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Background A heterogeneous radiological response is frequently observed in cancer patients and could reflect tumor heterogeneity. We investigated the prognostic impact of heterogeneous radiological responses in patients with advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received platinum‐based chemotherapy. Methods The treatment response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria was evaluated in 212 patients with advanced NSCLC who received platinum‐based chemotherapy. Patients with partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) were classified into “PR homo,” “PR hetero,” “SD homo,” and “SD hetero” by the presence of a heterogeneous radiological response, and survival was compared between groups. We also compared survival based on the presence of metabolic responses in lesions with heterogeneous radiological responses. Results Fifty‐two patients (24.5%) were classified as PR, 112 patients (52.8%) as SD, and 48 patients (22.7%) as progressive disease (PD). There was no significant difference in progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the PR homo and PR hetero groups. The SD homo group had a longer PFS and OS than the SD hetero group. In the SD hetero group, patients with increased maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in lesions with heterogeneous radiological responses had a shorter PFS than those with a stable SUVmax. Conclusions The presence of lesions with radiological heterogeneity was associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in the SD group. Patients with heterogeneous radiological responses require careful monitoring., Patients with heterogeneous radiological responses in the SD group had a shorter PFS and OS. In particular, patients with increased SUVmax in lesions with heterogeneous radiological responses had a shorter PFS than patients with a stable SUVmax. The presence of lesions with radiological heterogeneity was associated with disease progression and poor prognosis in the SD group.

This study sought to investigate the dietary life of adolescents according to their household types and factors that could affect their health status using the raw data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). 160 adolescents aged 13-18 in single parent households (SPH) and parents households (PH) respectively were analyzed. The ratio of SPH to the income quartile ‘high’ was 55%, but only 18.1% of SPH in ‘low’ and ‘middle-low’ was 59.4%. It was found that there was a difference between the subjective body type recognition and the actual body type. There was a significant difference in the rate of missing breakfast, 20.0% in SPH, as compared to 8.8% in PH. According to an analysis of the ratio of actual intake to the recommended nutrient intake, all subjects were found to have less than 100 percent recommended intake of energy, vitamin A, niacin, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, dietary fiber, and potassium. An analysis of the effect of food intake on health indicators showed that grain and condiment intake affected fasting plasma glucose, HDL cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure, grain and processed food intake affected waist circumference, grain and alcohol intake affected triglycerides, and grain and beverage intake affected systolic blood pressure. In SPH, grain and processed foods were found to affect waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure. Also, grain and beverage intake affected triglyceride levels.

p19arf, primarily known as a tumor suppressor, has also been reported to play an essential role in normal development of mouse eyes. Consistently, lack of p19arf has been associated with ocular defects, but the mixed background of the knockout (KO) mouse strain used raised a concern on the accuracy of the phenotypes observed in association with the targeted gene due to genetic heterogeneity. We carried out a study to investigate into the effect of genetic background on the manifestation of p19arf KO associated phenotypes. We characterized the phenotypes of novel p19arf KO mouse lines generated in FVB/N and C57BL/6J using a transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) system in comparison to the reported phenotypes of three other p19arf-deficient mouse lines generated using homologous recombination. Ninety-five percent of FVB/N-p19arf KO mice showed ocular opacity from week 4 after birth which worsened rapidly until week 6, while such abnormality was absent in C57BL/6J-p19arf KO mice up to the age of 26 weeks. Histopathological analysis revealed retrolental masses and dysplasia in the retinal layer in FVB/N-p19arf KO mice from week 4. Besides these, both strains developed normally from birth to week 26 without increased tumorigenesis except for a subcutaneous tumor found in a C57BL/6J-p19arf KO mouse. Our findings demonstrated surprisingly variable manifestation of p19arf-linked phenotypes between FVB/N and C57BL/6J mice, and furthermore between our mouse lines and the established lines, indicating a critical impact of genetic background on functional study of genes using gene targeting strategies in mice.

The cumulative results indicate that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio of peripheral blood (pbNLR) is a useful prognostic factor in patients with various cancers. In contrast to peripheral blood, the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid is in direct contact with the lung lesion. However, no study has reported on the clinical utility of the NLR of BAL fluid (bNLR) for patients with lung cancer. To investigate the clinical utility of the bNLR as a prognostic factor in patients with lung cancer, we conducted a retrospective review of the prospectively collected data. A total of 45 patients were classified into high bNLR (n = 29) and low bNLR (n = 16) groups. A high pbNLR and high bNLR were associated with a shorter overall survival (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). A multivariable analysis confirmed that ECOG PS (p = 0.023), M stage (p = 0.035), pbNLR (p = 0.008), and bNLR (p = 0.0160) were independent predictors of overall survival. Similar to the pbNLR, a high bNLR value was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer. Although further studies are required to apply our results clinically, this is the first study to show the clinical value of the bNLR in patients with lung cancer.

Recombination activating gene-2 (RAG-2) plays a crucial role in the development of lymphocytes by mediating recombination of T cell receptors and immunoglobulins, and loss of RAG-2 causes severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in humans. Rag-2 knockout mice created using homologous recombination in ES cells have served as a valuable immunodeficient platform, but concerns have persisted on the specificity of Rag-2-related phenotypes in these animals due to the limitations associated with the genome engineering method used. To precisely investigate the function of Rag-2, we recently established a new Rag-2 knockout FVB mouse line (Rag-2-/-) manifesting lymphopenia by employing a CRISPR/Cas9 system at Center for Mouse Models of Human Disease. In this study, we further characterized their phenotypes focusing on histopathological analysis of lymphoid organs. Rag-2-/- mice showed no abnormality in development compared to their WT littermates for 26 weeks. At necropsy, gross examination revealed significantly smaller spleens and thymuses in Rag-2-/- mice, while histopathological investigation revealed hypoplastic white pulps with intact red pulps in the spleen, severe atrophy of the thymic cortex and disappearance of follicles in lymph nodes. However, no perceivable change was observed in the bone marrow. Moreover, our analyses showed a specific reduction of lymphocytes with a complete loss of mature T cells and B cells in the lymphoid organs, while natural killer cells and splenic megakaryocytes were increased in Rag-2-/- mice. These findings indicate that our Rag-2-/- mice show systemic lymphopenia with the relevant histopathological changes in the lymphoid organs, suggesting them as an improved Rag-2-related immunodeficient model.

Background and Purpose— Acceleration of longitudinal relaxation under hyperoxic challenge (ie, hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 ) indicates oxygen accumulation and reflects baseline tissue oxygenation. We evaluated the feasibility of hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 for evaluating cerebral oxygenation status and degree of ischemic damage in stroke. Methods— In 24-hour transient stroke rat models (n=13), hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 , ischemic severity (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC]), vasogenic edema (R 2 ), total and microvascular blood volume (superparamagnetic iron oxide-driven ΔR 2 * and ΔR 2 , respectively), and glucose metabolism activity ( 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography) were measured. The distribution of these parameters according to hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 was analyzed. The partial pressure of tissue oxygen change during hyperoxic challenge was measured using fiberoptic tissue oximetry. In 4-hour stroke models (n=6), ADC and hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 was analyzed with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining being a criterion of infarction. Results— Ischemic hemisphere showed significantly higher hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 than nonischemic brain in a pattern depending on ADC. During hyperoxic challenge, ischemic hemisphere demonstrated uncontrolled increase of partial pressure of tissue oxygen, whereas contralateral hemisphere rapidly plateaued. Ischemic hemisphere also demonstrated significant correlation between hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 and R 2 . Hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 showed a significant negative correlation with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake. The ADC, R 2 , ΔR 2 , and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake showed a dichotomized distribution according to the hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 as their slopes and values were higher at low hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 (−1 ) than at high ΔR 1 . In 4-hour stroke rats, the distribution of ADC according to the hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 was similar with 24-hour stroke rats. The hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 was greater in the infarct area (47±10 ms −1 ) than in peri-infarct area (16±4 ms −1 ; P Conclusions— Hyperoxia-induced ΔR 1 adequately indicates cerebral oxygenation and can be a feasible biomarker to classify the degree of ischemia-induced damage in neurovascular function and metabolism in stroke brain.

In September 2018, an outbreak of Listeriosis cases in Korea was traced to food involved, using retrospective cohort studies and PFGE analyses. This study aimed to describe the first L.monocytogenes outbreak identified in Korea. We confirmed the presence of Serovar (4C) and virulence genes, and evaluated the genetic correlation between isolates by restriction digestion patterns of ApaI and AscI. Based on the epidemiological association, it is presumed that the seasoned crab meat with bean sprouts are contaminated by cross contamination during the bean sprouts washing (relative risk was 1.24; p-value: 0.0021 and they possessed virulence genes. Therefore, active laboratory surveillance is necessary to recognize the risk of L. monocytogenes in Korea.

Introduction Sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful to obtain an accurate diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy. Adnexal torsion presenting in the first or second trimester can be confirmed and treated through laparoscopic surgery; however laparoscopic surgery in the third trimester can be difficult owing to the large uterus, and a gridiron incision can be useful. Case Report/Case presentation An 18-year-old gravida 1, para 0 (G1P0) woman at 30 + 4 weeks of gestation presented with sudden-onset cyclic pain in the right lower quadrant. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a normal appendix, and MRI showed a normal appendix and normal ovaries. The patient’s prominent tender point was marked and compared with the MR images, which confirmed the mark as the position of the right ovary. Laparotomy was performed through a gridiron incision, and a folded right ovary was identified. The ovary was unfolded, and TachoSil® and Surgicel® were used to maintain the unfolded position. The patient’s pain resolved, and her postoperative course was uneventful. She delivered a healthy, 2540-g male baby at 35 weeks’ gestation. Discussion/Conclusions A gridiron incision was useful to treat a folded ovary in the third trimester and to evaluate the adnexa and minimize uterine manipulation.

Using either 24-2 or 10-2 visual field (VF) testing only is not enough to cover all the various types of glaucomatous VF defects. We investigated the performance of the combined 24-2 and 10-2 perimetry when conducted together and separately using the structure–function relationship. A total of 30 glaucoma patients with isolated peripheral nasal step, 37 patients with isolated paracentral scotoma, and 38 patients with both paracentral and nasal scotoma were included. To create the combined Humphrey VF test, a custom test pattern was established using the built-in custom point options, an example of the X, Y coordinate system. In glaucoma patients with peripheral nasal step, the superotemporal topographic structure–function relationship with peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was superior in relation to the combined or 24-2 perimetry relative to the 10-2 perimetry (both P

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Urbanization and lifestyle changes have resulted in nutrition transition. Over-nutrition causes obesity increase, although malnutrition still exists. This phenomenon is called a double burden of malnutrition (DBM). This study was conducted to confirm the existence of DBM and to investigate the dietary factors related to DBM in Indonesian adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS Data for the subjects (51 men and 89 women) who are the adults resided in Malang, Indonesia were collected between July 17 and August 14, 2017, by using questionnaire. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol, and hemoglobin were also measured for the subjects. RESULTS The average age of the subjects was 47.2 years. The average height, weight, and body mass index for men were 160.08 cm, 62.6 kg and 25.45 kg/m2, respectively, and those for women were 148.74 cm, 58.09 kg, and 26.21 kg/m2, respectively. Of the subjects, 3.6% were underweight, 24.3% were normal or healthy weight, while 72.2% were overweight and obese. Analysis of the dietary intakes revealed high for cereal (7.73 points), but very low for milk (0.25 points) and fruits (0.51 points). Dietary diversity was very few overall (< 5). The occurrence of both anemia (23.6%) and chronic diseases such as hypertension (57.1%), diabetes (12.1%), and hypercholesterolemia (3.6%) was considerably high. The existence of DBM was confirmed by 16.4% of the subjects. DBM was observed significantly higher in women than in men. Dietary diversity and DBM occurrence were inversely correlated. On average, the number of chronic diseases was 1.08 in men and 1.79 in women. Dietary diversity inversely affected systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS DBM existed in adults in Malang, Indonesia due to inadequate dietary intakes, and a high rate of chronic diseases.

This study retrospectively assessed whether time-lapse data relating to developmental timing and morphology were associated with clinical outcomes, with the eventual goal of using morphokinetic variables to select embryos prospectively for cryopreservation. In this study, we examined the clinical outcomes of single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles that were cultured in a time-lapse incubation system. The morphokinetic variables included uneven pronuclei, an uneven blastomere, multinucleation, and direct, rapid, and irregular division. A total of 164 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were analyzed (102 cycles of regularly developed blastocysts and 62 cycles of blastocysts with morphokinetic variables). No significant differences in the age of females or the standard blastocyst morphology were found between these two groups. The regularly developed blastocysts showed significantly higher implantation and clinical pregnancy rates than the blastocysts exhibiting morphokinetic variables (30.4% vs. 9.7% and 37.3% vs. 14.5%, respectively; p

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the complications of flap surgery in non-smokers and smokers and to determine how the incidence of complications was affected by the abstinence period from smoking before and after flap surgery. Methods: In PubMed and Scopus, terms “smoking” and “flap survival” were used, which resulted in 113 papers and 65 papers, respectively. After excluding 6 duplicate titles, 172 titles were reviewed. Among them, 45 abstracts were excluded, 20 full papers were reviewed, and finally 15 papers were analyzed. Results: Post-operative complications such as flap necrosis ( P < .001), hematoma ( P < .001), and fat necrosis ( P = .003) occurred significantly more frequently in smokers than in non-smokers. The flap loss rate was significantly higher in smokers who were abstinent for 24 hours post-operatively than in non-smokers (n = 1464, odds ratio [OR] = 4.885, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.071-11.524, P < .001). The flap loss rate was significantly lower in smokers who were abstinent for 1 week post-operatively than in those who were abstinent for 24 hours post-operatively (n = 131, OR = 0.252, 95% CI = 0.074-0.851, P = .027). No significant difference in flap loss was found between non-smokers and smokers who were abstinent for 1 week preoperatively (n = 1519, OR = 1.229, 95% CI = 0.482-3.134, P = .666) or for 4 weeks preoperatively (n = 1576, OR = 1.902, 95% CI = 0.383-2.119, P = .812). Conclusion: Since smoking decreases the alveolar oxygen pressure and subcutaneous wound tissue oxygen, and nicotine causes vasoconstriction, smokers are more likely to experience flap loss, hematoma, or fat necrosis than non-smokers. Preoperative and post-operative abstinence period of at least 1 week is necessary for smokers who undergo flap operations.

Background Placenta percreta is the most severe form of abnormal placental attachment. Spontaneous uterine rupture due to placenta percreta is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose in the first trimester. Most prior cases were associated with some risk factor for placenta percreta. We report a case of placenta percreta–induced spontaneous uterine rupture at the 7th week of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization in a primigravida woman who was not otherwise at risk of placenta percreta. Case Report A 34-year-old, primigravida woman at the 7th week of pregnancy presented with sudden severe abdominal pain. The patient was impregnated by frozen embryo transfer. The patient's antenatal course was unremarkable and she had no risk factor for placenta percreta. An emergency laparotomy was performed to diagnose the cause of hemoperitoneum and the operative findings included a hemoperitoneum of 2000 mL and a fundal uterine defect of 3 × 2 cm with placental tissue penetrating through the uterine serosa. Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of placenta percreta. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Placenta percreta is associated with serious morbidity and mortality during pregnancy, but it is quite rare and difficult to diagnosis in the first trimester. Emergency physicians should suspect uterine rupture due to placenta percreta in pregnant women with abdominal pain even in their first trimester of pregnancy and without risk factors of placenta percreta, especially in in vitro fertilization pregnancies.

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of maternal serum c-reactive protein (CRP), lipid peroxide, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), to predict the interval between membrane rupture and delivery in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Methods The present prospective study included patients with singleton pregnancies experiencing PPROM at earlier than 34 weeks of pregnancy who underwent spontaneous vaginal delivery between August 1, 2010 and July 31, 2013 at Chonnam National University Hospital, Republic of Korea. Patients were categorized based on whether delivery occurred within 3 days of PPROM or after. CRP levels, lipid peroxide (using malondialdehyde levels), ORAC, protein carbonyl, and other potential risk factors were compared between the groups. Results There were 72 patients included. Maternal serum CRP levels, malondialdehyde levels, and Bishop Score were higher in patients who underwent delivery within 3 days (all P

Amal Kumar Ghimeray,1 Un Sun Jung,1,2 Ha Youn Lee,1 Young Hoon Kim,1 Eun Kyung Ryu,1 Moon Sik Chang11R&D Center, Natural Solution Co., Ltd, Gojan-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Horticultural Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of KoreaBackground: In phytotherapy, the therapeutic potential is based on the combined action of different herbal drugs. Our objective was to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-collagenase (in vitro), and anti-wrinkle (in vivo) effect of combined formulation containing Ginkgo biloba, Punica granatum, Ficus carica, and Morus alba fruits extract.Methods: Antioxidant evaluation was based on the scavenging activity of free radicals (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, H2O2, and O2-) and the anti-collagenase activity was based on the reduction of collagenase enzyme in vitro. In an in vivo study, 21 female subjects were examined in a placebo-controlled trail. Facial wrinkle, especially the crow's feet region of eyes, was treated with topical formulated 2% cream for 56 days and compared with the placebo.Results: In the in vitro study, the combination of fruits extract showed a higher antioxidant activity which was comparable with the positive standard (ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole, and Trolox). The data also showed a dose-dependent inhibition of collagenase. In the in vivo study, treatment with 2% formulated cream for 56 days significantly reduced the percentage of wrinkle depth, length, and area with 11.5, 10.07, and 29.55, respectively.Conclusion: The combined formulation of fruit extracts showed excellent antioxidative and anti-collagenase activity as well as a significant effect on anti-wrinkle activity on human skin.Keywords: antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-wrinkle, fruits, topical formulation

This paper describes the design and fabrication of doxorubicin (Dox)-conjugated nanodiamond (ND) clusters with controlled sizes and cellular uptake behaviors of free Dox and Dox-conjugated ND clusters. The ND clusters with an average size of 45.84 nm exhibited a higher amount of cellular uptake as compared to the ND clusters with larger sizes. The amount of Dox taken up as free Dox increased initially and then decreased over time. In contrast, the amount of Dox taken up as Dox-ND clusters continuously increased and reached a plateau, resulting in high ablation efficiency. At the same Dox concentration, the cell viabilities after treatment with free Dox and Dox-ND clusters were 26.38 and 5.31%, respectively. The Dox-ND clusters potentially could be employed as efficient drug carriers for efficient cancer therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of visual information on nursing management to elderly total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. Participants of this study were 60 elderly patients with TKA admitted to one hospital: the control group (30) between July and September, 2013, and the experimental group (30) between April and July, 2013. Anxiety and uncertainty were determined at baseline and at 3 days after TKA in both groups. Results: Two days after the visual information, the experimental group showed a significant decrease in anxiety and uncertainty compared with the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study show that providing visual information was effective in decreasing postoperative patient anxiety and uncertainty in elderly TKA patients. Therefore, when an elderly patient is hospitalized for TKA, positive and systematic provision of visual information may provide a positive effect by reducing postoperative patient anxiety and

This study compares salt-related dietary patterns according to sodium intake. A survey was conducted with 257 college students(130 male and 127 female students) in the Busan area. Dish Frequency Questionnaire 70(DFQ 70) was used to quantitatively estimate sodium intake. A short dish frequency questionnaire(DFQ 15) was used to screen subjects with high or low- salt intake. The sodium intake of male students based on DFQ 70 was significantly higher than that of female students(p

In this study, we aimed to observe the cytotoxicity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Rhododendron brachycarpum extract (RbE) in RAW 264.7 macrophage cell in vitro and the anti-inflammatory or soothing effect of RbE formulated cream (Multicalm-RHTM) on experimentally induced acute irritated skin in healthy subjects in vivo. In vitro study revealed that RbE significantly inhibited NO and ROS generation in a dose dependent manner without cytotoxicity. In clinical test, Multicalm-RHTM cream siginificantly reduced the SLS-enduced erythema after D5 compared to that of placebo. Overall, it can be concluded that the RbE is a non-cytotoxic, antioxidant and anti-irritant agent which can be used as a potent functional ingredient in cosmetics. Likewise, the in vivo clinical study shows that Multicalm-RHTM cream which contains 3% RbE can be used as an effective skin soothing agent.

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by a marked infiltration of eosinophils at the site of inflammation. Eotaxins are potent chemoattractants for eosinophils and play important roles in pathogenesis of asthma. In the course of screening for eotaxin-3 inhibitors, we found that wogonin showed potent inhibitory activity of interleukin-4 (IL-4)-induced eotaxin-3 expression in BEAS-2B cells. In this study, we examined the effects of wogonin on IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathway and biological implication in a mouse model of asthma. Wogonin inhibited IL-4-induced activation and nuclear translocation of STAT6 which plays a key role in either the transcription of STAT6-response genes or Th2 cytokine-mediated inflammation. Oral administration of wogonin significantly reduced activation of STAT6 in the lung and the expression of eotaxin and RANTES in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. Histological examination of lung tissue demonstrated that wogonin significantly inhibited allergen-induced eosinophilic inflammation. Administration of wogonin reduced the total IgE and ovalbumin-specific IgE levels compared with the ovalbumin-challenged group. All of these data demonstrated that wogonin could alleviate airway inflammation through inhibition of STAT6 activation induced by Th2 cytokines. Our finding implicates a potential therapeutic value of wogonin in the treatment of asthma through regulation of IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathway.

This paper describes the fabrication and evaluation of phase-change material (PCM) nanoparticles containing chlorin e6 (Ce6) and nanodiamonds (NDs) for photodynamic and photothermal approaches for tumor therapy, respectively. The temperature of the PCM nanoparticles containing NDs (ND/PCM, 0.5mg/mL in water) is increased to 45°C during laser exposure for 5min. The singlet oxygen generation intensity of PCM nanoparticles containing Ce6 and NDs (Ce6/ND/PCM) is gradually increased with respect to the laser exposure time. Also, the release of Ce6 from Ce6/ND/PCM can be controlled in an on-and-off manner using laser. Cell ablation tests reveal that Ce6/ND/PCM greatly ablates KB cells upon laser exposure, which is attributed to both the temperature increase in the media and singlet oxygen generation by the released Ce6. In an animal model, tumor volume is notably reduced over time after the intratumoral injection of Ce6/ND/PCM and subsequent laser exposure with a higher efficiency compared to ND/PCM. The Ce6/ND/PCM can be a promising nanomedicine for tumor therapy.

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays crucial roles in various stages of oocyte maturation. Recently, we reported that the peptidomimetic compound AB103-8, which targets the polo box domain (PBD) of PLK1, affects oocyte meiotic maturation and the resumption of meiosis. However, to overcome the drawbacks of peptidic compounds, we designed and synthesized a series of pyrrole-based small-molecule inhibitors and tested them for their effects on the rates of porcine oocyte maturation. Among them, the macrocyclic compound (E/Z)-3-(2,16-dioxo-19-(4-phenylbutyl)-3,19-diazabicyclo[15.2.1]icosa-1(20),6,17-trien-3-yl)propyl dihydrogen phosphate (4) showed the highest inhibitory activity with enhanced inhibition against embryonic blastocyst formation. Furthermore, the addition of this compound to culture media efficiently blocked the maturation of porcine and mouse oocytes, indicating its ability to penetrate the zona pellucida and cell membrane. We investigated mouse oocytes treated with compound 4, and the resulting impairment of spindle formation confirmed PLK1 inhibition. Finally, molecular modeling studies with PLK1 PBD also confirmed the presence of significant interactions between compound 4 and PLK1 PBD binding pocket residues, including those in the phosphate, tyrosine-rich, and pyrrolidine binding pockets. Collectively, these results suggest that the macrocyclic compound 4 may serve as a promising template for the development of novel contraceptive agents.

The purpose of this study was to determine obstructive factors and performance level of the HACCP system among elementary schools in Gyeongbuk province. E-mail survey targeted 320 dieticians, and recovery rate was 74.1%. Consequently, 227 responses were analyzed. The questionnaire was composed of 58 items under four sections (general characteristics, dieticians' perceived HACCP performance level, dieticians' perceived CCP performance level, and obstructive factors of HACCP system implementation). The item with the highest rate of HACCP performance level was ‘HACCP training for foodservice employees in schools (4.02±0.70)’ while the lowest counterpart was ‘implementation of HACCP team meeting, reporting, and maintenance (2.74±0.99)’. The performance level of the item ‘HACCP training for foodservice employees in schools’ was perceived as highest when the number of students eating school meals was greater than 1,101 (P

We investigated a nematode infection in the epithelial tissue of rockfish Sebastes schlegeli cultured in Cheonsu Bay, western Korea, from May 2013 to April 2014. Nematodes infected the epithelial tissues of various external organs, including the fins, operculum, nares, mouth, and head. Over a 1-year period, the overall nematode infection rate in rockfish was 55% (n

The growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium on fresh-cut cabbage at between 15 and 35°C before and after treatment with water washing, chlorine dipping, and chlorine dipping followed by water washing were investigated. It is apparent that these pathogens could grow faster at higher temperature. Chlorine treatments reduced L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium on cabbage by 1.04–1.15 log CFU/g and 1.35–1.51 log CFU/g, respectively. Gompertz model and polynomial equation were used to describe the behaviors of L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium on cabbage before and after treatment with water washing, chlorine dipping, and chlorine dipping followed by water washing as a function of temperature. The lag times of L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium were the longest when treated with chlorine dipping followed by water washing at 15°C. The growth rates of L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium were the lowest when treated with water washing at 15°C, indicating that the growth of pathogen was more affected by storage temperature than chlorine treatment. Validation was also performed to evaluate the reliability of developed predictive models. The Bf values of the growth rate and lag time for L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium ranged from 0.90 to 1.25, indicating that they were mostly in the acceptable level, whereas Af values ranged from 1.07 to 1.80, showing that they were over-predicted.

Uniform poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres containing a variety of water-soluble antibiotics, such as tobramycin, vancomycin, and gentamicin, were prepared by a simple fluidic device with a pristine or tapered glass capillary. Each type of antibiotic was dispersed in an organic solvent by ball-milling prior to microsphere preparation. The poly(ε-caprolactone) organic solution containing the powder of each antibiotic was introduced as the discontinuous phase into the fluidic device, where an aqueous phase containing surfactant served as the continuous phase. The poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres were obtained after solvent evaporation. A tapered glass capillary was tested to produce poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres, leading to the size reduction of the microspheres from 47.46 ± 0.72 to 25.49 ± 1.05 µm without destroying size uniformity. This size range should be suitable for parenteral injection into the human body. The release analysis revealed that gentamicin and vancomycin were released from the poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres up to approximately 2 months in a more sustained manner than tobramycin, which is due to the solubility difference in the antibiotics in water. The antimicrobial activities of each type of antibiotic released from the poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres were evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

People today have become more interested in disease prevention and health promotion, rather thandisease treatment, and have shown a tendency to get various types of information from diverse mediaand try to apply it to themselves. Numerous and varied health information web sites have been devel-oped and are now operating. However, they do not seem to actually be effective for users’ healthcareneeds and health promotion, not only because of the limitations of web-based information, but also dueto a lack of customized healthcare services. In the current ubiquitous environment, health informationsupportserviceshavegenerallybeendevelopedin aformat ofinputting bio-information into acomputerfor network-based transmission. For that reason, they are, in fact, quite inconvenient and inefficient. Inthis regard, what is urgently required is to develop a method to supply smart healthcare using conver-gence technologies [1–7]. Therefore, noveltechniques, architectures, algorithms, experiencesregardingmultimedia applications, and industry services should be considered. Some of these research areas arelisted below.– Health computing for convergence– Bioelectronics, biomechanics,telemedicine– Medical imaging, bio-imaging– Surgical technology,medical physics– Innovativeapplications for convergencehealthcare– Artificial organs, biomaterials– Medical information technology– Medical and hospital informatics

