This study investigated the relationship of acrosome reactions and fatty acid composition on fertility in boar sperm. The acrosome reaction of sperm was induced via methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MBCD), and acrosome reaction, plasma membrane integrity, and fertility were analyzed. The fatty acid composition of the excess acrosome reacted sperm was determined via gas chromatography. The results showed that the acrosome reaction in sperm was induced over 85% of the time by 60 mM MBCD treatment, and the plasma membrane integrity was significantly decreased and was dependent on the MBCD level. The acrosome reacted sperm resulted in significantly higher saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and lower unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) than the non-acrosome reaction group. Moreover, the acrosome reacted sperm from 60 mM MBCD significantly decreased in vitro fertility and blastocyst formation relative to non-acrosome reacted sperm, and the acrosome reaction was positively correlated with SFAs and negatively correlated with PUFAs. Of these fatty acids, C22:5n-6 (docosapentaenoic acid [DPA]) and C22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were directly negatively correlated with the acrosome reaction (r = -0.982 and -0.947, respectively). In conclusion, the excessive acrosome reactions may occur by reducing the PUFAs, which may then dramatically decrease sperm fertility in pigs.

In this paper, the design process of BLDC adopting the dual rotor method that can reduce the overall size of the motor while generating the same torque as the conventional Permanent Magnet BLDC is analyzed. A simple size is selected by obtaining the torque per rotor volume (TRV), and a method of matching the counter electromotive force by selecting the pole arc of the magnet through a magnetic equivalent circuit is analyzed. Since the efficiency is low because the 120-degree commutation method is selected, the middle stator is optimized through detailed design through the experimental design method. Afterwards, it has the advantage of being able to shift without stopping due to the characteristic of a dual rotor. For this, an analysis of the driving characteristics for each mode is performed.

Controversy exists on whether animal and plant proteins influence obesity differently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between total, animal, and plant protein intake with the obesity index and renal function in Korean adults. Study participants included Korean adults aged 60 years or older from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2013-2014. Height, weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. One-day 24-hour recall data were used to estimate the daily total, animal, and plant protein intake. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated by using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. General linear modellings were used to assess the relationships between protein intake, BMI and WC. The mean age was 69.2 ± 0.2 years, 44.2% were male. The total daily protein intake was 1.1 ± 0.02 g/kg/d and 0.9 ± 0.02 g/kg/d for males and females, respectively. Only one third of protein intake was from animal sources. In males, BMI (p < 0.001, p = 0.016, p < 0.001 respectively) and WC (p < 0.001, p = 0.010, p < 0.001, respectively) decreased as daily intake of plant protein (g/kg/d), animal protein (g/kg/d) and total protein (g/kg/d) increased. Similar associations were shown in Korean female. GFR was not associated with protein intake regardless of protein source in both sexes. In Korean adults aged 60 years or older, the protein intake was associated with a favorable obesity index without decrease in renal function. The effect was similar in both male and females, with both animal and plant proteins.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of subtalar joint axis-based balance exercises on the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) thickness, ankle strength, and ankle stability after an arthroscopic modified Broström operation (AMBO) for chronic ankle instability (CAI). Materials and Methods: The study included 47 patients diagnosed with CAI who underwent AMBO and were randomly divided into three groups: control (n=11), general balance exercise (n=17), and subtalar joint axis balance exercise (n=19), regardless of the affected area. Participants in the exercise rehabilitation group performed exercises for 60 min twice a week for 6 weeks, starting 6 weeks after AMBO. ATFL thickness, ankle strength, and ankle dynamic stability were measured using musculoskeletal ultrasonography, Biodex, and Y-balance test, respectively, before and after treatment. Results: Compared with the remaining groups, the subtalar joint axis balance exercise group had reduced ATFL thickness (p = 0.000), improved ankle strength for eversion (p = 0.000) and inversion (p = 0.000), and enhanced ankle stability (p = 0.000). Conclusions: The study results suggests that subtalar joint axis-based balance exercises may contribute to the early recovery of the ankle joint after AMBO.

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes, including stereolithography (SL), can fabricate complex ceramic parts layer by layer using computer-aided design (CAD) models. A ceramic slurry with high solid loading is usually used in SL to fabricate the desired shape, which is further sintered to produce the final part. The traditional SL system utilizes a tank filled with printable material, known as a vat, which for ceramic slurry contributes several limitations and operational difficulties, and further renders it non-recyclable mainly due to its high viscosity and the fragility of the green state. In this study, we utilized a continuous film supply (CFS) printer integrated with a tape casting system using in-house-designed ceramic slurry to print standard prototype specimens. Various printing parameters, including viscosity, layer thickness control, and slurry recycling efficiency, were studied. In addition, post-processing optimizations of the prototype, characterizations, and the microhardness of sintered samples were studied to determine their properties and compare them with traditional methods. The effectiveness of slurry reusability was demonstrated by printing with original and recycled slurry to produce consistent densification of final parts. Post-processing was optimized to achieve a relative sinter density of 99.02% and microhardness of 12.59 GPa. This method provides new opportunities to realize dense complex ceramic features with final properties comparable to those produced by subtractive machining and traditional SL. Furthermore, slurry recycling helps to reduce the overall cost and material consumption.

Rotorcrafts operate HUMS for fault diagnosis, but the capabilities of HUMS analysts are important due to the complex mechanical configuration of rotorcraft and the difficulty of analysis. Accordingly, an advanced algorithm is needed to identify faults, and flight data can be used to develop the algorithm. However, flight data contains abnormal or missing data due to problems such as sensor defects, which can be a major problem in algorithm development. Therefore, in this paper, we study a gap filling method using MLP to obtain normal data when there are problems such as abnormal or missing data in rotorcraft flight data. Existing methods typically fill the gap through interpolation or curve fitting using the before and after values of missing data. However, in this study, normal values were estimated using the values of other parameters at the moment of missing or abnormal data occurred. As a result of evaluating the performance of the trained MLP using normal data, it was confirmed that the output of the model well estimates the changing trend of the target. And when abnormal data was applied to the trained model, it was confirmed that point outliers were eliminated and appropriate values were found in the case of missing data.

This study aims to suggest a basis for the selection of technologies for developing high-performance buildings to reduce energy consumptions and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy-saving technologies comprising of 15 cases were categorized into passive, active, and renewable energy systems. EnergyPlus v8.8 was used to analyze the contribution of each technology in reducing the primary energy consumptions and CO₂ emissions in the Korean climate. The primary energy consumptions of the base model were 464.1 and 485.1 kWh/m²a in the Incheon and Jeju, respectively, and the CO₂ emissions were 83.4 and 87.4 kgCO₂/m²a, respectively. Each technology (cases 1–15) provided different energy-saving contributions in the Korean climate depending on their characteristics. The heating, cooling, and other energy-saving contributions of each technology indicate that their saving rates can be used when selecting suitable technologies during the cooling and heating seasons. Case 15 (active chilled beam with dedicated outdoor air system + ground source heat pump) showed the highest energy saving rate. In case 15, the Incheon and Jeju models were reduced by 189.4 (59.2%) and 206.2 kWh/m²a (57.4%) compared to the base case, respectively, and the CO₂ emissions were reduced by up to 32.7 (60.8%) and 35.6 kgCO₂/m²a (59.3%), respectively.

When a railway vehicle moves on a curved rail, sliding contact occurs between the rail head side and wheel flange, which wears the wheel flange down. The thinned flange needs to be restored above the required minimum thickness for structural safety. In this study, a new process and welding wire for restoring worn-out railway wheels by submerged arc welding was developed. To characterize the properties of the restored wheel, dilatometric analysis of phase transformation, SEM/EDX analyses, hardness measurement, and residual stress measurement using the X-ray diffraction method were performed. Finally, wear tests with full-size wheel/rail specimens were carried out. It was confirmed that the weld metal was composed of bainitic microstructures as intended, and welding defects were not observed. The wear amount of the restored wheel was greater than that of the base material, but it was less than half of the wear depth of the weld-repaired wheel with ferritic–pearlitic microstructures. The developed process seems applicable to industry.

Recently, cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) thin films have been widely investigated to apply to magnetic sensors, due to their high magnetic moment, anisotropy, and stability. However, most of these studies are conducted on rigid silicon substrates. For more diverse applications of magnetic sensors and angle sensors, it is important to explore the properties of ferromagnetic thin films grown on non-rigid deformable substrates. Here, using representative deformable substrates such as polyimide (PI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that can be bent or stretched, we report experimental comparison of in-plane magnetic field angle-dependent properties of the amorphous Ta/CoFeB/MgO/Ta thin film which is grown on those deformable substrates. We investigate effects of substrate roughness, tensile stress, characteristics of deformable substrates, and sputtering process on the change of magnetic properties like coercive field (Hc), remanence over saturation magnetization (Mr/Ms), and their biaxial characteristics. This work presents unconventional foundations for exploring deformable magnetic sensors capable of detecting magnetic field angle.

To expand the application scope and increase the demand for non-crimp fabrics (NCFs) as a lightweight vehicle material, the delamination and thermal strain in NCF composites must be restricted. Accordingly, to simultaneously improve the interfacial bonding and thermal stability of the NCF composites, in this study the epoxy resin, in which SiO2 nanoparticles was modified by a silane coupling agent, were infused to the stacked NCFs and between the layers of NCFs through the vacuum-assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM) process.

As symbionts of fungi and algae, lichens produce a variety of secondary products which pharmacological activities. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activities of Heterodermia hypoleuca and its main compound, atraric acid. The results confirmed that atraric acid could regulating induced pro-inflammatory cytokine, nitric oxide, induced nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Means while, atraric acid down-regulated expression of phosphorylated IκB, ERK and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling pathway to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Based on these results, the anti-inflammatory effect of atraric acid during LPS-induced endotoxin shock in a mouse model was confirmed. In the atraric acid treated-group, cytokine production was decreased in the peritoneum and serum, and each organ damaged by LPS-stimulation was recovered. These results show that atraric acid has an anti-inflammatory effect and its molecular mechanism may be involved in the inactivation of the ERK/NFκB signaling pathway, demonstrating its value as a potential therapeutic for inflammatory diseases.

Bloodstream infection (BSI) after pediatric liver transplantation (PLT) is a common and severe complication that affects patient survival. Children with biliary atresia (BA) are at an increased risk for clinically significant infections. This study evaluated the impact of post-PLT BSI on clinical outcomes in children with BA. A total of 67 patients with BA aged &lt;18 years who underwent PLT between April 2006 and September 2020 were analyzed and divided into two groups according to the occurrence of post-PLT BSI within 1 month (BSI vs. no BSI = 13 [19.4%] vs. 54 [80.6%]). The BSI group was significantly younger at the time of PLT and had a higher frequency of BSI at the time of PLT than the no BSI group. Early vascular complications within 3 months and reoperations were significantly more frequent in the BSI group. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that bacteremia within 1 month of PLT and graft-to-recipient weight ratio &gt;4% were significantly associated with vascular complications. In conclusion, BSI after PLT is associated with increased vascular complications and reoperations. Proper control of bacterial infections and early liver transplantation before uncontrolled BSI may reduce vascular complications and unexpected reoperations in children with BA.

Although the relations between sleep and academic performance have been extensively examined, how sleep predicts future academic performance (e.g., 2 -3 years) remains to be further investigated. Using wearable smartwatches and a self-report questionnaire, we tracked sleep activities of 45 college students over a period of approximate half a month to see whether their sleep activities predicted their academic performance, which was estimated by grade point average (GPA). Results showed that both nighttime sleep awakening frequency and its consistency in the tracking period were not significantly correlated with the GPA for the courses taken in the semester during sleep tracking (current GPA). However, both nighttime sleep awakening frequency and its consistency inversely predicted the GPA for the rest of the courses taken after that semester (future GPA). Moreover, students with more difficulty staying awake throughout the day obtained lower current and future GPAs, and students with lower inconsistency of sleep quality obtained lower future GPA. Together, these findings highlight the importance of nighttime sleep awakening frequency and consistency in predicting future academic performance and emphasize the necessity of assessing the consistency of sleep measures in future studies.

The horizontal flatbed electrophoresis system has been used for the electrophoresis of protein samples and is often preferred for a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In currently available equipment, cathode and anode electrodes were placed on top of a gel at each end. An electric field entered from the top of a gel, and its strength was relatively weaker in the bottom part of the gel. Such configuration caused migrating protein bands to lie down forward in the migrating direction. New electrodes, i.e., the clamp-shaped and the double-deck electrodes, were developed to simultaneously apply an electric field from the top and bottom of a gel. Electrophoretic separation with these electrodes made protein bands more focused and improved protein band resolutions. When the FIGE technique was tested together with new electrodes, protein bands were aligned nearly vertically and showed the best electrophoretic resolutions.

