Causal relationship between circulating cytokines and follicular lymphoma: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Follicular lymphoma (FL), derived from germinal centre (GC) B cells, is a kind of systemic neoplasm. Even though FL is indolent, it remains an incurable haematology Neoplasm. Accumulating evidence has suggested that the circulating cytokine is associated with the development of FL, yet the causal relationship between FL and circulating cytokines remains undetermined. Therefore, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to confirm the causal link between FL and levels of circulating cytokines with the use of summary data on circulating cytokines and FL. All these data from genome-wide association study were derived from the Genome-wide pQTL mapping which contains 14,824 individuals. FL data were acquired exclusively from FinnGen, where 218,792 individuals (522 cases vs. 218,270 controls) were involved. Various statistical methods, including the inverse variance weighted method (IVW), weighted median (WME), simple model, weighted model (WM) and MR-Egger, were used to evaluate the potential causal connection between circulating cytokines and FL. Sensitivity analysis, which involves the examination of the heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out method, was also performed to ensure more trustworthy results. A bidirectional MR test was performed to evaluate the direction of causal association between circulating cytokines and FL. Combining all the steps of MR analysis, we revealed four causal cytokines: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), interleukin-15 receptor A (IL15RA), interleukin-20 (IL20), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). The risk of FL may be inversely linked to CXCL5 (OR=0.73, CI: 0.545-0.979, P=0.036), IL-15RA (OR=0.669, CI: 0.451-0.993, P=0.046), and IL-20 (OR=0.565, CI: 0.325-0.981, P=0.043) but positively linked to NT-3 (OR=1.872, CI: 1.063-3.297, P=0.03). In addition, in our study, no causal effect of FL on cytokines was demonstrated and no significant heterogeneity and pleiotropy were found. Our research revealed the causal relationship between cytokines and FL, along with both the anti-protective effect of CXCL5, IL-15RA, and IL-20 and the protective effect of neurotrophin-3 on FL. These findings aim to provide new clues regarding the pathogenesis of FL and to extend the potential of circulating cytokines to therapeutic interventions.

Effect of respiratory muscle training in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory disorder characterized by progressive airflow limitation. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on key pulmonary function parameters, inspiratory muscle strength and quality of life in patients with stable COPD. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the databases including PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov, from their inception to June 12, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the impact of RMT on stable COPD were included for meta-analysis. Results: In total, 12 RCTs involving 453 participants were included in the meta-analysis. RMT demonstrated a significant increase in maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax, MD, 95% CI: 14.34, 8.17 to 20.51, P < 0.001) but not on maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax). No significant improvement was observed in 6-Min walk test (6MWT), dyspnea, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity ratio (FVC) and quality of life between RMT and control groups. However, subgroup analysis revealed a significant negative effect of RMT alone on FEV1/FVC (MD, 95% CI: 2.59, -5.11 to -0.06, P = 0.04). When RMT was combined with other interventions, improvements in FEV1/FVC and FEV1 were found, although not statistically significant. Conclusion: RMT can effectively improve maximal inspiratory pressure in stable COPD patients, but the effect is slight in improving lung function, dyspnea and quality of life. It is recommended to combine with other treatment strategies to comprehensively improve the prognosis of COPD patients.

Electrolyte Engineering Empowers Li||CFx Batteries to Achieve High Energy Density and Low Self-Discharge at Harsh Conditions.

Given its exceptional theoretical energy density (over 2000 Wh kg-1), lithium||carbon fluoride (Li||CFx) battery has garnered global attention. N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP)-based electrolyte is regarded as one promising candidate for tremendously enhancing the energy density of Li||CFx battery, provided self-discharge challenges can be resolved. This study successfully achieves a low self-discharge (LSD) and desirable electrochemical performance in Li||CFx batteries at high temperatures by utilizing NMP as the solvent and incorporating additional ingredients, including vinylene carbonate additive, as well as the dual-salt systems formed by LiBF4 with three different Li salts, namely lithium bis(oxalato)borate, lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate, and LiNO3. The experimental results unfold that the proposed methods not only minimize aluminum current collector corrosion, but also effectively passivate the Li metal anode. Among them, LiNO3 exhibits the most pronounced effect that achieves an energy density of ≈2400 Wh kg-1 at a current density of 10 mA g-1 at 30 °C, nearly 0% capacity-fade rate after 300 h of storage at 60 °C, and the capability to maintain a stable open-circuit voltage over 4000 h. This work provides a distinctive perspective on how to realize both high energy density and LSD rates at high temperature of Li||CFx battery.

