Single chip integrated spectrometers are critical to bring chemical and biological sensing, spectroscopy, and spectral imaging into robust, compact and cost-effective devices. Existing on-chip ...spectrometer approaches fail to realize both high resolution and broad band. Here we demonstrate a microring resonator-assisted Fourier-transform (RAFT) spectrometer, which is realized using a tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) cascaded with a tunable microring resonator (MRR) to enhance the resolution, integrated with a photodetector onto a single chip. The MRR boosts the resolution to 0.47 nm, far beyond the Rayleigh criterion of the tunable MZI-based Fourier-transform spectrometer. A single channel achieves large bandwidth of ~ 90 nm with low power consumption (35 mW for MRR and 1.8 W for MZI) at the expense of degraded signal-to-noise ratio due to time-multiplexing. Integrating a RAFT element array is envisaged to dramatically extend the bandwidth for spectral analytical applications such as chemical and biological sensing, spectroscopy, image spectrometry, etc.
Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is associated with the development of heart failure and contributes to the pathogenesis of other cardiac maladies, including atrial fibrillation. Inhibition of histone ...deacetylases (HDACs) has been shown to prevent DD by enhancing myofibril relaxation. We addressed the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibition in a model of established DD with preserved ejection fraction.
Four weeks after uninephrectomy and implantation with deoxycorticosterone acetate pellets, when DD was clearly evident, 1 cohort of mice was administered the clinical-stage HDAC inhibitor ITF2357/Givinostat. Echocardiography, blood pressure measurements, and end point invasive hemodynamic analyses were performed. Myofibril mechanics and intact cardiomyocyte relaxation were assessed ex vivo. Cardiac fibrosis was evaluated by picrosirius red staining and second harmonic generation microscopy of left ventricle (LV) sections, RNA sequencing of LV mRNA, mass spectrometry-based evaluation of decellularized LV biopsies, and atomic force microscopy determination of LV stiffness. Mechanistic studies were performed with primary rat and human cardiac fibroblasts.
HDAC inhibition normalized DD without lowering blood pressure in this model of systemic hypertension. In contrast to previous models, myofibril relaxation was unimpaired in uninephrectomy/deoxycorticosterone acetate mice. Furthermore, cardiac fibrosis was not evident in any mouse cohort on the basis of picrosirius red staining or second harmonic generation microscopy. However, mass spectrometry revealed induction in the expression of >100 extracellular matrix proteins in LVs of uninephrectomy/deoxycorticosterone acetate mice, which correlated with profound tissue stiffening based on atomic force microscopy. ITF2357/Givinostat treatment blocked extracellular matrix expansion and LV stiffening. The HDAC inhibitor was subsequently shown to suppress cardiac fibroblast activation, at least in part, by blunting recruitment of the profibrotic chromatin reader protein BRD4 (bromodomain-containing protein 4) to key gene regulatory elements.
These findings demonstrate the potential of HDAC inhibition as a therapeutic intervention to reverse existing DD and establish blockade of extracellular matrix remodeling as a second mechanism by which HDAC inhibitors improve ventricular filling. Our data reveal the existence of pathophysiologically relevant covert or hidden cardiac fibrosis that is below the limit of detection of histochemical stains such as picrosirius red, highlighting the need to evaluate fibrosis of the heart using diverse methodologies.
Given the lack of studies, whether the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is superior to CCRT alone for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma ...(NPC) remains unclear. The main objective of this Bayesian network meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of CCRT + AC when compared with CCRT alone.
We systematically searched databases and extracted data from randomized, controlled trials involving NPC patients randomly assigned to receive CCRT + AC, CCRT, or radiotherapy (RT). Overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) with hazard ratios (HRs) were investigated. A Bayesian network for different outcomes was established to incorporate all evidence. Multiple treatment comparisons based on the network integrated the efficacy of CCRT + AC, CCRT, and RT.
