In this paper, feasibility of the initial alignment of the gyro-free inertial navigation system (GF-INS) is investigated. Initial roll and initial pitch are obtained as the conventional INS since centripetal acceleration is very small. Relation between initial heading and accelerometers’ outputs of the gyro-free inertial measurement unit (GF-IMU) is derived. It is determined from the relation whether initial heading can be obtained in 15 GF-IMUs which have been presented in research literatures. The relationship between the accelerometer errors of GF-IMU and the initial heading error is derived. When gyros are additionally attached in one axis or two axes of the body frame, it is investigated that initial heading can be obtained. The initial heading error is also calculated from the accelerometer errors and the gyroscope errors. The results show that the initial heading from only accelerometer outputs of the GF-IMU cannot be used in the GF-INS since the error is too large. It can also be seen from the results that the initial heading can be used in the GF-INS if two gyroscopes are additionally attached to the roll and pitch axes of the body frame.

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease in patients with diabetes, which can develop simultane-ously with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in postmenopausal women. Bisphosphonate (BP) is administered to pa-tients with both the conditions and may cause medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ). It affects the differentiation and function of osteoclasts as well as thickness of cortical bone through bone mineralization. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of T2D on osteoclast differentiation and activity as well as cortical bone formation in postmenopausal patients with MRONJ. Tissue samples were collected from 10 patients diagnosed with T2D and Stage III MRONJ in the experimental group and from 10 patients without T2D in the control group. Histological examination was conducted, and expres-sion of dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) was assessed. Cortical bone formation was analyzed using CBCT images. The number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts and DC-STAMP-positive mononuclear cells were significantly less in the experi-mental group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the thickness and ratio of cortical bone were significantly greater in the experimental group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, T2D decreased the differentiation and function of osteo-clasts, and increased cortical bone formation in postmenopausal patients with MRONJ.

Background and Objective: There is a paucity of literature comparing unilateral instrumented transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (UITLIF) with bilateral instrumented TLIF (BITLIF) regarding radiological alignment, including the coronal balance, even though UITLIF might have asymmetric characteristics in the coronal plane. This retrospective study aimed to compare the clinical and long-term radiological outcomes of 1-level UITLIF and BITLIF in lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD). Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent 1-level UITLIF with two rectangular polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages or BITLIF with ≥ 5 years of follow-up at a single hospital were included. We compared the clinical and radiological outcomes between the UITLIF and BITLIF. Results: In total, 63 and 111 patients who underwent UITLIF and BITLIF, respectively, were enrolled. The median follow-up was 85.55 months (range: 60–130). The UITLIF group had a significantly shorter operation time (185.0 [170.0–210.0] vs. 225.0 [200.0–265.0], p &lt; 0.001) and lower estimated blood loss (300.0 [250.0–500.0] vs. 550.0 [400.0–800.0], p &lt; 0.001) than BITLIF group. Regarding the clinical outcomes, there were no significant differences in the intermittent claudication score (p = 0.495) and Kirkaldy–Willis criteria (p = 0.707) at 1 year postoperatively. The interval changes of the local coronal Cobb angle at the index level, L1-S1 lordotic angle, and coronal off-balance from the immediate postoperative radiograph to the last follow-up were not significantly different (p = 0.687, p = 0.701, and p = 0.367, respectively). Conclusion: UITLIF with two rectangular PEEK cages is a viable option for providing comparable clinical outcomes and radiological longevity to BITLIF in 1-level LDD. In addition, UITLIF has advantages over BITLIF in terms of operative time and blood loss.

Characters are one of the most important elements in composing digital animation. The appear-ance and voice of a character should be designed to express the personality and values of the character. However, it is not easy for animation producers to harmoniously match the appear-ance and voice of a character. Advances in deep learning technology have made it possible to overcome this limitation. To achieve this, firstly, an audio-visual dataset of characters is required. In this study, we construct and verify a Korean audio-visual dataset consisting of frontal face im-ages of various characters and short voice clips. We developed an application that can automati-cally extract the frontal face image and a short voice clip of a character by collecting videos up-loaded to YouTube. Through this, a dataset consisting of a total of 1,522 face images and a total of 7,999 seconds of voice clips was built based on 490 characters. Furthermore, we automatically la-bel characters by gender and age to validate the dataset. The dataset built in this study is expected to be used in various deep learning fields, such as classification, generative adversarial networks, and speech synthesis.

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) consist of a work platform, extending structure, and chassis, and are used to move persons to working positions. MEWPs are useful but are composed of pieces of equipment, and accidents do occur owing to equipment defects. Among these defects, accidents caused by the fracture of bolts fixed to the extension structure and swing system are increasing. This paper presents a failure analysis of the fixing bolts of MEWP. Standard procedure for failure analysis was employed in this investigation. Visual inspection, chemical analysis, tensile strength measurement, and finite element analysis (FEA) were used to analyze the failure of the fixing bolts. Using this failure analysis approach, we found the root cause of failure and proposed a means for solving this type of failure in the future. First, the chemical composition of the fixing bolt is obtained by a spectroscopy chemical analysis method, which determined that the chemical composition matched the required standard. The tensile test showed that the tensile and yield strengths were within the required capacity. The stress analysis was carried out at five different boom angles, and it was determined that the fixing bolt of MEWP can withstand the loads at all the boom angles. The outcomes of the fatigue analysis revealed that the fixing bolt fails before reaching the design requirements. The results of the fatigue analysis showed primarily that the failure of the fixing bolt was due to fatigue. A visual inspection of the fractured section of the fixing bolt also confirmed the fatigue failure. We propose a method to prevent failure of the fixing bolt of the MEWP from four different standpoints: the manufacturer, safety certification authority, safety inspection agency, and owner.

This work investigates the stability conditions for linear systems with time-varying delays via augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional(LKF). Two types of augmented LKFs with cross terms in integral are suggested to improve the stability conditions for interval time-varying linear systems. Through this work, the compositions of the LKFs are considered to enhance the feasible region of stability criterion for linear systems. Mathematical tools such as Wirtinger-based integral inequality(WBII), zero equalities, reciprocally convex approach, and Finsler’s lemma are utilized to solve the problem of stability criteria. Two sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the asymptotic stability of the systems using linear matrix inequality(LMI). First, asymptotic stability criteria are induced by constructing the new augmented LKFs in Theorem 1. And then simplified LKFs in Corollary 1 are proposed to show the effectiveness of Theorem 1. Second, asymmetric LKFs are shown to reduce the conservatism and the number of decision variables in Theorem 2. Finally, the advantages of the proposed criteria are verified by comparing maximum delay bounds in two examples. Two numerical examples show that the proposed Theorem 1 and 2 obtained less conservative results than existing outcomes. Also, Example 2 shows that the asymmetric LKF methods of Theorem 2 can provide larger delay bounds and fewer decision variables than Theorem 1’s in some specific systems.

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.

Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) has emerged as a regulator of hepatic glucose, bile acid, and mitochondrial metabolism. However, the functional mechanism underlying the effect of LRH-1 on lipid mobilization has not been addressed. This study investigated the regulatory function of LRH-1 in lipid metabolism during fasting. The wild-type (WT) and LRH-1 liver-specific knockout (LKO) mice were either fed or fasted for 24 h, and the liver and serum were isolated. During fasting, the LRH-1 LKO mice showed greater accumulation of triglycerides in the liver compared to that in WT mice. Interestingly, LRH-1 LKO liver decreased the perilipin 5 (PLIN5) expression and genes involved in β-oxidation. Additionally, the LRH-1 agonist dialauroylphosphatidylcholine also enhanced PLIN5 expression in human cultured HepG2 cells. To identify new target genes of LRH-1, these findings directed to analyze the PLIN5 promoter sequence, which revealed −1620/−1614 to be a putative binding site for LRH-1. This was confirmed by promoter activity and chromatin immuno-precipitation assays. Moreover, fasted WT primary hepatocytes showed increased co-localization of PLIN5 in lipid droplets (LDs) compared to that in fasted LRH-1 LKO primary hepatocytes. Overall, these findings suggest that PLIN5 might be a novel target of LRH-1 to mobilize LDs and manage the cellular needs.

Fresh-cut apple is commonly known as minimally processed agriculture products because of their convenience and ease of consumption. However, during storage, the quality of the apple rapidly changes after the cutting process due to enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes. This study aimed to monitor the quality changes of fresh-cut apples at various temperatures and different types of products in the application of a cold chain system during distribution and storage. The results showed that the total viable count in fresh-cut apples initially differed between apple only and mixed products (apple, orange, and tomato) during storage (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, there are no significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) in physicochemicals except firmness, titratable acidity, and pH, which are highly correlated to microbial growth (total viable count and total coliform number). Furthermore, the optimal temperature for extending the shelf-life of fresh-cut apples was at 4°C.

Research on piezo-composite actuators has been actively conducted over the past two decades as a response to strong demand for light, compact actuators to replace electro-magnetic motor actuators in micro robots, small flying drones, and compact missile systems. Layered piezo-composite unimorph actuators have been studied to provide active vibration control of thin-walled aerospace structures, control the shapes of aircraft wing airfoils, and control the fins of small missiles, because they require less space and provide better frequency responses than conventional electro-magnetic motor actuator systems. However, based on the limited actuation strains of conventional piezo-composite unimorph actuators with poly-crystalline piezoelectric ceramic layers, they have not been implemented effectively as actuators for small aerospace vehicles. In this study, a lightweight piezo-composite unimorph actuator (LIPCA-S2) was manufactured and analyzed to predict its flexural actuation displacement. It was found that the actuated tip displacement of a piezo-composite cantilever could be predicted accurately using the proposed prediction model based on the nonlinear properties of the piezoelectric strain coefficient and elastic modulus of a piezoelectric single crystal.

The global shrimp farming industry is impacted by various infectious diseases, leading to marked production losses. Virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains (VPAHPND) and other Vibrio species cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimp. We isolated a binary toxin PirA/B-bearing V. campbellii strain (HJ-2023) from a Korean shrimp farm. The biochemical characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of HJ-2023 were analyzed and compared to those of PirA/B-bearing VPAHPND. Non-AHPND-causing V. campbellii was the control. The pathogenicity of each strain was analyzed in white-leg shrimp. Phylogenetic analysis classified the isolated HJ-2023 strain as V. campbellii. Biochemical tests confirmed distinct properties of HJ-2023, compared to the genetically similar V. harveyi group. The AHPND-causing toxin gene of HJ-2023 showed 100% similarity to the rpoD gene of VCAHPND. An antibiotic disc susceptibility test indicated that HJ-2023 showed resistance to ampicillin, clindamycin, lincomycin, and erythromycin, which is effective against gram-positive bacteria, and showed weak sensitivity to gentamycin. Furthermore, HJ-2023 was 25% less toxic than VPAHPND but could be lethal during aquaculture-related outbreaks. These results highlight the complexity and virulence of AHPND-causing strains through multiple pathways and confirm the pathogenicity of V. campbellii, which increases the risk posed by AHPND to shrimp aquaculture. Our findings could help prevent AHPND.

REV-ERBα and its paralog, REV-ERBβ encoded by NR1D1 and NR1D2 genes, are key nuclear receptors that link the circadian timing system and metabolic homeostasis. Since heme is an endogenous ligand, REV-ERBs have been considered key components of the circadian molecular clock that can be pharmacologically targeted to treat various circadian rhythm-related diseases, such as cardiometabolic, inflammatory, and neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as cancer. REV-ERBs are believed to be functionally redundant and compensatory, although they often affect the expression of gene subsets in an isoform-specific manner. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the redundant and distinct roles of each isoform in controlling its target genes by comparing the transcriptome profiles of a panel of mutant U2OS human osteosarcoma cells in which either NR1D1 or NR1D2 was ablated. Indeed, our transcriptomic analyses revealed that most REV-ERB-regulated genes were controlled by redundant or even additive actions. However, the RNA expression profiles of each single mutant cell line also provided strong evidence for isoform-dependent actions. For example, REV-ERBα were more responsible for regulating the NF-κΒ signaling pathway, whereas a group of extracellular matrix components required REV-ERBβ to maintain their expression. We found that REV-ERBs have isoform-selective functions in the regulation of certain circadian output pathways, despite their overlapping roles in the circadian molecular clock. Thus, the development of isoform-selective REV-ERB modulators may help treat metabolic disturbances and certain types of cancer.

This study focuses on the nuanced phenomenon of gendered parenting by exploring “how” and “when” maternal son preference associates with depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents. Focusing on 1,093 junior high school students from a relatively affluent city in western China, the research examined the mediating roles of mother-child attachment and father-child attachment, as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in the relationship between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms. The results revealed a noteworthy positive correlation between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms among female adolescents, with no significant association observed in males. In addition, mother-child attachment and father-child attachment mediated the relationship between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms, which supported the “spillover effect” and “crossover effect”. Moreover, moderation effect analysis indicated that higher level of school connectedness can buffer the effect of maternal son preference on girls’ depressive symptoms, while lower level of school connectedness can enhance the effect of maternal son preference on girls’ depressive symptoms. These insights help to enhance people's understanding of gendered parenting, emphasizing the enduring necessity of addressing son preference within the broader context of promoting gender equality.

