Yoke-Type Elasto-Magnetic Sensor-Based Tension Force Monitoring Method for Enhancement of Field Applicability.

Tension members are key members that maintain stability and improve the strength of structures such as cable-stayed bridges, PSC structures, and slopes. Their application has recently been expanded to new fields such as mooring lines in subsea structures and aerospace fields. However, the tensile strength of the tension members can be abnormal owing to various risk factors that may lead to the collapse of the entire structure. Therefore, continuous tension monitoring is necessary to ensure structural safety. In this study, an improved elasto-magnetic (E/M) sensor was used to monitor tension force using a nondestructive method. General E/M sensors have limitations that make it difficult to apply them to operating tension members owing to their solenoid structure, which requires field winding. To overcome this problem, the magnetization part of the E/M sensor was improved to a yoke-type sensor, which was used in this study. For the development of the sensors, the numerical design and magnetization performance verification of the sensor were performed through eddy current solution-type simulations using ANSYS Maxwell. Using the manufactured yoke-type E/M sensor, the induced voltage signals according to the tension force of the specimen increasing from 0 to 10 tons at 1-ton intervals were repeatedly measured using DAQ with wireless communication. The measured signals were indexed using peak-to-peak value of induced voltages and used to analyze the signal change patterns as the tension increased. Finally, the analyzed results were compared with those of a solenoid-type E/M sensor to confirm the same pattern. Therefore, it was confirmed that the tension force of a tension member can be estimated using the proposed yoke-type E/M sensor. This is expected to become an effective tension monitoring technology through performance optimization and usability verification studies for each target tension member in the future.

Structural basis for carotenoid cleavage by an archaeal carotenoid dioxygenase.

Apocarotenoids are important signaling molecules generated from carotenoids through the action of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs). These enzymes have a remarkable ability to cleave carotenoids at specific alkene bonds while leaving chemically similar sites within the polyene intact. Although several bacterial and eukaryotic CCDs have been characterized, the long-standing goal of experimentally visualizing a CCD-carotenoid complex at high resolution to explain this exquisite regioselectivity remains unfulfilled. CCD genes are also present in some archaeal genomes, but the encoded enzymes remain uninvestigated. Here, we address this knowledge gap through analysis of a metazoan-like archaeal CCD from Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra (NdCCD). NdCCD was active toward ß-apocarotenoids but did not cleave bicyclic carotenoids. It exhibited an unusual regiospecificity, cleaving apocarotenoids solely at the C14'-C13' alkene bond to produce ß-apo-14'-carotenals. The structure of NdCCD revealed a tapered active site cavity markedly different from the broad active site observed for the retinal-forming Synechocystis apocarotenoid oxygenase (SynACO) but similar to the vertebrate retinoid isomerase RPE65. The structure of NdCCD in complex with its apocarotenoid product demonstrated that the site of cleavage is defined by interactions along the substrate binding cleft as well as selective stabilization of reaction intermediates at the scissile alkene. These data on the molecular basis of CCD catalysis shed light on the origins of the varied catalytic activities found in metazoan CCDs, opening the possibility of modifying their activity through rational chemical or genetic approaches.

Fast Water Transport in UTSA-280 via a Knock-Off Mechanism.

Water and other small molecules frequently coordinate within metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These coordinated molecules may actively engage in mass transfer, moving together with the transport molecules, but this phenomenon has yet to be examined. In this study, we explore a unique water transfer mechanism in UTSA-280, where an incoming water molecule can displace a coordinated molecule for mass transfer. We refer to this process as the "knock-off" mechanism. Despite UTSA-280 possessing one-dimensional channels, the knock-off transport enables water movement along the other two axes, effectively simulating a pseudo-three-dimensional mass transfer. Even with a relatively narrow pore width, the knock-off mechanism enables a high water flux in the UTSA-280 membrane. The knock-off mechanism also renders UTSA-280 superior water/ethanol diffusion selectivity for pervaporation. To validate this unique mechanism, we conducted 1 H and 2 H solid-state NMR on UTSA-280 after the adsorption of deuterated water. We also derived potential energy diagrams from the density functional theory to gain atomic-level insight into the knock-off and the direct-hopping mechanisms. The simulation findings reveal that the energy barrier of the knock-off mechanism is marginally lower than the direct-hopping pathway, implying its potential role in enhancing water diffusion in UTSA-280.

Validation of functional liver imaging scores (FLIS) derived from gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI in patients with chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis: the relationship between Child-Pugh score and FLIS.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the functional liver imaging score (FLIS) for prediction of hepatic function in gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 134 patients (88 men, 46 women; mean age, 58.8 years) between January 2015 and December 2018 with the following inclusion criteria: patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or chronic liver disease (CLD) who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Three parameters on hepatobiliary phase images were evaluated for FLIS: liver parenchymal enhancement, biliary excretion, and signal intensity of the portal vein. Patients were classified as CLD (n = 11), Child-Pugh (CP) class A (n = 87), CP B (n = 22), or CP C (n = 14). We assessed the correlation between CP score and both FLIS and its components using Spearman rank correlation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to demonstrate the cutoff value of FLIS for differentiating between CP classes. The associations between patient characteristics, serum markers, FLIS, and hepatic decompensation were evaluated with Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: FLIS and three FLIS parameters showed strong to very strong correlation with CP score (r = -0.60 to 0.82). ROC curve analysis showed that FLIS ≥ 5 was the optimal cutoff for prediction of CP class A or CLD (sensitivity, 83.7%; specificity, 94.4%; area under the curve [AUC], 0.93). FLIS < 5 was independently associated with the development of first hepatic decompensation in patients with CP A (HR, 50.0; 95% confidence interval, 6.2, 400.4). CONCLUSION: FLIS showed a strong correlation with hepatic function and can stratify the CP class. In addition, FLIS can help prediction for the development of first decompensation. KEY POINTS: • Functional liver imaging scores (FLIS) and its three parameters, derived from hepatobiliary phase image, have strong to very strong correlations with Child-Pugh (CP) scores. • FLIS can stratify patients with chronic liver disease or liver cirrhosis according to CP classification. • Low FLIS is an independent predictor for first hepatic decompensation in patients with CP class A.

tRNA binding, structure, and localization of the human interferon-induced protein IFIT5.

Interferon-induced proteins, including the largely uncharacterized interferon-induced tetratricopeptide repeat (IFIT) protein family, provide defenses against pathogens. Differing from expectations for tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) proteins and from human IFIT1, IFIT2, and IFIT3, we show that human IFIT5 recognizes cellular RNA instead of protein partners. In vivo and in vitro, IFIT5 bound to endogenous 5'-phosphate-capped RNAs, including transfer RNAs. The crystal structure of IFIT5 revealed a convoluted intramolecular packing of eight TPRs as a fold that we name the TPR eddy. Additional, non-TPR structural elements contribute to an RNA binding cleft. Instead of general cytoplasmic distribution, IFIT5 concentrated in actin-rich protrusions from the apical cell surface colocalized with the RNA-binding retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I). These findings establish compartmentalized cellular RNA binding activity as a mechanism for IFIT5 function and reveal the TPR eddy as a scaffold for RNA recognition.

SSD-EMB: An Improved SSD Using Enhanced Feature Map Block for Object Detection.

The development of deep learning has achieved great success in object detection, but small object detection is still a difficult and challenging task in computer vision. To address the problem, we propose an improved single-shot multibox detector (SSD) using enhanced feature map blocks (SSD-EMB). The enhanced feature map block (EMB) consists of attention stream and feature map concatenation stream. The attention stream allows the proposed model to focus on the object regions rather than background owing to channel averaging and the effectiveness of the normalization. The feature map concatenation stream provides additional semantic information to the model without degrading the detection speed. By combining the output of these two streams, the enhanced feature map, which improves the detection of a small object, is generated. Experimental results show that the proposed model has high accuracy in small object detection. The proposed model not only achieves good detection accuracy, but also has a good detection speed. The SSD-EMB achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 80.4% on the PASCAL VOC 2007 dataset at 30 frames per second on an RTX 2080Ti graphics processing unit, an mAP of 79.9% on the VOC 2012 dataset, and an mAP of 26.6% on the MS COCO dataset.

Plasma-assisted electrochemical synthesis of monodisperse Au and Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles.

The synthesis of well defined nanoparticles with green chemistry has been an area of intense investigation, but still requires development. In this study, we propose a novel approach for controlling the particle size and distribution through diffusion-controlled growth of plasma-assisted electrochemical synthesis. The continuous, controlled addition of an Au precursor with syringe pump successfully controls the particle size in the range of 50-300 nm with a monodisperse size distribution. Moreover, gold nanoparticles can be formed successfully without any stabilizer and reducing agent. Through optimization of the reaction parameters, including the reaction temperature, discharge current of the microplasma, pH, and concentration of D-(-)-fructose, we verify two distinct feature of diffusion-controlled growth that the particle growth is good agreement of theoretical growth rate (r âˆ¼ t 1/3) and the formed gold nanoparticles exhibit polyhedral or near-spherical shapes. This method has been applied to synthesize Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles and control the Ag shell thickness.

