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Objective: The Observational Study on Cognitive function And systolic blood pressure Reduction (OSCAR) was designed to evaluate the impact of eprosartan-based therapy on cognitive function in a cohort of 25,745 hypertensive subjects followed for six months. Methods: In this supplementary analysis, we studied the relationship between eprosartan-based therapy and cognitive function (assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) after 12-month follow-up of 3600 patients (the long-term follow-up on-treatment population). Results: Reduction in blood pressure was sustained over 12 months, with mean systolic blood pressure/diastolic blood pressure 130.9/79 mmHg at one year, compared with 164.3/92.8 mmHg at baseline ( p

Background and purpose We investigated the effect of celecoxib, a selective inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase 2, in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods We conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, and open with blinded end-point trial of 44 Korean patients 18 years or older with ICH within 24 h of onset. The intervention group (n = 20) received celecoxib (400 mg twice a day) for 14 days. The control group (n = 24) received the standard medical treatment for ICH. The primary end-point was the number of patients with a change in the volume of perihematomal edema (PHE) from the 1st to the 7th ± 1 day (cut-off value, 20%). Results The time from onset to computed tomography scan slightly differed between groups (177 ± 160 min for control vs. 297 ± 305 min for the celecoxib group; P = 0.10). In the primary end-point analysis using cut-off values, there was a significant shift to reduced expansion of PHE in the celecoxib group (P = 0.005). With respect to the secondary end-points, there was also a significant shift to reduced expansion of ICH in the celecoxib group (P = 0.046). In addition, the expansion rate of PHE at follow-up tended to be higher in the control group than in the celecoxib group (90.6 ± 91.7% vs. 44.4 ± 64.9%; P = 0.058). Conclusions In our small, pilot trial, administration of celecoxib in the acute stage of ICH was associated with a smaller expansion of PHE than that observed in controls.

Objectives : The focus of the analysis was laid on changes in research pertaining to bee venom in regards to time progression. Methods : We collected 365 articles on Bee venom study result from OASIS system using the Keyword `bee venom, apitoxin, apitherapy, bee sting`. We figured out number and percentage of theses according to year, study method, journal, subject. Results : Bee venom papers published in the journal of korean medicine from 1976. The classification of papers associated with bee venom, clinical studies outnumbered the other study types by a ratio of 1.3 to 1, followed by 138 for experimental papers, and 22 for literature studies. Proportion of Experimental Papers Classified According to the Theme, 16 for pain-killing, 14 papers concentrated on apoptosis anticancer, 13 for anti inflammatory, 11 for arthritis, and other disorders were followed. Type analysis of papers associated with bee venom in clinical trials, lumbar disorders comprised 38 out of 205 papers, 35 papers concentrated on upper limb disorders, 34 papers concentrated on systemic disease, followed by the effect on body. Conclusions : Bee venom is a treatment method based on the unique theory of Korean traditional medicine. Its effort and academical approach on bee venom are expected to receive positive evaluation through numerous research works.

Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS), a DNA/RNA binding protein, are associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, little is known about how ALS-causing mutations alter protein-protein and protein-RNA complexes and contribute to neurodegeneration. In this study, we identified protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) as a protein that more avidly associates with ALS-linked FUS-R521C than with FUS-WT (wild type) or FUS-P525L using co-immunoprecipitation and LC-MS analysis. Abnormal association between FUS-R521C and PRMT1 requires RNA, but not methyltransferase activity. PRMT1 was sequestered into cytosolic FUS-R521C-positive stress granule aggregates. Overexpression of PRMT1 rescued neurite degeneration caused by FUS-R521C upon oxidative stress, while loss of PRMT1 further accumulated FUS-positive aggregates and enhanced neurite degeneration. Furthermore, the mRNA of Nd1-L, an actin-stabilizing protein, was sequestered into the FUS-R521C/PRMT1 complex. Nd1-L overexpression rescued neurite shortening caused by FUS-R521C upon oxidative stress, while loss of Nd1-L further exacerbated neurite shortening. Altogether, these data suggest that the abnormal stable complex of FUS-R521C/PRMT1/Nd1-L mRNA could contribute to neurodegeneration upon oxidative stress. Overall, our study provides a novel pathogenic mechanism of the FUS mutation associated with abnormal protein-RNA complexes upon oxidative stress in ALS and provides insight into possible therapeutic targets for this pathology.

Gynecomastia is enlargement of the male breast caused by parenchymal hypertrophy or a cutaneous distortion of breast skin covering or both. It can be classified by the breast size and severity of breast ptosis. If there is slight hypertrophy alone with no ptosis, then liposuction or subcutaneous mastectomy is usually sufficient. However severe gynecomastia, when hypertrophy accompanying with breast ptosis, is not enough to be corrected by liposuction or subcutaneous mastectomy, or both together. We cannot obtain a good cosmetic result by performing that method. The patient is a 18 year old man, having used steroid for 5 years from when he was five years old. He is slightly corpulent, BMI 33.9. And Simon’s gynecomastia classification was grade 3. We used horizontal excision ellipse of the breast's redundant skin and deep excess tissue and a superior pedicle flap carrying the areola-nipple complex to its new site on the chest wall. We could get flat, male muscular-looking breast and symmetric areola-nipple complex position without hematoma, infection and nipple sensory loss. In treating severe gynecomastia, the horizontal excision ellipse method is good surgical technique that can draw good results in cosmetic appearance with little complication. (Archives of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 19: 85, 2013)

Control of Ca(2+) flux between the cytosol and intracellular Ca(2+) stores is essential for maintaining normal cellular function. It has been well established in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells that stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) initiates and regulates refilling Ca(2+) into the ER. Here, we describe a novel, additional role for STIM1, the regulation of free cytosolic Ca(2+), and the consequent control of spike firing in neurons. Among central neurons, cerebellar Purkinje neurons express the highest level of STIM1, and they fire continuously in the absence of stimulation, making somatic Ca(2+) homeostasis of particular importance. By using Purkinje neuron-specific STIM1 knock-out (STIM1(PKO)) male mice, we found that the deletion of STIM1 delayed clearance of cytosolic Ca(2+) in the soma during ongoing neuronal firing. Deletion of STIM1 also reduced the Purkinje neuronal excitability and impaired intrinsic plasticity without affecting long-term synaptic plasticity. In vestibulo-ocular reflex learning, STIM1(PKO) male mice showed severe deficits in memory consolidation, whereas they were normal in memory acquisition. Our results suggest that STIM1 is critically involved in the regulation of the neuronal excitability and the intrinsic plasticity of the Purkinje neurons as well as cerebellar memory consolidation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), which regulates the refilling of ER Ca(2+), has been investigated in several systems including the CNS. In addition to a previous study showing that STIM1 regulates dendritic ER Ca(2+) refilling and mGluR1-mediated synaptic transmission, we provide compelling evidence describing a novel role of STIM1 in spike firing Purkinje neurons. We found that STIM1 regulates cytosolic Ca(2+) clearance of the soma during spike firing, and the interruption of this cytosolic Ca(2+) clearing disrupts neuronal excitability and cerebellar memory consolidation. Our results provide new insights into neuronal functions of STIM1 from single neuronal Ca(2+) dynamics to behavior level.

To evaluate whether ultrasound-guided compression performed immediately after transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy decreases bleeding complications. We prospectively evaluated a total of 148 consecutive patients who underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy between March 2015 and July 2016. Systematic 12-core prostate biopsy was performed in all patients. Of these, 100 patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the compression group (n = 50) underwent TRUS-guided compression on bleeding biopsy tracts immediately after prostate biopsy, while the non-compression group (n = 50) underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy alone. The incidence rate and duration of hematuria, hematospermia, and rectal bleeding were compared between the two groups. The incidence rates of hematuria and hematospermia were not significantly different between the two groups (60 vs. 64%, p = 0.68; 22 vs. 30%, p = 0.362, respectively, for compression vs. non-compression group). The rectal bleeding incidence was significantly lower in the compression group as compared to the non-compression group (20 vs. 44%, p = 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in the median duration of hematuria, hematospermia, or rectal bleeding between the two groups (2, 8, and 2 days vs. 2, 10, and 1 days, p > 0.05, respectively, for compression vs. non-compression group). TRUS-guided compression [p = 0.004, odds ratio (OR) 0.25] and patient age (p = 0.013, OR 0.93) were significantly protective against the occurrence of rectal bleeding after prostate biopsy in multivariable analysis. Although it has no impact on other complications, ultrasound-guided compression on bleeding biopsy tracts performed immediately after TRUS-guided prostate biopsy is an effective and practical method to treat or decrease rectal bleeding.

Although the role of CCR5 in immunity and in HIV infection has been studied widely, its role in neuronal plasticity, learning and memory is not understood. Here, we report that decreasing the function of CCR5 increases MAPK/CREB signaling, long-term potentiation (LTP), and hippocampus-dependent memory in mice, while neuronal CCR5 overexpression caused memory deficits. Decreasing CCR5 function in mouse barrel cortex also resulted in enhanced spike timing dependent plasticity and consequently, dramatically accelerated experience-dependent plasticity. These results suggest that CCR5 is a powerful suppressor for plasticity and memory, and CCR5 over-activation by viral proteins may contribute to HIV-associated cognitive deficits. Consistent with this hypothesis, the HIV V3 peptide caused LTP, signaling and memory deficits that were prevented by Ccr5 knockout or knockdown. Overall, our results demonstrate that CCR5 plays an important role in neuroplasticity, learning and memory, and indicate that CCR5 has a role in the cognitive deficits caused by HIV. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20985.001

It is very important to understand the domain topic of software to maintain and reuse it. However, the continual development and change in its size makes it difficult to understand it. To solve this problem, researches have been recently conducted to extract the domain topic using various information search techniques such as LDA, with the researches on LDA-based techniques being especially active. However, since only unstructured information such as an identifier or note is used in most research, without including structured ones like information calling, problems in which extracted topics are different from the characteristics of the program can occur. In this paper, we propose a method to generate documents and extract topics using both structured and unstructured information. We also generate indexes based on the frequency of the identifier of the source code, and propose a system that extracts an association rule based on the simultaneous generation of the method. We as well establish a system that provides highly reliable search results to user queries by combining domain topics, indexes with scores, and the association rule information. Consequently a TEXAS2 system for this study was established and confirmed a high user satisfaction on search results to the queries in a performance test.

Two pharmacologically distinct types of local protein synthesis are required for synapse- specific long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF) in Aplysia: one for initiation and the other for maintenance. ApCPEB, a rapamycin sensitive prion-like molecule regulates a form of local protein synthesis that is specifically required for the maintenance of the LTF. However, the molecular component of the local protein synthesis that is required for the initiation of LTF and that is sensitive to emetine is not known. Here, we identify a homolog of ApCPEB responsible for the initiation of LTF. ApCPEB4 which we have named after its mammalian CPEB4-like homolog lacks a prion-like domain, is responsive to 5-hydroxytryptamine, and is translated (but not transcribed) in an emetine-sensitive, rapamycin-insensitive, and PKA-dependent manner. The ApCPEB4 binds to different target RNAs than does ApCPEB. Knock-down of ApCPEB4 blocked the induction of LTF, whereas overexpression of ApCPEB4 reduces the threshold of the formation of LTF. Thus, our findings suggest that the two different forms of CPEBs play distinct roles in LTF; ApCPEB is required for maintenance of LTF, whereas the ApCPEB4, which lacks a prion-like domain, is required for the initiation of LTF. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-016-0271-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Type-1 neurofibromatosis, a common autosomal dominant disease, is also known as von Recklinghausen disease. Surgical procedures to treat this condition are challenging because of the brittleness of the surrounding blood vessels and soft tissues that bring the risk of causing fatal bleeding. With improvements in neurovascular embolization procedures, some literatures have been published about the application of preoperative embolization for neurofibromatosis. This case report describes a 60-year-old female with Type-1 neurofibromatosis, who presented giant facial neurofibromas with intratumoral hemorrhage on both cheeks. This patient demonstrates that these huge and challenging lesions can be successfully treated with preoperative embolization and surgical treatment. We also discuss the timing of surgical treatment with such lesions.