Background and objectives In the past, diagnostic hys- teroscopy was used to diagnose an intrauterine mass or abnormality and surgical hysteroscopy was used to treat a uterine polyp, uterine synechia, uterine septum, and submucosal myoma. The old hysteroscope had large diameters. Thus, general anesthesia was needed for inpatient management. However, due to the development of smalldiameter hysteroscopes, hysteroscopic diagnosis and surgery are now possible on an outpatient basis. Despite the development of small-diameter hysteroscopes, resection of submucosal myoma is possible only through resecto- scopic operation under general anesthesia, including type 0 uterine myoma. The objective of the present study was to determine the usefulness of secondary office operating hysteroscopy after cutting the pedicle of submucosal myoma via primary office operating hysteroscopy. Methods We primarily cut the pedicle of type 0 submucosal myoma with the first rigid 5-mm operating mini- hysteroscopy in the outpatient clinic. We then expected the myoma to shrink. Two months later, we confirmed the size with use of 3-mm flexible diagnostic hysteroscopy. If the myoma was shrunk to less than one-third the original size, it was removed with the second rigid 5-mm operating mini-hysteroscopy. Results In 14 of 24 patients, the myoma had shrunk to less than one-third the size. The rest was successfully removed with the second operating mini-hysteroscopy. In 5 of 24 patients, the myoma mass was not present in the uterine cavity. However, in another 5 of 24 patients, the myoma size had not changed significantly. The myomas were removed via resectoscopic operation under general anesthesia. Conclusions The trial with this 2-step operation was very useful for the removal of type 0 submucosal myoma in an outpatient clinic.

Purpose: Multiple virus infections may affect clinical severity. We investigated the effect of coinfection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus with other respiratory viruses on clinical severity. Methods: Data from 634 samples of a single tertiary hospital between September 2014 and April 2015 were analyzed for clinical characteristics (fever duration and O2 need, steroid use, and ICU care) between single infection and coinfection of RSV (n=290) and influenza virus (n=74) with 16 common respiratory viruses from hospitalized children. Results: The RSV coinfection group (n=109) (3.1±2.7 days) showed significantly longer fever duration than the RSV single infection group (n=181) (2.6±2.6 days) (P=0.04), while there was no difference in O2 need, steroid use or ICU care in the 2 groups. The influ enza coinfection group (n=38) showed significantly higher O2 need than the influenza single infection group (n=36) (21.1% vs. 5.6%, P=0.05), while there was no difference in fever duration between the 2 groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that RSV and Influenza coinfections can increase clinical severity and that the severity may be influ enced by the nature of coinfecting viruses. (Allergy Asthma Respir Dis 2019;7:86-91)

Objectives : This research was conducted to investigate the factors that affect the level of facial nerve damage. Methods : From October 2009 to September 2013, the total number of 581 patients of Bell’s palsy and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome visited Facial Palsy Center in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong for Traditional Korean and Western combined medical treatment. Of these, 453 patients of peripheral facial nerve palsy were selected for the research. After reviewing the medical records that have details of age, gender, diagnosis(Bell’s palsy and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome), onset, underlying diseases(DM, HTN), and HbAlc value, the analysis on the influence factors on the level of facial nerve damage was drew out. Results : The axonal loss rate of oris branch and nasal branch were significantly higher than the axonal loss rate of frontal branch and oculi branch. In addition, the frequency of becoming a major damaged branch was also high in the oris branch nasal branch. The factors by month, weather, smoking, and alcohol did not influence EMG axonal loss rate. Male rather than female and patient with Rasmay-Hut syndrome rather than Bell’s palsy had a higher axonal loss rate in all branches. Of those, front of branch of male was remarkably higher than female. Patient with DM as P/H had high axonal loss rate in all branches. Patient with HTN as P/H had high axonal loss rate in all branches except for oris branches. Patients with DM and HTN group had significantly higher value from the average of axonal loss rate than patients who are only with HTN and without DM/HTN. DM alone group had significantly higher value than patients who are without DM/HTN. However, HTN alone was not significantly high. By analysing HbAlc of the patients who were hospitalised regardless DM, axonal loss rate was high in the order of DM group, preDM group, normal group. Nevertheless, only DM group showed higher axonal rate statistically than normal group. Considering DM and HbA1c value, the patients can be divided into 4 different groups of hkDM, lkDM, hfDM and nDM. By analysing those groups, the average damaged value of the groups with diagnosis followed by treatment(lkDM, hkDM) were higher than the average rate of hfDM and statistically higher than the rate of the nDM. Conclusions : The influential factors of increasing the level of EMG damage are male(only for the frontal branch), age above sixties, HTN, DM, and HbAlc value above 6.5. Besides, the negligible factors are month, season, diagnosis, alcohol, and smoking. Further research including clinical prognosis should be conducted.

A computational model of an actual Seoul subway tunnel was analyzed in this study. The computational model was comprised of one natural ventilation shaft, two mechanical ventilation shafts, one mechanical air supply, a twin-track tunnel and a train. The natural ventilation shaft discharges and supplies air due to the train’s movement. The mechanical ventilation shaft and the mechanical air supply discharges and supplies, respectively, the airflow from the axial flow fans in the middle of the ducts of the shafts. A sliding-curtain was installed in the tunnel. The objective of this study was to numerically investigate train-induced airflow in the twin-track subway tunnel with natural and mechanical ventilation shafts and an installed curtain. The numerical analysis characterized the aerodynamic behavior and performance of the ventilation system by solving three-dimensional turbulent Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. ANSYS CFX software was used for the computations. The airflow velocity from the computational results was validated by experimental results. Understanding the flow pattern of the train-induced airflow in the tunnel is necessary to improve ventilation performance. The ventilation and aerodynamic characteristics in the tunnel, including train-induced airflow, were investigated by analyzing the volume flowrate at the exits of the ventilation shafts and the velocity in the tunnel. The computational results were compared to cases with and without a curtain installed in the twin-track tunnel. As the train passed the mechanical ventilation shafts, the quantity of discharged-air in the ventilation shafts decreased rapidly. The flowrate at the exits of the ventilation shafts was gradually recovered with time, after the train passed the ventilation shafts. The airflow at the natural shaft and mechanical ventilation shaft 2, which was closest to the curtain, was increased. The computational results showed that the installed curtain can improve ventilation performance in the tunnel.

Subways are widely used for public transportation in major cities and require efficient ventilation systems to maintain indoor air quality in the subway tunnel. A subway tunnel was investigated to understand the airflow inside the tunnel, and to improve its ventilation system. The steady three-dimensional airflow in the tunnel was analyzed using ANSYS CFX software to solve Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. The ventilation performance in the subway tunnel was investigated with respect to the connecting location of the mechanical ventilation shaft by analyzing mass flow rate through the ventilation-shafts and the airflow in the tunnel. The airflow in the tunnel and the mass flow rate in the shafts were investigated when the guide-vane, the porous zone and the air-curtain were installed in the subway tunnel system. The discharged-air was higher at ventilation-shaft 2 which was connected to the top wall of the tunnel than that of the ventilation-shaft 1 which was connected to the side wall of the tunnel. The numerical results suggested the connecting location of shaft 2 as the optimum connecting location.

We have demonstrated a facile method for the fabrication of biomimetic poly(caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous matrix with gradation in tricalcium phosphate (TCP) content. PCL solution in chloroform containing TCP powders was centrifuged for inducing gradient content in TCP. The PCL solution with centrifuged TCP was electrospun into the collector, resulting in the TCP-gradient PCL fibrous matrix with a high content of TCP at the bottom and nearly zero content at the top of the matrix. Cell culture on the fibrous matrices with low and high contents confirmed that osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) favored the fibrous matrix with a high TCP content in terms of proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. The TCP-gradient PCL fibrous matrix can potentially be employed for the biomedical application to the bone and bone-to-tendon regeneration.

p53 is a bona fide tumor suppressor gene whose loss of function marks the most common genetic alteration in human malignancy. Although the causal link between loss of p53 function and tumorigenesis has been clearly demonstrated, the mechanistic links by which loss of p53 potentiates oncogenic signaling are not fully understood. Recent evidence indicates that the microRNA-34 (miR-34) family, a transcriptional target of the p53, directly suppresses a set of canonical Wnt genes and Snail, resulting in p53-mediated suppression of Wnt signaling and the EMT process. In this study, we report that p53 regulates GSK-3β nuclear localization via miR-34-mediated suppression of Axin2 in colorectal cancer. Exogenous miR-34a decreases Axin2 UTR-reporter activity through multiple binding sites within the 5' and 3' UTR of Axin2. Suppression of Axin2 by p53 or miR-34 increases nuclear GSK-3β abundance and leads to decreased Snail expression in colorectal cancer cells. Conversely, expression of the non-coding UTR of Axin2 causes depletion of endogenous miR-34 via the miR-sponge effect together with increased Axin2 function, supporting that the RNA-RNA interactions with Axin2 transcripts act as an endogenous decoy for miR-34. Further, RNA transcripts of miR-34 target were correlated with Axin2 in clinical data set of colorectal cancer patients. Although the biological relevance of nuclear GSK-3 level has not been fully studied, our results demonstrate that the tumor suppressor p53/miR-34 axis plays a role in regulating nuclear GSK-3 levels and Wnt signaling through the non-coding UTR of Axin2 in colorectal cancer.

Micro-vibration culture system was examined to determine the effects on mouse and human embryo development and possible improvement of clinical outcomes in poor responders.The embryonic development rates and cell numbers of blastocysts were compared between a static culture group (n = 178) and a micro-vibration culture group (n = 181) in mice. The embryonic development rates and clinical results were compared between a static culture group (n = 159 cycles) and a micro-vibration culture group (n = 166 cycles) in poor responders. A micro-vibrator was set at a frequency of 42 Hz, 5 s/60 min duration for mouse and human embryo development.The embryonic development rate was significantly improved in the micro-vibration culture group in mice (p 0.05). The cell numbers of mouse blastocysts were significantly higher in the micro-vibration group than in the static culture group (p 0.05). In the poor responders, the rate of high grade embryos was not significantly improved in the micro-vibration culture group on day 3. However, the optimal embryonic development rate on day 5 was improved in the micro-vibration group, and the total pregnancy rate and implantation rate were significantly higher in the micro-vibration group than in the static culture group (p 0.05).Micro-vibration culture methods have a beneficial effect on embryonic development in mouse embryos. In poor responders, the embryo development rate was improved to a limited extent under the micro-vibration culture conditions, but the clinical results were significantly improved.

A computational model of existing Seoul subway tunnelwas analyzed in this research. The computational model was comprised of one natural ventilationshaft, two mechanical ventilationshafts, one mechanical airsupply, a twin-track tunnel, and a train. Understanding the flow pattern of the train-induced airflow in the tunnel was necessary to improve ventilation performance. The research objective wasto improve the air quality in the tunnel by investigating train-induced airflow in the twin-track subway tunnel numerically. The numerical analysis characterized the aerodynamic behavior and performance of the ventilation system by solving three-dimensional turbulent Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. ANSYS CFX software was used for the computations. The ventilation and aerodynamic characteristics in the tunnel were investigated by analyzing the mass flowrateat the exits of the ventilation mechanicalshafts. As the train passed the mechanical ventilation shafts, the amount of discharged-air in the ventilationshafts decreased rapidly. The air at the exits of the ventilation shafts was gradually recovered with time, after the train passed the ventilation shafts. The developed mechanical air-supply for discharging dusty air and supplying clean airwas investigated.The computational results showed that the developed mechanical air-supplycould improve the air quality in the tunnel.

