Electrochemical aspects of the formation of Bi2Te3 thin film via the route of ECALE

A Bi₂Te₃ VA–VIA group compound thin film was prepared via the route of electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy in this paper. The dependence of thin film formation on the electrochemical conditions (such as deposition potential control, supporting electrolyte and substrate) was studied, and the formation process of Bi₂Te₃ film was determined. The results show that Bi upd on Pt occurs at more negative potential in a HNO₃ supporting electrolyte than in a HClO₄ supporting electrolyte, and the Te upd peak moves to a more negative potential in HClO₄ supporting electrolyte solution than that in HNO₃ solution; Both Te and Bi upd on an Ag substrate occur at more negative potentials than that on a Pt substrate. In order to reach steady state deposition, a potential adjustment is necessary for the first 30 or more cycles of each component. After deposition of this initial ‘buffer layer’, the potentials can be kept constant for the remaining cycles. The effect of the slope of the shift of potential used to deposit the first 30 atomic layers of Bi and Te on the deposit has also been investigated. The deposit exhibits a two phase mixture of excess elemental Bi and Bi₂Te₃ compound when the slope is larger than ?4 mV/p (p indicates per cycle); a single-phase Bi₂Te₃ compound was obtained at a slope of ?6 mV/p, and Bi₄Te₃ compound also appears in the deposit along with Bi₂Te₃ when the slope is decreased to a more negative value of ?10 mV/p.     

Full-Length Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Directly from Clinical and Environmental Samples Based on the Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Method

The new coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is spreading worldwide with the number of confirmed cases increasing dramatically[1,2]. Coronaviruses have the largest genome among RNA viruses and have caused two major outbreaks[3,4]. The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the third coronavirus spread globally in the past 17 years. According to the World Health Organization, SARS-CoV-2 has affected more than 155.6 millon patients in 222 countries as of 6 May 2021 and has become a major global health concern (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019).     

两种浓度亚甲蓝注射液治疗老年人肛瘘切除术后疼痛的临床结局比较

背景 亚甲蓝作为长效镇痛剂被广泛应用于肛肠疾病中,然而关于亚甲蓝对老年肛瘘患者术后镇痛效果及肛门功能影响的研究报道甚少.目的 观察两种浓度亚甲蓝注射液对老年人肛瘘切除术后的镇痛效果.方法 选取2012年3月-2020年12月就诊于解放军总医院第一医学中心中医肛肠科的60岁以上肛瘘切除术后老年患者80例,按随机数字表法分为0.1％亚甲蓝注射液组和0.05％亚甲蓝注射液组,每组40例,患者术毕创面分别予以0.1％和0.05％亚甲蓝注射液封闭注射,观察不同时间点两组疼痛、创缘水肿、肛门坠胀、尿潴留、创面愈合时间、肛门失禁及其他不良反应.结果 0.05％亚甲蓝注射液组术后1个月肛门失禁Wexner评分低于0.1％亚甲蓝注射液组[Md(IQR):2.00(2.00,3.00)vs 3.00(2.00,4.00),P=0.009];术后3个月两组Wexner评分均降为0,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);两组术后1 d、3 d、7 d疼痛、创缘水肿、肛门坠胀及术后尿潴留、创面愈合时间均无统计学差异(P均>0.05).结论 0.1％浓度亚甲蓝注射液与0.05％浓度亚甲蓝注射液对老年人肛瘘切除术后镇痛效果相当,但0.05％浓度亚甲蓝注射液对肛门功能的影响小,术后药物性肛门失禁风险低.     

BMP signaling mediates astrocyte differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) can differentiate into oligodendrocytes or astrocytes, depending on cellular microenvironments. OPCs, cultured in medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS), give rise to type II astrocytes that express glial fibrillary acidic protein and a cell surface ganglioside that is recognized by A2B5 monoclonal antibody. However, the factors in FBS that direct the astrocyte differentiation are not determined. Moreover, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been reported to be involved in astrocyte differentiation of neural progenitor cells. We therefore examined whether BMPs are responsible for the serum-mediated astrocyte differentiation from OPCs. OPCs were isolated from the spinal cords of Wistar rat embryos (at day 14) using the A2B5 antibody. We measured the concentrations of BMP-2 and BMP-4 in FBS and rat and human sera and the expression of mRNAs for three types of BMP receptors (BMPRIa, Ib and II) in OPCs by RT-PCR. The serum samples of the three species contained BMP-2 and BMP-4, as judged by ELISA with each monoclonal antibody, and the BMP receptor mRNAs are expressed in OPCs. When OPCs were cultured in the medium containing 10% FBS, cells (more than 95%) differentiated into type II astrocytes. However, when OPCs were pretreated with noggin, a soluble antagonist of BMP action, the degree of astrocyte differentiation was markedly decreased from 95.39 to 38.36%. Taken together, these results suggest that BMP signaling may be responsible for the serum-mediated astrocyte differentiation of OPCs. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of differentiation of OPCs.     

The early and mid-term results of mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation in children

Purpose

To review the surgical techniques and mid-term results of mitral valve repair in children with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR).

Methods

One hundred and seven children with moderate or severe MR, aged 19.6 ± 8.5 months, were enrolled in this study. The surgical techniques used for mitral valve repair varied according to the mitral valve morphology, and included annuloplasty, annuloplasty ring, cleft closure, reconstruction of the posterior leaflet, etc. The concomitant cardiac anomalies were treated simultaneously. The results of repair were evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography performed during the operation and by serial transthoracic echocardiography performed during the follow-up.

