Analysis of airway structural parameters in Han Chinese adults: a prospective cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Establishing reference ranges for central airway parameters and exploring their influencing factors in Han Chinese non-smoking adults. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on Han Chinese non-smoking adults who underwent chest CT scans at the Tongzhou Campus of Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine between September 2022 and November 2022. The SYNAPSE 3D image analysis software was utilized, enabling the extraction of critical parameters such as central airway length, airway wall thickness (AWT), airway lumen area (ALA), and subcarinal angle (SCA). Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis and multiple linear regression analysis methods were employed to evaluate the relationship between central airway parameters and age, sex, weight, and height. RESULTS: The study encompassed 888 Han Chinese non-smoking adults, comprising 456 females and 432 males. Significant sex differences were noted in central airway length, AWT, and ALA, with measurements in males exceeding those in females (p < 0.01) with no significant difference in SCA. Correlation analyses unveiled relationships between central airway parameters and age, sex, weight, and height. During multiple linear regression analyses, no conclusive evidence emerged to demonstrate the independent or combined explanatory or predictive capacity of the aforementioned variables for central airway length and SCA. Although sex has a significant impact on AWT and ALA, its capability in explanation or prediction remains limited. The conclusions drawn from the primary analysis receive reinforcement from the outcomes of sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Establishing the distribution range of central airway parameters in non-smoking Han Chinese adults. It observed significant sex differences in these parameters, except for the SCA. However, the study found that the predictive or explanatory power of age, sex, weight, and height for central airway parameters was either limited or non-significant.

[Expression of RACK1 and EGP40 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis].

PURPOSE： To investigate the expression of tissue-active protein kinase C receptor 1 (RACK1) and epithelin glycoprotein 40 (EGP40) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis. METHODS: A total of 103 patients with OSCC who were admitted to Shangrao People's Hospital from January 2016 to February 2019 were prospectively selected as the research subjects. All patients underwent radical resection of OSCC and were followed up for 3 years. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression levels of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues. The positive expression of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were compared. The relationship between the positive expression level of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues of OSCC patients and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Factors affecting postoperative recurrence and metastasis in OSCC patients were analyzed. The relationship between the expression of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues and postoperative disease-free survival of OSCC patients was analyzed. SPSS 18.0 software package was used for statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues was significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues (P＜0.05). The positive expression rate of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues of OSCC patients with poorly differentiated, stage III, cervical lymph node metastasis, and infiltrating vessels was significantly higher than that in patients with moderate and high differentiation, stage II, no cervical lymph node metastasis, and no infiltrating vessels(P＜0.05). The positive expression rate of RACK1 in cancer tissue of OSCC patients in T3 stage was significantly higher than that in T2 stage(P＜0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed pathological grade (RR=6.290, 95%CI: 2.588-15.287), cervical lymph node metastasis(RR=5.995, 95%CI: 2.467-14.571), RACK1 positive rate (RR=4.495, 95%CI: 1.850-10.925) and EGP40 positive rate (RR=4.559, 95%CI: 1.876-11.079) were factors affecting the recurrence and metastasis of OSCC patients after surgery(P＜0.05). The disease-free survival curve of patients with negative expression of RACK1 was significantly better than that of patients with positive expression (P＜0.05). The disease-free survival curve of patients with negative expression of EGP40 was significantly better than that of patients with positive expression (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of RACK1 and EGP40 in cancer tissues of OSCC patients is related to clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Patients with positive expression of RACK1 and EGP40 have a high risk of recurrence and metastasis after surgery.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery drainage is feasible and safe for acute necrotizing mediastinitis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Acute necrotizing mediastinitis (ANM) is a severe infection of the mediastinal loose connective tissue. Traditionally, it has been treated with thoracotomy, but video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is been increasingly used in patients with this condition. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of VATS and open thoracotomy in treating ANM. Methods: The medical records of patients with ANM who underwent surgery between March 2012 and April 2021 were retrieved. A retrospective screening was conducted based on clinical characteristics, bacterial pathogens, surgical approach, and outcomes. The patients were divided into a VATS group and an open thoracotomy (Open) group. The patient characteristics and surgical outcomes of the two groups were summarized and compared. Results: A total of 64 cases were enrolled in this study, including 48 in the VATS group (75%) and 16 in the Open group (25%). The most common site of infection was the neck (n=26, 40.6%). Streptococcus constellatus and Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) were the most frequently found pathogens in secretion culture. In sputum culture, the most common pathogens were Klebsiella pneumonia and A. baumannii. Postoperative outcomes, including blood transfusion (33.3% vs. 43.8%; P=0.45), duration of postoperative drainage {14 [1-47] vs. 17 [4-54] days; P=0.15}, length of antibiotic medication {14.5 [1-54] vs. 18 [4-54] days; P=0.29}, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) (87.5% vs. 75.0%; P=0.43), length of ICU stay {5 [1-58] vs. 8.5 [1-37] days; P=0.20}, postoperative hospital stay {17 [2-61] vs. 21 [5-56] days; P=0.22}, reoperation rate (12.5% vs. 6.25%; P=0.82), and mortality rate (14.6% vs. 12.5%; P>0.99) were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: ANM treated by both the VATS and open approach had comparable outcomes. Therefore, VATS is a viable option for patients with ANM.

