Study protocol for VIdeo assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus conventional Open LobEcTomy for lung cancer, a UK multicentre randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot (the VIOLET study)

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and surgery remains the main treatment for early stage disease. Prior to the introduction of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), lung resection for cancer was undertaken through an open thoracotomy. To date, the evidence base supporting the different surgical approaches is based on non-randomised studies, small randomised trials and is focused mainly on short-term in-hospital outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The VIdeo assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus conventional Open LobEcTomy for lung cancer study is a UK multicentre parallel group randomised controlled trial (RCT) with blinding of outcome assessors and participants (to hospital discharge) comparing the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of VATS lobectomy versus open lobectomy for treatment of lung cancer. We will test the hypothesis that VATS lobectomy is superior to open lobectomy with respect to self-reported physical function 5 weeks after randomisation (approximately 1 month after surgery). Secondary outcomes include assessment of efficacy (hospital stay, pain, proportion and time to uptake of chemotherapy), measures of safety (adverse health events), oncological outcomes (proportion of patients upstaged to pathologic N2 (pN2) disease and disease-free survival), overall survival and health related quality of life to 1 year. The QuinteT Recruitment Intervention is integrated into the trial to optimise recruitment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial has been approved by the UK (Dulwich) National Research Ethics Service Committee London. Findings will be written-up as methodology papers for conference presentation, and publication in peer-reviewed journals. Many aspects of the feasibility work will inform surgical RCTs in general and these will be reported at methodology meetings. We will also link with lung cancer clinical studies groups. The patient and public involvement group that works with the Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit at the Brompton Hospital will help identify how we can best publicise the findings

Recent advances in visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting: catalyst nanostructures and reaction systems

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting using solar energy has attracted great attention for generation of renewable hydrogen with less carbon footprint, while there are enormous challenges that still remain for improving solar energy water splitting efficiency, due to limited light harvesting, energy loss associated to fast recombination of photogenerated charge carriers, as well as electrode degradation. This overview focuses on the recent development about catalyst nanomaterials and nanostructures in different PEC water splitting systems. As photoanode, Au nanoparticle-decorated TiO2 nanowire electrodes exhibited enhanced photoactivity in both the UV and the visible regions due to surface plasmon resonance of Au and showed the largest photocurrent generation of up to 710 nm. Pt/CdS/CGSe electrodes were developed as photocathode. With the role of p–n heterojunction, the photoelectrode showed high stability and evolved hydrogen continuously for more than 10 days. Further, in the Z-scheme system (Bi2S3/TNA as photoanode and Pt/SiPVC as photocathode at the same time), a self-bias (open-circuit voltage V oc = 0.766 V) was formed between two photoelectrodes, which could facilitate photogenerated charge transfers and enhance the photoelectrochemical performance, and which might provide new hints for PEC water splitting. Meanwhile, the existing problems and prospective solutions have also been reviewed

A report on nondestructive testing and evaluation in India

India is pursuing research and development in various aspects of NDT including in service inspection in fields such as ultrasonic testing, acoustic emission testing, single and multi-frequency eddy current testing, signal analysis, X-ray diffraction, high resolution X-radiography, radiographic image enhancement, laser holography, laser speckle scattering, laser based ultrasonic generation, electromagnetic acoustic transducers, artificial intelligence approaches, and intelligent processing of materials. The emphasis is not only on the methodologies of acquisition of the data but also on the means to analyze them properly so that complete characterization of the type, nature, and size of the defects can be made, as well as their effects on the structural integrity of the components. The approach is comprehensive, the means being total awareness, and the objective is a complete quantitative characterization of defects and other required physical parameters, leading to defect free and safe components and systems

Hot torsional study of electroslag refined RR 58

The optimum hot-working temperature for RR 58 [12793-49-6] Al alloy was 750 or 800 K for the electroslag refined or air-melted alloy, respectively. Hot ductility of the refined alloy did not increase, but the hot workability range shifted to lower temperatures of 750 K, to open up a possibility of achieving superior mechanical properties by thermomechanical treatment. The electroslag alloy was extruded at 750 K, and validity of optimum temperature predicted by hot torsion experiments was confirmed. The high-temperature deformation mechanism changed from self-diffusion in the air-melted alloy to dynamic recovery involving cross slip of screw dislocations in the refined alloy. An exponential rate equation was applicable

Microstructural effects and crack closure during near-threshold fatigue crack propagation in a high-strength steel

Near threshold fatigue crack growth behavior of a high strength steel under different tempered conditions was investigated. The important aspect of the study is to compare the crack growth behavior in terms of the closure-free component of the threshold stress intensity range, $\Delta K_{th,eff}$ While a systematic variation in the absolute threshold stress intensity range with yield strength was observed, the trend in the intrinsic $\Delta K_{th}$ or $\Delta K_{th,eff}$ exhibited a contrasting behavior. This has been explained as due to the difference in fracture modes during near threshold crack growth at different temper levels. It is shown that in a high strength and high strain hardening microstructure, yielding along crystallographic slip planes is difficult and hence it exhibited a flat transgranular fracture. In a steel with low strain hardening characteristics and relatively low strength, a tendency to crystallographic planar slip is observed consequently resulting in high $\Delta K_{th}$. Occurrence of a predominantly intergranular fracture is shown to reduce intrinsic $\Delta K_{th}$ drastically and increase crack growth rates. Also shown is that crack closure can occur in high strength steels under certain fracture morphologies. A ‘transgranular planar slip’ during the inception of a ‘microstructure sensitive’ crack growth is essential to promote intergranular and faceted fracture. The occurrence of a maximum in the fraction of intergranular fracture during threshold crack growth corresponds to the $\Delta K$ value at which the cyclic plastic zone size becomes equal to the prior austenitic grain size

Mycobacterium abscessus infection in the stomach of patients with various gastric symptoms.

Development of gastric diseases such as gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer is often associated with several biotic and abiotic factors. Helicobacter pylori infection is such a well-known biotic factor. However, not all H. pylori-infected individuals develop gastric diseases and not all individuals with gastric diseases are infected with H. pylori. Therefore, it is possible that other gastric bacteria may contribute to the formation and progression of gastric disease. The aim of this study was to isolate prevalent gastric bacteria under microaerobic condition and identify them by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Analysis of gastric biopsies showed infection of Mycobacterium abscessus (phylum Actinobacteria) to be highly prevalent in the stomachs of subjects included. Our data show that of 129 (67 male and 62 female) patients with gastric symptoms, 96 (51 male and 45 female) showed the presence of M. abscessus in stomach tissues. Infection of M. abscessus in gastric epithelium was further confirmed by imaging with acid fast staining, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Our imaging data strongly suggested that M. abscessus is an intracellular colonizer residing inside the gastric epithelial cells rather than in macrophages. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the mycobacterial hsp65 gene showed that the nearest match to the M. abscessus strains isolated from our study subjects is the M. abscessus strain ATCC 19977. Surprisingly, the subjects studied, the prevalence of M. abscessus infection in stomach is even higher than the prevalence of H. pylori infection. This, to the best of our knowledge, is the first study showing the colonization of M. abscessus in human gastric mucosa among patients with various gastric symptoms. This study could provide usher in a new opportunity to understand the role of less studied gastric bacteria in the development of gastric diseases