Orbital Occupancy Modulation to Optimize Intermediate Absorption for Efficient Electrocatalysts in Water Electrolysis and Zinc-Ethanol-Air Battery.

Spin engineering is a promising way to modulate the interaction between the metal d-orbital and the intermediates and thus enhance the catalytic kinetics. Herein, an innovative strategy is reported to modulate the spin state of Co by regulating its coordinating environment. o-c-CoSe2-Ni is prepared as pre-catalyst, then in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and in situ Raman spectroscopy are employed to prove phase transition, and CoOOH/Co3O4 is formed on the surface as active sites. In hybrid water electrolysis, the voltage has a negative shift, and in zinc-ethanol-air battery, the charging voltage is lowered and the cycling stability is greatly increased. Coordinated atom substitution and crystalline symmetry change are combined to regulate the absorption ability of reaction intermediates with balanced optimal adsorption. Coordinated atom substitution weakens the adsorption while the crystalline symmetry change strengthens the adsorption. Importantly, the tetrahedral sites are introduced by Ni doping which enables the co-existence of four-coordinated sites and six-coordination sites in o-c-CoSe2-Ni. The dz2 + dx2-y2 orbital occupancy decreases after the atomic substitution, while increases after replacing the CoSe6-Oh field with CoSe6-Oh/CoSe4-Td. This work explores a new direction for the preparation of efficient catalysts for water electrolysis and innovative zinc-ethanol-air battery.

The transcriptomic profile shows the protective effects of celecoxib on cirrhotic splenomegaly.

BACKGROUND: Splenomegaly can exacerbate liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. We have previously demonstrated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor can attenuate cirrhotic splenomegaly. However, the mechanism of cirrhotic splenomegaly remains unclear, thus becoming the focus of the present study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thioacetamide (TAA) intraperitoneal injection was used to induce cirrhotic splenomegaly. Rats were randomized into the control, TAA and TAA + celecoxib groups. Histological analysis and high-throughput RNA sequencing of the spleen were conducted. Splenic collagen III, α-SMA, Ki-67, and VEGF were quantified. RESULTS: A total of 1461 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the spleens of the TAA group compared to the control group. The immune response and immune cell activation might be the major signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cirrhotic splenomegaly. With its immunoregulatory effect, celecoxib presents to ameliorate cirrhotic splenomegaly and liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, 304 coexisting DEGs were obtained between TAA vs. control and TAA + celecoxib vs. TAA. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG analyses collectively indicated that celecoxib may attenuate cirrhotic splenomegaly through the suppression of splenic immune cell proliferation, inflammation, immune regulation, and fibrogenesis. The impacts on these factors were subsequently validated by the decreased splenic Ki-67-positive cells, macrophages, fibrotic areas, and mRNA levels of collagen III and α-SMA. CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib attenuates cirrhotic splenomegaly by inhibiting splenic immune cell proliferation, inflammation, and fibrogenesis. The current study sheds light on the therapeutic strategy of liver cirrhosis by targeting splenic abnormalities and provides COX-2 inhibitors as a novel medical treatment for cirrhotic splenomegaly.

Hair repigmentation and regrowth in a dupilumab-treated paediatric patient with alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis: a case report.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly involving Th1 immunoreaction, but Th2 is also involved. A 9-year-old girl presented to our clinic with severe alopecia for 2 months and pruritus-related rashes for 8 years. She was diagnosed with AA and atopic dermatitis (AD), and the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score was 98. She used a 0.05% halometasone cream (occlusive dressing) topically applied overnight (6 days weekly) for 10 months. After 2 months of treatment, she had regrowth of both black and white hair. However, relapse occurred and she gradually lost all black terminal hair, but white terminal hair remained, with a SALT score of 70. Continuous topical occlusion resulted in white hair regrowth with a SALT score of 20 at the end of month 10. Dupilumab was initially prescribed as a 600-mg subcutaneous injection and maintained at 300 mg every 4 weeks thereafter. Hair repigmentation (10% of whole hair density) started, with black hair shaft appearing at the proximal end in parietal-occipital and occipital areas after three injections at week 12 of dupilumab therapy, with a SALT score of 10. After seven injections at week 28, the percentage of black hair shaft reached up to 90, and she regained her black hair and the pigmented section of hair shaft continued to grow longer at the rate of normal hair growth. Nevertheless, 4 months after termination of dupilumab therapy, the black terminal hair began to fall off, and white vellus hair gradually regrew on the scalp, with a SALT score of 80. Dupilumab induces hair regrowth and repigmentation of white terminal hair without disturbing the anagen phase of hair follicles. Therefore, melanocytes in AA may be a potential target of Th2-related factors. Persistent regrowth of white hair may be used as a signal of Th2 dominance in AA management.

Enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction of CoSeO3 by Ni-doping for water electrolysis and an innovative zinc-ethanol-air battery.

By doping Ni into m-CoSeO3, the structure of the catalyst was modified to improve the Ethanol Oxidation Reaction (EOR) catalytic performance. The catalyst exhibited excellent EOR catalytic activity (j10 = 1.35 V) and high stability. Therefore, this catalyst is used in an innovative zinc-ethanol-air battery, which is more efficient and stable than the traditional zinc-air battery.

Allergen desensitization reduces the severity of relapsed alopecia areata in dust-mite allergic patients.

Atopy may be a facilitating factor in some alopecia areata (AA) patients with early disease onset and more severe/extensive AA. The underlying immune mechanisms are unknown, but allergen responses may support a pro-inflammatory environment that indirectly promotes AA. To investigate the long-term effect of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) against house dust mite (HDM) allergy on disease severity and prognosis for AA patients. An observational comparative effectiveness study was conducted on 69 AA patients with HDM allergy. 34 patients received conventional/traditional AA treatment (TrAA) plus AIT (AIT-TrAA), and 35 patients received TrAA alone. Serum total immunoglobulin E (tIgE), HDM specific IgE (sIgE), HDM specific IgG4 (sIgG4) and cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-33, IFNγ) were quantified in these patients, together with 58 non-allergic AA patients and 40 healthy controls. At the end of the 3-year desensitization course, the AIT-TrAA group presented with lower SALT scores than the TrAA group, especially in non-alopecia totalis/universalis (AT/U) patients and pre-adolescent AT/U patients (age ≤ 14). In patients with elevated tIgE levels before AIT, a decrease in tIgE was correlated to reduced extent of AA on completion of the AIT course. After desensitization, elevation of IL-5 and decrease of IL-33 were observed in HDM allergic-AA patients. Desensitization to HDM in allergic AA patients reduces the severity of relapse-related hair loss over the 3-year AIT treatment course, possibly via opposing Th2 dominance. This adjunctive treatment may help reduce disease severity and curtail the disease process in allergic patients with AA.

Electronic Structure Modulation of Nickel Sites by Cationic Heterostructures to Optimize Ethanol Electrooxidation Activity in Alkaline Solution.

It is a good idea for efficient production of hydrogen to use ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) in place of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis process. Ni-based non-precious electrocatalysts are widely used in the conversion of ethanol to acetic acid. Here, different selenide heterostructures (NiCoSe, NiFeSe, and NiCuSe) are prepared in which Ni sites are regulated by transition metal. The valence state of Ni is NiCuSe < NiCoSe < NiFeSe in the three heterojunctions. NiCoSe shows the optimized charge distribution of Ni sites and outstanding catalytic activity. The effective modulations lead to optimized d-band center and facilitates both adsorption and desorption of reaction intermediates, which improves the kinetics of EOR. The results of this work prove that with appropriate designed catalyst it is possible to replace kinetically slow OER with faster EOR in water electrolysis to produce hydrogen.

Establishment of a modified Kyoto classification scoring model and its significance in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori current infection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to establish a modified model of the Kyoto classification score and verify its accuracy for predicting Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection during endoscopy. METHODS: Patients who underwent gastroscopy from June 2020 to March 2021 were included in this study. Atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, hypertrophy of the gastric fold, nodularity, diffuse redness, sticky mucus, spotty redness, xanthoma, map-like redness, fundic gland polyp, and regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC) were recorded according to the Kyoto classification of gastritis. The HP infection status of participants was determined by a 13C breath test, anti-HP antibody, and histopathologic hematoxylin and eosin staining. The modified Kyoto classification scoring model was established based on univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. The modified scoring model was used to judge the status of HP infection in patients undergoing gastroscopy from July to September 2021 and to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction. RESULTS: Of 667 participants in the derivation dataset, 326 cases had HP infection and 341 cases did not. Atrophy, hypertrophy of the gastric fold, nodularity, diffuse redness, sticky mucus, and spotty redness were associated with HP current infection. Thus, a new scoring model, termed the modified Kyoto classification scoring model, was constructed that included atrophy, hypertrophy of the gastric fold, nodularity, diffuse redness, sticky mucus, spotty redness, fundic gland polyp, and RAC as indicators. To test the model, 808 subjects, including 251 HP-positive patients, comprised the validation dataset. CONCLUSIONS: The modified Kyoto classification scoring model improved the accuracy of endoscopic determination of HP current infection and has clinical application potential in the Chinese population.

