Search

This paper presents a dual-loop two-step ZQ calibration scheme with a 20-nm DRAM process to support dedicated supply voltages ( $V_{DD}$ and $V_{DDQ}$ ). The proposed calibration scheme improves system signal integrity by maintaining the targeted output level ( $V_{\mathrm {OH}}$ ) in dynamic voltage–frequency scaling (DVFS) function, where $V_{DD}$ and $V_{DDQ}$ can be independently controlled to save system power. A two-step conversion algorithm alleviates the increase in calibration time, which is caused by an additional on-die termination (ODT) calibration for command/address (CA). The offset of a dynamic comparator in a ZQ calibration engine is averaged by a fraction-referred input switching-then-averaging (FISA) scheme which minimizes the effect of kickback noise. A code-referred periodic ZQ update (CPZU) scheme tracks the voltage and temperature variation during the background mode while minimizing the chance of malfunction by interference of both DRAM internal noise and external power noise. By applying the DVFS function based on the device usage by the user scenario in this design ( $V_{DD} =1.1$ V and $V_{DDQ} = 0.95$ V) at 1.6 Gbps, the read and the write operating power consumption can be saved by 17.7% and 18.2%, respectively, without a dynamic drop in performance. Therefore, the proposed dual-loop two-step ZQ calibration design improves the overall DRAM power efficiency based on the existing LPDDR4 SDRAM architecture without circuit overhead.

Since localized treatment for vitiligo is as essential as systemic treatment, a reliable instrument for target evaluation is needed besides those for whole body evaluation. We developed the Vitiligo Extent Score for a Target Area (VESTA) using reference images of both marginal and perifollicular repigmentation to measure the repigmentation rate (%) in a target lesion. In the validation study, a total of 65 dermatologists in 10 institutes evaluated 17 pairs of vitiligo images (pre- and post-treatment) using both a rough estimate and the VESTA. The VESTA (concordance correlation coefficient: 0.949, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.942-0.955) was significantly more accurate than the rough estimate (0.896, 95% CI: 0.883-0.908). It was also associated with better inter-rater reliability over the rough estimate, albeit not significant. The VESTA can afford intuitive, convenient, and reliable assessment of the treatment response in a target area, and would be useful in clinical practice as well as retrospective studies.

BACKGROUND Chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) develops in seasons where there is high sun exposure, such as summer, and can persistent throughout the year in severely affected cases. The authors noted that CAD prevalence increased in relation to climate changes and air pollutants. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 294 patients with newly diagnosed CAD between December 2000 and November 2016. We investigated the annual trend of sun hours, humidity, and ground-level ozone and respirable particles (PM10) in Pusan, Korea; correlations between climate change and/or air pollution and the incidence of patient with CAD were analyzed. RESULTS The incidence of patients with CAD apparently increased annually during the period of the study. The majority of patients presented in summer. Pearson's correlation analysis showed an increasing tendency of CAD occurrence to be correlated with sun hours (R = .706, P = .002), ground-level ozone (R = .542, P = .03), and mean air humidity (R = .608, P = .012). Inversely, PM10 showed a negative correlation with CAD occurrence (R = -.713, P = .002). The correlations identified by multiple regression analysis showed a strong positive association between the incidence of CAD and sun hours (P = .029) and a negative association between the incidence of CAD and PM10 (P = .027) (adjusted R2 = .778). CONCLUSION The increased incidence of CAD may be related to sun hours and inversely related to PM10.

Pharmacotherapy among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is effective, but many patients suffer from secondary psychiatric problems even after improvement of ADHD core symptoms. Hippotherapy have been used as adjunct treatment options for physical and psychosocial rehabilitation as well as to ameliorate core symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Hippotherapy versus pharmacotherapy for children with ADHD.Thirty-four participants with ADHD were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either 24 sessions of a twice-weekly hippotherapy or pharmacotherapy. To assess therapeutic effects, the ADHD Rating Scale (ARS) was used pretreatment and posttreatment as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) child and parent report version, Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S), and quantitative electroencephalography.Both groups showed marked improvements in ADHD symptoms, CGI-S. No significant differences between groups were detected regarding treatment outcome except thought problem subscales of CBCL. Twelve weeks of hippotherapy improved attention, impulsivity/hyperactivity, and quality of life.This trial is promising, but further studies are required to evaluate the long-term clinical effectiveness of hippotherapy. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 02482649.