Effects of Electromechanical Exoskeleton-Assisted Gait Training on Walking Ability of Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of electromechanical exoskeleton-assisted gait training on walking ability of stroke patients based on ambulatory function, muscle strength, balance, gait speed, and capacity. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (N=40) with stroke who could stand alone. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The control group underwent physical therapist-assisted gait training by conventional method. The experimental group underwent electromechanical gait training assisted by an exoskeleton device. Both types of gait training were performed for 30 minutes each day. The therapeutic interventions were provided for 5 days a week for a period of 4 weeks in both groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional ambulatory category (FAC) before and after gait training. Changes in FAC were the primary outcomes to evaluate the efficacy of electromechanical exoskeleton-assisted gait training. Changes in mobility, walking speed, walking capacity, leg muscle strength, daily activity, and balance were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: FAC in the control group was 2.44±1.55 in the pretraining and 2.75±1.53 in the post-training. FAC in the experimental group was 3.22±1.31 in the pretraining and 3.78±1.44 in the post-training. Although FAC between pre- and post-training sessions improved in both groups, the changes in FAC were statistically significant in the experimental group alone. Most secondary outcomes in both groups also showed improvement after gait training. However, the differential outcomes were not varied between the 2 groups after adjusting the data for age and stroke duration. We did not exclude patients based on time since stroke onset. The average stroke duration was 530.11±389.21 days in the experimental group. The changes in FAC of the experimental group were negatively correlated with stroke duration. No adverse events were noticed during gait training in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Electromechanical exoskeleton-assisted gait training is as effective as conventional gait training by a physical therapist when administered by a gait trainer. As an overground walking system without harness, electromechanical exoskeleton replaced a physical therapist in assisted gait training for patients who stand alone. Because the ambulatory function of stroke patients was affected negatively by stroke duration, the effect of electromechanical-assisted gait training might decline with increased stroke duration.

Understanding Mood Disorders in Children.

Mood disorders include all types of depression and bipolar disorder, and mood disorders are sometimes called affective disorders. We will discuss newly developing two issues in affective disorders in children and adolescents. Those are the new diagnostic challenges using neuroimaging techniques in affective disorders and the introduction of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). During the 1980s, mental health professionals began to recognize symptoms of mood disorders in children and adolescents, as well as adults. However, children and adolescents do not necessarily have or exhibit the same symptoms as adults. It is more difficult to diagnose mood disorders in children, especially because children are not always able to express how they feel. Child mental health professionals believe that mood disorders in children and adolescents remain one of the most underdiagnosed mental health problems. We are currently trying to introduce the new diagnostic technique-machine learning in children and adolescents with MDD. We will discuss the current progress in the clinical application of machine learning for MDD. After that, we would also discuss a new challenging diagnosis-DMDD. We are still suffering from a lack of evidence when trying to treat the patients with DMDD. In addition, there are some debates about the diagnostic validity of DMDD. We will explain the current situation of DMDD studies and the future directions in the study of DMDD.

Increased risk of psoriasis in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps: a longitudinal follow-up study using Korean national sample cohort.

PURPOSE: Focal chronic inflammation or infection is thought to be one of the causes of psoriasis. Few reports on the association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and psoriasis exist, thus it is poorly defined. This study seeks to investigate the incidence of psoriasis in patients with CRS with reference to a matched control group. METHODS: This national cohort study relies on data from Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Sample Cohort (HIRA-NSC), which were entered from 2002 to 2013. A total of 34,219 patients with CRS without nasal polyps was matched with 136,976 controls. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the crude (simple) and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of psoriasis. For subgroup analysis, participants were grouped by age and sex. RESULTS: The risk of psoriasis was higher in the CRS group than in the control group (adjusted HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.12-1.47, P < 0.001). Children, adolescents below 19 years regardless of sex, and old adult men above 60 years are at significantly higher risk for subsequent psoriasis after CRS diagnosis. CONCLUSION: CRS may increase the risk of psoriasis.

Recent Understandings of Biology, Prophylaxis and Treatment Strategies for Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids.

