The distribution, species, biomass,productivity of main seagrasses and their sufferedmain threats are introduced and discussed in thispaper based on the field surveys in the offshore areas of Guangdong, Guangxi and Ha...The distribution, species, biomass,productivity of main seagrasses and their sufferedmain threats are introduced and discussed in thispaper based on the field surveys in the offshore areas of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces.The seagrass beds distributed mainly in Liusha Bay,Donghai Island and Hailing Island of GuangdongProvince; Hepu and Pearl Bay of Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region; Li’an Bay, Xincun Bay, Longwan Bay and Sanya Bay of Hainan Province and soon. The total area of seagrass beds in the coastal seaof South China is about 2400 ha. There are about 8species, such as Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervisHalophila beccarii, Zostera japonica, Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemperichii, Ruppia martime andCymodocea rotundata. These seagrasses have highbiomass and productivity. However, they are subjected to some threats resulting from artificial andnatural factors, especially anthropogenic causes,such as culture of shrimps and fishes, shellfish collection, fishing by means of poisons, electric powerand explosives as well as trawling, artificial pollution,dredging channels, and typhoons natural disaster.展开更多
The robotic surgical system has been applied to various types of pancreatic surgery. However, controversies exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of r...The robotic surgical system has been applied to various types of pancreatic surgery. However, controversies exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the current status of robotic pancreatic surgery and put forth experts' consensus and recommendations to promote its development. Based on the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, a Consensus Steering Group* and a Consensus Development Group were established to determine the topics, prepare evidence-based documents, and generate recommendations. The GRADE Grid method and Delphi vote were used to formulate the recommendations. A total of 19 topics were analyzed. The first 16 recommendations were generated by GRADE using an evidence-based method (EBM) and focused on the safety, feasibility, indication, techniques, certification of the robotic surgeon, and cost-effectiveness of robotic pancreatic surgery. The remaining three recommendations were based on literature review and expert panel opinion due to insufficient EBM results. Since the current amount of;evidence was low/meager as evaluated by the GRADE method, further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed in the future to validate these recommendations.展开更多
The robotic surgical system has been applied in liver surgery. However,controversies concerns exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety,feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery....The robotic surgical system has been applied in liver surgery. However,controversies concerns exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety,feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery. To promote the development of robotic hepatectomy, this study aimed to evaluate the current status of robotic hepatectomy and provide sixty experts' consensus and recommendations to promote its development. Based on the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development, a Consensus Steering Group and a Consensus Development Group were established to determine the topics, prepare evidence-based documents, and generate recommendations. The GRADE Grid method and Delphi vote were used to formulate the recommendations. A total of 22 topics were prepared analyzed and widely discussed during the 4 meetings. Based on the published articles and expert panel opinion, 7 recommendations were generated by the GRADE method using an evidence-based method, which focused on the safety, feasibility, indication,techniques and cost-effectiveness of hepatectomy. Given that the current evidences were low to very low as evaluated by the GRADE method, further randomized-controlled trials are needed in the future to validate these recommendations.展开更多
