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The alloying behavior of Li‐alloy‐forming metals in the anode of all‐solid‐state batteries (ASSBs) critically affects the viscoplastic flow and deposition of Li, determining cell performance. Herein, an ultra‐stable breathing Mg anode for Li‐free ASSBs is reported with changes in the inter‐particle distance of the Mg particles during operation. It is proposed that this unique Li deposition between Mg particles is derived from the Li concentration gradient (LCG) from the surface to the core of the Mg particle, creating a driving force that attracts Li toward the low‐concentration side and Li accumulation followed by deposition on the Mg surface. Based on a comparative study of Li‐alloy‐forming metals with different alloying and diffusion kinetics, this study ascribes the LCG to the slow alloying kinetics of Mg with Li and slow Li diffusion through the Mg–Li alloys. Interfacial stability is secured by accommodating Li deposits uniformly inside the anode. A full cell with a LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 cathode exhibits ultrahigh stability and reversibility with Coulombic efficiency over 99.9% for 1000 cycles at 30 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The clinical outcomes and prevalence of adverse events associated with biliary biodegradable stents (BS) can differ according to degradation process and time. The aim of this study was to observe the degradation process and time of different BS prototypes, and to evaluate sequential changes in their mechanical properties. Methods: Using an in vitro bile flow phantom model, we compared degradation time, radial force changes, and morphologic changes among four different BS prototypes: polydioxanone (PDO) BS, polyglycolide (PGA) BS, polydioxanone/poly‐l‐lactic acid (PDO/PLLA) sheath‐core BS, and polydioxaone/magnesium (PDO/Mg) sheath‐core BS. Using an in vivo swine bile duct dilation model, we performed a direct peroral cholangioscopy (DPOC) examination to observe the biodegradation process and related adverse events at regular intervals. Results: In the bile flow phantom model, the PGA BS and PDO/Mg BS prototypes showed rapid radial force reduction and morphological changes and complete degradation within six weeks. PDO/PLLA BS maintained high radial force and kept their original shape for longer than the PDO BS, up to 16 weeks. A total of 24 BS were inserted into the dilated bile ducts of 12 swine. In this animal model, DPOC examination revealed that PDO BS and PDO/PLLA BS maintained their original shapes for approximately 12 weeks, but PDO BS showed a greater degree of fragmentation and induced biliary stones and bile duct obstruction. Conclusion: Our results showed that PDO/PLLA BS maintained their original shape and radial force for a relatively long time and minimized adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mobile relay station (MRS) with soft handover experiences performance degradation because the received signal at the MRS located between two base stations (BSs) is the sum of these two signals with different carrier frequency offsets (CFOs). In this paper, two receive beamforming techniques with CFO compensation (a joint receive beamforming (JB) technique and a spatially separated receive beamforming (SB) technique) are proposed for the MRS with a uniform linear array (ULA) in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. The SB technique is shown to be robust against CFO errors and can be effectively used for the MRS in a multipath fading channel. The performance of the proposed techniques is evaluated via simulation in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of acupuncture for treatment of tinnitus. Study design: This study is a randomized, patient- and assessor-blind, sham-acupuncture-controlled, pilot trial. Subjects: Participants were adults (18-60 years old) with chronic (≥6 months), unilateral tinnitus, and without moderate or severe hearing loss. Interventions: Thirty-three (33) participants were randomized to one of two treatment groups: real acupuncture and sham-acupuncture (nonmeridian; no specific response, de qi). Participants received 10 sessions of acupuncture treatment (twice a week for 5 weeks), and usual patient care education. Outcome measures: The subjective outcome was the score of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from baseline to 3 months after. Pure Tone Average (PTA) and Speech Discrimination (SD) from baseline to 3 months after were assessed as objective outcomes. Results: A significant interaction between time and group in VAS ( p=0.017) was evident, but not in THI, PTA, and SD scores. THI showed significant improvement at the end of treatment and 3 months after, compared to baseline, in real acupuncture ( p=0.004). In SD, a significant long-term effect of real acupuncture was observed until 3 months after ( p=0.011). However, the effect of real acupuncture in PTA was not maintained until 3 months after the end of treatment. No significant difference in the sham-acupuncture treatment group was evident. No statistical difference in any outcome was observed between real and sham acupuncture. Only in the mean percent change of VAS, real acupuncture showed statistical significance, compared with sham-acupuncture from baseline to 3 months after ( p=0.019). Conclusions: Through evaluation of subjective (THI and VAS) and objective outcomes (PTA and SD), this study demonstrates the long-term effect of real acupuncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and interaction of Keigai-rengyo-to extract (KRTE) and acupuncture in male patients with acne and the feasibility of a large clinical trial. Design: A randomized, assessor single-blinded, 2×2 factorial trial was conducted. The trial is registered with the Clinical Research Information Service, Republic of Korea: KCT0000071. Subjects: Forty-four (44) participants with acne vulgaris were randomized into one of four groups: waiting list group (WL), KRTE only group (KO), acupuncture only group (AO), and KRTE and acupuncture combined treatment group (KA). Intervention: After randomization, patients in the AO and KA groups underwent eight sessions of acupuncture treatment, twice per week. Patients in the KO and KA groups were prescribed KRTE 3 times daily, 7.4 g each dose, after meals, for 4 weeks. Outcome measures: The following outcome measurements were used in examination of subjects: mean percentage change and the count change of inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions, Skindex 29, investigator global assessment from baseline to end of trial, and proportion of dropouts and compliance with KRTE. Results: A significant interaction of KRTE and acupuncture was evident according to mean percent change of inflammatory acne lesions, but not of noninflammatory acne lesions from baseline to the end of the study. Statistically significant differences were observed in the primary effect on mean percent change of noninflammatory acne lesions, not by acupuncture, but by KRTE. Adjusted Skindex 29 score changes indicated no statistically significant reduction within groups and between groups. The improvement rate in patients with KRTE and acupuncture treatment was not significant, compared to patients with no KRTE and acupuncture treatment. The proportion of dropouts was 22.7% and rate of compliance with KRTE was 92.3%. Conclusions: For treatment of acne vulgaris, use of KRTE combined with acupuncture is recommended for inflammatory lesions and KRTE only is recommended for noninflammatory lesions. Further large-scale trials assuming a higher dropout rate and aimed at confirming the ability of KRTE and acupuncture to improve inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions in patients with acne are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted for 11 weeks to evaluate the influence of gender, age and academic performance on autonomic nervous system (ANS) measured by heart rate variability in final year Oriental medical students in Korea. Subjects were 109 Oriental medical students in their final year (11th semester) in the College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University. The 5-min heart rate variability (HRV) was measured for evaluating ANS of all subjects and then the outcome of HRV was analyzed to investigate the influence of gender, age and academic performance on ANS by analysis of covariance, a model with control variables. Male students were found to have less parasympathetic activity and to have an autonomic balance shifted towards sympathicotonia compared with female students. Increased age was also negatively associated with ANS. Specifically, students aged 30 years or older showed less parasympathetic activity compared to their younger peers. However, there was no statistical significance of ANS between high and low grade group on academic performance. Considering the theory that increased stress could lead to change in ANS and it could decrease parasympathetic activity or increase sympathetic activity, this study suggest that gender and age can affect the stress level of final year Oriental medical students in Korea. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]