Purpose To compare surgical outcomes of volar locking plates (VP) and external fixation (EF) (with or without intra-focal fixation) for AO-type C2 and C3 fractures of the distal radius. Methods From ...an initial group of 92 patients with AO-type C2 and C3 distal radius fractures who were enrolled in a prospective, randomized study comparing volar plate fixation with external fixation (with or without intra-focal fixation), 74 patients were studied. The researchers evaluated functional assessments (wrist range of motion, grip strength, and Michigan Hand Questionnaire) at each patient visit and measured radiographic assessment (radial inclination, volar tilt, ulnar variance, and articular congruity) at 12 months. Results The grip strength of the VP group was significantly greater than that of the EF group at 3 and 6 months. The range of motion was significantly greater in the VP group than in the EF group at 3 months. There were no significant differences in the range of motion and grip strength between the 2 groups at 12 months. The Michigan Hand Questionnaire score was higher in the VP group than in the EF group at 3 months but was same at 12 months. There was no significant difference between groups with respect to volar tilt or radial inclination. The VP group showed superior radiologic outcomes in terms of the ulnar variance. One patient in the VP group and 3 in the EF group had an intra-articular stepoff deformity greater than 2 mm. This difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions These results for functional recovery after distal radius surgery offer insight into treatment decisions and interpretations of treatment outcomes for patients with comminuted intra-articular distal radius fractures. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic I.
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•Spatial variation of meiofauna assemblage prevailed somehow masking seasonal fluctuations.•Sediments properties were key environmental factors that determine meiofauna ...assemblages.•Anthropogenic pressures significantly influenced diversity and composition of meiofauna taxa.•Hypoxia directly influenced drastic community collapse on both macrofauna and meiofauna.•Benthic communities varied in response time and sensitivity to environmental stresses/gradients.
The present study investigated the spatiotemporal distributions of meiofauna and corresponding environmental variables in two different subtidal environments. The two habitats represent unique geographical localities; (1) Jinhae Bay for semi-enclosed industrial bay (under anthropogenic pressure) and (2) Samcheok coast for open sea area (rather in natural condition) in Korea. Biotic and abiotic data were seasonally collected from six monitoring stations in each area for 3 years (2013–16) at two study areas and all the data were comparatively analyzed. First, abiotic data such as sediment properties and water quality parameters showed significant variations in time (season/year) and space (site/area) cross the study areas and within sites in each area. Second, meiofauna assemblages, such as number of taxa, abundance, and composition, greatly varied between seasons and localities, reflecting (in)direct association(s) to local activities and/or environmental gradients. Of note, the Jinhae Bay community was directly influenced by a hypoxia during summer season. In general, the site-specific variations rather prevailed masking seasonal fluctuations, indicating significance of both oceanographic settings and terrestrial land use activities. Among the environmental parameters measured, sediment grain size appeared to be the key factor in determining the meiofaunal assemblages and distributions, particularly under natural condition shown at Samcheok. Altogether, clear separations in meiofaunal community cross sites (inner vs. outer stations) and areas (enclosed industrial bay vs. open sea) implied anthropogenic pressures and certain impacted boundaries. In addition, association of benthic communities to anthropogenic environments seemed to prevail in macrofaunal community, being simultaneously influenced by abiotic seasonal fluctuations. Overall, two contrasting nearshore habitats exhibited typical spatiotemporal distributions of subtidal benthic communities being collectively influenced by anthropogenic stresses and site-specific environmental gradients.
Background and Aim
A high yield of biopsy is mandatory to perform molecular genetic research with endoscopically obtained gastric cancer tissues. We evaluated whether probe‐based confocal laser ...endomicroscopy (pCLE) can increase the yield of endoscopic biopsy for gastric cancer compared with white light endoscopy (WLE).
Methods
All lesions in the pCLE and WLE groups were initially evaluated through WLE. In the pCLE group, lesions were further examined through pCLE. In the pilot study, five and three biopsy specimens were obtained for histopathological examination and tumor marker analysis, respectively. In the confirmatory study, six biopsy specimens for histopathological evaluation were obtained.
Results
A total of 30 gastric cancers and 61 undifferentiated‐type gastric cancers were analyzed in the pilot and confirmatory studies, respectively. The proportion of cancer cells in biopsy samples of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma or signet ring cell carcinoma was higher in the pCLE group than in the WLE group in both the pilot and confirmatory studies (pilot: median proportion, 65% vs 30%, P = 0.010; confirmatory: mean ± standard deviation, 49.5 ± 29.3 vs 29.3 ± 13.7, P = 0.002). The expression ratio of tumor markers including carcinoembryonic antigen, GW112, HOX transcript antisense RNA, and H19 tended to be higher in the pCLE group than in the WLE group.
Conclusion
Probe‐based confocal laser endomicroscopy‐targeted biopsy provided superior results in terms of the proportion of cancer cells in biopsy samples compared with WLE‐targeted biopsy in gastric cancer with undifferentiated histology.
