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To develop new antiviral probiotics, bacteria were isolated from the microbiome in a murine intestine. In 16S rDNA sequence analysis, most isolates were identified as Lactobacillus johnsonii. These isolates were further assessed using whole-genome sequencing through the Illumina and PacBio platform, which revealed that the isolates were new strains. A novel probiotic strain, Lactobacillus johnsonii Byun-jo-01, was evaluated to determine its probiotic characteristics of safety, immune modulation, and antiviral efficacy against murine norovirus. Oral administration of L. johnsonii Byun-jo-01 was demonstrated to be safe in mice in terms of body weight, food intake, and bacterial translocation. Additionally, the expression levels of IFN-beta and IFN-gamma induced by L. johnsonii Byun-jo-01 in the small intestines of mice were higher than those in mice fed L. paracasei ATCC 334 and L. reuteri KACC 11452. Among the three different bacterial strains used in this study, L. johnsonii Byun-jo-01 showed the highest antiviral efficacy against murine norovirus, reducing the viral titer in fecal samples by 28 times compared with mice infected with murine norovirus. To support those in vivo experiments, genome-based data mining was performed to investigate which genes related to probiotic-specific markers were highly expressed in this isolate. Specifically, DnaK, GroEL, GroES, and GrpE, which are involved in the acid adaptation required to overcome the harsh in vivo condition, were highly expressed. Taken together, these results suggest that host-originated probiotics can be more effective than bacteria isolated from other sources, such as fermented food.

Although surgery and radiation are beneficial for treating cancer, they can also lead to malfunctions of the lymphatic system such as secondary lymphedema. This abnormality of the lymphatic system is characterized by severe swelling, adipogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis in the lymphedematous region. Moreover, the proliferation of fibrotic tissue in the lymphedematous region generates edema that is no longer spontaneously reversible. No treatment for fibrosis has been validated in patients with lymphedema. In our efforts to develop a therapeutic agent for lymphedema fibrosis, we used a newly established mouse hind limb model. Previous studies have demonstrated that hyaluronic acid accumulates in the lymphedematous region. Thus, we challenged mice with of hyaluronidase (HYAL), with the aim of reducing fibrogenesis. After subcutaneous injections in the lymphedematous mouse leg every two days, the volume of lymphedema had reduced significantly by 7 days post-operation. Histochemical analysis indicated that collagen accumulation and myofibroblast differentiation were decreased in epidermal tissues after HYAL injection. Moreover, it was associated with upregulation of interferon-gamma, increased numbers of Th1 cells, and downregulation of interleukin-4 and interleukin-6 in the lymphedematous region and spleen. These results indicate that hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid can boost an anti-fibrotic immune response in the mouse lymphedema model.

Background: Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 was isolated from chicken intestines for further development as an antiviral feed additive. This study aimed to investigate probiotic properties of chicken isolates in mice model and in silico analysis.Results: Compared to known probiotics, Lactobacillus paracasei ATCC 334, Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 showed immune-boosting effects despite short persistence in the mice intestine. Especially, the expression levels of IFN-β and IFN-γ were increased 4 and 40 times higher than those of the control mice. In proportion to the immune-boosting effects elicited by chicken isolates, the antiviral efficacy against murine norovirus (MNV) was also remarkable. For the purpose of evaluating the potential for development as feed additives, the expression levels of probiotic markers such as long-term acid adaptation, stress response, and adhesion-related proteins were investigated using in silico method, and the results showed that these proteins were expressed at high levels in chicken isolate. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that chicken isolate, Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 can also elicit high probiotic properties in mice even though it originated in chicken. We expect that this chicken isolate will be able to induce much higher probiotic activity in chickens to develop feed additives for poultry.Keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01, probiotics, antiviral efficacy, probiotic marker, cytokine

Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 is a potentially indigenous probiotic strain isolated from the small intestine of a 27-week-old chicken. The complete genome of L. reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 comprises a single circular chromosome., Lactobacillus reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 is a potentially indigenous probiotic strain isolated from the small intestine of a 27-week-old chicken. The complete genome of L. reuteri SKKU-OGDONS-01 comprises a single circular chromosome. Its length is 2,259,968 bp, with a G+C content of 38.9%.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and serve as probiotic bacteria when consumed in adequate amounts. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus reuteri Byun-re-01, isolated from mouse small intestine.

