunately, flexible and wearable biosensors for cytokine monitoring have not yet been achieved due to the limitation of membrane-based structure and sensing strategy. Herein, we develop a novel electrochemical fabric based on aptamer-functionalized carbon nanotube/graphene fibers for real-time and in situ monitoring of IL-6, a paramount cytokine biomarker for inflammation and cancer. This fabric system possesses flexibility, anti-fatigue ability and breathability for wearable applications and can apply to different body parts in various forms. Moreover, the electrochemical fabric can track other biomarkers by replacing the coupling aptamer, serving as a universal platform for sweat analysis. This fabric-based platform holds the potential to facilitate an intelligent and personalized health monitoring approach.

Niche and Range Shifts of the Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea Dury) in Europe Imply Its Huge Invasion Potential in the Future.

The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Dury) has a strong impact on agricultural systems in Europe. However, its invasive potential, which was inherited from its native niche in North America, remains unknown. Here, we investigated the climatic niche and range shifts of the fall webworm in Europe and compared them with those in native North America, then assessed the worms' invasive potential in Europe. Compared with the fall webworm in Europe, those in North America survived in more diverse climatic conditions, which was closely associated with their broader niche and larger potential ranges in Europe. If the fall webworm in Europe could exploit the native niche inherited from those in North America to adapt to climatic conditions in Europe, their potential ranges in Europe could be 5.5-fold those based on the niche as introduced in Europe. The potentially unfilled ranges of the fall webworm in Europe were mainly detected in vast regions of Europe, excluding Norway, Sweden, Finland, North Russia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, and Ukraine, suggesting that, without strict control, these vast regions might be preferably invaded by the fall webworm in Europe in the future. Therefore, strict control against its invasion is needed. Given that small niche shifts in this invasive insect could result in large range shifts, the niche shifts represent a more sensitive indicator of invasion risk than range shifts.

Recent Progress in Surface and Interface Engineering for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

The conversion of CO2 through CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR) into valuable products has potential to lessen the greenhouse effect caused by uncontrolled CO2 emissions. Challenges of CO2 RR reaction lie in the stabilization of the reaction intermediate and the activation of the inert chemical bond of CO2 , but the application of CO2 RR at large scale is limited by the high cost and structural instability of traditional catalysts. By applying CO2 RR catalyst with delicate structure of stable CO2 intermediate to industrial production, the problems such as high cost of CO2 conversion, low catalytic selectivity and poor catalytic efficiency can be effectively solved, showing better application value and significance than traditional catalysts. This review focuses on the defects, and metal-support interaction (MSI) effect to modify the catalyst and other strategies to enhance the effectiveness of CO2 reduction. The challenges and prospects from the three perspectives are also discussed to provide suggestions for the designing of efficient CO2 RR catalysts in the future. This review offers new insights and research perspectives of reducing CO2 emission through recycling CO2 , and neutralizing the carbon cycle.

Internal nitrogen and phosphorus loading in a seasonally stratified reservoir: Implications for eutrophication management of deep-water ecosystems.

Water eutrophication is a serious global issue because of excess external and internal nutrient inputs. Understanding the intensity and contribution of internal nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading in deep-water ecosystems is of great significance for water body eutrophication management. In this study, we combined intact sediment core incubation, high-resolution peeper (HR-Peeper) sampling, and analysis of N and P forms and other environmental factors in the water column and sediments to evaluate the contributions of internal N and P loading to water eutrophication by N and P fluxes across the sediment-water interface (SWI) of the Panjiakou Reservoir (PJKR), a deep-water ecosystem where eutrophication threatens the security of the local drinking water supply in North China. The results indicated that the PJKR showed obvious thermal and dissolved oxygen (DO) stratification in the warm seasons and full mixing in the cold seasons. The mean DO concentration was 9.9 and 3.55 mg/L in the epilimnion and hypolimnion, respectively, in warm seasons and 10.7 mg/L in cold seasons. The sediment acted as a source of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), NH4+-N, and NO2--N and a sink of NO3--N. The SRP fluxes were 5.28 ± 4.34 and 2.30 ± 1.93 mg m-2·d-1 in warm and cold seasons, respectively, and the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) fluxes were -0.66 ± 47.84 and 44.04 ± 84.05 mg m-2·d-1. Seasonal hypoxia accelerated the release of P rather than N from the sediments in warm seasons, which came mainly from Fe-P and Org-P under anoxic conditions. The strong negative NO3--N flux (diffusion from the water column to the sediment) implied an intensive denitrification process at the SWI, which can counteract the release flux of NH4+-N and NO2--N, resulting in the sediment acting as a weak dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) source for the overlying water. We also found that internal N loading accounted for only ∼9% of the total N loading, while internal P loading accounted for 43% of the total P loading of the reservoir. Our results highlight that efforts to manage the internal loading of deep-water ecosystems should focus on P and seasonal hypoxia.

