[Progress in application of aspirin desensitization and maintenance therapy in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease]

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, asthma and the development of significant airway symptoms following the ingestion of aspirin and other nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). At present, aspirin challenge is the gold standard for diagnosis. Aspirin desensitization and aspirin therapy after desensitization (ATAD) is one of the classical therapies. This paper described the application of aspirin desensitization and ATAD in AERD and provided the reference for the comprehensive treatment of AERD.

Structural confirmation of position isomers 2-(2-methylaminoprolyl)benzofuran and 5-(2-methylaminopropyl)benzofuran: a combined mass spectrometric and computational study

RATIONALE

Phenylethylamines are one of the most common types of new psychoactive substances, following synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones. They are regulated in many countries because of their strong hallucinogenic effects, which can cause serious nerve damage. There is a wide variety of phenylethylamines, exhibiting rapid renewal and extremely similar structures, therefore accurate qualitative analysis of isomers is a difficult problem in current drug analysis.

METHODS

The dissociation pathways of the position isomers 2-(2-methylaminoprolyl)benzofuran (2-MAPB) and 5-(2-methylaminopropyl)benzofuran (5-MAPB) were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution quadrupole Orbitrap MS. The dissociation patterns of the phenethylamine-based designer drugs 2-MAPB and 5-MAPB were explored and extended in this work based on MS combined with density functional theory studies.

RESULTS

For electron ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS) analysis, the dissociation patterns of 2-MAPB were similar to those of 5-MAPB. For electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn ) analysis, the hydrogen atom on amino group was facile to form a intramolecular hydrogen bond with the oxygen atom on the parent nucleus of benzofuran in the structure of 2-MAPB, leading to higher abundance of the product ion at m/z 58. However, there was a conjugated system between the positive charge formed by the cleavage of the 5-MAPB side chain and the benzofuran ring, enabling the 5-MAPB to generate a product ion at m/z 131. Computational study showed that energy barrier and spin density difference distribution jointly control the selective dissociation in EI-MS, while different types of orbital interaction induced by intramolecular hydrogen bond led to different dissociation results in ESI-MSn .

CONCLUSIONS

These different dissociation patterns could be used to distinguish 2-MAPB from 5-MAPB. This could assist forensic laboratories in the differentiation and characterization of potential isomers in these kinds of compounds, especially in mixtures.

Preparation of mixed-mode weak cation exchange magnetic solid-phase extraction sorbent and its application in the extraction of 21 illicit drugs from wastewater

The detection of illicit drugs in wastewater can effectively monitor and evaluate the trend of illicit drug abuse. A novel mixed-mode cation exchange magnetic sorbent Fe3O4 @poly(ST/DVB/MA-COOH) was prepared and firstly applied as magnetically dispersed solid phase extraction material to efficiently, rapidly, and selectively extract 21 illicit drugs from wastewater. The selectivity of the sorbent was mainly attributed to the electrostatic interaction. The effects of Fe3O4 @poly(ST/DVB/MA-COOH) preparation and extraction conditions on the adsorption performance were thoroughly discussed. Among the 21 illicit drugs, the absolute extraction recovery values for 19 illicit drugs were greater than 80 % and the entire adsorption process could be achieved in one minute. Subsequently, the Fe3O4 @poly(ST/DVB/MA-COOH) sorbent combined with UHPLC-MS/MS was used to establish a quantitative method for the effectively extracted 19 illicit drugs in wastewater. The method had a good determination coefficient in the range of 0.2-200 ng/L and the limits of detection of the method were 0.03-0.67 ng/L. The spiked recovery values were in the range of 87.0-119.6 %. Finally, the method was successfully applied to the detection of 19 illicit drugs in wastewater samples and also compared with the commonly used SPE method. The obtained results indicate that Fe3O4 @poly(ST/DVB/MA-COOH) has great advantages in the detection of illicit drugs in wastewater.

Predicting early gastric cancer risk using machine learning: A population-based retrospective study

Background

Early detection and treatment are crucial for reducing gastrointestinal tumour-related mortality. The diagnostic efficiency of the most commonly used diagnostic markers for gastric cancer (GC) is not very high. A single laboratory test cannot meet the requirements of early screening, and machine learning methods are needed to aid the early diagnosis of GC by combining multiple indicators.

Methods

Based on the XGBoost algorithm, a new model was developed to distinguish between GC and precancerous lesions in newly admitted patients between 2018 and 2023 using multiple laboratory tests. We evaluated the ability of the prediction score derived from this model to predict early GC. In addition, we investigated the efficacy of the model in correctly screening for GC given negative protein tumour marker results.

Results

The XHGC20 model constructed using the XGBoost algorithm could distinguish GC from precancerous disease well (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.901), with a sensitivity, specificity and cut-off value of 0.830, 0.806 and 0.265, respectively. The prediction score was very effective in the diagnosis of early GC. When the cut-off value was 0.27, and the AUC was 0.888, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.797 and 0.807, respectively. The model was also effective at evaluating GC given negative conventional markers (AUC = 0.970), with the sensitivity and specificity of 0.941 and 0.906, respectively, which helped to reduce the rate of missed diagnoses.

Conclusions

The XHGC20 model established by the XGBoost algorithm integrates information from 20 clinical laboratory tests and can aid in the early screening of GC, providing a useful new method for auxiliary laboratory diagnosis.

Associations of dichlorophenol with metabolic syndrome based on multivariate-adjusted logistic regression: a U.S. nationwide population-based study 2003-2016

BACKGROUND

Para-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) exposure associated with oxidative stress has indeed raised public concerns. However, whether p-DCB is linked with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. We hypothesized that higher exposure to p-DCB would be linked with a higher risk of MetS in the U.S population. This study aimed to examine the associations of exposure to p-DCB with MetS prevalence.

METHODS

We included 10,428 participants (5,084 men and 5,344 women), aged ≥ 20 years, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2016). The cases of MetS were diagnosed by NCEP/ATPIII. Logistic regression models were conducted to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of MetS prevalence. Moreover, the mix associations of p-DCB metabolites were assessed using quantile sum (WQS) regression and quantile g-computation (qgcomp) methods.

RESULTS

We documented 2,861 (27.1%) MetS cases. After adjustment for the potential risk factors, the ORs (95% CI) of MetS prevalence across the quartile of urinary 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP) were 1.09 (0.93-1.28), 1.22 (1.00-1.49), and 1.34 (1.04-1.73). Moreover, 2,5 DCP is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity [ORQ4vsQ1 (95% CI): 1.23 (1.03-1.48)]. The WQS and qgcomp index also showed significant associations between p-DCB metabolites and MetS. Moreover, we further examined that 2,5 DCP was correlated with higher systolic blood pressure (r = 0.022, P = 0.027), waist circumference (r = 0.099, P < 0.001), and glycohemoglobin (r = 0.027, P = 0.008) and a lower high density cholesterol (r = -0.059, P < 0.001). In addition, the significant positive associations between 2,5 DCP and MetS were robust in the subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicated that increased urinary p-DCB concentration, especially 2,5 DCP, had a higher MetS prevalence. These results should be interpreted cautiously and further research is warranted to validate our findings.

Study on the Mass Spectrometry Fragmentation Patterns for Rapid Screening and Structure Identification of Ketamine Analogues in Illicit Powders

Ketamine analogues have been emerging in recent years and are causing severe health and social problems worldwide. Ketamine analogues use 2-phenyl-2-aminocyclohexanone as the basic structure and achieve physiological reactions similar to or even more robust than the prototype of ketamine by changing the substituents on the benzene ring (R1 and R2) and amine group (RN1). Therefore, the mass spectrometry (MS) fragmentation pathways and fragments of ketamine analogues have certain regularity. Eight ketamine analogues are systematically investigated by GC-QTOF/MS and LC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS with the positive mode of electrospray ionization. The MS fragmentation patterns of ketamine analogues are summarized according to high-resolution MS data. The α-cleavage of carbon bond C1-C2 in the cyclohexanone moiety and further losses of CO, methyl radical, ethyl radical and propyl radical are the characteristic fragmentation pathways of ketamine analogues in EI-MS mode. The loss of H2O or the sequential loss of RN1NH2, CO and C4H6 are the distinctive fragmentation pathways of ketamine analogues in ESI-MS/MS mode. Moreover, these MS fragmentation patterns are first introduced for the rapid screening of ketamine analogues in suspicious powder. Furthermore, the structure of the ketamine analogue in suspicious powder is 2-(Methylamino)-2-(o-tolyl)cyclohexan-1-one, which is further confirmed by NMR. This study contributes to the identification of the chemical structure of ketamine analogues, which can be used for the rapid screening of ketamine analogues in seized chemicals.

[Definition of severe pulmonary tuberculosis: a scoping review]

Objective: To clarify the definition of severe pulmonary tuberculosis and its inclusion criteria by summarizing and analyzing the studies of severe pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods: A systematic search of Medline (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Web of Science, Epistemonikos, Embase, CNKI, WanFang database, and CBM database was conducted to collect studies published between 2017 and 2022 on patients with severe pulmonary TB. Searches were performed using a combination of subject terms and free words. The search terms included: tuberculosis, severe, serious, intensive care, critical care, respiratory failure, mechanical ventilation, hospitalization, respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, pulmonary heart disease, and pneumothorax. The definitions and inclusion criteria for severe pulmonary TB in the included studies were extracted. Results: A total of 19 981 studies were identified and 100 studies were finally included, involving 8 309 patients with severe pulmonary TB. A total of 8 (8.00%) studies explicitly mentioned the definition of severe pulmonary TB, and 53 (53.00%) studies clearly defined the inclusion criteria for patients with severe pulmonary TB. A total of 5 definitions and 30 inclusion criteria were extracted. A total of 132 dichotomous variables and 113 continuous variables were included in the outcome indicators related to patients with severe pulmonary TB of concern in the studies. Conclusions: The definition and diagnostic criteria for severe TB are unclear, and there is an urgent need to develop a clear definition and diagnostic criteria to guide clinical practice.

Early Screening of Colorectal Precancerous Lesions Based on Combined Measurement of Multiple Serum Tumor Markers Using Artificial Neural Network Analysis

Many patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are diagnosed in the advanced stage, resulting in delayed treatment and reduced survival time. It is urgent to develop accurate early screening methods for CRC. The purpose of this study is to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based artificial neural network (ANN) model using multiple protein tumor markers to assist in the early diagnosis of CRC and precancerous lesions. In this retrospective analysis, 148 cases with CRC and precancerous diseases were included. The concentrations of multiple protein tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9, CA 125, CYFRA 21-1, CA 72-4, CA 242) were measured by electrochemical luminescence immunoassays. By combining these markers with an ANN algorithm, a diagnosis model (CA6) was developed to distinguish between normal healthy and abnormal subjects, with an AUC of 0.97. The prediction score derived from the CA6 model also performed well in assisting in the diagnosis of precancerous lesions and early CRC (with AUCs of 0.97 and 0.93 and cut-off values of 0.39 and 0.34, respectively), which was better than that of individual protein tumor indicators. The CA6 model established by ANN provides a new and effective method for laboratory auxiliary diagnosis, which might be utilized for early colorectal lesion screening by incorporating more tumor markers with larger sample size.

[Clinical observation and preliminary economic study of rush immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis]

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy, safety, compliance, and cost-effectiveness of rush immunotherapy (RIT) and conventional immunotherapy (CIT) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), so as to evaluate the clinical significance of CIT and preliminarily explore its economic value. Methods: A study was conducted on 72 AR patients who had received specific immunotherapy from Oct 2019 to Jun 2020 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, including 39 males and 33 females, aging 8 to 60 years. RIT or CIT was performed respectively according to the patients' wishes. There were 35 cases in the RIT group and 37 cases in the CIT group, all subjects were followed up for 1 year. Visual analysis scale (VAS) and effectiveness were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Systemic adverse reactions were used to assess safety. Failure rate was calculated to evaluate the compliance. The cost and cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) were conducted to evaluate the health economics preliminarily. Results: After half a year and one year's treatment, both RIT and CIT groups had significant clinical efficacy and RIT group had more significant clinical efficacy than CIT group at half a year (76.67% vs 46.67%, χ²=7.37, P=0.007). During the dose accumulation phase, there was no significant difference in the incidence of systemic adverse reactions between the two groups (8.57% vs 8.10%, χ²=0.05, P=0.943), while the drop-out rate in the RIT group was significantly lower than that in the CIT group (0 vs 13.51%, χ²=5.08, P=0.024). After one year, the costs in RIT group were significantly higher ((8 163.08±452.67) yuan vs (7 385.87±369.92) yuan, t=-2.78, P=0.009), while there was no statistical differences in CER between the two groups ((3 298.06±1 374.09) yuan/point vs (3 154.38±1 532.51) yuan/point, t=-0.36, P=0.418). Conclusions: Both RIT and CIT are beneficial for AR, and they have similar clinical efficacy, safety, and CER. RIT is more effective in the early stage, with higher patient compliance. Thus, RIT is worth promoting and exploring in clinic.

