Experimental Investigation of the Impact of Loading Conditions on the Change in Thin NiTi Wire Resistance during Cyclic Stretching.

This paper presents the results of an experimental study designed to evaluate the effect of repeated stretching cycles on the electrical resistance change in a NiTi alloy wire. In particular, tests were carried out to determine the effect of the type of loading on resistance change in the investigated wires. Wires with a diameter of 100 μm were used in the research.

Determination of Thin NiTi Wires' Mechanical Properties during Phase Transformations.

The modern industrial and consumer applications in accordance with the concepts of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things are characterized by autonomy and self-sufficiency. This has led to an increase in the interest for the so-called smart materials, capable of combining the functionalities of sensors, actuators and, in some applications, control systems.

Differences and Similarities in the Pattern of Early Metabolic and Morphologic Response after Induction Chemo-Immunotherapy versus Induction Chemotherapy Alone in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer.

Background: In head and neck cancer patients, parameters of metabolic and morphologic response of the tumor to single-cycle induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, cis- or carboplatin are used to decide the further course of treatment. This study investigated the effect of adding a double immune checkpoint blockade (DICB) of tremelimumab and durvalumab to IC on imaging parameters and their significance with regard to tumor cell remission. Methods: Response variables of 53 patients treated with IC+DICB (ICIT) were compared with those of 104 who received IC alone.

F18-FDG PET/CT imaging early predicts pathologic complete response to induction chemoimmunotherapy of locally advanced head and neck cancer: preliminary single-center analysis of the checkrad-cd8 trial.

Aim: In the CheckRad-CD8 trial patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer are treated with a single cycle of induction chemo-immunotherapy (ICIT). Patients with pathological complete response (pCR) in the re-biopsy enter radioimmunotherapy. Our goal was to study the value of F-18-FDG PET/CT in the prediction of pCR after induction therapy.

Changes of albumin secondary structure after palmitic acid binding. FT-IR spectroscopic study.

Purpose: Albumin is an universal transport protein. Plasma pool of free fatty acids arising from triglyceride hydrolysis, critical in energy metabolism and etiology of metabolic disorders is transported by albumin. According to various studies albumin has from seven to nine binding sites with diverse affinity to long chain fatty acids.

Presence of Concomitant Systemic Cancer is Not Associated with Worse Functional Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: Data on clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and concomitant systemic cancer disease are very limited.

Methods: Nine hundred and seventy three consecutive primary ICH patients were analyzed using our prospective institutional registry over a period of 9 years (2006-2014). We compared clinical and radiological parameters as well as outcome - scored using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and analyzed in a dichotomized fashion as favorable outcome (mRS = 0-3) and unfavorable outcome (mRS = 4-6) - of ICH patients with and without cancer.

Comparison of FTIR-ATR and Raman spectroscopy in determination of VLDL triglycerides in blood serum with PLS regression.

Hypertriglyceridemia, related with triglyceride (TG) in plasma above 1.7mmol/L is one of the cardiovascular risk factors. Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) are the main TG carriers.

Effect of patent ductus arteriosus and patent foramen ovale on left ventricular stroke volume measurement by electrical velocimetry in comparison to transthoracic echocardiography in neonates.

This prospective single-center observational study compared impedance cardiography [electrical velocimetry (EV)] with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE, based on trans-aortic flow) and analyzed the influence of physiological shunts, such as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) or patent foramen ovale (PFO), on measurement accuracy. Two hundred and ninety-one triplicate simultaneous paired left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) measurements by EV (LVSV) and TTE (LVSV) in 99 spontaneously breathing neonates (mean weight 3270 g; range 1227-4600 g) were included. For the whole cohort, the mean absolute LVSV was 5.

Nonoperative treatment of acute appendicitis in children: A feasibility study.

Purpose: Nonoperative treatment of acute appendicitis appears to be feasible in adults. It is unclear whether the same is true for children.

Methods: Children 5-18 years with <48 h symptoms of acute appendicitis were offered nonoperative treatment: 2 doses of piperacillin IV, then ampicillin/clavulanate ×1 week.

Utility of admission serum lactate in pediatric trauma.

Background/purpose: Serum lactate measurement has a predictive value in adult trauma. To date, there has been no prospective analysis of the predictive value of admission serum lactate in pediatric trauma.

Methods: Admission serum lactate was prospectively measured over a two year period on all children under age 15 years who met trauma alert criteria at an urban Level 1 trauma center.

Impedance cardiography (electrical velocimetry) and transthoracic echocardiography for non-invasive cardiac output monitoring in pediatric intensive care patients: a prospective single-center observational study.

Introduction: Electrical velocimetry (EV) is a type of impedance cardiography, and is a non-invasive and continuously applicable method of cardiac output monitoring. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is non-invasive but discontinuous.

Methods: We compared EV with TTE in pediatric intensive care patients in a prospective single-center observational study.

Effect of cerebral circulatory arrest on cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy in pediatric patients.

Background/aims: The aim was to investigate whether cerebral transcutaneous near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) or two-site NIRS is a suitable monitoring tool to detect or confirm a cerebral circulatory arrest in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients.

