A Dynamic Information-Based Parking Guidance for Megacities considering Both Public and Private Parking

The constantly increasing number of cars in the megacities is causing severe parking problems. To resolve this problem, many cities adopt parking guidance system as a part of intelligent transportation system (ITS). However, the current parking guidance system stays in its infant stage since the obtainable information is limited. To enhance parking management in the megacity and to provide better parking guidance to drivers, this study introduces an intelligent parking guidance system and proposes a new methodology to operate it. The introduced system considers both public parking and private parking so that it is designed to maximize the use of spatial resources of the city. The proposed methodology is based on the dynamic information related parking in the city and suggests the best parking space to each driver. To do this, two kinds of utility functions which assess parking spaces are developed. Using the proposed methodology, different types of parking management policies are tested through the simulation. According to the experimental test, it is shown that the centrally managed parking guidance can give better results than individually preferred parking guidance. The simulation test proves that both a driver???s benefits and parking management of a city from various points of view can be improved by using the proposed methodology

Clinical disease characteristics according to karyotype in Turner syndrome

Purpose : Turner syndrome (TS) is a disorder in which various anomalies can be accompanied, especially cardiovascular, renal, thyroid and auditory problems. The aim of this study is to identify the incidence of these disorders in patients with TS according to karyotype. Methods : We reviewed medical records of 90 patients with TS diagnosed by chromosomal analysis in 4 hospitals from Jan 1998 to Dec 2007. We evaluated these cases by prepared protocol of 4 medical problems. Results : The distribution of karyotype was 45,X (47.8%), mosaic pattern (34.4%) and structural aberration group (17.8 %). Renal anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies, thyroid disorders and auditory problems are accompanied in 4.4%, 10.0 %, 11.1% and 5.6%, respectively. 45,X group had renal anomalies (7.0%), cardiovascular anomalies (18.6%), thyroid disorders (9.3%) and auditory problems (11.6%). Mosaic group had renal anomalies (3.2%), thyroid disorders (12.9%), no cardiovascular anomalies and auditory problems. Structural aberration group had cardiovascular anomalies (6.3%), thyroid disorders (12.5%) and no other 2 problems. Patients with 45,X group had a significant higher incidence of cardiovascular anomalies (P=0.025). Conclusion : Our results indicate that there are differences clinically according to karyotype of TS, especially in incidence of cardiovascular anomalies

Health-related quality of life with KDQOL-36 and its association with self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction in Korean dialysis patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to measure the level of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to reveal the association of self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction with it in Korean dialysis patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: The study subjects were 237 patients receiving either hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) from two university hospitals, from February to June in 2010. We investigated HRQOL using the Korean version of Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL-36), and self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction by self-administrative questionnaire and their dialysis-related variables by reviewing clinical records. The associations of self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction with HRQOL were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean HRQOL results were as follows: Physical component score (PCS) was 39.1 ± 8.5, Mental component score (MCS) 44.6 ± 6.8, symptom/problem list was 67.6 ± 17.1, effects of disease score was 58.5 ± 19.6, and burden of disease score was 41.1 ± 28.4. Between PD and HD patients, we could find significant difference only in the symptom/problem list. After removing confounder’s effects by multivariate analysis, respectively, treatment goal self-efficacy and treatment management self-efficacy were significantly related with all 5 domains, except PCS. Treatment satisfaction was significantly related with PCS, MCS, and effects of kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients’ self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction could influence their HRQOL. Regular and systematic monitoring using KDQOL-36 and interventions to increase self-efficacy and treatment satisfaction should be considered in dialysis care in Korea

