Living to a ripe old age in China is on the increase - and a healthy lifestyle emerges as the key by Tang Yuankai SHE moves about with ease and sees and hears without any trouble.And on most days she climbs a mountain...Living to a ripe old age in China is on the increase - and a healthy lifestyle emerges as the key by Tang Yuankai SHE moves about with ease and sees and hears without any trouble.And on most days she climbs a mountain to work on展开更多
In order to reduce the disease risk stemming from asphalt concrete pavement and ensure the safety of road operation,we should pay attention to the structural design of long-life asphalt pavement,strengthen the selecti...In order to reduce the disease risk stemming from asphalt concrete pavement and ensure the safety of road operation,we should pay attention to the structural design of long-life asphalt pavement,strengthen the selection of long-term pavement materials,scientifically set the pavement mechanical performance indexes based on the calculation results of pavement structure thickness combination and modulus combination,and ensure the stability and durability of road pavement structure through the real-time establishment of three-dimensional finite element calculation model,as well as the integrated design that takes into consideration the aspects of road subgrade,semi-rigid base and asphalt layer.展开更多
Co-free Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides are promising candidates for next-generation lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)due to their high specific capacity,high voltage,low cost.However,their commercialization is hindered by ...Co-free Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides are promising candidates for next-generation lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)due to their high specific capacity,high voltage,low cost.However,their commercialization is hindered by limited cycle life and poor rate performance.Herein,an in-situ simple and low-cost strategy with a nanoscale double-layer architecture of lithium polyphosphate(LiPP)and spinel phase covered on top of the bulk layered phase,is developed for Li_(1.2)Mn_(0.6)Ni_(0.2)O_(2)(LMNO)using Li^(+)-conductor LiPP(denoted as LMNO@S-LiPP).With such a double-layer covered architecture,the half-cell of LMNO@S-LiPP delivers an extremely high capacity of 202.5 mAh·g^(−1)at 1 A·g^(−1)and retains 85.3%of the initial capacity after 300 cycles,so far,the best highrate electrochemical performance of all the previously reported LMNOs.The energy density of the full-cell assembled with commercial graphite reaches 620.9 Wh·kg^(−1)(based on total weight of active materials in cathode and anode).Mechanism studies indicate that the superior electrochemical performance of LMNO@S-LiPP is originated from such a nanoscale double-layer covered architecture,which accelerates Li-ion diffusion,restrains oxygen release,inhibits interfacial side reactions,suppresses structural degradation during cycling.Moreover,this strategy is applicable for other high-energy-density cathodes,such as LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2),Li_(1.2)Ni_(0.13)Co_(0.13)Mn_(0.54)O_(2),LiCoO_(2).Hence,this work presents a simple,cost-effective,scalable strategy for the development of high-performance cathode materials.展开更多
Objective:To determine the change in the quality of life(QoL)of patients who applied to a tertiary outpatient clinic according to their COVID-19 status.Methods:This cross-sectional study comprised 1370 participants.Sh...Objective:To determine the change in the quality of life(QoL)of patients who applied to a tertiary outpatient clinic according to their COVID-19 status.Methods:This cross-sectional study comprised 1370 participants.Short form-12(SF-12),which includes Physical Component Summary(PCS)and Mental Component Summary(MCS)domains,was used to evaluate the QoL.Different linear regression models created using PCS-12 and MCS-12 were dependent variables.Results:A total of 19.2% of participants had acute COVID-19,and 8.4%had long COVID-19.The most common sypmtoms were fatigue(72.6%),headache(42.5%),and joint pain(39.8%)in patients with long COVID-19.The model including all participants showed that long COVID-19 reduced the QoL in multivariate analysis for both MCS and PCS,while acute COVID-19 had no significant effect on the QoL comparing with those without COVID-19.Model that included participants with COVID-19 showed that long COVID-19 negatively affected the QoL in the multivariate model for PCS-12 and MCS-12.Variables that were significant in the multivariate model for those who had long COVID-19 were having a chronic disease and presence of ongoing symptoms.Females were disadvantaged for PCS-12 and MCS-12 in the multivariate models including all participants,and models including participants who have had COVID-19.Low educational group were disadvantaged for PCS-12 in the multivariate model including all participants.This group were also disadvantaged for PCS-12 and MCS-12 in the multivariate models including participants who had COVID-19.Conclusions:In studies,acute COVID-19 and long COVID-19 should be treated as separate categories.The effects of long COVID-19 should be considered when providing and planning health services.The effect of gender,and education,on QoL shows that health inequalities continue to be effective during the pandemic period.展开更多
Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) after a radical prostatectomy (RP) or extemal beam radiation therapy (EBRT) has not been studied in conjunction with oncological outcomes in relation to disease risk strati...Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) after a radical prostatectomy (RP) or extemal beam radiation therapy (EBRT) has not been studied in conjunction with oncological outcomes in relation to disease risk stratification. Moreover, the long-term outcomes of these treatment approaches have not been studied. We retrospectively analyzed oncological outcomes between consecutive patients receiving RP (n = 86) and EBRT (n = 76) for localized prostate cancer. HRQOL and functional outcomes could be assessed in 62 RP (79%) and 54 EBRT (79%) patients over a 3-year follow-up period (median: 41 months) using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the University of Califomia Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA PCI). The 5-year biochemical progression-free survival did not differ between the RP and EBRT groups for low-risk (74.6% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.931) and intermediate-risk (61.3% vs. 71.1%, P = 0.691) patients. For high-risk patients, progression-free survival was lower in the RP group (45.1%) than in the EBRT group (79.7%) (P = 0.002). The general HRQOL was comparable between the two groups. Regarding functional outcomes, the RP group reported lower scores on urinary function and less urinary bother and sexual bother than the EBRT group (P 〈 0.001, P 〈 0.05 and P 〈 0.001, respectively). With risk stratification, the low- and intermediate-risk patients in the RP group reported poorer urinary function than patients in the EBRT group (P 〈 0.001 for each). The sexual function of the high-risk patients in the EBRT group was better than that of the same risk RP patients (P 〈 0.001). Biochemical recurrence was not associated with the UCLA PCI score in either group. In conclusion, low- to intermediate-risk patients treated with an RP may report relatively decreased urinary function during long-term follow-up. The patient's HRQOL after treatment did not depend on biochemical recurrence.展开更多
Objective To investigate the stress distribution of the femur after cemented prosthetic replacement in aged patients with comminuted intertrochanteric fracture and to analyze the difference of stress distribution betw...Objective To investigate the stress distribution of the femur after cemented prosthetic replacement in aged patients with comminuted intertrochanteric fracture and to analyze the difference of stress distribution between cemented long展开更多
Introduction: Lifelong Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) promotes good quality of life and health among HIV-positive men and women. However, simplified newer and effective ART has not increased retention in care, or long-...Introduction: Lifelong Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) promotes good quality of life and health among HIV-positive men and women. However, simplified newer and effective ART has not increased retention in care, or long-term ART adherence, especially among women. There are many factors that impede long-term adherence in women. This includes among other things female gender, depression, greater than once-daily dosing, longer time since HIV diagnosis, and patient beliefs. This study measures the quality of life in women whose ART durations range from one to fifteen years, using the standardized WHO Quality of Life questionnaire. Material and Methods: One hundred and fourteen women were divided into three groups based on ART duration. Group 1 had 37 women on ART for less than five years, Group 2 had 48 women on ART from 5 to 10 years and Group 3 had 29 women on ART for more than ten years. They were administered the WHO Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire, which assesses QOL in six domains. QOL was considered poor in scores between 4 - 9.9, medium in scores of 10 - 14.9 and good in scores of 15 - 20. Results: Scores in all 3 groups were more than 85% in five domains and around 74.5% in the psychological domain. Domain mean scores were Physical 18 (CI 17.63 - 18.37), Psychological 14.9 (CI 14.55 - 15.25), Independence 18.6 (CI 18.33 - 18.87), Social relationships 17.5 (CI 17.07 - 17.93), Environmental 17.6 (CI 17.25 - 17.95), Spiritual, Religious, Personal beliefs, 17.4 (CI 16.93 - 17.87). Scores for women on long-term ART (Group 3) are not different from the other 2 groups and the p-values were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Women on long-term ART fare extremely well compared to other groups with more than 93% showing good QOL and none showing poor Quality of Health in spite of being on ART for a longer period of time than the other two groups. Despite a multitude of impeding factors, women who continue ART faithfully and consistently enjoy a good quality of health and life. Adequate preparation and a supportive health system are essential for ensuring long-term adherence, but the attitude and commitment of women are also critical.展开更多
The latest view suggests the inactive core,surface pulverization,and poly sulfide shuttling effect of metal sulfides are responsible for their low capacity and poor cycling performance in sodium-ion batteries(SIBs).Wh...The latest view suggests the inactive core,surface pulverization,and poly sulfide shuttling effect of metal sulfides are responsible for their low capacity and poor cycling performance in sodium-ion batteries(SIBs).Whereas overcoming the above problems based on conventional nanoengineering is not efficient enough.In this work,erythrocyte-like CuS microspheres with an elastic buffering layer of ultrathin poly aniline(PANI) were synthesized through one-step selfassembly growth,followed by in situ polymerization of aniline.When CuS@PANI is used as anode electrode in SIBs,it delivers high capacity,ultrahigh rate capability(500 mAh gat 0.1 A g,and 214.5 mAh gat 40 A g),and superior cycling life of over 7500 cycles at 20 A g.A series of in/ex situ characterization techniques were applied to investigate the structural evolution and sodium-ion storage mechanism.The PANI swollen with electrolyte can stabilize solid electrolyte interface layer,benefit the ion transport/charge transfer at the PANI/electrolyte interface,and restrain the size growth of Cu particles in confined space.Moreover,finite element analyses and density functional simulations confirm that the PANI film effectively buffers the volume expansion,suppresses the surface pulverization,and traps the poly sulfide.展开更多