Pyroprocessing technology has been regarded as a promising solution for recycling spent fuel in nuclear power plants. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has been studying the current status of equipment and facilities for pyroprocessing and found that existing facilities are manually operated; therefore, their applications have been limited to laboratory scale because of low productivity and safety concerns. To extend the pyroprocessing technology to a commercial scale, the facility, including all the processing equipment and the material-handling devices, should be enhanced in view of automation. In an automated pyroprocessing facility, a supervised control system is needed to handle and manage material flow and associated operations. This article provides a preliminary design of the supervising system for pyroprocessing. In particular, a manufacturing execution system intended for an automated pyroprocessing facility, named Pyroprocessing Execution System, is proposed, by which the overall production process is automated via systematic collaboration with a planning system and a control system. Moreover, a simulation-based prototype system is presented to illustrate the operability of the proposed Pyroprocessing Execution System, and a simulation study to demonstrate the interoperability of the material-handling equipment with processing equipment is also provided. Keywords: Manufacturing Execution System, Material-handling, Production Automation, Production Planning and Control, Pyroprocessing, Pyroprocessing Execution System

We report the sonographic features of confirmed malignant appendiceal tumors in seven cases. The histologic diagnoses of these tumors were mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (n = 2), colonic type adenocarcinoma (n = 4), and signet-ring cell carcinoma (n = 1). The 2 mucinous cystadenocarcinomas showed mucocele type, which had markedly enlarged inner luminal diameters (mean, 23 mm; range, 15–31 mm) and thick, irregular walls (mean wall thickness, 5.5 mm; range, 5–6 mm). In contrast, the 5 nonmucinous carcinomas (4 adenocarcinomas and 1 signet-ring cell carcinoma) showed nonmucocele type, which had relatively small inner luminal diameters (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 6.6 ± 4.5 mm; range, 2–15 mm) and prominent wall thickening (mean wall thickness ± SD, 6.2 ± 2.3 mm; range, 3–10 mm). Of the 5 nonmucinous tumors, only one had a discernible mass, three had thick irregular walls, two had loss of the wall layer pattern, and four had submucosal hypoechogenicity. Regardless of the histologic type, five of the seven malignant appendiceal tumors showed a severe periappendiceal fat infiltration or periappendiceal abscess, suggestive of perforation. Although the sonographic findings of the malignant appendiceal tumors were nonspecific, some of the sonographic features seen in these seven cases may help radiologists consider the possibility of underlying malignant appendiceal tumors.

원자력 발전 이후에 누적되는 사용후핵연료를 해소하기 위한 다양한 연구가 시도되고 있으며, 특히 건식으로 사용후핵연료 를 재활용하는 파이로 공정이 주목되고 있다. 파이로 공정의 공학규모 실증을 위하여 대형 공정셀을 구비한 PRIDE 시설이 구축되었다. 파이로 공정에 사용되는 용융염의 화학반응성을 고려하여, 공정셀 내부는 아르곤 분위기를 유지한다. 결과적으 로, 작업자가 공정셀 내부에 진입할 수 없으며, 공정셀 내부에 설치된 모든 공정장치는 원격수단에 의해 공정셀 밖에서 원격 조작을 통해 수행한다. 따라서, 공정셀에 설치되는 공정장치는, 설계단계에서 부터 원격작업을 고려하여 설계되어야 하며, 공정셀에 반입하기 전에 원격으로 작동이 가능한지 철저히 검증하여야 한다. 만약, 공정셀에 반입되어 작동하는 단계에서 문제가 발생하는 경우, 장치를 반출하여 수정한 후 재반입하기까지 많은 비용과 시간을 허비하게 된다. 공정장치의 원격성 검증을 위하여, 물리적인 목업을 사용할 뿐 아니라, 설계단계에서 3D 모델을 활용한 가상 검증이 가능하다. 본 연구는, 가상공간에 PRIDE 공정셀을 구성하고, 설계된 공정장치 3D 모델을 입력하여, 원격조작성을 검증하기 위한 PRIDE 3D 시뮬레이터 개발에 관한 것이다. 실제 PRIDE 공정셀의 형상과 공정셀에 설치되는 원격운전 및 유지보수 장치의 움직임을 가상공간에 구현하고, 공정장치의 3D 모델을 실제 설치할 장소에 위치할 수 있도록 하였다. PRIDE 공정셀에 설치 될 전해공정장치의 전극교체 작업을 시뮬레이션 시나리오로 설정하여, 개발된 PRIDE 3D 시뮬레이터의 사용성을 검증하고 자 하였다. 8단계로 이루어진 원격작업 시나리오를 구성하여, 각 단계의 원격작업을 성공적으로 모사함으로써, PRIDE 공정 셀의 원격성 평가를 성공적으로 수행하였다.

4-O-methylhonokiol, a neolignan compound from Magnolia Officinalis, has been reported to have various biological activities including hair growth promoting effect. However, although transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signal pathway has an essential role in the regression induction of hair growth, the effect of 4-O-methylhonokiol on the TGF-β signal pathway has not yet been elucidated. We thus examined the effect of 4-O-methylhonokiol on TGF-β-induced canonical and noncanonical pathways in HaCaT human keratinocytes. When HaCaT cells were pretreated with 4-O-methylhonokiol, TGF-β1-induced G1/G0 phase arrest and TGF-β1-induced p21 expression were decreased. Moreover, 4-O-methylhonokiol inhibited nuclear translocation of Smad2/3, Smad4 and Sp1 in TGF-β1-induced canonical pathway. We observed that ERK phosphorylation by TGF-β1 was significantly attenuated by treatment with 4-O-methylhonokiol. 4-O-methylhonokiol inhibited TGF-β1-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and reduced the increase of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) mRNA level in TGF-β1-induced noncanonical pathway. These results indicate that 4-O-methylhonokiol could inhibit TGF-β1-induced cell cycle arrest through inhibition of canonical and noncanonical pathways in human keratinocyte HaCaT cell and that 4-O-methylhonokiol might have protective action on TGF-β1-induced cell cycle arrest.

To describe distinctive morphologic variations of the prostate associated with the prostatic urethra, and to determine whether structural changes of the urethra within the prostate resulting from gland enlargement, rather than prostrate volume itself, lead to male lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS).After standardizing measurements, 7 ultrasonography-determined variables, that is, prostate volume, transitional zone volume, transitional zone-to-total volume ratio, presence of intraprostatic protrusion, prostatic urethral angle, prostatic urethral length (PUL), and PUL-to-volume ratio (rPUL), were obtained prospectively in 293 men who had not taken LUTS medication during the 3 months prior to initial visits. Correlations between these variables and international prostate symptom scores (IPSS) were then investigated.By simple correlation, only rPUL showed a significant association with IPSS. Multiple linear regression revealed IPSS were significantly correlated with age (beta = .179, P = .04) and rPUL (beta = .139, P = .019). Subanalysis with respect to the symptoms of IPSS revealed only rPUL was correlated with voiding symptoms (Q1,3,5,6; beta = .122, P = .036), and that age alone was correlated with storage symptoms (Q2,4,7; beta = .262, P .001). When dividing 4 groups by applying mean cut-offs for PUL (62 mm) and prostate volume (30 g), long PUL with small volume had significantly higher IPSS score than short PUL with large volume (P = .042).Structural differences of prostate related to prostatic urethra as reflected by rPUL were found to be significantly correlated with the severity of voiding symptoms. This finding suggests structural change of the prostatic urethra inducted by prostate enlargement underlies the development of male LUTS.

