Background: Adherent perinephric fat affects operative complexity during partial nephrectomy (PN) and it could be predicted using computed tomography (CT) based on the Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) ...score. Objectives: To investigate reproducible measurement methods of perinephric fat with comparison of two tailored methods for measurement of posterior perinephric fat thickness (PPFT) on preoperative CT and examine the association between the methods and operative complexity in PN. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 72 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted or open PN. The data on operative time, ischemia time, and pathologic results were obtained. Two radiologists independently assessed PPFT based on the MAP system in the first session, and subsequently by using two tailored methods in the second session and scored for perinephric fat stranding. The nephrometry scoring system was used for stratifying the complexity of renal masses. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the determinants of operative time and ischemia time. Results: For measurement of PPFT, intraclass correlation coefficients between the reviewers using two detailed methods showed no statistical difference (P = 0.173) but were significantly higher than the coefficients scored in the first session (P < 0.001). Nephrometry score was a determinant of ischemia time (P < 0.001 and 0.001 for two reviewers) and PPFT was identified as a determinant of operative time (P ≤ 0.023 in all the analysis using two different methods for both the reviewers) in robotic-assisted PN. Nephrometry score was identified as a determinant of ischemia time in open PN as per one of the reviewers (P = 0.006). Conclusion: The tailored methods presented herein were more reproducible than the MAP score and demonstrated that increased PPFT was related to longer operative time in robotic-assisted, and not in open PN.
: Kasabach–Merritt syndrome (KMS) consists of large and rapidly growing vascular tumors associated with thrombocytopenia, generalized petechiae, and bleeding. The cause of the thrombocytopenia is ...thought to be related to the trapping of platelets by the abnormal endothelium of the tumor. We report an infant with KMS that developed in association with a large tufted angioma. In this case we directly demonstrated platelet trapping in the vascular lumen of the tumor by an immunohistochemical technique using a monoclonal antibody against CD61, a marker of platelets and megakaryocytes.
Purpose: This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review to suitably identify wide and specific issues and topics on service quality in supply chain.
Methods: This study is to investigate ...service quality in supply chain research using a systematic literature review methodology. In order to extract influential journals and papers, we used the SJR impact factor provided by the SCOPUS database. The collected 169 papers were analyzed using bibliometric analysis, citation analysis as well as keywords network.
Results: We conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify top authors contributing to service quality in supply chain and their issues, and further examined important keywords and new emerging keywords. In addition, we extracted five influential papers by PageRank to clarify critical issues and divided into five clusters to identify topics of service quality in supply chain by using network-based approach. In order to examine comprehensive issues and topics of service quality in supply chain, we constructed a keyword network to observe difference in the classification of important keywords across network centrality measures.
Conclusion: Our study reviewed literature on service quality in supply chain and explored the future directions and trends of service quality in supply chain.
The large-scale synthesis of graphene-oxide-like quantum dots (GOLQDs) is reported by oxidizing C sub(60) molecules using a modified Hummers method with a yield of approximately 25 wt% readily ...achieved. The GOLQDs are highly soluble in water and in addition to hexagons have other carbon rings in the structure. They have an average height of approximately 1.2 nm and a diameter distribution of 0.6-2.2 nm after drying on substrates. First-principle calculations indicate that a possible rupturing route may include the insertion of oxygen atoms to C--C bonds in the C sub(60) molecule, followed by rupture of that C--C bonds. The GOLQD suspension has a strong photoluminescence (PL) with peak position dependent on excitation wavelength. The PL is related to the size and emissive traps caused by oxygen-containing groups. The GOLQDs also catalyze the oxidation of benzyl alcohol with a high selectivity. Graphene-oxide-like quantum dots are synthesized on a large scale ( approximately 25% yield) by oxidizing C sub(60) molecules with a modified Hummers' method. As-prepared quantum dots are highly soluble in water, consist of carbon rings other than hexagons and present a strong photoluminescence. They have also demonstrated a remarkable catalytic activity when being used to oxidize benzyl alcohol.
