The dynamic interaction between the traveling charges and the molecular vibrations is critical for the charge transport in organic semiconductors. However, a direct evidence of the expected impact of ...the charge-phonon coupling on the band dispersion of organic semiconductors is yet to be provided. Here, we report on the electronic properties of rubrene single crystal as investigated by angle resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. A gap opening and kink-like features in the rubrene electronic band dispersion are observed. In particular, the latter results in a large enhancement of the hole effective mass (> 1.4), well above the limit of the theoretical estimations. The results are consistent with the expected modifications of the band structures in organic semiconductors as introduced by hole-phonon coupling effects and represent an important experimental step toward the understanding of the charge localization phenomena in organic materials.The charge transport properties in organic semiconductors are affected by the impact of molecular vibrations, yet it has been challenging to quantify them to date. Here, Bussolotti et al. provide direct experimental evidence on the band dispersion modified by molecular vibrations in a rubrene single crystal.
Background
Preoperative factors, including nutritional status, may have strong correlations with postoperative morbidities. The current study evaluated preoperative prealbumin concentrations as a ...predictor of postoperative complications after gastric surgery.
Methods
A retrospective study of 1798 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma was performed. Information was collected on basic patient characteristics, preoperative laboratory findings, and 30 day postoperative complications. The patients were divided into three groups based on prealbumin concentrations (≥22 mg/dL, <22 to ≥15 mg/dL, and <15 mg/dL) for analysis.
Results
The overall complication rate was 21.7 %, and the infection rate was 16 %. Subgroup analysis based on prealbumin concentrations showed that complication rates were markedly elevated with decreasing concentrations of prealbumin. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model showed that both overall and infectious complications were strongly associated with male gender, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), and decreased prealbumin levels (
p
< 0.05). Even in patients with a CRP level higher than 0.1 mg/dL, male gender and low prealbumin concentrations (<15 mg/dL) were significantly correlated with overall and infectious morbidities (
p
< 0.05).
Conclusions
Preoperative prealbumin concentrations are useful predictors of short-term postoperative outcomes after gastrectomy.
Abstract T helper 17 (Th17), a distinct subset of CD4+ T cells with IL-17 as their major cytokine, orchestrate the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Dysregulated Th17 cells ...contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Candidate biologics are in development for targeting IL-17, IL-17 receptors or IL-17 pathways. Several drugs that impact the IL-17 pathway are already in clinical trials for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this review we provide evidence for the role of Th17 cells in immune-mediated diseases. An understanding of the role of Th17 in these conditions will provide important insights and unravel novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
An enhancement of the acceleration performance of a superconducting linear accelerator when injecting pellets into a helical fusion reactor has been investigated numerically. For this purpose, a ...numerical code using the finite element method was developed to analyze both the time evolution of a shielding current density in a high-temperature superconductor film and the dynamic motion of the film. In the present study, to optimize the shape of double magnets, a multi-objective optimization problem is solved using the non-dominated sorting genetic Algorithm-II. The results of the computations show that the optimization of the inner electromagnet is more effective in improving the pellet velocity than that of the outer electromagnet. In addition, we found that the pellet speed and energy efficiency have a trade-off relation. Therefore, it is possible to determine the preferred solution for the design of an acceleration magnet, whether focusing on the pellet speed or the energy efficiency. In other words, this relationship can be used to choose whether to emphasize velocity or efficiency in the design of SLA systems.
A novel and efficient approach for the synthesis of quinazolines by aerobic photooxidation with an iodine reagent at room temperature is reported. This method uses harmless visible light from compact ...fluorescent lamps and molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant without the need for a transition-metal catalyst or harsh reaction conditions.
Background:
A certain percentage of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction will experience graft failure, and there is mounting evidence that an increased posterior ...tibial slope (PTS) may be a predisposing factor. Theoretically, under tibiofemoral compression force (TFC), a reduced PTS would induce less anterior tibial translation (ATT) and lower ACL force.
Hypothesis:
Ten-degree anterior closing wedge osteotomy of the proximal tibia will significantly reduce ACL force and alter knee kinematics during robotic testing.
Study Design:
Controlled laboratory study.
Methods:
Eleven fresh-frozen human knees were instrumented with a load cell that measured ACL force as the knee was flexing continuously from 0° to 50° under 200-N TFC as our initial testing condition, followed by the addition of the following tibial loads: 45-N anterior force (AF), 5-N·m valgus moment (VM), 2-N·m internal torque (IT), and all loads combined. ACL force and knee kinematics were recorded before and after osteotomy.
Results:
Osteotomy produced significant changes in the tibiofemoral position at full extension (as defined by a 2-N·m knee extension moment). This resulted in apparent knee hyperextension (9.4° ± 1.9°), posterior tibial translation (7.9 mm ± 1.6 mm), internal tibial rotation (3.2° ± 2.3°), and valgus tibial rotation (3.2° ± 1.5°). During straight knee flexion with TFC alone, osteotomy reduced ACL force to 0 N beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced between 0° and 45° (P < .05). With TFC + AF, ACL force was reduced beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced between 5° and 45° (P < .05). With TFC + VM, ACL force was less than 10 N beyond 5° of flexion, and ATT was reduced at all flexion angles (P < .05). Under the loading conditions TFC + IT and TFC + IT + AF + VM, osteotomy did not significantly change ACL force or ATT at any flexion angle.
