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Wellbores are destabilized by the immersion of a formation in drilling fluid during deep well drilling. To address this issue, in the present study, trimethylolethane triallyl ether (TMETE), 2‐acrylamide‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide, and N‐vinylpyrrolidone undergo free radical copolymerization to produce a PTAAN filter loss reducer. The Box–Behnken response surface method is used to optimize the synthesis of PTAAN; the optimal conditions are 1 wt% TMETE and 0.1111 wt% initiator at 60°C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis are used to characterize the composition, micromorphology, and thermal stability of the PTAAN product, respectively. The synthesized product is resistant to high temperatures and salt under the optimal synthesis conditions. It has an API filtration loss of 8.2 mL for freshwater‐based mud, an API filtration loss of 13.8 mL for 20% by weight brine mud after aging at 220°C, and an API filtration loss of 29.5 mL at 150°C under high temperatures and pressures. Incorporating PTAAN into the base slurry prevents clay particle agglomeration at elevated temperatures and high mineralization, resulting in a broader clay particle size distribution and ultimately leading to the formation of a thin and compact filter cake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fetal atrial flutter (AF), accounting for 30% of all fetal tachyarrhythmias, predominantly (over 80%) manifests as a 2:1 atrioventricular conduction. Swift referral and timely intervention become imperative in instances of severe persistent arrhythmia. Case Presentation: We discuss the case of a 32-year-old multiparous Chinese woman, at 30+2 weeks of gestation, wherein an ultrasonographic examination revealed persistent fetal AF (atrial rate ranging from 219 to 445 beats/min and ventricular rate from 219 to 228 beats/min, with a 2:1 or 1:1 down transmission) and minor ascites. Despite the maternal ingestion of digoxin and sotalol, the fetal heart rhythm remained uncorrected. Following this, at 32+3 weeks of gestation, an intramuscular injection of cedilanid, guided by ultrasound, was administered to the fetus. Postoperatively, the fetal ventricular rate demonstrated a decline after 6 days, and the ascites resolved. Subsequently, at 33+3 weeks, a cesarean section was necessitated due to maternal intolerance to the medication, resulting in the delivery of the infant. Remarkably, the infant's cardiac rhythm spontaneously converted to sinus rhythm within 5 min of birth. A follow-up conducted 1 year postpartum revealed no recurrence of AF. Conclusions: This case illustrates that in the event of transplacental drug treatment failure, intrauterine therapeutic intervention should be considered. Moreover, it highlights the encouraging prognosis associated with fetal AF, as the cardiac rhythm spontaneously reverted to sinus rhythm postbirth in this instance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group (EORTC QLG) has developed a multidimensional instrument measuring cancer-related fatigue, the EORTC QLQ-FA12. The analysis of sensitivity to change is an essential part of psychometric validation. With this study, we investigated the EORTC QLQ-FA12's sensitivity to change.Methods: The methodology follows the EORTC guidelines of EORTC QLG for phase IV validation of modules. We included cancer patients undergoing curative and palliative treatment at t1 and followed them up prospectively over the course of their treatment (t2) and 4 weeks after completion of treatment (t3). Data were collected prospectively at 17 sites in 11 countries. Sensitivity to change was investigated using analysis of variance.Results: A total sample of 533 patients was enrolled with various tumour types, different stages of cancer, and receiving either curative treatment (n=311) or palliative treatment (n=222). Over time all fatigue scores were significantly higher in the palliative treatment group compared with the curative group (p < .001). Physical fatigue increased with medium effect size over the course of treatment in the curative group (standardized response mean [SRM] (t1,t2) = 0.44]. After treatment physical [SRM (t2,t3) = 0.39], emotional [SRM (t2,t3)= 0.28] and cognitive fatigue (SRM [t2,t3] = 0.22) declined significantly in the curative group. In the palliative group, emotional (SRM [t2,t3] = 0.18) as well as cognitive [SRM [t2,t3] = 0.26) fatigue increases significantly.Conclusions: The EORTC-QLQ-FA12 proved to identify clinically significant changes in fatigue in the course of curative and palliative cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of zinc complexes, [LXZnEt] (1–5) and [LXZn2(OAc)3] (6–9), associated with NNO‐tridentate Schiff base ligands (2‐(((2‐((cyclohexyl[methyl]amino)methyl)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenolate (CAP) derivatives), were synthesized, and their activity toward ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of L‐lactide (LA) and the reaction of CO2 with cyclohexene oxide were also investigated. All of [LXZnEt] revealed excellent catalytic activity to ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of LA in the presence of benzyl alcohol. Among them, [LHZnEt] (1) showed the highest activity with 82% conversation within 45 s. In contrast, [LXZn2(OAc)3] (6–9) were inactive in ROP of L‐lactide. In addition, all of these Zn complexes demonstrated moderate activity in the reaction of CO2 with cyclohexene oxide in the presence of Bu4NCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new seismic design manner, namely building mass damper (BMD), which is inspired from a combination of mid‐story isolation and tuned mass damper design concepts, recently attracts immense attention. It is