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Abnormal regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling followed by increased levels of the β-catenin protein have been identified in enhanced cellular proliferation and development of colon polyps and cancers. To inhibit β-catenin gene expression in colon cancer cells, RNA-cleaving oligodeoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) was employed to destroy the β-catenin mRNA. We designed a strategy to identify the cleavage sites in β-catenin RNA with a pool of random sequences from a DNAzyme library and identified four potential DNAzyme-working sites. DNAzymes were constructed for the selected target sites and were tested for the ability to cleave β-catenin RNA. When introduced into the cells, the selected DNAzymes decreased the expression of β-catenin significantly as well as its downstream gene, cyclin D1. Additionally, we designed short hairpin RNA that targets the same cleavage site for the selected DNAzyme. The designed short hairpin RNA also inhibited β-catenin gene expression in colon cancer cells. Our studies show that RNA-cleaving DNAzymes and RNA interference targeted to β-catenin significantly reduced β-catenin–dependent gene expression, resulting in inhibition of colon cancer cell growth. These results indicate that the functional antisense oligonucleotides directed against β-catenin might have potential as a therapeutic intervention to treat colon cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(6); 1894–902. ©2010 AACR.

Background: To prepare for future work stoppages in the medical industry, this study aimed to identify the effects of healthcare worker strikes on the mortality rate of patients visiting the emergency department (ED) at six training hospitals in Daegu, Korea. Methods: We used a retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter design to analyze the medical records of patients who visited six training hospitals in Daegu (August 21–September 8, 2020). For comparison, control period 1 was set as the same period in the previous year (August 21–September 8, 2019) and control period 2 was set as July 1–19, 2020. Patient characteristics including age, sex, and time of ED visit were investigated along with mode of arrival, length of ED stay, and in-hospital mortality. The experimental and control groups were compared using t-tests, and Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-square test, and Fisher exact tests, as appropriate. Univariate logistic regression was performed to identify significant factors, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: During the study period, 31,357 patients visited the ED, of which 7,749 belonged to the experimental group. Control periods 1 and 2 included 13,100 and 10,243 patients, respectively. No significant in-hospital mortality differences were found between study periods; however, the results showed statistically significant differences in the length of ED stay. Conclusion: The ED resident strike did not influence the mortality rate of patients who visited the EDs of six training hospitals in Daegu. Furthermore, the number of patients admitted and the length of ED stay decreased during the strike period.

We propose a method to estimate the electric-structure-acoustic transfer function of each ultrasonic transducers that are mainly used for underwater sonar systems. The finite element method (FEM) is widely used for analysing the transducer systems, because of its simplicity of usage and high accuracy. Although FEM analysis is useful for the final tuning and optimization of designs, it is may inefficient at the concept design stage, because of its high number of degrees of freedom (DOF) problem. The suggested method combines the boundary element method (BEM) and lumped parameter system model (LPM) in order to allow an efficient simulation of the ultrasonic transducer array. This suggested method has the benefit to reducing the DOF.

Directional sound detection using vector sensors rather than large hydrophone arrays is highly advantageous for target detection in SONAR. However, developing highly sensitive and compact vector sensors for use in a system whose size is limited has been a challenging issue. In this paper, we describe a miniaturized acoustic vector sensor with piezoelectric single crystal accelerometers for the application in towed line arrays. A mass-loaded cantilever beam accelerometer with a [011] poled PIN-PMN-PT single crystal shows a better signal-to-noise ratio compared to accelerometers with other piezoelectric materials because of its superior piezoelectric properties in the 32 direction. We suggested a sufficiently compact vector sensor by using a cylindrical hydrophone with 10 mm in diameter as a housing of the single crystal accelerometers. Two single crystal accelerometers were orthogonally mounted inside the cylindrical hydrophone to detect direction of sound in the transverse plane of the line array. The receiving voltage sensitivity of the accelerometers and hydrophone was −199 and −196 dB, respectively, at 3 kHz. The directional cardioid beams generated by summing the omnidirectional beam from the hydrophone and the dipole beam from the accelerometers were validated over the entire operating frequency.

