Evaluation of ITU-R Recommendation P.1546 and Consideration for New Correction Factor

ITU-R recommendation P.1546 models is representative path loss model in the frequency range 30~3000MHz over expended area (1~1000 km). It is mainly based on the propagation curves and correction factors are added on that. In this paper, we compare measurements and prediction and propose several considerations to enhance the prediction accuracy of ITU-R P.1546 model

Analysis On Runoff Characteristics Of Decentralized Rainwater Management System Using XP-SWMM Simulation

In recent years, impervious areas are increasing in residential zone as well as unsettled area with rapid urbanization and land use. Consequently, this phenomenon influences weak urban environmental compositions about climate change including urban flooding accidents. Therefore, a new paradigm on rainwater management is needed for sound and sustainable restoration of hydrological circulation. Recently, a novel rainwater management system has been developed and recommended for irrigation and flood control in Korea. Especially, P city is now planning a new rainwater management system adopting LID (Low Impact Development) techniques on a small scale development area. In this study, XP-SWMM was used to simulate effects on runoff characteristics by installation of 8 kinds of rainwater management facilities on small scale development area (4.2 ha) of P city in Korea. Also, flood control safety analysis under the condition of localized torrential downpour event was carried out and effects of rainwater recycling facility was evaluated to measure annual water resource amount and water cost reduction. Peak rate runoff was reduced 11.8% and 36.4% in restrict A and B, respectively. Total amount of annual water source substitution was estimated 3,000㎡/yr with LID adoption in land use planning. Acknowledgement : This research was supported by a grant (12-TI-C01) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land , Infrastructure, and Transport of Korean government

predictive factors for longer operative times for thyroidectomy

Background/Objective: Conventional open thyroidectomy is considered as a safe surgery nowadays. However, surgeons sometimes encounter unexpected difficulty when performing thyroidectomies. The aim of this paper was to identify the predictors of a difficult thyroidectomy for the management of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: A database of patients who underwent open conventional thyroidectomy with cervical lymph node dissection after diagnosed papillary thyroid carcinoma between July 2008 and June 2013 was examined. In addition, the patients were subgrouped by difficult thyroidectomy (DT) and nondifficult thyroidectomy to determine the predictors of DT according to operation time. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, and postoperative morbidities were investigated. Results: No between-group differences in clinicopathologic factors and postoperative complications, except for male sex (p < 0.001) and tumor size (p = 0.039), were noted. Male sex [odds ratio (OR) 4.158, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.020–8.559, p = 0.043] and age < 45 years (OR 2.239, 95% CI 1.304–3.843, p = 0.003) were independent factors associated with DT in a multivariate logistic regression model. Elevated antithyroglobulin antibody (OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.000–1.008, p = 0.030) was a variable which is statistically significant, but not clinically significant. Discussion: Young age and male sex might be regarded as predictors of DT. Expecting DT before surgery might help surgeons, especially beginners, prevent troublesome situations

Therapeutic genome editing for Charcot-marie-tooth disease type 1a

Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A (CMT1A) is the most common inherited neuropathy without a known therapy, which is caused by a 1.4 Mb duplication on human chromosome 17, which includes the gene encoding the peripheral myelin protein of 22 kDa (PMP22). Overexpressed PMP22 protein from its gene duplication is thought to cause demyelination and subsequently axonal degeneration in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Here, we targeted regulatory region of human PMP22 to normalize overexpressed PMP22 level in C22 mice, a mouse model of CMT1A harboring multi copies of human PMP22. Direct local intraneural delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 designed to target TATA-box of PMP22 before the onset of disease, downregulates gene expression of PMP22 and preserves both myelin and axons. Notably, the same approach was effective in partial rescue of demyelination even after the onset of disease. Collectively, our data present a potential therapeutic efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeting of regulatory region of PMP22 to treat CMT1A. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

A Case of Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Confirmed with Genetic Analysis in a Korean Child

Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, consisting of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, chronic neutropenia, neutrophil chemotaxis defects, metaphyseal dysostosis, short stature, dental caries, and multiple organ involvements. Although SDS is the second most common hereditary abnormality of exocrine pancreas following cystic fibrosis in the Western countries, it has rarely been reported in Asia. We diagnosed a case of SDS in a 42-month-old girl, and genetic analysis including the relatives of the patient confirmed the diagnosis for the first time in Korea. She had short stature, steatorrhea, dental caries, and recurrent prulent otitis media and pneumonias. Laboratory studies revealed cyclic neutropenia, and serum levels of trypsin, amylase, and lipase were decreased. Simple radiography revealed metaphyseal sclerotic changes at the distal femur. A CT scan demonstrated a fatty infiltration and atrophy of the pancreas. On direct sequencing analysis of Shwachman-Bodian-Diamond Syndrome gene exon 2 region, the patient was homozygous for the c.258+2T>C mutation and heterozygous for the c.183_184TA>CT mutation and c.201A>G single nucleotide polymorphism. Treatment with pancreatic enzyme replacement, multivitamin supplementation, and regular to high fat diet improved her weight gain and steatorrhea

Exercise Training Attenuates Ovariectomy-Induced Alterations in Skeletal Muscle Remodeling, Apoptotic Signaling, and Atrophy Signaling in Rat Skeletal Muscle