AIM： To test the psychometric properties of a Chinese [（Hong Kong） HK] translation of the chronic liver disease questionnaire （CLDQ）. METHODS： A Chinese （HK） translation of the CLDQ was developed by iterative ...AIM： To test the psychometric properties of a Chinese [（Hong Kong） HK] translation of the chronic liver disease questionnaire （CLDQ）. METHODS： A Chinese （HK） translation of the CLDQ was developed by iterative translation and cognitive debriefing. It was then administered to 72 uncomplicated and 78 complicated chronic hepatitis B （CriB） patients in Hong Kong together with a structured questionnaire on service utilization, and the Chinese （HK） SF-36 Health Survey Version 2 （SF-36v2）. RESULTS： Scaling success was ≥ 80% for all but three items. A new factor assessing sleep was found and items of two （Fatigue and Systemic Symptoms） subscales tended to load on the same factor. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.58-0.90 for different subscales. Construct validity was confirmed by the expected correlations between the SF-36v2 Health Survey and CLDQ scores. Mean scores of CLDQ were significantly lower in complicated compared with uncomplicated CHB, supporting sensitivity in detecting differences between groups.CONCLUSION： The Chinese （HK） CLDQ is valid, reliable and sensitive for patients with CHB. Some modifications to the scaling structure might further improve its psychometric properties,展开更多
The monitoring survey and health assessment for benthic community were carried out in Luhuitou fringing reef of Sanya, Hainan, China in 2002. Monitoring survey included manta tow, line intercept transect, video transe...The monitoring survey and health assessment for benthic community were carried out in Luhuitou fringing reef of Sanya, Hainan, China in 2002. Monitoring survey included manta tow, line intercept transect, video transect and digital photograph. The mean live coral cover was 23.40%. Comparison of used monitoring methods showed that video transect can replace line intercept transect, and 50 m transect is better than 20 m transect in uneven coral region. Survey data and comparison with previous research work showed that Luhuitou fringing reef has been damaged severely and has a general declining trend with live coral cover from about 85% in the 1960s down to 20% in 2004, but it still has quite high biodiversity and therefore has special protection value. Main factors of Luhuitou fringing reef declining were human activities including reef rock digging and curios collecting, destructive fishing, sediment and pollutant from coastal land, and recent marine aquaculture. Only strengthening integrated management can reach improvement and restoration of Luhuitou declining coral reef ecosystem.展开更多
The temporal variations in storm rainfall during the first rainy season (FRS) in South China (SC) are investigated in this study. The results show that the inter-annual variations in storm rainfall during the FRS in S...The temporal variations in storm rainfall during the first rainy season (FRS) in South China (SC) are investigated in this study. The results show that the inter-annual variations in storm rainfall during the FRS in SC seem to be mainly influenced by the frequency of storm rainfall, while both frequency and intensity affect the inter-decadal variations in the total storm rainfall. Using the definitions for the beginning and ending dates of the FRS, and the onset dates of the summer monsoon in SC, the FRS is further divided into two sub-periods, i.e., the frontal and monsoon rainfall periods. The inter-annual and inter-decadal variations in storm rainfall during these two periods are investigated here. The results reveal a significant out-of-phase correlation between the frontal and monsoon storm rainfall, especially on the inter-decadal timescale, the physical mechanism for which requires further investigation.展开更多
In this paper, motion analysis methods based on the moment features and flicker frequency features for early fire flame from ordinary CCD video camera were proposed, and in order to describe the changing of flame and ...In this paper, motion analysis methods based on the moment features and flicker frequency features for early fire flame from ordinary CCD video camera were proposed, and in order to describe the changing of flame and disturbance of non-flame phenomena further more, the average changing pixel number of the first-order moments of consecutive flames has been defined in the moment analysis as well. The first-order moments of all kinds of flames used in our experiments present irregularly flickering, and their average changing pixel numbers of first-order moments are greater than fire-like disturbances. For the analysis of flicker frequency of flame, which is extracted and calculated in spatial domain, and therefore it is computational simple and fast. The method of extracting flicker frequency from video images is not affected by the catalogues of combustion material and distance. In experiments, we adopted two kinds of flames, i. e. , fixed flame and movable flame. Many comparing and disturbing experiments were done and verified that the methods can be used as criteria for early fire detection.展开更多
Head and neck(HN)cancer is an endemic disease in Taiwan,China.Locally recurrent HN cancer after full-dose irradia-tion poses a therapeutic challenge,and boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT)may be a solution that could ...Head and neck(HN)cancer is an endemic disease in Taiwan,China.Locally recurrent HN cancer after full-dose irradia-tion poses a therapeutic challenge,and boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT)may be a solution that could provide durable local control with tolerable toxicity.The Tsing-Hua Open Pool Reactor(THOR)at National Tsing-Hua University in Hsin-Chu,provides a high-quality epithermal neutron source for basic and clinical BNCT research.Our first clinical trial,entitled“A phase I/II trial of boron neutron capture therapy for recurrent head and neck cancer at THOR”,was carried out between 2010 and 2013.A total of 17 patients with 23 recurrent HN tumors who had received high-dose photon irradiation were enrolled in the study.The fructose complex of l-boronophenylalanine was used as a boron carrier,and a two-fraction BNCT treatment regimen at 28-day intervals was used for each patient.Toxicity was acceptable,and although the response rate was high(12/17),re-recurrence within or near the radiation site was common.To obtain better local control,another clinical trial entitled“A phase I/II trial of boron neutron capture therapy combined with image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IG-IMRT)for locally recurrent HN cancer”was initiated in 2014.The first administration of BNCT was performed according to our previous protocol,and IG-IMRT was initiated 28 days after BNCT.As of May 2017,seven patients have been treated with this combination.The treatment-related toxicity was similar to that previously observed with two BNCT applications.Three patients had a complete response,but locoregional recurrence was the major cause of failure despite initially good responses.Future clinical trials combining BNCT with other local or systemic treatments will be carried out for recurrent HN cancer patients at THOR.展开更多
Background Synchronised physiological adaptations occur during pregnancy to achieve systemic,immune and neuroendocrine equilibrium in the mother's body,allowing semiallogenic fetal growth.Main text Depending on th...Background Synchronised physiological adaptations occur during pregnancy to achieve systemic,immune and neuroendocrine equilibrium in the mother's body,allowing semiallogenic fetal growth.Main text Depending on the cytokine profile alterations occurring through pregnancy,the latter can be divided into three distinct phases.In the first immunological phase of pregnancy,proinflammatory cytokines promote inflammatory reactions needed for implantation.In the second phase,a possible change from proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokines creates a symbiosis between maternal and fetal components,ensuring fetal development.In the third phase,inflammatory and cytolytic cytokines operate again to reinforce an inflammatory environment for parturition.The article offers a detailed account of immune adaptations during pregnancy and highlights the distinctive cytokine profiles that mark each phase.Conclusion By providing a simplified depiction of pregnancy phases based on cytokine profiles,the article aims to inspire more research in reproductive immunology and improve the management of pregnancy-related inflammation and infection.展开更多
AIM To study whether Helicobacter pylori is naturally transformable. METHODS Transformation was performed in BHI broth supplemented with horse serum and yeast extract. Genomic DNA extracted from a metronidazole...AIM To study whether Helicobacter pylori is naturally transformable. METHODS Transformation was performed in BHI broth supplemented with horse serum and yeast extract. Genomic DNA extracted from a metronidazole resistant H. pylori strain was added to H. pylori broth culture. The mixture was incubated at microaerophilic atmosphere. The DNA treated cells were plated on blood agar containing 8mg/L metronidazole to select for transformants. Sterile distilled water was used as a negative DNA control. The DNA profiles of transformants were compared with that of their parent strains by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting. RESULTS Transformation of H. pylori with DNA from a metronidazole resistant strain as a marker was demonstrated. Out of the 12 strains of H. pylori tested, 9 (75%) strains were found to be transformable. The transformation frequencies ranged from 3 4×10 -6 to 2 4×10 -4 . By RAPD, DNA fingerprints of the transformants and their parent strains showed no change in DNA profiles though transformants were all resistant to metronidazole as compared with their metronidazole sensitive parent strains. CONCLUSION Helicobacter pylori is naturally transformable which might be one of the ways that H. pylori develops resistance to metronidazole.展开更多
Background:The premise of minimally invasive surgery(MIS)is to minimize facial and muscle injury in order to enhance recovery from surgery.Robotic MIS surgery for resection of tumors in solid organs is gaining tractio...Background:The premise of minimally invasive surgery(MIS)is to minimize facial and muscle injury in order to enhance recovery from surgery.Robotic MIS surgery for resection of tumors in solid organs is gaining traction,though clear superiority of this approach is lacking and robotic surgery is more expensive.Our philosophy in robotically-assisted hepatectomy has been to employ this approach for cases where location of tumors make difficult a classical laparoscopic approach(superior/posterior tumors),and cases where the incision for an open operation dominates the course of recovery.Methods:This is a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database.Results:In this study we report 97 cases of liver resection subjected to the robotic approach,of which 90%were resected robotically.The mean operative time was 186±9 min;mean blood loss was 111±15 mL,and complications occurred in 9%.Two thirds of the patients remained in hospital 3 days or less,including three patients subjected to hemihepatectomy(2 left and 1 right).Fourteen individuals were discharged on the same day.The strongest predictors of long hospital stay(>3 days)were major hepatectomy(P=0.007),complications(P=0.008),and operative time>210 min(P=0.001).Conclusions:With thoughtful case selection,this is a first demonstration that hepatectomy can be conducted as an out-patient or short-stay procedure.展开更多
The robotic liver resection(RLR)has been increasingly applied in recent years and its benefits shown in some aspects owing to the technical advancement of robotic surgical system,however,controversies still exist.Base...The robotic liver resection(RLR)has been increasingly applied in recent years and its benefits shown in some aspects owing to the technical advancement of robotic surgical system,however,controversies still exist.Based on the foundation of the previous consensus statement,this new consensus document aimed to update clinical recommendations and provide guidance to improve the outcomes of RLR clinical practice.The guideline steering group and guideline expert group were formed by 29 international experts of liver surgery and evidence-based medicine(EBM).Relevant literature was reviewed and analyzed by the evidence evaluation group.According to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development,the Guidance Principles of Development and Amendment of the Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment in China 2022,a total of 14 recommendations were generated.Among them were 8 recommendations formulated by the GRADE method,and the remaining 6 recommendations were formulated based on literature review and experts’opinion due to insufficient EBM results.This international experts consensus guideline offered guidance for the safe and effective clinical practice and the research direction of RLR in future.展开更多
We aim to evaluate the incidence of incontinence following laser endoscopic enucleation of the prostate(EEP)comparing en-bloc(Group 1)versus 2-lobe/3-lobe techniques(Group 2).We performed a retrospective review of pat...We aim to evaluate the incidence of incontinence following laser endoscopic enucleation of the prostate(EEP)comparing en-bloc(Group 1)versus 2-lobe/3-lobe techniques(Group 2).We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing EEP for benign prostaticenlargement in 12 centers between January 2020 and January 2022.Data were presented as median and interquartile range(IQR).Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with stress urinary incontinence(SUI)and mixed urinary incontinence(MUI).There were 1711 patients in Group 1 and 3357 patients in Group 2.Patients in Group 2were significantly younger(68[62–73]years vs 69[63–74]years,P=0.002).Median(interquartile range)prostate volume(PV)wassimilar between the groups(70[52–92]ml in Group 1 vs 70[54–90]ml in Group 2,P=0.774).There was no difference in preoperativeInternational Prostate Symptom Score,quality of life,or maximum flow rate.Enucleation,morcellation,and total surgical time weresignificantly shorter in Group 1.Within 1 month,overall incontinence rate was 6.3%in Group 1 versus 5.3%in Group 2(P=0.12),and urge incontinence was significantly higher in Group 1(55.1%vs 37.3%in Group 2,P<0.001).After 3 months,the overall rate ofincontinence was 1.7%in Group 1 versus 2.3%in Group 2(P=0.06),and SUI was significantly higher in Group 2(55.6%vs 24.1%in Group 1,P=0.002).At multivariable analysis,PV and IPSS were factors significantly associated with higher odds of transient SUI/MUI.PV,surgical time,and no early apical release technique were factors associated with higher odds of persistent SUI/MUI.展开更多
Understanding aerosol-vegetation interactions is vital in ecosystems.However,the interactions remain elusive partly due to the lack of suitable plant growth chamber systems.Particularly,deposition of submicron particl...Understanding aerosol-vegetation interactions is vital in ecosystems.However,the interactions remain elusive partly due to the lack of suitable plant growth chamber systems.Particularly,deposition of submicron particles on leaf surfaces is challenging due to its low deposition velocities compared to larger particles.In this work,we present a plant-growth chamber that was used to study the effect of sub-micron black carbon(BC)particles on the growth and photosynthesis of plants.The chamber system simultaneously enables the growth of multiple plants in pots and the deposition of submicron particles onto them.Two spraying methods assisted by ultrasonic and electrostatic forces were employed as aerosol generators to realize the particle deposition.The flow regime inside the chamber was numeri-cally calculated to predict the transportation of aerosol particles,suggesting the optimal operating conditions of the chamber.The gas-phase particle size distribution measurements showed that gener-ated BC particles were suspended in submicron diameter ranges.The aerosol generators were examined in the chamber using three conductor and insulator substrates as a model of plant leaves.Microscope observations and spectroscopic analysis ascertained that submicron BC particles generated from our generators were deposited on all substrate surfaces.Using the developed chamber system,systematic studies can be performed to advance the fundamental understanding of aerosol-vegetation interactions.展开更多
文摘The distribution, species, biomass,productivity of main seagrasses and their sufferedmain threats are introduced and discussed in thispaper based on the field surveys in the offshore areas of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces.The seagrass beds distributed mainly in Liusha Bay,Donghai Island and Hailing Island of GuangdongProvince; Hepu and Pearl Bay of Guangxi ZhuangAutonomous Region; Li’an Bay, Xincun Bay, Longwan Bay and Sanya Bay of Hainan Province and soon. The total area of seagrass beds in the coastal seaof South China is about 2400 ha. There are about 8species, such as Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervisHalophila beccarii, Zostera japonica, Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemperichii, Ruppia martime andCymodocea rotundata. These seagrasses have highbiomass and productivity. However, they are subjected to some threats resulting from artificial andnatural factors, especially anthropogenic causes,such as culture of shrimps and fishes, shellfish collection, fishing by means of poisons, electric powerand explosives as well as trawling, artificial pollution,dredging channels, and typhoons natural disaster.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(grand number 2017YFC0110405)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant number 81500499).
文摘The robotic surgical system has been applied to various types of pancreatic surgery. However, controversies exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the current status of robotic pancreatic surgery and put forth experts' consensus and recommendations to promote its development. Based on the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, a Consensus Steering Group* and a Consensus Development Group were established to determine the topics, prepare evidence-based documents, and generate recommendations. The GRADE Grid method and Delphi vote were used to formulate the recommendations. A total of 19 topics were analyzed. The first 16 recommendations were generated by GRADE using an evidence-based method (EBM) and focused on the safety, feasibility, indication, techniques, certification of the robotic surgeon, and cost-effectiveness of robotic pancreatic surgery. The remaining three recommendations were based on literature review and expert panel opinion due to insufficient EBM results. Since the current amount of;evidence was low/meager as evaluated by the GRADE method, further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed in the future to validate these recommendations.
基金Supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2017YFC0110405National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81500499
文摘The robotic surgical system has been applied in liver surgery. However,controversies concerns exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety,feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery. To promote the development of robotic hepatectomy, this study aimed to evaluate the current status of robotic hepatectomy and provide sixty experts' consensus and recommendations to promote its development. Based on the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development, a Consensus Steering Group and a Consensus Development Group were established to determine the topics, prepare evidence-based documents, and generate recommendations. The GRADE Grid method and Delphi vote were used to formulate the recommendations. A total of 22 topics were prepared analyzed and widely discussed during the 4 meetings. Based on the published articles and expert panel opinion, 7 recommendations were generated by the GRADE method using an evidence-based method, which focused on the safety, feasibility, indication,techniques and cost-effectiveness of hepatectomy. Given that the current evidences were low to very low as evaluated by the GRADE method, further randomized-controlled trials are needed in the future to validate these recommendations.
基金Supported by Small Project Grant from the Committee of Research and Conference Grant,CRCG project,No.10207293the University of Hong Kong and the Health and Health Service Research Fund,HHSRF project,No.05060741,Food and Health Bureau,Government of Hong Kong Special Administration Region,China
文摘AIM： To test the psychometric properties of a Chinese [（Hong Kong） HK] translation of the chronic liver disease questionnaire （CLDQ）. METHODS： A Chinese （HK） translation of the CLDQ was developed by iterative translation and cognitive debriefing. It was then administered to 72 uncomplicated and 78 complicated chronic hepatitis B （CriB） patients in Hong Kong together with a structured questionnaire on service utilization, and the Chinese （HK） SF-36 Health Survey Version 2 （SF-36v2）. RESULTS： Scaling success was ≥ 80% for all but three items. A new factor assessing sleep was found and items of two （Fatigue and Systemic Symptoms） subscales tended to load on the same factor. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.58-0.90 for different subscales. Construct validity was confirmed by the expected correlations between the SF-36v2 Health Survey and CLDQ scores. Mean scores of CLDQ were significantly lower in complicated compared with uncomplicated CHB, supporting sensitivity in detecting differences between groups.CONCLUSION： The Chinese （HK） CLDQ is valid, reliable and sensitive for patients with CHB. Some modifications to the scaling structure might further improve its psychometric properties,
基金Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Hainan Sanya National Coral Reef Natural Reserve Administration, International Cooperation Division of State 0ceanic Administration of China, and Marine Environment protection Division of Department of Marine and Fishery of Hainan Province, for their powerful help. This work was supported by Chinese Ministry of Science ＆ Technology Special Scheme （Grant No. 2002CCA02700）, National Natural Science Foundation of China （Grant Nos. 40231009, 40406018）, UNEP Small Grant Fund Project （Grant No. MT/1010-01-03） and the Knowledge Innovation Project of South China Sea Institute of 0ceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
文摘The monitoring survey and health assessment for benthic community were carried out in Luhuitou fringing reef of Sanya, Hainan, China in 2002. Monitoring survey included manta tow, line intercept transect, video transect and digital photograph. The mean live coral cover was 23.40%. Comparison of used monitoring methods showed that video transect can replace line intercept transect, and 50 m transect is better than 20 m transect in uneven coral region. Survey data and comparison with previous research work showed that Luhuitou fringing reef has been damaged severely and has a general declining trend with live coral cover from about 85% in the 1960s down to 20% in 2004, but it still has quite high biodiversity and therefore has special protection value. Main factors of Luhuitou fringing reef declining were human activities including reef rock digging and curios collecting, destructive fishing, sediment and pollutant from coastal land, and recent marine aquaculture. Only strengthening integrated management can reach improvement and restoration of Luhuitou declining coral reef ecosystem.
基金supported jointly by the National Key Technologies R&D Program of China(Grant No.2008BAK50B02)the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2009CB421405)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40730952)
文摘The temporal variations in storm rainfall during the first rainy season (FRS) in South China (SC) are investigated in this study. The results show that the inter-annual variations in storm rainfall during the FRS in SC seem to be mainly influenced by the frequency of storm rainfall, while both frequency and intensity affect the inter-decadal variations in the total storm rainfall. Using the definitions for the beginning and ending dates of the FRS, and the onset dates of the summer monsoon in SC, the FRS is further divided into two sub-periods, i.e., the frontal and monsoon rainfall periods. The inter-annual and inter-decadal variations in storm rainfall during these two periods are investigated here. The results reveal a significant out-of-phase correlation between the frontal and monsoon storm rainfall, especially on the inter-decadal timescale, the physical mechanism for which requires further investigation.
基金Supported by " Experimental Scale Studies in Smoke Control Strategy in Large Linear Atria in HKSAR" (B Q372)
文摘In this paper, motion analysis methods based on the moment features and flicker frequency features for early fire flame from ordinary CCD video camera were proposed, and in order to describe the changing of flame and disturbance of non-flame phenomena further more, the average changing pixel number of the first-order moments of consecutive flames has been defined in the moment analysis as well. The first-order moments of all kinds of flames used in our experiments present irregularly flickering, and their average changing pixel numbers of first-order moments are greater than fire-like disturbances. For the analysis of flicker frequency of flame, which is extracted and calculated in spatial domain, and therefore it is computational simple and fast. The method of extracting flicker frequency from video images is not affected by the catalogues of combustion material and distance. In experiments, we adopted two kinds of flames, i. e. , fixed flame and movable flame. Many comparing and disturbing experiments were done and verified that the methods can be used as criteria for early fire detection.
基金supported by“Ministry of science and technology of Taiwan”,China.
文摘Head and neck(HN)cancer is an endemic disease in Taiwan,China.Locally recurrent HN cancer after full-dose irradia-tion poses a therapeutic challenge,and boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT)may be a solution that could provide durable local control with tolerable toxicity.The Tsing-Hua Open Pool Reactor(THOR)at National Tsing-Hua University in Hsin-Chu,provides a high-quality epithermal neutron source for basic and clinical BNCT research.Our first clinical trial,entitled“A phase I/II trial of boron neutron capture therapy for recurrent head and neck cancer at THOR”,was carried out between 2010 and 2013.A total of 17 patients with 23 recurrent HN tumors who had received high-dose photon irradiation were enrolled in the study.The fructose complex of l-boronophenylalanine was used as a boron carrier,and a two-fraction BNCT treatment regimen at 28-day intervals was used for each patient.Toxicity was acceptable,and although the response rate was high(12/17),re-recurrence within or near the radiation site was common.To obtain better local control,another clinical trial entitled“A phase I/II trial of boron neutron capture therapy combined with image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IG-IMRT)for locally recurrent HN cancer”was initiated in 2014.The first administration of BNCT was performed according to our previous protocol,and IG-IMRT was initiated 28 days after BNCT.As of May 2017,seven patients have been treated with this combination.The treatment-related toxicity was similar to that previously observed with two BNCT applications.Three patients had a complete response,but locoregional recurrence was the major cause of failure despite initially good responses.Future clinical trials combining BNCT with other local or systemic treatments will be carried out for recurrent HN cancer patients at THOR.
文摘Background Synchronised physiological adaptations occur during pregnancy to achieve systemic,immune and neuroendocrine equilibrium in the mother's body,allowing semiallogenic fetal growth.Main text Depending on the cytokine profile alterations occurring through pregnancy,the latter can be divided into three distinct phases.In the first immunological phase of pregnancy,proinflammatory cytokines promote inflammatory reactions needed for implantation.In the second phase,a possible change from proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokines creates a symbiosis between maternal and fetal components,ensuring fetal development.In the third phase,inflammatory and cytolytic cytokines operate again to reinforce an inflammatory environment for parturition.The article offers a detailed account of immune adaptations during pregnancy and highlights the distinctive cytokine profiles that mark each phase.Conclusion By providing a simplified depiction of pregnancy phases based on cytokine profiles,the article aims to inspire more research in reproductive immunology and improve the management of pregnancy-related inflammation and infection.
文摘AIM To study whether Helicobacter pylori is naturally transformable. METHODS Transformation was performed in BHI broth supplemented with horse serum and yeast extract. Genomic DNA extracted from a metronidazole resistant H. pylori strain was added to H. pylori broth culture. The mixture was incubated at microaerophilic atmosphere. The DNA treated cells were plated on blood agar containing 8mg/L metronidazole to select for transformants. Sterile distilled water was used as a negative DNA control. The DNA profiles of transformants were compared with that of their parent strains by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting. RESULTS Transformation of H. pylori with DNA from a metronidazole resistant strain as a marker was demonstrated. Out of the 12 strains of H. pylori tested, 9 (75%) strains were found to be transformable. The transformation frequencies ranged from 3 4×10 -6 to 2 4×10 -4 . By RAPD, DNA fingerprints of the transformants and their parent strains showed no change in DNA profiles though transformants were all resistant to metronidazole as compared with their metronidazole sensitive parent strains. CONCLUSION Helicobacter pylori is naturally transformable which might be one of the ways that H. pylori develops resistance to metronidazole.
基金Supported in part by the Pilot Grant Program of the City of Hope Medical Center(P30 CA33572,NIH 5K12CA001727-20).
文摘Background:The premise of minimally invasive surgery(MIS)is to minimize facial and muscle injury in order to enhance recovery from surgery.Robotic MIS surgery for resection of tumors in solid organs is gaining traction,though clear superiority of this approach is lacking and robotic surgery is more expensive.Our philosophy in robotically-assisted hepatectomy has been to employ this approach for cases where location of tumors make difficult a classical laparoscopic approach(superior/posterior tumors),and cases where the incision for an open operation dominates the course of recovery.Methods:This is a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database.Results:In this study we report 97 cases of liver resection subjected to the robotic approach,of which 90%were resected robotically.The mean operative time was 186±9 min;mean blood loss was 111±15 mL,and complications occurred in 9%.Two thirds of the patients remained in hospital 3 days or less,including three patients subjected to hemihepatectomy(2 left and 1 right).Fourteen individuals were discharged on the same day.The strongest predictors of long hospital stay(>3 days)were major hepatectomy(P=0.007),complications(P=0.008),and operative time>210 min(P=0.001).Conclusions:With thoughtful case selection,this is a first demonstration that hepatectomy can be conducted as an out-patient or short-stay procedure.
