With the aim of gathering temporal trends on bacterial epidemiology and resistance from multiple laboratories in China, the CHINET surveillance system was organized in 2005. Antimicrobial ...susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using the Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems. Results were analyzed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2014 definitions. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of bacterial isolates ranged between 22 774 and 84 572 annually. Rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase production among Escherichia coli isolates were stable, between 51.7 and 55.8%. Resistance of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam decreased with time. Carbapenem resistance among K. pneumoniae isolates increased from 2.4 to 13.4%. Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against all of antimicrobial agents tested including imipenem and meropenem decreased with time. On the contrary, resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 31 to 66.7%. A marked decrease of methicillin resistance from 69% in 2005 to 44.6% in 2014 was observed for Staphylococcus aureus. Carbapenem resistance rates in K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii in China are high. Our results indicate the importance of bacterial surveillance studies.
Abstract Spin-valley locking in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides has attracted enormous interest, since it offers potential for valleytronic and optoelectronic applications. Such an exotic ...electronic state has sparsely been seen in bulk materials. Here, we report spin-valley locking in a Dirac semimetal BaMnSb 2 . This is revealed by comprehensive studies using first principles calculations, tight-binding and effective model analyses, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements. Moreover, this material also exhibits a stacked quantum Hall effect (QHE). The spin-valley degeneracy extracted from the QHE is close to 2. This result, together with the Landau level spin splitting, further confirms the spin-valley locking picture. In the extreme quantum limit, we also observed a plateau in the z -axis resistance, suggestive of a two-dimensional chiral surface state present in the quantum Hall state. These findings establish BaMnSb 2 as a rare platform for exploring coupled spin and valley physics in bulk single crystals and accessing 3D interacting topological states.
We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses (mχ) via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on ...time-integrated (TI) and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1 kg day exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5 kg day exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive windows in mχ are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on σχNSI at 90% confidence level are derived as 2×10−32∼7×10−35 cm2 for TI analysis at mχ∼50–180 MeV/c2, and 3×10−32∼9×10−38 cm2 for AM analysis at mχ∼75 MeV/c2–3.0 GeV/c2.
Body mass index (BMI) has been associated with the risk of oesophageal cancer. But the influence of BMI on postoperative complication and prognosis has always been controversial.
In total, 2031 ...consecutive patients who underwent oesophagectomy between 1998 and 2008 were classified according to Asian-specific BMI (kg m(-2)) cutoff values. The impact of BMI on overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the association of BMI with OS and postoperative complication.
Patients with higher BMI had more postoperative complication (P=0.002), such as anastomotic leakage (P=0.016) and cardiovascular diseases (P<0.001), but less incidence of chylous leakage (P=0.010). Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI (P=0.005) was a confounding factor associated with postoperative complication. Multivariate analysis showed that overweight and obese patients had a more favourable survival than normal weight patients (HR (hazard ratio) = 0.80, 95% CI (confidence interval): 0.70-0.92, P=0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the association with higher BMI and increased OS was observed in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (P<0.001), oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) (P=0.034), never-smoking (P=0.035), ever-smoking (P=0.035), never alcohol consumption (P=0.005), weight loss (P=0.003) and advanced pathological stage (P<0.001). The meta-analysis further corroborated that higher BMI was associated with increased complication of anastomotic leakage (RR (risk ratio)=1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06, P=0.001), wound infection (RR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05, P=0.031) and cardiovascular diseases (RR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05, P=0.039), but decreased incidence of chylous leakage (RR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99, P<0.001). In addition, high BMI could significantly improved OS (HR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.71-0.85, P<0.001).
Preoperative BMI was an independent prognostic factor for survival, and strongly associated with postoperative complications in oesophageal cancer.
•Ab initio calculation of the surface relaxation of metals.•Surface energy and surface stress of transition metals.•Surface energy and surface stress of simple metals and light actinides.
We ...investigated surface properties of metals by performing first-principles calculations. A systematic database was established for the surface relaxation, surface energy (γ), and surface stress (τ) for metallic elements in the periodic table. The surfaces were modeled by multi-layered slab structures along the direction of low-index surfaces. The surface energy γ of simple metals decreases as the atomic number increases in a given group, while the surface stress τ has its minimum in the middle. The transition metal series show parabolic trends for both γ and τ with a dip in the middle. The dip occurs at half-band filling due to a long-range Friedel oscillation of the surface charge density, which induces a strong stability to the Peierls-like transition. In addition, due to magnetic effects, the dips in the 3d metal series are shallower and deeper for γ and τ, respectively, than those of the 4d and 5d metals. The surface stress of the transition metals is typically positive, only Cr and Mn have a negative τ for the (100) surface facet, indicating that they are under compression. The light actinides have an increasing γ trend according to the atomic number. The present work provides a useful and consistent database for the theoretical modelling of surface phenomena.
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Morbidity and mortality from tuberculosis (TB) are high in Taiwan. We conducted a nationwide population‐based matched cohort study using data retrieved from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance ...Research Database to determine the impact of TB after liver transplantation (LT). During 2000–2011, we identified 3202 liver transplant recipients and selected subjects from the general population matched for age, sex, and comorbidities on the same index date of recognition of LT with a 1:10 ratio. The data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Compared to the matched cohort, liver transplant patients had a higher risk for TB (adjusted HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.65–3.05, p < 0.001), and those with TB showed higher mortality (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.30–3.97, p = 0.004). Old age (HR 2.64, 95% CI 1.25–5.54, p = 0.011) and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORis) (HR 3.09, 95% CI 1.68–5.69, p < 0.001) were significant risk factors for TB in LT; mTORis were also associated with mortality after adjusting for confounders (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.73–2.62, p < 0.001). Therefore, regular surveillance of TB and treatment of latent TB infection in high‐risk patients after LT are important, especially in TB‐endemic areas.
