Showing papers by "Chung-Ang University published in 2012"
TL;DR: It is concluded that the EzTaxon-e database provides a useful taxonomic backbone for the identification of cultured and uncultured prokaryotes and offers a valuable means of communication among microbiologists who routinely encounter taxonomically novel isolates.
Abstract: Despite recent advances in commercially optimized identification systems, bacterial identification remains a challenging task in many routine microbiological laboratories, especially in situations where taxonomically novel isolates are involved. The 16S rRNA gene has been used extensively for this task when coupled with a well-curated database, such as EzTaxon, containing sequences of type strains of prokaryotic species with validly published names. Although the EzTaxon database has been widely used for routine identification of prokaryotic isolates, sequences from uncultured prokaryotes have not been considered. Here, the next generation database, named EzTaxon-e, is formally introduced. This new database covers not only species within the formal nomenclatural system but also phylotypes that may represent species in nature. In addition to an identification function based on Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (blast) searches and pairwise global sequence alignments, a new objective method of assessing the degree of completeness in sequencing is proposed. All sequences that are held in the EzTaxon-e database have been subjected to phylogenetic analysis and this has resulted in a complete hierarchical classification system. It is concluded that the EzTaxon-e database provides a useful taxonomic backbone for the identification of cultured and uncultured prokaryotes and offers a valuable means of communication among microbiologists who routinely encounter taxonomically novel isolates. The database and its analytical functions can be found at http://eztaxon-e.ezbiocloud.net/.
4,974 citations
TL;DR: The RENO experiment has observed the disappearance of reactor electron antineutrinos, consistent with neutrino oscillations, with a significance of 4.9 standard deviations.
Abstract: The RENO experiment has observed the disappearance of reactor electron antineutrinos, consistent with neutrino oscillations, with a significance of 4.9 standard deviations. Antineutrinos from six $2.8\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GW}}_{\mathrm{th}}$ reactors at the Yonggwang Nuclear Power Plant in Korea, are detected by two identical detectors located at 294 and 1383 m, respectively, from the reactor array center. In the 229 d data-taking period between 11 August 2011 and 26 March 2012, the far (near) detector observed 17102 (154088) electron antineutrino candidate events with a background fraction of 5.5% (2.7%). The ratio of observed to expected numbers of antineutrinos in the far detector is $0.920\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.014(\mathrm{syst})$. From this deficit, we determine ${sin }^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}=0.113\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.013(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019(\mathrm{syst})$ based on a rate-only analysis.
1,979 citations
TL;DR: Deep-ultraviolet irradiation induces efficient condensation and densification of oxide semiconducting films by photochemical activation at low temperature, which is applicable to numerous metal-oxide semiconductors, and the performance (in terms of transistor mobility and operational stability) of thin-film transistors fabricated by this route compares favourably with that ofthin- film transistors based on thermally annealed materials.
Abstract: A method for annealing metal-oxide semiconductor films with deep-ultraviolet light yields thin-film transistors with performance comparable to that of thermally annealed devices, and widens the range of substrates on which such devices can be fabricated. Solution-processable metal-oxide semiconductors are attractive materials for low-cost, flexible electronics, but the need to anneal the deposited materials at relatively high temperatures limits the range of substrates on which such devices can be fabricated. Now Yong-Hoon Kim and colleagues demonstrate that irradiating the solution-cast films with deep ultraviolet light can obviate the need for an annealing step. In this system, photochemical activation serves essentially the same purpose as annealing, and the resulting semiconducting materials have device performance levels comparable to those produced using the high-temperature techniques. Amorphous metal-oxide semiconductors have emerged as potential replacements for organic and silicon materials in thin-film electronics. The high carrier mobility in the amorphous state, and excellent large-area uniformity, have extended their applications to active-matrix electronics, including displays, sensor arrays and X-ray detectors1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Moreover, their solution processability and optical transparency have opened new horizons for low-cost printable and transparent electronics on plastic substrates8,9,10,11,12,13. But metal-oxide formation by the sol–gel route requires an annealing step at relatively high temperature2,14,15,16,17,18,19, which has prevented the incorporation of these materials with the polymer substrates used in high-performance flexible electronics. Here we report a general method for forming high-performance and operationally stable metal-oxide semiconductors at room temperature, by deep-ultraviolet photochemical activation of sol–gel films. Deep-ultraviolet irradiation induces efficient condensation and densification of oxide semiconducting films by photochemical activation at low temperature. This photochemical activation is applicable to numerous metal-oxide semiconductors, and the performance (in terms of transistor mobility and operational stability) of thin-film transistors fabricated by this route compares favourably with that of thin-film transistors based on thermally annealed materials. The field-effect mobilities of the photo-activated metal-oxide semiconductors are as high as 14 and 7 cm2 V−1 s−1 (with an Al2O3 gate insulator) on glass and polymer substrates, respectively; and seven-stage ring oscillators fabricated on polymer substrates operate with an oscillation frequency of more than 340 kHz, corresponding to a propagation delay of less than 210 nanoseconds per stage.
