Objectives Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a ubiquitous epigenetic factor that represses gene expression by modifying chromatin. Mutations in the MeCP2 gene cause Rett syndrome, a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder. Recent studies also have shown that MeCP2 plays a role in carcinogenesis. Specifically, functional ablation of MeCP2 suppresses cell growth and leads to the proliferation of cancer cells. However, MeCP2's function in adult tissues remains poorly understood. We utilized a weight matrix-based comparison software to identify transcription factor binding site (TFBS) of MeCP2-regulated genes, which were recognized by cDNA microarray analysis. Methods MeCP2 expression was silenced using annealed siRNA in HEK293 cells, and then a cDNA microarray analysis was performed. Functional analysis was carried out, and transcriptional levels in target genes regulated by MeCP2 were investigated. TFBS analysis was done within genes selected by the cDNA microarray analysis, using a weight matrix-based program and the TRANSFAC 6.0 database. Results Among the differentially expressed genes with a change in expression greater than two-fold, 189 genes were up-regulated and 91 genes were down-regulated. Genes related to apoptosis and cell proliferation (JUN, FOSL2, CYR61, SKIL, ATF3, BMABI, BMPR2, RERE, and FALZ) were highly up-regulated. Genes with anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative functions (HNRPA0, HIS1, and FOXC1) were down-regulated. Using TFBS analysis within putative promoters of novel candidate target genes of MeCP2, disease-related transcription factors were identified. Conclusions The present results provide insights into the new target genes regulated by MeCP2 under epigenetic control. This information will be valuable for further studies aimed at clarifying the pathogenesis of Rett syndrome and neoplastic diseases. Keywords: Rett Syndrome, Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2, Carcinogenesis, Microarray Analysis, Transcription Factors
In medical education, peer assessment is considered to be an effective learning strategy. Although several studies have examined agreement between peer and faculty assessments regarding basic life support (BLS), few studies have done so for advanced resuscitation skills (ARS) such as intubation and defibrillation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the degree of agreement between medical students’ and faculty assessments of ARS examinations. This retrospective explorative study was conducted during the emergency medicine (EM) clinical clerkship of fourth-year medical students from April to July 2020. A faculty assessor (FA) and a peer assessor (PA) assessed each examinee’s resuscitation skills (including BLS, intubation, and defibrillation) using a checklist that consisted of 20 binary items (performed or not performed) and 1 global proficiency rating using a 5-point Likert scale. The prior examinee assessed the next examinee after feedback and training as a PA. All 54 students participated in peer assessment.
Purpose The rapid increase in the incidence of precocious puberty in Korea has clinical and social significance. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is required to diagnose central precocious puberty (CPP), however this test is expensive and time-consuming. This study aimed to identify factors that can predict a positive response to the GnRH stimulation test. Methods Clinical and laboratory parameters, including basal serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2), were measured in 540 girls with clinical signs of CPP. Results Two hundred twenty-nine of 540 girls with suspected CPP had a peak serum LH level higher than 5 IU/L (the CPP group). The CPP group had advanced bone age (P<0.001), accelerated yearly growth rate (P<0.001), increased basal levels of LH (P=0.02), FSH (P<0.001), E2 (P=0.001), and insulin-like growth factor-I levels (P<0.001) compared to the non-CPP group. In contrast, body weight (P<0.001) and body mass index (P<0.001) were lower in the CPP group. Although basal LH was significantly elevated in the CPP group compared to the non-CPP group, there was considerable overlap between the 2 groups. Cutoff values of basal LH (0.22 IU/L) detected CPP with 87.8% sensitivity and 20.9% specificity. Conclusion No single parameter can predict a positive response on the GnRH stimulation test with both high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, multiple factors should be considered in evaluation of sexual precocity when deciding the timing of the GnRH stimulation test. Keywords: Precocious puberty, Diagnosis, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, Forecasting, Female
Collecting patient’s medical data is essential for emergency care. Although hospital-tethered personal health records (PHRs) can provide accurate data, they are not available as electronic information when the hospital does not develop and supply PHRs. The objective of this research was to evaluate whether a mobile app can assemble health data from different hospitals and enable interoperability. Moreover, we identified numerous barriers to overcome for putting health data into one place. The new mobile PHR (mPHR) application was developed and evaluated according to the four phases of the system development life cycle: defining input data and functions, developing a prototype, developing a mobile application, and implementation testing. We successfully introduced the FirstER (First for Emergency Room) platform on 23 September 2019. Additionally, validation in three tertiary hospitals has been carried out since the launch date. From 14 October to 29 November 2019, 1051 cases registered with the FirstER, and the total download count was 15,951 records. We developed and successfully implemented the mPHR service, which can be used as a health information exchange tool in emergency care, by integrating medical records from three different tertiary hospitals. By recognizing the significance and limitations of this service, it is necessary to study the development and implementation of mPHR services that are more suitable for emergency care.
