Manipulation of heat-diffusion channel in laser thermal lithography.

Laser thermal lithography is a good alternative method for forming small pattern feature size by taking advantage of the structural-change threshold effect of thermal lithography materials. In this work, the heat-diffusion channels of laser thermal lithography are first analyzed, and then we propose to manipulate the heat-diffusion channels by inserting thermal conduction layers in between channels. Heat-flow direction can be changed from the in-plane to the out-of-plane of the thermal lithography layer, which causes the size of the structural-change threshold region to become much smaller than the focused laser spot itself; thus, nanoscale marks can be obtained.

Novel carbazole derivatives with quinoline ring: synthesis, electronic transition, and two-photon absorption three-dimensional optical data storage.

We designed carbazole unit with an extended π conjugation by employing Vilsmeier formylation reaction and Knoevenagel condensation to facilitate the functional groups of quinoline from 3- or 3,6-position of carbazole. Two compounds doped with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films were prepared. To explore the electronic transition properties of these compounds, one-photon absorption properties were experimentally measured and theoretically calculated by using the time-dependent density functional theory.

Intermediate long-term clinical performance of dental implants placed in sites with a previous early implant failure: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective case-control study was to evaluate the intermediate long-term clinical performance and success rate of dental implants inserted into sites of previous early implant failure.

Material And Methods: A retrospective evaluation was conducted on 6456 patients with 10,234 implants from January 2004 to December 2011. The patients with early implant failure retreated in previous failed sites were enrolled in the study.

Factors associated with support for smoke-free policies among government workers in Six Chinese cities: a cross-sectional study.

Background: A certain level of public support for smoke-free environments is a prerequisite for adoption and enforcement of policies and can be used as an indicator of readiness for legislative action. This study assessed support for comprehensive smoke-free policies in a range of settings such as hotels and colleges among government workers in China and identified factors associated with support for smoke-free policies. Understanding the extent to which government workers, a large segment of the working population in China, report a smoke-free workplace and support for smoke-free policies may be important indicators of readiness for strengthened policies given their role in formulating, implementing and enforcing regulations.

Linkage and association between interleukin-6 gene polymorphisms and ischemic stroke: a family-based study in the northern Chinese Han population.

Background: Numerous genetic risk factors of ischemic stroke (IS) have been reported from both candidate gene and genome-wide strategies with inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to confirm the relationship between 10 previously identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and IS in the Chinese population.

Methods: A family-based study was conducted in a rural area of Beijing, with a total of 227 IS families with 622 participants recruited.

A retrospective 3- to 5-year study of the reconstruction of oral function using implant-supported prostheses in patients with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate oral function rehabilitation in patients with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) using implant-supported prostheses based on bone augmentation. From September 2005 and March 2009, 25 HED patients were chosen for clinical data analysis in this study. The criteria for patient selection included the following: the display of clinical features of HED, the number of congenitally missing teeth (>5), the patient age (>16 years), the patient's willingness, and the patient's tolerance for bone graft surgery and implant placement.

Clinical outcomes of dental implant therapy in alveolar cleft patients: a systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this report was to evaluate data from published articles to determine the success and effectiveness of advanced bone grafting and dental implant therapy in alveolar cleft patients.

Materials And Methods: A MEDLINE (PubMed) search was conducted of articles published in English without limits regarding year of publication. Bone grafting, implant survival and success rates, marginal bone resorption, esthetic outcomes, and patient satisfaction were evaluated.

A multiwalled carbon nanotube/tetra-β-isoheptyloxyphthalocyanine cobalt(ii) composite with high dispersibility for electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid.

A sensitive electrochemical sensor for ascorbic acid (AA) is designed and synthesized via the following steps. The novel tetra-β-isoheptyloxyphthalocyanine cobalt(ii) (PcCo) spontaneously adsorbs on the surface of acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (aMWCNTs). Then, the aMWCNT/PcCo composite was immobilized on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE).

[Utilization of antibacterial agents for emergency patients with acute upper respiratory infections in tertiary hospitals in Beijing].