The exploration of human life and health is advancing with the changes of the times.With the growth of age,the occurrence of chronic diseases of human immunity and organ system is frequent,which has a serious impact o...The exploration of human life and health is advancing with the changes of the times.With the growth of age,the occurrence of chronic diseases of human immunity and organ system is frequent,which has a serious impact on human health.Genes,environment and other random factors determine the outcome of longevity,and intestinal flora is considered to be a decisive factor affecting human health and longevity,mainly because of its huge impact on human immunity,growth and development.The study of the relationship between intestinal flora and longevity is beneficial to improve the health status of the elderly and improve the overall life level of human beings,which has great scientific research value.This review will review the role of intestinal flora in longevity.展开更多
妇女长寿的秘密在于生育少,这个看似寻常的观点在本文却有一番学术探讨。在详细考证和研究了英国贵族的生、死和婚姻情况后,有人提出:the secret of a long life appears to be: have fewer children.不仅少生能长寿,晚育也同样能长寿:...妇女长寿的秘密在于生育少,这个看似寻常的观点在本文却有一番学术探讨。在详细考证和研究了英国贵族的生、死和婚姻情况后,有人提出:the secret of a long life appears to be: have fewer children.不仅少生能长寿,晚育也同样能长寿:…women who had their first child later in life lived longer that those who began reproducing early.当然,这个考证和发现尚有待进一步的发掘,文章末尾的一个观点则可视作一重要补充:For genealogy(系谱)studies we cannot distinguish the effects of genetic similarity(遗传类似)from those of common environment, so it remains to be seen whether the observed patterns are due to nature or nurture(营养品).】展开更多
Studying the population ecology of endangered plants provides important baseline information for its monitoring and conservation.Juniperus phoenicea L.is an endangered species in arid ecosystems in Africa and the Midd...Studying the population ecology of endangered plants provides important baseline information for its monitoring and conservation.Juniperus phoenicea L.is an endangered species in arid ecosystems in Africa and the Middle East.The static life tables,survival curve and age structure of J.phoenicea populations from two mountains in North Sinai,Egypt(Gabal(G.)El-Halal and G.El-Maghara)were investigated.In each mountain,fifteen plots were selected,and field measurements such as stand density,tree height,and crown diameter were conducted.Moreover,44 trees were cored and crossdated according to standard dendrochronological procedures.The results showed that the tree ages ranged from 50 to 262 years at G.El-Halal and 96 to431 years at G.El-Maghara.Mature J.phoenicea individuals dominated the study area,with only a few individuals being younger than 100 years.Moreover,seedling recruitment was extremely limited.Since the studied J.phoenicea populations showed high mortality rates among both old and young individuals,there is an imminent need for establishing a conservation program to prevent its extinction in the future.Therefore,management and conservation efforts should be made to minimize human disturbance and protect the relic habitats of this endangered species at its southern distribution limits in Africa.展开更多
Carbon coated Si core–shell structures have been proposed to solve the adverse effects of Si-based anode.However,designing ideal core–shell architecture with excellent surface and interface properties is still a sig...Carbon coated Si core–shell structures have been proposed to solve the adverse effects of Si-based anode.However,designing ideal core–shell architecture with excellent surface and interface properties is still a significant challenge.Herein,a novel peanut-like structure of B-doped silicon/carbon nanoparticle(Si@B-C)synthe-sized by sol–gel process and subsequent thermal reduction is reported.The peanut-like Si@B-C electrode demon-strates a superior cyclability of 534 mAh·g^(-1)after 1000 cycles at high current density of 1000 mA·g^(-1).The exceptional electrochemical performance is attributed to the boric acid-induced highly interconnected peanut-like structure and boron heteroatom framework could provide a continuous electron pathway to reduce the irreversible lithium ion loss during rapid cycling.This work provides insight into the development of the heteroatom-doped Si-based anodes with stable cycling performance for LIBs.展开更多
AIM: To estimate if and to what extent long acting octreotide (LAR) improves survival and quality of life in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 127 cirrhotics, stages A-B, due t...AIM: To estimate if and to what extent long acting octreotide (LAR) improves survival and quality of life in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 127 cirrhotics, stages A-B, due to chronic viral infections and with advanced HCC, were enrolled in the study. Scintigraphy with 111Indium labeled octreotide was performed in all cases. The patients with increased accumulation of radionuclear compound were randomized to receive either oral placebo only or octreotide/octreotide LAR only as follows: octreotide 0.5mg s.c. every 8 h for 6 wk, at the end of wk 4-8 octreotide LAR 20 mg i.m. and at the end of wk 12 and every 4 wk octreotide LAR 30mg i.m.. Follow-up was worked out monthly as well as the estimation of quality of life (QLQ-C30 questionnaire). Patients with negative somatostatin receptors (SSTR) detection were followed up in the same manner. RESULTS: Scintigraphy demonstrated SSTR in 61 patients. Thirty were randomized to receive only placebo and 31 only octreotide. A significantly higher survival time was observed for the octreotide group (49 ± 6 wk) as compared to the control group (28 ± 1 wk) and to the SSTR negative group (28 ± 2 wk), LR = 20.39, df = 2, P < 0.01. The octreotide group presented 68.5% lower hazard ratio [95% CI (47.4%-81.2%)]. During the f irst year, a 22%, 39% and 43% decrease in the QLQ-C30 score was observed in each group respectively.CONCLUSION: The proposed therapeutic approach has shown to improve the survival and quality of life in SSTR positive patients with advanced HCC.展开更多
