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The long-term effect of radiation on pancreas has been mostly studied for pediatric patients with the lack of individual radiation dosimetric data. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on the risk of newly developed diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (GML) using individual radiation dosimetric analysis. We retrospectively reviewed 225 patients without history of DM who received curative aim treatment for stage IE GML between August 2007 and June 2020. Involved site RT to the whole stomach was delivered in 83 patients (36.9%). The pancreas was delineated in each patient's computerized tomography scan for dosimetric analysis. At a median follow-up time of 49.0 months (range, 3.0-155.3 months), the 3-year cumulative incidence of DM was 3.9% in all patients, and 7.9% and 1.6% in patients who received and did not receive RT, respectively (p=0.009). The mean pancreatic dose (D mean) was independently associated with DM (p=0.027). As a result of recursive partitioning analysis, patients were classified into low (D mean <21 Gy), intermediate (D mean ≥21 Gy and BMI <27.0kg/m2), and high-risk groups (D mean ≥21 Gy and BMI ≥27.0kg/m2) with 5-year DM incidence of 1.5%, 6.3%, and 54.3%, respectively (p<0.001). Our results indicate that incidental irradiation to the pancreas can increase the risk of DM, which was dependent on pancreas D mean. In addition, not only reducing pancreas D mean but also controlling BMI may need to be combined to effectively prevent DM after RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Discrepancy between a patient's subjective thermal symptoms and objective measured temperature value is common in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in clinical settings. For that reason, the diagnostic validity of a single temperature measurement method has been criticised. Several studies showed that the perfusion index (PI), which is derived from pulse oximetry, is a more sensitive and earlier indicator of sympathetic blockade than temperature measurement.Methods: Forty-six participants (CRPS group, n=23; healthy control group, n=23) were enrolled. CRPS patients with subjective sensation of coldness on the affected side were chosen for this study. Temperature and PI were measured at the affected and contralateral hands in the CRPS group, and right and left hands in the healthy control group. To evaluate each method's efficacy for detecting thermal symptoms, differences in the parameters (temperature: ΔT, PI: ΔPI) were compared with receiver operating characteristic curves.Results: ΔPI was significantly larger in the CRPS compared with the healthy control group (P=0.002), but ΔT was not (P=0.171). The accuracy of PI measurement for reflecting thermal symptoms was good (area under the curve for ΔPI: 0.873, P<0.0001). The optimal cut off value of ΔPI was calculated as 0.50% with a sensitivity of 78.26%, whereas the sensitivity of ΔT using the conventional criterion of ≥1°C was only 34.78%.Conclusions: The accuracy of detection of subjective abnormal thermal sensations was superior for PI compared with the temperature measurement method. PI was a more sensitive measure for detecting vasomotor symptoms in CRPS compared with temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To investigate nurses' opinions and practices of providing information in a global context through cultural comparison. Background and Introduction Providing sufficient information to patients about nursing interventions and plans is essential for patient-centred care. While many countries have specific legislation making information delivery to patients a legal duty of nurses, no such legislation exists in both the Republic of Korea and Italy; nurses' only guidance is the deontological code. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey study involving a convenience sample of 174 Korean nurses and 121 Italian nurses working in internal medicine and surgery at university hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire between February and November 2014. The questionnaire assessed demographic and professional characteristics, and difficulties and practices regarding information provision. Results Korean and Italian nurses significantly differed in all demographic and professional characteristics. More Korean than Italian participants reported that their role in providing information was well explained within their teams, but both groups reported the same level and type of difficulties in delivering information. Nurses in both countries regularly informed patients about medications and nursing procedures, but provided information about nursing care plans less frequently. Few nurses frequently provided information to relatives instead of patients. Conclusions Despite cultural, demographic and professional differences between Korean and Italian nurses, their difficulties and practices in information delivery to patient were similar. Implications for nursing and health policy Hospital managers and policymakers should be aware that nurse-patient communication can be impaired by organizational factors, patient characteristics or the interaction among providers. Educational interventions and strategies are needed to increase information provision to patients about nursing care plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, friction stir butt welding of ultra thin 430M2 ferritic stainless steel sheets with satisfactory joint properties has been achieved using a pinless WC-Co tool. Friction stir welding was carried out at a tool rotational speed of 900 rpm and a travel speed of 96 mm/min. FSW joints were welded completely without any unwelded zone resulting from smooth material flow, despite of being adopted pinless tool. It was revealed that the maximum tensile strength of FSW welds was 468 MPa, equivalent to the tensile strength of base metal. Notably, it was found that sigma phase formation in FSW welds is suppressed compared with that of arc welds, resulting in improving joint strength. These results suggest that the low input process of FSW is an effective substitute for the conventional fusion welding GTAW in ultra thin ferritic stainless steel plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review describes the current understanding and the potential use of mesenchymal stromal cells ( MSCs) in cell-based therapies for clinical management of difficult wounds and other dermatoses. MSCs have been shown to possess many advantageous properties that make them a promising therapeutic modality in dermatology still under investigation. In fact, MSCs' ability to promote wound healing through its paracrine function and pro-angiogenic properties have generated increasing interest for treating acute and chronic wounds. There is also great interest in utilizing MSCs' immunological characteristics for therapeutic use especially for patients with debilitating systemic autoimmune and inflammatory skin conditions who have failed other therapies. Its role in aesthetics has also been explored with clinical data showing improvement of acne scars and wrinkles from photoaging. Clinical trials are underway investigating the safety and efficacy of MSCs in the treatment of different skin conditions such as acute burns, diabetic and venous stasis ulcers, epidermolysis bullosa and systemic sclerosis, among others. We anticipate that as our understanding of the characteristics and function of MSCs grow, so will its role in cell-based treatments of dermatological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate which subset of patients with oligometastatic lung adenocarcinoma would benefit from local ablative radiotherapy (LART). 