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Background Antiplatelet therapy (APT) in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still on debate due to its opposite effects which are to prevent from cardiovascular events and to cause bleeding. There is no apparent consensus on how to determine perioperative APT strategy within 1 year after PCI. Therefore, we investigated the risk and benefit of APT in NCS within 1 year after PCI. Methods Patients undergoing NCS after PCI with second-generation drug-eluting stents are retrospectively included from multicenter cohort of 8 medical centers in Korea. Perioperative clinical event within 30 days after NCS was recorded. Net adverse clinical event (NACE) including all cause death, major adverse cardiac event (MACE, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis) and major bleeding were evaluated. To overcome bias, propensity score covariate adjustment was performed using logistic regression analysis to generate propensity scores for patients of both APT strategies. Results Total 1130 patients (median age 69 years, female 30.5%) undergoing NCS within 1 year after PCI were eligible in the cohort. Study population included 55.1% patients suffered from ACS and 22.5% underwent complex PCI. NCS included 45.8% intermediate-to-high risk surgery and 10.7% urgent or emergent surgery. APT was continued during NCS in 62.7% of the patients. More patients continued DAPT (48% vs. 32%, p Conclusions About two thirds of the patients were continuing APT during NCS. Our findings may support a careful consideration of APT continuation for some of the patients who are undergoing NCS within 1 year after PCI. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Company, Ltd., has operated the Wolsong Tritium Removal Facility (WTRF) since 2007 to reduce tritium concentrations in the moderator and coolant of the Wolsong nuclear p...

Actual and perceptual measures of gambling exposure are important predictors of problem gambling. This study used Zero-Inflated Poisson regression analyses to assess the relative and interactive effects of actual and perceived exposure on problem gambling risk and severity. Data from the 2008 and 2009 Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta surveys indicated actual exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling risk while perceived exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling severity. These associations differ for gamblers from emerging and mature areas. Further, actual and perceived exposure had significant interaction effects on problem gambling severity but not on risk. Implications from these findings suggest that the prevalence of problem gambling could be reduced by restrictions on gambling opportunities.

Measures of availability and accessibility are often used separately or interchangeably to assess gambling exposure. This study examined the advantages of assessing gambling exposure using availability, accessibility, and a composite measure. Logistic and poisson regression analyses were used to determine the relative importance of these measures in predicting problem gambling using data from the 2008 and 2009 Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta (SEIGA) surveys. The composite measure of gambling exposure predicted both the risk and severity of problem gambling better than the availability or accessibility measures alone. These results demonstrate that individual differences in problem gambling are better predicted by a composite measure of exposure.

Background Although adverse effect of anemia had been reported, effect of polycythemia on cardiovascular outcome from the general population had not been revealed yet. Methods We included 451,107 subjects who received national health examinations from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-based National Sample Cohort from 2009–2013. Medical records were screened from January 2002 to investigate the subjects' disease-free baseline period. They were followed until December 2013. We divided male and female subjects into four categories each based on hemoglobin level (normal, moderate to severe and mild anemia, polycythemia) to assess each outcome. Results During 1,735,964 person·years, 12,107 major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), 862 incident acute myocardial infarction (MI), 5,850 incident ischemic stroke, and 2,430 incident atrial fibrillation (AF) were observed. Compared to normal hemoglobin range group, polycythemia group showed higher MACCE (HR=1.23 [1.12–1.35] in male, HR=1.79 [1.20–2.67] in female, each p Conclusion Not only anemia but also polycythemia were significantly associated with higher rate of MACCE including death, incident MI, ischemic stroke, and AF among the general population.

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 382, Iceberg Alley and Subantarctic Ice and Ocean Dynamics, investigated the long-term climate history of Antarctica, seeking to understand how polar ice sheets responded to changes in insolation and atmospheric CO2 in the past and how ice sheet evolution influenced global sea level and vice versa. Five sites (U1534–U1538) were drilled east of the Drake Passage: two sites at 53.2°S at the northern edge of the Scotia Sea and three sites at 57.4°–59.4°S in the southern Scotia Sea. We recovered continuously deposited late Neogene sediment to reconstruct the past history and variability in Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) mass loss and associated changes in oceanic and atmospheric circulation. The sites from the southern Scotia Sea (Sites U1536–U1538) will be used to study the Neogene flux of icebergs through “Iceberg Alley,” the main pathway along which icebergs calved from the margin of the AIS travel as they move equatorward into the warmer waters of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). In particular, sediments from this area will allow us to assess the magnitude of iceberg flux during key times of AIS evolution, including the following: The middle Miocene glacial intensification of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, The mid-Pliocene warm period, The late Pliocene glacial expansion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, The mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT), and The “warm interglacials” and glacial terminations of the last 800 ky. We will use the geochemical provenance of iceberg-rafted detritus and other glacially eroded material to determine regional sources of AIS mass loss. We will also address interhemispheric phasing of ice sheet growth and decay, study the distribution and history of land-based versus marine-based ice sheets around the continent over time, and explore the links between AIS variability and global sea level. By comparing north–south variations across the Scotia Sea between the Pirie Basin (Site U1538) and the Dove Basin (Sites U1536 and U1537), Expedition 382 will also deliver critical information on how climate changes in the Southern Ocean affect ocean circulation through the Drake Passage, meridional overturning in the region, water mass production, ocean–atmosphere CO2 transfer by wind-induced upwelling, sea ice variability, bottom water outflow from the Weddell Sea, Antarctic weathering inputs, and changes in oceanic and atmospheric fronts in the vicinity of the ACC. Comparing changes in dust proxy records between the Scotia Sea and Antarctic ice cores will also provide a detailed reconstruction of changes in the Southern Hemisphere westerlies on millennial and orbital timescales for the last 800 ky. Extending the ocean dust record beyond the last 800 ky will help to evaluate dust-climate couplings since the Pliocene, the potential role of dust in iron fertilization and atmospheric CO2 drawdown during glacials, and whether dust input to Antarctica played a role in the MPT. The principal scientific objective of Subantarctic Front Sites U1534 and U1535 at the northern limit of the Scotia Sea is to reconstruct and understand how ocean circulation and intermediate water formation responds to changes in climate with a special focus on the connectivity between the Atlantic and Pacific basins, the “cold water route.” The Subantarctic Front contourite drift, deposited between 400 and 2000 m water depth on the northern flank of an east–west trending trough off the Chilean continental shelf, is ideally situated to monitor millennial- to orbital-scale variability in the export of Antarctic Intermediate Water beneath the Subantarctic Front. During Expedition 382, we recovered continuously deposited sediments from this drift spanning the late Pleistocene (from ~0.78 Ma to recent) and from the late Pliocene (~3.1–2.6 Ma). These sites are expected to yield a wide array of paleoceanographic records that can be used to interpret past changes in the density structure of the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, track migrations of the Subantarctic Front, and give insights into the role and evolution of the cold water route over significant climate episodes, including the following: The most recent warm interglacials of the late Pleistocene and The intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation.

