Functionalizing Separator by Coating a Lithiophilic Metal for Dendrite-Free Anode-free Lithium Metal Batteries

A stable anode-free lithium metal battery (AFLMB) is accomplished by the adoption of a facile fabricated amorphous antimony (Sb)-coated separator (SbSC). The large specific surface area of the separator elevates lithium (Li)-Sb alloy kinetic, improving Li wetting ability on pristine copper current collector (Cu). When tested with LiNi0.8 Mn0.1 Co0.1 O2 (NMC811) as cathode, the full cell with SbSC demonstrates low nucleation overpotential with compact, dendrite-free and homogeneous Li plating, and exhibits a notable lithium inventory retention rate (LIRR) of 99.8 % with capacity retention of 93.6 % after 60 cycles at 0.5 C-rate. Conversely, full cells containing pristine separator/Cu (i. e., SC) and pristine separator/Sb-coated current collector (i. e., SSbC) display poor cycling performances with low LIRRs. Density functional theory corroborates the nucleation behaviours observed during in-situ half-cell Li deposition. Functionalizing polymeric separator by metallic coating in AFLMB is a novel approach in improving the cycle life of an AFLMB by promoting homogeneous Li plating behavior. This innovative approach exemplifies a promising applicability for uniform Li-plating behavior to achieve a longer cycle life in AFLMB.

N-Type Thermoelectric AgBiPbS3 with Nanoprecipitates and Low Thermal Conductivity

Thermoelectric sulfide materials are of particular interest due to the earth-abundant and cost-effective nature of sulfur. Here, we report a new n-type degenerate semiconductor sulfide, AgBiPbS3, which adopts a Fm3̅m structure with a narrow band gap of ∼0.32 eV. Despite the homogeneous distribution of elements at the scale of micrometer, Ag2S nanoprecipitates with dimensions of several nanometers were detected throughout the matrix. AgBiPbS3 exhibits a low room-temperature lattice thermal conductivity of 0.88 W m-1 K-1, owing to the intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity of Ag2S and the effective scattering of phonons at nanoprecipitate boundaries. Moreover, compared to AgBiS2, AgBiPbS3 demonstrates a significantly improved weighted mobility of >16 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 300 K, leading to an enhanced PF of 1.6 μW cm-1 K-2 at 300 K. The superior electrical transport in AgBiPbS3 can be attributed to the high valley degeneracy of the L point (the conduction band minimum), which is contributed by the Pb s and Pb p orbitals. Further, Ga doping is found to be effective in modulating the Fermi levels of AgBiPbS3, leading to further enhancement of PF with a PFave of 2.7 μW cm-1 K-2 in the temperature range of 300-823 K. Consequently, a relatively high ZTave of 0.22 and a peak ZT of ∼0.4 at 823 K have been achieved in 3% Ga-doped AgBiPbS3, highlighting the potential of AgBiPbS3 as an n-type thermoelectric sulfide.

Unexpected doping effects on phonon transport in quasi-one-dimensional van der Waals crystal TiS3 nanoribbons

Doping usually reduces lattice thermal conductivity because of enhanced phonon-impurity scattering. Here, we report unexpected doping effects on the lattice thermal conductivity of quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) van der Waals (vdW) TiS3 nanoribbons. As the nanoribbon thickness reduces from ~80 to ~19 nm, the concentration of oxygen atoms has a monotonic increase along with a 7.4-fold enhancement in the thermal conductivity at room temperature. Through material characterizations and atomistic modellings, we find oxygen atoms diffuse more readily into thinner nanoribbons and more sulfur atoms are substituted. The doped oxygen atoms induce significant lattice contraction and coupling strength enhancement along the molecular chain direction while have little effect on vdW interactions, different from that doping atoms induce potential and structural distortions along all three-dimensional directions in 3D materials. With the enhancement of coupling strength, Young's modulus is enhanced while phonon-impurity scattering strength is suppressed, significantly improving the phonon thermal transport.

[Advances in basic research on choline and central nervous system development and related disorders]

Choline is an essential nutrient that plays an integral role in all stages of the life cycle, with increasing interest in the relationship between choline and neurodevelopment. Choline is a major component in the synthesis of phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and sphingolipids, and is an essential nutrient for methyl metabolism, acetylcholine synthesis and cell signaling. Choline plays an important role in neurogenesis and neural migration during fetal development, potentially influencing the development and prognosis of neurological disorders, but its mechanism of action is not yet clear. This article reviews the source and metabolism of choline, the effects and mechanism of choline on neurodevelopment and central nervous system related disorders.

[Research advances on the mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in body surface wound healing]

Wound healing is a slow and complex biological process, including inflammatory reaction, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell migration, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix deposition, tissue remodeling, and so on. Wnt signaling pathway can be divided into classical pathway and non-classical pathway. Wnt classical pathway, also known as Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, plays an important role in cell differentiation, cell migration, and maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Many inflammatory factors and growth factors are involved in the upstream regulation of this pathway. The activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays an important role in the occurrence, development, regeneration, repair and related treatment of skin wounds. This article review the relationship between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and wound healing, meanwhile summarizes its effects on important processes of wound healing, such as inflammation, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, hair follicle regeneration, and skin fibrosis, as well as the role of inhibitors of Wnt signaling pathway in wound healing.

Discordant Distortion in Cubic GeMnTe2 and High Thermoelectric Properties of GeMnTe2-x%SbTe

GeMnTe₂ adopts a cubic rock salt structure and is a promising mid-temperature thermoelectric material. The pair distribution function analysis of neutron total scattering data, however, indicates that GeMnTe₂ is locally distorted from the ideal rock salt structure with Ge²⁺ cations being discordant and displaced ∼0.3 Å off the octahedron center. By alloying GeMnTe₂ with SbTe, the carrier concentration can be tuned in GeMnTe₂-x%SbTe (x = 15.1), leading to converged multiple broad valence bands and a high Seebeck coefficient of >200 μV K^-1 from 300 to 823 K. The system exhibits a large density-of-state effective mass of >10 m_e and a high weighted mobility of 80 cm² V^-1 s^-1, leading to a power factor of 15 μWcm^-1 K^-2 at 823 K. The composition GeMnTe₂-15.1%SbTe exhibits very low lattice thermal conductivity of ∼0.5 Wm^-1 K^-1 at 823 K, attributed to the combination of off-centering cations in the rock salt structure, Ge/Mn positional disorder, dislocations, and abundant Ge-rich and Mn-rich nanoparticles. A ZT value of ∼1.5 can be achieved for GeMnTe₂-15.1%SbTe with a ZT_ave of 0.96 in the temperature range of 400-823 K.

The effect of driving pressure-guided ventilation strategy on the patients with mechanical ventilation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of driving pressure (DP) guided ventilation strategy on the patients with mechanical ventilation in the hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The articles published in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Information (CNKI), Wei Pu, Wan Fang database and Web of Science from inception to September 2021 were retrieved. The Q test and the I² statistic were used to assess statistical heterogeneity. Risks ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for mortality.

RESULTS

Seven studies (n=1,405 patients) were included. Five studies reported an adjusted Risk Ratio (RR) of mortality. Compared with the control group, the DP guided ventilation group was associated with a decreased mortality (RR 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39-0.79; p=0.001; I2 = 23%) using a fixed-effects model without significant heterogeneity. The control group had significantly higher driving pressure level than DP guided group (MD -3.03, 95%CI, -5.72 - -0.34, I2=100%, p=0.03); PaO2/FiO2 was significantly higher in DP guided group than in control group (MD 43.37; 95%CI, 12.58-74.15; I2=97%, p=0.006). There was no statistically significant difference in respiratory compliance, complications, platform pressure, duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of hospital stay between the DP guided group and the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that the driving pressure guided ventilation strategy could decrease the mortality and increase oxygenation index (OI). However, further high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to verify the impact of driving pressure on mechanically ventilated patients.

[Clinical research progress and implications of therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer and precancerous lesions: a qualitative systematic review]

