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Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of surgery combined with 125I seed brachytherapy for treatment of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) of the parotid gland and to identify the factors associated with prognosis. Study Design We conducted a retrospective analysis of data of patients with CXPA of the parotid gland treated with surgery plus 125I seed brachytherapy at the Peking University School of Stomatology Hospital between December 2003 and July 2018. Results Fifty-five patients (median age, 51 years) were included in the study. Median follow-up was 50.5 months. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 91.1%, 91.1%, and 81.5%, respectively. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year local control rates were all 85.2%. Grades 1-3 adverse effects occurred in 22 patients; no grade 4 reactions occurred. T stage, N stage, tumor invasiveness, perineural invasion, and surgical margins significantly affected local control rates. Lymph node metastasis and perineural invasion were independent predictors of poor local control. Lymph node metastasis was an independent predictor of poor survival. Conclusions Surgery plus 125I seed brachytherapy appears to be an effective and safe treatment for CXPA of the parotid gland. T stage, N stage, tumor invasiveness, and perineural invasion are factors influencing prognosis.

BACKGROUND To describe a technique in which the anterior jugular vein is preserved in the infrahyoid myocutaneous flap (IHMCF) to augment skin paddle venous drainage. METHODS From April 2018 to December 2019, 14 patients with primary oral cancer underwent radical resection and IHMCF reconstruction. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the anterior jugular vein was used to assess the venous drainage of the skin paddle preoperatively. The anterior jugular vein was preserved during dissection of the flap. Healing of the recipient and donor sites was observed. RESULTS Total flap necrosis occurred in one patient and marginal skin paddle necrosis occurred in one patient. No flap complications occurred in the other 12 patients. CONCLUSION This new approach to augment venous drainage of the IHMCF appears to be effective for decreasing risk of flap necrosis.

Wild Chinese prickly ash resources provide a valuable genetic resource for Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim improvement and breeding. The Qinling Mountains was an abundant source for wild Chinese prickly ash. In this study, the phenolic and flavonoid compounds of wild germplasm resources from different altitudes and six cultivated varieties were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The chromatograms of them were essentially consistent, although their chemical composition contents were greatly different. The thirty samples were divided into three categories through the hierarchical clustering analysis. Catechin, hyperoside and quercitrin were considered to be key compounds for the quality evaluation, and by contrast, the wild samples with an altitude of 2300±50 m (Group IV) had the highest content of key compounds, and presented stronger antioxidant activity and antibacterial ability, indicating that these wild samples could be identified as the excellent breeding resources. This is the first time to evaluate the quality of wild Chinese prickly ash at different altitudes in Qinling Mountains. These excellent wild germplasm resources provided substantial potential accessions for use directly in Chinese prickly ash breeding programs.

Wild Chinese prickly ash with elevated antioxidants is a valuable genetic resource for Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim improvement. There are rich wild germplasm resources in the Qinling Mountains. In a study with wild germplasm resources from different altitudes and six cultivated varieties, the phenolic and flavonoid compounds were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The chromatograms of them were basically the same, although their chemical composition content was greatly different. The thirty samples were divided into three categories through the hierarchical clustering analysis. And catechin, hyperoside and quercitrin were considered to be key compound for the quality evaluation, by contrast, the wild samples with an altitude of 2300±50 m (Ⅳ group) had the highest content of key compounds, and showed stronger antioxidant activity and antibacterial ability, indicating that these wild samples could be used as an excellent breeding resource. This is the first time to evaluate the quality of wild Chinese prickly ash in different altitude areas of Qinling Mountains. These excellent wild germplasm resources provided substantial potential accessions for use directly in Chinese prickly ash breeding programs.

The present study evaluated the antibacterial activity and mode of action of fibrauretine on Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus, and synergistic effect with kanamycin against multi-drug resistant E. coli. The fibrauretine exhibited inhibitory effect on the growth of the tested bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of 2.5–5 and 5–10 mg/ml, respectively. Morphological changes of cell microstructure were observed after adding fibrauretine at MIC. The mode of action was further confirmed by measuring release of 260-nm absorbing materials and extracellular potassium ions. Checkerboard dilution test suggested that fibrauretine exhibited synergistic activity when combined with kanamycin (FICI ranging from 0.5625 to 0.625). Our results indicated that fibrauretine exerted synergistic effect with kanamycin and its antibacterial mode of action mainly attributed to disruption of cell membrane integrity.