Purpose The effects of aerobic exercise training on soleus muscle morphology, mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling, and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in ovariectomized rat skeletal muscle were investigated. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control (CON), ovariectomy (OVX), and ovariectomy plus exercise (OVX+EX) groups. After ovarian excision, exercise training was performed using a rat treadmill at 20 m/min, 50 min/day, 5 days/week for 12 weeks. Protein levels of mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in the skeletal muscle (soleus) were examined through western immunoblot analysis. Results The number of myocytes and myocyte cross-sectional area (CSA) were increased and the extramyocyte space was decreased in the OVX group compared to those in the CON group. However, aerobic exercise training significantly increased myocyte CSA and decreased extramyocyte space in the OVX+EX group compared to those in the OVX group. The protein levels of proapoptotic signaling and muscle atrophy signaling were significantly increased, whereas the protein levels of muscle hypertrophy signaling were significantly decreased in the OVX group compared to that in the CON group. Aerobic exercise training significantly decreased the protein levels of proapoptotic signaling and increased the protein level of antiapoptotic protein in the OVX+EX group compared to that in the OVX group. Aerobic exercise training significantly increased the protein levels of hypertrophy signaling and decreased protein levels of atrophy signaling in the OVX+EX group compared to those in the OVX group. Conclusions Treadmill exercise improved estrogen deficiency-induced impairment in skeletal muscle remodeling, mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling, and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in skeletal muscle

c-Fos Expression in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract in Response to Salt Stimulation in Rats

Salt signals in tongue are relayed to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). This signaling is very important to determine whether to swallow salt-related nutrition or not and suggests some implications in discrimination of salt concentration. Salt concentration-dependent electrical responses in the chorda tympani and the NST were well reported. But salt concentration-dependency and spatial distribution of c-Fos in the NST were not well established. In the present study, NaCl signaling in the NST was studied in urethane-anesthetized rats. The c-Fos immunoreactivity in the six different NST areas along the rostral-caudal axis and six subregions in each of bilateral NST were compared between applications of distilled water and different concentrations of NaCl to the tongue of experimental animals. From this study, salt stimulation with high concentration (1.0 M NaCl) induced significantly higher c-Fos expression in intermediate NST and dorsal-medial and dorsal-middle subregions of the NST compared to distilled water stimulation. The result represents the specific spatial distribution of salt taste perception in the NST

Development of tricuspid regurgitation late after left-sided valve surgery: a single-center experience with long-term echocardiographic examinations

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the incidence and identify the predictors of significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) development long after left-sided valve surgery. METHODS: Of 615 patients who underwent surgery for left-sided valve disease between 1992 and 1995, 335 patients without significant TR who completed at least 5 years of clinical and echocardiographic follow-up were enrolled. Late significant TR development was assessed by echocardiography with a mean follow-up duration of 11.6 +/- 2.1 years. RESULTS: Significant late TR was found in 90 patients (26.9%). Patients with late TR showed an advanced age (47.6 +/- 13.4 vs 44.3 +/- 13.2 years, P = .04), a higher prevalence of preoperative atrial fibrillation (83.3 vs 46.5%, P < .001), a greater left atrial dimension (56.9 +/- 13.2 vs 52.4 +/- 11.5 mm, P = .006), and a higher prevalence of prior valve surgery (40.0 vs 25.3%, P = .01). In addition, late TR occurred more frequently in patients who had undergone mitral valve surgery than in those who did not (93.3 vs 72.2%, P < .001). However, multivariate analysis showed that the presence of preoperative atrial fibrillation (odds ratio 5.37; 95% CI 2.71-10.65; P < .001) was the only independent factor of late TR development. Patients who developed late TR had a lower event-free survival rate than those who did not (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The development of significant TR long after left-sided valve surgery is not uncommon with an estimated incidence of 27% and is closely associated with a poor prognosis. The presence of preoperative atrial fibrillation was identified as the only independent predictor of the development of late TR

Metodologias alternativas no ensino de física

Screening a compound library of quinolinone derivatives identified compound 11a as a new P2X7 receptor antagonist. To optimize its activity, we assessed structure-activity relationships (SAR) at three different positions, R_1, R_2 and R_3, of the quinolinone scaffold. SAR analysis suggested that a carboxylic acid ethyl ester group at the R_1 position, an adamantyl carboxamide group at R_2 and a 4-methoxy substitution at the R_3 position are the best substituents for the antagonism of P2X7R activity. However, because most of the quinolinone derivatives showed low inhibitory effects in an IL-1β ELISA assay, the core structure was further modified to a quinoline skeleton with chloride or substituted phenyl groups. The optimized antagonists with the quinoline scaffold included 2-chloro-5-adamantyl-quinoline derivative (16c) and 2-(4-hydroxymethylphenyl)-5-adamantyl-quinoline derivative (17k), with IC_(50) values of 4 and 3 nM, respectively. In contrast to the quinolinone derivatives, the antagonistic effects of the quinoline compounds (16c and 17k) were paralleled by their ability to inhibit the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β, from LPS/IFN-γ/BzATP-stimulated THP-1 cells (IC_(50) of 7 and 12 nM, respectively). In addition, potent P2X7R antagonists significantly inhibited the sphere size of TS15-88 glioblastoma cells

Radiofrequency Ablation of Benign Thyroid Nodules and Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: Consensus Statement and Recommendations

Thermal ablation using radiofrequency is a new, minimally invasive modality employed as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus