Radiologic Analysis of Malar Arch Movement in Reduction Malarplasty Without Bony Resection.

BACKGROUND: Reduction malarplasty has been popular among Asians with a wide facial width. In general, malar setback after bony resection is regarded as the standard objective of reduction malarplasty. However, unnecessary bony resection may lead to various postoperative complications. Therefore, we suggest the use of reduction malarplasty without bony resection to achieve a similar narrowing effect of the facial width, based on radiographic analysis of malar arch movement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 48 patients with a wide midface who underwent reduction malarplasty between September 2018 and December 2019. We included 40 cases of advancement repositioning malarplasty (AR) without bony resection and 8 cases of setback reduction malarplasty (SR) with bony resection. The three-dimensional position of the malar arch expressed by coordinates (x, y, and z) on three-dimensional computed tomography scans was used to compare the positional change between the surgical methods. The paired t-test, Wilcoxon text, and independent t-test were used in data analysis, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 software. RESULTS: Medial and superior movement of the freed malar arch segment was significantly different between AR and SR (P < 0.05). Although medialization and superiorization were not significantly different between AR and SR, there was a significant difference in anterior-posterior movement between AR and SR (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The radiologic analysis based on malar arch movement between AR and SR showed similar narrowing effects on medialization and superiorization of the malar arch regardless of bony resection. Therefore, the AR can be effectively applied in case of arch dominant type or malar asymmetry. In addition, further comprehensive study including analysis on movement of facial soft tissue following malar bony movement is expected based on this study in near future.

Antenna Impedance Matching Using Deep Learning.

We propose a deep neural network (DNN) to determine the matching circuit parameters for antenna impedance matching. The DNN determines the element values of the matching circuit without requiring a mathematical description of matching methods, and it approximates feasible solutions even for unimplementable inputs. For matching, the magnitude and phase of impedance should be known in general. In contrast, the element values of the matching circuit can be determined only using the impedance magnitude using the proposed DNN. A gamma-matching circuit consisting of a series capacitor and a parallel capacitor was applied to a conventional inverted-F antenna for impedance matching. For learning, the magnitude of input impedance S11 of the antenna was extracted according to the element values of the matching circuit. A total of 377 training samples and 66 validation samples were obtained. The DNN was then constructed considering the magnitude of impedance S11 as the input and the element values of the matching circuit as the output. During training, the loss converged as the number of epochs increased. In addition, the desired matching values for unlearned square and triangular waves were obtained during testing.

Surface-Integrated Electric Field Sensor for the Detection of High-Voltage Power Lines.

When a drone is used for inspection of facilities, there are often cases in which high-voltage power lines interfere, resulting in the drone being caught or falling. To prevent this type of incident, drones must be capable of detecting high-voltage power lines. Typically, a strong electric field is formed around the high-voltage lines. To detect the electric fields around high-voltage lines, this study proposes an electric field sensor that may be integrated within the body of a drone. In a laboratory environment, a voltage of 25 kV was applied to an overhead line, and the induced voltage in the proposed sensor was measured at various electric field intensities. Over an electric field range of 0.5 to 10.1 kV/m, a voltage of 0 to 0.77 V was measured with each proposed sensor. In addition, the electric field and the voltage induced in the sensor were measured in a real-world railway environment with overhead lines. Under these conditions, the proposed sensor has the compensated value of 4.5 when the measured electric field was 4.05 kV/m. Therefore, the proposed sensor may be applied in drones to measure large electric fields and to detect the presence of high-voltage lines in its vicinity.

Multifunctional Partially Reflective Surface for Smart Blocks.