In recent studies related to bioelectronics, significant efforts have been made to form 3D electrodes to increase the effective surface area or to optimize the transfer of signals at tissue-electrode interfaces. Although bioelectronic devices with 2D and flat electrode structures have been used extensively for monitoring biological signals, these 2D planar electrodes have made it difficult to form biocompatible and uniform interfaces with nonplanar and soft biological systems (at the cellular or tissue levels). Especially, recent biomedical applications have been expanding rapidly toward 3D organoids and the deep tissues of living animals, and 3D bioelectrodes are getting significant attention because they can reach the deep regions of various 3D tissues. An overview of recent studies on 3D bioelectronic devices, such as the use of electrical stimulations and the recording of neural signals from biological subjects, is presented. Subsequently, the recent developments in materials and fabrication processing to 3D micro- and nanostructures are introduced, followed by broad applications of these 3D bioelectronic devices at various in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Shape optimization of two-dimensional lenses for acoustic cameras used in underwater acoustic imaging is presented. To understand elastic shear wave effects of a lens on the pressure field of the medium, we couple two physics models, namely a pressure acoustics model and a linear elastic model and formulate it in the finite element analysis framework. As a result, the focal length of a lens is calculated to be longer than that in the absence of shear effects. The accuracy of our model is tested against experimental results, and compared with finite element analysis of a single physics model as well as the hybrid method - a method using geometrical acoustics and wave acoustics. Pressure at the focal point is optimized using geometric parameters for lens surfaces as design variables. Performance differences due to temperature change or obliquely incident waves are controlled using design constraints. The effectiveness of our optimization formulation is verified by solving single- and dual-lens design problems.

Methotrexate (MTX) toxicity can hamper the administration of all planned doses in acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Reduction or omission of MTX doses results in an increased risk of acute GVHD. In this prospective observational study, we compared the incidence of GVHD and the transplant outcomes between patients who received the full treatment course of MTX (group 1), patients in whom MTX doses were omitted if MTX toxicity developed (group 2), and patients receiving corticosteroid instead of MTX if MTX toxicity developed (group 3). The cumulative incidence of grades II-IV acute GVHD at 100 days post-transplantation was 22.2 % in group 1, 43.6 % in group 2, and 25.0 % in group 3 (P = 0.132). The risk of grades II-IV acute GVHD in group 2 was higher than that in group 1 (hazard ratio (HR) 3.262, P = 0.016), but the risk in group 3 was similar to that in group 1 (HR 0.960, P = 0.890). Group 3 also showed a trend towards a lower risk of chronic GVHD compared to the other groups. The cumulative risk of chronic GVHD at 2 years was 73.9, 71.6, and 33.3 % in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P = 0.084). However, a likely higher relapse incidence and infection-related mortality in group 3 produced a trend towards the lowest relapse-free survival (2-year RFS, 46.3, 49.3, and 25.0 % in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; P = 0.329) and overall survival (2-year OS, 45, 52.3, and 25 %, respectively; P = 0.322) in group 3. Although the substitution of MTX with corticosteroid ameliorates the increased risk of GVHD in patients in which it is imperative to omit its dose, its negative impact on relapse and infection risk does not result in favorable transplant outcomes.

Induction of complete remission (CR) is imperative for long-term survival in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients regardless of transplantation eligibility. Hyper-CVAD chemotherapy is a widely-used frontline remission induction regimen for these patients. We conducted a pilot trial of frontline remission induction using daunorubicin-augmented hyper-CVAD regimen (hyper-CVDD) in adult ALL patients (n = 15). The CR rate after this modified regimen was 100% (n = 15). Twelve patients were able to proceed to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, two patients died before transplantation due to infection, and the remaining one who was ineligible for transplant due to her age received an additional five courses of consolidation chemotherapy. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) of the study patients was 61.0 and 47.5% at 3 years. OS and relapse-free survival of transplanted patients was 66.8 and 55.0% at 3 years. This pilot trial demonstrates the favorable efficacy of the hyper-CVDD chemotherapy as a frontline remission induction regimen. Further clinical trials using this regimen are warranted.

Background. A combination of serotonin receptor (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor type 3) antagonists, NK-1 receptor antagonist, and steroid improves the complete response (CR) of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in cancer patients. Ramosetron's efficacy in this triple combination regimen has not been investigated. This prospective, multicenter, single-blind, randomized, phase III study compares a combination of ramosetron, aprepitant, and dexamethasone (RAD) with a combination of ondansetron, aprepitant, and dexamethasone (OAD) to prove the noninferiority of RAD in controlling highly emetogenic CINV. Methods. Aprepitant and dexamethasone were orally administered for both arms. Ramosetron and ondansetron were intravenously given to the RAD and OAD groups. The primary endpoint was no vomiting and retching and no need for rescue medication during the acute period (day 1); the noninferiority margin was −15%. Results. A total of 299 modified intention-to-treat cancer patients who received RAD (144 patients) and OAD (155 patients) were eligible for the efficacy analysis. The CR rates of RAD versus OAD were 97.2% versus 93.6% during the acute period, 77.8% versus 73.6% during the delayed period (day 2–5), and 77.1% versus 71.6% during the overall period. Furthermore, RAD was noninferior to OAD in subgroups stratified by age, cancer type, chemotherapeutic agents, and schedule. Repeated measures analysis showed that in male patients, RAD was superior to OAD. Profiles of adverse events were similar in both groups. Conclusion. RAD is as effective and tolerable as OAD for CINV prevention in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Ramosetron could be considered one of the best partners for aprepitant.

