Time for a rethink

Investigating the effects of time pressure on new product development teams

To investigate if anti-Ro/SSA antibody-exposed fetuses with prolonged atrioventricular (AV) time intervals also have prolongation of the isovolumetric contraction time (ICT). Seventy-eight anti-Ro/SSA (including 70 anti-Ro52) antibody-exposed fetuses at risk for congenital heart block (CHB) were followed weekly, between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation, with two Doppler echocardiographic methods designed to detect signs of first-degree AV block. One of these AV time measurements, using hemodynamic events from the mitral valve and aortic outflow as indirect markers of atrial and ventricular depolarization (MV-Ao), was also used to calculate a time interval representing an early phase of systolic cardiac performance, i.e. the ICT. Two hundred and eighty-four women with normal pregnancies served as controls for AV time intervals and another 106 were used to establish an ICT reference range. Strong positive relationships were found between ICT and MV-Ao time intervals (r = 0.91, P < 0.001), as well as between ICT and time intervals obtained from the superior vena cava and aorta (r = 0.85, P < 0.001). The ICT was estimated to contribute more than 50% of the total AV time prolongation. Abnormal AV time and ICT intervals were only seen in anti-Ro52 positive pregnancies. The ICT is an important contributor to prolongation of AV time intervals. This observation suggests that anti-Ro52/SSA antibody-exposed fetal hearts have not only disturbed electrical conduction but also decreased mechanical performance. Moreover, our findings have implications for the interpretation of AV time intervals used for surveillance of fetuses at risk for developing CHB.

Objective To provide epidemiological data as a reference for the coming research and clinical practice by analyzing the problem based critical care ultrasound (CCUS) examination database in Department of Critical Care Medicine,West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Methods A retrospective study of the database was performed. The clinical problems prompting the CCUS examination were classified, the ultrasonnic findings representing the pathophysiological changes were collected and gathered into categories, and the pathophysiological etiology for each classification of clinical problems was stated after referring to the clinical information. Results In the 135 cases with a mean age of (51±18) years, 386 times of problems based examinations were performed (2.85 times per patient). The problems prompting the examinations were acute circulatory dysfunction (271 times, 70.2%), acute respiratory dysfunction (34 times, 8.8%), acute circulatory dysfunction combined with acute respiratory dysfunction (76 times, 19.7%), and suspected diaphragm disorder and others (5 times, 1.2%). In the 347 times of examination for acute circulatory dysfunction, the pathophysiological changes discovered by the CCUS examination included hypovolemia (55 times, 15.9%), hypervolemia (85 times, 24.5%), decreased systemic vascular resistance index (22 times, 6.3%), and increased right ventricular (RV) afterload (15 times, 4.3%). In the 246 times of examination for cardiac dysfunction, the underlying etiology detected included left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (31 times, 12.6%), LV diastolic dysfunction (108 times, 43.9%), LV systolic dysfunction associated with diastolic dysfunction (49 times, 19.9%), RV dysfunction (23 times, 9.4%), and whole heart failure (35 times, 14.2%). Acute respiratory disorders was identified 110 times in total, which consisted of lung consolidation (40 times, 36.4%), diffuse ultrasonic interstitial syndrome (DIS; 27 times, 24.5%), consolidation associated with DIS (18 times, 16.4%), focal interstitial syndrome (17 times, 14.6%), and others (9 times, 8.2%). Causes of deterioration of the cases were cardiogenic pulmonary edema, diastolic dysfunction, RV failure, acute valve insult or chronic valve insufficiency and so on. Conclusions The main problems prompting the CCUS examinations are acute circulatory dysfunction and acute respiratory dysfunction. CCUS examination can provide physicians with valuable information on the full picture of the pathophysiology characteristics of hemodynamics and lung pathology to help diagnose the causes of the deterioration and guide clinical treatment. Key words: Ultrasonography; Intensive care units; Problem-based examination; Circulatory dysfunction; Respiratory dysfunction; Epidemiology

Objective To analyze the application and value of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS) in the elderly patients with open cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration and laparoscopic cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration in the perioperative period. Methods A total of 113 elderly patients undergoing cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration were selected from January 2012 to April 2016 in the Inner Mongolia People′s Hospital. All the patients were divided into 60 patients with open cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration (O-group) and 53 patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration (L-group) according to random number table method. The two groups of patients were further divided into 4 subgroups by using random number table method, and the ERAS and traditional measures were respectively implemented, namely [L-ERAS group(27 patients), O-ERAS group(30 patients)] and [L-Control group(26 patients), O-Control group(30 patients)]. The O-group underwent open cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration, and the L-group underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration. The patients in the ERAS group were treated with ERAS, and the control group was treated by traditional method. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative exhaust time, the length of postoperative hospital stay, the hospitalization expenese in different groups were compared. Data were processed with t test. Results The operative time of O-Control group was (2.3±0.7) h, the intraoperative bleeding volume was (81.0±77.7) mL, postoperative exhaust time was (3.4±1.0) d, postoperative hospital stay was(12.9±4.0) d. And the operative time of O-ERAS group was(1.9±0.5) h, the intraoperative bleeding volume was (48.0±24.1) mL, postoperative exhaust time was (2.8±0.9) d, postoperative hospital stay was(10.5±4.1) d. Compare with the O-Control group, the latter with less amount of bleeding, the operative time, the time of postoperative exhaust time, the time of post-operative hospitalization were shortened, and the differences were statistically significant(t=-2.008, -2.099, -2.734, -2.233; with P values below 0.05). The hospitalization expenses of the two groups were(22 246.9±13 344.3) , (20 194.4±2 828.2) yuan, the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). The operative time of L-Control group was(2.2±0.6) h, the intraoperative bleeding volume was (54.0±32.1) mL, postoperative exhaust time was (2.9±0.9) d, postoperative hospital stay was(7.0±2.0) d, the operative time of L-ERAS group was(1.8±0.5) h, the intraoperative bleeding volume was (37.0±26.3) mL, postoperative exhaust time was(2.4±0.8) d, postoperative hospital stay was(5.7±1.1) d. Compare with the L-Control group, the latter with less amount of bleeding, the operative time, the time of postoperative exhaust time, the time of post-operative hospitalization were shortened, and the differences were statistically significant(t=-2.179, -2.214, -2.197, -2.660; with P values below 0.05). The hospitalization expenses of the two groups were (22 672.6±5 446.9), (22 404.3±8 482.4) yuan, the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). Compared with the O-ERAS group, the L-ERAS group with less amount of bleeding , the operative time, the time of postoperative exhaust time, the time of post-operative hospitalization were shortened, and the differences were statistically significant(with P values below 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in hospitalization expenses between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions ERAS in elderly patients with cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration can promote the rehabilitation of elderly patients after surgery. And laparoscopic cholecystectomy plus common bile duct exploration is more conducive to rapid postoperative recovery, the effect of clinical application is obvious and can be promoted in clinic. Key words: Cholecystectomy; Cholecystectomy, laparoscopic; Aged; Common bile duct; Enhanced recovery after surgery; Perioperative period

