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BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) survivors experience post-TB lung damage and ventilatory function disorders. However, the proportions of obstructive and restrictive ventilatory disorders as well as normal ventilation among post-TB subjects are unknown. In addition, the impacts of ventilatory disorder and its severity on respiratory symptoms, physical activity limitations, and the quality of life in post-TB subjects remain unclear.MethodsSubjects who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2007–2016 were enrolled in this study. We evaluated the impact of each ventilatory disorder and its severity on respiratory symptoms, physical activity limitations, and quality of life (measured by the EuroQoL five dimensions questionnaire [EQ-5D] index values) in post-TB subjects.Results Among 1,466 post-TB subjects, 29% and 16% had obstructive ventilatory disorders and restrictive ventilatory disorders, respectively. Mild and moderate obstructive ventilatory disorders were not associated with respiratory symptoms, physical activity limitation, or EQ-5D index value compared with normal ventilation; however, severe obstructive ventilatory disorders were associated with more respiratory symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 5.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.80–12.10), more physical activity limitation (aOR = 92.20, 95% CI = 16.33–520.62), and decreased EQ-5D index (adjusted coefficient = -0.055, 95% CI = -0.096 – -0.013) compared with normal ventilation. Mild restrictive ventilatory disorders were associated with more respiratory symptoms (aOR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.07–3.56) compared with normal ventilation, while moderate (aOR = 9.17, 95% CI = 1.02–82.22) and severe restrictive symptoms (aOR = 9.17, 95% CI = 1.02–82.22) were associated with physical activity limitation compared with normal ventilation.ConclusionAmong post-TB subjects, 29% and 16% developed obstructive and restrictive ventilatory disorders, respectively. Severe obstructive ventilatory disorder was associated with more respiratory symptoms, more physical activity limitation, and poorer quality of life, while severe restrictive ventilatory disorder was associated with more physical activity limitations.

Larger left atrial appendage (LAA) volume is associated with a higher risk of late recurrence (LR) in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is unclear whether LAA volume predicts LR, independent of established risk factors. We sought to evaluate the value of LAA volume in predicting LR after RFCA for AF and to develop a score prediction model including LAA volume for these patients. We retrospectively studied 992 patients who underwent RFCA for AF and cardiac computed tomography before RFCA at a single center. At 3 years after RFCA, 362 patients (36.5 %) experienced recurrence. The multivariate Cox regression model showed that age ≥ 75 years (10 points), non-paroxysmal AF (9 points), diabetes mellitus (4 points), left atrial volume index (1 point per 10 ml/m2 rounded to the nearest integer), and the second (4.7 to < 7 ml/m2; 4 points) and third (≥ 7 ml/m2; 5 points) tertiles of the LAA volume index were independent risk factors LR. The above-mentioned risk factors were included in the integrated score model, and the C-index of the proposed score model was 0.715 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.679–0.752). LAA volume is an independent predictor of LR and the predictive model including LAA volume showed good discrimination power. These findings provide evidence for the inclusion of LAA volume in the risk stratification for AF recurrence in patients undergoing RFCA for AF.

Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are common arrhythmias affecting 1–2% of the general population. During PVC, retrograde ventriculo-atrial activation can occur and act like an atrial ectopy. However, the clinical significance of this phenomenon is not fully understood. We aimed to elucidate whether the clinical diagnosis of PVC can increase the risk of new-onset AF. We performed a nationwide population-based analysis using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. A total of 9,537,713 people without prior history of PVC and AF were identified. Among these people, 4135 developed PVC in 2009, and people with and without PVC were followed until 2018. People who had PVC showed an increased risk of new-onset AF as compared with people without PVC (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.705; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.428–3.013; p

Premature ventricular contraction (PVC), a common arrhythmia affecting 1–2% of the general population, has been considered to have a benign clinical course. However, people with PVC often develop heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia. We aimed to clarify the risk of heart failure and lethal ventricular arrhythmias in people with PVC. The Korean National Health Insurance Service database was used for this study. People who underwent nationwide health check-ups in 2009 were enrolled in this study and clinical follow-up data until December 2018 were analyzed. Newly diagnosed PVC in 2009 (≥ 1 inpatient or outpatient claim) were identified and cumulative incidence of heart failure (≥ 1 inpatient claim) and ventricular arrhythmias (≥ 1 inpatient or outpatient claim) were compared. A total of 4515 people were first diagnosed with PVC in 2009 among 9,743,582 people without prior history of PVC, heart failure, or ventricular arrhythmias. People with newly diagnosed PVC in 2009 had a significantly higher incidence of heart failure compared to those without PVC [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.371; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.177–1.598; p p < 0.001). Age and chronic kidney disease had significant interactions with PVC. In conclusion, the incidence of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmia was significantly increased in people with PVC. Outpatient follow-up of people with PVC can be helpful to detect early signs of heart failure or advanced forms of ventricular arrhythmia.

