Search

The noradrenergic fibers of the locus coeruleus, together with mossy fibers and climbing fibers, comprise the three types of cerebellar afferents that modulate the cerebellar neuronal circuit. We previously demonstrated that noradrenaline (NA) modulated synaptic transmission in the mouse cerebellar cortex via adrenergic receptors (ARs). In the present study, we investigated the effect of NA on facial stimulation-evoked cerebellar molecular layer interneuron (MLI)-Purkinje cell (PC) synaptic transmission in urethane-anesthetized mice using an in vivo cell-attached recording technique and a pharmacological method. MLI-PC synaptic transmission was induced by air-puff stimulation (duration: 60 ms) of the ipsilateral whisker pad, which exhibited positive components (P1 and P2) accompanied by a pause in simple spike activity. Cerebellar molecular layer application of NA (15 µM) decreased the amplitude and area under the curve of P1, and the pause in simple spike activity, but increased the P2/P1 ratio. The NA-induced decrease in P1 amplitude was concentration-dependent, and the half-inhibitory concentration was 10.94 µM. The NA-induced depression of facial stimulation-evoked MLI-PC GABAergic synaptic transmission was completely abolished by blockade of α-ARs or α2-ARs, but not by antagonism of α1-ARs or β-ARs. Bath application of an α2-AR agonist inhibited MLI-PC synaptic transmission and attenuated the effect of NA on the synaptic response. NA-induced depression of MLI-PC synaptic transmission was completely blocked by a mixture of α2A- and 2B-AR antagonists, and was abolished by inhibition of protein kinase A. In addition, electrical stimulation of the molecular layer evoked MLI-PC GABAergic synaptic transmission in the presence of an AMPA receptor antagonist, which was inhibited by NA through α2-ARs. Our results indicate that NA inhibits MLI-PC GABAergic synaptic transmission by reducing GABA release via an α2-AR/PKA signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoexcited pyroelectricity in ferroelectrics allows the direct conversion of light radiation into electric signal without external power source, thus paving an avenue to promote optoelectronic device performances. However, it is urgently demanded to exploit new ferroelectrics with this attribute covering ultraviolet (UV)‐to‐infrared (IR) region for self‐powered photodetection. Herein, broadband light‐induced pyroelectric effects in a new 2D perovskite‐type ferroelectric, (BBA)2(EA)2Pb3Br10 (1; BBA = p‐bromobenzylammonium, EA = ethylammonium), showing a high Curie temperature of 425 K and notable pyroelectric coefficient (≈5.4 × 10−3 µC cm−2 K−1) is presented. Especially, photo‐induced change of its electric polarization leads to ultraviolet‐to‐infrared pyroelectricity in a wide spectral region (377–1950 nm). Broadband photoactivities actualized by this property break the limitation of its optical bandgap. Thus, single‐crystal detectors of 1 are sensitive to UV‐to‐IR light with a small temperature fluctuation of 0.3 K, exhibiting a high transient responsivity up to ≈0.28 mA W−1 and specific detectivity of 1.31 × 1010 Jones under zero bias (at 405 nm); such figure‐of‐merits are beyond than those self‐powered photodetectors using oxide ferroelectrics. It is anticipated that the findings of light‐induced pyroelectricity afford a feasible strategy to assemble newly‐conceptual smart photoelectric devices, such as self‐powered broadband detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized‐light detection in the deep ultraviolet solar‐blind region is indispensable for optoelectronic applications. 2D hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics with inherent anisotropy and bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) have become a robust candidate in this portfolio. We here report a wide band‐gap 2D perovskite ferroelectric, (isobutylammonium)2(methylamium)Pb2Cl7 (1), in which the BPVE behaves as self‐driving source for solar‐blind ultraviolet polarized‐light detection. It exhibits a large dichroism ratio (≈15.7) and superior BPVE‐directed photocurrent (≈3.6 μA cm−2, under 266 nm). These attributes facilitate excellent self‐powered polarized‐light detection of high on/off contrast (≈103) and polarization ratio (≈2.5), beyond those of inorganic oxides (e.g. ZnO, 1.47; GaN, 1.38). This study highlights potential of 2D perovskite ferroelectrics for new optoelectronic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized‐light detection in the deep ultraviolet solar‐blind region is indispensable for optoelectronic applications. 2D hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics with inherent anisotropy and bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) have become a robust candidate in this portfolio. We here report a wide band‐gap 2D perovskite ferroelectric, (isobutylammonium)2(methylamium)Pb2Cl7 (1), in which the BPVE behaves as self‐driving source for solar‐blind ultraviolet polarized‐light detection. It exhibits a large dichroism ratio (≈15.7) and superior BPVE‐directed photocurrent (≈3.6 μA cm−2, under 266 nm). These attributes facilitate excellent self‐powered polarized‐light detection of high on/off contrast (≈103) and polarization ratio (≈2.5), beyond those of inorganic oxides (e.g. ZnO, 1.47; GaN, 1.38). This study highlights potential of 2D perovskite ferroelectrics for new optoelectronic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the blood concentration of banoxantrone (AQ4N) is important to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and side effects of this new anticancer prodrug during its clinical applications. Herein, we report a fluorescence method for AQ4N detection through the modulation of the molecule-like photoinduced electron transfer (PET) behavior of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). AQ4N can electrostatically bind to the surface of carboxylated chitosan (CC) and dithiothreitol (DTT) co-stabilized AuNCs and quench their fluorescence via a Coulomb interaction-accelerated PET process. Under optimized experimental conditions, the linear range of AQ4N is from 25 to 200 nM and the limit of detection is as low as 5 nM. In addition, this assay is confirmed to be reliable based on its successful use in AQ4N determination in mouse plasma samples. This work offers an effective strategy for AQ4N sensing based on fluorescent AuNCs and widens the application of AuNCs in clinical diagnosis and pharmaceutical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important serum marker of inflammation associated with cardiovascular outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the association between CRP and childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and clarify the effects of adenotonsillectomy on serum CRP levels in children with OSA.Methods: Children with symptoms suggestive of OSA who underwent an overnight polysomnography were recruited from a tertiary medical center. Their serum CRP levels were measured. For children who underwent adenotonsillectomy for OSA treatment, polysomnography and serum high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) level measurement were conducted after surgery.Results: This study included 326 children (mean age: 7.2 ± 3.0 years; boys: 67%). Children with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 5 events/h had significantly higher hs-CRP levels than children with AHI of 1-5 events/h and AHI < 1 event/h [median (interquartile range): 0.08 (0.03-0.25) vs 0.03 (0.02-0.14) vs 0.04 (0.01-0.10), P < 0.001]. Log-transformed hs-CRP levels were positively associated with log AHI values (r = 0.2, P < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, hs-CRP levels were independently associated with AHI; 101 children with OSA (ie, AHI > 1) underwent adenotonsillectomy. In children with OSA in the study cohort, a significant reduction of hs-CRP levels did not occur after surgery [from 0.07 (0.02-0.22) to 0.08 (0.03-0.17), P = 0.716]. In children with OSA having abnormal hs-CRP levels (ie, CRP > 1 mg/dL), hs-CRP levels significantly decreased after surgery [from 1.87 (1.11-2.78) to 0.20 (0.07-1.04), P = 0.043].Conclusion: Children with OSA had increased hs-CRP levels. Children with OSA and abnormal hs-CRP