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The scaling relations for the dispersion coefficients of long-range interactions between the Mu(1s)–Mu(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems and the H(1s)–H(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems are obtained using analytical properties of hydrogenic wavefunctions, which allows us to obtain the dispersion coefficients for Mu(1s)–Mu(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems from the corresponding H(1s)–H(1s, 2s, or 2p) systems. Additionally, the dispersion coefficients of long-range interactions of Mu(1s) with the ground-state H, noble gas atoms He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, alkali-metal atoms Li, Na, K, and Rb, alkaline-earth atoms Be, Mg, Ca, and Sr, and Cu, Ag, F, and Cl atoms are calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithium ion dynamics in graphite, an important anode material for lithium ion batteries, is strongly related with the layer-to-layer distance (d-spacing) and the stacking modes of graphite. We studied these relationships by first-principles calculations. It is found that a larger d-spacing results in the easier transformation of the stacking mode from A-B stacking to A-A stacking when lithium atoms are inserted. This transformation is unfavorable to the lithium diffusion because of the larger diffusion energy barrier for lithium in A-A stacking graphite compared to that in A-B one. On the other hand, as the d-spacing increases, the diffusion energy barrier for lithium in A-A stacking graphite decreases substantially, thus being favorable to the lithium diffusion. These results give a better understanding of the lithium ion dynamics in graphite, and show that it is possible to optimize the lithium ion dynamics in graphite by properly adjusting the d-spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural, magnetic, and ferroelectric properties have been investigated for Bi2Fe4(1-x)Ti4xO9 (0≤x≤0.2) bulk ceramics, which were synthesized by a modified Pechini method. X-ray diffraction reveals that all samples are single phase with no impurities detected. Compared with antiferromagnetic Bi2Fe4O9 compound, doping with Ti ions induces the appearance of weak ferromagnetism at room temperature, which is discussed in terms of the collapse of the frustrated antiferromagnetic spin structure. Moreover, appropriate Ti doping also significantly reduces electric leakage and leads to the enhancement of electrical polarization. Among all samples, the optimal multiferroics with Mr∼0.0188 emu/g and Pr∼0.262 μC/cm2 at room temperature is found for x=0.15 ceramics. It is thus shown that Ti-doped Bi2Fe4O9 is a promising candidate for preparing multiferroic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-grain microplasticity and intergranular microdamage in polycrystalline hexagonal-structure ceramics subjected to a sequence of dynamic compression and tension are studied computationally using the Voronoi polycrystal model, by which the topological heterogeneity and material anisotropy of the crystals are simulated explicitly. The constitutive modeling considers crystal plasticity by basal slip, intergranular shear damage during compression, and intergranular mode-I cracking during tension. The model parameters are calibrated with the available shock compression and spall strength data on polycrystalline α-6H silicon carbide. The numerical results show that microplasticity is a more plausible micromechanism for the inelastic response of the material under shock compression. On the other hand, the spallation behavior of the shocked material can be well predicted by intergranular mode-I microcracking during load reversal from dynamic compression to tension. The failure process and the resulting spall strength are, however, affected strongly by the intensity of local release heterogeneity induced by heterogeneous microplasticity, and by the grain-boundary shear damage during compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Combined esophageal high‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) measures multiple pressures and bolus transit simultaneously, facilitating detailed assessment of esophageal motility. Currently, normative values for water‐perfused HRIM systems for Chinese populations are lacking. Methods: Healthy volunteers were enrolled for comprehensive anthropometric measures, blood biochemistry tests, and an HRIM study using 22 water‐perfused pressure sensors and 12 impedance channels. Ten 5‐mL liquid swallows of saline at 30‐second intervals were conducted. The following parameters were calculated: distal contractile integral (DCI), distal latency (DL), lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure, 4‐second integrated relaxation pressure (IRP‐4s), and complete bolus transit percentage. Normal values were established based on the 5th and 95th percentiles. Key Results: All 66 participants (34 male, 32 female, aged 21‐64 years) completed the study and tolerated the HRIM procedure well. The upper normal limit (95th percentile) of IRP‐4 second was 20 mmHg. The 5th‐95th percentile range for DCI, DL, and complete bolus transit was 99‐2186 mmHg●s●cm, 6.2‐11.3 second, and 50%‐100%, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with DL. Females had significantly higher upper limits for IRP‐4s and median DCI than males. Multivariate analyses confirmed that IRP‐4s was higher in females, and that higher body mass index and waist circumference were associated with reduced DL and better bolus transit, respectively. Conclusions and Inferences: We established normative values for the water‐perfused HRIM system for a Chinese population. Gender and anthropometric factors may affect various major HRIM parameters and should be taken into account when interpreting HRIM results in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective strategies for the reuse and recycling of in-process prepreg waste are needed to reduce economic and environmental costs. In this paper, we investigate the compression molding of prepreg waste converted into scrap “chips” (or strands). Material is randomly distributed within a lab-scale closed mold and cured with control of temperature and pressure. Material properties and process parameters such as chip geometry, fiber bed reinforcement, resin state, and cure cycle are varied and shown to influence porosity and thickness. These experiments clarify the phenomena governing microstructural quality and identify manufacturing pathways for high-quality parts. In addition, mechanical properties are measured for laminates with high and low defect levels. The study demonstrates the viability of prepreg reuse. Furthermore, the resulting insights provide a basis for practical science-based optimization of the reuse of production prepreg waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest for the reused composite oriented strand board (COSB) for stiffness-critical and contoured applications. COSBs are made of rectangular shape prepreg strands that are randomly oriented within the