This study is the first to investigate an optically addressed, electrically tunable prism grating based on homogeneously aligned liquid crystals (LCs) with a photoconductive layer. A ...conductivity-gradient electrode-like grating pattern of the polymer layer results in a spatially periodic gradient of the effective electric-field drop, producing a prism grating with a spatially periodic LC gradient reorientation. The asymmetric diffraction pattern can be adjusted by varying the dc voltage. The first-order diffraction efficiency is 64% at optimal conditions. The proposed prismgrating exhibits extremely low diffraction noise in the off state, a high switching contrast inthe on-off state (-1000), simplicity of fabrication, and high controllability at a low voltage range (0 to 0.4 V/ mu m).
Systemic inflammation and cachexia are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in elderly patients with cancer. The survival outcomes of elderly patients with cancer cachexia (EPCC) with high ...inflammation and a high risk of mortality are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of high inflammation on the prognosis of EPCC patients with high mortality.
This multicenter cohort study included 746 EPCC (age >65 years) with a mean age of 72.00 ± 5.24 years, of whom 489 (65.5%) were male. The cut-off value for the inflammation index was obtained using the optimal survival curve. The different inflammatory indicators were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), decision curve analysis (DCA), and prognostic receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The high mortality risk group of EPCC was defined by the 2011 Fearon Cancer Diagnostic Consensus. EPCC were divided into the high-risk group, which satisfies three diagnostic criteria, and a low-risk group, which satisfies only one or two diagnostic criteria.
The C-index, DCA, and prognostic ROC indicated the superiority of advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) compared with other indicators, including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Whether ALI was used as a continuous or a categorical variable, ALI had a better prognostic value in EPCC compared with other inflammatory indicators. In particular, patients with low ALI (<25.03) had a worse overall survival (OS) than patients with high ALI (≥25.03) (
< 0.001, HR 95% CI = 2.092 1.590-2.751). The combination effect analysis showed that the risk of mortality of the patients in the low-ALI and high-risk groups was 3.095-fold higher than that of patients in the high-ALI and low-risk groups.
The prognostic and discriminative value of the inflammatory indicator ALI was better than that of NLR, PNI, SII, and PLR in EPCC. The high-risk group of EPCC with a low ALI would increase the death risk of OS.
Radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) has been proposed to have tight relationship with the irradiation-caused secondary cancers beyond the irradiation-treated area after radiotherapy. Our ...previous studies demonstrated a protective effect of low concentration carbon monoxide (CO) on the genotoxicity of RIBE after α-particle irradiation. In the present work, a significant inhibitory effect of low-dose exogenous CO, generated by tricarbonyldichlororuthenium (II) dimer CO-releasing molecule (CORM-2), on both RIBE-induced proliferation and chromosome aberration was observed. Further studies on the mechanism revealed that the transforming growth factor β1/nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway, which mediated RIBE signaling transduction, could be modulated by CO involved in the protective effects. Considering the potential of exogenous CO in clinical applications and its protective effect on RIBE, the present work aims to provide a foundation for potential application of CO in radiotherapy.
Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most lethal urological malignancies, and surgeries remain the mainstay for localized RCC. This study aimed to compare the selection of open ...surgery and minimally invasive kidney surgery for RCCs for the aspects of complication, medical costs, and patient preference. Materials and methods: We conducted a population-based case–control study by using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, which included data from 23 million Taiwanese residents. Patients newly diagnosed with RCC during 2006–2012 were included. We compared the general characteristics, underlying disease, complications, hospital stay, postoperative analgesic dosage, and medical costs between open group and minimally invasive group. Results: A total of 3,172 patients who received radical nephrectomy (RN) or partial nephrectomy (PN) for RCC were included. The mean age was 61.1 years, with a male to female ratio of 1.88. In the minimally invasive groups, the mean hospital stay was significantly shorter than in open groups (12.4 days in open RN versus 10.3 days in minimally invasive RN, and 9.7 days in open PN versus 8.2 days in minimally invasive PN). There was no significant difference between the medical costs and the incidence of major bleeding complication between the open group and the minimally invasive group. Female patients and patients with higher monthly income were more likely to receive minimally invasive surgery. Conclusion: During past decades, open RN has gradually been replaced by minimally invasive surgeries and PN. Compared to open surgeries, minimally invasive surgeries could lead to less postoperative pain and faster recovery. Economic status of the patients potentially hinders them from receiving minimally invasive surgeries, which may cost more.
