Combination of pre-treatment dynamic [18F]FET PET radiomics and conventional clinical parameters for the survival stratification in patients with IDH-wildtype glioblastoma.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to build and evaluate a prediction model which incorporates clinical parameters and radiomic features extracted from static as well as dynamic [18F]FET PET for the survival stratification in patients with newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype glioblastoma. METHODS: A total of 141 patients with newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype glioblastoma and dynamic [18F]FET PET prior to surgical intervention were included. Patients with a survival time ≤ 12 months were classified as short-term survivors. First order, shape, and texture radiomic features were extracted from pre-treatment static (tumor-to-background ratio; TBR) and dynamic (time-to-peak; TTP) images, respectively, and randomly divided into a training (n = 99) and a testing cohort (n = 42). After feature normalization, recursive feature elimination was applied for feature selection using 5-fold cross-validation on the training cohort, and a machine learning model was constructed to compare radiomic models and combined clinical-radiomic models with selected radiomic features and clinical parameters. The area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated to assess the predictive performance for identifying short-term survivors in both the training and testing cohort. RESULTS: A combined clinical-radiomic model comprising six clinical parameters and six selected dynamic radiomic features achieved highest predictability of short-term survival with an AUC of 0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.88) in the independent testing cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This study successfully built and evaluated prediction models using [18F]FET PET-based radiomic features and clinical parameters for the individualized assessment of short-term survival in patients with a newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype glioblastoma. The combination of both clinical parameters and dynamic [18F]FET PET-based radiomic features reached highest accuracy in identifying patients at risk. Although the achieved accuracy level remained moderate, our data shows that the integration of dynamic [18F]FET PET radiomic data into clinical prediction models may improve patient stratification beyond established prognostic markers.

Leptin-deficient ob/ob mice exhibit periodontitis phenotype and altered oral microbiome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Leptin-deficient obesity is associated with various systemic diseases including diabetes and low bone mass phenotype. However, the periodontal status of leptin-deficient obese individuals is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to analyze the periodontal status, alveolar bone phenotype, and oral microbiome status in leptin-deficient obese mice (ob/ob mice). METHODS: This study used 12-week-old wild-type and ob/ob male mice. The alveolar bone phenotype and periodontal status in the maxilla were analyzed by micro-CT and histological analysis. Osteoclasts in alveolar bone were visualized by TRAP staining. Expressions of inflammatory markers (MMP-9, IL-1ß, and TGF-ß1) and osteoclastogenic markers (RANKL and OPG) in periodontium were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. The oral microbiome was analyzed by 16 S rDNA sequencing. RESULTS: CEJ-ABC distance in maxillary molars (M1-M3) of ob/ob mice was significantly higher compared with that of wild-type. The alveolar bone BV/TV ratio was reduced in ob/ob mice compared with wild-type. Higher numbers of osteoclasts were observed in ob/ob mice alveolar bone adjacent to the molar root. Epithelial hyperplasia in gingiva and disordered periodontal ligaments was observed in ob/ob mice. RANKL/OPG expression ratio was increased in ob/ob mice compared with wild-type. Expressions of inflammatory markers MMP-9, IL-1ß, and TGF-ß1 were increased in ob/ob mice compared with wild-type. Oral microbiome analysis showed that beneficial bacteria Akkermansia and Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014 were more abundant in the wild-type mice while the inflammation-related Flavobacterium was more abundant in ob/ob mice. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, ob/ob mice showed higher expressions of inflammatory factors, increased alveolar bone loss, lower abundance of the beneficial bacteria, and higher abundance of inflammatory bacteria in the oral cavity, suggesting leptin-deficient obesity as a risk factor for periodontitis development in ob/ob mice.

Heterogeneously integrated InGaN-based green microdisk light-emitters on Si (100).

