Background
Improving patients' oral hygiene is an option for preventing postoperative pneumonia that may be caused by aspiration of oral and pharyngeal secretions. Whether preoperative oral care by a ...dentist can decrease postoperative complications remains controversial. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to assess the association between preoperative oral care and postoperative complications among patients who underwent major cancer surgery.
Methods
The nationwide administrative claims database in Japan was analysed. Patients were identified who underwent resection of head and neck, oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, lung or liver cancer between May 2012 and December 2015. The primary outcomes were postoperative pneumonia and all‐cause mortality within 30 days of surgery. Patient background was adjusted for with inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity scoring.
Results
Of 509 179 patients studied, 81 632 (16·0 per cent) received preoperative oral care from a dentist. A total of 15 724 patients (3·09 per cent) had postoperative pneumonia and 1734 (0·34 per cent) died within 30 days of surgery. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, preoperative oral care by a dentist was significantly associated with a decrease in postoperative pneumonia (3·28 versus 3·76 per cent; risk difference − 0·48 (95 per cent c.i. −0·64 to−0·32) per cent) and all‐cause mortality within 30 days of surgery (0·30 versus 0·42 per cent; risk difference − 0·12 (−0·17 to −0·07) per cent).
Conclusion
Preoperative oral care by a dentist significantly reduced postoperative complications in patients who underwent cancer surgery.
Preoperative dental care reduces postoperative pneumonia
Change in Li depth profiles of Ti/NbO/LiPON/LMO/Ti and Ti/LMO/LiPON/NbO/Ti (NbO=Nb2O5, LiPON=Li3.3PO3.8N0.2, LMO = LiMn2O4) batteries prepared on Si substrate on one cycle of charging and discharging ...has been in-situ measured from both Ti/NbO and Ti/LMO sides by ERD (elastic recoil detection analysis) and RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy) techniques with 9 MeV O+4 ion beam, in order to understand Li transport between NbO to LMO. It is found that on over-charging of the Ti/NbO/LiPON/LMO/Ti battery Li charged in NbO diffuses into top Ti film, but on the Ti/LMO/ LiPON/NbO battery Li does not diffuse into bottom Ti film, but returns back to LMO, reacts with top Ti film and segregates at the Ti surface. The difference in Li transport in both batteries is discussed in terms of the difference in Fermi levels at the interfaces of LMO/Ti and NbO/Ti on the Si substrate.
•Change in Li depth profiles of Ti/NbO/LiPON/LMO/Ti under charging and discharging was measured by ERD technique with 9 MeV O ions.•Li charged once in NbO of Ti/NbO/LiPON/LMO/Ti/prepared on Si substrate is found to diffuse into top Ti by over-biasing.•In Ti/LMO/LiPON/NbO/Ti/Si substrate Li does not diffuse bottom Ti, but returns back to LMO and segregates at top Ti surface.•The difference in Li transport in both systems is discussed in terms of Fermi levels at the interfaces of LMO/Ti and NbO/Ti on Si.
Li Depth profiles at the interfaces of capacitors of Cu/LiPON/Cu and Al/LiPON/Al prepared on buffer Ti layer /SiO2
glass and Au/LATP/Au (LiPON = Li3.3PO3.8N0.2, ...LATP = Li3.1Al0.84Ti1.16Ge1.27P1.73O12) under biasing bottom metal against top metal at earth potential have been in-situ measured by means of elastic recoil detection analysis (ERD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) techniques. Li has been found to be enriched near the interface with electrode biased negatively, while it is depleted near that biased positively. The Li depth profile in electrolyte has been theoretically calculated, taking into account the transport faction of Li ions, based on hopping diffusion model of Li ions under potential gradient. It is shown that the Li depth profile calculated as a solution of diffusion equation at steady state agrees qualitatively well with the experimental ones and the transport fraction of Li ions in electrolyte is less than unity.