structure. Development of this product form could markedly reduce the scrap generated during aerospace manufacturing processes. COSBs retain high modulus and drapability during processing and manufacturing. However, before any material can be deployed in industrial applications, the mechanical properties must be well understood so that proper design analysis can be performed. COSB has complex structure due to the randomly oriented prepreg strands, and this makes it difficult to model the stiffness using conventional methods. In general, a purely experimental hit and trial approach is used to design components out of such material. In this paper, a finite element based modelling approach to predict the stiffness of COSB is presented. A number of finite element models are developed using different meshing and contact techniques including orphan meshing, embedded elements, tie constraints and cohesive surface and cohesive elements. The model is validated with experimentally determined stiffness of COSB samples manufactured using Out of Autoclave (OoA) heated tool compression molding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Levofloxacin triple therapy has been used for the first-line and second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection for more than 10 years. Aims To systematically review the efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy in the first- and second-line treatment, and to assess the time trend and factors that might affect its efficacy. Methods Prospective trials reporting the efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy in either the first-line or second-line treatment of H. pylori infection in adults were searched from the PubMed and Cochrane database from January 2000 to September 2015. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate the cumulative eradication rate and the efficacies in subgroups. Results Of the 322 articles identified, a total of 4574 patients from 41 trials, including 16 trials in the first-line treatment and 25 trials in the second-line treatment were eligible for analysis. The cumulative eradication rate was 77.3% (95% confidence intervals, CI: 74.7-79.6) and was 80.7% (95% CI 77.1-83.7) in the first-line treatment and 74.5% (95% CI: 70.9-77.8) in the second-line treatment. The efficacies of levofloxacin triple therapy before 2008, between 2009 and 2011, and after 2012 were 77.4%, 79.6% and 74.8% respectively. The eradication rate was higher when levofloxacin was given once daily (80.6%, 95% CI: 77.1-83.7) than twice daily (73.6%, 95% CI: 69.7-77.2). The efficacy was significantly higher in levofloxacin-susceptible strains than resistant strains (81.1% vs. 36.3%, risk ratio 2.18, 95% CI: 1.6-3, P < 0.001). Conclusion The efficacy of levofloxacin triple therapy has been lower than 80% in many countries and it is not recommended when the levofloxacin resistance is higher than 5-10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Whether 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy is superior to 14-day triple therapy in the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori remains controversial. Aim To compare the efficacy of 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy vs. 14-day triple therapy. Methods Randomised controlled trials ( RCTs) comparing 10-day or 14-day sequential therapy and 14-day triple therapy as first-line treatment in adults were searched from the PubMed and Cochrane databases from 2000 to October 2015. Abstracts from international annual conferences were also searched. The primary and secondary outcomes were the eradication rate according to the intention-to-treat analysis and adverse effects, respectively. Results Of the 109 articles identified, 13 RCTs including 2749 patients in the sequential therapy group and 2424 patients in the 14-day triple therapy group were eligible. Overall, sequential therapy for 10 or 14 days was not significantly superior to 14-day triple therapy [Risk ratio ( RR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.99-1.08, P = 0.145]. However, there was significant heterogeneity ( I2 = 57.6%, P = 0.005). In the subgroup analysis of four trials, we found that 14-day sequential therapy was significantly more effective than 14-day triple therapy ( RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.16, P = 0.002), and there was no significant heterogeneity ( I2 = 0%, P = 0.624) in this comparison. Sequential therapy given for 10 days was not superior to 14-day triple therapy ( RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.98-1.09, P = 0.207). There was no significant difference in the risk of adverse effects. Conclusion Sequential therapy given for 14 days, but not 10 days, was more effective than 14-day triple therapy as first-line treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although alcohol is associated with higher upper aerodigestive tract ( UADT) cancer risk, only a small fraction of alcoholics develop cancers. There is a lack of evidence proving the association of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes with cancer risk. The aim of this study was to determine the association of these genetic polymorphisms with UADT cancer risk in a Chinese population. It was a hospital-based case-control candidate gene study. The databases of the International Hap Map Project were searched for haplotype tag single nucleotide polymorphisms of the genes alcohol dehydrogenase ( ADH)1 B, ADH1C, and aldehyde dehydrogenase ( ALDH)2. The genotyping was performed by the Sequenom MassARRAY system. Totally, 120 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 138 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients, and 276 age- and gender-matched subjects were enrolled between June 2008 and June 2010.Minor alleles of ADH1B (rs1229984) and ALDH2(rs671) were not only associated with the risk of UADT cancers (odds ratio [ OR] [95% confidence interval, CI]: 3.53 [2.14-5.80] and 2.59 [1.79-3.75], respectively) but also potentiated the carcinogenic effects of alcohol ( OR [95% CI]: 53.44 [25.21-113.29] and 70.08 [33.65-145.95], respectively). Similar effects were observed for head/neck and esophageal cancer subgroups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified four significant risk factors, including habitual use of cigarettes, alcohol, betel quid, and lower body mass index ( P < 0.001). The haplotypes GAGC ( OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.08-2.40, P = 0.018) and CCAATG ( OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.24-2.30, P < 0.001) on chromosomes 4 and 12, respectively, were associated with higher cancer risk. These findings suggested that risk allele or haplotype carriers who consume alcohol and other carcinogens should be advised to undergo endoscopy screening. The information can be used to determine the degree of susceptibility of each subject and can be combined with other environmental factors, like carcinogen consumption, in the screening analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric properties of membrane and cytoplasm of cells were commonly derived using the experimental electrorotation spectra, which are proportional to the spectra of the imaginary part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (Ki). However, it was found in this study that the cell properties thus derived do not agree with those derived using the experimental spectra of the real part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (Kr). Both the Kr and Ki spectra are required simultaneously for deriving appropriate cell dielectric properties. Also the membrane and cytoplasm conductivities decrease, while the membrane and cytoplasm permittivities remain relatively unchanged, as the medium conductivity decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the structural and electronic properties from sheet to silicene is studied by using first-principles density functional theory. It is found that the planar configurations of the - monolayer systems are basically kept except for the increase of the buckling of the planar structure when the substitution ratio of Si increases. Band gaps of the - monolayer system decrease gradually when the substitution ratio of Si atoms ranges from 0% to 100%. The energy and type of the band gaps are closely related with the substitution ratio of Si atoms and the - order. Further analysis of density of states reveals the orbital contribution of and atoms near the Fermi level. The discussion of the electronic evolution from SiC sheet to silicene would widen the application of the - monolayer systems in the optoelectronic field in the future nanotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ustekinumab, an interleukin ( IL)-12 and IL-23 blocker, has emerged as a new therapeutic option for patients with psoriasis. It is generally well tolerated but safety data on the use of ustekinumab in patients with viral hepatitis are limited. Objective To assess the safety profile of ustekinumab in the treatment of patients with psoriasis who have concomitant hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Methods This study included 18 patients with concurrent psoriasis and hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection (14 patients) or hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection (four patients) who were treated with at least two ustekinumab injections. Viral loads were measured at baseline and each time before the administration of ustekinumab. Relevant clinical data were recorded. Results Among 11 patients positive for hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBsAg), two out of the seven (29%) patients who did not receive antiviral prophylaxis exhibited HBV reactivation during ustekinumab treatment. No viral reactivation was observed in the three occult HBV-infected patients ( HBsAg-negative/hepatitis B core antibody-positive patients). One patient with HCV, liver cirrhosis and treated hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) experienced HCV reactivation and recurrent HCC during the ustekinumab treatment. No significant increase in aminotransferase levels was observed in any patient. Conclusions Antiviral prophylaxis appears to minimize the risk of viral reactivation in patients with concurrent psoriasis and HBV infection. Without effective anti-viral prophylaxis, the risk/benefit of ustekinumab treatment should be carefully assessed in patients with psoriasis and HBV or HCV infection and/or HCC. Close monitoring for HBV and HCV viral load is recommended, particularly for patients with high-risk factors. Serum aminotransferase determination may not be useful for early detection of viral reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we studied the structural and electronic properties of core/shell nanocables composed of cubic silicon carbide nanowires (β-) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) using first-principles pseudopotential plane wave method within density functional theory. Our results show that the β-/BNNT heterojunction structures are metallic, which primarily originates from the contributions of the BNNTs and the surfaces of s. The BNNTs exhibit metallic characters after the nanowires are inserted. The transition of the BNNTs is attributed to the charge transfer between BNNTs and s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dexlansoprazole is a new proton pump inhibitor ( PPI) with a dual delayed-release system. Both dexlansoprazole and esomeprazole are an enantiomer of lansoprazole and omeprazole respectively. However, there is no head-to-head trial data or indirect comparison analyses between dexlansoprazole and esomeprazole. Aim To compare the efficacy of dexlansoprazole with esomeprazole in healing erosive oesophagitis ( EO), the maintenance of healed EO and the treatment of non-erosive reflux disease ( NERD). Methods Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) comparing dexlansoprazole or esomeprazole with either placebo or another PPI were systematically reviewed. Random-effect meta-analyses and adjusted indirect comparisons were conducted to compare the treatment effect of dexlansoprazole and esomeprazole using a common comparator. The relative risk ( RR) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) were calculated. Results The indirect comparisons revealed significant differences in symptom control of heartburn in patients with NERD at 4 weeks. Dexlansoprazole 30 mg was more effective than esomeprazole 20 mg or 40 mg ( RR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.15-3.51; RR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.39-3.38). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two drugs in EO healing and maintenance of healed EO. Comparison of symptom control in healed EO was not able to be made due to different definitions used in the RCTs. Conclusions Adjusted indirect comparisons based on currently available RCT data suggested significantly better treatment effect in symptom control of heartburn in patients with NERD for dexlansoprazole against esomeprazole. No statistically significant differences were found in other EO outcomes. However, these study findings need to be interpreted with caution due to small number of studies and other limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only a few studies have investigated the use of PCT in the diagnosis of bone and joint infection, and these studies have had relatively small sample sizes. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic performance of serum procalcitonin (PCT) in the identification of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in patients who present with fever and orthopedic symptoms. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases and the reference lists of relevant articles were searched, with no language restrictions, through February 2012. All original studies that reported the use of serum PCT alone or in comparison with other biomarkers for diagnosis of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis were included. Seven studies qualified for inclusion. These studies enrolled a total of 583 patients with suspected bone or joint infection, 131 of whom had confirmed osteomyelitis or septic arthritis. Analysis of the PCT data indicated a bivariate pooled sensitivity of 0.67 (95 % CI: 0.37-0.88), specificity of 0.90 (95 % CI: 0.78-0.96), a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 6.48 (95 % CI: 2.28-14.6), and a negative likelihood ratio (LR−) of 0.37 (95 % CI: 0.16-0.84). Use of a lower PCT cut-off value (0.2-0.3 ng/mL) improved the LR + to 6.66 and the LR− to 0.15. Analysis of the three studies that also measured serum C-reactive protein (CRP) indicated that CRP had an LR + of 1.39 (95 % CI: 1.17-1.65) and an LR− of 0.40 (95 % CI: 0.12-1.36). Our results indicate that PCT may be more suitable as an aid for rule-in diagnosis rather than for exclusion of septic arthritis or osteomyelitis and that use of a lower cut-off value for serum PCT may improve its diagnostic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background The optimal dosage of intravenous proton pump inhibitors ( PPIs) for the prevention of peptic ulcer rebleeding remains unclear. Aim To compare the rebleeding rate of high-dose and standard-dose PPI use after endoscopic haemostasis. Methods A total of 201 patients with bleeding ulcers undergoing endoscopic treatment with epinephrine injection and heater probe thermocoagulation were randomised to receive a high-dose regimen (80 mg bolus, followed by pantoprazole 8 mg/h infusion, n = 100) or a standard-dose regimen (pantoprazole 40 mg bolus daily, n = 101). After 72 h, all patients were given 40 mg pantoprazole daily orally for 27 days. Results There were no statistical differences in mean units of blood transfused, length of hospitalisation ≦5 days, surgical or radiological interventions and mortality within 30 days between two groups. Bleeding recurred within 30 days in six patients [6.2%, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.3-11.1%] in the high-dose group, as compared to five patients (5.2%, 95% CI 0.6-9.7%) in the standard-dose group ( P = 0.77). The stepwise Cox regression analysis showed end-stage renal disease, haematemesis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (hazard ratio: 37.15, 10.07, 9.12, 95% CI: 6.76-204.14, 2.07-49.01, 1.66-50.00 respectively) were independent risk factors for rebleeding and Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with lower risk of rebleeding (hazard ratio: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.94). Conclusions Following combined endoscopic haemostasis of bleeding ulcers, co-morbidities, haematemesis and H. pylori Status, but not PPI dosage, are associated with rebleeding (. ID: NCT00709046). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV), a piscine nodavirus, has caused serious viral nervous necrosis and viral encephalopathy and retinopathy in hatchery-reared larvae and juveniles of a wide range of marine teleost species worldwide in the last two decades. Although the mortality of NNV-infected larvae is nearly 100%, there are still some larvae that survive this catastrophe. To comprehensively understand the variations of these survivors at the molecular level, we collected orange-spotted grouper larvae that survived an NNV outbreak in an indoor hatchery in southern Taiwan to study differential gene expression. Healthy larvae with high, medium and low levels of detected NNV were compared with morbid larvae using a 9600-clone-containing grouper larva cDNA microarray, and differential gene expression was further confirmed by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Significant variation exists in healthy larvae. The following genes were upregulated: adenylate kinase 1-2, myosin binding protein H-like, myosin light chain 2, myosin light chain 3, tropomyosin, fast/white muscle troponin T embryonic isoform, and parvalbumin 1 and 2 genes. The following genes were downregulated: apolipoprotein A-I, trypsinogen, pyruvate kinase and astacin-like metalloprotease. Moreover, immunoglobulin M heavy chain gene transcription was significantly higher in healthy larvae that had high virus levels, indicating that humoral immunity might protect organisms from viral infection. These results suggest that some non-immune-related genes may have played important roles in survival during the larval metamorphosis stage, after betanodavirus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrepancy between Eastern and Western countries exists regarding the time trends of Barrett's esophagus (BE)/adenocarcinoma. We aimed to elucidate this issue through a retrospective review of the endoscopic and pathological diagnoses of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) over time in a Chinese population. All records were analyzed from 2000 to 2007. Records included demographic data, clinical indication for endoscopy, and endoscopic findings. The total number of endoscopic procedures increased over time. The indications for referral endoscopy secondary to GERD increased from 366 cases (4.9%) in the beginning of the study to 1439 cases (14.1%) at the end. Concomitant GERD symptoms did not significantly change (range, 13–15.1%) in screening endoscopic studies. Endoscopic detection of erosive esophagitis increased in referral populations from 1546 (20.7%) to 5207 cases (51%) and by screening endoscopy from 791 (14.5%) to 1983 cases (23.5%). The prevalence of nonerosive reflux disease and BE did not change over time. BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma were rare. The detection of Los Angeles class A disease increased with time in referral endoscopy cases with a focus on erosive esophagitis composition. The endoscopic demand for GERD investigation and the GERD endoscopic diagnosis increased in our population. The results were related to a higher prevalence of low-grade erosive disease diagnosed. The incidence of BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma has been the same and the increased screening did not detect more cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response from author of the article "Systematic review with metaanalysis: 10- or 14-day sequential therapy vs. 14-day triple therapy in the first line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection" that was published in a previous issue of the periodical is presented.

The population of elderly patients entering chronic dialysis programmes is increasing. Elderly patients are susceptible to malnutrition and have multiple complicating disorders in addition to uraemia. Selecting appropriate dialysis modality is particularly critical in elderly patients. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) has many advantages to elderly patients; however, the clinical outcome varies for elderly CAPD patients. In comparison with Westerners, Southeast Asians have a small body mass index and may be more suited to CAPD therapy. To identify the prognostic predictors in elderly Southeast Asian patients, this historical cohort study analysed 144 patients aged ≥ 65 years at initiation of CAPD. A group of haemodialysis (HD) patients aged ≥ 65 years was utilised as the control group. Survival curves for patient and technique were derived from Kaplan–Meier analysis and were further analysed by Cox–Mantel log-rank test. To elucidate the impact of individual factors on patient survival, various significant univariables were further subjected to multivariate analysis. No significant increase existed for relative risk of technique failure in elderly patients compared with younger patients. This analytical data indicates that CAPD was as good as HD for elderly uraemic patients regarding to the patient survival. Diabetes, dependent patients, low albumin levels and previous HD history were significant poor prognostic factors for survival of elderly CAPD patients. In conclusion, CAPD is an effective modality of renal replacement therapy for Southeast Asian elderly patients. The technique survival was not affected by patient age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The effect of metabolic risk factors on the natural course of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which remains elusive, was quantified. Methods: The population included 3669 subjects undergoing repeated upper endoscopy. Data were analysed using a three-state Markov model to estimate transition rates (according to the Los Angeles classification) regarding the natural course of the disease. Individual risk score together with the kinetic curve was derived by identifying significant factors responsible for the net force between progression and regression. Results: During three consecutive study periods, 12.2, 14.9 and 17.9% of subjects, respectively, progressed from non-erosive to erosive disease, whereas 42.5, 37.3 and 34.6%, respectively, regressed to the non-erosive stage. The annual transition rate from non-erosive to class A-B disease was 0.151 per person year (95% CI 0.136 to 0.165) and from class A-B to C-D was 0.079 per person year (95% CI 0.063 to 0.094). The regression rate from class A-B to non-erosive disease was 0.481 per person year (95% CI 0.425 to 0.536). Class C-D, however, appeared to be an absorbing state when not properly treated. Being male (relative risk (RR) 4.31; 95% CI 3.22 to 5.75), smoking (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.39) or having metabolic syndrome (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.38) independently increased the likelihood of progressing from a non-erosive to an erosive stage of disease and/or lowered the likelihood of disease regression. The short-term use of acid suppressants (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.75) raised the likelihood of regression from erosive to non-erosive disease. Conclusions: Intraoesophageal damage is a dynamic and migratory process in which the metabolic syndrome is associated with accelerated progression to or attenuated regression from erosive states. These findings have important implications for the design of effective prevention and screening strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence has become a possible solution to resolve the problem of loss of information when complexity of a disease increases. Obesity phenotypes are observable clinical features of drug-naive schizophrenic patients. In addition, atypical antipsychotic medications may cause these unwanted effects. Here we examined the performance of neuro-fuzzy modeling (NFM) in predicting weight changes in chronic schizophrenic patients exposed to antipsychotics. Two hundred and twenty inpatients meeting DSMIV diagnosis of schizophrenia, treated with antipsychotics, either typical or atypical, for more than 2 years, were recruited. All subjects were assessed in the same study period between mid-November 2003 and mid-April 2004. The baseline and first visit’s physical data including weight, height and circumference were used in this study. Clinical information (Clinical Global Impression and Life Style Survey) and genotype data of five single nucleotide polymorphisms were also included as predictors. The subjects were randomly assigned into the first group (105 subjects) and second group (115 subjects), and NFM was performed by using the FuzzyTECH 5.54 software package, with a network-type structure constructed in the rule block. A complete learned model trained from merged data of the first and second groups demonstrates that, at a prediction error of 5, 93% subjects with weight gain were identified. Our study suggests that NFM is a feasible prediction tool for obesity in schizophrenic patients exposed to antipsychotics, with further improvements required.Molecular Psychiatry (2008) 13, 1129–1137; doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4002128; published online 8 January 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile strength of a metallic bicrystalline nanofilm containing a wedge disclination in the middle of a grain boundary (GB) terminating at the film surfaces was studied via atomistic simulations. The results show that an increase in the disclination power strengthens the film, which is contrary to intuition, if a crack initiates at one end of the terminated GB, whereas it weakens the film if a crack initiates at the disclination core. Both the strengthening and weakening demonstrate a size effect for film thickness in the range 10-20 nm, and are also significantly influenced by the GB misorientation. It is further shown that the strength can be increased to ∼80% of the theoretical strength of a defect-free film by introducing a disclination of moderate power in the GB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of advanced glycation endproducts, has been shown to prevent arterial stiffening and cardiac hypertrophy in streptozotocin (STZ) and nicotinamide (NA)-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. Our aims were to examine whether AG produced benefits on cardiac pumping mechanics in the STZ and NA-treated animals in terms of maximal systolic elastance (E(max)) and theoretical maximum flow (Q(max)).Experimental Approach: After induction of type 2 diabetes, rats received daily injections of AG (50 mg kg(-1), i.p.) for 8 weeks and were compared with age-matched, untreated, diabetic controls. Left ventricular (LV) pressure and ascending aortic flow signals were recorded to calculate E(max) and Q(max), using the elastance-resistance model. Physically, E(max) reflects the contractility of the myocardium as an intact heart, whereas Q(max) has an inverse relationship with the LV internal resistance.Key Results: Both type 2 diabetes and AG affected E(max) and Q(max), and there was an interaction between diabetes and AG for these two variables. The E(max) and Q(max) were reduced in rats with type 2 diabetes, but showed a significant rise after administration of AG to these diabetic rats. Moreover, the increase in Q(max) corresponded to a decrease in total peripheral resistance of the systemic circulation when the STZ and NA-induced diabetic rats were treated with AG.Conclusions and Implications: AG therapy prevented not only the contractile dysfunction of the heart, but also the augmentation in LV internal resistance in rats with STZ and