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Objective: To assess the Framingham risk score as a prognostic tool for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients between January 2010 and October 2017. The 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease was calculated. Patients were subdivided into groups: group 1 – Framingham risk score of less than 10 per cent (n = 28); group 2 – score of 10 to less than 20 per cent (n = 6); and group 3 – score of 20 per cent or higher (n = 5). Results: Initial pure tone average and Framingham risk score were not significantly associated (p = 0.32). Thirteen patients in group 1 recovered completely (46.4 per cent), but none in groups 2 and 3 showed complete recovery. Initial pure tone average and Framingham risk score were significantly associated in multivariable linear regression analysis (R2 = 0.36). The regression coefficient was 0.33 (p = 0.003) for initial pure tone average and −0.67 (p = 0.005) for Framingham risk score. Conclusion: Framingham risk score may be useful in predicting outcomes for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients, as those with a higher score showed poorer hearing recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with a study which developed a method for direct observation of microstructure and formation. Measurement of the electrochemical rest potentials of anodic partial reactions; Utilization of cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy; Experimental procedures.

Presents a study that analyzed the formation and structure of epitaxial ruthenium silicides on silicon. Methodology; Analysis of the electron diffraction pattern of the ruthenium silicides; Examination of the orientation relationships of the ruthenium silicides.

Presents a study that grew epitaxial iron-nickel (Fe-Ni)alloy silicide on silicon (Si) for the first time using a method of chemically electrodes plating of Fe-Ni thin films on Si with subsequent annealing schemes. Use of analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy; Formation of the alloy silicide phase; Epitaxial relationship of the alloy with the substrate Si.

Objective The objective of this paper is to investigate the incidence rate, risk factors and outcome of osteomyelitis among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Materials and methods We conducted a cohort study using data for patients enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 2000 to 2012. Patients with SLE and age- and sex-matched controls without SLE were enrolled. Primary endpoint was the first occurrence of osteomyelitis. Risks of osteomyelitis in SLE patients were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards regression models, including age, sex, comorbidities and medications. Results Among 24,705 SLE patients (88.4% women, mean age 35.8 years) with a median follow-up of 9.1 years, 386 patients had osteomyelitis. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of osteomyelitis in the SLE group vs the control group was 8.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.24–10.05). The SLE group had higher incidence rates of osteomyelitis than the control group, especially in pediatric subgroups (IRR 41.1 95% CI 18.57–107.35). Compared to controls, SLE patients experienced osteomyelitis at a younger age (42.3 vs 58.1 years) but did not have an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio 0.7; 95% CI 0.21–2.38). Age >60 years, male gender, malignancy within five years, prior bone fracture and higher daily prednisolone dose (>7.5 mg) cumulatively for >180 days increased risk for osteomyelitis. Conclusions SLE patients have a higher IRR of osteomyelitis than controls. Pediatric and elder SLE patients, patients with a history of bone fracture, malignancy within five years and higher-dose glucocorticoid use have a higher risk of osteomyelitis and should be carefully monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Liver type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) is abundant not only in the liver but also in the kidney and is excreted in urine. Its primary function is to facilitate intracellular long chain fatty acid transport and it might also act as an endogenous antioxidant molecular. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether plasma or urinary L-FABP levels were associated with graft function in renal transplant recipients. Patients and methods Sixty-seven renal transplant recipients with a mean age of 48.8 years were recruited. The mean duration of renal transplantation was 4131 days. Recipients were divided into 2 groups based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values: moderate graft function (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) and low graft function (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ). Fasting plasma and urinary L-FABP levels were measured. Results There was no significant difference in plasma L-FABP level between the 2 groups, although recipients in the low graft function group had significantly lower urinary L-FABP level when compared with recipients in the moderate graft function group. Plasma and urinary L-FABP levels were not associated with eGFR in the 67 recipients; however, urinary L-FABP level (β = −1.24, P = .037) and level adjusted by urinary creatinine (β = −0.75, P = .046) were significantly negatively associated with eGFR in recipients with low graft function after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion Increased urinary L-FABP level seems to be a significant indicator of decreased graft function in renal transplant recipients with loss of graft function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are considered vulnerable to infective endocarditis and prophylactic antibiotics are recommended before an invasive dental procedure. However, the evidence is insufficient. This nationwide population-based study evaluated the risk and related factors of infective endocarditis in systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods: We identified 12,102 systemic lupus erythematosus patients from the National Health Insurance research-oriented database and compared the incidence rate of infective endocarditis with that among 48,408 non-systemic lupus erythematosus controls. A Cox multivariable proportional hazards model was employed to evaluate the risk of infective endocarditis in the systemic lupus erythematosus cohort. Results: After a mean follow-up of more than six years, the systemic lupus erythematosus cohort had a significantly higher incidence rate of infective endocarditis (42.58 vs 4.32 per 100,000 person-years, incidence rate ratio=9.86, p<0.001) than that of the control cohort. By contrast, the older systemic lupus erythematosus cohort had lower risk (adjusted hazard ratio 11.64) than that of the youngerthan- 60-years systemic lupus erythematosus cohort (adjusted hazard ratio 15.82). Cox multivariate proportional hazards analysis revealed heart disease (hazard ratio=5.71, p<0.001), chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio=2.98, p=0.034), receiving a dental procedure within 30 days (hazard ratio=36.80, p<0.001) and intravenous steroid therapy within 30 days (hazard ratio=39.59, p<0.001) were independent risk factors for infective endocarditis in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Conclusions: A higher risk of infective endocarditis was observed in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Risk factors for infective endocarditis in the systemic lupus erythematosus cohort included heart disease, chronic kidney disease, steroid pulse therapy within 30 days, and a recent invasive dental procedure within 30 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the solid-state epitaxy of osmium silicide on (111) silicon under reducing atmosphere. Orientation relationships between epitaxial OsSi[sub2] and silicon; Significance of the electroless deposition of osmium thin film; Diffraction ring pattern of the osmium silicide mixtures after annealing.

