The FactSage computer package consists of a series of information, calculation and manipulation modules that enable one to access and manipulate compound and solution databases. With the various ...modules running under Microsoft Windows® one can perform a wide variety of thermochemical calculations and generate tables, graphs and figures of interest to chemical and physical metallurgists, chemical engineers, corrosion engineers, inorganic chemists, geochemists, ceramists, electrochemists, environmentalists, etc. This paper presents a summary of the developments in the FactSage thermochemical software and databases during the last six years. Particular emphasis is placed on the new databases and developments in calculating and manipulating phase diagrams.
Abstract Statement of problem Limited evidence is available for the marginal and internal fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital impressions compared with those fabricated with ...conventional impressions. Purpose The purpose of this systematic review was to compare marginal and internal fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital techniques to those fabricated using conventional impression techniques and to determine the effect of different variables on the accuracy of fit. Material and methods Medline, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were electronically searched and enriched by hand searches. Studies evaluating the fit of fixed dental restorations fabricated with digital and conventional impression techniques were identified. Pooled data were statistically analyzed, and factors affecting the accuracy of fit were identified, and their impact on accuracy of fit outcomes were assessed. Results Dental restorations fabricated with digital impression techniques exhibited similar marginal misfit to those fabricated with conventional impression techniques (P>.05). Both marginal and internal gaps were greater for stone die casts, whereas digital dies produced restorations with the smallest gaps ( P <.05). When a digital impression was used to generate stereolithographic (SLA)/polyurethane dies, misfit values were intermediate. The fabrication technique, the type of restoration, and the impression material had no effect on misfit values ( P >.05), whereas die and restoration materials were statistically associated ( P <.05). Conclusions Although conclusions were based mainly on in vitro studies, the digital impression technique provided better marginal and internal fit of fixed restorations than conventional techniques did.
Aims
In the preliminary study, kimchi, a traditional food fermented with Chinese cabbage, protected scopolamine‐induced mouse memory deficit in passive avoidance test. Therefore, we screened ...protective ingredients, particularly lactic acid bacteria, from Chinese cabbage kimchi against scopolamine‐induced memory deficit in mice.
Methods and Results
Lactic acid bacteria, isolated from Chinese cabbage kimchi, were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis, G+C content and cellular fatty acid composition and sugar fermentation test. Memory deficit was induced in mice by intraperitoneally injecting with scopolamine.
Kimchi, particularly its supernatant, protected scopolamine‐induced memory deficit in mice in passive avoidance test. Of kimchi ingredients, a lactic acid bacterium, strain C29, potently protected scopolamine‐induced memory deficit in mice. C29 was a gram‐positive, catalase‐negative, anaerobic and non‐motile rod. Its pylogenetic property was near to Lactobacillus pentosus (99%) and Lact. plantarum (99%). However, C29 fermented inulin and L‐rhamnose and grew in pH 3 and at 45°C in contrast with Lact. pentosus and Lact. plantarum. Therefore, it named to be Lact pentosus var. plantarum C29. The strain C29 protected scopolamine‐induced memory deficit in Y‐maze and Morris water maze tests. Furthermore, C29 increased hippocampal BDNF and p‐CREB expressions, which were reduced by scopolamine.
Conclusion
Lactobacillus pentosus var. plantarum C29 may protect memory deficit by inducing BDNF and p‐CREB expressions.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Lactic acid bacteria, such as Lact pentosus var. plantarum C29, may prevent memory deficit and its contained fermented foods may be beneficial for dementia.
To elucidate the accuracy, efficacy, and safety of percutaneous iliosacral screw (ISS) and trans-iliac trans-sacral screw (TITS) insertion using a single C-arm fluoroscopy intensifier. Additionally, ...the potential risk factors that might cause mal-positioned screws were identified. Patients with pelvic ring injuries who underwent percutaneous screw fixation in a single medical institute were divided into an ISS group (n = 59) and a TITS group (n = 62) and assessed. The angles deviated from ideal orientation (ADIO) of the implanted screw were measured, and potential risk factors for mal-positioned screws were analyzed. Overall, the reduction quality of the pelvic ring was good or excellent in 70 patients (82.4%) by Matta's criteria and in 48 patients (56.5%) by Lefaivre's criteria. ADIO measurements of the ISS and TITS groups via multi-planar computed tomography were 9.16° ± 6.97° and 3.09° ± 2.8° in the axial view, respectively, and 5.92° ± 3.65° and 2.10° ± 2.01° in the coronal view, respectively. Univariate statistical analysis revealed body mass index as the single potential risk factor of mal-positioned screws. With careful preoperative planning and intraoperative preparations, placing ISS and TITS under the guidance of single C-arm fluoroscopy intensifier is a reliable and safe technique. Caution should be exercised when performing this procedure in patients with a high body mass index.