We report here the complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain Byun-jo-01, which was isolated from the murine gastrointestinal tract. The genome was determined using both PacBio and Illumina sequencing., We report here the complete genome sequence of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain Byun-jo-01, which was isolated from the murine gastrointestinal tract. The genome was determined using both PacBio and Illumina sequencing. L. johnsonii strain Byun-jo-01 contains a single circular chromosome of 1,959,519 bp, and its GC content is 34.7%.

We have identified the whole-genome sequence of Lactobacillus salivarius DJ-sa-01, a potential probiotic strain for poultry, isolated from a chicken small intestine. We used the PacBio and Illumina platforms to obtain the sequence of the entire single circular chromosome.

Probiotics are well known for their beneficial effects for animals, including humans and livestock. Here, we tested the probiotic activity of Lactobacillus paracasei expressing 3D8 scFv, a nucleic acid-hydrolyzing mini-antibody, in mice intestine. A total of 18 fecal samples derived from three different conditions at two different time points were subjected to high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) metagenomic analyses. Bioinformatic analyses identified an average of 290 operational taxonomic units. After administration of L. paracasei, populations of the probiotics L. paracasei, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Pediococcus acidilactici increased, whereas the population of harmful bacteria such as Helicobacter species decreased. Furthermore, continuous administration of L. paracasei resulted in L. paracasei emerging as the dominant probiotic after competition with other existing probiotics. Expression of 3D8 scFv protein specifically increased the population of P. acidilactici, which is another probiotic. In summary, our results showed that L. paracasei expressing 3D8 scFv protein enhanced probiotic activity in mice intestine with no observable side effects. Thus, the system developed in this study may be a good tool for the expression of recombinant protein using probiotics.

Vaginal Brenner tumor is extremely rare. Only five cases have been reported in the English literature to date. Here we report a vaginal Brenner tumor in a 76-year old postmenopausal woman, who presented with a 2.5cm-sized sessile vaginal polyp. Microscopically, it showed characteristic features of Brenner tumor consisting of three components; transitional islands, glands, and dense fibrous stroma. The epithelial tumor cells were positive for GATA-3, p63 and ER, but negative for PAX8. The origin of Brenner tumors in the vagina is unclear, but previous reports suggested of Müllerian origin. However, our case revealed that vaginal Walthard nests could be possible precursor lesions based on their immunohistochemical staining results.

The present study examined the effectiveness of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash (FA), and silica fume (SF), in reducing CO2 emissions from ordinary Portland cement concrete. This was done by assembling and analyzing a comprehensive database including 5294 laboratory concrete mixes and 3915 plant mixes. The database covered extensive ranges of compressive strength (8–170 MPa) and substitution levels (3–80% for GGBFS, 3–70% for FA, and 3–40% for SF). The system studied for CO2 assessment of concrete based on Korean life-cycle inventory was from cradle to preconstruction, which includes consistent materials, transportation, and production phases. The unit binder content and CO2 emissions of concrete in developing the unit strength (1 MPa) were identified using the binder intensity and CO2 intensity, respectively. The value of the CO2 intensity decreased sharply as the substitution level of the SCMs increased up to approximately 15–20%, beyond which the rate of decrease gradually slowed. Overall, the binder and CO2 intensities could be formulated as a function of the individual substitution level of each SCM. The proposed equations hold considerable promise as a guideline for the straightforward determination of (1) the total CO2 emission for a given concrete mix proportion, (2) the unit binder content for a targeted compressive strength, and (3) the type and substitution level of SCMs for a designed strength and targeted CO2 reduction rate.

The principal objective of this study was to determine the effects of the application of the adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) technique in combination with another two factors (body mass index (BMI) and tube potential) on radiation dose in cardiac computed tomography (CT). For quantitative analysis, regions of interest were positioned on the central region of the great coronary artery, the right coronary artery, and the left anterior descending artery, after which the means and standard deviations of measured CT numbers were obtained. For qualitative analysis, images taken from the major coronary arteries (right coronary, left anterior descending, and left circumflex) were graded on a scale of 1–5, with 5 indicating the best image quality. Effective dose, which was calculated by multiplying the value of the dose length product by a standard conversion factor of 0.017 for the chest, was employed as a measure of radiation exposure dose. In cardiac CT in patients with BMI of less than 25 ...

