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Hematuria, either glomerular or extraglomerular, is defined as 3 or more red blood cells (RBCs)/high power field. Currently, urinalyses are commonly performed using automated urine sediment analyzers. To assess whether RBC counting by automated urine sediment analyzers is reliable for defining hematuria in glomerular disease, random specimen urinalyses of men with nephritic glomerular disease (7674 urinalyses) and bladder cancer (12,510 urinalyses) were retrospectively reviewed. Urine RBCs were counted by an automated urine sediment analyzer based on flow cytometry (UF-1000i, Sysmex Corporation) or digital image analysis (Cobas 6500, Roche Diagnostics GmbH). In about 20% of urine specimens, the specific gravity was less than 1.010, making the RBC counts unreliable. In the urine specimens with specific gravity ≥ 1.010, RBC counts measured using either UF-1000i or Cobas 6500 were well correlated with the positive grades in the dipstick blood test. However, at a trace, 1+, or higher positive dipstick tests for blood, RBC counts were graded significantly lower in glomerular disease than in bladder cancer. The findings suggest that RBC counting by UF-1000i or Cobas 6500 underestimates the severity of hematuria in glomerular disease, possibly because dysmorphic RBCs in glomerular disease are susceptible to hemolysis and/or fail to be properly recognized.

Vocalizations of livestock convey information about the health and behavior of the animals, and vocal analysis could be a useful method to monitor livestock. We propose a deep learning classification of vocal recordings of laying hens and cattle with the aim of automatically classifying laying hen and cattle sounds in South Korea using a deep learning model. Audio and video recordings of laying hens and cattle were acquired. We classified laying hens’ sounds into eight classes and cattle sounds into nine classes. Classified audio files were used for the development of convolutional neural network (CNN) models. Two types of CNN structures, one based on 2D ConVnet and the other based on a 1D model with long short-term memory, were developed and tested for modeling to classify the vocalizations of laying hens and cattle. The classification model based on 2D ConVnet performed better with a satisfactory classification accuracy of 75.78% for laying hens and 91.02% for cattle. Based on the results for the developed CNN models, it is expected that real-time voice monitoring could be applicable for providing animal physiological information to growers.

Introduction: Although single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) was introduced decades ago, it is still considered a difficult technique to perform compared to conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA). In addition, controversy about the benefits of SILA compared to CLA abound and no definite criteria for choosing SILA over CLA in patients with appendicitis currently exist. Therefore, we have planned a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare SILA with CLA in terms of cosmetic satisfaction and pain reduction. Methods and analysis: Patients diagnosed with appendicitis at the participating centers will be recruited and allocated into either a CLA or an SILA groups using a 1:1 randomization. Patients in the CLA group will receive a conventional 3-port laparoscopic appendectomy and patients in the SILA group will receive a laparoscopic appendectomy using a single-incision at the umbilicus. The primary trial endpoint is cosmetic satisfaction assessed using the Patients and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) administered 6 weeks post-surgery. Secondary trial endpoints include cosmetic satisfaction assessed via the Body Image Questionnaire, pain levels assessed via the Visual Analog Scale and International Pain Outcomes questionnaire, and the presence of postoperative complications. The target sample size of this superiority trial is 120 patients, as this will provide 80% power at the 2.5% level of significance to detect a 3-point difference in POSAS. Discussion: The results of this planned multi-center randomized controlled trial will provide substantive evidence to help surgeons choose when to use SILA over CLA in patients with appendicitis. Ethics and dissemination: This trial was approved by the institutional review board at Daegu joint on February 27, 2020 (No: 19-12-001-001) and registered with the clinical research information service (CRIS) (KCT0005048). The results of the study will be published and presented at appropriate conferences. Highlights To investigate the clinical benefits comparing between single incision laparoscopic appendectomy and conventional laparoscopic appendectomy To assess the pain and cosmetic satisfaction through quantitative scales, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs), International Pain Outcome (IPO) Questionnaire, the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), and the Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ) To help surgeons choose when to use single incision laparoscopic appendectomy in patients with appendicitis.

Background/aim The aim of this study was to detect circulating tumor cells (CTC) in the peripheral blood of gastrointestinal cancer patients using conditionally reprogrammed cell (CRC) culture. Materials and methods We confirmed the sensitivity of the CRC culture method. Five ml of blood were obtained from 81 cancer patients (56 colorectal and 25 gastric). The collected mononuclear cells were cultured for 4 weeks in the CRC condition. Finally, cultured cells were characterized by RT-PCR for the expression of hTERT and MAGE A1-6 mRNA. Results The CRC method had a CTC detection limit of 6 cells for gastric cancer cells. After culture of 81 blood specimens, 38 formed visible cells, including 5 colonies. Among the 38 cells, 13 were hTERT positive and 4 were MAGE A1-6 positive. The final CTC detection rate was 16.0%. Conclusion The CRC culture may potentially be used to evaluate the metastatic cancer cells in the circulation.

Due to the increasing energy consumption, smart technologies have been considered to automatically control energy loss. Smart windows, which can use external signals to modulate their transparency, can regulate solar energy by reflecting excess energy and retaining the required energy in a building without using additional energy to cool or heat the interiors of the building. Although many technologies have been developed for smart windows, they still need to be economically optimised. Here, we propose a facile method to synthesise magnetic microrods from magnetic nanoparticles by alignment using a magnetic field. To maximise the transparency difference in the ON and OFF states, we controlled the nanoparticle concentration in a dispersion liquid, magnetic field application time, and viscosity of the dispersant. Interestingly, the magnetic microrods remained stable when we mixed short-chain polymers (polyethylene glycol) with a liquid dispersant (isopropyl alcohol). Furthermore, the Fe2O3 microrods maintained their shape for more than a week, while the Fe3O4 microrods clustered after a day because they became permanent magnets. The anisotropic features of the magnetic rods were used as a light valve to control the transparency of the smart window.

This paper presents a novel low-power joint decoding system composed of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detector, low-density parity-check (LDPC) channel decoder, and H.264 source decoder for energy-aware and cross-layer source-channel transmission systems. Our aim is to achieve a minimum power design that meets the expected quality of service (QoS) at the application layer. This design includes an iterative MIMO-LDPC decoder for minimizing communication errors and an unequal error protection scheme for reducing energy consumption in transmission. The experiment results reveal that our proposed iterative MIMO-LDPC-H.264 joint decoder achieved up to 66% energy reduction with only 0.09 dB peak signal-to-noise ratio degradation when compared to a non-UEP based joint source-channel decoding system.

This study aimed to review the pathophysiology of varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency and the recent surgical treatment trend. Varicose veins are tortuous, twisted, or lengthened veins in the lower extremities. It is part of the spectrum of chronic venous disease. Primary pathogenesis is increased chronic venous hypertension caused by valvular insufficiency, venous outflow obstruction, and calf muscle pump failure. Some patients complain of no symptoms, except report cosmetic concerns. If the varicose vein progresses to chronic venous insufficiency, it may cause edema of the lower limb. The skin lesion can present as hyperpigmentation of the median part of the ankle, congestive dermatitis, and even a skin ulcer. The varicose vein can be diagnosed easily by visual inspection after identifying the skin lesions. For non-surgical treatment, elastic stocking, Unna boots, and pneumatic compression devices are recommended to reduce venous pressure. High ligation with stripping has been the standard treatment for varicose veins to achieve symptom relief and improve cosmetic effects. Endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, mechanochemical ablation, and the VenaSeal closure system have been introduced as surgical treatment methods. Recently, endovenous thermal/non-thermal ablations are recommended for treatment because both are less invasive techniques. The appropriate therapy should be selected after considering the patients’ symptoms and signs, anatomical structure, and economic burden of the treatment.

We report on the unusual response of a well-characterized entangled comb polymer in simple shear flow. The polymer with highly entangled backbone (about 16 entanglements) and on average 29 long branches (about 3 entanglements each) has been extensively characterized by interaction chromatography and its rheology carefully studied under controlled conditions using a special cone partitioned-plate geometry. We observe that the start-up shear stress becomes roughly rate independent above a certain critical rate, related to the relaxation time of the branches. Within the rate-independent region, the start-up shear stress displays a double overshoot. We interpret these observations in light of tube-based pompom dynamics. The key idea is that for sufficiently long branches the main stress overshoot, which reflects backbone stretching and orientation, is preceded by the withdrawal of branches into the backbone tube. The excellent quantitative comparison between the simulations and experiments supports the proposed mechanism of the double stress overshoot.