956 citations
TL;DR: To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest phase III trial comparing SLC plus BSC with BSC alone in AGC and in pretreated patients, SLC is tolerated and significantly improves OS when added to BSC.
Abstract: Purpose When designing this trial, there was no evidence that salvage chemotherapy (SLC) in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) resulted in substantial prolongation of survival when compared with best supportive care (BSC). However, SLC is often offered to pretreated patients with AGC for anecdotal reasons. Patients and Methods Patients with AGC with one or two prior chemotherapy regimens involving both fluoropyrimidines and platinum and with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 0 or 1 were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:1 to SLC plus BSC or BSC alone. Choice of SLC— either docetaxel 60 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks or irinotecan 150 mg/m 2 every 2 weeks—was left to the discretion of investigators. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Results Median OS was 5.3 months among 133 patients in the SLC arm and 3.8 months among 69 patients in the BSC arm (hazard ratio, 0.657; 95% CI, 0.485 to 0.891; one-sided P .007). OS benefit for SLC was consistent in most of the prospectively defined subgroups, including age, PS, number of prior treatments, metastatic sites, hemoglobin levels, and response to prior chemotherapy. SLC was generally well tolerated, and adverse events were similar in the SLC and BSC arms. We found no median OS difference between docetaxel and irinotecan (5.2 v 6.5 months; P .116). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the largest phase III trial comparing SLC plus BSC with BSC alone in AGC. In pretreated patients, SLC is tolerated and significantly improves OS when added to BSC. J Clin Oncol 30:1513-1518. © 2012 by American Society of Clinical Oncology
537 citations
TL;DR: A pathway model is described that starts with ABA binding to the PYR/PYL/RCAR family of receptors, followed by inactivation of 2C-type protein phosphatases and activation of SnRK2-type kinases, and eventually lead to activation of ion channels in guard cells and stomatal closure.
Abstract: Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates key processes relevant to seed germination, plant development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Abiotic stress conditions such as drought induce ABA biosynthesis initiating the signalling pathways that lead to a number of molecular and cellular responses, among which the best known are the expression of stress-related genes and stomatal closure. Stomatal closure also serves as a mechanism for pathogen defence, thereby acting as a platform for crosstalk between biotic and abiotic stress responses involving ABA action. Significant advances in our understanding of ABA signal transduction have been made with combination of approaches including genetics, biochemistry, electrophysiology and chemical genetics. Molecular components associated with the ABA signalling have been identified, and their relationship in the complex network of interactions is being dissected. We focused on the recent progress in ABA signal transduction, especially those studies related to identification of ABA receptors and downstream components that lead ABA signal to cellular response. In particular, we will describe a pathway model that starts with ABA binding to the PYR/PYL/RCAR family of receptors, followed by inactivation of 2C-type protein phosphatases and activation of SnRK2-type kinases, and eventually lead to activation of ion channels in guard cells and stomatal closure.
534 citations
TL;DR: The blood mercury is a useful biomarker after short-term and high-level exposure, whereas the urine mercury is the ideal biomarker for long-term exposure to both elemental and inorganic mercury, and also as a good indicator of body burden.