Bi1-xBaxFeO3 (x = 0.02, 0.04 and 0.07) multiferroic materials with a diameter in the range of 30-40 nm were controllably synthesized by a facile ultrasonic method, with a very short reaction time of 5 min at a low temperature of 30 °C, and the resulting BiFeO3 magnetic nanoparticles (BFO MNPs) exhibited enhanced magnetic and photocatalytic performance. The substitution of Ba2+ ions for Bi3+ ions at the A-site of BFO MNPs, even at only 2%, decreased their particle size and distorted the lattice in the rhombohedral structure of BFO MNPs. Increasing the Ba doping to 7% greatly increased the ferromagnetic properties of BFO MNPs from 3.55 to 6.09 emu g-1. In comparison with pure BFO MNPs, 7% Ba substitution in the Ba-doped BFO MNP samples produced strong absorption in the visible light region, decreasing the band-gap energy from 2.11 to 1.86 eV. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy identified the band-gap emission for BFO MNPs at 587 nm, while for both pure and Ba-doped samples, the other emissions were attributed to the defect states related to oxygen deficiencies inside the band gap. After 50 min of visible light irradiation, Bi1-xBaxFeO3 (x = 7%), with the lowest band gap energy, highest magnetization and smallest particle size, showed almost complete photocatalytic degradation of toluene and benzene (100 mg L-1), with 91 and 81% reduction, respectively, in total organic carbon (TOC). For all irradiation times, the mineralization efficiency of toluene was higher than that of benzene, which demonstrated that toluene is more sensitive to photocatalytic oxidation than is benzene.

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Canidae), is the most widely distributed terrestrial carnivore worldwide, but this species is classified as endangered in Korea. In this study, we developed 25 polymorphic microsatellite markers that included 3-13 (mean = 6.32) alleles per locus using 22 red fox individuals. The most polymorphic locus was FR(59)TG (13 alleles) and the least polymorphic loci were FR(70)TG and FR(182)AG (3 alleles each). No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.05) was observed for the 25 markers. Observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosity varied from 0.182 to 1.000 and from 0.175 to 0.929, respectively. These newly developed microsatellite markers will be useful for investigating the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of V. vulpes and will aid in developing conservation strategies for this species.

We observed the surface morphology and adhesive interaction of adsorbents on rubber substrates by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The detachment of adsorbents from rubber substrates is an important issue for various machines like home appliances and laundry machine. Since a clean surface of the functioning parts is required, a frequent cleaning process must be developed. In particular, dust and lint have a tendency to bind to the rubber surface of a laundry machine. Several practical methods have been attempted to remove these particles from the surface. Pure water, detergent, sodium hypochlorite (65 °C), and cold water (18 °C) are treated onto artificial dust and lint mixtures on rubber with water fluid by rapid rpm. The dust-and-lint adsorbents are investigated by AFM after the treatment, and topographic images and force–distance (F–D) curves were generated for the samples. The roughness, measured as the root mean square, is a key factor to judge the cleaning quality. From the F–D curves, we are able to obtain adhesive energy in addition to adhesive force which will yield qualitative measures of the interactions between the remaining adsorbents and the rubber surface. Considering the values that were measured, hot water with water fluid by rapid rpm offers the best performance when cleaning the surface. The chemical like sodium hypochlorite is good for thinning the materials, but it solidifies them, which is eventually detrimental to proper functioning. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new method for the reduction of MoO3 using Ca as a reducing agent was developed. A low oxygen Mo powder can thus be prepared by two-step reduction process: the first step reduction involves a contact type method while the second step reduction uses a non-contact type method involving Ca vapour followed by additional deoxidation. The oxygen concentration in the resultant Mo powder was ∼2800 ppm, which was much lower than that of commercial Mo powder (>4400 ppm).