274 patients diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with three or fewer metastases at the timing of LART were enrolled. Histology other than adenocarcinoma (n=56), patients who did not undergo systemic therapy (n=23) at the time of RT, who had uncontrolled brain metastases (n=20) were excluded. Thus, a total of 175 patients were included. Among these patients, some patients received LART as 1st line treatment and were defined as the oligometastasis group. The rest of the patients received LART when presented with oligoprogression in spite of other treatments. We classified these patients as the olioprogression group. Single-fraction cumulative doses ≥ 12 Gy, 3-fraction doses ≥ 24 Gy, 5-fraction doses ≥ 30 Gy were regarded as LART. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end point was overall survival (OS). In the oligometastasis group (N=53), 25 patients (47.2%) presented with EGFR mutation, 4 patients (7.5%) with ALK positive status and 9 patients (17.0%) with ROS1. Thirty-seven patients (69.8%) had single metastatic lesions, and 12 patients (22.6%) had two lesions. Bone metastasis was the most commonly treated site (63.0%) followed by lung (27.8%). Among these patients, 38 patients (71.7%) received LART to all sites of gross disease, and we defined it as all metastatic site RT. The median follow-up time was 20.2 months (range, 0.3-109.7 months). During this follow-up period, 1-year PFS was 39.9% and 3-year PFS was 22.4%. In a Cox multivariate model, EGFR and ALK positive status were independently correlated with improved PFS (hazard ratio (HR), 0.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.11-0.56, HR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.01-0.37, respectively). All metastatic site RT independently correlated with PFS (HR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.18-0.86). In patients who were administered with Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) at the time of RT (N=23) and treated with all metastatic site RT, 1-yr PFS was 86.7%, while that of the patients who were not treated with all site RT was 37.5% (p=0.029). In the oligoprogression group (N=122), 62 patients (50.8%) were treated with TKI, 45 patients (36.9%) with cytotoxic CTx for 1st line systemic therapy. At the time of LART, 50 patients (41.0%) were undergoing TKI and 43 patients (35.2%) immunotherapy. 67.2% of the patients (N=82) maintained the CTx regimen after LART. The median duration prolonged was 5.8 months. In the subset of patients who were treated with TKI at the time of LART, the median duration prolonged was 11.1 months. EGFR positive and ALK positive status are associated with improved PFS in patients with oligometastatic lung adenocarcinoma. For oligometastatic patients, early all site RT might improve PFS, especially for those who are receiving TKI. In patients who presented with oligoprogression, LART could delay the timing of CTx regimen change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Surgical excision is conventionally regarded as the treatment of choice for nodular basal cell carcinoma ( nBCC), and methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy ( MAL- PDT) has relatively low efficacy for nBCC. However, Er: YAG ablative fractional laser ( AFL)-primed MAL- PDT (Er: YAG AFL- PDT) may offer enhanced efficacy for nBCC, especially thin nBCC (thickness ≤2 mm). Objective We compared Er: YAG AFL- PDT with conventional MAL- PDT for thin facial nBCC in Korean patients. Methods Thirty-nine patients (42 lesions) with primary, histologically proven thin nBCCs were randomized to Er: YAG AFL- PDT (single session, n = 20) or conventional MAL- PDT (two sessions, 7 days apart, n = 19). Efficacy, recurrence rate, cosmetic outcomes and safety were assessed 1 week, 3 months and 12 months after the last treatment. Results Three months after the final treatment, overall complete response rates were 84.2% with Er: YAG AFL- PDT and 50% with MAL- PDT ( P = 0.026). The recurrence rate was significantly lower with Er: YAG AFL- PDT (6.3%) than with MAL- PDT (55.6%) at 12 months ( P = 0.006). Er: YAG AFL- PDT and MAL- PDT did not differ significantly with respect to cosmetic outcomes or safety. Conclusions Er: YAG AFL- PDT can be used as an alternative treatment option for patients who have thin nBCC and are not suitable for surgical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong behavioral regulation skills in early childhood have been found to be related to high academic outcomes for Taiwanese children but little is known about the developmental trajectories for behavioral regulation and their relations to academic outcomes. Behavioral regulation was assessed for 192 Taiwanese children across an 18 month period at three time points using a direct assessment (Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders task). Mean age of the children at the initial time-point was 4.10 years. Results of person-centered analyses indicated two distinct trajectories. One group described as ‘Increasing regulators’ developed self-regulation at a regular rate throughout the assessment period whereas the second group described as steady-then-increasing regulators developed more slowly initially and then their growth rate increased towards the end of the assessment period. Trajectory membership was significantly related to children’s age (with relatively older children in the steady-then-increasing regulator group), but not to child gender, or mother’s education. Being an increasing regulator was significantly related to greater growth in vocabulary skills, but not math skills at the third time point. These findings highlight the use of person-centered analyses to understand unique developmental trajectories for behavioral regulation and relations to academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical storage rooms located near engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) workplaces can be a significant source of unintentional nanoaerosol generation. A new incidental nanoparticle source was identified and characterized in a chemical storage room located at an ENMs workplace. Stationary and mobile measurements using on-line instruments and chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out to identify the source. The number of nanoaerosols emitted from the chemical storage room was found to be several orders of magnitude higher than that existing in the ENMs workplace. VOC analysis showed that the accumulated precursors and oxygenated VOCs in the chemical storage room could be attributed to incidental particle formation via gas-to-particle conversion. We stress the importance of identification of the incidental nanoaerosols to allow characterization of the nanoaerosols at ENMs workplaces, and to estimate additional nanoaerosols exposure, which was previously unknown. Hazardous chemical substances in the workplace have been regulated in many countries; however, most of the regulations are focused on gas-phase or liquid-phase substances. The present study emphasizes the importance of secondary pollutants in particulate form that can be generated from the gas or liquid phase of hazardous chemical substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Photodynamic therapy ( PDT) using methyl aminolevulinate ( MAL) is an effective first-line treatment for actinic keratosis ( AK). Erbium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er: YAG) ablative fractional laser-assisted MAL- PDT ( AFL- PDT) has shown significant benefit for the treatment of AK. Objectives The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy, recurrence rate, cosmetic outcome and safety between AFL- PDT with 2 and 3 h of incubation vs. Conventional MAL- PDT in patients with facial and scalp AK. Methods This prospective randomized trial initially enrolled 440 facial and scalp AK lesions in 93 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to AFL- PDT with a 2-h incubation time (2h- AFL- PDT), 3h- AFL- PDT and 3h- MAL- PDT. All patients underwent one session of MAL- PDT using a red light-emitting diode lamp at 37 J/cm2, and AFL- PDT groups were assigned to pretreatment with Er: YAG AFL. Patients were followed up at 1 week, 3 months and 12 months post treatment. Efficacy, cosmetic outcomes and adverse events were assessed. Finally, 427 facial AK lesions in 88 patients were analysed in this study. Results Three months after the last treatment session, 3h- AFL- PDT (91.7%) was significantly more effective than 2h- AFL- PDT (76.8%) and 3h- MAL- PDT (65.6%, P < 0.001), and differences in efficacy remained significant at the 12-month follow-up. The recurrence rate was significantly lower for 3h- AFL- PDT (7.5%) than for 3h- MAL- PDT (22.1%) at 12 months ( P = 0.002);however, no significant difference was found between 2h- AFL- PDT and 3h- MAL- PDT. No significant difference was found in cosmetic outcomes or safety between the three groups. Conclusions We recommend 3h- AFL- PDT rather than classic MAL- PDT or short-incubation AFL- PDT for treating AK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Early identification and treatment of actinic cheilitis ( AC) is recommended. Although photodynamic therapy ( PDT) is an attractive therapeutic option for AC, PDT for AC does not result in the same satisfactory outcomes as in actinic keratosis ( AK). Objectives The aim of our study was to compare efficacy, recurrence rate, cosmetic outcome and safety between erbium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet ablative fractional laser-assisted methyl aminolaevulinate- PDT (Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT) and standard MAL- PDT. Methods Thirty-three patients with histologically confirmed AC randomly received either one session of Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT or two sessions of MAL- PDT. In the MAL- PDT group, the second session of MAL- PDT was administered 7 days later. Patients were followed up at 1 week and 3 and 12 months, and biopsies were taken from all patients at 3 and 12 months after the last treatment session. At the final 12-month follow-up, cosmetic outcomes were assessed. Adverse events were assessed at week 1 of the treatment phase and every subsequent follow-up visit. Results In the per-protocol ( PP) population, Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT was significantly more effective (92% complete response rate) than MAL- PDT (59%; P = 0·040) at the 3-month follow-up, and differences in efficacy remained significant at the 12-month follow-up (85% in Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT and 29% in MAL- PDT). The recurrence rate was significantly lower for Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT (8%) than for MAL- PDT (50%) group at 12 months ( P = 0·029). No significant difference in cosmetic outcome or safety was observed between Er: YAG AFL MAL- PDT and MAL- PDT. Conclusions Ablative fractional laser pretreatment has significant benefit for the treatment of AC with PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitivity of intrinsic impurities in a normal sputtering process to the coating of Zr-based metallic glass alloy as a brazing filler metal (BFM) is demonstrated. In a sputtering atmosphere, the oxygen is the most critical impurity, mostly resulting from the outgassed water vapors. Its preferential adsorption onto the highly reactive species during sputtering causes a depletion of easily oxidizable Zr and Ti in the resultant coating, as well as a substantial decrease in the coating's reactivity with the Zircaloy-4 base metal upon melting. In a brazed joint, the coating with high levels of oxygen (about 12 at.%) induces the segregation, comprising of the predominant α-Zr grains alloyed by oxygen, which has a deleterious effect on the mechanical strength owing to an oxygen-induced embrittlement of α-Zr. Not more than about 5 at.% is proposed as the degree to which oxygen impurity needs to be controlled in BFM coatings to achieve the sound joints with properties comparable to those of the Zircaloy-4 base metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature corrosion of Zircaloy-4 joints brazed by various Zr(Ti)–Cu–Ni-based multi-component alloys was studied to draw up the compositional guideline of the brazing alloy. From the compositional and microstructural effects of the joints on the corrosion, there was strong evidence for galvanic corrosion susceptibility of primary α-Zr grains (usually Sn-containing) owing to alloying of nobler Ti and its concentration gradient in a joint, inducing a microgalvanic corrosion. The Ti concentration for corrosion inhibition was proposed to be less than about 1.0 at.%. The results clearly demonstrate that the exclusion of Ti is needed for the use of Zr-rich multi-component brazing alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with bacteriophage, probiotics and their combination on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), fecal bacterial populations and serum immunoglobulins in growing pigs. In both experiments, 200 barrows (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of BW. There were 5 replicate pens in each treatment with 10 pigs per pen. Experimental diets were fed in meal form for 35 d. In Exp. 1, dietary treatments included basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet without any antimicrobials), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg commercial bacteriophage product. Bacteriophage product contained a cocktail of bacteriophages of Salmonella ( Salmonella typhimurium , Salmonella enteritidis , Salmonella cholerasuis and Salmonella derby ), Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens types A and C. Dietary increasing levels of bacteriophage linearly improved (P<0.05) the ADG, ADFI and ATTD of DM. At d 35 of the experiment, pigs fed diets supplemented with increasing levels of bacteriophage had greater (linear, P<0.05) fecal TAB, Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and fewer (linear, P<0.05) fecal Clostridium spp. and coliforms. Dietary treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on serum immunoglobulin concentrations at d 35 of experiment. In Exp. 2, dietary treatments were basal diet without any antimicrobials (Control) and basal diets supplemented with 3.0 g/kg fermented probiotic product (P), 1.0 g/kg bacteriophage (B) and combination of 1.0 g/kg bacteriophage and 3.0 g/kg fermented probiotic product (BP). Probiotic products used herein contained Lactobacillus acidophilus , Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Pigs fed the B and BP diets had greater (P<0.05) ADG, ADFI, G:F and ATTD of DM, CP and GE than that of pigs fed the control and P diets. Pigs fed the P diet had greater (P<0.05) ADG, ADFI and ATTD of CP than that of pigs the fed control diet. At d 35, pigs fed the BP diet had greater (P<0.05) fecal TAB, Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and fewer (P<0.05) Clostridium spp. and coliforms than pigs fed the control diet. Also, pigs fed the P and B diets had greater (P<0.05) Lactobacillus spp and fewer (P<0.05) coliforms at d 35 than that of pigs fed the control diet. Dietary treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on serum immunoglobulin concentrations (d 35). The present results suggest that bacteriophages and probiotics both improve different aspects of grower pig's performance but that bacteriophages are more effective than probiotics and would appear to offer an alternative to antibiotic type growth promoters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The origin and nature of star-shaped prismatic punching defects (PPDs) were analyzed by white-beam X-ray diffraction topography (WBXDT) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. PPDs were observed in CdTe-based compounds that had Te-rich secondary phase defects and were annealed only under Cd overpressure. The evolutional features of the PPDs during annealing were similar to those of a diffusion process, that is, the in-diffusion of Cd vapor via Cd vacancies. PL mapping around the PPDs reveals that the stoichiometry of PPDs is the same as that of a normal matrix, and that PPDs are just structural defects with non-radiative emission induced by the exothermic reaction between Cd and Te. We find that Te-rich secondary phase defects can be removed without the generation of star-shaped PPDs, if the exothermic reaction rate can be slowed down to reduce the thermal gradient between the Te-rich region and the surrounding matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Methyl aminolaevulinate photodynamic therapy ( MAL- PDT) is an effective treatment for Bowen disease ( BD) of the lower extremities. Er: YAG (erbium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet) ablative fractional laser ( AFL) treatment removes the stratum corneum to increase MAL uptake and may improve efficacy. However, no studies have directly compared the efficacy of MAL- PDT with and without Er: YAG AFL therapy in treating BD of the lower extremities in Asians. Objectives To compare the efficacy, recurrence rate, cosmetic outcomes and safety between Er: YAG AFL-assisted MAL- PDT (Er: YAG AFL- PDT) and standard MAL- PDT. Methods Twenty-one patients with a total of 58 BD lesions randomly received either one session of Er: YAG AFL- PDT or two sessions of MAL- PDT in two symmetrical areas. Er: YAG AFL therapy was performed with 550-600 μm ablation depth, level 1 coagulation, 22% treatment density and a single pulse. MAL cream was then applied under occlusion for 3 h and illuminated with a red light-emitting diode lamp at 37 J cm−2. A second session of MAL- PDT was administered 7 days later. Overall response rate, recurrence rate, cosmetic outcomes and safety were assessed at 1 week, 3 and 12 months after treatment. Results After 3 months, Er: YAG AFL- PDT was significantly more effective (93·8%) than MAL- PDT (73·1%; P = 0·031), and the recurrence rate was significantly lower for Er: YAG AFL- PDT (6·7%) than MAL- PDT (31·6%) at 12 months ( P = 0·022). No significant difference was found between Er: YAG AFL- PDT and MAL- PDT in terms of cosmetic outcomes or safety. Conclusions Er: YAG AFL- PDT showed significantly higher efficacy and lower recurrence rate than did standard MAL- PDT for treating lower extremity BD in an Asian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and growth characteristics of Zircaloy-4 joints brazed by a Zr48Ti16Cu17Ni19 (at.%) amorphous filler metal have been investigated with regard to the controlled isothermal solidification and intermetallic formation. Two typical joints were produced depending on the isothermal brazing temperature: (1) a dendritic growth structure including bulky segregation in the central zone (at 850°C), and (2) a homogeneous dendritic structure throughout the joint without segregation (at 890°C). The primary α-Zr phase was solidified isothermally, nucleating to grow into a joint with a cellular or dendritic structure. Also, the continuous Zr2Ni and particulate Zr2Cu phases were formed in the segregated center zone and at the intercellular region, respectively, owing to the different solubility and atomic mobility of the solute elements (Ti, Cu, and Ni) in the α-Zr matrix. A disappearance of the central Zr2Ni phase was also rate-controlled by the outward diffusion of the Cu and Ni elements. When the detrimental Zr2Ni intermetallic phase was eliminated by a complete isothermal solidification at 890°C, the strengths of the joints were high enough to cause yielding and fracture in the base metal, exceeding those of the bulk Zircaloy-4, at room temperature as well as at elevated temperatures (up to 400°C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/objective(s): We aimed to investigate the distinct transcriptional landscape in the poor responders to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and to gain mechanistic insights on treatment resistance in cervical cancer.Materials/methods: RNA sequencing was performed using archived pre-treatment tissue biopsies of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with concurrent platinum-based CCRT. Transcriptome data of patients with no durable benefit (NDB; progression-free period < 3 years) and durable clinical benefit (DCB; progression-free period > 5 years) after were compared. NDB score was estimated for each patient using the differentially expressed genes between NDB and DCB patients. Three independent cohorts, including The Cancer Genome Atlas cervical cancer (TCGA-CESC) cohort, were utilized for validation of NDB score. Potential response to PD-1 blockade was estimated with Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score and T-cell-inflamed gene expression profile (GEP).Results: Patients with NDB exhibited a distinct transcriptional profile compared to those with DCB such as higher signatures of extracellular matrix organization and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The fraction of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) within the tumor was significantly higher in NDB than DCB patients. Higher NDB score was significantly associated with poor survival in the TCGA-CESC cohort (n = 274; P = 0.015), but only in patients that received curative aim radiotherapy (P = 0.002) and not in patients who received other treatments (P = 0.57). The transcriptomic characteristics of patients with NDB were recapitulated in patients with high NDB score in TCGA-CESC. Patients with