Pulsed Corona Discharge for Oxidation of Gaseous Elemental Mercury

Positive pulsed corona discharge has been applied for the oxidation of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0) from a simulated flue gas. The oxidation of Hg0 to HgO and HgCl2 can significantly enhance the mercury removal from flue gas. At a gas condition of O2 (10%), H2O (3%), and N2 (balance), Hg0 oxidation efficiency of 84% was achieved at an input energy density of 45 J/l. The presence of NO, however, hinders Hg0 oxidation due to the preferential reaction of NO with O and O3. On the contrary, SO2 shows little effect on Hg0 oxidation due to its preferential reaction with OH. It has been also observed that the HCl in gas stream can be dissociated to Cl and Cl2 and can induce additional Hg0 oxidation to HgCl2

Relations of Pulse Wave Velocity to Waist Circumference Independent of Hip Circumference

- OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the effect of waist circumference (WC) on brachial artery pulse wave velocity (baPWV) independent of hip circumference (HC). Therefore, this study aimed to dissociate specific effect of WC on baPWV independent of HC. - METHODS: Of 1,053 rural residents (2004-2005), 777 subjects with no known history of coronary artery diseases or diabetes mellitus over 40 yr were included. To reduce collinearity, we assessed the independent effect of WC with HC on PWV by residual method (WC [RM]). - RESULTS: In women, most correlation coefficients were significant between measures of abdominal obesity and baPWV, with the highest (0.32) in waist to hip ratio (WHR), whereas no significance was found in men. All mean values of baPWV among the abdominally obese were higher than those of normal group in women, which were in the order of WHR, WC (RM), and WC. Adjusted OR with 95% CI for baPWV was significantly elevated by increase of WC (RM) upto 4.8 (95% CI: 2.1-11.2), and as 4.3 by WHR (95% CI: 1.6-11.4). - CONCLUSION: Considering the difficulty in biologically interpreting WHR, WC (RM) may be a useful indicator of abdominal obesity among females in that it reflects the risk of pulse wave velocity

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disease activity in patients with Crohn’s disease

Background/Aims Previous data suggest that vitamin D has a significant role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We investigated the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean patients with IBD and the correlation between serum vitamin D level and disease activity. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with IBD whose serum vitamin D levels were checked. Deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was defined as <20 ng/mL. Disease activity was evaluated using the partial Mayo score for ulcerative colitis (≥2 defined as active disease) and Harvey-Bradshaw index for Crohn’s disease (≥4 defined as active disease). Results We enrolled 87 patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis [UC], 45; Crohn’s disease [CD], 42). Among them, 65.5% (57/87) were men, with a mean age of 44.9±15.1 years (range, 18–75 years). The mean duration of disease was 4.7±4.8 years (range, 0.1–17.1 years). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 73.6% (64/87) of patients with IBD. Patients with IBD (mean vitamin D level, 16.3±9.0 ng/mL) showed lower vitamin D level than the healthy control group (mean vitamin D level, 20.4±7.0 ng/mL), with no statistically significant difference (P=0.136). Disease activity was inversely correlated with vitamin D deficiency in patients with CD (P=0.007). However, no correlation was observed in patients with UC (P=0.134). Conclusions Approximately 75% of Korean patients with IBD showed vitamin D deficiency state. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disease activity, particularly in patients with CD