Auricular erythermalgia showing excellent response to itraconazole: a case report.

Erythermalgia, a rare painful disorder, is characterized by recurrent pain attacking, warmth, and erythema that mainly involves the distal extremities. Red ear syndrome shares similar clinical features of erythermalgia afflicting the external ear with unilateral/bilateral distribution. The treatments of both diseases are still difficult without controlled therapeutics available up to date. A 12-year-old boy was referred because of 3 years of recurrent attacking of painful erythema and warmth that involved the ears alone, the episodes occurred several times daily with duration of dozens of minutes to hours for each flare. The symptoms could be relieved by cold water and triggered by heat stimuli as well as exciting and movement, and showed mild response to gabapentin, celecoxib, and topical lidocaine compounds in combination, but moderate to blocking injection of botulinum toxin to nervus auricularis magnus. However, systemic itraconazole 200 mg daily resulted in an excellent response after 5-week treatment, leading to milder erythema, warmth and burning sensation, shorter duration, and fewer relapses. The treatment continued for 6 months and then itraconazole was decreased to 100 mg daily for another 6 months until it was stopped, with maintenance of good conditions. In 3 months of follow-up after the treatment ceased, the patient had only 7 to 8 attacks over 10 days presenting as tolerable erythema that lasted for less than 10 min and relieved spontaneously, with absence of warmth and no need of treatment. We considered the patient to be a variant of erythermalgia rather than a red ear syndrome. The results showed that erythermalgia might involve the ears alone and itraconazole might be a potential agent for its treatment.

Compact photothermal self-mixing interferometer for highly sensitive trace detection.

A self-mixing interferometer combined with the photothermal spectroscopy is utilized as a remarkable sensor for highly sensitive trace detection, featuring the beneficial property of a He-Ne laser with back-mounted photodiode, to the best of our knowledge, acting as an excitation laser, also as a probe laser, and even more, as a detector. Utilizing the novel implementation of the photothermal self-mixing (PTSM) interferometer with an external cavity modulation, the concentration of the sample is directly measured by the PTSM parameter extracted from the PTSM signal. The metrological qualities of the PTSM interferometer were investigated by methylene blue trace detection. For a low excitation power of 5 mW, a 7.7 nM of the limit of detection was achieved with a relative standard deviation of ∼3%. The compact and simple structure with high sensitivity has guiding significance to a robust analytical tool for the analysis of photosensitive compounds and in the detection of aquatic product hazards in aquaculture.

Celecoxib ameliorates liver cirrhosis via reducing inflammation and oxidative stress along spleen-liver axis in rats.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Splenomegaly is usually taken as a consequence of liver cirrhosis. However, as a risk factor for cirrhosis, the impacts of spleen-liver axis on the development of cirrhosis are largely unknown. This study focused on the impacts of splenomegaly on the development of cirrhosis and assessment of the effects of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, on the splenomegaly and cirrhotic liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liver cirrhosis was induced by thioacetamide (TAA). Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, TAA-16w, TAA + celecoxib groups and normal, TAA + sham, TAA + splenectomy groups. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) or hepatocytes were co-cultured with splenocytes from those groups. RESULTS: Splenocytes of cirrhotic rats stimulated the HSCs activation and induced hepatocyte apoptosis via enhancing oxidative stress. The hepatic levels of NOX-4 and the in situ O2- were profoundly reduced in TAA + splenectomy group by 50.6% and 18.5% respectively, p < 0.05. Celecoxib significantly decreased the hepatic fibrotic septa induced with TAA by 50.8%, p < 0.05. Splenic lymphoid tissue proliferation and proinflammatory cytokines of the cirrhotic rats were also obviously suppressed by celecoxib, p < 0.05. Compared with the HSC or hepatocyte cell line co-cultured with the cirrhotic splenocytes, the expression of alpha-SMA, NOX-4, in situ O2- or the levels of cleaved caspase3 and NOX-4 were significantly decreased in those cell lines co-cultured with cirrhotic splenocytes treated by celecoxib, p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Splenomegaly contributed to the development of liver cirrhosis through enhancing oxidative stress in liver. Celecoxib could effectively ameliorate liver cirrhosis via reducing inflammatory cytokines and immune cells derived from spleen and suppressing oxidative stress.