Background This study aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of surgery combined with postoperative 125 I seed brachytherapy for treatment of primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the parotid gland. Methods Retrospective analysis of data of patients with MEC (n = 108) treated with surgery plus postoperative 125 I seed brachytherapy between 2004 and 2016. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local control rate (LCR), distant metastasis, and radiation-associated toxicities were analyzed, and factors affecting outcomes were evaluated. Results The 5- and 10-year OS were 98.8% and 95.8%, respectively. The DFS and LCR at 5 and 10 years were all 91.4%. Age ≥ 60 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54-30.55) and T4 disease (HR = 7.15, 95% CI: 1.40-36.52) were poor prognostic factors. Acute radiation-associated toxicities were minor. Conclusion Surgery plus 125 I seed brachytherapy appears to be an effective treatment for parotid gland MEC, capable of providing satisfactory outcomes with few complications.

Even though the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) still has an important role in the free flaps ear, it is reported to have drawbacks such as the limited cephalad extension and high incidence of total or partial flap necrosis. Various modifications have been attempted to augment the limited cephalad extension and a stable blood supply.The aim of this study is to describe a modified design of the skin paddle and preparation of the PMMF, to achieve stable blood circulation and sufficient pedicle length. The priority skin paddle is the medial part for its stable blood supply, and the lateral margin should be adjusted as needed. During the harvesting, the lateral thoracic artery (LTA) is preserved to protect the perforating branches, and the anterior sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle is used as a suture margin to prevent damage of the thin muscle of the PMMF. The skin paddles in this study are larger than those previously reported. All of the 21 patients in our study, the skin paddles show complete survival with no partial necrosis of skin paddle, fistula, or wound dehiscence.It is worthwhile to consider and preserve the LTA as a major contributor to a lateral and distal PMMF. This study would be useful in future and preparation of the PMMF in head and neck reconstruction.

Peel colour is an important external economic characteristic of Chinese prickly ash cultivars (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.). To gain insight into their coloration mechanisms, we performed an integrated analysis of green and red peels using combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. Pelargonin-O-hexoside-O-rhamnoside-O-hexoside, pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside, peonidin O-hexoside, cyanidin O-syringic acid and peonidin 3-O-glucoside were found to be the key anthocyanins. Transcriptome data indicated that the anthocyanidin synthase genes and UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosytransferase genes were significantly increased to promote the redness of the peels. In addition, we discussed the role of R2R3-MYB transcription factors in coloration, of which the c80935 and c226097 genes may be the key regulatory factors for anthocyanin biosynthesis. Generally, this is the first study to identify and reveal the main anthocyanins in Chinese prickly ash peels during different developmental periods. The results of this research lay the foundation for understanding the regulation of coloration in Chinese prickly ash peels.

The NVIDIA Deep Learning Accelerator (NVDLA) provides free intellectual property licensing to IC chip vendors and researchers to build a chip that uses deep neural networks for inference applications. The Open Neural Network Compiler (ONNC) provides an extensible compiler, a quantization calibrator and optimization supports for running DNN models on NVDLA-based SoCs. Even with open-sourced NVDLA and ONNC, conducting the development of an AI chip still brings up many productivity issues in the mass production stage, such as SRAM MBIST (Memory Built-In Self Test) fail, scan-chain fail etc. When applying Fault-Tolerance Mechanism in error-tolerant applications such as image classification by using the AI CNN model, this paper presents a light-weight Fault-Tolerance Mechanism to effectively enhance the robustness of NVDLA-based edge AI chip when encountering internal SRAM stuck fault. Our non-accurate MAC calculation for the whole convolution computation leads to a very promising quality of results compared to the case when an exactly accurate convolution operation is used. The Fault-Tolerance Mechanism analysis and design described in this paper can also apply to the similar fixed-point deep learning accelerator design, and opens new opportunities for research as well as product development.

