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Although tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and endovascular thrombectomy are well-established treatments for acute ischemic stroke, over half of patients with stroke remain disabled for a long time. Thus, a significant unmet need exists to develop an effective strategy for treating acute stroke. We developed a combination of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and AKT-modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSC-PD-L1-AKT) implanted through intravenous (IV) and intracarotid (IA) routes to enhance therapeutic efficacy in a murine stroke model for overcoming the hypoxic environment of the ischemic brain, to prolong stem cell survival, and to attenuate systemic inflammation to protect neuroglial cells from ischemic injury. Higher cellular proliferation and survival upon exposure to toxic agents were observed in UMSC-PD-L1-AKT cells than in UMSCs in vitro. Moreover, increased attenuation of CFSE+ cell proliferation and increased survival of primary cortical cells were verified by the interaction with UMSC-PD-L1-AKT. Consistently, dual-route administration (IV + IA) of UMSC-PD-L1-AKT resulted in a significant reduction in infarction volume and improvement of neurological dysfunction in a stroke model. Furthermore, enhancing CD8+CD122+IL-10+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells and reducing CD11b+CD80+ microglial/macrophages and CD3+CD8+TNF-α+ and CD3+CD8+ IFN-α+ cytotoxic T cells induced an anti-inflammatory microenvironment to protect neuroglial cells in the ischemic brain. Collectively, therapeutic intervention using UMSC-PD-L1-AKT could provide a niche for inducing neuroplastic regeneration in brains after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have calculated the complete two-loop QCD amplitudes for hadronic tW production by combining analytical and numerical techniques. The amplitudes have been first reduced to master integrals of eight planar and seven non-planar families, which can contain at most four massive propagators. Then a rational transformation of the master integrals is found to obtain a good basis so that the dimensional parameter decouples from the kinematic variables in the denominators of reduction coefficients. The master integrals are computed by solving their differential equations numerically. We find that the finite part of the two-loop squared amplitude is stable in the bulk of the phase space. After phase space integration and convolution with the parton distributions, it increases the LO cross section at the 13 TeV LHC by about 3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genomic alterations play important roles in the development of cancer. We explored the impact of protein-coding genes and transcriptomic changes on clinical and molecular alterations in Taiwanese hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods: We analyzed 147 whole-exome sequencing and 100 RNA sequencing datasets of HCC and compared them with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma cohort and develop a panel of 81 apoptosis-related genes for molecular classification. Results: TERT (50%), TP53 (25%), CTNNB1 (14%), ARID1A (12%), and KMT2C (11%) were the most common genetic alterations of cancer-related genes. ALDH2 and KMT2C mutated at much higher frequencies in our cohort than in TCGA, whereas CTNNB1 was found only in 14% of our Taiwanese patients. A high germline mutation rate of ALDH2 in the APOBEC mutational signature and herb drug-related aristolochic acid-associated signature was also observed. Groups A and B of HCC were identified when we used apoptosis-related genes for molecular classification. The latter group, which had poorer survival outcomes, had significantly more aDC, CD4+ Tem, macrophages M2, NKT, plasma cells, and Th1 cells, and less CD4+ memory T cells, CD8+ Tcm, cDC, iDC, and Th2 cells, as well as more inter-chromosome fusion genes. Metatranscriptomic analysis revealed 54 cases of HBV infection. Moreover, we found that the main target gene of HBV integration is ALB. Conclusions: Unique genomic alterations were observed in our Taiwanese HCC patients. Molecular classification using apoptosis-related genes could lead to new therapeutic approaches for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsteady wash waves generated by a ship with constant speed moving across an uneven bottom topography are investigated by numerical simulations based on a Mixed Euler—Lagrange (MEL) method. The transition is accomplished by the ship traveling from the depth h1 into the depth h2 via a step bottom. A small tsunami would be created after this transition. However, the unsteady wave-making resistance induced by this new phenomenon has not been well documented by literature. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study is to quantify the effects of an uneven bottom on the unsteady wash waves and wave-making resistance acting on the ship. An upwind differential scheme is commonly used in the Euler method to deal with the convection terms under free-surface condition to prevent waves in the upstream. Evidently, it cannot be applied to the present problem due to upstream waves generated by the ship would be dampened by the upwind scheme. The central differential scheme provides more accurate results, but it is not unconditionally stable. An MEL method is therefore employed to investigate the upstream wave generated by the ship moving over the uneven bottom. Simulation results show that the hydrodynamic interaction between the ship and the uneven bottom could initiate an upstream tsunami, as well as unsteady wave-making resistance on ships. The unsteady wave-making resistance oscillates periodically, and the amplitude and period of the oscillations are highly dependent on speed and water depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential clinical application of gadolinium-neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment has been compromised by the fast clearance and nonspecific biodistribution of gadolinium-based agents. We have developed a stem cell–nanoparticle system (SNS) to actively target GBM for advanced Gd-NCT by magnetizing umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSCs) using gadodiamide-concealed magnetic nanoparticles (Gd-FPFNP). Nanoformulated gadodiamide shielded by a dense surface composed of fucoidan and polyvinyl alcohol demonstrates enhanced cellular association and biocompatibility in UMSCs. The SNS preserves the ability of UMSCs to actively penetrate the blood brain barrier and home to GBM and, when magnetically navigates by an external magnetic field, an 8-fold increase in tumor-to-blood ratio is achieved compared with clinical data. In an orthotopic GBM-bearing rat model, using a single dose of irradiation and an ultra-low gadolinium dose (200 μg kg−1), SNS significantly attenuates GBM progression without inducing safety issues, prolonging median survival 2.5-fold compared to free gadodiamide. The SNS is a cell-based delivery system that integrates the strengths of cell therapy and nanotechnology, which provides an alternative strategy for the treatment of brain diseases. Gadolinium-neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) in glioblastoma shows promise but is limited by toxicity and short-half life in the brain. Here, the authors present a magnetised stem cell-nanoparticle system to facilitate brain penetrance of Gd-NCT and demonstrate its utility in an orthotopic rat glioblastoma model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional construction monitoring methods of suspended pole-mounted decomposed towers are mostly manual monitoring. The monitoring personnel has multiple blind spots, and the possibility of misjudgment based on personal experience is relatively large. It is difficult to ensure the construction safety of the suspended pole decomposing tower. For this reason, combined with the current power Internet of Things technology, this paper develops an intelligent monitoring system for suspended pole-mounted decomposing towers. According to the construction technology and its safety requirements of inner suspension derrick for transmission tower erection in sections, this system is classified into intellisense layer, wireless transport layer and information integration layer. According to the physical characteristics of the seven major risk points of the inner suspension pole group tower, the intellisense layer developed corresponding sensing equipment to obtain risk information. In the wireless transport layer, the ZigBee and 4G communication technologies are selected to interconnect self-constituted LAN and 4G wide area networks, to complete on-site data interaction and long-distance transmission. In the information integration layer, the force of cable, the inclination and height of derrick, and the distance between derrick and tower are determined. The system has been verified by the 500 kV delivery project of Fujian Zhouning Pumped Storage Power Station. The average error of critical monitoring point data is 4.14%, and the average data transmission delays in the far and near fields of the system are 18 ms and 176 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical pollution threatens human health and ecosystem sustainability. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are expensive to clean up once emitted. Innovative and synergistic strategies are urgently needed, yet process integration and cost-effectiveness remain challenging. An in-situ PFAS remediation system is developed to employ a plant-derived biomimetic nano-framework to achieve highly efficient adsorption and subsequent fungal biotransformation synergistically. The multiple component framework is presented as Renewable Artificial Plant for In-situ Microbial Environmental Remediation (RAPIMER). RAPIMER exhibits high adsorption capacity for the PFAS compounds and diverse adsorption capability toward co-contaminants. Subsequently, RAPIMER provides the substrates and contaminants for in situ bioremediation via fungus Irpex lacteus and promotes PFAS detoxification. RAPIMER arises from cheap lignocellulosic sources, enabling a broader impact on sustainability and a means for low-cost pollutant remediation. Persistent organic pollutant (POP) remediation is important for protecting the environment and human health but can be expensive. Here, the authors report on the creation of a plant-based remediation material which can absorb high levels of POPs and then provide the nutrients needed for fungal degradation and detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algal biofuel is regarded as one of the ultimate solutions for renewable energy, but its commercialization is hindered by growth limitations caused by mutual shading and high harvest costs. We overcome these challenges by advancing machine learning to inform the design of a semi-continuous algal cultivation (SAC) to sustain optimal cell growth and minimize mutual shading. An aggregation-based sedimentation (ABS) strategy is then designed to achieve low-cost biomass harvesting and economical SAC. The ABS is achieved by engineering a fast-growing strain, Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973, to produce limonene, which increases cyanobacterial cell surface hydrophobicity and enables efficient cell aggregation and sedimentation. SAC unleashes cyanobacterial growth potential with 0.1 g/L/hour biomass productivity and 0.2 mg/L/hour limonene productivity over a sustained period in photobioreactors. Scaling-up the SAC with an outdoor pond system achieves a biomass yield of 43.3 g/m2/day, bringing the minimum biomass selling price down to approximately $281 per ton. Growth limitation caused by mutual shading and the high harvest cost hamper algal biofuel production. Here, the authors overcome these two problems by designing a semi-continuous algal cultivation system and an aggregation-based sedimentation strategy to achieve high levels production of biomass and limonene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TDI's synthetic plant generates about 5 mass % of tar by phosgenation process, which has been currently a bottleneck needed to be broken through for the worldwide TDI companies. At present, the reduction fraction of TDI tar is up to 48% relative to the mass of tar and renders the residue of solid crust known as TDI char. In this study, a suasive and effective reduction method has been found, the supercritical methanol is executed to depolymerize the TDI char, and in short, the char can be readily methanolyzed at supercritical state of methanol. With the outstanding depolymerization capability than various existing approaches, the destruction fraction can achieve 81 mass % at supercritical point. A best value as high as 95 mass % is first discovered at 270 °C, exceeding the efficiency at supercritical state. Characterizations of the intrinsic properties of raw char and char remnant after methanolysis have been implemented by TGA, DSC, FT-IR and SEM-EDS. For industrial applications, the diverse methodologies for recovering TDI or related components by alkaline hydrolysis, distillation, vacuum distillation and thermolysis are also discussed and compared with methanolysis in order to recognize the optimal abatement technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent and deadly human cancer worldwide that is intimately associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Pre-S2 mutant is a HBV oncoprotein that plays important roles in HCC development and is linked to poor prognosis in HCC patients. However, the profiles of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in HCC tissues of pre-S2 mutant-positive patients remain unknown. In this study, we performed fluorescent immunohistochemistry staining to detect the infiltration of 'anti-tumor' cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and 'pro-tumor' regulatory T cells (Tregs) in pre-S2 mutant-positive and -negative HCC patients. We showed that pre-S2 mutant-positive patients had a significantly higher infiltration of CD4+CD25+ cells and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3)-expressing cells but similar CTLs and lower granzyme B-expressing cells in HCC tissues compared with pre-S2 mutant-negative patients. Moreover, the percentage of pre-S2 plus pre-S1 + pre-S2 deletion (pre-S2 mutant) was positively correlated with the density of CD4+CD25+ cells and Foxp3-expressing cells but negatively with granzyme B-expressing cells in HCC tissues. Considering that increased intratumoral Tregs have been shown to promote tumor immune evasion, our data may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HBV pre-S2 mutant-induced HCC and suggest that therapeutics targeting Tregs may be a promising strategy for treating pre-S2 mutant-positive high-risk patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sur7 is one of multiple proteins constituting MCC (membrane compartment of Can1 acting as an arginine/H+ symporter), a crucial membrane domain that can form punctuate eisosome spots on the plasma membrane and execute diverse functions in model yeast but remains poorly understood in filamentous fungi. Here, a Sur7 homolog bearing a typical SUR7 domain and four transmembrane domains was shown to localize in the conidial vesicles and enter vacuoles and appear sporadically on the periphery membrane during hyphal growth in the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, implicating an involvement of Sur7 in cellular events linked to both plasma membrane and vacuoles. Deletion of sur7 resulted in reduced conidiation capacity and impaired conidial quality, which was featured by slower germination, attenuated virulence, and reduced carbohydrate epitopes (β-N-acetylglucosamine and sialic acids). Also, the hyphal cell walls of the deletion mutant were severely impaired due to ~ 70% reductions in chitin and neutral carbohydrate contents and a moderate increase in alkali-soluble carbohydrate