Tibialis Anterior Muscle: Pedicled Bone Graft for Defect of the Tibia.

Purpose: To report the result of the bone graft retrograde pedicled with the tibialis anterior muscle belly for the treatment of bone defect of tibia.

Methods: Between 2017 and 2020, the bone graft pedicled with the tibialis anterior muscle was applied for the treatment of 11 patients with a cortical defect and nonunion of the tibia due to trauma and one patient with segmental bone defect caused by tramatic osteomyelitis. The tibialis anterior has the largest muscle belly, but has not been commonly used due to functional disability following use as transposition muscle flap.

Parametric study for optimal performance of Coulomb-coupled quantum dots.

We study the optimal output power and efficiency of the three-terminal quantum heat engine with Coulomb-coupled quantum-dots (CCQD). It has been well known that in the weak coupling regime, two kinds of dominant transport mechanisms are sequential tunneling and cotunneling processes in CCQD. What process becomes dominant, which can be controlled by several parameters such as temperature difference, bias voltage, Coulomb interaction and tunneling parameters, is one of the key problems to determine the performance of the heat engine.

Endoscopic observation finding in the core decompression procedure of osteonecrosis of femoral head and effect of additional treatments.

Purpose: To observe necrotic findings of the femoral head through the endoscopic examination when performing the decompression procedure widely used in the treatment of osteonecrosis of femoral head. To assess the efficacy of injection of bone marrow aspirated from the iliac crest and new vascularized bone graft into the core of femoral head based on the endoscopic findings.

Methods: The first stage of osteonecrosis of femoral head based on ARCO classification includes 23, second stage 36, and third stage eight femoral heads.

Early clinical predictors of post stroke spasticity.

: Up to 40% of stroke patients with paresis develop post-stroke spasticity (PSS), which induces difficult complications including pain, contracture, posture disorder. The most important factor for PSS management is its early initiation, so that early recognition of PSS is required in clinical practice.: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted with a high standard of PSS assessment and a comprehensive protocol investigating possible predictive factors to identify early predictors of PSS already in the acute phase following stroke (<7 days).

Investigation of Trapezoidal Well for Improving the Light Efficiency in AlGaInP-Based Light-Emitting Diodes.

We investigated high-brightness light emitting diodes appropriate for general lighting applications in terms of their optical behaviors and device performances according to the insertion of the sloped barrier between the well and the barrier and changing the sloped barrier thickness. As the sloped barrier thickness was increased from 0 to 5 nm, radiative recombination efficiency and device performances significantly improved, due to the suppression of carrier overflow by the stronger capture of carriers and the shortening of the carrier lifetime in the active region owing to the built-in quasi-electric field. At a further increase in the sloped barrier thickness to 10 nm, however, the optical and device performances started to degrade because of the loosening of the quantum confinement effect in the active region and due to the saturation of the improvement of the carrier capture by the sloped barrier region.

Silicon improves maize photosynthesis in saline-alkaline soils.

The research aimed to determine the effects of Si application on photosynthetic characteristics of maize on saline-alkaline soil, including photosynthetic rate (P n ), stomatal conductance (g s ), transpiration rate (E), and intercellular CO2 concentration (C i ) of maize in the field with five levels (0, 45, 90, 150, and 225 kg · ha(-1)) of Si supplying. Experimental results showed that the values of P n, g s, and C i of maize were significantly enhanced while the values of E of maize were dramatically decreased by certain doses of silicon fertilizers, which meant that Si application with proper doses significantly increased photosynthetic efficiency of maize in different growth stages under stressing environment of saline-alkaline soil. The optimal dose of Si application in this experiment was 150 kg · ha(-1) Si.

Effects of silicon on photosynthetic characteristics of maize (Zea mays L.) on alluvial soil.

The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of silicon on photosynthetic characteristics of maize on alluvial soil, including total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate (P n), stomatal conductance (g s), transpiration rate (E), and intercellular CO2 concentration (C i ) using the method of field experiment, in which there were five levels (0, 45, 90, 150, and 225 kg · ha(-1)) of silicon supplying. The results showed that certain doses of silicon fertilizers can be used successfully in increasing the values of total chlorophyll contents, P n, and g s and decreasing the values of E and C i of maize leaves, which meant that photosynthetic efficiency of maize was significantly increased in different growth stages by proper doses of Si application on alluvial soil, and the optimal dose of Si application was 150 kg · ha(-1). Our results indicated that silicon in proper amounts can be beneficial in increasing the photosynthetic ability of maize, which would be helpful for the grain yield and growth of maize.

Holmium laser lithotripsy under direct peroral cholangioscopy by using an ultra-slim upper endoscope for patients with retained bile duct stones (with video).

Background: Direct peroral cholangioscopy (POC) by using an ultra-slim endoscope provides direct visualization of the bile duct and allows for therapeutic intervention. Holmium laser lithotripsy can be effective for retained bile duct stones, but it requires direct visualization during the procedure for safe and effective fragmentation. Direct POC by using an ultra-slim endoscope may facilitate holmium laser lithotripsy.

Clinical feasibility of direct peroral cholangioscopy-guided photodynamic therapy for inoperable cholangiocarcinoma performed by using an ultra-slim upper endoscope (with videos).

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising palliative treatment for inoperable cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangioscopy-guided PDT can be useful for identification of tumor margins, determination of the appropriate location for placement of the diffuser, and evaluation of the patient's response to therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of PDT under direct peroral cholangioscopy (POC) by using an ultra-slim upper endoscope in patients with inoperable cholangiocarcinoma.

[Comparison of roots distribution in different maize plant type cultivars in the Songnen Plain].

By soil column culture and field experiment, the comparison of roots distribution of spreading-leaf and upright-leaf maize cultivars in the Songnen Plain was studied. The results showed that there were differences in the roots distribution of different maize cultivars. The maximum of root dry weight appeared on the 15th day and 30th day after silking for spreading-leaf and upright-leaf maize cultivar, respectively.

[Effects of maize stubble remaining in field on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C and soil enzyme activities].

This study dealt with the effects of maize stubble remaining in field on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C and soil enzyme activities. The results showed that maize stubble remaining in field could raise soil microbial biomass C and the activities of urease, phosphatase, cellulase, and invertase in soil remarkably. According to the dynamics of soil microbial biomass C and activities of the four enzymes, the five characters reached their maximum values about 60 days after sowing, and the crops were in bloom of growth.