The frame construction of an apartment complex that consists of multiple buildings encounters various uncertainties, owing to the complex relationships among units of work. Currently, the period of such a construction is calculated based on the number of floors of the highest building in the complex. This study quantitatively analyzes an apartment frame construction period using a queue model and evaluates the validity of the estimated period. In this regard, a methodology is proposed for analyzing the construction period by applying the concept of a customer and a server. A case study on the duration of an apartment frame construction is conducted with Korea Land and Housing Corporation, which has supplied the largest number of apartments in South Korea. It was found that the stable state of a queue system was observed when the rate of server utilization was applied to the basement and aboveground floors. However, a stable state was not reached on the ground floor. This study includes non-working days in its calculation and quantitatively analyzes uncertainty factors during construction. Therefore, the findings can be practically utilized to quantitatively plan the durations of work units in an apartment frame construction.

Very poor oral health, common among older adults, is associated with cognitive decline.This study aimed to investigate the association between denture use, chewing ability, and cognitive function in Korean middle-aged adults using samples representing middle-aged people at the national level. This longitudinal study included 9,998 middle-aged adults via Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging 7th special survey data. Denture use, chewing ability, health-related factors, and general characteristics were assessed by the Computer Assisted Personal Interview. After controlling general characteristics using a generalized estimating equation model, the association of denture use and MMSE scores with chewing ability of those with or without dentures and MMSE scores were analysed. Twenty-four percent of participants wore dentures among them, 35.1% complained of difficulty chewing when wearing dentures. Among participants who did not wear dentures, 16.4% complained of difficulty chewing. MMSE scores were lower among denture-wearers than non-denture wearers (β = -0.026, p < 0.001). In both groups, MMSE scores decreased with chewing difficulty and were significantly reduced among non-denture wearers (p < 0.05). Chewing ability was closely associated with cognitive function. Given the negative effect of difficulty chewing on cognitive function, maintaining chewing ability should be of great concern.

The economic development and infrastructure of a nation are closely interrelated. In addition, public trust in national infrastructure facilities is closely linked to the preservation of the advantages provided by these facilities to the public. Since the 1970s, Korea has achieved exponential economic growth over a short period of time and the number of infrastructure facilities has increased correspondingly. This compressed economic development has been underpinned by the national infrastructure, whose safety and usability have been excluded from the scope of the development. However, after around 30 years, structural deterioration coupled with general insensitivity to safety in today’s society has considerably reduced public trust in using the infrastructure. Realistically, policies that mainly focus on developing new technologies related to infrastructure construction have led to practical limitations that discourage the development of technologies for maintenance or inspection. Furthermore, current maintenance works face certain limitations caused by various reasons: insufficient budget, increasing number of infrastructure facilities requiring maintenance, shortage of manpower, and rapidly increasing number of aging infrastructure facilities. To overcome these limitations, a new approach is required that is different from general inspection methods under the existing rules and regulations. In this context, this study aimed to explore the efficiency of bridge inspection and maintenance by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that could observe inaccessible areas, could be conveniently and easily controlled, and could offer high economic benefits. To this end, various tests were performed on elevated bridges, and suitable UAV images were obtained. The obtained UAV images were inspected by using machine vision technology, thereby excluding subjective evaluations by humans. Methods for enhancing the objectivity of the inspection were also discussed. The test results showed that both the efficiency and objectivity of the proposed method were better than those of the existing bridge maintenance and inspection methods.

: The purpose of this research was to verify the importance and performance of crisis management in Korean fitness center using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). For this study, 304 fitness center executives and managers in Seoul and Gyeonggi region were selected as from March 21 to May 17, 2020. Frequency analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 and exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify the validity and reliability. Priority analysis and IPA analysis were performed to compare the mean values, and the following results were obtained. First, in the first quadrant, there were 6 attributes besides keep social distancing between employees and customers. Second, in the second quadrant, there were four attributes in addition to regular disinfection of the gymnasium. Third, in the third quadrant, there were 6 attributes besides maintain furniture clean. Third, there were 6 attributes other than maintaining furniture clean in the third quadrant. Fourth, in the fourth quadrant, there are three attributes in addition to the restriction of face-to-face meetings. The conclusion is as follows. First, equip supplies for prevention of covid19, keep social distance, and check government support policies. Second, analyze of economic support policies, and research on their application methods. Third, Prepare various non-face-to-face communication methods and Untact(non-contact) marketing strategies. Fourth, make a checklist for factors with relatively little importance.

Today’s intruders usually send attacking commands to a target system through several stepping-stone hosts, in order to reduce the chance of being detected. With stepping-stone intrusion (SSI), the intruder’s identity is hidden behind a long interactive chain of hosts and very hard to detect. An effective approach for SSI detection (SSID) is to estimate the length of the chain. This type of method is called network-based SSID. Most existing network-based SSID worked effectively only when intruders’ session manipulation was not present. These known SSID algorithms are either weak to resist intruders’ chaff-perturbation manipulation or having very limited capability in resisting attacker’s session manipulation. This paper develops a novel network-based SSID algorithm resistant to intruders’ chaff-perturbation by using packet crossover. Our proposed SSID algorithm is simple and easy to implement as the number of packet crossovers can be easily computed. We conduct rigorous technical proofs to verify the correctness of our proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that our proposed SSID algorithm works effectively and perfectly in resisting intruders’ chaff-perturbation up to 50% chaff rate.

We performed Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to suggest frontline treatments for patients with high PD-L1 expression (at least 50%). A total of 5,237 patients from 22 studies were included in this NMA. In terms of progression-free survival, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy had the highest surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value (98.1%), followed by ICI plus chemotherapy (82.9%). In terms of overall survival (OS), dual immunotherapy plus chemotherapy had the highest SUCRA value (79.1%), followed by ICI plus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (73.4%). However, there was no significant difference of survival outcomes among treatment regimens combined with immunotherapy. Moreover, ICI plus chemotherapy failed to reveal a significant OS superiority to ICI monotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.978, 95% credible internal: 0.771-1.259). In conclusion, this NMA indicates that ICI plus chemotherapy with/without bevacizumab might to be the best options in terms of OS for NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression. Considering there was no significant difference of survival outcomes among treatment regimens incorporating immunotherapy and ICI plus chemotherapy failed to show significant survival benefits over ICI monotherapy, however, ICI monotherapy may be reasonable as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression and no targetable aberrations.

Although the migration of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important for hepatic fibrosis, the regulation of HSC migration is poorly understood. Interestingly, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 induces monocyte migration to sites of injury or inflammation in the early phase but inhibits cell migration in the late phase. In this study, we investigated the role of RhoA signaling in TGF-β1-induced HSC migration. We found that TGF-β1 increased the protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA and collagen type I in HSC-T6 cells. The level of RhoA-GTP in TGF-β1-stimulated cells was significantly higher than that in control cells. Moreover, cofilin phosphorylation and F-actin formation was more strongly detected in TGF-β1-stimulated cells than in control cells. Additionally, TGF-β1 induced the activation of NF-κB and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins and several cytokines in HSC-T6 cells. The active form of Rap1 (Rap1 V12) suppressed RhoA-GTP levels, whereas the dominant negative form of Rap1 (Rap1 N17) augmented RhoA-GTP levels. Therefore, we confirmed that Rap1 regulates RhoA activation in TGF-β1-stimulated HSC-T6 cells. These findings suggest that TGF-β1 regulates Rap1, resulting in RhoA suppression, NF-κB activation and F-actin formation during the migration of HSCs.

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.

Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PD-MSCs) have been highlighted as therapeutic sources in several degenerative diseases. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) were mediated one of the therapeutic mechanisms of PD-MSCs in regenerative medicine. To enhance the therapeutic effects of PD-MSCs, we established functionally enhanced PD-MSCs with phosphatase of regenerating liver-1 overexpression (PRL-1(+)). However, the profile and functions of miRNAs induced by PRL-1(+) PD-MSCs in a rat model with hepatic failure prepared by bile duct ligation (BDL) remained unclear. Hence, the objectives of the present study were to analyze the expression of miRNAs and investigate their therapeutic mechanisms for hepatic regeneration via PRL-1(+) in a rat model with BDL. We selected candidate miRNAs based on microarray analysis. Under hypoxic conditions, compared with invaded naïve PD-MSCs, invaded PRL-1(+) PD-MSCs showed improved integrin-dependent migration ability through RHO family-targeted miRNA expression (e.g., hsa-miR-30a-5p, 340-5p, and 146a-3p). Moreover, rno-miR-30a-5p and 340-5p regulated engraftment into injured rat liver by transplanted PRL-1(+) PD-MSCs through the integrin family. Additionally, an increase in PDGFRA by suppressing rno-miR-27a-3p improved vascular structure in rat liver tissues after PRL-1(+) PD-MSCs transplantation. Furthermore, decreased rno-miR-122-5p was significantly correlated with increased proliferation of hepatocytes in liver tissues by PRL-1(+) PD-MSCs by activating IL-6 signaling pathway through the repression of rno-miR-21-5p. Taken together, these findings improve the understanding of therapeutic mechanisms based on miRNA-mediated stem cell therapy in liver diseases.

This study was conducted to improve the white index (WI) by preparing thermally expandable microspheres (TEMs) for wallpaper. The thermal properties, foam expansion ratio and WI were studied depending on the particle size of colloidal silica in the preparation of TEMs. As a result, the TEMs with small particles of colloidal silica showed the best results for whiteness and yellowing. Additionally, TGA results indicated that it was highly possible that colloidal silica with small particle sizes was physically or chemically attached to the surface of the TEMs that led to an improvement in whiteness at high temperatures.

There are several causes of hypoxia during and after surgery, and atelectasis is a common symptom that occurs during surgery. In particular, elderly patients are more vulnerable to hypoxia due to their existing lung diseases or respiratory muscle weakness. This study presents the cases of two elderly patients who developed hypoxia during total hip arthroplasty under general anesthesia. Positive end expiratory pressure, recruitment maneuver, and increased fraction of inspired oxygen improved hypoxia only temporarily, and patients’ oxygen saturation level again dropped to 79%–80%. We suspected that hypoxia was caused by atelectasis and, therefore, re-sumed spontaneous respiration. Thereafter, both the patients showed an improvement in hypoxia. Intraopera-tive hypoxia that is suspected to be caused by atelectasis can be improved by securing sufficient lung volume for respiration through increased muscle tone with spontaneous respiration

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.

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.

Evaluating soil quality across various altitudinal gradients, both with and without vegetative cover, is crucial for the proper functioning of soil and optimal crop growth, thereby contributing to the sustainability of agroecosystems. Although the altitudinal gradient significantly influences soil quality, the ability to predict this quality, expressed through an index, in soils with and without vegetative cover, is still insufficiently explored. This study aimed to assess soil quality in the Jun Jun micro-watershed, located in the Tungurahua region, Ecuador. To achieve this objective, three categories of altitudinal gradients were selected: less than 2800 meters above sea level (masl), between 2800 and 2900 masl, and greater than 2900 masl. A total of 24 soil samples were collected in the mentioned gradients, considering both areas with and without vegetative cover. The indicators used included chemical and biological parameters such as soil organic carbon (OC), earthworm density (WD), earthworm biomass (WB), organic matter (OM), pH, total nitrogen (TN), and organic carbon (OC). The results revealed that in areas with altitudinal gradients below 2800 masl, soil quality index values were higher compared to other altitudes. In vegetated areas, a decrease in index values was observed as the altitudinal gradient increased, indicating a deterioration in soil quality with altitude. These findings are significant in providing a quantitative assessment of the effects of altitudinal gradient and vegetative cover influence on soil quality.

The Hwangdo tidal flat is an intertidal landform located in Cheonsu Bay, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, on the west coast of Korea. The topographical characteristics of the semi-enclosed bay on the eastern side of the study area include waterways, sandbars, small islands, and tidal flats. In this study, data were acquired from tide gauges installed on the Hwangdo Bridge, and the height of the ellipsoid was measured using a real-time kinematics global positioning system (RTK-GPS). Digital elevation model (DEM) using Matrice 300 drone data were also acquired after processing. The geochemical sediment characteristics in the study area were analyzed, together with tidal-flat exposure-time characteristics based on environmental factors. Sediment data (n = 107) collected from October 25 to 28, 2022 (Korean local time) were used to classify sediment particles according to Folk and Ward (1957). Sedimentary facies ranged from coarse sand (sand:mud ratio = 9:1) to sandy silt (sZ) followed by muddy sand (mS) and slightly gravelly sandy mud ((g)sM). Total organic carbon (TOC) in the surface sediments were also characterized based on a particle-size analysis. The mean change in tidal height measured at Hwangdo Bridge during the sampling period was ~7.53 m (minimum: –3.86 m, maximum: +3.67 m). Based on the Boryeong's sea level measurement tide data in 2022, the tidal area in the drone images ranged from 6.362 m² (0.006 km²) at DEM +4.0 to 4,841,078 m² (4.841 km²) at DEM –4.0 m, indicating an increase in the tidal-flat area according to the tidal level of up to ~800-fold. The daily average exposure time was 9.0 h (minimum: 1.5 h, maximum: 17.9 h). Based on the results of multivariate analysis using exposure times and a geochemical dataset, four groups were identified: upper, middle, and lower intertidal zones and regions with a relatively high organic-matter concentration. A determination of the main characteristics of the Hwangdo tidal flat according to their spatial distribution showed that, among various environmental factors, changes in the sand or clay sediment composition were determined by community factors. The results of this study demonstrate the four statistically processed groups of marine environmental characteristics in the Hwangdo tidal flats. Changes in sedimentary patterns, rather than in the exposure time, accounted for the differences in the sediment compositions of the upper, middle, and lower stations, a response that is expected to continue.

This study focused on the development and implementation of an educational simulation program based on Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) for nurses in emergency medical centers who completed KTAS training. We also examined its educational effects based on the evaluation of clinical decision-making ability, job satisfaction, and customer orientation. The study participants were 30 nurses in the emergency medical center of a general hospital. Data were collected from May 3 to 24, 2017, and analyzed using SPSS 22.0. There was a significant difference in the mean scores in clinical decision-making ability, job satisfaction, and customer orientation before and after simulation education. In other words, emergency nurses who received KTAS-based simulation education program improved their clinical decision making ability, job satisfaction, and customer orientation. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that it can be used for KTAS education, and it was found that simulation-based education is a useful learning method for triage nurses in emergency medical center.

To identify gender- and age-related associations between adult dental checkups and unmet dental care needs, we analyzed data of 14,000 participants, ages ≥ 19, from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016–2018) (KNHANES VII). Data was collected via self-report questionnaires and interviews. Complex sample chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis indicated 31.7% of participants had unmet dental care needs; in the prior 12months, 67.1% had not utilized dental services, and 43.3% had not received dental checkups. Odds ratios (ORs) for dental checkups and unmet dental needs were 8.87 (CI:7.80–10.09, p < 0.001) for those who used dental services and 1.28 (CI: 1.13–1.44, p < 0.001) for those who had not. Significant age-dependent associations between those not receiving dental checkups and the rate of unmet dental care include men and women aged 50–59 years (OR: 1.77; CI = 1.22–2.58 and OR: 1.43; CI: 1.02–2.02; p = 0.040, respectively) and women ≥ 70 years (OR = 1.79, CI = 1.20–2.66, p = 0.004). Reducing unmet dental care needs requires greater public health promotion and education regarding regular dental checkups; additional practical strategies could enhance dental checkup compliance.

