Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on effect-site concentration of propofol for sedation in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have demonstrated that chemotherapy drugs enhance sensitivity to anesthetics owing to its systemic toxicity, while others have demonstrated that chemotherapy drugs have no effect. This study aimed to determine whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy influences the effect-site concentration (Ce) of propofol for sedation in patients withbreast cancer. METHODS: This study included patients aged 19-75 years who were scheduled to undergobreast cancer surgery under general anesthesia. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were assigned to group C, whereas those who never received chemotherapy wereassigned to group N. Propofol was administered through an effect-site target-controlled infusion, and the Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scale (MOAA/S) scoreand Bispectral Index (BIS) were recorded. When the plasma concentration and Ce wereequal to the target Ce, and if the MOAA/S score did not change, the target Ce was increasedby 0.2 µg/ml; otherwise, the Ce was maintained for 2 min and then increased. This processwas repeated until the MOAA/S score became 0. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in Ce values at each sedation level between both groups. Ce values for loss of consciousness (LOC) of groups C and N were 2.76± 0.29 and 2.67 ± 0.27 µg/ml (P = 0.285), respectively. However, the BIS value at LOC ofgroup C (63.87 ± 7.04) was lower than that (68.44 ± 6.01) of group N (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer has no effect on the Ce ofpropofol for sedation.

Extraction and Concentration of Waste Pueraria lobata Stems with Antioxidants and Anti-Melanogenesis Activity as a Novel Skin Whitening Agent for Natural Cosmetic Prototypes.

The root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) is used commercially in different products, including dietary supplements, cosmetics, and teas, but its stem part is rarely used and studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activities of the bioactive fraction of P. lobata stem and investigated whether the activated carbon decolorization technique would have an impact on its activity and chemical composition. We observed that the dichloromethane fraction of P. lobata stem (DCM-PLS) has excellent antioxidant and anti-melanin synthesis activity at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. For the investigation of the anti-melanogenesis mechanism, we evaluated the mRNA expression of tyrosinase, which was depressed by the DCM-PLS. Daidzin was identified as the main active ingredient in DCM-PLS by using a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-hyphenated with tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, the activated carbon decolorization technology has no negative impact on the main components and bioactivity of DCM-PLS. DCM-PLS also did not induce any skin response in the human skin safety test. Collectively, DCM-PLS could be used as a natural type of skin-whitening agent in skin care products.

Comparison of the performance of phase lag entropy and bispectral index for monitoring the depth of sedation under dexmedetomidine sedation: A prospective, observational, and non-inferiority trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although the performance of phase lag entropy (PLE), a new depth-of-sedation monitor based on the diversity of temporal patterns in the phase relationships in electroencephalogram (EEG) data, during propofol sedation has been proven through several studies, since different sedatives have different effects on EEG, we aimed to evaluate the performance of the PLE in comparison with the bispectral index (BIS) during dexmedetomidine sedation. DESIGN: A prospective, observational, and non-inferiority trial. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital operating room. PATIENTS: Forty-two patients aged 20-80 years who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery under spinal anesthesia and had American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I to III were enrolled in this study. INTERVENTIONS: Dexmedetomidine was administered with a loading dose of 0.5-1 µg/kg for 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.3-0.6 µg/kg/h. MEASUREMENTS: The depth of sedation was assessed using the modified observer's assessment of alertness/sedation (MOAA/S) scale; the data for PLE and BIS were collected; and vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, EKG, and pulse oximetry, were evaluated. MAIN RESULTS: 215,082 data points for the MOAA/S score and PLE and BIS values were analyzed. The baseline variabilities of PLE and BIS were 4.53% and 7.02%, respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients of the MOAA/S score with PLE and BIS were 0.599 and 0.566, respectively. The prediction probabilities of the MOAA/S score with PLE and BIS were 0.647 and 0.636, respectively. When the MOAA/S score was 3 points, the mean (SD) values of PLE and BIS were 68.35 (15.68) and 75.85 (9.81), respectively, However, the mean (SD) values of PLE and BIS for an MOAA/S score of 1 point were 56.08 (12.49) and 68.29 (12.65), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PLE shows potential as a hypnotic depth indicator during dexmedetomidine sedation, and its performance was not inferior to that of BIS.

Phenolic Profile and Fingerprint Analysis of Akebia quinata Leaves Extract with Endothelial Protective Activity.