The vessel speed reduction program (VSRP) was first introduced in the Port of Los Angeles in 2001 to improve air quality. In this study, an algorithm was developed to calculate ship emissions with a ...bottom-up approach based on ship activity using automatic identification system (AIS) data. The target vessel applied to the emission calculation was a vessel participating in Korea’s VSRP. Factors considered for the calculation of emissions were ship type, speed, gross tonnage, engine power, load, sulfur content of fuel, and fuel consumption rate by engine age. The algorithm is designed to calculate the reduction amount by VSRP by simultaneously calculating the emission amount of the actual speed and the emission amount of the cruise speed when not participating in VSRP. The emission results of ships that participated in the VSRP in 2020 revealed that their speed was reduced by 47% and carbon dioxide emissions by 71.9%. These results were verified through comparison with the fuel consumption report of the container fleet presented by the International Maritime Organization. Our findings can be used to monitor the air pollutant emissions of ships entering major ports in Korea and to develop policies envisaged at reducing the production and effect of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Moreover, we recommend that this model be replicated in other countries for monitoring ship-induced emissions.
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•A novel NHC-FeCl3 complex catalyst for controllable polyurethane polymerization.•NHC-FeCl3 shows stable performances at room temperature polyurethane reaction.•NHC-FeCl3 shows ...efficient catalytic activity at 60 °C (fast curing (3 h) reaction).•NHC reacts with polyol, and FeCl3 reacts with isocyanate by electrophilic reaction.
A high performance of catalyst material for delaying polyurethane (PU) polymerization at room temperature and rapid PU polymerization at preferred temperature still remains a great challenge because of adverse activation. Herein, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-FeCl3 complex catalyst is developed and optimized to control the PU polymerization. The effects of PU polymerization degree and reaction kinetic is remarkably altered by the NHC-FeCl3 catalyst. It is found that the as-synthesized NHC-FeCl3 shows efficient catalytic activity as very low viscosity changes in room temperature and fast curing (3 h) at 60 °C, which proves considerable catalytic activity than the commercial catalyst and none-catalyst system. Based on DSC measurement, an increase in reaction rate is observed to PU polymerization with NHC-FeCl3. The PU polymerization reaction has excellently initiated at 60 °C by NHC-FeCl3 catalyst, where NHC act as Lewis acid and interacts with polyol, and FeCl3 reacts with isocyanate by electrophilic reaction.
The ARTIST (Adjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy in Stomach Cancer) trial was the first study to our knowledge to investigate the role of postoperative chemoradiotherapy therapy in patients with ...curatively resected gastric cancer with D2 lymph node dissection. This trial was designed to compare postoperative treatment with capecitabine plus cisplatin (XP) versus XP plus radiotherapy with capecitabine (XP/XRT/XP).
The XP arm received six cycles of XP (capecitabine 2,000 mg/m2 per day on days 1 to 14 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1, repeated every 3 weeks) chemotherapy. The XP/XRT/XP arm received two cycles of XP followed by 45-Gy XRT (capecitabine 1,650 mg/m2 per day for 5 weeks) and two cycles of XP.
Of 458 patients, 228 were randomly assigned to the XP arm and 230 to the XP/XRT/XP arm. Treatment was completed as planned by 75.4% of patients (172 of 228) in the XP arm and 81.7% (188 of 230) in the XP/XRT/XP arm. Overall, the addition of XRT to XP chemotherapy did not significantly prolong disease-free survival (DFS; P = .0862). However, in the subgroup of patients with pathologic lymph node metastasis at the time of surgery (n = 396), patients randomly assigned to the XP/XRT/XP arm experienced superior DFS when compared with those who received XP alone (P = .0365), and the statistical significance was retained at multivariate analysis (estimated hazard ratio, 0.6865; 95% CI, 0.4735 to 0.9952; P = .0471). CONCLUSION The addition of XRT to XP chemotherapy did not significantly reduce recurrence after curative resection and D2 lymph node dissection in gastric cancer. A subsequent trial (ARTIST-II) in patients with lymph node-positive gastric cancer is planned.
Fruit set is initiated only after fertilization and is tightly regulated primarily by gibberellins (GAs) and auxins. The application of either of these hormones induces parthenocarpy, fruit set ...without fertilization, but the molecular mechanism underlying this induction is poorly understood. In the present study, we have shown that the parthenocarpic fruits induced by GA application at pre-bloom result from the interaction of GA with auxin signaling. The transcriptional levels of the putative negative regulators of fruit set initiation, including Vitis auxin/indole-3-acetic acid transcription factor 9 (VvIAA9), Vitis auxin response factor 7 (VvARF7), and VvARF8 were monitored during inflorescence development in seeded diploid 'Tamnara' grapevines with or without GA application. Without GA application, VvIAA9, VvARF7, and VvARF8 were expressed at a relatively high level before full bloom, but decreased thereafter following pollination. After GA application at 14 days before full bloom (DBF); however, the expression levels of VvIAA9 and VvARF7 declined at 5 DBF prior to pollination. The effects of GA application on auxin levels or auxin signaling were also analyzed by monitoring the expression patterns of auxin biosynthesis genes and auxin-responsive genes with or without GA application. Transcription levels of the auxin biosynthesis genes Vitis anthranilate synthase β subunit (VvASB1-like), Vitis YUCCA2 (VvYUC2), and VvYUC6 were not significantly changed by GA application. However, the expressions of Vitis Gretchen Hagen3.2 (VvGH3.2) and VvGH3.3, auxin-responsive genes, were up-regulated from 2 DBF to full bloom with GA application. Furthermore, the Vitis GA signaling gene, VvDELLA was up-regulated by GA application during 12 DBF to 7 DBF, prior to down-regulation of VvIAA9 and VvARF7. These results suggest that VvIAA9 and VvARF7 are negative regulators of fruit set initiation in grapevines, and GA signaling is integrated with auxin signaling via VvDELLA during parthenocarpic fruit development in grapevines.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background and Aim
Potassium‐competitive acid blockers (P‐CABs) can be used to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection. We aimed to evaluate the impact of treatment duration (7 vs 14 days) on ...successful H. pylori eradication with P‐CAB‐based triple therapy in Korea, where clarithromycin resistance rate is high.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who received first‐line treatment for H. pylori infection with tegoprazan‐based triple therapy (50 mg tegoprazan + 1000 mg amoxicillin + 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily for 1 or 2 weeks). The primary endpoint was the eradication rate in intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis.