Duplex RNA harboring the 50-terminal triphosphate RNA is hypothesized to not only execute selective gene silencing via RNA interference, but also induce type I interferon (IFN) through activation of the ret- inoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I). We evaluated gene silencing efficacy of the shRNA containing 5 0 -tri- phosphate (3p-shRNA) targeting the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome in hepatic cells. Gene silencing efficacy of the 3p-shRNA was diminished due to the presence of the 5 0 -triphosphate moiety in shRNA, whereas the shRNA counterpart without 5 0-triphosphate (HO-shRNA) showed a strong antiviral activity without significant induction of type I IFN in the cells. 3p-shRNA was observed to be a better acti- vator of the RIG-I signaling than the HO-shRNA with an elevated induction of type I IFN in cells that express RIG-I. Taken together, we suggest that competition for the duplex RNA bearing 5 0 -triphosphate between RIG-I and RNA interference factors may compromise efficacy of selective gene silencing.

We report on a case of malignant pleural effusion as initial metastatic presentation of occult gastric cardia cancer in a young woman. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of gastric adenocarcinoma metastasized to pleura as an initial presentation. Location of cardia and signet ring cell histology may contribute to the manifestation. Utilization of positron emission tomography-computed tomography was helpful for proper diagnosis. For patients with such distinct clinical presentations, it would be appropriate to consider gastric cancer as one of the possible primary sites.

Introduction The development of reliable gene expression profiling technology increasingly impacts our understanding of lung cancer biology. Here, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare the transcriptomes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and normal lung tissues and to investigate expression in lung cancer tissues. Methods We enrolled 88 male patients (mean age, 61.2 years) with NSCLC. RNA-Seq was performed on 88 pairs of NSCLC tumor tissue and non-tumor tissue from 54 patients with adenocarcinoma and 34 patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed to validate differential candidate gene expression in a different NSCLC group. Results RNA-Seq produced 25.41×10 6 (±8.90×10 6 ) reads in NSCLC tissues and 24.70×10 6 (±4.70×10 6 ) reads in normal lung tissues [mean (±standard deviation)]. Among the genes expressed in both tissues, 335 were upregulated and 728 were downregulated ≥2-fold ( p CBX3 , GJB2 , CRABP2 , and DSP – not previously reported in lung cancer were studied further. Their altered expression was verified by immunohistochemistry in a different set of NSCLC tissues ( n =154). CBX3 was positive in 90.3% (139 cases) of the samples; GJB2 , in 22.7% (35 cases); CRABP2 , in 72.1% (111 cases); and DSP , in 17.5% (27 cases). The positive rate of CRABP2 was higher in adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma ( p Conclusions CBX3 and CRABP2 expression was markedly increased in lung cancer tissues and especially CRABP2 may be promising candidate genes in lung adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: This study attempts to examine the impact of respiratory muscle exercises on the respiratory function and quality of sleep among stroke patients. METHODS: A total of 20 stroke patients were randomly divided into a breathing-exercise training group(n=10) and a breathing-device-training group(n=10). Changes in pulmonary function, as well as the quality, were measured before and after the intervention. The breathing exercise was performed three times a week for a total of eight weeks. Breathing-device exercises made use of a lung-capacity-strengthening device and were performed for three times a week for eight weeks. One Flow FVC was used as a measurement tool for the pulmonary function test. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and a sleep measurement tool were used for sleep evaluation. RESULTS: In a comparison of changes in pulmonary function before and after the training, the breathing-exercise group and the breathing-device-training group showed a significant difference. In changes of sleeping measure and PSQI, the breathing-exercise group and the breathing-device-training group also showed significant differences. CONCLUSION: Diverse index analyses confirmed that breathing exercises and exercises using a lung-capacity-strengthening device, were effective in improving respiratory function and quality of sleep among stroke patients experiencing respiratory function disorders and sleep disorders.

A time- and cost-effective fabrication process for uniformly well-ordered anodic alumina templates was newly suggested. Pre-textured nanopatterns on aluminum sheets as the pore initiation site were fabricated by using soft lithographic methods and selective inductively coupled plasma etching. Then, only a one-step anodization was performed for the preparation of a regular nanoporous alumina template. As a result, a well-ordered nanoporous alumina template was prepared with an obvious barrier layer on the aluminum substrate. Especially, this type of innovative fabrication strategy can be easily generalized to facilitate other valve metal anodization processes.

We report on dramatically enhanced light extraction from GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a 3-dimensional nanocone-shaped platform on a p-GaN surface. The nanocone-shaped platform LEDs were fabricated by using nanoimprint lithography (NIL) with a flexible nanostamp replicated from a well-ordered anodic alumina template. These soft lithographic approaches make it possible to pattern efficiently over a large area with a high-resolution. When we compared our LEDs with a nanocone-shaped platform to other conventional planar LEDs, unexpectedly, we observed boosted light extraction from the LEDs with a nanocone-shaped platform. That is mainly ascribed to the engraved nanocone-shaped patterns on the p-GaN surface, which provided a more favorable environment for photon extraction.

We conducted a retrospective study to find out the optimum values of serum ferritin and other hematologic indices in adult anemic patients who should be referred for thorough gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic evaluation for GI neoplasms. 544 adult anemic patients were stratified into three groups according to the results of GI endoscopy: benign versus premalignant versus malignant. As compared to non-malignant groups, malignant group demonstrated statistically significant differences in terms of median values of ferritin and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) saturation. By receiver operating characteristics curve analyses to find out optimum cut-off points of the serum ferritin and TIBC saturation which distinguish between non-malignant diseases and malignant diseases, the cut-off ferritin value of 44.33 ng/mL in male had 72.73 % sensitivity and 70.95 % specificity. The cut-off TIBC saturation value of 9.13 % in male had 73.33 % sensitivity and 70.92 % specificity. The cut-off TIBC saturation value of 6.16 % in female had 69.57 % sensitivity and 65.13 % specificity. It is recommended that adult male patients with anemia undergo thorough endoscopic evaluation to detect GI neoplasms when their serum ferritin levels are ≤44 ng/mL or TIBC saturation values are ≤9 %. For adult female, only TIBC saturation values less than 6 % may contribute to determining whether they undergo GI endoscopic evaluation.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) has rarely been reported in solid tumor patients. It is a well-known complication in immunosuppressed states including acquired immune deficiency syndrome and hematologic malignancy. PCP has been reported in solid tumor patients who received long-term steroid treatment due to brain or spinal cord metastases. We found 3 gastric cancer patients with PCP, who received only dexamethasone as an antiemetic during chemotherapy. The duration and cumulative dose of dexamethasone used in each patient was 384 mg/48 days, 588 mg/69 days, and 360 mg/42 days, respectively. These cases highlight that the PCP in gastric cancer patients can successfully be managed through clinical suspicion and prompt treatment. The cumulative dose and duration of dexamethasone used in these cases can be basic data for risk of PCP development in gastric cancer patients during chemotherapy.

A chemotherapy regimen with oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin is commonly used to treat advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study was designed to compare the efficacy and the safety of oxaliplatin plus fluorouracil/leucovorin administered biweekly (mFOLFOX6) between elderly patients aged over 65 years and younger counterparts with AGC. This analysis included 82 AGC patients (≥65:31

We developed a noise reduction algorithm for the measurement accuracy improvement of a fiber-optic distributed temperaure sensor system. The denoising technique is based on the wavelet transform. The proposed algorithm was applied to a FBG sensor output with the Gaussian line-fitting algorithm to minimize the output noise which originated from the intensity noise of the laser light source and the instability of signal porcessing. We confirmed the feasibility of the denoising algorithm by comparing the measurement results with those obtained with the Gaussian line-fitting algorithm only.

