Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have potential for various gas and ion separations due to their well-defined pore structure and relatively easy fabrication process compared to other metal-organic frameworks. As a result, many reports have focused on preparing polycrystalline and continuous ZIF layers on porous supports. In this study, we investigated how humidity and chamber temperature influence the structure of a ZIF-8 layer prepared by the hydrothermal method. We controlled the chamber temperature (ranging from 50 °C to 70 °C) and relative humidity (ranging from 20 % to 100 %) using a thermos-hygrostat chamber. We found that as the chamber temperature increased, ZIF-8 preferentially grew into particles rather than forming a continuous polycrystalline layer. By measuring the temperature of the reacting solution based on chamber humidity, we discovered that the heating rate of the reacting solution varied with humidity, even at the same chamber temperature. At higher humidity, thermal energy transfer was accelerated as water vapor delivered more energy to the reacting solution. Therefore, a continuous ZIF-8 layer could be formed more easily at low humidity ranges (ranging from 20 % to 40 %), while micron ZIF-8 particles were synthesized at a high heating rate. Our findings suggest that controlling the heating rate of the reacting solution is critical to preparing a continuous ZIF-8 layer, particularly for future scale-up of ZIF-8 membranes.

In this paper, we represent the generating function of w-torsion Fubini polynomials by fermionic p-adic integral on Z_p. Then we consider a quotient of such fermionic p-adic integrals on Z_p, representing generating functions of three w-torsion Fubini polynomials and derive some new symmetric identities for the w-torsion Fubini and two variable w-torsion Fubini polynomials.

Cerebral ischemic stroke poses a significant global cause of death, with ischemia-reperfusion injury contributing to neuronal cell death and tissue damage. However, significant therapeutic approaches with meaningful treatment effects for patients with ischemic stroke in actual clinical practice are lacking. This study investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, in a global cerebral ischemia model. We explored the impact of sildenafil on GFAP and AQP-4 expression, which are markers associated with astrocyte activation and water homeostasis, respectively. The immunofluorescence analysis revealed that the number of cells co-expressing the markers, which increased in the ischemia-induced group, was significantly reduced in sildenafil-treated groups, suggesting a potential mitigating effect on ischemia-induced astrocyte activation. Additionally, we conducted diverse behavioral tests, including the open-field test, novel object recognition, Barnes maze, Y-maze, and passive avoidance tests, to assess the effect of sildenafil on the cognitive function impaired by ischemia. Cognitive improvements were observed following sildenafil administration (20mg/kg) compared to the untreated group. Taken together, the results presented here suggest sildenafil's potential as a neuroprotective agent for alleviating delayed neuronal cell death and cognitive function impaired by ischemia.

Recently, “mature” silkworms (MS) of Bombix mori have been considered as a potential nutraceutical, with a number of health benefits reported for steamed and lyophilized MS powder (SMSP). However, no obesity-related effects have been reported for SMSP. In the present study, anti-obesity effects of SMSP were investigated in adult mice in vivo, aged 12 weeks at the onset of drug administration, fed normal diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD), respectively, for 12 weeks. SMSP significantly suppressed body weight gain, intra-abdominal adipose tissue, and food efficiency in both ND-fed and HFD-fed adult mice. In addition, SMSP significantly decreased food intake and liver weight in HFD-fed mice, indicating that SMSP suppressed appetite and simultaneously reduced the conversion of feed into body weight in HFD-fed mice. SMSP also significantly lowered serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, asparagine transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. However, SMSP had no significant effect on the weights of kidney, spleen, and thymus and serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Taken together, the above results suggest that SMSP has potent anti-obesity effects and is safe for long-term use as a potential therapeutic and/or nutraceutical in both obese patients and non-obese individuals.

The present study was conducted to investigate the comparative effects of organic and inorganic forms of sulfur, methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) and sodium sulfate (SS), on laying performance, egg quality, ileal morphology, ileal volatile fatty acids, and antioxidant and stress markers in various biological samples in aged laying hens. A total of 144, 73-week-old Lohman Brown-Lite laying hens were randomly assigned to one of three experimental diets: basal diet (CONT), CONT + 0.2% MSM (MSM), and CONT + 0.3% SS (SS). The trial lasted for 12 weeks. MSM and SS groups contained 0.07% of sulfur, either organic or inorganic. Dietary MSM did not affect egg production and feed conversion ratio at 12 weeks compared with the CONT group. Dietary sulfur did not affect egg quality except for Haugh unit at 4 weeks which was lowered (P < 0.05) in the SS group. Compared with the CONT group, higher (P < 0.05) villus height and crypt depth ratio was observed in the SS group. None of dietary sulfur affected the percentages of short-chain fatty acids in the ileum. Total antioxidant capacity of liver increased (P < 0.05) in laying hens fed MSM- and SS-added diets compared with the CONT group. The MSM and SS groups lowered (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in serum samples compared with the CONT. Finally, dietary MSM had the lowest (P < 0.05) MDA concentrations in yolk samples. Taken together, our study showed that dietary organic and inorganic sulfur have positive effects on ileal morphology and antioxidant capacity in laying hens. However, SS-mediated inhibition in laying performance needs to be clarified.

In this paper, we investigate the recently introduced degenerate Bernstein polynomials and operators and derive some of their properties. Also, we give some properties of the degenerate Euler numbers and polynomials and their connection with the degenerate Euler polynomials.

Febrile seizure (FS), which occurs as a response to fever, is the most common seizure that occurs in infants and young children. FS is usually accompanied by diverse neuropsychiatric symptoms including impaired social behaviors; however, no causative link between FS and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has yet been established. Here, we provide evidence linking FS occurrence with ASD pathogenesis in rats. We developed an FS juvenile rats model and found ASD-like abnormal behaviors including deficits in social novelty, repetitive behaviors, and hyperlocomotion. In addition, FS model juvenile rats showed enhanced levels of gliosis and inflammation in the hippocampal CA2 region and cerebellum. Furthermore, abnormal levels of social and repetitive behaviors persisted in adults FS model rats. These findings suggest that occurrence of FS in infants can cause behavioral endophenotypes of ASD.

The microbiota of human breast milk (HBM) contributes to infant gut colonization; however, whether bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) are present in HBM or might contribute to this process remains unknown. In the present study, we characterized the HBM microbiota of healthy Korean mothers and measured the key bacteria likely affecting infant gut colonization by analyzing both the microbiota and bacterial EVs. A total of 22 HBM samples were collected from lactating mothers. The DNA of bacteria and bacteria-derived EVs was extracted from each sample. Gene analysis was performed using Illumina MiSeq. Firmicutes accounted for the largest portion among the phyla, followed by Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, and Actinobacteria in both bacteria and bacterial EV samples. At the genus level, Streptococcus (25.1%) and Staphylococcus (10.7%) were predominant in bacterial samples, whereas Bacteroides (9.1%), Acinetobacter (6.9%), and Lactobacillaceae(f) (5.5%) were prevalent in bacterial EV samples. Several genera including Bifidobacterium were significantly positively correlated between the two samples. Our findings reveal the diverse bacterial communities in HBM of healthy lactating mothers and suggest the presence of key bacteria with metabolic activity in HBM and that EVs derived from these bacteria may contribute to the vertical transfer of gut microbiota from mother to infant.

This study investigates the impact of brand lovemark on three customer behavioral outcomes (i.e., green brand loyalty, willingness to pay a deposit, and machine use intention) in coffee shops’ CSR practices. We used a scenario-based experimental design on CSR practices in two coffee shop brands (i.e., Starbucks and Dunkin'). The study demonstrates that consumers with a high level of brand lovemark respond more positively to CSR practices of coffee shops than do customers with a low level of brand lovemark. In addition, the interactions between brand lovemark and gender appear to be important in all three behavioral outcomes. Specifically, it confirms that men and women show different levels of behavior outcomes depending on their level of brand lovemark. Theoretical and managerial implications are also suggested with the direction for future study.

This study aimed to select the most effective metabolites for controlling honey bee nosemosis using culture extracts from 342 entomopathogenic fungi of 24 species from 18 genera. The germination inhibitory activity of the fungal culture extract against Nosema ceranae spores was evaluated using an in vitro germination assay method. Among 89 fungal culture extracts showing germination inhibitory activity of approximately 80% or more, 44 culture extracts that maintained their inhibitory activity even at a concentration of 1% were selected. Finally, the honey bee nosemosis inhibitory activity was evaluated using the cultured extracts of 5 fungal isolates having a Nosema inhibitory activity of approximately 60% or more even when the extract was removed after treatment. As a result, the proliferation of Nosema spores was reduced by all fungal culture extract treatments. However, only the treatment of the culture extracts from Paecilomyces marquandii 364 and Pochonia bulbillosa 60 showed a reduction in honey bee mortality due to nosemosis. In particular, the extracts of these two fungal isolates also increased the survival of honey bees.

This paper treats the connection problem of expressing sums of finite products of Chebyshev polynomials of the third and fourth kinds in terms of five classical orthogonal polynomials. In fact, by carrying out explicit computations each of them are expressed as linear combinations of Hermite, generalized Laguerre, Legendre, Gegenbauer, and Jacobi polynomials which involve some terminating hypergeometric functions ${}_2 F_0, {}_2 F_1$, and ${}_3 F_2$.

In this paper, we study sums of finite products of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind and Lucas polynomials and represent each of them in terms of Chebyshev polynomials of all kinds. Here the coefficients involve terminating hypergeometric functions ₂F₁ and these representations are obtained by explicit computations.

Underwater image often exhibit detail blurring and color distortion due to light scattering, impurities, and other influences, obscuring essential textures and details. This presents a challenge for existing super-resolution techniques in identifying and extracting effective features, making high-quality reconstruction difficult. This research aims to innovate underwater image super-resolution technology to tackle this challenge. Initially, an underwater image degradation model was created by integrating random subsampling, Gaussian blur, mixed noise, and suspended particle simulation to generate a highly realistic synthetic dataset, thereby training the network to adapt to various degradation factors. Subsequently, to enhance the network's capability to extract key features, improvements were made based on the symmetrically structured Blind Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Network (BSRGAN) model architecture. An attention mechanism based on energy functions was introduced within the generator to assess the importance of each pixel, and a weighted fusion strategy of adversarial loss, reconstruction loss, and perceptual loss was utilized to improve the quality of image reconstruction. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieved significant improvements in Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Underwater Image Quality Measure (UIQM) by 0.85 dB and 0.19, respectively, significantly enhancing the visual perception quality and indicating its feasibility in super-resolution applications.

This paper is concerned with representing sums of finite products of Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind and of Fibonacci polynomials in terms of several classical orthogonal polynomials. Indeed, by explicit computations each of them is expressed as linear combinations of Hermite, generalized Laguerre, Legendre, Gegenbauer and Jacobi polynomials which involve the hypergeometric functions ${}_1 F_1$ and ${}_2 F_1$.

In this paper, we introduce two discrete degenerate random variables, namely the degenerate binomial and degenerate Poisson random variables. We deduce the expectations of the degenerate binomial random variables. We compute the generating function of the moments of the degenerate Poisson random variables, which leads us to define the new type degenerate Bell polynomials, and hence obtain explicit expressions for the moments of those random variables in terms of such polynomials. We also get the variances of the degenerate Poisson random variables. Finally, we illustrate two examples of the degenerate Poisson random variables.

In this paper, we investigate a new $q$-analogue of the higher order degenerate Changhee polynomials and numbers, which are called the Witt-type formula for the $q$-analogue of degenerate Changhee polynomials of order $r$. We can derive some new interesting identities related to the degenerate $(h,q)$-Changhee polynomials and numbers.

Recently, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been shown to act as precursors of secondary organic particles that react with ultraviolet rays in the atmosphere and contribute to photochemical smog, global warming, odor, and human health risks, highlighting the importance of VOC management. In this study, we measured VOC concentrations in various contexts including industrial and residential areas of Bucheon, Korea, through mobile laboratory and proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods to determine winter VOC concentrations, visualized the data based on spatial information, and used the results to develop an air quality management plan. For this purpose, global information system (GIS)-based air quality data and various environmental variables were comprehensively reviewed to assess spatial and temporal concentrations in three dimensions rather than in tables and graphs. Among VOCs, the levels of toluene, methanol, and n+i-butene were relatively high, with average concentrations of 48.3 ± 67.2, 34.4 ± 102.7, and 32.6 ± 57.7 ppb, respectively, at the end of the working day. The highest concentrations occurred near the Ojeong Industrial Complex. Mobile pollution sources are also a major driver of VOCs, highlighting the necessity of comprehensively reviewing traffic variables such as road level, estimated traffic volume, and average speed when identifying hotspots of air pollution. GIS-based visualization analysis techniques will improve the efficiency of air quality management.