It has been proposed that once good-quality sperm are collected, extended, and cryopreserved that the post-thaw quality will remain high regardless of the duration of storage. A previous study has suggested that there is no effect on post-thaw sperm motility of bovine semen stored in liquid nitrogen up to 13 years. However, no studies have reported the effect of extended storage of bovine semen in LN2. In this study, cryopreserved semen from Angus bulls (n = 25) was utilized. Time frames were assigned to each bull based on the year of collection and cryopreservation: time frame 1 (1960–1975), time frame 2 (1976–1991), and time frame 3 (1992–2006). Due to differences in packaging methods across time periods (glass ampules and plastic straws), thawing methods utilized were different and based on the packaging type. Semen packaged in glass ampules (n = 7) were thawed in a 37°C water bath for 80 s, while those in plastic straws (n = 18) were thawed in a 37°C water bath for 30 s. Once thawed all packages were wiped dry and either scribed (glass ampule) or the end cut (plastic straw) and the semen expelled into a 1.5-mL microcentrifuge tube and maintained at 37°C for evaluation. For sperm motility, a 20-µL sample was placed onto a prewarmed microscope slide for analysis. Sperm motility parameters (total motility and progressive motility) were evaluated by 2 experienced technicians and averaged. A hemocytometer was used to determine sperm concentration in a final dilution of 1 : 100. An eosin/nigrosin stain was used to determine sperm morphology. Parameters were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. There was no difference in sperm concentration between time frames 1 and 2 (53 × 106 mL–1 and 59 × 106 mL–1, respectively) or time frames 1 and 3 (53 × 106 mL–1 and 37 × 106 mL–1, respectively). However, time frame 2 exhibited a higher (P &lt; 0.05) sperm concentration compared with time frame 3 (59 × 106 mL–1 v. 37 × 106 mL–1, respectively). There were no differences among time frames 1, 2, or 3 for total (42, 51, and 55%, respectively) and progressive sperm motility (29, 38, and 41%, respectively). Similarly, there were no differences among time frames 1, 2, and 3 for percent normal sperm (80 ± 3.6, 76 ± 5.0, and 71 ± 4.0%, respectively) and abnormal sperm (19 ± 3.6, 23 ± 5.0, and 28 ± 4.0%, respectively). Furthermore, time frames 1, 2, and 3 did not exhibit a difference in primary (9 ± 2.5, 7 ± 2.6, and 6 ± 1.0%, respectively), secondary (2 ± 0.8, 5 ± 1.4, 6 ± 2.0%, respectively), or tertiary abnormalities (7 ± 2.4, 10 ± 2.7, and 16 ± 2.7%, respectively). These data suggest that once good-quality bovine sperm is cryopreserved, the duration of storage (up to 43 years) has no effect on Angus bull post-thaw semen parameters.

Usual method for studying earthquake phenomena as statistical time series is to investigate the variation of number of earthquake occurrences in a prescribed time interval, say hour; month etc.. Anotherr method, i. e. of investing the mode of distribution of the time intervals of consecutive earthquakes has been adopted by a few writers. Which method of these is more adapted for the study of earthquake occurrence is a problem which depends on the nature of earthquakes, and at present neither can be neglected.In this paper, the frequency distribution of the time interval between consecutive earthquakes and its relation to the distribution of maximum trace amplitudes of earthquake motions has been statistically investigated.The results obtained are as follows.(1) Time interval (τ) distribution of consecutive earthquakes is empirically expressed by the formula f(τ)=kτ-p for the earthquakes which occured in sarms as volcanic earthquakes or as after shocks. This means that the occurrence of these earthquakes are not at random unlike in the case of usual conspicuous shocks which occur at interval of more than 1 or 3 days.(2) The formula on the time interval distribution mentioned above is quite similar to what is called Ishimoto-Iida's formula; i. e. the distribution of maximum trace amplitude of earthquake motions at an observation position is expressed by the formula φ(a)=ka-m. This is quite a remarkable fact worh noticing.(3) The rektion between two quantities p and m is empirically described as p=m+1/2 This means that the time interval distribution and the distribution of “square of maxium amplitude” obey the same distribution law. This relationship is verified for earthquakes which occured in swarms at volcano Asama and for after shocks of destructive earthquakes which occured in Tango and Fukui districts.(4) It is also verified that the formula for the time interval and for the maximum amplitudes holds well even in the case when the period consideed is rather short as 1 day or so, provided that the number of occurrence of shocks is large enough, say more than 200 or more. In this case, however, the relation, between p and n (or m) is no more so evident as that is obtained by the data covering long period of about one year.(5) It is perhaps plausible to think that, after a long time interval, the shock having large energy propotional to the time interval is expected, or that after a shock having large energy, a long time interval propotional to it is expected. If this is actually the case, a good correlation between the time interval and the maximum amplitude must be expected. In order to verify this, correlations between τ and a were investigated. It is found that things are not so simple, no correlation being found between these quantities. It is found that these two quantities are statistically independent.(6) As it is reasonably conceivable that the time interval and maximum amplitude are subjected to various sorts of distorsions, when observations are carried out at a position far distant from the origin region. Therefore, the correlation between these two quantities may become more and more obscure according to the distance from the origin region, even if a good correlation does actually exsist there. Can we then expect a good correlation to exsist at the origin region? In order to investigate this, the relation has been investigated regarding the volcanic outbursts of Volcano Mihara, observations being carried out at the nearest approachable point from the crater. But the results obtained are obscure and we can hardly say anything definite about this problem, leaving much to be investigated in the future.