Conclusion:
In general, osteotomy lowered ACL force and reduced ATT when IT was not present. The benefits of osteotomy were negated when IT was included possibly because the dominant mechanism of ACL force generation was cruciate impingement from internal winding and not ATT.
Clinical Relevance:
PTS-reducing osteotomy significantly decreased ACL force and reduced ATT for knee loads that did not include IT.
Circadian rhythm is well conserved across species and relates to numerous biological functions. Circadian misalignment impairs metabolic function. Insulin signaling is a key modulator of metabolism ...in the fruit fly as well as mammals and its defects cause metabolic disease. Daily diet timing affects both circadian rhythmicities of behavior and metabolism. However, the relationship between the circadian clock and insulin signaling is still elusive. Here, we report that insulin signaling regulates circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. We found the insulin receptor substrate mutant, chico1, showed a shorter free-running circadian period. The knockdown of insulin receptor (InR), or another signaling molecule downstream of InR, dp110, or the expression of a dominant-negative form of InR resulted in the shortening of the circadian period and diminished its amplitude. The impairment of insulin signaling both in all neurons and restricted circadian clock neurons altered circadian period length, indicating that the insulin signaling plays a role in the regulation of circadian rhythm in clock cells. Among 3 insulin-like ligands expressed in the brain, dilp5 showed the largest effect on circadian phenotype when deleted. These results suggested that insulin signaling contributes to the robustness of the circadian oscillation and coordinates metabolism and behavior.
•Insulin receptor substrate mutant, chico1, displayed circadian rhythm phenotype.•Pan-neuronal inhibition of insulin receptor signaling shortened circadian cycle.•Inhibition of insulin signaling only in clock neurons altered circadian cycle.•Dilp5 is a major insulin receptor ligand for circadian effects.
Summary
Pre-existing inflammation, corticosteroid therapy, periapical periodontitis, longer duration of denosumab therapy, and female sex were significantly associated with an increased risk of ...denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction in patients with cancer on oncologic doses of denosumab. A short drug holiday did not protect against this complication.
Introduction
This study retrospectively investigated the relationship between various risk factors, including brief discontinuation of denosumab, and development of denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (DRONJ) after tooth extraction in patients with cancer who were receiving oncologic doses of this agent.
Methods
Data were collected on demographic characteristics, duration of denosumab therapy, whether or not denosumab was discontinued before tooth extraction (drug holiday), duration of discontinuation, presence of pre-existing inflammation, and whether or not additional surgical procedures were performed. Risk factors for DRONJ after tooth extraction were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.
Results
A total of 136 dental extractions were performed in 72 patients (31 men, 41 women) with cancer who were receiving oncologic doses of denosumab. Post-extraction DRONJ was diagnosed in 39 teeth (28.7%) in 25 patients. Tooth extraction was significantly associated with development of DRONJ only in patients with pre-existing inflammation (odds ratio OR 243.77), those on corticosteroid therapy (OR 73.50), those with periapical periodontitis (OR 14.13), those who had been taking oncologic doses of denosumab for a longer period (OR 4.69), and in women (OR 1.04). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of DRONJ between patients who had a drug holiday before tooth extraction and those who did not.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that inflamed teeth should be extracted immediately in patients with cancer who are receiving oncologic doses of denosumab. Drug holidays have no significant impact on the risk of DRONJ.
Background
The use of oral prophylactic antibiotics for the prevention of surgical‐site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is controversial. The aim of ...this RCT was to evaluate whether intravenous perioperative antibiotics are inferior to combined preoperative oral and perioperative intravenous antibiotics in this setting.
Methods
Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal resection in a single cancer centre were assigned randomly to combined preoperative oral antibiotics (metronidazole and kanamycin) and perioperative intravenous antibiotics (cefmetazole) (oral/IV group) or to perioperative intravenous antibiotics (cefmetazole) alone (IV‐only group). Patients were stratified for the analyses based on type of operation (colonic surgery, anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection), preoperative use of mechanical bowel preparation, preoperative chemoradiotherapy and the presence of diabetes mellitus. The primary endpoint was the overall rate of SSI. Secondary endpoints were the rates of incisional site infection, organ/space infection, anastomotic leakage, intra‐abdominal abscess, adverse events and postoperative complications.
Results
Of 540 patients offered participation in the trial in 2013–2014, 515 agreed to take part and were randomized. Some 256 patients in the IV‐only group and 255 in the oral/IV group completed the treatment per protocol. The overall rate of SSI was 7·8 per cent (20 of 256) in the IV‐only group and 7·8 per cent (20 of 255) in the oral/IV group, confirming that perioperative administration of intravenous antibiotics alone was not inferior to the combined regimen (P = 0·017). There were no differences in rates of incisional site infection (5·5 versus 5·9 per cent respectively), organ/space infection (2·3 versus 2·0 per cent) or other secondary endpoints between the two groups.
Conclusion
Intravenous perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis alone is not inferior to combined preoperative oral and intravenous perioperative prophylaxis with regard to SSI in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective laparoscopic resection. Registration number: UMIN000019339 (
http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/).
Non‐inferiority confirmed
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