NA-induced type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pyogenic sacroiliitis is a rare cause of hip pain and fever. We aim to report a series of 33 patients with pyogenic sacroiliitis and to investigate the differences among paediatric and adult cases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Microlens projection lithography is a kind of non-contact projection lithography that uses microlens array components as the projection lenses to produce a large area of microstructural array patterns on photoresisting film. This technology requires partial masking of light on the non-lens portion of the microlens array, and the conventional approach is through an aligned exposure followed by the plating process that would require accurate positioning equipment, so it is naturally time-consuming as well as costly in terms of the entire production process. This study applies an innovative technology in the production process that uses a microcircular-hole array to penetrate a stainless-steel substrate as the mold, and in collaboration with gas-assisted thermal pressuring production process that utilizes surface tension of the plastic film to fabricate the hemisphere-shaped plastic microlens array that is capable of masking light as the projection lens. With such a lens, in collaboration with optic expansion film, Fresnel lens, and millimeter-grade single-pattern photomasks, the microlens array projection lithographical optical system is constructed. Using regular millimeter-grade photomasks, a micrometer-grade array pattern is successfully fabricated on the photoresist layer through the process of projection exposure and development using such a microlens array projection lithographical optical system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose:Aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of advanced glycation endproducts, has been identified as a prominent agent that prevents the fructose-induced arterial stiffening in male Wistar rats. Our aims were to examine whether AG produced benefits on the left ventricular (LV)-arterial coupling in fructose-fed (FF) animals in terms of the ventricular and arterial chamber properties.Experimental approach:Rats given 10% fructose in drinking water (FF) were daily treated with AG (50 mg·kg−1, i.p.) for 2 weeks and compared with the untreated FF group. In anaesthetised rats, LV pressure and ascending aortic flow signals were recorded to calculate LV end-systolic elastance (E es, an indicator of myocardial contractility) and effective arterial volume elastance (E a). The optimal afterload (Q load) determined by the ratio of E a to E es was used to measure the coupling efficiency between the left ventricle and its vasculature.Key results:There was a significant interaction between fructose and AG in their effects on E a. Fructose loading significantly elevated E a and AG prevented the fructose-derived deterioration in arterial chamber elastance. Both fructose and AG affected E es and Q load, and there was an interaction between fructose and AG for these two variables. Both E es and Q load exhibited a decline with fructose feeding but showed a significant rise after AG treatment in the FF rats.Conclusions and Implications:AG prevented not only the contractile dysfunction of the heart caused by fructose loading, but also the fructose-induced deterioration in matching left ventricular function to the arterial system.British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 151, 341–346; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707223; published online 2 April 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the problem of an edge dislocation in an elastically anisotropic dissimilar film-substrate is formulated exactly using the method of continuously distributed image dislocations. The resulting singular Cauchy integral equations are transformed into non-singular Fredholm integral equations, and the solutions are given in the form of series. The formulation and solution are greatly facilitated by the use of certain integral transforms and their iterative operations which are developed in this paper. The numerical solutions are verified by convergence study, direct checking of the governing equations and comparison with previous results. The technique of transforming singular to non-singular integral equations can be used for other physical problems. The truncated solutions can be employed as Green functions for solving problems involving cracks and dislocations and in the boundary element method. The image method can also be generalized for the analysis of multilayered composites. Numerical results for an edge dislocation located in film-substrate systems and strips demonstrate the importance of elastic anisotropy and material inhomogeneity in determining the image forces and the stress components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional (2D) finite-difference shallow water model based on a second-order hybrid type of total variation diminishing (TVD) approximate solver with a MUSCL limiter function was developed to model flooding and inundation problems where the evolution of the drying and wetting interface is numerically challenging. Both a minimum positive depth (MPD) scheme and a non-MPD scheme were employed to handle the advancement of drying and wetting fronts. We used several model problems to verify the model, including a dam break in a slope channel, a dam break flooding over a triangular obstacle, an idealized circular dam-break, and a tide flow over a mound. Computed results agreed well with the experiment data and other numerical results available. The model was then applied to simulate the dam breaking and flooding of Hsindien Creek, Taiwan, with the detailed river basin topography. Computed flooding scenarios show reasonable flow characteristics. Though the average speed of flooding is 6-7 m s-1, which corresponds to the subcritical flow condition (Fr < 1), the local maximum speed of flooding is 14·12 m s-1, which corresponds to the supercritical flow condition {Fr ≈ 1·31). It is necessary to conduct some kind of comparison of the numerical results with measurements/experiments in further studies. Nevertheless, the model exhibits its capability to capture the essential features of dam-break flows with drying and wetting fronts. It also exhibits the potential to provide the basis for computationally efficient flood routing and warning information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently reported that low-grade mucosa- associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with MALToma (DLBCL[MALT]) of stomach are equally responsive to H. pylori eradication therapy (HPET) and that H. pylori-independent status is closely associated with nuclear translocation of BCL10. However, co-existing MALToma and DLBCL components of gastric DLBCL(MALT) may respond differentially to HPET and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Tumour tissue samples from 18 patients with microdissectable co-existing MALToma and DLBCL cells were studied. The clonality of