Lattice distortions and the metal-insulator transition in pure and Ti-substituted Ca3Ru2O7

We report pair distribution function studies on the relationship between the metal-insulator transition (MIT) and lattice distortions in pure and Ti-substituted bilayer Ca₃Ru₂O₇. Structural refinements performed as a function of temperature, magnetic field and length scale reveal the presence of lattice distortions not only within but also orthogonal to the bilayers. Because of the distortions, the local and average crystal structure differ across a broad temperature region extending from room temperature to temperatures below the MIT. The coexistence of distinct lattice distortions is likely to be behind the marked structural flexibility of Ca₃Ru₂O₇under external stimuli. This observation highlights the ubiquity of lattice distortions in an archetypal Mott system and calls for similar studies on other families of strongly correlated materials.

Rapid Simultaneous Determination of Three Synthetic Cannabinoids in Urine and Plasma of Rats Using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Synthetic cannabinoids, a class of psychoactive compounds, are controlled as new psychoactive substances (NPSs) identified by the early warning system (EWS) of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). At present, several new synthetic cannabinoids have appeared in the illegal drug market, including 4-methylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl) methanone (JWH-122), methyl (1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carbonyl)-L-valinate (5F-AMB), and methyl 2-(1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1Hindazole-3-carboxamido)-3-methylbutanoate (AMB-FUBINACA). A convenient, rapid, and highly sensitive analytical method was developed to determine three synthetic cannabinoids in rat plasma and urine. The liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was optimized and validated to analyze the three synthetic cannabinoids in rat plasma and urine. The method identified intra-assay precision (1.3-9.0% and 2.8-6.7%), inter-assay precision (3.0-8.6% and 3.9-8.8%), limits of detection (0.003-0.004 ng/mL and 0.00125-0.002 ng/mL) and quantification (0.012-0.016 ng/mL and 0.003-0.005 ng/mL), recovery (95.4-106.8% and 92.0-106.8%) for rat plasma and urine, and the matrix effect (93.4-118.0%) for rat urine, and the correlation coefficients were above 0.99 in the linear range. The established LC-MS/MS method was successfully used to simultaneously detect the JWH-122 and 5F-AMB in rat plasma and JWH-122, 5F-AMB, and AMB-FUBINACA in rat urine. The present study provides methodological support for internal exposure assessment of three synthetic cannabinoids and promotes the quantitative analysis and technical supervision of synthetic cannabinoids.

A study on serum pro-neurotensin (PNT), furin, and zinc alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) levels in patients with acromegaly

PURPOSE

Acromegaly caused by growth hormone cell adenoma is commonly associated with abnormal glucolipid metabolism, which may result from changes in adipocytokine secretion. This study aims to investigate serum adipokine levels, including pro-neurotensin (PNT), furin, and zinc alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG), in acromegalic patients and the correlation between the levels of these three adipokines and GH levels and glucolipid metabolism indices.

METHODS

Sixty-eight acromegalic patients and 121 controls were included, and their clinical data were recorded from electronic medical record system. Serum PNT, furin and ZAG levels were measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

Serum PNT levels in acromegalic patients were significantly higher than controls (66.60 ± 12.36 vs. 46.68 ± 20.54 pg/ml, P < 0.001), and acromegaly was an independent influencing factor of PNT levels (P < 0.001). Moreover, subjects with the highest tertile of PNT levels had a close correlation with acromegaly (OR = 22.200, 95% CI 7.156 ~ 68.875, P < 0.001), even in Model 1 adjusted for gender and age and Model 2 adjusted for gender, age and BMI. Additionally, serum PNT levels were positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.220, P = 0.002) and triglycerides (TGs, r = 0.295, P < 0.001), and TGs were an independent influencing factor of serum PNT levels in acromegalic subjects (P < 0.001). Furthermore, serum PNT levels in obese acromegalic patients were significantly higher than those with normal BMI (P < 0.05). However, serum furin levels were lower in acromegalic patients than controls (0.184 ± 0.036 vs. 0.204 ± 0.061 ng/ml, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to demonstrate that acromegalic patients have increased serum PNT levels. Moreover, serum PNT plays a potential role in abnormal lipid metabolism of acromegalic patients.

Mussel-Inspired Hydrogels for Fluoride Delivery and Caries Prevention

Fluoride agents hold promise for the repair and prevention of caries lesions, but their interaction with enamel is often hampered and diminished because of the dynamic wet environment in the oral cavity, which affects the efficacy of fluoride delivery and limits treatment success. We herein developed a mussel-inspired wet adhesive fluoride system (denoted TS@NaF) fabricated by the self-assembly of tannic acid (TA), silk fibroin (SF), and sodium fluoride (NaF). TS@NaF demonstrated remarkable biological stability and biocompatibility, showed reliable wet adhesion, released fluoride ions (F−) topically, and induced significant deposition of calcium fluoride (CaF2) onto enamel in vitro. Furthermore, TS@NaF provided an anticaries effect in vitro and induced a detectable increase in enamel mineral density. Advanced fluoride-releasing bioadhesives are therefore promising candidates for caries prevention and highlight the great potential of mussel-inspired dental materials in clinical applications.

Urinary exosomal long non-coding RNAs as noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosis of bladder cancer by RNA sequencing

Introduction

Cystoscopy is the standard methodology for diagnosis of bladder cancer (BC), but it is invasive and relatively expensive. Previous studies have found that urinary exosomal long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may act as potential noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosis. Here we identified urinary exosomal lncRNAs that are differentially expressed between BC and controls, and established a panel for diagnosis of BC.