The principal objective of this study was to verify the utility of the reconstruction imaging technique in the brain perfusion computed tomography (PCT) scan by assessing reductions in the radiation dose and analyzing the generated images. The setting used for image acquisition had a detector coverage of 40 mm, a helical thickness of 0.625 mm, a helical shuttle mode scan type and a rotation time of 0.5 s as the image parameters used for the brain PCT scan. Additionally, a phantom experiment and an animal experiment were carried out. In the phantom and animal experiments, noise was measured in the scanning with the tube voltage fixed at 80 kVp (kilovolt peak) and the level of the adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) was changed from 0% to 100% at 10% intervals. The standard deviation of the CT coefficient was measured three times to calculate the mean value. In the phantom and animal experiments, the absorbed dose was measured 10 times under the same conditions as the ones for noise measure...

A material capsule system has been developed for irradiation tests of nuclear materials in the core region of the high-flux advanced neutron application reactor (HANARO) and has been actively utilized for the various material irradiation tests requested by numerous users. For an irradiation test in the reactor, nuclear characteristics and irradiation temperature of the capsule parts are essential for the safety analysis of the capsule and for the detailed capsule design. The irradiation temperature and neutron fluence of the specimens are key parameters required by a user to analyze any neutron irradiation damage effects. Based on a basic design of a capsule, the reactivity effect, neutron flux/fluence, and gamma heating of specimens are calculated by the MCNP code. To compare the calculated neutron fluence of the specimens, thermal and fast fluence monitors (F/Ms) are installed in a capsule. After an irradiation, the F/Ms are dismantled and analyzed to obtain a neutron spectrum. The experimental fast neutron fluences (E > 1.0nMeV) derived by using the SAND II code were found to lie within about 20% of the predicted values calculated by the MCNP code. The irradiation temperature of the specimens is analyzed preliminary by using the GENGTC or ANSYS codes based on the basic design of a capsule and gamma heating. During an irradiation test, the temperatures of the specimens in a capsule are measured and monitored by thermocouples. The displacement per atom (DPA) and activation of the irradiated specimens are also evaluated by using the SPECTER and ORIGEN2 codes, respectively, at HANARO.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films were synthesized by electropolymerization under an applied magnetic field on ITO glass. The effects of the magnetic field on the electrochemical polymerization of EDOT and the redox behavior were examined. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) result indicated that the applied magnetic field exceedingly accelerated the polymerization rate. The effect of the conformation of the PEDOT chains under applied magnetic field was studied by Raman spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the morphological changes of PEDOT film in the presence of the magnetic field. The parallel applied magnetic field induced the formation of more expanded chain structure as well as sharp crystalline morphology.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/copper (PEDOT/Cu) composites were prepared by an in situ redox reaction of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and copper(II) chloride. During the reaction, EDOT was oxidatively polymerized by Cu(II) chloride, while the Cu(II) ions were reduced to produce Cu metal particles. PEDOT/Cu composite films were also successfully prepared on CuCl2-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films by the vapor phase polymerization of EDOT. PEDOT/Cu films were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to confirm the formation of PEDOT, and the presence of metallic Cu particles.

This study attempts to determine changes in carpal canal volume with distraction across the wrist. Uniform longitudinal distraction was maintained with two external fixators on the radial and ulnar aspects of the forearm axis of five cadaver specimens. After CT scanning, volume determinations were made at 5 mm increments beginning at the lunocapitate joint to a point 1.5 cm distal to the middle finger carpometacarpal joint. There was a statistically significant decrease of the mean total carpal canal volume from 0 to 4.54 kg of distraction, with no statistically significant decrease from 0 to 2.27 kg or 2.27 to 4.54 kg. The largest decrease occurred at 15 and 20 mm distal to the proximal edge of the transverse carpal ligament corresponding to the level of the hamate hook. Reduction in mean carpal canal volume was 10.2% and 7.5% at these distances, respectively, from 0 to 4.54 kg of distraction. Progressive distraction across the wrist causes a decrease in total carpal canal volume.