lymphoma cells was examined by polymerase chain reaction-based amplification of the CDR3 region of the IgH gene and confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. BCL10 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Differential response of co-existing MALToma and DLBCL to HPET was defined as complete eradication of one component while the other component remained. Five (27.8%) of the 18 patients showed different IgH gene rearrangements in the two components and three (60%) of these five patients had differential response of MALToma and DLBCL to HPET. By contrast, 13 patients showed identical IgH gene rearrangements and only one (8%) of them had differential response of the two components to HPET ( p = 0.044). Further, all four patients with differential response of MALToma and DLBCL to HPET showed nuclear expression of BCL10 in the H. pylori-independent component and cytoplasmic expression of BCL10 in the H. pylori-dependent component while the expression patterns of BCL10 were identical in both of these components in the 14 patients who had similar tumour response to HPET. We conclude that different clonality is a common reason for the differential response of co-existing MALToma and DLBCL of gastric DLBCL(MALT) to HPET and that immunohistochemical examination of BCL10 expression may help to identify the co-existence of these components. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular access thrombosis (VAT) is an important cause of morbidity for chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients. Some risk factors for VAT have been well-defined for chronic HD patients from western countries. However, only a few such factors have been confirmed for Taiwanese patients. This study attempted to determine the association between hyperhomocysteinaemia and the incidence of VAT for chronic HD patients in Taiwan. We retrospectively enrolled a total of 196 patients into this study during 2003. The patients were separated into VAT ( n = 142) and control ( n = 54) group. The participants of the VAT group were identified as those having one or more VAT, and the participants of the control group were those with no VAT in the past. The mean follow-up period was 48 months. The mean serum homocysteine levels were 29.5 ± 9.6 and 29.1 ± 9.5 μmol/l for the VAT ( n = 142) and the control ( n = 54) group, respectively. There was no significant difference in the level of homocysteine between the VAT and the control group (p = 0.70). Female chronic HD patients had significantly greater mean total homocysteine levels than male (30.89 μmol/l, 95% CI 28.84–32.94 vs. 28.06 μmol/l, 95% CI 26.32–29.82, respectively, p = 0.038). That synthetic graft was a significant risk factor for VAT was determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. There was no association between serum total homocysteine levels and the incidence of VAT in chronic HD patients in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus causes various extrahepatic immunologic abnormalities. Vascular access thrombosis (VAT) is a major cause of morbidity in chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients. Immunoglobulin-G anticardiolipin antibody (IgG-ACA) is strongly associated with venous and arterial thrombosis in patients with normal renal function. Previous investigations have reported the association of raised IgG-ACA titre recurrent with VAT in HD patient, and also few equivalent studies were reported the same in Taiwan. This study attempted to determine whether raised IgG-ACA titres are associated with increased risk of recurrent VAT in HD patients with chronic hepatitis C. This study enrolled 98 chronic hepatitis C patients undergoing HD. IgG-ACA titre and hepatitis C marker were measured for all subjects. Raised IgG-ACA titres were present in 29.6% (29/98) of patients. In both groups (raised and normal IgG-ACA), the type of shunt did not differ (p = 0.416). There was strong association between raised IgG-ACA titre and recurrent VAT (p = 0.0004). In predicting for more or one episodes of VAT using multiple logistic regression, synthetic graft (p < 0.0001), raised IgG-ACA titre (p = 0.039), presence of hepatitis B (p = 0.004) and haemodialysis duration (p = 0.039) were significant factors. The prevalence of raised IgG-ACA titres was 39.6% among chronic hepatitis C with HD patients. There was strong association between raised IgG-ACA titre and recurrent VAT, and this finding may be the consequence of pathogenetic role of raised IgG-ACA titres on the development of VAT status in HD patients with chronic hepatitis C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, exact closed-form solutions for the elastic stress and strain energy density of an infinite, periodic array of inteffacial wedge disclination dipoles in a hexagonal bicrystal with arbitrary inplane e-axis orientations are derived by the method of image dislocations. These solutions are shown to be of the form of the logarithm of hyperbolic and trigonometric functions of complex parameters. The strain energy of the dipole array is also calculated by numerical integration of the density field. The results show that the stress, strain energy density and strain energy all depend significantly on the orientational and material inhomogeneities, and the importance of using an anisotropic bicrystal model over a homogeneous model for calculations is emphasized. For bicrystals with symmetric e-axis orientations, it is also shown that the strain energy of the dipole array can be a strong function of the orientations, with the maximum and minimum at specific orientations that depend on the bicrystal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) on collagen within the arterial wall may be responsible for the development of diabetic vascular injury. This study focused on investigating the role of aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of AGE formation, in the prevention of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)-derived arterial stiffening and cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Materials and methods The NIDDM was induced in male Wistar rats, which were administered intraperitoneally with 180 mg kg−1 nicotinamide (NA) 30 min before an intravenous injection of 50 mg kg−1 streptozotocin (STZ). After induction of diabetes mellitus type 2, animals receiving daily peritoneal injections with 50 mg kg−1 AG for 8 weeks were compared with the age-matched, untreated, diabetic controls. Results After exposure to AG, the STZ-NA diabetic rats had improved aortic distensibility, as evidenced by 18·8% reduction of aortic characteristic impedance ( P < 0·05). Treatment of the experimental syndrome with AG also resulted in a significant increase in wave transit time (+23·7%, P < 0·05) and a decrease in wave reflection factor (−26·6%, P < 0·05), suggesting that AG may prevent the NIDDM-induced augmentation in systolic load of the left ventricle. Also, the glycation-derived modification on aortic collagen was found to be retarded by AG. The diminished ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight suggested that prevention of the diabetes-related cardiac hypertrophy by AG may correspond to the drug-induced decline in aortic stiffening. Conclusions Long-term administration of AG to the STZ-NA diabetic rats imparts significant protection against the NIDDM-derived impairment in vascular dynamics, at least partly through inhibition of the AGE accumulation on collagen in the arterial wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding programs can benefit from transfer of a foreign gene from one transgenic plant to commercial cultivars through continuous backcrossing, especially to cultivars in which it is difficult to transfer a foreign gene directly through biotechnology. In this study, two homogeneous transgenic plants, T-28 and T-64 (from Taipei 309), and one homogeneous transgenic plant, N-84 (from Nipponbare), were used as donors of Bar gene. Commercial cultivars, Cypress and Laffite, were used as the recurrent parents. Three to five backcrosses were made using the transgenic plants as donor parents and the commercial cultivars as recurrent parent. The results from selected progeny rows, and two-years of yield tests with selected lines, indicated that the target Bar gene could be transferred to lines from homozygous transformants in 2-3 years of backcrossing, giving lines similar to the recurrent parents in phenotype and yield potential. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This open-label, randomized, placebo-controlled, incomplete-block, 3-period crossover pilot study investigated the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorα-andγ-agonists on biomarkers of lipid and glucose metabolism in 12 nondiabetic subjects. Plasma samples were collected before and after each 14-day treatment with placebo, fenofibrate (201 mg/d), rosiglitazone (4 mg twice daily), and combined fenofibrate (201 mg/d) plus rosiglitazone (4 mg twice daily). Except for triglycerides (P < .042) and free fatty acids (P < .074), no significant interaction was demonstrated between fenofibrate and rosiglitazone; thus, the effect due to each drug alone was evaluated (presence/absence of drug). Fenofibrate significantly (P < .050) increased lipoprotein lipase activity (35%) and decreased apolipoproteins B (13%) and C-III (20%). Rosiglitazone significantly (P < .050) decreased fasting glucose (7.3%) and increased apolipoprotein C-III (19%) and adiponectin (137%). Fenofibrate and rosiglitazone also produced effects on triglyoerides and free fatty acids, but it was not possible to determine if these effects were synergistic in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Polycrystalline single phase (La2-xSrx)MnO4 (1.10≤x≤1.40) samples were prepared by a citrate precursor method. They have tetragonal K2NiF4 structure with a space group of 14/mmm, increasing x, unit-cell a-axis increases and c-axis decreases, which is a result of decreasing of the Jahn-Teller effect due to the increase of the Mn(IV) ion. Spin glass state exists at low temperature and a hump observed from the susceptibility (χ) measurement is probably caused by the interactions of several magnetic phases. Among them, (La0.6Sr1.4)MnO4 has the largest magnetoresistance ratio ([ρ(H)-ρ(0)]/ρ(0)), which reaches to 78.4% at 48 K. It is not possible to obtain single phase materials with 0.60≤x≤1.00 in the heat treatment temperature range of 1000-1600°C. Impurities were easily observed under SEM and X-ray diffraction patterns. Increasing the heating period and decreasing the temperature, the amount of ABO3 perovskite phase increases. In order to extend the solubility range, of the SrO in the (La2-xSrx)MnO4, it probably needs a higher temperature (>1600°C) and a shorter heat treatment period (<1 h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of enhancing the capacity and electrochemical performances of hydrogen-storage alloy electrodes, MmM4.3(Al0.3Mn0.4)x (Mm = La-rich mischmetal, M = Ni, Co) alloys were investigated. MmM4.3(Al0.3Mn0.4)x alloys possessing appropriate plateau pressure and high storage capacity can be obtained by adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of Al–Mn (x value). In this situation, the unit cell volumes increase with increasing x and the enthalpy changes of hydride formation decrease with increasing x, thereby changing the alloy properties in the gas phase and the electrochemical environment. The plateau pressure and the charge potential both increase with decreasing x. The x value influences the surface states and bulk properties. When x is lower than 0.5, both the charge-transfer reaction on the alloy surface and the diffusion resistance within the bulk alloy are much improved. High-rate dischargeability at high current density is controlled mainly by the limiting current density. MmM4.3(Al0.3Mn0.4)0.5 alloy, having the highest storage capacity and good electrochemical performance, is an appropriate candidate for battery materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to identify the clinicopathological and molecular biological characteristics of early-onset colorectal cancers. Methods: The clinicopathological and molecular biological parameters of 138 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer aged less than 40 years were compared with those of 339 patients aged 60 years or more. Results: The younger patients with colorectal cancer had more mucin-producing (14.5 versus 4.7 per cent; P < 0.001) and poorly differentiated (7.2 versus 3.3 per cent; P = 0.015) tumours, a higher incidence of synchronous (5.8 versus 1.2 per cent; P = 0.007) and metachronous (4.0 versus 0.6 per cent; P = 0.023) colorectal cancers, and more advanced tumour stage (P < 0.001) than older patients. The operative mortality rate was lower (0.7 versus 5.0 per cent; P = 0.026), and cancer-specific survival was similar (in stage I, II and HI disease; P > 0.05) or better (in stage IV disease; 95 per cent confidence interval 22.50 to 28.41 versus 12.61 to 17.05 months; P < 0.001). There was a higher percentage of normal p53 expression (61.1 versus 46.8 per cent; P = 0.023) and high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) (29.4 versus 6.3 per cent; P < 0.001), and a similar family history of cancer (17.5 versus 14.2 per cent; P > 0.05), compared with older patients. Conclusion: Young patients with colorectal cancer have several distinct clinicopathological and molecular biological features. The mechanisms underlying the inconsistency between the presence of MSI-H and a family history of cancer in these early-onset colorectal cancers deserve further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which investigated the stress field of a wedge disclination dipole located at the boundary of a hexagonal bicrystal under the plain strain. Summary of the equations for wedge disclination dipoles and edge dislocations; Details of the dislocation image solutions used for solving the bicrystal problem; Conclusions.

Keywords:hepatic aneurysm; portal vein thrombosis; systemic lupus erythematosus; uraemia [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]