Tetrandrine slows the radiographic progression of progressive massive fibrosis in pneumoconiosis: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the clinical effect of Tetrandrine (Tet) on progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: This retrospective study collected 344 pneumoconiosis patients with PMF, and 127 were eligible for the final analysis, including 57 patients in the Tet group and 70 patients in the control group. The progress of imaging and lung function were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After 13 months (median) of treatment, the size of PMF was smaller in the Tet group than that in the control group (1526 vs. 2306, p=0.001), and the size was stable in the Tet group (1568 vs. 1526, p= 0.381), while progressed significantly in the control group (2055 vs. 2306, p=0.000). The small nodule profusion and emphysema were also milder than that in the control group (6.0 vs. 7.5, p=0.046 and 8.0 vs. 12, p=0.016 respectively). Pulmonary ventilation function parameters FVC and FEV1 improved in the Tet group (3222 vs. 3301, p=0.021; 2202 vs. 2259, p=0.025 respectively) and decreased in the control group (3272 vs. 3185, p= 0.00; 2094 vs. 1981, p=0.00 respectively). FEV1/FVC was also significantly higher in the Tet group than that in the control group (68.45vs. 60.74, p=0.001). However, similar result was failed to observed for DLco%, which showed a significant decrease in both groups. CONCLUSION: Tet has shown great potential in the treatment of PMF by slowing the progression of pulmonary fibrosis and the decline of lung function.

Mitochondrial folate pathway regulates myofibroblast differentiation and silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis (silicosis) is a diffuse interstitial fibrotic disease characterized by the massive deposition of extracellular matrix in lung tissue. Fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation is crucial for the disease progression. Inhibiting myofibroblast differentiation may be an effective way for pulmonary fibrosis treatment. METHODS: The experiments were conducted in TGF-ß treated human lung fibroblasts to induce myofibroblast differentiation in vitro and silica treated mice to induce pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. RESULTS: By quantitative mass spectrometry, we revealed that proteins involved in mitochondrial folate metabolism were specifically upregulated during myofibroblast differentiation following TGF-ß stimulation. The expression level of proteins in mitochondrial folate pathway, MTHFD2 and SLC25A32, negatively regulated myofibroblast differentiation. Moreover, plasma folate concentration was significantly reduced in patients and mice with silicosis. Folate supplementation elevated the expression of MTHFD2 and SLC25A32, alleviated oxidative stress and effectively suppressed myofibroblast differentiation and silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that mitochondrial folate pathway regulates myofibroblast differentiation and could serve as a potential target for ameliorating silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Inverted Si:PbS Colloidal Quantum Dot Heterojunction-Based Infrared Photodetector.

Silicon and PbS colloidal quantum dot heterojunction photodetectors combine the advantages of the Si device and PbS CQDs, presenting a promising strategy for infrared light detecting. However, the construction of a high-quality CQDs:Si heterojunction remains a challenge. In this work, we introduce an inverted structure photodetector based on n-type Si and p-type PbS CQDs. Compared with the existing normal structure photodetector with p-type Si and n-type PbS CQDs, it has a lower energy band offset that provides more efficient charge extraction for the device. With the help of Si wafer surface passivation and the Si doping density optimization, the device delivers a high detectivity of 1.47 × 1011 Jones at 1540 nm without working bias, achieving the best performance in Si/PbS photodetectors in this region now. This work provides a new strategy to fabricate low-cost high-performance PbS CQDs photodetectors compatible with silicon arrays.

Amorphous ZnO/PbS Quantum Dots Heterojunction for Efficient Responsivity Broadband Photodetectors.

The integration of lead sulfide quantum dots (QDs) with a high-conductivity material that is compatible with a scalable fabrication is an important route for the applications of QD-based photodetectors. Herein, we first developed a broadband photodetector by combining amorphous ZnO and PbS QDs, forming a heterojunction structure. The photodetector showed detectivity up to 7.9 × 1012 and 4.1 × 1011 jones under 640 and 1310 nm illumination, respectively. The role of the oxygen background pressure in the electronic structure of ZnO films grown by pulsed laser deposition was systematically studied, and it was found to play an important role in the conductivity associated with the variation of the oxygen vacancy concentration. By increasing the oxygen vacancy concentration, the electron mobility of amorphous ZnO layers dramatically increased and the work function decreased, which were beneficial for the photocurrent enhancement of ZnO/PbS QD photodetectors. Our results provide a simple and highly scalable approach to develop broadband photodetectors with high performance.