Methods

We performed RNA sequencing in urinary exosomes of 7 controls and 7 patients, subsequently the differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected in training cohort (50 controls and 50 patients) and validation cohort (43 controls and 43 patients). The diagnostic power of lncRNAs for BC was calculated by the area under curve (AUC). The panel for diagnosis of BC was calculated by logistic regression.

Results

The results of RNA sequencing in urinary exosomes showed that 240 upregulated lncRNAs and 275 downregulated lncRNAs were differentially expressed. The levels of MKLN1-AS, TALAM1, TTN-AS1 and UCA1 in BC patients were higher than that in controls in the training and validation cohort by real-time PCR. Using logistic regression, with the combination of these four lncRNAs and NMP22, we identified a panel of five parameters capable of classifying BC patients versus controls on the basis of the training cohort (AUC=0.850). Moreover, the performance of the panel exhibited better performance than either single parameter in the validation cohort.

Conclusion

Collectively, this study confirmed the diagnostic value of lncRNAs for BC by high-throughout urinary exosomal RNA sequencing.

Bone microarchitecture impairment in prolactinoma patients assessed by HR-pQCT

PURPOSE

Prolactinoma may reduce bone mineral density (BMD) and increase fracture risk, but its influence on bone microarchitecture remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate bone microarchitecture parameters by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in prolactinoma patients.

METHODS

31 prolactinoma patients and 62 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in our center were included, and HR-pQCT was used to evaluate their bone microarchitecture at the radius and tibia. Z-scores for bone microarchitecture parameters were calculated based on previously published reference.

RESULTS

After adjusting for height and weight, prolactinoma patients had lower trabecular (- 0.011 mm, p = 0.005) and cortical thickness (- 0.116 mm, p = 0.008) and cortical area (- 6.0 mm2, p = 0.013) at radius, as well as lower trabecular (- 0.014 mm, p = 0.008) and cortical (- 0.122 mm, p = 0.022) thickness at tibia compared with the controls. Patients with higher prolactin level had more severe bone microarchitecture impairments. After adjusting for prolactin level and age, male patients had lower trabecular volumetric BMD (vBMD), trabecular number, trabecular thickness, and cortical porosity at radius, as well as lower trabecular vBMD, trabecular bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and cortical area, and higher trabecular separation at tibia compared with female patients. Z-score for radius vBMD was correlated with Z-score for areal BMD (aBMD) at lumbar and femoral neck, while Z-score for tibia vBMD was correlated with Z-score for lumbar aBMD, and some patients with vBMD Z-score below - 2.0 had aBMD Z-score within normal range.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral bone microarchitecture was impaired in prolactinoma patients, especially in patients with higher prolactin level. We compared the bone microarchitecture of prolactinoma patients and healthy controls by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), and found that many bone microarchitecture parameters were impaired among prolactinoma patients. Such impairment was more prominent among patients with higher prolactin level.

Distribution and Clinical Significance of IL-17A in Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Objective: To investigate the distribution of IL-17A and its clinical significance in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Expression level of IL-17A in TILs of 3 paired NSCLC and paracancerous specimens was measured by qRT-PCR. The distribution of IL-17A in immune cell subsets of 15 paired NSCLC and paracancerous specimens was examined by flow cytometry. The correlation between IL-17A and clinical features of NSCLC was identified.

Results: IL-17A was significantly upregulated in TILs of NSCLC specimens than those of paracancerous ones (p < 0.0001). Meanwhile, T helper 17 cells (Th17 cells, p < 0.001), IL-17-secreting CD8⁺ T cells (Tc17 cells, p < 0.001) and IL-17-producing cells (γδT17 cells, p < 0.0001) were significantly abundant in TILs of NSCLC specimens than those of controls, and the higher abundance of the latter was much pronounced than that of the former two. Moreover, γδT17 cells in TILs were significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis and CYFRA 21-1 level of NSCLC patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Tumor infiltrated γδT cells are the main source of IL-17 in early-stage NSCLC, and IL-17 may be a vital regulator involved in the development of NSCLC.

Application analysis of a modified retroauricular hairline incision in the resection of a benign parotid gland tumor

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the application value of a modified retroauricular hairline incision and a sternocleidomastoid flap with an inferior pedicle in the resection of benign parotid gland tumors.

METHODS

Forty-eight patients with benign parotid gland tumors were retrospectively analyzed: 19 cases were included in the experimental group with an improved retroauricular hairline incision and a sternocleidomastoid flap with an inferior pedicle, and 29 cases were assigned in the control group with a modified facelift incision. Operation time, postoperative drainage, postoperative esthetic degree, and incidence of facial nerve paralysis, salivary fistula, and Frey's syndrome were compared.

RESULTS

After the esthetic procedure, the average score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group, and the esthetic effect of the former was better than that of the latter (P<0.05). The incidence of the operation time, facial nerve paralysis, salivary fistula, and Frey's syndrome of both groups had no statistically significant differences (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The modified retroauricular hairline incision and sternocleidomastoid flap with an inferior pedicle can be applied to resect benign parotid gland tumors safely. It shows a better cosmetic effect and does not cause obvious postoperative complications. Therefore, it should be promoted for tumor treatments.

[Progress in the traceability of tumor marker detection]

Tumor markers (TM) detection is of great significance in tumor screening, monitoring and treatment intervention, which puts forward higher requirements for its detection quality. TM traceability is very important in the process of reagent production and clinical laboratory testing, which can help improving the reliability and comparability of TM testing. Based on the current principles and classification system of metrology traceability in the world, this paper reviews the quality requirements of reference materials and reference measurement methods related to protein and nucleic acid of TM, as well as the problems existing in the international convention reference measurement procedure and traceability system of TM, so as to provide a new idea for the quality assurance work of TM detection.