mainly because that the use of partial structural mass of the building as an energy absorber in the BMD design can overcome the drawback of limited response reduction due to insufficient added tuned mass in the conventional tuned mass damper design. In this study, an optimum BMD (OBMD) design approach, namely optimum dynamic characteristic control approach, based on a simplified 3‐lumped‐mass structure model is proposed to seismically protect both the superstructure (or tuned mass) and the substructure (or primary structure), respectively, above and below the control layer. A series of sensitivity analyses and experimental studies on different parameters, including mass, frequency, and damping ratios, of a building model designed with a BMD system were conducted. The test results verify the practical feasibility of the BMD concept as well as the effectiveness of the proposed OBMD design. Furthermore, by comparing with the numerical results of a mid‐story isolated counterpart, it is demonstrated that the proposed OBMD design can have a comparable and even better control performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To develop and pretest an European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Sexual Health Questionnaire (EORTC SHQ‐22) for the assessment of physical, psychological, and social aspects of sexual health (SH) in male and female cancer patients and survivors. Questionnaire construction started with creating a list of relevant SH issues based on a comprehensive literature review. Issues were subsequently evaluated for relevance and prioritization by 78 healthcare professionals (HCP) and 107 patients from 12 countries during in‐depth interviews (phase 1). Extracted issues were operationalized into items (phase 2). Phase 3 focused on pretesting the preliminary questionnaire in a cross‐cultural patient sample (n = 171) using debriefing interviews. Psychometric properties were preliminary determined using a principal component analysis and Cronbach's alpha. We derived 53 relevant SH issues from the literature. Based on HCP and patient interviews, 22 of these 53 issues were selected and operationalized into items. Testing the preliminary 22‐item short questionnaire resulted in a change of wording in five items and two communication‐related items; no items were removed. Preliminary psychometric analysis revealed a two‐factor solution and 11 single items; both scales showed good reliability indicated by a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 (sexual satisfaction) and 0.82 (sexual pain). Cross‐cultural pretesting of the preliminary EORTC SH questionnaire has indicated excellent applicability, patient acceptance, and comprehensiveness as well as good psychometric properties. The final development phase, that is psychometric validation (phase four) including large‐scale, cross‐cultural field testing of the EORTC SHQ‐22, has commenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study is to explore the possible effects of clinical and cultural characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from Asian and European countries completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-HCC18. Comparisons were made using Student's t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test with method of false discovery to correct multiple comparisons. Multiway analysis of variance and model selection were used to assess the effects of clinical characteristics and geographic areas. Results Two hundred and twenty-seven patients with hepatocellular carcinoma completed questionnaires. After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, Asian patients still had significantly better HRQoL scores in emotional functioning, insomnia, (QLQ-C30) and in sexual interest (QLQ-HCC18). We also found an interaction in physical functioning (QLQ-C30) and fatigue (QLQ-HCC18) between geographic region and marital status, married European had worse HRQoL scores than Asian singles. Conclusions Both clinical characteristics and geographic areas affected the HRQoL in with hepatocellular carcinoma. Cultural differences and clinical differences in the pattern of disease due to active surveillance of Asian countries may explain the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on steps taken to produce a satisfaction with cancer care core questionnaire for both the inpatient and outpatient care settings and a complementary cancer outpatient satisfaction with care module. Topics discussed include issues for outpatient care domains that were not addressed sufficiently by the questionnaire and operationalization of issues into questionnaire items.

We developed a 5.5 inch real HD AMOLED smartphone with IGZO backplane. The a‐IGZO TFT with Etching Stop Layer (ESL) structure was fabricated at Gen 6 glass substrate. The aIGZO shows its superiority in low cost and low leakage current. The high reliability of a‐IGZO TFT was demonstrated. The optical and electrical characteristics of OLED cell are also shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new hybrid full-bridge and LLC converter with the features of low circulating current loss, wide zero voltage switching range and less output inductance for industry power units. The proposed hybrid circuit has two full-bridge converters and one LLC converter with shared lagging-leg switches. Two full-bridge converters, shared the same lagging-leg switches, are operated at phase-shift pulse-width modulation to regulate the output voltage and share the load power. Half-bridge LLC converter is added at the lagging-leg switches to extend the zero voltage switching range of lagging-leg switches from zero to full load. The output voltage of LLC converter is connected to the secondary sides of two full-bridge converters during the freewheeling