•Li in electrolyte is enriched at the interface with electrode biased at negatively, while it is depleted at that biased positively.•The depth profile corresponds qualitatively well with the calculation on hopping diffusion model under potential gradient.•The transport fraction of Li ions in the electrolyte under the potential gradient is less than unity.
Li depth profiles in Au/LCO/mixed LATP-LAGP/Pt battery (mixed LATP-LAGP (LATP/LAGP) = Li1+X+YAlYTi2−YGeXP3−XO12, LCO = LiCoO2) under discharging by biasing Pt to Au at earth potential, have been ...measured from both Au and Pt surfaces by means of reflection elastic recoil detection (ERD) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) techniques with 9 MeV O4+ ions. Ge and Ti compositions of a mixed LATP-LAGP electrolyte and thickness of LCO were determined from RBS spectrum for the as-prepared specimen, where Y and X in LATP were estimated to be 0.84 and 1.27, respectively. On charging at 2.4 V for 25 min, Li composition in LCO measured from the Au surface by ERD was reduced down to ~0.3 and hereafter on discharging at 0.5 V for 25 min the composition was not enriched, but contrary was further reduced to 0.2. However, by successive discharging at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.2 V for 50 min the composition was enriched. On the other hand, it was found from the Pt surface that Li charged in the electrolyte near Pt by biasing at 2.4 V for 20 min was reduced by discharging at 1.0 V for 20 min. By further discharging for 20 min Li was not reduced, but contrary was enriched. Both anomalous transports of Li under discharging are discussed in terms of diffusion of Li atoms in the counter direction to the biasing which is caused by the transport fraction of Li ions in the electrolyte less than unity.
•Li depth profiles in LCO layer of Au/LCO/mixed LATP-LAGP/Pt battery were uniformly changed over its whole depth on charging/discharging.•Too long loading at charging brought about an anomaly in the battery at which Li was inversely transported from LCO to Pt.•The change in the Li depth profiles on charging/discharging of the battery was reversible and the battery is rechargeable.
Pyramidal cells in the neocortex are differentiated into several subgroups based on their extracortical projection targets. However, little is known regarding the relative intracortical connectivity ...of pyramidal neurons specialized for these specific output channels. We used paired recordings and quantitative morphological analysis to reveal distinct synaptic transmission properties, connection patterns, and morphological differentiation correlated with heterogeneous thalamic input to two different groups of pyramidal cells residing in layer 5 (L5) of rat frontal cortex. Retrograde tracers were used to label two projection subtypes in L5: crossed-corticostriatal (CCS) cells projecting to both sides of the striatum, and corticopontine (CPn) cells projecting to the ipsilateral pons. Although CPn/CPn and CCS/CCS pairs had similar connection probabilities, CPn/CPn pairs exhibited greater reciprocal connectivity, stronger unitary synaptic transmission, and more facilitation of paired-pulse responses. These synaptic characteristics were strongly correlated to the projection subtype of the presynaptic neuron. CPn and CCS cells were further differentiated according to their somatic position (L5a and L5b, the latter denser thalamic afferent fibers) and their dendritic/axonal arborizations. Together, our data demonstrate that the pyramidal projection system is segregated into different output channels according to subcortical target and thalamic input, and that information flow within and between these channels is selectively organized.
.
The reaction
54
Cr$ + $
248
Cm
was investigated at the velocity filter SHIP at GSI, Darmstadt, with the intention to study production and decay properties of isotopes of element 120. Three ...correlated signals were measured, which occurred within a period of 279ms. The heights of the signals correspond with the expectations for a decay sequence starting with an isotope of element 120. However, a complete decay chain cannot be established, since a signal from the implantation of the evaporation residue cannot be identified unambiguously. Measured properties of the event chain are discussed in detail. The result is compared with theoretical predictions. Previously measured decay properties of even element super-heavy nuclei were compiled in order to find arguments for an assignment from the systematics of experimental data. In the course of this review, a few tentatively assigned data could be corrected. New interpretations are given for results which could not be assigned definitely in previous studies. The discussion revealed that the cross-section for production of element 120 could be high enough so that a successful experiment seems possible with presently available techniques. However, a continuation of the experiment at SHIP for a necessary confirmation of the results obtained in a relatively short irradiation of five weeks is not possible at GSI presently. Therefore, we decided to publish the results of the measurement and of the review as they exist now. In the summary and outlook section we also present concepts for the continuation of research in the field of super-heavy nuclei.
The use of environmental tracers brings comprehensive benefits to the management of water resources since it helps to prevent their pollution, minimize public health risks, and thus reduce the impact ...of urbanization. In Brazil, the Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) has strategic and environmental importance, making its preservation and sustainable exploitation mandatory. The present study aimed at evaluating sources of contamination in the GAS using the combination of geochemical data and two environmental tracers: nitrate isotopes (
15
N
NO3
and
18
O
NO3
) and one rare earth element (Gadolinium—Gd). For that, five wells—four exploiting the GAS and one the Bauru Aquifer System (BAS)—were selected to discuss the human inputs in groundwater used for public supply in an urban area. Traditional physicochemical analyses were conducted for six campaign samplings and nitrate monitoring for this period was evaluated on a time scale, also considering the accumulated rainfall. Besides that, the double isotopic method (DIM), e.g., δ
18
O
NO3
e δ
15
N
NO3
, was applied to identify the fractionation and enable the distinction of the nitrate contamination source. In addition, the determination of anomalies of Gd, a wastewater-derived contaminant, was also performed to verify recent human inputs in groundwater. The results show that the local existence of nitrate in the GAS and BAS—even at low concentrations (values from 0.26 to 6.68 mg L
−1
)—originated from anthropogenic inputs (septic waste), as indicates the typical isotopic signals ratio in the isotopic approach. Associated with that, the evaluation of Gd permitted the separation of groundwater samples into older or more recent leakages. The use of environmental tracers to assess anthropogenic inputs in groundwater reiterates the importance of adopting more effective protection strategies for water resources management systems, in order to prevent contamination.
Graphical Abstract
Abstract
A promising route to discover exotic electronic states in correlated electron systems is to vary the hole or electron doping away from a Mott insulating state. Important examples include ...quantum criticality and high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates. Here, we report the surprising discovery of a quantum insulating state upon electron doping the Mott insulator CeMnAsO, which emerges below a distinct critical transition temperature,
T
II
. The insulator-insulator transition is accompanied by a significant reduction in electron mobility as well as a colossal Seebeck effect and slow dynamics due to decoupling of the electrons from the lattice phonons. The origin of the transition is tentatively interpreted in terms of many-body localization, which has not been observed previously in a solid-state material.
The persistent spin helix (PSH) state in III–V semiconductor quantum wells (QWs) is a promising candidate for spin-based applications because the PSH state realizes controllable spin orientation with ...long spin lifetime. Although the cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit (SO) interaction is known for breaking the PSH state in both (001)-oriented and (110)-oriented QWs, it is not well understood how the distinct symmetry of cubic Dresselhaus terms β3 between (001) and (110) QWs affects the robustness of the PSH state. Here we investigate robustness of the PSH state between (001) and (110) QWs under various strengths of cubic Dresselhaus SO interaction based on numerical Monte Carlo approach and magnetoconductance simulation, respectively, representing optical spin excitation/detection and weak localization/weak antilocalization in magnetotransport. For electron spins initialized along z∥001 in a (001) QW and x∥001andy∥11¯0 in a (110) QW, where the spin distribution is developed with the helical spin mode, a (001) QW shows a more robust PSH state against the increase of β3 than does a (110) QW. This phenomenon is contrary to numerically computed magnetoconductance, where weak localization is maintained on the variation of β3 in a (110) QW, whereas weak antilocalization appears in a (001) QW. By deriving the spin lifetime of the PSH state in a (110) QW from a diffusion equation using a random-walk approach, we demonstrate that such a difference arises directly from the magnitude and orientation of third angular harmonics in cubic Dresselhaus fields for (001) and (110) QWs.
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