Percutaneous Full Endoscopic Transverse Processectomy for Bertolotti’s Syndrome

The Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) is a congenital anomaly and has two types of abnormal vertebrae. Low back pain and leg pain originated from a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) known as Bertolotti’s syndrome (BS). We describe our institution’s experience of a L5 transverse processectomy done via a percutaneous endoscopic approach for a patient with Bertolotti’s syndrome. A 64-year-old female patient with persistent left leg radiating pain visited at the spine center. This patients underwent endoscopic L5-S1 foraminoplasty under the diagnosis of foraminal stenosis. However, despite the complete neural decompression, the patient complained of persistent left leg pain. We found that the left transverse process (TP) of L5 vertebra seemed to contact with the ala of sacrum suggesting the Bertolotti’s syndrome (BS). A pseudo-articulation lidocaine injection was given and it was effective in reducing the leg pain. Under local anesthesia, a uniportal endoscopy was introduced to the base of the L5 TP and simply cut in cranial to caudal direction using a high-speed drill in order to block the way of mechanical stress from spine. The patient’s symptoms got relieved after L5 transverse processectomy and she was discharged in a few days

Serum high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is closely associated with the clinical and pathologic features of gastric cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a newly recognized factor regulating cancer cell tumorigenesis, expansion and invasion. We investigated the correlation between the serum HMGB1 levels and the clinical and pathologic features of gastric cancer and evaluated the validity of HMGB1 as a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 227 subjects were classified into 5 disease groups according to the 'gastritis-dysplasia-carcinoma' sequence of gastric carcinogenesis and their serum levels of HMGB1 were analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Clinical parameters, International Union Against Cancer (UICC) TNM stage, cancer size, differentiation or lymphatic invasion, vascular or perineural invasion and prognosis were used as analysis variables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The serum HMGB1 levels were significantly different among disease groups (ANOVA, <it>p < 0.05</it>) and HMGB1 levels tended to increase according to the progression of gastric carcinogenesis. Serum HMGB1 levels were significantly associated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, tumor size, and poor prognosis (<it>p < 0.05</it>). However, HMGB1 levels were not associated with patient gender or age, differentiation of tumor cells, or lymphatic, vascular and perineural invasion, or the existence of distant metastasis in advanced cancer (<it>p > 0.05</it>). The sensitivity and specificity of serum HMGB1 was 71% and 67% (cut-off value of 5 ng/ml) for the diagnosis of early gastric cancer, and 70% and 64% (cut-off value of 4 ng/ml) for the diagnosis of high-risk lesions, respectively. These values were greater than those for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (30–40% of sensitivity).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HMGB1 appears to be a useful serological biomarker for early diagnosis as well as evaluating the tumorigenesis, stage, and prognosis of gastric cancer.</p

KNOW-KT (KoreaN cohort study for outcome in patients with kidney transplantation: a 9-year longitudinal cohort study): study rationale and methodology

BACKGROUND: Asian patients undergoing kidney transplantation (KT) generally have better renal allograft survival and a lower burden of cardiovascular disease than those of other racial groups. The KNOW-KT aims to explore allograft survival rate, cardiovascular events, and metabolic profiles and to elucidate the risk factors in Korean KT patients. METHODS: KNOW-KT is a multicenter, observational cohort study encompassing 8 transplant centers in the Republic of Korea. KNOW-KT will enroll 1,000 KT recipients between 2012 and 2015 and follow them up to 9 years. At the time of KT and at pre-specified intervals, clinical information, laboratory test results, and functional and imaging studies on cardiovascular disease and metabolic complications will be recorded. Comorbid status will be assessed by the age-adjusted Charlson co-morbidity index. Medication adherence and information on quality of life (QoL) will be monitored periodically. The QoL will be assessed by the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form. Donors will include both living donors and deceased donors whose status will be assessed by the Kidney Donor Risk Index. Primary endpoints include graft loss and patient mortality. Secondary endpoints include renal functional deterioration (a decrease in eGFR to <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), acute rejection, cardiovascular event, albuminuria, new-onset diabetes after transplant, and QoL. Data on other adverse outcomes including episodes of infection, malignancy, recurrence of original renal disease, fracture, and hospitalization will also be collected. A bio-bank has been established for the acquisition of DNA, RNA, and protein from serum and urine samples of recipients at regular intervals. Bio-samples from donors will also be collected at the time of KT. KNOW-KT was registered in an international clinical trial registry (NCT02042963 at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) on January 20(th), 2014. CONCLUSION: The KNOW-KT, the first large-scale cohort study in Asian KT patients, is expected to represent the Asian KT population and provide information on their natural course, complications, and risk factors for complications