Mitochondrial dynamics control mitochondrial morphology and function, and aberrations in these are associated with various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s ...disease. To identify novel regulators of mitochondrial dynamics, we screened a phytochemical library and identified liquiritigenin as a potent inducer of mitochondrial fusion. Treatment with liquiritigenin induced an elongated mitochondrial morphology in SK-N-MC cells. In addition, liquiritigenin rescued mitochondrial fragmentation induced by knockout of mitochondrial fusion mediators such as
Mfn1
,
Mfn2
, and
Opa1
. Furthermore, we found that treatment with liquiritigenin notably inhibited mitochondrial fragmentation and cytotoxicity induced by Aβ in SK-N-MC cells.
Calcium (Ca super(2+)) signals that are precisely modulated in space and time mediate a myriad of cellular processes, including contraction, excitation, growth, differentiation and apoptosis. ...However, study of Ca super(2+) responses has been hampered by technological limitations of existing Ca super(2+)-modulating tools. Here we present OptoSTIM1, an optogenetic tool for manipulating intracellular Ca super(2+) levels through activation of Ca super(2+)-selective endogenous Ca super(2+) release-activated Ca super(2+) (CRAC) channels. Using OptoSTIM1, which combines a plant photoreceptor and the CRAC channel regulator STIM1 (ref. 4), we quantitatively and qualitatively controlled intracellular Ca super(2+) levels in various biological systems, including zebrafish embryos and human embryonic stem cells. We demonstrate that activating OptoSTIM1 in the CA1 hippocampal region of mice selectively reinforced contextual memory formation. The broad utility of OptoSTIM1 will expand our mechanistic understanding of numerous Ca super(2+)-associated processes and facilitate screening for drug candidates that antagonize Ca super(2+) signals.
Calcium (Ca.sup.2+) signals that are precisely modulated in space and time mediate a myriad of cellular processes, including contraction, excitation, growth, differentiation and apoptosis (1). ...However, study of Ca.sup.2+ responses has been hampered by technological limitations of existing Ca.sup.2+-modulating tools. Here we present OptoSTIM1, an optogenetic tool for manipulating intracellular Ca.sup.2+ levels through activation of Ca.sup.2+-selective endogenous Ca.sup.2+ release-activated Ca.sup.2+ (CRAC) channels. Using OptoSTIM1, which combines a plant photoreceptor (2,3) and the CRAC channel regulator STIM1 (ref. 4), we quantitatively and qualitatively controlled intracellular Ca.sup.2+ levels in various biological systems, including zebrafish embryos and human embryonic stem cells. We demonstrate that activating OptoSTIM1 in the CA1 hippocampal region of mice selectively reinforced contextual memory formation. The broad utility of OptoSTIM1 will expand our mechanistic understanding of numerous Ca.sup.2+-associated processes and facilitate screening for drug candidates that antagonize Ca.sup.2+ signals.
Epidemiological studies have suggested the presence of strong correlations among diet, lifestyle, and dementia onset. However, these studies have unfortunately had major limitations due to their ...inability to fully control the various potential confounders affecting the nutritional status. The purpose of the current study was to determine the nutritional status of participants in the Korean Brain Aging Study for the Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease (KBASE) and to identify clinical risk factors for being at risk of malnutrition or being malnourished.
Baseline data from 212 participants 119 cognitively unimpaired (CU), 56 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 37 with dementia included in the KBASE database were analyzed. All participants underwent a comprehensive cognitive test and MRI at baseline. The presence of malnutrition at baseline was measured by the Mini Nutritional Assessment score. We examined the cross-sectional relationships of clinical findings with nutritional status using multiple logistic regression applied to variables for which
<0.2 in the univariate analysis. Differences in cortical thickness according to the nutritional status were also investigated.
After adjustment for demographic, nutritional, and neuropsychological factors, participants with dementia had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for being at risk of malnutrition or being malnourished than CU participants OR=5.98, 95% CI=1.20-32.97 whereas participants with MCI did not (OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.20-1.83). Cortical thinning in the at-risk/malnutrition group was observed in the left temporal area.
Dementia was found to be an independent predictor for the risk of malnutrition compared with CU participants. Our findings further suggest that cortical thinning in left temporal regions is related to the nutritional status.
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