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With the increase in international human and material exchanges, contagious and infectious epidemics are occurring. One of the effective methods of epidemic inhibition is the rapid development and supply of vaccines. Considering the safety of the brain during vaccine development is very important. However, manuals for brain safety assays for new vaccines are not uniform or effective globally. Therefore, the aim of this study is to establish a positive-control protocol for an effective brain safety test to enhance rapid vaccine development. The blood-brain barrier's tight junctions provide selective defense of the brain; however, it is possible to destroy these important microstructures by administering lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), thereby artificially increasing the permeability of brain parenchyma. In this study, test conditions are established so that the degree of brain penetration or brain destruction of newly developed vaccines can be quantitatively identified. The most effective conditions were suggested by measuring time-dependent expressions of tight junction biomarkers (zonula occludens-1 [ZO-1] and occludin) in two types of mice (C57BL/6 and ICR) following exposure to two types of LPS (Salmonella and Escherichia). In the future, we hope that use of the developed positive-control protocol will help speed up the determination of brain safety of novel vaccines.

A bacterial strain belonging to the genus Atopobacter was isolated from a vaginal swab from a crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, AH10.

Recently, there have been reports that chronic insomnia acts as an insult in the brain, causing memory loss through the production of ROS, inflammation, and, Alzheimer's disease if persistent. Insomnia remains the leading cause of sleep disturbance and as such has serious implications for public health. Patients with Alzheimer's disease are also known to suffer from severe sleep disturbance. Meanwhile, vitexin is a key ingredient in Passiflora incarnata L (passion flower, PF) extract, which is known to help with sleep. This medicinal plant has been used as a folk remedy for sedation, anxiety and sleep since centuries ago, but the standardization work has not been done and the extent of the effect has not been clearly demonstrated. For this reason, we tried to test the possibility that repeated administration of PF could improve the memory by promoting hippocampal neurogenesis at the DBA/2 mice known have inherited sleep disorders, as well as preventive effects of Alzheimer's disease. Here, we found that vitexin, which is the main bioactive component of ethanol extracts from leaves and fruits (ratio; 8:2) of PF, confirmed the improvement of neurogenesis (DCX) of DBA/2 mice repeated PF oral administration by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot analysis. PF-treated group showed increased the neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus compared with that of vehicle-treated group, but the inflammation markers Iba-1 (microglial marker) and COX-2 were inconsistent between the groups. However, we found COX-2 signal is essential for hippocampal neurogenesis according to the additional IHC experiments using COX-2 inhibitor and pIkappaB have shown. In addition, although prescription sleeping pills have been reported to show significant changes in appetite and metabolic rate from time to time, no changes in the feeding behavior, body weight, metabolic rate and body composition of the animals were observed by administration of PF. Interestingly, we found that short-term oral administration of PF displayed improved memory according to the water maze test. Quantitative analysis of Tau protein, which is a marker of Alzheimer's disease, was performed in the SD rats and DBA/2 mice by repeated PF oral administration and pTau/Tau values were significantly decreased in PF-treated group than vehicle-treated group. In conclusion, our results suggest that PF lead high hippocampal neurogenesis in the animals even in inherited sleep-disturbed animals. The increased hippocampal neurogenesis functionally enhanced memory and learning functions by repeated PF oral administration. These results identify PF as a potential therapy for enhancing memory functions and prevention of Alzheimer's disease through actions on the hippocampus.

Recent cross-sectional studies indicate that obesity is a risk factor for periodontal disease. This study was aimed to investigate whether the four-week weight control program including caloric restriction and exercise training could have an effect on periodontal health. Forty-one obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0) and five overweight (23.0≤BMI

We developed an S-band traveling-wave accelerating structure for the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory’s X-ray free-electron laser (PAL-XFEL), and we fabricated and tested a full-scale prototype. In order to reduce the field asymmetry inside the coupler cavity, we used the SUPERFISH code and the CST MWS electromagnetic field solvers to design the constant-gradient traveling-wave accelerator to use quasi-symmetric single-feed racetrack couplers. The RF measurement results indicate that the accelerating gradient of the prototype structure is as high as 27 MV/m for an input RF power of 65 MW.

