Evaluation of corrosion on plasma sprayed and anodized titanium implants,both with and without bone cement

The corrosion behavior of titanium with vacuum plasma sprayed titanium coatings and with anodized surfaces, both with and without polymeric bone cement were evaluated. Electrochemical extraction tests were carried out with subsequent analysis of the electrolyte by ICP-MS in order to verify our hypothesis of the ionic permeability of the polymer cement. The complexity of the situation resides in the existence of two interfaces: electrolyte-polymer and polymer-metal. The surface preparation (treatment of the surface) plays an important role in the corrosion resistance of titanium. The electrochemical magnitudes that were examined reveal that the plasma spray surfaces have the lowest corrosion resistance. The cement, in spite of having reduced electrical conductivity in comparison to metal, is an ionic transporter, and therefore capable of participating in the corrosion process. In the present study, we observed in fact crevice corrosion at the metal-cement interface. In the case of plasma spray surfaces, a process of diffusion of titanium particles in the electrolyte could accompany the crevice corrosion. In this study, we have shown that there is a corrosion process at the surface of the titanium through the cement which has as a consequence on the one hand the formation of titanium cations and on the other hand the growth of a passive layer on the titanium. In conclusion, we identified two principal factors that influence the corrosion process: [1] the type of surface treatment for the titanium, and [2] the ionic conductivity of the cement. There is indeed ionic transport through the cement; as evidenced by the presence of titanium in the electrolyte solution (ICP-MS analysis) and chloride at the surface of the titanium sample (EDX analysis).We show that the polymer cement is an ionic conductor and participates in the corrosion of the embedded titanium. We cannot deduce from our results, however, whether the polymer itself possesses corrosive properties. Long-term experiments will be necessary to study the degradation behavior of the polymer cement.     

福尔马林固定石蜡包埋组织DNA提取方法对PCR的影响

目的：比较多种福尔马林固定石蜡包埋组织ＤＮＡ提取方法对ＰＣＲ的影响,探讨临床组织病理标本理想的ＤＮＡ提取方法及ＰＣＲ应用。方法：采用５种不同的ＤＮＡ提取方法应用ＰＣＲ技术进行了比较。结果：Ｔｗｅｅｎ ２０,ＮＰ ４０加蛋白酶Ｋ法和亚氨基二乙酸法处理标本时ＰＣＲ结果较为理想。结论：合适的福尔马林固定石蜡包埋组织ＤＮＡ提取方法可应用ＰＣＲ进行ＤＮＡ水平的相应的研究。     

Difficulties with the follow-up of a cohort of very preterm infants: The EPIPAGE Paris-Petite-Couronne population]

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of the children of parents who did not respond to a follow-up questionnaire in a cohort of very preterm infants (EPIPAGE study) and to explore the reasons why they did not complete the questionnaires. METHODS: The non-respondents (N = 176) were the parents who did not return the questionnaires at 1 and 2 years. Contacts were organised by telephone calls and at home visits. RESULTS: The families of the non-respondents presented more socioeconomic difficulties and their children were born more preterm than those followed up without difficulties. The efforts made to contact the non-respondents revealed that their families were often confronted with major adverse socioeconomic difficulties, had severe illnesses and psychological troubles. Half of the children of the non-respondents were finally examined at the 5-year assessment. They showed lower performances at the cognitive development test and a poorer health status than the children of the respondents. CONCLUSION: When the follow-up does not include the initial population in its totality, the socioeconomic difficulties are underestimated and probably also the rate of sequelae associated with very preterm delivery.     

Changes and significance of plasma fibrinogen gamma‐chain concentration in preeclampsia patients

ObjectiveTo investigate the plasma fibrinogen gamma‐chain concentration in preeclampsia patients and explore its value in preeclampsia prediction and auxiliary diagnosis.MethodsFollow‐up of pregnant women who regularly attended perinatal care at two hospitals in China was performed, and clinical data and plasma samples were collected at each examination until delivery. The gamma‐chain concentration was detected by Western blotting, and Quantity One Software was used for gamma‐chain grayscale value measurements.ResultsForty‐two patients with preeclampsia and 42 control patients completed the follow‐up. In the control group, the gamma‐chain concentration at 32 weeks of gestation was higher than that at 20 weeks of gestation, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In the experimental group, the gamma‐chain concentration at preeclampsia diagnosis was significantly higher than that at 20 weeks of gestation (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the gamma‐chain concentration was higher at 20 weeks of gestation in the experimental group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, at 32 weeks of gestation and at the time of diagnosis, the gamma‐chain concentration in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). At 32 weeks of gestation and at the time of diagnosis, the AUCs from ROC curve analysis of plasma fibrinogen gamma‐chain concentrations were 0.64 and 0.71, respectively.ConclusionPlasma fibrinogen synthesis and degradation were disrupted in preeclampsia patients before and after diagnosis, and gamma‐chain concentration was significantly increased. Plasma fibrinogen gamma chain may be of some value in preeclampsia prediction and auxiliary diagnosis.     

