Multicenter phase II study of sequential radioembolization-sorafenib therapy for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma

10.1371/journal.pone.0090909PLoS ONE93-POLN

Distribution of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Revascularization for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia: Insights from the Vascular Quality Initiative in Singapore

This study aimed to examine the distribution of lower limb atherosclerotic lesions in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort with chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) from Singapore. The Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative registry database was used to identify 265 CLTI patients who underwent percutaneous angioplasty between June 2019 and December 2019, of whom 171 (64.5%) were male, and the mean age was 67.9±11.0 years. The majority were diabetic (84.5%) and 145 (54.7%) had chronic kidney disease (CKD). The majority of the lower limb atherosclerotic lesions were de novo lesions (598/797, 75.0%), predominantly TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II C/D (451/797, 56.6%), and were moderately to severely calcified (76.3%). The anterior tibial artery and femoral-popliteal artery were the most commonly affected vessels. The mean length of the treated lesions was 14.5±13.7 cm. There was a tendency, albeit insignificant, of multi-level disease in those who were diabetic or had CKD

Shape memory/change effect in a double network nanocomposite tough hydrogel

In this paper, we present a systematic investigation on the shape memory/change effect in a double network nanocomposite tough hydrogel. Water-content dependency of the response of this hydrogel to heating and wetting by water is confirmed. Since this hydrogel is tough (even after being fully wetted in water) and has a relatively lower swelling ratio, apart from conventional shape memory/change effect as in ordinary hydrogels, additional features have been realized. These features include heating induced shape memory effect utilizing the absorbed water as the transition component, mechano-responsive shape change effect after water wetting and water-induced shape memory effect. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved