Chitosan derivatives as promising green corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in acidic environment: Inhibition performance and interfacial adsorption mechanism.

Among the biodegradable polysaccharide, chitosan is widely present in the cell membranes of bacteria and algae and in the cell walls of higher plants. As a promising biopolymer, chitosan has great potential as eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor. Herein, two synthetic chitosan derivatives (N-phenylthiourea chitosan (CS-PT), N-phenyl-O-benzylthiourea chitosan (CS-PT-Bn)) were investigated as high-efficient acidic corrosion inhibitors to deal with the corrosion issue of carbon steel. The anti-corrosion property of the chitosan derivatives was explored by electrochemical tests, surface characterization and theoretical calculations. The experimental results indicate that both CS-PT and CS-PT-Bn present high-efficient inhibition performance with the inhibition efficiency of 98.4% and 98.5% at the concentration of 100 mg/L, respectively. Their adsorption mechanism at steel/solution interface is revealed by quantum chemical calculations, molecular dynamics (MD) and GFN-xTB calculations. It is found that CS-PT and CS-PT-Bn adsorb at the steel/solution interface by forming Fe-N and Fe-S bonds. Compared to CS-PT molecule, the introduction of benzyl group endows CS-PT-Bn molecule with stronger electrostatic effect and hydrophobicity, which favors the interfacial adsorption of CS-PT-Bn molecule on carbon steel surface.

In-depth unveiling the interfacial adsorption mechanism of triazine derivatives as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in carbon dioxide saturated oilfield produced water.

In this work, two triazine derivatives (BTT-1 and BTT-2) were synthesized by the simple one-step condensation of three components and used as high-efficient corrosion inhibitors to deal with the corrosion issue of carbon steel (CS) in petroleum industry. Electrochemical tests indicate that both BTT-1 and BTT-2 present superior inhibition performance with the inhibition efficiency of 97.9 % and 98.4 % at a low concentration of 0.18 mM, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations reveal that compared to BTT-1 molecule with a butyl chain, the introduction of benzyl group endows BTT-2 molecule with more adsorption sites, which favors the adsorption of BTT-2 molecule on CS surface. Furthermore, the GFN-xTB calculations demonstrate that BTT-1 and BTT-2 could adsorb on CS surface through the formation of Fe-N and Fe-S bonds. Compared to BTT-1, BTT-2 exhibits stronger adsorption on CS surface by forming more and shorter bonds with a more negative adsorption energy, which accounts for the better inhibitive performance of BTT-2.

[High frequency ultrasound combined with ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of primary thyroid lymphoma].

Objective: To investigate the sonographic features of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) and to evaluate the clinical significance of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (US-CNB) in PTL. Methods: A total of 24 patients with suspected PTL in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from January 2013 to June 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. All cases were confirmed by pathology, of them 23 patients received US-CNB and 1 patient chose operation without US-CNB, including 5 males and 19 females, aged from 39 to 75 years old. The effectiveness and safety of 23 patients with US-CNB were evaluated, and the sonographic features of 20 patients with PTL diagnosed by pathology were analyzed. Descriptive statistical methods were used in the study. Results: In the 23 patients with suspected PTL underwent US-CNB, 18 patients were diagnosed as PTL, 4 patients were respectively diagnosed as subacute thyroiditis, anaplastic carcinoma, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and fibro thyroiditis, and the another patient was hard to diagnose by US-CNB and then was diagnosed as PTL by surgical biopsy. The success rate of US-CNB for diagnosis of PTL was 18/19, and no severe complications occurred in the patients with US-CNB. The other case was diagnosed as PTL by surgical biopsy without US-CNB. Sonographic features of 20 cases with PTL (18 cases diagnosed by US-CNB and 2 cases by surgery or surgery biopsy) were as follows: (1) Most nodules had irregular shapes and unsmooth margins; (2) Hypoechoic or markedly hypoechoic nodules with honeycombed or cord structures were observed in most cases; (3) Calcification was rare; (4) Multiple lesions were common; (5) Abundant intralesional vascularization was commonly observed; (6) Most cases had intensification of posterior acoustic enhancement; (7) Thyroid gland enlargement or with irregular shape; and (8) PTL often accompanied with lymph nodes enlargement in lateral neck or central region. Conclusion: PTL has certain sonographic features, with assistance of US-CNB, more accurate diagnosis of PTL can be obtained.

HER 2/neu protein expression in gastric cancer is associated with poor survival.

Mol Med Rep 2: [Related article:] 943­946, 2009; DOI: 10.3892/mmr_00000196 After the publication of the article, the authors noted that there was an error regarding the author list on the Pubmed website. J.Y. Shen was erroneously omitted from the data submitted for publication on the Pubmed website. We apologize for the oversight and possible misunderstanding. The correct author list is the list that was published in PDF format on the Spandidos Publications website and in print, which is as follows: S.D. Xie1*, C.Y. Xu1,3*, J.G. Shen1, Z.N. Jiang2,3, J.Y. Shen1 and L.B. Wang1.

Prognostic role of estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The presence of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) have been reported in cell and tissue level in gastric cancer, but its impact on patients' survival remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the expression level of ERalpha and ERbeta and to assess clinical significance of ERalpha and ERbeta expression in gastric cancer. METHODS: The expression level of ERalpha and ERbeta were assessed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 35 surgically resected gastric cancer and corresponding normal tissues and by immunohistochemical staining in 211 surgically resected gastric cancer and match normal tissues. RESULTS: The expression level between ERalpha mRNA expression in gastric cancer tissues and match normal tissues had no statistically significant difference. The ERbeta mRNA level in normal tissues was significantly higher than that observed in gastric cancer tissues (P = 0.001). Neither ERalpha nor ERbeta mRNA expression levels had significant correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. Forty-eight of 211 (22.7%) gastric cancer tissues showed positive expression of ERalpha and ERbeta detected in gastric cancer. ERalpha-positive expression correlated with poorer overall survival (P = 0.014), as did the absence of ERbeta expression in patients with gastric cancer (P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the positive expression of ERalpha and the absence of ERbeta were significant independent prognostic factors for overall survival (hazard ratio 2.159, P = 0.013, and hazard ratio 2.016, P = 0.025 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that ERalpha and ERbeta were expressed in both gastric cancer and corresponding normal tissues. ERalpha expression and the absence of ERbeta expression are associated with poor survival.