The ever-increasing demands for modern energy storage applications drive the search for novel anode materials of lithium(Li)-ion batteries(LIBs) with high storage capacity and long cycle life, to outperform the conven...The ever-increasing demands for modern energy storage applications drive the search for novel anode materials of lithium(Li)-ion batteries(LIBs) with high storage capacity and long cycle life, to outperform the conventional LIBs anode materials. Hence, we report amorphous ternary phosphorus chalcogenide(aP_(4)SSe_(2)) as an anode material with high performance for LIBs. Synthesized via the mechanochemistry method, the a-P_(4)SSe_(2) compound is endowed with amorphous feature and offers excellent cycling stability(over 1500 mA h g^(-1) capacity after 425 cycles at 0.3 A g^(-1)), owing to the advantages of isotropic nature and synergistic effect of multielement forming Li-ion conductors during battery operation. Furthermore,as confirmed by ex situ X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscope(TEM), the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)anode material has a reversible and multistage Li-storage mechanism, which is extremely beneficial to long cycle life for batteries. Moreover, the autogenous intermediate electrochemical products with fast ionic conductivity can facilitate Li-ion diffusion effectively. Thus, the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)electrode delivers excellent rate capability(730 mA h g^(-1)capacity at 3 A g^(-1)). Through in situ electrochemical impedance spectra(EIS) measurements, it can be revealed that the resistances of charge transfer(R_(SEI)) and solid electrolyte interphase(R_(Ct)) decrease along with the formation of Li-ion conductors whilst the ohmic resistance(R_(Ω)) remains unchanged during the whole electrochemical process, thus resulting in rapid reaction kinetics and stable electrode to obtain excellent rate performance and cycling ability for LIBs. Moreover, the formation mechanism and electrochemical superiority of the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)phase, and its expansion to P_(4)S_(3-x)Se_(x)(x = 0, 1, 2, 3) family can prove its significance for LIBs.展开更多
Objectives: This study aimed to describe work and activities of community networks focusing on the improvement of the quality of life (QOL) of older people in Thailand.The understanding of the work can help enhancing ...Objectives: This study aimed to describe work and activities of community networks focusing on the improvement of the quality of life (QOL) of older people in Thailand.The understanding of the work can help enhancing the community development and strengthening of local communities and their networks.Methods: Qualitative methods including in-depth interview,observation,and focus group discussion were employed to the study.64 participants participated to the study and were recruited from 4 key actors within the community.Content analysis was used to analyze the obtained data.This study was conducted in 6 local administrative organizations (LAOs) which selected from the outstanding areas of the project.Each LAO represents one sub-district of the regions of Thailand namely;(1) the upper north,(2) the lower north,(3)the upper eastern,(4) the lower eastern,(5) the central and (6) the south.Results: The findings of this study were categorized into three main themes: (1) Social capital including people in the community,social groups,and organizations,(2) Mutual help/collaboration activities composed of six sets of activities related to social capitals working on the improvement of QOL of older people,and (3) Impacts of the mutual help/collaboration activities on older people and local communities who help to improve of QOL of older people.Conclusion: The findings are important features for the community development.These themes should be recommended for community nurses,health related groups and organizations for the improvement of QOL of older people in the community.展开更多
Background: Treatment of elderly patients on intensive care units is an increasing challenge all over the world. Objectives: To evaluate short- term survival and long-term quality of life im-plications of intensive ca...Background: Treatment of elderly patients on intensive care units is an increasing challenge all over the world. Objectives: To evaluate short- term survival and long-term quality of life im-plications of intensive care for the elderly. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 314 patients 75 years of age or more requiring over 48 hours of intensive care. Results: In multivariate analy-sis, significant risk factors for mortality were chronic renal impairment (OR for survival .30, p 24 h (OR 4.5), hemodialysis (OR 6.8), and vasopressor therapy (OR 2.5, p < 0.001 for each). A health survey questionnaire in an up to 60-month follow-up of 28 patients revealed considerably lower physi-cal subscores of our patients compared to the general elderly population. Conclusions: Elderly patients benefit from intensive care in terms of survival. Complications are frequent, as are severe consequences for long-term quality of life. Short-term mortality in elderly intensive care patients correlates most closely to pre- existing disease, not age.展开更多