We investigated the characteristics of surface wind speeds and temperatures predicted by the local data assimilation and prediction system (LDAPS) operated by the Korean Meteorological Administration. First, we classified automated weather stations (AWSs) into four categories [urban flat (Uf), rural flat (Rf), rural mountainous (Rm), and rural coastal (Rc) terrains] based on the surrounding land cover and topography, and selected 25 AWSs representing each category. Then we calculated the mean bias error of wind speed (WE) and temperature (TE) using AWS observations and LDAPS predictions for the 25 AWSs in each category for a period of 1 year (January–December 2015). We found that LDAPS overestimated wind speed (average WE = 1.26 m s–1) and underestimated temperature (average TE = –0.63°C) at Uf AWSs located on flat terrain in urban areas because it failed to reflect the drag and local heating caused by buildings. At Rf, located on flat terrain in rural areas, LDAPS showed the best performance in predicting surface wind speed and temperature (average WE = 0.42 m s–1, average TE = 0.12°C). In mountainous rural terrain (Rm), WE and TE were strongly correlated with differences between LDAPS and actual altitude. LDAPS underestimated (overestimated) wind speed (temperature) for LDAPS altitudes that were lower than actual altitude, and vice versa. In rural coastal terrain (Rc), LDAPS temperature predictions depended on whether the grid was on land or sea, whereas wind speed did not depend on grid location. LDAPS underestimated temperature at grid points on the sea, with smaller TE obtained for grid points on sea than on land.

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.

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.

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.

Objective: There are currently no known treatment methods for ensuring complete recovery from facial nerve damage. Thus, various basic and clinical studies continue to be conducted to achieve this end. As part of this research, autophagy is being investigated for its role in nerve regeneration. Here, we review the existing literature regarding the involvement and signifi-cance of autophagy in facial nerve injury and regeneration. Methods: A comprehensive litera-ture review was conducted to assess the induction and role of autophagy in facial nerve injury and subsequent regeneration. Results: Studies conducted on rats and mice have demonstrated activation of autophagy and expression of related factors in facial and sciatic nerves. Among the most studied of these factors in relation to degeneration and regeneration of facial and sciatic nerves are LC3II/I, PI3K, mTOR, Beclin-1, ATG3, ATG5, ATG7, ATG9, and ATG12. Conclusion: This analysis indicates that autophagy is involved in the process of nerve regeneration follow-ing facial and sciatic nerve damage. Inadequate autophagy induction or failure of autophagy re-sponses can result in regeneration issues after facial or sciatic nerve damage. Animal studies suggest that autophagy plays an important role in facial and sciatic nerve degeneration and re-generation.

Acoustic emission (AE) is caused by the sudden release of energy by a material as a result of material degradation related to deformation, crack, or fault within a solid. The same situation also occurs in leaks caused by turbulence in the fluid around the leak. In this study, analytical modeling for AE due to leakage through a circular pinhole in a gas storage cylinder was performed. The displacement fields responsible for AE, excited by the concentrated force (CF) associated with the turbulent flow though the pinhole, were derived by solving the Navier-Lamé equation. The CF as an excitation source was formulated in terms of a fluctuating Reynolds stress (FRS) and spatial Green’s function. In particular, a series of experiments were conducted under different operating conditions to explore the characteristics of the AE signals due to leak in a gas cylinder. Finally, the simulation and experimental results were compared to verify the accuracy of the simulation results.

We evaluated hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) for use in radio frequency (RF) applications in which liquid crystals (LCs) are used in layered structures that have various cell gap conditions. HTAB is a surfactant that can self-align vertically on the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, and can induce homeotropic alignment of the LCs. For implementing RF devices with HTAB and LCs, we should consider limitations caused by the design conditions which are different from conventional liquid crystal displays such as cell gap. We quantified the concentration of HTAB ([HTAB]) that is necessary to form and maintain a sufficiently dense vertical alignment of 5CB (4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl). The required [HTAB] for full-homeotropic alignment was proportional to the cell gap until it was too large to support the transfer of the surface alignment to the LC, due to the weak anchoring nature of HTAB. We also showed the phase-change characteristic of the LC mixture depended on [HTAB] for the design of RF devices driven by light or heat. This work may help to guide the development of new approaches to designing efficient RF devices that use LCs.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a significant liver ailment attributed to factors like obesity and diabetes. While ongoing research explores treatments for NAFLD, further investigation is imperative to address this escalating health concern. NAFLD manifests as hepatic steatosis, precipitating insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. This study aims to validate the regenerative potential of chimeric fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)-Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor (HGFR) in NAFLD-afflicted liver cells. AML12, a murine hepatocyte cell line, was utilized to gauge the regenerative effects of chimeric FGF21/HGFR expression. Polysaccharide accumulation was affirmed through periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, while LDL uptake was microscopically observed with labeled LDL. mRNA analysis via RT-PCR revealed reduced expression of key NAFLD markers, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), alongside elevated levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A), and albumin (ALB). These findings affirm the hepatoregenerative properties of chimeric FGF21/HGFR within AML12 cells, opening novel avenues for NAFLD therapeutic exploration.

This research analyzed the impact of quality of service as perceived by Hapkido students on their exercise continuation and recommendation intentions. It also identified the measures to reduce the rate of student dropout, strengthen competitiveness, and create more efficient marketing strategies for consumer patterns that are rapidly diversifying Hapkido. A questionnaire survey method was conducted with 300 middle and high school students aged 14–19 years having Hapkido training of three months to two years in Incheon and Bucheon during March–April 2019. Frequency, factor, reliability, correlation, and standard multiple regression analyses were conducted on the surveyed data. The conclusions are as follows. First, considering the impact of service quality on exercise continuation intention, service quality positively affects reliability, personification, and perceptual openness; in terms of possibility, it positively affects typicality, personification, and perceptual openness; and in terms of reinforcement, it positively affects reliability and perceptual openness. Second, examining the impact of service quality on recommendation intention positively affects reliability, personification, and perceptual openness. Third, exercise continuation intention positively affects recommendation intention.

Recently, e-commerce companies have been adopting and continuously enhancing personalized product recommendation systems, and there is active research in this field within academia. However, personalized product recommendations in offline retail stores have not yielded significant outcomes thus far. Especially for small-format offline retail businesses like convenience stores, where customer information might be limited, providing personalized product recommendations poses even greater challenges. To address this issue, this study aimed to find a solution by shifting the perspective on recommendation methods and altering the target of recommendations in existing personalized recommendation models. In this study, recommending products that customers need in an offline store was defined as suggesting products that should be introduced and displayed within the store. In other words, the recommendation focus shifted from individuals to the stores themselves. This recommendation system proposes products that individual stores have not yet introduced but are anticipated to be purchased by customers among the products managed by the headquarters. Building upon this, we devised a store-based product recommendation system. The widely used user-based collaborative filtering model, a common technique in existing recommendation systems, was adapted into a store-based collaborative filtering model. Furthermore, various rules and logic pertinent to store operations and business considerations for convenience stores were integrated to implement this store product recommendation system. The accuracy and effectiveness of the system were demonstrated through its application in actual convenience stores. Results from the pilot implementation of the system showed that 88% of the newly recommended products in individual stores were sold based on one week of sales data, and the sales revenue was 1.75 times higher than the average sales revenue of those products across the entire company. Survey results on business owners' satisfaction yielded a score of 4.2 out of 5, indicating a high level of contentment. Additional observed effects included the expansion of product range and reduction in order lead times. However, 12% of the total recommended SKUs did not sell within one week, and 34% of the SKUs did not meet the overall average sales quantity. This research holds significance in extending the scope of personalized recommendation studies from primarily online platforms to offline retail businesses like convenience stores. It provides tangible methodologies and outcomes that can be implemented in real-world settings through the construction and validation of an actual system. The study also suggests avenues for future research to address some of the identified limitations.

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.

