Retrospective computed tomography assessment of chemotherapy-related pneumonia with severity screening in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia by radiological imaging.

Objectives: To evaluate the radiological imaging-guided severity along the pneumonia course and evaluate the chest computed tomography (CT) findings of chemotherapy-related pneumonia in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Materials and methods: A retrospective database review of children with ALL was conducted from March 2016 to August 2021 to identify cases with CT images who developed pneumonia during the chemotherapy course. A total of 51 children with ALL developed pneumonia were ultimately included (31 boys and 20 girls, mean age: 6 ± 4 years [standard deviation]). Each child's demographics, medical records, and laboratory results were collected. The CT images were then reviewed and the radiologic severity index (RSI) was calculated based on the regional opacity and implicated volume. A t-test, U test, Pearson's Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were performed to compare the clinical or radiologic features between the severe and moderate cases. The linear regression models were employed to analyze the correlation of RSIs with other clinical features. Results: Eleven children (22 %, 11/51) displayed severe phenotypes associated with respiratory failure. The ground glass opacity (GGO) frequently appeared (65 % of CT images). The baseline RSI was positively associated with the lowest lymphocyte (p = .003), neutrophil (p = .01) counts, and the highest C-reactive protein level (p = .04). The peak RSI may predict severe phenotypes at a cutoff of 4.5 (AUC 0.76 [0.61, 0.91]) with 73 % sensitivity and 63 % specificity. Conclusion: The chest CT images of children with chemotherapy-related pneumonia displayed clinically related baseline RSI and a peak RSI of >4.5 of 36 predicted severe phenotypes.

Synthesis of Phosphovanadate-Based Porous Inorganic Frameworks with High Proton Conductivity.

Materials with high proton conductivity have attracted significant attention for their wide-ranging applications in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. However, the design of new and efficient porous proton-conducting materials remains a challenging task. The structure-controllable and highly stable metal phosphates can be synthesized into layer or frame networks to provide proton transport capabilities. Herein, we have successfully synthesized three isomorphic metal phosphovanadates, namely, H2(C2H10N2)2[MII(H2O)2(VIVO)8(OH)4(PO4)4(HPO4)4] (C2H8N2 = 1,2-ethylenediamine; M = Co, Ni, and Cu), by the hydrothermal method employing ethylenediamine as a template. These pure inorganic open frameworks exhibit a cavity width ranging from 6.4 to 7.5 Å. Remarkably, the proton conductivity of compounds 1-3 can reach 1 × 10-2 S·cm-1 at 85 °C and 97% relative humidity (RH), and they can remain stable at high temperatures as well as long-term stability. This work provides a novel strategy for the development and design of porous proton-conducting materials.

Designed Tetranuclear Iron-oxo Clusters with Redox Activity for High-Performance Lithium Storage.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are considered as promising catalysts with unique redox activity at the molecular level for energy storage. However, eco-friendly iron-oxo clusters with special metal coordination structures have rarely been reported for Li-ion storage. Herein, three novel redox-active tetranuclear iron-oxo clusters have been synthesized using the solvothermal method with different ratios of Fe3+ and SO4 2- . Further, they can serve as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. Among them, cluster H6 [Fe4 O2 (H2 O)2 (SO4 )7 ]⋅H2 O, the stable structure extended by SO4 2- with a unique 1D pore, displays a specific discharge capacity of 1784 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C and good cycle performance (at 0.2 C and 4 C). This is the first instance of inorganic iron-oxo clusters being used for Li-ion storage. Our findings present a new molecular model system with a well-defined structure and offer new design concepts for the practical application of studying the multi-electron redox activity of iron-oxo clusters.

Controllable Transition Metal-Directed Assembly of [Mo2O2S2]2+ Building Blocks into Smart Molecular Humidity-Responsive Actuators.

Smart molecular actuators have become a cutting-edge theme due to their ability to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy under external stimulations. However, realizing actuation at the molecular level and elucidating the mechanisms for actuating still remain challenging. Herein, we design and fabricate a novel nanoscaled polyoxometalate-based humidity-responsive molecular actuator {Bi8Mo48} through the assembly of [Mo2O2S2]2+ units, transition metals, and flexible phosphonic acid ligands. {Bi8Mo48} exhibits a semi-flexible cage-like architecture with oxygen-rich surfaces and highly negative charges 72-. The nanoscaled molecular actuator shows reversible expansion and contraction behavior under humidity variations due to lattice expansion and contraction induced by hydrogen bonding and solvation interactions between {Bi8Mo48} and water molecules. Molecular dynamics simulation was further employed to study these processes, which provides a fundamental understanding for the mechanism of humidity actuation at the molecular level.