Objective: To investigate the use of antibacterial agents for emergency patients with acute upper respiratory infections in tertiary hospitals in Beijing.

Methods: We used the medical claim data for urban workers in 10 tertiary hospitals in Beijing from Oct. 2010 to Sep.

Association between NINJ2 gene polymorphisms and ischemic stroke: a family-based case-control study.

Novel susceptibility genes related to ischemic stroke (IS) are proposed in recent literatures. Population-based replicate studies would cause false positive results due to population stratification. 229 recruit IS patients and their 229 non-IS siblings were used in this study to avoid population stratification.

Artesunate exerts an anti-immunosuppressive effect on cervical cancer by inhibiting PGE2 production and Foxp3 expression.

Artesunate (ART), derived from a common traditional Chinese medicine, has beeen used an antimalarial for several years. In this study, the effect and mechanism of ART on anti-human cervical cancer cells was examined. The level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and the population of CD4+CD25+Foxp3 regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry.

Relationship between menopause and health-related quality of life in middle-aged Chinese women: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chinese menopausal women comprise a large population and the women in it experience menopausal symptoms in many different ways. Their health related quality of life (HRQOL) is not particularly well studied. Our study intends to evaluate the influence of menopause on HRQOL and explore other risk factors for HRQOL in rural China.

Comparative analysis of dental implant treatment outcomes following mandibular reconstruction with double-barrel fibula bone grafting or vertical distraction osteogenesis fibula: a retrospective study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to compare vertical bone height (VBH) after tumor resection through grafting with either a double-barrel fibula (DBF) technique or vertical distraction osteogenesis of the fibula (VDOF); (ii) to compare the performance of loaded dental implants following either DBF or VDOF with special focus on implant survival, implant success, and bone resorption.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective clinical study involved 19 patients who underwent implant placement following DBF (group A, n = 9) or VDOF (group B, n = 10) for mandibular reconstruction from March 2006 to May 2008. Clinical and radiographic assessments, including VBH, modified Plaque Index (mPI), modified Sulcus Bleeding Index (mSBI), and marginal bone level (MBL), were taken for both groups after delivery of the final prostheses and annually thereafter.

A 3-year prospective clinical study of telescopic crown, bar, and locator attachments for removable four implant-supported maxillary overdentures.

Purpose: To evaluate telescopic crown (TC), bar, and locator attachments used in removable four implant-supported overdentures for patients with edentulous maxillae.

Materials And Methods: A total of 30 maxillary edentulous patients were enrolled in a 3-year prospective study. Ten patients (group A) were treated with overdentures supported by TCs, 10 patients (group B) with overdentures supported by bar attachments, and 10 patients (group C) with overdentures supported by locator attachments.

Autologous Ilium Grafts: Long-Term Results on Immediate or Staged Functional Rehabilitation of Mandibular Segmental Defects Using Dental Implants after Tumor Resection.

Background: It is a challenge for clinicians to restore oral function in patients with segmental defects of the mandible because of tumor extirpation. Dental implant therapy following vascularized autologous ilium grafts is an effective method to restore oral function in patients with mandibular segmental defects.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes of ilium grafts combined with immediate or staged mandibular dental implant therapy to restore craniofacial defects resulting from tumor resection.

Cohort profile: the Fangshan Cohort Study of cardiovascular epidemiology in Beijing, China.

Background: Urbanizing rural areas in China face a rapidly growing cardiovascular disease burden. Epidemiologic studies and effective preventive strategies are urgently needed.

Methods: The Fangshan Cohort Study is a prospective study that began in 2008 and targets local residents aged 40 years or older living in 3 towns in the Fangshan district of Beijing.

A 5- to 8-year retrospective study comparing the clinical results of implant-supported telescopic crown versus bar overdentures in patients with edentulous maxillae.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare implant survival and success rates, peri-implant parameters, and prosthodontic maintenance efforts for implant-supported telescopic crown overdentures and bar overdentures to restore maxillary edentulism.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective clinical study involved patients with maxillary edentulism who were fitted with implant-supported overdentures from January 2004 to June 2007. During a 5- to 8-year follow-up period, the implant survival and success rates, biologic and mechanical complications, prosthodontic maintenance, and patient satisfaction were retrospectively analyzed.

Dental implant performance in vertically distracted fibular grafts after mandibular reconstruction: a pilot series of 12 patients.

Purpose: To clinically and radiographically evaluate the performance of loaded dental implants placed in vertically distracted fibular grafts after mandibular reconstruction, and to evaluate patient satisfaction with implant function and esthetics after oral rehabilitation.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study involved patients who received implants in vertically distracted fibular bone after mandibular reconstruction between February 2006 and January 2008. Clinical assessments were performed 6 months after loading and annually thereafter.

[Association study between PDE4D gene polymorphism and ischemic stroke].

Objective: To investigate the linkage and association between rs966221 (SNP 83) in PDE4D gene with stroke and related traits in ischemic stroke families.

Methods: Ischemic stroke families including ischemic stroke patients and their siblings and/or parents were recruited. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to adjust for with-in family correlations and other potential confounding factors.

Tunable twin Airy beams induced by binary phase patterns.

In this work, we theoretically and experimentally study the physical process of Airy beams induced by binary phase patterns combined with a slope factor. Theoretical simulations show that the binary phase patterns generate a pair of symmetrically inverted twin Airy beams. The slope factor can regulate the spacing between the two Airy beam peaks, decrease the error induced by the binarization process, and adjust the position of the focus formed by the twin Airy beams.

Long-term results for maxillary rehabilitation with dental implants after tumor resection.

Background: Defects of the maxilla due to tumor extirpation can create accordingly high levels of psychological and physical trauma for patients and their families. However, the reconstruction of maxillary defects remains very challenging. Today, using autogenous bone grafts and dental implants is an effective method to restore maxillary defects.

[Empirical research of measuring elderly health utility in the outskirts of Beijing by using European quality of life 5-dimensions].

Objective: To evaluate health utility values of the elderly in the outskirts of Beijing by European quality of life 5-dimensions (EQ-5D) from the EuroQol Group, and to compare the health utility values by using different translation models.

Methods: In the cross-sectional study, EQ-5D was used to measure the quality of life for 65 to 79 year-old usual residents in the town of Qinglonghu and Zhoukoudian in Fangshan District of Beijing. The health index which represented the health utility was calculated by using the Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US) population-based time trade-off (TTO) models.

[Influence of chronic diseases on health related quality of life in middle-aged and elderly people from rural communities: application of EQ-5D scale on a Health Survey in Fangshan, Beijing].

Objective: To evaluate the health related quality of life (HRQoL) and to explore the influencing factors related to the prevalence of the essential hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in middle-aged and elderly people from rural communities.

Methods: A total of 5345 individuals were chosen from a 2010 Health Survey in Fangshan, Beijing. Self-designed questionnaire was applied to collect the information on general health-related behaviors, chronic conditions, self-rated health, blood pressure and HRQoL with the EuroQoL questionnaire (EQ-5D) were measured.

Dental implant distractor combined with free fibular flap: a new design for simultaneous functional mandibular reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to present a new method that combines the use of the fibular flap and a custom-made vertical distractor/dental implant device into 1 surgical procedure for simultaneous functional mandibular reconstruction.

Patients And Methods: The present retrospective case series included 10 patients who were treated using the fibular flap and dental implant distractor (DID) in a single-stage procedure. These 10 patients were treated within a 3-year period (from 2005 to 2007).

[Tilted implants treatment without maxillary sinus grafting in severely resorbed posterior maxilla].

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical outcome of tilted implants as an alternative to sinus grafting and the prosthodontic outcome of the bridges on tilted implants in severely resorbed posterior maxilla.

Methods: A total of twenty-one patients were rehabilitated with 27 fixed prostheses supported by 78 Branemark and ITI System implants between January 2005 and December 2007. Forty-four implants were placed in an axial and 34 in a tilted direction.