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Penetrating brain injury caused by a nail gun is an uncommon clinical scenario reported in the literature. A 36-year-old male presented with a nail that had penetrated through the occipital bone. He was alert and neurologically intact except for visual disturbance. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain showed the nail lodged at the occipital lobe and the parietal lobe, with minimal intracerebral hemorrhage. The nail was placed in the occipital lobe close to the superior sagittal sinus. We removed the nail with craniotomy since the entrance of the nail was close to the superior sagittal sinus. There were no newly developed neurological deficits postoperatively. Immediate postoperative CT showed no newly developed lesions. The patient recovered well without any significant complications. Two weeks postoperatively, magnetic resonance imaging showed no remarkable lesions. The visual disturbance was followed up at the outpatient department. To summarize, we report a rare case of penetrating head injury by a nail gun and discuss relevant aspects of the clinical management.

Introduction: With increased life expectancy, the proportion of elderly trauma admissions has increased. Elderly patients frequently have underlying diseases necessitating anticoagulant/antiplatelet medication, which worsens coagulopathy. We ascertained the relationship between preinjury anticoagulants/antiplatelet medication use and transfusion requirements in patients older than 65 years. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients admitted to the trauma intensive care unit of Chungbuk National University Hospital during January 2016 to June 2019. Data on medication history, clinical features, and component transfusions were analyzed with the chi-square test, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and analysis of covariance. Results: Overall, 142 and 324 (overall 466) patients did and did not receive anticoagulant/antiplatelet medication, respectively. Falls were more frequent ( p Conclusion: Preinjury anticoagulant/antiplatelet medication use was not significantly associated with transfusion amounts in patients older than 65 years.

We investigated the impact of employee experience on customer loyalty in the hospitality industry, focusing in particular on the serial mediating effects of perceived authenticity and relational commitment, and the moderating role of customer age. To test the proposed conceptual model, we conducted an online survey with 649 participants who had used restaurant services in the past month. Results showed that employee experience exerted a positive impact on customer loyalty. In addition, the relationship between employee experience and customer loyalty was sequentially mediated by perceived authenticity and relational commitment, and the older the customer age, the stronger were the serial mediating effects. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and suggestions provided for improving hospitality services.

Traumatic intrapulmonary glass foreign bodies that are missed on an initial examination can migrate and lead to severe complications. Here, we present a rare case of a traumatic intrapulmonary glass foreign body surgically removed by a direct pulmonary incision, which preserved the pulmonary parenchyma and avoided severe complications caused by migration.

Purpose: The number intelligent homecare products are focused on the development of technology, resulting in a lack of realistic environments or...

Microalgae have been studied and tested for over 70 years. However, biodiesel, the prime target of the algal industry, has suffered from low competitiveness and current steps toward banning the internal combustion engine all over the world. Meanwhile, interest in reducing CO2 emissions has grown as the world has witnessed disasters caused by global warming. In this situation, in order to maximize the benefits of the microalgal industry and surmount current limitations, new breakthroughs are being sought. First, drop-in fuel, mandatory for the aviation and maritime industries, has been discussed as a new product. Second, methods to secure stable and feasible outdoor cultivation focusing on CO2 sequestration were investigated. Lastly, the need for an integrated refinery process to simultaneously produce multiple products has been discussed. While the merits of microalgae industry remain valid, further investigations into these new frontiers would put algal industry at the core of future bio-based economy.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in trauma patients and associated with poor outcomes. Identifying AKI risk factors in trauma patients is important for risk stratification and provision of optimal intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. This study identified AKI risk factors in patients admitted to critical care after sustaining torso injuries. We performed a retrospective chart review involving 380 patients who sustained torso injuries from January 2016 to December 2019. Patients were included if they were aged >15 years, admitted to an ICU, survived for >48 hours, and had thoracic and/or abdominal injuries and no end-stage renal disease. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition and staging system. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared between the AKI and non-AKI groups (n = 72 and 308, respectively). AKI risk factors were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. AKI occurred in 72 (18.9%) patients and was associated with higher mortality than non-AKI patients (26% vs 4%, P 2.5 L for 24 hours, lactate levels, and vasopressor use (adjusted odds ratio: 2.953, 2.058, 1.170, and 2.910; 95% confidence interval: 1.410–6.181, 1.017–4.164, 1.019–1.343, and 1.414–5.987; P = .004, .045, .026, and .004, respectively) as independent risk factors for AKI. AKI in patients admitted to the ICU with torso injury had a substantial mortality. Recognizing risk factors at an early stage could aid risk stratification and provision of optimal ICU care.

Objective This outcome analysis study evaluated the actual positions of the orthodontic miniplate and miniplate anchoring screws (MPASs) and the risk factors affecting adjacent anatomic structures after miniplate placement in the mandibular incisal area. Methods Cone-beam computed tomographic images of 97 orthodontic miniplates and their 194 MPASs (diameter, 1.5 mm; length, 4 mm) in patients whose miniplates provided sufficient clinical stability for orthodontic treatment were retrospectively reviewed. For evaluating the actual positions of the miniplates and analyzing the risk factors, including the effects on adjacent roots, MPAS placement height (PH), placement depth (PD), plate angle (PA), mental fossa angle (MA), and root proximity were assessed using the paired t-test, analysis of variance, and generalized linear model and regression analyses. Results The mean PDs of MPASs at positions 1 (P1) and 2 (P2) were 2.01 mm and 2.23 mm, respectively. PA was significantly higher in the Class III malocclusion group than in the other groups. PH was positively correlated with MA and PD at P1. Of the 97 MPASs at P1, 49 were in the no-root area and 48 in the dentulous area; moreover, 19 showed a degree of root contact (19.6%) without root perforation. All MPASs at P2 were in the no-root area. Conclusions Positioning the miniplate head approximately 1 mm lower than the mucogingival junction is highly likely to provide sufficient PH for the P1- MPASs to be placed in the no-root area.

Given that (i) levulinic acid (LA) is one of the most significant platform chemicals derived from biomass and (ii) 4-hydroxyvaleric acid (4-HV) is a potential LA derivative, the aim of this study is to achieve chemoenzymatic valorization of LA, which was obtained from agricultural wastes, to 4-HV. The thermochemical process utilized agricultural wastes (i.e., rice straw and corncob) as feedstocks and successfully produced LA, ranging from 25.1 to 65.4 mM. Additionally, formate was co-produced and used as a hydrogen source for the enzymatic hydrogenation of LA. Finally, engineered 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Alcaligenes faecalis (eHBDH) was applicable for catalyzing the conversion of agricultural wastes-driven LA, resulting in a maximum concentration of 11.32 mM 4-HV with a conversion rate of 48.2%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the production of 4-HV from actual biomass, and the results might provide insights into the valorization of agricultural wastes.

Purpose: The elderly are more likely to be on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, which increase bleeding. We aimed to determine the effect of preinjury anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications on required blood transfusions and the trauma outcomes of elderly patients.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all elderly trauma patients admitted to Chungbuk National University Hospital from January 2016 to June 2019. We compared the required number of blood transfusion units, complications, and mortality rate between those on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications and those that were not, using the chi-squared test, independent t-test, liner regression analysis, and logistic regression analysis.Results: Out of 466 patients, 142 were on anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications while 324 were not. There was a significant statistical difference in the unit amount of red blood cells transfused within 4 hours of arriving at the hospital between the medicated and non-medicated groups (0.89 vs 1.43 units, respectively, p = 0.02); however, multivariate analysis showed no statistical difference (p = 0.28). The medication group showed a higher rate of complications compared to the non-medicated group (47.9% vs. 29.6%, respectively, p = 0.001), bleeding (17.6% vs 2.8%, respectively, p = 0.001), and pneumonia (24.4% vs 14.2%, respectively, p =0.01). There was no statistical difference in the mortality rate (16.9% vs. 22.2%, respectively, p = 0.21). Conclusion: Preinjury anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications in elderly trauma patients increased bleeding and complications such as pneumonia but did not affect transfusion requirement, or mortality rate.

