Temporal and Quantitative Analysis of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Diet-Induced Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits

The diet-induced atherosclerotic rabbit is an ideal model for atherosclerosis study, but temporal changes in atherosclerotic development in hypercholesterolemic rabbits are poorly understood. Japanese white rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet to induce sustained hypercholesterolemia, and each group of 10–12 animals was then sacrificed at 6, 12, 16, or 28 weeks. The rabbit aortas were harvested, and the sizes of the gross and intima atherosclerotic lesions were quantified. The cellular component of macrophages (Mφs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in aortic intimal lesions was also quantified by immunohistochemical staining, and the correlation between plasma cholesterol levels and the progress of atherosclerotic lesions was studied. The ultrastructure of the atherosclerotic lesions was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Widely variable atherosclerotic plaques were found from 6 weeks to 28 weeks, and the lesional progress was closely correlated with cholesterol exposure. Interestingly, a relatively reduced accumulation of Mφ, an increased numbers of SMCs, and a damaged endothelial layer were presented in advanced lesions. Moreover, SMCs were closely correlated with cholesterol exposure and lesional progress for the whole period. Cholesterol exposure directly determines atherosclerotic progress in a rabbit model, and the changes in the cellular component of advanced lesions may affect plaque stability in an atherosclerotic rabbit model

Study protocol of a phase II clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of neoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic albumin-bound paclitaxel combined with camrelizumab and S-1 in the treatment of patients with exfoliative cell-positive gastric cancer

BackgroundCurrently, gastric cancer with positive lavage cytology without gross peritoneal dissemination (GC-CY1) is a special type of metastatic form with poor prognosis. Consensus guidelines on treatment strategies for patients with GC-CY1 have not been established. This study involves a single-arm, prospective, phase II clinical trial to examine the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic (NIPS) albumin-bound paclitaxel combined with Camrelizumab and S-1 in the treatment of GC-CY1 patients.Methods/designThis is a prospective single-center exploratory study, and the primary endpoints of the trial are R0 resection rate and conversion rate of abdominal free cancer cells (FCCs), with secondary endpoints of 3-year progression-free survival (PFS); 3-year overall survival (OS); objective remission rate (ORR); disease control rate (DCR); safety and TRG classification.DiscussionThis study is the first to apply NIPS albumin-bound paclitaxel combined with Camrelizumab and S-1 to the conversion therapy of GC-CY1 patients. It is speculated that this combination of regimens will increase the negative conversion rate of FCCs by 20%, which will provide innovative insights into conversion treatment ideas for GC-CY1 patients to be managed in a more comprehensive and optimized manner.Clinical trial registrationhttp://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT05410847

The safety and efficacy of carbon nanoparticle suspension injection versus indocyanine green tracer-guided lymph node dissection during radical gastrectomy (FUTURE-01): A single-center randomized controlled trial protocol

BackgroundThe use of lymph node (LN) tracers can help obtain a complete dissection of the lymph nodes and increase the detection rate of LNs and metastatic LNs. Carbon nanoparticle suspension injection (CNSI) and indocyanine green (ICG) have been widely used in radical gastrectomy in recent years. Nevertheless, the comparison of their clinical effects has not been studied.Method/designThe FUTURE-01 trial will be the first randomized, open-label, single-center trial to compare CNSI and ICG. The study started in 2021 and enrolled 96 patients according to a prior sample size calculation. The primary outcome is the number of LNs retrieved. The secondary outcomes are LN staining rate, LN metastasis rate, stained LN metastasis rate, perioperative recovery and survival.ConclusionBy comparing the safety and efficacy of CNSI and ICG tracer-guided LN dissection in patients with gastric cancer, we can determine the most appropriate LN tracer at present. With the help of LN tracers, the operation is simplified, and the prognosis of these patients is improved. Our study is a prospective exploration of the safety, efficacy, and prognosis of CNSI and ICG.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05229874?cond=NCT05229874&draw=2&rank=1, identifier NCT05229874

Surface modifications of Ti alloy with tunable hierarchical structures and chemistry for improved metal–polymer interface used in deepwater composite riser

Ti-based fiber reinforced plastic (Ti-FRP) composites have attracted increasing attentions in the marine and offshore applications due their excellent specific mechanical and physical properties. Among those, interface issues play important role to determine the failure modes of the hybrid composites. In this paper, tunable hierarchical structures and oxidation states on Ti alloy (Ti6Al4V) were achieved via physical and chemical surface treatment techniques including sandblasting, anodization, etching and annealing. Wetability and interfacial bonding strength between the treated Ti alloy surfaces and epoxy resin were systemically investigated in consideration of surface microstructures, oxidation states of Ti, and possible chemical reaction between oxidized Ti and amine. After the combined treatments, the epoxy-adhered specimen showed fully cohesive failure mode in epoxy with the highest shear strength and work of fracture. The great increase in the shear bonding strength was attributed to the nano- to macro-scale hierarchical structure on the Ti alloy surface which resulted in the enhanced adhesive strength between epoxy and adherend in terms of the excellent wettability, significant interfacial chemical reaction and reasonable mechanical interlocking.ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore

A Facile Procedure for the Generation of Dichlorocarbene from the Reaction of Carbon Tetrachloride and Magnesium using Ultrasonic Irradiation

An improved method for the generation of dichlorocarbene was developed that utilizes ultrasound in the reaction of carbon tetrachloride with magnesium. High yields of gem-dichlorocyclopropane derivatives can be obtained in the presence of olefins by this method

A facile procedure for the generation of dichlorocarbene from the reaction of carbon tetrachloride and magnesium using ultrasonic Irradiation

Abstract: An improved method for the generation of dichlorocarbene was developed that utilizes ultrasound in the reaction of carbon tetrachloride with magnesium. High yields of gem-dichlorocyclopropane derivatives can be obtained in the presence of olefins by this method

The Design and Simulation of the Modular Vehicle Air Suspension Height Control System Based on ECAS

Based on ECAS, this paper intended to develop a modular air suspension height control system with WABCO4728800010 two-position three way solenoid valves and Free scale MC9S12D64 microprocessor as its core components. And a simulation test was conducted in MATLAB/Simulink environment. The air suspension height control strategy of this system was divided into four modules: start control module, dynamic adjustment module, manual adjustment module and errors adjustment module, which were controlled by module select switch. Simulation tests indicated that the air suspension height control strategy is featured by its logical control accuracy and debug convenience, and the modular design greatly reduced the system complexity and software development cycle and costs as well