An optimized short-term steroid therapy for chronic drug-induced liver injury: A prospective randomized clinical trial.

Background And Aims: The use of corticosteroids in chronic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an important issue. Our previous randomized controlled trial showed that patients with chronic DILI benefited from a 48-week steroid stepwise reduction (SSR) regimen. However, it remains unclear whether a shorter course of therapy can achieve similar efficacy.

[Protective Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation on Intestinal Injury in Septic Mice and Its Mechanism].

Objective: To explore the protective effect of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (P-MSCs) transplantation on intestinal injury in septic mice and its mechanism.

Methods: A total of 24 mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups, a sham operation group, a sepsis group that underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) procedure, and a group that received CLP and P-MSCs treatment. Hereinafter, the three groups are referred to as the Sham group, the CLP group, and the CLP+P-MSCs group.

MiR-125 family improves the radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: MiRNAs can affect the radiosensitization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to analyze the function of miR-125 family members in HNSCC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and determine their effect on radiation in laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC).

Methods: First, we systematically analyzed the role of the miR-125 family in HNSCC using the TCGA database and found that miR-125a-5p is associated with radiotherapy.

A novel 3-D lead-iodide polymer based on the linkage of rare binuclear [PbI] cations and anionic bis(pyrazinyl)-trizole bridges.

A novel 3-D lead-iodide polymer [PbI(μ-bpt-z)] (1, Hbpt-z = 3,5-bis(pyrazinyl)-1,2,4-trizole) has been hydrothermally prepared and structurally characterized. 1 offers the first example of a 3-D lead-iodide polymer built up from the linkage of rare binuclear [PbI] cations and anionic bis(pyrazinyl)-trizole bridges. 1 exhibits photoluminescent and photocurrent response properties, and its density functional theory calculation was also studied.

Two Organic Hybrid Iodoplumbates Directed by a Bifunctional Bis(pyrazinyl)triazole.

The two novel organic hybrid iodoplumbates [Hhbpt][Hhbpt][Hhbpt][PbI]·9HO (, hbpt = 1-3,5- bis(pyrazinyl)-1,2,4-triazole) and [PbI(bpt)(HO)(I·1/2I)] () were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. contains a new type of pentanuclear cluster [PbI] anion, while comprises an unprecedented 2-D polyiodoplumbate layer. Both and are potential semiconductors with narrow absorption edges of 1.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Modic Change and Spinopelvic Parameters in the Sagittal Plane.

BACKGROUND This study explored relationship between Modic change and spinopelvic parameters in the sagittal plane. MATERIAL AND METHODS We divided 80 patients into 4 groups: 60 subjects diagnosed with Modic changes (MC) were enrolled in the MC groups (MC1, MC2, and MC3) with each MC type consisting of 20 subjects, and 60 healthy subjects were enrolled in the control group. Spinopelvic parameters in the sagittal plane were calculated to assess their associations with MC.

[The protective effects of vitamin E on lung injury caused by high temperature and PM in COPD rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of vitamin E on the respiratory function impairment in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after exposed to high temperature and PM.

Methods: Fifty-four 7-week-old SPF male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 9 experimental groups (n=6). The rat COPD model was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and smoke exposure.

Nonmonotonic strain dependence of lattice thermal conductivity in monolayer SiC: a first-principles study.

An increasing number of two-dimensional (2D) materials have already been achieved experimentally or predicted theoretically, which have potential applications in nano- and opto-electronics. Various applications of electronic devices are closely related to their thermal transport properties. In this work, the strain dependence of phonon transport in monolayer SiC with a perfect planar hexagonal honeycomb structure is investigated by solving the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation.

Advanced Anti-Fouling Membranes for Osmotic Power Generation from Wastewater via Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO).

A facile and versatile approach was demonstrated for the fabrication of low-fouling pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes for osmotic power generation from highly polluted wastewater. A water-soluble zwitterionic random copolymer with superior hydrophilicity and unique chemistry was molecularly designed and synthesized via a single-step free-radical polymerization between 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMA). The P[MPC- co-AEMA] copolymer was then chemically grafted onto the surface of PES/Torlon hollow fibers via amino groups coupling of poly(AEMA) with the polyimide structures of Torlon, leaving the zwitterions of poly(MPC) in the feed solution.

Down-regulated miR-448 relieves spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury by up-regulating SIRT1.

MicroRNAs play a crucial role in the progression of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury (SCII). The role of miR-448 and SIRT1 in SCII was investigated in this study, to provide further insights into prevention and improvement of this disorder. In this study, expressions of miR-448 and SIRT1 protein were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively.

A DFT study of the catalytic pyrolysis of benzaldehyde on ZnO, γ-AlO, and CaO models.

The catalytic pyrolysis pathways of carbonyl compounds in coal were systematically studied using density functional theory (DFT), with benzaldehyde (CHCHO) employed as a coal-based model compound and ZnO, γ-AlO, and CaO as catalysts. The results show that the products of both pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis are CH and CO. However, the presence of any of the catalysts changes the reaction pathway and reduces the energy barrier, indicating that these catalysts promote CHCHO decomposition.

Broad-spectrum enhanced absorption of graphene-molybdenum disulfide photovoltaic cells in metal-mirror microcavity.

The optical absorption of graphene-molybdenum disulfide photovoltaic cells (GM-PVc) in wedge-shaped metal-mirror microcavities (w-MMCs) combined with a spectrum-splitting structure was studied. Results showed that the combination of spectrum-splitting structure and w-MMC can enable the light absorption of GM-PVcs to reach about 65% in the broad spectrum. The influence of processing errors on the absorption of GM-PVcs in w-MMCs was 3-14 times lower than that of GM-PVcs in wedge photonic crystal microcavities.

Greatly enhanced light emission of MoS using photonic crystal heterojunction.

We present theoretical study on developing a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal heterojunction (h-PhC) that consists of a monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS) structure. By employing the transfer matrix method, we obtained the analytical solution of the light absorption and emission of two-dimensional materials in 1D h-PhC. Simultaneously enhancing the light absorption and emission of the medium in multiple frequency ranges is easy as h-PhC has more modes of photon localization than the common photonic crystal.

Lower lattice thermal conductivity in SbAs than As or Sb monolayers: a first-principles study.

Phonon transport in group-VA element (As, Sb and Bi) monolayer semiconductors has been widely investigated in theory, and, of them, monolayer Sb (antimonene) has recently been synthesized. In this work, phonon transport in monolayer SbAs is investigated with a combination of first-principles calculations and the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivity of monolayer SbAs is lower than those of both monolayer As and Sb, and the corresponding sheet thermal conductance is 28.

Study of the association between hemorrhage and the position of hemorrhagic stigmata in patients with esophageal varices.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the predilection position of hemorrhagic stigmata (HS) in patients with esophageal variceal hemorrhage and provide guidance on endoscopic therapy for esophageal varices. The clinical characteristics, particularly the endoscopic manifestations of HS, in the patients who presented with gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage and cirrhosis between January 2003 and December 2013 at our hospital were summarized and patients were grouped according to the distance of the lesion site to incisors at 35-40 and ~30 cm. The association between the location of HS and active hemorrhage was assessed.

Strain effects on phonon transport in antimonene investigated using a first-principles study.

Strain engineering is a very effective method to continuously tune the electronic, topological, optical and thermoelectric properties of materials. In this work, strain-dependent phonon transport of recently-fabricated antimonene (Sb monolayers) under biaxial strain is investigated using a combination of first-principles calculations and the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation within the single-mode relaxation time approximation (RTA). It is found that the ZA dispersion of antimonene with strain less than -1% gives imaginary frequencies, which suggests that compressive strain can induce structural instability.

Manufacturing of novel low-cost adsorbent: Co-granulation of limestone and coffee waste.

Limestone and coffee waste were used during the wet co-granulation process for the production of efficient adsorbents to be used in the removal of anionic and cationic dyes. The adsorbents were characterized using different analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM, FTIR, organic elemental analysis, the nitrogen adsorption method, with wettability, strength and adsorption tests. The adsorption capacity of granules was determined by removal of methylene blue (MB) and orange II (OR) from single and mixed solutions.

[Impact of different temperatures and ambient PM2.5 on the cytotoxicity and cytophagocytic function of alveolar macrophages of rat].

Objective: To investigate the interactive effects of different temperatures and ambient PM2.5 on the rat alveolar macrophages.

Methods: The rat alveolar macrophages were collected.

The effectiveness of pressure therapy (15-25 mmHg) for hypertrophic burn scars: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although pressure therapy (PT) represents the standard care for prevention and treatment of hypertrophic scar (HS) from burns, its practice is largely based on empirical evidence and its effectiveness remains controversial. To clarify the effect of PT (15-25 mmHg) for HS, we performed the systematic review and meta-analysis. Several electronic databases were screened to identify related randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

[Progress on the minimally invasive surgical treatment for the acute Achilles tendon rupture].

Acute Achilles tendon rupture is a common sports injury, is currently the best treatment for acute Achilles tendon rupture there are more controversial programs in the clinical, their treatment is divided into conservative treatment and surgical treatment. Conservative treatment for a long time, and then the higher Achilles tendon rupture rate, postoperative recovery slow. There are a number of complications traditional open surgery, and minimally invasive surgery in recent years developed a new technology that minimizes the exposure of the wound, reduce surgical trauma scope, shorten the operation time and reduce wound infection rate increasing importance in clinical practice, worthy of recommendation.