A single center retrospective study: Comparison between centrifugal separation plasma exchange with ACD-A and membrane separation plasma exchange with heparin on acute liver failure and acute on chronic liver failure.

The purpose of this retrospective study is to compare the efficacy and safety of the centrifugal separation therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) using citrate anticoagulant (cTPEc) with membrane separation TPE using heparin anticoagulant (mTPEh) in liver failure patients. The patients treated by cTPEc were defined as cTPEc group and those treated by mTPEh were defined as mTPEh group, respectively. Clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups. Survival analyses of two groups and subgroups classified by the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were performed by Kaplan-Meier method and were compared by the log-rank test. In this study, there were 51 patients in cTPEc group and 18 patients in mTPEh group, respectively. The overall 28-day survival rate was 76% (39/51) in cTPEc group and 61% (11/18) in mTPEh group (P > .05). The 90-day survival rate was 69% (35/51) in cTPEc group and 50% (9/18) in mTPEh group (P > .05). MELD score = 30 was the best cut-off value to predict the prognosis of patients with liver failure treated with TPE, in mTPEh group as well as cTPEc group. The median of total calcium/ionized calcium ratio (2.84, range from 2.20 to 3.71) after cTPEc was significantly higher than the ratio (1.97, range from 1.73 to 3.19) before cTPEc (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference between the mean concentrations of total calcium before cTPEc and at 48 h after cTPEc. Our study concludes that there was no statistically significant difference in survival rate and complications between cTPEc and mTPEh groups. The liver failure patients tolerated cTPEc treatment via peripheral vascular access with the prognosis similar to mTPEh. The prognosis in patients with MELD score < 30 was better than in patients with MELD score ≥ 30 in both groups. In this study, the patients with acute liver failure (ALF) and acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) treated with cTPEc tolerated the TPE frequency of every other day without significant clinical adverse event of hypocalcemia with similar outcomes to the mTPEh treatment. For liver failure patients treated with cTPEc, close clinical observation and monitoring ionized calcium are necessary to ensure the patients' safety.

Clinical outcome and peripheral immune profile of myasthenic crisis with omicron infections: A prospective cohort study.

The impact of Omicron infections on the clinical outcome and immune responses of myasthenia gravis (MG) remained largely unknown. From a prospective multicenter MG cohort (n = 189) with 197 myasthenic crisis (MC), we finally included 41 independent MG patients to classify into two groups: the Omicron Group (n = 13) and the Control Group (n = 28). In this matched cohort study, all-cause mortality was 7.69% (1/13) in Omicron Group and 14.29% (4/28) in Control Group. A higher proportion of elevated serum IL-6 was identified in the Omicron Group (88.89% vs 52.38%, P = 0.049). In addition, the proportions of CD3+CD8+T in lymphocytes and Tregs in CD3+CD4+ T cells were significantly elevated in the Omicron Group (both P = 0.0101). After treatment, the Omicron Group exhibited a marked improvement in MG-ADL score (P = 0.026) and MG-QoL-15 (P = 0.0357). MCs with Omicron infections were associated with elevated serum IL-6 and CD3+CD8+T response. These patients tended to present a better therapeutic response after fast-acting therapies and anti-IL-6 treatment.