Methods: Prospective single-center pediatric observational study. Simultaneous NIRS measurements over forehead (cNIRS, crS02) and kidney (rNIRS, rrSO2), at the same time, the cardiac output were determined by transthoracic echocardiography.

Rapamycin increases neuroblastoma xenograft and host stromal derived osteoprotegerin inhibiting osteolytic bone disease in a bone metastasis model.

Purpose: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a decoy receptor for the Receptor of NF-κB (RANK) ligand that can inhibit osteoclastogenesis. Previous studies have suggested that Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition upregulates OPG production. We tested the hypothesis that the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin could inhibit neuroblastoma bone metastases through its action on OPG.

HIF-1α activation mediates resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy in neuroblastoma xenografts.

Introduction: The anti-tumor activity of angiogenesis inhibitors is often limited by the development of resistance to these drugs. Here we establish HIF-1α as a major factor in the development of this resistance in neuroblastoma xenografts.

Methods: Neuroblastoma xenografts were established by injecting unmodified SKNAS or NB-1691 cells (2 × 10(6) cells), or cells in which HIF-1α expression had been knocked down with shRNA, into the retroperitoneal space of SCID mice.

Robot-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy for treating myasthenia gravis in children.

Introduction: In the United States, the prevalence of myasthenia gravis (MG) is approximately 14-20 per 100,000. One treatment option involves a thymectomy, which can lead to remission of symptoms. The amount of thymic tissue removed is correlated with a better outcome for patients.

The effects of irrigation on outcomes in cases of perforated appendicitis in children.

Introduction: Appendicitis is the most common indication for urgent abdominal operation in children. Approximately 20%-30% of patients will have a perforation at operation. Intra-abdominal abscess after appendectomy is reported in 3%-20% of patients and adds significantly to hospital stay with increased morbidity and overall cost.

A low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet supplemented with long-chain (n-3) fatty acids alters the postprandial lipoprotein profile in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Dietary fat intake plays a critical role in the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study addressed the hypothesis that dietary fat quantity and quality may differentially modulate postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in MetS patients. A multi-center, parallel, randomized, controlled trial conducted within the LIPGENE study randomly assigned MetS patients to 1 of 4 diets: high-SFA [HSFA; 38% energy (E) from fat, 16% E as SFA], high-monounsaturated fatty acid [HMUFA; 38% E from fat, 20% E as MUFA], and 2 low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate [LFHCC; 28% E from fat] diets supplemented with 1.

Bevacizumab-induced tumor vessel remodeling in rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts increases the effectiveness of adjuvant ionizing radiation.

Purpose: Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may effect transient "normalization" of tumor vasculature by pruning immature vessels, resulting in improved tumor perfusion and oxygenation. This may improve the efficacy of adjuvant ionizing radiation (IR). We tested this hypothesis using bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF antibody, in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) xenografts.

Lipoprotein profile, plasma ischemia modified albumin and LDL density change in the course of postprandial lipemia. Insights from the LIPGENE study.

Postprandial lipemia is associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Very little data exists regarding postprandial response in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The current study was conducted within the LIPGENE EU Integrated Project.

Angiogenesis in Balb/c mice under beta-carotene supplementation in diet.

Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessel formation from pre-existing ones. The most important steps in angiogenesis include detachment, proliferation, migration, homing and differentiation of vascular wall cells, which are mainly endothelial cells and their progenitors. The study focused on the effect of beta-carotene (BC) supplementation (12,000 mg/kg) in the diet on angiogenesis in Balb/c mice.

The effect of the plasma n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio on the dietary LDL phenotype transformation - insights from the LIPGENE study.

Background & Aims: LDL phenotype B is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia and oxidative stress. The effect of plasma n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio on LDL phenotype transformation was investigated.

Methods: Patients with metabolic syndrome (n=99) received one of four isocaloric diets: (A) High-fat (38% energy) SFA-rich diet (HSFA); (B) High-fat (38% energy), MUFA-rich diet (HMUFA); (C), low-fat (LF) (28% energy), high-complex carbohydrate diet with 1.

The chemotactic activity of beta-carotene in endothelial cell progenitors and human umbilical vein endothelial cells: A microarray analysis.

Objectives: Endothelial cells and their progenitors play an important role in angiogenesis that is essential for organogenesis and tissue remodelling, as well as for inflammatory responses and carcinogenesis in all periods of life. In the present study, the authors concentrated on the direct effect of beta-carotene (BC) on human umbilical cord-originated endothelial progenitor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Methods: BC uptake was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Focal adhesion kinase expression in human neuroblastoma: immunohistochemical and real-time PCR analyses.

Purpose: The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase important in signaling between cells and their extracellular matrix. Studies have shown that FAK expression is up-regulated in several human tumors and is related to tumor progression. We recently found an increase in p125(FAK) expression in human neuroblastoma cells lines and wished to determine its expression in human neuroblastoma specimens and evaluate for a possible correlation between p125(FAK) expression and known prognostic factors for neuroblastoma.