In contrast to the stem and fruit of Akebia quinata, A. quinata leaves as a source rich in phenolic compounds with potentially beneficial pharmacological activities have been largely overlooked. To develop and use A. quinata leaves as a resource, we evaluated its potential as a cardiovascular-protective agent. Herein, we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of A. quinata leaves extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We found that A. quinata leaves extract pretreatment of 10 µg/mL significantly attenuated LPS-induced protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. Furthermore, this extract also suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB p65. In order to elucidate the chemical profiles of the samples, the HPLC fingerprint was established, and prominent peaks were identified via HPLC-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Multivariate statistical analyses, including hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis, were performed to evaluate the clustering of the samples. It was found that isochlorogenic acid C was a key marker for the classification of A. quinata leaves from the Gongju and Muju city in Korea. Collectively, this study not only suggested the potential of A. quinata leaves as a novel therapeutic candidate for inflammatory cardiovascular disease but also developed a quality control method for A. quinata leaves, which could help to expand the application of A. quinata.

Kesterite Solar Cells: Insights into Current Strategies and Challenges.

Earth-abundant and environmentally benign kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) is a promising alternative to its cousin chalcopyrite Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGS) for photovoltaic applications. However, the power conversion efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells has been stagnant at 12.6% for years, still far lower than that of CIGS (23.35%). In this report, insights into the latest cutting-edge strategies for further advance in the performance of kesterite solar cells is provided, particularly focusing on the postdeposition thermal treatment (for bare absorber, heterojunction, and completed device), alkali doping, and bandgap grading by engineering graded cation and/or anion alloying. These strategies, which have led to the step-change improvements in the power conversion efficiency of the counterpart CIGS solar cells, are also the most promising ones to achieve further efficiency breakthroughs for kesterite solar cells. Herein, the recent advances in kesterite solar cells along these pathways are reviewed, and more importantly, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms is provided, and promising directions for the ongoing development of kesterite solar cells are proposed.

A Unified Deep-Learning Model for Classifying the Cross-Country Skiing Techniques Using Wearable Gyroscope Sensors.

The automatic classification of cross-country (XC) skiing techniques using data from wearable sensors has the potential to provide insights for optimizing the performance of professional skiers. In this paper, we propose a unified deep learning model for classifying eight techniques used in classical and skating styles XC-skiing and optimize this model for the number of gyroscope sensors by analyzing the results for five different configurations of sensors. We collected data of four professional skiers on outdoor flat and natural courses. The model is first trained over the flat course data of two skiers and tested over the flat and natural course data of a third skier in a leave-one-out fashion, resulting in a mean accuracy of ~80% over three combinations. Secondly, the model is trained over the flat course data of three skiers and tested over flat course and natural course data of one new skier, resulting in a mean accuracy of 87.2% and 95.1% respectively, using the optimal sensor configuration (five gyroscope sensors: both hands, both feet, and the pelvis). High classification accuracy obtained using both approaches indicates that this deep learning model has the potential to be deployed for real-time classification of skiing techniques by professional skiers and coaches.

Improvement of Pre-Annealed Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Absorbers for High Efficiency.

We used a DC-sputtering method to deposit the precursor (Cu3Ga/In) onto Mo with 1 um thick/soda-lime glass (SLG). We moved it onto a graphite crucible for the pre-annealing process, and the pressure of the process tube was about 10 torr without Ar gas flow. The crucible in quartz tube was heated by halogen lamp to 250 degrees C for 30 min, and then raised to 550 degrees C for 10 min under a selenium atmosphere. To complete the solar cells, a buffer layer of 50 nm CdS was then deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD), followed by a double layer (high resistivity/low resistivity) of RF sputtered i-ZnO/Al-ZnO thin films. The Al front contacts were deposited by thermal evaporator.

Potential of IMU Sensors in Performance Analysis of Professional Alpine Skiers.

In this paper, we present an analysis to identify a sensor location for an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the body of a skier and propose the best location to capture turn motions for training. We also validate the manner in which the data from the IMU sensor on the proposed location can characterize ski turns and performance with a series of statistical analyses, including a comparison with data collected from foot pressure sensors. The goal of the study is to logically identify the ideal location on the skier's body to attach the IMU sensor and the best use of the data collected for the skier. The statistical analyses and the hierarchical clustering method indicate that the pelvis is the best location for attachment of an IMU, and numerical validation shows that the data collected from this location can effectively estimate the performance and characteristics of the skier. Moreover, placement of the sensor at this location does not distract the skier's motion, and the sensor can be easily attached and detached. The findings of this study can be used for the development of a wearable device for the routine training of professional skiers.