All primary condylar total knee replacement arthroplasties (TKAs) performed from 1977 to 1984 at the authors' institution were divided into two groups based on the use of continuous passive motion ...(CPM) in the immediate postoperative period. The control group consisted of 73 patients who were treated with 95 TKAs without postoperative CPM. The average age was 65.4 years. The study group consisted of 38 patients who had 51 TKAs in which CPM was used postoperatively. The mean patient age was 62.8 years. The most common diagnoses in both groups were osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Range of motion (ROM) was recorded preoperatively, at discharge, at three months, one year, two years, and at the last follow-up visit. There were no statistically significant differences in the ROM between the two groups at any of these time periods. At two years, the mean flexion and extension in the study group were 99 degrees and -4 degrees, respectively, compared to 103 degrees and -5 degrees in the control group. The average hospital stay was 11.2 days in the study group, whereas it was 15.1 days in control group. In the control group, there was one superficial infection, no deep infections, and four pulmonary emboli compared with three superficial infections, two deep infections, and no pulmonary emboli in the study group. There was no difference in the transfusion requirements between the two groups. CPM is advocated by the authors to help achieve discharge ROM earlier, but the protocol has been changed to begin CPM on the second postoperative day to allow the wound to stabilize.
Using approximately 1.3 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, we measure the lifetime of the Bc+/- meson in the Bc-/+-->J/psimicro+/-+X final state. A simultaneous ...unbinned likelihood fit to the J/psi+micro invariant mass and lifetime distributions yields a signal of 881+/-80(stat) candidates and a lifetime measurement of tau(Bc+/-)=0.448(-0.036)(+0.038)(stat)+/-0.032(syst) ps.
The transfer of radiation therapy data among the various subsystems required for external beam treatments is subject to error. Hence, the establishment and management of a data transfer quality ...assurance program is strongly recommended. It should cover the QA of data transfers of patient specific treatments, imaging data, manually handled data and historical treatment records. QA of the database state (logical consistency and information integrity) is also addressed to ensure that accurate data are transferred.
PACS numbers: 87.56.bd, 87.55.D, 87.55.Gh, 87.55.km, 87.55.Qr, 87.55.T
We generate a reliable implied volatility surface without arbitrage in space and in time by parameterising a mixture of shifted lognormal densities under constraints and use a Differential Evolution ...algorithm to calibrate the model’s parameters to a finite set of option prices. It is used for marking options not directly visible as well as for computing a proper deterministic local volatility. To do so, we devise an evolutionary algorithm handling constraints in a simple and efficient way. Using some of the improvements made to the DE algorithm and taking advantage of the specific structure of our objective function, we use special operators to help satisfy the equality constraints together with feasibility rules to handle the inequality constraints. Finally, we propose a modified algorithm for solving our optimisation problem under constraints which, after testing on real market data, greatly improves its performances.
Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) causes selective pulmonary vasodilation and improves oxygenation in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Approximately 30% of ARDS patients fail to ...respond to iNO. Because sepsis syndrome often accompanies a decreased response to iNO, we investigated NO responsiveness in isolated, perfused lungs from rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Eighteen hours after intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg/kg LPS, rat lungs were isolated, perfused, and preconstricted with U-46619. Ventilation with 0.4, 4, and 40 parts per million by volume NO vasodilated LPS-pretreated lungs 75, 47, and 42% less than control lungs (P < 0.01 value differs at each concentration). The diminished vasodilatory response to iNO was associated with decreased NO-stimulated guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) release into the perfusate. Soluble guanylate cyclase activity did not differ in lung extracts from LPS-pretreated and control rats. LPS increased pulmonary cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity by 40%. The PDE-sensitive cGMP analogue 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate vasodilated lungs from LPS-pretreated rats less than lungs from control rats. In contrast, the PDE-insensitive 8-para-chlorophenylthioguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate vasodilated lungs equally from both groups. After LPS challenge, the rat pulmonary vasculature becomes hyporesponsive to iNO. Hyporesponsiveness to iNO appears partly attributable to increased pulmonary cGMP-PDE activity.
Probing Molecules Next to Surfaces Mudiayi, J. Lukusa; Mashimo, T.; Maurin, I. ...
2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC),
2019-June
Conference Proceeding
Selective reflection spectroscopy at normal incidence provides signals with sub-Doppler resolution, linear with optical intensity. Frequency modulated (FM) selective reflection probes atomic vapours ...at distances comparable to the excitation wavelength (~λ/2π) and is used extensively to probe the Casimir-Polder interactions between an excited state atom and a macroscopic surface. Extending selective reflection spectroscopy to molecular gases allows probing a thin layer of molecular gas next to a surface. This is a very attractive prospect that allows envisaging high-resolution molecular spectroscopy and molecular frequency references in a compact and miniaturised apparatus, such as a thin cell 1 or a photonic crystal 2. Additionally, it paves the way for spectroscopic probing of the Casimir-Polder interaction with molecules. The molecule-surface interaction has been the object of extensive theoretical investigations, focusing on the effects of molecular orientation and chirality. However, experimental tests are few and comparison with theoretical predictions has been challenging 3.
A subset of coordination cages have garnered considerable recent attention for their potential permanent porosity in the solid state. Herein, we report a series of functionalized carbazole-based ...cages of the structure type M12(R-cdc)12 (M = Cr, Cu, Mo) where the functional groups include a range of aromatic substituents. Single-crystal X-ray structure determinations reveal a variety of intercage interactions in these materials, largely governed by pi–pi stacking. Density functional theory for a subset of these cages was used to confirm that the nature of the increased stability of aryl-functionalized cages is a result of inter-cage ligand interactions.
Summary Background Agonists of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor provide pharmacological levels of GLP-1 activity, whereas dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors increase concentrations ...of endogenous GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the human GLP-1 analogue liraglutide versus the DPP-4 inhibitor sitagliptin, as adjunct treatments to metformin, in individuals with type 2 diabetes who did not achieve adequate glycaemic control with metformin alone. Methods In this parallel-group, open-label trial, participants (aged 18–80 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had inadequate glycaemic control (glycosylated haemoglobin HbA1c 7·5–10·0%) on metformin (≥1500 mg daily for ≥3 months) were enrolled and treated at office-based sites in Europe, the USA, and Canada. Participants were randomly allocated to receive 26 weeks' treatment with 1·2 mg (n=225) or 1·8 mg (n=221) subcutaneous liraglutide once daily, or 100 mg oral sitagliptin once daily (n=219). The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c from baseline to week 26. The efficacy of liraglutide versus sitagliptin was assessed hierarchically by a non-inferiority comparison, with a margin of 0·4%, followed by a superiority comparison. Analyses were done on the full analysis set with missing values imputed by last observation carried forward; seven patients assigned to liraglutide did not receive treatment and thus did not meet criteria for inclusion in the full analysis set. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00700817. Findings Greater lowering of mean HbA1c (8·5% at baseline) was achieved with 1·8 mg liraglutide (−1·50%, 95% CI −1·63 to −1·37, n=218) and 1·2 mg liraglutide (−1·24%, −1·37 to −1·11, n=221) than with sitagliptin (−0·90%, −1·03 to −0·77, n=219). Estimated mean treatment differences for liraglutide versus sitagliptin were −0·60% (95% CI −0·77 to −0·43, p<0·0001) for 1·8 mg and −0·34% (−0·51 to −0·16, p<0·0001) for 1·2 mg liraglutide. Nausea was more common with liraglutide (59 27% patients on 1·8 mg; 46 21% on 1·2 mg) than with sitagliptin (10 5%). Minor hypoglycaemia was recorded in about 5% of participants in each treatment group. Interpretation Liraglutide was superior to sitagliptin for reduction of HbA1c , and was well tolerated with minimum risk of hypoglycaemia. These findings support the use of liraglutide as an effective GLP-1 agent to add to metformin. Funding Novo Nordisk.
A chromium(II)‐based metal–organic framework Cr3(Cr4Cl)3(BTT)82 (Cr‐BTT; BTT3−=1,3,5‐benzenetristetrazolate), featuring coordinatively unsaturated, redox‐active Cr2+ cation sites, was synthesized and ...investigated for potential applications in H2 storage and O2 production. Low‐pressure H2 adsorption and neutron powder diffraction experiments reveal moderately strong Cr–H2 interactions, in line with results from previously reported M‐BTT frameworks. Notably, gas adsorption measurements also reveal excellent O2/N2 selectivity with substantial O2 reversibility at room temperature, based on selective electron transfer to form CrIII superoxide moieties. Infrared spectroscopy and powder neutron diffraction experiments were used to confirm this mechanism of selective O2 binding.
Reversible O2‐Bindung: Die Chrom(II)‐basierte Metall‐organische Gerüstverbindung Cr3(Cr4Cl)3(BTT)82 (Cr‐BTT; BTT3−=1,3,5‐Benzoltristetrazolat) bildet reversibel Chrom(III)‐Superoxid‐Einheiten. Diese Eigenschaft verleiht dem Material eine hohe Trennkapazität für die Abtrennung von O2 aus Luft bei Raumtemperatur. Atomfarben: Cr grün, Cl violett, C grau, N blau.
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