GPa-level pressure-induced enhanced corrosion resistance in TiZrTaNbSn biomedical high-entropy alloy

TiZrTaNb-based high-entropy alloys(HEAs)are research frontier of biomedical materials due to their high hardness,good yield strength,excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance.Sn,as an essential trace element in the human body that plays a significant role in physiological process.It has stable chemical properties and a low elastic modulus.In this study,a new material,TiZrTaNbSn HEAs,was proposed as a potential biomedical alloy.The Ti_(35)Zr_(25)Ta_(15)Nb_(15)Sn_(10)biomedical high-entropy alloys(BHEAs)were successfully prepared through an arc melting furnace and then remelted using a German high-temperature and high-pressure apparatus under GPa-level(4 GPa and 7 GPa).The precipitation behavior of the needle-like HCP-Zr_(5)Sn_(3)phase that precipitates discontinuously at the grain boundary was successfully controlled.The phase constitution,microstructure,and corrosion resistance of the alloy were studied.The results show that the needle-like HCP-Zr_(5)Sn_(3)phase is eliminated and the(Zr,Sn)-rich nano-precipitated phase is precipitated in the microstructure under high pressure,which leads to the narrowing of grain boundaries and consequently improves the corrosion resistance of the alloy.In addition,the formation mechanisms of(Zr,Sn)-rich nanoprecipitates in BHEAs were discussed.More Zr and Sn dissolve in the matrix due to the effect of high pressure,during the cooling process,they precipitate to form a(Zr,Sn)-rich nano-precipitated phase.

Muscovite^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar isotopic dating of pegmatite veins in the Bieyesamas rare metal deposit in the Altay Mountain,Xinjiang,northwestern China

1.Objective The Altay Orogenic Belt in Xinjiang,China is located in the west of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and in the transition zone between the Siberian Plate and the Kazakhstan-Junggar Plate,extending approximately 500 km in northern Xinjiang,China(Fig.1a).The Altay Orogenic Belt has undergone two-way accretion of the Paleozoic crust and the Meso-Cenozoic intracontinental orogeny,leading to the formation of large numbers of intermediate-acid intrusions.More than 100000 pegmatite veins have been discovered in the intermediate-acid intrusions,and they constitute an important rare metal metallogenic belt of China(Fig.1b).

Exploring choices of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis based on changes in intestinal microecology

BACKGROUND Sepsis exacerbates intestinal microecological disorders leading to poor prognosis.Proper modalities of nutritional support can improve nutrition,immunity,and intestinal microecology.AIM To identify the optimal modality of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis from the perspective of intestinal microecology.METHODS Thirty patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University,China,between 2019 and 2021 with indications for nutritional support,were randomly assigned to one of three different modalities of nutritional support for a total of 5 d:Total enteral nutrition(TEN group),total parenteral nutrition(TPN group),and supplemental parenteral nutrition(SPN group).Blood and stool specimens were collected before and after nutritional support,and changes in gut microbiota,short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs),and immune and nutritional indicators were detected and compared among the three groups.RESULTS In comparison with before nutritional support,the three groups after nutritional support presented:(1)Differences in the gut bacteria(Enterococcus increased in the TEN group,Campylobacter decreased in the TPN group,and Dialister decreased in the SPN group;all P<0.05);(2)different trends in SCFAs(the TEN group showed improvement except for Caproic acid,the TPN group showed improvement only for acetic and propionic acid,and the SPN group showed a decreasing trend);(3)significant improvement of the nutritional and immunological indicators in the TEN and SPN groups,while only immunoglobulin G improved in the TPN group(all P<0.05);and(4)a significant correlation was found between the gut bacteria,SCFAs,and nutritional and immunological indicators(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION TEN is recommended as the preferred mode of early nutritional support in sepsis based on clinical nutritional and immunological indicators,as well as changes in intestinal microecology.

Clostridium butyricum alleviates intestinal low-grade inflammation in TNBS-induced irritable bowel syndrome in mice by regulating functional status of lamina propria dendritic cells

BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastroenterological diseases characterized by abnormal visceral sensitivity and lowgrade inflammation. The role of Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) in reducing intestinal low-grade inflammation via immune pathways has been well defined. However, the detailed mechanisms of the effects of C. butyricum on intestinal mucosal immunity, especially on immune cells of the lamina propria, remain unclear. Dendritic cells (DCs), which are important immune cells, secrete proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and others) and express T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (TIM3), promoting proliferation and activation of DCs, and mediating Th1 and Th17 inflammatory responses. AIM To investigate the role of DCs in the development of IBS in a rat model and to understand the regulation of DCs after C. butyricum intervention. METHODS An IBS animal model was established using C57BL/6 mice, and C. butyricum was continuously administered via the intragastric route to simulate different intestinal immune states. Intestinal visceral hypersensitivity and histopathology were assessed using the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) test and hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining, respectively. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) and TIM3 was analyzed by Western blot analysis and real-time PCR. Flow cytometry was applied to analyze the quantity, function, and membrane molecule TIM3 of the lamina propria dendritic cells (LPDCs). The regulatory effect of C. butyricum was verified in bone marrowderived dendritic cells by in vitro experiments. RESULTS The secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) in mice with IBS was significantly increased compared with that of the control group, which suggested that the intestinal mucosa in mice with IBS was in a low-grade inflammatory state. The expression of CD11C+CD80+ and CD11c+TIM3+ in intestinal LPDCs in mice with IBS increased significantly. Meanwhile, the cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) were significantly reduced after the intervention with probiotic C. butyricum. The amount and function of LPDCs and the TIM3 on the surface of the LPDCs were decreased with the alleviation of the intestinal inflammatory response. CONCLUSION The results suggest that C. butyricum regulates the amount and functional status of LPDCs in the intestinal mucosa of mice with IBS, and therefore modulates the local immune response in the intestine.

Biochemical characteristics of neonatal cholestasis induced by citrin deficiency

AIM:To explore differences in biochemical indices between neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and that with other etiologies. METHODS:Patients under 6 mo of age who were referred for investigation of conjugated hyperbiliru-binaemia from June 2003 to December 2010 were eligible for this study. After excluding diseases affecting the extrahepatic biliary system, all patients were screened for the two most common SLC25A13 mutations; the coding exons of the entire SLC25A13 gene was sequenced and Western blotting of citrin protein performed in selected cases. Patients in whom homo-zygous or compound heterozygous SLC25A13 mutation and/or absence of normal citrin protein was detected were defined as having NICCD. Cases in which no specific etiological factor could be ascertained after a com-prehensive conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia work-up were defined as idiopathic neonatal cholestasis (INC). Thirty-two NICCD patients, 250 INC patients, and 39 infants with cholangiography-confirmed biliary atresia (BA) were enrolled. Laboratory values at their first visit were abstracted from medical files and compared. RESULTS:Compared with BA and INC patients, the NICCD patients had significantly higher levels of total bile acid (TBA) [all measures are expressed as median (inter-quartile range):178.0 (111.2-236.4) μmol/L in NICCD vs 112.0 (84.9-153.9) μmol/L in BA and 103.0 (70.9-135.3) μmol/L in INC, P = 0.0001]. The NICCD patients had significantly lower direct bilirubin [D-Bil 59.6 (43.1-90.9) μmol/L in NICCD vs 134.0 (115.9-151.2) μmol/L in BA and 87.3 (63.0-123.6) μmol/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; alanine aminotransferase [ALT 34.0 (23.0-55.0) U/L in NICCD vs 108.0 (62.0-199.0) U/L in BA and 84.5 (46.0-166.0) U/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; aspartate aminotransferase [AST 74.0 (53.5-150.0) U/L in NICCD vs 153.0 (115.0-239.0) U/L in BA and 130.5 (81.0-223.0) U/L in INC, P = 0.0006]; albumin [34.9 (30.7-38.2) g/L in NICCD vs 38.4 (36.3-42.2) g/L in BA and 39.9 (37.0-42.3) g/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; glucose [3.2 (2.0-4.4) mmol/L in NICCD vs 4.1 (3.4-5.1) mmol/L in BA and 4.0 (3.4-4.6) mmol/L in INC, P = 0.0014] and total cholesterol [TCH 3.33 (2.97-4.00) mmol/L in N ICCD vs 4.57 (3.81-5.26) mmol/L in BA and 4.00 (3.24-4.74) mmol/L in INC, P = 0.0155] levels. The D-Bil to total bilirubin (T-Bil) ratio was significantly lower in NICCD patients [all measures are expressed as median (inter-quartile range):0.54 (0.40-0.74)] than that in BA patients [0.77 (0.72-0.81), P = 0.001] and that in INC patients [0.74 (0.59-0.80), P = 0.0045]. A much higher AST/ALT ratio was found in NICCD patients [2.46 (1.95-3.63)] compared to BA patients [1.38 (0.94-1.97), P = 0.0001] and INC patients [1.48 (1.10-2.26), P = 0.0001]. NICCD patients had significantly higher TBA/D-Bil ratio [3.36 (1.98-4.43) vs 0.85 (0.72-1.09) in BA patients and 1.04 (0.92-1.14) in INC patients, P = 0.0001], and TBA/TCH ratio [60.7 (32.4-70.9) vs 24.7 (19.8-30.2) in BA patients and 24.2 (21.4-26.9) in INC patients, P = 0.0001] compared to the BA and INC groups. CONCLUSION:NICCD has significantly different bio- chemical indices from BA or INC. TBA excretion in NICCD appeared to be more severely disturbed than that of bilirubin and cholesterol.