While the hydrogen economy is receiving growing attention, research on microbial hydrogen production is also increasing. Microbial water–gas shift reaction is advantageous as it produces hydrogen from by product gas including carbon monoxide (CO). However, CO solubility in water is the bottleneck of this process by low mass transfer. Thermococcus onnurineus NA1 strain can endure a high-pressure environment and can enhance hydrogen production in a pressurized reactor by increasing CO solubility. As CO causes cell toxicity, two important factors, pressure and input gas flow rate, should be considered for process control during cultivation. Hence, we employed different operational strategies for enhancing hydrogen production and obtained 577 mmol/L/h of hydrogen productivity. This is the highest hydrogen productivity reported to date from microbial water–gas shift reaction.

The electrochemical conversion of CO2 can include renewable surplus electricity storage and CO2 utilisation. This review focuses on the microbial CO2 electrobiorefinery based on microbial electrosynthesis (MES) which merges electrochemical and microbial conversion to produce biofuels and higher-value chemicals. In this review, recent developments are discussed about bioelectrochemical conversion of CO2 into biofuels and chemicals in MES via microbial CO2-fixation and electricity utilisation reactions. In addition, this review examines technical approaches to overcome the current limitations of MES including the following: engineering of the biocathode, application of electron mediators, and reactor optimisation, among others. An in-depth discussion of strategies for the CO2 electrobiorefinery is presented, including the integration of the biocathode with inorganic catalysts, screening of novel electroactive microorganisms, and metabolic engineering to improve target productivity from CO2.

This article presents a preliminary result on deciding whether to use simulated moving-bed (SMB) technology in a conventional petrochemical complex (cPCC) to increase olefins and aromatics production. A process model including an SMB unit, naphtha hydro-treating (NHT), naphtha thermal cracking (NTC), and naphtha catalytic reforming (NCR) was constructed to evaluate the economic feasibility of the retrofit petrochemical complex (rPCC) with the SMB unit for 2500 kt/yr naphtha treatment. The chemical reaction kinetics of NTC and NCR were used to estimate the increase of olefins and aromatics production. The incremental total capital investment for the SMB and additional NHT areas, estimated by the factorial method, was 97.5 $M. The incremental total production cost concerning utility and fixed costs was 25 $M/yr. It was found that the rPCC has economic benefits, because the return on investment (ROI) after tax, payback period (PBP), and internal rate of return (IRR) are 18%, 3.7 yr, and 20%, respectively. The SMB recovery of n-paraffins was most influenced on ROI and IRR in sensitivity analysis.

When VTSOs(Vessel Traffic Service Operators) determine the degree of collision risk of two vessels, they consider comprehensively information about each vessel's course, speed, DCPA, TCPA and encountering situation. In this study, we proposed an algorithm in which two relative bearings as information about two vessel's encountering situation are used to evaluate the degree of collision risk. In order to verify whether the proposed algorithm is reasonable, we set twenty encountering situations and conducted a survey of collision risk on fifty three VTSOs about those situations. By comparing the degrees of collision risk with the proposed algorithm to the results of the survey, we found that relative bearing at CPA is very important factor for VTSO to recognize the level of collision risk when two vessels are in encountering situation.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly, and therefore, the demand for effective therapies against PD has greatly increased. Therapeutic applications of stem cells have been considered to be one of the promising approaches in PD therapy. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects of hMSCs were evaluated in a parkinsonian rat model. The animal model was established by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine into the striatum of rats. Two weeks later, cultured hMSCs were transplanted into the cisterna magna. We subsequently identified changes in the expression of inflammatory cytokines, neurotrophic factors, microglial activation, and the survival rate of dopaminergic neurons in SNc. Behavioral recovery was also examined. The results indicated that hMSC transplantation increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as neurotrophic factors, and decreased the number of activated microglia. Compared to the sham-grafted group, relatively large numbers of TH-positive neurons were found in the ipsilateral SNc, and amphetamine-induced asymmetrical rotation was significantly reduced after hMSC transplantation. These findings suggest that hMSCs might be neuroprotective, probably through up-regulation of neurotrophic factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and this could have a functional impact in reversing PD symptoms.

Articular facets of the clinical subtalar joint (CSTJ) were analyzed using a total of 118 (right 57, left 61) dry, paired calcanei and tali from 68 Korean adult cadavers. The CSTJ facets were classified into the following three types depending on their continuity: type A, all three facets are separated; type B, the anterior and middle facets are partially connected; and type C, the anterior and middle facets are fused to form a single facet. The continuity between the anterior and middle facets was represented by the degree of separation (DS), which ranged between 2.00 (type A) and 1.00 (type C). Type A was most common (39.0 %) in calcanei and rarest (11.0 %) in tali. Matching of calcaneus-talus pairs yielded five combined types: A-A (11.0 %), A-B (28.0 %), B-B (18.6 %), B-C (13.6 %), and C-C (28.8 %). The mean DS was slightly greater in calcanei (1.53) than in tali (1.32), and decreased in the order of types A-A, A-B, B-B, B-C, and C-C. The intersecting angles between the anterior and middle facets, which are related to the mobility of the CSTJ, were inversely related to the DS. These findings indicate that the anterior and middle facets are fused more frequently in tali than in calcanei, and combinations of different CSTJ facet types (A-B, B-C) exist over 40 % of feet. Our results indicate that types with a smaller DS (such as B-C and C-C) are relatively mobile but less stable compared to those with a greater DS (such as A-A and A-B).

Biofuels are regarded as one of the most viable options for reduction of CO2 emissions in the transport sector. However, conventional plant-based biofuels (e.g., biodiesel, bioethanol)'s share of total transportation-fuel consumption in 2016 was very low, about 4%, due to several major limitations including shortage of raw materials, low CO2 mitigation effect, blending wall, and poor cost competitiveness. Advanced biofuels such as drop-in, microalgal, and electro biofuels, especially from inedible biomass, are considered to be a promising solution to the problem of how to cope with the growing biofuel demand. In this paper, recent developments in oxy-free hydrocarbon conversion via catalytic deoxygenation reactions, the selection of and lipid-content enhancement of oleaginous microalgae, electrochemical biofuel conversion, and the diversification of valuable products from biomass and intermediates are reviewed. The challenges and prospects for future development of eco-friendly and economically advanced biofuel production processes also are outlined herein.

This study aims to develop protective pants to relieve impact from falls and to present basic data for the devel-opment. The survey results are as follows; First, 45% of the respondents were in their 60s and 55% of them were in theirover 70s and older. Also, 64% of them have fallen once for the past year and 36% of them have fallen twice or more. Theolder they were, the more there were those who have fallen twice or more. This indicated the older people has expe-rienced more fall accidents again after a initial fall accident. Second, as per accident situations, the survey showed thatfall accidents happened the most in the winter and in the afternoon (12-18 pm). Also, it happened on a street mostly andthey were wearing sneakers or hiking boots when they got a hurt slipped in a front or side by missing their step in a walk.The injury areas are mostly knee and ankle. They had the bruises or a sprain in their knee and ankle mostly. The rateof bone fracture was 19.5%. Therefore, the protection area to falls in lower body is the knee. But hip and hip joint shouldbe protected with knee as well because those are usually be broken when it is damaged. Third, approximately 80% ofthose who were hospitalized for treatment had surgery. Patients who had surgery were rather in their over 70s than intheir 60s. The older they were, the more serious their fracture was. The period of hospital or outpatient treatment is morethan three weeks in many cases. They responded their health got worse after falls. Aftereffects of accidents were physicaldiscomfort, anxiety and medical costs. Falls to the old makes physical damage, psychological damage, which cause reducedphysical activity and the increased cost of health care with economic losses. So it results on a negative impact on the lifeof the old. Fourth, elderly females were rarely aware of impact protective clothing and they have never purchased suchclothing. For impact protective pants, the major consideration was suitable design for their body types. They liked casualstyle with front or side pockets and simple designs without any patterns or decorations. As per pants materials, theyresponded that they need functionality, activity and elasticity. Among the functional points, insulation of cloths are con-sidered importantly, so the heat reservance of material in the impact protective pants should be considered carefully.Key words :fall(낙상), fall experienced(낙상경험자), elderly women(여성노인), impact protective pants(충격보호팬츠)

Advanced biofuels are recognized as a key tool to mitigate the CO 2 emissions in the transport sector. Active R&D works have been carried out but there are still some major barriers to implement the technology. In this paper, recent developmentson the advanced biofuels’ technology are reviewed and the major barriers to commercialization of the biofuels will be discussed. Key words Advanced biofuels(차세대 바이오연료), Inedible biomass(비식용 원료), Drop-in (직접 사용), GHG reduction(온실가스 감축), LCA(전주기 분석) (접수일 2014. 9. 4, 수정일 2014. 12. 12, 게재확정일 2014. 12. 12) * 한국에너지기술연구원 제주 글로벌센터 해양 융복합연구실 (영문 소속) ■ E-mail : bmscpark@kier.re.kr ■ Tel : (064)800-2230 ■ Fax : (064)800-2301 Nomenclature BtL : biomass to liquid fuelsF-T : Fisher-TropschHBD : hydrotreating biodieselLCA : life cycle analysis SSCF : simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentationSSF : simultaneous saccharification and fermentation 1. 서 론 국제에너지기구(IEA)에서는 기후 변화 문제가 해결되기 위해서는 대기중 CO 2 농도를 450ppm 이하로 낮추어야 한다는 450 시나리오를 발표한 바 있다. 동 시나리오에 따른 CO

This paper describes the development of an operator-education program for a simulated moving bed (SMB) pilot plant that separates para-xylene isomer from mixed xylenes. The education program was motivated from reliable and safe operations for a newly developed SMB technology, in particular, a priori education on preventing accidents such as explosion, fire and toxic material release, most of which result from the lack of understanding of the processes being operated. This SMB process education program has overall SMB process description, sixteen operating screen and response procedure for accident of leak and explosion. The proposed system was implemented based on client/server architecture in company-wise LAN environment and applied previously operator heuristics. In addition, it features multi-dimensional animation for virtual reality of process flow, using multi-media techniques. Operators are expected to benefit from education that is free of time and space constraints. The education system for the pilot plant will contribute to keeping the full scale SMB operation workforce performing at a high level of proficiency as well as refreshing the operational skills of senior operators.

Consumption of waxy corn is steadily increasing due to consumer preference for natural food. However, availability of waxy corn is limited because most of them are used for steamed waxy corn. It is therefore important to create new demands of waxy corn using food processing technology. There is little prior research about characteristics of milled kernel in waxy corn. This study examined the physicochemical and cooking properties of milled kernel using nine waxy corn hybrids. Colored hybrids (Heukjinju, Miheukchal, and Eolrukchal1) showed high milling yield and low change of grain length after milling process compared to other hybrids. The total starch content ranged from 62.1 to 68.4% and the gelatinization temperature of starch was lowest in Yeonnong1 (69.9℃). The breakdown viscosity of Yeonnong1, Miheukchal and Heukjinju was higher than those of tested hybrids, whereas setback viscosity of those hybrids was lower. In cooking properties of milled waxy corn, water absorption and volume expansion rate were high in Yeonnong2 (84.9, 219.3%), Miheukchal (85.9, 211.4%), and Heukjinju (80.9, 203.7%). In the sensory test, the overall preference was significantly higher in Heukjinju and Miheukchal. Thus, Heukjinju, Yeonnong2, and Miheukchal showed good scores in milling yield, cooking properties, and the preference of sensory test. These results will provide fundamental information to extend milled waxy corns usage.Keywords : corn, milling corn, physicochemical, cooking quality

A study using 3D virtual garment simulation is carried out for the evaluation and application on the pants fit for obese women in their age of 20s and 30s. The results are as follows; 5 obese women in their 20s and 30s were selected for the testing 3D body. They showed no significant differences in all items, comparing with the data of 5th Size Korea body dimensions. The average waist circumstance of the subjects` 3D body dimensions was 87.0cm, hip circumstance was 102.4cm, BMI was , and their obese body types had similar mean values. Based on the detailed design of ready made pants and the study results of 20~30s obese women preference for pants design, pants of straight silhouette and semi-tight fit which have waist line lowered, no front dart and one back dart, were manufactured with 100% black cotton and cotton spandex mixed fabrics. When comparing the appearances between real garment and virtual garment, the average of the real garment with 100% cotton was 3.70 and the virtual garment was 4.05. The average of real garment with cotton spandex mixed fabrics was 3.75 and the virtual garment was 4.06. Therefore, the average of virtual garment was highly evaluated. When comparing the results of evaluating the appearance, there was no significant difference caused by materials between real garment and virtual garment. The expression for the ease of virtual garment and real garment was also similar for good evaluation. Thus, 3D virtual garment simulation did positively prove its reliability and effect.

The nursery active-wear uniform designs of Internet shopping malls are simple and similar; however, the lat- est children's wear trends (mostly composed of training jumpers and pants) do not reflect these qualities. Children's folk- lore plays (widely used in child education) have an instructive value for the emotional and intellectual development of a child. Nursery active-wear uniform designs applied to children's folklore's plays could be positive for the emotional devel- opment and specialized cultural education of children. We designed three nursery active-wear uniforms with three dif- ferent design concepts (casual, semi-formal and sporty) regardless of sex. The main color of the three nursery active-wear uniforms was yellow. We used three different chroma and values of yellow through three design concepts: Design I of a nursery active-wear uniform (a training suit style with a good activity), Design II of a nursery active-wear uniform (a semi suit style), and Design III of a nursery active-wear uniform (a sportswear style that reflected a sport wear trend). We expressed children's folklore plays in the pattern of a nursery active-wear uniform. The pattern was characterized as a pair of bears flying kites. This pattern was utilized in three nursery active-wear uniforms with the logo and name of the nursery. We modified the designs of active-wear nursery uniforms based on an evaluation of 33 special panels. We made three nursery active-wear uniforms for five-year olds.

Gout occurs as a response to monosodium urate crystal, that is present in joints, bones and soft tissue. The classic symptoms of gouty arthritis are recurrent attacks of acute, markedly painful monoarticular or oligoarticular inflammation; but polyarthritis and chronic arthritis can also occur. Differential diagnosis from infectious arthritis is important. A definitive diagnosis requires the direct identification of urate crystals in the joint, and the exclusion of infection. We report the case of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), developed from acute polyarticular gout. SIRS is characterized by loss of local control of inflammation, or an overly activated response resulting in an exaggerated systemic response. The SIRS was presumably due to systemic effects of a localized inflammatory response to urate crystals.

The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) are proportionate to injury; it is the most commonly used quantitative marker in surgical studies. Cytokines and the acute-phase response play an important role in controlling the human immune system. The objective of this study was to compare the systemic acute cytokine response and clinical outcomes of conventional laparoscopic and single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We compared patients who underwent single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the single port group) with patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the conventional group) according to the clinical variables, IL-6, leukocyte subpopulations, and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score. The mean age in the single port group was significantly younger ( P = 0.010) and the mean operation time in the conventional group was significantly shorter ( P = 0.002). Postoperative 4-hour VAS pain score was slightly worse in the single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy group, but was not significantly different. We found no difference in clinical outcomes, the level of serum IL-6, C-reactive protein, leukocyte subpopulations, and complications between the two groups. Stress response in single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy is equal to conventional surgery. Postoperative 4-hour VAS pain score was slightly worse and the operation time is significantly longer in the single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy group.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm that accounts for about 1 to 2 per cent of all pancreatic tumors. The aim of this study was to delineate the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas. We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of 18 patients who underwent surgery for SPN of the pancreas between January 1, 2001 and November 1, 2010. The patient group was comprised of 14 females and four males and the median patient age at diagnosis was 32.4 years (range 10∼68 years). Eleven of the 18 patients were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis. The type of surgery was selected according to the location and presentation of the tumor. The resection margins were negative in all patients. One patient had distant metastasis and recurrent mass node repetitively. She underwent seven operations for recurrence of SPN during the follow-up period of 218 months. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice for SPN of the pancreas and can give a good prognosis. Although sometimes patients have repetitive metastases or recurrences, patients undergoing complete surgical excision of the tumor will have a good outcome.

Background Patients with umbilical hernias complicated by liver cirrhosis have an increased likelihood of complications following herniorrhaphy. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes in patients with umbilical hernias complicated by liver cirrhosis. Methods Between 2001 and 2010, 44 patients were enrolled in this study. The comparison between non-operative and operative group was performed. Patients who underwent emergency versus elective surgery were also compared. Results Of the 44 patients, there were 33 men and 11 women. Thirty-one patients (70.5%) underwent surgery and 13 patients (29.5%) were treated conservatively. Overall morbidity and mortality rates following herniorrhaphy were 42% and 6.5%. The mean albumin level was significantly lower and total bilirubin, creatinine and mean model of end-stage liver disease score were significantly higher in non-operative group than in operative group. Combined resection was performed more frequently in the emergency group than in elective group. A significantly higher proportion of patients in emergency operation group had postoperative complications ( P = 0.01), especially ascites ( P = 0.02). The operative time and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the elective operation group than in emergency operation group. Conclusions Early, elective repair of umbilical hernias in cirrhotic patients should be advocated considering the hepatic reserve and patient's condition. Ascites control is the mainstay of post-operative management.

Bile duct stones, which obstruct the common bile duct, potentially result in complications, such as acute cholangitis and pancreatitis. We present a case involving a patient with normal liver function tests from whom we removed a giant common bile duct stone measuring 7.5 centimeters × 4.0 centimeters × 4.0 centimeters. Postoperatively recurrent common bile duct stones were observed and removed with an endoscopic maneuver in the three-year follow-up period. Recurrent bile duct stones are frequently reported in the case of large size of stones or multiple stones. Surgical treatment may then be considered as a first-line treatment in cases of recurrent common bile duct stones. When an endoscopic or surgical approach is used for the treatment of giant common bile duct stones, careful observation is of the utmost importance and treatment innovations may be necessary.

This study is to verify hypotheses about the efficacy and success factors of the IT Mentor project(in which 524 students participated) which is one of the most best practices in Korea. The empirical results found that all the aspects of students, industrial experts, professors, support programs and other infrastructure have certain influences on the industry-academia cooperation. In addition, logit regression model was employed to investigate the efficacy factors of industry and university`s satisfaction to IT mentor system. It showed that industry`s satisfaction depends on students` participation in company`s projects and students` improvements of major competence.

Single port laparoscopic surgery has come to the forefront of minimally invasive surgery. For those familiar with conventional techniques, however, this type of operation demands a different type of eye/hand coordination and involves unfamiliar working instruments. Herein, the authors describe the learning curve and the clinical outcomes of single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy for 150 consecutive patients with benign gallbladder disease. All patients underwent single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using a homemade glove port by one of five operators with different levels of experiences of laparoscopic surgery. The learning curve for each operator was fitted using the non-linear ordinary least squares method based on a non-linear regression model. Mean operating time was 77.6 ± 28.5 min. Fourteen patients (6.0%) were converted to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Complications occurred in 15 patients (10.0%), as follows: bile duct injury (n = 2), surgical site infection (n = 8), seroma (n = 2), and wound pain (n = 3). One operator achieved a learning curve plateau at 61.4 min per procedure after 8.5 cases and his time improved by 95.3 min as compared with initial operation time. Younger surgeons showed significant decreases in mean operation time and achieved stable mean operation times. In particular, younger surgeons showed significant decreases in operation times after 20 cases. Experienced laparoscopic surgeons can safely perform single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using conventional or angled laparoscopic instruments. The present study shows that an operator can overcome the single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy learning curve in about eight cases.

The current status and challenges associated with the production and utilization of cellulosic ethanol in Korea are reviewed in this paper. Cellulosic ethanol has emerged as a promising option for mitigating Korea's CO(2) emissions and enhancing its energy security. Korea's limited biomass resources is the most critical barrier to achieving its implementation targets for cellulosic ethanol. Efforts to identify new suitable biomass resources for cellulosic ethanol production are ongoing and intensive. Aquatic biomasses including macroalgae and plantation wastes collected in the Southeast Asia region have been found to have great potential as feedstocks for the production of cellulosic ethanol. R&D explorations into the development of technologies that can convert biomass materials to ethanol more efficiently also are underway. It is expected that cellulosic ethanol will be in supply from 2020 and that, by 2030, its use will have effectively reduced Korea's total gasoline consumption by 10%.

