Search

Abstract Background Chylothorax is a postoperative complication in patients with lung cancer. Diet-control approaches have been the mainstay for managing this condition. However, a surgical intervention is needed for the patients if conservative treatment is ineffective. Because of the lack of accurate indicators to assess the prognosis of the postoperative complication at an early stage, the criteria of surgical treatment were not consistent. Methods We reviewed 2942 patients who underwent pulmonary resection and lymph node dissection for primary lung cancer at our hospital between March 2021 and December 2022. The prognostic implications of clinical indicators were assessed in patients with postoperative chylothorax who were managed with a low-fat diet. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the predictive value of these indicators for patient prognosis. Results Postoperative chylothorax occurred in 108 patients and 79 patients were treated with a low-fat diet management while 29 patients were managed with TPN. In contrast to drainage volume, the pleural effusion triglyceride level after 2 days of low-fat diet exhibited enhanced predictive efficacy in predicting patient prognosis. When the pleural fluid triglyceride level of 1.33 mmol/L was used as the diagnostic threshold for prognosis, the sensitivity and specificity reached 100% and 80.6%, respectively. Conclusions The pleural effusion triglyceride level after 2 days of low-fat diet can serve as a valuable prognostic indicator in patients undergoing lung surgery and experiencing chylothorax. This predictive approach will help thoracic surgeons to identify patients with poor prognosis in a timely manner and make decision to perform necessary surgical interventions.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxins distributed in food and feed, which causes severe liver injury in humans and animals. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has received much attention in mycotoxin degradation due to the advantages of easy operation, high efficiency, and low temperature. So far, the majority of studies have focused on the degradation efficiency and mechanism of CAP on DON, while there is still little information available on the hepatotoxicity of DON after CAP treatment. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the effect of CAP on DON-induced hepatotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo and its underlying mechanisms. The results showed that 120-s CAP treatment achieved 97 % degradation of DON. The vitro hepatotoxicity of DON in L02 cells was significantly reduced with CAP treatment time. Meanwhile, CAP markedly alleviated DON-induced liver injury in mice including the balloon-like degeneration of liver tissues and elevation of AST and ALP level. The underlying mechanism for CAP detoxification of DON-induced hepatotoxicity was further elucidated. The results showed that DON caused severe oxidative stress in cells by suppressing the antioxidant signaling pathway of Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-1, consequently leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell apoptosis, accompanied by cellular senescence and inflammation. CAP blocked DON inhibition on the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-1 signaling pathway through the efficient degradation of DON, accordingly alleviating the oxidative stress and liver injury induced by DON. Therefore, CAP is an effective method to eliminate DON hepatotoxicity, which can be applied in the detoxification of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed to ensure human and animal health.

Introduction: Cervical cancer (CC) ranks as the fourth most prevalent malignant tumor among women worldwide, and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. GuiErBai (GEB), a compound preparation developed by our research team, is derived from the ancient Chinese medicine of the Miao nationality and is comprised of podophyllotoxin (PTOX), imperatorin, isoimperatorin, and A. dahurica alkaloids. These individual components have demonstrated notable efficacy in tumor treatment. However, the specific anti-tumor effect of the compound Chinese medicine GEB in the context of CC has yet to be validated.Methods: HeLa and SiHa cell lines were utilized for in vitro experiments and treated with 5 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL GEB concentrations, respectively. The cell cycle changes after GEB treatment were assessed using flow cytometry. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe autophagic bodies and apoptotic bodies, while MDC staining evaluated the occurrence of autophagy. CCK-8 was used to observe the effect of GEB on cell proliferation, and Transwell assays assessed cell migration and invasion. Western blotting detected cell cycle and apoptosis-related protein expression, along with the expression level of autophagy-related protein LC3I/II. Changes in ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential in cervical cancer cells following GEB treatment were determined using ROS detection and mitochondrial membrane potential detection kits. For the in vivo experiment, a nude mouse model of cervical cancer transplantation based on HeLa cells was established. Experimental animals were divided into negative control, positive control, high-dose GEB (10 mg/mL), and low-dose GEB (5 mg/mL) groups.Results: In HeLa and SiHa cell lines, the G0/G1 phase of tumor cells significantly decreased (p < 0.001), while the G2/M phase increased notably (p < 0.001) following various GEB treatments. Electron microscopy showed GEB promoted apoptotic body and autophagosome formation in both cell lines. Compared to untreated HeLa and SiHa cells, GEB-treated cells exhibited significantly reduced caspase3 protein expression, and substantially increased autophagy-related protein LC3I/II expression. GEB treatment significantly reduced migration and invasion capabilities in both cell lines (p < 0.001), while ROS content and mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly elevated (p < 0.001). GEB effectively inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation, with the optimal concentration being 10 mg/mL. A successful nude mouse model of cervical cancer transplantation was established using HeLa cells. Post-GEB treatment, the tumor volume and weight in nude mice significantly decreased (p < 0.001), with diminished expression of CD34, VEGF, and caspase3 proteins in tumor tissues.Discussion: GEB exhibits a robust antitumor effect against cervical cancer, both in vitro and in vivo, in a concentration-dependent manner, by regulating autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells.