Background: Patients undergoing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may experience recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). We investigated the clinical characteristics and risk factors for recurrent non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) in patients who had experienced NVUGIB during receiving DAPT. Methods: We enrolled patients diagnosed with NVUGIB during receiving DAPT between 2006 and 2020. Definite bleeding was confirmed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy in all NVUGIB patients. Results: A total of 124 patients were diagnosed with NVUGIB during receiving DAPT. Male was predominant (n = 103, 83.1%), bleeding mostly from the stomach (n = 94, 75.8%) and peptic ulcers (n = 72, 58.1%). After successful hemostasis of NVUGIB, 36 patients (29.0%) experienced at least one episode of recurrent upper GIB, 19 patients (15.3%) died, and 7 (5.6%) patients had a bleeding-related death. Multivariate analysis showed that age was a significant factor for re-bleeding (odds ratio [OR],1.050; 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.001-1.102, P-value:0.047), all-cause mortality (OR,1.096; 95% CI:1.020-1.178, P=0.013), and re-bleeding related mortality (OR,1.187; 95% CI:1.032-1.364, P-value:0.016). In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the cumulative probabilities of re-bleeding, death, and bleeding-related death were significantly higher in patients aged 70 and older (P=0.008, &lt;0.001, and 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: Clinicians should be cautious about re-bleeding and mortality when elderly patients who experienced NVUGIB during receiving DAPT.Keywords: dual antiplatelet therapy; upper gastrointestinal tract; bleeding; mortality

In this work, we report the carbon fiber-based wire-type asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). The highly conductive carbon fibers were prepared by the carbonized and graphitized process using the polyimide (PI) as a carbon fiber precursor. To assemble the ASC device, the CoMnO2-coated and Fe2O3-coated carbon fibers were used as the cathode and the anode materials, respectively. FE-SEM analysis confirmed that the CoMnO2-coated carbon fiber electrode exhibited the porous hierarchical interconnected nanosheet structures, depending on the added amounts of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidizing agent, and Fe2O3-coated carbon fiber electrode showed a uniform distribution of porous Fe2O3 nanorods over the surface of carbon fibers. The nanostructured CoMnO2 were directly deposited onto carbon fibers by a chemical oxidation route without high temperature treatments. In particular, the electrochemical properties of the CoMnO2-coated carbon fiber with the concentration of 6 mmol APS presented the enhanced electrochemical activity, probably due to its porous morphologies and good conductivity. Further, to reduce the interfacial contact resistance as well as improve the adhesion between transition metal nanostructures and carbon fibers, the carbon fibers were pre-coated with the Ni layer as a seed layer using an electrochemical deposition method. The fabricated ASC device delivered a specific capacitance of 221 F g-1 at 0.7 A g-1 and good rate capability of 34.8% at 4.9 A g-1. Moreover, the wire-type device displayed the superior energy density of 60.16 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 490 W kg-1 and excellent capacitance retention of 95% up to 3,000 charge/discharge cycles.

There is a lack of data comparing sugammadex with anticholinesterase for the quality of anaesthesia recovery, especially following a single bolus dose of rocuronium. Thus, we evaluated the influence of reversal with sugammadex or neostigmine on post-operative quality of recovery by using the Post-operative Quality Recovery Scale (PQRS). A total of 86 patients undergoing trans-pars plana vitrectomy (TPPV) under general anaesthesia were intubated following a single bolus dose of rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). At the end of surgery, patients were received either neostigmine or sugammadex. The quality of recovery was assessed using the PQRS at 15 minutes and 40 minutes after surgery, and on post-operative day 1. The recovery rate in the physiological domain was higher in the sugammadex group at 15 minutes after surgery (P = 0.02). Though there were no significant differences in the overall cognitive recovery domain, patients in the sugammadex group could recall more numbers in reverse order. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the other domains of the PQRS. The use of sugammadex may increase the quality of the post-operative physiological recovery at early post-operative periods compared with neostigmine use following a single bolus dose of rocuronium in patients undergoing TPPV with general anaesthesia.

The application of 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing has expanded our knowledge about the respiratory tract microbiome originally obtained using conventional, culture-based methods. In this study, we employed DNA-based molecular techniques for examining the sputum microbiome in bronchiectasis patients in relation to disease severity. Of 63 study subjects, 42 had mild and 21 had moderate or severe bronchiectasis, which was classified by calculating the FACED score based on FEV₁ (forced expiratory volume in 1 s, %) (F, 0–2 points), age (A, 0–2 points), chronic colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (C, 0-1 point), radiographic extension (E, 0–1 point), and dyspnoea (D, 0–1 point). Bronchiectasis was defined as mild at 0–2 points, moderate at 3–4 points, and severe at 5–7 points. The mean age was 68.0 ± 9.3 years; 33 patients were women. Haemophilus (p=0.005) and Rothia (p=0.043) were significantly more abundant in the mild bronchiectasis group, whereas Pseudomonas (p=0.031) was significantly more abundant in the moderate or severe group. However, the alpha or beta diversity did not significantly differ among sputum microbiota, i.e. the same dominating genera were found in all samples. Further large-scale studies are needed to investigate the sputum microbiome in bronchiectasis.

This paper proposes a cognitive radio engine platform for making exploitation of available frequency channels usable for a tactical wireless sensor network in presence of incumbent communication devices known as the primary user (PU) required to be protected from undesired harmful interference. In the field of tactical communication networks, it is desperate to find available frequencies for opportunistic and dynamic access to channels in which PU is in active. This paper introduces a cognitive engine plaform for determining available channels on the basis of case-based reasoning technique deployable as core functionality on cognitive radio engine to enable dynamic spectrum access (DSA) with high fidelity. Towards this, this paper introduces a plausible learning engine to characterize channel usage pattern to extract best channel candiates for the tactical cognitive radio node (TCRN). Performance of the proposed cognitive engine is verified by conducting simulation tests which confirm the reliability in functional aspect of the proposed cognitive engine covering the learning engine as well as the case-based reasoning engine with showing how well TCRN can avoid the collision against the PU operation considered as the etiquette secondary user (SU) should have.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of constitutive equations on the prediction accuracy for springback in cold stamping with various deformation modes. In this study, two types of yield functions—Hill’48 and Yld2000-2d—were considered to describe yield behavior. Isotropic and kinematic hardening models based on the Yoshida–Uemori model were also adopted to describe hardening behavior. Various material tests (such as uniaxial tension, tension- compression, loading-unloading, and hydraulic bulging tests) were carried out to determine the material parameters of the models. The obtained parameters were implemented in the finite element (FE) simulation to predict springback, and the results were compared with experimental data. U-bending and T-shape drawing were employed to evaluate the springback prediction accuracy. Obviously, the springback prediction accuracy was greatly influenced by constitutive equations. Therefore, it is important to choose appropriate constitutive equations for accurate description of material behaviors in FE simulation.

In this study, effluent water was produced through Submerged Membrane Bio-Reactor (SMBR) process, which is a simple system and decomposes organic matter contained in wastewater with biological treatment process and performs solid-liquid separation, Especially, ozone oxidation treatment process is applied to effluent water containing fluorescent whitening agent, which is a trace pollutant which is not removed by biological treatment, and influences the quality of reused water. The concentration of COD in the SMBR was 449.3 mg/ℓ-COD, and the concentration of permeate water was 100.3 mg/ℓ-COD. The removal efficiency was about 70.1%. The amount of ozone re- quired for the removal of the fluorescent whitening agent in the permeated water in SMBR was 6.67 g-O3/min, and the amount of ozone required to remove COD relative to the permeate water was calculated to remove 0.997 mg-COD for 1 mg of O3.

Honey bees are vital organisms that provide ecological and economic value to humans. However, in recent years, the increase in honey bee losses due to various environmental factors, including pesticides, has become a growing concern. In Europe, neonicotinoid pesticides that are banned are being used without restrictions in the domestic setting, leading to ongoing damages as a result. Ongoing research is continually being conducted to demonstrate the risks associated with neonicotinoid pesticides. However, validation of the actual damages and impact in the field remains absent. Therefore, in this study, we observed changes in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies located near rice cultivation areas as they progressed beyond the rice pesticide application period. Furthermore, we collected honey bees exposed to the clothianidin and analyzed their stress-related gene expression. The results showed that the foraging behavior of honey bee colonies located near rice cultivation areas did not exhibit significant differences between the treatment site (Cheongyang and Gimje) and the control site (Wanju) during the experimental period. However, it was observed that the expression levels of stress-related genes in honey bees collected from the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control. Most of the stress-related genes were associated with detoxification processes in response to pesticides. As a result, pesticide treatment in proximity to rice cultivation areas did not cause direct damage to honey bees but had an indirect impact, suggesting the potential for ongoing chronic damage.

Alopecia refers to the continuous shedding of hair from the scalp or other areas. Genetic factors are the most common of the variety of causes of alopecia. Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is prevalent. Recently, the interest in hair loss treatment has increased due to the growing number of people experiencing anxiety and stress related to hair loss. Nepenthes kampotiana Lecomte is known for its anticancer effects, but its potential for preventing hair loss has not been researched. Therefore, this study focused on the hair loss prevention effects of N. kampotiana Lecomte ethanol extract (Nk-EE). The results showed that Nk-EE has a proliferative effect on human follicle dermal papilla cells and inhibited cell death. In vivo experiments using androgenic areata models showed that Nk-EE had a positive effect on a variety of biomarkers such as hair-to-skin ratio, hair type frequency, and hair thickness. The results of this study suggest that Nk-EE has the potential to be an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia.

Background and Objectives: The novel double-pigtail catheter (DPC) has an additional pigtail coiling at the mid-shaft with centripetal multiple side holes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the advantages and efficacy of DPC in overcoming the complications of conventional single-pigtail catheters (SPC) used to drain pleural effusion. Materials and Methods: Between July 2018 and December 2019, 382 pleural effusion drainage procedures were reviewed retrospectively (DPC, n = 156; SPC without multiple side holes, n = 110; SPC with multiple side holes [SPC+M], n = 116). All patients showed shifting pleural effusion in the decubitus view of chest radiography. All catheters were 10.2 Fr in diameter. One interventional radiologist performed all procedures and used the same anchoring technique. Complications (dysfunctional retraction, complete dislodgement, blockage, and atraumatic pneumothorax) were compared among the catheters using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Clinical success was defined as improvement in pleural effusion within 3 days without additional procedures. A survival analysis was performed for calculating the indwelling time. Results: The dysfunctional retraction rate of DPC was significantly lower than that of the other catheters (p < .001). Complete dislodgement did not occur in any of the DPC cases. The clinical success rate of DPC (90.1%) was the highest. The estimated indwelling times were nine (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.3–10.7), eight (95% CI: 6.6–9.4), and seven (95% CI: 6.3–7.7) days for SPC, SPC+M, and DPC, respectively, with DPC showing a significant difference (p < .05). Conclusions: DPC had a lower dysfunctional retraction rate compared to conventional drainage catheters. Furthermore, DPC were efficient for pleural effusion drainage with a shorter indwelling time.

In this paper, we investigate the structural, microstructural, dielectric, and energy storage properties of Nd and Mn co-doped Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 [(Ba0.7Sr0.3)1-xNdxTi1-yMnyO3 (BSNTM) ceramics (x = 0, 0.005, and y = 0, 0.0025, 0.005, and 0.01)] via a defect dipole engineering method. The complex defect dipoles (MnTi"-VO∙∙)∙ and (MnTi"-VO∙∙) between acceptor ions and oxygen vacancies capture electrons, enhancing the breakdown electric field and energy storage performances. XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopic investigations of BSNTM ceramics revealed the formation of a tetragonal phase, increased oxygen vacancies, and reduced grain size with Mn dopant, respectively. The BSNTM ceramics with x=0.005 and y=0 exhibit a high dielectric constant of 2058 and a dielectric loss of 0.026 at 1 kHz. These values gradually decreased to 1876 and 0.019 for x=0.005 and y=0.01 due to the Mn2+ ions at Ti4+-site, which facilitates the formation of oxygen vacancies, and prevents the decrease of Ti4+. In addition, the defect dipoles act as a driving force for depolarization to tailor the domain formation energy and domain wall energy, which provides a high difference between the maximum polarization of Pmax and remnant polarization of Pr (ΔP=10.39 µC/cm2). Moreover, the complex defect dipoles with optimum oxygen vacancies in BSNTM ceramics can provide not only a high ΔP but also reduce grain size, which together improve the breakdown strength from 60.4 to 110.6 kV/cm, giving rise to a high energy storage density of 0.41 J/cm3 and high efficiency of 84.6% for x=0.005 and y=0.01. These findings demonstrate that defect dipoles engineering is an effective method to enhance the energy storage performance of dielectrics for capacitor applications.

