Optimized collection optic design for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics in KSTAR.

Last year, the KSTAR divertor material was changed from carbon to tungsten tiles. An optimized collection optic design for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics in KSTAR was conducted for electron temperature (1-100 eV) and electron density (1 × 1018-1 × 1019 m-3) profile diagnostics. This diagnostic system will utilize a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser directly from the K-top port toward the beam dump located at K-bottom, while collecting scattered light from five spatial points in the divertor area via collection optics situated in the j-middle port. Given spatial limitations, the solid angle of measurement points is limited, and the collection optic design facing the tungsten divertor is susceptible to stray light. So, the design of the collection optic is important for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics. For optimal performance, we performed two types of collection optic designs: Cooke-triplet and double-Gaussian. We present performance ray tracing analysis results for both designs and derive the optimal design.

Effect of feeding corn distillers dried grains with solubles naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol on growth performance, meat quality, intestinal permeability, and utilization of energy and nutrients in broiler chickens.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of feeding corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) on growth performance, meat quality, intestinal permeability, and utilization of energy and nutrients in broiler chickens. Two trials (growth and metabolism trials) were conducted. In the growth trial, a total of four hundred 7-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allotted to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 8 replicates in a completely randomized design. The diets were formulated to contain 5 inclusion levels of 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% DON-contaminated DDGS in diets and were fed to birds for 21 d. Results indicated that increasing inclusion levels of DON-contaminated DDGS decreased (linear, P < 0.01) BW gain and feed efficiency of broiler chickens. The relative organ weights of the liver and breast were decreased (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) by increasing inclusion levels of DON-contaminated DDGS in diets. The transepithelial electrical resistance values as a measure of intestinal permeability were decreased (linear, P < 0.05) by increasing inclusion levels of DON-contaminated DDGS in diets. In the metabolism trial, a total of twenty four 22-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments consisting of 0, 10, or 20% inclusion of DON-contaminated DDGS in diets. Each treatment had 8 replicates. Increasing inclusion levels of DON-contaminated DDGS in diets decreased (linear and quadratic, P < 0.05) MEn (AMEn and TMEn) and apparent total tract retention of nitrogen and acid-hydrolyzed ether extract in diets. In conclusion, feeding diets containing more than 10% DON-contaminated DDGS to broiler chickens has negative effects on growth performance, intestinal permeability, and utilization of energy and nutrients in diets. Therefore, it is suggested that if DDGS is contaminated with DON, inclusion level of DDGS should be limited, possibly at less than 5.0% in broiler diets.

Comparison of a 1064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet picosecond laser using a diffractive optical element vs. a nonablative 1550-nm erbium-glass laser for the treatment of facial acne scarring in Asian patients: a 17-week prospective, randomized, split-face, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Novel picosecond lasers using a diffractive optical element (P-DOE) have been available for skin resurfacing with distinct mechanisms. However, there are limited data directly comparing P-DOE and conventional fractional lasers for the treatment of atrophic acne scarring. OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare the efficacy and safety of a 1064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet P-DOE and a non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) in the treatment of acne scarring. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, split-face, controlled trial was performed. One randomly assigned half-side of each patient's face (n = 25) was treated with four consecutive sessions of P-DOE at 3-week intervals and the other side with NAFL, with subsequent follow-up for 8 weeks after the final sessions. The efficacy and safety of the two lasers were determined by the Echelle d'Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'acné (Scale of Clinical Evaluation of Acne Scars; ECCA) grading scale, Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score and patients' reports at the final visit. Histologic analysis was also performed. RESULTS: The P-DOE-treated side achieved a significantly better improvement in acne appearance (ECCA per cent reduction: 55% vs. 42%) with less severe pain (4.3 vs. 5.6) (P < 0.05). The IGA score and subjective satisfaction were consistent with ECCA score results. Occurrences of treatment-related side-effects were also lower in the group treated with P-DOE (P < 0.05). Histologic analysis revealed elongation and increased density of neocollagen fibres, elastic fibres and mucin throughout the dermis from both sides. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with NAFL, P-DOE afforded better clinical outcomes and fewer side-effects in the treatment of acne scarring in Asian patients.

Effect of stocking density and dietary tryptophan on growth performance and intestinal barrier function in broiler chickens.

The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effect of stocking density (SD) and dietary supplementation of crystalline tryptophan (Trp) on growth performance and intestinal barrier function in broiler chickens raised in a floor pen. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement consisting of 2 different SD and 2 supplemental levels of dietary Trp. A total of 1,140 Ross 308 broiler chickens at 21 d of age were allotted to 1 of 4 treatments with 5 replicates. Low SD (9 birds/m2) and high SD (18 birds/m2) were achieved by raising different number of birds per identical floor pen (2.0 m × 2.4 m). The basal diet was formulated with no supplemental Trp in diets to meet or exceed nutrient recommendation of the Ross 308 manual. The calculated concentrations of total Trp and digestible Trp in the basal diet were 0.19 and 0.16%, respectively. The other diet was prepared by adding 0.16% crystalline Trp to the basal diet. Diets were fed to birds for 21 d. At the end of the experiment, 2 birds per replicate were euthanized to collect tissue samples for further analyses. Results indicated that there were no interactions between SD and dietary Trp for all measurements. For the main effects, birds raised at a low SD had greater (P < 0.01) body weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency than those raised at a high SD. However, supplementation of dietary Trp had no effect on broiler performance. Furthermore, there were no main effects of SD and dietary Trp on intestinal barrier functions. In conclusion, broiler chickens raised in a floor pen with a high SD (18 birds/m2) have decreased growth performance with little changes in intestinal barrier functions. Supplementation of dietary Trp at 0.16% has no positive effect on broiler chickens raised in a floor pen with either a low or high SD.

Effect of dietary melamine concentrations on growth performance, excreta characteristics, plasma measurements, and melamine residue in the tissue of male and female broiler chickens.

The objectives of the current experiment were to investigate the effect of dietary melamine concentrations on growth performance, excreta characteristics, plasma measurements, and melamine residue in the tissue of male and female broiler chickens. Finally, the safe levels of melamine in broiler diets were determined based on BW gain (BWG) and melamine residue in the breast meat. A total of 1,008 1-d-old Ross 308 male and female broiler chickens were allotted to 1 of 7 dietary treatments within each sex in a completely randomized design. There were 6 replicates per treatment and each replicate consisted of 12 birds. Dietary melamine concentrations were set to 0; 250; 500; 750; 1,000; 5,000; or 10,000 mg/kg by adding a purified form of melamine. Diets were provided to birds on ad libitum basis for 35 d. Results indicated that no significant interaction between sex and dietary melamine concentrations was observed for all measurements. The BW, BWG, and feed intake for birds fed diets containing 10,000 mg/kg melamine were less (P < 0.05) than for those fed other diets. Melamine residues in the kidney and breast for birds fed diets containing 10,000 mg/kg melamine were greater (P < 0.05) than for birds fed other diets. The toxic level of dietary melamine based on BWG was determined by the one-slope broken-line analysis. The resulting equation was Y = 1,851 - 0.0404 × (X - 4,292), which indicated that a greater than 4,292 mg/kg melamine in diets was toxic to broiler chickens. The safe level of dietary melamine to limit melamine residue in the broiler breast was analyzed using the linear regression, which indicated that the safe level of melamine in broiler diets was 814 mg/kg. In conclusion, less than 814 mg/kg melamine in broiler diets should be maintained to satisfy human food safety regulations for melamine residue in the breast meat of broiler chickens.

Effect of stocking density and sex on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal barrier function in broiler chickens.

The objective of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of stocking density and sex on growth performance, meat quality, and intestinal barrier function in broiler chickens. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement consisting of sex and four different stocking densities in battery cages. A total of 540 1-d-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allotted to one of eight treatments with five replicates. Within each sex, birds were raised at four different stocking densities of 15.2, 20.2, 25.3, or 30.4 birds/m2 from 1 to 28 d of age. Different stocking densities were achieved by raising a different number of birds per battery cage with identical floor size (0.76 m × 0.78 m). At the end of the experiment, two birds per replicate were euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation to collect tissue samples for further analyses. Results indicated that no interactions between sex and stocking density were observed for all measurements except for serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations. Increasing stocking density decreased (linear, P < 0.01) body weight gain and feed intake, but had no negative effects on meat quality. Trans-epithelial electrical resistance values, a measure of intestinal permeability, were decreased (linear, P < 0.01) with increasing stocking density, regardless of sex. Accordingly, serum LPS concentrations were increased (linear, P < 0.01) with increasing stocking density. However, increasing stocking density increased serum LPS concentrations in male broiler chickens, but had no effects on female broiler chickens, showing an interaction (P < 0.01). The expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and junctional adhesion molecule B (JAM-2) was decreased (linear, P < 0.05) with increasing stocking density. In conclusion, increasing stocking density decreases broiler performance regardless of sex and this negative effect is likely associated with decreased intestinal barrier function.

Novel device-based acne treatments: comparison of a 1450-nm diode laser and microneedling radiofrequency on mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris and seborrhoea in Korean patients through a 20-week prospective, randomized, split-face study.

