A Retrospective Study Comparing Pharmacomechanical Thrombectomy with Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Acute Deep Venous Thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the clinical efficacy and safety between pharmacomechanical thrombectomy (PMT) and catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in the context of acute lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT). METHODS: A retrospective review of our institution's patient database spanning from February 2011 to December 2019 was performed to identify cases of acute LEDVT. The patients were categorized into 2 distinct groups based on the thrombolytic interventions administered: the PMT group, specifically denoting PMT with AngioJet in our investigation, and the CDT group. Comprehensive data sets encompassing patient demographics, risk factors, procedural specifics, thrombolysis grading, and complications were collected. Subsequent follow-up evaluations at the 2-year mark posttreatment included assessments of postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) and the quality of life. RESULTS: Among the 348 patients identified (mean age: 50.12 ± 15.87 years; 194 females), 200 underwent CDT during the early stage (2011 to 2017), while 148 received PMT between 2017 and 2019. Baseline data between the 2 groups exhibited no statistically significant differences. Thrombus scores significantly decreased in both cohorts posttherapy (each P < 0.001).Patients subjected to PMT demonstrated higher thrombolysis rates (77.35 ± 9.44% vs. 50.85 ± 6.72%), reduced administration of the thrombolytic agent urokinase [20 (20€20) vs. 350 (263€416), P < 0.001], larger limb circumference differences (above the knee: 6.03 ± 1.76 cm vs. 4.51 ± 1.82 cm, P < 0.001; below the knee: 2.90 ± 1.16 cm vs. 2.51 ± 0.90 cm, P < 0.001), and shorter lengths of stay (7.19 ± 3.11 days vs. 12.33 ± 4.77 days, P < 0.001). However, the PMT group exhibited a higher decline in hemoglobin levels (13.41 ± 10.59 g/L vs. 10.88 ± 11.41 g/L, P = 0.038) and an increase in creatinine levels [9.58 (2.32€15.82) umol/L vs. 4.53 (2.87€6.08) umol/L, P < 0.001] compared to the CDT group. No statistically significant differences were observed in the numbers of balloon angioplasty, stent implantation (each P > 0.050), and minor and major complications between the 2 groups. At the 1-year follow-up, PTS occurred in 13.51% of the PMT group compared to 26% of the CDT group (P = 0.025), with a higher incidence of moderate-severe PTS in the CDT group (8% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.036). At the 2-year follow-up, PTS was observed in 16.2% of the PMT group and 31.5% in the CDT group, P = 0.004. Preoperative and postoperative D-values of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Summary and SF-36 Mental Component Summary showed no statistically significant between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: In our institutional experience, both PMT and CDT have proven to be effective and safe therapeutic approaches for managing acute LEDVT. PMT, in particular, demonstrated superior efficacy in achieving thrombosis resolution and mitigating the risk of PTS, affirming its role as a favorable intervention in this clinical context.

Gastrointestinal syndrome encountered during a train voyage to high altitudes: A 14-day survey of 69 passengers in China.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and evaluation of the severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) continue to be problematic due to a lack of consensus on the inclusion of symptoms in a scoring system. Recent investigations highlight the significance of gastrointestinal symptoms in identifying this condition. However, the specific gastrointestinal symptoms associated with AMS have not been thoroughly elucidated in previous studies, and the underlying risk factors remain inadequately comprehended. METHODS: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics, trends, and risk factors related to gastrointestinal symptoms encountered during train travel to high altitude. A total of 69 passengers, specifically all with medical backgrounds, were surveyed 6 times over a period of 14 days. RESULTS: The daily incidence of abdominal discomfort was higher than non-gastrointestinal symptoms within 14 days. Gastrointestinal symptoms demonstrated a greater prevalence, longer duration, and increased risk compared to non-gastrointestinal symptoms, such as headaches. The symptoms of abdominal distension and bowel sound hyperaction were found to be prevalent and persistent among patients diagnosed with AMS, exhibiting a high incidence rate. Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking habits, and alcohol consumption were identified as risk factors associated with the occurrence and duration of gastrointestinal symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that gastrointestinal symptoms are more common and persistent when traveling to the plateau by train. These symptoms should be taken into consideration in the further diagnosis and prevention of AMS. Therefore, this study provides a significant theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of AMS.

