Search

Objective: This study aimed to assess the anxiety and depression in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)., Methods: Eighty-seven adult patients with various hematologic diseases, who were scheduled to receive autologous or allogeneic HSCT, were enrolled. The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were applied prospectively at hospital admission (D-14), on the day of transplantation (D day), and at 7 (D7) and 14 days (D14) after transplantation., Results: The severity of both anxiety and depressive symptoms increased over time, with a peak at D7, and then showed a downturn at D14. Physical distresses also started with mild intensity at base line, which were continuously aggravated until D7, and then a partial recovery afterwards. Approximately, 52% of the participants had significantly high anxiety or depression before the start of HSCT. The occurrence of aggravation of pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and lack of appetite was associated with the development of anxiety during isolation period. The patients with significant baseline anxiety had higher scores on fatigue and shortness of breath items at D7 compared to those without., Conclusion: Our finding suggests the importance of psychiatric approaches, including preventive measures, for the patients undergoing HSCT.

Background: Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) can be fatal to humans as well as to animals causing severe economic losses globally to livestock industries. Many countries conduct regular surveillance of TBDs in livestock. Serological and molecular surveillance of TBDs in livestock and humans was carried out in the Republic of Korea. However, there are not a lot of data on analyses of anaplasmosis in Korean native goats and the correlation with rearing methods and seasons. Methods: In this study, goats in Ulsan city were tested for anaplasmosis by PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. A total of 452 goat blood samples were collected from 20 farms in 2016. The goat farms in Ulsan city had three different types of rearing methods: conventional, confined, and mixed grazing-confined. Results: Forty-nine of the 452 goats (10.8%) were anaplasmosis positive. Sequence analysis of the PCR products from these 49 goats revealed that 39 of 452 goats (8.6%) were Anaplasma bovis positive, and 10 of 452 goats (2.2%) were infected with Anaplasma capra . The highest outbreaks of anaplasmosis occurred in mixed grazing-confined type of farms (27.1%, 33/122) ( χ 2  = 60.72, df  = 2, p  < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the occurrence of anaplasmosis between spring, summer, and fall seasons. Conclusions: This study was the first detection of A. bovis in Korean native goats and its relationship with rearing methods and seasons. These findings suggested that Korean native goats were highly exposed to Anaplasma spp. during summers when the tick population is the highest and in farms employing mixed grazing-confined rearing methods.

Mesoporous silica (MSPN12) was prepared by nonionic surfactant micelle-templated gelation of sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3 ) and fluorosilicic acid (H 2 SiF 6 ) in aqueous solution, characterized by a range of instrumental techniques, and tested as a support for Ni and Rh catalysts in the partial oxidation of methane (POM). Calcined and sintered MSPN12 exhibited well-defined d 00l -spacings (3.5-4.39 nm), narrow pore distributions (2.4-3.1 nm), and large specific surface areas (552-1,246 m 2  g -1 ), and was found to be highly thermally stable. Microscopic imaging revealed that MSPN12 comprised spherical particles with a uniform diameter of ~0.7 µm, with each particle featuring firm and regular honeycomb-type pores. MSPN12-loaded Ni and Rh maintained stable POM activity at 700 °C during almost 100 h on stream, which were comparable to those for the commercial Rh(5)/Al 2 O 3 catalyst in terms of methane conversion and H 2 formation selectivity. Thus, the combination of structural stability and favorable physicochemical properties resulted in good POM performance.

Viperin is an interferon (IFN)-inducible multifunctional protein. Recent evidence from high-throughput analyses indicates that most IFN-inducible proteins, including viperin, are intrinsically expressed in specific tissues; however, the respective intrinsic functions are unknown. Here we show that the intrinsic expression of viperin regulates adipose tissue thermogenesis, which is known to counter metabolic disease and contribute to the febrile response to pathogen invasion. Viperin knockout mice exhibit increased heat production, resulting in a reduction of fat mass, improvement of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced glucose tolerance, and enhancement of cold tolerance. These thermogenic phenotypes are attributed to an adipocyte-autonomous mechanism that regulates fatty acid β-oxidation. Under an HFD, viperin expression is increased, and its function is enhanced. Our findings reveal the intrinsic function of viperin as a novel mechanism regulating thermogenesis in adipose tissues, suggesting that viperin represents a molecular target for thermoregulation in clinical contexts., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) including fibronectin (FN) and elastin plays a pivotal role in providing a microenvironment to support tissue regeneration in stem cell therapy. To develop a novel biomimetic ECM for stem cell differentiation, we engineered FN type III 9 and 10 domains fused to elastin-like polypeptides (FN-ELPs). The recombinant FN-ELP fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by inverse transition cycling. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on plates coated with FN-ELP had significantly greater adhesion activity and proliferation than cells grown on non-coated plates. FN-ELP induced the osteogenic differentiation by elevating alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and mineralization activity of hMSCs. Furthermore, the osteogenic marker gene expressions of ALP, collagen type I (Col I), osteopontin (OPN), and transcriptional coactivator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) were increased in hMSCs cultured on plates coated with FN-ELP. We reported a novel biomimetic ECM with potential for bone regeneration that promotes the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The emergency department (ED) is where hand hygiene problems are significant as the procedures in the ED are often high risk and invasive. To date, there have been no comprehensive reviews on hand hygiene in EDs. The aim of this study was to investigate hand hygiene compliance (HHC) rate, factors affecting the HHC rate, and intervention strategies to improve HHC in EDs. Electronic databases were used to search for research published from 1948 to January 2018. The databases included ovidMEDLINE, ovidEMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Koreamed, and Kmbase. All study designs were included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the bias risk using reliable and validated tools. A narrative synthesis was performed. Twenty-four studies, including 12 cross-sectional surveys and 12 interventional studies, were included. Of the 12 interventional studies reviewed, only 33% (N = 4) reported HHC rates of more than 50%. Factors that influenced HHC included types of healthcare worker, hand hygiene indication, ED crowding, positive attitudes towards HHC, patient location, auditing hand hygiene, and type of shift. Almost all of the studies (83.3%) applied multimodal or dual interventions to improve HHC. A range of strategies, including education, monitoring and providing feedback, campaigns, and cues, effectively improved HHC. The review findings indicate that there is a room for improvement in HHC in EDs. Future randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine which intervention modalities are most effective and sustainable for HHC improvement., (Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

