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Nail melanoma (NM) is an important differential diagnosis in patients with longitudinal melanonychia. However, diagnosis is often challenging as it is difficult to differentiate from other pigmented nail disorders. The main challenge for diagnosis is obtaining adequate nail matrix biopsy specimens for histopathological assessment. Furthermore, the histopathological changes in the early stages of NM are subtle and contribute to a delay in diagnosis and care. Therefore, the integration of clinical and histopathological analyses is essential. Clinical and dermoscopic features, such as a broadened width of asymmetric bands in an irregular pattern, with multicolour pigmentation, periungual pigmentation, and continuous growth, are features that support the diagnosis of NM. The essential histological features that must be assessed are cellular morphology, architectural features, melanocyte density, and inflammatory changes. The reported mutations in NMs were BRAF (0–43%), NRAS (0–31%), KIT (0–50%), NF1 (0–50%), and GNAQ (0–25%). Surgery is the primary treatment for NM. The recommended treatment for in situ or minimally invasive NM is functional surgery, but cases with suspected bone invasion should be treated with amputation. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are indicated for advanced stages of NM. This review summarizes the updated guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of NM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We may have several ways to solve the Riemann Hypothesis. The method of analytic continuation of the Riemann zeta function could give rise to the revisit to the proof of the Riemann Hypothesis. In this paper, we thus study the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reduced renal function is associated with worse renal outcome in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). However, there is insufficient knowledge regarding renal function recovery in patients with LN with reduced baseline renal function. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate renal function recovery and related factors in patients with reduced baseline renal function. Methods: The present retrospective longitudinal cohort study included patients with LN and reduced renal function. Reduced renal function was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Recovery of renal function was determined by an eGFR of >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at six months after baseline, and factors associated with it were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: We included 90 patients with LN, with a mean eGFR value of 37.2 ± 13.9 mL/min/1.73 m2. Forty-six (51.1%) patients recovered their renal function after six months. On multivariate analysis, hydroxychloroquine use (odds ratio (OR) = 3.891, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.196–12.653, p = 0.024), prolonged LN (OR = 0.926, 95% CI 0.874–0.981, p = 0.009) and high-grade tubular atrophy (OR = 0.451, 95% CI 0.208–0.829, p = 0.013) were associated with renal function recovery. During follow up, 25 patients were on end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that renal function recovery after six months and lower probability of ESRD are associated. Conclusions: In patients with LN and reduced renal function, renal function recovery at six months was associated with use of hydroxychloroquine and inversely related to longer duration of LN and higher grade of tubular atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ga[sub 1-x]Mn[sub x]N epilayers with a well-ordered ferromagnetic structure were grown on sapphire (0001) substrates, using the plasma enhanced molecular-beam epitaxy technique. Ga[sub 1-x]Mn[sub x]N films were found to be homogeneous, and to exhibit n-type conductivity and ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature (T[sub C]) above room temperature. This was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and by magnetometry using a superconducting quantum interference device. The high-temperature (T=300 K) photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited Mn-related free-to-acceptor pair transitions for Ga[sub 1-x]Mn[sub x]N layers with x≈0.2% and x≈0.6%. A Mn acceptor level of a Ga[sub 1-x]Mn[sub x]N layer with low Mn content was found to be located around 330 meV above the top of the valence band, suggesting that Mn-bound holes in group-III nitrides exhibit effective-masslike behavior. The excitation and temperature-dependent PL provided convincing evidence of a band-edge exciton to acceptor transition. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Favourable long-term prognosis in proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) is associated with the achievement of complete renal response (CR), which is defined as a urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) of < 0.5. However, it is unclear whether a more stringent cut-off for proteinuria (normal value of proteinuria; UPCR < 0.15) is better than CR. We aimed to evaluate the effect of stringent CR, defined as a UPCR of <0.15, on long-term renal outcomes in proliferative LN. Methods: We included 87 patients with class III or IV LN who achieved CR at one year after induction therapy. Clinical and laboratory data were compared between the stringent and non-stringent CR groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with achievement of stringent CR. Cox analysis was performed to analyse the risk factors for renal flare and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results: The stringent and non-stringent CR groups included 58 and 29 patients, respectively. The two groups showed no significant baseline differences in terms of the clinical, laboratory and pathological classification. The sustained CR rates during five years were 91.3% and 50.0% (p = 0.014) in the stringent and non-stringent CR groups, respectively. In Cox analyses, the achievement of stringent CR was associated with a lower risk of five-year renal flare rate (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.161, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.063–0.411, p < 0.01) and development of CKD (HR = 0.189, 95% CI 0.047–0.752, p = 0.018). Mycophenolate mofetil induction therapy was associated with achievement of stringent CR at a borderline level of significance (HR = 7.268, 95% CI 0.894–59.089, p = 0.064). Conclusion: Achievement of stringent CR predicted lower risk of renal flare and development of CKD in proliferative LN. These findings suggest that stringent CR is a valuable treatment target in proliferative LN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between inner and outer shells of vacuum vessel, numerous in-wall shielding (IWS) blocks are installed to provide neutron shielding. Uniquely, the IWS ribs in sector 1 and 6 are manufactured by welding and its manufacturing design shall be secured for not only manufacturability but safety point of views. For the design of IWS ribs, complex loads for multiple directional electromagnetic force, coolant pressure, and earthquake shall be considered simultaneously. Moreover, in-service inspection (ISI) is impossible after commissioning ITER, and therefore, proper design assessment procedure should be applied with reasonable conservatism. In this paper, an approach for manufacturing design of welded IWS ribs is proposed. On the basis of that approach, four representative models are screened by geometric factors and load magnitude. Under the most conservative loads among multiple loading conditions, structural safety of each representative models is verified with RCC-MR. The deviation requests for this assessment were approved to IO and ANB. This approach and results could be used as a reference for the design of vacuum vessel components, which is impossible for ISI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which obtained the exact solution of the three-dimensional equations of piezoelectromagnetism for doubly rotated quartz plates excited by a periodic and uniform face traction. Equations of piezoelectromagnetism; Equations and boundary conditions for thickness vibrations; Solution for antisymmetric simple thickness vibrations.

This study presents the investigation of superconducting joints fabricated using multifilament magnesium diboride (MgB2) wires for the development of persistent-current mode magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets. The critical current of the jointed samples decreased with increasing cutting angle because the smaller cutting angle allowed greater exposure of the MgB2 filament, thereby increasing the contact area for the wire-bulk-wire connection. In addition, an appropriate pressing pressure (300 MPa) was necessary to establish the multifilament MgB2 joint without significant degradation of superconducting properties. The resistance of the optimal MgB2 joint, measured using the field-decay technique, was <1.5 × 10−14 Ω. Therefore, the proposed joint technique can be employed for developing multifilament MgB2 MRI magnets operating in the persistent-current mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Candida albicans is a yeast pathogen known for its virulence and high morbidity rate, and it easily colonizes host tissues and implant devices and forms mature biofilms, which play an important role in pathogenesis and drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the abilities of thermoresponsive oligomers of N‐vinylcaprolactam (OVCLs) to inhibit biofilm formation by C. albicans. One synthetic and four commercial OVCLs (≤MW 240 000) at a concentration of 5 μg ml−1 were found to decrease C. albicans biofilm formation by more than 90% at 37°C, but to be less effective at 25°C. Microscopic observations showed that OVCLs clearly inhibited hyphal formation and cell aggregation by C. albicans, and this appeared to be responsible for their antibiofilm effects. In addition, effective antibiofouling coatings of OVCL/poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) polymer blends were prepared on glass surfaces. Significance and Impact of the Study: The emergence of multidrug‐resistant Candida strains has prompted searches for new antifungals. The antibiofilm and antihyphae properties of OVCLs and OVCL coating against a fluconazole‐resistant Candida albicans strain are present in this study. These findings suggest that OVCL and OVCL‐coated biomaterials are potentially useful for controlling fungal biofilm formation by and the virulence of antifungal‐resistant C. albicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Urinary tract infections are caused primarily by uropathogenic Escherichia coli ( UPEC), and indwelling catheters are usually colonized by UPEC biofilms tolerant to common antibiotics. Hence, UPEC biofilms pose a