Acute pancreatic injuries: A complication of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with cytotoxic immunocell activation.

BACKGROUND: Complications involving internal organs are usually present in Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). However, pancreatic complications are rarely reported and studied. OBJECTIVE: To summarize clinical characteristics of SJS/TEN-associated acute pancreatic injuries and to investigate underlying inflammatory mechanisms. METHODS: Clinical records of 124 inpatients with SJS/TEN were reviewed. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-18, IL-15, IL-12p70, and soluble CD56 were determined in 18 healthy donors and 17 patients with SJS/TEN, including 3 with acute pancreatic injuries. RESULTS: Acute pancreatic injury was diagnosed in 7.3% of patients (9/124) in the SJS/TEN cohort. Elevation of serum transaminase level and hypoalbuminemia occurred more frequently in patients with acute pancreatic injuries compared with those without pancreatic symptoms (P = .004 and <.001, respectively). Although acute pancreatic injury did not alter mortality rate of SJS/TEN, it was associated with longer hospitalization stays (P = .008). Within the serum cytokines whose levels were elevated in SJS/TEN, only IL-18 was found to be selectively increased in patients with acute pancreatic injuries compared with those without them (P = .03). LIMITATIONS: Cohort was small. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatic injury is a gastrointestinal complication of SJS/TEN in which hepatotoxicity is more likely to occur. Overexpression of IL-18 might be involved in this unique entity.

High expression of long non-coding RNA Linc-A associates with poor survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

Long intergenic non-coding RNA for kinase activation (Linc-A) has been reported to enhance the occurrence and progression of breast cancer. Nevertheless, whether Linc-A is related to the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of Linc-A in colon adenocarcinoma and explore the correlation between Linc-A and prognosis of CRC. The expression of Linc-A in human colon tissues was evaluated by qRT-PCR, which contained 15 pairs of human colon adenocarcinoma and paracancerous tissues and other 65 colon adenocarcinoma tissues. A total of 80 patients were divided into low and high expression groups according to the Linc-A levels. The levels of Linc-A in colon adenocarcinoma was higher than that in paracancerous tissues (p = 0.047). Furthermore, high expression of Linc-A was associated with advanced TNM stage (p = 0.013), positive lymph nodes (p = 0.024), low 5-year survival rate (p = 0.024) and even 10-year survival rate (p = 0.007). Besides, Linc-A, advanced age, advanced TNM stage, deep infiltration degree and positive lymph nodes were also found to be positively related to poor overall 5-year survival by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis(p < 0.05). Then, multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that Linc-A was an independent risk factor for prognosis of colon adenocarcinoma (p = 0.047). In conclusion, high expression of Linc-A is associated with advanced TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis and poor survival in patients with CRC. Linc-A may be served as a candidate prognostic biomarker for CRC.

Celecoxib attenuates hepatocyte apoptosis by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress in thioacetamide-induced cirrhotic rats.

