Charge scheduling of electric vehicles in highways Yang, Shun-Neng; Cheng, Wei-Sheng; Hsu, Yu-Ching ...
Mathematical and computer modelling,
June 2013, 2013-06-00, Letnik:
57, Številka:
11-12
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Today, charging stations (CSs) for electric vehicles (EVs) are much less popular than gas stations. Therefore, searching and selecting CSs is an important issue for the drivers of EVs. This paper ...investigates the EV charging problem. We propose two types of CS-selection algorithms. The first type only utilizes local information of an EV. The second type utilizes the global information obtained through interactions between the EVs and a Global CS-selection (GCS) server through the mobile telecommunications network. Our study indicates that by using the global information (specifically the workload status of each CS), the EVs can be effectively charged with short waiting times at the CSs.
In this retrospective cohort study based in Taiwan, we reported the current epidemiology of patients with multiple myeloma and analyzed the factors affecting mortality. We identified 7285 patients ...with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) between 1997 and 2013 in Taiwan. Privileges data from the National Health Institute Research Database was used, as it is made readily available to the public in electronic format for research purposes. From 1997 to 2013, the average incidence of MM per 100,000 people was 1.83. The mortality accounted for an average of 0.44 per 100,000 deaths. In all 7285 inpatients with MM, the proportion of male patients was greater than that of female (59.90% vs. 40.10%); the mean age was 68.71 years with the proportion of those >55 years of age was 85.11%; and the proportion of a catastrophic illness was 66.51%. The death risk of the inpatient dialysis group was 3.044 times that of patients without dialysis (P <0.001). Moreover, the risk of death to men in the hospital setting was 1.162 times that of women (P = 0.012), and in the group of patients aged >55 years, the risk of in-hospital death was 1.511 times more than that in those aged ≤55 years (P <0.001). The risk of hospital death due to catastrophic illness was 1.347 times that of a non-catastrophic illness (P <0.001). Male patients and those >55 years of age had the most common prevalence of MM in Taiwan. Hemodialysis treatment, male sex, old age, and catastrophic illness were independent predictors of hospital mortality in patients with MM.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) often present with skeletal abnormalities, a condition known as renal osteodystrophy (ROD). While tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) ...and PHOSPHO1 are critical for bone mineralization, their role in the etiology of ROD is unclear. To address this, ROD was induced in both WT and Phospho1 knockout (P1KO) mice through dietary adenine supplementation. The mice presented with hyperphosphatemia, hyperparathyroidism, and elevated levels of FGF23 and bone turnover markers. In particular, we noted that in CKD mice, bone mineral density (BMD) was increased in cortical bone (P < 0.05) but decreased in trabecular bone (P < 0.05). These changes were accompanied by decreased TNAP (P < 0.01) and increased PHOSPHO1 (P < 0.001) expression in WT CKD bones. In P1KO CKD mice, the cortical BMD phenotype was rescued, suggesting that the increased cortical BMD of CKD mice was driven by increased PHOSPHO1 expression. Other structural parameters were also improved in P1KO CKD mice. We further investigated the driver of the mineralization defects, by studying the effects of FGF23, PTH, and phosphate administration on PHOSPHO1 and TNAP expression by primary murine osteoblasts. We found both PHOSPHO1 and TNAP expressions to be downregulated in response to phosphate and PTH. The in vitro data suggest that the TNAP reduction in CKD-MBD is driven by the hyperphosphatemia and/or hyperparathyroidism noted in these mice, while the higher PHOSPHO1 expression may be a compensatory mechanism. Increased PHOSPHO1 expression in ROD may contribute to the disordered skeletal mineralization characteristic of this progressive disorder.