Effects of sepiolite and biochar on the photosynthetic and antioxidant systems of pakchoi under Cd and atrazine stress.

Sepiolite and biochar effectively immobilize Cd and atrazine in vegetable soils. This study further investigated the effects of sepiolite and biochar on the photosynthetic and antioxidative defence systems of pakchoi under Cd and atrazine stress. The results showed that after adding sepiolite and biochar to contaminated soil, the chlorophyll content was restored and the photosynthetic rate increased, whereas the soluble sugar content of pakchoi decreased. In the antioxidant system of the plants, the activities of peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase decreased, while the activity of catalase increased. The content of malondialdehyde, glutathione, and O2·- increased, but the content of H2O2 decreased. In general, remediation materials reduced the bioavailability of Cd and atrazine, reduced the stress on pakchoi, and restored and improved the rate of photosynthesis and function of antioxidants.

Foliar application of three dithiocarbamates inhibits the absorption and accumulation of Cd in wheat.

In cadmium (Cd) contaminated farmland soil, antagonism between elements can be used to control the absorption and accumulation of Cd in crops through the external application of zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn). Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are highly effective fungicides commonly used in farmlands, and DTCs are rich in Zn and Mn. We selected three representative DTCs (propineb, mancozeb, and zineb) for a field experiment in Henan province, China. The effects of DTC on Cd absorption and accumulation in wheat and the interaction of Zn, Mn, and Cd in wheat after spraying of DTC were studied using different application times at the heading stage. The results showed that after foliar spraying of DTCs according to pesticide application requirements, wheat yield was not affected. The Zn and Mn contents in grains increased, with the highest increases being 19.2% and 12.4%, respectively. Zn and Cd as well as Mn and Cd were antagonistic in wheat, and the transport of Cd from soil to root and from husk to grain was inhibited. The bioconcentration factor (grains/soil) decreased from 1.3 to 0.68 and the translocation factor (grains/husks) decreased from 0.76 to 0.35. The Cd content in grains decreased by 60.4%, 52.8%, and 25.6% with mancozeb, propineb, and zineb applications, respectively, and the Cd reduction effect of spraying DTCs twice was better than that of spraying DTCs once and thrice. The results show that DTCs application could reduce the Cd content in wheat grains and realize the dual effects of crop disease prevention and Cd reduction.

Nalbuphine and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to ropivacaine in ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy surgery: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvants to local anesthetics, such as nalbuphine and dexmedetomidine, can be used to improve the quality and duration of peripheral nerve block effects. Dexmedetomidine has been successfully used as an adjuvant of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with ropivacaine in video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy surgeries (VATLS). This study aimed to compare the effects of nalbuphine and dexmedetomidine used as adjuvants to ropivacaine for ESPB in VATLS. METHODS: A total of 102 patients undergoing VATLS with ESPB were enrolled and randomized into 3 groups, each of which received a different adjuvant to ropivacaine. The visual analogue scale score, onset and duration of sensory block, use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), rate of rescue analgesia, duration of postoperative hospitalization, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and chronic pain were measured and observed. RESULTS: The visual analogue scale score, total PCA use, rate of rescue analgesia, and postoperative chronic pain in the ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine (RD), and ropivacaine with nalbuphine (RN) groups were lower than those in the ropivacaine (RC) group (P < .05). The duration of sensory block was longer and the first use of PCA occurred later in the RD and RN groups than they did in the RC group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: As an adjuvant to ropivacaine in ESPB, nalbuphine and dexmedetomidine are comparable in terms of the associated analgesia, sensory block duration, need for rescue analgesia, and incidence of chronic pain in patients after VATLS.

Numerical Study of the Microflow Characteristics in a V-ball Valve.

