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The use of lithium metal either in an anode or anode-free configuration is envisaged as the most promising way to boost the energy density of the current lithium-ion battery system. Nevertheless, t...

Despite the high energy density of lithium-rich layered-oxide electrodes, their real-world implementation in batteries is hindered by the substantial voltage decay on cycling. This voltage decay is widely accepted to mainly originate from progressive structural rearrangements involving irreversible transition-metal migration. As prevention of this spontaneous cation migration has proven difficult, a paradigm shift toward management of its reversibility is needed. Herein, we demonstrate that the reversibility of the cation migration of lithium-rich nickel manganese oxides can be remarkably improved by altering the oxygen stacking sequences in the layered structure and thereby dramatically reducing the voltage decay. The preeminent intra-cycle reversibility of the cation migration is experimentally visualized, and first-principles calculations reveal that an O2-type structure restricts the movements of transition metals within the Li layer, which effectively streamlines the returning migration path of the transition metals. Furthermore, we propose that the enhanced reversibility mitigates the asymmetry of the anionic redox in conventional lithium-rich electrodes, promoting the high-potential anionic reduction, thereby reducing the subsequent voltage hysteresis. Our findings demonstrate that regulating the reversibility of the cation migration is a practical strategy to reduce voltage decay and hysteresis in lithium-rich layered materials.

Herein, we report a cubic FeOF structure as a new reversible Na ion host, which is formed during the electrochemical reaction from an electrode based on a nanosized mixture of NaF and FeO. This new FeOF host structure differs from the well-known rutile FeOF structure and displays distinct electrochemical properties as an electrode for Na-ion batteries. The X-ray absorption spectra measured at various cycles indicate that the cubic FeOF host structure gradually forms as cycling progresses. After formation of the cubic FeOF host structure, a discharge capacity of 165 mAh/g is delivered, corresponding to the intercalation of 0.7 Na+ ions per Fe with a volume change of 2.3% during charge and discharge, which is offered at a higher redox potential than that of the rutile FeOF electrode by approximately 0.2 V.

The discovery of high-performance cathode materials is imperative for advances in current lithium-ion battery technology. Although extensive efforts have been focused on developing novel cathode materials, it has been a grand challenge to find candidates that can outperform state-of-the-art cathode materials such as layered, olivine, and spinel lithium transition-metal oxides. This issue arises because there are only a limited number of intercalation hosts with appropriate redox potential and lithium solubility. Here, we present a new iron-based intercalation host for lithium ion by exploring the “host formation reaction” from the nanocomposite of lithium and transition-metal compound hosts (i.e., LiF and FeO). Fluoride ions released from LiF decomposition during charging induce an unexpected phase transition of FeO to a new host structure of cubic-FeOF, a new polymorphic structure of FeOF that is different from the well-known rutile-FeOF. Cubic-FeOF electrode exhibits a higher redox potential (3.2 V) inc...

Na-ion batteries (NIBs) are considered one of the most attractive alternatives for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) because of the natural abundance of Na and the similarities between the NIB technology and the well-established LIB technology. However, the discovery of high-performance electrode materials remains a key factor in the success of NIBs. Herein, we propose a new type of cathode material for NIBs based on a nanocomposite of an alkali metal fluoride (NaF) and a transition metal fluoride (FeF2). Although neither of these components is electrochemically active with Na, the nanoscale mixture of the two can deliver a reversible capacity of ∼125 mAh/g in the voltage range of 1.2–4.8 V vs. Na/Na+ via an Fe2+/Fe3+ redox couple. X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that the reversible Na storage is aided by the F–ions due to the decomposition of NaF, which are absorbed on the surface of FeF2, promoting the redox reaction of Fe and triggering the gradual transformation of the mother structure (FeF2) into a new (FeF3-like) host structure for the Na ions. This unique Na-ion storage phenomenon, which is reported for the first time, will introduce an avenue for designing novel cathode materials for NIBs.

The electrochemical properties and performances of lithium-ion batteries are primarily governed by their constituent electrode materials, whose intrinsic thermodynamic and kinetic properties are understood as the determining factor. As a part of complementing the intrinsic material properties, the strategy of nanosizing has been widely applied to electrodes to improve battery performance. It has been revealed that this not only improves the kinetics of the electrode materials but is also capable of regulating their thermodynamic properties, taking advantage of nanoscale phenomena regarding the changes in redox potential, solid-state solubility of the intercalation compounds, and reaction paths. In addition, the nanosizing of materials has recently enabled the discovery of new energy storage mechanisms, through which unexplored classes of electrodes could be introduced. Herein, we review the nanoscale phenomena discovered or exploited in lithium-ion battery chemistry thus far and discuss their potential implications, providing opportunities to further unveil uncharted electrode materials and chemistries. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the nanoscale phenomena presently employed in battery applications and suggest strategies to overcome these limitations.

Objective To investigate the effects of testosterone on cavernosal endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in a castrated rat model. Materials and methods In all, 45 male Sprague–Dawley rats (12-weeks old) were divided into control, surgical castration, and castration with testosterone replacement groups. The rats were castrated under ketamine anaesthesia, and testosterone was administered by daily subcutaneous injection of 3 mg/kg testosterone propionate. The corpus cavernosum was obtained after perfusion with 10 mL saline via the abdominal aorta 4 weeks later. The expression of EPC-specific markers [cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34), fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk1), and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin] was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Results CD34+/Flk1+ and CD34+/VE-cadherin+ cells were detected in the cavernosal sinusoidal endothelial space. Flow cytometry analysis showed that CD34 and Flk1 double positive cells (EPCs) comprised ≈3.79% of the corpus cavernosum in normal rats. The percentage of EPC marker-positive cells decreased significantly in the castration group (2.8%; P < 0.05) and was restored to 3.56% after testosterone supplementation. Confocal microscopy revealed that the numbers of CD34+/Flk1+ and CD34+/VE-cadherin+ cells decreased in castrated rats compared with controls, but were similar to control levels in rats receiving testosterone replacement. Conclusions The EPC markers were expressed in the cavernosal sinusoidal endothelial space, and the numbers of resident EPCs were regulated by testosterone. These results suggest that testosterone replacement therapy may improve erectile function by modulating EPCs in patients with hypogonadism.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) has attracted tremendous attention as an electrode material for next-generation lithium-rechargeable battery systems due to the use of low-cost iron and its electrochemical stability. While the lithium diffusion in LFP, the essential property in battery operation, is relatively fast due to the one-dimensional tunnel present in the olivine crystal, the tunnel is inherently vulnerable to the presence of FeLi anti-site defects (Fe ions in Li ion sites), if any, that block the lithium diffusion and lead to inferior performance. Herein, we demonstrate that the kinetic issue arising from the FeLi defects in LFP can be completely eliminated in lithium-excess olivine LFP. The presence of an excess amount of lithium in the Fe ion sites (LiFe) energetically destabilizes the FeLi-related defects, resulting in reducing the amount of Fe defects in the tunnel. Moreover, we observe that the spinodal decomposition barrier is notably reduced in lithium-excess olivine LFP. The presence of LiFe and the absence of FeLi in lithium-excess olivine LFP additionally induce faster kinetics, resulting in an enhanced rate capability and a significantly reduced memory effect. The lithium-excess concept in the electrode crystal brings up unexpected properties for the pristine crystal and offers a novel and interesting approach to enhance the diffusivity and open up additional diffusion paths in solid-state ionic conductors.

2015ABSTRACT : Coffee consumption in Korea has been currently growing every year, and as a result, approximately 0.2 million tons of Spent Coffee Grounds (SCG) are being created every year. SCG, which is waste organic material, is often classified as food waste and an annual amount of 0.27 million ton is discarded while containing moisture and provoking serious environmental issue. Physico-chemical characteristics of SCG were analyzed in this study and medium and long-term growth experiments were conducted in order to evaluate its utilization potential. According to the experiment results, mixing SCG into the previous base material resulted in accelerated germination and growth in the mid-term compared to previous base material alone, despite slower germination or growth in early stage. Especially, it showed lower withering rate and decrease in various symptoms that are caused by nutrition shortage in case of discontinued sprinkling, etc., compared to the previous base material. Hence, while SCG has a feature of hindering early development due to its feature of waste organic material that is rich in nitrogen, its benefit for long-term growth coming its moisturizing ability and supply of organic matter was confirmed in the study. On balance, SCG is believed to be a material that can replace or complement the previous base materials.Keywords : Waste organic matter, Vegetation base materials, Physico-chemical analysis, Growth test요지 : 현재 우리나라의 커피소비량은 매년 증가하는 추세에 있으며 이에 따라 연간 약 20만 톤의 커피박(Spent Coffee Grounds, SCG)이 발생되고 있으며 SCG는 폐유기물질로 대부분 음식물쓰레기로 분리되어 연간 27만 톤이 수분이 함유된 채로 버려져 심각한 환경적 이슈가 되고 있는 현실이다. 본 연구에서는 커피박의 활용가능성을 평가하기 위해 이화학적 특성분석과 중장기 생육실험을 수행하였으며, 실험결과 기존의 기반재에 SCG를 혼합하는 경우 보습력의 증가와 유기물함량의 보강으로 초기발아나 초기생육은 기존 기반재에 비해 저조하나 중기적으로 발아와 성장이 촉진되는 현상을 보이며 특히 관수중단 등의 상황에서 기존 기 반재에 비해 고사율이 낮고 양분의 부족으로 인한 여러 현상이 줄어들고 있는 것으로 확인되었다 . 따라서 SCG는 질소성분이 풍부한 폐유기물로 초기성장을 저해하는 특성이 있으나 보습능력과 유기물의 공급으로 장기생장에 유리한 성질을 가지고 있는 것으로 확인되 어 기존의 기반재를 대체하거나 보완할 수 있는 재료인 것으로 판단된다 .주요어 : 폐유기물질, 커피박, 이화학분석, 생육실험

Only 54% of prostate cancer cases in Korea are localized compared with 82% of cases in the US. Furthermore, half of Korean patients are upgraded after radical prostatectomy (41.6%–50.6%). We investigated the risk factors for upgrading and/or upstaging of low-risk prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1159 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy at five hospitals in Honam Province. Preoperative data on standard clinicopathological parameters were collected. The radical prostatectomy specimens were graded and staged and we defined a “worsening prognosis” as a Gleason score ≥ 7 or upstaging to ≥ pT3. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with postoperative pathological upstaging. Among the 1159 patients, 324 were classified into the clinically low-risk group, and 154 (47.5%) patients were either upgraded or upstaged. The multivariable analysis revealed that the preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen level (odds ratio [OR], 1.131; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.007–1.271; P= 0.037), percent positive biopsy core (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.002–1.035; P= 0.032), and small prostate volume (≤30 ml) (OR: 2.280; 95% CI: 1.351–3.848; P= 0.002) were predictive of a worsening prognosis. Overall, 47.5% of patients with low-risk disease were upstaged postoperatively. The current risk stratification criteria may be too relaxed for our study cohort.

This work reports that natural graphite is capable of Na insertion and extraction with a remarkable reversibility using ether-based electrolytes. Natural graphite (the most well-known anode material for Li–ion batteries) has been barely studied as a suitable anode for Na rechargeable batteries due to the lack of Na intercalation capability. Herein, graphite is not only capable of Na intercalation but also exhibits outstanding performance as an anode for Na ion batteries. The graphite anode delivers a reversible capacity of ≈150 mAh g−1 with a cycle stability for 2500 cycles, and more than 75 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 despite its micrometer-size (≈100 μm). An Na storage mechanism in graphite, where Na+-solvent co-intercalation occurs combined with partial pseudocapacitive behaviors, is revealed in detail. It is demonstrated that the electrolyte solvent species significantly affect the electrochemical properties, not only rate capability but also redox potential. The feasibility of graphite in a Na full cell is also confirmed in conjunction with the Na1.5VPO4.8F0.7 cathode, delivering an energy of ≈120 Wh kg−1 while maintaining ≈70% of the initial capacity after 250 cycles. This exceptional behavior of natural graphite promises new avenues for the development of cost-effective and reliable Na ion batteries.

Purpose: Systemic inflammatory responses, which are defined in terms of the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), have been reported to be independent predictors of unfavorable outcomes in various human cancers. We assessed the utility of the GPS as a predictor of intravesical recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in upper urinary tract carcinoma (UTUC). Materials and Methods: We collected data for 147 UTUC patients with no previous history of bladder cancer who underwent RNU from 2004 to 2012. Associations between perioperative clinicopathological variables and intravesical recurrence were analyzed by using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Results: Overall, 71 of 147 patients (48%) developed intravesical recurrence, including 21 patients (30%) diagnosed with synchronous bladder tumor. In the univariate analysis, performance status, diabetes mellitus (DM), serum albumin, C-reactive protein, GPS, and synchronous bladder tumor were associated with intravesical recurrence. In the multivariate analysis, performance status (hazard ratio [HR], 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–3.85; p=0.001), DM (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.21–3.41; p=0.007), cortical thinning (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.08–3.71; p=0.026), and GPS (score of 1: HR, 6.86; 95% CI, 3.69–12.7; p=0.001; score of 2: HR, 5.96; 95% CI, 3.10–11.4; p=0.001) were independent predictors of intravesical recurrence. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the GPS as well as performance status, DM, and cortical thinning are associated with intravesical recurrence after RNU. Thus, more careful follow-up, coupled with postoperative intravesical therapy to avoid bladder recurrence, should be considered in these patients.

Objective Patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the correlation between LUTS and cardiovascular risk factors in men presenting with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 295 men with transurethral resection of the prostate for the treatment of BPH and LUTS. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease included: hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, and dyslipidemia. The severity of LUTS measured by the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate volume, prostate specific antigen (PSA), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual urine (PVR) in subjects with or without cardiovascular risk factors were compared. Results IPSS-total (22.9 ± 7.8 vs. 21.2 ± 7.3, P = 0.01) and obstructive symptom score (13.3 ± 5.2 vs. 11.9 ± 4.7, P = 0.01) was significantly different between men with hypertension and without cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant difference of variables between subjects with DM, smoking or dyslipidemia and without cardiovascular risk factors. In the Pearson correlation, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were related with prostate volume (r = 0.138, P = 0.040; r = 0.163, P = 0.020), IPSS-total (r = 0.139, P = 0.043; r = 0.138, P = 0.043), and an obstructive symptom score (r = 0.168, P = 0.014; r = 0.143, P = 0.037), respectively. Conclusions Men with hypertension are more likely to have a higher IPSS and large prostate volume than men without hypertension. This finding implicates a pathophysiological association between hypertension and LUTS, and the need to manage comorbid symptoms simultaneously.

Purpose: We hypothesized that there might be a higher incidence of low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) in men diagnosed at a repeated biopsy. Thus, we investigated differences in clinicopathological results of PCa after primary and repeated biopsy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with PCa at a primary or repeated biopsy from January 2004 to April 2011. Patients were stratified into primary biopsy and repeated biopsy groups. We analyzed prostate-specific antigen, clinical stage, Gleason score (GS), positive core ratio, and low-risk group by using D’Amico classification. We also investigated GS upgrading and upstaging after radical prostatectomy (RP). Results: Among 448 primary and 37 repeated biopsy PCa patients, 82 (group 1) and 25 (group 2) underwent RP. The percentage of low-risk patients did not differ significantly between the groups. The positive biopsy core ratio was significantly lower in group 2 (p=0.009). The percentages of GS upgrading and upstaging were 42.7% and 47.6% in group 1, respectively (p=0.568), and 48.0% and 52.0% in group 2, respectively (p=0.901). In the analysis of low-risk patients, GS upgrading and upstaging were not significantly different between the groups (p=0.615 and p=0.959, respectively). Conclusions: A lower positive core ratio may imply a small volume of PCa and possibly insignificant PCa in the repeated biopsy group. However, no significant differences were observed for the ratio of low-risk cancers, GS upgrading, or upstaging between the groups. Therefore, PCa diagnosed at a repeated biopsy is not an additional indication for active surveillance.

Purpose: We evaluated the self-reported prevalence of and attitudes toward premature ejaculation (PE) in a community-based study of married couples. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study of PE was conducted among married couples in Gwangju, Korea. Self-reported data were collected through the use of questionnaires, which included demographic questions, the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT), the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), patient-reported outcome (PRO), and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Results: Of the 290 couples who completed the survey, the prevalence of PEDT-diagnosed PE including probable PE was 23.7% of men. By IELT measure, the prevalence of PE was 21.7% as reported by the men and 23.9% as reported by their partners, respectively. PRO responses indicated that control over ejaculation and severity of PE were not reported significantly differently by the men and their partners. Satisfaction with sexual intercourse was poorer for the men’s partners than for the men. Personal distress and interpersonal difficulty were higher for the men than for their partners. The partners of men in the PE group had significantly lower FSFI scores than did the partners of men in the non-PE group. Conclusions: The reporting of the prevalence of PE did not differ significantly between the men in this study and their partners. However, PE in men tended to impact their partners’ sexual function.

Lithium-ion batteries based on intercalation compounds have dominated the advanced portable energy storage market. The positive electrode materials in these batteries belong to a material group of lithium-conducting crystals that contain redox-active transition metal and lithium. Materials without lithium-conducting paths or lithium-free compounds could be rarely used as positive electrodes due to the incapability of reversible lithium intercalation or the necessity of using metallic lithium as negative electrodes. These constraints have significantly limited the choice of materials and retarded the development of new positive electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. Here, we demonstrate that lithium-free transition metal monoxides that do not contain lithium-conducting paths in their crystal structure can be converted into high-capacity positive electrodes in the electrochemical cell by initially decorating the monoxide surface with nanosized lithium fluoride. This unusual electrochemical behaviour is attributed to a surface conversion reaction mechanism in contrast with the classic lithium intercalation reaction. Our findings will offer a potential new path in the design of positive electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries feature lithium element and lithium-ion conduction paths. Here the authors report transition metal monoxides that contain neither the intrinsic lithium nor conduction channels for high-capacity positive electrode materials.

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of secondary evaluation to detect prostate cancer that was primarily manifested as abnormal hypermetabolism detected by 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT). We also evaluated the association of maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) on PET/CT with clinicopathologic results. We evaluated PET/CT reports from a total of 12,037 patients to find cases with abnormal prostate hypermetabolism. Patients with known prostate cancer or a recent prostate procedure were excluded. We analyzed the frequency of secondary evaluations such as digital rectal exams (DRE), levels of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and/or biopsy to confirm prostate cancer. Biopsied patients were categorized into benign and cancer groups. Clinicopathologic characteristics were compared between the groups. Among 12,037 PET/CT images, 184 (1.5 %) showed abnormal hypermetabolism in the prostate. Secondary evaluation was carried out in 120 patients. Biopsy was performed in 38 patients and prostate cancer was confirmed in 23 patients. The median serum PSA level was 3.2 and 49.7 ng/mL in the benign group and cancer group, respectively. The SUVmax was higher in the cancer group (5.7 ± 5.1) than in the benign group (4.8 ± 2.7), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.37). In the cancer group, a high serum PSA level (≥20 ng/mL) was detected in 78.3 % of the patients. The Gleason score was 7 in 34.7 % and 8–10 in 56.5 % of prostate cancer patients. Hypermetabolism in the prostate was incidentally detected in 1.5 % of patients, and only 65.2 % of these patients underwent further evaluation (DRE and/or serum PSA levels). Among cases of incidentally detected hypermetabolism in the prostate, patients with abnormal findings (DRE and/or PSA levels) showed high positivity by biopsy, and more than two-thirds of the positive biopsies showed significant prostate cancer. Therefore, patients with hypermetabolism in the prostate should not be ignored and should be secondarily evaluated by DRE and PSA level.

This study summarizes and discusses the trends and main features of South Korean studies on Japan's economy and business since the 1960s. I consulted 271 publications (articles and books) for this study. Academic and individual publications comprise 69.7% (189 publications) of the total; public and corporate research institutes 30.3% (82 publications). Therefore, academic and individual researches constitute a majority of the publications. The most pressing issues for South Korea are those of business administration, such as Japanese corporate governance, Zaibatsu, and Japanese firms, which have been mainly studied by academic and individual researchers. The second most important issues are those of international economics such as FTA, FDI, and the trade deficit between South Korea and Japan, mainly researched by government research institutes and individual researchers. Although more interest seems to have shown in the Japanese economy and business since the 1990s, the number of Ph.D. holders who studied economics and business in Japan has been keeping very small portions compared with other majors. In order to attract more students from Korea, the Japanese graduate system for economics and business studies needs to be more globalized and competitive.

Introduction: We assess the impact of traditional prognostic factors, tumour location, degree of hydronephrosis and diabetes mellitus (DM) on the survival of patients treated for upper urinary tracturothelial carcinoma (UUTUC).Methods: From January 2004 to March 2010, we analyzed data from 114 patients with UUTUC who underwent nephroureterectomy with a bladder cuff excision. Median patient age was 71 years and median follow-up was 26.5 months. The influence of traditional prognostic factors, including DM, tumour stage, grade, location and degree of hydronephrosis, on recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model.Results: Among 61 renal pelvis and 53 ureteral tumour cases, recurrence was identified in 71 cases (62.3%). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that degree of hydronephrosis was associated with RFS (p = 0.001). DM and degree of hydronephrosis were independent factors for RFS in Cox proportional regression analysis (HR=1.8 CI:1.01-3.55, p = 0.04), (HR=3.7, CI: 2.0-6.5, p = 0.001). All patients with ureteral tumour had no worse prognosis than those with renal pelvis tumour, but the pT2 patients with ureteral tumour had a worse prognosis than those with renal pelvis tumour with a median RFS of 9 months (range: 2.6-15.3 months) and 29 months (range:8.0-13.2 months), respectively (p = 0.028).Conclusions: Tumour location is not a factor influencing RFS, except in the pT2 stage. However, severe hydronephrosis is associated with a higher recurrence in UUTUC. Also, DM is related to disease recurrence. Further prospective studies are needed to establish the prognostic significance of DM in large populations.

This study investigated whether Korean red ginseng (KRG) extracts could improve sexual function in premenopausal women. Forty-one premenopausal women participated in this placebo-controlled, double-blind, and crossover clinical study with administration of either three ginseng capsules (1 g per capsule) or placebo daily. After 8 weeks of medication of KRG or placebo, medication was changed for the subjects to placebo or KRG after 2 weeks of washout period. The efficacy of KRG extracts was measured by using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).Results. Twenty-three women completed the study. Total FSFI scores increased after KRG treatment (from20.13±2.87to23.98±4.10,p=0.015) and placebo treatment (from20.06±2.64to23.78±3.28,p=0.003). However, this change was not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.702). KRG treatment significantly improved sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction domains; however, there was no treatment effect compared with placebo. There was a case of gastric discomfort after taking KRG extracts. Oral administration of KRG extracts improved sexual function in premenopausal women; however, there were no statistical significant changes compared to placebo. It implies that KRG extracts have a substantial placebo effect in premenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.

この論文は、ルカス批判を計量経済学の手法によって応用し、輸出主導型経済成長仮説を再評価することを目的とする。その結果、1954年から1993年までの韓国経済における輸出成長変数は、弱、強、そして超外生性を満たす変数であることが実証された。特に、韓国における輸出成長の超外生性は、輸出成長と経済成長との間には、構造的に影響されない関係であることを示唆している。同時に、1960年代初期から始まった韓国の輸出主導型経済成長政策はルカス批判には属さないことも意味している。これらの結果は、韓国における輸出主導型経済成長政策の妥当性も支持している。また、政策含意として、各国の固有な経済システムの違いにより、経済成長に対する経済参加者の期待形成も違うことが示唆されている。

Background The survival benefits of adrenalectomy (ADx) in the setting of metastatic cancer and prognostic factors for recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after adrenalectomy for metastatic carcinoma are still under debate. We evaluated the impact of clinicopathological variables on RFS and OS after ADx for metastatic carcinoma in patients with primary cancer. Methods A total of 32 patients undergoing ADx for metastatic cancer between 2004 and 2012 at two tertiary medical centers. Metastases were regarded as synchronous (

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To induce a potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response in dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy against bladder cancer, various tumor antigens need to be loaded onto DCs. The aim of this study was to establish a method of immunotherapy for bladder cancer using bladder cancer-specific CTLs generated in vitro by DCs. METHODS: Monocyte-derived DCs from bladder cancer patients were induced to mature in a standard cytokine cocktail (in IL-1b, TNF-a, IL-6, and PGE2: standard DCs, sDCs) or in an a-type 1-polarized DC (aDC1) cocktail (in IL-1b, TNF-a, IFN-b, IFN-g, and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid) and then loaded with the UVB-irradiated bladder cancer cell line T24. Antigen-loaded aDC1s were evaluated by morphological and functional assays, and the bladder cancer-specific CTL response was analyzed by cytotoxic assay. RESULTS: The aDC1s significantly increased the expression of several molecules related to DC maturation, regardless of whether the aDC1s were loaded with tumor antigens or not, compared to sDCs. The aDC1sshowedahigherproductionof interleukin-12bothduringmaturation and after subsequent stimulation with CD40L, which was not significantly affected by loading with tumor antigens as compared to standard DCs (sDCs). Bladder cancer-specific CTLs against autologous bladder cancer cells were successfully induced by aDC1s loaded with dying T24 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous aDC1s loaded with an allogeneic bladder cancer cell line can generate greater bladder cancer-specific CTL responses and may provide a novel source of DC-based vaccines that can be used for the development of immunotherapy in patients with bladder cancer.

This paper challenges the recent contrarian view that the phenomenal growth of East Asian NICs is fuelled mainly by the accumulation of production inputs not by TFP growth. To appraise this view, we investigated and re-evaluated South Korean manufacturing growth (1973(Q1)–1993(Q4)). Using Johansen's cointegrating analysis, our results show that South Korean manufacturing appears to have increasing returns to scale in production technology. The ‘learning by doing’ effect defined by Lucas (1988) is empirically supported. This effect appears to be observed as a long-run determinant of South Korean manufacturing growth. Consequently, South Korean manufacturing growth can be described by an endogenous economic growth model, such as the Lucas (1988) model, contradicting the contrarian view.

Introduction: We evaluated the accuracy of current guidelines by analyzing bone scan results and clinical parameters of patients with prostate cancer to determine the optimal guideline for predicting bone metastasis.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and who underwent a bone scan. Bone metastasis was confirmed by bone scan results with clinical and radiological follow-up. Serum prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, percent of positive biopsy core, clinical staging and bone scan results were analyzed. We analyzed diagnostic performance in predicting bone metastasis of the guidelines of the European Association of Urology (EAU), American Urological Association (AUA), and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines as well as Briganti’s classification and regression tree (CART). We also compared the percent of positive biopsy core between patients with and without bone metastases.Results: A total 167 of 806 patients had bone metastases. Receiver operating curve analysis revealed that the AUA and EAU guidelines were better for detecting bone metastases than were Briganti’s CART and NCCN. No significant difference was observed between AUA and EAU guidelines. Patients with bone metastases had a higher percent positive core than did patients without metastasis (the cut-off value >55.6).Conclusion: The EAU and AUA guidelines showed better results than did Briganti’s CART and NCCN for predicting bone metastasis in the enrolled patients. A bone scan is strongly recommended for patients who have a higher percent positive core and who meet the EAU and AUA guidelines.

Patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the correlation between LUTS and cardiovascular risk factors in men presenting with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 295 men with transurethral resection of the prostate for the treatment of BPH and LUTS. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease included: hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, and dyslipidemia. The severity of LUTS measured by the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate volume, prostate specific antigen (PSA), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual urine (PVR) in subjects with or without cardiovascular risk factors were compared.IPSS-total (22.9 ± 7.8 vs. 21.2 ± 7.3, P = 0.01) and obstructive symptom score (13.3 ± 5.2 vs. 11.9 ± 4.7, P = 0.01) was significantly different between men with hypertension and without cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant difference of variables between subjects with DM, smoking or dyslipidemia and without cardiovascular risk factors. In the Pearson correlation, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were related with prostate volume (r = 0.138, P = 0.040; r = 0.163, P = 0.020), IPSS-total (r = 0.139, P = 0.043; r = 0.138, P = 0.043), and an obstructive symptom score (r = 0.168, P = 0.014; r = 0.143, P = 0.037), respectively.Men with hypertension are more likely to have a higher IPSS and large prostate volume than men without hypertension. This finding implicates a pathophysiological association between hypertension and LUTS, and the need to manage comorbid symptoms simultaneously.

Studies of predictive factors of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) failure in patients with ureteral stones have not yielded results sufficient to prevent ESWL failure. The present study investigated patients with ureteral stone and analyzed the predictive factors of ESWL failure. Ninety patients with ureteral stone treated from January 2006 to June 2012 using ESWL for ureteral stone were enrolled. Patient's demographic data including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), symptoms and calculous characteristics including location, size, episode and the grade of hydronephrosis were recorded. Statistical results were performed using univariate and multivariate analyses for the predictive factors of ESWL failure. In univariate analysis, calculous location, size, and grade of hydronephrosis between two groups displayed significant differences (p0.05). The predictive factors of ESWL failure were BMI25 kg/m(2) [Odds ratio (OR) = 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-11.0], calculous size ≥ 1 cm (OR = 10.5, 95% CI 3.0-36.2), calculous location (mid-ureter; OR = 8.49, 95% CI 1.5-45.7) and severe grade of hydronephrosis (OR = 12.3, 95% CI 1.9-79.5). In conclusions, ESWL failure can be predicted in cases of obesity, calculous size exceeding 1 cm, mid-ureteral stone and severe hydronephrosis. When we consider calculous management in patients with these risk factors, initial surgical approach is recommended instead of ESWL.

To evaluate the surgical feasibility of retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for tumors exceeding 5 cm.A retrospective review was carried out on all adrenalectomies performed between 2002 and 2011. All surgical procedures were performed or supervised by one of two experienced laparoscopic surgeons. A total of 133 patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy were divided according to tumor size: group I (n = 57) had tumors5 cm and group II (n = 76) had tumors ≥5 cm. The operative outcomes included surgical time, change in hemoglobin level, estimated blood loss, necessity for blood transfusion, time to ambulation, hospitalization duration, postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, and the rate of conversion to open surgery.The estimated blood loss (271.75 ± 232.98 mL vs. 367.24 ± 275.11 mL; p = 0.037), time to ambulation (1.60 ± 0.49 days vs. 1.89 ± 0.31 days; p = 0.001), and postoperative hospitalization (7.88 ± 3.08 days vs. 9.264 ± 3.10 days; p = 0.012) were significantly higher in group II. The operation time and hemoglobin level change were not statistically different between groups. Blood transfusions were performed in 3 patients from group I and 6 patients from group II (5.3 vs. 7.9 %; p = 0.449). No patients experienced conversion to open surgery.Retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy can be used in patients with tumors larger than 5 cm.

Cost of daily treatment of Dutasteride is $1560 per year while once a week treatment is $206 per year. CONCLUSIONS: Non-daily treatment was more cost effective. PSA is lowered most by daily usage. The average number of biopsies per group was not different in the study period. Biopsy interval in the non-daily group was twice as long as the daily group. Cancer incidence in the non-daily group surprisingly was at least half compared to daily and no cytoreduction groups. Although not statistically significant, higher grade tumors were seen in the daily and no treatment groups.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the efficacy of a combination treatment of desmopressin and propiverine for treating children with monosymptomatic primary nocturnal enuresis. METHODS: A total of 53 children aged 6 to 15 years old with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis were enrolled in this prospective study. Children with a minimum of 3 wet nights weekly were included. Children were randomly assigned groups and treated with desmopressin 0.2mg, or a combination of desmopressin plus propiverine 10mg. Of these patients 43 (31 boys and 12 girls, mean age 8.4 2.5 years, range 4 to 13) were followed for more than 6 months. Efficacy was measured at 1, 3 and 6 months in terms of average enuretic frequency after treatment. RESULTS: Of the 43 children finally analyzed, 23 received combination therapy of desmopressin and propiverine and 20 received desmopressin alone. The frequency of nocturnal enuresis at baseline in the monotherapy group and combination therapy group was similar (5.45 1.57 vs 5.82 1.44). However, a decrease of the nocturnal enuresis was significantly pronounced in the combination group after 6 months treatment than in monotherpy group (2.2 1.01 vs 1.29 0.67). Combination therapy produced better outcomes than monotherapy in terms of the number of nocturnal enuresis episodes (p 0.017). Adverse events were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with desmopressin plus propiverine for the treatment of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis was well tolerated, and gave effective results in reducing enuresis episodes rather than a single therapy of desmopressin in children.

To determine landmarks for stent positioning in both ureteral orifices (UOs) and the gender differences in their location in men and women. The location of the UO and the bladder neck (BN) was measured fluoroscopically by the intravesical distal location of an open-ended catheter marked with radiopaque materials. We compared the location in men (n = 12) and women (n = 12) with a full bladder (hydrostatic pressure of 50 cmH2O) or an empty bladder. The mean distances from BN to UO in men and women were significantly different both in an empty bladder (2.5 ± 0.4 and 2.1 ± 0.3 cm, respectively) and in a full bladder (2.9 ± 1.0 and 2.3 ± 0.6 cm, respectively). The location of UO was changed by bladder filling in women but not in men. In women, most UOs were found superior to the symphysis pubis (SP) in empty bladder (66.6 %). Most of this location was observed at behind the upper boarder of SP in full bladder of women (75 %). The BN of women was located at the lower level in basal state compared to men. Also, the location of BN was markedly changed by bladder fulling in women (p = 0.04) but not in men. Significant gender differences were observed in the location of UO and BN. Clinicians should keep in mind the anatomical differences between men and women during fluoroscopic-guided procedure.

The aquaporin (AQP) families of water channels are intrinsic membrane proteins that facilitate selective water and small solute movement across the plasma membrane. The purposes of this study were to determine the expression and localization of AQPs in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Prostatic tissue was collected from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer by transurethral resection of the prostate. The expression and cellular localization of the AQPs were determined in the human prostate by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. AQP1, 3, and 9 were expressed in the human prostate. Western blot analysis revealed bands at 28-36 kDa for the AQP1, 3, and 9 proteins. Of these proteins, AQP3 and 9 were expressed in the epithelium. Immunolabeling showed that AQP1 was mainly expressed in the capillaries and venules of the prostate, AQP9 was expressed in the cytoplasm of the epithelium, and AQP3 was mainly associated with the plasma membrane of the prostatic epithelium. Only AQP3 expression was localized in the cell membrane, and expressed AQP3 was translocated to the cytoplasm in prostate cancer. The epithelium in the human prostate expresses AQP3 and 9 proteins, and the capillaries and venules of the prostate express AQP1. Characterizing or modifying the expression of AQP3 may lead to an understanding of the role of the AQPs in human prostatic disease.

=A bstract = Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in Korean women. Materials and Methods: A total of 629 married women in the Chonnam and Gwangju area were randomly included in this study. They were asked to complete a questionnaire on FSD, which consisted of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), as well as psychological, physiological, and demographic factors. Results: The mean age of the women was 36.97 years and the mean FSFI score was 25.56 out of a total score of 36. Based on the total FSFI score, 42.9% of the women had scores less than the cut-off point of 25, the assessed definition of FSD. The prevalence of FSD by age group was: 31.3% for 20 ∼29 year olds, 41.6% for 30∼39 year olds, and 51.8% for 40∼49 year olds. A stepwise regression analysis found that women with higher levels of sexual distress, lower frequency of sexual intercourse, lower levels of life satisfaction, a less important appraisal of sex, a higher likelihood of depression, more conservative attitude toward sex, irregular menstrual cycle, higher age, chronic disease, and a smoking habit were more likely to suffer from FSD. Conclusions: The prevalence of FSD in Korean women was common and comparable to those reported worldwide. Sexual distress, frequency of sexual intercourse, and life satisfaction were important associated factors of FSD.