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Background Xerostomia caused by radiation-induced salivary glands injury has a considerable impact on patients’ quality of life. Nowadays, the existed different methods of evaluating xerostomia in clinical practice there are still some disadvantages and limitations. This study used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) with gustatory stimulation to assess salivary glands function after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods DW-MRI was performed in 30 NPC patients and swab method was used to calculate rest and stimulated salivary flow rates (SFR). DW sequence at rest and then repeated ten times during stimulation were obtained. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) maps of three glands were calculated. Patients before and after RT were recorded as xerostomia and non-xerostomia groups separately. Rest and stimulated ADCs, ADCs increase rates (IRs), time to maximum ADCs (Tmax), ADCs change rates (CRs), rest and stimulated SFR, SFR increase rates (IRs) and SFR change rates (CRs) before and after RT were assessed. Results The rest and stimulated ADCs of three glands after RT were higher than those before RT (p p p = 0.019, p = 0.009), stimulated ADCs and stimulated SFR in parotid glands before RT (p = 0.047). The rest ADCs of parotid glands after RT correlated to XQ scores (p = 0.037). Conclusions The salivary glands’ ADCs increased after RT both in rest and stimulated state due to the radiation injury and the ADCs correlated with SFR and XQ scores of evaluating the xerostomia in clinical practice.

To investigate the appropriate time and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) parameters for predicting delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI) following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH).All patients underwent baseline CTP within 24 hours and follow-up CTP on day 4 and day 7 after aSAH. The quantitative and semi-quantitative parameters, cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), relative CBV and CBF (rCBV, rCBF), and MTT and TTP difference (ΔMTT, ΔTTP) were compared between the DCI and non-DCI (NDCI) groups at the three time points.Thirty-nine patients were included. Twelve patients developed DCI. CBF, rCBF, and ΔMTT were significantly different in the DCI group among all time points (p0.05), but these parameters did not significantly change from day 4 to day 7. CBF and rCBF in the DCI group were lower than in the NDCI group. ΔMTT in the DCI group was longer than in the NDCI group, but significant differences were only found in the two follow-up CTPs (both p0.05). The optimal threshold values distinguishing DCI and NDCI were 40.1 ml/100 g/min for CBF, 0.90 for rCBF and 0.33 seconds for ΔMTT. The follow-up CTP on day 4 was an appropriate time to predict DCI after aSAH.The follow-up CTP on day 4 after aSAH can be helpful for the early identification of DCI. CBF, rCBF, and ΔMTT were found to be the best prognosticators for the development of DCI.

The low voltage Charge-Coupled MOSFET with deep-submicron technology is fabricated with extra thick trench oxide process. The extra process module consists of thick oxide growth in trench, resist coating, resist expose to control thick oxide height in trench which would finally affect the break down voltage of the device. The effects of trench length, thickness of the thick trench oxide layer and cell pitch size on the breakdown voltage were discussed in this work. This low voltage Charge-Coupled MOSFET with deep-submicron technology provides an approach to achieve the significantly smaller specific on-resistance at the same break down voltage that obtained on the conventional trench MOSFET by using a greater doping concentration in the drift region.

With the rapid development of Super-junction(SJ) process in MOSFET, it is more and more widely used in power switcher area, and the performance of on resistance and switch speed became lower and faster[1]. The structure becomes more and more compacted. The pitch of SJ structure is becoming more and more narrow to fit the developing trend, thus more gross dies can be got and the cost will be reduced. HuaHong Grace(HHGRACE) has developed its own deep trench SJ MOSFET platform, and has optimzied the process to make the platform keeping up with the technology developing trend. For the SJ MOSFET platform, it has gone through 3 periods: Generation L0(16μm pitch@RSP 24mohm-cm2), 2.0(11pm pitch@RSP 18mohm-cm2) and 3.0(9μm pitch@RSP Umohm-cm2). Now HHGRACE is developing the 7μm pitch SJ process technology, and it can get RSP 10mohm-cm2 now. This paper describes the deep trench SJ developing history and new direction, also the achievements during the process optimization for 7μm pitch deep trench SJ structure.

To evaluate the worth of solid predictors in acute intracerebral hematoma(ICH) expansions in computer tomography images.A total of 105 patients with acute ICH in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University during January 2012 to February 2015 were enrolled. CT plain scan, CTA within 6 hours since the symptoms and CT plain scan recheck within 24 hours were executed. Hematoma location, initial volume of hematoma, shape of hematoma, "spot sign" , UHG speed were analyzed with single factor and binary Logistic regression between the patients with and without hematoma expansion.There were 30 cases with hematoma expansion and 75 cases with no hematoma expansion in 105 patients. In single factor comparisons, hematoma location(χ(2) =13.125, P0.05), hematoma shape(χ(2) =23.987, P0.05), spot sign(χ(2) =25.846, P0.05), UHG speed(χ(2) =20.328, P0.05) and the initial hematoma volume(t=-3.183, P0.05) between the hematoma expansions and the non-hematoma expansions made significant differences. In binary Logistic regression, hematoma shape(irregular (P=0.033) and cleavage(P=0.009)), spot sign(P=0.000) and UHG speed(P=0.040) had significant differences between the two groups. ROC curve areas of hematoma shape, spot sign and UHG speed were 0.776(95%CI 0.682-0.870), 0.740(95%CI 0.625-0.855) and 0.720(95% CI 0.604-0.836). The high specificities of hematoma shape(84%), spot sign (88%)and UHG speed(84%)revealed their great reliabilities with equal sensitivity (60%).Hematoma shape, spot sign and UHG speed are solid predictors of hematoma expansion among which spot sign has promising specificity, hematoma shape and UHG speed are more convenient to be observed.

The results of kinetic studies on ligand substitution in [M3(CO)11X]− complexes (M = Ru, Os; X = Cl, Br, I) are summarized. The [Os3(CO)11X]− complexes react with PPh3 under mild conditions to initially yield monosubstituted products [Os3(CO)10(PPh3)X]−. The rate of CO substitution obeys a first-order equation with respect to the concentration of the complex and does not depend on the ligand concentration. The rates of the reactions decrease in the order Cl > Br > I withΔH≠ values increasing from 15 to 18 kcal mol−1 and ΔS≠ values varying from −19 to −13 cal mol−1 K−1. The enhanced reactivities of these complexes as well as the low activation energies and negative activation entropies are discussed in terms of the effects of μ-X bridge formation on the transition state of the reaction. Reactions of PPN[Ru3(CO)11−x(Cl)] (PPN is the bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium cation;x=0, 1) and PPN[Ru3(CO)9(μ3-I)] with alkynes are also reported. The reactivities of alkynes follow the order BuC≡CH ≥ PhC≡CH ≥ EtC≡CEt ≥ PhC≡CPh. The higher rates of the reactions of monosubstituted acetylenes compared with those of their disubstituted analogs are explained by agostic interaction between the metal atom and the C-H bond in the reaction transition state and by steric effects. The results obtained attest that the reaction with alkynes occursvia intermediates containing halide bridges and that μ3-halide complexes are more reactive than μ2-halide complexes.

SiO2/Ge:SiO2/SiO2 sandwiched structure was fabricated for exploring efficient light emission. After annealed in N2 (O2

Epidemiologic studies have suggested that elderly patients who consumed diets rich in antioxidants throughout their lives are less likely to be afflicted with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This led to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, which showed that supplements containing antioxidant vitamins and zinc reduce the risk of progression to severe stages of AMD. Despite these data that indirectly implicate oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of AMD, there has not been any direct demonstration of increased oxidative damage in the retinas of patients with AMD. In this study, we used biomarkers of oxidative damage in postmortem eyes from patients with AMD and comparably aged patients without AMD to directly assess for oxidative damage. Sections from 4 eyes with no pathologic features of AMD showed no immunofluorescent staining for markers of oxidative damage, while sections from 8 of 12 eyes with advanced geographic atrophy showed evidence of widespread oxidative damage in both posterior and anterior retina. Only 2 of 8 eyes with choroidal neovascularization and 2 of 16 eyes with diffuse drusen and no other signs of AMD showed evidence of oxidative damage. These data suggest that widespread oxidative damage occurs in the retina of some patients with AMD and is more likely to be seen in patients with advanced geographic atrophy. This does not rule out oxidative damage as a pathogenic mechanism in patients with CNV, but suggests that a subpopulation of patients with geographic atrophy may have a major deficiency in the oxidative defense system that puts the majority of cells in the retina at risk for oxidative damage.

To investigate the relationship between hepatitis B virus genotypes and basic core promoter (BCP)/precore mutations in patients with severe hepatitis.HBV genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 52 patients with severe hepatitis and 52 cases with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Eight samples of genotypes B and C were randomly selected and their S gene was directly sequenced, and then their phylogenetic trees were analyzed. Fifteen samples of each of genotypes B and C were randomly selected and their BCP and precore genes were directly sequenced with PCR, and then the relationship between genotypes and BCP(T1762/A1764)/precore (A1896) mutations were analyzed.Genotype B C and mixed genotypes (B and C) were detected in patients with severe hepatitis in Quanzhou area. Genotype B was the majority with a proportion 48.08% others had a proportion 30.77% and 17.31%, respectively. Genotype A, E and F were not detected. The percents of genotype C, mixed B and C in severe hepatitis were significantly higher than that in CHB. The double mutation in BCP (T1762/A1764) was significantly more frequent in severe hepatitis with genotype C than that in genotype B (P less than 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of precore mutant with A1896 between genotype B and C patients (P greater than 0.05).Genotype C may induce more severe liver inflammation than that genotype B may do. Mixed genotypes B and C infection may be an important determinant of inducing severe hepatitis. The double mutation in BCP (T1762/A1764) was more common in severe hepatitis with genotype C than that with genotype B.

Objective: Although technological advances combined with many surgical innovations have helped to minimize its occurrence, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak still remains to be one of the most common postoperative complications following microvascular decompression (MVD) surgeries. The objectives of this study are 1) to detail our experience with the clinical application of artificial dura mater for the avoidance of CSF leaks in a group of 103 patients who underwent MVD surgeries and 2) to compare the results of CSF leak and deep wound infection between the group with and one without using artificial dura mater. Methods: From July, 2002 to June, 2004 217 consecutive patients who underwent MVD surgeries for hemifacial spasm or trigeminal neuralgia in our center were enrolled into this study. Among them, 103 patients underwent the application of artificial dura mater (Neuro-patch®) in the surgical closure procedure to prevent postoperative CSF leak. The handling techniques were detailed and the postoperative results were evaluated. The follow-up period was at least 6 months. Results: No postoperative CSF leak occurred in the group of patients receiving artificial dura mater whereas 6 cases of CSF leak (2 otorrhea, 2 rhinorrea and 2 CSF wound leak) were found in the group not receiving artificial dura mater. There was no statistical difference of wound infection rates found between these two groups, 1.9 % vs. 2.6 %. Conclusions: The use of the artificial dura mater in the closure procedure of MVD surgery seems to be a safe and effective way to prevent CSF leaks. However, further investigations on a larger number of cases still need to be done to substantiate its validity.

To build a 3D structural model of memapsin 2 (M2) protease for theoretical study and drug design.Structural alignment was performed based on multiple and pairwise sequence alignment of three templates. After the initial model was generated, energy minimization was completed by applying molecular mechanics method. Molecular dynamics (MD) technique was used to do further structural optimization.The 3D structural model of memapsin 2 was constructed. The model is reasonable according to several validation criteria. The active-site motifs of M2 are structurally supported by a beta-sheet rich domain and linked together with this domain through alpha helices. Tyr132 contained in beta-hairpin is a general characteristic of aspartic protease. The Calpha atom superimposing result is a direct verification that M2 is structurally unique but still belongs to the aspartic protease superfamily.The 3D-structure model from our study is informative to guide future molecular biology study about M2 and drug design based on database searching.

The goal of this study was to characterize the importance of splanchnic viscera in liver ischemic reperfusion injury and to enhance the tolerance of liver to warm ischemia injury with portosystemic shunt.The hepatic blood flow of male Sprague Dawley rats was subjected to 45, 60, 120, and 150 min liver warm ischemia with or without portosystemic shunt (splenic-caval shunt). The production of tumor necrosis factor a (TNFa), nuclear factor-kappaB activation, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression, and apoptosis were examined.A total of 67% of rats with 45 min liver warm ischemia (n=6) and 100% of rats with 60 min liver warm ischemia (n=6) died within 1 day. However, all rats with 120 min (n=8) liver warm ischemia in splenic-caval shunt group survived for over 1 day, 6/8 for over 3 days, and 5/8 for over 5 days without significant histological changes of the liver. Serum tumor necrosis factor levels in liver warm ischemic rats were increased, This increase was significantly reversed after portosystemic shunt. After challenge with lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/kg, p.v.), naive rats survived for over 5 days (n=4) with the peak value of rat tumor necrosis factor (240 pg/ml) at 90 min. In contrast, all rats died within one day (n=5) with the peak value of rat tumor necrosis factor a (465 pg/ml) at 45 min after administration of lipopolysaccharide in the rats with liver warm ischemia plus splenic-caval shunt. iNOS expression and nuclear factor-kappaB activation were very strongly increased in the hepatocytes after liver warm ischemia with portosystemic shunt, compared with liver ischemia without portosytemic shunt.We conclude that the splanchnic viscera can contribute to liver ischemic reperfusion injury. Portosystemic shunt enhances the tolerance of liver to warm ischemia through the protective role of iNOS and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB).

Eleven betulin derivatives were prepared and evaluated for anti-HIV activity in H9 lymphocytes. Compound 4 was found to be the most active with EC50 and TI values of 0.00066 microM and 21,515, respectively.

Commercial Allium sativum (garlic) extract was given intravenously to two patients with cryptococcal meningitis and three patients with other types of meningitis. Plasma titers of anti-Cryptococcus neoformans activity rose twofold over preinfusion titers. Anti-C. neoformans activity was detected in four of five cerebrospinal fluid samples but not in pooled normal cerebrospinal fluid.

Leflunomide [Lef: N-(4-trifluoro-methyphenyl)-5-methylisoxazole-4-carbox-amidel] is a pro-drug with immunomodulatory activities that were initially described in experimental models of autoimmune disease, and subsequently in models of allograft and xenograft rejection (reviewed in [1, 2]). Leflunomide is an isoxazole derivative that is rapidly metabolized to the active metabolite, A77 1726 [2 cyano-3-hydroxy-N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)butenamide)], in the intestinal mucosa or liver. A77 1726 belongs to a class of compounds, classified as malononitriloamides, that are structurally unrelated to other known immunosuppressive agents. In vitro studies indicate that A77 1726 inhibits the proliferation of T cells and B cells as well as other cell types [1]. In addition, A77 1726 inhibits the expression of cytotoxic activity by T cells and IgG production by B cells in vitro [3,4]. Biochemical studies have described at least two activities of A77 1726 [4–7]: inhibition of the enzymatic activities of selected protein tyrosine kinases and inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, the fourth enzyme in the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. Recent studies performed by our group indicate that both these activities should be monitored and that both contribute to the immunosuppressive activity of Lef in vivo [3, 4, 8].

Eleven cases of midline malignant reticulosis were studied morphologically, and the monoclonal antibodies used were capable of phenotyping malignant lymphomas in routinely fixed and processed tissue, such as the leukocyte common antigen (LCA), pan-T cell marker UCHL-1 and pan-B cell marker Ki-B3 etc. The results indicated that the 11 cases of midline malignant reticulosis were peripheral T cell lymphomas. According to the updated Kiel's classification, 7 cases were low grade pleomorphic small cell type; the other 4 cases were high grade pleomorphic medium and large cell type of peripheral T cell lymphoma. The diagnosis, differential diagnosis, cell origin and gradation of midline malignant reticulosis are discussed.