A two-step process was used to obtain an ultrahigh purity cylindrical tantalum ingot from tantalum powder. Generally, powders cannot be used as raw materials in processes employing electron beam (EB) drip melting. We designed a process that could indeed use powders. The first step reduced the impurities in tantalum by the repeated EB melting of tantalum buttons fabricated from tantalum powder. An ultrahigh purity tantalum ingot was then fabricated by repeated EB drip melting of the refined tantalum buttons. A cylindrical ingot (O80×100 mm) with purity of 99·9998% was obtained. The purity of the raw tantalum powder was 99·9944%, while those of tantalum buttons remelted twice and four times were 99·9989 and 99·9994% respectively. The concentration of gas impurities such as C, N and O was reduced to

The effect of LED phototherapy on blood lactate level in the muscle was studied. A 450cm2 large red and near infrared LED pad with its irradiance of 10mW/cm2 was applied for 10 minutes to brachial muscle and quadriceps muscle of thigh to the participants before and after the Taekwondo contest. Blood samples from the participants were taken at 5 minutes after the competition and 10 minutes after the recovery. The test results showed that the LED therapy (LEDT) before and after the competition had a significant effect on the decrease of blood lactate level of the participants.

Bi

This experiment was conducted with male chicks to investigate the influence of hormones and nutrients on the development of fatty liver syndrome (FLS) as well as the effects of dietary lipotropic factors on hepatic fat accumulation and lipogenic enzyme gene expression. A total of two-hundred sixteen 4-wk-old Hy-Line male chicks were divided into six groups and fed an experimental diet (T1, low-energy diet with low levels of lipotropic factors; T2, high-energy diet with low levels of lipotropic factors; T3 and T5, low-energy diet with high levels of lipotropic factors; T4 and T6, high-energy diet with high levels of lipotropic factors) for six weeks. The chicks in T5 and T6 groups were treated with intramuscular injections of estradiol benzoate for three days prior to biopsy and clinical analysis of FLS. Chicks treated with estrogen had significantly greater liver weights than untreated chicks. The abdominal fat contents were increased in chicks consuming high-energy diets as compared to those consuming low-energy diets. Treatment with estrogen significantly increased the concentrations of serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipid (p

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Functional roles of the N-terminal region of rhodopsin-like GPCR family remain unclear. Using dopamine D2 and D3 receptors as a model system, we probed the roles of the N-terminal region in the signalling, intracellular trafficking of receptor proteins, and explored the critical factors that determine the functionality of the N-terminal region. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The N-terminal region of the D2 receptor was gradually shortened or switched with that of the D3 receptor or a non-specific sequence (FLAG), or potential N-terminal glycosylation sites were mutated. Effects of these manipulations on surface expression, internalization, post-endocytic behaviours and signalling were determined. KEY RESULTS Shortening the N-terminal region of the D2 receptor enhanced receptor internalization and impaired surface expression and signalling; ligand binding, desensitization and down-regulation were not affected but their association with a particular microdomain, caveolae, was disrupted. Replacement of critical residues within the N-terminal region with the FLAG epitope failed to restore surface expression but partially restored the altered internalization and signalling. When the N-terminal regions were switched between D2 and D3 receptors, cell surface expression pattern of each receptor was switched. Mutations of potential N-terminal glycosylation sites inhibited surface expression but enhanced internalization of D2 receptors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Shortening of N-terminus or mutation of glycosylation sites located within the N-terminus enhanced receptor internalization but impaired the surface expression of D2 receptors. The N-terminal region of the D2 receptor, in a sequence-specific manner, controls the receptor's conformation and integration into the plasma membrane, which determine its subcellular localization, intracellular trafficking and signalling properties.

In this study, we carried out an electron beam (EB) melting purification process to obtain a 5N-grade high-purity Ru ingot from commercial Ru powder. The first step was to primarily sinter Ru powder compact by means of vacuum heat treatment at 1,773K. Vacuum sintering was employed to ensure a high vacuum condition during EB melting by the removal of remaining gaseous elements between the compact powders. The second step was to obtain Ru ingots by EB melting of the sintered Ru compact. The purity of the Ru raw powder was 99.962mass% and the purity of a premelted Ru button ingot obtained by EB melting was 99.9873mass%. The purities of the respective Ru button ingots remelted for 2 and 4min were 99.9988 and 99.9992mass%, respectively. As a result, the sum of metallic impurities in the Ru ingot refined for 6min was 5.3massppm and the purity of the ingot considerably increased up to 99.9995mass%, which means that a 5N-grade high-purity Ru ingot can be obtained by the EB melting purification process. Furthermore, the EB-melted Ru ingot showed an excellent ability to remove interstitial impurities. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2012155]

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is characterized by increased hepatic triacylglycerol content associated with liver hemorrhages and results in a sudden decline in egg production. Genetic, environmental, nutritional, and hormonal factors have all been implicated in the etiology of FLHS, but the exact cause of FLHS is still unknown. Estrogens have been implicated in the development of excess fat content of the liver and in the etiology of FLHS. This study investigated estradiol (E(2)) administration in hens and its effect on lipid metabolism. Hy-Line Brown laying hens were intramuscularly injected with E(2) on a daily basis for 3 wk. The dosages were 0, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg of BW, with corn oil injections used as a control. Egg production and quality were measured among the groups, with no significant difference seen in egg production. Liver weights of hens treated with E(2) were greater than those of control hens, but the increase was not statistically significant. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activities and E(2) plasma concentrations increased in a dose-dependent manner, with plasma concentration of E(2) increasing from 6,900 to 19,000 pg/mL. No significant differences in free cholesterol or phospholipids were observed, but there was a significant increase in hepatic triacylglycerol levels. Injection with E(2) showed an increased expression of mRNA for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (23-fold), but not for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α. A statistically significant increase was seen for fatty acid synthase, apolipoprotein B, and adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase, but not for acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, apolipoprotein VLDL-II, microsomal triglyceride transport protein, or malic enzyme. For proteins involved in the oxidation of E(2), only cytochrome P450 3A37 showed a statistically significant increase. The present results suggest that E(2) upregulates the synthesis of fatty acids and triacylglycerols and the accumulation of hepatic lipids by increasing mRNA expression related to lipid metabolism, and that excess E(2) in the blood leads to activation of E(2) catabolic metabolism (cytochrome P450 3A37)-related mRNA expression.

Division of Animal Care, Cheonan Yonam CollegeABSTRACT This experiment was conducted using 350 Lohmann Brown layers (67 weeks of age) to evaluate the dietary effect of organic or inorganic Se and Cu on their contents in chicken eggs. The layers were divided into seven groups and fed a commercial diet or one of the six experimental diets containing different levels of Se and Cu (T1, 0.3ppm organic Se; T2, 1.0ppm organic Se; T3, 1.0ppm inorganic Se; T4, 125ppm organic Cu; T5, 250ppm organic Cu; and T6, 250ppm inorganic Cu) for 5 weeks. No significant differences were observed in egg production and its qualities among groups. The contents of blood cholesterol in the birds fed various levels of Se and Cu were not significantly different as compared to control. Se contents in eggs were linearly increased as dietary Se levels increased for both sources, but Se contents from the groups fed organic Se were slightly higher than those fed inorganic Se. Sensory characteristics of eggs were not influenced by dietary treatments. In conclusion, Se contents in eggs were linearly increased as dietary levels of organic or inorganic Se increased, but eggs in layers fed the diet containing organic Se did not show higher Se contents than those in birds fed dietary inorganic Se.(Key words : selenium, copper, laying performance, transfer, laying hens)

A two-dimensional ‘twin-jet counterflow’ burner, in which two opposing streams from two double-slit nozzles form a counterflow, has been utilised to investigate the effect of the interaction of nonpremixed flames on extinction behavior. Results show that owing to the existence of unique petal-shaped flames, the extinction boundary for the cross-stream arrangement can be extended appreciably, as compared with that for the conventional counterflow arrangement, through the interaction of the curved sections of the interacting flames. The stationary petal-shaped flames had four flame edges, consisting of two retreating edges with negative edge speed in the direction toward the burnt gas region and two propagating edges with positive edge speed in the direction toward the unburned mixture. The OH-PLIF images of the petal-shaped flames demonstrated a strong concentration interaction between the two curved flame sections. Hysteresis in the transition between the petal-shaped flame and the curved flame having pla...

This study was carried out to investigate dietary effects of extracts of Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) (SCE) grown in Korea on growth performance, immune and physiological responses in broiler chickens. Total of seven-hundred fifty 1-d-old Ross male broiler chicks were divided into five groups and fed control diets (antibiotics medicated or non-medicated commercial diets) or each experimental diet (non-medicated diets containing 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5% SCE) for 5 weeks. The body weight gain and feed conversion rate in the groups fed diets containing 0.1% or 0.3% SCE were significantly improved as compared with those of non-medicated control group (P

Among 5938 clinical Shigella spp. isolates, two S. flexneri strains were isolated as those resistant to fluoroquinolones based on the MICs of the following antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, sparfloxacin and levofloxacin. S. flexneri 021787 had three substitutions, one in GyrA (Ser83Leu) and two in ParC (Ser80Ile and Arg91Gln). S. flexneri 021895 had four substitutions, two in GyrA (Ser83Leu and Asp87Gly) and two in ParC (Ser80Ile and Arg91Gln). The increased susceptibility of S. flexneri 021787 and S. flexneri 021895 to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin in the presence of the uncoupler carbonyl cyamide-m-chlorophenyldrazone implied that energy-dependent active efflux pumps contributed to the resistance against fluoroquinolones. Both S. flexneri 021787 and S. flexneri 021895 were also induced to express tolC (encoding a resistance–nodulation–division transporter), mdfA (encoding a major facilitator superfamily transporter), and ydhE (encoding a multidrug and toxic compound extrusion transporter) in the presence of ciprofloxacin. Thus, these results indicated that chromosome-mediated fluoroquinolone resistance of S. flexneri 021787 and S. flexneri 021895 resulted from the combination of target site mutations and enhanced expression of genes encoding efflux pumps.

The current study was carried out to define the involvement of Peroxiredoxin (Prx) II in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying molecular mechanism(s). Expression and function of Prx II in HCC was determined using H-ras(G12V)-transformed HCC cells (H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells) and the tumor livers from H-ras(G12V)-transgenic (Tg) mice and HCC patients. Prx II was upregulated in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells and H-ras(G12V)-Tg mouse tumor livers, the expression pattern of which highly similar to that of forkhead Box M1 (FoxM1). Moreover, either knockdown of FoxM1 or site-directed mutagenesis of FoxM1-binding site of Prx II promoter significantly reduced Prx II levels in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells, indicating FoxM1 as a direct transcription factor of Prx II in HCC. Interestingly, the null mutation of Prx II markedly decreased the number and size of tumors in H-ras(G12V)-Tg livers. Consistent with this, knockdown of Prx II in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells reduced the expression of cyclin D1, cell proliferation, anchorage-independent growth and tumor formation in athymic nude mice, whereas overexpression of Prx II increased or aggravated the tumor phenotypes. Importantly, the expression of Prx II was correlated with that of FoxM1 in HCC patients. The activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) pathway and the expression of FoxM1 and cyclin D1 were highly dependent on Prx II in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells and H-ras(G12V)-Tg livers. Prx II is FoxM1-dependently-expressed antioxidant in HCC and function as an enhancer of Ras(G12V) oncogenic potential in hepatic tumorigenesis through activation of ERK/FoxM1/cyclin D1 cascade.

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Canidae), is the most widely distributed terrestrial carnivore worldwide, but this species is classified as endangered in Korea. In this study, we developed 25 polymorphic microsatellite markers that included 3-13 (mean = 6.32) alleles per locus using 22 red fox individuals. The most polymorphic locus was FR(59)TG (13 alleles) and the least polymorphic loci were FR(70)TG and FR(182)AG (3 alleles each). No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P0.05) was observed for the 25 markers. Observed (HO) and expected (HE) heterozygosity varied from 0.182 to 1.000 and from 0.175 to 0.929, respectively. These newly developed microsatellite markers will be useful for investigating the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of V. vulpes and will aid in developing conservation strategies for this species.

The concept of micro-contact in electrodes was incorporated into AC two-probe impedance spectroscopy in order to clarify the electrode-related responses in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The pointed contact of one electrode was combined with the planar electrode as a counterpart in characterizing an YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia)/Pt interface of SOFCs. The micro-contact in electrodes induced the decrease in capacitance and the increase in impedance and amplified the bulk responses in YSZ due to the constricted electroding area. The bulk-related portions can be separated from the interfacial polarization of Pt, even though the electrolyte/electrode interface was found to be very sensitive to the measurement condition, i.e., the oscillating voltage. The resolved bulk and interfacial resistances were analyzed using a concept of “spreading resistance.’’ Furthermore, the electrode-related issues were ramified for the application of impedance spectroscopy to the solid oxide fuel cells.

In direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) cellular radio systems, power control is an important means to achieve higher communication link quality and larger system capacity. In order to track a desired signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) under round-trip delay, multiple access interference (MAI), channel fading, and noise, a robust state feedback control via a desired pole (eigenvalue) placement and an l1 optimal prediction is proposed for power control of CDMA systems. The l1 predictor is used to predict the tracking error to compensate for the effect of round-trip delay, such that the peak of prediction error due to the uncertainties of channel fading, interference, and noise is as small as possible. Then the optimal l1 predictor design problem is transformed to a suboptimal prediction problem by minimizing the upper bound of the l1 norm of SINR tracking error and solving the eigenvalue problem (EVP) under some linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints. Under the proposed framework, the global information of the channel gains of all users in the CDMA system is not required

Microlens arrays were fabricated by a modified LIGA process composed of the exposure of a PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) sheet to deep x-rays and subsequent thermal treatment. A successful modeling and analyses for microlens formation were presented according to the experimental procedure. A nickel mold insert was fabricated by the nickel electroforming process on the PMMA microlens arrays fabricated by the modified LIGA process. For the replication of microlens arrays having various diameters with different foci on the same substrate, both hot embossing and microinjection molding processes have been successfully utilized with the fabricated mold insert. Replicated microlenses showed very good surface roughness with the order of 1 nm. The focal lengths of the injection molded microlenses were successfully estimated theoretically and also measured experimentally.

This study was aimed at the design of the dies for the automobile part for the engine oil leakage prevention using the computer simulation to shorten the period of production, on the basis of the process planning which was designed by the field experts. In the computer simulation,`eesy-2-form` of 2D FEM simulation package and `eesy-DieOpt` have been used, which are the commercial process analysis and die design program. Through the simulation of `eesy-2-form`, we could know the propriety of the forming process, the inner pressure of the die and the suitable fitting pressure between the insert and the sleeve which was not showing any positive tangential stresses in the insert. Through the simulation of `eesy-DieOpt`, we could know the number of the stress ring, the diameter ratios, the stresses of the die, the shrink fitting tolerance and temperature in the condition of the already determined maximum outer die diameter of the multi-stage former. The validity of the die design using the computer simulation was analyzed by the experiments and the results were satisfactory. As the results of this study, the new and easy die design system for cold forging has been developed.

Aims: We analysed the genetic divergence in the pandemic new O3:K6 and phylogenetically related (new O3:K6-like) strains and compare these two groups in terms of virulence and other biological traits. Methods and Results: A total of 160 new O3:K6, new O3:K6-like and other strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated in Taiwan and other countries were collected and their clonal relationships analysed using SfiI-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All of the new O3:K6 and new O3:K6-like strains were grouped in cluster I with five new patterns identified. A O6:K18 strain was identified as a new member of the new O3:K6-like strains in addition to O4:K68, O1:KUT and O1:K25 strains. All of the lipopolysaccharide preparations of the selected strains exhibited closely spaced quadruplet banding patterns with similar mobility. The two groups of strains exhibited 100% sequence identity in the internal sequences of the toxR and laf genes, and also displayed similar virulence properties as determined with a suckling mouse model. Conclusions: The new O3:K6 and new O3:K6-like strains were highly similar in virulence and in several other phenotypical and genotypical traits. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work demonstrated the spread and divergence of the pandemic and related clone of V. parahaemolyticus with similar virulence.

Collected current versus applied voltage(I-V) curve of Langmuir probe in RF plasma is severely distorted by RF fluctuations leading to overestimation of electron temperature. RF compensation circuit has been used to obtain the undistorted I-V curve, yet it produces time-averaged one. A new and simple method is proposed to get time-resolved I-V curve by picking the synchronized RF signals with digital oscilloscope and Labview program. This technique is tested in magnetized helicon plasmas and unmagnetized capacitive coupled RF plasmas.