Background Torsion is known to be the most frequent complication of ovarian teratomas. Torsion of the adnexa usually manifests with severe abdominal pain and is treated as an acute surgical emergency. However, it may be asymptomatic. Autoamputation of an ovary, along with other adnexal structures, due to previous torsion is extremely rare. Case presentation A parasitic ovarian teratoma that underwent torsion, autoamputation, and reimplantation was found incidentally during laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). The amputated tumor was located in the omentum of the right upper abdomen of a patient with concomitant torsion of a left ovarian teratoma. The right ovary and tube were absent even though she had no surgical history. This finding could be interpreted as an autoamputation of the adnexa due to torsion of a previous ovarian cyst arising from the right ovary. We removed all masses by LESS. Conclusions Although both ultrasonography and computed tomography were performed preoperatively in our patient, the correct diagnosis of autoamputation and exact localization of the teratoma were extremely difficult. Physicians should consider the possibility of an autoamputated ovarian cyst even if preoperative radiography shows no calcification.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that posttranscriptionally regulate gene expression in many tissues. Although a number of brain-enriched miRNAs have been identified, only a few specific miRNAs have been revealed as critical regulators of synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. miR-9-5p/3p are brain-enriched miRNAs known to regulate development and their changes have been implicated in several neurological disorders, yet their role in mature neurons in mice is largely unknown. Here, we report that inhibition of miR-9-3p, but not miR-9-5p, impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) without affecting basal synaptic transmission. Moreover, inhibition of miR-9-3p in the hippocampus resulted in learning and memory deficits. Furthermore, miR-9-3p inhibition increased the expression of the LTP-related genes Dmd and SAP97, the expression levels of which are negatively correlated with LTP. These results suggest that miR-9-3p-mediated gene regulation plays important roles in synaptic plasticity and hippocampus-dependent memory. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite the abundant expression of the brain-specific microRNA miR-9-5p/3p in both proliferating and postmitotic neurons, most functional studies have focused on their role in neuronal development. Here, we examined the role of miR-9-5p/3p in adult brain and found that miR-9-3p, but not miR-9-5p, has a critical role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory. Moreover, we identified in vivo binding targets of miR-9-3p that are involved in the regulation of long-term potentiation. Our study provides the very first evidence for the critical role of miR-9-3p in synaptic plasticity and memory in the adult mouse.

With the recent advancements of HMD (head mounted display) and the sensing technology (e.g., RGB-D camera and sensor fusion for localization), immersive VR (virtual reality) interaction, where users interact with the virtual environment using their bodies (e.g., head motion and hand grasping), has received great attention. To enhance the realism for this immersive VR interaction, the haptic feedback is desired. Conventional kinesthetic haptic devices (e.g., Force Dimension Omega 3®, etc.) are not so suitable for this purpose, due to their mechanical ground requirement bulky size and, consequently, high cost. In this context, we propose here a wearable cutaneous haptic device which can generate 3-DOF contact force feedback at the finger tip and track finger/palm rotation by using inertial measurement units (IMUs).

GPS-IMU based sensor fusion is widely used for autonomous flying, which yet suffers from the inaccuracy and drift of the GPS signal and also the failure with the loss of GPS (e.g., indoor flying). To circumvent this issue, in this paper, we propose a new framework for camera-GPS-IMU sensor fusion, which, by fusing monocular camera information with that from GPS and IMU, can improve the accuracy and robustness of the autonomous flying. For camera and GPS-IMU calibration, a new Kalman filter is also proposed, which runs in parallel with the state estimation EKF and also utilize multiple key frames generated from the camera information. An autonomous flying experiment is performed to validate the theory.

Objective: Pontine infarction is a common type of brain stem infarction and early neurological deterioration (END). We evaluated the possibility of severe white matter hyperintensity (WMH) as a predictor of END in isolated pontine infarction. Methods: We recruited 2 types of patients with isolated pontine infarction within 24 h from symptom onset. END was defined as an increase of ≥1 point on the motor National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) or ≥2 points on the total NIHSS score within 72 h from admission. We graded WMH using Fazekas scale, which is dichotomized into mild (grades 0-1) and moderate to severe (grades 2-3) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. Results: A total of 82 patients with an isolated pontine infarction were selected. END was detected in 23 patients (28%). Severe periventricular and subcortical WMH (PVWMH and SCWMH, respectively) were more frequent in deteriorating patients (p = 0.001 and p = 0.019, respectively). A logistic regression analysis revealed that both severe PVWMH (OR 6.17; 95% CI 1.93-19.75, p = 0.002) and SCWMH (OR 3.19; 95% CI 1.10-9.23, p = 0.032) remained independent predictors of END. Conclusions: Both severe PVWMH and SCWMH were useful to predict END in patients with isolated pontine infarction.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disorders that cause variable and heterogeneous phenotypes across three behavioral domains such as atypical social behavior, disrupted communications, and highly restricted and repetitive behaviors. In addition to these core symptoms, other neurological abnormalities are associated with ASD, including intellectual disability (ID). However, the molecular etiology underlying these behavioral heterogeneities in ASD is unclear. Mutations in SHANK2 genes are associated with ASD and ID. Interestingly, two lines of Shank2 knockout mice (e6-7 KO and e7 KO) showed shared and distinct phenotypes. Here, we found that the expression levels of Gabra2, as well as of GABA receptor-mediated inhibitory neurotransmission, are reduced in Shank2 e6-7, but not in e7 KO mice compared with their own wild type littermates. Furthermore, treatment of Shank2 e6-7 KO mice with an allosteric modulator for the GABAA receptor reverses spatial memory deficits, indicating that reduced inhibitory neurotransmission may cause memory deficits in Shank2 e6-7 KO mice. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Ionotropic glutamate receptors'.

This paper presents how to design a converter that robust to the load variable. The proposed LLC resonant converter can control the output voltage by applying phase-shift switching method. In this paper, first It was proposed to describe the configuration of Phase Control LLC(PCLLC) converter. After that, The input voltage is analyzed by the first harmonic approximation analysis. Then, principle of operation for the converter is explained by each mode.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous disorder characterized by multiple symptoms including neuropsychological deficits such as seizures, intellectual disability, and autism. TSC is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern and is caused by mutations in either the TSC1 or TSC2 genes, which enhance activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Recent studies have suggested that mTOR inhibitors such as rapamycin can reverse TSC-associated deficits in rodent models of TSC. In addition, clinical trials are ongoing to test the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors toward the psychiatric symptoms associated with TSC. Here, we report a case study of a Korean patient with TSC, who exhibited multiple symptoms including frequent seizures, intellectual disability, language delays, and social problems. We performed whole exome sequencing and identified a novel small deletion mutation in TSC2. Expressing the novel deletion mutant in HEK293T cells significantly increased mTOR pathway activation. Furthermore, everolimus treatment showed not only reduction in SEGA size, but dramatically improved behavioral deficits including autism related behaviors in the patient. In summary, we identified a novel small deletion mutation in TSC2 associated with severe TSC in a Korean family that enhances the activation of mTOR signaling in vitro. Everolimus treatment improved behavioral deficits in the patient. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-016-0222-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of post-treatment fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in patients treated for ovarian malignancy. We retrospectively reviewed post-treatment PET/CT images of patients treated for histologically confirmed ovarian malignancy. The diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT for detection of disease recurrence or second primary malignancy was calculated, and the impact of PET/CT on patient management was evaluated. The association between PET/CT result and overall survival (OS) was assessed using Cox regression analysis. In total, 416 PET/CT cases of 268 ovarian malignancy patients (mean age, 50 ± 13 years) were included. Of 416 cases, 87 (21 %) were interpreted as PET/CT positive and 329 as negative. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 98.8, 98.2, 98.3, 93.1 and 99.7 %, respectively. Of 362 cases for surveillance, changes in management occurred based on PET/CT in 38 (11 %). Of 54 cases with clinical suspicion, PET/CT ruled out disease recurrence in 9 (17 %). The median follow-up period from PET/CT imaging was 26.7 months, and 24 patients (9 %) died during the follow-up period. In univariate analyses, age, FIGO stage, history of prior recurrence and PET/CT results were significantly associated with OS. PET/CT results remained significantly associated with OS in the multivariate analysis (p

The RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway plays critical roles in brain function, including learning and memory. Mutations of molecules in the RAS-MAPK pathway are associated with a group of disorders called RASopathies, which include Noonan syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, Costello syndrome, Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines, Legius syndrome, and cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome. RASopathies share certain clinical symptoms, including craniofacial abnormalities, heart defects, delayed growth, and cognitive deficits such as learning disabilities, while each individual syndrome also displays unique phenotypes. Recent studies using mouse models of RASopathies showed that each disorder may have a distinct molecular and cellular etiology depending on the cellular specificity of the mutated molecules. Here, we review the cell-type specific roles of the regulators of the RAS-MAPK pathway in cognitive function (learning and memory) and their contribution to the development of RASopathies. We also discussed recent technical advances in analyzing cell type-specific transcriptomes and proteomes in the nervous system. Understanding specific mechanisms for these similar but distinct disorders would facilitate the development of mechanism-based individualized treatment for RASopathies.

when compared to PIRADS scores of 2 and 3 (32%). Low grade (Gleason 6-7) tumors were also found in both PIRADS 4 and 5 categories. There was a significant relationship between a higher PIRADS score and a finding of cancer on pathology (p 1⁄4 0.0003, OR1⁄40.118, 95% CI 0.03-0.41). CONCLUSIONS: The PIRADS scoring system is a useful tool in suggesting the likelihood of clinically significant cancer, with high grade tumors found only in MP-MRI with a score of PIRADS 5. However, MP-MRI and PIRADS criteria alone are not sufficient for determining clinically significant prostate cancer since both high grade and low grade tumors were found in PIRADS 5 and 4 categories. Correlation with other clinical parameters and biopsy is required for confirmation. A larger scale study would be helpful for further delineation.

Introduction Left atrial mass has been known to have a benign course. Case description A 55-year-old Asian woman visited to our hospital because of right sided hemiparesis and sudden vision loss in her left eye. She diagnosed as acute cerebral infarction and central retinal artery occlusion by several studies. We detected a large mass in the left atrium and thought this mass as thrombus causing multiple emboli. But her neurologic symptom was aggrevated during therapy and coronary computed tomography angiogram suggested a left atrial myxoma, not thrombus. She underwent the resection of the myxoma. Discussion and evaluation Sometimes it could be fatal because it could be source of systemic embolization. Moreover, when the mass is located at unusual site, it is difficult to differentiate thrombus and other benign mass. Conclusions We report a patient with a left atrial mass initially presented as multiple embolic infarction. Our case will let ophthalmologists know about the possibility of retinal artery occlusion by cardiac myxoma.