In general, a partially reflective surface (PRS) is mainly used to increase the gain of an antenna; some metallic objects placed on the PRS degrades the antenna performance because the objects change the periodic structure of the PRS. Herein, we propose a multifunctional PRS for smart block application. When a passenger passes over a smart block, the fare can be simultaneously collected and presented through the LED display. This requires high gain antenna with LED structure. The high gain characteristic helps the antenna identify passengers only when they pass over the block. The multifunctional PRS has a structure in which an LED can be placed in the horizontal direction while increasing the antenna gain. We used the antenna's polarization characteristics to prevent performance deterioration when LED lines are placed in the PRS. We built the proposed antenna and measured its performance: At 2.41 GHz, the efficiency was 81.4%, and the antenna gain was 18.3 dBi. Furthermore, the half-power beamwidth was 18°, confirming a directional radiation pattern.

Semicircular Patch-Embedded Vivaldi Antenna for Miniaturized UWB Radar Sensors.

A microstrip-to-slot line-fed miniaturized Vivaldi antenna using semicircular patch embedment is proposed in this study. The conventional Vivaldi antenna has ultrawide bandwidth, but suffers from low gain in the low-frequency band. The proposed antenna topology incorporates the embedment of semicircular patch elements into the side edge of the antenna. This enables the phases of electric fields at both ends of the antenna to be out of phase. Since the distance between the two ends are λL/2 where λL is the wavelength at a low operating frequency, this antenna topology can achieve the constructive addition of electrical fields at the radiating end, leading to gain enhancement at the chosen low frequency. In comparison with the conventional Vivaldi antenna, the proposed antenna has a wider bandwidth from 2.84 to 9.83 GHz. Moreover, the simulated result shows a gain enhancement of 5 dB at low frequency. This cannot be realized by the conventional low-band impedance matching techniques only relying on slotted topologies. The measured results of this proposed antenna with a size of 45 × 40 × 0.8 mm3 are in good agreement with the simulated results.

Analysis of Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Producing Bacteria in Activated Sludge Samples Enriched by Aerobic Periodic Feeding.

Analysis of mixed microbial populations responsible for the production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (MCL-PHAs) under periodic substrate feeding in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was conducted. Regardless of activated sludge samples and the different MCL alkanoic acids used as the sole external carbon substrate, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the dominant bacterium enriched during the SBR process. Several P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from the enriched activated sludge samples. The isolates were subdivided into two groups, one that produced only MCL-PHAs and another that produced both MCL- and short-chain-length PHAs. The SBR periodic feeding experiments with five representative MCL-PHA-producing Pseudomonas species revealed that P. aeruginosa has an advantage over other species that enables it to become dominant in the bacterial community.

Wrinkle-free graphene electrodes in zinc tin oxide thin-film transistors for large area applications.

Wrinkle-free graphene was used to form the source-drain electrodes in thin film transistors based on a zinc tin oxide (ZTO) semiconductor. A 10 nm thick titanium adhesion layer was applied prior to transferring a conductive graphene film on top of it by chemical detachment. The formation of an interlayer oxide between titanium and graphene allows the achievement of uniform surface roughness over the entire substrate area. The resulting devices were thermally treated in ambient air, and a substantial decrease in field effect mobility is observed with increasing annealing temperature. The increase in electrical resistivity of the graphene film at higher annealing temperatures may have some influence, however the growth of the oxide interlayer at the ZTO/Ti boundary is suggested to be most influential, thereby inducing relatively high contact resistance.

Hyponatremia at discharge as a predictor of 12-month clinical outcomes in hospital survivors after acute myocardial infarction.

Hyponatremia in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a well-known predictor of poor prognosis. However, little is known about the clinical implication of sodium levels at discharge in hospital survivors after AMI. The study included 1290 consecutive patients (64 ± 12 years; 877 men) who survived the index hospitalization after AMI. We determined the 12-month mortality rates of these patients. Patients who died during the 12-month follow-up had lower sodium levels at discharge than those who had survived (137 ± 6 vs. 139 ± 4 mmol/L; P < 0.014). Hyponatremia at discharge, defined as a serum sodium level ≤135 mmol/L, was present in 210 patients (16.3 %). In the Cox-proportional hazard model, hyponatremia at discharge (hazard ratio, 2.264; 95 % confidence interval, 1.119-4.579; P = 0.023) was an independent predictor of 12-month mortality. Moreover, hyponatremia at discharge had an incremental prognostic value over conventional risk factors (χ 2 = 7, P = 0.007), and conventional risk factors and log N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide combined (χ 2 = 5, P = 0.021). In the subgroup analysis, the 12-month mortality of patients with hyponatremia at discharge was significantly higher than in those without, irrespective of age, Killip class, left ventricular ejection fraction, percutaneous coronary intervention at index hospitalization, and prescription of diuretics at discharge. Hyponatremia at discharge is an independent predictor of 12-month mortality in hospital survivors after AMI.

Tenofovir-based rescue therapy for chronic hepatitis B patients who had failed treatment with lamivudine, adefovir, and entecavir.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In the past decade, many chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients have undergone sequential treatment with lamivudine (LAM), adefovir (ADV), and entecavir (ETV) to manage antiviral resistance or insufficient suppression of HBV-DNA. Very limited data are available on the efficacy of tenofovir (TDF) rescue regimens in patients with multidrug resistance (MDR). METHODS: We investigated the antiviral efficacy of TDF/LAM combination therapy versus TDF/ETV combination therapy in 52 patients who failed three previous antiviral therapies. RESULTS: The study subjects were treated with TDF/LAM combination therapy (n = 25) or TDF/ETV combination therapy (n = 27) for more than six months. Virologic response (VR) occurred in 39 (75%) patients (19 patients belonged to the TDF/LAM group and 20 patients belonged to the TDF/ETV group). The VR rates were not different between the TDF/LAM and TDF/ETV groups (56.0% vs 51.9% at month 12, and 72.0% vs 78.8% at month 18; log rank P = 0.515). In addition, treatment efficacy of TDF/LAM combination or TDF/ETV combination was not statistically different according to types of MDR. In multivariate analysis, absolute HBV-DNA level at the start of TDF rescue treatment (P < 0.001; OR, 0.452; 95% CI, 0.306-0.666) was only significantly associated with VR. CONCLUSIONS: TDF/ETV combination therapy was not associated with higher rate of VR compared with TDF/LAM combination therapy in MDR CHB patients. These results raise the suspicion about the superiority of the combination therapy over TDF monotherapy. The lower HBV-DNA levels at the start of TDF-based rescue therapy were associated with higher VR.

Knockdown of TWIST1 enhances arsenic trioxide- and ionizing radiation-induced cell death in lung cancer cells by promoting mitochondrial dysfunction.

TWIST1 is implicated in the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition, metastasis, stemness, and drug resistance in cancer cells, and therefore is a potential target for cancer therapy. In the present study, we found that knockdown of TWIST1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) enhanced arsenic trioxide (ATO)- and ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell death in non-small-cell lung cancer cells. Interestingly, intracellular reactive oxygen species levels were increased in cells treated with TWIST1 siRNA and further increased by co-treatment with ATO or IR. Pretreatment of lung cancer cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine markedly suppressed the cell death induced by combined treatment with TWIST1 siRNA and ATO or IR. Moreover, treatment of cells with TWIST1 siRNA induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and significantly increased mitochondrial fragmentation (fission) and upregulated the fission-related proteins FIS1 and DRP1. Collectively, our results demonstrate that siRNA-mediated TWIST1 knockdown induces mitochondrial dysfunction and enhances IR- and ATO-induced cell death in lung cancer cells.

Predictors and clinical implications of minimal ST-segment elevation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: Some patients with suspected ST-segment elevation (STE) myocardial infarction (STEMI) show STE that does not fulfill the current criteria for STEMI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and prognoses of patients with minimal STEMI. METHODS: Between November 2007 and December 2011, 546 patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI were enrolled. RESULTS: The minimal STE group had a higher proportion of women (30.2 vs. 21.0%, p = 0.031), better pre-PCI antegrade flow (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow 2-3, 30.2 vs. 18.8%, p = 0.006) and better collateralization (Rentrop score 2-3, 27.4 vs. 18.1%, p = 0.024) compared to the definite STE group. Multivariate analysis showed that each of them were independent predictors for minimal STE. However, 1-year mortality of the minimal STE group did not differ from that of the definite STE group (7.1 vs. 9.3%, log-rank p = 0.315). CONCLUSIONS: Female gender, good collateral flow and good pre-PCI antegrade flow were independent predictors for minimal STE in patients with STEMI. However, minimal STE was not related to a good prognosis in patients with STEMI.

Changes in follow-up ECG and signal-averaged ECG in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiogram (ECG) and signal-averaged ECG (SAECG) are important as diagnostic tools in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). The aim of this study was to investigate changes in follow-up ECGs and SAECGs in patients with ARVC. METHODS: We collected 185 follow-up ECGs from 38 patients and 35 follow-up SAECGs from 18 patients during a mean follow-up period of 64 ± 36 months. RESULTS: On baseline ECG and SAECG, epsilon waves, T-wave inversion (TWI), and terminal activation delay (TAD) of QRS ≥ 55 ms in right precordial leads, and late potentials (LPs) were observed in six (16%), 11 (29%), 13 (34%), and 23 (68%) patients, respectively. During the follow-up period, 15 (39%) patients had 18 changes in ECG and/or SAECG features included in modified Task Force Criteria (TFC) of ARVC. Two patients developed new epsilon waves, and another two patients had dynamic epsilon waves. Newly developed TAD of QRS ≥ 55 ms was observed in two patients and disappeared in one patient. Eight patients, seven with and one without TWI in V1 -V3 or beyond, showed dynamic changes. LP developed in three patients. One patient with dynamic change of TWI and another patient with dynamic change of epsilon wave and TAD of QRS ≥ 55 ms could not satisfy the modified TFC during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up ECGs and SAECGs showed changes in 39% of patients with ARVC. Larger studies with a longer follow-up period are needed to investigate the clinical implications of changes in follow-up ECG and SAECG.

Cost and time-efficient construction of a 3'-end mRNA library from unpurified bulk RNA in a single tube.

The major drawbacks of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), a remarkably accurate transcriptome profiling method, is its high cost and poor scalability. Here, we report a highly scalable and cost-effective method for transcriptomics profiling called Bulk transcriptOme profiling of cell Lysate in a single poT (BOLT-seq), which is performed using unpurified bulk 3'-end mRNA in crude cell lysates. During BOLT-seq, RNA/DNA hybrids are directly subjected to tagmentation, and second-strand cDNA synthesis and RNA purification are omitted, allowing libraries to be constructed in 2 h of hands-on time. BOLT-seq was successfully used to cluster small molecule drugs based on their mechanisms of action and intended targets. BOLT-seq competes effectively with alternative library construction and transcriptome profiling methods.

Target Temperature Management Effect on the Clinical Outcome of Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Treated with Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Nationwide Observational Study.

This study aimed to investigate whether targeted temperature management (TTM) could enhance outcomes in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest. Using a nationwide OHCA registry, adult patients with witnessed OHCA of presumed cardiac origin who underwent ECPR at the emergency department between 2008 and 2021 were included. We examined the effect of ECPR with TTM on survival and neurological outcomes at hospital discharge using propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression compared with patients treated with ECPR without TTM. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined. A total of 399 ECPR cases were analyzed among 380,239 patients with OHCA. Of these, 330 underwent ECPR without TTM and 69 with TTM. After propensity score matching, 69 matched pairs of patients were included in the analysis. No significant differences in survival and good neurological outcomes between the two groups were observed. In the multivariable logistic regression, no significant differences were observed in survival and neurological outcomes between ECPR with and without TTM. Among the patients who underwent ECPR after OHCA, ECPR with TTM did not improve outcomes compared with ECPR without TTM.

