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Prenatal stress exerts long-term impact on neurodevelopment in the offspring, with consequences such as increasing the offspring's risk of depression in adolescence and early adulthood. S-ketamine can produce rapid and robust antidepressant effects, but it is not clear yet whether and how S-ketamine alleviates depression in prenatally stressed offspring. The current study incestigated the preliminary anti-depression mechanism of S-ketamine in prenatally stressed offspring, particularly with regard to neuroplasticity. The pregnant females were given chronic unpredictable mild stress on the 7th-20th day of pregnancy and their male offspring were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of S-ketamine (10 mg/kg) on postnatal day 42. Our findings showed that S-ketamine treatment counteracted the development of depression-like behaviors in prenatally stressed offspring. At the cellular level, S-ketamine markedly enhanced neuroplasticity in the CA1 hippocampus: Golgi-Cox staining showed that S-ketamine alleviated the reduction of neuronal complexity and dendritic spine density; Transmission electron microscopy indicated that S-ketamine reversed synaptic morphology alterations. At the molecular level, by western blot and RT-PCR we detected that S-ketamine significantly upregulated the expression of BDNF and PSD95 and activated AKT and mTOR in the hippocampus. In conclusion, prenatal stress induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress leads to depressive-like behaviors and hippocampal neuroplasticity impairments in male offspring. S-ketamine can produce antidepressant effects by enhancing hippocampal neuroplasticity via the BDNF/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities, which are the primary economic engine and emission source in China, accounted for 70% of the country's total energy-related CO2 emissions in 2010. The development of low-carbon cities has become the first priority of policymakers. Low-carbon cities enhance competition in the long run but also inevitably impose costs in the short term. To investigate the associated abatement costs of CO2 toward low-carbon cities, we apply the directional distance function on panel data covering 104 Chinese prefecture-level and above cities from 2001 to 2014. Our results show that, on average, the cost to control one ton of CO2 is 1070 CNY, or equivalent to 129 US $. This cost shows great individual heterogeneity and time variation; the year 2011 witnesses a significant reversal of the marginal abatement cost of CO2. It is because China begins implementing a mandatory CO2 intensity reduction target for the 12th Five-Year Plan (FYP). We establish a four-quadrant matrix framework to identify low-carbon cities and track the low-carbon transition path based on emission indicators (total emissions, per capita emissions, and emission intensity) and abatement cost pairs. Among the four types of emission-cost patterns, more cities are scattered in the "low emission-level and high abatement-cost" quadrant, and eight cities are clarified as low-carbon cities in 2014. In terms of per capita emissions and abatement costs, the "high-per-capita-emission and low-abatement-cost" club include five cities in 2001, while this number rises to seven members in 2014. Most cities are also located in the "low-emission-intensity and low-abatement-cost" zone when the relationship between CO2 intensity and abatement cost is considered. Our results call for policymakers' attention to hot spots and emission-based, per capita emission-based, or intensity-based city-level decarbonizing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is confronted with increasing uncertainty and divisive threats to a sustainable global transition. Deglobalization is driving economic decoupling, and the pandemic is further preventing social exchange. The outcome of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference is a rare source of positive news. This special issue, entitled "Space Reconstruction in China's Sustainable Transition: Land, Energy and Carbon Emission", makes a timely academic contribution in response to these problems by presenting some recent research concerns and advances. This introductory article presents the latest policy debate and summarizes the major findings from six articles covered in the special issue. We show that academic society is worried about the negative effect of divisive trends on sustainable transition. Moreover, China's great spatial heterogeneity calls for an equitable and stable strategy to direct the transition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental regulations can have a two-fold effect on the economy and environment. Output lost due to environmental regulation has been extensively examined in the literature; however, studies on the consequent environmental benefits are scarce. This study models the dual regulatory effect of environmental regulation on the economy and environment using a non-parametric data envelopment analysis framework. An analogous environmental regulatory efficiency index that accounts for both effects is presented. A dataset covering 104 Chinese prefecture cities in 2008 is employed for illustration. The efficiency index is estimated and compared among three regions of China. Moreover, the positive nexus between regulatory GDP cost and CO2 abatement is empirically examined and confirmed. When setting regulatory policies, this index can help policymakers quantify the trade-offs between environmental benefits and economic costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial water pollution has become one of the largest threats to China's sustainable development and human welfare. Although China has implemented numerous policies in the past decades that have achieved remarkable success, there has been little analysis of the costs of mitigating industrial water pollutants. Understanding the heterogeneity and convergence patterns of abatement costs among Chinese provinces is crucial for cost-effective policies, such as a national trading system. We use a directional distance function model to estimate the abatement cost of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH4, and then conduct a convergence analysis of abatement cost to check the patterns of mitigation and convergence. We show that the mean industrial abatement cost across Chinese provinces is 610 Yuan/kg for COD and 4614 Yuan/kg for NH4. At the steady state, the abatement cost is about 786 Yuan/kg for COD and 2235 Yuan/kg for NH4. As theory suggests, a β-convergence pattern is observed for the abatement cost across Chinese provinces. In other words, it is theoretically feasible for China to build up an integrated national trading system for water pollution. We conclude that a pollutant-based trading system is needed and should be updated year by year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the effect at a one-year follow-up after an 18-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 90 gm/day low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) in type 2 diabetes. Research design and methods: Eighty-five poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients with an initial HbA1c ≥ 7.5% who have completed an 18-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) on 90 g/day low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) were recruited and followed for one year. A three-day weighted food record, relevant laboratory tests, and medication effect score (MES) were obtained at the end of the previous trial and one year after for a total of 30 months period on specific diet. Results: 71 (83.5%) patients completed the study, 35 were in TDD group and 36 were in LCD group. Although the