Characteristics of Si(111) surface with embedded C84molecules

A monolayer of fullerene molecules on Si(111) surfaces is fabricated in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber through a controlled self-assembly process. The characteristics of self-assembled Si(111) surfaces, including supramolecular structures, electronic density of states, the quantum confinement effect, field emission features, and optoelectronical properties with embedded C84 are determined by the use of an ultrahigh vacuum scanning probe microscope. The results revealed that such a silicon surface with embedded C84 has a wide band gap of [similar]3.4 eV, high emission efficiency and low turn-on voltage, all of which are crucial to nano-electronics, optoelectronics, and the fabrication of semiconductor carbide. The measured data derived from photoluminescence emission experiments further confirm the corresponding band gap value obtained from I–V curves. The theoretical results from first-principles calculations for the field enhancement factor are compared with experimental measurements

Optimisation- based time slot assignment and synchronisation for TDMA MAC in industrial wireless sensor network

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/166209/1/cmu2bf02232.pd

Polymicrobial bloodstream infection involving Aeromonas species: Analysis of 62 cases

AbstractObjectiveTo better understand Aeromonas-involved polymicrobial bacteremia (AIPMB).Materials and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with AIPMB admitted to three large referral hospitals in Taiwan between 2001 and 2008.ResultsOf a total of 62 patients with AIPMB, 22 had healthcare-associated infection and 40 had community-acquired infection. Enterobacteriaceae was the most common concurrent pathogen (82%). The leading underlying diseases/conditions in the affected patients were solid cancers (45%), recent gastric acid suppressant therapy (39%) and liver cirrhosis (26%). More than 95% of the Aeromonas isolates were susceptible to an aminoglycoside, a third- or fourth-generation cephalosporin, imipenem or ciprofloxacin. Antibiotic susceptibilities did not significantly differ between Aeromonas isolates in patients with healthcare-associated AIPMBs and those in patients with community-acquired AIPMBs. Coinfection with Enterobacteriaceae occurred more commonly in community-acquired AIPMB (93% vs. 64%; p=0.012).ConclusionsAIPMB occurred commonly in patients with liver cirrhosis, solid cancers or recent gastric acid suppressant therapy. Enterobacteriaceae were the most common concurrent pathogens. Similar antibiotic profiles were found in Aeromonas isolates of healthcare-associated and community-acquired AIPMBs

Nocturnal CPAP improves walking capacity in COPD patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

BACKGROUND: Exercise limitation is an important issue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and it often co-exists with obstructive sleep apnoea (overlap syndrome). This study examined the effects of nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on walking capacity in COPD patients with or without obstructive sleep apnoea. METHODS: Forty-four stable moderate-to-severe COPD patients were recruited and completed this study. They all underwent polysomnography, CPAP titration, accommodation, and treatment with adequate pressure. The incremental shuttle walking test was used to measure walking capacity at baseline and after two nights of CPAP treatment. Urinary catecholamine and heart rate variability were measured before and after CPAP treatment. RESULTS: After two nights of CPAP treatment, the apnoea-hypopnoea index and oxygen desaturation index significantly improved in both overlap syndrome and COPD patients, however these changes were significantly greater in the overlap syndrome than in the COPD group. Sleep architecture and autonomic dysfunction significantly improved in the overlap syndrome group but not in the COPD group. CPAP treatment was associated with an increased walking capacity from baseline from 226.4 ± 95.3 m to 288.6 ± 94.6 m (P < 0.05), and decreased urinary catecholamine levels, pre-exercise heart rate, oxygenation, and Borg scale in the overlap syndrome group. An improvement in the apnoea-hypopnoea index was an independent factor associated with the increase in walking distance (r = 0.564). CONCLUSION: Nocturnal CPAP may improve walking capacity in COPD patients with overlap syndrome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT0091426

Exercise training with negative pressure ventilation improves exercise capacity in patients with severe restrictive lung disease: a prospective controlled study