[Diffusive Fluxes and Controls of N2O from Coastal Rivers in Tianjin City].

Rivers are an important emission source of greenhouse gases. To explore the spatial characteristics and influencing factors of N2O emission from the coastal rivers in Tianjin City, six rivers into the Bohai Sea from different land-use types were selected, and the N2O concentrations, saturation, and diffusive fluxes were measured using the headspace-gas chromatography method. The N2O concentration was in supersaturation, and the rivers were the source of atmospheric N2O. The average concentration, saturation, and diffusive fluxes of N2O were (23.85±15.20) nmol·L-1, (309.71±197.38)%, and (27.04±16.46) µmol·(m2·d)-1, with the ranges of 12.70-115.69 nmol·L-1, 164%-1502%, and 9.17-244.79 µmol·(m2·d)-1, respectively. The N2O concentrations and diffusive fluxes of the rivers presented great spatial heterogeneity, with the sewage river (Huangdipai River)>urban river (Haihe River main stream, Jiyun River)>suburban river (Duliujian River, Yongding Xinhe River)>agricultural river (Chaobai Xinhe River). The N2O concentration and diffusion fluxes were significantly correlated with salinity, nutrients, and carbon sources. NO3--N and TP contributed greatly to the diffusive flux differences. N2O production and emission greatly related to the nitrogen cycle process in the Tianjin River, and different forms of nitrogen variously contributed to N2O diffusive fluxes. The salinity gradient had the opposite effect on the N2O emission in urban rivers and drainage rivers. The N2O diffusive fluxes of the sewage river in Tianjin were significantly higher than that of other river types. In the future, due to the development of urbanization and the expansion of urban land, more management measures should focus on the hotspots such as the downstream of wastewater treatment plants of sewage rivers, the estuaries of urban rivers, and the residential gathering areas of suburban rivers to reduce N2O emission.

Patterns and drivers of CH4 concentration and diffusive flux from a temperate river-reservoir system in North China.

Freshwater reservoirs are regarded as an important anthropogenic source of methane (CH4) emissions. The temporal and spatial variability of CH4 emissions from different reservoirs results in uncertainty in the estimation of the global CH4 budget. In this study, surface water CH4 concentrations were measured and diffusive CH4 fluxes were estimated via a thin boundary layer model in a temperate river-reservoir system in North China, using spatial (33 sites) and temporal (four seasons) monitoring; the system has experienced intensive aquaculture disturbance. Our results indicated that the dissolved CH4 concentration in the reservoir ranged from 0.07 to 0.58 µmol/L, with an annual average of 0.13 ± 0.10 µmol/L, and the diffusive CH4 flux across the water-air interface ranged from 0.66 to 3.61 µmol/(m2•hr), with an annual average of 1.67 ± 0.75 µmol/(m2•hr). During the study period, the dissolved CH4 concentration was supersaturated and was a net source of atmospheric CH4. Notably, CH4 concentration and diffusive flux portrayed large temporal and spatial heterogeneity. The river inflow zone was determined to be a hotspot for CH4 emissions, and its flux was significantly higher than that of the tributary and main basin; the CH4 flux in autumn was greater than that in other seasons. We also deduced that the CH4 concentration/diffusive flux was co-regulated mainly by water temperature, water depth, and water productivity (Chla, trophic status). Our results highlight the importance of considering the spatiotemporal variability of diffusive CH4 flux from temperate reservoirs to estimate the CH4 budget at regional and global scales.