The post-mortem proteolysis and tenderisation between male and female duck breast muscles were compared.The results showed that μ-calpain activity, desmin content and shear force decreased more quickly in female than in male samples stored at 5°C.It is suggested that the post-mortem proteolysis and tenderisation are more rapid and extensive in female duck breast muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to clarify the effects of tilt- or suction-cast processing and microalloying of minor Si on the three-point bending fracture toughness of the Zr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), the tilt-cast and suction-cast Zr53-based and Zr48-based BMGs with and without Si were studied. The results revealed that the tilt-cast specimens present much better fracture toughness than the suction-cast counterparts as a result of their lower degrees of residual porosity. In addition, the microalloying of Si to 0.75 at.% in these BMGs would impose negative effects on their fracture toughness. The highest fracture toughness of 120 MPa √m was achieved for the tilt-cast Zr53Cu30Ni9Al8. Moreover, the morphology of fracture surface, the calculated fracture energy, and the Poisson's ratio show the similar trend to prove that the tilt-cast Zr-53 BMG without Si possesses the best fracture toughness among these BMGs in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the incidence rates and risk factors of aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients using the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The retrospective cohort study identified SLE patients and age-, sex- and comorbidity-matched control patients without SLE.

Background Recent studies suggest that Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin sensitization is a risk factor for asthma. However, there is a paucity of epidemiologic evidence on adult-onset asthma in community-based populations. Objective We sought to evaluate the epidemiology and the clinical significance of staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization in community-based adult populations. Methods The present analyses were performed using the baseline data set of Korean adult population surveys, consisting of 1080 adults (mean age = 60.2 years) recruited from an urban and a rural community. Questionnaires, methacholine challenge tests, and allergen skin tests were performed for defining clinical phenotypes. Sera were analysed for total IgE and enterotoxin-specific IgE using Immuno CAP. Results Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization (≥ 0.35 kU/L) had a prevalence of 27.0%. Risk factors were identified as male sex, current smoking, advanced age (≥ 61 years), and inhalant allergen sensitization. Current asthma was mostly adult onset (≥ 18 years old) and showed independent associations with high enterotoxin-specific IgE levels in multivariate logistic regression tests. In multivariate linear regressions, staphylococcal enterotoxin-specific IgE level was identified as the major determinant factor for total IgE level. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization was independently associated with adult-onset asthma in adult community populations. Strong correlations between the enterotoxin-specific IgE and total IgE levels support the clinical significance. The present findings warrant further studies for the precise roles of staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization in the asthma pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a biased coupled model and the atmospheric and oceanic observing system, maintaining a balanced and coherent climate estimation is of critical importance for producing accurate climate analysis and prediction initialization. However, because of limitations of the observing system (e.g., most of the oceanic measurements are only available for the upper ocean), directly evaluating climate estimation with real observations is difficult. With two coupled models that are biased with respect to each other, a biased twin experiment is designed to simulate the problem. To do that, the atmospheric and oceanic observations drawn from one model based on the modern climate observing system are assimilated into the other. The model that produces observations serves as the truth and the degree by which an assimilation recovers the truth steadily and coherently is an assessment of the impact of the data constraint scheme on climate estimation. Given the assimilation model bias of warmer atmosphere and colder ocean, where the atmospheric-only (oceanic only) data constraint produces an overcooling (overwarming) ocean through the atmosphere-ocean interaction, the constraints with both atmospheric and oceanic data create a balanced and coherent ocean estimate as the observational model. Moreover, the consistent atmosphere-ocean constraint produces the most accurate estimate for North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), whereas NADW is too strong (weak) if the system is only constrained by atmospheric (oceanic) data. These twin experiment results provide insights that consistent data constraints of multiple components are very important when a coupled model is combined with the climate observing system for climate estimation and prediction initialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The relationship between myasthenia gravis (MG) and extrathymic malignancies has not been determined. This study aimed to explore the risk of extrathymic malignancy in patients with MG based on a nationwide population-based dataset. Methods: We identified 2614 patients with MG from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database between 1997 and 2005 and compared the incidence rates of extrathymic malignancies with 15 684 randomly selected age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched subjects without MG. Both cohorts were followed until the end of 2009. Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the predictors of extrathymic malignancy in the MG cohort, including age, sex, comorbidities, and prescription drugs. Results: After an average follow-up of 8 years, the MG cohort had a higher risk of extrathymic cancers with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.38 (95% CI 1.12-1.68, P = 0.002) than the control cohort. Although breast cancer was the most common cancer found, no statistically significant relationship between MG and any specific malignancy was observed. Cox multivariate proportional hazards analysis showed that only age (HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.04-1.06, P < 0.001) and liver cirrhosis (IRR = 3.85, 95% CI 1.22-12.14, P = 0.021) were predictors of extrathymic cancers in the MG cohort. Conclusions: Our study showed that patients with MG had an increased risk of extrathymic malignancy in a follow-up of 8 years, but no specific susceptibility to certain malignancies was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blogs have been increasingly used to supplement traditional classroom lectures in higher education. This paper explores the use of blogs, and how student attitudes towards online peer interaction and peer learning, as well as motivation to learn from peers, may differ when using the blog comments feature, and when students are encouraged to read and comment on each other's work. We contrast two ways blogs affect learning engagement: (1) solitary blogs as personal digital portfolios for writers; or (2) blogs used interactively to facilitate peer interaction by exposing blogging content and comments to peers. A quasi-experiment was conducted across two semesters, involving 154 graduate and undergraduate students. The result suggests that interactive blogs, compared with isolated blogs, are associated with positive attitudes towards academic achievement in course subjects and in online peer interaction. Students showed positive motivation to learn from peer work, regardless of whether blogs were interactive or solitary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiologic studies have suggested that helminth infections play a protective role against allergy; this inverse association, however, has not been consistent. Clonorchis sinensis, the liver fluke of human, is prevalent in the Far East. The association between C. sinensis infection and allergy has not yet been reported. We evaluated the association between clonorchiasis and atopy or allergic diseases in adults in endemic areas of clonorchiasis. A total of 1116 subjects (males 419, females 697; age range, 30-86; mean age=61 years) were recruited from two endemic areas of C. sinensis in Korea. Clonorchiasis was confirmed by stool examination. Allergic symptoms were evaluated with a modified ISAAC questionnaire, and atopy was defined by skin prick test for common inhalant allergens. Total serum IgE and C. sinensis-specific IgE level was measured by ELISA and methacholine bronchial provocation test was performed to evaluate airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Clonorchiasis was positively associated with atopy [odds ratio (OR), 1.856; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.199-2.873] and high levels of total serum IgE (OR, 1.455; 95% CI, 1.050-2.016). Higher association with clonorchiasis was shown in subjects who showed both atopy and high total serum IgE levels (OR, 2.540; 95% CI, 1.448-4.455). Clonorchiasis had no association with wheezing, AHR, asthma or allergic rhinitis. Clonorchiasis was positively associated with atopy in adults in endemic area. Cite this as: M-H Choi, Y-S Chang, M. K. Lim, Y. M. Bae, S-T Hong, J-K Oh, E. H. Yun, M-J Bae, H-S Kwon, S-M Lee, H-W Park, K-U Min, Y-Y Kim and S-H Cho, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 697-705. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 40% of wall thickness criterion, which has been used as a plugging rule is applicable only to a single cracked steam generator tubes. In the previous studies performed by the authors, several failure prediction models were introduced to estimate the plastic collapse pressures of steam generator tubes containing two adjacent parallel axial through-wall cracks. These models were applied preliminarily for thin plates with two parallel through-wall cracks and the crack opening displacement (COD) base model was selected as the optimum one. The objective of this study is to verify the applicability of the proposed failure prediction model for real steam generator tubes with two parallel axial through-wall cracks. For this purpose, a series of plastic collapse tests and finite element analyses have been carried out for the steam generator tubes with two machined parallel axial through-wall cracks. Thereby, it was proven that the proposed failure prediction model can be used for estimating the global failure pressure quite well. Also, interaction effects between two adjacent cracks were assessed through additional finite element analyses to investigate the effect on the global failure behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate stromal sarcoma is quite rare, comprising only 0.1–0.2% of all prostate cancers. Here, we report one case of prostate stromal sarcoma in a 38-year-old man. Initially, the patient suffered from lower urinary tract symptoms, and intravenous pyelography showed a larger filling defect in the bladder. Transrectal ultrasound showed a huge heterogenous mass between the bladder and rectum. Abdominal computed tomography revealed prostate tumor with local invasion. Radical cystoprostatectomy with ileal conduit was performed; pathology revealed high-grade prostate stromal sarcoma with invasion to the right seminal vesicle and urethra. This article describes the pathology and immunohistrochemical features of this case and briefly reviews the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas veronii PH-05, a bacterial strain capable of transforming pentachlorophenol (PCP) to a metabolic intermediate, was isolated by selective enrichment of soil samples from a timber storage yard. Strain PH-05 was shown to be able to grow using PCP as the sole source of carbon and energy. GC-MS analysis showed that the metabolic intermediate was tetrachlorocatechol, which inhibited the growth of this strain. The formation of tetrachlorocatechol during biotransformation was monitored, and its inhibitory effect on growth of strain PH-05 was analyzed at a range of concentrations. The catabolic activity of the isolated strain differs from that of other PCP-degrading bacteria, which metabolize PCP through a chlorinated hydroquinone intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Spider mites such as the citrus red mite and the two-spotted spider mite have been demonstrated to be important allergens for fruit cultivating farmers. Objective To evaluate the role of environmental exposure to spider mites in the sensitization and the clinical manifestations of asthma and rhinitis in children and adolescents living in urban and rural areas. Methods A total of 16 624 subjects (aged 7 to 18 years) living in urban (metropolitan and non-metropolitan) and rural areas (apple orchards and citrus orchards) in Korea were evaluated by questionnaire and skin prick test for 11 common aeroallergens, including citrus red mite (CRM) and two-spotted spider mite (TSM). Results The positive skin response rates to TSM were 4.2% of 1563 metropolitan subjects, 3.8% of 5568 non-metropolitan subjects and 6.5% of 1464 subjects living nearby apple farms, and that to CRM 15.6% of 8029 living nearby citrus farms. The prevalence of current wheeze and rhinitis as reported on a questionnaire was higher among those with a history of visiting fruit farms once or more per year than among those without it (10% vs. 7.1%, 32.8% vs. 26.7%, for wheezing and rhinitis, respectively). Among those with wheezing or rhinitis, the positive skin responses to TSM or CRM were also higher among those with a history of visiting fruit farms than among those without one (11.2% vs. 6.6%, 13.0% vs. 6.6%, respectively), although the positive skin responses to house dust mites were similar in the both groups. Conclusion Spider mites are common sensitizing allergens in children and adolescents exposed to them, and environmental exposure to these mites may represent an important risk factor in the sensitization and the clinical manifestations of asthma and rhinitis in children and adolescents living in rural and urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which assessed the cost effectiveness of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal of reducing ozone concentrations in the eastern region. Source categories wherein EPA proposed separate nitric oxide emission reduction budgets; Methodology of the study; Results of the study; Effects of the EPA proposal on elevated ozone concentrations in the New York City region.

The article presents the case of generalized urticaria induced by both certirizine and hydroxyzine, but not by levocetirizine enantiomer, which was confirmed by a single-blind placebo-controlled challenge tests. Antihistamines are the main tool for the symptomatic treatment of urticaria. Urticarial reaction to antihistamines may lead to errors in diagnosis and treatment.

Background: There are no definite guidelines regarding the most adequate steroid regimens for acute acoustic trauma. Objective: To elucidate the dose-dependent differing benefits of oral steroids on hearing improvement following acute acoustic trauma. Methods: Twenty-nine patients treated with oral steroids following a diagnosis of unilateral acute acoustic trauma were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were sorted into two groups with an oral steroid regimen. Group 1 received a 14-day course of treatment: 60 mg prednisolone daily for 10 days, tapering off over days 11–14. Group 2 received prednisolone for a total of 10 days: 60 mg for 5 days, tapering down each day for the remainder. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors associated with the hearing gain. Results: In the multivariable regression (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.001), patients in group 1 showed more significant improvement in the degree of hearing gain compared to group 2 (p = 0.03). Conclusion: After comparing the differing benefits of oral steroids on hearing improvement by dosage, we recommend a high dose of prednisolone (60 mg per day) for 10 days, tapering over the remaining 4 days, for better hearing recovery following acute acoustic trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses common diagnostic symptoms of granulomatosis with polyangiitis systemic vasculitis disease and granulomatous features associated with nasal natural killer (NK) or T-cell lymphoma. It mentions that lower and upper respiratory tract infections are common in both the manifestations. The differential approach to therapy for both manifestations through computed tomography that analyzes extent of destruction is also included.

The article offers information on abdominal wall hernia during peritoneal dialysis. It presents the case of a 58-year-old woman who receives ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. It reports that she suffers from chronic renal failure caused by hypertension. It reports no episode of peritonitis after the start of dialysis. It also reports that umbilical and inguinal hernias are the most common and paricatheter herniation is extremely rare.

An abstract of the article " First Report of Cucumber mosaic virus in Desert Rose in Taiwan," by Y. K. Chen and colleagues is presented.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is enriched in the bone matrix and serves as a key factor in promoting bone metastasis in cancer. In addition, TGFβ signaling activates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) functions, which is important for the malignant progression. Here, we demonstrate that TGFβ regulates the level of microRNA-96 (miR-96) through Smad-dependent transcription and that miR-96 promotes the bone metastasis in prostate cancer. The enhanced effects in cellular growth and invasiveness suggest that miR-96 functions as an oncomir/and metastamir. Supporting this idea, we identified a downstream target of the TGFβ-miR-96 signaling pathway to be AKT1S1 mRNA, whose translated protein is a negative regulator of mTOR kinase. Our findings provide a novel mechanism accounting for the TGFβ signaling and bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with COVID-19 experienced numerous concerns and doubts about the safety of breastfeeding their babies, and lack of support may have impacted breastfeeding practices. This study aims to compare breastfeeding beliefs, practices, and contact with healthcare professionals regarding the level of postnatal feeding support provided during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Methods: A multi-country cross-sectional study was conducted with postnatal women in five countries. Women up to six months postpartum were invited to complete an online survey concerning the transmission of preventative measures, beliefs toward breastfeeding, infant feeding practices in the last 24 hours and experiences of postnatal infant feeding support between July to November 2021. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the association. Results: Of the 3,253 eligible responses received, 39.5% of children were aged between one and two months, but in Taiwan (36%) and South Korea (42.8%) they were between three and four months. The mean of the belief score was significantly different among countries (p < 0.0001). Women in Brazil and the UK had a higher rate of breastfeeding at the breast (90.7% and 85.4%, respectively) compared to the three Asian countries (p < 0.0001) while feeding with expressed breastmilk in Thailand (59.9%), Taiwan (52.6%), and South Korea (50.4%) was higher than the others (p < 0.0001). Brazil and UK mothers (mean = 16.0 and 14.5 respectively) had a higher mean score for belief toward breastfeeding during the COVID-19 than the others. These results are inversely associated with breastfeeding but positively related to formula feeding practice. Postnatal feeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic was mainly provided by healthcare professionals (67.1%) and peers / family through face-to-face personal contact (51.6%) in all countries. Conclusion: Some differences were found in breastfeeding beliefs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries. A positive breastfeeding belief was associated with the practice of breastfeeding at the breast. Women from all countries received postpartum infant feeding support from health professionals and peers / family through personal contacts. Governments need to emphasize and disseminate the importance of breastfeeding safety, especially in Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restraint effects of support plates on limit load (LL) are evaluated for thin-walled tubes subjected to combined internal pressure and bending loads. To achieve this goal, three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) analyses assuming elastic-perfectly plastic material behaviour are carried out for tubes with various sizes of circumferential cracks. Two crack locations, both the top of the tube sheet (TTS) and transition regions, where circumferential cracks have been found in many steam generators during operation, are considered. FE analysis results show that LLs for the circumferential cracks are significantly affected by the boundary conditions of the tube and that the resulting LL solutions can be simply applied to the practical integrity assessment of steam generator tubes, because the comparison between experimental data and FE analysis results shows a good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have reported an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms among farm workers. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with spider mite allergy among table grape farm workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 207 workers in table grape farms was conducted. Skin prick tests used extracts of 8 common aeroallergens, grape mould (Botrytis cinerea) and Tetranychus urticae. Specific IgE to T. urticae was quantified using ImmunoCAP (Phadia). Erythrocyte cholinesterase levels were determined using the Test-mate ChE Cholinesterase Test System (model 460). Results: The average duration of employment of workers was 10 years and 12% were pesticide crop sprayers. Work-related wheeze (26%), ocular-nasal (24%) and urticaria/skin symptoms (14%) were more prevalent in the orchards. The prevalence of sensitization (skin prick test) was highest to T. urticae (22%) followed by house dust mite (16%), with 25% being atopic. The prevalence of allergy to T. urticae (skin reactivity and work-related symptoms) was 9.5%, with respiratory allergy (6%) more common than skin allergy (3%). Work-related ocular-nasal (OR = 4.9) and skin (OR = 3.7) symptoms were more commonly reported by pesticide crop sprayers. Workers with T. urticae-allergic rhino-conjunctivitis and probable asthma were more likely to be atopic, spray pesticides and have low (<30 U/g hemoglobin) erythrocyte cholinesterase levels. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that spider mite, T. urticae, is an important outdoor allergen among table grape farm workers. The increased risk of spider mite allergy appears to be related to high pesticide exposure among crop sprayers. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose:Endothelial cell proliferation, migration and adhesion are necessary for the formation of new blood vessels. We reported previously that baicalein strongly inhibited proliferation of rat heart endothelial cells and here we assess effects on migration and adhesion of these cells.Experimental approach:Effects of baicalein on endothelial migration and adhesion were determined by in vitro wound assays and in modified Boyden chambers. Protein expression and subcellular distribution in rat heart endothelial cells were analysed by immunoblots and immunofluorescence staining.Results:Pretreatment with baicalein for 48 h resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of endothelial migration, with an IC50 of approximately 20 μM. Adhesion assays revealed that baicalein stimulated endothelial cell adhesion to fibronectin and vitronectin, effects blocked by the synthetic peptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). Moreover, treatment with a blocking antibody against integrin α5β1 drastically attenuated baicalein-mediated endothelial adhesion to fibronectin, but not to vitronectin. Furthermore, baicalein-mediated anti-migration effect and adhesion promotion could be partially reversed by the addition of 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HETE). Western blot analysis indicated that baicalein increased expression levels of integrin-α5β1, -αvβ3 and vinculin proteins. Immunofluorescence staining showed that baicalein induced a marked reorganization of actin stress fibres and the recruitment of vinculin and integrins to focal adhesion plaques, with consequently increased formation of focal adhesion contacts.Conclusions and implications:Baicalein markedly inhibited the migration and enhanced the adhesion of rat heart endothelial cells, possibly by up-regulation of the integrins (α5β1 and αvβ3) and vinculin and by promotion of actin reorganization and focal adhesion contact formation.British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 151, 1235–1245; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707345; published online 25 June 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is a cytosolic enzyme involved in the metabolism of these thiopurine drugs. Methylation of thiopurine drugs by TPMT competes with the formation of their active 6-thioguanine nucleotide metabolite, thereby potentially modulating the therapeutic and toxic effects of these drugs. Objective: To analyze the thiopurine S-methyltransferase allelic frequencies in Taiwan aborigines and Taiwanese. Methods: We used polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism method to determine the allelic frequencies of TPMT variants (TPMT*1–TPMT*8) in 409 Taiwan aborigines and 117 Taiwanese. Results and discussion: The results showed that the allelic frequencies of TPMT*1 were 99·88% and 98·72% for Taiwan aborigines and Taiwanese respectively. The allelic frequencies of TPMT*3C were 0·12% and 1·28% for Taiwan aborigines and Taiwanese respectively. No TPMT*2, 3A, 3B, 3D and 4–8 were found in these populations. Conclusion: Our results provide useful information for using thiopurine drugs in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has the potential to undergo latent and lytic pathways during infection. However, expression of many of the viral genes during the lytic-latent transition remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and hydroxyurea (HU), two commonly used modulators of EBV life cycle, on the expression profiles of the entire genome of EBV persistent infected in B95-8 cells. After treatment with TPA for 48?h, the copy number of EBV genome in the cells increased about 2.5 fold, whereas HU treatment resulted in a reduction to approximately two-thirds of the original level. Except a small set of genes, the amounts of EBV mRNA are generally less abundant than that of ß-actin. The expression of a large fraction of the 80 EBV genes was found to be activated after TPA treatment with a noticeable increase of 19 and 21 fold, respectively in BSLF1 and BBLF4. In contrast, treatment of the B95-8 cells with HU, a nucleotide synthesis inhibitor, dramatically suppressed the expression of EBV lytic genes. In summary, we have demonstrated that real-time quantitative PCR is a reliable method to monitor the influence of drug-treatment in EBV genes regulation. Our results also provide a basis for further investigation on how the virus coordinates its own gene expression during latent-lytic pathway transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing trend of higher running speed and lighter body weight in the high-speed train, the influences of fluctuating crosswind on running stability and safety are becoming more and more not negligible, especially under the combined action of unsteady aerodynamic loads and random orbital excitation. In order to investigate this problem, a vehicle dynamic model of with 42 degree of freedom is built, in which the major body, two bogies and eight wheels are involved. The unsteady aerodynamic loads under stochastically fluctuating crosswind are obtained based on Cooper theory and the harmonic superposition method, and the random excitation of the track is also taken into consideration. For the vertical vibration originated from the fluctuating crosswind and the random track spectrum, the skyhook damping and the magneto-rheological fuzzy semi-active control strategies are individually applied to suppress the vibrating amplitude and improve the running stability. It is indicated that the vertical vibration under the coupling influence of the unsteady aerodynamic loads and the random orbital excitation are significantly increased, and the vibrating amplitude can be effectively suppressed by both the two different control approaches. It is also shown that the index of running stability in the case of the fuzzy control is evidently better than the skyhook damping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a semi-empirical 1.5D plasma fluid model (PFM) is proposed to model a single microdischarge (MD) in atmospheric pressure air dielectric barrier discharges (APADBDs). The species continuity equations and the electron energy density equation are solved in