Development of a Numerical Tablet Model in WLAN Band for SAR Study

This research proposes a numerical model for a tablet in the wireless local area network band for specific absorption rate (SAR) study. The design criteria, such as the tablet size, operating frequencies, antenna position, and target 1-g peak spatial-average SAR (psSAR) values in the flat phantom, are determined based on the SAR test reports of tablets distributed in South Korea from 2013 to 2017. An internal antenna is designed in a tablet platform to operate in dual bands of 2,450 MHz and 5,500 MHz. The numerical results illustrate that the 1-g psSAR values of the proposed numerical tablet model are within ±10% of the target values. Moreover, the return loss of the designed tablet model is larger than 10 dB, regardless of flat phantom, while its radiation efficiency is higher than 90% in free space

TRAIL Enhances Apoptosis of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Sensitized by Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Therapeutic Implications

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic liver diseases leading to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver failure. We have previously shown that HCV sensitizes hepatocytes to mitochondrial apoptosis via the TRAIL death receptors DR4 and DR5. Although TRAIL and its receptors are selective targets for cancer therapy, their potential against HCC with chronic HCV infection has not been explored yet. Here we show that HCV induces DR4/DR5-dependent activation of caspase-8 leading to elevation of apoptotic signaling in infected cells and also present TRAIL effect in HCV-induced apoptotic signaling. HCV induced proteolytic cleavage of caspase-9 by stimulating DR4 and DR5, resulting in subsequent cleavage of caspase-3. Further, HCV-induced proteolytic cleavage in caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3 was enhanced in the presence of recombinant TRAIL. HCV-induced cleavage in caspase-9 and increase in caspase-3/7 activity was completely suppressed by silencing of either DR4 or DR5. Perturbing DR4/DR5-caspase-8 signaling complex by silencing DR4 and DR5 or by chemical inhibitor specific to caspase-8 led to decrease of HCV-induced cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3 during apoptosis, indicating the functional role of caspase-8 in HCV-induced apoptotic signaling network. Furthermore, TRAIL enhanced PARP cleavage in apoptotic response induced by HCV infection, indicating the effect of TRAIL for the induction of selective apoptosis of HCC cells infected with HCV. Given the importance of apoptosis in HCC development, our data suggest that HCV-induced DR4 and DR5 may be considered as an attractive target for TRAIL therapy against HCC with chronic HCV infection

Evaluation in 3 Months Duration of Neointimal Coverage After Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation by Optical Coherence Tomography The ENDEAVOR OCT Trial

ObjectivesWe performed this study to investigate the vascular response in early period after zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) (Endeavor Sprint, Medtronic CardioVascular, Minneapolis, Minnesota) implantation.BackgroundThe ZES has different characteristics, with biocompatible polymer and rapid drug-elution, compared with the first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES).MethodsThe ENDEAVOR OCT (Evaluation in 3 Months Duration of Neointimal Coverage after Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation by Optical Coherence Tomography) trial is a prospective, single-center study evaluating vascular healing patterns with optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 3 months after stent implantation. A total of 31 ZES in 30 patients underwent serial OCT at immediate post-intervention and 3 months. Neointimal growth and malapposition were analyzed at each stent strut of cross-sectional OCT images with 0.5-mm intervals.ResultsThe incidence of malapposition at post-intervention and 3 months was 6.0% and 0.2%, respectively. However, late acquired malapposition was not detected at 3 months. Of 31 stents, 27 stents (87.1%) were covered completely with neointima, but the remaining 4 stents had 2 (0.8%), 4 (0.9%), 4 (1.2%), and 6 (1.4%) uncovered struts. Overall mean percentage of covered stent struts was 99.9 ± 0.4%. This finding was consistent among groups with acute coronary syndrome and stable angina pectoris (99.9 ± 0.3% vs. 99.9 ± 0.4%, p = 0.92). Intracoronary thrombus was documented in 1 stent (3.2%) among 31 stents.ConclusionsMost of the stent struts were covered with neointima, and late acquired malapposition was not found at 3 months after ZES implantation. Therefore, the current study demonstrated that ZES might have a favorable in vivo vascular response at 3 months after stent implantation. (Evaluation of Zotarolimus Eluting Stent at 3 Months Using Optical Coherence Tomography [ENDEAVOR OCT]; NCT00815139

Dining-out behaviors of residents in Chuncheon city, Korea, in comparison to the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2001

