Thioredoxin-interacting protein promotes activation and inflammation of monocytes with DNA demethylation in coronary artery disease

Numerous studies have demonstrated that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) expression of peripheral blood leucocytes is increased in coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the molecular mechanism of this phenomenon remained unclear. DNA methylation plays important roles in the regulation of gene expression. Therefore, we speculated there might be a close association between the expression of TXNIP and methylation. In this study, we found that compared with controls, DNA methylation at cg19693031 was decreased in CAD, while mRNA expressions of TXNIP and inflammatory factors, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, were increased. Methylation at cg19693031 was negatively associated with TXNIP expression in the cohort, THP-1 and macrophages/foam cells. Furthermore, Transwell assay and co-cultured adhesion assay were performed to investigate functions of TXNIP on the migration of THP-1 or the adhesion of THP-1 on the surface of endothelial cells, respectively. Notably, overexpressed TXNIP promoted the migration and adhesion of THP-1 cells and expressions of NLRP3, IL-18 and IL-1β. Oppositely, knock-down TXNIP inhibited the migration and adhesion of THP-1 and expressions of NLRP3, IL-18. In conclusion, increased TXNIP expression, related to cg19693031 demethylation orientates monocytes towards an inflammatory status through the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway involved in the development of CAD.     

Gadolinium-containing carbon nanomaterials for magnetic resonance imaging: Trends and challenges

Gadolinium-containing carbon nanomaterials are a new class of contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. They are characterized by a superior proton relaxivity to any current commercial gadolinium contrast agent and offer the possibility to design multifunctional contrasts. Intense efforts have been made to develop these nanomaterials because of their potential for better results than the available gadolinium contrast agents. The aim of the present work is to provide a review of the advances in research on gadolinium-containing carbon nanomaterials and their advantages over conventional gadolinium contrast agents. Due to their enhanced proton relaxivity, they can provide a reliable imaging contrast for cells, tissues or organs with much smaller doses than currently used in clinical practice, thus leading to reduced toxicity (as shown by cytotoxicity and biodistribution studies). Their active targeting capability allows for improved MRI of molecular or cellular targets, overcoming the limited labelling capability of available contrast agents (restricted to physiological irregularities during pathological conditions). Their potential of multifunctionality encompasses multimodal imaging and the combination of imaging and therapy.     

Microfluidic‐Assisted Blade Coating of Compositional Libraries for Combinatorial Applications: The Case of Organic Photovoltaics

Microfluidic technologies are highly adept at generating controllable compositional gradients in fluids, a feature that has accelerated the understanding of the importance of chemical gradients in biological processes. That said, the development of versatile methods to generate controllable compositional gradients in the solid‐state has been far more elusive. The ability to produce such gradients would provide access to extensive compositional libraries, thus enabling the high‐throughput exploration of the parametric landscape of functional solids and devices in a resource‐, time‐, and cost‐efficient manner. Herein, the synergic integration of microfluidic technologies is reported with blade coating to enable the controlled formation of compositional lateral gradients in solution. Subsequently, the transformation of liquid‐based compositional gradients into solid‐state thin films using this method is demonstrated. To demonstrate efficacy of the approach, microfluidic‐assisted blade coating is used to optimize blending ratios in organic solar cells. Importantly, this novel technology can be easily extended to other solution processable systems that require the formation of solid‐state compositional lateral gradients.     

Efficient Exploration of the Composition Space in Ternary Organic Solar Cells by Combining High‐Throughput Material Libraries and Hyperspectral Imaging

Organic solar cells based on ternary active layers can lead to higher power conversion efficiencies than corresponding binaries, and improved stability. The parameter space for optimization of multicomponent systems is considerably more complex than that of binaries, due to both, a larger number of parameters (e.g., two relative compositions rather than one) and intricate morphology–property correlations. Most experimental reports to date reasonably limit themselves to a relatively narrow subset of compositions (e.g., the 1:1 donor/s:acceptor/s trajectory). This work advances a methodology that allows exploration of a large fraction of the ternary phase space employing only a few (<10) samples. Each sample is produced by a designed sequential deposition of the constituent inks, and results in compositions gradients with ≈5000 points/sample that cover about 15%–25% of the phase space. These effective ternary libraries are then colocally imaged by a combination of photovoltaic techniques (laser and white light photocurrent maps) and spectroscopic techniques (Raman, photoluminescence, absorption). The generality of the methodology is demonstrated by investigating three ternary systems, namely PBDB‐T:ITIC:PC₇₀BM, PTB7‐Th:ITIC:PC₇₀BM, and P3HT:O‐IDFBR:O‐IDTBR. Complex performance‐structure landscapes through the ternary diagram as well as the emergence of several performance maxima are discovered.     

Interlock可解脱弹簧圈在脾动脉瘤腔内治疗中的应用

目的:探究Interlock可解脱弹簧圈在脾动脉瘤的腔内治疗中的应用价值。方法:回顾性分析2016年2月至2019年2月于本中心使用Interlock可解脱弹簧圈治疗的36例脾动脉瘤患者的临床资料,包括10例男性,26例女性,31例真性动脉瘤,5例假性脾动脉瘤,术前均行超声或CTA明确诊断。术中栓塞后,立即血管造影以明确技术成功率。围手术期及术后2周、3个月和6个月监测血常规、胰淀粉酶和主动脉CTA,观察并发症的发生情况。结果:6例患者弹簧圈栓塞动脉瘤远近端及瘤腔,其余仅栓塞脾动脉瘤瘤腔。术中DSA血管造影提示即刻脾动脉瘤栓塞闭塞率为97%以上,术中共使用128枚Interlock弹簧圈,其中104枚为钻石型,24枚为普通2D型。弹簧圈平均直径为6.3±4.2(2-12)mm,平均长度为16±13.5(3-32)mm,瘤体平均尺寸为40.6±12.5(15-70) mm。围手术期无并发症发生。平均随访10.0±3.2(6-15)个月,1月后2例出现脾梗死,7例发生轻微腹痛及低热等症状,所有病例均未见瘤腔再通和瘤体增大。结论:Interlock可解脱弹簧圈可以安全有效地治疗脾动脉瘤,但其远期疗效需长期随访观察。     

乌司他丁对非停跳冠脉搭桥术患者的心肺保护作用研究

目的:探讨乌司他丁对非停跳冠脉搭桥术患者的心肺保护作用。方法:选取2017年12月-2019年4月我院收治的非停跳冠脉搭桥术患者76例,根据使用的药物不同分为两组,对照组应用常规方法,研究组应用乌司他丁,在麻醉之后切皮之前为T1,旁路血管开放时时间点为T2,手术结束为T3,手术之后的8 h为T4。比较两组治疗前后的心肺功能指标、动脉血气分析及血浆炎症因子、氧合指数术后恢复。结果:和T1进行对比时,两组T3、T4中的气道阻力(Air way Resistance,Raw)、呼吸指数(Respiratory Index,RI)、肺泡-动脉血氧分压差P(A-a)DO2均有所升高,在T2、T4中(PVR)有所升高,在T2、T3、T4中肺顺应性(Compliance of Lung,CL)有所降低。和对照组进行对比时,研究组在T3、T4中肺循环阻力(pulmonary vascular resistance, PVR)、RI、P(A-a)DO2有所降低,在T2、T3、T4中通气死腔百分比(VD/VT)有所降低(P0.05),在T2中CL有所升高(P0.05);治疗前,两组BNP、TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8无统计学意义(P0.05),治疗后BNP、肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)、白细胞介素-6 (Interleukin-6,IL-6)、白细胞介素-8 (Interleukin-8,IL-8)在T1、T2、T3、T4中低于对照组(P0.05),肌钙蛋白(cardiac troponin,cTnI)在T1中和对照组没有明显差异(P0.05),T2、T3、T4中研究组明显低于对照组(P0.05),研究组氧合指数高于对照组(P0.05);研究组T1、T2、T3、T4时平均动脉压(mean artery pressure,MBP)均高于对照组(P0.05),T1、T2、T3、T4时心率均低于对照组(P0.05);研究组ICU停留时间、ICU带气管插管时间、ICU机械通气时间、肺部并发症均低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:乌司他丁用于非停跳冠脉搭桥术的效果较好,可以保护患者的心肺功能。     

用于可视化光治疗的Mn3O4@CuS纳米粒的制备研究

摘要 目的：本研究旨在制备用于肿瘤可视化光治疗的多功能Mn₃O₄@CuS核壳型纳米粒,在磁共振成像的引导下,使用近红外光定点辐照,实现局部光热消融治疗。方法：（1）采用高温热解法制备油胺稳定的Mn₃O₄纳米粒,在其表面构建CuS壳层,并进行聚乙二醇修饰,得到分散于水相中的Mn₃O₄@CuS核壳型纳米粒。（2）通过透射电镜、紫外可见近红外吸收光谱等方法对该纳米粒进行理化性质表征,并研究其体外磁共振成像、光热升温等性能。结果：制备的水相分散的Mn₃O₄@CuS纳米粒,粒径均一且分散性较好,形态为近圆形,粒径为9.30±2.29 nm;紫外可见近红外吸收光谱图表明Mn₃O₄@CuS纳米粒在近红外区有较强吸收,最大吸收峰位于1100~1200 nm范围;磁共振成像分析结果可计算出Mn₃O₄@CuS纳米粒的纵向弛豫率r1为1.662 mM^-1s^-1,表明其具有较好的磁共振增强造影效果;光热升温曲线显示Mn₃O₄@CuS纳米粒可在785 nm近红外激光下升温至73.5 ℃,具备较好的光热治疗潜力。结论：本文成功制备出水相分散的Mn₃O₄@CuS核壳型纳米粒,具有良好的磁共振造影成像性能和光热升温效应,有望应用于磁共振成像引导下的肿瘤可视化光治疗。     