Interstitial lung disease in polymyositis and dermatomyositis

OBJECTIVES: To assess prevalence, characteristics, and long-term outcome of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). To determine predictive variables of ILD course in PM/DM, and to define both clinical and biochemical features associated with ILD onset in PM/DM. METHODS: The medical records of 156 consecutive PM/DM patients in 3 medical centers were reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-six PM/DM patients (23.1%) developed ILD. We observed that 19.4% of patients with ILD had resolution of pulmonary disorders, whereas 25% experienced ILD deterioration. Morbidity and mortality rates were as high as 13.9% and 36.4%, respectively, in PM/DM patients with ILD. Parameters of PM/DM that related to ILD poor outcome were identified as follows: Hamman-Rich-like pattern, initial diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide <45%, neutrophil alveolitis, and histologic usual interstitial pneumonia. Additionally, for the group with ILD, polyarthritis, higher values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, presence of anti-Jo-1 antibody, and characteristic microangiopathy were significantly more frequent. CONCLUSION: Our series underlines the high frequency of ILD in PM/DM patients, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality rates. It also indicates that PM/DM patients should routinely be screened for ILD, even those patients without anti-Jo-1 antibody, because 69% of our ILD patients were seronegative for the anti-Jo-1 antibody. Our findings further suggest that PM/DM patients presenting with factors predictive of ILD poor outcome may require more aggressive therapy.     

Flake-like InVO4 modified TiO2 nanofibers with longer carrier lifetimes for visible-light photocatalysts

Highly efficient solar light absorption capabilities and quantum yields in photocatalysts are key to their application in photocatalytic fields. Towards this end, TiO₂/InVO₄ nanofibers (NFs) have been designed and fabricated successfully by a one-pot electrospinning process. The resulting TiO₂/InVO₄ NFs display excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity, owing to their prominent visible-light absorption and electron–hole separation properties. Time-resolved transient PL spectroscopy demonstrated that the TiO₂/InVO₄ NFs display longer emission decay times (22.0 ns) compared with TiO₂ NFs (15.5 ns), implying that the heterojunction can remarkably suppress the electron–hole recombination and promote the carrier transfer efficiency. With tailored heterostructure features, TiO₂/InVO₄ NFs exhibit superior visible-light photodegradation activity, and after 80 min of visible-light irradiation, almost 95% of RhB molecules can be decomposed by TiO₂/InVO₄ NFs, while only 18% of RhB molecules can be decomposed by pure TiO₂ NFs.

TiO₂/InVO₄ nanofibers have been designed and fabricated successfully by one-pot electrospinning process, which display longer carrier lifetime (22 ns) and enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.     

Semaphorin 6D regulates the late phase of CD4+ T cell primary immune responses

The semaphorin and plexin family of ligand and receptor proteins provides important axon guidance cues required for development. Recent studies have expanded the role of semaphorins and plexins in the regulation of cardiac, circulatory and immune system function. Within the immune system, semaphorins and plexins regulate cell–cell interactions through a complex network of receptor and ligand pairs. Immune cells at different stages of development often express multiple semaphorins and plexins, leading to multivariate interactions, involving more than one ligand and receptor within each functional group. Because of this complexity, the significance of semaphorin and plexin regulation on individual immune cell types has yet to be fully appreciated. In this work, we examined the regulation of T cells by semaphorin 6D. Both in vitro and in vivo T cell stimulation enhanced semaphorin 6D expression. However, semaphorin 6D was only expressed by a majority of T cells during the late phases of activation. Consequently, the targeted disruption of semaphorin 6D receptor–ligand interactions inhibited T cell proliferation at late but not early phases of activation. This proliferation defect was associated with reduced linker of activated T cells protein phosphorylation, which may reflect semaphorin 6D regulation of c-Abl kinase activity. Semaphorin 6D disruption also inhibited expression of CD127, which is required during the multiphase antigen-presenting cell and T cell interactions leading to selection of long-lived lymphocytes. This work reveals a role for semaphorin 6D as a regulator of the late phase of primary immune responses.     

Pharmacokinetics of Pazufloxacin Mesilate Sodium Chloride in healthy Chinese volunteers after intravenous injection

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and dosage proportionality for a single, intravenous utilization of Pazufloxacin Mesilate Sodium Chloride, an injectable synthetic fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent, in healthy Chinesevolunteers.In this open-labeled, three-dosage parallel study, subjects were randomized to receive a single dose of PazufloxacinMesilate at 150, 300 or 600 mg (n = 10, 10 and 10, respectively) administered as a 30-min intravenous infusion. Blood and urine samples were serially collected from 0 to 24 h after drug administration. Moreover, the sample’s drug concentrations were analyzed via validated RP-HPLC method.Subjects receiving a single dose of Pazufloxacin Mesilate 150, 300 or 600 mg were in accordance with the two compartment model. The C_max for each dosage group was 2.37±0.89, 4.27±0.74 and 10.74±4.06 mg·mL^–1, respectively; and the AUC_0→∞ was 3.24±1.2, 5.89±1.51 and 13.32±2.35 mg·h·mL^–1, respectively. In addition, T_max for groups treated with 150, 300 and 600 mg was 0.48±0.08, 0.50±0.00 and 0.53±0.08 h, respectively. The correlation analysis for AUC_0→∞, C_max and dosage suggested that pazufolxacin mesilate displayed dose proportion at the dose ranging from 150 to 600 mg. The data suggested that all three different dosage regimens fit with the two compartment model. Meanwhile, it presented a linear correlation between AUC_0→∞, C_max and dosage over the range of 150–600 mg.     

Endobronchial closure of bronchopleural fistula with Amplatzer PFO device

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a feared postoperative complication of pneumonectomy that carries significant morbidity and mortality. BPF can be treated by various surgical and medical techniques. Endobronchial techniques have been used for the delivery of biological glue, sealants, coils, and covered stents with variable degrees of success, depending on the size of the fistula. A recent case report described the endobronchial closure of a BPF through the implantation of an Amplatzer ASD device, commonly used for transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects. In this case report, we describe closure of a BFP using the Amplatzer PFO device.