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Androgen receptor (AR) signalling is known to be dispensable for the biology of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), whereas the AR itself and the residual androgens after castration are crucial for the growth and progression of CRPC. Therefore, there is high demand for novel therapeutic candidates targeting AR itself or aberrant AR signalling to suppress the progression to or the growth of CPRC. Here, we report that ginsenoside compound K (GCK), the primary bioactive metabolite biotransformed from protopanaxadiol (PPD) ginsenoside, acts as a novel AR signalling inhibitor by transcriptionally suppressing AR expression and tumour growth in athymic nude mice. GCK inhibited cell growth in LNCaP, PC-3 and 22Rv1 prostate cancer cell lines and suppressed the expression levels of cell cycle regulators. GCK down-regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers such as vimentin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), whereas E-cadherin was significantly increased in GCK-stimulated LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells. Moreover, GCK treatment markedly decreased both AR and AR-V7 protein levels in LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells, possibly by decreasing AR promoter activity. Experiments with AR promoter-deleted constructs revealed that the region between -412 and -227 is critical for GCK regulation. GCK treatment in athymic nude mice implanted with 22Rv1 CRPC cell lines significantly suppressed tumour growth and AR expression levels in tumour tissues. Collectively, our results suggest that GCK, as a novel AR inhibitor, could be a potential therapeutic agent against prostate cancer and an effective chemopreventive agent to delay the progression to CRPC.

Single-phase formation of active metal oxides on supports has been vigorously pursued in many catalytic applications to suppress undesired reactions and to determine direct structure-property relationships. However, this is difficult to achieve in nanoscale range because the effect of non-uniform metal-support interfaces becomes dominant in the overall catalyst growth, leading to the nucleation of various metastable oxides. Herein, we develop a supported single-phase corundum-Rh2 O3 (I) nanocatalyst by utilizing controlled interaction between metal oxide and h-BN support. Atomic-resolution electron microscopy and first-principle calculation reveal that single-phase formation occurs via uniform and preferential attachment of Rh2 O3 (I) (110) seed planes on well-defined h-BN surface after decomposition of rhodium precursor. By utilizing the Rh/h-BN catalyst in methane partial oxidation, syngas is successfully produced solely following the direct route with keeping a H2 /CO ratio of 2, which makes it ideal for most downstream chemical processes.

Background The use of high fraction of inspired oxygen (FI O2 ) can cause direct pulmonary toxicity and pulmonary complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different FI O2 on development of intraoperative atelectasis in mechanically ventilated children using lung ultrasound. Methods In this randomized controlled, patient- and sonographer-blinded trial, 86 children (≤6 years) undergoing noncardiac surgery were allocated into a low (n = 43) or high (n = 43) FI O2 group. The low FI O2 group consistently received 30% air-oxygen mixture during preoxygenation, ultrasound-guided recruitment maneuver, and mechanical ventilation. The high FI O2 group received 100% oxygen during preoxygenation and ultrasound-guided recruitment maneuver and 60% air-oxygen mixture during mechanical ventilation. Positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cm H2 O was applied in both groups. Lung ultrasound was performed one minute after the start of mechanical ventilation and at the end of surgery in both groups. Primary outcome was significant atelectasis incidence (consolidation score of ≥2 in any region) on the postoperative lung ultrasound. Secondary outcomes included significant atelectasis incidence on the preoperative lung ultrasound, incidences of intra- and postoperative desaturation, and incidences of postoperative fever and postoperative pulmonary complications. Results Significant atelectasis incidence on the postoperative lung ultrasound was similar between the low and high FI O2 groups (28% vs 37%; Pearson chi-square value = 0.847; P = .357; OR 1.531; 95% CI 0.617-3.800). Significant atelectasis incidence on the preoperative lung ultrasound was also similar between the groups (12% vs 9%; Pearson chi-square value = 0.124; P = .725; OR 0.779; 95% CI 0.194-3.125). There were no statistically significant differences in the other secondary outcomes. Conclusions FI O2 did not affect significant atelectasis formation in mechanically ventilated children who received ultrasound-guided recruitment maneuver and positive end-expiratory pressure.

Background In this study, we aimed to propose a validated prediction model for disease‐free survival (DFS) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in a Korean population with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Methods We performed a retrospective review of 1561 cases of UTUC who underwent either open RNU (ONU, n = 906) or laparoscopic RNU (LNU, n = 615) from five tertiary Korean institutions between January 2000 and December 2012. Data were used to develop a prediction model using the Cox proportional hazards model. Prognostic factors were selected using the backward variable selection method. The prediction model performance was investigated using Harrell's concordance index (C‐index) and Hosmer‐Lemeshow type 2 statistics. Internal validation was performed using a bootstrap approach, and the National Cancer Center data set (n = 128) was used for external validation. Results A best‐fitting prediction model with seven significant factors was developed. The C‐index and two Hosmer‐Lemeshow type statistics of the prediction model were 0.785 (95% CI, 0.755‐0.815), 4.810 (P = 0.8506), and 5.285 (P = 0.8088). The optimism‐corrected estimate through the internal validation was 0.774 (95% CI, 0.744‐0.804) and the optimism‐corrected calibration curve was close to the ideal line with mean absolute error = 0.012. In external validation, the discrimination was 0.657 (95% CI, 0.560‐0.755) and the two calibration statistics were 0.790 (P = 0.9397) and 3.103 (P = 0.5408), respectively. Conclusion A validated prediction model based on a large Korean RNU cohort was developed with acceptable performance to estimate DFS in patients with UTUC.