BACKGROUND: While device-based acne treatments are widely applied for patients not tolerating conventional medications, related controlled studies have been still limited. Recently, non-ablative 1450-nm diode laser (DL) and fractional microneedling radiofrequency (FMR) have been effectively used for acne, in addition to well-recognized dermal remodelling effects. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical course of acne treatment between DL and FMR. METHODS: Twenty-five Korean patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne completed treatments with DL and FMR through a 20-week, randomized split-face study. One randomly assigned half side of each patient's face received DL and the other side by FMR. Treatments were scheduled to receive three consecutive sessions at 4-week intervals. Objective assessments including revised Leeds grades, lesion counts, sebum output measurements, and patients' subjective satisfaction were investigated. RESULTS: Both DL and FMR demonstrated steady improvement of acne and seborrhoea during treatment sessions. While results between two devices were similar during treatment sessions, FMR was superior to DL in the 12-week follow-up. Patients' subjective assessments for seborrhoea improvement were similar between two devices, while those for acne, skin texture, and acne scars were more satisfactory for FMR. For safety profile, no significant difference was observed between two regimens, while mild postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was observed only in DL side. CONCLUSION: Both DL and FMR demonstrated efficacies for acne and seborrhoea, with reasonable safety profile. FMR was more effective than DL for the long-term maintenance, and subjective assessments for texture and scar improvements. Therefore, a few sessions of these devices would be a viable option for acne treatments.

A combination of excimer laser treatment and topical tacrolimus is more effective in treating vitiligo than either therapy alone for the initial 6 months, but not thereafter.

BACKGROUND: There are insufficient data on the long-term outcome of a combination therapy that comprises phototherapy and topical administration of tacrolimus. AIM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy according to the duration of treatment and in vitro results of a combination therapy involving topical tacrolimus and an excimer laser in the treatment of vitiligo. METHODS: In total, 276 patients with nonsegmental vitiligo were treated with an excimer laser twice weekly, or with tacrolimus ointment twice daily, or both. The melanin contents and levels of melanogenic enzymes were measured in cultured human melanocytes treated with tacrolimus and/or excimer laser. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, the combination of tacrolimus plus excimer laser was significantly more effective than either tacrolimus or excimer laser alone (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) for the first 6 months. However, this superiority was not observed after the initial 6 months of treatment. In vitro, the combination of tacrolimus plus excimer laser led to a higher level of melanogenesis than with either treatment alone. CONCLUSIONS: A combination treatment with topical tacrolimus and an excimer laser may be useful as an induction therapy for up to 6 months, but continuation of this therapy for > 6 months might not provide a better final outcome than monotherapy.

Eating frequency is inversely associated with blood pressure and hypertension in Korean adults: analysis of the Third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A lower eating frequency (EF) has been suggested to be important in the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and hyperlipidemia. However, the association between EF and blood pressure (BP) remains unclear. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The aim of this study was to explore the association of EF with BP and hypertension after adjusting for confounding variables, including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). This cross-sectional study used data from the Third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 4625 subjects aged ≥ 19 years were included. To explore the association of EF with BP and hypertension, we performed multiple linear regression analyses and multiple logistic regression analyses for survey design, respectively. RESULTS: EF was inversely associated with systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). As EF increased from ≤ 2 to 3, 4 and ≥ 5 times per day, estimated adjusted means of both SBP and DBP decreased, showing a significant linear trend independent of obesity (SBP: 120.66, 120.23, 119.18 and 117.92 mm Hg, respectively; P<0.001; DBP: 78.36, 77.78, 77.25 and 76.50 mm Hg, respectively; P=0.004). The inverse association between EF and hypertension was gradually attenuated and significant after adjustment for confounding variables including BMI and WC (P=0.040). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that lower EF is significantly associated with higher BP, which may be partially mediated by the effect of central obesity. Further prospective studies are needed to verify this causal relationship.

Investigation of papulopustular eruptions caused by cetuximab treatment shows altered differentiation markers and increases in inflammatory cytokines.