[Development and application of a fundus image quality assessment system based on computer vision technology]

Objective: To develop a fundus image quality assessment system based on computer vision technology and to verify its accuracy by comparing the results of artificial discrimination and using this system. Methods: The process of image evaluation was divided into four modules: fundus image preprocessing, fundus image quality evaluation, fundus image content detection and evaluation result output. The system was designed to automatically evaluate the image quality of each fundus image, identify the optic disc and macula, and judge whether the image was qualified or not according to the image quality discrimination rules. A total of 2 397 fundus images of 787 type 2 diabetes patients were selected as the test data set. The average age of the patients, including 384 males and 403 females, was (69.65±19.09) years old. The images were taken by the staff of community health service centers in Shanghai with a fundus camera. The fundus image quality assessment system was used to conduct quality control and classification of the data set. At the same time, 12 professional fundus picture readers were employed to conduct manual quality control and classification of this data set. The system quality control results and artificial quality discrimination results were compared and analyzed. Results: The fundus image quality assessment system automatically recognized left and right eyes and eye positions on the input fundus images. The quality control interface included four indicator lights, which respectively corresponded to the images with the optic disc or macula as the center of the left or right eye. Evaluation of each fundus image was completed within 1 second, and the results were automatically displayed on the user interface. The 2 397 fundus photos were identified manually as 1 846 qualified photos and 551 unqualified photos. Among the unqualified images, 62 (11.27%) were too dark, 51 (9.27%) were too bright, 59 (10.73%) were not clear in the macular area, 36 (6.54%) showed no macula or optic disc, 125 (22.73%) could not present the fundus structure, 175 (31.82%) were blurred, and 42 (7.64%) were blocked. The results of the system and manual assessment were consistent in 1 788 qualified images (96.86%) and 550 unqualified images (99.82%), with an overall consistency rate of 97.54%. Conclusion: The fundus image quality assessment system can achieve highly consistent results with the professional judgment of ophthalmologists and has the characteristics of objectivity. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:920-927).

[The correlation between the degree of anxiety/depression and the improvement of subjective and objective symptoms after functional endoscopic sinus surgery in chronic sinusitis]

Objective: To explore whether the improvement of subjective symptoms and objective grades after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic sinusitis (CRS) are related to the degree of preoperative anxiety or depression and to provide reference for improving the effects of clinical treatment. Methods: The clinical data of one hundred and sixty patients with CRS treated by endoscopic sinus surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from April 2018 to August 2019 were collected prospectively. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores, self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores, Lund-Kennedy scores of nasal endoscopy and the Lund-Mackay scores of CT before and 6 months after surgery were used to analyse the correlation between the scores of anxiety or depression and the subjective and objective scores of patients before and after operation by grouping and layering. One hundred and one males (63.1%) and 59 females (36.9%) with an average age of 47.3 years (18-75 years) were included. Single-sample, independent or paired t-test, one-way ANOVA and rank-sum test were used for comparison and Pearson correlation analysis was used for the correlation between groups. Results: There was no statistical difference of anxiety or depression between different groups in terms of age, gender and course in the 160 effective patients (t values were -0.151, -0.487, -0.846, all P values>0.05; t values were -0.473, -1.302, -1.069, all P values>0.05). And the degree of preoperative anxiety or depression was positively correlated with the subjective scores, including overall discomfort, nasal obstruction, runny nose and olfactory decline (r values were 0.515, 0.606, 0.424, 0.306, all P values<0.01; r values were: 0.518, 0.584, 0.448, 0.308, all P values<0.01), but not significantly correlated with objective scores of Lund-Mackay and Lund-Kennedy (all P value>0.05). Moreover, as far as the symptoms of overall discomfort, nasal obstruction, headache and runny nose, the results of one-way ANOVA showed that the improvement of symptoms in patients with serious anxiety or depression was worse than that of the normal, mild and moderate patients (all P values<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the scores of Lund-Kennedy 6 months after surgery between them (both P values>0.05). Conclusion: The state of anxiety or depression affects the improvement of symptoms after endoscopic sinus surgery for CRS patients. Compared with the patients with normal and mild to moderate anxiety or depression, the improvement of symptoms in patients with severe anxiety and depression is worse. It is necessary to evaluate the anxiety or depression of the patients with CRS who are going to undergo endoscopic sinus surgery.

The clinical impact of serum sLOX-1 level in coronary artery disease patients as inferred from its implication in the in vitro protective effects of metoprolol against hypoxic injury of HUVECs

Background

Ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major public health problem across the world. Early detection and appropriate management significantly reduced CAD-induced morbidities and death. Endothelial cells are pathogenically implicated.

Purpose

Our study was designed to investigate the role of the soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (sLOX-1) in the in vitro protective effect of Metoprolol against hypoxia-induced injury of Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Secondly, the clinical significance of variations in serum levels of sLOX-1 in patients with CAD was assessed.

Methods

In vitro, hypoxic injury model of HUVECs was established in an atmosphere of 1% O2, 95% N2, and 5% CO2 for 24 hours. The protective effect and mechanism of action of the cardio-selective beta-blocker Metoprolol at 10–6 μM concentration was investigated.

Consented stable atherosclerotic CAD (n=150) and unstable angina pectoris patients (n=75) along with 150 healthy volunteer subjects were voluntarily enrolled in this ethically approved study. Invasive coronary angiogram with ≥50% stenosis at least in one major coronary artery was used for diagnosis. ESC/ACC/AHC/practical protocols were used for categorizing patients into stable or unstable CAD. Serum sLOX-1 level was measured using specific ELISA kit. The diagnostic significance of serum sLOX-1 levels was assessed by analyzing its area under the curve (AUC).

Results

In vitro hypoxic conditions induced high rate of cellular apoptosis, high levels of LOX-1 expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and LDH release from HUVECs after 24 hours incubation, compared to normoxic control cells. Metoprolol significantly decreased LOX-1 levels, and prevented the release of LDH and generation of ROS. This culminated into marked improvement in cellular viability of hypoxia-exposed HUVECs (p&lt;0.001).

Compared to healthy subjects, serum levels of sLOX-1s were significantly elevated in atherosclerotic stable and unstable CAD patients (p&lt;0.001). Serum sLOX-1 levels were increased by 4.21 folds in stable CAD patients and by 6.373 folds in atherosclerotic unstable angina patients vs. healthy participants. Moreover, the levels in the two patients' groups were significantly different (p&lt;0.001). In stable angina CAD patients, sLOX-1 AUC = 0.929; and in unstable CAD patients, AUC = 0.944, indicating that serum sLOX-1 levels clearly differentiated patients from healthy participants with high specificity and sensitivity.