one-dimensional domain, while the Poisson equation is solved in the axisymmetric domain to capture the enhancement of the electric field in front of the streamer. The framework of air chemistry is considered and the effect of photoionization is modeled in the axisymmetric domain. The accumulation factor (AF) is introduced and determined by experimental data to model the accumulation of charged particles on the dielectric surface. The simulated results in two gaps are compared with experimental measurements. In the gap of 1.4 mm, the simulated electric current reaches 72 mA, which is close to the typically measured electric current. The simulated maximum wave velocity is around 1.7 × 106 m s−1, which is close to the available experimental data. The change of simulated charge density implies that the average accumulation of charged particles on the dielectric surface during each half period (HP) is around 40 nC cm−2, which is in the same order of magnitude as the average charge density evaluated in the previous measurements as 51.5 nC cm−2. The effect of AF is studied and shows that the AF determines both peak and duration of the electric current. In the gap of 2.0 mm, the simulated current reaches 113 mA, which is close to the typically measured current. Although the gap voltage of the 2.0 mm gap is higher than that of the 1.4 mm gap, the average electric field of the 2.0 mm gap is lower than that of the 1.4 mm gap before breakdown due to larger gap distance. The maximum wave velocity is faster than that simulated in the gap of 1.4 mm due to the longer gap distance for developing higher wave velocity as 2.4 × 106 m s−1. During each HP, the average accumulation of charge density on the dielectric surface reaches around 40 nC cm−2 which is almost identical to that simulated in the gap of 1.4 mm as observed experimentally. In general, the proposed semi-empirical 1.5D PFM captures the dynamics of a single MD in APADBDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate knowledge of the location and magnitude of ocean heat content (OHC) variability and change is essential for understanding the processes that govern decadal variations in surface temperature, quantifying changes in the planetary energy budget, and developing constraints on the transient climate response to external forcings. We present an overview of the temporal and spatial characteristics of OHC variability and change as represented by an ensemble of dynamical and statistical ocean reanalyses (ORAs). Spatial maps of the 0-300 m layer show large regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans where the interannual variability of the ensemble mean exceeds ensemble spread, indicating that OHC variations are well-constrained by the available observations over the period 1993-2009. At deeper levels, the ORAs are less well-constrained by observations with the largest differences across the ensemble mostly associated with areas of high eddy kinetic energy, such as the Southern Ocean and boundary current regions. Spatial patterns of OHC change for the period 1997-2009 show good agreement in the upper 300 m and are characterized by a strong dipole pattern in the Pacific Ocean. There is less agreement in the patterns of change at deeper levels, potentially linked to differences in the representation of ocean dynamics, such as water mass formation processes. However, the Atlantic and Southern Oceans are regions in which many ORAs show widespread warming below 700 m over the period 1997-2009. Annual time series of global and hemispheric OHC change for 0-700 m show the largest spread for the data sparse Southern Hemisphere and a number of ORAs seem to be subject to large initialization 'shock' over the first few years. In agreement with previous studies, a number of ORAs exhibit enhanced ocean heat uptake below 300 and 700 m during the mid-1990s or early 2000s. The ORA ensemble mean (±1 standard deviation) of rolling 5-year trends in full-depth OHC shows a relatively steady heat uptake of approximately 0.9 ± 0.8 W m (expressed relative to Earth's surface area) between 1995 and 2002, which reduces to about 0.2 ± 0.6 W m between 2004 and 2006, in qualitative agreement with recent analysis of Earth's energy imbalance. There is a marked reduction in the ensemble spread of OHC trends below 300 m as the Argo profiling float observations become available in the early 2000s. In general, we suggest that ORAs should be treated with caution when employed to understand past ocean warming trends-especially when considering the deeper ocean where there is little in the way of observational constraints. The current work emphasizes the need to better observe the deep ocean, both for providing observational constraints for future ocean state estimation efforts and also to develop improved models and data assimilation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mesenchymal stem cells ( MSCs) have multiple immunomodulatory properties and hold therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases. However, the therapeutic and immunologic effects of human umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs (hu MSCs) remain largely unexamined for asthma. Objective This study was to investigate the immunomodulatory properties of hu MSCs in an ovalbumin ( OVA)-induced murine asthma model. Methods Mice were injected intraperitoneally with OVA and an aluminium hydroxide adjuvant. hu MSCs were administered via the tail vein (5×105 cells/100 uL) to female BALB/c mice prior to the initial OVA challenge. The effects of hu MSCs were assessed by investigating airway hyperresponsiveness, histological changes, inflammatory cell numbers, serum allergen-specific antibodies, cytokine production in spleen, lung tissue, and bronchoalveolar lavage ( BAL) fluid as well as expansion of regulatory T cells. Results Administration of hu MSCs significantly reduced methacholine bronchial hyperresponsiveness and eosinophil counts in BAL cells. Similarly, there was a significant decrease in serum OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 levels along with Th2 cytokine production ( IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in the lung and spleen tissues, whereas increased percentage of regulatory T cells was observed after treatment with hu MSCs. Conclusions Our results suggest that hu MSC treatment reduces OVA-induced allergic inflammation, which could be mediated by regulatory T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repair welding for recovery from local damage of a rail head surface is known to cause high residual stress and can accelerate fatigue in the rail. This study examines repair-welded rails by applying experimental and numerical approaches. In the former approach, two newly manufactured rail specimens and four repair-welded rail specimens with two different weld depths were prepared, and their residual stresses were measured with a sectioning method. In the latter approach, a finite element repair welding simulation model was developed that adopted a prescribed temperature method with a moving block as an input heat source, and the thermal strain caused by the volume change due to solid-state phase transformation was considered. Overall, the residual stresses correlated well between the experimental and numerical approaches. The measured high compressive residual stress of −290 MPa seems to be beneficial to prevent a crack initiation in the rail surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The La1−xKxCo1−xNbxO3oxides were prepared by conventional solid state reaction technique. By using the GSAS programme a successful fit (Rp = 3.45%,Rwp = 2.77%,X2 = 1.28) was obtained, forx = 0.1. Refinements confirmed that K occupying the La sites and Nb for Co sites gave an acceptable occupancy factor for K and Nb. The valence state of all the ions in the system was determined by XPS analysis, and the lattice parameters were calculated according to the results of selected-area-diffraction (SAD) patterns and X-ray diffraction (XRD) identifications. The direction of the superlattice structure along [001] was found forx = 0.1 as identified from the SAD patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Asthma in the elderly (aged ≥ 65 years old) is a significant concern with high morbidity, but the pathophysiology remains unclear particularly in late-onset asthma. Recent studies suggest staphylococcal enterotoxin IgE ( SE-IgE) sensitization to be a risk factor for asthma in general populations; however, the associations have not been examined in late-onset elderly asthma. Objective We aimed to examine the associations of SE-IgE sensitization with late-onset asthma in the elderly, using a database of elderly asthma cohort study. Methods A total of 249 elderly patients with asthma and 98 controls were analysed. At baseline, patients were assessed for demographics, atopy, induced sputum profiles and comorbidities including chronic rhinosinusitis ( CRS). Serum total IgE and SE-IgE levels were measured. Asthma severity was assessed on the basis of asthma outcomes during a 12-month follow-up period. Results At baseline, serum SE-IgE concentrations were significantly higher in patients with asthma than in controls [median 0.16 (interquartile range 0.04-0.53) vs. 0.10 (0.01-0.19), P < 0.001]. Elderly asthma patients with high SE-IgE levels had specific characteristics of having more severe asthma, sputum eosinophilia and CRS, compared to those with lower SE-IgE levels. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the associations between serum SE-IgE concentrations and severe asthma were significant, independently of covariables [ SE-IgE-high (≥ 0.35 kU/L) vs. negative (< 0.10 kU/L) group: odds ratio 7.47, 95% confidence interval 1.86-30.03, P = 0.005]. Multiple correspondence analyses also showed that high serum SE-IgE level had close relationships with severe asthma, CRS and sputum eosinophilia together. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance This is the first report on the significant associations of SE-IgE sensitization with late-onset asthma in the elderly, particularly severe eosinophilic asthma with CRS comorbidity. Our findings indicate a potential implication of SE in the high morbidity burden of elderly asthma and suggest clues to the pathogenesis of severe late-onset eosinophilic asthma in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal cancer is commonly treated with surgery, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), or a combination of both. The correlation between the hematological parameters during CCRT and early survival of esophageal cancer has not been fully evaluated.Materials and Methods: We analyzed the records of 65 esophageal cancer patients treated by CCRT between 2007 and 2010 retrospectively. The association between CCRT-associated myelosuppression, demographic variables, and survival rates were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis.Results: The univariate analysis showed that tumor extent of T3-4, a higher stage of tumor, a lower albumin level, grade 3 or higher anemia and thrombocytopenia, and interruptions in treatment affected survival rates. Further, the multivariate analysis revealed that stage IV (P = 0.030) is an independently negative prognostic factor for a one-year survival rate. Stage IV (P = 0.035), tumor extent of T3-4 (P = 0.002), and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (P = 0.015) are independently negative prognostic factors for a two-year survival rate.Conclusions: Severe decrease in platelet count during CCRT independently affects survival of esophageal cancer patients in addition to stage of the tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with a previous history of hypersensitivity reaction ( HSR) to iodinated contrast media ( ICM) are at high risk of the development of HSR to ICM. Many studies have tried to evaluate the diagnostic potential of skin tests in this population but have not yet reached a common conclusion. We investigated the role of skin tests in patients with HSR to ICM in terms of positive rate, cross-reactivity rate, and tolerability to skin test-negative ICM according to the type of HSR. Methods We performed literature searches of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and included studies where skin tests were performed in patients with HSR to ICM, with extractable outcomes. Outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model. Results Twenty-one studies were included. Pooled per-patient positive rates of skin tests were 17% (95% CI, 10-26%) in patients with immediate HSR, and up to 52% (95% CI, 31-72%) when confined to severe immediate HSR. Among patients with nonimmediate HSR, the positive rate was 26% (95% CI, 15-41%). The pooled per-patient cross-reactivity rate was higher in nonimmediate HSR (68%; 95% CI, 48-83%) than that in immediate HSR (39%; 95% CI, 29-50%). Median per-test cross-reactivity rates between pairs of ICM were 7% ( IQR, 6-9%) in immediate HSR and 38% ( IQR, 22-51%) in nonimmediate HSR. Pooled per-patient recurrence rates of HSR to skin test-negative ICM were 7% (95% CI, 4-14%) in immediate HSR and 35% (95% CI, 19-55%) in nonimmediate HSR. Conclusion Skin tests may be helpful in diagnosing and managing patients with HSR to ICM, especially in patients with severe immediate HSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin current generated by the spin Hall effect in a heavy metal that would diffuse up and down to adjacent ferromagnetic layers and exert torque on their magnetization is called spin-orbit torque. Antiferromagnetically coupled trilayers, namely, the so-called synthetic antiferromagnets usually are employed to serve as the pinned layer of spintronic devices based on spin valves and magnetic tunnel junctions to reduce the stray field and/or increase the pinning field. Here we investigate the spin-orbit torque in a MgO/CoFeB/Ta/CoFeB/MgO perpendicularly magnetized multilayer with interlayer antiferromagnetic coupling. It is found that the magnetization of two CoFeB layers can be switched between two antiparallel states simultaneously. This observation is replicated by the theoretical calculations by solving the Stoner-Wohlfarth model and the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. Our findings combine spin-orbit torque and interlayer coupling, which might advance the magnetic memories with a low stray field and low power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Google Trends (GT) is a Web-based surveillance tool used to explore the searching trends of specific queries on Google. Recent studies have suggested the utility of GT in predicting outbreaks of influenza and other diseases. However, this utility has not been thoroughly evaluated for allergic diseases. Therefore, we investigated the utility of GT for predicting the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis. In