The surface fluorination of polypropylene (PP) was performed using F2 and O2 gas mixtures with different F2 gas proportions at 25 °C and 13.3 kPa for 1 h. The surface roughness of the fluorinated PP samples was approximately 1.5 times higher than that of the untreated sample (5 nm). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that the PP-derived bonds (-C-C- and -CHx) decreased because they were converted into polar groups (-C–O, -CHF-, and -CFx), which increased the surface electronegativity of PP. The variation in the F2 gas proportion in the gas mixture significantly affected the hydrophilicity and surface composition of PP. At F2 gas proportions of <70%, the hydrophilicity of the fluorinated PP samples improved. Notably, the hydrophilic and negatively charged PP surface enhanced the dyeing of the polymer with basic methylene blue (MB). In contrast, at F2 gas proportions of >90%, the PP surface became hydrophobic owing to increased hydrophobic -CF3 bonds. Thus, enhanced PP dyeing can be controlled based on the composition of the F2 and O2 gas mixture.

Resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area causes functional and morphological defects. To recover from these defects, reconstruction surgery is needed such as a primary closure or a flap. There are advantages and disadvantages to the method of using the primary closure and the flap, and the choice of procedure is entirely up to a surgeon. The purpose of this study is to evaluate availability of primary closure in patients. For 10 years from January 2010 to May 2020, patients who recovered using flaps after removing malignant lesions from the oral cavity and those who closed the lesion using primary closure were investigated. The investigation was conducted by searching the database of the hospital. There were 85 patients who removed malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area, and among them 16 patients closed the soft tissue defects using primary closure. Operation time, histologic types, stages, wound status, and period of hospitalization according to the patients' medical records were investigated retrospectively. Between the staging and the primary closure, statistically significant differences were observed between stage I and stage II patients in 13 patients using the primary closure. (P=0.046). Statistically significant differences were identified between operation time and primary closure, with an average of 4.02 hours (P=0.015). The average period of hospitality for patients who underwent primary closure was 13.4 days, compared to 26.7 days for those who underwent flap surgery. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.0003). This study evaluated the use of primary closure in patients who underwent resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area. Although the majority of patients underwent reconstruction with flaps, our results showed that primary closure can be a viable option for certain patients with early-stage lesions. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons should carefully consider various evaluation criteria and select appropriate reconstruction methods to optimize functional and aesthetic outcomes for each patient.

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

In this study, we evaluated the cold drawing workability of two kinds of modified 9Cr-2W steel containing different contents of boron and nitrogen, depending on the temperature and time of normalizing and tempering treatments. Using ring compression tests at room temperature, the effect of intermediate heat treatment condition on workability was investigated. It was found that the prior austenite grain size can be changed by the austenite transformation, and the grain size increases with increasing temperature during normalizing heat treatment. Alloy B and Alloy N showed different patterns after normalizing heat treatment. Alloy N had higher stress than Alloy B, and the reduction in alloy N increased, while the reduction in alloy B decreased. Alloy B showed a larger number of initially formed cracks and a larger average crack length than Alloy N. Crack length and number increased proportionally in Alloy B as the stress increased. Alloy B had lower crack resistance than Alloy N due to boron segregation.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the institutional investors which can affect financial performance for corporate sustainability on the income smoothing. Therefore, this study focus on the connection between the nature of stock rights and income smoothing in China. For this study, hypotheses were established on the relationship each state-controlled companies, income smoothing, and information equilibrium of individual investors, and empirical analysis was conducted through related variables. The analysis results are summarized in three categories as follows. First, this research finds that state-controlled firms (CONTs) prefer income smoothing activities compared to non-state-controlled firms for the long-term sustainable development of firms using data from 2011 to 2019. Second, this study found out that Institutional investors support the behavior of CONTs to smooth their earnings because this behavior is seen as an attempt by CONTs to convey valuable private information to other investors. Third, we was able to discover that institutional investors' monitoring effect is predominantly driven by pressure-resistant institutional investors. This research complements the lack of empirical research on income smoothing and enable to give a guideline that the type of stock rights is a critical key determinant of participation in income smoothing activities for stable growth and sustainability in the future.

Anesthetics reduce cardiac functions and lower blood pressure (BP), potentially causing excessive BP reduction in dehydrated patients or those with heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease (CAD). Considering the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease with age, anesthesiologists must be cautious about BP reduction during general anesthesia in older adults. In the present case, an undiagnosed CAD patient in a hypovolemic state experienced a significant systolic blood pressure drop to the 50s during propofol and sevoflurane anesthesia. Despite the use of vasopressors, excessive hypotension persisted, leading to anesthesia suspension. Subsequent cardiac examinations, including computed tomography heart angio and calcium score, and coronary angiogram, revealed a near total occlusion of the left main coronary artery and the formation of collateral circulation. After 5 days of hydration and anticoagulation medications and confirmation of normovolemic state, general anesthesia was attempted again and successfully induced; a normal BP was maintained throughout the surgery. Thus, it is important to conduct a thorough cardiac evaluation and maintain normovolemia for general anesthesia in older adults.

The tumor microenvironment of colorectal cancer (CRC) is heterogenous; thus, it is likely that multiple immune-related and inflammatory markers are simultaneously expressed in the tumor. The aim of this study was to identify immune-related and inflammatory markers expressed in freshly frozen CRC tissues and to investigate whether they are related to the clinicopathological features and prognosis of CRC. Seventy patients with CRC who underwent curative surgical resection between December 2014 and January 2017 were included in this study. Tissue samples were obtained from tumor and non-tumor areas in the patients’ colons. The concentrations of immune-related markers (APRIL/TNFSF13, BAFF, LAG-3, PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4) and inflammatory markers (CHIT, MMP-3, osteocalcin, pentraxin-3, sTNF-R1, and sTNF-R2) in the samples were measured using the Bio-plex Multiplex Immunoassay system. The concentrations of APRIL/TNFSF13, BAFF, and MMP-3 in the samples were significantly high; thus, we conducted analyses based on the cutoff values for these three markers. The high APRIL/TNFSH13 expression group showed a significantly higher rate of metastatic lesions than the low expression group, whereas the high MMP-3 expression group had higher CEA levels, more lymph node metastases, and more advanced disease stages than the low expression group. The five-year disease-free survival of the high MMP-3 expression group was significantly shorter than that of the low expression group (65.1% vs. 90.2%, p=0.033). This study provides evidence that the APRIL/TNFSF13, BAFF, and MMP-3 pathway is overexpressed CRC tissues and is associated with unfavorable clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in CRC patients. These markers could serve as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for CRC.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of potassium poly-γ-glutamate (PGA-K) on mice fed a high-fat diet consisting of 60% of total calories for a duration of 12 weeks. PGA-K administration reduced the increase in body weight, epididymal fat, and liver weight caused by a high-fat diet compared to the obese group. The triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which are blood lipid indicators, were significantly increased in the obese group but were significantly decreased in the PGA-K-treated group. The administration of PGA-K resulted in a significant inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6. Moreover, the levels of leptin and insulin, which are insulin resistance indicators, significantly increased in the obese group but were significantly decreased in the PGA-K-treated group. These results suggest that PGA-K exhibits a protective effect against obesity induced by a high-fat diet, underscoring its potential as a candidate for obesity treatment.

The contact materials in high-voltage vacuum interrupter require properties such as high conductivity, high density, and high hardness to minimize arc heat damage. In this study, copper–molybdenum-chromium alloys contact materials are examined for a high voltage contact material. Ball milling process was carried out after analyzing the raw materials of copper, chromium, and molybdenum powders. A green compact was produced using a high press with the mixed powder. Afterwards, composite was produced by sintering method according to temperature and infiltration method according to Cu content in green compact. The composite of sintering method showed a density of 8.55 g/cm3 (relative density 93%) a hardness of 217 HV, and an electrical conductivity of 40.7 IACS% at 1200 °C. The composite of 10 wt.% Cu produced by the Cu infiltration method showed a density of 8.7 g/cm3 (relative density 94%), Hardness of 274HV and electrical conductivity of 39 IACS% at 1300 °C. The measurements of physical properties showed the new possibility of using the Cu–Cr–Mo alloy as a contact material for high-voltage vacuum interrupters.