Conclusions

Extrapolated from HUVECs hypoxia-induced injury model and the protective effect of Metoprolol, elevation of the circulating levels of sLOX-1 correlated with increased risks for atherosclerotic CAD and is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for early detection of the disease.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Development of a fragmentation pattern of synthetic cannabinoids based on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive ion mode to screen synthetic cannabinoids in illicit products

To explore the MS fragmentation pattern of synthetic cannabinoids by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, twenty-seven synthetic cannabinoids were systematically investigated by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry(LC-Q-Orbitrap/MS)with positive mode of electrospray ionization. Based on tandem multistage MS and high resolution MS data, MS fragmentation pattern of synthetic cannabinoids was summarized. The cleavage of CC bonds next to the oxygen at the side chain on the C-3 position of synthetic cannabinoids was the characteristic fragmentation pathway of synthetic cannabinoids in the positive mode of electrospray ionization. When the synthetic cannabinoids with a 3-carbamoylpropyl-indole/indazole structure, NH₃, CO, NH₂CHO and CH₂(CH₃)₂ were easy to lose to form different ions. While when the synthetic cannabinoids with a 3-carboxamide-indole/indazole structure, the side chain on the C-3 position was susceptible to γ-cleavage. In addition, this MS fragmentation pattern was applied to quickly screen whether electronic cigarette oil and tobacco from drug cases contain synthetic cannabinoids. This kind of compounds had strong fragmentation pattern, which provided new evidence for the rapid structure identification of synthetic cannabinoids.

[Application of the subjective and objective evaluation in functional rhinoplasty]

Objective: To explore the subjective and objective evaluation methods in functional rhinoplasty. Methods: Sixty-four patients who underwent rhinoplasty in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were included in this study from January 2017 to October 2018. There were 32 males and 32 females, with the age ranging from 18 to 45 years old. Before and 6 months after operation, nasal ventilation function was evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE), nasal acoustic reflex and nasal resistance. Satisfaction with nasal appearance was evaluated by VAS, Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) and facial proportions evaluation. Psychological state was assessed by Emotional Balance Scale and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Finally, the Pearson correlation analysis of patient satisfaction was performed. SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Compared with pre-operation, nasal obstruction VAS, NOSE scores, total nasal resistance and difference ratio of nasal resistance showed significantly decline after surgery (1.62±0.85 vs 7.56±1.44, 22.62±3.54 vs 69.75±7.85, (0.16±0.08) Pa·s/ml vs (0.31±0.43) Pa·s/ml, 0.33±0.28 vs 0.71±0.32, all P<0.05). VAS of appearance and ROE scores showed an increase after surgery (11.20±3.66 vs 2.70±0.97, 17.80±2.71 vs 7.50±1.12, all P<0.05). The measurement of the external nasal subunits showed that the length of the dorsum of the nose, the angle of the face to the nose, the angle of the frontal and the angle of the alar of the nose were obviously reduced ((29.33±4.26) mm vs (33.61±5.24) mm, (135.11±3.81)° vs (139.91±6.30)°, (130.63±2.88)° vs (136.74±5.72)°, (99.71±4.02)° vs (106.27±5.60)°, all P<0.05). The scores of postoperative Emotional Balance Scale and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale increased significantly (5.88±1.54 vs 4.31±1.85, 28.31±2.64 vs 22.13±2.77, all P<0.05). The Pearson correlation analysis showed that patients' satisfaction was positively correlated with subjective score of nasal ventilation (VAS, NOSE), subjective score of nasal appearance (VAS, ROE) and emotional balance scale, while negatively correlated with nasal resistance, and not correlated with the measurement of external nasal subunit. There was a significant positive correlation between the subjective score of nasal ventilation and the measurement of nasal resistance, but there was no significant correlation between the subjective score of nasal appearance and the measurement of external nasal subunit. Conclusion: The subjective and objective evaluation of nasal ventilation function, aesthetics of nasal appearance and psychological state can evaluate the effect of functional rhinoplasty effectively.

Coexistence and Interaction of Spinons and Magnons in an Antiferromagnet with Alternating Antiferromagnetic and Ferromagnetic Quantum Spin Chains

In conventional quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnets with quantum spins, magnetic excitations are carried by either magnons or spinons in different energy regimes: they do not coexist independently, nor could they interact with each other. In this Letter, by combining inelastic neutron scattering, quantum Monte Carlo simulations, and random phase approximation calculations, we report the discovery and discuss the physics of the coexistence of magnons and spinons and their interactions in Botallackite-Cu_{2}(OH)_{3}Br. This is a unique quantum antiferromagnet consisting of alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 chains with weak interchain couplings. Our study presents a new paradigm where one can study the interaction between two different types of magnetic quasiparticles: magnons and spinons.

A novel coumarin-derived dithioacetal chemosensor for trace detection of Hg2+ in real water samples

A novel coumarin-derived dithioacetal chemosensor, 8-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)-7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (LS), has been designed and synthesized. The sensor LS showed highly selective fluorescent sensing for Hg2+ with a low detection limit of 0.81 nM in the pH range from 6.15 to 9.96 in ethanol/water (1:1, v/v) solution. The sensing mechanism of LS toward Hg2+ was proposed and verified by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies. Under an ultraviolet lamp, the fluorescence color changes could be easily detected by the naked eye. In addition, the sensor LS has been applied in the trace detection of Hg2+ in real water samples.

Applications of Ultrafine Limestone Sorbents for the Desulfurization Process in CFB Boilers

With the stringent emission regulation taking effect, it is difficult for the conventional desulfurization technology in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers to meet the requirements of ultralow SO₂ emission. Therefore, in this paper, the application of natural ultrafine limestone, with a Sauter mean diameter of less than 20 μm, was tested by conducting bench-scale, pilot-scale, and commercial-scale experiments to realize highly efficient desulfurization in CFB furnaces. In the past, such small-size limestone was considered unsuitable for CFB boilers. However, as demonstrated by bench-scale results, the desulfurization performance was clearly superior to that of coarse limestone, especially at low SO₂ concentrations. In a 3 MW_th pilot-scale CFB boiler, the ultrafine limestone exhibited competent desulfurization efficiency to that of the coarse limestone but clearly less significant catalytic effects on NOx formation. As revealed by field tests in four commercial-scale CFB boilers, when high-efficiency cyclones were applied to CFB boilers, the mass inventory of ultrafine particles was significantly increased and the residence time would be extended accordingly; thus, the ultrafine limestone can be used to achieve high desulfurization efficiency and even ultralow SO₂ emission with a favorable Ca/S ratio. Furthermore, a technical roadmap was drawn for the cost-effective control of SO₂ emission.