When combined with iliac bone, perforator flaps are more chimeric, and there is increased mobile skin island to reconstruct soft tissue defects in the oral and maxillofacial region. This study examined oromandibular defects reconstructed using deep circumflex iliac artery perforator flap with iliac crest (DCIAPF). We retrospectively reviewed records of 23 patients with mandibular defects received DCIAPFs after oncological resection for oromandibular reconstruction from November 2015 to August 2016. All perforators, identified before surgery by Doppler examination, were terminal perforators of DCIA. DCIAPFs were successfully harvested in all patients. The flap survival rate was 95.6% (22/23); one flap failed due to artery spasm. Three patients developed slight skinedge necrosis in the skin island. Anatomical reconstruction contour of the mandible and sufficient bone length and height were achieved, with no serious donor-site complications during the follow-up period. The results demonstrated that DCIAPF is a favorable single-flap option for oromandibular reconstruction after oncological resection with fewer donor-site complications because of its adequate bone tissue and satisfactory soft tissue, with a constant location of the perforator.

The bad resistance to SO2 was still the primary defect of Mn/TiO2 catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3. To address that, a series of MnNb/TiO2 catalyst samples with different Nb/Mn molar ratio were prepared by sol-gel method and used in NH3-SCR reaction. Experimental results indicated that the MnNb/TiO2-0.12 catalyst exhibited outstanding SCR activity and SO2 resistance. The introduction of Nb into Mn/TiO2 catalyst could promote the formation of more Mn4+ and chemisorbed oxygen species on its surface, along with the generation of more NO2. In addition, the doping of Nb on Mn/TiO2 catalyst could remarkably intensify its surface acidity. All these factors were conducive to improving the SCR performance of MnNb/TiO2-0.12 catalyst. The results of DRIFT study revealed that the NH3-SCR reaction over MnNb/TiO2-0.12 catalyst took place through both Eley–Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood pathways, in which Eley–Rideal pathway was predominant. In the presence of SO2, it seemed that the NH3-SCR reaction over Mn/TiO2 and MnNb/TiO2-0.12 mainly happened between adsorbed NO2 and gaseous NH3 (Eley–Rideal mechanism), thus the formation of more NO2 over MnNb/TiO2-0.12 catalyst should mainly account for its super SO2 tolerance.

Sb was used as the additive to enhance the NH3-SCR performance of MnTiOx catalyst. Experimental results revealed that MnSbTiOx-0.2 demonstrated outstanding NH3-SCR activity in a wide temperature window (100–400 ℃) and high resistance to SO2. Characterization results indicated the introduction of Sb into MnTiOx catalyst could improve the dispersity of active species and generate more surface acid sites, Mn4+ and surface adsorbed oxygen species. In situ DRIFT spectra proved that the presence of Sb in MnSbTiOx-0.2 catalyst could form new Bronsted acid sites, along with the increased surface Lewis acidity. The improved adsorption of NH3 and NOx species over MnSbTiOx-0.2 catalyst had a stimulating effect on the NH3-SCR reaction over it through Langmuir−Hinshelwood (L-H) route. Moreover, Sb species in MnSbTiOx-0.2 could improve the reactivities of ad-NH3 and ad-NOx species in SCR reaction. All these factors contributed to the excellent performance of MnSbTiOx-0.2 catalyst.

Purpose This study evaluated the computer-aided approach to the reconstruction of mandibular defects using a vascularized iliac-crest flap. Materials and Methods From December 2015 to October 2016, 14 patients (8 men and 6 women) 18 to 64 years old (median age, 29 yr) were treated at the Peking University School and Stomatology Hospital (Beijing, China). Biopsy specimens from all patients were subjected to histologic examination before segmental mandibulectomy. Computer-based surgical techniques, including virtual surgical planning, computer-aided design and manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and intraoperative navigation, were used to restore the anatomic continuity and configuration of the mandible using a vascularized iliac-crest flap. Two transverse dimensions and 1 anteroposterior (A-P) dimension were evaluated based on the virtual plan and postoperative computed tomogram. Lines from condylar head to condylar head and from gonial angle to gonial angle were defined as the transverse dimensions. A perpendicular line drawn from the mandibular midline to the center point on the condylar head to condylar head measurement was defined as the A-P dimension. Complications were evaluated during follow-up. Results The flap success rate was 92.9% (13 of 14), with 1 flap failure. After the operation, there were no other serious complications in 13 of the 14 patients, who exhibited a good mandibular configuration with good occlusion. Furthermore, the height of bone graft was sufficient for implants. Healing of the recipient and donor sites with no serious complication was uneventful. The average surgical errors in the A-P dimension and transverse dimensions were 1.8 ± 1.0 mm (range, 0.2 to 3.7 mm), 2.2 ± 1.1 mm (range, 0.9 to 5.0 mm), and 2.6 ± 1.6 mm (range, 0.3 to 7.2 mm), respectively. Conclusions The use of these digital techniques was found to be a viable option for reconstruction of mandibular defects, but the results should be interpreted cautiously because of the small number of patients and the relatively short follow-up.