levels exhibited significantly reduced hs-CRP levels following adenotonsillectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate and quantify age-related changes in lower limb muscle stiffness in typically developing children and adolescents using acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography. Materials and methods: Shear wave velocities of bilateral rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles at rest were obtained in typically developing children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years. The participants were classified into three age groups: Group 1 (children), 3 to 7 years old; Group 2, 8 to 12 (pre-adolescent); and Group 3 (adolescent), 13 to 18. The shear wave velocities of muscle were compared across the three age groups, as well as compared between right- and left-side limbs. The correlation between shear wave velocities and body weight or body mass index was assessed. Results: Of the 47 participants, 21 were in Group 1, 17 in Group 2, and 9 in Group 3. There were no significant differences among the three age groups' shear wave velocities of bilateral lower limb muscles, and no significant differences between right and left sides. There was no correlation between muscle stiffness and body weight or body mass index. Conclusion: The present pilot study applied acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography to quantify lower limb muscle stiffness in typically developing children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years, suggesting no marked change in muscle stiffness occurs as they develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence and risk factors for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a large cohort of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Patients (n = 695) with CHD who were aged 6–15 years and visited the outpatient clinics in our hospital from June 2015 to May 2017 were enrolled. Their medical records were collected, and the Chinese version of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham rating scale (SNAP-IVc) and a questionnaire about neuropsychiatric care-seeking behavior were completed by parents and counselors. Of the 695 patients, the overall prevalence of ADHD was 12.4%, including 3.2% for the combined subtype, 6.8% for the inattentive-predominant subtype, and 2.4% for the hyperactivity/impulsive-predominant subtype. Only the inattention-predominant subtype was significantly more prevalent than in the general population. The prevalence of the inattention-predominant subtype was highest in the patients with cyanotic CHD, high severity index, and in those who had received surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the risk factors for inattention-related symptoms included postoperative seizure and previous cardiopulmonary bypass (odds ratio: 3.22 and 3.82; P = 0.027 and < 0.001, respectively). Only 58.7% of the patients with probable ADHD ever sought neuropsychiatric care, and only 27% regularly attended neuropsychiatric clinics. The inattention-predominant subtype of ADHD was more prevalent in our CHD patients, especially in those with cyanotic CHD, higher disease severity index, and in those who had undergone a surgical intervention. The percentage of patients receiving regular neuropsychiatric clinic follow-up was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized‐light detection in solar‐blind ultraviolet region is indispensable for optoelectronic applications, whereas new 2D candidates targeted at solar‐blind UV range remain extremely scarce. 2D hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics that combine polarization and semiconducting properties are of increasing interest. Here, using the 3D‐to‐2D dimensional reduction of CH3NH3PbCl3, we designed a multilayered hybrid perovskite ferroelectric, (CH3CH2NH3)2(CH3NH3)2Pb3Cl10, which shows spontaneous polarization and a high Curie temperature (390 K) comparable with that of BaTiO3 (393 K). The wide band gap (ca. 3.35 eV) and anisotropic absorbance stemming from its intrinsic 2D motif, greatly favor its polarization‐sensitive activity in UV region. The device displays excellent polarization‐sensitive behavior under 266 nm, along with a large dichroic ratio (ca. 1.38) and high on/off current ratio (ca. 2.3×103). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized‐light detection in solar‐blind ultraviolet region is indispensable for optoelectronic applications, whereas new 2D candidates targeted at solar‐blind UV range remain extremely scarce. 2D hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics that combine polarization and semiconducting properties are of increasing interest. Here, using the 3D‐to‐2D dimensional reduction of CH3NH3PbCl3, we designed a multilayered hybrid perovskite ferroelectric, (CH3CH2NH3)2(CH3NH3)2Pb3Cl10, which shows spontaneous polarization and a high Curie temperature (390 K) comparable with that of BaTiO3 (393 K). The wide band gap (ca. 3.35 eV) and anisotropic absorbance stemming from its intrinsic 2D motif, greatly favor its polarization‐sensitive activity in UV region. The device displays excellent polarization‐sensitive behavior under 266 nm, along with a large dichroic ratio (ca. 1.38) and high on/off current ratio (ca. 2.3×103). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory stimuli induce immunoresponsive gene 1 (IRG1) expression that in turn catalyzes the production of itaconate from the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Itaconate has recently emerged as a regulator of immune cell functions, especially in macrophages. Studies show that itaconate is required for the activation of anti-inflammatory transcription factor Nrf2 by LPS in mouse and human macrophages, and LPS-activated IRG1-/- macrophages that lack endogenous itaconate production exhibit augmented inflammatory responses. Moreover, dimethyl itaconate (DMI), an itaconate derivative, inhibits IL-17-induced IκBς activation in keratinocytes and modulates IL-17-IκBς pathway-mediated skin inflammation in an animal model of psoriasis. Currently, the effect of itaconate on regulating macrophage functions and peripheral inflammatory immune responses is well established. However, its effect on microglia (MG) and CNS inflammatory immune responses remains unexplored. Thus, we investigated whether itaconate possesses an immunomodulatory effect on regulating MG activation and CNS inflammation in animal models of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).Methods: Chronic C57BL/6 EAE was induced followed by DMI treatment. The effect of DMI on disease severity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, MG activation, peripheral Th1/Th17 differentiation, and the CNS infiltration of Th1/Th17 cells in EAE was determined. Primary MG was cultured to study the effect of DMI on MG activation. Relapsing-remitting SJL/J EAE was induced to assess the therapeutic effect of DMI.Results: Our results show DMI ameliorated disease severity in the chronic C57BL/6 EAE model. Further analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms revealed that DMI mitigated BBB disruption, inhibited MMP3/MMP9 production, suppressed microglia activation, inhibited peripheral Th1/Th17 differentiation, and repressed the CNS infiltration of Th1 and Th17 cells. Strikingly, DMI also exhibited a therapeutic effect on alleviating severity of relapse in the relapsing-remitting SJL/J EAE model.Conclusions: We demonstrate that DMI suppresses neuroinflammation and ameliorates disease severity in EAE through multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms, suggesting that DMI can be developed as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of MS/EAE through its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel chymotrypsin inhibitor, named ClCI, was purified from coix seed (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) by aqueous two-phase extraction, chymotrypsin–Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography and centrifugal ultrafiltration. ClCI was a 7.9 kDa competitive inhibitor with pI 6.54. The inhibition constants (K i) for bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin and bacterial subtilisin were 1.27 × 10−10 M and 1.57 × 10−9 M