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Abstract: Background: Detection of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma has given rise to the possibility of new non-invasive approaches for early prenatal diagnoses. We evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of non-invasive fetal gender determination using quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) analysis of circulating cffDNA in the first-trimester maternal plasma. Methods: Plasma samples were prospectively collected from 202 singleton pregnancies at 4 to 13weeks of gestation. Fetal gender was determined by QF-PCR with the sex-determining region Y (SRY) and amelogenin X/Y (AMELX/Y) genes. The result was confirmed by fetal karyotyping or phenotype at birth. Results: Of the 202 pregnancies, 162 had pregnancy outcomes available and could be included in our evaluation. The accuracies of AMELX/Y, SRY, and combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis for fetal gender determination were 83.3%, 82.1%, and 97.5%, respectively, compared with those of the invasive approach and the fetal gender outcome at birth (82 males and 80 females). Combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis had the highest sensitivity (98.8%) for fetal gender determination with a specificity of 96.3%. Moreover, fetal gender detection by the combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis at 11 to 13weeks of gestation was 100% correct. Conclusion: Fetal gender determination could be accurately determined from maternal cffDNA in the first-trimester using QF-PCR analysis of combined AMELX/Y + SRY. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We compared written text on infant death certificates for deaths coded as sudden infant death syndrome (R95), unknown cause (R99), and accidental suffocation (W75). Using US mortality files supplemented with the death certifiers' written text for all infant deaths with International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 assigned codes R95, R99, and W75, we formed cause-of-death subcategories from common themes identified from the written text. Among all infant deaths in 2003-2004, the underlying cause of death was listed as R99 for 2128 deaths, R95 for 4408 deaths, and W75 for 931 deaths. Among the postneonatal deaths, the differences in subcategories varied between assigned ICD-10 codes: for R99-coded deaths, 45.8% were categorized as 'Unknown' and 48.6% as 'Pending'; for R95-coded deaths, 67.7% were categorized as 'sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)'; and for W75-coded deaths, 76.4% were categorized as 'Suffocation.' Examination of the written text on the death certificates demonstrates variability in the assigned ICD-10 codes which could have an important effect on the estimates of SIDS cases in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the effects of maternal prenatal smokeless tobacco use on infant birth size. Design. A retrospective medical record review of 502 randomly selected deliveries. Population and Setting. Singleton deliveries to Alaska Native women residing in a defined geographical region in western Alaska, 1997-2005. Methods. A regional medical center's electronic records were used to identify singleton deliveries. Data on maternal tobacco exposure and pregnancy outcomes were abstracted from medical records. Logistic models were used to estimate adjusted mean birthweight, length and head circumference for deliveries to women who used no tobacco ( n=121), used smokeless tobacco ( n=237) or smoked cigarettes ( n=59). Differences in mean birthweight, length and head circumference, 95% confidence intervals and p-values were calculated using non-users as the reference group. Main Outcome Measures. Infant birthweight, crown-heel length and head circumference. Results. After adjustment for gestational age and other potential confounders, the mean birthweight of infants of smokeless tobacco users was reduced by 78g compared with that of infants of non-users ( p=0.18) and by 331g in infants of smokers ( p<0.01). No association was found between maternal smokeless tobacco use and infant length or infant head circumference. Conclusions. We found a modest but non-significant reduction in the birthweight of infants of smokeless tobacco users compared with infants of tobacco non-users. Because smokeless tobacco contains many toxic compounds that could affect other pregnancy outcomes, results of this study should not be construed to mean that smokeless tobacco use is safe during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the microbial assay-dependent effect of AgNP on gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. The experiment was conducted via three different assays: a growth inhibition assay, a colony forming unit assay, and a liquid-to-plate assay. AgNP were exposed either as liquid suspensions or in an agar state. Bacterial sensitivity to AgNP was found to be dependent on the microbial assay employed. E. coli was more sensitive than B. subtilis in the growth inhibition and CFU assays, but B. subtilis was more vulnerable than E. coli in the liquid-to-plate assay, ostensibly owing to the food stress mechanisms of B. subtilis in exposure medium. The dissolution of silver from AgNP could not explain the observed toxicity of AgNP. We detected clear evidence of AgNP uptake by cells. The results of this study showed that the microbial toxicity of AgNP and the effects of dissolved silver ions were influenced profoundly by the microbial test method employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citation Kim SY, Park SY, Choi JW, Kim DJ, Lee SY, Lim JH, Han JY, Ryu HM, Kim MH. Association between MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism and spontaneous abortion with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 252-258 Problem Polymorphisms in genes involved in folate metabolism are commonly associated with defects in folate-dependent homocysteine metabolism, which can result in DNA hypomethylation and chromosome nondisjunction. This prospective study aimed to investigate the associations between MTHFR 677C>T, MTHFR 1298A>C, MTR 2756A>G, MTRR 66A>G, and CBS 844ins68 polymorphisms and spontaneous abortion (SA) with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. Method of study Subjects included 33 SA with normal fetal karyotype, 24 SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy and 155 normal controls. Polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP and QF-PCR analysis. Results The frequencies of MTHFR 1298AC and combined 1298AC/CC genotypes were higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in controls. The 1298C allele frequency was also significantly higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in controls. Moreover, the 1298C allele frequency was higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in SA with normal fetal karyotype. The combined 1298AC/CC genotype was significantly associated with the risk of SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy compared with that of the 1298AA genotype (adjusted OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.11-7.69). There was no association between SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy and other polymorphisms. Conclusions Our findings indicate that MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism may be an independent risk factor for SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective: Mutations in the GJB2 gene are a major cause of hereditary hearing loss. However, only a few studies have investigated carrier frequencies of GJB2 mutations in the general population. The aim of this study was to estimate the carrier frequencies of three GJB2 mutations, including 235delC, V37I, and G45E, in the general Korean population. Design: A standard questionnaire of self-reported hearing loss was used to identify and recruit subjects. Screening for three mutations was performed using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and direct DNA sequencing. Study sample: A total of 1256 unrelated healthy individuals were analysed in the present study. Results: Of the 1256 individuals, 24 had GJB2 mutations; 11 were found to be heterozygous for 235delC, 11 were heterozygous and one was homozygous for V37I, and one was heterozygous for G45E. One individual had a compound heterozygous mutation of 235delC/V37I. The allele frequencies of 235delC, V37I, and G45E mutations were 0.44%, 0.52%, and 0.04%, respectively. The carrier frequency of either the 235delC or V37I mutation was estimated to be 0.88% with 95% binomial CI, 0.44-1.56. Conclusions: These results will facilitate diagnosis of, and genetic counseling for, hearing loss in Koreans. Sumario Objetivo: Las mutaciones del gene GJB2 son una causa muy importante de pérdidas auditivas hereditarias. No obstante, solamente pocos estudios han investigado las frecuencias portadoras de las mutaciones del GJB2 en la población general. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar las frecuencias portadoras de tres mutaciones del GJB2, incluyendo la 235delC, V37I y G45E, en la población general de Corea. Diseño: Se utilizó un cuestionario estándar de pérdida auditiva auto-reportada para identificar y reclutar sujetos. El tamiz de las tres mutaciones se realizó usando una reacción en cadena de la polimerasa alelo-específica (PCR), el polimorfismo de los fragmentos de restricción PCR y la secuenciación directa de DNA. Muestra de estudio: Se analizaron en este estudio 1,256 individuos sanos, no relacionados, (sanos en este estudio). Resultados: De los 1,256 individuos, 24 tenían mutaciones del GJB2; 11 se encontraron como heterocigóticos para el 235delC, 11 fueron heterocig ticos y uno fue homocigótico para V37I y uno fue heterocigótico para G45E. Un individuo tenía una mutación heterocigótica compuesta del 235delC/V37I. Las frecuencias de las mutaciones del alelo de 235delC, V37I, y G45E fueron del 0.44%, 0.52%, y 0.04%, respectivamente. La frecuencia portadora de las mutaciones tanto del 235delC como del V37I se estimó en 0.88%, con CI binomial del 95% de 0.44-1.56. Conclusiones: Estos resultados facilitarán el diagnóstico y el asesoramiento genético en casos de pérdida auditiva en la población de Corea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for the clarification of activated sludge, using sludge blanket filtration, was proposed. The process was tested continuously with activated sludge over 250 days. The proposed process is based on DAF separation, where the mixed liquor is distributed to the surface of the tank, and the clarified effluent is partially recycled with compressed air to the bottom. As a result, a floating blanket of sludge is formed which provides efficient separation of the mixed liquor suspended solids. Various factors, including the extent of sludge bulking, surface loading rate, and the depth of sludge blanket, were evaluated for their effects on the effluent water quality. A pilot-scale study demonstrated that separation by downflow Sludge Blanket Clarification (dSBC) showed better performance than other conventional separation technologies using micro-bubbles, such as DAF. The average effluent solids concentration from dSBC was about 3.0 mg/l, even with a relatively large amount of bulking sludge with a total surface loading of 60 m3/m2/d and air/solids ratio (A/S) of 0.011. This result has not been achievable with either gravitational sedimentation or DAF, even when the total surface loading rate was reduced to 20 m3/m2/d, one third of the value applied for dSBC. Based on these results, the dSBC process may provide a more efficient option for achieving both higher and more stable water quality in an activated sludge system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study about a 10-year-old girl with idiopathic short stature who was taking daily growth hormone (GH) injections. She lost the needle after the administration but it was found lodged in subcutaneous tissue through radiographic and ultrasound sonographic examination of the buttock. It is noted that local injection site reactions include skin rash, redness, swelling and itching. In this case, among the possible causes are a weakened needle during GH reconstitution, an inappropriate injection technique and defect in the needle.

We systematically reviewed research examining the association between gestational diabetes (GDM) and childhood overweight and obesity. We identified studies from three sources: (1) a PubMed search of articles published between January 1990-January 2011, (2) reference lists of publications from the PubMed search, and (3) reference lists of review articles. We included studies that examined GDM separately from pregestational diabetes and childhood overweight or obesity defined as BMI 85th or 95th > percentile. A total of 12 studies were included in the systematic review. Crude odds ratios for the relationship between GDM and childhood overweight or obesity ranged from 0.7 to 6.3; in 8 studies, the associations were not statistically significant. In only 3 studies were results adjusted for any confounders; in the 2 that adjusted for prepregnancy obesity, the GDM and childhood overweight or obesity associations were attenuated and not statistically significant after adjustment. This paper demonstrates inconsistent evidence of an association between GDM and offspring overweight and obesity due to the methodological limitations of existing studies. Recommendations for future research are presented, which address methodological challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and cytochrome P450c17α (CYP17A1) are key enzymes involved in the metabolism of steroid hormones; genetic polymorphisms in these genes affect enzyme activity. Recently, functional polymorphisms in the COMT and CYP17A1 genes have been suggested as a susceptible marker for intrauterine fetal growth restriction, a typical complication of preeclampsia. Moreover, a close association between COMT and preeclampsia was reported. We therefore investigated the relationships between COMT and CYP17A1 polymorphisms and the risk of preeclampsia.A total of 164 preeclamptic women and 182 normotensive women were enrolled. COMT (Val158Met) and CYP17A1 (-34T/C) polymorphisms were genotyped by quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risks of preeclampsia according to genotypes.The adjusted odds ratios (adjOR) for the risks of preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia and preeclampsia for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants were 1.97 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-3.83], 3.29 (95% CI: 1.60-6.77), and 4.05 (95% CI: 1.78-9.22), respectively, in women homozygous for the variant COMT allele. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to CYP17A1 polymorphisms, indicating that variants of this gene have no effects on preeclampsia. The highest risks of preeclampsia were found among women with homozygous variant genotypes of both genes [adjOR (95% CI): 4.58 (1.92-22.81)]. Moreover, the adjOR for preeclamptic complications in those women was 5.09 (95% CI: 1.93-27.88) for severe preeclampsia and 15.65 (95% CI: 3.19-76.82) for SGA preeclampsia.These findings suggest that homozygosity for the variant allele of the maternal COMT gene may increase susceptibility to preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We calculated the percentage of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) attributable to overweight and obesity. Methods. We analyzed 2004 through 2006 data from 7 states using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System linked to revised 2003 birth certificate information. We used logistic regression to estimate the magnitude of the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and GDM and calculated the percentage of GDM attributable to overweight and obesity. Results. GDM prevalence rates by BMI category were as follows: underweight (13-18.4 kg/m[sup 2]), 0.7%; normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m[sup 2]), 2.3%; overweight (25-29.9 kg/m[sup 2]), 4.8%; obese (30-34.9 kg/m[sup 2]), 5.5%; and extremely obese (35-64.9 kg/m[sup 2]), 11.5%. Percentages of GDM attributable to overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity were 15.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]=8.6, 22.2), 9.7% (95% CI=5.2, 14.3), and 21.1% (CI=15.2, 26.9), respectively. The overall population-attributable fraction was 46.2% (95% CI=36.1, 56.3). Conclusions. If all overweight and obese women (BMI of 25 kg/m[sup 2] or above) had a GDM risk equal to that of normal-weight women, nearly half of GDM cases could be prevented. Public health efforts to reduce prepregnancy BMI by promoting physical activity and healthy eating among women of reproductive age should be intensified. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100:1047-1052. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.172890) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine patterns of cigarette and smokeless tobacco use before, during, and after pregnancy among Alaska Native (AN) and white women living in Alaska. Methods We used data from the 2000–2003 population-based Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to describe patterns of self-reported prenatal tobacco use among AN and white women. We used multiple variable logistic regression analysis to identify maternal factors associated with quitting and relapse. The final sample included 5,458 women. Results During 2000–2003, the prevalence of any tobacco use before pregnancy was twofold higher among AN women than among white women (60.0 vs. 27.5%), and the prevalence of any tobacco use during pregnancy and after pregnancy were each nearly threefold higher. Of the 25.8% (SE 0.9) of white women who smoked before pregnancy, 49.0% (SE 2.1) reported that they quit during pregnancy and of those, 41.1% (SE 2.9) relapsed postpartum. Of the 38.5% (SE 0.9) of AN women who smoked before pregnancy, 35.7% (SE 1.4) quit, and of those 57.0% (SE 2.4) relapsed. Of the 14.2% of AN women who chewed tobacco before pregnancy, 15.7% (SE 1.7) quit, and of those, 52.9% (SE 5.9) relapsed. Conclusion During 2000–2003, the prevalence of tobacco use was two to three times higher among AN women than among white women before, during, and after pregnancy. In addition, AN women had lower quit rates and higher relapse rates than white women. Comprehensive, culturally appropriate tobacco control approaches targeting AN women are needed to increase cessation during pregnancy and to decrease relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cigarette smoking remains the most prevalent form of tobacco use in girls and in women of reproductive age globally, use of non-cigarette forms of tobacco is prevalent or gaining in popularity in many parts of the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Sparse but growing evidence suggests that the use of some non-cigarette tobacco products during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this paper we review the literature on the prevalence of non-cigarette tobacco product use in pregnant women and in women of reproductive age in high-, middle-, and low-income countries and the evidence that maternal use of these products during pregnancy has adverse health effects. In addition, we communicate findings from an international group of perinatal and tobacco experts that was convened to establish research priorities concerning the use of non-cigarette tobacco products during pregnancy. The working group concluded that attempts to develop a public health response to non-cigarette tobacco use in women are hindered by a lack of data on the epidemiology of use in many parts of the world and by our limited understanding of the type and magnitude of the health effects of these products. We highlight research gaps and provide recommendations for a global research agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Role of Untranslated Regions in Regulation of Gene Expression, Replication, and Pathogenicity of Newcastle Disease Virus Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein," by Shin-Hee Kim and Siba K. Samal is presented.

Objective To provide a current estimate of the prevalence of prepregnancy obesity in the United States. Methods We analyzed 2004–2005 data from 26 states and New York City ( n = 75,403 women) participating in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, an ongoing, population-based surveillance system that collects information on maternal behaviors associated with pregnancy. Information was obtained from questionnaires self-administered after delivery or from linked birth certificates; prepregnancy body mass index was based on self-reported weight and height. Data were weighted to provide representative estimates of all women delivering a live birth in each particular state. Results In this study, about one in five women who delivered were obese; in some state, race/ethnicity, and Medicaid status subgroups, the prevalence was as high as one-third. State-specific prevalence varied widely and ranged from 13.9 to 25.1%. Black women had an obesity prevalence about 70% higher than white and Hispanic women (black: 29.1%; white: 17.4%; Hispanic: 17.4%); however, these race-specific rates varied notably by location. Obesity prevalence was 50% higher among women whose delivery was paid for by Medicaid than by other means (e.g., private insurance, cash, HMO). Conclusion This prevalence makes maternal obesity and its resulting maternal morbidities (e.g., gestational diabetes mellitus) a common risk factor for a complicated pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine trends in prenatal cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use among Alaska Native (AN) and white women in Alaska. Methods Using 1996–2003 data from the population-based Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, we determined trends in self-reported prenatal tobacco use among AN and white women and used chi-square tests and multiple variable logistic regression analysis to identify maternal factors associated with prenatal tobacco use. Results Over the study period, prevalence of any tobacco use during pregnancy declined by 27% among AN women (from 55.8 to 40.9%) ( P < 0.0001) and by 17% among white women (from 18.8 to 15.6%) ( P < 0.0001). In 2003, among AN women the prevalence of self-reported smokeless tobacco use was 16.9%, cigarette smoking was 25.7%, and any tobacco use was 40.9%; corresponding values for white women were 0.4, 15.0, and 15.6%, respectively. Western Alaska had the highest prevalence of tobacco use. Conclusion The prevalence of tobacco use decreased between 1996 and 2003, but remained higher among AN women than white women, especially for smokeless tobacco. Support for cessation interventions targeting pregnant women should be made a public health priority in Alaska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Monodisperse cross-linked polystyrene nanospheres were self-organized to obtain colloidal aggregates from toluene-in-water emulsion droplets employed as confining geometries. During evaporation of toluene droplets by heating, the polystyrene nanospheres were packed into higher-order clusters, supraparticles with intermediate ordering or supraballs with hexagonally ordered structures, depending on the size of the emulsion droplets, and the number of constituent polystyrene particles inside the droplets. The shrinkage of toluene droplets induced inward capillary pressure, leading to particle self-assembly into ordered spherical supraballs when a large number of polystyrene particles were contained inside the droplets. Ink-jet technology was adopted to generate monodisperse toluene droplets containing polystyrene particles, which were transformed into monodisperse supraballs after evaporation-driven self-assembly of the polystyrene nanospheres. As an alternative approach, water-in-toluene droplets were also adopted as confining geometries for the generation of supraballs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to describe soft tissue injury patterns and report the clinical results of primary ligament repair with use of protected early mobilisation in unstable elbow dislocations with pure capsulo-ligamentous injuries. Twenty-four patients who presented with traumatic unstable elbow dislocation without associated intra-articular fracture were reviewed. Anatomical repair was performed using metal anchor screws and the bone tunnel method. Ligament avulsion was noted in 55% for the medial collateral ligament, 80% for the lateral collateral ligament, 60% for the flexor tendon and 80% for the extensor tendon. The overall mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 93.2. Brachial artery injuries occurred in two elbows. Heterotopic calcification was noted in 14 patients and there was one severe traumatic arthrosis. This study showed a high incidence of reattachable avulsion injuries to ligaments, tendon/muscle and capsule in unstable elbow dislocations. Primary ligament repair coupled with early rehabilitation provided satisfactory outcomes at two to four years postoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multistate outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections through consumption of contaminated foods including produce products have brought a great safety concern. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of biofilm and quorum sensing production on the attachment of E. coli O157:H7 on food contact surfaces and to evaluate the transfer of the pathogen from the food contact to various food products. E. coli O157:H7 produced maximum levels of AI-2 signals in 12h of incubation in tested meat, poultry, and produce broths and subsequently formed strong biofilm in 24h of incubation. In general, E. coli O157:H7 formed stronger biofilm on stainless steel than glass. Furthermore, E. coli O157:H7 that had attached on the surface of stainless steel was able to transfer to meat, poultry, ready-to-eat deli, and produce products. Strong attachment of the transferred pathogen on produce products (cantaloupe, lettuce, carrot, and spinach) was detected (>103 CFU/cm2) even after washing these products with water. Our findings suggest that biofilm formation by E. coli O157:H7 on food contact surfaces can be a concern for efficient control of the pathogen particularly in produce products that require no heating or cooking prior to consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives. We sought to estimate the effect of universal implementation of a clinic-based, psychosocial smoking cessation intervention for pregnant women. Methods. We used data from US birth certificates (2005) and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2004) to estimate the number of women smoking at conception. To calculate the number of women eligible to receive the cessation intervention, we used estimates from the literature of the percentage of women who quit spontaneously (23%), entered prenatal care before the third trimester (96.5%), and disclosed smoking to their provider (75%). We used the pooled relative risk (RR) for continued smoking from the 2004 Cochrane Review as our measure of the intervention's effectiveness (RR = 0.94). Results. We estimated that 944240 women smoked at conception. Of these, 23.0% quit spontaneously, 6.3% quit with usual care, and an additional 3.3% quit because of the intervention, leaving 67.4% smoking throughout pregnancy. The calculated smoking prevalence in late pregnancy decreased from 16.4% to 15.6% because of the intervention. Conclusions. Universal implementation of a best-practice, clinic-based intervention would increase the total number of quitters but would not substantially reduce smoking prevalence among pregnant women. (Am J Public Health. 2009; 99:893-898. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.144485) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compassion is closely associated with prosocial behavior. Although there is growing interest in developing strategies that cultivate compassion, most available strategies rely on effortful reflective processes. Furthermore, few studies have investigated neurocognitive mechanisms underlying compassion-dependent improvement of prosocial responses. We devised a novel implicit compassion promotion task that operates based on association learning and examined its prosocial effects in two independent experiments. In Experiment 1, healthy adults were assigned to either the compassion or control group. For the intervention task, the compassion group completed word fragments that were consistently related to compassionate responses toward others; in contrast, the control group completed word fragments related to emotionally neutral responses toward others. Following the intervention task, we measured attentional biases to fearful, sad, and happy faces. Prosocial responses were assessed using two measures of helping: the pen-drop test and the helping intentions rating test. In Experiment 2, independent groups of healthy adults completed the same intervention tasks used in Experiment 1. Inside a functional MRI scanner, participants rated empathic care and distress based on either distressful or neutral video clips. Outside the scanner, we assessed the degree of helping intentions toward the victims depicted in the distressful clips. The results of Experiment 1 showed that the compassion promotion task reduced attentional vigilance to fearful faces, which in turn mediated a compassion promotion task-dependent increase in helping intentions. In Experiment 2, relative to the control group, the compassion group showed reduced empathic distress and increased activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex in response to others' suffering. Furthermore, increased functional connectivity of the medial orbitofrontal and inferior parietal cortex, predicted by reduced empathic distress, explained the increase in helping intentions. These results suggest the potential of implicit compassion promotion intervention to modulate compassion-related and prosocial responses as well as highlight the brain activation and connectivity related to these responses, contributing to our understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying compassion-dependent prosocial improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal models are used for preclinical toxicity studies, and the need for in vitro alternative methods has been strongly raised. Our study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism of change in EGR1 expression under situations of toxic injury and to develop an Egr1 promoter–luciferase gene reporter assay for an in vitro alternative method for toxicity prediction in drug discovery. We first found an increase in early growth response-1 (EGR1) mRNA/protein expressions in the liver and kidney of cisplatin-treated injured rats. Additionally, the EGR1 protein level was also elevated under situations of ocular injury after sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) eye drops. These in vivo observations on injury-related EGR1 induction were confirmed by in vitro studies, where human corneal epithelial cells were treated with representative irritants (SLS and benzalkonium chloride) and 17 chemicals having different UN GHS irritant categories. Additionally, our results suggest the involvement of ERK, JNK, p38 MAPK pathways in EGR1 elevation in response to gamma-butyrolactone-induced injury. As EGR1 is considered to be a pivotal factor in proliferation and regeneration, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Egr1 promoted cytotoxic potential through a delay of injury-related recovery. More importantly, the elevation of promoter activities was observed by various irritants in cells transfected with Egr1 promoter-reporter vector. In conclusion, Egr1 can be a potential biomarker in a promoter-reporter system to improve the accuracy of in vitro predictions for ocular irritation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The multi-scale CFD model is developed for simulating MMA suspension polymerization in a CSTR. • The associated mathematical equations of the CFD model are explained. • The CFD model clearly shows suspended flow patterns between particles and solvent • Effects of blade angles of impeller on particle size distribution and particle mixing are investigated. This research presents an advanced multi-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on the 'multi-phase particle-in-cell coupled with the population balance equation (MP-PIC-PBE)' method to predict the stationary continuous stirred tank reactor for methyl methacrylate suspension polymerization. The developed CFD model can realistically simulate the flow patterns of the free-flowing particles and the continuous carrier phase based on the Euler-Lagrangian frame and can track the change in particle size based on PBE. In particular, the model can predict the polymer properties by free-radical polymerization in a parcel through the method of moment equations. To validate the suggested CFD model, the simulation results are compared with the reported experimental data in the literature. Various case-studies are then conducted to investigate the effect of different blade angles (pitched blade angles of 30˚, 45˚, and 60˚) of the impeller on the mixing, the particle size change, particulate flow pattern, and polymer properties. The simulation results demonstrate the phenomena that the low-density particles rise in the larger density solvent by buoyancy and that the higher the blade angle, the smaller the resulting particles due to a higher rate of breakage. It is also found that the particulate flow is well mixed with a 45˚ blade angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are widespread contaminants in soils and terrestrial ecosystems in many areas worldwide. In this study, we measured soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic matter (SOM) in microplastic-treated soils to determine if the presence of microplastics could affect the accuracy of carbon-based soil quality indicator measurements. Six different sizes and types of microplastics were selected, and six soil samples were used to evaluate the impacts. Treating