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In this study, the authors are interested in estimating how much a PV system underperforms than expected by exploiting forecast uncertainty. For this, they first study a forecast accuracy-related forecast uncertainty metric using the ensemble method based on the dropout technique, which is widely used in deep learning forecasting models. Given the forecast accuracy-related uncertainty metric, the rationale of the authors' approach is that forecast accuracy is likely to decrease compared to the normal case of similar uncertainty metric values if any performance degradation happens. It is because similar uncertainty metric values are likely to show similar forecast accuracy. Therefore, they generate a standard table by simulating possible performance degradation cases and conduct the performance degradation diagnosis by looking up the standard table based on the uncertainty metric. From the experiments, in the case of persistent degradation, they show that their approach estimates the performance degradation with the estimation error of around 1% while an uncertainty-unaware approach shows the estimation error of up to 5%. In the case of temporal degradation, their approach shows the estimation error of around 3%, while the uncertainty-unaware approach does not show meaningful result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic retinopathies and optic neuropathies are important causes of vision loss. The neuroprotective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) in ischemic neuronal injury and the expression of EPO and its receptor in retinal tissue have been well documented. However, the exact regulatory mechanism of EPO expression in retinal ischemia still remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of cystine/glutamate antiporter (system xc-) in the regulation of astrocytic EPO expression by using both in vitro and in vivo models. Under hypoxia, the expression of astrocytic system xc- is up-regulated both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of system xc- resulted in depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH) and decrement of GSH disulfide ratios in human brain astrocytes (HBAs). In HBAs, hypoxia-induced stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor (Hif)-2a is nearly completely abolished by inhibition of system xc-. Hypoxia-induced up-regulation of astrocytic EPO expression is suppressed by both pharmacological inhibition and siRNA-mediated knockdown of system xc-. In contrast, basal EPO expression under normoxia is not affected by system xc- modulation. In summary, under hypoxia, increased system xc- acts as the major source of intracellular GSH, which helps in stabilizing Hif-2a and subsequent up-regulation of EPO in astrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is designed for use as a 12 V power clamp by using a parasitic-diode-triggered silicon controlled rectifier. The breakdown voltage and trigger voltage (Vt) of the proposed ESD protection circuit are improved by varying the length between the n-well and the p-well, and by adding n+/p+ floating regions. Moreover, the holding voltage (Vh) is improved by using segmented technology. The proposed circuit was fabricated using a 0.18-μm bipolar-CMOS-DMOS process with a width of 100 μm. The electrical characteristics and robustness of the proposed ESD circuit were analyzed using transmission line pulse measurements and an ESD pulse generator. The electrical characteristics of the proposed circuit were also analyzed at high temperature (300 K to 500 K) to verify thermal performance. After optimization, the Vt of the proposed circuit increased from 14 V to 27.8 V, and Vh increased from 5.3 V to 13.6 V. The proposed circuit exhibited good robustness characteristics, enduring human-body-model surges at 7.4 kV and machine-model surges at 450 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicochemical and structural properties of starch from orange- and purple-fleshed sweet potatoes were investigated and compared to those of typical white-fleshed sweet potatoes. Slight differences were found in the proximate composition and amylose content of the starch from colored sweet potatoes. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that the sweet potato starch granules were round and polygonal. The average granule size of the starch isolated from orangefleshed sweet potatoes was higher than those from white- and purple-fleshed sweet potatoes. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that all the starch samples exhibited C-type crystallinity near A-type. The swelling power and solubility of starch from orange- and purple-fleshed sweet potatoes were greater than those from white sweet potatoes. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the enthalpy of starch from white sweet potatoes was greater than that of the other types of sweet potato. Starch from different colored sweet potatoes exhibited somewhat different RVApasting properties. Structural analysis such as molecular size distribution and branch chain length showed minimal structural differences among the starch samples from colored sweet potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the design and analysis of an anti-phase pendulum motion-based electromagnetic energy harvester. The proposed energy harvester consists of a magnet-based pendulum, a coil-based pendulum, shaft, connecting rod, and housing. Two pendulums were connected in parallel, which can move in anti-phase motion, using a rotatable connecting rod. Mechanical, electrical, and magnetic behaviours were investigated through the simulations (MATLAB, ANSYS Maxwell) and experiments. The anti-phase pendulum motion can reduce the induction time. This phenomenon has the effect of improving the output voltage of the electromagnetic induction, which is experimentally verified. Experimental results demonstrated that the induction time is shortened by 21%, and the output power showed a 37% increase compared with the single-phase pendulum motion. The dependence of the output on the input conditions was also investigated extensively in terms of the frequency, displacement, mass, and electrical load resistance. The maximum output power of 247 μW was obtained at anti-phase pendulum motion. In addition, the proposed anti-phase motion phenomenon can be used effectively to improve the output voltage of an electromagnetic induction-based energy harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the implementation of a real-time holographic camera, fast and automatic holographic image reconstruction is an essential technology. In this paper, we propose a new automatic depth-detection algorithm for fast holography reconstruction, which is particularly useful for optical scanning holography. The proposed algorithm is based on the inherent phase difference information in the heterodyne signals, and operates without any additional optical or electrical components. An optical scanning holography setup was created using a heterodyne frequency of 4 MHz with a 500-mm distance and 5-mm depth resolution. The reconstruction processing time was measured to be 0.76 s, showing a 62% time reduction compared to a recent study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a hybrid sensor calibration scheme for mobile crowdsensing applications. As the number of newly produced mobile devices containing embedded sensors continues to rise, the potential to use mobile devices as a sensor data source increases. However, because mobile device sensors are generally of a lower performance and cost than dedicated sensors, sensor calibration is crucial. To enable more accurate measurements of natural phenomena through the use of mobile device sensors, we propose a hybrid sensor calibration scheme for such sensors; the scheme makes use of mobile device sensors and existing sensing infrastructure, such as weather stations, to obtain dense data. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme supports low mean square errors. As a practical application of our proposed scheme, we built a temperature map of a city using six mobile phone sensors and six reference sensors. Thanks to the mobility of the sensors and the proposed scheme, our map presents more detailed information than infrastructure-based measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common resonant-based vibration energy harvester effectively converts mechanical vibration to electrical power when an ambient excitation frequency matches the specific resonant frequency of the device. The resonant frequencies of energy harvesters are generally fixed during the design process and cannot be changed after fabrication. Therefore frequency tuning technology that allows for operation in a wide frequency range is desirable for a vibration energy harvester. In this study, the authors proposed a novel frequency tuning design of vibration-driven energy harvester, which used electromagnetic conversion. The proposed frequency tuning method uses a rotatable spring in order to adjust the spring constant. Through this tuning method, the resonant frequency of the harvester can be manipulated simply by rotating the spring. The proposed tuning-based energy harvester has been successfully tuned to have a resonant frequency from 23 to 32 Hz. These test results agree with the ANSYS analysis presented. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed energy harvester can generate a maximum power output of 60 µW with an acceleration of 0.5 g (1 g = 9.81 m/s²). When the proposed harvester was attached to an automobile engine, a maximum open-circuit voltage of 1.78 Vpp was produced at 700 RPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers comments of people on the creation of an international epilepsy day to raise awareness about epilepsy, in response to a letter by doctor M.A. Aleem published in this journal. It mentions the European Epilepsy Day organized by the Commission on European Affairs of the International League Against Epilepsy since 2011, the project Global Campaign Against Epilepsy which aims to improve global awareness, and the support for the day from the tuberous sclerosis complex community.

To realize copper-based electrode materials for printed electronics applications, it is necessary to improve the adhesion strength between conductive lines and the substrate. Here, we report the preparation of Cu pastes using (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) prepolymer as an adhesion promoter (AP). The Cu pastes were screen-printed on glass and polyimide (PI) substrates and sintered at high temperatures (> 250 °C) under a formic acid/N2 environment. According to the adhesion strengths and electrical conductivities of the sintered Cu films, the optimized Cu paste was composed of 1.0 wt % GPTMS prepolymer, 83.6 wt % Cu powder and 15.4 wt % vehicle. After sintering at 400 °C on a glass substrate and 275 °C on a PI substrate, the Cu films showed the sheet resistances of 10.0 mΩ/sq. and 5.2 mΩ/sq., respectively. Furthermore, the sintered Cu films exhibit excellent adhesion properties according to the results of the ASTM-D3359 standard test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new process to fabricate a composite LSCF-Ag cathode material for SOFCs by electron beam (e-beam) irradiation process has been suggested for operation under intermediate temperature range of 600-700 °C. A composite LSCF-Ag cathode with uniformly coated Ag nanoparticles on the surface of the LSCF material was prepared by a facile e-beam irradiation method at room temperature. The morphology of the composite LSCF-Ag material was analyzed using a TEM, FE-SEM, and EDS. The prepared composite LSCF-Ag material can play a significant role in increasing the electro-catalytic activities and reducing the operating temperature of SOFCs. The performance of a tubular single cell prepared using the composite LSCF-Ag cathode, YSZ electrolyte and a Ni/YSZ anode was evaluated at reduced operating temperature of 600-700 °C. The micro-structure and chemical composition of the single cell were investigated using a FE-SEM and EDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and in vivo evaluation of 5-methoxy-2-(phenylethynyl)quinoline (MPEQ) 3 as a potential mGluR5 selective radioligand is described. We have identified MPEQ 3 exhibiting the analgesic effect in the neuropathic pain animal model. The effect of mGluR5 on neuronal activity in rat brain was evaluated through FDG/PET imaging in the presence of MPEQ 3. In addition, the PET study of [11C]MPEQ 3 proved that accumulation of [11C]MPEQ 3 in rat brain was correlated to the localization of the mGluR5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial dysfunction is defined as impairment of the balance between endothelium-dependent vasodilation and constriction. Despite evidence ofuric acid-induced endothelial dysfunction, a relationship with insulin resistance has not been clearly established. In this study, we investigated the role of vascular insulin resistance in uric acid-induced endothelial dysfunction. Uric acid inhibited insulin-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and NO production more substantially than endothelin-1 expression in HUVECs, with IC50 of 51.0, 73.6, and 184.2, respectively. Suppression of eNOS phosphorylation and NO production by uric acid was PI3K/Akt-dependent, as verified by the transfection with p110. Treatment of rats with the uricase inhibitor allantoxanamide induced mild hyperuricemia and increased mean arterial pressure by 25%. While hyperuricemic rats did not show systemic insulin resistance, they showed impaired vasorelaxation induced by insulin by 56%. A compromised insulin response in terms of the Akt/eNOS pathway was observed in the aortic ring of hyperuricemic rats. Coadministration with allopurinol reduced serum uric acid levels and blood pressure and restored the effect of insulin on Akt-eNOS pathway and vasorelaxation. Taken together, uric acid induced endothelial dysfunction by contributing to vascular insulin resistance in terms of insulin-induced NO production, potentially leading to the development of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) usually represents a transitional phase between normal cognitive function and dementia, but not all people with MCI develop dementia because MCI is a clinically and etiologically heterogeneous grouping. The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical subtypes of MCI and severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) were associated with progression of MCI to dementia. Method: Our study cohort consisted of 840 patients aged 55 years or older who had a diagnosis of MCI at their baseline visit and had at least one follow-up contact after baseline. Results: The results of the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model analysis revealed that both multiple domain amnestic MCI with WMH and multiple domain amnestic MCI without WMH were a significantly more likely to progress to dementia in comparison with patients with non-amnestic MCI. Logistic regression analyses showed that PWMH (periventricular white matter hyperintensities), not the deep white matter hyperintensities, was significantly associated with incident dementia. Conclusions: This study showed that mdMCI + a (−NL or -WMH) are more associated with progression to dementia. We also found that increasing severity of PWMH, not deep white matter hyperintensities, was significantly associated with incident dementia, independently of subtype of MCI. It suggests that both mdMCI + a and PWMH are good prognostic factors of progression to dementia in MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and observers interested in state politics research--whether single-state analyses, cross-state comparisons, or longitudinal analyses--have greatly benefited from the increasing availability of online legislative data. However, data collections and search capabilities are not comprehensive, nor are they similar across the states. This paper provides an overview of state online legislative resources and their capacity to facilitate Internet research. We examine the search engines, results interfaces, and archival records of states' websites in 2008 and 2010. In addition to substantial differences in site appearance, hierarchical structure, terminology, and navigation, we find wide variation along three main dimensions: (1) the number of years of searchable sessions; (2) the initial search filter fields; and (3) the information immediately available on the results pages. By creating an index based on these dimensions, we rank the states, discuss overall levels of capacity and access, and note changes over time. This analysis will facilitate scholarly research by assessing the availability and limitations of state online legislative resources, particularly for projects with comparative and longitudinal dimensions. It may also guide state legislative webmasters seeking to improve their websites through standardization and enhanced functionality. Last, the index may be useful as an independent variable for researchers seeking to measure the transparency of state legislatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-real-time delivery of stereoscopic video has been considered as a service scenario for 3DTV to overcome the limited bandwidth in the terrestrial digital television system. A hybrid codec combining MPEG-2 and H.264/AVC has been suggested for the compression of stereoscopic video for 3DTV. In this paper, we propose a stereoscopic video coding scheme using adaptive pre-/post-filters (APPF) to improve the quality of 3D video while retaining compatibility with legacy video coding standards. The APPF are applied adaptively to blocks of various sizes determined by the macroblock coding mode and reference frame index. Experiment results show that the proposed method achieves up to 24.86% bit rate savings relative to a hybrid codec of MPEG-2 and H.264/AVC including the inter-view prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the introduction and expansion of collective bargaining, minimum wages and unemployment and in-work benefits, low pay is increasingly common in the Republic of Korea. This is at odds with much of the literature - including the ILO's Global Wage Report 2010/11 - which suggests that protective policies will curb low pay. Focusing on the Republic of Korea, the authors examine this intriguing paradox and conclude that while the appropriate policy "menu" was implemented, its effectiveness was limited by incomplete coverage and insufficient benefit levels. They suggest this disappointing situation represents not only a labour market failure, but also a policy failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Simple, more sensitive markers to predict spontaneous preterm delivery in preterm labour are needed. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical effectiveness of various serum inflammatory markers and cervix length for prediction of spontaneous preterm delivery. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 175 patients hospitalized for preterm labour (102 with preterm delivery and 73 with term delivery). For all study subjects, haematological markers and cervix length were recorded on admission. Because neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) showed the potential as a diagnostic marker, we designed a combined marker by dividing cervix length by NLR. The diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of the combined marker was analysed using multivariate analyses. Results The levels of combined marker (P < 0·001), neutrophil (P < 0·001), lymphocyte (P = 0·02), NLR (P < 0·001), C-reactive protein (P = 0·016) and the cervix length (P < 0·001) in preterm delivery group were significantly different from those of term delivery group. Compared to cervix length or systemic inflammatory markers alone, combined marker showed higher sensitivity (64·2%) and specificity (88·3%) for prediction of preterm delivery. On Cox multivariate analysis, combined marker positive (< 0·29) and short cervix length (< 1·7 cm) were independent poor prognostic factors and combined marker positive was the most powerful prognostic marker for spontaneous preterm delivery (hazard ratio = 5·60, P < 0·001). Conclusions Combined marker could be used as a simple and sensitive parameter for identifying women at risk of spontaneous preterm delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract and composition of the microbiota may be influenced by components of the diet, including trace elements. To understand how selenium regulates the intestinal microflora, we used high-throughput sequencing to examine the composition of gut microbiota of mice maintained on selenium-deficient, selenium-sufficient, and selenium-enriched diets. The microbiota diversity increased as a result of selenium in the diet. Specific phylotypes showed differential effects of selenium, even within a genus, implying that selenium had unique effects across microbial taxa. Conventionalized germ-free mice subjected to selenium diets gave similar results and showed an increased diversity of the bacterial population in animals fed with higher levels of selenium. Germ-free mice fed selenium diets modified their selenoproteome expression similar to control mice but showed higher levels and activity of glutathione peroxidase 1 and methionine-R-sulfoxide reductase 1 in the liver, suggesting partial sequestration of selenium by the gut microorganisms, limiting its availability for the host. These changes in the selenium status were independent of the levels of other trace elements. The data show that dietary selenium affects both composition of the intestinal microflora and colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, which, in turn, influence the host selenium status and selenoproteome expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several engineered selenocysteine (Sec)-containing glutaredoxins (Grxs) and their enzymatic properties have been reported, but natural selenoprotein Grxs have not been previously characterized. We expressed a bacterial selenoprotein Grx from Clostridium sp. (also known as Alkaliphilus oremlandii) OhILAs in Escherichia coli and characterized this selenoenzyme and its natural Cys homologues in Clostridium and E. coli. The selenoprotein Grx had a 200-fold higher activity than its Sec-to-Cys mutant form, suggesting that Sec is essential for catalysis by this thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase. Kinetic analysis also showed that the selenoprotein Grx had a 10-fold lower K than Cys homologues. Interestingly, this selenoenzyme efficiently reduced a Clostridium selenoprotein methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA), suggesting that it is the natural reductant for the protein that is not reducible by thioredoxin, a common reductant for Cys-containing MsrAs. We also found that the selenoprotein Grx could not efficiently reduce a Cys version of Clostridium MsrA, whereas natural Clostridium and E. coli Cys-containing Grxs, which efficiently reduce Cys-containing MsrAs, poorly acted on the selenoprotein MsrA. This specificity for MsrA reduction could explain why Sec is utilized in Clostridium Grx and more generally provides a novel example of the use of Sec in biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human cadmium (Cd) exposure is associated with cancers of the lung and kidney. Using cDNA microarray analysis, we have recently reported that the expression of E2F1 is reduced by Cd in human lung fibroblasts, indicating the possibility of G1-phase arrest. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of Cd on the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK2) and retinoblastoma protein (Rb) regulatory pathways in WI38 human lung fibroblasts. We demonstrate here that G1-phase accumulation was induced by Cd in WI38 (wild-type for p53 and Rb), but not in the SV40 large T antigen-transformed variant WI38-VA13 (p53- and Rb-defective). Cd-induced cell-cycle arrest was associated with a decrease in CDK2 protein and with increase in p21 expression and p53 phosphorylation. Cd treatment caused a distinct increase in the formation of p21-cyclin E-CDK2 complex, as revealed by immunoprecipitation. The level of Rb-E2F1 complexes was increased, and the translocation of E2F1 to the nucleus was decreased by Cd treatment. Consequently, the transcriptional activity of E2F1 and the expression of the E2F1 target genes were also decreased by Cd. These results clearly demonstrate that Cd-mediated G1 arrest in WI38 cells is associated with the suppression of Rb phosphorylation and with the inhibition of E2F1 transcriptional activity. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 52:145-152, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been shown to have therapeutic potential in ischemic disease. However, the number of EPCs for cell therapy is limited. In this study, instead of the typical adherent culture method, we investigated a more efficient, clinically applicable nonadhesive expansion method for early EPCs using cord blood-derived cells to overcome rapid cellular senescence. After a suspension culture of isolated CD34+ cells in serum-free medium containing each cytokine combination was maintained for 9 d, the number of expanded functional EPCs was assessed by an adherent culture assay. Compared to mononuclear cells, the CD34+ fraction was superior in its expansion of functional EPCs that could differentiate into acLDL/UEA-l+ cells without significant cellular senescence, whereas the CD34+ fraction showed no EPC expansion. Among the cytokine combinations tested for the CD34+ fraction, a combination (SFIb) consisting of stem cell factor (SCF), FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, interleukin-3, and basic fibroblast growth factor resulted in a reproducible 64- to 1468-fold EPC expansion from various cord blood origins. Interestingly, the SFIb combination displayed markedly increased EPC expansion (2.43-fold), with a higher percentage of CD34+ cells (2.17-fold), undifferentiated blasts (2.38-fold) and CXCR4+ cells (1.68-fold) compared to another cytokine combination (SCF, thrombopoietin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor), although the two cytokine combinations had a similar level of total mononucleated cell expansion (-10% difference). Accordingly, the cells expanded in the SFIb combination were more effective in recovery of blood flow and neovascularization in hind-limb ischemia in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that the nonadhesive serum-free culture conditions of the CD34+ fraction provide an effective EPC expansion method for cell therapy, and an expansion condition leading to high percentages of CD34+ cells and blasts is likely important in EPC expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) metastasizes to central lymph node (CLN). CLN metastasis is associated with high risk of locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis. The significance of the number of metastatic CLN has not been addressed. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical implication of the number of metastatic CLN in PTC. Methods: We reviewed the patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and CLN dissection with or without lateral neck dissection due to PTC, from March 2008 to June 2009. The relationships between the number of CLN and risk factors, including age, gender, tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, and lateral lymph node metastasis, were assessed. Patients were divided into three groups according to the number of CLN: group A = 0; group B = 1-2; and group C = ≥3. Results: Of 258 patients enrolled in this study, 113 were in group A, 73 in group B, and 72 in group C. Extrathyroidal extension and lateral neck lymph node metastasis were related to increased rate of CLN metastasis ( P < 0.05). Tumor size increased as the number of CLN increased; group C had the largest tumor size ( P < 0.05). When evaluating the distribution of patients with extrathyroidal extension, group C had a significant odds ratio (4.213, P < 0.05). When evaluating the distribution of lateral neck lymph node metastasis, groups B and C had significant odds ratio (14.353, 75.403, respectively, P < 0.05). Conclusions: The number of CLN metastasis correlated with the negative prognostic factors, including tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, and lateral neck lymph node metastasis. This suggests that the number of CLN has prognostic implication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cho Y-J, Yoon J, Ko Y-S, Kim S-Y, Cho S-J, Kim W-H, Park J-W, Youn H-D, Kim J-H, Lee B-L. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β does not correlate with the expression and activity of β-catenin in gastric cancer. APMIS 2010; 118: 782–90. The regulation of β-catenin activation by glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) in cancer has been shown to be cell type-specific. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between activated GSK-3β (phosphorylated at Tyr216) and β-catenin in gastric cancer. Immunohistochemical tissue array analysis of 278 human gastric carcinoma specimens showed positive immunoreactivity for activated GSK-3β in 44% of the samples, whereas membranous β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin were observed in 19% and 20% of the samples, respectively. However, GSK-3β activation was not correlated with the expression of either membranous β-catenin or nuclear β-catenin. Moreover, SNU gastric cancer cell lines over-expressing kinase dead GSK-3β and the same cells treated with a GSK-3β inhibitor showed that GSK-3β inhibition did not alter either the protein expression or transcriptional activity of β-catenin. In addition, GSK-3β activation was positively correlated with the expressions of anti-adenomatous polyposis coli (p = 0.002), p16 (p < 0.001), p21 (p < 0.001), p27 (p = 0.001), and p53 (p = 0.013). On the other hand, the nuclear expression of β-catenin was positively correlated with those of Bcl-2 (p = 0.025) and cyclin D1 (p = 0.043), but these expressions were not correlated with GSK-3β activation. Thus, the GSK-3β pathway seems to function in gastric cancer cells without involving the β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the wood fiber surface on the crystallization behavior of thermoplastic polymers. Unbleached and bleached kraft pulp fibers were used for this study with 100% polypropylene (PP), 95% PP/5% maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP), and 100% MAPP at 150°C. Nuclei were induced at the ends of the fibers and on damaged surfaces while poor crystallization behavior was observed on the fiber surfaces using 100% PP. Enhanced MAPP induced transcrystallization on the wood fiber surfaces; the nucleation density also increased with the addition of MAPP. Oxygen/carbon (O/C) ratios of smooth surfaces, damaged surfaces, and the ends of wood fibers also indicated that the oxidation process of both wood fiber and thermoplastic polymer affected the crystallization process without MAPP addition. It was observed that the MAPP played a role in increasing numbers of nuclei on the linear fiber surface to induce transcrystallization. Dynamic mechanical properties increased 52% with 100% MAPP compared to the use of 100% PP. Therefore, the increased thickness of transcrystalline layer and nucleation density on the surface of wood fiber positively correlated with the dynamic mechanical properties of wood fiber‐plastic composites. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are germline-encoded innate immune receptors that recognize invading micro-organisms and induce immune and inflammatory responses. Deregulation of TLRs is known to be closely linked to various immune disorders and inflammatory diseases. Cells at sites of inflammation are exposed to hypoxic stress, which further aggravates inflammatory processes. We have examined if hypoxic stress modulates the TLR activity of macrophages. Hypoxia and CoCl2 (a hypoxia mimetic) enhanced the expression of TLR4 messenger RNA and protein in macrophages (RAW264.7 cells), whereas the messenger RNA of other TLRs was not increased. To determine the underlying mechanism, we investigated the role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) in the regulation of TLR4 expression. Knockdown of HIF-1α expression by small interfering RNA inhibited hypoxia-induced and CoCl2-induced TLR4 expression in macrophages, while over-expression of HIF-1α potentiated TLR4 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that HIF-1α binds to the TLR4 promoter region under hypoxic conditions. In addition, deletion or mutation of a putative HIF-1-binding motif in the TLR4 promoter greatly attenuated HIF-1α-induced TLR4 promoter reporter expression. Up-regulation of TLR4 expression by hypoxic stress enhanced the response of macrophages to lipopolysaccharide, resulting in increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6, regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted, and interferon-inducible protein-10. These results demonstrate that TLR4 expression in macrophages is up-regulated via HIF-1 in response to hypoxic stress, suggesting that hypoxic stress at sites of inflammation enhances susceptibility to subsequent infection and inflammatory signals by up-regulating TLR4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly dense, negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor thick films of NiMn2O4 were fabricated on glass substrate by aerosol deposition at room temperature. The nanocrystalline films thus obtained showed superior NTC figure characteristics with a B constant of over 3900 K without heat treatment. With increasing annealing temperature, the film resistivity was gradually decreased due to crystallization and grain growth, but the B constant was maintained over 3500 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although some lymph nodes (upper para-esophageal lymph nodes) that exist between the right recurrent laryngeal nerve and the esophagus should be involved in central-compartment lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer, the procedure can cause some injury to the nerve. We set out to assess the incidence of right upper para-esophageal lymph node metastasis after routine CLND. Records from 123 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with CLND were reviewed. Fourteen of 123 patients exhibited nodal metastasis in right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes. Metastasis of right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes was usually associated with lesions of the right thyroid, comparatively large tumor size (more than 1 cm), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis ( p < 0.05). Right upper para-esophageal lymph nodes should be removed during operation for PTC in patients with lesions of the right thyroid gland, large tumor size, and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a study which exposes earthworm (Eisenia fetida) to sandy soils which are contaminated with arsenate for 28 days. According to the article, lysosomal membrane stability was used as a biomarker to identify the applicability of neutral-red retention times (NRRTs) for arsenic (As) toxicity to earthworm in soils. It notes the possibility of concluding that As has an adverse impact on lysosomal membrane of coelomocytes, and NRRT assay is a potential applicable method to evaluate As toxicity as an early warning tool.

Background First bite syndrome is the development of pain in the parotid region after the first bite of each meal and can be seen after surgery of the parapharyngeal space. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of intraglandular injection of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) in patients with first bite syndrome. Methods Five patients with first bite syndrome developed after head and neck surgery were treated by injection of BTA into parotid gland. All patients completed a 4-item quality-of-life survey with a 10-point response scale designed to measure outcome of intraglandular injection of BTA. Results The first bite syndrome without or with sialogogue and degree of interference with daily activity with or without eating or drinking improved significantly at 1 and 3 month after injection (p < .05). Conclusion The BTA injection into affected parotid gland produces a decrease in the severity of first bite syndrome and improves the patient's quality of life. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and tolerability of topiramate (TPM) as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial epilepsy. This is a retrospective, single-center, long-term observational study. Patients fulfilling the criteria of medical intractability proposed by Berg et al. were entered into the study if they were newly prescribed TPM as add-on therapy between January 2000 and June 2002. The usual starting dosage of TPM was 50 mg/day and optimal-dose adjustments were made according to individual clinical responses. Efficacy and tolerability were analyzed every year during 5-year follow-up in the “intention-to-treat (ITT) population.” Retention rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meyer analysis. A total of 125 patients were included in the study and 107 patients (85.6%) were followed for 5 years. Retention rate was 87.2% at 1 year and 64% at 5 years. At the end of 5 years, the median seizure frequency reduction rate was 69.0% and responder rate was 43.2% in the ITT population. Cumulative seizure-free rate (SFR) was 30.4% and the terminal 1-year SFR was 12.8% in the ITT population (20.0% in completers) at 5-year follow-up. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 39.2% of patients, including significant AEs leading to antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal in 14.4%. The most common AEs were anorexia (16.0%), weight loss (10.4%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (8.8%). Concomitant AEDs were reduced in 25.0% of the completers. Low-dose and slow-dose escalation of TPM in add-on therapy for patients with refractory partial epilepsy is effective and well tolerated in long-term, individualized clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia and inflammation often develop concurrently in numerous diseases, and both hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) are key transcription factors of stress response genes. An NF-κB inhibitor, inhibitor of NF-κBα (IκBα), was found to interact with factor inhibiting HIF (FIH) and to be hydroxylated by FIH. However, FIH did not functionally regulate IκBα, and the consequence of the FIH–IκBα interaction thus remains uncertain. In the present study, we tested the possibility that IκBα regulates FIH. FIH–IκBα binding was confirmed by yeast two-hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation analyses. Functionally, IκBα expression further enhanced the transcriptional activity of HIF-1α under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, IκBα knockdown repressed HIF-1α activity. Mechanistically, IκBα derepressed HIF-1α activity by inhibiting the FIH-mediated Asn803 hydroxylation of HIF-1α. It was also found that IκBα activated HIF-1α by sequestering FIH from HIF-1α. However, the effect of IκBα on HIF-1α activity was only observed in atmospheres containing 1% or more of oxygen. After tumor necrosis factor-α treatment, IκBα downregulation, Asn803 hydroxylation and HIF-1α inactivation all occurred up to 8 h, but subsided later. On the basis of these results, we propose that IκBα plays a positive regulatory role during HIF-1-mediated gene expression. Therefore, IκBα, owing to its interactions with NF-κB and HIF-1α, may play a pivotal role in the crosstalk between the molecular events that underlie inflammatory and hypoxic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palilalia is a relatively rare pathologic speech behavior and has been reported in various neurologic and psychiatric disorders. We encountered a case of palilalia, echolalia, and echopraxia–palipraxia as ictal phenomena of left frontal lobe epilepsy. A 55-year-old, right-handed man was admitted because of frequent episodes of rapid reiteration of syllables. Video-electroencephalography monitoring revealed stereotypical episodes of palilalia accompanied by rhythmic head nodding and right-arm posturing with ictal discharges over the left frontocentral area. He also displayed echolalia or echopraxia–palipraxia, partially responding to an examiner’s stimulus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed encephalomalacia on the left superior frontal gyrus and ictal single photon emission computed tomography showed hyperperfusion just above the lesion, corresponding to the left supplementary motor area (SMA), and subcortical nuclei. This result suggests that the neuroanatomic substrate involved in the generation of these behaviors as ictal phenomena might exist in the SMA of the left frontal lobe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem The aim of this study was to evaluate osteopontin (OPN) mRNA expression in eutopic endometrium and plasma OPN levels in patients with endometriosis. Method of study A total of 79 patients with histologically confirmed endometriosis and 43 patients without endometriosis participated in this study. OPN mRNA expression in endometrial tissues was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and plasma concentrations of OPN were quantified using a specific commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results Osteopontin mRNA expression in endometrial tissue was significantly higher in women with endometriosis than in controls ( P = 0.010). The mean plasma levels of OPN (mean ± S.E.M.) in patients with endometriosis and controls were 407.31 ± 37.80 ng/mL and 165.84 ± 19.29 ng/mL, respectively ( P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for plasma OPN revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.894, with a sensitivity of 93.0%, specificity of 72.4%, positive likelihood ratio of 3.37, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.1 using a cut-off value of 167.68 ng/mL. Conclusion Osteopontin may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and plasma OPN may be a useful non-invasive marker for the diagnosis of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pregabalin (PGB) as adjunctive therapy, using a flexible-dosing schedule in Korean patients with refractory partial-onset seizures. This randomized, double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled trial consists of a 6-week baseline, a 12-week DB treatment, and a 1-week taper phase. Patients having recurrent partial seizures (≥4 seizures during baseline phase) under adequate pharmacotherapy were recruited to be randomized to PGB or placebo (PLC) in a 2 to 1 ratio. Starting dose was 150 mg/day, increased every 2 weeks by 150-mg/day increments up to maximum dose of 600 mg/day. The primary efficacy parameter was response ratio (RRatio) for all partial seizures. A total of 178 patients (119 in PGB, 59 in PLC) were assigned to the study. Median daily doses of PGB and PLC were 367 and 420 mg/day, respectively. RRatio least squares (LS) mean was −35.8 in the PGB group and −23.2 in the PLC group, with estimated difference in RRatios being −12.6 [95% confidence interval (CI): −22.7 to −2.5, p = 0.015] in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population. Analysis of secondary efficacy measures showed a general trend favoring PGB over PLC. Seventy-seven patients (64.7%) in the PGB group and 18 patients (30.5%) in the PLC group developed adverse events (AEs) related to the study drug. Seven patients (5.9%) in the PGB group discontinued the study prematurely because of AEs. In the post hoc analysis, a significant weight gain (≥7% of baseline body weight) was found in 24.8% of patients taking PGB, which was more frequent in patients with a lower body mass index (BMI ≤20). PGB was effective and easily tolerable as add-on treatment in an Asian population with refractory partial-onset seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnostic criteria of asthma--chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) advocated by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)/Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) are somewhat complicated, and limited data are available regarding how ACOS patients respond to current medications.We present a case of a 64-year-old man with ACOS. With features favoring asthma including childhood asthma history with intermittent episodes of dyspnea at night, elevated blood eosinophil count and total IgE, increased forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) after bronchodilator (>200 mL and >12% from baseline), and positive skin prick tests, he also had features favoring COPD such as heavy smoker, persistent exertional dyspnea, and air?ow limitation after inhaled therapy. Over 5-year follow up, our patient experienced a single episode of moderate exacerbation. However, post-bronchodilator FEV1 decreased by 240 mL for 4 years (-60 mL/year) after 1.5 years of treatment, indicating rapid lung function decline. Longitudinal studies are necessary to assess optimal interventions and natural course of ACOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloride and phosphate (PO4) were added to field soils contaminated with arsenic and heavy metals, and Eisenia fetida were inoculated in these treated soils for 70 d. After 28 d, earthworm survival, body weight, and cocoon production were measured. During the exposure period, the accumulation of As and four metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in E. fetida was analyzed. Bulk soils and soil solutions were characterized for the contents of As, metals, organic matter, and major cations and anions; cation exchange capacity; and pH. Although addition of Cl to the soil did not impact As toxicity, it significantly reduced As uptake. The addition of PO4 induced changes in As toxicity and reduced As accumulation even though the As concentration in the soil pore water increased because of the substitution of As by P at soil sorption sites. These results imply that the addition of Cl induced the formation of an As-Cl complex, thereby resulting in decreased As bioavailability; they also imply that monovalent phosphate (H2PO4-) competes with As for uptake through transporter-mediated mechanisms in cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]