interval to eliminate the circulating current loss. The rectified voltage of full-bridge converter during the freewheeling stage is positive instead of zero so that the output filter inductance can be reduced. Finally, experiments with a 1440 W prototype circuit converting 380 V input to an output voltage 24 V/60 A are provided to verify the theoretical analysis and effectiveness of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer 13 (QLQ-LC13) covers 13 typical symptoms of lung cancer patients and was the first module developed in conjunction with the EORTC core quality-of-life (QL) questionnaire. This review investigates how the module has been used and reported in cancer clinical trials in the 20 years since its publication. Thirty-six databases were searched with a prespecified algorithm. This search plus an additional hand search generated 770 hits, 240 of which were clinical studies. Two raters extracted data using a coding scheme. Analyses focused on the randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Of the 240 clinical studies that were identified using the LC13, 109 (45%) were RCTs. More than half of the RCTs were phase 3 trials (n = 58). Twenty RCTs considered QL as the primary endpoint, and 68 considered it as a secondary endpoint. QL results were addressed in the results section of the article (n = 89) or in the abstract (n = 92); and, in half of the articles, QL results were presented in the form of tables (n = 53) or figures (n = 43). Furthermore, QL results had an impact on the evaluation of the therapy that could be clearly demonstrated in the 47 RCTs that yielded QL differences between treatment and control groups. The EORTC QLQ-LC13 fulfilled its mission to be used as a standard instrument in lung cancer clinical trials. An update of the LC13 is underway to keep up with new therapeutic trends and to ensure optimized and relevant QL assessment in future trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of this study was to pilot test an updated version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Module (EORTC QLQ-H&N60). Methods Patients with head and neck cancer were asked to complete a list of 60 head and neck cancer-specific items comprising the updated EORTC head and neck module and the core questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30. Debriefing interviews were conducted to identify any irrelevant items and confusing or upsetting wording. Results Interviews were performed with 330 patients from 17 countries, representing different head and neck cancer sites and treatments. Forty-one of the 60 items were retained according to the predefined EORTC criteria for module development, for another 2 items the wording was refined, and 17 items were removed. Conclusion The preliminary EORTC QLQ-H&N43 can now be used in academic research. Psychometrics will be tested in a larger field study. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 1358-1367, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have developed a pixel compensation circuit that utilizes six LTPS TFTs and one capacitor for AMOLED displays by voltage-programmed method. The proposed pixel circuit can compensate the threshold voltage variation of TFT and extend OLED lifetime, which is able to show better compensation performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A DC/DC converter with parallel input and parallel output circuit topology is presented to achieve the main features of reduced switch count and medium power level compared with conventional parallel half-bridge resonant converter. The proposed converter has three resonant circuits to share load currents and reduce the current stress of circuit components. These three resonant circuits use the same power switches to deliver power from input side to output load so that the switch counts are reduced compared with the conventional parallel resonant converter. The rectifier diodes at the secondary side of three resonant circuits are partially used in common so that the diode counts are also reduced. Since three resonant circuits are connected in parallel, the sizes of the transformers and active and passive components are reduced. The switching frequency of the proposed converter is operated to be less than the series resonant frequency. Thus, active switches are turned on under zero voltage switching and rectifier diodes are turned off under zero current switching. A 1.6 kW laboratory prototype is designed and constructed to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which discusses the communication and relationship between cancer patients and professional.

The short palate, lung and nasal epithelial clone 1 (SPLUNC1) protein is a member of the palate, lung, and nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC) family, also known as bactericidal/permeability-increasing (BPI) fold-containing protein, family A, member 1 (BPIFA1). SPLUNC1 is an abundant protein in human airways, but its function remains poorly understood. The lipid ligands of SPLUNC1 as well as other PLUNC family members are largely unknown, although some reports provide evidence that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could be a lipid ligand. Unlike previous hypotheses, we found significant structural differences between SPLUNC1 and BPI. Recombinant SPLUNC1 produced in HEK 293 cells harbored several molecular species of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine as its ligands. Significantly, in vitro lipid-binding studies failed to demonstrate interactions between SPLUNC1 and LPS, lipoteichoic acid, or polymyxin B. Instead, one of the major and most important pulmonary surfactant phospholipids, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), bound to SPLUNC1 with high affinity and specificity. We