BACKGROUND: Exercise training is of benefit for patients with restrictive lung disease. However, it tends to be intolerable for those with severe disease. We examined whether providing ventilatory assistance by using negative pressure ventilators (NPV) during exercise training is feasible for such patients and the effects of training. METHODS: 36 patients with restrictive lung disease were prospectively enrolled for a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. During this program, half of them (n:18; 60.3 ± 11.6 years; 6 men; FVC: 32.5 ± 11.7% predicted ) received regular sessions of exercise training under NPV, whilst the 18 others (59.6 ± 12.3 years; 8 men; FVC: 37.7 ± 10.2% predicted) did not. Exercise capacity, pulmonary function, dyspnea and quality of life were measured. The primary endpoint was the between-group difference in change of 6 minute-walk distance (6MWD) after 12 weeks of rehabilitation. RESULTS: All patients in the NPV-exercise group were able to tolerate and completed the program. The between-group differences were significantly better in the NPV-exercise group in changes of 6MWD (34.1 ± 12.7 m vs. -32.5 ± 17.5 m; P = 0.011) and St George Score (−14.5 ± 3.6 vs. 11.8 ± 6.0; P < 0.01). There was an improvement in dyspnea sensation (Borg’s scale, from 1.4 ± 1.5 point to 0.8 ± 1.3 point, P = 0.049) and a small increase in FVC (from 0.85 ± 0.09 L to 0.91 ± 0.08 L, P = 0.029) in the NPV-exercise group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Exercise training with NPV support is feasible for patients with severe restrictive lung diseases, and improves exercise capacity and health-related quality of life

Cytochrome P450 Metabolism of Betel Quid-Derived Compounds: Implications for the Development of Prevention Strategies for Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers

Betel quid (BQ) products, with or without tobacco, have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group I human carcinogens that are associated with an elevated risk of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx. There are estimated 600 million BQ users worldwide. In Taiwan alone there are 2 million habitual users (approximately 10% of the population). Oral and pharyngeal cancers result from interactions between genes and environmental factors (BQ exposure). Cytochrome p450 (CYP) families are implicated in the metabolic activation of BQ- and areca nut-specific nitrosamines. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge base regarding CYP genetic variants and related oral disorders. In clinical applications, we focus on cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and OPMDs associated with CYP gene polymorphisms, including CYP1A1, CYP2A6, CYP2E1, and CYP26B1. Our discussion of CYP polymorphisms provides insight into the importance of screening tests in OPMDs patients for the prevention of oral and pharyngeal cancers. Future studies will establish a strong foundation for the development of chemoprevention strategies, polymorphism-based clinical diagnostic tools (e.g., specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) “barcodes”), and effective treatments for BQ-related oral disorders

Albuminâ bilirubin gradeâ based nomogram of the BCLC system for personalized prognostic prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background & AimsThe prognostic accuracy of individual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient in each Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage is unclear. We aimed to develop and validate an albuminâ bilirubin (ALBI) gradeâ based nomogram of BCLC to estimate survival for individual HCC patient.MethodsBetween 2002 and 2016, 3690 patients with newly diagnosed HCC were prospectively enrolled and retrospectively analysed. Patients were randomly split into derivation and validation cohort by 1:1 ratio. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to generate the nomogram from tumour burden, ALBI grade and performance status (PS). The concordance index and calibration plot were determined to evaluate the performance of this nomogram.ResultsBeta coefficients from the Cox model were used to assign nomogram points to different degrees of tumour burden, ALBI grade and PS. The scores of the nomogram ranged from 0 to 24, and were used to predict 3â and 5â year patient survival. The concordance index of this nomogram was 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71â 0.81) in the derivation cohort and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71â 0.81) in the validation cohort. The calibration plots to predict both 3â and 5â year survival rate well matched with the 45â degree ideal line for both cohorts, except for ALBIâ based BCLC stage 0 in the validation cohort.ConclusionsThe proposed ALBIâ based nomogram of BCLC system is a simple and feasible strategy in the precision medicine era. Our data indicate it is a straightforward and userâ friendly prognostic tool to estimate the survival of individual HCC patient except for very early stage patients.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153250/1/liv14249_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153250/2/liv14249.pd

Studying Paths of Participation in Viral Diffusion Process

Authors propose a conceptual model of participation in viral diffusion process composed of four stages: awareness, infection, engagement and action. To verify the model it has been applied and studied in the virtual social chat environment settings. The study investigates the behavioral paths of actions that reflect the stages of participation in the diffusion and presents shortcuts, that lead to the final action, i.e. the attendance in a virtual event. The results show that the participation in each stage of the process increases the probability of reaching the final action. Nevertheless, the majority of users involved in the virtual event did not go through each stage of the process but followed the shortcuts. That suggests that the viral diffusion process is not necessarily a linear sequence of human actions but rather a dynamic system.Comment: In proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Social Informatics, SocInfo 201