Search

A series of far-detector programs have been proposed for operation at various interaction points of the large hadron collider during the upcoming runs. Investigating the potential and complementarity of these experiments for new-physics searches goes through the estimation of their sensitivity to specific long-lived particle models. Here, we present an integrated numerical tool written in the C++ language and called Displaced Decay Counter, which we have created to this end and which can be used in association with MadGraph5, Pythia8, or any other state-of-the-art Monte-Carlo collider simulation tool. Several far-detector models have been implemented within the program, accounting for the geometry and integrated luminosity of projected detectors. Additional or more accurate designs can be easily constructed through a dedicated interface. The functionality of this tool is exemplified through the discussion of several benchmark scenarios, which we consider for the validation of the implemented detector models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Here, we presented our early experience with flow diversion procedures using the Surpass Evolve flow diverter (SE, Stryker) and reported the feasibility and safety profile compared to those of a control group treated with other types of flow diverters. Methods: We included 31 and 53 consecutive flow diversion procedures performed using the SE and other commercial flow diverters, respectively, to treat intracranial aneurysms at our institution. We used two commercial flow diversion systems in the comparison group: the pipeline embolization device and Surpass Streamline. Results: In the SE group, technical failures occurred in three (9.7%) cases, due to either incomplete wall apposition (n = 1, 3.2%) or stent migration (n = 2, 6.5%). Major complications occurred in four (12.9%) cases: delayed rupture of the target aneurysm (n = 1, 3.2%), major ischemic stroke (n = 1, 3.2%), sudden death from an unidentified cause (n = 1, 3.2%), and parent artery occlusion with stent thrombosis (n = 1, 3.2%). Balloon angioplasty was performed in eight (25.8%) cases. On post-procedure MRI, a DWI-positive lesion was detected in three (9.7%) cases. After multivariate adjustment, the SE group was independently associated with less procedural time of ≥ 90 min (adjusted OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03–0.29; p < 0.001), balloon angioplasty (adjusted OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.07–0.75; p = 0.015), and DWI-positive lesions (adjusted OR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.01–0.19; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The SE is safe and easy to deploy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-lived particles have become a new frontier in the exploration of physics beyond the Standard Model. In this paper, we present the implementation of four types of long-lived particle searches, viz. displaced leptons, disappearing track, displaced vertex with either muons or with missing transverse energy, and heavy charged tracks. These four categories cover the signatures of a large range of physics models. We illustrate their potential for exclusion and discuss their mutual overlaps in mass-lifetime space for two simple phenomenological models involving either a U(1)-charged or a coloured scalar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The folate metabolism that converts homocysteine to methionine is closely related to the accumulation of homocysteine. Increased homocysteine levels lead to an impaired antithrombotic function of the vascular endothelium and uterine-placental circulation, resulting in abnormal pregnancy outcomes. Previous studies have reported that gene polymorphisms in folate metabolism are associated with the development of preterm birth (PTB) in various populations. Objective: we performed a case–control study to evaluate the association between five polymorphisms in folate metabolic genes (MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, TCN2) and PTB. Methods: In this study, a total of 254 subjects were analyzed (111 patients with PTB and 143 women at ≥ 38 weeks of gestation). Genotype and allele frequency differences between patients and control groups and the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were assessed using a Chi-square test. For evaluation indicators, odds ratios (ORs) of 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. In addition, we analyzed the combined genotype frequencies of SNPs of folate-metabolizing genes to measure gene–gene interactions for PTB. Results: Our results showed that the MTR rs1805087 GG (p = 0.031), and TCN2 rs1801198 CG genotype (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.288–0.980, p = 0.042) were significantly associated with PTB. The MTHFR rs4846049 AA showed a marginal trend toward significance (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.018–1.205, p = 0.041). In particular, the combined genotypes, including MTHFR rs1537514 CC—MTRR rs1801394 GG, MTHFR rs1537514 CC—TCN2 rs1801198 CG, and MTR rs1805087 AA—TCN2 rs1801198 CG, have significant interactions