Aim The goal of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic colposuspension to the Cooper's ligament after hysterectomy for uterovaginal prolapse. Material and Methods We performed chart reviews of 43 patients with uterovaginal prolapse who underwent laparoscopic colposuspension to the Cooper's ligament after hysterectomy at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea from 2003 to 2009. These patients exhibited grade 3 (29 patients) or grade 4 (14 patients) uterovaginal prolapse. Results The mean age was 63.2 years (range, 39–76). The mean follow-up period was 44.2 months (95% CI, 36.8–51.5). Forty-three patients showed no sign or recurrence of prolapse. Postoperative complications were tolerable and curable. Urinary frequency (2 patients, 4.7%), voiding difficulty (2 patients, 4.7%), nocturia (1 patient, 2.3%) and vaginal spotting (1 patient, 2.3%) were reported. Conclusion Laparoscopic colposuspension using Cooper's ligament after hysterectomy could be an effective surgical option for the treatment of uterovaginal prolapse.

The LLRF (low-level radio-frequency) control system which regulates the amplitude and the phase of the accelerating voltage inside a RF cavity is essential to ensure the stable operation of charged particle accelerators. Recent advances in digital signal processors and data acquisition systems have allowed the LLRF control system to be implemented in digitally and have made it possible to meet the higher demands associated with the performance of LLRF control systems, such as stability, accuracy, etc. For this reason, many accelerator laboratories have completed or are completing the developments of digital LLRF control systems. The digital LLRF control system has advantages related with flexibility and fast reconfiguration. This paper describes the design of the FPGA (field programmable gate array) based LLRF control system and the status of development for this system. The proposed LLRF control system includes an analog front-end, a digital board (ADC (analog to digital converter), DAC (digital to analog converter), FPGA, etc.) and a RF & clock generation system. The control algorithms will be implemented by using the VHDL (VHSIC (very high speed integrated circuits) hardware description language), and the EPICS (experiment physics and industrial control system) will be ported to the host computer for the communication. In addition, the purpose of this system is to control a 500 MHz RF cavity, so the system will be applied to the superconducting cavity to be installed in the PLS storage ring, and its performance will be tested.

The influence of the epitaxial growth rate on the surface morphology, as well as the crystallinity and optical properties of nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayers grown on r-plane sapphire substrate, has been investigated by x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence studies. The a-plane GaN epilayer grown at faster growth rates revealed a horizontal-pillar-shaped morphology with triangular-pits having sharp corners. While the epilayer grown at a faster growth rate showed a greater difference in the ω tilt-offset angle and line-width value between the on- and off-axes from x-ray diffraction, the a-plane GaN grown at the relatively slower growth rate showed a flat morphology with few pits and small ω tilt-offset difference. Growth of nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayer was optimized, and the effect of the growth rate of the a-plane GaN epilayer and the reason for the difference in the ω tilt-offset line-width value between the c- and m-direction mosaicity of x-ray diffraction were analyzed.

In this study, we report on the growth and properties of GaN epitaxial layer with SiNx insertion layer grown in-situ by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy measurements revealed that superior crystalline quality with low dislocation density and a smoother surface could be obtained when an in-situ SiNx layer was inserted into the GaN film. Hall measurements and low-temperature photoluminescence (LT-PL) measurements showed improved electrical transport and optical properties for these GaN layers, respectively, suggesting the reduction of electron scattering and non-radiative centers. These results indicate that an in situ SiNx insertion layer can efficiently suppress dislocations caused by lattice mismatch between sapphire substrate and epitaxial layer. Furthermore, the PL showed anomalous temperature dependent behavior: The peak energy first decreased, then increased, and finally decreased again with increasing temperature (the so-called inverted S-shape). These phenomena suggest strong localization of carriers in GaN films with SiNx insertion layer.

The bacterial strain Paenibacillus xylanilyticus KJ-03 was isolated from a sample of soil used for cultivating Amorphophallus konjac. The cellulase gene, cel5A was cloned using fosmid library and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (trxB). The cel5A gene consists of a 1,743 bp open reading frame and encodes 581 amino acids of a protein. Cel5A contains N-terminal signal peptide, a catalytic domain of glycosyl hydrolase family 5, and DUF291 domain with unknown function. The recombinant cellulase was purified by Ni-affinity chromatography. The cellulase activity of Cel5A was detected in clear band with a molecular weight of 64 kDa by zymogram active staining. The maximum activity of the purified enzyme was displayed at a temperature of 40 °C and pH 6.0 when carboxymethyl cellulose was used as a substrate. It has 44% of its maximum activity at 70 °C and retained 66% of its original activity at 45 °C for 1 h. The purified cellulase hydrolyzed avicel, CMC, filter paper, xylan, and 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-cellobiose, but no activity was detected against p-nitrophenyl β-D-glucoside. The end products of the hydrolysis of cellotetraose and cellopentaose by Cel5A were detected by thin layer chromatography, while enzyme did not hydrolyze cellobiose and cellotriose.

The bacteria with hydrolysis activity to glucomannan were isolated from the rhizosphere of Amorphophallus konjac through enrichment cultivation. One strain with strong activity in degrading glucomannan was identified preliminarily as Paenibacillus azotofixans YUPP-5 according to the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. This strain is able to hydrolyze many polysaccharide with β-1,4 linkage, including glucomannan, galactomannan, xylan, carboxymethyl cellulose, and chitin. One hydrolytic enzyme band of approximately 70 kDa was examined from the supernatants of YUPP-5 by using zymogram with mixture polysaccharides as substrate. The encoding gene had an open reading frame of 2157 bp, which deduced cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase), including 718 amino acids with a signal peptide in the N-terminal region. When the gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21, the recombinant CGTase exhibited strong activity in degrading polysaccharides with β-1,4 linkage, and in forming cyclodextrin by using carboxymethyl cellulose as substrate. This CGTase exhibited some new functions. Finally, the hydrolytic oligosaccharides from galactomannan or glucomannan were detected by thin layer chromatography. Pentasaccharide, tetrasaccharide, trisaccharide, and disaccharide could be examined as reaction time went on.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation tendency between abnormal findings of digital cervicography and cervical pathology at private clinics in Korea.Methods: Abnormal finding of digital cervicography performed at private clinics in Korea between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2012 were analysed retrospectively. The patient's age, abnormal findings of digital cervicography, cervical cytology, human papillomaviru (HPV) test and cervical pathology were investigated and the rate of agreement between abnormal finding of digital cervicography and cervical pathology results was calculated. Abnormal findings of digital cervicography were divided into 4 categories: atypical, compatible with CIN1, compatible with CIN2/3 and compatible with cancer.Results: The study group was composed of 1547 women with a mean (range) age of 37.4 (14-91 years). The agreement rate between abnormal findings of digital cervicography and cervical pathology was 52.0% in “compatible with CIN1”, 78.9% in “compatible with CIN2/3”, and 90.2% in “compatible with cancer”.Conclusions: Abnormal findings of digital cervicography were highly concordant with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer examined at outpatient clinics in Korea. Therefore, abnormal interpretations of digital cervicography can be used as an excellent auxiliary technique with cervical cytology for CIN and cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation tendency between abnormal findings of digital cervicography and cervical pathology at private clinics in Korea. Methods: Abnormal finding of digital cervicography performed at private clinics in Korea between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2012 were analysed retrospectively. The patient's age, abnormal findings of digital cervicography, cervical cytology, human papillomaviru (HPV) test and cervical pathology were investigated and the rate of agreement between abnormal finding of digital cervicography and cervical pathology results was calculated. Abnormal findings of digital cervicography were divided into 4 categories: atypical, compatible with CIN1, compatible with CIN2/3 and compatible with cancer. Results: The study group was composed of 1547 women with a mean (range) age of 37.4 (14-91 years). The agreement rate between abnormal findings of digital cervicography and cervical pathology was 52.0% in “compatible with CIN1”, 78.9% in “compatible with CIN2/3”, and 90.2% in “compatible with cancer”. Conclusions: Abnormal findings of digital cervicography were highly concordant with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer examined at outpatient clinics in Korea. Therefore, abnormal interpretations of digital cervicography can be used as an excellent auxiliary technique with cervical cytology for CIN and cancer.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) has been implicated in synaptic plasticity and other neural functions in the brain. However, the role of individual PI3K isoforms in the brain is unclear. We investigated the role of PI3Kγ in hippocampal-dependent synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions. We found that PI3Kγ has a crucial and specific role in NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated synaptic plasticity at mouse Schaffer collateral-commissural synapses. Both genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of PI3Kγ disrupted NMDAR long-term depression (LTD) while leaving other forms of synaptic plasticity intact. Accompanying this physiological deficit, the impairment of NMDAR LTD by PI3Kγ blockade was specifically correlated with deficits in behavioral flexibility. These findings suggest that a specific PI3K isoform, PI3Kγ, is critical for NMDAR LTD and some forms of cognitive function. Thus, individual isoforms of PI3Ks may have distinct roles in different types of synaptic plasticity and may therefore influence various kinds of behavior.

Cell-mediated immunity, cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, E7, HPV, loop electrosurgical excision procedure, peptide pools Abstract Objective.Toidentifycharacteristicsofthecell-mediatedimmune(CMI)responseto human papillomavirus-16 (HPV) E7 viral peptide pools to help the formulation of therapeuticvaccines.Design.Prospective study.Population. Korean women. Setting. University hospital. Methods. From December 2008 to August 2010, 33 HPV-16- positive patients, seven patients exhibiting a high-risk HPV infection other than HPV-16withgrade2/3cervicalintraepithelialneoplasm(CIN2/3),andninehealthy control donors were enrolled. Main Outcome Measures. CMI response to synthetic HPV-16 E7 overlapping peptide pools using the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay.Results. The E7 sequence comprising amino acids 16-55 was a major immunogenic region. The CMI response to HPV-16 E7 is highly type-specific. The follow-up CMI response maylastlongerthanexpectedafterthelesionisresected.Conclusions.Wefoundthat theE7sequencecomprisingaminoacids16-55isamajorimmunogenicregionthat is critical for the T-cell-mediated immune response with CIN2/3 or cervical cancer. The identification of CMI responses to HPV-16 E7 peptide pools may provide insight into therapeutic vaccine trials for the control of HPV-associated diseases.

Background and Purpose— An optimal strategy for management of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) has not yet been established. We compared the efficacy of 2 combinations of antiplatelets, aspirin plus cilostazol (cilostazol group) verus aspirin plus clopidogrel (clopidogrel group), on the progression of ICAS, which is known to be associated with clinical stroke recurrence. Methods— In this investigator-initiated double-blind trial, 457 patients with acute symptomatic stenosis in the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery or the basilar artery were randomly allocated into either a cilostazol group or a clopidogrel group. After 7 months of treatment, follow-up MR angiogram and MRI were performed. The primary end point was the progression of ICAS in comparison with stenosis on the baseline MR angiogram. Secondary end points included the occurrence of new ischemic lesions on MRI, composite of cardiovascular events, and major bleeding complications. Results— Cardiovascular events occurred in 15 of 232 patients (6.4%) in the cilostazol group and 10 of 225 (4.4%) in the clopidogrel group ( P =0.312). Cilostazol did not reduce the progression of symptomatic ICAS (20 of 202) compared to clopidogrel (32 of 207) (odds ratio, 0.61; P =0.092), although favorable changes in serum lipoproteins were observed in the cilostazol group. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to new ischemic lesions (18.7% versus 12.0%; P =0.078) and major hemorrhagic complications (0.9% versus 2.6%; P =0.163). Conclusions— This trial failed to show significant difference in preventing progression of ICAS and new ischemic lesions between the 2 combination antiplatelet therapies in the patients with symptomatic ICAS. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00130039.

In this paper, we propose a simultaneous intrinsic and extrinsic parameter identification of a hand-mounted laser-vision sensor (HMLVS). A laser-vision sensor (LVS), consisting of a camera and a laser stripe projector, is used as a sensor component of the robotic measurement system, and it measures the range data with respect to the robot base frame using the robot forward kinematics and the optical triangulation principle. For the optimal estimation of the model parameters, we applied two optimization techniques: a nonlinear least square optimizer and a particle swarm optimizer. Best-fit parameters, including both the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the HMLVS, are simultaneously obtained based on the least-squares criterion. From the simulation and experimental results, it is shown that the parameter identification problem considered was characterized by a highly multimodal landscape, thus, the global optimization technique such as a particle swarm optimization can be a promising tool to identify the model parameters for a HMLVS, while the nonlinear least square optimizer often failed to find an optimal solution even when the initial candidate solutions were selected close to the true optimum. The proposed optimization method does not require good initial guesses of the system parameters to converge at a very stable solution and it could be applied to a kinematically dissimilar robot system without loss of generality.

The unit load has simply been used to estimate total pollutant loading from non-point sources, however, it does not count on the variable pollutant loading according to land use characteristics and rainfall intensity. Since pollutant emission from the watershed is strongly dependent on the rainfall intensity, it is necessary to find out the relationship between pollutant loading and rainfall intensity. The objective of this study is to develop simple and easy method to compute non-point source pollution loads with consideration of rainfall intensity. Two non-point source removal facility at Gyeongan-dong (Gwangju-si) and Mohyeon-myeon (Yongin-si), Gyeonggi-do was selected to monitor total rainfall, rainfall intensity, runoff characteristics and water quality from June to November, 2010. Most of Event Mean Concentrations (EMC) of measured water quality data were higher in Gyeongan which has urban land use than in Mohyeon which has rural land use. For the case of TP (Total Phosphorus), Mohyeon has higher values by the influence of larger chemical uses such as fertilizer. The relationship between non-point source pollution load and rainfall intensity is perfectly well explained by cubic regression with 0.33~0.81 coefficients of determination(). It is expected that the pollution loading function based on the long-term monitoring would be very useful with good accuracy in computing non-point source pollution load, where a rainfall intensity is highly variable.

In an attempt to overcome the problems associated with LiNiO2, the solid solution series of lithium nickel-metal oxides, Li[Ni1–xMx]O2 (with M = Co, Mn, Al, Ti, Mg, etc.), have been investigated as favorable cathode materials for high-energy and high-power lithium-ion batteries. However, along with the improvement in the electrochemical properties in Ni-based cathode materials, the thermal stability has been a great concern, and thus violent reaction of the cathode with the electrolyte needs to be avoided. Here, we report a heterostructured Li[Ni0.54Co0.12Mn0.34]O2 cathode material which possesses both high energy and safety. The core of the particle is Li[Ni0.54Co0.12Mn0.34]O2 with a layered phase (R3-m) and the shell, with a thickness of < 0.5 μm, is a highly stable Li1+x[CoNixMn2–x]2O4 spinel phase (Fd-3m). The material demonstrates reversible capacity of 200 mAhg-1 and retains 95% capacity retention under the most severe test condition of 60 °C. In addition, the amount of oxygen evolution from the lattice in the cathode with two heterostructures is reduced by 70%, compared to the reference sample. All these results suggest that the bulk Li[Ni0.54Co0.12Mn0.34]O2 consisting of two heterostructures satisfy the requirements for hybrid electric vehicles, power tools, and mobile electronics.

OFDM Modulation is used for multimedia transmission At Urban Train. Recently the application field about data transmission is expanding the image as well. The case which the number of OFDM carrier is big is advantageous because multipass fading is big 18GHz wireless frequency. Existing WLAN which an ethernet transmission is possible is not suitable to a great distance transmission because number of carrier is 64. In this paper, we developed OFDM modem suitable to transmit broadband data at high speed train. A doppler compensation block added to offset the doppler effect. Therefore, the effectiveness is expected to be very big in field of urban train.

A gram-negative bacterium, designated strain DAU5, was isolated from shrimp shell samples because it demonstrated high β-glucosidase activity. Through 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis the strain was identified as belonging to the genus Exiguobacterium. The β-glucosidase gene of Exiguobacterium sp. DAU5 was successfully cloned by the shotgun method. Nucleotide sequence determination by sodium dodecyl sulfate-ployacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the gene for the enzyme contained 1,350 bp, was coded by 450 amino acids, and was 52 kDa. The polypeptide exhibits significant homology with other bacterial β-glucosidases and belongs to the Glycoside Hydrolase Family 1. The β-glucosidase was purified by a His-fusion purification system. The optimal pH and temperature of the enzyme were 7.0 and 45°C, respectively. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by Ca2+, and Li+, K+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Na2+, Ni2+, and EDTA partially inhibited the enzyme activity. The BglA showed the highest activity with p-NPG and MUG. However, strain DAU5 β-glucosidase, which is for degradation of oligosaccharides, is expected to be useful for the fermentation of cellulose degradation and the transglycosylation of saccharides.

μ-Raman and μ-photoluminescence methods have been employed to investigate microscopic spatial stress distribution and optical properties of GaN films grown on the convex shape-patterned sapphire substrate (CSPSS). By comparison of the μ-Raman and μ-PL spectra, we found that significantly large difference, Δ σ xx ∼0.46 GPa, in biaxial compressive stress between the flat trench and convex regions in the side facet of the GaN film, around ∼2 μm below the surface whereas on the GaN surface, little difference with large residual stress was observed in both regions compared to those from the side facet. Temperature dependent and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra have shown that the GaN film grown on the CSPSS has improved crystal purity through the reduction of intrinsic point defects.

We investigated defect structures in the GaN film grown on a convex patterned sapphire substrate (CPSS) to determine the origin of structural improvement by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM). From the TEM results, we found that most of the threading dislocations (TDs) in the trench region of the CPSS were bent by lateral growth mode. Also the staircase-like TDs were observed near the curved slant region of the convex pattern; they converged at the top of the convex patterned region by staircase-upward propagation. This scenario seems to effectively prevent TDs from vertical propagation in the trench region. The photoluminescence mapping and spectra obtained by LCSM are consistent with these results from TEM observations. The generation of staircase-like TDs relates to the formation of a terraced surface during the growth, and suggests a probable mechanism that changes the propagation direction of TDs via the curved surface of the CPSS. The lateral growth and staircase-upward propagation of TDs are major factors on structural improvement of the GaN film grown on CPSS.

The influx of Western culture and the food culture have altered the tableware of Korea, increasing the amount of using tableware. The representative tableware is known as bone china. Considering not only the amount of bone china waste generated from broken tableware at homes and but also faulty bone china products at factories, the bone china waste disposed in simple landfills is to be a serious environmental problem to solve. In this study, following “the research on development of ceramics body using waste celadon” of which the possibility was confirmed, development of ceramics body is conducted by recycling waste bone china. From the result of the study, it was understood that maximum addition of waste bone china was 20% of the whole material on the basis of measurement of plasticity. So 20% of pulverized bone china was added and the characteristics were evaluated, and the result was that porosity, water absorptivity and plasticity were 0.756%, 0.339% and 24.13%, respectively. Bending strength was 672 kgf/㎠, which showed a good sintering condition. Therefore, it was considered that waste bone china could be utilized for development of new porcelain material.

Lead-free tetragonal Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3)O3 (BCN) was chosen to enhance the multiferroic characteristics of rhombohedral BiFeO3 (BFO). When the aerosol-deposited film with a composition of 0.9BFO–0.1BCN, chosen to be near that of the morphotropic phase boundary, was annealed at 600°C for 1 h, the film showed superior dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties to those of pure polycrystalline BFO films. TEM revealed that BCN addition and subsequent annealing process enlarged the lattice constant of the BFO film along the 〈111〉 direction. The greatly enhanced multiferroic properties were attributed to the distorted lattice structure induced by the BCN addition and the high residual stress effect.

Objective:To evaluate whether the use of triweekly combination chemotherapy together with radiation exerts a more beneficial systemic effect than weekly cisplatin chemoradiation in patients with cervical cancer after radical surgery.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed patients with stage IB1 to stage IIB cervical cancer who had undergone radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection, followed by concurrent adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the triweekly combination chemotherapy group and the weekly cisplatin chemotherapy group. We evaluated the survival and adverse effects of the 2 groups.Results:In total, 201 patients were included. The mean duration of follow-up was 52.2 months. Of the 201 patients, 130 received triweekly combination chemotherapy, and 71 patients received weekly cisplatin chemotherapy as an adjuvant treatment. The 5-year disease-free survival was 82.2% for patients treated with weekly cisplatin chemotherapy and 74.3% for those treated with triweekly combination chemotherapy (P= 0.3929). The 5-year overall survival was 81.4% and 79.3% for the same treatment groups, respectively (P= 0.9833). The overall survival of the patients with stage IIB cervical cancer was marginally higher in the triweekly combination chemotherapy group than in the weekly cisplatin group (P= 0.0582). Leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and hepatopathy were significantly more common in the triweekly combination chemotherapy group.Conclusions:The weekly cisplatin chemotherapy group experienced the same therapeutic effect as the triweekly combination chemotherapy group but with less toxicity. Therefore, weekly cisplatin chemotherapy is considered the more useful concurrent adjuvant chemoradiation regimen after radical surgery.

Address for correspondence Sang-Ahm Lee, MD, PhD Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 86 Asanbeongwon-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea Tel: +82-2-3010-3445 Fax: +82-2-4744691 E-mail: salee@amc.seoul.kr Objectives: The definition of accurate recording and measuring of sleep related obstructive breathing events are clinically critical as a base for quantifying disease severity in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome. The aim of the study was to compare apnea and hypopnea indices using different scoring recommendations. Methods: We retrospectively selected total 60 patients who were diagnosed with OSA syndrome. All sleep-related parameters including apnea index, hypopnea index, and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were measured by two different criteria; 1999 Chicago criteria and 2007 American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) criteria for scoring respiratory events. Results: Apnea index and AHI by Chicago criteria were significantly higher than those by AASM criteria (mean 21.0/hr vs. 15.1/hr, p

Synthesis, electrochemical, and structural properties of LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 cathodes prepared by TiO 2 nanoparticles coating on a Ni 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 (OH) 2 precursor have been investigated by the variation of coating concentration and annealing temperature. TiO 2 -coated cathodes showed that Ti elements were distributed throughout the particles. Among the coated cathodes, the 0.6 wt% TiO 2 -coated cathode prepared by annealing at 750 °C for 20 h exhibited the highest reversible capacity of 176 mAh g −1 and capacity retention of 92% after 40 cycles at a rate of 1 C (=190 mA g −1 ). On the other hand, an uncoated cathode showed a reversible first discharge capacity of 186 mAh g −1 and the same capacity retention value to the TiO 2 -coated sample at a 1 C rate. However, under a 1 C rate cycling at 60 °C for 30 cycles, the uncoated sample showed a reversible capacity of 40 mAh g −1 , while a TiO 2 -coated one showed 71 mAh g −1 . This significant improvement of the coated sample was due to the formation of a possible solid solution between TiO 2 and LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 . This effect was more evident upon annealing the charged sample while increasing the annealing temperature, and at 400 °C, the coated one showed a more suppressed formation of the NiO phase from the spinel LiNi 2 O 4 phase than the uncoated sample.