Dead volume classified as bed head, bed tail, and bed line affects the purity and recovery in industrial-scale simulated-moving-bed (SMB) processes. Considering the three types of dead volume, the operation strategies for four, seven, and eight zones are presented for an industrial-scale para-xylene (PX) SMB process, and their performances are compared in terms of purity, recovery, and dilution. The dead volume is treated by a Courant−Friedrichs−Lewy- (CFL-) number-insensitive method of characteristics (MOC). An extended node model integrating the dead volumes has been developed and solved by using the MOC. Seven-zone operation including line and secondary flushes enhances the purity, while keeping almost the same recovery as achieved with four-zone operation. The secondary flush introducing pure PX reduces the dilution of the extract. Eight-zone operation with both a secondary flush introducing pure PX and a tertiary flush-out shows high productivity with low dilution and over 99.7% purity.

We have investigated structural and electrical properties of PbZr0.3Ti0.7O3 (PZT) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition methods. PZT thin films have been deposited on LaMnO3 (LMO) bottom electrodes with LaAlO3 substrates during different deposition times. High-resolution x-ray diffraction data have shown that all the PZT films and bottom electrodes are highly oriented with their c-axes normal to the substrates. The thickness of each film is determined by field-emission scanning electron microscope. We have also observed root mean square roughness of 1 to 10 A by using atomic force microscopy mode, and local polarization distribution and retention behavior of a ferroelectric domains by using piezoelectric force microscopy mode. A PZT/LMO structure has shown good ferroelectric and retention properties as a media for the nano-storage devices.

This study, considering the many disputes in today`s society centered around copyrights, aimed at analyzing and investigating the scope of application for copyright laws in library, whether where is a reach or not, and also the procedures and cognitive degrees in copying and transmission of copyrights materials. Especially the usage of the digital resources built by major domestic libraries have been looked at, and how they reveal the cognitive degree of copyright laws toward various social stratums have been analyzed. Research subjects in each social stratum were firstly classified, which centered around university library users, authors as well as librarians in each university library public access post, then the difference of understanding toward copyright laws between each of these 3 groups was analyzed, and also at the same time the problems in usage authorization procedures of copyrighted materials in library were analyzed. so that the solutions to such problems can be found.

Lymphangioma is an abnormal collection of lymphatics that are developmentally isolated from the normal lymphatic system. Lymphangioma rarely presents as a solitary pulmonary lesion. We report a rare case of intrapulmonary cystic lymphangioma involving the upper lobe of the right lung, which presented with dyspnea in a 2-month-old infant. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest demonstrated a well-circumscribed, multiseptate, cystic lesion in the upper lobe of the right lung, mimicking the feature of type I congenital cystic adenomatoid mal-formation. The tumor was removed by bilobectomy of the upper and middle lobes of the right lung, and its pathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of an intra-pulmonary cystic lymphangioma.

CO2 fixation by microalgae has emerged as a promising option for CO2 mitigation. Intensive research work has been carried out to develop a feasible system for removing CO2 from industrial exhaust gases. However, there are still several challenging points to overcome in order to make the process more practical. In this paper, recent research activities on three key technologies of biological CO2 fixation, an identification of a suitable algal strain, development of high efficient photobioreactor and utilization of algal cells produced, are described. Finally the barriers, progress, and prospects of commercially developing a biological CO2 fixation process are summarized.

This paper proposes a design methodology for a soft sensor when the process has multiple operation modes due to frequent grade changes. The proposed soft sensor is constructed in two steps. At the first step, local models combined with a global model are applied since the global linear empirical model for multi-mode operation process results in the poor prediction power. At the second step, the relationship between MIcum and MIjns is used to compensate degradation of the prediction power for the regression model between the current process variables and MIcum instead of MIins. We greatly improved prediction power of soft sensor for multi-mode operation process. The industrial case study has shown the accuracy of the soft sensor.

In this paper, one step ferroelectric capacitor etching technology has been developed. Stacked capacitor layers with 0.75μm height were etched with a TiN hard mask. Etch selectivity increases as oxygen ratio in capacitor etching gases increases. After etching the electrodes and the PZT film, the slope of the stack capacitor was around 72 degrees and it has been proven that no si dew all fence was generated during the capacitor etching process and its leakage current was below 10–6A/cm2. The 0.9×0.9μm2 area capacitor for a 16M FRAM density has been well fabricated by one step etching process with very high selectivity to the mask.