The aim of the present study was to investigate sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. A retrospective review was performed on data from 2,009 consecutive patients presenting with their first urinary stone episode between 2005 and 2013. Of the 2,009 patients, 1,426 (71.0%) satisfied the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Patients were grouped by age (<60, ≥60 years old) and sex. The medical history and 24 hr urinary chemistry results of each patient were obtained. The mean age of the 165 (11.6%) patients aged 60 or over was 65.5 ± 4.2 years. Body mass index was greater in elderly females than in younger females (p=0.031). After stratification by sex and age, lower urinary excretion of calcium and uric acid was a protective factor for both sexes among the elderly (p<0.05, each, respectively). Low urine pH was a common risk factor for both sexes among the elderly (p=0.013 in males, p=0.047 in females, respectively), whereas lower citrate excretion was a risk factor for only the elderly female group (p=0.004). With regard to urinary metabolic abnormalities, elderly females showed higher incidence of hypocitraturia compared to younger females (p=0.049). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the sex- and age-associated clinico-metabolic characteristics of urinary stone patients. Thus, it is important to tailor metabolic evaluation and medical prevention therapies for patient according to sex and gender characteristics.

DNA methylation is the most common and well-characterized epigenetic change in human cancer. Recently, the association between GATA-binding protein 5 (GATA5) methylation and carcinogenesis of various types of tumors was investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of GATA5 methylation status on clinicopathological features and prognosis in primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients with a long-term follow-up period. The GATA5 methylation status was determined for 171 human bladder specimens (eight normal controls [NCs] and 163 primary NMIBC patients) using quantitative pyrosequencing analysis. The primary NMIBC tissues were obtained from patients who underwent transurethral resection (TUR) for histologically diagnosed transitional cell carcinomas between 1995 and 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. GATA5 methylation was significantly higher in NMIBC patients than in NCs and was significantly associated with higher grade and more advanced stage of cancer. Kaplan-Meier estimates showed significant differences in tumor recurrence and progression according to GATA5 methylation status (each p<0.05). Our results show that increased methylation of GATA5 was significantly associated with not only aggressive characteristics but also poor prognosis in primary NMIBC patients. Alteration of GATA5 methylation might be used as a biomarker for prognosis of NMIBC patients. However, prospective and functional investigations are necessary to clarify the role of GATA5 methylation in future clinical management of patients with NMIBC.

미국 북동부 뉴욕주에 위치한 이타카시 남쪽, 범람지대에 위치한 Southwest 지역은 저소득층 가족을 대상으로 한 복합 커뮤니티로 개발 계획 중인 공휴지이다. 이 지역은 이타카시에 위치한 Cayuga 호로 흘러드는 여러 갈래의 천을 따라 오랜 시간 걸쳐 진행된 지질학적 풍화 및 침식 작용에 의한 침적으로 생성된 삼각지이며 지하수위가 높아 범람이 잦은 곳이다. 해당지역의 매립을 통한 침수 방지 대책도 강구되었다. 하지만 지속된 매립활동에 따른 폐해로 해당 지역 토질구조가 파괴되어 자연배수가 불가능한 습지가 조성되어 Southwest 지역은 주민들에게 외면 받는 장소가 되었다. 이로 인해 Ithaca 시내에 위치한 얼마 남지 않은 시민들을 위한 커뮤니티 시설 개발에 적합한 유휴지임에도 불구하고 불법 쓰레기 투기 및 산업시설, 월마트와 같은 시민들이 요구와 동떨어진 모습의 개발이 있어왔다. 저소득 가정을 위한 주택 수요가 꾸준히 증가하고 있는 Ithaca시에 있어, Southwest 지역은 시민들에게 안락한 커뮤니 티를 제공해 줌과 동시에 주변지역의 생활여건도 개선시킬 수 있는 가능성을 지닌 곳이다. 본 논문은 Ithaca 시의 마지막 남은 개발가능한 Southwest 지역에 대한 정확한 분석과 이해를 통해 지역 주민들이 필요로 하는 활기차고 살기 좋은 커뮤니티 개발을 위한 대안을 제시하고자 한다. 이를 위해 본 논문은 대상지 주변 단절된 도심 조직과 오픈스페이스들을 다시 연결하고, 레크리에이션 시설과 주거시설 및 기타 커뮤니티 시설을 조화롭게 조성해 줌으로서 오랜 시간 주민들로부터 외면 받던 대상지가 주민들을 위한 새로운 기회의 장소로서, 또한 주변 지역 경제 활성화에 기여할 수 있는 방안을 모색하고자 한다.