Heterogeneous integration of nitrides on Si (100) is expected to open the door to the new possibilities for this material system in the fields of high-speed integrated photonics and information processing. In this work, GaN epitaxial layer grown on the patterned sapphire substrate is transferred onto Si (100) by a combination of wafer bonding, laser lift-off and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes. The GaN epilayer transferred is uniformly thinned down to 800 nm with a root mean square surface roughness as low as 2.33 Å. The residual stress within the InGaN quantum wells transferred is mitigated by 79.4% after the CMP process. Accordingly, its emission wavelength exhibits a blue shift of 8.8 nm, revealing an alleviated quantum-confined Stark effect. Based on this platform, an array of microcavities with diverse geometrics and sizes are fabricated, by which optically-pumped green lasing at ∼505.8 nm is achieved with a linewidth of ∼0.48 nm from ∼12 µm microdisks. A spontaneous emission coupling factor of around 10-4 is roughly estimated based on the light output characteristics with increasing the pumping densities. Lasing behaviors beyond the threshold suggest that the microdisk suffers less thermal effects as compared to its undercut counterparts. The electrically-injected microdisks are also fabricated, with a turn-on voltage of ∼2.0 V and a leakage current as low as ∼2.4 pA at -5 V. Being compatible with traditional semiconductor processing techniques, this work provides a feasible solution to fabricate large-area heterogeneously integrated optoelectronic devices based on nitrides.

Prediction of TERTp-mutation status in IDH-wildtype high-grade gliomas using pre-treatment dynamic [18F]FET PET radiomics.

PURPOSE: To evaluate radiomic features extracted from standard static images (20-40 min p.i.), early summation images (5-15 min p.i.), and dynamic [18F]FET PET images for the prediction of TERTp-mutation status in patients with IDH-wildtype high-grade glioma. METHODS: A total of 159 patients (median age 60.2 years, range 19-82 years) with newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype diffuse astrocytic glioma (WHO grade III or IV) and dynamic [18F]FET PET prior to surgical intervention were enrolled and divided into a training (n = 112) and a testing cohort (n = 47) randomly. First-order, shape, and texture radiomic features were extracted from standard static (20-40 min summation images; TBR20-40), early static (5-15 min summation images; TBR5-15), and dynamic (time-to-peak; TTP) images, respectively. Recursive feature elimination was used for feature selection by 10-fold cross-validation in the training cohort after normalization, and logistic regression models were generated using the radiomic features extracted from each image to differentiate TERTp-mutation status. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value were calculated to illustrate diagnostic power in both the training and testing cohort. RESULTS: The TTP model comprised nine selected features and achieved highest predictability of TERTp-mutation with an AUC of 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.71-0.92) and sensitivity of 92.1% in the independent testing cohort. Weak predictive capability was obtained in the TBR5-15 model, with an AUC of 0.61 (95% CI 0.42-0.80) in the testing cohort, while no predictive power was observed in the TBR20-40 model. CONCLUSIONS: Radiomics based on TTP images extracted from dynamic [18F]FET PET can predict the TERTp-mutation status of IDH-wildtype diffuse astrocytic high-grade gliomas with high accuracy preoperatively.

Utilization of radiomics to predict long-term outcome of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound ablation therapy in adenomyosis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a T2 MR-based radiomics prediction model incorporating radiomics features and clinical parameters to predict the response to magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) in patients with adenomyosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine patients (mean age, 38.6 years; age range, 26-50 years) with adenomyosis treated by MRgFUS were reviewed and allocated to training (n = 48) and testing cohorts (n = 21). One thousand one hundred eighteen radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging before MRgFUS. The radiomics features' dimension was reduced by Pearson correlation coefficient after normalization. Analysis of variance and logistical regression were used for feature selection by fivefold cross-validation in the training cohort, and the machine learning model was constructed for comparing the clinical model, radiomics model, and radiomics-clinical model which combined survived radiomics features and clinical parameters. The discrimination result of the model was obtained by bootstrap; receiver operating characteristic curve, area under the curve (AUC), and decision curve analyses were performed to illustrate the model performance in both the training and testing cohorts. RESULTS: Good response was achieved in 47 patients (68.1%) and failed in 22 patients (38.9%). The radiomics model comprised four selected features and demonstrated a degree of prediction capability of patients' poor response to MRgFUS treatment. The radiomics-clinical model showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.592-0.975) in the testing cohort. The decision curve analysis also showed favorable performance of the radiomics-clinical model. CONCLUSIONS: A prediction model composed of T2WI-based radiomics features and clinical parameters could be applied to guide the radiologist to evaluate MRgFUS for patients with adenomyosis who will achieve good response. KEY POINTS: • Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery represents an alternative treatment for adenomyosis, but nearly one third of patients remain symptomatic 6 months after MRgFUS. • Combining four radiomics features of T2-weighted MRI with eight clinical features further improves prediction of poor responders to MR-guided focused ultrasound treatment of uterine adenomyosis (AUC = 0.81 in the testing cohort). • The radiomics model based on T2-weighted imaging combined with clinical parameters can help predict which patients are likely to have a good response to MRgFUS for adenomyosis.

Intelligent Nanocomposites with Intrinsic Blood-Brain-Barrier Crossing Ability Designed for Highly Specific MR Imaging and Sonodynamic Therapy of Glioblastoma.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the most important obstacle to improving the clinical outcomes of diagnosis and therapy of glioblastoma. Thus, the development of a novel nanoplatform that can efficiently traverse the BBB and achieve both precise diagnosis and therapy is of great importance. Herein, an intelligent nanoplatform based on holo-transferrin (holo-Tf) with in situ growth of MnO2 nanocrystals is constructed via a reformative mild biomineralization process. Furthermore, protoporphyrin (ppIX), acting as a sonosensitizer, is then conjugated into holo-Tf to obtain MnO2 @Tf-ppIX nanoparticles (TMP). Because of the functional inheritance of holo-Tf during fabrication, TMP can effectively traverse the BBB for highly specific magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of orthotopic glioblastoma. Clear suppression of tumor growth in a C6 tumor xenograft model is achieved via sonodynamic therapy. Importantly, the experiments also indicate that the TMP nanoplatform has satisfactory biocompatibility and biosafety, which favors potential clinical translation.

MR-Based Radiomics Nomogram of Cervical Cancer in Prediction of the Lymph-Vascular Space Invasion preoperatively.

BACKGROUND: Lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) is an unfavorable prognostic factor in cervical cancer. Unfortunately, there are no current clinical tools for the preoperative prediction of LVSI. PURPOSE: To develop and validate an axial T1 contrast-enhanced (CE) MR-based radiomics nomogram that incorporated a radiomics signature and some clinical parameters for predicting LVSI of cervical cancer preoperatively. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: In all, 105 patients were randomly divided into two cohorts at a 2:1 ratio. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T1 CE MRI sequences at 1.5T. ASSESSMENT: Univariate analysis was performed on the radiomics features and clinical parameters. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the optimal feature subset. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the performance of prediction model and radiomics nomogram. STATISTICAL TESTS: The Mann-Whitney U-test and the chi-square test were used to evaluate the performance of clinical characteristics and LVSI status by pathology. The minimum-redundancy/maximum-relevance and recursive feature elimination methods were applied to select the features. The radiomics model was constructed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Three radiomics features and one clinical characteristic were selected. The radiomics nomogram showed favorable discrimination between LVSI and non-LVSI groups. The AUC was 0.754 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6326-0.8745) in the training cohort and 0.727 (95% CI, 0.5449-0.9097) in the validation cohort. The specificity and sensitivity were 0.756 and 0.828 in the training cohort and 0.773 and 0.692 in the validation cohort. DATA CONCLUSION: T1 CE MR-based radiomics nomogram serves as a noninvasive biomarker in the prediction of LVSI in patients with cervical cancer preoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:1420-1426.

Simulations on coal water slurry gasification by molecular dynamics method with ReaxFF.

CONTEXT: Coal water slurry (CWS) is a new type of liquid coal product with low pollution, which is mainly used in the chemical industry to produce syngas (CO + H2). It is of great significance to study the microscopic mechanism of CWS gasification reaction for improving the efficiency of coal gasification. In this paper, the method of molecular dynamics based on reaction force fields (ReaxFF-MD) is used to study the gasification process of CWS/O2 system at different temperatures. The results show that, in the range of 1600-2400 K, the macromolecular network structure of lignite is decomposed into a large number of small molecular structures and a small number of light tar free radical fragments, and the types and quantities of reaction products increased rapidly. At 2400-4000 K, the free radical fragments of light tar are further decomposed and reacted with gasification agents, but the types and quantities of reaction products have little change. At 3600 K, a full gasification reaction occurred in the system, and the content of syngas is the highest. METHODS: The model was established and optimized by Materials Studio (MS) software. Based on ReaxFF-MD method, Lammps software was used to simulate the gasification process of CWS/O2 system, and the reaction force field files containing C, H, O, N, and S element were used. By calculating the activation energy of gasification reaction, the rationality of the model and calculation method was illustrated. The post-processing of the results was implemented using OVITO, ChemDraw software, and self-programmed Python scripts.

