Journey of a Swallowed Toothbrush to the Colon

Toothbrush swallowing is a rare event. Because no cases of spontaneous passage have been reported, prompt removal is recommended to prevent the development of complications. Most swallowed toothbrushes have been found in the esophagus or the stomach of affected patients, and there has been no previously reported case of a toothbrush in the colon. Here, we report a case of a swallowed toothbrush found in the ascending colon that caused a fistula between the right colon and the liver, with a complicating small hepatic abscess. This patient was successfully managed using exploratory laparotomy. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a swallowed toothbrush found in the colon

PCR Marker-Based Evaluation of the Eating Quality of Japonica Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Evaluation of eating quality in early breeding generations of rice is critical to developing varieties with better palatability. This paper reports DNA markers associated with eating quality of temperate japonica rice and an evaluation method aided by multiple regression analysis. A total of 30 markers comprising STSs, SNPs, and SSRs were tested for their association with palatability using 22 temperate japonica varieties with different palatability values. Eating quality-related traits of the 22 varieties were also measured. Of the 30 markers, 18 were found to be significantly associated with palatability and, consequently, a model regression equation with an R2 value of 0.99 was formulated to estimate the palatability by the marker data set. Validation of the model equation using selected breeding lines indicated that the marker set and the equation are highly applicable to evaluation of the palatability of cooked rice in temperate japonica varieties

Interleukin-13 and Its Receptors in Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia: Clinical Implications for Lung Function

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is characterized by varying degrees of interstitial fibrosis. IL-13 and IL-4 are strong inducers of tissue fibrosis, whereas IFN-γ has antifibrotic potential. However, the roles of these substances in IIP remain unknown. IL-13, IL-4, and IFN-γ were measured in the BAL fluid of 16 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, 10 nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) patients, and 8 normal controls. The expression of IL-13 and IL-13Rα1/α2 in lung tissues was analyzed using ELISA and immunohistochemistry. IL-13 levels were significantly higher in IPF patients than the others (P<0.05). IL-4 levels were higher in both IPF and NSIP patients than in normal controls (P<0.05), and IFN-γ levels were lower in NSIP patients than in normal controls (P=0.047). IL-13 levels correlated inversely with FVC% (r=-0.47, P=0.043) and DLCO% (r=-0.58, P=0.014) in IPF and NSIP patients. IL-13 was strongly expressed in the smooth muscle, bronchial epithelium, alveolar macrophages and endothelium of IPF patients. IL-13Rα1, rather than IL-13Rα2, was strongly expressed in the smooth muscle, bronchial epithelium, and endothelium of IPF patients. IL-13 and its receptors may contribute to the pathogenesis of fibrosis in IIP and appear to be related to the severity of the disease

Development of a Hardware-in-the-loop Simulator for Spacecraft Attitude Control Using Thrusters

In this study, a Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulator using thrusters is developed to validate the spacecraft attitude system. To control the attitude of the simulator, eight cold gas thrusters are aligned with roll, pitch and yaw axis. Also linear actuators are applied to the HIL simulator for automatic mass balancing to compensate the center of mass offset from the center of rotation. The HIL simulator consists of an embedded computer (Onboard PC) for simulator system control, a wireless adapter for wireless network, a rate gyro sensor to measure 3-axis attitude of the simulator, an inclinometer to measure horizontal attitude, and a battery set to supply power for the simulator independently. For the performance test of the HIL simulator, a bang-bang controller and Pulse-Width Pulse-Frequency (PWPF) modulator are evaluated successfully. The maneuver of 68 deg. in yaw axis is tested for the comparison of the both controllers. The settling time of the bang -bang controller is faster than that of the PWPF modulator by six seconds in the experiment. The required fuel of the PWPF modulator is used as much as 51% of bang-bang controller in the experiment. Overall, the HIL simulator is appropriately developed to validate the control algorithms using thrusters

Investigating the Time Lag Effect between Economic Recession and Suicide Rates in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Workers in Korea

Previous studies on the vast increase in suicide mortality in Southeast Asia have indicated that suicide rates increase in parallel with a rise in unemployment or during periods of economic recession. This paper examines the effects of economic recession on suicidal rates amongst agriculture, fisheries, and forestry workers in Korea. Monthly time-series gross domestic product (GDP) data were linked with suicidal rates gathered from the cause of death records between1993-2008. Data were analyzed using generalized additive models to analyze trends, while a polynomial lag model was used to assess the unconstrained time lag effects of changes in GDP on suicidal rate. We found that there were significant inverse correlations between changes in GDP and suicide for a time lag of one to four months after the occurrence of economic event. Furthermore, it was evident that the overall relative risks of suicide were high enough to bring about social concern

Cost-Effectiveness of Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Cancer Survivors After Endoscopic Resection of Early Gastric Cancer

Background: Clinical effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication in gastric cancer survivors after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer (EGC) was recently established in a randomized controlled trial. We aimed to establish long-term cost-effectiveness in gastric cancer survivors after endoscopic resection of EGC. Materials and Methods: A Markov model was constructed to compare the costs and outcomes of the two intervention strategies: (1) eradicate H. pylori after complete resection of EGC by endoscopy (2) do not eradicate. Estimates for variables in the model were obtained by extensive review of published reports. Analyses were made from the Korean public healthcare provider's perspective. Results: Base-case analysis indicated H. pylori eradication costs less (US$29,780 vs. US$ 30,594# than no eradication, and save more lives #mean life expectancy from eradication: 13.60 years vs. 13.55 years). One-way and three-way sensitivity analyses showed the robustness of the cost-effectiveness results. Conclusion: In this selective population with very high risk of developing gastric cancer, H. pylori eradication should be considered for reimbursement with priority to prevent Subsequent cancer and also reduce health care cost.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2009-01/102/0000052039/6SEQ:6PERF_CD:SNU2009-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000052039ADJUST_YN:YEMP_ID:A077862DEPT_CD:801CITE_RATE:2.851FILENAME:22_Cost-Effectiveness of Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in.pdfDEPT_NM:의학과EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YCONFIRM:

Temperature and CO₂ Level Influence Potato leafroll virus Infection in Solanum tuberosum

We determined the effects of atmospheric temperature (10–30 ± 2°C in 5°C increments) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels (400 ± 50 ppm, 540 ± 50 ppm, and 940 ± 50 ppm) on the infection of Solanum tuberosum cv. Chubaek by Potato leafroll virus (PLRV). Below CO₂ levels of 400 ± 50 ppm, the PLRV infection rate and RNA content in plant tissues increased as the temperature increased to 20 ± 2°C, but declined at higher temperatures. At high CO₂ levels (940 ± 50 ppm), more plants were infected by PLRV at 30 ± 2°C than at 20 or 25 ± 2°C, whereas PLRV RNA content was unchanged in the 20–30 ± 2°C temperature range. The effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentration on the acquisition of PLRV by Myzus persicae and accumulation of PLRV RNA in plant tissues were investigated using a growth chamber at 20 ± 2°C. The M. persicae PLRV RNA content slightly increased at elevated CO₂ levels (940 ± 50 ppm), but this increase was not statistically significant. Transmission rates of PLRV by Physalis floridana increased as CO₂ concentration increased. More PLRV RNA accumulated in potato plants maintained at 540 or 940 ± 50 ppm CO₂, than in plants maintained at 400 ± 50 ppm. This is the first evidence of greater PLRV RNA accumulation and larger numbers of S. tuberosum plants infected by PLRV under conditions of combined high CO₂ levels (940 ± 50 ppm) and high temperature (30 ± 2°C)