[Establishment of transbronchoscope whole lung lavage and its comparison with bronchoalveolar lavage and whole lung lavage].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the technical specifications of transbronchoscope whole lung lavage (TBWLL) and to compare the clinical efficacy between TBWLL and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or whole lung lavage (WLL). METHODS: A total of 133 patients with pneumoconiosis admitted to Hunan Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases from 2009 to 2014 were divided into TBWLL group (n=43), BAL group (n=45), and WLL group (n=45). Patients in the TBWLL group received conventional BAL of both lungs under a fiber bronchoscope, as well as sedation and anesthesia; lavage was performed twice in each course. TBWLL was compared with the BAL and WLL in terms of lavage volume. The clinical symptoms, pulmonary function, and blood gas before and after treatment and the safety were evaluated. RESULTS: The TBWLL group had significantly relieved cough and limitation of activity after lavage (P<0.05). Compared with the BAL group, the TBWLL group had significantly increased single lavage volumes and total lavage volume and a significantly shortened length of hospital stay (P<0.05). The three groups showed no significant short-term changes in clinical symptoms and pulmonary function after lavage. The TBWLL and WLL groups had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative complications than the BAL group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TBWLL has good clinical efficacy, with the advantages of BAL and WLL, and is highly feasible, safe, and effective.

[Analysis of clinical features of mild chronic cadmium poisoning induced by different causes].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features of mild chronic cadmium poisoning induced by different causes. METHODS: A total of 90 patients with mild chronic cadmium poisoning, who were hospitalized in our center from 2008 to 2011 and had complete clinical data, were divided into two groups according to the causes of poisoning: environmental pollution group (n = 45) and occupational poisoning group (n = 45). The clinical symptoms, signs, laboratory indices, and treatment outcomes of all patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the environmental pollution group, the occupational poisoning group had more bone pain, less bone injury (based on imaging findings), and significantly increased abnormal rate of urinary retinol-binding protein (RBP) (P < 0.05); there were no significant differences in urinary ß-2 microglobulin (MG) and urinary microalbumin between the two groups (P > 0.05). Urinary cadmium, urinary RBP, and urinary ß-2 MG had no linear correlation between each other in the two groups. Both groups showed significant changes in urinary cadmium levels after treatment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical features of mild chronic cadmium poisoning induced by various causes are different, and active nutritional support therapy plays a positive role in improving prognosis.

[Study on modified anesthesia in the bronchoalveolar lavage of pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the anesthetic effect of modified anesthesia in the bronchoalveolar lavage. METHOD: 118 cases randomly fell in two groups: traditional group: intramuscular injection of 10 mg diazepam prior to routine anesthesia; modified group: preoperative intramuscular injection of 50 mg dolantin,and venous injection of 2 ml physiological saline, 10 mg dexamethasone, 5 mg ephedrine; observe the anesthetic effect, satisfaction and lavage quantity in patients. RESULTS: The excellence rate and satisfaction of anesthetic effect are both 100% in modified group while 82.76% and 76.2% in the tradition group. The result indicates the excellence rate and satisfaction of anesthetic effect in modified group are better than the traditional group with a significant difference (P<0.05); the lavage quantity in the modified group is significantly higher than that in the traditional group with a significant difference (P<0.01 ). CONCLUSION: Dolantin, dexamethasone and ephedrine preoperatively used with a good anesthetic effect can improve the cooperation of patients in bronchoalveolar lavage with less pain and increased lavage quantity, thereby worthy of clinical application.

[Clinical analysis of pneumonoconiosis complicated with spontaneous pneumothorax].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical characteristics and treatment method of pneumonoconiosis with spontaneous pneumothorax. METHODS: The clinical data of 55 cases with spontaneous pneumothorax were analyzed. RESULTS: Among these 55 cases, there were 19 cases with left side pneumothorax, 25 cases with right side pneumothorax and 11 cases with bilateral pneumothorax. The lungs of 17 cases were compressed to less than 20%, the lungs of 29 cases were compressed to 20% ∼ 50% and the lungs of 9 cases were compressed to more than 50%, 17 cases were treated conservatively, 7 cases were treated by thoracentesis, and 32 cases were treated by closed thoracic drainage, including 10 cases intrapleural injected with thrombin and PAMBA. After the treatment, 41 cases were cured, 10 cases were improved, 3 cases were transferred to other hospital for plugging or pleurodesis and 1 case died of the respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: The clinical symptoms of cases with pneumonoconiosis and spontaneous pneumothorax are atypical. These cases easily recur. After treatment, the healing of these cases is better.