How will the combined impacts of land use change, climate change, and hydrologic modeling influence changes in urban flood frequency and what is the main uncertainty source of the results? Will such ...changes differ by catchment with different degrees of current and future urban development? We attempt to answer these questions in two catchments with different degrees of urbanization, the Fanno catchment with 84% urban land use and the Johnson catchment with 36% urban land use, both located in the Pacific Northwest of the US. Five uncertainty sources - general circulation model (GCM) structures, future greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenarios, land use change scenarios, natural variability, and hydrologic model parameters - are considered to compare the relative source of uncertainty in flood frequency projections. Two land use change scenarios, conservation and development, representing possible future land use changes are used for analysis. Results show the highest increase in flood frequency under the combination of medium high GHG emission (A1B) and development scenarios, and the lowest increase under the combination of low GHG emission (B1) and conservation scenarios. Although the combined impact is more significant to flood frequency change than individual scenarios, it does not linearly increase flood frequency. Changes in flood frequency are more sensitive to climate change than land use change in the two catchments for 2050s (2040-2069). Shorter term flood frequency change, 2 and 5 year floods, is highly affected by GCM structure, while longer term flood frequency change above 25 year floods is dominated by natural variability. Projected flood frequency changes more significantly in Johnson creek than Fanno creek. This result indicates that, under expected climate change conditions, adaptive urban planning based on the conservation scenario could be more effective in less developed Johnson catchment than in the already developed Fanno catchment.
Background
Reasons for the increased use of closed reduction and internal fixation (CRIF) for traumatic sacral fractures (SFs) are unclear in the literature. Therefore, we aimed to report the annual ...changes in the number of patients, mechanisms of injury, fracture patterns, and fixation methods.
Methods
In this retrospective study, we extracted data of 271 patients (mean age, 37.5 years) from the trauma register over an 8-year period. Annual records regarding the number of patients, injury mechanisms, fracture types, and treatment options were statistically analyzed to examine the interactions among these factors.
Results
The number of patients with SFs increased significantly each year. The rate of admission to the intensive care unit after resuscitation was high (64.9%). Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) type C pelvic ring injury (PRI), Dennis zone II injury, Roy-Camille type 2 injury, and U/H-type injury were the most common fracture types. Trans-iliac trans-sacral screws were mainly used in AO type B PRI, and their use significantly increased each year. For AO type C PRI, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with rigid fixation was the main treatment, and the use of CRIF with iliosacral screws decreased each year. Stepwise statistical analysis revealed that the increase in AO type B PRI and ORIF for anterior PRI were the factors contributing to the increased use of CRIF for SFs.
Conclusions
While the use of osteosynthesis for SFs is increasing, an increased use of CRIF for traumatic SFs has also been observed in clinical practice. This increase can be attributed to the increase in AO type B PRIs and ORIF for anterior PRIs.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common in patients with trauma, and thromboprophylaxis has been advocated. However, conflicting results regarding VTE rates in the Asian population following ...orthopaedic procedures have been presented. We aimed to investigate the VTE incidence in Taiwanese patients with pelvic and/or acetabular fractures and identify the associated risk factors. We included 402 patients who underwent surgery for pelvic and/or acetabular fractures. All patients received mechanical thromboprophylaxis with graduated compression stockings. Duplex scanning was performed postoperatively or during follow-up when signs or symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) developed. Variables with a significance level of ≤ 0.1 in the univariate analyses were introduced into the multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify DVT risk factors. The overall DVT and symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) rate was 3.48% (14/402 patients). Among patients with DVT, 46.1% were asymptomatic. Patients with VTE were significantly older than those without. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age was a VTE risk factor. The incidence of DVT and symptomatic PE in our cohort was low. Advanced age was a risk factor for VTE. These findings could help clinicians develop appropriate prevention and treatment strategies for VTE in Taiwanese patients with pelvic and/or acetabular fractures.
