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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of ethmoidal and maxillary nerve blocks during rhinoscopy in dogs. Materials and Methods: Fourteen dogs underwent rhinoscopy. Under general anaesthesia with isoflurane, ethmoidal and maxillary nerve blocks were applied bilaterally using 2% lidocaine before rhinoscopy in eight dogs (EM group). Six dogs were premedicated with hydromorphone (0.05 mg/kg) as a substitute for local nerve block (H group). During rhinoscopy, the heart rate, arterial blood pressure and end‐tidal isoflurane concentration were recorded. The vaporizer setting was adjusted to increase the end‐tidal isoflurane concentration when reflex movement was caused by nasal stimulation. Results: The H group, compared to the EM group, had an increase in HR that was 18 beats/minute (95% CI: 11 to 26) higher, an increase in SAP that was 22 mmHg (12 to 31) higher, an increase in MAP that was 15 mmHg (7 to 23) higher, an increase in DAP that was 12 mmHg (5 to 19) higher, and an increase in end‐tidal isoflurane concentration that was 0.4% (0.3 to 0.5) higher. Head movement due to endoscope insertion was observed in 5/6 dogs (83.3%) in the H group and 1/8 dogs (12.5%) in the EM group (odds ratio, 0.029; ra95% CI, 0.001–0.574). Clinical Significance: Compared with administration of 0.05 mg/kg hydromorphone, concurrent block of the ethmoidal and maxillary nerves can reduce the cardiovascular response, reflex movement and anaesthetic requirement during rhinoscopy in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the finite element design of a vibrational membrane with a cantilever structure to reduce distortion in bone conduction implant (BCI) transducers. To derive the optimal number of cantilevers, a model of ideally aligned components was established based on the structure of a previously proposed transducer, and mechanical vibration analysis was performed using different numbers of cantilevers (two to five). Under the same conditions, similar analyses were performed using vibrational membranes misaligned with the transducer magnet by 0.1 and 0.2 mm. Then, the standard deviations were calculated from the analysis results to numerically compare the magnitudes of vibrations between cantilevers for each cantilever shape. The larger the number of cantilevers, the smaller the standard deviation in both the alignment and misalignment cases. Moreover, from the analysis result, it was confirmed that using a vibrational membrane composed of five cantilevers can reduce distortion in BCI transducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim was to investigate whether female reproductive factors are associated with dementia. Methods: In all, 4 696 633 post‐menopausal women without dementia were identified using the Korean National Health Insurance System database. Data on reproductive factors were collected using a self‐administered questionnaire. Dementia was determined using dementia diagnosis codes and anti‐dementia drug prescription. Cox proportional hazards regression was conducted to assess the hazard ratio (HR) for dementia according to reproductive factors. Results: During a median follow‐up of 5.74 years, there were 212 227 new cases of all‐cause dementia (4.5%), 162 901 cases of Alzheimer's disease (3.5%) and 24 029 cases of vascular dementia (0.5%). The HR of dementia was 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.16] for menarcheal age ≥17 years compared with menarcheal age 13–14 years, 0.79 (0.77–0.81) for menopausal age ≥55 years compared with menopausal age <40 years, and 0.81 (0.79–0.82) for fertility duration ≥40 years compared with fertility duration <30 years. Whilst being of parity one (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.85–0.94) and breastfeeding <6 months (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.88–0.95) was associated with lower risk of dementia, being of parity two or more (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.99–1.05) and breastfeeding ≥12 months (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01–1.07) was associated with a higher risk of dementia than women without parity or breastfeeding history. Use of hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives independently reduced the dementia risk by 15% and 10%, respectively. Conclusions: Female reproductive factors are independent risk factors for dementia incidence, with higher risk associated with shorter lifetime endogenous estrogen exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Multi‐phase PCASL has been proposed as a means to achieve accurate perfusion quantification that is robust to imperfect shim in the labeling plane. However, there exists a bias in the estimation process that is a function of noise in the data. In this work, this bias is characterized and then addressed in animal and human data. Methods: The proposed algorithm to overcome bias uses the initial biased voxel‐wise estimate of phase tracking error to cluster regions with different off‐resonance phase shifts, from which a high‐SNR estimate of regional phase offset is derived. Simulations were used to predict the bias expected at typical SNR. Multi‐phase PCASL in 3 rat strains (n = 21) at 9.4 T was considered, along with 20 human subjects previously imaged using ASL at 3 T. The algorithm was extended to include estimation of arterial blood flow velocity. Results: Based on simulations, a perfusion estimation bias of 6‐8% was expected using 8‐phase data at typical SNR. This bias