CT与MRI扫描三维重建在四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折诊断中的应用

摘要 目的：探讨电子计算机断层扫描(Computed Tomography,CT)与磁共振成像(Magnetic resonance imaging,MRI)扫描三维重建在四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折诊断中的应用。方法：2016年9月到2019年10月选择在本院诊治的下拟诊为四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折118例,所有患者都给予CT与MRI扫描三维重建诊断,记录影像学特征与判断诊断价值。结果：在118例患者中,最终确诊为四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折98例,无骨折20例,其中腕关节骨折34例,踝关节骨折22例,膝关节骨折15例,肘关节骨折15例,肩关节骨折8例,髋关节骨折4例。在98例确诊的四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折中,MRI三维重建显示双边征、骨质破坏、充气征、软组织影等比例显著都高于CT (P<0.05)。CT与MRI三维重建诊断四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折的敏感性为89.8 %和99.0 %,特异性为95.0 %和100.0 %,误诊率分别为9.3 %和0.8 %,MRI三维重建诊断的敏感性高于CT ,漏诊率低于CT。结论：CT与MRI扫描三维重建在四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折诊断中的应用都有很好的价值,特别是MRI三维重建能清晰显示骨折特征,具有更高的诊断敏感性,能减少漏诊率,可作为四肢骨关节隐匿性骨折的首选检查方法。     

DCE-MRI联合DWI对直肠癌患者术前T、N分期及系膜淋巴结良恶性的诊断价值

摘要 目的：探讨动态对比增强磁共振(DCE-MRI)联合弥散加权成像（DWI）诊断直肠癌术前T、N分期和系膜淋巴结良恶性的价值。方法：收集2017年2月至2019年10月中国医科大学附属本溪中心医院和中国医科大学附属盛京医院接诊的80例直肠癌患者,均进行常规核磁共振成像（MRI）、DCE-MRI、DWI扫描,获得DCE-MRI、DWI定量参数[转运常数（K ^trans ）、细胞外血管外空间的体积分数（V _e ）、速率常数（K _ep ）、表观扩散系数(ADC)],比较不同T、N分期、不同性质系膜淋巴结DCE-MRI、DWI参数,及其对T、N分期和系膜淋巴结性质的诊断效能。结果：直肠癌癌灶K ^trans 、 K _ep 、V _e 高于正常肠壁,ADC低于正常肠壁（P＜0.05）。TNM分期为T_Ⅲ～Ⅳ期的患者K ^trans 、 K _ep 、V _e 高于T_Ⅰ～Ⅱ期,ADC低于T_Ⅰ～Ⅱ期（P＜0.05）;TNM分期为N₁期的患者K ^trans 、K _ep 、V _e 高于N₀期,ADC低于N₀期（P＜0.05）。联合诊断的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值较高。结论：DCE-MRI联合DWI对直肠癌术前T、N分期、系膜淋巴结性质诊断价值较高。     

血清同型半胱氨酸、叶酸、维生素B12水平与冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性分析

摘要 目的：探讨血清同型半胱氨酸(homocysteine, Hcy)、叶酸、维生素B12水平与冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性。方法：选取经冠脉造影检查确诊的稳定期冠心病患者220例为研究组,并以同期健康查体志愿者100例为对照组。检测和比较两组血清Hcy、叶酸、维生素B12和N -末端脑钠肽前体(N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor,NT-proBNP)水平。研究组根据冠脉造影情况进行SYNTAX评分评价,通过心脏超声检查检测左室射血分数(left ventricular ejection fraction,LVEF),确定冠脉病变严重程度。比较研究组SYNTAX低分组(1～22分)、中分组(23～32分)和高分组(≥33分)患者上述各指标水平,并分析研究组血清Hcy、叶酸、维生素B12水平与其血清NT-proBNP 水平、SYNTAX评分和LVEF的关系。结果：与对照组比较,研究组血清Hcy和NT-proBNP水平升高而血清叶酸、维生素B12水平降低(P＜0.05)。研究组SYNTAX评分和LVEF分别为(28.76±6.58)分和(47.33±8.66)%,SYNTAX中分和高分患者血清Hcy和NT-proBNP水平高于SYNTAX低分患者而血清叶酸、维生素B12水平和LVEF则低于SYNTAX低分患者,SYNTAX高分患者血清Hcy和NT-proBNP水平高于SYNTAX中分患者而血清叶酸、维生素B12水平和LVEF则低于SYNTAX中分患者(P＜0.05)。Pearson线性相关分析结果显示研究组血清Hcy水平与其血清NT-proBNP 水平、SYNTAX评分均呈正相关(r=0.881,0.793,P＜0.05),与其LVEF则呈负相关(r=-0.876,P＜0.05);而其血清叶酸、维生素B12水平与其血清NT-proBNP 水平、SYNTAX评分均呈负相关(叶酸：r=-0.786,-0.825;维生素B12：r=-0.884,-0.818,P＜0.05),与其LVEF则呈正相关(r=0.893,0.859,P＜0.05)。结论：血清Hcy是冠心病的重要危险因素,其水平随着冠状动脉病变程度加重而升高;血清叶酸、维生素B12是冠心病的保护因素,其水平随着冠状动脉病变程度加重而降低。