In this study, the coating order of two monomers in the shell polymerization process of core–shell nanoparticles was altered to facilitate easy coating and optimize the properties of the coated surface to simplify the additional coating formulation process. To obtain a glass transition temperature suitable for coating, a core was synthesized by the copolymerization of an acryl monomer. A perfluoro monomer and silane monomer were additionally added to synthesize nanoparticles exhibiting both water–oil repellency and anchoring properties. In order to realize various surface properties, the nanoparticles underwent surface modification and cellulose fiber was introduced. Through the various data described in this text, the surface properties improved with the order of introduction of the two monomers.

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

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.

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

Regulatory macrophages (Mregs) are unique in that they have anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Thus, treating inflammatory diseases using Mregs is an area of active research. Human Mregs are usually generated by culturing peripheral blood monocytes stimulated by macrophage colony-stimulating factor with interferon (IFN)-. Here, we generated Mregs with an elongated cell morphology from THP-1 cells stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and cultured with arginylglycylaspartic acid and vitamin D3. These Mregs regulated macrophage function, and respectively downregulated and upregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive mediators. They also expressed Mregs-specific marker, such as dehydrogenase/reductase 9, even when exposed to inflammatory stimulants such as IFN-, lipopolysaccharide, purified xenogeneic antigen, and xenogeneic cells. The Mregs also exerted anti- inflammatory and anticoagulatory actions in response to xenogeneic cells and immunosuppressive effects on mitogen-induced Jurkat T-cell proliferation. Our method of generating functional Mregs in vitro without cytokines is simple and cost-effective.

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

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.

This paper studies a multihop amplify-and-forward (AF) simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) relaying system. Each relaying node harvests energy using power splitting (PS) scheme from a part of its received signal to amplify and forward the rest the received signal to the next relay. Based on this system model and signal flow, we derived and solved the convex energy minimization problem with optimal PS ratio. The influence of processing cost was then investigated for the AF-SWIPT system with the decode-and-forward SWIPT as benchmark, where AF-SWIPT was found to be superior.

Poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) hydrogels possess good bioadhesive properties and allow enhanced penetration of drugs. In addition, it is possible to localize the absorption site of the drug in the hydrogel and increase the drug residence time. As opposed to other cross-linking processes radiation-induced polymer cross-linking can be easily and rapidly carried out without the use of cross-linking agents and other chemical additives. In this study, we fabricated metronidazole (MD) containing PAAc hydrogel (MD/PAAc) with different MD contents (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 wt%) using varying radiation doses (25, 50, 75 kGy) by gamma-irradiation. The physical and thermal properties were determined by gel content analysis, swelling ratio measurements, compressive strength measurements, differential scanning calorimetery, and thermogravimetric analysis. The properties of the hydrogel degraded due to the crystalline nature of MD. The properties of the hydrogel degraded due to the crystalline nature of MD. Cumulative release observed after 50 min in the case of 0.5MD/PAAc and 0.1MD/PAAc was 50% and 10%, respectively. Our findings suggest that MD/PAAc could be a suitable drug delivery carrier for use with radiation-based techniques.

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.

Marine algae have been considered as abundant source of bioactive compounds with cosmeceutical potential. Recently, a great deal of interest has focused on the health-promoting effects of marine bioactive compounds. Carbohydrate is a major and abundant constitute of marine algae that have been utilized in cosmetic formulations, such as moisturizing and thickening agents. In addition, marine carbohydrates have been suggested as promising bioactive biomaterials for various skin beneficial properties, such as anti-oxidant, anti-melanogenic and anti-skin aging. Therefore, marine algae carbohydrates have potential of skin health benefits for value-added cosmeceutical application. The present review focused on the various biological capacities and potential skin health benefits of bioactive marine carbohydrates.

Radiotherapy for cancer has been known to affect the responses of immune cells, especially those of CD8+ T cells that play a pivotal role in anti-tumor immunity. Clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors led to an increasing interest into the ability of radiation to modulate CD8+ T cell responses. Recent studies that carefully analyzed the CD8+ T cell responses following radiotherapy suggest the beneficial roles of radiotherapy on anti-tumor immunity. In addition, numerous clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of combining radiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors are undergoing. In this review, we summarize the current status of knowledge regarding the changes of CD8+ T cells following radiotherapy from various preclinical and clinical studies. Furthermore, key biologic mechanisms that underlie such modulation, including both direct and indirect effects, are described. Lastly, we discuss the current evidence and essential considerations for harnessing radiotherapy as a combination partner for immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Anesthetic management for pregnant suffering from airway pathology poses unique challenges. The presence of bilateral vocal cord granuloma adds further complexity to the management, as it can potentially cause airway compromise and respiratory distress. This case presents a pregnant patient with bilateral vocal cord granuloma who underwent anesthesia using high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygenation and oxygen reserve index (ORi) monitoring. A 33-year-old pregnant woman, who had undergone intubation six month ago, experienced hoarseness and was ultimately diagnosed with bilateral granuloma. Due to the significant airway obstruction, neither intubation nor ventilation was feasible, thereby requiring a surgical intervention. Before the surgical removal, the patient’s oxygenation was ensured using HFNC oxygenation. After confirming sufficient oxygenation of the patient with ORi of 0.38, the operation commenced and as it lasted approximately 3 minutes, the patient was able to tolerate the brief period without additional oxygen supply. Post-surgical excision, mask bagging and HFNC oxygenation was resumed, driving ORi to 0.39, then the operation was resumed. Throughout the procedure, SpO2 remained above 98. The combination of HFNC and ORi ensured adequate oxygenation and allowed for early detection of hypoxemia during the procedure. This approach may be a good option for managing granuloma.

In this study, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) photogrammetry was used to monitor the ground displacement on the slope below a coal waste-rock stockyard, and to investigate the role of rainfall on this displacement. The study area is a mountainous region in Korea, where coal mining continues, and coal waste-rock is stored on the slopes of the mountain. In this area, ma-terial removal work was undertaken to reduce the steepness of the slope and driving forces in order to prevent disasters, but the strategy requires continuous monitoring to confirm the stabilization of the slope. For slope monitoring, a total of six UAV photogrammetry campaigns were conducted between April 2019 and August 2020. As a result of data processing, an orthoimage and DSM (Digital Surface Model) were generated. The ground displacement was estimated through four ways: slope extraction, displacement area evaluation, horizontal displacement, and vertical displacement analysis. During the study period, the maximum vertical displacement was 3.3 m and the maxi-mum horizontal displacement was 3.5 m. The horizontal displacement was effectively evaluated through the measurement of the movement of the drainage system using orthoimages that captured with a periodic survey. The effects of rainfall on ground displacement were also investigated. A very clear linear relationship between rainfall intensity higher than 20mm/d and ground displacement was identified. Accumulated amount of rainfall also showed good correlation with slope movement, but the frequency of rainfall intensity below 20 mm/d showed relatively low correlation with ground dis-placements.

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

In present study, the effect of Inonotus Obliquus extracts used in traditional medicine was investigated on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) in the normal human dermal fibroblasts. As shown our results, extracts of Inonotus Obliquus decreased MMP1 expression in oxidative stress-exposed normal human dermal fibroblasts. Additionally, Inonotus Obliquus extracts decreased AP-1 transcriptional activity and phospho-JNK in oxidative stress exposed normal human dermal fibroblasts. The results suggest that Inonotus Obliquus extracts decreased MMP1 expression using decreasing AP-1 transcriptional activity and phospho-JNK. Therefore, Inonotus Obliquus extracts has potential to reduce formation of wrinkle and to use as a cosmetic ingredient.

Service robots operating in indoor environments should recognize dynamic changes from sensors, such as RGB-D camera, and recall the past context. Therefore, we propose a context query-processing framework, comprising spatio-temporal robotic context query language (ST-RCQL) and spatio-temporal robotic context query-processing system (ST-RCQP), for service robots. We designed them based on the spatio-temporal context ontology. ST-RCQL can query not only the current context knowledge but also the past. In addition, ST-RCQL includes a variety of time operators and time constants, and thus queries can be written very efficiently. The ST-RCQP is a query-processing system equipped with a perception handler, working memory, and backward reasoner for real-time query-processing. Moreover, ST-RCQP accelerates query-processing speed by building a spatio-temporal index in the working memory, where percepts are stored. Through various qualitative and quantitative experiments, we demonstrate the high efficiency and performance of the proposed context query-processing framework.

1-[5-(4-methylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]methanamine compound has been successfully synthesized by reacting p-Toluic hydrazide and glycine via polyphosphoric acid condensation route. The course of the reaction was found to be high yielding and the title compound was spectroscopically characterized by FT-IR, DSC, 13C/1H-NMR and Mass spectrometric techniques.

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

This study evaluated the effects of high-temperature and high-pressure treatment on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of carrot extracts. The total polyphenol and flavonoid content of heated carrot extract increased as the heating temperature increased, with 403.93 mg GAE/100 g and 53.14 mg CE/100 g at 150°C. DPPH and ABTs radical scavenging activity (IC50) of heated carrot extract also increased as the heating temperature increased, with 4.65 mg/mL and 7.31 mg/mL, respectively, at 150°C. The reducing power increased with the heating temperature. Heated carrot extract did not exhibit any temperature- or concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. Nitric oxide (NO) generation was suppressed as the heating temperature and NO production increased. The heated carrot extract showed a decrease in the production of dose-dependent TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 compared to the control group. The above results show that heated carrot extract had effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. A key factor in assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease is left ventricular functional evaluation. Left ventricular (LV) systolic function is evaluated by measuring the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) using echocardiography data. Therefore, quick and accurate left ventricle segmentation is important for estimating the LVEF. However, it is difficult to accurately segment the left ventricle due to changes in the shape and area of the left ventricle during cardiac cycles. In this study, we proposed a framework that considers changes in the shape and area of the left ventricle during the cardiac cycle by applying the convolutional long short-term memory (CLSTM) approach. In addition, we evaluated the left ventricular segmentation and multidimensional quantification of the proposed system in comparison to manual and automated segmentation methods. In addition, to assess the validity of CLSTM, the values of multi-dimensional quantification metrics were compared and analyzed using graphs and Bland–Altman plots on a frame-by-frame basis. We demonstrated that the CLSTM method effectively segments the left ventricle by considering the LV activity. In conclusion, we demonstrated that LV segmentation based on our framework may be utilized to accurately estimate LVEF values.

One of the most crucial elements in deeply understanding humans on a psychological level is manifested through facial expressions. The analysis of a human behavior can be informed by their facial expressions, making it essential to employ indicators such as expression (Expr), valence-arousal (VA), and action units (AU). In this paper, we introduce the method proposed in the Challenge of the 6th Workshop and Competition on Affective Behavior Analysis in-the-wild (ABAW) at CVPR 2024. Our proposed method utilizes the multi-modal Aff-wild2 dataset, which is splitted into spatial and audio modalities. For the spatial data, we extract features using a SimMiM model that was pre-trained on a diverse set of facial expression data. For the audio data, we extract features using a WAV2VEC model. To fusion the extracted spatial and audio features, we employed the cascaded cross-attention mechanism of a transformer.

Rapid, accurate, and convenient diagnosis is essential for effective disease management. Various detection methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, have been extensively used, with lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) recently emerging as a major diagnostic tool. Nanoparticles (NPs) with characteristic optical properties are used as probes for LFIA, and researchers have presented various types of optical NPs with modified optical properties. Herein, we review literature on LFIA with optical NPs for the detection of specific targets in the context of diagnostics.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing L-isoleucine (L-Ile) on milk protein synthesis, using an immortalized bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cell line. In this case, the cells were treated with 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 mM of supplemental Isoleucine (Ile), and the most efficient time for protein synthesis for each amino acid was determined by measuring the cell, medium and total protein at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Confirmatory tests showed that 48h incubation time and 0.6 mM dosage of L-Ile are considered as the optimal time and dosage. The mechanism of milk protein synthesis was elucidated through proteomics analysis to clarify the metabolic pathway. When the L-Ile was supplemented, extracellular protein (medium protein) reached a peak at 48h, whereas in the case of the intracellular cell protein, it was shown to have reached to its peak at 24h in all L-Ile dosage treatments. In total, it is noted that there were 63 upregulated and 52 downregulated proteins. The results of the protein pathway analysis showed that the L-Ile group stimulated insulin/IGF pathway-mitogen activated protein kinase kinase/MAP kinase cascade, insulin/IGF pathway-protein kinase B signaling cascade, p53 pathway, de novo purine biosynthesis, Wnt signaling pathway, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and ATP synthesis which are pathways involved and related to protein and energy metabolism. Together, these results demonstrate that L-Ile supplementation was effective in stimulating β-casein synthesis by stimulating genes and pathways which are significantly related to protein and energy metabolism.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a disease of chronic inflammatory conditions of the intestinal tract due to disturbance of the inflammation and immune system. Symptoms of IBD include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding, reduced weight, and fatigue. In IBD, the immune system attacks the intestinal tract's inner wall, causing chronic inflammation and tissue damage. In particular, IL-6 and IL-17 act on immune cells, including T cells and macrophages, to amplify the immune responses so that tissue damage and morphological changes occur. Of note, excessive calorie intake and obesity also affect the immune system due to inflammation caused by lipotoxicity and changes in lipids supply. Similarly, individuals with IBD have alterations in liver function after sustained high-fat diet feeding. In addition, excess dietary fat intake, along with alterations in primary and secondary bile acids in the colon, can affect the onset and progression of IBD because inflammatory cytokines contribute to insulin resistance; the factors include the release of inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and changes in intestinal microflora, which may also contribute to the disease progression. However, interfering with de novo fatty acid synthase by deleting the enzyme acetyl-CoA-carboxylase 1 in intestinal epithelial cells leads to the deficiency of epithelial crypt structures and tissue regeneration, which seems to be due to Lgr5+ intestinal stem cell function. Thus, conflicting reports exist regarding high-fat diet effects on IBD animal models. This review will focus on the pathological basis of the link between dietary lipids intake and IBD and cover currently available pharmacological approaches.

Arthroscopic capsular release (ACR) is used for persistent shoulder stiffness after an index surgery. No cases of post-ACR humeral head osteonecrosis have been reported to date. A 56-year-old male patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation using a hook plate for acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Despite hardware removal, the patient presented with unresolved shoulder pain and range-of-motion (ROM) limitation. He had a history of hypertension, chronic hepatitis B infection, and alcohol consumption. Preoperative ROM was forward flexion 90°and internal rotation sacral level. Preoperative functional status was visual analog scale (VAS) score 4, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score 51, and Constant–Murley (CMS) score 48, and normal radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Standard ACR was performed with 360° release of the joint capsule via electrocautery ablation. Six-months post-ACR, ROM (forward flexion: 135°, abduction: 135°, external rotation: 70°, internal rotation: T10 vertebra) and functional outcomes (VAS 2; ASES79; CMS 75) were significantly improved, without interval change in radiographic assessment. However, 21 months later, he had recurrent shoulder pain and decreased ROM. Radiography revealed humeral head osteonecrosis. Patients with intrinsic or extrinsic risk factors related to humeral head circulation disturbance should be monitored for humeral head osteonecrosis post-ACR.

