Synergistic B and T lymphocyte interaction: prognostic implications in non-small cell lung cancer.

While T-cell-mediated immune responses in solid tumors have been well-established and have driven major therapeutic advances, our understanding of B-cell biology in cancer is comparatively less developed. A total of 60 lung cancer patients were included, of which 53% were diagnosed at an early stage while 47% were diagnosed at an advanced stage. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the proportion of T and B cells in all blood samples, and the levels of human serum cytokines were also assessed.

Predicting Heavy Metal Concentrations in Shallow Aquifer Systems Based on Low-Cost Physiochemical Parameters Using Machine Learning Techniques.

Monitoring ex-situ water parameters, namely heavy metals, needs time and laboratory work for water sampling and analytical processes, which can retard the response to ongoing pollution events. Previous studies have successfully applied fast modeling techniques such as artificial intelligence algorithms to predict heavy metals. However, neither low-cost feature predictability nor explainability assessments have been considered in the modeling process.

Kinetics of oxygen uptake during unassisted breathing trials in prolonged mechanical ventilation: a prospective pilot study.

Few studies have investigated the measurement of oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]O) in tracheostomized patients undergoing unassisted breathing trials (UBTs) for liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV). Using an open-circuit, breath-to-breath method, we continuously measured [Formula: see text]O and relevant parameters during 120-min UBTs via a T-tube in 49 tracheostomized patients with prolonged MV, and calculated mean values in the first and last 5-min periods. Forty-one (84%) patients successfully completed the UBTs.

Use of Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus to Prevent Cholangitis in Biliary Atresia After Kasai Operation.

Objectives: Recurrent cholangitis may aggravate cholestatic liver cirrhosis in biliary atresia (BA) after the Kasai operation. This pilot study aimed to investigate whether Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus has the prophylactic efficacy for recurrent cholangitis in comparison with the conventional neomycin prophylaxis.

Methods: Twenty jaundice-free patients with BA ages 0 to 3 years who underwent a Kasai operation were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups with 10 patients each: neomycin (25 mg · kg · day for 4 days/wk) and L casei rhamnosus (8 × 10 colony-forming unit per day) groups.

Decreasing rate of biliary atresia in Taiwan: a survey, 2004-2009.

Objectives: The pathogenesis of biliary atresia (BA) is unclear, but epidemiological studies may help to elucidate possible causes. The goals of this study were to identify BA incidence changes in Taiwan in 2004-2009 and to survey the factors that might influence incidence changes to elucidate the possible causes of BA.

Methods: A Taiwan national registry system for BA has been established since 2004.

Prediction of ion-exchange column breakthrough curves by constant-pattern wave approach.

The release of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters represents one of major threats to environment. Compared with chemical precipitation method, fixed-bed ion-exchange process can effectively remove heavy metals from wastewaters and generate no hazardous sludge. In order to design and operate fixed-bed ion-exchange processes successfully, it is very important to understand the column dynamics.

Factorial experimental design for recovering heavy metals from sludge with ion-exchange resin.

Wastewaters containing heavy metals are usually treated by chemical precipitation method in Taiwan. This method can remove heavy metals form wastewaters efficiently, but the resultant heavy metal sludge is classified as hazardous solid waste and becomes another environmental problem. If we can remove heavy metals from sludge, it becomes non-hazardous waste and the treatment cost can be greatly reduced.

Extraction kinetics of heavy metal-containing sludge.

In order to remove and recover copper, zinc, cadmium, and chromium from the wastewater treatment sludge generated by an electroplating process, the heavy metal extraction kinetics was studied in a batch reactor using two different extraction agents (nitric and citric acid) at constant agitation speed (150 rpm) and solid to liquid ratio (10 g/L), but varying acid concentrations (0.02-0.10 N), temperatures (25-85 degrees C in nitric acid solution, 25-95 degrees C in citric acid solution), and sludge particle sizes.

Behçet's disease in childhood: report of one case.

We report on a 6 yr 7 m-old girl who had suffered from recurrent oral ulcers since July, 2000. Anal ulcers were also noted initially, and arthralgia was observed. Skin testing (pathergy test) showed only mild erythematous changes over the test area.

Pediatric fulminant hepatic failure in endemic areas of hepatitis B infection: 15 years after universal hepatitis B vaccination.

To investigate the role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pediatric fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) after the launch of universal HBV vaccination, the authors analyzed the data from patients with FHF collected from a nationwide collaborative study group. Children aged 1 month to 15 years who were diagnosed with FHF (62 males and 33 females) between 1985-1999 were included. HBV infection (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and/or immunoglobulin M hepatitis B core antibody [IgM anti-HBc] seropositive) accounted for 46% (43 of 95 cases) of all the cases of FHF.

Tc-99m di-isopropyl-iminodiacetic acid cholescintigraphic findings in Rotor's syndrome.

A 10-year-old girl with Rotor's syndrome was studied using Tc-99m di-isopropyl-iminodiacetic acid cholescintigraphy. The findings showed slow hepatic uptake, persistent cardiac blood pool radioactivity, and prominent renal excretion. The contribution of cholescintigraphy and pathophysiology will be discussed via a literature review.