Diagnostic Value of Transbronchial Needle Aspiration and Endobronchial Ultrasoundguided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Hilar and Mediastinal Lymph Nodes in Lung Cancer Patients

Background and objective Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) and endobronchial ultrasoundguided TBNA (EBUS-TBNA) have been applied to the diagnosis for mediastinal lymph nodes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical value and safety of TBNA and EBUS-TBNA on hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes of lung cancer patients. Methods Two hundred fifty patients with suspected lung cancer were enrolled. All petients with hilar and/or mediastinal lymphoadenopathy found by CT scan received TBNA, biopsy and brushing. EBUS-TBNA was performed in 15 patients among them. Results Lung cancer were confirmed in 180 patients by TBNA, biopsy and brushing. The positive rates were 82.86%, 51.24% and 45.45%. Fifteen patients after EBUS-TBNA had a positive rate of 91.67%. Conclusion TBNA and EBUS-TBNA were proved to be safe procedure with a high yield for the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in lung cancer patients

Thermal barrier coatings on polymer materials

Polyimide matrix composite (PIMC) has been widely used to replace metallic parts due to its low density and high strength. It is considered as an effective approach to improve thermal oxidation resistance, operation temperature and lifetime of PIMC by depositing a protection coating. The objective of the research was to fabricate a series of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on PIMC by a combined sol-gel/sealing treatment process and air plasma spraying (APS). By optimizing the experimental parameters, thermal shock resistance, thermal oxidation resistance and thermal ablation resistance of PIMC could be improved significantly. The ZrO2 sol was prepared by sol-gel process and the effects of the different organic additions on phase structure, crystallite size and crystal growth behavior of the ZrO2 nanocrystallite were investigated. The addition of HAc and DMF were beneficial to decrease the crystallite size and alter the activation energy for crystal growth, further inducing the crystallization of ZrO2 nanocrystallite at low temperature (300ºC) and the stability of tetragonal ZrO2 at 600ºC. Based on the optimized parameters of the sol preparation, the ZrO2/phosphates duplex coating was fabricated on PIMC via a combined sol-gel and sealing treatment process. The sealing mechanism of the phosphates in the duplex coating was primarily attributed to the adhesive binding of the phosphates and the chemical bonding between the sealant and the coating. It was demonstrated that the duplex coating exhibited excellent thermal shock resistance and no apparent delamination or spallation occurred. Relatively, the duplex coating with the thickness of 150 μm provided excellent thermal oxidation and thermal ablation resistance for the polymer substrate. However, the presence of cracks and delamination in the coatings provided the channels for oxygen diffusion, causing the final failure of the protection coating. Figure 4 – TBCs on CFPI The Zn/YSZ and Al/YSZ coating systems were successfully deposited on PIMC by APS. Metals with comparatively low melting point as the bond coats (Cu, Al, Zn) were beneficial to increase thermal shock resistance of the coating systems. In comparison with the Al/YSZ coating system, the Zn/YSZ coating exhibited the better thermal shock resistance, which was ascribable to the lower residual stress in the Zn layer after deposition and the lower thermal stress induced during thermal shock test. For these coatings, the increase in surface toughness of the substrate as well as the decrease in thickness of metal layer favored the improvement of thermal shock resistance of the coatings. With the temperature increases, thermal shock lifetime of the coatings decreased disastrously. However, the difference was that the slight increase of the thickness of YSZ layer favored the increase in thermal shock resistance of the Al/YSZ coatings, while for the Zn/YSZ coating systems the increase in the thickness of YSZ layer made thermal shock resistance weaken. Owing to the protection of Zn/YSZ and Al/YSZ coating systems, the time for 5 wt% weight loss of the sample was prolonged from 16 h to 50 h when oxidation at 400ºC; as the oxidation temperature increased to 450ºC, the time for 5wt% weight loss was extended from 5 h to 13 h. By depositing different coatings, the anti-ablation property of PIMC was significantly improved. During property testing, the formation of cracks and delamination in the coating and the occurrence of the spallation led to the failure of the coating systems, which was mainly due to the residual stress during the deposition process, thermal stress induced by the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficient and further oxidation of the substrate. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Correlation between porosity, amorphous phase and CMAS corrosion behaviour of LaMgAl11O19 thermal barrier coatings

Calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate (CMAS) attack is one of the significant failure mechanisms of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), which can facilitate TBC’s degradation at elevated temperatures. To clarify the correlation between the porosity, CMAS corrosion behaviour, lanthanum magnesium hexaluminate (LaMgAl11O19, LMA) TBCs were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and then heat-treated at 1173K and 1523K, respectively. For comparison, LMA tablets were prepared by mechanical and cold isostatic pressing. CMAS attack at 1523K was carried out both for LMA tablets and LMA coatings. Their microstructure, phase composition, and crystallization behavior after CMAS attack were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results indicated that CMAS attack was arrested for LMA tablets due to the formation of a dense crystalline layer induced by the chemical interactions between LMA and CMAS glass, while the as-sprayed LMA coatings were completely penetrated by molten CMAS due to the presence of amorphous phase and connected pores. Although the isothermal heat-treatment promoted a crystallization of LMA coatings, much vertical cracks formed during heat-treatment. The heat-treated LMA coatings suffered a severer CMAS attack than the as-sprayed one, since the vertical cracks inevitably provided efficient infiltration paths for molten CMAS

Characterization of the transcripts of human cytomegalovirus UL144

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genome of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been studied extensively, particularly in the UL/b' region. In this study, transcripts of one of the UL/b' genes, UL144, were identified in 3 HCMV isolates obtained from urine samples of congenitally infected infants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Northern blot hybridization, cDNA library screening, and RACE-PCR were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified at least 4 differentially regulated 3'-coterminal transcripts of UL144 in infected cells of 1,300, 1,600, 1,700, and 3,500 nucleotides (nt). The 1600 nt transcript was the major form of UL144 mRNA. The largest transcript initiated from the region within the UL141 open reading frame (ORF) and included UL141, UL142, UL143, UL144, and UL145 ORFs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings reveal the complex nature of the transcription of the UL144 gene in clinical isolates.</p

Research progress on graphene and its derivatives modulating the bone regeneration microenvironment

Graphene family nanomaterials (GFNs) are highly popular in the field of bone tissue engineering because of their excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and ability to promote the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. GFNs play a multifaceted role in promoting the bone regeneration microenvironment. First, GFNs activate the adhesion kinase/extracellularly regulated protein kinase (FAK/ERK) signaling pathway through their own micromorphology and promote the expression of osteogenesis-related genes. Second, GFNs adapt to the mechanical strength of bone tissue, which helps to maintain osseointegration; by adjusting the stiffness of the extracellular matrix, they transmit the mechanical signals of the matrix to the intracellular space with the help of focal adhesions (FAs), thus creating a favorable physiochemical microenvironment. Moreover, they regulate the immune microenvironment at the site of bone defects, thus directing the polarization of macrophages to the M2 type and influencing the secretion of relevant cytokines. GFNs also act as slow-release carriers of bioactive molecules with both angiogenic and antibacterial abilities, thus accelerating the repair process of bone defects. Multiple types of GFNs regulate the bone regeneration microenvironment, including scaffold materials, hydrogels, biofilms, and implantable coatings. Although GFNs have attracted much attention in the field of bone tissue engineering, their application in bone tissue regeneration is still in the basic experimental stage. To promote the clinical application of GFNs, there is a need to provide more sufficient evidence of their biocompatibility, elucidate the mechanism by which they induce the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells, and develop more effective form of applications

Clinical Characteristics and Economic Burden of Asthma in China: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Asthma is a common chronic airway inflammation that produces a healthcare burden on the economy. We aim to obtain a better understanding of the clinical status and disease burden of patients with asthma in China. A retrospective study was carried out based on the computerized medical records in the Jinan Health Medical Big Data Platform between 2011 and 2019 (available data from 38 hospitals). The asthma severity of each patient was assessed retrospectively and categorized as mild, moderate, or severe according to Global Initiative for Asthma 2020 (GINA 2020). The results revealed that the majority (75.0%) of patients suffered from mild asthma. Patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)/long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) at emergency department visits had lower frequencies of exacerbations compared with non-ICS/LABA-treated patients. The incidence rates for 1, 2, 3, and 4 exacerbation of the patients treated with ICS/LABA are lower than those treated without ICS/LABA (14.49 vs. 15.01%, 11.94% vs. 19.12%, 6.51% vs.12.92% and 4.10% vs. 9.35%). The difference got a statistical significance Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), two comorbidities related to asthma, were risk factors for asthma exacerbation. Finally, patients who suffered from exacerbations produced a heavier economic burden compared to the patients who never suffered exacerbations (mean costs are ￥3,339.67 vs. ￥968.45 separately).  These results provide a reference for clinicians and patients to obtain a better treatment and therapy strategy management for people living with asthma

A Community-Based Addiction Rehabilitation Electronic System to Improve Treatment Outcomes in Drug Abusers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Relapse is very common in drug abusers and contributes to a series of negative consequences. Effective addiction treatment exists but there are some problems in the implementation process. Mobile health (mHealth) offers a potential solution to improving recovery outcome for drug abusers in the community. The research team developed a community-based addiction rehabilitation electronic system (CAREs). The primary aim of this study is to explore whether the integrated rehabilitation based on program CAREs promotes drug abusers to keep abstinence. The secondary aim is to evaluate the impact of CAREs on interaction between drug users and service providers, and on addiction-related physical and social functions.Method and analysis: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted. The study is a superiority trial with parallel group design. Seventy drug abusers who are newly ordered to undergo community rehabilitation will be recruited from the community in Shanghai. Participants will be 1:1 randomly assigned to receive integrated community rehabilitation by using CAREs or only receiving routine community rehabilitation for 6 months. Corresponding social workers will provide service and monitor their drug use behavior in accordance with the routine work-flow. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and in the 6th month. The primary outcome is the performance on illicit drug urine test which will be carried out regularly twice per week during the study period. Secondary study outcomes include longest duration of sustained abstinence, days that participants interact with social workers, and the decrease rate of addiction-related issues severity index. Chi-square tests and ANOVAs will be used to compare characteristics of the members of the two groups. GEE will be used to compare the seven dimensions scores of the ASI between groups.Discussion: The study provides evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of the “CAREs” system through comparing the results of the intervention group with the control group. This paper describes the design and methodology of the study.Ethics and dissemination: The Ethical Board of SMHC approved the study protocol. All participants will present for the informed consent process. After study completion, the results will be published.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03451344, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0345134

Relationships of Skin AGEs and Serum CN-1 with Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BackgroundHyperglycemia plays a significant role in the development and progression of diabetic complications. While carnosine is a putative scavenger of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) , its availability in tissue is limited by the activity of serum carnosinase-1 (CN-1) . So far, the correlations of skin AGEs and serum CN-1 concentration with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) , and microvascular complications in T2DM are still unclear.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationships of skin AGEs, and serum CN-1 with microvascular complications in T2DM to evaluate the predictive values of skin AGEs and serum CN-1 for diabetic complications.MethodsA total of 134 inpatients with T2DM were recruited from the Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between January and March 2021.Their clinical data were collected. Pearson correlation analysis and Spearman rank correlation analysis were used to examine the correlation between skin AGEs and serum CN-1, and the correlations of skin AGEs and serum CN-1 with demographic and serological data, diabetic microvascular complications and other diseases. The influencing factors of skin AGEs and serum CN-1 were investigated by multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsOut of all subjects, there were 13 (9.7%) cases of diabetic retinopathy (DR) , 38 (28.4%) cases of diabetic nephropathy (DN) , 56 (41.8%) cases of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) , and 79 (59.0%) cases of diabetic peripheral vascular disease. The skin AGEs level was (80.2 ±10.6) and serum CN-1 concentration was (6.9±3.4) &#x03BC;g/L on average. Correlation analyses demonstrated that gender, age, and DR were positively correlated with skin AGEs (P&lt;0.05) , but estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and CN-1 were negatively correlated with skin AGEs (P&lt;0.05) . Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that gender (B=7.630) , age (B=0.408) and DR (B=7.183) were associated with skin AGEs (P&lt;0.05) . Correlation analyses showed that serum CN-1 was increased with age or with the increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P&lt;0.05) , while it decreased with the decline of skin AGEs (P&lt;0.05) .ConclusionBoth skin AGEs and serum CN-1 may have no obvious correlation with most diabetic microvascular complications, such as DN, DPN and diabetic peripheral vascular disease. But different from serum CN-1, skin AGEs may significantly correlated with DR

KP177R-based visual assay integrating RPA and CRISPR/Cas12a for the detection of African swine fever virus

IntroductionEarly detection of the virus in the environment or in infected pigs is a critical step to stop African swine fever virus (ASFV) transmission. The p22 protein encoded by ASFV KP177R gene has been shown to have no effect on viral replication and virulence and can serve as a molecular marker for distinguishing field virus strains from future candidate KP177R deletion vaccine strains.MethodsThis study established an ASFV detection assay specific for the highly conserved ASFV KP177R gene based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and the CRISPR/Cas12 reaction system. The KP177R gene served as the initial template for the RPA reaction to generate amplicons, which were recognized by guide RNA to activate the trans-cleavage activity of Cas12a protein, thereby leading to non-specific cleavage of single-stranded DNA as well as corresponding color reaction. The viral detection in this assay could be determined by visualizing the results of fluorescence or lateral flow dipstick (LFD) biotin blotting for color development, and was respectively referred to as fluorescein-labeled RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a and biotin-labeled LFD RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a. The clinical samples were simultaneously subjected to the aforementioned assay, while real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was employed as a control for determining the diagnostic concordance rate between both assays.ResultsThe results showed that fluorescein- and biotin-labeled LFD KP177R RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assays specifically detected ASFV, did not cross-react with other swine pathogens including PCV2, PEDV, PDCoV, and PRV. The detection assay established in this study had a limit of detection (LOD) of 6.8 copies/μL, and both assays were completed in 30 min. The KP177R RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay demonstrated a diagnostic coincidence rate of 100% and a kappa value of 1.000 (p &lt; 0.001), with six out of ten clinical samples testing positive for ASFV using both KP177R RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a and RT-qPCR, while four samples tested negative in both assays.DiscussionThe rapid, sensitive and visual detection assay for ASFV developed in this study is suitable for field application in swine farms, particularly for future differentiation of field virus strains from candidate KP177R gene-deleted ASFV vaccines, which may be a valuable screening tool for ASF eradication