Diagnosis of split fractures of the mandible in adults.

BACKGROUND: Mandibular split fractures, in which the fracture occurs exclusively in the posterior wall, are uncommon. This study aimed to enhance clinicians' understanding of mandibular split fractures and offer insights for future research. METHODS: This study included six patients who visited our hospital between January 2020 and June 2023 and were diagnosed with mandibular split fractures. We retrospectively collected data from patients' medical records on their age, sex, symptoms, mechanism, impact site, associated injuries, and treatment method, as well as the location, pattern, and number of fractures observed on computed tomography (CT) and panoramic images. The frequency of split fractures among all mandibular fractures was calculated. RESULTS: The six patients included three men (50%) and three women (50%), ranging in age from 20 to 71 years (mean age, 49.8 years). The split fractures were located in the symphysis in one patient (16.7%), symphysis to parasymphysis in two patients (33.3%), parasymphysis in one patient (16.7%), and parasymphysis to the body in two patients (33.3%). Four patients (66.7%) had condylar head fractures, while two patients (33.3%) had single split fractures. The mechanism of trauma was a slip-down incident in four cases (66.7%), while two cases (33.3%) were caused by motorcycle traffic accidents. Four patients (67%) underwent intermaxillary fixation, while two patients (33%) improved with conservative treatment. Split fractures were diagnosed in all six patients on CT, whereas the fracture line was not clearly visible on panoramic images. Mandibular split fractures accounted for 5.6% of all mandibular fractures. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into the clinical characteristics of rare mandibular split fractures and the diagnostic imaging findings. Furthermore, CT scans and three-dimensional image synthesis-instead of panoramic images-may be essential for accurately diagnosing mandibular fractures, including mandibular split fractures, in the future.

An Entropy Analysis-Based Window Size Optimization Scheme for Merging LiDAR Data Frames.

LiDAR is a useful technology for gathering point cloud data from its environment and has been adapted to many applications. We use a cost-efficient LiDAR system attached to a moving object to estimate the location of the moving object using referenced linear structures. In the stationary state, the accuracy of extracting linear structures is low given the low-cost LiDAR. We propose a merging scheme for the LiDAR data frames to improve the accuracy by using the movement of the moving object. The proposed scheme tries to find the optimal window size by means of an entropy analysis. The optimal window size is determined by finding the minimum point between the entropy indicator of the ideal result and the entropy indicator of the actual result of each window size. The proposed indicator can describe the accuracy of the entire path of the moving object at each window size using a simple single value. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme can improve the linear structure extraction accuracy.

Visual, Non-Destructive, and Destructive Investigations of Polyethylene Pipes with Inhomogeneous Carbon Black Distribution for Assessing Degradation of Structural Integrity.

Carbon black (CB) is used in polyethylene (PE) pipes to protect against thermal and photooxidation. However, when CB is not properly dispersed in the PE matrix during processing, white regions having little or no CB concentration, known as "windows," appear within the CB/PE mixed black compound. In some cases, windows can drastically affect the structural integrity of both the pipe and butt fusion joint. In this work, PE pipes with varying amounts of windows were investigated for their characteristic window patterns, as well as quantifying the area fraction of windows (% windows). Tensile test on specimens with known % windows determined a critical limit above which the fracture strain rapidly degrades. Micro-tensile and micro-indentation results showed tear initiation at the window-black PE matrix boundary; however, they did not confirm the mechanism of tear initiation. In support of this work, a method of making thin shavings of a whole pipe cross section was developed, and the best viewing windows under cross-polarized monochromatic light were identified. In addition, a phased array ultrasonic test (PAUT) and microwave imaging (MWI) were directly applied to the pipe and confirmed the presence and patterns of the windows.

Evaluation of 3D Templated Synthetic Vascular Graft Compared with Standard Graft in a Rat Model: Potential Use as an Artificial Vascular Graft in Cardiovascular Disease.