The effects of anisotropic properties (wettability and roughness) on microgroove surfaces in pool boiling heat transfer using Novec-7100 as a working fluid were experimentally investigated. The idea of introducing the concept of anisotropic wettability in boiling experiments draws inspiration from biphilic surfaces. The investigation is also motivated by two-phase immersion cooling, which involves phase-change heat transfer by using dielectric liquid as a working fluid. Very few studies have focused on the effects of surfaces with anisotropic properties on boiling performance. Thus, this study aims to examine the pool boiling heat transfer performance on surfaces with microgroove-induced anisotropic properties under the saturation condition. A femtosecond laser–texturing method was employed to create microgroove surfaces with different groove spacing. The results indicated that anisotropic properties affected the heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux. Relative to the plain surface, microgroove surfaces enhanced the heat transfer performance due to the increased number of bubble nucleation sites and higher bubble detachment frequency. An analysis of bubble dynamics under different surface conditions was conducted with the assistance of high-speed images. The microgroove surface with groove spacing of 100 μm maximally increased the BHTC by 37% compared to the plain surface. Finally, the CHF results derived from experiments were compared with related empirical correlations. Good agreement was achieved between the results and the prediction correlation.

A nanocomposite rod-shaped structure with single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) embedded in polypyrrole (PPy) doped with nonafluorobutanesulfonic acid (C4F), SWCNT/C4F-PPy, was synthesized using emulsion polymerization. The hybrid ink was then directly coated on a polyimide film interdigitated with the Cu/Ni/Au electrodes via a screen-printing technique to create a flexible film sensor. The sensor film showed a response of 1.72% at 25 °C/atmospheric pressure when acetone gas of 5 ppm was injected, which corresponds to almost 95% compared to the Si wafer-based array interdigitated with the Au electrode. Additionally, C4F was used as a hydrophobic dopant of PPy to improve the stability of humidity and to produce a highly sensitive film-type gas sensor that provides stable detection even in humid conditions.

This study explores the significance of active suspension systems for vehicles with lower chassis compared to conventional ones, aiming at the development of future automobiles. Conventional linear MR (Magneto-Rheological) dampers were found inadequate in ensuring sufficient vibration control because the vehicle's chassis becomes lowered in the unmanned vehicles or purposed based vehicles. As an alternative, a rotary type of MR damper is proposed in this work. The proposed damper is designed based on pre-specified design parameters through mathematical modeling and magnetic field analyses. Subsequently, a prototype of the rotary MR damper identical to the design is fabricated, and effectiveness is shown through experimental investigations. In configuring the experiments, a proportional-integral (PI) controller is employed for current control to reduce the response time of the damper. The results presented in this work provides useful guidelines to develop a new type of MR damper applicable to various types of future vehicles’ suspension systems with low distance from the tire to the body floor.

In accordance with regulations set forth by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport in Korea regarding the "Flame Retardant Performance of Building Finishing Materials and Fire Spread Prevention Structure," it is mandated that semi-noncombustible materials have a total heat emission less than 8 MJ/m². Consequently, our study aimed to determine the ideal quantity of flame-retardant treatment required to meet the fire safety standards for Korean larch and Japanese cedar, commonly used exterior materials in Korean construction. To this end, we investigated using a cone calorimeter to observe changes in the THR (Total Heat Released) based on the AFI (Amount of Flame-retardant Impregnation) in Korean larch and Japanese cedar. Our findings indicated that the AFI needed to satisfy the prescribed flame-retardant standard of 8 MJ/m² was THR 299 MJ/m² for Korean larch and THR 526 MJ/m² for Japanese cedar. As a result, we established optimal impregnation levels of flame retardant for both species.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a genetic syndrome characterized by the growth of benign tumors in the nervous system, particularly bilateral vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, and ependymomas. This review consolidates the current knowledge on NF2 syndrome, emphasizing the molecular pathology associated with the mutations in the gene of the same name, the NF2 gene, and the subsequent dysfunction of its product, the Merlin protein. Merlin, a tumor suppressor, integrates multiple signaling pathways that regulate cell contact, proliferation, and motility, thereby influencing tumor growth. The loss of Merlin disrupts these pathways, leading to tumorigenesis. We discuss the roles of another two proteins potentially associated with NF2-deficiency as well as Merlin: Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP), which may promote tumor growth, and Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), which appears to suppress tumor development. Additionally, this review discusses the efficacy of various treatments, such as molecular therapies that target specific pathways or inhibit neomorphic protein-protein interaction caused by NF2-deficiency. This overview not only expands on the fundamental understanding of NF2 pathophysiology but also explores the potential of novel therapeutic targets that affect the clinical approach to NF2 syndrome.

.With the increasing use of carbon fiber reinforced plastics in various area, carbon fiber composites based on prepregs have attracted attention in industries and academia research. However, prepreg manufacturing processes are costly, and the strength of structures varies depending on the orientation and defects (pores and delamination). For non-contact evaluation of internal defects, we proposed lock-in infrared thermography to investigate orientation angles after a compression test. We also conducted a drop-weight impact test to study the behaviour of the composites after impact according the fibers orientation for composite fabricated using unidirectional carbon fiber prepregs. Using CAI tests, we determined the residual compressive strength and confirmed the damage modes using a thermal camera. The results of the drop weight impact tests show that the specimen laminated at 0° suffered the largest damage because of susceptibility of the resin to impact. In contrast, the specimens oriented in of 0°/90° and +45°/–45° directions transferred more than 90% of the impact energy back to the impactor because of the lamination of fibers in the orthogonal directions. Furthermore, the specimens that underwent complete damage in the impact tests were subjected to the lock-in method and showed internal delamination and cut fibers. With the finite elements analysis, the damage of each ply could be observed. Moreover, the temperature differences in the residual compression tests were not significant.

This study investigates the application of frequency augmentation techniques to improve condition-based maintenance (CBM+) systems for airborne weapon systems, focusing on the predictive accuracy of velocity and acceleration parameters. Utilizing MIL-STD-1553B MUX data from 138 sorties of fixed-wing aircraft, we explored six augmentation methods, including traditional interpolations (linear, quadratic, cubic spline) and advanced machine learning models (K-Nearest Neighbor, LSTM, and Bi-LSTM). Our findings indicate that while traditional methods like linear interpolation are more effective for velocity parameters, advanced ML techniques, particularly Bi-LSTM, provide better results for acceleration parameters, which exhibit more complex and rapid variability. The study underscores the necessity of tailoring augmentation approaches to specific parameter characteristics and highlights the potential of ML models in capturing intricate patterns within time-series data. These insights are critical for advancing CBM+ systems in military avionics, enhancing reliability and operational efficiency through improved data processing strategies. Future work should explore more performant augmentation techniques, such as by integrating multi-dimensional datasets, and explore ways to develop automated tools for a more powerful predictive maintenance framework.

This paper proposes two max-pooling engines, named the RTB-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine, with a scalable window size parameter for FPGA-based convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation. The max-pooling operation for the CNN can be decomposed into two stages, i.e., a horizontal axis max-pooling operation and a vertical axis max-pooling operation. These two one-dimensional max-pooling operations are performed by tracking the rank of the values within the window in the RTB-MAXP engine and cascading the maximum operations of the values in CMB-MAXP engine. Both the RBM-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine were implemented using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and verified by simulations. They have been employed for and tested in our CNN accelerator targeting at the CNN model YOLOv4-CSP-S-Leaky for object detection.

Hutchison-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder caused by the mutant protein progerin, which is expressed by the abnormal splicing of LMNA gene. HGPS affects systemic levels, except cognition or brain development in children, showing that cellular aging can occur in the short term. However, the causes of aging that humanity is working to overcome remain poorly understood. Studying progeria could be useful for unraveling the causes of human aging (as well as fatal age-related disorders). Elucidating the clear cause of HGPS or the development of a therapeutic medicine will provide inconceivable comfort for young patients and enable them to live a normal life. This review aimed to: i) briefly describe how progerin was discovered as the causative agent of HGPS, ii) elucidate the puzzling observation of the absence of primary neurological disease in HGPS, iii) present several studies showing the deleterious effects of progerin and the beneficial effects of its inhibition, and iv) summarize research to develop a therapy for HGPS, and introduce clinical trials for its treatment.

Pig behavior is an integral part of health and welfare management, as pigs usually reflect their inner emotions through behavior change. The livestock environment plays a key role in pigs' health and wellbeing. A poor farm environment increases the toxic GHGs, which might deteriorate pigs' health and welfare. In this study a computer-vision-based automatic monitoring and tracking model was proposed to detect short-term pigs' physical activities in a compromised environment. The ventilators of the livestock barn were closed for an hour, three times in a day (07:00-08:00, 13:00-14:00, and 20:00-21:00) to create a compromised environment, which increases the GHGs level significantly. The corresponding pig activities were observed before, during, and after an hour of the treatment. Two widely used object detection models (YOLOv4 and Fast-er R-CNN) were trained and compared their performances in terms of pig localization and posture detection. The YOLOv4, which outperformed the Faster R-CNN model, coupled with a Deep-SORT tracking algorithm to detect and track the pig activities. The results showed that the pigs became more inactive with the increase in GHG concentration, reducing their standing and walking activities. Moreover, the pigs also shortened their sternal-lying posture increasing the lateral lying posture duration at higher GHG concentration. The high detection accuracy (mAP: 98.67%) and tracking accuracy (MOTA: 93.86% and MOTP: 82.41%) signify the models’ efficacy in monitoring and tracking pigs' physical activities non-invasively.

Aim: To improve risk stratification in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC), we performed mo-lecular classification, and L1CAM immunohistochemistry (IHC) for additional risk assessment. Method: We analyzed archival tumor tissue from 247 early-stage EC patients. POLE mutations were detected using a Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay and Sanger sequencing, while the mismatch repair (MMR) status was determined by MMR protein IHC and MSI test. Additionally, we conducted IHC of p53 and L1CAM. Results: The 247 ECs were categorized into four subgroups: POLE-mutated (13.0%), MMR-deficient (27.9%), p53-abnormal (8.5%), and non-specific molecular profile (NSMP, 50.6%). We further subcategorized NSMP subgroup into NSMP-L1CAMneg (44.9%) and NSMP-L1CAMpos (5.7%), which we refer to as the molecu-lar-L1CAM classification. The molecular-L1CAM classification was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) (p <0.001, each). Similarly, the simplified L1CAM-p53 categorization, for practical use, remained an independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS (p <0.001, p =0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Integrating the molecu-lar-L1CAM classification or the simplified L1CAM/p53 categorization can enhance risk stratifi-cation in early-stage EC, providing valuable prognostic information to guide treatment deci-sions and improve patient outcomes.

Cellular immunotherapy has recently emerged as a fourth pillar in cancer treatment co-joining surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Where, the discovery of immune checkpoint blockage or inhibition (ICB/ICI), anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA4-based, therapy has revolutionized the class of cancer treatment at a different level. However, still some cancer patient escape this immune surveillance mechanism and become resistant to ICB-therapy. Therefore, a more advanced or an alternative treatment is required instantly. Despite the functional importance of epitranscriptomics in diverse clinico-biological practices, its role in improving the efficacy of ICB therapeutics has been limited. Consequently, our study encapsulates the evidences, as a possible strategy, to improve the efficacy of ICB-therapy by co-targeting molecular checkpoints especially N6A-modification machineries which could be reformed into RNA modifying drugs (RMD). Here, we have explained the mechanism of individual RNA-modifiers (editor/writer, eraser/remover and effector/reader) in overcoming the issues associated with high-dose antibody toxicities and drug-resistance. Moreover, we have shed light on the importance of suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS/CISH) and microRNAs in improving the efficacy of ICB-therapy, with brief insight on the current monoclonal antibodies undergoing clinical trials or already approved against several solid tumor and metastatic cancers. We anticipate our investigation will encourage researchers and clinicians to further strengthen the efficacy of ICB-therapeutics by considering the importance of epitranscriptomics as a personalized medicine.

Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a severe problem for public health. Developing new antibiotics for MDR bacteria is difficult, from inception to the clinically approved stage. Here, we have used a new approach; we have modified the antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (CFX), with triphenylphosphonium (TPP, PPh3) moiety via ester- (CFX-ester-PPh3) and amide-coupling (CFX-ester-PPh3), to target bacterial membranes. In this study, we have evaluated the antibacterial activities of CFX and its derivatives against 16 species of bacteria, including MDR bacteria, using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay, morphological monitoring, and expression of resistance-related genes. TPP-conjugated CFX, CFX-ester-PPh3 and CFX-amide-PPh3 showed significantly improved antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, including MDR S. aureus (MRSA) strains. The MRSA ST5 5016 strain showed high antibacterial activity, with an MIC values of 11.12 µg/mL for CFX-ester-PPh3 and 2.78 µg/mL for CFX-amide-PPh3. The CFX derivatives inhibited biofilm formation in MRSA by more than 74.9% of CFX-amide-PPh3. In the sub-MIC, CFX derivates induced significant morphological changes in MRSA, including irregular deformation and membrane disruption, accompanied by a decrease in the level of resistance-related gene expression. With these promising results, this method is very likely to combat MDR bacteria, through a simple TPP moiety modification of known antibiotics, which can be readily prepared at clinical sites.