Dining-out behavior is associated not only with socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, education, occupation, residence, and marital status, but also with individual preferences, such as eating-out activities, interests, and opinions. We investigated dining-out behaviors and their associated factors. Announcements by health practioners and the Chief of Dong Office were used to recruit 739 residents (217 males and 522 females) in Chuncheon, Korea. Information on the frequency and reasons for eating out, the standards for meal selection, and the overall satisfaction with restaurants, based on taste, nutrition, amount, price, service, sanitation, and subsidiary facilities of restaurants, was obtained through personal interviews with a structured questionnaire. Among all respondents, 46.3% of subjects ate outside of the home once or twice a month, and 33.8% reported that they ate out only a few times a year, or never. This was much higher than the national average of 52.0% as reported by the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHNS) in 2001. The frequency of eating out differed significantly according to age (p=0.001), family income (p<0.001), residential area (p<0.001), and educational level (p<0.001). The most common reasons for dining out were meetings (46.7%), followed by special celebrations (15.4%), and enjoyment (11.2%). Korean food (55.3%) was the most frequently selected type of meal when eating out, and food was most often selected based on personal preferences (41.4%) and taste (29.8%); only 5.5% and 7.7% of subjects considered nutrition or other factors (e.g., sanitation), respectively. The results showed that the frequency of eating out for Chuncheon residents was much lower than the national average; in addition, eating-out behaviors depended on the residents' socio-demographic and personal characteristics

Detection of Recurrence by 18F-FDG PET in Patients with Endometrial Cancer Showing No Evidence of Disease

This study assessed the feasibility of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) in the post-therapy surveillance for patients with endometrial cancer showing no evidence of disease (NED). From April 1997 to June 2007, 127 patients with endometrial cancer showing NED were performed 18F-FDG PET scan. The feasibility of 18F-FDG PET for the early detection of recurrence in patients with endometrial cancer was evaluated retrospectively. Of the 127 patients, 32 patients showed positive lesions on 18F-FDG PET scan. Nineteen (19/127 cases, 15%) of them were confirmed to have a recurrence clinically or histologically. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value of 18F-FDG PET for detecting recurrences in patients with endometrial cancer were 100%, 88%, 59% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, 18F-FDG PET may be a useful method for the post-therapy surveillance in patients with endometrial cancer

Establishing molecular pathology curriculum for pathology trainees and continued medical education: a collaborative work from the Molecular Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists

Background The importance of molecular pathology tests has increased during the last decade, and there is a great need for efficient training of molecular pathology for pathology trainees and as continued medical education. Methods The Molecular Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists appointed a task force composed of experienced molecular pathologists to develop a refined educational curriculum of molecular pathology. A 3-day online educational session was held based on the newly established structure of learning objectives; the audience were asked to score their understanding of 22 selected learning objectives before and after the session to assess the effect of structured education. Results The structured objectives and goals of molecular pathology was established and posted as a web-based interface which can serve as a knowledge bank of molecular pathology. A total of 201 pathologists participated in the educational session. For all 22 learning objectives, the scores of self-reported understanding increased after educational session by 9.9 points on average (range, 6.6 to 17.0). The most effectively improved items were objectives from next-generation sequencing (NGS) section: ‘NGS library preparation and quality control’ (score increased from 51.8 to 68.8), ‘NGS interpretation of variants and reference database’ (score increased from 54.1 to 68.0), and ‘whole genome, whole exome, and targeted gene sequencing’ (score increased from 58.2 to 71.2). Qualitative responses regarding the adequacy of refined educational curriculum were collected, where favorable comments dominated. Conclusions Approach toward the education of molecular pathology was refined, which would greatly benefit the future trainees

Biomarker Genes for Detecting Estrogenic Activity of Endocrine Disruptors via Estrogen Receptors

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are compounds used in various industrial products, drugs, and cosmetics. They can be found in the environment and disturb the endocrine and reproductive systems, resulting in adverse effects to humans and wildlife such as birth defects and developmental disorders. Since several EDs have a structure similar to that of endogenous steroid hormones such as estrogens, they intend to have an affinity for steroid hormone receptors and alter hormone-mediated metabolism by binding to these receptors. EDs are therefore a global concern and assays should be developed to efficiently determine whether these compounds are detrimental to biological systems. Diverse experimental methods may help determine the endocrine disrupting potential of EDs and evaluate the adverse effects of a single and/or combination of these reagents. Currently, biomarkers have been employed to objectively measure EDs potency and understand the underlying mechanisms. Further studies are required to develop ideal screening methods and biomarkers to determine EDs potency at environmentally relevant concentrations. In this review, we describe the biomarkers for estrogenicity of EDs identified both in vitro and in vivo, and introduce a biomarker, cabindin-D9k (CaBP-9k), that may be used to assess estrogenic activity of EDs