Enteric glial cells aggravate the intestinal epithelial barrier damage by secreting S100ß under high-altitude conditions.

Damage to the intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) has been reported under high-altitude (HA) conditions and may be responsible for HA-associated gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. However, this pathogenetic mechanism does not fully explain the GI stress symptoms, such as flatulence and motility diarrhea, which accompany the IEB damage under HA conditions, especially for the people exposed to HA acutely. In the present study, we collected the blood samples from the people who lived at HA and found the concentration of enteric glial cells (EGCs)-associated biomarkers increased significantly. HA mouse model was then established and the results revealed that EGCs were involved in IEB damage. Zona occludens (ZO)-1, occludin, and claudin-1 expression was negatively correlated with that of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100ß under HA conditions. In order to learn more about how EGCs influence IEB, the in vitro EGC and MODE-K hypoxia experiments that used hypoxic stimulation for simulating in vivo exposure to HA was performed. We found that hypoxia increased S100ß secretion in EGCs. And MODE-K cells cultured in medium conditioned by hypoxic EGCs showed low ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 levels of expression. Furthermore, treatment of MODE-K cells with recombinant mouse S100ß resulted in diminished levels of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 expression. Thus, HA exposure induces greater S100ß secretion by EGCs, which aggravates the damage to the IEB. This study has revealed a novel mechanism of IEB damage under HA conditions, and suggest that EGCs may constitute a fresh avenue for the avoidance of GI disorders at HA.

Inhibition of sediment erosion and phosphorus release by remediation strategy of contaminated sediment backfilling.

The management of sediment-water interfaces, especially bed stability, is essential for controlling accumulated contaminants in the sediment. In this study, the relationship between sediment erosion and phosphorus (P) release under the remediation strategy of contaminated sediment backfilling (CSBT) was explored through a flume experiment, i.e. the dredged sediment was calcined into ceramsite after dewatering and detoxification and then backfilled to the dredged area for sediment capping, thus avoiding the introduction of foreign materials via in-situ remediation and the large-scale land occupation associated with ex-situ remediation. Acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) and optical backscatter sensor (OBS) were used to measure the vertical distributions of flow velocity and sediment concentration in the overlying water, respectively, and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) was used to measure the P distribution in the sediment. The results revealed that improving bed stability from CSBT can considerably improve the robustness of sediment-water interface and reduce sediment erosion by more than 70%. The corresponding P release from the contaminated sediment could be inhibited with an inhibition efficiency as high as 80%. CSBT is a potent strategy for managing contaminated sediment. This study provides a theoretical reference for controlling sediment pollution, further supporting river and lake ecological management and environmental restoration.

The external jugular vein is a feasible and safe alternative access for retrieval of inferior vena cava filter.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to analyze whether the external jugular vein (EJV) is a feasible and safe alternative access for the retrieval IVCFs designed for the jugular approach. METHODS: This study was designed as a nonrandomized, controlled study. The patients were divided into two groups: the IJV or EJV access groups. All operations were performed by the vascular surgery team. The main outcome was the technical success rate. The secondary outcomes included (1) the IVCF retrieval rate; (2) the time required to puncture the access vein (min); (3) the number of punctures required for access, and other aspects. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were recruited for IVCF retrieval. Seventeen patients refused to join this trial, leaving 58 patients in the IJV group and 44 patients in the EJV group. In the IJV group, technical success was not achieved in one patient who started in the EJV group and was transferred to the IJV group. There was no significant difference in age, comorbidities, or technical success rate between the two groups. Significant differences were observed in puncture time (min), number of punctures, and inadvertent puncture of the carotid artery. All of the patients were discharged 1 or 2 days after the operation. CONCLUSION: EJV is safe and feasible alternative access for the retrieval of IVCFs that are designed for jugular approaches.

