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This meta-analysis aimed to consolidate existing data from randomised controlled trials on hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Methods:
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome specific randomised controlled trials published between January 2005 and September 2021 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were included. Regardless of clinical outcomes, we included all randomised controlled trials about hypoplastic left heart syndrome and categorised them according to their results. Two reviewers independently assessed for eligibility, relevance, and data extraction. The primary outcome was mortality after Norwood surgery. Study quality and heterogeneity were assessed. A random-effects model was used for analysis.
Results:
Of the 33 included randomised controlled trials, 21 compared right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt and modified Blalock–Taussig-Thomas shunt during the Norwood procedure, and 12 regarded medication, surgical strategy, cardiopulmonary bypass tactics, and ICU management. Survival rates up to 1 year were superior in the right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt group; this difference began to disappear at 3 years and remained unchanged until 6 years. The right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt group had a significantly higher reintervention rate from the interstage to the 6-year follow-up period. Right ventricular function was better in the modified Blalock–Taussig-Thomas shunt group 1–3 years after the Norwood procedure, but its superiority diminished in the 6-year follow-up. Randomised controlled trials regarding medical treatment, surgical strategy during cardiopulmonary bypass, and ICU management yielded insignificant results.
Conclusions:
Although right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt appeared to be superior in the early period, the two shunts applied during the Norwood procedure demonstrated comparable long-term prognosis despite high reintervention rates in right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt due to pulmonary artery stenosis. For medical/perioperative management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, further randomised controlled trials are needed to deliver specific evidence-based recommendations.
The building of online atomic and molecular databases for astrophysics and for other research fields started with the beginning of the internet. These databases have encompassed different forms: databases of individual research groups exposing their own data, databases providing collected data from the refereed literature, databases providing evaluated compilations, databases providing repositories for individuals to deposit their data, and so on. They were, and are, the replacement for literature compilations with the goal of providing more complete and in particular easily accessible data services to the users communities. Such initiatives involve not only scientific work on the data, but also the characterization of data, which comes with the “standardization” of metadata and of the relations between metadata, as recently developed in different communities. This contribution aims at providing a representative overview of the atomic and molecular databases ecosystem, which is available to the astrophysical community and addresses different issues linked to the use and management of data and databases. The information provided in this paper is related to the keynote lecture “Atomic and Molecular Databases: Open Science for better science and a sustainable world” whose slides can be found at DOI : doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6979352 on the Zenodo repository connected to the “cb5-labastro” Zenodo Community (https://zenodo.org/communities/cb5-labastro).
Intense acoustic loads from jet noise cause noise pollution and induce failures, such as the malfunctioning of electronic devices and fatigue failure of internal/external structures. Consequently, the prediction of jet noise characteristics is crucial in the development of high-speed vehicles. This study presents acoustic experiments and predictions for an under-expanded, unheated jet using a small-scale prototype. Outdoor measurements are carried out using a vertical ejection setup. Acoustic characteristics are measured using both linear and circular microphone arrays. Additionally, numerical prediction of the same jet noise is performed using a detached eddy simulation and the permeable Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings acoustic analogy. The vertical experimental setup exhibits the typical acoustic characteristics of a supersonic jet in terms of directivity and broadband shock-associated noise. Moreover, the numerical prediction exhibits satisfactory accuracy for the jet downstream, where the large-scale turbulence structures of the directivity predominate. However, discrepancy increases in the domain of lower directivity. The presented experiment and prediction will be extended to future studies regarding the noise of various deflector duct configurations impinging on supersonic jets.
There have been many changes in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Objective
It is necessary to develop guidelines that can more aptly respond to cultural issues and specifics in different countries.
Aims
The Korean Medication Algorithm for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP) was firstly published in 2002, with updates in 2006 and 2010. This third update reviewed the experts' consensus of opinion on the pharmacological treatments of bipolar disorder.
Methods
The newly revised questionnaire composed of 55 key questions about clinical situations including 223 sub-items was sent to the experts.
Results
Combination of mood stabilizer (MS) and atypical antipsychotic (AAP) was the first-line treatment option in acute mania. For the management of severe psychotic bipolar depression, combination of MS and AAP, combination of AAP and LTG, combination of MS, AAP and AD or LTG, combination of AAP and AD, and combination of AAP, AD and LTG was the first-line treatments. Combination of MS and AAP was the treatment of choice for management of mixed features. Combination of MS and AAP, MS or AAP monotherapy was the first-line options for management of maintenance phase after manic episode. For maintenance treatment after bipolar I depression, combination of MS and AAP, combination of MS and LTG, combination of AAP and LTG, MS or LTG monotherapy, and combination of MS, AAP and LTG were the first-line options.
Conclusion
Despite the limitations of expert consensus guideline, KMAP-BP 2014 may reflect the current patterns of clinical practice and recent researches.
