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[Display omitted] Aiming at the problems of low cadmium removal efficiency in zinc replacement and poor pressing plate effect of cadmium residues in the latter stage of the process, a novel electrically enhanced replacement method for cadmium removal based on a pulsed electric field was proposed. Comparative experiments with different current types verified the superiority of pulse current in the cadmium removal process to other known methods. At 45 °C, anode current density of 20 A·m−2, cathode-to-anode area ratio of 1:3, pulse duty ratio of 1:4, and pulse frequency of 500 Hz, the cadmium removal efficiency reached 96.80% in three hours. Furthermore, electrochemical test results for anodic reaction illustrated that the rise in solution acidity and Cd2+ concentration accelerated the replacement of zinc to cadmium. Correspondingly, increases in temperature, Cd2+ concentration, and solution pH inhibited the dissolution of the precipitated cadmium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Idiopathic inflammatory myositis-associated interstitial lung disease (IIM-ILD) significantly increases morbidity and mortality. Lung ultrasound B-lines and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) are identified as new sonographic and serum markers of ILD, respectively. The aim of our work was to assess the role of B-lines and KL-6 as markers of the severity of IIM-ILD. For this purpose, the correlation among B-lines score, serum KL-6 levels, high-resolution CT (HRCT) score, and pulmonary function tests were investigated in IIM-ILD patients. Methods Thirty-eight patients with IIM-ILD underwent chest HRCT scans, lung ultrasound and pulmonary function tests (independently performed within 1 week) examination. To assess severity and extent of ILD at HRCT, the Warrick score was used. The B-lines score denoting the extension of ILD was calculated by summing the number of B-lines on a total of 50 scanning sites. Serum KL-6 levels (U/ml) was measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Results A significant correlation was found between the B-lines score and serum KL-6 levels (r  = 0.43, P  < 0.01), and between the Warrick score and serum KL-6 levels (r  = 0.45, P  < 0.01). A positive correlation between B-lines score and the Warrick score (r  = 0.87, P  < 0.0001) was also confirmed. Both B-lines score and KL-6 levels inversely correlated to diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (r  = −0.77, P  < 0.0001 and r  = −0.42, P  < 0.05, respectively) and total lung capacity (r  = −0.73, P  < 0.0001 and r  = −0.36, P  < 0.05, respectively). Moreover, B-lines correlated inversely with forced vital capacity (r  = −0.73, P  < 0.0001), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r  = −0.69, P  < 0.0001). Conclusion B-lines score and serum KL-6 levels correlate with HRCT findings and pulmonary function tests, supporting their use as measures of IIM-ILD severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, lung ultrasound (LUS) B-lines and serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) antigen have been recognized as biomarkers of the connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILDs). Robust data have demonstrated that B-lines total numbers and KL-6 levels are correlated with high-resolution computed tomography findings, pulmonary function test, and some clinical parameters in CTD-ILDs. However, limited data are available regarding the use of these two biomarkers to follow CTD-ILDs. Herein, we report a case with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis-associated ILD, successfully treated with high-dose methylprednisolone, cyclophosphamide, intravenous immunoglobulin, pirfenidone, and followed using lung ultrasound and KL-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By a poly(methylhydrogen)siloxane (PMHS) modification assisted sol-gel method, refractive-tunable antireflective coatings (ARCs) were successfully prepared. The refractive indices of ARCs could be conveniently adjusted from 1.23 to 1.36. The water contact angle increased significantly from 27° to 128° after PMHS modification, which afforded ARCs better antireflective stability. After being kept in a closed container for 1 month with 95% relatively humidity at room temperature, the transmittance of unmodified and PMHS modified ARCs decreased by 1.6% and 0.2%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]