Microarray gene expression analysis was successfully used to predict complete responses to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced rectal cancer.

High-performance cascaded-junction quantum dot solar cells (CJQDSCs) are fabricated from as-prepared highly monodispersed lead sulfide QDs. The cells have a high power conversion of 9.05% and a short-circuit current density of 32.51 mA cm–2. A reliable and effective stratagem for fabricating high-quality lead sulfide quantum dots (QD) is explored through a “monomer” concentration-controlled experiment. Robust QDSC performances with different band gaps are demonstrated from the as-proposed synthesis and processing stratagems. Various potential CJQDSCs can be envisioned from the band edge evolution of the QDs as a function of size and ligands reported here.

ObjectiveTo assess the technical success and complication rates of the radiologic placement of central venous ports via the internal jugular vein.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 1254 central venous ports implanted at our institution between August 2002 and October 2009. All procedures were guided by using ultrasound and fluoroscopy. Catheter maintenance days, technical success rates, peri-procedural, as well as early and late complication rates were evaluated based on the interventional radiologic reports and patient medical records.ResultsA total of 433386 catheter maintenance days (mean, 350 days; range 0-1165 days) were recorded. The technical success rate was 99.9% and a total of 61 complications occurred (5%), resulting in a post-procedural complication rate of 0.129 of 1000 catheter days. Among them, peri-procedural complications within 24 hours occurred in five patients (0.4%). There were 56 post-procedural complications including 24 (1.9%, 0.055 of 1000 catheter days) early and 32 (2.6%, 0.074 of 1000 catheter days) late complications including, infection (0.6%, 0.018 of 10000 catheter days), thrombotic malfunction (1.4%, 0.040 of 1000 catheter days), nonthrombotic malfunction (0.9%, 0.025 of 1000 catheter days), venous thrombosis (0.5%, 0.014 of 1000 catheter days), as well as wound problems (1.1%, 0.032 of 1000 catheter days). Thirty six CVPs (3%) were removed due to complications. Bloodstream infections and venous thrombosis were the two main adverse events prolonging hospitalization (mean 13 days and 5 days, respectively).ConclusionRadiologic placement of a central venous port via the internal jugular vein is safe and efficient as evidenced by its high technical success rate and a very low complication rate.

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It has been demonstrated that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) secrete cytokines and exhibit diverse pharmacological actions. The present study examined the unknown pharmacological action of ADSCs regarding whitening effects. A conditioned medium of ADSCs (ADSC-CM) was harvested and the whitening effect of ADSC-CM was studied in melanoma B16 cells. ADSC-CM treatment inhibited the synthesis of melanin and the activity of tyrosinase in a dose dependent manner. To clarify the underlying mechanisms of the whitening action of ADSCs, protein levels of melanogenic proteins were measured by Western blot. Although expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) remained unchanged, those of tyrosinase and TRP1 were down-regulated. Transforming growth factor-b b1 (TGF-b b1), a potent regulator of melanogenic proteins, was neutralized by the addition of a blocking antibody to ADSC-CM, and down-regulated expression of tyrosinase and TRP1 was almost reversed. Collectively, these results indicate that secretary factors of ADSC inhibit melanin synthesis by down-regulating the expression of tyrosinase and TRP1, which are mainly mediated by TGF-b b1.Key words adipose-derived stem cell; melanin; tyrosinase; tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1); transforming growth factor-b1 (TGF-b1)

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