In this study, a novel flexible ethanol gas sensor was created by the deposition of CoFe2O4 (CFO) thin film was on a thin mica substrate using pulsed laser deposition. Transition electron microscopy (TEM) investigations clearly demonstrated the successful growth of CFO on the mica, where a well-defined interface was observed. Ethanol gas-sensing studies showed optimal performance at 200 °C, with the highest response, 19.2, to 100 ppm ethanol. Operating the sensor in self-heating mode under 7 V applied voltage, which was corresponds to a temperature of approximately 200 °C, produced a maximal response to ethanol of 19.2. This aligned with the highest responses observed during testing at 200 °C, confirming the sensor’s accuracy and sensitivity to ethanol under self-heating conditions. In addition, the sensor exhibited good selectivity to ethanol and excellent flexibility; maintaining its high performance after bending and tilting up to 5000 times. As this is the first report on flexible self-heated CFO gas sensors, we believe that this research holds great promise for the future development of high-quality sensors based on this approach.

2,5-Dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP) is an active compound obtained from Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, which is widely used as a herbal medicine in many Asian countries. DHAP has been found to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and neuroprotective qualities. For the present study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effects of DHAP on multiple myeloma cells. It was discovered that DHAP downregulated the expression of oncogenic gene products like Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Survivin, Cyclin D1, IAP-1, Cyclin E, COX-2, and MMP-9, and upregulated the expression of Bax and p21 proteins, consistent with the induction of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in U266 cells. DHAP inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis, as characterized by the cleavage of PARP and the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have been linked to the modulation of the angiogenesis, proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of tumors. We therefore attempted to determine the effect of DHAP on MAPK signaling pathways, and discovered that DHAP treatment induced a sustained activation of JNK, ERK1/2, and p38 MAPKs. DHAP also potentiated the pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects of bortezomib in U266 cells. Our results suggest that DHAP can be an effective therapeutic agent to target multiple myeloma.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease with a poor prognosis. Pirfenidone is approved and widely used for the treatment of IPF and reduces lung function decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of pirfenidone for the prevention of disease progression in patients with IPF. Methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-center cohort study conducted in Haeundae Paik Hospital, Republic of Korea, from April 2021 to March 2023. IPF patients were assigned to three groups according to the dose of pirfenidone (600mg, 1,200mg, 1,800mg). The primary endpoint was the efficacy of pirfenidone according to dose for the prevention of disease progression over 12 months. The secondary endpoint was the role of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) in predicting disease progression. Results: A total of 44 patients were enrolled, of whom 39 completed the study, with 13 patients assigned to each of the three groups. The median age was 71.7 years, and 79.5% of patients were men. The baseline characteristics were similar across groups, except the 600mg group was older (75.9 vs. 69.2 vs. 68.2 years, p = 0.016). Fourteen patients (35.9%) suffered disease progression. The rate of disease progression did not differ according to the dose of pirfenidone (38.5 vs. 38.5 vs. 30.8%, p = 1.000). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, KL-6 was not a statistically significant predictor of disease progression. Conclusions: In our study, regardless of dose, consistent pirfenidone use for 12 months resulted in similar efficacy for the prevention of disease progression in patients with IPF. Large-scale, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed.

This study proposes a short- and medium-term electricity consumption prediction algorithm by combining the GRU model suitable for long-term forecasting and the Prophet model suitable for seasonality and event handling. (1) Manufacturing Company B's Electricity consumption data and meteorological data in Naju, Jeollanam-do, South Korea are collected and preprocessed. (2) The preprocessed data proposes the Prophet model in the first step for seasonality and event handling prediction. (3) In the second step, seven multivariate data are experimented with GRU. Specifically, the seven multivariate data consist of six meteorological data and the residuals between the predicted data from the proposed Prophet model in Step 1 and the observed data. These are utilized to predict electricity consumption at 15-minute intervals. (4) Electricity consumption is predicted for short-term (2 days and 7 days) and medium-term (15 days and 30 days) scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the conventional Prophet model by more than 23 times and the modified GRU model by more than 2 times in terms of MAPE.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have gained significant attention in recent times due to their suitability to a wide variety of civil, military and societal missions. Development of an unmanned amphibious vehicle integrating the features of a multi-rotor UAV and a hovercraft is focus of the present study. Components and subsystems of the amphibious vehicle are developed with due consideration on aerodynamic, structural and environmental aspects. Finite element analysis (FEA) on static thrust conditions and skirt pressure are performed to evaluate the strength of structure. For diverse wind conditions and angles of attack (AOA), computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis is carried out to assess the effect of drag and suitable design modification is suggested. A prototype is built with a 7 kg payload capacity and successfully tested for stable operations in flight and water-borne modes. Internet of Things (IoT) based water quality measurement is performed in a typical lake and water quality is measured using pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity and electrical conductivity (EC) sensors. The developed vehicle is expected to meet functional requirements of disaster missions catering to the water quality monitoring of large water bodies.

Microglia are resident immune cells of the central nervous system such as brain-specific macrophages and also known to regulate the innate immune functions of astrocytes through secretory molecules. This conversation plays an important role in brain functions and homeostasis as well as in neuropathologic disease. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether astrocytes and microglia can cross-talk to induce microglial polarization and proliferation, which can be further regulated under the brain stroke-mimic microenvironment. Microglia in mixed glial culture increased their survival and proliferation and altered to the M2 microglia, whose role was provided by CD11b-GFAP+ astrocytes by showing approximately tenfold increase in microglia cell proliferation after the astrocyte reconstitution. Furthermore, GM-CSF stimulated microglial proliferation approximately tenfold and induced to CCR7+ M1 microglia, whose phenotype could be suppressed by anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10, and Substance-P. Also, astrocyte in the microglia co-culture revealed A2 phenotype, which could be activated to A1 astrocyte by TNFα and IFNγ under the stroke-mimic condition. Altogether, astrocyte in the mixed glial culture stimulated the microglia proliferation and M2 polarization possibly through its acquisition of A2 phenotype, both of which could be converted to M1 microglia and A1 astrocytes under the inflammatory stroke-mimic environment. This study demonstrated that microglia and astrocyte can be polarized to M2 microglia and A2 astrocytes respectively through the cross-talk in vitro and provided a system to explore how microglia and astrocyte may behave in the inflammatory disease milieu after in vivo transplantation.

Citrus peel has been used in Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, asthma, and bronchial disorders. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of quercetogetin (QUE), a polymethoxylated flavone isolated from the peel of citrus unshui is poorly understood. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect and the molecular mechanisms of QUE in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. QUE inhibited the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 by suppressing the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 at both the mRNA and protein levels. QUE suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. QUE also inhibited the translocation of the nuclear factor kappa B subunit, p65, into the nucleus by interrupting the phosphorylation of IκB-α in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Based on the finding that QUE significantly decreased p-ERK protein expression in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, we confirmed that suppression of the inflammatory process by QUE was mediated through the MAPK pathway. This is the first report on the strong anti-inflammatory effects of QUE, which is a compound that can potentially be used as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases.

The principal minimum horizontal stress plays an important role in the study of reservoir characteristics, modeling of oil and gas reservoir, drilling, production and stimulating wells. However, it is currently not possible to measure the minimum horizontal stress along the wellbore as a geophysical parameter logging. Minimum horizontal stress is measured by leak-off test (LOT) at only several points in a well. In order to have the values all along the wellbore, experimental formulas were established to determine the minimum horizontal stresses for different fields. Then these formulas must be calibrated with LOT data whose number is usually limited, even sometimes unavailable. On the other hand, the empirical formulas of one field might not be accurate for another. This study presents a new approach to solve the problem of minimum horizontal stress estimation by a combination of artificial intelligence and geostatistics. The method consists of using artificial neural network (ANN) to build a model of minimum horizontal stress estimation from relevant parameters such as true vertical depth, pore pressure and vertical stress, then combined with Kriging interpolation to obtain the distribution in space of the minimum horizontal stress. Hence, this method can estimate the minimum horizontal stress with a limited amount of available data and therefore we do not need to drill new wells or to find empirical formulas for each survey area. The method was then applied in a case study involved real geomechanical dataset of Hai Thach - Moc Tinh field in Nam Con Son basin, Vietnam.

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of global patent trends in battery recycling, focusing on secondary batteries and related technologies across Korea, China, and the United States. The data, collected from various patent databases, was quantitatively analyzed to identify technology trends and direct future development. The analysis reveals distinct emphases on technologies such as lithium-ion and waste battery recycling, highlighting notable differences in patent activities among key companies and countries. China's large number of patents in battery manufacturing processes contrasts with the USA's focus on electrochemical cell construction and storage systems, while Korea shows significant activity in waste battery technology. The study underscores the competitive landscape and innovation efforts in the battery recycling sector, providing insights into the technological focuses and priorities of each country. It also identifies key challenges, such as the need for consistent innovation and broader geographic coverage in Korea, enhancing patent influence and international presence in China, and ensuring high patent quality and fostering innovation in lagging sectors in the United States. Addressing these challenges through enhanced collaboration, increased R&D investments, and supportive policies is crucial for strengthening the global position and driving further innovation in the battery recycling sector.

Typically, a diesel generator on the merchant ship, composed of a wound rotor synchronous generator and a four-stroke diesel engine, supplies electrical power to various loads. Recently, shaft generators for merchant vessels are increasingly replacing diesel generators to reduce CO2 emissions through fuel efficiency improvement. In particular, permanent magnet generators replace induction generators due to their high-efficiency characteristics at light loads. The surface-mounted permanent magnet can be a suitable rotor topology due to the relatively short constant power range. This generator can also operate as a motor according to the propulsion mode, so minimizing the harmonics of the induced voltage and the torque ripple is necessary. This paper proposes an alternative NdFeB magnet pole topology combined with the modular step-skewed rotor. The step-skewed rotor affects to reduce higher-order harmonics, and the modular pole reduces the permanent magnet assembly process and harmonics in voltage and torque. A 2-D finite element method is used to evaluate the harmonics of induced voltage and torque pulsation for the proposed topology. The topology shows harmonic minimization effect by comparing the characteristics of three flatted-bottom magnets. Compared to the tapered bread-loaf magnet, voltage harmonics to the 100th component are almost the same, and the torque ripple is reduced by more than 12% at the same residual flux density. The analysis method is verified by comparing test and analysis results for prototype machines with similar specifications.

Many studies on flexible strain and pressure sensors have been reported due to growing interest in wearable devices for healthcare. However, most are fabricated with multiple ingredients and complicated methods even though commercial textiles, such as cotton, nylon, polyester, and silk were used. Here we present flexible pressure and strain (motion) sensors prepared with only graphene oxide (GO) and commercial silk fabrics and yarns. The pressure sensors were fabricated by simply dipping the silk fabric into GO solution followed by thermal treatment at 400 °C for reduction of GO (rGO). The pressure sensors were made from rGO-coated fabrics, which were stacked in 3-, 5-, and 7-layers. The super-sensitivity of 2.58 ×103 kPa-1 at low pressure was observed in the 7-layer pressure sensor. The strain sensors were obtained from rGO-coated twisted silk yarns whose gauge factor was 0.307. Although this value is small or comparable to other sensors, it is appropriate for motion sensing. The results of this study show a cost-effective and simple method for the fabrication of pressure and motion sensors with commercial silk and GO.

Roses are one of the most important floricultural crops, and their essential oils have long been used for cosmetics and aromatherapy. We investigated the volatile compound compositions of 12 flower-color mutant variants and their original cultivars. Twelve rose mutant genotypes were developed by treatment with 70 Gy of 60Co gamma irradiation of six commercial rose cultivars. Essential oils from the flowers of the 18 genotypes were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seventy-seven volatile compounds were detected, which were categorized into five classes: hydrocarbons, terpenoids, alcohols, esters, and others. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and esters were major components in all rose flowers. The mutant genotypes CR-S8 and CR-S9 showed higher contents of hydrocarbons than the original cultivar. In addition, CR-S1, CR-S3, and CR-S4 mutant genotypes showed higher ester contents than their original cultivar. Nonacosane, 2-methylhexacosane, and 2-methyltricosane were major volatile compounds among all genotypes. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the rose genotypes gave four groups according to grouping among the 77 volatile compounds. These findings will be useful for the selection of rose genotypes with improved volatile compounds.

In this study, ozone oxidation experiment was carried out for the removal of fluorescent whitening agent which is widely used in textile dyeing and paper industry. The stilbene fluorescent whitening agent has been industrialized since the earliest, and the amount of current production is the highest. Due to the characteristics of the fluorescent whitening agent that cannot be removed by conventional wastewater treatment methods, the fluorescent whitening agent in wastewater treatment has difficulty in using as recycled water in the process. Pre-treatment ozone oxidation experiment was conducted prior to the introduction of Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) treatment process by converting biodegradable materials into biodegradable materials. The removal efficiencies of fluorescent whitening agents, a diaminostilbene disulfonic acid derivative by ozone oxidation were evaluated by UV254 Scan, COD, T-N and color using a synthetic wastewater sample (COD=433.0 mg/ℓ) and paper and paper mill wastewater (COD=157.2 mg/ℓ).

