Effect of early enteral nutrition on postoperative nutritional status and immune function in elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer

To explore the effect of early enteral nutrition （EN） on postoperative nutritional status, intestinal permeability, and immune 6anction in elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer. Methods： A total of 96 patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from June 2007 to December 2010 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into EN group （n=50） and parenteral nutrition （PN） group （n=46） based on the nutrition support modes. The body weight, time to first flatus/defecation, average hospital stay, complications and mortality after the surgery as well as the liver function indicators were recorded and analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were collected on the days 1, 4 and 7 after surgery. The plasma diamine oxidase （DAO） activity and D-lactate level were determined to assess the intestinal permeability. The plasma endotoxin levels were determined using dynamic turbidimetric assay to assess the protective effect of EN on intestinal mucosal barrier. The postoperative blood levels of inflammatory cytokines and immunoglobulins were determined using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Results： After the surgery, the time to first flatus/defecation, average hospital stay, and complications were significantly less in the EN group than those in the PN group （P〈0.05）, whereas the EN group had significantly higher albumin levels than the PN group （P〈0.05）. On the 7th postoperative day, the DAO activity, D-lactate level and endotoxin contents were significantly lower in the EN group than those in the PN group （all P〈0.05）. In addition, the EN group had significantly higher IgA, IgG, IgM, and CD4 levels than the PN group （P〈0.05） but significantly lower IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-a levels （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： In elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer, early EN after surgery can effectively improve the nutritional status, protect intestinal mucosal barrier （by reducing plasma endoxins）, and enhance the immune function

Ray tracing of turning wave in elliptically anisotropic media with an irregular surface

Seismic ray tracing in anisotropic media with irregular surface is crucial for the exploration of the fine crustal structure. Elliptically anisotropic medium is the type of anisotropic media with only four independent elastic parameters. Usually, this medium can be described by only the vertical phase velocity and the horizontal phase velocity for seismic wave propagation. Model parameteri- zation in this study is described by flexible triangular grids, which is beneficial for the description of irregular surface with high degree of approximation. Both the vertical and horizontal phase velocities are defined in the triangular grids, respectively, which are used for the description of phase velocity distribution everywhere in the model by linear interpolation. We develop a shooting ray tracing method of turning wave in the elliptically anisotropic media with irregular surface. Runge-Kutta method is applied to solve the partial differential equation of seismic ray in elliptically anisotropic media. Linearly modified method is used for adjusting emergent phase angles in the shooting scheme. Numerical tests demonstrate that ray paths coincide well with analytical trajectories in trans- versely homogeneous elliptically anisotropic media. Seis- mic ray tracing results in transversely inhomogeneous elliptically anisotropic media demonstrate that our method is effective for further first-arrival tomography in ellipti- cally anisotropic media with an irregular surface.

A metallogenic model for the supergiant gold system in Jiaodong province:Constraints from crustal velocity structure

We investigate the role of crustal architectures playing in controlling the genesis and nature of supergiant Jiaodong orogenic gold system via seismic imaging.We deployed an NWW-SEE-trending broadband seismic linear array traversing the province to construct a shear wave velocity(V_S)transect based on ambient noise tomography.Our crustal V_S transect reveals a prominent low velocity zone(LVZ)at 12–20 km depths across the whole province and high V_S anomalies at 8–12 km depths underneath the western part that hosts most of the ore tonnage.We interpret the former as a hydrothermal alteration zone related to mineralization and the latter as a crustal component containing large amounts of mafic rocks(e.g.,amphibolites).In addition,a listric fault system and a strike-slip fault system are imaged in the western and eastern parts of the province,respectively.Combining features of crustal velocities with regional geological observations that ores are tempo-spatially associated with mafic dikes,we propose a model of gold metallogenic processes.In this model,ponding and degassing of the mafic magmas led to the formation of a hydrothermal alteration LVZ in the middle crust prior to mineralization.Later,auriferous fluid was released from this intra-crustal hydrothermal alteration zone as it was heated by upwelling asthenosphere.The ore fluid ascending along the listric fault system possibly leached extra gold from the upper-crustal amphibolites.Then,the gold-rich fluid migrated up along different fault systems,leading to the disseminated-veinlet mineralization with great gold endowment in the western listric fault system and the quartz-vein type mineralization with relatively small ore tonnage in the eastern strike-slip fault system.