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic inflammatory disease affecting multiple aspects of patients' lives. Its epidemiology varies regionally; however, nationwide epidemiologic data on psoriasis depicting profile of Korean patients has not been available to date. OBJECTIVE To understand nationwide epidemiologic characteristics and clinical features of adult patients with psoriasis visited university hospitals in Korea. METHODS This multicenter, non-interventional, cross-sectional study recruited 1,278 adult patients with psoriasis across 25 centers in Korea in 2013. Various clinical data including PASI, BSA, DLQI, SF-36 and PASE were collected. RESULTS A total of 1,260 patients completed the study (male:female=1.47:1). The mean age was 47.0 years with a distribution mostly in the 50s (24.9%). Early onset (

Tendon-driven mechanisms are adopted in remote handling manipulators to reduce the weight of the distal parts of the manipulator while maintaining the handling performance. This study considered several approaches to the design of a gripper system for telemanipulators. According to the requirements of the specified tendon-driven mechanism, the connecting position of the spring system on the gripper mechanism was obtained, and kinematic influence coefficient analysis was performed to select the proper spring stiffness. The results showed that the tension force generated by the selected spring module is relatively constant in the gripper’s motion range; the spring module is advantageous for the semi-automatic gripper motion of servo-based tendon-driven manipulators performed in non-accessible experimental facilities which handles many types of sensitive measuring devices with hazardous materials. The motion performance of the proposed gripper module was comparatively verified with a commercialized gripper system which has similar specifications. Additionally, an eye-in-hand camera was also designed to obtain an active-view through a gripper for efficient teleoperation. This gripper system uses a modular-type camera head that can be changed remotely and a proper camera angle to achieve an intuitive view of the remote site. The designed camera system was tested in a large-scale confined cell facility remotely and verified the practical usability for remote handling manipulators.

A 5Gb/s/pin 16Gb LPDDR4/4X reconfigurable SDRAM with a self-mode detection scheme, a voltage-high keeper (VHK) for un-terminated load and a prediction-based fast-tracking ZQ algorithm is implemented in 10nm class ($2^{nd}$ generation) DRAM process. Providing a reconfigurable LVSTL with a mode detection scheme to support two different DRAM interface standards (LPDDR4/4X) depending on I/O supply voltage $(V_{DDQ})$, a proposed design can maintain the system compatibility and longevity to the legacy controller and the PHY structure. The VHK for LPDDR4 enables the 3.2Gb/s operation in the un-terminated load similar to LPDDR4X by alleviating the inter symbol interference (ISI) through the controlled leakage current. In a ZQ calibration, the proposed ZQ algorithm achieves fast ZQ code searching, the calibration time can be reduced by 30% in PVT variation. Moreover, an internal ZQ calibration (IZQC) is newly adopted to minimize the variation of the driver strength to PVT variation.

To assess the status and impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a community-based sample of Korean adult males. We analyzed the data of 101,606 adult males aged ≥ 19 years of age obtained during the 2011 Korean Community Health Survey. Subject data were assessed for LUTS and HRQoL using international prostate symptom scores, and EuroQol-five-dimensions three-level version (EQ-5D-3L) and EuroQol-visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) scores. Of the 101,606 subjects, 53,323 (52.5%) reported having at least one LUTS and 3116 (3.1%) had an IPSS of ≥ 20, indicating severe LUTS. In those aged 19–39 years, 28.7% (8343/29,072) reported they had mild to severe LUTS. The prevalence of LUTS was high among those aged 40–59 years (47.7%), 60–79 years (80.5%), and ≥ 80 years (91.2%). In addition, EQ-5D-3L and EQ-VAS scores decreased as LUTS severity and frequency increased. Adult men of all ages with mild to severe LUTS have poorer health statuses and quality of life. Even among young males, LUTS severity and was found to negatively affect HRQoL.

Objective: To use both acellular human dermis and skin grafting simultaneously for improved skin grafting without contracture. The study also aims to address the lack of research on the application of an acellular human dermis in diverse clinical cases. Method: The study examined patients who had received acellular human dermis (CGDerm, CGBio, Seoul, Korea) and split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) simultaneously for lower limb, full-thickness skin defects between September 2012 and June 2014. The researchers performed chart reviews retrospectively and examined the patients based on the following factors: gender, age, injury mechanism, size, exposed structure, pre-coverage dressing method, coverage method, post-operational engraftment and total healing period, contracture development, elasticity, and infection development. Results: A sample of 27 patients with a total of 30 wounds took part in the study. Of these wounds, 29 showed successful engraftment without infection or contracture. In one case, continued seroma was observed and, following new coverage of both the acellular human dermis and STSG, engraftment was successful. Conclusion: Human dermis can play an important role in securing the availability of surrounding tissue and in contracture prevention, both of which are key to lower limb reconstruction. Of the types available, acellular human dermis showed lower infection rates than other human dermis types, and its engraftment rate was higher than in STSG-only cases. These findings suggest that acellular human dermis use in STSG is effective and safe in lower limb reconstruction.

Introduction To our knowledge, this study is the first to identify the predictive factors and outcomes of prolonged operative time associated with laparoscopic appendectomy. We aimed to identify preoperative factors that influence operation time and to determine how operative time affects laparoscopic appendectomy outcomes. Methods The medical records of 3049 patients who had undergone laparoscopic appendectomy between January 2008 and December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Prolonged operative time was defined in the top 10% according to distribution (>90 min). A multivariate regression model was generated to assess potential predictive factors and outcomes of prolonged operative time. Results In laparoscopic appendectomy for non-perforated appendicitis, independent factors that predict a prolonged operative time as identified through multivariate analysis were elevated C-reactive protein levels, symptom duration of more than 3 days, and computed tomography findings indicating an appendiceal diameter of more than 10 mm. In laparoscopic appendectomy for perforated appendicitis, overweight, elevated C-reactive protein, symptom duration of more than 3 days, and computed tomography findings of abscess were independent predictive factors for prolonged operative time. Prolonged surgery increases the risk of complications, prolonged hospital stay, and readmission. Conclusions Overweight, elevated C-reactive protein, symptom duration of more than 3 days, appendiceal diameter of more than 10 mm, and abscess were independent predictive factors of prolonged operative time. Furthermore, prolonged operative time was associated with adverse postoperative outcomes after laparoscopic appendectomy.

The Advanced spent fuel Conditioning Process Facility (ACPF) at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has recently been successfully renovated. One of the highlights of this renovation project was the installation of a small argon compartment within the atmospheric hot cell of the facility. Even though a crane system was considered necessary for the remote handling of the processing equipment inside the argon compartment, no suitable commercial cranes were available. This was because a limited amount of space had been reserved for the installation of the crane. Moreover, a master-slave manipulator (MSM), the only available means of maintenance of the crane, was unable to reach it in the limited workspace. To address the difficulties in the design of this crane, in this study, a remote actuation mechanism is devised where the mechanical and electrical parts of the crane system are separated, positioned far away from each other, and connected through power transmission shafts. This approach has two main advantages. First, the electrical parts can be placed inside the workspace of the MSM, hence allowing for remote maintenance. Second, the space occupied by the electrical parts and their cables, which are separate from the crane in the proposed design, can be considered and exploited in designing the mechanical parts of the crane. This enables the construction of a short, special crane in order to maximize the workspace. Furthermore, the mechanical parts for the MSM located outside the workspace are designed to possess a high safety margin to ensure durability. An accurate servo-control system is also developed based on absolute positioning measurement. This allows for the safer performance of perform through automatic operation.