Anatomical characteristics of aortic valve diseases: Implications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: The etiology of aortic stenosis (AS) significantly impacts transcatheter heart valve (THV) implantation, with rheumatic etiology posing challenges. The concept of valve anchoring during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) remains unclear. Objective: This study aims to investigate the clinical and CT anatomical characteristics of various aortic valve diseases. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on consecutive patients who underwent CT for severe aortic diseases between April 2019 and February 2023. CT analysis was performed in eight anatomical landmarks: left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), aortic annulus, sinus of Valsalva (SOV), sinotubular junction (STJ), ascending aorta (AAO), coronary height, aortic angle, and aortic valve calcification volume. Results: 121 patients with severe aortic valve disease were included, divided into AS (71 cases, 59%) and AR (50 cases, 41%) groups. In patients with AR, the absolute diameters of the annulus, LVOT, SOV, STJ, and AAO, as well as the heights of SOV and STJ and the cardiac angle, are larger than those in patients with AS (all P < 0.05). In normalized aortic root dimensions, the AR group had a higher SOV and STJ diameter-to-annulus ratio than the AS group (STJ-SOV-annulus: 1.51-1.44-1.00 vs 1.33-1.28-1.00). The bicuspid and rheumatic AS groups had smaller sinuses (STJ-SOV-annulus:1.27-1.35-1.00, 1.17-1.30-1.00, respectively), necessitating the downsizing of the THV. For 74% of AR patients, the sinotubular junction could not be used as a second anchoring zone, and anchoring relied primarily on the annulus. Conclusions: Patients with rheumatic etiology require smaller valves, and anchoring in AR patients depends on the valve annulus. These structural characteristics will influence TAVR selection.

Frailty and prognosis of patients with kidney transplantation: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of frailty among candidates and recipients of kidney transplantation (KT) is well-established, yet the impact of frailty on clinical outcomes following KT remains uncertain. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis to comprehensively assess the aforementioned relationship. METHODS: The present study conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant observational studies that compared mortality risk and other clinical outcomes of KT recipients with and without frailty. Two authors independently conducted data collection, literature searching, and statistical analysis. The results were synthesized using a heterogeneity-incorporating random-effects model. RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, 6279 patients from 13 cohort studies were included, and 1435 patients (22.9%) were with frailty before KT. There were higher mortality rates among frail patients at admission, compared to those without frailty (risk ratio [RR]: 1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57 to 2.47, p < 0.001; I2 = 19%). Subgroup analysis suggested the association between frailty and high mortality risk after KT was consistent in studies of frailty assessed via Physical Frailty Phenotype or other methods, and in studies of follow-up duration < or ≥ 5 years. In addition, frailty was associated with higher incidence of delayed graft function (RR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.21 to 2.61, p = 0.003; I2 = 0%), postoperative complications (RR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.15 to 3.08, p = 0.01; I2 = 0%), and longer hospitalization (RR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.97, p < 0.001; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: Following KT, frail patients are at higher risks for all-cause mortality, delayed graft function, postoperative complications, and longer hospital stays.

PPChain: A Blockchain for Pandemic Prevention and Control Assisted by Federated Learning.

Taking COVID-19 as an example, we know that a pandemic can have a huge impact on normal human life and the economy. Meanwhile, the population flow between countries and regions is the main factor affecting the changes in a pandemic, which is determined by the airline network. Therefore, realizing the overall control of airports is an effective way to control a pandemic. However, this is restricted by the differences in prevention and control policies in different areas and privacy issues, such as how a patient's personal data from a medical center cannot be effectively combined with their passenger personal data. This prevents more precise airport control decisions from being made. To address this, this paper designed a novel data-sharing framework (i.e., PPChain) based on blockchain and federated learning. The experiment uses a CPU i7-12800HX and uses Docker to simulate multiple virtual nodes. The model is deployed to run on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3090Ti GPU. The experiment shows that the relationship between a pandemic and aircraft transport can be effectively explored by PPChain without sharing raw data. This approach does not require centralized trust and improves the security of the sharing process. The scheme can help formulate more scientific and rational prevention and control policies for the control of airports. Additionally, it can use aerial data to predict pandemics more accurately.

Proton and Redox Couple Synergized Strategy for Aqueous Low Voltage-Driven WO3 Electrochromic Devices.

Aqueous electrolytes possess non-combustible and eco-friendly features compared to organic electrolytes, leading them to be more suitable for application in smart windows for daily use. However, limited by the narrow electrochemical window of water (1.23 V), its use in conventional electrochromic devices (ECDs) would result in irreversible performance loss, which arises from decomposition caused by high voltage. Here, we propose a synergistic scheme combining a redox couple-catalytic counter electrode (RC-CCE) strategy with protons as guest ions. With the help of the intelligent matching of the reaction potentials of the RC and amorphous WO3 electrochromic electrodes and the highly active and fast kinetic features of protons, it successfully reduces the working voltage range of the device to 1.1 V. The assembled HClO4-ECD can possess an overall modulation rate (350-1200 nm) of 0.43 and 0.94 at -0.1 and -0.7 V, respectively, and a modulation of 66.8% at 600 nm at -0.7 V. Moreover, compared with other guest ions, the proton-based ECD exhibits higher coloration efficiency, a broader color modulation capability, and better stability. In addition, the house model equipped with the proton-based ECD effectively blocks solar radiation, which provides a potential solution for the design of aqueous smart windows.

