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Fine particulate matter (PM) has a small diameter but a large surface area; thus, it may have broad toxic effects that subsequently damage many tissues of the human body. Interestingly, many studies have suggested that the recent decline in female fertility could be associated with increased PM exposure. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the negative effects of PM exposure on female fertility are still a matter of debate. A previous study demonstrated that resident stem cell deficiency limits the cyclic regenerative capacity of the endometrium and subsequently increases the pregnancy failure rate. Therefore, we hypothesized that PM exposure induces endometrial tissue damage and subsequently reduces the pregnancy rate by inhibiting various beneficial functions of local endometrial stem cells. Consistent with our hypothesis, we showed for the first time that PM exposure significantly inhibits various beneficial functions of endometrial stem cells, such as their self-renewal, transdifferentiation, and migratory capacities, in vitro and in vivo through the PM target gene SERPINB2, which has recently been shown to be involved in multiple stem cell functions. In addition, the PM-induced inhibitory effects on the beneficial functions of endometrial stem cells were significantly diminished by SERPINB2 depletion. Our findings may facilitate the development of promising therapeutic strategies for improving reproductive outcomes in infertile women., Reproductive health: Pollution is problematic for female fertility Airborne pollutants may reduce female fertility through their debilitating effects on the stem cells that maintain the endometrium, the interior lining of the uterus. Recent evidence suggests that toxic byproducts from fossil fuels known as ‘particulate matter’ represent a danger to women’s reproductive health. South Korean researchers led by Ji-Won Jung, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and In-Sun Hong, Gachon University, Incheon, have investigated this risk by exposing cultured human endometrial stem cells to diesel-derived particulate matter. These stem cells normally maintain the endometrium, allowing embryonic implantation to take place, but exposure to particulate matter greatly impaired the cells’ regenerative function. Mice exposed to particulate matter exhibited similar impairments of endometrial maintenance. The researchers identified a molecular pathway associated with this response that could guide development of fertility-restoring treatments.

To determine the risk factors for lateral meniscus and root tears in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. A total of 226 patients undergoing acute ACL reconstruction were included in the study sample. Exclusion criteria were revisions, fractures, chronic cases, and multiple ligament injuries, with the exception of medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries. The patients were divided into groups based on the presence of lateral meniscus and root tears by arthroscopy. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), injury mechanism (contact/non-contact), Segond fracture, side-to-side laxity, location of bone contusion, medial and lateral tibial and meniscal slope, mechanical axis angle, and grade of pivot shift. Overall lateral meniscus (LM) tears were identified in 97 patients (42.9%), and LM root tears were found in 22 patients (9.7%). The risk of an LM tear in ACL-injured knees increased with bone contusion on LTP (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.419–8.634; P = 0.007), steeper lateral tibial slope (OR, 1.133; 95% CI 1.003–1.28; P = 0.045), MCL injury (OR, 2.618; 95% CI 1.444–4.746; P = 0.002), and non-contact injury mechanism (OR, 3.132; 95% CI 1.446–6.785; P = 0.004) in logistic regression analysis. The risk of LM root tear in ACL-injured knees increased with high-grade pivot shift (OR, 9.127; 95% CI 2.821–29.525; P = 0.000) and steeper lateral tibial slope (OR, 1.293; 95% CI 1.061–1.576; P = 0.011). The increased risk of LM lesions in acute ACL-injured knees should be considered if significant risk factors including bone contusion on lateral compartments, MCL injury, and a steeper lateral tibial slope are present. Moreover, high-grade rotational injury with steeper lateral tibial slope are also significant risk factors for LM root tears, and therefore care should be taken by clinicians not to miss such lesions. III.

We examined the contributions of English proficiency, genre, and the use of textual sources to adolescent writing. The sample included 1819 native English speakers and language minority students from 127 seventh- and eighth-grade classes in an urban school district. Students were randomly assigned one of three source-based essay prompts (narrative, explanatory or argumentative) as part of the annual state assessment, and all students wrote a common, on-demand argumentative essay that did not require the use of textual sources. Overall, language minority students who were fluent English proficient wrote higher quality nonsource-based essays that contained more difficult vocabulary, were better structured, and used examples and details more effectively than native English speakers. They also outperformed native English speakers in source-based writing. Students with limited English proficiency showed weaker performance on both source-based and nonsource-based writing tasks. Differences in English proficiency held across genres. Students who wrote argumentative essays obtained higher ratings than those who wrote narrative or explanatory essays. Source-based and nonsource-based writing were moderately correlated. Regression analyses revealed that in addition to English proficiency and genre, reading comprehension's contribution to source-based writing was almost double that of nonsource-based writing. Implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.

