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Objective Regular surveys are important to monitor the use of psychotropic medications in clinical practice. This study examined the psychotropic prescription patterns in adult Asian schizophrenia patients based on the data of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription (REAP) 2016 survey. Methods : This cross-sectional survey across 15 Asian countries/territories collected socio-demographic and clinical data with standardized procedures between March and May 2016. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded with a standardized questionnaire. Results Altogether 3,537 adult patients with schizophrenia were consecutively screened and enrolled in the survey. The mean age was 38.66 ± 11.55 years and 59.7% of the sample were male. The mean dose of antipsychotics in chlorpromazine equivalents (CPZeq) was 424 ± 376 mg/day; 31.3% and 80.8% received first- and second- generation antipsychotics, respectively and 42.6% had antipsychotic polypharmacy, 11.7% had antidepressants, 13.7% had mood stabilizers, 27.8% had benzodiazepines, and 45.6% had anticholinergics. Conclusions Psychotropic prescription patterns in Asian adult patients with schizophrenia varied across countries. Regular surveys on psychotropic medications for schizophrenia are important to monitor pharmacotherapy practice in Asia.

Air Engines (AE) are commonly designed to work in combination with internal combustion engines (ICE) due to low energy density. The emission of heat from ICE boosts the efficiency of Air Engines, whereas the high-pressure gas from AE serves as a form of turbo charging for ICE, increasing its efficiency. Unlike batteries, the air tank that AE requires is not limited by certain restrictions in order to prolong its lifetime, therefore, the Air Hybrid System is believed to have great potential. There has already been quite some research on power management strategy of electric hybrid systems, however, little is done on Air hybrid systems. A numerical models of Air Hybrid Systems is established using MATLAB in this study, the characteristics of the model, such as the efficiency map and driving cycles are further analyzed to obtain the optimal energy management strategy for Air Hybrid Systems. These findings are expected to help the realization of physical models and the establishment of controller design. Through genetic algorithms, the optimal system structures, operation modes and power management strategies are found to ensure that both engines are operating within the most efficient range. Simulation results suggest that the efficiency of the Air Hybrid System is 26.13% higher comparing to a lone Air Engine.

Study design A retrospective cohort. Introduction The benefits of early rehabilitation after hand tendon repair have not been analyzed using population-based datasets. Purpose of the study to analyze whether early rehabilitation reduces the resurgery risk and the use of rehabilitation resources. Methods Patients (n = 1219) who underwent hand tendon repairs followed by rehabilitation were identified from a nationwide claims database and divided into 3 groups: early ( 6 wk) rehabilitation. The resurgery rate and the use of rehabilitation resources after tendon repair were calculated. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relevant predictors of resurgery. Results The early rehabilitation group exhibited the lowest resurgery rate and used the fewest rehabilitation resources. Compared with late rehabilitation, early or intermediate rehabilitation conferred protective effects against resurgery in patients without a concomitant upper-limb fracture. Conclusion Our findings suggest the benefit of early rehabilitation after hand tendon repair. Level of evidence 4

The Co-Cr-W ternary system was critically assessed using the CALPHAD technique. The solution phases including the liquid, γ-Co, ɛ-Co and α-Cr were described by a substitutional solution model. The σ, μ and R phases were described by three-sublattice models of (Co, W) 8 (Cr, W) 4 (Co, Cr, W) 18 , (Co, Cr, W) 7 W 2 (Co, Cr, W) 4 and (Co, W) 27 (Cr, W) 14 (Co, Cr, W) 12 , respectively, in order to reproduce their homogeneity ranges. A self-consistent set of thermodynamic parameters for each phase was derived. The calculated isothermal sections at 1 000, 1 200 and 1 350 °C are in good agreement with the experimental data. A eutectoid reaction of R ⇔ μ+γ-Co+σ in this ternary system was predicted to occur at 1 022 °C.

In this study, a novel DNA electrochemical probe (locked nucleic acid, LNA) was designed and involved in constructing an electrochemical DNA biosensor for detection of promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML/RARα) fusion gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia for the first time. This biosensor was based on a 'sandwich' sensing mode, which involved a pair of LNA probes (capture probe immobilized at electrode surface and biotinyl reporter probe as an affinity tag for streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase (streptavidin-HRP). Since biotin can be connected with streptavidin-HRP, this biosensor offered an enzymatically amplified electrochemical current signal for the detection of target DNA. In the simple hybridization system, DNA fragment with its complementary DNA fragment was evidenced by amperometric detection, with a detection limit of 74 fM and a linear response range of 0.1-10 pM for synthetic PML/RARα fusion gene in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Otherwise, the biosensor showed an excellent specificity to distinguish the complementary sequence and different mismatch sequences. The new pattern also exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity in mixed hybridization system.

Background We hypothesized that voiding symptoms in women with normal free uroflow were not related to irritative symptoms and bladder storage dysfunction. Purpose This study was designed to explore the clinical associations between voiding symptoms in women without obvious anatomic urethral obstruction and dysfunctional voiding. Methods We retrospectively reviewed an urodynamic database and identified 335 women who had a positive response to the category of voiding symptoms in a questionnaire. All 335 women had undergone urodynamic studies and urethrocystoscopic examinations for voiding symptoms. None of the women had inappropriate sphincteric activity during voiding or anatomic evidence of urethral obstruction. In addition to categorization by menopausal status, the study subjects were further stratified based on the maximum flow rate on free uroflowmetry into two groups: the low flow group and the normal flow group. A further 125 women with lower urinary tract symptoms but without voiding symptoms and who had negative urodynamic findings were identified and served as controls. Results Of the 335 women, 137 (41%) belonged to the low flow group, including 73 pre-menopausal women and 64 postmenopausal women; 198 (59%) belonged to the normal flow group, including 127 premenopausal women and 71 postmenopausal women. Among premenopausal women, the frequency of irritative symptoms was significantly higher for those with voiding symptoms than for those without voiding symptoms. Urodynamic studies showed that lower flow rates, prolonged time to maximum flow, higher micturition resistance, and high postvoid residual urine volume were common characteristics of women with low uroflow. Irritative symptoms and bladder storage dysfunction (lower first desire to void volume and maximum cystometric capacity) were the common characteristics of premenopausal women with voiding symptoms. Conclusion Our study revealed the interesting finding that voiding symptoms in premen-opausal women with normal uroflow are associated with irritative symptoms and that bladder storage dysfunction may cause voiding symptoms.