Importance of age at 2nd implantation and interimplant interval to the outcome of bilateral prelingually deafened pediatric cochlear implantation.

Background: In Taiwan, the number of cases of sequential bilateral pediatric cochlear implantation (CI) is increasing but data regarding its effectiveness and impact of the reimbursement policy are lacking. We examined the speech perception and quality of life (QOL) of bilateral prelingually deaf children who underwent sequential CI, considering the effects of age at the time of second implantation and interimplant interval.

Methods: We enrolled 124 Mandarin-speaking participants who underwent initial cochlear implant (CI1) in 2001-2019 and a second CI (CI2) in 2015-2020.

Synthesis and Characterization of Photo-Cross-Linkable Silk Fibroin Methacryloyl Hydrogel for Biomedical Applications.

Photo-cross-linkable hydrogels have recently gained increased interest in the field of biomedical applications. In this study, silk fibroin was derivatized with methacrylic anhydride (MA) to obtain silk fibroin methacryloyl (SFMA), forming hydrogel under UV light exposure in 1 min. The SFMA sol-gel transition did not involve significant structural change at the early stage.

Vancomycin-loaded silk fibroin microspheres in an injectable hydrogel for chronic osteomyelitis therapy.

Chronic osteomyelitis remains a clinical challenge in orthopedics. In this study, silk fibroin microspheres (SFMPs) loaded with vancomycin are entrapped in an injectable silk hydrogel to form a vancomycin delivery system for treatment of chronic osteomyelitis. Vancomycin showed continuous release from the hydrogel for up to 25 days.

[Retracted] MicroRNA‑19b inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by targeting B‑cell CLL/lymphoma 3.

Following the publication of the above paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that one of the tumor images shown in Fig. 4A was strikingly similar to a tumor image appearing in a pair of other articles that had been written by different authors at different research institutes. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere prior to its submission to , the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of morpholinium ionic liquids: impact of a long alkyl side substituent on the cation-anion interactions.

In this study, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to analyse nine morpholinium ionic liquids, which are of great interest in green chemistry because of their low toxicity and high recyclability. The effect of the alkyl chain length on the aliphatic C 1s binding energy and the impact of the anion basicity on the cationic N 1s and O 1s binding energies are investigated. It is concluded that by changing the basicity of the anion, there is a more notable change in the electronic environment of the oxygen centre.

Comparison of computer-assisted navigated technology and conventional technology in high tibial osteotomy (HTO): a meta-analysis.

Background: Though some studies have reported navigated high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a useful procedure to correct knee deformity. There is still great controversy whether navigated HTO can achieve better accuracy of limb alignment and greater clinical outcomes. Current meta-analysis was conducted to investigate whether better radiographic outcomes and clinical outcomes could be acquired in navigated HTO compared with the conventional procedure.

Design and Investigation of Penetrating Mechanism of Octaarginine-Modified Alginate Nanoparticles for Improving Intestinal Insulin Delivery.

The aim of the study is to design octaarginine (R8)-modified insulin-alginate nanoparticles (INS-SA/R8 NPs) as the oral insulin delivery system, and further investigate its penetrating mechanism. The characterization results indicated that the surface of INS-SA/R8 NPs was smooth and the average diameter was about 300 nm. INS-SA/R8 NPs exhibited a stronger stability in the simulated gastrointestinal fluids and had a better controlled release than unmodified alginate nanoparticles (INS-SA NPs).

Multifunctional nanoparticles of paclitaxel and cyclodextrin-polypeptide conjugates with anticancer activity.

In this study, the cyclodextrin polypeptide (R8-CMβCD) was successfully synthesized by the conjugation of a cell-penetrating peptide (R8) with carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CMβCD) via the carbon diamine reaction. Then, paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles (PTX@R8-CMβCD NPs) was prepared. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that PTX@R8-CMβCD NPs were spherical with smooth surfaces and an average diameter about 144 nm.

Twin mechanisms: Rapid scene recognition involves both feedforward and feedback processing.

The low spatial frequency (LSF) component of visual information rapidly conveyed coarse information for global perception, while the high spatial frequency (HSF) component delivered fine-grained information for detailed analyses. The feedforward theorists deemed that a coarse-to-fine process was sufficient for a rapid scene recognition. Based on the response priming paradigm, the present study aimed to deeply explore how different spatial frequency interacted with each other during rapid scene recognition.

Reliability Modeling Method for Lithium-ion Battery Packs Considering the Dependency of Cell Degradations Based on a Regression Model and Copulas.

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used as basic power supplies and storage units for large-scale electric drive products such as electric vehicles. Their reliability is directly related to the life and safe operation of the electric drive products. In fact, the cells have a dependent relationship with the degradation process and they affect the degradation rate of the entire battery pack, thereby affecting its reliability.

Oligoarginine mediated collagen/chitosan gel composite for cutaneous wound healing.

In this study, the collagen/chitosan gel composite supplemented with a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) (Oligoarginine, R8) was prepared. Then, the physicochemical properties of the new collagen/chitosan/CPPs gel obtained were analyzed and the related characteristics were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analyzer (DTA). Furthermore, we found that collagen/chitosan/CPPs gel composite was capable of inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus growth and had good ability to heal wounds.

A cell-penetrating peptide conjugated carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin to improve intestinal absorption of insulin.

In this study, a cell-penetrating peptide conjugate, R8-carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (R8-CM-β-CD), was synthesized, and then we prepared the supramolecular complex (insulin/R8-CM-β-CD). The physicochemical properties of the complex were characterized. The supramolecular complex could facilitate the uptake of insulin, meanwhile, induce a significantly higher internalization of insulin.

MicroRNA-19b inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by targeting B-cell CLL/lymphoma 3.

Previous studies reported that the aberrant expression of miR-19b in gastric cancer tissues and circulating miR-19b is a potential biomarker to indicate progression of gastric cancer. However, the prognostic significance of miR-19b, and its role and underlying mechanisms in gastric cancer remain poorly investigated. In the present study, we demonstrated that the expression of miR-19b was aberrantly downregulated in both gastric cancer tissues and cell lines.

The activation of the NF-κB-JNK pathway is independent of the PI3K-Rac1-JNK pathway involved in the bFGF-regulated human fibroblast cell migration.

Background: Skin wound healing is a complex process that repairs multiple organ-tissues. Fibroblasts are key players of skin cells, whose migration is important during wound healing process. bFGF has shown a great efficacy to promote cell migration, but the precise mechanism by which bFGF regulates cell migration remains elusive.

Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling prohibits metastasis of gastric cancer via downregulation of MMP7 and MMP13.

The molecular pathway regulating gastric carcinoma (GC) invasiveness and metastasis remains elusive. Here, we detected significant increase in the phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR), MMP7, and MMP13 in the resected GC, compared with the adjacent normal tissue, in patients. Moreover, strong positive correlation was detected between pEGFR and MMP7, and between pEGFR and MMP13 in GC.

[The clinical classification method research of keloid].

Objective: To explore the clinical classification method of keloids and providing a thread for the treatment of keloids.

Methods: To summarize the 600 cases of keloid patients we accepted and diagnosed from November 2004 to October 2012, and filling in keloid patients information sheet, recording the keloids form by photographs, analyzing the treatment, putting forward the classification method of keloids in clinic.

Results: According to the position and quantity that keloids grow, the keloid patients are divided into four major categories:one in single site, one in each site, more than one in single site and more than one in each site; According to the area and thickness of keloids, the keloid single lesion is divided into four subclasses: type of small area and thin, type of small area and thick, type of large areas and thin,type of large areas and thick; According to the number of lesions, keloid multiple lesions is divided into two subgenera: isolated multiple and dispersion multiple, different kinds of keloids suit different methods of treatment.

Inhibition of MAPK-mediated ACE expression by compound C66 prevents STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy.

A range of in vitro, experimental and clinical intervention studies have implicated an important role for hyperglycaemia-induced activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Blockade of RAS by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is an effective strategy in treating diabetic kidney diseases. However, few studies demonstrate the mechanism by which hyperglycaemia up-regulates the expression of ACE gene.

Evaluation of a curcumin analog as an anti-cancer agent inducing ER stress-mediated apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Background: Recent advances have highlighted the importance of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in cell death processes. Pharmacological interventions that effectively enhance tumor cell death through activating ER stress have attracted a great deal of attention for anti-cancer therapy.

Methods: A bio-evaluation on 113 curcumin analogs against four cancer cell lines was performed through MTT assay.

Intellectual ability of Mandarin-speaking children using cochlear implants.

The aim of this study was to assess the verbal and performance intelligence of young Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). We also analyzed whether related factors helped develop verbal and performance IQs. We studied 60 children implanted with Nucleus 24 devices; the children represented a consecutive sample of every implantee aged 6 or older from 2002 to 2006.

Mandarin speech perception in nucleus CI 24 implantees using MAPs based on neural response telemetry.

The purpose of this study is to compare speech perception performance in Mandarin-speaking Nucleus CI24 implantee using standard behavior MAPs and NRT-based MAPs. Eight Nucleus CI24 users (5 years and older) participated in the study. They all fulfilled the following criteria: (1) behavioral MAP and NRT thresholds can be reliably obtained; (2) had more than 18 functioning electrodes; (3) had at least 6 months experience using CI.