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Hot-press forming process is widely used to produce lightweight chassis in automotive industries. The hot-press forming process currently uses water as coolant to quench boron steels in a closed die with a cooling channel. However, to enhance performance of hot-press forming die, the fluid with better thermal properties will be used instead of normal water. This study dispersed Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles with an average diameter of 13 nm in three volume percentages base ratios of water (W) to ethylene glycol (EG) (i.e. 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60) by two-step preparation. The two main parameters in cooling rate performance are thermal conductivity and viscosity. The nanocoolant of Al 2 O 3 /water–ethylene glycol mixture is prepared for the volume concentration range of 0.2 to 1.0%. The thermal conductivity and viscosity are then measured at temperature range of 15 to 55 °C. The highest enhancement of thermal conductivity was observed to be 10% higher than base fluid for 1.0% volume concentration at 55 °C in 60:40 (W/EG). However, the highest enhancement of viscosity was measured to be 39% for 1.0% volume concentration in 40:60 (W/EG) at 25 °C. The convective heat transfer coefficient of 1.0% concentration in 60:40 (W:EG) at 25 °C is enhanced by 25.4% better than that of 50:50 and 40:60 (W:EG) base fluid. Therefore, this study recommends the use of Al 2 O 3 in 60:40 (W:EG) mixture with volume concentration of less than 1.0% for application in cooling channel of hot-press forming die. Nanocoolant as cooling agent with higher heat transfer coefficient compared to the base fluid can reduce the cycle time and increase the productivity of hot-press forming process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumocystis jirovecii (formerly Pneumocystis carinii) pneumonia ( PCP) is a rare but serious infection that usually occurs within a year after solid organ transplantation. PCP may occur after 1 year post transplantation, but the rate is reported to be very low. Studies have shown an association between cytomegalovirus ( CMV) infection in solid organ transplant patients and an increased risk of opportunistic infection. This increased risk is thought to be a result of the immunomodulatory effects of the CMV infection. We present a case of PCP infection occurring 13 years after a renal transplantation. This occurred following a recurrent CMV infection while the patient was on low-dose immunosuppressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Delayed graft function is a potentially challenging problem especially in cadaveric kidney transplant recipients. It adversely impacts long-term graft survival. It is rarely seen in living kidney transplants. Recovery of graft function usually occurs within a month. The chances of recovery of graft function diminish with further prolongation of delayed function. In fact, recovery of graft function after 3 months has rarely been described, we report herein recovery of graft function after 132 days of nonfunction in a living related kidney transplant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template, which is filled with the Co–Pt alloys, is a promising material for high-density magnetic recording media due to its high magnetic anisotropy and high coercivity. The porous AAO templates were fabricated by the two-step anodizing of 1-μm-thick Al thin film evaporated on top of the titanium layer with the thickness of 250nm. The AAO template with pore size of approximately 60nm and aspect ratio of 10 was obtained at voltage of 40V, temperature of 5°C, oxalic acid of 0.3M and widening time of 55min. Then the thickness of barrier is less than 20nm. The Co–Pt alloy electrodeposited at pulsed current density, pH of 4 and room temperature was successfully filled in the AAO template with pore size of 80nm and aspect ratio of 3. Then the Co–Pt alloy with Pt concentration of 45at% was uniformly filled in the template and the coercivity of 1100Oe was observed by VSM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fifty-four quinupristin/dalfopristin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (QDREF) isolated from chickens and pigs during 2002–2003 in Korea were screened by PCR for the presence of streptogramin resistance genes vatD, vatE, and vgbA, and macrolide resistance gene ermB. None of the QDREF isolates carried vgbA and vatD genes, while vatE and ermB were detected in 9.2% and 74% of the isolates, respectively. Twenty-six percent (14/54) of the QDREF isolates contained none of the resistance determinants tested. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns revealed high heterogeneity: 47 different patterns for 54 QDREF evaluated. Identical PFGE types were observed in two pairs of chicken isolates and a pair of pig isolates, respectively, but chicken isolates did not share PFGE pattern with pig isolates, suggesting clonal spread of QDREF strain between the same species of animals but not between different species of animals. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of vatE-positive E. faecium isolates and also the first evidence of clonal spread of QDREF strain between animals in Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A total of 800 samples was taken from Taegu province, Korea, where many textile factories provide a source of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) waste. These samples were screened for PVA-degrading bacteria. A new strain, SA3, was discovered which formed yellow colonies and used PVA as the sole carbon and energy source. Strain SA3 was identified as a Sphingomonas sp., based on the partial nucleotide sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA, the presence of 2-hydroxymyristic acid (14:O 2-OH) and sphingolipids with d-17:0, d-18:0, d-19:l, and d-20:l as the main dihydrosphingosines. This genus has not previously been reported as a PVAdegrading bacterium. Sphingomonas sp. SA3 needs a symbiote strain, SA2, for PVA degradation as a growth factor producer. In mixed cultures of these strains, the optimum temperature for PVA biodegradation ranged from 30°C to 35°C. The optimum pH was 8.0 and the most effective nitrogen source was NH[sub 4, sup +]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia has a low deceased-donor donation rate and has not embarked on a paired kidney exchange program; therefore, ABO-incompatible and HLA-incompatible transplantation remain the main contributor to the sustainability of the national kidney transplantation (KT) program. There were 26 cases of ABO-incompatible KTs performed from 2011 to 2018 in 3 major transplant centers, namely, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, University Malaya Medical Centre, and Prince Court Medical Centre. We collected perioperative and follow-up data through June 2019. The desensitization protocol varies and is center specific: the localized Japanese protocol and Swedish protocol with a target anti-A/B isoagglutinin titer of 16 or 32 on the day of transplant. The induction and tacrolimus-based maintenance protocol was nearly identical. The median follow-up time was 62.3 months (interquartile range, 37.0-79.7). Fifteen subjects had the highest predesensitization anti-A/B titer of ≥32 (57.7%). The acute cellular rejection and antibody-mediated rejection incidence were 12.5% (3 cases) and 8.3% (2 cases), respectively. Patient, graft, and death-censored graft survival rates were 96.2%, 92.3%, and 96.0%, respectively, 1 year post-living-donor KT (LDKT) and 96.2%, 87.2%, and 90.7%, respectively, 5 years post-LDKT. Our experience shows that ABO-incompatible LDKT using a suitable desensitization technique could be a safe and feasible choice for LDKT even with varied desensitization regimens for recipients with relatively high baseline isoagglutinin titers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of different mastitis pathogens in 1255 milk samples collected from 368 lactating cows on 24 dairy farms in Korea during 2008. The proportion of cows and quarter milk samples having SCC⩾200,000 cells/ml, an indicator of udder infection, was 54.3% (200/368 cows) and 35.5% (446/1255 samples), respectively. Of the 446 milk samples subjected to bacteriological examination, 16.5% (74) showed no bacterial growth and 3.5% (16) were contaminated. In total, 356 of 1255 (28.3%) samples were bacteriologically positive, from which 415 bacteria were isolated. The most frequently isolated pathogen was coagulase-negative staphylococci (40.7%), followed by Gram-negative bacteria (19.5%) other than Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus (12.2%), Streptococcus uberis (5.3%), Enterococcus spp. (4.8%), E. coli (4.5%), and environmental streptococci (3.1%) other than S. uberis. This study demonstrates that environmental pathogens were the vast majority of bacteria isolated from mastitic bovine milk samples in Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper presents an innovative packaging approach to allow highly sensitive in-line Mach–Zehnder interferometer (IMZI) sensor to be used for accurate measurement of curvature and flexural strain specifically in civil engineering. The sensor which consists of two tapers is protected within a polypropylene package to survive in harsh, in-the-field conditions. The package design employs cost effective materials without compromising the curvature and flexural strain sensitivity which are 85.2 dB m −1 and 0.0148 dB/μϵ. The accuracy of measurement results is further verified by obtaining the flexural modulus for the steel which is in good agreement with theoretical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: We investigated the effect of mosapride, 5HT-4 (5-hydroxytryptamine) agonist, on blood glucose level and insulin sensitivity in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and conducted an in vitro study to evaluate the action mechanism. Methods: Thirty IGT patients were randomly assigned to receive either mosapride or placebo for 2 weeks. Biochemical profiles and insulin sensitivity index from euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp test were assessed before and after treatment. In cultured myotubes from human skeletal muscle cells, insulin- and mosapride-induced GLUT4 translocation and tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 were determined. Results: After 2 weeks of treatment with mosapride, glucose disposal rates were significantly increased up to those of control (mosapride 5.47±1.72 vs 7.06±2.13, P =0.004, placebo 5.42±1.85 vs 5.23±1.53mgkg−1 min−1). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and insulin levels were decreased. Mosapride increased the contents of GLUT4 in plasma membrane representing the increased recruitment of glucose transporters from intracellular pool. While insulin treatment on human skeletal muscle cell resulted in an increased tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, mosapride did not have any effect. Conclusions: Mosapride is effective in decreasing FPG without stimulating insulin secretion in IGT subjects, possibly by inducing GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Samples obtained from debris after explosions of about 30g of energetic materials were analyzed by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using both, Globar and synchrotron infrared radiation at the ISMI beamline of the Singapore synchrotron light source (SSLS). Low- and high-strength-of-explosion blasts were performed during each test run with the same explosive material. From the spectroscopic measurements, traces of unreacted explosives were found on more than 200 different materials that served as sample catchers in the explosions. The integrality of the experiments done confirmed that FTIR spectroscopy is a sufficiently sensitive method to detect traces of explosives in post-blast residues even of high-strength explosions. The method requires only a minimal amount of sample and enables accurate and very fast identification of the presence of explosive material. Finally, the synchrotron radiation infrared source provided one order of magnitude higher sensitivity compared to the conventional Globar source. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study examined the effects of a Ti underlayer on the microstructure evolution of Cu(B)/Ti/SiO2 thin films upon annealing. For comparison, Cu(B)/SiO2 was annealed at temperatures ranging from 100 to 900 °C. In the case of Cu(B)/SiO2, abnormal grain growth abruptly occurred at approximately 400 °C and continued at temperature ≥400 °C. The growth was based on the formation of {111} twins along the 〈112〉 direction. In the case of Cu(B)/Ti/SiO2, the Ti underlayer reacts with B atoms to form titanium boride, which acts as a sink for the outdiffusion of B atoms. The redistribution of boron, as a result of the formation of titanium boride, has a significant influence on the microstructure evolution in Cu(B)/Ti/SiO2 samples at temperature ≥400 °C. Abnormal grain growth was observed at between 400 and 500 °C, which is believed to have been driven by strain energy minimization. At 600 °C and higher, B depletion from the grain interiors caused a relaxation of the elastic strain, resulting in normal grain growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent studies suggest that the gene encoding aldose reductase, the enzyme that converts glucose to sorbitol, may confer susceptibility to microvascular disease. The aim of this study therefore, was to investigate the relationship between the aldose reductase gene and type 2 diabetic microvascular complications such as diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. DNA from 127 Korean patients with type 2 diabetes was typed for an (AC)n dinucleotide repeat polymorphic marker at the 5′-end of the aldose reductase gene using polymerase chain reaction. No significant difference in the frequency of the putative risk allele Z−2 was found in patients of nephropathy and retinopathy groups compared with the uncomplicated group (32.2, 34.1 vs. 25.1%, respectively, P>0.05). Similarly, no difference was found in the frequency of the putative protective allele Z+2 among any of the study groups. In conclusion, the results of the study in Korean type 2 diabetic patients do not support the hypothesis that polymorphism at the 5′ end of the aldose reductase gene contributes to the susceptibility to diabetic microvascular complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was undertaken to investigate diverse risk factors affecting the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) by observing the changes of 24h urinary albumin excretion (24h UAE) in 90 abdominally obese, normal weight, type 2 diabetic patients with normo- or micro-albuminuria. Patients were divided into three groups according to the 24h UAE; normo-, micro-, and macro-albuminuria group. After 4 years of follow-up, patients were divided into either progression or non-progression group according to the changes of 24h UAE. About 37% of the normo-albuminuria group and 18% of the micro-albumiuria group were classified into the progression group. The initial serum creatinine levels and the initial and follow-up post-prandial plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in the progression group than in the non-progression group. Most remarkably, the initial and follow-up serum triglyceride (TG) levels (190 ± 132 versus 132 ± 49mg/dl and 191 ± 124 versus 133 ± 41mg/dl, P < 0.01 in both) were significantly higher in the progression group than in the non-progression group, suggesting hypertriglyceridemia might be included in the progression factors of DN. The increases in 24-hour UAE were positively associated with the initial and follow-up post-prandial plasma glucose levels (P < 0.05 in both), the initial and follow-up serum creatinine levels (P < 0.05 in both), and the initial serum TG levels (P < 0.05). Whereas, insulin users or patients with retinopathy at follow-up (P < 0.05 in both) showed more rapid progression of albuminuria, ACE inhibitors or acarbose (P < 0.05 in both) use turned out to protect against it. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sibutramine on body composition and fat distribution, insulin resistance, and serum adiponectin levels in obese women. A total of 28 obese, premenopausal women (mean age, 34.5 ± 13.7 years; BMI, 31.00 ± 4.10 kg/m2) was studied before and after 12-week-course of sibutramine (10 mg/day). Sibutramine treatment reduced body mass index (P < 0.05) and total body fat (P < 0.05). Abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat areas (ASFA and AVFA) and mid-thigh low density muscle areas (LDMA) measured by computed-tomography decreased significantly (all, P < 0.05). Insulin resistance (IR) calculated from the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) method decreased (P < 0.05) and serum adiponectin levels increased significantly (P < 0.05). In our sequential data, the changes of fasting serum insulin levels and the HOMA-IR scores, serum free fatty acids and triglyceride levels, serum adiponectin levels and the mid-thigh LDMA preceded significant changes of body weight, total body fat, and abdominal fat distribution, suggesting sibutramine might improve insulin sensitivity directly by alterations of fatty acid metabolism or secondarily by increasing serum adiponectin levels. Conclusively, sibutramine improved fat distribution and insulin resistance, and increased serum adiponectin levels in Korean obese nondiabetic premenopausal women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]