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In recent years, transition metal dichalcogenides have become increasingly popular in electrochemical sensors due to their excellent redox properties. Herein, a highly efficient electrocatalyst Gd3+ doped molybdenum selenide with carbon nanofibers (Gd-MoSe2/CNF) is synthesized for electrocatalytic sensing of H2S. The synthesis involves a facile and quick hydrothermal treatment. The morphological, elemental, electrochemically active surface area, and impedance properties were investigated to understand its sensing capability. Gd-MoSe2/CNF showed excellent electrocatalytic ability to oxidize H2S. The overpotential for oxidation was minimized to +0.10 V, Ag/AgCl, and the response current increased two-fold compared to control electrodes. High sensitivity, acceptable selectivity, robustness and appreciable reproducibility were observed. The linear range was 12.5 nM–1.2 mM and the detection limit was 1 nM. The method was successful in tracking H2S secreted by HeLa cells. Our reports suggest that Gd-MoSe2/CNF is a useful material in monitoring endogenous H2S.

Objective To determine whether preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) could pick up true abnormalities that have clinical relevance. Materials and methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent in vitro fertilization with PGT-A from 2015 to 2017. We evaluated the associations of aneuploidy and mosaicism with maternal age, the chromosome abnormalities present in individual chromosomes, and the effect of embryo sex on the proportion of each type of error in the four chromosomes most frequently affected. Result(s) A total of 1043 embryos from 255 patients (mean maternal age = 39 ± 4 years) were included in the initial analysis. Of these, 36% (377/1043) were euploid, 47% (487/1043) were aneuploid, 13% (140/1043) contained mosaicism, and 4% (39/1043) gave no result. We excluded the 39 embryos with no result; thus, 1004 embryos were included in the analysis. Increased aneuploidy was associated with increased maternal age, but the rate of embryo mosaicism was not. A combined analysis of aneuploidy with noncomplex abnormalities and mosaicism showed that chromosomes 22, 21, 16, and 15 were the most frequently involved. Chromosome 22 showed the highest proportion of mosaicism and chromosome 15 showed the highest proportion of aneuploidy. When we included embryo sex in the analysis, embryo sex was associated with these chromosome errors in the most susceptible chromosome, 22. Conclusion(s) PGT-A showed that chromosomes 22, 21, 16, and 15 were the most frequently involved among common chromosome abnormalities, comparable with those of published data analyzed from spontaneous abortion. This result suggested that PGT-A could pick up abnormalities that have clinical relevance to spontaneous abortion. Moreover, we identified a role of embryo sex in these chromosomal errors on chromosome 22.

Although deep learning approaches have achieved performance surpassing humans for still image-based face recognition, unconstrained video-based face recognition is still a challenging task due to large volume of data to be processed and intra/inter-video variations on pose, illumination, occlusion, scene, blur, video quality, etc. In this work, we consider challenging scenarios for unconstrained video-based face recognition from multiple-shot videos and surveillance videos with low-quality frames. To handle these problems, we propose a robust and efficient system for unconstrained video-based face recognition, which is composed of modules for face/fiducial detection, face association, and face recognition. First, we use multi-scale single-shot face detectors to efficiently localize faces in videos. The detected faces are then grouped respectively through carefully designed face association methods, especially for multi-shot videos. Finally, the faces are recognized by the proposed face matcher based on an unsupervised subspace learning approach and a subspace-to-subspace similarity metric. Extensive experiments on challenging video datasets, such as Multiple Biometric Grand Challenge (MBGC), Face and Ocular Challenge Series (FOCS), IARPA Janus Surveillance Video Benchmark (IJB-S) for low-quality surveillance videos and IARPA JANUS Benchmark B (IJB-B) for multiple-shot videos, demonstrate that the proposed system can accurately detect and associate faces from unconstrained videos and effectively learn robust and discriminative features for recognition.

The pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) neratinib is therapeutically active against metastatic breast cancers harboring activating HER2 mutations, but responses are variable and often not durable. Here we demonstrate that recurrent HER2 mutations have differential effects on endocrine therapy responsiveness, metastasis, and pan-HER TKI therapeutic sensitivity. The prevalence and prognostic significance may also depend on whether the HER2 mutant has arisen in the context of lobular versus ductal histology. The most highly recurrent HER2 mutant, L755S, was particularly resistant to neratinib but sensitive to the pan-HER TKI poziotinib, alone or in combination with fulvestrant. Poziotinib reduced tumor growth, diminished multiorgan metastasis, and inhibited mTOR activation more effectively than neratinib. Similar therapeutic effects of poziotinib were observed in both an engineered HER2L755S MCF7 model and a patient-derived xenograft harboring a HER2G778_P780dup mutation. Overall, these findings support the need for clinical evaluation of poziotinib for the treatment of HER2-mutant metastatic breast cancer. Significance: Evaluation of the functional impact of HER2 mutations on therapy-induced resistance and metastasis identifies robust antitumor activity of poziotinib and supports the clinical evaluation of poziotinib in ER+ HER2 mutant breast cancer.

