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Uncontrolled macrophage functions cause failure to resolve gut inflammation and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2), one of endogenous lipid mediators formed from arachidonic acid during the inflammatory process, has been reported to terminate inflammation. However, the pro-resolving effect of 15d-PGJ2 on intestinal inflammation and underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the effects of 15d-PGJ2 on the resolution of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis that mimics human IBD. Pharmacologic inhibition of prostaglandin D synthase (PGDS) responsible for the synthesis of 15d-PGJ2 hampered resolution of inflammation in the colonic mucosa of mice treated with DSS. Notably, intraperitoneal injection of 15d-PGJ2 accelerated the resolution of experimentally induced colitis. 15d-PGJ2 treatment reduced the number of neutrophils and M1 macrophages, while it increased the proportion of M2 macrophages. Moreover, 15d-PGJ2 treated mice exhibited the significantly reduced proportion of macrophages expressing the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6 with concomitant suppression of STAT3 phosphorylation in the colonic mucosa of mice administered 2.5% DSS in drinking water. Taken together, these findings clearly indicate that 15d-PGJ2, endogenously generated from arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase-2 and PGDS activities in inflamed tissue, promotes resolution of intestinal colitis.

Here, we describe a simple optical motion detection method for a microcantilever by positioning a microcantilever in front of a photodetector and focusing a light to the side of the cantilever in the in-plane direction. The out-of-plane vibration of the microcantilever, acting as an knife-edge itself, modulates the amount of light reaching the photodetector, allowing the alternate motion detection scheme. The method presented offers the optical responsivity around 0.3 mW/μm, which is high enough to observe the thermomechanical fluctuations of a microcantilever in order of a few pm/ Hz. The demonstrated detection scheme can reduce the complexity and the relative size of the detection configuration, often required in the conventional methods, and would be useful as a complementary technique to existing ones.

15-Deoxy-Δ15d-PGJ15d-PGJ15d-PGJ

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is well known as the most common malignant primary brain tumor. It could easily spread into the adjacent or distant brain tissue by infiltration, direct extension and cerebro-spinal fluid dissemination. The extranueural metastatic spread of GBM is relatively rare but it could have more progressive disease course. We report a 39-year-old man who had multiple bone metastases and malignant pleural effusion of the GBM without primary site recurrence.

Fine suspended solids generated effluence from treatment process of mine drainage could destroy environment as the aesthetic landscapes, and depreciate water quality. Therefore, the purpose of this research is focused on process development applied the actual field for controlling fine suspended solids and heavy metals, and so lab-scale test was performed for inducement of basic data. The mine drainage used in this research was sampled in H mine located Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do. Concentration of suspended solid, arsenic, iron and manganese was exceeded the standard of contaminant limitation for the clean water, and particle size of suspended solid was less than 10 m as fine particle. Although hydraulic retention time of mine drainage for effective settling was required more than 6 hours, hydraulic retention time would be increased in winter season when the settling efficiency could be reduced because of viscosity decreasing. Moreover, installed inclination plate helped to increase settling efficiency of suspended solid about 48 %. Filtering media that was the most effective removal of suspended solids and heavy metal was decided granular activated carbon of 1~2 mm was the optimal size.

This paper investigates the out-of-plane shear behavior of composite steel-plate-reinforced concrete walls (SC walls) and proposes their shear-strength-models based on plasticity theory limit analysis. For speedy, modular construction, SC walls are fabricated using double-skin steel plates with welded shear studs and sandwiching concrete between them. A review of current design formulas provides better understanding of bond-stress-dependent shear behavior relying on studs of SC walls. We conducted experiments on bondstrength-dependent arch and/or truss action to verify proposed shear-strength models with test results. Test results, including those from literature, agreed well with the strength anticipated by proposed formulas.

This paper presents an intra field de-interlacing algorithm for spatial edge preserving using the detection of accurate edge direction. Conventional intra field de-interlacing algorithms determine the edge direction at the pixel or half pixel level, so that they can be highly sensitive to noise and lead to image degradation. In this paper, the proposed algorithm first considers the edge tendency in the edge region, and then candidate direction vectors (CDVs) are selected using the modified Sobel operation through the edge tendency. Finally, the CDVs are adaptively applied to interpolate the lost pixel in the edge region. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs well with a variety of still and moving images compared with conventional intra field algorithms in the literature.

This paper presents a novel intra deinterlacing algorithm (NID) based on content adaptive interpolation. The NID consists of three steps: pre-processing, content classification, and content adaptive interpolation. There are also three main interpolation methods in our proposed NID, i.e. modified edge-based line averaging (M-ELA), gradient directed interpolation (GDI), and window matching method (WMM). Each proposed method shows different performances according to spatial local features. Therefore, we analyze the local region feature using the gradient detection and classify each missing pixel into four categories. And then, based on the classification result, a different de-interlacing algorithm is activated in order to obtain the best performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the NID method performs better than previous techniques.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been known to be implicated in human gastric carcinogenesis. Snail, the zinc-finger transcription factor known as a key inducer of changes in the cell shape and morphogenetic movement, is aberrantly overexpressed and correlates with lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. In the present study, we investigated whether H. pylori could induce Snail activation to provoke these changes. Using a cell scatter assay, we noticed that human gastric cancer AGS cells infected with H. pylori underwent morphological changes as well as disruption of cell-cell interaction, which was then reversed by silencing of Snail by use of small interfering RNA (siRNA). In addition, infection with H. pylori resulted in an increased intracellular level of Snail in gastric cancer cells, which was abrogated in the presence of U0126 and LY294002, inhibitors of MEK/Erk and PI3K/Akt pathways, respectively. Cycloheximide pulse-chase experiments coupled with immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the induction of Snail by H. pylori was regulated at multiple levels, including increased transcription of Snail mRNA, inhibition of protein degradation, and enhancement of nuclear translocation of Snail. Pre-treatment of AGS cells with N-acetylcysteine, a well-known reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, attenuated the H. pylori-induced activation of Erk, its binding to Snail promoter, inactivation of GSK-3β, and accumulation of Snail. Collectively, these findings suggest that the upregulation of Snail expression induced by H. pylori and transformation to a spindle-like shape as a consequence in gastric cancer cells are attributable to ROS-mediated activation of Erk and the inhibition of GSK-3β signaling. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-prostagandin J(2) (15d-PGJ2) is produced in the inflamed cells and tissues as a consequence of upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). 15d-PGJ2 is known to be the endogenous ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) with multiple physiological properties. Though one of the terminal products of the COX-2-catalyzed reactions, this cyclopentenone prostaglandin exerts potent anti-inflammatory actions, in part, by antagonizing the activities of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, such as NF-κB, STAT3, and AP-1, while stimulating the anti-inflammatory transcription factor Nrf2. These effects are not necessarily dependent on its activation of PPARγ, but often involves direct interaction with the above signaling molecules and their regulators. The locally produced 15d-PGJ2 is also involved in the resolution of inflammatory responses. Thus, 15d-PGJ2, especially formed during the late phase of inflammation, might inhibit cytokine secretion and other events by antigen-presenting cells like dendritic cells or macrophages. 15d-PGJ2 can also affect the priming and effector functions of T lymphocytes and induce their apoptotic cell death. These represent a negative feedback explaining how once-initiated immunologic and inflammatory responses are switched off and terminated. In this context, 15d-PGJ2 and its synthetic derivatives have therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

This paper presents a novel intra deinterlacing algorithm (NID) based on content adaptive interpolation. The NID consists of three steps: pre-processing, content classification, and content adaptive interpolation. There are also three main interpolation methods in our proposed NID, i.e. modified edge-based line averaging (M-ELA), gradient directed interpolation (GDI), and window matching method (WMM). Each proposed method shows different performances according to spatial local features. Therefore, we analyze the local region feature using the gradient detection and classify each missing pixel into four categories. And then, based on the classification result, a different de-interlacing algorithm is activated in order to obtain the best performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the NID method performs better than previous techniques.

We investigated the effect of propofol and fentanyl on microelectrode recording (MER) and its clinical applicability during subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. We analyzed 8 patients with Parkinson's disease, underwent bilateral STN DBS with MER. Their left sides were done under awake and then their right sides were done with a continuous infusion of propofol and fentanyl under local anesthesia. The electrode position was evaluated by preoperative MRI and postoperative CT. The clinical outcomes were assessed at six months after surgery. We isolated single unit activities from the left and the right side MERs. There was no significant difference in the mean firing rate between the left side MERs (38.7±16.8 spikes/sec, n=78) and the right side MERs (35.5±17.2 spikes/sec, n=66). The bursting pattern of spikes was more frequently observed in the right STN than in the left STN. All the electrode positions were within the STNs on both sides and the off-time Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III scores at six months after surgery decreased by 67% of the preoperative level. In this study, a continuous infusion of propofol and fentanyl did not significantly interfere with the MER signals from the STN. The results of this study suggest that propofol and fentanyl can be used for STN DBS in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease improving the overall experience of the patients. Graphical Abstract Keywords: Parkinson Disease, Microelectrodes, Propofol, Fentanyl, Subthalamic Nucleus, Deep Brain Stimulation INTRODUCTION Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) reduces motor disability, motor fluctuations and levodopa-induced dyskinesias (1). Intraoperative microelectrode recordings (MER) and clinical monitoring with electrical stimulation of the STN have been recommended for the accurate positioning of the electrodes in the STN (2, 3). These procedures have the STN DBS done usually under local anesthesia (LA). It is reported that the intraoperative use of propofol can alleviate the patients' discomfort but interfere with the electrophysiological signals (4, 5, 6). However, it has not been thoroughly evaluated regarding how much it influences the electrical signals of MER during the STN DBS and the accuracy of positioning the electrodes after surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of propofol and fentanyl on microelectrode recording and their applicability in STN DBS.

A tubular system for high-rise buildings might be inappropriate for steel structures in contrast to reinforced concrete ones. However, such a system had to be selected for the SK Headquarters Buildings because of the fast track construction together with increased building storeys. Despite well-known disadvantages due to a lot of steel moment connections in a tubular system, the cooperation of architects and structural designers explored the advantages, such as reduced floor height and an effective metal frame of curtain wall as well as simpler core and office area planning.