Perceptual Similarity in Korean Vowel Epenthesis

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Bacterial community analysis in upflow multilayer anaerobic reactor (UMAR) treating high-solids organic wastes

A novel anaerobic digestion configuration, the upflow multi-layer anaerobic reactor (UMAR), was developed to treat high-solids organic wastes. The UMAR was hypothesized to form multi-layer along depth due to the upflow plug flow; use of a recirculation system and a rotating distributor and baffles aimed to assist treating high-solids influent. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and methane (CH4) production rate were 89% and 2.10 L CH4/L/day, respectively, at the peak influent COD concentration (110.4 g/L) and organic loading rate (7.5 g COD/L/day). The 454 pyrosequencing results clearly indicated heterogeneous distribution of bacterial communities at different vertical locations (upper, middle, and bottom) of the UMAR. Firmicutes was the dominant (>70%) phylum at the middle and bottom parts, while Deltaproteobacteria and Chloroflexi were only found in the upper part. Potential functions of the bacteria were discussed to speculate on their roles in the anaerobic performance of the UMAR system

5-Carbamoyl-2-methyl-1-(2-methyl­benz­yl)pyridinium bromide

In the title mol­ecular salt, C15H17N2O+·Br−, the benzene and pyridinium rings form a dihedral angle of 83.0 (1)°. In the crystal, N—H⋯Br and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the components into chains along [010]. These chains are linked by weak C—H⋯O and C—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network

Subclinical vascular inflammation in subjects with normal weight obesity and its association with body Fat: an 18 F-FDG-PET/CT study

BACKGROUND: Although body mass index (BMI) is the most widely accepted parameter for defining obesity, recent studies have indicated a unique set of patients who exhibit normal BMI and excess body fat (BF), which is termed as normal weight obesity (NWO). Increased BF is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, it is unclear whether NWO subjects already have a higher degree of vascular inflammation compared to normal weight lean (NWL) subjects; moreover, the association of BF with vascular inflammation in normal weight subjects is largely unknown. METHODS: NWO and NWL subjects (n = 82 in each group) without any history of significant vascular disease were identified from a 3-year database of consecutively recruited patients undergoing (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18) F-FDG-PET/CT) at a self-referred Healthcare Promotion Program. The degree of subclinical vascular inflammation was evaluated using the mean and maximum target-to-background ratios (TBRmean and TBRmax) of the carotid artery, which were measured by (18) F-FDG-PET/CT (a noninvasive tool for assessing vascular inflammation). RESULTS: We found that metabolically dysregulation was greater in NWO subjects than in NWL subjects, with a significantly higher blood pressure, higher fasting glucose level, and worse lipid profile. Moreover, NWO subjects exhibited higher TBR than NWL subjects (TBRmean: 1.33 ± 0.16 versus 1.45 ± 0.19, p < 0.001; TBRmax: 1.52 ± 0.23 versus 1.67 ± 0.25, p < 0.001). TBR was significantly associated with total BF (TBRmean: r = 0.267, p = 0.001; TBRmax: r = 0.289, p < 0.001), age (TBRmean: r = 0.170, p = 0.029; TBRmax: r = 0.165, p = 0.035), BMI (TBRmean: r = 0.184, p = 0.018; TBRmax: r = 0.206, p = 0.008), and fasting glucose level (TBRmean: r = 0.157, p = 0.044; TBRmax: r = 0.182, p = 0.020). In multiple linear regression analysis, BF was an independent determinant of TBRmean and TBRmax, after adjusting for age, BMI, and fasting glucose level (TBRmean: regression coefficient = 0.020, p = 0.008; TBRmax: regression coefficient = 0.028, p = 0.005). Compared to NWL, NWO was also independently associated with elevated TBRmax values, after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio = 2.887, 95% confidence interval 1.206–6.914, p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: NWO is associated with a higher degree of subclinical vascular inflammation, of which BF is a major contributing factor. These results warrant investigations for subclinical atherosclerosis in NWO patients

Use of Inhaled Iloprost in an Infant With Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Pulmonary Artery Hypertension

Pulmonary artery hypertension is a common cardiovascular complication in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Inhaled iloprost is used as a therapeutic option in pulmonary hypertension, especially in adults. There have been but a few reports on the use of iloprost for neonates and infants. We report the case of a 5 month-old-male infant who received neonatal intensive care for 4 months due to respiratory distress syndrome and prematurity, during which he developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Echocardiography showed severe pulmonary hypertension. The initial treatment included respiratory support with high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV); however, his clinical condition did not improve. Inhaled iloprost with sildenafil, an oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, was thus used. With the administration of iloprost and sildenafil, his condition improved and he was weaned from oxygen. Our clinical experience suggests that iloprost is a promising therapy for pulmonary hypertension, especially when inhaled nitric oxide is unavailable

Work and Family Policy Framing and Gender Equality in South Korea: Focusing on the Roh Moo-huyn and Lee Myung-bak Administrations

This research aims to identify the possibilities and limitations in realizing a feminist agenda through the state. To this end, we conduct a critical policy frame analysis of public speeches by top-level decision makers in relation to the work and family policy of two politically contrasting governments: The administrations of President Roh Moo-hyun (2003 to 2007) and Lee Myung-bak (2008 to 2012). The results demonstrate that despite some differences, the commonality between the two governments was that the work and family policy was based on an instrumentalist womens employment frame, influenced by a discourse of developmentalism that originated from the developmental state experience of Korea in the 1960-1970s. This paper then sets out how this instrumentalist womens employment frame has consistently functioned to prohibit the work and family balance agenda from becoming a radical and reformative means to change unequal gender relations. In conclusion, we emphasize the importance of the feminist ideas outside the state based on the redistributive frame for the caring as citizens rights, since the Korean developmental state has fundamental limitations in realizing a feminist agenda

Application of reliability design methods to Donghae harbor breakwater

Reliability design methods have been developed for breakwater designs since the mid-1980s. The reliability design method is classified into three categories depending on the level of probabilistic concepts being employed, i.e., Level 1, 2, and 3 methods. Each method gives results in different forms, but all of them can be expressed in terms of probability of failure so that the difference can be compared among the different methods. In this study, we apply the reliability design methods to the stability of armor blocks and sliding of caissons of the breakwater of Donghae Harbor located in the east coast of Korea, which was constructed by traditional deterministic design methods to be damaged in 1987 and reinforced in 1991. Analyses are made for the breakwaters before the damage and after the reinforcement. The allowable probability of failure of a Tetrapod armor layer of 50 years lifetime is proposed as 40% for existing stability formulas, whilst that for caisson sliding as 20% with the failure criterion for the cumulative sliding distance over the lifetime of 0.1 m. The probability of failure before the damage is much higher than the allowable value for both stability of armor blocks and sliding of caissons, indicating that the breakwater was under-designed. The probability of failure for the reinforced breakwater is lower than the allowable value, indicating that the breakwater became stable after the reinforcement. On the other hand, the results of different reliability design methods were in fairly good agreement, confirming that there is not much difference among the different methods.author's final versio

Calculation of partial safety factors of breakwater armor stones considering correlation between wave height and wave steepness

author's final versionIn the calculation of partial safety factors of breakwater armor stones, it has been assumed that all the design variables are independent one another. However, some of them are not independent but are correlated each other. In the present study, the partial safety factors are calculated by considering the correlation between wave height and wave steepness. Smaller partial safety factors and smaller armor weight are obtained if the correlation is taken into account. The reduction becomes prominent as the probability of failure decreases (or the design armor weight increases). The correlation between wave height and steepness in real sea is also estimated by using the wave hindcasting data along the Korean coast

Impact of prior abdominal surgery on postoperative prolonged ileus after ileostomy repair

SummaryBackground and aimsPostoperative ileus (POI) is one of the most common reasons for sustained hospital stays after ileostomy repair. Although many factors have been investigated as POI risk factors, the investigation of the impact of prior abdominal surgery (PAS) before rectal cancer surgery has been limited. This study aimed to identify the impact of PAS as a risk factor for POI after ileostomy repair.Material and methodsA total of 220 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent ileostomy repair were enrolled. The patients were divided into PAS-positive and PAS-negative groups according to the history of PAS before rectal cancer surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathological factors associated with POI.ResultsThe PAS-positive group had a longer operation time (111 min vs. 93.4 min, p=0.029) and a greater length of hospital stay (10 days vs. 7.8 days, p=0.003) compared with the PAS-negative group. POI was more frequent in the PAS-positive group (23.1% vs. 6.2%, p=0.011). The POI rate in the entire cohort was 8.1%. The repair method (stapled side-to-side vs. hand-sewn end-to-end, odds ratio OR=3.6, 95% confidence interval CI=1.2–11.1, p=0.022) and PAS (odds ratio=4.0, 95% confidence interval=1.2–12.8, p=0.017) were significant predictors of POI in the multivariate analysis.ConclusionsThis study suggests that PAS before rectal cancer surgery is associated with POI after ileostomy repair