with PTB (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.248–0.992, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The polymorphisms of folate metabolic genes may have a genetic association with the development of PTB in Korean women. A larger sample set and functional studies are required to further elucidate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance achieved by using fully-connected small artificial neural networks (ANNs) and a simple training process, the Kim-Monte Carlo algorithm, to detect the location of pneumothorax in chest X-rays. A total of 1,000 chest X-ray images with pneumothorax were taken randomly from NIH (the National Institutes of Health) public image database and used as the training and test sets. Each X-ray image with pneumothorax was divided into 49 boxes for pneumothorax localization. For each of the boxes in the chest X-ray images contained in the test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was 0.882, and the sensitivity and specificity were 80.6% and 83.0%, respectively. In addition, a common currently used deep-learning method for image recognition, the convolution neural network (CNN), was also applied to the same dataset for comparison purposes. The performance of the fully-connected small ANN was better than that of the CNN. Regarding the diagnostic performances of the CNN with different activation functions, the CNN with a sigmoid activation function for fully-connected hidden nodes was better than the CNN with the rectified linear unit (RELU) activation function. This study showed that our approach can accurately detect the location of pneumothorax in chest X-rays, significantly reduce the time delay incurred when diagnosing urgent diseases such as pneumothorax, and increase the effectiveness of clinical practice and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneously achieving both a high efficiency and long lifetime in deep-blue organic light-emitting diodes is challenging. Here we report thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) organic light-emitting diodes that aim to meet this goal by combining a new design of blue TADF materials with a triplet-exciton recycling protocol. Two TADF materials, one distributing and one emitting, were doped into a host to form triplet-exciton-distributed TADF devices. The singlet excitons were transferred from the host to the emitter via the distributing TADF material by cascade energy transfer, whereas the triplet excitons were transferred to the emitter as singlet excitons by a triplet-exciton recycling process between the low-triplet-energy host and the distributing TADF material. The resulting triplet-exciton-distributed TADF devices achieved a high external quantum efficiency of 33.5 ± 0.1, a colour coordinate corrected current efficiency over 400 cd A–1, a lifetime of >5,000 h and a y colour coordinate below 0.10. Exciton energy cascade transfer and recycling bring improvements in the efficiency and lifetime of deep-blue organic light-emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the joint replenishment problem for a single buyer who sells multiple types of items to end customers. The buyer periodically replenishes the item inventory to order-up-to levels to cover the end customers' demands, which may be non-stationary. A joint replenishment policy characterized by a variable order-up-to level is proposed for buyers who wish to minimize the expected cost of operating the inventory system. According to the proposed policy, each period starts with calculation of the expected cost of two options, ordering and not ordering each item, based on a current inventory position and forecasted demand for the upcoming period. The proposed policy then uses an integer-programming model to generate a cost-minimizing decision for the joint replenishment. A computer experiment was performed to test the efficiency of the proposed policy. When compared with the most efficient policy currently available, our policy yielded considerable cost savings, especially for non-stationary demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive stenosis of large intracranial arteries and a hazy network of basal collaterals called moyamoya vessels. A polymorphism (R4810K) in the Ring Finger Protein 213 (RNF213) gene, at chromosome 17q25.3, is the strongest genetic susceptibility factor for MMD in East Asian populations. MMD was regarded prevalent in childhood and in East Asian populations. However, the so-called MMD could represent only the tip of the iceberg. MMD is increasingly reported in adult patients and in Western populations. Moreover, the RNF213 variant was recently reported to be associated with non-MMD disorders, such as intracranial atherosclerosis and systemic vasculopathy (e.g., peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis and renal artery stenosis). In this review, we summarize the spectrums of RNF213 vasculopathy in terms of clinical and genetic phenotypes. Continuous efforts are required for pathophysiology-based diagnoses and treatment, which will benefit from collaboration between clinicians and researchers, and between stroke and