Abstract: Mercury is a toxic and non-essential metal in the human body. Mercury is ubiquitously distributed in the environment, present in natural products, and exists extensively in items encountered in daily life. There are three forms of mercury, i.e., elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds. This review examines the toxicity of elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds. Inorganic mercury compounds are water soluble with a bioavailability of 7% to 15% after ingestion; they are also irritants and cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Upon entering the body, inorganic mercury compounds are accumulated mainly in the kidneys and produce kidney damage. In contrast, human exposure to elemental mercury is mainly by inhalation, followed by rapid absorption and distribution in all major organs. Elemental mercury from ingestion is poorly absorbed with a bioavailability of less than 0.01%. The primary target organs of elemental mercury are the brain and kidney. Elemental mercury is lipid soluble and can cross the blood-brain barrier, while inorganic mercury compounds are not lipid soluble, rendering them unable to cross the blood-brain barrier. Elemental mercury may also enter the brain from the nasal cavity through the olfactory pathway. The blood mercury is a useful biomarker after short-term and high-level exposure, whereas the urine mercury is the ideal biomarker for long-term exposure to both elemental and inorganic mercury, and also as a good indicator of body burden. This review discusses the common sources of mercury exposure, skin lightening products containing mercury and mercury release from dental amalgam filling, two issues that happen in daily life, bear significant public health importance, and yet undergo extensive debate on their safety.
483 citations
TL;DR: Although no significant difference in progression-free survival was noted between groups, the addition of erlotinib to gemcitabine and oxaliplatin showed antitumour activity and might be a treatment option for patients with cholangiocarcinoma.
Abstract: Summary Background Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and a platinum-based agent is regarded as a standard treatment for patients with advanced biliary-tract cancer. Results of phase 2 trials of single-agent erlotinib in biliary-tract cancer and of gemcitabine plus erlotinib in pancreatic cancer have shown modest benefits. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin plus erlotinib versus chemotherapy alone for advanced biliary-tract cancer. Methods In this open label, randomised, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients (in a 1:1 ratio) with metastatic biliary-tract cancer (cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, or ampulla of Vater cancer) to receive either first-line treatment with chemotherapy alone (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 on day 1 and oxaliplatin 100 mg/m 2 on day 2) or chemotherapy plus erlotinib (100 mg daily). Treatment was repeated every 2 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects. Randomisation was done centrally (stratified by participating centre and presence of measurable lesion). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. Analyses were by intention-to-treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01149122. Findings 133 patients were randomly assigned to the chemotherapy alone group and 135 to the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group. The groups were balanced except for a higher proportion of patients with cholangiocarcinoma in the group given erlotinib than in the chemotherapy alone group (96 [71%] patients vs 84 [63%]). Median progression-free survival was 4·2 months (95% CI 2·7–5·7) in the chemotherapy alone group and 5·8 months (95% CI 4·6–7·0) in the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·80, 95% CI 0·61–1·03; p=0·087). Significantly more patients had an objective response in the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group than in the chemotherapy alone group (40 patients vs 21 patients; p=0·005), but median overall survival was the same in both groups (9·5 months [95% CI 7·5–11·5] in the chemotherapy alone group and 9·5 months [7·6–11·4] in the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group; HR 0·93, 0·69–1·25; p=0·611). All-cause deaths within 30 days of random assignment occurred in one (1%) of the patients in the chemotherapy alone group and in four (3%) of those in the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group. The most common grade 3–4 adverse event was febrile neutropenia (eight [6%] patients in the chemotherapy alone group and six [4%] in the chemotherapy plus erlotinib group). No patient died of treatment-related causes during the study. Subgroup analyses by primary site of disease showed that for patients with cholangiocarcinoma, the addition of erlotinib to chemotherapy significantly prolonged median progression-free survival (5·9 months [95% CI 4·7–7·1] for chemotherapy plus erlotinib vs 3·0 months [1·1–4·9] for chemotherapy alone; HR 0·73, 95% CI 0·53–1·00; p=0·049). Interpretation Although no significant difference in progression-free survival was noted between groups, the addition of erlotinib to gemcitabine and oxaliplatin showed antitumour activity and might be a treatment option for patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Funding None.
401 citations
TL;DR: The effects of the BRAFV600E mutation on prognostic factors and poor clinical outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) have not been fully quantified and a comprehensive meta‐analysis was performed.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:
The effects of the BRAFV600E mutation on prognostic factors and poor clinical outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) have not been fully quantified. The authors performed comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the strength of associations between these conditions and the BRAFV600E mutation.
METHODS:
The authors identified the clinical studies that examined the association of the BRAFV600E mutation in surgical specimens with clinicopathologic outcomes between January 2003 and October 2010 using the Medline database. One hundred thirty-one relevant studies were hand-searched. The authors selected 27 studies that included 5655 PTC patients. They calculated the pooled odds ratios (ORs) or risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each study using a random effect model.
