ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis of thoracic sarcoidosis. Methods: A retrospective dataset of 35 patients who receive d EBUS-TBNA was analysed. These patients underwent EBUS-TBNA due to suspected sarcoidosis (radiographic stages I and II) with enlarged hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes (≥ 1.0 cm) revealed by computed tomography. When EBUS-TBNA was considered to be nondiagnostic, surgical biopsy and clinical and radiological follow-up was performed. Results: Twenty-eight of 35 (80%) patients had a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Among them, 25 (89.3%) were diagnosed by EBUS-TBNA. Conclusion: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration is a safe and effective procedure for the diagnosis of stages I and II of thoracic sarcoidosis.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar la eficacia de la aspiración con aguja transbronquial guiada por ultrasonido endo-bronquial (EBUS-TBNA, por sus siglas en inglés) en el diagnóstico de la sarcoidosis torácica. Métodos: Se analizó un conjunto de datos retrospectivos de 35 pacientes que recibieron EBUS-TBNA. Estos pacientes experimentaron EBUS-TBNA debido a sospecha de sarcoidosis (etapas radiográficas I y II) con agrandamiento de los ganglios linfáticos o hiliares (≥ 1,0 cm) revelados por tomografía com-putarizada. Cuando se consideraba que el EBUS-TBNA no conducía a un diagnóstico, se realizaba una biopsia quirúrgica y un seguimiento clínico y radiológico. Resultados: Veintiocho de 35 (80%) pacientes tuvieron un diagnóstico final de sarcoidosis. De ellos, 25 (89.3%) fueron diagnosticados mediante EBUS-TBNA. Conclusión: La aspiración mediante aguja transbronquial guiada por ecografía endobronquial es un procedimiento seguro y eficaz para el diagnóstico de la sarcoidosis torácica en las etapas I y II.

Intestinal obstruction leads to blockage of the movement of intestinal contents. After relieving the obstruction, patients might still suffer with compromised immune function and nutritional deficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Sijunzi decoction on restoring the immune function and nutritional status after relieving the obstruction. Experimental rabbits (2.5±0.2 kg) were randomly divided into normal control group, 2-day intestinal obstruction group, 2-day natural recovery group, 4-day natural recovery group, 2-day treated group, and 4-day treated group. Sijunzi decoction was given twice a day to the treated groups. The concentration of markers was analyzed to evaluate the immune function and nutritional status. The concentration of interleukin-2, immunoglobulins and complement components of the treated groups were significantly higher than the natural recovery group (P<0.05). The levels of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ increased then decreased in the treated groups. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and CD8+ were significantly lower than the natural recovery group. The level of total protein in the treated groups also increased then decreased after relieving the obstruction. The levels of albumin, prealbumin and insulin-like growth factor-1 were significantly higher in the treated groups than in the natural recovery group (P<0.05). Transferrin level in the treated groups was significantly higher than the obstruction group (P<0.05). Sijunzi decoction can lessen the inflammatory response and improve the nutrition absorption after relieving the obstruction.

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there was a difference of serum D-dimer between patients with aortic intramural haematoma and patients with classic acute aortic dissection. Methods: According to results of computed tomographic angiography, all the patients, who had an established diagnosis of acute aortic syndrome in the past four years in an affiliated hospital, were retrospectively classified into two groups: classic acute aortic dissection (AAD) group and aortic intramural haematoma (AIH) group. The serum D-dimer concentrations at admission and other clinical baseline characteristics between the two groups were compared. Furthermore, the occurrence of the main clinical complications was compared between the two groups. Fifty-one subjects were included. Thirty-eight patients (74.5%) were in the AAD group and thirteen (25.5%) in the AIH group. Results: D-dimer levels were significantly higher in AAD group (3.50 ± 1.72 mg/mL) than in AIH group (1.54 ± 1.50 mg/mL, p < 0.05). All patients with AAD had D-dimer levels above the threshold of 0.50 ng/mL (sensitivity 100%). However, two patients in the AIH group presented with D-dimer levels below the threshold. The sensitivity of the D-dimer test in detecting AIH was 84.6% (11/13). But there was no significant difference in sensitivity between the two groups (p > 0.05). The main clinical complication rate was 39.5% (15/38) in the AAD group and 30.8% (4/13) in the AIH group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: D-dimer levels are lower in patients with AIH than those in patients with AAD. Although it shows no difference of sensitivity between AAD and AIH, D-dimer can be negative in AAD patients. Moreover, patients with AIH have a similar clinical evolution during hospitalization compared to patients with AAD.