Compared with traditional analog system, the Chinese VLBI Data Acquisition System (CDAS) is a digital one with better bandpass and wider bandwidth which allow weaker sources to be detected and measured by VLBI techniques. After optimizing and verifying the performance of CDAS in wide bandwidth observing mode, we performed an experiment by observing 85 weak sources along the ecliptic with Chinese VLBI stations located at Shanghai, Kunming and Urumqi. The capability of CDAS has been demonstrated for the detection of weak sources with improved sensitivity.

n-Butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of thermal treatment yam (Dioscorea batatas DECNE.) belonging to the family Dioscoreaceae were measured for their radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition ability. In this study, ethyl acetate extract showed the most potent antioxidant activity evaluated by ferrous ion chelating activity and NO radical scavenging activity. Nevertheless, n-butanol extract was more effective in inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation. A significant difference between n-butanol extract and ethyl acetate extract in nitrite scavenging activity β-carotene bleaching assays could not be found. Also, the results of this study showed that thermal treatment yam could be used as easily accessible source of natural antioxidants and as a possible food supplement.

We adopt the PASTEL catalog combined with SIMBAD radial velocities as a testing standard to validate the stellar parameters (effective temperature Teff , surface gravity log g, metallicity [Fe=H] and radial velocity Vr) from the first data release (DR1) of The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) survey. After applying data reduction and temperature constraints to the sample obtained by cross-identification, we compare the stellar parameters from DR1 and PASTEL. The results show that the DR1 results are reliable under certain conditions. We derive a dispersion of 110 K, 0.19 dex, 0.11 dex and 4.91 kms-1 in specified effective temperature ranges, for Teff , log g, [Fe=H] and Vr respectively. Systematic errors are negligible except for those of Vr. In addition, for stars with PASTEL [Fe=H] < —1.5, the metallicities in DR1 are systematically higher than those in PASTEL.

We studied a cluster family in the northern part of the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) a group of clusters near NGC 3324 (Tr 15, NGC 3293, Loden 165, Loden 153 and IC 2581). We used data from UCAC4 to determine the cluster's membership and the near infrared CMDs of each cluster. We analyzed the spatial density and elongation as a function of radius for each cluster and found a possible interaction between NGC 3293 and Loden153. However, the shape distortion of NGC 3324 cannot be evaluated because of the inhomogenity in the coverage of UCAC4 in the east part of NGC 3324.

How high-mass stars form is currently unclear. Calculations suggest that the radiation pressure of a forming star can halt spherical infall, preventing further growth when it reaches 10 M⊙. Two major theoretical models on the further growth of stellar mass have been proposed. One model suggests the merging of less massive stellar objects, and the other is through accretion, but with the help of a disk. In ow motions are key evidence for how forming stars gain further mass to build up massive stars. Recent developments in technology have boosted the search for in ow motion. A number of high-mass collapse candidates were obtained with single dish observations, and mostly showed blue proles. Infalling signatures seem to be more common in regions which have developed radiation pressure than in younger cores, which is the opposite of the theoretical prediction and is also very different from observations of low mass star formation. Interferometer studies so far confirm this tendency with more obvious blue profiles or inverse P Cygni profiles. Results seem to favor the accretion model. However, the evolution of the infall motion in massive star forming cores needs to be further explored. Direct evidence for monolithic or competitive collapse processes is still lacking. ALMA will enable us to probe more detail of the gravitional processes.

The physical and chemical properties of prestellar cores, especially massive ones, are still far from being well understood due to the lack of a large sample. The low dust temperature (< 14 K) of Planck cold clumps makes them promising candidates for prestellar objects or for sources at the very initial stages of protostellar collapse. We have been conducting a series of observations toward Planck cold clumps (PCCs) with ground-based radio telescopes. In general, when compared with other star forming samples (e.g. infrared dark clouds), PCCs are more quiescent, suggesting that most of them may be in the earliest phase of star formation. However, some PCCs are associated with protostars and molecular out ows, indicating that not all PCCs are in a prestellar phase. We have identied hundreds of starless dense clumps from a mapping survey with the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) 13.7-m telescope. Follow-up observations suggest that these dense clumps are ideal targets to search for prestellar objects.

In Hanoks which are Korean traditional houses, gudeuls (ondols) are more important than other elements. Recently, demand for Hanoks has been rapidly increasing thanks to the effects of Korean waves and rediscovery of traditions. This paper traced the process of development of gudeul construction technology to examine the definitions of terns and changes in the types of gudeuls and discussed the prospect of future gudeul construction technology.

In this study, n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts were prepared from raw yam (Dioscorea batatas DECNE.). Their antioxidative potencies were investigated employing various in vitro methods, such as ferrous ion chelating, β-carotene bleaching assay, lipid peroxidation inhibition and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging and nitrite scavenging activity. The n-butanol fraction was assayed to possess stronger antioxidant activity by β-carotene bleaching assay, lipid peroxidation inhibition and NO radical scavenging activity. However, ethyl acetate extract was more effective in chelating ferrous ion and scavenging nitrite. Based on the results obtained, yam is a potential active ingredient that could be applied in antioxidation as well as bio-health functional food to take a good part in prevention of human diseases and aging.

To better investigate the antioxidative property of thermal treatment yam (Dioscorea batatas DECNE.) in Korea, some established methods were used. 70% Methanol, 70% ethanol and chloroform–methanol (CM, 2:1, v/v) extracts were collected. 70% Methanol extract exhibited stronger antioxidative activity evaluated by ferrous ion chelating activity, NO radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching assays. On the contrary, CM extract was the most effective in inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation. Yam available in Korea was also analyzed for its bioactive compounds such as lycopene, chlorophyll a, b, tannin, phytic acid and total saponin contents. Total saponin was abundant in thermal treatment, which determined to be 42.52±1.88 mg/g. Based on the results obtained from this study, thermal treatment yam could be used as natural antioxidant source due to its high antioxidant activity and bioactive compound contents.

Dietary and lifestyle modifications are widely prescribed to prevent recurrence of urolithiasis, although little is known about the clinical and demographic factors associated with patient compliance and urinary metabolic changes. The present study assessed the clinical and demographic factors influencing compliance with a modified diet and lifestyle in first-time ureteric stone formers as well as determined the effects of compliance on urinary stone risk factors. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 53 patients presenting with ureteric calcium stones. Using a self-completed questionnaire, patients were classified according to compliance with seven recommendations for modifying diet and lifestyle into good compliance group (complied with ≥ three recommendations) and poor compliance group. Before (on a random diet) and after prescribing the modifications, 24 hour urine samples were collected from those in the good and poor compliance group. The stone size at presentation and initial treatment modality were closely associated with patient compliance (P=0.019, P=0.027, respectively). Citrate excretion significantly increased in the good compliance group after adopting modifications (P=0.012), whereas the poor compliance group did not show a statistically significant difference. Moreover, patients in the poor compliance group showed significantly increased urinary calcium excretion by the end of the study (P=0.040). After adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, and metabolic abnormality status, poor compliance was found to be an independent risk factor for persistence or development of hypocitraturia (OR: 3.885; 95% CI: 1.102~13.694; P=0.035). In conclusion, our results imply that patient education programs regarding diet and lifestyle should be tailored to the individual’s clinical and demographic characteristics.