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) critically regulates tumour cell division, survival and metastasis. Agents that inhibit EGFR have been used in the treatment of advanced-stage malignancies, but cause variable cutaneous side-effects, most often papulopustular eruptions and xerosis. OBJECTIVES: We assayed expression of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1alpha, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1], differentiation markers (filaggrin, involucrin and loricrin) and phosphorylated EGFRs (pEGFRs) in papulopustular eruptions to determine the association between these markers and the eruptions caused by cetuximab. PATIENTS/METHODS: Twelve papulopustular lesion biopsies were selected from patients with colon cancer who had received cetuximab treatment. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence with a confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed. RESULTS: Filaggrin expression decreased and expression of involucrin, various inflammatory markers (IL-1alpha, TNF-alpha, ICAM-1 and HLA-DR) increased and the expression of pEGFR was markedly downregulated in papulopustular eruptions. In perilesions, decreased pEGFR expression was noted in hair follicles compared with interfollicular epidermis. The increase of IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha was observed in perilesions as in the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The early inflammatory events (IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha expression) seen, and the lack of pEGFR in perilesional follicles, indicate that inflammatory events induced by EGFR inhibition may initiate papulopustular eruptions along with the altered differentiations. The decrease of filaggrin may contribute to the pathogenesis of the xerosis caused by cetuximab.

A Ubiquitous Chronic Disease Care system using cellular phones and the internet.

AIMS: The rapidly increasing prevalence of chronic diseases is an important challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. To improve the quality and efficiency of chronic disease care, we investigated the effectiveness and applicability of the Ubiquitous Chronic Disease Care (UCDC) system using cellular phones and the internet for overweight patients with both Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial over 3 months that included 123 patients at a university hospital and a community public health centre. RESULTS: After 12 weeks, there were significant improvements in HbA(1c) in the intervention group (7.6 +/- 0.9% to 7.1 +/- 0.8%, P < 0.001) compared with the control group (7.4 +/- 0.9% to 7.6 +/- 1.0%, P = 0.03). Furthermore, we observed a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as improvements in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the intervention group. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in adiponectin levels in the intervention group compared with the control group, although high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels did not change in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The novel UCDC system presented in this paper improved multiple metabolic parameters simultaneously in overweight patients with both Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Modified sleeve tympanotomy approach for removal of congenital cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: We present a technique which we have found useful for the management of congenital cholesteatoma extensively involving the middle ear. CASE REPORT: A five-year-old boy was presented to our department for management of a white mass on the right tympanic membrane. This congenital cholesteatoma extensively occupied the tympanic cavity. It was removed through an extended tympanotomy approach using our modified sleeve technique. The conventional tympanotomy approach was extended by gently separating the tympanic annulus from its sulcus in a circular manner. The firm attachment of the tympanic membrane at the umbo was not severed, in order to avoid lateralisation of the tympanic membrane. CONCLUSION: Although various operative techniques can be used, our modified sleeve tympanotomy approach provides a similarly sufficient and direct visualisation of the entire middle ear, with, theoretically, no possibility of lateralisation of the tympanic membrane and subsequent conductive hearing loss.

Portable microscopic cell counter for the determination of residual leucocytes in blood components.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The accurate determination of residual white blood cell (WBC) in blood components is of considerable clinical importance, and a variety of methods have been devised for the counting of low levels of residual WBC. In this study, we evaluated the performance of microscopic cell counter with microchannel plastic chip (C-reader) with regard to its ability to quantify WBC in WBC-reduced red cell concentrates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to quantify residual WBC with the microscopic cell counter, WBC-reduced red cell concentrate was stained using propidium iodide. Three studies were performed: linearity, precision and correlation compared to those of manual Nageotte chamber counting and automatic flow cytometric methods. RESULTS: Dilution experiments, conducted over a range of 0.7-712 WBC/microl, showed a linearity of r(2) > 0.999, with coefficient of variation values of < or = 15.6% and accuracy of 93.8% over all tested ranges. In comparison with the Nageotte chamber counting and flow cytometric methods, the correlation coefficients were r(2) > 0.995. The detection limit of this method was 0.24 WBC/microl. Total analysis time per sample was approximately 5 min. CONCLUSION: The microscopic cell counter for residual WBC counting was determined to be efficient at the level of currently defined standards, with acceptable precision and accuracy. This method may prove useful for the quality assurance and control of WBC-depleted blood products.

Two-dimensional NMR correlations of liquid crystals using switched angle spinning.

We present the first application of switched angle spinning (SAS) to correlate the first-order dipolar spectrum of a liquid crystalline sample with the isotropic magic angle spinning (MAS) spectrum in a two-dimensional experiment. In this experiment we are able to select the degree of dipolar couplings introduced via mechanical manipulations of the liquid crystal director in a single oriented sample. The (19)F SAS-COSY correlation of iodotrifluoroethylene, an AMX spin system, dissolved in the nematic liquid crystal 4-octylphenyl-2-chloro-4-(4-heptylbenzoyloxy)-benzoate provides assignment of both the J and dipolar couplings in a single experiment. This work demonstrates the use of oriented samples and sample spinning to resolve homonuclear dipolar couplings using isotropic chemical shifts.