Role of active screening in the diagnosis and treatment of early lung cancer and suggestions for health management / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To explore the role of active screening in the diagnosis and treatment of early lung cancer, and give health management recommendations.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to collect lung cancer patients who had complete population sociology, clinical information, pathology and imaging characteristics in the Thoracic Surgery in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from 2016 to 2019. According to different diagnostic modes, they were divided into an active screening group (1082 cases) and a passive case finding group (974 cases), to analyze their differences in demographic sociological, clinical information, pathology and imaging characteristics, and to discuss the key points of population management in the active screening group.Results:From 2016 to 2019, the proportion of lung cancer patients in the active screening group increased from 36.1% to 54.2%, and the proportion of patients found to have lung cancer by CT examination in the active screening group increased from 82.2% to 96.8%. Compared with the passive case finding group, the active screening group had a higher proportion of women, non-smokers, patients with precursor glandular lesions and adenocarcinoma, patients in stage 0 and stage I, patients with lesion diameter (d)≤1 cm and 1<d≤2 cm, patients with sublobectomy and lymph node sampling (46.9% vs 32.9%, 59.2% vs 43.8%, 4.0% vs 2.1%, 80.5% vs 56.8%, 4.0% vs 2.1%, 72.0% vs 56.8%, 14.5% vs 7.6%, 42.5% vs 33.3%, 6.3% vs 2.9%, 2.4% vs 1.0%, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusion:Active screening is helpful to find early lung cancer, and the health management and physical examination center should pay attention to the management of such physical examination population.

Triaging patients in the outbreak of COVID-2019 / 中国感染控制杂志

In the outbreak of COVID-19,triage procedures based on epidemiology were implemented in a local hospital in Changsha to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and avoid healthcare-associated infection.This re-trospective study analyzed the data collected during the triage period and found that COVID-19 patients were en-riched 7 folds into the Section A designated for patients with obvious epidemiological history.On the other side,nearly triple amounts of visits were received at the Section B for patients without obvious epidemiological history.8 COVID-19 cases were spotted out of 247 suspected patients.More than 50％of the suspected patients were submi-tted to multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis for SARS-CoV-2 infection.Of the 239 patients who were diagnosed as negative of the virus infection,188 were successfully revisited and none was reported as COVID-19 case.Of the 8 COVID-19 patients,3 were confirmed only after multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis.Besides comorbidities,delayed sharing of epidemiological history added complexity to the diagnosis in practice.The triaging experience and strategy will be helpful for the control of infectious diseases in the future.

Preliminary results of low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer in asymptomatic participants / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Low dose computed tomography (LDCT) is the best method for early diagnosis of lung cancer. Even though it has been widely used in clinic, the selection of screening objects and the management scheme of pulmonary nodules are still not unified among research institutions. This study aims to evaluate the effect of LDCT in detection effect and follow-up process for pulmonary nodules in asymptomatic participants.@*METHODS@#A total of 1 600 asymptomatic participants (37 to 82 years old), who came from Yantian District People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, received LDCT. The lung nodules were categorized into positive nodules and semi-positive nodules, and according to the density of positive nodules they were categorized into 4 types: solid nodules (SN), partial solid nodules (pSN), pure ground glass nodules (pGGN), and pleural nodules (PN). The number, detection rate, imaging findings, follow-up change of lung nodules, and the postoperative pathological results of positive nodules were recorded and analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Lung nodules were found in 221 cases by LDCT. The total detection rate of lung nodule was 13.8% (221/1 600), and the detection rate in positive nodules was 4.9% (79/1 600). The detected nodules were mainly single (173 cases), solid (133 cases) and semi-positive nodules (142 cases). Most of nodules (177 cases) had no change in the follow-up process. The enlargement and/or increased density of nodules (5 cases) were lung cancer. Pathological results were obtained in 10 cases, 8 cases were malignant (1 small cell lung cancer and 7 adenocarcinomas), 2 cases were benign (cryptococcal infection and alveolar epithelial dysplasia). The detection rate of lung cancer was 0.5% (8/1 600), and the proportion of early lung cancer was 75% (6/8).@*CONCLUSIONS@#LDCT screening can identify and increase the detection rate in the early lung cancer, which is an effective screening method. It is safe and feasible to take regular follow-up and re-examination for nodules with diameter less than 5 mm. When the size and or density of nodule increases, it indicates the malignant prognosis of the nodule and timely clinical intervention is needed.