V-ball valves are widely applied in many process industries to regulate fluid flow, and they have advantages of good approximately equal percentage flow characteristics and easy maintenance. However, in some applications, the V-ball valve needs to have good performance under both large and extremely small flow coefficients. In this paper, the improvement of the original V-ball valve is made and the flow characteristics between the original and the improved V-ball valve are compared. Two types of small gaps are added to the original V-ball, namely the gap with an approximately rectangular port and the gap with an approximately triangular port. The effects of the structure and the dimension of the gap on flow characteristics are investigated. Results show that within the gap, the flow coefficient increases but the loss coefficient decreases as the valve opening increases, and the flow coefficient has an approximately linear relationship with the flow cross-area of the added gap. Results also show that under the same flow cross-area, the flow coefficient has a higher value if the distance between the gap and the ball center is greater or if the gap is an approximately rectangular port, while the loss coefficient has an opposite trend.

Cavitation Suppression of Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valves.

PURPOSE: Mechanical heart valves (MHVs) are widely used to replace diseased heart valves, but it may suffer from cavitation due to the rapid closing velocity of the leaflets, resulting in the damage of red blood cells and platelets. The aim of this study is to apply computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to investigate the cavitation in bileaflets mechanical heart valves (BMHVs) and discuss the effects of the conduit and leaflet geometries on cavitation intensity. METHODS: Firstly, CFD method together with moving-grid technology were applied and validated by comparing with experimental results obtained from other literature. Then the leaflets movement and the flow rate of BMHVs with different conduit geometries and leaflet geometries are compared. At last, the duration time of the saturated vapor pressure and the closing velocity of leaflets at the instant of valve closure were used to represent the cavitation intensity. RESULTS: Larger closing velocity of leaflets at the instant of valve closure means higher cavitation intensity. For BMHVs with different conduit geometries, the conduit with Valsalva sinuses has the maximum cavitation intensity and the straight conduit has the minimum cavitation intensity, but the leaflets cannot reach the fully opened state in a straight conduit. For BMHVs with different leaflet geometries, in order to minimize the cavitation intensity, the leaflets are better to have a large thickness and a small rotational radius. CONCLUSION: CFD method is a promising method to deal with cavitation in BMHVs, and the closing velocity of leaflets has the same trend with the cavitation intensity. By using CFD method, the effects of the conduit geometry and the leaflet geometry on cavitaion in BMHVs are found out.

Comparison of Swing and Tilting Check Valves Flowing Compressible Fluids.

Although check valves have attracted a lot of attention, work has rarely been completed done when there is a compressible working fluid. In this paper, the swing check valve and the tilting check valve flowing high-temperature compressible water vapor are compared. The maximum Mach number under small valve openings, the dynamic opening time, and the hydrodynamic moment acting on the valve disc are chosen to evaluate the difference between the two types of check valves. Results show that the maximum Mach number increases with the decrease in the valve opening and the increase in the mass flow rate, and the Mach number and the pressure difference in the tilting check valve are higher. In the swing check valve, the hydrodynamic moment is higher and the valve opening time is shorter. Furthermore, the valve disc is more stable for the swing check valve, and there is a periodical oscillation of the valve disc in the tilting check valve under a small mass flow rate.

Effects of throttling window on flow rate through feed-water valves.

Feed-water valves are widely used in nuclear power plants to regulate the flow rate of the water supplying to steam generators, and thus holding the water level in steam generators at desired values. The flow rate characteristics of feed-water valves have important effects on the management quality of the water level in steam generators and therefore influence the safety and the efficiency of nuclear power plants. In this paper, the effects of throttling window shapes on the flow rate characteristics through feed-water valves are investigated in two aspects, the overall performances and the fluid dynamics. First of all, a dimensionless parameter defining throttling window shapes is proposed for the quantitative assessment. Then, for the analysis of overall performances, the rated flow coefficient, the loss coefficient, and the inherent valve characteristics are investigated. A revised fitting function is obtained to predict the inherent valve characteristics with different throttling window shapes for engineering applications. Finally, for the observation of the fluid dynamics, the velocity characteristics and the pressure characteristics are both discussed. The wear conditions are predicted at different relative travels and throttling window shapes. This paper provides a reference for researchers dealing with the design work of feed-water valves and is beneficial for the improvement of the whole water level control system.

Cavitating Flow through a Micro-Orifice.