The deactivation of SCR catalyst caused by K species contained in the fly ash would suppress its DeNOx performance. In this study, it was manifested that the modification of Ce/TiO2 catalyst with P could enhance its K tolerance. To understand the promotion mechanism, the fresh and poisoned catalyst samples were subjected to the characterization techniques including BET, XRD, XPS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and in situ DRIFT. The results elucidated that the introduction of P species could increase the reducibility of Ce species and generate more surface chemisorbed oxygen, along with the strengthened surface acidity for NH3 adsorption. It seemed that the NH3-SCR reaction mechanism over Ce/TiO2 catalyst was a combination of L-H mechanism (

Fe was used as the modifier to improve the performance of CeZr2O x catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reaction with ammonia. Experimental results revealed that proper Fe species (Fe/Ce molar ratio = 2) could effectively improve the SCR activity of CeZr2O x , along with the elevated resistance to SO2 and H2O. The characterization results including BET, XRD, H2-TPR and NH3-TPD confirmed that Fe species in Fe2CeZr2O x catalyst could inhibit the formation of ZrO2 crystals and lead to higher reducibility and surface acidity. In addition, more Ce3+ and surface active oxygen species could be detected on Fe2CeZr2O x compared with CeZr2O x . By means of in situ DRIFT technique, it could be deduced that the SCR reaction process over Fe2CeZr2O x was accelerated mainly through theL–H pathway due to the advanced adsorption of NH3 and NO x species, along with the promoted NO conversion to NO2. Therefore, the modification of CeZrO x catalyst by Fe had a significant stimulation effect on its low-temperature SCR performance.

Mn–TiO2 catalysts were utilized as an ozonation catalyst for the first time to study the simultaneous catalytic ozonation of Hg0 and NO at low flue gas temperatures. BET, SEM–EDS, XRD, XPS, H2-TPR, NO x -TPD and Hg0-TPD were used to characterize the catalysts. The Mn–TiO2 catalyst, in which the molar content of metal Mn was 60%, exhibited the best catalytic activities of Hg0 and NO oxidation, compared with other Mn–TiO2 catalysts. It was found that within the range of experiment, the catalytic ozonation efficiency of Hg0 and NO was higher than that of ozonation or catalytic oxidation. The results also showed that the presence of NO gas inhibited the catalytic ozonation of elemental mercury, and the inhibition was enhanced with the NO inlet concentration, while few elemental mercury molecules did promote the catalytic ozonation of NO. The addition of H2O vapor promoted the catalytic ozonation of Hg0 and NO. In addition, 0.6Mn–TiO2 catalyst demonstrated a good TOS and cyclic stability. The catalytic ozonation of NO and Hg0 on Mn–TiO2 catalyst likely followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism, where the hydroxyl radicals reacted with adjacently adsorbed NO molecules and elemental mercury on catalyst surface.

In this study, Bi was used as the modifier to elevate the performance of Ce/TiO2 catalyst for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3. Experimental results indicated that the CeBi/TiO2 catalyst with a Bi/Ce molar ratio of 0.15 exhibited excellent low-temperature SCR performance and SO2/H2O resistance compared with the Ce/TiO2 catalyst. Characterization results revealed that the introduction of a proper amount of Bi to Ce/TiO2 catalyst could generate more Ce3+ and chemisorbed oxygen species on its surface, along with the enhanced reducibility and surface acidity. From the results of an in situ DRIFT study, the formation of more adsorbed NH3 and NO2 species could be detected, as a result, greatly facilitating the low-temperature NH3–SCR reaction over CeBi/TiO2-0.15 catalyst through the Langmuir–Hinshelwood route.