In urban area, one of the great problem is the rise of temperature, which leads to form the urban heat island effect. This paper refers to the trend of the urban surface temperature extracted from the Landsat images from which to consider changes in the formation of surface urban heat island for the north of Ho Chi Minh city in period 1995-2015. Research has identified land surface temperature from thermal infrared band, according to the ability of the surface emission based on characteristics of normalized difference vegetation index NDVI. The results showed that temperature fluctuated over the city with a growing trend and the gradual expansion of the area of the high-temperature zone towards the suburbs. Within 20 years, the trend of the formation of surface urban heat island with two typical locations showed a clear difference between the surface temperature of urban areas and rural areas with space expansion of heat island in 4 times in 2015 compared to 1995. An extreme heat island located in the inner city has an area of approximately 18% compared to the total area of the region. Since then, the solution to reduce the impact of urban heat island has been proposed, in order to protect the urban environment and the lives of residents in Ho Chi Minh City becoming better

The vascular endothelium is key target for immune, and thrombotic responses that has to be controlled in successful xenotransplantation. Several genes were identified that if induced or overexpressed help to regulate the inflammatory response and preserve the transplanted organ function and metabolism. However, few studies addressed combined expression of such genes. The aim of this work was to evaluate in vivo the effects of the simultaneous expression of a three human genes in a mouse generated using the multi-cistronic F2A technology. Male 3-month-old mice that express human heme oxygenase 1 (hHO-1), ecto-5’-nucleotidase (hE5NT), and ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (hENTPD1) (Transgenic) were compared to wild-type FVB mice (Control). Background analysis include extracellular nucleotide catabolism enzymes profile on the aortic surface, blood nucleotide concentration and serum L-arginine metabolites. Furthermore, inflammatory stress induced by LPS in transgenic and control mice was used to characterize interleukin 6 (IL-6) and adhesion molecules endothelium permeabil-ity responses. Transgenic mice had significantly higher rates of extracellular adenosine triphosphate and adenosine monophosphate hydrolysis on the aortic surface in comparison to control. Increased levels of blood AMP and adenosine were also noticed in transgenics. Moreover, transgenic ani-mals demonstrated the decrease in serum monomethyl-L-arginine level and a higher L-arginine/ monomethyl-L-arginine ratio. Importantly, significantly decreased serum IL-6, and adhesion mol-ecule levels were observed in transgenic mice in comparison to control after LPS treatment. Fur-thermore, reduced endothelial permeability in the LPS-treated transgenic mice was noted as com-pared to LPS-treated control. The human enzymes (hHO-1, hE5NT, hENTPD1) simultaneously encoded in transgenic mice demonstrated benefits in sev-eral biochemical and functional aspects of endothelium. This is consistent in use of this approach in the context of xenotransplantation.

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the most crowded city and economic hub of Viet Nam, has been experiencing land subsidence over the past decades. This effort aims to contribute the spatial distribution of subsidence in HCMC in its horizontal and vertical components using synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) time series. To this purpose, an advanced Persistent Scatterers and Distributed Scatterers (PSDS) InSAR technique was applied to two European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-1 datasets consisting of 96 ascending and 202 descending images, acquired from 2014 to 2020 over the HCMC area. A time series of 33 COSMO-SkyMed ascending images was also used for comparison. The combination of ascending and descending satellite passes is used to decompose the light of sight velocities into horizontal east-west and vertical components. Taking into account the presence of east-west horizontal motion, our findings indicate that the accuracy of the decomposed vertical velocity can be improved by up to 3 mm/year for Sentinel-1 data. The obtained results revealed that subsidence is most pronounced in the areas along the Sai Gon River, in the northwest-southeast axis, and in the southwest of the city, with a maximum value of 80 mm/yr, which is in accordance with the findings of the literature. The amplitude of east-west horizontal velocities is relatively small and large-scale eastward movement can be observed in the west of the city at a rate of 3-5 mm/yr. This confirmed that the displacement in Ho Chi Minh City area is mainly vertical downward. Together, these results reinforced the remarkable suitability of ESA's SAR Sentinel-1 for subsidence applications, even for non-European countries such as Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel transfer learning regularization method based on knowledge distillation. Recently, transfer learning methods have been used in various fields. However, the problems such as knowledge loss still occur during the process of transfer learning to a new target dataset. To solve these problems, there are various regularization methods based on knowledge distillation techniques. In this paper, we propose a transfer learning regularization method based on feature map alignment used in the field of knowledge distillation. The proposed method is composed of two attention based submodules: self-pixel attention (SPA) and global channel attention (GCA). The self-pixel attention submodule utilizes both the feature maps of the source and target models, so that it provides an opportunity to jointly consider the features of the target and the knowledge of the source. The global channel attention submodule determines the importance of channels through all layers, unlike the existing methods that calculate these only within a single layer. Accordingly, transfer learning regularization is performed by considering both the internal of each single layer and the depth of the entire layer. Consequently, the proposed method using both of these submodules showed overall improved classification accuracy than the existing methods in classification experiments on commonly used dataset.

.Purpose: This paper presents a comparative analysis of state-of-the-art DIR algorithms in the context of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: We used a dataset of head and neck cancer patients within the Cancer Image Archive, which includes 31 patients with 3D CT image data from pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment stages of radiotherapy. We applied DIR algorithms to two datasets, one for pre-treatment to mid-treatment registration and another for mid-treatment to post-treatment registration, by aligning one CT image to another CT image. To quantitatively analyze the patient data, we focused on the spinal cord, optic nerve, brain stem, cochlea, and PTV as the OAR datasets. To verify the DIR algorithm, we used two non-learning-based methods, SyN and NiftyReg, as well as three deep learning-based methods, Voxelmorph, Cyclemorph, and Transmorph. We trained a deep learning model by adjusting the ratio of the training dataset, validation dataset, and test dataset to 7:1:2. Results: The average DSCs of SyN and NiftyReg, the non-learning-based methods, were 0.74±0.06 and 0.70±0.12, respectively. The deep learning-based methods, Voxelmorph, Cyclemorph, and Transmorph, had average DSCs of 0.72±0.08, 0.68±0.11, and 0.69±0.13, respectively. The deep learning DIR algorithm produced transformed outputs of OAR/PTV in a shorter time than other models, including commercial and conventional mathematical algorithms (At Inference(sec/images), Voxelmorph: 0.36, Cyclemorph: 0.3, Transmorph: 5.1, SyN: 140, NiftyReg: 40.2). Conclusions: In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive comparison of commercial DIR algorithms with traditional and deep learning-based DIR methods. Our results demonstrate that commercial DIR algorithms outperform traditional DIR methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency. However, we also show that deep learning-based DIR methods have the potential to achieve similar performance to commercial algorithms with proper training and optimization. Our findings suggest that both commercial and deep learning-based DIR methods have their respective advantages and limitations, and the choice of method should depend on the specific requirements of the clinical application. Overall, our study contributes to ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy and efficiency of DIR methods for better patient outcomes.

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis with its five-year survival rate lower than that of any other cancer type because it is difficult to detect in the early stages. Gemcitabine, a standard treatment for pancreatic cancer, often has poor outcomes for patients as a result of chemoresistance. Therefore, novel therapeutic targets must be identified to overcome gemcitabine-resistance. Here, we found that SLC38A5, a glutamine transporter, is more highly overexpressed in gemcitabine-resistant patients than in gemcitabine-sensitive patients. Furthermore, the deletion of SLC38A5 decreased the proliferation and migration of gemcitabine-resistant PDAC cells. We also found that the inhibition of SLC38A5 triggered the ferroptosis signaling pathway via RNA sequencing. Also, silencing SLC38A5 induced mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced glutamine uptake and glutathione (GSH) levels, and downregulated the expressions of GSH-related genes NRF2 and GPX4. The blockade of glutamine uptake negatively modulated the mTOR-SREBP1-SCD1 signaling pathway. Therefore, suppression of SLC38A5 triggers ferroptosis via two pathways that regulate lipid ROS levels. Similarly, we observed knockdown of SLC38A5 restored gemcitabine sensitivity by hindering tumor growth and metastasis in the orthotopic mouse model. Altogether, our results demonstrated that SLC38A5 could be a novel therapeutic target to overcome gemcitabine-resistance in PDAC therapy.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is considered the initial treatment for lung cancer patients with small-sized and limited number of brain metastases. The objective of this study was to assess clinical outcomes of SRS treatment using CyberKnife (CK) for recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class II/III patients with one to three brain metastases from lung cancer and identify which patients in the high RPA class could benefit from SRS. A total of 48 lung cancer patients who received CK-based SRS for their metastatic brain lesions from 2010 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Radiographic response was evaluated during follow-up period. Overall survival (OS) and intracranial progression-free survival (IPFS) were calculated and prognostic variables associated with OS and IPFS were evaluated. Median follow-up time was 6.6 months. Local control rates at 6 months and 1-year following SRS were 98% and 92%, respectively. The median OS of all patients was 8 months. One-year and 2-year OS rates were 40.8% and 20.9%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, uncontrolled primary disease (p = 0.008) and ECOG performance status of 2 or 3 (p = 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for inferior OS. These two factors were also significantly associated with inferior IPFS. In subgroup analysis according to RPA class, primary disease status was the only prognostic factor, showing statistically significant OS differences in both RPA class II and III (controlled vs. uncontrolled: 41.1 vs. 12.3 months in RPA class II, p = 0.031; 26.9 vs. 4.1 months in RPA class III, p = 0.011). Our results indicated that SRS could be an effective treatment option for RPA class II/III patients with brain metastases from lung cancer in the modern treatment era. SRS might be particularly considered for patients with controlled primary disease.

Ongoing climate change causes abnormal climate events worldwide such as increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. With South Korea facing growing damage from the increased frequency of localized heavy rains, the country is not an exception. In particular, its steep slope lands, including mountainous areas, are vulnerable to damage from landslides and debris flows. In addition, localized short-term heavy rains that occur in urban areas with extremely high intensity tend to lead a sharp increase in damage from soil-related disasters and cause huge losses of life and property. Currently, South Korea predicts landslides and debris flows using the standards for forecasting landslides and heavy rains. However, as the forecasting is conducted separately for rainfall intensity and accumulated rainfall, this lacks a technique that reflects both amount and intensity of rainfall in an episode of localized heavy rainfall. This study, therefore, aims to develop such a technique by collecting past cases of debris flow occurrences and rainfall events that accompanied debris flows to calculate the rainfall triggering index (RTI) reflecting accumulated rainfall and rainfall intensity. In addition, the RTI is converted into the critical accumulated rainfall (Rc) to use precipitation information and provide real-time forecasting. The study classifies the standards for flow debris forecasting into three levels: ALERT (10%–50%), WARNING (50%–70%), and EMERGENCY (70% or higher), to provide a nomogram for 6 hr, 12 hr, and 24 hr. As a result of applying this classification into the actual cases of Seoul, Chuncheon, and Cheongju, it is found that about 2–4 hr of response time is secured from the point of the Emergency level to the occurrence of debris flows.

As climate changes, our daily life has been much influenced by abnormal meteorological phenomena such as heavy rainfall, heat wave, heavy snowfall, and fine dust. Atmospheric air quality is worsening day by day and indoor air quality is also affected by interconnected daily activities throughout the inside and outside of buildings and houses. Nowadays, pollutants from various sources are emitted, transformed by sunlight, vapor, and ozone and transported into the city from country to country. Due to these reasons, there have been high demands to monitor the transportation of particulate matters and improve air quality. Monitoring of pollutants and identification of type and its concentration enables us to track and control its generation and consequently find out the solution. However, monitoring of pollutants, especially, particulate matter generation and its transportation is still not fully operated in atmospheric air due to its open nature and meteorological factors. Even though indoor air is relatively easy to monitor and control than outdoor in the aspect of specific volume and contaminant source, but it still needs to consider the meteorological parameters because indoor air is not fully separated from the outdoor air flow and contaminants transportation. In this study, optical approach using spectral sensor was attempted to reveal the feasibility of wavelength and chromaticity values of reflected light from specific particles. From the analysis of reflected light of various particulate matters according to different liquid additives, parameter studies were performed to investigate which experimental conditions can contribute to the enhanced selective sensing of particulate matters. Five different particulate matters such as household dust, soil, talc powder, gypsum powder and yellow pine tree pollen were utilized and observed to elucidate the relationship between property of particulate matter and detected light spectrum. Applicable approaches to assist current particle matter sensors and improve the selective sensing were suggested.