substantial challenge, and there is an urgent need for effective control strategies. Methods and Results In this study, 79 essential oils were screened for antibiofilm ability against UPEC. Components of active oils were identified, and their antibiofilm activities were also investigated using 96-well plates with crystal violet assay, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Oregano oil and thyme red oil and their major common constituents, carvacrol and thymol, significantly inhibited UPEC biofilm formation at subinhibitory concentrations (<0·01%). These findings were supported by observations that carvacrol and thymol reduced fimbriae production and the swarming motility of UPEC. Furthermore, carvacrol and thymol markedly decreased the hemagglutinating ability of UPEC, and UPEC was more easily killed by human whole blood in the presence of carvacrol and thymol. Conclusions Carvacrol-rich oregano oil and thymol-rich thyme red oil have high antibiofilm and antivirulence activities against UPEC. Significance and Impact of Study In the wake of rising antimicrobial resistance, we envisage that carvacrol and thymol could be used to prevent biofilm formation by UPEC and to reduce its virulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the quench initiation and propagation characteristics of a metallic insulation (MI) coil by conducting thermal quench tests for a GdBCO single-pancake coil co-wound with a stainless steel tape as the turn-to-turn MI. The test results confirmed that the MI coil exhibited superior thermal and electrical stabilities compared to the conventional coils co-wound with organic insulation material because the operating current could flow along the radial direction due to the existence of a turn-to-turn contact when a local hot spot was generated. The results of the quench test at a heater current (Ih) of 12, 13, and 14 A indicate that the MI coil possesses a self-protecting characteristic resulting from the "current bypass" through the turn-to-turn contact. However, the test coil was not self-protecting at Ih = 15 A because the Joule heat energy generated by the radial current flow was not completely dissipated due to the characteristic resistance of the metallic insulation tape and the non-superconducting materials, including the substrate, stabilizer, and buffer layers within the high-temperature superconductor (HTS) tape. Even though the MI coil possesses superior thermal and electrical stability relative to those of conventional HTS coils co-wound with an organic material as turn-to-turn insulation, it is essential to consider the critical role of the Joule heat energy resulting from the operating current and stored magnetic energy as well as the characteristic resistances in order to further develop self-protective 2G HTS magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is commonly used with neutropenic patients to accelerate recovery. G-CSF is a hematopoietic cytokine that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neutrophil precursors, and is known as a safe and effective treatment for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. However, we encountered a case in which a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) developed mesenteric vasculitis after G-CSF administration. The patient was a 36-year-old female admitted with fever, arthralgia, and generalized erythematous rash. Despite symptomatic improvement with a high-dose steroid, severe neutropenia persisted for three weeks, precipitating a decision to use G-CSF to enhance recovery. Mesenteric vasculitis developed 15 hours after administration of G-CSF injection. Because the response of immune cells such as neutrophils and T cells is uncontrolled and dysfunctional in patients with lupus, G-CSF therapy should be used with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents our recent progress on core technology development for a megawatt-class superconducting wind turbine generator supported by the international collaborative R&D program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning. To outperform the current high-temperature-superconducting (HTS) magnet technology in the wind turbine industry, a novel no-insulation winding technique was first proposed to develop the second-generation HTS racetrack coil for rotating applications. Here, we briefly report our recent studies on no-insulation (NI) winding technique for GdBCO coated conductor racetrack coils in the following areas: (1) Charging-discharging characteristics of no-insulation GdBCO racetrack coils with respect to external pressures applied to straight sections; (2) thermal and electrical stabilities of no-insulation GdBCO racetrack coils encapsulated with various impregnating materials; (3) quench behaviors of noinsulation racetrack coils wound with GdBCO conductor possessing various lamination layers; (4) electromagnetic characteristics of no-insulation GdBCO racetrack coils under time-varying field conditions. Test results confirmed that this novel NI winding technique was highly promising. It could provide development of a compact, mechanically dense, and self-protecting GdBCO magnet for use in real-world superconducting wind turbine generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results, experimental and analytical, of the electrical characteristics of GdBCO single-pancake coils co-wound with a brass tape as metallic insulation (MI