Different regional distribution of SLC25A13 mutations in Chinese patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis

AIM: To investigate the differences in the mutation spectra of the SLC25A13 gene mutations from specific regions of China. METHODS: Genetic analyses of SLC25A13 mutations were performed in 535 patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis from our center over eight years. Unrelated infants with at least one mutant allele were enrolled to calculate the proportion of SLC25A13 mutations in different regions of China. The boundary between northern and southern China was drawn at the historical border of the Yangtze River.RESULTS: A total of 63 unrelated patients (about 11% of cases with intrahepatic cholestasis) from 16 provinces or municipalities in China had mutations in the SLC25A13 gene, of these 16 (25%) were homozygotes, 28 (44%) were compound heterozygotes and 19 (30%) were heterozygotes. In addition to four well described common mutations (c.851_854del, c.1638_1660dup23, c.615+5G>A and c.1750+72_17514dup17insNM_138459.3:2667 also known as IVS16ins3kb), 13 other mutation types were identified, including three novel mutations: c.985_986insT, c.287T>C and c.1349A>G. According to the geographical division criteria, 60 mutant alleles were identified in patients from the southern areas of China, 43 alleles were identified in patients from the border, and 4 alleles were identified in patients from the northern areas of China. The proportion of four common mutations was higher in south region (56/60, 93%) than that in the border region (34/43, 79%, χ 2 = 4.621, P = 0.032) and the northern region (2/4, 50%, χ 2 = 8.288, P = 0.041). CONCLUSION: The SLC25A13 mutation spectra among the three regions of China were different, providing a basis for the improvement of diagnostic strategies and interpretation of genetic diagnosis.

Mutations in pre-core and basic core promoter regions of hepatitis B virus in chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM: To investigate the frequency of mutations in pre-core (pre-C) and basic core promoter (BCP) regions of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from Shanxi Province, and the association between mutations and disease related indexes.METHODS: One hundred chronic hepatitis B patients treated at Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this study. PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA)-PCR were used to detect the mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions. HBV DNA content and liver function were compared between patients with mutant HBV pre-C and BCP loci and those with wild-type loci. The consistency between PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detecting mutations in the HBV pre-C and BCP regions was assessed.RESULTS: Of the 100 serum samples detected, 9.38% had single mutations in the pre-C region, 29.17% had single mutations in the BCP region, 41.67% had mutations in both BCP and pre-C regions, and 19.79% had wild-type loci. The rates of BCP and pre-C mutations were 65.7% and 34.3%, respectively, in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive patients, and 84.6% and 96.2%, respectively, in HBeAg negative patients. The rate of pre-C mutations was significantly higher in HBeAg negative patients than in HBeAg positive patients (χ2 = 26.62, P = 0.00), but there was no significant difference in the distribution of mutations in the BCP region between HBeAg positive and negative patients (χ2 = 2.43, P = 0.12). The presence of mutations in the pre-C (Wilcoxon W = 1802.5, P = 0.00) and BCP regions (Wilcoxon W = 2906.5, P = 0.00) was more common in patients with low HBV DNA content. Both AST and GGT were significantly higher in patients with mutant pre-C and BCP loci than in those with wild-type loci (P < 0.05). PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization and MAMA-PCR for detection of mutations in the BCP and pre-C regions had good consistency, and the Kappa values obtained were 0.91 and 0.58, respectively.CONCLUSION: HBeAg negative patients tend to have HBV pre-C mutations. However, these mutations do not cause increased DNA copies, but associate with damage of liver function.