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

This paper proposes a metaphysical framework for distinguishing between human and machine intelligence. By drawing an analogy from Kant’s incongruent counterparts, it posits two identical deterministic worlds -- one comprising a human agent and the other comprising a machine agent. These agents exhibit different types of information processing mechanisms despite their apparent sameness in a causal sense. By postulating the distinctiveness of human over machine intelligence, this paper resolves what it refers to as “the vantage point problem” – namely, how to legitimize a determinist’s assertion of determinism by placing the determinist within the universe.

In this paper, a positive answer to the open question of Fabino et al. is given, and the concept of I\c sik type set valued contractions is introduced and fixed point theorem for such contractions is established. Examples to support main theorems are given, and an application to integral inclusion is given.

The construction industry, characterized by its intricate network of stakeholders and diverse workforce, grapples with the challenge of managing information effectively. This study delves into this issue, recognizing the universal importance of safeguarding data, particularly amid rising concerns of unauthorized access and breaches. Aiming to harness the potential of blockchain technology to address these challenges, this study used a hypothetical biographical and safety data of construction workers and securely stored on a Hyperledger Fabric blockchain. Developed within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform, this blockchain infrastructure emerged as a robust solution for enhancing data security and privacy. Anchored in the core principles of data security, the model emerges as a potent defender against the vulnerabilities of traditional data management systems. Beyond its immediate implications, this study exemplifies the marriage of blockchain technology and the construction sector, potentially reshaping workforce management, especially in high-risk projects, optimizing risk assessment, resource allocation, and safety measures to mitigate work-related injuries. Practical validation through transaction testing using Hyperledger Explorer validates the model's feasibility and operational effectiveness, serving as a blueprint for the industry's data management. Ultimately, this research not only showcases the promise of blockchain technology in addressing construction data security challenges but also underscores its practical applicability through comprehensive testing, heralding a new era of data management that harmonizes security and efficiency for stakeholders' benefit.

We introduce a novel method for fabricating perovskite solar modules using selective spin-coating on various Au/ITO patterned substrates. These patterns were engineered for twofold purposes: (1) to enhance selectivity of monolayers primarily self-assembling on the Au electrode, and (2) to enable seamless interconnection between cells through direct contact of the top electrode and the hydrophobic Au connection electrode. Utilizing SAMs-treated Au/ITO, we achieved sequential selective deposition of the electron transport layer (ETL) and the perovskite layer on the hydrophilic amino-terminated ITO, while the hole transport layer (HTL) was deposited on the hydrophobic CH3-terminated Au connection electrodes. Importantly, our approach had negligible impact on the series resistance of the solar cells, as evidenced by the measured specific contact resistivity of the multilayers. A significant outcome was the production of a 6-cell series-connected solar module with a notable average PCE of 8.32%, providing a viable alternative to the conventional laser scribing technique.

Smart farm is a technology that greatly helps improve the productivity and quality of crops and is being actively introduced into indoor environments such as green houses. However, it has not yet been distributed to field-grown crops. The main reason is that, unlike indoor environments, it is very difficult to collect sensor data for monitoring the growth environment of crops in open fields where weather conditions change significantly and power supply is difficult. Additionally, because various sensors are used, the data formats of the devices are different, making it difficult to process. This paper presents a field crop growth environment monitoring and big data analysis system. The proposed system first solves power supply and data communication problems using solar power generation and LPWA technology. Additionally, based on the oneM2M architecture, data from various sensors is transmitted to the server using standardized technology. The transmitted data is stored and managed on the server as big data, and can be used to predict the production and quality of field-grown crops and take appropriate measures. The proposed system is expected to create an environment optimized for the growth of field crops and help prevent and manage diseases.

The negative energy solutions of the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations have been used to define the antiparticle with the positive energy from the Feynman - Stueckelberg interpretation in the standard model based on the 4-D Minkowski space with the relative time. The negative energy solutions of the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations are used to define the antiparticles with the negative energy in the present 3-D quantized space model. Note that all the present results are based on the 4-D Euclidean space with the absolute time (t) and relative time (t_l). Then the particle with the positive energy and antiparticle with the negative energy have the 4-D P₄ = TCP = T_cP symmetry. The continuity equations are derived from the Klein-Gordon, Dirac and Schrodinger equations. The Klein-Gordon and Schrodinger equations with the potential barriers are solved. The Klein paradox is explained by using the pair production of the electron with the positive energy and positron with the negative energy under the P₄ = _TcP symmetry, The effective velocity ( c_eff=√2 " c " ) and effective energy ("Etl =" √2 E ) along the relative time axis (ctl) give the relative time momentum of "p_tl"=E_tl/c_eff =(√2 E)/(√2 c)=E/c=p_t=p_x. This indicates that the photons with the energy of E have the constant photon velocity of c and the constant photon momentum of "ptl"=E_tl/c_eff =(√2 E)/(√2 c)=E/c=p_t=p_x. For the negative energy particles, the space momentum directions are opposite to the particle velocity directions because the energy is negative. And the matter collapse to the photons at the very high particle velocity is discussed from the length expansion. It is, for the first time, proposed that the gamma ray burst is originated from the matter collapse to the photons near the black hole. Also, the wave function collapse is explained from the length expansion. The wave function collapse takes place when the measurement makes the particle velocity to be zero. It is concluded that the negative energy solutions of the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations support the existence of the partner antimatter universe with the negative energy and negative time direction. Our matter universe has the positive energy and the positive time direction.

The properties of the charged dark matters are discussed in terms of the new three-dimensional quantized space model. Because of the graviton evaporations, the very small Coulomb’s constant (k(dd)) of 10 ⁻⁴⁸ k and large gravitation constant (G_N(dd)) of 10⁶ G_N for the charged dark matters at the present time are expected. The tentative values of G and k are used for the explanation purpose. Therefore, F_c(mm) > F_g(dd) > F_g(mm) > F_g(dm) > F_c(dd) > F_c(dm) = F_c(lq) = 0 for the proton-like particle. Also, the gravitation constant has been changed with increasing of the time because of the graviton evaporation. In the present work, the B1, B2 and B3 bastons with the condition of k(mm) = k >> k(dd) > k(dm) = 0 are explained as the good candidates of the dark matters. Also, the particle creation, dark matters and dark energy could be deeply associated with the changing gravitation constants (G). It is expected that the changing process of the gravitation constant between the matters from G_N(mm) ≈ 10³⁶ G_N to G_N(mm) = G_N happened mostly near the inflation period. Therefore, during most of the universe evolution the gravitation constant could be taken as G_N(mm) = G_N. And the effective charges and effective rest masses of the particles are defined in terms of the fixed Coulomb’s constant (k) and fixed gravitation constant (G_N). Then, the effective charge of the B1 dark matter with EC = −2/3 e is (EC)_eff = −2/3·10⁻²⁴ e. It is concluded that the photons, gravitons and dark matters are the first particles created since the big bang. The particles can be created from the decay of the matter universe and the pair production of the particle and anti-particle with decreasing of the gravitation constant (G_N(mm)). Also, the weak force, strong force and dark matter force bosons are created from the interactions of the elementary particles with the T fluctuations of the vacuum energy.

The sensitivity of DNBR(Departure from Nucleate Boiling Ratio) values to approaches of subchannel control volume selection has been investigated for the TS01 and TS03 out of HIPER17 CHF(Critical Heat Flux) tests. In general, the coolant-centered subchannel method is applied to subchanel analyses for fuel bundle. When it comes to predicting for CHF of high quality region, however, the rod-centered subchannel method was better over high quality region. As a result, the rod-centered subchannel method were more suitable at a conservative point of view than the coolant-centered subchannel method comparing major properties. Also, it was confirmed that the radial subchannel locations at the minimum DNBR were similar when comparing both analysis results by two kind of methods.

Abstract: Imaging devices of less than 300,000 pixels are mostly used for sewage conduit exploration due to the petty nature of the survey industry in Korea. P articular ly , devices of less than 100,000 pixels are still widely used, and the environment for image processing is very bitter . Since the sewage conduit image s covered in this study ha ve a very low resolution (240 × 320 = 76,800 pixels), it is very difficult to detect cracks. Because most of the resolution of the sewe r conduit images are very low in Korea, this problem of low resolution was selected as the subject of study. Cracks were detected through a total of six steps of improving the crack in Step 2, finding the optimal threshold value in Step 3, and applying an algorithm to detect cracks in Step 5. Cracks were effectively detected by the optimal parameters in Steps 2 and 3 and the user algorithm in Step 5. Desp ite the very low resolution, the cracked image s showed 96.4% accuracy of detection, and the non cracked image s showed 94.5% accuracy . Moreover, the analysis was excellent in quality , also . It is believed that the findings of this study can be effectively u sed for crack detection with low resolution images.

For the elimination of radio-frequency interference (RFI) in a passive microwave radiometer, the threshold level is generally calculated from the mean value and standard deviation. However, a serious problem that can arise is an error in the retrieved brightness temperature from a higher threshold level owing to the presence of RFI. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and mitigate RFI contamination using the threshold level from statistical criteria based on a spectrogram technique. Mean and skewness spectrograms are created from a brightness temperature spectrogram by shifting the 2-D window to discriminate the form of the symmetric distribution as a natural thermal emission signal. From the remaining bins of the mean spectrogram eliminated by RFI-flagged bins in the skewness spectrogram for data captured at 0.1-s intervals, two distribution sides are identically created from the left side of the distribution by changing the standard position of the distribution. Simultaneously, kurtosis calculations from these bins for each symmetric distribution are repeatedly performed to determine the retrieved brightness temperature corresponding to the closest kurtosis value of three. The performance is evaluated using experimental data, and the error in the retrieved brightness temperature is observed to be less than approximately 3 K from a window with a size of 100 × 100 time-frequency bins according to the RFI levels and cases.

The spin magnetic moments and spin g factors (g_s = -2) of electron, muon and tau are explained based on the electric charges (EC) and lepton charges (LC) in terms of the three-dimensional quantized space model. The spin g factors of electron, muon and tau are g_s = -2 which is the sum of the EC g factor (g_EC = -1) and the LC g factor (g_LC = -1). The spin g factor (g_s = -2) of the electron is predicted by the Dirac’s equation. The orbit g factors of electron, muon and tau are g_L = g_EC = -1 from the EC g factor (g_EC = -1) without the contribution of the LC g factor (g_LC = -1). The spin g factors of the elementary fermions are calculated from the equation of g_s = g_EC + g_LC + g_CC where g_EC = EC/|EC|, g_LC = LC/|LC| and g_CC = CC/|CC|. For example, the spin g factors of the neutrinos and dark matters are g_s = -1. The spin g factors of the u and d quarks are g_s = 0 and g_s = -2, respectively. The g factor problem of neutrinos with the non-zero LC charges are solved by the LC Coulomb force of F_c(LC) ≈0. It is, for the first time, proposed that the binary motion (fluctuations) of the m_EC and m_LC masses for the electron, muon and tau leptons make the anomalous g factor. This binary motion could be originated from the virtual particle processes including the photons. Also, the weak force (beta) decay is closely related to the binary motion of the m_EC and m_LC for the electron, muon and tau leptons.

The properties of the dark matter, dark energy, graviton and photon are discussed in terms of the new three-dimensional quantized space model. Three new particles (bastons) with the electric charges (EC) are proposed as the dark matters. It is proposed that the EC, LC and CC charges are aligned along the time axes but not along the space axes. The photon is confined on its corresponding three-dimensional quantized space. However, the graviton can be evaporated into other three-dimensional quantized spaces. The rest mass of the electron neutrino (n_e) of 3.494·10⁻³ eV/c² is obtained from the experimental vacuum energy density in terms of quantum field theory (QFT). The rest mass and force range of the massive g(0,0,0) graviton with the Planck size are m_g = 3.1872·10⁻³¹ eV/c² and x_r = 3.0955·10²³ m = 10.0 Mpc, respectively, based on the experimental rest mass and rms charge radius of the proton. The possible diameter (10 Mpc) of the largest galaxy cluster is remarkably consistent with the gravitational force range (10 Mpc). Then, the diameter of the largest dark matter distribution related to the largest galaxy cluster is 9.2865·10²³ m = 30 Mpc equal to the force range of the massive g(0) graviton with the rest mass of 1.0624·10⁻³¹ eV/c². Because of the huge number (N) of the evaporated gravitons, the very small Coulomb’s constant of about 10⁻⁴⁸k and large gravitation constant of 10⁶G_N are expected for the charged dark matters. Therefore, F_c(mm) > F_g(dd) > F_g(mm) > F_g(dm) > F_c(dd) > F_c(dm) = 0 for the proton-like particle. The proposed weak gravitational force between the dark matters and normal matters explains the observed dark matter distributions of the bullet cluster, Abell 1689 cluster and Abell 520 cluster. The transition from the galaxy without the dark matters to the galaxy with the dark matters are explained. Also, the accelerated space expansion is caused by the new space quanta created by the evaporated gravitons into the x1x2x3 space and repulsive electromagnetic force between dark matters corresponding to the dark energy. The decreasing coupling constant of the strong force, neutron lifetime anomaly and the pressure distribution inside the proton are explained by the unobservable proton and hadronization. And the rest mass of 1.4 TeV/c² is assigned to the Le particle with the EC charge of −2e. The proposed rest mass (26.12 eV/c²) of the B1 dark matter is indirectly confirmed from the supernova 1987A data. Also, the gravitation constant has been changing with the time because of the graviton evaporation.