Dynamic Changes in Coagulation Function in Patients With Pneumonia Under Admission and Non-admission Treatment.

Objective: We aimed to explore the dynamic changes in coagulation function and the effect of age on coagulation function in patients with pneumonia under admission and non-admission treatment. Methods: We included 178 confirmed adult inpatients with COVID-19 from Wuhan Union Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan, China). Patients were classified into common types, and all were cured and discharged after hospitalization. We recorded the time of the first clinical symptoms of the patients and performed blood coagulation tests at the time of admission and after admission. In total, eight factors (TT, FIB, INR, APTT, PT, DD, ATIII, and FDP) were analyzed. Patients were classified into four groups according to the time from the first symptom onset to hospital admission for comparative analysis. The patients who were admitted within 2 weeks of disease onset were analyzed for the dynamic changes in their blood coagulation tests. Further division into two groups, one group comprising patients admitted to the hospital within 2 weeks after the onset of disease and the other comprising patients admitted to the hospital 2 weeks after disease onset, was performed to form two groups based on whether the patient ages were over or under 55 years. Chi-square tests and T tests were used to explore the dynamic changes in coagulation function and the influence of age on the results of coagulation function tests. Results: A total of 178 inpatients, 34 of whom underwent dynamic detection, were included in this analysis. We divided these patients into four groups according to the interval between the onset of COVID-19 pneumonia and the time to admission in the hospital: the 1-7 days (group 1), 8-14 days (group 2), 15-21 days (group 3), and >21-days (group 4). Eight factors all increased within 2 weeks after onset and gradually decreased to normal 2 weeks before the patient was admitted. The changes in coagulation function of patients admitted to the hospital were similar. After being admitted to the hospital, the most significant decreases among the eight factors were between week 2 and 3. There were distinct differences among the eight factors between people older than 55 years and those younger than 55 years. In the first 2 weeks after being admitted, the levels of the eight factors in patients >55 years were significantly higher than those in patients <55 years, and after another 2 weeks of treatment, the factor levels in both age groups returned to normal. Conclusion: The eight factors all increased within 2 weeks after onset and gradually decreased to normal after 2 weeks regardless of treatment. Compared with patients younger than 55 years, patients older than 55 years have greater changes in their blood coagulation test values.

[Regulation Control of a Tribasic Amendment on the Chemical Fractions of Cd and As in Paddy Soil and Their Accumulation in Rice].