Intestinal stem cell marker LGR5 expression during gastric carcinogenesis

AIM:To investigate the differential expression of leu-cine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor5(LGR5)in gastric cancer tissues and its significance related to tumor growth and spread.METHODS:Formalin-fixed biopsy specimens of intestinal metaplasia(n=90),dysplasia(n=53),gastric adenocarcinoma(n=180),metastases in lymph nodes and the liver(n=15),and lesion-adjacent normal gastric mucosa(controls;n=145)were obtained for analysis from the Peking University Cancer Hospital’s Department of Pathology and Gastrointestinal Surgery tissue archives(January 2003 to December 2011).The biopsied patients’demographic and clinicopathologic data were retrieved from the hospital’s medical records database.Each specimen was subjected to histopathological typing to classify the tumor node metastasis(TNM)stage and to immunohistochemistry staining to detect the expression of the cancer stem cell marker LGR5.The intergroup differences in LGR5 expression were assessed by Spearman’s rank correlation analysis,and the relationship between LGR5 expression level and the patients’clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated by theχ2test or Fisher’s exact test.RESULTS:Significantly more gastric cancer tissues showed LGR5+staining than normal control tissues(all P<0.01),with immunoreactivity detected in 72.2%(65/90)and 50.9%(27/53)of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia specimens,respectively,52.8%(95/180)of gastric adenocarcinoma specimens,and 73.3%%(11/15)of metastasis specimens,but 26.9%(39/145)of lesion-adjacent normal gastric mucosa specimens.Comparison of the intensity of LGR5+staining showed an increasing trend that generally followed increasing dedifferentiation and tumor spread(normal tissue<dysplasia,<gastric adenocarcinoma<metastasis;all P<0.001),with the exception of expression level detected in intestinal metaplasia which was higher than that in normal gastric tissues(P<0.001).Moreover,gastric cancer-associated enhanced expression of LGR5 was found to be signifcantly associated with age,tumor differentiation,Lauren type and TNM stage(Ⅰ+ⅡvsⅢ+Ⅳ)(all P<0.05),but not with sex,tumor site,location,size,histology,lymphovascular invasion,depth of invasion,lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis.Patients with LGR5+gastric cancer specimens and without signs of metastasis from the original biopsy experienced more frequent rates of recurrence or metastasis during follow-up than patients with LGR5-specimens(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Enhanced LGR5 is related to progressive dedifferentiation and metastasis of gastric cancer,indicating the potential of this receptor as an early diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Over-expression of Metastasis-associated in Colon Cancer-1 (MACC1) Associates with Better Prognosis of Gastric Cancer Patients

Objective： The aim of this study was to detect metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 （MACC1） expression in Chinese gastric cancer and analyze the relationship between MACC1 expression and postoperative survival. Methods： The expression of MACC1 and c-MET protein in a sample of 128 gastric cancer tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. A retrospective cohort study on the prognosis was carried out and data were collected from medical records. Results： The positive rate of MACC1 protein expression in gastric cancer was 47.66%, higher than that in adjacent noncancerous mucosa （P0.001）. MACC1 protein expression was not related to the clinicopathological variables involved. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the survival of MACC1 positive group tended to be better than that of MACC1 negative group, particularly in patients with stage III carcinoma （P=0.032）. Cox regression analysis revealed that MACC1 protein over-expression in gastric cancer tended to be a protective factor with hazard ratio of 0.621 （P=0.057）. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the positive rate of c-MET protein expression was much higher in cases with positive MACC1 expression in gastric cancer （P=0.002）, but P53 expression was not associated with MACC1 expression. Conclusion： MACC1 over-expression implies better survival and may be an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer in Chinese patients.

Relationship between HLA-DR gene polymorphisms and outcomes of hepatitis B viral infections:A meta-analysis