the USA, GT for allergic rhinitis showed repetitive seasonality that peaked in late April and early May and then rapidly decreased, and a second small peak occurred in September. These trends are highly correlated with the searching trends for other queries such as 'pollen count', antihistamines such as loratadine and cetirizine (all r > 0.88 and all P < 0.001), and even the total pollen count collected from 21 pollen counters across the USA ( r = 0.928, P < 0.001). Google Trends for allergic rhinitis was similar to the monthly changes in rhinitis symptoms according to the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, sales for Claritin® and all over-the-counter antihistamines, and the number of monthly page views of 'claritin.com'. In conclusion, GT closely reflects the real-world epidemiology of allergic rhinitis in the USA and could potentially be used as a monitoring tool for allergic rhinitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decadal prediction experiments were conducted as part of phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) using the GFDL Climate Model, version 2.1 (CM2.1) forecast system. The abrupt warming of the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre (SPG) that was observed in the mid-1990s is considered as a case study to evaluate forecast capabilities and better understand the reasons for the observed changes. Initializing the CM2.1 coupled system produces high skill in retrospectively predicting the mid-1990s shift, which is not captured by the uninitialized forecasts. All the hindcasts initialized in the early 1990s show a warming of the SPG; however, only the ensemble-mean hindcasts initialized in 1995 and 1996 are able to reproduce the observed abrupt warming and the associated decrease and contraction of the SPG. Examination of the physical mechanisms responsible for the successful retrospective predictions indicates that initializing the ocean is key to predicting the mid-1990s warming. The successful initialized forecasts show an increased Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and North Atlantic Current transport, which drive an increased advection of warm saline subtropical waters northward, leading to a westward shift of the subpolar front and, subsequently, a warming and spindown of the SPG. Significant seasonal climate impacts are predicted as the SPG warms, including a reduced sea ice concentration over the Arctic, an enhanced warming over the central United States during summer and fall, and a northward shift of the mean ITCZ. These climate anomalies are similar to those observed during a warm phase of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, which is encouraging for future predictions of North Atlantic climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is a metastasis-prone epithelial cancer. We previously showed that tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) is highly expressed in NPC tumor tissues and is correlated with metastasis and poor survival in NPC patients. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the EBV oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), can transcriptionally induce TNFAIP2 expression via NF-κB. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting revealed that LMP1 induces TNFAIP2 expression through its C-terminal-activating region (CTAR2) domain, which is required for transduction of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) signaling. Inhibition of NF-κB activation or depletion of p65 (a component of NF-κB) by RNA interference abolished the LMP1-induced expression of TNFAIP2, whereas ectopic expression of p65 was sufficient to induce TNFAIP2 expression. Luciferase reporter assays showed that LMP1 transcriptionally induces TNFAIP2 expression through a newly identified NF-κB-binding site within the TNFAIP2 promoter (−3 869 to −3 860 bp). Immunohistochemical analysis of NPC biopsy specimens further revealed a significant correlation between the protein levels of TNFAIP2 and activated p65 (R=0.689, P<0.001), indicating that our findings are clinically relevant. Immunofluorescence microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that TNFAIP2 associates with actin and is involved in the formation of actin-based membrane protrusions. Furthermore, transwell migration assays demonstrated that TNFAIP2 contributes to LMP1-induced cell motility. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the regulation of TNFAIP2 and its role in promoting NPC tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo evaluate the effect of image compression of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) images in the examination of eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).MethodsThirty eyes from 30 patients who were diagnosed with exudative AMD were included in this retrospective observational case series. The horizontal OCT scans centered at the center of the fovea were conducted using spectral-domain OCT. The images were exported to Tag Image File Format (TIFF) and 100, 75, 50, 25 and 10% quality of Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format. OCT images were taken before and after intravitreal ranibizumab injections, and after relapse. The prevalence of subretinal and intraretinal fluids was determined. Differences in choroidal thickness between the TIFF and JPEG images were compared with the intra-observer variability.ResultsThe prevalence of subretinal and intraretinal fluids was comparable regardless of the degree of compression. However, the chorio-scleral interface was not clearly identified in many images with a high degree of compression. In images with 25 and 10% quality of JPEG, the difference in choroidal thickness between the TIFF images and the respective JPEG images was significantly greater than the intra-observer variability of the TIFF images (P=0.029 and P=0.024, respectively).ConclusionsIn OCT images of eyes with AMD, 50% of the quality of the JPEG format would be an optimal degree of compression for efficient data storage and transfer without sacrificing image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two high-k dielectric materials (Al2O3 and HfO2) were deposited on n-type (100) and (110) InAs surface orientations to investigate physical properties of the oxide/ semiconductor interfaces and the interface trap density (Dit). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses (XPS) for native oxides of (100) and (110) as-grown n-InAs epi wafers show an increase in As-oxide on the (100) surface and an increase in InOx on the (110) surface. In addition, XPS analyses of high-k (Al2O3 and HfO2) on n-InAs epi show that the intrinsic native oxide difference between (100) and (110) epi surfaces were eliminated by applying conventional in-situ pre-treatment (TriMethyAluminium (TMA)) before the high-k deposition. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characterization of HfO2 and Al2O3 MOSCAPs on both types of n-InAs surfaces shows very similar C-V curves. The interface trap density (Dit) profiles show Dit minima of 6.1 × 1012/6.5 × 1012 and 6.6 × 1012/7.3 × 1012 cm-2 eV-1 for Al2O3 and HfO2, respectively for (100) and (110) InAs surfaces. The similar interface trap density (Dit) on (100) and (110) surface orientation were observed, which is beneficial to future InAs FinFET device with both (100) and (110) surface channel orientations present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]