RESULTS:
The average prevalence rate of the BRAFV600E mutation was 49.4%. In 26 studies, compared with the patients who had the wild-type BRAF genes, the PTC patients with the BRAFV600E mutation had increased ORs of an extrathyroidal invasion (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.68-2.73), a lymph node metastasis (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.21-1.97), and an advanced TNM stage (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.61-2.49). In 8 studies, patients with the mutation had 2.14-fold increased risk of recurrent and persistent disease (95% CI, 1.67-2.74). The associations were generally consistent across the different study populations.
CONCLUSIONS:
This meta-analysis demonstrates that the BRAFV600E mutation is closely related to the high-risk clinicopathological factors and poorer outcome of PTC. The results obtained here suggest that the BRAFV600E mutation should be considered as a poor prognostic marker in PTC and may lead to better management for individual patients. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
362 citations
359 citations
TL;DR: DIP may have a significant and longstanding effect on patients' daily lives, and so physicians should be cautious when prescribing dopaminergic receptor blockers and should monitor patients' neurological signs, especially for parkinsonism and other movement disorders.
Abstract: Drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) is the second-most-common etiology of parkinsonism in the elderly after Parkinson's disease (PD). Many patients with DIP may be misdiagnosed with PD because the clinical features of these two conditions are indistinguishable. Moreover, neurological deficits in patients with DIP may be severe enough to affect daily activities and may persist for long periods of time after the cessation of drug taking. In addition to typical antipsychotics, DIP may be caused by gastrointestinal prokinetics, calcium channel blockers, atypical antipsychotics, and antiepileptic drugs. The clinical manifestations of DIP are classically described as bilateral and symmetric parkinsonism without tremor at rest. However, about half of DIP patients show asymmetrical parkinsonism and tremor at rest, making it difficult to differentiate DIP from PD. The pathophysiology of DIP is related to drug-induced changes in the basal ganglia motor circuit secondary to dopaminergic receptor blockade. Since these effects are limited to postsynaptic dopaminergic receptors, it is expected that presynaptic dopaminergic neurons in the striatum will be intact. Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging is useful for diagnosing presynaptic parkinsonism. DAT uptake in the striatum is significantly decreased even in the early stage of PD, and this characteristic may help in differentiating PD from DIP. DIP may have a significant and longstanding effect on patients' daily lives, and so physicians should be cautious when prescribing dopaminergic receptor blockers and should monitor patients' neurological signs, especially for parkinsonism and other movement disorders.
300 citations
TL;DR: How ginseng regulates each type of immune cells including macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells is discussed and how ginsen exhibits beneficial effects on controlling inflammatory diseases and microbial infections is described.
TL;DR: The general chemical compositions and some bioactive components of pumpkin were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin grown in Korea and also in three parts of each pumpkin species, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content.
Abstract: Pumpkins have considerable variation in nutrient contents depending on the cultivation environment, species, or part. In this study, the general chemical compositions and some bioactive components, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, and β-sitosterol, were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima) grown in Korea and also in three parts (peel, flesh, and seed) of each pumpkin species. C. maxima had significantly more carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber than C. pepo or C. moschata (P < 0.05). The moisture content as well as the amino acid and arginine contents in all parts of the pumpkin was highest in C. pepo. The major fatty acids in the seeds were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. C. pepo and C. moschata seeds had significantly more γ-tocopherol than C. maxima, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content. C. pepo seeds had significantly more β-sitosterol than the others. Nutrient compositions differed considerably among the pumpkin species and parts. These results will be useful in updating the nutrient compositions of pumpkin in the Korean food composition database. Additional analyses of various pumpkins grown in different years and in different areas of Korea are needed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a chemical approach to control the work function of few-layer graphene is investigated, where six metal chlorides, AuCl3, IrCl3 and MoCl3 are used as dopants.
Abstract: A chemical approach to controlling the work function of few-layer graphene is investigated. Graphene films are synthesized on Cu foil by chemical vapor deposition. Six metal chlorides, AuCl3, IrCl3, MoCl3, OsCl3, PdCl2, and RhCl3, are used as dopants. The sheet resistance of the doped graphene decreases from 1100 Ω/sq to ≈500–700 Ω/sq and its transmittance at 550 nm also decreases from 96.7% to 93% for 20 mM AuCl3 due to the formation of metal particles. The sheet resistance and transmittance are reduced with increasing metal chloride concentration. The G peak in the Raman spectra is shifted to a higher wavenumber after metal chloride doping, which indicates a charge transfer from graphene to metal ions. The intensity ratio of ICC/IC−C increases with doping, indicating an electron transfer from graphene sheets to metal ions. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy data shows that the work function of graphene increases from 4.2 eV to 5.0, 4.9, 4.8, 4.68, 5.0, and 5.14 eV for the graphene with 20 mM AuCl3, IrCl3, MoCl3, OsCl3, PdCl2, and RhCl3, respectively. It is considered that spontaneous charge transfer occurs from the specific energy level of graphene to the metal ions, thus increasing the work function.
TL;DR: The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Thermal ablation using radiofrequency is a new, minimally invasive modality employed as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules These recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that PYL/RCAR orthologues in Oryza sativa function as a positive regulator of the ABA signal transduction pathway in rice.
Abstract: Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that positively regulates seed dormancy and stress tolerance. PYL/RCARs were identified an intracellular ABA receptors regulating ABA-dependent gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, their function in monocot species has not been characterized yet. Herein, it is demonstrated that PYL/RCAR orthologues in Oryza sativa function as a positive regulator of the ABA signal transduction pathway. Transgenic rice plants expressing OsPYL/RCAR5, a PYL/RCAR orthologue of rice, were found to be hypersensitive to ABA during seed germination and early seedling growth. A rice ABA signalling unit composed of OsPYL/RCAR5, OsPP2C30, SAPK2, and OREB1 for ABA-dependent gene regulation was further identified, via interaction assays and a transient gene expression assay. Thus, a core signalling unit for ABA-responsive gene expression modulating seed germination and early seedling growth in rice has been unravelled. This study provides substantial contributions toward understanding the ABA signal transduction pathway in rice.
TL;DR: A new night-time lane detection system and its accompanying framework are presented in this paper, which is an improvement over the ALD 1.0 with integration of pixel remapping, outlier removal, and prediction with tracking.
Abstract: A new night-time lane detection system and its accompanying framework are presented in this paper. The accompanying framework consists of an automated ground truth process and systematic storage of captured videos that will be used for training and testing. The proposed Advanced Lane Detector 2.0 (ALD 2.0) is an improvement over the ALD 1.0 or Layered Approach with integration of pixel remapping, outlier removal, and prediction with tracking. Additionally, a novel procedure to generate the ground truth data for lane marker locations is also proposed. The procedure consists of an original process called time slicing, which provides the user with unique visualization of the captured video and enables quick generation of ground truth information. Finally, the setup and implementation of a database hosting lane detection videos and standardized data sets for testing are also described. The ALD 2.0 is evaluated by means of the user-created annotations accompanying the videos. Finally, the planned improvements and remaining work are addressed.
TL;DR: It is proposed that EZH2-DCAF1/DDB1/CUL4 represents a previously unrecognized methylation-dependent ubiquitination machinery specifically recognizing "methyl degron"; through this, nonhistone protein stability can be dynamically regulated in a methylation -dependent manner.
TL;DR: The findings of this study suggest that the described TRAIL/transferrin/doxorubicin HSA-NPs are a useful targeting agent capable of killing different types of tumor cells in various tissue organs.
TL;DR: The combination of the barcoded pyrosequencing strategy and the (1)H NMR technique was used to effectively monitor microbial succession and metabolites production and allowed for a greater understanding of the relationships between the microbial community and metabolite production in kimchi fermentation.
TL;DR: A solution-based approach to the preparation of Pt-based alloy with early transition metals and realistic parameters for the stability and activity of Pt(3)M nanocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are reported.
Abstract: The design of electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells must satsify two equally important fundamental principles: optimization of electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability in acid media (pH <1) at high potential (0.8 V). We report here a solution-based approach to the preparation of Pt-based alloy with early transition metals and realistic parameters for the stability and activity of Pt(3)M (M = Y, Zr, Ti, Ni, and Co) nanocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The enhanced stability and activity of Pt-based alloy nanocatalysts in ORR and the relationship between electronic structure modification and stability were studied by experiment and DFT calculations. Stability correlates with the d-band fillings and the heat of alloy formation of Pt(3)M alloys, which in turn depends on the degree of the electronic perturbation due to alloying. This concept provides realistic parameters for rational catalyst design in Pt-based alloy systems.
TL;DR: A ZigBee-based intelligent self-adjusting sensor (ZiSAS) in order to address concerns about the trade-off between the performance and cost of WSNs in home environments is proposed.
Abstract: Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been becoming increasingly essential in recent years because of their ability to manage real-time situational information for various novel services. Recently, the scope of WSN technologies has been expanded to places such as the home, in order to provide the residents with various intelligent services, such as home automation services or home energy management services. However, due to their architectural constraints, such as the trade-off between the performance and cost, WSNs are not effectively implemented in home environments. Therefore, this paper proposes a ZigBee-based intelligent self-adjusting sensor (ZiSAS) in order to address these concerns. This paper presents a situation-based selfadjusting scheme, an event-based self-adjusting sensor network, and hardware and middleware implementation. We also introduce some smart home services using the proposed system. We implemented our system in real test bed and conducted an experiment. Our experiment shows that we reduce the system's energy consumption.
Catholic University of Korea1, University of Tokushima2, Sungkyunkwan University3, Chung-Ang University4, Pusan National University5, Seoul Women's University6, Nippon Medical School7, Ehime University8, Akita University9, Okayama University10, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine11, Seoul National University Hospital12, Konkuk University13, Jichi Medical University14, Kagoshima University15, Yamaguchi University16, Chungnam National University17, St. Marianna University School of Medicine18, Yonsei University19, Tohoku University20, University of Ulsan21
TL;DR: It is found that treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen independently increased 28-day mortality for septic patients and in non-septic patients, high fever (≥ 39.5°C) independently associated with mortality, without association of administration of NSAIDs or acetamination with mortality.
Abstract: Fever is frequently observed in critically ill patients. An independent association of fever with increased mortality has been observed in non-neurological critically ill patients with mixed febrile etiology. The association of fever and antipyretics with mortality, however, may be different between infective and non-infective illness. We designed a prospective observational study to investigate the independent association of fever and the use of antipyretic treatments with mortality in critically ill patients with and without sepsis. We included 1,425 consecutive adult critically ill patients (without neurological injury) requiring > 48 hours intensive care admitted in 25 ICUs. We recorded four-hourly body temperature and all antipyretic treatments until ICU discharge or 28 days after ICU admission, whichever occurred first. For septic and non-septic patients, we separately assessed the association of maximum body temperature during ICU stay (MAXICU) and the use of antipyretic treatments with 28-day mortality. We recorded body temperature 63,441 times. Antipyretic treatment was given 4,863 times to 737 patients (51.7%). We found that treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen independently increased 28-day mortality for septic patients (adjusted odds ratio: NSAIDs: 2.61, P = 0.028, acetaminophen: 2.05, P = 0.01), but not for non-septic patients (adjusted odds ratio: NSAIDs: 0.22, P = 0.15, acetaminophen: 0.58, P = 0.63). Application of physical cooling did not associate with mortality in either group. Relative to the reference range (MAXICU 36.5°C to 37.4°C), MAXICU ≥ 39.5°C increased risk of 28-day mortality in septic patients (adjusted odds ratio 8.14, P = 0.01), but not in non-septic patients (adjusted odds ratio 0.47, P = 0.11). In non-septic patients, high fever (≥ 39.5°C) independently associated with mortality, without association of administration of NSAIDs or acetaminophen with mortality. In contrast, in septic patients, administration of NSAIDs or acetaminophen independently associated with 28-day mortality, without association of fever with mortality. These findings suggest that fever and antipyretics may have different biological or clinical or both implications for patients with and without sepsis. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00940654
TL;DR: The probiotic mixture was effective in providing AR of overall IBS symptoms and improvement of stool consistency in D-IBS patients, although it had no significant effect on individual symptoms.
Abstract: Background:The clinical effect of probiotics on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is still controversial.Aims:We aimed to evaluate the effects of a probiotic mixture on IBS symptoms and the composition of fecal microbiota in patients with diarrhea-dominant IBS (D-IBS).Methods:Fifty patients with D-IBS
TL;DR: This study found that user satisfaction was an important indicator of adoption of the intent to adopt mobile computing devices in the construction industry and determinants of perceived usefulness, such as social influence, job relevance, and top management support, and determinant of perceived ease of use are critical factors that influence the successful implementation of mobile computing device in theConstruction industry.
TL;DR: It was found that bacterial communities differed between starter-inoculated and non- inoculated kimchi at the early stages of fermentation, but overall there were no significant differences in the late phases.
TL;DR: In this paper, the existence and uniqueness results for two families of active scalar equations with velocity fields determined by the scalars through very singular integrals were established, where the boundary case β = 1 corresponds to the generalized surface quasigeostrophic (SQG) equation and the situation is more singular for β > 1.
Abstract: This paper establishes several existence and uniqueness results for two families of active scalar equations with velocity fields determined by the scalars through very singular integrals. The first family is a generalized surface quasigeostrophic (SQG) equation with the velocity field u related to the scalar θ by , where and is the Zygmund operator. The borderline case β = 1 corresponds to the SQG equation and the situation is more singular for β > 1. We obtain the local existence and uniqueness of classical solutions, the global existence of weak solutions, and the local existence of patch-type solutions. The second family is a dissipative active scalar equation with , which is at least logarithmically more singular than the velocity in the first family. We prove that this family with any fractional dissipation possesses a unique local smooth solution for any given smooth data. This result for the second family constitutes a first step towards resolving the global regularity issue recently proposed by K. Ohkitani. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
TL;DR: In this article, the shape of various nickel structures, including dendrite, particle and film are fabricated by electrodeposition under various conditions, leading to different electrochemical surface area and edge facets.
Abstract: Different shapes of various nickel structures, including dendrite, particle and film are fabricated by electrodeposition under various conditions. The shape of nickel structures is definitely dependent on the deposition potential, leading to different electrochemical surface area and edge facets. The nickel particle which has a polycrystalline center and edge is obtained at high negative potential. On the other hand, the nickel dendrite deposited by relatively low negative potential exhibits large electrochemical surface area and a particularly active facet for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline water electrolysis. In fact the nickel dendrite shows the highest catalytic activity and stability for HER among the various nickel structures.
TL;DR: It is believed that doxorubicin-loaded highly porous large PLGA microparticles have great potential as a long-term inhalation agent for the treatment of lung cancer.
TL;DR: The single-crystal formation in bottom-contact-structured transistors via direct printing is expected to permit high-density array fabrication in large-area electronics.
Abstract: Ink-jet printed small-molecule organic single-crystal transistors are realized by using selective surface energy modification, precise control of volume density of ink droplets on spatially patterned areas, and a co-solvent system to control solvent evaporation properties. The single-crystal formation in bottom-contact-structured transistors via direct printing is expected to permit high-density array fabrication in large-area electronics.
TL;DR: Higher abundances of Streptophyta, Corynebacterium, and Enhydrobacter in blepharitis subjects suggested that human blephoritis might be induced by the infestations of pollens, dusts, and soil particles.
Abstract: PURPOSE The aims of our study were to compare the ocular microbial communities of humans with and without blepharitis in an attempt to elucidate which microorganisms may cause blepharitis. METHODS Bacterial 16S rRNA genes of eyelash and tear samples from seven blepharitis patients and four healthy controls were sequenced using a pyrosequencing method, and their bacterial community structures were compared bioinformatically. RESULTS Phylotypic analysis demonstrated that eyelash and tear samples had highly diverse bacterial communities with many previously undescribed bacteria. Bacterial communities in eyelash samples from subjects with blepharitis were less diverse than those from healthy controls, while the bacterial communities of tear subjects with blepharitis were more diverse than those of healthy subjects. Statistical analyses using UniFrac and a principle coordinate analysis showed that the bacterial communities of tear samples from subjects with blepharitis were well clustered, regardless of individual, while the bacterial communities of all eyelash samples and healthy tear samples were not well clustered due to high interpersonal variability. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that Propionibacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptophyta, Corynebacterium, and Enhydrobacter were the common ocular bacteria. An increase of Staphylococcus, Streptophyta, Corynebacterium, and Enhydrobacter, and a decrease of Propionibacterium were observed from blepharitis subjects, in terms of the relative abundances. CONCLUSIONS Higher abundances of Streptophyta, Corynebacterium, and Enhydrobacter in blepharitis subjects suggested that human blepharitis might be induced by the infestations of pollens, dusts, and soil particles. These results will provide valuable information for the prevention and treatment of human blepharitis based on ocular microbial flora.