The different poisoning mechanisms of Cl and P on Mn/TiO2 catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 were investigated in this study. It was found that the poisoning effect of P was stronger than that of Cl, and the poisoning effect of Cl was very weak when the reaction temperature was over 250 °C. And the presence of Cl or P would weaken the poisoning effect of SO2 and H2O. From the characterization results of temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the loading of P and Cl would lead to the decrease of reducible species and the loss of Mn4+ and chemisorbed oxygen species, as a result, inhibiting the oxidation of NO to NO2.The results of temperature programmed desorption (TPD) study indicated that the presence of Cl only had a weak inhibition effect on the adsorption of NH3 and NOx species over Mn/TiO2 catalyst, while the addition of P on Mn/TiO2 catalyst would greatly suppress the adsorption of NH3 and NOx species. From the results of in situ DRIFT study, it could be found that the NH3–SCR reaction over Mn/TiO2 catalyst was mainly controlled by L–H mechanism at lower temperature range (≤ 200 °C) and E–R mechanism at higher temperature range (≥ 250 °C). For Mn/TiO2 Cl, the deactivation was mainly caused by the prohibited NO oxidation; while for Mn/TiO2 P, the deactivation was mainly due to the seriously suppressed NO oxidation and NH3 adsorption.

Nd was used as the modifier to improve the NH3-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) performance of MnOx catalyst used in NOx abatement. The results of the activity test indicated that MnNdOx-0.1 catalyst displayed remarkable catalytic activity and N2 selectivity in the temperature range of 50–300 °C. Characterization results proved the enhanced reducibility and the facilitated NH3 and NOx adsorption over MnNdOx-0.1 catalyst, accompanied by the existence of more Mn4+ and surface adsorbed oxygen species over its surface. The results of the in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform study pointed out that the NH3-SCR reaction over the MnNdOx-0.1 catalyst was mainly under the control of the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism (≤100 °C); when the reaction temperature was over 200 °C, the Eley–Rideal mechanism was dominant. More adsorbed NOx and NH3 species over the MnNdOx-0.1 catalyst, along with the activation effect of Nd on the adsorbed reactants, had a facilitation impact on the SCR reaction process ...

Great variations have been found in composition and content of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (Rutaceae), resulting from various factors such as harvest time, drying and extraction methods (Huang et al., 2006; Shao et al., 2013), solvent and herbal parts used (Zhang, 1996; Cao and Zhang, 2010; Wang et al., 2011). However, in terms of artificial introduction and cultivation, there is little research on the chemical composition of essential oil extracted from Z. bungeanum Maxim. cultivars, which have been introduced from different origins. In this study, the composition and content of essential oil from six cultivars (I–VI) have been investigated. They were introduced and cultivated for 11 years in the same cultivation conditions. Cultivars were as followings: Qin’an (I) cultivar originally introduced from Qin’an City in Gansu Province; Dahongpao A (II) from She County in Hebei Province; Dahongpao B (III) from Fuping County; Dahongpao C (IV) from Tongchuan City; Meifengjiao (V) from Feng County; and, Shizitou (VI) from Hancheng City, in Shaanxi Province, China. This research is expected to provide a theoretical basis for further introduction, cultivation, and commercial development of Z. bungeanum Maxim.

Ca salts in fly ash have a deactivation effect on SCR catalyst. In this study, the deactivation mechanism of Ca on Ce/TiO2 catalyst was investigated in term of the in situ DRIFT study. The experimental results indicate that the poisoning effect increases with reaction temperature. From the results of in situ DRIFT study, it may be concluded that the NH3-SCR reaction over Ce/TiO2 catalyst takes place though two pathways: the L -H mechanisms ( 200 °C). For Ce/TiO2-Ca, the NH3-SCR reaction over it is mainly controlled by L -H mechanism. The deactivation of Ce/TiO2-Ca lies in the following two aspects: (1) the inhibited NH3 adsorption and NO oxidation ( 200 °C).

Heavy metals such as Zn have a poisoning effect on the catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3. In this study, it was found that the modification of Mn/TiO2 catalyst with Al2(SO4)3 could effectively enhance its Zn resistance. From the results of characterizations including XRD, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and XPS, it could be concluded that the lower crystallinity, the higher reducibility, the generation of more acid sites, and the presence of more Mn4+ and chemisorbed oxygen should mainly contribute to the good Zn resistance of Al2(SO4)3-modified Mn/TiO2 catalyst. The results of in situ DRIFT study indicated that the addition of Al2(SO4)3 did not change the mechanism of NH3-SCR reaction over Mn/TiO2 catalyst, which was under the control of both Eley–Rideal and Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms.

CeSmOx mixed oxide catalysts supported on TiO 2 prepared by coprecipitation method were used for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH 3 . The results showed that the addition of Sm could effectively enhance the low-temperature SCR activity and SO 2 /H 2 O resistance of Ce/TiO 2 catalyst, and the appropriate mole ratio of Sm to Ce was 0.3. Characterization results indicated that the introduction of Sm could promote the formation of Ce 3+ and chemisorbed oxygen species on catalyst surface, which was favorable to the generation of NO 2 . Moreover, the doping of Sm could also promote the adsorption of NH 3 and NOx species on Ce/TiO 2 catalyst. The results of in situ DRIFT study revealed that the NH 3 -SCR reaction over CeSm/TiO 2 -0.3 catalyst was mainly controlled by the Langmuir−Hinshelwood mechanism in the low temperature range ( 3 adsorption should play a major role for the excellent low-temperature SCR performance of CeSm/TiO 2 -0.3 catalyst.

It is well recognized that both alkali and alkali earth metals have a poisoning effect on selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. In this study, the different poisoning effects of K and Mg on Mn/TiO2 catalyst were investigated. It was found that the deactivation effect of K was much stronger than that of Mg. The effect of K or Mg addition on the physicochemical properties of Mn/TiO2 catalyst was investigated based on N2 adsorption, XRD, XPS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, and NO-TPD techniques. The results indicated that the addition of K or Mg on Mn/TiO2 catalyst would decrease its specific area, promote the crystallization of TiO2, and lead to a decrease of Mn4+ and surface chemisorbed oxygen. Furthermore, the presence of K or Mg on Mn/TiO2 catalyst would lead to the drop of reducibility and the adsorption capacity of NH3 and NOx species. In addition, the adsorption behavior of NH3 and NOx and their surface reactions over the fresh and poisoned Mn/TiO2 catalysts were investigated by in situ DRIFT study. It was ...

A series of MnEuOx catalysts were prepared by the co-precipitation method and used for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3. It was found that the modification of MnOx catalyst by Eu with a Eu/Mn molar ratio of 0.1 could greatly enhance its SCR activity and broaden its operating temperature window, accompanied by good resistance to SO2 and H2O. From the characterization results of N2 adsorption, XRD, XPS, H2-TPR, it could be concluded that the larger surface area resulted from the inhibited crystallization of MnOx, the enrichment of surface Mn4+ and chemisorbed oxygen, and the higher reducibility all made a contribution to the high SCR activity of MnEuOx-0.1 catalyst. Furthermore, the results of in situ DRIFTS study revealed the NH3-SCR reactions over MnOx and MnEuOx-0.1 were mainly controlled by L-H mechanism ( 150 °C) respectively, and the contribution of E–R mechanism became more important with increasing reaction temperature. The enhanced NO oxidation and NH3 adsorption should be mainly contribute to the distinguished SCR performance of MnEuOx catalyst in the lower temperature range ( 150 °C) respectively.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness and safety of the combination of surgery plus postoperative iodine-125 interstitial brachytherapy for treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the parotid. Methods and Materials This study included a retrospective analysis of the data of patients who underwent postoperative iodine-125 interstitial brachytherapy for histology-confirmed ACC of the parotid between January 2002 and November 2018 in Peking University Hospital of Stomatology. Acute and long-term radiation-related toxicities were assessed by the criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the factors affecting overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS). Results A total of 86 patients (53 women; median age 50 years, SD = 13.1) were included. Median followup was for 45.5 months. About half the patients (44/86, 51.3%) had clinical stage IV disease. Local recurrence occurred in 11 of 86 (12.8%) patients. No patient had nodal metastases in the followup period. The five- and 10-year DFS rates were 74.8% and 66.6%, respectively. The mean DMFS was 60.6 months. On multivariate analysis, preoperative facial palsy, type of surgery, perineural spread (PNS), and distant metastases were independent prognostic factors for DFS; preoperative facial palsy, nodal metastases, and PNS were independent prognostic factors for overall survival; and preoperative facial palsy, type of surgery, PNS, and pathological type were independent prognostic factor for DMFS. Conclusions The combination of surgery and iodine-125 interstitial brachytherapy appears to be an effective and safe treatment for primary ACC of the parotid.

Research evidence has shown that innovation systems play crucial roles in the sustainability of a country. Taiwan as a natural resource-restricted society with a unique situation should pay great attention to related topics. Regarding this, scientific and strategic foresight planning is engaged in order to be competitive and sustainable. An advanced plan with evaluation and police research was revealed in this study, which utilized DEA (data envelope analysis) to reform qualitative principles and quantitively evaluate 22 counties of Taiwan, exploring potential opportunities among the counties. Moreover, based on the findings, a rational suggestion of smart healthcare development was investigated to help in decision making. In comparing the practical evidence with results, we conclude following viewpoints: First, sometimes policies have to be made with limited data and time because of the rapidly changing environment, though an effective solution to consistently bridge the conceptual principles with quantitative results is feasible. Second, we show quantitative results derived from qualitative principles that uncover missing phenomena from intuitive discussions. Third, by adapting the observation boundaries with variables, a new scenario can be exposed to meaningfully support decisions in new territories, including sustainability. Compared to intuitive decisions, scientific planning is fruitful according to social consensus in order to lay the foundation for sustainability.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of core needle biopsy (CNB) in patients with focal fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in deep regions of the head and neck, with the guidance of infrared navigation integrated with PET.Patients with suspected primary or recurrent malignancies of the head and neck on PET/CT, from June 2016 to December 2018, were included. Before CNB, the region of interest was delineated and the ideal needle entry points, target sites, and a number of trajectories were designed on iPlan CMF 3.0. CNB was performed with the guidance of infrared navigation integrated with PET, according to the pre-plan. Sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy were analyzed by comparing the biopsy results with the final diagnosis.Thirty-one consecutive patients were included. Among the 31 lesions, 18 were skull base, six were infratemporal fossa, and seven were maxillary region. The median values for SUVmax, SUVmean, and MTV were 6.09 (range: 1.43-24.67), 3.41 (range: 0.38-20.96), and 25.83 (range: 3.54-361.94) for the 31 lesions, respectively. Combined needle approaches were employed, including temporal (nine), subzygomatic (19), paramaxillary (11), and retromandibular (16) approaches. The depths of the 31 deep-region lesions, measured from the needle entry site on the skin to the target point, ranged from 1.33 cm to 7.82 cm (median 4.25 cm). There were three non-diagnostic lesions resulting from CNB, and these were all skull base. The diagnostic accuracy was 90.3%, while the sensitivity was 88%. According to the binary logistic regression for the final diagnosis, the only significant parameter was SUVmax.With the guidance of navigation integrated with PET, CNB is a feasible and accurate diagnostic modality, which is also an alternative to open biopsy in patients with suspected primary or recurrent malignancies in deep regions of the head and neck on PET/CT.

Twenty-three isolates of Pasteurella multocida were tested for susceptibility to six aminoglycoside agents and screened by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of aminoglycoside resistance genes. In addition, mutations in the resistance-determining region of strains showing a high level of induced resistance to spectinomycin strains were examined. Susceptibility testing showed that all of the isolates were resistant to at least two types of aminoglycosides, and that the most effective antimicrobial was spectinomycin. The resistance genes aphA1, strB and aacA4 were present in all 23 isolates. In the three induced spectinomycin-resistant strains, a 9-bp deletion in rpsE that encodes ribosomal protein S5 was detected.

