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There is growing interest in conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. However, the majority of experimental studies of Achilles tendon have been performed by open tenotomy. More appropriate model of conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture is required. We performed experimental study to evaluate whether outcomes differ between open tenotomy and percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon in rats. The Achilles tendons of 48 rats were transected. The animals were divided into two groups according to surgical technique: open tenotomy or microscopy-assisted percutaneous tenotomy. After 1, 2, and 4 weeks, functional, biomechanical, and histological analyses were performed. Western blot was performed for quantitative molecular analysis at 1 week. The Achilles functional index was superior in the percutaneous tenotomy group, compared with the open tenotomy group, at 1 week. The cross-sectional area was significantly larger in the percutaneous tenotomy group than in the open tenotomy group at 4 weeks. Relative to the native tendons, load to failure and stiffness yielded comparable results at 2 weeks in the percutaneous tenotomy group and at 4 weeks in the open tenotomy group. The histological score was significantly better in the percutaneous tenotomy group than in the open tenotomy group at 1 week. At 1week, interleukin-1β expression in the open tenotomy group was higher than in the percutaneous tenotomy group. In summary, Achilles tendon healing was substantially affected by the tenotomy method. We presume that our percutaneous tenotomy method might constitute a useful experimental animal model for conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Damper is frequently used to suppress panel vibration and related vehicle interior noise. Unlike an unconstrained damper, a method to find material properties of a constrained damper is more complicated. This study presents a verified method for obtaining material properties of a constrained asymmetrical damper. The most important material parameters of this constrained damper are shear modulus, shear factor, and of course damping loss factor. The paper provides newly corrected equations to give proper numerical values of these parameters. The difference of natural frequencies between the test and the simulation using the estimated values is about 2 %, which shows that the estimation method is correctly presented. Important characteristics such as shear motion and wavelength of a composite beam constrained by a damper are also investigated. Finally, vibration response of a vehicle roof with a constrained damper is measured and is compared to the simulation. It is noticed that the correlation is much improved, comparing with the simulation based on old material properties.

Globally, dementia is one of the highest priority public health policy issues. This study was conducted to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of dementia prevalence using geographic weighted regression analysis and to identify preventable risk factors at the regional level of dementia prevalence. For the data to be analyzed, this work used the 2020 regional dementia prevalence index of the Korea Central Dementia Center and the regional health statistics of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Spatial autocorrelation analysis, hot spot analysis, and geographic weighted regression analysis were performed to identify regional associations of dementia prevalence, cluster regions with high dementia prevalence, and risk factors for regional dementia prevalence. As a result of the hot spot analysis, the regions corresponding to the hot spots with the high prevalence of dementia were found to be adjacent to each other, such as in Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongbuk, and the regions corresponding to the cold spots with the low prevalence of dementia were adjacent to each other, such as Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Busan, and Ulsan. The results of geographic weighted regression analysis showed that educational level, walking practice rate, hypertension prevalence, and a low-sodium diet preference were found to be risk factors for the prevalence of dementia. These results suggest that there is a need for a dementia prevalence management strategy to increase the walking practice rate and low-sodium diet preference rate, and decrease the hypertension prevalence, centering on the hot spot area, which is a cluster area with high dementia prevalence. This study is expected to be useful as basic data that can help in prioritizing health policies considering spatial characteristics for community health promotion.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA; Morquio syndrome type A) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by defects in the lysosomal hydrolase N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) gene, leading to progressive systemic skeletal dysplasia. Early diagnosis and early intervention with enzyme replacement therapy are crucial for improving outcomes in these patients. However, a relatively high number of patients are genetically undiagnosed due to high allelic heterogeneity and the absence of robust functional evidence for most variants of the GALNS gene. Herein, we report a novel intronic variant identified with RNA analysis and an allele dropout (ADO) event caused by a common benign variant in the primer-binding site in a Korean boy with MPS IVA. A 28-month-old boy presented with pectus carinatum, kyphoscoliosis, and joint hypermobility with multiple skeletal dysplasia involving the vertebrae and hip joint. Total urinary glycosaminoglycans were elevated with a predominant keratan sulfate fraction, and GALNS (EC 3.1.6.4) activity was significantly decreased in leukocytes. Sanger sequencing was performed; however, only one heterozygous intronic variant with uncertain clinical significance, c.566+3A T (p.(?)), was identified. As the patient exhibited clinical and biochemical features of MPS IVA, we conducted whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the patient and his family to clarify the molecular diagnosis. WGS revealed a compound heterozygous genotype, c.1019G A (p.(Gly340Asp)) and c.566+3A T (p.(?)), in the GALNS gene. On mRNA sequencing, c.566+3A T, was confirmed to cause exon 5 skipping and a premature stop codon. With subsequent investigation, we discovered that the variant, c.1019G A, was undetected on initial sequencing because of ADO due to a common benign variant (rs3859024:G C) at the primer annealing location. We present a novel intronic variant with a splicing defect in the GALNS gene and suggest that clinicians review primer sequences in cases not diagnosed on Sanger sequencing before progressing to diagnostic steps such as WGS.

Ballistic missiles often require the terminal velocity and impact angle to be confined to a certain region around a desired value considering a wide variety of uncertain initial conditions and operational ranges. This study presents a design framework to determine optimum waypoints that satisfy constraints for given launch conditions and mission profiles. As a systematic approach to this kinodynamic motion planning problem, the proposed framework deterministically samples the waypoints. The trajectory generated by the determined waypoints in consideration of various conditions satisfies the terminal constraint. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Background and Purpose Long-term changes in post-stroke depression (PSD), post-stroke emotional incontinence (PSEI), and post-stroke anger (PSA) have rarely been studied.Methods This is a sub-study of EMOTION, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, that examined the efficacy of escitalopram on PSD, PSEI, and PSA in patients with stroke. We interviewed patients at the long-term period (LTP) using predefined questionnaires: Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale (MADRS) for PSD, modified Kim’s criteria for PSEI, and Spielberger trait anger scale for PSA. Additionally, the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI) for the social support state and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were measured. We investigated the changes in and factors behind PSD, PSEI, and PSA at LTP.Results A total of 222 patients were included, and the median follow-up duration was 59.5 months (interquartile range, 50 to 70). Compared to the data at 6 months post-stroke, the prevalence of PSEI (11.7% at 6 months, 6.3% at LTP; P=0.05) and mean anger score (21.62, 16.24; P

Background and Purpose: Data on the effect on vascular outcomes of concomitant atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) with atrial fibrillation (AF) after stroke are limited. This study evaluated the effect of ASVD with AF versus AF only on the risk of vascular events. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a prospectively registered multicenter database involving 3213 stroke patients with AF. ASVD included extracranial atherosclerosis measured in the proximal portion of the internal carotid artery, intracranial atherosclerosis (all ≥50% stenosis), coronary artery disease, and peripheral artery disease and was categorized into 4 strata depending on the number of ASVDs (0, 1, 2, and 3–4). The independent associations of ASVD with major adverse cardiovascular events, stroke, and all-cause death were assessed. Results: A total of 2670 patients were included (mean age, 73.5±9.8 years; median CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score, 5; interquartile range, 4−6). During the follow-up (mean, 1.7 years), a total of 672 (25.2%) major adverse cardiovascular events, 170 (6.4%) stroke events, and 501 (18.8%) all-cause deaths were noted. The adjusted hazard ratio for major adverse cardiovascular events versus no ASVD was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.00–1.56) for ASVD 1, 1.34 (95% CI, 1.02–1.76) for ASVD 2, and 1.93 (95% CI, 1.24–2.99) for ASVD 3–4. The adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause death versus no ASVD was 1.32 (1.01–1.74), 1.47 (1.06–2.03), and 2.39 (1.47–3.89), respectively. Among ASVD components, the presence of symptomatic or asymptomatic extracranial atherosclerosis was a more potent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events (1.27 [1.05–1.54]) and all-cause death (1.45 [1.17–1.81]). Conclusions: ASVD burden with AF can be a cumulative marker of a high risk for untoward vascular outcomes. Among ASVD components, extracranial atherosclerosis seems to have a predominant effect.