soil with polyethylene and low-density polyethylene significantly increased SOC (p < 0.05) when measured with the modified Walkley & Black method; microplastic addition (0.01%, v/v) increased SOC by >40% compared to control organic carbon-poor soil (<10.0 g kg−1). We conclude that the microplastics can disrupt the accurate measurement of SOC. Likely, the physicochemical treatment used in the SOC measurement process can cause the organic compounds and/or carbon complexes to be extracted from microplastics, and this can affect the results. Considering that SOC is a main indicator for assessing soil quality and the global carbon cycle, overestimations caused by microplastic contamination should be further discussed to identify appropriate ways to deal with microplastics as a new carbon source in the environment. • We measured the SOC and SOM in soil containing microplastics. • SOC in soils containing PE microplastics can be overestimated. • The increasing level was intensified in carbon-poor soils (<10.0 g kg−1). • Microplastic can interrupt the accurate measurement of SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of dietary taurine levels and lipid contents on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus were investigated. Six types of diet (three different levels of taurine at two different levels of lipid) were fed to juveniles (average body weight, 0.04 g). Fishmeal that was washed with 70% ethanol to remove taurine was used as the sole protein source. Feeding experiments were carried out at 20°C for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiments, fish were weighed and analyzed for free amino acids in the body and the composition of the conjugated bile acids. The body weight and percent weight gain of the juveniles were improved by the dietary taurine supplementation. The taurine contents of the whole body and tissues increased with the increase of the dietary taurine contents. The conjugated bile acids in the gall bladder consisted of taurocholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid, which increased with the increase of the dietary taurine level. Taurocholic acid accounted for more than 95% of the total conjugated bile acids. This indicates that taurine is the sole amino acid to conjugate bile acid in Japanese flounder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To examine the low response rates to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey for American Indian (AI) mothers by comparing characteristics of AI participants, AI non-participants, non-Hispanic White (NHW) participants, and NHW non-participants. Methods We analyzed 2000–2002 data from states whose population was at least 5% AI or Alaska Native (AN) (n = 10). Mothers who returned a questionnaire (regardless of completion) or who spoke by telephone with PRAMS personnel were defined as contacts. Mothers who completed a PRAMS questionnaire were defined as respondents. We described overall and state-specific maternal characteristics from birth certificates for both those who were contacted and those not contacted and computed contact and response rates. Results Contact rates varied by state, ranging from 49% to 92% for AI and AN mothers and 82–93% for NHW mothers. However, once contacted, most mothers completed a questionnaire (85–99%). Both AI and NHW mothers were less likely to be contacted if they were <29 years of age, unmarried, multiparous and had ≤12 years of education. Conclusions Recognized predictors of response to PRAMS surveys were similar for AI and NHW mothers. Although contact rates among AI mothers were low when compared to whites, both AI and NHW mothers who were successfully contacted had high participation rates. Ultimately, evidence from states with high response rates for AI suggests that successful efforts will require experience and may be state-specific. In addition, increased state and tribal collaboration may facilitate improved PRAMS contact and response rates among AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An antiseptic religion is a form of Protestant Christianity that was shaped in the context of colonization in Korea. This term was coined to explain a religious hybrid that was produced by the intermingling of American Evangelical Protestant Christianity, the concept of hygiene (germ theory) and indigenous Korean religiosity. This research deals with a historical process of making ‘a medicalized religion’ in Asia from a perspective of postcolonialism. Most of the early American Protestant missionaries in Korea were medical doctors who were influenced by the Germ theory of illness and considered Western medicine as an efficient tool to evangelize the country. As a result of their mission, a religious culture which emphasized washing away sins from the soul as analogous to washing away germs from the body was born. In addition, the Korean people developed a very unique form of public bathing ritual centered in the development of public baths to alleviate anxiety and to destabilize the solid strategies of the Japanese and the Americans, the two major colonial powers in Korea’s history in the late 19th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to increase the dispersibility of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in water without any additives, various acid treatments were used. Generally, acid treatment used to remove or purify carbon nanotubes. MWNTs treated with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids showed high dispersion stability by means of UV-visible spectrophotometry and higher crystallinity than other samples. In addition, it was clearly shown that acid treatment efficiently removed the impurities of MWNTs, which was proven by thermogravimetric analysis. In particular, one of functional groups, cyano (C-N) bonding characterized by Fourier transform-infrared after acid treatment were formed the surface of MWNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of different taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder. Five level diets of dietary taurine were prepared by the supplementation of taurine (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.5%) to a basal composition. Fish meal washed with 70% ethanol to remove taurine was used as the sole protein source. Two feeding experiments were carried out at 20 °C by using different sized fish (BW: 0.7 g and 9.6 g). Both size groups of fish were fed the experimental diets for 6 weeks. At the end of experiments, fish were weighed and stored at −80 °C for analysis of free amino acids and conjugated bile acids composition. The body weight and feed efficiency of Japanese flounder were improved by taurine supplementation in the experimental diets. The taurine contents of the whole body and tissues increased with the increase of the taurine supplementation. The conjugated bile acids in gall bladder were composed with taurocholic acid (Expt.I: 33.0–146.8 mg/ml; Expt.II: 64.8–145.3 mg/ml) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (Expt.I: 0.8–5.5 mg/ml; Expt.II: 3.5–4.9 mg/ml). These bile acids increased with the increase of the dietary taurine level. Taurocholic acid accounted for more than 95% of the total conjugated bile acids. No other conjugated bile acids except the taurine conjugated bile acids were detected in the gall bladder of Japanese flounder. This means that taurine is the sole amino acid to conjugate bile acid in Japanese flounder. Dietary taurine intake affects the conjugated bile acid composition in juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Introduction: ITGA1 is involved in the early remodeling of osteoarthritic cartilage and plays an essential role in the regulation of mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and cartilage production. We investigated the association between bone parameters and ITGA1 polymorphisms and their haplotype linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks (BL_hts). Genetic susceptibility to osteoporosis was studied in 946 postmenopausal Korean women. Methods: We identified 67 genetic polymorphisms in ITGA1 region by direct sequencing (n =114). Eight SNPs were genotyped to further investigate their potential involvement in osteoporosis in postmenopausal women (n =946). Areal BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The SNPs, + 73187C > T (exon 3) and + 76969T > G (intron 5), and their BL_hts were associated with bone mineral density (BMD) at various femur sites (p =0.009–0.05). Moreover, + 159174A > C (intron 28) and its haplotype BL3_ht1 showed a highly significant association with risk of