RESUMEN Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar si existe diferencia de dímero-D plasmático entre pacientes con hematoma intramural aórtico y pacientes con disección aórtica aguda clásica. Métodos: Según los resultados de la angiografía tomográfica computarizada, todos los pacientes, que tenían un diagnóstico establecido de síndrome aórtico agudo en los últimos cuatro años en un hospital afiliado, fueron clasificados retrospectivamente en dos grupos: Grupo de disección aórtica aguda (DAA) clásica y el hematoma intramural aórtico (HIA). Se compararon las concentraciones séricas del dímeroD a la hora de la admisión y otras características clínicas de base entre los dos grupos. Además, se comparó la aparición de complicaciones clínicas principales entre ambos grupos. Se incluyeron cincuenta y un sujetos. En el grupo DAA había treinta y ocho pacientes (74.5%) y en el grupo HIA había trece (25.5%). Resultados: El dímero-D fue significativamente mayor en el grupo DAA (3.50 ± 1.72 mg/mL) que en el grupo HIA (1.54±1.50 mg/mL, p < 0.05). Todos los pacientes con DAA tenían niveles de dímero-D por encima del umbral de 0.50 ng/mL (100% sensibilidad). Sin embargo, dos pacientes en el grupo HIA presentaron niveles de dímero-D por debajo del umbral. La sensibilidad de la prueba de dímero D en la detección de HIA fue de 84.6% (11/13). Pero no hubo ninguna diferencia significativa en la sensibilidad entre los dos grupos (p > 0.05). La tasa de complicación clínica principal fue 39.5% (15/38) en el grupo DAA y 30.8% (4/13) en el grupo de HIA (p > 0.05). Conclusión: El dímero-D es inferior en los pacientes con HIA, comparado con los pacientes de DAA. Aunque no se muestra ninguna diferencia de sensibilidad entre DAA y HIA, el dímero-D puede ser negativo en los pacientes de DAA. Por otra parte, los pacientes con HIA tienen una evolución clínica similar durante la hospitalización en comparación con los pacientes con DAA.

Electrical properties of new dense SnO2-CoO-Nb2O5-Cr2O3-Y2O3 varistor ceramics are studied. Current-voltage characteristics in the wide range from 10-11 to about 3.3·10³ A·cm-2 contain three regions. At low currents linear (Ohmic) region is found. Highly nonlinear region with the nonlinearity coefficient of about 50 at 1 mA·cm-2 is observed between 10-6 and 1 A·cm-2. At higher currents the upturn region is revealed. In this region the slope of current-voltage characteristic in the double logarithmic scale is decreased. The increase in dc current on time at fixed voltage and the hysteresis in the ac current-voltage characteristic are observed. These features can be related to Joule heating or electronic processes. However, after the high-current pulses only minor changes at low current are found. This indicates that studied ceramics withstand high-current overloads. This fact can be attributed to the formation of quite identical electrically-active grain boundaries throughout a sample. The grain resistivities <img border=0 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sv/v24n2/a5s1.jpg">estimated from high-current pulse data are the lowest known up to now for SnO2 varistors.

In this paper, we report the stability of the Li(HF)3- molecular anion calculated at the MP2/6-31++G** and CCSD(T)/6-31++G** level of theory. Five possible conformers of Li(HF)3- molecular anions have been determined employing ab initio MP2 method with 6-31++G** basis set. The most stable conformer of five Li(HF)3- anions is in a cyclic ring structure Li(HF)3-(1). From our calculations we show that the molecule is stable towards electron attachment, with an electron adiabatic electron affinity (AEA) of 199.5 meV (233.1 meV with zero point energy correction) and 471.3 meV at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels, respectively. In addition we present vertical detachment energies of 230.2 meV and 795.8 meV at the MP2, CCSD(T), respectively. The importance of the latter has to do with the ability of experimental detection of this value.