Microfluidic systems have witnessed rapid development in recent years. As one of the most common structures, the micro-orifice is always included inside microfluidic systems. Hydrodynamic cavitation in the micro-orifice has been experimentally discovered and is harmful to microfluidic systems. This paper investigates cavitating flow through a micro-orifice. A rectangular micro-orifice with a l/d ratio varying from 0.25 to 4 was selected and the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet varied from 50 to 300 kPa. Results show that cavitation intensity increased with an increase in pressure difference. Decreasing exit pressure led to a decrease in cavitation number and cavitation could be prevented by increasing the exit pressure. In addition, the vapor cavity also increased with an increase in pressure difference and l/d ratio. Results also show the pressure ratio at cavitation inception was 1.8 when l/d was above 0.5 and the cavitation number almost remained constant when l/d was larger than 2. Moreover, there was an apparent difference in cavitation number depending on whether l/d was larger than 1.

Comparison of dexmedetomidine and dexamethasone as adjuvant for ropivacaine in ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Adding an adjuvant, such as dexmedetomidine or dexamethasone, to a nerve block improves its quality and reduces perioperative opioid consumption. We aimed to compare the effect of dexmedetomidine and dexamethasone as an adjuvant for the erector spinae plane block (ESPB) to control postoperative pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy surgery (VATLS). METHODS: Ninety patients, aged 20-65 years who were scheduled to undergo VATLS were enrolled in this trial. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score changes at various time points [waking up in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72 h after surgery], duration of sensory block, first request to use the patient controlled analgesia (PCA) device, total PCA use, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), rate of rescue analgesia use, and post-surgical hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: VAS score was lower in the ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine (RM) group at wake up and at postoperative 2, 4, 12, and 24 h. The median duration of sensory blockade was significantly longer in the RM group (P=0.001). First request to use the PCA machine in the RM group was prolonged significantly compared with that in the ropivacaine alone (R) group and ropivacaine with dexamethasone (RS) group (P<0.001). Total PCA use, post-surgical hospital stay, and rate of rescue analgesia use in The RM group were reduced significantly compared with those in the R and RS groups. CONCLUSIONS: Using dexmedetomidine (1 µg/kg), instead of dexamethasone (10 mg), as an adjuvant of ESPB with ropivacaine, prolonged sensory block duration, provided effective acute pain control, and required lesser rescue analgesia and shorter hospital stays.

Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning improves postoperative cognitive dysfunction by reducing oxidant stress and inflammation.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a crucial public health issue that has been increasingly studied in efforts to reduce symptoms or prevent its occurrence. However, effective advances remain lacking. Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning has proved to protect vital organs, such as the heart, liver, and brain. Recently, it has been introduced and widely studied in the prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, with promising results. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain controversial. This review summarizes and highlights the definition and application of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning, the perniciousness and pathogenetic mechanism underlying postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and the effects that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning has on postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Finally, we conclude that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning is an effective and feasible method to prevent, alleviate, and improve postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and that its mechanism of action is very complex, involving the stimulation of endogenous antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense systems.

A C-type lectin that inhibits bacterial infection and facilitates viral invasion in black rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii.

C-type lectins (CTLs) are important pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that play vital roles in innate immunity. In teleosts, a number of CTLs have been reported, but their in vivo effects on host defense are still limited. In this study, a CTL homolog (SsLec1) was identified from black rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, and its structure, expression and biological function was analyzed. The open reading frame of SsLec1 is 633 bp, with a 5'- untranslated region (UTR) of 36 bp and a 3'- UTR of 117 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of SsLec1 shares the highest overall identity (73.20%) with the CTL of Oplegnathus fasciatus. SsLec1 possesses conserved CTL features, including a carbohydrate-recognition domain, four disulfide bond-forming cysteine residues, the mannose-type carbohydrate-binding motif, the conserved calcium binding sites and a putative signal peptide. The expression of SsLec1 was highest in liver and could be induced by experimental infection with Listonella anguillarum. Recombinant SsLec1 (rSsLec1) purified from E. coli was able to bind and agglutinate the Gram-negative fish pathogens Vibrio ichthyoenteri and Vibrio vulnificus. The agglutinating ability of rSsLec1 was abolished in the presence of mannose or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Further analysis showed that rSsLec1 could enhance phagocytosis by macrophages. In vivo experiments indicated that rSsLec1 could inhibit bacterial infection and promote viral invasion. Taken together, these results suggest that SsLec1 is a novel CTL that possesses apparent immunoregulation property and plays a critical role in host defense against pathogens invasion.