Rapeseed cake （RC）, the residue of rapeseed oil extraction, is effective for improving tea （Camellia sinensis） quality, especially taste and aroma, but it has limited ability to ameliorate strongly ...acidic soil. In order to improve the liming potential of RC, alkaline slag （AS）, the by-product of recovery of sodium carbonate, was incorporated. Combined effects of different levels of RC and AS on ameliorating acidic soil from a tea garden were investigated. Laboratory incubations showed that combined use of AS and RC was an effective method to reduce soil exchangeable acidity and A1 saturation and increase base saturation, but not necessarily for soil pH adjustment. The release of alkalinity from the combined amendments and the mineralization of organic nitrogen increased soil pH initially, but then soil pH decreased due to nitrifications. Various degrees of nitrification were correlated with the interaction of different Ca levels, pH and N contents. When RC was applied at low levels, high Ca levels from AS repressed soil nitrification, resulting in smaller pH fluctuations. In contrast, high AS stimulated soil nitrification, when RC was applied at high levels, and resulted in a large pH decrease. Based on the optimum pH for tea production and quality, high ratios of AS to RC were indicated for soil acidity amelioration, and 8.0 g kg-1 and less than 2.5 g kg-1 were indicated for AS and RC, respectively. Further, field studies are needed to investigate the variables of combined amendments.
Shao IH, Kan HC, Liu CY, et al. Onco Targets Ther.2019;12:8189-8196. The authors have advised that there is an error in theAcknowledgments section on page 8195. The correctacknowledgment is as ...follows:AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank Research Services Centerfor Health Information, Chang Gung University,Taoyuan, Taiwan, for the funding: CMRPG3F0701-2,CMRP-MK 103 No: CIRPD1D0031 and CMRP-MK104 No: CIRPD1D0032. CORPG3F0291 KidneyCancer. The authors apologize for this error. Read the original article
Managing microtia patients is always a challenge. Multidisciplinary approach, good family support, well established doctor–patient relationship and well organised patient-support groups are the ...essential elements for success. With the advancement of implantable hearing devices, more options will be available for the microtia patients. Otologists play a leading role in the whole management process. They not only provide proper guidance to the patients in choosing the correct path of the treatment, but also play a key role in organising and maintaining a cost-effective multidisciplinary rehabilitation team for the microtia patients.
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare the survival, local control and complications of conventional/accelerated-hyperfractionated radiotherapy and conventional radiotherapy in ...nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
Methods and Materials: From February 1993 to October 1995, 159 patients with newly diagnosed nonmetastatic (M0) NPC with N0 or 4 cm or less N1 disease (Ho’s N-stage classification, 1978) were randomized to receive either conventional radiotherapy (Arm I,
n = 82) or conventional/accelerated-hyperfractionated radiotherapy (Arm II,
n = 77). Stratification was according to the T stage. The biologic effective dose (10 Grays) to the primary and the upper cervical lymphatics were 75.0 and 73.1 for Arm I and 84.4 and 77.2 for Arm II, respectively.
Results: With comparable distribution among the T stages between the two arms, the free from local failure rate at 5 years after radiotherapy was not significantly different between the two arms (85.3%; 95% confidence interval, 77.2–93.4% for Arm I; and 88.9%; 95% confidence interval, 81.7–96.2% for Arm II). The two arms were also comparable in overall survival, relapse-free survival, and rates of distant metastasis and regional relapse. Conventional/accelerated-hyperfractionated radiotherapy was associated with significantly increased radiation-induced damage to the central nervous system (including temporal lobe, cranial nerves, optic nerve/chiasma, and brainstem/spinal cord) in Arm II. Although insignificant, radiation-induced cranial nerve(s) palsy (typically involving VIII–XII), trismus, neck soft tissue fibrosis, and hypopituiturism and hypothyroidism occurred more often in Arm II. In addition, the complications occurred at significantly shorter intervals after radiotherapy in Arm II.
Conclusion: Accelerated hyperfractionation when used in conjunction with a two-dimensional radiotherapy planning technique, in this case the Ho’s technique, resulted in increased radiation damage to the central nervous system without significant improvement in efficacy.
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