To evaluate the clinical effect of modified free gingival graft technique of the peri-implant.
There were 42 mandibular posterior area implant sites in 36 patients. The width of the keratinized ...gingiva at the midpoint of buccal gingival margin was less than 2 mm after implantation. Two months before restoration, modified free gingival graft technique was used, i.e. the donor site was treated with individualized palatal protective plate and the recipient site was treated with individualized graft pressure plate. The survival of the graft after operation was observed. The width of buccal keratinized gingiva was measured immediately, 2, 6, 12 months after operation. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to record postoperative pain of the patient 1, 3, 6 days after operation. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for t test and one-way variance analysis.
All 42 implant sites survived. The average width of buccal keratinized gingiva of the preoperative implants was (0.39±0.41) mm and (4.17±0.43) mm 12 months, postop
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic regulator in gene expression and has several roles in cancer and disease progression. MethHC version 2.0 (MethHC 2.0) is an integrated and ...web-based resource focusing on the aberrant methylomes of human diseases, specifically cancer. This paper presents an updated implementation of MethHC 2.0 by incorporating additional DNA methylomes and transcriptomes from several public repositories, including 33 human cancers, over 50 118 microarray and RNA sequencing data from TCGA and GEO, and accumulating up to 3586 manually curated data from >7000 collected published literature with experimental evidence. MethHC 2.0 has also been equipped with enhanced data annotation functionality and a user-friendly web interface for data presentation, search, and visualization. Provided features include clinical-pathological data, mutation and copy number variation, multiplicity of information (gene regions, enhancer regions, and CGI regions), and circulating tumor DNA methylation profiles, available for research such as biomarker panel design, cancer comparison, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy study and identifying potential epigenetic biomarkers. MethHC 2.0 is now available at http://awi.cuhk.edu.cn/∼MethHC.
Insulin-like growth factor signaling has been implicated in acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in NSCLC. This phase 1 trial (NCT02191891) investigated the combination of ...xentuzumab (an insulin-like growth factor-ligand neutralizing monoclonal antibody) and afatinib (an EGFR TKI) in patients with previously treated EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC.
The trial comprised dose escalation (part A) and expansion (part B). Patients had advanced or metastatic NSCLC that had progressed on EGFR TKI monotherapy or platinum-based chemotherapy (nonadenocarcinoma only, part A) or irreversible EGFR TKI monotherapy (part B). Absence of EGFR T790M mutation was required in part B. Part A used a 3 + 3 design, with a starting dose of xentuzumab 1000 mg/wk (intravenous) and afatinib 30 mg/d (oral). Primary endpoints were the maximum tolerated dose of the combination (part A) and objective response (part B).
A total of 16 patients each were treated in parts A and B. Maximum tolerated dose was xentuzumab 1000 mg/wk plus afatinib 40 mg/d. No patients in part B had an objective response, but 10 had stable disease (median range duration of disease control: 2.3 0.8–10.9 mo). The most common drug-related adverse events were diarrhea (75 %), paronychia (69 %), and rash (69 %) in part A and diarrhea (31 %), rash (19 %), paronychia (19 %), and fatigue (19 %) in part B.