Bacterial taxonomic and functional profiles from Bohai Sea to northern Yellow Sea.

Microbial distribution patterns are the result of a combination of biotic and abiotic factors, which are the core issues in microbial ecology research. To better understand the biogeographic pattern of bacteria in water environments from the Bohai Sea to the northern Yellow Sea, the effects of environmental factors, and spatial distance on the structure of bacterial communities in marine water were investigated using high-throughput sequencing technology based on 16S rRNA genes. The results showed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteri, Desulfobacterota, and Bdellovibrionota were the dominant phyla in the study area. A clear spatial pattern in the bacterial community was observed, and environmental factors, including salinity, nutrient concentration, carbon content, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and seawater turbidity emerged as the central environmental factors regulating the variation in bacterial communities. In addition, the study provides direct evidence of the existence of dispersal limitation in this strongly connected marine ecological system. Therefore, these results revealed that the variation in bacterial community characteristics was attributed to environmental selection, accompanied by the regulation of stochastic diffusion. The network analysis demonstrated a nonrandom co-occurrence pattern in the microbial communities with distinct spatial distribution characteristics. It is implied that the biogeography patterns of bacterial community may also be associated with the characteristics of co-occurrence characterize among bacterial species. Furthermore, the PICRUSt analysis indicated a clear spatial distribution of functional characteristics in bacterial communities. This functional variation was significantly modulated by the environmental characteristics of seawater but uncoupled from the taxonomic characteristics of bacterial communities (e.g., diversity characteristics, community structure, and co-occurrence relationships). Together, this findings represent a significant advance in linking seawater to the mechanisms underlying bacterial biogeographic patterns and community assembly, co-occurrence patterns, and ecological functions, providing new insights for identifying the microbial ecology as well as the biogeochemical cycle in the marine environment.

Mir155 regulates osteogenesis and bone mass phenotype via targeting S1pr1 gene.

MicroRNA-155 (miR155) is overexpressed in various inflammatory diseases and cancer, in which bone resorption and osteolysis are frequently observed. However, the role of miR155 on osteogenesis and bone mass phenotype is still unknown. Here, we report a low bone mass phenotype in the long bone of Mir155-Tg mice compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, Mir155-KO mice showed a high bone mass phenotype and protective effect against inflammation-induced bone loss. Mir155-KO mice showed robust bone regeneration in the ectopic and orthotopic model, but Mir155-Tg mice showed compromised bone regeneration compared with the wild-type mice. Similarly, the osteogenic differentiation potential of bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) from Mir155-KO mice was robust and Mir155-Tg was compromised compared with that of wild-type mice. Moreover, Mir155 knockdown in BMSCs from wild-type mice showed higher osteogenic differentiation potential, supporting the results from Mir155-KO mice. TargetScan analysis predicted sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1pr1) as a target gene of Mir155, which was further confirmed by luciferase assay and Mir155 knockdown. S1pr1 overexpression in BMSCs robustly promoted osteogenic differentiation without affecting cell viability and proliferation. Furthermore, osteoclastogenic differentiation of Mir155-Tg bone marrow-derived macrophages was inhibited compared with that of wild-type mice. Thus, Mir155 showed a catabolic effect on osteogenesis and bone mass phenotype via interaction with the S1pr1 gene, suggesting inhibition of Mir155 as a potential strategy for bone regeneration and bone defect healing.

Application of a nanotechnology antimicrobial spray to prevent lower urinary tract infection: a multicenter urology trial.