The strong association of left-side heart anomalies with Kabuki syndrome

PurposeKabuki syndrome is a multiple congenital malformation syndrome, with characteristic facial features, mental retardation, and skeletal and congenital heart anomalies. However, the cardiac anomalies are not well described in the Korean population. We analyzed the cardiac anomalies and clinical features of Kabuki syndrome in a single tertiary center.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted for a total of 13 patients with Kabuki syndrome.ResultsThe median age at diagnosis of was 5.9 years (range, 9 days to 11 years and 8 months). All patients showed the characteristic facial dysmorphisms and congenital anomalies in multiple organs, and the diagnosis was delayed by 5.9 years (range, 9 days to 11 years and 5 months) after the first visit. Noncardiac anomalies were found in 84% of patients, and congenital heart diseases were found in 9 patients (69%). All 9 patients exhibited left-side heart anomalies, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 3, coarctation of the aorta in 4, aortic valve stenosis in 1, and mitral valve stenosis in 1. None had right-side heart disease or isolated septal defects. Genetic testing in 10 patients revealed 9 novel MLL2 mutations. All 11 patients who were available for follow-up exhibited developmental delays during the median 4 years (range, 9 days to 11 years 11 months) of follow-up. The leading cause of death was hypoplastic left heart syndrome.ConclusionPediatric cardiologist should recognize Kabuki syndrome and the high prevalence of left heart anomalies with Kabuki syndrome. Genetic testing can be helpful for early diagnosis and counseling

Insulin Level, RBC Na+ Transport and Blood Pressure in Cushing's Syndrome

To test the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia and / or abnormalities of RBC Na+ transport are concerned in the pathogenesis of hypertension in Cushing's syndrome, we 'investigated the relationship between insulin level, RBC Na + transport and blood pressure in patients with Cushing's syndrome which is frequently associated with hyperinsulinemia, abnormalities of RBC Na + transport and hypertension. Both systolic and diastolic pressure were significantly higher in Cushing's syndrome than in normal subjects. Fasting serum insulin level was higher and both serum glucose and insulin responses after a 75g glucose load were significantly increased in patients with Cushing's syndrome as compared with normal subjects. Both RBC Na+ concentration and passive Na + permeability were significantly lower but Vmax of Na +, K+-pump was significantly higher in patients with Cushing's syndrome than in normal subjects, while Vmaxs of Na+-K+ cotransport and Na+-Li + countertransport were similar in the two groups. In multiple stepwise regression analysis for patients with Cushing's syndrome, fasting serum insulin level was directly correlated with both systolic and diastolic pressures (r=O. 52, p=O. 01; r=O. 51, p=O. 02, respectively). On the other hand,RBC Na + transport parameters showed little correlation with either systolic or diastolic pressures. These results suggest that hyperinsulinemia may contribute to the hypertension in Cushing's syndrome, but that the abnormalities of RBC Na + transport seen in Cushing's syndrome are not causally related to hypertension

Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in Korean Breast Cancer Patients

The incidence of breast cancer in Korea has been increasing in recent years, such that it is now the most common female cancer. Breast cancer in Korea is characterized by an earlier age of onset than in Western countries, suggesting that it would be related with genetic background. We assayed germline mutations in the BRCA genes to evaluate their genetic pathology in Korean breast cancer patients. The study subjects consisted of 173 patients at clinically higher risk and 109 unselected patients. Germline mutations in the entire coding sequences of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were analyzed by Conformation-Sensitive Gel Electrophoresis (CSGE), and any aberrantly-sized band was sequenced. BRCA mutations were present in 12.7% of the high risk patients, compared with 2.8% of the unselected patients. Among high risk patients, mutations were most prevalent in patients with a family history of breast or first-degree ovarian cancer (22.1%), followed by those with male breast cancer (20%), bilateral breast cancer (20%), multiple organ cancer including breast (13%) and younger breast cancer patients (aged <35 yr) (8.1%). Moreover, BRCA mutations were detected in 34.8% of patients having two high-risk factors. These findings suggest that BRCA gene mutation analysis should be performed on Korean patients with high-risk factors for breast cancer