Activated carbon filters installed in existing air cleaners only adsorb harmful gases, such as hydrocarbon gases, without fundamentally decomposing them. Therefore, there is a great concern that the ...harmful gases may be re-released into the atmosphere according to changes in environmental factors; moreover, when the fixation capacity of the carbon filter reaches its limit, harmful gases might no longer be captured by the filter. To overcome the abovementioned problems of activated carbon filters, in this study, we devised a new concept for a composite filter system (bioelectrochemical-based composite biofilter consisting of living microorganisms, a complex graphite felt filter with working and counter electrodes, and an electrochemical reducing power supply system) capable of inducing the complete decomposition of harmful gases. The composite biofilter was made of graphite felt for high conductivity and modified with chitosan and phosphate to increase the moisture content. In addition, it can supply electrochemical reducing power to accelerate the metabolism of microorganisms that comprise a part of the composite filter; these microbes can completely decompose the harmful gases, which act as carbon sources derived from the environment through metabolic processes. Based on the performance of this composite biofilter, the newly developed microbe-carrying bioelectrochemical-based composite biofilter effectively decomposed 50% (2000 ppm) of the harmful gases (lower hydrocarbons), including methane, propane, and butane, within 3 days. Unlike the limited use of conventional biological filters, this strongly suggests that the above microbe-carrying bioelectrochemical-based composite biofilter can be actively utilized as a new alternative air-cleaning filter for full-scale detoxification of harmful toxic gases, even under general indoor atmospheric conditions.
Traditionally, neuromyelitis optica (NMO) was known to involve only the optic nerves and spinal cord. However, the discovery of highly specific anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody for NMO enabled us to ...identify more diverse clinical manifestations. Here, we describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who were anti-AQP4-antibody positive, represented by CNS AQP4 autoimmunity.
In total, 388 consecutive patients with inflammatory demyelinating CNS diseases were tested for the anti-AQP4 antibody and 106 seropositive patients who were positive by ELISA or cell-based assay were included.
Ninety-seven patients were women, and 9 men. The median age at onset was 32 years. The median annualized relapse rate was 1.14 during the median follow-up of 7.0 years. When the 2006 revised diagnostic criteria for NMO were applied, 72% of patients met the criteria, and 28% had a limited form of NMO. Brain symptoms were observed in 51% of patients, and 24% of patients presented with brain symptoms as their first manifestation. Severe residual visual impairment or ambulatory disability was observed in 42% of patients. The median intervals to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6 and severe visual impairment in at least one eye were 12 and 11 years, respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed a delay of more than 4 years before appropriate immunotherapy was independently associated with reaching severe disability of more than EDSS 6.
The spectrum of neurologic manifestations and the disease course associated with CNS AQP4 autoimmunity is broader than previously recognized.
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic remains a global public health crisis, presenting a broad range of challenges. To help address some of the main problems, the scientific community ...has designed vaccines, diagnostic tools and therapeutics for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The rapid pace of technology development, especially with regard to vaccines, represents a stunning and historic scientific achievement. Nevertheless, many challenges remain to be overcome, such as improving vaccine and drug treatment efficacies for emergent mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2. Outbreaks of more infectious variants continue to diminish the utility of available vaccines and drugs. Thus, the effectiveness of vaccines and drugs against the most current variants is a primary consideration in the continual analyses of clinical data that supports updated regulatory decisions. The first two vaccines granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs), BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, still show more than 60% protection efficacy against the most widespread current SARS-CoV-2 variant, Omicron. This variant carries more than 30 mutations in the spike protein, which has largely abrogated the neutralizing effects of therapeutic antibodies. Fortunately, some neutralizing antibodies and antiviral COVID-19 drugs treatments have shown continued clinical benefits. In this review, we provide a framework for understanding the ongoing development efforts for different types of vaccines and therapeutics, including small molecule and antibody drugs. The ripple effects of newly emergent variants, including updates to vaccines and drug repurposing efforts, are summarized. In addition, we summarize the clinical trials supporting the development and distribution of vaccines, small molecule drugs, and therapeutic antibodies with broad-spectrum activity against SARS-CoV-2 strains.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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