Results

One hundred and six cases had no more than mild regurgitation intraoperatively, whereas only one case had moderate regurgitation. This patient underwent redo repair immediately, and the subsequent regurgitation was trivial. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.9 % (1/107). The average follow-up was 46.5 ± 8.2 months. One patient died of heart failure 10 months postoperatively. The freedom from moderate or severe regurgitation after mitral valve repair was 92.3 ± 3.3 %.

Conclusion

Pediatric patients with moderate or severe MR require early surgical treatment. The early and mid-term results of mitral valve repair in pediatric patients were satisfactory.     

Involvement of Protease-Activated Receptor 2 in Nociceptive Behavior in a Rat Model of Bone Cancer

Treatment for bone cancer pain remains a clinical challenge due to a poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2), a receptor for inflammatory proteases, has been implicated in nociceptive signaling under both normal and pathologic pain states. However, little is known of the role of PAR2 in cancer-induced bone pain. Here we investigated the potential role of PAR2 in a rat model of bone cancer pain. The model of bone cancer pain was induced by inoculating Walker 256 into the tibia bone cavity of rats and verified by X-ray imaging, pathology, and behavior assessments. The rats with bone cancer exhibited marked mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and signs of spontaneous nocifensive behavior. Subcutaneous administration of the PAR2 antagonist FSLLRY-NH2 almost completely abolished mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia but had no effects on spontaneous pain behavior in the rats with bone cancer. Immunohistochemical study revealed that the expression of PAR2 was significantly increased in large- and medium-sized dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons but not in small-sized neurons after Walker 256 inoculation. These results suggest that the increased expression of PAR2 in the DRG may contribute to the development of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia associated with bone cancer rats. PAR2 might become a novel target for the treatment of pain in patients with bone cancer.     

Predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with small size non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Accurate clinical staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential for developing an optimal treatment strategy. This study aimed to determine the predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including both N1 and N2 metastases, in clinical T1aN0 NSCLC patients.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated clinical T1aN0M0 NSCLC patients who showed no radiologic evidence of lymph node metastasis, and who had undergone surgical pulmonary resection with systematic mediastinal node dissection or sampling at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University between January 2011 and June 2013. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors for node metastasis.

Results

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were found in 16.2% (51/315) of the patients. Positive N1 nodes were found in 12.4% (39/315) of the patients, and positive N2 nodes were identified in 13.0% (41/315) of the patients. Some 9.2% (29/315) of the patients had both positive N1 and N2 nodes, and 3.8% (12/315) of the patients had nodal skip metastasis. Variables of preoperative radiographic tumor size, non-upper lobe located tumors, high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and micropapillary predominant adenocarcinoma (AC) were identified as predictors for positive N1 or N2 node multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were common in small size NSCLC patients with clinical negative lymph nodes. Therefore, preoperative staging should be performed more thoroughly to increase accuracy, especially for patients who have the larger size, non-upper lobe located, high CEA level or micropapillary predominant ACs.     

A novel reference coordinate system to locate the inferomedial point of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction

Background

A coordinate system was previously developed to identify landmarks on the skull surface to help locate the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction in order to reduce surgical morbidity in retrosigmoid craniotomy; however, in practice we found that this system has important flaws.

Objective

To develop and evaluate a novel reference coordinate system to precisely locate the inferomedial point of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction (IMTS) and evaluate the effect of gender and skull side (left or right).

Methods

Forty-two adult skulls (84 sides) were obtained for analyses. The X-axis was defined by point A (where the upper edge of the zygomatic arch joins with the frontal process of the zygomatic bone) and point B (where the upper edge of the zygomatic arch blends posterosuperiorly into the supramastoid crest). The Y-axis was defined by the line perpendicular to the X-axis and extending across the tip of the mastoid. The x and y coordinates of IMTS (IMTS-x and IMTS-y) were measured in this coordinate system.

Results

There were 20 male skulls and 22 female skulls. The mean IMTS-x measurements were significantly higher on the right side compared with the left side in both males and females. For the left skull side, the mean IMTS-y measurements were significantly lower in females compared with males.

Conclusion

This novel reference coordinate system may be a reliable and practical method for identifying the IMTS during retrosigmoid craniotomy. There are significant differences in location of the axes with regard to gender and skull side.     

A Critical Role for Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein in Diabetes-Related Impairment of Angiogenesis

Impaired angiogenesis in ischemic tissue is a hallmark of diabetes. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an exquisitely glucose-sensitive gene that is overexpressed in diabetes. As TXNIP modulates the activity of the key angiogenic cytokine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), we hypothesized that hyperglycemia-induced dysregulation of TXNIP may play a role in the pathogenesis of impaired angiogenesis in diabetes. In the current study, we report that high glucose–mediated overexpression of TXNIP induces a widespread impairment in endothelial cell (EC) function and survival by reducing VEGF production and sensitivity to VEGF action, findings that are rescued by silencing TXNIP with small interfering RNA. High glucose–induced EC dysfunction was recapitulated in normal glucose conditions by overexpressing either TXNIP or a TXNIP C247S mutant unable to bind thioredoxin, suggesting that TXNIP effects are largely independent of thioredoxin activity. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, TXNIP knockdown to nondiabetic levels rescued diabetes-related impairment of angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, blood flow, and functional recovery in an ischemic hindlimb. These findings were associated with in vivo restoration of VEGF production to nondiabetic levels. These data implicate a critical role for TXNIP in diabetes-related impairment of ischemia-mediated angiogenesis and identify TXNIP as a potential therapeutic target for the vascular complications of diabetes.