Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests have been carried out to determine the anaerobic digestibility of the waste activated sludge (WAS) and the sludge pretreated by NaOH (PWAS). The optimal NaOH ...dosage was determined to be 45 meq NaOH/L. The maximum SCOD solubilization was 27.7, 31.4 and 38.3% at the temperatures of 25, 35 and 55 degrees C respectively after 4 hours reaction. The final methane yield of simulated food waste (SFW) was 430 ml CH4/g VS(added), and those of PWAS (25 degrees C), PWAS (35 degrees C) and PWAS (55 degrees C) was 274, 286 and 310 ml CH4/g VS(added) respectively after 20 days. The figures were 66%, 73% and 88% higher than that of WAS. The methane production in anaerobic co-digestion is considerably affected by the fraction of SFW and PWAS in the feed. The anaerobic digestibility of the feed mixture (SFW with PWAS) is higher than that of the feed mixture (SFW with WAS). Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste with the PWAS is found to be an attractive option to reduce the solid waste volume with improved methane recovery.
The growth of c-axis oriented ZnO thin films on c-plane Al2O3 via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using dilute ozone (O3) as an oxygen source was investigated. Four-circle X-ray diffraction (XRD) ...indicates that films grown at 350 deg C are epitaxial with respect to the substrate, but with a broad in-plane and out-of-plane mosaic. The films were highly conductive and n-type. Epitaxial film growth required relatively high Zn flux and O3/O2 pressure. The growth rate decreased rapidly as growth temperature was increased above 350 deg C. The drop in growth rate with temperature reflects the low sticking coefficient of Zn at moderately high temperatures and limited ozone flux for the oxidation of the Zn metal. Characterization of the films included atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and Hall measurements. These results show that molecular beam epitaxy of ZnO using ozone is rate limited by the ozone flux for growth temperatures above 350 deg C.
Summary
In patients with heart failure (HF), higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with lower rates of hospitalization and mortality (obesity paradox). Symptoms are antecedents of ...hospitalizations, but little is known about the relationship between BMI and symptoms and gender differences. To examine the association of BMI with symptoms in male and female patients with HF, controlling for covariates (sample characteristics, depressive symptoms and sodium intake). In this cross‐sectional correlational study, patients (N = 247) provided data on BMI, symptoms and covariates. BMI was categorized into four groups: normal/underweight (<25 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2), obese I (30–34.9 kg/m2) and obese II/III (≥35 kg/m2). General linear regression was used to analyse the data. The Obese II/III group had more severe HF symptoms than other groups only in male patients. In male patients, older age, Caucasian race, more comorbidities and more severe depressive symptoms were also associated with more severe symptoms. In female patients, more severe depressive symptoms, more comorbidities and higher sodium intake were associated with more severe symptoms. The obesity paradox does not fully extend to symptoms, and gender has a role in the relationship between obesity and symptoms.
Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are present in plants. They have been shown to possess a variety of biological activities at non-toxic concentrations in organisms. Galangin, a member of ...the flavonol class of flavonoid, is present in high concentrations in medicinal plants (e.g.
Alpinia officinarum) and propolis, a natural beehive product. Results from in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that galangin with anti-oxidative and free radical scavenging activities is capable of modulating enzyme activities and suppressing the genotoxicity of chemicals. These activities will be discussed in this review. Based on our review, galangin may be a promising candidate for cancer chemoprevention.
The role of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in D2-resected gastric-cancer patients has not been defined yet. We investigated the effect of postoperative chemoradiotherapy on the relapse rate and ...survival rate of patients with D2-resected gastric cancer.
From August 1995 to April 2001, 544 patients received postoperative CRT after curative D2 resection. During the same period of time, 446 patients received surgery without further adjuvant treatment. The adjuvant CRT consisted of 400 mg/m2 of fluorouracil plus 20 mg/m2 of leucovorin for 5 days, followed by 4,500 cGy of radiotherapy for 5 weeks, with fluorouracil and leucovorin on the first 4 and the last 3 days of radiotherapy. Two 5-day cycles of fluorouracil and leucovorin were given 4 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy.
The median duration of overall survival was significantly longer in the CRT group than in the comparison group (95.3 months vs. 62.6 months), which corresponds to a hazard ratio for death of 0.80 (p = 0.0200) or a reduction of 20% in the risk of death in the CRT group. The 5-year survival rates were consistently longer in the CRT group at Stages II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV than those in the comparison group. The CRT was associated with increases in the median duration of relapse-free survival (75.6 months vs. 52.7 months; hazard ratio for relapse, 0.80, p = 0.0160).
Our results highly suggest that the postoperative chemoradiotherapy in D2-resected gastric-cancer patients can prolong survival and decrease recurrence.
To ascertain the attitude of cancer patients and their families toward disclosure of terminal illness to the patient.
We constructed a questionnaire that included demographic and clinical information ...and delivered it to 758 consecutive individuals (433 cancer patients and 325 families that have a relative with cancer) at seven university hospitals and one national cancer center in Korea.
