We demonstrated for the first time that Ag-nanoparticle-decorated SiO2 nanospheres (NSs) may display noticeable photocatalytic activities upon surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation. The samples ...were prepared by reacting SiO2 NSs with AgNO3 in the seed-mediated growth process, from which the Ag particle size and decoration density can be readily controlled. The dependence of the SPR-mediated photocatalytic performance of Ag-decorated SiO2 NSs on the Ag morphology was investigated and presented. The as-prepared Ag-decorated SiO2 NSs showed a significantly red shifted and relatively broad SPR absorption when compared with the individually dispersed Ag nanoparticles. Owing to the considerably broad SPR absorption that spanned from the visible to the near-infrared region, Ag-decorated SiO2 NSs surpassed N-doped P-25 TiO2 powder and individually dispersed Ag nanoparticles in photocatalytic activity, demonstrating their potential as an active photocatalyst in nearly all the current photocatalysis applications. Furthermore, the result of performance evaluation under natural sunlight shows that the present Ag-decorated SiO2 NSs can be used as highly efficient photocatalysts that may practically harvest energy from sunlight. The current study provides a new paradigm for designing plasmonic metal nanostructures that can effectively absorb the entire solar spectrum and beyond for solar fuel generation.
The purpose of this study was to compare changes in muscle pre-activation and short-latency responses in the lower limbs during drop jumps performed on different common soft and hard surfaces and at ...various platform heights. The study aimed to collect electromyography data from the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus of the dominant leg during drop jumps on sand, turf, polyurethane, and wood surfaces from platform heights of 30, 40, 50, and 60 cm. Muscle pre-activation refers to muscle activity 100 ms before ground contact during a drop jump, while short-latency responses refer to muscle activation occurring 30–60 ms after ground contact. These definitions were used to measure and analyze neuromuscular responses in the lower limb muscles during drop jumps using various surfaces and platform heights. Sand as a ground material and platform heights of 50 and 60 cm significantly enhanced pre-activation and activation in short-latency responses of the lower limb muscles (all p < 0.01). The difficulty of the drop jump task can enhance pre-activation and activation in the latency responses of lower limb muscles. It is recommended that athletes perform drop jumps on sandy surfaces or from platforms higher than 50 cm to induce muscle pre-activation of the lower limbs and to improve muscle activation levels in the latency responses after landing.
Defect control is an important part of semiconductor manufacturing as it ensures device quality. In general, defect control is accomplished using numerous types of inspection equipment to find ...excursion wafers or process tools and help identify the defect source during production. However, the balance between productivity and inspection needs to be calculated carefully to minimize the manufacturing cost. In general, achieving high productivity is the priority for a semiconductor factory, requiring inspection cost saving while still maintaining stable device yield. As one of the many inspection points, all incoming test wafers are qualified by unpatterned wafer defect inspectors, which raises cost concerns for manufacturing. Extending test wafer reuse lifetime is a common target for cost savings. In this paper, an advanced inspection methodology is described to achieve the maximum recycling extension of nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) deposited wafers. The inspection bottleneck of the recycling extension is not only related to increased surface roughness after film removal, but also to the inspected sensitivity shift value between pre-and post-scans. The Surfscan ® SP3 and Surfscan ® SP5 unpatterned wafer defect inspection systems are used for the study of recycling extension of test wafers. Furthermore, the technique of defect source analysis (DSA) is utilized to identify the suitable pre-scan sensitivity for the zero false adder goal. In summary, the optimization of the inspector's aperture configuration for post-scan inspection can minimize the sensitivity shift value. Based on the evaluated Si 3 N 4 layers, 26nm pre-scan sensitivity is required to avoid false adders. Furthermore, the Surfscan SP5 is the preferred platform over the Surfscan SP3 due to the better suppression of haze and a 3x faster throughput. Up to 5 \sim 7 wafer recycle times for test wafers can be achieved for the demonstrated Si 3 N 4 layers, which can save 84% incoming wafer purchasing.
Abstract
Background: Globo H (GH) is a hexasaccharide expressed on various cancer types. We therefore designed OBI-888, a humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody targeting GH, as a treatment for GH ...expressing cancers. This study evaluated OBI-888’s mechanisms of action (MOA) and in vivo efficacy.
Methods: Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP) were assessed by bioluminescent cell-based reporter assays. Binding affinity of OBI-888 to various FcγRs and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) were evaluated by ELISA-based binding assay. We studied the anti-immunosuppressive effect via Jurkat/NFAT-luciferase reporter based assay (Promega). In vivo anti-tumor efficacy of OBI-888 was measured in multiple GH expressing xenograft mouse models. The GH expression levels of tumor cells in xenograft models before tumor inoculation and after tumor excision were determined by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. The lymphocyte populations in tumor microenvironment were evaluated by IHC.
