Search

Gender conflict, which is emerging as a serious concern in Korean society, is also a subject of discourse in the field of education. A vast majority of university students are affected by economic downturn and are required to compete in an uncertain situation. This study proposes an educational model from the perspective of understanding the younger generation, which is struggling in uncertain situations, rather than treating gender conflict merely as hatred between individual women and men. This paper also proposes an educational environment wherein students feel encouraged to deal with gender conflicts by understanding their liminal spaces and crossing borders for gender equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the diagnostic value of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) at hand and wrist joints for differentiating rheumatic diseases via bone single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT). A total of 84 patients manifesting hand and wrist pain (58 women; age, 49.8 ± 15.4 years) were finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 42), osteoarthritis (OA, n = 16), fibromyalgia (FM, n = 2), and other rheumatic diseases (n = 24). The SUV of each patient was measured in 32 joints including the distal interphalangeal (DIP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), metacarpophalangeal (MCP), and wrist joints bilaterally. Differences in pain and SUVs between specific rheumatic diseases were assessed using the chi-squared test or one-way analysis of variance. Using the highest SUV (hSUV) in each patient, the diagnostic performance in differentiating specific diseases was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Pain symptoms were present in 886 (33.0%) sites in a total of 2688 joints. In four joint groups (DIP, PIP, MCP, and wrist), the SUVs of joints with pain were significantly higher than those of pain-free joints (all P < 0.001). Active joint sites with higher SUVs than the median value of each joint group were the most common in RA (55.1%). RA showed the greatest hSUV in the PIP (3.0 ± 2.4), MCP (3.5 ± 3.4), and wrist (3.3 ± 1.9) joint groups. FM was characterized by the lowest hSUV of all joint groups. In ROC curve analysis, the cumulative hSUV of the PIP, MCP, and wrist joint groups showed good performance for evaluating RA (area under the curve (AUC), 0.668; P = 0.005). The summation of the hSUVs at all joint groups had an excellent predictive performance for FM (AUC, 0.878; P < 0.001). Consequently, the arthritic activity of the hand and wrist joints based on SUV differed according to specific rheumatic diseases. Quantitative SPECT/CT may provide objective information related to arthritic activity for differentiating specific rheumatic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a lethal disease that occurs suddenly and progresses to multi-organ failure. We present a case of CAPS successfully treated with the rituximab biosimilar CT-P10. A 38-year-old man was referred with a sustained fever and unexplained elevated creatinine levels. Cardiac arrest by ventricular fibrillation occurred upon arrival at the hospital. We diagnosed probable CAPS because of coronary thrombus, renal impairment, suspected diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and positive anticardiolipin antibody immunoglobulin G. We performed percutaneous coronary intervention for the cardiac arrest, and treated him with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, mechanical ventilation, and continuous renal replacement therapy. When CAPS was diagnosed, we administered CT-P10 after administering high-dose glucocorticoid. Our case suggests that the use of a rituximab biosimilar is economically efficient in the treatment of CAPS, as in other rheumatic diseases. The patient was cured without recurrence at the 2-year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging, a critical risk factor of several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, affects an ever-growing number of people. Cacao supplementation has been suggested to improve age-related neuronal deficits. Therefore, this study investigated the protective effects of raw cacao powder on oxidative stress-induced aging. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: Control (C), d-galactose-induced aging (G), d-galactose injection with 10% (LC), and 16% (HC) cacao powder mixed diet. d-galactose (300 mg/3 mL/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into all but the control group for 12 weeks. Cacao supplemented diets were provided for 8 weeks. The levels of serum Malondialdehyde (MDA), Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs), brain and liver MDA, the indicators of the d-galactose induced oxidative stress were significantly decreased in LC and HC but increased in G. The Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of brain showed that the cholinergic impairment was significantly lower in LC, and HC than G. Furthermore, the expression levels of catalase (CAT), phospho-Akt/Akt, and procaspase-3 were significantly increased in LC and HC. In conclusion, cacao consumption attenuated the effects of oxidative stress, cholinergic impairment and apoptosis, indicating its potential in future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on every facet of life around the world. For many, the world has become a place of doubt and uncertainty as people struggle to cope with the changes coming in the wake of COVID-19 and seek to determine how best to respond. With ecological, economic, and ideological crises occurring alongside COVID-19, this study proposes religious education that emphasizes the value of life, promotes equality, and fosters global interconnectedness. This religious education provides an open, equal, and interconnected environment where learners can understand, discuss, and confront global problems for the common future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the 2012 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) compared to that of previous classification/diagnostic criteria in the Korean population. Method: We consecutively included 77 patients aged ≥50 years presenting with bilateral shoulder pain and elevated acute‐phase reactants. All patients were evaluated for fulfillment of each of the 5 different criteria for PMR (Chuang et al, Bird, Jones and Hazleman, Healey, and the EULAR/ACR criteria). At baseline, bilateral ultrasound (US) examinations of the shoulders and hips were performed. Final diagnosis was made by an experienced rheumatologist at the 12‐month follow‐up. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of criteria sets were assessed. Results: At the end of follow‐up, 38 and 39 patients were diagnosed with PMR and non‐PMR including rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 20), respectively. The EULAR/ACR classification criteria with US showed the best discriminating capacity (AUC 0.843). Adding US to EULAR/ACR criteria increased specificity from 74.4% to 89.7%, but decreased sensitivity from 89.5% to 78.9%. The two US items of the EULAR/ACR criteria were significantly more frequent in patients with PMR than in controls. However, the second criterion consisting of both shoulders inflamed were similar between PMR (60.5%) and RA (60.0%) groups. Conclusion: The 2012 EULAR/ACR classification criteria for PMR performed best in classifying PMR from other inflammatory and non‐inflammatory disorders with shoulder pain in Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a lethal disease that occurs suddenly and progresses to multi-organ failure. We present a case of CAPS successfully treated with the rituximab biosimilar CT-P10. A 38-year-old man was referred with a sustained fever and unexplained elevated creatinine levels. Cardiac arrest by ventricular fibrillation occurred upon arrival at the hospital. We diagnosed probable CAPS because of coronary thrombus, renal impairment, suspected diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and positive anticardiolipin antibody immunoglobulin G. We performed percutaneous coronary intervention for the cardiac arrest, and treated him with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, mechanical ventilation, and continuous renal replacement therapy. When CAPS was diagnosed, we administered CT-P10 after administering high-dose glucocorticoid. Our case suggests that the