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Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of post-operative oral nutrition supplementation after major gastrointestinal surgery.Methods and Study Design: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate 174 subjects who were discharged within 2 weeks after major gastrointestinal surgery. The subjects in the study group were prescribed 400 ml/day of Encover® from the day of discharge for 8 weeks, but no supplementation was allowed in the control group. The primary endpoint was the weight loss rate at 8 weeks after discharge compared with the pre-operative weight, and the secondary endpoints included changes in body weight, body mass index, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score/grade, hematological/ biochemical parameters, and adverse events evaluated at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after discharge.Results: The weight loss rate at 8 weeks after discharge did not differ between two groups (4.23±5.49% vs 4.80±4.84%, p=0.481). The total lymphocyte count, the level of total cholesterol, total protein, and albumin were significantly higher in the study group after discharge. Diarrhea was the most frequent adverse event, and the incidence of adverse events with a severity score of >=3 did not differ between groups (2.3% vs 1.2%).Conclusions: The utility of routine oral nutritional support after major gastrointestinal surgery was not proven in terms of weight loss at 8 weeks after discharge. However, it can be beneficial for early recovery of biochemical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare serum nitrotyrosine concentrations in healthy dogs with those in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Fifty client-owned dogs were included in this study. Based on echocardiographic results, dogs were categorized into healthy (control), mild-, moderate-, and severe-MMVD groups. Serum nitrotyrosine concentrations were determined from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. No significant difference between control dogs and dogs with mild MMVD was detected (p = 0.31). However, dogs with moderate MMVD had significantly higher serum concentrations of nitrotyrosine (p = 0.04) than that in controls, and dogs with severe MMVD had significantly lower serum concentrations of nitrotyrosine (p = 0.03) than that in moderate MMVD dogs. There were negative correlations in the association of serum nitrotyrosine with age (n = 30, R2= 0.067, p = 0.27), left atrial-to-aortic root diameter ratio (n = 30, R2= 0.02, p = 0.57), and platelet count (n = 30, R2= 0.39, p = 0.003); however, only the platelet correlation was significant. Among dogs with MMVD, there was no significant difference in serum nitrotyrosine concentration between males and females. The results of this study suggest that tyrosine nitration end-products might be potential biomarkers for the detection of MMVD in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we investigated the roles of YAL1 (FAA1) and FAT1 encoding acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSs) and three additional orthologs of ACS genes FAT2-FAT4 of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica in the assimilation or utilization of n-alkanes and fatty acids. ACS deletion mutants were generated to characterize their function. The FAT1 deletion mutant exhibited decreased growth on n-alkanes of 10-18 carbons, whereas the FAA1 mutant showed growth reduction on n-alkane of 16 carbons. However, FAT2-FAT4 deletion mutants did not show any growth defects, suggesting that FAT1 and FAA1 are involved in the activation of fatty acids produced during the metabolism of n-alkanes. In contrast, deletions of FAA1 and FAT1-FAT4 conferred no defect in growth on fatty acids. The wild-type strain grew in the presence of cerulenin, an inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis, by utilizing exogenously added fatty acid or fatty acid derived from n-alkane when oleic acid or n-alkane of 18 carbons was supplemented. However, the FAA1 deletion mutant did not grow, indicating a critical role for FAA1 in the utilization of fatty acids. Fluorescent microscopic observation and biochemical analyses suggested that Fat1p is present in the peroxisome and Faa1p is localized in the cytosol and to membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recently, nonopioid-based treatment modalities have been used to improve analgesia and decrease opioid-related side effects after surgery. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block and local infiltration of the surgical wound are commonly used multimodal analgesia techniques after abdominal surgery; however, few studies have compared the effectiveness of a TAP block with that of local infiltration of surgical wounds in patients who have undergone laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Materials and methods Sixty patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery participated in this prospective comparative study. All patients were allocated to 1 of 2 groups as follows: the TAP group or the infiltration group. Patients in the TAP group received bilateral TAP blocks at the end of the surgery. Patients in the infiltration group received local infiltration of anesthetics in the surgical wounds after closure of the peritoneum. All patients received postoperative analgesia with morphine as a patient-controlled analgesia. Opioid consumption and pain scores were recorded at 2, 6, 24, and 48 h after the operation. Results The characteristics of patients in the TAP group (n = 30) and local infiltration group (n = 29) were comparable. Pain scores while coughing and at rest were not different between the two groups. Postoperative morphine use was significantly reduced in the TAP group compared with that in the local infiltration group at 2-6 h (2.9 ± 1.9 mg versus 4.5 ± 3.2 mg, P = 0.02), 6-24 h (5.5 ± 3.3 mg versus 10.2 ± 8.4 mg, P = 0.00), the first 24 h (16.6 ± 6.6 mg versus 24.0 ± 9.7 mg), and 48 h (23.6 ± 8.2 mg versus 31.8 ± 12.5 mg, P = 0.00). No differences in rescue analgesic use or side effects were noted between the groups. Conclusions Compared with local anesthetic infiltration, bilateral TAP blocks decreased the cumulative morphine use at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively in patients who had undergone laparoscopic colorectal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci System has been proposed as an alternative to traditional open or laparoscopic procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes for open, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted rectal resection for cancer. Methods: Two hundred sixty-three patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative resection between 2007 and 2009 were included. Patients were classified into an open surgery group (OS, n = 88), a laparoscopic surgery group (LAP, n = 123), and a robot-assisted group (RAP, n = 52). Data analyzed include operating time, length of recovery, methods of specimen extraction, quality of total mesorectal excision, and morbidity. Results: The mean operating time was 233.8 ± 59.2 min for the OS group, 158.1 ± 49.2 min for the LAP group, and 232.6 ± 52.4 min for the RAP group ( p < 0.001). Patients from the LAP and RAP groups recovered significantly faster than did those from the OS group ( p < 0.05). The proportion of operations performed through a natural orifice (intracorporeal anastomosis with transanal or transvaginal retrieval of specimens) was significantly higher in the RAP group ( p < 0.001). The specimen quality-with a distal resection margin, harvested lymph nodes, and circumferential margin-did not differ among the three groups. The overall complication rates were 20.5, 12.2, and 19.2% in the OS, LAP, and RAP groups, respectively ( p = 0.229). Conclusions: RAP and LAP reproduce the equivalent short-term results of standard OS while providing the advantages of minimal access. For the experienced laparoscopic colorectal oncologist, use of the da Vinci robot resulted in no significant short-term clinical benefit over the conventional laparoscopic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an interrogation enhancer (IE) as an external system that boosts a reader continuous wave (CW) with its auxiliary CW. The boosted reader CW powers the backscatters from a passive ultrahigh frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) tag to reach the reader in extended range. The system performance is verified according to the measured ranges in practical tests. The IE permits the reader to successfully interrogate the tag in tripled or doubled range (e.g., 80-290 and 182-370 cm). The measurement results imply that the IE can be used for readers that may not transmit enough CW due to the local regulation or its limited battery capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technique of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in patients with colorectal cancer varies between reports, and the optimal method has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal injection technique for SLN mapping. Sixty-nine consecutive patients who underwent curative surgery for colorectal cancer were enrolled. The SLNs was identified intraoperatively by subserosal blue dye injection (in vivo) or by submucosal injection after standard colectomy (ex vivo). If negative by conventional hematoxylin and eosin staining analysis, all lymph nodes, SLNs and non-SLNs, were subjected to further analysis by multi-level section and immunohistochemical examination. The in vivo and ex vivo injected groups were similar in demographic character, tumor size, and histological grade. The mean number of SLNs identified was 2.3 in the in vivo group and 2.6 in the ex vivo group ( p = 0.192). The detection rate of SLNs by blue dye injection was somewhat higher in the ex vivo group than in the in vivo group: 90.6 vs. 81.1% ( p = 0.219). The false-negative rate was 23.5% for the in vivo group and 13.3% for the ex vivo group ( p = 0.392). The upstaging rate, which was 18.5% overall, was similar in both groups ( p = 0.538). These findings suggest that ex vivo blue dye injection is an effective alternative to in vivo injection for identifying SLNs in patients with colorectal cancer. Because of its simplicity and applicability in routine clinical settings, further investigation of the ex vivo mapping technique is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a differential Colpitts voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), performing a signal oscillation with low phase noise. The proposed VCO is a part of our RF integrated circuit (IC) transceiver design project; some transceiver components are also introduced. VCO performance is verified both in simulation and practical measurement using the proposed RF IC transceiver, communicating with a commercial passive UhF RF identification tag in a small-scale area. The measured phase-noise level at the frequency divider output port is nearly —106 and —135 dBcIHz at 40-kHz and 1-MHz offset, respectively. A good figure-of-merit of 1.93 dB is obtained. The paper also highlights some important components [e.g., phase-locked loop, low-noise amplifier, dc offset canceller (DCOC)], and their performance. We configure the reader system, which consists of the proposed transceiver on board and a patch antenna, to use frequency hopping in 15 channels at a 200-kHz interval. The transceiver power amplifier supports 22 dBm of power. Configuring the interrogation range to 1 m, we measure received backscatters at the DCOC output port (the regenerated tag data level is 8 mV). Finally, we verify satisfactory states of the tag data process in the receiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anal incontinence is experienced by some patients with rectal cancer who received low anterior resection. This study was to examine the efficacy and adverse effects of the alpha-1 adrenergic agonist phenylephrine, which causes contraction of the internal anal sphincter and raises the resting pressure in these patients. Thirty-five patients with anal incontinence were treated with 30% phenylephrine or a placebo randomly allocated in a double-blind study. The efficacy of the drug was assessed by changes in the following standardized questionnaire scores: the fecal incontinence severity index (FISI), fecal incontinence quality of life (FIQL) scales, and a global efficacy question. Anal sphincter function was evaluated using anorectal manometry. Phenylephrine did not improve either the FISI score or any of the four FIQL scores. Five of 17 (29%) patients reported subjective improvement after phenylephrine compared with 4 of 12 (33%) using the placebo. The maximum resting anal pressure did not differ between baseline and after 4 weeks application of phenylephrine (30.0 to 27.3 mmHg). In the phenylephrine group, allergic dermatitis was developed in five patients and headache in two. In the patients with anal incontinence after low anterior resection for rectal cancer, phenylephrine gel did not seem to be helpful in relieving symptoms with some adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide-ranging costs of laparoscopic surgery (LAP) are associated with variations in the experience levels of surgeons. There is no available report on the changes of economic outcomes relative to the LAP learning curve in the treatment of colorectal cancer. In the present study, we have compared changes in economic outcomes according to the LAP learning curve with the economic outcomes of open surgery (OS) for rectosigmoid cancer. A total of 197 patients with rectosigmoid cancer were included in this analysis; 116 received LAP and 81 received OS. Scatter of operative times demonstrated an early learning period of 37 cases in LAP. The following outcomes were compared between LAP and OS during the early learning period and experienced periods; operating room (OR) costs, OR-related hospital profit, total hospital charge, and patient payment. During the median interval of two periods according to the laparoscopic surgery learning curve, there was an inflation rate of about 10% on the medical charges such as operation, radiology, laboratory, and admission fee. Operating room costs were significantly higher after LAP during the two periods, but the median difference between LAP and OS decreased during the experienced period ($3,055 to $1,850). With increasing operative experience in LAP, the OR-related hospital deficit improved (−$1,072 to−$840). Total hospital charges were significantly higher for LAP than for OS in the early learning period ( p < 0.05), but they were similar in the experienced period ($7,983/patient versus $7,045/patient, p > 0.05). During the experienced period, patients paid a lower surcharge for LAP ($1,885–$1,118). Total hospital charges for laparoscopic surgery were substantially higher than those of open surgery during the early learning period, but become similar during the experienced period. The shortening of the learning period is a critical factor for achieving cost-effective laparoscopic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel compact microstrip patch antenna is proposed for quad band, GSM850, GSM900, GPS (L1–1575 and L2–1227), and UMTS-2110 application for cellular telephone system. Design is particularly unique since it supports the new generation mobile phone where multiband operation with minimum size is greatly desired. Two microstrip line feeds placed in orthogonal directions are used for the excitation of the proposed antenna. Microstrip patch has been meandered to lengthen the electrical paths and to achieve quad frequency bands. Detail of design criteria with respect to physical parameters is described. Radiation Patterns and impedance bandwidths are measured and shown. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 997–1001, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com).DOI 10.1002/mop.22341 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper° a novel three-pole coupled-line bandpass filter with a microstrip configuration is presented. Presented bandpass filters use defected ground structure (DGS) sections to simultaneously realize a resonator and an inverter. The proposed coupled-line bandpass filter provides compact size with low insertion-loss characteristic. Furthermore, a DGS shape for a microstrip line is newly proposed. The proposed DGS unit structure has a resonance characteristic in some frequency band. The proposed coupled-line filter can provide attenuation poles for wide stopband characteristic due to resonance characteristic of DGS. The equivalent circuit for the proposed DGS unit section is described. The equivalent-circuit parameters for DGS are extracted by using a three-dimensional finite-element-method calculation and simple circuit analysis method. A design method for the proposed coupled-line filter is derived based on coupled-line filter theory and the equivalent circuit of the DGS. The experimental results show excellent agreements with theoretical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the design method and performance characteristics of a ceramic integrated circuit based on the lumped-element equivalent circuit of quarter-wave transformer. Equivalent transmission-line representation of the chip; Characteristic impedance of the transformer; Fabrication and measurements of designed chip-type baluns.

Systemic inflammatory response (SIR) is a crucial determinant of disease progression and survival in patients with colorectal cancer. This study investigated the prognostic relevance of changes in the platelet count on survival and the predictive value of changes in the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the pathological tumor response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) rectal cancer. From 2011 to 2022, data of 46 consecutive patients with MSI-H rectal cancer who were treated with preoperative CRT followed by curative surgery at Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital (Daegu, South Korea) were retrospectively analyzed. A 235 cut-off value was used to define whether PLR was high or low. Any change in the PLR or NLR was calculated on the basis of subtracting the pre-CRT PLR or NLR from the post-CRT values. Both pre-CRT and post-CRT values of the NLR and PLR were not significantly associated with clinical outcomes. Simple logistic regression analysis showed that a change in the PLR following CRT was not significantly associated with survival out-comes; however, patients who maintained a high change in the PLR following CRT showed significantly better pathologic T-stage. No statistically significant association was noted between changes in the platelet count and clinical outcomes of patients. The results suggested that changes in the PLR following CRT are associated with pathologic T-stage of the group. However, the SIR markers showed no prognostic values on the survival outcomes of the patients with MSI-H/mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We compared the outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using the Genesis II prosthesis in which 3° of external rotation was incorporated into the femoral component and Nexgen LPS prosthesis in which the degree of external rotation was determined by the extent of intraoperative bone cutting. Materials and Methods: Of the patients who underwent TKA for osteoarthritis between November 2006 and December 2009, 326 patients (572 knees) were included in this study. The prosthesis of choice was Genesis II in 199 knees and Nexgen LPS in 373 knees. The mean follow-up was 27 months (range, 24 to 51 months). The American Knee Society score (KSS) and function score (FS) were used for clinical assessments. The maximum flexion angle and patellar tilt were compared between the groups. Results: At the final follow-up, no significant intergroup difference was observed regarding the KSS (p=0.217), FS (p=0.238), maximum flexion angle (p=0.124), and patellar tilt (p=0.156). Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the clinical outcomes and patellar tilt between the prosthesis in which 3° of external rotation was incorporated into the femoral component and the prosthesis in which external rotation was determined based on bone cutting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended work on DGS modulator, which was presented before on Microwave and Optical Technology Letters Society, shall be adaptive performance and practical implementation and measurement. A DGS modulator is motivated from three benefits that can be obtained from defected ground structure; an extensive resonance, size reduction, and excellent stopband characteristic. An extensive resonance via a microstrip ground plane configuration, which includes a varactor diode bridging microstrip transmission line with variable capacitance provision that can be controlled, gives on/off switching and its attenuation level (OOK is a 100%, and which less than 100% can be ASK) that plays the key role of the ASK and OOK modulation process. A varactor diode is under control of a micro control unit that can be controlled by user interface software; therefore, user can monitor communication states while each operational sequence of a varactor diode can be controlled. Sharper phase and more precise data modulation can be achieved after several tuning works and practical trials. A modulation index (about 90–93%) with stable tag responses over the target bands (860–960 MHz, centered 912 MHz) was verified through the practical measurements on the RFID reader communication using ASK. And when a modulation index was nearly 99% (∼98.8%), this is considered to be an OOK. Overall radio communications are with EPC class-1 Gen2 Type-B and Type-C passive tags, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2646–2651, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23780 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio characteristic evaluations of each component through the entire communication system can be performed by using the signal sampling methods, which give information of the precise statistics and high qualified specifications. Particular modern trends on electrical devices demand extremely miniaturized dimensions to meet the hand-held system units, such as personal communication services, mobile RFID applications and other possible products including crucial factors of low-profile and mobility. It is eventually aimed to avoid unnecessary waste of manufacturing products, and guarantee the mobility, ease of use and so forth. Thus the multi-mode electrical devices providing numerical advances in a single structure are needed and this is the motivation of further experiments. In this study, we propose a novel dual directional coupler design schemes including derivative calculations and its completely manufactured prototype. It has been designed by promoting three parallel coupled transmission lines with novel mathematic formula and auxiliary simulation systems. Outstanding technical features can be high isolation and directivity characteristics and these will be illustrated within the statistical tables and graphics for verification. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 775–780, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23188 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) can serve as biomarkers for diagnosing and assessing disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC). We investigated their clinical significance in UC. Methods: We analyzed 48 patients with UC who underwent measurement of fecal calprotectin (FC) and endoscopy and 96 age- and sexmatched healthy controls. NLR and PLR were compared between the patients and healthy controls. The endoscopic activity was divided into 2 groups: group 1 (mild to moderate inflammation) and group 2 (severe inflammation) according to the Mayo endoscopic subscore in UC. Results: To diagnose UC, the optimal cutoff of NLR and PLR was 2.26 (sensitivity 54.2%; specificity 90.6%; positive likelihood ratio 5.778, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.944–11.339; area under the curve [AUC] 0.774, 95% CI, 0.690–0.859) and 179.8 (sensitivity 35.4%; specificity 90.6%; positive likelihood ratio 3.778, 95% CI 1.821–7.838; AUC 0.654, 95% CI 0.556–0.753), respectively. The optimal cutoff to differentiate group 1 and group 2 was 3.44, 175.9, and 453 µg/g for NLR, PLR, and FC, respectively (sensitivity, 63.6% vs. 90.9% vs. 81.8%; specificity, 81.1% vs. 78.4% vs. 73.0%; positive likelihood ratio, 3.364 vs. 4.205 vs. 3.027; AUC, 0.714 vs. 0.897 vs. 0.813). PLR had the highest AUC and positive likelihood ratio. Conclusions: NLR and PLR help differentiate patients with UC from healthy controls. NLR, PLR, and FC indicate endoscopic activity and may reflect intestinal mucosal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FoxP3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells are central elements of immunologic tolerance. They are abundant in many tumors, where they restrict potentially favorable antitumor responses. We used a three-pronged strategy to identify genes related to the presence and function of Tregs in the tumor microenvironment. Gene expression profiles were generated from tumor-infiltrating Tregs (TITRs) of both human and mouse tumors and were compared with those of Tregs of lymphoid organs or normal tissues from the same individuals. A computational deconvolution of wholetumor datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was performed to identify transcripts specifically associated with Tregs across thousands of tumors from different stages and locations. We identified a set of TITR-differential transcripts with striking reproducibility between tumor types in mice, between mice and humans, and between different human patients spanning tumor stages. Many of the TITR-preferential transcripts were shared with "tissue Tregs" residing in nonlymphoid tissues, but a tumorpreferential segment could be identified. Many of these TITR signature transcripts were confirmed by mining of TCGA datasets, which also brought forth transcript modules likely representing the parenchymal attraction of, or response to, tumor Tregs. Importantly, the TITR signature included several genes encoding effective targets of tumor immunotherapy. A number of other targets were validated by CRISPR-based gene inactivation in mouse Tregs. These results confirm the validity of the signature, generating