Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Serum Interleukin-6, Hemodynamic Stability, and Postoperative Pain Relief in Elderly Patients under Spinal Anesthesia

The beneficial effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) have not been extensively investigated in elderly patients receiving spinal anesthesia. This study evaluated the effects of intravenous DEX infusion on stress and hemodynamic response, as well as on postoperative analgesia in elderly patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We randomly allocated 45 adult patients to 3 patient groups (n=15 each): uni-saline group patients underwent unilateral TKA with saline administration, uni-DEX group patients underwent unilateral TKA with DEX administration, and bilateral-DEX group patients underwent bilateral TKA with DEX administration. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were significantly lower in the bilateral-DEX group than in the uni-saline group 6 and 24h postoperatively, and were negatively correlated with total DEX dosage 24h postoperatively. Bradycardia occurred more frequently in the uni-DEX and bilateral-DEX groups than in the uni-saline group. The total dose of required supplementary analgesics was significantly higher in the uni-saline group than in the uni-DEX and bilateral-DEX groups 6h postoperatively. The results indicate that perioperative intravenous DEX administration decreases postoperative serum IL-6 levels in patients undergoing bilateral TKA, and has a postoperative analgesic effect in patients undergoing unilateral or bilateral TKA

Refining Historical earthquake Data Through Modeling and Scale Model Tests

This study was performed for the reevaluation of historical earthquake records which occurred in Korea through tests and numerical analyses. For the scale model tests, static and cyclic lateral load tests on wooden frames that constitute a Korean ancient commoner’s house were conducted. Full-scale models of two types of frames were used for testing. Two 1:4 scale models were tested for rock and soil foundation conditions. Scaled real earthquake time histories were inputted for the tests. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) at the collapse of the house at the soil site was 0.25g, whereas PGA for moderate damage at the rock site was 0.6g. The intensity of major historical earthquake records related with house collapses was reevaluated based on the results of these scale mode1 tests. The magnitudes of historical earthquake records related with house collapses were estimated considering the magnitude, epicentral distance, soil condition and aging of the house. Eighteen artificial time histories for magnitudes 6-8, epicentral distances 5 km - 350 km and hard and soft soil condition were generated. The aging effects of the house was modeled as the lateral loading capacity of wooden frames represented by hysteretic stiffness decreased linearly with time

Patterns of Striped order in the Classical Lattice Coulomb Gas

We obtain via Monte Carlo simulations the low temperature charge configurations in the lattice Coulomb gas on square lattices for charge filling ratio $f$ in the range $1/3 < f < 1/2$. We find a simple regularity in the low temperature charge configurations which consist of a suitable periodic combination of a few basic striped patterns characterized by the existence of partially filled diagonal channels. In general there exist two separate transitions where the lower temperature transition ($T_p$) corresponds to the freezing of charges within the partially filled channels. $T_p$ is found to be sensitively dependent on $f$ through the charge number density $\nu = p_{1}/q_{1}$ within the channels.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure

Effect of Control Strategies on Prevalence, Incidence and Re-infection of Clonorchiasis in Endemic Areas of China

Clonorchiasis is a liver fluke disease prevalent in East Asia, which is transmitted to humans mainly by eating raw freshwater fish. It induces various complications in the liver or bile duct including cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, and cirrhosis. Clonorchis sinensis has been known to cause cholangiocarcinoma, and is still a major health problem in endemic areas. People in endemic areas are repeatedly infected with C. sinensis, as they continue to consume raw freshwater fish in spite of control activities and availability of a highly effective drug, praziquantel. Reservoir hosts such as cats, dogs, and pigs supply eggs continuously to the environment and act as a source of infection. The present study analyzed the data produced by the Korea-China collaborative project for helminthiasis control in China during 2001–2004 to find out effective chemotherapeutic control strategies with praziquantel in endemic areas and to evaluate their effects on the transmission of C. sinensis infection by repeated mass or selective treatment. The four-year control trial found that repeated treatment is essential to the effective reduction of prevalence and infection intensity in heavily endemic areas. Mass chemotherapy is more effective than selective treatment, and more repeated treatments produce better outcomes in clonorchiasis control. Health education to change the habit of consuming raw or undercooked fish is an important and practical measure to prevent and reduce human infections in endemic areas. Together with chemotherapy, health education could be highly effective and produce sustainable effects in clonorchiasis control. Treatment of reservoirs, if applicable, will contribute to reduce the source of infection

An endoscope with integrated transparent bioelectronics and theranostic nanoparticles for colon cancer treatment