Objectives The optimal treatment strategy for metastatic non‐clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mNCCRCC) is still elusive and mainly extrapolated from evidence available for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate the survival outcomes and prognostic factors affecting survival in patients with mNCCRCC treated with targeted therapy. Materials and methods We analyzed a total of 156 patients (8.1%) with mNCCRCC among the total cohort of 1922 patients in the Korean metastatic RCC registry. We used Kaplan‐Meier curve analysis to calculate the survival estimates for first‐line progression‐free survival (PFS), total PFS, and cancer‐specific survival (CSS). We also used the log‐rank test to compare the different groups and multivariate Cox‐proportional hazard regression analyses to evaluate the prognostic factors for survival. Results The mNCCRCC group had significantly inferior survival outcomes in terms of first‐line PFS, total PFS, and CSS (all P

Epigenetic deregulation of α‐synuclein plays a key role in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Analysis of the SNCA promoter using the ENCODE database revealed the presence of important histone post‐translational modifications (PTMs) including transcription‐promoting marks, H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, and repressive mark, H3K27me3. We investigated these histone marks in post‐mortem brains of controls and PD patients and observed that only H3K4me3 was significantly elevated at the SNCA promoter of the substantia nigra (SN) of PD patients both in punch biopsy and in NeuN‐positive neuronal nuclei samples. To understand the importance of H3K4me3 in regulation of α‐synuclein, we developed CRISPR/dCas9‐based locus‐specific H3K4me3 demethylating system where the catalytic domain of JARID1A was recruited to the SNCA promoter. This CRISPR/dCas9 SunTag‐JARID1A significantly reduced H3K4me3 at SNCA promoter and concomitantly decreased α‐synuclein both in the neuronal cell line SH‐SY5Y and idiopathic PD‐iPSC derived dopaminergic neurons. In sum, this study indicates that α‐synuclein expression in PD is controlled by SNCA’s histone PTMs and modulation of the histone landscape of SNCA can reduce α‐synuclein expression., Histone posttranslational modifications play a major role in the regulation of α‐synuclein expression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Locus‐specific editing of H3K4me3 at the SNCA promoter reverts the deregulated expression of α‐synuclein in neurons in the context of PD.

Background Although plasma free hemoglobin (fHb) test is important for assessing intravascular hemolysis, it is still dependent on the gold standard Harboe method using manual and labor‐intensive spectrometric measurements at the wavelength of 380‐415‐450 nm. We established an automated fHb assay using a routine chemistry autoanalyzer that can be tuned to a wavelength of 380‐416‐450 nm. Methods The linearity, precision, accuracy, correlation, and sample carryover of fHb measurement using TBA200FRneo method and manual Harboe method were evaluated, respectively. fHb values measured by manual Harboe method were compared with those measured by our new automated TBA200FRneo method. Results fHb measurements were linear in the range of 0.05~38.75 µmol/L by TBA200FRneo and 0.05~9.69 µmol/L by manual Harboe method. Imprecision analysis (%CV) revealed 0.9~2.8% for TBA200FRneo method and 5.3~13.6% for the manual Harboe method. Comparison analysis showed 0.9986 of correlation coefficient (TBA200FRneo = 0.970 × Harboe + 0.12). In analytical accuracy analysis, the manual Harboe method revealed about 4 times higher average total error % (12.2%) than the TBA200FRneo automated method (2.8%). The sample carryover was −0.0016% in TBA200FRneo method and 0.0038% in Harboe method. Conclusions In the measurement of fHb, the automated TBA200FRneo method showed better performance than the conventional Harboe method. It is expected that the automated fHb assay using the routine chemistry analyzer can replace the gold standard Harboe method which is labor‐intensive and need an independent spectrophotometry equipment.

BACKGROUND The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the risk factors for acute kidney injury (AKI), including albumin, in children who underwent cardiac surgery. In addition, we evaluated the association between preoperative serum albumin level and postoperative AKI in these patients. METHODS This retrospective study included 505 pediatric patients who underwent congenital cardiac surgery. Preoperative and perioperative risk factors for AKI, including serum albumin level, were assessed. AKI incidence within 7 postoperative days was determined using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between possible risk factors and postoperative AKI. RESULTS Of 505 pediatric patients, 185 (36.6%) developed postoperative AKI. The preoperative serum albumin level was associated with postoperative AKI (odds ratio [OR] 0.506, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.325-0.788; P = 0.003). Other independent factors associated with AKI were age

Particulate matter the environmental toxicant, with a diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm (PM2.5 ) is a common cause of several respiratory diseases. In recent years, several studies have suggested that PM2.5 can influence diverse diseases, such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, dementia, and female reproductive disorders, and unhealthy birth outcomes. In addition, several epidemiological studies have reported that adverse health effects of PM2.5 can differ depending on regional variations. In the present study, to evaluate specific adverse health effects of PM2.5 , we collected two different PM2.5 samples from an underground parking lot and ambient air, and we evaluated cytotoxicity with eight different cell lines originating from human organs. Then, we selected JEG-3 human placenta cells, which show high cytotoxicity to both PM samples. Through RNA sequencing, gene expression profiling, and a gene ontology (GO) analysis of JEG-3 after exposure to two different PM2.5 samples, we identified 1021 commonly expressed genes involved in immune responses, the regulation of apoptosis, and so forth, which are known to induce several adverse health effects. In addition, we identified genes related to the calcium-signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction through a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Then, we confirmed these gene expressions using qRT-PCR, and the protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinases and COX-2 with progesterone decreased using western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In conclusion, this study suggests the possible toxic mechanism of human placenta that might be associated with PM2.5 -induced female reproductive disorders.

BACKGROUND Cancer is a leading cause of death among women of parenting age in the United States. Women living with advanced or incurable cancer who have dependent children experience high rates of depression and anxiety as well as unique parenting challenges. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have examined the parenting factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in women with advanced cancer. METHODS The authors conducted a cross-sectional, Web-based survey of the psychosocial concerns of 224 women with a tumor-node-metastasis staging system of the AJCC stage IV solid tumor malignancy who had at least 1 child aged

UVB has been shown to stimulate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which subsequently results in the activation of various intracellular signalling pathways and transcription factors (AP-1, NF-κB). These transcription factors are regulated by MAPKs, which increase cytokine and MMP expression. We examined the preventive effects of reversine on MMP-1 and MMP-3 expressions in NHEKs and NHDFs exposed to UVB irradiation. Also, we confirmed that reversine decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in NHEKs. The mechanism underlying the MMP inhibitory effects of reversine occurred via the suppression of UVB-induced ROS generation and MAPK/AP-1 activation. Therefore, reversine is an effective therapeutic candidate for preventing skin photoageing.

