ABSTRACT
A previously unidentified, slowly growing scotochromogenic Mycobacterium was isolated from a Korean patient with symptomatic pulmonary infection. Phenotypically, this strain was generally ...similar to Mycobacterium terrae complex strains, however it uniquely produced orange pigmentation. Unique mycolic acid profiles and phylogenetic analyses based on three alternative chronometer molecules, 16S rRNA gene, hsp65 and rpoB, confirmed the taxonomic status of this strain as a novel species. These results support that this strain represents a novel Mycobacterium species. The name Mycobacterium paraterrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 05‐2522 (= DSM 45127 = KCTC 19556).
The relationship between weight problems and depression has been the focus of many studies; however, results from these studies vary. The purpose of this study is to describe the association between ...depression and BMI using data from a national sample of middle aged and older Koreans and to examine whether gender moderates the relationship between depression and weight.
We used data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). Of the 7,920 respondents that participated in KLoSA in 2010, 7,672 adults aged between 50 and 102 years were included in the final analysis. The relationship between depression and obesity status was examined in both the full sample and in sub-samples stratified by gender. The observed U-shaped association between obesity status and CES-D score was tested by regressing CES-D score on linear and quadratic terms of BMI scores.
The distribution of CES-D scores by respondents' obesity status (i.e., underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese and severely obese) showed a U-shaped association. Specifically, the highest CES-D scores were found in underweight individuals; this was followed by the severely obese and obese groups in the full sample and in gender-specific subsamples. The lowest CES-D scores were found in the overweight group when considering the entire population and males alone and in the normal weight group for females. This U-shaped association between CES-D and obesity status was confirmed by a model in which CES-D scores were regressed on BMI scores and other covariates.
This study found a U-shaped association between BMI and levels of depressive symptoms among adults in Korea overall and also within each gender. Specifically, the highest level of depressive symptoms was found among the underweight, followed by the severely obese and then the obese. Slightly different patterns between male and female adults were found regarding the weight status associated with the fewest depressive symptoms.
•The high mortality rate (36 %–63 %) of candidemia underlines the urgency of diagnosis.•T2Candida, which allows rapid diagnosis, showed 95.3 % agreement with blood culture.•False negatives on ...T2Candida should be considered in cases of C. glabrata infection.
We evaluated the clinical performance of the T2Candida assay. The overall agreement of the T2Candida assay results with the blood culture results was 95.3 % (121/127). The T2Candida assay detected three Candida albicans/tropicalis-positive specimens and one Candida krusei/glabrata-positive specimen; however, it did not detect two Candida glabrata specimens.
Respiratory viruses (RVs) are considered to be important respiratory pathogens in adult patients, and the multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is used frequently in ...adult patients with respiratory infections. However, clinical data regarding utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs are lacking.
We investigated the utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs at Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea, between January 2012 and April 2013.
During the study period, the multiplex RT-PCR test was performed for 291 adult patients. The test frequency was 4.9% of rapid influenza antigen detection tests and 0.8% of respiratory bacterial culture studies. A turnaround time of < 48 hours was observed in 25.9% of positive tests. Most of the tests were performed for admitted patients (97.9%) with a community-acquired infection (84.2%) during the flu season (82.5%). RVs were detected in 81 of 291 cases (27.8%). The RV positivity rates for community- and hospital-acquired infections did not differ (28.6% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.52). Of 166 patients with pneumonia, 44 (26.5%) had a viral infection. Among the patients with RV-associated pneumonia, an RV other than influenza was detected in 20 patients (45.4%).
The multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs was infrequently performed at a tertiary care center, and the test results were often reported late. The test was most often performed for admitted adult patients with community-acquired infections during the flu season. The utilization of multiplex RT-PCR testing for RVs in current clinical practice should be improved.
Polyimide/hexagonal boron nitride (PI/BN) composite films have attracted interest as heat dissipation materials for advanced microelectronic devices. However, conventional preparations of PI/BN ...composite films employ harmful and expensive high-boiling organic solvents. In this work, thermally conductive PI/BN composite films were, for the first time, prepared using a nontoxic, eco-friendly, and inexpensive aqueous solvent. BN was ultrasonically exfoliated in a mixed solvent of water and tert-butanol to obtain aqueous BN suspensions, in which a poly(amic acid) salt (PAAS) was synthesized. The PAAS/BN suspensions were then drop-casted, and thermally imidized into PI/BN composite films. The PI/BN films exhibited excellent in-plane and out-of-plane thermal conductivities (up to 15.043 W/mK and 1.142 W/mK, respectively), which is attributed to the effective exfoliation and dispersion of BN in the aqueous solvent. Furthermore, these films exhibited high tensile strength, flexibility, and thermal stability.
