Coaxial technique-promoted diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous cutting needle biopsy for small and deep lung lesions

<div><p>Coaxial technique is extensively applied to facilitate percutaneous lung lesion biopsy. However, the impact of coaxial technique on diagnostic accuracy remains undecided. We reviewed 485 patients who underwent percutaneous CT-guided needle biopsies of lung lesions in our hospital. All of these biopsies were performed using either a cutting needle alone (n = 268) or a cutting needle combined with a coaxial needle (n = 217). The diagnostic accuracy and complications resulting from the two techniques were then compared. The diagnostic accuracies of the two techniques were comparably high, at 98.2% (with coaxial technique) and 95.9% (without coaxial technique), <i>p</i> = 0.24. Subgroup analysis discovered that for patients with lesions measuring < 1.5 cm and needle path length ≥ 4 cm, the coaxial technique achieved a higher diagnostic accuracy (95.5% vs. 72.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.023). The biopsy was well tolerated in all of the patients. Pneumothorax occurred less often in patients who were biopsied with the coaxial technique (19 versus 43, <i>p</i> = 0.024). Thus, the application of the coaxial technique could improve diagnostic accuracy in patients with small and deep lung lesions, and could reduce the risk of pneumothorax. The combined use of cutting needles with coaxial needles is the preferred technique for performing percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsies.</p></div

The diagnostic yields of the two groups.

<p>The diagnostic yields of the two groups.</p

Antimony Removal from Aqueous Solution Using Novel α‑MnO₂ Nanofibers: Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Density Functional Theory Studies

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel α-MnO₂ nanofibers (MO-2) prepared via morphological and phase transitions from δ-MnO₂ nanoparticles under hydrothermal reaction in the presence of graphene oxide (GO) for the first time. The MO-2 shows long, compact, and uniform nanofiber morphology. The adsorption properties of antimonite (Sb­(III)) and antimonate (Sb­(V)) on MO-2 were investigated using batch experiments of adsorption isotherms and kinetics. Experimental results show that the adsorption behavior of Sb on MO-2 is spontaneous, exothermic, and pH-dependent and follows the monolayer Langmiur isotherm model, pseudo-second-order kinetic model and external mass transfer model. MO-2 has maximum Sb­(III) and Sb­(V) adsorption capacities of 111.70 and 89.99 mg/g, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that both Sb­(III) and Sb­(V) have monodentate and bidentate complexes on the (110) facet. The adsorption energies (<i>E</i>_ad) analysis demonstrates that the formed monodentate and bidentate complexes of Sb­(III) (−2.31 and −2.70 eV, respectively) and Sb­(V) (−2.17 and −2.85 eV, respectively) on the (110) facet are stable. And it can be confirmed that Sb­(III) and Sb­(V) are chemisorbed on the surface of MO-2 according to the analyses of partial density of state (PDOS) and Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR) isotherm model

Comparison of patients, lesions, and procedural variables in both groups.

<p>Comparison of patients, lesions, and procedural variables in both groups.</p

The diagnostic yields in different subgroups.

<p>The diagnostic yields in different subgroups.</p

Electrosynthesis of a Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ Methano Derivative from Trianionic Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀

The electrosynthetic method has been used for the selective synthesis of fullerene derivatives that are otherwise not accessible by other procedures. Recent attempts to electrosynthesize Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ derivatives using the Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ dianion were unsuccessful because of its low nucleophilicity. Those results prompted us to prepare the Sc₃N@C₈₀ trianion, which should be more nucleophilic and reactive with electrophilic reagents. The reaction between Sc₃N@C₈₀ trianions and benzal bromide (PhCHBr₂) was successful and yielded a methano derivative, Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀(CHPh) (<b>1</b>), in which the >CHPh addend is selectively attached to a [6,6] ring junction, as characterized by MALDI–TOF mass spectrometry and NMR and UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy. The electrochemistry of <b>1</b> was studied using cyclic voltammetry, which showed that <b>1</b> exhibits the typical irreversible cathodic behavior of pristine Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀, resembling the behavior of other methano adducts of Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀. The successful synthesis of endohedral metallofullerene derivatives using trianionic Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ and dianionic Lu₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀, but not dianionic Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀, prompted us to probe the causes using theoretical calculations. The Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ trianion has a singly occupied molecular orbital with high spin density localized on the fullerene cage, in contrast to the highest occupied molecular orbital of the Sc₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>-C₈₀ dianion, which is mainly localized on the inside cluster. The calculations provide a clear explanation for the different reactivities observed for the dianions and trianions of these endohedral fullerenes

Methylation status of the <i>ABCG1</i>, <i>GALNT2</i> and <i>HMGCR</i> genes promoter in the CHD cases and Non-CHD controls according to subgroup analysis by total samples and gender.

<p>OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval; <i>P</i>-value: probability from the Pearson Chi-Square exact test comparing the methylation status for CHD.</p><p>Cases and Non-CHD controls; <i>P</i>-value*: adjusted for age, gender, smoking (smoker vs never smoker), lipid level, history of hypertension, and history of diabetes by Cox regression. <i>P</i><0.05 is considered statistically significant.</p

Evidence of Oxygen Activation in the Reaction between an N‑Heterocyclic Carbene and M₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>(7)–C₈₀: An Unexpected Method of Steric Hindrance Release

We herein demonstrate for the first time the unexpected oxygen-involving reaction between M₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>(7)–C₈₀ (M = Sc, Lu) and 1,3-bis­(diisopropylphenyl)­imidazol-2-ylene (<b>1</b>). By introducing a tiny amount of oxygen into the reaction, unprecedented products (<b>2a</b> for Sc₃N@C₈₀ and <b>3a</b> for Lu₃N@C₈₀) with the normal carbene center C2 singly bonded to a triple hexagonal junction (THJ) cage carbon together with an oxygen atom bridging the same THJ carbon atom and a neighboring carbon atom forming an epoxy structure are obtained. In situ mechanism study, in combination with theoretical calculations, reveals that the bond-breaking peroxidation facilitates the formation of the unexpected products <b>2a</b> and <b>3a</b>, providing new insight into fullerene chemistry

Evidence of Oxygen Activation in the Reaction between an N‑Heterocyclic Carbene and M₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>(7)–C₈₀: An Unexpected Method of Steric Hindrance Release

We herein demonstrate for the first time the unexpected oxygen-involving reaction between M₃N@<i>I</i>_<i>h</i>(7)–C₈₀ (M = Sc, Lu) and 1,3-bis­(diisopropylphenyl)­imidazol-2-ylene (<b>1</b>). By introducing a tiny amount of oxygen into the reaction, unprecedented products (<b>2a</b> for Sc₃N@C₈₀ and <b>3a</b> for Lu₃N@C₈₀) with the normal carbene center C2 singly bonded to a triple hexagonal junction (THJ) cage carbon together with an oxygen atom bridging the same THJ carbon atom and a neighboring carbon atom forming an epoxy structure are obtained. In situ mechanism study, in combination with theoretical calculations, reveals that the bond-breaking peroxidation facilitates the formation of the unexpected products <b>2a</b> and <b>3a</b>, providing new insight into fullerene chemistry

Lu₂@C_2<i>n</i> (2<i>n</i> = 82, 84, 86): Crystallographic Evidence of Direct Lu–Lu Bonding between Two Divalent Lutetium Ions Inside Fullerene Cages

Although most of the M₂C_2<i>n</i>-type metallofullerenes (EMFs) tend to form carbide cluster EMFs, we report herein that Lu-containing EMFs Lu₂C_2<i>n</i> (2<i>n</i> = 82, 84, 86) are actually dimetallofullerenes (di-EMFs), namely, Lu₂@<i>C</i>_<i>s</i>(6)-C₈₂, Lu₂@<i>C</i>_3<i>v</i>(8)-C₈₂, Lu₂@<i>D</i>_2<i>d</i>(23)-C₈₄, and Lu₂@<i>C</i>_2<i>v</i>(9)-C₈₆. Unambiguous X-ray results demonstrate the formation of a Lu–Lu single bond between two lutetium ions which transfers four electrons in total to the fullerene cages, thus resulting in a formal divalent state for each Lu ion. Population analysis indicates that each Lu atom formally donates a 5d electron and a 6s electron to the cage with the remaining 6s electron shared with the other Lu atom to form a Lu–Lu single bond so that only four electrons are transferred to the fullerene cages with the formal divalent valence for each lutetium ion. Accordingly, we confirmed both experimentally and theoretically that the dominating formation of di-EMFs is thermodynamically very favorable for Lu₂C_2<i>n</i> isomers