Estrogen receptor beta variants mRNA expressions in gastric cancer tissues and association with clinicopathologic parameters.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine the expression of estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 ,5 in gastric cancer tissues and evaluate their correlation with clinicopathological features. METHODOLOGY: Real-time quantitative PCR assay was applied to detect the expression of estrogen receptor beta-1, 2, 5 mRNAs in 44 gastric cancer tissues and their paired normal tissues and correlate their mRNA levels with the clinicopathological properties of the tumors. 2(deltaCT) method was used to obtain the relative quantity of target mRNA expression. RESULTS: In almost all patients, estrogen receptor beta-1, 2, 5 mRNAs were expressed in gastric cancers and their matched normal tissues; however estrogen receptor beta-5 mRNA was not found in 8 normal gastric tissues. Estrogen receptor beta-5 had a much higher expression than estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 in gastric cancer tissues. Higher estrogen receptor beta-5 mRNAlevel was observed in gastric cancers than matched normal tissues (p = 0.001) and its increased expression was correlated with pTNM stage of the tumor (p = 0.032) and the lymph node metastasis (p = 0.026). Decreased mRNA level of estrogen receptor beta-1 was observed in gastric cancers compared to their matched normal tissues (p = 0.008). Estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 were not correlated with lymph node metastasis, gender, age, tumor size, tumor grade and pTNM stage (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study investigating the clinicopathologic role of estrogen receptor beta variants in gastric cancer. Our study shows that estrogen receptor beta-5 is the most important factor for gastric cancer development and progression among the three estrogen receptor beta variants.

HER 2/neu protein expression in gastric cancer is associated with poor survival.

The presence of HER 2/neu has been reported in gastric cancer, but its impact on patient survival remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of HER 2/neu in gastric cancer. A total of 218 paired resected gastric cancer and corresponding normal specimens were collected. HER 2/neu protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between HER 2/neu expression and patient clinicopathological parameters was evaluated and the prognostic significance of HER 2/neu expression was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Forty-one out of 218 (18.8%) gastric cancer specimens showed HER 2/neu-positive expression. No relationship was found between membranous HER 2/neu expression and clinicopathological parameters. However, HER 2/neu expression was correlated with poorer overall survival (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, HER 2/neu expression was a significant independent prognostic predictor of gastric cancer (p<0.001), and was associated with poor survival in gastric cancer patients. These data indicate that HER 2/neu may play a major role in the therapeutic management of gastric cancer.

[Screening and evaluation on predictive factors in lithium carbonate maintenance treatment of manic-depressive disorders].

The prophylactic effect of lithium carbonate was studied prospectively in 95 patients with recurrent manic-depressive disorders. Maintenance lithium treatment started at the stage of recovery after previous episodes lasting for 20-24 months. Of all the 95 patients, 55 cases (57.9%) were responders, with no relapse during the follow-up period; whereas the other 40 cases (42.1%) were non-responders, having at least one relapse occurred from 4 to 12 months after the index episode. Of the parameters studied, (1) minor primary episode; (2) higher lithium RBC/plasma ratio (greater than 0.4); (3) increase of plasma calcium level during lithium treatment; (4) extraversion-cycloid personality featured by EPQ have higher predictive sensitivity and specificity (greater than 70%) and maybe used as the core predictive factors for long-term outcome in lithium treatment. The other parameters, the age of unset, frequency of episodes, euphoric and grandiose symptoms, clinical respond of first lithium anti-episode medications and lithium clearance can also be used as corresponding predictive factors in selecting cases for long-term lithium treatment.

[An epidemiologic study of neurosis among 3809 aged people with special reference to factors influencing its outcome].

An epidemiological survey was conducted to assess the prevalence as well as clinical features of neurosis among 3,809 aged people in an urban residential area of Beijing with 50,639 population. It was found, contrary to expectation, that the prevalence was 2.96% and preponderant symptoms seemed to be worrisome, tense, irritable and depressive. Neurasthenia and anxious--depressive neurosis were most frequently diagnosed before or after the age of 60, respectively. Factors were analysed in relation to the causation of illness, indicating that family status, family structure, personal attitude toward life and physical disability were important ones. 91 of total 113 cases manifested either exacerbation or fluctuation of symptomatology and 77 cases (86.6%) encountered stressful life event, such as bereavement, family conflict or solitude. No case was found to have impairment of social function when tested by SDSS. It was finally concluded that neurosis of aged people seems to be one of those urgent mental health issues to be tackled over.

[Role of electroconvulsive therapy in treating schizophrenia].

Almost half a century has elapsed since the initial application of ECT in psychiatric clinic. It is currently, debatable whether or not ECT in still applicable in schizophrenia, though its effects for manic-depressive disorders is well established. The authors summarized their experiences in evaluating 300 cases, one half use antipsychotic drugs alone and the other half use drugs with ECT it was found that combined therapy favors both groups of patients with aggressiveness or excitement and group with negativism or catatonia as compared in a duration of 2 weeks, whereas patients with hallucinations of suicidal attempts also benefited in 4 weeks' term. On the contrary the combined therapy in the long run is of no value in patients with delusion.