respectively. ClCI had no inhibitory activity against bovine trypsin and porcine elastase. ClCI had wide pH stability and good heat resistance. It can maintain >90% inhibition activity against chymotrypsin at 20–80 °C for 1 h. The primary structure of ClCI was highly similar (57%–92%) to those of several inhibitors belonging to the Gramineae crop potato protease inhibitor- I superfamily and showed the typical sequence motif of the protease inhibitor of the seed storage protein group. ClCI (12.5 mg) inhibited mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Mycosphaerella melonis, Helminthosporium turcicum , Alternaria solani , Phytophthora capsici, Isariopsis griseola, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , and caused 89% inhibition of the proteases from spore germination of plant-pathogenic fungi. The results of the present study indicate that ClCI had biotechnological potential as an alternative agent to combat the important phytopathogenic fungi. Unlabelled Image • A novel ClTI (Coix lacryma-jobi L. trypsin inhibitor) was identified and characterized. • ClTI is a member of the Gramineae crop potato inhibitor superfamily. • ClTI inhibited the mycelium growth and spore germination of the phytopatogenic fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: TET2, a member of the Ten‐Eleven translocation gene family, catalyzes the conversion of 5‐methylcytosine to 5‐hydroxymethylcytosine in DNA. Low expression of TET2 has been reported as a prognostic factor for several types of malignancies in adult patients. However, there have been few data on the effect of TET2 mRNA level on the prognosis of children with ALL so far. Methods: In this study, TET2 expression of samples cryopreserved in the liquid nitrogen from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2011 was retrospectively analyzed in 136 newly diagnosed ALL patients by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The patients' samples were divided into two groups by the median value of patients group and divided into TET2 low and TET2 high groups. Results: A total of 136 childhood ALL patients demonstrated lower TET2 expression than control group (P = .038). TET2 mRNA expression levels were correlated with the disease status. In addition, patients with low TET2 expression had lower platelet counts and lower CR rates. Survival analysis showed that low TET2 expression in children with ALL was associated with lower 5‐year overall survival (OS) (63% vs 88%, P = .011) and event‐free survival (EFS) (60% vs 85%, P = .003). Multivariate analysis revealed that low TET2 expression was an independent poor prognostic factor of OS and EFS. Conclusion: Low expression of TET2 in children with ALL is associated with poor prognosis and can be used as a molecular prognostic marker for risk group stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li, C.-Y.; Weng, W.-K.; Shih, R.-S.; Yang, C.-K., and Lo, J.-S., 2019. Enhancing wave energy harvesting with a submerged crescent-shaped plate. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(5), 985–995. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Wave energy converters (WECs) are devices that capture energy from waves, which is usually dictated by wave conditions. In this study, a rectangular wave farm with generic point absorber WECs was placed behind a submerged crescent-shaped plate to investigate whether the plate increases the amount of captured energy. A numerical model that describes the wave field around the plate, based on the boundary element method, was developed and validated with experimental results. When waves move past the plate, the combined effects of shoaling, refraction, and diffraction cause waves behind the plate to increase in height. Two parameters, the dimensionless energy extraction coefficient and the buoy coverage ratio, were investigated using long- and short-period waves with the aim of enhancing energy harvesting behind the submerged crescent-shaped plate. The results suggest that increasing the energy extraction coefficient and coverage ratio do not ensure increased harvesting efficiency; rather, these parameters may cause changes in the nearby wave field because of greater wave reflection and diffraction. A dimensionless energy extraction coefficient of 1.0 and a buoy coverage ratio of 0.1 were proposed as optimal parameters for all wave periods under the conditions of this study. In this rectangular wave farm, most energy was captured in the area closest to the submerged plate (30% of the total wave farm), and a lower buoy coverage ratio caused less wave reflection and diffraction in the wave field around the plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study used ultrasound instantaneous frequency for evaluating the clinical severity of DMD. • Clinical measurements were performed for validations. • The accuracy to characterize the walking function of patients was 91.76%. • The proposed method benefits future DMD evaluation and management. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) results in loss of ambulation for the patients. Ultrasound attenuation correlates with fat content in muscles, resulting in changes in signal frequency. The Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) allows time–frequency analysis with high time–frequency resolution. This study explored the feasibility of using the instantaneous frequency (IF) obtained from the HHT to diagnose the walking function of patients with DMD. Eighty-five participants (12 control and 73 patients with DMD) underwent a standard-care ultrasound examination of the gastrocnemius to acquire raw image data for ultrasound B-mode and IF calculations, which were compared with the DMD stage using Pearson correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. With increasing DMD stage, the median IF decreased from 7.25 to 7.01 MHz (the correlation coefficient r = −0.73; the probability value p < 0.0001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.97 when using ultrasound IF to discriminate between ambulatory and nonambulatory patients (accuracy: 91.76%; sensitivity: 93.75%; and specificity: 90.57%). The study reveals that ultrasound IF has great potential in DMD evaluation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that colorectal cancer (CRC) cells containing mutations of the genes KRAS and BRAF are predominate mechanisms causing resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, and commonly exhibit a lower expression of microRNA-378 (miR-378) when compared with the wild type. In the present study, the aim was to determine the possible mechanism which associates miR-378 with the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and to determine the efficiency of eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester (EPA) in its ability to restore sensitivity towards cetuximab, an EGFR inhibitor. The results demonstrated that a combined treatment of 40 µM EPA with 0.2 µM cetuximab can significantly suppress the cell growth in KRAS-mutant and control wild-type cells. Furthermore, the higher phosphorylated protein level of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 was notable in KRAS EPA-treated cells (P=0.006–0.047) and resulted in significantly increased cell death; however, inconsistent results were indicated in EPA-treated BRAF-mutant cells, compared with the original cells (without treatment). KRAS-mutant and wild-type Caco-2 cells treated with EPA exhibited increased cetuximab response rates, but these response rates were reduced in the BRAF-mutant cells. In conclusion, upregulation of miR-378 induced by EPA may result in the significant restoration of sensitivity to cetuximab in the KRAS-mutant cells. The present data will contribute to a notable potential therapeutic solution for future clinical CRC treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of rapid detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has always been the focal point of modern and future medicine. However, the dispersity and rarity of CTCs in the bloodstream makes it hard to detect metastasis. Herein, our newly designed needle-like cytosensor demonstrates that the capture and analysis of CTCs are a much less laborious process and have more potential than ever. Our aim is to detect and capture CTCs directly in the bloodstream without altering the genetic information; further benefit of current cytosensor is allows for the whole circulation of blood to run through the cytosensor, giving a much better sensitivity and chance of detecting CTCs. Our functionalized needle-like cytosensor has been modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide, N-hydroxysuccinimide and conjugated streptavidin to allow the binding of the biotinylated-antibody of epithelial cell adhesion molecules, which captures targeted colon cancer CTC. The capability of our needle-like cytosensor to detect CTCs spanned from 10 2 to 10 6 cells/mL. Beyond this, the needle-like cytosensor avoids the distortion of the cell information. In addition, we constructed a blood flow simulation that mimics human circulating system about 10 mL/min speed; by using cyclic voltammetry we could detect significant signals from captured cancer CTCs more than 21 cells/mL without delay; the fluorescence dye detection was further performed for data confirmation. The future of biosensors begins with this, by providing early monitoring quality care in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Both refractory convulsive status epilepticus (SE) and super-refractory SE are medical emergencies. However, there are limited data on super-refractory SE in children. Thus, this study focuses on characterizing the demographics, outcomes, and prognostic factors for super-refractory SE in children. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis of super-refractory SE treated in a tertiary referral center in Taiwan. The functional outcome was evaluated by modified Rankin scale (mRS). Significant functional decline was defined as an mRS difference (before hospital admission and at discharge) of more than 2. The variates and the follow-up mRS values were then analyzed statistically. Results We enrolled 134 patients with 191 episodes of convulsive SE and identified 30 patients with 38 episodes of convulsive super-refractory SE. The incidence of convulsive super-refractory SE in the group with SE was 19.9%, and the age ranged from 2.5 months to 17 years. In-hospital mortality was 13.3%, which was much lower than that of adult cohorts. Newly acquired epilepsy and cognitive deficit occurred in 100% and 88.5%, respectively. Newly acquired epilepsy, as a sequel of super-refractory SE, was observed in all 18 patients (100%) who survived and had no history of epilepsy. Significant functional decline (mRS difference of more than 2) at discharge occurred in 76.7%. Poor functional outcome was associated with acute symptomatic etiology (P < 0.001) and the number of anesthetic agents (P = 0.002). The functional outcome improved after 1 year of follow-up in our population. Conclusions Super-refractory SE is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in children. However, the in-hospital mortality rate is much lower compared with adults. The functional outcome in children is associated with acute symptomatic etiology and the number of anesthetic agents and may improve after long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Shih, R.-S.; Weng, W.-K., and Li, C.-Y., 2018. Experimental study on the generation and attenuation of landslide tsunamis. Landslide tsunamis, triggered by large earthquake-induced submarine landslides, have the potential to devastate coastlines. The submarine topographies around Taiwan and Japan are similar, with both island nations located in fault zones and earthquake-prone regions; therefore, the effective dissipation of submarine landslide–induced tsunamis warrants investigation. In this study, the formation and attenuation characteristics of landslide tsunamis were experimentally investigated through hydraulic model tests. In particular, the effects of landslide geometry and kinematics on wave characteristics, as well as the effects of volume, slope of the sliding bed, and landslide height on the characteristics of the initial wave, were experimentally studied. In addition, the performance of two types of breakwaters (undulating and screen pipe) in attenuating the wave energy and impact forces of solitary waves was examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate electro-optical Q-switching in a direct 792 nm diode-pumped composite Tm/Ho:YLF laser. Spectral analyses on Tm:YLF and Ho:YLF crystals were studied in detail. A coupled cavity consisting of two identical bi-concave sub-cavities was developed for polarization separation and ensuring rigorous mode-matching between the σ -polarized Tm:YLF and π -polarized Ho:YLF lasers intra-cavity. Together with the negative thermal-optical coefficient with weak thermal lensing of the fluoride host, near diffraction limited Q-switched Ho laser with maximum average power of 389 mW and peak power of 3.3 kW at 2051 nm were obtained at pulse repetition rates of 5 kHz and 1 kHz respectively, which benefits a compact, accessible pulsed seed source at 2. 1 μ m. • We firstly demonstrate electro-optical Q-switching in a composite Tm/Ho:YLF laser. • Novel coupled cavity was proposed for sepearting the σ -pol Tm laser and π -pol Ho laser intra-cavity. • Near diffraction limited pulsed Ho laser was obtained with maximum average power of 389 mW at 2051 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both epilepsy and tic disorders may share common mechanisms with the involvement of abnormal cortical-basal ganglion circuit connection and dopaminergic dysfunction. However, the association between epilepsy and tic disorders has never been studied. This study investigated the risks of developing tic disorders among children with epilepsy using databases of a universal health insurance system in Taiwan. The data analyzed in this study were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The study cohort included children with epilepsy between 2001 and 2007 (n=2629) and a three-fold age- and gender-matched controls (n=7887). All subjects were followed up for 3 years from the date of cohort entry to identify their admissions due to tic disorders (ICD-9-CM codes 307.2, 307.20-307.23). Cox hazard regression analysis was performed to estimate the effect of epilepsy on the occurrence of tics. The epilepsy cohort had a higher prevalence of tics (1.7% vs. 0.2%), and a 8.70-fold increased risk of developing a tic disorder compared with the controls (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 8.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.26-16.37, p<0.001). Male patients were observed to have a higher risk of developing a tic disorder (AHR 1.90, 95% CI=1.04-3.46, p<0.001) compared to female individuals. Patients with multiple antiepileptic drugs treatment also exhibited higher crude OR for developing tic disorders. This nationwide population-based cohort study, for the first time, demonstrated that there is a significantly increased risk for tic disorders among children with epilepsy. We also found males, attention deficit disorder and the use of multiple AEDs to be independent risk factors of tic disorders. Closely evaluating possible tic disorders would be crucial for improving the outcome and life quality in children with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shih, R.-S. and Weng, W.-K., 2016. A study of long wave attenuation over composite undulating breakwaters. In this study, the wave attenuation of multiple impermeable sinusoidal profile breakwaters is investigated by a physical experiment conducted in a 21-m wave flume with a combination of breakwaters collocated with various widths ( w) and heights ( D). The breakwaters were arranged in different permutations and combinations (from one to three sets) on the bottom of various undulating slopes. The attenuation effect when waves propagated through the periodic-gradational undulating terrain was explored, and the optimization of various sinusoidal breakwaters was analyzed. This article discusses the properties of wave reflectance ( Kr), transmittance ( Kt), the energy loss coefficient ( KL), and the attenuation of composite terrain, including the optimal combinations of obstacles. The values of Kr, Kt, and KL were diverse because of various breakwater combinations and various wave conditions. The results indicated that the attenuation of long waves was effective and was affected by nonlinearity and dispersion. Wave decomposition occurred when a wave passed through the breakwaters; a high-frequency fluctuation appeared and dissipated the energy of long waves. The transmittance indicated that a composite of rapidly varying combinations was more favorable than a gradually varying section. Increasing the quantity of composite breakwaters also improved the attenuation effect on both the rapidly varying cases and the segmented gradually varying cases. The optimal combination required to eliminate the energy of long waves was also examined and confirmed using a solitary wave test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Absence epilepsy is an important epileptic syndrome in children. Multiscale entropy (MSE), an entropy-based method to measure dynamic complexity at multiple temporal scales, is helpful to disclose the information of brain connectivity. This study investigated the complexity of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals using MSE in children with absence epilepsy. In this research, EEG signals from 19 channels of the entire brain in 21 children aged 5-12 years with absence epilepsy were analyzed. The EEG signals of pre-ictal (before seizure) and ictal states (during seizure) were analyzed by sample entropy (SamEn) and MSE methods. Variations of complexity index (CI), which was calculated from MSE, from the pre-ictal to the ictal states were also analyzed. The entropy values in the pre-ictal state were significantly higher than those in the ictal state. The MSE revealed more differences in analysis compared to the SamEn. The occurrence of absence seizures decreased the CI in all channels. Changes in CI were also significantly greater in the frontal and central parts of the brain, indicating fronto-central cortical involvement of “cortico-thalamo-cortical network” in the occurrence of generalized spike and wave discharges during absence seizures. Moreover, higher sampling frequency was more sensitive in detecting functional changes in the ictal state. There was significantly higher correlation in ictal states in the same patient in different seizures but there were great differences in CI among different patients, indicating that CI changes were consistent in different absence seizures in the same patient but not from patient to patient. This implies that the brain stays in a homogeneous activation state during the absence seizures. In conclusion, MSE analysis is better than SamEn analysis to analyze complexity of EEG, and CI can be used to investigate the functional brain changes during absence seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether treatment with IFN-α and ribavirin (RBV) reduces 2LTR circular HIV DNA in addition to the total and integrated HIV DNA. Two groups of patients were enrolled. Group 1 comprised HIV/HCV co-infected patients who were treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), IFN-α and RBV for 48 weeks. After the 48 weeks of treatment, IFN-α and RBV treatment was discontinued and HAART was continued. Group 2 comprised HIV-infected patients who were treated with HAART. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify the levels of HIV-1 DNA. We found that compared with Group 2 patients, Group 1 patients exhibited an obvious decrease in the CD4 cell count and the total DNA, 2LTR circular DNA, and integrated HIV DNA after 48 weeks of treatment. After the discontinuation of IFN-α and RBV treatment in Group 1 patients, the levels of HIV DNA recovered. Therefore, we concluded that treatment with IFN-α and ribavirin (RBV) reduces 2LTR circular HIV DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The interaction between the sagittal alignment of the spine and pelvis and the compensatory mechanism in patients suffering from spinal disorders has been well documented. However, in patients with hip osteoarthritis (HOA), few studies have explored how the hip joint pathology could affect the sagittal alignment of the hip, pelvis and spine, and no reports have investigated whether these changes are involved in the pathogenesis of low back pain in these patients. The aims of this case-control study were to investigate the sagittal spine-pelvis-leg alignment in patients suffering from severe HOA and to understand whether the alignment was related to the occurrence of low back pain and the health-related quality of life in these patients. Methods: Fifty-eight patients with severe HOA and 64 asymptomatic controls were studied. Digital lateral X-rays of the spine, pelvis and proximal femur were obtained with the patients placed in upright positions. The following radiographic parameters were measured to examine the sagittal alignment of the pelvis, hip and spine: pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilting (PT), sacral slope (SS), pelvic femoral angle (PFA), femoral inclination (FI), lumbar lordosis (LL), spino-sacral angle (SSA), C7 tilt (C7T) and T1 spinal-pelvic inclination (T1-SPI). The global balance patterns of spinal-pelvic alignment were classified as normal balance, slight unbalance and severe unbalance according to the relative position of the C7 plumb line to the sacrum and femoral heads. Short Form-36 questionnaire was carried out in the patients. Comparisons were carried out between the patients with HOA and the controls and between the HOA patients with or without low back pain. Correlation analysis was used to measure relationships between the HOA patients' parameters. Results: There were no significant differences in the age and gender distribution between the HOA patients and control. Compared with the controls, the patients with HOA showed significantly higher SS and lower PT, similar PI in the pelvis, significantly smaller C7T, larger T1-SPI but comparable LL and SSA in the spine, and significantly smaller PFA but larger FI in the hip joint. In addition, the patients with HOA had a significantly greater incidence of severe unbalanced spinal-pelvic alignment than did the controls (22.4 vs 3.1 %, respectively). In patients with HOA, the PFA was significantly correlated with SS, SSA and FI but not with PI, LL or C7T; while the physical component score of short form-36 was significantly correlated with T1-SPI, C7T and FI. A comparison between the HOA patients with or without low back pain, however, showed no significant differences in the radiographic parameters, global sagittal balance patterns and Short Form-36. Conclusions: The sagittal morphology of the pelvis in patients with severe HOA was normal and might not be involved in the development and progression of this disorder. Although the whole spine was involved in compensating for the flexed hip joint, the poor ability resulted in severely unbalanced spinal-pelvic alignment in these patients. The forward inclined spine and retroverted femur would contribute to the poor physical activities in these patients. However, the abnormal sagittal spine-pelvis-leg alignment in patients with severe HOA might not be involved in the pathogenesis of low back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates highly pervious dense pipes with small apertures, which benefit convection and the interchange of seawater within harbor districts and provide effective wave absorption. Additionally, this study explored the problems of wave impacts on the inclined state of highly pervious pipe obstacle, the energy dissipation characteristics for a series of inclined pipe breakwaters, and the relationship between the inclination angle and the dissipation effect. Pipe breakwaters were arranged in diverse angles of inclination. Forward inclination replicated the effects of a concave embankment, and backward inclination replicated the inclined plane of a sloping revetment. Physical experiments were conducted to investigate the influence that various apertures and inclined angles have on reflection coefficient, transmission coefficient, and loss coefficient. The results show that the influence of highly pervious inclined permeable breakwaters varies according to the effect of minimum reflectivity. The attenuation of long waves is ineffective compared to the efficacy for short waves. Lengthening the pipe enhances the effects of attenuation more compared to shifting the inclination angle, and shifting the inclination angle enhances the effects more than enlarging the aperture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess how history and/or anatomical findings differ in diagnosing pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods Children aged 2–18 years were recruited and assessed for anatomical (ie, tonsil size, adenoid size, and obesity) and historical findings (ie, symptoms) using a standard sheet. History and anatomical findings, as well as those measures significantly correlated with OSA, were identified to establish the historical, anatomical, and the combined model. OSA was diagnosed by polysomnography. The effectiveness of those models in detecting OSA was analyzed by model fit, discrimination (C-index), calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow test), and reclassification properties. Results A total of 222 children were enrolled. The anatomical model included tonsil hypertrophy, adenoid hypertrophy, and obesity, whereas the historical model included snoring frequency, snoring duration, awakening, and breathing pause. The C-index was 0.84 for the combined model, which significantly differed from that in the anatomical (0.78, p  = 0.003) and historical models (0.72, p  < 0.001). The Hosmer–Lemeshow test revealed an adequate fit for all of the models. Additionally, the combined model more accurately reclassified 10.3% ( p  = 0.044) and 21.9% ( p  = 0.003) of all of the subjects than either the anatomical or historical model. Internal validation of the combined model by the bootstrapping method showed a fair model performance. Conclusion Overall performance of combined anatomical and historical findings offers incremental utility in detecting OSA. Results of this study suggest integrating both history and anatomical findings for a screening scheme of pediatric OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title complex, {[Cu(phen)(Ts-gly)(H2O)](Ts-gly)}n, where Ts-gly = N-p-Tolylsulfonyl-glycine and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, was synthesized and its crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The copper ion is in a slightly distorted square-pyramidal geometry and is coordinated by two N(N1, N2) atoms of 1,10-phenanthroline ligand and one O1 atom of water molecular and one O2 atom of Ts-gly ion, and a weak-coordination O3A atom of adjacent Ts-gly ion. The complex shows a one-dimensional zigzag chain bridged by the weak key role Cu-O3A. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Calreticulin is a highly conserved endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein which participates in various cellular processes. It was first identified as a Ca2+-binding protein in 1974. Accumulated evidences indicate that calreticulin has great impacts for the development of different cancers and the effect of calreticulin on tumor formation and progression may depend on cell types and clinical stages. Cell surface calreticulin is considered as an “eat-me” signal and promotes phagocytic uptake of cancer cells by immune system. Moreover, several reports reveal that manipulation of calreticulin levels profoundly affects cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis as well as differentiation. In addition to immunogenicity and tumorigenesis, interactions between calreticulin and integrins have been described during cell adhesion, which is an essential process for cancer metastasis. Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane receptors which connect extracellular matrix and intracellular cytoskeleton and trigger inside-out or outside-in signaling transduction. More and more evidences reveal that proteins binding to integrins might affect integrin-cytoskeleton interaction and therefore influence ability of cell adhesion. Here, we reviewed the biological roles of calreticulin and summarized the potential mechanisms of calreticulin in regulating mRNA stability and therefore contributed to cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder affecting γ-aminobutyric acid degradation. We described a boy with a severe phenotype of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency and novel mutations of ALDH5A1 gene. He was referred because of developmental delay, focal seizures, and choreoathetosis at 6 months of age. The diagnosis of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency was confirmed by increased level of γ-hydroxybutyric acid in urine and novel compound heterozygous mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene. His seizures were successfully controlled. However, the patient showed a slowly progressive clinical course with severe neurologic deficits. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed abnormal high intensities in the putamen and globus pallidi on T2-weighted images when he was 6 months old, and more diffuse abnormal signal intensities over bilateral hemispheres were noted when he was 3 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Gene therapy of proopiomelanocortin, the precursor of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), suppresses the neovascularization in tumors. However, the roles of α-MSH in angiogenesis remain unclear. Methods: The influence of α-MSH on angiogenesis was evaluated by ex vivo rat aorta and in vivo, including transgenic zebrafish and chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. The effect of α-MSH on proliferation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) secretion, migration and tube formation was examined using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was investigated by quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblot and immunofluorescent analysis. Antibodies' neutralization was employed to dissect the receptor(s) transmitting α-MSH signaling. Results: Application of α-MSH potently suppressed the microvessels sprouting in organotypic aortic rings. Besides, α-MSH perturbed the vessels development in zebrafish and chicken embryos. α-MSH (0.01–10nM) inhibited the MMP-2 secretion, migration and tube formation of HUVECs without affecting proliferation. Mechanistic studies unveiled α-MSH decreased the VEGF expression and release in HUVECs. Besides, α-MSH downregulated the VEGFR2 expression at transcriptional and translational levels. Importantly, α-MSH attenuated the Akt phosphorylation, but enhanced the expression of PTEN, endogenous antagonist of PI3K/Akt signaling. Expression analysis and antibody neutralization revealed that MC1-R and MC2-R participated in α-MSH-induced blockage of migration and VEGF/VEGFR2/Akt signaling. However, VEGF supply failed to reverse the anti-angiogenic function of α-MSH. Conclusions: α-MSH inhibits the physiological angiogenesis by attenuating VEGF/VEGFR2/Akt signaling in endothelial cells. General significance: α-MSH is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor targeting at endothelial VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling, which may have potential for therapeutic application. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Microcantilever has been increasingly used as microsensor thanks to its fast response, low cost and parallel implementation in large quantity. The principle of sensing lies in the positive correlation between the resonant frequency of microcantilever and the target mass loading. The shape of cantilever determines the resonant frequency. Therefore it plays a vital role in microsensing. In the present study three basic geometric shapes (rectangle, triangle and half-ellipse) with innovative inner cut are investigated. The micro-cantilever beams are cut to external aspect ratios of 0.5, 1, and 2, and inner cut at aspect ratios of 0, 0.5, 1, and 2, with equal sensing area. Both numerical and experimental analysis indicates that the low-aspect-ratio cantilever with high-aspect-ratio inner cut achieved high sensitivity. The half-ellipse being the highest followed by the rectangle. The results are useful for optimal shape design of a micromechanical cantilever sensor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Broadband photodetection has shown a great promise for diverse applications, while the realization of plateau photoresponse from ultraviolet (UV) to near‐infrared (NIR) spectral region is very challenging. Herein, we exploit photoexcited pyroelectric effect in a chiral hybrid perovskite, (N, N‐dimethylcyclohexylammonium)PbBr3 (1), serving as a new pathway to drive broadband photoactivities. It is a room‐temperature pyroelectric with large polarization of ≈6.4 μC cm−2 and high pyroelectric figure‐of‐merits (FV=1.0×10−2 cm2 μC−1 and FD=7.1×10−5 Pa−1/2). Strikingly, light‐induced pyroelectric effect arising from spontaneous polarization is observed in 1, which cover UV (266 nm) to NIR‐II (1950 nm) full spectral region. The broadband photoresponses actualized by pyroelectricity break the limit of optical band gap. As the first demonstration of photo‐pyroelectricity covering UV‐to‐NIR spectral region in hybrid perovskites, this work paves a pathway to assemble high‐performance smart devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadband photodetection has shown a great promise for diverse applications, while the realization of plateau photoresponse from ultraviolet (UV) to near‐infrared (NIR) spectral region is very challenging. Herein, we exploit photoexcited pyroelectric effect in a chiral hybrid perovskite, (N, N‐dimethylcyclohexylammonium)PbBr3 (1), serving as a new pathway to drive broadband photoactivities. It is a room‐temperature pyroelectric with large polarization of ≈6.4 μC cm−2 and high pyroelectric figure‐of‐merits (FV=1.0×10−2 cm2 μC−1 and FD=7.1×10−5 Pa−1/2). Strikingly, light‐induced pyroelectric effect arising from spontaneous polarization is observed in 1, which cover UV (266 nm) to NIR‐II (1950 nm) full spectral region. The broadband photoresponses actualized by pyroelectricity break the limit of optical band gap. As the first demonstration of photo‐pyroelectricity covering UV‐to‐NIR spectral region in hybrid perovskites, this work paves a pathway to assemble high‐performance smart devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sulfoxides are extensively used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Various catalytically synthetic methods were reported, but in common 1–10(mol)% catalyst loading were demanded. Sulfide oxidation catalyzed by vanadyl complexes of N-salicylidene α-amino acids with catalyst loading as low as 0.03(mol)% gave high yields at room temperature with aqueous hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant, which is a green, solvent-free, energy-saving and easy-operated protocol. In contrast, vanadyl complexes of N-salicylidene amino alcohols could not, even at 0.1(mol)%. The possible reason is that the stronger acidity of N-salicylidene α-amino acids makes their vanadyl complexes stable to aqueous hydrogen peroxide. This rule may be used in designing other high efficient catalysts, especially with aqueous hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work establishes three-dimensional transient numerical models of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with different cathode flow field designs. Exactly how flow field design and voltage loading affect the transient characteristics of the PEMFCs are examined. When the operating voltage instantaneously drops from 0.7V to 0.5V, the electrochemical reactions increase. To ensure sufficient oxygen supply for the fuel cell, the oxygen mass fractions are high in the cathode gas diffusion and cathode catalyst layers, causing overshoot of the local current density distribution. When the operating voltage suddenly increases from 0.5V to 0.7V, the electrochemical reactions become mild, and furthermore the oxygen mass fraction distribution becomes low, leading to undershoot of the local current density distribution. The transient response time required to reach the steady state for the parallel flow field with baffle design is longest in the event of overshoot or undershoot among the different cathode flow field designs. The overshoot or undershoot phenomena become more obvious with larger voltage loading variations. Moreover, the transient response time for the Z-type flow field with baffle design is longer than for the Z-type flow field design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, immunoglobulin G Fc receptor (FcγR) polymorphisms have been found to correlate with the clinical response to rituximab or idiotype vaccine in patients with follicular lymphoma. Two critical questions are whether the FcγR polymorphisms correlate with the clinical outcomes after chemotherapy alone in patients with follicular lymphoma and whether they can be explained by linking to underlying biology of follicular lymphoma. This is an important issue because the clinical decisions about the use of antibody therapy may be based on the FcγR polymorphisms of these patients. Here, we analyzed the FcγRIIIa 158 V/F, FcγRIIa 131 H/R, and FcγRIIb 232 I/T polymorphisms in a group of 188 patients with follicular lymphoma who were treated with chemotherapy without rituximab initially. In the current study, FcγR polymorphisms neither correlated with response rate or time to progression after induction chemotherapy, nor with time to the initial therapy or overall survival after diagnosis. Our results confirm that the correlation between FcγR polymorphisms and clinical outcome is specific to immunotherapy such as rituximab and idiotype vaccination, and not due to any effect on the underlying clinical behavior of the disease or chemotherapy response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we study the decompositions of the loop spaces of triple wedge by using combinatorial methods and give some special decompositions of the loop spaces of triple wedge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polymorphisms of activating FcγRIIIa (CD16) and FcγRIIa (CD32a) have been found to predict rituximab response, probably because of the relative efficiency of different FcγR variants in performing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The inhibitory FcγRIIb (CD32b) has an opposing effect on effector cells. Here, we examined whether an FcγRIIb 232 isoleucine (I)/threonine (T) polymorphism predicts rituximab response in 101 patients with follicular lymphoma. Eighty-four patients were 232 I/I, 15 were 232 I/T and two were 232 T/T. The response rate was similar among the three groups. The 2-year progression free survival (PFS) and median time to progression (TTP) were not different between I/I and I/T groups. The TTP was not determined in T/T group because of small number of patients. The FcγRIIIa 158 V/V and FcγRIIa 131 H/H genotypes continued to emerge as independent predictors for higher response rate and longer TTP. This study is the first to determine whether inhibitory FcγRIIb play a role in rituximab's anti-tumor effect in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose new coefficients for the Sellmeier equations of 1.0 mo1% Mg-doped stoichiometric LiTaO3. The extraordinary refractive indices for the wavelength range 0.5-4.0mm and for temperature 30-170°C are based on measured data derived from quasi-phase-matched (QPM) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) based on periodically poled Mg-doped stoichiometric LiTaO3 with a pump wavelength of 1064 nm. The corrected refractive indices are in good agreement with our experimental data obtained from QPM OPO and SHG pumped at 1064mm at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Seven binaphthyl compounds were enantioseparated by HPLC with an immobilized polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phase, Chiralpak IA. The experiments were performed under normal-phase conditions. Effects of polar modifier and column temperature on the retention time and separation factor were evaluated. All examined compounds obtained complete resolutions. This was the unique one ever reported that 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol and its monoether, diether and diester derivatives could all be enantioseparated on a given CSP. Apparent thermodynamic parameters were also deduced from Van’t Hoff plots, and some aspects of chiral recognition mechanism were discussed further. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents serially concatenated trellis coded modulations (SCTCMs) that perform consistently close to the available mutual information for periodic erasure channel (PEC), periodic fading channel (PFC) and the 2 x 2 compound matrix channel. We use both the maximum-likelihood decoding criteria and iterative decoding criteria to design universal SCTCMs for the PEC and the PFC. For the space-time channel, by demultiplexing the symbols across the antennas, the proposed universal SCTCMs for the period-2 PFC deliver consistent performance over the eigenvalue skew of the matrix channel. Within the family of channels having the same eigenvalue skew, a time-varying linear transformation (TVLT) is used to mitigate the performance variation over different eigenvectors. The proposed space-time SCTCMs of 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 bits per transmission require excess mutual information in the ranges 0.11-0.15, 0.23- 0.26 and 0.35-0.53 bits per antenna, respectively. Because of their consistent performance over all channels, the proposed codes will have good frame-error-rate (FER) performance over any quasi-static fading distribution. In particular, the codes provide competitive FER performance in quasi-static Rayleigh fading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the clinical characteristics of children with continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep syndrome and their treatment response to levetiracetam. Five boys and one girl, diagnosed with epilepsy with continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep syndrome, were enrolled. Their clinical characteristics, including neuroimaging findings, were reviewed. The signs related to continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep included increased seizure frequency (6/6), impaired responsiveness (3/6), and psychomotor regression (2/6). Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed lissencephaly in one patient, and porencephaly of the left hemisphere in another. The number of antiepileptic drugs before the use of levetiracetam was 0-4 (mean ± SD, 2.3 ± 1.5). Five of 6 children demonstrated a good response to levetiracetam, whereas 2 (40%) underwent a relapse of electrical status epilepticus during sleep pattern on electroencephalograms 4 and 5 months after clinical improvement. Both were 5 years old. The most common presenting sign in children with continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep syndrome is increasing seizure frequency. Levetiracetam is effective in treating children with continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep syndrome. However, the relapse rate of continuous spike waves during slow-wave sleep syndrome remains high in young children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. However, the clinical features of childhood-onset multiple sclerosis in Asia have been rarely reported. This report presents our experience in 21 patients with multiple sclerosis (15 females, 6 males, mean age 12.4 ± 4.5 years) in Taiwan with the onset age before 18. The most common presenting symptoms were limb weakness (62%) and visual disturbance (43%). Poly-symptomatic presentations were found in 16 (76%) patients. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated basal ganglion involvement in 33.3% of the patients. Neuroimaging and neurophysiologic evaluations revealed optic nerve involvement in 13 (62%) patients. Only one child had the optico-spinal form. Eighteen (86%) patients had a relapsing remission course, whereas three (14%) patients had secondary progressive course. Three (14%) patients initially diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis developed multiple sclerosis after 4 months, 2 years, and 6 years, respectively. In conclusion, childhood multiple sclerosis in Taiwan is frequently poly-symptomatic, and is characterized by a higher ratio of optic nerve and basal ganglion involvement. However, the optico-spinal form of multiple sclerosis occurs rarely in children in Taiwan. Our experience suggests that the chance of relapsing should not be overlooked in patients presenting with clinical and neuroimaging findings suggestive of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Isothermal vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data were measured for the binary systems of nitrogen with 2-hexanol, 2-heptanol, or 2-octanol at temperatures from 333.15 to 393.15K and pressure up to 100bar. Henry''s constants of nitrogen in these three sec-alcohols were determined by using the Krichevesky–Ilinskaya equation. The experimental VLE data were also correlated by the Peng–Robinson and the Patel–Teja equations of state with various mixing rules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two new Schiff-base compounds, 1,6-bis(4-dimethylaminobenzyl)-2,5-diaza-1,5-hexadiene (bdh), 1,4-bis(4-dimethylaminobenzyl)-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadiene (bdb), and a silver complex of the latter ([Ag 2 (bdb) 3 (NO 3 ) 2 ]·H 2 O, 1) have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of complex 1 was determined. 1 is a dinuclear complex, with the silver ions lying in coordination tetrahedra formed by two nitrogen atoms from the bdb ligands and two oxygen atoms from the nitrate anions. The fluorescence properties of bdh and bdb were studied; the fluorescence of bdb was quenched by the addition of silver ions, indicating that it is a potential fluorescent reagent for the analysis of silver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Isothermal vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data were measured for the binary systems of nitrogen with 2-propanol, 2-butanol, or 2-pentanol at temperatures from 333.15 to 393.15K and pressure up to 100bar. Henry''s constants of nitrogen in these three sec-alcohols were determined by using the Krichevesky–Ilinskaya equation. The experimental VLE data were also correlated by the Peng–Robinson and the Patel–Teja equations of state with various mixing rules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Seven structurally related amino acid derivatives were successfully enantioseparated by HPLC with a commercially available column containing a chiral immobilized network polymer derived from l-tartaric acid. The experiments were carried out under normal-phase conditions. All the solutes could be baseline separated using n-hexane/2-propanol (95/5) as eluent at a flow rate of 1 ml/min at 25 °C, with reasonable retention time (<12 min). The effects of the polar alcohol modifier (type and content) in the mobile phase and the column temperature on the enantioseparation were studied. Apparent thermodynamic parameters were also calculated from the plots of ln α or ln k′ versus 1/T. Some mechanistic aspects of chiral recognition were discussed with respect to the structures of the solutes. It was found that the enantioseparations are all enthalpy driven, and the N-acyl groups of the solutes have significant influence on the chiral recognition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, we characterized the chromosomal composition of an intra-abdominal soft tissue sarcoma diagnosed as a malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). By applying a combination of spectral karyotyping, G-banding, and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), this case was shown to carry large chromosome markers with material mainly from chromosomes 6 and 8. Further characterization of this unique tumor revealed high-level amplifications at the 6q21∼q23, 8p21∼pter, 8q24∼qter, and 12q13∼q21 regions. Using array CGH, these amplified regions were found to include MASL1 in 8p, as well s MDM2 and CDK4 in 12q, which have been shown to be amplified in MFH. Similarly, gains of 6q and 8q have also been seen in MFH. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the occurrence of large chromosome markers in MFH and suggests that the regions 6q21∼q23, 8p21∼pter, 8q24∼qter, and 12q13∼q21 might harbor oncogenes that could play a role in MFH''s tumorigenesis. In addition, gain of 12q13∼q21, which is typical of well-differentiated liposarcoma, may also occur in MFH, supporting the previously suggested overlap in genetic etiologies between these two tumor types. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]