Increased probability and severity of compound dry and hot growing seasons over world's major croplands.

Dry and hot extremes are major sources of risk to crop yields, and their impacts are expected to increase under future global warming. The co-occurring dry and hot conditions during crop growing seasons have amplified impacts on crop health that are even larger than the sum of their individual impacts, which may cause crop failure. In this study, we focus on the compound dry and hot growing seasons (hereafter CDHGS) for global wheat, rice, maize and soybean in the period 1951-2020. Total precipitation (TP) and accumulated active temperature (AAT) are used as indicators of overall water stress and heat stress, respectively, at the growing season scale. A copula model is used to construct joint distributions of TP and AAT sequences to investigate the joint behavior of dry and hot conditions during crop growing seasons. Our results indicate that after 1980, the growing seasons of the four crops become drier and more rapidly hotter across the globe, the probability of extreme CDHGS (P(TP ≤ TP25,AAT > AAT75)) increases in more than 80% of global croplands, the severity of CDHGS increases in more than 83% of global croplands, especially in Europe, Central Africa and eastern China. This study provides a global dimension analysis on the changes in compound dry and hot stresses within crops growing seasons in the context of global warming, offering helpful techniques to study the interaction between multi-hazards that occur during crop growth processes, which can effectively contribute to guiding the decision-making processes related to risk reduction and agricultural practices.

Transmission Risk Predicting for Schistosomiasis in Mainland China by Exploring Ensemble Ecological Niche Modeling.

Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum is one of the major neglected tropical diseases worldwide. The snail Oncomelania hupensis is the only intermediate host of S. japonicum, which is recognized as an indicator of the schistosomias occurrence. In order to evaluate the risk of schistosomiasis in China, this work investigate the potential geographical distribution of host snail habitus by developing an ensemble ecological niche model with reference to the suitable environmental factors. The historical records of snail habitus were collected form the national schistosomiasis surveillance program from the year of 2005 to 2014. A total of 25 environmental factors in terms of the climate, geographic, and socioeconomic determinants of snail habitats were collected and geographically coded with reference to the snail data. Based on the correlations among snail habitats and the geographically associated environmental factors, an ensemble ecological niche model was developed by integrating ten standard models, aiming for improving the predictive accuracy. Three indexes are used for model performance evaluation, including receiver operating characteristic curves, kappa statistics, and true skill statistics. The model was used for mapping the risk of schistosomiasis in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The results have shown that the predicted risk areas were classified into low risk (4.55%), medium risk (2.01%), and high risk areas (4.40%), accounting for 10.96% of the land area of China. This study demonstrated that the developed ensemble ecological niche models was an effective tool for evaluating the risk of schistosomiasis, particularly for the endemic regions, which were not covered by the national schistosomiasis control program.

Complete chloroplast genome sequences of the medicinal plant Piper hancei.

Chloroplast genome sequences have been used in phylogenetic and population genetics studies. Here, we assembled the chloroplast genome of Piper hancei Maxim. that is a traditional Chinese medicine. The genome length was 161,476 bp and included a pair of inverted repeats of 27,058 bp, a large single-copy region of 89,144 bp and a small single-copy region of 18,216 bp. It contained 113 different genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA (tRNA), and four ribosomal RNA genes. Moreover, we also identified 82 SSRs. The phylogenetic inference based on the whole chloroplast genome of 20 taxa showed P. hancei was sister to P. kadsura.

Spatio-temporal clustering of Mountain-type Zoonotic Visceral Leishmaniasis in China between 2015 and 2019.

With several decades of concerted control efforts, visceral leishmaniasis(VL) eradication had almost been achieved in China. However, VL cases continue to be detected in parts of western China recent years. Using data of reported cases, this study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and spatio⁃temporal distribution, of mountain-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (MT-ZVL) in China between the years 2015 and 2019. Epidemiological data pertaining to patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) were collected in Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Shanxi, Henan and Hebei provinces between the years 2015 and 2019. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to determine changes in the epidemic trend of MT-ZVL within the time period during which data was collected. Spatial autocorrelation of infection was examined using the Global Moran's I statistic wand hotspot analysis was carried out using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic. Spatio-temporal clustering analysis was conducted using the retrospective space-time permutation flexible spatial scanning statistics. A total of 529 cases of MT-ZVL were detected in the six provinces from which data were collected during the study time period, predominantly in Gansu (55.0%), Shanxi (21.7%), Shaanxi (12.5%) and Sichuan (8.9%) provinces. A decline in VL incidence in China was observed during the study period, whereas an increase in MT-ZVL incidence was observed in the six provinces from which data was obtained (t = 4.87, P < 0.05), with highest incidence in Shanxi province (t = 16.91, P < 0.05). Significant differences in the Moran's I statistic were observed during study time period (P < 0.05), indicating spatial autocorrelation in the spatial distribution of MT-ZVL. Hotspot and spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed clustering of infection cases in the Shaanxi-Shanxi border areas and in east of Shanxi province, where transmission increased rapidly over the study duration, as well as in well know high transmission areas in the south of Gansu province and the north of the Sichuan province. It indicates resurgence of MT-ZVL transmission over the latter three years of the study. Spatial clustering of infection was observed in localized areas, as well as sporadic outbreaks of infection.

Serum human epididymis protein 4 levels in the prediction of the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.

The aim of this study is to assess serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE-4) levels as a biomarker for predicting the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation. This was a prospective observational study that enrolled one hundred eighty-four consecutive nonvalvular AF patients (65 persistent, 119 paroxysmal) who were eligible for their first ablation. Multiple Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curve analyses were used to test the association between serum HE-4 levels and AF recurrence after catheter ablation. During the 12-month follow-up, we observed that 47 patients (25.5%) experienced AF recurrence. Patients were divided into tertiles of HE-4 level (T1: < 50 pmol/L; T2: ≥ 50 pmol/L). The AF recurrence rate of higher serum HE-4 level patients was significantly increased (34.6% vs 13.8%, P < 0.001). Generalized additive models were used to visually assess functional relationships between the serum HE-4 levels and the risk of AF recurrence. When stratified with serum levels as the cut-off value, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with serum HE-4 levels (> 50 pmol/L) had a significantly increased risk of AF recurrence. In addition, multivariate Cox proportional hazard modelling revealed that HE-4 (≥ 50 pmol/L) (HR 2.65; 95% CI 1.34, 5.27, P = 0.005) was independent predictors of AF recurrence. Serum HE-4 levels in patients with AF are associated with postoperative recurrence of AF, and high HE-4 levels are an independent predictor of AF recurrence after ablation.

Double-edged effects of climate change on plant invasions: Ecological niche modeling global distributions of two invasive alien plants.

The prediction of the potential distribution of invasive alien species is key for the control of their proliferation. This study developed ensemble niche models to explore the distribution patterns of Cecropia peltata and Ulex europaeus under baseline and future conditions, as well as the factors that regulate them. The models were based on occurrence records as well as climate, land-use and topography datasets. Climatic factors played a stronger role than land-use and topographical factors in their distribution patterns. Additionally, temperature seasonality and temperature annual range were the optimal predictor for the global distributions of C. peltata and U. europaeus, respectively. Under the baseline-RCP 8.5 scenario in 2070, significant increases in habitat suitability for C. peltata were generally detected in tropical regions, while for U. europaeus under the same condition, significant increases in habitat suitability were generally observed in west coast of South America and Europe, suggesting the impacts of climate changes on species distribution may be species specific. The contrast changes of suitable habitat areas for U. europaeus under the baseline-2.6 and 8.5 scenarios may suggest that the scenarios of climate changes may modify its distribution patterns and variations in suitable habitats. The double-edged effects of global warming on plant invasions may be a result of the scenario specific climate change and the species-specific responses to changes in climate. Our findings highlight the importance of climate change scenario specific and species-specific research on the impact of climate change on plant invasions.

Distribution of Suitable Environments for Phlebotomus chinensis as the Vector for Mountain-Type Zoonotic Visceral Leishmaniasis - Six Provinces, China.

What is already known on this topic? Phlebotomus chinensis(P. chinensis) is a sandfly and the main vector of mountain-type zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (MT-ZVL) in China. However, the distribution of suitable environments for the vector has not been studied yet. What is added by this report? This study found that temperate hilly zones in midwestern China are suitable for P. chinensis survival with appropriate environmental factors such as moderate normalized difference vegetation value (NDVI), land use type, landform, temperature, and vegetation. Suitable living conditions for the high-density P. chinensis that caused the reemergence of MT-ZVL already existed. What are the implications for public health practice? Targeted strategies should be implemented to control the vector and the reemergence of MT-ZVL, such as by strengthening key environment monitoring and taking accurate measures for residents, mobile and migrant populations.

Spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of cysticercosis from 2000 to 2014 in Dali, Yunnan province, China.

Cysticercosis remains a public health problem in China, with disease prevalence attributed to poor socio-economic and public health conditions. This parasitic food-borne disease was prioritized for effective control following implementation of the national surveys on parasitic diseases carried out in China. We predicted the cysticercosis distribution in Dali, Yunnan Province by assessing spatio-temporal distribution characteristics between 2000 and 2014 to better understand the trend of the disease incidence. A database of cysticercosis cases was provided by the clinical department at the Dali Prefectural Institute of Research and Control of Schistosomiasis. Describing the epidemiological features of cysticercosis and analyzing its spatiotemporal distribution of cases using mapping, scanning and spatial autocorrelation analysis, our findings found a total of 3,347 patients with cysticercosis infection, neurocysticercosis in particular. Cysticercosis prevalence was the highest among young and middle-aged male farmers, and also predominant among the Bai nationality. Three aggregation areas were identified during the period 2000-2014. Hotspot analysis implicated Dali City, Eryuan County and Yangbi County between 2000 and 2007, with areas gradually shifting towards the western and northern parts of the province. The hotspot map indicated that Eryuan County was a constant problem with respect to cysticercosis. The results indicated three cysticercosis clusters in Dali that could be attributed to environmental factors and unhealthy lifestyles. Multi-sectoral control initiatives are, therefore, recommended in these areas to effectively control and prevent cysticercosis among the population.

Land-use change drives present and future distributions of Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) is one of the most notorious pests of several crops in the world. However, to date, few studies have simulated the future distribution patterns of fall armyworm under rapid global changes. Though the relative influences of climate and land-use on species distribution might depend on the spatial scales of the studies, it is not known whether this rule is applicable to pests which mostly feed on crops. Here, we developed MaxEnt models to explore the distribution patterns of fall armyworm, as well as the relative influences of land-use change, topography and climate change on them. Under the present conditions and scenarios of RCP 2.6 and 8.5 (the most optimistic and pessimistic emissions scenarios, respectively), high potential habitats of fall armyworm were mostly recorded along the east coast areas of the USA, the State of Florida, Mexico, Central America, southern part of Brazil, central Africa, and southern Asia. Among all of the continents, Africa will face the greatest increase of the threats from fall armyworm in future. Under RCP 2.6 scenario, both the potential habitats and areas with increased habitat suitability were larger than those under RCP 8.5. Therefore, much more effort is required to control fall armyworm under RCP 2.6 scenario. Compared to climate change, land-use changes are more important in shaping the distribution patterns of fall armyworm. Therefore, the concentration of resources might modify the relative influence of climate and land-use in species distributions at large scales. Thus, regulating land-use might prove effective for mitigating the proliferation of fall armyworm. In general, C4 annual crops and managed pastures provide more suitable habitats for fall armyworm than C3 annual crops. Our findings demonstrate that delineating resource concentrations could provide a new approach towards controlling fall armyworm under current and future global change.

Relationship between plasma cancer antigen (CA)-125 level and one-year recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that plasma cancer antigen-125 (CA-125) is closely related to heart failure and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), but no study reported the relationship between CA-125 concentrations and advanced recurrence of AF ablation. This research is the first to describe CA-125 as a biomarker for the recurrence of AF after ablation. METHODS: A total of 422 AF patients undergoing catheter ablation were included in this study. RESULTS: During the 1-y follow-up, 326 patients (77.25%) maintained a sinus rhythm, whereas 83 patients (20.44%) presented AF recurrence. The patients with AF recurrence showed higher CA-125 concentrations at baseline than those with maintained sinus rhythm (P = 0.0001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses revealed that persistent AF (HR 2.212; 95% CI: 1.396-3.504, P = 0.001) and CA-125 concentration (HR, 1.003; 95% (CI): 1.000-1.005, P = 0.019) were independent predictors of AF recurrence. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, CA-125 yielded an optimal cut-off value of 11.05 U/ml, and its sensitivity and specificity reached 65.6% and 85.0%, respectively. In addition, the area under the curve (AUC) value spanned 80.3% (95% CI: 0.750-0.857, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the results of the subgroup analysis indicated that patients with persistent atrial fibrillation have higher concentrations of CA-125 and have an increased risk of the recurrence of AF. CONCLUSIONS: High CA-125 concentration is an independent predictor of AF recurrence after 1 y of AF ablation, especially in patients with persistent AF.

Aerobic Exercise Ameliorates Myocardial Inflammation, Fibrosis and Apoptosis in High-Fat-Diet Rats by Inhibiting P2X7 Purinergic Receptors.

BACKGROUND: High-fat-diet (HFD) is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. P2X7 purinergic receptors (P2X7R) are key regulators of inflammasome activation. The benefits of exercise are partly attributed to its anti-inflammatory effect, but whether it regulates P2X7R expression to improve remodeling in cardiac myocytes treated by HFD is not completely clarified. METHODS: Three groups of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were studied: (1) control group (fed a normal chow diet), (2) HFD group, and (3) HFD+ exercise group. H9c2 myocytes were pretreated with or without A438079 (a P2X7R inhibitor) and then exposed to 200 µM palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h. The levels of mRNA and protein were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Masson staining and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to identify remodeling of the heart. The concentration of IL-1ß in serum or supernatants were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: In vivo, collagen deposition and the number of disordered cells significantly increased in the hearts of the HFD group compared to the control group. However, exercise markedly reversed these changes in the myocardium, and the same trends were observed in the expression of MMP9, collagen I and TGF-ß. Notably, the expression of P2X7R, NLRP3, caspase-1 in the hearts, and serum IL-1ß level were also greatly upregulated in the heart of the HFD diet rats, and all these changes were ameliorated in the HFD + EX group. As expected, exercise also reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells, which was consistent with the caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 results. Moreover, exercise reduced body weight and blood lipid concentrations in the HFD diet rats. In vitro, we observed that the hallmark of fibrosis, inflammation and apoptosis in H9c2 myocytes enhanced by PA, and the P2X7R inhibitor treatment significantly reduced the expression of the NLRP3, caspase-1, suppressed the secretion of IL-1ß of H9c2 cells, inhibited collagen I, TGF-ß, MMP9, Bax, caspase-3 levels and increased the expression of Bcl-2, compared with the PA group. In addition, a decrease of the number of TUNEL-positive cells used by A438079 further support that cardiomyocytes apoptosis could be inhibited. CONCLUSION: Aerobic exercise reversed the cardiac remodeling via the reduction of inflammation, fibrosis and apoptosis in HFD rats, at least in part through inhibiting P2X7R expression in cardiomyocytes.