Field experiments were carried out during 2011-2014 at the Research and Experimental Center to Combating Desertification located in the Elsen Tasarkhai station of central Mongolia. The study was aimed to identify the effects of oxidized brown coal humic acid fertilizer on the relative growth rate of several trees for forest rehabilitation. The trees used were Populus sibirica, Salix ledebouriana and Acer tataricum. The experiment was carried out with the concentrations of 2,000, 10,000 and 20,000 mg L-1 of humic acid fertilization treatments. The measurement of relative height growth rate (RHGR) was conducted for a period of 4 years. The treatments showed significant differences within humic fertilizer concentrations which differed depending on the species. Compared to the monthly RHGR over the study, the treatment of fertilizers were significantly better for tree growth. P. sibirica in the 10,000 and 20,000 mg L-1 humic acid fertilizers had significant height growth rates. In addition, when the humic acid treatments were compared to control, A. tataricum decreased over the years which were statistically significant for high growth rate and a positive effect of humic acid fertilization treatments was observed. Furthermore, results showed that oxidized brown coal humic acid fertilizers as organic fertilizer can have a positive effect for the growth of A. tataricum during the study years. The results showed that the soil chemical properties EC, CO2, NO3, and K2O were significant among all the treatments compared to the control. The effect on P2O5 statistically significantly increased among all the treatments. However, pH and Mg were not significant effect among all the treatments. Combining the results obtained from the oxidized brown coal humic acid fertilization with sustainable land management practices can help improve soil organics for environmental issues in degraded sandy soil regions.

The perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been significantly improved by utilizing inorganic hole transporting layer (HTL), such as nickel oxide. Despite the promising properties, there are still limitations due to defects. Recently, research on self-assembled monolayers (SAM) is being actively conducted, which show promise in reducing defects and enhancing device performance. In this study, we successfully engineered a p-i-n perovskite solar cell structure utilizing HC-A1 and HC-A4 molecules. These SAM molecules were found to enhance the grain morphology and uniformity of the perovskite film, which are critical factors in determining optical properties and device performance. Notably, HC-A4 demonstrated superior performance due to its distinct hydrophilic properties with a contact angle of 50.3°, attributable to its unique functional groups. Overall, the HC-A4 applied film exhibited efficient carrier extraction properties, attaining a carrier lifetime of 117.33 ns. Furthermore, HC-A4 contributed the superior device performance with its favorable band alignment, achieving the highest device efficiency of 20%.

Since first described by Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, the clinical diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) has remained relatively unchanged. However, studies since then have suggested that diagnoses using only that original clinical criteria may lead to underdiagnosis. In this review, updated KD diagnostic methods, diagnostic methods for “atypical” KD, diagnostic pitfalls, and other differential diagnoses are discussed. Peripheral blood eosinophil showed important in distinguishing KD from febrile children. We review herein the current literature regarding new biomarkers, scoring systems, and microRNA panels that may aid in the diagnosis of KD, the importance of eosinophil and treatment updates.

Whole blood viscosity, a hemorheological factor, is currently used for diagnosis, as it is correlated with various vascular diseases that are difficult to diagnose early with a general blood test. It was determined that it was necessary to set reference intervals for further studies and utilization of whole blood viscosity in cats, a representative companion animal, and this study was conducted. 50 healthy cats were recruited for the study and whole blood viscosity, complete blood count, and serum chemistry tests were performed. The reference intervals of whole blood viscosity were 15.169 to 43.684 cP at a shear rate of 1 s-1 reflecting diastole, and 3.524 to 5.544 cP at a shear rate of 300 s-1 reflecting systole. Red blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, white blood cells, and neutrophils in the complete blood count, and total protein, albumin, globulin, and cholesterol in the serum chemistry were significantly correlated with whole blood viscosity. The results of this study set reference intervals of whole blood viscosity for healthy cats in a wide shear rate range that has not yet been fully established and investigated its correlation with other blood indicators.

The emergence of diverse infections worldwide, which is a serious global threat to human existence, necessitate the urgent development of novel therapeutic candidates that can combat these diseases with efficacy. Isatin, a secondary metabolite from tryptophan is considered a privileged scaffold and favorable pharmacophore with a unique structural moiety and varied chemical and biological properties resulting in its widespread applications by medicinal chemists. Molecular hybridization is one of the most common and important techniques use in the synthesis of their bioactive hybrids in drug discovery. This review containing published articles from 2005 to 2022 focuses on isatin hybrids which have been synthesized and reported in the literature alongside a discussion on their biological properties. The purpose of this review is to set up the direction for the design and development of isatin-hybrids with tailored biological properties as effective therapeutic candidates inspired by nature.

The structure characterization of two new polysaccharides from Agrocybe aegerita (AA-P) and Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus (HO-P) by HPGPC, GC-MS, NMR and FT-IR indicated that AA-P was composed of Galactose, Glucose and Arabinose, in the ratio of 3:2:1. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→4)-Arap, (1→4,6)-Glup and (1→6)-Galp with one branched chain. The HO-P was consisted of mannose, galactose and glucose in a ratio of 1:1:2. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→6)-Galactose residues, (→1)-glucose residues, (1→4)-glucose residues and (1→4,6)-D-mannose residues. There were two branched chains connected to the main chain. AA-P and HO-P had the best stimulation effect on B cells and RAW264.7 cells, respectively, and could both mainly by impacting and reducing G0/G1 phase which lead to a significant proliferation of B cells, T cells and RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AA-P and HO-P could significantly promote the secretion of TNF-α from T cells, the secretion of IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM from B cells, and the secretion of TNF-α from RAW264.7 cells, but neither of them could impact the secretion of IL-1β from RAW264.7 cells.

Recycling waste products is an environmental-friendly activity that can bring benefits to accompany, saving manufacturing costs and improving economic efficiency. For the beer industry, recycling bottles can reduce manufacturing costs and reduce the industry's carbon footprint. This paper presents a model for a multi-objective collection-distribution center location and allocation problem in a closed loop supply chain for the beer industry, in which the objective is to minimize total costs and transportation pollution. Uncertainties in the form of randomness and fuzziness are jointly handled in this paper to ensure a more practical problem solution, for which returned bottle sand unusable bottles are considered fuzzy random variables. A heuristic algorithm based on priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization (pb-glnPSO) is applied to ensure reliable solutions for this NP-hard problem. A case study on a beer operation company is conducted to illustrate the application of the proposed model and demonstrate the priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization.

Ehretia laevis Roxb. (Boraginaceae) has been extensively used as a traditional remedy for the treatment of a diverse range of ailments related to the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, the reproductive system, and against several infections. This review critically assesses and documents, for the first time, the fragmented information on E. laevis, including its botanical description, folklore uses, bioactive phytometabolites and pharmacological activities. The goal is to explore this plant therapeutically. Ethnomedicinal surveys reveal that E. laevis has been used by tribal communities in Asian countries for the treatment of various disorders. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical investigations of E. laevis showed the presence of important phytoconstituents such as pentacyclic triterpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids, steroids, alkaloids, aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbons, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Fresh plant parts, crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds have been reported to exhibit broad spectrum of therapeutic activities viz., antioxidant, antiarthritic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antidiarrheal, antidysenteric, wound healing and anti-infective activities. E. laevis is shown to be an excellent potential source of drugs for the mitigation of jaundice, asthma, dysentery, ulcers, diarrhea, ringworm, eczema, diabetes, fissure, syphilis, cuts and wounds, inflammation, liver problems, venereal and infectious disorders. Although few investigations authenticated its traditional uses but employed uncharacterized crude extracts of the plant, the major concerns raised are reproducibility of therapeutic efficacy and safety of plant material. The outcomes of limited pharmacological screening and reported bioactive compounds of E. laevis suggest that there is an urgent need for in-depth pharmacological investigations of the plant.

The Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO)-MAGnetometer (KMAG) consists of three triaxial fluxgate sensors (MAG1, MAG2, and MAG3) to measure the magnetic field around the Moon. The three sensors are mounted in the order of MAG3, MAG2, and MAG1 inside a 1.2 m long boom away from the satellite body. Before it arrived on the Moon, we compared the magnetic field measurements taken by DSCOVR and KPLO in the solar wind to verify the measurement performance of the KMAG instrument. We found that there were artificial disturbances in the KMAG measurement data, such as step-like and spike-like disturbances, which were produced by the spacecraft body. To remove spacecraft-generated disturbances, we applied a multi-sensor method, employing the gradiometer technique and principal component analysis and using KMAG magnetic field data and confirmed the successful elimination of spacecraft-generated disturbances. This indicates that the multi-sensor method is able to clean the magnetic field data measured onboard the KPLO.

We study the Gaudin models with gl(1|1) symmetry that are twisted by a diagonal matrix and defined on tensor products of polynomial evaluation gl(1|1)[t]-modules, extending all the results of to the twisted case. Namely, we give an explicit description of the algebra of Hamiltonians (Gaudin Hamiltonians) acting on tensor products of polynomial evaluation gl(1|1)[t]-modules and show that there exists a bijection between common eigenvectors (up to proportionality) of the algebra of Hamiltonians and monic divisors of an explicit polynomial written in terms of the highest weights and evaluation parameters. In particular, our result implies that each common eigenspace of the algebra of Hamiltonians has dimension one. We also give dimensions of the generalized eigenspaces.

Most research findings in Ghana and all over the globe lay much emphasis on the technical knowledge of plastics; especially giving preference to the biodegradable over the synthetic/Single-Use plastics. Questionnaires were administered to about 200 respondents in the Ho Municipality out of which 163 responses were filled and returned. Results showed that of all the variables tested only Legislative Framework has a meaningful impact on the behaviour of Ho indigenes. Awareness level: (Synthetic Plastics and Biodegradable Plastics) as well as Attitudinal Change do not influence people’s behaviour when using plastics. Findings from this study are further discussed and recommendations were proffered to instil eco-friendly behaviour among people.

This paper comprehensively reviews sensors and sensing devices developed or/and proposed so far utilizing two smart materials: electrorheological fluids (ERFs) and magnetorheological materials (MRMs) whose rheological characteristics such as stiffness and damping can be controlled by external stimuli, an electrical voltage for ERFs and a magnetic field for MRMs, respectively. In this review article, the MRMs are classified into magnetorheological fluid (MRF), magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) and magnetorheological plastomer (MRP). To easily understand the history of sensing research using the two smart materials, the order of this review article is organized in a chronological manner of ERF sensors, MRF sensors, MRE sensors and MRP sensors. Among many sensors fabricated from each smart material, one or two sensors or sensing devices are adopted to discuss on the sensing configuration, working principle and specifications such as accuracy and sensitivity. Some sensors adopted in this article include force sensor, tactile device, strain sensor, wearable bending sensor, magnetometer, display device and flux measurement sensor. After briefly describing what have been reviewed in a conclusion, several challenging future works, which should be done for practical applications as sensors or sensing devices, are remarked in terms of new technologies such as artificial intelligence neural network in which several parameters affecting the sensor signals can be precisely tuned or controlled. It is sure that this review article is very helpful to make creative sensors using not only the proposed smart materials but also several different types of smart materials including shape memory alloys and active polymers.

With the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is a need for efficient management of patients with mild or no symptoms, which account for the majority. The aim of this study is to introduce the structure and operation protocol of a living and treatment support centre (LTSC) operated by Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea. The existing accommodation facility was converted into a 'patient centre' where patients was isolated. A few Medical staff here performed medical tests and responded to emergencies. Another part of the LTSC was 'remote monitoring centre'. In this center, patients’ self-measured vital signs and symptoms were monitored twice a day, and the medical staff staying here provided video-consultation via a smartphone. During the 3 weeks from March 5 to March 26, 2020, 113 patients were admitted and treated. LTSC could be an efficient alternative to hospital admission in pandemic situation like COVID-19.

Although numerous citrus varieties have recently been developed to enhance their quality, information on their quality characteristics is limited. We assessed the quality characteristics of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, by evaluating its appearance, storability, sensory properties, functionality, and metabolite profiles and comparing these characteristics with those of its parent varieties: Haruka and Kiyomi. The metabolite profiles between the citrus varieties differed significantly, resulting in distinct physicochemical and functional qualities. The storability of Yellowball was significantly increased compared with that of its parent varieties owing to its strong antifungal activity and unique peel morphology, including the stoma and albedo layers. While we did not investigate the volatile compounds, overall functional activities, and detailed characteristics of each metabolite, our data provide valuable insights into the relationship between citrus metabolites, peel morphology, physicochemical properties, and storability and demonstrate the potential of Yellowball as a promising variety in the citrus industry.

The Vu Gia - Thu Bon River Basin (VG-TB) is confronting numerous challenges related to water security (WS), particularly in the face of the impacts of climate change. These challenges manifest in salinity intrusion, altered rainfall patterns, and reduced water supply in downstream areas. To assess the current state of water security in the basin, the study employed statistical analysis methods, Process Analysis Method (PAM), SMART, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to develop a comprehensive Assessment Framework for Water Security (AFWS) in the VG-TB. The AFWS encompasses five key dimensions, 17 indicators, and 28 variables, aligning with the UN-Water definition of water security and addressing the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) criteria for global water sustainability. It also adheres to the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) approach to water security assessment as outlined in the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) reports. This allows for the computation of a comprehensive Water Security Index (WSI) for specific regions, serving as a foundation for decision-making and policy formulation aimed at enhancing water security in the context of climate change and facilitating sustainable basin development in the future.

In this research, we developed a wearable temperature-sensing element by dip dyeing threads in poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (p-type conducting polymer) solution. The PEDOT:PSS was used to dye the textile and it exhibited negative temperature coefficient characteristics in which the resistance decreases as the temperature increases. The fabricated temperature-detection thread achieved a sensitivity of 167.1 W/°C with 99.8% linearity in the temperature range of -50 to 80 °C. We anticipate that temperature sensors that apply our technology will be made as stitch- or textile-type for wearable devices, and they will be widely adopted for different applications such as in fitness, leisure, healthcare, medical treatment, infotainment, industry, and military applications, among others.

Blood image intensity has been used to detect erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). However, it does not give an information on biophysical properties of blood sample under continuous ESR. In this study, three physical properties, including, τ₀, ESR_τ, and AI_I, are suggested to quantify mechanical variations of blood under continuous ESR. To demonstrate the proposed method, blood sample is loaded into a driving syringe. The blood flow rate is set in a periodic on–off pattern. Blood sample is then supplied into a capillary chip, and microscopic blood images are captured at specific intervals. Blood shear stress is quantified from the interface of blood stream in the coflowing channel. Both τ₀ and ESR_τ are then obtained by analyzing the blood shear stress. Simultaneously, the AI_I is evaluated by analyzing the image intensity of blood flow. According to the experimental results, the τ₀ exhibits consistent trends with respect to hematocrit as well as diluent. The ESR_τ and AI_I showed a reciprocal relationship each other. Three suggested properties represented substantial differences for suspended blood samples (i.e., hardened red blood cells, different concentration of dextran solution and fibrinogen). In conclusion, the present method can detect variations of blood sample under continuous ESR effectively.

Exergy analysis evaluates the efficiency of system components by quantifying the rate of entropy generation. In general, the exergy destruction rate or irreversibility rate was directly obtained through the exergy-balance equation. However, this method cannot determine the origin of the component's entropy generation rate, which is a very important factor in system design and improvement. In this study, a thorough energy, exergy thermoeconomic analysis of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was performed, providing the heat transfer rate, entropy generation rate and cost loss rate of each component. The irreversibility rate of each component is obtained by the Gouy-Stodolar theorem. Detailed and extensive exergy and thermoeconomic analyses of PEMFC system have determined that water cooling units experience the greatest heat transfer among the components in the studied PEMFC system, resulting in the greatest irreversibility and thus the greatest monetary flow loss.

Despite numerous studies on cancer treatment, cancer remains a challenging disease to cure, even after decades of research. In recent years, cancer vaccine has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, offering few unexpected side effects compared to existing therapies. How-ever, cancer vaccine faces obstacles to commercialization due to its low efficacy. Particularly, the Toll-like receptor (TLR) adjuvant system, specifically the TLR 7/8 agonist, has shown potential for activating Th1 immunity, which stimulates both innate and adaptive immune responses through T cells. In this study, we developed ProLNG-S, a cholesterol-conjugated form of resiquimod (R848), to enhance immune efficacy by stimulating the immune system and reducing toxicity. ProLNG-S was formulated as ProLNG-001, a positively charged liposome, and co-administered with oval-bumin (OVA) protein in the B16-OVA model. ProLNG-001 effectively targeted secondary lym-phoid organs, resulting in a robust systemic anti-tumor immune response and tumor-specific T cell activation. Consequently, ProLNG-001 demonstrated potential for preventing tumor progression and improving survival compared to AS01 by enhancing anti-tumor immunity.

Corresponding to the principles of biological synapses, an essential prerequisite for hardware neural networks using electronics devices is continuous regulation of conductance. We implemented artificial synaptic characteristics in a (GeTe/Sb2Te3)16 iPCM with a superlattice structure under optimized identical pulse trains. Based on atomically controlling the Ge switch in the phase transition that appears in the GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice structure, multiple conductance states were implemented by applying the appropriate electrical pulses. Furthermore, we found that the bidirectional switching behavior of a (GeTe/Sb2Te3)16 iPCM can achieve a desired resistance level using the pulse width. Therefore, we also fabricated a Ge2Sb2Te5 PCM and designed a pulse scheme based on the phase transition mechanism to compare to the (GeTe/Sb2Te3)16 iPCM. We designed an identical pulse scheme that implements linear and symmetrical LTP and LTD based on the iPCM mechanism. As a result, the (GeTe/Sb2Te3)16 iPCM showed relatively excellent synaptic characteristics by implementing gradual conductance modulation, a nonlinearity value of 0.32, and LTP/LTD 40 conductance states using identical pulses trains. Our results demonstrate the general applicability of the artificial synaptic device for potential use in neuro-inspired computing and next generation non-volatile memory.

Parasitic diseases continue represent a threat on a global scale, particularly among the poorest countries in the world. This is particularly because of the absence of vaccines, and in some cases, resistance against available drugs, currently being used for their treatment. In this review emphasis is laid on natural products and scaffolds from African medicinal plants (AMPs) for lead drug discovery and possible further development of drugs for the treatment of parasitic diseases. In the discussion, emphasis has been laid on alkaloids, terpenoids, quinones, flavonoids and narrower compound classes of compounds with micromolar range activities against Schistosoma, Trypanosoma and Leishmania species. Suggestions for future drug development from African medicinal plants have also been provided.

This study is the first to investigate the asymmetric effects of oil price volatility on stock returns for the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE). We utilized weekly series of VN30-Index, WTI crude oil prices, geopolitical risks (GPR) index and gold prices spanning from 6 February 2012 to 31 December 2023 as data sources. Using a nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) bounds testing approach, we found that in the short-term, oil price volatility has negative asymmetric effects on the market returns. Specifically, in the short-term, a one percent increase in oil price volatility immediately leads to a 2,6868 percent decrease in the market returns while a similar magnitude decrease in oil price volatility is associated with 6.3180 percent increase in the market returns. In addition, the results obtained from the NARDL model indicated that, in the long-term, the negative and positive changes of oil price volatility have significantly negative effects on the market returns. Finally, the findings derived from the error correction model (ECM) show that 98.21 percent of the disequilibria from the previous week are converged and corrected back to the long-term equilibrium in the current week.

This paper examines the relationship between the ratio of independent board member to the financial performance of the company under the mediation of the three pillars of environment, society, and governance (ESG) in Taiwan. The study addresses a research gap between independent directors and corporate financial performance, an issue that is rarely discussed today. The author develops the hypotheses and tests them by applying panel data regression to the data tables taken from the Thomson Reuters Eikon database to analyze data on 173 Taiwanese companies that reported ESG from 2009 to 2021. The results show that the relationship between the ratio of independent directors and financial performance has a positive relationship. At the same time, the 3 pillars of ESG also clearly show the intermediary role in this relationship. Finally, this study provides additional insights into the relationship between the ratio of independent directors and financial performance in the Taiwan context.

Surgical techniques are gaining attention for treating physical diseases in aquaculture and aquarium fish. Sturgeon is a suitable species for surgical experiments due to its industrial significance. Maintaining homeostasis is crucial during surgical procedures, and the liver plays a major role in immune regulation. High temperature is suggested to improve physiological activity and wound healing. This study investigated differences in hepatectomy sturgeons' tolerance and histopathological responses of internal organs. Moreover, this study investigated the effects of high temperature on wound healing and hematopoietic recovery in fish undergoing surgical procedures. The liver condition was found to play a pivotal role in the analysis, and cortisol levels were affected by anesthesia. The results showed that high temperature facilitated hematopoietic recovery and wound healing, but excessive induction of physiological activity caused damage. Managing high temperatures and liver condition induced a remarkable improvement in wound healing. However, anesthesia itself can be a significant stressor for fish, and wound healing requires a greater amount of energy. Further research is needed to understand the stress factors caused by surgical procedures and anesthesia and to promote animal welfare in fisheries products.

In this study, the literature on varnish contamination is investigated among the various con-taminations of lubricant. As the period of use of lubricant increases, the lubricant deteriorates and becomes contaminated. The varnish causes filter plugging, sticking of hydraulic valves and fuel injection pumps, obstruction of flow, reduction of clearance, poor heater and cooler perfor-mance, and increase of friction and wear in various lubrication systems. These problems also cause mechanical system failure, performance degradation, and increased maintenance and re-pair cost. To improve the problems causes by the varnish, an adequate understanding of varnish is required. Therefore, in this literature review, definitions and characteristics, generating ma-chinery, generating mechanisms, causes, measurement methods, and prevention or removal methods are summarized. Most of the data are reports of companies related to lubricant and machine maintenance, and are included in some papers. We hope that this summary of varnish will be helpful to those who are engaged in reducing or preventing varnish problems.

Although global life expectancy has increased over the past 20 years due to improvements in managing infectious diseases, one in five people still succumbs to infections. Humanity is tirelessly working towards developing vaccines and antimicrobial agents in response to this ongoing threat. However, pathogens continue to acquire numerous resistance mechanisms and proliferate. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted us to recognize that focusing solely on the killing strategies of immunology and microbiology in complex and multisystemic infectious diseases is insufficient for understanding survival. In essence, there is a need for a treatment approach centered on disease tolerance, capable of alleviating pathology and/or promoting physiological functions in conjunction with the existing strategies of host immune response and pathogen destruction. Against this backdrop, this narrative review comprehends and introduces microbiome therapeutics, which recently garnered attention as next-generation treatments regarding two defense strategies against infectious diseases. First, we delineate the application of existing probiotics and then the microbiome in infectious diseases. Subsequently, we expand this concept to encompass host microbiome crosstalk and present related microbiome therapeutics' current status and direction. Ultimately, the review presents a fresh perspective on understanding microbiome therapeutics in infectious diseases based on a cooperative defense system.

Background and objectives: TSC1 is a crucial component of the mTOR pathway, impacting cell growth, proliferation, and autophagy, while TSC2 is a tumor suppressor gene that regulates cell growth and is associated with the mTOR signaling pathway. In the present study, we analyzed TSC1 and TSC2 mRNA expression levels in rectal cancer, and evaluated the clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics of TSC1 and TSC2. Materials and Methods: TSC1 and TSC2 mRNA expression was examined in various cancer types. We further evaluated survival to determine the prognostic significance of TSC1 and TSC2 mRNA in CRC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Results: The study focused on rectal cancer, as it exhibited the most promising results. The patients were split into two subgroups, each comprising 50% of the total, based on the TSC gene expression levels. This division was made to assess the clinical characteristics associated with the expression of TSC1 and TSC2 genes. In the study, lower TSC1 expression was linked to venous invasion in rectal cancer patients, and there was also a related trend with lymphatic invasion, although it didn't reach statistical significance. Lower TSC2 expression was observed in younger patients and had some associations with sex and M stage, but these correlations were not statistically significant. When it came to survival analysis, TSC1 expression did not significantly impact overall survival, while higher TSC2 expression was associated with a poorer prognosis in rectal cancer. To enhance our comprehension, additional research, especially in larger case studies, is needed to explore the molecular mechanisms and clinical characteristics of TSC genes in colorectal cancer.

Studies investigating the acute effect of postprandial exercise (PPE) on glucose responses exhibit significant heterogeneity in terms of participant demographic, exercise protocol, and exercise timing post-meal. As such, this study aimed to further analyze the existing literature on the impact of PPE on glycemic control in individuals with overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Literature search was conducted through databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Thirty-one original research studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. The random-effect meta-analysis was performed to compare postprandial glucose area under the curve (AUC) and 24-h mean glucose levels between PPE and the time-matched no-exercise control (CON). Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore whether the glucose-lowering effect of PPE could be influenced by exercise duration, exercise timing post-meal, and disease status of participants. This study revealed significantly reduced glucose AUC (Hedges’ g = -0.317; SE = 0.057; p < 0.05) and 24-hour mean glucose levels (Hedges’ g = -0.328; SE = 0.062; p < 0.05) following PPE than CON. The reduction in glucose AUC was greater (p < 0.05) following PPE lasting >30 min than ≤30 min. The reduction in 24-hour mean glucose levels was also greater (p < 0.05) following PPE initiated ≥60 min than <60 min post-meal and in those with T2D than those without T2D. PPE offers a viable approach for glucose management and can be performed in various forms so long as exercise duration is sufficient. The glucose-lowering effect of PPE may be further enhanced by initiating it after the first hour post-meal. PPE represents a promising strategy, particularly for patients with T2D.

This study has investigated the effect of nutrition labeling on consumer guilt, in situations where consumers ingest products that have an unhealthy image. The first investigation has examined the effects of types of nutrition labeling (adding healthy ingredients/reducing unhealthy ingredients). The second investigation has examined the influence of two goal-activation types(utilitarian and hedonic) and nutrition labeling on consumer guilt. The findings reveal that the utilitarian-goal-activation group felt less guilty about consuming a product with a reduced unhealthy ingredient than they did about consuming a product with an added healthy ingredient. In addition, there were interactions between the two variables, since consumer goal activation had more effect on consumer guilt about products with reduced unhealthy ingredients than on products with added healthy ingredients. Based on these results, the academic and practical implications of the present study are discussed. and proposes several directions for future research.

This study aimed to increase the energy independence of buildings by utilizing solar energy to produce renewable energy. The subject of this study was a shading structure installed in an outdoor space to provide solar energy. Solar panels were applied to the shaded structures to generate energy actively. The solar panels were designed to be moved according to the optimal tilt angle each month to produce the optimal renewable energy. The architectural design of the shading structure and the energy simulation of the solar panels were conducted using a parametric design. The results of the energy simulation showed the generation of 31,570 kWh· year−1 of renewable energy. This amount of energy is 10% higher than that produced by fixed solar panels. Thus, the moving solar panel system developed in this study not only increases the energy independence of buildings, but also has the advantage of higher renewable energy production compared with fixed solar panels. Additionally, various types of shading structures can be designed depending on the combination of solar panel modules; in particular, moving solar panels have the potential to facilitate ecofriendly designs when applied to the exterior of buildings.

This study aimed to improve sensitivity of ferrous particle sensors used in various mechanical systems such as wind power gearboxes to detect abnormalities by measuring the amount of ferrous wear particles generated by metal-to-metal contact. Existing sensors collect ferrous particles using a permanent magnet. However, its ability to detect abnormalities is limited because it only measures amounts of ferrous particles collected on the top of the sensor. To overcome this limitation, this study evaluated sensibility of an existing sensor using a multi-physics analysis method and improved it by changing the core shape inside the sensor. The detection ability of the improved sensor was analytically shown to be better than the existing sensor. This study highlights the use of analytical methods and multi-physics analysis for developing a ferrous particle sensor and presents a method to compare sensibility analytically. Results of the improved sensor are expected to enhance the ability to detect abnormalities in the lubrication system where ferrous wear particles are generated. This study will contribute to the development of more effective ferrous particle sensors, which can potentially improve the performance and reliability of mechanical systems.

Many theoretical models of iron-based superconductors have been proposed but Tc calculations based on the models are usually missing. We have chosen two models of iron-based superconductors in the literature and then compute the Tc values accordingly: Recently two models have been announced which suggest that superconducting electron concentration involved in the pairing mechanism of iron-based superconductors may have been underestimated, and that the antiferromagnetism and the induced xy potential may even have a dramatic amplification effect on electron-phonon coupling. We use bulk FeSe, LiFeAs and NaFeAs data to calculate the Tc based on these models and test if the combined model can predict the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of the nanostructured FeSe monolayer well. To substantiate the recently announced xy potential in the literature, we create a two-channel model to separately superimpose the dynamics of the electron in the upper and lower tetrahedral plane. The results of our two-channel model support the literature data. While scientists are still searching for a universal DFT functional that can describe the pairing mechanism of all iron-based superconductors, we base on the ARPES data to propose an empirical combination of DFT functional for revising the electron-phonon scattering matrix in the superconducting state, which ensures that all electrons involved in iron-based superconductivity are included in the computation. Our computational model takes into account this amplifying effect of antiferromagnetism and the correction of the electron-phonon scattering matrix together with the abnormal soft out-of-plane lattice vibration of the layered structure, which allows us to calculate theoretical Tc values of LiFeAs, NaFeAs and FeSe as a function of pressure that correspond reasonably well to the experimental values. More importantly, by taking into account the interfacial effect between an FeSe monolayer and its SrTiO3 substrate as an additional gain factor, our calculated Tc value is up to 91 K high, and provides evidence that the strong Tc enhancement recently observed in such monolayers with Tc reaching 100 K may be contributed from the electrons within the ARPES range.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) which is chiefly originated by a retrovirus named Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), has influenced about 70 million populations worldwide. Even though several advancements have been invented in the field of antiretroviral combination therapy, still HIV has become the dominant reason for death in South Africa, for example. The current antiretroviral therapies have achieved success in providing instant HIV suppression but with countless undesirable adverse effects. In the present day, the biodiversity of the plant kingdom is being explored by several researchers for the discovery of potent anti-HIV drugs with different mechanisms of action. The primary challenge is to afford a treatment that is free from any sort of risk of drug resistance and serious side effects. Hence, there is a strong demand to evaluate the drugs obtained from natural plants as well as the synthetic derivatives that have been derived from the natural compounds by various chemical reactions. Several plants such as Andrographis paniculata, Dioscorea bulbifera, Aegle marmelos, Wistaria floribunda, Lindera chunii, Xanthoceras sorbifolia and others have displayed significant anti-HIV activity showing more potent anti-HIV activity along with their structures, SARs & important key findings.

Water resources provided by alpine glaciers are an important pillar for people living in the arid regions in the west of China. In this study, the HBV (Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenavdelning) light model was applied to simulate glacier mass balance and runoff in the Koxkar River Basin (KRB) on the south slope of Mt. Tumur, western Tianshan Mts.. Daily temperature and precipitation were calculated by multiple linear regressions and gradient-inverse distance weighting, respectively, based on in-situ observed data by automatic weather stations (AWSs) in the basin (2007–2009) and at four meteorological stations neighbering the basin (1959–2009). Observed daily air temperature and precipitation were taken as input data for the HBV model, which was calibrated using runoff in 2007/08 and 2009/10, and validated in 2008/09 and 2010/11. Generally, the model could simulate runoff very well. The annual glacier mass balance and runoff were calculated using the HBV model driven by interpolated meteorological data for the period of 1959–2009. The simulated glacier mass balance were reasonable when compared with those observed values at nearby glaciers, indicating a decrease trend of mass balance in the basin with an average value of –370.4 mm a^-1 since 1959. The annual runoff showed a slight increase trend (5.51 mm a^-1). Futher analysis indicated that the runoff is more sensitive to temperature than precipitation amuont in the Koxkar river basin.

Abstract: The frequency and intensity of air pollution are two of most critical issues the world faces in dealing with global environmental problems. They are both important areas that need to be improved. Our previous research [20] examines the assessment of fine dust pollution in Baekryeong island by statistical reasoning through one specific example of inland city (Yanggu) in Republic of Korea; however, given that Baekryeong Island is a remote island, there has been little focus on in-depth examination of its effect on the high density of fine dust in Baekryeong Island. The purpose of this article is twofold: (i) to examine the effect of a remote island on the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island using statistical reasoning and to provide a more specific statistical basis for the claim that one of the non-negligible factors influencing the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island is the geographic proximity to China; and (ii) to present brief discussion of fundamental cause of fine dust and global air pollution issues, which are not discussed in [20].

Ovarian cancer poses a significant therapeutic challenge owing to the lack of specific targets for treatment. New treatment strategies are needed to improve patient outcomes and reduce the toxicity of existing therapies. This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of recombi-nant human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox factor 1 (rhAPE1/Ref-1) and aspirin on PEO14 and CAOV-3 ovarian cancer cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Specifically, this study examined the mechanisms underlying the effect of rhAPE1/Ref-1 and as-pirin on cell death and the associated pathways. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, and flow cytometry analysis and caspase-3/7 activity assays were conducted to determine apop-tosis. Western blotting was performed to evaluate the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Exposure to aspirin (3 mM) for 24 h did not affect cell viability in PEO14. Co-incubation of aspirin with rhAPE1/Ref-1 in PEO14 cells led to rhAPE1/Ref-1 acetylation and intracellular hyperacetylation. Co-treatment with aspirin (3 mM) and rhAPE1/Ref-1 induced a rhAPE1/Ref-1 concentration-dependent increase in cell death, particularly in PEO14 cells, as well as apoptosis, caspase-3/7 activation, and PARP cleavage. Furthermore, this combination treatment significantly increased paclitaxel-induced PEO14 cell death. Therefore, co-administration with rhAPE1/Ref-1 and aspirin is a potential strategy for ovarian cancer treatment.

Surface treatment of implants facilitates osseointegration, with nanostructured surfaces exhibiting accelerated peri-implant bone regeneration. This study compared bone-to-implant contact (BIC) in implants with hydroxyapatite (HA), sand-blasted and acid-etched (SLA), and SLA with calcium (Ca)-coated (XPEED®) surfaces. Seventy-five disk-shaped grade 4 Ti specimens divided into three groups were prepared, with 16 implants per group tested in New Zealand white rabbits. Surface characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), digital microscopy, and a contact angle analyzer. Cell viability, proliferation, and adhesion were assessed using MC3T3-E1 cells. Apatite formation was evaluated using modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF) incubation. After 4 weeks of healing, the outcomes reviewed were BIC, bone area (BA), removal torque tests, and histomorphometric evaluation. Microstructure analysis revealed irregular pores across all groups, with the XPEED group exhibiting a nanostructured Ca-coated surface. Surface characterization showed a crystalline CaTiO3 layer on XPEED surfaces, with evenly distributed Ca penetrating the implants. All surfaces provided excellent environments for cell growth. The XPEED and SLA groups showed significantly higher cell density and viability with superior osseointegration than HA (p &lt; 0.05); XPEED exhibited the highest absorbance values. Thus, XPEED surface treatment improved implant performance, biocompatibility, stability, and osseointegration.

Background: To date, FM using middle ear packing has rarely reported. In this study, we hypothesized that middle ear packing with dexamethasone soaked gelfoam and fibrin glue over the fat graft could promote the success rate of TMP closure regardless of perforation size. Methods: Between January 2005 and July 2020, a total of 209 patients who underwent fat myringoplasty due to chronic TMP at tertiary referral center were encountered and analyzed. The success rate and audiologic outcome was analyzed. Results: The mean successful TM closure rate was 88.0 %. The success rate by different age generation was not significant difference. The size of the perforation grade showed no significant difference. The perforation site by anterior or posterior was not significant. The preoperative mean threshold of AC, BC and ABG were 55.71, 12.98 and 42.73 dB respectively. The postoperative mean threshold of AC, BC and ABG were 23.67, 12.98 and 10.69 dB. The change of preoperative and postoperative hearing showed statistically significant. Conclusion: From our results, the simple trimming of the perforation edge and middle ear packing with external ear canal packing using fibrin glue induced the stable adhesion between the remnant TM and the fat graft.

This study analysed trends of first-time patients visiting the paediatric psychiatry clinic in a university hospital. The medical records from 2009 to 2016 of first-time patients visiting the Kyung Hee university hospital were reviewed, focusing on children in grades 1–12. We analysed the prevalence rate of psychiatric disorders per 100,000 general populations by gender and grade, and the characteristics of patients who sought outpatient care more than three times. The study included 1,467 participants, of which 931 were males (63.5%). The number of male patients per 100,000 populations significantly decreased from 4.14 in 2009 to 2.03 in 2016. While hyperkinetic disorders had the highest prevalence in males, neurotic disorders were most frequent in females. Prevalence of disruptive behaviour disorders in males and mental retardations in females decreased significantly during the study period. The factors affecting continuity were being female, studying in grades 7–12, and diagnosis of depressive, hyperkinetic, and tic disorders. Physicians should consider the new paediatric patients’ gender, grade, and expected diagnosis from their first visit to improve treatment compliance.

This study examines the synergistic interaction between the immunomodulatory functions of lactic acid bacteria postbiotics and the anti-inflammatory properties of Smilax China L. extract through a combined fermentation process. Using atopic dermatitis (AD) as a model, characterized by an immune imbalance that leads to skin inflammation, we developed a fermented product, MB-2006, and compared its effects to those of heat-killed probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC) and Lac-tobacillus rhamnosus (LRH). Our experiments focused on elucidating the mechanism of action of MB-2006 in AD-like HaCaT keratinocyte cells, particularly its impact on the NF-kB pathway, a pivotal regulator of inflammation. MB-2006 proved more effective in reducing inflammation markers such as IL-4 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and in inhibiting NF-kB activation, compared to LAC and LRH. Significantly, MB-2006 also reduced the expression of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), highlighting a synergistic effect that enhances its thera-peutic potential. These results suggest that the combined fermentation of Smilax china L. extract with lactic acid bacteria enhanced both the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, pre-senting a promising integrative approach to treating conditions like AD. Further studies are needed to validate these results in clinical settings and fully explore the potential of this synergistic fer-mentation process.

Weighted Student Funding (WSF) systems have been implemented in various countries to give schools more autonomy over how to allocate their funding. School principals use funding to maintain school operations and foster innovation for achieving educational goals. However, despite the importance of this process, scholarly research has largely overlooked how principals make decisions about their financial resources. Accordingly, this study seeks to provide practical insights into the strategies used by one school by highlighting their staff’s perceptions about using their WSF to maintain school operations and spur innovation. Using a case study approach, we investigated a principal who effectively used a school’s WSF to transform a failing school into an innovative one. The findings revealed that the principal strategically implemented financial management mechanisms in a way that inspired teachers to deeply consider how a school's WSF can help achieve educational goals. The principal fostered consensus on the school's direction, encouraged innovation through hands-on experiential learning and strategic planning, and facilitated funding for innovative teachers by guiding proposal development. Insights into the shifting cultural and practical landscape of financial resource utilization within schools are discussed.

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is a surgical intervention that reduces the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea via anterior repositioning of the upper and lower jaws. Pre-operative orthodontic alignment is often a critical component in aiding MMA. Orthodontia are important in intraoperative anchorage for intermaxillary fixation, healthy post-operative occlusion, and post-operative skeletal stability. Sequential clear aligners (SCA) refer to removable orthodontic appliances that are replaced at regular intervals to stimulate dental migration without the use of bonded hardware. These aligners have demonstrated efficacy in aiding orthognathic surgery for dentofacial deformities, which share some technical similarities with MMA for OSA. Here, we explore the treatment protocol for MMA followed by post-operative SCA treatment. Our experiences show that post-operative orthodontic treatment with SCAs results in similarly successful post-operative surgical outcomes given that the patient’s pre-operative occlusion is stable.

A digital text abstract presents the essential information of an article, and we can find the trend and value of the research by analyzing it rigorously and digging up knowledge. Therefore, this study focuses on the abstracts of index journals in China and Taiwan from July 2010 to June 2020 (a total of 3,283 abstracts). Through the concepts of text mining and natural language processing (NLP), it constructs processes such as text retrieval, text segmentation and word cloud analysis, TF-IDF weight analysis, co-word analysis, network analysis, and trend analysis, and analyses a large amount of text data. The results show that the scope of research in China covers the fields of social sports and sports science, and research in Taiwan covers both natural and social sciences. The network diagram highlights the richness of sports-related research fields in the two regions, but research on sports philosophy is relatively rare. It is suggested that all disci-plines/departments should re-allocate the same resources, so as to show a balanced development trend and help expand a new chapter in the sports academic field.

Polypyrrole (PPy)-capped caped silver nanowire (Ag NW) nanomaterials (core–shell rod-shaped Ag NW@PPy) were synthesized suing a one–port suspension polymerization technique. The thickness of PPy layer on the 50-nm-thickness/15-μm-length Ag NW was effectively controlled to 10, 40, 50, and 60 nm. Thin films cast from one-dimensional conductive Ag NW@PPy formed a three-dimensional (3-D) conductive porous network structure and provided excellent electrochemical performance. The 3-D Ag NW@PPy network can significantly reduce the internal resistance of the electrode and maintain structural stability. As a result, a high specific capacitance of 625 F/g at a scan rate of 1 mV/s was obtained from the 3-D porous Ag NW@PPy composite film. The cycling performance over a long period exceeding 10,000 cycles was also evaluated. We expect that our core–shell-structured Ag NW@PPy composites and their 3-D porous structure network films can be applied as electrochemical materials for the design and manufacture of supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.

The proliferation of ransomware poses a significant threat to global cybersecurity. This study presents a comprehensive review of the methodologies employed in the detection and analysis of ransomware, emphasizing the dichotomy between static and dynamic analysis approaches. It introduces the historical context and the necessity for robust cybersecurity measures, followed by an outline of the methodological framework used to evaluate existing ransomware analysis techniques. The results detail the effectiveness and limitations of various analysis strategies, identifying key features and patterns that aid in the detection and classification of ransomware threats. The study concludes by summarizing the primary achievements, including the identification of gaps in current research and proposing future research directions aimed at enhancing ransomware detection and mitigation strategies. The synthesis provided in this survey offers a consolidated view of the state-of-the-art in ransomware threat analysis and serves as a resource for cybersecurity professionals and researchers.

Currently available data are consistent with increased severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication at temperatures encountered in the upper airways (25–33°C when breathing room temperature air, 25°C) compared to those in the lower airways (37°C). One factor that may contribute to more rapid viral growth in the upper airways is the exponential increase in SARS-CoV-2 stability that occurs with reductions in temperature, as measured in vitro. Because SARS-CoV-2 frequently initiates infection in the upper airways before spreading through the body, increased upper airway viral growth early in the disease course may result in more rapid progression of disease and potentially contribute to more severe outcomes. Similarly, higher SARS-CoV-2 viral titer in the upper airways likely supports more efficient transmission. Conversely, the possible significance of air temperature to upper airway viral growth suggests that prolonged delivery of heated air might represent a preventative measure and prophylactic treatment for coronavirus disease 2019.

This study examines the impact of executives implicated in fraud on firms' investment decisions using AAERs in the US, aiming to address the underexplored aspect of rationalization within the fraud triangle. Executives implicated in fraud often display abnormal attitudes to justify accounting irregularities, prompting an investigation into how abnormal investment decisions are used for rationalizing fraud, given their critical role in a firm's long-term sustainability. Analysis of AAERs spanning from 1981 to 2013 reveals that implicated executives, particularly CEOs and CFOs, tend to make abnormal investment decisions, and that collusive fraud exacerbates this behavior. Notably, such executives lean towards overinvestment, particularly in R&amp;D expenditures, to hide or justify fraud; the duration of fraud amplifies its impact on investment decisions. By shedding light on the rationalization aspect of the fraud triangle, this research contributes valuable insights for investors, regulators, and academia emphasizing the significance of public disclosure of fraud to enhance transparency in capital markets and the importance of ethics-focused education in accounting to prevent corporate fraud.

In this article we compute many topological indices for the family of Möbius ladder. At first we give general closed form of M-polynomial of this family and recover many degree based topological indices out of it. We also compute Zagreb indices and Zagreb polynomials of this family.

Background: Fingertip injuries with volar pulp tissue defects are challenging to manage due to the complex anatomy and critical role of the fingertip in sensory and motor functions. Traditional surgical approaches are associated with donor site morbidity, prolonged immobilization, and suboptimal functional outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a conservative treatment protocol using artificial dermis and semi-occlusive dressing for these injuries. Methods: A single-center, prospective study was conducted on 31 patients with fingertip injuries involving volar pulp defects. The treatment protocol involved wound debridement, application of artificial dermis (Pelnac®), and semi-occlusive dressing (IV3000®). Outcomes were assessed using subjective questionnaires and objective measures, including fingerprint regeneration, sensory function, pain, and cosmetic appearance. The impact of injury characteristics on outcomes and treatment duration was evaluated. Complications were recorded, and patient satisfaction was assessed. Results: The mean treatment duration was 45.29 days (SD=17.53), with no significant differences based on injury characteristics. Complications were minimal, with only one case (3.22%) directly attributable to the treatment. Fingerprint regeneration was considerable (mean score=2.58, SD=0.67), with slightly better scores in bone-exposed injuries. Sensory disturbances were minimal, with no significant differences across injury types. Post-treatment pain was low (mean=0.45, SD=0.67), and cosmetic satisfaction was high (mean=4.09, SD=0.94). Overall patient satisfaction was high (mean=4.41, SD=0.67), regardless of injury severity. Discussion: This study demonstrates the efficacy of a conservative approach using artificial dermis and semi-occlusive dressing for fingertip injuries with volar pulp defects. The treatment protocol achieved favorable outcomes in tissue regeneration, sensory recovery, pain management, and cosmetic appearance while minimizing complications and morbidity associated with traditional surgical interventions. The high patient satisfaction across all injury types highlights the patient-centered nature of this approach. Conclusions: The conservative treatment protocol using artificial dermis and semi-occlusive dressing is a promising strategy for managing fingertip injuries with volar pulp defects. This approach harnesses the body's regenerative potential, minimizes surgical morbidity, and achieves excellent functional and aesthetic outcomes. Further research is needed to optimize treatment protocols and investigate long-term outcomes.

(1) Background: Most hemodialysis patients may experience physiological and psychological stress. Exposure to nature has been previously reported to reduce the measures of psychological and physiological stress, and immune function. This study aimed to investigate psychological and physiological effects of integrated indirect forest therapy on chronic renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis. (2) Methods: As a quasi-experiment, this study employed a nonequivalent control group, repeated measurements, and a non-synchronized design. A total of 54 participants were included: 26 and 28 in the experimental and control groups, respectively. During hemodialysis, five types of forest therapy stimuli (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and motor) were applied 3 times per week for 4 weeks during 15-minute sessions. (3) Results: Positive but not negative emotion measures differed between the groups after the intervention. Fatigue and physiological stress levels were significantly reduced in the experimental group, whereas no significant difference was found between the groups on the measures of psychological stress. Activation of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems was similar in both groups, as was the number of natural killer cells. (4) Conclusion: Integrated indirect forest therapy may help increase positive emotions and reduce fatigue and stress levels during hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure.

Powdery mildew disease, caused by Sphaerotheca fusca, is a major disease affecting cucumbers cultivated in greenhouses. This study was conducted to find defense genes induced by DL-3-amino-butyric acid (BABA) and powdery mildew in cucumber. The 2000 and 5000 mg/L BABA treated cucumber exhibited disease severity of 25% and 5%, respectively, whereas the water treated cucumber leaves were severely infected, with a disease severity of 90%. BABA did not effect spore germination of the powdery mildew pathogen,. showing BABA is not antifungal agent against the pathogen. In quantitative real-time PCR analysis, BABA treated cucumber upregulated transcriptional level of the defense genes CsPAL, CsPR3,CsPR1, CsLOX1, CsLOX23, Cs LecRK6.1, CsWRKY20, and Cupi4 in cucumber to maximum levels at 48 h, whereas CsLecRK6.1 reached maximum expression after 24 h and futher salicylic acid (SA) levels were significantly increased in BABA-treated cucumber plants. In addition, the infected cucumber with powdery mildew enhanced the expression levels from1.6 to 47.3 fold of the defense genes PAL, PR3, PR1, Lox1, Lox 23, LecRK6.1, WRKY20, and Cupi4 compared to heathy cucumber. The results suggests the BABA induced defense response is associated with SA signal pathway-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in cucumber, which is involved in plant resistance mechanisms.

Wound healing is a process through which skin maintains itself. Once a wound occurs, the inflammatory and proliferative stages are instigated in reaction to injury. It is established that wound restorative comprises four stages including haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The amelioration of wound healing is very challenging as tumors can develop at the site of chronic injury. There are numerous plants, plant extracts and plant based natural products were widely used by tribal communities from ancient times for the treatment of cuts, burns, scars, burns and wounds. The therapeutic potential of these plants is recognized due to the presence of phytomolecules such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, triterpenoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and glycosides. The plant used for the treatments of wound healing includes Achillea millefolium, Andrographis paniculata, Boswellia sacra, Calendula officinalis, Crocus sativus, Curcuma longa, Ehretia laevis, Ehretia microphylla, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Malva sylvestris, Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia officinalis. This assemblage comprises the structures of phytomolecules isolated from the different extracts of these plants, mechanistic insights and important key findings responsible for wound healing. The mechanistic insights involved in wound healing are similar to cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents such as ROS generation, DNA fragmentation and western blotting. This review article is an effort to bridge the gaps in the prevailing literature and thus offers gigantic scope for researchers and academicians betrothed in validation of the customary claims and development of safer and efficient and worldwide recognized natural potential candidates as drugs for healing of wounds, burns and cuts.

CASBEE-City tool determines the city’s Built Environment Efficiency (BEE) by calculating the improvement of Quality of Life (Q) over human activities’ Environmental Load (L) within the city’s hypothetical boundary. A total of 58 variables (57 Q indicators and one variable for L) are used in the worldwide version of CASBEE-City which were grounded using ISO 37120:2014 Sustainable Development of Communities and 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations (UN). This paper examines the application of CASBEE-City for Malaysian cities using the case of Johor Bahru City and identifies assessment indicators which are customised based on the data availability, reliability and suitability through focus group discussions (FGDs) which involved 36 respondents (researchers, urban planners and stakeholders). This paper reveals Johor Bahru with moderate score B+ in 2010 and 2025. Consensus were also achieved from the 36 FGD respondents for the practicability and future potential of CASBEE-City and BEE framework in Johor Bahru.

Abstract: Global ecological concern regarding the transfer of fouling organisms to ship hulls is increasing. This study investigated the species composition, dominant species, distribution patterns, community structure, and life-cycle differences of hull-fouling macroinvertebrates on five research vessels (R/Vs: Isabu, Onnuri, Eardo, Jangmok 1, and Jangmok 2) operated by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST). Hull-fouling macroinvertebrates were collected three to five times on quadrats from the upper and middle sectors of the hull sides, bottom, and niche areas (the propellers and shafts and the thrusters). A total of 47 macroinvertebrate species were identified, represented by 8,519 individuals(ind.)/m2 and a biomass of 1,967 gWWt/m2 on the five vessels. The number of species, density, and biomass were greater on the coastal vessels the Eardo, Jangmok 1, and Jangmok 2 than on the ocean-going vessels the Isabu and Onnuri. Among the coastal vessels, barnacles were the most abundant and had the greatest density, while mollusks had the highest biomass. Differences between hull sectors showed that the highest species abundance and density appeared on all hulls in ports and bays where the Jangmok 1 operated, while the highest species abundance, density, and biomass were identified in the niche areas of the Eardo, which operated farther from the coast. The hull-fouling macroinvertebrates that exceeded 1% of all organisms were the barnacles Amphibalanus amphitrite, Balanus trigonus, and Amphibalanus improvisus; the polychaete Hydroides ezoensis; the bivalves Magallana gigas and Mytilus galloprovincialis; and the amphipod Jassa slatteryi. The dominant species were cosmopolitan and globally distributed, and many of them were cryptogenic. Six native species were identified: M. gigas, H. ezoensis, the amphipod Melita koreana, the isopod Cirolana ko-reana, and the barnacle B. trigonus and F. kondakovi. Eight non-indigenous species (NIS) were de-tected: barnacles A. amphitrite and A. improvisus, the bivalve M. galloprovincialis, the polychaete Perinereis nuntia, amphipods J. slatteryi and Caprella californica, and bryozoans Bugulina californica and Bugula neritina. Of the fouling macroinvertebrates found on the vessel hulls, 13% were native and 17% were NIS. The nMDS ordination analysis of the five vessels showed four clusters of fouling macroinvertebrate communities: two ocean clusters (the Isabu and Onnuri), one coastal cluster (the Eardo and Jangmok 2), and one local cluster (the Jangmok 1). More diverse communities developed on the hulls of vessels that operated locally rather than globally or in deep oceans. Spearman rank correlation showed that biological indices such as number of species, density, and biomass correlated highly and positively with the numbers of days on coastal operations and negatively with the number days on ocean operations. The species diversity index correlated positively with the total number of anchoring days and coastal operation days and negatively with the total number of operation days and ocean operation days. The macroinvertebrates differed by the area of operation, the port of anchorage, the number of days in operation and at anchor, and the hull sectors. There is no previous research data on hull-fouling macroinvertebrates in the Republic of Korea, and this study provides a basis for future studies to identify introduced species and their differences based on operation area.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast reconstruction trends in the United States, focusing on implant-based and autologous techniques, as well as the timing of reconstruction (immediate vs. delayed). Methods: A retrospective analysis of data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' National Plastic Surgery Statistics from 2015 to 2022 was conducted. Annual trends in breast reconstruction procedures were analyzed, comparing the pre-pandemic (2015-2019) and pandemic (2020-2022) periods. Results: The total number of breast reconstructions increased from 106,338 in 2015 to 151,641 in 2022. The proportion of implant-based reconstructions decreased from 81.41% pre-pandemic to 76.51% during the pandemic (p < 0.001), with a notable rise in direct-to-implant procedures from 10.37% to 19.12% (p < 0.001). Autologous reconstructions increased from 18.59% to 23.49% (p < 0.001). Among autologous techniques, DIEP flaps remained the most popular. Immediate reconstruction rates increased from 72.61% pre-pandemic to 75.57% during the pandemic, while delayed recon-struction rates decreased from 27.39% to 24.43% (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced breast reconstruction trends in the United States, with a shift towards autologous techniques, particularly DIEP flaps, and an in-crease in immediate reconstructions. These changes may reflect adaptations in surgical practice and decision-making processes in response to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic. Further research is needed to assess the long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction associated with these trends.

Thin people who undergo implant insertion into the chest wall face a high risk of implant exposure to the external environment. Five months after an 8-year-old boy underwent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in a subcutaneous pocket in the left anterolateral chest wall to manage long QT syndrome, ICD replacement became necessary owing to exposure risk from distal and lateral thinning of the ICD pocket. Pocket rupture and exposure would increase the risk of infection; therefore, we performed ICD removal and primary pocket closure. Two weeks later, a new suprafascial pocket was created, acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was attached to the inner wall to prevent ICD protrusion, and a new ICD was inserted. One year postoperatively, the ADM was engrafted, and no complications were observed. A thin subcutaneous layer increases the risk of ICD implantation complications. Inner wall strengthening with ADM can help prevent pocket rupture.

Sexual selection involving female choice or female preference (‘inter-sexual’ selection) or male-male competition (‘intra-sexual’ selection) is one of the key mechanisms for evolutionary diversification and speciation. In particular, sexual selection is recently suggested to be an important mode to drive the evolution of “novel” phenotype (i. e. “evolutionary novelty”). Despite extensive studies performed on sexually selected traits or male-specific ornaments (or weapon-like structures) with respect to their evolutionary origin and history and fitness benefits, relatively little is known about the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying their developmental process. However, with advances of genomic technologies (including whole transcriptome analysis using Next Generation Sequencing [NGS] techniques; RNA-Seq), progresses have been made to unveil the genetic background underpinning diverse sexually selected traits in different animal taxa. In the present review, we compile empirical data on the genes, genetic mechanisms or regulatory pathways underlying various sexually selected traits to explore whether the “common” genetic architectures shape the development and evolution of those traits across evolutionarily distant animal lineages. We show that the recruitment of pre-existing genetic network for a new purpose (i.e. gene network “co-option”) is rather widespread in the development and evolution of sexually selected traits, indicating that particular genes or gene-sets are repeatedly involved in different sexually selected traits. Information of genes or genetic mechanisms regulating the development of sexually selected traits would be an essential piece to complete a whole picture of the origin and evolution of sexually selected traits.

A new design scheme is proposed for twisting the walls of a microchannel, and its performance is demonstrated numerically. The numerical study was carried out for a T-shaped microchannel with twist angles in the range of 0 to 34π. The Reynolds number range was 0.15 to 6. The T-shaped microchannel consists of two inlet branches and an outlet branch. The mixing performance was analyzed in terms of the degree of mixing and relative mixing cost. All numerical results show that the twisting scheme is an effective way to enhance the mixing in a T-shaped microchannel. The mixing enhancement is realized by the swirling of two fluids in the cross section and is more prominent as the Reynolds number decreases. The twist angle was optimized to maximize the DOM, which increases with the length of the outlet branch. The twist angle was also optimized in terms of the relative mixing. The two optimum twisting angles are generally not coincident. The optimum twist angle shows a dependence on the length of the outlet branch but it is not affected much by the Reynolds number.

Claudin-18.2 (CLDN18.2) is specifically expressed in pancreatic precancerous lesions and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We assessed clinical characteristics of patients with CLDN18.2 overexpressing pancreatic cancer to identify patients who might benefit from CLDN18 targeted treatment. 130 patients with surgically resected PDAC were investigated the immunohistochemical expression of claudin-18 (CLDN18). The CLDN18 staining intensities (0-3+) and relative proportion of positive tumor cells were analyzed by two independent raters. Tumor as positive for CLDN18 expression was defined as ≥80% of tumor cells with 2+ or 3+ staining intensity on CLDN18 immunohistochemical assay. Positive CLDN18 expression was present in 41/130 (31.5%) surgically resected PDAC and the relative proportion of positive tumor cells and the staining intensity were directly correlated (p &lt; 0.001). Positive CLDN18 expression was significantly associated with well-differentiated tumor (p&lt;0.001) and less regional node involvement (p=0.045). The positive CLDN18 expressing group showed no statistical difference in median overall survival (17.4 months vs. 20.6 months, p=0.770) compared to negative CLDN18 expressing group. Distant nodal metastasis was more frequent in positive CLDN18 expressing group (p=0.011). CLDN18 is frequently expressed in PDAC, and high CLDN18 expressing PDAC showed some different clinicopathologic characteristics. High CLDN18 expression was not associated with prognosis in patients with surgically resected PDAC.

Keywords: mHealth; peritoneal dialysis; functionality; usability

This study reports the preparation of silica and nano-fructosome encapsulated Candida antarctica lipase B particles (CalB@NF@SiO2) and demonstration of their enzymatic hydrolysis and acylation. CalB@NF@SiO2 particles were prepared as a function of TEOS concentration (3-100 mM). Their mean particle size was 185 nm by TEM. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed to compare catalytic efficiencies of CalB@NF and CalB@NF@SiO2. Catalytic constants (Km, Vmax, and Kcat) of CalB@NF and CalB@NF@SiO2 were calculated with Michaelis-Menten equation and Line-weaver Burk plot. Optimal stability of CalB@NF@SiO2 was found at pH 8 and temperature of 35 ℃. Moreover, CalB@NF@SiO2 particles were reused for seven cycles to evaluate their reusability. In addition, enzymatic synthesis of benzyl benzoate was demonstrated by an acylation reaction with benzoic anhydride. The efficiency of CalB@NF@SiO2 for converting benzoic anhydride to benzyl benzoate by the acylation reaction was 97%, indicating that benzoic anhydride was almost completely converted to benzyl benzoate. Consequently, CalB@NF@SiO2 particles are better than CalB@NF particles for enzymatic synthesis. In addition, they are reusable with high stability at optimal pH and temperature.

Logistics plays an important role in globalized companies and contributes to the development of foreign trade. A large number of external conditions, such as recession and inflation, affect logistics. Therefore, managers should find ways to improve operational performance, enabling them to increase efficiency while considering environmental sustainability due to the industry’s large scale of energy consumption. Based on data collected from the financial reports of top global logistics companies, this study uses a DEA model to calculate corporate efficiency by implementing a Grey forecasting approach to forecast future sustainability values. Consequently, the study addresses the problem of how to enhance operational performance while accounting for the impact of external conditions. This research can help logistics companies develop operation strategies in the future that will enhance their competitiveness vis-à-vis rivals in a time of global economic volatility.

This study focused on the precise detection and concordant analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to verify the usefulness of CTCs as promising clinical markers. CTCs are traditionally achieved using immune-fluorescence and morphological techniques. By combining two prostate cancer-specific genes (PSA and PSMA) and two epithelial-specific genes (EpCAM and KRT19), the CTC detection efficiency can be enhanced. The detection rates of localized prostate cancer (LPC), locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPC), metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), and metastatic castration-resistive prostate cancer (mCRPC) were 63.04 % (29/46), 70.59% (34/51), 94.34% (50/53), and 90% (126/140), respectively. Subsequent correlation analysis between the four genes, baseline PSA, and CTC count revealed that only the CTC count correlated with baseline PSA in the localized stages of prostate cancer, whereas all four genes were correlated with baseline PSA and CTC count in the metastatic stages of prostate cancer. The precise detection of CTCs using both numerical and transcriptomic analyses can improve the accuracy of biomarker investigations. This study provides valuable insights into the limitations of serum PSA testing and offers a promising alternative to diagnose and manage prostate cancer via the CTC number and specific genes for prostate cancer.

: In the automotive industry, high-strength plates have been increasingly used to reduce the vehicle body weight due to stringent regulations on fuel economy and safety. Such plates achieve tensile strengths as high as 1.5 GPa owing to the hot-stamping process. However, these plates suffer from scale generation and surface decarburization because of the surface oxidation of the material. Recently, studies on materials subjected to high-frequency induction heating have reported strength improvement owing to the coil shape and cooling method. This study presents the surface temperature changes, mechanical properties, and microstructures of boron steels subjected to longitudinal heating, which uses eddy currents generated from high-frequency induction heating. The surface temperature data were analyzed under different high-frequency induction heating powers (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30 kW) and distances from the specimen (6, 9, and 15 mm). The mechanical properties and microstructures were also analyzed in different high-frequency induction heating coil directions. The correlations between the high-frequency induction heating power and the distance from the specimen with the maximum tensile strength were determined.