use of a rituximab biosimilar is economically efficient in the treatment of CAPS, as in other rheumatic diseases. The patient was cured without recurrence at the 2-year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mass selected ion beam of ArN+2 clusters is brought to a spatial focus and crossed with the polarized output of an argon ion laser. Photofragment ions are mass and energy analyzed using an electrostatic analyzer and detected using single ion counting methods. Photoproducts observed over the photon energy range of 2.1 to 3.5 eV are Ar+/N2 and N+2/Ar with the former favored by about a factor of 3. Analysis of the data indicate the upper state is purely repulsive leading to strongly translationally and vibrationally excited products. The absolute cross section has an onset at about 600 nm and smoothly increases to 357 nm. In order to reasonably interpret the data it is suggested the higher energy Ar+(2P3/2)/N2 asymptote diabatically correlates to the ground state of ArN+2 and the lower energy N+2(X 2∑)/Ar asymptote diabatically correlates to the repulsive state accessed by the photon. Detailed dynamics in the region where the curves cross are responsible for the observed product distribution. Application of an impulsive model indicates the ground state of ArN+2 is linear. Finally, equilibrium measurements of the reaction (N2)+2+Ar↔ArN+2+N2 indicate ΔH00=-1.0±0.3 kcal/mol and ΔS0=1.5±0.5 cal k-1 mol-1 in agreement with the result of Teng and Conway which had been disputed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photodissociation dynamics of CO-3·H2O and CO-3·CO2 have been investigated at photon energies of 2.13, 2.41, 2.54, and 2.71 eV. Experiments were conducted by crossing a mass-selected, 8 kV ion beam with a linearly polarized laser beam, and measuring the kinetic energy distributions of the charged photodissociation products. By varying the angle between the ion beam and the laser polarization vector, product angular distributions were obtained. The only ionic product observed from both systems was CO-3. The average energy partitioned into relative translation of the photofragments was determined to be ∼0.1 eV for CO-3·H2O and ∼0.07 eV for CO-3·CO2. In both cases, these kinetic energy release values were found to be nearly independent of photon energy. The small fraction of the available energy partitioned into kinetic energy of the photofragments indicates that the upper states of the transitions leading to photodissociation are bound, and that a substantial fraction of the available energy must be channeled into internal energy of the dissociating fragments. The angular distributions of CO-3 photoproducts from both CO-3·H2O and CO-3·CO2 were found to be extremely isotropic. Modeling the experimental data using statistical phase space theory shows that dissociation occurs prior to completeenergy randomization, and provides a measure of the extent of energy randomization prior to dissociation. Comparison of theory and experiment indicates the photodissociation processes proceed by the following mechanism: (1) Photon absorption occurs via a transition localized on CO-3 moiety: CO-3 (2B1)·X+hν→CO-3 (2A1)·X, where X=CO2 or H2O. (2) CO-3(2A1)·X internally converts to CO-3(2B1)·X, with a high degree of vibrational excitation being localized on the CO-3 moiety. (3) The vibrational excitation localized on the CO-3 moiety begins to slowly randomize throughout the cluster... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photodissociation dynamics of the CO2·O+2 cluster are studied in a crossed ion beam–laser beam apparatus from λ=590 nm to λ=357 nm. At all wavelengths only CO+2/O2 products are observed even though O+2/CO2 products are lower in energy by 1.71 eV. The absolute cross section for photodestruction of CO2·O+2 is measured and increases smoothly from less than 1×10-18 cm2 at 590 nm to approximately 7×10-18 cm2 at 357 nm. In the range 590–458 nm ground electronic state CO+2(X 2Π)/O2(X 3∑) products are formed. Arguments are made that indicate that the O2 product is selectively vibrationally excited to the highest level energetically allowed (ν=0,1, or 2 depending on the wavelength). Asymmetry parameter analysis indicates that the photoexcited state of CO2·O+2 accessed is repulsive and the cluster dissociates in times short compared to a rotational period. At 357 nm the mechanism changes. Arguments are made that unambiguously indicate the O2 product is electronically excited at this wavelength and the product states are CO+2(X 2Π)/O2(a 1Δ). In addition, 10%–25% of the photoexcited clusters at 357 nm may initially be formed in a bound state that subsequently vibrationally predissociates. The large majority of the products at this wavelength are formed by direct dissociation from a repulsive state, however, similar to the longer wavelength data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photodissociation study of SO2 · O+2 is presented. The experiments were carried out on mass selected ion beams that were crossed with a polarized laser beam and then photoproducts were mass and energy analyzed. The SO2 · O+2 ions were formed by three body association reactions in a pressure and temperature dependent ion source. Studies were carried out at wavelengths of 582, 514, 488, 458, and 357±7 nm using an argon ion laser/dye laser system. Both O+2/SO2 and SO+2/O2 photoproducts were observed and the branching ratio measured as a function of λ. In addition, product kinetic energy distributions and angular distributions (asymmetry parameters) were measured and statistical phase space theory calculations were carried out. The results indicate the O+2/SO2 products are formed from photon absorption to a bound excited state at all wavelengths followed by internal conversion to the ground state and statistical vibrational predissociation. The SO+2/O2 products are formed by two mechanisms. At long wavelengths (582 nm) the products are formed exclusively by photon absorption to a bound state followed by internal conversion and statistical predissociation from the ground state. At short wavelengths (357 nm) direct dissociation from a repulsive upper state dominates. Both mechanisms are involved at intermediate wavelengths. Arguments are made that both the bound and repulsive upper states correlate to SO+2(X 1A1)/O2(b 1∑+g) products and that the bound upper state corresponds to the low energy band in the photodissociation cross section measurements of Hodges and Vanderhoff and the repulsive state to the high energy band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photodissociation dynamics of (SO2)-2 to form SO2/SO-2 products is investigated over the wavelength range 656 (1.89 eV) to 458 nm (2.71 eV). Product angular distributions are obtained. An asymmetry parameter analysis indicates the lifetime of the (SO2)-2 photoexcited state is much less than a rotational period. Product kinetic energy distributions are obtained at all wavelengths. Both the overall shape of these distributions and comparison with statistical phase space theory calculations indicate the excited state assessed by the photon is repulsive consistent with the asymmetry parameter analysis. An impulsive model analysis suggests the bond between the two SO2 moeities in (SO2)-2 is probably between one oxygen atom on each moeity and the structure is quasilinear. Structure is also observed in the kinetic energy distributions. It is suggested this is due to selective photoexcitation of vibrational states of either the SO2 or SO-2 moeity in (SO2)-2. Hodges and Vanderhoff have reported a bimodel photodestruction cross section for (SO2)-2, with major peaks near 600 and 400 nm. We argue these peaks are due to photodissociation of (SO2)-2 not photodetachment, with the first excited doublet state (repulsive) leading to the 600 nm peak and the second excited doublet state (bound) leading to the second maxima. The repulsive state must correlate to ground state SO2/SO-2 products and the bound state to electronically excited SO2/SO-2 products. Predictions regarding the dissociation dynamics of the bound state are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a study of the visible wavelength photodissociation dynamics of the (CO2)+3 cluster ion are presented. The experiments were performed using a crossed laser–ion beam apparatus. The photodissociation spectrum, product branching ratios, product angular distributions, and product energy distributions are reported. The main product from visible wavelength photodissociation of (CO2)+3 is CO+2. The results suggest photodissociation of (CO2)+3 is a two-step process: photon absorption by a (CO2)+2 chromophore, instantaneous ejection of a CO2 monomer unit derived from the chromophore, and formation of a transient dimer species; this is followed by dissociation of the transient dimer species which may survive for several rotational periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dear Editor, Since the first novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient was diagnosed in the Republic of Korea on January 20, 2020, 10,780 patients have been diagnosed as of May 2, 2020. Therefore, the KCR does not recommend taking health supplements for COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases. [Extracted from the article]

A Gram-stain-negative bacterial strain designated Con4 was isolated from activated sludge in a seawater treatment system. The strain was rod-shaped, motile, aerobic, and formed yellow-colored colonies on agar medium. Cells contained carotenoid pigments, but flexirubin-type pigments were absent. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the strain was assigned to the genus Gelidibacter. Optimum growth occurred at 20 °C, pH 7.0, and 1-2% (w/v) NaCl. Prominent fatty acid types were iso-C, anteiso-C, and iso-C 3OH. Diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine were present as the major polar lipids. MK-6 was present as major menaquinone. Strain Con4 showed the highest sequence similarity with Gelidibacter mesophilus KCTC 12106 (96.5%), Gelidibacter gilvus IC158 (96.4%), and Gelidibacter algens ACAM 536 (95.8%). The G+C mol% contents of the strain Con4 were 37.7%. Distinct morphological, physiological, and genotypic differences from the previously described taxa support the classification of strain Con4 as a representative of a novel species in the genus Gelidibacter, for which the name Gelidibacter flavus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Con4 (=KEMB 41-198 = JCM 31135). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop flipped learning models for clinical practicums and compare their effectiveness regarding learner motivation toward learning, satisfaction, and confidence in performing core nursing skills among undergraduate nursing students in Korea. Methods This study was a randomized clinical trial designed to compare the effectiveness of 2 flipped learning models. Data were collected for 3 days from October 21 to 23, 2015 before the clinical practicum was implemented and for 2 weeks from October 26 to December 18, 2015 during the practicum period. Results The confidence of the students in performing core nursing skills was likely to increase after they engaged in the clinical practicum in both study groups. However, while learner confidence and motivation were not affected by the type of flipped learning, learner satisfaction did differ between the 2 groups. Conclusions The findings indicate that applying flipped learning allows students to conduct individualized learning with a diversity of clinical cases at their own level of understanding and at their own pace before they participate in real-world practicums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: We aimed to evaluate the predictive power of longitudinal and circumferential fibers according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in successfully reperfused acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Methods: Total 691 patients (age 59±13, 20% female) underwent clinical evaluation and conventional and strain echocardiography (Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS)). The clinical outcome was defined as the composite of death, hospitalization for heart failure, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and ventricular arrhythmia. Results: During a follow-up of 39±19 months, there were 47 (6.8%) clinical events. In multivariate Cox models adjusted clinical risk factors, age (HR 1.08, p = 0.001) and GLS (HR 1.37, p = 0.001) were independent predictors. The addition of GLS resulted in significant incremental improvement in the predictive value on LVEF (χ2 = 31.8→45.8, p<0.001), although GCS offers no additional benefit. In the subgroup analysis according to LVEF, adjusted with clinical factors, GLS was significant predictive for outcome for the patients with mildly depressed (LVEF 40–50%, HR 2.25, p<0.001) and significantly depressed (LVEF<40%, HR 1.28, p = 0.016) systolic function, although GCS and LVEF lost their power with LVEF<40%. For the patients with preserved LVEF (>50%), GLS, GCS and LVEF did not show significant predictive power. Conclusions: GLS is a most powerful predictor of outcome in successfully reperfused STEMI patients, especially with depressed LV dysfunction, although GCS and LVEF lost their predictive power for the patients with significantly depressed LV function. However, GLS did not predict outcome for the patients with preserved LVEF (>50%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) is often rapidly progressive with a poor prognosis; however, no standard therapeutic regimen has been identified. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in IIM-ILD patients. Five patients who had been administered rituximab for IIM-ILD at least once between August 2016 and November 2021 were included. Lung function decline was compared one year before and after rituximab. Disease progression, defined as a greater than 10% relative decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) compared to the baseline, was also compared before and after treatment. Adverse events were recorded for safety analysis. Five IIM-ILD patients received eight cycles. FVC-predicted values significantly decreased from 6 months before rituximab administration to those at the baseline (54.1% predicted (pre-6 months) vs. 48.5% predicted (baseline), p = 0.043); however, the FVC decline stabilized after rituximab. The rate of disease progression before rituximab showed a tendency to decrease after rituximab (75% (before) vs. 12.5% (6 months after, p = 0.059) vs. 14.3% (12 months after, p = 0.102)). Three adverse events developed, but none resulted in death. Rituximab can stabilize lung function decline with tolerable safety in Korean IIM patients with refractory ILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A white-colored bacterial strain designated J20-6 was isolated from peat soil collected in Russia. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, the strain J20-6 belonged to the genus Paenibacillus, and the closest relatives were Paenibacillus frigoriresistens YIM 016 (98.2 %), Paenibacillus alginolyticus DSM 5050T (97.9 %), Paenibacillus chondroitinus DSM 5051 (97.4 %), Paenibacillus pocheonensis Gsoil 1138 (96.9 %), and Paenibacillus pectinilyticus RCB-08 (96.6 %). Cells are gram-positive, motile, facultative aerobic, endospore forming, and rod shaped. The cell wall contains MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone and meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major fatty acid is anteiso-C, and the major polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine. The DNA G+C content of the strain J20-6 was 49.9 mol %. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic data clearly suggest that the strain J20-6 belongs to the novel member of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus alba sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is J20-6 (=KEMC 7302-005 = JCM 18165). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last two decades, globalization has come to occupy an important position in popular and academic discourses. Globalization has provided opportunities to produce possibilities of global awareness and at the same time crises to perpetuate a culture of fear. This article asks how church and religious education can provide a global education and help Christians continue to be faithful to their hope for God while engaging others for the common good. This also demands new kinds of global religious education directed toward social justice, cultural unity in diversity, and global responsibility, which can adequately address the challenges of neo-liberalism, fundamentalism, and transnationalism. Based on a dialectical relationship with hope and global education, instead of fear, religious education can be an important enterprise for achieving social justice, maintaining cultural unity in diversity, and equipping citizens with global responsibility, moving toward critical hope in a global age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free methionine- R -sulfoxide reductase (fRMsr) enzymes only reduce the free form of methionine- R -sulfoxide and can be grouped into two types with respect to the number of conserved Cys residues in the active sites. In this work, the crystal structures of type II fRMsr from Thermoplasma acidophilum ( Ta fRMsr), which contains two conserved Cys, have been determined in native form and in a complex with the substrate. The overall structure of Ta fRMsr consists of a central β-sheet encompassed by a two-α-helix bundle flanking on one side and one small α-helix on the other side. Based on biochemical and growth complementation assays, Cys 84 is demonstrated to be the catalytic Cys. The data also show that Ta fRMsr functions as an antioxidant protein. Structural analyses reveal insights into substrate recognition and orientation, conformational changes in the active site during substrate binding, and the role of active site residues in substrate binding. A model for the catalytic mechanism of type II Ta fRMsr is suggested, in which intramolecular disulfide bond formation is not involved. In addition, the biochemical, enzymatic, and structural properties of type II Ta fRMsr are compared with those of type I enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because human fetal ventral mesencephalic tissue grafts provide promising results in ameliorating Parkinson's disease–implicated motor dysfunctions, human fetal midbrain‐derived dopamine neuronal precursor cells are considered good candidates for cell‐based therapy for Parkinson's disease in that large quantities of cells can be supplied through a good manufacturing practice–compliant system. Objective: We conducted a prospective, phase I/IIa, dose‐escalation, open‐label "first‐in‐human" clinical trial with fetal neural precursor cells to assess their safety and therapeutic efficacy in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Methods: Fifteen patients were assigned to receive three different doses of cells (4 × 106, 12 × 106, and 40 × 106 cells) and completed a 12‐month follow‐up. The primary outcome was safety, by measuring the presence of grade 3 or higher cells according to National Cancer Institute guidelines and any contaminated cells. Secondary outcomes assessed motor and neurocognitive function, as well as the level of dopamine transporters, by positron emission tomography–computed tomography. Results: Although a pronation‐supination and hand/arm movement performance was remarkably enhanced in all three groups (all P < 0.05), the medium‐ and high‐dose‐treated groups exhibited significant improvement in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III only up to 26.16% and 40%, respectively, at 12 months after transplantation without any serious clinical complications or graft‐induced dyskinesia in all patients. However, the motor improvements did not correlate with increase in the dopamine transporter on positron emission tomography images. Conclusions: Our results primarily demonstrate the safety and plausible dose‐dependent efficacy of human fetal midbrain‐derived dopamine neuronal precursor cells for idiopathic Parkinson's disease. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antidrug antibodies (ADAs) against tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). ADAs were detected in 18 (9.8%) patients with RA and in 18 (10.2%) patients with AS of the 360 patients. Development of ADAs was significantly associated with treatment failure in RA patients (P =0.003). When classified by drugs, the prevalence of immunogenicity in descending order was 17 (28.8%) patients treated with infliximab, 17 (10.4%) with adalimumab, and 2 (1.4%) with etanercept. After adjustment for disease and duration of anti-TNF therapy, the odds ratio as a reference of adalimumab-treated patients was 9.159 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.005–41.845) for infliximab and 0.280 (95% CI 0.128–0.611) for etanercept. The immunogenicity of anti-TNF therapy was highest in the infliximab-treated group and significantly lower in the etanercept-treated group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Crystal structures of the apo and substrate-bound forms of hArgRS are described. [•] Similar interactions are formed upon binding to l-canavanine or l-arginine. [•] The interaction between Tyr312 and the oxygen of the oxyguanidino group differs. [•] Substrate-bound hArgRS has a tRNAArg acceptor arm cavity and a closed active site. [•] Newly identified regions in the N- and C-terminal domains of hArgRS are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a next-generation operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) system that was developed at the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction. The new system, HWRF-Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), retains the same atmospheric component of operational HWRF, but it replaces the feature-model-based Princeton Ocean Model (POM) with the eddy-resolving HYCOM. The primary motivation is to improve enthalpy fluxes in the air-sea interface, by providing the best possible estimates of the balanced oceanic states using data assimilated Real-Time Ocean Forecast System products as oceanic initial conditions (IC) and boundary conditions. A proof-of-concept exercise of HWRF-HYCOM is conducted by validating ocean simulations, followed by the verification of hurricane forecasts. The ocean validation employs airborne expendable bathythermograph sampled during Hurricane Gustav (2008). Storm-driven sea surface temperature changes agree within 0.1° and 0.5°C of the mean and root-mean-square difference, respectively. In-storm deepening mixed layer and shoaling 26°C isotherm depth are similar to observations, but they are overpredicted at similar magnitudes of their ICs. The forecast verification for 10 Atlantic hurricanes in 2008 and 2009 shows that HWRF-HYCOM improves intensity by 13.8% and reduces positive bias by 43.9% over HWRF-POM. The HWRF-HYCOM track forecast is indifferent, except for days 4 and 5, when it shows better skill (8%) than HWRF-POM. While this study proves the concept and results in a better skillful hurricane forecast, one well-defined conclusion is to improve the estimates of IC, particularly the oceanic upper layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is becoming increasingly interested in Korean food and its ingredients. The attention goes beyond the typical examples, such as kimchi and fermented sauces; peculiar food ingredients that are widely consumed in Korea are now entering the world's functional food markets. This trend was supported by scientific research, and this review seeks to combine and summarize the findings of the past 10 years. The results are organized into four groups depending on whether the ingredient strengthens the immune system, has antidiabetic effects, has chemopreventive effects, or has an antioxidative effects. We would also like to point out that this review only covers the topic of Korean traditional plants and herbs. After the summary of research findings, we discuss challenges and opportunities, exploring the direction of future research and the potential of Korean traditional food ingredients in food industry and markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] This study was investigated the inhibitory effect of black soybean on cholesterol accumulation in mice. [•] The cholesterol synthesis in the liver was lower in the black soybean supplemented groups. [•] The insulin signaling improved via adiponectin secretion in the black soybean supplemented groups. [•] Oxidative stress was reduced by black soybean supplementation. [•] Antioxidative enzyme activities were enhanced in the liver of black soybean supplemented mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Amyloid beta (Aβ) plays a major role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and neuroinflammatory processes mediated by Aβ plaque-induced microglial cells and astrocytes contribute to AD pathogenesis. The present study examined human placenta amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs), which have potent immunomodulatory and paracrine effects in a Tg2576 (APPswe) transgenic mouse model of AD. AMSCs secreted high levels of transforming growth factor-β under in vitro inflammatory environment conditions. Six weeks after the intravenous injection of AMSCs, APPswe mice showed evidence of improved spatial learning, which significantly correlated with the observation of fewer Aβ plaques in brain. The number of ED1-positive phagocytic microglial cells associated with Aβ plaques was higher in AMSC-injected mice than in phosphate-buffered saline-injected mice, and the level of Aβ-degrading enzymes (matrix metallopeptidase-9 and insulin-degrading enzyme) was also significantly higher. Furthermore, the level of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α, was lower and that of anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β, was higher in AMSC-injected mice than phosphate-buffered saline-injected mice. These effects lasted until 12 weeks after AMSC injection. Taken together, these results collectively suggest that injection of AMSCs might show significant long-lasting improvement in AD pathology and memory function via immunomodulatory and paracrine mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bone formation is a rarely encountered finding during histological examination of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study aimed to analyze clinicopathological parameters in patients with PTC showing bone formation, to document histological features of bone formation in PTC, and to investigate osteogenic proteins. Bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-9 is known as the most potent osteoinductive protein of the BMP subtypes. Recent research suggests that the activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 1 is an essential cellular receptor that mediates BMP-9-induced osteogenic signaling. A retrospective review of tumor sections from 567 patients with a diagnosis of PTC was performed. Using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we investigated the expression of ALK1 and BMP-9 in normal thyroid tissue and PTC samples with and without bone formation. Bone formation was found in 13% of patients with PTC. A significant association was seen between bone formation and old age. BMP-9 expression in tumors was increased compared to that in normal thyroid tissues. BMP-9 expression in tumors with bone formation was not significantly different from that in tumors without bone formation. ALK1 expression in tumors with bone formation was increased compared to that in normal thyroid tissue and tumors without bone formation. Our study suggests that upregulation of ALK1 might be an underlying molecular mechanism that explains osteogenesis in PTC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fluorescence, fluorescence excitation, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic, time-dependent fluorescence anisotropy, and time-dependent (TD) DFT studies were carried out to elucidate the excitation energies, fluorescence decay kinetics, and excitation transfer dynamics of calix[4]arene. We found that TD DFT calculations help to analyze the absorption spectra by elucidating the variation of the oscillator strengths with the excitation energies of various conformers involved and to clarify their relative importance. The TD DFT calculations imply that a cone-shaped conformer plays the most important role in the absorption spectrum. Fluorescence in a methanol solvent has a lifetime of 3.11±0.1ns and the decay kinetics is not found to have particular propensity with respect to solvent polarity. When the molecules in a glass matrix at 77K were excited by short laser pulses, fluorescence anisotropy was observed. From the time-dependent fluorescence anisotropy, we derived the energy transfer rate constant and fluorescence anisotropy decay time, respectively: . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Small ubiquitin-like modifier 4 (SUMO4) is involved in a range of autoimmune diseases and is known to downregulate the transcription activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Our objective was to investigate the association of a certain polymorphism (C438T) of the SUMO4 gene with Behçet's disease (BD) in terms of its incidence and clinical features in Korean patients. We consecutively enrolled 83 patients with BD and 120 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole-blood samples. We identified a single nucleotide change (C438T) in the SUMO4 gene using an amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) technique. To validate the ARMS technique, we compared its results to the results of direct sequencing in 20 subjects. HLA-B51 status was determined by polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers. The presence of papulopustular lesions ( P = 0.006) and vascular involvement ( P = 0.045) was significantly different between C438T genotypes in HLA-B51-positive patients with BD. There were no differences in allelic or genotypic frequencies of the SUMO4 C438T polymorphism between patients with BD and controls ( P = 0.567 and P = 0.818, respectively). The difference in papulopustular skin lesions between CC and CT + TT genotypes in HLA-B51-positive patients with BD was also statistically significant ( P = 0.002, OR = 23.40, 95% CI: 2.33-235.54). The C438T polymorphism in the SUMO4 gene is associated with significantly increased risk of papulopustular skin lesions in HLA-B51-positive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiculturalism is now confronted with pressures of maintaining a balance between unity and diversity on the one hand and building a global civic culture aiming at civic equality, liberty, toleration, and recognition in a global, transnational community on the other hand. With these difficulties, this article attempts to provide a model of multicultural education in a Trinitarian perspective in which students and teachers mirror the triune divine community and participate in communion, allowing them to move beyond the dichotomy between unity and diversity and universalization and pluralization toward a shared understanding and promote peaceful coexistence among global societies with adequate theological and educational principles. This article, based on the doctrine of Trinity and grounded in an awareness and analysis of the realities of social situations, suggests positive hope for God's future and a concrete model for human society in which equality, openness, and relationality are closely related as they achieve mutual respect, especially in teaching and learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Meta-analysis of randomized trials showed superior efficacy and similar safety of drug-eluting stent over bare-metal stent in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. However, long-term relative outcomes of sirolimus- (SES) vs. paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) have not been fully evaluated in randomized studies. This study compared long-term safety and efficacy of these two stents in STEMI. Methods: A total of 308 STEMI patients were randomly treated with SES (n =154) or PES (n =154). Three-year clinical outcomes were assessed. Primary outcome of interest was incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including death, myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis or target vessel revascularization (TVR). Secondary outcome of interest was occurrence of very late stent thrombosis. Results: Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. During follow-up, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of death (6.5% for SES and 10.4% for PES, p =0.22), MI (2.6% vs. 3.9%, p =0.75), stent thrombosis (1.9% vs. 3.2%, p =0.72), TVR (3.9% vs. 8.4%, p =0.15) and MACE (12.3% vs. 18.8%, p =0.12). Eight patients in overall population had stent thrombosis: definite 3, probable 1, and possible 4. Cumulative incidence of stent thrombosis was gradually increased; 0.6% at 30days, 0.6% at 1year, 1.6% at 2years, and 2.6% at 3years. Very late stent thrombosis, definite or probable, occurred in 0.6% for both. Conclusion: Among non-selected STEMI patients who underwent primary angioplasty, both SES and PES might be safe and SES showed similar three-year clinical outcomes compared to PES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Organic synthesis reactions demand improved characteristics of enzymes than wild type such as reactivity, thermostability, enantioselectivity and so on. Especially thermostability of enzyme is highly important since reaction at higher temperature has many advantages such as elevated reaction rate and increased solubility of substrates. Due to this requirement, a rational approach was employed to develop thermostable CalB. The first step of this approach was the selection of appropriate sites showing a high ‘B-factor’ value. These sites were chosen on the basis of atomic displacement parameters obtained from X-ray data. These selected sites were then substituted with other amino acids that were determined to be more rigid than the original amino acids by computational modeling using ‘RosettaDesign’. As a result of this rational approach, several thermostable CalB mutants including R249L were produced. The residual activity of R249L CalB was two times higher than that of wild type CalB at 55°C. Melting temperature (T m) of R249L mutant increased to 56.8°C compared with wild type CalB (T m: 54.5°C), which was determined by DSF (differential scanning fluorimetry). Additionally, packing analysis tool “Voronoia” pointed out that one cavity close to residue 249 of wild type CalB disappeared in CalB R249L, which could be the reason for the increase in thermal stability of CalB R249L mutant compared wild type CalB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glioma tumor-suppressor candidate region gene 2 (GLTSCR2) is a recently identified nuclear protein that interacts with the tumor suppressor PTEN. GLTSCR2 regulates the stability of PTEN, and is therefore believed to have a tumor suppressive function. In a recent study, we demonstrated that GLTSCR2 often exhibits genetic alterations and down-regulation in glioblastoma specimens. However, GLTSCR2 expression levels in human tumors and its mechanism of tumor suppression remain largely unknown. We performed an immunohistochemical examination of GLTSCR2 expression in samples of seborrheic keratosis (SK, n=69), a common benign skin tumor, and normal skin (n=23), and assessed the relationship between GLTSCR2 expression and the patients'' clinicopathologic factors. Our results showed that GLTSCR2 expression in SK was significantly lower than in normal skin (p<0.001), and this decreased expression of GLTSCR2 was associated with patient age (p=0.045). Using in situ hybridization analysis, we found that mRNA expression of GLTSCR2 was reduced in tumor cells compared to normal skin. This is the first study analyzing the expression of GLTSCR2, a putative tumor suppressor, in SK and normal skin. Our results show a down-regulation of this protein in SK, indicating that GLTSCR2 may have a protective effect on the development of SK. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The shelf-slope front (SSF) is a continuous shelf-break front running from the Tail of the Grand Banks to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, separating colder and less-saline continental shelf waters from warmer and more saline slope waters. Time series containing mean monthly SSF positions were produced along each of 26 longitude lines between 75° and 50°W by workers located at Bedford Institute of Oceanography by digitizing individual frontal charts and computing mean monthly latitudinal positions over a 29-year (1973–2001) period. After removing seasonal variability at each longitude, interannual variability (IAV) of the SSF position at each longitude was computed as the annual mean of all monthly SSF position anomalies for each year over the 29-year period. Despite some missing data, a longitude-time plot reveals alternating bands of offshore (late-1970s, late-1980s, late-1990s) and onshore (early-1980s, early-1990s, early-2000s) annual mean SSF anomaly values, exhibiting a period of approximately 10 years. Annual mean SSF anomaly amplitudes are largest in the east, with maxima of O (±100 km) located east of 60° W for years when data are available. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes 1–4 (accounting for >90% of the variance) form a set of basis functions that describe the SSF anomaly data and allow reconstruction of the entire data set since missing data are relatively few (14%). A complex empirical orthogonal function (CEOF) analysis using the “reconstructed” data reveals a wavelength scale of approximately 20° of longitude, a distance nearly equal to the entire study domain, along with steady, westward phase propagation of SSF anomalies over approximately the same distance. Speed calculations for the westward-propagating features yield a value of approximately 1.2 to 2.4 cm s−1 (1 to 2 km d−1), with annual mean SSF anomalies thus requiring about 4 years to propagate from the Tail of the Grand Banks in the east to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the west. This propagation speed and the timing of the SSF positional anomalies at the Tail of the Grand Banks for the 29-year study period are in agreement with speeds computed for the propagation of quasi-decadal salinity anomalies through the Labrador Sea and the time of their arrival at the Tail of the Grand Banks. The small westward SSF anomaly propagation speed is an order of magnitude smaller than the associated currents, in agreement with a highly damped flow-through system originating from both Davis Strait and the West Greenland Current as discussed by other workers. Observations from both southern and northern portions of the study domain, within both continental shelf and slope waters, show that interannual changes in the volume of shelf water along with shelf water bulk properties exhibit a strong relationship with IAV of the SSF position over long time periods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article offers an alternative model, the model of shared authority, to the traditional, authoritarian model for authority and obedience for Religious Education. This model moves away from the authoritarian model of a teacher as the authority and the students as obedient listeners in the direction of a shared authority model in which teachers and students participate in learning as partners, in other words, “to become co-authors.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Stent fractures after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation have not been evaluated sufficiently in patients with long coronary artery disease. Methods: This study comprised of 415 patients, who were enrolled in the Long-DES-II study and had a complete serial angiography both before and after procedure and also at follow-up. The lesions were ≥25 mm in length and were randomly treated with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES, 210 lesions) or paclitaxel-eluting stent (205 lesions). Results: DES fracture was identified in 7 lesions (1.7%): 1 minor, 3 moderate, and 3 severe fractures. Most of the fractures occurred in patients who received SES (85.7%) and in the right coronary artery (RCA) lesions (71.4%). Lesions with fracture had a smaller minimal lumen diameter before procedure than lesions without fracture (0.38±0.55 vs. 0.71±0.46 mm, p =0.043). However, acute gain (2.28±0.39 vs. 1.44±0.60 mm, p =0.001) and late loss (0.81±0.49 vs. 0.42±0.50 mm, p =0.033) in analysis segment were greater in lesions with fracture. By multivariate analysis, the independent predictor of fracture was the RCA lesion (Odds ratio, 7.81; 95% CI, 1.45∼42.04; p =0.017). Although one patient had an intermediate angiographic narrowing at the fracture site, there was no adverse cardiac event related with fracture. Conclusions: The incidence of stent fracture in long DES implantation was not common and was associated with SES implantation or RCA lesions. Fortunately, the clinical prognosis of DES fracture was somewhat benign. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on reclaiming the issues of inequality and neo-liberal projects in context of religious education. Topics discussed include a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluding that an increase in the income share leads to a decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, Pope Francis views on an apostolic exhortation on capitalism, and problematic structures of capital and inequality highlighted in the book "Capital in the Twenty-First Century", by Thomas Piketty.

Abstract: This work presents a procedure for developing a high-resolution, regional climatology estimate, named RClimo, off the coast of central California. This high-resolution climatology may provide an alternative way to initialize numerical nowcast/forecast exercises in coastal regions. The methodology includes two primary steps: (1) averaging available data on a high-resolution grid and (2) objective interpolating the resulting average profiles onto a regular grid. The first step involves the computation of averages over density layers in the vertical and allowing for data gaps in the horizontal if data are unavailable at a high resolution. The OA in the second step uses anisotropic correlation length scales derived from the data themselves and an averaging radius to preserve the scales and variability of the synoptic fields. The dataset used to compute this climatology includes the archived CalCOFI dataset, the Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network (AOSN) 2003 experiments near Monterey Bay, and many other previously undocumented profiles from various sources. As part of the climatology product, associated uncertainty is also generated through density averaging and employing the Gauss–Markov minimum error variance during Objective Analysis. The final climatology estimate is hence subject to greater error for larger mapping-grid size or lower data density, suggesting uncertainties that vary in space. The maximum value of the resulting error distribution for the RClimo estimate from the 50-km bins is less than 11% of the temperature estimate and 1% of the salinity estimate, whereas those for the 20-km-bin RClimo are 11% and 0.9%, respectively. We have conducted comparisons between the RClimo and 1/4° Levitus climatology fields via numerical simulations initialized with each field. Simulations were performed using Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and for the month of August, a peak period of upwelling-favorable wind, with and without the atmospheric forcing. The RClimo simulations produced reasonably realistic features like filaments, fronts, meanders, eddies, alongshore currents (∼50cms−1) and inshore undercurrents (∼15cms−1) under typical upwelling-favorable winds. In contrast, the Levitus simulations showed insignificant evolution over most of the domain, with or without winds. In the future, one could apply this methodology for other months and seasons in Monterey Bay, as well as develop similar high-resolution climatology for other coastal regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The shelf-slope front (SSF) located off the northeastern United States and Canada is an oceanographic front separating colder and less-saline continental shelf waters from generally warmer and more-saline slope waters over the continental slope. The surface expression of the SSF is visible year-round using sea-surface temperature (SST) data obtained from satellite-based infrared radiometers. Availability of 20 years (1973–1992) of SSF positions, digitized from weekly satellite-derived SST charts between and longitude, allows a detailed spatial analysis of the seasonal variability of the SSF position between Cape Hatteras and the Tail of the Grand Banks. Results show an overall maximum seaward (shoreward) extent during winter (summer), consistent with earlier work. However, our more detailed spatial analysis shows that the eastern-most and western-most monthly SSF anomalies, relative to the long-term (1973–1992) mean, are out of phase, with maximum seasonal SSF variability of occurring generally east of . Furthermore, seasonal westward propagation of the seaward-most (landward-most) SSF position is evident between and from November to April (May–October), decreasing in amplitude towards the west. A simple Ekman coastal plume model incorporating gridded wind-stress anomalies and a constant plume depth reproduces the general seasonal cycle of the SSF along with the east-west phase shift, except in easternmost regions where SSF positional variability is maximal. The east-west phase shift results from interaction between the slowly varying (in space) wind-stress anomalies and the abrupt change in orientation of the mean along-SSF direction, from a mean of between and , to a mean of between and . A more complex Ekman coastal plume model that allows the upper layer to evolve to a uniform thickness through shear-induced mixing and a critical Richardson number criterion (), overestimates onshore movement of the SSF south of Nantucket Shoals by a factor of 2–3 compared to August–October observations. While clearly not locally wind-forced, we speculate that a possible source of the seasonal, westward-propagating SSF meander is due to seasonal variability in the volume of shelf waters within this eastern-most region resulting from Labrador Current transport that is maximum (minimum) during fall (spring) upstream of the Tail of the Grand Banks and within the Labrador Sea. Comparisons of the seasonal movements of the satellite-derived surface SSF position with previously published sub-surface expressions of the SSF and shelf water volumes derived from hydrographic data collected within the Middle Atlantic Bight section of our domain, demonstrate decoupling of the surface wind-forced SSF from the sub-surface thermohaline-forced SSF over seasonal timescales for this westernmost region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Periodontal ligament (PDL) cells are the most important cells in the healing of wounds and the regeneration of periodontal tissues. The response of PDL cells regarding cellular activity to high glucose concentration levels could be the key in understanding the events associated with the dental care of brittle diabetes. We studied the effect of high glucose concentration levels on the cellular activity of PDL cells from five non-diabetic patients in vitro. PDL cells were cultured for 14 days in a normal glucose medium (1100mg/l of glucose) or in a high glucose medium (4500mg/l of glucose) and a 3-(4,5-dimethylithiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for cellular viability was also performed. In order to evaluate the differentiation of PDL cells to osteoblast-like cells, mineralized nodule formation was induced with supplemented media containing 50μg/ml of ascorbic acid, 10mM of β-glycerophosphate and 100nM of dexamethasone for 21 days. High glucose significantly inhibited the proliferation of PDL cells and reduced the optic density of the MTT assay. Concerning the mineralized nodule formation, the percentage of the calcified area to the total culture dish of PDL cells in high glucose level was lower than that in the normal glucose medium. In conclusion, high glucose inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of PDL cells. The data provide an explanation for the delayed periodontal regeneration and healing in diabetic patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The silica gel-supported bis-cinchona alkaloid 1a was prepared and found to be an efficient heterogeneous chiral organocatalyst with high catalytic activities, enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee), and recyclability for the asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-cyclic anhydrides with alcoholysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: PurposeAortic intramural hematoma has been considered a precursor of aortic dissection, and the same treatment strategy, usually involving surgery, has been applied to both conditions. However, the outcomes of patients with aortic intramural hematoma who are treated medically, including the remodeling process that occurs after an acute event, are not known.: Subject and methodsA total of 124 patients with acute aortic intramural hematoma (41 in the proximal aorta and 83 in the distal aorta) was enrolled from five institutions in South Korea. Patients received medical treatment without surgery. A follow-up imaging study was performed in 105 patients.: ResultsPericardial (59% [n = 24] vs. 11% [n = 9], P <0.004) and pleural effusions (63% [n = 26] vs. 45% [n = 37], P = 0.05) were more common in patients with the proximal type than in those with the distal type. In-hospital mortality was somewhat higher with proximal hematomas (7% [n = 3 deaths] vs. 1% [n = 1 death], P = 0.11). A follow-up imaging study in 36 patients with proximal hematomas confirmed resorption of the hematoma in 24 patients (67%) and development of aortic dissection in 9 (25%). Resorption was confirmed in 54 (78%) of the 69 patients with distal hematomas who underwent follow-up imaging; localized aortic dissection developed in 11 (16%) of these patients. The 3-year survival rate was 78% in the proximal type and 87% in the distal type (P = 0.10).: ConclusionPatients with aortic intramural hematoma had a high rate of resorption with medical treatment regardless of the affected site. Further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal treatment strategy and timing of surgical intervention, especially for patients with proximal hematomas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The agro-industrial byproducts from the industries for the Sikhye, traditional Korean food production (AIB-I), the apple juice production (AIB-II), and the soy sauce production (AIB-III) were examined as the substrate for the production of the heteropolysaccharide (PS-7) by B. indica HS2001. Major components of AIB-I are dextrin, maltotriose, and maltose. Major ones of AIB-II and AIB-II were carbohydrate and protein, respectively. Dextrin and AIB-II were found to be better carbon sources than glucose for the production of PS-7. Conversion rates of PS-7s from 2% (w/v) dextrin and 2% (w/v) AIB-II as the carbon source were 20%. As concentration of agro-industrial byproducts as the carbon source increased, cell growth and the production of PS-7 increased whereas conversion rates of PS-7s decreased. The monomeric components of PS-7s produced by B. indica HS2001 with agro-industrial byproducts as the carbon source were identified to be glucose and rhamnose and their molar ratios of rhamnose to glucose were all in the range of 1.0 to 4.5∼4.7. It seems that B. indica HS2001 utilized all the agro-industrial byproducts used in this study and produced PS-7s with the same composition as well as the same molar ratio of their monomeric component. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting Model (HWRF) was the flagship hurricane model at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction for 16 years and a state-of-the-art tool for tropical cyclone (TC) intensity prediction at the National Weather Service and across the globe. HWRF was a joint development between NOAA research and operations, specifically the Environmental Modeling Center and the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Significant support also came from the National Hurricane Center, Developmental Testbed Center, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, universities, cooperative institutes, and the TC community. In the North Atlantic basin, where most improvement efforts focused, HWRF intensity forecast errors decreased by 45%–50% at many lead times between 2007 and 2022. These large improvements resulted from increases in horizontal and vertical resolution, as well as advances in model physics and data assimilation. HWRF intensity forecasts performed particularly well over the Gulf of Mexico in recent years, providing useful guidance for a large number of impactful landfalling hurricanes. Such advances were made possible not only by significant gains in computing but also through substantial investment from the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: HWRF is considered one of the most important and successful ocean-coupled, regional numerical weather prediction models. This work documents HWRF forecast performance for TCs in the North Atlantic since its operational inception (2007–22). Track, intensity, and storm size (wind radii) forecasts all showed significant error reductions and skill improvements, including 45%–50% lower intensity errors. HWRF intensity forecasts showed marked improvement for rapid intensification events, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, where numerous impactful TCs made landfall throughout HWRF's lifetime. HWRF's impressive performance led to its expanded use as guidance for official TC forecasts and as a research tool across the TC community. These successes paved the way for NOAA's next-generation hurricane model, the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the currents in the upper ocean within the northern Arabian Sea from shipboard ADCP data for the purpose of characterizing the spatial and temporal scales of the current. Methodology used on the investigation; Results; Discussion.

The predictors affecting the gait efficiency were not known for the arm sling, including general and stroke-related characteristics. This study investigated the predictors of gait efficiency when walking with and without an arm sling in individuals with hemiplegia with shoulder subluxation. A total of 57 individuals with shoulder subluxation were recruited. Individuals assigned odd numbers walked with the arm sling first and those with even numbers walked without the arm sling first in a pre-post design. Outcome measures were the energy cost, energy consumption, and heart rate during a 6-min walk test and a 10-m walk test. Gait efficiency is defined as energy consumption divided by the distance walked, with lower energy costs reflecting higher gait efficiency. Age, MMSE scores adjusted for education, and significant variables (p <.01) in the univariate analyses were entered into multiple regression analyses, to identify the predictors of changes of gait efficiency. Energy cost and energy consumption were lower and walking endurance was higher when walking with an arm sling than when without an arm sling. Spasticity (p =.02), shoulder pain (p =.03), consistency of handedness and sling position worn (p =.02), function of upper extremity (p =.03) and walking aids (p =.01) were predictors of gait efficiency. An arm sling may improve gait efficiency in individuals with hemiplegia and shoulder subluxation able to walk with a single cane, who have consistency in handedness and sling position, and with good upper extremity function, including no shoulder pain and reduced spasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding a medical condition of a 38-year-old ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma.