A magnesium silicate polymeric coagulant (MgSiPC), which is an inorganic polymer for dye removal from wastewater, was prepared with different pH by copolymerization. The acidity was a key factor in ...the preparation of the MgSiPC. In the present research, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the characterization of optimum coagulants. Additionally, the response surface method (RSM) was applied to optimize the process of coagulation–flocculation. The results of FT-IR and XRD implied that the main components of the MgSiPC with pH 1.50–2.50 were almost the same. SEM images showed that MgSiPCs with pH 1.50–2.50 exhibited different structures including cluster and lamellar shape structure, compact rod-like and network structure, and a kind of irregular geometry shape structure. In the process of coagulation–flocculation, MgSiPCs with pH 1.50–2.50 showed highly efficient coagulation performance. The removal rate of reactive yellow 2(RY2) could reach above 90% at a dosage of 50–70 mg/L and initial pH 12.00, while the removal rate of reactive blue 2 (RB2) could attain above 93% at a dosage of 50–80 mg/L and initial pH 12.00. Moreover, MgSiPCs with pH 2.00 had the highest efficiency. The results of RSM showed that the optimum combination of the MgSiPC’s dosage and initial pH was 62 mg/L and 12.08 for RY2 and 78 mg/L and 12.00 for RB2, respectively. Under optimum experimental conditions, the predicted data from this model were 96% for RY2 and 100% for RB2, which was consistent with the actual experimental data. Therefore, a pH of 2.00 is considered to be the optimal acidity for preparing MgSiPCs.
Adhesive capsulitis (AC) is a painful and disabling disorder, which caused restricted motion and chronic pain of shoulder. Intracavitary contrast-enhanced ultrasound has been recently applied to ...assess obstructive bile duct diseases, tubal patency, vesicoureteric reflux and so on. The aim of this study was to detect the value of US-arthrography by injecting the contrast agent SonoVue into glenohumeral joint compared with US in diagnosing AC. Utrasound (US) and US-arthrography images of 45 patients with AC were compared with that of 45 control subjects without AC with MRI as a gold standard. Patients with AC had a significantly thickened coracohumeral ligment (CHL, 3.1 mm) and inferior capsule (3.5 mm) on US, and a decreased volume of axillary recess (1.14 ml) on US-arthrography compared with the control subjects (1.59 ml). Filling defect (91.1%) and synovitis-like abnormality (75.6%) in the joint on US-arthrography were more sensitive than that of rotator interval abnormality (71.1%), thickened CHL more than 3 mm (64.4%), thickened inferior capsule more than 3.5 mm (66.7%) on US respectively for diagnosis of AC. Consequently, US-arthrography was more effective method than US for assessment of AC. Filling defects of joint cavity and synovitis-like abnormality in the joint are characteristic US-arthrography findings for diagnosing AC.
The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast enhanced sonography plus gastric distention sonography, the Double Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound (DCUS) in ...gastric lesions.
107 cases with pathology confirmed gastric lesions were retrospectively reviewed, DCUS and oral contrast agent ultrasound (US) were performed in all cases prior to operation. Perfusion parameters including arrival time (AT), peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), and area under the curve (AUC) of the lesion and surrounding normal tissue were analyzed. A reader blinded to pathology results were asked to rate and compare each case with surgical or resection biopsy pathology results.
From the 107 gastric lesions, 75 were malignant gastric lesions (33 gastric cancers,42 gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)) and 32 were benign gastric lesions (11 inflammatory masses and 21 polypoid adenomas). Compared with US, DCUS achieved higher value in sensitivity (90.6% vs. 70.6%), specificity (75% vs. 62.5%), positive predictive value (89.5% vs. 81.5%), negative predictive value (77.4% vs. 47.6%), and overall accuracy (85.9% vs. 68.2%). When US was tested against DCUS, the increase in correct diagnoses value was significant (P = .01). Furthermore, gastric cancer had faster AT, higher PI and AUC than normal tissue (P<0.05); GIST and Inflammatory mass had higher PI than normal tissue (P<0.05); gastric cancer and GIST had faster AT than polypoid adenoma (P<0.05), Inflammatory mass showed higher PI than other 3 lesions and gastric cancer had higher PI than polypoid adenoma and GIST (P<0.05); gastric cancer and inflammatory mass had larger AUC than polypoid adenoma and GIST (P<0.05). Conclusion DCUS improved diagnostic performance compared with US. The combination of different CEUS enhancement characteristics with quantitative perfusion parameters may provide a promising tool to help differentiate gastric cancer and GIST from benign lesions.
