Separate Curves Research Articles

Compression and interpenetration of adsorption-active brushes.

Compression and interpenetration of two opposing polymer brushes formed by end-grafted adsorption-active chains are studied by the numerical self-consistent field approach and by analytical theory. For sufficiently strong polymer-surface attraction, a fraction of chains in the adsorption-active brush condenses into a near-surface layer, while the remaining ones form the outer brush with reduced effective grafting density. Analysis shows that the normal pressure in adsorption-active brushes can be understood in terms of the effective grafting density concept although the pressure at small separations is affected by the presence of the dense adsorbed phase. We propose a simple theory modification that accounts for this effect. We also formulate a procedure for extracting the value of the effective grafting density directly from the pressure vs separation curves by inverting the equation of state. In contrast to the normal pressure, the interpenetration of the two opposing adsorption-active brushes demonstrates a much more intricate behavior. At weak to moderate compressions, the effective grafting density concept works well but fails spectacularly at small interbrush separations. We identify two interpenetration regimes for adsorption-active brushes: (i) at separations larger than the ideal Gaussian coil size N1/2, the overlap of the two brushes is concentrated in the mid-plane region, in the same way as in brushes grafted onto non-attractive surfaces; (ii) at separations less than N1/2, the brush overlap is strongly enhanced in the wall regions where the attractive interaction plays an important role both in generating the dense layer for the "proper" brush and in attracting the "foreign" chains.

Late preterm delivery has a distinctive second-stage duration and characteristics

Late preterm neonates born between 34.0 and 36.6 weeks' gestation are at increased risk for short- and long-term morbidity and mortality when compared with their term counterparts. Currently, no separate labor curve is available for late preterm births, and this group's optimal duration of the second stage of labor has never been defined separately. This study aimed to compare the second stage duration between late preterm and term births. This was a retrospective study from May 2014 until May 2021. Eligible were women with a singleton pregnancy, vertex presentation, spontaneous or induced onset of labor, and those who delivered vaginally beyond 34.0 weeks of gestation. The primary outcome of our study was to compare and characterize the second stage of labor duration between late preterm and term births. We analyzed 962 late preterm and 9476 term vaginal deliveries. Women who delivered during the late preterm period were more likely to be multiparous (52.4% vs 45.2%; P<.001) and fewer required oxytocin during labor (41.2% vs 54.4%; P<.001) or used epidural analgesia (75.2% vs 83.6%; P<.001). The overall mean duration of the second stage of labor was significantly shorter in the late preterm period than at term (1.08±1.09 hours vs 1.49±1.22 hours; P<.001). This was even more pronounced for nulliparous women (1.05±1.00 hours vs 2.10±1.17 hours; P<.001). Among multiparous women, epidural use significantly affected the duration of the second stage of labor, and the second stage was relatively longer during the late preterm period than at term in this subgroup (1.16 vs 0.5 hours; P<.001). Using a multivariate Cox regression, variables such as maternal age (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.04), parity (hazard ratio, 4.11; 95% confidence interval, 3.65-4.63), preterm birth (hazard ratio, 2.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-3.10), and birthweight at delivery (hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.30) shortened the second stage, whereas induction of labor (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.86) and epidural use (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.86) extended its total duration. Regardless of parity, lower rates of operative vaginal deliveries were observed in the late preterm period than at term (3.7% vs 15.5%; P<.001). This period was also associated with lower rates of third- and fourth-degree perineal lacerations (0.2% vs 2.2%; P<.001) but higher rates of chorioamnionitis (1.7% vs 0.1%; P<.001), Apgar score at 5 minutes <7 (1.0% vs 0.2%; P<.001), and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (19.3% vs 1.0%; P<.001). Women who delivered vaginally during the late preterm period had a distinctive second-stage duration. Primarily, it was shown to be significantly shorter for nulliparous and multiparous women. Future studies should further clarify the optimal duration of this stage in relation to neonatal outcomes at such a vulnerable period.

