Diagnostic value of supersonic shear impulse elastography for malignant cervical lymph nodes: a Bayesian analysis

Yuxuan Qiu,Zhichao Xing,Qianru Yang,Yan Luo 대한초음파의학회 2022 ULTRASONOGRAPHY Vol.41 No.2

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of supersonic impulse (SSI) elastography in differentiating malignant and benign cervical lymph nodes.Methods: The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases were searched until December 1, 2020. Two different reviewers checked the studies and extracted the data. The diagnostic yields were quantitatively synthesized using a Bayesian bivariate model with an integrated nested Laplace approximation in R.Results: In total, 590 patients with 892 cervical lymph nodes who underwent SSI elastography were included. The total prevalence of malignancy was 33.7% (301/892), and the four elastic modulus values (mean, maximum, minimum, and standard deviation) were significantly different between malignant and benign lymph nodes. For the mean elastic modulus, the summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity were 0.720 (95% credible interval [CrI], 0.592 to 0.824) and 0.877 (95% CrI, 0.727 to 0.969), respectively. The estimated area under the curve (AUC) was 0.845 (95% CrI, 0.672 to 0.914). For the maximum elastic modulus, the sensitivity and specificity were estimated to be 0.809 (95% CrI, 0.698 to 0.899) and 0.816 (95% CrI, 0.643 to 0.924), respectively. The estimated AUC was 0.834 (95% CrI, 0.579 to 0.938). The minimum and standard deviation of the elastic modulus and the outcomes of the positive and negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and risk difference were also calculated.Conclusion: SSI elastography is an acceptable imaging technique for diagnosing malignant cervical lymph nodes, and it can play a complementary role today. Both maximum and mean elastic modulus values should be taken into consideration to make a clinical judgment.

Caspofungin combined with hormones as preemptive therapy of chemotherapy-induced disseminated candidiasis in a patient

Yali, Liang,Zhichao, Qiu,Yaohe, Li,Anping, Liu,Zhixiong, Chen,Huliwen, Huliwen,man, Luo,jing, He,Xiaoyang, Xiaoyang,Hai, Lan Techno-Press 2021 Advances in nano research Vol.10 No.6

Disseminated candidiasis (DC) arising from nosocomial fungal infection is a life-threatening complication in critically ill, nonneutropenic patients. The overall nosocomial fungal infection rate in United States hospitals doubled from 1980-1990. Until recently, amphotericin B was the only agent available for the treatment of life-threatening candidal infections, but its use is plagued by toxicities including nephrotoxicity and infusion-related reactions such as rigors and hypotension. The availability of fluconazole, which is regarded more much less toxic than amphotericin B, prompted a surge in research to determine if it is as efficacious in the management of candidemia and hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Complicating the interpretation of studies is the broad range of infection severity, from candidemia that may be transient and self-limiting to life-threatening hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. This study has used the models of Artificial neural network (ANN) and Support Vector regression (SVR) to accurately assess the clinical trials comparing fluconazole and amphotericin B demonstrate the efficacy of fluconazole for catheter-associated candidemia in critically ill patients when the likely pathogen is Candida albicans. As a result, Amphotericin B should remain the first-line agent for the management of candidemia and hematogenously disseminated candidiasis in all other patients. Also, SVR could accurately assess the efficacy of fluconazole for catheter-associated candidemia in critically ill patients.

MODEL-BASED NH3 ADAPTATION METHOD FOR SCR CONTROL

Tiantian Wang,Zhichao Huang,Xuwei Luo,Jie Hu,Zhi Wang,Yayu Cheng 한국자동차공학회 2022 International journal of automotive technology Vol.23 No.6

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system is widely used for diesel nitrogen oxide (NOx) control, but the closed-loop control and adaptive correction method which based on NOx sensor signal will be affected by the working characteristics of NOx sensor, such as the cross-sensitivity of ammonia (NH3). Based on the highly linear correlation between conversion efficiency and ammonia to NOx ratio (ANR) at insufficient supply level, a model-based adaptive correction method for urea injection quantity is proposed to eliminate this effect, which can effectively correct the deviation caused by multiple sources when using accurate models. The difference between the conversion efficiency of current SCR system and which generated from model is calculated by stopping injection and under injection actions to obtain an accurate adaptation factor, and the basic injection quantity can be modified by this factor. The maximum error of the 18 calculated correction factors from 18 WHTC cycles is only 1.1 % when using standard AdBlue; After urea solution concentration changed, the calculated correction factor error is within 5 % when comparing with the theoretical correction factor after 2 ~ 3 rounds adaptation function running. The adaptation function keeps the reductant supply to adapt the deviation caused by catalyst aging, reductant concentration drift and supply accuracy variation only with slightly influence of tailpipe NOx emission (less than 2 % in average), which ensure SCR system always stay in appropriate dosing control state, make best for NOx emissions and NH3 emissions control.

Experimental study of reversal of multidrug resistance in human leukemia K562/DOX cells by toad venom

Hu, Pei,Qiu, Zhichao,Li, Yaohe,Liu, Anping,Chen, Zhixiong,Huliwen, Huliwen,Luo, Man,Guxuekui, Guxuekui,Xiaoyang, Xiaoyang,Xie, Ying,Lan, Hai Techno-Press 2021 Advances in nano research Vol.11 No.2

Acute leukemia is a malignant tumor originating from the hematopoietic system with the highest incidence and mortality. At present, the main clinical treatment of leukemia is still chemotherapy, during the course of which the multidrug resistance (MDR) will significantly reduce remission rate and disease-free survival rate of patients. MDR is the most important factor affecting refractory/recurrent acute leukemia. Therefore, reversing leukemia MDR is one of the best ways to improve the complete remission rate of refractory/recurrent acute leukemia, and the study of drugs and methods to overcome leukemia MDR has received extensive attention in the leukemia research field. This study was to primarily investigate the effects of Liushen pills on leukemia drug-resistant cell line K562/DOX in inhibiting growth, reversing resistance and inducing apoptosis in anticipation of providing useful cytological and molecular biological basis for the treatment of refractory/recurrent acute leukemia. The serum containing toad venom was prepared by means of Chinese drug serum pharmacology. MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory rates of human leukemia cell line K562/DOX after being treated with the serum containing toad venom as well as daunorubicin, or with the serum containing toad venom alone at different time points. Real-time fluorescent quantitative analysis (RT-PCR) was performed to determine the effects of serum containing toad venom on the expression of BCL-2 mRNA in human leukemia cell line K562/DOX. Compared to the control group, toad venom showed inhibitory effects on K562/DOX cells; the expression level of BCL-2 mRNA in toad venom group were decreased, indicating that toad venom may reverse the resistance of K562/DOX cells by down-regulating the expression level of MDR1.

Acupotomy for Lumbar disc herniation

Chen Xilin,Fu Xinyi,Luo Zhichao,Xin Wenshan,Wang Quangui,Lee Mira,Guo Changqing 대한침구의학회 2020 대한침구의학회지 Vol.37 No.3

Background: The aim of this study was to examine whether the effects of acupotomy therapy were beneficial for the treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc. Methods: The number of patients (n = 80) were equally assigned into treatment group and control group. Treatment group was given acupotomy therapy twice a week, and control group was given acupuncture 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. The beneficial effect and changes in score of the Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA) for low back pain were observed. Results: Among 40 cases in the treatment group, there were 25 (62.5%) with an excellent effect, 13 (32.5%) with good effect, 1 (2.5%) with a medium effect and 1 (2.5%) with poor effect, with the total experiencing an excellent/good effect of 95.0%. Among 40 cases in the control group, there were 11 (27.5%) with an excellent effect, 17 (42.5%) with good effect, 10 (25.0%) with a medium effect, and 2 (5.0%) with poor effect, with an excellent/good rate of 70.0%. The result of the rank sum test showed Z = -4.923, p < 0.05 in the comparison, indicating a significantly better outcome following acupotomy compared with acupuncture. JOA scores increased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05), which was more significant in the acupotomy treatment group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupotomy therapy has a beneficial effect on protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc.