Increased fucosyl glycoconjugate by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae enhances adherences of Pasteurella multocida type A in the ciliated epithelial cells of the respiratory tract

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of how Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae enhances secondary Pasteurella multocida type A infection which leads to porcine enzootic pneumonia in infected pigs. Sixteen pigs were experimentally infected with M. hyopneumoniae and then euthanized at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post inoculation. In situ hybridization for M. hyopneumoniae DNA and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA-I) lectin histochemistry for fucosyl glycoconjugate, was performed in serial lung sections to determine alteration of fucosyl glycoconjugate in M. hyopneumoniae-infected bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. Bacterial overlay assay was performed to determine the affinity of P. multocida type A with L-fucose. RESULTS: The luminal surface of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells that were stained with UEA-I always showed hybridization signals for M. hyopneumoniae but it was negative in the unaffected parts of the lung from M. hyopneumoniae-infected pigs and in lung from negative control pigs. Colocalization of M. hyopneumoniae and UEA-I was especially prominent in the luminal surface of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells in serial section of lung. The mean number of M. hyopneumoniae-positive cells correlated with the mean number of UEA-I-positive cells in lungs from infected pigs throughout the experiment. All eight P. multocida type A isolates from naturally occurring enzootic pneumonia, bound strongly at levels of 2 μg and 5 μg of L-fucose. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrate that M. hyopneumoniae increases the L-fucose composition to enhance adherence of P. multocida type A to the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells

Resolution comparison between integral-imaging-based hologram synthesis methods using rectangular and hexagonal lens arrays

Abstract: We compare the resolution of the hologram reconstruction synthesis methods based on integral imaging using rectangular and hexagonal lens arrays. By using a hexagonal lens array instead of conventional rectangular lens array, the three-dimensional objects are sampled with hexagonal grids. Due to more efficient sampling of the hexagonal grid, the resolution of the reconstructed object is higher compared with the case of using rectangular lens array. We analyze the resolution enhancement of the hologram reconstruction quantitatively and verify it experimentally. ©2011 Optical Society of Americ

Liquid-Based Cytology of the Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Case of Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common microorganism found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts. Although its cytomorphologic features in conventional smear cytology have been well described, those in liquid-based cytology have rarely been. A 73-year-old woman with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presented with mental confusion and a spiking fever. To rule out infectious conditions, CSF examination was performed. A cytology slide that was prepared using the ThinPrep method showed numerous spherical yeast-form organisms with diameters of 4–11 μm and thick capsules. Occasional asymmetrical, narrow-based budding but no true hyphae or pseudohyphae were observed. Gomori methenamine silver staining was positive. Cryptococcosis was confirmed in blood and CSF through the cryptococcal antigen test and culture. Liquid-based cytology allows for a clean background and additional slides for ancillary testing, facilitating the detection of microorganisms in CSF specimens, particularly when the number of organisms is small

Channel-Hopping Sequence and Rendezvous MAC for Cognitive Radio Networks

In cognitive radio networks (CRNs), two secondary users (SUs) need to meet on a channel among multiple channels within a finite time to establish a link, which is called rendezvous. For blind rendezvous, researchers have devised ample well-grounded channel hopping (CH) sequences that guarantee smaller time-to-rendezvous. However, the best part of these works lacks the impact of network factors, particularly channel availability and collision during rendezvous. In this study, a new CH scheme is investigated by jointly considering the medium access control (MAC) protocol for single-hop multi-user CRNs. The analysis of our new variable hopping sequence (V-HS) guarantees rendezvous for the asymmetric channel model within a finite time. Although this mathematical concept guarantees rendezvous between two SUs, opportunities can be overthrown because of the unsuccessful exchange of control packets on that channel. A successful rendezvous also requires the exchange of messages reliably while two users visit the same channel. We propose a MAC protocol, namely ReMAC, that can work with V-HS and CH schemes. This design allows multiple rendezvous opportunities when a certain user visits the channel and modifies the conventional back-off strategy to maintain the channel list. Both simulation and analytical results exhibited improved performance over the previous approaches

Development of Novel Platform to Predict the Mechanical Damage of a Miniature Mobile Haptic Actuator

Impact characterization of a linear resonant actuator (LRA) is studied experimentally by a newly-developed drop tester, which can control various experimental uncertainties, such as rotational moment, air resistance, secondary impact, and so on. The feasibility of this test apparatus was verified by a comparison with a free fall test. By utilizing a high-speed camera and measuring the vibrational displacement of the spring material, the impact behavior was captured and the damping ratio of the system was defined. Based on the above processes, a finite element model was established and the experimental and analytical results were successfully correlated. Finally, the damage of the system from impact loading can be expected by the developed model and, as a result, this research can improve the impact reliability of the LRA