Background Chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) has a more complicated pathogenetic basis than others. The clinical grading system and its correlations with the clinical and immunological parameters still remained to be investigated to define the nature of CAD in a more detailed manner. Objectives We investigated correlations of the clinical severity score of CAD (CSS-CAD) with the clinical and immunological parameters. Methods We evaluated 72 patients with CAD and classified them into three groups according to the CSS-CAD. We analysed total IgE level, peripheral blood (PB) eosinophil count, the ratio of Th2cell (CCR4 + CD4 +) percentage over Th1 cell (CXCR3 + CD4 +) percentage (Th2/Th1) and/or the sum of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells. Results The total IgE levels and the percentage of PB eosinophils were higher in the severer group than other groups. A shift towards Th2 from Th2/Th1 balanced status may be affected by total counts of suppressor T cells, and the patient with higher Th2/Th1 ratio than balanced status had the more proportion in the severer CSS-CAD group than other groups. Conclusion The CSS-CAD correlates with total IgE level, PB eosinophil count and a shift towards Th2 immunity from Th2/Th1. So we suggest the Th1/Th2 dysbalance may be affected by the CSS-CAD.

Background: We evaluated ultrasonography variables associated with the improvement of nocturia after administration of alpha adrenoceptor antagonist (alpha blocker) monotherapy. Methods: From February to October 2014, 679 men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) underwent ultrasonography including prostate volume, transitional zone volume, prostatic urethral length, the ratio between prostatic urethral length and prostate volume (RPUL), intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP), and prostatic urethral angle (PUA). Among them, 108 men who had pre-treatment nocturia without nocturnal polyuria (nocturnal polyuria index

Paired box gene 3 (Pax3) and cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) directly interact with the cis-acting elements on the promoter of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor isoform M (MITF-M) for transcriptional activation in the melanogenic process. Tyrosinase (Tyro) is a target gene of MITF-M, and functions as a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis. Tetrahydroquinoline carboxamide (THQC) was previously screened as an antimelanogenic candidate. In the current study, we evaluated the antimelanogenic activity of THQC in vivo and elucidated a possible mechanism. Topical treatment with THQC mitigated ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin pigmentation in guinea pig with decreased messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of melanogenic genes such as MITF-M and Tyro. Moreover, THQC inhibited cAMP-induced melanin production in &alpha, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (&alpha, MSH)- or histamine-activated B16-F0 cells, in which it suppressed the expression of the MITF-M gene at the promoter level. As a mechanism, THQC normalized the protein levels of Pax3, a transcriptional activator of the MITF-M gene, in UVB-exposed and pigmented skin, as well as in &alpha, MSH-activated B16-F0 culture. However, THQC did not affect UVB- or &alpha, MSH-induced phosphorylation (activation) of CREB. The results suggest that suppression of the Pax3&ndash, MITF-M axis might be a potential strategy in the treatment of skin pigmentary disorders that are at high risk under UVB radiation.

Jang, C.J.; Kim, K.H.; Jung, H.; Do, K.; Yoo, J.; Kim, Y.S., and Lim, H.S., 2020. Future changes in significant wave heights in the East/Japan Sea. In: Malvarez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 1443-1448. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Future changes in wave climate play a crucial role in both coastal safety by changing coastal environments including erosion and marine ecosystem mainly by modulating nutrient input through vertical mixing changes. In this study, we investigated future changes in significant wave heights (SWHs) in the East/Japan Sea by using a regional wave model forced with future winds in the mid-21 century based on the RCP4.5 scenario. The future wind field was obtained from a regional climate model (SNU-MM5) contributing to CORDEX-EA (COordinated Regional climate Downscaling EXperiment-East Asia) project. In general, the mean SWHs are projected to increase, with a seasonally contrasting pattern: a greater increase in summer than in winter. In addition to the seasonal contrast, a basin-wide difference is also noticeable: larger changes in the northern basin than in the southern basin. The 99th percentile SWHs, a measure of extreme SWHs, show a significant spatial variation, with a maximum increase near Vladivostok, where a considerable intensification of wind is projected. Our findings suggest that the projected future changes in SWHs in the East/Japan Sea can be considerably different depending on seasons and basins.