The decisions people make, and the actions they take, depend on how they conceptualize and experience time. This fundamental and influential factor is seldom acknowledged, little understood, and rarely considered explicitly in planning; be that for the material systems or the knowledge systems in the water sector. The objectives of the research that is described in this thesis were (1) to characterize similarities and differences in the Time Perspectives of people working in the water sector worldwide and (2) to theorize about how this temporal ambiguity influences, and can be used for, water planning and setting research agendas. First an interpretive framework was developed including a model of Time Perspective, which was designed to make clear the most fundamental assumptions about the (relationships between) aspects of an individual’s Time Perspective that influence the decisions they make and the actions they take. This model builds on explicit foundations from Critical Realism and brings together psychological theories of motivation and internal time consciousness. The model formed a framework that was used to develop the Foreseeable Future Multi-measure Method. This new method was designed to characterize relevant aspects of an individual’s Time Perspective in an integrated fashion. It is a structured interview with five successive steps that are sequenced to account for socially acceptable responses and to facilitate triangulation: 1. Describe the goals and events that motivate the interviewee’s decisions and actions 2. Characterize the structure and orientation of the interviewee’s concept of time 3. Measure the temporal extension of the interviewee’s motivational objects 4. Triangulate the indirect measures with direct questions by completion of sentences 5. Triangulate the preceding measures with an inventory for typifying orientation The Foreseeable Future Multi-measure Method was used to interview 309 managers, practical workers, and scientists in the Netherlands, Ghana, Brazil, and Japan. The author of this thesis conducted all of the interviews in person together with a local interpreter in each country. The four countries were chosen to represent the international diversity in Time Perspectives and the three professional roles provided a sample of the diversity in the level of abstraction of water professionals from theory to practice. The most noteworthy conclusions of the empirical study concern differences in the temporal extent of the goals and events that motivate people. Scientists are motivated by objects that lie furthest into the future followed by managers and then practical workers (Group medians: 8.4; 3.5; 1.7 years). Across national cultures, the time horizons of the Japanese and Brazilian interviewees were found to be longest. The differences across professional roles are greater and more significant than those across countries. But the characteristics of national cultures were found to amplify the differences across professional roles. Within the context of national cultures that were characterized as being most orientated towards the future, for example, scientists had especially long-term Time Perspectives. To map ambiguity in Time Perspectives on a global scale the data from the empirical study was extrapolated and reinterpreted using correlations with national scale cultural dimensions for 22 countries. This theoretical study resulted in an indicator of the potential for intercultural cooperation on wicked problems in water sector worldwide. Brazil, India, and China, countries whose answers to wicked problems in the Water-Energy-Food nexus will be of global importance, are likely to frame problems quite differently from each other but, more importantly, with a longer term vision than recent world powers such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The conclusions are important because the time horizons considered in planning and setting research agendas influence what problems are perceived, what questions are asked, and what solutions are sought. An important recommendation is to invest more resources in the framing of problems, goals, and questions. This is particularly important for participatory planning and transdisciplinary research where the diversity in Time Perspectives is greatest. Insight into Time Perspectives can be used in planning to define milestones with temporal targets that are most likely to motivate the relevant actors. It is also useful for directing strategic horizon-scanning activities. For setting research agendas it is important to match the Time Perspectives of those who prioritize the questions with the purpose of the research.

The impact of standing desks within the school classroom on sedentary behaviour, physical activity, health and development

Objective To evaluate modified shortened scope for ERCP procedure in swine animal model. Methods A total of 17 male pigs were divided into the conventional endoscope group (shortened scope used on human, n=8) and the modified endoscope group (modified shortened scope, n=9). The success rates, time of access to the pylorus, biliary or pancreatic orifice, the cannulation time of biliary or pancreatic duct, the stenting time of biliary or pancreatic duct, the total time of procedure and the X-ray exposure time were compared between the two groups. Results The success rates were 2/8 and 9/9 in the conventional endoscope group and the modified endoscope group, respectively(P=0.002). There were significantly differences of the cannulation time of biliary duct(180.00±37.89 s VS 55.22±11.56 s, P=0.000), cannulation time of pancreatic duct(55.22±11.56 s VS 56.56±29.19 s, P=0.015), the time of access to pancreatic orifice(21.50±7.33 min VS 4.67±2.63 min, P=0.000) and the total time of procedure(55.13±5.64 min VS 31.67±8.25 min, P=0.000) between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the time of passing through the pylorus, the time of finding biliary orifice, the stenting time of biliary or pancreatic duct or the X-ray exposure time between the two groups. Conclusion The modified shortened scope can improve the success rate of short scope position, facilitate locating biliary or pancreatic orifice, improve the success rate of pancreatic duct cannulation and shorten the cannulation time of biliary or pancreatic duct and the total operation time. Key words: Changiopanreatography, endoscopic retrograde; Swine; Animal mode

Aim. To study the state of the antioxidant system in mitochondria of skin cells during B16/F10 melanoma growth in mice with chronic neurogenic pain. Materials and methods. The study included female С57ВL/6 mice ( n = 28). Experimental groups included an intact group, a control group – chronic neurogenic pain model, a comparison group – standard subcutaneous transplantation of В16/F10 melanoma, and a main group – transplantation of В16/F10 melanoma 3 weeks after creation of a model of chronic neurogenic pain. Animals were decapitated on day 14 of the В16/F10 melanoma growth, the skin was excised and mitochondria were isolated . Standard ELISA test systems were used to determine the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (Bio Source, USA) ; glutathione peroxidase-4 ( GPx 4) (Clod-Clon Corporation, CNDR); glutathione reductase (GR) (Cusabio, CNDR); glutathione S-transferase (G-S-T) (Ivvundiagnostik, Germany); glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx 1), and superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD-2) (Ab Frontier, South Korea). Results . Mitochondria of skin cells in controls showed an increase in the levels of GSH by 1.3 times, GPx 1 – by 2.9 times, GPx 4 – by 1.9 times, GR – by 2.8 times, and SOD-2 – by 2.4 times, compared to intact animals. Changes in the comparison group were opposite: GPx 1 decreased by 1.9 times, GPx 4 – by 3.7 times, GR – by 3.9 times, SOD-2 – by 3.8 times, and GSSG rose by 1.36 times compared to intact animals. The growth of melanoma with chronic neurogenic pain caused an increase in the levels of GSH by 1.5 times, GPx 1 – by 3.6 times, G-S-T – by 1.28 times, GPx 4 – by 1.6 times, and SOD-2 – by 1.8 times, compared to intact animals. Conclusions . The growth of В16/F10 melanoma together with chronic neurogenic pain restructures the antioxidant system of skin mitochondria towards generation of reductive stress under the influence of chronic pain, which can affect the growth and development of experimental melanoma.

Objective To explore the optimum dilution concentration of calcium gluconate intravenous infusion in infants and the detaining time of venous indwelling needle .Methods One hundred and thirty-nine infants who needed calcium gluconate intravenous infusion were chosen and divided into the one time dilution group （n=43）, two times dilution group （n=48）, and five times dilution group （n=48）.The incidence of extravasation injury in puncture vascular , the degree of injury and the situation of healing were compared among three groups .Results The total incidence of extravasation injury in puncture vascular in the one time dilution group, two times dilution group , five times dilution group within 3 days were respectively 19.4%, 9.0%, 2.1%, and the differences were statistically significant （H=261.23, P〈0.01）.The further analysis showed that the incidence of extravasation injury in the one time dilution group was higher than that of two times dilution group （χ2 =6.88, P〈0.01）, and the incidence in the two times dilution group was higher than that of five times dilution group （χ2 =6.40, P〈0.05）, and the incidence in the one time dilution group was higher than that of five times dilution group （χ2 =20.48, P 〈0.01 ）.No difference was found in the incidence of extravasation injury in puncture on the first , second and third day of the detaining time of venous indwelling needle （H=3.47,P〉0.05）.Conclusions The incidence of extravasation injury is lowest in 5 times diluted concentration of 10%calcium gluconate intravenous infusion in infants through venous indwelling needle . Key words: Calcium gluconate; Drug concentration; Venous indwelling needle; Infant