was eliminated when a high‐precision estimate of phase error was available. In the preclinical data, the bias‐corrected measure of perfusion (107 ± 14 mL/100g/min) was lower than the standard analysis (116 ± 14 mL/100g/min), corresponding to a mean observed bias across strains of 8.0%. In the human data, bias correction resulted in a 15% decrease in the estimate of perfusion. Conclusions: Using a retrospective algorithmic approach, it was possible to exploit common information found in multiple voxels within a whole region of the brain, offering superior SNR and thus overcoming the bias in perfusion quantification from multi‐phase PCASL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HLA‐A*33:110 differs from HLA‐A*33:03:01:01 in a codon 149 in exon 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Membrane‐electrode assemblies (MEAs) are fabricated using different catalysts and ionomers, in order to investigate the effects of these factors on the performance and stability of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Platinum catalysts with different degrees of graphitization in the carbon support (less graphitized: Tanaka, more graphitized: RTX) are used. Perfluorosulfonic acid polymer‐based ionomers with water‐based or organic solvent‐based solvents are also prepared as binders for the electrode. The optimum composition of catalyst and ionomer is identified based on the results of cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, single cell performance, and long‐term durability tests. Tanaka catalyst and water‐based ionomer show the best performance and durability. In addition, the ionomer to carbon (I/C) weight ratio affects the fuel cell performance, and the optimum value is I/C = 1 for both water‐based and organic solvent‐based ionomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the temperature-dependent locomotion of Caenorhabditis elegans by using the mobile phone-based microscope. We developed the customized imaging system with mini incubator and smartphone to effectively control the thermal stimulation for precisely observing the temperature-dependent locomotory behaviours of C. elegans. Using the mobile phone-based microscope, we successfully followed the long-term progress of specimens of C. elegans in real time as they hatched and explored their temperature-dependent locomotory behaviour. We are convinced that the mobile phone-based microscope is a useful device for real time and long-term observations of biological samples during incubation, and can make it possible to carry out live observations via wireless communications regardless of location. In addition, this microscope has the potential for widespread use owing to its low cost and compact design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with chronic granulomatous disease ( CGD), whom inherit abnormal function of NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2), suffer from hyperinflammatory responses in lung as well as bacterial and fungal infection. There have been studies to reveal the function of Nox2 in hyperinflammatory diseases, especially in asthma, but the exact role of Nox2 in asthma is still unclear and controversial. Therefore, we attempted to clarify the exact role of Nox2 in asthma, using various experimental asthma models. Methods Asthma phenotypes were analyzed in response to various allergen-induced experimental asthma using Nox2-deficient mice and recombinase gene-activating-1-deficient mice. To understand the underlying mechanisms of exaggerated Th2 effector functions, we investigated the degree of T-cell activation, levels of activation-induced cell death ( AICD), and regulatory T (Treg)-cell differentiation in Nox2-deficient T cells. Results Asthma phenotypes were increased through enhanced Th2 differentiation and function in Nox2-null mice regardless of dose and route of various allergens. Nox2-deficient T cells also showed hyperactivation, reduced AICD, and diminished Treg-cell differentiation through increased AKT phosphorylation (T308/S473) and enhanced mitochondrial ROS production. Conclusion Our findings indicate that Nox2 deficiency results in exaggerated experimental asthma, which is caused by enhanced Th2 effector function in a T-cell-intrinsic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bunch-by-bunch measurement system has been developed at Pohang Light Source II. The system consists of a four-channel button pick-up, 20 GHz sampling oscilloscope and an 800 MHz low-pass digital filter. Upon measuring a bunch-by-bunch spatio-temporal beam motion matrix over many turns, singular-value decomposition analysis is used to reveal the dominant coupled-bunch modes. The system can diagnose injection oscillations due to kicker errors and the effect of resistive-wall impedance that gives rise to instability during operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel A subgroup allele (c.538C>T p.Arg180Cys) showing weak A phenotype was found in a 30-year-old Korean woman with ABO discrepancy. Using 3D structural analysis, protein stability prediction and flow cytometric analysis of ABO antigen expression on HeLa cells transfected with plasmids containing the p.Arg180Cys mutant, we found that the Arg180 residue in the loop region of the A glycosyltransferases ( GTA) structure plays significant role in stabilizing its closed conformation, which is required for substrate binding and catalysis study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is known to depend strongly on the electrode microstructure. Based on the electrochemical effectiveness model recently explored by the authors, this study proposes a theoretical model for the reduction of current generation performance due to microstructural degradation. The effects of the three-phase boundary length (TPBL) and the effective ionic conductivity are predicted for three distinct operating regimes: low (<0.05), intermediate (0.5-2), and high (>3) Thiele moduli. Numerical experiments are performed to simulate the performance loss due to electrode degradation using polarization resistances derived from experimental studies, the results of which are compared with the predictions of the theoretical model to investigate its reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major hurdle for the clinical application of stem cell therapy is the heterogeneous nature of the isolated cells, which may cause different treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of mouse clonal bone marrow-derived stem cells ( BMSCs) obtained from a single colony by using subfractionation culturing method for erectile function in diabetic animals. Twelve-week-old C57 BL/6J mice were divided into four groups: controls, diabetic mice, and diabetic mice treated with a single intracavernous injection of PBS (20 μL) or clonal BMSCs (3 × 105 cells/20 μL). Clonal BMSCs were isolated from 5-week-old C3H mice. Two weeks after treatment, erectile function was measured by electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. The penis was stained with antibodies to PECAM-1, smooth muscle α-actin, neuronal nitric oxide synthase ( nNOS), neurofilament, and phosphorylated endothelial NOS (phospho- eNOS). We also performed Western blot for phospho- eNOS, and eNOS in the corpus cavernosum tissue. Local delivery of clonal BMSCs significantly restored cavernous endothelial and smooth muscle cell contents, and penile nNOS and neurofilament contents, and induced eNOS phosphorylation (Ser1177) in diabetic mice. Intracavernous injection of clonal BMSCs induced significant recovery of erectile function, which reached 80-90% of the control values. Clonal BMSCs successfully restored erectile function through dual angiogenic and neurotrophic effects in diabetic mice. The homogenous nature of clonal mesenchymal stem cells may allow their clinical applications and open a new avenue through which to treat diabetic erectile dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cis-AB, a rare ABO variant, is the result of a mutated ABO gene that produces a glycosyltransferase enzyme with dual A and B glycosyltransferase activity. It may lead to ABO discrepancies and a delay in establishing the blood group. To date, there have been no reports of a de novomutation leading to a cis-AB allele. Objectives and Methods: Sequencing of the ABO gene using blood and hair follicle cells from the proposita were performed along with blood from her parents. To establish maternity and paternity, short tandem repeat (STR) analysis was also performed. The A and B enzyme activities of the novel enzyme were measured in an in vitro expression study. Results: A novel cis-AB allele arising from nucleotide substitution c.796A>G (p.M266V) in the B glycosyltransferase gene were discovered in the blood and hair follicle cells from the proposita, which was absent from her parents. In all 15 autosomal STR loci analysed, the probability of maternity and paternitywere 0.999999 and 0.999989, respectively.The novel enzyme created 33.1% and 60.2% of A and B antigen compared to wild type A and B glycosyltransferases. Conclusion: A novel mechanism leading to a cis-AB allele was discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contact problem involving flat punches has been the subject of many investigations mainly due to the crucial role it plays in many engineering applications. The contact problem has however, been widely approached from a theoretical point of view and there is a lack of experimental verifications due to the limited number of laboratory techniques capable of supplying detailed information about contact parameters. In order to gain an understanding of such problems, this study uses an experimental approach to investigate the stresses arising from photoelastic models when compressed against each other using Riemann-Hilbert's weight functions and photoelastic experimental hybrid method. The study shows that this approach is effective in determining the magnitudes of contact stresses as well as interior stresses which up to date have been scarcely investigated. It is further shown that high stresses exist when a photoelastic model with a sharp corner is pressed against straight surface of the bottom half space and by introducing fillet radii at the sharp corners, significant stress reductions of up to 62.66% is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aims Cryolipolysis is a noninvasive method for the selective reduction of localized fat tissues. It has demonstrated efficacy in both clinical and preclinical trials; however, despite its popularity, its mechanisms of action and evaluation methods are not yet fully defined. The purpose of this study was to improved methods for cryolipolysis using a porcine model. Methods The abdomens of female PWG micro-pigs were treated with a cooling device ( CRYOLIPO II™), and we examined the treatment effects using photography, three-dimensional photography, ultrasound, gross, and microscopic pathology, and serum lipid level analyses in order to determine the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of CRYOLIPO II™. Results CRYOLIPO II™ successfully reduced abdominal fat in our porcine model. Gross and microscopic histological results confirmed the noninvasive cold-induced selective subcutaneous fat destruction, and showed increases in pre-adipocyte differentiation and in the activation of lipid catabolism. In particular, we found that CRYOLIPO II™ may increase PPARδ (delta) levels in adipose tissue at 30-60 days post-treatment. Conclusion Fat reduction by cryolipolysis was successfully achieved in our porcine model. Thus, our findings indicate that CRYOLIPO II™ may be a promising fat reduction device for body contouring and fat reduction in humans, and that cryolipolysis exerts its effects, at least partly, by targeting the PPARδ signaling pathway. These results show that both investigative and diagnostic potentials capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is considered as an inflammatory disease, and carotid artery intima-media thickness ( IMT) and carotid plaque are generally used as intermediated phenotype of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether carotid IMT and plaque are associated with promoter region polymorphisms of interleukin 10 ( IL-10) gene. We recruited 135 subjects from a rural area of south-eastern part of South Korea. Three polymorphisms in the promoter region of IL-10 (−1082 A/ G, −819 T/ C and −592 A/ C) were genotyped by pyrosequencing. Carotid IMT was measured at common carotid arteries, and carotid bulbs and cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, uric acid and homocysteine were measured using blood samples. Subjects with the minor allele ( C) of −819 T/ C or the minor allele ( C) of −592 A/ C showed lower values in carotid IMT than those with major allele homozygote of each polymorphism ( P = 0.018 and P = 0.031, respectively). Subjects with carotid plaque were significantly older and showed higher values in carotid IMT, uric acid and homocysteine than those without plaque ( P < 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, the promoter region polymorphisms of IL-10 gene associate with carotid IMT and plaque. Further studies with larger samples are needed to provide stronger evidence to justify anti-atheromatous properties of IL-10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns regarding the safety of transgenic foods have been raised because of possibility of undesirable effects development during genetic engineering. Analysis of phenotypic traits can increase the likelihoods of identifying those unintended effects in dietary composition of the GM crops. Objective of this study was to compare the transgenic lines with their non-transgenic counterpart. Different vegetative and reproductive traits as well as antioxidant properties were considered to evaluate the transgenic ( HV8 and HV23) lines containing CaMsrB2 gene and their non-transgenic (Ilmi) parent line. Grain size and weight, seed germination, root length, root and shoot dry weight, length and width of flag leaf, plant height, and ligule, stamen and carpel length were not significantly different. Onset and completion of heading in each line occurred almost during the same period. The antioxidant properties in terms of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and polyphenol content were not statistically different under same treatment condition. The results suggested that the transgenic rice lines containing CaMsrB2 gene were equivalent to their non-transgenic counterpart without any visible unintended effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unreliability‐based information bit flipping (UIBF) decoding using cyclic redundancy check is proposed to lower the error floors of high‐rate systematic low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) codes. Unsuccessfully decoded codeword is redecoded by the UIBF decoding with very low complexity at the end of every iteration of the sum–product (SP) decoding. The proposed scheme is applied to LDPC codes of the IEEE 802.16e standard. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme effectively lowers the error floors of systematic LDPC codes with smaller number of iterations compared with the conventional SP decoding scheme, which leads to the reduced power consumption and increased data throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreased oral clopidogrel absorption caused by induction of intestinal permeability glycoprotein (P-gp) expression after aspirin administration was observed in rats. This study evaluated the effect of aspirin coadministration on the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of clopidogrel in humans. A single 75-mg dose of clopidogrel was orally administered before and after 2 and 4 weeks of once-daily 100-mg aspirin administration in 18 healthy volunteers who were recruited based on CYP2C19 and PON1 genotypes. Plasma concentrations of clopidogrel and its active metabolite, H4, and relative platelet inhibition (RPI) were determined. The P-gp microRNA miR-27a increased by up to 7.67-fold (P = 0.004) and the clopidogrel area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) decreased by 14% (P > 0.05), but the AUC of H4 remained unchanged and RPI increased by up to 15% (P = 0.002) after aspirin administration. These findings indicate low-dose aspirin coadministration may decrease clopidogrel bioavailability but does not decrease its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Notwithstanding the relative abundance of bioarchaeological evidence of pre-20th century gunshot wounds discovered at European and American archaeological sites, similar findings in East Asian countries have been very rare. In this study, we report evidence of possible gunshot wounds sustained by two individuals buried in Joseon tombs of Korea. The shapes of the trauma seemed to indicate low-velocity projectiles, most likely musket balls. To our knowledge, this is the first bioarchaeological report specifically concerning possible gunshot-wound evidence in East Asian skeletons recovered from archaeological fields. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Different face mask designs can influence bag-valve-mask ( BVM) ventilation performance during resuscitation. We compared a single-use, air-cushioned face mask ( AM) with a reusable silicone face mask ( SM) for quality of BVM ventilation on a manikin simulating cardiac arrest. Methods Thirty-two physicians were recruited, and a prospective, randomized, crossover observational study was conducted after an American Heart Association-accredited basic life support provider course and standardized practice time were completed. Participants performed 12 cycles of BVM ventilation with both the AM and SM on a SmartMan lung simulator. Results Mean tidal volume was significantly higher in ventilations performed using the AM vs. the SM (548 ± 159 ml vs. 439 ± 163 ml, P < 0.01). In addition, the proportion of low-volume ventilation was significantly lower with the AM than the SM [6/12 (2-11) vs. 9/12 (5-12), P = 0.03]. Bag-valve- AM ventilation volume was not affected by the physical characteristics of the rescuers, except for sex. In contrast, bag-valve- SM ventilation volume was affected by most of the characteristics tested, including sex, height, weight, hand width, hand length, and grip power. Conclusion The AM seems to be a more efficient face mask than the SM at delivering sufficient ventilation volumes. The performance of the AM did not seem to be associated with the physical characteristics of the rescuers, whereas that of the SM was affected by these factors. The SM may not be an appropriate face mask for performing one-person BVM ventilation during resuscitation for rescuers who are smaller in stature, have a smaller hand size, or have weaker grip power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed novel Ag-glass composite interconnect materials for anode-supported flat-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operated at 700 °C by optimization of the glass content. For this purpose, the variations of phase stability, area specific resistance (ASR), microstructure, gas leak rate, cell performance, and open circuit voltage (OCV) were determined for the Ag-glass composite materials with respect to the glass content. The Ag-glass composite materials maintain phase stability without chemical reactions. The ASR increased as the glass content increases due to glass existing as an insulator between the Ag phases. All the composite materials showed dense coating layers on the anode support and had a low gas leak. The cell performance and OCV were measured to identify the optimum composition of the Ag-glass composites. Our results confirm that Ag-glass composites are suitable for high performance interconnects in anode-supported flat-tubular fuel cells operated below 700 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tubular segmented-in-series (SIS) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) sub module for intermediate temperature (700-800 °C) operation was fabricated and operated in this study. For this purpose, we fabricated porous ceramic supports of 3 YSZ through an extrusion process and analyzed the basic properties of the ceramic support, such as visible microstructure, porosity, and mechanical strength, respectively. After that, we fabricated a tubular SIS SOFC single cell by using dip coating and vacuum slurry coating method in the case of electrode and electrolyte, and obtained at 800 °C a performance of about 400 mW cm-2. To make a sub module for tubular SIS SOFC, ten tubular SIS SOFC single cells with an effective electrode area of 1.1 cm2 were coated onto the surface of the prepared ceramic support and were connected in series by using Ag + glass interconnect between each single cell. The ten-cell sub module of tubular SIS SOFC showed in 3% humidified H2 and air at 800 °C a maximum power of ca. 390 mW cm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the protective effects of melatonin ( MLT) against doxorubicin ( DXR)-induced testicular toxicity and oxidative stress in rats. DXR was given as a single intraperitoneal dose of 10 mg kg−1 body weight to male rats at 1 h after MLT treatment on day 6 of the study. MLT at 15 mg kg−1 body weight was administered daily by gavage for 5 days before DXR treatment followed by an additional dose for 5 days. Sperm analysis, histopathological examination and biochemical methods were used for this investigation. DXR caused a decrease in the weight of seminal vesicles, epididymal sperm count and motility and an increase in the incidence of histopathological changes of the testis. In addition, an increased malondialdehyde ( MDA) concentration and decreased glutathione content, glutathione reductase ( GR), glutathione-S-transferase ( GST), superoxide dismutase ( SOD) and catalase activities were observed. On the contrary, MLT treatment significantly ameliorated DXR-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Moreover, MDA concentration and GR, GST and SOD activities were not affected when MLT was administered in conjunction with DXR. These results indicate that MLT had a protective effect against DXR-induced testicular toxicity and that the protective effects of MLT may be due to both the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Extensive evidence has shown that oxidative stress mediates neuronal death in animal models of hypoxic-ischaemia. Brain biomarkers of oxidative stress need to be identified in order to better understand and treat brain damage in human stroke patients. The present study was conducted to identify potential target proteins of oxidative stress in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of stroke patients with acute ischaemic brain injury. Methods: We performed two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to separate protein samples obtained from the CSF of control and stroke patients. To determine protein oxidation levels, oxyblot was then used to detect protein carbonyls that were determined by formation of a stable 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNP) product using an anti-DNP antibody. Results: We found that oxidation of serum albumin was increased in the CSF from stroke patients as well as rats who underwent permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (6.5%, 23%, respectively). In stroke patients, oxidized albumin levels correlated to neurologic indications. Conclusions: The present study suggests that oxidized albumin in CSF can be utilized as an oxidative stress marker in human stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a prospective observational study regarding the evaluation on the degree of cervical length shortening among women with singleton gestations after an initial induction of labor. The study administered transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) to predict the success of labor induction and preterm delivery and used multiple logistic regression analysis. Results showed that shortening cervical length is of predictive value after its failure on the first day of serial induction.

The article focuses on the study that identifies the clinical and sonographic parameters at 37 weeks' gestation that predict the risk of Cesarean delivery of a nulliparous women. It notes that the prospective observational method was used in the study and recruited 453 nulliparas women with singleton pregnancies at 37 weeks' gestation. The study finds that the most important parameters in predicting the risk of Caesarian delivery in nulliparas are maternal age and height and fetal AC and EFW.

An inverted bit‐line sense amplifier (BLSA) equipped with offset compensation capability for low‐power DRAM applications is proposed. The sequential operation of the inverted BLSA allows us to eliminate the edge dummy array in an open bit‐line structure resulting in 1.7% less total chip area despite of 10% area penalty of the proposed BLSA occupied by extra switches. For 8‐Gb DRAM in 20‐nm class technology, the read failure induced by Vth variability is completely removed due to the offset cancellation. The proposed BLSA maintains the gradual increase of the sensing delay when decreasing the power supply down to 0.6 V, while intrinsic read fail prevails below 0.9 V with the conventional one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Chronic relapsing eosinophilic cellulitis associated, although independent in severity, with chronic lymphocytic leukemia," in the previous issue.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multiligand cell surface receptor, and amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is one of the ligands for RAGE. Because RAGE is a transporter of Aβ from the blood to the brain, RAGE is believed to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. In the present study, the role of RAGE in Aβ production was examined in the brain tissue of an AD animal model, Tg2576 mice, as well as cultured cells. Because β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), an essential protease for Aβ production, is up-regulated in cells overexpressing RAGE and in RAGE-injected brains of Tg2576 mice, the molecular mechanisms underlying RAGE, BACE1 expression, and Aβ production were examined. Because RAGE stimulates intracellular calcium, nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1 (NFAT1) was examined. NFAT1 was activated following RAGE-induced BACE1 expression followed by Aβ generation. Injection of soluble RAGE (sRAGE), which acts as a competitor with full-length RAGE (fRAGE), into aged Tg2576 mouse brains reduced the levels of plaques, Aβ, BACE1, and the active form of NFAT1 compared with fRAGE-injected Tg2576 mice. Taken together, RAGE stimulates functional BACE1 expression through NFAT1 activation, resulting in more Aβ production and deposition in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the downscaled seasonal temperature and precipitation hindcast ensemble of maximum and minimum surface air temperatures and precipitation in the southeastern region of the U.S. Results of the environmental and atmospheric analysis using the daily precipitation process show its varied conditions. Comparison of precipitation levels in several months reveals their varied trends especially if air temperature and water levels are considered. Moreover, the data proved that there is no difference among downscaling methods Florida State University/Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies Global Spectral Model (FSU/COAPS GSM), the FSU/COAPS Nested Regional Spectral Model (NRSM), and the method based on stochastic weather generator techniques.