The purpose of this study was to identify control points through microbiological hazard analysis in the manufacturing processes of starch noodles. Samples were collected from the ingredients, manufacturing pro- cesses, equipment and environment. Microbiological hazard assessments were performed using aerobic plate counts (APC), Enterobacteriaceae (EB), E. coli and five pathogens including B. cereus, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and S. aureus. The APC levels in raw materials were from 2.12 to 3.83 log CFU/g. The contamina- tion levels after kneading were 4.31 log CFU/g for APCs and 2.88 log CFU/g for EB counts. APCs decreased to 1.63 log CFU/g and EB were not detected after gelatinization, but their levels slightly increased upon cooling, cutting, ripening, freezing, thawing, and separating. The reuse of cooling and coating water would be a critical source of microbial increase after cooling. After drying, APCs and EB counts decreased to 5.05 log CFU/g and 2.74 log CFU/ g, respectively, and the levels were maintained to final products. These results suggest that the cooling process is a critical control point for microbiological safety, and the cooling water should be treated and controlled to prevent cross contamination by pre-requisite program.

The fabrication of nanodiamond (ND)-based drug carriers for tumor-targeted drug delivery is described. The ND clusters with an average size of 52.84 nm are fabricated using a simple fluidic device combined with a precipitation method and then conjugated with folic acid (FA) and doxorubicin (Dox) via carbodiimide chemistry to obtain FA/Dox-modified ND (FA/Dox-ND) clusters. Cell culture experiments revealed that KB (folate receptor-positive) cells are preferentially ablated by FA/Dox-ND clusters compared to A549 (folate receptor-negative) cells. In vivo results revealed that FA/Dox-ND clusters are specifically accumulated in tumor tissues after intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice, effectively reducing the volume of tumor. Based on these results, this study suggests that FA/Dox-ND clusters can be a good candidate as tumor-targeted nanovehicles for delivery of antitumor drug.

Objective This study was conducted to compare the effects of static culture, dynamic culture, and the combination of dynamic culture with specialized surfaces involving co-culture on human embryonic development. Embryos cultured using conventional static culture (SC) techniques served as a control group. We compared dynamic culture using micro-vibration culture (MVC) and micro-vibration with co-culture (MCoC), in which autologous cumulus cells were used as a specialized surface. Methods We conducted a chart review of patients who were treated between January 2011 and November 2014 in order to compare embryonic development rates and pregnancy rates among the groups. Zygotes were cultured in micro-droplets, and embryos were subsequently selected for transfer. Some surplus embryos were cryopreserved, and the others were cultured for blastocyst development. A micro-vibrator was set at the frequency of 42 Hz for duration of 5 seconds per 60 minutes to facilitate embryo development. Results No significant differences among the groups were present in patient's characteristics. However, the clinical pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the MVC group and the MCoC group than in the SC group. No significant differences were found in the blastocyst development rate between the SC group and the MVC group, but the blastocyst development rate in the MCoC group was significantly higher than in the SC and MVC groups. Conclusion The clinical pregnancy rate was significantly increased by the application of micro-vibration to the embryonic cultures of poor responders. The blastocyst development rate was significantly increased by the application of MCoC to surplus embryos.

The purpose of this study was to provide a basic resource for establishment of hygienic management stand- ards for meal delivery from the central kitchen to schools. Flow diagrams for delivery of food were analyzed, and time-temperature conditions of the food and environment were measured. Four different foods samples in- cluding Mexican salad, radish salad, stir-fried pork and vegetables, and stir-fried chicken and vegetables were collected after production and before service. Microbiological analysis was performed for aerobic plate counts (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella spp., S. aureus, B. cereus, C. perfringens, and L. monocytogenes. After completion of production of cooked foods 2∼3 hours were taken for the cooked foods to reach the temperature danger zone. Food temperatures at the meal service did not meet the recommended temperatures (10/57 o C) for conventional school food service systems. The highest APC counts were observed in radish salad (5.70 log CFU/g), followed by Mexican salad (5.18 log CFU/g). Enterobacteriaceae and coli- form counts were within acceptable levels of those recommended by the UK Public Health Laboratory Service. No E. coli or pathogens were found. These results provide useful information for determination of microbiological hazards in school food service systems, and suggest that time-temperature control during deliv- ery is necessary for the safety of cooked foods.

This study was targeted at 91 students living in a boys' high school dormitory and centered on the how the consumption of fish and vegetables changed after students were educated according to nutrition education and cooking methods. First of all, the primary investigation of the leftover amount in the beginning of the semester was conducted five times for five days from March 21st to 25th, 2011. The secondary investigation was conducted with the same diet for five days as well from December 1st to 7th. Then the tertiary investigation was performed eight times from December 12th to 30th, after cooking method changes. There was a difference of the total leftover food amount between the first grade and the second grade during the beginning of the semester, but after the nutrition education there was no difference of the leftover food amount. In particular, leavings of vegetables and fish both significantly decreased in the first grade, after the nutrition education to encourage students to eat fish and vegetables. However, there was no difference in the leftover food amount of the second-grade students who received the education before, between the beginning and the end of the semester. When cooking fish the way students preferred, they had fried fish fillets the most, followed by roasted fish fillets, roasted bone-in fish, and braised fish. There were significant differences. Regarding vegetable, students ate salad the most, followed by Geotjeori and blanch, and there were significant differences.Key words: indirect nutrition education, cooking methods, fish and vegetable, leftover food