mean of percentage changes in daily carbohydrate intake was significantly lower for those in TDD group than those in LCD group (30.51 ± 11.06% vs. 55.16 ± 21.79%, p = 0.0455) in the period between 18 months and 30 months, patients in LCD group consumed significantly less amount of daily carbohydrate than patients in TDD group (131.8 ± 53.9 g vs. 195.1 ± 50.2 g, p < 0.001). The serum HbA1C, two-hour serum glucose, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and MES were also significantly lower for the LCD group patients than those in the TDD group (p = 0.017, p < 0.001, p = 0.017, and p = 0.008 respectively). The mean of percentage changes of HbA1C, fasting serum glucose, 2 h serum glucose, as well as serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, ALT, creatinine, and urine microalbumin, however, were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The one-year follow-up for patients on 90 g/d LCD showed potential prolonged and better outcome on glycaemic control, liver function and MES than those on TDD for poorly controlled diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare stent graft with balloon tamponade for ruptured dialysis access during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Patients over an 8-year period (2010–2018) were identified from a database of 11,609 procedures. The primary endpoint was target lesion primary patency at 12 months. A total of 143 patients who had rupture dialysis access were enrolled, of whom 52 were salvaged by stent grafts and 91 were salvaged by balloon tamponade. The 6-month target lesion primary patency was greater in the stent graft group than in the balloon tamponade group (66.7% vs. 29.5%, P < 0.001). The benefit of stent grafts was sustained for 12 months (52.5% vs. 9.0%, P < 0.001). The stent grafts increased the median time from the index procedure to the next intervention in the ruptured area by 171 days (260 vs. 89 days) at 12 months. There was no significant difference in the access circuit patency rates at 6 months (25.5% vs. 19.8%, P = 0.203) and 12 months (12.0% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.052). The patency results of the stent grafts remained after the multivariable adjustment analysis. Compared to balloon tamponade alone, stent grafts provided superior target lesion primary patency at 6 and 12 months. The access circuit patency rates were similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network representation learning (NRL) is effective in generating node embeddings. To predict heterogeneous links between different types of nodes, NRL is not robustly investigated yet. Though existing studies on random walk-based heterogeneous NRL are available, it suffers from three drawbacks: need to specify "templates" (e.g., metapaths), require separate embedding learning in predicting heterogeneous links, and opt to generate low-quality embeddings when networks are incomplete or sparse. This work proposes a novel template-free NRL method, metawalk2vec, to tackle these issues for heterogeneous link prediction. The idea is allowing the random walker to visit diverse types of nodes, instead of following the pre-defined templates. While template-based methods use common context patterns for NRL, nodes depicted by uncommon context types can make their embeddings better distinguish from each other. We conduct the experiments of social (user-user) and adoption (user-item) link predictions on Twitter and Douban datasets. The results exhibit our metawalk2vec can achieve similar and even better performance than template-based models. We also show our model is more robust to the network incompleteness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household energy consumption accounts for almost one third of global primary energy demand and significantly affects the environment. As such, it has served as a classic and compelling theme in the literature, with a range of studies having analyzed various aspects of household consumption, including energy conservation, energy poverty, and energy efficiency. Nonetheless, overall trends and frontiers in this research area have not been characterized and are poorly understood. This study aims to assess the current status, evolution, and emerging topics in this area through a bibliometric and network analysis of 1134 extracted publications from 1983 to 2018. This systematic review shows that nearly half the studies on household energy consumption were published in just three journals (namely, Energy Policy; Energy; and Energy Economics) with a focus on three areas (Environmental Sciences and Ecology; Energy and Fuels; Business and Economics). The findings also show that among contributing countries, the USA and China have the closest ties and wield the most academic influence. Furthermore, emerging and pioneering studies on behavioral interventions, energy conservation, and energy poverty and those pertaining to climate and electricity consumption may constitute the research frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the distribution characteristics and similarity laws of nuclei under different pressures, based on the self-designed decompression chamber and the acoustic measuring system, the size distributions of nuclei in the degassed tap water under negative ambient pressures were measured. A number density distribution function of nuclei based on the modified Weibull distribution function was proposed and verified by the experimental measurement results and some published data of nuclei size distribution. Based on this nuclei number density distribution function, the similarity law of the nuclei size distribution was analyzed: in the scale experiment, the value of exponential in the similarity law of the nuclei number density should be determined by the nuclei size distribution of the water in the prototype experiment and the actual nuclei size distribution of the water in the model experiment. And a precondition is that the nuclei size distributions are similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the best of our knowledge, none of Taiwanese studies on the relationship between physical activity (PA) and sarcopenia by the latest 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) cutoff points of sarcopenia has been published. We used the Taiwan version of international physical activity questionnaire-short version and the 2019 AWGS diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia to examine the relationship between PA and sarcopenia in older adults. Volunteers in this cross-sectional study were recruited from those attending senior health checkup program held at a regional hospital in Taipei City from May 2019 to Sep 2019. Muscle strength was assessed by grip strength, physical performance was assessed by usual gait speed on a 6-m course, and muscle mass was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between PA and sarcopenia. Odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated. 565 participants were recruited and data from 500 participants were used. The study participants had a mean age of 73.87 years old, with 47% men and 53% women. 138 (27.6%) participants were classified as having sarcopenia, among which 48 (45.3%) in low PA participants and 90 (22.8%) in moderate to high PA participants. Compared with those with low PA, moderate to high PA protected against the risk of sarcopenia with the odds ratio (OR) 0.46 (95% CI 0.27–0.79, p-value = 0.005). A significant protective effect of PA on sarcopenia was found among the older adults after adjusting for sex, institutionalization, age, BMI, albumin, hemoglobin, HDL-C levels, history of cardiovascular disease, education level and alcohol drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further advance assessment of patient-reported outcomes, the European Organisation of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group has developed computerized adaptive test (CAT) versions of all EORTC Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) scales/items. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an item bank for CAT measurement of insomnia (CAT-SL). In line with the EORTC guidelines, the developmental process comprised four phases: (I) defining the concept insomnia and literature search, (II) selection and formulation of new items, (III) pre-testing and (IV) field-testing, including psychometric analyses of the final item bank. In phase I, the literature search identified 155 items that were compatible with our conceptualisation of insomnia, including both quantity and quality of sleep. In phase II, following a multistep-approach, this number was reduced to 15 candidate items. Pre-testing of these items in cancer patients (phase III) resulted in an item list of 14 items, which were field-tested among 1094 patients in phase IV. Psychometric evaluations showed that eight items could be retained in a unidimensional model. The final item bank yielded greater measurement precision than the original QLQ-C30 insomnia item. It was estimated that administering two or more items from the insomnia item bank with CAT results in a saving in sample size between approximately 15–25%. The 8-item EORTC CAT-SL item bank facilitates precise and efficient measurement of insomnia as part of the EORTC CAT system of health-related quality life assessment in both clinical research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The era of big data in healthcare is here, and this era will significantly improve medicine and especially oncology. However, traditional machine learning algorithms need to be promoted to solve such large-scale realworld problems due to a large amount of data that needs to be analyzed and the difficulty in solving problems with nonconvex nonlinear settings. We aim to minimize the composite of a smooth nonlinear function and a block-separable nonconvex function on a large number of block variables with inequality constraints. We propose a novel parallel first-order optimization method, called asynchronous block coordinate descent with time perturbation (ATP), which adopts a time perturbation technique that escapes from saddle points and sub-optimal local points. The details of the proposed method are presented with analyses of convergence and iteration complexity properties. Experiments conducted on real-world machine learning problems validate the efficacy of our proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that time perturbation enables ATP to escape from saddle points and sub-optimal points, providing a promising way to handle nonconvex optimization problems with inequality constraints employing asynchronous block coordinate descent. The asynchronous parallel implementation on shared memory multi-core platforms indicates that the proposed algorithm, ATP, has strong scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of performance-based design (PBD) requires the modeling of the dynamic response of the system beyond the elastic limit. If probabilistic PBD is considered, this implies the need to propagate uncertainties through non-linear dynamic systems. This paper investigates the possibility of using advanced metamodeling techniques in order to define a computationally tractable approach for propagating uncertainty through a class of multi-degree-of-freedom non-linear dynamic systems subject to multivariate stochastic wind excitation. To this end, a scheme is introduced that is based on combining model order reduction with a recently introduced metamodeling approach that has been seen to be particularly effective in describing the dynamic response of uncertain non-linear systems of low dimensions. A case study consisting in a 40-story moment resisting frame subject to multivariate stochastic wind excitation and an array of non-linear viscous dampers is presented to illustrate the potential of the scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy efficiency of heating systems has become a critical concern for academic study and public welfare worldwide. Developing a comparable measurement tool among various residential space heating systems can offer policy-makers a benchmark for monitoring efficiency, guide them in setting appropriate energy conservation goals and promote overall efficiency improvements through heating system transitions. In the present study, we establish a framework to accommodate heterogenetic space heating systems and model the energy efficiency for performance assessment. By taking the heating area and heating hours into account, two energy intensity indicators are developed. Data from the Chinese Residential Energy Consumption Survey (CRECS) is used to examine the energy intensity for Northern and Southern residences. Our results show opposite findings from other studies, and the interpretation is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ternary transitional metal oxide NiCo2O4 is a promising anode material for sodium ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity and superior electrical conductivity. However, its sodium storage capability is severely limited by the sluggish sodiation/desodiation reaction kinetics. Herein, NiCo2O4 double-shelled hollow spheres were synthesized via a microwave-assisted, fast solvothermal synthetic procedure in a mixture of isopropanol and glycerol, followed by annealing. Isopropanol played a vital role in the precipitation of nickel and cobalt, and the shrinkage of the glycerol quasi-emulsion under heat treatment was responsible for the formation of the double-shelled nanostructure. The as-synthesized product was tested as an anode material in a sodium ion battery, was found to exhibit a high reversible specific capacity of 511 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1, and deliver high capacity retention after 100 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Communication between patients and professionals is one major aspect of the support offered to cancer patients. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group (QLG) has developed a cancer-specific instrument for the measurement of different issues related to the communication between cancer patients and their health care professionals.Methods: Questionnaire development followed the EORTC QLG Module Development Guidelines. A provisional questionnaire was pre-tested (phase III) in a multicenter study within ten countries from five cultural areas (Northern and South Europe, UK, Poland and Taiwan). Patients from seven subgroups (before, during and after treatment, for localized and advanced disease each, plus palliative patients) were recruited. Structured interviews were conducted. Qualitative and quantitative analyses have been performed.Results: One hundred forty patients were interviewed. Nine items were deleted and one shortened. Patients' comments had a key role in item selection. No item was deleted due to just quantitative criteria. Consistency was observed in patients' answers across cultural areas. The revised version of the module EORTC QLQ-COMU26 has 26 items, organized in 6 scales and 4 individual items.Conclusions: The EORTC COMU26 questionnaire can be used in daily clinical practice and research, in various patient groups from different cultures. The next step will be an international field test with a large heterogeneous group of cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A known acoustic flow is generated and input to a physical (hardware) model of a vocal tract at its 'glottis'. The output sound is measured, along with the gain of the tract (the transpedance or transimpedance: the ratio of output pressure to input flow). These allow all stages of the Source-Filter model to be illustrated by actual experimental measurements on the same physical model in the time and frequency domains, rather than by the usual qualitative, illustrative sketches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoconductivities in molybdenum disulfide (MoS) layered nanostructures with two-hexagonal crystalline structure prepared by mechanical exfoliation were investigated. The photoconductor-type MoS nanoflakes exhibit remarkable photoresponse under the above bandgap excitation wavelength of 532 nm at different optical intensity. The photocurrent responsivity and photoconductive gain of nanoflakes can reach, respectively, 30 AW and 103 at the intensity of 50 Wm, which are several orders of magnitude higher than those of their bulk counterparts. The vacuum-enhanced photocurrent and power-independent responsivity/gain indicate a surface-controlled photoconduction mechanism in the MoS nanomaterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hyperbranched copolymer, hyperbranched-g-( N-isopropylacrylamide-co-itaconamic acid) ('hyperbranch-g-(NIPAAm-co-IAM)'), serving as a pH- and thermo-responsive material, was synthesized via atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and characterized in this study. A macroinitiator was prepared from a commercially available hyperbranched polymer, 'hyperbranched bis-(methylol)propionic acid (bis-MPA) polyester-16-hydroxyl, generation 2' (hyperbranch-OH) and used as a core structure of the hyperbranched copolymer. The hyperbranch-OH has 16 hydroxyl groups; among them, 12 arms were derived from substitution of the hydroxyl groups with poly(NIPAAm-co-IAM) by ATRP. The polydispersity index (PDI) of the newly synthesized hyperbranched copolymer can be controlled to be less than 1.4. The hyperbranched copolymer shows more significant size change as the environmental pH value changes, compared to the linear random poly(NIPAAm-co-IAM). The particle size decreases with temperature but increases with the pH value. As the molar fraction of IAM in the hyperbranched copolymer increases, the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) increases. Hyperbranch-g-(NIPAAm-co-IAM) with a molar ratio of NIPAAm/IAM equaling to 3:1 shows a LCST of the aqueous solution close to the body temperature, indicating potential use in biomedical applications such as drug release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patient-reported outcomes should ideally be adapted to the individual patient while maintaining comparability of scores across patients. This is achievable using computerized adaptive testing (CAT). The aim here was to develop an item bank for CAT measurement of the pain domain as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.Methods: The development process consisted of four steps: (1) literature search, (2) formulation of new items and expert evaluations, (3) pretesting and (4) field-testing and psychometric analyses for the final selection of items.Results: In step 1, we identified 337 pain items from the literature. Twenty-nine new items fitting the QLQ-C30 item style were formulated in step 2 that were reduced to 26 items by expert evaluations. Based on interviews with 31 patients from Denmark, France and the UK, the list was further reduced to 21 items in step 3. In phase 4, responses were obtained from 1103 cancer patients from five countries. Psychometric evaluations showed that 16 items could be retained in a unidimensional item bank. Evaluations indicated that use of the CAT measure may reduce sample size requirements with 15-25% compared to using the QLQ-C30 pain scale.Conclusions: We have established an item bank of 16 items suitable for CAT measurement of pain. While being backward compatible with the QLQ-C30, the new item bank will significantly improve measurement precision of pain. We recommend initiating CAT measurement by screening for pain using the two original QLQ-C30 pain items. The EORTC pain CAT is currently available for "experimental" purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. One of the primary treatment goals for incurable advanced cases is to prolong quality of life (QoL). Thus, to determine which HCC therapies may be linked to a more favorable QoL, we assessed the association between QoL changes and different treatments in HCC patients. Methods: We analyzed a non-randomized multicenter longitudinal study, which included 171 patients treated with surgery ( n = 53), ablation ( n = 53) or embolization ( n = 65) from seven centers: four Asian and three European sites. All participants completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-HCC18 questionnaires before and after treatment. Propensity scores were calculated and used in addition to race for adjustment in the logistic regression model to account for the confounding effects of patient characteristics including age, gender, race, employment, living with family, at least one comorbid condition, years since diagnosis, prior treatment history, BCLC stage, Child-Pugh grade, cirrhosis, bilirubin levels and QoL score before treatment. Results: After adjustment for confounders, patients tended to have higher odds of QoL deterioration when treated with ablation versus embolization (dyspnea: p = 0.019; appetite loss: p = 0.018; body image: p = 0.035) or ablation versus surgery (dyspnea: p = 0.099; appetite loss: p = 0.100; body image: p = 0.038). Conclusions: There were significant differences in QoL deterioration across different treatment groups. This information may assist patients and providers when selecting patient-centered treatment approaches for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the conceptual structure of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) by analyzing data collected from patients with major cancers in Taiwan. The conceptual structure underlying QLQ-C30, including higher-order factors, was explored by structural equation modeling (SEM). Methods: The Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 was used as the measuring instrument. Higher-order models, including mental health/physical health, mental function/physical burden, symptom burden/function, single latent health-related quality of life, formative symptom burden/function, and formative health-related quality of life, were tested. Results: Study subjects included 283 patients with breast, lung, and nasopharyngeal cancers. The original QLQ-C30 multi-factorial structure demonstrated poor composite reliability of the cognitive function subscale. The formative symptom/burden model was favored by model fit indices, further supporting causal-indicator duality, but was compromised by unexpected associations between symptomatic subscales and latent factors. The formative health-related quality of life was proposed with a single second-order latent factor where symptomatic subscales remained formative. Two additional symptom measures from the formal cognitive function subscale with the formative health-related quality-of-life model were proposed as the alterative conceptual structure for the Taiwan Chinese QLQ-C30. Conclusions: Results of the current study represent the complete SEM approach for the EORTC QLQ-C30. The formative health-related quality-of-life model with elimination of cognitive function enhances the conceptual structure of the Taiwan Chinese version with parsimonious fit and interpretability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the technical inefficiency, shadow price and substitution elasticity of $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ emissions of China based on a provincial panel for 2001-2010. Using linear programming to