Richardsonwiley8240

Ever-increasing concerns over air quality and the newly emerged internet of things (IoT) for future environmental monitoring are stimulating the development of ultrasensitive room-temperature gas sensors, especially for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), one of the most harmful air pollution species released round-the-clock from power plants and vehicle exhausts. Herein, tin dioxide nanorods/ethylenediamine-modified reduced graphene oxide (SnO2/EDA-rGO) heterojunctions with selective adsorption and electronic structure modulation were engineered for highly sensitive and selective detection of NO2 at room temperature. The modified EDA groups not only enable selective adsorption to significantly enrich NO2 molecules around the interface but also realize a favorable modulation of SnO2/EDA-rGO electronic structure by increasing the Fermi level of rGO, through which the sensing performance of NO2 is synergistically enhanced. The response of the SnO2/EDA-rGO sensor toward 1 ppm NO2 reaches 282%, which exceeds the corresponding SnO2/rGO sensor by a factor of 2.8. It also exhibits a low detection limit down to 100 ppb, enhanced selectivity, and rapid response/recovery kinetics. This approach to designing a novel heterojunction with significantly enhanced chemical and electric effects may shed light on the future engineering of gas-sensing materials.A novel injectable polymeric dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (P-DCPD) cement was developed with superior mechanical strength and excellent cohesion. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro performance of P-DCPD loaded with vancomycin (VAN-P), tobramycin (TOB-P) and combination of both (VAN/TOB-P) (10%, w/w). There is a distinctive release profile between VAN and TOB. VAN-P showed decreased initial burst (3 weeks. Interestingly, the cement residues (28 d after drug release) still maintained strong ZOI ability. P-DCPD with or without antibiotics loading were nontoxic and had no inferior impacts on the growth of osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. VAN-P and TOB-P were injectable. No significant influence on setting time was observed in both VAN-P (11.7 ± 1.9 min) and VAN/TOB-P (10.8 ± 1.5 min) as compared to control (12.2 ± 2.6 min). We propose that a distinctive release profile of VAN and TOB observed is mainly due to different distribution pattern of VAN and TOB within P-DCPD matrix. A limited release of TOB might be due to the incorporation of TOB inside the crystalline lattice of P-DCPD crystals. selleck chemical Our data supported that the bactericidal efficacy of antibiotics-loaded P-DCPD is not only depend on the amount and velocity of antibiotics released, but also probably more on the direct contact of attached bacteria on the degrading cement surface.

The aim of the study was to compare titration of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) with electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and with ventilator-embedded pressure-volume (PV) loop in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Eighty-seven moderate to severe ARDS patients (arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen ratio, PaO

/FiO

≤200 mmHg) were randomized to either EIT group (n=42) or PV group (n=45). All patients received identical medical care using the same general support guidelines and protective mechanical ventilation. In the EIT group, the selected PEEP equaled the airway pressure at the intercept between cumulated collapse and overdistension percentages curves and in the PV group, at the pressure where maximal hysteresis was reached.

Baseline characteristics and settings were comparable between the groups. After optimization, PEEP was significantly higher in the PV group (17.4±1.7 versus 16.2±2.6 cmH

O, PV versus EIT groups, p=0.02). After 48 h, driving pressure was significantly higher in the PV group (12.4±3.6 versus 10.9±2.5 cmH

O, p=0.04). Lung mechanics and oxygenation were better in the EIT group but did not statistically differ between the groups. The survival rate was lower in the PV group (44.4% versus 69.0%, p=0.02; hazard ratio 2.1, confidence interval 1·1-3.9). None of the other pre-specified exploratory clinical endpoints were significantly different.

In moderate to severe ARDS, PEEP titration guided with EIT, compared with PV curve, might be associated with improved driving pressure and survival rate.

NCT03112512, 13 April, 2017.

NCT03112512, 13 April, 2017.

Large multi-site neuroimaging datasets have significantly advanced our quest to understand brain-behavior relationships and to develop biomarkers of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. link2 Yet, such data collections come at a cost, as the inevitable differences across samples may lead to biased or erroneous conclusions.

We aim to validate the estimation of individual brain network dynamics fingerprints and appraise sources of variability in large resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) datasets by providing a novel point of view based on data-driven dynamical models.

