Clinical Significance of a Large Difference (≥ 2 points) between Biopsy and Post-prostatectomy Pathological Gleason Scores in Patients with Prostate Cancer

We investigated the clinical significance of large difference (≥ 2 points) between biopsy-derived (bGS) and post-prostatectomy Gleason scores (pGS). At 14 medical centers in Korea, 1,582 men who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer were included. According to the difference between bGS and pGS, the patients were divided into three groups: A (decreased in pGS ≥ 2, n = 30), B (changed in pGS ≤ 1, n = 1,361; control group), and C (increased in pGS ≥ 2, n = 55). We evaluated various clinicopathological factors of prostate cancer and hazards for biochemical failure. Group A showed significantly higher mean maximal percentage of cancer in the positive cores (max%) and pathological T stage than control. In group C, the number of biopsy core was significantly smaller, however, tumor volume and max% were significantly higher and more positive biopsy cores were presented than control. Worse pathological stage and more margin-positive were observed in group A and C than in control. Hazard ratio for biochemical failure was also higher in group A and C (P = 0.001). However, the groups were not independent factors in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, large difference between bGS and pGS shows poor prognosis even in the decreased group. However it is not an independent prognostic factor for biochemical failure

Mathematical Model for Effective Thermal Conductivity of Reinforced Concrete Including Round bar

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Protective Effects of Bee Venom-Derived Phospholipase A2 against Cholestatic Liver Disease in Mice

Hepatocyte apoptosis and inflammation play important roles in cholestatic liver diseases. Bee venom-derived secretory phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) has been shown to ameliorate various inflammatory diseases. However, whether bvPLA2 has a therapeutic effect against cholestatic liver disease has not been evaluated. Therefore, we investigated the effects of bvPLA2 on cholestatic liver injury and fibrosis in a murine model of 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet feeding. The administration of bvPLA2 ameliorated liver damage, cholestasis, and fibrosis in DDC diet-fed mice, as assessed by serum biochemical tests and histological examinations. In addition, bvPLA2 reduced myofibroblast accumulation, concomitant with suppression of transforming growth factor-β signaling cascade. The administration of bvPLA2 inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis in DDC diet-fed mice as represented by a reduction in the number of cells stained with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and suppression of caspase-3 activation. Moreover, bvPLA2 reduced cytokine production along with the inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway. The number of regulatory T-cells was increased by bvPLA2, while the number of other immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and CD8+ T-cells, was decreased. Our data indicate that the administration of bvPLA2 ameliorates cholestatic liver injury and fibrosis by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis and inflammation

Numerical Investigation of Pressure Drop Characteristics in an Inclined Tube Bank of a Sodium-to-sodium Heat Exchanger

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evelopment of Thermal-hydraulic Scaled-down Model of the Combined Heat Exchanger for Water Mock-up Hydraulic Performance Test

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Numerical Study on the Frictional Pressure Drop for the Shell-Side of Prototype Combined Heat Exchanger in a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor

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Measurements of neutron total cross-section of natural silver in the energy region from 0.01 to 10 eV

We measured the neutron total cross-section of natural Ag in the energy region from 0.01 eV to 10 eV by the neutron time-of-flight method with a data acquisition system based on the flash analog to digital converter. The experiment was performed at Pohang Neutron Facility, which consists of a 100 MeV electron linac, a water-cooled Ta-target with a water moderator and a Li-6-ZnS(Ag) scintillator located at 11 m long time-of-flight path. The background level has been determined by using notch filters, which consist of Co, In, Dy and Cd plates. The present averaged neutron total cross-sections in the thermal neutron energy region are compared to those from the previous measurements and the evaluated data. The differences between the present and the evaluated averaged cross-sections were less than 2%.11Nsciescopuskc

Eupatilin Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Inhibiting Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Apoptosis in Mice

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of sepsis. Eupatilin (EUP) is a natural flavone with multiple biological activities and has beneficial effects against various inflammatory disorders. However, whether EUP has a favorable effect on septic AKI remains unknown. Here, we examined the effect of EUP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-evoked AKI in mice. LPS-evoked renal dysfunction was attenuated by EUP, as reflected by reductions in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. LPS injection also induced structural damage such as tubular cell detachment, tubular dilatation, brush border loss of proximal tubules, and upregulation of tubular injury markers. However, EUP significantly ameliorated this structural damage. EUP decreased serum and renal cytokine levels, prevented macrophage infiltration, and inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-κB signaling cascades. Lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidation were increased after LPS treatment. However, EUP mitigated LPS-evoked oxidative stress through downregulation of NPDPH oxidase 4 and upregulation of antioxidant enzymes. EUP also inhibited p53-mediated apoptosis in LPS-treated mice. Therefore, these results suggest that EUP ameliorates LPS-evoked AKI through inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis