Modeling the early temporal dynamics of viral load in respiratory tract specimens of COVID-19 patients in Incheon, the Republic of Korea.

Objective: To investigate the duration and peak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 shedding as infectivity markers for determining the isolation period.

Methods: A total of 2,558 upper respiratory tract (URT) and lower respiratory tract (LRT) specimens from 138 patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease were analyzed. Measurements of sequential viral loads were aggregated using the cubic spline smoothing function of a generalized additive model.

Thermal Properties of Plasma-Sprayed Multilayer Al₂O₃/Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Coating.

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and Al₂O₃ multilayer coatings were fabricated by plasma spraying. Thermal conductivity and thermal shock test were investigated to find out the thermal properties of the coating layer and the surface of the crack. Thermal conductivity was investigated using laser flash method and thermal shock were measured by water quenching method.

Effect of head position on postoperative chemosis after prone spinal surgery.

Conjunctival swelling is a common finding in patients positioned prone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of head position on postoperative chemosis after prone spinal surgery. On the basis of the head position, 108 patients scheduled for prone lumbar surgery were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups: head neutral group (n=54) versus head down (HD) group (n=54).

The effect of lycopene on cell growth and oxidative DNA damage of Hep3B human hepatoma cells.

Lycopene, the predominant carotenoid in tomatoes and tomato-based foods, is reported to protect against various cancers, especially prostate cancer. We investigated the effect of lycopene on DNA damage and cell growth inhibition in the Hep3B human hepatoma cell line. Lycopene was analyzed by HPLC, and cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.