Diode-pumped Tm:YAP laser operating at 2.3†µm with enhanced performance through cascade lasing.

The laser diode (LD)-pumped Tm:YAP (a-cut, 3.5 at.%) laser generated a maximum ∼2.3 µm continuous wave (CW) laser output power of ∼3 W. The higher output power benefited from the positive effect of the cascade lasing (simultaneously operating on the 3H4 → 3H5 and 3F4 → 3H6 Tm3+ transition). It was the highest CW laser output power amongst the LD/Ti:Sapphire-CW-pumped ∼2.3 µm Tm3+-doped lasers reported so far. Under the cascade laser operation, the slope efficiency of the ∼2.3 µm laser emission versus the absorbed pump power increased from 13.0% to 21.4%.

Remnant Cholesterol and Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Older Patients with Hypertension: A Post hoc Analysis of the STEP Randomized Trial.

AIMS: Emerging evidence shows a close relationship between remnant cholesterol (RC) and hypertension. However, it is unknown whether RC is associated with the effects of intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) lowering on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We performed a post-hoc analysis of the Strategy of Blood Pressure Intervention in the Elderly Hypertensive Patients (STEP) trial. Participants were randomly allocated to intensive (110 to <130 mmHg) or standard (130 to <150 mmHg) treatment groups. The effects of intensive SBP lowering on the primary composite outcome (stroke, acute coronary syndrome, acute decompensated heart failure, coronary revascularization, atrial fibrillation or cardiovascular death), the components thereof and all-cause mortality were analyzed by tertile of baseline RC (lowest, middle, highest). RESULTS: We followed 8,206 patients for 3.33 years (median). The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for the primary outcome were 1.06 (0.73-1.56), 0.58 (0.38-0.87) and 0.67 (0.46-0.96) in the lowest, middle and highest RC tertiles, respectively (P for interaction = 0.11). However, significant heterogeneity in the treatment effects was observed when comparing the upper two tertiles with the lowest tertile (P for interaction = 0.033). For all-cause mortality, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were 2.48 (1.30-4.73), 1.37 (0.71-2.65) and 0.42 (0.22-0.80) in the lowest, middle and highest RC tertiles, respectively (P for interaction < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Baseline RC concentrations were associated with the effects of intensive SBP lowering on the primary composite cardiovascular outcome and all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients. These results are hypothesis-generating and merit further study. REGISTRATION: STEP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03015311.

In our post hoc analysis of the STEP trial, baseline remnant cholesterol (RC) concentrations were associated with the effects of intensive SBP lowering on the primary composite cardiovascular outcome and all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients.Patients with higher RC experienced greater cardiovascular benefits from intensive SBP lowering, while lower RC was associated with attenuated benefits or even negative effects of intensive SBP lowering. These results are hypothesis-generating and merit further study.If confirmed, RC measurements could permit identification of a subset of patients with high RC and hypertension who may receive greater benefit from intensive SBP lowering to less than 130 mmHg.

Six-watt diode-pumped Tm:GdVO4 laser at 2.29†µm.

A compact Tm:GdVO4 laser pumped by a 794 nm laser diode generated 6.09 W at 2.29 µm (3H4 → 3H5 Tm3+ transition) with a high slope efficiency of 30.8% and linear laser polarization (π). The polarized spectroscopic properties of Tm3+ in GdVO4 were also revised. The peak stimulated-emission cross section of Tm3+ is 2.97 × 10-20 cm2 at 2280 nm, corresponding to an emission bandwidth of 42 nm for π-polarized light.

Diode-pumped efficient high-power cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser simultaneously operating at ∼2†µm and ∼2.3 µm.

The laser diode (LD)-pumped efficient high-power cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser simultaneously operating on the 3F4 → 3H6 (at ∼2 µm) and 3H4 → 3H5 (at ∼2.3 µm) Tm3+ transition was first reported in this paper. The cascade Tm:GdVO4 laser generated a maximum total continuous-wave (CW) laser output power of 8.42 W with a slope efficiency of 40%, out of which the maximum ∼2.3 µm CW laser output power was 2.88 W with a slope efficiency of 14%. To our knowledge, 2.88 W is the highest CW laser output power amongst the LD-CW-pumped ∼2.3 µm Tm3+-doped lasers reported so far.