Objective We wanted to evaluate the efficacy of stent placement using the coaxial technique with a stiff, long introducer sheath in patients with technical failure using an angiographic catheter for the obstructions proximal to the descending colon. Materials and methods Self-expandable metallic stent placement was attempted under fluoroscopy-guidance in 77 consecutive patients who had malignant colorectal obstruction. Stent placement was performed using an angiographic catheter and a guide wire. If the angiographic catheter could not be advanced over the guide wire into the obstructive lesions proximal to the descending colon, then a 6-Fr introducer sheath was used. The technical success rate, the clinical success rate and the complications were analyzed. Results Successful stent placement was achieved in 75 of 77 patients (97%). The angiographic catheter failed to advance into the obstructive lesions of 11 patients (M:F = 7:4; mean age, 65.5 years) whose lesions were at the level of the splenic flexure or transverse colon. Therefore, the coaxial technique was implemented in all these 11 patients using a 6-Fr stiff introducer sheath and then the stent placement was successful. There were no complications related to the use of a stiff introducer sheath. Clinical success, which was defined as relief of clinical obstructive bowel symptoms, was obtained within 24 hours in all of patients. Conclusion The coaxial technique using a stiff introducer sheath can increase the technical success of fluoroscopy-guided, self-expandable metallic stent placement in patients with colonic obstruction proximal to the descending colon.

The transducers used in active sonar on surface ships are packed in a specific geometry in the array drum in order to meet the requirements such as the source level, directional beam pattern, etc. This paper describes the acoustic characteristics of the cylindrical array which is based on a 64 vertical staves arrangement, each stave composed 5 independent transducers. Firstly, the single transducer on the rigid baffle in the water is analyzed with the Finite Element Method. From the result of the FE analysis nodal velocities on the radiation surface is calculated and used with the boundary conditions of the transducers mounted on the array drum. Then the acoustic pressure is calculated in the field points using the Boundary Element Method and the other acoustic informations, the source level, beam pattern, near field and far-field distance, were acquired.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most frequently used chemotherapy agents for the treatment of a number of solid cancers. We report two patients with advanced gastric cancer who developed acute encephalopathy after receiving chemotherapy composed of 5-FU and oxaliplatin. One patient presented with altered consciousness and the other with generalized tonic clonic seizure. 5-FU-induced encephalopathy was suspected by clinical, radiological and electroencephalographic findings, and both patients had reduced expression of dihyropyrimidine dehydrogenase, the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for the catabolism of 5-FU. The neurological symptoms improved spontaneously, and did not recur in the following cycle of chemotherapy with the administration of a reduced dose of 5-FU. We suggest that the early recognition of this adverse event can reverse 5-FU-induced neurological symptoms and a dose reduction of the offending drug can prevent the recurrence of 5-FU induced encephalopathy.

We demonstrate that the nanoscopic block copolymer patterns on GaN can enhance light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light emitting diodes. Nanoporous patterns were fabricated on a bare GaN substrate via self-assembly of poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) block copolymers from which PMMA microdomains were selectively removed later on. A bare GaN surface was treated with a photo-crosslinkable thin layer of poly(styrene-r-methyl methacrylate) random copolymers to tune the cylindrical microdomain orientations. The nanoporous block copolymer thin film was controlled to be thicker than its typical repeat period in bulk by incorporating PMMA homopolymer into block copolymer. Consequently, the light extraction efficiency in photoluminescence spectra could be tuned with the thickness of nanopatterned thin film on GaN.

Background. Although meta-analysis showed that survival improved with concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced head and neck cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is still unique, because it renders curative surgery feasible for marginally resectable head and neck cancer patients. Methods. We reviewed patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer, who had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between June 1984 and February 2001 at the Seoul National University Hospital. Results. A total of 167 patients were included. After 2 to 3 chemotherapy cycles, either surgery (38 patients) or radiation (104 patients) was conducted. Those who received surgery exhibited better survival than those who received radiation [median survival: not reached vs 33.6 months (95% CI: 22.6–44.7), p = .006]. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates of surgery group were 63.2% and 59.8%. Conclusion. The potential benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with surgery in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers merits further evaluation in future clinical trials. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008

A study was carried out to investigate the fluid-structure interaction phenomena of buried hydrophone system that exposed complex loads due to handling, transportation and installation. The buried hydrophone system has necessarily neighborhood structures for installation. Because of the neighborhood structure, acoustic field is deformed. We analyze the piezoelectric-structural-acoustic coupled problem and the results to use a finite element analysis software, ANSYS, which has an coupled field analysis capability. The effect of the component of hydrophone system is revealed altogether in pressure distribution. So, we classify and analyze the problem by four different compositions for decomposition.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2/neu) is an important target for treatment of gastric cancer using trastuzumab and Helicobacter pylori is a well-known risk factor of gastric cancer. We investigated the association of Her2/neu overexpression with Helicobacter pylori and other clinicopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection.Her2/neu immunohistochemistry was performed in gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy or endoscopic submucosal dissection. Analysis about its associations with clinicopathologic features such as Lauren histologic types, differentiation, Helicobacter pylori infection, location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and AJCC tumor stage was performed retrospectively.The incidence of Her2/neu 3+, 2+, 1+ and 0 was 8.9%, 22.1%, 4.4% and 64.6% respectively. Intestinal type of gastric cancer showed higher incidence of Her2/neu 3+ than diffuse type. The score 2+ and 3+ was more common in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients than Helicobacter pylori-negative patients (p = 0.024). 7th American joint Cancer Committee Tumor stage, depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis did not show correlation with the level of Her2/neu expression.Helicobacter pylori-positive gastric cancer showed more Her2/neu overexpression. Helicobacter pylori eradication may be necessary to avoid Her2/neu overexpression.