Abstract Background The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is regarded as a dependable alternative for assessing insulin resistance (IR), given its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and strong correlation with IR. The relationship between the TyG index and adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) is not well established. This study examines the association of the TyG index with long-term adverse outcomes in hospitalized CHD patients. Methods In this single-center prospective cohort study, 3321 patients hospitalized with CHD were included. Multivariate Cox regression models were employed to assess the associations between the TyG index and the incidence of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). To examine potential nonlinear associations, restricted cubic splines and threshold analysis were utilized. Results During a follow-up period of 9.4 years, 759 patients (22.9%) succumbed to mortality, while 1291 (38.9%) experienced MACEs. Threshold analysis demonstrated a significant “U”-shaped nonlinear relationship with MACEs, with different hazard ratios observed below and above a TyG index of 8.62 (below: HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.50–0.99; above: HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.48). Notably, an increased risk of all-cause mortality was observed only when the TyG index exceeded 8.77 (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.19–1.96). Conclusions This study reveals a nonlinear association between the TyG index and both all-cause mortality and MACEs in hospitalized CHD patients with CHD. Assessing the TyG index, particularly focusing on individuals with extremely low or high TyG index values, may enhance risk stratification for adverse outcomes in this patient population.

Abstract This report introduces a young adult who has been in bed for more than ten years with end-stage hemophilic arthropathy. He didn’t have access to factor VIII (FVIII) in the early stage of hemophilia due to the high costs of clotting replacement therapy. As a result, he is experiencing some difficulties, such as joint contracture, muscular atrophy, severe pain, and poor function of cardiopulmonary. He came to visit us for a comprehensive rehabilitation program, and, finally, he achieved the basic goal of self-care in daily life.

A multi-component mixed acid was prepared by simulating the composition of exhaust gas recirculation condensate, and the effects of the multi-component mixed acid solution on the mechanical properties, apparent morphology and thermal stability of silicone rubber, fluororubber and ethylene-acrylate rubber were investigated. The results showed that after corrosion, the mechanical properties and surface morphology of fluororubber and ethylene-acrylate rubber remained good, while cracks appeared on the surface of silicone rubber and its tensile strength and elongation at break decreased significantly by 86.6% and 90.3%, respectively. Thermal stability of fluororubber remained good, while the initial decomposition temperature of ethylene-acrylate rubber and silicone rubber increased.

Abstract The product functions (PFs) extracted by local mean decomposition (LMD) of the noisy signal contain obvious energy‐concentrated pulses. As a result, the conventional amplitude threshold filtering used in wavelet transform (WT)‐based and empirical mode decomposition (EMD)‐based de‐noising methods is no longer applicable. To address this issue, an improved signal de‐noising method is proposed by using the multi‐level local mean decomposition (ML‐LMD), the superposition and recombination (SR) of high‐order PFs, the outlier detection, and waveform smoothing (OD‐WS) to remove noise by eliminating the pulse components. The proposed method's superior noise reduction performance is demonstrated through theoretical analysis and experimental verification. Compared to well‐known methods like WT‐based and EMD‐based de‐noising, the results show that the proposed method has significant comparative advantages in reducing noise in rolling bearing signals.

Objective To investigate the regulation and mechanism of Herkinorin preconditioning on NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) in brain tissue of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rats. Methods Rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (sham), model group (tMCAO) and Herkinorin group (Herkinorin). Before modeling, rats in Herkinorin group were intraperitoneally given Herkinorin (10 mg/kg) once a day for a week. The rats were evaluated by neurologic score, TTC staining, TUNEL staining 24 h after reperfusion. The expression levels of IκBα, p65, p-p65, pro-IL-1β, IL-1β, pro-caspase1, caspase1 p20 and NLRP3 were detected by Western blot. The binding level of IκBα to β-arrestin2 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Results Compared with sham group, rats in tMCAO group had higher behavioral score (P＜0.01), increased cerebral infarction percentage and increased cerebral edema rate (P＜0.01). The level of cell apoptosis was increased in ischemic penumbra (P＜0.01). The expression levels of IκBα and p65 were decreased (P＜0.01) and the expression levels of p-p65, IL-1β, caspase1 p20 and NLRP3 were increased in ischemic penumbra (P＜0.01). The binding level of IκBα to β-arrestin2 was decreased in ischemic penumbra (P＜0.01). Compared with tMCAO group, rats in Herkinorin group had lower behavioral score (P＜0.01), lower cerebral infarction percentage and lower cerebral edema rate (P＜0.01). The level of cell apoptosis was decreased in ischemic penumbra(P＜0.01). The expression of IκBα and p65 was increased (P＜0.01) and the expression of p-p65, IL-1β, caspase1 p20 and NLRP3 was decreased in ischemic penumbra (P＜0.01). The binding of IκBα to β-arrestin2 was increased in ischemic penumbra (P＜0.01). Conclusions Herkinorin may negatively regulate NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway to alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury of tMCAO rats.