Recent studies have suggested that virulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induce apoptosis in macrophages less often than do attenuated strains. K-strain, which belongs to the Beijing family, is the most frequently isolated clinical strain of M. tuberculosis in Korea. In this study, we investigated the differential induction of cell death in human monocytic THP-1 cells by K-strain and H37Rv, a virulent but laboratory-adapted strain of M. tuberculosis. Although no significant difference in growth rate was observed between the cells exposed to K-strain and those exposed to H37Rv, the levels of protective cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12p40 were lower in K-strain-infected cells than in H37Rv-infected cells. Cell viability assays showed that both K-strain and H37Rv, but not heat- or streptomycin-killed bacteria, induced THP-1 cell death in a TNF-independent manner. In contrast, double staining with fluorochrome-labelled inhibitors of caspase and propidium iodide and lactate dehydrogenase release assays revealed that K-strain induced significantly higher levels of necrotic cell death, rather than apoptosis, in THP-1 cells than did H37Rv. Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Bfl-1 and Bcl-xL in the cells were significantly upregulated following infection with K-strain compared with H37Rv, whereas Bax was slightly upregulated in response to infection with both H37Rv and K-strain. These results suggest that the highly virulent K-strain keeps cellular apoptosis as a host defense mechanism to a minimum and induces necrosis in macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the use of a weighted ensemble (WE) method in issuing an improved seasonal probability of precipitation (POP) forecast. The study involved the assessment of nine boreal summer time seasonal precipitation hindcasts from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Climate Center (APCC) using the WE approach to determine seasonal POP predictions. Results of the study indicated that, compared to the conventional approach, the WE method was able to produce superior seasonal POP forecasts.

To develop soybean products containing high isoflavone contents, the effects of germination and osmopriming on the isoflavone contents of 3 soybean cultivars (Ilmi, Daehwang, and Taekwang) were investigated. Total isoflavone contents of Ilmi and Daehwang cultivars were not significantly different with soaking time at 20 and 25 °C. Ilmi and Taekwang cultivars had higher total isoflavone contents at 0.243 to 0.256 and 0.072 to 0.079 g/100 g, respectively, after 12 h of germination at 20 °C than those at 0.232 and 0.064 g/100 g at the initial stage. After 48 h of germination at 20 °C, contents of total isoflavone, daidzein, and genistein were 0.246, 0.094, and 0.147 g/100 g, respectively. In contrast, after 48 h of germination and 0.2 M NaCl treatment at 20 °C, those contents increased up to 0.346, 0.140, and 0.203 g/100 g, respectively. Total isoflavone and genistein contents of cheonggukjang prepared with germinated soybean or soybeans treated with osmopriming were 0.322 and 0.198 g/100 g, 0.332 and 0.201 g/100 g, respectively, at 48 h of fermentation, and were higher than those of the control group (0.277 and 0.169 g/100 g). We concluded that cheonggukjang would contain higher isoflavone contents after the treatment of germination and osmopriming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to develop a novel cooking method for fried meat products, to improve their nutritional value, and to provide superior taste and texture. We used the fat derived from each individual meat source during radiant heat roasting (alternate roasting with its own fat: AROF) without deep-fat frying (DFF), first without any air flow and subsequently with an exposure to air flow. We then compared these roasted chicken samples to breaded fried chicken samples that were deep-fat fried in 3 types of fat: soybean oil (SB), partially hydrogenated soybean oil (PSB), and lard. The final fat contents of both the skin and lean parts of the AROF samples of chicken were less than half of those of the DFF groups. The total trans-fatty acids (TFA) contents were significantly lower in the AROF samples compared to the DFF samples. The cholesterol levels of the samples did not show any significant differences among the tested groups, except for the sample fried in lard, which was significantly higher. Moreover, the sensory evaluation results showed that the crispy texture of the AROF samples was not significantly different from that of the DFF samples ( P < 0.05); the AROF samples had higher scores for the characteristic fried flavor and for overall acceptability ( P < 0.05). This study shows the potential value of products prepared by AROF, which can successfully replace DFF methods used for chicken and other meat products and improve their nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]