THE TRAJECTORIES OF COGNITION AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS OF CENTENARIAN SURVIVORS

Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore cohort differences in the trajectories of cognition and functional limitations among oldest-old adults. Using 1992-2018 data from the Health and Retirement Study, participants included those who survived to at least 98 years (N=494). The study included three cohorts (i.e., 1890-1900, 1901-1910, and 1911-1920) predicting intercept and slope of cognition and functional limitations. Two separate latent growth curve models were computed, and models of cognition, χ2(5)=6.935, p=.226 and functional limitation, χ2(7)=7.743, p=.35 fit the data well. There was a significant decline in cognition levels and a significant increase in functional limitation over time. When adding cohort, results indicated that older cohorts were more likely to have a decrease in cognition and increase in functional limitations compared with the younger cohort. Future research should investigate trajectories of other health variables for a better understanding of health changes of centenarians.

Tensile test of headed stud in steel-UHPC composite slab

The headed studs as connectors play a key role in affecting the mechanical properties of steel-UHPC composite slab. In this paper, eighteen tensile specimens were tested to analyze the failure mode, loading process, bearing capacity and stiffness. Where the studs (diameter of 13 mm) commonly used in steel-UHPC composite structure were taken as the subject, and the steel fiber content (0 %, 1 %, and 2 %) and specimen size (160 mm and 200 mm) were the parameters. The influence of each parameter on the tensile load-interface separation curve, failure mode, tensile bearing capacity and tensile stiffness was then analyzed. There are two typical failure modes, that is, UHPC cone failure and stud fracture. Test results show that specification ACI 349–13 indicated a relatively high calculation accuracy to predict the tensile bearing capacity of specimens with UHPC cone failure, and the tensile stiffness value can be calculated based on the secant modulus with 0.1 mm slip.

Revisiting foliar diagnosis for oil palm potassium nutrition

Oil palm is a highly potassium (K)-demanding tree requiring fertilisation throughout its life cycle. One of the most common indices to monitor K fertilisation is K content (in % of DW, further noted as %K) in leaflets, typically used in foliar diagnosis (FD). However, uncertainty remains as to whether leaflets are always the most K-responsive organs and furthermore, implementing FD may require separate response curves for different soil and climatic conditions, and newly also i.e. genetic materials (progenies). As such, a universal K indicator ideally responsive to K availability and valid across many progenies could simplify FD. We investigated K responses of oil palm trees in four different progenies grown in North Sumatra, from planting to the maturation stage. Elemental analyses were performed along with biometrical measurements at tree scale, completed by data from agronomic databases. Uni- and multi-variate analyses were performed to identify the best indicators of K response. Tree K balance (difference between K availability and K needs) was computed to determine directly if (i) K supply met tree K demand and (ii) %K in leaflets, rachis or trunk were linked to the K budget. We also interrogate the accuracy of %K expression for K leaf content estimation and answer to it. Standard effects of K availability on height, leaf area, and yield were observed and varied mostly with the progeny. K balance calculations showed a systematic K imbalance when bunch production started, suggesting a non-negligible contribution of exchangeable soil K. %K in leaflets, rachis and trunk does not appear to be correlated with K balance. Our work brings out the important result that unlike %K in leaflets, phosphorus (P) and %K in rachis (more precisely %K + 3 %P) appeared to be tightly correlated with yield (FFB: fresh fruit bunches) two years later, suggesting a possible interdependence between fruits sink force and K-P elemental content in leaves. Since this indicator is under important genetic effect, we propose to use the combination of mineral contents generated by multivariate analysis, which successfully predicts FFB after two years, independently of the progeny.

Incorporation of Mutations and Bone Marrow Fibrosis into the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Incorporation of mutations in the revised international prognostic scoring system (IPSS-RM) can improve risk stratification in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The independent prognostic significance of bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) is challenged under currently molecular prognostic models. In this study, clinical and mutational data from 438 MDS patients were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into training (n=306) and validation (n=132) cohorts by randomization. BMF was associated with worse overall survival both in the training cohort and validation cohort. In the training cohort, age, IPSS-R, BMF and mutations in RUNX1, TP53, U2AF1, and BCOR were significantly associated with OS. Independent significant prognostic factors included age, IPSS-R, BMF, TP53 and U2AF1 in multivariate analysis. Using the weighted coefficients of each prognostic factor, we developed a simplified prognostic system that added the impact of age, BMF, TP53 and U2AF1 to IPSS-R. Four risk groups were produced: low, intermediate, high and very high with median OS of not reached, 76, 16 and 11 months in the training cohort, and not reached, 60, 19 and 9 months in the validation cohort, respectively. The new model yielded more separated survival curves than IPSS-R model. More than 50% of patients were re-stratified, especially in IPSS-R intermediate group. In addition, Our model had a better C-index (0.61 in training cohort and 0.63 in validation cohort), compared to IPSS-RM model(0.59 and 0.58) and IPSS-R (0.57 and 0.56). In conclusion, BMF was an independent significant prognostic factor in MDS and adding BMF into prognostic scoring system improved its predictive capacity. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

BIOM-25. DETERMINATION OF LEVELS OF SMALL MOLECULAR WEIGHT THIOLS AND DISULFIDES IN MOUSE AND HUMAN NORMAL BRAIN AND GLIOBLASTOMA TISSUE

Abstract BACKGROUND Small molecular weight (SMW) thiols play an essential role in many biochemical processes, particularly in maintaining redox homeostasis. Herein, we report on the development and qualification of a sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method for the determination of oxidative stress biomarkers glutathione (GSH), cysteine (Cys), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), cystine (CySS), as well as the interrelated precursors and products methionine (Met), homocysteine (Hcy), cystathionine (Cysth), gamma glutamyl-cysteine (Glu-Cys), and cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly) in both mouse and human normal brain and glioblastoma tissue. METHODS Mouse and human tissue samples were homogenized with N-ethylmaleimide solution to prevent thiol oxidation. Analytes were then extracted from homogenate samples by protein precipitation with 2% formic acid in acetonitrile. Separate calibration curves were prepared for thiols and disulfides in analytical solutions using stable isotope-labeled internal standards (IS). Three levels of quality control samples were prepared in mouse and human brain homogenates. The detection was performed on Sciex QTRAP 6500+ mass spectrometer in positive electrospray ionization mode. RESULTS The concentration ranges of 0.04-40 µmol/L for Glu-Cys/Hcy, 4-400 µmol/L for Met/GSH/Cys/Cys-Gly and 0.05-20 µmol/L for GSSG/CySS/Cysth were established using a linear regression model. A gradient elution was applied on Intrada Amino Acid column to achieve the optimal chromatographic separation with a 5 minute total run time. At least three precision and accuracy runs were conducted on different days. The stability of analytes in biological matrix and in analytical solutions has been tested at room temperature, 4 °C, and -80 °C for appropriate sample preparation, analysis, and storage. CONCLUSIONS A bioanalytical method to quantify a panel of SMW thiols and disulfides has been successfully developed, qualified, and utilized to assess the levels of these biomolecules in mouse normal brain and glioblastoma tissue as well as in glioblastoma tissue of patients enrolled in the sonodynamic therapy clinical trial (NCT04559685).

Small-scale (sub-organ and cellular level) alpha-particle dosimetry methods using an iQID digital autoradiography imaging system

Targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy with alpha-particle emitters (αRPT) is advantageous in cancer treatment because the short range and high local energy deposition of alpha particles enable precise radiation delivery and efficient tumor cell killing. However, these properties create sub-organ dose deposition effects that are not easily characterized by direct gamma-ray imaging (PET or SPECT). We present a computational procedure to determine the spatial distribution of absorbed dose from alpha-emitting radionuclides in tissues using digital autoradiography activity images from an ionizing-radiation quantum imaging detector (iQID). Data from 211At-radioimmunotherapy studies for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in a canine model were used to develop these methods. Nine healthy canines were treated with 16.9–30.9 MBq 211At/mg monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Lymph node biopsies from early (2–5 h) and late (19–20 h) time points (16 total) were obtained, with 10–20 consecutive 12-µm cryosections extracted from each and imaged with an iQID device. iQID spatial activity images were registered within a 3D volume for dose-point-kernel convolution, producing dose-rate maps. The accumulated absorbed doses for high- and low-rate regions were 9 ± 4 Gy and 1.2 ± 0.8 Gy from separate dose-rate curves, respectively. We further assess uptake uniformity, co-registration with histological pathology, and requisite slice numbers to improve microscale characterization of absorbed dose inhomogeneities in αRPT.

Метод разложения по плоским волнам для исследования дисперсионных свойств металлических фотонных кристаллов

Original method for studying the dispersion characteristics of photonic crystals – media with a dielectric constant that varies periodically in space – is considered. The method is based on the representation of the wave functions and permittivity of a periodic medium in the form of Fourier series and their subsequent substitution into the wave equation, which leads to the formulation of the dispersion equation. Using the latter, for each value of the wave vector it is possible determined a set of eigen frequencies. Each of eigen frequency forms a separate dispersion curve as a continuous function of the wave number. The Fourier expansion coefficients of the permittivity, which depend on the vectors of the reciprocal lattice of the photonic crystal, are determined on the basis of data on the geometric characteristics of the elements that form the crystal, their electrophysical properties and the density of the crystal. The solution of the dispersion equation found makes it possible to obtain complete information about the number of modes propagating in a periodic structure at different frequencies, and about the possibility of forming band gaps, i.e. frequency ranges within which wave propagation through a photonic crystal is impossible. The focus of this work is on the application of this method to the analysis of the dispersion properties of metallic photonic crystals. The difficulties that arise in this case due to the presence of intrinsic dispersion properties of the metals that form the elements of the crystal are overcome by an analytical description of their permittivity based on the model of free electrons. As a result, a dispersion equation is formulated, the numerical solution of which is easily algorithmized. That makes possible to determine the dispersion characteristics of metallic photonic crystals with arbitrary parameters. Obtained by this method the results of calculation of dispersion diagrams, which characterize two-dimensional metal photonic crystals, are compared with experimental data and numerical results obtained using the method of self-consistent equations. Their good agreement is demonstrated.

Patterns of gestational weight gain among women with obesity and its correlation with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Chinese women.

Gestational weight management in obese women is critical in clinical work. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are associated with improper gestational weight gain (GWG). However, the pattern of GWG (PGWG) and its correlation with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) in obesity are still unclear in China. This retrospective cohort study evaluates clinical data from 799 women through multivariate analyses and trajectory analyses. All the participants are stratified per firsttrimester weight gain category into three groups (Inadequate-1st, <0.5 kg; Adequate-1st, 0.5-2.0 kg; Excessive-1st, >2.0 kg) and PGWG refers to the weekly weight gain during each gestational period. GWG is positively associated with firsttrimester weight gain. 78.4% of the Excessive-1st participants have excessive total GWG, in contrast to Inadequate-1st (32.7%) and Adequate-1st (48.2%). After 20 weeks, the weekly weight gain rapidly accelerates, and 77.3% have a weekly weight gain exceeding the Institute of Medicinerecommendations. Trajectory analysis of weekly weight gain based on HDP shows two separate weight gain curves after 20 weeks in women with and without a high risk of HDP. Especially in Excessive-1st participants, weekly weight gain after 20 weeks over 0.32 kg/w is positively related to the risk of HDP (<0.32 kg/w vs. 0.32-0.61 kg/w, adjusted odds ratios[aOR]: 2.999, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.054-8.537; <0.32 kg/w vs. >0.61 kg/w, aOR: 5.362, 95%CI: 1.719-16.729). In summary, the firsttrimester is critical for gestational weight management in obesity. Excessive weight gain during the firsttrimester and after 20 weeks predicts a high risk of HDP, which should be noted in clinical practice.

Accelerated dispersion curve calculations for periodic vibro-acoustic structures

Over the years, metamaterials have shown their potential in a wide range of different disciplines, e.g. optics, electromagnetics, dynamics etc. Metamaterials are, often periodic, engineered structures made of conventional materials but which exhibit properties not encountered in nature. In the field of noise and vibration, metamaterials have received increasing interest since they can obtain frequency ranges of high noise and vibration attenuation, called stop bands. Their performance is often investigated by means of dispersion curves, which are calculated based on a single unit cell and assuming a structure of infinite periodic extent. Nowadays, the attenuation of acoustic and structural waves is commonly tackled as two separate problems, whereby either acoustic or structural dispersion curves are used. Recently, vibro-acoustic unit cell designs have come to the fore which can exhibit appealing characteristics, such as simultaneous structural and acoustic stop bands. To consider the vibro-acoustic coupling in these unit cell designs during the performance predictions, vibro-acoustic dispersion curve calculations are thus required. However, these computations are typically cumbersome to perform due to the associated high computational cost and therefore, often, uncoupled dispersion curves are used during the performance assessment. Although several unit cell model order reduction approaches have recently been proposed to accelerate the dispersion curve computations, such as the Bloch mode synthesis (BMS) and Generalized Bloch mode synthesis (GBMS), they are not readily applicable to vibro-acoustic unit cells. To accelerate vibro-acoustic dispersion curve calculations, this work extends the BMS and GBMS techniques towards 2D and 3D periodic vibro-acoustic systems. To balance accuracy versus speed, the extended BMS reduction basis is constructed using a split set of vibro-acoustic coupled modes, while the extended GBMS reduction basis uses the uncoupled modes. Several verification cases demonstrate that strongly accelerated vibro-acoustic dispersion curve computations are achieved whereby the vibro-acoustic coupling inside the unit cell is accurately accounted for.

Hierarchical and fractal structured materials: Design, additive manufacturing and mechanical properties

Novel rationally designed structured materials (SMs) exhibit unconventional mechanical properties that cannot be found in common materials. Although most microarchitectures of the developed SMs are based on regular unit cell tessellation design, few studies have explored the potential of fractal geometry as a design tool for creating new SMs. A novel strategy for creating fractal-like aperiodic SMs based on Hilbert self-filling fractal curves synthetization is presented here. Families of continuous Hilbert structured cubes derived from two separate Hilbert curve iterations at three different matching relative densities were obtained, additionally, a method to decompose the Hilbert curve to obtain non-continuous Hilbert structured cubes is proposed. To obtain a broad overview of their mechanical response, samples were manufactured out of thermoplastic polyurethane via fused filament fabrication and tested under compression. An apparent model of elasticity has been proposed to classify their mechanical performance under low and high strain. Results showed that relative stiffness, energy absorption and deformation could be tuned by adjusting parameters of the Hilbert structured cubes. By iterating the Hilbert curve from n = 4 to n = 5, a 51% increase in stiffness was obtained. A significant increment of 82% and 148% on stiffness was observed on non-continuous Hilbert structured cubes for the first and second orders, respectively; besides, energy absorption capabilities and great shape recovery were observed.

Multiple latent variables but functionally dependent output mappings underlying the recognition of own- and other-race faces for Chinese individuals: Evidence from state-trace analysis.

To explore the number of latent variables underlying recognition of own- and other-race faces for Chinese observers, we conducted a study-recognition task where orientation, stimuli type, and duration were manipulated in the study phase and applied state trace analysis as a statistic method. Results showed that each state trace plot on each pair of stimuli types matched a single monotonic curve when stimuli type was set to state factor, but separate curves between face and non-face showed up when the state factor was orientation. The results implied that at least two latent variables affected recognition performance in the inversion paradigm. Besides, the unidimensional structure between own- and other-race faces regardless of the state factor suggested that Chinese participants used the same recognition mechanism for unfamiliar own- and other-race faces in the inversion paradigm.