Summary Background We previously reported that ovalbumin–diphtheria toxin (OVA–DT) fusion proteineliminates mast cells bearing OVA-specific IgE and protects OVA-sensitized mice from fatalanaphylaxis induced by OVA challenge.Objective To prove thespecificityof therapeutic effect of OVA–DTto allergy induced byOVA onlyand not by other allergens such as human serum albumin (HSA), and to examine the cytotoxic effectof OVA–DT on B cells bearing OVA-specific IgE.Methods Mice were sensitized with two different antigens, OVA and HSA, and then treated withOVA–DT. The therapeutic effect of OVA–DT on the allergy response to each of allergen wasevaluated by anaphylactic test. The effect of OVA–DT on the production of allergen-specific Igisotypes of the sensitized mice and the cytotoxic effect of OVA–DT on B cells expressing OVA-specific IgE were examined.Results OVA–DT suppressed only OVA-induced allergy but not HSA-induced allergy in micesensitized with a mixture of OVAandHSA.Thesuppression was prolongedeven tothemice boostedwith the same allergen 14 days after last treatment of OVA–DT.In addition, when the sensitized mice were boosted with the same allergens 14 days after lasttreatment of OVA–DT, the mice showed to increase the production of OVA-specific IgG2a/IgG3and decreased that of OVA-specific IgE. OVA–DT targeted B cells bearing OVA-specific IgE, andkilled them by DT-mediated cytotoxicity.Conclusion The therapeutic effect of OVA–DT was specific to OVA-induced allergy and thesuppression of OVA-induced allergy was continuously shown in the mice boosted with the sameallergens. This is considered to be caused by the increase of OVA-specific IgG2a and IgG3, andbecause of the decrease of OVA-specific IgE by killing of B cells bearing OVA-specific IgE.Keywords allergen–toxin fusion protein, diphtheria toxin, immunotherapy, ovalbuminSubmitted 10 October 2003; revised 10 March 2004; accepted 1 June 2004

Lead (Pb), an occupational and environmental toxicant, is known to induce immunomodulatory effects resulting in lowered resistance to infectious micro-organisms and altered levels of immunoglobulins in humans. Preferential activation of type-2 helper T cells and inhibition of type-1 T-cell activation is considered a cellular mechanism for the Pb-induced immune alteration, which has not been investigated well in humans. Lead's influence on in vivo balance between type-1 and type-2 activities was assessed among workers exposed to Pb through battery manufacturing in Korea. Serum IgE levels were significantly higher in the workers with a blood Pb level (PbB) of ≤30 μg/dL than in the workers with a PbB of

We investigated the structural and optical properties of InGaN/GaN triangular-shaped multiple quantum well (MQW) structures as a function of emission wavelengths. As the peak wavelength became longer, the average In composition increased linearly and the peak linewidth in the PL measurements became broad. Also, the PL intensity showed the highest value at 23% In and the interface showed the best abruptness, but the lowest intensity at 30% In. A decrease in emission intensity is ascribed to the crystalline imperfection such as defects and/or impurities caused by increased misfit strain in the QW regions with relatively higher In composition.

We report the emission properties of various InGaN/GaN quantum wells. The photoluminescence of InxGa1−xN/GaN (x>20%) quantum wells under varying external bias voltages has been investigated. A redshift of the photoluminescence peak position and decrease of photoluminescence peak intensity with an increase in voltage were observed regardless of the direction of external bias applied. For the sample in which the quantum dot-like region is abundant in quantum well layers, the peak position and intensity were not influenced much by the externally applied bias voltage. The results show that the origin of strong emission from InGaN/GaN quantum wells can be attributed to exciton localization in the quantum dot-like region and they are consistent with those of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

To reduce the high oxygen concentration of commercial Ti powder and to obtain Ti powder with the oxygen concentration of

In this experiment, we carried out a two-step deoxidation process to obtain Ti ingots with low oxygen concentration from commercial Ti powder. The first step was to primarily reduce oxygen in Ti powder using Ca and the second was to melt the deoxidized Ti powder in Ar atmosphere with added hydrogen using a vacuum arc melting system. We used two types of raw Ti powder, one with a high oxygen concentration of 5,600ppm and average powder size of 35µm, and the other with 2,200ppm and 115µm. The high oxygen of 5,600ppm in the Ti powder was reduced to approximately 1,460ppm by the two-step process of melting after deoxidizing the Ti powder with Ca at 973K. On the other hand, in the case of the Ti powder with low oxygen of 2,200ppm, the Ti ingot with low oxygen of 600ppm could be prepared by the twostep process of melting after deoxidizing at 1,103K. The Vickers hardness and c/a value of Ti ingots decreased as the oxygen concentration decreased. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2012004]

A new method for N-methylation of indoles using environmentally safe and less toxic methylating reagent, dimethyl carbonate (DMC), has been developed. The effect of various functional groups on the indole ring has been investigated. This method provides the desired product in high yields with high purity and is suitable for large-scale production. This process was used successfully in a 300-gal reactor train for N-methylation of 6-nitroindole.

Three analogues of the alpha-mating factor pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing the 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD) group were synthesized that had high binding affinity to the receptor and retained biological activity. The fluorescence emission maximum of the NBD group in [K7(NBD),Nle(12)]-alpha-factor was blue shifted by 35 nm compared to buffer when the pheromone bound to its receptor. Fluorescence quenching experiments revealed that the NBD group in [K7(NBD),Nle(12)]-alpha-factor bound to the receptor was shielded from collision with iodide anion when in aqueous buffer. In contrast, the emission maximum of NBD in [K7(ahNBD),Nle(12)]-alpha-factor or [Orn7(NBD),Nle(12)]-alpha-factor was not significantly shifted and iodide anion efficiently quenched the fluorescence of these derivatives when they were bound to receptor. The fluorescence investigation suggests that when the alpha-factor is bound to its receptor, K7 resides in an environment that has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups within a few angstroms of each other.

The present study was performed to determine if trans-resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) modulates the catalytic activity and gene expression of cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1). In vitro, trans-resveratrol decreased human recombinant CYP1B1-catalyzed 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation activity, with an IC50 value of 1.4 +/- 0.2 microM (mean +/- SEM). Enzyme kinetic analysis indicated that trans-resveratrol inhibited CYP1B1 enzyme activity by a mixed-type inhibition and the apparent Ki was 0.75 +/- 0.06 microM. To determine if trans-resveratrol modulates constitutive CYP1B1 gene expression, cultured MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells were treated with trans-resveratrol. As indicated by RT-PCR analysis, treatment of MCF-7 cells with 10 microM trans-resveratrol decreased relative CYP1B1 mRNA levels after 5 h, but not after 1.5 or 3 h, of exposure. trans-Resveratrol treatment at 5, 7.5, 10, or 20 microM for 5 h produced a concentration-dependent decrease in CYP1B1 mRNA levels. The extent of suppression was approximately 50% at 20 microM concentration. The suppressive effect was not a consequence of a toxic response to the compound as assessed by a cell proliferation assay. Overall, our novel finding that trans-resveratrol inhibits the catalytic activity and suppresses the constitutive gene expression of CYP1B1 leads to the possibility that this nutraceutical confers protection against toxicity and carcinogenicity induced by compounds that undergo CYP1B1-catalyzed bioactivation.

Objective: The purposes of the present study were to estimate the proportion of subjects with a high score on the Korean version of Eating Attitudes Test-26 (KEAT-26), which may provide preliminary data regarding the prevalence rate of eating disorders in the Korean general population, and to further examine the sociocultural hypothesis of eating disorders. Method: Using a multi-stage questionnaire sampling method, we surveyed 3062 subjects (1249 males, 1813 females) from 3896 Korean adults in a nationwide area. Results: 8.5% (260/3062) of subjects scored above the cut-off on the KEAT-26. Their demographic correlates, eating traits, and other characteristics relating to general psychopathology were similar to those of patients with eating disorders and female Caucasian controls in Western countries. Discussion: These results suggest that changes in various sociocultural aspects have increased the risk of developing eating disorders in Korea, and support the sociocultural hypothesis of eating disorders.

The objective of this study is to develop an automatic control system for dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH of the activated sludge process in a coke wastewater treatment plant. A discrete type autotuned proportional-integral (PI) controller using an auto-regressive exogenous (ARX) model as a process model was developed to maintain the DO concentration in aerators by controlling the speed of surface aerators. Also a nonlinear pH controller using the titration curve was used to control the pH of influent wastewater. This control system was tested in a pilot scale plant. During this pilot plant experiment, there was small deviation of pH and the electric power consumption of surface aerators was reduced up to 70% with respect to the full operation when the DO set point was 2 mg/l. For real plant operation with this system, the discrete PI controller showed good tracking for set point change. The electricity saving was more than 40% of the electricity consumption when considering surface aerators. As a result of maintaining the DO constantly at the set point by the automatic control system, the fluctuation of effluent quality was decreased and overall improvement of the effluent water quality was achieved.

Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) provides information regarding mass changes in the sample resulting from heat treatment under controlled environment. However, it does not provide any chemical information regarding the gases evolved during the thermal degradation. Using FT-IR spectrometry in combination with TG, it is often possible to identify the evolved gases, and also monitor their evolution profiles during thermal degradation. In this study, we present the TG/FT-IR combined analysis of incineration and pyrolysis of some common plastics such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS). This study demonstrates the utility of such combined analysis in providing useful information regarding the use of thermal treatment for recycling or incineration.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of patients with resistant hypertension (RH) and predictors among elderly Korean hypertensives. This prospective, multi-center, observational study evaluated 2439 elderly hypertensive patients between December 2008 and November 2011, who visited secondary hypertension clinics for high blood pressure (BP). Patients were categorized as resistant if their BP was ≥140/90 mm Hg and if they reported using antihypertensive medications from three different drug classes, including a diuretic or drugs from ≥4 antihypertensive drug classes, regardless of BP. Characteristics of patients with RH were compared with those of patients who were controlled with one or two antihypertensive medications after 6-month antihypertensive treatment. In comparison with 837 patients with non-RH, 404 patients with RH were more likely to be aware of their status of high BP before enrollment and have a high baseline systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg, microalbuminuria, high body mass index (BMI) ≥24 kg m(-2) and diabetes mellitus (DM). In drug-naive patients, awareness of hypertension at baseline was the only independent predictor for RH. In elderly Korean hypertensives, BMI (≥24 kg m(-2)), baseline systolic BP (≥160 mm Hg), microalbuminuria, DM and awareness of hypertension showed an association with RH.

A powerful approach for identifying mammalian primary (gonadal) sex determination genes is the molecular genetic analyses of sex reversal conditions (that is, XX individuals with testicular tissue and XY individuals with ovarian tissue). Here we determined the number and chromosomal location of autosomal and X-linked genes that cause sex reversal in C57BL/6J (B6) mice carrying a Y chromosome of Mus domesticus poschiavinus origin (YPOS). B6 XYPOS mice develop either as females with exclusively ovarian tissue or as true hermaphrodites with ovarian and testicular tissue. In contrast, the YPOS chromosome is fully masculinizing on most other inbred strain backgrounds. B6-YPOS sex reversal appears to result from the incompatibility of the Sry (sex determining region, Y chromosome) allele carried on the YPOS chromosome with B6-derived autosomal or X-linked loci. We found strong evidence for the location of one gene, designated tda1 (testis-determining, autosomal 1), at the distal end of Chromosome (Chr) 4 and a second gene, tda2, in the central region of Chr 2. A third gene, tda3, on Chr 5 is implicated, but the evidence here is not as strong. We suggest that B6 alleles at these loci predispose XYPOS fetuses to ovarian tissue development, but no single locus or combination of loci is necessary and sufficient to cause sex reversal. The TDA proteins may regulate Sry expression or form complexes with the SRY protein to regulate other genes, or the tda genes may be activated or repressed by the SRY protein.

A selection project produced control cows from continuous matings with breed average bulls for predicted transmitting ability for milk (PTA-milk) in 1964 and select cows from matings to four of the highest PTA-milk bulls each year since 1964. Blood samples were collected in 1992 when milk yield difference of select and control line cows exceeded 3,800 kg of milk/305-day lactation. Genomic DNA from control (n = 49) and select (n = 101) cows was analyzed for the presence of variants associated with amino acid position 127 (leucine, AluI[+]; valine, AluI[-]) of bovine somatotropin (bST). Amplification of a 428 base-pair fragment of the bST gene from individual cows, subsequent restriction enzyme (AluI) digestion, and separation resulting fragments indicated three genotypes AluI(+/+), AluI(+/-), and AluI(-/-) in 110, 39, and 1 animal(s), respectively. Gene frequencies of leucine127 and valine 127 alleles were similar for control (0.867m 0.133) and select (0.861, 0.139) animals. United States Department of Agriculture-PTA values were compared between the two genotypes, AluI(+/+) and AluI(+/-). Estimated breeding value for milk (EBV-milk) and average yield deviation for milk (AYD-milk) were not associated with genotype for control animals. However, presence of the valine allele was correlated with decreased EBV-milk (P = 0.03) and AYD-milk (P = 0.16) in select animals and accounted for a decrease of approximately 170 kg of EBV-milk and 240 kg of AYD-milk.

Treating cancer requires multiple levels of investigation. Anticancer agents need to be developed through in vitro testing, in vivo animal experiments, followed by clinical studies. Most anticancer drugs are highly hydrophobic and are formulated with excipient materials that increase the water solubility of the drugs, such as co-solvents, liposomes, lipids, polymer micelles, and hydrotropic agents. Anticancer drugs cause serious side effects, so there is a great need to deliver the majority of drug to target cancer cells or solid tumors more specifically. This requires development of formulations for targeted delivery. Delivery systems in nanosize, commonly-called nanovehicles, have been frequently used for this purpose. Nanovehicles are also used as an imaging agent for theranosis and as a photothermal agent for thermal ablation of cancer cells. Nanovehicles are engineered to be responsive to environmental changes in temperature or pH for efficient release of a drug at a target site. While nanovehicles have increased the proportion of the drug delivered to target tumors, the absolute amount of the drug delivered is still very small. New polymeric delivery systems may be necessary to achieve the goal of targeted drug delivery. The testing of the various drugs and delivery systems in vivo is difficult, thus it is highly desirable to develop in vitro model systems that can simulate in vivo conditions in humans with the highest fidelity. Proper use of existing biomaterials and development of new biomaterials are necessary to achieve these goals.

Functional roles of the N-terminal region of rhodopsin-like GPCR family remain unclear. Using dopamine D(2) and D(3) receptors as a model system, we probed the roles of the N-terminal region in the signalling, intracellular trafficking of receptor proteins, and explored the critical factors that determine the functionality of the N-terminal region.The N-terminal region of the D(2) receptor was gradually shortened or switched with that of the D(3) receptor or a non-specific sequence (FLAG), or potential N-terminal glycosylation sites were mutated. Effects of these manipulations on surface expression, internalization, post-endocytic behaviours and signalling were determined.Shortening the N-terminal region of the D(2) receptor enhanced receptor internalization and impaired surface expression and signalling; ligand binding, desensitization and down-regulation were not affected but their association with a particular microdomain, caveolae, was disrupted. Replacement of critical residues within the N-terminal region with the FLAG epitope failed to restore surface expression but partially restored the altered internalization and signalling. When the N-terminal regions were switched between D(2) and D(3) receptors, cell surface expression pattern of each receptor was switched. Mutations of potential N-terminal glycosylation sites inhibited surface expression but enhanced internalization of D(2) receptors.Shortening of N-terminus or mutation of glycosylation sites located within the N-terminus enhanced receptor internalization but impaired the surface expression of D(2) receptors. The N-terminal region of the D(2) receptor, in a sequence-specific manner, controls the receptor's conformation and integration into the plasma membrane, which determine its subcellular localization, intracellular trafficking and signalling properties.

In-situ synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy have been used to investigate the initial stages of Al2O3 growth on a Si(001) substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The core level spectra of Si 2p, O 1s, and Al 2p as well as the valence band spectra were measured at every half reaction in the trimethylaluminum (TMA)-H2O ALD process. The line shape changes and binding energy shifts of the core level spectra reveal that Al2O3 is predominantly formed with a small amount of Si oxide in the initial stages without the formation of Al silicate. All core level spectra were alternately shifted toward higher and lower binding energies sides at every half ALD reaction. This can be explained by the band bending effect induced by different chemical species on the surface during the TMA-H2O ALD reaction. The valence band spectra showed that four cycles of ALD reactions were necessary to complete the electronic structure of the Al2O3 film with a valence band offset of 3.73 eV.