Percutaneous transthoracic catheter drainage prior to surgery in treating neonates with congenital macrocystic lung malformation presenting with respiratory distress

BackgoundIt is rarely seen that neonates with congenital macrocystic lung malformation (CMLM) presenting with respiratory distress require emergency intervention. No consensus has been achieved concerning the best policy facing such condition. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of our strategies in treating neonates with CMLM presenting with respiratory distress.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the data of six neonates with CMLM presenting with respiratory distress from April 2020 to October 2022 for whom drainage-prior-to-surgery strategy were adopted and favorable outcomes were obtained. The relevant data was reviewed and analyzed.ResultsAll the patients were prenatally diagnosed with congenital lung malformation and postnatally as congenital macrocystic lung malformation via CT scan. Each neonate accepted percutaneous thoracic catheter drainage prior to surgery. The first and fifth neonates with macrocystic lung mass experienced prompt open lobectomy and delayed thoracoscopic surgery due to failure of air drainage, respectively. The other four patients obtained good drainage of the large air-filled cyst, thus gaining the opportunity for elective thoracoscopic surgery within median 45 days.ConclusionsFor neonates with macrocystic lung malformation presenting with respiratory distress due to mediastinal compression, percutaneous thoracic catheter drainage is worth a shot for elective thoracoscopic surgery due to its feasibility and safety

A Maximum Power Point Tracking Method Combined with Constant Voltage Tracking & Variable Step-Size Perturbation

According to the characteristics of photovoltaic cell output power curve, this paper analyzed and explained the principle of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and both advantages and disadvantages of constant voltage tracking method & perturbation observation method. Further, in combination with the advantages of existing maximum power tracking methods, this paper comes up with an improved tracking method which is recognized as maximum power point tracking combined with constant voltage tracking method & variable step-size perturbation observation method. The Simulink simulation results have proven this enhanced tracking method has a better performance in System response and steady state characteristics

Tetrandrine citrate suppresses lung adenocarcinoma growth via SLC7A11/GPX4-mediated ferroptosis

Abstract Ferroptosis is a mode of programmed cell death that plays a crucial role in tumor biology processes. Although tetrandrine citrate (TetC) has been demonstrated to exert anti-tumor effects, it is still unclear whether TetC inhibits lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression by inducing ferroptosis. The study showcased the inhibitory effect of TetC on the viability and progression of tumor cells, including intracellular iron overload, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), over-expression of malondial-dehyde (MDA), and depletion of glutathione (GSH). Notably, TetC-induced cell death was clearly reversed by three different ferroptosis-related inhibitors. TetC also induced changes in the mitochondrial morphology of LUAD cells, similar to those observed in typical ferroptosis. Further analysis through Western blot (WB) and Immunofluorescence (IF) assays identified that TetC inhibited the expression and fluorescence intensity of both solute carrier family 7 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4). More importantly, over-expression of SLC7A11 could rescue the TetC-induced ferroptosis. Finally, in our vivo experiment, we discovered that TetC significantly slowed the growth rate of subcutaneous transplanted A549 cells, ultimately proving to be biosafe. In conclusion, our study first identified the mechanism by which TetC-induced ferroptosis in LUAD via SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling

Pulmonary function after lobectomy in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background The influence of lobectomy on pulmonary function in children was still controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis were essential to explore whether pulmonary function was impaired after lobectomy in children.Methods PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from 1 January 1946 to 1 July 2022. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC and total lung capacity were extracted from the studies as the primary analysis indicators. Subgroup analyses were performed between the congenital lung malformation (CLM) group and other diseases group, early surgery and late surgery group (1 year old as the dividing line).Results A total of 5302 articles were identified through the search strategy; finally, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Through the meta-analysis, we found a mild obstructive ventilatory disorder in children who underwent lobectomy. However, a normal pulmonary function could be found in young children with CLM who underwent lobectomy, and the time of operation had no significant influence on their pulmonary function.Conclusions The overall result of pulmonary function after lobectomy in children was good. Surgeons may not need to be excessively concerned about the possibility of lung surgery affecting pulmonary function in children, particularly in patients with CLM.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022342243

Hepatitis B virus genotype is an independent prognostic factor of telbivudine and tenofovir treatment in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive pregnant women

To investigate whether HBV genotype influences the effect of tenofovir and telbivudine on HBV DNA and RNA levels in HBsAg-positive pregnant women. This was a retrospective study of 74 HBsAg-positive pregnant women in Guizhou of China. All patients were treated with telbivudine or tenofovir from 12 weeks of pregnancy and HBV infection to the date of delivery. Blood samples were collected at 12–24, 28–32, and 36–40 weeks of pregnancy for the measurement of genotype, HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), HBV DNA, HBV RNA, and liver function, including alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total bilirubin, total bile acids, cholinesterase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase. All women with HBsAg were followed up. The HBV genotype was B in 64.9% and C in 35.1%. There were 37 patients of telbivudine and tenofovir group respectively. The telbivudine and tenofovir groups showed no differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, including liver function tests, HBsAg, HBeAg, log10(HBV DNA), and log10(HBV RNA). Compared with baseline (12–24 weeks), telbivudine group showed a significant increase in ALP and significant reductions in HBsAg, HBeAg, log10(HBV DNA), and log10(HBV RNA) at 36–40 weeks (p < .05). Tenofovir group exhibited a significant increase in ALP and significant reductions in HBeAg, log10(HBV DNA), and log10(HBV RNA) at 36–40 weeks, compared with baseline (p < .05). HBV genotype (B vs. C) was independently associated with HBV DNA change after therapy (p = .005). In telbivudine group, log10 (HBV DNA) increased from 3.38 (2.00–7.30) to 7.43 (4.68–8.70). In tenofovir group, log10 (HBV DNA) decreased from 7.52 (3.32–8.70) to 2.98 (2.00–5.01). HBV genotype was independently associated with HBV DNA change response to telbivudine or tenofovir in pregnant women with hepatitis B. These findings might be helpful for risk assessment regarding vertical transmission of HBV in HBeAg-positive mothers treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues

Leveraging doping and defect engineering to modulate exciton dissociation in graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic elimination of marine oil spill

Limited light absorption ability and rapid photogenerated electron-hole recombination severely impedes applications of g-C3N4. Herein, highly efficient point-defect engineering including dual dopants as well as vacancy was adopted to modulate the photo-induced exciton dissociation kinetics. Specifically, P, O dopants and carbon vacancy modified 3D honeycomb-like POCVN was fabricated through facile one-pot polymerization with (NH4)3PO4 as P, O precursors. The obtained POCVN catalyst exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation performance for n-tetradecane under visible light illumination (38.1 %), which was 4.6 and 1.8 times higher than that of bulk g-C3N4 (8.2 %) and tubular g-C3N4 (21.1 %), respectively. The suppressed recombination of electrons and holes contributed to the superior catalytic performance compared to pristine g-C3N4, single P and single O doping g-C3N4. Structural analysis demonstrated P atoms may replace C atoms of N-C = N, O atom located at P-O-C and carbon vacancies located at N = C-N2 position at heptazine framework. Based on experimental and theoretical analysis, it was found P, O and Cv defects prefer to accumulate together in 3-trizine ring, which is conductive to the formation of localized defect state in the band gap region. It resulted in high exciton dissociation efficiency, thus, more reactive radicals were generated. Based on this, degradation path, interference parameter, reactive radicals and toxicity evaluation were investigated deeply and systematically. This work shed light on non-metal green ecological remediation material for marine oil spill.</p

Safety pharmacology and subchronic toxicity of jinqing granules in rats

Abstract Background Jinqing granules which are made of a mixture extract that contains Radix Tinosporae and Canarii fructus in proportions according to a longstanding formula have a good effect on the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer disease. It has not been through safety through systematic toxicological studies, however. To provide basis for clinical application, we performed safety pharmacology and subchronic toxicity experiments in specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats. Results In safety pharmacology experiments, Jinqing granules had no evident adverse effects on the central nervous, cardiovascular, or respiratory systems. In subchronic toxicity study, 2–8 g/kg of Jinqing granules induced no evident adverse effects on Clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water intake, death daily, indicators of urine, hematological assay, serum biochemistry, organ coefficient and histopathological examination. However, the 16 g/kg dose was associated with slightly slowed weight growth, decreased number of sperm in seminiferous tubules and increased values of serum aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin. During the 30-day feeding test, 3 rats that received the 16 g/kg dose died, but the deaths were most likely due to trauma of oral gavage, not to drug toxicity. Conclusion Jinqing granules given to Sprague-Dawley rats orally for 30 days at a dose of 8 g/kg or less appears safe, but higher doses were not proven safe. The significance of these observations with respect to animal usage of Jinqing granules deserves thorough investigation

Interleukin-17-positive mast cells influence outcomes from BCG for patients with CIS: Data from a comprehensive characterisation of the immune microenvironment of urothelial bladder cancer

<div><p>The tumour immune microenvironment is considered to influence cancer behaviour and outcome. Using a panel of markers for innate and adaptive immune cells we set out to characterise and understand the bladder tumour microenvironment of 114 patients from a prospective multicentre cohort of newly-diagnosed bladder cancer patients, followed-up for 4.33±1.71 years. We found IL-17-positive cells were significantly increased in primary and concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS), p<0.0001, a highly malignant lesion which is the most significant single risk factor for disease progression. Further characterisation of the tumour immunophenotype identified IL-17+ cells as predominantly mast cells rather than T-cells, in contrast to most other tumour types. Expression of the IL-17-receptor in bladder tumours, and functional effects and gene expression changes induced by IL-17 in bladder tumour cells in vitro suggest a role in tumour behaviour. Finally, we assessed the effects of IL-17 in the context of patient outcome, following intravesical BCG immunotherapy which is the standard of care; higher numbers of IL-17+ cells were associated with improved event-free survival (p = 0.0449, HR 0.2918, 95% CI 0.08762–0.9721) in patients with primary and concomitant CIS (n = 41), we propose a model of IL-17+ Mast cells mechanism of action. Thus, in the context of bladder CIS, IL-17+ mast cells predict favourable outcome following BCG immunotherapy indicative of a novel mechanism of BCG immunotherapy in UBC and could form the basis of a stratified approach to treatment.</p></div