Flexible room-temperature NO2 gas sensors based on carbon nanotubes/reduced graphene hybrid films

We present a flexible room temperature NO2 gas sensor consisting of vertical carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/reduced graphene hybrid film supported by a polyimide substrate. The reduced graphene film alone showed a negligible sensor response, exhibiting abnormal N-P transitions during the initial NO2 injection. A hybrid film, formed by the growth of a vertically aligned CNT array (with CNTs 20 ??m in length) on the reduced graphene film surface, exhibited remarkably enhanced sensitivities with weak N-P transitions. The increase in sensitivity was mainly attributed to the high sensitivity of the CNT arrays. The outstanding flexibility of the reduced graphene films ensured stable sensing performances in devices submitted to extreme bending stress.open786

Congenital Angiodysplasia in a Woman Presenting with Idiopathic Jejunal Varicosis on Angiography

Angiography is a useful diagnostic tool in cases with massive gastrointestinal bleeding such as angiodysplasia and varicosis when endoscopy is not available. Angiodysplasia and varicosis have distinguishable characteristic features on angiography, such as the presence of a nidus, visible late-draining veins, and the typical vascular tuft. We recently treated a rare case of congenital angiodysplasia without the characteristic angiodysplasia features on angiography. Instead, the patient presented with a very rare case of idiopathic jejunal varicosis. A 42-year-old woman visited the emergency room with the chief complaint of melena for three days and a hemoglobin level of 5.9 g/dL. An abdominal CT angiogram showed varicosis at the jejunal mesentery. Angiography of the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries showed tortuous and dilated jejunal and ileal branches during the venous phase, suggesting a vascular malformation such as varicosis of the jejunum. Surgical exploration with intraoperative endoscopy revealed diffuse engorged veins and a 1.0-cm-diameter superficial ulcer covered with a blood clot that was 70 cm from the ligament of Treitz. A 100-cm segment of jejunum was resected. Histological examination revealed that the lesion was angiodysplasia, not varicosis. The final diagnosis was congenital angiodysplasia

Does robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy enable to obtain adequate oncological and functional outcomes during the learning curve? From the Korean experience

To estimate the short-term results of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) during the learning curve, in terms of surgical, oncological and functional outcomes, we conducted a prospective survey on RALRP. From July 2007, a single surgeon performed 63 robotic prostatectomies using the same operative technique. Perioperative data, including pathological and early functional results of the patient, were collected prospectively and analyzed. Along with the accumulation of the cases, the total operative time, setup time, console time and blood loss were significantly decreased. No major complication was present in any patient. Transfusion was needed in six patients; all of them were within the initial 15 cases. The positive surgical margin rate was 9.8% (5/51) in pT2 disease. The most frequent location of positive margin in this stage was the lateral aspect (60%), but in pT3 disease multiple margins were the most frequent (41.7%). Overall, 53 (84.1%) patients had totally continent status and the median time to continence was 6.56 weeks. Among 17 patients who maintained preoperative sexual activity ( Sexual Health Inventory for Men \u3e = 17), stage below pT2, followed up for \u3e 6 months with minimally one side of neurovascular bundle preservation procedure, 12 (70.6%) were capable of intercourse postoperatively, and the mean time for sexual intercourse after operation was 5.7 months. In this series, robotic prostatectomy was a feasible and reproducible technique, with a short learning curve and low perioperative complication rate. Even during the initial phase of the learning curve, satisfactory results were obtained with regard to functional and oncological outcome