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Colon injury is a distressing complication during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Posterolateral colon (PLC) and retrorenal colon (RRC) are known to be the risk factors of colonic injury during PCNL. We evaluated the incidence of PLC and RRC in both supine and prone position of patients who underwent PCNL in our institution, and determined the risk factors of PLC and RRC through a review of computed tomography (CT) scan. To define PLC and RRC, we divided kidney into anterior, anterolateral, posterolateral and retrorenal zone by drawing three parallel lines in the CT scan. Among a total of 102 patients, PLC and RRC were identified in 16 (15.7%) cases in supine, and 25 (24.5%) cases in the prone position. PLC and RRC were most frequently present in the upper and lower pole of the left kidney in prone position compared to supine (p value less than 0.001). Risk factors of PLC and RRC in the prone position were old age (over 68), lower body mass index (BMI), and thinner perirenal fat layer. Therefore, an initial percutaneous puncture in PCNL needs to be carefully accessed to those patients with such high risks of colon injury.

Objectives To evaluate the incidence of positive cystic fluid cytology and its risk factors in cystic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) addressing its implication on the current surgical practice. Methods All clinically diagnosed Bosniak III, IV cystic renal masses from March 2019 to August 2022 were studied prospectively. Database of patients’ demographics and cystic tumor characteristics were recorded. Partial or radical nephrectomies were performed by either laparoscopic or robotic approach. Cystic fluid was collected right after specimen retrieval in the surgical field and examined by pathologist. Cytology results were compared to the demographic, perioperative variables using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results A total of 70 patients of histologically confirmed cystic RCC were included. Sixty seven patients underwent radical nephrectomy with laparoscopic or robotic approaches, while 3 patients underwent radical nephrectomy. There was no intraoperative cystic rupture or fluid spillage. Positive cystic fluid cytology findings were identified in 34 (48.6%) patients, while negative cystic fluid cytology were identified in 36 (51.4%) cases. Definite malignant cells were observed in 28 patients while the other six patients showed highly suspicious atypical cells. Histologically, 24 (70.8%) patients were proven clear cell RCC and 25 (73%) showed Fuhrman grade 1 or 2 in final histologic review in positive group. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis between positive and negative cytology groups showed that the presence of the malignant cells in cystic fluid was significantly associated with patients’ age (> 55 years) and Bosniak grade of cystic tumor ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions Definite malignant cells in cystic fluid cytology were observed through our study. Additionally, patients’ age (> 55 years) and Bosniak grade were the significant risk factors of positive cytology in cystic RCC. Therefore, necessity of meticulous manipulation of cystic renal tumors, despite their clinical features, should not be underemphasized to avoid the least possible tumor cell seeding in case of cystic rupture when operating such high risk of positive cytology.

This paper attempts to understand the process whereby female janitorial workers in South Korea became workers and their ensuing struggles in dealing with varied social changes. In this paper, I explore the diverse meanings implied by the adaptations they made in their lives and by the multiple identities they undertook as workers, women, housewives, and daughters-in-law. Based on extensive participant observation and interviews with women janitors in University A, I collected life histories and sought to locate workers' micro-level personal experiences within larger social events that may have served as turning points in their social lives. I also investigated the ways in which their identities combined with their lived experiences of urban migration, neo-liberalization and unionization. Belonging to a lower class in South Korean society, women janitorial workers live with multiple identities as they are also members of their families and have several related duties and obligations.

The volatile metabolite, 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) produced by cyanobacterial species, causes odor and taste problems in freshwater systems. However, simple identification of cyanobacteria that produce such off-flavors may be insufficient to establish the causal agent of off-flavor-related problems as the production-related genes are often strain-specific. Here, we designed a set of primers for detecting and quantifying 2-MIB-synthesizing cyanobacteria based on mibC gene sequences (encoding 2-MIB synthesis-catalyzing monoterpene cyclase) from various Oscillatoriales and Synechococcales cyanobacterial strains deposited in GenBank. Cyanobacterial cells and environmental DNA and RNA were collected from both the water column and sediment of a eutrophic stream (the Gong-ji Stream, Chuncheon, South Korea), which has a high 2-MIB concentration. Primer sets mibC196 and mibC300 showed universality to mibC in the Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales strains; the mibC132 primer showed high specificity for Pseudanabaena and Planktothricoides mibC. Our mibC primers showed excellent amplification efficiency (100–102%) and high correlation among related variables (2-MIB concentration with water RNA r = 689, p < 0.01; sediment DNA r = 0.794, p < 0.01; and water DNA r = 0.644, p < 0.05; cyanobacteria cell density with water RNA and DNA r = 0.995, p < 0.01). These primers offer an efficient tool for identifying cyanobacterial strains possessing mibC genes (and thus 2-MIB-producing potential) and for evaluating mibC gene expression as an early warning of massive cyanobacterial occurrence.

Due to the tragic disaster that happened in Japan and crippled the Fukushima nuclear power plant, serious concerns have been raised regarding the contamination of drinking water as a result of the radioactive materials that were released. Even though the quantities of radioactive material in rain were relatively low, people were concerned about the drinking water. Therefore, there is a need to know the removal efficiency of the unit process of water treatment and to prepare a safety plan to protect the public's health from radioactive materials. In this study, the laboratory scale removal rates were estimated for the coagulation/flocculation, adsorption, and ion exchange processes. The reference standard materials which are stable elements, Cesium-133 (Cs-133) and Iodine-127 (I-127), were used for the typical and advanced water treatment processes at the laboratory scale. For the coagulation/flocculation process, three major coagulants were assessed for this process. However, the removal rates of this process were low. For the adsorption process, powdered activated carbon and zeolites were investigated. The powdered activated carbon showed insignificant removal rates for both reference materials. However, synthetic zeolite was an effective process for Cs-133, and the ion exchange method showed high removal rates for both Cs-133 and I-127.

The primary objectives of this research are to develop a better understanding of (a) MIB removal in the presence of background NOM and (b) NOM removal, by PAC adsorption under dynamic conditions that represent PAC application in practice. The secondary objective of this research is to develop simplified, empirical models to predict MIB and TOC removal by PAC adsorption as a function of initial TOC concentration, PAC dose, PAC type, and kinetics. In this study, three different PAC types, three different PAC doses, four different kinetics, various level of influent MIB concentration, and waters from seven different sources with a range of NOM concentrations were evaluated. In addition, the impact of coagulant and potassium permanganate on the removal of MIB and NOM by PAC was evaluated. The experimental results were interpreted by comparing directly experimental data using relationship between several significant factors: PAC type, PAC dose, kinetics, influent MIB or DOC concentration, and pretreatment. Simplified, empirical models were developed using parametric method like multiple linear regression.

In this paper, we investigate a motion-tracking system for robotic computer-assisted implant surgery. Failure of the accurate implant positioning may result in significant problems, thus an accurate real-time motion-tracking system is crucial for avoiding these issues in computer-assisted implant surgery. Essential features of the motion-tracking system are analyzed and classified into four categories: workspace, sampling rate, accuracy, and back-drivability. Based on this analysis, requirements for each category have been derived to ensure that the motion-tracking system meets the desired performance criteria. A novel 6-DOF motion-tracking system is proposed which demonstrates high accuracy and back-drivability, making it suitable for use in computer-assisted implant surgery. The results of the experiments confirm the effectiveness of the proposed system in achieving the essential features required for a motion-tracking system in robotic computer-assisted implant surgery.

Background We investigated the usefulness of the left atrial (LA) strain measurement on the prediction of upcoming cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) after trastuzumab therapy in patients with breast cancer who did not develop CTRCD after chemotherapy. Methods A total of 72 females with breast cancer who did not develop CTRCD after chemotherapy and underwent additional trastuzumab therapy were divided into CTRCD ( n  = 13) and no CTRCD group ( n  = 59). Echocardiographic measurements including left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) and peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) decline were compared. Results CTRCD was identified in 13 patients (18.1%) after additional trastuzumab therapy. Baseline echocardiographic findings were not different. After the completion of chemotherapy, conventional echocardiographic parameters were not different, but PALS decline (15.0 ± 4.7 vs. 8.9 ± 3.2%, p  < 0.001) and LVGLS decline (10.5 ± 1.3 vs. 9.1 ± 1.1%, p  = 0.002) were significantly greater in CTRCD than in no CTRCD group. PALS decline at the time of chemotherapy completion could predict future CTRCD after trastuzumab therapy with better sensitivity and specificity (cutoff value 11.79%, sensitivity 76.9% and specificity 81.4%) than LVGLS decline (cutoff value 9.9%, sensitivity 69.2% and specificity 78.0%). Conclusions PALS or LVGLS decline developed before developing overt CTRCD after chemotherapy for breast cancer, and PALS decline showed better sensitivity and specificity in predicting future CTRCD than LVGLS decline. Serial measurement of PALS can be used as a useful parameter in the prediction of future CTRCD.

Direct inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) have been investigated and reported for the past 20 years. In the search for novel scaffold inhibitors, 3000 compounds were selected through structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), and then high-throughput enzyme screening was performed. Among the active hit compounds, pyrazolo [1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amine derivatives showed strong inhibitory potencies on the GSK3β enzyme and markedly activated Wnt signaling. The result of the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, enhanced by the upper-wall restraint, was used as an advanced structural query for the SBVS. In this study, strong inhibitors designed to inhibit the GSK3β enzyme were discovered through SBVS. Our study provides structural insights into the binding mode of the inhibitors for further lead optimization.

Background 11 C-acetate positron emission tomography (PET) enables simultaneous quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and oxidative metabolism; however, sex-specific normative data under vasodilator stress remain insufficiently defined. We aimed to characterize these parameters in healthy individuals. Results Eighteen healthy individuals (9 males and 9 females, age/sex-matched; median age 43 years [range 34–65]) with normal echocardiography and no underlying cardiovascular disease underwent one-day rest-stress dynamic 11 C-acetate PET with adenosine. Median stress MBF was 2.73 (2.24–3.11) mL/min/g and rest MBF 0.99 (0.82–1.14) mL/min/g. Stress kmono was 0.074 (0.063–0.082)/min, and rest kmono was 0.061 (0.050–0.068)/min. External cardiac work, total myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO₂), and MEE were 4.24 (3.75–5.54) × 10⁵ mL·mmHg/min, 16.5 (14.9–20.9) mL/min, and 17.7% (14.0–24.2%), respectively. Compared to males, females exhibited significantly higher corrected rest MBF (1.14 vs. 0.96 mL/min/g, p  = 0.032), stress kmono (0.078 vs. 0.070 /min, p  = 0.005), and total MVO₂ (17.6 vs. 15.5 mL/min, p  = 0.003). Despite similar external cardiac work, myocardial external efficiency was significantly lower in females (15.5% vs. 20.3%, p  = 0.009). MBF and oxidative metabolism were positively correlated in both sexes. Conclusions This study assesses reference ranges and demonstrates significant sex-based differences in myocardial perfusion and oxidative metabolism using vasodilatory stress 11 C-acetate PET. These findings provide a valuable physiological framework for assessing perfusion-metabolism abnormalities in clinical practice.