A Service System Design to Support Medical Tourism in South Korea

Healthcare costs are continuously increasing due to longer life expectancy and providing global healthcare services through medical tourism is not a new trend anymore. Several countries have well established programs and infrastructure dedicated to medical tourism. South Korea is attempting to become a major player in this domain by undertaking broad initiatives. The success of medical tourism is greatly impacted by easy access to two types of information, namely, medical and travel information. The National Health Insurance System in Korea collects huge amount of clinical and financial information from all hospitals. However, this information does not get used effectively in health and travel information systems to support medical tourism. In this paper, we develop a medical tourism service system that will promote information exchange and service delivery

Efekat uključivanja u hranljive smeše aditiva različitog porekla na rast, telesni sastav i otpornost mlađi crnog morskog grgeča (sebastes schlegeli)

U radu je tvrđen efekat uključivanja u hranljive smeše aditiva različitog porekla [đumbir (CG), fermentisana sojina pasta (CJ), borovnica (BB), japanska jabuka (PM), paradajz (TT), brokoli (BC) i jakon (YC)] na rast, telesni sastav i otpornost mlađi crnog morskog grgeča. Hiljadu šesto osamdeset riba je nasumično raspoređeno u 24 protočna tanka zapremine 200 L. Pripremljeno je osam oglednih smeša za ishranu: kontrolna bez dodataka (Con) i smeše sa dodatkom GG, CJ, BB, PM, TT, BC i YC. Svaka od smeša korišćena je u tri tanka, a ribe su 7 nedelja ručno hranjene do sitosti. Posle isteka ovog perioda, dvadeset riba iz svakog tanka inficirano je sa Streptococcus parauberis i praćeno narednih 10 dana. Prirast i specifična stopa rasta (SGR) bili su veći kod riba koje su u hrani dobijale jakon (YC) nego kod onih koje su hranjene drugim smešama. Kumulativni mortalitet do 5. dana posle infekcije bio je niži kod riba koje su hranjene smešama sa dodatkom GG, BB i YC nego kod ostalih jedinki. U zaključku, smeša sa dodatkom YC pokazala se kao najbolja u smislu poboljšanja prirasta i SGR kod crnog morskog grgeča. Osim toga, dodatak GG, BB i YC u smeše bio je najefikasniji u smanjivanju mortaliteta crnog morskog grgeča usled infekcije sa S. parauberi

Activation of two types of brain glutamate dehydrogenase isoproteins by gabapentin

AbstractThe stimulatory effects of gabapentin on the activities of two types of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) isoproteins homogeneously purified from bovine brain have been studied at various conditions. When the effects of different gabapentin concentrations on GDH activities were studied in the direction of reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate with NADPH as a coenzyme, a marked activation was observed for both isoproteins, whereas both isoproteins showed activation to a lesser extent with NADH as a coenzyme. Stimulatory effects of gabapentin on GDH activities in the direction of the oxidative deamination of glutamate were also observed, but to a much lesser extent than reductive amination. There were big differences between the two GDH isoproteins in their sensitivity to the action of gabapentin. The largest activation was observed with GDH II when NADPH was used as a coenzyme. Half-maximal stimulation was reached at around 1.5 mM. Gabapentin relieved the inhibition of GDH isoproteins by GTP and this resulted in an increase in the apparent activation by gabapentin in the presence of GTP. 2-Oxoglutarate was found to give rise to high substrate inhibition and gabapentin reduced the substrate inhibition in the presence of 0.2 mM NADH. Since there are neurodegenerative disorders in which GDH activity is decreased, the therapeutic modulation of the activity of this enzyme may be clinically useful

Optimalne potrebe juvenilnih morskih grgeča sebastes schlegeli u proteinima i lipidima

U ovom istraživanju su analizirane optimalne potrebe juvenilnih morskih grgeča Sebastes schlegeli u proteinima i lipidima. 810 juvenilnih riba je izabrano po principu slučajnosti i distribuirano u 27 tankova od po 50 L sa protočnih sistemom. Pripremljeno je 9 eksperimentalnih smeša u vidu 3x3 faktorijalne eksperimentalne postavke: tri nivoa proteina (45, 50 i 55%) x tri nivoa lipida (11, 15 i 19%). Nivo proteina je imao uticaj na prirast riba, dok nivo lipida nije. Prirast riba hranjenih smešom u odnosu 50P-15L (50% proteina i 15% lipida) je bio veći nego prirast riba hranjenih smešama sa 45% proteina, bez obzira na nivo lipida, ali je bio isti kao kod riba hranjenih sa smešama 50P-11L, 50P-19L, 55P-11L, 55P-15L i 55P-19L. Stopa efikasnosti hrane (FER) riba je bila pod uticajem proteina u hrani ali ne i nivoa lipida. Stopa efikasnosti proteina (PER) riba je takođe bila pod uticajem proteina u hrani ali ne i nivoa lipida. Može se zaključiti da je za juvenilne Sebastes schlegeli optimalan nivo proteina i lipida za dobar prirast i iskoristljivost hrane (PER and NRE) 50% i 15% odnosno 45% i 19%, dok je optimalan odnos proteina i energije 27.4 i 23.9 mg protein/kJ

All-Solution-Processed InGaO 3

We fabricated the crystallized InGaZnO thin films by sol-gel process and high-temperature annealing at 900°C. Prior to the deposition of the InGaZnO, ZnO buffer layers were also coated by sol-gel process, which was followed by thermal annealing. After the synthesis and annealing of the InGaZnO, the InGaZnO thin film on the ZnO buffer layer with preferred orientation showed periodic diffraction patterns in the X-ray diffraction, resulting in a superlattice structure. This film consisted of nanosized grains with two phases of InGaO3(ZnO)1 and InGaO3(ZnO)2 in InGaZnO polycrystal. On the other hand, the use of no ZnO buffer layer and randomly oriented ZnO buffer induced the absence of the InGaZnO crystal related patterns. This indicated that the ZnO buffer with high c-axis preferred orientation reduced the critical temperature for the crystallization of the layered InGaZnO. The InGaZnO thin films formed with nanosized grains of two-phase InGaO3(ZnO)m superlattice showed considerably low thermal conductivity (1.14 Wm−1 K−1 at 325 K) due to the phonon scattering from grain boundaries as well as interfaces in the superlattice grain

Bone-added osteotome sinus floor elevation with simultaneous placement of non-submerged sand blasted with large grit and acid etched implants: a 5-year radiographic evaluation

PURPOSE: Implant survival rates using a bone-added osteotome sinus floor elevation (BAOSFE) procedure with simultaneous placement of a non-submerged sand blasted with large grit and acid etched (SLA) implant are well documented at sites where native bone height is less than 5 mm. This study evaluated the clinical results of non-submerged SLA Straumann implants placed at the time of the BAOSFE procedure at sites where native bone height was less than 4 mm. Changes in graft height after the BAOSFE procedure were also assessed using radiographs for 5 years after the implant procedure. METHODS: The BAOSFE procedure was performed on 4 patients with atrophic posterior maxillas with simultaneous placement of 7 non-submerged SLA implants. At least 7 standardized radiographs were obtained from each patient as follows: before surgery, immediately after implant placement, 6 months after surgery, every year for the next 3 years, and after more than 5 years had passed. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at every visit. Radiographic changes in graft height were calculated with respect to the implant's known length and the original sinus height. RESULTS: All implants were stable functionally, as well as clinically and radiographically, during the follow-up. Most of the radiographic reduction in the grafted bone height occurred in the first 2 years; reduction after 2 years was slight. CONCLUSIONS: The simultaneous placement of non-submerged SLA implants using the BAOSFE procedure is a feasible treatment option for patients with severe atrophic posterior maxillas. However, the grafted bone height is reduced during the healing period, and patients must be selected with care.ope

An Active and Soft Hydrogel Actuator to Stimulate Live Cell Clusters by Self-folding

The hydrogels are widely used in various applications, and their successful uses depend on controlling the mechanical properties. In this study, we present an advanced strategy to develop hydrogel actuator designed to stimulate live cell clusters by self-folding. The hydrogel actuator consisting of two layers with different expansion ratios were fabricated to have various curvatures in self-folding. The expansion ratio of the hydrogel tuned with the molecular weight and concentration of gel-forming polymers, and temperature-sensitive molecules in a controlled manner. As a result, the hydrogel actuator could stimulate live cell clusters by compression and tension repeatedly, in response to temperature. The cell clusters were compressed in the 0.7-fold decreases of the radius of curvature with 1.0 mm in room temperature, as compared to that of 1.4 mm in 37 degrees C. Interestingly, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) in MCF-7 tumor cells exposed by mechanical stimulation was expressed more than in those without stimulation. Overall, this new strategy to prepare the active and soft hydrogel actuator would be actively used in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and micro-scale actuators

Chiroptical signal enhancement in quasi-null-polarization-detection geometry: Intrinsic limitations

Despite its unique capability of distinguishing molecular handedness, chiroptical spectroscopy suffers from the weak-signal problem, which has restricted more extensive applications. The quasi-null-polarization-detection (QNPD) method has been shown to be useful for enhancing the chiroptical signal. Here, the underlying enhancement mechanism in the QNPD method combined with a heterodyne detection scheme is elucidated. It is experimentally demonstrated that the optical rotatory dispersion signal can be amplified by a factor of similar to 400, which is the maximum enhancement effect achievable with our femtosecond laser setup. The upper limit of the QNPD enhancement effect of chiroptical measurements could, in practice, be limited by imperfection of the polarizer and finite detection sensitivity. However, we show that there exists an intrinsic limit in the enhancement with the QNPD method due to the weak but finite contribution from the homodyne chiroptical signal. This is experimentally verified by measuring the optical rotation of linearly polarized light with the QNPD scheme. We further provide discussions on the connection between this intrinsic limitation in the QNPD scheme for enhanced detection of weak chiroptical signals and those in optical enantioselectivity and Raman optical activity with a structured chiral field. We anticipate that the present work could be useful in further developing time-resolved nonlinear chiroptical spectroscopy.111Nsciescopu

The Distribution Strategy Of A Representative Fair Trade Organization In Korea: The Case Of Beautiful Coffee

This case study analyzes the distribution strategy of Beautiful Coffee, a leading fair trade organization in Korea. Because of their focus on matters of public interest, fair trade organizations often face financial difficulties, and such difficulties can limit their growth and force them to pursue differentiated distribution strategies. The results indicate that Beautiful Coffee can serve as a good role model for fair trade organizations and have important practical implications for firms pursuing sustainable growth as a social enterprise