Melanocortins play crucial roles in regulating the stress response, inflammation, and skin pigmentation. In this review, we focus on the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a G protein-coupled receptor primarily known for regulating skin pigmentation and exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects. First, we provide an overview of the structure, signaling pathways, and related diseases of MC1R. Next, we discuss the potential therapeutic use of synthetic peptides and small molecule modulators of MC1R, highlighting the development of various drugs that enhance stability through amino acid sequence modifications and small molecule drugs to overcome limitations associated with peptide characteristics. Notably, MC1R-targeted drugs have applications beyond skin pigmentation-related diseases, which predominantly affect MC1R in melanocytes. These drugs can also be useful in treating inflammatory diseases with MC1R expression present in various cells. Our review underscores the potential of MC1R-targeted drugs to treat a wide range of diseases and encourages further research in this area.

For centuries, Foeniculi fructus (F. fructus) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in China and Europe and is widely used as a natural therapy for digestive disorders, including indigestion, flatulence, and bloating. The mechanism by which F. fructus alleviates functional dyspepsia was analyzed through network pharmacology, and its therapeutic effect on an animal model of functional dyspepsia was investigated. The compounds, targets, and related diseases of F. fructus were studied utilizing the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Information on the target genes was classified using the UniProt database. A network was built using Cytoscape 3.9.1, and functional dyspepsia-related genes were checked using the Cytoscape string application. The efficacy of F. fructus on functional dyspepsia, including gastroparesis and gastrointestinal motility, was confirmed by treatment with its extract in a mouse model of loperamide-induced functional dyspepsia. Seven compounds targeted twelve functional dyspepsia-associated genes. In a functional dyspepsia mouse model, F. fructus significantly suppressed the symptoms when compared to that in the control group. Our animal studies showed that the mechanism of action of F. fructus is closely related to gastrointestinal motility. Based on animal experimental results, the results showed that F. fructus provides a potential means to treat functional dyspepsia, suggesting that its medical mechanism for functional dyspepsia can be described by the relationship between seven key compounds of F. fructus, including oleic acid and β-sitosterol, and 12 functional dyspepsia-related genes.

This study investigated the impact of boron and copper on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Spheroidal graphite Cast Iron (SCI). The addition of boron increased the ferrite content, while copper increased the stability of pearlite. The interaction between boron and copper significantly increased the ferrite content. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed that boron decreased the enthalpy change of the α + Fe3C -> γ transformation and increased the enthalpy change of the α -> γ transformation. The addition of boron and copper reduced the tensile and yield strength but increased elongation and impact energy. The findings provide valuable insights into the effect of boron and copper on SCI, facilitating the design and development of high-performance SCI materials.

The introduction of electrical vehicle charging infrastructure including EV charger, renewable energy resource at secondary feeder in distribution system has been increased as one of countermeasure for global environmental issues. However, the Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) infrastructure may act as the peak load in distribution system, which can adversely impact on the voltage stability when the electric vehicle is quickly charged. Therefore, to keep within the limit capacity of secondary feeder and allowable limit for feeder voltage, this paper proposes a stabilization method by the Energy Storage System (ESS) control strategy at secondary feeder in order to be not violated over than lower and upper limit. Also, this paper presents the estimation method to keep the proper standard value of State of Charge (SOC). From the simulation results, the voltage stabilization operation by ESS should make the feeder voltages of the distribution system(secondary feeder) introduced EVC Infra keep better voltage conditions, also estimation method to keep the proper standard value is confirmed that the SOC of ESS when is the standby condition could be exactly kept within the proper reference range.

Toward the standardization of O. biennis sprout extract (OBS-E), we aimed to obtain indicator compounds, using a validated method. HPLC-UVD allowed simultaneous quantification of indicator compounds quercetin 3-glucuronide and ellagic acid. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and limit of detection/limit of quantification (LOD/LOQ). High specificity and linearity was demonstrated, with correlation coefficients of 1.0000 for quercetin 3-glucuronide and 0.9998 for ellagic acid. The LOD/LOQ values were 0.486/1.472 μg/mL for quercetin 3-glucuronide and 1.003/3.039 μg/mL for ellagic acid. Intra-day and inter-day variability tests produced relative standard deviation for each compound of <2%, a generally accepted precision criterion. High recovery rate were also obtained, indicating accuracy validation. The OBS-E prepared using various concentrations of ethanol were then analyzed. The 50% ethanol extract had highest content of quercetin 3-glucuronide, whereas the 70% ethanol extract possessed the lowest. However, the ellagic acid content was highest in the 70% ethanol extract and lowest in the 90% ethanol extract. Thus, quercetin 3-glucuronide and ellagic acid can be used industrially as indicator compounds for O. biennis sprout products, and our validated method can be used to establish indicator compounds for other natural products.

In this paper, we introduce the partially degenerate Changhee-Genocchi polynomials and numbers and investigated some identities of these polynomials. Furthermore, we investigate some explicit identities and properties of the partially degenerate Changhee-Genocchi arising from the nonlinear dierential equations.

In this paper, we investigate a new $q$-analogue of the higher order degenerate Changhee polynomials and numbers, which are called the Witt-type formula for the $q$-analogue of degenerate Changhee polynomials of order $r$. We can derive some new interesting identities related to the degenerate $(h,q)$-Changhee polynomials and numbers.

To address the limitations of the current anodes of Li+-ion batteries (LIBs), a Ge/GeO2/Carbon (Ge@GeO2-C) composite was designed by introducing a high-energy ball-milling process for advanced LIBs. Ge@GeO2-C is prepared and characterized by XPS, XRD, SEM, and TEM, which facilitate synthesis and provide controllability with respect to milling time. Interestingly, as the ball-milling time increased, the proportion of metallic Ge increased during the carbon thermal reduction reaction. The electrochemical characteristics of Ge@GeO2-C are assessed using differential capacity analysis (dQ/dV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge techniques to confirm its viability as an anode material in LIBs. The results demonstrated decent initial and secondary capacities of approximately 1800 mAh g-1 (for the first cycle) and 838 mAh g-1 (for the second cycle) at a rate of C/60 by the reaction between Ge and the Li-Ge complex. Furthermore, postmortem characterization was performed to gain an understanding of the material, suggesting future prospects for advanced LIBs.

Recently, the intensities of natural disasters have increased significantly owing to climate change and various other environmental factors, causing unprecedented damage. Measures must be established to reduce damage from large-scale natural disasters caused by the rapidly changing environment. The Japanese government published a hazard map manual in 2015 and obligates the creation of a hazard map as a measure to reduce high-scale storm surges. This manual presents a typhoon model based on a parametric model that is used to create a hazard map. The Myers model assuming concentric circles, which is primarily used in East Asia, is disadvantageous as it cannot consider geographic characteristics. Therefore, a new parametric model is necessary to calculate wind and pressure fields, which change according to geographic characteristics. To improve this limitation of the Myers model, we calculated the wind and pressure fields considering geographical effects by combining the Holland model, which can consider the size of a developing typhoon, and the Mascon model, which changes by geographic characteristics. To determine the gradient coefficient of the Holland model, the coefficient that changes every moment was calculated using grid point value data. The result indicated excellent reproducibility of storm surge height according to the geographic characteristics.

Three species of subfamily Cultrinae currently live in Korea, but Erythroculter erythropterus has been introduced into the Nakdonggang River and has taken over the habitat, reducing the habitat of Culter brevicauda. Only the endangered species C. brevicauda still lives in the Yeongsangang River, and it is necessary to be careful not to introduce E. erythropterus in the future. And Hemiculter eigenmanni is also found throughout the country. In order to effectively manage and conserve the species in its various habitats and against invasions, this study was initiated. The ultrastructure of the egg envelopes of three species of Cultrinae— E. erythropterus, C. brevicauda, and H. eigenmanni, inhabiting the Geumgang and Yeongsangang Rivers were observed. It was found that the zona radiata of the egg envelopes of all three species were divided into two layers–an outer and inner layer, with the outer surface having a non-structural form. This form is characteristic of fishes with muddy, stagnant habitats or spawning grounds. The number of pore canals on the surface of the egg envelopes was 83 for E. erythropterus, 75 for C. brevicauda, and 58 for H. eigenmanni per 10 ㎛2, and the thickness was 7.89±0.34 ㎛, 12.27±0.46 ㎛, and 7.42±0.24 ㎛, respectively. The shape of the micropyle demonstrated a funnel shape narrowing toward the inner diameter in all three species, and the size of the inner diameter was 6.62±0.29 (6.09~7.10) ㎛ in E. erythropterus, 4.19±0.39 (3.39~4.58) ㎛in C. brevicauda, and 3.98±0.46 (3.47~4.93) ㎛in H. eigenmanni. The differences between species were identified in the number of pore canals, thickness, and micropyle inner diameter of egg envelopes, which were species-specific. Our study revealed a morphological mechanism in the egg envelope that prevents the formation of interspecific hybrids, and these features can be taxonomic traits that clarify species names. It also provided useful data for the production (breeding) of the second generation in aquaculture.

Matrix metalloproteinases are involved in extracellular matrix remodeling through the degradation of extracellular matrix components and are involved in the inflammatory response by regulating the activities of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, which are pro-inflammatory cytokines, in addition to extracellular matrix components. Since the regulation of inflammatory response and changes in the extracellular matrix by MMPs are related to the development of various diseases including lung and cardiovascular diseases, many studies have been conducted on the role of MMPs in pathogenesis. In addition, various studies have demonstrated that MMPs are involved in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases by regulating the expression and activity of MMPs by infection with pathogens. In this review, we discuss the role of MMPs in infectious diseases and the role of MMPs in inflammatory responses and present their potential as therapeutic targets in infectious diseases.

Background A mycotic aortic aneurysm is a rare type of aortic aneurysm that can cause serious and adverse outcomes. Most mycotic aneurysms originate from infectious sources, such as trauma, vegetation in the heart, and adjacent infectious sources. If a mycotic aneurysm is diagnosed, it should be treated simultaneously with the primary source of the infection. Case Report A 63-year-old male presented to the emergency room with a fever, the primary source of which had not been confirmed, and had not responded to antibiotic treatment for two weeks. Treatment was initiated for a mycotic aneurysm of the brachial artery that occurred suddenly while undergoing treatment for the fever. Further investigation revealed that a mycotic aneurysm of the brachial artery was the cause of the fever, followed by aneurysms in the abdomen and lower extremities, and even vegetation on the heart that was not initially present. The patient declined to undergo treatment for personal reasons. After five months, a contained rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm that was initially considered as normal aorta was diagnosed and was treated successfully. Conclusions A peripheral mycotic aneurysm may be associated with multiple aneurysms. Appropriate diagnosis and complete management are necessary to prevent fatal consequences.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and despite advances in treatment, survival rates are still low; therefore, the development of novel drugs is imperative. Acetylcorynoline (ACN) is derived from Corydalis ambigua. The effect of ACN on colon cancer is still unknown. Therefore, we investigated its potential effects. Our data showed that ACN inhibited cell viability and proliferation. Moreover, ACN induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by inhibiting cell growth. In the present study, we hypothesized that ACN regulates c-Myc through CNOT2 or MID1IP1. ACN reduced the protein expression of oncogenic genes, decreased c-Myc half-life, and rapidly inhibited the serum stimulation response. Moreover, knockdown of CNOT2 and MID1IP1 with ACN increased apoptosis and further reduced the expression of oncogenes. In addition, ACN exhibited a synergistic effect with low-dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin (Dox). Collectively, our data demonstrates that ACN inhibited c-Myc expression through CNOT2 and MID1IP1 and induced apoptosis. These findings indicate the potential of ACN as a therapeutic agent against colon cancer.

Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) form a bacterial film on the surface of alcoholic solutions and ferment ethanol to acetic acid while also producing bioactive compounds. To discover functional AAB for industrial use, we isolated and selected strains from farm-produced vinegars using a CaCO3-containing medium. The seven strains belonged to Acetobacter cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus. Physiological properties were determined, including ethanol tolerance at up to 12% (v/v). Acidification at a growth temperature of 40 ℃ was seen for GHA 7, GYA 23, JGB 21-17, and GHA 20 strains, which may be useful in vinegar production where thermotolerant AAB are required. The seven AAB isolates had strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Antioxidant activity was 2- and 4-fold higher, respectively, for A cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus than for the control, 1% acetic acid. We also observed 91.3% inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity for the KSO 5 strain, higher than that for the positive control, 0.1% captopril (76.9%). All strains showed complete inhibition of α-glucosidase, except JGB 21-17 and GHA 7 with 98.3% inhibition. Our work suggests usefulness of the strains selected as seed strains for highly efficient production of functional vinegar and illustrates identification of useful functional characteristics on a scientific basis.

Ozonated sunflower oil (OSO) is well known functional oil with its antioxidant, antimi-crobial, anti-allergic, and skin-moisturizing properties. However, studies on the effects of OSO on high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced metabolic disorders have been scarce. In the current study, we aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of OSO on lipid me-tabolism in adult hypercholesterolemic zebrafish and its embryo. Microinjection of OSO (final 2%, 10 nL) into zebrafish embryos under presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML, 500 ng) protected acute embryo death upto 61% survival, while sunflower oil (final 2%) showed much less protection around 42% survival. The microinjection of OSO was more effective than SO to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis in the CML induced embryo toxicity. Intraperitoneal injection of OSO under presence of CML protected acute death from CML-induced neurotoxicity with improved hepatic inflamma-tion, less detection of ROS and interleukin (IL)-6, and lowering blood total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG), while SO-injected group did not protect the CML-toxicity. Long-term supplementation of OSO (final 20%, wt/wt) with HCD for 6 months resulted higher sur-vivability than HCD alone group or HCD+SO group (final 20%, wt/wt) with significant lowering of plasma TC and TG levels. The HCD+OSO group showed the least hepatic in-flammation, fatty liver change, ROS, and IL-6 production. In conclusion, short-term treat-ment of OSO by injection exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity against acute neuro-toxicity of CML in zebrafish and its embryo. Long-term supplementation of OSO in diet also revealed the highest survivability and blood lipid-lowering effect through potent an-ti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

The present study investigated the effect of different ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH) but equal temperature-humidity index (THI) on laying performance, egg quality, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio), corticosterone (CORT) concentration in blood, yolk and albumen, and plasma biochemical parameters in laying hens. One hundred and twenty commercial hens (Hy-Line Brown) aged 60 weeks were allocated into 2 environmental chambers. Laying hens were subjected to either one of two thermal treatments, i.e., 26ºC and 70% RH (LH75) and 30ºC and 30% RH (HL75) for 28 days. Both thermal treatments had equal THI being 75. Neither LH75 nor HL75 affected (P > 0.05) laying performance including egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Plasma biochemical parameters such as total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus was not altered (P > 0.05) by thermal treatments. As to the stress indicators, both environment regimes failed (P > 0.05) to affect blood H/L ratio and CORT levels in plasma, yolk and albumen although albumen CORT levels were elevated (P < 0.05) in LH75 vs. HL75 at days 3, 7, and 28. In conclusion, our study suggests that laying hens performed and responded equally when they were exposed to equal THI environment conditioned from either 26ºC and 70% RH or 30ºC and 30% RH. The results of this study will be served as a scientific basis for management decisions and handling under thermally challenging conditions.

The objective of this study is to design and synthesize substituted η6-chromium tricarbonyl metal complexes carrying o-carborane units as potential boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) agents. In this study, 1,2-Diphenyl-o-carborane units were used as starting materials to generate biologically active species. We investigated how the structural changes of 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane substituted with chromium(0) tricarbonyl affect the biological properties; [(CO)3Cr]Ph2C2 (2) and [(CO)3Cr]2Ph2C2 (3) species were produced in moderate yields. The molecular structures of compounds 1–3 were identified and established by infrared (IR), 1H, 11B, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray crystallography analyses. Crystal structures of o-carboranyl chromium complexes 1 [a = 10.859(1) Å, b = 24.953(3) Å, c = 13.938(2) Å, β = 111.854(2)º], 2 [a = 10.621(3) Å, b = 17.056(5) Å, c = 12.174(4) Å, β = 106.622(5)º], and 3 [a = 17.540(2) Å, b = 18.060(2) Å, c = 19.484(4) Å, α = 105.746(2)º, β = 110.226(2)º, γ = 91.256(2)º] were obtained. In vitro study using B16 and CT26 cancer cells containing the triphenyl-o-carboranyl chromium (0) complexes Ph3C2BCr2 and Ph3C2BCr3, which we have previously reported, the compounds 2 and 3 accumulated at higher levels than compounds Ph3C2BCr2 and Ph3C2BCr3. However, the phenylated o-carboranyl chromium(0) complexes have been found to be more cytotoxic than p-boronophenylalanine (BPA).

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.

Ozonated sunflower oil (OSO) is renowned for its diverse therapeutic benefits. Nonetheless, the consequences of extended dietary intake of OSO have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Herein, the effect of 2-year dietary supplementation of OSO was examined on the zebrafish survivability, obesity, skeletal deformities, swimming behavior, and liver, kidney, ovary, and testis function. Results showed that the zebrafish feed supplemented with 20% (wt/wt) OSO for 2 years emerged with higher survivability and body weight management compared to sunflower oil (SO) and normal diet (ND) supplemented zebrafish. Radio imaging (X-ray) based analysis revealed 2.6o and 15.2o lower spinal curvature in the OSO-supplemented groups than in SO and ND-supplemented groups; consistently, OSO-supplemented zebrafish showed better swimming behavior. The histology analysis of the liver revealed a least fatty liver change and interleukin 6 (IL-6) generation in the OSO-supplemented group. Additionally, a significantly lower level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptotic, and senescent cells were observed in the liver of the OSO-supplemented zebrafish. Also, no adverse effect on the kidney, testis, and ovary morphology was detected during 2 years of OSO consumption. Moreover, lower senescence with diminished ROS and apoptosis was noticed in the kidney and ovary in response to OSO consumption. The OSO supplementation was found to be effective in countering age-associated dyslipidemia by alleviating total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C) and elevating high-density lipoproteins (HDL-C)/TC levels. Conclusively, prolonged OSO consumption showed no adverse effect on the morphology and functionality of vital organs; in fact, OSO supplementation displayed a protective effect against age-associated detrimental effects on spinal deformities, vital organ functionality, cell senescence, and survivability of zebrafish.

This study aimed to learn disturbance information to effectively control multiple small unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for marine research purposes at sea. The learned disturbance information was used to investigate the control of multiple USV swarms based on the leading–following formation technique. Numerous studies have already been conducted on swarm control using drones in the air; however, there has been a paucity of studies on swarm control in the sea. Contrary to swarm control in aviation, the fluid density of the sea is high, and the environment is constantly changing; thus, a robot system would be significantly affected by disturbances. This ultimately influences the maintenance of swarm formations and the accomplishment of missions [1,2]. Therefore, it is difficult to control numerous moving objects while maintaining a formation at sea by using the existing aerial drone swarm control technology. To solve this problem, we learned a long short-term memory (LSTM) model with time-series marine environmental data to predict maritime disturbances. Thereafter, the model was applied to a mission-based position control algorithm of each USV constituting the swarm to design a marine unmanned floating vessel swarm control system that can be applied to various marine environments. Specifically, to effectively control numerous small USVs for marine research purposes, ocean currents are learned using the LSTM algorithm, and the predicted ocean currents are used to generate a swarm USV control system for USV formations. In this study, a control system model of several small USVs equipped with two rear thrusters and a front lateral thruster was designed. The LSTM algorithm was learned using the previous ocean current data, and the velocity of the following ocean currents was predicted. The predictions were then used as a system disturbance to determine the thrust of the controller. To measure ocean currents in the sea when each USV moves, the velocity, azimuth, and position (latitude, longitude) data from the GPS mounted on the USV were used to measure the velocity and direction of the hull's movement. Further, the flow rate was measured using a flow rate sensor on a small USV. The USV movement and position were controlled using an artificial neural network-PID (ANN-PID) controller. This study entailed a comparative analysis of the designed USV model results and those generated by the simulator, including the behavior control rule of the USV swarm and the path of the actual USV swarm at sea. It was verified that the effectiveness of the USV mathematical model and behavior control rules. By comparing the movement path of the swarm USV with and without the disturbance learning algorithm and ANN-PID control algorithm applied to the designed simulator, the position error and maintenance performance of the swarm formation were analyzed, and the application results were compared.

The TRPV3 calcium ion channel is vital for maintaining skin health and has been associated with various skin-related disorders. Since TRPV3 is involved in the development of skin inflammation, inhibiting TRPV3 could be a potential treatment strategy. Alpha-mangostin isolated from Garcinia mangostana L. extract exhibits diverse positive effects on skin health; however, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. This study investigated the TRPV3-inhibitory properties of alpha-mangostin on TRPV3 hyperactive mutants associated with Olmsted syndrome and its impact on TRPV3-induced cytokine secretion and cell death. Our findings demonstrate that alpha-mangostin effectively inhibits TRPV3, with an IC50 of 0.077 ± 0.013 μM, showing inhibitory effects on both wild-type and mutant TRPV3. TRPV3 inhibition with alpha-mangostin decreased calcium influx and cytokine release, protecting cells from TRPV3-induced death. These results indicate that alpha-mangostin reduced inflammation in TRPV3-activated skin keratinocytes, suggesting that alpha-mangostin could be potentially used for improving inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis.

We analyzed signal transduction of three constitutively activating mutants (M410T, L469R, and D590Y) and two inactivating mutants (D417N and Y558F) of the eel luteinizing hormone receptor (eel LHR), known to occur in human LHR. The objective of this study was to assess the functional effects of these mutations in signal transduction and cell surface loss of receptor. Mutant receptors were transiently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Eel LH-stimulated accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was measured by homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assays. The loss of receptors from the cells surface was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. The cAMP response in cells expressing the wild type eel LHR was increased in a dose-dependent manner using eel LH ligand stimulation. Compared with the wild type, cells expressing the activating mutants (M410T, L469R, and D590Y), exhibited a 4.0-, 19.1-, and 7.8-fold increase in basal cAMP response without agonist stimulation, respectively. Their maximal responses to agonist stimulation were approximately 65%, 52%, and 98%, respectively, of those of the wild type. The inactivating mutants (D417N and Y558F) did not completely impair signal transduction, and their maximal responses were only 33% and25 % of those of wild type. These data clearly showed that the eel LHR-L469R and D590Y, activating mutants enhanced the rate of the loss of cell surface receptors following treatment with eel LH. Thus, the loss of cell surface receptors in cells expressing mutant eel LHRs was consistent with the eel LH agonist-induced production of cAMP. Our results suggested that the activation of the eel LHR requires appropriate loss of LHR-ligand complexes from the cell surface.

Background: This study aimed to present the development process and characteristics of the Korean Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarction for Regional Cardiocerebrovascular Centers (KRAMI-RCC). Methods: We developed KRAMI-RCC, a web-based registry for patients with AMI. Patients from 14 RCCs were registered for more than 3 years from July 2016. It includes an automatic error-checking system, and user training and on-site monitoring are performed to manage data quality. Results: A total of 11,700 AMI patients were registered in KRAMI-RCC over 3 years (73.9% men). The proportions of patients with ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction at discharge were 43.4% and 56.6%, respectively. Of the total 3-year patients, 5.6% died in the hospital and 4.4% died 12 months after discharge. The case fatality within 12 months was 9.7%. Prehospital care data showed delayed arrival time after onset of symptoms (median 153 min) and low transportation rate by public ambulance (25.2%). Post-hospital care data showed lower participation rate in the second rehabilitation program (16.8%). Conclusions: The recently developed KRAMI-RCC registry has been more focused on pre-hospital and post-hospital data, which will be helpful in understanding the current state of AMI disease management and in making policy decisions to reduce case fatality in Korea.

Abstract: (1) Background: existing treatment methods for neglect are concentrated on egocentric neglect and lead to various problems, such as cost/space constraints and portability. Therefore, this study seeks to determine how treatment (a.k.a., Twins Therapy, TT) can improve an existing problem in relation to neglect in stroke patients; (2) Method: The research design was a pre-post test control group design and both groups maintained existing rehabilitation treatment and added TT intervention only to the experimental group. TT intervention was conducted for a total of 20 sessions (1 session 30 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks); (3) Result: as a result of comparison be-fore and after the TT intervention, there was no significant difference in MFT and MBI items (p>.05). However, the score and execution time of the Apple Cancellation Test showed significant reduction only in the experimental group (p<.05); (4) Conclusion: as a result of the study, TT im-proved not only egocentric neglect, but also allocentric neglect symptoms in stroke patients

Ozonated sunflower oil (OSO) is an established therapeutic agent and nutraceutical harboring various therapeutic values, including antiallergic, derma-protective, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Conversely, the medicinal aspects of OSO for wound healing, tissue regeneration, and treatment of inflammation in dyslipidemia have yet to be fully elucidated. Herein, a comparative effect of OSO and sunflower oil (SO) was investigated to heal cutaneous wound and tissue regeneration of zebrafish impediment by carboxymethyllysine (CML) toxicity, following impact on hepatic inflammation and blood lipid profile. After OSO (final 2%, 1 μL) and SO's (final 2%, 1 μL) treatment, substantial healing was elicited by OSO in the cutaneous wound of zebrafish impaired by CML (final 25 mg). As an important event of wound healing, OSO scavenges the reactive oxygen species (ROS), rescues the wound from oxidative injury, and triggers the essential molecular events for the wound closer. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal injection of OSO was noted to counter the CML-induced adversity and prompt tissue regeneration in the amputated tail fin of zebrafish. Additionally, OSO counters the CML-induced neurotoxicity and rescues the zebrafish from acute mortality and paralysis, along with meticulous recovery of hepatic inflammation, fatty liver changes, and diminished ROS and proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-6 production. Besides, OSO efficiently ameliorated CML-induced dyslipidemia by alleviating the total blood cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and increasing high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C). The outcome of multivariate assessment employing principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis supports a superior therapeutic potential of OSO over SO against the clinical manifestation of CML. Conclusively, OSO owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, counters CML-induced toxicity and promotes wound healing, tissue regeneration, hepatoprotection, improved blood lipid profile, and survivability of zebrafish.

