Search

The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant and quality characteristics of yogurt containing olive leaf hot water extract (CON: 0, OLY1: 0.1, OLY2: 0.2, and OLY4: 0.4% (w/v)) stored at 4°С for 15 days. After storage, the lactic acid bacteria count showed no significant difference between yogurt samples either in the presence or absence of olive leaf extract (p > 0.05). The total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and reducing power increased upon increasing the content of the olive leaf hot water extract. Oleuropein was found to be the most abundant phenolic compounds present in olive leaf, and the oleuropein content in OLY4, as measured by HPLC, decreased gradually to 1.09, 1.00, and 0.96 g/L upon increasing the storage time; however, this reduction was not significant (p > 0.05). In sensory evaluations, OLY1 gave the highest score among the experimental groups. The results of this study thereby demonstrate that olive leaf hot water extract can be used to improve the antioxidant capacity and sensory characteristics of yogurt.

Sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine, cysteine, and taurine are present in animals and plants with biological functions. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activities of representative sulfur-containing amino acids using various in vitro antioxidant assays including radical scavenger activities against DPPH·, ABTS·, and superoxide radicals, ferric reducing antioxidant power, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, and metal chelating activities. Of the three sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine had the highest DPPH·, ABTS·, and O2− radical and H2O2 scavenging activities, FRAP, and metal chelating activities except for Fe2+ chelating. However, methionine and taurine failed to show DPPH· or ABTS· radical scavenging activity. Based on the results of the present study, sulfur-containing amino acids with excellent antioxidant abilities might be useful for the food processing industry as antioxidant additives to extend shelf-life of food or food products and offer beneficial pharmacological effect against cell damage caused by oxidative stress. Keywords: Sulfur containing amino acid, Antioxidant, Cysteine, Radical scavenging activity, Oxidative stress

The supplementation with natural ingredients that are rich in polyphenols could improve the quality and functionality of yogurt. Lotus leaf (LL) are abundant in phenolic compounds. We aimed to investigate the effects of LL powder on the quality properties, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of yogurt. Yogurt was supplemented with four different concentrations (0%, 0.2%, 0.5%, and 1%) of LL powder and evaluated for 14 d refrigerated storage. During storage, the titratable acidity (TA) of all LL yogurt groups was higher than that of the control (p

This study investigated the effect of storage state (chilled state on sous-vide, CS; frozen state without thawing on sous-vide, FS; and frozen/thawed states on sous-vide, TS) and sous-vide cooking temperature (65°C and 72°C) on the longissimus dorsi muscle quality of pork. FS showed a higher moisture content than that of CS and TS (p

This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical properties of whey-fed pork loin subjected to salting, dry aging, and sous vide cooking. We compared raw and treated pork loin from pigs fed a basal diet (control) and those fed a diet supplemented with whey powder. Treated pork was salted, dry aged for 0–30 d, and then cooked using sous vide. The crude fat, total lipid, and cholesterol content and shear force of raw whey powder-fed pork loin were significantly lower than those of the control, while the crude protein content was higher. Cooking loss, hardness, and gumminess were found to decrease with the aging period in sous vide-treated pork. Dietary supplementation with whey had positive effects on pork color stability, texture, and sensory evaluation, and it significantly inhibited the growth of bacteria. The results suggest that supplementing the diet of pigs with whey powder can enhance meat quality, especially when combined with salting, dry aging, and sous vide cooking.

Processed meat products are prone to oxidative damage and quality decline during storage, however, these problems can be mitigated by the proper formulation of meat productions. This study evaluated the effects of natural anti-oxidants found in Boswellia serrata (B), whey protein powder (W), and their combination on pork patties during storage, exploring changes in textural properties and lipid oxidation susceptibility. The 2% whey-added group exhibited a higher crude protein content than the untreated control group. The highest water-holding capacity and lowest cooking losses were observed in mixed-additive groups (WB1 (2% W/0.5% B) and WB2 (2% W/1.0% B), and the highest sensory scores for overall acceptability were obtained for WB1. Adding B. serrata can neutralize the hardness caused by whey powder, thereby improving palatability. From 7 d (days 7), the extents of lipid oxidation, determined using 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) analysis, for the WB1 and WB2 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. The WB1 and WB2 groups exhibited substantially suppressed total bacterial colony and Escherichia coli counts relative to the control group. Our findings suggest that the additive combination of B. serrata and whey protein powders can suppress lipid oxidation, improve storage stability, and enhance textural properties in the production of functional pork patties.