Although any type or amount of physical exercise may reverse the cellular processes that lead to the aging,regular physical exercise can attenuate the decline in physical and functional abilities observed in elderly.C...Although any type or amount of physical exercise may reverse the cellular processes that lead to the aging,regular physical exercise can attenuate the decline in physical and functional abilities observed in elderly.Currently,the most encouraged activities in gyms and clubs are resistance training,functional training,and hydrogymnastics.The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of the aforementioned exercises regarding muscle strength,flexibility,functional capability and quality of life of elderly women.We divided 36 elderly women in four groups:Sedentary(S);Hydro-gymnastics(H);Functional Training(F);or Resistance Training(RT).The results reveal that the groups engaged in physical exercise showed a significant difference(p<0.05)in relation to S in all evaluations.The results also show that between the different exercises evaluated,resistance training practitioners have greater strength and better functional capability.展开更多
文摘Living to a ripe old age in China is on the increase - and a healthy lifestyle emerges as the key by Tang Yuankai SHE moves about with ease and sees and hears without any trouble.And on most days she climbs a mountain to work on
文摘In order to reduce the disease risk stemming from asphalt concrete pavement and ensure the safety of road operation,we should pay attention to the structural design of long-life asphalt pavement,strengthen the selection of long-term pavement materials,scientifically set the pavement mechanical performance indexes based on the calculation results of pavement structure thickness combination and modulus combination,and ensure the stability and durability of road pavement structure through the real-time establishment of three-dimensional finite element calculation model,as well as the integrated design that takes into consideration the aspects of road subgrade,semi-rigid base and asphalt layer.
基金the financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(MoST,No.52090034)the Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project(No.B12015).
文摘Co-free Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides are promising candidates for next-generation lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)due to their high specific capacity,high voltage,low cost.However,their commercialization is hindered by limited cycle life and poor rate performance.Herein,an in-situ simple and low-cost strategy with a nanoscale double-layer architecture of lithium polyphosphate(LiPP)and spinel phase covered on top of the bulk layered phase,is developed for Li_(1.2)Mn_(0.6)Ni_(0.2)O_(2)(LMNO)using Li^(+)-conductor LiPP(denoted as LMNO@S-LiPP).With such a double-layer covered architecture,the half-cell of LMNO@S-LiPP delivers an extremely high capacity of 202.5 mAh·g^(−1)at 1 A·g^(−1)and retains 85.3%of the initial capacity after 300 cycles,so far,the best highrate electrochemical performance of all the previously reported LMNOs.The energy density of the full-cell assembled with commercial graphite reaches 620.9 Wh·kg^(−1)(based on total weight of active materials in cathode and anode).Mechanism studies indicate that the superior electrochemical performance of LMNO@S-LiPP is originated from such a nanoscale double-layer covered architecture,which accelerates Li-ion diffusion,restrains oxygen release,inhibits interfacial side reactions,suppresses structural degradation during cycling.Moreover,this strategy is applicable for other high-energy-density cathodes,such as LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2),Li_(1.2)Ni_(0.13)Co_(0.13)Mn_(0.54)O_(2),LiCoO_(2).Hence,this work presents a simple,cost-effective,scalable strategy for the development of high-performance cathode materials.
文摘Objective:To determine the change in the quality of life(QoL)of patients who applied to a tertiary outpatient clinic according to their COVID-19 status.Methods:This cross-sectional study comprised 1370 participants.Short form-12(SF-12),which includes Physical Component Summary(PCS)and Mental Component Summary(MCS)domains,was used to evaluate the QoL.Different linear regression models created using PCS-12 and MCS-12 were dependent variables.Results:A total of 19.2% of participants had acute COVID-19,and 8.4%had long COVID-19.The most common sypmtoms were fatigue(72.6%),headache(42.5%),and joint pain(39.8%)in patients with long COVID-19.The model including all participants showed that long COVID-19 reduced the QoL in multivariate analysis for both MCS and PCS,while acute COVID-19 had no significant effect on the QoL comparing with those without COVID-19.Model that included participants with COVID-19 showed that long COVID-19 negatively affected the QoL in the multivariate model for PCS-12 and MCS-12.Variables that were significant in the multivariate model for those who had long COVID-19 were having a chronic disease and presence of ongoing symptoms.Females were disadvantaged for PCS-12 and MCS-12 in the multivariate models including all participants,and models including participants who have had COVID-19.Low educational group were disadvantaged for PCS-12 in the multivariate model including all participants.This group were also disadvantaged for PCS-12 and MCS-12 in the multivariate models including participants who had COVID-19.Conclusions:In studies,acute COVID-19 and long COVID-19 should be treated as separate categories.The effects of long COVID-19 should be considered when providing and planning health services.The effect of gender,and education,on QoL shows that health inequalities continue to be effective during the pandemic period.
文摘Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) after a radical prostatectomy (RP) or extemal beam radiation therapy (EBRT) has not been studied in conjunction with oncological outcomes in relation to disease risk stratification. Moreover, the long-term outcomes of these treatment approaches have not been studied. We retrospectively analyzed oncological outcomes between consecutive patients receiving RP (n = 86) and EBRT (n = 76) for localized prostate cancer. HRQOL and functional outcomes could be assessed in 62 RP (79%) and 54 EBRT (79%) patients over a 3-year follow-up period (median: 41 months) using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the University of Califomia Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA PCI). The 5-year biochemical progression-free survival did not differ between the RP and EBRT groups for low-risk (74.6% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.931) and intermediate-risk (61.3% vs. 71.1%, P = 0.691) patients. For high-risk patients, progression-free survival was lower in the RP group (45.1%) than in the EBRT group (79.7%) (P = 0.002). The general HRQOL was comparable between the two groups. Regarding functional outcomes, the RP group reported lower scores on urinary function and less urinary bother and sexual bother than the EBRT group (P 〈 0.001, P 〈 0.05 and P 〈 0.001, respectively). With risk stratification, the low- and intermediate-risk patients in the RP group reported poorer urinary function than patients in the EBRT group (P 〈 0.001 for each). The sexual function of the high-risk patients in the EBRT group was better than that of the same risk RP patients (P 〈 0.001). Biochemical recurrence was not associated with the UCLA PCI score in either group. In conclusion, low- to intermediate-risk patients treated with an RP may report relatively decreased urinary function during long-term follow-up. The patient's HRQOL after treatment did not depend on biochemical recurrence.
文摘Objective To investigate the stress distribution of the femur after cemented prosthetic replacement in aged patients with comminuted intertrochanteric fracture and to analyze the difference of stress distribution between cemented long
文摘Introduction: Lifelong Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) promotes good quality of life and health among HIV-positive men and women. However, simplified newer and effective ART has not increased retention in care, or long-term ART adherence, especially among women. There are many factors that impede long-term adherence in women. This includes among other things female gender, depression, greater than once-daily dosing, longer time since HIV diagnosis, and patient beliefs. This study measures the quality of life in women whose ART durations range from one to fifteen years, using the standardized WHO Quality of Life questionnaire. Material and Methods: One hundred and fourteen women were divided into three groups based on ART duration. Group 1 had 37 women on ART for less than five years, Group 2 had 48 women on ART from 5 to 10 years and Group 3 had 29 women on ART for more than ten years. They were administered the WHO Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire, which assesses QOL in six domains. QOL was considered poor in scores between 4 - 9.9, medium in scores of 10 - 14.9 and good in scores of 15 - 20. Results: Scores in all 3 groups were more than 85% in five domains and around 74.5% in the psychological domain. Domain mean scores were Physical 18 (CI 17.63 - 18.37), Psychological 14.9 (CI 14.55 - 15.25), Independence 18.6 (CI 18.33 - 18.87), Social relationships 17.5 (CI 17.07 - 17.93), Environmental 17.6 (CI 17.25 - 17.95), Spiritual, Religious, Personal beliefs, 17.4 (CI 16.93 - 17.87). Scores for women on long-term ART (Group 3) are not different from the other 2 groups and the p-values were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Women on long-term ART fare extremely well compared to other groups with more than 93% showing good QOL and none showing poor Quality of Health in spite of being on ART for a longer period of time than the other two groups. Despite a multitude of impeding factors, women who continue ART faithfully and consistently enjoy a good quality of health and life. Adequate preparation and a supportive health system are essential for ensuring long-term adherence, but the attitude and commitment of women are also critical.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC.U1904190,51925207,U1910210,52161145101 and 51872277)the Natural Science Foundation for Excellent Young Scholars of Henan Province(Grant No.212300410091)+5 种基金Program for Science and Technology Innovation Talents in Universities of Henan Province(Grant No.22HASTIT005)Key Program of Henan Province for Science and Technology(222102240029)the“Transformational Technologies for Clean Energy and Demonstration”Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA21000000)the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory(KY2060000173)the Joint Fund of the Yulin University and the Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy(Grant.YLU-DNL Fund 2021002)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(WK2060140026).
文摘The latest view suggests the inactive core,surface pulverization,and poly sulfide shuttling effect of metal sulfides are responsible for their low capacity and poor cycling performance in sodium-ion batteries(SIBs).Whereas overcoming the above problems based on conventional nanoengineering is not efficient enough.In this work,erythrocyte-like CuS microspheres with an elastic buffering layer of ultrathin poly aniline(PANI) were synthesized through one-step selfassembly growth,followed by in situ polymerization of aniline.When CuS@PANI is used as anode electrode in SIBs,it delivers high capacity,ultrahigh rate capability(500 mAh gat 0.1 A g,and 214.5 mAh gat 40 A g),and superior cycling life of over 7500 cycles at 20 A g.A series of in/ex situ characterization techniques were applied to investigate the structural evolution and sodium-ion storage mechanism.The PANI swollen with electrolyte can stabilize solid electrolyte interface layer,benefit the ion transport/charge transfer at the PANI/electrolyte interface,and restrain the size growth of Cu particles in confined space.Moreover,finite element analyses and density functional simulations confirm that the PANI film effectively buffers the volume expansion,suppresses the surface pulverization,and traps the poly sulfide.