coil). The GdBCO pancakes were subjected to sudden discharge, charge-discharge, and over-current tests. The sudden discharge and charge-discharge test results of the MI coil demonstrated that MI coils can be charged and discharged significantly faster than non-insulated coils that are wound only with GdBCO tape. In over-current tests at 150 A (1.25Ic), the MI coil exhibited better electrical behavior, i.e., self-protecting features, than its counterpart co-wound with Kapton tape, an insulator. Moreover, the experimental and analytical results are in agreement, validating the use of a concise equivalent parallel-RL circuit model for the MI coil to characterize its electrical behavior. Overall, the MI winding technique is highly promising to help build compact, mechanically robust, and self-protecting magnets composed of REBCO pancake coils. With no organic material in the winding, MI REBCO pancakes will be immune to neutron radiation damage, making the MI winding technique a viable option for fusion reactors, such as for toroidal field, poroidal field magnets, and central solenoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The care robots including transfer assistive robots have been developed to solve the shortage of health care workers has arisen by reducing their workload. The task of transferring and lifting older adults in facilities and hospitals is known to demanding physical work and it might be caused a musculoskeletal injury (Davis & Kotowski, 2015; Santaguida et al., 2005). Various transfer assistive equipment and devices have been developed including mechanical lifts and powered or robotic systems. However, not many equipment and devices were used in the Korean market due to inconvenience and dissatisfaction (Kim et al, 2022). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the transfer assistive robot based on the objective and subjective health care workers' health and perceptions in long-term care facilities and hospitals to provide a solution for labor shortage issues. Method Fifteen health care workers (long-term care workers) from long-term care facilities (n=15) and fifteen health care workers (nurses, nurse assistants, paid caregivers, and transferring assistants) from integrated nursing care service hospitals. (n=15) participated in the evaluation of the smart transfer assistive robot. We recruited those who physically transferred older adults or patients as their jobs over the 1 year. Our measurements are RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion), NASA-TLX (NASA Task Load Index), and usability items including satisfaction, manipulability, and stability. Results and Discussion We found out the smart transfer assistive robot with dual arms had a better score with RPE, NASA-TLX, satisfaction, manipulability, and stability than the manual which means health care workers conducted transferring work with dummy without robots. The findings provide that the transfer assistive robots could be the solution to decrease the care work burden and increase the health of health care workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy bone is maintained by the coordinated activities of osteoblast-mediated bone formation and osteoclast-dependent bone resorption. Pathologic conditions such as hormonal imbalance and inflammation cause increased osteoclastogenesis resulting in osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and periodontitis. Bortezomib is novel antimyeloma agent that has a direct beneficial effect on bone formation. However, the role of bortezomib in osteoclastogenesis and underlying mechanisms remains to be fully comprehended. In the present study, we show that bortezomib directly inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)– and lipopolysaccharide-dependent osteoclast differentiation. Interestingly, the bortezomib-mediated inhibition of osteoclastogenesis was transient, since the removal of bortezomib from culture completely restored osteoclast differentiation. Bortezomib impeded the induction and nuclear localization of nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 and reduced both macrophage colony-stimulating factor– and RANKL-induced extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. In a mouse model of periodontitis, bortezomib prevented alveolar bone erosion induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide. These data not only suggest a previously unappreciated mechanism by which bortezomib regulates bone resorption but also propose novel applications of bortezomib beyond its use as an antimyeloma agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triple-point temperature of neon, $$T_{\mathrm{tp-Ne}}$$ , is known to have dependence on the isotopic composition. Recently, the Technical Annex for the International Temperature Scale of 1990 was updated to specify the method of correction for the isotopic reference ratio of neon. In this study, to confirm this correction in the Technical Annex independently, the effects of the isotopic composition of neon on $$T_{\mathrm{tp-Ne}}$$ for three commercial neon gas sources were studied. For the measurement of the isotopic composition, a gas mass spectrometer was used to compare the sample gases with a reference neon gas whose isotopic composition was known with high precision by a gravimetric method. For the measurement of $$T_{\mathrm{tp-Ne}}$$ , an open-cell type cryostat for the realization of