Background No previous studies have compared the position and size of the remaining discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) with that of a normal lateral meniscus. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative position and size of DLM compared with that of normal controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods This retrospective study involved 52 symptomatic complete type DLMs (discoid group) who underwent arthroscopic surgery and 50 normal controls (control group). Pre- and postoperative MRI evaluations, height, width, and relative percentage of extrusion (RPE) were assessed. Sagittal position parameters, including distances from articular cartilage center to anterior meniscus (CAMD) and from anterior articular cartilage margin to anterior horn (ACMD), were also assessed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to find factors with extrusion of remaining DLM. Results The height of the discoid group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P = 0.000). RPE in the discoid group was significantly larger than in the control group (P = 0.005). Only CAMD and ACMD in the discoid group were different (positioned more anteriorly) from the control group (P = 0.000). Preoperative meniscal shift (odds ratio (OR): 12.448; P = 0.003) and operative technique, especially partial meniscectomy with repair (OR: 19.125; P = 0.000), were the major factors associated with extrusion. Conclusion The width of remaining DLM was comparable to that of normal controls, but the position was found to be more anterior and lateral than that of normal controls. Preoperative meniscal shift and combined meniscus repair were the major factors for smaller width and greater extrusion; thus, surgeons should address and counsel these factors before surgery.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of and the risk factors for surgery-related complications demonstrated on radiography after pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) for thoracolumbar kyphosis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 230 consecutive patients with thoracolumbar kyphosis due to AS who had undergone 1-level PSO at a single institution in the period from 2010 to 2017. The causes of surgery-related complications were divided into two types: surgical/technical failure and mechanical failure.RESULTSThe patients consisted of 20 women and 210 men, with an average age of 43.4 years. The average follow-up period was 39.0 months. The preoperative sagittal vertical axis was 18.5 ± 69.3 cm, which improved to 4.9 ± 4.6 cm after PSO. Of the 77 patients (33.5%) who experienced minor or major surgery-related complications, 56 had complications related to surgical/technical failure (overall incidence 24.3%) and 21 had complications related to mechanical failure (overall incidence 9.1%). Fourteen patients (6.1%) underwent reoperation. However, among the 77 patients with complications, the rate of revision surgery was 18.2%. The most common radiological complications were as follows: sagittal translation in 24 patients, coronal imbalance in 20, under-correction in 8, delayed union in 8, and distal junctional failure and kyphosis in 8. The most common causes of reoperation were coronal imbalance in 4 patients, symptomatic malposition of pedicle screws in 3, and distal junctional failure in 3. Delayed union was statistically correlated with posterior sagittal translation (p = 0.007).CONCLUSIONSPSO can provide acceptable radiographic outcomes for the correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis in patients with AS. However, a high incidence of surgery-related complications related to mechanical failure and surgical technique can develop. Thorough radiographic investigation before and during surgery is needed to determine whether complete ossification occurs along the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments of the spine.

Mucoid degeneration (MD) of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a well-recognized pathology characterized by the degradation of collagen fibers and infiltration of a mucoid-like substance. This study is to determine the anatomical associated factors for MD-ACL using radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).This was a retrospective study on patients who had undergone knee arthroscopy between 2011 and 2020. The patients with MD-ACL were defined and enrolled by the MRI and arthroscopy. Eventually, 52 patients in the MD-ACL group (group 1) and 52 patients in the control group (group 2) were enrolled, following sex and age matching. Radiologic evaluation included the assessment of Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade, mechanical hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, posterior tibial slope (PTS) angle, and Insall-Salvati ratio. The notch width index and transverse notch angle were measured on MRI, and the grade of trochlear dysplasia was defined. Logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and area under curve (AUC) were performed.The ROM was significantly decreased in group 1, whereas the PTS angle was significantly larger in group 1. Combined ganglion cysts of ACL were found in 42/52 patients (80.7%) in group 1. The risk of MD-ACL was associated with a steeper PTS angle, increased Insall-Salvati ratio, male sex, higher K-L grade, and decreased transverse notch angle and notch width index. The cutoff values in ROC analysis were found to be ≤ 28.27% for the notch width index (AUC, 0.849; p 0.001), 12.2° for the PTS angle (AUC, 0.765; p 0.001), and ≤ 47.4° for the transverse notch angle (AUC, 0.711; p 0.001), but not significant for Insall-salvati ratio.A steeper PTS angle, decreased notch width index, and transverse notch angle are significantly associated with the presence of MD-ACL. These factors should be considered during diagnosis or when determining the treatment strategy for symptomatic MD-ACL patients.Level IIIb.

Epidemiological investigations have shown positive correlations between increased diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in ambient air and adverse health outcomes. DEP are the major constituent of particulate atmospheric pollution and have been shown to induce proinflammatory responses both in the lung and systemically. Here, we report the effects of DEP exposure on the properties of human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), including stemness, regeneration, and immunomodulation.Non-apoptotic concentrations of DEP (10Taken together, these results indicate that exposure to DEP enhances the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune responses through a mechanism involving the ROS/ERK/cFos pathway in WJ-MSCs, and that DEP-induced ROS damage impairs the therapeutic effect of WJ-MSCs in colitis. Our results suggest that modulation of ROS/ERK/cFos signaling pathways in WJ-MSCs might be a novel therapeutic strategy for DEP-induced diseases.

We examined the relation of morphological awareness with language and literacy skills, namely phonological awareness, orthographic awareness, vocabulary, word reading, spelling, text reading fluency, and reading comprehension. We also examined potential moderators of the relations (grade level, orthographic depth of language, receptive vs. productive morphological awareness, inflectional vs. derivational vs. compound morphological awareness, and L1/L2 status). After systematic search, a total of 232 articles (965 unique samples, N = 49,936 participants, and 2,765 effect sizes in 17 languages) met inclusion criteria. Morphological awareness was, on average, moderately related to phonological awareness (r = .41), orthographic awareness (r = .39), vocabulary (r = .50), word reading (r = .49), spelling (r = .48), text reading fluency (r = .53), and reading comprehension (r = .54). Importantly, morphological awareness had a stronger relation with word reading in orthographically deep languages (.52) than in orthographically shallow languages (.38). The relation with vocabulary was stronger for upper elementary grades than for primary grades. The magnitude of the relation also varied by the nature of morphological awareness: productive morphological awareness had a stronger relation with phonological awareness and vocabulary than receptive morphological awareness; derivational morphological awareness had a stronger relation with vocabulary and word reading compared to inflectional morphological awareness; and compound morphological awareness had a weaker relation with phonological awareness but a stronger relation with vocabulary compared to inflectional morphological awareness. These results underscore the importance of morphological awareness in language and literacy skills, and reveal a nuanced and precise picture of their relations.

Background: Mucoid degeneration of the anterior cruciate ligament (MD-ACL) is a chronic degenerative process involving a hypertrophied ACL, which may lead to notch impingement syndrome. As a treatment method, there is consensus regarding arthroscopic resection for MD-ACL resulting in good clinical outcomes, however, additional notchplasty remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical outcomes after arthroscopic partial resection of the ACL and additional notchplasty performed to minimize volume reduction of the ACL. Study Design: Level IIIb retrospective cohort study. Methods: Of 1810 individuals who underwent knee arthroscopic surgery performed by the same surgeon between July 2011 and October 2020, 52 were included, while 10 were excluded due to a follow-up period of &lt, 1 year. Clinical data including pain location, terminal flexion or extension pain, range of motion (ROM), Lysholm knee score, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score were assessed pre- and postoperatively. Additionally, according to the resected volume of the ACL, patients were classified into two groups: &lt, 25% (Group 1), and 25&ndash, 50% (Group 2). Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: There were 17 (40.5%) men and 25 (59.5%) women with a mean age of 53.9 years (range, 16&ndash, 81 years) at the time of surgery. The mean duration of symptoms before surgery was 14.4 months (range, 3&ndash, 66 months). Arthroscopic partial resection of the MD-ACL was performed in all patients, and concomitant notchplasty was performed in 36 (81.8%). All clinical scores improved postoperatively, and were statistically significant (p &lt, 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between groups 1 and 2 classified according to the resected ACL volume. Recurrence of MD-ACL was recorded in only one patient, 11 months after arthroscopic treatment. No patients underwent ACL reconstruction because of symptoms of anterior instability. Conclusion: Arthroscopic partial resection of the ACL and concomitant notchplasty yielded satisfactory outcomes for the treatment of MD-ACL. Notchplasty may be an alternative procedure to avoid total ACL resection and postoperative instability.

BACKGROUND Next generation sequencing (NGS) to detect actionable genetic abnormalities is standard of care in advanced stage lung adenocarcinoma. Many studies have shown that the molecular results obtained from fine needle aspiration cytology material are comparable to those obtained from formalin-fixed tissue samples. We undertook this study to validate DNA extraction from cytology material for molecular studies and to find any correlation between DNA yield, pattern of tumour cells and tumour fraction. METHODS DNA was extracted from 34 cytology slides of pulmonary adenocarcinoma cases with predetermined EGFR mutation status. Cytology slides were reviewed for pattern of tumour distribution and tumour fraction. NGS was performed on five slides with variable DNA and compared with original results. RESULTS There were 14 alcohol-fixed and 20 air-dried smears. The mean DNA yield was 1.74 μg and median of 0.4 μg (range, 0.02-21 μg). Tumour fractions varied from 10% to 90%. No correlation was found between tumour fraction and DNA yield (P = 0.14). The mean DNA yield was high in slides with tumour throughout the slide (sheets or scattered clusters) as compared to rare scattered clusters and/or single cells. EGFR mutation was found in four of the five cases sent for NGS lung panel while one case revealed BRAF mutation. CONCLUSIONS DNA with good quantity and quality can be extracted from the cytology slides for NGS irrespective of type of fixation. DNA yield has better correlation with distribution pattern of tumour cells on the slides rather than tumour fraction.

``Slow'' light is important for accessing various optical phenomena, due to the strong interaction with matter, but its realization in a free-form plasmonic waveguide requires consideration. The authors determine the optimized geometry for ultimate light trapping in a plasmonic cavity, with a quality factor near the theoretical limit, at an unusually short length. This saturation of quality factor enables the design of light-trapping devices of extremely small footprint. The ratio of quality factor to footprint is found to be comparable to that of state-of-the-art photonic resonators.

Objective We sought to compare the radiologic outcomes for different distal fusion levels in a rigid curve with major thoracolumbar and lumbar (TL/L) adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using rod derotation (RD) with direct vertebral rotation (DVR) after pedicle screw instrumentation (PSI). Methods This study finally enrolled 28 patients who were diagnosed with AIS in rigid curve with major TL/L curves, treated by PSI with RD and DVR and with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patients were divided into 2 groups, L3 and L4, on the basis of the distal fusion level at the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) of L3 or L4. Results There was no significant difference in TL/L curve, thoracic (minor), and compensatory (caudal) curves between the L3 and L4 groups either postoperatively (P = 0.162, 0.426, and 0.762, respectively) or at the last follow-up (P = 0.952, 0.620, and 0.562, respectively). The overall prevalence of unsatisfactory results was 42.9% (12/28 patients). The prevalence of unsatisfactory results was 61.1% (11/18) in the L3 group and 10% (1/10) in the L4 group, which was significantly different (P Conclusions Unsatisfactory results occurred more often in the L3 group than in the L4 group, and unsatisfactory results had significant influence on progression of TL/L and distal compensatory curves. Such progression was closely correlated with deteriorating LIV disk angle in the L3 group. Therefore if the curve is rigid, LIV should be extended to L4 to avoid the adding-on phenomenon in the treatment of major TL/L AIS using RD with DVR after PSI.

Background The incidence of bilateral discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) is as high as 73 to 85%, and associated contralateral meniscus tears ranged from 4 to 33% in symptomatic surgical DLM. The goal of the study was analyzing the factors that predict contralateral presence and tearing of DLM in patients who underwent surgery for symptomatic DLM. Our hypothesis was that there is a significant correlation between operative DLM properties and the incidence of bilateral DLM with associated contralateral meniscus tears. These properties include tear patterns, younger patient age, and characteristic X-ray findings. Patients and Methods This prospective study included 76 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery for symptomatic DLM. The contralateral knees were evaluated with X-ray and MRI. Based on the MRI findings, DLM was categorized into three types, and tear patterns were analyzed. The characteristic X-ray findings were evaluated as follows: (1) high fibular head, (2) squared-off appearance of the lateral femoral condyle, (3) cupping of the lateral tibial plateau, (4) widened femorotibial joint space, (5) hypoplasia of the lateral intercondylar spine, (6) notching of the LFC. The number of characteristic X-ray findings (0/1/more than 2) was noted. Binary logistic analysis was performed to find the factors that predict the presence and tear of contralateral DLM. Results MRI of contralateral knees revealed 43 cases (57%) of complete DLM, 25 cases (33%) of incomplete DLM, and 8 cases (11%) of normal meniscus. Meniscus tears were found in 29 cases (38%) in the contralateral knee. X-ray of the contralateral knee revealed that 27 patients (36%) had one and 24 patients (32%) had two or more characteristic X-ray findings. On logistic regression analysis, the associations between contralateral knee meniscal tear and the presence of one or more than two characteristic X-ray findings were statistically significant (OR: 16.5, p = 0.028; OR: 264.0, p = 0.000, respectively). Discussion The number of characteristic X-ray findings in the contralateral knee is a significant predictive factor for contralateral DLM type and/or tear. Symptomatic DLM patients with characteristic X-ray findings should be carefully evaluated for contralateral DLM and meniscal tears. Level of evidence III, prospective diagnostic study of consecutive patients.

There is growing evidence that the accumulation of DNA damage induced by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is an underlying mechanism of pulmonary disease onset and progression. However, there is a lack of experimental evidence on whether common factors (age, gender) affect PM2.5 induced genomic damage. Here, we assessed the DNA damage potency of PM2.5 using conventional genotoxicity testing in old male and female mice aged 8 and 40 weeks. Mice were intratracheally instilled with diesel exhaust PM2.5 (DEP, NIST SRM 1650b), twice a week for 4 weeks. Exposure to DEP was not associated with an increase in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and did not induce a systemic genotoxic effect in the bone marrow. Meanwhile, the results from the comet assay showed a significant increase in DNA damage in DEP exposed mouse lung specimens. The positive relationship between DEP exposure and DNA damage is stronger in the older than in the younger group. Statistical analysis showed that there was a modifying effect of age on the association between PM2.5 exposure and DNA damage. Our results suggest that the age factor should be considered to better understand the cellular adverse effects of PM2.5.

Several epidemiological studies concluded that inhalation of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) is associated with an increase in the relative risk of lung cancer. In vitro research evaluating the genetic damage and/or changes in gene expression have been attempted to explain the relationship between DEP exposure and carcinogenicity. However, to date, investigations have been largely confined to studies in immortalized or tumorigenic epithelial cell models. Few studies have investigated damage at the chromosomal level to DEP exposure in normal cell lines. Here, we present the genotoxic effects of DEP in normal cells (embryonic human lung fibroblasts) by conventional genotoxicity testing (micronuclei (MN) and comet assay). We show the differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways in DEP-exposed WI-38 cells using RNA sequencing data. We observed a significant increase in single-strand DNA breaks and the frequency of MN in DEP-exposed cells in a dose-dependent manner. The differentially expressed genes following DEP exposure were significantly enriched in the pathway for responding to xenobiotics and DNA damage. Taken together, these results show that DEP exposure induced DNA damage at the chromosomal level in normal human lung cells and provide information on the expression of genes associated with genotoxic stress.

