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Many industrialized areas of the world demand for the nutraceuticals due to rapidly growing health risks linked with higher consumption of processed foods. Tateishi Kazu vegetable soup or miracle soup is widely consumed around the world because of its nutraceutical properties. In the current research, the Tateishi Kazu vegetable soup was made from both organic and nonorganic sources, such as carrot, burdock root, shiitake mushroom, daikon radish, and radish leaves. We analyzed colour, antioxidant properties, cell viability, and mineral and free amino acid contents of both soups. The L∗a∗b and pH values revealed no drastic changes in the colour of the organic soup stored for 96 hours. The essential amino acids were present in higher amounts in an organic soup compared to the nonorganic soup. Similarly, the total mineral contents of the organic soup were higher than the nonorganic soup; however, potassium was the major mineral in both soups. Higher phenolic contents with elevated 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were noticed in organic soup. Moreover, both soups showed considerable reduction in cell viability of HepG2 cells tested through the MTT assay. From the present study, we concluded that the organic Tateishi Kazu vegetable soup can be of great importance to food industry due to the presence of viable nutrients and pharmacological properties.

Here, we report efficient and stable indium phosphide (InP) based inverted red quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) using a new high mobility and deep HOMO level hole transport layer (HTL) and...

Background Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) should be considered for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) having estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) > 30 mg/g. However, SGLT2i is currently underprescribed among eligible, at-risk patients for CKD progression. We analyzed prescription patterns and barriers to initiating SGLT2i in patients with T2D and CKD in real practice. Methods A total of 3,703 consecutive outpatients with T2D from four teaching hospitals during six months (2019 ~ 2020) were reviewed. Five eGFR categories (G1, ≥ 90; G2, 60–89; G3ab, 30–59; G4-5, < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) and three UACR categories (A1, < 30; A2, 30–300; A3, > 300 mg/g) were used to define CKD status. Results Overall, 25.8 % patients received SGLT2i in the following eGFR and albuminuria categories: G1 (A1, 31 %; A2, 48 %; A3, 45 %); G2 (A1, 18 %; A2, 24 %; A3, 30%); and G3 (A1, 9 %; A2, 7 %; A3, 13 %). Total prevalence estimate of CKD was 33.8 % (n = 1,253), of whom 25.6 % patients received SGLT2i. We defined eGFR ≥ 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 and UACR ≥ 30 mg/g as high-risk CKD group eligible for SGLT2i (n = 905), of whom 32.9 % patients were treated with an SGLT2i. In this high-risk group, SGLT2i initiation showed negative correlations with age ≥ 65 years and recent hospitalization. Conversely, HbA1c level, body mass index (BMI), presence of diabetic retinopathy, and previous heart failure events were positively correlated with SGLT2i initiation. Conclusions Only 32.9 % of T2D with CKD eligible for SGLT2i is currently treated with SGLT2i in real-world clinical practice. The older patient group and clinical inertia are the main barriers to initiate SGLT2i for eligible patients. Clinicians should change the glucocentric approach and focus on reducing renal events in T2D.

Background: Postoperative hypoparathyroidism is a major complication of thyroidectomy that occurs when the parathyroid glands are inadvertently damaged during surgery. Although intraoperative images are rarely used to train AI because of its complex nature, our group recognized the potential of training AI to intraoperatively detect parathyroid glands using various augmentation methods. The aim of the present study was to train an effective artificial intelligence (AI) model to detect parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy and evaluate its accuracy. Methods: Video clips of the parathyroid gland were collected during thyroid lobectomy procedures. Confirmed parathyroid images were used to form three types of datasets according to augmentation status: baseline, geometric transformation, and generative adversarial network-based image inpainting. The average precision was set as the primary outcome regarding the performance of parathyroid detection performance. Findings: The performance of the AI model in detecting parathyroid glands based on baseline data was 77%. This performance was enhanced by applying both geometric transformation and image inpainting augmentation methods. Between the two, the geometric transformation data augmentation dataset demonstrated superior results compared to that of the image inpainting model. The average precision was 79% in the transformation dataset vs. 78.6% in the inpainting dataset. However, when the model was subjected to images of a completely different thyroidectomy approach, image inpainting methods proved to be more effective compared to both geometric transformation and baseline (46% vs. 37% vs. 33%). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the utility of our AI model, which, when aided with appropriate augmentation methods, is potentially an effective and generalizable tool for intraoperative identification of parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy. Furthermore, this technology has significant potential to be easily extended to identifying important structures during other surgical procedures in general. Funding Information: Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea [NRF-2019R1C1C1008384]. Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Institutional review board approval was acquired (GDIRB2019-359), and research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki in its latest form.

3D NAND flash memory has enhanced its areal density by more than 50% per year by virtue of the aggressive development of 3D WL stacking technology for the recent three consecutive years [1]–[3]. Also storage market still requires more bits for diverse digital applications. [4]

Background Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this systematic review was to enhance diagnostic approaches and summarize therapeutic strategies in the management of AI in patients with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Methods A literature search of PubMed and Medline databases was performed and 91 publications containing 105 cases were included for the final analysis. Results The following frequency of clinical signs and symptoms was noted: abdominal pain (39.04%) was the leading symptom, followed by fever (33.33%), vomiting (23.81%), and nausea (19.05%). APS was present in 73%, SLE in 17% of the patients, while 2% had a diagnosis of both, SLE and APS. ACTH stimulation test (ACTHst) was performed in 18% of cases and 76.6% of them were unresponsive towards stimulation. Variable treatment approaches were used: hydrocortisone was most commonly used (38.09%), followed by fludrocortisone (26.67%), prednisolone (20.00%) and volume replacement treatment (11.43%), respectively. Conclusions This analysis highlights the importance of an early diagnosis and initiation of therapeutic management when AI is suspected. In line, signs and symptoms related to autoimmune diseases in patients with AI should be reviewed crtitically.

Hyponatremia is an electrolyte abnormality commonly found in clinical practice. It is important to diagnose the underlying etiology of the hyponatremia and correct it appropriately because severe hyponatremia can cause serious complications and substantially increase the risk of mortality. Although hypothyroidism is known to be a cause of hyponatremia, it is rare that hyponatremia occurs in relation to hypothyroidism induced by thyroid hormone withdrawal in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. We report a case of a 76-year-old woman with papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting with severe hyponatremia related to hypothyroidism induced by thyroid hormone withdrawal for radio-active iodine whole-body scanning, who was treated by thyroid hormone replacement and hydration. Considering that the incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer is rapidly increasing, physicians should be aware that, although uncommon, hyponatremia can occur in patients undergoing radioiodine therapy or diagnostic testing.

Objective: To investigate the physicochemical properties of unripe peach-Prunus persica cv. Mibaekdo (Mibaekdo) and Prunus persica cv. Nagasawa Hakuho (Nagasawa Hakuho) as an alternative to food supplement while Japanese apricot (Prunus mume cv. Backaha) (Backaha) was used as a control sample. Methods: The unripe fruits were analyzed for soluble solid (°Brix), titratable acidity, pH, total polyphenol content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, amygdalin content, free amino acid content, organic acid content, free sugar content, and α-amylase activities. Results: Total polyphenol content of unripe peach ranged between 137.27-151.64 μg/g whereas that of apricot was 160.73 μg/g. DPPH radical scavenging activities of Backaha was the highest (89.16%) followed by Mibaekdo (85.05%) and Nagasawa Hakuho (41.50%). The highest amount of oxalic acid (612.8 mg/100 g) was observed in Mibaekdo while that of Nagasawa Hakuho and Backaha were (184.6±18.1) and (334.8±16.1) mg/100 g, respectively. Amygdalin contents of Mibaekdo, Nagasawa Hakuho and Backaha were 486.61, 548.60 and 174.28 μg/g, respectively. Conclusions: The results suggest that the unripe fruit of peach has a significant biochemical potential of using as a food supplement with potential health benefit for human health.

