Simultaneous Evaporation Cu and Sn from Liquid Steel

In order to understand evaporation refining of tramp elements in molten ferrous scrap, Cu and Sn, a series of experiments were carried out using liquid-gas reaction in a levitation melting equipment. Effect of S and C, which are abundant in hot metal from ironmaking process, was examined and analyzed by employing a comprehensive evaporation kinetic model developed by the present authors (Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:250-258, 2014; Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:259-266, 2014; Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:267-277, 2014; Jung and Kang in Metall Mater Trans B ExternalRef RefSource10.1007/s11663-016-0601-5RefSource RefTarget Address="10.1007/s11663-016-0601-5" TargetType="DOI" ExternalRef, 2016). Evaporation of Cu and Sn were treated by evaporation of individual species such as Cu(g), CuS(g), Sn(g), and SnS(g), along with CS2(g). Decrease of Cu and Sn content in liquid steel was in good agreement with the model prediction. Optimum conditions of steel composition for the rapid evaporation of Cu and Sn were proposed by utilizing the model predictions.1132Ysciescopu

Salsolinol, a catechol neurotoxin, induces oxidative modification of cytochrome c

Methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (salsolinol),an endogenous neurotoxin, is known to perform a role in thepathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, weevaluated oxidative modification of cytochrome c occurring afterincubation with salsolinol. When cytochrome c was incubatedwith salsolinol, protein aggregation increased in a dosedependentmanner. The formation of carbonyl compounds andthe release of iron were obtained in salsolinol- treated cytochromec. Salsolinol also led to the release of iron fromcytochrome c. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers andiron specific chelator inhibited the salsolinol-mediated cytochromec modification and carbonyl compound formation. It issuggested that oxidative damage of cytochrome c by salsolinolmight induce the increase of iron content in cells, subsequentlyleading to the deleterious condition which was observed. Thismechanism may, in part, provide an explanation for thedeterioration of organs under neurodegenerative disorders suchas PD. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(2): 119-123

In vivo and in vitro studies of Mgs1 suggest a link between genome instability and Okazaki fragment processing

The non-essential MGS1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is highly conserved in eukaryotes and encodes an enzyme containing both DNA-dependent ATPase and DNA annealing activities. MGS1 appears to function in post-replicational repair processes that contribute to genome stability. In this study, we identified MGS1 as a multicopy suppressor of the temperature-sensitive dna2Δ405N mutation, a DNA2 allele lacking the N-terminal 405 amino acid residues. Mgs1 stimulates the structure-specific nuclease activity of Rad27 (yeast Fen1 or yFen1) in an ATP-dependent manner. ATP binding but not hydrolysis was sufficient for the stimulatory effect of Mgs1, since non-hydrolyzable ATP analogs are as effective as ATP. Suppression of the temperature-sensitive growth defect of dna2Δ405N required the presence of a functional copy of RAD27, indicating that Mgs1 suppressed the dna2Δ405N mutation by increasing the activity of yFen1 (Rad27) in vivo. Our results provide in vivo and in vitro evidence that Mgs1 is involved in Okazaki fragment processing by modulating Fen1 activity. The data presented raise the possibility that the absence of MGS1 may impair the processing of Okazaki fragments, leading to genomic instability

The l∞ l_\infty -induced norm of multivariable discrete-time linear systems: Upper and lower bounds with convergence rate analysis

This paper develops a method for computing the $l_{\infty}$-induced norm of a multivariable discrete-time linear system, for which an infinite-dimensional matrix should be intrinsically concerned with. To make such a computation feasible, we treat the infinite-dimensional matrix in a truncated fashion, and an upper bound and a lower bound on the $l_\infty$-induced norm of the original multivariable discrete-time linear system are derived. More precisely, the matrix $\infty$-norm of the (infinite-dimensional) tail part can be approximately computed by deriving its upper and lower bounds, while that of the (finite-dimensional) truncated part can be exactly obtained. With these values, an upper bound and a lower bound on the original $l_\infty$-induced norm can be computed. Furthermore, these bounds are shown to converge to each other within an exponential order of $N$, where $N$ is the corresponding truncation parameter. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the theoretical validity and practical effectiveness of the developed computation method

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Caused by Space Occupying Lesions

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) due to space occupying lesions (SOL). MATERIALS and METHODS: Eleven patients and 12 cases that underwent surgery for CTS due to SOL were studied retrospectively. We excluded SOL caused by bony lesions, such as malunion of distal radius fracture, volar lunate dislocation, etc. the average age was 51 years. There were 3 men and 8 women. Follow-up period was 12 to 40 months with an average of 18 months. the diagnosis of CTS was made clinically and electrophysiologically. in patients with swelling or tenderness on the area of wrist flexion creases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomogram (CT) were additionally taken as well as the carpal tunnel view. We performed conventional open transverse carpal ligament release and removal of SOL. RESULTS: the types of lesion confirmed by pathologic examination were; tuberculosis tenosynovitis in 3 cases, nonspecific tenosynovitis in 2 cases, and gout in one case. Other SOLs were tumorous condition in five cases, and abnormal palmaris longus hypertrophy in 1 case. Tumorous conditions were due to calcifying mass in 4 cases and ganglion in 1 case. Following surgery, all cases showed alleviation of symptom without recurrence or complications. CONCLUSION: in cases with swelling or tenderness on the area of wrist flexion creases, it is important to obtain a carpal tunnel view, and MRI and/or CT should be supplemented in order to rule out SOLs around the carpal tunnel, if necessary.ope

Potassium-doped BaFe2As2 superconducting thin films with a transition temperature of 40 K

We report the growth of potassium-doped BaFe2As2 thin films, where the major charge carriers are holes, on Al2O3 (0001) and LaAlO3 (001) substrates by using an ex-situ pulsed laser deposition technique. The measured Tc's are 40 and 39 K for the films grown on Al2O3 and LaAlO3, respectively and diamagnetism indicates that the films have good bulk superconducting properties below 36 and 30 K, respectively. The X-ray diffraction patterns for both films indicated a preferred c-axis orientation, regardless of the substrate structures of LaAlO3 and Al2O3. The upper critical field at zero temperature was estimated to be about 155 T.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figure

Does Objective Structured Clinical Examinations Score Reflect the Clinical Reasoning Ability of Medical Students?

Abstract:BackgroundClinical reasoning ability is an important factor in a physician's competence and thus should be taught and tested in medical schools. Medical schools generally use objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) to measure the clinical competency of medical students. However, it is unknown whether OSCE can also evaluate clinical reasoning ability. In this study, the authors investigated whether OSCE scores reflected students' clinical reasoning abilities.MethodsSixty-five fourth-year medical students participated in this study. Medical students completed the OSCE with 4 cases using standardized patients. For assessment of clinical reasoning, students were asked to list differential diagnoses and the findings that were compatible or not compatible with each diagnosis. The OSCE score (score of patient encounter), diagnostic accuracy score, clinical reasoning score, clinical knowledge score and grade point average (GPA) were obtained for each student, and correlation analysis was performed.ResultsClinical reasoning score was significantly correlated with diagnostic accuracy and GPA (correlation coefficient = 0.258 and 0.380; P = 0.038 and 0.002, respectively) but not with OSCE score or clinical knowledge score (correlation coefficient = 0.137 and 0.242; P = 0.276 and 0.052, respectively). Total OSCE score was not significantly correlated with clinical knowledge test score, clinical reasoning score, diagnostic accuracy score or GPA.ConclusionsOSCE score from patient encounters did not reflect the clinical reasoning abilities of the medical students in this study. The evaluation of medical students' clinical reasoning abilities through OSCE should be strengthened

Robotic pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with mini-laparotomy reconstruction in patient with ampullary adenoma

Robotic surgical system provides many unique advantages which might compensate the limitations of usual laparoscopic surgery. By using robotic surgical system, we performed robot-assisted laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). A Sixty-two year old female patient with an ampullary mass underwent robot assisted PD due to imcomplete treatment of endoscopic ampullectomy. The removal of specimen and reconstruction were performed through small upper midline skin incision. Robot working time was about 8 hours, and blood loss was about 800 ml without blood transfusion. She returned to an oral diet on postoperative day 3. Grade B pancreatic leak was noted during the postoperative period, but was successfully managed by conservative management alone. We successfully performed da Vinci-assisted laparoscopic PD, and robot surgical system provided three-dimensional stable visualization and wrist-like motion of instrument facilitated complex operative procedures. More experiences are necessary to address real role of robot in far advanced laparoscopic pancreatic surgery