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This study aimed to screen for plants with antimicrobial potential among the evergreen woody species of South Korea that are used for horticulture and landscaping and to provide basic information about plants with proven antimicrobial activity to underpin future research. The plant materials were extracted under various conditions, and the antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated by agar diffusion assay. The screening tests demonstrated that the crude extracts of 43 species had inhibitory effects against S. aureus. The inhibitory activities of four species (Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Camellia japonica, Cleyera japonica, and Quercus salicina) were relatively higher than that of the synthetic antimicrobial agents methylparaben and phenoxyethanol. The highest inhibitory activity was observed with the leaf extracts (extracted with methanol for 30 minutes) of E. sylvestris, based on induction of the largest inhibition zone of 23.3 mm in size. In addition, solvent fractions of E. sylvestris were evaluated. The largest inhibitory zone of 23.1 mm was observed for the n-butanol fraction, which is likely to contain effective compounds that exhibit inhibitory activity against S. aureus. In contrast, n-hexane and residual aqueous fractions showed no antimicrobial activity. Overall, our findings confirm that evergreen woody plants native to South Korea have potential antimicrobial activity.

Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC)-related modular calcium-binding protein-2 (SMOC2), a secreted matricellular protein, is reported to be involved in various processes related to cancer progression such as regulating the cell cycle, angiogenesis, and invasion. However, its expression and prognostic significance in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) remains unknown. Using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the expression profile of SMOC2 and its prognostic value in a large cohort of PTCs. Real time-PCR analysis with fresh-frozen tissues showed that SMOC2 mRNA expression in PTCs was substantially lower than the expression in matched non-cancerous thyroid tissues, consistent with the results from thyroid cancer cell lines. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that SMOC2 was normally present in thyroid follicular epithelial cells and the expression level was maintained in nodular hyperplasia. However, SMOC2 expression was significantly lower in lymphocytic thyroiditis and follicular tumors including follicular adenomas and carcinomas. In particular, 38% of PTCs exhibited a complete loss of SMOC2 expression, which was associated with the presence of BRAF (V600E) mutation. Moreover, SMOC2 further declined during lymph node metastasis in PTCs. DNA methylation chip analysis revealed one hypermethylated CpG site in the promoter region of SMOC2 gene, suggesting an epigenetic regulation of SMOC2 in PTCs. Remarkably SMOC2 positivity was associated with improved recurrence-free survival along with female sex, tumor size, and the N stage. However, SMOC2 was not identified as an independent prognostic marker in multivariate analyses. Taken together, SMOC2 expression is significantly down-regulated in PTCs and SMOC2 positivity is closely associated with better clinical outcomes, suggesting that SMOC2 can be a prognostic marker in PTC patients.

Information on the optimal conditions to promote the germination of Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara seeds is limited; consequently, this study was conducted to establish the requirements to break seed dormancy and promote germination. The selected seeds had morphophysiological dormancy and had not begun embryo development. To study the dormancy breaking and embryo development processes, seeds were subjected to constant or changing temperature treatments during moist stratification. High temperature and humidity resulted in vigorous embryo growth, with the longest embryos occurring after 1 month of incubation at 20 °C. At 4 °C, the seeds required incubation period of at least 3 months to germinate. Embryo growth and germination were higher with changing high and low temperatures than under a constant temperature, and changing temperatures also considerably changed the endogenous hormone levels, embryo development and germination. Bioactive gibberellin (GA) content was higher in seeds incubated at 20 °C for 1 month, then at 4 °C for 2 months. The content of endogenous abscisic acid in seeds subjected to the same treatment decreased by 97.6% compared with that of the untreated seeds. Embryo growth and seed germination require changing high and low temperatures; however, exogenous GA3 could substitute for high temperatures, as it also causes accelerated germination. In this study, the seeds of L. spectabilis were identified as an intermediate simple type, a sub-level of morphophysiologically dormant seeds.