Cascade lasing at ∼2†µm and ∼2.3†µm in a diode-pumped Tm:YVO4 laser.

We report on the cascade continuous-wave operation of a diode-pumped Tm:YVO4 laser on the 3F4 → 3H6 (at ∼2 µm) and 3H4 → 3H5 (at ∼2.3 µm) Tm3+ transitions. Pumped with a fiber-coupled spatially multimode 794 nm AlGaAs laser diode, the 1.5 at.% Tm:YVO4 laser yielded a maximum total output power of 6.09 W with a slope efficiency of 35.7% out of which the 3H4 → 3H5 laser emission corresponded to 1.15 W at 2291-2295 and 2362-2371 nm with a slope efficiency of 7.9% and a laser threshold of 6.25 W.

Theoretical Study on All-Dielectric Elliptic Cross Metasurface Sensor Governed by Bound States in the Continuum.

The appearance of all-dielectric micro-nano photonic devices constructed from high refractive index dielectric materials offers a low-loss platform for the manipulation of electromagnetic waves. The manipulation of electromagnetic waves by all-dielectric metasurfaces reveals unprecedented potential, such as focusing electromagnetic waves and generating structured light. Recent advances in dielectric metasurfaces are associated with bound states in the continuum, which can be described as non-radiative eigen modes above the light cone supported by metasurfaces. Here, we propose an all-dielectric metasurface composed of elliptic cross pillars arranged periodically and verify that the displacement distance of a single elliptic pillar can control the strength of the light-matter interaction. Specifically, when the elliptic cross pillar is C4 symmetric, the quality factor of the metasurface at the Γ point is infinite, also called the bound states in the continuum. Once the C4 symmetry is broken by moving a single elliptic pillar, the corresponding metasurface engenders mode leakage; however, the large quality factor still exists, which is called the quasi-bound states in the continuum. Then, it is verified by simulation that the designed metasurface is sensitive to the refractive index change of the surrounding medium, indicating that it can be applied for refractive index sensing. Moreover, combined with the specific frequency and the refractive index variation of the medium around the metasurface, the information encryption transmission can be realized effectively. Therefore, we envisage that the designed all-dielectric elliptic cross metasurface can promote the development of miniaturized photon sensors and information encoders due to its sensitivity.

Residue levels and dietary risk assessment of fluopimomide, pyraclostrobin and its metabolite BF-500-3 in garlic ecosystems under field conditions.

To evaluate the residue levels of fluopimomide, pyraclostrobin and its metabolite BF-500-3 in garlic ecosystems, supervised garlic field trials with a commercial formulation (pyraclostrobin·fluopimomide 30% suspension concentrate (SC)) were conducted in six regions of China according to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The residues of fluopimomide, pyraclostrobin and BF-500-3 in field samples were determined using a QuEChERS method combined with high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The average recoveries of all target compounds were 76-94% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.0-14.5% and limits of quantitation (LOQs) of 0.002 mg/kg. At the recommended pre-harvest interval (PHI, 10 days), the residues of fluopimomide, pyraclostrobin and BF-500-3 were below 0.16, 0.77 and 0.12 mg/kg in garlic chive; below 0.027, 0.22 and 0.002 mg/kg in garlic scape; and below 0.002, 0.002 and 0.002 mg/kg in garlic, respectively. Dietary intake risks were calculated using risk quotients (RQs) based on field residual data, toxicological data and dietary patterns. The chronic dietary risk quotients (RQc) of pyraclostrobin and fluopimomide were 48.42% and 0.36%, respectively. The acute dietary risk quotients (RQa) of pyraclostrobin in garlic were 0.06-0.15%. These results indicated a low dietary risk for consumers. This study could provide scientific guidance for the application of pyraclostrobin and fluopimomide in garlic.

[The one-stage technology of epiglottis function and voice reconstruction after total laryngectomy with the sternohyoid myocutaneous flap].