vascular physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a major adverse pregnancy outcome and largely contributes to increasing neonatal and maternal mortality. Genetic and environmental factors may play an important role in the development of PTB. Numerous studies have shown that immune genes related to the immune system, such as IL-6, IL-10, and TNFα, are associated with the occurrence of PTB. Objective: We examined genetic associations between IL-6 rs1800796, IL-10 rs1800872, and TNFα rs1800630 polymorphisms and PTB in Korean women. Methods: In this study, 115 PTB patients and 147 controls were analyzed. The genotyping of three SNPs was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: Our result showed that the rs1800872 polymorphism was significantly associated with the development of PTB in genotype frequency (odds ratio (OR) 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–2.90, p = 0.046). We also found a significant association in an analysis of combined genotypes (rs1800796 CC, rs1800872 CA, and rs1800630 CA) (OR 7.43, 95% CI 2.06–26.84, p = 0.001). In a correlation analysis, rs1800630 A allele was significantly related with the increased birth weight (g) within PTB patients (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Our results imply possible relationships between the rs1800796, rs1800872, and rs1800630 polymorphisms and the development of PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a deep learning solution to the prediction of particle production cross sections over a complicated, high-dimensional parameter space. We demonstrate the applicability by providing state-of-the-art predictions for the production of charginos and neutralinos at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the next-to-leading order in the phenomenological MSSM-19 and explicitly demonstrate the performance for p p → χ ~ 1 + χ ~ 1 - , χ ~ 2 0 χ ~ 2 0 and χ ~ 2 0 χ ~ 1 ± as a proof of concept which will be extended to all SUSY electroweak pairs. We obtain errors that are lower than the uncertainty from scale and parton distribution functions with mean absolute percentage errors of well below 0.5 % allowing a safe inference at the next-to-leading order with inference times that improve the Monte Carlo integration procedures that have been available so far by a factor of O (10 7) from O (min) to O (μ s) per evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer sorbents used for the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) ions from highly acidic aqueous media (pH≤1) are needed. In this study, micronsized polystyrene beads containing immobilized thiourea (mTA-PS) were prepared through suspension polymerization and two successive chemical modifications. The sorbent was stable even at pH of 0 under room temperature. The effects of pH, contact time, and initial concentration on sorption of Cr(VI) anions were studied. The isotherm data was fitted to the Freundlich model accordingly. The Langmuir model predicted the sorbent to have a maximum sorption capacity of 137 mg g−1 at pH 1. The sorbent exhibited a significant selective sorption of Cr(VI) ions over trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) ions. These results show that such polymer sorbent can be utilized to remove Cr(VI) ions from a highly acidic aqueous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes a logistics system involving a supplier who produces and delivers multiple types of items and a buyer who receives and sells to end customers. The buyer controls the inventory of each item by ordering at a preset time interval, which is an integer multiple of a base cycle, to meet the stochastic demands of the end customers. The supplier makes contracts with the buyer that specify that the ordered amount is delivered at the start of each period at a unit price determined by a quantity discount schedule. The contract also specifies that a buyer's order should exceed a minimum order quantity. To analyze the system, a mathematical model describing activities for replenishing a single type of item is developed from the buyer's perspective. An efficient method to determine the base cycle length and safety factor that minimizes the buyer's total cost is then proposed. The single item model is extended to a multiple items joint replenishment model, and algorithms for finding a cost-minimizing base cycle, order interval multipliers, and safety factors are proposed. The result of computational experiments shows that the algorithms can find near-optimal solutions to the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the treatment of intracranial aneurysms entered a new phase due to safe surgical tool such as neurophysiologic monitoring and challenged by endovascular treatment. To determine the safety of clipping surgery in the modern era, we reviewed our experiences of simple unruptured anterior circulation aneurysm surgery which is commonly performed in many places. We retrospectively reviewed 610 consecutive patients who were treated with surgical clipping under motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring for a tiny to large anterior circulation aneurysm