low-temperature fixed points was used. The physical cell and the thermal environment around it remained very similar for all $$T_{\mathrm{tp-Ne}}$$ measurements with the neon gases due to the nature of the open-cell type system. Therefore, the difference in $$T_{\mathrm{tp-Ne}}$$ among different samples could be measured with a relatively low uncertainty, canceling many systematic effects that are common to all measurements. Our result was consistent with the correction in the Technical Annex. Furthermore, because one of the commercial neon gases was the bottle that was used for KRISS measurements in the international comparison CCT-K2, it is now possible to correct the measurement for the reference isotopic ratio and compare it with other measurements for which isotopic composition data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small heat shock proteins (Hsps) are conserved in living organisms. They exist in diverse subcellular organelles and play important roles in plant defense systems against various abiotic stresses. Chaperone properties of small Hsps have been widely known to prevent the stress-induced denaturation of substrate proteins in cells. Here, we examined the capacity of MsHpsp23 to confer tolerance to heat stress (thennotolerance)by heterologous expression in creeping bentgrass. We generated nine independent transgenic creeping bentgrass plants. Two independent transgenic plants (Tg-1 and Tg-2) were examined forthermotolerance (42°C/24h).This resulted in minimal wilting ofthe leaves, which retained healthy green color, while the non-transformed (NT) plants wilted and showed light-green color of their leaves. Plants overexpressing MsHsp23 displayed higher ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities. Therefore, we conclude that heterologous expression of MsHsp23 in creeping bentgrass can protect plants against heat stress, presumably bychaperone activity that allows for induction of APX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differential speed rolling (DSR) was used to deform AZ31 Mg alloy samples at the two rolling temperatures of 473 and 573 K so as to investigate the effects of temperature on the microstructure and plastic anisotropy. The anisotropies in the mechanical properties of the deformed samples were examined by tension tests with respect to three directions (0°, 45°, and 90°) from the DSR deformation direction. A homogeneous and equiaxed microstructure with a mean grain size of ∼14 μm was achieved after DSR deformation at 573 K. Thus, anisotropic behaviour in the mechanical properties was mostly observed in the samples processed by DSR at 473 K. The maximum strength was observed in the 90° direction, and the elongation in the 45° direction was higher than those in other directions. A good combination of high elongation and strength together with the homogenous microstructure was attained on the sample deformed at 573 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the clinical characteristics and predictive factors of lupus enteritis (LE) recurrence. It compares the clinical characteristics of LE and non-enteric lupus (non-LE) patients and examines the predictors of LE recurrence. It notes that the colon and urinary tract involvement in LE patients may be associated with the recurrence of LE.

Background Reduction in renal mass after unilateral nephrectomy causes functional and structural changes in the remaining kidney. Aim We aimed to investigate the association between pre-donation serum uric acid ( SUA) concentration and the change in renal function after living kidney donation. Methods This retrospective study included 413 living kidney donors from a single centre. We collected medical history and laboratory findings at baseline and 6 months after donation. Renal function was assessed by calculating the estimated glomerular filtration rate ( eGFR) using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Main outcomes were the percentage change in eGFR from before to 6 months after donation and the percentage of patients whose eGFR decreased by >25% after donation compared with the pre-donation baseline value. Results Mean age was 40 ± 11 years, and eGFR was 106 ± 14 mL/min/1.73 m2. In women, the SUA concentration was linearly associated with the change in eGFR after donation independently of baseline eGFR (standardised coefficient - 0.16, P = 0.04). Multiple logistic analysis showed that a 59.5 μmol/L increase in baseline SUA concentration was associated with a 1.7-fold higher risk of a > 25% decrease in eGFR after donor nephrectomy (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.5; P = 0.007) in women. In contrast, SUA concentration was not an independent risk factor of decrease in eGFR after donor nephrectomy in men. Conclusions Pre-donation SUA concentration is associated independently with the change in renal function after donor nephrectomy in women but not in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note presents a superconducting joint technique for the development of MgB2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets. The MgB2 superconducting joint was fabricated by a powder processing method using Mg and B powders to establish a wire-bulk-wire connection. The joint resistance measured using a field-decay method was < 10-14 Ω, demonstrating that the proposed joint technique could be employed for developing "next-generation" MgB2 MRI magnets operating in the persistent current mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To compare the HbA1c-lowering efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 ( GLP-1) analogues between Asians and non-Asians with type 2 diabetes. Methods We searched randomized controlled trials from MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, CENTRAL and . Studies described in English were included if the treatment duration was 12 weeks or more, information about ethnicity and baseline HbA1c values were available and a GLP-1 analogue was compared with a placebo. For the ethnic comparison, we divided the studies into Asian-dominant studies (≥50% Asian participants) and non-Asian-dominant studies (<50% Asian participants). Results Among the 837 searched studies, 15 trials were included for the meta-analysis. The weighted mean difference of HbA1c with GLP-1 analogues was −1.16% [95% confidence interval ( CI) −1.48, −0.85] in the Asian-dominant studies and −0.83% (95% CI −0.97, −0.70) in the non-Asian-dominant studies. The between-group difference was −0.32% (95% CI −0.64, −0.01; p = 0.04). The relative risk ( RR) with 95% CIs for achieving the target HbA1c ≤7.0% tended to be greater in the Asian-dominant studies [ RR 5.7 (3.8, 8.7)] than in the non-Asian-dominant studies [ RR 2.8 (2.4, 3.3)]. Body weight changes were similar between the two groups. Hypoglycaemia tended to be more common in Asian-dominant studies ( RR 2.8 [2.3, 3.5]) than in non-Asian-dominant studies ( RR 1.5 [1.2, 1.8]), but severe hypoglycaemia was very rare in both groups. Conclusion GLP-1 analogues lower HbA1c more in Asian-dominant studies than in non-Asian-dominant studies. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential mechanisms of the ethnic difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the effects of thermal grease on the electrical and thermal characteristics of GdBCO pancake coils, observed through charge-discharge, sudden discharge, over-current, and thermal quench testing. In charge-discharge and sudden discharge tests, a coil using thermal grease as an insulation material demonstrated faster charging/discharging rates compared to a coil without turn-to-turn insulation. In the case of over-current tests, the coil using thermal grease exhibited the highest electrical stability. Furthermore, thermal quench testing showed the coil employing thermal grease to possess superior thermal characteristics, with rapid cooling and low temperature rise. Overall, the use of thermal grease as an insulation material may be a potential solution to the problems observed with the existing insulation materials, possessing fast charging/discharging rates with superior thermal and electrical stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study investigated the effect of Cu addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-2 wt-%Ni alloy fabricated by a metal injection moulding. Sintering treatments at 1100°C for 1 h were carried out on the present samples with various Cu contents of 0-3 wt-%. Microstructural observations revealed that, under the same sintering condition, both the size and volume fraction of the micropores increased as the amount of Cu content increased, which was attributed to the movement of Cu elements into the matrix boundaries during sintering. Some micropores appeared to be connected together when Cu content exceeded 2 wt-%. Despite a significant amount of the micropores present in the microstructure, values of microhardness increased due to the solid solution hardening associated with the Cu addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipomembranous changes are distinctive histopathological findings, which include the presence of cystic cavities lined by crenulated, hyaline membranes in adipose tissue. It is likely that ischaemia is fundamental to the development of these lesions, and that lipomembranes are formed from the products of degenerating fat cell membranes by some unknown mechanism. Such changes may be seen, although rarely, in many types of subcutaneous inflammatory processes. However, an association with systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) is rare. We report a patient with SLE who had the histological features of lipomembranous changes associated with vasculopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The railway transportation system has much advantage in eco-friendliness, punctuality and safety compared to any other transportation system. Most of the railway system administrators have to control and operate under limited resources such as trains and facilities. It is necessary to control traveling time and energy consumption for efficient operation in the railway systems, because the board rate of passenger is inconstant with time variance. It is common that the shorter traveling time causes the greater energy consumption. In this study, a new optimization method considering operation time or energy consumption is proposed by using differential evolution algorithm and some cases are reviewed. The total energy change due to operation time variation are investigated by using the proposed optimization method for tangent and gradient track conditions. Both cases, the total energy decreases exponentially. However, because of gradient the total energy are saturated after a certain time for gradient track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a simple and universally applicable protocol for extracting high quality proteins from plant leaf tissues. The protocol provides improved resolution and reproducibility of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and reduces the time required to analyze samples. Partitioning rubisco by polyethylene glycol (PEG) fractionation provides clearer detection of low-abundance proteins. Co-extraction of interfering substances increases the sample conductivity, which results in poor electrophoretic separation. Re-extraction of PEG-fractionated samples with phenol effectively eliminated interfering substances, which results in optimal conductivity during separation in the first dimension of the isoelectric focusing. Smooth focusing reduces analysis time and provides superior resolution in 2-DE gels. Incubating the samples at −80° C instead of −20° C reduced protein precipitation time to 2-3 h. Removal of nonprotein contaminants and the use of sonication increased protein solubility without additional reagents. These changes enabled loading and separation of maximum amounts of proteins, which permitted improved protein identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). An immunological approach revealed that little or no ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphte bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase was present in the PEG supernatant. In addition, low-abundance proteins, such as myelocytomatosis transcription factor (MYC) and alpha subunit of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein complex (Gα), were detected only in the modified PEG supernatant and not in the total protein. These results suggest that our protocol produced high quality proteins and made many low-abundant proteins available for proteomic analysis. The successful application of this protocol for analyzing the leaf proteomes of soybean, Miscanthus sinensis, barley, Chinese cabbage, peanut and tea ( Camellia sinensis) suggests that it could be used for comparative proteomic analysis of a wide range of plant leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Address resolution protocol (ARP) is widely used to maintain mapping between data link (e.g. MAC) and network (e.g. IP) layer addresses. Although most hosts rely on automated and dynamic management of ARP cache entries, current implementation is well-known to be vulnerable to spoofing or denial of service (DoS) attacks. There are many tools that exploit vulnerabilities of ARP protocols, and past proposals to address the weaknesses of the 'original' ARP design have been unsatisfactory. Suggestions that ARP protocol definition be modified would cause serious and unacceptable compatibility problems. Other proposals require customised hardware be installed to monitor malicious ARP traffic, and many organisations cannot afford such cost. This study demonstrates that one can effectively eliminate most threats caused by the ARP vulnerabilities by installing anti-ARP spoofing agent (ASA), which intercepts unauthenticated exchange of ARP packets and blocks potentially insecure communications. The proposed approach requires neither modification of kernel ARP software nor installation of traffic monitors. Agent uses user datagram protocol (UDP) packets to enable networking among hosts in a transparent and secure manner. The authors implemented agent software on Windows XP and conducted an experiment. The results showed that ARP hacking tools could not penetrate hosts protected by ASA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature or cold stress is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting rice (Oryza sativa L.) production and productivity in the temperate rice growing regions as well as in tropical high lands worldwide. Low temperature at the reproductive stage causes high sterility and decreases production. In this study, we assessed recombinant inbred lines (RILs) that possessed cold-tolerance genes and/or quantitative trait loci (QTL) from the donor line IR66160-121-4-4-2 in the genetic background of a cold-sensitive japonica cultivar, Geumobyeo. The selected 15 RILs with QTL for cold tolerance were phenotyped for three main agronomic traits—culm length (CL), days to heading (DTH), and spikelet fertility (SF)—which were most affected during cold stress. The RILs with cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive parents were evaluated under cold-water (18-19°C) irrigation in the field and cold-air temperature (17-18°C) in the temperature-controlled greenhouse. The RILs showed significant differences in these traits compared to the cold-sensitive parent. Traits CL and DTH exhibited positive correlation with SF in the selected breeding lines. The SF of the selected breeding lines was higher (51-81%) than that of the cold-sensitive parent, Geumobyeo (7%). Our results confirmed that cold tolerance was associated with SF but the traits CL and DTH were differently associated with cold tolerance. The cold-tolerant breeding lines selected in this study had at least one of the three QTL associated with cold tolerance. The breeding lines confirmed to have cold tolerance are useful to breed cold-tolerant cultivars and increase our understanding of the mechanism of cold tolerance in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify factors associated with acute gout attacks in normouricaemic gout patients receiving allopurinol. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 860 patients with chronic gout who were treated with allopurinol at a single tertiary hospital between 2003 and 2009. Of these, 135 patients had serum urate concentrations ≤ 360 μmol/L (6 mg/dL). Patients whose serum urate concentrations exceeded 360 μmol/L (6 mg/dL) at least once during follow-up were excluded. Patients who experienced at least one acute attack during follow-up, despite normouricaemia [≤ 360 μmol/L (6 mg/dL)], were classified as the Attack group (n == 51). The others were classified as the Non-attack group (n == 84). Results: The gout disease duration was significantly longer in the Attack group than in the Non-attack group (p == 0.036). The presence of tophi and multiple joint involvement were associated with acute attacks in normouricaemic gout patients. Multivariate analysis showed that both the presence of tophi [odds ratio (OR) 4.16, 95%% confidence interval (CI) 1.41-12.23, p == 0.010] and the number of involved joints (OR 1.51, 95%% CI 1.05-2.17, p == 0.028) were independently associated with acute attacks in normouricaemic gout patients receiving allopurinol. Conclusion: The presence of tophi and multiple joint involvement were associated with acute attacks in normouricaemic gout patients receiving allopurinol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cryostat for fixed-point calibration of capsule-type SPRTs (standard platinum resistance thermometers) was developed. Using this system, cryogenic fixed points defined on the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) were realized. The cryogenic cells were argon, oxygen, neon, and two equilibrium-hydrogen (e-H) cells, made by INRiM, Italy. The uncertainty of the realization of each fixed point was estimated to range from 0.53 mK to 0.43 mK ( k = 2). The realizations of the triple point of e-H using two sealed cells coincided within 0.1 mK. Therefore, we are able to calibrate capsule-type SPRTs down to 24.5561 K within an uncertainty of 1 mK ( k = 2) by this system. A closed-cycle helium gas refrigerator was used for the cryostat. Each sealed cell was designed so that it could accommodate three sealed cells in the thermometer wells made within the cell. Therefore, the cryostat was designed to accommodate only one sealed cell at a time. The base temperature of this liquid-free cryostat, when one sealed cell and three capsule-type SPRTs were attached for calibration, was ~17 K. For the realization of the triple point of e-H, we used liquid helium for additional cooling. Adiabatic melting of the triple point was realized by controlling the inner-most radiation shield at a temperature very close to that of the triple point, and by applying a heat pulse by a heater directly wound to the cell. The amount of the heater power and the waiting time for the thermal equilibrium after each heat pulse were chosen in a way that the adiabatic melting could be finished within ~6 h for each cell. The triple point of each cryogenic fixed point was deduced from the equilibrium temperatures between the heat pulses and subsequent extrapolation to the liquidus point. For the oxygen cell, temperatures of two solid-solid transitions ( α- β and β- γ transitions) were also measured, and the results were consistent with values reported in the literature within the designated uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-film platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs) are generally manufactured using the deposition of a thin platinum film on an alumina substrate and a laser-trimming method. Because of the strong adhesion between the platinum thin film and the alumina substrate, the PRTs inevitably have strain over the operating temperature range. This causes anomalies and instabilities in the resistance versus temperature characteristics ( R- T). The most prominent and observable effect of thermally induced strain is the thermal hysteresis in the R- T characteristics. Thermal hysteresis is one of the main uncertainty factors in the calibration of industrial platinum resistance thermometers in laboratories. The thermal hysteresis for 30 thin-film PRTs was measured in the range of 0 °C to 500 °C in 100 °C steps. The thermal hysteresis was measured repeatedly using the same process, and the hysteresis decreased drastically with the repeated measurements. The thermal hysteresis was distributed from 16 mK to 156 mK for all sensors, and the lowest hysteresis was 1 mK to 11 mK in the test temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupant classification in a passenger seat is one of the critical components for any advanced airbag system. Many automotive electronic suppliers and engineers predict that the camera will be the next generation sensor for active and passive safety systems because it has several advantages compared to other sensors. The present paper describes a stereovision-based occupant classification system (OCS) and intelligent algorithm with embedded system by which triggering of the airbag deployment can be controlled. The system consists of a pair of stereo cameras and dual Digital Signal Processor (DSP): the first DSP is for the stereo matching processing, and the second is for occupant classification. The results show that the reaches 97%, and the processing time is 960 ms. Such performance indicates that the feasibility of the system as an embedded OCS is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]