文摘The exploration of human life and health is advancing with the changes of the times.With the growth of age,the occurrence of chronic diseases of human immunity and organ system is frequent,which has a serious impact on human health.Genes,environment and other random factors determine the outcome of longevity,and intestinal flora is considered to be a decisive factor affecting human health and longevity,mainly because of its huge impact on human immunity,growth and development.The study of the relationship between intestinal flora and longevity is beneficial to improve the health status of the elderly and improve the overall life level of human beings,which has great scientific research value.This review will review the role of intestinal flora in longevity.
文摘妇女长寿的秘密在于生育少,这个看似寻常的观点在本文却有一番学术探讨。在详细考证和研究了英国贵族的生、死和婚姻情况后,有人提出:the secret of a long life appears to be: have fewer children.不仅少生能长寿,晚育也同样能长寿:…women who had their first child later in life lived longer that those who began reproducing early.当然,这个考证和发现尚有待进一步的发掘,文章末尾的一个观点则可视作一重要补充:For genealogy(系谱)studies we cannot distinguish the effects of genetic similarity(遗传类似)from those of common environment, so it remains to be seen whether the observed patterns are due to nature or nurture(营养品).】
文摘Studying the population ecology of endangered plants provides important baseline information for its monitoring and conservation.Juniperus phoenicea L.is an endangered species in arid ecosystems in Africa and the Middle East.The static life tables,survival curve and age structure of J.phoenicea populations from two mountains in North Sinai,Egypt(Gabal(G.)El-Halal and G.El-Maghara)were investigated.In each mountain,fifteen plots were selected,and field measurements such as stand density,tree height,and crown diameter were conducted.Moreover,44 trees were cored and crossdated according to standard dendrochronological procedures.The results showed that the tree ages ranged from 50 to 262 years at G.El-Halal and 96 to431 years at G.El-Maghara.Mature J.phoenicea individuals dominated the study area,with only a few individuals being younger than 100 years.Moreover,seedling recruitment was extremely limited.Since the studied J.phoenicea populations showed high mortality rates among both old and young individuals,there is an imminent need for establishing a conservation program to prevent its extinction in the future.Therefore,management and conservation efforts should be made to minimize human disturbance and protect the relic habitats of this endangered species at its southern distribution limits in Africa.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51702046)the Program for Professor of Special Appointment(Eastern Scholar)at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning,State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials,Donghua University。
文摘Carbon coated Si core–shell structures have been proposed to solve the adverse effects of Si-based anode.However,designing ideal core–shell architecture with excellent surface and interface properties is still a significant challenge.Herein,a novel peanut-like structure of B-doped silicon/carbon nanoparticle(Si@B-C)synthe-sized by sol–gel process and subsequent thermal reduction is reported.The peanut-like Si@B-C electrode demon-strates a superior cyclability of 534 mAh·g^(-1)after 1000 cycles at high current density of 1000 mA·g^(-1).The exceptional electrochemical performance is attributed to the boric acid-induced highly interconnected peanut-like structure and boron heteroatom framework could provide a continuous electron pathway to reduce the irreversible lithium ion loss during rapid cycling.This work provides insight into the development of the heteroatom-doped Si-based anodes with stable cycling performance for LIBs.
文摘AIM: To estimate if and to what extent long acting octreotide (LAR) improves survival and quality of life in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 127 cirrhotics, stages A-B, due to chronic viral infections and with advanced HCC, were enrolled in the study. Scintigraphy with 111Indium labeled octreotide was performed in all cases. The patients with increased accumulation of radionuclear compound were randomized to receive either oral placebo only or octreotide/octreotide LAR only as follows: octreotide 0.5mg s.c. every 8 h for 6 wk, at the end of wk 4-8 octreotide LAR 20 mg i.m. and at the end of wk 12 and every 4 wk octreotide LAR 30mg i.m.. Follow-up was worked out monthly as well as the estimation of quality of life (QLQ-C30 questionnaire). Patients with negative somatostatin receptors (SSTR) detection were followed up in the same manner. RESULTS: Scintigraphy demonstrated SSTR in 61 patients. Thirty were randomized to receive only placebo and 31 only octreotide. A significantly higher survival time was observed for the octreotide group (49 ± 6 wk) as compared to the control group (28 ± 1 wk) and to the SSTR negative group (28 ± 2 wk), LR = 20.39, df = 2, P < 0.01. The octreotide group presented 68.5% lower hazard ratio [95% CI (47.4%-81.2%)]. During the f irst year, a 22%, 39% and 43% decrease in the QLQ-C30 score was observed in each group respectively.CONCLUSION: The proposed therapeutic approach has shown to improve the survival and quality of life in SSTR positive patients with advanced HCC.