in a single institute between 2008 and 2012. MEP changes were identified in 40 cases (6.6 %). MEP deterioration was associated with remote site epidural hematoma ( n = 1), anesthesia ( n = 2), temporary clipping ( n = 21), and permanent clipping ( n = 16). Despite that no persistent MEP deterioration was noted after prompt corrective measures, 56 (9.2 %) patients showed symptomatic ( n = 14) and asymptomatic ( n = 42) radiologic abnormalities. Anterior cerebral artery (ACA) aneurysm was associated with a higher radiologic complication rate (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.05). Two (0.3 %) patients showed severe morbidity (mRS >2) at latest follow-up. MEP monitoring can be helpful in preventing postoperative motor deterioration but seems to have some limitations. Although the permanent morbidity rate was low, a significant clinical (2.3 %) or radiologic (9.2 %) abnormality rate was identified even in simple aneurysm clipping that should be taken into account when performing interdisciplinary treatment planning and patient counseling. Also, direct vascular monitoring or new neurophysiologic monitoring techniques are needed to reduce surgical complications, especially in ACA aneurysm surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human hemangioblasts exist only during the early embryonic developmental stage thereby limiting the adult cellular source from which to obtain such cells for study. To overcome this, hemangioblast studies have focused on utilizing human embryonic stem cell (hESC) derivatives but current methods are cell-line dependent. Single cell dissociation of a hESC colony quickly led to cell death in most hESC lines due to enzyme treatment which, in turn, reduced induction potential and hemangioblast differentiation efficiency. Therefore, we sought to effectively improve the process of cell dissociation that is adaptable to various hESC lines and increase the initial induction potential of embryoid body (hEB). As a result, we determined an effective cell dissociation method through a comparison study involving various reagents which demonstrated successful dissociation regardless of cell line and enhanced hemangioblast differentiation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined a Korean family with complex phenotypes characterized by intellectual disability, epilepsy and early-childhood-onset generalized muscle weakness. Since we did not find any abnormality using several conventional genetic tests for detection of chromosomal aberrations, gene copy number variations and mitochondrial gene mutations, we aimed to identify disease-causing genetic alteration(s) in this family. We conducted whole-exome sequencing (WES) in this family. After filtering the WES data, we compared five exome sequences of two affected siblings, one unaffected sibling and the unaffected parents, and we determined the allele frequency of the identified variants in an Asian population. Finally, we selected one candidate variant pair which is unique in the patients and corresponds to an autosomal recessive genetic model. The two affected siblings had the same compound heterozygous variation in the NEB gene encoding nebulin, which was composed of two different missense variants: c.2603T>C (p.L868P) in exon 27 and c.21340C>T (p.R7114W) in exon 143. We confirmed these variations by Sanger sequencing. On the basis of the fundamental role of nebulin in the brain and skeletal muscles, we concluded that this compound heterozygous NEB variation may be a sound candidate for the disease-causing mutation in this family. Since the patients are characterized by generalized muscle weakness together with neurodevelopmental phenotypes, it is suggested that NEB mutations could manifest more diverse phenotypes than those previously described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the incidence of thromboembolic complications based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to explore the potential risk factors for thromboembolism (TE) during the periprocedural period of elective coil embolization for unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all aneurysm cases treated with coil insertion between January 2008 and March 2011. Two hundred eighty-two coiling procedures for unruptured aneurysms were included in this study. The patients' demographic characteristics were documented and records reviewed for abnormalities in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) seen on post-procedure MRI, intraoperative thrombus formation, and clinical signs of stroke. Results: Overall, there were 87 (30.9 %) procedure-related complications in 282 aneurysms treated: 2 (0.7 %) procedural ruptures, 5 (1.8 %) symptomatic infarctions, and 80 (28.3 %) asymptomatic infarctions. Thromboembolic events during the procedure were observed more often in the the hyperlipidemia group (32/71 aneurysms, 45.1 %) than in the normal lipid profile group (39/196 aneurysms, 25.6 %; p = 0.002; chi-squre test). The coiling technique and size of the aneurysm were also associated with TE ( p < 0.001 and p = 0.004). Conclusion: Hyperlipidemia seems to be associated with a