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We investigate quantum advantages in loss sensing when the two-mode squeezed vacuum state is used as a probe. Following an experimental demonstration in PRX 4, 011049, we consider a quantum scheme in which the signal mode is passed through the target and a thermal noise is introduced to the idler mode before they are measured. We consider two detection strategies of practical relevance: coincidence-counting and intensity-difference measurement, which are widely used in quantum sensing and imaging experiments. By computing the signal-to-noise ratio, we verify that quantum advantages persist even under strong thermal background noise, in comparison with the classical scheme which uses a single-mode coherent state that directly suffers from the thermal noise. Such robustness comes from the fact that the signal mode suffers from the thermal noise in the classical scheme, while in the quantum scheme, the idler mode does. For a fairer comparison, we further investigate a different setup in which the thermal noise is introduced to the signal mode in the quantum schemes. In this new setup, we show that the quantum advantages are significantly reduced. Remarkably, however, under an optimum measurement scheme associated with the quantum Fisher information, we show that the two-mode squeezed vacuum state does exhibit a quantum advantage over the entire range of the environmental noise and loss. We expect this work to serve as a guide for experimental demonstrations of quantum advantages in loss parameter sensing, which is subject to lossy and noisy environment.

The seeds of Cassia tora (C. tora) species mainly contain anthraquinone, anthraquinone glycoside, and naphthalene derivatives. We investigated the anti-apoptotic effects of C.tora seed extract and its isolated compounds on blue-light-induced lipofuscin (A2E)-loaded human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. For analysis of the C. tora extract, high-performance liquid chromatography method was used. A2E-loaded human retinal pigment epithelial cells and blue light were used to create excessive photo-oxidation to induce cell death. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was used to measure cell cytotoxicity, and the mRNA expression of genes involved in apoptosis was examined to evaluate the mechanism of cell death. C.tora extract, n-hexane fraction, and chrysophanol were found to inhibit apoptotic cell death. Additionally, C.tora extract, n-hexane fraction, and chrysophanol reduced the mRNA expression of genes involved in the apoptosis pathway. C.tora and chrysophanol were considered to inhibit apoptosis and oxidative stress response. The major component of C. tora has a protective effect against apoptosis. The ingredients of C. tora can be used as therapeutic substances or to prevent diseases caused by the excessive oxidation of A2E substances in the retina, such as in age-related macular degeneration.

We experienced an extremely rare case of proximal epithelioid sarcoma (PES) of the vulva in a 77-year-old woman. After history taking and physical examination, the patient was tentatively diagnosed as having Bartholin’s cyst in the right labium. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings, however, a final diagnosis of PES of the vulva was made. After receiving CyberKnife treatment, the patient survived but with recurrent episodes and poor prognosis. In conclusion, our case indicates that patients with PES of the vulva should be appropriately managed with radiotherapy after a differential diagnosis based on histopathological and IHC findings.

Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over the course of hours to weeks. AKI occurs in about 20% of all hospitalized patients and is more common in the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of AKI, and to detect and treat early, since it is known that a prolonged period of kidney injury increases cardiovascular complications and the risk of death. Despite advances in modern medicine, there are no consistent treatment strategies for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease. Through many studies, the safety and efficacy of natural products have been proven, and based on this, the time and cost required for new drug development can be reduced. In addition, research results on natural products are highly anticipated in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In relation to AKI, many papers have reported that many natural products can prevent and treat AKI. Conclusions: in this paper, the results of studies on natural products related to AKI were found and summarized, and the mechanism by which the efficacy of AKI was demonstrated was reviewed. Many natural products show that AKI can be prevented and treated, suggesting that these natural products can help to develop new drugs. In addition, we may be helpful to elucidate additional mechanisms and meta-analysis in future natural product studies.

Chalcone isomerase (CHI) is a key enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis. In plants, CHIs occur in multigene families, and they are divided into four types, types I–IV. Type I and II CHIs are bona fide CHIs with CHI activity, and type III and IV CHIs are non-catalytic members with different functions. Rice contains seven CHI family genes (OsCHIs). Molecular analysis suggested that OsCHI3 is a type I CHI, and the other OsCHIs were classified into types III and IV. To elucidate their biochemical functions, OsCHI1, OsCHI3, OsCHI6, and OsCHI7 were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant OsCHI proteins were purified. An activity assay of recombinant OsCHIs showed that OsCHI3 catalyzed the isomerization of naringenin chalcone and isoliquiritigenin, whereas the other recombinant OsCHIs had no CHI activity. OsCHI3 also exhibited a strong preference to naringenin chalcone compared to isoliquiritigenin, which agrees well with the catalytic properties of type I CHIs. These results ascertain OsCHI3 to be a bona fide CHI in rice. OsCHI3 and the other OsCHIs were expressed constitutively throughout the rice growth period and different tissues. OsCHI3 expression was induced immediately in response to ultra-violet (UV) stress, suggesting its involvement in the biosynthesis of sakuranetin, a flavonoid phytoalexin in rice.

Background We previously reported that percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) can be safely performed 2 cm below the cricothyroid membrane without the aid of a bronchoscope. Although our simplified method is convenient and does not require sophisticated equipment, the precise location for tracheostomy cannot be confirmed. Because it is recommended that tracheostomy be performed at the second tracheal ring, we assessed whether patient characteristics could predict the distance between the cricothyroid membrane and the second tracheal ring. Methods Data from 490 patients who underwent three-dimensional neck computed tomography from January 2012 to December 2015 were analyzed, and the linear distance from the upper part of the cricoid cartilage (CC) to the lower part of the second tracheal ring (2TR) was measured in the sagittal plane. Results The mean CC-to-2TR distance was 25.26 mm (95% CI 25.02–25.48 mm). Linear regression analysis showed that the predicted CC-to-2TR distance could be calculated as −5.73 + 0.2 × height (cm) + 1.22 × sex (male: 1, female: 0) + 0.01 × age (yr) −0.03 × weight (kg) (adj. R2 = 0.55). Conclusions These results suggest that height and sex should be considered when performing PDT without bronchoscope guidance.

Fleet telematics aims to comprehensively control equipment groups through location tracking, maintenance control, and productivity monitoring of individual equipment based on real-time location and status transmitted to fleet control center from the equipment. Logistics industry, automobile industry, as well as transportation (land, sea, and air) industry are actively applying fleet telematics in order to efficiently and safely operate multiple groups of equipment. Earthwork, a basic operation for any type of construction, depends heavily on equipment. The productivity and safety of earthwork equipment are decided by effective management of the equipment. Therefore, fleet telematics can also improve the earthwork operation as well. The goal of this research is to develop a GPS only-based fleet telematics system for heavy earthwork equipment which can analyze time log information of each equipment using GPS location data without utilizing any other on-board sensors and CAN bus data. The earthwork site (loading and dumping area) and moving route, hazardous areas of the project are all visualized on a map via geo-fencing technology considering the characteristics of earthwork operation. Lastly, algorithms to analyze the utilization time of earthwork equipment using GPS location information are designed and their reliability are verified through field tests.

Jung Seok Kim,1,* Min Woo Kim,1,* Seong Jae Kang,1,* Hwa Yeon Jeong,1 Sang Il Park,1 Yeon Kyung Lee,1 Hong Sung Kim,2 Keun Sik Kim,3 Yong Serk Park1 1Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Korea Nazarene University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Efficient target-specific siRNA delivery has always been a primary concern in the field of siRNA clinical application. Purpose: In this study, four different types of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody-conjugated immunonanoparticles were prepared and tested for cancer cell-targeted therapeutic siRNA delivery. Materials and methods: The prepared nanoparticles encapsulating siRNAs were characterized by gel retardation and particle analysis using a Zetasizer. In vitro transfection and reduction of target genes, vimentin and JAK3, were determined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In vivo tumor targeting and antitumoral efficacies of the nanoparticles were evaluated in mice carrying tumors. Results: Among these immunonanoparticles, anti-EGFR immunolipoplexes and immunoviroplexes exhibited remarkable cell binding and siRNA delivery to EGFR-expressing tumor cells compared to immunoliposomes and immunovirosomes. Especially, the anti-EGFR immunoviroplexes exhibited the most efficient siRNA transfection to target tumor cells. Therefore, antitumoral vimentin and Janus kinase-3 siRNAs were loaded in the anti-EGFR immunolipoplexes and immunoviroplexes, which were tested in mice carrying SK-OV-3 tumor xenografts. In fact, the therapeutic siRNAs were efficiently delivered to the tumor tissues by both delivery vehicles, resulting in significant inhibition of tumor growth. Moreover, administration of doxorubicin in combination with anti-EGFR immunoviroplexes resulted in remarkable and synergistic tumor growth inhibition. Conclusion: This study provides experimental proof that cancer cell-targeted immunoviroplexes are an efficient siRNA delivery system for cancer therapy. Moreover, this study also suggests that a combination of conventional chemotherapy and tumor-directed anticancer siRNA therapy would be a better modality for cancer treatment. Keywords: EGFR, siRNA delivery, anti-EGFR immunonanoparticles, anti-EGFR immunoviroplexes, combinatorial therapy