Results: EC50 values of ADCC and ADCP activity were 4.68 and 29.15 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, OBI-888 demonstrated binding affinity to FcγRs, including FcγRI, FcγRIIA, FcγRIIB, FcγRIIIA, FCRN, and a low affinity genotype FcγRIIIA V176F. The EC50 of OBI-888 binding to C1q, the complement component required for CDC initiation, was 0.86 μg/mL. Addition of 5-40 μM GH ceramide (GH-cer) showed dose-dependent immunosuppresive effect on Jurkat/NAF-Luciferase cells. 8.7 μM of OBI-888 can reverse the inactivation of Jurkat/NAF-Luciferase cells induced by GH-cer. In GH positive (GH+) MCF7 (breast), HCC-1428 (breast), HPAC (pancreas), NCI-H526 (lung), and SW480 (colorectal) xenograft cancer models, OBI-888 exhibited tumor growth inhibition of 30-85%. Based on IHC, GH staining was observed on the immune cells at intra- and peri-tumor regions. OBI-888 reduced the population of M2 macrophage, but not that of pan-macrophage.
Conclusions: Study demonstrated OBI-888’s ability to trigger ADCC, ADCP, and CDC, mechanisms by which antibody induces tumor lysis. ADCC was further supported by OBI-888’s binding affinity to multiple FcγRs, including a low affinity genotype which can potentially benefit those patients who belong to low affinity genotype. GH-cer showed immunosuppresive effect, as manifested by GH staining on the immune cells. OBI-888 has anti-immunosuppresive function to reverse the effect. In vivo tumor growth inhibition with decreased M2 population was observed in various GH+ xenograft models, suggesting the potential MOA through immune modulation. The aforementioned findings suggest that OBI-888 has substantial therapeutic potential to treat various types of cancer that express GH. A first-in-human (FIH) clinical trial of OBI-888 (NCT03573544) has been initiated.
Citation Format: Yu-Chi Chen, Ming-Chen Yang, Yi-Chien Tsai, Hui-Wen Chang, Chang-Lin Hsieh, Yu-Jung Chen, Kuang-Hsiu Lee, Jiann-Shiun Lai, I-Ju Chen. Anti-tumor efficacy and potential mechanism of action of a novel therapeutic humanized anti-Globo H antibody, OBI-888 abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 544.
Whether blood transfusion exacerbates cancer outcomes after surgery in humans remains inconclusive. We utilized a large cohort to investigate the effect of perioperative blood transfusion on cancer ...prognosis following colorectal cancer (CRC) resection. Patients with stage I through III CRC undergoing tumour resection at a tertiary medical center between 2005 and 2014 were identified and evaluated through August 2016. Propensity score matching was used to cancel out imbalances in patient characteristics. Postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed using Cox regression model. A total of 4,030 and 972 patients were analysed before and after propensity score matching. Cox regression analyses demonstrated blood transfusion associated with shorter DFS and OS before and after matching (hazard ratio: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.2-1.66 for DFS; 1.97, 95% CI: 1.6-2.43 for OS). Larger transfusion volume was linked to higher overall mortality (≤4 units vs. nil, HR = 1.58; >4 units vs. nil, HR = 2.32) but not more cancer recurrence. Preoperative anemia was not associated with decreased survival after adjusting covariates. Perioperative blood transfusion was associated with worse cancer prognosis after curative colorectal resection, independently of anemia status. Strategies aimed at minimizing transfusion requirements should be further developed.
Background Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve (VIV) procedure is a safe alternative to conventional reoperation for bioprosthetic dysfunction. Balloon-expandable valve (BEV) and self-expanding valve ...(SEV) are the 2 major types of devices used. Evidence regarding the comparison of the 2 valves remains scarce. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to compare the outcomes of BEV and SEV in transcatheter VIV for aortic bioprostheses dysfunction. A computerized search of Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was performed. English-language journal articles reporting SEV or BEV outcomes of at least 10 patients were included. Results In total, 27 studies were included, with 2,269 and 1,671 patients in the BEV and SEV groups, respectively. Rates of 30-day mortality and stroke did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. However, BEV was associated with significantly lower rates of postprocedural permanent pacemaker implantation (3.8% vs. 12%; P 0.001). Regarding echocardiographic parameters, SEV was associated with larger postprocedural effective orifice area at 30 days (1.53 cm.sup.2 vs. 1.23 cm.sup.2 ; P 0.001) and 1 year (1.55 cm.sup.2 vs. 1.22 cm.sup.2 ; P 0.001). Conclusions For patients who underwent transcatheter aortic VIV, SEV was associated with larger postprocedural effective orifice area but higher rates of permanent pacemaker implantation. These findings provide valuable information for optimizing device selection for transcatheter aortic VIV.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The supplemental screw technique was introduced for salvage of lateral hinge fracture in medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (owHTO). The efficacy of its use in protection of lateral hinge ...fracture and corresponding biomechanical behaviors remained unclear. The current study was aimed to clarify if a supplemental screw can provide better protection to lateral hinge in biomechanical perspective.
An in vitro biomechanical test was conducted. Tibial sawbones, commercial owHTO plates and a cannulated screw were utilized for preparing the intact, owHTO, and owHTO with cannulated screw insertion specimens. A "staircase" dynamic load protocol was adopted for axial compressive test with increasing load levels to determine structural strength and durability by using a material testing system, while a motion capture system was applied for determining the dynamic changes in varus angle and posterior slope of the tibia plateau with various specimen preparation conditions.
Type II lateral hinge fracture were the major failure pattern in all specimens prepared with owHTO. The insertion of a supplemental cannulated screw in medial owHTO specimens reinforced structural stability and durability in dynamic cyclic loading tests: the compressive stiffness increased to 58.9-62.2% of an intact specimen, whereas the owHTO specimens provided only 23.7-29.2% of stiffness of an intact specimen. In view of tibial plateau alignment, the insertion of a supplemental screw improved the structural deficiency caused by owHTO, and reduced the posterior slope increase and excessive varus deformity by 81.8% and 83.2%, respectively.
The current study revealed that supplemental screw insertion is a simple and effective technique to improve the structural stability and durability in medial owHTO.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are promising potential candidates for the treatment of immunological diseases because of their immunosuppressive functions. However, the molecular mechanisms ...that mediate MSCs' immunosuppressive activity remain elusive. In this article, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, that secreted growth-regulated oncogene (GRO) chemokines, specifically GRO-γ, in human MSC-conditioned media have an effect on the differentiation and the function of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. The monocyte-derived dendritic cells were driven toward a myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC)-like phenotype by the GRO chemokines. GRO-γ-treated MDSCs had a tolerogenic phenotype that was characterized by an increase in the secretion of IL-10 and IL-4, and a reduction in the production of IL-12 and IFN-γ. We have also shown that the mRNA expression levels of the arginase-1 and inducible NO synthase genes, which characterize MDSCs, were upregulated by GRO-γ-primed mouse bone marrow cells. In addition, the ability of GRO-γ-treated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells to stimulate the OVA-specific CD8(+) T (OT-1) cell proliferation and the cytokine production of IFN-γ and TNF-α were significantly decreased in vivo. Our findings allow a greater understanding of how MDSCs can be generated and offer new perspectives to exploit the potential of MDSCs for alternative approaches to treat chronic inflammation and autoimmunity, as well as for the prevention of transplant rejection.
Background
We have previously reported that dynamic preload variables predicted fluid responsiveness in adult patients with liver cirrhosis. However, pediatric patients with cirrhosis may present ...with unique hemodynamic characteristics, and therefore, the predictive accuracy of these variables in such patients must be clarified.
Aims
To investigate the accuracy of dynamic preload variables for predicting fluid responsiveness in pediatric patients with cirrhosis.
Methods
A total of 27 pediatric patients with cirrhosis undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation were enrolled in this study. Patients’ pulse pressure variation, stroke volume variation, stroke volume index, and central venous pressure were measured using the calibrated pulse contour cardiac output system. The plethysmographic variability index was measured using a Masimo Radical 7 co‐oximeter. During the hepatic dissection phase of the surgery, repeated intraoperative fluid challenges with 10 mL kg−1 of crystalloid within 15 minutes were administered. Fluid responsiveness was defined as an increase in stroke volume index of ≥15% after fluid challenge.
Results
A total of 61 fluid challenges were administered resulting in 15 fluid responders and 46 fluid nonresponders. Fluid challenge induced significant decreases in all three dynamic preload variables but not in the fluid nonresponders. However, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for pulse pressure variation, stroke volume variation, plethysmographic variability index, and central venous pressure for predicting fluid responsiveness were 0.67 (95% confidence interval: 0.52‐0.82; P = .0255), 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.54‐0.83; P = .0140), 0.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.40‐0.71; P = .4724), and 0.57 (95% confidence interval: 0.40‐0.74; P = .4192), respectively.
Conclusions
Dynamic preload variables do not predict fluid responsiveness in pediatric patients with liver cirrhosis.
PDF