An experimental study has been made on the correlation between the fabrication conditions for 3c-SiC/Si (111) template and electrical and crystallographic properties of InN films grown on the templates. The template has been prepared by C+-ion implantation into Si (111). Although the 3c-SiC layers show a large (170 arcmin) FWHM of XRC (111) diffraction, InN films with a considerably small (about 50 arcmin) FWHMs for (0002) and (10-10) diffraction are grown on the layers. A lower implantation dose brings a smaller XRC FWHMs for 3c-SiC. The post implantation annealing is found to be effective to improve the quality of the 3c-SiC layer and, therefore, to improve the quality of InN films. Hall mobility in InN is found to be markedly increased by decreasing FWHM of InN (0002) diffraction. The best data of carrier concentration and Hall mobility are 6.2×1018 cm–3 and 630 cm2/Vs, respectively. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

This paper reports the fabrication of a dry-type conducting polymer actuator using nitrile rubber (NBR) as the base material in a solid polymer electrolyte. The conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), was synthesized on the surface of the NBR layer by using a chemical oxidation polymerization technique. Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) based on imidazolium salts, e.g. 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium X (where X = BF4−, PF6−, (CF3SO2)2N−), were absorbed into the composite film. The compatibility between the ionic liquids and the NBR polymer was confirmed by DMA. The effect of the anion size of the ionic liquids on the displacement of the actuator was examined. The displacement increased with increasing anion size of the ionic liquids. The cyclic voltammetry responses and the redox switching dynamics of the actuators were examined in different ionic liquids.

The antiviral effect of a catalytic RNA-hydrolyzing antibody, 3D8 scFv, for intranasal administration against avian influenza virus (H1N1) was described. The recombinant 3D8 scFv protein prevented BALB/c mice against H1N1 influenza virus infection by degradation of the viral RNA genome through its intrinsic RNA-hydrolyzing activity. Intranasal administration of 3D8 scFv (50 μg/day) for five days prior to infection demonstrated an antiviral activity (70% survival) against H1N1 infection. The antiviral ability of 3D8 scFv to penetrate into epithelial cells from bronchial cavity via the respiratory mucosal layer was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and histopathological examination. The antiviral activity of 3D8 scFv against H1N1 virus infection was not due to host immune cytokines or chemokines, but rather to direct antiviral RNA-hydrolyzing activity of 3D8 scFv against the viral RNA genome. Taken together, our results suggest that the RNase activity of 3D8 scFv, coupled with its ability to penetrate epithelial cells through the respiratory mucosal layer, directly prevents H1N1 virus infection in a mouse model system.

This paper reports the fabrication of a dry type conducting polymer actuator using nitrile rubber (NBR) as the base material for a solid polymer electrolyte. Thin films of NBR (150–200 μm) were prepared by using a compression molding process. A conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), was synthesized on the surface of the NBR layer by using a chemical oxidation polymerization technique, and room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) based on imidazolium salts, e.g. 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium X [where X = BF 4 − , PF 6 − , (CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N − ], were absorbed into the composite film. The effects of the anion-size of the ionic liquids on the displacement of the actuator were examined. The displacement increased with increasing the anion-size of the ionic liquids. The cyclic voltammetric responses and the redox switching dynamics of the actuators using different ionic liquids were examined.

A novel multilayer proton conducting membrane was fabricated using the layer-by-layer deposition technique onto the surface modified porous PE membrane. The PE-g-PSS was initially prepared by the graft polymerization of styrene onto a porous polyethylene (PE) substrate film and subsequent sulfonation reaction. The layer-by-layer stacked film was obtained by the alternative deposition of poly(vinylimidazole) (P(VIm)) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) (P(AMPSA)). These two polymers were strongly combined by the acid–base interaction. The characteristics of the multilayer membrane, such as the proton conductivity and methanol permeability, were investigated as a function of the number of stacking layers, and were also compared with those of Nafion 115 and 117 membranes.

Natural polymers and their derivatives are attracting increasing interest as promising biodegradable materials that can meet the environmental and recycling demands from society. This study prepared biodegradable composites of cellulose diacetate and starch, and examined their physical and thermal properties. In addition, the morphology of the composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy. For melt processing, epoxidized soybean oil, as a lubricant, and triacetine, as a plasticizer, were added to the composites. The optimal conditions for the preparation of the biodegradable composites were determined. Increasing the amount of starch in the composites resulted in further enhancement of the processability of cellulose diacetate. The tensile strength and Young's modulus decreased, and the amount of elongation and T g value increased with increasing amount of starch.

