Cost-effectiveness analysis of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy for metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer in Taiwan.

This study was aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab with chemotherapy (pembrolizumab combination therapy) and compare it with standard-of-care platinum-based chemotherapy (chemotherapy alone) as a first-line treatment for metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC from the perspective of Taiwan's third-party-payer public health-care system. We used a partitioned survival model with an estimated time horizon of 10 years. The partitioned survival model uses Kaplan-Meier estimates of progression-free and overall survival from the KEYNOTE-189 clinical trial.

Gabapentinoids for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects patients' quality of life and treatment effectiveness. Gabapentinoids, like gabapentin and pregabalin, are often used for CIPN treatment, but their efficacy and safety remain uncertain. This study reviews and analyses randomised controlled trial data on this topic.

Study and Application on the Electromagnetic Stainless Steel: Microstructure, Tensile Mechanical Behavior, and Magnetic Properties.

Stainless steel grade 430 is a type of soft magnetic electromagnetic material with rapid magnetization and demagnetization properties. Considering the delay phenomenon during operation, this study selected 430 stainless steel as the material and explored various metallurgical methods such as magnetic annealing and the addition of Mo as well as increasing the Si content to investigate the microstructure, mechanical behavior, and magnetic properties of each material, aiming to improve the magnetic properties of 430 stainless steel. Experimental results showed that the four electromagnetic steel materials (430F, 430F-MA, 434, and KM31) had equiaxed grain matrix structures, and excellent tensile and elongation properties were observed for each specimen.

Deep Learning Applied to Defect Detection in Powder Spreading Process of Magnetic Material Additive Manufacturing.

Due to its advantages of high customization and rapid production, metal laser melting manufacturing (MAM) has been widely applied in the medical industry, manufacturing, aerospace and boutique industries in recent years. However, defects during the selective laser melting (SLM) manufacturing process can result from thermal stress or hardware failure during the selective laser melting (SLM) manufacturing process. To improve the product's quality, the use of defect detection during manufacturing is necessary.

Effects of Annealing Pressure on Microstructure and Conversion Efficiency for Electrodeposited CuInSe₂ Absorbers.

As-deposited CuInSe₂ thin films by electrodeposition method are usually accompanied with amorphous structure which is regarded detrimental for solar cell conversion efficiency. In this work, we proposed an annealing method under high pressure for improving the conversion efficiency of electrodeposited CuInSe₂ thin film solar cells, and the microstructure of high-pressure annealed CuInSe₂ films were also investigated. The annealing pressure was set from 100 kPa to 250 kPa, and the annealed CuInSe₂ thin films were then fabricated into solar cell using standard process.

Effects of photo-assisted electrodeposited on CuInSe2 thin films.

Photo-assisted one-step electrodeposition has been applied to help in forming smooth and dense CuInSe2 films. The difference in surface morphology and crystalline quality between CuInSe2 films with various photo-assistance has been investigated. In the photo-assisted electrodeposition process, the many kinds of lamps providing maximum light intensity at about 380 to 620 nm were used as light source to be irradiated onto the surface of Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates.

Development of terbinafine solid lipid nanoparticles as a topical delivery system.

To resolve problems of long treatment durations and frequent administration of the antifungal agent terbinafine (TB), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with the ability to load lipophilic drugs and nanosize were developed. The SLNs were manufactured by a microemulsion technique in which glyceryl monostearate (GMS), glyceryl behenate (Compritol(®) 888; Gattefossé), and glyceryl palmitostearate (Precirol(®) ATO 5; Gattefossé) were used as the solid lipid phases, Tween(®) and Cremophor(®) series as the surfactants, and propylene glycol as the cosurfactant to construct ternary phase diagrams. The skin of nude mice was used as a barrier membrane, and penetration levels of TB of the designed formulations and a commercial product, Lamisil(®) Once™ (Novartis Pharmaceuticals), in the stratum corneum (SC), viable epidermis, and dermis were measured; particle sizes were determined as an indicator of stability.

Morphometrical measurement of resected surface of medial and lateral proximal tibia for Chinese population.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the morphology of the medial tibial plateau and lateral tibial plateau in Chinese knees and compared these measurements and features with those of commercial unicondylar tibial baseplates.

Methods: Three-dimensional knee models were reconstructed from computed tomography slices of 81 subjects. Among the series, 27 knees were from male subjects and 54 knees from female subjects.

Concave polyethylene component improves biomechanical performance in lumbar total disc replacement--modified compressive-shearing test by finite element analysis.

Failure of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene components after total disc replacements in the lumbar spine has been reported in several retrieval studies, but immediate biomechanical evidence for those mechanical failures remained unclear. Current study aimed to investigate the failure mechanisms of commercial lumbar disc prostheses and to enhance the biomechanical performances of polyethylene components by modifying the articulating surface into a convex geometry. Modified compressive-shearing tests were utilized in finite element analyses for comparing the contact, tensile, and shearing stresses on two commercial disc prostheses and on a concave polyethylene design.

Biomechanical evaluation of proximal tibial behavior following unicondylar knee arthroplasty: modified resected surface with corresponding surgical technique.

Persistent pain and periprosthetic fracture of the proximal tibia are troublesome complications in modern unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA). Surgical errors and acute corners on the resected surface can place excessive strains on the bone, leading to bone degeneration. This study attempted to lower strains by altering the orthogonal geometry and avoiding extended vertical saw cuts.

Influence of post-cam design of posterior stabilized knee prosthesis on tibiofemoral motion during high knee flexion.

Backgrounds: The post-cam design of contemporary posterior stabilized knee prosthesis can be categorized into flat-on-flat or curve-on-curve contact surfaces. The curve-on-curve design has been demonstrated its advantage of reducing stress concentration when the knee sustained an anteroposterior force with tibial rotation. How the post-cam design affects knee kinematics is still unknown, particularly, to compare the difference between the two design features.

Anatomic-like polyethylene insert could improve knee kinematics after total knee arthroplasty--a computational assessment.

Backgrounds: Deficiencies in contemporary posterior crucitate retaining knee included inadequate femoral rollback and insufficient tibial rotation. Current study attempted to restore normal femoral rollback and tibial rotation to facilitate in knee flexion/extension and to achieve appropriate posture at deep knee bending after total knee arthroplasy by mimicking the morphology of convexly lateral tibial plateau of intact knee.

Methods: Computational simulation was utilized to analyze motion of three-dimensional knee models, including intact, traditionally symmetrical posterior crucitate retaining and newly anatomic-like posterior crucitate retaining knees.