Proton beam-driven instabilities in an inclined magnetic field

In this paper, the electrostatic and electromagnetic instabilities of a magnetized proton–DT plasma relevant to the fast ignition scheme of inertial fusion were examined. The magnetic field and proton beam define a plane and the magnetic field vector has the orientation angle of θ. The dispersion relation of two-stream and filamentation modes was first derived using the conservation, Euler, and Maxwell equations. Then, the more general case describing the wave propagation in an arbitrary direction in the two-dimensional case was derived symbolically. It is demonstrated that in a magnetized beam–plasma system, the two-stream instability depicts two separated growth curves, one larger than the other and there exists a stable frequency band between them. This zone will grow as the magnetic field inclination angle increases such that the smaller two-stream peak vanishes at the limiting angle of θ→π/2. The splitting in the growth rate curve becomes obvious at magnetic field parameter Ωe>0.5. The pure filamentation instability of the beam–plasma is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the two-stream instability and it just contributes to magnetic field orientation θ=0. In a two-dimensional case, the mixed electrostatic/electromagnetic instabilities contribute to the final growth rate curve producing an X-like shape. The interface point of two growth curves is characterized by coordinate (∼1.0, tan(θ)) in the zx-plane.

Wavenumber lock-in and spatial parametric resonance in convection

Analysis of convection driven by spatial periodic heating shows a wealth of responses due to Prandtl number dependence. The primary convection is delineated by the heating wavenumber and the secondary convection is characterized by the critical wavenumber established by an instability process. The resulting two-wavenumber dynamical system involves spatial parametric resonance leading to the wavenumber lock-in and the Rayleigh–Bénard (RB) instability producing unlocked states. Heating conditions leading to the co-existence of both types of states have been identified. Transition from the locked to the unlocked states produces states with a wide range of wavelengths and diverse patterns of movement. The possible secondary states are driven by a competition between the RB mechanism and the spatial parametric resonance. The relative strengths of these mechanisms change with Prandtl number $Pr$ resulting in four types of system responses. In the type A response occurring for $Pr&gt;0.4$ , parametric resonance dominates for the heating wavenumber $\alpha &lt; 4.5$ resulting in the pattern lock-in between the primary and secondary convections whereas RB occurs for $\alpha &gt; 10$ . There is a wealth of possible convection patterns in the in-between zone where a small change of $\alpha$ results in a major change of flow pattern. In the type B response, which occurs for $0.19&lt; Pr&lt; 0.4$ , the RB effect dominates eliminating the lock-in. The type C response, which occurs for $0.08 &lt; Pr&lt; 0.19$ , is similar to type A but stronger spatial modulation extends the range of dominance of parametric resonance up to $\alpha =7$ while the RB effect dominates for $\alpha &gt;10$ as in the type A response. A wealth of possible patterns occurs in the transition zone ( $7&lt;\alpha &lt;10$ ). In the type D response, which occurs for $Pr&lt;0.08$ , the strong spatial modulation results in the formation of two separate critical stability curves, one resulting from the dominance of the spatial parametric resonance leading to the lock-in effect, and the other one corresponding to the dominance of the RB effect producing unlocked states. No continuous transition between both states can occur. Conditions where both distinct states can arise simultaneously were identified. Morphing between different patterns of secondary convection may occur in response to small changes in the heating pattern in types A and C, while such processes are not possible in types B and D.

Prognostic Factor Analysis and Model Construction of Triple-Negative Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma After Surgery.