SETTING: A comprehensive systematic review on whether proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are associated with tuberculosis (TB) incidence is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review to elucidate if there is an association between PPI use and TB risk. DESIGN: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from their inception through 14 February 2018. Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomised Studies (ROBANS) was used to estimate the quality of each study. We could not undertake a meta-analysis because of the small number of studies and the diversity of outcome measures. All results of included studies are described narratively. RESULTS: Five studies were identified. In three case-control studies, compared with non-PPI use, PPI use was associated significantly with TB incidence, a 1.2-to-1.7-fold increased risk (adjusted OR 1.29; 95%CI 1.29-1.30, OR 1.31; 95%CI 1.22-1.41, adjusted hazard ratio 1.71; 95%CI 1.17-2.50). A cohort study reported that ≥3 months of PPI treatment was not associated significantly with TB incidence compared PPI treatment of <3 months. One cohort study reported that lansoprazole use decreased TB development significantly when compared with omeprazole/pantoprazole use. CONCLUSION: Compared with non-PPI use, PPI use was associated significantly with TB risk but the studies were heterogeneous.

Due to an aging population, dementia incidence has rapidly increased in South Korea, heaping psychological and economic burdens upon families and the society. This study was aimed at investigating the associations of health insurance type and cardiovascular risk factors with the risk of dementia. The study was performed using data from 15,043 participants aged 60 years and above, enrolled in the Seoul Dementia Management Project in 2008 and followed up until 2012. Factors such as demographic data, health insurance type, lifestyle factors, and cardiovascular risk factors were subjected to Cox proportional hazard regression analysis to identify their associations with dementia incidence. During the follow-up, 495 participants (3.3%) developed dementia. Medical Aid beneficiaries were associated with an increase in the risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.421-2.215). Upon analyzing a composite cardiovascular risk score derived from all five cardiovascular risk factors, the risk for dementia incidence in participants increased from 1.56 for the presence of three risk factors to 2.55 for that of four risk factors (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.174-5.546), compared with those who had no risk factors. The Medical Aid beneficiaries of health insurance type and the presence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors were found to be associated with a higher risk of dementia incidence.

Recently, it has been found that low-dimensional organometallic halide perovskites can be adopted as nonlinear monolayer emitters because of their efficient spontaneous anti-Stokes visual luminescence under visual or near-infrared laser excitation. Herein, we demonstrate a luminescence up-conversion process from the visible self-trapped exciton (STE) to an ultraviolet (UV) free exciton (FE) in the two-dimensional perovskite (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3 ) 2 PbCl 4 quantum wells excited by nanosecond pulse laser excitation. An ultraviolet 347 nm near-band-edge FE emission is obtained under the excitation of 579 nm dye laser at 10 K by a two-step, two-photon absorption process from the real intermediate exciton state. In addition, the decay rise time of higher-laying states of STE indicates the excitonic detrapping procedure could occur by the annihilation of phonons. Our results suggest that the low-dimensional halide perovskites with deformable structure are able to be applied in visible light-pumped UV-emitting devices.

Purpose: This study compared the pain-relieving effects of human milk, sucrose, and distilled water during examinations for retinopathy of prematurity., Methods: Forty-five preterm infants were randomly assigned to receive a pacifier dipped in one of three solutions: human milk (n=14), 24% sucrose (n=15), or distilled water (n=16), 2 minutes before an eye examination. Their pain score, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation were measured at three time points: 5 minutes before the examination, 30 seconds after speculum introduction, and 2 minutes after the examination., Results: The infants' mean gestational age and weight at birth were 33.1±2.1 weeks and 1,842±470 g, respectively. There were no between-group differences in pain relief during the eye examination. The pain score significantly increased both during ( p <.001) and after the examinations ( p =.003). Oxygen saturation decreased during the examinations ( p <.001); however, the infants in the 24% sucrose group showed higher oxygen saturation ( p =.047) during the examinations than the infants in the other groups., Conclusion: Sucking on a pacifier dipped in human milk or 24% sucrose did not reduce the pain associated with eye examinations in preterm infants. Pacifiers dipped in sucrose can be used to maintain better oxygen saturation during these examinations., Competing Interests: No existing or potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2019 Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing. All rights reserved.)

Nasal deformity is associated with congenital cleft lip and palate. Primary rhinoplasty for reconstruction of the nasal deformity at the time of bilateral cleft lip repair is a controversial issue in cleft care due to traditional teaching concerning the potential impairment of nasal growth. This study assessed long-term nasal growth in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate who underwent primary rhinoplasty by a single surgeon between 1995 and 2002 and reached skeletal maturity ( n = 39; mean: 19 ± 2 years). Normal age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched subjects ( n = 52) were enrolled for comparative analyses. Three-dimensional nasal photogrammetric measurements (10 linear, 4 angular, 6 proportional, 1 surface area, and 1 volume parameter) were collected from patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate and normal subjects. Patients who underwent rhinoplasty presented with significantly (all p < 0.05) smaller nasal tip projection and nasal tip angles, but greater values for nasal dorsum length, nasal protrusion, alar width, columellar height, dome height, columellar angle, labiocolumellar angle, nasal tip height ratio, nasal index, alar width/intercanthal distance ratio, and alar width/mouth width ratio compared to normal subjects. There were no differences (all p > 0.05) in nasal height, tip/midline deviation, nasal dorsum angle, dome-to-columella ratio, columella height/alar width ratio, area surface, and volume parameters between the two groups. This study shows that primary rhinoplasty performed in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate during infancy does not result in deficiency of the nasal dimensions relative to controls., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

A novel method for the synthesis of acylmethyl-substituted 2-arylpyridine derivatives using 3-aryl-2 H -azirines was developed by exploring a prototype reaction using DFT-calculations and carrying out targeted experiments guided by the calculated mechanism. 2 H -Azirine was initially hypothesized to ring-open at the metal center to furnish familiar metal nitrene complexes that may undergo C-N coupling. Computational studies quickly revealed and prototype experimental work confirmed that neither the formation of the expected metal nitrene complexes nor the C-N coupling were viable. Instead, azirine ring-opening followed by C-C coupling was found to be much more favorable to give imines that readily underwent hydrolysis in aqueous conditions to form acylmethyl-substituted products. This new method was highly versatile and selective toward a wide range of substrates with high functional group tolerance. The utility of the new method is demonstrated by a convenient one-pot synthesis of biologically relevant heterocycles such as pyridoisoindole and pyridoisoqunolinone.