Propagation of gametophytes and sporophytes using mechanical fragmentation has been considered a suitable method for mass production of ferns. This study aimed to develop a practical propagation method for Lemmaphyllum microphyllum C. Presl, which is a fern of significant ornamental and medicinal value. Gametophytes were obtained through in vitro spore germination and used for propagation experiments. The gametophyte was mechanically fragmented using a scalpel into small fragments, which were then used to investigate gametophyte proliferation. In addition, the gametophyte was fragmented using a blender and then used to study sporophyte formation. Optimal proliferation conditions of the gametophyte were determined using Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium (double-, full-, half-, quarter-strength), Knop medium, and medium components (sucrose, nitrogen sources, activated charcoal), at various concentrations. The fresh weight of the gametophyte was 14-fold higher than that of gametophytes (300 mg) used as culture material, when cultured on double-strength MS. Moreover, 1 g of the gametophyte fragmented in 25 mL of distilled water formed more than 430 sporophytes in a soil mixture in an area of 7.5 cm2. The sporophytes were successfully cultivated in the greenhouse after acclimation. A large-scale production method for L. microphyllum that can be easily implemented in a fern production farm is outlined.

Background: The efficacy and safety of videolaryngoscopes (VLs) for tracheal intubation is still conflicting and changeable according to airway circumstances. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of several VLs in patients undergoing general anesthesia. Methods: Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched until 13 January 2020. The following VLs were evaluated compared to the Macintosh laryngoscope (MCL) by network meta-analysis for randomized controlled trials (RCTs): Airtraq, Airwayscope, C-MAC, C-MAC D-blade (CMD), GlideScope, King Vision, and McGrath. Outcome measures were the success and time (speed) of intubation, glottic view, and sore throat (safety). Results: A total of 9315 patients in 96 RCTs were included. The highest-ranked VLs for first-pass intubation success were CMD (90.6 % in all airway; 92.7% in difficult airway) and King Vision (92% in normal airway). In the rank analysis for secondary outcomes, the following VLs showed the highest efficacy or safety: Airtraq (safety), Airwayscope (speed and view), C-MAC (speed), CMD (safety), and McGrath (view). These VLs, except McGrath, were more effective or safer than MCL in moderate evidence level, whereas there was low certainty of evidence in the intercomparisons of VLs. Conclusions: CMD and King Vision could be relatively successful than MCL and other VLs for tracheal intubation under general anesthesia. The comparisons of intubation success between VLs and MCL showed moderate certainty of evidence level, whereas the intercomparisons of VLs showed low certainty evidence.

We study the lattice dynamics of antiferromagnetic transition-metal oxides by using self-consistent Hubbard functionals. We calculate the ground states of the oxides with the on-site and intersite Hubbard interactions determined self-consistently within the framework of density functional theory. The on-site and intersite Hubbard terms fix the errors associated with the electron self-interaction in the local and semilocal functionals. Inclusion of the intersite Hubbard terms in addition to the on-site Hubbard terms produces accurate phonon dispersion of the transition-metal oxides. Calculated Born effective charges and high-frequency dielectric constants are in good agreement with experiment. Our study provides a computationally inexpensive and accurate set of first-principles calculations for strongly-correlated materials and related phenomena.

Harmful flies are one of the major threats to greenhouse crop cultivation in terms of economic loss. Controlling flies in an environmentally friendly manner is preferable to utilizing chemicals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a system for monitoring the operating status and controlling the major components of an information and communication technology-based eco-friendly harmful fly collector to ensure smooth operation. The target harmful fly collector consists of two fly collection chambers with a blower, electric bracket, UV lamp, and LED lamp in each chamber. The collector is moved between plant rows in a greenhouse by a motor on a pipe rail. The operating status monitoring system includes an onsite node and remote node, which consist of microcontrollers, current sensors, relays, radio frequency modules, and manually controlled signal providers for monitoring and controlling the operations of the collector. The proposed monitoring system allows the operating conditions of the rail motor to be identified accurately as high, mid, low, and back speeds based on power consumption levels of 182.63 ± 2.83 W, 169.58 ± 2.77 W, 157.09 ± 3.05 W, and 122.71 ± 3.51 W, respectively. The operating status of the blowers, LED lamps, and UV lamps can be determined based on power consumption levels of 144.46 ± 1.35 W, 63.45 ± 0.93 W, and 65.02 ± 0.95 W, respectively. The electric bracket consumes up to 245.3 W of power in the presence of any harmful flies. Remote monitoring and control were successfully implemented to operate each component of the collector without failure during our experiments. The system developed in this study can effectively secure the stable operations of environmentally friendly harmful fly collectors in smart greenhouses.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is vulnerable to fracture, and the missed diagnosis can lead to neurological deterioration. Herein, we present the conus medullaris syndrome due to aggravation of the missed spinal fracture in an 85-year-old woman with AS who underwent hip surgery. She underwent osteosynthesis in a supine position with supports under her shoulders and head due to spine deformity with AS, but was fully supine without supports after surgery. She showed complete paraplegia at postoperative 12 h. The re-reading radiological imaging showed the missed spinal fracture, of which the deteriorated dislocation was revealed on the re-examined radiological evaluation. This deterioration was not recovered ultimately despite an emergent surgery. A thorough preoperative assessment is essential to prevent the missed diagnosis of spinal fracture and minimise deterioration due to its dislocation, with specific spine precaution during transport, transfer and positioning.

Earth's inner core consists of mainly iron with a bit of light elements. Understanding of its structure and related physical properties has been elusive for both experiment and theory due to its required extremely high pressure and temperature conditions. Here, using density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory, we demonstrate that oxygen atoms energetically stabilize hexagonal structured iron at the inner core condition. Electrical resistivity is much enhanced compared with pure hcp-Fe, supporting the conventional thermal convection model. Moreover, our calculated seismic velocity shows a quantitative match with geologically observed Preliminary Reference Earth Model data., 12 pages, 4 figures

Background In Korea, conventional medicine (CM) and traditional Korean medicine (KM) are run as a dual healthcare system; however, the backgrounds and characteristics of the users of both medical services have not yet been compared. This study aimed to identify the differences in factors determining the use of CM and KM health services. Methods A secondary data analysis of a nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in this study. The Survey on the Experience with Healthcare Services 2017 asked participants about their most recent outpatient visit to a health service. Initially, a descriptive analysis was performed on respondents who visited the CM or KM health service in the last 12 months. Then, logistic regression analysis using Andersen’s behavioral model was performed, to identify the factors affecting health service selection, by classifying demographic variables into predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Respondents who replied they did not frequently use CM/KM and those with missing data were excluded. Results Of the total 11,098 respondents, 7,116 (64.1%) reported to have used CM/KM: 2,034 (18.3%), 4,475 (40.3%), and 607 (5.5%) for hospital CM, clinic CM, and KM, respectively. In logistic regression analysis, of the 2,723 (24.5%) respondents analyzed, 822 (7.4%) went to a hospital, 1,689 (15.2%) to a clinic, and 212 (1.9%) opted for KM service. Respondents with a higher number of chronic diseases were less likely to use KM (one disease, odds ratio: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.36–0.76; two diseases: 0.51, 0.31–0.85; three to five diseases: 0.26, 0.10–0.69). Respondents with a high income were likely to go to the hospital (4Q vs. 1Q: 1.92, 1.35–2.72) and less likely to go to the clinic (4Q vs. 1Q: 0.49, 0.35–0.68). Conclusions Significant differences were observed on the enabling factor (income) for CM and need factors (number of chronic diseases) for KM. Our analysis suggests that through the healthcare policy, we should consider stratifying user backgrounds and needs for each medical service.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of educational interventions (in terms of mass media campaigns) on promoting stroke literacy (the general public’s knowledge of stroke symptoms and what to do in the event of a stroke).

Objective: To investigate a feasible candidate for an appropriate cell line for the orthotopic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) model. Methods: Normal human proximal tubule cells (HK-2) and RCC cells were used for MTT assay, Western blotting, sphere-forming assay, and orthotopic injection of BALB/c-nude mice. Immunohistochemistry was adopted in tissue arrays and orthotopic tumors. Results: Primary RCC cells showed resistance to a GPX4 inhibitor compared to HK-2 and to metastatic RCC cells, Caki-1. Caki-2 and SNU-333 cells showed resistance to ferroptosis via increased GPX4 and FTH1, respectively. RCC cells showed increased αSMA, in which Caki-2 and SNU-333 cells exhibited different epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell markers. Caki-1 and SNU-333 cells formed spheres in vitro and orthotopic tumor masses in vivo. The injected SNU-333 tumor only showed high intensities of CD10 and PAX8, markers of renal origin. Conclusion: SNU-333 cell line exhibited resistance via iron metabolism and stemness, and had tumor-initiating capacities in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that among the cells tested, SNU-333 cells were the most promising for the establishment of an orthotopic RCC model for further researches.

The formation and pollution of particulate matter (PM), a side effect of rapid industrialization and urbanization, is considered a global issue. However, various plant species are able to effectively capture and reduce atmospheric PM concentrations. We investigated the indoor growth and morphology of 21 indigenous Korean evergreen species at low light intensities to ascertain their ability to reduce PM of aerosol particles in a closed acrylic chamber. The decrease in PM mass concentration differed significantly across species, with a significant correlation (8 h, p &lt, 0.001). The reduction in the mass concentration of PM differed with particle size and across species. The highest reduction of PM2.5 occurred after 8 h with Dryopteris lacera (86.8%), Ilex × wandoensis (84.9%), Machilus thunbergii (84.3%), and Rhododendron brachycarpum (84.0%). Reduction of PM10 after 8 h was highest with Cephalotaxus harringtonii (98.3%), I. × wandoensis (98.5%), M. thunbergii (98.5%), and R. brachycarpum (98.3%). Plant morphological characteristics (category, plant height, leaf shape, leaf area) and relative humidity were closely related to the decrease in PM mass concentration. In conclusion, our findings can be used to identify Korean plant species that can reduce PM concentration and are suitable for indoor use.

Background Liquid suspension culture efficiently proliferates plant cells and can be applied to ferns because it rapidly increases the fresh weight of gametophytes. This study assessed gametophyte proliferation and sporophyte production of Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum using a suspension culture method. Results The growth curve linear phase of gametophyte cells was confirmed between 9 and 18 days of culture, and the subculture cycle was determined to be 2 weeks. A double-strength MS medium (fresh weight, 18.0 g) containing 2% sucrose and NH4+:NO3− (120 mM, 40:80) was found to be the optimal liquid medium. Gametophytes obtained after suspension culture for 18 days did not normally form sporophytes in an ex vitro soil environment. However, this issue was resolved after changing the culture type or extending the culture period to 6 weeks. A short suspension culture period increased the fresh weight of fragmented and homogenized gametophytes but yielded numerous relatively immature gametophytes (globular forms of branching gametophytes, BG). Furthermore, differences in gametophyte morphogenesis and development were indicated by changes in endogenous phytohormone content. BG with immature development exhibited high accumulation of zeatin, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, and relatively low levels of abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. The immature development of gametophytes directly affected sporophyte formation. Conclusions This study maximized the advantages of liquid suspension culture using eastern bracken gametophytes and provides data to resolve any associated issues, thus facilitating efficient bracken production.

Polypharmacy is continuously increasing among older adults. The resultant potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can be harmful to patient health. Deprescribing refers to stopping or reducing PIMs. In this study, the current status of polypharmacy and willingness of older adults to deprescribe were investigated among patients and caregivers who are not associated with one another. The survey used the Korean translated version of the revised Patients’ Attitude Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) Scale. Data were collected through an online survey of 500 participants (250 patients and caregivers each) in this study. The following results were found for patients and caregivers, respectively: 74.8% and 63.6% felt their number of medications was high, 64.4% and 55.6% desired to reduce their medications, 70.4% and 60.8% were concerned about medication discontinuation, 63.2% and 61.2% had a good understanding of their medications, 77.6% and 76.4% were willing to be well informed, and 79.6% and 72% wanted to reduce the number of medications if medically feasible. Patients and caregivers commonly agreed to the burden of the number of medications they were taking, and were willing to reduce the number of medications if the doctor said it was possible. Doctors should consider this information during the deprescribing process, and promote deprescription while involving patients and caregivers in the decision-making process.

BackgroundLong-term usage of glucocorticoids results in a loss of bone mass and a higher risk of fracture, and the most common cause of secondary osteoporosis is glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). For preventing GIOP, bisphosphonate (BP) is widely used. However, analysis on BP’s effect on the prevention of re-fracture is insufficient. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the comparative treatment effect and prevention of re-fracture according to the type of BP in GIOP as the basis for a reliable clinical strategy for patients.Methods and analysisWe will search electronic databases of the PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE using a comprehensive search strategy in December 2021 with no language restriction. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, controlled trials and cohort studies evaluating the effectiveness of BP to the patients with GIOP will be included in this study. The primary outcome will be the incidence of hip, vertebral and other fractures. The secondary outcome will include percentage changes on the bone mineral density and incidence of re-fracture. Assessing risk of bias for included studies is done using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies–of Intervention tool. If quantitative synthesis is possible, a meta-analysis will be performed. A subgroup analysis will be conducted to compare re-fracture rate on the patients with GIOP who experience previous fractures. This study’s result will provide evidence for the effectiveness of BP in the prevention of re-fracture on patients with GIOP.Ethics and disseminationThe results will be disseminated through publishing in a peer-reviewed journal or public presentations. Ethical approval is not required as this is a systematic review of publicly available data.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42022343787.

Information technology advances may help in conducting epidemiological studies using web-based surveys. Questionnaire-based headache diagnosis should be validated against the doctor’s diagnosis. This study aimed to develop and validate a web-based diagnostic questionnaire for migraine, probable migraine (PM), and tension-type headache (TTH). We constructed a seven-item questionnaire for diagnosing migraine, PM, and TTH. A web-based survey was conducted among adults aged 20–59 years; migraine, PM, and TTH were diagnosed based on the responses. Validation interview was performed via telephone by a neurologist within 1 month after the web-based interview. Finally, 256 participants completed both web-based survey and validation interview. Of them, 121 (47.3%), 65 (25.4%), 61 (23.8%), and 9 (3.5%) were diagnosed with migraine, PM, TTH, and unclassified headache (UH), respectively in the web-based survey, whereas 119 (46.5%), 60 (23.4%), 74 (28.9%), 2 (0.8%), and 1 (0.4%) were diagnosed with migraine, PM, TTH, UH, and primary stabbing headache, respectively in the validation interview. The best agreement was found in migraine (sensitivity: 92.6%; specificity: 94.8%; kappa coefficient: 0.875), followed by TTH (sensitivity: 78.4%; specificity: 98.4%; kappa coefficient: 0.809). PM showed the least agreement (sensitivity: 85.0%; specificity: 92.9%; kappa coefficient: 0.757). In conclusion, our questionnaire is valid in identifying these headache disorders.

Background. Recent studies have shown that nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NOX4) is related to cancer development, proliferation, invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis. The prognostic value of NOX4 expression although has been reported in various cancers, it remains unclear as several studies have reported conflicting results. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to systematically investigate the prognostic value of NOX4 expression in cancer patients. Method. Appropriate studies were collected by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases, and the prognostic value of NOX4 expression in cancer patients was assessed through a meta-analysis. Results. Nine eligible studies involving 2675 cancer patients were included in this meta-analysis. We found that NOX4 expression is related to prognosis in cancer patients. In particular, high expression of NOX4 was significantly associated with overall survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–2.42, p < 0.001 ). Conclusion. NOX4 expression is significantly correlated with overall survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer, indicating that it could be a potential prognostic marker.

Background A foodborne pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus, encounters normal microflora inhabiting the gut environments prior to causing fatal septicemia or gastroenteritis and should overcome the barriers derived from the gut commensals for successful infection. Its interactions with gut commensals during the infection process, however, have not yet been understood. In the present study, the effect of V. vulnificus on the community structures of gut microbiota in mice was examined. Results Analyses of microbiota in the fecal samples of mice that died due to V. vulnificus infection revealed the decreased abundance of bacteria belonged to Bacteroidetes, notably, the species Bacteroides vulgatus. In vitro coculturing of the two bacterial species resulted in the decreased survival of B. vulgatus. The antagonistic effect of V. vulnificus against B. vulgatus was found to be mediated by cyclo-Phe-Pro (cFP), one of the major compounds secreted by V. vulnificus. cFP-treated B. vulgatus showed collapsed cellular morphology with an undulated cell surface, enlarged periplasmic space, and lysed membranes, suggesting the occurrence of membrane disruption. The degree of membrane disruption caused by cFP was dependent upon the cellular levels of ObgE in B. vulgatus. Recombinant ObgE exhibited a high affinity to cFP at a 1:1 ratio. When mice were orally injected with cFP, their feces contained significantly reduced B. vulgatus levels, and their susceptibility to V. vulnificus infection was considerably increased. Conclusions This study demonstrates that V. vulnificus-derived cFP modulates the abundance of the predominant species among gut commensals, which made V. vulnificus increase its pathogenicity in the hosts.

The microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique has been increasingly employed for erosion mitigation and stabilization of sandy slopes. Biocementation can improve the streng...

This study was conducted to investigate the optimal culture method for gametophyte and sporophyte propagation in Coniogramme japonica (Thunb.) Diels, which can be used in various fields. The propagation of prothallus were cultured in 1/4 - 1 Murashige and Skoog medium and Knop medium for 10 weeks. The results indicated that the fresh weight of prothallus was the highest (14.5 g) in 1MS medium. Subsequently, various concentrations of sucrose, activated charcoal and nitrogen source were also added to 1MS medium and cultured for 8 weeks. The results provided that the sucrose concentration was 3% and the fresh weight of prothallus was the highest 10.8 g. According to the concentration in the range of 8.8 ~ 10.8 g, in the case of activated charcoal, the four treatments showed no significant difference. The nitrogen source was added at a concentration of 30, 60 and 120 mM with the ratio of NH4 + : NO3 - being 1 : 2. As a result, the fresh weight of all treatments increased to similar level but there was no significant difference. We investigated sporophyte formation according to soil type and the highest number of sporophytes at 228.0 was formed in soils mixed with horticultural substrate and decomposed granite at 2 : 1 (v : v). On the other hand, sporophyte was not formed in soils containing peatmoss except for the one with peatmoss and decomposed granite at 2 : 1 (v : v).

Tissue culture methods using gametophytes are considered the easiest ways to mass-produce fern sporophytes. The aim of this study was to develop a practical propagation method for the ornamental fern, Athyrium sheareri. The gametophytes obtained from in vitro spore germination were used as experimental materials. We used the chopping method to investigate the culturing conditions for proliferating gametophytes and the blending method for evaluating the mass production of sporophytes in mixed soil. Gametophyte proliferation was determined via Knop medium, various concentrations of Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium (1, 1/2, 1/4), and media components (sucrose, nitrogen source, and activated charcoal). The fresh weight of the gametophytes increased by more than 24-fold in 1/2 MS medium. In addition, 1 g of gametophyte could produce a maximum of 255.3 sporophytes in a mixed soil of 7.5 cm2 area. Treating gametophytes with exogenous plant growth regulators promoted the formation and growth of sporophytes. The cultivated young sporophytes were acclimated and successfully grown in greenhouses. We developed a mass production protocol for A. sheareri sporophytes suitable for field application, which is expected to have commercial value.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) on mortality and neurological outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and methods Electronic databases of studies published up to January 5, 2017 were searched to retrieve relevant investigations comparing the outcomes of EPO-treated patients and untreated patients following TBI. We calculated the relative risk (RR) of mortality, neurologic outcomes, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) using meta-analysis. Results Six randomized controlled clinical trials met the eligibility criteria. In total, 1041 patients were included among the studies. EPO was found to significantly reduce the occurrence of mortality (RR 0.68 [95% CI 0.50–0.95]; P = 0.02), but did not significantly reduce poor functional outcome (RR 1.22 [95% CI 0.82–1.81]; P = 0.33). There were no significant differences in the occurrence of complications, such as DVT, between the treatment groups (RR −0.02 [95% CI −0.06–0.02]; P = 0.81). Conclusions Results of the present meta-analysis suggest that the use of EPO may prevent death following TBI without causing adverse events, such as deep vein thrombosis. However, the role of EPO in improving neurological outcome(s) remains unclear. Further well-designed, randomized controlled trials using modified protocols and involving specific patient populations are required to clarify this issue, and to verify the findings.

Cheilanthes argentea (S.G. Gmel.) Kunze is a highly valued indigenous/endemic Korean bracken species used for ornamental purposes. In this study, we developed a practical proliferation method for mass production of C. argentea plants using tissue culture. The gametophyte proliferation using the chopping method produced gametophytes that were morphologically identical to those obtained from in vitro spore germination. This new method increased plant fresh weight by more than 40-fold, from 300 mg to 12.7 g, in Murashige and Skoog medium. A blending method was used to produce 74.3 sporophytes in 7.5-cm2 plastic pots using 1 g of gametophytes. Furthermore, addition of exogenous gibberellin promoted sporophyte development and growth, suggesting the possibility of controlling the number of sporophytes formed. However, further studies are needed to explain the effect of exogenous gibberellin, which is closely related to the sex-determining hormone antheridiogen, on the number of sporophytes and its mechanism of action. Our new tissue culture system is capable of mass proliferation of C. argentea gametophytes in vitro and the formation of sporophytes by ex vitro preparation using the generated gametophytes.

Aim This study aimed to seek evidence for the usefulness of the procalcitonin as a prognostic blood biomarker for outcomes in post-cardiac arrest patients. Methods We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (search date: 8 January, 2019). Studies on patients who experienced return of spontaneous circulation, who had out of hospital cardiac arrest and had their level of procalcitonin measured and outcomes assessed at and after hospital discharge, were included. We additionally performed subgroup analyses for confounding factors affecting patients’ outcomes. To assess the risk of bias of each included study, the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool was used. Results A total of 1065 patients from 10 studies were finally included. Elevated procalcitonin level during hospital admission (at 0–24 h) was associated with in-hospital mortality (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.33–0.95, I2 = 26%). The elevation of procalcitonin level (at 0–48 h) was also associated with poor neurologic outcomes (at 0–24 h, SMD 0.61; 95% CI 0.44–0.79, I2 = 0%; at 24–48 h, SMD 0.58, 95% CI 0.35–0.82, I2 = 0%) as well as at 1–6 months (at 24–48 h, SMD 0.62; 95% CI 0.36–0.88, I2 = 0%). Conclusions Overall, the findings suggested that an elevated procalcitonin level measured at 0–48 h of post-cardiac arrest syndrome was associated with poor outcomes.

Introduction Pharmacopuncture is a traditional therapy combining acupuncture and herbal medicines. In this study, we investigated the usage status of pharmacopuncture among Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) and differences in satisfaction regarding pharmacopuncture use. Methods We conducted a self-reporting online survey via e-mail from April 25 to 7 May 7, 2018, and analyzed the responses of a total of 393 KMDs. Results Eighty-eight percent of respondents had used pharmacopuncture during the previous year. Their average clinical experience of using pharmacopuncture was 8.04 years and the percentage of patients treated using pharmacopuncture was 39.2%. Pharmacopuncture was used mainly to treat musculoskeletal, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases. Bee venom and blood stasis pharmacopuncture were the most commonly used types. Participants were highly satisfied with treatment efficacy but were less satisfied with treatment cost. KMD satisfaction with pharmacopuncture was assessed with regards to two aspects: practitioner and patient (as evaluated by the practitioner) satisfaction. In both cases, satisfaction with pharmacopuncture was high in KMDs who use it for gastrointestinal diseases. However, practitioner satisfaction was low among KMDs who used bee venom and blood stasis pharmacopuncture, whereas patient satisfaction was high among those KMDs who treated them using ginseng pharmacopuncture. Conclusions Satisfaction with pharmacopuncture treatment tended to contrast with the frequency of use. Although KMDs are currently focusing on pain-related disorders, our results indicate that pharmacopuncture can be highly applicable in other areas such as the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases; however, this needs to be verified by further research.

The time-dependent behavior of rock joints, specifically creep and stress relaxation, govern the long-term stability of underground structures, but have not been fully understood. The effect of asperity degradation on the time-dependent behavior of rock joints is investigated in this test. Triangular synthetic rock joints with four asperity angles (θ = 0° 10° 30° and 45°) are tested for creep and stress relaxation. It is revealed that the failure mode of a rock joint during creep and stress relaxation shifts from surface sliding (θ = 0°) to a combination of surface sliding and asperity crushing (θ > 10°). Asperity crushing becomes more severe as θ increases. Consequently, a rougher rock joint with higher θ exhibits higher creep and stress relaxation rates due to more asperity crushing. For each θ the creep and stress relaxation rates both increase exponentially with increasing shear stress before the stable long-term strength is reached, suggesting a higher degree of asperity degradation as shear resistance mobilizes. Semi-empirical correlations are proposed to quantify the effects of asperity angles on creep and stress relaxation of rock joints at various shear stresses. This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 41602287, 51578408, 51509219) and State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Grant Nos: SKLGDUEK1521 and SKLGDUEK1819).