The increasing importance of meat quality has implications for animal breeding programs. Research has revealed much about the genetic background of pigs, and many studies have revealed the importance of various genetic factors. Since meat quality is a complex trait which is affected by many factors, consideration of the overall phenotype is very useful to study meat quality. For integrating the phenotypes, we used principle component analysis (PCA). The significant SNPs refer to results of the GRAMMAR method against PC1, PC2 and PC3 of 14 meat quality traits of 181 Duroc pigs. The Genome-wide association study (GWAS) found 26 potential SNPs affecting various meat quality traits. The loci identified are located in or near 23 genes. The SNPs associated with meat quality are in or near five genes (ANK1, BMP6, SHH, PIP4K2A, and FOXN2) and have been reported previously. Twenty-five of the significant SNPs also located in meat quality-related QTL regions, these result supported the QTL effect indirectly. Each single gene typically affects multiple traits. Therefore, it is a useful approach to use integrated traits for the various traits at the same time. This innovative approach using integrated traits could be applied on other GWAS of complex-traits including meat-quality, and the results will contribute to improving meat-quality of pork.

Background: The prevalence of depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are increasing in the elderly and are reportedly related to each other. We evaluated the relationship between T2DM-related factors and the degree of depression in elderly patients with T2DM based on gender. Materials and Methods: A total of 155 patients with T2DM (56 males and 99 females aged ≥ 65 years) from seven hospitals were included in the study. To assess the status of depressive symptoms, the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale-Korean version (SGDS-K) was used. We evaluated DM-related factors, such as T2DM duration, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, and T2DM complications, as well as other possible factors that could affect depression, such as cognitive function, physical function, education level, and other personal factors. Results: Mean age of the participants was 71.3 years with a mean HbA1c level of 7.6%. Males in the good glycemic control group (HbA1c

Pancreatic hamartoma is a rare benign tumor that can be easily misdiagnosed due to its rarity. Its diagnostic ambiguity demands surgical resection for confirmation. We reported a 54-year-old female patient with a pancreatic hamartoma that was pathologically confirmed after surgery, and we reviewed all the reported literature for adult pancreatic hamartomas. With the advancement of techniques for minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic or robotic pancreatectomy can be safely performed on benign or low-grade malignant tumors in which the diagnosis is uncertain.

Online simulations are utilized to reduce time and cost in the development and performance optimization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and electric vehicles (EV) systems. One of the most important factors in an online simulation is the accuracy of the model. In particular, a model of a battery should accurately reflect the properties of an actual battery. However, precise dynamic modeling of high-capacity battery systems, which significantly affects the performance of a PHEV, is difficult because of its nonlinear electrochemical characteristics. In this study, a dynamic model of a high-capacity battery cell for a PHEV is developed through the extraction of the equivalent impedance parameters using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Based on the extracted parameters, a battery cell model is implemented using MATLAB/Simulink, and charging/discharging profiles are executed for comparative verification. Based on the obtained results, the model is optimized for a high-capacity battery cell for a PHEV. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental results, thereby validating the developed model and verifying its accuracy.

Owing to high oil prices and the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, there has been active research and development on environmentally friendly, high-efficiency vehicles. In developing the system design and specifications of an environmentally friendly vehicle, various simulations have been performed on the different components and the overall system. Although a precise modelling of each part and the system as a whole is necessary for an accurate simulation, detailed modelling of a high-capacity battery system – which directly affects the performance of an environmentally friendly vehicle – is difficult to achieve owing to the non-linear electrochemical properties of the battery. In this study, an electrochemical impedance measurement technique is used to implement a battery cell model, upon which a battery system model for environmentally friendly vehicles that takes into account the ancillary components of the battery pack is developed. And we used an actual battery system that requires complex and difficult modelling owing to non-linear and irreversible properties of the battery. In addition, to verify the developed battery system model, we used models implemented for other vehicle components and systems to construct a hardware-in-the-loop simulation of a battery reflecting an actual driving environment.