Background: Laminin, a member of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM), is a glycoprotein that is used as a factor that affects cell adhesion, proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Of these, five globular domains (LG domains) of the alpha chain play an important role in influencing the cell by binding to the integrin., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the ability of globular domains 1-3 of laminin alpha2 (rhLAMA2LG1-3) in maintaining the pluripotency of human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs), which are widely used in regenerative medicine., Methods: hMSCs were grown in the medium supplemented with rhLAMA2LG1-3, then the effect of the protein on hMSCs were confirmed through cell adhesion assay, proliferation assay and RTPCR., Results: rhLAMA2LG1-3 expressed in Escherichia coli has a molecular weight of 70 kDa, at 1 µg/ml concentration of rhLAMA2LG1-3, the attachment and proliferation of hMSCs were approximately 3.18-fold and 1.67-fold, respectively, more efficient than those of untreated controls. In addition, the undifferentiated state and degree of stemness of hMSCs were measured, on the basis of CD90 and CD105 levels. In the rhLAMA2LG1-3-treated hMSCs, the expression levels of CD90 and CD105 increased by 2.83-fold and 1.62-fold, respectively, compared to those in untreated controls., Conclusions: rhLAMA2LG1-3 can be potentially used in stem cell therapy to improve the viability and maintain the undifferentiated state of hMSCs., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction: The objective of the Health Population Africa (HPAfrica) study is to determine health behaviour and population-based factors, including socioeconomic, ethnographic, hygiene and sanitation factors, at sites of the Severe Typhoid Fever in Africa (SETA) programme. SETA aims to investigate healthcare facility-based fever surveillance in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar and Nigeria. Meaningful disease burden estimates require adjustment for health behaviour patterns, which are assumed to vary among a study population., Methods and Analysis: For the minimum sample size of household interviews required, the assumptions of an infinite population, a design effect and age-stratification and sex-stratification are considered. In the absence of a population sampling frame or household list, a spatial approach will be used to generate geographic random points with an Aeronautical Reconnaissance Coverage Geographic Information System tool. Printouts of Google Earth Pro satellite imagery visualise these points. Data of interest will be assessed in different seasons by applying population-weighted stratified sampling. An Android-based application and a web service will be developed for electronic data capturing and synchronisation with the database server in real time. Sampling weights will be computed to adjust for possible differences in selection probabilities. Descriptive data analyses will be performed in order to assess baseline information of each study population and age-stratified and sex-stratified health behaviour. This will allow adjusting disease burden estimates. In addition, multivariate analyses will be applied to look into associations between health behaviour, population-based factors and the disease burden as determined in the SETA study., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethic approvals for this protocol were obtained by the Institutional Review Board of the International Vaccine Institute (No. 2016-0003) and by all collaborating institutions of participating countries. It is anticipated to disseminate findings from this study through publication on a peer-reviewed journal., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Mitochondrial heteroplasmy, the co-existence of different mitochondrial polymorphisms within an individual, has various forensic and clinical implications. But there is still no guideline on the application of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) in heteroplasmy detection. We present here some critical issues that should be considered in heteroplasmy studies using MPS., Methods: Among five samples with known innate heteroplasmies, two pairs of mixture were generated for artificial heteroplasmies with target minor allele frequencies (MAFs) ranging from 50% to 1%. Each sample was amplified by two-amplicon method and sequenced by Ion Torrent system. The outcomes of two different analysis tools, Torrent Suite Variant Caller (TVC) and mtDNA-Server (mDS), were compared., Results: All the innate heteroplasmies were detected correctly by both analysis tools. Average MAFs of artificial heteroplasmies correlated well to the target values. The detection rates were almost 90% for high-level heteroplasmies, but decreased for low-level heteroplasmies. TVC generally showed lower detection rates than mDS, which seems to be due to their own computation algorithms which drop out some reference-dominant heteroplasmies. Meanwhile, mDS reported several unintended low-level heteroplasmies which were suggested as nuclear mitochondrial DNA sequences. The average coverage depth of each sample placed on the same chip showed considerable variation. The increase of coverage depth had no effect on the detection rates., Conclusion: In addition to the general accuracy of the MPS application on detecting heteroplasmy, our study indicates that the understanding of the nature of mitochondrial DNA and analysis algorithm would be crucial for appropriate interpretation of MPS results., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Background: Although high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) has been used for the management of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), studies examining the effectiveness of HILT have been limited. We investigated the effectiveness of HILT in MSD using a systematic review and meta-analysis., Methods: We searched the ovid MEDLINE, ovid Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL library, and Web of Science until January, 2018. Relevant studies concerning the effectiveness of HILT in patients with MSD were included. Both placebo and active controls were considered as comparators and only randomized controlled trial (RCT) design studies were included. Risk of bias (ROB) was used for the quality assessment of the RCT. For continuous variables, a meta-analysis was conducted using an inverse variance random effects model. The mean difference (MD) for visual analog scale pain and standardized mean difference (SMD) for disability were applied., Results: Twelve studies were selected for this systematic review. In 11 studies, comprising 736 patients, pain was significantly improved by HILT compared with a control group (MD: -1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.28 to -0.74). From the analysis of 688 patients from 10 studies, the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) of HILT showed a significant improvement in disability scores compared with those in the control group (SMD, -1.09; 95% CI -1.77, -0.41). In subgroup analysis by treatment regions, the mean difference (MD) in neck pain was the highest at -1.02 (95% CI: -1.45, -0.58) than in controls, followed by back pain (MD, -0.91; 95% CI: -1.24, -0.59)., Conclusions: The results of this study show that HILT treatment for back and neck pain significantly improved pain and disability scores compared with controls. The ROB of the included studies was moderate; however, significant heterogeneity existed. Thus, additional well-designed studies involving larger samples with long-term follow-up are needed to further assess each laser application, treatment region, and comparator.