With the advent of the 5G and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) era, related technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data analysis, cloud applications, and artificial intelligence have brought broad prospects to many application fields, such as smart homes, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, healthcare, and smart campus. At present, most university campus app is presented in the form of static web pages or app menus. This study mainly developed a Deep Neural Network (DNN) based emotionally aware campus virtual assistant. The main contributions of this research are: (1) This study introduces the Chinese Word Embedding to the robot dialogue system, effectively improving dialogue tolerance and semantic interpretation. (2) The traditional method of emotion identification must first tokenize the Chinese sentence, analyze the clauses and part of speech, and capture the emotional keywords before being interpreted by the expert system. Different from the traditional method, this study classifies the input directly through the convolutional neural network after the input sentence is converted into a spectrogram by Fourier Transform. (3) This study is presented in App mode, which is easier to use and economical. (4) This system provides a simple voice response interface, without the need for users to find information in complex web pages or app menus.

Study question It has been established that radiotherapy can increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, there is currently no consensus on the effective sterilizing dose for adulthood uterine radiotherapy. Summary answer Uterine fertility preservation methods should be guided by the age of the patient receiving radiotherapy and the actual dose of radiation exposure to the uterus. What is known already Many experts have suggested that a high dose of radiation to the uterus is a reason to counsel patients against future pregnancy. There are major limitations to the current literature regarding off-target radiation damage to the uterus. One study reported a relative risk of 9.1 for stillbirth and neonatal death after 10 Gy doses. Study design, size, duration Case report and review of the literature before December 2020 Participants/materials, setting, methods A case report of a 36-year-old female with three cancers and received repeated high-dose radiotherapy of 66 Gy and 50 Gy to the pelvis. We used a dose-volume histogram, the most widely used tool to calculate the radiation distribution within a volume of interest of the patient during radiotherapy. We determined that her uterus may have received the highest uterine radiation dosage for full-term live birth in current literature. Main results and the role of chance Due to iatrogenic ovarian failure, she could only use donor eggs. After endometrium preparation for 18 days, the endometrium reached 8.7 mm with a triple-line appearance. We transferred two cleavage-staged embryos and one of them implanted successfully. The course of the pregnancy was uneventful. Finally, the patient gave birth to a healthy baby via Cesarean section at 38 5/7 weeks of gestation. Limitations, reasons for caution It should be noted that the success of our case may not apply to all patients with cancer after they have received RT. We should inform patients about the increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight infants, uterine rupture, and neonatal death. Wider implications of the findings: The patient’s age and the dose of RT exposure to the uterus are important factors for the prognosis of a future pregnancy. More well-designed studies will be needed to allow future standard guidelines for uterine fertility preservation. Trial registration number TMU-JIRB N20204149

The red imported fire ant (RIFA, Solenopsis invicta) is an exotic aggressive pest that is notorious for its ability to seriously harm humans and animals, cause economic loss to agriculture, and damage ecosystems. This is the first study to validate the capability of filter paper adsorption as a feasible odor bearer of RIFAs and evaluate its use in detection dog training. Two live RIFA-experienced detection dogs achieved a mean 92% positive indication rate (PIR) on RIFA-scented papers with a relatively low false response rate (0.8%). The similar accuracies in recognizing live RIFAs (96%) and scented papers (92%) suggest that a filter paper is an effective odor reservoir. After training with live RIFA and scented filter papers, both RIFA-experienced and inexperienced detection dogs successfully indicated filter papers that were scented with at least 10 RIFAs for 4 h with a high PIR (&gt, 93%) and low false response rate (2%). Detection dogs correctly recognized the filter papers scented by 10 RIFAs for 24 h with a 97.6% PIR. Even for scented samples stored at −20 °C and 4 °C for 13 weeks, the positive indication rates (PIRs) were as high as 90%. These results suggest that filter paper is an effective RIFA odor bearer, and the scent can be maintained at least 13 weeks for dog identification. After RIFA-scented paper training, detection dogs showed high (&gt, 95%) PIRs for both RIFA-scented paper and live RIFAs and also successfully performed field studies. Using filter paper as a RIFA odor bearer is an effective and economical method for detection dog training and RIFA identification.

Resistance to endocrine treatment occurs in ~30% of ER+ breast cancer patients resulting in ~40,000 deaths/year in the USA. Preclinical studies strongly implicate activation of growth factor receptor, HER2 in endocrine treatment resistance. However, clinical trials of pan-HER inhibitors in ER+/HER2− patients have disappointed, likely due to a lack of predictive biomarkers. Here we demonstrate that loss of mismatch repair activates HER2 after endocrine treatment in ER+/HER2− breast cancer cells by protecting HER2 from protein trafficking. Additionally, HER2 activation is indispensable for endocrine treatment resistance in MutL- cells. Consequently, inhibiting HER2 restores sensitivity to endocrine treatment. Patient data from multiple clinical datasets supports an association between MutL loss, HER2 upregulation, and sensitivity to HER inhibitors in ER+/HER2− patients. These results provide strong rationale for MutL loss as a first-in-class predictive marker of sensitivity to combinatorial treatment with endocrine intervention and HER inhibitors in endocrine treatment-resistant ER+/HER2− breast cancer patients., Resistance to endocrine treatment in ER+/HER2- breast cancer patients remains a significant clinical problem. Here, the authors demonstrate that loss of the MutL mismatch repair complex can serve as a first-in-class predictive biomarker for combinatorial inhibition of HER2 to overcome the emergence of endocrine treatment resistance.

Formaldehyde is a reactive carbonyl species (RCS) that is produced naturally in the human body via metabolic and epigenetic biochemical processes, yet in high concentrations is highly toxic to the environment as well as to living organisms. Therefore, we designed two ratiometric electrochemical molecular redox probes, Formaldehyde oxidative latent probe (FOLP) and dihydroxy-formaldehyde oxidative latent probe (HFOLP), for the selective profiling of endogenous formaldehyde. FOLP and HFOLP each underwent the aza-Cope reaction with formaldehyde followed by hydrolysis to eliminate unmask redox reporter N-alkylated aminoferrocene (AAF) to monitor their response current. The FOLP and HFOLP sensors showed broad dynamic ranges of 0.12–1000 μM and 0.09–3 mM for formaldehyde with detection limits of 48.2 nM and 31.6 μM, respectively. Also, since formaldehyde is the byproduct of biochemical reactions for detecting creatinine and creatinine is an important biomarker for chronic kidney disease (CKD), we tested the FOLP probe for its ability to monitor creatinine. It successfully did so, and this ability was used to develop an electrochemical platform for the quantification of creatinine; it showed a dynamic range of 3.25–200 μM and a limit of detection (1.3 μM). In addition, the FOLP-based assay platform delivered a reliable analytical performance for the quantification of formaldehyde in human whole blood and of creatinine in saliva, and also for the real-time monitoring of endogenous formaldehyde secretion in HeLa cells. Moreover, the concentrations determined using our method were found to be consistent with those determined using formaldehyde and creatinine fluorometric assay kits.

Objective: To report a case with benign bilateral ovarian tumor during pregnancy mimicking malignancy. Case report: A 32-year-old women at 20 weeks gestation with large bilateral adnexal masses found on prenatal ultrasound. The cysts had been growing gradually over the course of the pregnancy. MRI show huge multiple cysts in both ovaries. CA-125 was elevated at 260 U/mL. Due to initial impression was malignancy, an excisional surgery was done. Pathology revealed multiple luteinized granulosa cells with benign nature. Conclusion: Hyperreactio luteinalis (HL) is often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally on ultrasound or at the time of cesarean section. As the lesions are self-resolving, management is conservative and surgical intervention is required only in cases with severe complications. HL can be mistaken for malignancy, especially in cases in which the tumor marker CA-125 is elevated, leading to inadvertent surgery. Keywords: Hyperreactio luteinalis, Ovarian tumor, Pregnancy, Ultrasound diagnosis

PURPOSE: To present the first case proposing the use of preimplantation genetic testing for monogeneic disorders for Kallmann syndrome, providing comprehensive care in the genomic era of precision medicine. METHODS: Gonadotropin therapy was used for spermatogenesis, followed by in vitro fertilization by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer. Cross-generational targeted next-generation sequencing was then done for genes known to cause Kallmann syndrome. RESULTS: A heterozygous mutation at codon 102 of the FGFR1 gene was found in the patient, but the father was found to have the same mutation yet is unaffected by Kallmann syndrome. Since no causative mutation was found, a de novo or sporadic mutation was suspected as the cause of Kallmann syndrome in this case. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive care must be available for male Kallmann syndrome patients, as treatment should not stop at spermatogenesis, but continue with genetic counseling due to possible inheritance.

Uterine sarcoma is a very aggressive and highly lethal disease. Even after a comprehensive staging surgery or en block cytoreduction surgery followed by multimodality therapy (often chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy), many patients relapse or present with distant metastases, and finally die of diseases. The worst outcome of uterine sarcomas is partly because of their rarity, unknown etiology, and highly divergent genetic aberration. Uterine sarcomas are often classified into four distinct subtypes, including uterine leiomyosarcoma, low-grade uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma, high-grade uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma, and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma. Currently, evidence from tumor biology found that these tumors showed alternation and/or mutation of genomes and the intracellular signal pathway. In addition, some preclinical studies showed promising results for targeting receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, various kinds of growth factor pathways, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, transforming growth factor β/bone morphogenetic protein signal pathway, aurora kinase A, MDM2 proto-oncogene, histone deacetylases, sex hormone receptors, certain types of oncoproteins, and/or loss of tumor suppressor genes. The current review is attempted to summarize the recurrent advance of targeted therapy for uterine sarcomas.

Endometrial stromal tumors are rare uterine tumors (

Objective We report a rare case of vaginal cuff dehiscence with small bowel evisceration at 7 months post robotic-staging surgery. Case Report A 41-year-old woman was sent to the emergency room with sudden onset of abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and vaginal protruding mass after sexual activity. She had a history of synchronous uterine and ovarian cancer treated with robotic-staging surgery 7 months before. Then she received six courses of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and the last chemotherapy ended 1 month ago. At the operation room, some small bowel loops were noted in the vaginal tip with cuff dehiscence and bleeding. After repositioning of the small bowel, a 2.5-cm vaginal cuff dehiscence was repaired transvaginally. The patient recovered well, and is free of disease and has normal sexual activity 2 months after repairs. Conclusion Unusual delayed-type vaginal cuff dehiscence hints the possibility that a combination of robotic surgery and postoperative chemotherapy might result in delayed healing of the vaginal cuff.

This chapter discusses the relationship between creativity and humor, starting with the perspectives of theoretical models and then transitioning to empirical experiments. Creativity and humor were found to be closely related concepts. The confluence model of the humor process explains how humor works and is the first step of our discussion. Among the models that interpret the benefits of humor for creativity, the cognitive perspective shows that humor comprehension is a process that uses important skills of creativity; the emotional perspective claims that humor promotes a positive attitude toward creativity; and the motivational perspective explains that happiness brought by humor creates a strong internal motivation for being creative. To test this model, a humor training program was conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of humor to creativity. The humor training program was developed according to the cognitive, emotional, motivational, and behavioral facets of humor, and each facet had its topics and teaching strategies. The outcome measures were a multidimensional sense of humor scale, a new test of creative thinking, and a divergent-thinking exercise of the creative assessment packet. The experimental group showed a significant improvement in sense of humor, as well as creativity, in comparison to the control group. This study provides empirical support for the claim that humor facilitates creativity, and that a humor training course can have a significant effect on humor.

Leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) is an essential proteolytic enzyme and potential biomarker for liver malignancy. Overexpression of LAP is directly linked with some fatal physiological and pathological disorders. In this regard, we have designed an activity based electrochemical substrate leucine-benzyl ferrocene carbamate (Leu-FC) for selective profiling of LAP activity in live cells. In practice, LAP instantaneously hydrolyze the Leu residue of the substrate Leu-FC to eliminate the unmasked electrochemical reporter amino ferrocene via predefined self-immolative cascade. The electrochemical signal is distinctly specific for LAP and free of other electroactive biological interference. The substrate Leu-FC empowered sensor displayed broad dynamic range with admirable detection limits. On top of this, the probe Leu-FC was employed in real-time active profiling of cellular LAP activity in HepG2 cells and effect of LAP inhibitor. In extent, the substrate Leu-FC can effectively monitor cisplatin induced overexpression of LAP activity in HepG2 cells in presence and absence of bestatin. The sensor showcased an excellent reliability towards monitoring cellular LAP activity in HepG2 cells. Unlike the traditional antibody-based immunoassays, our approach is capable of monitoring in-situ activity of LAP in live cells.

Hydatidiform mole, also known as molar pregnancy, occurs in approximately one in every 600–800 pregnancies [1–3] and is the result of a genetic abnormality that causes growth of atypical in uterohyperplastic trophoblasts and hydropic villi. After one, or two consecutive, complete hydatidiform moles (CMs), the risks of a subsequent CM are 1 in 100 or 1 in 4, respectively; a partial hydatidiform mole (PM) only slightly increases the risk of a subsequent molar pregnancy [4]. Molar pregnancies carry the risk of the development of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), with approximately 10% of patients with CM and 1% of patients with PM requiring chemotherapy for GTN [2]. van der Ven et al. reported an 8–10% incidence of PM following assisted reproductive procedures [5], including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Here, we describe a rare case of a patient who experienced a live euploid birth and spontaneous CM, followed by PM after ICSI.

Introduction: High dietary intake of docosahexanoic acid is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer and reduced metastasis. Epidemiological and preclinical studies suggest that the regulation of monocyte recruitment may play an important role in lowering breast cancer risk and decreasing breast cancer metastasis. In addition to promoting the recruitment of pro-inflammatory leukocytes, the CCL20/CCR6 chemokine axis has been implicated in promoting breast cancer cell migration and invasion. We hypothesize that one mechanism by which DHA suppresses breast cancer progression and metastasis is through the suppression of CCL20/CCR6 signaling. Methods: The 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 cell lines have been previously described as reflecting the characteristics of hyperplastic, in situ and metastatic breast cells, respectively. We measured the impact of physiological DHA concentrations on cell survival and cell proliferation using colony formation and MTT assays respectively. Invasion of 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 cells were evaluated using invasion chambers. Changes in CCL20 and CCR6 expression were measured using qPCR. The activity and expression levels of JNK, ERK1/2 and c-Jun, downstream modulators of the CCL20/CCR6 axis, were evaluated using Western blot analyses. Results: Following a 24 hr exposure to 20 uM DHA and 5-7 days of recovery, colony counts of all three cell lines were significantly suppressed, with 21NT cells experiencing the largest percent reduction. Invasion capacity of 21PT, 21NT and 21MT-1 accurately mirrored the stages of breast cancer they represent. Treatment with DHA reduced the invasion capacity of 21MT-1 to the levels of its hyperplastic counterpart. CCL20 mRNA levels were reduced when cells were exposed to DHA for 48 hrs. Western blot analyses suggest that activation of ERK1/2 and JNK signaling may be critical in orchestrating DHA-associated reduction of invasion. Conclusions: With the support from epidemiological and preclinical studies, the use of omega-3 based preventive regimen may prove useful for reducing breast cancer risk and breast cancer metastasis. In vitro studies using premalignant breast cancer can provide invaluable insights to the molecular mechanisms accountable for preventive properties of omega-3 fatty acids. DHA-associated regulation of CCL20/CCR6 signal transduction may be an important preventive mechanism and future studies will warrant deepened understanding of how nutraceutical compounds can prevent breast cancer. Citation Format: Ching Hui Chen, Laura Garcia, Carol Fabian, Stephen Hursting, Linda deGraffenried. Docosahexanoic acid's modulation of survival and invasion is associated with altered CCL20/CCR6 chemokine levels and signaling in hyperplastic, DCIS and metastatic breast cancer cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-14-01.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of robotic surgery and compare its surgical outcomes with those of laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy, with regard to performing staging surgery to manage ovarian cancer. Methods One hundred and thirty-eight women who received surgical staging procedures for treatment of stage IA–IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline tumours were retrospectively included in the study. All enrolled cases were reviewed for patient demographics, peri-operative parameters, complications and survival. Results The operation time and blood loss was significantly reduced in the robotic and laparoscopic groups. Moreover, robotic surgery was associated with decreased postoperative pain score. The length of hospital stay and time to full diet resumption were also shortened for those who underwent robotic and laparoscopic procedures. Survival analysis and complication rates were similar between the two groups. Conclusion Robotic surgery is a feasible alternative in managing ovarian cancer as long as there is careful consideration given to patient selection. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An increasing number of applications that use virtual reality technology have appeared in the classroom recently. Augmented reality (AR) uses humanized and interactive operations to allow students to learn from a total immersion experience. The market for keyboard- and mouse-based gaming is gradually being replaced by real-time interactive and sensory games. The application of AR technology can be seen in a variety of areas such as news, travel, sports, and commercials in which tangible and exciting experiences occur. Educators and technical developers are beginning to exploit the capabilities of AR technologies to enable new forms of learning in various fields. AR uses virtual objects that simulate a real environment and, if it can integrate image recognition and detection technology, its influence in gaming and education could be powerful. This study develops an AR system and tries to determine its advantage and drawbacks.

The objective of this study is to present a rare case of pregnancy complicated with ovarian cancer managed by robotic surgery. A 36-year-old woman suffered from sudden onset of lower abdominal pain during her pregnancy at 14 weeks of gestation. As malignancy was highly suspected, left salpingo-oophorectomy, bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, and omentectomy were performed by robotic approach. The uterus and fetus were preserved. After surgery, 5 courses of carboplatin and paclitaxel were given, and the patient was delivered by cesarean section at 37 weeks of pregnancy. Follow-up at 18 months showed no signs of cancer recurrence. As there is limited report of pregnancy complicated with ovarian cancer managed by robotic surgery, we provide this rare case and suggest that surgical staging for ovarian malignancy can be safely accomplished by robotic approach at 14 weeks of pregnancy.

This work describes a simple and rapid method for the quantitative analysis of four steroid hormones, including testosterone, progesterone, hydrocortisone and cortisone in human saliva samples by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry using nanomaterials as the matrix. The optimal pretreatment processes of saliva samples as well as MALDI conditions for efficient desorption/ionization of these steroid hormones are systematically explored. Parameters, including the concentration and pH level of ammonium citrate buffer, the nature and concentration of the MALDI matrix, laser energy, and the sample extraction method, were systematically investigated in this study. The limits of detection at a signal to noise ratio of 3 for testosterone, progesterone, hydrocortisone and cortisone provided by the proposed approach are 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, and 3.0 μM, respectively, with satisfactory quantitative linearity (R2 > 0.985) and recovery (89.3–111.2%) for the four analytes. Our technique provides the advantages of sensitivity, repeatability, speed, and simplicity for the quantitation of the four steroid hormones in saliva samples. This method holds great potential for high-throughput biological screening and disease detection.

To summarize available evidence from randomized-controlled trials which have evaluated triggering of final oocyte maturation with concomitant GnRH agonists and hCG in patients undergoing IVF, and to analyze whether dual triggering is as efficacious as hCG triggering in terms of oocyte and pregnancy outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify randomized-controlled trials comparing IVF outcomes between women receiving combined administration of hCG with GnRH agonists and those receiving hCG alone for triggering of final oocyte maturation. Four studies including 527 patients eligible for inclusion in meta-analysis were identified. No significant difference in the number of mature oocytes or fertilized oocytes retrieved was found between groups. Clinical pregnancy rate with dual triggering was significantly higher as compared with hCG-alone triggering (pooled OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.31–0.77, P = 0.002), but there was no significant difference in the ongoing pregnancy rate between groups. Results of meta-analysis indicate comparable or significantly improved outcomes with the use of GnRH agonists plus hCG as compared with hCG alone for triggering of final oocyte maturation.

Background: To explore the relationship between overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and paravaginal defects (PVDs), and to identify the necessity of PVD repair by transvaginal mesh (TVM) for the treatment of OAB symptoms. Methods: A retrospective clinical study of 30 women with advanced cystocele with limited apical and posterior vaginal wall prolapse was conducted to identify any changes in OAB symptoms following a single Perigee procedure. Prolapse was assessed using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system, and paravaginal defects were identified by sonography. Complete urodynamic examination was performed prior to and one year after operation. All patients completed the overactive bladder questionnaire pre- and postoperatively for a quantitative assessment of OAB symptoms. Results: All patients showed a significant improvement at points Aa and Ba in the POP-Q system. The results of the administered questionnaire revealed statistically significant improvement postoperatively. The difference of OAB symptoms between the group with PVDs and that with central defects was not statistically significant (p = 0.67). Moreover, no statistically significant improvement of OAB symptoms in the group with repaired PVDs was observed postoperatively (p = 0.42). Conclusion: Statistical improvements of symptoms exist after Aa and Ba points recovery as evaluated by POP-Q system regardless of PVD existence identified by sonography. Repairing PVD did not show significantly improve the severity of OAB symptoms in objective urodynamic data or subjective questionnaire data. The superiority of TVM in PVD repair to manage OAB symptoms seems not manifest. Keywords: Cystocele, Overactive bladder, Overactive detrusor, Surgical mesh, Urinary bladder prolapse, Vaginal prolapse

In this paper, we present a new video-based face identification algorithm, where the target (i.e., person of interest) in the probe video is only annotated once with a face bounding box in a frame and the video may consist of multiple shots. Most video face identification techniques assume that the video is of single shot, and thus the bounding boxes of the target face can be extracted by tracking a face across the video frames. Nevertheless, such automatic annotation is vulnerable to the drifting of the face tracker, and the face tracking algorithm is inadequate to associate the face images of the target across multiple shots. In this paper, we propose a target face association (TFA) technique that retrieves a set of representative face images in a given video that are likely to have the same identity as the target face. These face images are then utilized to construct a robust face representation of the target face for searching the corresponding subject in the gallery. Since two faces that appear in the same video frame cannot belong to the same person, such cannot-link constraints are utilized for learning a target-specific linear classifier for establishing the intra/inter-shot face association of the target. Experimental results on the newly released JANUS challenge set 3 (JANUS CS3) dataset show that our method generates robust representations from target-annotated videos and demonstrates good performance for the task of video-based face identification problem.

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the association between sexual orientations and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related parameters. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study with participants recruited from the regular outpatient clinic at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan between July 2012 and December 2013 was carried out. A total of 97 women met the criterion of having been diagnosed with PCOS. Among these 97 women, 89 were heterosexuals and eight were self-identified as lesbians. At the same time, 78 women without PCOS were enrolled to serve as the control group. Participants were given a standard questionnaire and had blood withdrawn for biochemical analysis of androgen parameters—including total testosterone, androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin, free androgen index, 17β-estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone, and follicular-stimulating hormone. The biochemical data were measured to compare the PCOS clinical parameters present in people of different sexual orientations (lesbians and heterosexuals). Results: The women with PCOS, regardless of sexual orientation, had higher percentages and serum levels of hyperandrogenism-related clinical parameters than the women without PCOS [acne (87.5% and 60.7% vs. 23.1%), p

a b s t r a c t Representational Change Theory claims that participants form inappropriate represen- tations at the beginning of the insight problem solving process and that these initial representations must be transformed to discover the solution (Knoblich, Ohlsson, Haider, & Rhenius, 1999; Knoblich, Ohlsson, & Raney, 2001; Ohlsson, 1992). The theory also claims that all participants are trapped by inappropriate representations, regardless of the result, but it is easier for successful participants to transform their initial representations. However, the transformation of representations is not the only critical factor. This study investigates the hypothesis that the process of fixedness averting plays an important role in insight problem solving and is helpful for representational change. To verify the influence of fixed- ness averting on representational change processes, matchstick arithmetic problems were employed as an experimental model. In experiment 1, insight problem solving results could be predicted within the first third of the duration of the task. The gaze duration in the fix- ation region of successful participants was shorter than the gaze duration of unsuccessful participants. In experiment 2, participants' foci of attention were experimentally manip- ulated by presenting different animated diagrams to guide their attention. We found that the rate of correct responses was significantly reduced when participants' attention was guided to the fixation region. Representational Change Theory declares that changing inap- propriate initial representations is necessary for solving insight problems. The present study demonstrates that in addition to representational change, fixedness averting is also crucial to problem solving.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of robotic surgery, laparoscopy, and laparotomy for the surgical treatment of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer.MethodsThis retrospective study was carried out in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. A total of 100 women with an initial diagnosis of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer, without preoperative brachytherapy or chemotherapy, were included in this study. With selection of the cases, 44 patients received laparotomy surgery, 32 patients received laparoscopic surgery, and 24 patients received robotic surgery. The perioperative parameters measured included operation time, blood loss, transfusion rate, lymph node yield, adhesion score, laparotomy conversion rate, postoperative and 24-hour pain scores, time to full diet resumption, and hospital stay. The perioperative complication and disease-free survival were also evaluated.ResultsThe robotic group showed a shorter operation time, less blood loss, lower transfusion rate, and lower laparotomy conversion rate than the laparoscopic or laparotomy group. As for the postoperative parameters, the robotic group showed reduced postoperative and 24-hour pain scores, shortened length of hospital stay, and decreased time to full diet resumption compared with the other 2 surgical groups. No significant differences were found between the groups in perioperative complication rate or disease-free survival.ConclusionsThe data suggested that robotic surgery is a feasible and potentially optimal option for the treatment of stage IA to IIB cervical cancer with favorable short-term surgical outcomes.

Background and objective A number of clinical factors play pivotal roles in weaning and successful extubation of patients requiring long-term mechanical ventilator (LTMV) support. Many patients fail extubation even after passing weaning protocols and spontaneous breathing trials. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of using a modified Burns Wean Assessment Program (m-BWAP) scoring instrument to predict extubation outcome in patients requiring LTMV. Methods All patients with a diagnostic coding for respiratory failure requiring LTMV for longer than 21 days over a 5-year period in a single centre (total 527 patients) were included. Advanced practice nurses trained in the use of the m-BWAP scored the items according to standard definitions. All patients were weaned by pressure support weaning and spontaneous breathing trails. Patients were divided into successful and unsuccessful groups according to the weaning and extubation outcomes. Baseline data, traditional weaning parameters and m-BWAP of the groups were analysed. The sensitivity and specificity of m-BWAP for predicting successful extubation were calculated. Results Of the 527 patients included, 145 (27.5%) had successful weaning trials. Of the 130 patients extubated, 102 (78.5%) had successful extubation. The m-BWAP score was higher in the patients with successful weaning trials and successful extubation outcome. Using a cut-off value of 60, the sensitivity and specificity of the m-BWAP to predict successful extubation were 81.4% and 82.1%, respectively. This was better than traditional weaning parameters. Conclusions The m-BWAP is a good predictor for weaning and extubation outcome in patients requiring LTMV for longer than 21 days.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of shared care combined with telecare in type 2 diabetic patients in an underserved community in Asia. Research Design and Methods: In total, 95 patients with type 2 diabetes who had a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of >7% were recruited from six community health centers in remote areas in Changhua County, Taiwan. All patients were randomly divided into intervention (shared care combined with telecare) and usual-care groups and followed up for 6 months. Results: The decrease in HbA1c level was significantly greater in the intervention group than in the usual-care group (0.7±1.3% versus 0.1±1.0%, p=0.03). There were no significant differences in lipid profiles and blood pressure changes between the two groups. Conclusions: Shared care combined with telecare could significantly reduce HbA1c levels in type 2 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control in underserved rural communities. Further studies should be conducted to clarify the target users ...

This work demonstrated a simple platform for rapid and effective surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SALDI-TOF MS) measurements based on the layer structure of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and gold nanoparticles. A multi-layer thin film was fabricated by alternate layer-by-layer depositions of rGO and gold nanoparticles (LBL rGO/AuNP). The flat and clean two-dimensional film was served as the sample plate and also functioned as the matrix in SALDI-TOF MS. By simply one-step deposition of analytes onto the LBL rGO/AuNP sample plate, the MS measurements of various homogeneous samples were ready to execute. The optimization of MS signal was reached by the variation of the layer numbers of rGO and gold nanoparticles. Also, the small molecules including amino acids, carbohydrates and peptides were successfully analyzed in SALDI-TOF MS using the LBL rGO/AuNP sample plate. The results showed that the signal intensity, S N−1 ratio and reproducibility of SALDI-TOF spectra have been significantly improved in comparison to the uses of gold nanoparticles or α-cyano-4-hydroxy-cinnamic acid (CHCA) as the assisted matrixes. Taking the advantages of the unique properties of rGO and gold nanoparticles, the ready-to-use MS sample plate, which could absorb and dissipate laser energy to analytes quite efficiently and homogeneously, has shown great commercial potentials for MS applications.

Introduction: Inflammation has been identified as a key contributor to breast cancer development. Both clinical and preclinical studies confirm a role for inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, interleukins, embedded immune cells and prostaglandins in promoting development of breast cancer. Elevated levels/activity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are correlated with a more aggressive disease. Omega-3 fatty acid (n-3) intake is correlated with an inverse risk for breast cancer development and improvement in prognostic markers. One key target of omega-3 fatty acids is the COX-2 enzyme. We hypothesize that one mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids suppress breast cancer progression is through inhibition of inflammatory signaling. Methods: The impact of omega-3 ethyl esters (n-3 EE), a component of some omega-3 supplements, on the viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells grown in a pro-inflammatory environment was assessed by MTT analysis and on proliferation by cell counting. Supplementation of the growth media with IL-6 (10ng/mL) was used to simulate a pro-inflammatory environment. Changes in expression levels of key components of inflammatory pathways were assessed by Western blot analyses and quantitative PCR. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were measured using ELISA assays. Results: A significant suppression in IL-6-induced proliferation was observed when cells were exposed to physiological concentrations (20 uM) of n-3 EE for 96 hrs. Molecular analyses suggest that the suppression of the NF-kB/COX-2/PGE2 signaling axis was important for mediating this effect. These results are consistent with other studies using specific COX-2 inhibitors. Conclusions: With their potent anti-inflammatory activity, n-3 EE may prove useful in reducing malignancy of breast cancer and also slow development of new breast cancers. Importantly, they appear to have none of the toxicities associated with pharmaceutical COX inhibitors (NSAIDs). Future studies are planned to incorporate nutraceutical compounds to standard therapy to improve efficacy and reduce associated side effects. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-09-02.

Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the long-term efficacy of conservative surgery combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy for uterine adenomyoma. Materials and Methods: We carried out an uncontrolled descriptive study of 285 women who had symptomatic uterine adenomyoma. A total of 186 women with pathologically proven adenomyoma underwent ultramini-laparoscopic adenomyomectomy and a 6-month course of goserelin acetate treatment, and were evaluated semi-annually during a follow-up period of at least 3 years. Results: Patient scores for dysmenorrhea using a self-reported six-point verbal numeric rating scale significantly declined compared with the baseline assessment, from 3.84 ± 0.65 to 0.33 ± 0.57, 0.52 ± 0.86, and 0.88 ± 1.29 at the end of the 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up visits, respectively (p

Face recognition in outdoor environment is a challenging task due to illumination changes, pose variations, and occlusions. In this chapter, we discuss several techniques for continuous tracking of faces acquired by an outdoor camera network as well as a face matching algorithm. Active camera networks are capable of reconfiguring the camera parameters to collaboratively capture the close-up views of face images. Robust face recognition methods can utilize compact representations extracted from multi-view videos. In the meantime, the constraints of consistent tracking of faces and the limitation of network resources should be satisfied. In this book chapter, we discuss several techniques for continuous tracking of faces acquired by a camera network as well as a face matching algorithm. We conclude this chapter with the discussion on the remaining challenges and emerging frameworks for face recognition in outdoor camera networks.