Formulation optimization and in vitro antibacterial ability investigation of azithromycin loaded FDKP microspheres dry powder inhalation

Azithromycin loaded fumaryl diketopiperazine(FDKP)dry powder inhalation was designed and prepared for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.The solubility of FDKP and stability of azithromycin solution was investigated.Formulation of azithromycin loaded FDKP microparticle was investigated and optimized by the single factor experiment.High-pressure homogenization and spray drying conditions were also optimized to prepare the particles by spray drying azithromycin dissolved FDKP microparticle suspension at pH 4.5.The in vitro antibacterial efficiency and in vitro dispersion performance was also investigated to confirm the antibacterial efficiency,dispersion and deposition behavers.FDKP/azithromycin mass ratio(3:2)was the optimized formulation of azithromycin loaded FDKP microparticle with the maximal drug loading efficiency.High-pressure homogenization and spray drying conditions were also optimized.The in vitro antibacterial results indicated that only with the antibiotic concentration higher than mutant prevention concentration could totally inhibit the reproduction of bacteria.In vitro dispersion performance of azithromycin loaded FDKP microparticles(AZM@FDKP-MPs)also shows remarkable improvement of dispersion and deposition behavers of AZM.AZM@FDKP-MPs dry powder inhalation as a targeting delivery route has better potential for lung infection treatment.

Cenozoic magmatic activity and oblique uplifting of the Ailao Mountain: Evidence from a short-period dense seismic array

Geological studies show that the southern part of Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone(ALSRRSZ)has experienced complex metallogenic processes and multi-stage non-uniform uplifting,called oblique uplifting since the Cenozoic.To detect the deep structure and geodynamic background beneath Daping,Chang’an and other gold and polymetallic deposits in this area,we carried out a high-density short-period seismic array survey in southern Yunnan province.The array used is approximately240 km long with an interval of 500 m between two adjacent stations.Based on the data collected by the array,we used H-κstacking and common conversion point(CCP)methods of receiver functions to reveal the fine crustal structure beneath this array,which was located from Lvchun(western end)to the east and ended in Maguan.The three main conclusions are as follows.(1)The average crustal thickness is approximately 37 km and the Vp/Vsratio is 1.75.However,the thickness and Vp/Vsratio of the Ailao Mountain are rather greater or higher than those of the western Lanping-Simao Basin and eastern South-China block.These results may indicate that the crust is rich in ferromagnesian minerals or has a thermal fluid anomaly after orogenic movement.(2)There are two obvious inclined interfaces beneath the Ailao Mountain in the mid-upper crust,which suggests that strong deformation occurred there during the orogenic period.Some evidences,such as the weak converted-wave Pms phase from the Moho,low P-wave velocities of the upper mantle,high surface heat flow values,and generally developed hot springs,indicate that a strong crust-mantle interaction exists in the southern segments of the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone.These interactions include a diapir of mantle-sourced magma(stronger in the east than that in the west),lateral collision from the Indian Plate,and the differential uplift caused by the strike-slip movement of the Red River Fault.All of above deep processes led to the Cenozoic oblique uplifting of Ailao Mountain.(3)By combining the location of the deposits on the surface,characteristics of the average crustal Vp/Vsratio,hypocenters of the small earthquakes along the research profile,Moho shape,and horizontal variations of the Pms phase amplitudes,we speculate that the Ailaoshan Fault was the upgoing conduit for metallogenic magma and played a significant role in the Cenozoic development of the multiform metal deposits around the Ailao Mountain area.

Exhaled breath diagnostics of lung and gastric cancers in China using nanosensors

Dear Editor,Breath analysis is a promising diagnostic approach for various conditions[1,2].It is based on the identification of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emitted in the breath,which creates a unique volatolomic signature[3].Owing to their characteristics,VOCs can be measured non-intrusively from the breath or other body sources[3,4].Several studies have shown the diagnostic potential for a variety of conditions based on VOC analysis[5-9].Malignant diseases,where early detection is crucial,are the main focus of VOC analysis,with lung cancer(LC)and gastric cancer(GC)being the most studied.LC and GC together were responsible for approximately 2.5 million deaths globally in 2018[10].The aim of VOC analysis of the breath using sensors is to identify a“VOC-print”comprising the total abundances and ratios of the compounds in the breath,giving an overall unique chemical pattern[11].