Reliable cell tracking is essential to understand the fate of stem cells following implantation, and thus promote the clinical application of stem cell therapy. Dual or multiple modal imaging ...modalities mediated by different types of multifunctional contrast agent are generally needed for efficient cell tracking. Here, we created a new contrast agent-PLGA/iron oxide microparticles (PLGA/IO MPs) and characterized the morphology, structure and function of enhancing both photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both PA and MRI signal increased with increased Fe concentration of PLGA/IO MPs. Fluorescent staining, Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM) certified that PLGA/IO MPs were successfully encapsulated in the labeled TSCs. The established PLGA/IO MPs demonstrated superior ability of dual-modal PA/MRI tracking of TSCs without cytotoxicity at relatively lower Fe concentrations (50, 100 and 200 μg/mL). The optimal Fe concentration of PLGA/IO MPs was determined to be 100 μg/mL, thus laying a foundation for the further study of dual-modal PA/MRI tracking of TSCs in vivo and promoting the repair of injured tendon.
ABSTRACT
Aims/Introduction
To assess the effect of empagliflozin treatment on left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV) and left atrial (LA) functions in diabetes patients with normal ejection ...fraction.
Materials and Methods
The study included a total of 128 diabetes patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors who were subjected to a 6‐month follow up from the initiation of empagliflozin treatment. Before and after treatment with empagliflozin, LV, RV and LA strain, and noninvasive myocardial work parameters were evaluated by speckle tracking echocardiography.
Results
In 128 diabetes patients (mean age 56 ± 8 years, 85 men) with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, myocardial strain and work parameters were impaired, despite the absence of significant clinical symptoms of heart failure. After 6‐month treatment with empagliflozin, the absolute value of LV strain in all directions increased, represented by LV global longitudinal strain (−18.0 ± 1.7% to −19.2 ± 1.7% mean ± SD). The same trend in LV global work efficiency (93 91–94 % to 94 93–95 % median (IQR)), RV free‐wall longitudinal strain (−24.0 ± 2.7% to −25.0 ± 2.8%), LA reservoir (31 ± 5% to 34 ± 5%) and conduit strain (−14 ± 4% to −16 ± 4%) was also observed. LV mass index (106.9 ± 16.8–103.6 ± 16.4 g/m2) and LV global wasted work (143 111–185 mmHg% to 108 88–141 mmHg%) decreased after treatment (P < 0.05 for all). LV volume and LA volume index remained unchanged after treatment. In the multivariable analysis, the change in LA reservoir strain (β = 0.050, P = 0.035) and baseline global longitudinal strain (β = −0.488, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of improvement in LV global longitudinal strain.
Conclusions
This study suggests that 6‐month treatment with empagliflozin improved LV, RV and LA functions in diabetes patients with normal ejection fraction.
The improvements of biventricular and left atrial myocardial function after 6‐month empagliflozin treatment in the current study showed beneficial effects of empagliflozin in diabetes patients with normal ejection fraction. This is significant, because previous studies rarely involved the changes of right ventricular and left atrial function in diabetes patients, and the present study provides a new perspective for understanding the potential role of sodium‐glucose transporter 2 inhibitors in mildly functionally impaired hearts. The future studies in patients of heart failure with normal ejection fraction might be warranted.
To determine whether additional systematic biopsy is necessary in all biopsy naïve patients with MRI visible lesions by taking PI-RADS score and prostate volume into consideration.
Patients who ...underwent combined systematic biopsy (SB) and cognitive MRI-targeted biopsy (TB) in our hospital between May 2018 and June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The detection rate of clinical significant prostate cancer (csPCa), biopsy grade group (GG) concordance, and disease upgrading rate on radical prostatectomy were compared between SB and TB and further stratified by PI-RADS v2.0 category and prostate volume.
A total of 234 patients were analyzed in this study. TB alone detected more csPCa and less clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) than SB alone in the whole cohort (57.3
53%, P = 0.041; 3.8
7.7%, P = 0.049 respectively). The additional SB indicated only a marginal increase of csPCa detection but a remarkable increase of cisPCa detection compared with targeted biopsy (59.4
57.3%, P = 0.064; 3.8
7.7%, P = 0.012). As stratified by PI-RADS category, the difference of csPCa detection rate between TB and SB was not significant either in PI-RADS 5 subgroup (83.8
76.3%, P = 0.07) or in PI-RADS 3-4 subgroup (43.5
40.9%, P = 1.0). Additional SB decreased the rate of disease upgrading on radical prostatectomy (RP) than TB alone in PI-RADS 3-4 subgroup (14.5
25.5%, P = 0.031) other than PI-RADS 5 subgroup (6
6%, P = 1.0). When stratified by prostate volume (PV), TB alone detected more csPCa than SB in small prostate (PV < 30 ml) group (81.0
71.0%, P = 0.021) but not in large prostate (PV ≥ 30 ml) group (44.0
42.7%, P = 0.754). The additional SB did not significantly decrease the rate of disease upgrading on RP than TB alone in either small or large prostate (6.4
8.5%, P = 1.0; 13.8
22.4%, P = 0.063).
The combination biopsy method was no superior than targeted biopsy alone in PI-RADS 5 or in small volume prostate subgroup.
Ultrasound (US) guided transoral biopsy is a novel and safe procedure for obtaining tissue in patients with oral masses. However, this procedure is less commonly used in comparison to US guided ...transcutaneous biopsy. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of US-guided transoral and transcutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) in patients with oral masses.
From November 2019 to March 2021, consecutive patients with oral masses were randomly assigned to undergo US-guided transoral CNB (transoral group) and US-guided transcutaneous CNB from a submental approach (transcutaneous group). During the operation, procedure time, intra‑operative blood loss volume, diagnostic performance, rate of complications and pain level were recorded and compared.
There were 112 patients (62 in the transoral group and 50 in the transcutaneous group) evaluated in this study. The postprocedural complication rate of the transcutaneous group was significantly higher than the transoral group (24% vs. 0%, P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in accuracy (95.2% vs. 88%, P = 0.30), biopsy time (76 ± 12 s vs. 80 ± 13 s, p = 0.09), blood losses (2.6 ± 0.5 mL vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 mL, p = 0.17) and visual analogue score (p = 0.327 and p = 0.444 before and after the sampling procedure) between the two groups.
US-guided transoral CNB results in high rates of technical success and lower rates of postprocedural complications.
Background The benchmark dose（BMD） method calculates the dose associated with a specific change in response based on a specific dose-response relationship. Compared with the traditional no observed ...adverse effect level（NOAEL） method, the BMD method has many advantages, and the 95% lower confidence limit of benchmark dose lower limit（BMDL） is recommended to replace NOAEL in deriving biological exposure limits. No authority has yet published any health-based guideline for rare earth elements.Objective To evaluate genotoxicity threshold induced by acute exposure to neodymium nitrate in mice using BMD modeling through micronucleus test and comet assay.Methods SPF grade mice（n=90） were randomly divided into nine groups, including seven neodymium nitrate exposure groups, one control group（distilled water）, and one positive control group(200 mg·kg-1 ethyl methanesulfonate), 10 mice in each group, half male and half female. The seven dose groups were fed by gavage with different concentrations of neodymium nitrate solution(male: 14, 27, 39, 55, 77, 109, and 219 mg·kg-1; female: 24, 49, 69, 97, 138, 195, and 389 mg·kg-1) twice at an interval of 21 h.Three hours after the last exposure, the animals were neutralized by cervical dislocation. The bone marrow of mice femur was taken to calculate the micronucleus rate of bone marrow cells, and the liver and stomach were taken for comet test.Results The best fitting models for the increase of polychromatophil micronucleus rate in bone marrow of female and male mice induced by neodymium nitrate were the exponential 4 model and the hill model, respectively. The BMD and the BMDL of female mice were calculated to be 31.37 mg·kg-1 and 21.90 mg·kg-1, and those of male mice were calculated to be 58.62 mg·kg-1 and 54.31 mg·kg-1, respectively. The best fitting models for DNA damage induced by neodymium nitrate in female and male mouse hepatocytes were the exponential5 model and the exponential 4 model, respectively, and the calculated BMD and BMDL were 27.15 mg·kg-1 and 11.99 mg·kg-1 for female mice, and 16.28 mg·kg-1 and 10.47 mg·kg-1 for male mice, respectively. The hill model was the best fitting model for DNA damage of gastric adenocytes in both female and male mice, and the calculated BMD and BMDL were 36.73 mg·kg-1 and 19.92 mg·kg-1 for female mice, and24.74 mg·kg-1 and 14.08 mg·kg-1 for male mice, respectively.Conclusion Taken the micronucleus rate of bone marrow cells, DNA damage of liver cells and gastric gland cells as the end points of genotoxicity, the BMDL of neodymium nitrate is 10.47 mg·kg-1, which can be used as the threshold of genotoxic effects induced by acute exposure to neodymium nitrate in mice.
Because traffic incident is the main cause of traffic congestion in Highway, traffic incident detection plays an important role in ITS. Based on the professional software VISSIM, we performed an ...experiment on incident caused by traffic jam to obtain the original simulated data. We offered a way to deal and analyse the traffic prameters, then an updated automatic traffic incident detection method was proposed based on BP neural network. Simulation result shows that the new method has many advantages such as higher detection rate, lower false alarm rate and shorter mean detection time.
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