Paeonol represses A549 cell glycolytic reprogramming and proliferation by decreasing m6A modification of Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase.

Aberrant glycolytic reprogramming is involved in lung cancer progression by promoting the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Paeonol, as a traditional Chinese medicine, plays a critical role in multiple cancer cell proliferation and inflammation. Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADM) is involved in the development of metabolic diseases. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is important for the regulation of messenger RNA stability, splicing, and translation. Here, we investigated whether paeonol regulates the proliferation and glycolytic reprogramming via ACADM with m6A modification in A549 cells (human non-small cell lung cancer cells). Cell counting kit 8, 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, flow cytometry analysis, western blotting and seahorse XFe24 extracellular flux analyzer assays showed that paeonol had a significant inhibitory effect against A549 cell proliferation and glycolysis. Mechanistically, ACADM was a functional target of paeonol. We also showed that the m6A reader YTH domain containing 1 plays an important role in m6A-modified ACADM expression, which is negatively regulated by paeonol, and is involved in A549 cell proliferation and glycolytic reprogramming. These results indicated the central function of paeonol in regulating A549 cell glycolytic reprogramming and proliferation via m6A modification of ACADM.

Diagnostic Role of mNGS in Polymicrobial Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis of polymicrobial periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). METHODS: Patients with complete data who underwent surgery at our hospital between July 2017 and January 2021 for suspected periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), according to the 2018 ICE diagnostic criteria, were enrolled, and all patients underwent microbial culture and mNGS detection, which were performed on the BGISEQ-500 platform. Microbial cultures were performed on two samples of synovial fluid, six samples of tissue, and two samples of prosthetic sonicate fluid for each patient. The mNGS was performed on 10 tissues, 64 synovial fluid samples, and 17 prosthetic sonicate fluid samples. The results of mNGS testing were based on the interpretation of mNGS results in the previous literature and the assertions of microbiologists and orthopedic surgeons. The diagnostic efficacy of mNGS in polymicrobial PJI was assessed by comparing the results of conventional microbial cultures and mNGS. RESULTS: A total of 91 patients were finally enrolled in this study. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of conventional culture for the diagnosis of PJI were 71.0%, 95.4%, and 76.9%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of mNGS for the diagnosis of PJI were 91.3%, 86.3%, and 90.1%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of conventional culture for the diagnosis of polymicrobial PJI were 57.1%, 100%, and 91.3%, respectively. mNGS had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 85.7%, 60.0%, and 65.2%, respectively, for the diagnosis of polymicrobial PJI. CONCLUSIONS: mNGS can improve the diagnosis efficiency of polymicrobial PJI, and the combination of culture and mNGS is a promising method to diagnose polymicrobial PJI.

Comparison of Refractive Prediction Accuracy With Three Optical Devices.