Objective: Amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSCs) can be obtained from the mesoderm of human amniotic membrane. AMSCs derived from term baby show increased expression of genes associated with apoptosis and senescence. The objective of this study was to examine gene expression profiles of AMSCs derived from preterm (preterm AMSCs) and term labors (term AMSCs) and analyze common and different mechanisms. Materials and methods: We isolated and cultured AMSCs from 43 placentas: 27 from term labor and 16 from preterm labor. Microarray analysis and gene network analysis were performed to compare gene expression profile (GEP) of preterm (n = 6) with term AMSCs (n = 10). Senescence-associated gene (CDKN2A and CDKN2B) expression was also measured by reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Results: GEP demonstrated that preterm AMSCs showed upregulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthetic process and downregulation of extracellular matrix, cholesterol import and transport, lipid storage, and maintenance of location. CDKN2A and CDKN2B genes showed similar expression levels between term and preterm AMSCs. CDKN2A gene expression was correlated with CDKN2B expression and population doubling time. Compared to term AMSCs, preterm AMSCs showed significantly different expression of genes associated with inflammatory response which could be one of the major players in labor events. Conclusion: Increased CDKN2A expression in AMSCs is associated with placental membrane aging which participates in both preterm and term labor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate the association of AMSCs with labor.

Larger left atrial appendage (LAA) volume is associated with a higher risk of late recurrence (LR) in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is unclear whether LAA volume predicts LR, independent of established risk factors. We sought to evaluate the value of LAA volume in predicting LR after RFCA for AF and to develop a score prediction model including LAA volume for these patients. We retrospectively studied 992 patients who underwent RFCA for AF and cardiac computed tomography before RFCA at a single center. At 3 years after RFCA, 362 patients (36.5 %) experienced recurrence. The multivariate Cox regression model showed that age ≥ 75 years (10 points), non-paroxysmal AF (9 points), diabetes mellitus (4 points), left atrial volume index (1 point per 10 ml/m

Avermectin, produced by Streptomyces avermitilis, is an active compound protective against nematodes, insects, and mites. However, its potential usage is limited by its low aqueous solubility. The uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase (BLC) from Bacillus licheniformis synthesizes avermectin glycosides with improved water solubility and in vitro antinematodal activity. However, enzymatic glycosylation of avermectin by BLC is limited due to the low conversion rate of this reaction. Thus, improving BLC enzyme activity is necessary for mass production of avermectin glycosides for field application. In this study, the catalytic activity of BLC toward avermectin was enhanced via directed evolution. Three mutants from the BLC mutant library (R57H, V227A, and D252V) had specific glucosylation activity for avermectin 2.0-, 1.8-, and 1.5-fold higher, respectively, than wild-type BLC. Generation of combined mutations via site-directed mutagenesis led to even further enhancement of activity. The triple mutant, R57H/V227A/D252V, had the highest activity, 2.8-fold higher than that of wild-type BLC. The catalytic efficiencies (K

INTRODUCTION Hemodynamics of left atrial appendage (LAA) is an important factor for future risk of ischemic stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Velocity encoded cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (VENC-MRI) can evaluate blood flow volume of LAA without any invasive procedures. We aimed to evaluate the association between radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and LAA hemodynamics measured by MRI. METHODS AND RESULTS Consecutive RFCA cases in a single arrhythmia center were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 3120 AF patients who underwent first RFCA were analyzed. Among these patients 360 patients had both pre- and post-RFCA VENC-MRI evaluation. Atrial fibrillation was non-paroxysmal in 174 (48.3%) patients. Mean VENC-MRI (ml/sec) was significantly improved after RFCA with 49.93 ± 32.92 and 72.00 ± 34.82 for pre- and post-RFCA, respectively. Patients with non-paroxysmal AF (∆VENC-MRI = 14.63 ± 40.67 vs. 30.03 ± 35.37; p

Bacterial biofilms play roles in infections and avoidance of host defense mechanisms of medically important pathogens and increase the antibiotic resistance of the bacteria. Nitric oxide (NO) is reported to be involved in both biofilm formation and dispersal, which are conflicting processes. The mechanism by which NO regulates biofilm dispersal is relatively understood, but there are no reports about how NO is involved in biofilm formation. Here, by investigating the mechanism by which complestatin inhibits biofilm formation, we describe a novel mechanism for governing biofilm formation in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nitrite transporter is required for biofilm formation via regulation of NO levels and subsequent c-di-GMP production. Additionally, the nitrite transporter contributes more to P. aeruginosa virulence than quorum sensing. Thus, this study identifies nitrite transporters as new antibiofilm targets for future practical and therapeutic agent development., Biofilm-forming bacteria, including the Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cause multiple types of chronic infections and are responsible for serious health burdens in humans, animals, and plants. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to induce biofilm dispersal via triggering a reduction in cyclic-di-GMP levels in a variety of bacteria. However, how NO, at homeostatic levels, also facilitates biofilm formation is unknown. Here, we found that complestatin, a structural analog of vancomycin isolated from Streptomyces, inhibits P. aeruginosa biofilm formation by upregulating NO production via nitrite reductase (NIR) induction and c-di-GMP degradation via phosphodiesterase (PDE) stimulation. The complestatin protein target was identified as a nitrite transporter from a genome-wide screen using the Keio Escherichia coli knockout library and confirmed using nitrite transporter knockout and overexpression strains. We demonstrated that the nitrite transporter stimulated biofilm formation by controlled NO production via appropriate NIR suppression and subsequent diguanylate cyclase (DGC) activation, not PDE activity, and c-di-GMP production in E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Thus, this study provides a mechanism for NO-mediated biofilm formation, which was previously not understood.

Objectives This study aimed to compare the risk of late recurrence in patients with and without early recurrence. Background Early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial tachycardia (AT) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in AF patients is known to be a transient phenomenon. The theoretical basis of the blanking period is based on such observations. However, the clinical implications of early recurrence need further validation. Methods Consecutive RFCA cases in a tertiary hospital were analyzed. Early recurrence was defined as any AT or AF event occurring within 90-days post-RFCA. Early recurrence as AT and AF were also analyzed separately. Results A total of 3,120 patients underwent RFCA. Early recurrence occurred in 751 patients (24.1%). Patients who experienced early recurrence had a larger left atrium, worse hemodynamics in the left atrial appendage, and a higher prevalence of nonparoxysmal AF and heart failure. Among patients who experienced early recurrence, 69.6% of patients eventually had late recurrence. Early recurrence was associated with a 4.3- and 3.6-fold increase in the risk of late recurrence after single and multiple procedures, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, early recurrence was an independent risk factor for late recurrence with 3.6- and 2.8-fold increase in the risk of late recurrence after single and multiple procedures, respectively. Early recurrence AT had a lower risk of late recurrence compared with early recurrence AF. Conclusions Early recurrence was a reliable predictor for late recurrence. The clinical significance of the blanking period in the current guidelines may need to be revisited.

Aim Although studies on monitoring modalities have been previously conducted, they have shown differences in the values of preoperative and intraoperative monitoring. This study sought to compare preoperative and intraoperative electrophysiologic values. Material and methods A retrospective medical record review was conducted on patients who underwent brain and spine surgery between January 2014 and July 2018. Patients underwent preoperative electrophysiologic monitoring within a week before the operation and intraoperative monitoring during the surgery. Monitoring parameters included the onset latency (msec) and amplitude (mV) of motor evoked potential (MEP), somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), electroneuronography, and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP). Results The latency of the MEP and SEP were significantly prolonged while the amplitude was decreased during operation. Specifically, patients with abnormal findings in their preoperative assessments showed more prominent differences compared to those with normal findings. However, there was no significant difference between preoperative and intraoperative results based on which side of the hemisphere was affected or unaffected. Unlike the MEP and SEP parameters, there were no significant changes in the facial electroneuronography and BAEP parameters. Conclusion There were differences in the preoperative and intraoperative monitoring parameters. Further studies are necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms behind these changes during surgery.

Films containing microencapsulated cinnamon oil (CO) were developed using a large‐scale production system to protect against the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). CO at concentrations of 0%, 0.8%, or 1.7% (w/w ink mixture) was microencapsulated with polyvinyl alcohol. The microencapsulated CO emulsion was mixed with ink (47% or 59%, w/w) and thinner (20% or 25%, w/w) and coated on polypropylene (PP) films. The PP film was then laminated with a low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) film on the coated side. The film with microencapsulated CO at 1.7% repelled P. interpunctellamost effectively. Microencapsulation did not negatively affect insect repelling activity. The release rate of cinnamaldehyde, an active repellent, was lower when CO was microencapsulated than that in the absence of microencapsulation. Thermogravimetric analysis exhibited that microencapsulation prevented the volatilization of CO. The tensile strength, percentage elongation at break, elastic modulus, and water vapor permeability of the films indicated that microencapsulation did not affect the tensile and moisture barrier properties (P> 0.05). The results of this study suggest that effective films for the prevention of Indian meal moth invasion can be produced by the microencapsulation of CO using a large‐scale film production system. Low‐density polyethylene‐laminated polypropylene films printed with ink incorporating microencapsulated cinnamon oil using a large‐scale film production system effectively repelled Indian meal moth larvae. Without altering the tensile and moisture barrier properties of the film, microencapsulation resulted in the release of an active repellent for extended periods with a high thermal stability of cinnamon oil, enabling commercial film production at high temperatures. This anti‐insect film system may have applications to other food‐packaging films that use the same ink‐printing platform.

Avermectin produced by Streptomyces avermitilis is an anti-nematodal agent against the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. However, its potential usage is limited by its poor water solubility. For this reason, continuous efforts are underway to produce new derivatives that are more water soluble. Here, the enzymatic glycosylation of avermectin was catalyzed by uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase from Bacillus licheniformis with various UDP sugars. As a result, the following four avermectin B1a glycosides were produced: avermectin B1a 4″-β-D-glucoside, avermectin B1a 4″-β-D-galactoside, avermectin B1a 4″-β-L-fucoside, and avermectin B1a 4″-β-2-deoxy-D-glucoside. The avermectin B1a glycosides were structurally analyzed based on HR-ESI MS and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and the anti-nematodal effect of avermectin B1a 4″-β-D-glucoside was found to exhibit the highest activity (IC50 = 0.23 μM), which was approximately 32 times greater than that of avermectin B1a (IC50 = 7.30 μM), followed by avermectin B1a 4″-β-2-deoxy-D-glucoside (IC50 = 0.69 μM), avermectin B1a 4″-β-L-fucoside (IC50 = 0.89 μM), and avermectin B1a 4″-β-D-galactoside (IC50 = 1.07 μM). These results show that glycosylation of avermectin B1a effectively enhances its in vitro anti-nematodal activity and that avermectin glycosides can be further applied for treating infestations of the pine wood nematode B. xylophilus.

FtsZ, a bacterial cell-division protein, is an attractive antibacterial target. In the screening for an inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureus FtsZ, madurahydroxylactone (1) and its related derivatives 2-5 were isolated from Nonomuraea sp. AN100570. Compound 1 inhibited S. aureus FtsZ with an IC50 of 53.4 μM and showed potent antibacterial activity against S. aureus and MRSA with an MIC of 1 μg/ml, whereas 2-5 were weak or inactive. Importantly, 1 induced cell elongation in the cell division phenotype assay, whereas 2-5 did not. It indicates that 1 exhibits its potent antibacterial activity via inhibition of FtsZ, and the hydroxyl group and hydroxylactone ring of 1 are critical for the activity. Thus, madurahydroxylactone is a new type of inhibitor of FtsZ.

Screening for new natural anti-neuroinflammatory compounds was performed with the traditional folk medicine Genkwa Flos, which potently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production by LPS-activated microglial BV-2 cells. Two new lathyrane-type diterpenes, genkwalathins A (1) and B (2), and 14 known daphnane-type diterpenes (3–16) were isolated. The lathyrane-type diterpenes were isolated for the first time from the Thymelaeaceae family in this study. Compounds 1 and 2 moderately inhibited LPS-induced NO production in BV-2 cells without affecting cell viability, while six daphnane-type diterpenes (3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10) potently reduced NO production with IC50 values less than 1 μM, although they did display weak cytotoxicity. A structure–activity relationship study on the daphnane-type diterpenes indicated that the stereochemistry at C-19, the benzoate group at C-20, and the epoxide moiety could be important for their anti-neuroinflammatory effects.

Menthol has a considerable cooling effect, but the use range of menthol is limited because of its extremely low solubility in water and inherent flavor. (−)-Menthol β-glucoside was determined to be more soluble in water (>27 times) than (−)-menthol α-glucoside; hence, β-anomer-selective glucosylation of menthol is necessary. The in vitro glycosylation of (−)-menthol by uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (BLC) from Bacillus licheniformis generated (−)-menthol β-glucoside and new (−)-menthol β-galactoside and (−)-menthol N-acetylglucosamine. The maximum conversion rate of menthol to (−)-menthol β-d-glucoside by BLC was found to be 58.9%. Importantly, (−)-menthol β-d-glucoside had a higher cooling effect and no flavor compared with menthol. In addition, (−)-menthol β-d-glucoside was determined to be a non-sensitizer in a skin allergy test in the human cell line activation test, whereas menthol was a sensitizer. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13568-017-0468-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The methanol extract of the roots and stems of Daphne genkwa and its constituents yuanhuacin (1) and genkwanine N were previously reported to have Nurr1 activating effects and neuroprotective effects in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, four more daphnane-type diterpenes (acutilonine F (2), wikstroemia factor M1 (3), yuanhuadine (5), and yuanhuatine (6)) and two phorbol-type diterpenes (prostratin Q (4) and 12-O-n-deca-2,4,6-trienoyl-phorbol-(13)-acetate (7)) were isolated as Nurr1 activating compounds from the D. genkwa extract. Consistent with their higher Nurr1 activating activity, compounds 1, 4, 5, and 7 exhibited higher inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in murine microglial BV-2 cells with an IC50 (µM) of 1-2, which was 15-30 times more potent than that of minocycline (29.9 µM), a well-known anti-neuroinflammatory agent. Additionally, these diterpenes reduced expression and transcription of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in BV-2 cells. Thus, the daphnane-type and phorbol-type diterpenes had anti-neuroinflammatory activity with Nurr1 activation and could be responsible for the anti-PD effect of the roots and stems of D. genkwa.

The Cockcroft-Gault (CG) formula is recommended to guide clinicians in the choice of the appropriate dosage for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). However, the performance of the CG formula varies depending on the patient&rsquo, s age, weight, and degree of renal function. We aimed to compare the validity of the CG formula with that of Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formulae for dosing DOACs. A total of 6268 consecutive patients on anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation (AF) were retrospectively investigated. Among underweight and elderly patients, the CG formula underestimated renal function compared with the non-CG formulae. However, the concordant rate of drug indications between the CG and the non-CG formulae was approximately 94%. On-label uses under the three formulae were associated with a lower risk of major bleeding (but not thromboembolism) compared to warfarin. Although we found differences in estimating renal function and the proportions of drug indications between the CG and non-CG formulae, the risks of thromboembolism and major bleeding were similar to those with warfarin regardless of which formula was used.

A new microbial decontamination system combining washing with a natural antimicrobial solution and coating with a carnauba wax (CW)-based antimicrobial coating was developed and its effects on mandarin storability were investigated. Mandarins were washed with an antimicrobial solution and/or coated with grapefruit seed extract-CW (GSE/CW). Values for the disease incidence of Penicillium digitatum in untreated mandarins; mandarins coated with GSE/CW without washing; and mandarins coated with GSE/CW after washing with a fumaric acid (FA) solution of slightly acidic electrolyzed water, a highly activated calcium oxide (CaO) aqueous solution, or CaO solution followed by FA solution were 96.0, 70.0, 78.8, 50.0, and 72.2%, respectively. GSE/CW coating after CaO washing was most effective in inhibiting P. digitatum growth during storage at 25 °C. Compared to untreated samples, GSE/CW coating alone or after CaO washing retained CO2 generation, firmness, and total polyphenol content of mandarins at 25 °C. Such treatments also effectively maintained mandarin pH, ascorbic acid concentration, and antioxidant capacity at both 4 and 25 °C. Moreover, GSE/CW coating after CaO washing more effectively inhibited P. digitatum growth at 25 °C and maintained ascorbic acid concentration and antioxidant capacity at 4 and 25 °C than GSE/CW coating alone. The microbial decontamination system integrating CaO washing and GSE/CW coating demonstrates potential for improving mandarin storability by inhibiting P. digitatum growth and improving the preservation of quality properties and sensory characteristics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This is the first study to develop a microbial decontamination system involving both washing with a natural antimicrobial solution and carnauba wax coating containing grapefruit seed extract to improve the storability of fruits. This system demonstrated a primary effect of inhibiting fungi that cause mandarin surface decay at 25 °C via the highly activated calcium oxide wash and secondary effects of delaying quality degradation and inhibiting fungal growth by the action of the antimicrobial coating. These effects led to improvements in mandarin storability, along with enhanced visual appeal while not affecting taste, flavor, or texture.

Carbon black particles surrounded by copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were synthesized using electroless plating method. Palladium chloride was adsorbed onto carbon black, followed by the reduction of palladium chloride for catalyzing the reduction of Cu ions on the surface of carbon black particles. After that, carbon black particles doped by palladium catalyst were dispersed and stirred in Cu plating bath. Cu ions being reduced, Cu NPs surrounded the surface of carbon black particles (Cu@CB). The ratios of Cu to carbon black were controlled through variation of weight of Cu ions in Cu plating bath from 1:1 to 1:7. Cu@CB was applied to electrically conductive substrates with ethyl cellulose binder. Electrical properties and morphology were measured and compared with different weight ratio of Cu and carbon black. It was found that when weight ratio of Cu to carbon black was above three, resistivity of conductive substrates fabricated decreased dramatically. Lowest resistivity was 5.93 × 10−4 Ωcm, confirming the advantages of Cu@CB which has possibility of lowering weight percentage of metal in conductive substrates through simple process.