A pot experiment was conducted to identify the effect of a tribasic amendment (limestone+diatomite+ferric sulfate, LDF) on chemical fractions of Cd and As in paddy soils and their accumulation in brown rice. LDF was set to seven levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 g·kg-1) based on the quality ratio, and two genotypes of rice were planted (Huanghuazhan and T-you 272). The results show that:① The application of LDF increased the rhizosphere soil pH of two varieties of rice, Huanghuazhan and T-you 272, by 0.01-0.42 and 0.11-0.54, respectively, and decreased the concentrations of EX-Cd by 11.1%-61.1% and 26.5%-52.9%, respectively, and the concentrations of EX-As by 8.2%-60.0% and 5.6%-49.9%, respectively. ② Application of LDF promoted the transformation of soil Cd and As from soluble to insoluble forms. Although the trends of the rhizosphere soils of the two rice varieties were not consistent, the application of LDF could decrease the proportion of EX-Cd and increase the proportion of Fe/Mn-Cd, Org-Cd, and O-Cd, which was accompanied by the reduction of the proportion of EX-As and an increase in the proportion of Ca-As. ③ The concentrations of Cd, As, and Fe in the iron plaque decreased by applying LDF, while the concentration of Mn increased, and the maximum increase of Mn could reach 124.2%. ④ Application of LDF decreased the concentrations of Cd in brown rice of the two varieties of rice by 64.6% and 65.9%, respectively, and decreased that of As by 37.0% and 42.5%, respectively. The effect on the concentrations of inorganic As was not significant. When the application amount of LDF was 2-16 g·kg-1, the concentrations of Cd and inorganic As in T-you 272 brown rice were both under 0.2 mg·kg-1, and when the application amount was 16 g·kg-1, the concentrations of Cd and inorganic As in Huanghuazhan brown rice were both under 0.2 mg·kg-1. In actual agricultural production, the application amount of LDF can be adjusted according to the soil pollution levels and the rice varieties.

Flexible Electrode by Hydrographic Printing for Surface Electromyography Monitoring.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) monitoring has recently inspired new applications in the field of patient diagnose, rehabilitation therapy, man-machine-interface and prosthesis control. However, conventional wet electrodes for sEMG recording cannot fully satisfy the requirements of these applications because they are based on rigid metals and conductive gels that cause signal quality attenuation, motion artifact and skin allergy. In this study, a novel flexible dry electrode is presented for sEMG monitoring. The electrode is fabricated by screen-printing a silver-eutectic gallium-indium system over a transfer tattoo paper, which is then hydrographically printed on 3D surface or human skin. Peano curve in open-network pattern is adopted to enhance the mechanics of the electrode. Hydrographic printing enables the electrode to attach to skin intimately and conformably, meanwhile assures better mechanical and electrical properties and therefore improves the signal quality and long-term wearability of the electrode. By recording sEMG signal of biceps under three kinds of movement with comparison to conventional wet electrode, the feasibility of the presented flexible dry electrode for sEMG monitoring was proved.

Virologic and clinical characteristics for prognosis of severe COVID-19: a retrospective observational study in Wuhan, China

BackgroundThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has progressed to a pandemic associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The WHO and the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued interim clinical guidance for management of patients with confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but there is limited data on the virologic and clinical characteristics for prognosis of severe COVID-19. MethodsA total of 50 patients with severe COVID-19 were divided into good and poor recovery groups. The dynamic viral shedding and serological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 were explored. The risk factors associated with poor recovery and lung lesion resolutions were identified. In addition, the potential relationships among the viral shedding, the pro-inflammatory response, and lung lesion evolutions were characterized. ResultsA total of 58% of the patients had poor recovery and were more likely to have a prolonged interval of viral shedding. The longest viral shedding was 57 days after symptom onset. Older age, hyperlipemia, hypoproteinemia, corticosteroid therapy, consolidation on chest computed-tomography (CT), and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 IgM positive were all associated with poor recovery. Additionally, the odds of impaired lung lesion resolutions were higher in patients with hypoproteinemia, hyperlipemia, and elevated levels of IL-4 and ferritin. Finally, viral shedding and proinflammatory responses were closely correlated with lung lesion evolutions on chest CT. ConclusionsPatients with severe COVID-19 have prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection and delayed intermittent viral shedding. Older age, hyperlipemia, hypoproteinemia, corticosteroid usage, and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 IgM positive might be utilized as predicative factors for the patients with poor recovery.

Triaging patients in the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus

In the end of 2019, the epidemic of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Wuhan and spread rapidly. Changsha, a city located south to the epicenter, was soon impacted. To control the transmission of the coronavirus and avoid nosocomial infection, triage procedures based on epidemiology were implemented in a local hospital of the city. This retrospective study analyzed the data collected during the triage period and found that COVID-19 patients were enriched seven folds into the Section A designated for rapid detection and quarantine. On the other side, roughly triple amounts of visits were received at the Section B for patients without obvious epidemiological history. Eight COVID-19 cases were spotted out of 247 suspected patients. More than 50% of the suspected patients were submitted to multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of the 239 patients who were diagnosed as negative of the virus infection,188 were successfully revisited and none was reported as a COVID-19 case. Of the eight COVID-19 patients, three were confirmed only after multiple rounds of nucleic acid analysis. Besides comorbidities, delayed sharing of epidemiological history added another layer of complexity to the diagnosis in practice. While SARS-CoV-2 epidemic is being alerted in many countries, our report will be helpful to other colleagues in rapid identification of COVID-19 cases and controlling the transmission of the disease.

Synthesis of (ZrO2-Al2O3)/GO nanocomposite by sonochemical method and the mechanism analysis of its high defluoridation.

A nanocomposite of (ZrO2-Al2O3)/GO was successfully synthesized by a simple sonochemical method in this study. A special 3D network was formed in (ZrO2-Al2O3)/GO, which produced a large surface area and good distribution of metal oxide nanoparticles. The as-synthesized (ZrO2-Al2O3)/GO exhibits a maximum fluoride adsorption capacity of 62.2 mg/g, and an adsorption ability of 13.80 mg/g when the F- equilibrium concentration is 1 mg/L, both of which are higher than most previously reported defluoridation adsorbents, indicating that it is among the top adsorbents. Large amounts of drinking water contaminated by F- can be treated by (ZrO2-Al2O3)/GO to meet the WHO limit, indicating the high potential for practical application of the adsorbent. Based on the experimental analysis, the origin of the high defluoridation performance and the adsorption mechanism were discussed in detail. Due to the simple preparation, easy operation and high performance, the adsorbent and the related sonochemical method are considered to be significant for developing highly effective adsorbents.

Methods for establishing animal model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and their evaluation / 中国当代儿科杂志

With the development of treatment, the survival rate of premature infants has significantly increased, especially extremely premature infants and very low birth weight infants. This has led to an increase in incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) year by year. BPD has been one of the most common respiratory system diseases in premature infants, especially the small premature infants. Arrested alveolar development is an important cause of BPD. Therefore, the mechanism of arrested alveolar development and the intervention measures for promoting alveolar development are the focuses of research on BPD. Selecting the appropriate animal model of BPD is the key to obtaining meaningful results in the basic research on BPD. Based on above, several common methods for establishing an animal model of BPD and the corresponding changes in pathophysiology are summarized and evaluated in order to provide a reference for selecting the appropriate animal model in studies on the pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and prevention and control strategies of BPD.

Manifestations of the connective tissue associated interstitial lung disease under high resolution computed tomography / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To analyze the features of the connective tissue associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT).Methods:A total of 127 patients with CTD-ILD,who were diagnosed by clinic laboratory examination and pathology in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University form September 2013 to September 2015,were enrolled for this study.Their lung features of HRCT imaging were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The classifications for 127 patients were as follows:36 cases of rheumatoid arthritis (28.3%),34 cases of dermatomyositis and polymyositis (26.8%),31 cases of systemic sclerosis (24.4%),18 cases of Sj(o)gren syndrome (14.2%),7 cases of mixed connective tissue disease (5.5%),and 1 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (0.8%).According to the features of HRCT imaging,the patients were divided as follows:77 cases (60.6%) ofnonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP),46 cases (36.2%) of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP),2 cases (1.6%) of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP),1 case (0.8%) of cryptogenic interstitial pneumonia (COP),and 1 case (0.8%) of acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP).The HRCT findings for 36 cases of rheumatoid arthritis associated interstitial lung disease were UIP (24 cases,66.7%) and NSIP (12 cases,33.3%);the HRCT findings for 34 cases of dermatomyositis and polymyositis associated interstitial lung disease were NSIP (32 cases,94.1%),UIP (1 case,2.9%) and COP (1 case,2.9%);the HRCT findings for 31 cases of systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease were NSIP (21 cases,67.8%),UIP.(9 cases,29%),LIP(1 case,3.2%);the HRCT findings for 18 cases of Sj(o)gren syndrome associated interstitial lung disease were NSIP (9 cases,50.0%),UIP (8 cases,44.4%),LIP (1 case,5.6%);the HRCT findings for 7 cases of mixed connective tissue disease associated interstitial lung disease were UIP (4 cases,57.1%),NSIP (3 cases,42.9%).SLE-ILD was rare,with only 1 case of AIP.Conclusion:Different types of CTD-ILD patients display relatively unique manifestation of HRCT.

Multiple doping structures of the rare-earth atoms in ß-SiAlON:Ce phosphors and their effects on luminescence properties.

The critical doping structures of rare-earth atoms in the promising ß-SiAlON phosphors have long been argued owing to the lack of direct evidence. Here, the exact locations and coordination of the Ce rare-earth atoms in the ß-SiAlON structure have been examined using an atom-resolved Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. Three different occupation sites for the Ce atoms have been directly observed: two of them are in the structural channel coordinated with six and nine N(O) atoms, respectively; the other one is the unexpected substitution site for Si(Al). The chemical valences and stabilities of the doping Ce ions at the different occupation sites have been evaluated using density functional calculations. Correlation of the different doping structures with the luminescence properties has been investigated by the aid of cathodoluminescence (CL) microanalysis, which verifies the different contribution of the interstitial trivalent Ce ions to the light emission while no luminescence is observed for the substitutional doping of quadrivalent Ce.

Structural and Functional Diversity of Peptide Toxins from Tarantula Haplopelma hainanum (Ornithoctonus hainana) Venom Revealed by Transcriptomic, Peptidomic, and Patch Clamp Approaches.

Spider venom is a complex mixture of bioactive peptides to subdue their prey. Early estimates suggested that over 400 venom peptides are produced per species. In order to investigate the mechanisms responsible for this impressive diversity, transcriptomics based on second generation high throughput sequencing was combined with peptidomic assays to characterize the venom of the tarantula Haplopelma hainanum. The genes expressed in the venom glands were identified, and the bioactivity of their protein products was analyzed using the patch clamp technique. A total of 1,136 potential toxin precursors were identified that clustered into 90 toxin groups, of which 72 were novel. The toxin peptides clustered into 20 cysteine scaffolds that included between 4 and 12 cysteines, and 14 of these groups were newly identified in this spider. Highly abundant toxin peptide transcripts were present and resulted from hypermutation and/or fragment insertion/deletion. In combination with variable post-translational modifications, this genetic variability explained how a limited set of genes can generate hundreds of toxin peptides in venom glands. Furthermore, the intraspecies venom variability illustrated the dynamic nature of spider venom and revealed how complex components work together to generate diverse bioactivities that facilitate adaptation to changing environments, types of prey, and milking regimes in captivity.

Screening for voltage-gated sodium channel interacting peptides.

The voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) interacting peptide is of special interest for both basic research and pharmaceutical purposes. In this study, we established a yeast-two-hybrid based strategy to detect the interaction(s) between neurotoxic peptide and the extracellular region of VGSC. Using a previously reported neurotoxin JZTX-III as a model molecule, we demonstrated that the interactions between JZTX-III and the extracellular regions of its target hNav1.5 are detectable and the detected interactions are directly related to its activity. We further applied this strategy to the screening of VGSC interacting peptides. Using the extracellular region of hNav1.5 as the bait, we identified a novel sodium channel inhibitor SSCM-1 from a random peptide library. This peptide selectively inhibits hNav1.5 currents in the whole-cell patch clamp assays. This strategy might be used for the large scale screening for target-specific interacting peptides of VGSCs or other ion channels.