It was well recognized that Pb had a poisoning effect on a SCR catalyst. In this study, the deactivation mechanism of Pb on the Ce/TiO2 catalyst was investigated based on the characterization results of TPD and in situ DRIFT studies. It was found that the addition of Pb on the Ce/TiO2 catalyst not only inhibited the adsorption and activation of NH3 species, but also led to the decrease of the activity of adsorbed NH3 species in the SCR reaction. The adsorption of NOx species and the oxidation of NO by O2 over the Ce/TiO2 catalyst were also suppressed by the addition of Pb, while the reactivity of adsorbed NO2 species did not decrease. Moreover, the results revealed that the NH3-SCR reaction over the Ce/TiO2 catalyst followed both the E–R and L–H mechanisms, while the NH3-SCR reaction over Ce/TiO2-Pb was mainly controlled by the L–H mechanism. The contributions of the L–H mechanism to the SCR reactions over Ce/TiO2 and Ce/TiO2-Pb decreased with increasing reaction temperature. The deactivation of Ce/TiO2-Pb was mainly attributed to the suppressed NH3 adsorption and activation, accompanied by the inhibited NO oxidation and the decrease of Bronsted acid sites.

Phosphorous has a deactivation effect on an SCR catalyst. In this study, the effect of Mo modification on the resistance to P species of a Mn–Ti catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 was investigated. It was found that the addition of Mo could greatly improve the P species tolerance of the Mn–Ti catalyst. From the characterization results of BET, XRD, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and XPS, it could be concluded that the modification of the Mn–Ti catalyst by Mo could enhance its specific surface area, redox ability and NH3 adsorption capacity, along with the generation of more surface chemisorbed oxygen species, as a result, greatly enhancing the P species resistance of the Mn–Ti catalyst. The results of an in situ DRIFT study indicated that the NH3-SCR reactions over Mn–Ti and Mn–Mo–Ti catalysts were governed by L–H mechanism (≤200 °C) and E–R mechanism (>200 °C) respectively.

The deactivation mechanism of alkali metals on the SCR catalyst of Ce/TiO 2 was investigated by TPD and DRIFT studies. It could be found that the addition of Na or K on Ce/TiO 2 catalyst would restrict the adsorption of NH 3, accompanied by the generation of new sites for the adsorption of NO x species. But the new-absorbed NO x species were not active in the NH 3 -SCR reaction. The results of in situ DRIFT study indicated that the addition of Na and K did not change the SCR reaction mechanism, which was the combination of the Eley–Rideal and the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms.

Heavy metals (such as Zn and Pb) have a deactivation effect on the catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3. In this study, it was found that the modification of Mn/TiO2 catalyst by Nb could greatly enhance its Zn resistance. From the characterization results of BET, XRD, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, it may be concluded that the introduction of Nb into Mn/TiO2 catalyst would lead to its lower crystallinity, more acid sites and higher concentrations of Mn4 + and surface chemisorbed oxygen. The results of in situ DRIFT study reveal that the NH3-SCR reactions over Mn/TiO2 and Mn-Nb/TiO2 all obey both the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism and the Eley–Rideal mechanism, and the doping of Nb on Mn/TiO2 catalyst could promote the adsorption of NH3 and NOx species on it. All these features make a contribution to the high SCR activity and good Zn resistance of Mn-Nb/TiO2 catalyst.

To transfer the preplan for the head and neck brachytherapy to the clinical implantation procedure, a preplan-based 3D-printed individual template for needle insertion guidance had previously been designed and used. The accuracy of needle insertion using this kind template was assessed in vivo. In the study, 25 patients with head and neck tumors were implanted with 125I radioactive seeds under the guidance of the 3D-printed individual template. Patients were divided into four groups based on the site of needle insertion: the parotid and masseter region group (nine patients); the maxillary and paranasal region group (eight patients); the submandibular and upper neck area group (five patients); and the retromandibular region group (six patients). The distance and angular deviations between the preplanned and placed needles were compared, and the complications and time required for needle insertion were assessed. The mean entrance point distance deviation for all 619 needles was 1.18 ± 0.81 mm, varying from 0.857 ± 0.545 to 1.930 ± 0.843 mm at different sites. The mean angular deviation was 2.08 ± 1.07 degrees, varying from 1.85 ± 0.93 to 2.73 ± 1.18 degrees at different sites. All needles were manually inserted to their preplanned positions in a single attempt, and the mean time to insert one needle was 7.5 s. No anatomical complications related to inaccurately placed implants were observed. Using the 3D-printed individual template for the implantation of 125I radioactive seeds in the head and neck region can accurately transfer a CT-based preplan to the brachytherapy needle insertion procedure. Moreover, the addition of individual template guidance can reduce the time required for implantation and minimize the damage to normal tissues.