Hypertrophic scars and keloids are fibroproliferative disorders that may arise after any deep cutaneous injury caused by trauma, burns, surgery, etc. Hypertrophic scars and keloids are cosmetically problematic, and in combination with functional problems such as contractures and subjective symptoms including pruritus, these significantly affect patients' quality of life. There have been many studies on hypertrophic scars and keloids; but the mechanisms underlying scar formation have not yet been well established, and prophylactic and treatment strategies remain unsatisfactory. In this review, the authors introduce and summarize classical concepts surrounding wound healing and review recent understandings of the biology, prevention and treatment strategies for hypertrophic scars and keloids.

Molecular profiling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis identifies tuberculosinyl nucleoside products of the virulence-associated enzyme Rv3378c.

To identify lipids with roles in tuberculosis disease, we systematically compared the lipid content of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the attenuated vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Comparative lipidomics analysis identified more than 1,000 molecular differences, including a previously unknown, Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific lipid that is composed of a diterpene unit linked to adenosine. We established the complete structure of the natural product as 1-tuberculosinyladenosine (1-TbAd) using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. A screen for 1-TbAd mutants, complementation studies, and gene transfer identified Rv3378c as necessary for 1-TbAd biosynthesis. Whereas Rv3378c was previously thought to function as a phosphatase, these studies establish its role as a tuberculosinyl transferase and suggest a revised biosynthetic pathway for the sequential action of Rv3377c-Rv3378c. In agreement with this model, recombinant Rv3378c protein produced 1-TbAd, and its crystal structure revealed a cis-prenyl transferase fold with hydrophobic residues for isoprenoid binding and a second binding pocket suitable for the nucleoside substrate. The dual-substrate pocket distinguishes Rv3378c from classical cis-prenyl transferases, providing a unique model for the prenylation of diverse metabolites. Terpene nucleosides are rare in nature, and 1-TbAd is known only in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thus, this intersection of nucleoside and terpene pathways likely arose late in the evolution of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex; 1-TbAd serves as an abundant chemical marker of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the extracellular export of this amphipathic molecule likely accounts for the known virulence-promoting effects of the Rv3378c enzyme.

Robot-assisted gait training (Lokomat) improves walking function and activity in people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) after spinal cord injury (SCI) induces several different neurophysiological mechanisms to restore walking ability, including the activation of central pattern generators, task-specific stepping practice and massed exercise. However, there is no clear evidence for the optimal timing and efficacy of RAGT in people with SCI. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of RAGT on improvement in walking-related functional outcomes in patients with incomplete SCI compared with other rehabilitation modalities according to time elapsed since injury. This review included 10 trials involving 502 participants to meta-analysis. The acute RAGT groups showed significantly greater improvements in gait distance, leg strength, and functional level of mobility and independence than the over-ground training (OGT) groups. The pooled mean difference was 45.05 m (95% CI 13.81 to 76.29, P = 0.005, I2 = 0%; two trials, 122 participants), 2.54 (LEMS, 95% CI 0.11 to 4.96, P = 0.04, I2 = 0%; three trials, 211 participants) and 0.5 (WISCI-II and FIM-L, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.98, P = 0.04, I2 = 67%; three trials, 211 participants), respectively. In the chronic RAGT group, significantly greater improvements in speed (pooled mean difference = 0.07 m/s, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.12, P = 0.01, I2 = 0%; three trials, 124 participants) and balance measured by TUG (pooled mean difference = 9.25, 95% CI 2.76 to 15.73, P = 0.005, I2 = 74%; three trials, 120 participants) were observed than in the group with no intervention. Thus, RAGT improves mobility-related outcomes to a greater degree than conventional OGT for patients with incomplete SCI, particularly during the acute stage. RAGT treatment is a promising technique to restore functional walking and improve locomotor ability, which might enable SCI patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle and increase their level of physical activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD 42016037366 ). Registered 6 April 2016.

Endoscopic foreign body removal in the upper gastrointestinal tract: risk factors predicting conversion to surgery.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Most foreign bodies of the upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) are successfully removed by endoscopic techniques without complications. However, some require conversion to surgery due to failure of endoscopic removal. The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors predicting the need to convert to surgery after inability to endoscopically remove the foreign body. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of 885 patients treated between January 2006 and March 2014 for suspected foreign bodies in the UGIT were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics, the type of foreign bodies, clinical outcomes, and risk factors predicting the conversion to surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: While endoscopic removal was successful in 94.7% (665/702) of the patients, the remaining 5.3% (37/702) needed conversion to surgery. There were no procedure-related deaths. According to the multivariate logistic regression analyses, older age (>70 years, p = 0.004), location (upper esophagus, p = 0.001), larger size (maximal diameter > 30 mm, p = 0.005), and longer impaction time (>40 h, p < 0.001) were significant risk factors predicting conversion to surgery due to inability to remove the foreign body endoscopically. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the foreign bodies in the UGIT were successfully removed by endoscopic techniques. However, surgical removal might need to be considered in patients with age >70 years, and those with foreign bodies in the upper esophagus, maximal diameter >30 mm, and impaction time >40 h, due to the possible high failure rate of endoscopic removal.

