Acupuncture for Climacteric-Like Symptoms in Breast Cancer Improves Sleep, Mental and Emotional Health: A Randomized Trial.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm in women. Optimal treatment frequently includes a hormonal-blockage phase maintained for 5-10 years. Pharmacologic agents used for this blockage induce many climacteric-like symptoms, which often exact a heavy toll on patients' quality of life.

External validity of type 2 diabetes clinical trials on cardiovascular outcomes for a multimorbid population.

Aim: To investigate the external validity of recent antihyperglycaemic trials evaluating cardiovascular outcomes in a multimorbid population.

Materials And Methods: Selection criteria of 15 randomized controlled trials from the 2020 American Diabetes Association Standard of Care statement were applied in a stepwise manner to tertiary care patients with type 2 diabetes. Primary outcomes were the number of patients eligible per individual trial and for the aggregate of trials.

Exposure to fine particles increases blood pressure of hypertensive outdoor workers: A panel study.

Background: Hypertension and air pollution are two important risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although several studies suggest that air pollution has a significant impact on blood pressure, studies on long-term effects are sparse and still controversial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of exposure of outdoor workers to different levels of traffic-generated PM on blood pressure.

Association between Traffic Air Pollution and Reduced Forced Vital Capacity: A Study Using Personal Monitors for Outdoor Workers.

Background: The effects of outdoor air pollution on lung function in adults are still controversial.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of exposure to different levels of traffic-generated PM2.5 on workers' lung functions in São Paulo, Brazil.

Packaging Glass with a Hierarchically Nanostructured Surface: A Universal Method to Achieve Self-Cleaning Omnidirectional Solar Cells.

Fused-silica packaging glass fabricated with a hierarchical structure by integrating small (ultrathin nanorods) and large (honeycomb nanowalls) structures was demonstrated with exceptional light-harvesting solar performance, which is attributed to the subwavelength feature of the nanorods and an efficient scattering ability of the honeycomb nanowalls. Si solar cells covered with the hierarchically structured packaging glass exhibit enhanced conversion efficiency by 5.2% at normal incidence, and the enhancement went up to 46% at the incident angle of 60°.

A randomized, controlled, crossover study in patients with mild and moderate asthma undergoing treatment with traditional Chinese acupuncture.

Objectives: This study sought to verify the effects of acupuncture as an adjuvant treatment for the control of asthma.

Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, crossover trial conducted at the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. A total of 74 patients with mild/moderate, persistent asthma were randomized into two therapeutic groups: Group A - 31 patients underwent 10 real weekly acupuncture sessions, followed by a 3-week washout period and 10 sham weekly acupuncture sessions; and Group B - 43 patients underwent 10 sham weekly acupuncture sessions, followed by a 3-week washout period and 10 real weekly acupuncture sessions.

Few-Layer MoS2 with high broadband Photogain and fast optical switching for use in harsh environments.

Few-layered MoS2 as Schottky metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM PDs) for use in harsh environments makes its debut as two-dimensional (2D) optoelectronics with high broadband gain (up to 13.3), high detectivity (up to ~10(10) cm Hz(1/2)/W), fast photoresponse (rise time of ~70 μs and fall time of ~110 μs), and high thermal stability (at a working temperature of up to 200 °C). Ultrahigh responsivity (0.

An energy-harvesting scheme employing CuGaSe2 quantum dot-modified ZnO buffer layers for drastic conversion efficiency enhancement in inorganic-organic hybrid solar cells.

We demonstrated a promising route to enhance the performance of inverted organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices by the incorporation of CuGaSe2 (CGS) quantum dots (QDs) into the ZnO buffer layer of P3HT:PCBM-based devices. The modification of QDs provides better band alignment between the organic/cathode interface, improves ZnO crystal quality, and increases photon absorption, leading to more effective carrier transport/collection. By employing this energy-harvesting scheme, short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor of the OPV device after CGS QD modification are improved by 9.

Evaluation of acupuncture for cancer symptoms in a cancer institute in Brazil.

Introduction: Acupuncture has been progressively included in the practice of mainstream medicine in recent decades. The State of Sao Paulo Cancer Institute is a public hospital established in 2008 and its acupuncture service follows the experience and model of several oncology centres in the USA, aiming to optimise the treatment of symptoms such as postoperative pain, oncological pain, neuropathic pain, nausea, vomiting, xerostomia and fatigue induced by chemotherapy. This paper describes the population given acupuncture treatment and the effects of the intervention on symptom management.

Hierarchical structures consisting of SiO2 nanorods and p-GaN microdomes for efficiently harvesting solar energy for InGaN quantum well photovoltaic cells.

We experimentally and theoretically demonstrated the hierarchical structure of SiO(2) nanorod arrays/p-GaN microdomes as a light harvesting scheme for InGaN-based multiple quantum well solar cells. The combination of nano- and micro-structures leads to increased internal multiple reflection and provides an intermediate refractive index between air and GaN. Cells with the hierarchical structure exhibit improved short-circuit current densities and fill factors, rendering a 1.

An efficient broadband and omnidirectional light-harvesting scheme employing a hierarchical structure based on a ZnO nanorod/Si3N4-coated Si microgroove on 5-inch single crystalline Si solar cells.

We employ a ZnO nanorod/Si(3)N(4)-coated Si microgroove-based hierarchical structure (HS) for a light-harvesting scheme in 5 inch single crystalline Si solar cells. ZnO nanorods and Si microgrooves were fabricated by a simple and scalable aqueous process. The excellent light-harvesting characteristics of the HS, such as broadband working ranges and omnidirectionality have been demonstrated using external quantum efficiencies and reflectance measurements.

Electronic structures of well-aligned Er-doped ZnO nanorod arrays.

Electronic structures of well-aligned Er-doped ZnO (ZnO:Er) nanorod arrays (NRAs) synthesized by a solution-based hydrothermal process were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). HRTEM and angular dependent X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis at O K and Zn L3 edges indicates that the spontaneous polarization is along the [0001] direction. The analysis of Er L3-edge XAFS demonstrates that the local structure around Er in the ZnO:Er NRAs was transformed from O(h) to C(4v), after annealing.

Significant efficiency enhancement of hybrid solar cells using core-shell nanowire geometry for energy harvesting.

A novel strategy employing core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) consisting of Si/regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was demonstrated to facilitate efficient light harvesting and exciton dissociation/charge collection for hybrid solar cells (HSCs). We experimentally demonstrate broadband and omnidirectional light-harvesting characteristics of core-shell NWA HSCs due to their subwavelength features, further supported by the simulation based on finite-difference time domain analysis. Meanwhile, core-shell geometry of NWA HSCs guarantees efficient charge separation since the thickness of the P3HT shells is comparable to the exciton diffusion length.

Ultra-high-responsivity broadband detection of Si metal-semiconductor-metal Schottky photodetectors improved by ZnO nanorod arrays.

This study describes a strategy for developing ultra-high-responsivity broadband Si-based photodetectors (PDs) using ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs). The ZnO NRAs grown by a low-temperature hydrothermal method with large growth area and high growth rate absorb the photons effectively in the UV region and provide refractive index matching between Si and air for the long-wavelength region, leading to 3 and 2 orders of magnitude increase in the responsivity of Si metal-semiconductor-metal PDs in the UV and visible/NIR regions, respectively. Significantly enhanced performances agree with the theoretical analysis based on the finite-difference time-domain method.

A review of low-level air pollution and adverse effects on human health: implications for epidemiological studies and public policy.

The aim of this study was to review original scientific articles describing the relationship between atmospheric pollution and damage to human health. We also aimed to determine which of these studies mentioned public policy issues. Original articles relating to atmospheric pollution and human health published between 1995 and 2009 were retrieved from the PubMed database and analyzed.

Er-doped ZnO nanorod arrays with enhanced 1540 nm emission by employing Ag island films and high-temperature annealing.

Single-crystalline Er-doped ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) on Ag island films with appropriate annealing show a promising enhancement of 1540 nm emission for optical communication. The enhanced 1540 nm emission of Er-doped ZnO NRAs is attributed to the enhancement of the deep level emission of ZnO host. In an effort to enhance deep level emission to pump Er(3+) emission at 1540 nm in the Er-doped ZnO NRAs, surface plasmon coupling and increase in deep level states were carried out via Ag island films and high-temperature annealing.

Significant enhancement of yellow-green light emission of ZnO nanorod arrays using Ag island films.

Surface plasmon (SP) mediated emission from ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs)/Ag/Si structures has been investigated. The ratio of visible emission to UV emission can be increased by over 30 times via coupling with SP without deterioration of the crystal quality. The fact that the effect of SP crucially depends on the size of Ag island films provides the feasibility to significantly enhance the yellow-green emission of the ZnO nanostructures without sacrificing the crystallinity of ZnO.

The teaching of acupuncture in the University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil.

Objective: Since being introduced as an elective discipline (non-obligatory) in the second semester of 2002, acupuncture has been taught in the University of São Paulo School of Medicine. We conducted this study to verify interest and acceptance among under graduate medical students and to discern a positive influence contributing to improving their skills.

Methods: The study was conducted from 2002 to 2007 using descriptive statistical methods.

Periodic si nanopillar arrays fabricated by colloidal lithography and catalytic etching for broadband and omnidirectional elimination of Fresnel reflection.

Periodic Si nanopillar arrays (NPAs) were fabricated by the colloidal lithography combined with catalytic etching. By varying the size of colloidal crystals using oxygen plasma etching, Si NPAs with desirable diameter and fill factor could be obtained. The Fresnel reflection can be eliminated effectively over broadband regions by NPAs; i.

Surface profile-controlled close-packed Si nanorod arrays for self-cleaning antireflection coatings.

We demonstrate the fabrication of surface profile-controlled close-packed Si nanorod arrays (NRAs), using a scalable and integrated circuit compatible process combining colloidal lithography and reactive ion etching. Si NRAs exhibit broadband, omnidirectional, and polarization-insensitive antireflection (AR) properties and enhance the hydrophobicity. The effect of surface profiles of periodic NRAs on the AR and hydrophobicity was investigated systematically.