Objective: To systematically summarize and analyze the clinical research progress of therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer or precancerous lesions. Methods: English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Proquest, and ClinicalTrails.gov) and Chinese databases (SinoMed, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP Database) were systematically searched to collect literature on therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer or precancerous lesions from inception to February 18, 2021. After screening, we evaluated the risk of bias of included studies, and combed the basic information of the literature, research designs, information of vaccines, study patients, outcome indicators and so on, qualitatively summarized the clinical research progress. Results: A total of 71 studies were included in this systematic review, including 14 random controlled trials, 15 quasi-random controlled trials, 4 cohort studies, 1 case-control study, 34 case series studies and 3 case reports. The study patients included women aged 15~79 with cervical cancer or precancerous lesions in 18 countries from 1989 to 2021. On the one hand, there were 40 studies on therapeutic vaccines for cervical precancerous lesions (22 867 participants), involving 21 kinds of vaccines in 6 categories. Results showed 3 marketed vaccines (Cervarix, Gardasil, Gardasil 9) as adjuvant immunotherapies were significant effective in preventing the recurrence of precancerous lesions compared with the conization only. In addition, MVA E2 vaccine had been in phase Ⅲ clinical trials as a specific therapeutic vaccine, with relative literature showing it could eliminate most high-grade precancerous lesions. Therapeutic vaccines for precancerous lesions all showed good safety. On the other hand, there were 31 studies on therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer (781 participants), involving 19 kinds of vaccines in 7categories, with none had been marketed. 25 studies were with no control group, showing the vaccines could effectively eliminate solid tumors, prevent recurrence, and prolong the median survival time. However, the vaccines effectiveness couldn't be statistically calculated due to the lack of a control group. As for the safety of therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer, 9 studies showed that patients experienced serious adverse events after treatments, where 7 studies reported that serious adverse events occurred in patients couldn't be ruled out as the results of therapeutic vaccines. Conclusions: The literature review shows that the literature evidence for the therapeutic vaccines for cervical precancerous lesions is relatively mature compared with the therapeutic vaccines for cervical cancer. The four kinds of vaccines on the market are all therapeutic vaccines for precancerous lesions, but they are generally used as vaginal infection treatments or adjuvant immunotherapies for cervical precancerous lesions, not used for the specific treatments of cervical precancerous lesions. Other specific therapeutic vaccines are in the early stage of clinical trials, mainly phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ clinical trials with small sample size. The effectiveness and safety data are limited, and further research is still needed.

Green Recycling Methods to Treat Lithium-Ion Batteries E-Waste: A Circular Approach to Sustainability

E-waste generated from end-of-life spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is increasing at a rapid rate owing to the increasing consumption of these batteries in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage worldwide. On the one hand, landfilling and incinerating LIBs e-waste poses environmental and safety concerns owing to their constituent materials. On the other hand, scarcity of metal resources used in manufacturing LIBs and potential value creation through the recovery of these metal resources from spent LIBs has triggered increased interest in recycling spent LIBs from e-waste. State of the art recycling of spent LIBs involving pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy processes generates considerable unwanted environmental concerns. Hence, alternative innovative approaches toward the green recycling process of spent LIBs are essential to tackle large volumes of spent LIBs in an environmentally friendly way. Such evolving techniques for spent LIBs recycling based on green approaches, including bioleaching, waste for waste approach, and electrodeposition, are discussed here. Furthermore, the ways to regenerate strategic metals post leaching, efficiently reprocess extracted high-value materials, and reuse them in applications including electrode materials for new LIBs. The concept of "circular economy" is highlighted through closed-loop recycling of spent LIBs achieved through green-sustainable approaches.

Upcycling Silicon Photovoltaic Waste into Thermoelectrics

Two decades after the rapid expansion of photovoltaics, the number of solar panels reaching end-of-life is increasing. While precious metals such as silver and copper are usually recycled, silicon, which makes up the bulk of a solar cells, goes to landfills. This is due to the defect- and impurity-sensitive nature in most silicon-based technologies, rendering it uneconomical to purify waste silicon. Thermoelectrics represents a rare class of material in which defects and impurities can be engineered to enhance the performance. This is because of the majority-carrier nature, making it defect- and impurity-tolerant. Here, the upcycling of silicon from photovoltaic (PV) waste into thermoelectrics is enabled. This is done by doping 1% Ge and 4% P, which results in a figure of merit (zT) of 0.45 at 873 K, the highest among silicon-based thermoelectrics. The work represents an important piece of the puzzle in realizing a circular economy for photovoltaics and electronic waste.

Aqueous Synthesis, Doping, and Processing of n-Type Ag2Se for High Thermoelectric Performance at Near-Room-Temperature

Herein, we have successfully synthesized binary Ag₂Se, composite Ag⁰:Ag₂Se, and ternary Cu⁺:Ag₂Se through an ambient aqueous-solution-based approach in a one-pot reaction at room temperature and atmospheric pressure without involving high-temperature heating, multiple-processes treatment, and organic solvents/surfactants. Effective controllability over phases and compositions/components are demonstrated with feasibility for large-scale production through an exquisite alteration in reaction parameters especially pH for enhancing and understanding thermoelectric properties. Thermoelectric ZT reaches 0.8-1.1 at near-room-temperature for n-type Ag₂Se and Cu⁺ doping further improves to 0.9-1.2 over a temperature range of 300-393 K, which is the largest compared to that reported by wet chemistry methods. This improvement is related to the enhanced electrical conductivity and the suppressed thermal conductivity due to the incorporation of Cu⁺ into the lattice of Ag₂Se at very low concentrations (x%Cu⁺:Ag₂Se, x = 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0).

Improved zT in Nb5Ge3-GeTe thermoelectric nanocomposite

Robust electronic transport properties is a crucial in designing high performance thermoelectrics. A key similarity between superconductor and thermoelectric lies in their generally high electrical conductivity, even at above its superconducting temperature. In this work, we design a nanocomposite between Nb₅Ge₃ and GeTe-based thermoelectric to improve its thermoelectric figure of merit zT. Phase and microstructural characterization shows distinct Nb₅Ge₃ precipitates embed in Ge_0.9Sb_0.1Te matrix. In addition, experimental electronic and thermal transport analysis, together with density functional theory calculation were employed to show the synergistic effect of doping Sb and Nb₅Ge₃ nanocomposite approach. 10% Sb doping was found to optimize the electronic properties of the GeTe-based matrix. Further addition of 2 wt% Nb₅Ge₃ nanocomposite to the matrix enhances the phonon scattering, which consequently lowers the lattice thermal conductivity, which results in zT of up to 2.0 at 723 K. Such superconductor nanocomposite approach shown in this work can be employed to enhance the properties of other thermoelectric materials.

[Design and application of three-dimensional printing guide plate for oral and maxillofacial surgery]

Objective: To explore the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in oral and maxillofacial surgery, so as to optimize and standardize its design and application. Methods: From January 2010 to December 2020, 40 cases of mandibular tumor surgery (20 cases of conventional group and 20 cases of guide plate group), 20 cases of temporomandibular joint replacement surgery (10 cases of conventional group and 10 cases of guide plate group), 20 cases of malocclusion surgery (10 cases of conventional group and 10 cases of guide plate group), 20 cases of radioactive particle implantation surgery (10 cases of CT guided group and 10 cases of guide plate group) were analyzed. All patients in the guide plate group were scanned with spiral CT, and the 3D models of the jaw and the donor bone area were reconstruction. According to the purpose of surgical guide, the design and clinical application of osteotomy guide, in place forming guide and puncture positioning guide were analyzed respectively. The design time of guide plate, the performance and printing time of guide material, the sterilization method of guide and its influence on accuracy, and the influence of guide application on operation time and accuracy were analyzed. Results: The design time of orthognathic guide plate was (2.9±1.8) d, and the design time of mandibular transplantation guide plate was (2.8±1.8) d, that of the temporomandibular joint replacement guide plate and the puncture guide plate was (2.2±0.3) and (0.9±0.3) d. The average printing time of the 40 maxilla model was (11.1±1.6) h, and that of the 40 mandible models was (2.6±0.4) h. The average printing time of the 40 sets of osteotomy and positioning guide plate was (2.5±0.8) h, and that of the 10 puncture positioning guide plate (1.1±0.4) h. The operation time of the conventional group was (6.99±1.10) and (6.02±0.55) h. In the CT guided group, the operation time was (1.91±0.55) h and (0.89±0.15). The operation time of mandible tumor operation and radioactive particle implantation in the guide plate group was less than that in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the operation time of orthognathic surgery and joint replacement between the two groups (P>0.05). The displacement distance of the mark points in the TMJ replacement and mandibular tumor operation guide group was less than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the error of the guide plate in orthognathic operation and particle implantation operation was basically less than 1 mm. Conclusions: The application of the surgical guide plate made by 3D printing technology helps to complete the operation more safely, accurately and quickly, But its design, manufacture and disinfection still need to be further standardized and improved.

Defect engineering in thermoelectric materials: what have we learned?

Thermoelectric energy conversion is an all solid-state technology that relies on exceptional semiconductor materials that are generally optimized through sophisticated strategies involving the engineering of defects in their structure. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of defect engineering to improve the thermoelectric (TE) performance and mechanical properties of inorganic materials. First, we introduce the various types of defects categorized by dimensionality, i.e. point defects (vacancies, interstitials, and antisites), dislocations, planar defects (twin boundaries, stacking faults and grain boundaries), and volume defects (precipitation and voids). Next, we discuss the advanced methods for characterizing defects in TE materials. Subsequently, we elaborate on the influences of defect engineering on the electrical and thermal transport properties as well as mechanical performance of TE materials. In the end, we discuss the outlook for the future development of defect engineering to further advance the TE field.

Tunable Nitrogen-Doping of Sulfur Host Nanostructures for Stable and Shuttle-Free Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries have potential in stationary applications, but challenges such as loss of active sulfur and low electrical conductivity must be solved. Nitrogen-doped nanocarbon host cathodes have been employed in metal-sulfur batteries: polar interactions mitigate the loss of sulfur, while the conductive nanostructure addresses the low conductivity. Nevertheless, these two properties run contrary to each other as greater nitrogen-doping of nanocarbon hosts is associated with lower conductivity. Herein, we investigate the polarity-conductivity dilemma to determine which of these properties have the stronger influence on cycling performance. Lower carbonization temperatures produce more pyridinic nitrogen and pyrrolic nitrogen, which from density functional theory calculations preferentially bind discharge products (Na₂S and short-chain polysulfides). Despite its lower conductivity, the highly doped composite showed better Coulombic efficiency and stability, retaining a high capacity of 980 mAh g_(S)^-1 after 800 cycles. Our findings represent a paradigm shift where nitrogen-doping should be prioritized in designing shuttle-free, long-life sodium-sulfur batteries.

Origin of High Thermoelectric Performance in Earth-Abundant Phosphide-Tetrahedrite

Phosphide-based thermoelectrics are a relatively less studied class of compounds, primarily due to the presence of light elements, which result in high thermal conductivity and inherent stability problems. In this work, we present a stable phosphide-tetrahedrite, Ag₆Ge₁₀P₁₂, which possesses the highest zT (∼0.7) among all known phosphides at intermediate temperatures (750 K). We examine the intrinsic electronic and thermal transport properties of this compound by expressing the transport properties in terms of weighted mobility (μ_W), transport coefficient (σ_E0), and material quality factor (B), from which we are able to elucidate that the origin of its high zT can be attributed to the platelike Fermi surface and high level of band multiplicity related to its complex band structure. Finally, we discuss the origin of the low lattice thermal conductivity observed in this compound using experimental sound velocity, elastic properties, and Debye-Callaway model, thus laying the foundation for similar stable phosphides as potentially earth-abundant and nontoxic intermediate-temperature thermoelectric materials.

[Clinicopathological analysis of anti-mitochondrial antibody negative primary biliary cholangitis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome]

Objective: To explore the clinicopathological features of anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) negative and positive patients with primary biliary cholangitis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome (PBC-AIH OS). Methods: Seventy-four cases diagnosed as PBC-AIH OS from June 2017 to April 2018 were enrolled in this study. Among them, forty cases were AMA negative (negative group) and thirty-four cases were AMA positive (positive group). The clinical manifestations, serum biochemical indexes, immunological indexes and histological data of the negative group were compared with the positive group. Mann-Whitney U test and theχ (2)test were used for statistical analysis. Results: There was no significant difference in sex, age, clinical manifestations and major liver function indexes (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, TB, DB) between the negative group and positive group (P> 0.05). The level of IgM in the negative group (1.68 ± 0.87) was significantly lower than positive group (3.77 ± 2.88)(P< 0.05). The positive rates of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and gp-210 antibodies was lower than positive group (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences in the stages of inflammation and fibrosis between the two groups (P> 0.05), and the bile duct injury was more significant in the negative than positive group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: The serum IgM level of AMA-negative PBC-AIH OS is low, and immunological antibody is often negative, which makes bile duct injury apparent in liver histology. A liver biopsy should be carried out as soon as possible for early diagnosis and treatment.

Ketamine-induced ventricular structural, sympathetic and electrophysiological remodelling: pathological consequences and protective effects of metoprolol

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Growing evidence suggests that long-term abuse of ketamine does harm the heart and increases the risk of sudden death. The present study was performed to explore the cardiotoxicity of ketamine and the protective effects of metoprolol.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Rats and rabbits were divided into control, ketamine, metoprolol alone and ketamine plus metoprolol groups. Ketamine (40 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1), i.p.) and metoprolol (20 mg·kg(-1) ·day(-1), p.o.) were administered continuously for 12 weeks in rats and 8 weeks in rabbits. Cardiac function, electrophysiological disturbances, cardiac collagen, cardiomyocte apoptosis and the remodelling-related proteins were evaluated.

