2.45 GHz Active Isolator based on asymmetric coupler

An active isolator achieving both high isolation and low insertion loss at 2.45 GHz is proposed. The isolator is based on an asymmetric coupler and is designed to leverage the gain and reverse isolation of an amplifier and coupling coefficients between the input and output of the coupler. The insertion loss and isolation of the isolator are enhanced by using the coefficients, and the power level with optimal isolation can be determined for a target specification. The asymmetric coupler increases the power handling capability of the proposed isolator that has a low coupling coefficient and achieves highly efficient isolation with a high coupling coefficient. Electromagnetic-circuit co-simulation results show that the proposed isolator with operation stability has ≥40 dB isolation and <1 dB insertion loss for input power between 0−8 dBm

Removal of Particulate Matter in a Tubular Wet Electrostatic Precipitator Using a Water Collection Electrode

As one of the effective control devices of air pollutants, the wet electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is an effective technique to eliminate acid mist and fine particles that are re-entrained in a collection electrode. However, its collection efficiency can deteriorate, as its operation is subject to water-induced corrosion of the collection electrode. To overcome this drawback, we modified the wet ESP system with the installation of a PVC dust precipitator wherein water is supplied as a replacement of the collection electrode. With this modification, we were able to construct a compact wet ESP with a small specific collection area (SCA, 0.83 m2/(m3/min)) that can acquire a high collection efficiency of fine particles (99.7%)

Crystal structure of peroxiredoxin 3 from Vibrio vulnificus

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are ubiquitous cysteine-based peroxidase enzymes. Recently, a new type of Prx, VvPrx3, was identified in the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus as being important for survival in macrophages. It employs only one catalytic cysteine residue to decompose peroxides. Here, crystal structures of VvPrx3 representing its reduced and oxidized states have been determined, together with an H2O2-bound structure, at high resolution. The crystal structure representing the reduced Prx3 showed a typical dimeric interface, called the A-type interface. However, VvPrx3 forms an oligomeric interface mediated by a disulfide bond between two catalytic cysteine residues from two adjacent dimers, which differs from the doughnut-like oligomers that appear in most Prxs. Subsequent biochemical studies showed that this disulfide bond was induced by treatment with nitric oxide (NO) as well as with peroxides. Consistently, NO treatment induced expression of the prx3 gene in V. vulnificus, and VvPrx3 was crucial for the survival of bacteria in the presence of NO. Taken together, the function and mechanism of VvPrx3 in scavenging peroxides and NO stress via oligomerization are proposed. These findings contribute to the understanding of the diverse functions of Prxs during pathogenic processes at the molecular level

Early prediction of molecular remission by monitoring BCR-ABL transcript levels in patients achieving a complete cytogenetic response after imatinib therapy for posttransplantation chronic myelogenous leukemia relapse

Imatinib induces a high complete cytogenetic response (CCR) rate in relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia. By analyzing minimal residual disease (MRD) under the levels of CCR, we tried to assess the molecular response after imatinib therapy. By using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR), MRD was evaluated in 23 patients (3 in cytogenetic relapse, 6 in chronic phase, 9 in accelerated phase, and 5 in blast crisis) who were treated with standard-dose imatinib for relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. With a median therapy time of 399 days (range, 35–817 days), 19 (83%) patients achieved a CCR. Meanwhile, 11 (58%) of them achieved a molecular remission (MR), which was associated with improved survival. The Q-RT-PCR data were compared according to the best response (MR, n = 11; CCR, n = 8) in the patients achieving a CCR. The BCR-ABL/ABL ratios were similar in 2 groups at 3 months but were significantly different at 6 months (median, 0.0000012 for MR and 0.00022 for CCR; P = .003). The probability of a subsequent MR was significantly higher in patients with a lower BCR-ABL/ABL ratio at 6 months (100% for <0.0001 versus 33% for ≥0.0001; P = .006) or a greater reduction in the level between 3 and 6 months (log-reduction ≥1.0;, 100%; <1.0, 17%; P = .003). Q-RT-PCR is a reliable method for monitoring MRD: the early trends in the BCR-ABL/ABL ratio may be clinically useful in discriminating patients who will achieve an MR from those who will remain in CCR

The taxonomy and diversity of Proschkinia (Bacillariophyta), a common but enigmatic genus from marine coasts

Detailed morphological documentation is provided for established Proschkinia taxa, including the generitype, P. bulnheimii, and P. complanata, P. complanatula, P. complanatoides and P. hyalosirella, and six new species. All established taxa are characterized from original material from historical collections. The new species described in this paper (P. luticola, P. staurospeciosa, P. impar, P. modesta, P. fistulispectabilis, and P. rosowskii) were isolated from the Western Pacific (Yellow Sea coast of Korea) and the Atlantic (Scottish and Texas coasts). Thorough documentation of the frustule, valve and protoplast architecture revealed the combination of characters diagnostic of the genus Proschkinia: a single‐lobed chloroplast; a broad girdle composed of U‐shaped, perforated bands; the position of the conopeate raphe‐sternum relative to the external and internal valve surface; and the presence of an occluded process through the valve, termed the “fistula”. Seven strains of Proschkinia were grown in culture and five of these were sequenced for nuclear ribosomal SSU and plastid‐encoded rbcL. Phylogenetic analysis recovered a clade of Proschkinia with Fistulifera, another fistula‐bearing diatom genus, and together these were sister to a clade formed of the Stauroneidaceae; in turn, all of these were sister to a clade composed of Parlibellus and two monoraphid genera Astartiella and Schizostauron. Despite morphological similarities between Proschkinia and the Naviculaceae, these two taxa are distant in our analysis. We document the variation in the morphology of Proschkinia, including significant variability in the fistula, suggesting that fistula ultrastructure might be one of the key features for species identification within the genus.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The Spread of Pandemic H1N1 2009 by Age and Region and the Comparison among Monitoring Tools

This report describes the pattern of the spread of the pandemic H1N1 2009 and compares 3 monitoring tools until the 57th week or January 31, 2010. The 1st week was from December 28th, 2008 to January 3rd, 2009. A total of 740,835 patients were reported to be infected with pandemic H1N1 2009 and 225 patients were reported to have died of pandemic H1N1 2009. The number of patients aged from 7 to 12 was the largest (183,363 patients in total) but the virus spread and then was suppressed most quickly among the children between 13 and 18. The region-determinant incidence of patients showed diverse patterns according to regions. The peak of the ILI per thousand was at the 45th week, the number of antiviral prescriptions reached its peak at the 44th week, and the peak based on reported patients was the 46th week. As of February 3 2010, the outbreak passed through the peak and has gradually subsided. Now it is time for the government and the academic world to review this outbreak, efficacy of vaccination, and further preparation and response for the next pandemic

Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in patients with pulmonary actinomycosis

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies of pulmonary actinomycosis, which is an uncommon anaerobic infection. Consequently, the optimal therapeutic regimen, appropriate duration of treatment, long-term prognosis, and factors predicting prognosis are not well established. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of histopathologically confirmed cases of pulmonary actinomycosis seen between November 2003 and December 2012. RESULTS: The study included 68 patients with a mean age of 58.4 ± 11.6 years. Of the 68, initial surgery was performed in 15 patients (22.1%), while the remaining 53 (77.9%) received antibiotic therapy initially. In the initial antibiotic group, 45/53 (84.9%) were cured without relapse (median antibiotic duration 5.3 months). 5/53 (9.4%) patients were refractory medically (median antibiotic duration 9.7 months), and 3/53 (5.7%) experienced a recurrence (median time to relapse 35.3 months). In the initial surgery group, 14/15 (93.3%) were cured and treatment failure occurred in one (6.7%). In the multivariate analysis, the absence of an antibiotic response at 1 month was the only independent factor associated with a poor treatment outcome, with an adjusted odds ratio of 49.2 (95% CI, 3.34–724.30). There was no significant difference in treatment outcome based on the size of the parenchymal lesion, comorbidities, whether intravenous antibiotics were used, antibiotic therapy duration, or whether the initial treatment was surgical. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic treatment with or without surgery was effective for treatment of pulmonary actinomycosis. Nevertheless, treatment failure or recurrence occurred in a considerable proportion of patients, especially those resistant to the initial antibiotic treatment

