关键词： multi-criteria deterministic optimization   bridge management systems   objectively-derived criteria weights   selection criteria   selection theory   optimization index   analytic hierarchy process (AHP)   tradeoffs   infrastructure asset management   AASHTOWare Bridge Management Software BrM  

摘要： Criteria weights formulation is the most essential component of a multi-criteria prioritization scheme. The research reported in this paper sought to critically compare a recently developed multi-criteria optimization criteria weights method to the well-known analytic hierarchy process (AHP) as well as the method employed by the bridge management software BrM (formerly Pontis), which is licensed to all 50 State Departments of Transportation in the United States. Using four criteria for demonstration (bridge performance, utility, vulnerability to climate-triggered extreme events, and vulnerability to climate-triggered extreme loads), the new method clearly separates the concept of prioritization from the concept of optimization. The study demonstrates that there is an important and practical difference between a suitable criteria weight formulation for asset management optimization, on one hand, and the type of formulation required for a general selection problem, on the other hand. More importantly, the new method performs better than both the AHP and the BrM on all the important measures.

关键词： prostatic neoplasms   salvage therapy   cryotherapy  

摘要： Purpose: Radiation refractory prostate cancer (RRPCa) is common and salvage cryotherapy for RRPCa is emerging as a viable local treatment option. However, there is a paucity of long-term data. The purpose of this study is to determine long-term outcomes following salvage cryotherapy for RRPca. Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing salvage cryotherapy for biopsy-proven, localized RRPCa from 1992 through 2004 were prospectively accrued at two centers. Preoperative characteristics, perioperative morbidity and postoperative data were reviewed from our database. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The secondary outcomes were freedom from castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and freedom from androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Results: A total of 268 patients were identified with a median followup of 10.3 years. A total of 223 complication events were recorded;of them, 168 were Clavien I-II events and 55 Clavien III events. At 10 years, 69% had freedom from ADT and 76% had freedom from CRPC. The 10-year DSS rate was 81%, and the 10-year OS rate was 77%. A pre-salvage prostate specific antigen level of >10 ng/ml was associated with an increased risk of developing CRPC and initiation of ADT but was not associated with DSS or OS. The use of neoadjuvant ADT was associated with improved OS and DSS but did not affect freedom from CRPC or adjuvant ADT. Conclusions: Salvage cryotherapy for RRPCa provides excellent long-term freedom from ADT, CRPC and DSS with acceptable morbidity. OS at 10 years was 77%. Prospective trials are required for validation.

关键词： Bioinsecticidal   Callosobruchus maculatus   Chitin-binding protein seeds  

摘要： Vicilins are seed proteins, and they constitute 70-80% of the total protein in leguminous seeds;with amolecular mass between 150 and 190 kDa, they are composed of subunits without disulfide bridges, with high affinity for chitin-binding. They are also associated with seed defense against insect pests. The chitin-binding vicilin from Anadenanthera colubrina seeds was purified by ammonium sulfate, followed by affinity chromatography on a chitin column, molecular exclusion on Superdex 75 Tricorn in FPLC system and Phenomenex C8 chromatography in HPLC system. The A. colubrina vicilin, named AcV, is a tetrameric glycoprotein composed of 1.55% carbohydrates and molecular weight determined by SDS-PAGE, consisting of 70, 73, 43 and 41 kDa. The AcV homogeneity was confirmed in native PAGE, where it was observed to be a unique band with slow mobility in this gel, with approximately 230 kDa. AcV added to the Callosobruchus maculatus diet in the bioassays resulted in a strong effect on adult emergence (ED50 of 0.096%), and in larvae caused a marked reduction in mass (WD50 of 0.32%) and lethality (LD50 of 0.33%) (w:w). The digestibility of AcV was evaluated in vitro with the digestive enzymes of larvae of C. maculatus of fourth instar, showing major fragments of 10 and 30 kDa. AcV showed reactivity against the anti-EvV antibody from Erythrina velutina vicilin. The deleterious effects of AcV are likely to be associated with the chitin-binding fragments generated by proteolysis in the bruchid gut, similarly to that found for vicilins from other leguminous plant species, Enterolobium contortisiliquum and Vigna unguiculata. AcV might be a candidate protein for a possible bioinsecticidal control of the bruchid weevil, C. maculatus. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://***/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

关键词： belatacept   graft versus host disease   GvHD  

摘要： Background Immunosuppressive prophylaxis is usually given to decrease the development of acute graft versus host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Belatacept is a Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, blocking agent, an immunosuppressive agent used for organ rejection prevention in adult renal transplant recipients. Methods We describe two children in whom belatacept was successfully used for GvHD prophylaxis. Case 1 was noncompliant with prior immunosuppressive therapy for aplastic anemia, and Case 2 developed severe thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) precluding the use of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) or mTOR inhibitors. Results and Conclusion Belatacept was found to be a safe alternative in preventing GvHD in 2 patients in whom traditional prophylactic therapies were not possible to use.

关键词： quantitative trait loci   alternative polyadenylation   complex traits   human diseases  

摘要： Alternative polyadenylation (APA)associated genetic variants have been proposed to impact diverse human phenotypes and disorders. In a recent study, Li et al. established a landscape of 3'-untranslated region (UTR) APA quantitative trait loci (3'aQTLs) across multiple human tissues, revealing substantial 3'aQTLs that contribute to complex human traits and diseases.