KEY RESULTS

Rabbits treated with ketamine showed decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, slowed ventricular conduction velocity and increased susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmia. Metoprolol prevented these pathophysiological alterations. In ketamine-treated rats, cardiac collagen volume fraction and apoptotic cell number were higher than those of control animals; these effects were prevented by co-administration of metoprolol. Consistently, the expressions of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases-1, apoptosis-inducing factor and NF-κB-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells were all increased after ketamine treatment and sharply reduced after metoprolol administration. Moreover, ketamine enhanced sympathetic sprouting, manifested as increased growth-associated protein 43 and tyrosine TH expression. These effects of ketamine were prevented by metoprolol.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Chronic treatment with ketamine caused significant ventricular myocardial apoptosis, fibrosis and sympathetic sprouting, which altered the electrophysiological properties of the heart and increased its susceptibility to malignant arrhythmia that may lead to sudden cardiac death. Metoprolol prevented the cardiotoxicity of ketamine, indicating a promising new therapeutic strategy.

[Effects of nitroprusside and vibration on peritoneal transport of solutes in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients]

To explore the relationship between peritoneal transport of solutes and permeability of the peritoneum capillary as well as peritoneal stagnant fluid layer within dwell time, we observed the effects of nitroprusside and vibration on peritoneal transport of solutes in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD) patients. Twelve stable, routine CAPD patients were involved, who had no peritonitis for at least 4 weeks before the test. Standard peritoneal equilibrium tests(PETs) were performed, and mass transfer area coefficiency(MTAC) were calculated after adding nitroprusside to the dialysate or vibrating the patients's peritoneum. The concentrations of total protein, albumin and immunity globulin G in total drained dialysate were examined, and total drained volumes were recorded. Compared with the control, the MTACs value of BUN, Creatinine(Cr) increased significantly both in the nitroprusside group and vibration group(P < 0.05); the concentration of immunoglobin G in the total drained fluid was higher in the nitroprusside group than that in the control(P < 0.05); However, there was no significant difference in the total drained volume among the three groups. We conclude that nitroprusside and vibration can increase the peritoneal transport of small molecular solutes, and vibration has less influence on the loss of protein in CAPD. It suggests that moderated movement may improve the removal of the small molecules in CAPD patients.

A humanized, bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody that retargets CD3+ effectors to kill HIV-1-infected cells

We have developed a humanized, bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody (BsIAb) that targets and kills HIV-infected cells. Comprised of CD4-IgG and humanized anti-CD3-IgG, this BsIAb is bifunctional. First, in targeting, it exploits the natural affinity of CD4 for gp120 to target the BsIAb to HIV-infected cells, and second, it recruits and activates, through its anti-CD3 moiety, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to lyse target cells in a non-MHC restricted manner. To produce purified BsIAb from supernantants of transfected mammalian cells, we designed a three-step recovery scheme based on the structural elements of this heterotrimeric protein. The ability of purified BsIAb to specifically lyse HIV-infected target cells was demonstrated using CTL from two different sources: whole peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) fractions and pure CTL preparations. In contrast, a human anti-gp120 antibody mediated lysis of HIV-infected target cells only with PBL fractions and not with purified CTL. Moreover, lysis observed in the presence of the human anti-gp120 antibody was completely blocked in the presence of human serum (which competes for Fc gamma receptor binding), whereas BsIAb-mediated lysis of target cells was not affected. We measured the monovalent affinities of BsIAb for HIV-gp120 on infected cells and for CD3 epsilon on CTL. Relative to the bivalent parent molecules, CD4/gp120 affinity in the BsIAb is unchanged, whereas anti-CD3/CD3 is substantially decreased. We further demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy that physical association of CD3+ cells with gp120-expressing cells occurs only in the presence of BsIAb. Thus, the cytocidal activity of BsIAb in the presence of serum reflects its unique ability to recruit CTL as effector cells and highlights a potentially important advantage of this type of construct over antibodies for HIV-directed therapy.

