Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of graphene with photo-assisted-synthesized gold nanoparticles.

This paper presents a convenient and reliable method to prepare gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on graphene. Photo-assisted synthesis (PAS) was employed to grow AuNPs in AuCl(4)(-) electrolyte on graphene. The size of AuNPs could be as large as 130 nm. This optical method had a steady growth rate of AuNPs. The distribution of AuNPs was well controlled by focusing the laser for PAS. The minimum diameter of the distribution was approximately 1 µm. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of graphene due to AuNPs was observed. Electrical fields near AuNPs calculated by the finite-difference time-domain algorithm ensured that the Raman enhancement was attributed to the localized surface plasmons of AuNPs.

Biphasic ceramic bone graft with biphasic degradation rates.

In this study, the characteristics of a novel biphasic bone graft are reported. The bone graft is a physical mixture of calcium sulfate (CS) and hydroxyapatite (HA). This biphasic bone graft was prepared by sintering at 1100 °C. Since the degradation rate of CS is much faster than that of HA, the CS/HA biphasic bone graft exhibits two degradation rates. The degradation rate is rapid (~10 wt%/week) in the first stage and then slow (~1 wt%/week) in the second stage. The biphasic bone graft has been implanted into the distal femur of rat. Most the bone graft was degraded 13 weeks postoperatively. Instead, trabecular bone and vascular tissue are observed at the location of implant. The bone graft is unique for its burst of calcium ions at the start and its ability to remain stable throughout the degradation process. Its stable porous structure serves as an ideal scaffold for the formation of new bone as well as vascularization.

Impact of comorbidities on the prognoses of trauma patients: Analysis of a hospital-based trauma registry database.

Here we conducted a retrospective analysis of hospital-based trauma registry database for evaluating the impacts of comorbidities on the prognosis for traumatized patients using Index of Coexistent Comorbidity Disease (ICED) scores. We analyzed the data of patients with blunt trauma who visited emergency department between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015 in Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung branch, a single level I trauma center in the Northern Taiwan. All consecutive patients with blunt trauma who admitted to the intensive care unit or ordinary ward after initial managements in the emergency department were included. We measured the hospital mortality of blunt traumatized patients using alive discharge as a competing risk. To investigate conditional independence of mortality and ICED scores given Injury Severity Score (ISS), we used log-linear models for modeling independence structures. Overall, we included 4997 patients (median age [IQR], 59 years old (44-75 years); 55.3% male). The mortality rate of blunt traumatized patients was higher in the higher ICED scores group compared to lower ICED scores group (4.7% vs 1.8%, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the higher ICED scores group were associated with older age, higher ISS, and longer hospital stay than lower ICED scores group. Higher ICED group had higher probability of transition-to-death and lower probability of transition-to-discharge under the competing risk model. In the multivariable analysis of transition-specific Cox models, higher ICED group were associated with higher risk for hospital mortality compared to lower ICED group (HR 1.60; [95% CI 1.04-2.47]; p = 0.032). Also, higher ICED group were associated with lower probability of transition-to-discharge (HR 0.79; [95%CI 0.73-0.86]; p < 0.001). Additionally, higher ICED scores accounted for hospital mortality among patients with ISS < 25. In conclusion, our study suggested that severity of comorbidity was associated with higher hospital mortality among traumatized patients, particularly lower ISS.