PERIOPERATIVE DEXMEDETOMIDINE REDUCES DELIRIUM IN ELDERLY PATIENTS AFTER LUNG CANCER SURGERY

Background: Delirium, which is one of the most disturbing postoperative complications in elderly patients, shows high morbidity in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is considered a potential prophylactic agent for preventing patients’ delirium after lung cancer surgery. Subjects and methods: Medical records of lung cancer patients over 65 years old with radical pulmonary resection at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2015 to December 2017, China, were evaluated. Patients, care-providers, and investigators were all blinded to group assignment. DEX was administered in the preoperative and intraoperative periods. The incidence of delirium was calculated based on the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC). Scores of ≥4 and 1-3 points represent the diagnoses of delirium and a pre -delirious state, respectively. Results: During postoperative day 1 (POD 1) to POD 7, delirium occurs in both groups. During postoperative POD 1 to POD 7, the incidence of delirium is lower in the DEX group than that in the control group. Furthermore, there are more mild delirium patients but fewer moderate and severe delirium patients in the DEX group compared with the control group. Finally, patients in the DEX group have a shorter duration of delirium, lower numeric pain rating scale during movement and better sleep quality. Conclusion: Preoperative and intraoperative application of DEX can reduce the incidence and intensity of delirium after pulmonary resection in elderly patients with lung cancer

Electronic Structures of Graphene Layers on Metal Foil: Effect of Point Defects

Here we report a facile method to generate a high density of point defects in graphene on metal foil and show how the point defects affect the electronic structures of graphene layers. Our scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements, complemented by first principle calculations, reveal that the point defects result in both the intervalley and intravalley scattering of graphene. The Fermi velocity is reduced in the vicinity area of the defect due to the enhanced scattering. Additionally, our analysis further points out that periodic point defects can tailor the electronic properties of graphene by introducing a significant bandgap, which opens an avenue towards all-graphene electronics.Comment: 4 figure

Variations of sedimentary environment under cyclical aridification and impacts on eodiagenesis of tight sandstones from the late Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation in Central Sichuan Basin

Understanding eodiagenesis is essential to decoding the diagenetic pathways of tight sandstones that act as excellent unconventional oil & gas reservoirs. Great paleoclimate change is capable of influencing eodiagenetic processes of tight sandstones through variations of sedimentary environment. However, it is less noted how climate gradients between the greenhouse and the hothouse conditions impact the eodiagenesis of tight sandstones. We examined eodiagenetic processes that has been operated in the Shaximiao Formation sandstones using petrographic observation, scanning electron microscopy, geochemistry, and XRD analysis to reveal impacts of the transitional climate changes on the differential eodiagenesis and implications for the diagenesis-porosity evolution. Based on sequence stratigraphy, the Shaximiao Formation is divided into four sub-members SXM1, SXM2, SXM3, and SXM4, respectively. Dark sandstones and mudstones mainly occurred in the SXM1 and the SXM2. Grey-green clastic rocks are dominant in the SXM3, whereas red mudstones frequently appear in the SXM4. Paleoclimate indices denote that a cyclical aridification from the warm-humid to hot-semiarid conditions took place from the SXM1 to the SXM4. It could have been caused by the megamonsoon effect and the paleogeographic shift along with the breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent. Combined with the migration of depocenters, the paleoclimate change resulted in transformation of sediment provenances from mafic igneous rocks to quartzose sedimentary rock along with the decreasing textural maturity. Therefore, sedimentary environments varied from the high-saline to low-saline and from low-oxygen to high-oxygen conditions respectively, which had a crucial impact on eodiagenetic cements which were formed in the Shaximiao Formation. Chlorite and laumontite cement precipitation was promoted by high-saline alkaline fluids. Chlorite proportions show an arched trend from the SXM1 to the SXM4, compatible with those of primary and secondary porosities. In contrast, laumontite proportions exhibit a decreasing variation from the SXM1 to the SXM4. High percentages of early cements are favorable to improving resistance to the compaction and preservation of primary pores. However, high chlorite (>5%) and laumontite (>10%) proportions are destructive for the reservoir quality. Large quantities of laumontite cements occupy primary pores and impede diagenetic fluids flowing and are not favorable to the dissolution. By contrast, an excess of chlorite cements can be dissolved to produce secondary pores during the organic acid release. Thus, the SXM2 is potential as a reservoir for oil & gas. Therefore, those eodiagenetic cements can control the late diagenetic evolution and the reservoir quality. Observations made here have implications for understanding tight sandstone reservoirs elsewhere in the world

Molecular characterization of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from imported food in China from 14 countries/regions, 2003-2018

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is associated with severe foodborne infections and ubiquitous in the nature. Identification of characteristics of Lm transmission through trading of food products is essential for rapidly tracking Lm sources and controlling dissemination of listeriosis. In this study, a total of 44 Lm strains were isolated from food products originating from 14 countries/regions during 2003-2018 at the Shanghai port. The genomes of these Lm strains were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis showed that 43 isolates were divided into 17 sequence types (STs). The distribution of STs was decentralized, with the dominant ST2 accounting for only 18.18% of the strains. The LM63 strain did not match with any of the existing STs. Core-genome MLST (cgMLST) analysis based on 1748 core genes categorized the 44 strains into 30 cgMLST types (CTs), with CT10153 and CT7892 as the most predominant CTs. Notably, LM63 and LM67 shared the same CT in the cgMLST analysis. The phylogenetic analysis based on single-copy homologous genes revealed that the 44 Lm strains were primarily classified into two lineages. The SNP analysis also indicated that these strains were roughly divided into two clades, with strains in the first clade mainly collected earlier than those in the second clade, which were predominantly collected from 2010 onwards. The analysis using the virulence factor database (VFDB) indicated that the virulence gene inlJ was the most prevalent among these 44 strains. Notably, ddrA, msbA, and sugC were enriched in this dataset, requiring further clarification of their roles in Listeria through future studies. These results might provide a clue for understanding of the global epidemiology and surveillance of Lm and present insights for implementing effective measures to reduce or prevent Listeria contamination outbreaks in imported food products

Conductive cotton prepared by polyaniline in situ polymerization using laccase

The high-redox-potential catalyst laccase, isolated from Aspergillus, was first used as a biocatalyst in the oxidative polymerization of water-soluble conductive polyaniline, and then conductive cotton was prepared by in situ polymerization under the same conditions. The polymerization of aniline was performed in a water dispersion of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) micellar solution with atmospheric oxygen serving as the oxidizing agent. This method is ecologically clean and permits a greater degree of control over the kinetics of the reaction. The conditions for polyaniline synthesis were optimized. Characterizations of the conducting polyaniline and cotton were carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, the fabric induction electrostatic tester, and the far-field EMC shielding effectiveness test fixture.This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21274055, 51173071), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-12-0883), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK2011157), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP51312B), and the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT1135)