Background/aims Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of diabetic complications and antagonists of renin-angiotensin system and amlodipine have been reported previously to reduce oxidative stress. In this study, we compared the changes in oxidative stress markers after valsartan and amlodipine treatment in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension and compared the changes in metabolic parameters. Methods Type 2 diabetic subjects with hypertension 30 to 80 years of age who were not taking antihypertensive drugs were randomized into either valsartan (n = 33) or amlodipine (n = 35) groups and treated for 24 weeks. We measured serum nitrotyrosine levels as an oxidative stress marker. Metabolic parameters including serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile, and urine albumin and creatinine were also measured. Results After 24 weeks of valsartan or amlodipine treatment, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased, with no significant difference between the groups. Both groups showed a decrease in serum nitrotyrosine (7.74 ± 7.30 nmol/L vs. 3.95 ± 4.07 nmol/L in the valsartan group and 8.37 ± 8.75 nmol/L vs. 2.68 ± 2.23 nmol/L in the amlodipine group) with no significant difference between the groups. Other parameters including glucose, lipid profile, albumin-to-creatinine ratio, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance showed no significant differences before and after treatment in either group. Conclusions Valsartan and amlodipine reduced the oxidative stress marker in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) utilize electric power and a mechanical engine for propulsion; therefore, the performance of HEVs is directly influenced by the characteristics of the energy storage system (ESS). The ESS for an HEV generally requires high power performance, long cycle life, reliability and cost effectiveness; thus, a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) that combines different types of storage devices has been considered to fulfill both performance and cost requirements. To improve the operating efficiency and cycle life of a HESS, an advanced dynamic control regime in which pertinent storage devices in the HESS can be selectively operated based on their status is presented. Verification tests were performed to confirm the degree of improvement in energy efficiency. In this paper, an advanced HESS with a battery management system (BMS) that includes an optimal switching control function based on the estimated state of charge (SOC) is presented and verified.

We sought to determine whether electrical stimu- lation (ES) with subthreshold, continuous, low-frequency impulses is a viable clinical method for improving functional re- covery after facial nerve crush injury. In 10 rabbits, bilateral crush injuries were made on the facial nerve by compression for 30 s with mosquito forceps, causing complete facial paraly- sis. Subthreshold continuous direct current ES with 20-Hz square-wave pulses was applied to the proximal stump on one side for 4 weeks. Vibrissae movement returned significantly ear- lier on the ES side, with a less variable recovery time. Electro- physiologically, the stimulated side had a significantly shorter latency, longer duration, and faster conduction velocity. Light and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the electri- cal stimulation also markedly decreased Wallerian degenera- tion. The average numbers of fluorescent, double-labeled nerve cells were significantly different between the ES and non-ES sides. This study shows that subthreshold, continuous, low-fre- quency ES immediately after a crush injury of the facial nerve results in earlier recovery of facial function and shorter overall recovery time. Muscle Nerve 43: 251-258, 2011

The ultracapacitor module has recently been recast for use in hybrid energy storage systems (HESSs). As a result, accurate state-of-charge (SOC) estimation for an ultracapacitor module is as important as that of primary sources in order to be utilized efficiently in an energy storage system (ESS). However, while SOC estimation via the open-circuit voltage (OCV) method is generally used due to its linear characteristics compared with other ESSs, this method results in many errors in cases of highcurrent charging/discharging within a short time period. Accordingly, this paper introduces a dynamic SOC estimation algorithm that is capable of SOC compensation of an ultracapacitor module even when there is a current input and output. A cycle profile that simulates the operating conditions of a mild-HEV was applied to a vehicle simulator to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Objective The use of a real time continuous glucose monitoring system (RT-CGM) was studied as a behavior modification tool and the effectiveness of a RT-CGM in glucose control for patients with type 2 diabetes was determined. Methods We conducted a prospective, open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial in 65 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (8.0 ≤ HbA1c ≤ 10%) over a 3-month period. The intervention group was monitored monthly with a RT-CGM (three days at a time for 3 months) and the control group continued self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) at least four times a week for 3 months. Results The HbA1c of the RT-CGM group was significantly reduced after 12 weeks compared with the SMBG group (9.1 ± 1.0% to 8.0 ± 1.2% vs. 8.7 ± 0.7% to 8.3 ± 1.1%, respectively; P = 0.004). In the RT-CGM group, there was a significant reduction in total daily calorie intake, weight, body mass index (BMI), and postprandial glucose level, and a significant increase in total exercise time per week after 3 months. Conclusions We demonstrated that the RT-CGM was useful in modifying a patient's diet and exercise habits and could induce better glycemic control than SMBG for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims To examine the relationship between the components of the metabolic syndrome and to explore whether insulin resistance unifies the clustering of components of the metabolic syndrome among urban elderly Koreans using exploratory factor analysis. Methods We included 1314 non-diabetic subjects over the age of 60 years, selected from a cross-sectional study, which was conducted in 1999 in Seoul, Korea. Factor analysis was carried out using the principle components analysis with Varimax orthogonal rotation of the components of the metabolic syndrome. Results We found four major factors of cardiovascular disease risk variables in our study subjects. Impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and obesity aggregated as the major domain. Obesity and dyslipidaemia variables were closely related and loaded on the same factor. However, hypertension was not linked closely with other factors of the metabolic syndrome. Conclusions Insulin resistance is not the only contributor to the metabolic syndrome among urban elderly Koreans. Although the components of the metabolic syndrome were closely related, the finding of more than one factor suggests that more than one pathophysiological mechanism underlies full expression of the metabolic syndrome among elderly Koreans.

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to compare outcomes of limited open and short wrist transverse techniques in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. In a single centre randomized controlled trial, 84 patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were randomized before surgery to limited open or short wrist transverse open carpal tunnel release. The patients were evaluated at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 and 2 years after surgery. At every follow-up, the Brigham and Women’s Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire scores, scar discomfort, and subjective patient satisfaction were evaluated. Two years after surgery, five patients were lost to follow-up. The groups had similar Brigham and Women’s Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptom Severity and Functional Status scores and subjective satisfaction scores. The incidence of scar discomfort was not significantly different between the two groups on serial postoperative follow-up. Short wrist transverse open release surgery showed similar early postoperative symptoms and subjective and functional outcomes to limited open release. Level of evidence: II

In this study, following market penetration of PHEVs and EVs, the types of green car need to be supplied electricity externally, the efficient power charging infrastructure with a suggested charging monitoring system considering the smart grid system is proposed. PHEVs and EVs of green cars are used with electric supplied from Smart-Grid and stored in batteries. For the process, to establish stable and efficient connections between cars and the grids, the charging-monitoring system to manage electricity supply with communication information is required. The developed power supply system for charging automobiles are suitable for places such as 1∶1 type or household usage. However, for the places required to charge simultaneously many vehicles, such as corporate or public parking lots, the system has problems causing installation cost increase while taking certain amount of spaces as well as inconvenient to manage for electricity suppliers. Therefore, in this study, we are proposed the efficient energy transformation method with the suggested charging monitoring system in grid, which has along with the description of charging process mechanism, the detail of control algorithm and the definition of function and interface between the relevant systems.

Regarding modeling of battery system, if the properties of unit cells comprising the system are different, overall battery system model based on a specific cell may cause an error due to the differences in cell properties. In this paper, the statistical method to minimize the error according to the deviation of properties of unit cells comprising the battery module is proposed. The simulation result of battery module model based on statistical method is compared to the experiment result of PHEV battery module. Through this, the usefulness of proposed statistical averaging method is verified.

With the recent interest in environment-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), various topologies are being proposed for the on-board charger (OBC) required to charge the lithium battery that serves as the energy storage system. If a specific topology is selected and used, the output current of the charger is bound to contain low-frequency ripple that is twice the input power supply frequency. In this study, to analyze the effects of the low-frequency ripple on the lithium battery, a number of charging/discharging cycles are performed to apply low-frequency ripple current and constant current to PHEV lithium battery cells with similar properties. In addition, we conducted capacity test for each specific cycle to compare their performances to analyze the effects of OBC's low-frequency ripple on the battery.

The latest paradigm in the global automobile market is shifting toward environment-friendly vehicles (such as HEVs, PHEVs, and EVs), and high-efficiency, large-capacity lithium rechargeable batteries are being used to increase vehicle's fuel efficiency and extend the driving distance. However, there have been safety concerns, including batteries in recently sold environment-friendly vehicle catching fire. In order to address these issues and to secure safety, manufacturers of rechargeable batteries and environment-friendly vehicles are performing reliability tests prior to installing batteries in the vehicles. Most standards for temperature-related environmental tests for battery systems are in the works, and the ones that have been established adhere to the specifications for electrical systems installed in conventional automobiles. Therefore, this study analyzes the results of comparative experiments to assess whether the temperature environmental evaluation test guidelines for electrical systems in conventional vehicles can be applied to battery systems for environment-friendly automobiles.

The performance of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or an electric vehicle (EV) is closely related to the performance of its high-voltage battery pack. This is why, among the various means of maintaining a battery's peak performance, the importance of thermal management is emphasized. Since the early stages of the development of Li-ion batteries, much emphasis has been placed on battery cooling in order to secure stability, while less attention has been given to battery heating. However, in a low-temperature environment, using a battery without heating it severely undermines the battery's performance and life expectancy. A PHEV or an EV operates with energy that is stored by charging the battery, which can then be heated by an external source in a low-temperature environment prior to driving. In this study, a battery HILS and an environment simulation system are used to verify that pre-heating a battery in a low-temperature environment, using an external source, such as a charging stand, improves the battery's performance as compared to circumstances in which this is neglected.

With the recent increase in the demand for vehicle power converters, various systems are being developed. Accordingly, a wide range of topologies has been developed, and extensive research is being undertaken on improving efficiency and performance. In line with these efforts, this paper proposes a design technique capable of reducing the time required for developing power converters and optimizing the verification process. The proposed technique involves designing and developing a model-based control algorithm for a simulation tool. Today's power converters are developed by determining design specifications, selecting components, developing the control algorithm, and debugging. While this approach is suitable for developing a single product, development must restart from scratch when there are changes in specifications or the components used, prolonging the development period and increasing the cost. The method proposed in this paper adds model simulation and plant debugging to development and debugging processes and reflects them in the design after verification. This involves designing a plant model and the controller model according to the topology, as well as software optimization. The algorithm is then verified and applied to the actual product. In this paper, the design and manufacturing processes based on a simple buck converter is explained in two phases of simulation and actual application.

There have been a number of methods proposed for accurate state of charge (SOC) estimation of a battery as an important role of the battery management System (BMS). However, adequate test data of batteries and BMS development costs must be taken into consideration before application in actual vehicles. In addition, different algorithms need to be adopted according to the type of energy storage device and system configuration. For a mild-HEV hybrid energy storage device that uses the ultracapacitor module and the VRLA battery, the small capacitance of ultracapacitor module makes accurate SOC difficult. Accordingly, this paper introduces a dynamic SOC estimation algorithm capable of SOC compensation of the ultracapacitor module even when there is current input and output. A cycle profile that simulates the operating conditions of a mild-HEV was applied to a vehicle simulator to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm based on testing.

This paper presents an LED BLU driving circuit with a local-dimming structure. The efficiency of the proposed LED driver has been improved by parallel driving 8 serial-connected LED arrays. It employed the soft-switching boost converter topology to reduce the switching power loss of the hard switching boost converter. The soft-switching converter reveals superior ripple and efficiency. A smaller inductance can be used for the soft-switching converter contrasting to the hard-switching one and studied on an over-voltage protection circuit of the output of the driver at the no load condition.

An improvement in allelopathic potential in rice will have a great impact on both low-input and high-input management systems. Alleopathy alone is not likely to replace other weed control practices, but it surely functions as a component of integrated weed management technology. Marginally reduced use of herbicide over time will provide significant economical benefits to farmers and will also reduce adverse effects on the environment. There is a great possibility of breeding new allelopathic rice by regulating their capacity to produce allelopathic substances. Allelopathic potential in rice was greatly improved by the classical breeding method of crossing between a non-allelopathic commercial cultivar and an allelopathic cultivar. The first priority research areas are identification of allelochemicals and genes responsible for allelopathic effects and these traits can be easily incorporated into improved cultivars by either classical breeding or biotechnology. Allelopathic activities of rice seem to be derived from the joint action of momilactones with phenolic compounds. Phenolics, however, are unlikely to be the primary allelochemicals since they never reach a phytotoxic level in soil. However, it is believed that phenolics like other multiple compounds present at concentrations below the activity threshold could have pronounced allelopathic effects through their joint action. Momilactone B seems to be the responsible allelochemical because its activities were 30-fold to 300-fold greater than phenolic acids. Insertion of two specific genes such as CA4H for p-coumaric acid and OsDTS2 for momilactone into one commercial rice cultivar by biotechnology will lead to the development of allelopathic rice cultivar. Further studies on genetic control of rice allelopathy, the complete array of the responsible chemicals in rice root exudates and their mode of action will shed more light on developing an allelopathic rice crop.