In order to accelerate the regeneration of injured nerves, highly aligned structures that mimic native tissues are essential for nerve guidance conduits (NGC). In this study, a biodegradable porous micro-patterned NGCs were manufactured by use of capillary force lithography and salt leaching method, which filled as wrapped with aligned electrospun microfiber (PA-NGC) using. These combined NGC showed 5 μm aligned groove pattern on the interior wall and were filled with 4–5 μm align fibers for a fascicular structure to mimic the native nerve. The highly aligned structure has increased PC12 migration and morphological elongation compared with random microfiber. For the in vivo study, we bridged in the 10 mm sciatic nerve defect margins with NGC. The PA-NGC were compared to flat NGCs filled with random (FR-NGC) or aligned fiber (FA-NGC) and patterned NGCs filled with random fiber (PR-NGC). The PA-NGC showed as dramatically re-bridged neurofilament and higher sciatic function index, onset-to-peak of amplitude, muscle weight and fiber diameter compared to other groups after 8 weeks of implantation. In our results, the PA-NGC not only can serve as a design for functional NGC without growth factor but also can be used in clinical application for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Background Glycosuria is one of the manifestations of acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN), but may also be observed in other renal diseases. In this study, we investigated the value of non-diabetic glycosuria as a diagnostic clue for ATIN. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adult patients who underwent a kidney biopsy as an evaluation for serum creatinine > 1.4 mg/dL. Patients with proteinuria in the nephrotic range, diabetes mellitus, or transplanted kidney were excluded. The laboratory abnormalities suggestive of tubular injury were compared between 28 patients (14 men and 14 women, mean age 48.5 ± 14.1 years) with ATIN and 116 patients (76 men and 40 women, mean age 53.1 ± 15.0 years) with other diagnoses. Results In ATIN, glycosuria (≥ 1+ on dipstick; 68%) was more frequent than hypophosphatemia (18%), hypouricemia (18%), hypokalemia (18%), and tubular proteinuria (40%). In other diagnoses, glycosuria (≥ 1+) was detected in 7 (6%) patients; 6 of them had the histological diagnosis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis. The presence of glycosuria (≥ 1+) had 68% sensitivity and 94% specificity for ATIN, with the positive likelihood ratio of 11.24 and the negative likelihood ratio of 0.34. Pyuria and low total CO2 were equally and more sensitive (68% and 71%, respectively) than glycosuria (≥ 1+), but had no diagnostic value due to low specificities (58% and 60%, respectively). Conclusion In non-diabetic, non-nephrotic patients undergoing a kidney biopsy for azotemia, 1+ or higher glycosuria, if present, was a good predictor of the diagnosis of ATIN.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the change in hand grip strength (HGS) for consecutive 6 months in breast cancer survi vors (BCS) undergoing postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (adjCTX) and to determine the factors relevant to HGS after chemotherapy completion Methods: This study was a retrospective observational cohort study. BCS (N=38) who underwent breast cancer surgery and subsequent adjCTX were enrolled. The HGS of both sides was measured before adjCTX and 3 weeks, 2 months and 6 months after adjCTX. And we also collected body composition, anthropometric measurements, social demographics and clinical data. Then we analyzed the changes in HGS over time, and correlation of collected data with HGS at 6 months. Results: A significant increase in HGS of the unaffected side was observed within the first 3 weeks of adjCTX and maintained up to 6 months. In correlation analysis, HGS of both sides was positively correlated with the ipsilateral HGS at 3 weeks, and contralateral HGS at 6 months. And skeletal muscle mass was also positively correlated with the HGS of the unaffected side. In addition, subjects treated with targeted therapy had lower HGS of the unaffected side. However, HGS of the affected side was significantly lower in subjects with breast reconstruction and treated without radiotherapy. Conclusions: To maintain the early recovery of HGS, active and continuous exercise intervention for strengthening might be necessary.

Although robotic single-site (RSS) surgery employing cross setup of semirigid instruments allows effective triangulation of instruments, it has some limitations in performing RSS transabdominal and transvaginal surgeries. We introduced the robotic glove port technique (RGPT) using parallel setup of endowristed rigid instruments in performing RSS transabdominal surgery and transvaginal surgery in July of 2017. Thirty-five patients underwent RSS surgery with RGPT. Twenty-one patients had RSS transabdominal reconstructive or fertility-preserving surgeries such as myomectomy (12 patients), adenomyomectomy (3 patients), and ovarian endometriosis cystectomy (6 patients). Fourteen patients underwent robotic transvaginal surgery for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) hysterectomy. All procedures were successfully performed, and no postoperative complications were observed. In all patients, the median total operative time, console time, and docking time were 160 min (range 106-240), 120 min (range 65-180), and 10 min (range 4-25), respectively. There was no conversion to another type of surgery, such as conventional laparoscopy, laparotomy, or traditional multiport robotic surgery. The findings showed that RSS surgery via the RGPT is safe and feasible, using the parallel setup of endowristed rigid instruments is easily performed on transvaginal routes and transabdominal routes. Therefore, this procedure may be an important complement to gynecologic surgeons' armamentarium in the field of robotic reconstructive or fertility-preserving surgeries such as myomectomy, adenomyomectomy, ovarian cystectomy, and transvaginal surgery for NOTES hysterectomy. Nevertheless, further prospective controlled studies are needed to determine its full clinical application.

Solar water splitting directly converts solar energy into H2 fuel that is suitable for storage and transport. To achieve a high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency, elaborate strategies yielding a high photocurrent in a tandem configuration along with sufficient photovoltage should be developed. We demonstrated highly efficient solar water splitting devices based on emerging low-cost Sb2Se3 photocathodes coupled with semitransparent perovskite photovoltaics. A state-of-the-art Sb2Se3 photocathode exhibiting efficient long-wavelength photon harvesting enabled by judicious selection of junction layers was employed as a bottom absorber component. The top semitransparent photovoltaic cells, i.e., parallelized nanopillar perovskites using an anodized aluminum oxide scaffold, allowed the transmittance, photocurrent, and photovoltage to be precisely adjusted by changing the filling level of the perovskite layer in the scaffold. The optimum tandem device, in which similar current values were allocated to the top and bottom cells, achieved an STH conversion efficiency exceeding 10% by efficiently utilizing a broad range of photons at wavelength over 1000 nm.

For practical H2 production via photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, a proper nanostructure strategy allowing sufficient light absorption and effective charge carrier transport is of immense...

Developing new surgical instruments is challenging. While making surgical instruments could be a good field of application for 3D printers, attempts to do so have proven limited. We designed a new endoscope-assisted spine surgery system, and using a 3D printer, attempted to create a complex surgical instrument and to evaluate the feasibility thereof. Developing the new surgical instruments using a 3D printer consisted of two parts: one part was the creation of a prototype instrument, and the other was the production of a patient model. We designed a new endoscope-assisted spine surgery system with a cannula for the endoscope and working instruments and extra cannula that could be easily added. Using custom-made patient-specific 3D models, we conducted discectomies for paramedian and foraminal discs with both the newly designed spine surgery system and conventional tubular surgery. The new spine surgery system had an extra portal that can be well bonded in by a magnetic connector and greatly expanded the range of access for instruments without unnecessary bone destruction. In foraminal discectomy, the newly designed spine surgery system showed less facet resection, compared to conventional surgery. We were able to develop and demonstrate the usefulness of a new endoscope-assisted spine surgery system relying on 3D printing technology. Using the extra portal, the usability of endoscope-assisted surgery could be greatly increased. We suggest that 3D printing technology can be very useful for the realization and evaluation of complex surgical instrument systems.

Background: Biomechanical studies have demonstrated significant loosening of the adjustable-loop device as compared with the fixed-loop device used in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Retensioning of the adjustable loop has been recommended; however, the timing of the retensioning is unknown. Hypothesis: Early (ER) and late retensioning (LR) will show similar gapping between the femoral tunnel and graft on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and similar clinical outcomes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This study included 101 patients who underwent hamstring anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the adjustable-loop device for femoral fixation between June 2016 and January 2018. All patients a had follow-up MRI on postoperative day 1. Patients with revision surgery and those with reinjury after reconstruction were excluded. In the ER group, retensioning and knot tying of the initially tightened adjustable loop were performed after the flip of the button and before the graft was fixed at the tibia. In the LR group, retensioning and knot tying were performed after initial tightening of the adjustable loop and graft fixation at the tibial side. The tunnel-graft gap measured on multiplanar reformatted images of MRI scans was compared between the groups, as were clinical outcomes. Results: The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 30.3 years (range, 14-61 years). ER and knot tying were performed in 56 patients and LR and knot tying in 45. Preoperative characteristics of the 2 groups showed no significant differences. The mean ± SD tunnel-graft gap was 1.5 ± 2.0 mm in the ER group and 5.4 ± 4.0 mm in the LR group ( P < .001). There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the groups. Conclusion: ER and knot tying demonstrated less tunnel-graft gap than that of LR. However, there were no differences in clinical outcomes according to the timing of retensioning.