found that SPLUNC1 could be the first protein receptor for DPPC. These discoveries provide insight into the specific determinants governing the interaction between SPLUNC1 and lipids and also shed light on novel functions that SPLUNC1 and other PLUNC family members perform in host defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TheNi/MgO andNi-Cu/MgO catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method and used as the catalysts for synthesis of carbon nanotubes by thermal chemical vapor deposition. The effect of Cu on the carbon yield and structure was investigated, and the effects of calcination temperature and reaction temperature were also investigated. The catalysts and synthesized carbon materials were characterized by temperature programmedreduction (TPR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that the addition of Cu promoted the reduction of nickel species, subsequently improving the growth and yield of CNTs. Meanwhile, CNTs were synthesized by the Ni/MgO and Ni-Cu/MgO catalysts with various calcination temperatures and reaction temperatures, and results suggested that the obtainedCNTs onNi-Cu/MgO catalyst with the calcination temperature of 500°C and the reaction temperature of 650°C were of the greatest yield and quantity of 927%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane adsorption isotherms on coals with varying ash contents were investigated. The textural properties were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm at 77K, and methane adsorption characteristics were measured at pressures up to 4.0MPa at 298K, 313 K, and 328 K, respectively. The Dubinin-Astakhov model and the Polanyi potential theory were employed to fit the experimental data. As a result, ash content correlated strongly tomethane adsorption capacity. Over the ash range studied, 9.35% to 21.24%, the average increase in methane adsorption capacity was 0.021mmol/g for each 1.0% rise in ash content. With the increasing ash content range of 21.24%~43.47%, a reduction in the maximum adsorption capacities of coals was observed. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the saturated adsorption capacity and the specific surface area and micropore volume of samples. Further, this study presented the heat of adsorption, the isosteric heat of adsorption, and the adsorbed phase specific heat capacity for methane adsorption on various coals. Employing the proposed thermodynamic approaches, the thermodynamic maps of the adsorption processes of coalbed methane were conducive to the understanding of the coal and gas simultaneous extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resorcinol-formaldehyde resin polymer was used as rawmaterial for preparation of carbon spheres. Samples were treated with CO2 flow at 850°C by varying activation times. The CO2 activation granted better pore development of pore structure. The experimental data of CH4 adsorption as a function of equilibrium pressure was fitted by Langmuir and Dubinin-Astakhov (D-A) models. It was concluded that the high surface area and micropore volume of carbon spheres did unequivocally determine methane capacities. In addition, a thermodynamic study of the heat of adsorption of CH4 on the carbon spheres was carried out. Adsorption of CH4 on carbon spheres showed a decrease in the adsorption heat with CH4 occupancy, and the heat of adsorption fell from 20.51 to 12.50 kJ/mol at 298Kand then increased to a little higher values at a very high loading (>0.70), indicating thatCH4/CH4 interactions within the adsorption layer became significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A2B5+ glioblastoma (GBM) cells have glioma stem-like cell (GSC) properties that are crucial to chemotherapy resistance and GBM relapse. T-cell-based antigens derived from A2B5+ GBM cells provide important information for immunotherapy. Here, we show that HEAT repeat containing 1 (HEATR1) expression in GBM tissues was significantly higher than that in control brain tissues. Furthermore, HEATR1 expression in A2B5+U87 cells was higher than that in A2B5 U87 cells (P = 0.016). Six peptides of HEATR1 presented by HLA-A * 02 were selected for testing of their ability to induce T-cell responses in patients with GBM. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors (n=6) and patients with glioma (n=33) were stimulated with the peptide mixture, eight patients with malignant gliomas had positive reactivity with a significantly increased number of responding T-cells. The peptides HEATR1682-690, HEATR11126-1134, and HEATR1757-765 had high affinity for binding to HLA-A 02:01 and a strong capacity to induce CTL response. CTLs against HEATR1 peptides were capable of recognizing and lysing GBM cells and GSCs. These data are the first to demonstrate thatHEATR1 could induce specific CTL responses targeting both GBM cells and GSCs, implicating that HEATR1 peptide-based immunotherapy could be a novel promising strategy for treating patients with GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients are characterized by hepatic steatosis. Prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure can result in steatosis. In this study, we aimed to determine the mechanism and cellular apoptosis of prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure in rats and whether melatonin can rescue the prenatal glucocorticoid-induced steatosis and apoptosis in neonatal rats. Pregnant Sprague- Dawley rats at gestational days 14 to 21were administered dexamethasone. Acute effects of prenatal programming liverwere assessed at postnatal day 7. The expression of proteins involved in the apoptotic and methylation pathways was analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Apoptosis and steatosis were examined by histology staining. The liver steatosis