Objectives The purpose of the study was to investigate the protective effect of the Curcuma longa L. extract (CLE) and its curcuminoids against blue light-induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells laded with A2E. A2E has been concerned in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods To perform this study, A2E-accumulated ARPE-19 cells were exposed to blue light to induce cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic gene expression levels were evaluated using a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and real-time PCR analysis, respectively. Key findings Curcuma longa L. extract was found to exert a protective effect in a dose-dependent manner. At a concentration of 15 μm, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin exerted significant protective effects against blue light-induced cytotoxicity. Treatment with CLE and curcuminoids meaningfully reduced the mRNA levels of c-Abl and p53, which was known to be augmented in apoptotic RPE cells. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin were found to inhibit p38 expression, which is increased in blue light-irradiated A2E-accumulated RPE cells. Conclusions Curcuma longa L. extract and its curcuminoids provided significant protection against photooxidative damage and apoptosis in the RPE cells. Our results suggest that curcuminoids may show potential in the treatment of AMD.

Poland syndrome, which is characterized by an absence of pectoralis muscles and their innervated nerves, is marked by variable chest wall defects due to deficits of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th ribs and costal cartilage. Additionally, there are other reported combined anomalies of the heart, lung, kidney, ipsilateral hand and foot associated with the syndrome. The lung on the side with the thoracic deformity is more hypoplastic or smaller than the lung on the unaffected side, which can cause herniation of the lung or paradoxical ventilatory movement in severe cases, thereby increasing the risk of respiratory depression and hypoxemia. Patients may have profound lung complications due to depressed respiratory muscle function and exacerbation of the underlying chronic pulmonary disease during the perioperative period. These patients also show increased risk of malignant hyperthermia and therefore require careful attention during general anesthesia. We report here an anesthetic experience during reconstruction surgery of a chest wall defect in a male patient with Poland syndrome.

When first introduced, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) was performed using a bronchoscope. The bronchoscope itself, however, has several disadvantages, including interruption of ventilation. Modifications of the standard PDT technique have suggested that PDT can be safely performed without a bronchoscope. However, the safety of these modifications is unclear and many modifications have yet to be widely adopted. This study retrospectively evaluated the safety of a simplified PDT technique using the Cook® Ciaglia Blue Rhino™ in 186 patients. After confirming the underlying structures by palpation, PDT was performed without a bronchoscope or blunt dissection, 2.0 cm below the cricothyroid membrane. Ultrasonography was used only when palpation was difficult. Except for bleeding in three patients with coagulopathy, none of the patients experienced any early or late complications, and there were no deaths related to PDT. These findings confirm that PDT can be safely performed using a simplified technique, which may be useful in situations with limited equipment and medical personnel.

Rationales The natural history of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is unclear. Furthermore, the correlation between radiologic findings and clinical significance has not been documented. Previously, the development of new vascular symptoms was reported in a small number of patients, but some of these symptoms were from other vascular causes. New arterial lesions were rarely observed during follow-up in the previous reports. Patient concerns A 40-year-old man was admitted due to dysarthria and left-sided weakness. He had developed flank pain due to bilateral renal infarction about 10 months earlier. He had no known risk factors for atherosclerosis. Initial neurological examination revealed a mild weakness and central facial palsy on the left side. Diagnoses Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small acute infarction in the right insular cortex. Magnetic resonance angiography and digital subtraction angiography showed a severe stenosis with post-dilatation in the right internal carotid artery (ICA). There was a focal ectatic lesion in the left ICA. On the previous abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA), there were arterial lesions suggestive of dissection in the bilateral renal arteries and a rod-shaped ectasia in the left common iliac artery (CIA). The pathological diagnosis was mixed-type FMD involving the intima and media. Interventions The patient was prescribed antiplatelet agents for prevention of further ischemic events and followed up regularly. Outcomes Seven years after the initial renal infarction, the patient developed abdominal pain radiating to the back. Abdominal CTA revealed that an aortic dissection had developed in the infrarenal aorta, which was shown as normal previously. The ectasia in the left CIA and left ICA showed no interval changes during follow-up. Lessons We present a patient who developed spontaneous symptomatic dissection of the bilateral renal arteries, right ICA, and abdominal aorta during 7 years of follow-up, which were caused by pathologically confirmed FMD. Besides the symptomatic multifocal dissection, the patient showed an asymptomatic multifocal ectasia on cerebral and abdominal angiographies that had not changed over 7 years.

Open city information model can increase the understanding of the situation, enable the effective reuse of information due to access the semantic and relational conditions of objects, and support the reliable decision-making through linking with external references. The city information model focused on terrain and buildings was implemented based on the actual data. In addition, a process for flooding simulation was proposed using hydraulic analysis data and the city information model. The deaths and damages were estimated by flooding simulation. The availabilities were examined by detailed queries and responses based on model data of the city information model, hydraulic analysis data and the estimated damages. Keywords :open city information model, flooding simulation, model-based deaths and damages estimation † Corresponding author: Tel: +82-2-2123-2808; E-mail: lee@yonsei.ac.krReceived June 22 2015; Revised July 15 2015; Accepted July 21 2015 Ⓒ2015 by Computational Structural Engineering Institute of KoreaThis is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License(http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Purpose The TWIK-related spinal cord K⁺ channel (TRESK) has recently been discovered and plays an important role in nociceptor excitability in the pain pathway. Because there have been no reports on the TRESK expression or its function in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in neuropathic pain, we analyzed TRESK expression in the spinal dorsal horn in a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model. Materials and methods We established a SNL mouse model by using the L5-6 spinal nerves ligation. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry to investigate TRESK expression in the dorsal horn and L5 dorsal rot ganglion (DRG). Results The SNL group showed significantly higher expression of TRESK in the ipsilateral dorsal horn under pain, but low expression in L5 DRG. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed that immunoreactivity of TRESK was mostly restricted in neuronal cells, and that synapse markers GAD67 and VGlut2 appeared to be associated with TRESK expression. We were unable to find a significant association between TRESK and calcineurin by double immunofluorescence. Conclusion TRESK in spinal cord neurons may contribute to the development of neuropathic pain following injury.

The heat transfer performance of heating medium oil fluidized bed heat exchanger was measured. The operation variables were air flow rate, air inlet temperature, moisture content, water flow rate and water inlet temperature. The outsideheat transfer coefficient was determined from the heat exchanger experiment and its experimental correlation was determinedas a function of air velocity and viscosity of heating medium oil. Effect of viscosity was well agreed with the previousstudies. Errors of the correlation equation was less than about 10% for outside heat transfer coefficient developed in thisstudy when compared with the measured value. Hot water with the temperature greater than 77 ℃ could be produced byusing the heating medium oil fluidized bed heat exchanger. Key words Heating medium oil(열매체유), Fluidized bed(유동층), Heat exchanger(열교환기), Heat transfer coefficient(열전달계수)†Corresponding author, E-mail: sipark@kier.re.kr 기호설명 A ： 전열면적, [m 2 ] C p ： 비열, [J/kgK] D t ： 전열관 외경, [m]

Background: This study compared intubating conditions and the onset time associated with administration of cisatracurium, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker with a relatively slow onset, according to prior injection of one of two intravenous anesthetic agents: propofol or etomidate. Methods: Forty-six female patients, undergoing general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation for elective surgery, were randomized to two groups; group P were administered propofol (2 mg/kg) prior to cisatracurium (0.2 mg/kg); group E were administered etomidate (0.3 mg/kg) prior to cisatracurium (0.2 mg/kg). We measured intubating conditions and the onset time according to the types of intravenous anesthetic administered. Measurements of heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were taken immediately prior to induction; immediately and 1 min after IV anesthetic administration; and immediately and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 15 min after endotracheal intubation. Results: Intubating conditions were superior in group E compared with group P (P = 0.009). The average onset time of cisatracurium was more rapid in group E (155.74 ± 32.92 s vs. 185.26 ± 38.57 s in group P; P = 0.008). There were no group differences in SBP, DBP, and HR following intravenous anesthetic drug injection and endotracheal intubation. However, SBP and DBP were substantially higher in group E after endotracheal intubation. Conclusions: Etomidate improves intubating conditions and provide a more rapid onset time of cisatracurium during anesthetic induction compared to propofol.

