Comparison of 90‐day case‐fatality after ischemic stroke between two different stroke outcome registries using propensity score matching analysis

Yu, K‐,H.,Hong, K‐,S.,Lee, B‐,C.,Oh, M‐,S.,Cho, Y‐,J.,Koo, J‐,S.,Park, J‐,M.,Bae, H‐,J.,Han, M‐,K.,Ju, Y‐,S.,Kang, D‐,W.,Appelros, P. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011 Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol.123 No.5

<P>Yu K‐H, Hong K‐S, Lee B‐C, Oh M‐S, Cho Y‐J, Koo J‐S, Park J‐M, Bae H‐J, Han M‐K, Ju Y‐S, Kang D‐W, Appelros P, Norrving B, Terent A. Comparison of 90‐day case‐fatality after ischemic stroke between two different stroke outcome registries using propensity score matching analysis. 
Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 123: 325–331. 
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.</P><P><B>Background – </B> It has not been clarified whether the disparity in ischemic stroke outcome between populations is caused by ethnic and geographic differences or by variations in case mix. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis can overcome some analytical problems but is rarely used in stroke outcome research. This study was to compare the ischemic stroke case‐fatality between two PSM cohorts of Sweden and Korea.</P><P><B>Methods – </B> Prognostic variables related to baseline characteristics and stroke care were included in our PSM model. Then, we selected 7675 Swedish and 1220 Korean patients with ischemic stroke from each stroke registers and performed one‐to‐one matching based on propensity scores of each patient.</P><P><B>Results – </B> After PSM, all measured variables were well balanced in 1163 matched subjects, and the 90‐day case‐fatality was identical 6.2% (HR 0.997, 95%CI 0.905–1.099) in Sweden and Korea.</P><P><B>Conclusions – </B> No difference is found in the 90‐day case‐fatality in propensity score‐matched Swedish and Korean patients with ischemic stroke.</P>

Foxp3 is a key downstream regulator of p53-mediated cellular senescence

Kim, J-E,Shin, J-S,Moon, J-H,Hong, S-W,Jung, D-J,Kim, J H,Hwang, I-Y,Shin, Y J,Gong, E-Y,Lee, D H,Kim, S-M,Lee, E Y,Kim, Y S,Kim, D,Hur, D,Kim, T W,Kim, K-p,Jin, D-H,Lee, W-J Macmillan Publishers Limited 2017 Oncogene Vol.36 No.2

<P>The downstream events and target genes of p53 in the process of senescence are not fully understood. Here, we report a novel function of the forkhead transcription factor Foxp3, which is a key player in mediating T-cell inhibitory functions, in p53-mediated cellular senescence. The overexpression of Foxp3 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) accelerates senescence, whereas Foxp3 knockdown leads to escape from p53-mediated senescence in p53-expressing MEFs. Consistent with these results, Foxp3 expression resulted in the induction of senescence in epithelial cancer cells, including MCF7 and HCT116 cells. Foxp3 overexpression also increased the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine rescued cells from Foxp3-expression-induced senescence. Furthermore, the elevated ROS levels that accompanied Foxp3 overexpression were paralleled by an increase in p21 expression. Knockdown of p21 in Foxp3-expressing MEFs abrogated the Foxp3-dependent increase in ROS levels, indicating that Foxp3 acts through the induction of p21 and the subsequent ROS elevation to trigger senescence. Collectively, these results suggest that Foxp3 is a downstream target of p53 that is sufficient to induce p21 expression, ROS production and p53-mediated senescence.</P>

알칼리장석-일라이트가 육용오리의 생산성 및 육질에 미치는 영향

국길,김정은,정진형,김재필,선상수,김광현,정완태,정광화,안종남,이병석,정일병,양철주,양재은,Kook K.,Kim J. E.,Jeong J. H.,Kim J. P.,Sun S. S.,Kim K. H.,Jeong Y. T.,Jeong K. H.,Ahn J. N.,Lee B. S.,Jeong I. B.,Yang C. J.,Yang J. E. 한국가금학회 2005 韓國家禽學會誌 Vol.32 No.4

본 연구는 3주령의 육용오린 사료에 알칼리장석-일라이트를 0, 0+ 항생제, 0.5, 1.0 및 $1.5\%$ 첨가한 5처리구에 3반복으로 각각 12수씩 배치하여 43일간 급여하여 생산성 및 육질에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 실행하였다. 육성오리의 일당 증체량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 1.0와 $1.5\%$ 첨가구에서 약간 증가하였다(p>0.05). 사료섭취 량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가구에서 증가하는 경향이었다(p>0.05). 혈중 글루코스 농도는 알칼리장석-일라이트 $0.5\%$ 처리구에서 약간 감소한 반면에(p>0.05) 혈중 요소태 질소 함량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 $0.5\%$ 첨가구에서 유의적으로 증가하였다(p<0.05). 콜레스테롤 함량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 $0.5\%$ 첨가구에서 유의적으로 감소하였다(p<0.05). 도체중과 도체율은 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가수준에 따라 증가하는 경향이었다(p>0.05). 알칼리 장석-일라이트 급여에 의한 육용오리 가슴육의 조지방 함량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 $1.5\%$ 첨가구에서는 유의적으로 감소하였다(p<0.05). 육색의 명도와 황색도는 알칼리장석-일라이트에서 높게 나타났으며(p>0.05), 콜레스테롤 함량은 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가구에서 감소하였다(p>0.05). 지방산 패도는 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가구에서 약간 감소하였다(p>0.05). 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가에 의한 포화지방산 비율이 약간감소하는 경향인 반면에 불포화지방산 비율이 약간 증가하는 경향을 나타내었으나 유의적인 차이는 없었다(p>0.05). 알칼리장석-일라이트 첨가에 의한 육성오리 간의 중금속 함량은 납 축적량이 비교적 높게 나타났다(p>0.05). 관능 평가(appearance)에서 알칼리장석-일라이트 1.0와 $1.5\%$ 첨가구에서 외관의 유의적인 개선 효과를 나타내었다 (p<0.05). 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 육성오리에 대한 알칼리장석-일라이트 급여는 증체량의 개선효과와 더불어 가슴육의 조지방 함량의 감소 그리고 관능평가에서 외관의 개선 효과가 있음을 알 수 있었다. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of the supplemental alkali feldspar-ilite(feldspar) on growth performance and meat quality in broiler ducks for 43 days. One hundred eighty broiler ducks were divided into 5 groups of 12ducks. Dietary levels of feldspar 0, 0+antibiotics, 0.5, 1.0 and $1.5\%$ were added to experimental diets of each of the groups. Daily weight gain was slightly increased in 1.0 and $1.5\%$ feldspar treatments. Feed intake was slightly increased at all feldspar treatments. Glucose concentration of serum profile was decreased whereas BUN concentration was significantly increased (p<0.05) at $0.5\%$ feldspar. Cholesterol concentration was decreased at all feldspar treatments, this difference was especially observed in supplemental levels of $0.5\%$ feldspar(p<0.05). Carcass weight was increased at all feldspar treatments. Moisture and crude fat contents of proximate chemical composition in duck meat were decreased at all feldspar treatment, this difference especially was observed in supplemental levels of $1.5\%$ feldspar(p<0.05) on crude fat content. Lightness and yellowness was increased at all feldspar treatment. Cholesterol contents and TBA in meat were decreased, but this parameters were not difference by feldspar treatment. The composition of saturated fatty acids(SFA) was decreased, whereas unsaturated fatty acids(USFA) was slightly increased by feldspar treatment. The Pb content of heavy metal concentrations was increased with compared control, but not difference. The appearance of sensory evaluation was improved by supplemental feldspar, especially in supplemental feldspar, 1.0 and $1.5\%$(p<0.05). The results of this study indicate that the supplemental alkali feldspar may improve the production and meat quality of broiler ducks.

N-Methyl, N-propynyl-2-phenylethylamine (MPPE), a Selegiline Analog, Attenuates MPTP-induced Dopaminergic Toxicity with Guaranteed Behavioral Safety: Involvement of Inhibitions of Mitochondrial Oxidative Burdens and p53 Gene-elicited Pro-apoptotic Change

Shin, E. J.,Nam, Y.,Lee, J. W.,Nguyen, P. K.,Yoo, J. E.,Tran, T. V.,Jeong, J. H.,Jang, C. G.,Oh, Y. J.,Youdim, M. B. HUMANA PRESS INC 2016 Molecular Neurobiology Vol.53 No.9