Fork test: A new simple and reliable consistency measurement for the dysphagia diet.

The objective of this study was to validate fork test which is a simple tool to assess the consistency of food. The consistencies of 27 water and thickener mixtures were measured with a viscometer. These measures were then compared to those obtained with fork test to evaluate the validity of fork test. The inter-observer and intra-observer reliabilities of the fork test were assessed with an intra-class correlation coefficient. The viscometer was used to obtain reference values for three categories (0-300 cP, 300-10,000 cP, and >10,000 cP) in order to categorize water and thickener mixtures into grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 according to the results of fork test. Our results revealed that the fork test showed excellent validity (r = -0.889, p < 0.05), intra-observer reliability, and inter-observer reliability. Therefore, fork test may be used as a practical tool to assess food consistency.

The effect of co-stabilizer muscle activation on knee joint position sense: a single group pre-post test.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of co-stabilizer muscle activation on knee joint position sense. [Subjects and Methods] This study was a pre-post, single-blinded randomly controlled trial (angle sequence randomly selected) design. Seven healthy adults with no orthopaedic or neurological problems participated in this study. Knee joint position sense was measured by a target matching test at target angles of 30°, 45° and 80° of knee flexion a using digital inclinometer under two conditions: erect sitting, which is known to highly activate co-stabilizer muscle and slump sitting, which is known to little activate the co-stabilizer muscle. [Results] A significant difference in joint position matching error at the knee flexion angle of 45° was founded between two conditions erect sitting: (3.83 ± 1.47) and slump sitting: (1.00 ± 0.63). There were no significant differences in joint position matching error at the other target angles. [Conclusion] Knee joint position sense at 45° is likely to be affected by activation of co-stabilizer muscle, and this value is suitable for facilitation of joint position sense with skilled movement.

Base-modified donor analogues reveal novel dynamic features of a glycosyltransferase.

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are enzymes that are involved, as Nature's "glycosylation reagents," in many fundamental biological processes including cell adhesion and blood group biosynthesis. Although of similar importance to that of other large enzyme families such as protein kinases and proteases, the undisputed potential of GTs for chemical biology and drug discovery has remained largely unrealized to date. This is due, at least in part, to a relative lack of GT inhibitors and tool compounds for structural, mechanistic, and cellular studies. In this study, we have used a novel class of GT donor analogues to obtain new structural and enzymological information for a representative blood group GT. These analogues interfere with the folding of an internal loop and the C terminus, which are essential for catalysis. Our experiments have led to the discovery of an entirely new active site folding mode for this enzyme family, which can be targeted in inhibitor development, similar to the DFG motif in protein kinases. Taken together, our results provide new insights into substrate binding, dynamics, and utilization in this important enzyme family, which can very likely be harnessed for the rational development of new GT inhibitors and probes.

Reinforcement of a Subcutaneous Pocket for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Insertion Using Acellular Dermal Matrix: A Case Report.

Pediatric patients who undergo implant insertion into the chest wall face a high risk of implant exposure to the external environment. Five months after an 8-year-old boy underwent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in a subcutaneous pocket in the left anterolateral chest wall to manage long QT syndrome, ICD replacement became necessary owing to exposure risk from distal and lateral thinning of the ICD pocket. Pocket rupture and exposure would increase the risk of infection; therefore, we performed ICD removal and primary pocket closure. Two weeks later, a new suprafascial pocket was created, an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was attached to the inner wall to prevent ICD protrusion, and a new ICD was inserted. One year postoperatively, the ADM was engrafted, and no complications were observed. A thin subcutaneous layer increases the risk of ICD implantation complications. Inner wall strengthening with an ADM can help prevent pocket rupture.

Multiplex real-time PCR assay for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains suitable in regions of high MRSA endemicity.

A multiplex real-time PCR assay that simultaneously detects the mecA, staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCCmec)-open reading frame X (orfX) junction, and staphylococcal 16S rRNA genes was developed and evaluated using 444 staphylococcal strains. We demonstrated that this assay resulted in fewer false-positive results than a single-locus real-time PCR assay that amplified the SCCmec-orfX junction. This assay would be useful in a clinical laboratory in a region of high endemicity for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.