Although the number of vascular surgeries using vascular grafts is increasing, they are limited by vascular graft-related complications and size discrepancy. Current efforts to develop the ideal synthetic vascular graft for clinical application using tissue engineering or 3D printing are far from satisfactory. Therefore, we aimed to re-design the vascular graft with modified materials and 3D printing techniques and also demonstrated the improved applications of our new vascular graft clinically. We designed the 3D printed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) templates according to the vessel size and shape, and these were dip-coated with salt-suspended thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Next, the core template was removed to obtain a customized porous TPU graft. The mechanical testing and cytotoxicity studies of the new synthetic 3D templated vascular grafts (3DT) were more appropriate compared with commercially available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts (ePTFE; standard graft, SG) for clinical use. Finally, we performed implantation of the 3DTs and SGs into the rat abdominal aorta as a patch technique. Four groups of the animal model (SG_7 days, SG_30 days, 3DT_7 days, and 3DT_30 days) were enrolled in this study. The abdominal aorta was surgically opened and sutured with SG or 3DT with 8/0 Prolene. The degree of endothelial cell activation, neovascularization, thrombus formation, calcification, inflammatory infiltrates, and fibrosis were analyzed histopathologically. There was significantly decreased thrombogenesis in the group treated with the 3DT for 30 days compared with the group treated with the SG for 7 and 30 days, and the 3DT for 7 days. In addition, the group treated with the 3DT for 30 days may also have shown increased postoperative endothelialization in the early stages. In conclusion, this study suggests the possibility of using the 3DT as an SG substitute in vascular surgery.

Prevalence, biosecurity factor, and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis of Salmonella species isolated from commercial duck farms in Korea.

Duck meat consumption in South Korea has increased in recent years, but no standard about duck farm-specific biosecurity and hygiene guidelines have yet been established. We here investigated Salmonella contamination levels in duck farms to evaluate biosecurity and hygiene practices. We collected 1,116 environmental samples from 31 duck farms in Jeonnam Province, South Korea. The Salmonella-positive farm rate dramatically increased, from 22.6 to 71.0%, on introduction of ducklings. As the ducklings aged 4-6 wk, the positive rate slightly decreased to 64.5%. The Salmonella detection rate on each sampled surface, such as the feed pan (34.4%), wall (33.9%), litter (32.3%), and nipples (24.2%), was highest at 3 wk of age. The most frequently detected Salmonella serovars were Salmonella London (22.2%), Salmonella Albany (21.6%), Salmonella Bareilly (17.0%), and Salmonella Indiana (16.5%). Implementation of cleaning and disinfection procedures, rodent control, and metal house walls significantly lowered the prevalence of Salmonella (P < 0.001, P < 0.01, and P < 0.05, respectively). A high proportion of Salmonella isolates exhibited antimicrobial resistance: 100 and 62.9% exhibited resistance to erythromycin and nalidixic acid, respectively. Furthermore, a majority of S. Albany and all Salmonella Enteritidis isolates were multidrug resistant. These results indicate the level of Salmonella contamination in duck farm environments in Korea is high. Good biosecurity and hygiene practices are the most effective measures for controlling Salmonella contamination.

Tumor-derived IL-18 induces PD-1 expression on immunosuppressive NK cells in triple-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE: While the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18) is known to activate natural killer (NK) cells, its precise role in cancer is controversial. In this study, we investigated the role of tumor-derived IL-18 on peripheral blood NK cells in breast cancer patients. RESULTS: In breast cancer cell lines, IL-18 was expressed and secreted in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines MDA-MB-231 and HCC-70 but not in MCF-7 cells. The immature and non-cytotoxic CD56dimCD16dim/- NK cell fraction was increased following co-culture with MDA-MB-231 cells, and this increase was not observed with tumor cells transfected with siRNA for IL-18 or in MCF-7 cells. In addition, tumor-derived IL-18 increased PD-1 expression on CD56dimCD16dim/- NK cells, although no effect on PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was observed. Among EBC patients, serum IL-18 levels were significantly increased in those with a TNBC subtype compared to levels from patients with other subtypes, and the IL-18 levels were strongly associated with poor survival. Similarly, serum IL-18 and CD56dimCD16dim/- NK cells were also increased in patients with metastatic TNBC who had progressive disease following cytotoxic chemotherapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed in vitro experiments in breast cancer cell lines, measured cytokine levels by RT-qPCR, western blot, and ELISA, and analyzed NK cell subsets by flow cytometry. For clinical validation, we collected and analyzed blood sample from patients with early breast cancer (EBC, N = 545) and metastatic breast cancer (MBC, N = 42). CONCLUSIONS: Our data revealed that tumor-derived IL-18 is associated with bad prognosis in patients with TNBC. Tumor-derived IL-18 increased the immunosuppressive CD56dimCD16dim/- NK cell fraction and induced PD-1 expression on these NK cells.

A Mobility-Aware Adaptive Duty Cycling Mechanism for Tracking Objects during Tunnel Excavation.

Tunnel construction workers face many dangers while working under dark conditions, with difficult access and egress, and many potential hazards. To enhance safety at tunnel construction sites, low latency tracking of mobile objects (e.g., heavy-duty equipment) and construction workers is critical for managing the dangerous construction environment. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are the basis for a widely used technology for monitoring the environment because of their energy-efficiency and scalability. However, their use involves an inherent point-to-point delay caused by duty cycling mechanisms that can result in a significant rise in the delivery latency for tracking mobile objects. To overcome this issue, we proposed a mobility-aware adaptive duty cycling mechanism for the WSNs based on object mobility. For the evaluation, we tested this mechanism for mobile object tracking at a tunnel excavation site. The evaluation results showed that the proposed mechanism could track mobile objects with low latency while they were moving, and could reduce energy consumption by increasing sleep time while the objects were immobile.

Versatile Metal Nanowiring Platform for Large-Scale Nano- and Opto-Electronic Devices.

A versatile metal nanowiring platform enables the fabrication of Ag nanowires (AgNW) at a desired position and orientation in an individually controlled manner. A printed, flexible AgNW has a diameter of 695 nm, a resistivity of 5.7 µΩ cm, and good thermal stability in air. Based on an Ag nanowiring platform, an all-NW transistors array, as well as various optoelectronic applications, are successfully demonstrated.

Value-added Synthesis of Graphene: Recycling Industrial Carbon Waste into Electrodes for High-Performance Electronic Devices.

We have developed a simple, scalable, transfer-free, ecologically sustainable, value-added method to convert inexpensive coal tar pitch to patterned graphene films directly on device substrates. The method, which does not require an additional transfer process, enables direct growth of graphene films on device substrates in large area. To demonstrate the practical applications of the graphene films, we used the patterned graphene grown on a dielectric substrate directly as electrodes of bottom-contact pentacene field-effect transistors (max. field effect mobility ~0.36 cm(2)·V(-1)·s(-1)), without using any physical transfer process. This use of a chemical waste product as a solid carbon source instead of commonly used explosive hydrocarbon gas sources for graphene synthesis has the dual benefits of converting the waste to a valuable product, and reducing pollution.

Flexible Lamination Encapsulation.

A novel flexible encapsulation method (Flex Lami-capsulation) is reported, which can be applied in the roll-to-roll process for mass production of organic electronic devices. Flex Lami-capsulation is very simple, fast, and getter-free, and is as effective as glass encapsulation. Use of this method is feasible in large-area flexible displays and does not have the drawbacks of conventional encapsulation methods.

Multicolored organic/inorganic hybrid perovskite light-emitting diodes.

Bright organic/inorganic hybrid perov-skite light-emitting diodes (PrLEDs) are realized by using CH3 NH3 PbBr3 as an emitting layer and self-organized buffer hole-injection layer (Buf-HIL). The PrLEDs show high luminance, current efficiency, and EQE of 417 cd m(-2) , 0.577 cd A(-1) , and 0.125%, respectively. Buf-HIL can facilitate hole injection into CH3 NH3 PbBr3 as well as block exciton quenching.

Organic nanowire fabrication and device applications.

Organic nanowires (ONWs) are flexible, stretchable, and have good electrical properties, and therefore have great potential for use in next-generation textile and wearable electronics. Analysis of trends in ONWs supports their great potential for various stretchable and flexible electronic applications such as flexible displays and flexible photovoltaics. Numerous methods can be used to prepare ONWs, but the practical industrial application of ONWs has not been achieved because of the lack of reliable techniques for controlling and patterning of individual nanowires. Therefore, an "individually controllable" technique to fabricate ONWs is essential for practical device applications. In this paper, three types of fabrication methods of ONWs are reviewed: non-alignment methods, massive-alignment methods, and individual-alignment methods. Recent research on electronic and photonic device applications of ONWs is then reviewed. Finally, suggestions for future research are put forward.

Individually position-addressable metal-nanofiber electrodes for large-area electronics.

A individually position-addressable large-scale-aligned Cu nanofiber (NF) array is fabricated using electro-hydrodynamic nanowire printing. The printed single-stranded Cu NF has a diameter of about 710 nm and resistivity of 14.1 µΩ cm and is effectively used as source/drain nanoelectrode in pentacene transistors, which show a 25-fold increased hole mobility than that of a device with Cu thin-film electrodes.

Large-scale organic nanowire lithography and electronics.

Controlled alignment and patterning of individual semiconducting nanowires at a desired position in a large area is a key requirement for electronic device applications. High-speed, large-area printing of highly aligned individual nanowires that allows control of the exact numbers of wires, and their orientations and dimensions is a significant challenge for practical electronics applications. Here we use a high-speed electrohydrodynamic organic nanowire printer to print large-area organic semiconducting nanowire arrays directly on device substrates in a precisely, individually controlled manner; this method also enables sophisticated large-area nanowire lithography for nano-electronics. We achieve a maximum field-effect mobility up to 9.7 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) with extremely low contact resistance (<5.53 Ω cm), even in nano-channel transistors based on single-stranded semiconducting nanowires. We also demonstrate complementary inverter circuit arrays comprising well-aligned p-type and n-type organic semiconducting nanowires. Extremely fast nanolithography using printed semiconducting nanowire arrays provide a simple, reliable method of fabricating large-area and flexible nano-electronics.

T lymphocytes derived from human cord blood provide effective antitumor immunotherapy against a human tumor.

BACKGROUND: Although the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect of donor-derived T cells after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been used as an effective adoptive immunotherapy, the antitumor effects of cord blood (CB) transplantation have not been well studied. METHODS: We established the animal model by transplantation of CB mononuclear cells and/or tumor cells into NOD/SCID mice. The presence of CB derived T cells in NOD/SCID mice or tumor tissues were determined by flow cytometric and immunohistochemical analysis. The anti-tumor effects of CB derived T cells against tumor was determined by tumor size and weight, and by the cytotoxicity assay and ELISPOT assay of T cells. RESULTS: We found dramatic tumor remission following transfer of CB mononuclear cells into NOD/SCID mice with human cervical tumors with a high infiltration of CD3+ T cells in tumors. NOD/SCID mice that receive neonatal CB transplants have reconstituted T cells with significant antitumor effects against human cervical and lung tumors, with a high infiltration of CD3+ T cells showing dramatic induction of apoptotic cell death. We also confirmed that T cells showed tumor specific antigen cytotoxicity in vitro. In adoptive transfer of CD3+ T cells into mice with pre-established tumors, we observed much higher antitumor effects of HPV-specific T cells by ELISPOT assays. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that CB derived T lymphocytes will be useful for novel immunotherapeutic candidate cells for therapy of several tumors in clinic.