This paper reports the residual tensile stress in GaN grown on 3c-SiC/Si template formed by C+-ion implantation into Si(111). A GaN layer is grown using MOVPE method with the conventional two-step growth. The residual tensile stress is dependent on the fabrication conditions of the template, such as substrate temperature for implantation, acceleration voltage of C+-ions, temperature and time for the post-implantation annealing of Si wafers. It is found that the substrate temperature during implantation is a predominant factor. The residual stress in GaN layer is reduced from 1.3 to 0.45 GPa when the substrate temperature during implantation is changed from 400 to 600 oC. The stress is also decreased by increasing accelerating voltage for implantation and post-implantation annealing time. The residual tensile stress of 0.45 GPa is the lowest one ever reported for GaN on Si. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The fabrication of dry type conducting polymer actuator was presented. In the preparation of actuator system, nitrile rubber (NBR) was used as a base material of the solid polymer electrolyte. Thin films of NBR (150 ∼ 200 µm) were prepared by compression molding process. The conducting polymer, polypyrrole(PPy) was synthesized on the surface of NBR by chemical oxidation polymerization technique, and the room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide (BMITFSI) was introduced into the composite film. The cyclic voltammetry responses and the redox switching dynamics of PPy in NBR/ionic liquid solid polymer electrolyte were studied. The displacement of actuator was measured by laser beam.

This paper reports the MOVPE growth of InN on a 3c-SiC/Si template formed by C + -ion implantation into Si(lll). Properties of grown films on the template are compared with those grown on sapphire in the same run. By employing the nitridation process of the template at 900 °C for 30 min just before the GaN buffer growth, the buffer layer becomes to show uniform nucleation. This is due to the improved wettability of GaN layer on the template by the formation of Si-N bonds on the Si-polar SiC layer. The surface mophology of InN film grown on the nitrided template is similar to that for a film grown on a sapphire. The film on the nitrided template shows strong photoluminescence with a peak energy of 0.70 eV at room temperature. The carrier concentration and Hall mobility are 7.6 × 10 18 cm -3 and 630 cm 2 /Vs, respectively. These data are comparable to those for InN grown on the sapphire (0.71 eV, 6.5 × 10 18 cm -3 and 870 cm 2 /Vs). Thus, the nitridation process of the 3c-SiC/Si template is found to be effective to obtain high-quality InN film.

Polymer electrolyte nanocomposite films composed of PEGDA/LiCF3SO3 with various wt.% Mg–Al LDH-2 fillers were prepared. Gel structure was obtained by thermal crosslinking reaction of residual terminal acrylate groups of PEGDA. The molecular weight of PEGDA was ca. 258, 575, and 700, respectively. The ionic conductivity and mechanical properties of resulting nanocomposites were characterized by impedance measurements, X-ray diffraction, and tensile measurement, respectively. The ionic conductivity was highly enhanced in the nanocomposite systems, which is also increased with increasing molecular weight of PEGDA. It was observed in XRD spectra that the layered structure of Mg–Al LDH-2 was totally exfoliated by the prepolymer. In the case of the composite films having 4.5 wt.% of the Mg–Al LDH-2, the ionic conductivity reached to 1.6 × 10−3 S/cm at room temperature. The incorporation of nanoparticle into the gel resulted in the increase in the tensile modulus by two to three times.

The plasticization effects of cellulose diacetate composite systems including nanoparticles (montmorillonite, MMT) and plasticizers(diethyl phthalate, DEP) were investigated by the time–temperature superposition technique and viscoelastic modeling. Exhibiting the highest modulus value in the glass state, the viscoelastic modulus of the MMT nanocomposite rapidly decreased above the glass-transition temperature (Tg). The Arrhenius-type activation energy of pristine cellulose acetate showed the lowest value of activation energy and both DEP-plasticized and MMT-reinforced systems exhibited increased values of activation energy. Although the free volume fraction at the Tg decreased with the plasticizer content, it increased with the incorporation of MMT, seemingly preventing the polymer chains from being arranged in an ordered structure. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 59–65, 2005