This paper explores the removal of normal ground echoes (GREs) and anomalous propagation (AP) in ground-based radars using a fuzzy logic approach. Membership functions and their weights are derived from the characteristics of radar echoes as a function of radar reflectivity. The dependence on echo intensity is shown to significantly improve the proper identification of GRE/AP. In addition, the proposed method has a better performance at lower elevation angles. The overall performance is comparable with that from a polarimetric approach and can thus be easily implemented in operational radars.

Underwater acoustic transducers are widely used for SONAR application, whose important design parameters are shapes. materials, dimensions and supporting structures. Practical design method of transducers consists of manufacturing, experiments and modifications so that it requires much time and expenses. In this study, an analytical method was developed for the Tonpilz type transducers using the commercial finite element analysis code ATILA which can solve the electro-mechanical coupling problems. A finite element model was established including the transducer elements such as ceramic stack, head mass, tail mass, tensile bolt, and molding layers. The proposed model was verified and modified by comparing the in-air and in-water test results of prototypes. The developed analysis method will be effectively used for the sensitivity analysis of design parameters in transducer design process.

Neointimal formation in response to arterial injury is a major contributing element in restenosis after coronary balloon angioplasty and stenting. Endovascular irradiation has been reported to be effective in reducing restenosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of beta-emitting holmium-166 for the inhibition of neointimal formation in porcine coronary artery. A total of 34 pigs weighing 25 to 30 kg underwent oversized balloon injury (balloon/artery ratio, 1.3:1.4) at the proximal portion of the left anterior descending and circumflex arteries. One artery was randomly assigned to receive radiation after injury. Ho-166 was left in the balloon within the delivery catheter for a period sufficient to deliver 9 Gy and 18 Gy to a depth of 1 mm from the surface of the balloon. Four weeks later, pigs were sacrificed and hearts were perfusion-fixed, followed by histopathologic analysis and planimetry for measurement of maximal intimal thickness, intimal area, and fracture length. The coronary segment of the pigs in the control group had neointimal area of 1.18 ± 0.55 mm2; the pigs in the 9-Gy group had neointimal area of 0.68 ± 0.40 mm2 (P >.05 vs control); and the pigs in the 18-Gy group had neointimal area of 0.29 ± 0.12 mm2 (P >.01 vs control). The maximal intimal thickness in the 18-Gy group (0.14 ± 0.11 mm) was significantly reduced compared with the maximal intimal thickness in the control group (0.48 ± 0.13 mm) (P > .01). Intracoronary radiation with liquid Ho-166 contained in a perfusion balloon catheter is feasible and effective in reducing neointimal formation after coronary overstretch injury in pigs. Therefore intracoronary irradiation on the injured segment may further reduce restenosis after balloon injury.

The BCR–ABL fusion transcript encodes the BCR–ABL tyrosine kinase (TK), which causes chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Although the TK inhibitor imatinib mesylate, which targets the BCR–ABL protein, has been proven to be effective in controlling leukemic growth, imatinib resistance has been observed with disease relapse because of point mutations in the ABL gene that inhibit imatinib efficacy. In this study, we designed oligodeoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) that specifically target and cleave both the junction sequence and the site of the point mutation (T315I), conferring imatinib resistance in BCR–ABL mRNA. DNAzymes significantly induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in wild-type and T315I-mutant BCR–ABL-positive cells. Selective cleavage of T315I-mutant ABL mRNA by DNAzyme (T315I Dz) led to cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, with induction of caspase-3/-7 in imatinib-resistant BCR–ABL-positive cells harboring the T315I mutation. Moreover, cotreatment with the DNAzyme targeting the T315I mutation and imatinib resulted in enhanced inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in T315I leukemic cells as compared with imatinib alone, thereby antagonizing imatinib resistance in CML cells bearing T315I-mutant BCR–ABL. Therefore, cleavage of T315I-mutant ABL mRNA by DNAzyme combined with imatinib treatment may be an alternative approach to overcoming imatinib resistance in leukemic cells.

We constructed a FBG (fiber Bragg grating) sensor system based on a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometer. A fiber-optic laser source is used as a strong light source to attain high signal-to-noise ratio. However the unstable output power and coherence noises of the fiber laser made it hard to separate the FBG signals from the interference signals of the fiber coils. To reduce noises and extract FBG sensor signals, we used a Gaussian curve-fitting and a wavelet transform. The wavelet transform is a useful tool for analyzing and denoising output signals. The feasibility of the wavelet transform denoising process is presented with the preliminary experimental results, which showed much better accuracy than the case with only the Gaussian curve-fitting algorithm.

The aim of this work is to design and fabricate a flow sensor using an artificial hair cell (AHC) inspired by biological hair cells of fish. The sensor consists of a single cilium structure with high aspect ratio and a mechanoreceptor using force sensitive resistor (FSR). The cilium structure is designed for capturing a drag force with direction due to flow field around the sensor and the mechanoreceptor is designed for sensing the drag force with direction from the cilium structure and converting it into an electric signal. The mechanoreceptor has a symmetric four electrodes to sense the drag force and its direction. To fabricate the single cilium structure with high aspect ratio, we have proposed a new design concept using a separated micro mold system (SMS) fabricated by the LIGA process. For a successful replication of the cilium structure, we used the hot embossing process with the help of a double-sided mold system. We used a composite of multiwall carbon nanotube and polydimethylsiloxane (MWCNT-PDMS). The performance of the mechanoreceptors was measured by a computer-controlled nanoindenter. We carried out several experiments with the sensor in the different flow rate and direction using the experimental test apparatus. To calibrate the sensor and calculate the velocity with direction based the signal from the sensor, we analyzed the coupled phenomena between flow field and the cilium structure to calculate the deflection of the cilium structure and the drag force applying to the cilium structure due to the flow field around sensor.

Abnormal regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling followed by increased levels of the β-catenin protein have been identified in enhanced cellular proliferation and development of colon polyps and cancers. To inhibit β-catenin gene expression in colon cancer cells, RNA-cleaving oligodeoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) was employed to destroy the β-catenin mRNA. We designed a strategy to identify the cleavage sites in β-catenin RNA with a pool of random sequences from a DNAzyme library and identified four potential DNAzyme-working sites. DNAzymes were constructed for the selected target sites and were tested for the ability to cleave β-catenin RNA. When introduced into the cells, the selected DNAzymes decreased the expression of β-catenin significantly as well as its downstream gene, cyclin D1. Additionally, we designed short hairpin RNA that targets the same cleavage site for the selected DNAzyme. The designed short hairpin RNA also inhibited β-catenin gene expression in colon cancer cells. Our studies show that RNA-cleaving DNAzymes and RNA interference targeted to β-catenin significantly reduced β-catenin–dependent gene expression, resulting in inhibition of colon cancer cell growth. These results indicate that the functional antisense oligonucleotides directed against β-catenin might have potential as a therapeutic intervention to treat colon cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(6); 1894–902. ©2010 AACR.

We propose a fiber-optic interferometric CT that uses a time-delayed sampling signal processing to extract the current-induced phase information. The interference signal of the reflection type Sagnac sensor coil is sampled with a carefully adjusted time delay. And the phase is extracted by using an arctangent demodulation. The accuracy comparison between the proposed and a lock-in amplifier demodulation showed the feasibility of the proposed technique. Also the outputs from a flint glass sensor coil and a standard fiber sensor coil were compared in the same condition, proving the low birefringence of the flint glass shows the better performance. The phase measurement accuracy of the proposed demodulation technique was about 8.09 mrad.