and apoptosis were increased in prenatal glucocorticoid group more than in control group and decreased in melatonin group. The expression of leptin decreased in prenatal glucocorticoid and increased in melatonin group by liver RT-PCR and Western blot study. Caspase 3, TNF-α proteins expression, and TUNEL stains increased in prenatal glucocorticoid compared with control and decreased in melatonin group. The liver histone deacetylase, DNA methyltransferase activity, and DNA methylation were increased in prenatal glucocorticoid and decreased in melatonin group. The present study showed that the prenatal glucocorticoid induced programming liver steatosis at day 7 after delivery, possibly via altered leptin expression. Melatonin can reverse the methylation of leptin and decreased liver steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of this study was to identify relevant quality of life (QOL) issues in patients with head and neck cancer receiving multimodal and/or targeted therapies. Methods The literature was searched for QOL issues reported after multimodal and/or targeted therapies resulting in a list of potentially relevant issues. These were discussed within a multiprofessional expert group, revised, and subsequently rated for relevance by patients and health care providers. Results Twenty-seven issues were extracted that are not covered by the current version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires. Interviews (96 health care providers from 13 countries, 137 patients from 8 countries) revealed that 26 of these issues were relevant for patients with head and neck cancer. Conclusions Studies investigating targeted and/or multimodal therapy should consider that some QOL issues specific to these treatments are not covered by the current version of the EORTC instruments. Consequently, the EORTC head and neck cancer module is currently in revision. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Informational needs among cancer patients are similar, but the degree of information disclosure in different cultural areas varies. In this paper, we present the results of a cross-cultural study on information received. Methods The EORTC information questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-INFO25, was administered during the treatment process. This questionnaire evaluates the information that patients report they have received. Cross-cultural differences in information have been evaluated using statistical tests such as Kruskall-Wallis and multivariate models with covariates to account for differences in clinical and demographic characteristics across areas. Results Four hundred and fifty-one patients from three cultural areas, North-Middle Europe, South Europe, and Taiwan, were included in the study. Significant differences among the three cultural areas appeared in eight QLQ-INFO25 dimensions: information about the disease; medical tests; places of care; written information; information on CD/tape/video; satisfaction; wish for more information; and information helpfulness. North-Middle Europe patients received more written information (mean = 67.2 (North) and 33.8 (South)) and South Europe patients received more information on different places of care (mean = 24.7 (North) and 35.0 (South)). Patients from North-Middle Europe and South Europe received more information than patients from Taiwan about the disease (mean = 57.9, 60.6, and 47.1, respectively) and medical tests (70.9, 70.4, and 54.5), showed more satisfaction (64.8, 70.2, and 35.0), and considered the information more helpful (71.9, 73.9, and 50.4). These results were confirmed when adjusting for age, education, and disease stage. Conclusion There are cross-cultural differences in information received. Some of these differences are based on the characteristics of each culture. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NASA's MODIS global snow-covered area (SCA) products are one of the mission's major objectives that frequently contain cloud hindrances, which degrade their practical usability. Many techniques have been developed to mitigate the problem but with no assurance of eliminating all of the clouds. An image-processing algorithm with its kernel based on the variational interpolation theorem is developed to automatically obtain cloud-free dynamic SCA maps from MODIS. Two cases consisting of "accumulation" and "melting" phases are processed and validated using observations at 121 ground-snow sensors over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. The results show that the algorithm cleared all the cloud hindrance over the period of study. In terms of accuracy, the retrieved cloud-free snow cover for the accumulation case had an average omission error of around 22.5% and average commission error of around 2.1%, as compared to all available ground sensors. These high percentages of errors basically came from the input data of Terra and Aqua, which had omission errors of 14.3% and 20.2% (and the commission errors of ~0.5%), respectively. For the melting case, when there were fewer clouds and hence more sensors available, the errors of omission and commission between the algorithm and direct observations from Terra and Aqua were close to each other (5.7-5.0% for omission and 0% for commission). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objective of this international field study was to test the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-BM22 module to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with bone metastases. METHODS: Patients undergoing a variety of bone metastases-specific treatments were accrued. The QLQ-BM22 was administered with the QLQ-C30 at baseline and at 1 follow-up time point internationally. A debriefing questionnaire was administered to determine patient acceptability and understanding. RESULTS: Large-scale field testing of the QLQ-BM22 in addition to the QLQ-C30 took place in 7 countries: Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, France, India, and Taiwan. A total of 400 patients participated. Multitrait scaling analyses confirmed 4 scales in the 22-item module. The scales were able to discriminate between clinically distinct patient groups, such as between those with a poor and those with a better performance status. The QLQ-BM22 was well received in all 7 countries, and the majority of patients did not recommend any significant changes from the module in its current form. CONCLUSIONS: The final QLQ-BM22 module contains 22 items and 4 scales assessing Painful Sites, Painful Characteristics, Functional Interference, and Psychosocial Aspects. Results confirmed the validity, reliability, cross-cultural applicability, and sensitivity of the 22-item EORTC QLQ-BM22. It is therefore recommended that the QLQ-BM22 be used in addition to the QLQ-C30 in clinical trials to assess HRQOL in patients with bone metastases. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airway bacterial infections pose a significant challenge to the management of COPD, a disease mainly caused by cigarette smoking. However, the mechanisms of impaired airway mucosal innate immunity against bacteria in COPD remain unclear. We examined the effect of cigarette smoke on prostaglandin E (PGE) and downstream epithelial host defence mechanisms including the antimicrobial substance human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2). Brushed bronchial epithelial cells were obtained from healthy smokers and individuals with COPD, and cultured under air-liquid interface conditions with or without exposure to whole cigarette smoke (WCS) or Moraxella catarrhalis (Mc) infection. Bacterial load, hBD-2 (a molecule known to kill Mc) and PGE were measured. WCS decreased Mc-induced hBD-2 expression and increased Mc load on bronchial epithelial cells from healthy smokers and COPD patients. Moreover, WCS inhibited PGE induction following Mc. PGE was shown to increase hBD-2 production in bronchial epithelial cells from healthy smokers, but not from COPD patients. The results suggest that in well-differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells, WCS may impair host defence against Mc in part through inhibiting PGE production. We determined the impact of cigarette smoke on cultured human (smokers and COPD patients) bronchial epithelial cell innate immune response to Moraxella catarrhalis infection. Cigarette smoke increased bacterial load, but decreased prostaglandin E (PGE). Furthermore, PGE directly enhanced the production of human β-defensin-2, a well-known bactericidal molecule. Our results help clarify the role of PGE in mucosal innate immunity of COPD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IL-2-inducible T cell kinase plays an essential role in T cell receptor signaling and is considered a drug target for the treatment of Th2-mediated inflammatory diseases. By applying high-throughput protein engineering and crystallization, we have determined the X-ray crystal structures of IL-2-inducible T cell kinase in complex with its selective inhibitor BMS-509744 and the broad-spectrum kinase inhibitors sunitinib and RO5191614. Sunitinib uniquely stabilizes IL-2-inducible T cell kinase in the helix C-in conformation by inducing side chain conformational changes in the ATP-binding site. This preference of sunitinib to bind to an active kinase conformation is reflective of its broad-spectrum kinase activity. BMS-509744 uniquely stabilizes the activation loop in a substrate-blocking inactive conformation, indicating that structural changes described for Src family kinases are also involved in the regulation of IL-2-inducible T cell kinase activity. The observed BMS-509744 binding mode allows rationalization of structure-activity relationships reported for this inhibitor class and facilitates further structure-based drug design. Sequence-based analysis of this binding mode provides guidance for the rational design of inhibitor selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Taiwan Chinese Version of the EORTC QLQ-OV28. Methods: The authors translated the questionnaire according to the guideline of the EORTC. A total of 96 patients with ovarian cancer in National Taiwan University Hospital were interviewed with the questionnaire and the EORTC QLQ-C30 between September 2004 and September 2007. Answer distribution and psychometric properties of the EORTC QLQ-OV28 were examined. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54 (standard deviation 12 years). Most of the patients were in FIGO stages III or IV. Two thirds were on-treatment (chemotherapy). Items for gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, menopausal symptoms, and sexuality showed more flooring effects than others. Missing values were frequent in further questions about sexual activity. After excluding conditional questions, the Cronbach's alpha coefficients of most scales were satisfactory (0.74–0.89), except other chemotherapy side effects (0.63) and menopausal symptoms (0.39). The item-to-own and item-to-other scales correlation showed satisfactory results. Patients who were on-treatment had significantly poorer quality of life (QoL) scores in most symptom scales. Conclusions: The EORTC QLQ-OV28 is a valid instrument to assess QoL issues of patients with ovarian cancer in Taiwan, a country of a different culture. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To evaluate the reliability and construct validity of a Taiwan Chinese version of the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ 25) in patients with visual impairment. Methods The NEI-VFQ 25 was translated and adapted into the Taiwan Chinese version. In total, 222 patients responded to the questionnaire. To examine reliability, Cronbach's alpha for each subscale was used as an index of internal consistency. Test–retest reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients. Regarding construct validity, both convergent and discriminant validities were calculated by means of multi-trait analysis. Clinical validity was examined by correlation of clinical measurements and subscale scores and known-groups comparison. Finally, correlation between different subscales was examined to evaluate hypothetical relationship between subscales. Results Five patient groups were studied, each including participants with a single cause of visual impairment. Group 1 consisted of 53 cataract patients; group 2 included 51 subjects with glaucoma; group 3 included 36 subjects with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD); and group 4 included 48 subjects with diabetic retinopathy. Thirty-four individuals with uncorrected refractive error comprised the control group. NEI-VFQ scores (mean ± SD) for the cataract, glaucoma, ARMD, diabetic retinopathy and control groups were: 73.5 ± 17.1, 69.2 ± 20.4, 62.3 ± 23.7, 63.7 ± 20.8 and 80.7 ± 12.0, respectively. Item analysis revealed moderate data skewing. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of subscales ranged from 0.956 (mental health) to 0.964 (near activities). Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.41 (driving) to 0.846 (distance activities). All items passed the convergent and discriminant validity tests. Moderate correlations were detected between visual acuity and the ‘general vision’, ‘distance activities’ and ‘near activities’ subscales. Significant correlations were detected between visual field deficits and the vision associated subscales. Conclusion This study revealed that the Taiwan Chinese version of the NEI-VFQ 25 is a valid and reliable instrument to measure vision-related quality of life in patients with visual impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the associations between economic, social, psychological factors, and health-related quality of life of hemodialysis patients. Cross-sectional study design was used. End-stage renal disease patients who had received maintenance hemodialysis for more than 2 months at 14 centers in northern Taiwan were invited to participate. Demographic, economic, and psychosocial data of patients were collected. Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. Health-related quality of life was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed. Eight hundred sixty-one patients (373 males, mean age 59.4 ± 13.2 years) completed the study. Higher monthly income was positively associated with role emotional and mental health ( P < 0.05), and so was increased frequency of social activities with social functioning ( P < 0.05). The more worries, the stronger the inverse associations with social functioning ( P < 0.05) and mental health ( P < 0.01). Higher depression scores were associated with lower scores of all Short-Form 36 dimensions ( P < 0.01). Higher monthly income and increased social activities are associated with better health-related quality of life, whereas more worries and higher depression scores are associated with worse health-related quality of life of hemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The relatively high incidence of gastric cancer in Taiwan warranted the need of a disease-specific quality of life (QOL) instrument. We translated the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 according to the guidelines from the EORTC. A total of 100 patients were interviewed. Convergent and discriminant validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and known-groups comparisons were used to examine the reliability and validity. We found good reliability for multi-item subscales of the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.70–0.94) except cognitive functioning of the QLQ-C30 and eating restriction of the QLQ-STO22. Patients in the active treatment group experienced compromised functional status and worse treatment-associated symptoms than those in the follow-up group. Similar results were found in comparisons based on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status and dysphagia grades. The study has ascertained the cross-cultural validity, reliability and clinical applicability of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives The improvement of survival with time for cancers has been observed worldwide. However, whether and to what extent such an improvement is attributed to early detection or the advance in medical technology is barely addressed. Method We developed a novel graphic method to calculate attributable proportions related to two factors. This graphic method was first to calculate adjusted survival curve by the application of direct standardized epidemiological method to tumour staging. The crude survival curve was then compared with the adjusted survival curve. Results Cumulative survival curves of two time epochs, 1989–1993 (period 1) and 1994–1998 (period 2), on six common cancers collected from cancer registry of National Taiwan University between 1989 and 1998, were compared. The attributable proportions due to early detection and medical care were 77% and 23% for breast cancer, 50% and 50% for cervical cancer, 52% and 48% for colorectal cancer, 76% and 24% for gastric cancer, 66% and 34% for liver cancer, and 30% and 70% for prostate cancer respectively. Conclusion Distinguishing between early detection from advance in medical care associated with the improvement of survival trend using our graphic method has a significant implication for secondary and tertiary prevention of common cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathway of the iodination of methoxybenzene by electrophilic iodine monochloride (ICl) was studied by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6–311G* and MP2/6–311G*//B3LYP/6–311G* levels. The iodination occurs in the position para to the methoxy group, and proceeds in two steps. Initially, a π-complex forms between ICl and aromatic ring of methoxybenzene. With a barrier of 60.81 kcal mol-1 (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ), the π-complex can be activated to an intermediate σ-complex with energy 42.02 kcal mol-1 higher than that of the π-complex. The σ-complex then transforms easily (barrier 3.56 kcal mol-1) into the final products, 1-iodo-4-methoxybenzene and HCl. The total iodination is slightly exothermic. Accompanying to the I&bond;Cl bond breaking and C&bond;I bond formation, a hydrogen atom migrates first to iodine and then to chlorine. According to NBO charge, Wiberg bond index and molecular orbital analysis, both charge separation and charge transfer occur during the iodination. Solvent effects were examined with the IEFPCM method and the B3LYP/6–311G* level. The results imply that polar solvents should play a key role in lowering the energy barrier, and favor the ion-pair route of the iodination reaction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dry eye is a very common ocular disease characterized by eye dryness and photophobia. It often influences the patient's normal life. This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of the Chinese herb, Chi-Ju-Di-Huang-Wan, for treatment of dry eye patients. It is one of the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbs used for eyes, however, there are no scientific reports about its effect. Methods: This study included 80 dry eye patients. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group was treated with topical eye drops and Chi-Ju-Di-Huan-Wan. The control group was given topical eye drops and placebo. All patients received tear film examinations including Schirmer's test, Rose Bengal test, fluorescein stain test, break up time test and questionnaires. Results: The results of the tear film tests were analysed by two independent t-tests between the two groups. No significant differences between the two groups according to the Schirmer's test were found. There was a significant difference in the Rose Bengal test at week 2 and tear break up time at week 4 ( p = 0.04, 0.04, individually). Conclusion: Chi-Ju-Di-Huang-Wan is an effective stabilizer of tear film and decreases the abnormality of corneal epithelium. It provides an alternative choice for dry eye treatment. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3) and EORTC QLQ-BR23. The authors followed the guidelines of translation and pilot testing of the questionnaires. The questionnaires were given to 35 breast cancer patients under active treatment and 54 under follow-up at the National Taiwan University Hospital from November 2000 to October 2001. A retest was conducted one to two weeks after the first interview/form completion for the follow-up group. The intraclass correlation coefficients of the two questionnaires were moderate to high in the follow-up group. The Cronbach's α coefficients of most scales of the two questionnaires were ≥ 0.70 except that of physical functioning (0.68), cognitive functioning (0.53), and arm symptoms (0.59). Correlations of scales measuring similar dimensions of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the SF-36 were moderate. Patients in the active treatment group had more serious QOL problems due to disease and treatment. Results of this study showed that the Taiwan Chinese version of the two questionnaires had good test/retest reliability, high internal consistency in most scales, and could show the expected differences between patients in active chemotherapy and follow-up group. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE The CTLA4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4) gene encodes the T cell receptor involved in the control of T cell proliferation and mediates T cell apoptosis. Thus it is a strong candidate gene for T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. There is polymorphism at position 49 in exon 1 of the CTLA4 gene, providing a A–G exchange. This polymorphism is reportedly associated with type 1 diabetes in Caucasians but not in a small data set of Chinese. We wished to test this polymorphism in a larger and more homogeneous data set of Chinese children with type 1 diabetes and normal adult controls. DESIGN A population-based case-control study of a CTLA4 gene 49 A–G polymorphism was performed to look for an association with type 1 diabetes in Chinese children. PATIENTS We analysed this polymorphism in 253 unrelated children (128 boys) with type 1 diabetes (age at diagnosis 7.1 ± 3.7 years) and 91 randomly selected normal adults. All individuals were Han Chinese. RESULTS The genotype and gene frequencies of children with type 1 diabetes differed significantly from those of adult controls (P = 0.0091 and P = 0.0051, respectively). Genotype CTLA4 49 G/G and G allele conferred a risk of type 1 diabetes (RR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.31–3.46, P = 0.0022; RR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.17–2.43, P = 0.0051, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that CTLA4 49 A–G polymorphism is associated with type 1 diabetes in Han Chinese children. The CTLA4 49 G allele confers an increased risk of type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bridged alcohol systems are synthesized by reductive [3 + 2] cycloaddition of cyclic enones with alkynes in the presence of Co salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]