The authors demonstrate the high risk of tuberculosis in liver transplant recipients and define old age and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors as risk factors for tuberculosis after liver transplantation, which provides a practical guide to selecting high‐risk liver transplant patients for regular surveillance and treatment of tuberculosis.
Summary
We identified 17 polymorphisms in myostatin by sequencing, and three informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for further observation for their association with peak ...BMD of women in 401 Chinese nuclear families. Our results suggest that genetic polymorphisms in myostatin likely play a role in attainment of peak BMD in Chinese women.
Introduction
Myostatin is a TGF-beta family member that is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth.
Materials and methods
We identified SNPs in myostatin by direct sequencing. Furthermore, using a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). we tested and further test whether SNPs were associated with peak bone mineral density (BMD) variation at the spines and hips of 401 Chinese nuclear families. We identified 17 polymorphisms in myostatin by sequencing. Next, we selected three informative SNPs for further observation of an association with peak BMD of premenopausal women in 401 Chinese nuclear families.
Results
Using QTDT for the within-family association, we found significant association between rs2293284 and total hip, femoral neck, and trochanter BMD (all
p
< 0.05), while rs7570532 was associated with total hip and trochanter BMD (
p
= 0.034 and
p
= 0.035, respectively). The within-family association was significant between BMI and +2278G > A (
p
= 0.022). Subsequent permutations were in agreement with these significant within-family association results. Moreover, analyses of the haplotypes confer further evidence for association of rs2293284 and rs7570532 with hip peak BMD variation.
Conclusions
These results suggest, for the first time, the genetic polymorphisms in myostatin likely play a role in attainment of peak BMD in Chinese women.
With the arising of global climate change and resource shortage, in recent years, increased attention has been paid to environmentally friendly materials. Trees are sustainable and renewable ...materials, which give us shelter and oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees are a primary resource that human society depends upon every day, for example, homes, heating, furniture, and aircraft. Wood from trees gives us paper, cardboard, and medical supplies, thus impacting our homes, school, work, and play. All of the above-mentioned applications have been well developed over the past thousands of years. However, trees and wood have much more to offer us as advanced materials, impacting emerging high-tech fields, such as bioengineering, flexible electronics, and clean energy. Wood naturally has a hierarchical structure, composed of well-oriented microfibers and tracheids for water, ion, and oxygen transportation during metabolism. At higher magnification, the walls of fiber cells have an interesting morphologya distinctly mesoporous structure. Moreover, the walls of fiber cells are composed of thousands of fibers (or macrofibrils) oriented in a similar angle. Nanofibrils and nanocrystals can be further liberated from macrofibrils by mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. The obtained nanocellulose has unique optical, mechanical, and barrier properties and is an excellent candidate for chemical modification and reconfiguration. Wood is naturally a composite material, comprised of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Wood is sustainable, earth abundant, strong, biodegradable, biocompatible, and chemically accessible for modification; more importantly, multiscale natural fibers from wood have unique optical properties applicable to different kinds of optoelectronics and photonic devices. Today, the materials derived from wood are ready to be explored for applications in new technology areas, such as electronics, biomedical devices, and energy. The goal of this study is to review the fundamental structures and chemistries of wood and wood-derived materials, which are essential for a wide range of existing and new enabling technologies. The scope of the review covers multiscale materials and assemblies of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin as well as other biomaterials derived from wood, in regard to their major emerging applications. Structure–properties–application relationships will be investigated in detail. Understanding the fundamental properties of these structures is crucial for designing and manufacturing products for emerging applications. Today, a more holistic understanding of the interplay between the structure, chemistry, and performance of wood and wood-derived materials is advancing historical applications of these materials. This new level of understanding also enables a myriad of new and exciting applications, which motivate this review. There are excellent reviews already on the classical topic of woody materials, and some recent reviews also cover new understanding of these materials as well as potential applications. This review will focus on the uniqueness of woody materials for three critical applications: green electronics, biological devices, and energy storage and bioenergy.
Background
Treatment of chronic wounds using traditional surgical procedures is challenging because of the low graft take rates. This study investigated the combination approach of split‐thickness ...autografts with harvested skin cell suspension for chronic wound treatment.
Methods
This randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with chronic wounds between March 2012 and December 2013. Patients who were assigned randomly to the active treatment received a split‐thickness autograft combined with harvested skin cell suspension. Control patients received the split‐thickness autograft alone. The primary outcome was the rate of complete wound closure by postoperative day 28. Analysis was by intention to treat. Patients who achieved wound closure were followed up for a minimum of 6 months to evaluate the quality of healing.
Results
A total of 88 patients were included, 44 in each group. More patients achieved complete wound closure in the skin cell group than in the control group (41 versus 34 patients; P = 0·035). Complete wound closure was observed at a median of 14 (95 per cent c.i. 12·0 to 16·0) days in the skin cell group and 20 (15·7 to 24·3) days in the control group (P = 0·001). The skin cell group had significantly fewer complications (4 versus 11 patients; P = 0·047). The autografted sites displayed better physical attributes and a reduced tendency for wound recurrence in the skin cell group.
Conclusion
Complementary split‐thickness autologous skin grafting with autologous skin cells harvested using ReCell® (Avita Medical, Cambridge, UK) technology improved the healing rate of chronic wounds. Registration number: UMIN000011966 (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr).
Adjunct to skin grafting
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