文摘The robotic liver resection(RLR)has been increasingly applied in recent years and its benefits shown in some aspects owing to the technical advancement of robotic surgical system,however,controversies still exist.Based on the foundation of the previous consensus statement,this new consensus document aimed to update clinical recommendations and provide guidance to improve the outcomes of RLR clinical practice.The guideline steering group and guideline expert group were formed by 29 international experts of liver surgery and evidence-based medicine(EBM).Relevant literature was reviewed and analyzed by the evidence evaluation group.According to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development,the Guidance Principles of Development and Amendment of the Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment in China 2022,a total of 14 recommendations were generated.Among them were 8 recommendations formulated by the GRADE method,and the remaining 6 recommendations were formulated based on literature review and experts’opinion due to insufficient EBM results.This international experts consensus guideline offered guidance for the safe and effective clinical practice and the research direction of RLR in future.
文摘We aim to evaluate the incidence of incontinence following laser endoscopic enucleation of the prostate(EEP)comparing en-bloc(Group 1)versus 2-lobe/3-lobe techniques(Group 2).We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing EEP for benign prostaticenlargement in 12 centers between January 2020 and January 2022.Data were presented as median and interquartile range(IQR).Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with stress urinary incontinence(SUI)and mixed urinary incontinence(MUI).There were 1711 patients in Group 1 and 3357 patients in Group 2.Patients in Group 2were significantly younger(68[62–73]years vs 69[63–74]years,P=0.002).Median(interquartile range)prostate volume(PV)wassimilar between the groups(70[52–92]ml in Group 1 vs 70[54–90]ml in Group 2,P=0.774).There was no difference in preoperativeInternational Prostate Symptom Score,quality of life,or maximum flow rate.Enucleation,morcellation,and total surgical time weresignificantly shorter in Group 1.Within 1 month,overall incontinence rate was 6.3%in Group 1 versus 5.3%in Group 2(P=0.12),and urge incontinence was significantly higher in Group 1(55.1%vs 37.3%in Group 2,P<0.001).After 3 months,the overall rate ofincontinence was 1.7%in Group 1 versus 2.3%in Group 2(P=0.06),and SUI was significantly higher in Group 2(55.6%vs 24.1%in Group 1,P=0.002).At multivariable analysis,PV and IPSS were factors significantly associated with higher odds of transient SUI/MUI.PV,surgical time,and no early apical release technique were factors associated with higher odds of persistent SUI/MUI.
基金supported by Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science,and Technology(MEXT)of Japan(Kakenhi Grant no.20120010,20120009,and 20120004)Japan Society for the Promotion of Science(JSPS)Kakenhi Grant(No.23560904,26420761,17K06903,18H02203 and 20K05188).
文摘Understanding aerosol-vegetation interactions is vital in ecosystems.However,the interactions remain elusive partly due to the lack of suitable plant growth chamber systems.Particularly,deposition of submicron particles on leaf surfaces is challenging due to its low deposition velocities compared to larger particles.In this work,we present a plant-growth chamber that was used to study the effect of sub-micron black carbon(BC)particles on the growth and photosynthesis of plants.The chamber system simultaneously enables the growth of multiple plants in pots and the deposition of submicron particles onto them.Two spraying methods assisted by ultrasonic and electrostatic forces were employed as aerosol generators to realize the particle deposition.The flow regime inside the chamber was numeri-cally calculated to predict the transportation of aerosol particles,suggesting the optimal operating conditions of the chamber.The gas-phase particle size distribution measurements showed that gener-ated BC particles were suspended in submicron diameter ranges.The aerosol generators were examined in the chamber using three conductor and insulator substrates as a model of plant leaves.Microscope observations and spectroscopic analysis ascertained that submicron BC particles generated from our generators were deposited on all substrate surfaces.Using the developed chamber system,systematic studies can be performed to advance the fundamental understanding of aerosol-vegetation interactions.
