Comparison of Clinico-Physiologic and CT Imaging Risk Factors for COPD Exacerbation

To date, clinico-physiologic indices have not been compared with quantitative CT imaging indices in determining the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation. We therefore compared clinico-physiologic and CT imaging indices as risk factors for COPD exacerbation in patients with COPD. We retrospectively analyzed 260 COPD patients from pulmonary clinics at 11 hospitals in Korea from June 2005 to November 2009 and followed-up for at least one year. At the time of enrollment, none of these patients had COPD exacerbations for at least 2 months. All underwent clinico-physiologic and radiological evaluation for risk factors of COPD exacerbation. After 1 yr, 106 of the 260 patients had at least one exacerbation of COPD. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that old age, high Charlson Index, and low FEV1 were significant in a clinico-physiologic model, with C-statistics of 0.69, and that increased age and emphysema index were significant in a radiologic model, with C-statistics of 0.64. The difference between the two models was statistically significant (P = 0.04 by bootstrap analysis). Combinations of clinico-physiologic risk factors may be better than those of imaging risk factors in predicting COPD exacerbation

Solution processed flexible organic thin film back-gated transistors based on polyimide dielectric films

An organic thin film back-gated transistor (OBGT) was fabricated and characterized. The gate electrode was printed on the back side of substrate, and the dielectric layer was omitted by substituting the dielectric layer with the polyimide (PI) film substrate. Roll-to-roll (R2R) gravure printing, doctor blading, and drop casting methods were used to fabricate the OBGT. The printed OBGT device shows better performance compared with an OTFT device based on dielectric layer of BaTiO3. Additionally, a calendering process enhanced the performance by a factor of 3 to 7 (mobility: 0.016 cm2/V·s, on/off ratio: 9.17×103). A bending test was conducted to confirm the flexibility and durability of the OBGT device. The results show the fabricated device endures 20000-cyclic motions. The realized OBGT device was successfully fabricated and working, which is meaningful for production engineering from the viewpoint of process development

Remifentanil Alleviates Propofol-Induced Burst Suppression without Affecting Bispectral Index in Female Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The bispectral index is affected by various factors, such as noxious stimuli and other drugs, such as muscle relaxants. The burst suppression ratio from bispectral index monitoring is correlated with electroencephalographic burst suppression, which is associated with deep anesthesia, metabolic disorders, and brain injury. We assessed patients undergoing total intravenous anesthesia and examined the effects of remifentanil on the bispectral index, burst suppression ratio, and hemodynamic changes immediately after loss of consciousness with propofol. Seventy American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I and II Korean female patients scheduled for general anesthesia were administered propofol with an effect-site concentration of 5 μg/mL, using a target-controlled infusion (TCI). After losing consciousness, patients received either saline or remifentanil at an effect-site concentration of 5 ng/mL for 10 min. During this period, we recorded the bispectral index values, including burst suppression ratio, blood pressure, and heart rate. With remifentanil infusion, burst suppression ratios were lower (p < 0.01) but bispectral values were not different. The burst suppression ratio was significantly different at 6, 7, 8, and 10 min after remifentanil infusion (p < 0.05). In female patients with propofol-induced unconsciousness, remifentanil alleviated the burst suppression ratio without affecting the bispectral value

Epigenome-Wide Association Analysis of Differentially Methylated Signals in Blood Samples of Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early diagnosis using noninvasive biomarkers may play an important role in increasing the survival rate of patients with lung cancer. Biomarkers of DNA methylation in blood samples may improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Here, we used peripheral blood samples obtained from 150 patients diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 150 healthy controls. The latter were selected by frequency matching with the 150 patients with NSCLC, based on age, sex, and smoking status. Genome-wide methylation profiles were obtained using a MethylationEPIC BeadChip Kit, which covers the 850k bp cytosine–phosphate–guanine site. This analysis showed two significant differentially methylated changes (cg12169243 [DPH6] and cg25429010 [IMP3]) associated with NSCLC in current smokers, six changes (cg09245319, cg17183999 [USP7], cg06366994 [CPE], cg24992236 [MEG9], cg22144719, and cg22448179 [epidermal growth factor receptor]) associated with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in patients with adenocarcinoma, and four changes (cg25021476 [RSL24D1], cg04989085 [FAM113B], cg20905681 [CKAP4], and cg26379694) associated with advanced-stage NSCLC compared with stage I NSCLC. The validation of these DNA methylation changes and further research on the related genes may help develop easily accessible biomarkers for the early diagnosis or prognosis of NSCLC