A humanized, bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody that retargets CD3+ effectors to kill HIV-1-infected cells

HIV infection depletes the immune system of the coordinating functions of CD4+ T cells and APCs, whereas the population of CD8+ CTLs remains largely intact: functional but undirected. We have developed a humanized bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody (BIA) that redirects these remaining T cells to kill HIV-infected cells. This BIA expresses effector cell retargeting via a targeting activity that exploits the natural affinity of CD4 for gp120, and a recruiting activity that employs an anti-CD3 moiety to engage CTLs. The resultant molecule is 97% human in origin. In functional tests, this BIA mediated killing of HIV-infected cells using either pure CTL preparations, or whole PBL fractions that additionally include Fc gamma receptor-bearing large granular lymphocyte effectors. In contrast, a human anti-gp120 Ab induced target lysis via Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) only with large granular lymphocyte-containing fractions and not with CTLs. ADCC with this Ab was blocked in human serum, whereas BIA-mediated effector cell retargeting lysis of HIV-infected cells by CTLs was preserved. The affinity of the BIA for HIV-gp120 on infected cells and for CD3 epsilon on CTLs was derived in a flow cytometric Scatchard procedure. Relative to the bivalent parent molecules, CD4/gp120 affinity on cells was unchanged in the BIA (Ka 7 x 10(7) M-1), whereas the anti-CD3 affinity was diminished 50-fold (Ka 2 x 10(6) M-1 vs 1 x 10(8) M-1). Physical association of CD3+ effectors and gp120-expressing targets was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and was dependent upon the presence of BIA and expression of target gp120. The unimpaired cytocidal activity of the BIA in the presence of serum highlights a potentially important advantage of this type of construct over native Abs for HIV-directed therapy.

A humanized, bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody that retargets CD3+ effectors to kill HIV-1-infected cells

HIV infection depletes the immune system of the coordinating functions of CD4+ T cells and APCs, whereas the population of CD8+ CTLs remains largely intact: functional but undirected. We have developed a humanized bispecific immunoadhesin-antibody (BIA) that redirects these remaining T cells to kill HIV-infected cells. This BIA expresses effector cell retargeting via a targeting activity that exploits the natural affinity of CD4 for gp120, and a recruiting activity that employs an anti-CD3 moiety to engage CTLs. The resultant molecule is 97% human in origin. In functional tests, this BIA mediated killing of HIV-infected cells using either pure CTL preparations, or whole PBL fractions that additionally include Fc gamma receptor-bearing large granular lymphocyte effectors. In contrast, a human anti-gp120 Ab induced target lysis via Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) only with large granular lymphocyte-containing fractions and not with CTLs. ADCC with this Ab was blocked in human serum, whereas BIA-mediated effector cell retargeting lysis of HIV-infected cells by CTLs was preserved. The affinity of the BIA for HIV-gp120 on infected cells and for CD3 epsilon on CTLs was derived in a flow cytometric Scatchard procedure. Relative to the bivalent parent molecules, CD4/gp120 affinity on cells was unchanged in the BIA (Ka 7 x 10(7) M-1), whereas the anti-CD3 affinity was diminished 50-fold (Ka 2 x 10(6) M-1 vs 1 x 10(8) M-1). Physical association of CD3+ effectors and gp120-expressing targets was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and was dependent upon the presence of BIA and expression of target gp120. The unimpaired cytocidal activity of the BIA in the presence of serum highlights a potentially important advantage of this type of construct over native Abs for HIV-directed therapy.

[Analysis of complication following blepharoptosis operation]

The complications following various operative procedures of blepharoptosis are analysed in 60 cases, including 85 eyes, treated in Hangzhou Plastic Surgery Hospital since 1984. The reasons underlying the complications are discussed. Some of the complications are avoidable, and measures which can be taken to prevent or correct them are illustrated. Some others are intrinsically related to the degree of severity of the ptosis and are bound to occur after the elected operative methods. They are therefore, inevitable, hence can not be corrected. The authors emphasizes that this fact should be explained to the patients before operations, in order to obtain their understanding and cooperation.

A new approach to the treatment of malignant effusion

Lymphocytes isolated from malignant effusion were induced to become LAK cells after in vitro culture with rIL-2. 28 patients with malignant effusion were treated by i.p. or intrapleural administration of autologous LAK cells combined with rIL-2 or by rIL-2 alone. The effusion disappeared in 13 patients and significantly decreased in another 13. Two patients did not respond to the treatment. Tumor cells in effusion disappeared or significantly decreased and lymphocytes significantly increased in all responses. Except for transient fever in 9 patients, no serious side effects were found.