On the sandstorms and associated airborne dustfall episodes observed at Cheongwon in Korea in 2005

Sandstorms in the desert and loess regions of north-northwestern China and Mongolia, as well as the associated dustfall episodes in the Korean Peninsula, were monitored between January and December 2005. Composite color images were made on the basis of data received directly from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite advanced very high resolution radiometer, and the distribution and transport of dust clouds were analyzed. The ground concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 and visibility during dustfall episodes (where the PM10 concentration exceeds 190 μg m−3 for at least 2 h) were also analyzed at Cheongwon, in central South Korea, which lies in the leeward direction from the origin of sandstorms. Fewer strong sandstorms occurred in the places of origin in 2005, mainly because of the snow cover with moderate high and low pressure systems in the place of dust origin. The weather patterns explain why there were fewer dustfall episodes in Korea in 2005 than in the period between 1997 and 2004. A total of seven dustfall episodes were monitored in Korea in 2005 and they covered a period of 11 days. In the summer of 2005, sandstorms occurred less frequently in the source region due to high humidity and weaker winds; as a result, there were no dustfall episodes in Korea. When the sandstorms at the source headed directly to Korea without passing through any large cities or industrial areas of China, the PM2.5 concentrations were up to 20% of the PM10 concentrations. However, when the sandstorms headed to Korea via the industrial areas of eastern China, where they pick up anthropogenic air pollutants, the PM2.5 concentrations were at least 25% of the PM10 concentrations. In five of the cases that were observed and analyzed in 2005, the PM10 concentrations of the sand dust that originated in the deserts were 190 μg m−3 or less, which is below the level of a dustfall episode

Rapid Detection Strategies for the Global Threat of Zika Virus: Current State, New Hypotheses, and Limitations

The current scenario regarding the widespread Zika virus (ZIKV) has resulted in numerous diagnostic studies, specifically in South America and in locations where there is frequent entry of travelers returning from ZIKV-affected areas, including pregnant women with or without clinical symptoms of ZIKV infection. The World Health Organization, WHO, announced that millions of cases of ZIKV are likely to occur in the United States of America in the near future. This situation has created an alarming public health emergency of international concern requiring the detection of this life-threatening viral candidate due to increased cases of newborn microcephaly associated with ZIKV infection. Hence, this review reports possible methods and strategies for the fast and reliable detection of ZIKV with particular emphasis on current updates, knowledge and new hypotheses that might be helpful for medical professionals in poor and developing countries that urgently need to address this problem. In particular, we emphasize liposome-based biosensors. Although these biosensors are currently among the less popular tools for human disease detection, they have become useful tools for the screening and detection of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses because of their versatile advantageous features compared to other sensing devices. This review summarizes the currently available methods employed for the rapid detection of ZIKV and suggests an innovative approach involving the application of a liposome-based hypothesis for the development of new strategies for ZIKV detection and their use as effective biomedicinal tools

DETERMINATION OF OPTIMAL LOCATIONS OF AMPHIBIAN ECO-DUCTS BY USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS: A CASE STUDY OF ODAESAN NATIONAL PARK IN KOREA

There are currently no systematic guidelines for placing the animal passes for wildlife to cross safely the human-made roads. This study presents a mathematical model that determines the optimal locations for amphibian eco-ducts by using a genetic algorithm. The study area is route no. 6 of Odaesan National Park in Korea, and the animals of focus are amphibians. The most crucial factor, the migration distance between amphibian road-kill sites and proposed eco-duct sites, was considered for determination of the optimal locations of amphibian eco-ducts. They were determined by calculating the minimum total distances associated with this factor near the road-kill sites. The model determined 69 optimal locations of ecoduct sites in eight sections of route no.6

Plasma cell granuloma in cyclosporine-induced gingival overgrowth: a report of two cases with immunohistochemical positivity of interleukin-6 and phospholipase C-gamma1.

We report two cases of gingival plasma cell granuloma in a 34-yr-old and 40-yr-old two male renal transplant recipients with cyclosporine A (CsA)-induced gingival overgrowth (GO). Histologically, these lesions were composed of mature plasma cells, showing polyclonality for both lambda and kappa light chains and fibrovascular connective tissue stroma. In addition to the fact that CsA-induced plasma cell granuloma is rare, the salient features of our cases were the secretion of interleukin-6 and overexpression of phospholipase C- gamma 1 of the tumor cells, which may explain the mechanisms of CsA- induced GO

Subacute Neurological Deterioration with Selective Axonal Injury in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke following Reperfusion of Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

To date, the long-term effects of reperfusion on the salvaged brain tissues have not been addressed in the literature. We report 4 cases presenting subacute neurological deteriorations with selective axonal injury following reperfusion therapies for acute ischemic stroke. Our case series based on 4 patients showed common features distinct from those of early reperfusion injury in that (1) the neurological symptoms developed after 1-2 months of reperfusion therapies, (2) these symptoms were accompanied by the subcortical white matter changes on brain MRI, and (3) these findings were mostly reversible with time. This suggests that axons in the reperfused brain may be vulnerable to further neurological injury