BACKGROUND: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an important mechanism in the progression of chronic and acute liver diseases, especially in the progression and recovery of liver fibrosis. Excessive and long-term ER stress induces apoptosis. ER stress-induced apoptosis is considered to be an important pathway in the development of liver fibrosis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) induction is also closely related to ER stress. In our previous studies, we showed that celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, improves liver fibrosis and portal hypertension. However, the role and mechanism of celecoxib in alleviating liver fibrosis remain unclear. AIM: To investigate whether celecoxib alleviates liver fibrosis by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis via the ER stress response. METHODS: Cirrhosis was induced by intraperitoneal injections of thioacetamide (TAA) for 16 wk (injection dose is 200 mg/kg per 3 d for the first 8 wk and 100 mg /kg per 3 d after 8 wk). Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely, control group, TAA group, and TAA + celecoxib group. In the last 8 wk, TAA-induced cirrhotic rats received celecoxib (20 mg/kg/day) or the vehicle by gastric gavage. After 16 wk, the rats were sacrificed, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin (ALB) were detected. The hepatic fibrosis areas were evaluated by Sirius red staining and the degree of fibrosis was assessed by measuring the level of hydroxyproline. ER stress levels were evaluated by detecting the marker proteins glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), PKR-like ER protein kinase (PERK), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha (IRE1α). Apoptosis levels were evaluated by detecting caspase-12 and caspase-3. RESULTS: The serum ALT and AST levels in the liver were significantly reduced by celecoxib; however, the serum ALB had no significant changes. Celecoxib significantly reduced the degree of liver fibrosis and the levels of hydroxyproline (-38% and -25.7%, respectively, P < 0.01). Celecoxib ameliorated ER stress by reducing the level of GRP78 compared to the TAA group (P < 0.05). Consistently, after celecoxib administration, the upregulation of TAA-induced hepatic apoptosis markers (caspase-12 and caspase-3) and CHOP were significantly inhibited. In addition, after celecoxib treatment, the expression of key molecules associated with ER stress (PERK, ATF6, and IRE1) was decreased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic administration of celecoxib effectively reduces hepatic apoptosis in TAA-induced cirrhotic rats. The mechanism of action may be attributed to the suppression of CHOP expression, which subsequently inhibits ER stress.

Sequential cyclic changes of hair roots revealed by dermoscopy demonstrate a progressive mechanism of diffuse alopecia areata over time.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse alopecia areata (DAA) often leads to a complete hair shedding within a few months. OBJECTIVE: To explore features and mechanisms underlying DAA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scalp and hair root dermoscopy were conducted on 23 DAA patients throughout the disease process, 20 patchy Alopecia areata patients, 23 acute telogen effluvium (ATE) patients and 10 normal controls. Histopathology was also evaluated. RESULTS: We found almost all hair roots were anagen in early stage DAA in 18 patients (18/23, 78.3%) within the first 4-8 weeks after hair loss onset. Anagen effluvium (~4 weeks) was followed by catagen (~4 weeks) and then telogen/exogen (~8 weeks) effluvium with overlap. Hair root and proximal hair shaft depigmentation was more prominent in later DAA disease stages. Black dots, exclamation mark hairs and inconsistent thickness of hair shafts were found more often in early than later DAA (Ps < 0.01). Early DAA histopathology revealed more prominent inflammation and hair follicle regression than that observed in the later stages. Patchy alopecia areata patients showed mixed anagen, catagen and telogen hair roots while ATE patients showed increased exogen and mildly decreased hair root pigmentation. CONCLUSION: Sequential cyclic staging of shed hairs in DAA indicates the insult may be hair-cycle specific. We suggest that DAA is initially an anagen effluvium disease involving an intense inflammatory insult, later progressing to a brief catagen effluvium, and then to telogen effluvium with premature exogen, in later stages of DAA.

Serum level of IL-4 predicts response to topical immunotherapy with diphenylcyclopropenone in alopecia areata.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated predictors of response to topical diphenylyclopropenone (DPCP) immunotherapy in patients with alopecia areata (AA). OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of response, or resistance, to treatment for AA through clinical observations and serum tests. METHODS: Eighty four AA patients were treated with DPCP. Serum cytokine levels were measured in 33 AA patients pre- and post-treatment, and in 18 healthy controls, using ELISA assays. RESULTS: Of patients, 56.1% responded to DPCP with satisfactory hair regrowth; the response rate was negatively correlated with hair loss extent. Before DPCP treatment, higher serum IFN-γ and IL-12 cytokine levels were observed in AA patients compared to healthy controls. Non-responders to DPCP had significantly elevated serum IL-4 pre-treatment (3.07 fold higher) and lower IL-12 levels compared with responders. After DPCP treatment, non-responders had persistently high IL-4, increased IL-12, negligible decrease in IFN-γ and decreased IL-10. Post-treatment DPCP responders exhibited significantly decreased IFN-γ and IL-12, and increased IL-4 and IL-10. Development of adverse side-effects was significantly associated with higher pre-treatment serum IgE levels. LIMITATIONS: A small number of subjects were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially, elevated pre-treatment serum levels of IL-4 and IL-12 can be used as unfavorable and favorable predictors of DPCP therapeutic effect, respectively. In addition, pre-treatment elevated serum total IgE may predict increased risk for severe adverse side-effects to DPCP application. Whether serum cytokine expression levels can be used as predictors of response to other forms of treatment is unknown, but it may warrant investigation in the development of personalized treatments for AA.

Diverse expression of TNF-α and CCL27 in serum and blister of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is not fully understood. Our previous study reported that chemokine CCL27 was overexpressed in serum of SJS/TEN patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of CCL27 and TNF-α in serum and blister fluid from patients with SJS/TEN during the acute stage or resolution phase. METHODS: A total of 27 patients with SJS/TEN and 39 healthy donors were recruited to the study. Serum and vesicular levels of CCL27 and TNF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Serum levels of CCL27 and TNF-α were significantly elevated in patients with SJS/TEN during the acute stage as compared to the resolution phase and also compared with levels observed in normal controls (P = 0.001/< 0.001; P = 0.012/< 0.001). Serum TNF-α levels were significantly higher in patients with SJS/TEN during the resolution phase compared with normal controls (P < 0.001). Serum CCL27 levels were positively correlated with TNF-α levels during the acute stage (rs = 0.660; P < 0.001). Blister fluid exhibited much lower CCL27 levels than serum did during the acute stage (P = 0.008). TNF-α levels were much higher in vesicles in contrast to serum from acute stage (P = 0.040) as well as serum from resolution phase (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated roles of CCL27 and TNF-α in promoting the course of SJS/TEN. CCL27 may act early in the course of disease, via the circulation, whereas TNF-α acts throughout the course of disease, in skin lesions.

Investigation of implantable signal transmission characteristics based on visible data of the human leg.

BACKGROUND: Signal transmission characteristics between implanted medical devices and external equipment has been a common key issue, as has the problem of supplying energy to the devices. It can be used to enable signal transmission from implanted devices that the human body's conductive properties. Using signal transmission by galvanic coupling is one of the most effective signal transmission methods. METHODS: The signal transmission characteristics by galvanic coupling of implantable devices using a frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz was analyzed in this article. A finite element (FEM) model and a phantom model established by visible human leg data were used to investigate the signal transmission characteristics of implant-to-surface, with implantable receiver electrodes at different locations. RESULTS: The results showed that the FEM model and the phantom model had similar implantable signal transmission characteristics, with an increase of frequency, signal attenuation basically remained unchanged. The gain in signal attenuation in the fixed attenuation values fluctuated no more than 5 dB and signal attenuation values rose as the channel length increased. CONCLUSIONS: Our results of signal transmission characteristics of surface-to-implant will provide a theoretical basis for implantable transceiver design, and for realization of a recharging method for implanted medical devices.

Serum IFN-γ-inducible chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 are elevated in non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions.

BACKGROUND: The recruitment to the skin of drug-responsive T cells is responsible for the inflammatory profiles of non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions (niDHRs). Maculopapular exanthema (MPE) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have quite distinct T cell infiltrating patterns. OBJECTIVE: To investigate serum levels of CXCL9, CXCL10 and IFN-γ in patients with niDHRs, including MPE and SJS/TEN, to evaluate correlations between the cytokines, and to determine whether the inflammatory factors correlate with clinical severity in patients with SJS/TEN. METHOD: Twenty-four patients with SJS/TEN, 24 patients with MPE, and 24 healthy donors with good tolerance to the drugs involved in the drug reactions were recruited into the study. The modified severity-of-illness score for TEN (SCORTEN) and detachment of body surface area (dBSA) were used to assess the clinical severity of SJS/TEN. Serum levels of CXCL9, CXCL10 and IFN-? were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: The niDHRs group, SJS/TEN and MPE subgroups all exhibited significantly higher levels of CXCL9, CXCL10 and IFN-γ compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Serum IFN-γ levels were positively correlated with CXCL9 levels and CXCL10 levels in patients with niDHRs (rs = 0.576, rs = 0.449, P < 0.05). None of the levels of CXCL9, CXCL10 and IFN-γ had any correlation with modified SCOTEN index or dBSA in SJS/TEN group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest Th1 cytokine IFN-γ and chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 may play roles in the pathogenesis of niDHRs.