<P>Selegiline is a monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitor with anti-Parkinsonian effects, but it is metabolized to amphetamines. Since another MAO-B inhibitor N-Methyl, N-propynyl-2-phenylethylamine (MPPE) is not metabolized to amphetamines, we examined whether MPPE induces behavioral side effects and whether MPPE affects dopaminergic toxicity induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Multiple doses of MPPE (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day) did not show any significant locomotor activity and conditioned place preference, whereas selegiline (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/day) significantly increased these behavioral side effects. Treatment with MPPE resulted in significant attenuations against decreases in mitochondrial complex I activity, mitochondrial Mn-SOD activity, and expression induced by MPTP in the striatum of mice. Consistently, MPPE significantly attenuated MPTP-induced oxidative stress and MPPE-mediated antioxidant activity appeared to be more pronounced in mitochondrial-fraction than in cytosolic-fraction. Because MPTP promoted mitochondrial p53 translocation and p53/Bcl-xL interaction, it was also examined whether mitochondrial p53 inhibitor pifithrin-mu attenuates MPTP neurotoxicity. MPPE, selegiline, or pifithrin-mu significantly attenuated mitochondrial p53/Bcl-xL interaction, impaired mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytosolic cytochrome c release, and cleaved caspase-3 in wild-type mice. Subsequently, these compounds significantly ameliorated MPTP-induced motor impairments. Neuroprotective effects of MPPE appeared to be more prominent than those of selegiline. MPPE or selegiline did not show any additional protective effects against the attenuation by p53 gene knockout, suggesting that p53 gene is a critical target for these compounds. Our results suggest that MPPE possesses anti-Parkinsonian potentials with guaranteed behavioral safety and that the underlying mechanism of MPPE requires inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative stress, mitochondrial translocation of p53, and pro-apoptotic process.</P>

High performance photodiodes based on chemically processed Cu doped SnS₂ nanoflakes

Mohan Kumar, G.,Xiao, Fu,Ilanchezhiyan, P.,Yuldashev, Sh.,Madhan Kumar, A.,Cho, H.D.,Lee, D.J.,Kang, T.W. Elsevier 2018 APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE - Vol.455 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>In this work, Cu doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> nanoflakes were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. The influence of Cu doping on the structural, optical and electrical properties of SnS<SUB>2</SUB> were investigated in detail. Optical properties explores the Cu doping in SnS<SUB>2</SUB> crystal lattice to result with a red-shift in absorption spectrum, which benefits visible-light absorption. Photodiodes were further fabricated by spin coating Cu doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> nanoflakes on p-type silicon (Si). Electrical and photoelectrical parameters of Cu doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> nanoflakes were determined by studying their impedance and current–voltage (I–V) characteristics, respectively. The diodes were found to exhibit excellent rectifying behavior and good sensitivity on par to pristine photodiodes. Impedance results identified the resistance of device to reduce considerably on Cu doping. The enhanced photoelectrical properties of the heterojunctions has been ascribed to Cu ions, which act as effective dopant and contribute to the varied carrier concentration in SnS<SUB>2</SUB>. Finally the obtained results suggest the potential of Cu-doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> for application in photodetection and sensors applications.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Cu doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> nanoflakes were synthesized in hexagonal phase. </LI> <LI> Nature of charge carriers/carrier density was determined using Mott-Schottky plots. </LI> <LI> Photodiode based on Cu doped SnS<SUB>2</SUB> nanoflakes were fabricated on p-Si substrate. </LI> <LI> Photodiode revealed improved photocurrent and responsitivity values under illumination. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of ultra-high purity CrO₂ prepared under high O₂-gas pressure

Wang, X.L.,Si, P.Z.,Ge, H.L.,Shinde, K.P.,Chung, K.C.,Choi, C.J. Elsevier 2017 SOLID STATE SCIENCES Vol.67 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Ultra-high purity CrO<SUB>2</SUB> was prepared by decomposing CrO<SUB>3</SUB> in O<SUB>2</SUB> with gas pressures up to 40 MPa, which were maintained throughout the decomposition process of CrO<SUB>3</SUB> to prevent the formation of any other phases of chromium oxides. Our method is different from the traditional methods that start from or under ambient pressures. The high oxygen pressure makes the meta-stable CrO<SUB>2</SUB> stable from the initial stage of preparation. As a result, the purity of the as-prepared CrO<SUB>2</SUB> is improved, and this has been further proved by the highest magnetization of the samples. The as-prepared CrO<SUB>2</SUB> particles show very large grains with flat surfaces, octagonal cross-section, and straight edges, owing to the high mobility of Cr ions in CrO<SUB>2</SUB> at temperatures above its melting point. The lattice parameters of CrO<SUB>2</SUB> are <I>a</I> = 4.4176 Å and <I>c</I> = 2.9144 Å. The maximum value of the magnetic entropy change of the high purity CrO<SUB>2</SUB> particles is ∼2.83 J/kg·K for an applied field of 1.5 T. The preparation of pure CrO<SUB>2</SUB> is important for studying its intrinsic properties and for applications in spintronic devices.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Ultra-high purity CrO<SUB>2</SUB> was prepared. </LI> <LI> High O<SUB>2</SUB>-gas pressure was employed. </LI> <LI> The CrO<SUB>2</SUB> rods show straight edges and high magnetization. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Toward high efficiency organic photovoltaic devices with enhanced thermal stability utilizing P3HT-b-P3PHT block copolymer additives

Zhu, M.,Kim, H.,Jang, Y.,Park, S.,Ryu, D.,Kim, K.,Tang, P.,Qiu, F.,Kim, D.,Peng, J. Royal Society of Chemistry 2016 Journal of Materials Chemistry A Vol.4 No.47

<P>Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have drawn an extensive amount of attention due to their low cost, processibility and flexibility. However, a cell based on a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C-61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) has a limited power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to the short exciton diffusion length of similar to 10 nm. We address this issue by designing a series of all-conjugated diblock copolymers, poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(3-(6-diethylphosphonatohexyl) thiophene) (P3HT-b-P3PHT), intended for use as additives to improve the performance of P3HT:PC61BM-based photovoltaic devices. The PCE of the devices improved from 3.30% to 4.03% with the addition of P3HT-b-P3PHT (3 : 1). The thermal stability of devices with P3HT-b-P3PHT additives improved significantly relative to that of the P3HT:PC61BM reference device, where the devices including a copolymer with a higher P3PHT content exhibited a better thermal stability. It was found that the fill factor (FF) could be regulated by simply varying the block ratio of P3HT-b-P3PHT and played a crucial role in improving both the PCE and the thermal stability. The P3HT-b-P3PHT diffused at the P3HT:PC61BM interface, improved the miscibility between P3HT and PC61BM, optimized the nanoscale morphology of the photoactive layer, and reduced the active layer roughness, all of which improved the FF and thus contributed to an improvement in device performance.</P>

Isostructural metal-insulator transition in VO₂

Lee, D.,Chung, B.,Shi, Y.,Kim, G.-Y.,Campbell, N.,Xue, F.,Song, K.,Choi, S.-Y.,Podkaminer, J. P.,Kim, T. H.,Ryan, P. J.,Kim, J.-W.,Paudel, T. R.,Kang, J.-H.,Spinuzzi, J. W.,Tenne, D. A.,Tsymbal, E. Y. American Association for the Advancement of Scienc 2018 Science Vol.362 No.6418

<P><B>Separating structure and electrons in VO<SUB>2</SUB></B></P><P>Above 341 kelvin—not far from room temperature—bulk vanadium dioxide (VO<SUB>2</SUB>) is a metal. But as soon as the material is cooled below 341 kelvin, VO<SUB>2</SUB> turns into an insulator and, at the same time, changes its crystal structure from rutile to monoclinic. Lee <I>et al.</I> studied the peculiar behavior of a heterostructure consisting of a layer of VO<SUB>2</SUB> placed underneath a layer of the same material that has a bit less oxygen. In the VO<SUB>2</SUB> layer, the structural transition occurred at a higher temperature than the metal-insulator transition. In between those two temperatures, VO<SUB>2</SUB> was a metal with a monoclinic structure—a combination that does not occur in the absence of the adjoining oxygen-poor layer.</P><P><I>Science</I>, this issue p. 1037</P><P>The metal-insulator transition in correlated materials is usually coupled to a symmetry-lowering structural phase transition. This coupling not only complicates the understanding of the basic mechanism of this phenomenon but also limits the speed and endurance of prospective electronic devices. We demonstrate an isostructural, purely electronically driven metal-insulator transition in epitaxial heterostructures of an archetypal correlated material, vanadium dioxide. A combination of thin-film synthesis, structural and electrical characterizations, and theoretical modeling reveals that an interface interaction suppresses the electronic correlations without changing the crystal structure in this otherwise correlated insulator. This interaction stabilizes a nonequilibrium metallic phase and leads to an isostructural metal-insulator transition. This discovery will provide insights into phase transitions of correlated materials and may aid the design of device functionalities.</P>

Report of the CCQM-K97: measurement of arsenobetaine standard solution and arsenobetaine content in fish tissue (tunafish)

Ma, L D,Wang, J,WEI, C,Kuroiwa, T,Narukawa, T,Ito, N,HIOKI, A,CHIBA, K,Yim, Y H,Lee, K S,Lim, Y R,Turk, G C,Davis, C W,Mester, Z,Yang, L,McCooeye, M,Maxwell, P,Cankur, O,Tokman, N,Coskun, F G BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURES 2017 METROLOGIA -BERLIN- Vol.54 No.-

<P></P> <P>The CCQM-K97 key comparison was organized by the inorganic analysis working group (IAWG) of CCQM as a follow-up to completed pilot study CCQM-P96 and P96.1 to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes to accurately quantitate the mass fraction of arsenobetaine (AsB) in standard solution and in fish tissue. A pilot study CCQM-P133 was parallelized with this key comparison. National Institute of Metrology (NIM), China and National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) acted as the coordinating laboratories.</P> <P>Six NMIs participated in CCQM-K97 and two institutes participated in CCQM-P133, and all of them submitted the results. Some NMIs submitted more than one results by different methods. The results were in excellent agreement with each other, and obviously better than those of previous P96 and P96.1. Therefore the calibrant which each NMI used was comparable. It shows that the capabilities of some of the participants have been improved after the previous pilot studies.</P> <H2>Main text</H2> <P> To reach the main text of this paper, click on <A HREF='http://www.bipm.org/utils/common/pdf/final_reports/QM/K97/CCQM-K97.pdf'>Final Report</A>. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database <A HREF='http://kcdb.bipm.org/'>kcdb.bipm.org/</A>.</P> <P>The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).</P>

<i>In vitro</i> inhibitory effects of Wen‐pi‐tang‐Hab‐Wu‐ling‐san on human cytochrome P450 isoforms

Lee, H. W.,Kim, D. W.,Phapale, P. B.,Lim, M. ‐,S.,Park, J.,Seo, J. J.,Park, K. M.,Park, Y. ‐,K.,Yoon, Y. ‐,R. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011 Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics Vol.36 No.4

<P><B>Summary</B></P><P><B>What is known and Objective: </B> Although Wen‐pi‐tang‐Hab‐Wu‐ling‐san (WHW), an oriental herbal medicine, has been prescribed for the treatment of chronic renal failure (CRF) in Korean clinics, no studies regarding WHW–drug interactions had been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility that WHW inhibits the catalytic activities of major cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms.</P><P><B>Methods: </B> The abilities of various WHW extracts to inhibit phenacetin O‐de‐ethylation (CYP1A2), tolbutamide 4‐methylhydroxylation (CYP2C9), omeprazole 4′‐hydroxylation (CYP2C19), dextromethorphan O‐demethylation (CYP2D6), chlorzoxazone 6‐hydroxylation (CYP2E1) and midazolam 1‐hydroxylation (CYP3A4) were assessed using human liver microsomes.</P><P><B>Results and Discussion: </B> WHW extract at concentrations up to 100 μ<SMALL>m</SMALL> showed negligible inhibition of the six CYP isoforms tested (CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4), with apparent IC<SUB>50</SUB> values (concentration of the inhibitor causing 50% inhibition of the original enzyme activity) of 817.5, 601.6, 521.7, 310.2, 342.8 and 487.0 μg/mL, respectively.</P><P><B>What is new and Conclusion: </B> Our <I>in vitro</I> findings suggest that WHW extract at concentrations corresponding to a clinically recommended dosage range has no notable inhibitory effects on CYP isoforms. Therefore, we believe that WHW extract may be free of drug–herb interactions when co‐administered with other medicines. However, <I>in vivo</I> human studies are needed to confirm these results.</P>