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of one-stage sternohyoid musculocutaneous flap after total laryngectomy for reconstruction of epiglottis function and vocalization. Methods:A retrospective analysis of 8 patients who underwent total laryngectomy from November 2019 to September 2020. The sternohyoid myocutaneous flap was designed after total laryngectomy. The lower edge of the flap was sewed with the posterior upper edge of the tracheostomy opening, and the lateral and medial edges of the flap were anastomosed to create a vocal tube. The lateral edge of the upper end of tube was sutured with the anterolateral wall of the hypopharynx, then made full use of residual epiglottis and tongue root tissue to reconstruct epiglottis function. Results:None of the 8 patients had serious complications after total laryngectomies. Fifteen months after operation,the vocal tube flaps survived and had intact structure under fiberoptic laryngoscope. All patients could speak clearly and forcefully, and the swallowing function was intact. Conclusion:The use of adjacent myocutaneous flap to construct the vocal canal and reconstruct the epiglottis function is a simple and effective technique that can be completed in one stage and improve the voicing of patients undergoing total laryngectomy.

Predictive Efficacy of Blood-Based Tumor Mutation Burden Assay for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), tumor mutation burden (TMB) has been found to have predictive potential for survival. When compared to TMB detection in tissue (tTMB), detecting TMB in the blood (bTMB) has practical advantages; yet, the results of various studies are conflicting. The question of whether bTMB can be utilized as a predictive biomarker is becoming increasingly contentious. To confirm the predictive efficacy of bTMB, researchers did a systematic review and meta-analysis to look into the relationship between ICIs and bTMB. METHOD: From the inception to March 2021, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and other databases were systematically searched. The predictive value of bTMB in ICIs, or the efficacy of ICIs against chemotherapy, was studied. The results were presented as pooled ratio rate (RR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals for the Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Subgroup analysis, heterogeneity analyses, and sensitivity analysis were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 2,610 NSCLC patients were studied in seven trials. There were no significant differences in OS (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.62-1.91, P = 0.774) or PFS (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.20-2.65, P = 0.629) between high and low bTMB groups in the ICIs cohort. When ICIs were compared to chemotherapy, ICIs were found to enhance OS (HR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.59-0.92, P = 0.006), but the improvement in PFS and ORR was only a numerical trend (PFS: HR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.63-1.09, P = 0.173; ORR: RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.77-1.10, P = 0.372). NSCLC patients treated with ICIs in the high bTMB group had better survival benefits than chemotherapy patients in terms of OS (HR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.51-0.76, P <0.001), PFS (HR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.52-0.76, P <0.001), and ORR (RR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.32-2.62, P <0.001), while in the low TMB group, the results were no different or even reversed (OS: HR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.64-1.24, P = 0.485; PFS: HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.93-1.58, P = 0.154; ORR: RR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54-0.85, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TMB could predict the enhanced survival benefit of NSCLC patients treated with ICIs; however the role of bTMB is limited at this stage. For NSCLC patients with high TMB, ICIc may be a better option than chemotherapy.

Sleep quality was associated with adverse reactions after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination among healthcare workers: A longitudinal paired study.

Background: Many countries have currently relied on various types of vaccines for the public to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The adverse reactions (ARs) after vaccination may affect vaccination coverage and confidence. However, whether sleep quality was associated with ARs after vaccination remains unclear. Methods: We designed a longitudinal paired study within a hospital setting. We collected data about the side effects within 7 days after two doses of scheduled vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs). All HCWs were asked to complete a sleep survey indexed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before vaccination and after a 1-month follow-up. Then, we explored the relationship between sleep quality before or after vaccination and the occurrence of ARs. Results: A total of 345 HCWs were recruited to receive COVID-19 vaccination. The sleep quality became worse after vaccination. All local and systemic reactions were mild or moderate in severity (32.46%), and no serious adverse event was reported. Binary logistic regression showed participants with poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) than good sleep quality (PSQI ≤ 5) before the two doses of vaccination, respectively, exhibited 1.515 and 1.107 times risk of ARs after each vaccination (both p < 0.001). Conclusion: There is an apparently complex bidirectional relationship between sleep quality and COVID-19 vaccination adverse effects. Poor sleep quality significantly increases the risk of mild ARs after vaccination, while vaccination may cause a temporary decline in sleep quality.

Compact diode-pumped continuous wave and passively Q switched Tm:YAG laser at 2.33†µm.

Compact diode-pumped continuous wave (CW) and passively Q switched Tm:YAG lasers operating on the 3H4 → 3H5 transition are demonstrated. Using a 3.5-at.% Tm:YAG crystal, a maximum CW output power of 1.49 W is achieved at 2330 nm with a slope efficiency of 10.1%. The first Q switched operation of the mid-infrared Tm:YAG laser around 2.3 µm is realized with a few-atomic-layer MoS2 saturable absorber. Pulses as short as 150 ns are generated at a repetition rate of 190 kHz, corresponding to a pulse energy of 1.07 µJ. Tm:YAG is an attractive material for diode-pumped CW and pulsed mid-infrared lasers emitting around 2.3 µm.

Watt-level diode-pumped Tm:YVO4 laser at 2.3 µm.

In this Letter, a watt-level laser diode (LD)-pumped ∼2.3-µm (on the 3H4→3H5 quasi-four-level transition) laser is reported based on a 1.5 at.% a-cut Tm:YVO4 crystal. The maximum continuous wave (CW) output power obtained is 1.89 W and 1.11 W with the maximum slope efficiency of 13.6% and 7.3% (versus the absorbed pump power) for the 1% and 0.5% transmittance of the output coupler, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the CW output power of 1.89 W we obtained is the highest CW output power amongst the LD-pumped ∼2.3-µm Tm3+-doped lasers.

Residues and Safety Evaluation of Etoxazole, Bifenazate and Its Metabolite Bifenazate-diazene in Citrus Under Open-Field Conditions.

The residues of bifenazate (sum of bifenazate and bifenazate-diazene) and etoxazole in whole citrus and pulp collected from twelve regions of China were monitored and their chronic dietary risk to consumer were also evaluated. The citrus samples were extracted by a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method, and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The average recoveries of target compounds were ranged from 83 to 100% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.59-11.8%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for three analytes were 0.01 mg/kg. At the interval to harvest of 20 and 30 days, the residues of total bifenazate and etoxazole were from below 0.02 to 0.26 mg/kg and from below 0.01 to 0.30 mg/kg in citrus samples. The chronic risk quotients (RQs) were below 100%, indicating no unacceptable risk to consumers.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 65 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Liaoning, China.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly to multiple countries through its infectious agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The severity, atypical clinical presentation, and lack of specific anti-viral treatments have posed a challenge for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Understanding the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 cases in different geographical areas is essential to improve the prognosis of COVID-19 patients and slow the spread of the disease. AIM: To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and main therapeutic strategy for confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Liaoning Province, China. METHODS: Adult patients (n = 65) with confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled in this retrospective study from January 20 to February 29, 2020 in Liaoning Province, China. Pharyngeal swabs and sputum specimens were collected from the patients for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleic acid. Patient demographic information and clinical data were collected from the medical records. Based on the severity of COVID-19, the patients were divided into nonsevere and severe groups. All patients were followed until March 20, 2020. RESULTS: The mean age of 65 COVID-19 patients was 45.5 ± 14.4 years, 56.9% were men, and 24.6% were severe cases. During the 14 d before symptom onset, 25 (38.5%) patients lived or stayed in Wuhan, whereas 8 (12.3%) had no clear history of exposure. Twenty-nine (44.6%) patients had at least one comorbidity; hypertension and diabetes were the most common comorbidities. Compared with nonsevere patients, severe patients had significantly lower lymphocyte counts [median value 1.3 × 109/L (interquartile range 0.9-1.95) vs 0.82 × 109/L (0.44-1.08), P < 0.001], elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase [450 U/L (386-476) vs 707 U/L (592-980), P < 0.001] and C-reactive protein [6.1 mg/L (1.5-7.2) vs 52 mg/L (12.7-100.8), P < 0.001], and a prolonged median duration of viral shedding [19.5 d (16-21) vs 23.5 d (19.6-30.3), P = 0.001]. The overall median viral shedding time was 19.5 d, and the longest was 53 d. Severe patients were more frequently treated with lopinavir/ritonavir, antibiotics, glucocorticoid therapy, immunoglobulin, thymosin, and oxygen support. All patients were discharged following treatment in quarantine. CONCLUSION: Our findings may facilitate the identification of severe cases and inform clinical treatment and quarantine decisions regarding COVID-19.

COVID-19 associated anxiety enhances tinnitus.

To investigate if the anxiety associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a promoting factor to tinnitus. A retrospective research design collected from 188 tinnitus patients, was used to compare the clinical characteristics of tinnitus between the patients in 2020 under pandemic pressure and those from the matching period in 2019. While anxiety was quantified using the Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), tinnitus severity was evaluated using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire and the test of tinnitus loudness (TL). The assessments were repeated after the sound therapy plus educational counselling (STEC) for 38 patients in 2020 and 58 patients in 2019 and compared with EC alone therapy for 42 patients in 2020 and 17 patients in 2019. A large increase in anxiety was evident in 2020 in both case rate and SAS. The treatment of both methods was less effective in 2020. SAS, THI and TL were all deteriorated after the EC alone treatment in 2020, while an improvement was seen in 2019. This suggests that EC alone could not counteract the stress by COVID-19 at all, and the stress, if not managed well, can significantly increase the severity of tinnitus and associated anxiety. By using the EC subgroup in virtual control, we conclude that anxiety can serve as a promoting factor to tinnitus. We believe that this is the first study report that confirm the causative/promotive role of anxiety on tinnitus during COVID-19 pandemic.

Job-related factors associated with changes in sleep quality among healthcare workers screening for 2019 novel coronavirus infection: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders may exacerbate many physical and mental health conditions, causing difficulty function in a healthcare setting. Workers screening for the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection have a high risk of not only occupational exposure to the virus but also sleep disorders. However, the job-related factors associated with reduced sleep quality remain unclear. METHODS: All healthcare workers temporarily scheduled to screen the 2019-nCoV patients were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that included questions on demographics, job-related factors, and sleep quality as assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Sleep quality was assessed over a one-month follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 116 doctors and 99 nurses were recruited for this study. The total scheduled work time was 14.78 ± 6.69 days during follow-up. Some job-related factors, such as number of work days, years of work experience, and subjective psychological stress, were associated with changes in the PSQI score. During the study, some workers tried out cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for sleep disorders using methods that were available online and easily accessible. Adopting online CBT was shown to be associated with scores of components of sleep quality, sleep latency, and sleep disturbance (ß = -0.152, P = 0.01; ß = -0.175, P = 0.008; and ß = -0.158, P = 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare workers involved in screening for 2019-nCoV experienced reduced sleep quality, and a reasonable work schedule may help with maintaining sleep quality. In addition, interventions for healthcare workers should target self-help sleep assistance.

Efficacy and Safety of Nemonoxacin in Outpatients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 500 mg of nemonoxacin administered orally once daily to outpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with CAP who received nemonoxacin monotherapy were selected from outpatients who visited the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between July and December 2018. Their characteristics, pneumonia-related symptoms, treatment effects, and adverse reactions were recorded. RESULTS: In total, 337 patients with CAP were administered 500 mg of nemonoxacin orally once daily for 8.24 ± 3.73 days. Fourteen patients were lost during the follow-up period. At the end of the follow-up period, information on 323 patients (132 males and 191 females) with a median age of 52 (P25, P75: 34, 61) years was collected. On the basis of CRB-65 scores, 273 and 50 cases were classified to have low and intermediate risks, respectively. After 3 days of treatment, the symptom improvement rate was 61.3% (198 patients). Improved symptoms or cures were evident in 98.14% (317 patients) of the patients after treatment was completed. Five (1.55%) patients were hospitalized for poor treatment efficacy, and one (0.31%) patient was diagnosed with lung cancer despite improved symptoms. During oral therapy, there were three cases of skin and three cases of gastrointestinal adverse events, an incidence of 1.86%. Based on subsequent re-examinations and telephonic follow-ups, 93.50% (302 cases) of patients were satisfied with treatment effects. CONCLUSION: In treating outpatients with mild-to-moderate CAP, nemonoxacin can effectively control symptoms, reducing medical costs and saving patient time. Importantly, this is a safe and effective therapeutic approach as it is well tolerated with few side effects.

The effect of CA125 on metastasis of ovarian cancer: old marker new function.

CA125 has been used extensively to screen for neoplasms, especially in ovarian cancer. The serum CA125 level can be used as a better prognosis evaluation and it may dynamic monitoring the disease progression. We explored the effect of CA125 on ovarian cancer cell migration and its underlying mechanism. Transwell assays showed that exposure to 0.2 µg/ml or 0.4 µg/ml CA125 for 48 h increased migration of A2780 and OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells. This effect of CA125 was blocked addition of 200 ng/ml DKK-1, a Wnt pathway inhibitor. Conversely, addition of CA125 reversed the inhibitory effect of Wnt inhibition in A2780 cells pretreated with DKK-1. Examination of CA125 levels in serum from 97 ovarian cancer patients revealed no relationship between a patient's age or CA125 level currently used clinically for ovarian cancer diagnosis and metastasis. However, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we identified a new cut-off value for the serum CA125 concentration (82.9 U/ml) that is predictive of metastasis. The area under the curve is 0.632. This new cut-off value has the potential to serve as a clinically useful indicator of metastasis in ovarian cancer patients.

Research progress of hydroxychloroquine and autophagy inhibitors on cancer.

PURPOSE: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the analog of chloroquine, augments the effect of chemotherapies and radiotherapy on various tumors identified in the current clinical trials. Meanwhile, the toxicity of HCQ retinopathy raises concern worldwide. Thus, the potent autophagy inhibitors are urgently needed. METHODS: A systematic review was related to 'hydroxychloroquine' or 'chloroquine' with 'clinical trials,' 'retinopathy' and 'new autophagy inhibitors.' This led to many cross-references involving HCQ, and these data have been incorporated into the following study. RESULTS: Many preclinical studies indicate that the combination of HCQ with chemotherapies or radiotherapies may enhance the effect of anticancer, providing base for launching cancer clinical trials involving HCQ. The new and more sensitive diagnostic techniques report a prevalence of HCQ retinopathy up to 7.5%. Lys05, SAR405, verteporfin, VATG-027, mefloquine and spautin-1 may be potent autophagy inhibitors. CONCLUSION: Additional mechanistic studies of HCQ in preclinical models are still required in order to answer these questions whether HCQ actually inhibits autophagy in non-selective tumors and whether the extent of inhibition would be sufficient to alter chemotherapy or radiotherapy sensitivity.

Strontium incorporation to optimize the antibacterial and biological characteristics of silver-substituted hydroxyapatite coating.

Infection in primary total joint prostheses is attracting considerable attention. In this study, silver (Ag) was incorporated into hydroxyapatite (HA) using a hydrothermal method in order to improve its antimicrobial properties. Strontium (Sr) was added as a second binary element to improve the biocompatibility. The substituted HA samples were fixed on titanium (Ti) substrates by dopamine-assisted immobilization in order to evaluate their antibacterial and biological properties. The results showed that Ag and Sr were successfully incorporated into HA without affecting their crystallinity. Further, the antibacterial tests showed that all the Ag-substituted samples had good anti-bacterial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Despite their good antibacterial ability, the Ag-substituted samples showed evidence of cytotoxicity on MG63 cells, characterized by low cell density and poor spreadability. The addition of Sr to the Ag-substituted samples considerably reduced the cytotoxicity of Ag. Although the viability of the cells grown on the surfaces of co-substituted HA was not as high as that of the cells grown on the HA surfaces, it is believed that excellent antibacterial properties and good biological activity can be achieved by balancing the dosage of Sr and Ag.