BACKGROUND: Meningiomas are the most common primary benign brain tumors in adults. Given the extended life expectancy of most meningiomas, consideration of quality of life (QOL) is important when selecting the optimal management strategy. There is currently a dearth of meningioma-specific QOL tools in the literature. OBJECTIVE: In this systematic review, we analyze the prevailing themes and propose toward building a meningioma-specific QOL assessment tool. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted, and only original studies based on adult patients were considered. QOL tools used in the various studies were analyzed for identification of prevailing themes in the qualitative analysis. The quality of the studies was also assessed. RESULTS: Sixteen articles met all inclusion criteria. Fifteen different QOL assessment tools assessed social and physical functioning, psychological, and emotional well-being. Patient perceptions and support networks had a major impact on QOL scores. Surgery negatively affected social functioning in younger patients, while radiation therapy had a variable impact. Any intervention appeared to have a greater negative impact on physical functioning compared to observation. CONCLUSION: Younger patients with meningiomas appear to be more vulnerable within social and physical functioning domains. All of these findings must be interpreted with great caution due to great clinical heterogeneity, limited generalizability, and risk of bias. For meningioma patients, the ideal QOL questionnaire would present outcomes that can be easily measured, presented, and compared across studies. Existing scales can be the foundation upon which a comprehensive, standard, and simple meningioma-specific survey can be prospectively developed and validated.
A trend toward greater body size in dizygotic (DZ) than in monozygotic (MZ) twins has been suggested by some but not all studies, and this difference may also vary by age. We analyzed zygosity differences in mean values and variances of height and body mass index (BMI) among male and female twins from infancy to old age. Data were derived from an international database of 54 twin cohorts participating in the COllaborative project of Development of Anthropometrical measures in Twins (CODATwins), and included 842,951 height and BMI measurements from twins aged 1 to 102 years. The results showed that DZ twins were consistently taller than MZ twins, with differences of up to 2.0 cm in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.9 cm in adulthood. Similarly, a greater mean BMI of up to 0.3 kg/m2 in childhood and adolescence and up to 0.2 kg/m2 in adulthood was observed in DZ twins, although the pattern was less consistent. DZ twins presented up to 1.7% greater height and 1.9% greater BMI than MZ twins; these percentage differences were largest in middle and late childhood and decreased with age in both sexes. The variance of height was similar in MZ and DZ twins at most ages. In contrast, the variance of BMI was significantly higher in DZ than in MZ twins, particularly in childhood. In conclusion, DZ twins were generally taller and had greater BMI than MZ twins, but the differences decreased with age in both sexes.
Depression is common after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with adverse effects on prognosis. There is little evidence on whether depression treatment improves quality of life (QoL) in ACS patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of co-morbid depression and its treatment on QoL in ACS.
Method
In total, 1152 patients were recruited at baseline, 2–14 weeks after a confirmed ACS episode, and 828 were followed 1 year thereafter. Of 446 baseline participants with co-morbid depressive disorders, 300 were randomized to a 24-week double blind trial of escitalopram or placebo, while the remaining 146 received medical treatment only (MTO). QoL was measured by the World Health Organization Quality of Life –Abbreviated form (WHOQOL-BREF).
Results
At baseline, QoL was significantly lower in patients with co-morbid depressive disorder than those without. QoL improvement was significantly greater in those receiving escitalopram than those receiving placebo over the 24-week treatment period. In the 1-year follow-up, the better outcomes associated with escitalopram remained evident against both placebo and MTO.
Conclusions
Depression was significantly associated with worse QoL even in patients with recently developed ACS. Depression treatment was associated with QoL improvement in ACS patients in the 24-week treatment period, the effects of which extended to 1 year.
The Arabidopsis gene AVP1 encodes a vacuolar H+-translocating inorganic pyrophosphatase (enzyme classification (EC) 3.6.1.1) that functions as an electronic proton pump in the vacuolar membrane and affects growth development and the stress response in plants. The current study was conducted to evaluate the molecular properties of the Arabidopsis thaliana vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (AVP1) gene in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Incorporation and expression of the transgene was confirmed by semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of the AVP1 gene in transgenic rice plants (TRP1 and TRP2) resulted in a significantly enhanced tolerance to 5·8 g/l NaCl under greenhouse conditions when compared with the control wild-type (WT) rice plants. Augmented AVP1 expression in the transgenic rice plants (TRP) also affected total biomass and improved ion homoeostasis through increased accumulation of Na+ ions in whole tissues when compared with control WT rice plants under high salinity conditions. The photochemical yield (Fv/Fm) values of TRP were higher than those of the WT rice plants, even though the values decreased over time in both the WT and transgenic (TRP1 to TRP8) rice plants. Furthermore, rice grain yield and biomass of the TRP were at least 15% higher based on culm and root weights, and panicle and spikelet numbers when compared with those of the WT rice plants during the 2010 and 2010 growing seasons in South Korea. Thus, these results suggest that ectopic AVP1 expression conferred tolerance and stress resistance to genetically modified transgenic crop plants by improving cellular ion homoeostasis in response to saline conditions, which enhanced rice yield and biomass under natural conditions in paddy fields.
We examined the cross-sectional relationship between environmental tobacco smoke exposure, continuous performance test (CPT) measures, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disability symptoms in school-aged children.
Method
In total, 989 children (526 boys, mean age 9.1 ± 0.7 years), recruited from five South Korean cities participated in this study. We used urine cotinine as a biomarker for environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and obtained the children's scores on a CPT. Parents completed the Korean versions of the ADHD Rating Scale – IV (ADHD-RS) and Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (LDES). Using generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), we assessed the associations between urine cotinine concentrations, neuropsychological variables, and symptoms of ADHD and learning disabilities. Additionally, we conducted structural equation models to explore the effects' pathways.
Results
After adjusting for a range of relevant covariates, GLMM showed urinary cotinine levels were significantly and positively associated with CPT scores on omission errors, commission errors, response time, and response time variability, and with parent- and teacher-rated ADHD-RS scores. In addition, urine cotinine levels were negatively associated with LDES scores on spelling and mathematical calculations. The structural equation model revealed that CPT variables mediated the association between urine cotinine levels and parental reports of symptoms of ADHD and learning disabilities.
Conclusions
Our data indicate that environmental exposure to tobacco smoke is associated with ADHD and learning disabilities in children, and that impairments in attention and inhibitory control probably mediate the effect.
The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) have increased in Western countries. However, there are limited data regarding the epidemiology of CDI in Eastern countries. This nationwide study was conducted in 17 hospitals to determine temporal trends in CDI incidence (from 2004 to 2008) in South Korea. The total incidence of CDI in Korea was 1·7 cases/1000 adult admissions in 2004, and 2·7/1000 cases in 2008 (P = 0·028). When analysing the clinical features of 1367 CDI patients diagnosed in 2008, oral metronidazole was effective as a first-line treatment for CDI (61·9%). Relapse rate was 8·9% and complicated CDI was only observed in 3·6%. The incidence of CDI increased significantly in Korea from 2004 to 2008. Although the clinical features were milder than in Western countries, the increasing burden of CDI needs ongoing surveillance systems.
Alfentanil was reported to relax the rat aorta by direct action on the vascular smooth muscle. The aims of this in vitro study were to examine the effect of alfentanil on phenylephrine-induced contractions in the rat aorta and to determine the cellular mechanism associated with this process.
Methods
Endothelium-denuded aortic rings were suspended in order to record isometric tension. In the rings with or without 10−6 mol naloxone or 10−5 mol verapamil, the concentration–response curves for phenylephrine and potassium chloride were generated in the presence or absence of alfentanil (10−6, 5 × 10−5, 10−4 mol). In the rings exposed to a calcium-free isotonic depolarizing solution, the contractile response induced by the addition of calcium was assessed in the presence or absence of alfentanil (5 × 10−5, 10−4 mol).
Results
Alfentanil (5 × 10−5, 10−4 mol) attenuated (P < 0.05) the phenylephrine-induced contraction in the ring with or without 10−6 mol naloxone but had no effect on the phenylephrine-induced contraction in the rings pretreated with verapamil. Alfentanil (5 × 10−5, 10−4 mol) produced a significant rightward shift (P < 0.01) in the potassium chloride dose–response curve, and attenuated the contractile response (P < 0.001) induced by calcium in the calcium-free isotonic depolarizing solution in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions
A supraclinical dose of alfentanil attenuates the phenylephrine-induced contraction via an inhibitory effect on calcium influx by blocking the l-type calcium channels in the rat aortic vascular smooth muscle.
The influence of growth sequence on optical and structural properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) grown by atomic layer epitaxy was investigated systematically. It is found that growth interruption (GI) after In is more effective than non-GI after In in reducing the density of coalescent dots, and reducing the dot width distribution of the QDs. Meanwhile, dot densities are approximately doubled by non-GI after In. GI after As reduces dot height distribution compared with non-GI after As. Generally, GI after In plays a more critical role than GI after As does in formation of the QDs. The sample grown with In/GI/As/GI sequence shows the lowest 300 K-photoluminescence (PL) linewidth (∼30 meV), high PL peak separation between ground and 1st excited level (∼80 meV). From the result, it is known that In/GI/As/GI is the favorable growth sequence among the sample sets. Temperature dependence of PL linewidth shows that the In/GI/As/GI sample is insensitive to cryostat temperature and it is attributed to weak wetting effect. Thinner wetting layers shown in a cross-sectional TEM image supports this.
We report the synthesis and thermoelectric properties of high valence metal-doped [Ca2Co1-xMxO3-δ]0.62CoO2 (M = Re, Mo or Nb) compounds. Approximately 10% M-doping for Co sites in block layer was found to be effective for dramatic suppression of oxygen nonstoichiometries. Seebeck coefficients were systematically enhanced with M-doping levels (x), and however, electrical resistivities also increased with x for conventionally sintered bulk samples. On the other hand, magnetic alignment and/or densification were remarkably effective for reduction of the resistivity. In the case of Mo-doped (x = 0.1) sample, a highly c-axis aligned and densified sample showed 1–3 times larger power factor at 1100K (5.3 μ WK−2cm−1) than the non-doped one. Moreover, these high valence metal doped Ca349 compounds exhibited the oxygen nonstoichiometry suppressed dramatically.
We have studied the change of the spectral response in a quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) by using the impurity-free vacancy disordering (IFVD) to change the bandgap of the GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well absorption layer. IFVD process has been carried out with PECVD-grown SiO2 capping on the MOCVD-grown QWIP structure, whose absorption region consists of 25 periods of 3.6nm thick Si-doped GaAs well and 50nm thick Al0.24Ga0.76As barrier. The PL peak of MQW decreased with the increase of annealing temperature and time from 802 nm to 700 nm at 15 K. The fabricated QWIP whose absorption region was intermixed at 850 °C by IFVD technique showed the maximum change in spectral response from 8 to 10 um when compared to a QWIP without intermixing. This result implies that the intermixing technology can be used to make multicolor QWIP without growing multiple IR absorption regions.
The mechanism by which rapid tryptophan depletion (RTD) paradigm induces depressive relapse in recently remitted patients with depression is unknown.
Aims
To determine the effects of RTD on brain 5-HT2 receptors using positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-labelled setoperone.
Method
Ten healthy women underwent two PET scans. Each scan was done 5 h after the ingestion of either a balanced or a tryptophan-deficient amino acid mixture, and the two test sessions were separated by at least 5 days.
Results
The RTD decreased plasma free tryptophan levels significantly but it had no significant effects on mood. Subjects showed a significant decrease in brain 5-HT2 receptor binding in various cortical regions following the RTD session.
Conclusions
When taken with the evidence that antidepressant treatment is associated with a decrease in brain 5-HT2 receptors, these findings suggest that a decrease in 5-HT2 binding following RTD might be an adaptive response that provides protection against depressive symptoms.
In this work, we proposed a direct bonding method using interlayers for single crystalline silicon wafers and glass wafers. Various materials were used for interlayers of thermal oxide, sputtered nitride, electron-beam(E-beam) evaporated silicon oxide and molybdenum. After hydrophilization, samples were spin dried and mated together without external forces. Three types of solutions were used for hydrophilizing the samples. Changes of average surface roughness after hydrophilization of the single crystalline silicon wafer, thermal oxide and E-beam silicon-oxide were inspected using atomic force microscope(AFM). Bonding interfaces of the bonded pairs were observed by scanning electron microscope(SEM). Voids and non-contact areas of the bonding pairs were also inspected using infrared(IR) transmission microscope. Surface energy, tensile strength measurements and breaking tests were also done.
Interfacial reactions of Co and Si/Co films on GaAs have been investigated using X-ray diffraction(XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy(AES), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy(XTEM), microdiffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS). Cobalt starts to react with GaAs at 380°C by formation of ternary phase, most probably Co2GaAs. At 420°C, CoGa nucleates at the Co and Co2GaAs interface and grows with Co2GaAs. At higher temperature, Co2GaAs disappears and CoGa/GaAs layer structures are formed. Annealing of the layer-deposited Si/Co films at 380°C results in the formation of Co2GaAs. At 420°C, the entire layer of Co is consumed, while Co2Si transforms to CoSi, and binary phases, CoGa and CoAs, are formed on top of the ternary phase beneath the CoSi layer. In the subsequent reaction, CoSi grows at the expense of the decompositions of CoGa and CoAs at 460°C. At 600°C, ternary phase is decomposed, and CoSi forms interface with GaAs. This finding can be understood from the calculated Si-Co-Ga-As quaternary phase diagram.
A wide variety of natural resins, waxes, gums, drying oils and proteinaceous materials used on paintings are photoluminescent. The photoluminescence spectra of these materials are reported and discussed. The application of this technique towards the identification of these materials is considered. Both bulk materials and films prepared from selected bulk materials were studied and a comparison is made between the bulk and film samples. Temperature and excitation wavelength studies are reported and discussed for several of the samples.