Fluoroscopy is radiological technique that can continuously radiate x-ray to penetrate the body and observe the results in real-time video or still images through a monitor. It is useful in providing a real-time x-ray view in interventional and angiographic procedures, but it has several issues such as the risk of huge radiation exposure for patients and operators, and poor image quality due to motion blur. Most fluoroscopy systems based on a thermionic analog x-ray tube adapt fixed pulse driving method using a high-voltage modulation over 100 kV, which imposes limits in reducing unnecessary exposure due to the low time resolution of several ms or more and inflexible pulse condition. In this study, we developed an advanced fluoroscopy system with real-time frame rate modulation using a fully vacuum-sealed digital x-ray tube based on carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters, providing ultra-low-dose and high-temporal resolution x-ray viewing. The CNT digital x-ray tube with an operational voltage of 120 kV and current of 20 mA, and the fully digital modulation monoblock with pulses of down to 0.1 ms at 1 kHz were fabricated for the advanced fluoroscopy system. Using the developed fluoroscopy system, we could modulate the frame rate in the rage of 1-30 Hz in real-time even during the operation along with perfect digital x-ray pulses, and finally reduce x-ray dose by 56% with improved fluoroscopy image clarity compared to the conventional system under the operation condition, confirming significant reducing of motion blur and unnecessary exposure.
임베디드 시스템은 일반 PC(Personal Computer)나 워크스테이션에 비해 느린 CPU와 작은 메모리 공간을 사용하고 있다. 따라서 임베디드 운영체제는 제한된 자원을 효과적으로 사용하도록 설계되어져야 한다. 그런데 임베디드 리눅스의 가상 메모리 관리 기법에서 페이지 폴트가 발생할 경우 스왑 디바이스로 페이지를 이동하는 과정에서 성능 저하가 발생한다. 본 논문에서는 가상 메모리 기법의 효율성을 놀이며 메모리 공간의 효율성을 향상시킬 수 있는 가상 메모리 압축 기법을 구현하였다. 가상 메모리 압축 기법은 임베디드 리눅스의 가상 메모리 관리 기법에서 스왑핑이 발생할 경우 스왑 디바이스로 이동하는 페이지들을 압축하여 이동시킴으로서 스왑핑에서 발생하는 성능저하를 감소시키며, 압축된 스왑 디바이스의 운영으로 메모리의 공간 효율성을 높인 수 있다. 또한 본 논문에서는 메모리 내의 소량의 데이터 압축에 적합한 알고리즘을 고안하여, 압축률의 효율성과 시스템 성능을 향상시키고자 하였다. The embedded system has less fast CPU and lower memory than PC(personal Computer) or Workstation system. Therefore embedded operating is system is designed to efficiently use the limited resource in the system. Virtual memory management or the embedded linux have a low efficiency when page fault is occurred to get a data from I/O device. Because a data is moving from the swap device to main memory. This paper suggests virtual memory compression algorithm for improving in virtual memory management and capacity of space. In this paper, we present a way to performance implement a virtual memory compression system that achieves significant improvement for the embedded system.
'%3e%3cg id='b'%3e%3cpath id='a' stroke='%23000' stroke-width='2' d='M-6-25H6m-12 3H6m-12 3H6'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' y='44'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0 17v10'/%3e%3ccircle r='12' fill='%23cd2e3a'/%3e%3cpath fill='%230047a0' d='M0-12A6 6 0 0 0 0 0a6 6 0 0 1 0 12 12 12 0 0 1 0-24z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg transform='rotate(-123.69)'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23b'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0-23.5v3M0 17v3.5m0 3v3'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)