BACKGROUND: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is a common nosocomial device-associated infection. It is now recognized that the high infection rates were caused by the formation of biofilm on the surface of the catheters that decreases the susceptibility to antibiotics and results in anti-microbial resistance.In this study, we performed an in vitro test to explore the mechanism of biofilm formation and subsequently conducted a multi-center clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of CAUTI prevention with the application of JUC, a nanotechnology antimicrobial spray. METHODS: Siliconized latex urinary catheters were cut into fragments and sterilized by autoclaving. The sterilized sample fragments were randomly divided into the therapy and control group, whereby they were sprayed with JUC and distilled water respectively and dried before use.The experimental standard strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were isolated from the urine samples of patients. At 16 hours and 7 days of incubation, the samples were extracted for confocal laser scanning microscopy.A total of 1,150 patients were accrued in the clinical study. Patients were randomized according to the order of surgical treatment. The odd array of patients was assigned as the therapy group (JUC), and the even array of patients was assigned as the control group (normal saline). RESULTS: After 16 hours of culture, bacterial biofilm formed on the surface of sample fragments from the control group. In the therapy group, no bacterial biofilm formation was observed on the sample fragments. No significant increase in bacterial colony count was observed in the therapy group after 7 days of incubation.On the 7th day of catheterization, urine samples were collected for bacterial culture before extubation. Significant difference was observed in the incidence of bacteriuria between the therapy group and control group (4.52% vs. 13.04%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the effectiveness of JUC in preventing CAUTI in a hospital setting was demonstrated in both in vitro and clinical studies.

Analysis of the expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs and messenger RNAs in tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the progression of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively investigate the role of lncRNAs in TSCC. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, RNA sequencing was performed to examine the expression profiles of lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of patients with TSCC. The expression of selected lncRNAs in TSCC and paired adjacent tissues as well as in cell lines was validated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The cell function of lncRNA iodothyronine deiodinase 2 antisense RNA 1 (DIO2-AS1) overexpression was assessed through 5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4.5-dimethyl-thiazoly)-3-(4-sulfophenyl) tetrazolium inner salt and Transwell assays. RESULTS: A total of 342 lncRNAs and 6392 mRNAs were differentially expressed in TSCC tissues compared with paired adjacent tissues. qRT-PCR revealed the increased expression of AC093818.1 and reduced expression of CYP4F35P and DIO2-AS1 in TSCC. Furthermore, DIO2-AS1 overexpression inhibited Cal-27 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence that DIO2-AS1 is involved in TSCC progression. This study provides a direction for subsequent research.

Local administration of low doses of exogenous BMP2 and leptin promotes ectopic bone regeneration in leptin-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and leptin deficiency are associated with compromised bone regeneration. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the role of locally administrated low-dose BMP2+leptin on bone regeneration in leptin-deficient obese (ob/ob) mice. METHODS: Wildtype (WT) and ob/ob mice were divided into 3 groups (4 mice/group): BMP2 (5 µg) group, BMP2+low-dose leptin (1 µg) group, and BMP2+high-dose leptin (2.5 µg) group. WT mice were used as control mice. An equal size absorbable collagen sponge was prepared by loading the BMP2 or/and leptin and implanted subcutaneously. After 19 days, samples were collected and analyzed by micro-CT and H&E staining. RESULTS: No significant difference in bone regeneration among the three groups in WT mice. Quantification of newly formed bone parameters from micro-CT and H&E staining showed that low-dose BMP2 treatment formed less new bone in ob/ob mice compared to WT. BMP2+low-dose leptin treatment substantially rescued the compromised bone regeneration in ob/ob mice up to the level in WT mice. However, the BMP2 and high dose of leptin failed to rescue the compromised bone regeneration in ob/ob mice. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a combination of the low-dose BMP2 and leptin could be a strategy to promote osteogenesis in obese populations with leptin deficiency.

High Luminous Efficacy Phosphor-Converted Mass-Produced White LEDs Achieved by AlN Prebuffer and Transitional-Refraction-Index Patterned Sapphire Substrate.