O-GlcNAc modification of leucyl-tRNA synthetase 1 integrates leucine and glucose availability to regulate mTORC1 and the metabolic fate of leucine

All living organisms have the ability to sense nutrient levels to coordinate cellular metabolism. Despite the importance of nutrient-sensing pathways that detect the levels of amino acids and glucose, how the availability of these two types of nutrients is integrated is unclear. Here, we show that glucose availability regulates the central nutrient effector mTORC1 through intracellular leucine sensor leucyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (LARS1). Glucose starvation results in O-GlcNAcylation of LARS1 on residue S1042. This modification inhibits the interaction of LARS1 with RagD GTPase and reduces the affinity of LARS1 for leucine by promoting phosphorylation of its leucine-binding site by the autophagy-activating kinase ULK1, decreasing mTORC1 activity. The lack of LARS1 O-GlcNAcylation constitutively activates mTORC1, supporting its ability to sense leucine, and deregulates protein synthesis and leucine catabolism under glucose starvation. This work demonstrates that LARS1 integrates leucine and glucose availability to regulate mTORC1 and the metabolic fate of leucine. Leucyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (LARS1) is a leucine sensor for mTORC1 signaling and regulates leucine utilization depending on glucose availability. Here, the author show that O-GlcNAcylation of LARS1 is crucial for its ability to regulate mTORC1 activity and leucine metabolism upon glucose starvation

Korean Brain Rehabilitation Registry for Rehabilitation of Persons with Brain Disorders: Annual Report in 2009

This first annual report provides a description of patients discharged from rehabilitation facilities in Korea based on secondary data analysis of Korean Brain Rehabilitation Registry V1.0 subscribed in 2009. The analysis included 1,697 records of patients with brain disorders including stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor and other disorders from 24 rehabilitation facilities across Korea. The data comprised 1,380 cases of stroke, 104 cases of brain injury, 55 cases of brain tumor, and 58 cases of other brain diseases. The functional status of each patient was measured using the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (KMBI). The average change in the KMBI score was 15.9 for all patients in the inpatient rehabilitation facility. The average length of stay for inpatient rehabilitation was 36.9 days. The transfer rates to other hospitals were high, being 62.4% when all patients were considered. Patients with brain disorders of Korea in 2009 and measurable functional improvement was observed in patients. However, relatively high percentages of patients were not discharged to the community after inpatient rehabilitation. Based on the results of this study, consecutive reports of the status of rehabilitation need to be conducted in order to provide useful information to many practitioners

Timeliness of national notifiable diseases surveillance system in Korea: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With the increase of international travels, infectious disease control is gaining a greater importance across regional borders. Adequate surveillance system function is crucial to prevent a global spread of infectious disease at the earliest stage. There have been limited reports on the characteristics of infectious disease surveillance in Asia. The authors studied the timeliness of the Korean National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System with regard to major notifiable diseases from 2001 to 2006.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Six notifiable infectious diseases reported relatively frequently were included in this study. Five diseases were selected by the criteria of reported cases > 100 per year: typhoid fever, shigellosis, mumps, scrub typhus, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. In addition, dengue fever was also included to represent an emerging disease, despite its low number of cases. The diseases were compared for the proportion notified within the recommended time limits, median time lags, and for the cumulative distribution of time lags at each surveillance step between symptom onset and date of notification to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportion of cases reported in time was lower for disease groups with a recommended time limit of 1 day compared with 7 days (60%–70% vs. > 80%). The median time from disease onset to notification to KCDC ranged between 6 and 20 days. The median time from onset to registration at the local level ranged between 2 and 15 days. Distribution of time lags showed that main delays arose in the time from onset to diagnosis. There were variations in timeliness by disease categories and surveillance steps.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Time from disease onset to diagnosis generally contributed most to the delay in reporting. It is needed to promote public education and to improve clinical guidelines. Rapid reporting by doctors should be encouraged, and unification of recommended reporting time limit can be helpful. Our study also demonstrates the utility of the overall assessment of time-lag distributions for disease-specific strategies to improve surveillance.</p