We experimentally investigated the fluid warming performances of three warmers with different technology, according to flow rates and distances. We used the following intravenous fluid warmers: Mega Acer Kit (Group M, n = 8), Ranger (group R, n = 8), and ThermoSens (group T, n = 8). Fluids that had been stored in the operating room over the previous 24 h were delivered at sequent flow rates of from 440 mL/h up to 2500 mL/h through preheated warming devices. The fluid temperatures were recorded at the inlet point, 76-cm proximal (P out1 ) and 166-cm distal outlet points (P out2 ) every 1 min for 10 min. We repeated each test eight times. The delivered fluid temperature [mean (95% confidence interval)] was significantly higher in group M than group R and T at flow rates up to 650 mL/h with the highest value at 440 mL/h [34.30 (33.35-35.24)°C] (P < 0.001), and was higher in group T and R at flow rates over 1140 mL/h at P out1 [36.67 (36.62-36.73)°C and 37.85 (37.52-38.17)°C at 2500 mL/h, respectively] (P < 0.001). It was significantly higher at the P out1 than the P out2 at all flow rates for each device (P < 0.001). Mega Acer Kit can warm fluid more effectively compared with ThermoSens and Ranger at the low flow rate whereas the ThermoSens and the Ranger are suitable at higher flow rates. Furthermore, the device performance is more effective with shorter extension lines.

There is paucity of data regarding the geographical distribution, incidence, and phylogenetics of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Typhi in sub-Saharan Africa. Here we present a phylogenetic reconstruction of whole genome sequenced 249 contemporaneous S. Typhi isolated between 2008-2015 in 11 sub-Saharan African countries, in context of the 2,057 global S. Typhi genomic framework. Despite the broad genetic diversity, the majority of organisms (225/249; 90%) belong to only three genotypes, 4.3.1 (H58) (99/249; 40%), 3.1.1 (97/249; 39%), and 2.3.2 (29/249; 12%). Genotypes 4.3.1 and 3.1.1 are confined within East and West Africa, respectively. MDR phenotype is found in over 50% of organisms restricted within these dominant genotypes. High incidences of MDR S. Typhi are calculated in locations with a high burden of typhoid, specifically in children aged <15 years. Antimicrobial stewardship, MDR surveillance, and the introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines will be critical for the control of MDR typhoid in Africa.

Background: The World Health Organization recently prequalified a typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV), recommending its use in persons ≥6 months to 45 years residing in typhoid fever (TF)-endemic areas. We now need to consider how TCVs can have the greatest impact in the most vulnerable populations., Methods: The Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program (TSAP) was a blood culture-based surveillance of febrile patients from defined populations presenting at healthcare facilities in 10 African countries. TF and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease incidences were estimated for 0-10 year-olds in one-year age increments., Results: Salmonella Typhi and iNTS were the most frequently isolated pathogens; 135 and 94 cases were identified, respectively. Analysis from three countries was excluded (incomplete person-years of observation (PYO) data). Thirty-seven of 123 TF cases (30.1%) and 71/90 iNTS disease cases (78.9%) occurred in children aged <5 years. No TF and 8/90 iNTS infections (8.9%) were observed in infants aged <9 months. The TF incidences (/100 000 PYO) for children aged <1 year and 1 to <2 years were 5 and 39, respectively; the highest incidence was 304 per 100 000 PYO in 4 to <5 year-olds. The iNTS disease incidence in the defined age groups ranged between 81 and 233 per 100 000 PYO, highest in 1 to <2 year-olds. TF and iNTS disease incidences were higher in West Africa., Conclusions: High burden of TF detected in young children strengthens the need for TCV introduction. Given the concurrent iNTS disease burden, development of a trivalent vaccine against S. Typhi, S. Typhimurium, and S. Enteritidis may be timely in this region.

We report high performance flexible Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) films prepared by in-line type vertical plasma arc ion plating for high performance flexible perovskite solar cells. Even at room temperature deposition, the ion-plated ITO film showed a low sheet resistance of 15.75 Ohm per square, a high average optical transmittance of 85.88% and a small outer bending radius of 5 mm because energetic ITO ions accelerated to the substrate led to better crystallinity and adhesion than sputtered ITO films. In addition, the ion-plated ITO films showed atomically flat and smooth surfaces due to different growth mechanisms and the absence of resputtering effects during the ion plating process. Flexible perovskite solar cells fabricated on the ion-plated ITO electrodes showed a higher power conversion efficiency of 16.8% than the sputtered ITO-based perovskite solar cell, indicating the potential of ion plated ITO films as promising flexible and transparent electrodes for perovskite solar cells.

CKD-519, a potent cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor, is a clinical candidate being developed for the treatment of dyslipidemia. It is considered a Biopharmaceutical Classification System II compound with low solubility and high permeability. The objective of this study was to develop early formulations focusing on the dissolution rate of the compound to achieve dose-dependent exposure. High performance formulation strategies including solid dispersion (SD) and a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) were investigated and their in vivo and in vitro correlations were also evaluated in monkeys along with dose optimization in human volunteers. The SD granules were prepared in a fluid bed granulator using microcrystalline cellulose and mannitol as carriers. Poloxamer 407 and Eudragit E PO were each found to be a suitable solubilizing agent and polymer for the improvement of the CKD-519 dissolution rate. Pharmacokinetic studies in monkeys showed that the SD tablets exhibited better absorption than the SMEDDS in a dose-dependent manner from 1.5 mg to 100 mg. The mannitol-based SD tablet formulations were bioequivalent. However, pharmacokinetics studies in humans showed that the dose was saturable above 100 mg of CKD-519. This study was performed to determine how to develop early formulations for clinical studies and to identify rational formulation development strategies for CKD-519 to establish the pharmaceutical proof-of-concept in humans., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the prognostic role of interim analysis of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) volumetric parameters in patients with recurrent or metastatic advanced gastric cancer (AGC) treated with fluoropyrimidine-based palliative chemotherapy., Methods: Forty-four patients who underwent baseline and interim PET/CT scanning during palliative chemotherapy were analyzed retrospectively. Initial and change of metabolic parameters (MP) - metabolic tumor volume (MTV), tumor lesion glycolysis (TLG) and maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUV) were measured with PET/CT. Metabolic change was measured by ∆MP (%)  =  (MP interim  - MP initial )/MP  initial   ×  100. Independent t-test was employed to compare values of initial, interim and change of metabolic parameters between each response group. Log-rank test was employed for univariate analysis, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model to determine independently significant prognostic factors., Results: Reduced percentage values of maximum and mean SUV on interim PET/CT and initial values of volumetric parameters (MTV and TLG) were significant predicting factors to response to fluoropyrimidine-based palliative chemotherapy. The decreased percentage values of metabolic parameters as well as maximum and mean SUV with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve determined cut-off points were significant prognostic factors for overall survival and progression-free survival in univariate and multivariate analyses., Conclusion: Measurement of metabolic decrease of volumetric parameters by interim PET/CT analysis is useful to determine the prognosis of patients with recurrent or metastatic AGC., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Color changes controlled by electronic energies have been studied for many years in order to fabricate energy-efficient smart windows. Reduction and oxidization of nickel oxide under the appropriate voltage can change the color of a window. For a superior nickel oxide (NiO) electrochromic device (ECD), it is important to control the chemical and physical characteristics of the surface. In this study, we applied polystyrene bead templates to nickel oxide films to fabricate a honeycomb-structured electrochromic (EC) layer. We synthesized uniform polystyrene beads using the chemical wet method and placed them on substrates to create honeycomb-structured NiO films. Then, the EC characteristics of the nickel oxide films with a honeycomb structure were evaluated with UV-Visible and cyclic voltammetry. FE-SEM and AFM were used to measure the morphologies of the nanostructures and the efficiencies of the redox reactions related to the specific surface area.

This study focused on the photocatalytic degradation effect of the μ-dielectric barrier discharge (μ-DBD) plasma treated titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on environmental contaminant such as formaldehyde. TiO2 nanoparticles were treated by a μ-DBD plasma source with nitrogen gas. We analyzed the degradation of formaldehyde with the plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles by UV-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS), and demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of the μ-DBD plasma-treated TiO2 nanoparticles showed significantly high catalytic efficiency rather than without plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle analyzer were used to measure the effects of photocatalytic degradation for the plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles.

As part of the oxygen family, chalcogen (Se, Te) nanostructures have been considered important elements for various practical fields and further exploited to constitute metal chalcogenides for each targeted application. Here, we report a controlled synthesis of well-defined one-dimensional chalcogen nanostructures such as nanowries, nanorods, and nanotubes by controlling reduction reaction rate to fine-tune the dimension and composition of the products. Tunable optical properties (localized surface plasmon resonances) of these chalcogen nanostructures are observed depending on their morphological, dimensional, and compositional variation.

Genes encoding ciprofloxacin resistance in enterococci in animals may be transferred to bacteria in the animal gut and to zoonotic bacteria where they could pose a human health hazard. The objective of this study was to characterize antimicrobial resistance in high-level ciprofloxacin-resistant (HLCR) Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from retail chicken meat. A total of 345 enterococci (335 E. faecalis and 10 E. faecium) were isolated from 200 chicken meat samples. Of these, 85 E. faecalis isolates and 1 E. faecium isolate were confirmed as HLCR enterococci. All 86 HLCR enterococci displayed gyrA- parC point mutations consisting of S83I-S80I (94.2%, 81 isolates), S83F-S80I (2.3%, 2 isolates), S83Y-S80I (2.3%, 2 isolates), and S83Y-S80F (1.2%, 1 isolate). Sixty-one (72.9%) of the 86 HLCR enterococci showed multidrug resistance to three to six classes of antimicrobial agents. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that E. faecalis had 17 different sequence types (ST) and E. faecium had 1 different ST, with ST256 observed most often (44 isolates, 51.8%). Although these results cannot exclude the possibility that pathotypes of enterococci isolated from chicken might represent transmission to or from humans, the foodborne HLCR E. faecalis indicated that the food chain is a potential route of enterococcal infection in humans.

We fabricated cost-effective Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid electrodes using roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering and patterning processes for use as transparent and flexible electrodes in flexible smart windows. To optimize the patterned Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid, the electrical and optical properties of the Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid electrodes were investigated as a function of grid width and pitch, which directly influence the filling factor of the grid. At the optimized grid width of 16 and pitch of 600 μm, the Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid had a sheet resistance of 7.17 Ohm per square and an optical transmittance of 87.6%. In addition, the mechanical properties of the optimized Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid electrode was compared to those of brittle ITO electrodes to demonstrate its outstanding flexibility. To show the potential of the Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid for smart windows, we fabricated a flexible and transparent thin film heater (TFH) and a flexible electrochromic (EC) device, which are key components of smart windows. The low saturation voltage of the Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O grid-based TFH and the fast on-off performance of the Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O grid-based EC device indicates that the RTR-processed Cu 2- x O/Cu/Cu 2- x O multilayer grid is promising as a low-cost and large-area flexible transparent electrode for high-performance smart windows., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

We evaluated the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of hexnane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, ethanol, and water extracts of the Quercus acuta leaf. The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and total phenolic content. Antibacterial activity was assessed against general infectious pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates. The methanolic extract showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content, while the reducing power was the highest in the water extract. The ethyl acetate extract showed the best antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Additionally, it displayed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1928, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Salmonella typhimurium KCTC 1925, Escherichia coli KCTC 1923, and eight MRSA strains. These results present basic information for the possible uses of the ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts from Q. acuta leaf in the treatment of diseases that are caused by oxidative imbalance and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Six active compounds, including vitamin E, which are known to possess antioxidant and antibacterial activity, were identified from the extracts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reports the chemical profiling and antibacterial effects of the various QA leaf extracts, suggesting their potential use in food therapy or alternative medicine.

Background/aims: The methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT) is used to detect and quantify airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). Since improvements in the severity of asthma are associated with improvements in AHR, clinical studies of asthma therapies routinely use the change of airway responsiveness as an objective outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serial MBPT and clinical profiles in patients with asthma., Methods: A total of 323 asthma patients were included in this study. The MBPT was performed on all patients beginning at their initial diagnosis until asthma was considered controlled based on the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines. A responder was defined by a decrease in AHR while all other patients were considered non-responders., Results: A total of 213 patients (66%) were responders, while 110 patients (34%) were non-responders. The responder group had a lower initial PC20 (provocative concentration of methacholine required to decrease the forced expiratory volume in 1 second by 20%) and longer duration compared to the non-responder group. Members of the responder group also had superior qualities of life, compared to members of the non-responder group. Whole blood cell counts were not related to differences in PC20; however, eosinophil concentration was. No differences in sex, age, body mass index, smoking history, serum immunoglobulin E, or frequency of acute exacerbation were observed between responders and non-responders., Conclusions: The initial PC20, the duration of asthma, eosinophil concentrations, and quality-of-life may be useful variables to identify improvements in AHR in asthma patients.

We demonstrated a flexible resistive switching device based on ultrathin Ag 2 Te nanowire (NW) films and Au nanosheet (NS) electrodes by exploiting a monolayer assembly on the water surface for macroscale two-dimensional structures. Firstly, ultrathin TeNWs (diameter ≈ 10 nm) are rapidly assembled on the water surface as a form of monolayer and transferred to fabricate TeNW films on various substrates with any available size. An assembled TeNW film was used as a template to produce a Ag 2 TeNW film through chemical transformation. A well-aligned Ag 2 TeNW film device showed reversible resistive switching properties when the Ag composition of the silver telluride NW becomes stoichiometric Ag 2 Te. Additionally, a non-stoichiometric Ag 2+δ TeNW film shows an increased On/Off ratio. For a flexible memory device, ultrathin AuNSs (thickness ≤20 nm) were adopted as working electrodes, since thermally deposited gold electrodes tend to crack under strain, which can fail to maintain the electrical properties. A paper-like flexibility of AuNS proved its capability as optimal electrodes of ultrathin Ag 2 TeNW film-based resistive memory devices.

Background: Understanding the patterns of emergency department (ED) visits of patients with asthma is important for disease control and prevention of exacerbations., Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of adult patients who visited EDs because of their asthma., Methods: Patients with asthma, ages ≥19 years old, who visited 117 EDs throughout Korea between January 2007 and December 2012 were identified in the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) data base using the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision, codes J45 (asthma) and J46 (status asthmaticus)., Results: A total of 97,835 adult patients with asthma visited 117 EDs throughout Korea during the study period. There was a slight female preponderance (male-to-female ratio, 1:1.09). The number of patients aged 70-79-years-old was 28,031 (28.7%), the highest among the patients with asthma. ED visits showed a seasonal distribution, with most occurring in winter and spring, followed by autumn. The seasonal distribution varied by age; most patients ages 19-49 years presented in autumn (September), whereas those patients ages ≥50 years presented to the ED most often in winter. Overall, 65.5% of patients were admitted to the hospital, including 12.6% admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Overall, 209 patients (0.2%) died. The rates of hospital admission to general wards and ICUs were highest in those patients ≥70 years old; this group also had the highest mortality rate., Conclusion: In this nationwide study, which spanned 6 years, of adult patients with asthma, we observed an age-specific seasonal pattern of ED visits. Identifying the causes of age-related deterioration and seasonal visits to the ED will help prevent asthma symptoms and reduce medical costs.

Cation disorder in the phosphor lattice could be one of the effective approaches to modify the luminescence efficiency. In this work, cation substitutions of (Mo 6+ → V 5+ ) and (Na + → Mg 2+ ) were conducted in the self-activated NaMg 2 V 3 O 10 . All the samples of Na 1+x Mg 2-x V 3-x Mo x O 10 (x = 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) were prepared via solid-state reaction. The morphological properties were measured via SEM and EDS analyses. Structural Rietveld refinement was performed to investigate the microstructure in the lattices. The cation substitution brings about structural disorder in the phosphor, which exerts great modifications in the luminescence properties. NaMg 2 V 3 O 10 presents an intrinsic indirect transition with a band gap of 3.22 eV. The incorporation of Mo 6+ and Na + in the lattices moves the optical absorption to a longer wavelength bringing about a narrower band gap. The luminescence intensity, thermal stability and corresponding lifetime were modified by the cation disorder in the self-activated phosphor.

Mn 4+ -doped Y 2 MgTiO 6 phosphors are synthesized by the traditional solid-state method. Powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer are employed to characterize the samples. The Mn 4+ -doped Y 2 MgTiO 6 phosphors show the far-red emission at ∼715 nm, which is assigned to the 2 E g → 4 A 2 spin-forbidden transition of Mn 4+ . The temperature-dependent luminescent dynamics of Mn 4+ is described by a complete model associated with electron-lattice interaction and spin-orbit coupling. The noncontact optical thermometry of Y 2 MgTiO 6 :Mn 4+ is discussed based on the fluorescence intensity ratio of thermally coupled anti-Stokes and Stokes sidebands of the efficient ∼715 nm far-red emission in the temperature range of 10-513 K. The maximum sensor sensitivity of Y 2 MgTiO 6 :Mn 4+ is determined to be as high as 0.001 42 K -1 at 153 K, which demonstrates potential applications for the optical thermometry at low-temperature environments.

Silver-containing lanthanum metaniobate Ag 0.5 La 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel polymerized complex method. A typical defect-perovskite structure was confirmed by XRD Rietveld refinements. The surface characteristics of the sample were tested by SEM, TEM and EDS measurements. SEM and TEM show that the sample presents ball-like particles with the diameters of 100nm to 400nm. The sample shows both self-activated luminescence and photocatalytic activities. Ag 0.5 La 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 has a direct transition with band energy of 2.85eV. The Ag4d-O2p hybridization in the valence band contributes to the narrowed band gap. The luminescence properties of Ag 0.5 La 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 have been investigated for the first time. The luminescence is characterized by two emission centers with maximum wavelength near 460 and 530nm. The emission and excitation spectra, decay curves and the thermal quenching mechanism were discussed. Ag 0.5 La 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 shows the efficient photocatalytic activities and the photodegradation rate for methylene blue dye (MB) can reach about 95% under visible light (>420nm) irradiation in 5h. The trapped experiments for the active species were tested and discussed, which verified that OH radicals could be the major active species in photocatalysis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are commonly used analgesics that provide similar analgesia as that of other analgesics but with fewer adverse effects. However, few prospective studies have performed comparative analyses in this regard., Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a selective COX-2 inhibitor in early postoperative pain control, satisfaction with pain management, and incidence of systemic adverse effects in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair., Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1., Methods: This study included 180 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between September 2011 and August 2012. The patients were randomly assigned to receive celecoxib, ibuprofen, or tramadol (n = 60 each). Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain intensity and satisfaction with medication, incidence of adverse effects, and use of rescue medication were recorded and compared between the 3 groups at 3 days and 2 weeks after surgery. Magnetic resonance and ultrasonography images of 82 patients were retrospectively reviewed at least 24 months after surgery, along with the range of motion and pain VAS and functional scores., Results: There were no significant differences among the 3 groups in terms of pain intensity, incidence of adverse effects, or dosage of rescue medication at 3 days or 2 weeks after surgery. Pain VAS and functional scores at the final follow-up were also comparable among the 3 groups. However, the retear rate in the celecoxib group (11/30 [37%]) was significantly higher than those in the ibuprofen (2/27 [7%]) and tramadol (1/25 [4%]) groups ( P = .009)., Conclusion: Despite having similar postoperative analgesic effects as other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids, selective COX-2 inhibitors should not be used for postoperative analgesia because they might negatively affect tendon-to-bone healing after surgical repair. Registration: NCT02850211 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

A Mn 4+ doped Na 2 WO 2 F 4 phosphor was synthesized through a two-step wet chemical method. The relationship between crystal structure and luminescence properties is discussed and unusual strong intense zero phonon lines (ZPLs) have been found in a distorted octahedral environment. The power dependent luminescence spectra exhibit the existence of down conversion luminescence intensity saturation under a high pumping power limit. The fluorescence intensity ratios of anti-Stokes bands to the ZPL and Stokes bands reveal an obvious temperature dependent relationship based on thermal de-population from the low states to the upper states of an intrinsic Mn 4+ 2 E g → 4 A 2g transition. The temperature dependent emission intensity of Mn 4+ is investigated by changing the excitation power, and an optical temperature sensitivity as high as 0.00658 K -1 is achieved at 193 K with the intensity ratio of anti-Stokes bands to the ZPL under 488 nm excitation by a Xenon lamp. This work presents a new method to realize optical thermometry at low temperature by controlling the intensity ratio of the anti-Stokes bands to the ZPL.

Background: Annexin-A1 (ANXA1) is a glucocorticoid-induced protein with multiple actions in the regulation of inflammatory cell activation. The anti-inflammatory protein ANXA1 and its N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) have protective effects on organ fibrosis. However, the exact role of ANXA1 in asthma remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to identify the role of ANXA1 in bronchial asthma., Methods: In mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA-OVA mice) and mice sensitized with saline and challenged with air (control mice), we investigated the potential links between ANXA1 levels and bronchial asthma using ELISA, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we also determined ANXA1 levels in blood from 50 asthmatic patients (stable and exacerbated states)., Results: ANXA1 protein levels in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly higher in OVA-OVA mice compared with control mice. FPR2 protein levels in lung tissue were significantly higher in OVA-OVA mice compared with control mice. Plasma ANXA1 levels were increased in asthmatic patients compared with healthy controls. Plasma ANXA1 levels were significantly lower in exacerbated patients compared with stable patients with bronchial asthma (p < 0.05). The plasma ANXA1 levels in controlled asthmatic patients were correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) (r = - 0.191, p = 0.033) and FEV 1 /forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = -0.202, p = 0.024)., Conclusion: These results suggest that ANXA1 may be a potential marker and therapeutic target for asthma.

Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) have fascinated and intrigued physicians both past and present. Operative mortality rates were historically very high and complete resection was not possible for the majority of patients until only the last 2 decades. More recently, changes to the surgical approach and clinical decision-making in RPS have improved patient outcomes. With select integration of nonsurgical therapies, continued RPS-specific research, and ongoing collaborative efforts among major referral centers, the future appears promising., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) levels are prognostic predictors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, even in patients with the same stage of cancer, the serum levels of those markers often vary., Objective: We investigated the association between the initial biomarker levels and prognosis., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 445 patients with advanced NSCLC and their baseline serum CEA and CYFRA 21-1 levels. Patients were divided into four groups according to the initial levels of those markers: the NN, HN, NH, and HH group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were performed., Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate in the HN group was the highest (32.2%). Multivariate analyses indicated that the HN group (HR 0.520, 95% CI 0.309-0.878, P= 0.014), female sex (HR 0.685, 95% CI 0.498-0.944, P= 0.021), serum CRP level (HR 1.057, 95% CI 1.034-1.080, P< 0.001), chemotherapy (HR 0.324, 95% CI 0.228-0.460, P< 0.001), and chemotherapy/radiotherapy (HR 0.266, 95% CI 0.171-0.414, P< 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival., Conclusions: In advanced NSCLC, patients with baseline high serum CEA but low CYFRA 21-1 level have a significant longer overall survival regardless of clinical stage.

Study Objectives: Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder with numerous adverse long-term consequences including increased obesity, high mortality rates, and decreased quality of life. With emerging attention to the long-term course of the disorder and importance of accurate diagnosis, the diagnostic stability of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)-the mostly frequently used test to identify narcolepsy-is often challenged., Methods: In this study, we compared the baseline and follow-up demographic characteristics and body mass index (BMI) of patients with narcolepsy type 1. Moreover, MSLT results from repeated tests conducted on 48 patients with narcolepsy type 1 were compared, with mean follow-up of approximately 10 years., Results: BMI from the baseline to the follow-up visit was significantly increased in the participants. There were no significantly different parameter changes in MSLT results., Conclusions: MSLT has good test-retest validity in patients with narcolepsy type 1. Close surveillance for the detection and management of obesity is warranted in clinical settings., (© 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium that causes cardiogenic shock and death. However, endomyocardial biopsy that is, the gold standard for a diagnosis is limited. Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector factor-1 (APE1/Ref-1) is a multifunctional protein, which is involved in DNA-based excision repair pathway, and in redox signaling, its changes are observed in various cardiovascular diseases including hypertension and coronary artery disease. We analyzed serum APE1/Ref-1 in experimental murine myocarditis. To induce myocarditis, coxsackievirus B3 was injected intraperitoneally to BALB/c mice. The serum APE1/Ref-1, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin I were measured. The histology and virus titers measurements were performed. The troponin I and inflammation were significantly elevated at day 3, peaked to day 7 and decreased at day 10. The NT-proBNP and virus titers were significantly peaked at day 3, and dropped at day 7 and 10. The serum APE1/Ref-1 was gradually raised and its elevation is still maintained until a later time, namely day 10. Also, its level was positively correlated with myocardial inflammation, reflecting severity of myocardial injury. We suggest that serum APE1/Ref-1 can be used to assess for myocardial injury in viral myocarditis without endomyocardial biopsy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

[This corrects the article on p. 698 in vol. 14.].

A novel red emitting Cs 2 WO 2 F 4 :Mn 4+ phosphor was successfully synthesized by a two-step wet chemical method. The crystal structure, morphology, and elemental composition were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The luminescence properties were investigated from emission, excitation and luminescence decay curves in the temperature region of 10-500 K. The application of non-contact optical thermometry of Cs 2 WO 2 F 4 :Mn 4+ based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of the two coupled anti-Stokes and Stokes sidebands is discussed. The as-prepared Cs 2 WO 2 F 4 :Mn 4+ phosphor shows a bright narrow red emission at 632 nm under excitation by a blue lamp at 470 nm and it also presents a broad and yellow-white intrinsic tungstate emission (∼520 nm) under UV excitation. The mechanism of energy transfer from [WO 2 F 4 ] 2- (the sensitizer) to Mn 4+ (the activator) is discussed.

Previous studies reported some relationships between donepezil treatment and hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, due to methodological limitations, their close relationships remain unclear. The aim of this study is to predict treatment response to donepezil by utilizing the automated segmentation of hippocampal subfields volumes (ASHS) in AD. Sixty four AD patients were prescribed with donepezil and were followed up for 24 weeks. Cognitive function was measured to assess whether there was a response from the donepezil treatment. ASHS was implemented on non-responder (NR) and responder (TR) groups, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of hippocampal subfields in predicting response to donepezil. The left total hippocampus and the CA1 area of the NR were significantly smaller than those of the TR group. The ROC curve analysis showed the left CA1 volumes showed highest area under curve (AUC) of 0.85 with a sensitivity of 88.0%, a specificity of 74.0% in predicting treatment response to donepezil treatment. We expect that hippocampal subfields volume measurements that predict treatment responses to current AD drugs will enable more evidence-based, individualized prescription of medications that will lead to more favorable treatment outcomes.

Abstract: Mutations occur in Y chromosome genes similar to autosomal genes. However, unlike autosomal genes, Y chromosome genes do not undergo recombination, which produce distinctive characteristics and distribution patterns in different geographic regions. Therefore, detailed analysis of mutations of Y chromosome genes might provide information for personal identification or analysis of phylogenetic history. In Y-STR (short tandem repeat) analysis tests on 668 habitants of Jeju Island, the largest island in the Korean peninsula located apart from the mainland, a deletion at DYS448 was found in 10 samples. The length of deletion was estimated by confirming specific Sequence Tagged Site (STS) markers ranging from G66018 to sY1201. Patterns found were similar to those of the Kalmyks, a tribe that has had strong social and genetic influences in Jeju Island in the past. Historically from 1273 on, Jeju Island was governed by Mongolian for about one hundred years. The results of this study suggest such historical aspects affected the genetic composition of people living in Jeju Island. Furthermore, previous reports showed that Y chromosomal deletions and region specific Y chromosomal mutations depended on regional differences. This study may be useful for a better understanding of the genetic structure of Jeju habitants as well as Korean population for the purpose of forensic practice and population genetics.

Optical thermometry based on the up-conversion intensity ratio of thermally coupled levels of rare earth ions has been widely studied to achieve an inaccessible temperature measurement in submicron scale. In this work, a novel optical temperature sensing strategy based on the energy transfer from charge transfer bands of W-O and Eu-O to Eu 3+ -Dy 3+ ions is proposed. A series of Eu 3+ /Dy 3+ co-doped SrWO 4 is synthesized by the conventional high-temperature solid-state method. It is found that the emission spectra, emission intensity ratio of Dy 3+ (572 nm) and Eu 3+ (615 nm), fluorescence color, lifetime decay curves of Dy 3+ (572 nm) and Eu 3+ (615 nm), and relative and absolute sensitivities of Eu 3+ /Dy 3+ co-doped SrWO 4 are temperature dependent under the 266 nm excitation in the temperature range from 11 K to 529 K. The emission intensity ratio of Dy 3+ (572 nm) and Eu 3+ (615 nm) ions exhibits exponentially relation to the temperature due to the different energy transfer from the charge transfer bands of W-O and Eu-O to Dy 3+ and Eu 3+ ions. In this host, the maximum relative sensitivity S r can be reached at 1.71% K -1 , being higher than those previously reported material. It opens a new route to obtain optical thermometry with high sensitivity through using down-conversion fluorescence under ultraviolet excitation.

The usefulness of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for kinship testing has been demonstrated in many case works, and suggested as a promising marker for relationship identification. For interpreting results based on the calculation of the likelihood ratio (LR) in kinship testing, it is important to prepare cutoffs for respective relatives which are dependent on genetic relatedness. For this, analysis using true pedigree data is significant and reliable as it reflects the actual frequencies of markers in the population. In this study, the kinship index was explored through 1209 parent-child pairs, 1373 full sibling pairs, and 247 uncle-nephew pairs using 136 SNP loci. The cutoffs for LR were set up using different numbers of SNP loci with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. It is expected that this study can support the application of SNP loci-based kinship testing for various relationships., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Age estimation based on quantifying signal joint T cell receptor excision circle (sjTREC) in T cells has been established to be a promising approach in forensic practice and demonstrated in different ethnic groups. Considering that the homeostasis of T cells carrying sjTRECs is closely related to the immunologic status of a person, it is important to investigate the influence of various immunologic statuses on the age estimation model. In this study, quantification of sjTREC contents was performed for groups of people with various immune system statuses, and the result showed less correlation with chronological age (r 2  = 0.424) than in the healthy group (r 2  = 0.648). The simulation model indicated that this influence could increase the range of prediction in the age estimation model, and the mean absolute deviation (MAD) between chronological age and predicted age. Through this study, it was demonstrated that immunologic status is a factor that affects the accuracy of age prediction using sjTREC quantification.