OBJECTIVES Acquired somatic mutation Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F is associated with various myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction has been widely adopted to detect mutation; however, the utility of low positive results is not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of low positivity of JAK2 V617F. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective analysis was performed for JAK2 V617F mutation tests performed using JAK2 MutaQuant kit (Ipsogen) in molecular laboratories at 2 major academic medical centers between 2010 and 2012. Cases with low positive JAK2 V617F, defined as 0.2% to 5% mutant allele, were documented. Chart review was performed for the clinical correlation. RESULTS A total of 1697 JAK2 V617F tests was performed. Forty-five cases (2.65%) yielded a low JAK2 V617F positivity (average 1.45%), the majority of which (n=26, 62%) had

V-set and immunoglobulin domain-containing 4 (VSIG4) is a B7 family-related protein which includes PDL1, VISTA and CTLA4 ligand. The known functions of VSIG4 are a receptor for complement iC3b and C3b to inhibit complement activity and negative regulation of proliferating T cell. Although VSIG4 is highly expressed in tissue-resident macrophage and tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), the mechanism of the signal transduction is not fully elucidated. Here we investigate the pivotal roles of anti-VSIG4 therapeutic antibody in TAM and tumor microenvironment. Anti-VSIG4 antibody engagement altered a broad range of type II macrophage (M2) transcriptome which related to immune-tolerance and increased the proliferation of cytotoxic CD8+T cells. Anti-VSIG4 antibody induced phosphorylation of JNK and p38MAPK and in consequence, decreased the expression of M2 marker CD14, CSF-1R and CD163 while type I macrophage (M1) marker CD86 and CD40 were increased. Furthermore, anti-VSIG4 antibody treatment to TAM in ovarian cancer patients, results in secretion of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in a similar way to M1 macrophages. In the CD34+-based humanized mouse model, stimulation of VSIG4 attenuated tumor growth and promoted infiltration of IFN-gamma-producing CD8+ T cells into tumor tissue. Adopted transfer of differentiated M2 macrophages to immune-deficient NSG mice confirmed M2 conversion into M1 macrophage phenotype with anti-VSIG4 antibody. Our finding suggests that anti-VSIG4 antibody directly act on TAM and induce repolarization of TAM to tumor suppressive M1 macrophages, leading to a CD8+ T cell proliferation and tumor suppression. Overall, targeting the VSIG4 would be an advantageous candidate in cancer therapeutics. Citation Format: Hye Jeong Kim, Sunhee Hwang, Seung-Hyun Lee, HyunTae Son, Joong Won Lee, Byoung S. Kwon. Anti-tumor effect of VSIG4 in conversion of immunosuppressive type II macrophage via repolarization [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3268.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a promising method for limiting the effects of global warming. A multistage membrane process is needed to capture and recover high-purity CO2 from off-gas with low CO2 concentrations in thermal power plants. In this study, a simple design method based on the “no-mixing-loss” concept was suggested. The performance of the process could be improved by avoiding mixing loss and the optimization process was simplified using a reduced number of optimization parameters. The feed and permeate pressure, and the design criteria of CO2 concentration at the retentate side in each section were considered as decision variables for optimizing the process with a target purity of 95% and a target recovery of 90%. Three-, five-, and seven-stage processes were designed and evaluated in terms of energy consumption and capture cost. In addition, a well-designed inner cooling system in the pressure units enhanced compressor efficiency and contributed to the reduction in energy consumption and costs.

Purpose Currently, standard management of a peri-prosthetic infection is a two-stage revision precedure. However, removal of well-fixed cement is technically demanding and associated with numerous potential complications. For theses reasons, two-stage revision with preservation of the original femoral stem can be considered and several previous studies have achieved successful results. While most prior studies used cemented stems, the use of cementless stems during arthroplasty has been gradually increasing; this study aims to assess the comparative effectiveness of a two-stage revision of infected hip arthroplasties at preserving cemented and cementless stems. Materials and methods Between December 2001 and February 2017, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital treated 45 cases of deep infections following hip arthroplasty with a two stage revisional arthroplasty using antibiotics-loaded cement spacers. This approach was applied in an effort to preserve the previously implanted femoral stem. Of these 45 cases, 20 were followed-up for at least two years and included in this analysis. Perioperative clinical symptoms, radiological findings, function and complications during insertion of an antibiotics-loaded cement spacer were analyzed in this study. Results Peri-prothetic infections were controlled in 19 of the 20 included cases. Clinical outcomes, as assessed using the Harris hip score, Western Ontario and McMaster University score, also improved. Importantly, similarly improved outcomes were achieved for both cemented and cementless femoral stems. Conclusion In cases of deep infection following hip arthroplasty, two-stage revision arthroplasty to preserve the previously implanted femoral stem (cemented or cementless) effectively controls infections and preserves joint function.

Use of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is growing which increases occupational exposures to these materials. Their toxic potential makes it important to have an in-depth understanding of the inflammation and disease that develops due to exposure. Epigenetics is one area of interest that has been quickly developing to assess disease processes due to its ability to change gene expression and thus the lung environment after exposure. In this study, promoter methylation of inflammatory genes (IFN-γ and TNF-α) was measured after MWCNT exposure using the pyrosequencing assay and found to correlate with initial cytokine production. In addition, methylation of a gene involved in tissue fibrosis (Thy-1) was also altered in a way that matched collagen deposition. In addition to using epigenetics to better understand disease processes, it has also been used as a biomarker of exposure and disease. In this study, global methylation was determined in the lung to ascertain whether MWCNT alter global methylation at the site of exposure and if those alterations coincide with disease development. Then, global methylation levels were determined in the blood to ascertain whether global methylation could be used as a biomarker of exposure in a more easily accessible tissue. Using the LuUminometric Methylation Assay (LUMA) and 5-Methylcytosine (5-mC) Quantification assay, we found that MWCNT lead to DNA hypomethylation in the lung and blood, which coincided with disease development. This study provides initial data showing that alterations in gene-specific methylation correspond with an inflammatory response to MWCNT exposure. In addition, global DNA methylation in the lung and blood coincides with MWCNT-induced disease development, suggesting its potential as a biomarker of both exposure and disease development.

Although concrete structures suffer from damage due to high temperatures such as fire, it is possible to repair and strengthen after fire considering economic interests. To assess the remaining bearing capacity of the structural elements after high temperatures, information of the temperatures reached inside the elements is very important. The assessment of the temperatures reached inside concrete during a fire by means of its color changes has been studied using the method of spectrophotometer or digital image analysis. The purpose of this study is to quantify changes in color for reinforced concrete member including columns and beams using digital image analysis and to identify the relationship between color changes and increasing temperatures. In this paper new approach is performed to the research field of assessment of concrete structures after fire by means of colorimetry. The color measurement of digital images in reinforced concrete columns and beams exposed to , , and is executed according to RGB, HSB, and Lab color space with Photoshop Software and the trend of each color value is analyzed in different temperatures. The result of this study shows that color changes of reinforced concrete member with increasing high temperatures not only a shift to red is considered, but also the development of a color path. Therefore, this color development can be related to the increasing temperature and can be used to assess the fire damage of concrete structures.

When reinforced concrete is subjected to high temperatures in a fire, there is a deterioration in its properties. It is very important to know loss in compressive strength, loss of elastic modulus, cracking and spalling of the concrete. To determine whether a structure can be repaired rather than demolished after a fire, an assessment of structural integrity must be made. To assess the remaining bearing capacity of the structural elements after fire, information of the temperatures reached inside the elements is necessary. On heating, a change in color from normal to a pink/red is often observed and this is useful since it coincides with the onset of significant loss of concrete strength. The purpose of this study is to quantify changes in color for blast-furnace slag concrete using photo image analysis and to identify the relationship between color change and increasing temperatures. For this purpose, we manufactured concrete samples with varying water-to-binder ratios and heated them to target temperatures of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and in an electric oven, whereupon their color changes in photos of the specimen were measured using photoshop program. The result of this study shows that color changes in a concrete exposed to high temperature have a consistent relationship with several variables according to RGB, HSB, and Lab color coordinates. Therefore, it is possible to estimate how much temperature the specimen was exposed considering these results of color change.

As the competition for recruiting hospitality management students increases among major hospitality management programs in the United States, updating programs based on student needs has become integral to program success. This study explored student perceptions of hospitality education quality in the United States and compared international and domestic student perceptions of 29 education quality attributes in five areas: student support, industry networking, innovative curriculum, learning environment, and program credential. A total of 329 usable responses including 69 responses from international students were collected at four hospitality management programs for data analysis. Overall, study results indicated that domestic students rated all five areas significantly higher than international students. However, some notable differences were found in the relative importance of education quality areas and individual education quality attributes between the two groups. Domestic students chose the industry network as the second most important area of education quality after student support, while international students rated the innovative curriculum as one of top two important quality areas. Detailed implications are discussed for program administrators and faculty.

Background The incidence of bilateral discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) is as high as 73 to 85%, and associated contralateral meniscus tears ranged from 4 to 33% in symptomatic surgical DLM. The goal of the study was analyzing the factors that predict contralateral presence and tearing of DLM in patients who underwent surgery for symptomatic DLM. Our hypothesis was that there is a significant correlation between operative DLM properties and the incidence of bilateral DLM with associated contralateral meniscus tears. These properties include tear patterns, younger patient age, and characteristic X-ray findings. Patients and methods This prospective study included 76 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery for symptomatic DLM. The contralateral knees were evaluated with X-ray and MRI. Based on the MRI findings, DLM was categorized into three types, and tear patterns were analyzed. The characteristic X-ray findings were evaluated as follows: (1) high fibular head, (2) squared-off appearance of the lateral femoral condyle, (3) cupping of the lateral tibial plateau, (4) widened femorotibial joint space, (5) hypoplasia of the lateral intercondylar spine, (6) notching of the LFC. The number of characteristic X-ray findings (0/1/more than 2) was noted. Binary logistic analysis was performed to find the factors that predict the presence and tear of contralateral DLM. Results MRI of contralateral knees revealed 43 cases (57%) of complete DLM, 25 cases (33%) of incomplete DLM, and 8 cases (11%) of normal meniscus. Meniscus tears were found in 29 cases (38%) in the contralateral knee. X-ray of the contralateral knee revealed that 27 patients (36%) had one and 24 patients (32%) had two or more characteristic X-ray findings. On logistic regression analysis, the associations between contralateral knee meniscal tear and the presence of one or more than two characteristic X-ray findings were statistically significant (OR: 16.5, p = 0.028; OR: 264.0, p = 0.000, respectively). Discussion The number of characteristic X-ray findings in the contralateral knee is a significant predictive factor for contralateral DLM type and/or tear. Symptomatic DLM patients with characteristic X-ray findings should be carefully evaluated for contralateral DLM and meniscal tears. Level of evidence III, prospective diagnostic study of consecutive patients.

Service learning has been utilized as an effective type of pedagogy, and students involved in service learning projects gain real-world experiences outside the classroom. Research suggests that intergenerational service learning projects are becoming increasingly common and such projects are likely to enhance the quality of both academic and civic outcomes for students. There is, however, relatively little research on the learning outcomes of event management students involved with physically active older adults. This study investigated the learning outcomes of undergraduate students who facilitated a sporting event for older adults. Students participated in structured service learning opportunities at the Indiana Senior Games, a multi-sport event for those aged 50 and older. Three investigators independently used content analysis methodology to analyze 142 student reflection papers. It was found that the students developed relationships with older adults, were less likely to negatively stereotype older adults, and realized the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle when they grow old. Service learning opportunities with older adults are a promising practice for undergraduate students, as self-esteem and a sense of social responsibility may be affected.

>> TThe integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) system is well known for its high efficiencycompared with other coal fueled power generation system. The aim of this study is to confirm the feasibility of using bio gas in coal feeding system and syngas recirculation system. The effects of using bio gas in the gasifieron the syngas composition were investigated through simulations using the Aspen Plus process simulator. It wasfound that these changes had an influence on the syngas composition of the final stream and bio gas can be usedin a gasifier system. Key words : Coal gasification(석탄가스화), Bio gas(바이오가스), Gasifier(가스화기), ASPEN Plus(아스펜 플러스) † Corresponding author : joongwonlee@kepco.co.kr [ 접수일 : 2013.6.5 수정일 : 2013.6.28 게재확정일 : 2013.6.30 ]Copyright ⓒ 2013 KHNES 1. 서 론 석탄, 바이오매스 등의 에너지 원료를 고온 ·고압 조건에서 반응 당량 이하의 산소 (O 2 ), 수증기(H 2 O)를 이용하여 불완전 연소시켜 일산화탄소 (CO)와 수소(H 2 )가 주성분인 합성가스를 생산(가스화)하는 공정을 거쳐, 복합발전 시스템을 통해 전력을 생산하는 것을 석탄가스화복합발전 (IGCC: Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle)이라 한다. 현재 국내에는 태안에 IGCC 공정이 건설 중에 있으며, 광양에 가스화기를 사용하여 SNG(합성 천연 가스, Synthetic Natural Gas)를 생산하는 플랜트가 포스코 주도하에 건설 중이다. 이 외에도 남부발전의 하동, 삼척 등에서 SNG 생산 설비를 구축하기 위한 작업들이 활발하게 진행되고 있다

Following one of the world’s largest nuclear accidents, occured at Fukushima, Japan in 2011, a significant scientific effort has focused on minimizing the potential adverse health effects due to radiation exposure. The use of natural dietary antioxidants to reduce the risk of radiation-induced oxidative DNA damage is a simple strategy for minimizing radiation-related cancer rates and improving overall health. The onion is among the richest sources of dietary flavonoids and is an important food for increasing their overall intake. Therefore, we examined the effect of an onion extract on cyto- and geno-toxicity in human lymphocytes treated with bleomycin (BLM), a radiomimetic agent. In addition, we measured the frequency of micronuclei (MN) and DNA damage following treatment with BLM using a cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay and a single cell gel electrophoresis assay. We observed a significant increase in cell viability in lymphocytes treated with onion extract then exposed to BLM compared to cells treated with BLM alone. The frequency of BLM induced MN and DNA damage increased in a dose-dependent manner; however, when lymphocytes were pretreated with onion extract (10 and 20 μL/mL), the frequency of BLM-induced MN was decreased at all doses of BLM and DNA damage was decreased at 3 μg/mL of BLM. These results suggest that onion extract may have protective effects against BLM-induced cyto- and genotoxicity in human lymphocytes.

The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) system is well known for its high efficiency compared with that of other coal fueled power generation system. IGCC offers substantial advantages over pulverized coal combustion when carbon capture and storage (CCS) is required. Commercial plants employ different types of quenching system to meet the purpose of the system. Depending on that, the downstream units of IGCC can be modeled using different operating conditions and units. In case with separation and capture, the gasifier product must be converted to hydrogen-rich syngas using Water Gas Shift (WGS) reaction. In most WGS processes, the water gas shift reactor is the biggest and heaviest component because the reaction is relatively slow compared to the other reactions and is inhibited at higher temperatures by thermodynamics. In this study, tehchno-econimic assessments were found according to the quench types and operating conditions in the WGS system. These results can improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of coal gasification.

Quantum dots (QDs) are luminescent nanoparticles (NPs) with promising potential in numerous medical applications, but there remain persistent human health and safety concerns. Although the cytotoxic effects of QDs have been extensively investigated, their genotoxic effects remain under-explored. This study scrutinized the cyto- and genotoxic effects of QDs with a Cadmium selenide/Zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) core/shell, and suggests comprehensive guidelines for the application of QDs in cancer therapy. QDs were used to treat A549 cells in the presence and absence of ultraviolet A/B (UVA/UVB) irradiation. QD-induced cell death was evaluated by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), apoptosis, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays, as well as by real-time PCR analysis of differential mRNA levels of genes, such as ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), p53, and caspase-9, involved in apoptosis. The genotoxic effect of CdSe/ZnS QDs was measured in human cancer cells, for the first time, by comet and micronucleus assays. Treatment with CdSe/ZnS QDs and UVB irradiation resulted in the most severe extent of cell death, indicating strong induction of phototoxicity by CdSe/ZnS QDs in the presence of UVB. Both apoptotic and necrotic cell death were observed upon QDs and UVB combined treatment. The induction of Olive tail moments and micronuclei formation was also most significant when CdSe/ZnS QDs and UVB irradiation were combined. Our results on the genotoxic effect and mechanistic details of CdSe/ZnS QD-induced cell death suggest that UVB irradiation is the most effective method for increasing the potency of QDs during photodynamic cancer therapy.

The lateral reinforcements of concrete such as hoops and spiral bars are known to confine concrete to compensate the strength loss due to fire by reducing explosive spalling and improving the capacity of ductility. In this context, a study was conducted to investigate the residual mechanical properties of confined and unconfined concrete(

The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) system is well known for its high efficiency compared with that of other coal fueled power generating systems. In this study, gasification using different types of burners with different oxygen supply angles in a bench-scale entrained flow gasifier was investigated. The effects of the oxygen gas supply angle of the coal burner and resulting oxygen supply location in the gasifier on the syngas composition and temperature of the gasifier were experimentally examined. These changes had a significant influence on the syngas composition of the final stream, carbon conversion, and efficiencies. According to the experimental results, the models using the Aspen Plus process simulator were positioned to define the effects of the experimental parameters and to find the optimum operating conditions in the bench gasifier facility.

The IGCC (Integrated gasification combined cycle) is known as one of the coal fueled power generating technologies with the highest efficiency and lowest emissions. To achieve the required higher efficiency and lower emission performance, Korea's 300 MW IGCC RDD&D (Research Development, Demonstration and Dissemination) project was launched in December 2006 under the leadership of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), with the support of the Korea Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Our research group, the KEPCO Research Institute, set up a coal gasifier for the pilot test and conducted many experiments for the parametric study in this project. Our group focused its research on the effect of different types of coal and oxygen supply angles on the optimum O 2 /coal ratio for gasification. Through this study we found that using higher oxygen content coal reduced the optimum O 2 /coal ratio for gasification. However, there was no apparent relationship between the oxygen supply angle and the optimum O 2 /coal ratio. And, two types of coal burners having different oxygen supply angles were used to conduct the feasibility study on a variable angle burner for the coal gasifier.

This work proposes a sequential modelling approach using an artificial neural network (ANN) to develop four independent multivariate models that are able to predict the dynamics of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solid (SS), and total nitrogen (TN) removal in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Suitable structures of ANN models were automatically and conveniently optimized by a genetic algorithm rather than the conventional trial and error method. The sequential modelling approach, which is composed of two parts, a process disturbance estimator and a process behaviour predictor, was also presented to develop multivariate dynamic models. In particular, the process disturbance estimator was first employed to estimate the influent quality. The process behaviour predictor then sequentially predicted the effluent quality based on the estimated influent quality from the process disturbance estimator with other process variables. The efficiencies of the developed ANN models with a sequential modelling approach were demonstrated with a practical application using a data set collected from a full-scale WWTP during 2 years. The results show that the ANN with the sequential modelling approach successfully developed multivariate dynamic models of BOD, COD, SS, and TN removal with satisfactory estimation and prediction capability. Thus, the proposed method could be used as a powerful tool for the prediction of complex and nonlinear WWTP performance.