Processed meat products are prone to oxidative damage and quality decline during storage; however, these problems can be mitigated by the proper formulation of meat productions. This study evaluated the effects of natural anti-oxidants found in Boswellia serrata (B), whey protein powder (W), and their combination on pork patties during storage, exploring changes in textural properties and lipid oxidation susceptibility. The 2% whey-added group exhibited a higher crude protein content than the untreated control group. The highest water-holding capacity and lowest cooking losses were observed in mixed-additive groups (WB1 (2% W/0.5% B) and WB2 (2% W/1.0% B), and the highest sensory scores for overall acceptability were obtained for WB1. Adding B. serrata can neutralize the hardness caused by whey powder, thereby improving palatability. From 7 d (days 7), the extents of lipid oxidation, determined using 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) analysis, for the WB1 and WB2 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. The WB1 and WB2 groups exhibited substantially suppressed total bacterial colony and Escherichia coli counts relative to the control group. Our findings suggest that the additive combination of B. serrata and whey protein powders can suppress lipid oxidation, improve storage stability, and enhance textural properties in the production of functional pork patties.

This study was conducted to determine the quality characteristics and antioxidant properties of yogurt containing omija extract (control, raw omija, and sugared omija) stored at 4°C for 14 days. The pH of all groups decreased, while the titratable acidity increased as the storage period increased. The viscosity of the sugared omija sample was high, while in the syneresis test, the sugared omija sample showed a low value. The total polyphenol content was the highest in the raw omija sample on day 0. DPPH activity was the highest in the raw omija sample for all storage periods; this sample also showed high Fe2+ chelating activity, which did not significantly differ from the sugared omija sample. In sensory evaluation, the sugared omija sample showed the highest overall score. Based on these results, it can be concluded that yogurt containing sugared omija shows improved quality and antioxidant activity.

The quest for natural preservatives and functional foods with health benefits has seen an increasing demand for natural products having therapeutic value. Herein, we investigated the influence of ethanol, methanol, acetone (50%, 70%, and 90% v/v), and distilled water on selected properties of olive leaf extract and determined the yield, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial activity. Extracts were analyzed for their oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol contents by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The highest extraction yield of 20.41% was obtained when using 90 vol% methanol, while the highest total polyphenol contents of 232 and 231 mggallic-acid-equivalent/100 g were obtained for 90 vol% methanol and 90 vol% ethanol, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined using the α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, by determining the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and using the Fe2+-chelating activity assay, which provided the highest values when 90 vol% methanol was used (33.84%, 0.75, and 12.91%, respectively). HPLC analysis showed that the highest oleuropein contents corresponded to the extracts obtained using 90 and 70 vol% methanol (26.10 ± 0.20 and 24.92 ± 1.22 g/L, respectively), and the highest antimicrobial activity was observed for 90 vol% methanol and distilled water. Olive leaf extracts using 90 vol% methanol had high levels of polyphenols and were highly antioxidant and antimicrobial. The results of this study facilitate the commercial applications of natural extracts with antioxidant and antibacterial activities and are expected to establish a foundation for further optimization studies.

The antioxidant effects of Allium hookeri root (AHR) were investigated by evaluating lipid and protein oxidation in meatballs during refrigerated storage at 4±1℃. AHR was mixed at concentrations of 0.5% (w/w, T2) and 1% (w/w, T3) with minced longissimus dorsi muscle. Meatballs containing AHR (T2 and T3) were compared to those containing 0.05% (w/w) ascorbic acid (T1) as a reference and without antioxidant as a control. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value, disulfide bond formation, carbonyl contents, and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) value of T2 were lower than those of the control during storage (p

In most cases of molding with glass or optical polymers, the birefringence caused by the internal mechanical stresses remaining in the molding material is inevitably avoided. The distribution of the residual stress can be annealed through slow cooling, but is disadvantageous in terms of shape accuracy and manufacturing time. In this study, an analytical model is suggested for calculating the diffracted field near the focal plane by considering two primary meaningful parameters: the difference in the orientation angle between the fast axis and the slow axis and the path difference between the two axes. To verify the reliability of the analytical model, the experimental spot profile from the image forming lens of the laser scanning unit with a specific degree of birefringence was compared with the analytical result. Also, based on the validated optical analysis model, the optical performance in the near-focus region was analyzed considering the variation of the orientation angle deviation and the phase delay difference between the two axes.

Astragalus extract mixture HT042 is a standardized functional food granted by the Korean FDA for promoting “Children’s Height Growth”. In this study, we determined whether HT042 affects circulatory Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) after administration and investigated whether Growth hormone (GH), Growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRH-R), and Growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) mRNAs are expressed in the pituitary, and whether Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and Somatostatin (SST) are expressed in the hypothalamus. We also evaluated the growth effect of HT042 on endochondral bone formation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats in the control and HT042 groups were orally administered a single dose of the control and HT042, respectively, and those in the recombinant human GH (rhGH) group were subcutaneously injected with rhGH. Tetracycline was injected intraperitoneally 72 h prior to sacrifice to decide endochondral bone formation. To determine the endocrine or paracrine/autocrine mechanism, we evaluated the expression of local BMP-2 and IGF-1, an immunohistochemical study after HT042 administration. It was confirmed that the growth-promoting effect of HT042 can be contributed to the increase in serum IGF-1, which can be stimulated by GH secretion. Administration of HT042 modulated the activity of GHRH-R and GHR-S in the pituitary gland and promoted GH secretion, thereby changing longitudinal growth through GH/IGF-1 mediation. Results for GHRH and SST expression demonstrated that the hypothalamus can be influenced and mediated by HT042 through a complex neuroendocrine regulatory system. In addition, it was confirmed by oral administration for 10 days that HT042 increased bone formation in cartilage, which is important for height growth. The effect of HT042 could be owing to upregulation of local Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and IGF-1 expression in the growth plate, which could be regarded as a GH-dependent autocrine/paracrine pathway, as well as circulatory IGF-1.

Rab25, a member of Rab family of small guanosine triphosphatase, is associated with progression of various types of human cancers, including lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths around the globe.In this study, we report the gene therapeutic effect of short hairpin Rab25 RNA (shRab25) on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced lung tumorigenesis in female A/J mice. Initially, mice (6 weeks old) were injected with single dose of NNK (2 mg/0.1 mL saline/mouse) by intraperitoneal injection to induce the tumor. Eight weeks later, shRab25 was complexed with glycerol propoxylate triacrylate-spermine (GPT-SPE) copolymer and delivered into tobacco-induced lung cancer models through a nose-only inhalation system twice a week for 2 months.GPT-SPE/shRab25 largely decreased the tobacco-induced tumor numbers and tumor volume in the lungs compared to GPT-SPE- or GPT-SPE/shScr-delivered groups. Remarkably, aerosol-delivered GPT-SPE/shRab25 significantly decreased the expression level of Rab25 and other prominent apoptosis-related proteins in female A/J mice. The apoptosis in these mice was determined by detecting the expression level of Bcl-2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Bax, and further confirmed by TUNEL assay.Our results strongly confirm the tumorigenic role of Rab25 in tobacco carcinogen-induced lung cancer and hence demonstrate aerosol delivery of shRab25 as a therapeutic target for lung cancer treatment.

This study evaluated the lignan contents of raw omija (R) and sugared omija (S), byproducts discarded after the use of raw omija, by HPLC and determined their bioactivity by feeding rats R and S for eight weeks. S retained 63% more lignan than R. Body weight gains in the raw omija-fed group (RO) and sugared omija-fed group (SO) decreased significantly compared to that of the control group (CON, p &lt, 0.05). Glucose and aspartate aminotransferase levels in the serum of the experimental groups were lower than those in CON, especially in SO (p &lt, 0.05). The amount of atrial natriuretic peptide in RO decreased significantly compared to that in CON (p &lt, 0.05). The renin activity in RO increased and that in SO decreased compared to the same in CON (p &gt, 0.05). Therefore, it was suggested that sugared omija contains lignan compounds and potentially contributes to bioactivity in that it decreases blood glucose levels and blood pressure.