significant increase in the rate of thromboembolic events. In preventive procedures, modifiable risk factors should be managed to reduce complications. Although permanent deficits are rare, the high rate of thromboembolic events suggests that improvements in the technique, such as the addition of antiplatelet agents and the development of new embolic materials, are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the antioxidant, nitrite scavenging, immune-enhancing and antimicrobial effects of the Lentinus edodes fruiting body extracts (LEFB extract) cultivated in the solid state using corn cob. The CAT, SOD and GSH-Px activities in the LEFB extract (400mg)-fed group were approximately 1.70, 1.64, and 2.2 times higher than those of the control group. The nitrite scavenging activity was highest (86.4%) when the LEFB extract concentration was 600 μg/mL. The immune-enhancing and antimicrobial effects of LEFB extract after an experimental Bordetella bronchiseptica infection were examined. White blood and neutrophil in the LEFB extract (400 mg)-fed group were approximately 2.1 and 2.2 times higher, respectively, than those of the control group. The total leukocyte was 30% higher than that of the control group. The CD4: CD8 ratio in the LEFB extract (200 mg)-fed group was increased approximately 54.3% compared to that of the control group. The levels of TNF- α and IFN- γ mRNA expression in the LEFB extract (400 mg)-fed group were approximately 49 and 50% lower than those of the control group. The bacteria and inflammatory cell in the LEFB extract (400 mg)-fed group were approximately 48.7 and 29% lower, respectively, than that of the control group. These results suggest that the LEFB extract may be useful in immune function improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate the aneurysmal characteristics and clinico-radiological outcomes of unruptured non-branching site aneurysms located on the anterior (dorsal) wall of the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA). Methods: The data of 34 patients that underwent endovascular treatment for 36 unruptured ICA anterior wall aneurysms were reviewed. ICA anterior wall aneurysms were defined as aneurysms that projected superiorly from the anterior wall of the ICA ophthalmic ( n = 35) or communicating ( n = 1) segment on lateral angiograms, without any branch vessel relationship. In addition, aneurysmal characteristics and treatment outcomes were compared with those of 60 unruptured aneurysms originating from the posterior (ventral) wall of the ICA ophthalmic segment. Results: Patients with an ICA anterior wall aneurysm frequently had a mirror aneurysm on the contralateral side (14.7 % versus 3.3 %) or another ICA aneurysm (35.3 % versus 15 %). Two of the 36 ICA anterior wall aneurysms exhibited ICA narrowing suggestive of dissection, and another five had dysplastic ICA dilatation around the neck. Stent-assisted embolization was more frequently performed for ICA anterior wall aneurysms (66.7 % versus 36.7 %) because of unfavorable dome/neck (mean, 1.21) and aspect (mean, 1.15) ratios, and because of microcatheter instability associated with superior aneurysmal projections against the abrupt curvature of the carotid siphon. Procedure-related thromboembolic complications occurred in three patients in the anterior aneurysm group, but no patient deteriorated clinically. Immediate radiological outcomes were more unfavorable for ICA anterior wall aneurysms (residual sac, 36.1 % versus 16.7 %). Nevertheless, rates of recanalization (2.9 % versus 5.2 %) and progressive occlusion (24.7 % versus 8.1 %) during follow-up slightly favored ICA anterior wall aneurysms. Two stent-treated ICA anterior wall aneurysms developed asymptomatic ICA steno-occlusion (8.3 %). Conclusions: Stent-assisted embolization is safe and effective for the treatment of unruptured ICA anterior wall aneurysms exhibiting unfavorable aneurysmal geometries and projections for coil embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the prognostic factors for the incidence and the outcome of seizure in patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and to identify the time to seizure-free state according to the treatment modalities. Material and methods: Between 1995 and 2008, the multidisciplinary team at our institution treated 399 patients with cerebral AVMs. Treatment consisted of surgical resection, radiosurgery, and embolization, either alone or in combination. The median follow-up period was 6.0 years (range, 3.0-16.2 years). Eighty-six patients (21.5 %) experienced seizures before treatment. We investigated the variables associated with seizure incidence and seizure outcome and analyzed the outcomes of seizure among each treatment modality. Results: After treatment, 60 (70 %) patients were seizure-free. Compared with 313 patients who did not experience seizures, we found that younger age (≤ 35 years), size ≥ 3 cm, and location of temporal lobe were associated with seizures ( p < 0.05). Short seizure history, accompanying intracerebral hemorrhage, generalized tonic-clonic type seizure, deep-seated or infratentorial AVM, complete obliteration of AVM, and a favorable neurological outcome at 12 months were closely associated with Engel Class I outcomes ( p < 0.05). Seizure-free outcomes after microsurgery, radiosurgery, or embolization were 78 %, 66 %, and 50 %, respectively. The overall annual bleeding rate was 1.0 % and 2.2 % in microsurgery-treated and radiosurgery-treated AVMs, respectively. In the surgery group, the median time to seizure-free status was 1.1 months (95 % CI, 0.7-1.2 months), whereas the radiosurgery group and embolization-alone group showed 20.5 months (95 % CI, 18.3-23.8 months), and 8.1 months (95 % CI, 6.0-13.5 months), respectively. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary team approach for cerebral AVMs achieved satisfactory seizure control results. Microsurgery led to the highest percentage of seizure-free outcomes and had the lowest annual bleeding rate, whereas radiosurgery had a higher bleeding rate. Median time to seizure-free status in surgically treated patients was shorter than in patients who underwent radiosurgical or endovascular treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinico-radiological outcomes following gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for pediatric arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Methods: The present series included 39 children (3-17 years of age) who underwent GKS for cerebral AVMs between January 2002 and February 2008. Twenty-five patients presented with hemorrhages. The median AVM volume was 1.5 cm, and the median marginal dose was 20 Gy. All patients continued to have follow-up for more than 24 months with serial magnetic resonance images (MRIs)/angiograms. Current school performance has been evaluated using a telephone survey answered by the patients' parents. Results: Follow-up angiograms, available in 34 patients, confirmed complete obliteration in 16 patients. Serial MRIs indicated obliteration of the nidus in one of five patients without angiography. The diffuse nidus structure and low marginal dose were significantly associated with incomplete obliteration. Twelve patients underwent a second GKS, and subsequent angiographies, available in six patients, demonstrated complete obliteration in two of them. Complications included new-onset seizures ( n = 1), apraxia ( n = 1), and temporal horn entrapment requiring a shunt operation ( n = 1). School performance declined in 14 out of 32 patients. Both the AVM volume and modified AVM score were found to be reliable predictors of school performance. Conclusions: The results of the present study substantiate the diffuse and other atypical features of pediatric AVMs as major determinants of treatment failure following GKS. Considering the apparent declination of school performance, future prospective studies would be required to investigate the possible late-effects of GKS on neuropsychological function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to investigate the effects of Fomitopsis pinicola extract on blood glucose and lipid metabolism in diabetic rats. The blood glucose concentration was similar to that of the control at 30 min, but after 60 min of glucose administration the blood glucose concentration rapidly decreased, and after 120 min was 100.7±4.0 mg/dL, representing an approximate 50% decrease compared to the control. In the case of the diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin, the concentration of blood glucose was decreased from 362.0±16.7 to 204.5±11.4 mg/dL after 20 days of administration. HDL- and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were 39.0±4.3 mg/L and 13.2±3.4 mg/dL, respectively, representing an approximate increase of 73% and approximate decrease of 76%, respectively, compared to the control. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase were increased. On the other hand, activities of amylase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase were decreased compared to that of the control. No difference was evident between test and control rats with respect to white blood cell, red blood cell, hemocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet counts. These results indicate that F. pinicola extract is useful as a preventative and treatment agent for damage of liver and kidney cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytoplasmic Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) represents along with catalase and glutathione peroxidase at the first defense line against reactive oxygen species in all aerobic organisms, but little is known about its distribution in developing embryos. In this study, the expression patterns of SOD1 mRNA in mouse embryos were investigated using real-time RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analyses. Expression of SOD1 mRNA was detected in all embryos with embryonic days (EDs) 7.5–18.5. The signal showed the weakest level at ED 12.5, but the highest level at ED 15.5. SOD1 mRNA was expressed in chorion, allantois, amnion, and neural folds at ED 7.5 and in neural folds, notochord, neuromeres, gut, and primitive streak at ED 8.5. In central nervous system, SOD1 mRNA was expressed greatly in embryos of EDs 9.5–11.5, but