calculate a quadratic parameterized directional output distance function, we show that China's technical inefficiency increases over the period implying further scope for $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ emissions reduction in the medium and longer term at best by 4.5 and 4.9 % respectively. Our results (notwithstanding regional differences) highlight increases in the shadow price of $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ abatement (1,000 Yuan/ton in 2001 to 2,100 Yuan/ton in 2010). Additionally, increasingly steep substitution elasticity highlights the difficult reality of reducing China's $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A significant proportion of oncological patients experiences lack of appetite. Precise measurement is relevant to improve the management of lack of appetite. The so-called computer-adaptive test (CAT) allows for adaptation of the questionnaire to the individual patient, thereby optimizing measurement precision. The EORTC Quality of Life Group is developing a CAT version of the widely used EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Here, we report on the development of the lack of appetite CAT. Methods: The EORTC approach to CAT development comprises four phases: literature search, operationalization, pre-testing, and field testing. Phases 1-3 are described in this paper. First, a list of items was retrieved from the literature. This was refined, deleting redundant and irrelevant items. Next, new items fitting the 'QLQ-C30 item style' were created. These were evaluated by international samples of experts and cancer patients. Results: The literature search generated a list of 146 items. After a comprehensive item selection procedure, the list was reduced to 24 items. These formed the basis for 21 new items fitting the QLQ-C30 item style. Expert evaluations ( n = 10) and patient interviews ( n = 49) reduced the list to 12 lack of appetite items. Conclusions: Phases 1-3 resulted in 12 lack of appetite candidate items. Based on a field testing (phase 4), the psychometric characteristics of the items will be assessed and the final item bank will be generated. This CAT item bank is expected to provide precise and efficient measurement of lack of appetite while still being backward compatible to the original QLQ-C30 scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terahertz (THz) imaging provides cutting edge technique in biology, medical sciences and non-destructive evaluation. However, due to the long wavelength of the THz wave, the obtained resolution of THz imaging is normally a few hundred microns and is much lower than that of the traditional optical imaging. We introduce a sub-wavelength resolution THz imaging technique which uses the THz radiation generated by a femtosecond laser filament in air as the probe. This method is based on the fact that the femtosecond laser filament forms a waveguide for the THz wave in air. The diameter of the THz beam, which propagates inside the filament, varies from 20 μm to 50 μm, which is significantly smaller than the wavelength of the THz wave. Using this highly spatially confined THz beam as the probe, THz imaging with resolution as high as 20 μm (∼ μ/38 at 0.4 THz) can be realized [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is critical to effective delivery of palliative care in patients with advanced cancer. The current study analyzes relationships between baseline social determinants of health and medical factors, and self-reported HRQOL in patients with bone metastases receiving palliative radiotherapy. Methods and materials: Advanced cancer patients referred for radiotherapy treatment of bone metastases completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire in multiple outpatient clinics internationally. Demographics and social determinants were collected as baseline information. Univariate and Bonferroni-adjusted multivariate linear regression analyses were used to detect significant correlations between baseline determinants and different HRQOL domains. Results: Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) was correlated with better physical ( p = 0.0002), role ( p < 0.0001), emotional ( p < 0.0001), and social ( p < 0.0001) functioning, and global health scores ( p = 0.0015) and predicted lower symptom scores for fatigue ( p < 0.0001), pain ( p < 0.0001), appetite loss ( p < 0.0001), and constipation ( p < 0.0001). Increased age was predictive of better social functioning ( p < 0.0001) and less insomnia ( p = 0.0036), higher education correlated with better global health status ( p = 0.0043), and patients who were employed or retired had improved physical functioning ( p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0030, respectively) and less financial challenges compared to patients who were unemployed ( p = 0.0005). Conclusions: Baseline KPS had the greatest influence on EORTC QLQ-C30 domain scores. Age, education level, and employment status had significant impacts, although on fewer domains. Further studies that investigate baseline determinants are worthwhile to clarify relationships in order to care for patients more effectively at the end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The EORTC QLQ-H&N35 (H&N35) is widely used to measure quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. The aims of this study were to obtain insight into a) the languages in which the H&N35 has been used and the psychometric properties in those languages, b) the study designs, and c) its acceptance by patients and investigators. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed searching for all original papers that had used at least one item of the H&N35. Identified papers were read and the information about methodological issues abstracted statistically analysed. Results: A total of 136 papers were identified. The H&N35 was administered in 19 different languages in 27 countries. The study design was cross-sectional in the majority of studies (53 %), prospective cohort studies (31 %), phase-II-trials (7 %), phase-III-trials (6 %) and case–control studies (1 %). The scales with the highest percentages of missing values were Sexuality (11.5 %) and Speech (7 %). The median Cronbach’s alpha of the multi-item scales ranged from 0.61 (Senses) to 0.93 (Sexuality). Construct validity was rarely investigated. On average, 12 scales (range 0-18) of the instrument were used by the investigators. The scale most often used was swallowing (in 85 % of studies) and least often used was Weight Gain (39 %). Conclusion: The H&N35 is widely used throughout the world, mainly in observational studies, and has demonstrated robust psychometric features in different languages. However, some methodological problems reported imply that the instrument can be improved in some areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined which domains/symptoms from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative (QLQ-C15-PAL), an abbreviated version of the health-related EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire designed for palliative cancer patients, were predictive of overall quality of life (QOL) in advanced cancer patients. Methods: Patients with advanced cancer from six countries completed the QLQ-C15-PAL at consultation and at one follow-up point. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the predictive value of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL functional/symptom scores for global QOL (question 15). Results: Three hundred forty-nine patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL at baseline. In the total patient sample, worse emotional functioning, pain, and appetite loss were the most significant predictive factors for worse QOL. In the subgroup of patients with bone metastases ( n = 240), the domains mentioned above were also the most significant predictors, whereas in patients with brain metastases ( n = 109), worse physical and emotional functioning most significantly predicted worse QOL. One-month follow-up in 267 patients revealed that the significant predictors changed somewhat over time. For example, in the total patient sample, physical functioning, fatigue, and appetite loss were significant predictors at the follow-up point. A sub-analysis of predictive factors affecting QOL by primary cancer (lung, breast, and prostate) was also conducted for the total patient sample. Conclusion: Deterioration of certain EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL functional/symptom scores significantly contributes to worse overall QOL. Special attention should be directed to managing factors most influential on overall QOL to ensure optimal management of advanced cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Quality of life (QOL) is frequently an endpoint in clinical trials involving patients with advanced cancer. Statistical significance of minimal differences can be achieved with sufficient sample size, yet the actual clinical relevance is unknown. The purpose of this study was to establish the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) bone metastases module (EORTC QLQ-BM22). Methods: Patients with bone metastases across seven countries were prospectively enrolled in a trial validating the EORTC QLQ-BM22 and completed the QLQ-BM22 and core measure (QLQ-C30) at baseline and 1-month follow-up. MCIDs were calculated for each QOL scale for both improvement and deterioration using both an anchor- (performance status) and distribution-based approach. Results: A total of 93 patients completed both baseline and follow-up QOL and had recorded performance status at both intervals. Statistically significant meaningful differences were seen in seven scales. There were improvements of 30.5 (95 % confidence interval, 9.0 to 52.0), 20.1 (7.1 to 33.2), 30.5 (13.8 to 47.3) and 19.6 (5.0 to 34.3) in the pain, painful site, painful characteristic and functional interference scales, respectively, demonstrated clinical relevance. Decreases of 12.4 (0.3 to 24.6), 22.4 (11.8 to 32.9) and 13.5 (1.9 to 25.1) were required to represent clinically relevant deterioration in emotional functioning, global health status and financial issues, respectively. Minimal differences for improvement were closest to 0.5 standard deviations (SD) while for deterioration, closer to 0.3 SD on the QLQ-BM22. Conclusion: Identification of requirements for clinical significance can assist in determining the relevance of QOL changes after treatment and in sample size determination in future trials. Our study is limited by the small sample size. Future studies should continue to determine MCID and confirm our findings using a variety of appropriate anchors and in a larger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a combinatorial problem faced in the tire industry and then define it and optimize it by tabu search from the perspective of operational research. Such a problem is termed the pitch arrangement problem and involves both selecting and sequencing problems along with noninteger design variables. Pitch arrangement is an essential procedure for tires before their manufacture. Using this procedure, engineers have to choose an optimal groove distribution on tire treads for the purpose of manufacturing low-noise tires. Most research works on pitch arrangement are supported by tire companies, and their results are patented instead of being published. In this study, we define the abovementioned problem clearly and optimize it by tabu search. Two actual manufactured tires are chosen for the case studies. In addition, two patents and two types of pitch sequences optimized by genetic algorithms are also applied to these two tires for comparison. The pitch arrangement is optimized successfully and the performance of tabu search is found to be outstanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Computerized adaptive test (CAT) methods, based on item response theory (IRT), enable a patient-reported outcome instrument to be adapted to the individual patient while maintaining direct comparability of scores. The EORTC Quality of Life Group is developing a CAT version of the widely used EORTC QLQ-C30. We present the development and psychometric validation of the item pool for the first of the scales, physical functioning (PF). Methods: Initial developments (including literature search and patient and expert evaluations) resulted in 56 candidate items. Responses to these items were collected from 1,176 patients with cancer from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. The items were evaluated with regard to psychometric properties. Results: Evaluations showed that 31 of the items could be included in a unidimensional IRT model with acceptable fit and good content coverage, although the pool may lack items at the upper extreme (good PF). There were several findings of significant differential item functioning (DIF). However, the DIF findings appeared to have little impact on the PF estimation. Conclusions: We have established an item pool for CAT measurement of PF and believe that this CAT instrument will clearly improve the EORTC measurement of PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal (Cu, Zn, Al) nitrates and chlorides were used for preparing CuZnAl xerogels by a sol-gel route with propylene oxide as gelation initiator. The CuZnAl mixed-metal oxides were further obtained by thermal treatment the xerogels at 500 °C for 5 h in air. Thermal decomposition behavior of the CuZnAl xerogels, the microstructures and the reducibility of the calcined xerogels were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG), scanning electron microscope (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N adsorption/desorption (BET, BJH) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) techniques. The catalytic activity in dehydrocyclization of ethylenediamine (ED) with 1, 2-propyleneglycol (PG) to 2-methylpyrazine (2-MP) was carried out at 380 °C. The results displayed that the CuZnAl mixed-metal oxides prepared using nitrates as the metal precursors had a higher metallic Cu dispersion and a superior low-temperature reducibility than those prepared by chlorides, which results in a higher catalytic activity for the synthesis of 2-methylpyrazine. Especially when the molar ratio of Cu/Zn/Al = 2:1:2, the catalyst using nitrates as the metal precursors improved the selectivity of 2-MP to 87.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) has been becoming a popular and effective method for treating degenerative lumbar scoliosis, the clinical outcome is rarely reported. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis after instrumented PLIF. Materials and methods: A total of 58 patient's clinical characteristics had been reviewed retrospectively including clinical presentations, preoperative medical comorbidities, intraoperative status, and postoperative status. Oswestry disability index (ODI), visual analog scale (VAS), and patient satisfaction were evaluated before surgery and last follow-up period. The relationship between the difference of radiographic parameter and functional outcome was evaluated. Results: Functional outcomes including ODI scores and VAS were significantly improved at the last visit. The ODI was 28.1 ± 8.0 before surgery and 12.2 ± 8.8 at the last visit. VAS was 7.4 ± 2.0 before surgery and 2.4 ± 2.0 at the last visit. Patient satisfaction was 72% at the last visit. ODI was significantly related to postoperative radiographic parameters including Cobb's angle ( p < 0.001), L4 inclination ( p = 0.011), coronal balance ( p = 0.007), lateral vertebral translation ( p < 0.001), Nash-Moe grade ( p = 0.033), Nash-Moe degree ( p = 0.025), and sagittal balance ( p = 0.041) Using multiple regression analysis, ODI was significantly related to female gender, number of levels fixed, coronal balance, lateral vertebral translation, and Nash-Moe degree. The was no significant correlation between postoperative radiographic parameters and pain (VAS). Only lateral vertebral translation demonstrated a significant correlation in multiple regression analysis. Conclusions: Based on the VAS and ODI instrument, our studies demonstrated that instrumented PLIF for adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis can achieve a high rate of patient satisfaction and improvement in radiographic and clinical outcomes at a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity, and the application of the Taiwan Chinese Version of the EORTC QLQ-OES18. Methods: The authors translated the questionnaire according to the guideline of the EORTC. Ninety-five patients with oesophageal cancer in National Taiwan University Hospital were interviewed using the questionnaire and the EORTC QLQ-C30 between October 2002 and September 2007. Answer distribution and psychometric properties of the EORTC QLQ-OES18 were examined. Results: The mean age of the patients was 60 years (SD 12 years). Most of the patients were in advanced stages of disease, with two-thirds off-treatment. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were satisfactory (0.77-0.82) or near-satisfactory (pain: 0.67). The item-to-own and item-to-other scale correlations showed satisfactory results. Patients who were on-treatment versus off-treatment had significantly poorer quality of life scores in dysphagia, dry mouth, and taste, and a borderline poorer score in cough. Opposite situations were seen in the scales of reflux and choking. Conclusions: The EORTC QLQ-OES18 is a valid instrument to assess quality of life issues in patients with oesophageal cancer in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Lactobacillus casei was used to deliver and express human lactoferrin (hLF) to protect the host against bacterial infection. Full-length hLF cDNA was cloned into a Lactobacillus-specific plasmid to produce the L. casei transformants (rhLF/ L. casei). Antimicrobial activity of recombinant hLF was examined in inhibition of bacteria growth in vitro. A mouse model was established to test in vivo antibacterial activity and protective effect of orally-administered probiotic L. casei transformant in the gastrointestinal tract. Trials were conducted in which animals were challenged with E. coli ATCC25922. E. coli colony numbers in duodenal fluid from the group fed with rhLF/ L. casei were significantly lower than those of the group fed with wild-type L. casei or placebo ( P < 0.01). Histopathological analyses of the small intestine, showed both decreased intestinal injury and increased villi length were observed in the mice fed with rhLF/ L. casei as compared with the control groups ( P < 0.01). Our results demonstrate that L. casei expressing hLF exhibited antibacterial activity both in in vitro and in vivo. It also provides a potentially large-scale production of hLF as applications for treatment of infections caused by clinically relevant pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciated samples of PM2.5 were collected at a site in Jefferson County, Texas by US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) from July of 2003 to August of 2005. A total of 269 samples with 52 species were measured; however, 22 species were excluded in this study because of too many below-detection-limit data. The data set was analyzed by positive matrix factorization (PMF) to infer the sources of PM observed at the site. The analysis identified ten sources: sulfate-rich secondary aerosol I (35.9%), sulfate-rich secondary aerosol II (21.0%), cement/carbon-rich (11.7%), wood smoke (8.8%), metal processing (6.3%), motor vehicle/road dust (5.7%), nitrate-rich secondary aerosol (3.3%), soil (3.2%), sea salt (2.6%), and chloride depleted marine aerosol (1.6%). Sulfate and nitrate mainly exist as salts. The two sulfate-rich secondary aerosols account for almost 57% of the PM2.5 mass concentration. The factor containing highest concentrations of Cl and Na was attributed to sea salt due to the proximity of the monitoring site to the Gulf of Mexico. The chloride depleted marine aerosol was related to the sea salt aerosol. Cement/carbon-rich, wood smoke, metal processing, and motor vehicle/road dust factor were likely to be the local sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Novel cobalt catalysts were prepared by sol–gel method, and enhanced by plasma treatment, for methane catalytic combustion. These samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelactron spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetrical analysis, N2 Adsorption–desorption, temperature-programmed reduction and hydrogen–oxygen titration technologies. The XPS characterizations suggested that plasma treatment was favorable for the enrichment of surface cobalt, with a value of surface cobalt from 2.2% to 8.5% in mole. The specific surface area of the glow plasma assised sample (Co-Plas-Solgel-2) increased to 320 m2/g comparing with 305 m2/g of the conventional sample (Co-Solgel-1). The ignition temperature (T10%) of Co-Plas-Solgel-2 catalyst was about 50 °C lower than that of Co-Solgel-1, and its CH4 conversion was two times higher than that of Co-Solgel-1 during the whole range of catalytic combustion activity test (340–520 °C). With a better dispersion and more active sites, the plasma assisted sample exhibited significant enhancement in catalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phosgene-free approach for the synthesis of phenyl isocyanate (PI) was developed, using the heterogeneous catalytic decomposition of methyl N-phenyl carbamate (MPC). Twenty oxide-catalysts were investigated and compared; the Bi2O3 catalyst gave the better catalytic performance. From bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate, Bi2O3 was prepared by different methods, which included the direct decomposition, mechano-chemical method, direct precipitation and indirect precipitation. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption, XRD, FTIR and TEM analyses. After optimization, the Bi2O3 catalyst prepared by direct calcination of bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate at 723 K in air for 4 h gives the best activity. When the reaction was carried out at the boiling temperature of o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) at normal pressure, the optimal reaction conditions over Bi2O3 catalyst are as follows: the mass ratio of catalyst/MPC is 0.05, mass ratio of ODCB/MPC is 15:1, reaction time of 60 min. The optimized conversion of MPC and the yield of PI are 86.2% and 78.5%, respectively. There was a good durability for the Bi2O3 catalyst, and the species of Bi (III) ions of catalyst were partially oxidized to Bi (IV) ions during the reaction, supported by the results of XRD and XPS techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of mothers using different infant feeding methods.Methods: We used the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) to measure the HRQOL of 1,747 mothers and used the scores to look for associations with infant feeding methods (not breastfeeding, breastfeeding for <1 month, breastfeeding 1-5 months, and still breastfeeding at the 6th month). The mothers were chosen via a stratified sampling from the Taiwan national birth registration data between November and December 2003.Results: HRQOL and breastfeeding duration were positively associated. Of the eight unadjusted domain scores of the SF-36, general health perception and mental health were significantly different among these four different infant feeding groups (P < 0.05). After controlling for potential confounding factors, mothers who breastfed for 6 months or longer had a higher HRQOL score than the other mothers. In addition, their physical functioning, general health perception and mental health scores were higher than those of mothers who did not breastfeed (P < 0.05). Mother's family income and parity and child's health status were also associated with mother's quality of life.Conclusions: Compared to the other mothers, mothers who breastfed for six moths or longer had better HRQOL. However, the limitation that this study was cross-sectional in design should be considered and further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of mothers using different infant feeding methods. We used the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) to measure the HRQOL of 1,747 mothers and used the scores to look for associations with infant feeding methods (not breastfeeding, breastfeeding for <1 month, breastfeeding 1–5 months, and still breastfeeding at the 6th month). The mothers were chosen via a stratified sampling from the Taiwan national birth registration data between November and December 2003. HRQOL and breastfeeding duration were positively associated. Of the eight unadjusted domain scores of the SF-36, general health perception and mental health were significantly different among these four different infant feeding groups ( P < 0.05). After controlling for potential confounding factors, mothers who breastfed for 6 months or longer had a higher HRQOL score than the other mothers. In addition, their physical functioning, general health perception and mental health scores were higher than those of mothers who did not breastfeed ( P < 0.05). Mother’s family income and parity and child’s health status were also associated with mother’s quality of life. Compared to the other mothers, mothers who breastfed for six moths or longer had better HRQOL. However, the limitation that this study was cross-sectional in design should be considered and further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several examples have shown that C3d3, when fused to a corresponding antigen, had a strong adjuvant effect on certain specific antibody production. In a previous study, we attempted to prove that this was the case of the human chorionic gonadotrophin β chain (hCGβ)-induced immunity following DNA vaccination. However, we found that C3d3 when fused to hCGβ inhibited rather than enhanced the antigen-specific immune response. In the present study, using hCGβ DNA vaccine preparations, we demonstrated that C3d3 inhibited the antigen-specific humoral antibody response and several other immune responses, such as the hCGβ specific lymphoproliferation. Such inhibitory effects of C3d3 were not related to the expression level of the target protein, the gender of the test mice, or the vector used. Contrastingly, C3d3 fused with the envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (PreS2/S) used as a control system resulted in the enhancement of both humoral and cell-mediated antigen-specific immune responses against HBV-preS2/S, which was consistent with other groups’ adjuvant-effect findings. We further showed that the mechanisms involved in the inhibitory effect of C3d3 might be possible due to impairing the function of antigen presenting B lymphocytes and reducing the expression of transcription factors (T-bet and GATA-3) and cytokine IL-4. Collectively, unlike its usual expected adjuvant function, the fusion of C3d3 with the tumor-associated antigen hCGβ was found to inhibit both humoral and cell-mediated antigen-specific immune responses. These findings indicate that research concerning tumor immune escapes and vaccine designs require further extensive attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of preparation method on MnO x –CeO2 mixed oxide catalysts for methane combustion at low temperature was investigated by means of BET, XRD, XPS, H2-TPR techniques and methane oxidation reaction. The catalysts were prepared by the conventional coprecipitation, plasma and modified coprecipitation methods, respectively. It was found that the catalyst prepared by modified coprecipitation was the most active, over which methane conversion reached 90% at a temperature as low as 390 °C. The XRD results showed the preparation methods had no effect on the solid solution structure of MnO x –CeO2 catalysts. More Mn4+ and richer lattice oxygen were found on the surface of the modified coprecipitation prepared catalyst with the help of XPS analysis, and its reduction and BET surface area were remarkably promoted. These factors could be responsible for its higher activity for methane combustion at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-temperature methanol synthesis was studied using novel Cu–Cr–Si catalysts promoted by zirconia at 115 °C and 3.0 MPa in slurry phase. Zirconia addition improved significantly the catalytic performance. From the characteristic results, copper and chromium were enriched on the catalyst surface and more Cu+ cations were stabilized by the zirconia promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No Heading [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors associated with tube feeding dependency in stroke patients with dysphagia have received little attention. This study aimed to identify factors independently associated with tube feeding dependency at discharge in stroke patients with dysphagia using videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VSS) and clinical findings. One hundred eighty-one consecutive tube-fed inpatients with stroke-related dysphagia referred for VSS were enrolled in the study. Of them, 47 patients continued to require tube feeding at discharge. In the final logistic regression analysis model, advanced age, recurrent stroke, confinement to a wheelchair at discharge, long duration from stroke onset to VSS, and stasis in valleculae or pyriform sinuses and aspiration on VSS were independently associated with tube feeding dependency at discharge. This study confirms the association between findings of VSS and tube feeding dependency at discharge in stroke patients with dysphagia. Based on the final regression model, a preliminary equation was proposed to help clinicians better predict the tube feeding dependency at discharge in stroke patients with dysphagia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the success of organic electronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes and field-effect transistors, procedures for fabricating non-volatile organic memory devices are now being explored. Here, we demonstrate a novel organic memory device fabricated by solution processing. Programmable electrical bistability was observed in a device made from a polystyrene film containing gold nanoparticles and 8-hydroxyquinoline sandwiched between two metal electrodes. The as-prepared device, which is in a low-conductivity state, displays an abrupt transition to a high-conductivity state under an external bias of 2.8 V. These two states differ in conductivity by about four orders of magnitude. Applying a negative bias of 1.8 V causes the device to return to the low-conductivity state. The electronic transition is attributed to the electric-field-induced charge transfer between the gold nanoparticles and 8-hydroxyquinoline. The transition from the low- to the high-conductivity state takes place in nanoseconds, and is non-volatile, indicating that the device may be used for low-cost, high-density memory storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]