The sweating response is modulated in two different ways depending on adaptation conditions. In this work, we examined sudomotor activities before and after intensive and repetitive heat exposure. Nine male volunteers were exposed to 30-min half-body immersion in hot water (42 ± 0.5°C) at the same time of day on alternate days for 3 weeks. All experiments were performed in an automated climate chamber. Tympanic (Tty) and skin (Ts) temperatures were measured. Mean body temperature (mTb) was calculated. Sudomotor activities, including sweat onset time, sweat rate and volume, activated sweat gland density (ASGD) and output (ASGO), were tested in four regions of the skin: chest, abdomen, upper back and thigh. Basal Tty and mTb were found to decrease by 0.15°C (P < 0.05) and 0.16°C (P < 0.05), respectively. As a typical data (upper back), sweat onset time increased by 33.6% (P < 0.05) after heat acclimation. After heat acclimation, sweat rate decreased by 14.7% (P < 0.05), sweat volume decreased by 15.5% (P < 0.05) and ASGO also decreased by 11.1% (P < 0.05). ASGD decreased by 4.1% after heat acclimation without statistical significance. The data suggest that intensive and repetitive heat exposure induces suppression of sudomotor activities within 3 weeks.

Background Stroke volume variation (SVV) is known to be a simple and less invasive hemodynamic parameter for evaluating fluid responsiveness and preload status. Central venous pressure (CVP) has been targeted to achieve an adequate level for improving the graft perfusion and long-term graft function in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients, despite the various potential complications. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SVV could substitute for CVP in guiding intravascular volume management during KT. Methods This retrospective study evaluated 635 patients who underwent KT because of end-stage renal disease. Hemodynamic variables including CVP and SVV were obtained before skin incision (T 1 ), 5 minutes after iliac vein clamping (T 2 ), and 10 minutes after renal graft reperfusion (T 3 ). The ability of SVV to predict CVP level was investigated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results CVPs were 6.0 ± 2.6, 8.6 ± 2.7, and 9.3 ± 2.5 mm Hg, and SVVs were 6.9 ± 3.0, 5.0 ± 2.1, and 4.3 ± 2.1% at T 1 , T 2 , and T 3 , respectively. ROC analysis showed that the discriminative power of SVV was fairly good with an area under the ROC curve of 0.70 (95% confidence interval, 0.67–0.72) for a CVP of 8 mm Hg, and that an optimal cutoff value of SVV was 6% as an alternative to CVP of 8 mm Hg during KT. Conclusions SVV may replace CVP in the volume management of patients who have undergone KT. Our results suggest that SVV can guide volume management to improve graft perfusion at critical time points during KT.

Background Although both Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage (RIFLE) kidney disease criteria are frequently used to diagnose acute kidney injury (AKI), they have rarely been compared in the diagnosis of AKI in patients undergoing surgery for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This study investigated the incidence of, and risk factors for, AKI, defined by AKIN and RIFLE criteria, and compared their ability to predict mortality after infrarenal AAA surgery. Methods This study examined 444 patients who underwent infrarenal AAA surgery between January 1999 and December 2011. Risk factors for AKI were assessed by multivariable analyses, and the impact of AKI on overall mortality was assessed by a Cox's proportional hazard model with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Net reclassification improvement (NRI) was used to assess the performance of AKIN and RIFLE criteria in predicting overall mortality. Results AKI based on AKIN and RIFLE criteria occurred in 82 (18.5%) and 55 (12.4%) patients, respectively. The independent risk factors for AKI were intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and chronic kidney disease (CKD) by AKIN criteria, and age, intraoperative RBC transfusion, preoperative atrial fibrillation, and CKD by RIFLE criteria. After IPTW adjustment, AKI was related to 30 day mortality and overall mortality. NRI was 15.2% greater (P=0.04) for AKIN than for RIFLE criteria in assessing the risk of overall mortality. Conclusions Although AKI defined by either AKIN or RIFLE criteria was associated with overall mortality, AKIN criteria showed better prediction of mortality in patients undergoing infrarenal AAA surgery.