Repeated-measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) continues to be used widely for the analysis of repeated-measures data in anesthetic research. RMANOVA, like other parametric statistical tests, specifies several assumptions and requires specific description in publications. A recent article in the Korean Journal of Anesthesiology (KJA) provided valid information on RMANOVA [1].

This paper clarified the ambiguity in the literature regarding psychic distance by refining its conceptualization, operationalization, and...

In this paper, we present a method for reconstructing a surface mesh animation sequence from point cloud animation data. We mainly focus on the articulated body of a subject - the motion of which can be roughly described by its internal skeletal structure. The point cloud data is assumed to be captured independently without any inter-frame correspondence information. Using a template model that resembles the given subject, our basic idea for reconstructing the mesh animation is to deform the template model to fit to the point cloud (on a frame-by-frame basis) while maintaining inter-frame coherence. We first estimate the skeletal motion from the point cloud data. After applying the skeletal motion to the template surface, we refine it to fit to the point cloud data. We demonstrate the viability of the method by applying it to reconstruct a fast dancing motion.

BACKGROUND: There has been little data reporting the usefulness of intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter. The objective of this study is to clarify the usefulness and safety of these methods in comparison with radiologist-performed procedures. METHODS: Data of patients with pleural effusion treated with US-guided pigtail catheter drainage were analyzed. All procedures were performed from September 2012 to September. 2013 by a well-trained intensivist or radiologist. RESULTS: Pleural effusion was drained in 25 patients in 33 sessions. A radiologist performed 21 sessions, and an intensivist performed 12 sessions. Procedures during mechanical ventilation were performed in 15 (71.4%) patients by a radiologist and in 10 (83.3%) by an intensivist (p = 0.678). The success rate was not significantly different in radiologist- and intensivist-performed procedures, 95.2% (20/21) and 83.3% (10/12), respectively (p = 0.538). The average duration for procedures (including in-hospital transfer) was longer in radiologist-performed cases (p = 0.001). Although the results are limited because of the small population size, aggravation of oxygenation, CO2 retention, and decrease of mean arterial blood pressure were not statistically different in the groups. Pigtail-associated complications including hemothorax, pneumothorax, hepatic perforation, empyema, kink in the catheter, and subcutaneous hematoma were not found. CONCLUSIONS: Intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter is useful and safe and may be recommended in some patients in an intensive care unit.

A field test of a 70 ㎾ heat pump system with flue gas heat recovery was performed by an experiment at theKorea Institute of Energy Research. The flue gas is exhausted from a 320 RT absorption chiller-heater in the heating season.Using this flue gas, source water of the heat pump is heated by a condensed-type heat exchanger in the chimney. Theoperating characteristics of the heat recovery heat pump system were analyzed. Based on the results of the experiments, operating maps were obtained, and an optimum operating range is suggested, in which the return and heat source watertemperature are 51 ℃ and 31 ℃ , respectively. Additionally, economic analysis of this system was conducted and about 50%energy cost savings can be expected in the heating season. Key words Condensing heat recovery(응축열회수), Flue gas(배가스), Heat recovery system(열회수 시스템), Latent heat(잠열), Condensation(응축)†Corresponding author, E-mail: yslee@kier.re.kr 기호설명COP H ： 난방성능계수 Q cond ： 응축(난방)열량 [ ㎾ ] Q evap ： 증발열량 [ ㎾ ]

BACKGROUND: To analyze how lidocaine 40 mg mixed prevents injection pain of propofol affects the onset time of rocuronium, tracheal intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes. METHODS: This study consisted of 70 patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class 1 or 2 for general anesthesia. All the patients were randomly allocated into two groups: propofol 2 mg/kg plus normal saline 2 ml (Group C) and propofol 2 mg/kg plus 2% lidocaine 40 mg (Group L). Each group was administrated intravenously during induction and the patient was intubated 1 minute after an injection of 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium. The time at disappearance of the first twitch and intubation scores were recorded. Also, blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the baseline, after intravenous injection of propofol, before intubation, and at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between group C and L (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 40 mg of lidocaine mixed with propofol to prevent injection pain did not affect the onset time of rocuronium, intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes.

Background Anesthesia during the synaptogenic period induces dendritic spine formation, which may affect neurodevelopment. The authors, therefore, evaluated whether changes in synaptic transmission after dendritic spine formation induced by sevoflurane were associated with long-term behavioral changes. The effects of sevoflurane on mitochondrial function were also assessed to further understand the mechanism behind spinogenesis. Methods Postnatal day 16 to 17 mice were exposed to sevoflurane (2.5% for 2 h), and synaptic transmission was measured in the medial prefrontal cortex 6 h or 5 days later. The expression of postsynaptic proteins and mitochondrial function were measured after anesthesia. Long-term behavioral changes were assessed in adult mice. Results Sevoflurane increased the expression of excitatory postsynaptic proteins in male and female mice (n = 3 to 5 per group). Sevoflurane exposure in male mice transiently increased miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency (control: 8.53 ± 2.87; sevoflurane: 11.09 ± 2.58) but decreased miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency (control: 10.18 ± 4.66; sevoflurane: 6.88 ± 2.15). Unexpectedly, sevoflurane increased miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency (control: 1.81 ± 1.11; sevoflurane: 3.56 ± 1.74) in female mice (neurons, n = 10 to 21 per group). Sevoflurane also increased mitochondrial respiration in male mice (n = 5 to 8 per group). However, such changes from anesthesia during the critical period did not induce long-term behavioral consequences. Values are presented as mean ± SD. Conclusions Sevoflurane exposure during the critical period induces mitochondrial hyperactivity and transient imbalance of excitatory/inhibitory synaptic transmission, without long-lasting behavioral consequences. Further studies are needed to confirm sexual differences and to define the role of mitochondrial activity during anesthesia-induced spine formation.

Tumor-directed gene delivery is of major interest in the field of cancer gene therapy. Varied functionalizations of non-viral vectors have been suggested to enhance tumor targetability. In the present study, we prepared two different types of anti-EGF receptor (EGFR) immunonanoparticles containing pDNA, neutrally charged liposomes and cationic lipoplexes, for tumor-directed transfection of cancer therapeutic genes. Even though both anti-EGFR immunonanoparticles had a high binding affinity to the EGFR-positive cancer cells, the anti-EGFR immunolipoplex formulation exhibited approximately 100-fold higher transfection to the target cells than anti-EGFR immunoliposomes. The lipoplex formulation also showed a higher transfection to SK-OV-3 tumor xenografts in mice. Thus, IL12 and/or salmosin genes were loaded in the anti-EGFR immunolipoplexes and intravenously administered to mice carrying SK-OV-3 tumors. Co-transfection of IL12 and salmosin genes using anti-EGFR immunolipoplexes significantly reduced tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. Furthermore, combinatorial treatment with doxorubicin synergistically inhibited tumor growth. These results suggest that anti-EGFR immunolipoplexes containing pDNA encoding therapeutic genes could be utilized as a gene-transfer modality for cancer gene therapy.

Background Recent studies have reported that cancer surgeries involving regional anesthesia have better outcomes than those under general anesthesia. However, the effects of anesthetic technique have not been investigated in patients with bladder cancer. Therefore, this retrospective study was conducted to investigate which anesthetic technique results in a better bladder cancer prognosis. Methods Sixty-one of 531 patients underwent transurethral resection of a bladder tumor under general anesthesia from 2001 to 2008 in our hospital. Patients who attended five years of follow-up and who had pathological findings of urothelial carcinoma grades I–II were enrolled. Finally, 24 patients (G group) who underwent general anesthesia and 137 (R group) who underwent regional (spinal or epidural) anesthesia were compared. Five-year survival and recurrence-free time were compared using the chi-square and t-tests, respectively. A logistic regression and partial correlation analysis were performed to evaluate other factors affecting survival. Results Five-year survival was 87.5 % for general anesthesia and 96.3 % for regional (P = 0.099). The regression analysis showed that older age contributed to reduced survival (odds ratio = 0.85, P = 0.001). Regional anesthesia showed higher 5-year survival (coefficient = −0.167, P = 0.044) more than general anesthesia through the partial correlation analysis. Conclusions Though partial correlation analysis show that five-year survival is higher in patients whose surgery is under regional than general anesthesia, the association was not significant in the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Large prospective studies are needed to determine whether the association between regional anesthesia and survival is causative.