• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.6001-6006
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• 2015

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related death with median survival ranging from 3 to 6 months for metastatic disease. Palliative chemotherapy has been the backbone of treatment in advanced stage and has evolved over time. Data pertaining to the disease are scarce from our part of the world where treatment poses a significant challenge due to lack of resources. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients presenting with stage IV pancreatic carcinoma at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan between January 2008 and December 2012. Data were collected using a pre-designed, coded questionnaire looking at patient characteristics, treatment given and outcome. Results: 101 patients were found to be eligible. Mean age was $56.7{\pm}12.8years$, the male to female ratio was 2:1 and most patients had a good performance status. More than half of the tumors were located in the head (57%, n=58) and almost all were adenocarcinomas (95%, n=96). Some 58% (n=59) received first line chemotherapy of which 49% (n=29) received gemcitabine-based regimens and 39% (n=23) received FOLFIRINOX. The median progression free survival for gemcitabine based treatment was 2.9 months (IQR=1.6-5.6) as opposed to 7.3 months (IQR=4.5-9.2) for FOLFIRINOX (P=0.02). Median overall survival was 4.9 months (IQR=2.3-9.5) for first line gemcitabine based treatment and 10.5 months (IQR=7.0-13.2) for first line FOLFIRINOX therapy (P=0.002). Patients on FOLFIRINOX had better survival across all subgroups. Inpatient admissions and dose reductions were more frequent with FOLFIRINOX but the difference between the two regimens was not statistically significant. FOLFIRINOX could be successfully administered as outpatient therapy to a number of patients. Conclusions: FOLFIRINOX remains a suitable first line option in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer with good performance status even in a resource-poor country where diagnostic and supportive care facilities may be less than optimal and cost is a limitation.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.608-613
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• 2015

Background The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative morbidities and functional outcomes of pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap and cutaneous free flap reconstruction approaches in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed records from 99 patients who underwent hypopharyngeal reconstruction with a cutaneous free flap (n=85) or PMMC flap (n=14) between 1995 and 2013. Morbidity was classified into hospitalization, medical, or flap-related complications. Functional outcomes were classified into oral re-alimentation and decannulation time. Results The overall flap-related complication rate was higher in the PMMC flap group (n=8, 57.1%; P=0.019), but the medical morbidity rate was higher in the cutaneous free flap group (n=68, 80%; P=0.006). The rate of pneumonia was higher in the cutaneous free flap group (n=48, 56.5%; P=0.020). Pulmonary premorbidity was the variable most significantly associated with pneumonia (odds ratio=3.012, P=0.012). There was no statistically significant difference in oral re-alimentation and decannulation time between the two groups. Conclusions Although the functional superiority of free flaps has been reported in many studies, our results do not support this hypothesis. One limitation of our study is the relatively smaller flap size and fewer PMMC flap cases compared with the cutaneous free flap group. The low postoperative medical morbidity incidence rate in the PMMC flap group was clinically significant; however, the free flap group had more flap-related complications. Thus, PMMC flaps should be considered a viable option, especially for patients with pulmonary premorbidities.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.343-352
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• 2012

Sulphur deficiency has become widespread over the past several decades in most of the agricultural area. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a very sensitive to S limitation which is becoming reduction of quality and productivity of forage. Few studies have assessed the sulphur mobilization in the source-sink relationship, very little is known about the regulatory mechanism in interaction between sulphur and nitrogen during the short-term sulphur deficiency. In this study, therefore, amount of sulphur and nitrogen incorporated into amino acids and proteins as affected by different S-supplied level (Control: 1 mM ${SO_4}^{2-}$, S-deficiency: 0.1 mM ${SO_4}^{2-}$, and S-deprivation: 0 mM ${SO_4}^{2-}$) were examined. The amount of sulphur in sulphate (S-sulphate) was significantly decreased by 25.8% in S-deprivation condition, compare to control, but not nitrogen in nitrate (N-nitrate). The markedly increase of sulphur and nitrogen incorporated amino acids (S-amino acids and N-amino acids) was observed in both S-deficiency and S-deprivation treatments. The amount of nitrogen incorporated proteins (N-protein) was strongly decreased as sulphur availability while the amount of sulphur incorporated into proteins (S-protein) was not affected. A highly significant ($p{\leq}0.001$) relationship between S-sulphate and S-amino acid was observed whereas the increase of N-amino acids is closely associated with decrease of N-proteins. These data indicate that increase of sulphur and nitrogen incorporated into amino acids was from different nitrogen and sulphur metabolites, respectively

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1 s.115
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• pp.119-130
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• 2006

As unialgal cultures to examine the growth kinetics of an algal species, Microcystis aeruginosa was grown in chemostats with nitrogen and phosphorus limitation. The nutrient concentrations of $NH_4\;^+\;and\;PO_4\;^{3-}$ to limit the growth of M, aeruginosa were approximately 200 ${\mu}M$ and 7 ${\mu}M$, respectively. Cell size of the algae decreased towards the $NH_4$-nitrogen limitation under a constant dilution rate, while it increased in the $PO_4$-limitaion. The cell quota of nitrogen under nitrogen-limited conditions was 6.1 ${\mu}mol$ mg $C^{-1}$ and, under nitrogen sufficient conditions, ranged from 9.5 ${\mu}mol$ mg $C^{-1}$ to 12.4 ${\mu}mol$ mg $C^{-1}$. In addition to the cell quota, the half-saturation constants for nitrogen uptake ($K_s$) and the growth rate (${\mu}_m$) was 36 ${\sim}$ 61 ${\mu}M$ and 0.28 ${\sim}$ 0.35 ${\mu}mol$ cell ${\cdot}$ $hr^{-1}$ to show high values in comparison with other algal species. As the limiting concentration, cell quota and uptake rate of M. aeruginosa were higher than those of any other species, the its nitrogen requirement would be great. In the other side, as the half saturation constant ($K_s$) for nitrogen uptake was higher, and the ratios ofmaximum uptake rate ($V_m$) and $K_s$ was relatively low, the species would have the low competitive ability in the low nitrogen concentration in the ambient water. However, the low concentration of nitrogen in the Nakdong River during the Microcystis outbreak would be the inevitable results of the algal blooms. In the lower Parts of the Nakdong River, the nutrient status was coupled with the growth kinetics of the blooming algae to have clear seasonal variations through a year.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.90-97
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• 2017

Androgenic anabolic steroids (AASs) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone with a common structure containing cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus. Their use enhances the muscle building capacity and is beneficial during performance. The AASs are one of the most abused group of substances in horse doping. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry ($LC/MS^n$) has been successfully applied to the detection of anabolic steroids in biological samples. However, the saturated hydroxysteroids viz: nandrolone, $5{\alpha}-estrane-3{\beta}$, $17{\alpha}-diol$ exhibit lower detection responses in electrospray ionisation (ESI) because of their poor ionisation efficiency. To overcome this limitation pre-column chemical derivatization has been introduced to enhance their detection responses in $LC-ESI-MS^n$ analysis. The aim of present study was to develop a sensitive method for identification and confirmation of nandrolone and its metabolite in horse urine incorporating pre-column derivatization using picolinic acid. The method consists of extraction of targeted steroid conjugates by solid phase extraction (SPE). The eluted steroid conjugates were hydrolysed by methanolysis and free steroids were recovered with liquid-liquid extraction. The resulting steroids were derivatized to form picolinoyl esters and identification was done using LC-ESI-MS/MS in positive ionization mode. The picolinated steroid adduct enhanced the detection levels in comparison to underivatized steroids.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.69-80
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• 2015

This paper is writing about developing magnet power supply. It is very important for power supply to obtain output current in high precision and high stability. As a switching noise and a power noise are the cause of disrupting the stability of output current, to remove these at the front end, low pass filter with 300Hz cutoff frequency is designed and placed. And also to minimize switching noise of the current into magnet and to stop abrupt fluctuations, output filter should be designed, when doing this, we design it by considering load has high value inductance. As power supply demands the stability of less than 5ppm, high precision 24bit(300nV/bit) analog digital converter is needed. As resolving power of 24bit(300nV/bit) analog digital converter is high, it is also very important to design the input stage of analog digital converter. To remove input noise, 4th order low pass filter is composed. Due to the limitation of clock, to minimize quantization error between 15bit DPWM and output of ADC having 24bit resolving power, ${\Sigma}-{\Delta}$ modulation is used and bit contracted DPWM is constituted. And before implementing, to maximize efficiency, simulink is used.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.622-637
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• 2017

Fatty acids such as n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are critical nutrients, used to improve male reproductive performance through modification of fatty acid profile and maintenance of sperm membrane integrity, especially under cold shock or cryopreservation condition. Also, PUFA provide the precursors for prostaglandin synthesis and can modulate the expression patterns of many key enzymes involved in both prostaglandin and steroid metabolism. Many studies carried out on diets supplemented with PUFA have demonstrated their capability to sustain sperm motility, viability and fertility during chilling and freezing as well as improving testis development and spermatogenesis in a variety of livestock species. In addition to the type and quantity of dietary fatty acids, ways of addition of PUFA to diet or semen extender is very crucial as it has different effects on semen quality in male ruminants. Limitation of PUFA added to ruminant ration is due to biohydrogenation by rumen microorganisms, which causes conversion of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, leading to loss of PUFA quantity. Thus, many strategies for protecting PUFA from biohydrogenation in rumen have been developed over the years. This paper reviews four aspects of PUFA in light of previous research including rumen metabolism, biological roles, influence on reproduction, and strategies to use in male ruminants.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.149-159
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• 2008

A survey was performed to analyse the current animal disease control system by questionnaires. A questionnaire was administered to the livestock-related experts(n = 116) residing in Gyeong-In region and the livestock farmers(n = 108) residing in Incheon from June to July in 2007. The data was analyzed statistically by SPSS 12.0 version. First, the offices related to the animal disease control were dispersed and their cooperation was not effective. Second, the scale of local disease centers was weaker than that of central one in both man-power(eg. veterinarians), budget and so on, and was not enough to control the outbreak of the main animal diseases. Third, there were also insufficient incentives for livestock farmers to report notifiable animal disease. Finally, there was limitation in bury area and incineration facilities. To develop domestic animal industry, control of the disease and rearing of the environmentally friendly livestock farm are the main directions in Gyeong-In region, Production of high quality and safe livestock products is the most important factor to expand the livestock industry. Conclusively, local animal disease center with comparison to central one should be expanded to control the disease and develop the livestock industry in Incheon metropolitan city.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2020

PURPOSE. The aim of the present study was to determine the degree of conversion of light- and dual-cured resin cements used in the cementation of all-ceramic restorations under different thicknesses of translucent (T) and high-translucent (HT) polymer-infiltrated ceramic-network (PICN) material. MATERIALS AND METHODS. T and HT PICN blocks were prepared at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm thicknesses (n=80). Resin cement samples were prepared with a diameter of 6 mm and a thickness of 100 ㎛. Light-cured resin cement was polymerized for 30 seconds, and dual-cure resin cement was polymerized for 20 seconds (n=180). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used for degree of conversion measurements. The obtained data were analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey HSD, and independent t-test. RESULTS. As a result of FTIR analysis, the degree of conversion of the light-cured resin cement prepared under 1.5- and 2.0-mm-thick T and HT ceramics was found to be lower than that of the control group. Regarding the degree of conversion of the dual-cured resin cement group, there was no significant difference from the control group. CONCLUSION. Within the limitation of present study, it can be concluded that using of dual cure resin cement can be suggested for cementation of PICN material, especially for thicknesses of 1.5 mm and above.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.165-166
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• 2014

The Composite waterproofing began to rise gradually 2000s in domestic. However, the sheet-membrane composite waterproofing method also acts as an abutment vulnerability that was a problem in a single method, and had the problem of damage to the formation of leakage paths. The existing non-overlap method, through vigorous research abutting sheet shall or could be developed to improve the seal performance of this method with the I-type joint coating material. Nevertheless, it has an integral top coat paint membrane and a sheet abutment limitation, damage to the upper membrane is damaged junction coating membranes has been generated. In this study, a method that has a layer of insulation on the joint bond breaker concept development, and to determine the physical properties with insulated joints to determine the breaking off of the upper joint is damaged coating membrane and tensile performance.