We have evaluated the effect of a colloid solution on acute kidney injury in paediatric cardiac surgery. A total of 195 patients were ramdomly divided into an hydroxyethyl starch group and a control group. In the starch group, 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (Volulyte® ) was used as the primary fluid for volume resuscitation but was limited to 30 ml.kg-1 . In the control group, only crystalloid fluid was used during the peri-operative period. The incidence of acute kidney injury, peri-operative transfusion, clinical outcomes and laboratory data were compared. The incidence of acute kidney injury determined by Paediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-stage renal disease (pRIFLE) and Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria were no different between the two groups (starch group 40.8% vs. control group 30.0%; p = 0.150 using pRIFLE; 19.6% vs. 21.1% respectively, p = 0.602 using AKIN). There were no differences in clinical outcomes such as mortality, major adverse events, intensive care unit stay or duration of mechanical ventilation. Clotting time as measured using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) was prolonged, and clot firmness after 10 min and maximal clot firmness were shorter in the starch group compared with the control group after sternal closure. There was no difference in transfusion between the two groups. Patients with acute kidney injury had worse clinical courses than those without acute kidney injury. We conclude that intra-operative use of 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 up to 30 ml.kg-1 was not associated with postoperative acute kidney injury in paediatric cardiac patients.

Summary The axillary vein is a good site for ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation in terms of infection rate, patient comfort and its anatomical relationship with the clavicle and lungs. We compared real-time ultrasound-guided axillary vein cannulation with conventional infraclavicular landmark-guided subclavian vein cannulation in children. A total of 132 paediatric patients were randomly allocated to either ultrasound-guided axillary vein (axillary group) or landmark-guided subclavian vein (landmark group). The outcomes measured were success rate after two attempts, first-attempt success rate, time to cannulation and complication rate. The success rate after two attempts was 83% in the axillary group compared with 63% in the landmark group (odds ratio 2.85, 95%CI 1.25–6.48, p = 0.010). The first-attempt success rate was 46% for the axillary group and 40% for the landmark group (p = 0.274) and median time to cannulation was 156 s for the axillary group and 180 s for the landmark group (p = 0.286). There were no differences in complication rates between the two groups, although three episodes of subclavian artery puncture occurred in the landmark group (p = 0.08). We conclude that axillary vein cannulation using a real-time ultrasound-guided in-plane technique is useful and effective in paediatric patients.

Aim Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by prolonged vasoconstriction in cutaneous capillaries on cold stress. RhoA activity would be a therapeutic target for treating Raynaud's phenomenon. A traditional herbal medicine, ucha-shinki-hwan, has been used to promote vasodilation, but the biological mechanism of ucha-shinki-hwan is still unclear. Thus, we hypothesized that ucha-shinki-hwan is able to be used for treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon and that ucha-shinki-hwan inhibits cold-induced vasoconstriction by targeting RhoA GTPase. Methods Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells were pretreated with ucha-shinki-hwan for 30 min, followed by incubation in room temperature (37 ± 2°C) or a lower temperature (25 ± 2°C) for 30 min. Expression of active RhoA was measured on western blot. Endothelin-1 and nitric oxide production were examined on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The formation of stress fiber and focal adhesion complex was analyzed using immunocytochemistry. Results Cold exposure activated RhoA GTPase whereas ucha-shinki-hwan treatment suppressed its activation in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Moreover, ucha-shinki-hwan decreased cold-induced endothelin-1 and nitric oxide production. In addition, ucha-shinki-hwan treatment inhibited the formation of stress fiber and focal adhesion complex with downregulation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), SRC kinase and extracellular regulated kinases (ERK) phosphorylation. Conclusion Ucha-shinki-hwan inhibits contraction of cold-exposed human dermal microvascular endothelial cells by targeting RhoA activation. This in vitro study is therefore the first to suggest that ucha-shinki-hwan is likely to be effective for inhibiting cold-induced response in vascular endothelial cells.

3′‐Sialyllactose has specific physiological functions in a variety of tissues; however, its effects on osteoarthritic development remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated the function of 3′‐sialyllactose on osteoarthritic cartilage destruction. In vitro and ex vivo, biochemical and histological analysis demonstrated that 3′‐sialyllactose was sufficient to restore the synthesis of Col2a1 and accumulation of sulphated proteoglycan, a critical factor for cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritic development, and blocked the expression of Mmp3, Mmp13 and Cox2 induced by IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐17 and TNF‐α, which mediates cartilage degradation. Further, reporter gene assays revealed that the activity of Sox9 as a transcription factor for Col2a1 expression was accelerated by 3′‐sialyllactose, whereas the direct binding of NF‐κB to the Mmp3, Mmp13 and Cox2 promoters was reduced by 3′‐sialyllactose in IL‐1β‐treated chondrocytes. Additionally, IL‐1β induction of Erk phosphorylation and IκB degradation, representing a critical signal pathway for osteoarthritic development, was totally blocked by 3′‐sialyllactose in a dose‐dependent manner. In vivo, 3′‐sialyllactose protected against osteoarthritic cartilage destruction in an osteoarthritis mouse model induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus, as demonstrated by histopathological analysis. Our results strongly suggest that 3′‐sialyllactose may ameliorate osteoarthritic cartilage destruction by cartilage regeneration via promoting Col2a1 production and may inhibit cartilage degradation and inflammation by suppressing Mmp3, Mmp13 and Cox2 expression. The effects of 3′‐sialyllactose could be attributed in part to its regulation of Sox9 or NF‐κB and inhibition of Erk phosphorylation and IκB degradation. Taken together, these effects indicate that 3′‐sialyllactose merits consideration as a natural therapeutic agent for protecting against osteoarthritis.

Objectives To investigate the feasibility of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system (S-Detect; Samsung Medison, Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea) for breast ultrasonography (US), according to radiologists with various degrees of experience in breast imaging. Methods From December 2015 to March 2016, 119 breast masses in 116 women were included. Ultrasonographic images of the breast masses were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed by 2 radiologists specializing in breast imaging (7 and 1 years of experience, respectively) and S-Detect, according to the individual ultrasonographic descriptors from the fifth edition of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System and final assessment categories. Diagnostic performance and the interobserver agreement among the radiologists and S-Detect was calculated and compared. Results Among the 119 breast masses, 54 (45.4%) were malignant, and 65 (54.6%) were benign. Compared to the radiologists, S-Detect had higher specificity (90.8% compared to 49.2% and 55.4%) and positive predictive value (PPV; 86.7% compared to 60.7% and 63.8%) (all P .05). Moderate agreement was seen in final assessments made by each radiologist and S-Detect (κ = 0.40 and 0.45, respectively). Conclusions S-Detect is a clinically feasible diagnostic tool that can be used to improve the specificity, PPV, and accuracy of breast US, with a moderate degree of agreement in final assessments, regardless of the experience of the radiologist.

SummaryAim The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to investigate the anatomical characteristics of the vertebral artery in pediatric patients using computed tomography images. Methods We evaluated anatomical characteristics of the right and left vertebral artery at the cricoid level and at a lower level, which was mid-level between the cricoid cartilage and the origin of vertebral artery from the subclavian artery. At each level, the cross-sectional areas of the vertebral artery and internal jugular vein, the relative size of vertebral artery to internal jugular vein, the minimum distance between them, and the extent of overlap between them were investigated. Results According to the chest computed tomography images of 344 patients, the sizes of internal jugular vein and vertebral artery were found to increase with age. On the other hand, the relative size of the vertebral artery to internal jugular vein was found to increase conversely with decreasing age. The distance between the vertebral artery and internal jugular vein increased with age at both sides and levels. The vertebral artery was mostly located at the medial side of the internal jugular vein, and overlapped with the internal jugular vein in at least 54% of the patients at the cricoid level and in 74% at the lower level. Conclusion The theoretical risk of vertebral artery puncture is higher in younger children during internal jugular vein catheterization.

Background Few studies investigated the optimal timing for tracheostomy and its influence on the clinical outcomes in critically ill pediatric patients. This study evaluated the differences in clinical outcomes between early and late tracheostomy in pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods We assessed 111 pediatric patients. Patients who underwent a tracheostomy within 14 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) were assigned to the early tracheostomy group, whereas those who underwent tracheostomy after 14 days of MV were included in the late tracheostomy group. Clinical outcomes, including mortality, duration of MV, length of ICU and hospital stays, and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were compared between the groups. Results Of the 111 pediatric patients, 61 and 50 were included in the early and late tracheostomy groups, respectively. Total MV duration and the length of ICU and hospital stay were significantly longer in the late tracheostomy group than in the early tracheostomy group (all P < 0.01). The VAP rate per 1000 ventilator days before tracheostomy was 2.6 and 3.8 in the early and late tracheostomy groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in mortality rate between the groups. No severe complications were associated with tracheostomy itself. Conclusions Tracheostomy performed within 14 days after the initiation of MV was associated with reduced duration of MV and length of ICU and hospital stay. Although there was no effect on mortality rate, children may benefit from early tracheostomy without severe complications.

SummaryBackground Preemptive analgesia is an anti-nociceptive treatment that starts before surgery and prevents the establishment of central sensitization. Whether preemptive analgesia is more effective than conventional regimens for managing postoperative pain remains controversial. This study evaluated the efficacy of intravenous preemptive analgesia for acute postoperative pain control in pediatric patients. Methods In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 51 children aged 3–7 years, scheduled for corrective osteotomy were randomized into control (group C) or preemptive (group P) group. Both groups received standardized general anesthesia, including intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) with fentanyl, which was started before skin incision in group P or 5 min thereafter in group C. IV-PCA data, pain scores using verbal rating scale (VRS) and Wong-Baker FACES® pain rating scale (WBFS), emergence agitation score (EAS) using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale, analgesic requirements, and complications were recorded. Results The primary outcome, pain score at postoperative 1 h, showed no difference between the groups. Both groups did not demonstrate emergence agitation (PAED cutoff value ≥12), although the EAS at admission to the postanesthetic care unit (PACU) was lower in group P than in group C (P = 0.002; mean difference 4.85, 95% CI 1.97–7.73). There were no differences in the delivered volume of IV-PCA, frequency of pushing the IV-PCA button, effective push attempts, VRS, WBFS, EAS at discharge from the PACU, additional analgesic requirements, and complications. Conclusion Preemptive analgesia using IV-PCA with fentanyl showed no significant advantages for postoperative analgesia after corrective osteotomy in pediatric patients.

Hexanal is a major component of indoor air pollutants and is a kind of aldehydes; it has adverse effects on human health. We performed an in vivo inhalation study and transcriptomic analysis to determine the mode of toxic actions in response to hexanal. Fischer 344 rats of both sexes were exposed by inhalation to hexanal aerosol for 4 h day-1 , 5 days week-1 for 4 weeks at 0, 600, 1000, and 1500 ppm. Throughout our microarray-based genome-wide expression analysis, we identified 56 differentially expressed genes in three doses of hexanal; among these genes, 11 genes showed dose-dependent expression patterns (10 downregulated and 1 upregulated, 1.5-fold, p < 0.05). Through a comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) analysis of 11 genes, we determined that five genes (CCL12, DDIT4, KLF2, CEBPD, and ADH6) are linked to diverse disease categories such as cancer, respiratory tract disease, and immune system disease. These diseases were previously known for being induced by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our data demonstrated that the hexanal-induced dose-dependent altered genes could be valuable quantitative biomarkers to predict hexanal exposure and to perform relative risk assessments, including pulmonary toxicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 382-396, 2017.

With the evidence that dialysis may not necessarily be beneficial for older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), there is a growing interest in promoting conservative care without dialysis as a viable treatment option for these individuals. This review summarizes the current empirical evidence of symptom experiences and quality of life of patients receiving conservative care. Data suggest that conservative care may yield symptom experiences and quality of life that are compatible with those of patients on dialysis. However, these data are exclusively from studies conducted outside of the United States in which there were often no comparison groups or study designs that could provide high quality evidence. There is an urgent need for further research and developing a conservative care model suitable for CKD populations in the U.S.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is now attracting attention as a powerful negative regulator of messenger RNA(mRNA) levels, and is implicated in the modulation of important mRNA networks involved in toxicity. In this study, we assessed the effects of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5 ), one of the most significant air pollutants, on miRNA and target gene expression. We exposed human alveolar epithelial cell (A549) to two types of PM2.5 [water (W-PM2.5 ) and organic (O-PM2.5 ) soluble extracts] and performed miRNA microarray analysis. A total of 37 miRNAs and 62 miRNAs were altered 1.3-fold in W-PM2.5 and O-PM2.5 , respectively. Integrated analyses of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles identified negative correlations between miRNA and mRNA in both W-PM2.5 and O-PM2.5 exposure groups. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses showed that the 35 W-PM2.5 target genes are involved in responses to nutrients, positive regulation of biosynthetic processes, positive regulation of nucleobase, nucleoside, and nucleotide, and nucleic acid metabolic processes; while the 69 O-PM2.5 target genes are involved in DNA replication, cell cycle processes, the M phase, and the cell cycle check point. We suggest that these target genes may play important roles in PM2.5 -induced respiratory toxicity by miRNA regulation. These results demonstrate an integrated miRNA-mRNA approach for identifying molecular events induced by environmental pollutants in an in vitro human model. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 302-310, 2017.

By virtue of minimum invasiveness and driving ability using a magnetic field, drug delivery with the aid of a microrobot has an inherent potential for targeted treatment for the eye. The use of microrobots, however, has the limitation of leaving magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in the eye that can cause side effects. In this study, a bilayer hydrogel microrobot capable of retrieving MNPs after drug delivery is proposed that overcomes the limitations of existing microrobots. The bilayer hydrogel microrobot is composed of an MNPs layer and a therapeutic layer. Upon applying an alternating magnetic field (AMF) at the target point, the therapeutic layer is dissolved to deliver drug particles, and then the MNPs layer can be retrieved using a magnetic field. The targeting and MNPs retrieval tests validate the drug delivery and MNPs retrieval ability of the microrobot. The ex vivo bovine vitreous and in vitro cell tests demonstrate the potential for the vitreous migration of the microrobot and the therapeutic effect against retinoblastoma Y79 cancer cells. This bilayer hydrogel sheet-type intraocular microrobot provides a new drug delivery paradigm that overcomes the limitations of microrobot by maintaining the advantages of conventional microrobots in delivering drugs to the eye and retrieving MNPs after drug delivery.

In previous studies, we have investigated the relationships between environmental chemicals and health risk based on omics analysis and identified significant biomarkers. Our current findings indicate that hexanal may be an important toxicant of the pulmonary system in epigenetic insights. MicroRNA (miRNA) is an important indicator of biomedical risk assessment and target identification. Hexanal is highly detectable in the exhaled breath of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic inflammatory lung disease. In this study, we aimed to identify hexanal-characterized miRNA-mRNA correlations involved in lung toxicity. Microarray analysis identified 56 miRNAs that commonly changed their expression more than 1.3-fold in three doses (600, 1000, and 1500 ppm) within hexanal-exposed Fischer 344 rats by inhalation, and 226 genes were predicted to be target genes of miRNAs through TargetScan analysis. By integrating analyses of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles, we identified one anti-correlated target gene (Chga; chromogranin A; parathyroid secretory protein 1). Comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) analysis of this gene showed that Chga is involved with several disease categories such as cancer, respiratory tract disease, nervous system disease, and cardiovascular disease. Further research is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of hexanal-responsive toxicologic pathways at the molecular level. This study concludes that our integrated approach to miRNA and mRNA enables us to identify molecular events in disease development induced by hexanal in an in vivo rat model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1909-1921, 2016.

Objective Parents with life-limiting illness anticipate the loss of their parental role and the long-term consequences of their illness on their children. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between parenting concerns, quality of life (QOL), and symptoms of depression and anxiety in parents with advanced cancer who have dependent children. Methods Sixty-three parents diagnosed with a Stage IV solid malignancy completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—General (FACT-G). The Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (social support) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status were assessed as potential covariates. We performed descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression models for depression, anxiety, and QOL measures. Results Mean PCQ score was 2.3 (SD 0.9), reflecting mild to moderate parenting concerns. Average depression and anxiety scores were 6.0 (SD 4.2) and 8.2 (SD 3.9), respectively. PCQ scores were associated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.46, p

Summary Background A needle or an angiocath has been generally used as a route for inserting a guide wire during central venous catheterization. We compared the needle with the angiocath for ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization in pediatric patients concerning accuracy and easiness. Methods One hundred and thirty-two patients aged between 1 day and 5 years were randomized into the needle and the angiocath groups. The study was separately carried out in two age groups: newborns vs infants and children. The primary outcome was time to successful insertion of the guide wire. Secondary outcomes including other time variables (time to 1st successful puncture of the vein, time between 1st successful puncture of the vein and successful insertion of the guide wire, total time to successful central venous catheterization), frequency variables (number of the puncture attempts, number of the guide wire insertion attempts), success rates (1st successful puncture rate, 1st successful guide wire insertion rate), and complications. Results There were no statistically significant differences in time and frequency variables, success rates, and complications between both the age groups. Time to 1st successful puncture of the vein (36.8 ± 31.7 vs 19.8 ± 27.1 s; 95% CI of mean difference 2.2–31.8; P = 0.03) and number of puncture attempts (1.6 ± 0.7 vs 1.3 ± 0.8; P = 0.02) were significantly greater in newborns with the needle, whereas with the angiocath, the number of puncture attempts was larger in newborns than in infants and children (1.7 ± 1.2 vs 1.2 ± 0.7; P = 0.02). Conclusion The angiocath showed no superiority over the needle for ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization in pediatric patients. Regardless of the needle or the angiocath, puncture of the vein was more difficult in newborns than in infants and children.

Advance care planning is defined as a process in which patients and family members (or surrogate decision makers) anticipate and discuss future health states and treatment options (Kolarik, Arnold, Fischer, & Tulsky, 2002). Early efforts in advance care planning were focused on helping patients to make decisions about endof- life care in advance and to document those decisions (Houben, Spruit, Groenen, Wouters, & Janssen, 2014). More recently, efforts are evolving away from a focus on making decisions in advance and instead are focused on preparing surrogates to make in-the-moment judgments (Sudore & Fried, 2010).Numerous interventions to improve advance care planning and end-of-life communication have been tested over the past decades (Daly et al., 2010; Luckett et al., 2014; Scheunemann, McDevitt, Carson, & Hanson, 2011). However, it is difficult to find details about those interventions in research reports, including published study protocols. As a consequence, much of the information necessary for replication research and translation in clinical settings is inaccessible (Conn, 2012; Glasziou, Meats, Heneghan, & Shepperd, 2008; Hoffmann, Erueti, & Glasziou, 2013). This problem is far more common in reports of nonpharmacological (e.g., psychosocial and educational interventions) studies than in drug trials and has been recognized as a serious barrier to moving the science forward, improving the efficiency of research funding, and promoting the uptake of research findings in clinical practice (Conn, 2012; Glasziou et al., 2008). The purpose of this article is to provide details of a theory-guided advance care planning intervention, sharing the patient's illness representations to increase trust (SPIRIT), designed to prepare patients with serious illness and their chosen surrogate decision makers for end-of-life decision making.The SPIRIT InterventionThe following description of SPIRIT relies on an intervention description checklist by Conn (2012), the Intervention Taxonomy (ITAX) from Schulz, Czaja, McKay, Ory, and Belle (2010), and relevant segments of Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Table 1 presents a summary of the SPIRIT intervention using ITAX.Initial Development and TestingThe SPIRIT intervention has arrived at its present form through several studies (Song, Donovan, et al., 2010; Song, Kirchhoff, Douglas, Ward, & Hammes, 2005; Song et al., 2009). Initially, the intervention was tested and found efficacious with non-Hispanic Caucasians with serious heart disease (Song et al., 2005). Then two pilot studies were conducted to evaluate the applicability of the intervention to other racial/ethnic populations with serious kidney disease (Song, Donovan, et al., 2010; Song et al., 2009). These two studies enrolled African Americans on chronic dialysis and their surrogates.While initial efficacy was demonstrated in these pilot studies, participants' feedback about the intervention revealed that it needed to be more sensitive to African Americans and their culture in that the intervention should address spiritual or religious concerns about illness and end-of-life care and that care should be taken to use language that would be understandable for people with fewer years of formal education. The intervention was modified to address these concerns and then tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) where SPIRIT was superior to usual care in improving preparation for end-of-life decisionmaking and bereavement outcomes (Song et al., in press.GoalsThe SPIRIT intervention was designed to prepare patients and chosen surrogate decision makers for endof- life decision making with the following components: (a) assisting the patient in surrogate determination, (b) two sessions of a theory-guided SPIRIT discussion to enhance communication about end-of life care between the patient and chosen surrogate and to prepare surrogates for surrogate decision making, and (c) documenting the patient's end-of-life care preferences and surrogate designation and communicating them to the treating healthcare providers. …

Despite the high prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients receiving chronic dialysis, there has been inadequate attention to patient-related barriers to management of depressive symptoms, such as factors identified by these patients as contributing to their symptoms, and how they responded to the symptoms. Participants (N = 210) in an ongoing longitudinal observational study of multidimensional quality of life in patients receiving chronic dialysis completed a battery of measures monthly for 12 months. For each patient at each measurement point, an event report was generated if he or she scored outside of the normal range on the depressive symptom scale (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Short Form [CESD-SF] ≥10) or expressed suicidal ideation. Of the 210 participants, 100 (47.6%) had a CESD-SF score ≥10 at least once resulting in 290 event reports. Of these 100 participants, 15 (15%) had also reported suicidal ideation in addition to having depressive symptoms. The most frequently stated contributing factors included "managing comorbid conditions and complications" (56 event reports, 19.3%), "being on dialysis" (50, 17.2%), "family or other personal issues" (37, 12.8%), and "financial difficulties" (31, 10.7%). On 11 event reports (3.8%) participants had been unaware of their depressive symptoms. On 119 event reports (41%) participants reported that they discussed these symptoms with their dialysis care providers or primary care providers, while on 171 event reports (59%) symptoms were not discussed with their health-care providers. The prevalence of depressive symptoms is high and many patients lack knowledge about effective self-management strategies.

Baseline assessments and repeated measures are an essential part of educational and psychosocial intervention trials, but merely measuring an outcome of interest can modify that outcome, either by the measurement process alone or by interacting with the intervention to strengthen or weaken the intervention effects. Assessment effects can result in biased estimates of intervention effects and may not be controlled by the usual two-group randomized controlled trial design. In this paper, we review the concept of assessment effects and other related phenomena, briefly describe study designs that estimate assessment effects separately from intervention effects and discuss their strengths and limitations, review evidence regarding the strength of assessment effects in intervention trials targeting behavior change, and discuss implications for intervention research.

Background High-resolution manometry using the Chicago classification, which utilizes parameters including integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), distal contractile integral (DCI), and contractile front velocity (CFV), shows better diagnostic ability than previous conventional criteria. However, the current normal cut-off values for the Chicago classification are based on individuals aged 19–48 years and do not include older people. Here, we aimed to assess the normal values for the Chicago classification in individuals aged 20–67 years and compare the parameters across age groups. Methods Fifty-four asymptomatic healthy individuals (27 male and 27 female; age range. 20–67 years) were prospectively enrolled. To evaluate the effect of age and sex on manometric profiles, we attempted to enroll equal numbers of male and female subjects for each decade. Manometry was performed in both the supine and sitting positions. Key Results The distal latency (DL) was significantly shorter with increasing age in both measurement positions. Furthermore, IRP was significantly higher with increasing age in both positions. Spearman's ranked correlation coefficient analysis indicated that DCI and IRP in both positions were positively correlated with age. Conclusions & Inferences Age affects the key parameters currently used in the Chicago classification, including IRP, DCI, and DL. Larger prospective studies with older subjects are needed to determine the age-related normal values for the Chicago classification system.

Subjective cognitive impairment negatively affects daily functioning, health-related quality of life, and health care consumption, and is predictive of future cognitive decline in many patient populations. However, no subjective measures of multidimensional cognitive functioning have been evaluated for dialysis patients. Our purposes were to examine (1) the association between patient-reported (subjective) cognitive functioning and objective cognitive functioning and (2) the relationships between subjective and objective cognitive functioning and everyday functioning of dialysis patients. We used baseline data from an ongoing longitudinal observational study of trajectories in dialysis patients' multidimensional quality of life. One hundred thirty-five patients completed a telephone-based neuropsychological battery (Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone, a measure of objective cognitive functioning), a measure of subjective cognitive functioning (Patient's Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory), and measures of everyday functioning (Activities of Daily Living [ADL] and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living [IADL] scales). After controlling for age and education, there was a modest correlation (r = 0.33, P > 0.001) between subjective and objective cognitive functioning. Multivariate logistic regression models showed subjective, but not objective, cognitive functioning was a significant predictor of both ADLs and IADLs. The findings suggest the potential clinical value of subjective measures of cognitive functioning, not to replace objective measures or diagnostic tests, but rather to optimize the meaningfulness of clinical assessment and management.

Gd-doped ceria nanopowders were synthesized using Radio Frequency (RF) thermal plasma. The powders were prepared by ball-milling Gd2O3 and CeO2 powders of several tens of μm in size at the cation ratio of 8:2 and 9:1. The prepared precursors were treated by RF thermal plasma at a plate power level of ~140 kVA, and then, small-sized powders (~50 nm) were retrieved by filtration. Transmission Electron Microscopy, Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy, and Selected-Area Electron-Diffraction images of the as-synthesized powders showed that Gd atoms were incorporated into the CeO2 particles. In addition, no crystalline peak for Gd2O3 appeared in the X-ray diffraction patterns of the as-synthesized powders, which is attributed to the solid solution of Gd3+ into the CeO2 lattices. Finally, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry analysis data revealed relatively small changes within 3 at.% in the cation composition between the ball milled powder mixtures and the nanoscale powders prepared from these mixtures.

Hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), an essential transcriptional factor, is negatively regulated by two different types of oxygen and Fe(2+) -dependent HIF hydroxylases, proline hydroxylase (PHD) and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH), under normoxia. Iron chelators have therefore been used for inducing HIF-1α expression by inhibiting the hydroxylases. In this study, the iron chelators displayed differential effects for PHD and FIH in cells depending on their iron specificity and membrane permeability rather than their in vitro potencies. The membrane permeability of the strict Fe(2+) -chelator potentially inhibited both hydroxylases, whereas the membrane impermeable one showed no inhibitory effect in cells. In contrast, the depletion of the extracellular Fe(3+) ion was mainly correlated to PHD inhibition, and the membrane permeable one elicited low efficacy for both enzymes in cells. The 3'-hydroxyl group of quercetin, a natural flavonoid, was critical for inhibition of intracellular hydroxylases. Since the 3'-methylation of quercetin is induced by catechol-O-methyl transferase, the enzyme may regulate the intracellular activity of quercetin. These data suggest that the multiple factors of iron-chelators may be responsible for regulating the intracellular activity HIF hydroxylases.

We studied the altitudinal patterns of plant species richness and examined the effects of geometric constraints, area, and climatic factors on the observed richness patterns along the ridge of the Baekdudaegan Mountains, South Korea. Rapoport’s altitudinal rule was evaluated by examining the relationship between altitudinal range size and midpoint. We also examined the latitudinal effect on species richness. Plant data were collected from 1,100 plots along a 200–1,900 m altitudinal gradient along the ridge of the Baekdudaegan. A total of 802 plant species from 97 families and 342 genera were found. The altitudinal patterns of plant species richness along the ridge of the Baekdudaegan depicted distinctly hump-shaped patterns, although the absolute altitudes of the richness peaks vary somewhat among plant groups. While the mid-domain effect (MDE) was the most powerful explanatory variable in simple regression models, species richness was also associated with climatic factors, especially mean annual precipitation (MAP) and temperature (MAT) in multiple regression models. The relative importance of the MDE and climatic factors were different among plant groups. The MDE was more important for woody plants and for large-ranged species, whereas climatic factors were better predictors for total and herbaceous plants and for small-ranged species. Rapoport’s altitudinal rule and a latitudinal effect on species richness were not supported. Our study suggests that a combined interaction of the MDE and climatic factors influences species richness patterns along the altitudinal gradient of the Baekdudaegan Mountains, South Korea.

Although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic and have been extensively studied with regard to tumor formation, few studies have investigated the involvement of these environmental chemicals in tumor migration and invasion. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activate MAPK signal transduction. The p38 signaling transduction pathway, one of the most typical MAPK pathways, plays an essential role in regulating cell migration. Therefore, we investigated whether three PAHs, benzo[a]anthracene (B[a]A), benzo[k]fluoranthene (B[k]F), and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene (IND), induce migration in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 through ROS-mediated p38 MAPK signal transduction. Reactive oxygen species generation and p38 MAPK activity both increased in a dose-dependent manner and were prevented by SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger. Expression of migration-related genes was also increased by B[a]A, B[k]F, and IND in a dose-dependent manner and was inhibited by SB203580 and NAC. The migration of HepG2 cells, observed using the Transwell migration assay, also increased in a dose-dependent manner and was prevented by SB203580 and NAC. Our results indicate that the ROS-mediated p38 MAPK signaling pathway plays an essential role in the PAH-induced migration of HepG2 cells. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1636–1644)

Background Use of total laboratory automation (TLA) system has expanded to microbiology and hemostasis and upgraded to second and third generations. We herein report the first successful upgrades and fusion of different versions of the TLA system, thus improving laboratory turnaround time (TAT). Methods A 21-day schedule was planned from the time of pre-meeting to installation and clinical sample application. We analyzed the monthly TAT in each menu, distribution of the "out of range for acceptable TAT" samples, and "prolonged time out of acceptable TAT," before and after the upgrade and fusion. Results We installed and customized hardware, middleware, and software. The one-way CliniLog 2.0 version track, 50.0-m long, was changed to a 23.2-m long one-way 2.0 version and an 18.7-m long two-way 4.0 version. The monthly TAT in the outpatient samples, before and after upgrading the TLA system, were uniformly satisfactory in the chemistry and viral marker menus. However, in the tumor marker menu, the target TAT (98.0% of samples ≤60 minutes) was not satisfied during the familiarization period. There was no significant difference in the proportion of "out of acceptable TAT" samples, before and after the TLA system upgrades (7.4‰ and 8.5‰). However, the mean "prolonged time out of acceptable TAT" in the chemistry samples was significantly shortened to 17.4 (±24.0) minutes after the fusion, from 34.5 (±43.4) minutes. Conclusions Despite experimental challenges, a fusion of the TLA system shortened the "prolonged time out of acceptable TAT," indicating a distribution change in overall TAT.

This randomized controlled trial tested an intervention, Sharing Patients’ Illness Representations to Increase Trust (SPIRIT), designed to enhance communication regarding end-of-life care between African Americans with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and their chosen surrogate decision makers (N = 58 dyads). We used surveys and semi-structured interviews to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of SPIRIT on patient and surrogate outcomes at 1 week and 3 months post-intervention. We also evaluated patients’ deaths and surrogates’ end-of-life decision making to assess surrogates’ perceptions of benefits and limitations of the SPIRIT while facing end-of-life decisions. We found that SPIRIT promoted communication between patients and their surrogates and was effective and well received by the participants.

Objective To determine whether CD40 ligation of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) is able to induce RANKL expression and osteoclastogenesis in RASFs, and to identify its mechanism of action in patients with RA. Methods CD40 of RASFs was ligated with CD40 ligand (CD40L)–transfected L cells or activated T cells. The formation of osteoclasts in cocultures of CD40-ligated RASFs and T lymphocyte–depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, detection of calcitonin receptor, and resorption pit formation assay. The expression of NF-κB, IκBα, ERK-1/2, phospho-ERK-1/2, p38, phospho-p38, and RANKL was examined by immunoblotting and/or semiquantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Results CD40 ligation of RASFs by CD40L-transfected L cells or activated T cells induced RANKL expression and enhanced osteoclastogenesis. CD40 ligation of RASFs also induced activation of ERK-1/2, p38 MAPK, and NF-κB and up-regulation of CD40 ligation–induced RANKL expression, whereas osteoclastogenesis was reduced in RASFs transfected with a dominant-negative mutant of IκBα or by an NF-κB inhibitor. However, specific inhibitors of MAPK/ERK-1/2 and p38 MAPK partially blocked the induction of RANKL expression and osteoclastogenesis. Monoclonal antibodies against interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor α partially inhibited CD40 ligation–mediated osteoclastogenesis. Conclusion These results indicate that CD40 ligation of RASFs induces RANKL expression mainly via NF-κB activation and also results in enhanced osteoclast formation, both of which might play important roles in bone and cartilage destruction in RA. Inhibition of the CD40–CD40L interaction is a potential strategy for the prevention of bone damage in RA.

Biodegradable poly(1,2-propanediol succinate) and poly(1,3-propanediol succinate) were synthesized using 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol with succinic anhydride, respectively. The synthesized polymers were identified by NMR spectrometry and FT-IR spectrophotometry. The weight average molecular weights were 8,900 in poly(1,2-propanediol succinate) and 8,600 in poly(1,3-propanediol succinate), respectively. The biodegradation behavior of polymers in microorganisms was studied by using a modified ASTM method. These polyesters were degraded to lower molecular weight compounds depending on hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity. The quantitative determination of carbon dioxide, generated during the treatment with the activated sludge, showed that poly(1,3-propanediol succinate) was biodegraded faster than poly(1,2-propanediol succinate). The biodegradation ability of the polymers by Aspergillus niger was monitored to check the molecular weights using GPC and to check the crystallinity change of the polymers using DSC. Based upon the visual observation of the biodegraded polymers, the crystalline structure of poly(1,2-propanediol succinate) apparently retained its crystallinity longer than the similar structure in poly(1,3-propanediol succinate).

The continuous production of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) filaments was studied by the direct roll forming of nascent reactor powders followed by subsequent multistage orientation drawing below their melting points. The UHMWPE reactor powders used in this study were prepared by the polymerization of ethylene in the presence of soluble magnesium complexes, and they exhibited high yield even at low reaction temperatures. The unique, microporous powder morphology contributed to the successful compaction of the UHMWPE powders into coherent tapes below their melting temperatures. The small-angle X-ray scattering study of the compacted tapes revealed that folded-chain crystals with a relatively long-range order were formed during the compaction and were transformed into extended-chain crystals as the draw ratio increased. Our results also reveal that the drawability and tensile and thermal properties of the filaments depended sensitively on both the polymerization and solid-state processing conditions. The fiber drawn to a total draw ratio of 90 in the study had a tensile strength of 2.5 GPa and a tensile modulus of 130 GPa. Finally, the solid-state drawn UHMWPE filaments were treated with O2 plasma, and the enhancement of the interfacial shear strength by the surface treatment is presented. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 718–730, 2005

New polyesters were synthesized using Krebs cycle acids. Poly(1,4-butanediol dilactate succinate)(PBDS) and poly(1,4-butanediol dilactate 2-acetoxy succinate)(PBDAS) were prepared by the polycondensation of 1,4-butanediol dilactate with succinic anhydride and 2-acetoxy succinic acid, respectively. Poly(1,4-butanediol succinate)(PBS) was also synthesized from 1,4-butanediol and succinic anhydride. PBS/PBDS and PBS/PBDAS blends were prepared by the method of solvent casting. The effects of crystallization time and temperature onto melting behavior of PBS/PBDS and PBS/PBDAS blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The compatibility of each blend system was discussed using equilibrium melting point depressions. The biodegradation behavior was studied using PBS, PBDS, and PBDAS as the sole carbon source by Aspergillus niger. The molecular weights of the polymers which were obtained from GPC analysis decreased after degradation in five weeks.