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Recent studies on the composition of edible insects have placed more emphasis on the quantity and quality of macro- and micronutrients and less emphasis on their bioactive components. This study aimed to assess the effect of 0-100% ethanol solvent ratio considering 5-hydroxyindolin-2-one (5-HI) content on the extraction efficiency in Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae (PBSL) extract and to investigate the effect of PBSL on the induction of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method coupled to a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was validated for the quantification of 5-HI. The HPLC-DAD method was validated for its specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, and limits of quantitation. The calibration curve of 5-HI showed significant linearity (R2>1). The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.016 μg/ml and 0.048 μg/ml, respectively. The relative standard deviation of the precision and intraday tests was less than 0.5%. In the recovery test, the accuracy ranged from 94.48-105.5% and the relative standard deviation value was less than 0.13%. The method validation parameters indicate the applicability of the HPLC method for quality control of food or pharmaceutical formulations containing PBSL. Comparative analysis of the 5-HI content by extraction solvent revealed that it was the highest at 357.7 μg/ml in 70% ethanol. Additionally, the analysis result of 5-HI content according to the growth conditions was the highest at 439 μg/ml at 31 °C for 30 days. Furthermore, in the condition where PBSL was at 31 °C for 30 days inhibition of the TNF-α-induced upregulation of protein expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin) was observed. Therefore, PBSL may interfere with early atherosclerotic events involving endothelial CAM induction.

Background: The pathogenesis of maxillary sinus fungal ball (MSFB) is explained by aerogenic and odontogenic factors. We evaluated the predisposing factors, including intranasal anatomical and dental factors for increased diagnostic accuracy. Methodology: In this study, 117 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for unilateral MSFB were included. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were used to analyze the presence of anatomical variations (anterior and posterior nasal septal deviation (NSD), concha bullosa (CB), infraorbital cell (haller cell), paradoxical middle turbinate, everted uncinate process and MS size). Dental factors including history of dental procedures and findings on CT scans were reviewed. Results: Anterior and posterior NSD toward non-affected side were significantly associated with the presence of FB. The presence of CB and infraorbital cell was higher in the non-affected side rather than in the lesion side. Compared to non-affected MS, FB-presence MS was shallower and had a larger height to depth ratio. The presence of dental history was significantly higher on FB-presence MS than non-affected MS. In multivariable analysis, posterior NSD toward non-affected side, dental history increased the aOR of MSFB, while the presence of CB and infraorbital cell decreased the aOR of MSFB. Conclusions: The occurrence of MSFB seems to be associated with ipsilateral odontogenic factors, followed by anatomic variations including posterior NSD toward non-affected side and absence of CB and infraorbital cell.

Study question What is the appropriate suction pump pressure for oocyte retrieval in terms of oocytes and embryos quality? Summary answer The aspiration pressure of 150mmHg had a significantly higher number of oocytes retrieved compared with 120mmHg, but the oocyte quality and embryo quality were comparable. What is known already There is no conclusion on the optimal aspiration pressure level for oocyte retrieval in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), and a variety of pressures between 100 and 200 mmHg are used, often based on manufacturer’s instructions. Study design, size, duration A retrospective analysis was performed on a total of 211 COS cycles from September 2019 to December 2021 in a single tertiary center. The analysis was performed on patients who underwent COS for the purpose of infertility treatment. Participants/materials, setting, methods 110 cycles were included in the 120 mmHg pressure group and 101 cycles were included in the 150 mmHg pressure group. Age, AMH, antral follicle count (AFC), the proportion of ICSI, the number of retrieved oocytes, the number of MII oocytes, MII rate, degeneration rate on day 1, and the number of embryos on day 3 were compared between the two groups. Variables such as Age, AMH, and AFC were corrected using analysis of variance. Main results and the role of chance The number of retrieved oocytes was significantly higher in the 150 mmHg group compared to the 120 mmHg group (10.3 vs. 8.4, p = 0.016). Neither the number of MII oocytes nor the MII rate was significantly different between the two groups (6.1 vs. 5.5, p = 0.509 and 67.2% vs. 73.4%, p = 0.437 respectively). The degeneration rate on day 1 and the number of embryos on day 3 were also not significantly different between the two groups (6.2% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.282 and 5.7% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.109 respectively). Limitations, reasons for caution Since this study analyzed the appropriate pump pressure for oocyte retrieval in infertile patients, caution is needed in extending the study results to patients undergoing oocyte retrieval for the purpose of fertility preservation. Wider implications of the findings The results of this study revealed that oocyte collection could be efficiently performed without damaging the oocytes even with a higher aspiration pressure of 150 mmHg. Trial registration number Not applicable