The supplementation with natural ingredients that are rich in polyphenols could improve the quality and functionality of yogurt. Lotus leaf (LL) are abundant in phenolic compounds. We aimed to investigate the effects of LL powder on the quality properties, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of yogurt. Yogurt was supplemented with four different concentrations (0%, 0.2%, 0.5%, and 1%) of LL powder and evaluated for 14 d refrigerated storage. During storage, the titratable acidity (TA) of all LL yogurt groups was higher than that of the control (p

The present study was performed to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with processed sulfur on the quality and stability of vacuum packaged pork during aging time. All groups were designated into two groups; NP, a group fed basal diet and SP, a group fed basal diet and processed sulfur, 3 g/kg feed. Following vacuum packaging, Longissimus dorsi muscles were vacuum-packaged and stored under refrigerated condition (1-2℃) for 21 d. Weight loss of the SP group was lower (p0.05) difference in TPC between the both groups during storage. Therefore, vacuum packaged pork from pigs fed processed sulfur had better aging yield and storage stability than pork from pigs fed basal diet.

The antioxidant effects of Allium hookeri root (AHR) were investigated by evaluating lipid and protein oxidation in meatballs during refrigerated storage at 4±1℃. AHR was mixed at concentrations of 0.5% (w/w, T2) and 1% (w/w, T3) with minced longissimus dorsi muscle. Meatballs containing AHR (T2 and T3) were compared to those containing 0.05% (w/w) ascorbic acid (T1) as a reference and without antioxidant as a control. The 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value, disulfide bond formation, carbonyl contents, and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) value of T2 were lower than those of the control during storage (p

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are widely used in cosmetics, sunscreen, electronics, drug delivery systems, and diverse bio-application fields. In the workplace, the primary exposure route for TiO2 nanoparticles is inhalation through the respiratory system. Because TiO2 nanoparticles have different physiological properties, in terms of size and bioactivity, their toxic effects in the respiratory system must be determined. In this study, to determine the toxic effect of inhaled TiO2 nanoparticles in the lung and the underlying mechanism, we used a whole-body chamber inhalation system to expose A/J mice to TiO2 nanoparticles for 28 days. During the experiments, the inhaled TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized using a cascade impactor and transmission electron microscopy. After inhalation of the TiO2 nanoparticles, hyperplasia and inflammation were observed in a TiO2 dose-dependent manner. To determine the biological mechanism of the toxic response in the lung, we examined endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria in lung. The ER and mitochondria were disrupted and dysfunctional in the TiO2-exposed lung leading to abnormal autophagy. In summary, we assessed the potential risk of TiO2 nanoparticles in the respiratory system, which contributed to our understanding of the mechanism underlining TiO2 nanoparticle toxicity in the lung.

The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant and quality characteristics of yogurt added green olive powder stored at 4°С for 15 d. The following four groups were used in this study: Control group (GY0), Yogurt added with 1% green olive (GY1), with 3% green olive (GY3), and with 5% green olive (GY5). The more time of titratable acidity went by, the more it increased. Except GY0, viscosity tended to decrease in other groups (p>0.05), and the more time of syneresis went by, the more it increased, but GY3 of them showed the lowest syneresis. Lactic acid bacteria showed no significant with GY0 until 5 d, but after that, GY1, GY3 and GY5 showed lower than GY0. Yogurt added green olive showed darker color than GY0 (low L* and high a*). The antioxidant activity of GY5 was found to be the highest among the four groups at day 1 of storage. Total phenolic content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and reducing power of GY5 was found to be the highest among the four groups at day 1 of storage which were 6.96 mg GAE/kg, 47.53%, and 0.57, respectively. In the sensory evaluation sweet and overall of GY3 indicated the highest score among the four groups. Results of this study demonstrated that green olive powder might be used to improve the antioxidant capacity and sensory characteristics of yogurt.

In most cases of molding process with glass or optical polymer, it is inevitable to avoid birefringence arisen due to residual internal mechanical stress in a molded material. Even though distribution of the residual stress can be annealed by slow cooling, it has a disadvantage on shape accuracy and manufacturing time. This study mainly analyzes variation in optical performance considering optical phase delay and difference in orientation angles between two principal optical axes due to birefringence. And the simulated optical characteristics are compared with experimental spot profiles from the image forming lens of a laser scan unit, which has specific degree of generation of birefringence. Through this study, we are going to clarify birefringence condition of the image forming lens for a LSU (Laser Scan Unit) to induce degradation in optical performance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among brand awareness, switching intentions, purchasingbehavior, and revisiting intentions. Brand awareness consisted of three factors: brand image, physical environment, andaffiliation of coffee brand. Good brand image was associated with reduced switching intentions, whereas negative imageswere associated with higher switching intentions. Consumer purchasing behavior was most affected by interior decoration,including furniture, decorations, etc. Switching intentions had a negative relationship with revisiting intentions. Finally,purchasing behavior and revisiting intentions showed a positive correlation. As limitations, the only participants wereuniversity students, who are not representative of all consumers at coffee shops. Moreover, this study did not divide coffeeshops into franchises and individually owned.Key Words: Brand awareness, switching intention, purchasing behavior, revisiting intention I. 서 론 최근 10년간 외식업에의 불황 속에서도 국내 커피전문점시장은 빠른 성장을 거듭하였다. 1990년대 이후 국외 커피전문점 브랜드가 연이어 국내에 진출하였고, 2011년에는 스타벅스, 엔젤리너스, 카페베네 등 주요 커피전문 브랜드 매장수가 3,000개를 넘어섰으며(Kim 등 2014), 점포수 추이고려 시 2015년 전체 점포수는 약, 30,000개점으로 예상되며,프랜차이즈 커피전문점 점포수는 매년 1,200개점이 늘어나11,500 개점으로 증가할 것으로 예상된다(Park 등 2013). 그러나 커피전문점 매장의 수가 폭발적으로 증가함에 따라 커피전문점 브랜드 간의 경쟁이 치열해 지면서 시장이 포화상태가 되어가고 있고 2012년 상반기에는 다소 높은 폐업률을기록하고 있는 것으로 보아 향후 커피전문점의 대량폐업이우려되고 있다(Lee 등 2014). 따라서 커피전문점들은 신 메뉴 개발 및 각종 광고나 이벤트 등 다양한 방법으로 기존고객 유지 및 신규고객 확보를 위해 자사의 브랜드 이미지를높이려는 노력을 기울이고 있다. 기업의 이미지는 충성고객을 확보하고 유지하는데에 결정적인 역할을 한다(Choi &Lee 2009). Keller(1993)는 마케팅 활동에 대한 소비자의 지각과 선호도 및 소비자 행동과 같은 소비자 반응에 대해 브랜드 지식이 미치는 차별화된 효과를 브랜드 자산(BrandEquity)라고 정의했으며 브랜드 자산의 구성요인 중의 하나로 브랜드 인지도(brand awareness)를 들었다(You & Jin2010).브랜드 인지도는 잠재구매자가 어떠한 제품 범주의 특정브랜드를 재인식(recognition) 또는 회상(recall)할 수 있는 능력이다(Lee 2010). Aaker(1991)는 브랜드 인지도를 고객들의마음속에 존재하는 특정 브랜드에 대한 태도의 강도라고 하였고, Rossiter와 Percy(1987)는 소비자의 기억 속에 남아있는 브랜드의 자취, 흔적의 강도라고 하였다. 아울러 높은 브랜드 인지도는 상표친숙성(brand familiarity)을 형성하게 되고 이에 따라 브랜드에 대한 선호도와 선택가능성을 증가시키며, 이는 브랜드 인지도가 브랜드 자산을 형성하는 가장필수적인 요소임을 의미하는 것이다. 따라서 브랜드를 인지시킨다는 것은 마케팅의 가장 기본적인 목적 중의 하나이며

The coffee industry has grown very fast ever since international coffee brands were launched in the 1990's. Recently,consumers have begun to focus on coffee produced ethically. This phenomenon is due to ethical-consumptionconsciousness, which consists of three factors, emotional value, social value and function value. Most studies on this topichave focused on consumers who purchase fair-trade coffee. Thus, this study is novel in its focus on baristas who sell fair-trade coffee in their shops as well as differences from former studies. The three factors of ethical-consumption consciousnessof baristas affected the sale of fair-trade coffee, except for the function value. Therefore, the sale of fair-trade coffee couldbe influenced by ethical-consumption consciousness of baristas. This study shows that education of baristas can promote thesale of fair-trade coffee. However, there are limitations as it only researched coffee brands ranked in the top 5, so furtherstudies will be required in the future.Key Words: Barista, ethic-consumption, fair-trading

This study was investigated to evaluate the antioxidant activity, the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition effect, and the &alpha, amylase and &alpha, glucosidase inhibition activities of hot pepper water extracts both before and after their fermentation. The fermented pepper water extract (FP) showed significantly higher total phenol content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition effect, metal chelating activity and ACE inhibition activity compared to the non-fermented raw pepper water extract (RP) (p &lt, 0.05). Meanwhile, the FP showed lower &alpha, amylase and higher &alpha, glucosidase inhibitory activities, but the RP showed similar levels of &alpha, glucosidase inhibitory activities. Taken together, these results suggested that fermented pepper extract using water should be expected to have potentially inhibitory effects against both hyperglycemia and hypertension.

