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Adult hippocampal neurogenesis supports the structural and functional plasticity of the brain, while its decline is associated with neurodegeneration common in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although the dysregulation of certain microRNAs (miRNAs) in AD have been observed, the effects of miRNAs on hippocampal neurogenesis are largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated miR-351-5p as a causative factor in hippocampal neural progenitor cell death through modulation of the mitochondrial guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase), Miro2. Downregulation of Miro2 by siMiro2 induced cell death, similar to miR-351-5p, whereas ectopic Miro2 expression using an adenovirus abolished these effects. Excessively fragmented mitochondria and dysfunctional mitochondria were indexed by decreased mitochondrial potential, and increased reactive oxygen species were identified in miR-351-5p-induced cell death. Moreover, subsequent induction of mitophagy via Pink1 and Parkin was observed in the presence of miR-351-5p and siMiro2. The suppression of mitochondrial fission by Mdivi-1 completely inhibited cell death by miR-351-5p. miR-351-5p expression increased whereas the level of Miro2 decreased in the hippocampus of AD model mice, emulating expression in AD patients. Collectively, the data indicate the mitochondrial fission and accompanying mitophagy by miR-351-5p/Miro2 axis as critical in hippocampal neural progenitor cell death, and a potential therapeutic target in AD., Graphical Abstract, Woo et al. revealed that miR-351-5p is the causative factor for hippocampal neural progenitor cell death through modulation of Miro2. They suggest that mitochondrial fission by the miR-351-5p/Miro2 axis, and accompanying mitophagy, is a critical event in hippocampal neural progenitor cell death, which could be a potential therapeutic target in AD.

Study question How does glycolytic pathway-related protein A1 (GPRPA1) relate to the pathogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)? Summary answer GPRPA1 was found as a substrate of ITI-H4 to modulate the inflammatory response and was down-expressed in the sera of RPL patients. What is known already Thus far, the pathogenesis of RPL was not fully understood. In a previous study, the short isoform ITI-H4 cleaved by kallikrein B1 was detected in the sera of RPL patients and would be an important inflammatory factor for RPL by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. GPRPA1, a new binding partner of ITI-H4, was known to relate with pre-eclampsia and human decidualization by regulating angiogenesis and glycolysis. Also, GPRPA1 affects placental cell motility and cancer cell proliferation. Study design, size, duration Through immunoprecipitation (IP) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analyses, we found new binding partners of ITI-H4. Of these, GPRPA1 was selected, and direct binding between GPRPA1 and ITI-H4 was confirmed by IP and GST pull-down assay. Differential expression of GPRPA1 in sera and cellular functions of GPRPA1 in the placental cell line were investigated by molecular and cellular analyses. Participants/materials, setting, methods The Flag-tagged full-length ITI-H4 and the short isoform ITI-H4 were transfected into HEK293T cells and IP has proceeded with the Flag antibody. Spots showing differential expression were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/MS analysis and peptide sequence alignment was performed. The binding between GPRPA1 and ITI-H4 was confirmed using IP and GST pull-down assay. The effects of GPRPA1 on cellular functions in the placental cell were investigated by CCK–8 assay, invasion assay, and colony-forming assay. Main results and the role of chance Through IP, MALDI-TOF/MS analysis, and peptide sequence alignment, we found new substrates of ITI-H4 related to glycolysis, T cell activation, and production of thyroid hormones. Of these, we selected GPRPA1 which is secreted in the serum to utilize a serum biomarker of RPL. GPRPA1 directly binds to the full-length ITI-H4 and also binds to the short isoform ITI-H4 shown by IP and GST pull-down assay. Besides, GPRPA1 as a protein kinase increases serine phosphorylation of ITI-H4 and inhibits the cleavage by KLKB1. GPRPA1 is expressed significantly lower in the sera of PRL patients than the control group and knockdown of GPRPA1 negatively regulates cell motility in the placental cell. Therefore, down-expressed GPRPA1 would be one of the causes of RPL and can be utilized as a serum biomarker of RPL. Limitations, reasons for caution Additional in vivo study is needed to specifically investigate the effect of GPRPA1 on the pathogenesis of RPL. Wider implications of the findings: By investigating the cellular functions of GPRPA1 in the placental cell, we found that it is an important key factor for the pathogenesis of RPL, and down-regulation of GPRPA1 can be utilized as a biomarker of RPL. Trial registration number Not applicable