high NDB score displayed significantly higher TIDE prediction score and lower T-cell-inflamed GEP score compared to patients with low NDB scores.Conclusion: Cervical cancer patients with poor treatment outcome following CCRT exhibited a distinct gene signature that was able to predict treatment outcomes. For poor responders, immune checkpoint inhibitors may be less effective and CAF-targeting treatments may be a promising approach.Author Disclosure: K. Kim: None. J. Chang: None. Y. Kim: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/objective(s): Patients with glioblastoma (GBM) that involve the ventricle are at higher risk of ventricle opening during surgery and potential ventricular tumor spread. We evaluated the role of whole ventricular radiotherapy (WVRT) during postoperative temozolomide-based chemoradiotherapy.Materials/methods: A retrospective review of 382 patients with GBM who received surgical resection followed by temozolomide-based chemoradiotherapy between 2005 to 2019 at a single institution was conducted. Propensity score matching was performed to compensate the difference in characteristics between patients that did (WVRT(+); n = 59) or did not (WVRT(-); n = 323) receive WVRT. Local, outfield, intraventricular, and leptomeningeal failure rates were compared.Results: All WVRT(+) patients had tumor ventricle involvement and ventricle opening during surgery. In the propensity matched cohort, WVRT(+) group exhibited a significantly lower 2-year intraventricular failure rate compared to the WVRT(-) group (2.1% vs. 11.8%; P = 0.045), but no difference in other treatment outcomes. Recursive partitioning analysis stratified patients at higher risk of intraventricular failure (tumor ventricle involvement, MGMT unmethylation, and ventricle opening) with a 2-year rate of 14.2%. WVRT reduced intraventricular failure rates only in high-risk patients (0% vs. 14.2%; P = 0.054) or those with MGMT-unmethylated GBM in the matched cohort (0% vs. 17.3%; P = 0.036). WVRT did not cause a significant decline in performance status but caused a decrease in post-treatment absolute lymphocyte count, although it was recovered to a similar level with that of the WVRT(-) group.Conclusion: WVRT reduced intraventricular failure rates in patients with tumor ventricle involvement and ventricle opening during surgery. Our results merit further prospective evaluation of WVRT in GBM.Author Disclosure: K. Kim: None. J. Yoo: None. S. Kang: None. J. Chang: None. H. Yoon: None. C. Suh: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and microstructure properties of Ti (grade 2) joints brazed by a Zr41.2Ti13.8Ni10.0Cu12.5Be22.5 bulk metallic glass alloy filler have been investigated with regard to the control through isothermal solidification. Two characteristic joints were prepared at different isothermal brazing conditions: an acicular growth structure including a continuous segregation in the central area (at 830°C for 300s), and a structure with coarse acicular grains throughout the joint (at 830°C for 1800s). The primary phase solidified isothermally was hexagonal α-Ti, and upon subsequent cooling, the secondary α- and γ-phases formed at the intercellular regions through a eutectoid decomposition of β-Ti. The γ-phase was identified as having a phase formula of [Ti,(Zr)]2(Cu,Ni) with a tetragonal Ti2Cu structure (a =2.955Å, c =10.827Å, space group= I4/mmm). This phase was grown on primary α-Ti grains with an orientation relationship of ∥(200) γ and ∥[031] γ . The isothermally-solidified, primary α-Ti grains dominating the entire joint were epitaxially grown, depending on the orientation of the randomly oriented Ti parent grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the robust sliding mode control based on reduced order observer is proposed to overcome the model imperfections in ultra-precision positioning system. The reduced order sliding mode observer enables the states and the estimated outputs to be available for controller design. The manifold of the sliding mode control is composed of the estimated output only instead of system states. Using the reduced order observer, the sliding mode control is designed in output feedback form. The effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm has been proved from the application of an ultra-precision stage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The performance of CdZnTe (CZT) detectors is limited not only by conventional carrier-trapping to point defects but also by trapping at macroscopic Te secondary-phase defects, such as Te inclusions and Te precipitates. The aim of this research is to remove these secondary-phase defects via thermomigration, and to obtain high resistivity of the material by creating Te antisites through annealing in a high Te overpressure. We annealed Te-rich CZT samples in the temperature range between 500 and 700°C under Te overpressure with a temperature gradient of 50–60°C/cm. We investigated the effects of annealing under these conditions by IR transmission microscopy, current–voltage measurements, photoluminescence, and white-beam X-ray diffraction topography (WBXDT) measurements comparing the findings with those from isothermally annealed CZT samples under Cd overpressure. We proved experimentally that Te inclusions present in Te-rich CZT melts contain void fractions. We attributed the complex defect of Te antisites with Cd vacancies in our annealing experiment as the deep level defect that pins the Fermi near the middle of the bandgap, rather than the Te antisite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To measure wellness and burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians and identify trends and at-risk populations to inform future interventions. Gynecologic oncologist (GO) and advanced practice provider (APP) responses to the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology State of the Society survey were analyzed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory criteria for burnout was used. Work-life balance was scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Chi-square tests were used to compare mental health factors and the prevalence of burnout. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for associations between burnout and gender. 543 survey responses were included for analysis. Most GO (54%) and all APP respondents were female. Female GOs were disproportionately affected by burnout particularly in the Northeast (female(F): 40.9% vs male(M): 19.1%, p = 0.007) and South (F: 42.5% vs M:22.9%, p = 0.01). Burnout in female GOs over 40 was 1.79 (CI: 1.13–2.83; p -value 0.01) times higher than similarly aged males. Females in non-private practice experienced burnout 1.66 times that of males in similar positions (CI: 1.18–2.94; p < 0.0001). Female GOs reported the worst work-life balance across all 5 domains. APPs and female GOs experienced more stress and feeling overwhelmed compared to men. GOs were more reluctant to see a mental health professional (p = 0.0003) or take medication (p = 0.009) than APPs. Burnout in gynecologic oncology persists in both genders and is felt most acutely by female GOs. APPs are not immune and would benefit from inclusion in future research to mitigate burnout in healthcare clinicians. • Burnout persists in GYN Oncology and affects both genders and APPs. • >60% of female GYN Oncologists and APPs felt overly stressed, overwhelmed or that life was unmanageable. • Over 40% of gynecologic oncologists screened positive for depression. • When compared to APPs, physicians are less likely to seek professional mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cadmium zinc telluride (Cd1−x Zn x Te) crystals have many applications in optoelectronics and as room-temperature detectors. We grew bismuth-doped CZT crystals by the standard Bridgman Oscillation Method, and compared them with such crystals grown in the thermal environment of a furnace modified with a Pt coldfinger (metal rod). The coldfinger serves as a tool for stabilizing the solid–liquid interface by extracting heat from the as-grown crystal, and thereby improving the ingot''s crystalline quality. We detailed the crystal''s quality via high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Synchrotron-based X-ray microfluorescence (μSXRF) images, as well as by etch-pit density (EPD) measurements. Our results demonstrated that the Pt coldfinger is an effective tool for improving the quality of CZT bulk material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated the electrical properties of oxide-based one diode/one resistor (1D-1R) memory cells for resistance switching memory device application employing NiO as a storage element and p-CuO/n-InZnO x diode as a steering element. The electrical property of the 1D-1R memory cells was significantly affected by the repetitive resistance switching operation of the NiO layer. It appears that oxygen vacancy movement from NiO layer leads to the degradation of the oxide diode. We introduced a conducting TiN layer as a diffusion barrier between the diode and the NiO. As a result, the reliability of the 1D-1R memory cells was significantly improved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sargassum polycystum, a type of brown seaweed, has been used for the treatment of skin-related disorders in traditional medicine. Aim of the study: The aim of the present study is to investigate the antimelanogenesis effect of Sargassum polycystum extracts by cell-free mushroom tyrosinase assay followed by cell viability assay, cellular tyrosinase assay and melanin content assay using B16F10 murine melanoma cells. Materials and methods: Sargassum polycystum was extracted with 95% ethanol and further fractionated with hexane, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanolic crude extract and its fractionated extracts were tested for their potential to act as antimelanogenesis or skin-whitening agents by their abilities to inhibit tyrosinase activity in the cell-free mushroom tyrosinase assay and cellular tyrosinase derived from melanin-forming B16F10 murine melanoma cells. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity was correlated to the inhibition of melanin production in α-MSH-stimulated and unstimulated B16F10 cells. Results: Sargassum polycystum ethanolic extract and its fractions had little or no inhibitory effect on mushroom tyrosinase activity. However, when tested on cellular tyrosinase, the ethanolic extract and its non-polar fraction, hexane fraction (SPHF), showed significant inhibition of cellular tyrosinase activity. In parallel to its cellular tyrosinase inhibitory activity, SPHF was also able to inhibit basal and α-MSH-stimulated melanin production in B16F10 cells. Conclusions: Our findings showed that (i) cellular tyrosinase assay is more reliable than mushroom tyrosinase assay in the initial testing of potential antimelanogenesis agents and, (ii) SPHF inhibited melanogenesis by inhibiting cellular tyrosinase activity. SPHF may be useful for treating hyperpigmentation and as a skin-whitening agent in cosmetics industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Peripheral nerve injury often results in neuropathic pain that is manifested as hyperalgesia, and allodynia. Several studies suggest a functional role for neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the development or maintenance of neuropathic pain, but such a contribution remains unclear. In our current study, we found that intraplantar injection of the NOS substrate l-arginine or NO donor 3-morpholino-synonimine (SIN-1) produced mechanical hypersensitivity that lasted more than 24 h. Following L5 spinal nerve ligation (L5 SNL), immunoreactivity for nNOS in the ipsilateral L5 but not L4 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was dramatically increased in mainly small- and medium-sized neurons and non-neuronal cells. L5 SNL caused increased nNOS immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral sciatic nerve, mainly in Schwann cells and the ipsilateral glabrous hind paw skin, mainly on the basement membrane. Furthermore, total nNOS protein and mRNA in the ipsilateral sciatic nerve and hind paw skin were markedly upregulated following nerve injury. Intraplantar injection of the NOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) or the non-specific NOS inhibitor l-NG-nitro-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) effectively suppressed SNL-induced mechanical allodynia. Collectively, these data suggest that in the periphery nNOS upregulation induced by peripheral nerve injury contributes to mechanical hypersensitivity during the maintenance phase of neuropathic pain. Blocking nNOS signaling in the periphery may thus be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neuropathic pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Commercial purity Ti was subjected to channel die compression in liquid nitrogen for the purpose of studying its deformation characteristics from the viewpoint of the grain refinement induced by severe plastic deformation. Deformed specimens showed microstructural heterogeneity in that the initial blocky grains of about 50 μm in size turned into a mixture of the easily deforming soft grains and the hard grains revealing local concentration of dislocations and deformation twins. Using electron back scattered diffraction analysis the in-grain misorientation-axis distribution was studied, from which it was found that the deformation heterogeneity resulted from the anisotropy of individual grains with respect to the compression die: while the soft grains were those oriented favorably for the prism slip, the hard ones were oriented for non-prism slips and deformation twinning. The difference in the response of individual grains, therefore, led to a remarkable effect of the crystal texture of specimens on the maximum strain that can be imposed on specimens without cracking. Based on the present results, a way to achieve expedient grain refinement through the cryogenic plane-strain compression was suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A Hot Wire assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD) process has been developed for producing high-density arrays of parallel, straight and organized silicon nanowires (SiNWs) inside vertical Porous Anodic Alumina (PAA) templates, exploring temperatures ranging from 430°C to 600°C, and pressures varying between 2.5 and 7.5mbar. In order to prevent parasitic amorphous silicon (a-Si) deposit and to promote the crystalline SiNWs growth, we used a tungsten hot wire to partially crack H2 into atomic hydrogen, which acts like a selective etchant regarding a-Si. Here we describe the optimization route we followed to limit the deposit of a-Si onto the surface of the porous membrane and on the walls of the pores, which led to the possibility to grow SiNWs inside the PAA membranes. Such an approach has high potentialities for device realization, like PIN junctions, FETs or electrodes for Li-ion batteries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The “black pad” phenomenon, which rarely occurs in electrolessly plated nickel–phosphorous (Ni–P) films, was reproduced. This work reports that nodular variation of the P content induces potential differences large enough to drive galvanic corrosion when the film is exposed to an electrolyte containing gold cyanide. Subsequent corrosion couple experiments using Ni–P films with different P contents demonstrated that preferential corrosion occurred at the low P side, and the propensity of forming black pad increased with the difference in P content (ΔP). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: We evaluated the clinical utility of peritransplant in vitro assays of immune cell function in adult living donor liver transplant (LDLT) recipients. Methods: In particular, we measured immune cell function, using the ImmuKnow assay, in 107 adult LDLT recipients and 200 potential living liver donors (control group) admitted to our center between July 2008 and January 2009. Results: In the control group, the mean proportion of T-helper/inducer cells was 36.8% ± 8.2%. The degree of immune response was strong in 12%, moderate in 77%, and low in 11%. In the study group, the degree of immune response within the first month was strong in 4.6%, moderate in 38.2%, and low in 57.2%, thus significantly lower than in the control group (P < .001). ImmuKnow results and tacrolimus levels did not show a significant correlation (r 2 = .002, P = .392). Although six patients showed biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection, none showed a strong immune response. Patients with overt infection showed a lower immune response. Conclusions: These results indicate that peritransplant assessment of immune response using the ImmuKnow assay does not reliably predict the occurrence of acute rejection. Additional studies are necessary to accurately assess the clinical utility of immune response monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Semi-insulating Cd0.9Zn0.1Te:Pb crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman method. Measurements of the current deep level transient spectroscopy (I-DLTS) revealed three trap levels in this material. Unlike other compensating dopants, CdZnTe:Pb samples do not show any Cd-vacancies defects and A-center levels. We subjected them to temperature-gradient annealing in Cd overpressure at 490–717°C, and recorded an exponential relationship between the annihilation time of Te precipitates and the annealing temperature. The energy resolution of an annealed CdZnTe:Pb detector, tested using a 137Cs radioactive source, gave an energy resolution of 2.5%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The growth of epitaxial MgO/TiN multilayer films on (001) Cu has been investigated. In particular, epitaxial structures were grown on (001) Cu layers that were epitaxial on (001) SrTiO3. X-ray diffraction and reflection high-energy electron diffraction indicate that the multilayer structures are epitaxial on the (001) Cu surface. The motivation is the use of crystalline MgO/TiN multilayers as a diffusion barrier to both copper and oxygen. MgO/TiN multilayers are potentially useful as diffusion barriers for Cu interconnects on semiconductors as well as for superconducting wires based on the epitaxial growth of cuprate superconductors on biaxially textured copper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to compare the tool performance of Ti0.75Al0.25N and Ti0.69Al0.23Si0.08N coated carbides end-mills deposited by hybrid coating method, using flood coolant(wet), dry and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) conditions in the high-speed machining of AISI D2 cold-worked die steel (62 HRC). Superhard Ti–Al–Si–N films, characterized as a nanocomposite nano-sized (Ti,Al,Si)N crystallites embedded in amorphous Si3N4 matrix, was successfully synthesized on WC–Co substrates by a hybrid coating system of arc ion plating(AIP) and sputtering method. The hardness of Ti–Al–Si–N film increased with incorporation of Si, and had the maximum value ~48 GPa at the Si content of 8 at.%, respectively. The values of tool wear for coated tools were evaluated under a high-speed cutting condition using vertical high-speed machining center (Makino, V-55). It is found that cutting under flood coolant condition results in the shortest tool life due to severe thermal cracks while the use of MQL leads to the best performance. MQL is beneficial to tool life both in the Ti0.75Al0.25N and Ti0.69Al0.23Si0.08N coating tools. This conclusion proves the feasibility in the high-speed machining of high–hardened materials for industrial applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The formation of oxidation-resistant buffer layers on (001) oriented Cu for coated high-temperature superconducting tape applications was investigated. The approach employed Cu/Mg multilayer precursor films that were subsequently annealed to form either Mg-doped fcc Cu or intermetallic Cu2 Mg. The precursor consisted of an Mg/Cu multilayer stack with 5 each of 25 nm thick Mg and 25 nm thick Cu layers which were grown at room temperature by sputter deposition. At annealing temperature of 400 °C, formation of the intermetallic Cu2 Mg was observed. X-ray diffraction showed that the Cu2 Mg (100) oriented grains were epitaxial with respect to the underlying Cu film, possessing a cube-on-cube orientation. In order to test oxidation resistance, CeO2 films were deposited at elevated temperature on Ni/(Cu,Mg)/Cu/MgO structures. In case of the CeO2 film on Ni/Cu/MgO, significant surface roughness due to the metal oxidation is observed. In contrast, no surface roughness is observed in the SEM images for the CeO2/Ni/(Cu,Mg)/Cu/MgO structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work is a follow-up of the previous report by Kim and Yin [Kim, K.H., Yin, J.J., 1997. Evolution of anisotropy under plane stress. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 45, 841–851] regarding the anisotropic work hardening of cold rolled steel sheets. Tensile prestrain has been applied at angles to the rolling direction and then tensile uniaxial yield stress and R-value distributions are measured. As reported earlier, the orientations of local maxima and minima in the yield stress are altered when the prestrain axis is not in the rolling direction. This led Kim and Yin [Kim and Yin (1997)] to suggest that the orientations of orthotropy axes are altered by the tensile prestrain at angles to the rolling direction. However, R-value distribution is found to be hardly affected by the prestrain. The unchanging R-value distribution shows that the material remembers the rolling direction even after the prestrain. An attempt is made to approximate the observed yield and flow behavior based upon isotropic-kinematic hardening with the quadratic yield function (Hill, 1948). The degree of approximation raises the issues of yield point definition, flexibility of yield function, non-associated flow rules, distortional hardening and others. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on a-Si:H n–i–p photodiodes on PEN substrates with performance characteristics suitable for imaging applications. Segmented n–i–p photodiodes were fabricated using a process sequence and design rules that are compatible with industrial technology. Low-temperature (150°C) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was employed for the a-Si:H and passivation dielectric layers. Device measurements included current–voltage characteristics, dark current decay, and spectral response. To identify the sources of the reverse dark current, the measurements were performed on variable area test structures with device sizes ranging from 126μm to 2mm. The n–i–p photodiodes on PEN substrates demonstrate quantum efficiencies as high as 83% and reverse current density lower than 500pA/cm2 at −3V, as measured on 126μm photodiodes. Thus, the performance characteristics of the n–i–p diodes on PEN substrates meet the requirements for bio-medical X-ray imaging. We also discuss the mechanisms underlying the reverse dark current and the effect of the substrate on device characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) project, which is constructing a superconducting Tokamak, was launched in 1996. Much progress in instrumentation and control has been made since then and the construction phase will be finished in August 2007. The Tokamak Monitoring System (TMS) measures the temperatures of the superconducting magnets, bus-lines, and structures and hence monitors the superconducting conditions during the operation of the KSTAR Tokamak. The TMS also measures the strains and displacements on the structures in order to monitor the mechanical safety. There are around 400 temperature sensors, more than 240 strain gauges, 10 displacement gauges and 10 Hall sensors. The TMS utilizes Cernox sensors for low temperature measurement and each sensor has its own characteristic curve. In addition, the TMS needs to perform complex arithmetic operations to convert the measurements into temperatures for each Cernox sensor for this large number of monitoring channels. A special software development effort was required to reduce the temperature conversion time and multi-threading to achieve the higher performance needed to handle the large number of channels. We have developed the TMS with PXI hardware and with EPICS software. We will describe the details of the implementations in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High purity Pb-doped CdZnTe single crystals were grown by using the vertical Bridgman method. Their electrical properties and X-ray spectrum were investigated. The doping concentration of Pb was about . The resistivity of Pb-doped CdZnTe single crystal was . The temperature dependence of the resistivity of these crystals was examined between the region of 200 and 300K. The plot of versus was represented by a straight line with a slope of 380meV. From the PL spectrum, we have confirmed that type conversion from p to n-type conductivity originated from the compensation process of Cd vacancies, which are the most abundant acceptors in CdZnTe. Also, the effects of Pb-doping on the mobility and X-ray spectra were studied by time-of-flight (TOF) and 241Am spectrum measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, the influence of different surface hydrophilicity on flow rate of microchannel was investigated. Rectangular microchannel was made by only PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane). In making microchannel, the patterned PDMS and the bottom PDMS were treated by argon plasma and then coated by allyl alcohol (99%) in the vacuum plasma instrument. PDMS surface contact angle was controlled by the change of power density during the vacuum plasma treatment process. The length and the width of microchannel were changed but the depth of microchannel was fixed at 100μm. Several different external voltages were applied to investigate the flow rate change in microchannel. In spite of the channel length change, flow rates of microchannels were practically same at the same electric field. But microchannels, of which PDMS surface contact angles were 20° and 80°, showed different flow rates at the same electric field. Such flow rate difference was explained by relative zeta potential to show the effect of surface hydrophilicity change. This result showed that surface contact angle change affects the flow rate change of fluid in microchannel. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes the fault location algorithm using neuro-fuzzy systems in combined transmission lines with underground power cables. The neuro-fuzzy system consists of two parts to perform different tasks. One is to discriminate the fault section between overhead and underground using the detailed coefficients obtained by wavelet transform. The other system calculates fault location. The algorithm for fault location again is divided into two parts: one to calculate the fault location on the overhead lines, the other one for the underground cable section. This system shows excellent results for discrimination of fault section and calculation of fault location. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new model for calculating the coefficients of thermal expansion, CTE, in all three coordinate directions is developed for composites containing aligned, axisymmetric elliptical particles, i.e., characterized by a single aspect ratio, that in the limit approximate the shapes of spheres, fibers and discs. This model is based on Elshelby''s method but employs a somewhat different formulation than used in prior papers; a main advantage of the current approach is that it can be readily extended to composites based on ellipsoidal particles with no axes of symmetry, i.e., all three major axes are different, as recently demonstrated for modulus. CTE predictions for the simple case of axisymmetric particles are illustrated by calculations for glass particles in the shape of spheres, fibers and discs in an epoxy resin and are compared to those from the popular Chow theory. For spherical-shaped particles, the CTEs in all directions are the same and decrease modestly as the volume fraction of filler particles increases. As the particle aspect ratio increases from unity, the thermal expansion becomes anisotropic. The coefficient of longitudinal linear thermal expansion always decreases with increasing aspect ratio and filler loading due to the mechanical constraint of the filler. For aligned axisymmetric particles, the coefficients of linear thermal expansion are always the same in two directions. The values in the transverse direction may be higher or lower than that of the matrix depending on the values of aspect ratio and filler loading; these regions are mapped out for this particular set of matrix and filler properties. The two-dimensional constraints on matrix expansion caused by discs versus the one-dimensional effects of fibers cause quantitative differences in behavior for the two shapes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]