Vaginal dysbiosis, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and aerobic vaginitis (AV), is an important cause of premature birth in pregnant women. However, there is very little research on vaginal microbial distribution in AV compared to that in BV. This study aimed to analyze the composition of the vaginal microbiota of pregnant women with AV using microbial community analysis and identify the causative organism using each criterion of the AV scoring system. Also, we compared the quantification of aerobic bacteria using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and their relative abundances (RA) using metagenomics. This prospective case–control study included 228 pregnant Korean women from our previous study. A wet mount test was conducted on 159 women to diagnose AV using the AV scoring system. Vaginal samples were analyzed using metagenomics, Gram staining for Nugent score determination, conventional culture, and qPCR for Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and Enterobacteriaceae. The relative abundances (RAs) of eleven species showed significant differences among the three groups (Normal flora (NF), mild AV, and moderate AV). Three species including Lactobacillus crispatus were significantly lower in the AV groups than in the NF group, while eight species were higher in the AV groups, particularly moderate AV. The decrease in the RA of L. crispatus was common in three criteria of the AV scoring system (Lactobacillary, WBC, and background flora grades), while it did not show a significant difference among the three grade groups of the toxic leukocyte criterion. Also, the RAs of anaerobes, such as Gardnerella and Megasphaera, were higher in the AV groups, particularly moderate AV, while the RAs of aerobes were very low (RA < 0.01). Therefore, qPCR was performed for aerobes (Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., and Enterobacteriaceae); however, their quantification did not show a higher level in the AV groups when compared to that in the NF group. Therefore, AV might be affected by the RA of Lactobacillus spp. and the main anaerobes, such as Gardnerella spp. Activation of leukocytes under specific conditions might convert them to toxic leukocytes, despite high levels of L. crispatus. Thus, the pathogenesis of AV can be evaluated under such conditions.

Background: Despite advances in surgery and intensive perioperative care, fecal peritonitis secondary to colonic perforation is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. This study was performed to review the outcomes of patients who underwent colonic perforation surgery and to evaluate the prognostic factors associated with mortality. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 224 consecutive patients who underwent emergency colonic perforation surgery between January 2008 and May 2019. We divided the patients into survivor and non-survivor groups and compared their surgical outcomes.Results: The most common cause of colon perforation was malignancy in 54 patients (24.1%), followed by iatrogenic perforation in 41 (18.3%), stercoral perforation in 39 (17.4%), and diverticulitis in 37 (16.5%). The sigmoid colon (n=124, 55.4%) was the most common location of perforation, followed by the ascending colon, rectum, and cecum. Forty-five patients (20.1%) died within 1 month after surgery. Comparing the 179 survivors with the 45 non-survivors, the patient characteristics associated with mortality were advanced age, low systolic blood pressure, tachycardia, organ failure, high C-reactive protein, high creatinine, prolonged prothrombin time, and high lactate level. The presence of free or feculent fluid, diffuse peritonitis, and right-sided perforation were associated with mortality. In multivariate analysis, advanced age, organ failure, right-sided perforation, and diffuse peritonitis independently predicted mortality within 1 month after surgery.Conclusion: Age and organ failure were prognostic factors for mortality associated with colon perforation. Furthermore, right-sided perforation and diffuse peritonitis demonstrated a significant association with patient mortality.

This paper presents a high-speed ASIC implementation of the tanh activation function (AF) for artificial neural network. The proposed architecture for tanh AF is designed using a highspeed cascade Coordinate Rotation DIgital Computer (CORDIC) to implement hyperbolic and division functions. CORDIC processing is accelerated by fixing the angle of rotation and removing parameters related to the direction of rotation. The proposed architecture was coded in Verilog hardware description language and synthesized by Synopsys Design Compiler using a 90-nm CMOS standard cell library. The implementation results show an improved area-delay product compared to the existing architectures.

We developed a dual pixel with accurate and all-directional auto focus (AF) performance in CMOS image sensor (CIS). The optimized in-pixel deep trench isolation (DTI) provided accurate AF data and good image quality in the entire image area and over whole visible wavelength range. Furthermore, the horizontal-vertical (HV) dual pixel with the slanted in-pixel DTI enabled the acquisition of all-directional AF information by the conventional dual pixel readout method. These technologies were demonstrated in 1.4μm dual pixel and will be applied to the further shrunken pixels.

Background Respiratory infection in children is a major disease that ranks high in outpatient and inpatient cases. In particular, the causes of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) vary depending on the individual susceptibility, epidemiological characteristics of the community, and season, and it is difficult to obtain samples for microbiological diagnosis. This study analysis that laboratory surveillance network of pathogen for pediatric CAP by linking the national community-based hospital and clinics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to identify the distribution trend and prevalence of causative pathogens and to prevent antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens. Method The monitoring network was composed of the 28 secondary and tertiary medical institutions based on the national community, and the 24-month prospective study operated a community monitoring network for CAP in children. Results A total of 1023 cases were registered for nasopharyngeal aspirate or sputum in patients with CAP, and 711 cases (69.5%) were isolated by culture, S. aureus 131 cases (12.8%), S. pneumonia 92 cases (9%), H. influenzae 20 cases (2%). PCR of atypical pneumonia revealed 422 cases of M. pneumoniae (41.3%), 5 cases of C. pneumonia (0.5%), and 5 case (0.5%) of B. pertussis. Respiratory virus multiplex PCR test showed positive rates in 65.7%, human rhinovirus 312 (30.5%), RSV(A+B) 212 (20.7%), Adenovirus 123 (12%), Influenza (A+B) 53 (7.8%), CoV (OC43+NL63+229E) 69 (6.7%), HMPV 81 (7.9%), HBoV 51 (5%), PIV (1+2+3+4) 65 (6.4%) and HEV 30 (2.9%) Conclusion It will identify the pathogens that cause respiratory infections, and analyze the current status of antibiotic resistance to provide scientific evidence for management policies of domestic respiratory infection. Also, in preparation for the new epidemic, including COVID19, monitoring of respiratory infections in children and adolescents, especially community pneumonia, has become more important, and research should be continuously conducted in the future. The location and extent of involvement in the medulla were the most important factors associated with the severity of dysphagia after LMI.

Achieving both high onset potential and photocurrent in photoelectrodes is a key challenge while performing unassisted overall water splitting using tandem devices. We propose a simple interface modification strategy to maximize the performance of polycrystalline Sb2Se3 photocathodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) modification at Sb2Se3/TiO2 interface enhanced both the onset potential and photocurrent of the Sb2Se3 photocathodes. The surface defects in the polycrystalline Sb2Se3 limited the photovoltage production, lowering the onset potential of the photocathode. Surface restoration using the conjugated PABA molecules efficiently passivated the surface defects on the Sb2Se3 and enabled the rapid photoelectron transport from the Sb2Se3 to the TiO2 layer. The PABA treated Sb2Se3 photocathode exhibited substantially improved PEC performance; the onset potential increased from 0.35 to 0.50 V compared to the reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE), and the photocurrent density increased from 24 to 35 mA cm−2 at 0 VRHE.

Study region Southern coastal sedimentary basin of Benin, south of Benin, West Africa Study focus Groundwater vulnerability and contamination in Benin is a major concern that need proper attention as groundwater resource is the main source for irrigation and drinking water supply in most of districts of Benin. To protect this precious resource, it is important to know the degree of vulnerability in each location of the basin. In this study, DRASTIC, additive model of DRASTIC (DRASTICLcLu), classic DRASTIC weights modified using Shannon’s entropy (Entropy weight DRASTIC), Entropy weight DRASTICLcLu and AVI were applied to the southern coastal sedimentary basin of Benin to assess the groundwater vulnerability across the basin. The applied approaches were validated using nitrate (NO3−) concentration. The results showed that the addition of landcover/land use parameter to the classic DRASTIC helps to improve the method for better definition of the vulnerable areas in the basin and also, the weight modification using entropy improved better the method as Entropy weight DRASTICLcLu showed the highest correlation with nitrate concentration across the southern coastal sedimentary basin of Benin.

