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Background This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and albumin for 30-day mortality in patients with postoperative acute pulmonary embolism (PAPE). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 101 patients with PAPE admitted from September 1, 2012, to March 31, 2019. The characteristics, surgical information, admission examination data and mortality within 30 days after PAPE were obtained from our electronic medical recording system and follow-up. The associations between the NLR, PLR, and other predictors and 30-day mortality were analyzed with univariate and multivariate analyses. Then, the nomogram including the independent predictors was established and evaluated. Results Twenty-four patients died within 30 days, corresponding to a 30-day mortality rate of 23.8%. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that both the NLR and albumin were independent predictors for 30-day mortality in patients with PAPE. The probability of death increased by approximately 17.1% (OR = 1.171, 95% CI: 1.073–1.277, P = 0.000) with a one-unit increase in the NLR, and the probability of death decreased by approximately 15.4% (OR = 0.846, 95% CI: 0.762c–0.939, P = 0.002) with a one-unit increase in albumin. The area under the curve of the nomogram was 0.888 (95% CI: 0.812–0.964). Conclusion Our findings showed that an elevated NLR and decreased albumin were related to poor prognosis in patients with PAPE. The NLR and albumin were independent prognostic factors for PAPE.

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been applied in many fields, such as food industry, biomedicine, and so on. However, the study on the health and safety implications of ENMs is still insufficient. Previous studies have shown that nanoparticles under acute or chronic exposure could be transported and accumulated in various organs and tissues, resulting in adverse effects or systemic toxicity. Among these, the kidney is one of the main organs that exposed ENMs will target through different routes. One of the important functions of the kidney is to discharge metabolic wastes and exogenous substances from the blood circulation of the whole body. During ENM exposure, the kidney may become vulnerable to toxicity. Studies have suggested that nanoparticles exposed to the kidney could provoke glomerular swelling, basilar membrane thickening, degeneration, and necrosis of renal tubular cells. These adverse effects of nanoparticles on the kidney may be related to their induced oxidative stress, inflammation, autophagy, DNA damage, and ER stress. This review aims to examine current studies on ENM-induced nephrotoxicity, with the focus on elucidating the potential molecular mechanisms of nanoparticle-induced toxicity on the kidney, which will further facilitate the safer design of ENMs and their applications.