83 Copyright c 2016 The Korean Association of Internal Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Received: 2014. 6. 17 Revised: 2014. 8. 21 Accepted: 2014. 10. 13

This study investigated the effects of washing and packaging combined treatments on satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) quality during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. The treatments involved the combinations of washing using calcium oxide (CaO, 0.2%) solution, carnauba wax coating with grapefruit seed extract (1%) (CW coating), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) using O2–CO2–N2 (9.9%, 2.1%, and 88.0%, respectively). The growth of P. digitatum was inhibited across all samples at 4 °C and 25 °C. CaO washing delayed the increase in mandarin CO2 generation during storage at both temperatures and the decrease in antioxidant capacity at 4 °C. CW coating retarded the increase in CO2 generation and the decrease in firmness and antioxidant capacity at both temperatures. MAP delayed the decrease in ascorbic acid concentration at 25 °C and the increase in CO2 generation at 4 °C and 25 °C and also retarded the reduction in antioxidant capacity with or without CaO washing at both temperatures. The combination of three treatments effectively delayed decreases in firmness, ascorbic acid concentration, and antioxidant capacity, and retarded increases in the CO2 generation of mandarins during storage, which demonstrates the potential effectiveness of combined treatments in extending the shelf life of mandarins.

OBJECTIVE An advantage of surgical treatment over conservative treatment of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is controversial. Recent reports suggest that contrast extravasations on CT angiography (CTA) might serve as a crucial predictor of hematoma expansion and mortality. The purpose of this study was aimed at investigating the efficacy of surgical treatment in patients with spot sign positive ICH. METHODS We used our institutional medical data search system to identify all adult patients who admitted for treatment of ICH between January 1, 2007 and January 31, 2012. Patients were classified two groups into a surgical group (n=27) and a conservative treatment group (n=28). Admission criteria were the following: age 20-79 years, spontaneous supratentorial ICH, Glasgow Coma Score Ranging from 9 to 14, ICH volume ≥20 mL, and treatment within 24 hours. RESULTS Fifty-five patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference in the ICU stay between the conservative treatment group (7.36±3.66 days) and the surgical treatment group (6.93±2.20 days; p=0.950). There was a significant difference in the in-hospital stay between the conservative treatment group (13.93±8.87 days) and the surgical treatment group (20.33±6.37 days; p=0.001). Overall mortality at day 90 after ICH was 36.4%; this included 16 of 28 patients (57.1%) in the conservative group and 4 of 27 patients (14.8%) in the surgical group. In univariate analysis, there was a positive effect of the surgical treatment in reducing mortality at 90 days (p=0.002), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 90-day (p=0.006), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90-day (p=0.023). In multivariate logistic analysis, there was a significant difference in mortality (odds ratio, 0.211; 95% confidence interval, 0.049-0.906; p=0.036) between the groups at 90-day follow-up. However, there was no significant difference in GOS (odds ratio, 0.371; 95% confidence interval, 0.031-4.446; p=0.434) and mRS (odds ratio, 1.041; 95% confidence interval, 0.086-12.637; p=0.975) between the groups at 90-day follow-up. CONCLUSION In this study of surgical treatment of supratentorial ICH in patients with spot sign positive in CTA was associated with less mortality despite of long duration of in-hospital stay. We failed to show that clinical outcome benefit of surgical treatment compared with conservative treatment in patients with spot sign positive ICH.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is caused by tortuous offending vessels near the facial nerve root exit zone. However, the definitive mechanism of offending vessel formation remains unclear. We hypothesized that vascular angulation and tortuosity, probably caused by uneven vertebral artery blood flow, result in vascular compression of the facial nerve root exit zone. The authors observed two anatomical characteristics of the vertebrobasilar arterial system in 120 subjects in the surgical group and 188 controls. The presence of the dominant vertebral artery (DVA) and laterality of the vertebrobasilar junction (VBJ) were observed. We also analyzed the morphological characteristics of the surgical group showing the presence of DVA. The morphological characteristics were classified into three types: type I had the VBJ and DVA on the same side, type II had the VBJ within 2 mm of the midline, and type III had the VBJ opposite the DVA. The DVA was more prevalent in the surgical group than in the control group (71 % versus 54 %, P

Films containing microencapsulated cinnamon oil (CO) were developed using a large-scale production system to protect against the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). CO at concentrations of 0%, 0.8%, or 1.7% (w/w ink mixture) was microencapsulated with polyvinyl alcohol. The microencapsulated CO emulsion was mixed with ink (47% or 59%, w/w) and thinner (20% or 25%, w/w) and coated on polypropylene (PP) films. The PP film was then laminated with a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film on the coated side. The film with microencapsulated CO at 1.7% repelled P. interpunctella most effectively. Microencapsulation did not negatively affect insect repelling activity. The release rate of cinnamaldehyde, an active repellent, was lower when CO was microencapsulated than that in the absence of microencapsulation. Thermogravimetric analysis exhibited that microencapsulation prevented the volatilization of CO. The tensile strength, percentage elongation at break, elastic modulus, and water vapor permeability of the films indicated that microencapsulation did not affect the tensile and moisture barrier properties (P0.05). The results of this study suggest that effective films for the prevention of Indian meal moth invasion can be produced by the microencapsulation of CO using a large-scale film production system.Low-density polyethylene-laminated polypropylene films printed with ink incorporating microencapsulated cinnamon oil using a large-scale film production system effectively repelled Indian meal moth larvae. Without altering the tensile and moisture barrier properties of the film, microencapsulation resulted in the release of an active repellent for extended periods with a high thermal stability of cinnamon oil, enabling commercial film production at high temperatures. This anti-insect film system may have applications to other food-packaging films that use the same ink-printing platform.

The methanol extract of the roots and stems of Daphne genkwa and its constituents yuanhuacin (1) and genkwanine N were previously reported to have Nurr1 activating effects and neuroprotective effects in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, four more daphnane-type diterpenes (acutilonine F (2), wikstroemia factor M

Avermectin produced by Streptomyces avermitilis is an anti-nematodal agent against the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. However, its potential usage is limited by its poor water solubility. For this reason, continuous efforts are underway to produce new derivatives that are more water soluble. Here, the enzymatic glycosylation of avermectin was catalyzed by uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase from Bacillus licheniformis with various UDP sugars. As a result, the following four avermectin B

Traumatic intracranial pseudoaneurysms occurring after blunt head injuries are rare. We report an unusual case of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by rupturing of the traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA) bifurcation that resulted from a non-penetrating injury. In a patient with severe headache and SAH in the right sylvian cistern, which developed within 7 days after a blunt-force head injury, a trans-femoral cerebral angiogram (TFCA) showed aneurysmal sac which was insufficient to confirm the pseudoaneurysm. We obtained a multi-slab image of three dimensional time of flight (TOF) of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). The source image of the gadolinium-enhanced MRA revealed an intimal flap within the intracranial ICA bifurcation, providing a clue for the diagnosis of a dissecting pseudoaneurysm at the ICA bifurcation due to blunt head trauma. We performed direct aneurysmal neck clipping, without neurological deficit. A follow-up TFCA did not show either aneurysm sac or luminal narrowing. We suggest that in the patient with a history of blunt head injury with SAH following shortly, multi-slab image of 3D TOF MRA can give visualization of the presence of a pseudoaneurysm.

Coil migration into the parent artery during endovascular coil embolization is a rare, but life-threatening complication, which can induce thromboembolism and result in poor outcome. A 63-year-old man was referred to Chonbuk National University Hospital emergency center due to migration of a coil for a left middle cerebral artery bifurcation unruptured aneurysm. We performed an emergency craniectomy to remove the coil migrated to the distal M2 branch and thrombus, and aneurysmal neck clipping for his aneurysm. Fortunately, at the six month follow-up, the patient did not show any noticeable neurological sequela. In case of parent artery occlusion due to coil migration an immediate recanalization should be performed by a neurovascular specialist who can provide both surgical treatment and endovascular management in order to prevent severe sequela or even death.

화학적 에너지를 전기적 에너지로 변환시켜주는 장치 중 하나인 리튬 이차전지는 에너지 밀도가 높고 자연방전이 적으며 기억효과가 없기 때문에 핸드폰, MP3, 노트북 등과 같은 모바일 기기와 인공위성과 같은 다양한 분야에 적용되고 있다. 1990년대 핸드폰과 같은 모바일 기기의 등장과 함께 리튬 이차전지의 상용화가 시작되면서 전지관련 기술은 급속도로 발전하기 시작하였다. 이후 고유가와 지구온난화로 인해 전기자동차에 대한 관심이 커지면서 차세대 에너지솔루션으로 자리매김하였다. 전기자동차용 배터리로 최근 검토되고 있는 리튬 이차전지는 기존의 모바일용으로 사용되던 리튬 이차전지보다 더 우수하고 최적화된 용량과 출력, 안전성 등의 특성을 요구하고 있다. 리튬 이차전지에 대한 요구는 전자제품과 전기자동차 등의 분야에서 시간이 갈수록 증가하고 있다. 하지만 실제 리튬 이차전지의 성능발전 속도는 시장의 요구를 완벽하게 만족시키고 있지는 못하는 수준이다. 이는 전지의 성능에 대한 검증기간과도 연결이 되는데, 일반적으로 리튬 이차전지Key Words: Lithium-Ion Battery(리튬이온전지), Current Density(전류밀도), Data Mining(데이터마이닝), Decision Tree(의사결정나무), Artificial Neural Network(인공신경망), Weight Analysis(가중치분석) 초록: 본 연구에서는 데이터 마이닝의 방법인 의사결정나무와 인공신경망을 이용하여 리튬 이차전지의 전류밀도 특성에 대해 핵심 설계 인자를 도출하고 비교하였다. 먼저 의사결정나무-인공신경망 모델을 이용한 설계방법으로, 비선형성을 나타내는 초기 극판 설계인자들 중에 의사결정나무 모델을 통해 주요 설계 인자를 도출한 다음 인공신경망을 이용하여 설계인자들 간의 중요도와 전류밀도와의 가중치 분석을 수행하였다. 두 번째 방법은 인공신경망 모델만을 이용한 방법으로, 초기 설계인자들을 별도의 주요인자 도출 과정 없이 모두 인공신경망을 구축하는데 사용하여 전류밀도와의 연관성 및 가중치를 분석하였다. Abstract: In the present study, a decision tree and artificial neural network were used to determine critical design parameters for lithium ion batteries and compare their performances. First, a design method that used a decision tree-artificial neural network model was used to determine the major design factors among early pole plate design factors that showed nonlinearity. Then, the artificial neural network was used to implement a weighted value analysis of the importance of the design factors and their effect on the current density. The second method involved the use of an artificial neural network model to construct artificial networks without separate determinations of the major early design factors to analyze the connections and weighted values related to the current density.

The Doctor Blade is mounted to a toner cartridge and applies consistent pressure to the development roller. This part enables the toner adhering to the development roller to form a layer of consistent thickness. The contact pressure between the development roller and the Doctor Blade is an important factor determining not only image quality, but also toner cartridge durability. In this study, test points were extracted using a central composite design method and contact analysis was carried out using NASTRAN, an FEM tool. In addition, based on measurements of toner weight by unit area and image concentrations through sample production and experiments under various conditions, approximated models were derived using the response surface method. With approximated modeling of contact pressure set as an objective function, and approximated modeling in relation to experimental values set as constraint conditions, the optimal solution was derived by applying the optimization technique of genetic algorithms. Moreover, by applying the optimal solution to an actual sample, its reliability was verified through comparison of the optimal results of genetic algorithms with the actual solutions.

For analysis of greenhouse environments using big data, measuring data should be continuously collected without data loss caused by sensing and networking problems. Recently, deep learning approach has been widely used for precision agriculture. However, in order to use deep learning methods, the enormous amount of reliable data is necessary. The objective of this study is to compare the interpolation accuracy of greenhouse environment data using multilayer perceptron (MLP) with existing statistical and machine learning methods. Linear and spline interpolations were selected as statistical methods, and linear models, MLP and random forest (RF) were selected as machine learning methods. The raw data used for interpolation were greenhouse environment data collected from October 2, 2016 to May 31, 2018 where Irwin mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Irwin) trees were cultivated. As a result, the linear interpolation method showed the highest R2 (average 0.96) in short-term data loss conditions, but the MLP showed R2 = 0.95. However, in long-term data loss conditions, the accuracies of the linear, spline, and regression interpolations decreased, but the accuracies of the MLP and RF remained stable. However, MLP showed better accuracies than RF. Therefore, the MLP was better suited to interpolating greenhouse environment data because short- and long-term data loss actually occurred simultaneously when collecting greenhouse environment data. The trained MLP showed the high accuracy in both short- and long-term data interpolations, indicating that MLP can also be complementally used with existing methods. The trained MLP accurately estimated the missing data in the greenhouse and will contribute to the analysis of big data collected from greenhouses.

Seven new coralmycin derivatives, coralmycins C (1), D (2), E (3), F (4), G (5), H (6), and I (7), along with three known compounds, cystobactamids 891-2 (8), 905-2 (9), and 507 (10), were isolated from a large-scale culture of the myxobacteria Corallococcus coralloides M23. The structures of these compounds, including their relative stereochemistries, were elucidated by interpretation of their spectroscopic and CD data. The structure-activity relationships of their antibacterial and DNA gyrase inhibitory activities indicated that the para-nitrobenzoic acid unit is critical for the inhibition of DNA gyrase and bacterial growth, while the nitro moiety of the para-nitrobenzoic acid unit and the isopropyl chain at C-4 could be important for permeability into certain Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the &beta, methoxyasparagine moiety could affect cellular uptake into all tested bacteria. These results could facilitate the chemical optimization of coralmycins for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

The global business circumstances are rapidly changed so the design optimization which is related to quality engineering is needed than ever. In case of the robot casting the tolerance of material and variation of material property are the main cause of quality issues and such a reason quality based design optimization is urgently needed. Robust design gives robustness to the objective function considering tolerance and variation of material property while in the reliability based design, they are controlled by probability of constraint violation. In this study, two other quality engineering methods are done about same robot casting and compare with each other. During that process, some technical theory is applied. Sensitivity analysis with the design of experiments is used for reducing control design variable, approximation with central composite design is used to make objective and constraint functions. Genetic algorithm and search direction method is applied to make robust design optimization. For reliability based design optimization, the performance measure approach method is used. Comparing two other quality engineering method means that the robustness of objective and constraint functions which is resulted from robust design has certain results in aspect of reliability which is controlled by probability of constraint violation.