PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different coping thicknesses and veneer ceramic cooling rates on the failure load of zirconia-ceramic crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Zirconia copings of two different thicknesses (0.5 mm or 1.5 mm; n=20 each) were fabricated from scanning 40 identical abutment models using a dental computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing system. Zirconia-ceramic crowns were completed by veneering feldspathic ceramics under different cooling rates (conventional or slow, n=20 each), resulting in 4 different groups (CONV05, SLOW05, CONV15, SLOW15; n=10 per group). Each crown was cemented on the abutment. 300,000 cycles of a 50-N load and thermocycling were applied on the crown, and then, a monotonic load was applied on each crown until failure. The mean failure loads were evaluated with two-way analysis of variance (P=.05). RESULTS: No cohesive or adhesive failure was observed after fatigue loading with thermocycling. Among the 4 groups, SLOW15 group (slow cooling and 1.5 mm chipping thickness) resulted in a significantly greater mean failure load than the other groups (P<.001). Coping fractures were only observed in SLOW15 group. CONCLUSION: The failure load of zirconia-ceramic crowns was significantly influenced by cooling rate as well as coping thickness. Under conventional cooling conditions, the mean failure load was not influenced by the coping thickness; however, under slow cooling conditions, the mean failure load was significantly influenced by the coping thickness.
Adhesives ; Ceramics ; Computer-Aided Design ; Crowns* ; Fatigue*

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics between neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of neonates (PPHN) with parenchymal lung disease (PLD) and those with idiopathic PPHN. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 67 neonates with gestational ages not lesser than 34⁺⁰ weeks who were born at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital between June 1, 2005 and December 31, 2016. We excluded 10 neonates who presented with congenital anomalies (n=3), dextrocardia (n=1), triple X syndrome (n=1), death before treatment (n=1), neonatal asphyxia (n=2), and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n=2). Neonates were categorized into 2 groups—PPHN with PLD (PLD group, those diagnosed with PLD such as respiratory distress syndrome or meconium aspiration syndrome, n=36) and idiopathic PPHN (idiopathic group, n=21). We compared the clinical characteristics, treatment, and laboratory findings between the groups. RESULTS: The PLD group neonates showed a greater requirement for positive pressure ventilation in the delivery room, higher frequency of meconium staining of amniotic fluid, and greater need for surfactant application than those belonging to the idiopathic group. In contrast, epinephrine use was more common in the idiopathic PPHN group than in the PLD group. The 1-minute Apgar score and pH observed on initial capillary blood gas analysis were lower in the PLD than in the idiopathic group. Severity scores were higher in the idiopathic than in the PLD group 4–7 days after birth. CONCLUSION: In our study, an overall simplified severity score in the first week after birth was higher in the idiopathic than in the PLD group. These results were particularly statistically significant over postnatal days 4–7.
Amniotic Fluid ; Apgar Score ; Asphyxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Capillaries ; Delivery Rooms ; Dextrocardia ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung* ; Meconium ; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Positive-Pressure Respiration

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between vaginal reflux (VR) and urinary tract infection (UTI) in female children aged < 36 months. METHODS: A single center retrospective study was performed for 191 girls aged < 36 months, with a diagnosis of febrile UTI, who underwent a voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for assessment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) at Sanggye Paik Hospital. Fifty-one girls, who underwent VCUG for assessment of congenital hydronephrosis or renal pelvis dilatation, without a UTI, formed the control group. The correlation between the presence and grade of VR and UTI was evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of VR was higher in the UTI (42.9%) than control (13.7%) group (P < 0.05), with a higher VR severity grade in the UTI (mean, 0.64) than control (mean, 0.18) group (P < 0.05). On subanalysis with age-matching (UTI group: n=126, age, 5.28±2.13 months; control group: n=22, age, 4.79±2.40 months; P=0.33), both VR prevalence (43.65% vs. 18.18%, P < 0.05) and grade (0.65 vs. 0.22, P < 0.05) remained higher in the UTI than control group. Presence and higher grade of VR were associated with UTI recurrence (P < 0.05). VR was correlated to urosepsis (P < 0.05). The renal defect rate of patients with VR (VR [+]/VUR [+]) was not different from that of patients without VR (74% vs. 52%, P=0.143) in the VUR group; however, it was higher than that of VR (+)/VUR (−) patients (74% vs. 32%, P=0.001). If a child with VR (+)/VUR (+) is exposed to a UTI, the risk of renal defect increases. CONCLUSION: Occurrence of VR is associated with UTI recurrence and urosepsis in pediatric female patients.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney Pelvis ; Prevalence ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) pseudogene polymorphism and the association with susceptibility to lung cancer in Chinese people.

METHODSThe subjects of this study included 63 patients with lung cancer and 82 healthy controls matched in gender and age. Genome DNA was extracted from white blood cells. Products from PCR with a pair of specific primer were electrophoresized in agarose including EB. Under ultraviolet, observation and imaging were performed.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in genotype between the cases and controls. The frequencies of B allele in cases and controls were 0.095 and 0.116 respectively. Whether there was B allele or not, smoking was a risk factor of lung cancer (P<0.05). As the genotype was AA and AB or BB, smoking OR was 2.28 and 4.83 respectively. Among non-smokers, the risk at lung cancer did not increase in AB or BB genotypes(P=0.202).

CONCLUSIONFrequency of B allele is relatively lower in Chinese people than in other races. In smokers, B allele may be a susceptible marker of lung cancer, and there is synergistic function between B allele and smoking.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; China ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pseudogenes ; genetics

PURPOSE: Multiple virus infections may affect clinical severity. We investigated the effect of coinfection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus with other respiratory viruses on clinical severity. METHODS: Data from 634 samples of a single tertiary hospital between September 2014 and April 2015 were analyzed for clinical characteristics (fever duration and O2 need, steroid use, and ICU care) between single infection and coinfection of RSV (n=290) and influenza virus (n=74) with 16 common respiratory viruses from hospitalized children. RESULTS: The RSV coinfection group (n=109) (3.1±2.7 days) showed significantly longer fever duration than the RSV single infection group (n=181) (2.6±2.6 days) (P=0.04), while there was no difference in O2 need, steroid use or ICU care in the 2 groups. The influenza coinfection group (n=38) showed significantly higher O2 need than the influenza single infection group (n=36) (21.1% vs. 5.6%, P=0.05), while there was no difference in fever duration between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that RSV and Influenza coinfections can increase clinical severity and that the severity may be influenced by the nature of coinfecting viruses.
Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Coinfection ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Tertiary Care Centers

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Despite extensive treatment, the prognosis for patients with metastatic cancer remains poor. In addition to conventional surgical resection, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, various nanobiomaterials have attracted attention for their enhanced antitumor performance and low off-target effects. However, nanomedicines exhibit certain limitations in clinical applications, such as rapid clearance from the body, low biological stability, and poor targeting ability. Biomimetic methods utilize the natural biomembrane to mimic or hybridize nanoparticles and circumvent some of these limitations. Considering the involvement of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of the metastatic cascade, biomimetic methods using immune cell membranes have been proposed with unique tumor-homing ability and high biocompatibility. In this review, we explore the impact of immune cells on various processes of tumor metastasis. Furthermore, we summarize the synthesis and applications of immune cell membrane-based nanocarriers increasing therapeutic efficacy against cancer metastases via immune evasion, prolonged circulation, enhanced tumor accumulation, and immunosuppression of the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, we describe the prospects and existing challenges in clinical translation.

[摘 要] 目的：探讨α-常春藤皂苷（α-Hed）诱导非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）细胞凋亡的作用靶点及其潜在机制，明确α-Hed与顺铂（DDP）联用后对相应的靶点蛋白表达的影响。方法：采用CCK-8法检测不同浓度α-Hed处理后NSCLC细胞A549、H1299和PC-9的存活率，采用Annexin Ⅴ-FITC/PI染色流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率，采用WB法检测细胞中C-caspase-3和Bcl-2蛋白的表达。通过网络药理学相关方法筛选α-Hed的潜在靶点，利用分子对接法分析其结合效果，WB法检测靶点蛋白的表达。通过CCK-8法、细胞集落形成实验和WB法检测α-Hed与DDP联用对NSCLC细胞的抑制作用。结果：给药24和48 h后，10、15和20 μmol/L α-Hed可以显著抑制NSCLC细胞增殖活力（均P<0.01）；与对照组相比，20 μmol/L α-Hed处理后细胞凋亡率显著升高（P<0.01）；α-Hed可上调NSCLC细胞中C-caspase-3的表达（P<0.05），下调Bcl-2的表达（P<0.05）。网络药理学和分子对接筛选出结合亲和力小于-5 kcal/mol的靶点AKT1、STAT3、EGFR和JAK2。WB法检测结果显示，α-Hed处理后A549、H1299细胞中EGFR、p-AKT/AKT、p-STAT3/STAT3和JAK2蛋白的表达均明显下调（均P<0.05）。α-Hed与DDP联用后，更显著地抑制NSCLC细胞的增殖（P<0.01），进一步下调EGFR、p-AKT/AKT、p-STAT3/STAT3和JAK2蛋白的表达（P<0.05或P<0.01）。结论：α-Hed通过下调EGFR和JAK2的表达抑制STAT3和AKT的磷酸化，诱导NSCLC细胞凋亡，与DDP联用后其抑制效果增强，EGFR/AKT和JAK2/STAT3通路也进一步被抑制。

BACKGROUNDHATCH score is an established predictor of progression from paroxysmal to persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to determine if HATCH score could predict recurrence after catheter ablation of AF.

METHODSThe data of 488 consecutive paroxysmal AF patients who underwent an index circumferential pulmonary veins (PV) ablation were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 250 (51.2%) patients had HATCH score = 0, 185 (37.9%) patients had HATCH score = 1, and 53 (10.9%) patients had HATCH score ≥ 2 (28 patients had HATCH score = 2, 23 patients had HATCH score = 3, and 2 patients had HATCH score = 4).

RESULTSThe patients with HATCH score ≥ 2 had significantly larger left atrium size, the largest left ventricular end systolic diameter, and the lowest ejection fraction. After a mean follow-up of (823 ± 532) days, the recurrence rates were 36.4%, 37.8% and 28.3% from the HATCH score = 0, HATCH score = 1 to HATCH score ≥ 2 categories (P = 0.498). Univariate analysis revealed that left atrium size, body mass index, and failure of PV isolation were predictors of AF recurrence. After adjustment for body mass index, left atrial size and PV isolation, the HATCH score was not an independent predictor of recurrence (HR = 0.92, 95% confidence interval = 0.76 - 1.12, P = 0.406) in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONHATCH score has no value in prediction of AF recurrence after catheter ablation.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; therapy ; Body Mass Index ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment on postoperative pain in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease, and explored the relationship between the postoperative analgesic effect of acupuncture and the sensation of acupuncture experienced by the patients. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 97 patients who had undergone an operation by the same surgeon due to degenerative lumbar disease. These patients were divided into acupuncture group (n = 32), patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) group (n = 27), and oral analgesia group (n = 38) according to the different postoperative analgesic methods. During their hospitalization, patients completed daily evaluations of their pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and injection times of supplemental meperidine were recorded. Also, the Chinese version of the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale (C-MASS) was used in the acupuncture group. RESULTS: Each of the three treatment groups showed significant reductions in postoperative pain, as shown by reduced VAS scores. The acupuncture group, however, had less rebound pain (P < 0.05) than the other two groups. Both the acupuncture and PCA groups experienced acute analgesic effects that were superior to those in the oral analgesia group. In addition, the higher the C-MASS index on the second day after surgery, the lower the VAS score on the fourth day after surgery. There was also a significant difference in the "dull pain" in the acupuncture sensation. CONCLUSION The results demonstrated that acupuncture was beneficial for postoperative pain and discomfort after simple surgery for degenerative spinal disease. It is worth noting that there was a disproportionate relevance between the patient's acupuncture sensation and the improvement of pain VAS score.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Analgesia/methods* ; Analgesics/therapeutic use* ; Consensus ; Humans ; Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensation

Humans ; COVID-19/genetics* ; SARS-CoV-2/genetics* ; Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/genetics* ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; RNA, Viral/genetics*