A core/shell particle with a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core and a conducting polyaniline (PANI) shell was prepared and used as a dispersed phase for an electrorheological (ER) fluid, which is a suspension of polarizable particles in a non-conducting medium. PMMA particles, which were obtained using the dispersion polymerization method and spherical in shape with a monodisperse size distribution, were used as the core material for three different particle sizes. A PANI shell was introduced to the PMMA particle surface through in situ polymerization of aniline by an oxidant within an aqueous acidic solution, and its thickness was controlled via the amount of aniline monomer. These synthesized particles were dispersed in a silicone oil to prepare an ER fluid. The ER fluid, possessing Newtonian characteristics in the absence of an external electric field, exhibited a viscoelastic solid behavior with a non-vanishing yield stress, which were systematically controlled by the applied electric field strengths.

Previously we reported the development of a novel expression system with Tat/TAR-oriP vectors and HKB11 cell line, which supports high level protein expression (Cho et al. Cytotechnology 2001, 37, 23-30). In the present study, we further demonstrated that HKB11 cells are suitable for high throughput expression (microgram scale) of genomic candidates in transient transfection system for in vitro evaluation of biological functions. HKB11 cells were also shown to support the production of milligram to gram quantities of protein drug candidates for in vivo evaluation of efficacy in various disease models. Stable HKB11 clones secreting high levels of a tissue factor (TF; 40-50 pg/c/d) and B-domain deleted recombinant factor VIII (BDDrFVIII; 5-10 microU/c/d) were derived under serum-free conditions. The specific productivity for these two proteins from the HKB11 cells was 10-fold greater than those from CHO cells derived under the similar conditions. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the HKB11 cell line is well-suited for transient and long-term production of recombinant proteins.

Polymer gel electrolytes were prepared by thermal crosslinking reaction of a series of acrylic end-capped poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(propylene glycol) [P(EG-co-PG)] having various geometries and molecular weights. Acrylic end-capped prepolymers were prepared by the esterification of low molecular weight (Mn: 1900–5000) P(EG-co-PG) with acrylic acid. The linear increase in the ionic conductivity of polymer gel electrolyte films was observed with increasing temperature. The increase in the conductivity was also monitored by increasing the molecular weight of precursor polymer. Nanocomposite electrolytes were prepared by the addition of 5 wt % of organically modified layered silicate (montmorillonite) into the gel polymer electrolytes. The enhancement of the ionic conductivity as well as mechanical properties was observed in the nanocomposite systems. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 894–899, 2004

Copolymer particles consisting of acrylamide (AM) and acryloyloxyethyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (AODBAC) were prepared by dispersion polymerization in an aqueous solution of ammonium sulfate and in the presence of poly(acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) (PAOTAC) as the stabilizer. The average particle size ranged from 4 to 7 μm, and Mw and Mn were 2–6 ×106 g/mol and 1–3 × 106 g/mol, respectively. The effects of the AM/AODBAC ratio, monomer, initiator, salt, and stabilizer concentration on the particle size and molecular weight were studied. Increase of the AODBAC/AM ratio resulted in a decrease in the molecular weight and an increase in particle size. With the increase of the AODABA/AM ratio, the dispersion became less stable during long storage. Due to the presence of the salt, ionization of the quaternary ammonium groups in the dispersed particles is considered significantly suppressed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1101–1108, 2003

This paper presents a sliding mode control for a new anti-lock brake system (ABS) of a passenger vehicle using electrorheological (ER) valves. The Bingham model of an ER fluid is empirically obtained as a function of electric fields, and it is incorporated with the dynamic model of ER valves. The design parameters of the ER valves such as electrode gap are appropriately determined by considering braking forces required for a small-sized passenger vehicle. An electrically controllable ABS using the ER valves is then proposed and its governing equations of motion are derived. Subsequently, sliding mode controllers are formulated for wheel slip control as well as yaw rate control. In the formulation of the sliding mode controllers, the friction force which is difficult to measure in real time is estimated via a sliding mode observer associated with the fuzzy algorithm. Computer simulations for braking performance and steering stability under various road conditions are undertaken in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ABS.

The paper deals with problems in the indirect input identification when the number of simultaneously usable measurement and processing channels is smaller than the total number of response points. In such a case, the output spectral matrix essential to the indirect input identification can be obtained by processing the responses with respect to a reference point in a sequential manner, which is the so-called transmissibility function approach. This conventional transmissibility function approach is applicable only to a case where the number of independent excitation sources is just one regardless of the number of input points at which the input forces are to be estimated. In this paper, the technique is extended to other cases where the number of independent sources is greater than one based upon the principal component analysis. A method to identify the number of independent excitation sources is also presented. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated by a numerical example.

Injuries to the limb are the most frequent cause of permanent disability following combat wounds. We reviewed the medical records of 450 soldiers to determine the type of upper limb nerve injuries sustained, the rate of remaining motor and sensory deficits at final follow-up, and the type of Army disability ratings granted. Of 189 soldiers with an injury of the upper limb, 70 had nerve-related trauma. There were 62 men and eight women with a mean age of 25 years (18 to 49). Disabilities due to nerve injuries were associated with loss of function, neuropathic pain or both. The mean nerve-related disability was 26% (0% to 70%), accounting for over one-half of this cohort’s cumulative disability. Patients injured in an explosion had higher disability ratings than those injured by gunshot. The ulnar nerve was most commonly injured, but most disability was associated with radial nerve trauma. In terms of the final outcome, at military discharge 59 subjects (84%) experienced persistent weakness, 48 (69%) had a persistent sensory deficit and 17 (24%) experienced chronic pain from scar-related or neuropathic pain. Nerve injury was the cause of frequent and substantial disability in our cohort of wounded soldiers. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:254–8.

Dispersion polymerization of acrylamide (PAM) has been successfully carried out in aqueous ammonium sulfate media by using poly(acryloyloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride) (PAOTAC) as the polymeric stabilizer and 2,2′-azobis(2-methyl propionamidine) dihydrochloride (AIBA) as the initiator. The polymerization behaviors with varying concentrations of acrylamide, PAOTAC, AIBA, and ammonium sulfate were investigated. The reaction conditions for stable dispersion were concentrations of 5–10% for acrylamide, 0.6–1.8% for the stabilizer, 0.92–1.84 × 10−4 mol/L for the initiator, and 24–30% for the salt. The resulting conversion–time curves were S-shaped, as is typically observed in polymerization. Polydisperse spherical particles were formed in the system. An image analyzer photographed the size of the dispersed particles and their distribution was measured. The mechanism and kinetics for the dispersion polymerization were discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 1397–1405, 2002

Background and study aims Various clinical and endoscopic factors have been proposed and used as predictors of endoscopic treatment failure in bleeding peptic ulcers. Recently, several endoscopic factors have been considered to be more significant than various clinical factors, except for shock. Detailed knowledge of which endoscopic factors can be classified as predictors of rebleeding following endoscopic hemostasis is needed. This study describes newly defined endoscopic variables and evaluates their usefulness as predictors of endoscopic treatment failure. Patients and methods Between January 1996 and April 1999, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopies were carried out in 143 patients with active bleeding peptic ulcers. Nine clinical and eight endoscopic variables were studied. Endoscopic factors were classified by three types of stigmata bleeding, 14 locations, two ulcer sizes, three ulcer bases, three visible vessel colors, two ulcer depths, two margin shapes, and three endoscopic treatment methods (injection, hemoclipping, and combination). Results 36 patients experienced rebleeding (25.2 %), 11 patients needed operations (7.7 %) and five deaths occurred (3.5 %). In univariate analysis, rebleeding was significantly related to: i) presence of spurting activity (odds ratio [OR] = 4.91, P = 0.006), ii) ulcer size larger than 2 cm (OR = 2.78, P = 0.017); and iii) location in stomach (OR = 2.81, P = 0.026). Clinical variables including age, shock, and initial hemoglobin levels were not significantly related to rebleeding. In multiple logistic regression using selected significant variables, presence of spurting activity remained a significant independent predictor of rebleeding (adjusted OR = 6.48, P = 0.003). Conclusion Our data support the hypothesis that endoscopic factors are more important than clinical ones when predicting rebleeding of peptic ulcers. Based on statistical analysis of risk factors, the ulcers most likely to rebleed after endoscopic therapy are those which are located in the stomach, are greater than 2 cm in diameter and exhibit oozing or spurting of blood.

Radiation proctitis is a frequent acute complication encountered with pelvic irradiation. This study was aimed at establishing the optimal radiation dose for radiation-induced proctitis in rats. Female Wistar rats were used. The rectal specimens were examined morphologically at 5th and 10th day following 10-30 Gy irradiation in single fraction. With increasing dose, mucosal damage became worse, and there was a prominent reaction after > or =15 Gy. We selected 17.5 Gy as an optimal dose for radiation proctitis and examined specimens at day 1-14 and at week 4, 6, 8, and 12 after 17.5 Gy. The rectal mucosa revealed characteristic histological changes with time. An edema in lamina propria started as early as 1-2 days after irradiation and progressed into acute inflammation. On day 7 and 8, regeneration was observed with or without ulcer. Four weeks later, all regeneration processes have been completed with end result of either fibrosis or normal appearing mucosa. This study showed that the radiation injury of the rectum in rat develops in dose-dependent manner as it has reported in previous studies and suggested that 17.5 Gy in single fraction is the optimum dose to evaluate the protective effect of various medications for radiation proctitis in face of the clinical situation.

An aminopeptidase was isolated from a soil fungus, which specifically cleaves the unnatural N-terminal methionine in recombinant human growth hormone. Reaction mixtures with different ratios of aminopeptidase to recombinant methionyl human growth hormone showed that the removal of N-terminal methionine was complete at 1:200 (w/w), and more than 90% complete at ratios up to 1:2000 (w/w) when incubated for 24 h at 37°C. The data indicate that the aminopeptidase we have purified can be used for the efficient conversion of unnatural recombinant proteins to their natural form.

Copolyaniline containing phenyl sulfonic acid sodium salt pendent, was chemically synthesized and used for its characterization as an electrorheological (ER) fluid. Its chemical structure and particle shape were analyzed using an FT-IR, 13C-NMR, and SEM. Copolyaniline particles have irregular and lamellar morphology. This ER fluid was prepared by dispersing polymer particles in silicone oil and was characterized by a rotational Haake rheometer with a high voltage generator. Typical ER behavior was found in the copolyaniline suspension.

Present work delivers a systematical evaluation of actuation efficiency of a nano-particle electrode conducting polymer actuator fabricated based on Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). Attempts are made for maximizing mechanical functionality of the nano-particle electrode conducting polymer actuator that can be driven in the air. As the conducting polymer polypyrrole of the actuator is to be fabricated through a chemical oxidation polymerization process that may impose certain limitations on both electrical and mechanical functionality of the actuator, a coordinated study for optimization process of the actuator is necessary for maximizing its performance. In this article actuation behaviors of the nano-particle electrode polypyrrole conducting polymer is studied and an optimization process for the mechanical performance maximization is performed.

A mammalian gene expression vector based on cytomegalovirus (CMV)enhancer/promoter (CMVe/p) for the regulation of gene expression was further optimized by adding oriP elements derived from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the Tat/TAR transactivation axisfrom human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Using the Tat/TAR-oriP expression vector, a transient transfection system was optimized for an extended culture period to produce large amounts of secreted IL-2SA (an IL-2 mutein) in HKB11 cells. We observed a 4-fold increase in IL-2SA expression in cells transfected with vectors containing the HIV-1 transactivation axis (Tat/TAR) or oriP elements alone when compared to cells transfected with the control vector having a CMVe/p. Cells transfected with expression vectors equipped with both oriP and Tat/TAR showed an 18-fold increase in IL-2SA expression. This transient transfection system maintained high secretion of IL-2SA for a period of 10-day with no appreciable loss in expression. We demonstrate that during this 10-day culture period, it was possible to produce 1-100 mg of proteins using 500 mug of plasmid DNA.

The objective of the present work is to demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) based conducting polymer actuator that is fabricated into a micro zoon lens driver. Unlike the traditional conducting polymer that normally operates in a liquid, the proposed actuator successfully provides fairly effective driving performance for the zoom lens system in a dry environment. And this paper is including the experiment results for an efficiency improvement. The result suggested by an experiment was efficient in micro optical zoom lens system. In addition, the developed design method of actuator was given consideration to design the system.