A programmable DC power supply with Real-time Digital Simulator (RTDS)-based photovoltaic (PV) Power Hardware-In-the-Loop (PHIL) simulators have been used to improve the control algorithm and reliability of PV Inverter. This paper proposes a supervisory control algorithm for PV PHIL simulator with non-RTDS device that is an alternative solution of high cost PHIL simulator. However, when such a simulator with conventional algorithm which is used in RTDS is connected to a PV inverter, the output is in the transient state and it makes it impossible to evaluate the performance of the PV Inverter. Therefore proposed algorithm controls the voltage and current target values according to the constant voltage (CV) and constant current (CC) modes to overcome the limitation of the Computing Unit, DC power supply and also uses a multi-rate system to account for the characteristics of each component of simulator. A mathematical models of a PV system, programmable DC power supply, isolated DC measurement device and Computing Unit are integrated to form a real-time processing simulator. Performance tests using a PV PHIL simulator which is applied proposed algorithm connected a PV inverter are carried out and proved superiority and utility of this method against conventional methods.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a common autoimmune disease, with its prevalence rapidly increasing. Both genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to the development of HT. Recently, viral infection has been suggested to act as a trigger of HT by eliciting the host immune response and subsequent autoreactivity. We analyzed features of HT through bioinformatics analysis so as to identify markers of HT development. We accessed public microarray data of HT patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under HT. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed for functional clustering of our protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Utilizing ranked gene lists, we performed Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) using the clusterprofiler R package. By comparing the expression signatures of the huge perturbation database with the queried rank-ordered gene list, connectivity map (CMap) analysis was performed to screen potential therapeutic targets and agents. The gene expression profile of the HT group was in line with general characteristics of HT. Biological processes related to the immune response and viral infection pathways were obtained for the upregulated DEGs. GSEA results revealed activation of autoimmune disease-related pathways and several viral infection pathways. Autoimmune disease and viral infection pathways were highly interconnected by common genes, while the HLA genes which are shared by both were significantly upregulated. CMap analysis suggested that perturbagens, including SRRM1, NLK, and CCDC92, have the potential to reverse the HT expression profile. Several lines of evidence suggested that viral infection and the host immune response are activated during HT. Viral infection is suspected to act as a key trigger of HT by causing autoimmunity. SRRM1, an alternative splicing factor, which responds to viral activity, might serve as potential marker of HT.

An 8-month-old, 3.4 kg, castrated male Toy Poodle was referred for progressive tetraparesis and respiratory disorder without a history of trauma. Diagnostic imaging, including dynamic CT and MRI, revealed concurrent atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) and atlantoaxial instability (AAI) with spinal cord compression. This case was unique due to its congenital nature and the absence of trauma. The surgical intervention involved precise removal of the C1 vertebra's ventral articular facet, which was compressing on the spinal cord, attributed to its fixed and malaligned position within the atlantooccipital joint. Following facetectomy, the stabilization of the occipital bone to the C2 vertebra was achieved by screws, wire, and polymethyl methacrylate. Postoperative recovery was monitored with CT and radiographs, showing successful decompression and gradual improvement in gait, despite mild residual ataxia. The dog experienced postoperative complications with screw loosening at 114 days, which was managed successfully by extracting the problematic screws. Postoperatively, the dog showed a near-normal gait and experienced no pain through 21 months of monitoring. This case represents the first report of concurrent congenital AOD and AAI treated with ventral surgical approach, contributing new insights to the understanding and management of such complex cranio-cervical junction disorders in veterinary neurosurgery.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the most abundant air pollutants. Their high concentrations can adversely affect the human body and therefore, early detection of VOCs is of outmost importance. Among the different VOCs, in this review paper, we have focused our attention on the monitoring of acetaldehyde by chemiresistive gas sensors using nanostructured semiconducting metal oxides. These sensors not only can provide a high sensing signal for detection of acetaldehyde, but also high thermal and mechanical stability and low price. This review paper is divided into three major sections. First, we will introduce acetaldehyde as the target gas and the importance of its detection. Then, the fundamentals of chemiresistive gas sensors will be briefly presented and, in the last section, a survey of literature on acetaldehyde gas sensors will be discussed. Acetaldehyde sensors working mechanism, their structures and configurations are reviewed. Finally, the future development outlook and potential applications are discussed, giving a complete panoramic view for researcher working and interested in acetaldehyde detection for different purposes in many fundamentals and applicative fields.

Background: We aimed to assess the risk of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-related cognitive impairment in colorectal cancer patients. Methods: We randomly selected 40% of colorectal cancer patients from Korean National Health Insurance Database (NHID), 2004-2018 (N=148,848). Patients with one or more ICD-10 diagnostic codes for dementia or mild cognitive impairment was defined as cognitive impairment cases. Patients who were aged 18 or younger, diagnosed with cognitive impairment before colorectal cancer (N=8,225) and did not receive primary resection (N=45,320) were excluded. The effects of each chemotherapy agent on cognitive impairment were estimated. We additionally estimated the effect of radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients. Time-dependent competing risk Cox regression was conducted to estimate overall and age-specific hazard ratios (HR) separately for colon and rectal cancer. Results: In colon cancer, capecitabine and irinotecan was associated with higher cognitive im-pairment, while 5-fluorouracil was not. In rectal cancer, no chemotherapy agents increased the risk of cognitive impairment, nor did radiotherapy. Hazardous association of irinotecan was estimated larger in elderly patients compared with younger counterparts. Conclusion: Heterogeneous associations between various chemotherapy agents and cognitive impairment were observed. Elderly patients were more vulnerable to possible adverse cognitive effects. Radiotherapy did not increase the risk of cognitive impairment.

The network pharmacology (NP) approach is a valuable novel methodology for understanding the complex pharmacological mechanisms of medicinal herbs. In addition, various in silico analysis techniques combined with the NP can improve the understanding of various issues in natural product research. This study assessed the therapeutic effects of Arum ternata (AT), Poria cocos (PC), and Zingiber officinale (ZO) on hyperlipidemia after network pharmacologic analysis. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of forty-one key targets was analyzed to discover core functional clusters of the herbal compounds. The KEGG pathway and gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis identified significant categories of hypolipidemic mechanisms. The STITCH database indicated a high connection with several statin drugs deduced by the similarity in targets. AT, PC, and ZO regulated the genes related to the energy metabolism and lipogenesis in HepG2 cells loaded with free fatty acids (FFAs). Furthermore, a combinational effect of the mixture of three herbs was found. The herbal combination exerted superior efficacy compared to a single herb, particularly in regulating acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1). In conclusion, the network pharmacologic approach was used to assess potential targets of the herbal combination for treatment. Experimental data from FFAs-induced HepG2 cells suggested that the combination of AT, PC, and ZO might attenuate hyperlipidemia and its associated hepatic steatosis.

The populations of clearwing moth borers in Korea have recently exploited and severe damage on pin oaks (Quercus palustris Munchh.). We conducted the field monitoring and the molecular analyses to identify them in an integrated manner. Morphological examination and molecular analyses on COI-gene based intra-and inter-specific genetic divergences (GD) were revealed that the borers were recognized as two invasive species, Sphecodoptera sheni and Paranthrenella pinoakula sp. nov.. The maximum intraspecific GD was found to be 1.9%, whereas the minimum interspecific GD was confirmed as 8.1%, with a distinct barcoding gap. Both MJ network and NJ tree were also showed that 18 haplotypes (HAPs) were detected from the 52 COI sequences. The borers were revealed total 17 HAPs: i) H1-H7 were detected from all seven regions with S. sheni; ii) Wonju and Goyang populations of S. sheni were revealed as more than three HAPs; iii) H7 was closely connected with H8 of Chinese population of S. sheni; iv) H9-H10 were detected as the other samples from Wonju population with P. pinoakula sp. n., and closely located with congeneric species. Maximum likelihood tree also revealed that P. pinoacula sp. n. nested within the congeneric species by genetically separating from the S. sheni.

The present study was conducted to evaluate encapsulated essential oils as an alternative anticoccidial in coccidiosis vaccine challenged broiler chickens. A total of 600 day-old male broiler chicks were provided with no-added corn-soybean meal-based control diet or diets that contained either salinomycin or EO at 60 and 120 mg per kg of diet. On day 21, half of the control groups were orally challenged with a coccidiosis vaccine at 25 times higher than the recommended vaccine dose. During 22 to 28 days (i.e., one-week post coccidiosis vaccine challenge), the challenged chickens had decrease (P < 0.05) in body weight gain and feed intake but increase in feed conversion ratio compared with the non-challenged, naïve control chickens. However, dietary EO significantly counteracted (P < 0.05) coccidiosis vaccine-induced depression in body weight gain and feed intake. Increasing dietary EO linearly decreased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of the volatile fatty acids. Dietary SAL and EO affected gut morphology in chickens at 20 days posthatch. Increasing dietary EO linearly (P = 0.073) increased serum catalase activity. Collectively, our study shows that dietary EO increased coccidiosis vaccine-induced growth depression and altered gut physiology in broiler chickens.

Metal oxide p-n heterojunction nanofibers (NFs) are among the most promising approaches to enhancing the efficiency of gas sensors. In this paper, we report the preparation of a series of p-NiO-loaded n-ZnO NFs, namely (1 − x) ZnO-xNiO (x = 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1 wt%), for hydrogen gas sensing experiments. Samples were prepared through the electrospinning technique followed by a calcination process. The sensing experiments showed that the sample with 0.05 wt% NiO loading resulted in the highest sensing performance at an optimal sensing temperature of 200 °C. The sensing mechanism is discussed in detail and contributions of the p-n heterojunctions, metallization of ZnO and catalytic effect of NiO on the sensing enhancements of an optimized gas sensor are analyzed. This study demonstrates the possibility of fabricating high-performance H₂ sensors through the optimization of p-type metal oxide loading on the surfaces of n-type metal oxides.

Traditional grain vinegar is fermented using multiple acetic acid bacteria (AAB) at various temperatures. A single AAB showed high acid–producing ability at 30 °C with a 5% alcohol concentration and an initial pH adjusted to 4.0. Multiple AAB were similar to single AAB, but the optimal initial pH was 3.0. Acid production ability according to the type of AAB was higher in multiple AAB than that for single AAB. That is, using multiple AAB helped to increase the titratable acidity of traditional grain vinegar. In addition, increasing the titratable acidity and content of volatile flavor compounds was advantageous when two, rather than four, AAB types were mixed and used. Titratable acidity was high at medium temperatures (30 °C), but volatile flavor compounds increased at low temperatures (20 °C) under multiple AAB. A 16S rDNA–based microbiome taxonomic profiling analysis identified differences in beta diversity due to multiple AAB and fermentation temperatures. In particular, beta diversity analysis revealed a specific pattern when a mixture of Acetobacter ascedens GV–8 and Acetobacter pasteurianus GV–22 were fermented at low temperature (20 °C). Therefore, we propose the application of multiple AAB with acidic and flavor–producing properties in traditional grain vinegar.

In general, the stone pagoda structures with discontinuous surfaces are vulnerable to lateral forces and are severely damaged by earthquakes. After the Gyeongju earthquake in 2016 and the Pohang earthquake in 2017, the earthquakes damaged numerous stone pagoda structures due to slippage, rotation and the separation of stacked stone. To evaluate seismic resistance of masonry stone pagoda structure, we analyzed the seismic behavior of stone pagoda structure using shaking table test. Shaking frequency, permanent displacement, maximum acceleration, rocking, and sliding were assessed. Responses to simulations of the Bingol, Gyeongju, and Pohang earthquakes based on Korean seismic design standard (KDS 41 17 00) were analyzed for return periods of 1,000 and 2,400 years. We found that the type of stylobate affected the seismic resistance of stone pagoda structure. When the stylobates were stiff, seismic energy was transferred from lower to upper regions of the stone pagoda, which mainly resulted in deformation of the upper region. When the stylobates were weak, earthquake energy was absorbed in the lower regions; this was associated with large stylobate deformations. The lower part of tower body was mainly affected by rocking, because the structural members were slender. The higher part of the stone pagoda was mainly affected by sliding, because the load and contact area decreased with height.