The stress relaxation behaviors of discontinuities under cyclic loading have been rarely investigated. In this study, cyclic loading is applied to discontinuities for shear relaxation tests, in whi...

From a sustainability point of view, the disposal of non-recyclable glasses like Pyrex, tempered glass, and borosilicate glass gradually become an environmental issue because non-recyclable glass is a non-biodegradable material. To obtain high glass recycling ratios without remelting, many researchers have used not only crushed glass as an alternative to both fine and coarse aggregate in concrete, but also used ground glass powder as a pozzolanic material to enhance the formation of calcium silicate hydroxide (C S H). In general, concrete is known as a good fast neutron moderator due to its high hydrogen content but does not contain boron compound used for absorption of a thermal neutron. In this work, borosilicate glass was, therefore, used as a form of mineral additive and fine aggregate to produce neutron shielding mortar in this work. Furthermore, it was investigated whether the use of borosilicate glass powder can mitigate the expansion caused by alkali-silica reaction (ASR) between alkali in cement and the reactive silica in borosilicate glass aggregate or not. Test results indicate that 20% borosilicate glass powder replacing cement was able to control the ASR expansion. When borosilicate glass powder and aggregates were used simultaneously, the compressive strength of the mortar mixture increased. Moreover, the combined use of borosilicate glass powder and aggregates could shield 86% additional thermal neutron, leading to the possibility of using borosilicate glass for neutron shielding purposes.

Dryopteris erythrosora (D. C. Eaton) Kuntze is used as an ornamental horticultural crop and landscaping plant, and it is a plant with high development value as an herbal medicine, but there are few studies to proliferate a large amount of plants. This study aimed to determine a suitable method for spore germination, gametophyte proliferation, sporophyte formation, and seedling production in D. erythrosora. Spore germination rate was highest in 1/2 × Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium (92.8%). A suitable medium for prothallus proliferation was selected based on gametophytes produced from germinated spores. A 1 × MS medium was most effective for gametophyte proliferation and active organ formation; moreover, 1 × MS medium containing 1% sucrose without activated charcoal was the most effective growth condition for inducing gametophyte growth and development. The suitable culture soil composition for sporophyte formation was investigated by varying the ratio of horticultural substrate, peat moss, perlite, and decomposed granite. We found that a 2:1 (v:v) mixture of horticultural substrate and perlite accelerated sporophyte formation (155 units). Furthermore, suitable seedlings and transplants for sporophyte seedling growth were determined by varying the ratio of horticultural substrate and decomposed granite, as well as plug tray cell size. For sporophyte seedlings, the greatest growth in root length (92.9 mm) and the most aerial and underground fresh weight (234.1 and 40.3 g, respectively) were observed in a mixture of horticultural substrate and decomposed granite at a 1:2 (v:v) ratio. Our results using tissue culture technology will be provided as a mass production method for substantial industrialization of D. erythrosora plants.

Background/Aims There have been numerous efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with antiviral agents during pregnancy. However, there are limited data regarding the outcomes of pregnant women after delivery. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of antiviral agents in preventing MTCT of HBV and maternal long-term outcomes. Methods The HBV-infected pregnant women treated with antiviral agents to prevent MTCT were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-one pregnant women who received telbivudine or tenofovir during late pregnancy (28-34 week) were analyzed. Hepatitis B virus surface antibody (HBsAb) positivity was tested in 43 infants after 7 months of birth. Eleven mothers were followed >1 year after delivery. Results The mean HBV DNA titer before antiviral therapy was 8.67 (6.60–9.49) log copies/mL, and the median age at delivery was 32 years (range, 22–40). Eleven patients were treated with tenofovir and 30 with telbivudine. The median duration was 57 days (range, 23–100), and the median HBV DNA titer at birth was 5.06 log copies/mL (range, 2.06–6.50). Antiviral treatments were associated with significant HBV DNA reduction (P12 months, and an antiviral agent was administered. Conclusions Antiviral treatment during late pregnancy effectively reduced MTCT. Long-term follow-up should be required in such cases. In addition, given that maternal biochemical flare occurred in 18% of mothers, re-administration of antiviral agents might be required.