Development of a quadruplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for field detection of four Vibrio species associated with fish disease.

A quadruplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method was developed to detect four Vibrio species, including Vibrio ichthyoenteri, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio scophthalmi, and Vibrio vulnificus, simultaneously. Four sets of species-specific primers were designed with different restriction sites contained in the inner primers. The quadruplex LAMP method could distinguish four Vibrio species via the subsequent restriction enzyme analysis. The sensitivity of the quadruplex LAMP method were 10(2)-10(3) times higher than the sensitivity of conventional PCR. V. scophthalmi, V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus and V. ichthyoenteri could be detected in the different tissues of the infected fish by the quadruplex LAMP method simply and conveniently through using SYBR Green I to facilitate visual inspection of the LAMP products. The method we developed in this study could be a simple and convenient diagnostic tool for field detection of Vibrio infection in fish.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α activation protects against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis.

Live ischemia-reperfusion injury is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis. Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) may inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress and protect against liver injury. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PPARα activation, through a specific agonist, on ER stress-induced apoptosis in human liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. HepG2 cells were challenged with H2O2 and treated with WY14643, a selective PPARα agonist, in the presence or absence of the PPARα antagonist of MK886. Cell viable assay (MTT) and immunostaining were used to evaluate cell viability. The level of apoptotic cell death was quantified through Annexin V/PI staining. Alanine aminotransferase, asparatate aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde levels were measured to determine the presence of cellular injury and oxidative stress. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to detect mRNA and protein expression of PPARα, BiP, and CHOP. Immunofluorescence was utilized to determine the intracellular localization of CHOP. H2O2 and MK886 both reduced the viability of HepG2 cells, increased oxidative stress and apoptosis, up-regulated the BiP and CHOP expression, and induced CHOP translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Compared with cells treated with H2O2 alone, pre-administration of WY14643 increased cell viability, attenuated apoptosis, improved cell function, down-regulated BiP and CHOP expression and inhibited CHOP translocation. The effects of WY14643 were completely abolished using the MK886 antagonist. PPARα activation protects against H2O2-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis. The underlying mechanisms may be associated with its activation to suppress excessive ER stress.

Antioxidant Stress and Anti-Inflammation of PPARα on Warm Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is a serious clinical problem. Minimizing the adverse effect of ischemia-reperfusion injury after liver surgery or trauma is an urgent need. It has been proved that besides the effect of regulating the lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, PPARα also undertakes the task of organ protection. In this paper, related literature has been summarized and we come to the conclusion that administration of PPARα agonists can strengthen the antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense system by the upregulation of the expression of antioxidant enzymes and inhibition of NF-κB activity. This may provide a potential clinical treatment for hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Tissue-type plasminogen activator gene targets thrombolysis in atriums.

Our previous investigations showed that retroviral gene transfer of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) effectively targeted thrombolysis in vitro and in the model of inferior caval veins of rabbits. This study is to identify the target thrombolysis of retroviral vector recombinant pLEGFP-N1-tPA transferred into the tissue around the Dacron patch (the same materials making of the ring of mechanical valve) in left atriums of rabbits. 70 Dacron patches were transplanted into the left atriums of 70 New Zealand white rabbits. The rabbits were randomly divided into three groups according to the different handling methods, including local pLEGFP-N1-tPA transferred group (gene therapy group, 30 animals), pLEGFP-N1 transferred group (control group, 20 animals), medium DMEM + 10% neonate calf serum (NCS) injected group (blank control group, 20 animals). Samples of blood, Dacron pieces and left atriums (auricles) wall from half of above in each group were harvested on second day and another half were harvested on 75th day after surgery. The EGFP expression of harvested left atriums (auricles) wall were observed under the confocal. The thrombi on the surface of Dacron patches were detected by stereoscope and electron microscope. The tPA expression in left atriums (auricles) wall and in blood from left atriums were detected by Western blot and their thrombolysis and activities were observed and calculated in plasma plates. ELISA were used to identify the contents of tPA. No thrombus was seen on the surface of Dacron patches that were transplanted in left atriums by tPA locally transferring around them. Activity and content of tPA were high in local tissue of left atrium and in blood of left atrium. It demonstrated effectively thrombolysis by tPA rapidly, efficiently and long expressing. This puts the foundation of mechanical valve replacement model for tPA gene valve, next.