380 cancer patients and one member from each of 281 families that have a relative with cancer completed the questionnaire. Cancer patients were more likely than family members to believe that patients should be informed of the terminal illness (96.1% v 76.9%; P <.001). Fifty percent of the family members and 78.3% of the patients thought that the doctor in charge should be the one who informs the patient. Additionally, 71.7% of the patients and 43.6% of the family members thought that patients should be informed immediately after the diagnosis. Stepwise multiple logistic regression indicated that the patient group was more likely than the family group to want the patient to be informed of the terminal illness (odds ratio OR, 9.76; 95% CI, 4.31 to 22.14), by the doctor (OR, 4.00; 95% CI, 2.61 to 6.11), and immediately after the diagnosis (OR, 3.64; 95% CI, 2.45 to 5.41).
Our findings indicated that most cancer patients want to be informed if their illness is terminal, and physicians should realize that the patient and the family unit may differ in their attitude toward such a disclosure. Our results also reflect the importance of how information is given to the patient.
Summary
In Korea, patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are typically treated with pegylated interferon‐alpha plus ribavirin, but interferons are contraindicated in many patients ...and are often poorly tolerated, particularly by the elderly and those with advanced liver disease. No interferon‐free treatment regimens are approved in Korea. Sofosbuvir is an oral nucleotide analog inhibitor of the HCV nonstructural 5B RNA polymerase. It is approved in the USA, European Union and Japan for treating a number of HCV genotypes, including genotype 2. Genotype 2 has a seroprevalence of 38–46% in Korea. This single‐arm, phase 3b study (NCT02021643) examined the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin (12‐week duration) in chronic genotype 2 HCV‐infected treatment‐naive and treatment‐experienced Korean patients with and without cirrhosis. The proportion of patients with sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment discontinuation (SVR12) was 97% (125/129), with 96% (101/105) of treatment‐naive and 100% (24/24) of treatment‐experienced patients achieving SVR12. Two patients experienced virologic failure (n = 1, on‐treatment failure; n = 1, relapse). No patient discontinued study treatment due to an adverse event (AE). The most common treatment‐emergent AEs were headache (18%, 23/129) and pruritus (15%, 19/129). Few patients had grade 3 AEs (5%, 6/129) or grade 3 laboratory abnormalities (12%, 15/129). No grade 4 AE was reported. These data suggest that 12 weeks of treatment with the all‐oral, interferon‐free regimen of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin is effective and well tolerated in Korean patients with chronic genotype 2 HCV infection.
During the maintenance of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), suspended cells are discarded normally. We noted the osteogenic potential of these cells to be like that of ...anchorage-dependent BMMSCs. Therefore, we characterized suspended BMMSCs from rabbit bone marrow by bioengineering and applied the suspended BMMSCs to double-canaled dental implants inserted into rabbits. After primary isolation of BMMSCs, we collected the suspended cells during primary culture on the third day. The cells were transferred and maintained on an extracellular-matrix-coated culture plate. The cells were characterized and compared with BMMSCs by colony-forming-unit fibroblast (CFU-f) and cell proliferation assay, fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), in vitro multipotency, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We also analyzed the osteogenic potential of cells mixed with hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) and transplanted into immunocompromised mice. We compared the viability and proliferation of the suspended BMMSCs and BMMSCs on the titanium implant surface and observed cell morphology. Then, the cells mixed with HA/TCP were applied to the double-canaled implants during installation into rabbit tibia. Four weeks later, we analyzed bone formation inside the canal by histomorphometry. The suspended cells showed higher CFU-f on the extracellular matrix (ECM)-coated culture plate and similar results of proliferation capacity compared with BMMSCs. The cells also showed osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic ability. The suspended cells showed levels of attachment survival and proliferation on the surfaces of titanium implant discs to be higher than or similar to those of BMMSCs. The suspended cells as well as BMMSCs showed stronger bone formation ability in both upper and lower canals of the implants compared with controls on double-canaled implants inserted into rabbit tibia. In this study, we showed that suspended cells after primary BMMSC isolation have bone regeneration capacity like that of BMMSCs, not only in vitro but also in vivo. ECM was valuable for propagation of MSCs for cell-based bone regeneration. Therefore, the suspended cells could also be useful tools for bone regeneration after implant surgery.
The red-emitting (Y1-x-yMxEuy)BO3 (M = Al, Zn, and La, 0 < = x < = 0.,0.04 < = y < = 0.16) phosphors were synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and their photoluminescence characteristics were ...studied under VUV excitation. The emission intensity was significantly improved by adding metal (M) dopants because they acted as an intermediator for the transfer of excitation energy from the host lattice to the activator Eu3+. The emission intensity of the (Y0.94-xMxEu0.06)BO3 increased up to x = 0.025 with increasing metal concentration and then decreased with a further increase in metal concentration owing to the concentration quenching effect. The Eu3+- and Al3+-co-doped (Y0.975-yAl0.025Euy)BO3 showed the highest emission intensity at a lower Eu content (y = 0.06), when compared to that (y = 0.13) of singly Eu3+-doped (Y1-yEuy)BO3 because of the sensitization effect of Al3+ ions.
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