Display omitted
•Polyimide/boron nitride composite films were prepared using an eco-friendly aqueous solvent.•The composite was prepared via a poly(amic acid) salt/BN intermediate.•The composite films showed excellent in-plane and out-of-plane thermal conductivities.•The films exhibited high tensile strength, flexibility, and thermal stability.
Recently, transparent superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted great interest due to their potential applications in various fields, such as skyscrapers, windows, glass doors, displays, and solar ...panels. However, flexible films with superhydrophobicity and transparency still face challenges in practical applications due to their lack of durability of the properties. Here, we report transparent, superhydrophobic, and flexible polyimide films with robust oligoimide/silica protrusion surface prepared by a simple sintering process, aiming to address the above issues. A transparent polyimide film (PIF) and nano-silica particles modified with an oligoimide (NSOI) were separately prepared, and the sintering between PIF and NSOI were performed to obtain PINSOI samples. Among PINSOIs, the optimal PINSOI-3 sample exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity, optical transmittance and tensile strength. After folding/torsion, sandpaper abrasion, tape peeling and acidic/basic immersion tests, its superhydrophobicity was maintained, indicating excellent mechanical and chemical durability of superhydrophobicity even under harsh conditions. Also, after a standard accelerated weathering test, its superhydrophobicity, transmittance and tensile strength were almost completely maintained, indicating the excellent weathering durability of PINSOI-3. These durability properties of PINSOI-3 could be attributed to that the sintering resulted in strong fusion between the NSOI particles and PIF by chain entanglement. PINSOI-3 showed excellent self-cleaning performance, and it can be applied as a self-cleaning film for flexible or curved solar cells and displays.
Display omitted
Display omitted
Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural phenol with promising anti-tumor activities, but its use for in vivo cancer treatment is limited by low aqueous solubility and poor stability. In this ...study, we prepared RSV-loaded polyethylene glycol–polylactic acid (PEG–PLA; M.W. 5000-5000) polymer nanoparticles (NPs) for improved stability and controlled delivery, and investigated its metabolic and anti-tumor effect in vitro and in vivo. CT26 colon cancer cells displayed significantly reduced cell number to 5.6% and colony forming capacity to 6.3% of controls by 72h treatment with 40 and 20μM of RSV-NP, respectively. Flow cytometry and western blots demonstrated increased apoptotic cell death, and 18F FDG uptake and reactive oxygen species was significantly reduced by RSV-NP. All of these effects were comparable to or greater in potency compared to free RSV. When RSV-NP was intravenously administered to CT26 tumor bearing mice, there was a reduction of 18F FDG uptake on PET/CT by day 4. Longer treatment led to retardation of tumor growth accompanied by an improvement in survival compared to empty NP-injected controls. These results demonstrate that the in vitro and in vivo metabolic and anti-tumor effects of RSV is preserved by PEG–PLA NP loading, and provide an encouraging outlook on the potential of polymeric NPs as an effective method to deliver RSV for cancer therapy.
The surface emission of landfill gas (LFG) was studied to estimate the amount of LFG efflux from solid waste landfills using an air flux chamber. LFG efflux increased as atmospheric temperature ...increased during the day, and the same pattern for the surface emission was observed for the change of seasons. LFG efflux rate decreased from summer through winter. The average LFG efflux rates of winter, spring and summer were 0.1584, 0.3013 and 0.8597
m
3 m
−2 h
−1 respectively. The total amount of surface emission was calculated based on the seasonal LFG efflux rate and the landfill surface area. From the estimates of LFG generation, it is expected that about 30% of the generated LFG may be released through the surface without extraction process. As forced extraction with a blower proceeded, the extraction well pressure decreased from 1100 to –100
mm H
2O, and the LFG surface efflux decreased markedly above 80%. Thus, the utilization of LFG by forced extraction would be the good solution for global warming and air pollution by LFG.
A dual bag filter (DBF) system was developed for the removal of dioxins (PCDDs/Fs) emitted from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI). A 2000
N
m
3/h capacity DBF pilot plant was designed, ...manufactured, and operated with actual MSWI flue gases. The result showed that pressure drop of the filter bag is the most important variable in PCDDs/Fs removal by the DBF system. Removal efficiency of PCDDs/Fs decreased as pressure drop increased in the first bag filter of the DBF system. On the contrary, removal efficiency of PCDDs/Fs increased as the pressure drop of the second bag filter increased. Pressure drop ranges for the most effective operation in the filter bag were 150–200
mm H
2O and 170–200
mm H
2O for first and second bag filter, respectively. The emission of PCDDs/Fs after removal by the DBF system was below 0.05
ng-TEQ/ N
m
3, when pressure drop of the second bag filter was operated near 200
mm H
2O. Activated carbon consumption was also less in case of DBF (40
mg/N
m
3) as compared to SBF which discharged about 100
mg/N
m
3.
PDF