The functionality of embedded systems is ever growing. The computational power of embedded systems is growing to match this demand, with embedded multiprocessor systems becoming more common. The limitations of embedded systems are not always related to chip size but are commonly due to energy and/or power constraints. While it can be possible to embed a more powerful Multiprocessor System on Chip (MPSoC), it is not always possible to provide an energy or power supply that meets its demands within the device’s size and weight requirements. Power management through Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) enables the device to be run at less than its maximum voltage and frequency, allowing high computational capability when necessary while conserving power at other times. Embedded systems commonly perform real-time functionality. A real-time application has an associated formal model to verify that it meets its timing requirements. This formal model is used to perform a worst-case timing analysis to ensure that the application meets its requirements. These models incorporate the worst-case timing of the application’s computation and communication. Timing changes due to power management must also be taken into account, complicating the verification process. The drive for evermore functionality has led to mixed time-criticality systems, in which multiple applications of various timing criticalities share the same (hardware) resources. This complicates the verification process further as the timing interference due to shared resource contention must be taken into account. A monolithic verification effort is therefore traditionally required after system integration and must be carried out again if any modifications are made that affect the timing of any of the applications. The problem that we aim to solve in this work is to enable real-time applications to perform independent execution and power management without violating their timing requirements or invalidating the timing verification of concurrently executing applications. To solve this problem, we contribute the Composable and Predictable Microkernel (CoMik) to composably and predictably virtualise processors. When used in combination with composable and predictable memory controllers and interconnect (as provided by the Composable and Predictable System-on-Chip (CompSOC) platform), these virtual processors cannot interfere with each other’s timing by even a single cycle. If whatever executes on the virtual processors (e.g. an Operating System (OS) or an application directly) has a real-time requirement, it can be verified independently of whatever executes on the concurrent virtual processors and other virtual resources. To enable formally analysable application execution, we contribute the Predictable Operating System (POSe) that enables dataflow applications to be executed on the (virtualised) processor. We contribute a combined application and platform dataflow graph, including an algorithm to automate this process. When annotated with worst-case timings, the combined application and system graph is then used to verify that the application meets its timing requirement. If the application’s performance is better than its requirement (e.g. when the input or platform behaviour are better than worst case), its performance can be reduced using DVFS to achieve a reduction in power consumption. We contribute an off-line convex optimisation that uses the combined application and platform dataflow model to derive static run-time operating frequency levels to achieve low power consumption. The off-line technique is able to exploit static slack in the schedule, but not dynamic run-time slack due to variations in task execution times. Before dynamic slack can be used it must be possible to observe it. For this purpose, CoMik provides independent power, energy and timing accounting per virtual processor. This enables each virtual processor to be assigned individual power and energy budgets and POSe applications to be assigned timing budgets. We contribute a description and model of how energy and power budgets can be distributed between multiple virtual processors, enabling whatever executes on the virtual processor to perform composable independent power-management without affecting the ability of other virtual processors from using their entire budget allocation. Using CoMik’s accounting infrastructure, we also demonstrate how the quality of applications can be dynamically scaled to assist meeting timing, energy or power requirements. We further contribute a distributed dynamic power management policy that enables dataflow applications that are mapped onto multiple (virtual) processors to make distributed dynamic slack observations and local power-management decisions. We demonstrate the applicability of the presented techniques on an implemented Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) prototype of a CompSOC hardware platform instance, using an H.263 decoder as a case-study application. We show that our techniques do not only work in theory, but that they are also implementable and implemented.

BackgroundProstate cancer (PC) is the second most common type of cancer in men worldwide and the fifth most common cancer among Korean men. Although most PCs grow slowly, it is unclear whether a longer time interval from diagnosis to treatment causes worse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate whether the time interval from diagnosis to radical prostatectomy (RP) in men with clinically localized PC affects postoperative oncologic outcomes.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data of 427 men who underwent RP for localized PC between January 2005 and June 2016. The patients were divided into two groups based on the cutoff median time interval (100 days) from biopsy to surgery. The associations between time interval from biopsy to surgery (< 100 vs. ≥ 100 days) and adverse pathologic outcomes such as positive surgical margin, pathologic upgrading, and upstaging were evaluated. Biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival rates were analyzed and compared based on the time interval from biopsy to surgery.ResultsPathologic upgrading of Gleason score in surgical specimens was more frequent in the longer time interval group and showed marginal significance (38.8% vs. 30.0%; P = 0.057). Based on multivariable analysis, an association was observed between time interval from biopsy to surgery and pathologic upgrading (odds ratio, 2.211; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.342–3.645; P = 0.002). BCR-free survival did not differ based on time interval from biopsy to surgery, and significant association was not observed between time interval from biopsy to surgery and BCR on multivariable analysis (hazard ratio, 1.285; 95% CI, 0.795–2.077; P = 0.305).ConclusionTime interval ≥ 100 days from biopsy to RP in clinically localized PC increased the risk of pathologic upgrading but did not affect long-term BCR-free survival rates in Korean men.

Introduction:The human brain is a complex system consisting of connected nerve cells that adapt to and learn from the environment by changing its regional activities. The synchrony between these regional activities is called functional network changes during life and results in the learning of new skills. Time perception and interval discrimination are among the most necessary skills for the human being to perceive motions, coordinate motor functions, speak, and perform many cognitive functions. Despite its importance, the underlying mechanism of changes in brain functional connectivity patterns during learning time intervals still need to be well understood.Methods:This study aimed to show how electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity changes are associated with learning temporal intervals. In this regard, 12 healthy volunteers were trained with an auditory time-interval discrimination task over six days while their brain activities were recorded via EEG signals during the first and the last sessions. Then, changes in regional phase synchronization were calculated using the weighted/phase lag index (WPLI) approach, the most effective EEG functional connections at the temporal and prefrontal regions, and in the theta and beta bands frequency. In addition, the WPLI reported more accurate values.Results:The results showed that learning interval discrimination significantly changed functional connectivity in the prefrontal and temporal regions.Conclusion:These findings could shed light on a better understanding of the brain mechanism involved in time perception.HighlightsAccuracy of auditory interval discrimination improved by a six-day learning process.Most established connections were formed in the temporal, occipital and middle regions of brain.Creation of new significant connection was observed at the theta and gamma frequency bands.New neural networks are constructed between regions of the brain during interval learning.Plain Language SummaryThe time perception is a vital challenge that human beings face in various aspects of their lives. Researchers have always been challenged in how to calculate it and understand its mechanism for each individual. In the present study, which is based on the temporal perception, by comparing the timing of auditory stimuli, we seek to show the functional relationships of neural network formation related to learning temporal perception. Our aim was to understand how the hidden information of auditory stimuli (time intervals) is encoded in the content of the brain signals.

Manipulation of the catalyst surface coverage for improved conversion and selectivity substantially requires more frequent flow reversals than the classical reverse flow operation for energy saving does (Chapter 1). 2.A reverse flow reactor should be operated at comparable switching time and residence time in order to manipulate the reactor's selectivity (Chapter 3).3. The concept of reverse flow operation with concentration programming provides an engineering tool to control conversion and selectivity, with three benefits: ammonia feedstock savings, increased ammonia conversion, and increased selectivity to NO; a drawback is the decrease of production rate (Chapter 4).4. The concept of reverse flow operation with reactor side feeding shows a fourfold superior performance: higher conversion of ammonia, higher selectivity to NO, no dead gas volume, and high production rate (Chapter 5).5. Intensification of a university study program must assure that the students' residence time distribution for completing their study follows a plug flow model.6.The concept of periodic reactor operation is natural.7. So called relaxation oscillation occurs when the cycling time period is much less than the system's time constant.However, this is not the case during reverse flow operation when operating the reactor at extremely short cycling time.8. The porosity of a fixed bed can be determined elegantly by a combination of reverse flow operation and cycling of the feed concentration.9. Joint bachelor-master-doctor programs improve the selectivity to master and doctor degrees as well as the productivity of a university.10. Assalamu'alaikum is a time-independent greeting.