The time symmetry of T_c = CT is redefined based on the 4-D Euclidean space. The time inversion symmetry of T_c = CT changes the signs of the charge (q) and absolute time (ct) of the particle. The P symmetry changes the signs of the space momenta and handedness of the particle. The T_c symmetry changes the signs of the time momentum (P_t=E/c) and charges. The handedness are classified as the left-handedness and right-handedness on the 3-D space. The charges (|q| = cDt) and energies (E= cDtDV) of the particles are originated from the upward warping (q>0) and downward warping (q<0) of the particles along the time axis. The evolution of our matter universe with P_t > 0 since the big bang can be interpreted based on the CTP symmetry with the partner antimatter universe with p_t < 0. The photon space is called as the vacuum space. Then the E and M waves are the space fluctuations, and the gravitational G wave is the time fluctuations. And the E, M and G fields are newly explained. The zero E and M fields of the photon space indicates that the photon space and gamma ray are the 2EM waves. The rest mass energy of the particle is the 4-D space volume of the warped photon space. In the present work, the quantum wave function is considered as the 4-D vector with the space wave function and time axis wave function in the 4-D Euclidean space. The warped photon space corresponds to the squared wave function which is the probability density. It is concluded that, in the quantum mechanics, the imaginary number concept is introduced in the quantum wave functions instead of the time axis component of the 4-D wave function vector. The left-handed neutrino puzzle is explained from the handedness partner relation with the right-handed dark matters. Finally, the modified Lorentz transformations derived in the 4-D Euclidean space are compared with the Lorentz transformations of the special and general relativity theories in the 4-D Minkowski space.

In the present work, the charged B1, B2 and B3 bastons with the condition of k(mm) = k >> k(dd) > k(dm) = k(lq) = 0 are explained as the good candidates of the dark matters. The proposed rest mass (26.12 eV/c²) of the B1 dark matter is indirectly confirmed from the supernova 1987A data. The missing neutrinos are newly explained by using the dark matters and lepton charge force. The neutrino excess anomaly of the MinibooNE data is explained by the B1 dark matter scattering within the Cherenkov detectors. And the rest masses of 1.4 TeV/c² and 42.7 GeV/c² are assigned to the Le particle and the B2 dark matter, respectively, from the cosmic ray observations. In the present work, the Q1 baryon decays are used to explain the anti-Helium cosmic ray events. Because of the graviton evaporation and photon confinement, the very small Coulomb’s constant (k(dd)) of 10^x-54k and gravitation constant (G_N(dd)) of 10^xG_N for the charged dark matters at the present time are proposed. The x value can have the positive, zero or negative value around zero. Therefore, F_c(mm) > F_g(dd) (?) F_g(mm) > F_g(dm) > F_c(dd) > F_c(dm) = F_c(lq) = 0 for the proton-like particle.

Background and Objectives: Although there has been growing interest in the association of ADHD with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-esteem, there is a lack of consistent results and these associations remain unclear. This study investigated the differential patterns of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-esteem with regard to the presence of ADHD. Materials and Methods: The subjects were divided into a patient group and a control group. The patient group included 49 patients diagnosed with ADHD at the department of psychiatry of one university hospital. For the control group, 3,727 students were invited to complete a questionnaire. Of the 1,717 students who responded to the questionnaire, 245 were selected for patient-controlled studies. All the subjects were instructed to complete the Beck Suicide Ideation Scale, Children's Depression Inventory, Beck’s Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results: ADHD subjects experienced more anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation as well as lower self-esteem compared to the control group comprising participants without ADHD. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ADHD symptoms may contribute to greater suicidal ideation through experienced depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem in school-aged children. Therefore, appropriate ADHD symptom management is necessary to reduce suicidal ideation among school-aged children with ADHD symptoms.

In the present work, the charged dark matters of B1, B2 and B3 bastons are explained as the right-handed partners of the left-handed neutrinos. The new Higgs mechanism of SU(2)_DM×SU(2)_Weak×SU(2)_Strong including electromagnetic and gravitational forces is applied. And the rest masses of the elementary particles depend on their charge configurations. The left-handed neutrinos have only the lepton charges (LC) and the right-handed dark matters have only the electric charges (EC). This explains the fact that the rest masses of the left-handed neutrinos are so small, and the rest masses of the right-handed dark matters are relatively very large. The proposed rest mass (26.12 eV/c²) of the B1 dark matter is indirectly confirmed from the supernova 1987A data. The missing neutrinos are newly explained by using the dark matters and lepton charge force. The neutrino excess anomaly of the MinibooNE data is explained by the B1 dark matter scattering within the Cherenkov detectors. The quark mixing and neutrino mixing are not required in the present model. It is shown that our matter universe and its partner antimatter universe can be created from the big bang in the point of view of time -, charge -, space -, and quantum state – symmetric universe evolution.

In Korea, the underground silo structure for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facilities has been constructed and operated since 2014. Large-scale earthquakes occurred in 2016 and 2017, respectively, in Gyeongju and Pohang areas near the underground silo structures, and interest in the stability of the underground silo increased significantly. In this paper, one-dimensional free field analyses have been carried out before the three-dimensional silo dynamic analyses subjected to earthquake loadings. As an additional study, a new form of finite element equilibrium equation is derived in terms of relative motions, which is essentially the same equation as that expressed in terms of total motions where the base shear force is applied for earthquake load. The accuracy of conventional finite element solutions is evaluated by directly comparing them with closed-form solutions by frequency domain analysis such as SHAKE91.

Origins of the time, mass, electric charges and magnetic monopoles are explained. The energies, electric charges and magnetic charges of the particles are defined as E = cDtDV and |q| = cDt = E/DV, and |q_m| = c²Dt, respectively, for the 3-D quantized spaces warped along the time axis direction of ct in the 4-D Euclidean space. The energy (or mass) and charges (or electric charges and magnetic charges) are the vectors along the time axis of ct in the 4-D Euclidean space. This new concept is closely connected to the wave function of the quantum mechanics. The electric charges, magnetic charges and energies have the property of the space direction independence. Magnetic monopoles (charges) are the force carrying bosons with the inside electric field time loop. Electric monopoles are the elementary fermions. Photon space fluctuations are explained with the quantized magnetic charges.

Space-time evolution of our universe is explained by using the 3-dimensional quantized space model (TQSM) based on the 4-dimensional (4-D) Euclidean space. The energy (E = cDtDV), charges and energy density (|q| = r = cDt) and absolute time (ct) are newly defined based on the 4-D Euclidean space. The photon flat space with the constant energy density of r = cDt_q is proposed as the dark energy (DE). The dark energy is separated into the n DE and photon DE which create the new photon spaces with the constant energy density of r = cDt_q. The v DE is from the n pair production by the CPT symmetry and the photon DE is from the photon space pair production by the T symmetry. The vacuum energy crisis and Hubble’s constant puzzle are explained by the photon space with the n DE and photon DE. The big bang and inflation of the primary black hole is connected to the accelerated space expansion and big collapse of the photon space through the universe evolution. The big bang from the nothing is the pair production of the matter universe with the positive energy and the partner anti-matter universe with the negative energy from the CPT symmetry. Our universe is the matter universe with the negative charges of electric charge (EC), lepton charge (LC) and color charge (CC). This first universe is made of dark matter -, lepton -, and quark - primary black holes with the huge negative charges which cause the Coulomb repulsive forces much bigger than the gravitational forces. The huge Coulomb forces induce the inflation of the primary black holes, that decay to the super-massive black holes and particles.

The relative force strengths of the Coulomb forces, gravitational forces, dark matter forces, weak forces and strong forces are compared for the dark matters, leptons, quarks, and normal matters (p and n baryons) in terms of the 3-D quantized space model. The quark confinement and asymptotic freedom are explained by the CC merging to the A(CC=-5)₃ state. The proton with the (EC,LC,CC) charge configuration of p(1,0,-5) is p(1,0) + A(CC=-5)₃. The A(CC=-5)₃ state has the 99.6% of the proton mass. The three quarks in p(1,0,-5) are asymptotically free in the EC and LC space of p(1,0) and are strongly confined in the CC space of A(CC=-5)₃. This means that the lepton beams in the deep inelastic scattering interact with three quarks in p(1,0) by the EC interaction and weak interaction. Then, the observed spin is the partial spin of p(1,0) which is 32.6 % of the total spin (1/2) of the proton. The A(CC=-5)₃ state has the 67.4 % of the proton spin. This explains the proton spin crisis. The EC charge distribution of the proton is the same to the EC charge distribution of p(1,0) which indicates that three quarks in p(1,0) are mostly near the proton surface. From the EC charge distribution of neutron, the 2 lepton system (called as the koron) of the koron is, for the first time, reported in the present work.

The origins of the stellar mass neutron black holes and supermassive dark matter black holes without the singularities are reported based on the 4-D Euclidean space. The neutron black holes with the mass of m_BH = 5 – 15 m_sun are made by the 6-quark merged states (N_6q) of two neutrons with the mass (m(N_6q) = 10 m(n)) of 9.4 GeV/c² that gives the black hole mass gap of m_BH = 3 – 5 m_sun. Also, the supermassive black holes with the mass of m_SMBH = 10⁶ – 10¹¹ msun are made by the merged 3-D states (J(B1B2B3)₃ particles) of the dark matters. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky way galaxy has the mass of mSMBH = 4.1 10⁶ m_sun that is consistent with m_SMBH = 2.08 - 6.23 10⁶ m_sun calculated from the 3-D states (J(B1B2B3)₃ particles) of the dark matters with the mass of m(J) = 1.95 10¹⁵ eV/c². In other words, this supports the existence of the B1, B2 and B3 dark matters with the proposed masses. The first dark matter black hole (primary black hole) was created at the big bang. This first dark matter black hole decayed to the supermassive dark matter black holes through the secondary dark matter black holes that are explained by the merged states of the J(B1B2B3)₃ particles. The universe evolution is closely connected to the decaying process of the dark matter black holes since the big bang. The dark matter cloud states are proposed at the intermediate mass black hole range of m_IMBH = 10² – 10⁵ msun. This can explain why the dark matter black holes are not observed at the intermediate mass black hole range of m_IMBH = 10² – 10⁵ m_sun.

Due to advances in power electronics technology and the evolution of automation devices, the number of electrical devices that are sensitive to power quality is rapidly increasing, and for this reason, users are increasing their demand for high quality. To meet power quality demands, many power conversion devices are used, including dynamic voltage restorers (DVRs). DVRs are rec-ognized as devices that can effectively manage problems such as voltage segment, swells, and harmonics. DVR control requires many samples for harmonic compensation, which has the dis-advantage of being complicated to implement due to fast digital signal processing computation and the application of the cyclic discrete Fourier transform. In this paper, a high-precision DVR system configuration is proposed that compensates for harmonics using a periodically equivalent time-interval sampling technique and a novel circular structured memory filter. The proposed circular structured multi-pointer memory filter is an effective filter algorithm for high-precision input voltage measurement because it can remove noise and compensate for the delay of the phase angle of the filter in voltage measurement. A simulation and DVR prototype system was built, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the phase angle multi-filter voltage detection method and the compensation method were verified by experiments.

Our matter universe is made up of four components of dark energy (DE), dark matters (DMs), leptons and quarks which are created from the decay of the primary black hole through the inflation after big bang. In the three-dimensional quantized space model, the sum (DER) of the dark energy (DE) and radiations (R) is the flat photon space and there are 39 particles of 3 dark matters, 9 leptons and 27 quarks. Generally speaking, the mass ratio of the quarks with the 27 particles is smallest and the mass ratio of the DER photon space with the 1 massless photon is largest. Therefore, the mass ratios of DER, DMs, leptons and quarks are inversely proportional to the particle numbers of DER, DMs, leptons and quarks as the first assumption. This simple rule is called as the universe mass ratio golden rule in Fig. 12. This simple rule is successfully applied to the observed mass ratios of the Planck and WMAP missions. The best particle number combination (1, 3, 9, 27) of the four components (DER, DMs, Leptons, Quarks) to explain the Planck 2018 and WMAP results is the same as the particle number combination (1, 3, 9, 27) of the 3-dimensional quantized space model. The calculated mass ratios of DER, DMs, leptons and quarks are 67.5 %, 22.5 %, 7.5 % and 2.5 %, respectively. And the calculated mass ratios of neutrinos and ordinary matters are 5.0 % and 5.0 %, respectively. The mass ratios of the dark energy (68.47(23) %) and matters (31.53(23) %) obtained from the Planck 2018 results are consistent with the calculated mass ratios of the DER (67.5 %) and matters (32.5 %). The mass ratio of the dark energy (72.1(15) %) obtained from the WMAP 9 year results is explained as the summed mass ratio (72.5 %) of DER (67.5 %) and neutrinos (5.0 %). The universe evolution including the super-massive black holes (SMBHs) is shown in Fig. 4. The accelerated space expansion of our universe requires the addition of the new dark energy. If this new dark energy is added, the mass ratio of the dark energy is a little bit increased. The difference (0.97 %) between the observed value (68.47(23) %) and calculated value (67.5 %) is explained by adding the new dark energy in Figs. 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. The corrected mass ratios of DER, DMs, leptons and quarks are 68.47 %, 21.8286 %, 7.2762 % and 2.4254 %, respectively. The corrected mass ratios of the neutrinos (called as cosmic background neutrinos) and ordinary matters (OMs) are 4.8508 % and 4.8508 %, respectively. These corrected mass ratios can explain the mass ratios obtained from the WMAP and Planck missions. In other words, the mass ratios calculated from the best particle number combination support the elementary particles, dark matters and dark energy (photon space) proposed by the three-dimensional quantized space model based on the 10-D Euclidean space.

Space-time evolution is briefly explained by using the 3-dimensional quantized space model (TQSM) based on the 4-dimensional (4-D) Euclidean space. The energy (mass), charges and absolute time are newly defined based on the 4-D Euclidean space. The photons and gravitons are understood as the 2-D space fluctuations along the space axes and 1-D time fluctuations along the time axis, respectively. This indicates that the electromagnetic (EM) and gravitational (G) waves can be unified into the so called gravityelectromagnetic (GEM) wave which has both space and time fluctuations. The photon with zero force fields is the 2EM wave because an EM wave corresponds to a charged fermion. The dark matter bosons, weak force bosons, strong force bosons are the 1-D time fluctuations which can be expressed by the G waves. This indicates that all five forces are unified by the GEM wave. It is called as the super unification theory in the present work. And the force carrying bosons and mesons are, for the first time, proposed as the possible candidates of the magnetic monopoles like the fermions and baryons are the electric monopoles. The signs of the magnetic charges quantized as q_m=cq are newly defined. The big bang is understood by the space-time evolution of the 4-D Euclidean space but not by the sudden 4-D Minkowski space-time creation. The big bang process created the matter universe with the positive energy and the partner anti-matter universe with the negative energy from the CPT symmetry.

Three-dimensional quantized space model is newly introduced. Quantum mechanics and relativity theory are explained in terms of the warped three-dimensional quantized spaces with the quantum time width (Dt=t_q). The energy is newly defined as the 4-dimensional space-time volume of E = cDtDV in the present work. It is shown that the wave function of the quantum mechanics is closely related to the warped quantized space shape with the space time-volume. The quantum entanglement and quantum wave function collapse are explained additionally. The special relativity theory is separated into the energy transition associated with the space-time shape transition of the matter and the momentum transition associated with the space-time location transition. Then, the quantum mechanics and the general relativity theory are about the 4-dimensional space-time volume and the 4-dimensional space-time distance, respectively.

Space-time evolution is briefly explained by using the 3-dimensional quantized space model (TQSM) based on the 4-dimensional (4-D) Euclidean space. The energy (E=cDtDV), charges (|q|= cDt) and absolute time (ct) are newly defined based on the 4-D Euclidean space. The big bang is understood by the space-time evolution of the 4-D Euclidean space but not by the sudden 4-D Minkowski space-time creation. The big bang process created the matter universe with the positive energy and the partner anti-matter universe with the negative energy from the CPT symmetry. Our universe is the matter universe with the negative charges of electric charge (EC), lepton charge (LC) and color charge (CC). This first universe is made of three dark matter -, lepton -, and quark - primary black holes with the huge negative charges which cause the Coulomb repulsive forces much bigger than the gravitational forces. The huge Coulomb forces induce the inflation of the primary black holes, that decay to the super-massive black holes. The dark matter super-massive black holes surrounded by the normal matters and dark matters make the galaxies and galaxy clusters. The spiral arms of galaxies are closely related to the decay of the 3-D charged normal matter black holes to the 1-D charged normal matter black holes. The elementary leptons and quarks are created by the decay of the normal matter charged black holes, that is caused by the Coulomb forces much stronger than the gravitational forces. The Coulomb forces are very weak with the very small Coulomb constants (k₁(EC) = k_dd(EC) ) for the dark matters and very strong with the very big Coulomb constants (k₂(EC) = k_nn(EC)) for the normal matters because of the non-communication of the photons between the dark matters and normal matters. The photons are charge dependent and mass independent. But the dark matters and normal matters have the similar and very weak gravitational forces because of the communication of the gravitons between the dark matters and normal matters. The gravitons are charge independent and mass dependent. Note that the three kinds of charges (EC, LC and CC) and one kind of mass (m) exist in our matter universe. The dark matters, leptons and quarks have the charge configurations of (EC), (EC,LC) and (EC,LC,CC), respectively. Partial masses of elementary fermions are calculated, and the proton spin crisis is explained. The charged black holes are not the singularities.

Identifying the primary site of origin of metastatic cancer is vital for guiding treatment decisions, especially for patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP). Despite advanced diagnostic techniques, CUP remains difficult to pinpoint and is responsible for a considerable number of cancer-related fatalities. Understanding its origin is crucial for effective management and potentially improving patient outcomes. This study introduces a machine learning framework ONCOfind-AI that leverages transcriptome-based gene set features to enhance the accuracy of predicting the origin of metastatic cancers. By ensuring compatibility between RNA-sequencing and micro-array data, we were able to construct a more comprehensive training dataset. Integrating data from different platforms improved the accuracy of our machine learning models for predicting cancer origins. Our method was validated using external data from clinical samples collected through Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center and the Gene Expression Omnibus. The external validation results demonstrated a top-1 accuracy ranging from 0.80 to 0.86, with a top-2 accuracy of 0.90. This study highlights that incorporating biological knowledge through curated gene sets can merge gene expression data from different platforms, enhancing the compatibility needed for more effective machine learning prediction models.

(1) Background: Multiple alterations of cellular metabolism have been documented in experimental studies of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and are thought to contribute to its pathogenesis. (2) Methods: To elucidate the molecular pathways and transcriptional regulators associated with the metabolic changes of renal cysts in ADPKD, we compared global gene expression data from human PKD1 renal cysts, minimally cystic tissues (MCT) from the same patients, and healthy human kidney cortical tissue samples. (3) Results: We found PKD1 renal cysts displayed the Warburg effect with gene pathway changes favoring increased cellular glucose uptake and lactate production, instead of pyruvate oxidation. Additionally, mitochondrial energy metabolism was globally depressed, associated with downregulation of gene pathways related to fatty acid oxidation (FAO), branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) degradation, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in renal cysts. Activation of mTORC1 and its two target proto-oncogenes, HIF-1α and MYC, was predicted to drive the expression of multiple genes involved in the observed metabolic reprogramming (e.g., GLUT3, HK1/HK2, ALDOA, ENO2, PKM, LDHA/LDHB, MCT4, PDHA1, PDK1/3, MPC1/2, CPT2, BCAT1, NAMPT); indeed, their predicted expression patterns were confirmed by our data. Conversely, we found AMPK inhibition was predicted in renal cysts. AMPK inhibition was associated with decreased expression of PGC-1α, a transcriptional coactivator for transcription factors PPARα, ERRα, and ERRγ, all of which play a critical role in regulating oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. (4) Conclusions: These data provide a comprehensive map of metabolic pathway reprogramming in ADPKD and highlight nodes of regulation that may serve as targets for therapeutic intervention.

The absolute time and relative time are defined in terms of the 4-D Euclidean space. Our universe is the 3-D x₁x₂x₃ quantized photon space which follows the absolute time simultaneity when the universe moves along the absolute time axis of ct. The length expansion of Dx = gDx₀ is derived under the condition of the absolute time (ct) simultaneity. From the similarity between this length expansion of Dx = gDx₀ and the energy increasing of E = gE₀, it is assumed that the energy is proportional to the particle size of Dx. The extension of this assumption to the 4-D Euclidean space gives the new definition that the particle energy (E) is the 4-D volume. Then, the particle mass energy is defined as E= mc² = cDtDV = gE₀. The masses of the elementary particles are originated from the 4-D warped volume of the photon space because the particle is the warped photon space with the velocity of v < c. Therefore, the Higgs boson concept in the standard model (SM) is not needed in the present 3-D quantized space model (TQSM). The scalar boson with the spin of zero, photon with the spin of 1 and graviton with the spin of 2 are the two-boson states. Therefore, the observed Higgs boson is reinterpreted as the two-boson state of the scalar boson with the spin of zero. The cosmic muon observation and twin paradox are explained by using the absolute time and relative time. The relative time is the observed time in the twin paradox and cosmic muon observation. In the twin paradox, a person who travels the long distance is more aged than a person on the earth in terms of the relative time ages because of the space and time conversion effect (STCE effect) of the moving space distance (x). But twins are in the same ages in terms of the absolute time without STCE effect. The fast-moving cosmic muon has the expanded half-life from the time expansion of the relative time. Also, the quantum entanglement and Pauli exclusion principle are explained. The quantum base of the photon space line connects two entangled particles. Two particles and quantum base system is fluctuated along the absolute time axis by the time clicking when one particle is measured. Another particle is instantly selected by the time clicking. This is called as the quantum entanglement. The photons which are the flat photon space with the constant speed of c along the space axis and absolute time axis have the 4-D photon velocity of c_eff = 2^0.5 c. Total 10-D Euclidean space including three 3-D quantized spaces and one absolute time axis is required for the electric charges (EC), lepton charges (CC) and color charges (CC) of the elementary particles. The 3-D photon space is very stiff along the absolute time (ct) axis and very soft along the space axes. The Coulomb force through the photons (2EM waves) of the space fluctuations is much stronger than the Gravitational force through the gravitons (G waves) of the time fluctuations between two electrons.

The 2020 revision of South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) updated procedures for the use of medical data for research. The PIPA provision allowing “pseudonymized information” to be used without the consent of the data subject for scientific research introduced ambiguity regarding the applicability of the PIPA versus the Bioethics and Safety Act (BSA), which allows “anonymized information” to be used for research only after data-subject consent and IRB approval for human-subject research are obtained. The main points requiring clarification include the distinction between “human-subject” and “scientific” research, the definition of anonymization and pseudonymization, the requirements for data-subject consent, and the procedures for institutional review boards (IRBs) and data review boards (DRBs). After reviewing the legal concepts and processes, this article recommends clarification of the guidelines for the use of medical data in research by distinguishing the concept and, in the long run, categorizing medical data based on the degree of risk.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes of cost variation in natural disaster prevention projects (NDPP) in Gyeongsangbuk-do and to develop effective cost and risk management strategies. The study collected data by conducting an online survey of 244 stakeholders. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of various variables on cost deviation, in-cluding project management risk (PMR), project costing and execution risk (PCER), project exe-cution strategy risk (PESR), construction project risk (CPR), project cost and schedule risk (PCSR), project management challenges (PMC), and construction project subcontractor and safety man-agement (CPSSM). The results showed that PMR (OR=3.744, 95% C.I. [1.657, 8.457]), PCER (OR=5.068, 95% C.I. [2.236, 11.484]), PESR (OR=3.447, 95% C.I. [1. 853, 6.413]), CPR (OR=2.292, 95% C.I. [1.020, 5.151]), PCSR (OR=4.817, 95% C.I. [2.250, 10.317]), PMC (OR=2.954, 95% C.I. [1.452, 6. 013]), and CPSSM (OR=2.419, 95% C.I. [1.297, 4.515]) had statistically significant effects on cost deviation. In particular, PMR, PCER, and PESR were identified as the main causes, and the effects of additional factors such as CPSSM were also important. The developed predictive model plays an important role in helping stakeholders of NDPP to manage risks in advance and take appro-priate preventive measures to ensure the success of the project. This study empirically supports the theoretical hypotheses of previous studies and provides a clear understanding of the causes of cost deviation in NDPP, which provides important insights for strategic decision-making and provides a new perspective on risk management.

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.

Electrode is a key component in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and it needs significant improvement for practical implementation of MEC. For effective development of electrode technology, accurate and reproducible analytical methods are very important. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) is an essential analytical method for evaluating electrode performance; however, it has not been firmly established yet in the MEC field. In this study, biological brush (BB), abiotic brush (AB), Pt wire (PtW), stainless steel wire (SSW) and mesh (SSM)) were tested to explore the most suitable counter electrode in different medium conditions. Coefficient of variation (CV) for Imax of LSV were comparatively analyzed. In BB-anode LSV, SSW (0.48%) and SSM (2.17%) showed higher reproducibility as a counter electrode. In SSM-cathode LSV, BB (1.76%) and PtW (2.01%) produced more reproducible results. In the Ni-AC-SSM-cathode LSV, PtW (3.54%) and BB (8.81%) produced more reproducible result. It shows electrode used in the operation is an appropriate counter electrode in the acetate-added condition. However, in the absence of acetate, PtW (1.24%) and BB (1.71%) produced more reproducible results in SSM cathode and PtW (0.61%) and SSW (1.21%) did in the Ni-AC-SSM-cathode, showing PtW is an appropriate counter electrode. These results also shows that PtW is an appropriate counter electrode in cathode LSV.

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

Accurate image registration is essential for eye movement compensation in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). The spatial resolution of an OCT instrument is typically anisotropic, i.e., different resolutions in the lateral and axial dimensions. When OCT images have anisotropic pixel resolution, residual distortion (RD) and false translation (FT) were always observed after image registration for rotational movement. In this study, RD and FT were quantitively analyzed over different degrees of rotational movement and various lateral and axial pixel resolution ratio (RL/RA) values. The theoretical analysis confirmed that the RD and FT increase significantly with the rotation degree and RL/RA. An image resizing assisting registration (RAR) strategy was proposed for accurate image registration. The performance of direct registration (DR) and RAR for retinal OCT and OCTA images were quantitatively compared. Experimental results confirmed that unnormalized RL/RA causes RD and FT, RAR can effectively improve the performance of OCT and OCTA image registration and distortion compensation.

This study aims to investigate the effects of chest mobilization and breathing exercises on respiratory function, trunk stability, and endurance in chronic stroke patients who have contracted coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Thirty inpatients of a tertiary hospital in South Korea, who had a history of COVID-19 and were diagnosed with stroke within the last 6 months were randomly assigned to either the Chest Mobilization Exercise with Breathing Exercise (CMEBE) or Conservative Physical Therapy with Breathing Exercise (CPTBE) groups. The respiratory function, trunk stability, and endurance were measured at baseline and 6 weeks after the interventions. Both CMEBE and CPTBE groups showed improvements in respiratory function, trunk stability, and endurance after the intervention (p<0.05). However, the CMEBE group showed significantly greater improvements in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (p<0.05), trunk stability (p<0.05), and endurance (p<0.05) than the CPTBE group. No significant intergroup difference was observed in forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow. Conclusion: The combination of chest mobilization and breathing exercises improved respiratory muscle mobility and endurance, stabilized the trunk, and enhanced balance and transfer of weight. The findings suggest that this intervention could be beneficial in improving respiratory function and endurance in stroke patients.

The ternary Bi2MoO6-reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-TiO2 catalyst were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. The improvement of the photocatalytic decomposition efficiency of Bi2MoO6-rGO-TiO2 composite is 92.3% than the pure and binary photocatalyst. The effects of operational parameters like catalyst ratio, the different catalyst, different ratio rGO and different pH, have been analyzed. As prepared ternary photocatalyst is low Photoluminescence and high photocurrent density responsible, it exhibited that photon-induced electron and hole-recombination were suppressed and also charged separation is effective. The present study shows the rGO is an excellent electron transfer performance and enhanced the photocatalytic reaction stability.

Understanding the ionic channel network of proton exchange membranes, which dictate fuel cell performance, is crucial when developing proton exchange membrane fuel cells. However, itis difficult to characterize due to complicated nano structure and differing changes to their structure with different amounts of water uptake. Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) can map surface charge distribution as nano special resolution by measuring the electrostatic force between a vibrating conductive tip and a charged surface under an applied voltage, . In this study, the ionic channel network of a proton exchange membrane is analyzed using EFM. A mathematical approximation model of the ionic channel network is first derived, to explain changes in force gradient on the surface using EFM. The phase lag of dry and wet Nafion under stepwise changes to bias voltage is then measured. Based on the model, variations in the ionic channel network of Nafion with different amounts of water uptake are analyzed numerically. The mean surface charge density of both membranes, which is connected with the ionic channel network, is calculated using the model. The results show that the difference between the mean surface charge of the dry and wet membranes is consistent with the variation in their proton conductivity.

Turbine generator operates with complex cooling system due to the challenge in controlling the peak temperature of the stator bar caused by ohm loss, which is unavoidable. Therefore, it is important to characterise and quantifies the thermal performance of the cooling system. The focus of the present research is to investigate the heat transfer and pressure loss characteristics of typical cooling system, so-called stator ventilation duct. A real scale model was built at its operating conditions for the present study. The direction of cooling air is varied to consider its operation condition, so that there are (1) outward flow and (2) inward flow cases. In addition, the effect of (3) cross flow (inward with cross flow case) is also studied. The transient heat transfer method using thermochromic liquid crystals is implemented to measure full surface heat transfer distribution. A series of Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis is also conducted to support the observation from the experiment. For the inward flow case, the results suggest that the average Nusselt number of the 2nd duct is about 30% higher than the 3rd duct. The trend is similar with the effect of cross flow. The CFD results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

As the number of older adults with dementia increases, early diagnosis and intervention are crucially important. The purpose of this study was to conduct dementia screening on older adults to determine whether there are differences in daily activities of living, depression, loneliness, social support, and life satisfaction between older adults at high-risk for dementia compared with low-risk older adults. We hypothesized a negative relationship between high-risk older adults and these factors. This study also hypothesized a moderating effect for social support on the relationship between daily living activities and life satisfaction. This study used a cross-sectional design with survey data. Participants were recruited at 15 public community health centers in South Korea. A total of 609 older adults (male 208, female 401) living in the community were screened for early dementia, and 113 participants (18.9 %) were assigned to the high-risk group. As hypothesized, participants in the high-risk group showed significantly more negative results ​​in terms of activities of daily living, depression, loneliness, social support, and life satisfaction compared with participants in the low-risk group. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for the importance of early screening for dementia and policies for effective dementia prevention.

Safety and the apprehension of crime persist as significant concerns in both urban and rural locales. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) guidelines, an architectural approach to crime deterrence, mitigate the likelihood of criminal activity by implementing strategic defensive design plans, particularly through effective lighting schemes within urban settings, thereby alleviating fear of crime. This comprehensive set of principles serves to enhance overall quality of life. Additionally, within the realm of environmental crime prevention, enhanced street lighting has been identified as a crucial factor in diminishing both actual crime rates and the perceived risk of criminal activity in built environments. While current recommendations advocate for the installation of lighting in poorly lit areas for safety reasons, evaluating visibility solely based on the presence of existing streetlights proves insufficient for analyzing road surface luminance comprehensively. Thus, this study proposes establishing standardized illumination levels specifically tailored for facial recognition of potential criminal offenders. Furthermore, we advocate for defining specific thresholds for color temperature and colorimetric criteria to aid in distinguishing characteristics of individuals' attire. To analyze photometric safety and crime frequency in Seoul, Korea, new primary evaluation indicators were developed, including the Brightness index, Informatization index, and Safety index. By incorporating quantitative data into lighting design strategies, particularly within the framework of CPTED, there exists the potential to mitigate fear of crime during nighttime hours. These strategies facilitate the creation of well-lit environments conducive to the swift recognition and identification of potential perpetrators, thereby presenting a proactive approach to crime prevention. Consequently, this study introduces quantitative lighting standards to augment the efficacy of CPTED guidelines, ultimately contributing to the reduction of crime incidence.

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that continuously change their shape. Their main function is ATP production; however, they are additionally involved in a variety of cellular phenomena, such as apoptosis, cell cycle, proliferation, differentiation, reprogramming, and aging. The change in mitochondrial morphology is closely related to the functionality of mitochondria. Normal mitochondrial dynamics are critical for cellular function, embryonic development, and tissue formation. Thus, defect in proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics that control mitochondrial fusion and fission can affect cellular differentiation, proliferation, cellular reprogramming, and aging. Here we review the processes and proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics and its various associated cellular phenomena.

The partial discharge (PD) event in high voltage insulation releases energy, exerts mechanical pressure, and generates elastic waves. Detecting and locating these PD events through short-duration acoustic pulses is well-established, particularly in gas-insulated systems and oil-insulated transformers. However, its full potential remains untapped in solid insulation systems, where the propagation capability of acoustic pulse and the acoustic reflections pose fundamental challenges to the Acoustic Emission (AE) detection technique. This study investigates the influence of reflections and multiple paths on the propagating acoustic pulse in polymeric insulating materials using a finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL. It was observed that the reflections from the boundary influence the propagating pulse's shape, peak magnitude, and arrival time. An analytical MATLAB model further quantifies the impact of multiple propagation paths on the shape, magnitude, and arrival time of the pulse travelling in a cylinder. Additionally, a Perfect Matched Layer (PML) was implemented in the COMSOL model to eliminate reflections from the boundary, and it revealed that the acoustic pulse magnitude decreases with distance following the inverse square law. In essence, the models aid in measuring how reflections contribute to the observed signals, facilitating the precise identification of the source of the PD event in the tested system.

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

Automated medical diagnosis is one of the important machine learning applications in the domain of healthcare. In this regard, most of the approaches primarily focus on optimizing the accuracy of classification models. In this research, we argue that unlike general-purpose classification problems, medical applications, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis, require special treatment. In the case of CKD, apart from model performance, other factors such as the cost of data acquisition may also be taken into account to enhance the applicability of the automated diagnosis system. In this research, we have proposed two techniques for cost-sensitive feature ranking. An ensemble of decision tree models is employed in both the techniques for computing the worth of a feature in the CKD dataset. An automatic threshold selection heuristic is also introduced which is based on the intersection of features’ worth and their accumulated cost. A set of experiments are conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed techniques on both tree-based and non-tree based classification models. The proposed approaches are also evaluated against several comparative techniques. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed techniques select around 1/4^th of the original CKD features while reducing the cost by a factor of 7.42 of the original feature set. Based on the extensive experimentation it is concluded that the proposed techniques employing feature-cost interaction heuristic tend to select feature subsets that are both useful and cost-effective.

Tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) is a series of chemical reactions in aerobic organisms used to generate energy via the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins. In the eukaryotic system, the TCA cycle completely occurs in mitochondria, while the intermediates of the TCA cycle are retained in mitochondria due to their polarity and hydrophilicity. Under conditions of cell stress, mitochondria become disrupted and release their contents, which act as danger signals in the cytosol. Of note, the TCA cycle intermediates may also leak from dysfunctioning mitochondria and regulate cellular processes. Increasing evidence shows that the metabolites of the TCA cycle are substantially involved in the regulation of immune responses. In this review, we aimed to provide a comprehensive systematic overview of the molecular mechanisms of each TCA cycle intermediate that may play key roles in regulating cellular immunity in cell stress and discuss their implications for immune activation and suppression.

Depending on the characteristics of the industrial area, toxicity evaluation of human body, risk assessment and health impact assessment may directly cause cancer due to air pollution. Environmental data collection is from August 2018 to January 31, 2019, and the average, minimum, and maximum values of air pollution data respectively. According to the global data on global trends using the Big Data, high blood pressure is confirmed at 33rd place in the world, and myocardial infarction among the environmental diseases is confirmed to be lower than Korea. Disease that occurred in Jeolla province industrial complex considering the characteristics of our country was identified as representative. Air pollutants are considered to be the causes of allergic diseases in Korea. PM10 was found to be higher than the control area (28.8804348 (㎍ / ㎥), 31.7065217 (㎍ / ㎥) and 32.8532609 (㎍ / ㎥). The mean concentrations of PM2.5 in the middle and high exposure areas were lower than those of the control areas, but the highest in the intermediate exposure areas was 16.5978261 (㎍ / ㎥), 16.1086957 (㎍ / ㎥) and 17.1847826 (㎍ / ㎥) respectively. The relationship between the major variables of environmental exposure in Yeosu was confirmed to be correlated with high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, cerebrovascular, diabetes, thyroid disease, sinus infection, anemia and pneumonia.

Land use/land cover (LULC) and climate changes are two main factors directly affecting hydrologic conditions. However, very few studies in Vietnam have investigated changes in hydrological process under the impact of climate and land use changes on a basin scale. The objective of this study is to assess the individual and combined impacts of land use and climate changes on hydrological processes for the Nam Rom river basin, Northwestern Viet Nam using Remote Sensing (RS) and Soil and Water Assessment Tools (SWAT) model. SWAT model was used for hydrological process simulation. Results indicated that SWAT proved to be a powerful tool in simulating the impacts of land use and climate change on catchment hydrology. The change in historical land use between 1992 and 2015 strongly contributed to increasing hydrological processes (ET, percolation, ground water, and water yield), whereas, climate change led to significant decrease of all hydrological components. The combination of land use and climate changes significantly reduced surface runoff (-16.9%), ground water (-5.7%), water yield (-9.2%), and sediment load (-4.9%). Overall climatic changes had more significant effect on hydrological components than land use changes in the Nam Rom river basin during the 1992–2015. Under impacts of projected land use and climate change scenarios in 2030 on hydrological process of the upper Nam Rom river basin indicate that ET and surface flow are more sensitive to the changes in land use and climate in the future. In conclusion, the findings of this study will basic knowledge of the effects of climate and land-use changes on the hydrology for future development of integrated land use and water management practices in Nam Rom river basin.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a leading gastrointestinal disease that cause hospitalization. Initial management in the first 72 h after the diagnosis of AP is pivotal, which can influence the clinical outcomes of the disease. Initial management, including fluid resuscitation, pain control, nutritional support, antibiotic use, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in gallstone pancreatitis, plays a fundamental role in AP treatment. Recent updates for fluid resuscitation, including treatment goals, the type, rate, volume, and duration, have triggered a paradigm shift from aggressive hydration with normal saline to goal-directed and non-aggressive hydration with lactated Ringer’s solution. Evidence of the clinical benefit of early enteral feeding is becoming definitive. Routine use of prophylactic antibiotics is generally limited, and the procalcitonin based algorithm of antibiotic use has recently been investigated to distinguish between inflammation and infection in patients with AP. Although urgent ERCP (within 24 h) should be performed for patients with gallstone pancreatitis and cholangitis, urgent ERCP is not indicated in patients without cholangitis. Furthermore, convalescent treatment, including cholecystectomy in gallstone pancreatitis and alcohol intervention in alcoholic pancreatitis, is also important for improving the prognosis and prevent recurrence in patients with AP. This review focuses on recent updates on the initial and convalescent management strategies for AP.

Traditional diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the heart has involved the use of transcranial doppler (TCD). However, TCD is essentially a blind test that cannot directly visualize the location of blood vessels. Since TCD relies on qualitative assessments by examiners, there is room for errors, such as misalignment of the ultrasound's angle of incidence with the actual blood vessels. This limitation affects the reproducibility and consistency of the examination. In this study, we presented an alternative approach for assessing right-to-left shunt (RLS) associated with PFO using contrast transcranial color-coded doppler (C-TCCD) with bubble contrast. The patient under consideration had been diagnosed with an ischemic stroke through imaging, but the subsequent cardiac work-up failed to determine the cause. Employing C-TCCD for RLS screening revealed a confirmed RLS of Spencer’s three grades. Subsequently, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was conducted to evaluate PFO risk factors, confirming an 8 mm PFO size, a 21 mm tunnel length, a hypermobile interatrial septum, and persistent RLS. The calculated high-risk PFO score was 4 points, categorizing it as a very high-risk PFO. This case underscores the importance of C-TCCD screening in detecting RLS associated with PFO, especially in cryptogenic stroke patients when identifying the underlying cause of ischemic stroke becomes challenging.

The semi-enclosed estuary is very susceptible to changes in the physical and environmental characteristics of the inflow from the land and the coastal sea weather and so the continuous and comprehensive monitoring is necessary for managing the estuary. Nevertheless, the standard procedure or schematic framework has not been proposed appropriately to determine how many instruments are necessary and where they need to be deployed to detect critical changes. Therefore, the present work proposes a systematical strategy for the deployments of the monitoring array by using the combination of the graphical optimization with the objective mapping technique. In order to reflect the spatiotemporal characteristics of the bay, the representative variables and eigenvectors are determined by the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF), and the cosine angle among them are calculated for a design index of optimization. At the recommended locations, the sampled representative variables are interpolated to reconstruct their spatiotemporal distribution and compared with the distributions of the true values. Analysis confirms that the selected locations, even with a small number of points, can be used for on-site monitoring. Also, the present framework suggests how to determine installable regions for real-time monitoring stations, which reflect the global and local characteristics of the semi-enclosed estuary.

Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes after bilateral mix-and-match cataract surgery using extended depth of focus (EDOF) and diffractive multifocal (DMF) intraocular lenses (IOLs). Methods: Thirty-seven patients received Tecnis Symfony EDOF IOL (ZXR00) implantation in the dominant eye, and Tecnis +3.25 DMF IOL (ZLB00) in the non-dominant eye. Patients were followed for 3 months, and uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA, CDVA) , uncorrected intermediate and near visual acuity (UIVA, UNVA), contrast sensitivity, defocus curves, stereopsis, and patient satisfaction were assessed. Results: At 3 months, mean logMAR UDVA was 0.07 ± 0.09 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.12 ± 0.11 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.02 ± 0.05 in both eyes. UIVA was 0.11 ± 0.11 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.16 ± 0.12 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.04 ± 0.07 in both eyes. UNVA was 0.25 ± 0.15 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.22 ± 0.16 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.13 ± 0.13 in both eyes. Thirty patients(81.1%) were more than satisfied with near vision, and 8 patients(21.6%) complained of severe glare and halo. Spectacle independence for near vision was achieved in 34 patients(91.9%), and 31 patients(83.8%) had better than a 50 second arc of stereopsis. Conclusion: Mix-and-match cataract surgery with EDOF and DMF IOL implantation provided good visual outcomes through all distances. Also excellent patient satisfaction was achieved with high level of spectacle independence and minimal photic phenomena.

White spot lesions (WSLs), a side effect of orthodontic treatment, can result in reversible and unaesthetic results. Graphene oxide (GO) with a bioactive glass (BAG) mixture(BAG@GO) was added to Low Viscosity Transbond XT(LV) in a ratio of 1, 3, 5%. The composite’s characterization and its physical and biological properties were verified with scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD); its microhardness, shear bond stress (SBS), cell viability, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) were also assessed. Efficiency in reducing WSL was evaluated using antibacterial activity of S. mutans. Anti-demineralization was analyzed using a cycle of the acid-base solution. Adhesives with 3 or 5 wt.% of BAG@GO showed significant increase in microhardness compared with LV. The sample and LV groups showed no significant differences in SBS or ARI. The cell viability test confirmed that none of the sample groups showed higher toxicity compared to the LV group. Antibacterial activity was higher in the 48-hour group than in the 24-hour group; the 48-hour test showed that BAG@GO had a high antibacterial effect, which was more pronounced in 5 wt.% of BAG@GO. Anti-demineralization effect was higher in the BAG@GO-group than in the LV-group; the higher the BAG@GO concentration, the higher the anti-demineralization effect.

The problem of scheduling is an area that has attracted a lot of attention from researchers for many years. Its goal is to optimize resources in the system. The assigning task to the lecturer is an example of the timetabling problem, a class of scheduling. This study introduces a mathematical model to assign fixed tasks (the time and required skills to be fixed) to university lecturers. Our model is capable of generating a calendar that maximizes faculty expectations. The formulated problem is in the form of a multi-objective problem that optimal makes decisions require the trade-off presence of trade-offs between two or more conflicting objectives. To solve this, we use the Compromise Programming approach to multi-objective programming. We then proposed the new version of the Genetic Algorithm to solve the introduced model. Finally, the model and algorithm tested with real scheduling data collected at the Computing Fundamental Department, FPT University, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) are professional services that create new added value by creating, accumulating, and disseminating new knowledge. When it comes to conducting business involving new technology, KIBS play the roles of innovator, user, and producer of new technology that has led to technological innovation. This study aimed to determine the role of KIBS as a tool for innovation in a country’s economic system. Specifically, the degree and role of their impact on the Korean economy were analyzed and compared for the entire KIBS sector, T-KIBS (a new technology-based professional service), P-KIBS (a traditional professional service), and every subsector. For this purpose, the demand-inducement model, supply inducement model, and interlinkage effects method were applied using the 2019 input-output table published in 2022. The analysis showed that the indirect production inducement effect of the entire KIBS industry on other industries was 0.800 KRW, the indirect added value inducement effect was 0.330 KRW, and the supply disruption effect was 1.144 KRW. For T-KIBS, the indirect production inducement effect was 0.687 KRW, the indirect added value inducement effect was 0.272 KRW, and the supply disruption effect was 0.730 KRW. For P-KIBS, the indirect production inducement effect was 1.472 KRW, the indirect added value inducement effect was 0.646 KRW, and the supply disruption effect was 2.657 KRW. Finally, regarding the economic ripple effect of the KIBS subsector, legal and management support services and advertisements corresponding to P-KIBS showed higher figures than the T-KIBS subsectors in all sectors, including production inducement, the added value inducement effect, and the supply disruption effect. These results revealed that in the South Korean economic system, KIBS contribute to production and value addition across all industrial sectors. It is apparent that the absence of supply significantly disrupts other industries. Furthermore, production inducement effects are evenly distributed among all the KIBS subsectors in the secondary and tertiary sectors, while the value-added effects have a greater impact on the tertiary sector. In terms of the supply shortage effects, the secondary sector experiences a more significant impact. This underscores the crucial role of KIBS in sustaining and enhancing overall economic activity in South Korea. This study is significant in that it not only investigated KIBS as an industry group using the advantages provided by industry linkage analysis but also examined and compared detailed subsectors, thereby elaborately evaluating the influence relationship between KIBS and other industries. Therefore, the results presented in this study are expected to be useful for fostering the KIBS industrial sector and establishing economic innovation policies using KIBS.

Recently, smart mobility intelligent traffic services have become a critical task in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This involves not only the use of advanced sensors and controllers but also the ability to respond to real-time traffic situations at intersections, alleviate congestion, and generate policies to prevent traffic jams. DRL (Deep Reinforcement Learning) provides a natural framework for processing tasks. In DRL, each intersection can control itself and coordinate with neighbors to achieve optimal network-wide policies. However, comparing approaches remains a challenging task due to the existence of numerous possible configurations. This research performs a critical comparison of various traffic controllers found in the literature. It demonstrates that using a nonlinear approximator for coordination mechanisms and enhancing observability at each intersection are key performance drivers.

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

This study aims to assess the operational capabilities of disaster and emergency management re-sources (DEMRs), which are pivotal in mitigating risks and minimizing losses amid the increas-ing frequency of disasters. The research constructs an effective operational capability evaluation system for DEMRs, encompassing four key aspects: resource planning, organizational manage-ment capability, resource support capability, and information processing capability. It focuses on identifying the factors that influence the effective operational capability of DEMRs in China and Korea, comparing and analyzing the relative importance and priority of each evaluation domain and indicator within these countries to enhance DEMRs' operational effectiveness. The method-ology involves calculating and ranking the weight of the four domains, with findings indicating that organizational management capability is most significant in China, whereas resource sup-port capability is prioritized in Korea. A comparative analysis of the local weight of indicators within each domain revealed the largest discrepancy between China and Korea in the infor-mation processing capability domain. The study concludes by calculating global weights, identi-fying fast response capability and resource allocation capability as the most impactful factors on DEMRs' operational capability, highlighting their critical role in disaster and emergency man-agement.

In contemporary design practices, there is a disconnect between the design techniques used for early-stage design experimentation and performance analysis, and those used for the manufacture and construction. This study addresses the problems in developing an integrated digital design workflow and provides a research framework for integrating environmental performance requirements with robotic manufacturing processes on a construction site. The proposed method enables the user to import a design surface, identify design parameters, set several environmental performance goals, and thereafter simulate and select a robotic building strategy. Based on these inputs, design alternatives are developed and evaluated, considering their robotically simulated constructibility, in terms of their performance criteria. To validate the proposed method, the design is evaluated in an experiment wherein a double-skin facade perforation is generated using the proposed methodology. The results suggest a heuristic feature to improve the simulated robotic constructibility. Moreover, the functionality of the prototype is demonstrated.

Using the culture-work-health model, this study investigates the factors influencing the quality of life of maritime workers. This study conducted a survey of 320 maritime workers who have experience living and working on a ship for more than six months. This self-administered questionnaire included questions on organizational culture and support, self-efficacy, perceived fatigue, as well as the quality of work life. Organizational culture and self-efficacy were identified as factors affecting the quality of work life, while organizational support was found to have an indirect effect after passing through self-efficacy and perceived fatigue. The final model accounts for 63.1% of the variance in maritime workers’ quality of life. As such, this study shows that self-efficacy is important for the quality of life of maritime workers, having both direct and indirect effects. Moreover, organizational support may prove the primary intervention point for relieving perceived fatigue and enhancing self-efficacy, thus improving the quality of work life.

Penile augmentation using filler injections is a growing trend; however, the foreign body reaction can cause complications such as ulcer and necrosis of the penis, which can requires reconstruction. The existing method of reconstruction of the penis focused on filling the deficit. We report a case involving a scrotal flap and autologous augmentation using a de-epithelialization technique for a soft tissue defect caused by delayed infection after a penile filler injection. The defect was reconstructed and an augmentation effect was achieved. The patient was a 41-year-old man who received an injection of Aquafilling® (Biomedica, Prague, Czech Republic) 7 years previously and developed a delayed infection. After debridement, the penile defect spanned the entire shaft, and the circumference of the penis was 7.5 cm. Using a bilateral scrotal flap technique, the inferior margins of both flaps were rolled inward after de-epithelialization to achieve autologous augmentation. No infection or flap necrosis occurred during the 3-month follow-up period after surgery. Additionally, the penis circumference was expanded to 12 cm, and the patient indicated that he was very satisfied with the result. This surgical technique can be widely applied as treatment for penile defects.

Cyanex 301 and LIX 63 can seletively extract Pd(II) over Pt(IV) from strong hydrochloric acid solutions. Therefore, solvent extraction experiments have been performed by extractant mixtures containing either Cyanex 301 or LIX 63 and the extraction behavior of Pd(II) was compared. Among the mixture of Cyanex 301, the highest synergistic enhancement coefficient was achieved by mixing Cyanex 301 and TOPO. However, it was very diffiuclt to strip the Pd(II) from the loaded mixture. Among the mixture of LIX 63, the mixture of LIX 63 and Alamine 336/TOPO enhanced the extraction of Pt(II). Although the synergistic coefficient by Cyanex 301 + TOPO was higher than that by LIX 63 + Alamine 336, the Pd(II) in the loaded mixture of LIX 63 and Alamine 336 was easily stripped by thiourea.