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Recent data from clinical trials suggest that antibody cocktail therapy, which combined casirivimab and imdevimab, is linked to the reduction of the risk of hospitalization or death among high-risk patients with COVID-19. However, it remains unclear how effective the therapy is in a real-life clinical practice.We retrospectively analyzed patients with COVID-19 with high-risk factors who underwent the antibody cocktail therapy, compared with those who were not given the cocktail therapy while being isolated in nonmedical facilities during the same period.Data from 55 patients who received the antibody cocktail therapy and 53 patients with initial isolation in nonmedical facilities were analyzed. A total of 22 (41.5 %) of 53 patients staying in isolation facilities were eventually hospitalized and received medical interventions. By contrast, 13 (23.6 %) of 55 patients who received the antibody cocktail therapy subsequently underwent further medical interventions. In multivariate analysis, the antibody cocktail therapy significantly reduced the need for further medical interventions by 70 % compared with isolation (odds ratio=0.30, 95%CI [0.10-0.87], p=0.027). Patients with percutaneous oxygen saturation 96% or higher were significantly favoured for the therapy and had an advantage.The results of this study indicate that the antibody cocktail therapy is associated with reducing burden on hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of carbon monoxide (CO) contained in H2 gas as an impurity on the hydrogen-accelerated fatigue crack growth of A333 pipe steel was studied in association with loading frequency dependency. The addition of CO to H2 gas inhibited the accelerated fatigue crack growth due to the hydrogen. The inhibitory effect was affected by the CO content in the H2 gas, loading frequency, and crack growth rate. Based on these results, it was revealed that the inhibitory effect of CO was governed by both competition between the rate of fresh surface creation by the crack growth and the rate of coverage of the surface by CO and time for hydrogen diffusion in the material to the crack tip with reduced hydrogen entry by CO.

The temperature dependences of monocrystalline elastic constants of Cr-Mn-Fe-Co-Ni high entropy alloy with the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure have been experimentally determined using resonance ultrasound spectroscopy from liquid helium temperature to 1173 K. The values of three independent monocrystalline and estimated polycrystalline elastic constants are fitted using the Varshni equation so that one can obtain the values at any temperatures. The elastic anisotropy of the alloy is characterized by a relatively large value of anisotropy factor of shear modulus, which is closely related to a small value of stacking fault energy of this alloy. The monocrystalline elastic constants also indicate that a relatively strong directional interatomic bonding exists in the present high-entropy alloy.

Modern aquaculture methods help fish get better potential in their growth and development. In the last decades, people have gained an interest in fish welfare aspects such as stress, which strongly affect fish performance.However, to grasp such a critical but complicated stress response is problematic easily affected by external factors. To this end, we developed a wireless biosensor system for fish stress monitoring.This system can monitor the glucose level (stress indicator) in fish eyeball scleral interstitial fluid using the proposed amperometry glucose biosensor based on glucose oxidase immobilized on the Pt–Ir electrode surface.In the presence of glucose, a typical catalytic oxidation current could be observed at +650 mV. Besides, the system shows the different stress statuses of fish by using a multi-color LED like a traffic light.The LED color-switching points, however, had to be manually calibrated. Besides, the process itself may induce stress to the fish.In this study, a novel interactive biosensor system that introduces bi-directional communication technology has been introduced. Datalink functions such as remote calibration and individual identification were advocated and checked.Also, some system characteristic evaluation tests were conducted in vitro and in vivo using Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus as test fish and got some satisfactory results.According to the results, we believe our proposed system could handle various stress monitoring intelligently with only some clicks on the software without unnecessarily handling the test fish.

This study presents a new strategy for preparing highly oriented nanorod array of divalent ion substituted hydroxyapatite (HAp) and factors controlling the rate of glass conversion. HAp nanorod arrays were prepared on a series of alkali/alkaline-earth silicate glasses in the Na2O–CaO–SrO–SiO2 system in phosphate aqueous solutions with different pH values via a glass conversion process. The effects of the substitution of Sr2+ for Ca2+ and the network connectivity (NC) of the silicate glasses on the degree of crystal orientation of the nanorod array of HAp crystals, the crystallite size, and the partial substitution of Sr2+ for Ca2+ in the HAp crystal lattice were investigated using X-ray diffraction, 29Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Sr-free Na2O–CaO–SiO2 glass was converted into HAp nanorod arrays highly-oriented toward the c-axis, whereas the increase in the NC of the glass led to a decrease in the rate of the conversion process from glass to HAp, which resulted in the reduction of the degree of c-axis orientation of the nanorod array of the HAp crystals. However, the rate of the conversion process was remarkably promoted in alkaline phosphate solutions, resulting in an increase of the degree of c-axis orientation of the nanorod array. The Sr/(Sr + Ca) molar fraction of silicate glasses determined the molar fraction of substituted Sr2+ in HAp crystal lattice.

Acetabular bone cyst is usually associated with dysplastic secondary osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Acetabular reorientation osteotomy is one of the most common therapeutic options for treating patients with hip dysplasia. However, it may be too invasive for athletes and can also lead to some complications including intraoperative fracture and postoperative bone necrosis especially in patients with acetabular large bone cysts. Endoscopic shelf acetabuloplasty offers a less invasive option for athletic patients with dysplasia of severity greater than those indicated for isolated hip arthroscopy. This Technical Note demonstrates endoscopic shelf acetabuloplasty with bone grafting, simultaneously addressing a large bone cyst and acetabular undercoverage, as part of a comprehensive approach addressing chondrolabral pathology while restoring capsular integrity in an athlete with moderate dysplasia.

Background To compare the plain knee radiograph finding of tibial eminence width between knees with complete discoid lateral meniscus, incomplete discoid lateral meniscus, and normal lateral meniscus. Materials and methods The study included 27 knees with discoid lateral meniscus, including 13 knees with complete discoid lateral meniscus and 14 knees with incomplete discoid lateral meniscus. A control group of 14 knees with normal lateral meniscus was also included. Tibial eminence width and the lateral slope angle of the medial tibial eminence were assessed using plain frontal knee radiographs. Individual differences in knee size were corrected by dividing tibial eminence width by tibial width to obtain the tibial eminence width percentage. Results Mean tibial eminence width and tibial eminence width percentage in the complete discoid lateral meniscus group was significant larger than other groups. Mean lateral slope angle in the complete discoid lateral meniscus group was significantly smaller than other groups. A tibial eminence width cut-off of 13.9 mm showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 83%, respectively. A tibial eminence width percentage cut-off of 18.8% showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 90%, respectively. A lateral slope angle cut-off of 27.1° showed a sensitivity and specificity of 71% and 83%, respectively. Conclusion There were clear differences in tibial eminence width, tibial eminence width percentage, and lateral slope angle between the complete discoid lateral meniscus group and the other groups. The plain radiographic parameters identified by this study could be useful for complete discoid lateral meniscus screening. Study design Clinical.

Procyanidins are widely found in plants and have anti-inflammatory activities. Procyanidin B2 (PCB2) inhibits production of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages. However, there has been no study that has attempted to determine the effects of PCB2 gallates on T cell functions. In the present study, murine splenocytes were isolated and treated with PCB2 or PCB2 gallates in the presence of an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb). PCB2 gallates, but not PCB2, inhibited proliferation and T cell activation of splenocytes after stimulation with the anti-CD3 mAb. In addition, PCB2 gallates, particularly 3,3″-di-O-gallate (3,3″-di-OG), significantly inhibited production of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-12p40, and IL-17 in splenocytes, but did not suppress IL-10 production. Intracellular staining revealed that the expression of IFN-γ and IL-17 in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was obviously decreased by PCB2 3,3″-di-OG compared with PCB2, PCB2 3-OG, and PCB2 3″-OG. Treatment of isolated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with procyanidins in the presence of the anti-CD3 mAb led to significant inhibition of IFN-γ production by PCB2 3,3″-di-OG in both cell types. Furthermore, PCB2 3,3″-di-OG suppressed the expression of transcription factors T-bet and RORγt that regulate IFN-γ and IL-17, respectively. In conclusion, we revealed a new mechanism through which PCB2 gallates inhibit IFN-γ and IL-17 production in T cells by down-regulation of T-bet and RORγt expression. Our results suggest that PCB2 gallates have a potential role in Th1/Th17-mediated diseases such as inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is shown to be capable of imaging a monolayer of graphene, and is employed to observe in situ the graphene growth process by segregation of bulk-dissolved carbon on a polycrystalline nickel surface. Because of a wide field of view, SEM could easily track the rapid graphene growth induced by carbon segregation. Monolayer graphene extended on (111)- and (011)-oriented nickel grains, but was excluded from the (001) grains. This is due to the difference in carbon-nickel binding energy among these crystalline faces. This work proves the usefulness of in situ SEM imaging for the investigation of large area graphene growth.

Introduction Injuries to the medial meniscus (MM) posterior root lead to accelerated cartilage degeneration of the knee. An anatomic placement of the MM posterior root attachment is considered to be critical in transtibial pullout repair of the medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT). However, tibial tunnel creation at the anatomic attachment of the MM posterior root is technically difficult using a conventional aiming device. The aim of this study was to compare two aiming guides. We hypothesized that a newly-developed guide specifically designed creates the tibial tunnel at an adequate position rather than a conventional device. Materials and methods Twenty-six patients underwent transtibial pullout repairs. Tibial tunnel creation was performed using the Multi-use guide (8 cases) or the PRT guide that had a narrow twisting/curving shape (18 cases). Three-dimensional computed tomography images of the tibial surface were evaluated using the Tsukada's measurement method postoperatively. Expected anatomic center of the MM posterior root attachment and tibial tunnel center were evaluated using the percentage-based posterolateral location on the tibial surface. Percentage distance between anatomic center and tunnel center was calculated. Results Anatomic center of the MM posterior root footprint located at a position of 78.5% posterior and 39.4% lateral. Both tunnels were anteromedial but tibial tunnel center located at a more favorable position in the PRT group: percentage distance was significantly smaller in the PRT guide group (8.7%) than in the Multi-use guide group (13.1%). Discussion The PRT guide may have great advantage to achieve a more anatomic location of the tibial tunnel in MMPRT pullout repair. Level of evidence IV.

2 58-year-old woman presented with a 7-day history of sudden onset of severe vomiting followed by abdominal istention and an inability to tolerate oral intake beyond small ips of water. Computerized tomography examination showed neumobilia, cholecystoduodenal fistula, and a 4.5 3.5 cm mpacted gallstone in the duodenal bulb. Endoscopic examinaion of the upper-gastrointestinal tract showed pyloric stenosis aused by the impacted stone (Figure A). The fistulous stoma as visualized in the posterior wall of the duodenal bulb (Figre B, white arrow). An upper-gastrointestinal series showed a stula with the gallbladder and the common bile duct (Figure , thin arrow). These findings confirmed the diagnosis of an mpacted gallstone (Figure C, wide arrow) in the duodenal bulb s the cause of gastric outlet obstruction. Because the endocopic stone retrieval and transendoscopic shock-wave lithoripsy was unsuccessful, surgical lithotomy consisting of simple nterotomy was performed. Bouveret’s syndrome is a gastric outlet obstruction caused by large gallstone impacted in the duodenal bulb, and was first escribed by Bonnet in 1841 and Bouveret in 1896. It almost lways presents with abdominal pain and vomiting and ocurs most commonly in elderly women with a mean age of 8.6 years.1 Endoscopic retrieval has a low success rate (10%). nterolithotomy or gastrotomy, with or without cholecystecomy and fistula repair, are the most common surgical therpies.2

Measured variations in intragastric pressures produce perceptible changes in the apprearance of the normal stomach mucosa, of hypertrophic gastric rugae, and of atrophic gastritis. Accurate interpretation of the endoscopic appearance requires correlation with intragastric pressure.