Anisotropic spin-orbit torque generation in epitaxial SrIrO3 by symmetry design.

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC), the interaction between the electron spin and the orbital angular momentum, can unlock rich phenomena at interfaces, in particular interconverting spin and charge currents. Conventional heavy metals have been extensively explored due to their strong SOC of conduction electrons. However, spin-orbit effects in classes of materials such as epitaxial 5d-electron transition-metal complex oxides, which also host strong SOC, remain largely unreported. In addition to strong SOC, these complex oxides can also provide the additional tuning knob of epitaxy to control the electronic structure and the engineering of spin-to-charge conversion by crystalline symmetry. Here, we demonstrate room-temperature generation of spin-orbit torque on a ferromagnet with extremely high efficiency via the spin-Hall effect in epitaxial metastable perovskite SrIrO3 We first predict a large intrinsic spin-Hall conductivity in orthorhombic bulk SrIrO3 arising from the Berry curvature in the electronic band structure. By manipulating the intricate interplay between SOC and crystalline symmetry, we control the spin-Hall torque ratio by engineering the tilt of the corner-sharing oxygen octahedra in perovskite SrIrO3 through epitaxial strain. This allows the presence of an anisotropic spin-Hall effect due to a characteristic structural anisotropy in SrIrO3 with orthorhombic symmetry. Our experimental findings demonstrate the heteroepitaxial symmetry design approach to engineer spin-orbit effects. We therefore anticipate that these epitaxial 5d transition-metal oxide thin films can be an ideal building block for low-power spintronics.

Need for additional anesthesia after single injection spinal analgesia for labor: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is little information about the use and efficacy of single injection spinal blocks for labor analgesia; specifically, how frequently subsequent analgesia or anesthesia is needed. This study determined how frequently an additional anesthetic intervention was needed in women who received single injection spinal analgesia. METHODS: This retrospective study examined electronic medical records to find all single injection spinal analgesic blocks for labor analgesia over a 14-year (2003-2016) period. Patient and block characteristics and patient outcomes were recorded. The primary outcome was need for an additional anesthetic intervention following single injection spinal for labor analgesia. RESULTS: Four-hundred-and-twenty-eight patients received single injection spinal blocks for labor and 60 (14.0%) needed an additional anesthetic either for labor analgesia (n=49) or an unexpected procedure (n=11). Two of these (0.5%) required general anesthesia. Parity of zero (nulliparous), a low cervical dilation at the time of the spinal injection, and induction of labor status, were associated with an increased risk of needing an additional anesthetic intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective review provides evidence that single injection spinal anesthesia may be used for multiparous women with spontaneous labor and more advanced cervical dilation.

Isostructural metal-insulator transition in VO2.

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.

Mechanoreceptors distribution in the human medial collateral ligament of the elbow.

BACKGROUND: The human elbow maintains its stability mainly through its bony structure. Stability is enhanced by ligamentous structures. To allow the ligamento-muscular reflex, which protects against strain and stress, mechanoreceptors are embedded in the ligament. This report describes the existence and the distribution of the elbow medial collateral ligaments (MCLs) mechanoreceptors. HYPOTHESIS: The bony attachment site has the highest density of mechanoreceptors, and the anterior part has the highest density of mechanoreceptors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight MCLs of elbow from fresh frozen cadavers were used. The MCLs were harvested deep to the periosteum from the medial epicondyle to the ulna. The fan-shaped ligaments were divided into six regions of interest (ROI) and stained with modified gold chloride stain. Specimens were evaluated under a light microscope. Golgi, Ruffini, and Pacinian corpuscles were found in every specimen. The number and the distribution of each mechanoreceptor in each ROI were recorded. The density of each mechanoreceptor was calculated in regards to its volume. RESULTS: Golgi, Ruffini, and Pacinian corpuscles were seen in the ligament with small nerve fibers. Ruffini corpuscles had the highest median density of all three corpuscles. The median corpuscle density was higher in the anterior than in the posterior part and higher in the bony attachment than in the mid-substance site except for Golgi corpuscle. CONCLUSION: The three typical types of mechanoreceptors were identified in human MCL with the anterior part and bony attachment as the dominant distribution site. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Basic Science Study.

Blood profile and meat quality of Holstein-Friesian steers finished on total mixed ration or flaxseed oil-supplemented pellet mixed with reed canary grass haylage.

Holstein-Friesian steer beef production is renowned globally as a secondary product of the milk industry. Grass feeding is a common practice in raising Holstein steers because of its low cost. Furthermore, grass feeding is an alternative way to produce beef with a balanced n-6 to n-3 fatty acids (FAs) ratio. However, the performance and meat quality of Holstein-Friesian cattle is more likely to depend on a high-quality diet. The aim of this study was to observe whether feeding two mixed diets; a corn-based total mixed ration (TMR) with winter ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or flaxseed oil-supplemented pellets with reed canary grass haylage (n-3 mix) provided benefits on carcass weight, meat quality and FA composition compared with cattle fed with reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) haylage alone. In all, 15 21-month-old Holstein-Friesian steers were randomly assigned to three group pens, were allowed free access to water and were fed different experimental diets for 150 days. Blood samples were taken a week before slaughter. Carcass weight and meat quality were evaluated after slaughter. Plasma lipid levels and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were determined. Diet did not affect plasma triglyceride levels and GGT activity. Plasma cholesterol levels, including low-density and high-density lipoproteins, were higher in both mixed-diet groups than in the haylae group. The highest activities of plasma AST, CK and ALP were observed in the haylage group, followed by n-3 mix and TMR groups, respectively. Carcass weight was lower in the haylage group than in the other groups and no differences were found between the TMR and n-3 mix groups. Although the n-3 mix-fed and haylage-fed beef provided lower n-6 to n-3 FAs ratio than TMR-fed beef, the roasted beef obtained from the TMR group was more acceptable with better overall meat physicochemical properties and sensory scores. According to daily cost, carcass weight and n-6 to n-3 FAs ratio, the finishing diet containing flaxseed oil-supplemented pellets and reed canary grass haylage at the as-fed ratio of 40 : 60 could be beneficial for the production of n-3-enriched beef.

Ethanol and/or radiofrequency ablation to treat venolymphatic malformations that manifest as a bulging mass in the head and neck.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided ethanol ablation (EA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treating venolymphatic malformations (VLM) of the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: US-guided EA and/or RFA were performed on 17 patients with VLM of the head and neck. Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to locate the cranial nerves and salivary gland ducts that were close to targets, and these were avoided during the procedures. Treatment response was assessed using volume reduction and cosmetic grading scoring. RESULTS: Nine VLMs were located close to the functional structures: Stensen's duct (n=3), cranial nerve branch (n=3), or both (n=3). All patients demonstrated >50% volume reduction, except one patient with a microcystic lymphatic malformation that was abutting the facial nerve. Median cosmetic grading scores improved from 4 to 1 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: US-guided EA and/or RFA are effective and safe treatment methods in patients with VLMs of the head and neck. Treatment selection of EA and/or RFA could be performed based on the composition of VLMs as assessed at CT and MRI.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a randomised phase 3 trial of mitomycin-C plus either short-term doxifluridine or long-term doxifluridine plus cisplatin after curative D2 gastrectomy (AMC0201).

BACKGROUND: This phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy of new adjuvant chemotherapy (MFP), which intensified the mitomycin-C (MMC) plus short-term doxifluridine (Mf) for gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 855 patients (424 in Mf, 431 in MFP) with pathological stage II-IV (M0) gastric cancer after D2 gastrectomy were randomly assigned to receive either Mf (MMC 20 mg m(-2), followed by oral doxifluridine 460-600 mg m(-2) per day for 3 months) or MFP (MMC 20 mg m(-2), followed by oral doxifluridine 460-600 mg m(-2) per day for 12 months with 6 monthly infusions of 60 mg m(-2) of cisplatin) chemotherapy. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 6.6 years, there was no difference between the two groups in recurrence-free survival (RFS) (5-year RFS 61.1% in Mf and 57.9% in MFP; hazard ratio 1.10 (95% CI 0.89-1.35); P=0.39) and overall survival (OS) (5-year OS 66.5% in Mf and 65.0% in MFP; hazard ratio 1.11 (95% CI 0.89-1.39); P=0.33). CONCLUSION: Intensification of Mf adjuvant chemotherapy by prolonging the duration of oral fluoropyrimidine and adding cisplatin was safe but not effective to improve the survivals in curatively resected gastric cancer patients.

A novel hemoglobin variant beta135(H13) Ala > Asp identified in an asymptomatic Korean family by direct sequencing: suggesting a new insight into Hb Beckman mutation.

This article describes the clinical observation of a novel hemoglobin (Hb) variant found during the course of routine blood testing on a 61-year-old subject. The Hb variant was observed during HbA1c testing by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. Alkaline electrophoresis and DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of a new Hb variant, HBB:c.407C > A (p.Ala136Asp). This mutation has been reported to induce Hb Beckman variant in the Globin Gene Server. However, it was different from the only experimental report for Hb Beckman by Rahbar, Lee & Asmeron (p.Ala136Glu; Hb Beckman alpha2 beta2 135(H13) ala-to-glu: a new unstable variant and reduced oxygen affinity. Blood 78, 204a). And our case was asymptomatic with normal lab findings, while Rahbar et al.'s case showed the clinical manifestations of chronic anemia. This would be a report for a novel Hb variant suggesting new insight of Hb Beckman variant. This would be a report of a novel Hb variant suggesting new insights into Hb Beckman variant.

A non-doped organic light emitting diode with pure red emission using a new host emitter.

A red fluorescent material (2E,2'E)-3,3'-[4,4"-bis(dimethylamino)-1,1': 4',1 "-terphenyl-2',5'-diyl]bis[2-(2-thienyl)acrylonitrile] (ABCV-Th) was synthesized for use in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as the host emissive material. It has been reported some green and blue host emissive materials used in OLEDs revealed high device performance but, owing to concentration quenching, comparable red light emitting materials are still rare in OLEDs application. Non-doped organic light emitting diodes, with the structure of ITO/NPB/ABCV-Th (30 nm and 50 nm)/BCP/Alq3/Liq/Al were fabricated using ABCV-Th as the host emitter. The peak wavelength and full width at half maximum (FWHM) of electroluminescence (EL) were 629.5 nm and 68.5 nm, respectively. The maximum brightness and turn on voltage of the device were measured to be 1330 cd/m2 at 14.6 V and 3.4 V, respectively. The device exhibited authentic red emission (Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE(xy)) = 0.65, 0.34) which is almost close to the standard red (CIE(xy) = 0.67, 0.33) demanded by the national television system committee (NTSC).

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Gogu valley) protein as an antimicrobial agent in the diets of broilers.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate potato protein (PP, experiment 1) and refined PP (RPP, experiment 2) obtained from Gogu valley tubers as an antimicrobial agent in broiler diets. In both the experiments, 1-d-old male Ross 308 chicks were allotted to 5 treatments and performance, nutrient retention, and microbial populations in excreta and cecum were studied. Dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet (negative control, NC), basal diet with antibiotic (positive control, PC, 10 mg/kg of avilamycin), and low, medium, or high levels of PP (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75%, respectively, in experiment 1) or RPP (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg, respectively, in experiment 2). The overall gain and retention of DM (d 20 to 21) and CP (d 20 to 21 and d 41 to 42) were greater in birds fed PC and high PP diets than birds fed the NC diet. Population of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms was lowest in the cecum and excreta of birds fed the PC diet and highest in birds fed the NC diet. An increase in dietary PP linearly improved BW gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio during starter phase and overall BW gain. Also, there was linear improvement in retention of DM (d 20 to 21) and CP (d 20 to 21 and d 41 to 42) and reduced populations of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms in the cecum (d 42) and excreta (d 28 and 42) due to an increase in dietary PP. In the second experiment, the PC diet and diets with increasing levels of RPP had no effect on performance and nutrient retention. Birds fed the PC diet had the lowest microbial population in excreta and cecum, whereas the population of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms in excreta and cecum decreased (linear, P < 0.05) as the level of RPP was increased in the diet. These results suggest that both PP and RPP obtained from Gogu valley potato tubers have in vivo antimicrobial activity.

Isolated acute cellular rejection of the liver after simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation: a case report.

Simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation (SLKT) is now considered the treatment of choice for patients with concurrent end-stage liver and kidney diseases. Even though the early postoperative mortality rate following SLKT is reported to be high compared to that of liver transplantation alone, the liver graft from the same donor has been argued to induce better kidney graft acceptance as evidenced by a low rate of acute renal rejection episodes. There have been many reports of a low incidence of acute renal rejection following SLKT; however, only a few cases were proven by simultaneous biopsies. The authors experienced a case of biopsy-proven isolated acute cellular rejection of the liver graft following SLKT.

Metastasis to the appendix from a hepatocellular carcinoma manifesting as acute appendicitis: CT findings.

Metastasis to the appendix is extremely rare. Moreover, metastasis from a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been reported in the English language literature. We report a case of metastasis to the appendix from a HCC in a 50-year-old man who presented with pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, representing acute appendicitis. On CT, a hypervascular mass occupying the lumen of the appendix with distension of the appendiceal tip and surrounding peritoneal seeding of the HCC were observed. This is the first report of CT findings of metastasis to the appendix from a HCC.

Dual enteric and respiratory tropisms of winter dysentery bovine coronavirus in calves.

Although winter dysentery (WD), which is caused by the bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is characterized by the sudden onset of diarrhea in many adult cattle in a herd, the pathogenesis of the WD-BCoV is not completely understood. In this study, colostrum-deprived calves were experimentally infected with a Korean WD-BCoV strain and examined for viremia, enteric and nasal virus shedding as well as for viral antigen expression and virus-associated lesions in the small and large intestines and the upper and lower respiratory tract from 1 to 8 days after an oral infection. The WD-BCoV-inoculated calves showed gradual villous atrophy in the small intestine and a gradual increase in the crypt depth of the large intestine. The WD-BCoV-infected animals showed epithelial damage in nasal turbinates, trachea and lungs, and interstitial pneumonia. The WD-BCoV antigen was detected in the epithelium of the small and large intestines, nasal turbinates, trachea and lungs. WD-BCoV RNA was detected in the serum from post-inoculation day 3. These results show that the WD-BCoV has dual tropism and induces pathological changes in both the digestive and respiratory tracts of calves. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed report of dual enteric and respiratory tropisms of WD-BCoV in calves. Comprehensive studies of the dual tissue pathogenesis of the BCoV might contribute to an increased understanding of similar pneumoenteric CoV infections in humans.

Comparison of radioactivity measurements with radionuclide calibrators in the Republic of Korea.

Recognizing the importance of comparisons of radionuclide calibrators in nuclear medicine and the need to provide access to activity standards that are traceable to the international measurement system, the Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) as a national secondary standard dosimetry laboratory (SSDL), started a comparison program in 2002. The first two comparisons were conducted with (131)I (71 participants) and (99m)Tc (72 participants). The results indicated that only 61% of reported activities for (131)I and 65% for (99m)Tc were within +/-5% of the correct value. These numbers increased to 84% for (131)I and 83% for (99m)Tc when a +/-10% limit was applied. Follow-up action on those calibrators with results outside the +/-10% limits only produced a small improvement. There was also a marked difference in performance between the various calibrator types used. The results have shown that such comparisons are necessary to improve the quality of the measurements and to identify those radionuclide calibrators that are not functioning correctly.

Chromogenic in situ hybridization analysis of HER-2/neu status in cytological samples of breast carcinoma.

The current use of humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer has made evaluation of HER-2/neu status an important clinical issue. Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH), in which the DNA probe is detected with an immunohistochemistry (IHC)-like peroxidase reaction, has been recently developed for the assessment of HER-2/neu status in formalin-fixed breast cancer specimens. We have applied the technique of dual-colour CISH using HER-2/neu and chromosome 17 centromere probes in 27 cytological smears, and these cytological samples were obtained from scrapings of fresh breast tumours. We also investigated HER-2/neu amplification and protein overexpression in the corresponding surgical tissues by CISH and IHC using the monoclonal antibody CB11. Of the 27 cytological cases, HER-2/neu gene amplification was observed in nine cases that were positive cases (2+ and 3+) for IHC. Among the 13 IHC positive cases (2+ and 3+), four of them showed no gene amplification. Identical results for the CISH technique were obtained in the matched surgical samples. The scrape samples from fresh breast tumour offer a monolayer cell population that is especially suitable for CISH. This study has shown that the cytological smear might be a good alternative for the CISH test.

Rewarding and locomotor-activating effects of direct dopamine receptor agonists are augmented by chronic food restriction in rats.

RATIONALE: Previous studies indicate that chronic food restriction augments the rewarding and motor-activating effects of diverse drugs of abuse. The drugs that have so far proved susceptible to the augmenting effect of food restriction all increase synaptic concentrations of dopamine (DA). It is not known whether behavioral effects of selective, direct DA receptor agonists are also subject to the augmenting effect of food restriction. OBJECTIVES: The first objective of this study was to investigate whether the rewarding and locomotor-activating effects of the D1 agonist, A77636, and the D2 agonist, quinpirole are augmented by chronic food restriction. The second purpose was to investigate whether the augmented rewarding and locomotor-activating effects of d-amphetamine in food-restricted rats are reversed by the D1 antagonist, SCH23390. METHODS: Rewarding effects of drugs were measured in terms of their ability to lower the threshold for lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation (LHSS) using a rate-frequency method. Locomotor-activating effects were measured in terms of the number of midline crossings exhibited by rats in a shuttle apparatus. RESULTS: A77636 (1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a greater threshold-lowering effect in food-restricted than ad libitum fed rats but produced variable effects on locomotor activity with no difference between groups. Quinpirole (0.2 and 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a marginally greater threshold-lowering effect in food-restricted rats and a dramatic locomotor response that was exclusive to food-restricted rats. The D1 antagonist, SCH23390, at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg (i.p.), had no effect on the lowering of LHSS threshold by amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) in ad libitum fed rats but blocked the augmentation otherwise observed in food-restricted rats. SCH23390, at a dose of 0.025 mg/kg, had no effect on locomotor activity induced by amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg) in ad libitum fed rats but blocked the augmentation otherwise observed in food-restricted rats. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the augmentation of reward by food restriction extends to drugs that bypass the DA terminal and act postsynaptically. When taken together with prior immunohistochemical and behavioral findings, these results suggest that food restriction may increase the "enabling" effect of the D1 receptor on DA-mediated behaviors.

Chronic food restriction in rats augments the central rewarding effect of cocaine and the delta1 opioid agonist, DPDPE, but not the delta2 agonist, deltorphin-II.

RATIONALE: Chronic food restriction augments the self-administration and locomotor stimulating effects of opiates, psychostimulants and NMDA antagonists. The extent to which these effects can be attributed to changes in drug pharmacokinetics and bioavailability versus sensitivity of the neuronal circuits that mediate the affected behavioral functions, has not been established. Recent studies point to central adaptive changes insofar as rewarding, locomotor and c-fos-inducing effects of amphetamine and MK-801, injected directly into the lateral ventricle, are greater in food-restricted than ad libitum fed rats. The increased expression of c-fos in nucleus accumbens (NAC) shell, in particular, suggests that food restriction may augment drug reward by modulating dopamine (DA) synaptic function in this area. OBJECTIVES: The first purpose of this study was to investigate whether the rewarding effects of cocaine and the delta1 opioid agonist DPDPE, both of which increase DA synaptic transmission, are augmented by food restriction. The second purpose was to determine whether the delta2 opioid agonist, deltorphin-II, which has been reported to exert DA-independent rewarding effects, is subject to the potentiating effect of food restriction. METHODS: Rewarding effects of drugs were measured in terms of their ability to lower the threshold for lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation (LHSS) using a rate-frequency method. RESULTS: In separate experiments, cocaine (50, 100 and 150 microg, ICV) and DPDPE (10 and 25 microg, ICV) produced greater threshold-lowering effects in food-restricted than ad libitum fed rats. Deltorphin-II (5.0, 10 and 25 microg, ICV) had no effect on reward thresholds, regardless of feeding regimen. CONCLUSIONS: While the reported DA-independence of deltorphin-II rewarding effects seemed to offer a means of testing the hypothesis that DA transmission is the critical modulated variable in food-restricted subjects, rewarding effects of this compound could not be demonstrated in the LHSS paradigm. The present results do, however, confirm and extend prior findings indicating that the enhanced self-administration of abused drugs by food-restricted subjects is due to enhanced sensitivity of a final common pathway for drug reward.

Annexin I is a stress protein induced by heat, oxidative stress and a sulfhydryl-reactive agent.

Annexin I (also called lipocortin 1) is a 37-kDa member of the annexin family of proteins. It has been proposed to be involved in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Previously, we have reported that annexin I displays a chaperone-like function (Kim, G.Y., Lee, H.B., Lee, S.O., Rhee, H.J. & Na, D.S. (1997) Biochem. Mol. Biol. Int. 43, 521-528). To determine the possibility that annexin I is a stress protein, we examined whether expression of annexin I and annexin I mRNA increases in response to stresses in A549 and HeLa cells. Treatments of cells with heat, hydrogen peroxide or sodium arsenite resulted in (a) an increase in annexin I and annexin I mRNA and (b) translocation of annexin I from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and perinuclear region. The annexin I gene promoter region, cloned upstream of a reporter gene, was inducible in response to heat, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium arsenite. These results indicate that annexin I serves as a stress protein and annexins may constitute a new class of stress proteins.