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The rate at which the chance of a good outcome of endovascular stroke therapy (EVT) decays with time when eligible patients are selected by baseline diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI) and whether ischaemic core size affects this rate remain to be investigated. METHODS This study analyses a prospective multicentre registry of stroke patients treated with EVT based on pretreatment DWI-MRI that was categorized into three groups: small [Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (DWI-ASPECTS)] (8-10), moderate (5-7) and large (

This paper proposes a compact high-voltage pulse electron gun power supply (EGPS) consisted of interleaved capacitor-charging power supply (CCPS) with a series-resonant converter (SRC) to drive the electron tube. Requirement specifications are −40 kV, −7 A (280 kW), and continuous output lower than ±1% ripple stability lasted few seconds with

Adult hippocampal neural (HCN) stem cells promptly undergo irreversible autophagic cell death (ACD) if deprived of insulin in culture. Small, non-coding microRNAs (miRNA) play an important role in regulating biological processes, including proliferation and cell death. However, there have been no reports thus far regarding miRNA involvement in the induction of adult HCN stem cell death under insulin-deprived conditions, for which we performed a microarray-based analysis to examine the expression signature of miRNAs in adult rat HCN stem cells. Three independent specimens per culture condition either with or without insulin were prepared and a miRNA microarray analysis carried out. A total of 12 exhibited significantly altered expression levels upon cell death due to the absence of insulin when compared to HCN stem cells cultured with insulin present (cut-off limit; p 0.05 and fold-change1.3) The resulting volcano plot showed that, among these miRNAs, seven were upregulated and five were downregulated. The upregulated miRNAs were capable of modulating HCN stem cell death. Caspase-3 activity analysis, LC3 conversion, and TEM of autophagosome formation consistently suggested that ACD, not apoptosis, was most likely the mechanism affecting HCN cell death. As such, we have come to term these miRNAs, "HCN stem cell-specific autophagic cell death regulators." Taken together, our data suggest that the miRNA expression profile of HCN stem cells is altered during ACD occurring due to insulin deprivation and that differentially expressed miRNAs are involved in HCN stem cell viability. Detailed explorations of the underlying mechanisms regarding HCN stem cell viability modulation by these miRNAs would be beneficial in further understanding the physiological features of adult HCN stem cells and are currently being investigated.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of diets containing coarse-texture rice straw and small particle size alfalfa pellets as a part of total mixed ration (TMR) on milk productivity and chewing activity in lactating dairy cows. Sixteen multiparous Holstein dairy cows (670 +/- 21 kg body weight) in mid-lactation (194.1 +/- 13.6 days in milk) were randomly assigned to TMR containing 50% of timothy hay (TH) or TMR containing 20% of rice straw and 30% of alfalfa pellet mixture (RSAP). Geometric mean lengths of TH and RSAP were found to be 5.8 and 3.6, respectively. Dry matter intake, milk yield and milk composition were measured. Moreover, eating and ruminating times were recorded continuously using infrared digital camcorders. Milk yield and milk composition were not detected to have significant differences between TH and RSAP. Dry matter intake (DMI) did not significantly differ for cows fed with TH or RSAP. Although particle size of TH was larger than RSAP, eating, ruminating and total chewing time (min/d or min/kg of DMI) on TH and RSAP were similar. Taken together, our results suggest that using a proper amount of coarse-texture rice straw with high value nutritive alfalfa pellets may stimulate chewing activity in dairy cows without decreasing milk yield and composition even though the quantity of rice straw was 40% of TH.

In this study, the toughness under sharp cracks and blunt notches is investigated in terms of the prior austenite grain size (PAGS) and inclusion particles as a function of the austenitizing treatment in a Ti-added 13Co-8Ni secondary hardening steel. For the quantitative analyses of the inclusion and precipitate particles, small-angle neutron scattering analyses are conducted under austenitizing conditions of 1050 °C, 1200/1050 °C, and 1200/1200 °C; the impact toughness values are 32, 30, and 24 J for each austenitizing condition, respectively. In contrast, the fracture toughness values under the same conditions are 66, 78, and 103 MPa·m1/2. Thus, the fracture toughness significantly improves under 1200/1200 °C austenitizing conditions with coarse PAGS; however, the impact toughness deteriorates. The adverse effect of the grain size on the toughness under sharp cracks and blunt notches is elucidated in terms of the effective microstructural factors that control the fracture process inside the plastic zone, the size of which varies with the notch sharpness. In particular, through considering the density of the slip bands as a function of the grain size in the small confined plastic zone before the sharp crack, the complicated problem regarding an increase in the fracture toughness with an increasing grain size is described from micromechanical and microstructural perspectives.

Background Robot-assisted gastrectomy (RAG) has been developed in the hope of improving surgical quality and overcoming the limitations of conventional laparoscopically assisted gastrectomy (LAG) and open gastrectomy (OG) for gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of evidence in support of these ideals. Methods A systematic review of the three operation types (RAG, LAG and OG) was carried out to evaluate short-term outcomes including duration of operation, retrieved lymph nodes, estimated blood loss, resection margin status, technical postoperative complications and hospital stay. Results Nine non-randomized observational clinical studies involving 7200 patients satisfied the eligibility criteria. RAG was associated with longer operating times than LAG and OG (weighted mean difference 61·99 and 65·73 min respectively; P ≤ 0·001). The number of retrieved lymph nodes and the resection margin length in RAG were comparable with those of LAG and OG. Estimated blood loss was significantly less in RAG than in OG (P = 0·002), but not LAG. Mean hospital stay for RAG was similar to that for LAG (P = 0·14). In contrast, hospital stay was significantly shorter, by a mean of 2·18 days, for RAG compared with OG (P < 0·001). Postoperative complications were similar for all three operative approaches. Conclusion Short-term oncological outcomes of RAG were comparable with those of the other approaches. LAG was a shorter procedure and less expensive than RAG. Future studies involving RAG should focus on minimizing duration of operation and reducing cost.

Objective To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert® MTB/RIF assay using samples obtained through bronchoscopy in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Design We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with suspected PTB for whom the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was performed on bronchoscopy specimens. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the diagnosis of active PTB were calculated for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and the Xpert assay using culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum or bronchoscopy specimens as a reference standard. Results A total of 132 patients were included in the final analysis. Of these, 38 had culture-confirmed PTB. The sensitivity of the Xpert assay using bronchial washing or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for the diagnosis of PTB was 81.6%, and specificity was 100%. The PPV and NPV were 100% and 92.1%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of AFB smear microscopy were respectively 13.2% and 98.8%. Conclusion The Xpert assay on bronchoscopy specimens provided an accurate diagnosis of PTB in patients who had a negative AFB smear or who could not produce sputum.

PLS-II (the upgrade of the Pohang Light Source) has been operated successfully since 21 March 2012. Since a 3-GeV linear accelerator is used as a full-energy injector, the performance of the linear accelerator is critical for reliable user service. Although the PLS-II linear accelerator has shown full reliability without interrupting user service during the first half year, there is always the possibility for failure of the 3-GeV linear accelerator system. For instance, any of the many pulsed high-power supplies may fail. Therefore, the storage ring should be prepared for injection at energies lower than 3-GeV. For that, we performed ramping studies, and we describe the results in this paper.

AimsChildren treated for osteosarcoma around the knee often have a substantial leg-length discrepancy at skeletal maturity. The aim of this study was to investigate the results of staged skeletal reconstruction after a leg lengthening procedure using an external fixator in these patients.Patients and MethodsWe reviewed 11 patients who underwent staged reconstruction with either an arthroplasty (n = 6) or an arthrodesis (n = 5). A control group of 11 patients who had undergone wide excision and concurrent reconstruction with an arthroplasty were matched for gender, location, and size of tumour. We investigated the change in leg-length discrepancy, function as assessed by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Scale (MSTS) score and complications.ResultsA mean 5.2 cm (1.7 to 8.9) of lengthening was achieved. The mean MSTS scores significantly improved after staged reconstruction (p = 0.003) but were still worse than those of the control group (p = 0.049). However, the MSTS scores of the arthroplasty subgroup were comparable with those of the controls, although the extensor lag was greater and the range of movement was less. The patient group experienced more complications, but all of these resolved.ConclusionApproximately 5 cm of lengthening and significant functional improvement can be achieved by staged reconstruction and lengthening, without major complications. Although it has limitations, this method of treatment seems to be a satisfactory surgical option for growing children with a significant leg-length discrepancy after excision of an osteosarcoma around the knee. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:401–8.

This report discusses the structural and spectroscopic analysis of yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) thin films grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates. It is found that the changes of oxygen partial pressure during the growth are closely related to the surface chemical compositions and the surface crystal orientations of the thin films. The presence of oxygen partial pressure produces a polycrystalline structure on the thin film while a preferred orientation of crystal structures is formed under no oxygen partial pressure. Difficulty arises in identifying the structure of the thin films due to the broad characteristics of the x-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks; however, the XRD rocking scan suggests the existence of two lateral domain sizes. The chemical analysis of the thin films from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicates the enrichment of surface yttrium-oxide as the oxygen partial pressure increases. The detailed analysis of valence band spectra also suggests that the thin films undergo a surface structural phase transition, i.e., transforming from a single tetragonal structure to a mixed (cubic + monoclinic) structure. Furthermore, the optical data display the small increments of the band gap as the oxygen partial pressure increases, which reflects the presence of the structural phase transition of the thin films.

We reviewed the outcome of distal chevron metatarsal osteotomy without tendon transfer in 19 consecutive patients (19 feet) with a hallux varus deformity following surgery for hallux valgus. All patients underwent distal chevron metatarsal osteotomy with medial displacement and a medial closing wedge osteotomy along with a medial capsular release. The mean hallux valgus angle improved from −11.6° pre-operatively to 4.7° postoperatively, the mean first-second intermetatarsal angle improved from −0.3° to 3.3° and the distal metatarsal articular angle from 9.5° to 2.3° and the first metatarsophalangeal joints became congruent post-operatively in all 19 feet. The mean relative length ratio of the metatarsus decreased from 1.01 to 0.99 and the mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score improved from 77 to 95 points. In two patients the hallux varus recurred. One was symptom-free but the other remained symptomatic after a repeat distal chevron osteotomy. There were no other complications. We consider that distal chevron metatarsal osteotomy with a medial wedge osteotomy and medial capsular release is a useful procedure for the correction of hallux varus after surgery for hallux valgus.

Kim SY, Seong MW, Jeon BS, Kim SY, Ko HS, Kim JY, Park SS. Phase analysis identifies compound heterozygous deletions of the PARK2 gene in patients with early-onset Parkinson disease. Exon rearrangements and point mutations are common in PARK2, the most important causative gene of autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson disease (EOPD). However, gene dosage analysis alone cannot conclusively determine the phase of exon rearrangements and the incidence of molecularly confirmed parkin-type EOPD may be underestimated. To fully characterize the mutation spectrum, we performed sequencing and gene dosage analyses of SNCA, PARK2, PINK1, and PARK7 in 114 unrelated EOPD patients with onset age ≤40 years. Mutational phase of exon rearrangements was determined by reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and sequence analysis using a patient's own RNA. Fourteen different PARK2 mutations (3 point mutations plus 11 exon rearrangements) were identified in 18 patients, comprising 1 homozygote (0.9%), 13 compound heterozygotes (11.4%), 3 single heterozygotes (2.6%), and 1 with unknown phase (0.9%). By phase determination, more than 80% (5 of 6) of patients with apparently contiguous multi-exon deletions and 30% (5 of 18) of all PARK2 mutation carriers were additionally diagnosed as compound heterozygotes, respectively. This study shows that compound heterozygous mutations constituted a significant portion of patients with apparently contiguous multi-exon deletions. Phase determination is a prerequisite to molecular diagnosis for autosomal recessive EOPD, especially in subjects with PARK2 exon rearrangements.

Objectives The use of umbilical cord blood (CB) that is genetically resistant to HIV infection has been proposed as a novel stem cell therapy for the treatment of patients with AIDS. These genetically unique CB units (CBUs) should be present in public CB banks at a predicted frequency. Methods The chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 5 (CCR5) genotypes of CBUs donated to the M. D. Anderson CB Bank by four Houston area hospitals were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Results The frequency of CCR5Δ32/Δ32 CBUs was consistent with the frequency of the CCR5Δ32 allele in human populations, and was apparently dependent on the ethnic population of the parents of the newborns from whom the CBUs were collected. Conclusions Routine genotyping to identify HIV-resistant CBUs could create a bank of CB-derived stem/progenitor cells with which to treat HIV infection.

Top blow injection of a gas–solid jet through a circular lance is used in the Mitsubishi continuous smelting process. One of the problems associated with such injection is the severe erosion of the hearth refractory below the lances. A new configuration of the lance to form an annular gas–solid jet rather than the circular jet was designed in this laboratory. With this new configuration, solid particles, fed through the centre tube, leave the lance at a much lower velocity than the gas, and the penetration behaviour of jet is significantly different than that of circular lance where the solid particles leave the lance at the same high velocity as the gas. In an earlier cold model investigation, the effects of gas velocity, solid feedrate and lance height of the annular lance were studied and compared to the circular lance. This paper reports on experimental work that includes the effects of the size of the annular lance, which greatly expands the applicable range of the developed correlation. It h...

The effects of Ce addition on the microstructure, age hardening response and mechanical properties of an indirect-extruded Mg-5wt.%Sn-4Zn (TZ54) alloy were investigated. Addition of Ce accelerated the aging response with the peak aging time moving from 300 h in TZ54 to 30 h in Mg-5wt.%Sn-4Zn-1Ce (TZE541), while the peak harness was similar to each other. The addition of Ce also caused an increase in the precipitation stability during overageing. Though the tensile strength of extruded TZ54 was improved by the addition of Ce, the tensile strength of the TZE541 was reduced after T6-treatment. The combined mechanical properties of the present as-extruded alloys by solution heat-treatment and artificial aging (T6) were comparable to commercial wrought magnesium alloys.

A sand-cone method is commonly used to determine the density of compacted soils. The density of the compacted soil calculated from the sand-cone method could be correct, provided the calibration container has approximately the same size or volume and allows the sand to fall to approximately the same height as a test hole in the field. However, in most cases, the size or shape of the test hole is not exactly the same as that of the calibration container. This can result in a difference in the settlement or deposition of sand particles between the laboratory calibration and the field testing, which may cause an erroneous determination of the in-situ density. The sand-filling process is simulated in the laboratory and its effect on the determination of density is investigated. Artificially made holes with different depths and bottom shapes are prepared to simulate various shapes of the test hole in the field. Sands with different particle size distributions are used in the testing to examine how sand grain size influences the determination of density in the field. The error between the assumed and calculated densities is highly dependent on the types of sand used in the sand-cone method. This paper presents some guidelines for obtaining correct in-situ densities through the sand-cone method.

Careful internal defect coverage is important for a well vascularised internal base for the transplant in reconstructive nasal surgery. Secondary healing of intranasal wounds often results in nostril contracture and scar stenosis. The choice of methods for surgical coverage depends on the location of the defect and the condition of surrounding elements. For example, the double-stemmed "pot handle" flap is suitable for small defects of the internal lining of the nasal lobule. The septal mucosa flap can be used for larger and more complex defects of the internal nasal lining. Using composite skin and cartilage grafts from the ear, three-layered nasal defects can be treated in a variety of ways. The turn-in flap is a tilt flap and is very versatile for the treatment of inner defects of the lower nasal half.

Capecitabine, a prodrug of 5-FU, has been reported to generate maximal tumour activity at tumour sites and/or to improve drug tolerability as compared with 5-FU infusion, and it has also been demonstrated to act synergistically with irinotecan against some solid cancers. A previous study concluded that dose-intensified biweekly capecitabine seems to be more effective at increasing both response rate and progression-free survival time than conventional dose and schedule of capecitabine in colon cancer. We conducted this study to ascertain the efficacy and toxicity of dose-intensified biweekly capecitabine and irinotecan combination chemotherapy in chemotherapy-naïve advanced or metastatic gastric cancer patients. Patients were treated with irinotecan 130 mg m(-2) intravenously for 90 min on days 1 and 15. Capecitabine at 3500 mg m(-2) day(-1), divided into two sessions per day, was administered for seven consecutive days from days 1 and 15, and followed by a 7-day drug-free period, respectively. Fifty-five eligible patients were enrolled in this study from November 2003 to April 2006. There were 22 women and 33 men: median patient age was 54 years (range: 27-81). A total of 200 treatment cycles were administered at a median number of four per patient (range: 1-9). Intent-to-treatment analysis showed that one patient achieved complete response (1.8%), 23 partial response (41.8%), 15 stable disease (27.3%), 10 progressive disease (18.2%) and 6 were non-evaluable (10.9%). The overall response rate was 43.6% (95% confidence interval: 30.2-56.9). The common grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia in 12 (21.8%), nausea/vomiting in 3 (5.4%) and diarrhea in 4 (7.2%) patients. Median time to progression was 5 months (range: 0.5-11 months), median survival duration was 11 months (range: 0.5-45 months) and median response duration was 6 months (range: 0.5-9 months). Biweekly dose-intensified capecitabine and irinotecan combination chemotherapy was active for the treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric cancers with a tolerable safety profile.

Luminescence experiments in magnetic fields up to 28 T on a freestanding gallium nitride ( GaN ) sample and a heteroepitaxial GaN layer lightly doped with silicon are presented. In these samples, the principal D0X recombination channel is accompanied by two electron satellites (TES), which involve the excited donor states as well as by the longitudinal-optic (LO) phonon replica of the principal transitions. When the internal donor excitations are magnetically tuned into resonance with the LO-phonon excitation, the intensity of TES is strongly enhanced and clear avoided-crossings between the LO-phonon replica of the principal D0X transition and TES involving highly excited states of oxygen and silicon are resolved. The observed behavior is explained in terms of resonant interaction between LO-phonons and donor-bound electrons. It is found that the resonant magnetopolaron interaction is stronger for the oxygen as compared to the silicon donor.

Whether indoor painting aggravates preexisting allergic diseases remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the impact of new classroom painting on aggravation of asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), and atopic dermatitis (AD) in children. Studied school was previously painted with conventional water-based paint 20 years ago and had natural ventilation system. We identified a total of 172 children aged 10-12 years with allergic diseases in 17 classrooms, which were allocated to newly painted rooms with low-volatile organic compounds (VOC), water-based paint, or existing rooms. After painting, there was no intervention or internal airflow to influence indoor air environment in both classrooms. We prospectively assessed the symptom severity and serious events of allergic diseases between both classrooms at baseline and after one and eight weeks after painting. At one and eight weeks, there were no significant changes in the Childhood Asthma Control Test scores, the fractional nitric oxide levels, lung function in asthmatic children in either classroom. There were also no significant changes in the severity score of AR or AD, or serious events in all allergic diseases. These findings suggest classroom painting with this new paint at the levels encountered in this study might not be a major aggravating factor for school-aged children with allergic diseases.

The sensitivities of oxygen-dimer (O4) slant column densities (SCDs) to changes in aerosol layer height are investigated using simulated radiances by a radiative transfer model, Linearized Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer (LIDORT), and Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique. The sensitivities of the O4 SCDs to aerosol types and optical properties are also evaluated and compared. Among the O4 absorption bands at 340, 360, 380, and 477 nm, the O4 absorption band at 477 nm is found to be the most suitable to retrieve the aerosol effective height. However, the O4 SCD at 477 nm is significantly influenced not only by the aerosol layer effective height but also by aerosol vertical profiles, optical properties including single scattering albedo (SSA), aerosol optical depth (AOD), and surface albedo. Overall, the error of the retrieved aerosol effective height is estimated to be 414 m (16.5%), 564 m (22.4%), and 1343 m (52.5%) for absorbing, dust, and non-absorbing aerosol, respectively, assuming knowledge on the aerosol vertical distribution type. Using radiance data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), a new algorithm is developed to derive the aerosol effective height over East Asia after the determination of the aerosol type and AOD from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The retrieved aerosol effective heights are lower by approximately 300 m (27 %) compared to those obtained from the ground-based LIDAR measurements.

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of disorders. Here, we performed targeted sequencing of 18 limb-girdle MD (LGMD)-related genes in 35 patients who were highly suspected of having MD. We identified one or more pathogenic variants in 23 of 35 patients (65.7%), and a genetic diagnosis was performed in 20 patients (57.1%). LGMD2B was the most common LGMD type, followed by LGMD1B, LGMD2A, and LGMD2G. Among the three major LGMD types in this group, LGMD1B was correlated with the lowest creatine kinase (CK) levels and the earliest onset, whereas LGMD2B was correlated with the highest CK levels and the latest onset. Thus, next-generation sequencing-based gene panels can be a helpful tool for the diagnosis of MDs, particularly in young children and those displaying atypical symptoms.

Time-resolved measurements of GaN with different donors (oxygen or silicon) and acceptors (zinc or magnesium) showed pronounced bound exciton lines and their phonon replicas. The analysis included three phonon modes characteristic for the wurtzite (hexagonal) phase: A1(LO), E1(TO) and E2H. It was shown that relative amplitudes of replicas depended upon the chemical nature of the defects that the bind excitons. The replicas were stronger for acceptor- than for donor–related features. Huang-Rhys factors S = 0.06 ± 0.02 and S = 0.025 ± 0.01, were found for the A0X and the D0X LO replicas, respectively. A significant difference in phonon coupling to silicon and oxygen donor bound excitons has been observed. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

This paper investigates purchasing and production allocation policies in a supply chain consisting of multiple manufacturers and a single retailer. Demand at the retailer is known and constant over time. The retailer places orders based on the EOQ policy and allocates them to the multiple manufacturers to minimize the average total cost incurred in the whole supply chain. The problem is modelled and the solution procedure is presented to determine the purchasing cycle length, the shipment frequencies, and the production allocation ratios for multiple manufacturers. The closed form solutions of the purchasing cycle length and the shipment frequencies are derived in terms of the production allocation ratios. However, the production allocation problem has the structure of a concave minimization problem, which is known as an NP-hard problem. We develop an efficient heuristic algorithm to obtain the near-optimal solution, and show that the proposed heuristic algorithm performs quite satisfactorily through a numerical experiment.

This study deals with the cold forging process design for shaft in the main part of automobile motors with rectangular deep groove. In forging process, the accuracy and die lift is very important because it have influence on reduction of the production cost and the increase of the production rate. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the manufacturing process of shaft by cold forging., process variables are the cropped face angle of billet and the eccentric load of punch. The former is derived from cropping test, the latter is occurred by clearance between container and preform. Also, grooved preform select the process variable for decrease in punch deflection. We investigate that a deflection of punch and a deformation of preform to every process variables. Through this investigation, we suggest the optimal preform and process design, expect to be improved the tool life in forging process.

We have performed a detailed contactless electroreflectance study of the interband excitonic transitions on both the Ga and N faces of a 200-μm-thick freestanding hydride-vapor-phase-epitaxy grown wurtzite GaN sample with low defect concentration in the temperature range between 20 and 300 K. The transition energies of the A, B, and C excitons and broadening parameters of the A and B excitons have been determined by least-square fits to the first derivative of a Lorentzian line shape. The energy positions and separations of the excitonic transitions in the sample reveal the existence of residual strain. At 20 K the broadening parameter of A exciton deduced for the Ga (5×105 dislocation cm−2) and N (1×107 dislocation cm−2) faces are 3 and 7 meV, respectively, indicating a lower defect concentration on the former face. The parameters that describe the temperature dependence of the interband transition energies of the A, B, and C excitons as well as the broadening function of the A and B features are evaluated. The results from an analysis of the temperature dependence of the broadening function of excitons A and B indicate that GaN exhibits a very large exciton-phonon coupling.

An ultrasonic method is used to disperse iron oxide particles of two different sizes in an epoxy vinyl ester resin. The dispersion quality is assessed from sedimentation, density measurements, and scanning electron micrographs. By varying parameters such as power and duration of sonication, optimum dispersion conditions are suggested. Dispersion is most effective in the early stage of sonication and becomes more difficult to improve later. Once separated, however, the particles do not come into direct contact with one another because of the steric hindrance. The nano-size (29 nm) particles delay curing whereas the larger (200 nm) particles do not. The results indicate a strong interaction between nanoparticles and the resin.

The Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) had started the 10 GeV PAL-XFEL project from 2011. The PAL-XFEL needs a highly stable electron beam. The very stable beam voltage of a klystron- modulator is essential to provide the stable acceleration field for an electron beam. Thus, the modulator system for the XFEL requires less than 50 ppm PFN voltage stability. To get this high stability on the modulator system, the inverter type HVPS is a pivot component. And the modulator needs lower noise and smart. We discuss the measurement of the stability and the test results of the pulse modulator system.

We report a 5-year-old boy with a small de novo marker chromosome derived from the proximal short arm of chromosome 17. His clinical features include hypotonia, global developmental delay, oval face with large nose and prominent ears, and ligamentous laxity of the fingers. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated mildly delayed myelination. G-band chromosome analysis revealed mosaicism for a small marker chromosome in 85% of the peripheral blood cells analyzed. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and microsatellite polymorphism studies showed that the der(17) was of maternal origin and included genetic material from the 17p10-p12 region, but did not contain the PMP22 gene. One breakpoint mapped within the centromere and the second breakpoint mapped adjacent to the Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A proximal low-copy repeat (CMT1A-REP). We compare the clinical characteristics of our patient with those previously reported to have a duplication involving the proximal short arm region of chromosome 17 to further delineate the phenotype of trisomy 17p10-p12.

Auricular defects occur from a variety of different causes and a wide array of reconstructive options are often necessary. This article presents a general algorithm for approaching the reconstruction of auricular defects. The spectrum of problems ranges from simple lacerations to superficial cutaneous defects to total avulsions. There are small tips that can help improve results with adjacent flaps as well as guidelines for total auricular reconstruction.

The joining of titanium boride (TiB2) to aluminum oxide (AL2O3) was investigated using compositionally graded interlayers. For the joint each interlayer was stepwise stacked in a mold. The stacked samples were hot-pressed at 1470°C and 10 MPa for 0.5 h in a nitrogen atmosphere. Optical microscopy, x-ray diffractometry (XRD), wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS), laser flash method and three point bend test were used to evaluate the joint material. It has been shown that the original stepwise distribution of Ti and Al constituents in the graded region prior to hot-pressing changes to continuous distribution after the sintering. The compositionally graded interlayers are shown to promote the formation of crack-free joints between TiB2 and AL2O3

Cyclin D1 is one of the G1 cyclins that control cell cycle progression by allowing G1 to S transition. Overexpression of cyclin D1 has been postulated to play an important role in the development of human cancers. We have investigated the correlation between cyclin D1 overexpression and known clinicopathological factors and also its prognostic implication on resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumour tissues resected from 69 NSCLC patients between stages I and IIIa were immunohistochemically examined to detect altered cyclin D1 expression. Twenty-four cases (34.8%) revealed positive immunoreactivity for cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 overexpression is significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis (50.0% vs 14.4%, P = 0.002) and with advanced pathological stages (I, 10%; II, 53.8%; IIIa, 41.7%, P = 0.048; stage I vs II, IIIa, P = 0.006). Twenty-four patients with cyclin D1-positive immunoreactivity revealed a significantly shorter overall survival than the patients with negativity (24.0 ± 3.9 months vs 50.1 ± 6.4 months, P = 0.0299). Among 33 patients between stages I and II, nine patients with cyclin D1-positive immunoreactivity had a much shorter overall survival (29.7 ± 6.1 months vs 74.6 ± 8.6 months, P = 0.0066). These results suggest that cyclin D1 overexpression is involved in tumorigenesis of NSCLCs from early stage and could be a predictive molecular marker for poor prognosis in resectable NSCLC patients, which may help us to choose proper therapeutic modalities after resection of the tumor. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign

In this paper, we present the results of an experimental study focused on understanding the strain concentrations arising due to nonlinear phenomena associated with polarization switching. A moire interferometry technique is used to measure the normal and shear strains of a PZT-5H piezoceramic undergoing 180 and 90 deg switching. These results include the strain concentrations measured between polarized regions oriented 180 and 90 deg apart. The results show that very large strain mismatches (e.g., as large as 4500 microstrains) occur along the boundary of dissimilar oriented domains, suggesting a source of microcrack initiation and fatigue degradation.

The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of germline mutations and develop the genetic testing strategy in patients with apparently sporadic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) in Korea. We included 53 patients diagnosed with non-syndromic PPGL without a family history of PPGLs in three referral centers from 2004 to 2011. Succinate dehydrogenase complex B (SDHB), SDHD, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), and rearranged during transfection (RET) genes were examined by direct sequencing and multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification. The study patients were composed of 26 men and 27 women, and mean age was 50.1 ± 13.5 years. The frequency of germline mutations was 13.2% (7/53): RET (n = 2), VHL (n = 1), SDHB (n = 2), and SDHD (n = 2). Six of seven mutation carriers were diagnosed before the age of 50. One of two patients harboring an SDHB mutation had malignant PPGLs. One patient with multifocal head and neck paraganglioma (PGL) and pheochromocytoma (PHEO) carried a SDHD mutation. The carriers of germline mutations in patients with apparently sporadic PPGL were 13.2% in our study. We recommend genetic testing in patients below 50 years and SDHD genetic testing in patients with multifocal PPGLs. In malignant PPGLs, SDHB genetic testing may be performed.