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases and is characterized by sinonasal inflammation that lasts longer than 12 weeks. Whether the effect of chronic inflammation caused by CRS on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is similar to its effect on other inflammatory disorders has not been thoroughly evaluated. We aimed to demonstrate whether CRS patients have a higher prevalence of CVDs, including stroke and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methodology: We compared the prevalence of various comorbidities between CRS and control participants through a case-control cohort study from 2002 to 2015 that included 514,866 participants. CRS (n=6,552) and control (n=26,208) participants who were over 40 years old were selected by matching age, sex, income, and area of residence at a 1:4 ratio. Results: A stratified Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to assess the hazard ratio (HR) of CRS for stroke and IHD. The HRs for stroke and IHD were significantly increased in CRS patients compared to controls after adjusting for obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores. The HR of stroke was significantly higher in the absence of nasal polyps than in the presence of nasal polyps. The HR of IHD was significantly increased in the CRS group regardless of the presence of nasal polyps. Conclusions: This study showed that CRS participants had a significantly higher prevalence of stroke and IHD.

The crystal structure and photoluminescence (PL) properties of Tb3+−activated garnet−type Li7La3−xZr2O12 garnet phosphors are reported. As−synthesized Li7La3−xZr2O12:xTb (0.02 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) phosphors form a tetragonal crystal structure and emit efficient green light due to the 5D4 → 7F5 transition of Tb3+. On the other hand, aged Li7La3−xZr2O12:xTb phosphors form mixed tetragonal and cubic crystal structures and contain a small amount of Li2CO3. The aged LLZO:xTb phosphors are brownish due to the oxidation of Tb3+ to Tb4+. The Tb4+ ions act as quenching sites for Tb3+ green emission owing to their strong absorption in UV–visible region. The aging significantly degrades emission intensities and color quality due to the presence of Tb4+ and Li2CO3.

While nickel-based alloys have been widely used for power plants due to corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties, during the last couple of decades, failures of nuclear components increased gradually. One of main degradation mechanisms was primary water stress corrosion cracking at dissimilar metal welds of piping and reactor head penetrations. In this context, precise estimation of welding effects became an important issue for ensuring reliability of them. The present study deals with a series of finite element analyses and crack growth rate evaluation of Alloys 690/152. Firstly, variation of residual stresses and equivalent plastic strains was simulated taking into account welding of a cylindrical block. Subsequently, extraction and pre-cracking of compact tension (CT) specimens were considered from different locations of the block. Finally, crack growth curves of the alloys and heat affected zone were developed based on analyses results combined with experimental data in references. Characteristics of crack growth behaviors were also discussed in relation to mechanical and fracture parameters. Keywords: Crack growth rate curve, CT specimen, Nickel-based alloy, PWSCC, Shielded metal arc welding

A series of novel garnet Y2-xLaCaGa3ZrO12:xLn3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.12; Ln = Eu and Tb) phosphors was prepared by a solid-state reaction. Their structural and photoluminescence properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The studied Y2-xLaCaGa3ZrO12:xLn3+ phosphors crystallized in a cubic garnet crystal structure and Ia 3 ¯ d space group. The Eu3+- and Tb3+-doped Y2-xLaCaGa3ZrO12 phosphors exhibited strong red and green light emissions, respectively, and high emission color purity. With increasing Tb3+ content, the emitting color of the Y2-xLaCaGa3ZrO12:xTb3+ phosphors shifted to the green spectral region because of cross-relaxation among Tb3+ ions. The Y2-xLaCaGa3ZrO12:xLn phosphors are suitable for applications in white light-emitting diode and other optoelectronic devices.

Background This 24-week, multicenter, randomized, exploratory, comparative, open-label, phase-IV study assessed the safety and efficacy of prolonged-release tacrolimus (PR-T) with reduced-dose versus standard-dose corticosteroids in stable kidney transplant recipients in Korea after converting from cyclosporine-based therapy. Methods At baseline, patients were converted from cyclosporine-based to PR-T-based immunosuppression and randomized (1:1) to receive either corticosteroids maintained at prestudy dose (standard-dose group) or tapered from week 4 to 50% of the prestudy dose by week 12 (reduced-dose group). Patients were seen at baseline and weeks 1, 4, 12, and 24. The primary endpoint was change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (Modification-of-Diet-in-Renal-Disease-4) between baseline and week 24. Secondary endpoints included either acute rejection or patient-reported satisfaction with PR-T. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results Overall, 150 patients were randomized into a reduced-dose group (n = 73) and a standard-dose group (n = 77). At week 24, mean ± standard deviation for corticosteroid dose was 2.5 ± 0.9 mg and 5.0 ± 1.3 mg, respectively. Mean change in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline to week 24 was +1.5 ± 9.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = .1567) and +3.4 ± 10.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = .0065), respectively, and not significantly different between groups. There were no acute rejection episodes. Most respondents (>70%) considered PR-T more convenient than cyclosporine. AE incidence was similar between groups. The most common AEs experienced by ≥3% of patients in either treatment group were gastrointestinal events (20.8% and 28.6% of patients receiving reduced- and standard-dose corticosteroids, respectively). Most AEs in both treatment groups were mild or moderate in severity. Conclusion Renal function was maintained following conversion from cyclosporine to PR-T, irrespective of corticosteroid regimen; PR-T enables reduced corticosteroid dosage.

In this work, LaNaCaGa3PZrO12 was explored as a host material of phosphors for white-light-emitting diode (WLED) applications for the first time. Rare-earth metal ions (Ce3+, Eu3+, and Tb3+) doped garnet LaNaCaGa3PZrO12 phosphors were fabricated by a solid-state reaction method. The structural and photoluminescence properties of the prepared garnet phosphors were investigated. The Ce3+-, Eu3+-, and Tb3+-doped LaNaCaGa3PZrO12 phoshors emitted blue, red, and green light, respectively, and are promising for WLED device applications.

There is need for a robust production mechanisms to meet the ever increasing demand for herbal medicine in the world today. In this study, we developed a standard protocol for the in vitro culture of Polygonum multiflorum to rapidly produce seedlings and promote the enlargement of its medicinal root tubers. Seeds were grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium to obtain 1-week-old microseedlings. The ideal growth medium for these seedlings was determined by subculturing in different culture media. Maximal growth was observed on WPM, with a growth index of 160% after 5 weeks. Wood Plant Medium (WPM) supplemented with the kinetin and indole-3-acetic acid hormones yielded the highest average seedling shoot elongation, root initiation, and root elongation after 6 weeks. At 16 weeks after planting in the field, seedlings cultured in WPM + kinetin (1.0 mg/l) and IAA (1.0 mg/l) produced enlarged root tubers with an average dry weight of 31.10 g, as compared to 10.10 and 16.80 g for root tubers from plants propagated from P. multiflorum seed and stem cuttings, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and hierarchical cluster analyses of the enlarged root tubers revealed that their chemical composition was the same as that of tubers sold on the market and from plants propagated through seeds and stem cuttings. Our findings provide a basis for large-scale in vitro propagation of P. multiflorum as a resource for traditional Chinese medicine.

This pre-specified analysis of DAPA-CKD assessed the impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition on abrupt declines in kidney function in high-risk patients based on having chronic kidney disease (CKD) and substantial albuminuria. DAPA-CKD was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that had a median follow-up of 2.4 years. Adults with CKD (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio 200-5000 mg/g and estimated glomerular filtration rate 25-75 mL/min/1.73m2) were randomized to dapagliflozin 10 mg/day matched to placebo (2152 individuals each). An abrupt decline in kidney function was defined as a pre-specified endpoint of doubling of serum creatinine between two subsequent study visits. We also assessed a post-hoc analysis of investigator-reported acute kidney injury-related serious adverse events. Doubling of serum creatinine between two subsequent visits (median time-interval 100 days) occurred in 63 (2.9%) and 91 (4.2%) participants in the dapagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively (hazard ratio 0.68 [95% confidence interval 0.49, 0.94]). Accounting for the competing risk of mortality did not alter our findings. There was no heterogeneity in the effect of dapagliflozin on abrupt declines in kidney function based on baseline subgroups. Acute kidney injury-related serious adverse events were not significantly different and occurred in 52 (2.5%) and 69 (3.2%) participants in the dapagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively (0.77 [0.54, 1.10]). Thus, in patients with CKD and substantial albuminuria, dapagliflozin reduced the risk of abrupt declines in kidney function. HJLH and DC are co-primary authors. The DAPA-CKD Trial Committees and Investigators are listed in the Appendix.

As one of the energy saving policies, the Korean government has been regulating the indoor thermal environment of public office facilities in Korea, starting with energy conservation measures in 1980. This policy, which is above 28 &deg, C in summer and below 18 &deg, C in winter, is causing discomfort among the occupants. The purpose of this study is to support the need to improve temperature limitation standards of the Korean public office facilities. For this purpose, the standards for the thermal environment in offices of major countries and associations were examined. Subsequently, they were compared with the Korean standards. Additionally, nine buildings of public office facilities in Korea were surveyed on the thermal environment, and PMV measurement was carried out. As a result, most of the buildings that complied with the cooling temperature standard as well as most of the buildings that did not comply were found to be uncomfortable. In conclusion, to improve the comfort of Korean public office facilities in the heating and cooling period, it is necessary to mitigate temperature regulation and regulate additional environmental factors.

Introduction Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the seventh most common cancer globally, and has been identified as a growing health concern. This study aims to evaluate the current literature comparing elective neck dissection to observation in the treatment of early-stage tongue SCC, focusing on nodal recurrence, overall survival, disease specific survival statistics from randomised controlled trials comparing the two interventions. Methods Systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The odds ratio (OR) was used as a summary statistic. Results From 8 studies, there was a total of 372 cases of recurrence, 98 (15.1%) in END group and 274 (41.5%) in the Observation group. There was a significantly lower rate of recurrence in the END group compared to observation (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.16–0.39, I2 = 54%, P Conclusions END was associated with significantly lower recurrence rates and higher overall and disease-specific survival compared to a conservative observation approach in early-stage oral SCC with clinically N0 neck.

A 5-channel two color interferometer (TCI) system has been designed on KSTAR. TCI system is designed for tangential beam paths, which will combine with two existing interferometer systems of vertical and radial beam paths, so that it will provide 3-dimensional measurement of electron density evolution. TCI system uses wavelengths of 10.6 μm by a CO2 laser and 0.633 μm by a HeNe laser. The system compensates the vibrational noise by using two colors and avoids refraction by short wavelengths. The main purpose of the TCI is to generate routine measurement of the line integrated plasma density for the real time density control on KSTAR. The 5-channels will provide profile data for the density. Time resolution of the system is expected to be 500 kHz or higher in order to measure 3-dimensional density fluctuations for ELMs and other MHD activities including TAE modes. The system is planned to be working on KSTAR 2016 campaign with 1–2 channels.

An underappreciated provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act requires that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services collect and disclose payments made to physicians and institutions from medical manufacturers and related entities. This Open Payments (OP) database contains general payments (non-research-related), research payments, and physician ownership interests. Total value of payments from industry to all medical specialties during 2013–2016 was about $30 billion.