Identification of Young's modulus and equivalent spring constraint boundary conditions of the soft tissue with locally observed displacements for endoscopic liver surgery.

In endoscopic surgery, the surgical navigation system needs to calculate the deformation of soft tissue by biomechanical model which requires elastic properties and boundary conditions. However, patient-specific elastic parameters and boundary conditions of soft tissue are hard to measure accurately from the preoperative images, especially the boundary conditions will change during the operation due to the ligament cutting. In addition, simple boundary conditions such as fixed constraints and free-force constraints are not physically adequate to simulate the elastic effect of ligaments attached to the liver.

Quantitative analysis and pharmacokinetic study of a novel diarylurea EGFR inhibitor (ZCJ14) in rat plasma using a validated LC-MS/MS method.

1-(4-(Pyrrolidin-1-yl-methyl)phenyl)-3-(4-((3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl)amino)quinazolin-6-yl)urea (ZCJ14), a novel epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, with diarylurea moiety, displays anticancer effect. In the present study, an LCMS/MS method was established to determine the concentration of ZCJ14 in rat plasma. Furthermore, the method was applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of ZCJ14.

Effectiveness of Metoprolol in Improving Cardiac and Motor Functions in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Prospective Study.

Purpose: To assess gender-, age-, and the dose-related influence of metoprolol on cardiac function, motor function, quality-of-life (QoL), and mental status in Chinese chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

Patients And Methods: This single-center, prospective study enrolled CHF patients with resting heart rate (HR) >80 bpm and used metoprolol continuous release tablets. Patients were initiated with 12.

Paediatric acute kidney injury induced by vancomycin monotherapy versus combined vancomycin and meropenem.

What Is Known And Objective: Increasing reports of the combined use of vancomycin (VAN) and piperacillin/tazobactam leading to higher nephrotoxicity have led to carbapenems being recommended as an alternative option to combine with VAN when nephrotoxicity is a major concern. However, whether carbapenems also increase the nephrotoxicity of VAN is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether meropenem is a suitable drug to combine with VAN based on whether meropenem enhances the nephrotoxicity of VAN.

Paclitaxel-loaded trimethyl chitosan-based polymeric nanoparticle for the effective treatment of gastroenteric tumors.

Gastroenteric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and is responsible for most cancer-related deaths worldwide. Paclitaxel (PTX), a classical microtubule inhibitor, is indicated in the treatment of gastric/gastroenteric cancers. In the present study, trimethyl chitosan (TMC)-loaded PTX (TMC-PTX) was prepared and evaluated for its therapeutic effect in gastric cancers.

Maximizing band gaps in two-dimensional photonic crystals in square lattices.

This paper is devoted to a numerical algorithm for the maximization of band gaps in two-dimensional photonic crystals in square lattices. We first apply the finite element method to solve the eigenvalue problem, then use the piecewise constant level set (PCLS) method to maximize the band gaps. The PCLS method is very powerful for representing and modeling regions of different structures.

GRP78 mediates radiation resistance of a stem cell-like subpopulation within the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

Emerging evidence indicates that breast cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are relatively resistant to radiotherapy; however, the critical mechanisms determining breast CIC resistance to radiation remain elusive. In the present study, a subpopulation of cells displaying characteristics generally attributed to stem cells was identified within the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. This subpopulation displays cancer stem cell features characterized by overexpression of embryonic stem cell markers, high tumorigenic potential following transplantation into BALB/c-nu mice, self-renewal capacity and resistance to ionizing radiation (IR).

Methotrexate and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside exert synergistic anticancer action against human breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the influences of methotrexate (MTX) on the anticancer actions and pharmacokinetics of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICA riboside) in human breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: Human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 were examined. The cell proliferation was assessed using a sulforhodamine B assay.

Population pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A based on NONMEM in Chinese allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients.

To set up a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of cyclosporine A (CsA) in Chinese allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients to provide reference for individualized medication in clinical practice. 281 trough plasma concentrations of CsA and covariates such as demographics, clinical laboratory values and coadministration were retrospectively collected from 73 allo-HSCT patients. Population modeling was performed using general model of NONMEM expressed by differential equation.

Catalytic dynamic spectrofluorimetry determination of trace antimony using new type arsenoxylphenylazo rhodanine.

A precise, simple, new spectrofluorimetry method is proposed for determination of trace antimony which is based on the reaction between potassium periodate and the new type fluorescent reagent 3-o-chlorophenyl-5-(2'- arsenoxylphenylazo) rhodanine (2ClRAAP). The possible mechanism is proposed. The fluorescence intensity is investigated to be sharply enhanced by the oxidation of 3-o-chlorophenyl-5-(2'-arsenoxylphenylazo) rhodanine by potassium periodate with antimony as catalyst in the buffer medium of potassium hydrogen phthalate-sodium hydroxide (pH 5.