Previous work has investigated this critical issue in terms of effects on static measures, such as functional connectivity and brain parcellations. Here, we utilize dynamical models (Hidden Markov models - HMM) to examine how diverse scanning factors in multi-site fMRI recordings affect our ability to infer the brain's spatiotemporal wandering between large-scale networks of activity. Specifically, we leverage a s unique trajectories of brain activity changes in each individual, but also iii) urge caution as our ability to infer such patterns is affected by how, where and when we do so.When relativistic electrons are used to irradiate tissues, such as during FLASH pre-clinical irradiations, the electron beam energy is one of the critical parameters that determine the dose distribution. Moreover, during such irradiations, linear accelerators (linacs) usually operate with significant beam loading, where a small change in the accelerator output current can lead to beam energy reduction. Optimisation of the tuning of the accelerator's radio frequency system is often required. We describe here a robust, easy-to-use device for non-interceptive monitoring of potential variations in the electron beam energy during every linac macro-pulse of an irradiation run. Our approach monitors the accelerated electron fringe beam using two unbiased aluminium annular charge collection plates, positioned in the beam path and with apertures (5 cm in diameter) for the central beam. These plates are complemented by two thin annular screening plates to eliminate crosstalk and equalise the capacitances of the charge collection plates. The ratio of the charge picked up on the downstream collection plate to the sum of charges picked up on the both plates is sensitive to the beam energy and to changes in the energy spectrum shape. The energy sensitivity range is optimised to the investigated beam by the choice of thickness of the first plate. We present simulation and measurement data using electrons generated by a nominal 6 MeV energy linac as well as information on the design, the practical implementation and the use of this monitor.

Self-reported lactose intolerance (LI) is frequent in patients with functional bowel disorders (FBD) that could be interpreted as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The present study aims to characterize the responses of patients with FBD, without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and LI, in terms of lactose malabsorption (LM) and lactose sensitivity (LS) according to psychological and clinical features.

One hundred and fifty-eight consecutive FBD outpatients with LI, and no SIBO, were classified according to the Rome III questionnaire and filled Beck Depression Inventory, and State and Trait Anxiety questionnaires. link3 They underwent a lactose tolerance test in which glycemia during 60 minutes and digestive symptoms for 3 hours were recorded.

Abnormal lactose tolerance tests were found in 110 patients (70%), 44 (28%) with LM, 96 (61%) with LS, and 30 (19%) having both LM and LS. LM patients had a higher frequency of functional diarrhea (

= 0.040) and a lower frequency of dysphagia (

= 0.031). LS patients had a higher depression score (

= 0.007), higher frequency of globus (

= 0.042), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (

= 0.027) and mixed IBS (

= 0.049), and lower frequency of abdominal pain (

= 0.040). LS was significantly associated with a higher depression score (

= 0.002), and a higher frequency of globus (

= 0.046).

Thirty percent of LI patients have normal lactose absorption and normal LS. In the other 70% of patients, LI could be associated with LM and/or LS.

Thirty percent of LI patients have normal lactose absorption and normal LS. In the other 70% of patients, LI could be associated with LM and/or LS.

The diagnosis of small bowel Crohn's disease with negative ileocolonoscopic findings has been challenging. Fecal calprotectin (FC) has been used to detect colonic inflammation, but its efficacy for detecting small bowel inflammation is less established. We performed an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FC to detect active small bowel inflammation observed during capsule endoscopy.

We conducted a systematic literature search for studies that evaluated the correlation between small bowel inflammation and FC in patients with suspected/established Crohn's disease. We calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) and constructed hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves for FC cutoffs of 50, 100, and 200 µg/g.

Fourteen studies were eligible for the final analysis. The DORs of all FC cutoffs were significant. The highest DOR was observed at 100 µg/g (sensitivity, 0.73; specificity, 0.73; and DOR, 7.89) and was suggested as the optimal diagnostic cutoff. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with suspected Crohn's disease, the DOR was 8.96. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with a Lewis score ≥135 as a diagnostic criterion for active disease, the DOR was 10.90.

FC has significant diagnostic accuracy for detecting small bowel inflammation, and an FC cutoff of 100 µg/g can be used as a tool to screen for small bowel Crohn's disease.

FC has significant diagnostic accuracy for detecting small bowel inflammation, and an FC cutoff of 100 µg/g can be used as a tool to screen for small bowel Crohn's disease.With the widely spreading population-based screening programs for colorectal cancer and recent improvements in endoscopic diagnosis, the number of endoscopic resections in subjects with T1 colorectal cancer has been increasing. Some reports suggest that endoscopic resection prior to surgical resection of T1 colorectal cancer has no adverse effect on prognosis and contributes to this tendency. The decision on the need for surgical resection as an additional treatment after endoscopic resection of T1 colorectal cancer should be made according to the metastasis risk to lymph nodes based on histopathological findings. Because lymph node metastasis occurs in approximately 10% of patients with T1 colorectal cancer according to current international guidelines, the remaining 90% of patients may be at an increased risk of surgical resection and associated postoperative mortality, with no clinical benefit derived from unnecessary surgical resection. Although a more accurate prediction system for lymph node metastasis is needed to solve this problem, risk stratification for lymph node metastasis remains controversial.