Hematite has become a promising oxygen carrier (OC) due to its abundance and low cost for chemical looping hydrogen generation (CLHG). However, the poor redox reactivity, low yield, and purity of ...hydrogen are the main issues using hematite as an OC. In order to solve the problems, a synthesized OC based on iron ore comodified by copper and potassium was first proposed for CLHG to increase the reduction reactivity and hydrogen yield. Experiments were conducted in a batched fluidized bed reactor to evaluate the performance of the synthesized OC. The results demonstrated that the adding of potassium and copper elevated the reduction reactivity. The reduction reactivity was in the sequence of 5Fe1.67Cu10K > 5Fe1Cu10K > 5Fe0.625Cu10K > 5Fe1Cu5K > 5Fe1Cu0K > hematite. As compared with hematite, the oxygen transport conversion increased 70.11% using 5Fe1.67Cu10K. The reduction reactivity enhancement was attributed to the self-diffusion and pores formation via adding potassium as well as the high reactivity and oxygen transport conversion of copper loading. K2Fe4O7 and CuFe2O4 were detected in the synthesized OCs by XRD analysis, which were active phases for reduction. Moreover, the high oxygen transport conversion and reactivity revealed the deep reduction of iron oxides. The hydrogen yield increased 2.1 times on account of the existence of potassium and copper. Meanwhile, the hydrogen production rate was improved. Additionally, 850 °C was suitable for CLHG in consideration of the reaction rate and the low melting point of the additive. The hydrogen purity was up to 99.9%, indicating that copper and potassium play significantly synergistic roles on suppressing carbon deposition. Therefore, the synthesized oxygen carrier based on iron ore comodified by potassium and copper was suitable for CLHG.
Objective
Aimed to evaluate the long‐term clinical and radiographic outcomes of short implants supporting single crowns in the posterior regions.
Material and methods
A retrospective study design was ...adopted. The clinical and radiographic data of 231 short implants (intra‐bony length ≤8 mm) supporting single crowns in 168 patients, were collected after 5–10 (mean 7.22) years' follow‐up. Implant and prosthesis failures, peri‐implant marginal bone loss, biological and technical complications were evaluated. The influence factors on implant failure were studied.
Results
In total 4 implants and 11 prostheses failed. The 10‐year (5‐year) cumulative survival rate was 98.3% (98.7%) for implant‐based analysis and 97.6% (98.2%) for patient‐based analysis. The short implants placed in type IV bone yielded more failures than in type I–III and presented a survival rate of 94.0%. The 10‐year survival rate of the prostheses was 95.2%. The mean marginal bone loss between implant installation and the 10 years' follow‐up visit was 0.63 ± 0.68 mm. The marginal bone loss between the first and 5th year was minimal (0.05 ± 0.10mm and not statistically significant). 18 (7.8%) implants were exposed to biological complications, whereas 29 (12.6%) implants were involved in technical complications.
Conclusions
High survival rates for both the implants and the prostheses could be achieved after 5–10 years for short implants supporting single crowns, without severe marginal bone loss and complications. One may conclude that a single crown supported by a short implant is a predictable treatment modality. However, short implants in type IV bone sites should be applied with caution.
Abstract
The ultimate goal of gene delivery vectors is to establish specific and effective treatments for human diseases. We previously demonstrated that human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) virus-like ...particles (VLPs) can package and deliver exogenous DNA into susceptible cells for gene expression. For tissue-specific targeting in this study, JCPyV VLPs were conjugated with a specific peptide for bladder cancer (SPB) that specifically binds to bladder cancer cells. The suicide gene thymidine kinase was packaged and delivered by SPB-conjugated VLPs (VLP-SPBs). Expression of the suicide gene was detected only in human bladder cancer cells and not in lung cancer or neuroblastoma cells susceptible to JCPyV VLP infection in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating the target specificity of VLP-SPBs. The gene transduction efficiency of VLP-SPBs was approximately 100 times greater than that of VLPs without the conjugated peptide. JCPyV VLPs can be specifically guided to target particular cell types when tagged with a ligand molecule that binds to a cell surface marker, thereby improving gene therapy.
The interference screw fixation method is used to secure a graft in the tibial tunnel during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. However, several complications have been reported, such ...as biodegradable screw breakage, inflammatory or foreign body reaction, tunnel enlargement, and delayed graft healing. Using additive manufacturing (AM) technology, we developed a titanium alloy (Ti
Al
V) interference screw with chemically calcium phosphate surface modification technology to improve bone integration in the tibial tunnel. After chemical and heat treatment, the titanium screw formed a dense apatite layer on the metal surface in simulated body fluid. Twenty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control and additive manufactured (AMD) screw groups. The long digital extensor tendon was detached and translated into a tibial plateau tunnel (diameter: 2.0 mm) and transfixed with an interference screw while the paw was in dorsiflexion. Biomechanical analyses, histological analyses, and an imaging study were performed at 1, 3, and 6 months. The biomechanical test showed that the ultimate pull-out load failure was significantly higher in the AMD screw group in all tested periods. Micro-computed tomography analyses revealed early woven bone formation in the AMD screw group at 1 and 3 months. In conclusion, AMD screws with bioactive surface modification improved bone ingrowth and enhanced biomechanical performance in a rabbit model.
Activated carbons (ACs) were produced by a one step process with CO2 as the physical activation agent at 800 °C. The ACs were further activated chemically using KOH, HNO3 or CH3COOH and heat-treated ...at 300 or 600 °C for 1 or 2 h to modify their properties. The effect of CO2 concentration, activation time, types of chemical agents and the post heat-treatment conditions on CO2 capture were investigated. Results showed that the optimum conditions for AC production from corn stalks was at 800 °C for 30 min with a CO2 concentration of 20% during the physical activation. Chemical agents and further heat-treatment modified the pore structure of the ACs, resulting in a performance improvement for CO2 adsorption. The BET surface area of one sample (HNO3 activation +100 °C water bath 1 h + post heat-treatment at 600 °C for 2 h) was 639. 8 m2/g. The maximum CO2 adsorption capacity of the sample was 7.33 wt%, which is higher than that of a commercial AC (6.55 wt%). The CO2 adsorption is dominantly dependent on the mesopore volume when the BET surface area is smaller than 500 m2/g while the adsorption is closely associated with micropore area when the BET surface area is larger than 500 m2/g. The adsorption kinetics agreed well with the Bangham kinetic model.
An increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a poor prognostic biomarker in various types of cancer, because it reflects the inhibition of lymphocytes in the circulation and tumors. In ...urologic cancers, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is known for its aggressive features and lack of T cell infiltration; however, the association between neutrophils and suppressed T lymphocytes in UTUC is largely unknown. In this study, we examined the relationship between UTUC-derived factors and tumor-associated neutrophils or T lymphocytes. The culture supernatant from UTUC tumor tissue modulated neutrophils to inhibit T cell proliferation. Among the dominant factors secreted by UTUC tumor tissue, apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1) exhibited a positive correlation with NLR. Moreover, tumor-infiltrating neutrophils were inversely correlated with tumor-infiltrating T cells. Elevated Apo-A1 levels in UTUC were also inversely associated with the population of tumor-infiltrating T cells. Our findings indicate that elevated Apo-A1 expression in UTUC correlates with tumor-associated neutrophils and T cells. This suggests a potential immunomodulatory effect on neutrophils and T cells within the tumor microenvironment, which may represent therapeutic targets for UTUC treatment.
Obesity is a risk factor for gallbladder cancer (GBC) development, and it correlates with shorter overall survival. Leptin, derived from adipocytes, has been suggested to contribute to the growth of ...cancer cells; however, the detailed mechanism of leptin in GBC drug resistance remains uninvestigated. In this study, our finding that patients with GBC with a higher BMI were associated with increased GBC risks, including shortened survival, is clinically relevant. Moreover, obese NOD/SCID mice exhibited a higher circulating concentration of leptin, which is associated with GBC growth and attenuated gemcitabine efficacy. We further revealed that leptin can inhibit gemcitabine-induced GBC cell death through myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1) activation. The transcription factor C/EBP δ (CEBPD) is responsive to activated STAT3 (pSTAT3) and contributes to MCL1 transcriptional activation upon leptin treatment. In addition, MCL1 mediates leptin-induced mitochondrial fusion and is associated with GBC cell survival. The findings in this study suggest the involvement of the pSTAT3/CEBPD/MCL1 axis in leptin-induced mitochondrial fusion and survival and provide a potentially new therapeutic target to improve the efficacy of gemcitabine in patients with GBC.
The cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene locus is challenging to accurately genotype due to numerous single nucleotide variants and complex structural variation. Our goal was to determine whether the ...CYP2D6 genotype‐phenotype correlation is improved when diplotype assignments incorporate structural variation, identified by the bioinformatics tool Stargazer, with next‐generation sequencing data. Using CYP2D6 activity measured with substrates dextromethorphan and metoprolol, activity score explained 40% and 34% of variability in metabolite formation rates, respectively, when diplotype calls incorporated structural variation, increasing from 36% and 31%, respectively, when diplotypes did not incorporate structural variation. We also investigated whether the revised Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) recommendations for translating genotype to phenotype improve CYP2D6 activity predictions over the current system. Although the revised recommendations do not improve the correlation between activity score and CYP2D6 activity, perhaps because of low frequency of the CYP2D6*10 allele, the correlation with metabolizer phenotype group was significantly improved for both substrates. We also measured the function of seven rare coding variants: one (A449D) exhibited decreased (44%) and another (R474Q) increased (127%) activity compared with reference CYP2D6.1 protein. Allele‐specific analysis found that A449D is part of a novel CYP2D6*4 suballele, CYP2D6*4.028. The novel haplotype containing R474Q was designated CYP2D6*138 by PharmVar; another novel haplotype containing R365H was designated CYP2D6*139. Accuracy of CYP2D6 phenotype prediction is improved when the CYP2D6 gene locus is interrogated using next‐generation sequencing coupled with structural variation analysis. Additionally, revised CPIC genotype to phenotype translation recommendations provides an improvement in assigning CYP2D6 activity.
Abstract Objectives Lung cancer rates in Xuanwei are the highest in China. In-home use of smoky coal has been associated with lung cancer risk, and the association of smoking and lung cancer risk ...strengthened after stove improvement. Here, we explored the differential association of tobacco use and lung cancer risk by the intensity, duration, and type of coal used. Materials and methods We conducted a population-based case-control study of 260 male lung cancer cases and 260 age-matched male controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for tobacco use was calculated by conditional logistic regression. Results Use of smoky coal was significantly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, and tobacco use was weakly and non-significantly associated with lung cancer risk. When the association was assessed by coal use, the cigarette-lung cancer risk association was null in hazardous coal users and elevated in less hazardous smoky coal users and non-smoky coal users. The risk of lung cancer per cigarette per day decreased as annual use of coal increased (>0–3 tons: OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03–1.17; >3 tons: OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.95–1.03). Among more hazardous coal users, attenuation occured at even low levels of usage (>0–3 tons: OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.91–1.14; >3 tons: OR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.97–1.03). Conclusion We found evidence that smoky coal attenuated the tobacco and lung cancer risk association in males that lived in Xuanwei, particularly among users of hazardous coal where even low levels of smoky coal attenuated the association. Our results suggest that the adverse effects of tobacco may become more apparent as China's population continues to switch to cleaner fuels for the home, underscoring the urgent need for smoking cessation in China and elsewhere.
Fat-soluble vitamin (FSV) deficiencies are common complications in pediatric patients with chronic cholestasis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the status of FSV deficiencies in patients ...under present practice and to test the effect of an oral, absorbable, fat-soluble vitamin formulation (OAFSV) in these patients.
We recruited a total of 23 pediatric patients receiving conventional FSV supplementation in a single medical center, with diagnosis of biliary atresia (10), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (9), Alagille syndrome (2), and other conditions (2). Ten patients switched to OAFSV and continued for 3 months. Plasma levels of vitamins A, D, and E and an international normalized ratio (INR) for prothrombin time (PT), a surrogate marker for vitamin K deficiency, were measured.
The proportion of patients with FSV A, D, E, and K deficiencies under conventional supplementation was 73.9%, 81.8%, 91.3%, and 20.0%, respectively. In patients with total bilirubin levels ≥3.0 mg/dL, the proportion of at least 1 FSV deficiency was 100%; and the deficiency rates of vitamin A, D, E, and K were 78.6%, 100.0%, 100.0% and 21.4%, respectively. Of the 10 patients receiving standard daily dose of OAFSV for 3 months, no adverse events or overdose effects were found. The rates of vitamin A, D, and E deficiency in the patients receiving OAFSV decreased from 80.0%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, to 70.0%, 60.0%, and 60.0% after 3 months of oral supplementation.
High rates of FSV deficiency were found in pediatric patients with chronic cholestasis under present follow-up. OAFSV supplementation is safe and potentially effective in pediatric patients with cholestasis.
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