There were no new safety issues; xentuzumab and afatinib could be safely coadministered. Nevertheless, the combination revealed only modest activity in patients with EGFR mutation-positive, T790M-negative NSCLC after progression on afatinib.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background. Kawasaki disease (KD) is characterized by systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology. Our previous studies showed expression of CD40 ligand on CD4+ T cells correlated to the coronary artery ...lesion (CAL) and disease progress in KD. Other studies from Japan suggested the role of CD40L in the pathogenesis of CAL, and this might help explain the excessive number of males affected with KD but cannot be reproduced by Taiwanese population. This study was conducted to investigate the CD40 polymorphism in KD and CAL formation. Methods. A total of 950 subjects (381 KD patients and 569 controls) were investigated to identify 2 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of CD40 (rs4810485 and rs1535045) by using the TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Results. A significant association was noted with regards to CD40 tSNPs (rs1535045) between controls and KD patients (P=0.0405, dominant model). In KD patients, polymorphisms of CD40 (rs4810485) showed significant association with CAL formation (P=0.0436, recessive model). Haplotype analysis did not yield more significant results between polymorphisms of CD40 and susceptibility/disease activity of KD. Conclusions. This study showed for the first time that polymorphisms of CD40 are associated with susceptibility to KD and CAL formation, in the Taiwanese population.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to examine the effects of cooking conditions on the extractable content of bioactive compounds, namely tocopherols (Toc), tocotrienols (T3), and γ‐oryzanol (GO) in brown rice. The ...results showed that cooked brown rice possessed significantly higher sum of Toc and T3, total Toc, total T3 and GO concentrations than uncooked brown rice. The highest concentrations of these bioactive compounds were noted after the cooking time of 64 min. Among the different vitamin E homologs, α‐Toc, α‐T3, and γ‐T3 were the major three homologs present in cooked brown rice; although δ‐Toc and β‐T3 were not detected, a longer cooking time was observed to increase α‐Toc, β‐Toc, α‐T3, and γ‐T3 level. Compared with untreated brown rice, cooking brown rice with a pre‐soaking step significantly enhanced the levels of Toc, T3, and GO. This study concludes that cooking and pre‐soaking increases the extraction yield of Toc, T3, and GO, and hence improves the quality and functionality of brown rice.
Practical application: Tocopherols (Toc), tocotrienols (T3), and γ‐oryzanol (GO), major bioactive components of brown rice, are known to provide various health benefits. Cooking can help release them from the food matrix and increase their extraction recovery. This study shows how the cooking process can enhance the extractable Toc, T3, and GO concentrations. A longer cooking time led to an increase in α‐Toc, β‐Toc, α‐T3, and γ‐T3 levels.
Cooked brown rice showed higher extractable content tocopherols (Toc), tocotrienols (T3) and γ‐oryzanol concentrations than uncooked brown rice. The major vitamin E homologs in cooked brown rice were α‐Toc, α‐T3 and γ‐T3, of which the yields were enhanced with a longer cooking time.
Cooked brown rice showed higher extractable content tocopherols (Toc), tocotrienols (T3) and γ‐oryzanol concentrations than uncooked brown rice. The major vitamin E homologs in cooked brown rice were α‐Toc, α‐T3 and γ‐T3, of which the yields were enhanced with a longer cooking time.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective To summarize evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) tests for identifying secondary bacterial infections in patients with influenza.
Methods Major databases, ...including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, were searched for studies published between January 1966 and May 2009 that evaluated PCT as a marker for diagnosing bacterial infections in patients with influenza infections and that provided sufficient data to construct two‐by‐two tables.
Results Six studies were selected that included 137 cases with bacterial coinfection and 381 cases without coinfection. The area under a summary ROC curve was 0·68 (95% CI: 0·64–0·72). The overall sensitivity and specificity estimates for PCT tests were 0·84 (95% CI: 0·75–0·90) and 0·64 (95% CI: 0·58–0·69), respectively. These studies reported heterogeneous sensitivity estimates ranging from 0·74 to 1·0. The positive likelihood ratio for PCT (LR+ = 2·31; 95% CI: 1·93–2·78) was not sufficiently high for its use as a rule‐in diagnostic tool, while its negative likelihood ratio was reasonably low for its use as a rule‐out diagnostic tool (LR− = 0·26; 95% CI: 0·17–0·40).
Conclusions Procalcitonin tests have a high sensitivity, particularly for ICU patients, but a low specificity for identifying secondary bacterial infections among patients with influenza. Because of its suboptimal positive likelihood ratio and good negative likelihood ratio, it can be used as a suitable rule‐out test but cannot be used as a standalone rule‐in test.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Nonmixed planar heterojunction (PHJ) small-molecule organic photovoltaics (OPVs) with 96% internal quantum efficiency (at 595nm) and 4.77% power conversion efficiency (PCE) have been demonstrated. In ...addition to boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc) and C60 as electron donor and acceptor materials, respectively, PHJ OPVs contain an ultrathin (2nm) buffer layer of bis-(naphthylphenylaminophenyl)fumaronitrile (NPAFN) between the indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and the donor layer (SubPc). Compared with copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) or α-naphthylphenylbiphenyl diamine (NPB) buffer layers, the NPAFN buffer layer blocks the exciton diffusion from the SubPc electron donor layer to the ITO anode more effectively and considerably improves the short circuit current (JSC) from 5.96 (without an NPAFN layer) to 7.70mA/cm2 (with a 4-mm-thick NPAFN layer ). In addition, experimental results indicated that the NPAFN buffer layer reduces the crystallization, or stacking, of the SubPc electron donor, thereby limiting the reverse saturation current and elevating the open circuit voltage (VOC) from 1.01 (without an NPAFN layer) to 1.08V (with a-2-nm thick NPAFN layer). However, series resistance (RS) of the OPV monotonically increases with increasing NPAFN layer thickness. The performance of the OPV is optimized when the NPAFN buffer layer thickness is 2nm. Compared with a SubPc–C60 PHJ OPV without an NPAFN buffer layer, the PCE of a OPV with a buffer layer increases by 22% from 3.96% to 4.77%, with a concurrent increase in JSC (from 5.96 to 7.02mA/cm2) and VOC (from 1.01 to 1.08V). However, a decrease in RS (from 10.21 to 14.95Ωcm2) and in fill factor (from 65% to 63%) is also observed.
•Planar heterojunction small-molecular OPV device with the device efficiency of 4.77%.•A new type anodic buffer layer as exciton buffer layer of the OPV devices.•Internal quantum efficiency of the device reached 96% at 590nm.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
To investigate the clinical characteristics, adverse drug reactions, and outcomes of the oldest old patients (aged ≥80 years) with tuberculosis (TB) treated with rifampicin, isoniazid, and ...pyrazinamide (RIP)-containing regimens.
A retrospective chart review study.
A 1,200-bed tertiary teaching hospital in southwest Taiwan.
We conducted a retrospective observational study between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011. Seven hundred adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with TB treated with RIP-containing anti-TB regimens were reviewed, including 161 oldest old patients.
Clinical outcomes included clinical responsiveness and microbiological eradication. Adverse outcomes included drug-induced hepatitis, and other symptoms included gastrointestinal upset (eg, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or dyspepsia), skin rash, joint pain, and hyperuricemia.
Compared with the non-oldest old adult patients, the oldest old patients more frequently had hepatitis (P=0.014), gastrointestinal upset (P=0.029), and unfavorable outcomes (P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, hepatitis during treatment (adjusted odds ratio: 3.482, 95% confidence interval: 1.537-7.885; P<0.003) and oldest old age (adjusted odds ratio: 5.161, 95% confidence interval: 2.294-11.613; P<0.010) were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. In the oldest old patients with hepatitis, rifampicin use was more common in the favorable outcome group than in the unfavorable outcome group (100% vs 37.5%; P=0.001).
The oldest old age and hepatitis during RIP treatment were associated with unfavorable outcomes. For the oldest old patients with TB having hepatitis during treatment, rifampicin rechallenge and use might benefit the treatment outcome.
Microcontroller based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) has been the most popular MPPT approach in photovoltaic systems due to its high flexibility and efficiency in different photovoltaic systems. ...It is well known that PV systems typically operate under a range of uncertain environmental parameters and disturbances, which implies that MPPT controllers generally suffer from some unknown stochastic perturbations. To address this issue, a novel Newton-based stochastic extremum seeking MPPT method is proposed. Treating stochastic perturbations as excitation signals, the proposed MPPT controller has a good tolerance of stochastic perturbations in nature. Different from conventional gradient-based extremum seeking MPPT algorithm, the convergence rate of the proposed controller can be totally user-assignable rather than determined by unknown power map. The stability and convergence of the proposed controller are rigorously proved. We further discuss the effects of partial shading and PV module ageing on the proposed controller. Numerical simulations and experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed MPPT algorithm.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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