基金supported by the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fundthe National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U20A20249)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Program of Guangdong Province of China (Grant No.2019A050510012, 2020A050515007, 2020A0505090001)the Guangzhou emerging industry development fund project of Guangzhou development and reform commission。
文摘The ever-increasing demands for modern energy storage applications drive the search for novel anode materials of lithium(Li)-ion batteries(LIBs) with high storage capacity and long cycle life, to outperform the conventional LIBs anode materials. Hence, we report amorphous ternary phosphorus chalcogenide(aP_(4)SSe_(2)) as an anode material with high performance for LIBs. Synthesized via the mechanochemistry method, the a-P_(4)SSe_(2) compound is endowed with amorphous feature and offers excellent cycling stability(over 1500 mA h g^(-1) capacity after 425 cycles at 0.3 A g^(-1)), owing to the advantages of isotropic nature and synergistic effect of multielement forming Li-ion conductors during battery operation. Furthermore,as confirmed by ex situ X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscope(TEM), the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)anode material has a reversible and multistage Li-storage mechanism, which is extremely beneficial to long cycle life for batteries. Moreover, the autogenous intermediate electrochemical products with fast ionic conductivity can facilitate Li-ion diffusion effectively. Thus, the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)electrode delivers excellent rate capability(730 mA h g^(-1)capacity at 3 A g^(-1)). Through in situ electrochemical impedance spectra(EIS) measurements, it can be revealed that the resistances of charge transfer(R_(SEI)) and solid electrolyte interphase(R_(Ct)) decrease along with the formation of Li-ion conductors whilst the ohmic resistance(R_(Ω)) remains unchanged during the whole electrochemical process, thus resulting in rapid reaction kinetics and stable electrode to obtain excellent rate performance and cycling ability for LIBs. Moreover, the formation mechanism and electrochemical superiority of the a-P_(4)SSe_(2)phase, and its expansion to P_(4)S_(3-x)Se_(x)(x = 0, 1, 2, 3) family can prove its significance for LIBs.
基金The Center of Research and Development in Community Health System,Faculty of Nursing,at Khon Kaen University,Thailand provided supporting for the research grant (Ref:61-00-001)
文摘Objectives: This study aimed to describe work and activities of community networks focusing on the improvement of the quality of life (QOL) of older people in Thailand.The understanding of the work can help enhancing the community development and strengthening of local communities and their networks.Methods: Qualitative methods including in-depth interview,observation,and focus group discussion were employed to the study.64 participants participated to the study and were recruited from 4 key actors within the community.Content analysis was used to analyze the obtained data.This study was conducted in 6 local administrative organizations (LAOs) which selected from the outstanding areas of the project.Each LAO represents one sub-district of the regions of Thailand namely;(1) the upper north,(2) the lower north,(3)the upper eastern,(4) the lower eastern,(5) the central and (6) the south.Results: The findings of this study were categorized into three main themes: (1) Social capital including people in the community,social groups,and organizations,(2) Mutual help/collaboration activities composed of six sets of activities related to social capitals working on the improvement of QOL of older people,and (3) Impacts of the mutual help/collaboration activities on older people and local communities who help to improve of QOL of older people.Conclusion: The findings are important features for the community development.These themes should be recommended for community nurses,health related groups and organizations for the improvement of QOL of older people in the community.
文摘Background: Treatment of elderly patients on intensive care units is an increasing challenge all over the world. Objectives: To evaluate short- term survival and long-term quality of life im-plications of intensive care for the elderly. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 314 patients 75 years of age or more requiring over 48 hours of intensive care. Results: In multivariate analy-sis, significant risk factors for mortality were chronic renal impairment (OR for survival .30, p 24 h (OR 4.5), hemodialysis (OR 6.8), and vasopressor therapy (OR 2.5, p < 0.001 for each). A health survey questionnaire in an up to 60-month follow-up of 28 patients revealed considerably lower physi-cal subscores of our patients compared to the general elderly population. Conclusions: Elderly patients benefit from intensive care in terms of survival. Complications are frequent, as are severe consequences for long-term quality of life. Short-term mortality in elderly intensive care patients correlates most closely to pre- existing disease, not age.
文摘Although any type or amount of physical exercise may reverse the cellular processes that lead to the aging,regular physical exercise can attenuate the decline in physical and functional abilities observed in elderly.Currently,the most encouraged activities in gyms and clubs are resistance training,functional training,and hydrogymnastics.The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of the aforementioned exercises regarding muscle strength,flexibility,functional capability and quality of life of elderly women.We divided 36 elderly women in four groups:Sedentary(S);Hydro-gymnastics(H);Functional Training(F);or Resistance Training(RT).The results reveal that the groups engaged in physical exercise showed a significant difference(p<0.05)in relation to S in all evaluations.The results also show that between the different exercises evaluated,resistance training practitioners have greater strength and better functional capability.