Eight studies involving 2144 patients were analyzed. In the network meta-analysis, CCRT + AC and CCRT were both significantly better than RT alone for all outcomes, except that no significant difference was found between CCRT and RT for LRFS. Though ranking probabilities showed that CCRT + AC was ranked superior to CCRT for OS, LRFS, and DMFS, no significant differences were found between CCRT+AC and CCRT for all outcomes OS: HR = 0.86, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.60–1.16; LRFS: HR = 0.72, 95% CrI 0.43–1.15; DMFS: HR = 0.86, 95% CrI 0.62–1.16.
No significant improvement was found following CCRT + AC compared with CCRT alone. Whether the omission of additional AC can reduce toxic effects without adversely affecting survival in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC should be further explored, in addition to the precise patient status that would benefit from AC following CCRT.
Future weak-lensing measurements of cosmic shear will reach such high accuracy that second-order effects in weak-lensing modeling, such as the influence of baryons on structure formation, become ...important. We use a controlled set of high-resolution cosmological simulations to quantify this effect by comparing pure N-body dark matter runs with corresponding hydrodynamic simulations, carried out both in nonradiative form and in dissipative form with cooling and star formation. In both hydrodynamic simulations, the clustering of the gas is suppressed while that of dark matter is boosted at scales k > 1 h Mpc super(-1). Despite this counterbalance between dark matter and gas, the clustering of the total matter is suppressed by up to 1% at 1 h Mpc super(-1) k 10 h Mpc super(-1), while for k - 20 h Mpc super(-1) it is boosted, up to 2% in the nonradiative run and 10% in the run with star formation. The stellar mass formed in the latter is highly biased relative to the dark matter in the pure TV-body simulation. Using our power spectrum measurements to predict the effect of baryons on the weak-lensing signal at scales corresponding to multipole moments 100 < l < 10,000, we find that baryons may change the lensing power spectrum by less than 0.5% at l < 1000, but by 1% to 10% at 1000 < l < 10,000. The size of the effect exceeds the predicted accuracy of fixture lensing power spectrum measurements and will likely be detected. Precise determinations of cosmological parameters with weak lensing, and studies of small-scale fluctuations and clustering, therefore rely on properly including baryonic physics.
MicroRNA in lung cancer LIN, P.-Y; YU, S.-L; YANG, P.-C
British journal of cancer,
10/2010, Letnik:
103, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-protein-coding RNAs that function as endogenous negative gene regulators. Dysfunctions of miRNAs are frequently found in malignancies, including lung cancer. In this ...review, we summarise the current understanding of miRNAs in lung cancer tumourigenesis, and highlight their potential in overcoming drug resistance, abetting histological sub-classification techniques, and serving as biomarkers for lung cancer risk stratification and outcome prediction.
We present a patient with positive donor-specific antibodies (DSA) and crossmatch of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) combined liver and kidney transplantation (CLKT). Antibody-mediated rejection did not ...occur and the graft had survived for over one year at the time of writing without infectious complications. A 56-year-old man with positive DSA and positive crossmatch underwent living donor CLKT. The preoperative protocol for ABOi consisted of a single dose of rituximab and total plasma exchange (TPE). The result of anti-B antibody titer for IgG was 1:32. The evaluations of complement-dependent cytotoxicity and flow cytometry cross-match revealed a change from T+/B+ to T-/B+. The patient required adult living donor CLKT. Acute rejection episodes were treated using antithymocyte globulin, and the kidney required 7 days' treatment to recover. No further rejection and infectious episodes have been observed in past 13 months since the transplant. DSA and crossmatches are important for antibody detection and analysis. In the rituximab era, TPE can be used to achieve a successful decrease in antibody titer. In countries with a severe shortage of cadaveric organ donors, it may be possible to select ABOi candidate donors with positive DSA and crossmatch.
•Positive DSA and crossmatch in ABOi combined liver-kidney transplantation has not been previously reported.•A patient with ABO and crossmatch incompatibilities underwent a successful combined liver-kidney transplantation following preoperative intervention.•We demonstrate that DSA/crossmatch positive and ABO-incompatible individuals could still be organ donor candidates.