Antioxidant Activities in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) Shoots during Growth Stages and Destination of Chlorogenic Acid and Kaempferol Glycosides.

Apart from being utilized as a commercial fiber at maturity, kenaf shoots have potential as a food and feed source because of their diverse bioactivities. Previous studies have focused on mature stems because of their high biomass, whereas the antioxidant activities (AA) and the destination of AA contributors of kenaf stems and their high-yielding byproduct leaves during the growth stage have rarely been studied. Therefore, we investigated changes in AA and its relative components in kenaf leaves and stems during the four vital growth stages. Higher ABTS radical cation and DPPH radical scavenging abilities and ferric reducing antioxidant power, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total polysaccharide content were observed at all leaf stages and in the late stem stages. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and kaempferol glycosides, especially kaempferitrin (Kfr), were identified as representative phenolic acids and flavonoids in both kenaf leaves and stems. The content of CGA in both leaves and stems increased corresponding to the plant's growth stage, whereas kaempferol glycosides were enhanced in leaves but declined in stems. The highest correlation was observed between TPC and AA in all organs. Further evaluation of CGA and Kfr verified that CGA was the predominant contributor to AA, surpassing Kfr. These findings suggest that kenaf leaves increase antioxidant levels as they grow and can be a useful source of stem harvesting byproducts.

Inhibition of S6K1 enhances glucose deprivation-induced cell death via downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Nutrient-limiting conditions are frequently encountered by tumor cells in poorly vascularized microenvironments. These stress conditions may facilitate the selection of tumor cells with an inherent ability to decrease apoptotic potential. Therefore, selective targeting of tumor cells under glucose deprivation conditions may provide an effective alternative strategy for cancer therapy. In the present study, we investigated the effects of S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) inhibition on glucose deprivation-induced cell death and the underlying mechanisms in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. PF4708671, a selective inhibitor of S6K1, and knockdown of S6K1 with specific siRNA enhanced cell death induced under glucose deprivation conditions. Moreover, inhibition of S6K1 led to apoptosis in glucose-starved MCF-7 cells via downregulation of the anti-apoptotic proteins, Mcl-1 and survivin. Further experiments revealed that sorafenib, shown to be involved in Mcl-1 and survivin downregulation via mTOR/S6K1 inhibition significantly promotes cell death under glucose deprivation conditions. These findings collectively suggest that S6K1 plays an important role in tumor cell survival under stress conditions, and thus inhibition of S6K1 may be an effective strategy for sensitizing cells to glucose deprivation.

Effect of paracetamol use on the modification of the development of asthma by reactive oxygen species genes.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have identified an increase in the prevalence of asthma associated with paracetamol use. OBJECTIVE: To identify the relationship among asthma, biomarkers, genes, and paracetamol use in preschool children. METHODS: We undertook a population-based, cross-sectional survey of 933 preschool children. Asthma status was classified according to medical history and asthmatic symptoms. History of paracetamol use in infancy was recorded. Impulse oscillometry, blood tests for eosinophils and total IgE, and genotyping of NAT2, Nrf2, and GSTP1 polymorphisms by TaqMan assay were conducted. RESULT: Paracetamol use in infancy was associated with an increased risk of treatment for asthma within the previous 12 months. Paracetamol use together with a family history of asthma increased the risk of asthma diagnosis ever, current asthma, and treatment for asthma within the previous 12 months. Gene polymorphisms in NAT2 (rs4271002), Nrf2 (rd6726395), and GSTP1 (rd1695) increased the risk of treatment for asthma within the last 12 months. Eosinophils were significantly elevated in the group with paracetamol use and a family history of asthma; however, the serum total IgE level and IOS did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSION: Paracetamol use in infancy was significantly associated with increased risk of asthma. The association is more significant in genetically susceptible children, related to antioxidant genes, and the effect may be mediated by eosinophilic inflammation.

Gnathostoma spinigerum infection in the upper lip of a Korean woman: an autochthonous case in Korea.

Autochthonous human gnathostomiasis had never been reported in the Republic of Korea. We report here a case of Gnathostoma spinigerum infection in a 32-year-old Korean woman, presumed to have been infected via an indigenous route. The patient had experienced a painful migratory swelling near the left nasolabial fold area of the face for a year, with movement of the swelling to the mucosal area of the upper lip 2 weeks before surgical removal of the lesion. Histopathological examinations of the extracted tissue revealed inflammation with heavy eosinophilic infiltrations and sections of a nematode suggestive of a Gnathostoma sp. larva. The larva characteristically revealed about 25 intestinal cells with multiple (3-6) nuclei in each intestinal cell consistent with the 3rd-stage larva of G. spinigerum. The patient did not have any special history of travel abroad except a recent trip, 4 months before surgery, to China where she ate only cooked food. The patient is the first recorded autochthonous case of G. spinigerum infection in Korea.

Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem on the Relationship between Depression and Family Conflict Coping Strategies in the Elderly with Chronic Diseases in Korea.

(1) Background: The elderly with chronic diseases often experience high levels of depression, which can negatively affect their family conflict coping strategies. Additionally, as the level of depression increases, self-esteem tends to decrease. This study aims to investigate whether self-esteem plays a moderating role in the relationship between depression and family conflict coping strategies among the elderly with chronic diseases. (2) Method: The subjects were 2501 older adults with chronic diseases included in the 16th Korean Welfare Panel Study. The CES-D scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the tool of Family Conflict Coping Strategies were used. (3) Results: Depression was negatively correlated with self-esteem and coping strategies for family conflict, while self-esteem was positively correlated with coping strategies for family conflict. In the multiple regression model, self-esteem had a moderating effect (F = 43.20, p < 0.001). This result indicated that as self-esteem increases, the negative influence of depression on family conflict coping strategies becomes weaker (ß = -0.08, t = -3.04, p = 0.002). (4) Conclusions: When addressing family conflict coping strategies in the elderly with chronic diseases, it is crucial to focus on enhancing self-esteem. Additionally, it may be beneficial to classify the elderly into groups based on their level of self-esteem.

Comparison of total energy intakes estimated by 24-hour diet recall with total energy expenditure measured by the doubly labeled water method in adults.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is the gold standard for estimating total energy expenditure (TEE) and is also useful for verifying the validities of dietary evaluation tools. In this study, we compared the accuracy of total energy intakes (TEI) estimated by the 24-h diet recall method with TEE obtained using the doubly labeled water method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study involved 71 subjects aged 20-49 yrs. Over a 14-day period, three 24-h diet recalls per subject (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) were used to estimate energy intakes, while TEE was measured using the DLW method. The paired t-test was used to determine the significance of differences between TEI and TEE results, and the accuracy of the 24-h recall method was determined by accuracy predictions percentage, root mean square error, and bias. RESULTS: Average study subject age was 33.4 ± 8.6 yrs. The association between TEI and TEE was positive and significant (r = 0.463, P < 0.001), and the difference between TEI (2,084.3 ± 684.2 kcal/day) and TEE (2,401.7 ± 480.3 kcal/day) was also significant (P < 0.001). In all study subjects, mean TEI was 12.0% (307.5 ± 629.3 kcal/day) less than mean TEE, and 12.2% (349.4 ± 632.5 kcal/day) less in men and 11.8% (266.7 ± 632.5 kcal/day) less in women. Rates of TEI underprediction for all study subjects, men, and women, were 60.5%, 51.4%, and 66.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that 24-h diet recall underreports energy intakes. More research is needed to corroborate our findings and evaluate the accuracy of 24-h recall with respect to additional demographics.