AIM:To assess the rigorous relationship between human leukocyte antigens(HLA)-DR alleles and outcomes of hepatitis B virus(HBV) infections by means of metaanalysis.METHODS:Medline/PubMed,EMBASE,CNKI and VIP were searched to identify relevant studies.Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Odds ratios(OR) and 95% confidence interval(95% CI) were pooled using Stata 11.0.Subgroup analyses were performed by ethnicity.Heterogeneity and publication bias analyses were performed to validate the credibility.RESULTS:A total of 2609 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 2606 controls spontaneously recovering from prior HBV infection were included.Meta-analysis showed that HLA-DR*04(OR = 0.72,95% CI:0.60-0.85) and DR*13(OR = 0.27,95% CI:0.19-0.37) alleles were significantly associated with HBV clearance while patients carrying HLA-DR*03(OR = 1.47,95% CI:1.16-1.87) or DR*07(OR = 1.59,95% CI:1.24-2.03) alleles had a significantly increased risk of chronic HBV persistence.For the HLA-DR*01 polymorphism,a significantly association with HBV clearance was found in Chinese Han group(OR = 0.48,95% CI:0.26-0.86),but not found in other ethnic groups(P = 0.191).For other polymorphisms,no association with the HBV infection outcome was found.CONCLUSION:HLA-DR*04 and DR*13 alleles may be the protective factors for HBV clearance and HLADR*03,and DR*07 alleles may be the risk factors for HBV persistence.

Effect of etanercept on post-traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal etanercept in the inhibiting of proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR) in a model of penetrating ocular injury. METHODS: Penetrating ocular injury on the retina of rabbit was induced, which was subsequently treated using 0.1 mL of sterile water or 0.1 m L of 12.5 mg/mL etanercept. The development of PVR was evaluated by fundus images, the B-scan, and the histopathology. The mRNA and protein expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), transforming growth factor β(TGF-β) as well as connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) were examined at various time points after the etanercept injection with the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. The safety of etanercept was evaluated by injection of 12.5 mg/mL etanercept into a normal rabbit eye without penetrating trauma. RESULTS: Clinical assessment and grading clearly demonstrated that the PVR formation was prevented in etanercept-treated animals, which was confirmed via fundus images, B-scan and histopathology. The RT-PCR and Western blotting showed increased mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, TGF-β as well as CTGF in the retina of rabbits following penetrating ocular injury, and these factors were dramatically mitigated by ocular etanercept treatment. In addition, there was no adverse effect of etanercept intravitreal injection in normal eyes without penetrating trauma, it showed normal structure and histology. CONCLUSION: The etanercept is a potential therapy for inhibiting PVR development. To assess the clinic application of the etanercept in preventing PVR, further clinical studies are required.

Diagnosis of erythropoietic protoporphyria with severe liver injury: A case report

BACKGROUND Porphyria is a rare disease with complex classification. Erythropoietic protoporphyria(EPP) is an autosomal recessively inherited disease, and most are caused by mutations in the FECH gene. EPP combined with liver injury is even rarer.CASE SUMMARY This paper reports a case of EPP which was admitted to the hospital with abnormal liver function and diagnosed by repeated questioning of medical history, screening of common causes of severe liver injury, and second generation sequencing of the whole exon genome. We also summarize the clinical characteristics of EPP with liver injury, and put forward some suggestions on EPP to provide a reference for the diagnosis of such rare disease.CONCLUSION A new mutation locus(c.32_35 dupCCCT) which may be related to the disease was found by detecting the FECH gene in the pedigree of this case.

Fabrication of MoSi;coatings on molybdenum and its high-temperature anti-oxidation properties

Industrial spent MoSi_(2)-based materials were used to fabricate oxidation-resistant coatings on molybdenum via slurry painting in air. The microstructure, phase constituent and high-temperature oxidation behaviors of the coatings at 1500 ℃ were explored. The results show that the bonding layer is generated in the coatings after sintering,which strengthens the metallurgical combination between the coating and the substrate because of the formation of diffusion layers. Rare cracks appear in the coating using pure MoSi_(2)(PM coating) while the coating using spent MoSi_(2)(SM coating) is free of cracks due to decreased thermal expansion mismatch. After oxidation, the oxide scale of PM coating possesses large-sized pores while a relatively dense oxide scale is acquired by SM coating. Compared with PM coating, thinner glassy oxide scale with lower mass gain is obtained by SM coating, exhibiting better anti-oxidation properties at 1500 ℃.

REINFORCEMENT OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATE CEMENTS WITH PHOSPHORYLATED CHITIN

Phosphorylated chitins (P-chitins) as the additives of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) were prepared by the phosphorylation of chitin with phosphorus pentoxide in methanesulfonic acid. Their physical properties and effects on CPCs from monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) and calcium oxide (CaO) or dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) and calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)(2)] were investigated. Addition of P-chitin (M-w = 2.60 x 10(4); degree of substitution, DS = 0.68) to the liquid phase in amounts up to 3 wt.% for MCPM and CaO cements or 1.5 wt.% for DCPD and Ca(OH)(2) cements could enhance the mechanical strength considerably, while little influence on the setting time was observed. However, further addition of P-chitin will cause no setting.