The gastrointestinal tract is a challenging anatomical target for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for bleeding, polyps and cancerous growths. Advanced endoscopes that combine imaging and therapies within the gastrointestinal tract provide an advantage over stand-alone diagnostic or therapeutic devices. However, current multimodal endoscopes lack the spatial resolution necessary to detect and treat small cancers and other abnormalities. Here we present a multifunctional endoscope-based interventional system that integrates transparent bioelectronics with theranostic nanoparticles, which are photoactivated within highly localized space near tumours or benign growths. These advanced electronics and nanoparticles collectively enable optical fluorescence-based mapping, electrical impedance and pH sensing, contact/temperature monitoring, radio frequency ablation and localized photo/chemotherapy, as the basis of a closed-loop solution for colon cancer treatment. In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experiments highlight the utility of this technology for accurate detection, delineation and rapid targeted therapy of colon cancer or precancerous lesions.

Study on Developing a System with IP Functionality to Monitor the Status of Containers in Maritime Logistics

There has been increasing demand from consignors and shipping companies for real-time monitoring of maritime cargo due to increases in fresh, dangerous, and high-value cargo. Although larger carriers have developed and integrated their own systems for such real-time monitoring services, small- and medium-sized shippers are struggling with the heavy costs and workforce associated with such capability. This study introduces a system that can do real-time monitoring of the location of shipping containers and their internal status by using IP-RFID that in cludes IP functionality. This system is composed of a tag, a smart point, and a service platform.&nbsp; The monitoring tags are attached to regular containers to track the opening and closing of the doors, the internal temperature, and humidity. The tags then send the data to the smart point where the GPS information is added. The data packet is then finally transmitted to the service platform for location tracking. &nbsp;In particular, as the tags in this system have IP functionality like Multicast, they are capable of communicating with the users and also allow users to control them. In order to provide such functionality, the smart points can serve as a gateway between the service platform and the tag. By managing the tag’s connection information and the status of transmission at the smart point, the service platform can directly communicate with tags connected to the respective smart point. This technology could be applied in a diverse range of maritime and non-maritime areas including warehouse management. As for maritime logistics, it also often goes through ground, port, and air transportation phases. Further studies should monitor the actual performance of this equipment across the various phases of maritime logistics to empirically test the systems proposed herein

Structural Relaxation, Self Diffusion and Kinetic Heterogeneity in the Two Dimensional Lattice Coulomb Gas

We present Monte Carlo simulation results on the equilibrium relaxation dynamics in the two dimensional lattice Coulomb gas, where finite fraction $f$ of the lattice sites are occupied by positive charges. In the case of high order rational values of $f$ close to the irrational number $1-g$ ($g\equiv(\sqrt{5} -1)/2$ is the golden mean), we find that the system exhibits, for wide range of temperatures above the first-order transition, a glassy behavior resembling the primary relaxation of supercooled liquids. Single particle diffusion and structural relaxation show that there exists a breakdown of proportionality between the time scale of diffusion and that of structural relaxation analogous to the violation of the Stokes-Einstein relation in supercooled liquids. Suitably defined dynamic cooperativity is calculated to exhibit the characteristic nature of dynamic heterogeneity present in the system.Comment: 12 pages, 20 figure

Different contribution of extent of myocardial injury to left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in early reperfused acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the influence of the extent of myocardial injury on left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in patients after reperfused acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Thirty-eight reperfused AMI patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging after percutaneous coronary revascularization. The extent of myocardial edema and scarring were assessed by T2 weighted imaging and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging, respectively. Within a day of CMR, echocardiography was done. Using 2D speckle tracking analysis, LV longitudinal, circumferential strain, and twist were measured. RESULTS: Extent of LGE were significantly correlated with LV systolic functional indices such as ejection fraction (r��=��-0.57, p��<��0.001), regional wall motion score index (r��=��0.52, p��=��0.001), and global longitudinal strain (r��=��0.56, p��<��0.001). The diastolic functional indices significantly correlated with age (r��=��-0.64, p��<��0.001), LV twist (r��=��-0.39, p��=��0.02), average non-infarcted myocardial circumferential strain (r��=��-0.52, p��=��0.001), and LV end-diastolic wall stress index (r��=��-0.47, p��=��0.003 with e') but not or weakly with extent of LGE. In multivariate analysis, age and non-infarcted myocardial circumferential strain independently correlated with diastolic functional indices rather than extent of injury. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with timely reperfused AMI, not only extent of myocardial injury but also age and non-infarcted myocardial function were more significantly related to LV chamber diastolic function.ope