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Introduction: Transversus abdominis release (TAR) may provide an optimal plane for mesh placement for large ventral hernias requiring medial myofascial flap advancement. Long-term outcomes of TAR for large ventral hernia repair (VHR) remains under-studied. This study aims to assess longitudinal clinical outcomes and quality of life (QoL) following large VHR with TAR and resorbable biosynthetic mesh. Methods: Retrospective review of clinical outcomes and prospective QoL was performed for patients undergoing VHR with poly-4-hydroxybutyrate mesh and TAR from 2016 to 2021. Patients with ≤ 24 months of follow-up, defects ≤ 150 cm2, and parastomal hernias were excluded. Cost-related data was collected for each patient's hospital course. QoL was compared using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: Twenty-nine patients met inclusion criteria. Median age and BMI were 61 years (53.2–68.1 years) and 31.4 kg/m2 (26.1–35.3 kg/m2). Average hernia defect was 390cm2 ± 152.9 cm2. All patients underwent previous abdominal surgery and were primarily Ventral Hernia Working Group 2 (58.6%). Two hernia recurrences (6.9%) occurred over the median follow-up period of 63.1 months (IQR 43.7–71.3 months), with no cases of mesh infection or explantation. Delayed healing and seroma occurred in 27 and 10.3% of patients, respectively. QoL analysis identified a significant improvement in postoperative QoL (p < 0.005), that continued throughout the 5-year follow-up period, with a 41% overall improvement. Cost analysis identified the hospital revenue generated was approximately equal to the direct costs of patient care. Higher costs were associated with ASA class and length of stay (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Large VHR with resorbable biosynthetic mesh and TAR can be performed safely, with a low recurrence and complication rate, acceptable hospital costs, and significant improvement in disease-specific QoL at long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

14C variations of atmospheric CO2 as well as carbonaceous fraction of living materials, such as collagen from tooth and bone, tissue, skin, hair, nail, etc., of modern humans are influenced by 14C produced artificially by nuclear bomb tests in the atmosphere from late 1950s to early 1960s. By careful investigation of 14C concentration of tree rings and human body samples formed in this time intervals, we can establish a relationship of their 14C concentrations with calendar year. By applying this relation to a sample whose 14C concentration can be measured, we can estimate the formation age of the sample. In addition, sources of the chemicals that were used in some criminal cases can be possibly identified, by their carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C and 14C/12C). This method of age determination has been applied to a forensic study, i.e., two criminal cases of murder. For each case, by comparing the measured 14C abundances of several pieces of hair and one tooth (the third molar) from the body with the annual change on concentrations of bomb-produced 14C, the time of death of the body and the age of the victim were estimated. The estimated values were consistent with the real ones that were revealed by the confession of the real murderers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiocarbon ages of 17 ancient Japanese documents of known age and 3 unknown samples were measured by AMS. Radiocarbon dating on the known documents concluded that the Japanese paper is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating because of small discrepancy between the calibrated radiocarbon age and the historical age due to the characteristics of Japanese paper. From the dating of the paper samples of unknown age, the wood-block prints, it was clarified that they had been produced between the 11th century and the first half of the 12th century as the historical information suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]