Long-Term Stable Complementary Electrochromic Device Based on WO3 Working Electrode and NiO-Pt Counter Electrode.

Complementary electrochromic devices (ECDs) composed of WO3 and NiO electrodes have wide applications in smart windows. However, they have poor cycling stability due to ion-trapping and charge mismatch between electrodes, which limits their practical application. In this work, we introduce a partially covered counter electrode (CE) composed of NiO and Pt to achieve good stability and overcome the charge mismatch based on our structure of electrochromic electrode/Redox/catalytic counter electrode (ECM/Redox/CCE). The device is assembled using a NiO-Pt counter electrode with WO3 as the working electrode, and PC/LiClO4 containing a tetramethylthiourea/tetramethylformaminium disulfide (TMTU/TMFDS2+) redox couple as the electrolyte. The partially covered NiO-Pt CE-based ECD exhibits excellent EC performance, including a large optical modulation of 68.2% at 603 nm, rapid switching times of 5.3 s (coloring) and 12.8 s (bleaching), and a high coloration efficiency of 89.6 cm2·C-1. In addition, the ECD achieves a good stability of 10,000 cycles, which is promising for practical application. These findings suggest that the structure of ECC/Redox/CCE could overcome the charge mismatch problem. Moreover, Pt could enhance the Redox couple's electrochemical activity for achieving high stability. This research provides a promising approach for the design of long-term stable complementary electrochromic devices.

Coiled-coil domain-containing protein 58 (CCDC58) is a novel prognostic biomarker correlated with mitochondrial functions in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recent researches found that mitochondrial functions were substantially involved in tumor progression, whereas the particular mechanism is unrecognized. Coiled-Coil Domain-Containing Protein 58 (CCDC58), one of the mitochondrial matrix import factors, acts as a novel regulator or stabilizer involved in mitochondrial protein import machinery. Whether and how an up-regulation of CCDC58 causes poor prognosis of patients in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) still required further researches. METHODS: Tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER), Hepatocellular Carcinoma Database (HCCDB) and UALCAN databases were utilized to explore the expression level in diverse types of tumors compared with normal tissues. The prognostic potential of CCDC58 mRNA was evaluated via the Kaplan-Meier plotter, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases. Corresponding clinicopathological factors were analyzed in Kaplan-Meier plotter. According to the median of mRNA expression levels of CCDC58, we divided The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of HCC patients into two groups, highly expressed one and lowly expressed one, so as to perform the enrichment analyses of Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Network was constructed by STRING site and the co-expressed genes were functionally enriched. Immunohistochemistry was adopted to detect protein expression of CCDC58 in HCC patients. RESULTS: This study indicated that CCDC58 protein expression level was obviously higher in HCC than that in paired paracancerous tissues. The up-regulated CCDC58 mRNA is prone to poor prognosis of patients in HCC through various indexes, such as overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), relapse-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Additionally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses suggested that CCDC58 could be viewed as an independent risk factor for HCC patients. The expression of CCDC58 is associated with 28 GO terms related to mitochondria and 5 KEGG pathways including oxidative phosphorylation. The PPI network revealed 10 interactive proteins about constituent components of mitochondria. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated CCDC58 to be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC and correlated with mitochondria acting on tumor biosynthesis and energy production. It is reliable for CCDC58 to be targeted to design novel treatments for HCC patients.

C1q Confers Protection Against Cryptococcal Lung Infection by Alleviating Inflammation and Reducing Cryptococcal Virulence.