Background Vitiligo is a skin depigmentation disorder, for which, repigmentation treatment with combined follicular unit extraction (FUE) graft and narrowband ultraviolet B (NBUVB) is considered superior to micro-punch graft therapy. BMP4 can induce MITF expression in Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), and α-MSH subsequently promotes the differentiation of MITF-expressing cells along the melanocyte lineage. Objective To investigate why FUE grafting is superior to epidermal mini grafting in promoting hair follicles (HF) melanocyte cell survival and longevity, we planned the in vitro experiments HF bulge NCSCs differentiate into melanocyte precursors under the co-treatment of BMP4 and α-MSH. Methods Cells that migrated from the HF bulge of scalp were cultured and assessed using immunofluorescence. Transcriptome analysis was performed on RNA sequencing results. Results Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes the proliferation and survival of NCSCs, with spontaneous differentiation into SOX10+/SOX2+ glial progenitors, but not into SOX10+/MITF+ precursor melanocytes. Both BMP4 and α-MSH promoted the differentiation into MITF-expressing cells. RNA sequencing revealed a downregulation in neuregulin-1 (NRG1) and sermaphorin 3C (SEMA3C), and upregulation in WNT10A. Furthermore, FUE grafting had a source of reservoir melanocytes superior to mini- grafting in treatment for vitiligo. Conclusion We obtained SOX10+/MITF+ precursor melanocytes through an induction of differentiation along the melanocyte lineage by BMP4 and α-MSH. According to the RNA sequencing results that NRG1 and SEMA3C were downregulated and WNT10A was upregulated, we postulated that HF NCSCs differentiated into melanocyte by co-treatment of BMP4 and α-MSH. Overall, FUE grafting is a more robust and substitutive treatment option for vitiligo.

The purpose of this study is evaluate emission characteristics, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter (PM), of excavator with Tier-4f level diesel engine in the real work conditions. The test excavator has an engine power of 124 kW at an engine speed of 1800rpm, and it has various after-treatment devices, such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), to reduce the engine-out emissions. The emissions including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxides (CO2), and NOx, were measured by portable emission measurement system (PEMS). The PEMS device conducted a correlation analysis with the emission bench on the engine dynamometer before being used to measure the real-work to confirm the reliability of the equipment. The tests were carried out in four categories: idling, driving, excavations and flattening. It revealed that the average power output for each operation mode was higher in the order of flattening, excavation, and drive. On average, those are higher than that for the non-road transient cycle (NRTC) certification mode as 1.5 to 1.9 times. It may be determined that the power output is higher in conditions where there are more boom and bucket movements than the movement of the vehicle itself. In emission analysis, NOx and HC emission in driving mode are higher than other two modes: excavation and flattening. The real time NOx have been low in most test conditions, but large quantities of NOx have been released due to the deactivation of the SCR catalyst during cold start period or immediately after the non-working.

This paper presents a wide-frequency-range, self-calibrating, built-off-test (BOT) transceiver for a DDR4 SDRAM interface. The proposed BOT transceiver consists of a data transceiver, a phase-locked loop, a delay-locked loop, a self-timing calibration (STC) circuit with a 90-degree phase shifter, and a self-voltage calibration (SVC) circuit. In particular, with both the STC and SVC circuits, data channel skew is effectively compensated, and the voltage margin can be maximized while the DDR4 SDRAM is communicating with the test equipment. The BOT transceiver is realized in 20-nm DRAM CMOS technology. Using the fabricated BOT transceiver, we have successfully demonstrated 3.2-Gb/s/pin testing for DDR4 SDRAM with a 1.0-V supply voltage.