Background:Females with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have higher in-hospital and short-term mortality rates compared with males in China, suggesting that a sex disparity exists. The age of onset of STEMI is ahead of time and tends to be younger. However, there are relatively little data on the significance of sex on prognosis for long-term outcomes for adult patients with STEMI after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in China. This study sought to analyze the sex differences in 30-day, 1-year, and long-term net adverse clinical events (NACEs) in Chinese adult patients with STEMI after PCI.Methods:This study retrospectively analyzed 1920 consecutive STEMI patients (age ≤60 years) treated with PCI from January 01, 2006, to December 31, 2012. A propensity score analysis between males and females was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics and comorbidities. The primary endpoint was the incidence of 3-year NACE. Survival curves were constructed with Kaplan-Meier estimates and compared by log-rank tests between the two groups. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model for 3-year NACE.Results:Compared with males, females had higher risk profiles associated with old age, longer prehospital delay at the onset of STEMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease, and a higher Killip class (≥3), with more multivessel diseases (P < 0.05). The female group had a higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (2.72 [2.27, 3.29] vs. 2.53 [2.12, 3.00], P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (1.43 [1.23, 1.71] vs. 1.36 [1.11, 1.63], P = 0.003), total cholesterol (4.98 ± 1.10 vs. 4.70 ± 1.15, t = −3.508, P < 0.001), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (103.12 ± 22.22 vs. 87.55 ± 18.03, t = −11.834, P < 0.001) than the male group. In the propensity-matched analysis, being female was associated with a higher risk for 3-year NACE and major adverse cardiac or cerebral events compared with males. In the multivariate model, female gender (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.557, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.415–4.620, P = 0.002), hypertension (HR: 2.017, 95% CI: 1.138–3.576, P = 0.016), and family history of coronary heart disease (HR: 2.256, 95% CI: 1.115–4.566, P = 0.024) were independent risk factors for NACE. The number of stents (HR: 0.625, 95% CI: 0.437–0.894, P = 0.010) was independent protective factors of NACE.Conclusions:Females with STEMI undergoing PCI have a significantly higher risk for 3-year NACE compared with males in this population. Sex differences appear to be a risk factor and present diagnostic challenges for clinicians.

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Discrete element modelling (DEM) parameters are of great importance for the accurate prediction of soil properties and disturbance. This study aimed to provide an efficient method for accurately determining the DEM parameters of a paddy soil with a high moisture content (45.66%). The DEM parameters of the paddy soil modelled using the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR contact model were determined by using the Plackett–Burman (PB), steepest ascent, and central composite tests. The accuracies of the developed DEM models were evaluated using actual slumping tests. Based on the PB test, the surface energy of soil, coefficients of soil–soil rolling friction, and coefficients of soil–steel static friction exerted larger influences on the overall relative error (δZH). The optimization results showed that to achieve a minimum δZH (5.96%), the surface energy of soil, the coefficients of soil–soil rolling friction, and the coefficients of soil–steel static friction should be 0.808 J m−2, 0.11, and 0.6, respectively. The optimized DEM model had an overall relative error of 7.27% with a coefficient of variation of 1.32%, indicating that the DEM parameters of the calibrated paddy soil had good accuracy.

Whether to proceed left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization in patients with LSA coverage due to insufficient proximal landing zone (PLZ) during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) remains controversial. Methods: A total of 903 patients who received TEVAR were retrospectively analyzed. LSA could be covered if the PLZ was less than 15 mm accompanied with 1) a dominant or balanced right vertebral artery, 2) a complete circle of Willis, and 3) a left vertebral artery with a diameter ≥3 mm and without severe stenosis. Results: LSA selective coverage was necessary for 35.0% (316/903) of the patients to extend the PLZ. Patients presented with weakness, pain, cooling and discoloration of the left upper extremity (LUE), and pulselessness of the left brachial artery were more in the LSA-covered group. The ischemia of LUE occurred more often in patients with LSA covered completely than in those with LSA covered partially. Functional arm status showed no significant difference in the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire scores at 12 months postoperative between the LSA-covered group and LSA-uncovered group, or between the LSA-covered completely group and LSA-covered partially group. Conclusion: It was safe to cover the LSA origin without revascularization if the PLZ was less than 15 mm accompanied with careful evaluation (description in method).

Purpose: We intended to study the effect of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and optimal medical treatment (OMT) on type B intramural hematoma (BIMH). Methods: We searched PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases that compared TEVAR and OMT in patients with BIMH. Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval were used to calculate the outcome. The primary endpoints were aortic-related death and regression/resolution. Secondary endpoints were all-cause death, progression to dissection, and secondary intervention. Results: Eight observational studies were included in the analysis. TEVAR reduced aorticrelated death (RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.08-0.56, P = 0.002, I² = 24%) and promoted hematoma regression/resolution (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05-2.10, P <0.05, I² = 71%) compared to OMT. Moreover, TEVAR was associated with a reduction in progression to dissection (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.13-0.81, P <0.02, I² = 39%) and secondary intervention (RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.37, P <0.00001, I² = 38%) compared to OMT. However, all-cause death has no significant difference between the two groups (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.17-1.19, P = 0.11, I² = 58%). Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggested that TEVAR is an effective treatment for BIMH, which can delay the progression of intramural hematoma and promotes regression/resolution. More research about indications of TEVAR is still needed.