Background: To define the role of C1qa in host defense against Cryptococcus neoformans lung infection, we investigated its susceptibility to cryptococcal lung infection in mice deficient in complement factor C1qa (C1qa-/- ). Methods: We established a wild-type (WT) and C1qa-deficient murine inhalation model with C. neoformans. We compared the host survival rate, inflammatory responses, and pathogenicity of C. neoformans during the infection course between WT and C1qa-/- mice. Results: The mortality rate of C1qa-deficient mice was significantly higher than that of wild-type mice. The increased formation of Titan cells in the lungs was associated with augmented inflammation in C1qa-deficient mice. The capacity of lung homogenate supernatant from C1qa-deficient mice to induce Titan formation in vitro was greater compared with that of wild-type mice. The C. neoformans isolated from the lungs of infected C1qa-deficient mice was more resistant to macrophage killing in vitro and caused significantly higher mortality after administration to mice compared with that isolated from WT mice. Conclusions: These findings reveal a novel role of C1qa in host defense against C. neoformans infection by regulating host inflammation and pathogen virulence and provide new insight into the C1q-mediated lung environment underlying the transition from yeast to Titan cell.

Dual-Salt Localized High-Concentration Electrolyte for Long Cycle Life Silicon-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Silicon-based materials are considered the most promising anodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their high specific capacity. However, poor interfacial stability due to enormous volume changes severely restricts their mass application in LIBs. Here, we design a fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC)-containing dual-salt (LiFSI-LiPF6) ether-based localized high-concentration electrolyte (D-LHCE-F) for enhancing the interfacial stability of silicon-based electrodes. It is revealed that the dominating LiFSI salt of superior chemical and thermal stability prevents the formation of corrosive HF, while the addition of FEC improves the interface stability by promoting the formation of protective LiF-rich SEI and increasing the flexibility of the interface. This robust and flexible SEI layer can adapt to substantial variations in the volume of silicon electrodes while preserving the integrity of the interface. The SiOx/C electrode using the unique D-LHCE-F retains up to 78.5% of its initial capacity after 500 cycles at 0.5C, well surpassing that of the control electrolyte (3.4% capacity retention). More notably, the cycle life of the SiOx/C||NCM90 (LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2) full batteries is effectively enhanced thanks to the stabilized electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The key findings of this work offer crucial knowledge for rationally designing electrolyte chemistry to enable the practical application of high-energy-density LIBs adopting silicon-based anodes.

Male-specific, replicable and functional roles of genetic variants and cerebral gray matter volumes in ADHD: a gene-wide association study across KTN1 and a region-wide functional validation across brain.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with reduction of cortical and subcortical gray matter volumes (GMVs). The kinectin 1 gene (KTN1) has recently been reported to significantly regulate GMVs and ADHD risk. In this study, we aimed to identify sex-specific, replicable risk KTN1 alleles for ADHD and to explore their regulatory effects on mRNA expression and cortical and subcortical GMVs. We examined a total of 1020 KTN1 SNPs in one discovery sample (ABCD cohort: 5573 males and 5082 females) and three independent replication European samples (Samples #1 and #2 each with 802/122 and 472/141 male/female offspring with ADHD; and Sample #3 with 14,154/4945 ADHD and 17,948/16,246 healthy males/females) to identify replicable associations within each sex. We examined the regulatory effects of ADHD-risk alleles on the KTN1 mRNA expression in two European brain cohorts (n = 348), total intracranial volume (TIV) in 46 European cohorts (n = 18,713) and the ABCD cohort, as well as the GMVs of seven subcortical structures in 50 European cohorts (n = 38,258) and of 118 cortical and subcortical regions in the ABCD cohort. We found that four KTN1 variants significantly regulated the risk of ADHD with the same direction of effect in males across discovery and replication samples (0.003 ≤ p ≤ 0.041), but none in females. All four ADHD-risk alleles significantly decreased KTN1 mRNA expression in all brain regions examined (1.2 × 10-5 ≤ p ≤ 0.039). The ADHD-risk alleles significantly increased basal ganglia (2.8 × 10-22 ≤ p ≤ 0.040) and hippocampus (p = 0.010) GMVs but reduced amygdala GMV (p = 0.030) and TIV (0.010 < p ≤ 0.013). The ADHD-risk alleles also significantly reduced some cortical (right superior temporal pole, right rectus) and cerebellar but increased other cortical (0.007 ≤ p ≤ 0.050) GMVs. To conclude, we identified a set of replicable and functional risk KTN1 alleles for ADHD, specifically in males. KTN1 may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ADHD, and the reduction of specific cortical and subcortical, including amygdalar but not basal ganglia or hippocampal, GMVs may serve as a neural marker of the genetic effects.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Tigecycline-Related Coagulopathy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Although tigecycline is an effective drug against drug-resistant bacteria, it demonstrated a higher all-cause mortality than comparator antibiotics and a high incidence of coagulation disorders which can be accompanied by severe bleeding. At present, a predictive model for tigecycline-related coagulopathy is not readily available, and the prognostic value of coagulopathy in tigecycline-administered patients has not been elucidated. In this paper, we investigate the association between tigecycline-related coagulopathy and in-hospital mortality to develop a nomogram for the prediction of tigecycline-related coagulopathy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study includes 311 adults prescribed with tigecycline from 2018 to 2020. The primary cohort and validation cohort were constructed by dividing the participants in a ratio of 7:3. The endpoint is tigecycline-related coagulopathy, defined as a condition with no abnormality in coagulation prior to tigecycline application but developed the following symptoms upon prescription: activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) extended by >10 s than the upper limit of normal (ULN), prothrombin time (PT) prolonged for >3 s than the ULN or reduced serum level of fibrinogen to <2.0 g/L. A predictive nomogram based on logistic regression was subsequently constructed. Results: Tigecycline intake for over 7 days, combined other antibiotics, initial PT, initial fibrinogen and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), are independent prognostic factors of tigecycline-related coagulopathy. The primary and validation cohort each has an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.792 (0.732-0.851) and 0.730 (0.629-0.832) for nomogram, respectively. Furthermore, the fitted calibration curve illustrated adequate fit of the model, while the decision curve analysis demonstrated good clinical value. Survival curves showed a high mortality rate among patients with tigecycline-related coagulopathy. Conclusion: This nomogram exhibited helpful clinical value in predicting tigecycline-related coagulopathy that could reduce the high mortality rate of patients prescribed with tigecycline.