Groundwater plays a vital role in water resources and a key process of watershed water cycle. Baiyangdian basin was taken as the typical area to analyze the major ion sources and influence factors by using Piper diagram, ion ratio coefficient method, and forward succession model. The results show that the major cation in groundwater in the Baiyangdian Basin is Na+, and the major anion is ... . The hydrochemical types of shallow groundwater are mainly Ca · Mg-HCO3 and Ca · Mg-HCO3 · NO3, while deep groundwater types are mainly Na-HCO3 and Na · Mg-HCO3. Rock weathering is the main source of ions in groundwater, with carbonate rock weathering contributing the most (47.83%), followed by silicate rock (29.65%) and evaporite rock (13.52%). The major ions are influenced by rock weathering, dissolution-filtration processes, cation exchange, and human activities. In the piedmont alluvial plain area, agricultural activities have a significant impact on shallow groundwater, while shallow groundwater near Baiyangdian is more influenced by industrial activities. These research findings can provide valuable insights and guidance for the protection and improvement of the water ecological environment in the Baiyangdian Basin and Xiong'an New Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of trace elements in mining wastelands has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Vegetation restoration is an effective measure for controlling the surface migration of trace elements. However, there is no field evidence of the effective riparian zone width in mining wastelands. Three widths (5 m, 7.5 m, and 10 m) of Rhododendron simsii/Lolium perenne L. riparian zones were constructed in lead–zinc mining wastelands to investigate the loss of soil, cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). Asbestos tiles were used to cut off connections between adjacent plots to avoid hydrological interference. Plastic pipes and containers were used to collect runoff water. Results showed that more than 90% of trace elements were lost in sediment during low coverage and heavy rainfall periods. Compared with the 5 m riparian zone, the total trace element loss was reduced by 69–85% during the whole observation period in the 10 m riparian zone and by 86–99% during heavy rain periods in the 10 m riparian zone, which was due to reduction in runoff and concentrations of sediment and trace elements in the 10 m riparian zone. Indirect negative effects of riparian zone width on trace element loss through runoff and sediment concentration were found. These results indicated that the wide riparian zone promoted water infiltration, filtered soil particles, and reduced soil erosion and trace element loss. Riparian zones can be used as environmental management measures after mining areas are closed to reduce the spread of environmental risks in mining wastelands, although the long-term effects remain to be determined.

Objective To evaluate the application of online-teaching in ultrasound-guided regional block. Methods A total of 356 students (September 2020 to October 2020) who participated in three-phase online teaching in ultrasound-guided regional block were enrolled. Questionnaire regarding the online teaching were distributed to gather the feedback opinions. Results 81.47% of the students responded positively about online-teaching. 71.63% of the students agreed that online-teaching didn't impact their learning experience. 63.82% of the students thought the interactivity of online teaching was satisfying. 59.41% of the students preferred online-teaching to traditional teaching in ultrasound-guided regional block. Conclusions The online-teaching in ultrasound-guided regional block is accepted well by trainers. Further combination of online-teaching and hands-on workshop training may improve the teaching quality by complementary mutual advantages.

This study determined the effects of seed structures on seed dormancy and tested methods to break dormancy in seeds of Urochloa hybrid cultivar ‘Mulato II’. Seeds stored for 10 months in indoor ambient conditions were studied to determine effects of seed structures on seed germination and their water permeability. Results showed that seed structures presented a barrier to water permeability. Removal of lemmas, puncturing the seed coat, seed structure removal and sulfuric acid immersion all reduced seed dormancy. Water and alcohol extracts from different parts of seeds inhibited seed germination of Brassica pekinensis seeds. There were 3 mechanisms responsible for seed dormancy; first, the mechanical barrier of seed structures, which excluded water and reduced gas exchange as well as restricting growth of the embryo; second, an endogenous germination inhibitor mainly found in lemmas; and third, water permeability of the seed coat (including pericarp and testa). The mechanical removal of lemmas and immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid reduced seed dormancy, although mechanical removal of the lemma alone was effective, convenient and safer.