ObjectiveThe study aimed to analyze the prognostic factors of patients with triple-negative (TN) metaplastic breast carcinoma (MpBC) after surgery and to construct a nomogram for forecasting the 3-, 5-, and 8-year overall survival (OS).MethodsA total of 998 patients extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were assigned to either the training or validation group at random in a ratio of 7:3. The clinical characteristics of patients in the training and validation sets were compared, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk variables for the OS of patients with TN MpBC after surgery. These selected parameters were estimated through the Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves using the log-rank test. The nomogram for predicting the OS was constructed and validated by performing the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves with area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analyses (DCAs). Patients were then stratified as high-risk and low-risk, and KM curves were performed.ResultsMultivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that factors including age, marital status, clinical stage at diagnosis, chemotherapy, and regional node status were independent predictors of prognosis in patients with MpBC after surgery. Separate KM curves for the screened variables revealed the same statistical results as with Cox regression analysis. A prediction model was created and virtualized via nomogram based on these findings. For the training and validation cohorts, the C-index of the nomogram was 0.730 and 0.719, respectively. The AUC values of the 3-, 5-, and 8-year OS were 0.758, 0.757, and 0.785 in the training group, and 0.736, 0.735, and 0.736 for 3, 5, and 8 years in the validation group, respectively. The difference in the OS between the real observation and the forecast was quite constant according to the calibration curves. The generated clinical applicability of the nomogram was further demonstrated by the DCA analysis. In all the training and validation sets, the KM curves for the different risk subgroups revealed substantial differences in survival probabilities (P <0.001).ConclusionThe study showed a nomogram that was built from a parametric survival model based on the SEER database, which can be used to make an accurate prediction of the prognosis of patients with TN MpBC after surgery.

Triple points and novel phase transitions of dyonic AdS black holes with quasitopological electromagnetism

Quasitopological electromagnetism has an important influence on the strong gravity of dyonic black holes. For example, three photon spheres, with one being stable, are found, and we wish to test them with the observed black hole shadow. We are primarily concerned with the thermodynamics and phase transition for a dyonic anti--de Sitter (AdS) black hole when quasitopological electromagnetism is included. Unlike in a black hole solution without quasitopological electromagnetism, we observe a triple point phase structure by varying the coupling parameters. Of particular interest, for certain parameter values, two separate coexistence curves are present, which is an additional novel phase structure that is absent in a black hole solution without quasitopological electromagnetism. The critical exponents share the same values as mean field theory. These results uncover the intriguing properties of dyonic AdS black holes with quasitopological electromagnetism from a thermodynamic point of view.

Multiplex detection of five common respiratory pathogens from bronchoalveolar lavages using high resolution melting curve analysis

BackgroundThe study describes the application of the multiplex high-resolution melting curve (MHRM) assay for the simultaneous detection of five common bacterial pathogens (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli) directly from bronchoalveolar lavage samples.ResultsOur MHRM assay successfully identified all five respiratory pathogens in less than 5 h, with five separate melting curves with specific melt peak temperatures (Tm). The different Tm were characterized by peaks of 78.1 ± 0.4 °C for S. aureus, 83.3 ± 0.1 °C for A. baumannii, 86.7 ± 0.2 °C for E. coli, 90.5 ± 0.1 °C for K. pneumoniae, 94.5 ± 0.2 °C for P. aeruginosa. The overall sensitivity and specificity of MHRM were 100% and 88.8–100%, respectively.ConclusionsOur MHRM assay offers a simple and fast alternative to culture approach for simultaneous detection of five major bacterial lower respiratory tract infection pathogens. Utilization of this assay can help clinicians initiate prompt and appropriate antimicrobial treatment, towards reducing the morbidity and mortality of severe respiratory infections.

Friction on I‐Modified Au(111) in a Tetraglyme Electrolyte

AbstractIn situ electrochemical lateral force microscopy (EC‐LFM) has been employed to study the ordered structure of Li+ containing tetraglyme (G4) in front of I‐modified Au(111) and its influence on friction as function of normal load. Since the effect of water in aprotic electrolytes is a critical issue, the influence of water on the ordered structure and friction was also been investigated. Lateral force maps recorded at low normal load (FN&lt;30 nN) show that the adsorbed iodine forms a structure ( independent of potential. With increasing normal load, observed atomic corrugations at both potentials (0.45 V and −0.4 V) are in agreement with the Au(111) ( structure while returning to a structure with decreasing normal load. Thus we conclude that the AFM tip penetrates into the iodine adlayer without irreversible wear. Astonishingly, no clear friction increase was observed upon penetration into the iodine adlayer; also no corresponding step was found in force separation (FS) curves. On the other hand, FS curves for I‐modified Au(111) in pure G4 solvent and Li+ containing electrolyte clearly showed several steps suggesting that G4 molecules are forming up to five ordered layers. It is noteworthy that we observed two different push‐through forces for the innermost layers. Considering the higher reproducibility of FS curves on I‐modified Au(111) compared to bare Au(111) we assume that the low surface energy of the iodine monolayer leads to negligible interaction between G4 molecules and iodine adlayer, resulting in less perturbations of the structure by the solid phase and also an increase of push‐through force. Charts of friction forces vs. normal load are found to be independent of applied potential and the concentration of water.

MP29-12 TRANSURETHRAL BIPOLAR ENUCLEATION (TUBE): IMPROVED OUTCOMES VERSUS STANDARD BIPOLAR TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATE RESECTION (TURIS) WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT LEARNING CURVE MAY EASE ADOPTION OF ENUCLEATION TECHNIQUES INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP29-12 TRANSURETHRAL BIPOLAR ENUCLEATION (TUBE): IMPROVED OUTCOMES VERSUS STANDARD BIPOLAR TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATE RESECTION (TURIS) WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT LEARNING CURVE MAY EASE ADOPTION OF ENUCLEATION TECHNIQUES INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE Zachary Tully, Brian Barnes, Ryan Steinberg, and Bradley Erickson Zachary TullyZachary Tully More articles by this author , Brian BarnesBrian Barnes More articles by this author , Ryan SteinbergRyan Steinberg More articles by this author , and Bradley EricksonBradley Erickson More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002572.12AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Despite ample evidence of safety and superiority, transurethral enucleation procedures, most commonly with the holmium laser (HOLEP), have not been widely adopted (<5% in US), likely due to a combination of a steep learning curve and technological barriers. Herein we present our experience with transurethral enucleation using the Olympus® bipolar electrode, a technology with wide availability, use, and surgeon familiarity. METHODS: We reviewed consecutive transurethral outlet procedures using bipolar energy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from a single institution from 2010-20 and divided them into two cohorts: standard transurethral resection in saline (TURis; n = 383) and transurethral bipolar enucleation (TUBE; n = 208). All TUBE procedures were performed by a single surgeon. Perioperative characteristics between the two cohorts were compared with unpaired two-tailed t-tests and Chi-squared tests. A separate learning curve analysis was performed for the TUBE procedures that determined the impact that case number had on operative time and tissue resection. RESULTS: Comparisons are shown in the Table. The TUBE cohort was more likely to be catheter dependent pre-operatively and have a higher pre-op PSA. TURis operative time was 10 minutes less on average, but TUBE tissue resection weights were significantly greater. Hospital and catheter times were statistically similar. Post-operatively, TUBE led to a greater reduction in PSA, catheter dependence and BPH medication use. De novo incontinence and need for secondary outlet procedures were higher in TURis. De novo PDE-5 use was greater in TUBE. Cancer detection was greater after TURis. The variability in TUBE operative time (r2 = 0.0024) and resection weight (r2 = 0.007) was not related to surgery number/surgeon experience. CONCLUSIONS: Utilizing the same instrumentation and electrodes, the TUBE technique offers significant advantages to a standard TURis loop resection without an appreciable learning curve. Widespread instrument familiarity, as well as the ability to perform both resection and enucleation maneuvers in the same case, may increase the likelihood of adoption into clinical practice for those hesitant to learn HOLEP. Source of Funding: none © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e473 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Zachary Tully More articles by this author Brian Barnes More articles by this author Ryan Steinberg More articles by this author Bradley Erickson More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...