Evidence of Residual Ongoing Viral Replication in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Successfully Treated With Nucleos(t)ide Analogues.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B is usually treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). However, a cure is rarely achieved, even with years of treatment. Here, we investigated whether viral replication is completely halted and how long covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) persists in patients successfully treated with NAs. METHODS: A series of longitudinal serum samples and a collection of cross-sectional liver biopsies were obtained from patients successfully treated with NAs. Viral variants in serum HBV RNA were enumerated by deep sequencing. Viral replication intermediates in hepatocytes were directly visualized by in situ hybridization. The apparent half-life of each cccDNA was estimated. RESULTS: Three of 6 successfully treated patients demonstrated clear evidence of a small proportion of virus evolution, although the overwhelming proportion of variants were identical or possessed a similar degree of divergence through time. The apparent half-life of variants was estimated to be from approximately 7.42 weeks to infinite. Hepatocytes remained positive for cytoplasmic nucleocapsids-associated relaxed circular DNA in 4 of 7 liver needle biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that even after prolonged treatment, a small proportion of the cccDNA reservoir is constantly replenished by continued low-level HBV replication, whereas a large proportion of the cccDNA reservoir persists over time.

Pneumonia in myasthenia gravis: Microbial etiology and clinical management.

Introduction: Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) are prone to the development of pneumonia due to the long-term immunotherapies they receive and a tendency for aspiration. Pneumonia remains a risk factor for MG worsening and is the most prevalent cause of mortality in MG patients. Classification of the pathogens involved and exploration of the risk factors for mechanical ventilation (MV) could aid in improving clinical outcomes. Methods: Between January 2013 and October 2022, we performed an inpatient database review for MG patients with pneumonia concurrence in a tertiary research center specializing in neuromuscular disorders. The clinical and microbiological characteristics of 116 MG patients with pneumonia were retrospectively analyzed. Results: In our cohort, 90.32% (112/124) of organisms were bacteria and 42.86% (48/112) of pathogenic bacteria were carbapenem-resistant. A high abundance of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was detected using next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 12 patients, while cytomegalovirus (CMV) was detected in 8 patients. Non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli were the most prevalent microorganisms, in which ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), piperacillin, cefoperazone, ceftazidime, and cefepime may have an anti-infectious effect. Moreover, peripheral lymphocyte percentage [odds ratio (OR) 0.88, 95% CI 0.75-0.96, p = 0.02] and serum globulin (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02-1.35, p = 0.03) were significantly associated with the risk of MV demand. Discussion: Our identification of the microbial etiology of pneumonia in MG patients may provide future perspectives on accurate antibiotic options and enable early interventions when risk factors are present.