A Competência em Informação (Coinfo) na perspectiva da educação inclusiva

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciência da Informação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Informação, 2017.Discute os desafios da sociedade da informação no que tange à promoção e garantia de uma educação inclusiva a partir de uma agenda estabelecida em ambiências supranacionais, internacionais e multilaterais. Destaca a necessidade de formação de professores para lidar com necessidades informacionais emergentes da prática educativa, em especial quando aplicada a pessoas com deficiência. Neste contexto, situa nos aspectos interdisciplinares entre Ciência da Informação e Educação, contribuições relacionadas tanto à inclusão quanto à atuação de docentes da Educação Básica. Admite os pressupostos teóricos e práticos da temática Competência em Informação – termo adotado para o conceito de Information Literacy – como alternativa de formação de docentes da Educação Básica na perspectiva de uma educação inclusiva. Propõe a utilização de um percurso metodológico baseado nas contribuições de estudos sobre o Paradigma Indiciário de Ginzburg o qual é composto por uma fase exploratória e uma fase aplicada. Na fase exploratória utiliza a produção científica de Ciência da Informação, especialmente nos trabalhos divulgados no Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa e Pós graduação em Ciência da Informação para identificar tendências de pesquisa sobre Competência em Informação e possíveis relações com a inclusão. Discute estas tendências relacionando-as com a tridimensionalidade que o termo inclusão propõe, a saber, inclusão social, inclusão digital e inclusão relacionada a pessoas com deficiência. Realiza a aplicação de pré testes (denominados de Pré Testes Indiciais) em situações de formação de professores. Adicionalmente analisa 18 modelos de Competência em Informação desenvolvidos em contextos internacionais cuja síntese permitiu propor grade básica para elaboração de um modelo de Competência em Informação. Na fase aplicada admite a influência teórica de conceitos de mediação como norteador da prática. Adicionalmente utiliza como método de abordagem a problematização e como técnica o desenvolvimento de um curso de formação de professores com 22 professores de uma escola púbica do Distrito Federal. Utilizou recursos didáticos originais elaborados para esta pesquisa, combinados com procedimentos de utilização e avaliação do modelo pedagógico para formação de professores em Competência em Informação numa perspectiva inclusiva. Na fase aplicada analisa a utilização deste modelo nas atividades, objetivos e habilidades propostas nas três etapas em que se estrutura, nomeadamente, pré-busca, busca propriamente dita e pós-busca. As atividades foram desenvolvidas e analisadas principalmente nas duas etapas do modelo- pré-busca e busca. Atividades de pós-busca não foram realizadas, visto que exigiriam abordagem longitudinal. Os resultados das atividades mostraram que a proposta pedagógica desenvolvida e aplicada é útil para a formação de professores de Educação Básica, em Competência em Informação numa perspectiva inclusiva.This research discusses the challenges of the information society regarding the promotion and assurance of an inclusive education based on an agenda established in supranational, international and multilateral environments. It highlights the need for teacher training to deal with informational needs emerging from educational practice, especially when applied to people with disabilities. In this context, it focuses on the interdisciplinary aspects between Information Science and Education contributions related to the inclusion and also the performance of Basic Education teachers. It admits the theoretical and practical assumptions of the theme Information Competency - a term adopted to the Information Literacy concept - as an alternative to Basic Education teachers’ training from the perspective of an inclusive education. It offers the use of a methodological path based on the contributions from studies on the Ginzburg Evidential Paradigm which is composed by an exploratory phase and an applied phase. In the exploratory phase it uses the scientific production of Information Science, especially in the works published in the National Meeting of Research and Postgraduate in Information Science to identify research trends about Information Competency and its possible relation to inclusion. It discusses those trends by relating them to the tridimensionality proposed by the term inclusion, namely, social inclusion, digital inclusion and inclusion related to people with disabilities. It performs the application of pre-tests (called Evidential Pre-tests) in situations of teacher training. Additionally it analyzes 18 models of Information Competency developed in international contexts which synthesis allowed proposing a basic grade to elaborate an Information Competency model. In the applied phase, it admits the theoretical influence of mediation concepts as a guide to the practice. Additionally it uses the problematization as an approach method and as technique the development of a teacher training course with 22 teachers from a public school in the Federal District. It used original didactic resources elaborated for this research combined with use and evaluation procedures of the pedagogical model for teachers’ training in Information Competency through an inclusive perspective. In the applied phase, it analyzes the use of this model on the activities, goals and abilities proposed through the three stages in which it is structured, namely pre-search, search itself and post-search. The activities were developed and analyzed mainly in the model stages of pre-search and search. Post-search activities were not performed, as they would require a longitudinal approach. The results of the activities showed that the pedagogical proposal developed and applied is useful to Basic Education teachers’ training in Information Competency through an inclusive perspective