The combination of freeze-dried aronia, red ginseng, ultraviolet-irradiated shiitake mushroom and natokinase (AGM; 3.4: 4.1: 2.4: 0.1) was examined to evaluate its effects on insulin resistance, insulin secretion and gut microbiome in a non-obese type 2 diabetic animal model. Pancreatectomized (Px) rats were provided high fat diets supplemented with either of 1) 0.5 g AGM (AGM-L), 2) 1 g AGM (AGM-H), 3) 1 g dextrin (control), or 4) 1g dextrin with 120 mg metformin (positive-control) per kg body weight for 12 weeks. AGM (1 g) contained 6.22 mg cyanidin-3-galactose, 2.5 mg ginsenoside Rg3 and 0.6 mg β-glucan. Px rats had decreased bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and femur and lean body mass in the hip and leg compared to the normal-control and AGM-L and AGM-H prevented the decrease. Visceral fat mass was lower in the control group than the normal-control group and its decrease was smaller by AGM-L and AGM-H. HOMA-IR was lower in descending order of the control, positive-control, AGM-L, AGM-H and normal-control groups. Glucose tolerance was deteriorated in the control group and it was improved by AGM-L and AGM-H more than in the positive-control group. Glucose tolerance is associated with insulin resistance and insulin secretion. Insulin tolerance indicated insulin resistance was highly impaired in diabetic rats, but it was improved in the ascending order of the positive-control, AGM-L and AGM-H. Insulin secretion capacity, measured by hyperglycemic clamp, was much lower in the control group than the normal-control group and it was improved in the ascending order of the positive-control, AGM-L and AGM-H. Diabetes modulated the composition of gut microbiome and AMG prevented the modulation of gut microbiome. In conclusion, AGM improved glucose metabolism by potentiating insulin secretion and reducing insulin resistance in insulin deficient type 2 diabetic rats. The improvement of diabetic status alleviated body composition changes and prevented changes of gut microbiome composition.

In daily living environments, an individual’s state influences spatial perception. The current study, based on Attention Restoration Theory, aimed to explore differences in the health utility of nature according to individual differences in spatial perception. Cognitive mapping and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) were used to assess spatial perception ranges and the restorative effect of the environment. Two spatial perceptual groups were defined: one describing only the internal area of a green space, and another illustrating the external area of this green space on a larger scale. The former had higher overall PRS, Being Away, Fascination, and Compatibility scores. The latter had higher scores only on the Coherence subscale. These results illustrate that frequency of nature visits and time spent traveling to do so differently influence the two groups’ attentional restoration, which has great implications for landscape planning in highly stressful urban environments.

Here, we report a simple and effective method for separation of gram-negative bacteria using aptamer-modified microbeads and acoustophoresis. As acoustophoresis allows for simultaneous washing and size-dependent separation in continuous flow mode, we efficiently obtained gram-negative bacteria that showed high affinity without any additional washing steps. The proposed device has a simple and efficient channel design, utilizing a long, square-shaped microchannel that shows excellent separation performance in terms of the purity, recovery, and concentration factor. Microbeads (10 µm) coated with the GN6 aptamer can specifically bind gram-negative bacteria. Using acoustophoresis, gram-negative bacteria-bound microbeads and other unbound/contaminants can be separated by size with high purity and recovery. The device demonstrated excellent separation performance, with high recovery (up to 98%), high purity (up to 99%), and a high volume rate (500 µL/min), and a concentration factor of up to 20×. The acoustophoresis microfluidic device also showed binding affinity to multiple strains of gram-negative bacteria, but not to gram-positive bacteria. This study presents a new paradigm for early diagnosis of bacterial infectious diseases. In addition to detecting living bacteria or bacteria-derived biomarkers, this protocol can be extended to monitoring the contamination of water resources, and may aid quick responses to bioterrorism and pathogenic bacterial infections.

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a process that enables high-speed deposition with a sub-millimeter thickness using laser technology. Thus far, defect studies on additive manufacturing, including DED, have focused mostly on preventing pores and crack defects that reduce fatigue strength. On the other hand, evaporation products, fumes and spatters, generated by the high energy have often been neglected despite being some of the main causes of porosity and defects. In high-quality metal deposition, the problems caused by evaporation products are difficult to solve, but they have not yet caught the attention of metallurgists and physicists. This review examines the effect of the laser, material, and process parameters on the evaporation products to help obtain a high-quality metal film layer in thin-DED.

“A Picture is worth a thousand words”. Given an image, humans are able to deduce various cause-and-effect captions of past, current, and future events beyond the image. The task of visual commonsense generation aims at generating three cause-and-effect captions (1) what needed to happen before, (2) what is the current intent, and (3) what will happen after for a given image. However, such a task is challenging for machines owing to two limitations: existing approaches (1) directly utilize conventional vision-language transformers to learn relationships between input modalities, and (2) ignore relations among target cause-and-effect captions but consider each caption independently. We propose Cause-and-Effect BART (CE-BART) which is based on (1) Structured Graph Reasoner that captures intra- and inter-modality relationships among visual and textual representations, and (2) Cause-and-Effect Generator that generates cause-and-effect captions by considering the causal relations among inferences. We demonstrate the validity of CE-BART on VisualCOMET and AVSD benchmarks. CE-BART achieves SOTA performances on both benchmarks, while extensive ablation study and qualitative analysis demonstrate the performance gain and improved interpretability.

Among the electrochemical energy storage (EES) technologies, rechargeable batteries (RBs) and supercapacitors (SCs) are the two most desired candidates for powering a range of electrical and electronic devices. The RB operates on Faradaic processes, whereas the underlying mechanisms of the SC vary as non-Faradaic in the electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs), Faradaic at the surface of the electrodes in the pseudo capacitors (PCs), and a combination of both non-Faradaic and Faradaic in the hybrid capacitors. The EDLCs offer high power density but low energy density. The hybrid capacitors take advantage of the Faradaic process without compromising their capacitive nature. Unlike batteries, supercapacitors provide high power density and numerous charge-discharge cycles; however, their energy density lags that of batteries. Here, we review recently published critically selected articles on supercapatteries, a generic term that refers to EES devices that can combine the merits of EDLCs and RBs. Also discussed are the properties, design strategies, and future perspectives of supercapatteries.

Obesity and overweight are associated with many metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, which are closely related to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise. Aerobic exercise effectively increases the high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and decreases the triglyceride (TG) levels. The consumption of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®) is also effective in enhancing the HDL-C quantity and HDL functionality to treat dyslipidemia and hypertension. On the other hand, no study has examined the effects of a combination of high-intensity exercise and policosanol consumption in obese subjects to improve metabolic disorders. In the current study, 17 obese subjects (average BMI 30.0±1.1 kg/m2, eight male and nine female) were recruited to participate in a program combining exercise and policosanol (20 mg) consumption for 12 weeks. After completion, their BMI, waist circumference, total fat mass, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased by approximately 15% (p=0.022), 12.7% (p=0.008), 33% (p=0.006), 11% (p<0.046), and 13% (p=0.007), respectively. In the serum lipid profile, at week 12, they showed a remarkable decrease in the total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, up to 17% (p<0.019) and 54% (p<0.002) from the baseline, respectively. Although the serum HDL-C was increased by approximately +12% from the baseline, the percentage of HDL-C in TC, HDL-C/TC (%), was increased by up to +32% (p=0.007) at week 12. The serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) level was increased 1.2-fold in all participants at week 12 from the baseline. In particular, the male participants showed a 1.4-fold increase (p=0.027) from the baseline. The larger increase in serum CoQ10 was correlated with the larger increase in the serum HDL-C during 12 weeks. The hepatic function parameters were improved; the serum -glutamyl transferase decreased at week 12 by up to 55% (p<0.007), while the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase levels decreased within the normal range. In the lipoprotein level, the extent of oxidation and glycation were reduced significantly in VLDL and LDL, with a remarkable decrease in the TG content in particles. The antioxidant abilities of HDL2 and HDL3, such as paraoxonase (PON) and ferric ion reduction ability (FRA), were enhanced significantly by up to 1.8-fold (p<0.001) and 1.6-fold (p<0.001) at week 12. The particle size and number of HDL2 were increased up to +10% during the 12 weeks with a remarkable decrease in the TG content, glycation extent, oxidation up to 32% (p=0.032), 18% (p=0.043), and 11% (p=0.023), respectively. The particle number and diameter of HDL3 were increased by up to +9% with a remarkable increase in the PON activity, FRA activity, and TC content of +82% (p<0.001), +56% (p<0.001), and +32% (p=0.009), respectively. Expression of apolipoproteinA-I in HDL2 and HDL3 were significantly elevated more in both gender around 30~48% with more distinct band intensity and less glycation at week 12. These improvements in HDL quality and functionality were linked to the higher survivability of adult zebrafish and their embryos. Under the co-presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML), a microinjection of HDL2 to zebrafish embryo from week 0 resulted in approximately 47% survivability with developmental defects and attenuated speed. On the other hand, the HDL2 microinjection from week 12 resulted in remarkably higher survivability (~ 70%). In conclusion, 12 weeks of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®, 20 mg) consumption with high-intensity exercise showed significant improvement in blood pressure, body fat mass, blood lipid profile without liver damage, CoQ10 metabolism, and renal impairment. At week 12, all participants showed a remarkable decrease in oxidation and glycation extent in the VLDL and LDL with a decrease in the TC and TG content. Significant enhancement of the qualities and functionalities in HDL2 and HDL3 by the policosanol consumption were also detected: increase in apoA-I content, TC content, particle size, and particle numbers along with antioxidant abilities, such as PON and FRA.

Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) is an acute demyelinating disorder characterized by the loss of myelin in the center of the basis pons which is defined as central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) and demyelination process in locations outside the pons which is defined as extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM). ODS including CPM and EPM is mainly caused by the rapid correction of hyponatremia. However, there are several reports of ODS in medical condition such as malnutrition, alcoholism, liver transplantation, malignancy, sepsis, electrolyte imbalance including hypernatremia, hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, and chronic illness. Rarely, ODS was reported in patients with hyperammonemia or hyperbilirubinemia without sodium fluctuations. The symptoms usually correspond to the lesion site and EPM precedes CPM. Because ODS may be irreversible, prevention is more important. Here, we report a case of ODS secondary to the hyperammonemia and hyperbilirubinemia, as it can have unfavorable prognosis.

Luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) is a member of the seven-transmembrane (TM) receptor family. Several mutations in LHR have been identified in many mammalian species, leading to either constitutive activation or inactivation of the receptor. Mutations in highly conserved regions of the TM domain have been reported. In this study, we analyzed signal transduction by three constitutively active mutants (designated M410T, L469R, and D590Y) and two inactivating mutants (D383N and Y546F) of eelLHR known as naturally occurring in human LHR . To directly assess the functional effects of these mutations, site-directed mutant receptors were transiently expressed in CHO-K1 cells and cAMP accumulation stimulated by recombinant eelLH (rec-eelLH) was measured by homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assays. The cAMP response in cells expressing eelLHR wild-type (eLHR-WT) increased in a dose-dependent manner with rec-eelLH ligand stimulation. Cells expressing the activating eelLHR mutants, M410T, L469R, and D590Y, exhibited a 4.0-, 19.1-, and 7.8-fold increase in basal cAMP response, respectively. However, their maximal responses were approximately 73, 53, and 92%, respectively, of the maximal response of LHR-WT. The L469R mutant exhibited a particularly marked increase in cAMP production in the absence of agonist. The maximal responses of the inactivating mutants, D383N and Y546F, were 32 and 24% of LHR-WT, respectively. However, the inactivating mutations did not completely impair signal transduction. Thus, we report here the first characterization of activating and inactivating mutations in eelLHR and we show that these mutations have similar effects as those reported for mammalian LHRs. Moreover, eelLHR with activating mutations showed constitutive cAMP responses. These results provide important data on the signal transduction of constitutively active and inactive LHR mutants. Further studies should aim to identify the mechanism responsible for the significant increase in basal cAMP response in the constitutively activated eelLHR mutants.

Few clinical factors can help predict spontaneous culture conversion (SCC) in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex-pulmonary disease (MAC-PD). We retrospectively classified 373 MPD patients who had undergone watchful waiting without antibiotics according to the so-called ‘body mass index (BMI), age, cavity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and sex (BACES)’ severity. We evaluated whether lower severity is associated with a higher rate of SCC. Of 373 patients, 153 (41%) achieved SCC without antibiotics during a median follow-up of 48.1 months. There was a trend toward a higher SCC rate in patients with lower BACES severity: 48% (87/183), 37% (58/157), and 24% (8/33) in the mild, moderate, and severe BACES groups, respectively. In addition, a favorable outcome, defined as maintaining SCC or having two consecutive negative sputum cultures until the last follow-up date, was also more common in patients with lower BACES severity with 53% (97/183), 34% (54/157), and 18% (6/33) in the mild, moderate, and severe BACES groups, respectively. In multivariate analysis, moderate (hazard ratio [HR]=0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44 – 0.91; p = 0.013) and severe BACES (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16 – 0.90; p = 0.028) had a significantly negative impact on favorable outcomes compared to mild BACES. Lower BACES severity may be associated with SCC in MAC-PD patients.

Synthetic polymer-based gradient foams have considered as promising category of functionally graded materials with unique properties. In this study, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) foaming technology has used for PET-PEN (Polyethylene Terephthalate - Polyethylene Naphthalate) copolymer towards porous functional materials with thermal insulation with reasonable mechanical strength. Through scanning electron microscope based morphological characterization, a potential to fabricate gradient foam structures with micro-pores has identified. It has shown that variation of post-foaming temperature can tune the pore size distribution although the very high post-foaming temperature tends to cause structural instability. Thermal measurement data set the limits of operation, confirmed by simultaneous differential scanning calorimeter and thermo-gravimetric analysis. Mechanical stress and thermal conductivity also has measured to find rationale of thermal insulation with reasonable mechanical strength and to elucidate the actual 3D grid foam of copolymer.

Background: The Stability Index estimation algorithm was derived and applied to develop and implement a balance ability diagnosis system that can be used at daily life. Methods: The system integrated an approach based on sensory function interaction, called the clinical test of sensory interaction with balance (CTSIB). The piezo-resistive force mat was fabricated, and a Stability Index prediction algorithm was developed and applied using the center of pressure (CoP) variables. The Stability Index prediction algorithm derived a CoP variable for 103 elderly people by Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) to predict the Stability Index of the Balance System (Biodex SD). And, the accuracy was confirmed through the correlation between the real and predicted value. Results: As a result of testing with the test-set, the linear regression model confirmed that the r value ranged between 0.943 to 0.983. To confirm the similarity between the WBB and flexible force mat, each measured CoP value was input and calculated into the developed regression model, and the result of the correlation coefficient validation ​​confirmed an r value of 0.96. Conclusion: The system developed in this study will be applicable to the daily life of the home in the form of a floor mat.

: Cnidium officinale Makino, a perennial crop in the Umbeliperae family, is harvested in the summer for medicinal purposes. The average temperature in Korea has recently increased, and consequently, the area used to cultivate C. officinale has been reduced, and plant disease and soil sickness have increased. In this study, rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from C. officinale, and their antagonistic activity evaluated against Fusarium solani, which is a major issue during repeated cultivation. Twenty-eight strains were isolated from the root and rhizosphere soil, of which seven showed antagonistic activity against F. solani and were further investigated. An in planta test found that the dead rate of shoots was significantly lower in the group inoculated with PT1 isolated from the root tissue and that the fresh and dry weights were also higher, when compared with the other groups. PT1 was thus considered to have antagonistic activity against F. solani. The 16S rRNA analysis identified the PT1 as Leclercia adecarboxylata, and downstream studies confirmed the production of enzymes related to antagonism, such as siderophore and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. The phosphorous solubilizing ability and secretion of related enzymes were also confirmed. The results indicate that PT1 could be utilized as a PGPR to help control fusarium wilt.

Driven by industrialization and urbanization, urban air pollution can increase respiratory, heart, and cerebrovascular diseases, and thus mortality rates; as such, it is necessary to improve air quality through the consideration of individual pollutants and emissions sources. In South Korea, national and local governments have installed urban and roadside air quality monitoring systems. However, stations are lacking outside metropolitan regions, and roadside stations are sparsely distributed, limiting comparisons of pollutant concentrations with vehicle traffic and floating population levels. Local governments have begun using mobile laboratories (MLs) to supplement the fixed measurement network and investigate road pollution source characteristics based on their spatiotemporal distribution; however, the collected data cannot be used effectively if they are not visualized. Here, we propose a method to collect and visualize global information system (GIS)-based air quality data overlayed with environmental variables to support air quality management measures. Spatiotemporal analyses of ML-derived data from Bucheon, Korea, confirmed that particulate and gaseous pollutant concentrations were high during typical commuting hours, at intersections, and at a specially managed road. During commuting hours, the maximum PM10 concentration reached 200.7 µg/m³ in the Nae-dong, Gyeongin-ro, and Ojeong-dong ready-mix concrete complex areas, and the maximum PM_2.5 concentration was 161.7 µg/m³. The maximum NOx, NO₂, and NO levels of 1.34 ppm, 0.18 ppm, and 1.18 ppm, respectively, were also detected during commuting hours. These findings support the need for targeted management of air pollution in this region, and highlight the benefit of comprehensively comparing road levels, driving speed, and traffic levels when identifying hotspots of air pollution. Such analyses will contribute to the development of air quality management measures customized to regional characteristics.

Hybrid fiber reinforced composites can be controlled by price, weight and various mechanical properties depending on fiber ratio and lamination method. Despite these excellent hybrid properties, there is a disadvantage that inter-laminar fracture due to external impact, which is the biggest weakness of fiber reinforced composite materials, is weak. The test specimens were prepared by using a vacuum bag method, which is manufactured by using an autoclave device. The pre-preg is manufactured in the form of a B-stage. In the process of fabricating the nanoparticle pre-preg, the homogeneizer using an ultrasonic wave was used to disperse the epoxy subject without the curing agent into nanoparticles. The dispersion of the nanoparticles was dispersed by the weight of the epoxy resin. This is to take into account the cohesion of HNT and to understand the range of cohesion of HNT in a matrix with viscosity and its phenomenon. According to the Comparison of the interlayer interfacial properties and mechanical properties of Aramid / Basalt fiber hybrid composites by HNT addition, the fracture toughness, ILSS and bending strength of specimens with HNT content of more than a certain level were decreased because of the aggregation of HNT.

Many quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) utilize ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as an electron injection layer (EIL). However, the use of ZnO NP ETL material often results in charge imbalance within the quantum dot (QD) emitting layer (EML) and exciton quenching at the interface of QD EML and ZnO NP EIL. To overcome these challenges, we introduced an Arginine (Arg) interlayer (IL) onto the ZnO NP EIL. The Arg IL elevated the work function of ZnO NPs, thereby suppressing electron injection into the QD, leading to improved charge balance within the QDs, Additionally, the inherent insulating nature of the Arg IL prevented direct contact between QDs and ZnO NPs, reducing exciton quenching and consequently improving device efficiency. The inverted QLED (IQLED) utilizing a 20-nm-thick Arg IL on ZnO NP EIL exhibited a 2.22-fold increase in current efficiency and a 2.28-fold increase in EQE and compared to an IQLED without an IL. Likewise, the IQLED with a 20-nm-thick Arg IL on ZnO NP EIL demonstrated a 1.34-fold improvement in current efficiency and a 1.36-fold increase in EQE compared to IQLED with a 5-nm-thick PEI IL on ZnO NPs.

In 2016, the global environmental impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was 49.3 gigatons CO₂ equivalent. Worldwide, the transportation sector is responsible for 14% of GHG. Electric vehicles (EV) powered by less-polluting energy sources are one way to reduce the environmental impact of the transportation sector, but immediate transportation demands cannot be met by existing EV technology. Use of less polluting biofuel in place of petroleum-based gasoline or diesel fuel to power the existing transportation fleet is a widely accepted transitional solution, including in the Republic of Korea. The purpose of this research is to investigate approaches to biofuels in the US and the UK in order to evaluate Korea’s current energy policies related to use of biofuels and to make recommendations for strengthening Korea’s energy policy. This article addresses only policies for use of biodiesel rather than ethanol (widely used in the US) because ethanol is not used in Korea. This research shows that Korea calculates GHG using the principle that biofuel is carbon neutral, but energy policies in the US and the UK treat biofuel as not entirely carbon neutral. Korea should examine how to calculate GHG from biodiesel according to the standard set by the UK in order to work toward a more environmentally sustainable energy policy.

Rice is an important cereal crop worldwide, the growth of which is affected by rice blast disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. As climate change increases the diversity of pathogens, the disease-resistance genes (R genes) in plants must be identified. The major blast-resistance genes have been identified in indica rice varieties; therefore, japonica rice varieties with R genes now need to be identified. Because leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain proteins possess R-gene properties, we used bioinformatics analysis to identify the rice candidate LRR domain receptor-like proteins (OsLRR-RLPs). OsLRR-RLP2, which contains six LRR domains, showed differences in the DNA sequence, containing 43 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in indica and japonica subpopulations. The results of M. oryzae inoculation analysis indicated that indica varieties with partial deletion of OsLRR-RLP2 showed susceptibility, whereas japonica varieties with intact OsLRR-RLP2 showed resistance. oslrr-rlp2 mutant generated using clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) showed increased pathogen susceptibility, whereas plants overexpressing this gene showed pathogen resistance. These results indicate that OsLRR-RLP2 confers resistance to rice, and OsLRR-RLP2 may be useful for breeding resistant cultivars.

Fluorine naturally occurs in soil and rocks; however, concerns arise when human activities or specific compounds increase its levels or bioavailability. South Korea faces challenges in managing soil fluorine contamination even though existing regulations based on total fluorine content are stricter than those in many developed countries. However, these regulations can be economically impractical because of Korea's naturally high background levels of fluorine in the soil. This study examined the international landscape of soil fluorine management and explored potential solutions that balance environmental protection with economic considerations. We propose a shift towards regulating specific and harmful fluorine compounds and prioritizing remediation based on bioavailability assessments. This approach can guide Korea towards a more effective and sustainable strategy for managing soil fluorine contamination.

Lectins, characterized by their carbohydrate-binding ability, have an extensive practical application. However, their industrial use is limited by low yields, and few active recombinant lectins have been reported. In this study, the algal lectin BPL-3 (Bryopsis plumosa lectin 3) was successfully produced using a bacterial expression system, BL21(DE3), with an artificial repeated structure (dimeric construct). Recombinant dimeric BPL3 (rD2BPL3) was confirmed by LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Expression efficiency was greater for the construct with the repeat structure (rD2BPL3) than the monomeric form (rD1BPL3). Optimal conditions for expression were 1 mM IPTG at 20 °C. Recombinant lectin was purified under denaturing conditions and refolded by the flash dilution method. Recombinant BPL3 was solubilized in 1× PBS containing 2 M urea. rD2BPL3 showed strong hemagglutination activity using human erythrocytes, similar to that of native BPL3. rD2BPL3 had a similar sugar specificity to that of the native protein, i.e., to N-acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc). Glycan array results showed that recombinant BPL3 and native BPL3 exhibited different binding properties. Both showed weak binding activity to α-Man-Sp. Native BPL3 showed strong binding specificity to the alpha conformation of amino sugars, and rD2BPL3 had binding activity to the beta conformation. The process developed in this study was suitable for the quality-controlled production of high amounts of soluble recombinant lectins.

In this study, the effect of hot stamping forming process on the properties change of compound layer in Al–Si coated high-strength steel sheet with different thickness was investigated. The coating layer in hot stamped high-strength steel sheet was composed of a diffusion layer and a compound layer. As the hot stamping temperature and holding time for forming increased, the thickness of the compound layer in the Al–Si coated high-strength steel sheet increased. The thickness of coating layer with the hot stamping for 500 sec at 890, 910 and 950 °C was obtained 8.9, 11.8, and 20.6 micrometer, respectively. The thickness of coating layer with hot stamping for 180, 500 and 550 sec at 910 ^oC was obtained 5.7, 11.8, and 17.8 micrometer, respectively. The compound layer in hot stamped high-strength steel sheet with Al–Si coating layer consists of Al_5.4Fe₂ and Fe₂Si phases. In the compound layer, Al and Si were irregularly distributed.

Under the “Korean emission trading system in the forestry sector (KETSF)” initiative, the South Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as the cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated several value-added KETSF projects in South Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies: one based on an extension of the rotation age, and a second one based on reforestation with new species. Five forest management scenarios were examined and evaluated in their ability to maximize carbon stocks and economic returns. Based on the results, Scenarios 2 and 4 were identified as the best KETSF projects in terms of carbon stock increments. Additionally, the results indicated that projects including reforestation with new species added more economic value than projects that considered an extension of the rotation age. The study also revealed that KETSF projects generated revenue in both scenarios, by either extending the rotation age or by implementing reforestation with new species.

Vein blood sampling is one of the methods of mass blood sampling, and is an act of drawing blood from a vein for blood type discrimination, confirmation of various physiological indicators, disease diagnosis, and the like, and is the most commonly used blood sampling method. An important point in vein blood sampling is to search for the exact location of the vein and insert the blood sampling. This is influenced by the patient's obesity, skin and blood vessel conditions, and the experience of the clinical technologist, nurse, and resident who performs the blood sampling. It is required to perform blood sampling technique practice. However, due to many limitations of the practice room or laboratory, there is a problem of using only a limited environment and model for clinical practice. As a result, many medical educational institutions have situations in which only fragmentary clinical practices are performed, and it is difficult to per-form a large number of blood sampling skills practices, so they do not provide enough experience to understand the actual skill field. In this paper, we propose a method for developing a virtual reality-based vein blood sampling simulator to practice a large number of blood sampling techniques without restrictions. The proposed vein blood sampling simulator can operate a 3D model related to vein blood sampling using HMD Controller and Haptic in a virtual space for vein blood sampling practice by wearing an HMD (Head mounted display), and can perform vein blood sampling practice through interaction with the patient 3D model. there is. In addition, the effectiveness of the simulator developed for dental students was verified, and as a result of the verification, the potential of the proposed vein blood sampling simulator was confirmed.

