50 research outputs found

    Investigations of Pressurized Lu–N–H Materials by Using the Hybrid Functional

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    Recently, Lu–N–H materials were reported to have room-temperature superconductivity, the Hubbard U correction on Lu’s f-electrons is necessary, and a constant U = 5.5 eV was applied to different Lu–N–H configurations. The following simulations demonstrate that different U values lead to different superconducting transition temperatures. Here, the structural and electronic Lu–N–H properties at high pressure (0–10 GPa) are systematically investigated based on the hybrid functional. We show that different Lu–N–H configurations should possess different U values varying from 6.4 to 7.4 eV. Furthermore, at pressures ranging from 0 to 1 GPa, the f and d band centers of N-doped LuH3 show oscillation or even plateau, and the band gap of insulators also shows a platform, consistent with the pressure range for room-temperature superconductivity in Lu–N–H. Our work provides insight into understanding Lu–N–H materials and other hydrogen-rich superconductors based on rare-earth elements

    Effect of Urinary Protease Inhibitor (Ulinastatin) on Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Meta-Analysis for China and Japan

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    <div><p>Objectives</p><p>A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of ulinastatin treatment on adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).</p><p>Methods</p><p>Seven electronic databases were searched for reports of randomized, controlled trials conducted up to February 2014 in which patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB were administered ulinastatin in the perioperative period.</p><p>Results</p><p>Fifty-two studies with 2025 patients were retained for analysis. The results showed that the ulinastatin can attenuate the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhance the anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Meanwhile, the ulinastatin had a significant beneficial effect on myocardial injury. The mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of biochemical markers were −63.54 (−79.36, −47.72) for lactate dehydrogenase, −224.99 (−304.83, −145.14) for creatine kinase, −8.75 (−14.23, −3.28) for creatine kinase-MB, and −0.14 (−0.20, −0.09] for troponin I (all P<0.01). However, neither hemodynamics nor cardiac function improved significantly, except that the MD and 95% CI of mean arterial pressure were 2.50 (0.19, 4.80) (P = 0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in the use of inotropes, postoperative bleeding, postoperative complications, the intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and the hospital stay; however, the frequency of auto resuscitation increased significantly (OR 1.98, 95%CI 1.19 to 3.30, P<0.01), the duration of intubation (MD −1.58, 95%CI −2.84 to −0.32, P<0.01) and the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD −3.29, 95%CI −4.41 to −2.17, P<0.01) shortened significantly in patients who were treated with ulinastatin.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Ulinastatin can reduce the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and elevate anti-inflammatory cytokine in patients from China and Japan undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Ulinastatin treatment may have protective effects on myocardial injury, and can increase the frequency of auto resuscitation, shorten the duration of intubation and mechanical ventilation.</p></div

    Sensitivity analyses of high heterogeneity outcomes in meta-analysis.

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    <p>Abbreviations: TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; IL, interleukine; CK-MB, creatine kinase-MB; ITT: intubation time; MVT, mechanical ventilation time; ICU, intensive care unit; IV, Inverse Variance; MD, mean difference; CI, confidence interval.</p><p>Sensitivity analyses of high heterogeneity outcomes in meta-analysis.</p

    Methodological quality graph summarizing the risk of bias from all included studies.

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    <p>Methodological quality graph summarizing the risk of bias from all included studies.</p

    Meta-analysis of interesting outcomes between ulinastatin and control group in patients with CPB.

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    <p>Abbreviations: CPB, cardiopulmonary bypass; ACC, aortic cross-clamping; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; CK-MB, creatine kinase-MB; TnI, troponin I; HR, heart rate; MAP, mean arterial pressure; MPAP, mean pulmonary arterial pressure; CVP, central venous pressure; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MVT: mechanical ventilation time; ITT: intubation time; ICU, intensive care unit; OR*, Odds Ratio; M-H, Mantel-Haenszel; IV, Inverse Variance; MD, mean difference; CI, confidence interval.</p><p>Meta-analysis of interesting outcomes between ulinastatin and control group in patients with CPB.</p

    Flow chart showing how eligible studies were identified.

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    <p>Flow chart showing how eligible studies were identified.</p

    Forest plot of the association between SK1 enzyme activity and cancer tissues.

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    <p>A random-effect model was used. The pooled SMD is symbolized by a solid diamond at the bottom of the forest plot, the width of which represents the 95% CI.</p

    Sphingosine Kinase 1 and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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    <div><p>Background</p><p>Sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) is a key regulator of the dynamic ceramide/sphingosine 1-phosphate rheostat balance and important in the pathological cancer genesis, progression, and metastasis processes. Many studies have demonstrated SK1 overexpressed in various cancers, but no meta-analysis has evaluated the relationship between SK1 and various cancers.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We retrieved relevant articles from the PubMed, EBSCO, ISI, and OVID databases. A pooled odds ratio (OR) was used to assess the associations between SK1 expression and cancer; hazard ratios (HR) were used for 5-year and overall survival. Review Manager 5.0 was used for the meta-analysis, and publication bias was evaluated with STATA 12.0 (Egger’s test).</p><p>Results</p><p>Thirty-four eligible studies (n = 4,673 patients) were identified. SK1 positivity and high expression were significantly different between cancer, non-cancer, and benign tissues. SK1 mRNA and protein expression levels were elevated in the cancer tissues, compared with the normal tissues. SK1 positivity rates differed between various cancer types (lowest [27.3%] in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and highest [82.2%] in tongue squamous cell carcinoma). SK1 positivity and high expression were associated with 5-year survival; the HR was 1.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–2.94) for breast cancer, 1.58 (1.08–2.31) for gastric cancer, and 2.68 (2.10–3.44) for other cancers; the total cancer HR was 2.21 (95% CI, 1.83–2.67; P < 0.00001). The overall survival HRs were 2.09 (95% CI, 1.35–3.22), 1.56 (1.08–2.25), and 2.62 (2.05–3.35) in breast, gastric, and other cancers, respectively. The total effect HR was 2.21 (95% CI, 1.83–2.66; P < 0.00001).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>SK1 positivity and high expression were significantly associated with cancer and a shorter 5-year and overall survival. SK1 positivity rates vary tremendously among the cancer types. It is necessary to further explore whether SK1 might be a predictive biomarker of outcomes in cancer patients.</p></div

    Forest plot of association between SK1 expression and 5-year survival.

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    <p>A subgroup analysis for different cancers and fixed-effect model were used. The squares and horizontal lines correspond to the study-specific HR and 95% CI. The areas of the squares reflect the weights (inverse of the variance). The diamond represents the summary HR and 95% CI.</p
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