PURPOSE: To investigate refractive prediction accuracy with the OA-2000 (Tomey), Anterion (Heidelberg Engineering), and IOLMaster 500 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) in patients with cataract. METHODS: Patients with cataract referred for phacoemulsification were enrolled and scanned with the OA-2000, Anterion, and IOLMaster 500 in random order. The success rate of axial length (AL) measurements per device was calculated and a chi-square test was used to identify the differences in acquisition rate between the three devices. The Bland-Altman method was used to appraise the agreement of biometric parameters between the three devices. Four different formulas (Barrett Universal II [BUII], Haigis, Holladay 1, and SRK/T) were included in the study. The parameters of refractive prediction accuracy comprised predictive error (PE), absolute PE (AE), and percentages of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 diopters (D). RESULTS: The acquisition rates of AL measurements with the OA-2000 and Anterion were 97.35% and 94.70%, respectively (chi-square = 3.82, P > .05). A significantly lower acquisition rate of 84.82% was obtained with the IOLMaster 500 compared with the other two devices (P < .05). Bland-Altman analysis identified good agreement between the three biometers with narrow 95% limits of agreement for flat and steep keratometry (K1 and K2), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and AL. For PE, only the differences between the Anterion and IOLMaster 500 with the Barrett UII and Haigis formulas were statistically significant (P < .05). The three devices revealed no statistically significant differences in MAE, MedAE, and the proportion of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 D (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The OA-2000 and Anterion showed a similarly higher acquisition rate of AL measurements than the IOLMaster 500 in patients with cataract. Good agreement for K1, K2, ACD, and AL was found between the three biometers. Regarding refractive prediction accuracy, the Anterion did not significantly outperform both the OA-2000 and IOLMaster 500. [J Refract Surg. 2023;39(1):48-55.].

Hg0 Conversion over Sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3 with HCl at Low Temperatures: Mechanism, Kinetics, and Application in Hg0 Removal from Coal-Fired Flue Gas.

Recently, sulfureted metal oxides have been developed for the catalytic oxidation of Hg0 to HgCl2 using HCl as an oxidant at low temperatures, and they exhibit excellent Hg0 removal performance. Owing to the lack of reaction mechanisms and kinetics, further improvement in their performance for Hg0 conversion is extremely restricted. In this study, the reaction mechanism of Hg0 conversion over sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3 with HCl at low temperatures was investigated using Hg balance analysis and transient reaction. The chemical adsorption of Hg0 as HgS and the catalytic oxidation of Hg0 to HgCl2 both contributed to Hg0 conversion over sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3. Meanwhile, the formed HgCl2 can adsorb onto sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3. Then, the kinetics of Hg0 conversion, Hgt adsorption, and HgCl2 desorption were developed, and the kinetic parameters were gained by fitting the Hg balance curves. Subsequently, the inhibition mechanism of H2O and SO2 on Hg0 conversion over sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3 was determined by comparing the kinetic parameters. The kinetic model suggested that both HgCl2 resulting from Hg0 oxidation and unoxidized Hg0 can be completely adsorbed on sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3 with a moderate mass hourly space velocity. Therefore, sulfureted HPMo/γ-Fe2O3 can be developed as a reproducible sorbent for recovering Hg0 emitted from coal-fired power plants.

The causal relationship between obesity and skin and soft tissue infections: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Many observational studies have shown that obesity strongly affects skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). However, whether a causal genetic relationship exists between obesity and SSTIs is unclear. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was used to explore whether obesity is causally associated with SSTIs using a publicly released genome-wide association study (GWAS). An inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis was used as the primary analysis, and the results are reported as the odds ratios (ORs). Heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistic, and horizontal pleiotropy was tested using the MR-Egger intercept and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO). Results: The results of the MR analysis showed a positive effect of BMI on SSTIs (OR 1.544, 95% CI 1.399-1.704, P= 5.86 × 10-18). After adjusting for the effect of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD), the positive effect still existed. Then, we further assessed the effect of BMI on different types of SSTIs. The results showed that BMI caused an increased risk of impetigo, cutaneous abscess, furuncle and carbuncle, cellulitis, pilonidal cyst, and other local infections of skin and subcutaneous tissues, except for acute lymphadenitis. However, the associations disappeared after adjusting for the effect of T2D and PVD, and the associations between BMI and impetigo or cellulitis disappeared. Finally, we assessed the effects of several obesity-related characteristics on SSTIs. Waist circumference, hip circumference, body fat percentage, and whole-body fat mass, excluding waist-to-hip ratio, had a causal effect on an increased risk of SSTIs. However, the associations disappeared after adjusting for the effect of BMI. Conclusion: This study found that obesity had a positive causal effect on SSTIs. Reasonable weight control is a possible way to reduce the occurrence of SSTIs, especially in patients undergoing surgery.

Recruitment manoeuvres during mechanical ventilation with sequential high-flow nasal oxygen after extubation to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergone thoracic surgery: a protocol, prospective randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) following thoracic surgery is high, which increases the mortality rate, prolongs the length of hospital stay and increases medical costs. Some studies have confirmed that preoperative risk assessment, intraoperative anaesthesia methods and intraoperative mechanical ventilation strategies, including recruitment manoeuvres (RMs), can reduce the incidence of PPCs. Despite these improved strategies, the incidence of PPCs remains high. However, mechanical ventilation strategies have not been studied in the postoperative period. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We assume that RM during mechanical ventilation with sequential high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNO) after extubation can maintain the opening of the postoperative alveoli and ultimately reduce the incidence of PPCs after thoracic surgery. We will include thoracic surgery patients and divide them into the RM with sequential HFNO group and the control group. They will be given RMs and sequential HFNO or be given conventional treatment. The sample size is 654 adult patients (327 per group) undergone thoracic surgery and presenting to the intensive care unit. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (REC2019-730). It is expected that this study will lead to a randomised controlled trial. We assume that the findings will provide more evidence about PPCs and improve the management of patients undergone thoracic surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2100046356.

Overexpressed SNRPB/D1/D3/E/F/G correlate with poor survival and immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Prior reports have indicated that the abnormal expression of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) genes is related to malignant tumors. However, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the precise role of snRNPs is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic roles of SNRPB/D1/D2/D3/E/F/G and their correlation to immune infiltration in HCC. METHODS: The study was carried out via the following databases, software, and experimental validation: ONCOMINE, GEPIA2, UALCAN, The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, ArrayExpress, Kaplan-Meier plotter, cBioPortal, STRING, DAVID 6.8, TIMER, Cytoscape software, and immunohistochemistry experiments. RESULTS: Overexpressed SNRPB/D1/D2/D3/E/F/G proteins were found in HCC tissues. The transcription levels of 7 snRNPs genes were related to the TP53 mutation and tumor grades. SNRPB/D1/D2/D3/F/G expression was significantly correlated with cancer staging, whereas SNRPE was not. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that upregulation of SNRPB/D1/D2/E/G was relevant to worse OS in HCC patients, especially in patients with alcohol consumption and those without viral hepatitis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that expression of SNRPB/D1/D3/E/F/G were independent prognostic factors for unfavorable OS in HCC. In addition, a high mutation rate of snRNPs genes (44%) was also found in HCC. The mRNA expression levels of snRNPs were meaningfully and positively related to six types of infiltrating immune cells (B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, neutrophil, macrophage, and dendritic cells). Also, SNRPB/D1/G genes were significantly associated with molecular markers of various immune cells in HCC. CONCLUSIONS: SNRPB/D1/D3/E/F/G are potential prognostic biomarkers for a short OS in HCC, and SNRPB/D1/G were novel immune therapy targets in HCC patients.

Simultaneous Adsorption of Gaseous Hg0 and Hg(II) by Regenerable Monolithic FeMoSx/TiO2: Mechanism and its Application in the Centralized Control of Hg Pollution in Coal-Fired Flue Gas.

FeMoSx/TiO2 was investigated as a regenerable sorbent to simultaneously adsorb Hg0 and Hg(II) from coal-fired flue gas for the centralized control of Hg pollution discharged from coal-fired power plants. The performance of FeMoSx/TiO2 for Hg(II) and/or Hg0 adsorption was evaluated on a fixed-bed reactor at 80 oC, and the mutual interference between Hg0 adsorption and Hg(II) adsorption was analyzed using individual adsorption, simultaneous adsorption, and two-stage adsorption. FeMoSx/TiO2 displayed an excellent capacity for individual Hg0 adsorption (41.8 mg g-1) and a moderate capacity for individual Hg(II) adsorption (0.48 mg g-1). Two types of adsorption sites were present on FeMoSx/TiO2 for gaseous Hg adsorption (S0 and FeS2/MoS3 sites). X-ray photoelectron spectroscope and kinetic analyses demonstrated that Hg0 and Hg(II) could adsorb onto S0 sites, whereas only Hg0 was adsorbed onto FeS2/MoS3 sites. As Hg0 competed with Hg(II) for the S0 sites, the amount of Hg(II) adsorbed slightly decreased by 16% in the presence of Hg0. However, Hg0 adsorption onto the FeS2/MoS3 sites predominated over the Hg0 adsorption onto FeMoSx/TiO2 and it was not inhibited in the presence of Hg(II). Therefore, the amount of Hg0 adsorbed on FeMoSx/TiO2 was only decreased by 2% in the presence of Hg(II).

ß-aminobutyric acid (BABA)-induced resistance to tobacco black shank in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).

Tobacco black shank is a kind of soil-borne disease caused by the Oomycete Phytophthora parasitica. This disease is one of the most destructive diseases to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) growth worldwide. At present, various measures have been taken to control this disease, but they still have different challenges and limitations. Studies have shown that ß-aminobutyric acid (BABA), a nonprotein amino acid, can enhance disease resistance in plants against different varieties of pathogens. However, it is unclear whether BABA can induce plants to resist Phytophthora parasitica infection. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effect and related mechanism of BABA against tobacco black shank. Our results showed that 5 mmol.L-1 BABA had an obvious anti-inducing effect on the pathogenic fungus and could effectively inhibit the formation of dark spots in the stems. The results also showed that a large amount of callose deposition was observed in BABA-treated tobacco. Furthermore, the application of BABA induced the accumulation of H2O2 in tobacco and effectively regulated the homeostasis of reactive oxygen in tobacco plants, reducing the toxicity of H2O2 to plants while activating the defense system. In addition, BABA spray treatment could induce an increase in the concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid-isoleucine (JA-Ile) in tobacco, and the gene expression results confirmed that BABA upregulated the expression of SA-related genes (PR1, PR2 and PR5), JA-related genes (PDF1.2) and ET-related genes (EFE26 and ACC oxidase) in tobacco plants. Taken together, BABA could activate tobacco resistance to black shank disease by increasing H2O2 accumulation, callose deposition, plant hormone (SA and JA-Ile) production, and SA-, JA-, and ET- signaling pathways.

Ubiquitinated AIF is a major mediator of hypoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Excessive proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is the main cause of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (PH), and mitochondrial homeostasis plays a crucial role. However, the specific molecular regulatory mechanism of mitochondrial function in PASMCs remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, using the CCK8 assay, EdU incorporation, flow cytometry, Western blotting, co-IP, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, Seahorse extracellular flux analysis and echocardiography, we investigated the specific involvement of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), a mitochondrial oxidoreductase in regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism and mitophagy in PASMCs. RESULTS: In vitro, AIF deficiency in hypoxia leads to impaired oxidative phosphorylation and increased glycolysis and ROS release because of the loss of mitochondrial complex I activity. AIF was also downregulated and ubiquitinated under hypoxia leading to the abnormal occurrence of mitophagy and autophagy through its interaction with ubiquitin protein UBA52. In vivo, treatment with the adeno-associated virus vector to overexpress AIF protected pulmonary vascular remodeling from dysfunctional and abnormal proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results identify AIF as a potential therapeutic target for PH and reveal a novel posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism in hypoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.

Novel Counteraction Effect of H2O and SO2 toward HCl on the Chemical Adsorption of Gaseous Hg0 onto Sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 at Low Temperatures: Mechanism and Its Application in Hg0 Recovery from Coal-Fired Flue Gas.

In this work, sulfureted phosphotungstic acid-grafted γ-Fe2O3 (HPW/γ-Fe2O3) was investigated as a regenerable monolithic sorbent to recover gaseous Hg0 upstream of wet flue gas desulfurizations (FGDs), and the effects of HCl, SO2, and H2O on the chemical adsorption of Hg0 onto sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 were investigated with Hg balance analysis and kinetic analysis. Hg0 conversion over sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 was remarkably promoted in the presence of HCl, and most Hg0 was catalytically oxidized to HgCl2. Moreover, the chemical adsorption of Hg0 was notably restrained as the key species for Hg0 transformation to HgS (i.e., S22-) was rapidly oxidized by Cl*. However, the effect of HCl on Hg0 conversion over sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 was almost counteracted by H2O and SO2 as they competed with physically adsorbed Hg0 and S22- for the consumption of Cl*. Therefore, the chemical adsorption of Hg0 onto sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 in the presence of SO2 and H2O was slightly inhibited by HCl, and only a small amount of HgCl2 was formed. Moreover, sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 exhibited a moderate ability for gaseous HgCl2 adsorption. As a result, sulfureted HPW/γ-Fe2O3 showed excellent performance in recovering Hg0 from the flue gas upstream of the FGDs for the centralized control of Hg0 emitted from coal-fired plants.

Study of the fibrinolytic activity of serrapeptase and its in vitro thrombolytic effects

Abstract Serrapeptase, a proteolytic enzyme, has been used for the adjuvant treatment of many diseases. However, its fibrinolytic activity is still uncertain. Herein, the fibrinolytic activity of serrapeptase and its in vitro thrombolytic effects were investigated. The results showed that the fibrinolytic activity of serrapeptase was 1295 U/mg, and the specific activity was 3867 U/mg of protein when its proteolytic activity toward casein was 2800 U/mg. The optimum temperature and pH for serrapeptase activity were 37-40°C and 9.0, respectively. At 1 mmol/L, Zn2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ could activate the fibrinolytic activity of serrapeptase, while K+, Cu2+, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) inhibited it. In vitro tests showed that serrapeptase could completely prevent blood coagulation at 150 U/mL, and the percentage of blood clot lysis reached 96.6% at 37°C after 4 h at 300 U/mL. These results indicate that serrapeptase has excellent fibrinolytic activity, and can be used as a health food or candidate drug for the prevention or treatment of thrombotic diseases.

Impact of thymosin α1 as an immunomodulatory therapy on long-term survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients after R0 resection: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information about thymosin α1 (Tα1) as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy, either used alone or combined with other treatments, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant Tα1 treatment on long-term survival in margin-free (R0)-resected stage IA-IIIA NSCLC patients. METHODS: A total of 5746 patients with pathologic stage IA-IIIA NSCLC who underwent R0 resection were included. The patients were divided into the Tα1 group and the control group according to whether they received Tα1 or not. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce bias, resulting in 1027 pairs of patients. RESULTS: After PSM, the baseline clinicopathological characteristics were similar between the two groups. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher in the Tα1 group compared with the control group. The multivariable analysis showed that Tα1 treatment was independently associated with an improved prognosis. A longer duration of Tα1 treatment was associated with improved OS and DFS. The subgroup analyses showed that Tα1 therapy could improve the DFS and/or OS in all subgroups of age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), smoking status, and pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, especially for patients with non-squamous cell NSCLC and without targeted therapy. CONCLUSION: Tα1 as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy can significantly improve DFS and OS in patients with NSCLC after R0 resection, except for patients with squamous cell carcinoma and those receiving targeted therapy. The duration of Tα1 treatment is recommended to be >24 months.