content. Consequently, the deletion mutant became more sensitive to three cell wall perturbing chemicals (Congo red, calcofluor white, and SDS) and an antifungal drug (caspofungin) and surprisingly showed a hypersensitivity to oxidative stress of H2O2 and an increased sensitivity to osmotic stress of NaCl or sorbitol. Its hypersensitivity to H2O2 was associated with transcriptional repression of critical catalase genes required for H2O2 decomposition. These findings unveil that Sur7 takes part in both MCC/eisosome and vacuolar events and hence acts as a sustainer of conidiation capacity, cell wall integrity, multiple stress tolerance, and virulence in B. bassiana. Key points • Sur7 is a component of the crucial membrane domain MCC in Beauveria bassiana. • Sur7 localizes mainly in the vacuoles and sporadically on the periphery membrane. • Sur7 is required for cell wall integrity and has a pleiotropic effect on B. bassiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to give a condensed introduction to the general mechanisms for policy-making on environmental remediation at the post-closure US contaminated nuclear sites, the accomplishment of "Clean Closure," and the process of setting the goal "Closure in Place." The researches were conducted in three perspectives including overall guidelines, principles of corrective actions, and implementation of practical measures. The results indicated that the round of environmental restoration policies at the post-closure US contaminated nuclear test sites were comprehensive. It was supported by the visions and principles of differentiated and classified governance, demand-driven approach, highlights, unified planning, and progressive implementation in all directions. Meanwhile, it elaborates the diverse policy-making related issues of environmental governance at the polluted US nuclear sites upon closure and presents the preliminary analysis on them respectively to demonstrate valuable reference for the similar researches on the environmental governance of the contaminated nuclear areas as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Higgs boson pair production via gluon fusion at high-energy hadron colliders, such as the LHC, is vital in deciphering the Higgs potential and in pinning down the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. We carry out the next-to-next-to-next-to- leading order (N3LO) QCD calculations in the infinite top-quark mass limit and present predictions for both the inclusive and differential cross sections, albeit the differential distributions other than the invariant mass distribution of the Higgs boson pair are approximated at N3LO. Such corrections are indispensable in stabilising the perturbative expansion of the cross section in the strong coupling αs. At the inclusive level, the scale uncertainties are reduced by a factor of four compared with the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) results. Given that the inclusion of the top-quark mass effects is essential for the phenomenological applications, we use several schemes to incorporate the N3LO results in the infinite top-quark mass limit and the next-to-leading order (NLO) results with full top-quark mass dependence, and present theoretical predictions for the (differential) cross sections in the proton-proton collisions at the centre-of-mass energies s = 13, 14, 27 and 100 TeV. Our results provide one of the most precise theoretical inputs for the analyses of the Higgs boson pair events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutralization of alkaline properties of bauxite residue (BR) by using organic acid and gypsum additions may effectively improve electrochemical properties and alleviate physicochemical barriers to ecological rehabilitation. Mineral acids, citric acid and hybrid acid-gypsum additions were compared for their potential to transform and improve zeta potential, isoelectric point (IEP), surface protonation and active alkaline —OH groups, which are critical factors for further improvement of physicochemical and biological properties later. Isoelectric points of untransformed bauxite residue and six transformed derivatives were determined by using electroacoustic methods. Electrochemical characteristics were significantly improved by the amendments used, resulting in reduced IEP and —OH groups and decreased surface protonation for transformed residues. XRD results revealed that the primary alkaline minerals of cancrinite, calcite and grossular were transformed by the treatments. The treatments of citric acid and gypsum promoted the dissolution of cancrinite. From the SEM examination, citric acid and gypsum treatments contributed to the reduction in IEP and redistribution of —OH groups on particle surfaces. The collective evidence suggested that citric acid and gypsum amendments may be used firstly to rapidly amend bauxite residues for alleviating the caustic conditions prior to the consideration of soil formation in bauxite residue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline anions, include CO32-, HCO3-, Al(OH)4-, OH-, continuously released from bauxite residue (BR), will cause a potential disastrous impact on surrounding environment. The composition variation of alkaline anions, alkaline phase transformation pathway, and micro-morphological transition characteristics during the gypsum addition were investigated in an attempt to understand alkalinity stabilization behavior. Results demonstrated that alkaline anions stabilization degree in leachates can reach approximately 96.29%, whilst pH and alkalinity were reduced from 10.47 to 8.15, 47.39 mmol/L to 2 mmol/L, respectively. During the alkalinity stabilization, chemical regulation behavior plays significant role in driving the co-precipitation reaction among the critical alkaline anions (CO32-, HCO3-, Al(OH)4-, OH-), with calcium carbonate (CaCO3)) being the most prevalent among the transformed alkaline phases. In addition, XRD and SEM-EDX analyses of the solid phase revealed that physical immobilization behavior would also influence the stability of soluble alkali and chemical bonded alkali due to released Ca2+ from gypsum which aggregated the clay particles and stabilized them into coarse particles with a blocky structure. These findings will be beneficial for effectively regulating strong alkalinity of BR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated hydrodynamics and control model to simulate tethered underwater robot system is proposed. The governing equation of the umbilical cable is based on a finite difference method, the hydrodynamic behaviors of the underwater robot are described by the six-degrees-of-freedom equations of motion for submarine simulations, and a controller based on the fuzzy sliding mode control (FSMC) algorithm is also incorporated. Fluid motion around the main body of moving robot with running control ducted propellers is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations and these nonlinear differential equations are solved numerically via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. The hydrodynamics and control behaviors of the tethered underwater robot under certain designated trajectory and attitude control manipulation are then investigated based on the established hydrodynamics and control model. The results indicate that satisfactory control effect can be achieved and hydrodynamic behavior under the control operation can be observed with the model; much kinematic and dynamic information about tethered underwater robot system can be forecasted, including translational and angular motions of the robot, hydrodynamic loading on the robot, manipulation actions produced by the control propellers, the kinematic and dynamic behaviors of the umbilical cable. Since these hydrodynamic effects are fed into the proposed coupled model, the mutual hydrodynamic influences of different portions of the robot system as well as the hydrological factors of the undersea environment for the robot operation are incorporated in the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new efficiency calibration scheme is proposed for the inhomogeneous adsorption column, in which the segment efficiencies modeled by the Monte Carlo toolkit Geant4 are weighted according to the fraction distributions of the adsorbed radioxenon based on the equilibrium adsorption theory. In order to verify the scheme, an experiment of efficiency calibration of HPGe detector by employing radon daughters was performed, and as a result the relative errors between the measured value and simulated value was less than ± 2.3%. This method developed in this paper is useful for the development of rapid test device of radioactive gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filamentous fungal insect pathogens represent a source of biological insecticides and acaricides formulated using intact cells, such as conidia or other spores. These mycoinsecticides infect arthropod pests through cuticular penetration. In field application, formulated fungal cells are exposed to environmental stresses, including solar UV irradiation, high temperature, and applied chemical herbicides and fungicides, as well as stress from host immune defenses. These stresses often result in accumulation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), generating oxidative stress to the fungal cells and hence affecting the efficacy and persistency of fungi formulated for pest control. In response, fungi have evolved effective antioxidant mechanisms that include enzyme families that act as ROS scavengers, e.g., superoxide dismutases, catalases, peroxidases, thioredoxins /thioredoxin reductases, and glutaredoxins/glutathione reductases. Over two dozen antioxidant enzymes dispersed in different families have been characterized in Beauveria bassiana in recent years. This mini-review focuses on the progress detailed in the studies of these enzymes and provides an overview of their antioxidant activities and contributions to conidial thermotolerance, UV resistance and virulence. These activities are crucial for the biological control potential of mycoinsecticide formulation and have significantly advanced our understanding of how these organisms work. Several potent antioxidant genes have been exploited for successful genetic engineering of entomopathogenic fungi aimed at enhancing their potential against arthropod pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple Column Platform (MCP) semi-submersible is a newly proposed concept, which differs from the conventional semi-submersibles, featuring centre column and middle pontoon. It is paramount to ensure its structural reliability and safe operation at sea, and a rigorous investigation is conducted to examine the hydrodynamic and structural performance for the novel structure concept. In this paper, the numerical and experimental studies on the hydrodynamic performance of MCP are performed. Numerical simulations are conducted in both the frequency and time domains based on 3D potential theory. The numerical models are validated by experimental measurements obtained from extensive sets of model tests under both regular wave and irregular wave conditions. Moreover, a comparative study on MCP and two conventional semi-submersibles are carried out using numerical simulation. Specifically, the hydrodynamic characteristics, including hydrodynamic coefficients, natural periods and motion response amplitude operators (RAOs), mooring line tension are fully examined. The present study proves the feasibility of the novel MCP and demonstrates the potential possibility of optimization in the future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the NRQCD factorization formalism, we calculate the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the heavy quarkonium η( η) production associated with a photon at electron-positron colliders. By matching the amplitudes calculated in full QCD theory to a series of operators in NRQCD, the short-distance coefficients up to NNLO QCD radiative corrections are determined. It turns out that the full set of master integrals that we obtained could be analytically expressed in terms of Goncharov Polylogarithms, integrals over polylogarithms and complete elliptic integrals, which mostly do not exist in the literature and could be employed in the analyses of other physical processes. In phenomenology, numerical calculations of NNLO K-factors and cross sections of e e → γ + η( η) processes in BESIII and B-factory experiments are performed, which may stand as a test of the NRQCD higher order calculation while confronting to the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing the method of differential equations, we compute the various types of two-loop master integrals involved in CP-even heavy quarkonium exclusive production and decays. All the integrals presented in this paper can be casted into canonical forms and expressed in terms of Goncharov polylogarithms and Harmonic polylogarithms. These master integrals are frequently used in the calculation of NNLO corrections of the heavy quarkonium production processes, as $$ {\upgamma}^{*}\upgamma \to Q\overline{Q},\kern0.5em {e}^{+}{e}^{-}\to \upgamma +Q\overline{Q} $$ , and $$ H/{Z}^0\to \upgamma +Q\overline{Q} $$ , and decay processes. They are also applicable in the calculation of NNLO corrections to CP-even quarkonium inclusive production and decay processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We assessed the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) after subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth II anastomosis (SGBIIA) for peptic ulcer disease (PUD). Methods: The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was used, and 6160 patients undergoing SGBIIA for PUD were identified as the surgical cohort. A total of 24,540 patients from the PUD population not undergoing surgery selected by frequency-matching were identified as the non-surgical cohort. All patients were followed until the end of 2011 to measure the incidence of CHD. Results: The cumulative incidence of CHD was lower in patients with SGBIIA than in those without surgery (16.9 vs 22.9 per 1000 person-year, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.71-0.88). The risk of CHD, either acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (aHR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.75-0.91) or other non-ACS CHD (aHR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.68-0.88), was lower for the SGBIIA cohort than for the non-surgery cohort (aHR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.71-0.88) after adjusting for age and the comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, stroke, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Conclusions: We found SGBIIA is associated with a reduced risk of CHD for PUD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of two different designs of helmet interior cushion, (Helmet 1: strap-netting; Helmet 2: Oregon Aero foam-padding), and the effect of the impact directions on the helmeted head during ballistic impact. Series of ballistic impact simulations (frontal, lateral, rear, and top) of a full-metal-jacketed bullet were performed on a validated finite element head model equipped with the two helmets, to assess the severity of head injuries sustained in ballistic impacts using both head kinematics and biomechanical metrics. Benchmarking with experimental ventricular and intracranial pressures showed that there is good agreement between the simulations and experiments. In terms of extracranial injuries, top impact had the highest skull stress, still without fracturing the skull. In regard to intracranial injuries, both the lateral and rear impacts generally gave the highest principal strains as well as highest shear strains, which exceed the injury thresholds. Off-cushion impacts were found to be at higher risk of intracranial injuries. The study also showed that the Oregon Aero foam pads helped to reduce impact forces. It also suggested that more