Commiphora molmol myrrh resin extracts, which have different physical properties such as polarity and dielectric constant, were prepared by immersion in extraction solvents (hot water, DMSO, hexane, ethanol, and methanol). Methanolic myrrh resin extracts showed broad antibacterial activity against isolated airborne bacteria. Furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and curzerene, as the main terpenoids in the methanolic myrrh resin extract, were analyzed using GC-MS, and the methanolic myrrh resin extracts were found to have antiviral activity (81.2% viral RNA inhibition) against H1N1 influenza virus. Biochars (wood powder-and rice husk-derived) coated with myrrh resin extracts also showed antiviral activity (22.6% and 24.3% viral RNA inhibition), due to the adsorption of terpenoids onto biochar. Myrrh resin extract using methanol as the extraction solvent is a promising agent with antibacterial and antiviral efficacy, and it can be utilized as a novel material via adsorption onto biochar for air filtration processes, cosmetics, fertilizers, drug delivery, and corrosion inhibition.

The pond slider (Trachemys scripta) was designated as an invasive alien species in South Korea in 2001. Although the prevention and control of invasive species have received considerable atten-tion worldwide, studies on the current status and effective management of T. scripta in South Korea are lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the status of domestic reuse of T. scripta and provide effective management suggestions. Analysis of the National Institute of Ecology's “Na-tionwide Survey of Non-native Species in Korea” conducted from 2015 to 2022 confirmed the habitats of 1,440 T. scripta individuals at 295 sites. T. scripta is the most frequently observed among invasive turtles identified in the Korean Peninsula. To determine the reuse of T. scripta, 13 tradi-tional markets were surveyed; five markets were confirmed to have T. scripta. Although the exact distribution route is unknown, individuals living or abandoned in the region might be resold in the market. T. scripta is mostly sold for ritual purposes. Moreover, T. scripta accounted for 31% of freshwater turtles abandoned between 2019 and 2022. Their continuous reuse has been confirmed 22 years after their designation as an invasive alien species. Therefore, effective and fundamental management measures for T. scripta are required.

This study compared condylar volume, length, and articular eminence (AE) characteristics in normal individuals and those with unilateral and bilateral juvenile idiopathic osteoarthritis (JOA). The 116 patients were divided into four groups: control (n=16), affected condyle of unilateral JOA (Aff-Uni) (n=36), non-affected condyle of JOA (NonAff-uni) (n=36), and bilateral JOA (Bi-JOA) (n=28). Volume and length differences in the condyle and AE were analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results showed that Bi-JOA had significantly different condylar volume, especially in the condylar head (p&lt;0.01), specifically the middle, anterior, and medial parts (p&lt;0.05). Condylar length also differed among the groups, with differences observed between the control group and the other three groups, as well as between the bilateral group and the other three groups (p&lt;0.01). AE total volume differed between the control group and Aff-Uni. In the detailed comparison, Aff-Uni and NonAff-Uni were smaller than the control group in the posterior, lateral, and medial sections (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, depending on the involvement of unilateral or bilateral JOA, there were differences in condylar volume and AE compared to the normal control group. Therefore, prognosis should be evaluated by distinguishing between patients with unilateral and bilateral JOA.

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.

Reflux esophagitis, a treatment for gastric ulcers known as Ilaprazole (Ila), is not stable during storage and handling at room temperature, requiring storage at 5 degrees celsius. In this study, to address these issues with Ila, coformers rich in oxygen (O) and hydroxyl (OH) groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds with were selected. These coformers included Xylitol (Xyl), Meglumine (Meg), Nicotinic acid (Nic), L-Aspartic acid (Asp), and L-Glutamic acid (Glu). A 1:1 physical mixture of Ila and each coformer was prepared, and the potential for cocrystal for-mation was predicted using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) screening. The results indi-cated the potential for cocrystal formation in the Ila/Xyl physical mixture. Subsequently, Ila and Xyl were mixed in ethyl acetate (EA) in a 1:1 ratio, and after 28 hours of slurry, the formation of Ila/Xyl cocrystal was confirmed through solid-state CP/MAS 13C NMR spectrum analysis, showing intermolecular hydrogen bonding and conformational changes. Furthermore, the 1:1 ratio of Ila/Xyl cocrystal was confirmed through solution-state NMR (1H, 13C, and 2D) molecular structure analysis. To assess the stability of Ila/Xyl cocrystal at room temperature, it was stored and com-pared with Ila at 25±2°C and relative humidity (RH) of 65±5% over three months. The results showed that the purity of Ila/Xyl cocrystal remained at 99.8% from the initial purity of 99.75% over the three months, while Ila was predicted to decrease from an initial 99.8% purity to 90% after three months. Additionally, at 25±2°C and RH 65±5%, a specific impurity B in Ila/Xyl cocrystal was observed to be 0.03% over three months, whereas Ila was predicted to increase from an initial 0.032% to 2.28% after three months. To evaluate the dissolution rate of Ila/Xyl cocrystal, a formulation was prepared and compared with Ila at pH 10, with a dosage equivalent to 10mg of Ila. The results showed that Ila/Xyl cocrystal reached 55% within 15 minutes and 100% within 45 minutes, while Ila was predicted to reach 32% at 15 minutes and 100% only after 60 minutes. However, overall, the Ila/Xyl cocrystal showed results equivalent to or exceeding the dissolution rate of Ila. Therefore, it is predicted that the Ila/Xyl cocrystal will maximize its effectiveness as a more convenient crystal structure for formulation development, allowing storage and preservation at room temperature without the need for the problematic 5°C refrigeration during ambient con-ditions and storage, addressing the issues associated with Ila.

Numerous structures at the nano- and microscale manifest distinctive properties with far-reaching implications across diverse fields, including electronics, electricity, medicine, and surface engi-neering. Established methods such as nanoimprint lithography, photolithography, and self-assembly play crucial roles in the fabrication of nano- and microstructures; however, they exhibit limitations in generating high-aspect-ratio structures when utilizing high-viscosity pho-tocurable resins. In response to this inherent challenge, we propose a highly cost-effective ap-proach facilitating the direct replication of high-aspect-ratio structures, specifically nanowires, through the utilization of anodized aluminum substrates. This study elucidates the streamlined fabrication process for multiscale porous surfaces achieved through the evaporation-induced in-tegration of solid nanowires printed with high-viscosity photocurable resin.

Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O nanoparticle (NP) were employed as electron transport layers (ETLs) with varying thicknesses to investigate their influence on the efficiency of the top-emission quantum dot light-emitting diodes (TE-QLEDs) fabricated inside the bank. An increase in the thickness of the Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL led to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen vacancies, reducing the conductivity of the Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O and resulting in lower current density in the TE-QLEDs. The decrease in conductivity of Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL was confirmed through electron-only device (EOD) characterization. Furthermore, it was noted that when the thickness of Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL was 30 nm, the concentration of hydroxyl species reached its minimum. By minimizing the presence of hydroxyl species, exciton quenching at the quantum dot (QD) and Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL interface was minimized, enhancing charge balance within the QD, significantly improving the efficiency of QLED. We successfully demonstrated that TE-QLED with a 30 nm-thick Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL exhibits outstanding performance, achieving a maximum current efficiency of 91.92 cd/A and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 21.66%. These results suggest that Zn_0.9Mg_0.1O NP ETL, when tailored to an appropriate thickness, can serve as an ETL for TE-QLEDs, effectively suppressing exciton quenching and enhancing the charge balance in the TE-QLEDs.

Lipofibromatous hamartoma, first reported in 1953, is a rare, slowly-progressive soft tissue tumor, characteristics of which include enlargement of the affected nerve by epineurial and perineurial proliferation of adipose and fibrous tissues. Out of previously reported 200 cases of lipofibromatous hamartoma of the median nerve, there have been approximately 40 pediatric cases under the age of 18. Herein, we report a case of lipofibromatous hamatoma of the median nerve in a 3-year-old female patient, who was surgically decompressed by carpal tunnel release only and histologically confirmed. The patient was followed-up on outpatient clinic basis annually along with ultrasonography, and the postoperative 10th year follow-up did not show recurrence or any deficits in motor and sensory functions

Background: Transit-time flow measurement (TTFM) is frequently used to evaluate intraoperative quality control during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Although TTFM has the ability to assess graft failure intraoperatively, the perioperative factors affecting TTFM during CABG surgery remain poorly understood. Methods: Patients who underwent CABG surgery at a single institution between July 2016 and May 2018 were prospectively evaluated. Patients’ demographic characteristics, previous medical history, Euroscore, the results of preoperative blood tests, and intraoperative data were recorded. TTFM and blood viscosity were measured hemodynamically, and mean flow (mL/min) and pulsatility index (PI) were recorded. Arterial blood gas was analyzed immediately after anastomosis of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to the left descending artery (LAD) and before sternal closure. Factors associated with TTFM were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Of the 62 patients who underwent CABG surgery during the study period, 57 were evaluated, including 49 who underwent off-pump and eight who underwent on-pump surgery. Blood viscosity was not significantly associated with TTFM (p > 0.05). However, TTFM was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, and cardiac index (p < 0.05 each). Conclusions: Blood viscosity was not significantly associated with intraoperative graft flow. Blood flow of graft vessels, however, was significantly associated with BMI, systolic blood pressure, and cardiac index.

A high-performance Lead-free Piezoelectric Energy Harvester (LPEH) based on a Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 + CuO 0.3 wt% (BCTZC0.3) composite was fabricated by sintering at 1450℃. The BCTZC0.3 composite, which has an enhanced high-energy-conversion constant (〖d_33×g〗_33), shows improved piezoelectric power-generation performance when compared with conventional piezoelectric energy harvesters. The BCTZC0.3-based LPEH produces instantaneous maximum power of 8.2 mW and an energy density of 107.9 mW/cm3 in a weak magnetic field of 250 μT. This energy harvester can be used to charge a capacitor and operate a wireless sensor network (WSN) system to provide temperature sensing and radio-frequency (RF) transmission in a 250 μT magnetic field. The proposed LPEH is a promising green-energy device for potentially self-powering WSN systems when applied.

Purpose: The intervertebral disc is a leading avascular organ in the body that may gather nutrition through diffusion. It maintains homeostasis by the use of autophagy and apoptosis to survive in unfavorable conditions such as stress and mechanical force. Therefore, excessive force and stress beyond normal conditions may cause intervertebral disc degeneration. The purpose of this study was to examine which is the better method, either external fixator (EF) or saline injection (SI), for inducing autophagy and apoptosis-mediated nucleus pulposus (NP) cell death in the discs of rat tail’s. Methods: Sixteen, nine-weeks-old male Sprague–Dawley rat tails were treated with 0.9% saline and EF (two-cross Kirschner wires) for a period ofsix and twelve weeks. Treated discs were dissected to identify the participation of autophagy and apoptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration. For identification purposes, H&amp;E staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for LC3, beclin-1, and P62 in addition to MMP-2, MMP-3, and TIMP-1 were performed. Furthermore, we performed real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to observe autophagy-related gene expression (beclin-1, LC3, and P62) and apoptosis-related gene expression (MMP-2, MMP-3, and TIMP-1). Results: TheEF group showed more insidious NP cell degeneration than the control (Ctrl) group. Degeneration was elevated with increasing compression duration of EF group, whereas the SI group could not distinguish the margin of annulus fibrosus (AF) and NP cells. LC3, beclin-1, and P62 showed the highest and lateral expression whilst MMP-2, MMP-3, and TIMP-1 showed up-regulated and central expression in both groups, although the SI group could not recognize the boundary between NP and AF cells. The EF group showed the highest autophagy-related gene expression whereas the SI group showed lower expression. In addition, the EF group showed more autophagy-accumulating materials than the SI group which elevated with increasing compression duration. Furthermore, the SI group induced the highest apoptotic gene expression, but the EF group showed the lowest expression. Conclusion: The EF method was better for studying autophagy and apoptosis because it enhanced intervertebral disc degeneration after compression, which is actively linked to autophagy and apoptosis. The degeneration process was elevated by increasing the compression duration, but SI could not distinguish AF and NP cell margins.