Background: Stroke risk scores (CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc) not only predict the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, but have also been associated with prognosis after stroke. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between stroke risk scores and early neurological deterioration (END) in ischemic stroke patients with AF. Methods: We included consecutive ischemic stroke patients with AF admitted between January 2013 and December 2015. CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were calculated using the established scoring system. END was defined as an increase ≥2 on the total National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score or ≥1 on the motor NIHSS score within the first 72 h of admission. Results: A total of 2,099 ischemic stroke patients with AF were included. In multivariable analysis, CHA2DS2-VASc score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.31) was significantly associated with END after adjusting for confounders. Initial NIHSS score, use of anticoagulants, and intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) were also found to be closely associated with END, independent of the CHA2DS2-VASc score. Multivariable analysis stratified by the presence of ICAS demonstrated that both CHA2DS2-VASc (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.04–1.38) and CHADS2 scores (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.01–1.52) were closely related to END in only patients with ICAS. In patients without ICAS, neither of the risk scores were associated with END. Conclusions: High CHA2DS2-VASc score was associated with END in ischemic stroke patients with AF. This close relationship is more pronounced in patients with ICAS.

Tin selenide (SnSe) is considered a robust candidate for thermoelectric applications due to its very high thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, with values of 2.6 in p-type and 2.8 in n-type single crystals. Sn has been replaced with various lower group dopants to achieve successful p-type doping in SnSe with high ZT values. A known, facile, and powerful alternative way to introduce a hole carrier is to use a natural single Sn vacancy, VSn. Through transport and scanning tunneling microscopy studies, we discovered that VSn are dominant in high-quality (slow cooling rate) SnSe single crystals, while multiple vacancies, Vmulti, are dominant in low-quality (high cooling rate) single crystals. Surprisingly, both VSn and Vmulti help to increase the power factors of SnSe, whereas samples with dominant VSn have superior thermoelectric properties in SnSe single crystals. Additionally, the observation that Vmulti are good p-type sources observed in relatively low-quality single crystals is useful in thermoelectric applications because polycrystalline SnSe can be used due to its mechanical strength; this substance is usually fabricated at very high cooling speeds.

Background Unlike patients with stroke caused by other mechanisms, the effect of elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) on the prognosis of patients with both ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the association between tHcy level and the functional outcome of patients with AF‐related stroke. Methods and Results We included consecutive patients with AF‐related stroke between 2013 and 2015 from the registry of a real‐world prospective cohort from 11 large centers in South Korea. A 3‐month modified Rankin Scale score ≥3 was considered an unfavorable outcome. Since tHcy is strongly affected by renal function, we performed a subgroup analysis according to the presence of renal dysfunction. A total of 910 patients with AF‐related stroke were evaluated (mean age, 73 years; male sex, 56.0%). The mean tHcy level was 11.98±8.81 μmol/L. In multivariable analysis, the tHcy level (adjusted odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07, per 1 μmol/L) remained significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes. In the subgroup analysis based on renal function, tHcy values above the cutoff point (≥14.60 μmol/L) showed a close association with the unfavorable outcome only in the normal renal function group (adjusted odds ratio, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.60–6.01). In patients with renal dysfunction, tHcy was not significantly associated with the prognosis of AF‐related stroke. Conclusions A higher plasma tHcy level was associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with AF‐related stroke. This positive association may vary according to renal function but needs to be verified in further studies.

X-linked lymphoproliferative disease type 1 (XLP1), an X-linked recessive genetic disorder, is associated with primary immunodeficiency. Patients with XLP1 are susceptible to Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection. SH2D1A gene is known as the causative gene. We found a novel hemizygous variant of SH2D1A, c.162_201+31delinsTACAAGGACATATACA, from a 5-year-old male patient who had been diagnosed with EBV infection and Hodgkin's lymphoma. In targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS), complex variants at exon 2 were not consistently identified with two software programs. They showed a soft-clipped read pattern. The variant had a 71-bp deletion and a 16-bp insertion across exon 2 as confirmed by direct sequencing. As the variant was located within the exon–intron boundary, two aberrant transcripts were shown by RNA study. Although NGS method has a limitation in detecting large deletion/duplication variants, proper bioinformatics pipeline and careful review of data might enable the detection of complex variants.

Our previous work showed that there is a limitation in the use of dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr)/methotrexate (MTX)-mediated gene amplification systems in dhfr-non-deficient HEK293 cells, as endogenous dhfr may interfere with the amplification process. In the present study, we successfully generated Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1)-amplified HEK293 cells in a dhfr-non-deficient HEK293 cell background using a single-plasmid vector-based gene amplification system with shRNA targeting the 3'-UTR of endogenous dhfr. The introduction of this shRNA efficiently downregulated the expression of endogenous dhfr in the HEK293 cells without affecting exogenous dhfr expression. The downregulation of endogenous dhfr improved the efficiency of EBNA-1 amplification, as evidenced by a comparison with the amplification extent in cells lacking shRNA expression at the same MTX concentration. The EBNA-1 expression levels from the EBNA-1-amplified clones selected in this study were higher than those obtained from EBNA-1-amplified clones that were generated using the conventional amplification in our previous study. Consistent with previous studies, EBNA-1 amplification improved the production of the Fc-fusion protein through a specific protein productivity (qp)-enhancing effect, rather than by improving cell growth or transfection efficiency. In addition, the N-glycan profiles in the Fc-fusion protein produced using this transient gene expression (TGE) system were not affected by EBNA-1 amplification. These results indicate the potential utility of EBNA-1-amplified mammalian cells, developed using a single-plasmid vector-based gene amplification system, for efficient protein production. KEY POINTS: • EBNA-1-amplified HEK293 cells were established using gene amplification system. • EBNA-1 amplification in TGE system can increase the Fc-fusion protein productivity. • EBNA-1 amplification does not affect the N-glycan profile in the Fc-fusion protein.

Accurate prediction of gas-solid flow hydrodynamics is key for the design, optimization, and scale-up of a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) reactor. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation with two-dimensional (2D) domain has been routinely used, considering the computational costs involved in three-dimensional (3D) simulations. This work evaluated the prediction capability of 2D and 3D gas-solid flow simulation in the lab-scale CFB riser section. The difference between 2D and 3D CFD simulation predictions was assessed and discussed in detail, considering several flow variables (superficial gas velocity, solid circulation rate, and secondary air injection). The transient Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase model was used. CFD simulation results were validated through an in-house experiment. The comparison between the experimental data and both computational domains shows that the 3D simulation can accurately predict the axial solid holdup profile. The CFD simulation comparison considering several flow conditions clearly indicated the limitation of the 2D simulation to accurately predict key hydrodynamic features, such as high solid holdup near the riser exit and riser bottom dense region. The accuracy of 2D and 3D simulations was further assessed using root-mean-square error calculation. Results indicated that the 3D simulation predicts flow behavior with higher accuracy than the 2D simulation.

To improve the interfacial bond properties of the carbon fiber coated with a nano-SiO2 particle in a cement paste matrix, the present study proposed a method of coating nano-SiO2 particles on the surface of the carbon fiber by the chemical reaction of a silane coupling agent (glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, GPTMS) and colloidal nano-SiO2 sol in an alkaline environment. To verify whether a nano-SiO2 particle was effectively modified on the surface of the carbon fiber, the surface morphology, chemical composition, and chemical structure were characterized and analyzed by several techniques such as the scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Nano-SiO2 particles were entirely covered and uniformly distributed on the surface of the carbon fiber, resulting in the formation of a thin layer of nano-SiO2 particles. A thin layer of nano-SiO2 particles reacted with Ca(OH)2 to form a calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel, which is most helpful to increase the form between the fiber and the matrix. In addition, a pull-out test of the tow carbon fibers was performed to verify the effect of the new surface modification method on the interfacial bond properties of the carbon fiber embedded in the cement paste matrix. The experimental results showed that the frictional bond strength of the carbon fiber coated with a nano-SiO2 particle was significantly increased compared to the plain carbon fiber. These results were expected to improve the interfacial bonding force of hardened cement paste from the formation of the C-S-H gel produced through the chemical reaction of nano-SiO2 particles coated on the surface of the carbon fiber with Ca(OH)2. In particular, it was confirmed that the carbon fiber-reinforced cement paste (CFRCP) specimens coated with a nano-SiO2 particle and silica fume which replaced 10 wt.% of cement by mass showed the highest pull-out resistance performance at 28 days of age. The new surface modification method developed in this study can be very beneficial and helpful in improving the interfacial bond properties of CFRCP.

This study investigates dynamic factor adjustment and corporate tax reduction in Japanese manufacturing industry using a dynamic dual approach. The own-price elasticity of the output supply is nega...

Background In PreventIon of CArdiovascular Events in Ischaemic Stroke Patients with High Risk of Cerebral HaemOrrhage (PICASSO), cilostazol versus aspirin was comparable for the end points of cerebral hemorrhage and major vascular events. However, underlying hemorrhage-prone lesions could modify the treatment effect. Aims We explored whether the safety and efficacy of cilostazol versus aspirin would differ between hemorrhage-prone lesions (multiple cerebral microbleeds vs. prior intracerebral hemorrhage). Methods In this post hoc analysis of PICASSO, we divided patients into the cerebral microbleeds and prior intracerebral hemorrhage subgroups. The primary safety end point was the first occurrence of cerebral hemorrhage. The primary efficacy end point was the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death. Results Of 1512 patients, 903 (59.7%) had multiple cerebral microbleeds and 609 (40.3%) had prior intracerebral hemorrhage. The cerebral hemorrhage risk was lower with cilostazol versus aspirin (0.12%/year vs. 1.49%/year; hazard ratio, 0.08 [95% confidence interval 0.01–0.60]; p = 0.015) in the cerebral microbleeds subgroup, but was not different (1.26%/year vs. 0.79%/year; hazards ratio 1.60 [0.52–4.90]; p = 0.408) in the prior intracerebral hemorrhage subgroup. The interaction of treatment-by-subgroup was significant ( pinteraction = 0.011). For the composite of major vascular events, there was a trend toward a lower risk with cilostazol versus aspirin (3.56%/year vs. 5.53%/year; hazards ratio 0.64 [0.41–1.01]; p = 0.056) in the cerebral microbleeds subgroup, but was comparable (5.21%/year vs. 5.05%/year; hazards ratio 1.03 [0.63–1.67]; p = 0.913) in the prior intracerebral hemorrhage subgroup without a significant treatment-by-subgroup interaction ( pinteraction = 0.165). Conclusions Cilostazol versus aspirin might be a better option in ischemic stroke with multiple cerebral microbleeds, but confirmatory trials are needed. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . NCT01013532.

An integrated guidance and control problem under state constraints is considered for terminal homing of missile engagement. The problem is formulated as a moderate-size convex optimization problem, which can be efficiently solved via existing techniques such as interior point methods or alternating direction method of multipliers. Two different formulations are presented, and their computation time is investigated. We address computational issues that arise in implementing the optimization solvers on-board, and discuss several problem-specific hands-on techniques that help reducing the computational complexity and accelerating the convergence of the optimization algorithms.

Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is often elevated in patients with ischemic stroke, and is associated with their prognosis. Since cTnI is also closely related to atrial fibrillation (AF), cTnI may be a sensitive prognostic indicator in patients with AF-related stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum cTnI and early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with AF-related stroke. We included consecutive AF-related stroke patients between 2013 and 2015. END was defined as an increase ≥ 2 in the total NIHSS score or ≥ 1 in the motor NIHSS score within the first 72 h of admission. A total of 1,133 patients with AF-related stroke were evaluated. In multivariable analysis, cTnI [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.34; P = 0.047] remained significant after adjusting for confounders. Initial NIHSS score (aOR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.06; P = 0.043) was also positively associated with END; meanwhile, the use of anticoagulants was negatively associated in both vitamin K antagonists (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.23–0.54; P P = 0.024). In conclusion, higher serum cTnI was associated with END in patients with AF-related stroke.

Purification and identification of novel proteases is critical in the development of new therapeutic drugs, such as those for ischemic stroke. However, it's a time-consuming and expensive job to purify enzymes from natural sources. Furthermore, even if the process is completed, the enzyme could be a known protease. Zymography is a protease-confirming assay, but its molecular weight is hard to be accurately measured due to background noise and the broad zone of lysis. Moreover, a sample in a zymography gel cannot be used for protein identification because of the staining substrate in the gel. However, a protease in an unstained SDS-PAGE gel is not damaged by staining buffer and its proteolytic potential will be maintained and be identified, even though these bands are invisible. In this research, to take advantage of both zymography and unstained SDS-PAGE, each band in an unstained SDS-PAGE gel was cut and transferred to a zymography gel. Through this method, bands on the SDS-PAGE gel and the accompanying electroblotted membrane could be used to confirm the target proteolytic activity. Screened samples could be used for protease identification and to check for novelty.

Bone defects are usually difficult to be regenerated due to pathological states or the size of the injury. Researchers are focusing on tissue engineering approaches in order to drive the regenerative events, using stem cells to regenerate bone. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on biologically derived Gallus gallus domesticus-derived demineralized bone particle (GDD) sponge. The sponges were prepared by freeze-drying method using 1, 2, and 3 wt% GDD and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The GDD sponge was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, compressive strength, porosity, and Fourier transform infrared. The potential bioactivity of the sponge was evaluated by osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs using 3(4, dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and quantifying alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. in vivo experiments were evaluated through a micro-computerized tomography (μ-CT) and histological assays. The analysis confirmed that an increase in the concentration of the GDD in the sponge leads to a higher bone formation and deposition in rat calvarial defects. Histological assay results were in line with μ-CT. The results reported in this study demonstrated the potential application of GDD sponges as osteoinductor in bone tissue engineering in pathological or nonunion bone defects.

A reactive collision avoidance algorithm is proposed to enable safe autonomous flight in the presence of multiple dynamic obstacles. A position-controlled hexacopter equipped with a visual sensor obtaining obstacle information is considered as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform. The proposed method centers on the concept of bounding tube which intrinsically extends the static bounding box to incorporate forthcoming movement of the obstacles into the collision avoidance framework. The processing pipeline consists of separate components for each of the sequential tasks in obstacle sensing and tracking. Computation of a spherical bounding box for each obstacle is followed by discrete-time Kalman filtering for prediction of obstacle trajectory to detect potential collision. If the current course of UAV turns out highly likely to end in collision with any of the obstacles, the vehicle steers to an aiming point chosen from among the bundle of candidates produced by constructing a bounding tube that takes account of predicted obstacle motion. The bounding-tube-based aiming point generation extends seamlessly to the case with multiple moving obstacles through running in series with multi-obstacle track management that combines hierarchical clustering of sensory data points for obstacle identification and a simple geometric method for data association. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed collision avoidance algorithm.

Aims: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-lowering statin therapy is an established secondary stroke prevention strategy. However, the differential impact of key non-LDL levels on recurrent stroke risk, while on lipid-modifying therapy (LT), remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed the dataset of a multicenter trial involving 3640 recent (< 4 months) noncardioembolic stroke patients followed for 2 years. Participants were categorized into four groups of presumed improving lipid profile: level 0, no LT prescribed; level I, LT use with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (< 40 mg/dL for men; < 50 mg/dL for women); level II, LT use with high HDL-C (≥ 40 mg/dL and ≥ 50 mg/dL, respectively); and level III, level II with low triglycerides (< 150 mg/dL). Independent associations of LT category with stroke, major vascular events (MVEs; stroke/coronary heart disease/vascular death), and all-cause death were assessed. Results: LTs were mostly statins (> 95%). The unadjusted recurrent stroke rate declined with LT category level (9.2% for level 0; 8.4% for level I; 7.5% for level II; and 5.7% for level III). Compared with level 0, the adjusted hazard ratio of stroke for level I was 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.59–1.03), level II 0.80 (0.54–1.18), and level III 0.63 (0.43–0.91). Multivariable analyses of MVEs and all-cause death followed a similar pattern of declining risk with higher LT category level. Conclusions: Compared with the nonuse of LT, there may be a hierarchy of residual vascular risk after stroke by non-LDL type and target, while on LT. Particularly, stroke patients with low HDL-C levels on LT may benefit from additional therapeutic strategies to improve their outcomes.

Background and purpose Whether pharmacologically altered high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) affects the risk of cardiovascular events is unknown. Recently, we have reported the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Asian Patients with Ischaemic Stroke at High Risk of Cerebral Haemorrhage (PICASSO) trial that demonstrated the non-inferiority of cilostazol to aspirin and superiority of probucol to non-probucol for cardiovascular prevention in ischemic stroke patients (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01013532). We aimed to determine whether on-treatment HDL-C changes by cilostazol and probucol influence the treatment effect of each study medication during the PICASSO study. Methods Of the 1,534 randomized patients, 1,373 (89.5%) with baseline cholesterol parameters were analyzed. Efficacy endpoint was the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis examined an interaction between the treatment effect and changes in HDL-C levels from randomization to 1 month for each study arm. Results One-month post-randomization mean HDL-C level was significantly higher in the cilostazol group than in the aspirin group (1.08 mmol/L vs. 1.00 mmol/L, P

We conducted a comprehensive analysis on the sequential introductions of dynamic and static volatility interruptions (VIs) in the Korean stock markets. The Korea Exchange introduced VIs to improve price formation, and to limit risk to investors from brief periods of abnormal volatility for individual stocks. We found that dynamic VI is effective in price stabilization and discovery, while the effect of static VI is limited. The static VI functions similarly to the pre-existing price-limit system; this accounts for its limited incremental benefit.