To improve the cycle life and efficiency of an energy storage system for HEV, a dynamic control system consisted of a switch between battery and ultracapacitor module and a controller is proposed, which is appropriate for mild hybrid vehicle with 42 V power net. The switch can be controlled based on the status of the battery and the ultracapacitor module, and a control algorithm that could largely decrease the number of high charging current peak is also implemented. Therefore the cycle life of the battery can be improved such that it is suitable for a mild hybrid vehicle with frequent engine start-stop and regenerative-braking. Also, by maximizing the use of the ultracapacitor, the system efficiency during high current charging and discharging operation is improved. Finally, this system has the effects that improves the efficiency of energy storage system and reduces the fuel consumption of a vehicle. To verify the validity of the proposed system, this paper presented cycles test results of different energy storage systems: a simple VRLA battery, hybrid energy pack (HEP, a VRLA battery in parallel with Ultracapacitor) and a HEP with a switch that controlled by energy management system (EMS). From the experimental result, it was proved the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Since being domesticated about 10,000-12,000 years ago, domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) have been selected for traits of economic importance, in particular large body size. However, Yucatan miniature pigs have been selected for small body size to withstand high temperature environment and for laboratory use. This renders the Yucatan miniature pig a valuable model for understanding the evolution of body size. We investigate the genetic signature for selection of body size in the Yucatan miniature pig. Phylogenetic distance of Yucatan miniature pig was compared to other large swine breeds (Yorkshire, Landrace, Duroc and wild boar). By estimating the XP-EHH statistic using re-sequencing data derived from 70 pigs, we were able to unravel the signatures of selection of body size. We found that both selections at the level of organism, and at the cellular level have occurred. Selection at the higher levels include feed intake, regulation of body weight and increase in mass while selection at the molecular level includes cell cycle and cell proliferation. Positively selected genes probed by XP-EHH may provide insight into the docile character and innate immunity as well as body size of Yucatan miniature pig.

There are lots of attempts in automotive field to supersede mechanical parts with electrical ones owing to increasing needs of drivers' safety, comfort and convenience as well as recent tightened environmental regulation. In addition, continuous improvements of semiconductor technology make it speed up to use electric components instead of conventional mechanical and hydraulic ones. In accordance with these tendencies, the demand of electric power and energy used in vehicle has been increasing steadily, and it will cause overburden of conventional 14 V power generation and distribution system. A research on higher voltage system started in early 1990s and 42 V power system has been introduced for a future automotive power-net. In this paper, technical trend in energy storage system which implies one of the key technologies to implement 42 V power-net is reviewed, and development results of the improved energy storage system consisted of ultracapacitor, battery and management controllers are presented

Cone penetration tests (CPTs) have been increasingly used for site characterizations. However, the site investigations using CPTs are often limited due to soil conditions depending on the cone size and capacity of the CPT system. The small sectional area of a miniature cone improves the applicability of the CPT system due to the increased capacity of the CPT system. A continuous intrusion system using a coiled rod allows fast and cost effective site investigation. In this study, the performance of the continuous intrusion miniature cone penetration test (CIMCPT) system has been evaluated by comparison tests with the standard CPT system at several construction sites in Korea. The results show that the CIMCPT system has a same performance with the CPT system and has advantages on the mobility and applicability. According to field verification tests for scale effect evaluation, the cone tip resistance evaluated by CIMCPT overestimates by 10% comparing to standard CPTs. A crawler mounted with the CIMCPT system has been implemented to improve accessibility to soft ground, and has shown improvement over the truck type CIMCPT system. Therefore, the improved CIMCPT system can be utilized as a cost effective and highly reliable soil investigation methodology to detect the depth of soft ground and to evaluate soil classification.

Background: Activation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been an important mechanism of microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetic patients. It has been reported that RAS blockades reduce the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), reduced blood pressure and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients. Method: Three hundred forty-seven hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients who had not taken angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or ARB for 6 months prior to this study were enrolled. We measured blood pressure and UAER before and after 24 weeks of valsartan treatment. Result: Baseline mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 143 ± 15 and 87 ± 11 mmHg, respectively and the median albumin excretion rate was 27 ug/mg. Reduction i n systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 16 mmHg/10 mmHg and the median UAER was 19.3 ug/mg after 24 weeks (P < 0.01, respectively). When we divided the subjects into three groups according to the UAER (normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria), significant changes were reported in the microalbuminuria and the macroalbuminuria groups. Thirty-eight (42%) patients with microalbuminuria improved to