While fibrinolytic enzymes and thrombolytic agents offer assistance in treating cardiovascular diseases, the existing options are associated with a range of adverse effects. In our previous research, we successfully identified ficin, a naturally occurring cysteine protease that possesses unique fibrin and fibrinogenolytic enzymes, making it suitable for both preventing and treating cardiovascular disorders linked to thrombosis. Papain is a prominent natural cysteine protease derived from the latex of Carica papaya. The potential role of papain in preventing fibrin(ogen)lytic, anticoagulant, and antithrombotic activities has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we examine how papain influences fibrinogen and the process of blood coagulation. Papain is highly stable at pH 4-11 and 37-60°C by azocasein assay. In addition, SDS gel separation electrophoresis, zymography, and fibrin plate assays were used to determine fibrinogen and fibrinolysis activity. Papain appears to have a molecular weight of around 37 kDa, and is highly effective in degrading fibrin, with a molecular weight of over 75 kDa. Furthermore, papain-based hemostatic performance was confirmed in blood coagulation tests, a blood clot lysis assay, and a κ-carrageenan rat tail thrombosis model, highlighting its strong efficacy in blood coagulation. Papain shows dose-dependent blood clot lysis activity, cleaves fibrinogen chains of Aα, Bβ, and γ-bands and significantly extends prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Moreover, the mean length of the infarcted regions in the tails of Sprague-Dawley rats with κ-carrageenan was shorter in rats administered 10 U/kg of papain than in streptokinase-treated rats. Thus, papain, a natural cysteine protease, has distinct fibrin and fibrinogenolytic properties, suggesting its potential for preventing or treating cardiovascular issues and thrombosis-related diseases.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common and feared complication of radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer. Recently, tissue engineering is being attempted for post-prostatectomy ED, with controlled interactions between cells, growth factors, and extracellular matrix (ECM) being important for nerve regeneration's structural integrity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of biomechanical ECM patch on human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) morphology and behavior in bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) rat model. The ECM patch, made of decellularized human fibroblast-derived ECM (hFDM) and a biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel, was tested with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) on a bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) rat model. In vitro analysis showed that the hFDM/PVA + hBMSCs patches significantly increased neural development markers. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the rats treated with the hFDM/PVA patch had higher ICP/MAP ratio, a higher ratio of smooth muscle to collagen, increased content of nNOS, higher levels of eNOS protein expression, and a higher cGMP level compared to the BCNI group. These results indicate that the hFDM/PVA patch is effective in promoting angiogenesis, smooth muscle regeneration, and nitrergic nerve regeneration, which could contribute to improved erectile function in post-prostatectomy ED.

In the crustacean immune system, leucine-rich repeat (LRR) is one of the major structures for recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). LRR domain-containing proteins belong to the LRR family, which is a large group of proteins with more than 6000 genes in the database. They are involved in very diverse physiological functions mainly by interacting with other proteins. In a previous study, the LvLRRm, a transmembrane protein containing only LRR domain, was identified in the white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Its versatile role in performing multiple immunomodulation activities has been reported. However, there is still a lack of research on its efficient function at the protein level. To investigate its interactions with other proteins, we applied a convenient method called ‘Hybrid LRR technique’ to produce a recombinant LvLRRm. The LvLRRm and hagfish’s variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) fragments were fused to the conserved LxxLxLxxN motif while retaining the β-strand. In addition, we established interactions between hybrid-proteins and flagellin of Salmonella by performing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. The designed hybrid proteins showed potential for universal applications without losing protein functions.

Fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA) is a commonly used, quantitative technique for detecting biochemical based on antigen–antibody binding reactions using a well-plate platform. With the developments in the manufacturing technology of microfluidic systems, FLISA can be implemented onto microfluidic disk platforms, which allows the detection of trace biochemical with high resolutions. Apart from requiring a lower proportion of reagent (1/10), this method also reduces the time required for the entire process to less than an hour. The incubation process involves antigen–antibody binding reactions as well as the binding of fluorogenic substrates to target proteins. The protocol for FLISA on a microfluidic platform necessitates the appropriate execution of liquid reagent movements during each step in order to ensure sufficient binding reactions. Herein, we propose a novel microfluidic disk comprising a 3D incubation chamber. Vascular endothelial growth factor as concentration with ng mL-1 is detected sequentially using a benchtop process employing this 3D microfluidic disk. The 3D microfluidic disk is implemented without requiring manual intervention or additional procedures for liquid control. During the incubation process, microbead movement is controlled through centrifugal force, generated due to disk rotation, and gravitational force via bead sedimentation on the sloped floor of the chamber.

In this study, to reduce the use of cement and sand, porous feldspar with excellent economic efficiency was used as a substitute in heat storage concrete layer. When cement was replaced with porous feldspar, the compressive strength was approximately 16%–63% higher compared with when cement was replaced with silicate minerals. To compensate for the reduction in strength owing to the decreased cement content, mechanical and chemical activation methods were employed. When the specific surface area of porous feldspar was increased, the unit weight was reduced by approximately 30% and the compressive strength was increased by up to 90%. When chemical activation was applied using a solidifying agent, the strength was increased by approximately 30% even though 70% of the cement content was replaced with porous feldspar. When cement and sand were replaced with porous feldspar, the compressive strength was approximately two times that of ordinary cement mortar. When the heat storage concrete layer material was replaced with porous feldspar in a pilot scale experiment, the thermal conductivity and heat storage characteristics were better than those of ordinary cement mortar, and an energy-saving effect of approximately 57% was observed, confirming the excellent applicability of porous feldspar as a building material.

Cervical cancer, primarily caused by high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types 16 and 18, is a major global health concern. Persistent HR-HPV infection can progress from reversible pre-cancerous lesions to invasive cervical cancer, which is driven by the oncogenic activity of human papillomavirus (HPV) genes, particularly E6 and E7. Traditional screening methods, including cytology and HPV testing, have limited sensitivity and specificity. This review explores the ap-plication of p16/Ki-67 dual-staining cytology for cervical cancer screening. This advanced im-munocytochemical method allows for simultaneously detecting p16 and Ki-67 proteins within cervical epithelial cells, offering a more specific approach for triaging HPV-positive women. Dual staining and traditional methods are compared, demonstrating their high sensitivity and negative predictive value but low specificity. The increased sensitivity of dual staining results in higher detection rates of CIN2+ lesions, which is crucial for preventing cervical cancer progression. However, its low specificity may lead to increased false-positive results and unnecessary biopsies. The implications of integrating dual staining into contemporary screening strategies, particularly considering the evolving landscape of HPV vaccination and changes in HPV genotype prevalence are also discussed. New guidelines and further research are necessary to elucidate the long-term effects of integrating dual staining into screening protocols.

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) causes considerable breathing-related health risks. We assessed the inhibitory effect of Siraitia grosvenorii extract (SGE) on airway inflammation in mice exposed to a fine dust mixture of PM10 (PM diameter &lt; 10 mm) and diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) known as PM10D. SGE attenuated neutrophil infiltration and the number of immune B and T cells in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of PM10D-exposed mice. SGE reduced the secretion of cytokines and chemokines, including interleukin (IL)-1a, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- a, IL-17, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 in BALF. Airway inflammation, accumulation of inflammatory cells, and collagen fibrosis in the lung after PM10D exposure were investigated by histopathological analysis, and SGE treatment ameliorated these symptoms. SGE decreased the mRNA expression of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC), CXCL-1, TNF-a, MIP-2, and transient receptor potential vanilloid and ankyrin 1 ion channels in the lung tissues of mice. Furthermore, SGE ameliorated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling activated by PM10D in mice. We conclude that SGE attenuated PM10D-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation via inhibiting MAPK/NF-κB activation. These results show that SGE may be a candidate for the treatment of inflammatory respiratory diseases.

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.

Laser shock peening is a process which can reduce stress corrosion cracking and improve fatigue life by forming compressive residual stress on the surface of the material. In a computational FE simulation of laser shock peening, during applying the pressure load generated by the laser pulse to the surface of simulation geometry, the peening is simulated by explicit analysis and then convert to implicit analysis to dissipate the dynamic energy remaining in the geometry. In this study, static damping is applied to dissipate residual dynamic energy without converting it into an implicit analysis. The compressive residual stress distribution is compared between the simulation results for the stainless steel 304 material and the same material subjected to actual laser shock peening. The laser shock peening parameters were 4.2J laser pulse energy, 50% overlap of 3mm diameter of the laser beam and water as a confinement layer. As a result, the compressive residual stress from the surface to the depth direction is similar to both the simulation and the experimental result measured by the hole drilling method.

This study emphasizes the necessity of introducing a blockchain-based joint logistics system to strengthen the competency of medical supply chain management (SCM) and tries to develop a healthcare supply chain management (HSCM) competency measurement item through an analytic hierarchy process. The variables needed for using blockchain-based joint logistics are the performance expectations, effort expectations, promotion conditions, and social impact of the UTAUT model, and the HSCM competency results in increased reliability and transparency, enhanced SCM, and enhanced scalability. Word cloud results, analyzing the most important considerations to realize work efficiency among medical industry-related agencies, mentioned numerous words, including sudden situations, delivery, technology trust, information sharing, effectiveness, urgency, etc. This might imply the need to establish a system that can respond immediately to emergency situations during holidays. It could also suggest the importance of real-time information sharing to increase the efficiency of inventory management. Therefore, there is a need of a business model that can increase the visibility of real-time medical SCM through big data analysis. By analyzing the importance of securing reliability based on the blockchain technology in the establishment of a supply chain network for HSCM competency, we reveal that joint logistics can be achieved and synergistic effects can be created by implementing the integrated database to secure HSCM competency. Strengthening partnerships, such as joint logistics, will eventually lead to HSCM competency. In particular, HSCM should seek ways to upgrade its competitive capabilities through big data analysis based on the establishment of a joint logistics system.

The phenolics concentrations of rapeseed are important because they are antinutritional com-pound or directly positive related to antioxidant actives. In this study, single nucleotide poly-morphisms (SNPs) identified from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), and genome-wide associa-tion study of phenolic contents were investigated in 95 rapeseed mutant lines derived from gamma rays and their original cultivar. A total of 3,196,318 SNPs were detected, identifying a set of 70,208 union SNPs used to perform association studies. Six phenolics and glucosinolate (pro-goitrin) were identified, sinapine was the major phenolic compound (91.2–99.2%) in all geno-types. The association study was conducted for six phenolic compounds, progoitrin, total sinap-ine content (TSC), total phenolic content (TPC) and seed yield. The association study identified 241 SNPs that were significantly associated with six phenolic compounds, progoitrin, TSC and TPC. Based on the detected SNP markers, BnaA06g31740D, a gene associated progoitrin, BnaC-nng39930D, a gene associated trans-sinapine 1, BnaA07g31720D, a gene associated trans-sinapine 2, BnaC03g31950D and BnaA06g09180D, a gene associated TSC, and BnaAnng27700D, a gene associ-ated TPC, were selected as candidate genes. The SNP makers associated major phenolic com-pounds identified and could be used as targets for breeding programs aimed at improving anti-oxidant contents and reducing antinutritional components.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is diagnosed by the occurrence of fat buildup, inflammation, and fibrotic changes within the liver. NASH has the capacity to proceed to the advancement of decompensated cirrhosis and carcinoma by inflammation and oxidative stress. Although Agrimonia pilosa has traditionally been used medicinal purposes, its effects on the liver remains incompletely elucidated. In this research, we assessed the therapeutic outcomes of Agrimonia pilosa extract (APE) on free fatty acid (FFA)-treated HepG2 cellular hepatic steatosis and in a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet with 0.1% methionine (CDAHFD)-induced NASH mouse model. In FFA-treated cells, APE inhibited intracellular lipid accumulation, and regulated the mRNA and protein expressions of modulators of fatty acid (FA) synthesis as well as FA oxidation proteins, through down-regulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase/sirtuin 1 signaling pathway. In the CDAHFD-induced NASH mouse model, APE significantly enhanced liver histology and serum levels of liver damage. APE also significantly attenuated hepatic expression of mRNA and proteins related to FA synthesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, APE mitigated the expression levels of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Overall, these discoveries indicate that Agrimonia pilosa has the potential to treat NASH by regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, alleviating inflammation, and mitigating oxidative stress.

Ulmus species have been widely used in Korean folk medicine because of their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. We intended to investigate the wound healing effect of the powder of Ulmus parvifolia (UP) root bark in a mouse wound healing model. We also determined the mechanisms of effects of Ulmus parvifolia (UP) in skin and skin wound healing effect using keratinocyte model. in vivo experiments showed that the wound lesions in the mice decreased by U. parvifolia with 200 mesh size of root bark powder and significantly reduced by treatment with UP, compared with those treated with U. macrocarpa (UM). Results from in vitro experiments also revealed that UP extract promoted the migration of human skin keratinocytes. UP powder treatment upregulated the expression of the matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 protein and significantly increased transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels. We confirmed that topical administration of the bark powder of exerted a significant effect on skin wound healing by upregulating the expression of MMP and transforming growth factor-β. TGF-β In, Our study suggests that U. parvifolia may be a potential candidate for skin wound healing including epidermal skin rejuvernation.