Electrospun polycaprolactone and poly(lacto- co-glycolide) membranes were loaded with biphasic calcium phosphate powder to facilitate osteoconductivity. Different concentrations of biphasic calcium phosphate powder were added to the polymer solution, and successful loading was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscope, and scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive spectroscopy visualization. The effect of the added biphasic calcium phosphate on the polymer membrane was investigated in terms of the material’s tensile strength and strain, in vitro cytocompatibility, and in vivo tissue regeneration. It was observed that the tensile strength of the membranes increased with the addition of the biphasic calcium phosphate powder. Immersion in simulated body fluid solution for seven days leads to the formation of apatite-like deposits in the fibers, which further improved the mechanical stability. Moreover, proliferation and adhesion of osteoblast-like cells were more apparent upon the addition of the biphasic calcium phosphate powder as seen with the increasing cell density from (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and micrographs from scanning electron microscope and confocal microscopy. Sample membranes were also implanted to investigate the membrane’s ability to regenerate bone in a rat calvarium. Histological staining and micro-CT histomorphometric analyses showed neo-bone formation in the implanted rat skull.

Cisatracurium was initially characterized to have no evident histamine-releasing potential with excellent cardiovascular stability. However, severe anaphylactic reactions to cisatracurium that resulted in bronchospasms and cardiovascular collapse have been reported worldwide. Two cases of severe anaphylactic reactions after the administration of cisatracurium are presented. The anesthetics used in both cases were lidocaine, midazolam, propofol (microemulsion propofol in the second case), remifentanil and cisatracurium. After the administration of these drugs, bronchospasm and hypotension manifested, leading to the diagnosis of anaphylaxis and appropriate treatment. Skin intradermal testing confirmed that both cases were due to immune-mediated anaphylaxis to cisatracurium, despite the fact that neither of the patients had been exposed to the allergen previously. The anaphylaxis may be due to cross-reactivity between neuromuscular blocking agents and substances with quaternary ammonium ions. Anesthesiologists should be aware that cisatracurium has the potential to trigger severe anaphylactic reactions via an immune-mediated mechanism. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2013; 65: 147-150)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel as a dental gel in delivering hydroxyapatite (HAp) to dentine tubules and reducing/eliminating dental hypersensitivity. The hydrogel was prepared by mixing solutions of CMC/ glycerol and distilled water/sorbitol then modified to contain 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% HAp. The pH of the hydrogels decreased and viscosity increased with increasing HAp content. A viability assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity of the hydrogel samples and proliferation/adhesion behavior of cells cultured on the hydrogel surface. The samples promoted cell proliferation and became more biocompatible with the addition of HAp. Dentin discs were prepared and then treated with the fabricated hydrogels. Occlusion of the dentine tubules was observed by scanning electron microscopy before and after treatment. Blocking of the dentin tubules was markedly affected by the addition of HAp to the hydrogel samples that can result in possible reduction or elimination of hypersensitivity.

Traumatic detachment of the celiac trunk from the abdominal aorta is a rare clinical situation, and proper treatment options have not been established. We report a patient with traumatic separation of the celiac trunk treated by bridging with a covered stent between the celiac trunk and abdominal aorta.

A 3-dimensional alumina (Al 2 0 3 ) implant consisting of a continuous porous structure was fabricated using a fibrous monolithic process and its biocompatibility was evaluated through in vitro procedures and in vivo angiogenesis. In vitro experiments were carried out using human osteoblast like cells, MG-63 and osteoclast-like cells, Raw-264.7. Cellular proliferation and growth behavior were examined on the specimen surfaces by SEM. Highly condensed, circular cells with three-dimensional network like growth pattern was observed inside the pore surfaces using MG-63 cells. In contrast, the osteoclast-like Raw 264.7 cells had a multi-layered pebblestone appearance with interconnections. Moreover, the crystalline-like nodules generated by osteoblasts cultured on an Al 2 O 3 porous body were shown to have resulted from the in vitro mineralization of calcium-phosphate deposits. To investigate the in vivo angiogenesis, 3-dimensional Al 2 O 3 porous bodies were implanted into the subcutaneous tissues of rats. The porous bodies were completely filled with fibroblasts at 4 weeks and the formation of new blood vessels inside the porous body was observed at 6 weeks.

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Pellinus linteus (PL) extract supplementation in healthy young men. The subjects were 18 healthy young males 20 years of age that were given 1.5 L of 0.12% PL extract orally (n=8) or a placebo (control group, n=10) daily for 4 weeks. The body composition, the white blood cell (WBC) count and differential as well as the serum cortisol, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 concentrations were measured before and after the supplementation. Serum concentrations of cortisol and IL-1β at rest after oral supplementation were significantly decreased compared to before treatment (p

Granular shape biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) bone grafts with and without doping of silicon cations were evaluated in regards to biocompatibility and MG-63 cellular response. To do this we studied Cellular cytotoxicity, cellular adhesion and spreading behavior and cellular differentiation with alizarin red S staining. Gene expression in MG-63 cells on the implanted bone substitutes was also examined at different time points using RT-PCR. In comparison, the Si-doped BCP granule showed more cellular viability than the BCP granule without doping in MTT assay. Moreover, cell proliferation was much higher when Si doping was employed. The cells grown on the silicon-doped BCP substitutes had more active filopodial growth with cytoplasmic webbing that proceeded to the flattening stage, which was indicative of well cellular adhesion. When these cells were exposed to Si-doped BCP granules for 14 days, well differentiated MG-63 cells were observed. Osteonectin and osteopontin genes were highly expressed in the late stage of differentiation (14 days), whereas collagen type I mRNA were found to be highly expressed during the early stage (day 3). These combined results of this study demonstrate that silicon-doped BCP enhanced osteoblast attachment/spreading, proliferation, differentiation and gene expression.

Glutenin is a major determinant of baking performance and viscoelasticity, which are responsible for high-quality bread with a light porous crumb structure of a well-leavened loaf. We analyzed the diversity of glutenin genes from six wheat cultivars (Korean cvs. Keumgang and Jinpum, Chinese cvs. China-108 and Yeonnon-78, and Japanese cvs. Norin-61 and Kantou-107). Glutenins contain two types of isoforms such as high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) and low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS). Glutenin fractions were extracted from wheat endosperm using Osborne solubility method. A total of 217 protein spots were separated on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with isoelectric focusing (wide range of pH 3–10). The proteins spots were subjected to tryptic digestion and identified by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry. HMW-GS (43 isoforms) and LMW-GS (seven isoforms) are directly responsible for producing high-quality bread and noodles. Likewise, all the seed storage proteins are digested to provide nutrients for the embryo during seed germination and seedling growth. We identified the diverse glutenin subunits in wheat cultivars and compared the gluten isoforms among different wheat cultivars according to quality. This work gives an insight on the quality improvement in wheat crop.

Recent cross-sectional studies indicate that obesity is a risk factor for periodontal disease. Exercise training in high fat mice or rats can inhibit gingival inflammation effectively. The objective of this human intervention study was to investigate whether short-term weight control could affect periodontal indexes and serum and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) biomarkers in young Koreans. Forty-one obese volunteers (body mass index (BMI) > 25.0) and 12 normal weight subjects (18.5 ≤ BMI ≤ 23.0) participated in a four-week weight control program to analyze the changes in anthropometric criteria, the concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides in serum, gingival index, bleeding on probing, periodontal biomarkers in GCF, and dental plaque index at the first and the 27th days. The means of obesity measures decreased significantly more in the obese group (BMI 2.53 ± 0.96, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) 4.88 ± 1.58 %, LDL 35.85 ± 21.74 mgdL−1) than in the normal weight group (BMI 0.78 ± 0.72, WHR 2.00 ± 0.95 %, LDL 15.58 ± 18.07 mgdL−1). While the obese group showed significant decreases in the biomarkers in GCF (IL-1β 58.38 ± 65.55 pgmL−1, MMP-8 4.19 ± 5.61 ngmL−1, MMP-9 3.36 ± 6.30 ngmL−1), the mean changes for the normal weight group (IL-1β 10.07 ± 21.08 pgmL−1, MMP-8 1.49 ± 4.61 ngmL−1, MMP-9 -1.52 ± 9.71 ngmL−1) were not statistically significant. Anthropometric measures and the amounts of GCF biomarkers had weak positive correlations (0.242 ≤ r ≤ 0.340), and LDL in serum correlated with MMP-8 (r = 0.332) and IL-1β (r = 0.342) in the obese group. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis in the obese group showed that the relationship between the amount of IL-1β in GCF and predictor variables including LDL and BMI was highly significant and accounted for 19.1 % of the variance in IL-1β in GCF. In periodontally healthy subjects, weight control could reduce the amounts of MMP-8, MMP-9, and IL-1β in GCF of the obese subjects. Further studies with periodontally unhealthy and obese people are needed to identify the mechanism of decreases in inflammation biomarkers in GCF through weight control. ISRCTN86753073 (2015.08.14)

Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) is increasingly used in liver transplantation (LT). Of the ROTEM® parameters, maximum clot firmness (MCF) of EXTEM (MCFEXT) and INTEM (MCFINT) are influenced by both platelet count (PLT) and fibrinogen concentration (FIB), whereas MCF of FIBTEM (MCFFIB) is solely influenced by FIB. We aimed to determine whether using MCFs of thromboelastometry could reliably predict both PLT and FIB and to evaluate their relations in patients with thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia during LT.A total of 4100 retrospective ROTEM® assays with simultaneous standard laboratory tests performed during LT were analyzed in 295 patients. The optimal cut-off values of PLT and FIB according to the ROTEM® transfusion guideline were determined by area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.MCFEXT and MCFINT showed good correlation with platelet count (r = 0.79 and 0.80, respectively, P.001) and with fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.67 and 0.66, respectively, P.001). MCFFIB and fibrinogen concentration were highly correlated (r = 0.84, P.001). Additionally, PLT and FIB were calculated mathematically: PLT (/μL) = 14827 + 3.93 (MCFEXT)(2.5); FIB (mg/dL) = 63 + 0.00082 (MCFEXT)(3.0); FIB (mg/dL) = 29 + 13.3 MCFFIB. MCFEXT35 mm predicted PLT of 43 × 10(3)/μL (AUC = 0.89) and FIB of 91 mg/dL (AUC = 0.78), whereas MCFEXT45 mm predicted PLT of 52 × 10(3)/μL (AUC = 0.89) and FIB of 121 mg/dL (AUC = 0.86), MCFFIB8 mm predicted FIB of 128 mg/dL (AUC = 0.94). MCFINT showed almost the same cut-off values as MCFEXT.Both PLT and FIB can be reliably quantified by MCFs of thromboelastometry, reducing the needs for additional laboratory tests to know values of thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia in patients undergoing LT.

In this study, a novel hybrid polyurethane/polycaprolactone (PU/PCL) tubular scaffold was fabricated using the electrospinning process for blood vessel prosthesis applications. The detailed microstructure and material properties such as porosity, tensile and bust strength, contact angle, and biocompatibility were investigated and compared with those of monolithic PU and PCL scaffolds. The mechanical properties of the hybrid PU/PCL scaffold (tensile strength: 18 MPa, pressure strength: 590 mmHg) were found to be within the range needed for artificial blood vessel applications. The pore sizes of the PU/PCL scaffold ranged from 5-150 um in diameter, are sufficient enough to allow nutrient diffusion across the membrane. The reduced hydrophobic property of the PU/PCL scaffold was the result of the addition of relatively less hydrophobic PU compared with monolithic PCL scaffold. The biocompatibility of the PU/PCL scaffold was evaluated through cytotoxicity testing, and morphological observation by scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy using cow pulmonary artery endothelial cells and fibroblast like cells (L929).

Recently, we reported that Artemisia annua (AA) has anti-adipogenic properties in vitro and in vivo. Reduction of adipogenesis by AA treatment may dampen systemic inflammation and protect neurons from cytokine-induced damage. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess whether AA increases neuronal maturation by reducing inflammatory responses, such as those mediated by cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2). Mice were fed normal chow or a high-fat diet with or without chronic daily oral administration of AA extract (0.2 g/10 mL/kg) for 4 weeks; then, changes in their hippocampal dentate gyri were measured via immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence staining for bromodexoxyuridine, doublecortin, and neuronal nuclei, markers of neuronal maturation, and quantitative western blotting for COX-2 and Iba-1, in order to assess correlations between systemic inflammation (interleukin-6) and food type. Additionally, we tested the effect of AA in an Alzheimer's disease model of Caenorhabditis elegans and uncovered a potential benefit. The results show that chronic AA dosing significantly increases neuronal maturation, particularly in the high-fat diet group. This effect was seen in the absence of any changes in COX-2 levels in mice given the same type of food, pointing to the possibility of alternate anti-inflammatory pathways in the stimulation of neurogenesis and neuro-maturation in a background of obesity.

Background Cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure (ICP) has been known to be increased after graft reperfusion during liver transplantation, which was correlated with arterial carbon dioxide concentration (PaCO 2 ). Ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is a simple and noninvasive method for evaluating ICP. We investigated the correlation between ONSD and the PaCO 2 during reperfusion in liver transplant recipients. Methods Twenty liver transplant recipients with end-stage liver disease were enrolled. We measured ONSD and PaCO 2 at 6 time points: preinduction, preanhepatic phase, anhepatic phase, 5 minutes after reperfusion, 30 minutes after reperfusion, and neohepatic phase. Pearson correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis were performed. Results ONSD measured 5 minutes after reperfusion was significantly higher compared with the other time points. Differences in ONSD between the anhepatic phase and 5 minutes after reperfusion demonstrated significant correlations with both PaCO 2 at the anhepatic phase and 5 minutes after reperfusion (both P 2 of 35 mm Hg at the anhepatic phase could be used to indicate ≥20% changes in ONSD after reperfusion. There were significant increases in ONSD after graft reperfusion in liver transplant recipients with PaCO 2 ≥ 35 mm Hg at the anhepatic phase ( P = .004). Conclusion ONSD was increased just after reperfusion, which demonstrated good correlation with PaCO 2 during reperfusion in liver transplant recipients. This finding suggests that the carbon dioxide can play a key role in increasing ONSD during hepatic graft reperfusion.

Objective. The purpose of this series is to describe the sonographic findings of lymph nodes of the neck involved by Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Methods. We reviewed and interpreted available images of lymph nodes in patients with cervical lymphadenopathies involved by LCH for the past decade. In all patients, each abnormal lymph node was pathologically confirmed by the use of a sonographically guided core needle biopsy or an incisional biopsy. Results. We characterized 3 different kinds of imaging findings for cervical lymph nodes involved by LCH: (1) a lymphomalike lesion, (2) a lesion similar to reactive lymphadenopathy, and (3) a cystic lymph node. Conclusions. There was no specific imaging finding to diagnose lymphadenopathy involved by LCH. In our study, we characterized 3 different imaging patterns of lymph node involvement by LCH. This study represents an initial step to organize specific findings for LCH.

Biobank Impact Factor (BIF), which is a very effective criterion to evaluate the activity of biobanks, can be es-timated by the citation information of biobanks from sci-entific papers. We have developed a program, ManBIF, to investigate the citation information from PDF files in the literature. The program manages a dictionary for ex-pressions to represent biobanks and their resources, mines the citation information by converting PDF files to text files and searching with a dictionary, and produces a statistical report file. It can be used as an important tool by biobanks. Availability: ManBIF and its manual are available at http://cgs.cdc.go.kr/manbifKeywords: biobank, Biobank Impact Factor Data Introduction Biobanks, as repository organizations, are getting more and more important, not only nationwide but also worldwide. As their roles and functions are being ex-panded to effectively maintain and distribute biological resources, international cooperation and competition is getting very active. BIF (Biobank Impact Factor), a comparative index of citation information of biobanks in scientific papers, is used as a major criterion of biobank activity (Zika, 2010). As a biobank can be represented with several names, including abbreviations and a full name, a dedicated program is required to search for multiple biobanks against multiple literature files. We have developed ManBIF, a program, to search for Biobank citation information from PDF files in the liter-ature to produce a summary report.

For successful clinical outcome of tumor immunotherapy, proper generation of strong immune responses against tumor antigen is required. Cell based vaccine is one of the strategy to induce appropriate immune responses. In previous studies we established NKT ligand loaded, adeoviral antigen transduced-B cell based anticancer cellular vaccine that efficiently induced a wide spectrum of immune responses against tumor antigen. However the lack of the coxsakivirus-adenovirus receptor(CAR) on B cells limits the adenoviral Ag gene delivery. In this study, we established a modified adenoviral vector(Ad-k35) whose fiber structure was substituted with adenovirus serotype 35, encoding truncated breast cancer antigen Her2/neu(Ad-k35HM), to enhance tumor antigen gene delivery to B cells. Using Ad-k35HM, we observed increased expression of tumor antigen on both human and mouse B cells. And Ad-k35HM transduced B cell vaccine elicited antigen specific strong cellular and humoral immune responses and these responses was further enhanced with additional loading of derivative of NKT ligand KBC009. Ad-k35HM transduced, KBC009 loaded B cell vaccination efficiently suppressed in vivo established tumor growth in a mice model. These findings showed modified adenoviral vector Ad-k35 could be appropriate for the preclinical and clinical development of B cell based anticancer immunotherapy.

In this study, hydroxyapatite (HAp) was incorporated into toothpaste and its effect on the remineralization and restoration of dental enamel was evaluated. Different sets of toothpaste were incorporated with HAp levels of 0%, 5%, 10 %, and 15 %. The filler particles of the resulting toothpaste samples were observed via SEM and XRD and compared with compositions of several commercially available toothpastes, showing that the HAp was successfully incorporated into the toothpaste samples. Different sets of human enamel were inflicted with lesions and then treated with the different fabricated toothpaste samples for five minutes three times a day for seven days. During the treatment, the teeth were subjected to demineralization and remineralization cycles to simulate the effect of natural saliva. The surface of the enamel samples were observed using SEM before and after one week of treatment, showing the formation of HAp layers on the surfaces of the enamel samples. The effect of the toothpaste on the lesions was observed using an inverted light microscope and the lesion depth was found to decrease as the concentration of HAp in the toothpaste used increased. HAp was successfully incorporated in the toothpaste and its presence was found to lessen lesion depths and improve tooth remineralization.

A highly porous Biphasic Calcium Phosphate (BCP) scaffold was fabricated by the sponge replica method with a microwave sintering technique. The BCP scaffold had interconnected pores ranging from 80 μm to 1000 μm, which were similar to natural cancellous bone. To enhance the mechanical properties of the porous scaffold, infiltration of polycaprolactone (PCL) was employed. The microstructure of the BCP scaffold was optimized using various volume percentages of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) for the infiltration process. PCL successfully infiltrated into the hollow space of the strut formed after the removal of the polymer sponge throughout the degassing and high pressure steps. The microstructure and material properties of the BCP scaffold (i.e., pore size, morphology of infiltrated and coated PCL, compressive strength, and porosity) were evaluated. When a 30 vol% of PMMA was used, the PCL-BCP scaffold showed the highest compressive strength. The compressive strength values of the BCP and PCL-BCP scaffolds were approximately 1.3 and 2MPa, respectively. After the PCL infiltration process, the porosity of the PCL-BCP scaffold decreased slightly to 86%, whereas that of the BCP scaffold was 86%. The number of pores in the 10 μm to 20 μm rage, which represent the pore channel inside of the strut, significantly decreased. The in-vitro study confirmed that the PCL-infiltrated BCP scaffold showed comparable cell viability without any cytotoxic behavior.

In this study, a new porous beta-tricalcium phosphate (?-TCP) granule was fabricated using the fibrous monolithic (FM) process and its in vitro biocompatibility and in vivo bone formation were evaluated. SEM micrograph images showed that MG-63 cells attached to the surfaces of the implant and were well proliferated. Cellular viability was as high as 75% in a 50% extract dilution solution. cDNA micro array analysis was also carried out. In this analysis, we found a total of 12 up-regulated and 25 down-regulated genes. Four rabbits were used in the in vivo experiments. 3D micro-CT images showed that the formation of new bone was almost three times greater than that of normal trabecular bone (BV/TV). The histomorphometric results correlated with the micro-CT findings; a greater amount of new bone formation and osteoblast lineage along with osteocytes were observed in the implanted animals. Also x-ray radiographic and 2D micro-CT images were taken to demonstrate the superior biodegradability of the porous granule. As biodegradation occurred along with bone formation, 6 months after implantation, the porous granule structure was not distinguishable separately from that of the trabecular bone.

In this study, we investigated primary biocompatibility and osteogenic gene expression of porous granular BCP bone substitutes with or without strontium (Sr) doping. In vitro biocompatibility was investigated on fibroblasts like L929 cells and osteoblasts like MG-63 cells using a cell viability assay (MTT) and one cell morphological observation by SEM, respectively. MTT results showed a cell viability percent of L929 fibroblasts, which was higher in Sr-BCP granules (98-101%) than in the non-doped granules (92-96%, p

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate social and behavioral factors associated with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in men in California, United States, who were over 40 years of age and had ever heard about PSA screening. Materials and Methods: This survey was administered as a random-digit-dialing telephone survey to produce reliable estimates of medium-sized counties. It surveyed 42,000 households and interviewed 58,407 people randomly. It considered socioeconomic status and health behavior as affecting PSA screening. Access to health care was measured as having regular health care access. The main outcome measure was self-report of ever having undergone PSA screening at least once in the respondent’s lifetime. Results: Of 8,864 respondents, 82.2% were White, 7.7% were Latin, 4.2% were African American, and 5.9% were Asian. The respondents’ mean age was 60.13 years. Age was the significant factor for PSA screening. Respondents aged 50-59 years were 3.5 times as likely to have undergone PSA screening as were those aged 40-49 years (OR=3.49, p≤0.001). Race was not statistically significant after considering other factors. People who had never married had statistically significantly lower screening than did people who were married (OR=0.71, p=0.001). Poverty levels were statistically significant in both the unadjusted and the adjusted analysis. People who had no regular health care access were much less likely to have undergone PSA screening than were people who had regular health care access (OR=0.22, p=0.001). Conclusions: The likelihood of PSA screening was positively associated with increased age, marital status (married), higher socioeconomic status (higher federal poverty level and higher educational attainment), and health care access. However, there was no statistically significant association of PSA screening with race, employment, exercise, smoking, or drinking status.

A transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is often performed to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatic carcinoma. Transurethral resection syndrome (TURS) is a rare but serious complication of TURP that has two different causes: (1) intravascular absorption of the irrigation fluid through the open prostatic venous sinus (TURP syndrome); and (2) intraperitoneal extravasation of the irrigation fluid through perforation of the bladder. In general, a laparotomy, repair of injury, or conservative approach such as bladder drainage, percutaneous drainage of the abdomen combined with medical treatment are performed to manage TURS attributed to the latter mechanism. We report a patient with TURS, who showed a gradual onset of hyponatremia after bladder perforation and intraperitoneal extravasation of the irrigation fluid, and was treated successfully using a conservative approach.

There are virtually no cognitive and systemic side-effects associated with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), which makes it a valuable treatment modality for patients with a poor tolerance to antiepileptic drugs. The safety of VNS therapy have been established in clinical studies, but there are few reports on the cardiac side effect associated with the intraoperative lead testing for implantation of the device for VNS. We report a patient with refractory epilepsy who experienced a complete atrioventricular block intraoperatively as a result of inadvertently high current intensity during the initial testing for implantation of a left vagus nerve stimulator.

Background: Vagal cardiac function plays an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between vagal cardiac function and changes in blood pressure induced by phenylephrine and by thigh cuff deflation after low-dose atropine (LDA)(/kg) administration. Methods: Beat-to-beat changes in R-R intervals (RRI) and systolic blood pressures (SBP) were measured in 33 healthy volunteers during spontaneous and controlled () breathing before and after LDA administration. The RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences of RRI), pNN50 (proportion of successive RRI > 50 ms in relation to the total RRI), standard deviation 1 (SD1) from Poincare plots, power spectral densities of heart rate variability (HRV) and SBP variability, and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) by transfer function analysis were assessed. Acute hypertension was induced by phenylephrine (/kg), whereas acute hypotension was induced by thigh cuff deflation. Results: RMSSD, pNN50, SD1 of Poincare plots, and the high frequency (HF) power of HRV increased after LDA administration as did spontaneous BRS. Moreover, acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine was significantly attenuated ( to mmHg, P = 0.004) after LDA administration. However, acute hypotension induced by thigh cuff deflation was not significantly changed ( to mmHg, P = 0.62) after LDA administration. Changes in SBP during acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine were significantly correlated with changes in the HF power of HRV (r = 0.60, P