Stem cell transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy that includes both cell therapy and tissue engineering for the treatment of many regenerative diseases; however, the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy depend on the cell type used in therapeutic and translational applications. In this study, we validated the hypothesis that human nasal turbinate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hTMSCs) are a potential therapeutic source of adult stem cells for clinical use in bone tissue engineering using three-dimensional (3D) cell-printing technology. hTMSCs were cultured and evaluated for clinical use according to their cell growth, cell size, and preclinical safety and were then incorporated into a multicompositional 3D bioprinting system and investigated for bone tissue regeneration in vitro and in vivo. Finally, hTMSCs were compared with human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hBMSCs), which are the most common stem cell type used in regenerative medicine. hTMSCs from three different donors showed greater and faster cell growth than hBMSCs from two different donors when cultured. The hTMSCs were smaller in size than the hBMSCs. Furthermore, the hTMSCs did not exhibit safety issues in immunodeficient mice. hTMSCs in 3D-printed constructs (3D-hTMSC) showed much greater viability, growth, and osteogenic differentiation potential in vitro than hBMSCs in 3D-printed constructs (3D-hBMSC). Likewise, 3D-hTMSC showed better cell survival and alkaline phosphatase activity and greater osteogenic protein expression than 3D-hBMSC upon subcutaneous implantation into the dorsal region of nude mice. Notably, in an orthotopic model involving implantation into a tibial defect in rats, implantation of 3D-hTMSC led to greater bone matrix formation and enhanced bone healing to a greater degree than implantation of 3D-hBMSC. The clinically reliable evidence provided by these results is underlined by the potential for rapid tissue regeneration and ambulation in bone fracture patients implanted with 3D-hTMSC.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the incidence of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter strut penetration and risk factors of organ involvement. Methods From June 2003 to August 2015, there were 138 patients with deep venous thrombosis who received an IVC filter. Among 104 patients who did not have the IVC filter retrieved, 66 had follow-up computed tomography and were included in this study. The IVC filters used were 21 Gunther Tulip (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind), 26 Celect (Cook Medical), and 19 OptEase (Cordis Corp, Bridgewater, NJ) filters. Filter strut penetration was categorized by a previously published scale of grade 0 to grade 3, and organ involvement was specifically assessed. Multivariate analysis was used to identify risk factors for organ-involving strut penetration (grade 3). Results The median age of the patients was 66 years (27-84 years), and 46% were male. Median computed tomography follow-up duration was 14 months (1-137 months). IVC strut penetration was detected in all patients. Grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 were 29%, 36%, and 35%, respectively. The risk factor of grade 3 penetration was indwelling time ≥30 months on binary logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 4.395; 95% confidence interval, 1.179-16.385; P = .027). Conclusions Regardless of type of IVC filter, the incidence of strut penetration was high. The risk of adjacent organ involvement increases over time. Retrievable IVC filters need close follow-up and retrieval as soon as they are no longer needed.

최근 위성발사체 시장에서 발사가격은 상당한 수준으로 낮아지고 있다. 이것은 약 10년전부터 발사시장에 SpaceX 등의 민간기업이 진입하면서 소수 기업의 독점체제가 민간을 포함한 경쟁체제로 변하였고, 민간기업의 기술 및 경영 효율화가 적극적으로 도입되고 있기 때문이다. 또한 SpaceX는 2016년에 위성발사체 1단의 회수에 성공함으로써 재사용발사체의 서막을 열었고, 향후 재사용발사체를 활용하여 위성발사 가격을 획기적으로 낮추겠다고 공언하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 어떤 한 위성을 LEO 궤도에 올리기 위하여 필요한 총 발사비용을 계산하고, 3가지 경우의 임무중량에 대하여 각각의 발사비용을 비교하여 재사용발사체의 비용 효용성에 미치는 임무중량의 영향에 대하여 알아본다. 발사비용은 개발비용, 제작비용, 재사용비용, 운용비용, 고정비용 및 보험비용으로 구분하여 계산하며, 각 계산에 사용된 비용추정관계식은 TRNSCOST 등의 비용계산모델을 활용하여 사용하였다.

Purpose We evaluated the clinical value of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS). The degree of correlation between pathology size and MRI or ultrasonography (US) size was compared based on breast cancer subtypes. In addition, we investigated the positive margin rates. Methods Patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent preoperative breast MRI and US between 2011 and 2016 were included in the study. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was used to measure the correlation between MRI or US andpathologic tumor extent. Tumor extent was defined as pathologic tumor size, including in situ carcinoma. Margin positivity was assessed based on frozen-section examination. Results A total of 516 patients with a single tumor who underwent BCS were included in the study. The correlation between pathologic size and MRI was significantly higher than that of US (r = 0.6975 vs. 0.6211, p = 0.001). The superiority of MRI over US in measuring the pathologic extent was only observed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC; r = 0.8089 vs. 0.6014, p < 0.001). The agreement between MRI or US and tumor extent was low for the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive subtype (MRI: 0.5243, US: 0.4898). Moreover, the positive margin rate was higher in the HER2-positive subtype than in the others (luminal/HER2-negative: 11.6%, HER2-positive: 23.2%, TNBC: 17.8%, p = 0.019). The post hoc analysis showed that the HER2-positive subtype was more likely to show positive margins than the luminal/HER2-negative subtype (p = 0.007). Conclusion Breast MRI was superior to US in the preoperative assessment of the pathologic extent of tumor size; this was most evident in TNBC. For HER2-positive tumors, imaging-pathologic discordance resulted in higher positive margin rates than that with other subtypes.

Background Short-term hemoglobin (Hb) variability related to volume status is observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients receiving hemodialysis (HD). Given the lack of studies regarding outcomes according to the day of Hb sampling, the existing guidelines do not strongly recommend regarding measurement timing. Pre-dialysis mid-week sampling (Wednesday and Thursday) is preferable to minimize short-term Hb variability, although numerous HD centers perform early-week sampling (Monday and Tuesday). The different measurement days may influence the prescribed dose of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) and related patient outcomes. We investigated changes in Hb levels and ESA doses according to the Hb measurement day among HD patients. Methods Starting September 2013, the day for pre-dialysis Hb measurement at the Asan Medical Center was changed from early-week days to mid-week days. This single-center retrospective study evaluated medical records of 92 patients who received maintenance HD between September 2012 and August 2014. Results There was no significant difference in the mean Hb levels between early-week days and mid-week days (10.71 ± 0.06 g/dL vs. 10.78 ± 0.47 g/dL, p = 0.105). However, the mean doses of darbepoetin-α on early-week days were higher than those on mid-week days (175.4 ± 72.5 μg/month vs. 163.7 ± 83.6 μg/month, p = 0.022). The mean doses of intravenous iron hydroxide sucrose for early-week measurements were also higher than those for mid-week measurements (623.0 ± 489.0 mg/year vs. 447.0 ± 505.2 mg/year, p = 0.001). The mean interdialytic weight gains were 2.81 ± 0.82 kg on early-week days and 1.99 ± 0.61 kg on mid-week days (p

Purpose: This study examined the safety of an ultrasound-guided peripherally insertion central catheter (PICC) for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: The medical records of consecutive patients who received ultrasound-guided PICC for chemotherapy between Sep. 2016 and Dec. 2017 were reviewed. The diameters of the basilic and brachial veins were measured in all patients. The procedures were performed when the diameter was more than 2.5 mm in the basilic vein first. The procedure was performed on the brachial vein when the diameter of the basilic vein was less than 2.5 mm. The technical success rate, catheter-related complications, duration of catheter service day by veins (basilic vs. brachial) were examined. Results: A total of 113 procedures were analyzed. The mean age was 61.9 ± 10.5 years (range 35–83 years). The technical success rate was 100%. The mean diameters of the basilic and brachial veins were 3.8 ± 0.8 mm and 3.9 ± 1.0 mm, respectively. The mean duration of the catheter service day was 95.8 ± 77.8. No difference in the diameter of the vessels according to age was noted. The incidence of complication-related catheter removals was similar in the two groups (26 in the basilic group and 27 in the brachial group; infection, 15.6% vs 22.4%, P > 0.05 ; thrombosis, 6.3% vs. 6.1%, P > 0.05; occlusion, 4.7% vs 6.1%, P > 0.05). Conclusion: The ultrasound-guided PICC procedure ensures a successful probability in cancer patients. The incidence of complications was similar in the two groups (brachial vs. basilic).

AIM ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT) has become a routine procedure with graft survival rates comparable to those of ABO-compatible KT. However, the clinical significance of the isoagglutinin titre in ABOi KT remains uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we analysed the clinical outcomes of ABOi KT according to the baseline and post-operative isoagglutinin titre. METHODS All patients who received ABOi KT between 2009 and 2013 were reviewed and followed up until December 2016. The patients were classified according to baseline (

Although antimony triselenide (Sb2Se3) has been intensively investigated as a low-cost p-type semiconductor for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, most previous studies focused on only the top interface of Sb2Se3 photocathodes. Herein, a solution-processed Cu-doped NiOx (Cu:NiOx) thin film is proposed as an effective bottom contact layer for the Sb2Se3 photocathode. The photocurrent density of the Sb2Se3 photocathode is improved to a record-high level of 17.5 mA cm–2 upon the insertion of Cu:NiOx capable of blocking the recombination at the back interface, while facilitating hole extraction. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, in conjunction with other observations, indicate that the enhanced photocurrent is due to the improved quality of the bottom contact without a noticeable change in the top interface. This study not only provides new insight into the role of the bottom contact layer in photocathodes, but also is an important step toward e...