BTA Deep Hole Vibration Drilling for Nickel-Based Alloys: Cooling Patterns and Cutter Tooth Wear Mechanisms.

The high cutting temperature and poor thermal diffusion efficiency of nickel-based alloys during deep hole machining have become technical challenges in the hole machining field. In this paper, a finite element simulation model of Inconel-718 BTA ordinary drilling and vibration drilling processes was established by using Deform-3D finite element simulation software. The variations in the temperatures of the tool teeth and the workpiece at different positions of the nickel-based alloy under ordinary drilling and vibration drilling were investigated. Additionally, the wear pattern of each tool tooth under the two drilling methods was further analyzed by building an experimental platform for workpiece temperature detection, which reveals the wear and cooling mechanism of nickel-based alloy BTA deep hole drilling. The results show that the average temperatures of the external, intermediate, and central teeth were reduced by 18.1%, 21.1%, and 17.8%, respectively, during vibration drilling. In addition, the workpiece hole wall and hole bottom temperatures were reduced by 5.7% and 4.6%, respectively. To conclude, the experimental tests were consistent with the simulated temperature trends. BTA vibration drilling optimizes the heat exchange conditions between the cutter teeth and the workpiece during the drilling of nickel-based alloys, which effectively reduces the cutting temperature and, thus, improves the wear resistance of the cutter teeth.

Omicron infections profile and vaccination status among 1881 liver transplant recipients: a multi-centre retrospective cohort.

ABSTRACTA wave of Omicron infections rapidly emerged in China in 2022, but large-scale data concerning the safety profile of vaccines and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection features in liver transplant (LT) recipients have not been collected. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the protectiveness and safety profile of the inactivated vaccines in LT patients against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant infections. A multi-centre retrospective study was conducted in a cohort with a history of liver transplantation. A total of 1881 participants (487 vaccinated and 1394 unvaccinated patients) were enrolled from seven centres in China. Fourteen of the participants were infected by Omicron, and 50% patients had over 14 days of viral shedding duration. The protection rate of COVID-19 vaccinations to Omicron was 2.59%. The three breakthrough infections occurred more than 6 months after fully vaccinated. A total of 96 (19.7%) vaccinated patients had adverse events, including fatigue, myalgia, liver dysfunction, swelling, and scleroma. There were more Grade 3 adverse events in the preoperative vaccination group than those in the postoperative vaccination group. Inactivated whole-virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are safe in patients with post-liver transplantation. The efficacy of inactivated vaccines decreases after 6 months of vaccination, it is recommended that liver transplant patients get boosted vaccinations as early as possible even when they are fully vaccinated. Although clinical manifestations of Omicron infections were mild in LT patients, unvaccinated patients might have a higher risk of liver dysfunction during infections.

Analytical Model of Hole Diameter and Self-Guiding Machining Mechanism of BTA Deep Hole Drilling.

The goal of this study was to explore the self-guided machining mechanism of boring and trepanning association (BTA) deep hole drilling and realize precise control of the machining quality. The motion analysis method was used to analyze the center motion trajectory of the drill during the entrance, and the self-guiding mechanism and hole-forming mechanism of BTA deep hole drilling were revealed. Considering the bending deformation of the drilling tube and the tool structure parameters, according to the elastic-plastic deformation theory and Hertzian contact theory, a novel analytical model of the extrusion contact between the guide pads and the hole wall of the BTA deep hole drilling was established for the theoretical prediction of the extrusion deformation and the machining hole diameter. Combined with the finite element method (FEM) simulation model, the variation law of the contact inclination angle, contact stress, and extrusion deformation of the guide pads and the hole wall with the drilling conditions were studied. The total extrusion deformation between the guide pad and the hole wall was between 10 and 50 µm. The maximum error between the FEM simulation results and the test results was 18.1%, and the maximum error between the analytical model results and the test results was 23.6%. The simulation and experimental results showed that the established extrusion contact model could accurately predict the extrusion deformation of the hole wall and the machining hole diameter.