We evaluated the role of FDG-PET/CT in patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma before palliative chemotherapy to predict prognosis and chemotherapeutic response. The study included 35 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent FDG-PET/CT before palliative chemotherapy. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumor was assessed to evaluate survival and chemotherapeutic response. Survival analysis was performed for time to progression and overall survival using the Kaplan–Meier method. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine independent prognostic factors. All primary tumors were visualized using FDG-PET/CT (mean SUVmax = 8.1 ± 4.5, range 2.5–22.1). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in detection of solid organ metastasis were 95.2% (20/21), 100% (14/14), and 97.1% (34/35), respectively. No significant difference of primary tumor SUVmax was found among the chemotherapeutic response groups. Univariate survival analysis demonstrated ECOG performance status (≥2), presence of solid organ metastasis, number of organs involved in distant metastasis (≥2), and SUVmax of the primary tumor (>8) as significant predictors for poor overall survival. Multivariate survival analysis showed SUVmax of the primary tumor (P = 0.048), presence of solid organ metastasis (P = 0.015), and ECOG performance status (P = 0.002) as significant independent prognostic predictors for overall survival. High FDG uptake of the primary tumor in patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma is associated with poor overall survival. Assessment of tumor FDG uptake has limited value for prediction of chemotherapeutic response, but provides useful information regarding prognosis.

Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (EES) is a type of Ewing's sarcoma that arises in soft tissue and is now regarded as a member of a family of small round cell neoplasms of bone and soft tissue, including primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs). EES occurs predominantly in adolescents and young adults between the ages of 10 and 30 years. The disease follows an aggressive course with a high recurrence rate. The presence of a distant metastasis is also common. EES arises in the soft tissue of either the trunk or extremities. We recently experienced two cases of EES that occurred in the chest wall. The two patients underwent wide resection and combined radiochemotherapy. There was no evidence of disease 30 and 22 months, respectively, after surgery. Although extremely rare, EES should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest wall tumors. We report two cases of EES with a brief review of the literature.

Background Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, binds to a wide variety of synthetic and naturally occurring compounds. AhR is involved in the regulation of inflammatory response during acute and chronic respiratory diseases. We investigated whether nuclear receptor coactivator 7 (NCOA7) could regulate transcriptional levels of AhR target genes and inflammatory cytokines in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-treated human bronchial epithelial cells. This study was based on our previous study that NCOA7 was differentially expressed between normal and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lung tissues. Methods BEAS-2B and A549 cells grown under serum-free conditions were treated with or without TCDD (0.15 nM and 6.5 nM) for 24 hours after transfection of pCMV-NCOA7 isoform 4. Expression levels of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1), IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results The transcriptional activities of CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines were strongly induced by TCDD treatment in both BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines. The NCOA7 isoform 4 oppositely regulated the transcriptional activities of CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines between BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines. Conclusion Our results suggest that NCOA7 could act as a regulator in the TCDD-AhR signaling pathway with dual roles in normal and abnormal physiological conditions.

To the Editor,Oxaliplatin is a platinum-based antineoplastic agent that is widely used in chemotherapy for various cancer types due to efficacy and manageable toxicity profiles. Side effects of oxa...

9633 Background: Combination of aprepitant, 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and steroid improve complete response (CR) of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). But until now, there was no information whether ramosetron is as effective as other 5-HT3receptor antagonists for the combination regimen. Therefore, we compared a ramosetron, aprepitant and dexamethasone (RAD) with ondansetron, aprepitant and dexamethasone (OAD) to establish the non-inferiority of RAD in controlling highly emetogenic chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. Methods: A total of 334 patients with malignant disease who were scheduled to receive highly emetogenic chemotherapy were randomized to RAD or OAD. Aprepitant (125 mg day 1; 80 mg day 2, 3) and dexamethasone (12 mg day 1; 8 mg day 2-4) were administered to both group. Intravenous ramosetron (0.3mg day 1) or ondansetron (16mg day1) was given to RAD or OAD, respectively. Patients recorded vomiting and nausea (VAS score) on the diary. The primary end point was CR (no vomiting or retching and no rescue medication) rate in the acute period (chemotherapy day 1). The non-inferiority margin was defined as -15% differences. Results: 299 patients (RAD 143, OAD 156) were eligible for the efficacy analyses of modified intention-to-treat. Median age and sex were 60 (IQR 52 – 66) and 61 (51.5 – 68, p=0.54), 90 Male/66 Female and 114 Male/29 Female (p

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a critical complication of treatment with mitomycin C. We retrospectively describe the case of a patient with progressive renal cell carcinoma and mitomycin-induced TTP refractory to plasma exchange and glucocorticoids; we describe the clinical course, successful management of TTP with rituximab, and follow-up of this case. Mitomycin-induced TTP resolved completely by a total of 4 infusions of rituximab 375 mg/m(2) on a weekly basis, and it took up to 12 months to obtain a platelet count of >100,000/µL. Rituximab is indicated for the treatment of mitomycin-induced TTP refractory to plasma exchange and glucocorticoids, and it could improve the patient's quality of life despite the presence of underlying malignancy.