padding inserts of smaller size may offer better protection. This provides some insights on future's helmet design against ballistic threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sorafenib significantly improves survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This phase IV study assessed sorafenib efficacy/safety in Taiwanese patients with advanced HCC and Child-Pugh A status. Methods: All patients received 400 mg sorafenib BID. Safety, efficacy, sorafenib pharmacokinetics, and Child-Pugh progression were evaluated. A hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) prevention substudy assessed HFSR incidence and grade/severity and time to HFSR in 29 and 34 patients randomized to corticosteroid and noncorticosteroid ointments, respectively, and in 88 nonrandomized patients. Results: The 151 patients included 120 (80%) male patients and 81 (54%) with stage IV disease. Mean sorafenib dose was 626 mg/day, and median treatment duration was 4.2 months. Median overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, and time to progression (TTP) were 8.6, 2.7, and 3.8 months, respectively. Disease control and response rates (partial responses only) were 48 and 6.6%, respectively. Median TTP from Child-Pugh A to B/C was 88 days. Drug-related adverse events (AEs) occurred in 89.4% of patients; none were new or unexpected. The most frequent grade ≥3 drug-related, treatment-emergent AEs were HFSR (13.2%), diarrhea (11.9%), and hypertension (6.6%). Corticosteroid ointment tended to reduce the severity and incidence of all HFSR-associated parameters. Pharmacokinetic exposure was unaltered by Child-Pugh progression. The final pharmacokinetic model predicted 13.1 and 33.8% reductions in sorafenib exposure over 6 and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions: There was a trend of longer OS and TTP in Taiwanese patients with advanced HCC compared with patients with advanced HCC in the Asia-Pacific trial. Sorafenib exposure did not correlate with liver function. Reduced pharmacokinetic exposure over time was unrelated to reduced or interrupted dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different castables were prepared as steel-ladle purging-plug refractory materials: corundum-based low-cement castable (C-LCC), corundum-spinel-based low-cement castable (C-S-LCC), and no-cement corundum-spinel castable (C-S-NCC) (hydratable alumina ρ-AlO bonded). The properties of these castables were characterized with regard to water demand/flow ability, cold crushing strength (CCS), cold modulus of rupture (CMoR), permanent linear change (PLC), apparent porosity, and hot modulus of rupture (HMoR). The results show the CCS/CMoR and HMoR of C-LCC and C-S-LCC are greater than those of the castable C-S-NCC. According to the microstructure analysis, the sintering effect and the bonding type of the matrix material differ among the three castables. The calcium hexaluminate (CA) phase in the matrix of C-LCC enhances the cold and hot mechanical strengths. In the case of C-S-LCC, the CA and 2CaO·2MgO·14AlO (CMA) ternary phases generated from the matrix can greatly increase the cold and hot mechanical strengths. In the case of the no-cement castable, sintering becomes difficult, resulting in a lower mechanical strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two thioredoxin (Trx) reductases (Trr1/2) are known to play overlapping roles in the yeast Trx-Trr redox system but are generally unexplored in filamentous fungi, which possess multiple Trx homologues. This study seeks to characterize the functions of Trr1 and Trr2 in Beauveria bassiana, a filamentous fungal insect pathogen, and to probe their Trx partners. Both Trr1 and Trr2 were evidently localized in the cytoplasm of B. bassiana, unlike the two yeast homologues that have been reported to localize in the cytoplasm and mitochondria, respectively. Most of the six trx genes were greatly upregulated at the transcriptional level in the absence of trr1 instead of trr2 in B. bassiana, in which the trr1/ 2 double deletion failed in many attempts. Deletion of trr1 resulted in increased Trx activity, severe cysteine auxotrophy, and drastically reduced activities of peroxidases and superoxide dismutases under normal or oxidative conditions despite little change in catalase activity. Such changes disappeared in the absence of trr2 and were completely restored by complementation of trr1/ 2 or overexpression of trx1/ 6 in the Δ trr1 mutant, but were not restored at all by overexpression of trx2/ 3/ 4/ 5 or trr2 in the same mutant. All of these mutants exhibited similar trends of changes in the antioxidant response, conidiation, germination, thermotolerance, UV-B resistance, and virulence. Taken together, the findings indicate that Trr1 could reduce Trx2 -5 and hence dominate the intracellular redox state, profoundly affecting the potential of B. bassiana against arthropod pests. Trr2 could reduce Trx1/6 but function only in the absence of Trr1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different castables based on the AlO-MgO-CaO system were prepared as steel-ladle purging plug refractories: corundum- based low-cement castable (C-LCC), corundum-spinel-based low-cement castable (C-S-LCC), and corundum-spinel no-cement castable (C-S-NCC) (hydratable alumina (ρ-AlO) bonded). The fracture behavior at room temperature was tested by the method of 'wedge-splitting' on samples pre-fired at different temperatures; the specific fracture energy G and notched tensile strength σ were obtained from these tests. In addition, the Young's modulus E was measured by the method of resonance frequency of damping analysis (RFDA). The thermal stress resistance parameter R′′′′ calculated using the values of G , σ , and E was used to evaluate the thermal shock resistance of the materials. According to the microstructure analysis results, the sintering effect and the bonding type of the matrix material were different among these three castables, which explains their different fracture behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple glutaredoxins (Grx) and glutathione reductase (Glr) are vital for the thiol-disulfide redox system in budding yeast but generally unexplored in filamentous fungi. Here we characterized the Beauveria bassiana redox system comprising dithiol Grx1, monothiol Grx2-4, Grx-like Grx5, and Glr orthologue. Each grx or glr deletion was compensated by increased transcripts of some other grx genes in normal cultures. Particularly, grx3 compensated the absence of grx1, grx2, grx5, or glr under oxidative stress while its absence was compensated only by undeletable grx4 under normal conditions but by most of other undeleted grx and glr genes in response to menadione. Consequently, the redox state was disturbed in Δ glr more than in Δ grx3 but not in Δ grx1/ 2/ 5. Superoxide dismutases were more active in normal Δ grx1- 3 cultures but less in Δ grx5 or Δ glr response to menadione. Total catalase activity increased differentially in all the mutant cultures stressed with or without HO while total peroxidase activity decreased more in the normal or HO-stressed culture of Δ glr than of Δ grx3. Among the mutants, Δ grx3 showed slightly increased sensitivity to menadione or HO; Δ glr exhibited greater sensitivity to thiol-oxidizing diamide than thiol-reducing 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as well as increased sensitivity to the two oxidants. Intriguingly, all the mutants grew slower in a Fe-inclusive medium perhaps due to elevated transcripts of two Fe transporter genes. More or fewer phenotypes linked with biocontrol potential were altered in four deletion mutants excluding Δ grx5. All the changes were restored by targeted gene complementation. Overall, Grx3 played more critical role than other Grx homologues in the Glr-dependent redox system of the fungal entomopathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a highly stable luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-conjugated PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were developed for the successful treatment of prostate cancers. We have demonstrated that a unique combination of targeted drug delivery and controlled drug release is effective against prostate cancer therapy. The docetaxel (DTX)/PLGA-LHRH micelles possessed a uniform spherical shape with an average diameter of ~170 nm. The micelles exhibited a controlled drug release for up to 96 h which can minimize the non-specific systemic spread of toxic drugs during circulation while maximizing the efficiency of tumor-targeted drug delivery. The LHRH-conjugated micelles showed enhanced cellular uptake and exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity against LNCaP cancer cells. We have showed that PLGA-LHRH induced greater caspase-3 activity indicating its superior apoptosis potential. Consistently, LHRH-conjugated micelles induced threefold and twofold higher G2/M phase arrest than compared to free DTX or PLGA NP-treated groups. Overall, results indicate that use of LHRH-conjugated nanocarriers may potentially be an effective nanocarrier to effectively treat prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The influence of adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival of gastric adenocarcinoma patients in a stage-specific manner is controversial. Methods: To further explore this topic, we retrospectively analyzed the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on the clinical outcomes of 77 stage II and 117 stage III patients diagnosed between January 2008 and December 2012. Results: All 194 patients underwent radical operation plus D2 dissection, and were followed a median time of 23.3 (range 0.4-80.2) months. Median patient age was 67.7 (range 33.9-97.5) years. Adjuvant chemotherapy prolonged the relapse-free survival [22.9 (95 % confidence interval 9.4-36.4) vs. 14.2 (95 % CI 8.6-19.8) months, P = 0.009] and overall survival [32.3 (95 % CI 22.6-42.0) vs. 13.4 (95 % CI 9.5-17.2) months, P < 0.001] for patients with stage III, but not stage II, disease. Higher overall survival from adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II patients with node involvement did not reach the level of statistical significance ( P = 0.102). To reduce the selection bias, 142 patients aged <75 years were included in a subgroup analysis in which the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy on relapse-free survival and overall survival were demonstrated for patients with stage III disease. Conclusions: Adjuvant chemotherapy prolongs relapse-free and overall survival for patients with stage III gastric cancer in a real-world situation. Tailoring therapy based on different characteristics for patients with stage II gastric cancer may produce better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide, the prevalence and mortality rates of which are very high in Taiwan. The study aimed at evaluating the contribution of XRCC7 G6721T, together with cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking lifestyles, to the risk of HCC. In this hospital-based case-control study, the association of XRCC7 single nucleotide polymorphism G6721T with HCC risk was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) among 298 HCC patients and 889 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The results showed that the percentages of TT, GT, and GG XRCC7 G6721T were 53.0, 41.3, and 5.7 % in the HCC patient group and 48.9, 43.1, and 8.0 % in the non-cancer control group, respectively. We have further stratified the populations by genders, cigarette smoking, and alcohol drinking status to investigate their combinative contributions with XRCC7 G6721T genotype to HCC risk. The results showed that the GG genotype of XRCC7 G6721T conducted a protective effect on HCC susceptibility which was obvious among males and drinkers, but not females, smokers, non-smokers, or non-drinkers ( p = 0.0058, 0.0069, 0.1564, 0.2469, 0.9354, and 0.3416, respectively). Our results suggested that the GG and GT genotypes of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 7 (XRCC7) G6721T had no effect on HCC risk to the whole population, but had a protective effect on HCC risk among males and alcohol drinkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eukaryotic calcineurin (CN) pathway comprising catalytic A (CnA) and regulatory B subunits (CnB) is crucial for many biological processes but functionally unexplored in entomopathogenic fungi. Here, we characterise three CN subunits (CnA1, CnA2 and CnB) and a downstream CN-responsive zinc finger transcription factor (Crz1) in Beauveria bassiana. CN-mediated phosphatase activity decreased by 16-38 % in all deletion mutants compared with wild type. Growth and conidiation were most defective in Δ cnB, which showed a large proportion of abnormally branched germlings but were less defective in Δ cnA1 and Δ cnA2. Conidiation defects also occurred in Δ crz1, uniquely accompanied with slower germination. Compared with wild type, the four deletion mutants became, to varying degrees, more sensitive to Ca, Mn, Zn, Mg, two oxidants, three cell wall stressors, carbendazim, heat shock and ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation. They were also less virulent to Spodoptera litura larvae. Only Δ cnB and Δ crz1 were less tolerant to high osmolarity. The altered phenotypes of the deletion mutants were associated with lower intracellular mannitol and trehalose levels, reduced overall activity of superoxide dismutases and catalases, altered cell wall composition and down-regulation of numerous phenotype-influencing genes. Additionally, the transcription of six cascaded genes in two stress-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and the phosphorylation of hallmarking Hog1 and Slt2 were largely down-regulated in all the deletion mutants under osmotic and cell wall stresses, respectively. All the changes were restored by gene complementation. Taken together, three calcineurin subunits and Crz1 play vital, but variable, roles in B. bassiana responses to environmental stresses during development and host signals during infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to realize a distribution hydrological model to calculate the rainfall-runoff process precisely for the development of the ravine in the north Loess Plateau. On the basis of the real investigation result to the vertical profile of soil in the Liudaogou drainage basin, which is located in the ravine of wind-water erosion crisscross region in the northern Loess Plateau, a vertical profile model for soil in the study area was set up, and a distribution-type hydrological model was developed by combining GIS with kinematic wave theory. This model was subsequently applied in the experimental drainage basin. The numerical simulation results show that the calculation of the rainfall-runoff process has relatively high precision (error less than 3 %). The model was used to calculate the rainfall-runoff process for 5 years (2005-2009) in the experimental drainage basin to deduce the yearly surface runoff volume and the annual runoff coefficient. The calculated average runoff coefficient for 2005-2009 is 0.11, and the average 5 year precipitation (437 mm) is almost equal to the yearly average precipitation, indicating that the annual runoff coefficient of the experimental drainage basin is approximately 0.10 to 0.15. The study provides a practical numerical method for estimating surface water resources for the wind-water erosion crisscross region of the northern Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenol biodegradation in an aerobic batch reactor was investigated using mixed two co-aggregating strains ( Flavobacterium sp. and Acetobacter sp.). Response surface methodology by the Box-Behnken model was used to evaluate the optimal cell growth and phenol degradation conditions. The optimum temperature, pH value and inoculum size were found to be 33 °C, 6.06 and 13 %, respectively. In the conditions, phenol degradation rate and biomass were predicted to be 96.97 % and 410.78 mg/L within the range examined, respectively. Less toxic acetaldehyde, ethanol and acetic ether were identified as main intermediate products from the degraded samples using GC-MS. Substrate inhibition was calculated from experimental biomass growth and phenol degradation parameters using the Haldane equation. Kinetic parameters derived from nonlinear regression with correlation factors ( R) were 0.9682 for phenol degradation and 0.9594 for biomass growth, respectively. The phenol concentration to avoid substrate inhibition was 278.17 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test the influence of homocysteine on the production and activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and on cell migration of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Also, to explore whether rosuvastatin can alter the abnormal secretion and activation of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 and migration of VSMCs induced by homocysteine. Methods: Rat VSMCs were incubated with different concentrations of homocysteine (50-5 000 μmol/L). Western blotting and gelatin zymography were used to investigate the expressions and activities of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in VSMCs in culture medium when induced with homocysteine for 24, 48, and 72 h. Transwell chambers were employed to test the migratory ability of VSMCs when incubated with homocysteine for 48 h. Different concentrations of rosuvastatin (10-10 mol/L) were added when VSMCs were induced with 1 000 μmol/L homocysteine. The expressions and activities of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were examined after incubating for 24, 48, and 72 h, and the migration of VSMCs was also examined after incubating for 48 h. Results: Homocysteine (50-1 000 μmol/L) increased the production and activation of MMP-2 and expression of TIMP-2 in a dose-dependent manner. However, when incubated with 5 000 μmol/L homocysteine, the expression of MMP-2 was up-regulated, but its activity was down-regulated. Increased homocysteine-induced production and activation of MMP-2 were reduced by rosuvastatin in a dose-dependent manner whereas secretion of TIMP-2 was not significantly altered by rosuvastatin. Homocysteine (50-5 000 μmol/L) stimulated the migration of VSMCs in a dose-dependent manner, but this effect was eliminated by rosuvastatin. Conclusions: Homocysteine (50-1 000 μmol/L) significantly increased the production and activation of MMP-2, the expression of TIMP-2, and the migration of VSMCs in a dose-dependent manner. Additional extracellular rosuvastatin can decrease the excessive expression and activation of MMP-2 and abnormal migration of VSMCs induced by homocysteine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemorrhoids are very common in adults. The data regarding the incidence of high 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D: -glucose (FDG) uptake in hemorrhoids is incomplete. In this study, we evaluated FDG uptake in hemorrhoids and calculated the rate of high FDG uptake in these lesions. Methods: One hundred and seventy six subjects who undertook whole body FDG-PET for health screening examination were investigated retrospectively. All patients had colonoscopy and 156 subjects were found to have hemorrhoids and 20 had no hemorrhoids. Quantitative analysis of FDG uptake in the anal region was performed by calculating the maximum standard uptake value (SUV(max)). Results: The SUV(max) ranged from 1.8 to 4.1 (2.8 ± 0.6) for normal subjects and ranged from 1.4 to 8.3 (2.9 ± 0.8) for patients with hemorrhoids. No statistical difference was noted between these two groups using a Student's t-tests. If the highest SUV(max), which was 4.1 in normal subjects, was used as a cutoff, 5.1% (8/156) hemorrhoid patients had a SUV(max) greater than 4.1. Conclusion: Hemorrhoids can be one possible cause of focal high FDG uptake in the rectum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the introduction of laparoscopic colectomy, improved short-term surgical results have been noted in the literature. Therefore, efforts have shifted to reducing the invasiveness of laparoscopic surgery, resulting in the invention of single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). Due to its comparable capabilities and feasibility, the implementation of SILS has rapidly grown in different fields. However, few studies discuss its true benefit compared with conventional laparoscopy. This study is the first to use SILS colectomy as an approach for malignant colon cancer. The goal of this cohort series is to compare the short-term surgical outcomes between SILS and conventional right hemicolectomy. Methods: This was a case-control study comparing SILS right hemicolectomy patients to traditional laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. The inclusion criteria were only ascending colon cecal lesions. Cases of obstruction or perforation that required emergent operation or previous abdominal surgery were excluded. These patients were specifically matched in regard to patient's age, gender, perioperative condition, surgical indication, and tumor size. No consideration or analysis of operative parameters and outcomes was made until this group was definitively selected as the best comparison cohort based on preoperative variables only. Results: A total of 18 patients were included for SILS and the other 21 patients were completed by conventional laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. The SILS and traditional laparoscopic groups were similar in regard to age, gender, body mass index, and perioperation outcomes. Initial oncologic results were no different, including equal length of distal cut margin, numbers of harvested lymph nodes, and TMN stage. Three patients in the SILS colectomy group were converted (16.6%), and there were no conversions in the traditional laparoscopic colectomy group. Conclusions: Our preliminary experience with SILS right hemicolectomy demonstrated the safety of the procedure and its feasibility in malignant colon cancer. Although SILS right hemicolectomy may provide a subjective cosmetic advantage, there was no benefit in the short-term surgical outcomes. SILS is very situational, requires more effort from the surgeon, and may not offer more patient comfort. More experience with SILS and prospective trials are needed to validate it as a more favorable alternative to conventional laparoscopic colectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the rate of early HBeAg loss and predictors of HBeAg loss in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with acute exacerbation (AE) treated with lamivudine. Methods: A total of 146 patients diagnosed with CHB and AEs were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups: decompensated and compensated. Results: The mean treatment duration for the decompensated and compensated groups was 18.1 and 19.9 months, respectively. Decompensated patients were significantly older and had a higher prevalence of cirrhosis and genotype B infection than compensated patients. Compared to compensated patients, decompensated patients achieved a higher rate of HBeAg loss (25.8 vs. 14.3%; P = 0.0805) at 3 months of therapy, a higher rate of serum HBV DNA negativity (53.2 vs. 29.8%; P = 0.0042), and a lower rate of rtM204V/I mutation (3.2 vs. 16.7%; P = 0.0139) after 12 months of lamivudine therapy. The rates of HBeAg loss after 6 and 12 months of lamivudine therapy were similar between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender and baseline ALT level ≥1,000 IU/L, but not decompensations, were significant predictors of HBeAg loss at 3 months; however, only female gender was a significant predictor of HBeAg loss after 6 and 12 months of lamivudine therapy. The early HBeAg losers showed a significantly higher sustained remission rate off lamivudine therapy. Conclusions: Female gender and baseline serum ALT level ≥1,000 IU/L were independent predictors of early HBeAg loss during lamivudine therapy in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the outcomes of arthroscopic microfracture for isolated osteochondral lesions of the talus without combined lesions, in patients of less than 50 years old with lesions of <1.5 cm2. Thirty-five patients (35 ankles) with isolated osteochondral lesions of the talus were treated by arthroscopic microfracture. There were 27 men and 8 women of average age 35 years (range 17–50) and mean body mass index (BMI) 25 kg/m2 (range 20–34) at the time of surgery. Clinical outcome evaluations were performed at a mean follow-up of 33 months. Overall results, as determined using American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot scores, were excellent in 16 (46%), good in 15 (43%), and fair in 4 (11%). Mean AOFAS scores improved from 63 points (range 52–77) preoperatively to 90 points (range 73–100) at final follow-up, median Ankle Activity Score (AAS) from 3 points (range 1–5) to 6 points (range 3–8), mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores from 7 points (range 5–8) to 2 points (range 0–5), and mean Short Form-36 scores showed improvements in physical function, role limitation, bodily pain, social function, and general health ( P < 0.05). In terms of prognostic factors, a longer symptom duration was found to negatively affect outcome, as determined by AOFAS scores, AAS, and VAS scores. Arthroscopic microfracture for isolated osteochondral lesions of the talus is a safe and effective procedure, which provides good clinical outcomes in the majority of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of MRI compared with arthroscopy in staging of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). The authors prospectively investigated 50 patients (52 cases) who had undergone both MRI and ankle arthroscopy for OLTs. The 30 males (32 ankles) and 20 females (20 ankles) had an average age of 43 years (range 19–64 years). The correlations between MRI and arthroscopic stagings were also investigated. Preoperative MRI resulted in 7 stage I, 11 stage II, 25 stage III, and 9 stage IV lesions, and ankle arthroscopic findings in 3 stage I, 5 stage II, 35 stage III, and 9 stage IV lesions. No stage V lesion was encountered. A comparison of MRI and arthroscopic stagings revealed that MRI had an accuracy of 81% (42 of 52) for staging of OLTs. MRI correctly staged 3 of 7 stage I lesions, 5 of 11 stage II, 25 of 25 stage III, and 9 of 9 stage IV lesions. Ten mismatched cases were of arthroscopic stage III lesions, which MRI classified as four stage I lesions and six stage II lesions. Thus, MRI staging tended to understate lesion severity. We re-reviewed the ten MR images of the mismatching cases to identify reasons for these mismatches, and subchondral edema was found in six cases. The authors conclude that MRI has accuracy of 81% in staging of OLTs, however, MRI had some limitation in correct staging isolated cartilage lesions of OLTs, especially combined with subchondral edema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background  Acute appendicitis may become life threatening if it is complicated by retroperitoneal abscess. To the best of our knowledge, only case reports have been documented; thus, we analyzed the published experiences and reviewed this issue. Materials and Methods  In addition to two patients treated at our institution, a PubMed search identified 22 cases of acute appendicitis, complicated by retroperitoneal abscess, reported by 18 authors between 1955 and 2005. The patients' characteristics, onset of symptoms, timing and methods of diagnosis and management, and outcome are reviewed and analyzed. Results  Most of the patients were adults (21/24, 87.5%), of whom seven were older than 65 years. None of the patients presented with the classical symptoms of acute appendicitis at the onset of the disease, and less than half (9/24) reported abdominal pain. The average interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 16 days, and the most effective diagnostic tool was computed tomography. Pathogens were usually polymicrobial, and appendectomy followed by adequate drainage of the abscess was the best treatment. The mortality rate was 16.7% (4/24), and all deaths were caused by profound sepsis. According to the available data, the average hospital stay was 27.3 days for the survivors. Conclusion  The formation of complicated retroperitoneal abscesses involving thigh, psoas muscle, perinephric space, or even the lateral abdominal wall is a serious complication of perforated acute appendicitis. An intra-abdominal pathological abnormality cannot be excluded in a patient presenting without abdominal symptoms. The mortality rate can only be reduced by a high index of suspicion, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow over a backward-facing step was studied to investigate the effect of large-scale vortex structures on sediment incipience. The transient flow velocity field at the downstream of the backward-facing step was obtained using the technique of Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV). The optical amplification technique was employed to measure the instantaneous flow velocities near the bed and the instantaneous bed shear stress was given. The experimental observations revealed a new insight into the oscillation of the large-scale structure and the three-dimensional characteristics of the flow. In particular, very high turbulence intensity, instantaneous horizontal velocity near the bed and the bed shear stress near the reattachment point were observed. The sediment incipient probability obtained from the sequent images of sediment particles near the bed indicates that the critical instantaneous shear stress of the sediment incipience is independent of flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  It can be observed from looking backward that processor architecture is improved through spirally shifting from simple to complex and from complex to simple. Nowadays we are facing another shifting from complex to simple, and new innovative architecture will emerge to utilize the continuously increasing transistor budgets. The growing importance of wire delays, changing workloads, power consumption, and design/verification complexity will drive the forthcoming era of Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs). Furthermore, typical CMP projects both from industries and from academics are investigated. Through going into depths for some primary theoretical and implementation problems of CMPs, the great challenges and opportunities to future CMPs are presented and discussed. Finally, the Godson series microprocessors designed in China are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indications for surgery on cavernous hemangiomas, the most common benign tumors of the liver, remain unclear. This study reviewed 43 patients with cavernous hemangioma of the liver who underwent hepatic resection from 1984 to 2000. Patients were divided into three groups based on the reasons for surgery. Group I comprised 13 patients whose lesions presented symptoms and dimensions that were the main indications for operation. Group II consisted of 28 patients diagnosed with malignant tumors or who displayed malignant growth that could not be ruled out preoperatively. Group III comprised 2 patients with tumors found incidentally at laparotomy for other malignancies. No surgical mortality related to hepatectomy was noted. Postoperative bile leak was found in 2 (morbidity rate: 4.7%). Patients were followed up from 6 months to 12 years. Thirteen residual tumors progressed in size. The clinical status or symptoms changed only slightly in 10 patients with recurrence. The results suggest that resection therapy is an effective indicator for patients with symptoms and a questionable diagnosis. Hepatic resection may and should be carried out with no mortality and minimal morbidity risks since the lesion is benign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]