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Euna Cho,1,2,* Eun Jin Ryu,2,3,* Fen Jiang,2,4 Ung Bae Jeon,3 Mong Cho,1,2 Cy Hyun Kim,1 Miyoung Kim,1 Nam Deuk Kim,5 Tae-Ho Hwang1,2 1Department of Pharmacology and Medical Research Center (MRC), Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea; 2Department of Research and Development, Bionoxx Inc, Seongnam-si, Korea; 3Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea; 4School of Pharmaceutical Science (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; 5Department of Pharmacy and Pusan Cancer Research Center, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Oncolytic poxvirus has shown promise in treating various solid tumors, such as liver cancer, and administration of oncolytic poxvirus via the hepatic artery may provide more survival benefits than other routes of administration. However, there is a lack of safety information to guide the application of hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) of oncolytic poxvirus in human studies. To investigate the acute and chronic toxicity of HAI administration of oncolytic poxvirus in animals and provide safety information for future human studies. Methods: VVtk-, a vaccinia poxvirus with inactivated thymidine kinase gene, was administered via HAI to rabbits with normal liver function under angiography (1×108 or 1×109 pfu), and rats with N-nitrosomorpholine-induced precancerous liver cirrhosis under open surgery (1×108 pfu). Body weights and survival were monitored and blood samples were collected for hematological and biochemical tests. Distribution of A56 (a specific marker for poxvirus infection) in rabbit organs was evaluated using immunofluorescence assays. Results: HAI of high doses of VVtk- did not cause any acute or chronic changes in body weight, survival or in biochemical, hematological tests in the 2 animal models, and none of the changes showed dose dependency (in rabbit study), or were influenced by liver cirrhosis (in rat study). A56 was not detected in any of the major rabbit organs. Conclusion: HAI may provide a safe alternative route of oncolytic poxvirus administration for human studies. Keywords: oncolytic virus, transhepatic angiography, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis

Background: Smaller studies have evaluated SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR and GNβ3 825C>T polymorphisms in IBS, and interactions between 5-HTT LPR with life events have been reported in the psychiatric literature, but gene-environment studies in IBS are lacking.Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the association of two polymorphisms with IBS and age of onset, and whether there are gene-environment interactions with IBS.Methods: Outpatients with IBS and controls completed a validated questionnaire and provided blood for DNA. Comparisons of genotype/allele frequencies between cases and controls were performed with logistic regression. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the variants and age of onset. Environmental variables tested included abuse, parental alcohol abuse, parental psychiatric disorders, and gastrointestinal infections.Results: Genotyping was performed in 385 cases and 262 controls with median age of 50 years (range, 18.0-70.0) and 498 (77 %) females. The IBS subtype distribution among cases was: 102 (26 %) D-IBS, 40 (10 %) C-IBS, 125 (32 %) M-IBS, 118 (31 %) other. No association was observed between IBS or age of onset and both variants. Significant interactions were observed between GI infection and the GNβ3 825T allele. For those reporting gastrointestinal infection, the OR for IBS was 3.9 (95 % CI 1.2-12.7) whereas the OR was 0.86 (95 % CI 0.65-1.13) for those without prior infection.Conclusions: There was a significant interaction between the GNβ3 polymorphism and infection in the development of IBS, suggesting that its etiology is the result of a combination of specific genetic and environmental risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effectiveness of a stress coping program based on mindfulness meditation on the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by nursing students in Korea. A nonequivalent, control group, pre-posttest design was used. A convenience sample of 41 nursing students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=21) and control groups (n=20). Stress was measured with the PWI-SF (5-point) developed by Chang. Anxiety was measured with Spieberger's state anxiety inventory. Depression was measured with the Beck depression inventory. The experimental group attended 90-min sessions for eight weeks. No intervention was administered to the control group. Nine participants were excluded from the analysis because they did not complete the study due to personal circumstances, resulting in 16 participants in each group for the final analysis. Results for the two groups showed (1) a significant difference in stress scores (F=6.145, p=0.020), (2) a significant difference in anxiety scores (F=6.985, p=0.013), and (3) no significant difference in depression scores (t=1.986, p=0.056). A stress coping program based on mindfulness meditation was an effective intervention for nursing students to decrease their stress and anxiety, and could be used to manage stress in student nurses. In the future, long-term studies should be pursued to standardize and detail the program, with particular emphasis on studies to confirm the effects of the program in patients with diseases, such as cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper is a report of a study performed to identify the predictors of mammography uptake for Korean women according to the stage of change, as determined by the transtheoretical model. Background. Although breast cancer is the most common female cancer in South Korea, its early detection rate here is low when compared with other developed countries. The transtheoretical model can be used to facilitate health promotion based on individual health behaviour and to devise stage-tailored interventions. Method. The participants were a convenience sample of 920 women aged >/=40 years between December 2005 and February 2006. A cross-sectional design was used in which participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of measures of the transtheoretical model. To provide a standard of measure, the variables were converted from raw scores to standard scores and then to T scores (mean = 50,sd = 10). Logistic regression analysis was then used to estimate predictors of the stage of maintenance of mammography uptake. Findings. The most frequent stage of mammography uptake was 'contemplation'. Predictors of mammography uptake included decisional balance, commitment to regular screening and avoiding contact with the healthcare system. Commitment to regular screening and breast self-examination were strongly related to mammography maintenance. Conclusion. The results of this study can be used for the development of theory-based and empirically supported mammography uptake intervention strategies and programmes directed towards women aged >/=40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic illness with a constellation of symptoms. The management of which is important for quality of life. Our review of the literature indicated that there is currently no standardized approach to measuring the symptom status of persons living with RA. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to report the development and initial validation of a structure to measure symptom status in persons living with RA. METHODS: For this secondary analysis, there were 901 female patients with complete symptom checklists available from the Arthritis, Rheumatism, and Aging Medical Information System. A tentative structure using exploratory factor analysis was developed, the structure was replicated in a separate sample using confirmatory factor analysis, and then hypothesized relationships with an external criterion (functional health) was tested using structural equation modeling. The symptom checklist contains 31 symptoms. The stem question is, 'Have you had any of the following symptoms during the past 6 months; if yes mark all that apply.' RESULTS: A two-factor structure for measuring symptom status was identified, RA Pain Symptoms and General Symptoms. Using the external criterion, we also demonstrated that the two factors were different and that the RA Pain Symptoms Factor had a stronger impact on functional health. This provides evidence of the discriminant as well as predictive validity of the RA Pain Symptoms Factor. DISCUSSION: Effective symptom management is an important outcome for nursing practice. Because the assessment of symptoms is the first step in symptom management, the identification of a measurement structure is an essential step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyester filament yarn fabric specimens, plain, twill, and satin with varying levels of yam twist, are prepared to measure their luster properties. Images of the fabrics under specific illumination and viewing angles are acquired for further luster characterization, since the reflectance properties of the fabrics are highly angle-dependent. Along with the image analyses, goniometric luster is analyzed at varying angles to support macrolevel luster characterization. As yarn twist increases, the luster unit size diminishes accordingly, resulting in macrolevel gloss decreases. While conventional goniometric gloss measurements represent the macrolevel luster properties of fabrics, detailed analyses of luster images provide an explanation of the "quality" of fabric luster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric hetrostructure of Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 thin films postannealed at 650-750 °C for 30 min were grown on Al doped n-type ZnO substrates by sol-gel method. The capacitance-Voltage (C-V) characteristics of Au/PZT/Al:ZnO/Pt capacitors were measured. The C-V curves of the PZT/ZnO film had a hysteresis curve with a clockwise rotation. It is suggested that the injection charges are mainly stored at the traps of interface between the PZT ferroelectric and the Al:ZnO semiconductor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amal Kumar Ghimeray,1 Un Sun Jung,1,2 Ha Youn Lee,1 Young Hoon Kim,1 Eun Kyung Ryu,1 Moon Sik Chang11R&D Center, Natural Solution Co., Ltd, Gojan-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Horticultural Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of KoreaBackground: In phytotherapy, the therapeutic potential is based on the combined action of different herbal drugs. Our objective was to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-collagenase (in vitro), and anti-wrinkle (in vivo) effect of combined formulation containing Ginkgo biloba, Punica granatum, Ficus carica, and Morus alba fruits extract.Methods: Antioxidant evaluation was based on the scavenging activity of free radicals (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, H2O2, and O2-) and the anti-collagenase activity was based on the reduction of collagenase enzyme in vitro. In an in vivo study, 21 female subjects were examined in a placebo-controlled trail. Facial wrinkle, especially the crow's feet region of eyes, was treated with topical formulated 2% cream for 56 days and compared with the placebo.Results: In the in vitro study, the combination of fruits extract showed a higher antioxidant activity which was comparable with the positive standard (ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyanisole, and Trolox). The data also showed a dose-dependent inhibition of collagenase. In the in vivo study, treatment with 2% formulated cream for 56 days significantly reduced the percentage of wrinkle depth, length, and area with 11.5, 10.07, and 29.55, respectively.Conclusion: The combined formulation of fruit extracts showed excellent antioxidative and anti-collagenase activity as well as a significant effect on anti-wrinkle activity on human skin.Keywords: antioxidant, anti-collagenase, anti-wrinkle, fruits, topical formulation

Nonvolatile memory devices were fabricated with core-shell CdTe-CdSe nanoparticles embedded in a poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) layer to investigate the variations in the electrical properties due to a CdSe shell layer. Capacitance-voltage measurements on Al/CdTe nanoparticles embedded in PVK layer/p-Si devices and on Al/core-shell CdTe-CdSe nanoparticles embedded in PVK layer/p-Si devices at 300 K showed hysteresis behaviors with a flatband voltage shift due to the existence of the CdTe and the CdTe-CdSe nanoparticles. Capacitance-time measurements showed that the retention time for devices fabricated utilizing core-shell CdTe-CdSe nanoparticles was larger than that for devices fabricated utilizing CdTe nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extended Bernoulli equation is formulated in an exact form for a microscopic and small Reynolds number Jeffery-Hamel flow in a two-dimensional convergent or divergent channel. The friction loss and the friction coefficient derived from the extended Bernoulli equation are also obtained for the purpose of engineering applications. The assumption of microscopic and low Reynolds number flow enables us to make the analysis simple, and the results obtained are expressed in forms easy to use. The zeroth- and first-order approximate solutions of velocity distribution in the channel are obtained by solving the nonlinear ordinary differential equation with the optimal homotopy asymptotic method. The zeroth-order solution is shown to be the same function form as that in the two-dimensional parallel flow, i.e., the two-dimensional Poiseuille flow. The extended Bernoulli equation, the friction loss, and the friction coefficient in a finite region of the channel, which are indispensable for applications, are reasonably derived along a stream line and also expressed by cross-sectional average quantities. The cross-sectional average formulae of the friction loss and the friction coefficient are expressed by the geometry of the channel, i.e., the convergent or divergent angle, the channel length, channel widths at inlet and exit. These formulae include the corresponding well-known ones for the two-dimensional parallel flow as a special case where the angle is zero. The friction coefficient drastically increases according to the increase in the angle, especially in a narrow channel region, and attains more than ten times of the friction coefficient for the parallel flow.

A cavitation inception theory of a vapor bubble in flowing liquid is presented by taking account of a set of fluid dynamics boundary conditions for nonequilibrium evaporation at the bubble wall. The boundary conditions for the vapor temperature, pressure and density at the wall are a set of solutions of the polyatomic type of ES-BGK Boltzmann equation. The evaporation rate and the vapor-liquid temperature discontinuity at the bubble wall are treated in a physically correct way at a molecular level. The theory also considers the translational motion of the bubble in a flowing liquid with arbitrary relative velocity between the bubble and the surrounding liquid. The translational motion largely reduces the liquid pressure at the bubble wall, and the inception process of cavitation is thereby influenced greatly. Furthermore, the numerical calculation of expansion process of the vapor bubble is performed for the case where the bubble is instantaneously exposed to the low liquid pressure, and its results are compared with those of the equilibrium evaporation. A critical liquid pressure considered as a criterion of expansion and contraction of the bubble is numerically estimated for the various relative velocities between the bubble and the liquid and the various initial bubble radii, and it is compared with the pressure of the classical theory. Numerical calculation reveals that the critical pressure for the relative velocity of zero in the case of nonequilibrium evaporation or condensation is lower than the classical one in any initial bubble radius.