non-vertebral fracture (p =0.002–0.005) and the minor allele of + 159174A > C showed a protective effect. Conclusions: These results are suggestive of the association of ITGA1 with osteoporosis and related risk in postmenopausal women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intracellular Ca2+ and Ca2+-permeable ion channels are important in regulating the firing activity and pattern of midbrain dopamine neurons, but the role of Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channels (NSCCs) on spontaneous firing activity is unclear. Therefore, we investigated how Ca2+-permeable NSCCs modulate spontaneous firing activity and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) in acutely isolated midbrain dopamine neurons of the rat. Applications of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels antagonists failed to abolish spontaneous firing activity completely, but they decreased firing rate and [Ca2+]c. However, a blockade of NSCCs by 2-APB or SKF96365 more potently suppressed spontaneous firings with a depolarization of membrane potential and strong decreases in basal [Ca2+]c levels. The depolarization of membrane potentials was attenuated by intracellular dialysis with 1,2- bis( o-aminophenoxy)ethane- N, N, N′, N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). NSCCs blockers inhibited oscillatory potentials and decreased basal [Ca2+]c in the presence of tetrodotoxin. Apamin, a small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel inhibitor, depolarized membrane potentials and enhanced firing rates. From these data, we conclude that NSCCs not only make up the tonic Ca2+ entry pathways to uphold basal [Ca2+]c levels but also contribute to generation of spontaneous firings, thereby regulating spontaneous firing activities of the midbrain dopamine neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the role of high dose chemotherapy (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the treatment of aggressive lymphoma has been established in several large prospective studies, its effectiveness in patients with peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) has not been defined. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of HDT and ASCT and prognostic factors for survival in patients with PTCL. We retrospectively analyzed the results of 40 PTCL patients treated with HDT and ASCT at Asan Medical Center between January 1995 and December 2005. Twenty patients had PTCL-U (peripheral T cell lymphoma, unspecified), 10 had extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, 5 had anaplastic large cell lymphoma, 3 had angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma, 1 had hepatosplenic γσ T cell lymphoma, and 1 had disseminated mycosis fungoides. Disease status at transplant was complete response (CR)1 in 3 patients, CR2 or greater in 8, partial remission in 25, and refractory in 4. At a median follow-up of 16 months (range, 5 to 135 months) for surviving patients, the median overall survival (OS) was 11.5 months and the 1-year probability of survival was 46.1%. The median event free survival (EFS) was 3.6 months (95% confidence interval, 2.5 to 4.8 months). Ten patients (25%) remain alive without evidence of disease. The median OS of 11 patients with CR at ASCT was not reached; of these, 7 patients (63.6%) were alive with CR. In multivariate analysis, CR at ASCT was a prognostic factor for EFS ( P = 0.025) and OS ( P = 0.027) and normal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at ASCT was a prognostic factor for improved OS ( P = 0.025). Chemosensitive patients with PTCL who achieved CR before ASCT seem to benefit from HDT and ASCT. Pretransplant values of LDH had potential to predict the survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The potential pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from food animals, retail meat products, and food processing environments was evaluated by determining their antibiotic resistance profiles and invasiveness into human intestinal Caco-2 cell. In general, the genomically diversified isolates of P. aeruginosa were resistant to β-lactams (ampicillin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, ceftiofur, and cephalothin), chloramphenicol, tetracycline, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, and sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim. Acquisition of any other antibiotic resistance genes, such as class 1 integrons and other β-lactamase genes, was not found in the tested isolates. The expression of OprM membrane protein, which is associated with a multidrug efflux system, played a major role in their antibiotic resistance. Single mutation in the GyrA to confer resistance to nalidixic acids was also found in the tested isolates, indicating that these factors could synergistically affect the resistance of the P. aeruginosa isolates. The number of bacteria invading into the Caco-2 cells was 2.5 log10 CFU/ml on average. Therefore, the public health concern of P. aeruginosa could be relevant since its occurrence in food animals could cross contaminate the retail meat products during food handling and processing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, the surface modification of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with acid and oxyfluorination has been examined. Acid treatment of multi-walled CNTs produces many functionalized groups on the surface of MWCNTs, such as C–N stretching and the asymmetric carboxylate group (–COO–). It can be concluded that nitrogen doping of the graphite sheets may take place and a C–N bond identical to the sp3-bonded carbon nitride may form during the acid treatment process. In addition, oxyfluorinated MWCNTs exhibit higher BET specific surface area and mesopore volume than those of the as-received and acid treated MWCNTs. Therefore, acid and oxyfluorination treatments are more effective methods for enhancing the chemical and textural properties of MWCNTs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Zeolite beta was successively synthesized in the presence of TEABr as organic template within 36h under static and stirred conditions at 423K. In order to clearly demonstrate the effects of individual component and interaction between components on the crystallization of zeolite beta using TEABr, a ternary compositional diagram for TEABr, Al2O3 and Na2O was drawn at constant SiO2 and H2O contents. There are mainly three compositional zones in which zeolites, beta, ZSM-5 and mordenite are formed. The results suggest that Na+ cation should have acted as structure-directing agent as well as charge balancing for AlO2 −, leading the crystallization toward the formation of mordenite or ZSM-5 depending on its content. The results clearly show that the crystallization toward pure zeolite beta becomes favorable at lower Al2O3 content. In addition, it is interesting to notice that Na2O and Al2O3 contents would play key roles simultaneously in the crystallization toward the formation of pure zeolite beta. The results of thermal analysis show that TEA+ ion also partially acts as charge-balancing agent depending on Al content, that is, it is more likely to interact with Si–O− rather than with Al–O− at lower Al content, thus resulting in the more decomposition of TEA+ ions interacting with Si–O− at lower Al content in temperature range between 473 and 623K. The kinetic study based on 3Na2O–18TEABr–0.8Al2O3–25SiO2–440H2O was conducted at 413, 418 and 423K, respectively, and the results suggest that as long as a correct crystallization temperature is applied to the synthesis of zeolite beta, the crystallization of zeolite beta does not seem to be so sensitive to temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the bone healing characteristics adjacent to anodic oxidation and turned surfaces after implant installation using the trabecular compaction technique or the conventional drilling technique in the soft bone area. Material and methods: A total of 72 implants (36 anodic oxidation surface and 36 turned surface implants) were inserted into the distal end of the femur head of 12 dogs by two different surgical techniques. There were four experimental groups: (1) DT group; drilling+turned, (2) DO group; drilling+oxidation, (3) CT group; compaction+turned, and (4) CO group; compaction+oxidation. The resonance frequency was measured and six specimens/treatment group were obtained at 0, 3 and 8 weeks, postoperatively. Undecalcified ground sections were prepared for histologic and histomorphometric examinations. Results: At week 0, the trabecular compaction groups showed a higher bone to implant contact ratio (BIC) than the conventional drilling groups, regardless of surface types. The CT group showed a higher implant stability quotient (ISQ) than the DT group. At week 3, the oxidation groups showed a higher BIC than the turned groups regardless of the surgical technique used. The CO group showed higher ISQ than the CT group. At week 8, there was no statistically significant difference in BIC and ISQ between the groups. Conclusions: Surgical technique and implant surface state have an effect on the initial bone response to two-stage implants inserted into trabecular bone regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objectives: Polygonum cuspidatum has been used in Korean folk medicine to improve oral hygiene. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of methanol extract from root of P. cuspidatum (MEP) on bacterial viability and the virulence factors of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Methods: To test the effects of MEP on bacterial viability, we determined the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) against 20 bacterial strains, including S. mutans and S. sobrinus, using a micro-dilution assay. In case of S. mutans and S. sobrinus, the assays for time-kill and bacterial growth rate at sub-MIC concentrations were also performed. To determine effects of the extract on the virulence factors of S. mutans and S. sobrinus, the assays for sucrose-dependent adherence, water-insoluble glucan formation, glycolytic acid production, and acid tolerance were performed at sub-MIC levels. Phytochemical analysis for constituents of MEP was carried out. Results: MEP showed a broad antibacterial range (MIC 0.5–4mg/ml). The MBC was two to four times higher than the MIC. The time-kill curves showed S. mutans and S. sobrinus were significantly killed after 1h of incubation. At sub-MIC levels, doubling times of S. mutans and S. sobrinus dose-dependently increased up to 211% and 123%, respectively. At sub-MIC levels, MEP also showed inhibitory effects on the virulence factors of S. mutans and S. sobrinus in a dose-dependent fashion. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, sterol/terpenes, tannins, flavonoids, and carbohydrates. Conclusion: These data indicate that MEP has inhibitory effects on bacterial viability at higher concentrations (≥MIC) and the virulence factors of S. mutans and S. sobrinus at sub-MIC concentrations, suggesting that it might be useful for the control of dental plaque formation and subsequent dental caries formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nano-sized large pored titanium silicate zeolitic materials, ETS-10 and ETAS-10 with different Al2O3/TiO2 ratio were successfully applied to the removal of heavy metal ions, in particular, Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+. The study of equilibrium and adsorption isotherm at 298K and 323K for Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ were conducted using batch mode. The uptake rates for Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ were extremely rapid and fitted to the pseudo-second order equation well. The equilibrium capacities by the pseudo-second order equation on ETS-10 and ETAS-10 synthesized by titanium oxysulfate as the titanium source were determined to be 1.31mmol/g and 1.13mmol/g for Cu2+, 1.05mmol/g and 1.08mmol/g for Zn2+, 0.96mmol/g and 0.99mmol/g for Mn2+, 0.93mmol/g and 1.01mmol/g for Co2+ at 30mmol/l of initial concentration. Adsorption isotherms for Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir–Freundlich isotherms. The results show that Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm has fitted best to the current system. The selectivity of heavy metal ions both on ETS-10 and ETAS-10 at 298K is in the order of Cu2+ >Zn2+ >Mn2+ >Co2+ while it is in the order of Cu2+ >Mn2+ >Zn2+ >Co2+ at 323K. The monolayer capacities on ETS-10 and ETAS-10 synthesized by titanium oxysulfate as the titanium source at 298K were determined to be 1.55mmol/g and 1.62mmol/g for Cu2+, 1.30mmol/g and 1.32mmol/g for Zn2+, 0.98mmol/g and 1.11mmol/g for Mn2+, 0.91mmol/g and 0.89mmol/g for Co2+, respectively. However, at 323K, the monolayer capacity of Mn2+ ion on ETS-10 and ETAS-10 was determined rather larger than that of Zn2+ ion. Finally, thermodynamic parameters suggest that the adsorption process of Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ on ETS-10 and ETAS-10 is endothermic and spontaneous process, being indicated by positive ΔH 0 and negative ΔG 0. In addition, positive ΔS 0 suggests that heavy metal ions are not stable on the adsorption sites of ETS-10 and ETAS-10 probably due to the increase in translation energy of heavy metal ions displaced from the adsorption sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Alternative questions exhibit intervention effects, in that the disjunctive phrase may not be c-commanded by a focusing or quantificational element. This seems to hold crosslinguistically. We provide an analysis of this phenomenon that combines a focus semantic explanation of intervention effects in questions with an analysis of alternative questions in which the disjunctive phrase makes available appropriate alternatives in a way similar to a wh-phrase. We point out consequences for the analysis of intervention as well as for the analysis of alternative questions. We also note interesting further issues pertaining to the semantic contribution of dis- junction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of γ-alumina as a binder on the catalytic performance of Na-modified ZSM-5 was investigated by using the dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME). A series of modified ZSM-5 catalysts were prepared with/without γ-alumina and the activity of each catalyst was examined in the dehydration of crude methanol to DME using a fixed-bed reactor at the reaction pressure of 10atm and LHSV of 10h−1. The surface and pore characteristics were investigated by Ar adsorption and the acid properties were studied by TPD of ammonia and FT-IR of adsorbed pyridine. Though the addition of γ-alumina lowered the activity of NaHZSM-5, it broadened the operative temperature range (OTR), thereby resulting in more stable catalysts. The ZSM-5 containing 70% of γ-alumina was found to be an efficient catalyst, exhibiting quite high activity as well as wide OTR. This beneficial effect is ascribed to the adequate dilution of the strong acid sites of ZSM-5 in the γ-alumina matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The MFI type of highly silica zeolite, ZSM-5 with well-defined crystal morphology was successfully synthesized in the absence of organic template using two-step temperature process. In this process, the crystallization process was conducted at two different temperatures by separating the nucleation and crystallization stage; that is, the nucleation stage at higher temperature (190°C) to accelerate the nucleation followed by the crystallization stage at lower temperature (150 or 165°C) so as to control the crystal size and size distribution. The effect of nucleation rate on the final crystal size and size distribution adopting higher temperature of the first stage for nucleation than that of the second stage for crystallization was investigated. The results show that two-step temperature process could control the crystal size and size distribution of ZSM-5. The result also shows that the time duration at higher temperature for the acceleration of nucleation strongly affects the crystal size and size distribution. It implies that rapid nucleation at higher temperature forms large number of nuclei followed by slow crystal growth probably due to the lack of energy at lower temperature. It is very critical, therefore that the optimum time duration at higher temperature should be chosen to accelerate the nucleation within initial stage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Triangular GaN–BN core–shell nanocables were synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition using GaN/B2O3/NH3 reaction. They consist of single-crystalline wurtzite GaN nanowires (avg. diameter=60nm), grown along the [010] direction, and 3nm-thick crystalline h-BN outerlayers. The h-BN outerlayers lead to superhydrophobicity, and probably reduce the surface defects of GaN nanowires. Field emission from as-grown GaN–BN nanocables shows large current densities and low turn-on voltages, which are comparable to those of bare GaN nanowires. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) were synthesized by using thermal chemical vapor deposition on MgO-supported Fe–Mo catalysts, in the temperature range 800–1000°C. Outer diameters were 1.5–2nm at all growth temperatures. As growth temperature was increased, C1s peaks of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy became broader and valence band intensity increased due to stronger van der Waals interaction between DWCNTs induced by higher crystallinities. Field emission from the as-grown DWCNTs exhibited a large current density enhancement with increasing growth temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A large pored variety of titanium silicate, ETS-10 was synthesized to investigate the effects of (Na+K)/Na molar ratio on the crystallization and phase purity using cost efficient titanium oxysulfate as the titanium source under stirring at 200rpm and to calculate activation energy. The results showed that the (Na+K)/Na molar ratio significantly affects the crystallization and phase purity. In addition, regardless of silica and titanium sources, the morphology of ETS-10 synthesized under stirred condition is quite different from that synthesized under static condition showing a small spherical shape, and seems to be significantly affected by stirring. The composition with the shortest reaction time to reach the 100% crystallinity and purity for different silica and titanium source was chosen and applied to the kinetic study. All the experiments for kinetic study were carried out at 433, 453 and 473K, respectively. The activation energies for three different stages, nucleation, transition and crystallization were calculated using the modified Avrami–Erofeev equation. The results of kinetic study also suggest that the effect of titanium source is more significant than that of silica source. As a comparison, the temperature dependency for titanium oxysulfate is less sensitive than for titanium sulfate except the lowest temperature (i.e., 433K) studied in this study, suggesting that minimum temperature should be maintained to proceed the crystallization at reasonable rate for titanium oxysulfate. The modified Avrami–Erofeev equation to three different stages, nucleation, transition and crystallization for rapid crystallization seems to be excellent tool to predict the crystallization of ETS-10. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary taurine levels on growth and feeding behavior of juvenile Japanese flounder. Three different taurine level diets were prepared by supplementation of taurine (T-0%, 0.5% and 1.5%) to the basal diet. Fish meal washed with 70% ethanol to remove taurine was used as the sole protein source. Feeding experiments were carried out twice at 20 °C by using different size of fish (average body weight: 0.3 g in Experiment I and 3.7 g in Experiment II). The feeding behavior of fish was observed throughout the experimental period. At the end of experiments, fish were killed for amino acids analysis. The final average body weight and feed efficiency of juvenile Japanese flounder fed the T-1.5% diet was significantly higher than those of fish fed the T-0% diet in Experiments I and II. Abnormal feeding behavior such as multiple feeding while swimming in the water column was observed in the T-0% group in Experiment I. These findings indicate that taurine is essential for normal growth and development of normal feeding behavior of juvenile Japanese flounder. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-purity N-doped double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition, and investigated by synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As the photon energy increases, the N content increases up to 3at.%, indicating that the inner wall contains the higher N content than the outer wall. The graphite-like and pyridine-like N structures exist as about 1:1 ratio. The self-consistent charge-density-functional-based tight-binding calculation shows that the N-doping of the inner wall yields the more stable DWNT than that of the outer wall, which supports the XPS result. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in neovascularization and are consistent with postnatal vasculogenesis. In vitro, they differentiate into endothelial cells (ECs). Prior reports have suggested that circulating human AC133+ cells have the capacity to differentiate into ECs as progenitor cells. However, recent studies have demonstrated that circulating CD34−CD14+ cells also have EPC-like properties in vitro and in vivo. We tested whether AC133−CD14+ cells from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) have the potential to differentiate into ECs. The AC133−CD14+ cells were isolated from HUCB by magnetic bead selection and cultured on fibronectin-coated six-well trays in M199 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and insulin growth factor (IGF-1). The AC133−CD14+ cells adhered slightly within 1 day of culture and subsequently underwent a distinct process of morphological transformation to spindle-shaped cells that sprouted from the edge of the cell clusters. After 14 days, the cells formed cord- and tubular-like structures. The AC133−CD14+ cells showed a strong increase in the endothelial marker P1H12 over time, whereas CD14 decreased, and CD45 did not change, respectively. In addition, the cells expressed endothelial markers von Willebrand’s factor (vWF), platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1)/Flt-1, VEGFR-2/Flk-1, eNOS, and VE-cadherin, but did not express Tie-2 after 7 days of culture. The present data indicate that AC133−CD14+ cells from HUCB are able to develop endothelial phenotype with expression of endothelial-specific surface markers and even form cord- and tubular-like structures in vitro as progenitor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction In the proximal femoral metaphysis, hematopoietic marrow is predominant during the adult stage of life. The conversion of hematopoietic marrow to fatty marrow in the proximal femoral metaphysis has been suggested as an etiologic factor of ischemia in the pathogenesis of femoral head osteonecrosis. To determine whether the chronology of fatty marrow conversion of the proximal femoral metaphysis is related to transient bone marrow edema syndrome of the hip, a case control study was conducted on 10 patients with the disease. Materials and methods There were 8 men and 2 women with a mean age of 33 years (range 19-45 years). The 10 patients were matched with 20 controls for gender and age (5-year range). Ti-weighted MRJ scans of their hips were reviewed. Mar- row of the greater trochanter becomes fatty before puberty, and thus, the greater trochanter can be used as a built-in control. The signal intensity of the proximal femoral metaphysis was compared to that of the greater trochanter. Results In all patients, the signal intensity of the proximal femoral metaphysis was isointense (fatty marrow) relative to that of the greater trochanter. In control subjects, the signal intensity was isointense in 8 (40%) and hypointense (hematopoietic marrow) in 12 (60%) (p < 0.05). Conclusion The current study shows that the proximal femoral metaphysis is predominantly fatty in transient bone marrow edema syndrome. The conversion of hematopoietic to fatty marrow is known to correlate with decreases in intramedullary blood flow. Thus, the current study suggests that an ischemia of the proximal femur secondary to fatty marrow conversion of the proximal femoral metaphysis might be a cause of transient bone marrow edema syndrome of the hip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of dietary taurine on juvenile Japanese flounder was determined by feeding three taurine-supplemented experimental diets (TAU) and a commercial diet (CD) to evaluate a practical diet for juvenile Japanese flounder. Juvenile Japanese flounder were reared on the three experimental diets supplemented with taurine at 0, 0.5, 1.0% and CD. These diets were fed to juvenile Japanese flounder of an initial mean body weight of 0.2 g for 6 weeks at 20°C and the taurine contents of the whole body and tissues were analyzed. The final average body weight of juvenile Japanese flounder fed the 1.0% TAU was significantly higher than that of the other groups. Taurine contents in the whole body and tissues increased with the increase in dietary taurine level. These results indicate that juvenile Japanese flounder require at least 15 mg/g taurine in the diet, even though a combined mix of fish, krill and squid meal was the main protein source in the experimental diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]