The present study develops a simple non-destructive method to measure the solar cell junction temperature of PV module. The PV module was put in the environmental chamber with precise temperature ...control to keep the solar PV module as well as the cell junction in thermal equilibrium with the chamber. The open-circuit voltage of PV module
V
oc
is then measured using a short pulse of solar irradiation provided by a solar simulator. Repeating the measurements at different environment temperature (40–80
°C) and solar irradiation
S (200–1000
W/m
2), the correlation between the open-circuit voltage
V
oc
, the junction temperature
T
j
, and solar irradiation
S is derived.
The fundamental correlation of the PV module is utilized for on-site monitoring of solar cell junction temperature using the measured
V
oc
and
S at a short time instant with open circuit. The junction temperature
T
j
is then determined using the measured
S and
V
oc
through the fundamental correlation. The outdoor test results show that the junction temperature measured using the present method,
T
jo
, is more accurate. The maximum error using the average surface temperature
T
ave
as the junction temperature is 4.8
°C underestimation; while the maximum error using the present method is 1.3
°C underestimation.
Summary
Background
Inflammation plays a vital role in liver cirrhosis progression and prognosis.
Aim
To investigate the prognostic significance of inflammatory response markers in decompensated ...cirrhotic patients without acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF).
Methods
Independent predictors were identified using multivariate Cox model and then assembled into a nomogram to predict survival. Concordance index (C‐index) and time‐dependent receiver operating characteristics (td‐ROC) analysis were adopted to evaluate and compare the performance of nomogram, model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) scores, MELD‐Na and Chronic Liver Failure‐consortium score for acute decompensated (CLIF‐C ADs).
Results
A total of 902 decompensated cirrhotic patients with different aetiologies were enrolled, with 6‐month, 1‐year and 3‐year mortality of 18.6%, 24.4% and 34.8%, respectively. The cut‐off values for neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio (LMR) determined by X‐tile program were 5.7 and 1.1 respectively. Patients with NLR>5.7 or LMR≤1.1 had significantly higher mortality (P < 0.001). Independent factors derived from multivariable Cox analysis of development cohort to predict mortality were age, NLR and LMR (hazard ratio (HR): 1.064, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.045–1.084, P < 0.001; HR: 1.124, 95%CI: 1.091–1.158, P < 0.001; HR: 0.794, 95%CI: 0.702–0.898, P < 0.001, respectively). The C‐indexes of nomogram were higher than that of MELD score, MELD‐Na and CLIF‐C ADs for predicting survival. The tdROC and decision curves showed that nomogram was superior to MELD score, MELD‐Na and CLIF‐C ADs. Similar results were observed in validation cohort.
Conclusion
The proposed nomogram with neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio resulted in accurate prognostic prediction for decompensated cirrhotic patients without ACLF.
Linked ContentThis article is linked to Forest and Cai and Shi et al papers. To view these articles visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14183 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14208.
Resource and economic constraints limit access to health care in rural populations, and consequently, rates of chronic illnesses are higher in this population. Further, little is known about how ...rural populations adopt active and healthy lifestyle behavior for dementia prevention.
This study aimed to explore the impact of modification in lifestyle behaviors on changes in cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults living in a rural area of Taiwan.
In this prospective longitudinal study, changes in lifestyle and cognitive function were compared between the experimental and control groups.
Six rural community care stations were randomly cluster sampled in southern Taiwan.
A total of 155 participants were enrolled and classified into two groups according to their community activity participation rate (CAPR). The control group (n=68) had a CAPR < 1x/month, and the experimental group (n=87) had a CAPR ≥ 1x/month.
Cognitive function of the participants was measured using the MMSE scale. Lifestyle behaviors were measured using a self-designed questionnaire based on the Transtheoretical Model.
From 2018-2020, the experimental group successfully maintained a healthy lifestyle. The MMSE score in the experimental group was significantly higher in the 3rd year than that in the control group (25.37 vs 22.56, p < 0.001).
Sustainable community participation and adopting a healthy lifestyle could effectively maintain the cognitive function of the study participants. However, more needs to be done to support rural older adults to maintain a healthy diet and control their weight.
PDF