Area-Efficient Error Detection Structure for Linear Feedback Shift Registers

This paper presents a novel error detection linear feedback shift register (ED-LFSR), which can be used to realize error detection with a small hardware overhead for various applications such as error-correction codes, encryption algorithms and pseudo-random number generation. Although the traditional redundancy methods allow the incorporation of the error detection/correction capability in the original LFSRs, they suffer from a considerable amount of hardware overheads. The proposed ED-LFSR alleviates such problems by employing the parity check technique. The experimental results indicate that the proposed ED-LFSR requires an additional area of only 31.1% compared to that required by the conventional LFSR and it saves 39.1% and 31.9% of the resources compared to the corresponding utilization of the hardware and time redundancy methods

Application of 3D scanner to measure physical size and improvement of hip brace manufacturing technology in severe cerebral palsy patients

Abstract This prospective pilot study aimed to develop a personalized hip brace for treating hip subluxation in children with cerebral palsy. Nineteen children, aged 1–15, with severe cerebral palsy participated in the study. Customized hip braces were created based on 3D scanner measurements and worn for 7 days. The primary outcome, Hip Migration Index (MI), and secondary outcomes, including range of motion (ROM) in the hip and knee joints, pain intensity, satisfaction, discomfort scores, CPCHILD, and wearability test, were assessed. The MI and ROM were assessed at screening and at Visit 1 (when the new hip brace was first worn), while other indicators were evaluated at screening, Visit 1, and Visit 2 (7 days after wearing the new hip brace). The study demonstrated significant improvements in the MI for the right hip, left hip, and both sides. However, there were no statistically significant differences in hip and knee joint ROM. Other indicators showed significant changes between screening, Visit 1, and Visit 2. The study suggests that customized hip braces effectively achieved immediate correction, positively impacting the quality of life and satisfaction in children with cerebral palsy. Furthermore, the hip braces have the potential to enhance compliance and prevent hip subluxation. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT0538842

Analysis of MET mRNA expression in gastric cancers using RNA in situ hybridization assay: its clinical implication and comparison with immunohistochemistry and silver in situ hybridization.

We investigated MET mRNA expression status using RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) technique in primary and metastatic lesions of 535 surgically resected gastric carcinoma (GC) cases. We compared the results with those of immunohistochemistry and silver in situ hybridization, and examined the association with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis. Among 535 primary GCs, 391 (73.1%) were scored 0, 87 (16.3%) were scored 1, 38 (7.1%) were scored 2, 12 (2.2%) were scored 3 and 7 (1.3%) were scored 4 by RNA ISH. High MET mRNA expression (score ≥3) was associated with lymph node metastasis (P = .014), distant metastasis (P = .001), and higher TNM stage (P<.001). MET mRNA expression was correlated with protein expression (r = 0.398; P<.001) and gene copy number (r = 0.345; P<.001). The patients showing high-MET mRNA in primary or metastatic lesions had shorter overall survival than those showing low-MET mRNA (primary tumors, P = .002; metastatic lymph nodes, P<.001). The patients showing positive conversion of MET mRNA status in metastatic lymph node had shorter overall survival than those with no conversion (P = .011). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high MET mRNA expression in metastatic lymph node was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (P = .007). Therefore, this study suggests that MET mRNA expression assessed by RNA ISH could be useful as a potential marker to identify MET oncogene-addicted GC

Big Data Strategy for Baby Boom Generation Research

Ⅰ. 연구 개요 1. 연구 배경 2. 연구 방법 Ⅱ. 빅데이터 활용 전략 1. 빅데이터 시대의 통계청의 역할 2. 빅데이터에 대한 관점 정립 3. 해외의 공공 빅데이터(행정자료) 활용 주요 연구 사례 Ⅲ. 베이비붐 세대 연구와 빅데이터 1. 새로운 은퇴 세대: 베이비붐 세대 2. 기존 연구 개관과 빅데이터 활용의 필요성 3. 베이비붐 세대 연구를 위한 빅데이터 활용 전략 Ⅳ. 베이비붐 세대 연구의 주요 문제 1. 베이비붐 세대의 가치관과 정책에 대한 태도는 이전과 어떻게 다른가? 2. 부동산 가격의 변동은 베이비붐 세대에게 어떤 경제적⋅비경제적 영향을 미칠 것인가? 3. 최저임금 인상은 베이비붐 세대에 어떤 영향을 미치는가? 4. 노인기준연령 상향은 어떤 효과를 가져올 것인가? 5. 베이비붐 세대가 은퇴하는 일자리는 누구에게 돌아갈 것인가? 6. 증거기반정책(Evidence-Based Policy) 지원을 위한 빅데이터 활용 부