Intra-abdominal tuberculous lymphadenitis can mimic a variety of other abdominal disorders such as pancreatic cancer, metastatic lymph nodes, or lymphoma, which can make a proper diagnosis difficult. A correct diagnosis of intra-abdominal tuberculous lymphadenitis can lead to appropriate management. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided needle biopsy may be the procedure of choice for tissue acquisition when onsite cytopathology examination is unavailable because it is essential to obtain sufficient material suitable for the examination using an ancillary method, such as flow cytometry, molecular diagnosis, cytogenetics, or microbiological culture. We report a case of intra-abdominal tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosed using an EUS-guided, 22-gauge histology new needle biopsy without an onsite cytopathology examination.

The desire to better recognized such malignancies, which may be difficult to distinguish from inflammation or trauma, has accelerated the development of endoscopy with new optical technologies. Narrow-band imaging is a novel endoscopic technique that may enhance the accuracy of diagnosis using narrow-bandwidth filters in a red-green-blue sequential illumination system. Autofluorescence imaging is based on the detection of natural tissue fluorescence emitted by endogenous molecules. I-scan technology using a digital filter that modifies normal images through software functions, is the newly developed image-enhanced endoscopic technology from PENTAX. Flexible spectral imaging color enhancement enhances the visualization of mucosal structure and microcirculation by the selection of spectral transmittance with a dedicated wavelength. Confocal laser endomicroscopy images were collected with an argon beam with a scanning depth of 0 (epithelium) to 250 µm (lamina propria) and analyzed using the reflected light.

Background Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) allows real-time in vivo histologic evaluation of GI lesions. To our knowledge, there is no reported prospective study comparing endoscopic and optical biopsy using CLE before endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with post-ESD histopathology. Objective We compared endoscopic and optical biopsy before ESD and thereby assessed the ability of CLE to effectively diagnose and differentiate gastric epithelial neoplasia. Design Single tertiary-care center, prospective comparative study. Setting Soonchunhyang University Hospital, between September 2009 and April 2010. Patients This study involved 31 patients with 35 gastric epithelial neoplasias, previously diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy, who were scheduled for ESD. Intervention Target lesions were imaged in vivo by using CLE. Main Outcome Measurements The overall accuracy of endoscopic and CLE diagnosis was compared with post-ESD histopathology. Results In histopathology after ESD, 11 of 35 lesions (31.5%) were adenomas and 24 (68.5%) were adenocarcinomas. The overall accuracy of CLE diagnosis of gastric adenomas and adenocarcinomas was significantly higher at 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81.3-98.4), versus 85.7% (95% CI, 70.6-93.7) for endoscopic biopsy (P = .031). The overall accuracy of CLE diagnosis of differentiated and undifferentiated adenocarcinomas also was higher (95.4%; 95% CI, 78.2-99.1) than that of endoscopic biopsy (84.2%; 95% CI, 62.4-94.4) but did not differ significantly (P = .146). Limitations Single tertiary-care center experience and small patient number. Conclusion This study demonstrates the high accuracy of diagnosis of gastric epithelial neoplasia by using CLE. The use of CLE could possibly thus reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies and mistaken diagnoses before ESD.

Background/Aims: In Korea, limited data are available on small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. This study reports on the use of capsule endoscopy in cases of suspected small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. Methods: Capsule endoscopy was used at our hospital to evaluate small bowel disease in 501 cases from July 2003 to June 2010. Of those cases, nine patients with portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis with suspected small bowel bleeding were selected for the study. A retrospective analysis was performed using data from medical records. Results: Six of the nine (66.7%) patients were males with an average age of 53.4 years. The average hemoglobin level was 8.1 g/dL. Abnormalities noted during capsule endoscopy included portal hypertensive enteropathy in all nine cases (100%), jejunal varices in four (44.4%), jejunal and ileal angiodysplasia in five (55.5%), multiple small bowel erosions in one (11.1%), granularity of the jejunal mucosa in one (11.1%), and small bowel erythema in three (33.3%). Active bleeding from jejunal varices was detected in two patients (22.2%). Despite having no obvious active bleeding during the capsule endoscopy, four patients (44.4%) were diagnosed with portal hypertensive enteropathy with obscure small bowel bleeding. Conclusions: Capsule endoscopy is a useful diagnostic tool for the evaluation of small bowel bleeding in patients with portal hypertensive enteropathy. Additional prospective and multicenter studies on the use of capsule endoscopy are needed to evaluate the incidence and clinical importance of portal hypertensive enteropathy. (Intest Res 2011;9:129-138) 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏

The present study investigates the effects of piracy on the quality decisions of a firm that produces two versions of an information good: that is, one version for a consumer with a high willingness to pay and a second version for a consumer with a low willingness to pay. On the assumption that there is no quality difference between the original and the illegal copy and that the cost of the copy is constant across users, we show that the presence of piracy induces the firm to choose a lower level of quality of the former and a higher level of quality of the latter relative to decisions made in the absence of piracy. We also discuss policy implications concerning the socially optimal level of copyright protection.

Background and study aim Minimally invasive treatment has become a mainstay management strategy for early gastric cancer (EGC). Full-thickness incision of the gastric wall using natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has been reported but is not easily applicable in clinical settings at present. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of hybrid NOTES, which consists of endoscopic full-thickness gastric resection and a laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Patients and methods This was a prospective, pilot study at a single tertiary care referral center. A total of 14 patients with EGC located above the lower third of the stomach underwent hybrid NOTES. Clinically, the patients had contraindications to exclusive treatment using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The main outcome measure was technical success of hybrid NOTES. Results All cases were resected en bloc with negative surgical margins. Histologically, four cases were mucosal cancers, and 10 cases were submucosal cancers. The median tumor size was 26 mm (range 12 - 90 mm). Lymphatic vessel invasion was found in four cases without lymph node metastasis (LNM). The median number of obtained lymph nodes was 18 (range 7 - 67). LNM was discovered in one case of undifferentiated submucosal cancer without lymphovascular invasion. Hybrid NOTES was conducted without intraoperative or postoperative adverse events in nine cases. The median operating time and estimated blood loss of successful cases were 143 minutes (range 110 - 253 minutes) and 16 mL (range 5 - 30 mL), respectively. The median hospital stay was 6 days (range 4 - 10 days). Five cases were converted to a subtotal gastrectomy for various reasons. Conclusions Hybrid NOTES could be a bridge between endoscopic resection and laparoscopic surgery and may prevent extensive gastrectomy in patients with EGC.

Background Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasingly being performed for early gastric cancers (EGCs) that are larger than 2 cm and those that are not intestinal-type (IT) cancers by Lauren's classification. The technical feasibility of ESD for these EGCs has not been fully evaluated. Objective To identify appropriate expanded indications for ESD of EGC. Design and Setting A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed on consecutive patients who underwent ESD at a single tertiary center. Patients and Methods In total, 487 EGCs in 461 patients treated by ESD were classified by size and histologic type: IT EGCs 2 cm or less (257 lesions in 235 patients), IT EGCs larger than 2 cm (172 lesions in 168 patients), and non-IT EGCs (58 lesions in 58 patients). Main Outcome Measurements Curative resections were assessed among the 3 groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors related to curative resection. Results The rates of curative resection significantly decreased from IT EGCs 2 cm or less (88.7%) to IT EGCs larger than 2 cm (73.3%) to non-IT EGCs (37.9%). Tumor size (>3 cm), ulceration, histologic type (non-IT), and piecemeal resection were independently unfavorable factors in curative resection. Limitations Small sample size and short-term duration of follow-up study. Conclusions ESD with curative intent is technically most feasible for nonulcerative and IT EGCs smaller than 3 cm.

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and tests of a piezoelectric pump using hinge-lever amplification mechanism. The proposed hinge-lever amplification mechanism consists of a base frame, a lever with contact steel ball, and a multilayer piezoelectric actuator. The lever is in contact with the piezoelectric actuator through hinged steel ball. The extended piezoelectric actuator pushes the contact steel ball; therefore, a small displacement of piezoelectric actuator can be amplified through the movement of the lever. The amplified displacement of 683 μm was measured at the applied voltage of 100 V. These results show the fact that the proposed hinge-lever mechanism can be obtained the amplification ratio of up to ten times. The piezoelectric pump using hinge-lever amplification mechanism was fabricated and pumping performance was experimentally investigated. The pump achieved no-load flow rate, maximum output pressure of 600 ml/min and 6.8 kPa, respectively, at the applied voltage of 100 V and driving frequency of 250 Hz.