Primary pulmonary plasmacytoma accompanied by overlap syndrome:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Extramedullary plasmacytoma(EMP)is a rare kind of soft tissue plasma cell neoplasm without bone marrow involvement;this type of plasma cell neoplasm involves a lack of other systemic characteristics of multiple myeloma.Primary pulmonary plasmacytoma(PPP),with no specific clinical manifestations,is an exceedingly rare type of EMP.Because of its complexity,PPP is often difficult to diagnose,and there is no report in the literature on cases accompanied by overlap syndrome(OS).CASE SUMMARY A 61-year-old woman without a familial lung cancer history was admitted to our hospital in 2018,for intermittent cough,expectoration,and a stuffy feeling in the chest for 50 years;these symptoms appeared intermittently,especially occurred after being cold,and had been aggravated for the last 10 d.She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema,bronchiectasis,OS,and autoimmune hepatic cirrhosis in 2017.A pulmonary examination revealed rough breath sounds in both lungs;other physical examinations found no obvious abnormalities.A routine laboratory work-up showed decreased haemoglobin,increased ESR,and abnormal GGT,ALT,Ig G,γ-globulin,κ-light chain,λ-light chain,rheumatoid factor,and autoimmune antibodies.Emission computed tomography demonstrated abnormally concentrated 99 m Tc-MDP.Chest computed tomography revealed a soft tissue mass in the middle and lower lobes of the right lung.After right middle and inferior lobe resection with complete mediastinal lymph node dissection,immunohistochemical analysis revealed an isolated pulmonary plasmacytoma.The patient received chemotherapy for more than 1.5 years and remains in good general condition.CONCLUSION PPP is a type of EMP,and we report an exceedingly rare presentation of PPP accompanied by OS.

Clinical effect of terbutaline injection aerosol inhalation combined with conventional drug therapy for acute attack of bronchial asthma in children

Objective: To study the clinical effect of terbutaline injection aerosol inhalation combined with conventional drug therapy for acute attack of bronchial asthma in children. Methods:Children with acute attack of bronchial asthma who were treated in Wusheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qiandongnan Prefecture People's Hospital between January 2014 and July 2017 were selected as the study cases for prospective study and randomly divided into the experimental group who received terbutaline + budesonide aerosol inhalation and the control group who received budesonide aerosol inhalation. The expression levels of immune cell transcription factors in peripheral blood as well as the contents of adhesion factors, chemokines, proteases and their inhibitory molecules in serum were determined before treatment and 3 days after treatment. Results: Foxp3 and T-bet expression in peripheral blood as well as TIMP1 and TIMP2 contents in serum of both groups after treatment were higher than those before treatment whereas RORγt and GATA-3 expression in peripheral blood as well as TARC, Eotaxin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, L-selectin, ADAM8, NE and MMP9 contents in serum were lower than those before treatment, and Foxp3 and T-bet expression in peripheral blood as well as TIMP1 and TIMP2 contents in serum of experimental group after treatment were higher than those of control group whereas RORγt and GATA-3 expression in peripheral blood as well as TARC, Eotaxin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, L-selectin, ADAM8, NE and MMP9 contents in serum were lower than those of control group. Conclusion: Terbutaline injection aerosol inhalation combined with conventional drug therapy can effectively regulate the immune response and inflammatory response and inhibit the airway remodeling mediated by protease in children with acute attack of bronchial asthma.

As-cast microstructure and properties of non-equal atomic ratio TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys

High-entropy alloys have been proved to be potential candidate materials in the biomedical field due to their balanced mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility.The effects of atomic ratios on the as-cast microstructural evolution,mechanical properties,and electrochemical property of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys were studied systematically.The crystal structure of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys is single BCC phase,and the microstructural evolution is based on atomic ratio.The dendric structure,peritectic structure,pseudo eutectic and equiaxed grain,which are associated with element segregation,can be obtained by non-equal atomic ratio.Ti_(30)Zr_(20)Ta_(20)Nb_(20)Sn_(10)alloy demonstrates a high compressive strength and fracture strain,which are 2,571.8 MPa and 12%,respectively,and the fracture behavior is quasicleavage faults.The Ti_(45)Zr_(35)Ta_(5)Nb_(5)Sn_(10),Ti_(30)Zr_(20)Ta_(20)Nb_(20)Sn_(10)and Ti_(35)Zr_(25)Ta_(15)Nb_(15)Sn_(10)alloys show excellent corrosion resistance according to Nyquist diagram,polarization curves and corrosion morphology.Compared with TiZrTaNbSn alloy,the corrosion rate of Ti_(45)Zr_(35)Ta_(5)Nb_(5)Sn_(10) alloy increases by about 98.9%.It can be concluded that non-equal atomic ratios are effective for microstructure control and performance optimization.

