Analyzed outcome for embolization of hepatic carcinoma by C-arm angiographic computed tomography.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated and monitored the outcome of angiographic embolization of hepatic carcinoma by real-time C-arm angiographic computed tomography under number of tumors, size of tumors, and patient's age.METHODS AND MARTIALS: In total, 142 patients underwent angiographic embolization of hepatic carcinoma. The control group, 71 patients, underwent conventional angiographic (CA) embolization of hepatic carcinoma. The experimental group, 71 patients, underwent C-arm angiographic computed tomography (CCT) embolization of hepatic carcinoma. The numbers of angiographic embolization, number of tumors, size of tumors, and patients ages were recorded for comparisons between groups by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with cross-interaction and the chi-square test (cross table). RESULTS: The age ranges were 20-84 and 35-84 years old for the experimental and control groups respectively. Average number of angiographic embolizations of hepatic carcinomas were 2.63 ± 1.84 and 5.32 ± 2.01 for the experimental and control groups. The number of angiographic embolizations under number of tumors, size of tumors, and patients ages between groups were significantly different (P< 0.05). The effective analyses of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) by CCT were significant by chi-square test (P< 0.05) under ⩽ 3 cm and patients aged ⩽ 60. CONCLUSION: The main advantage by CCT for undergoing TACE under tumor size smaller than 3 cm and numbers of tumor smaller 3 times were more significantly effective than those by CA. The CCT combined with TACE had high potentially reduced numbers of undergoing TACE.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction for Military Cadets on Perceived Stress.

This study aimed to develop a program of mindfulness-based stress reduction for military cadets (MBSR-MC). On the basis of a pretest-posttest design, participants were assigned to either a control or an experimental group to examine the effectiveness of MBSR-MC. First, 60 volunteering cadets of National Defense University were randomly assigned to the MBSR-MC group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). In the pretest, all participants were required to complete the Taiwanese version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (T-FFMQ) and a perceived stress scale (PSS). Subsequently, the MBSR-MC group participated in the 8-week MBSR-MC program, whereas the control group did not receive any experimental treatment. One week following the completion of the program, a posttest consisted of the same questions as the pretest was conducted. Statistical analysis showed that (1) Comparing with the control group, the MBSR-MC group showed superior performance in three subscales of T-FFMQ, namely Acting with awareness, Non-judgment, and Non-reactivity. However, no significant difference was found in the remaining two facets: Observing and Describing. (2) The perceived stress score of the MBSR-MC group was significantly lower than that of the control group. Furthermore, an analysis of mediating effect showed that Acting with awareness, Non-judgment, and Non-reactivity were mediating variables of the relationship between MBSR-MC and perceived stress. The aforementioned results indicated that MBSR-MC training significantly increased military cadets' Acting with awareness, Non-judgment, and Non-reactivity, thereby significantly reducing their perceived stress. Therefore, this study supported the effectiveness of the MBSR-MC program on perceived stress.

Study of release speeds and bacteria inhibiting capabilities of drug delivery membranes fabricated via electrospinning by observing bacteria growth curves.

The study found that biodegradable drug delivery membranes that were fabricated from Poly(a-L-alanine) (PLLA) and chlorhexidine (CHX)-gluconate via electrospinning could steadily and continuously inhibit the growth of bacteria. Bacterial growth curves were used to evaluate on a real-time basis the relationship between drug delivery speeds of the membranes and growth rates of bacteria in different phases. The results showed that PLLA/CHX (50:50 in terms of volume) drug delivery membranes could do what drug delivery systems can normally do. SEM morphology observations, FTIR, and Raman spectra analyses were conducted on the drug delivery membranes. This is the first study that confirms that biodegradable CHX delivery membranes fabricated via electrospinning are a rate-preprogrammed drug delivery system by comparing the growth curves of competent cell and plasmid inserted competent cell, bacteria that are of the same strain but grow at different speeds due to the insertion.

Effects of Creative Thinking and Its Personality Determinants on Negative Emotion Regulation.

This study investigated the relationship between creativity and negative emotion, and the effects of integrating creative insight into the reappraisal process on negative emotions. In Study 1, participants' creativity and baseline anxiety levels were measured; then anxiety was induced, and anxiety levels were reassessed. In Study 2, participants wrote about past negative events and then completed the positive and negative affect schedule. They were split into three groups (insight reappraisal, simple reappraisal, or control groups); each of them received a separate intervention, and then they completed positive and negative affect schedule again. In Study 3, participants were randomly assigned to insight reappraisal or control groups; apart from measuring cognitive changes, the procedures were identical to Study 2. All participants were undergraduate students. Results showed that flexibility, originality, risk-taking, and complexity are negatively correlated with anxiety, and that insight reappraisal can induce insight experience and enhance cognitive changes, and reduce negative emotional responses. Therefore, integrating creative insight into the reappraisal process can enhance its effectiveness in reducing negative emotions.