weakly in embryos of ED 12.5. At EDs 9.5–12.5, the expression of SOD1 mRNA was high in sensory organs such as tongue, olfactory organ (nasal prominence) and eye (optic vesicle), while it was decreased in ear (otic vesicle) after ED 10.5. In developing limbs, SOD1 mRNA was greatly expressed in forelimbs at EDs 9.5–11.5 and in hindlimbs at EDs 10.5–11.5. The signal increased in liver, heart and genital tubercle after ED 11.5. In the sections of embryos after ED 13.5, SOD1 mRNA was expressed in various tissues and especially high in mucosa and metabolically active sites such as lung, kidney, stomach, and intestines and epithelial cells of skin, whisker follicles, and ear and nasal cavities. These results suggest that SOD1 may be related to organogenesis of embryos as an antioxidant enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop a compact evaporator, experiments that show characteristics of evaporating heat transfer and pressure drop in the helically coiled minichannel were performed in our previous research. This study was focused on the performance analysis of helically coiled heat exchangers with circular minichannels with an inner diameter=1.0 mm. The working fluid was R-22, and the properties of R-22 were estimated using the REFPROP program. Numerical simulation was performed to compare results with the experimental results of the helically coiled heat exchanger. As the heat transfer rate and pressure drop were calculated at the micro segment of the branch channels, the performance of the evaporator was evaluated. The following conclusions were obtained through the numerical simulations of the helically coiled heat exchanger. It showed good performance when the flow rate of each branch channels was suitable to heat load of air-side. The numerical simulation value agreed with experimental results within ± 15%. In this study, a numerical simulation program was developed to estimate the performance of a helically coiled evaporator. And, an optimum helically coiled minichannels evaporator was designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The examination on the operating mechanism of a pulsating heat pipe (PHP) using visualization revealed that the working fluid in the PHP oscillated to the axial direction by the contraction and expansion of vapor plugs. This contraction and expansion is due to the formation and extinction of bubbles in the evaporating and condensing section, respectively. In this paper, a theoretical model of PHP was presented. The theoretical model was based on the separated flow model with two liquid slugs and three vapor plugs. The results show that the diameter, surface tension and charge ratio of working fluid have significant effects on the performance of the PHP. The following conclusions were obtained. The periodic oscillations of liquid slugs and vapor plugs were obtained under specified parameters. When the hydraulic diameter of the PHP was increased to d=3mm, the frequency of oscillation decreased. By increasing the charging ratio from 40 to 60 by volume ratio, the pressure difference between the evaporating section and condensing section increased, the amplitude of oscillation reduced, and the oscillation frequency decreased. The working fluid with higher surface tension resulted in an increase in the amplitude and frequency of oscillation. Also the average temperature of vapor plugs decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A twisting machine is to twist yarns for improving yarn strength. After twisting yarns, the twisting machine winds yarns into a bobbin. The traverse mechanism is very important part of winding mechanism. Because it performs uniform winding onto the bobbin. the traverse cam is the main part of the traverse mechanism. This paper proposes design method of the traverse cam using the relative velocity method [4,5]. The relative velocity method is used to calculate the relative velocity of the follower versus the cam at the center of roller, and then to determine the contact point using the geometric relationship and kinematical constraints. Finally, we present examples verifying the accuracy of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the characteristics of pressure oscillation and heat transfer performance in an oscillating capillary tube heat pipe were experimentally investigated with respect to the heat flux, the charging ratio of working fluid, and the inclination angle to the horizontal orientation. The experimental results showed that the frequency of pressure oscillation was between 0.1 Hz and 1.5 Hz at the charging ratio of 40 vol.%. The saturation pressure of working fluid in the oscillating capillary tube heat pipe increased as the heat flux was increased. Also, as the charging ratio of working fluid was increased, the amplitude of pressure oscillation increased. When the pressure waves were symmetric sinusoidal waves at the charging ratios of 40 vol.% and 60 vol.%, the heat transfer performance was improved. At the charging ratios of 20 vol.% and 80 vol.%, the waveforms of pressure oscillation were more complicated, and the heat transfer performance reduced. At the charging ratio of 40 vol.%, the heat transfer performance of the OCHP was at the best when the inclination angle was 90°. the pressure wave was a sinusoidal waveform, the pressure difference was at the least, the oscillation amplitude was at the least, and the frequency of pressure oscillation was the highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-phase How patterns for both non-loop and loop type oscillating capillary tube heat pipes (OCHPs) were presented in this study. The detailed flow patterns were recorded by a high-speed digital camera for each experimental condition to understand exactly the operation mechanism of the OCHP. The design and operation conditions of the OCHP such as turn number, working fluid, and heat flux were varied. The experimental results showed that the representative flow pattern in the evaporating section of the OCHP was the oscillation of liquid slugs and vapor plugs based on the generation and growth of bubbles by nucleate boiling. As the oscillation of liquid slugs and vapor plugs was very speedy, the How pattern changed from the capillary slug flow to a pseudo slug flow near the annular flow. The flow of short vapor-liquid slug-train units was the flow pattern in the adiabatic section. In the condensing section, it was the oscillation of liquid slugs and vapor plugs and the circulation of working fluid. The oscillation flow in the loop type OCHP was more active than that in the non-loop type OCHP due to the circulation of working fluid in the OCHP. When the turn number of the OCHP was increased, the oscillation and circulation of working fluid was more active as well as forming the oscillation wave of long liquid slugs and vapor plugs in the OCHP. The oscillation flow of R-142b as the working fluid was more active than that of ethanol and the high efficiency of the heat transfer performance of R-I42b was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to identify the relationship between eosinophil activation in Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) and IgA nephropathy, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) was analyzed in both conditions. The soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) was also analyzed. The levels of ECP were significantly higher in HSP patients (mean 9.7 ± 1.8 µg/l) than in a control group (mean 4.6 ± 0.7 µg/l). When the HSP patients were classified into two groups, one with normal urine and one with abnormal urine, the latter showed higher levels of ECP than the former. Levels of ECP were not significantly higher in IgA nephropathy patients than in a control group. The sIL-2R levels were elevated in the serum of HSP and IgA nephropathy patients compared with controls. In conclusion, eosinophil activation may be involved in the pathogenesis of HSP but not in IgA nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel deep-learning algorithm for artificial neural networks (ANNs), completely different from the back-propagation method, was developed in a previous study. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using the algorithm for the detection of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and the classification of its subtypes, without employing the convolutional neural network (CNN). For the detection of ICH with the summation of all the computed tomography (CT) images for each case, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.859, and the sensitivity and the specificity were 78.0% and 80.0%, respectively. Regarding ICH localisation, CT images were divided into 10 subdivisions based on the intracranial height. With the subdivision of 41–50%, the best diagnostic performance for detecting ICH was obtained with AUC of 0.903, the sensitivity of 82.5%, and the specificity of 84.1%. For the classification of the ICH to subtypes, the accuracy rate for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) was considerably excellent at 91.7%. This study revealed that our approach can greatly reduce the ICH diagnosis time in an actual emergency situation with a fairly good diagnostic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been generated in vivo from reprogrammable mice. These in vivo iPSCs display features of totipotency, i.e., they differentiate into the trophoblast lineage, as well as all 3 germ layers. Here, we developed a new reprogrammable mouse model carrying an Oct4-GFP reporter gene to facilitate the detection of reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells. Without doxycycline administration, some of the reprogrammable mice developed aggressively growing teratomas that contained Oct4-GFP+ cells. These teratoma-derived in vivo PSCs were morphologically indistinguishable from ESCs, expressed pluripotency markers, and could differentiate into tissues of all 3 germ layers. However, these in vivo reprogrammed PSCs were more similar to in vitro iPSCs than ESCs and did not contribute to the trophectoderm of the blastocysts after aggregation with 8-cell embryos. Therefore, the ability to differentiate into the trophoblast lineage might not be a unique characteristic of in vivo iPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]