Ideal maximum strengths and defect-induced softening in nanocrystalline-nanotwinned metals

Strengthening of metals through nanoscale grain boundaries and coherent twin boundaries is manifested by a maximum strength-a phenomenon known as Hall-Petch breakdown. Different softening mechanisms are considered to occur for nanocrystalline and nanotwinned materials. Here, we report nanocrystalline-nanotwinned Ag materials that exhibit two strength transitions dissimilar from the above mechanisms. Atomistic simulations show three distinct strength regions as twin spacing decreases, delineated by positive Hall-Petch strengthening to grain-boundary-dictated (near-zero Hall-Petch slope) mechanisms and to softening (negative Hall-Petch slope) induced by twin-boundary defects. An ideal maximum strength is reached for a range of twin spacings below 7 nm. We synthesized nanocrystalline-nanotwinned Ag with hardness 3.05 GPa-42% higher than the current record, by segregating trace concentrations of Cu impurity (<1.0 weight (wt)%). The microalloy retains excellent electrical conductivity and remains stable up to 653 K; 215 K better than for pure nanotwinned Ag. This breaks the existing trade-off between strength and electrical conductivity, and demonstrates the potential for creating interface-dominated materials with unprecedented mechanical and physical properties.

Crocin Protects Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells from High Glucose-Induced Injury Via Inhibiting the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response

BACKGROUND

Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in diabetic atherosclerosis. High glucose (HG) is considered a stimulator in the development of diabetic atherosclerosis. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is involved in HG-induced vascular injury. Crocin has antioxidative and antiapoptotic properties.

OBJECTIVE

The current study was to evaluate whether crocin can protect human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from HG-induced injury and explored the associated mechanism.

METHODS

HUVECs were treated with 33 mmol/L glucose as the HG condition. The endothelial protective effects of crocin were evaluated by comparison with the control groups.

RESULTS

The exposure of HUVECs to HG for 24 h remarkably induced the ER stress response and a sequence of injuries, as demonstrated an increase in the apoptotic cell number, the reactive oxygen species level and inflammatory cytokine generation, as well as a decline in vascular endothelial growth factor A expression. These changes were markedly alleviated by pretreating the HUVECs with either crocin or 4-phenylbutyrate (ER stress inhibitor) before exposure to HG.

CONCLUSION

Crocin exerted antioxidative, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory and proangiogenic effects in the HG-induced HUVEC injury model, which were probably mediated by a favorable modification of ER stress that requires further investigation.

Insulator-metal transition induced by electric voltage in a ruthenate Mott insulator

We report the observation of electric-voltage induced insulator-metal phase transition in a ruthenate Mott insulator Ca₃(Ru_0.9Ti_0.1)₂O₇. We show that the electric field effect dominates and leads to a sharp phase transition at measurement temperatures far below the Mott transition, whereas the thermal effect becomes more significant and broadens the phase transition as the measurement temperature approaches the insulator-metal transition. The electric field induced insulator-metal transition is presumably attributed to the avalanche breakdown of the correlated insulating state when driven out of equilibrium. This work highlights the strategy of using electric voltage to control the phase transition of this system in addition to other nonthermal parameters such as magnetic field and pressure reported previously.

Targeting cytokines secreted by CD4+ CD25high CD127low regulatory T cells inhibits ovarian cancer progression

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the major malignant cancers with high rates of early metastasis in which regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role. Tregs suppress immune responses and promote the development of tumours in patients with EOC. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found higher levels of CD4⁺ CD25^high CD127^low Tregs in patients with EOC than in patients with benign ovarian tumours and healthy donors. The immune inhibitory effect of Tregs functions by maintaining high levels of immunosuppressive cytokines in EOC. The high levels of Tregs and related cytokines (TGF-β1 or IL-10) were associated with lymphatic metastasis and FIGO stages of patients with EOC. Expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 in EOC cell lines were significantly regulated in the coculture experiment with CD4⁺ CD25^high CD127^low Tregs sorted from EOC patients. Levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 conversely changed after blocking IL-10R and TGF-β1R in EOC cells. The invasion ability of EOC cells was also significantly downregulated in this process. The metastasis of EOC cells was correlated with the levels of TGF-β1 or IL-10. These findings suggested that immunosuppressive cytokines secreted by CD4⁺ Tregs could be a novel target for inhibiting EOC progression.

[Rosai-Dorfman disease with nasal septum involvement:two cases report]

Clinical data of 2 cases with Rosai-Dorfman disease(RDD) originating from nasal septal mucosa were reported retrospectively,and the pertinent literature was reviewed. Without specific clinical features,RDD in nasal cavity could be misdiagnosed easily. Pathology revealed different morphologies of cell proliferation with engulfed lymphocytes,plasma cells and neutrophils. Immunohistochemical staining showed S-100(+),CD68(+)，CD1(-).RDD disease generally has a benign course and is self-limited. Its diagnosis depends mainly on biopsy．As for the treatment of this disease,the strategies are not systemic and standard. Surgical treatment is used to excise the mass in nasal cavity,glucocorticoids treatment after surgery is inconclusive. The long-term effect need to be further observed．.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of oxime-functionalized nitrofuranylamides as novel antitubercular agents

A series of oxime-functionalized nitrofuranylamides were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anti-mycobacterial activities against MTB H37Rv and drug-resistant clinical isolates. Among them, two compounds 7a and 7b exhibited excellent activity against the three tested strains. Both of them were comparable to the first-line anti-TB agents INH and RIF against MTB H37Rv, and were far more potent than INH and RIF against MDR-TB 16833 and 16995 strains. Thus, both of them could act as leads for further optimization.

[Analysis of the clinical characteristics of fungus ball sphenoid sinusitis]

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of fungus ball sphenoid sinusitis(FBSS) and its differences from fungus ball maxillary sinusitis(FBMS). Method:A retrospective analysis was made for 50 patients with FBSS and 273 patients with FBMS in the corresponding period, which were confirmed by postoperative pathological diagnosis. And the related factors and clinical characteristics of them were analyzed. Result:FBSS were common disease in women around 50 years old. The left side FBSS was more common than the right side. About 40 percent of patients' disease course was less than half a year.FBSS had many presenting symptoms such as headache, nasal obstruction, nasal mucus with blood, smelly nasal secretions, eye ache bilges or nasion acheand tears spill. However, headache, eye ache bilges and tears spill were more common in FBSS compared with FBMS(P<0.05). The CT scan showed that there were calcification shadows in the diseased softtissue of sinus cavity.It could be accompanied by local bone thickening, sclerosis and coloboma. Only one case had a secondary surgery in 50 cases of FBSS. The surgery cure rate was as high as 98 percent. Conclusion:FBSS had various of clinical symptoms.Some presenting symptoms such as headache, eye ache bilges, and tears spill had relative specificity. CT diagnosis was more specific, and the endoscopic sphenoidotomy was the most effective treatment.

Thickness evolution of transport properties in exfoliated Fe1+y Te nanoflakes

We report the evolution of transport properties in exfoliated Fe_1+y Te (y  =  0.04) nanoflakes of various thickness. In contrast to the sharp semiconducting-to-metallic phase transition observed in both bulk and thicker flakes, this transition becomes broadened for flakes with an intermediate thickness followed by the appearance of a superconducting-like feature upon further cooling. With the thickness further decreased, the flakes exhibit insulating transport behavior with significantly enhanced positive magnetoresistance, which can be explained using a variable range hopping mechanism, suggesting the nature of a highly disordered 2D system.

Temperature- and field-driven spin reorientations in triple-layer ruthenate Sr4Ru3O10

Sr₄Ru₃O₁₀, the n = 3 member of the Ruddlesden-Popper type ruthenate Sr_n+1Ru_nO_3n+1, is known to exhibit a peculiar metamagnetic transition in an in-plane magnetic field. However, the nature of both the temperature- and field-dependent phase transitions remains as a topic of debate. Here, we have investigated the magnetic transitions of Sr₄Ru₃O₁₀ via single-crystal neutron diffraction measurements. At zero field, we find that the system undergoes a ferromagnetic transition with both in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic components at T_c ≈ 100 K. Below T ^* = 50 K, the magnetic moments incline continuously toward the out-of-plane direction. At T = 1.5 K, where the spins are nearly aligned along the c axis, a spin reorientation occurs above a critical field B_c, giving rise to a spin component perpendicular to the plane defined by the field direction and the c axis. We suggest that both the temperature- and field-driven spin reorientations are associated with a change in the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which is strongly coupled to the lattice degrees of freedom. This study elucidates the long-standing puzzles on the zero-field magnetic orders of Sr₄Ru₃O₁₀ and provides new insights into the nature of the field-induced metamagnetic transition.

Field-induced magnetic phase transitions and memory effect in bilayer ruthenate Ca3Ru2O7 with Fe substitution

Bilayer ruthenate Ca3(Ru1-x Fe x )2O7 (x  =  0.05) exhibits an incommensurate magnetic soliton lattice driven by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Here we report complex field-induced magnetic phase transitions and memory effect in this system via single-crystal neutron diffraction and magnetotransport measurements. We observe first-order incommensurate-to-commensurate magnetic transitions upon applying the magnetic field both along and perpendicular to the propagation axis of the incommensurate spin structure. Furthermore, we find that the metastable states formed upon decreasing the magnetic field depend on the temperature and the applied field orientation. We suggest that the observed field-induced metastability may be ascribable to the quenched kinetics at low temperature.

Final kissing balloon inflation for coronary bifurcation lesions treated with single-stent technique : A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of final kissing balloon (FKB) inflation in one-stent techniques for bifurcation lesions is controversial. The goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of FKB on long-term clinical outcomes in one-stent strategies.

METHODS

A literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was undertaken through August 2017. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Overall hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model.

RESULTS

Ten studies comprising 7364 patients treated with a one-stent technique were included in the analysis. Overall, FKB did not demonstrate a significant reduction in MACE compared with non-FKB in both randomized trials (HR: 1.13; 95% CI: 0.65-1.98) and observational studies (HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.61-1.20). The risk of cardiac death (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.53-1.49), myocardial infarction (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.53-1.09), and target lesion revascularization (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.74-1.23) was also similar in both groups.

CONCLUSION

FKB may not be mandatory and a selective FKB strategy might be more justified in one-stent techniques for bifurcation lesions.

Unusual interlayer quantum transport behavior caused by the zeroth Landau level in YbMnBi2

Relativistic fermions in topological quantum materials are characterized by linear energy-momentum dispersion near band crossing points. Under magnetic fields, relativistic fermions acquire Berry phase of π in cyclotron motion, leading to a zeroth Landau level (LL) at the crossing point, a signature unique to relativistic fermions. Here we report the unusual interlayer quantum transport behavior resulting from the zeroth LL mode observed in the time reversal symmetry breaking type II Weyl semimetal YbMnBi2. The interlayer magnetoresistivity and Hall conductivity of this material are found to exhibit surprising angular dependences under high fields, which can be well fitted by a model, which considers the interlayer quantum tunneling transport of the zeroth LL's Weyl fermions. Our results shed light on the unusual role of zeroth LLl mode in transport.The transport behavior of the carriers residing in the lowest Landau level is hard to observe in most topological materials. Here, Liu et al. report a surprising angular dependence of the interlayer magnetoresistivity and Hall conductivity arising from the lowest Landau level under high magnetic field in type II Weyl semimetal YbMnBi2.

Necroptosis in the periodontal homeostasis: Signals emanating from dying cells

Periodontal tissues are constantly exposed to microbial stimuli. The equilibrium between microbes and host defense system helps maintain the homeostasis in the periodontal microenvironment. Growth of pathogenic bacteria in dental biofilms may induce proinflammatory cytokine production to recruit sentinel cells, mainly neutrophils and monocytes into the gingival sulcus or the periodontal pocket. Moreover, dysbiosis with overgrowth of anaerobic pathogens, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, may induce death of both immune cells and host resident cells. Necroptosis is one newly characterized programmed cell death mediated by receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK)-1, RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase like (MLKL). With its release of death-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) into extracellular environment, necroptosis may help transmit the danger signal and amplify the inflammatory responses. In this review, we present recent advances on how necroptosis influences bacterial infection progression and what a role necroptosis plays in maintaining the homeostasis in the periodontal niche. Until we fully decipher the signals emanated from dying cells, we cannot completely understand the mechanism of disease progression.