Results
Of the 948 patients included in the study, 435 and 513 received 7‐day and 14‐day tegoprazan‐based triple therapy, respectively. The eradication rate was higher in the 14‐day therapy group than in the 7‐day therapy group (ITT, 63.9%; 95% confidence interval CI, 59.3–68.3% vs 78.6% 95% CI, 74.9–81.9%, respectively, P < 0.001; per‐protocol, 70.5% 95% CI, 65.8–74.8% vs 85.1% 81.7–88.1%, respectively, P < 0.001). Overall adverse event rates did not differ between the two groups. Although six patients in the 14‐day treatment group discontinued the prescribed medications due to adverse events, four of them (67%) discontinued the medication within 4 days.
Conclusions
The 14‐day tegoprazan‐based triple therapy showed a superior eradication rate and acceptable adverse events compared with the 7‐day tegoprazan‐based triple therapy. A 14‐day treatment regimen may be required when H. pylori infection is treated with tegoprazan‐based triple therapy in regions with high clarithromycin resistance.
Benthic diatoms isolated from tidal flats in the west coast of Korea were identified through both traditional morphological method and molecular phylogenetic method for methodological comparison. For ...the molecular phylogenetic analyses, we sequenced the 18S rRNA and the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit coding gene, rbcL. Further, the comparative analysis allowed for the assessment of the suitability as a genetic marker for identification of closely related benthic diatom species and as potential barcode gene. Based on the traditional morphological identification system, the 61 isolated strains were classified into 52 previously known taxa from 13 genera. However, 17 strains could not be classified as known species by morphological analyses, suggesting a hidden diversity of benthic diatoms. The Blast search on NCBI's Genebank indicated that the reference sequences for most of the species were absent for the benthic diatoms. Of the two genetic markers, the rbcL genes were more divergent than the 18S rRNA genes. Furthermore, a long branch attraction artefact was found in the 18S rRNA phylogeny. These results suggest that the rbcL gene is a more appropriate genetic marker for identification and classification of benthic diatoms. Considering their high diversity and simple shapes, and thus the difficulty associated with morphological classification of benthic diatoms, a molecular approach could provide a relatively easy and reliable classification system. However, this study suggests that more effort should be made to construct a reliable database containing polyphasic taxonomic data for diatom classification.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. is a well-known traditional herbal medicine administered for bronchitis and inflammatory diseases. Especially, anti-inflammatory effect of fermented P. ...grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. extract (FPGE) was higher than that of P. grandiflorus (Jacq.) A.DC. extract. However, toxicological information for FPGE is lacking.
In this study, we establish a toxicological profile for FPGE by testing genotoxicity, acute and 13-week subchronic toxicity.
FPGE was evaluated with bacterial reverse mutation, chromosome aberration, and micronucleus test. For the acute- and 13-week subchronic toxicity tests, FPGE was administered orally at doses of 0, 750, 1500, and 3000 mg/kg in SD rats.
The results of the genotoxic assays indicated that FPGE induced neither mutagenicity nor clastogenicity. The acute toxicity test showed that FPGE did not affect animal mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, or microscopic findings at ≤ 3000 mg/kg. The approximate lethal dose (ALD) of FPGE in SD rats was >3000 mg/kg. For the 13-week subchronic toxicity assay, no FPGE dose induced any significant change in mortality, clinical signs, body or organ weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, serum chemistry, gross findings and histopathologic examination in either SD rat sex. The rat no observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) for FPGE was set to 3000 mg/kg.
The present study empirically demonstrated that FPGE has a safe preclinical profile and indicated that it could be safely integrated into health products for atopic dermatitis treatment.
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•Anti-inflammatory efficacy of fermented P. grandiflorum extract (FPGE) is well-known.•FPGE did not induce genotoxicity in Ames, CA, and MN test.•In acute toxicity study, the ALD of FPGE was >3000 mg/kg in SD rats.•In 13-week subchoronic toxicity study, the NOAEL of FPGE was 3000 mg/kg in SD rats.
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