Background: Renal hyperparathyroidism can be effectively treated with parathyroidectomy. However, managing persistence or recurrence after the initial surgery is still challenging. Understanding the ...anatomical patterns observed in reoperative parathyroidectomies can help localize the disease during initial and subsequent surgeries. Aim: This study aimed to identify the patterns of persistence and recurrence following parathyroidectomy for renal hyperparathyroidism and assess the performance of various localization studies. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on dialysis patients who underwent reoperative parathyroidectomy at a single center. Patient demographics, laboratory test results, localization study findings, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes were obtained through the chart reviews. Persistence was defined as an intact parathyroid hormone level ＞300 pg/mL within 6 months after the primary surgery; otherwise, recurrence was defined as ＞ 6 months. Results: Among 377 patients who underwent parathyroidectomies, 20 (5.3%) required reoperations. Supernumerary glands were the primary cause of persistence (70%) and recurrence (50%), predominantly located posteriorly within the tracheoesophageal groove. Besides, overgrowth of the forearm graft accounted for 30% of recurrences. Neck ultrasound (US) showed 6 out of 19 false negatives (68% sensitivity and 100% specificity), whereas ^(99m)Tc-sestamibi scintigraphy with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) had one false negative (95% sensitivity and 100% specificity). CT scans accurately localized the disease in cases where US and sestamibi scintigraphy yielded discordant results. Conclusion: Supernumerary glands frequently contribute to the persistence and recurrence of renal hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy. In the reoperative context, sestamibi SPECT/CT and CT scans detect affected parathyroid tissue in the neck and mediastinum more effectively than neck USs.
Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a known regulator of chondrocyte proliferation and promotes cartilage repair in osteoarthritis (OA). microRNA-29b-3p (miR-29b-3p) is downregulated by TGF-β1 ...and overexpressed in OA cartilage. However, the ability of miR-29b-3p to mediate the chondrocyte pro-proliferative effects of TGF-β1 is not yet understood. This current study aimed to investigate the effect of miR-29b-3p on TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation in murine articular chondrocytes. The stimulation of chondrocytes by TGF-β1 for 24 h resulted in the downregulation of miR-29b-3p expression. The ratio of G0/G1 phase cells decreased in response to TGF-β1 whereas the ratio of S phase cells was increased. Consistent with this observation, miR-29b-3p overexpression inhibited TGF-β1’s ability to promote the ratio of S phase cells and downregulate the ratio of G0/G1 phase cells. These findings suggest that the downregulation of miR-29b-3p is a likely requirement for TGF-β1-mediated proliferation of murine articular chondrocytes. Furthermore, implying that miR-29b-3p expression may be involved in reduced chondrocyte proliferation in OA.
•Chondrocyte proliferation is increased by stimulation with TGF-β1.•TGF-β1 upregulates ADAM12 expression but downregulates miR-29b-3p expression.•miR-29b-3p overexpression inhibits TGF-β1-induced ADAM12 expression.•Down regulation of miR-29b-3p is required for TGF-β1-mediated proliferation in murine chondrocytes.
Rare cases of
or relapsed kidney diseases associated with vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been increasingly reported. The aim of this study was to report the incidence, ...etiologies, and outcomes of acute kidney disease (AKD) following COVID-19 vaccination.
This retrospective study extracted cases from renal registry of a single medical center from 1 March 2021 to 30 April 2022, prior to the significant surge in cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 infection in Taiwan. Adult patients who developed AKD after COVID-19 vaccination were included. We utilized the Naranjo score as a causality assessment tool for adverse vaccination reactions and charts review by peer nephrologists to exclude other causes. The etiologies, characteristics, and outcomes of AKD were examined.
Twenty-seven patients (aged 23 to 80 years) with AKD were identified from 1,897 vaccines (estimated rate of 13.6 per 1000 patient-years within the renal registry). A majority (77.8%) of vaccine received messenger RNA-based regimens. Their median (IQR) Naranjo score was 8 (6-9) points, while 14 of them (51.9%) had a definite probability (Naranjo score ≥ 9). The etiologies of AKD included glomerular disease (
= 16) consisting of seven IgA nephropathy, four anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated glomerulonephritis (AAN), three membranous glomerulonephritis, two minimal change diseases, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with acute deterioration (
= 11). Extra-renal manifestations were found in four patients. Over a median (IQR) follow-up period of 42 (36.5-49.5) weeks, six patients progressed to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
Besides glomerulonephritis (GN), the occurrence of AKD following COVID-19 vaccination may be more concerning in high-risk CKD patients receiving multiple doses. Patients with the development of
AAN, concurrent extra-renal manifestations, or pre-existing moderate to severe CKD may exhibit poorer kidney prognosis.
Renal failure is a common morbidity in multiple myeloma (MM). Although proteinuria has been increasingly reported in malignancies, it is not routinely used to refine risk estimates of survival ...outcomes in patients with MM. Here we aimed to investigate initial serum albumin and 24-hour daily protein excretion (24-h DPE) before treatment as prognostic factors in patients with MM. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 102 patients with myeloma who were ineligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation between October 2000 and December 2012. Initial proteinuria was assessed before treatment by quantitative analysis of 24-hour urine samples. The demographic and laboratory characteristics, survival outcome, and significance of pre-treatment 24-h DPE and albumin in the new staging system of MM were analyzed. Pre-treatment proteinuria (>300 mg/day) was present in 66 patients (64.7%). The optimal cut-off value of 24-h DPE before treatment was 500 mg/day. Analysis of the time-dependent area under the curve showed that the serum albumin and 24-h DPE before treatment were better than 24-h creatinine clearance rate and β2-microglobulin. A subgroup analysis showed that an initial excess proteinuria (24-h DPE ≥ 500 mg) was associated with poor survival status (17.51 vs. 34.24 months, p = 0.002). Furthermore, initial serum albumin was an independent risk factor on multivariate analysis (<2.8 vs. ≥ 2.8, hazard ratio = 0.486, p = 0.029). Using the A-DPE staging system, there was a significant survival difference among patients with stage I, II, and III MM (p < 0.001). Initial serum albumin and 24-h DPE before treatment showed significant prognostic factors in patients with MM, and the new A-DPE staging system may be utilized instead of the International Staging System. Its efficacy should be evaluated by further large prospective studies.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
To compare the dose distributions of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) using the simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) technique with that of the ...traditional midline block (MB) technique for boosting the parametrium in patients with cervical cancer.
Treatment plans using VMAT or IMRT with the SIB technique (VMAT-SIB and IMRT-SIB) and IMRT followed by the MB technique (IMRT-MB) were generated for each of the 10 patients with cervical cancer. For the SIB plans, 45-Gy and 50-Gy dose levels in 25 equal fractions were set for the pelvis planning target volume 45 (PTV
) and the parametrial boost volume (PTV
), respectively. For the IMRT-MB plans, the parametrium was sequentially boosted with the MB technique (5.4 Gy in three fractions) after pelvic IMRT (PTV
).
Volume receiving 100% of the prescribed dose or more coverage of the PTV
was significantly better for VMAT-SIB and IMRT-SIB than that for IMRT-MB (99.08 and 99.31% compared with 91.79%, respectively; p < 0.05). VMAT-SIB and IMRT-SIB both generated significantly greater doses to the organs at risk (OARs) except for the volume receiving 50 Gy or more doses, which were significantly lower for the bladder and bowel. Comparable results were achieved with VMAT-SIB and IMRT-SIB.
The VMAT-SIB and IMRT-SIB techniques are promising in terms of dose distributions and tumour coverage, although these approaches might result in slightly higher doses of radiation to the OARs. Advances in knowledge: This is the first study to examine the feasibility of the SIB technique using IMRT or VMAT to boost the parametrium. The techniques dosimetrically produced better target coverage but resulted in slightly higher doses to the OARs.
Nontraumatic acute abdomen (NTAA) in dialysis patients is a challenging issue. The aetiologies of NTAA vary considerably depending on the renal replacement therapy (RRT) modality. Although ...haematological parameters and contributing factors have been reported to be associated with outcomes for dialysis patients, their clinical effect on the length of hospital stay (LOS) remains unknown.
We retrospectively analysed 52 dialysis patients (peritoneal dialysis PD, n = 33; haemodialysis HD, n = 19) and 30 non-dialysis patients (as controls) between January 2011 and December 2014. To attenuate the selection bias, non-dialysis patients with NTAA were matched to cases at a ratio of 1:1 by age, gender and comorbidities (diabetes mellitus and hypertension). Their demographic characteristics, laboratory data, clinical assessment scores and LOS were analysed.
The PD group exhibited a significantly higher neutrophil percentage, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR); longer LOS; and lower lymphocyte percentage and absolute lymphocyte count than the control group. After multivariate analysis adjustment, female gender, longer RRT duration and higher intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were associated with a lower probability of being discharged home. In the dialysis group, a higher iPTH level (> 313 μg/mL) was positively correlated with longer LOS. iPTH level combined with NLR can be used as a surrogate marker for predicting longer LOS (p < 0.001).
NTAA dialysis patients with female gender, longer RRT duration and higher iPTH levels are prone to experiencing longer LOS. In addition, the combination of iPTH and NLR is a significant determinant for LOS in NTAA dialysis patients.
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