Influence of heat treatment on microstructure and nanohardness of TiAl alloy solidified under high pressure

The Ti-48at.%Al alloy solidified under different pressures was prepared using a tungsten-carbide six-anvil apparatus and then heat treated at different temperatures.The effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of high pressure solidified Ti-48Al alloy was investigated.The results showed that the phase constitution of the Ti-48Al alloy solidified under high pressure did not change after heat treatment.After 1,100℃/12 h AC(air cooling),the value of c/a showed a slight increase.The Widmanst?tten structure was formed in the samples solidified under 2 GPa and 4 GPa.More defects were found in the high-pressure samples.The volume fraction ofα2 particles increased with an increase in pressure.After 1,150℃/4 h AC,the discontinuous coarsening phenomenon could only be found in the 4 GPa solidified samples.The formation ofα2 phase can lead to the increase of nanohardness.Compared with the samples before heat treatment,the nanohardness increased about 1.0-1.2 GPa.

Cognitive training for elderly patients with early Alzheimer’s disease in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: A pilot study

BACKGROUND Alzheimer’s disease(AD)influences the social and economic quality of life of older adult patients and their families.AIM To explore the efficacy of cognitive training in clinical nursing for patients with early AD residing in the plateau area.METHODS This pilot study was conducted in patients with early AD treated in the Geriatric Department of the Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital between August 2019 and March 2021.The patients were divided into a cognitive training group and a conventional nursing group using the random number table method.Patients in the conventional nursing group received conventional nursing,whereas the patients in the cognitive training group received the new nursing intervention.The mini-mental state examination(MMSE)and activities of daily living(ADL)scales were used to compare the cognitive ability and daily activities,respectively,between the two groups before and after the intervention.RESULTS Sixty patients were enrolled in this study,with 30 patients in the cognitive training group and conventional nursing group,respectively.The MMSE and ADL scores were significantly higher in the cognitive training group than in the conventional nursing group after the intervention(MMSE:25.11±2.02 vs 22.26±1.23,P=0.032;ADL:68.72±4.86 vs 60.16±2.27,P=0.018).CONCLUSION The application of cognitive training in clinical nursing for patients with early AD could improve both their cognitive ability and ADL.This method could be applied in clinical practice to manage cognitive dysfunction in patients with early AD.

Effect of aripiprazole and olanzapine on the cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia

Objective:To observe the effect of aripiprazole and olanzapine on the cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia in order to provide a reference evidence for the clinical medication.Methods:A total of 60 patients with schizophrenia who were admitted in our hospital were included in the study and randomized into the treatment 1 group and treatment 2 group.The patients in the two groups were given aripiprazole and olanzapine,respectively.PANSS,WCST,DS,IGT,and EIRT were used to evaluate the disease condition and cognitive function before and after treatment in the two groups.Results:Comparision of PANSS scores and other various scores before treatment between the two groups was not significantly different(P>0.05);however,PANSS scores and other various scores after treatment were significantly reduced(P<0.05).Comparision of PANSS scores and other various scores after treatment between the two groups was not significantly different(P>0.05).DS,WCST,and IGT scores before treatment between the two groups was comparable(P>0.05),and those scores after treatment were significantly elevated(P<0.05).DS score after treatment in the treatment 2 group was significantly higher than that in the treatment 1 group(P<0.05).Comparison of WCST and IGT scores after treatment between the two groups was not significantly different(P>0.05).The four cognition scores of happiness,fear,anger,and disgust after treatment in the treatment 1 group were significantly elevated(P<0.05),while the cognition of happiness and sadness after treatment in the treatment 2 group was significantly elevated when compared with before treatment(P<0.05).The comparison of various scores before and after treatment between the two groups was not significantly different(P>0.05).Conclusions:Aripiprazole and olanzapine can improve the clinical symptoms and partial cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia,while aripiprazole can make a better effect on the work and memory.