Constant advance in improving the luminous efficacy (ηL) of nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) plays a critical role for saving measurable amounts of energy. Further development is motivated to approach the efficiency limit for this material system while reducing the costs. In this work, strategies of using thin AlN prebuffer and transitional-refraction-index patterned sapphire substrate (TPSS) were proposed, which pushed up the efficiency of white LEDs (WLEDs). The AlN prebuffer was obtained through physical vapor deposition (PVD) method and TPSS was fabricated by dry-etched periodic silica arrays covered on sapphire. Devices in mass production confirmed that PVD AlN prebuffer was able to improve the light output power (φe) of blue LEDs (BLEDs) by 2.53% while increasing the productivity by ~8% through shortening the growth time. Additionally, BLEDs on TPSS exhibited an enhanced top ηext of 5.65% in contrast to BLEDs on the conventional PSS through Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulation. Consequently, φe of BLEDs was experimentally enhanced by 10% at an injected current density (Jin) of 40 A/cm2. A peak ηL of 295.2 lm/W at a Jin of 0.9 A/cm2 and the representative ηL of 282.4 lm/W at a Jin of 5.6 A/cm2 for phosphor-converted WLEDs were achieved at a correlated color temperature of 4592 K.

Can Radiomics Provide Additional Information in [18F]FET-Negative Gliomas?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of extracting relevant information from radiomic features even in apparently [18F]FET-negative gliomas. A total of 46 patients with a newly diagnosed, histologically verified glioma that was visually classified as [18F]FET-negative were included. Tumor volumes were defined using routine T2/FLAIR MRI data and applied to extract information from dynamic [18F]FET PET data, i.e., early and late tumor-to-background (TBR5-15, TBR20-40) and time-to-peak (TTP) images. Radiomic features of healthy background were calculated from the tumor volume of interest mirrored in the contralateral hemisphere. The ability to distinguish tumors from healthy tissue was assessed using the Wilcoxon test and logistic regression. A total of 5, 15, and 69% of features derived from TBR20-40, TBR5-15, and TTP images, respectively, were significantly different. A high number of significantly different TTP features was even found in isometabolic gliomas (after exclusion of photopenic gliomas) with visually normal [18F]FET uptake in static images. However, the differences did not reach satisfactory predictability for machine-learning-based identification of tumor tissue. In conclusion, radiomic features derived from dynamic [18F]FET PET data may extract additional information even in [18F]FET-negative gliomas, which should be investigated in larger cohorts and correlated with histological and outcome features in future studies.

Evaluation of facial soft tissue thickness in asymmetric mandibular deformities after orthognathic surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare differences in facial soft tissue thickness in three-dimensional (3D) images before and after orthognathic surgery in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and to obtain a better understanding of the relationship between hard and soft tissue changes after surgery. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The present retrospective study included 31 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion with mandibular chin deviation greater than 4 mm who had undergone cone-beam computed tomography before and 6 months after surgery. Seven bilateral points were established. Measurements were taken from software-generated multiplanar reconstructions. The predictor variables were timing (pre- and postoperatively) and side (deviated vs. nondedicated). A regression model and correlation analysis were conducted for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The difference of bilateral facial soft tissue thickness was statistically significantly different between deviated and nondeviated sides (P < 0.05), with lower values observed on the deviated side. The soft tissue thickness has become nearly symmetric at local regions of the lower thirds of the face after orthognathic surgery. However, most measurements showed a negative correlation between changes in soft tissue thickness and changes in bone tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Skeletal Class III malocclusion with facial asymmetry is accompanied by differences in soft tissue thickness when comparing Dev and N-Dev sides of the posterior region of the mandible, where soft tissues are thinner on the Dev side. Soft tissue thickness can compensate for or camouflage the underlying asymmetric mandible. In addition, the asymmetric soft tissue thickness on the lower third of the face can be partially improved by orthognathic surgery, but the amount of soft tissue thickness change is not consistent with that of hard tissue positional change.

Visualization of Combustion Phases of Biomass Particles: Effects of Fuel Properties.

This work established a high-speed camera-assisted visualization system that investigated the effect of volatile matter and fixed carbon content in biomass particles on single-particle combustion phases and their luminous properties. Three types of biomass particles, namely, sawdust (a mixture of pine and willow), corncob, and rice husk, were examined on a Hencken flat-flame burner. The luminous region and intensity of single biomass particles were closely related to the flammability and calorific value of biomass fuel and derived by analyzing a sequence of images captured using a high-speed camera. The combustion temperature was determined through analysis of its radiant energy. The results showed that the ignition mechanisms of volatile matter and fixed carbon corresponded to homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, respectively. The maximum luminous region values of 1.75 × 106, 2.1 × 106, and 1.0 × 106 µm2 for sawdust (SD), corncob (CC), and rice husk (RH) correlated to the volatile matter content of each biomass sample, which was 69.38, 74.15, and 64.56%, respectively. Because of the high fixed carbon content, the peak temperature of the SD particles could reach 1549 °C. The luminous region and intensity of the combusting particles were significantly affected by the volatile matter and fixed carbon, respectively.

Inhibitory effects of hinokitiol on tyrosinase activity and melanin biosynthesis and its antimicrobial activities.

The inhibitory effects of hinokitiol, a constituent of the woody oils isolated from Cupressaceae heartwood, on mushroom tyrosinase and melanin formation in B16 melanoma cells as well as its antimicrobial activity were investigated. Our results showed that hinokitiol could strongly inhibit both monophenolase activity and diphenolase activity of the enzyme and the inhibition was reversible. The IC(50) values were estimated as 9.67 µM for monophenolase activity and 0.21 µM for diphenolase activity. The lag time of the monophenolase activity was not obviously lengthened by the compound. Kinetic analyses showed that the inhibition mechanism of hinokitiol was a mixed-type inhibition of the diphenolase activity. Hinokitiol effectively inhibited both cellular tyrosinase activity and melanin biosynthesis in B16 melanoma cells with significant cytotoxicity. Furthermore, it was found that hinokitiol could inhibit the proliferation of Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphyloccocus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Ralstonia solanacearum to different extents. This research may widen the use of hinokitiol in the fields of food preservation, depigmentation, and insecticide use.

Potential impact of active substances in non-thermal discharge plasma process on microbial community structures and enzymatic activities in uncontaminated soil.

Soil microbial community structures and enzymatic activity are important indicators for judging biochemical process intensity and soil quality. Non-thermal discharge plasma (NDP), an advanced oxidation technique, has received great attention in soil remediation. Potential impact of NDP treatment on microbial community structures and enzymatic activities in uncontaminated soil samples was evaluated in this study. The NDP treatment significantly altered soil microbial community structures and enzymatic activity. The exposure of soil samples to NDP decreased the enzymatic activities including glutamic acid enzyme, arylsulphatase, leucine enzyme, acetyl glucosaccharase, glucosaccharase, cellulose, phosphatase, and ligninase. The contents of some soil microbes including Gram-negative bacteria, Fungi, Anaerobes, AM Fungi, Eukaryotes, and Actinomycetes also decreased after NDP treatment, as well as the diversity index and equitability index of the soil microbes. In addition, the total phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), Fungi PLFA, bacteria PLFA, and Actinomycetes PLFA of the soil microbes were also reduced after treatment. Principal component analysis confirmed these changes. Actinomycetes and Fungi were the most sensitive microbes to the NDP, and Phosphatase activity and Cellulose activity were relatively insensitive to the NDP. The potential impacts could be attributed to chemically active substances and ultraviolet irradiation.

Combined inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia and local infiltration anaesthesia in extraction of impacted mandibular third molars: a randomised controlled trial.

Aim To compare the anaesthetic effect of combination of inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia and local infiltration anaesthesia with nerve block anaesthesia techniques in the extraction of mandibular third molars.Materials and methods One hundred and fifty healthy adult volunteers were divided into three groups and were administered three different local anaesthetic techniques before tooth extractions: group A (inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve and buccal nerve block anaesthesia with lidocaine), group B (inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve and buccal nerve block anaesthesia with mepivacaine) and group C (inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia with lidocaine and infiltration anaesthesia with mepivacaine). The patients' reported pain on anaesthesia injection and tooth extraction, the surgeon's assessment of anaesthetic effect, the severity of intra-operative bleeding and post-operative complications were evaluated.Results There was no significant difference in visual analogue scale (VAS)-pain of anaesthesia among the three groups. Compared with groups A and B, group C had reduced VAS-pain of tooth extraction scores. Additionally, the surgeon's assessment of anaesthetic effect improved and intra-operative bleeding decreased.Conclusions The combination of inferior alveolar nerve block and infiltration anaesthesia provides a stronger anaesthetic effect in the extraction of mandibular third molars.