Regulation of progeny sex by Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) in relation to host preference, host vulnerability and host size was studied with two host species, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Callosobruchus chinensis L. A. calandrae preferred S. oryzae to C. chinensis (preference index = 0.87). The progeny sex ratio (females/total) was significantly higher on C. chinensis, the less preferred host, than on S. oryzae regardless of the instar age of the two host species. A. calandrae could locate only a few young larvae of C. chinensis (≤third instar), which could be apparently due to the low vulnerability of the young larvae locating deeper in the adzuki bean kernels. The larval instar age of Sitophilus oryzae affect the progeny sex ratio of A. calandrae, but that of Callosobruchus chinensis did not except invulnerable ones. The progeny sex ratio of A. calandrae produced from C. chinensis, ranged from 0.66±0.05 to 0.82±0.02. The invulnerability of the young larval instar of C. chinensis and regulation of the progeny sex ratio by A. calandrae based on host size in a manner of absolute rule could explain the higher sex ratio on the young larval instar of C. chinensis, less preferred and less vulnerable host, than the old larval instar of S. oryzae, highly preferred host. The differences in host vulnerability could be another factor for A. calandrae assigning progeny sex ratio.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing represents a promising strategy for treating diseases such as cancer; however, specific gene silencing requires an effective delivery system to overcome the instability and low transfection efficiency of siRNAs. To address this issue, a polysorbitol-based transporter (PSOT) was prepared by low molecular weight branched polyethylenimine (bPEI) crosslinked with sorbitol diacrylate (SDA). Osteopontin (OPN) gene, which is highly associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was targeted by siRNA therapy using siRNA targeting OPN (siOPN). Characterization study confirmed that PSOT formed compact complexes with siOPN and protected siOPN against degradation by RNase. PSOT/siOPN complexes demonstrated low cytotoxicity and enhanced transfection efficiency in vitro, suggesting that this carrier may be suitable for gene silencing. In the A549 and H460 lung cancer cell lines, PSOT/siOPN complexes demonstrated significant silencing efficiency at both RNA and protein levels. To study in vivo tumor growth suppression, two lung cancer cell-xenograft mouse models were prepared and PSOT/siOPN complexes were delivered into the mice through intravenous injection. The siOPN-treated groups demonstrated significantly reduced OPN expression at both the RNA and protein levels as well as suppression of tumor volume and weight. Taken together, siOPN delivery using PSOT may present an effective and novel therapeutic system for lung cancer treatment.

The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to determine risk factors that may facilitate patient selection for radical resections or additional resections after a polypectomy. Eligible articles were identified by searches of PUBMED, Cochrane Library and Korean Medical Database using the terms (early colorectal carcinoma [ECC], lymph node metastasis [LNM], colectomy, endoscopic resection). Thirteen cohort studies of 7,066 ECC patients who only underwent radical surgery have been analysed. There was a significant risk of LNM when they had submucosal invasion (≥ SM2 or ≥ 1,000 µm) (odds Ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-6.62, P = 0.007). Moreover, it has been found that vascular invasion (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.95-3.74; P < 0.001), lymphatic invasion (OR, 6.91; 95% CI, 5.40-8.85; P < 0.001), poorly differentiated carcinomas (OR, 8.27; 95% CI, 4.67-14.66; P < 0.001) and tumor budding (OR, 4.59; 95% CI, 3.44-6.13; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with LNM. Furthermore, another analysis was carried out on eight cohort studies of 310 patients who underwent additional surgeries after an endoscopic resection. The major factors identified in these studies include lymphovascular invasion on polypectomy specimens (OR, 5.47; 95% CI, 2.46-12.17; P < 0.001) and poorly or moderately differentiated carcinomas (OR, 4.07; 95% CI, 1.08-15.33; P = 0.04). For ECC patients with ≥ SM2 or ≥ 1,000 µm submucosal invasion, vascular invasion, lymphatic invasion, poorly differentiated carcinomas or tumor budding, it is deemed that a more extensive resection accompanied by a lymph node dissection is necessary. Even if the lesion is completely removed by an endoscopic resection, an additional surgical resection should be considered in patients with poorly or moderately differentiated carcinomas or lymphovascular invasion. Graphical Abstract