a wealth of leads for understanding the role of Tregs in tumor progression and identifying potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study analyzed potentially functional polymorphisms in CASPASE (CASP) genes and their impact on the prognosis for Korean colorectal cancer patients. Materials and Methods A total of 397 consecutive patients with curatively resected colorectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled in this study. Genomic DNA from these patients was extracted from fresh colorectal tissue, and the 10 polymorphisms in the CASP3, CASP6, CASP7, CASP8, CASP9, and CASP10 genes were determined using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction genotyping assay. Results The median patient age was 63 years, and 218 (54.9%) patients had colon cancer, while 179 (45.1%) patients had rectal cancer. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis including pathologic stage, patient age, differentiation, and carcinoembryonic antigen level demonstrated that these polymorphisms were not associated with either disease-free or overall survival. Conclusion None of the 10 polymorphisms in the CASP genes investigated in this study was found to be an independent prognostic marker for Korean patients with curatively resected colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advance in sepsis management has increased the survival of patients with sepsis. However, severe sepsis and septic shock patients still have high mortality. We intend to verify the use of the procalcitonin (PCT) level as a prognosis marker in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock in the emergency department (ED). Methods: ED Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were enrolled in our study. We used mortality and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) days as a prognosis index, and compared the PCT level in survivors and non-survivors. We introduced the simplified acute physiology score 3(SAPS3) to assess the severity of the patients and analyzed whether or not the PCT level correlated with the severity index. Results: The PCT level in septic shock patients [7.36 (0.92-33.69, IQR)] was higher than that in severe sepsis patients [3.24 (0.36-10.53, IQR)] (p = 0.04). However, there was no significant PCT level difference between survivors [median (IQR), 6.59 (0.60-29.25)] and non-survivors [median (IQR), 3.49 (0.40-20.41)] (p = 0.293). The SAPS3 score was higher in the non-survivor group [median (IQR), 64 (59.0-71.5)] than in the survivor group [median (IQR), 77 (68.5 -82.0)] (p = 0.001). The PCT level did not correlate with either ICU days or hospital days. Conclusions: Using the PCT level as a prognosis factor in severe sepsis and septic shock patients in ED has little value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Signaling through the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway is responsible for balancing cell survival and apoptosis. Accordingly, the present study analyzed 14 SNPs of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes and their impact on the prognosis for patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: 444 consecutive patients with surgically resected colorectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled in the present study. The genomic DNA was extracted from fresh colorectal tissue, and 14 polymorphisms of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes were determined using a real-time PCR genotyping assay. Results: Pathologic stages after surgery were as follows: stage 0/I (n = 85, 19.1%), stage II (n = 149, 33.6%), stage III (n = 147, 33.1%), and stage IV (n = 63, 14.2%). Univariate and multivariate survival analysis including stage, age, site of disease, adjuvant chemotherapy, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level showed that these polymorphisms were not associated with progression-free or overall survival. For the clinicopathologic parameters, CEA level and TNM stage were significant prognostic factors in a Cox model for survival. Conclusion: None of the 14 SNPs of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes investigated in this study was found to be an independent prognostic marker for Korean patients with surgically resected colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows applied sensitivity analysis for easier design and practical application of a planar half-wavelength low-pass filter (LPF) using defected ground structure (DGS). Typically, it is difficult to deploy planar half-wavelength low-pass filters when high power durability is required because of the very narrow line-widths of high impedance transmission line. Here, we propose a new configuration for the high impedance microstrip line using DGS structure to allow broader line width and high power handling capability. The sensitivity of the scattering parameters was calculated using the self-adjoint sensitivity formula in order to determine the proposed filter's dimension. The paper also highlights the validity of the proposed LPF optimization with its measured performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article represents a microchip balun for UHF mobile RFID system at 910 MHz. This balun is designed by transforming coupled transmission lines into lumped-element equivalent circuit, and thus monolithic elements that are fabricated by IPD technology replace it for entirely miniaturized size. The corresponding balun performs under 3 dB return loss, with nearly 176 (176.42) degree of phase difference characteristic; therefore, this meets the UHF mobile RFID reader system consideration. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2203–2206, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23617 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulator with defected ground structure (DGS) is proposed for UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) system. Proposed variable DGS resonator with a varactor diode will be able to adjust the resonance frequency to achieve the ASK modulation. The variable resonance characteristics can be obtained by controlling capacitance of varactor diode, placed on the defected ground. To clarify corresponding method, we manufactured RFID system board using variable DGS resonator and measured the corresponding performance. As almost 93% of extracted data from modulation index characteristic is satisfied with both EPC class-1 Gen2 Type-B and Type-C standard protocols, we obtained stable tag response of RFID system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 2513–2516, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI 10.1002/mop.22760 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to offer RFID services on mobile phones, the RFID reader must be embedded on the handset as a chip. However, the directional coupler was used as a ceramic passive component in conventional handsets. RFID system using an identical Tx/Rx carrier frequency has a significant volume limitation compared with active components. This article presents the directional coupler design for UHF RFID mobile reader using IPD (Integrated Passive Device) process. T and π-type coupler with dimensions of 1.74 × 1.6 and 1.32 × 1.4 mm2 were assembled. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 1501–1504, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22497 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a DPDT (Double-Pole Double-Throw) switch with defected ground structure (DGS) is newly proposed for transceiver systems. A biased varactor diode is introduced to control the on/off operation of the proposed switch. In order to confirm the validity of the switch, we design and implement the switch at the 2.45-GHz frequency. It is designed specifically for antenna-diversity switching for WLAN applications. The experimental results show very low insertion loss, excellent power handling, and high isolation performances. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1127–1130, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21561 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain a low-loss ferroelectric phase shifter, we were designed and fabricated the reflection-type ferroelectric phase shifter with the defected ground structure (DGS) resonators. The ferroelectric phase shifter is consisted of a 3-dB 90° branch-line hybrid coupler and terminated reflective circuit with tunable ferroelectric DGS resonator which can provide a high Q resonator characteristic at high frequencies. The design parameters of equivalent circuit for the tunable DGS resonator are derived by circuit analysis method and three-dimensional full wave finite element method. At 13.5 GHz, the fabricated phase shifter exhibited an insertion loss of better than 3.4 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in order to obtain a large differential phase shift with a little change in applied voltage, a ferroelectric reflective load circuit has been designed on top of barium strontium titanate (Ba,Sr)TiO 3 [BST] thin film. The design of the ferroelectric reflection-type phase shifter is based on a reflection theory of terminating circuit, which has a reflection-type analogue phase shifter with two ports terminated in symmetric phase-controllable reflective networks. To achieve large amounts of phase shift in low bias-voltage range, the effects of change of capacitance and transmission line connected with two coupled ports of a 3-dB 90° branch-line hybrid coupler have been investigated. A large phase shift with a small capacitance change in the parallel terminating circuit has been demonstrated in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a TX leakage cancellation scheme for UHF RFID readers. A prototype is implemented on a UHF RFID reader board, which includes a circulator, directional coupler, microcontrol unit (MCU)-controlled variable attenuator, and phase shifter. The difference between a conventional TX leakage canceller and this new one is that, reflected signals caused by mismatches between the front-end and the antenna are included; in addition, high isolation is supplemented at variable frequencies. About 10% of the frequency range is recovered by the best suited parameter values that provide a predetermined process of MCU; and thus, peak isolation characteristics are constantly guaranteed at each center frequency by phase-shifted signal generation that follows references stored in MCU. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 2043–2045, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23592 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]