This paper proposes a hybrid medium access control (MAC) protocol for wireless sensor network (WSN) data gathering, employing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The UAV sends a beacon frame periodically to inform sensor nodes regarding its presence. Afterward, each sensor node which receives beacon frame contends to send registration frame to the UAV. The UAV will transmit the second beacon frame to the registered nodes to notify their transmission schedule. The time-slot scheme is used for the transmission schedule. The transmission schedule of each sensor is determined based on their priority. Specifically, the priority of each sensor is determined during the registration process. Furthermore, the architecture of UAV-WSN data gathering system is introduced in this paper. Simulations are performed, showing that the proposed MAC protocol achieves fairness while enhancing network performance.

South Korea proposed reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 37% compared to the expected emissions by 2030 as the POST-2020 greenhouse gas reduction target. Electric vehicle distribution in the public sector is essential to achieve the carbon dioxide reduction target for transportation. In particular, when buses with internal combustion engines, which travel long distances and contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, are replaced with electric buses, it is expected that greenhouse gas emissions will be significantly reduced. There are three types of electric buses with different power supply systems: a plug-in type in which power is supplied when a plug is inserted, a battery-swapping type in which a battery mounted on top of the vehicle is swapped at a swapping station, and a wireless type in which the battery is wirelessly charged through self-induction at a charging facility installed on the road. Vehicles of each charging type have different advantages and disadvantages. The performance, charging type, battery capacity, and operating environment of electric buses are mutually related parameters that must be considered when introducing such vehicles. Therefore, the optimal charging type must be selected according to the operating environment to enable the widespread use of electric buses. As such, this report proposes the optimal charging type according to the operating environment of public-sector electric vehicles.

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are energy-efficient; however, the coordinating ligand can affect their stability. Sky-blue phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes with a C^N chelate, fluorinated-dbi (dbi = [1-(2,4-diisopropyldibenzo[b,d]furan-3-yl)-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole]), and acetylactonate (acac)(1)/picolinate (pic)(2) ancillary ligands were synthesized. The molecular structures were characterized using various spectroscopic methods. The Pt(II) coordination sphere in 2 exhibited a distorted square-planar geometry, with several intra- and inter-molecular interactions involving Cπ⋯H/Cπ⋯Cπ stacking. Complex 1 emitted bright sky-blue light (λmax = 485 nm) with a moderate photoluminescent quantum efficiency of 0.37 and short decay time (6.1 µs) compared to those of 2. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations suggested that the electronic transition of 1 arose from ligand(C^N)-centered π–π* transitions combined with metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions (MLCT), whereas that of 2 arose from MLCT and ligand(C^N)-to-ligand(pic) charge transfer (LLCT), with minimal contribution from the C^N chelate to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Multi-layered phosphorescent OLEDs using 1 as a dopant and a mixed host, 3,3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1-biphenyl:3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1-biphenyl (mCBP)/9-(3’-carbazol-9-yl-5-cyano-biphenyl-3-yl)-9H-carbazole-3-carbonitrile (CNmCBPCN) were successfully fabricated. At a 10% doping of 1, a current efficiency of 13.6 cd A−1 and external quantum efficiency of 8.4 % at 100 cd m−2 were achieved. These results show that the ancillary ligand in phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes must be considered.

A portable urea sensor for use in the fast flow condition was fabricated using porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes coated with amine-functionalized parylene, parylene-A, by vapor deposition. To generate a specific electrochemical sensor signal from urea, the urea-hydrolyzing enzyme urease was immobilized on the parylene-A-coated PTFE membranes via chemical crosslinking using glutaraldehyde. The urease-immobilized membranes were assembled in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fluidic chamber, and a screen-printed carbon three-electrode system was used for electrochemical measurements. The success of urease immobilization was confirmed using fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The optimum concentration of urease for immobilization on the parylene-A-coated PTFE membranes was determined to be 48 mg/mL, and the optimum number of membranes in the PDMS chamber was found to be 8. Using these optimized conditions, we fabricated the urea biosensor and monitored urea samples under various flow rates ranging from 0.5 to 10 mL/min in the flow condition using chronoamperometry. To test the applicability of the sensor for physiological samples, we used it for monitoring urea concentration in the waste peritoneal dialysate of a patient with chronic renal failure, at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min.

The Advanced Meteorological Image (AMI) onboard GEOKOMPSAT 2A (GK-2A) enables the retrieval of dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD) from geostationary satellites using infrared (IR) channels. IR observations allow the retrieval of DAOD and the dust layer altitude (24 hour) over surface properties, particularly over deserts. In this study, dust events in northeast Asia from 2020 to 2021 were investigated using five GK-2A thermal IR bands (8.7, 10.5, 11.4, 12.3, and 13.3 μm). For the dust cloud, the observed brightness temperature differences (BTDs) of 10.5 and 12.3 μm were found to be always negative, while the BTD of 8.7 and 10.5 μm varies relying on the dust intensity. Making the best use of optical properties, a physical approach for DAOD lookup tables (LUTs) was developed using IR channels to retrieve the DAOD. This study simulated the characteristics of thermal radiation transfer using the forward model and dust aerosols can explain by BTD (10.5, 12.3 μm), which is an intrinsic characteristic of dust aerosol. The DAOD and property of dust can be gained from the brightness temperature (BT) of 10.5 μm and the BTD of 10.5, 12.3 μm. Additionally, the cumulative distribution function (CDF) was employed to strengthen the continuity of 24-hour DAOD, which was applied to the algorithm by calculating the conversion value coefficient for the DAOD error correction of the IR with daytime visible aerosol optical depth (VAOD) as the true value. The results show that DAOD product can be successfully used during both daytime and nighttime to continuously monitor the flow of yellow dust from the GK-2A satellite in northeast Asia. In particular, the validation result of IR DAOD was similar to that of the active satellite product (CALIPSO/CALIOP), which showed a tendency similar to that for IR DAOD at night.

A composite beam is a structural member that behaves as a single unit by using shear connectors between a concrete slab and an H-shaped steel girder. The composite ratio is crucial and determined by the shear connectors' ability to withstand the horizontal shear forces between the concrete and steel girder. In this study, a U-shaped composite beam was designed, which differs from conventional composite beams as it allows the use of a steel girder as a formwork. Moreover, angle-type shear connectors, instead of stud-type connectors, were employed. Based on this design, large-scale U-shaped composite beams with angle-type shear connectors were fabricated, and load tests were conducted to analyze the behavior after composite action and the influence of shear connector spacing. Additionally, the strength of the angle-type shear connectors used in this paper was evaluated through finite element analysis. Finally, a strength evaluation method for composite beams of this configuration was proposed.

Nowadays, in order to improve asphalt pavement performance, durability and reduce environmental pollution caused by asphalt binder, many researchers are studying to modify asphalt concrete (AC) and find alternative paving materials to extend service life of asphalt pavement. One of the successful materials used in a modification of AC are fibers. Different types of fibers have been reinforced in AC mixture and improvements have been observed. This research studies the performance of glass wool fiber reinforced in a dense-graded asphalt mixture. Generally, glass fibers are known to have excellent mechanical properties such as high tensile modulus, 100% elastic recovery and a very high tolerance to heat. The glass wool fibers are commonly used as a thermal insulation material. In this research to evaluate the performance of glass wool fiber in AC, laboratory tests Marshall mix design test, Indirect tensile strength (IDT), Tensile strength ratio (TSR) and Kim test were conducted to determine a proper mix design, tensile properties, moisture susceptibility, rutting and fatigue behaviors. Results show that addition of glass wool fibers does affect the properties of AC mixture. The use of glass wool fibers showed a positive consistence results, in which it improved the moisture susceptibility and rutting resistance of the AC. Also result showed addition of fiber increased tensile strength and toughness which indicates that fibers have a potential to resist distresses that occur on a surface of the road as a result of heavy traffic loading. The overall results showed that addition of glass wool fiber in AC mixture is beneficial in improving properties of AC pavements.

Agaricus bisporus is well known as a source of polysaccharides that could improve human health. The objective of this study was to explore anti-obesity effect of A. bisporus extract (H2Oslim®) abundant in polysaccharides and its underlying mechanism. Pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity in vitro was determined after treatment with H2Oslim® and chitosan. Treatment with H2Oslim® and chitosan significantly decreased pancreatic lipase activity. Five-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups for acute feeding with vehicle, H2Oslim® at 80 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day, and H2Oslim® at 160 mg/kg BW/day. H2Oslim® does-dependently increased plasma lipid clearance in an oral lipid tolerance test. Five-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were fed a control diet (CD), a high fat diet (HFD), an HFD with H2Oslim® at 80 mg/kg BW/day, H2Oslim® at 160 mg/kg BW/day, or chitosan at 160 mg/kg BW/day for eight weeks. HFD-fed mice showed significant increases of body weight, fat mass, white adipose tissue, average lipid droplet size, and serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, ALT, and AST compared to those in the CD group. However, H2Oslim® or chitosan administration ameliorated these increases. H2Oslim® or chitosan signifi-cantly reduced dietary efficiency and increased fecal excretion levels of lipid, triglyceride, and total cholesterol. These in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that H2Oslim® might act as an anti-obesity agent by inhibiting pancreatic lipase-mediated lipid absorption, at least in part.

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

U-Net, based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN), has been clinically used to au-to-segment normal organs and potentially target volumes. However, CNNs with local geometric dependencies may limit the accuracy of segmentation. Additionally, the performance of CNNs can vary depending on the selection of network hyper-parameters, which was mitigated by the proposition of nnU-Net. We chose a vision transformer architecture called VT U-Net, which features a self-attention excluding the convolution layer, to overcome the limitations of CNNs by utilizing global geometric information of images. The VT U-Net v.2 became more powerful thanks to the adaptive hyper-parameter optimizer embedded in nnU-Net. However, despite leveraging the benefits of nnU-Net, VT U-Net v.2 still had additional network hyper-parameters that needed to be optimally chosen. Accordingly, among various hyper-parameters, this study attempted to find the optimal combination of the patch size and the embedded dimension regarding the transformer. From the 4-fold cross-validation, the modified VT U-Net v.2 showed the highest average performance for planning target volume (PTV) segmentation among the investigated networks. Though nnU-Net was based on convolution layers, the adaptive hyper-parameter optimizers turned out to enhance the performance. It was also confirmed that network hyper-parameters affected the segmentation accuracy of vision transformers.

The increasing amount of data transmitted through digital broadcasting and communication channels requires efficient transmission methods that make the most of limited resources such as frequency, time, and power. The layered division multiplexing (LDM) system, which is adopted by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 standard, is considered one of a solution for achieving efficient transmission. Additionally, the layered time-division multiplexing (LTDM) and time layered division multiplexing (TLDM) systems have been developed as well. These layered transmission systems, utilizing multiple physical layer pipes (PLPs), offer a wide range of services including mobile and rooftop TV. To compare the efficiencies of different layered transmission systems, the article introduces the concept of normalized channel capacity. This measure allows for a fair comparison among the systems by taking into account the specific channel capacity requirements of each service. By summing the normalized channel capacities, a method is proposed to select the most efficient transmission system among the four systems: LDM, LTDM, TLDM, and time division multiplexing (TDM). The Lagrange multiplier method is employed to find the parameters that maximize the sum of the normalized channel capacities in these systems. Through simulations conducted with the determined parameters, it is demonstrated that the LDM system exhibits the highest efficiency among the four systems.

A flavonoid Astragalin (kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, Ast) has several biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-HIV, and anti-allergic effects. Nonetheless, its insolubility in hydrophilic solvents imposes restrictions on its therapeutic applications. In this study, we investigated the effects of water-soluble astragalin-galactoside (kaempferol-3-O- β-D-isomaltotrioside, Ast-Gal) on dendritic cell (DC) maturation and T helper (Th) cell-mediated immune responses. Ast-Gal significantly increased maturation and activation of DCs through up-regulation of surface markers, such as CD80, CD86, and MHC II in a dose-dependent manner, while Ast had little effects. Also, Ast-Gal-treated DCs markedly secreted immune-stimulating cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12. Importantly, Ast-Gal strongly increased expression of IL-12, a polarizing cytokine of Th1 cells. In a co-culture system of DCs and CD4+ T cells, Ast-Gal-treated DCs preferentially differentiates naïve CD4+ T cells into Th1 cells. The addition of neutralizing IL-12 mAb to cultures of Ast-Gal-treated DCs and CD4+ T cells significantly increased IFN- γ production, thereby indicating that Ast-Gal-stimulated DCs enhance the Th1 response through IL-12 production by DCs. Injection with Ast-Gal-treated DCs in mice increased IFN-γ-secreting Th1 cell population. Collectively, these findings indicate that hydrophilically modified astragalin can enhance Th1-mediated immune responses via DCs, and point to a possible application of water-soluble astragalin-galactoside as an immune adjuvant.

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

A 5.1 kg, 7-year-old, castrated Maltese dog with a tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) in the right hindlimb 42 days prior to presentation. The patient’s right hind limb showed lameness, intermittent limping, and atrophy, and had never experienced rehabilitation since TPLO surgery. The patient showed a pain reaction at the end of the stifle extension, and an increased body temperature was identified on the medial side of the right hindlimb compared with the left hindlimb using a digital thermal imaging device. In addition, a type of lameness, partial weight bearing in the right hindlimb, was also identified in the gait analysis. The pain was relieved by applying a cold pack and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and the patient was trained on muscles that were atrophied during treadmill exercise. In this study, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises controlled pain and induced rapid recovery, indicating that rehabilitative intervention is required after TPLO surgery.

(1) Background: This study aimed to identify the recurrence and survival rates according to the mismatch repair (MMR), p53, and L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) states in patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer receiving systemic chemotherapy.; (2) Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included chemotherapy-naïve patients (n=156) with advanced-stage (III/IV) or recurrent endometrial cancer who were administered chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy (n=112) or first-line palliative treatment (n=44) between January 2015 and June 2022. MMR and p53 states were assessed using PCR, and L1CAM was tested using immunohistochemistry in the no specific molecular profile (NSMP) group. The primary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).; (3) Results: Of the 156 patients, 62 (39.7%), 53 (34.0%), and 41 (26.3%) had NSMP, abnormal p53 (p53abn), and an MMR deficiency (MMR-D), respectively. PFS and OS were longest in MMR-D, followed by NSMP, and were the least in p53abn tumors (PFS: p=0.0006, OS: p=0.0013). After NSMP was classified according to positive or negative L1CAM status, the L1CAM-negative group exhibited significantly lower survival rates than the L1CAM-positive group (PFS: p=0.0001, OS: p=0.0027); p53abn tumors were independent prognostic factors for poor PFS (p=0.039 on the multivariable analysis).; (4) Conclusions: In chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer, the best prognosis after chemotherapy was obtained using MMR-D, followed by NSMP and p53abn tumors. The L1CAM status is a useful new marker for stratifying NSMP in advanced and recurrent patients.

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

Data mining plays a critical role in the sustainable decision making. The k-prototypes algorithm is one of the best-known algorithm for clustering both numeric and categorical data. Despite this, however, clustering a large number of spatial object with mixed numeric and categorical attributes is still inefficient due to its high time complexity. In this paper, we propose an efficient grid-based k-prototypes algorithms, GK-prototypes, which achieves high performance for clustering spatial objects. The first proposed algorithm utilizes both maximum and minimum distance between cluster centers and a cell, which can remove unnecessary distance calculation. The second proposed algorithm as extensions of the first proposed algorithm utilizes spatial dependence that spatial data tend to be more similar as objects are closer. Each cell has a bitmap index which stores categorical values of all objects in the same cell for each attribute. This bitmap index can improve the performance in case that a categorical data is skewed. Our evaluation experiments showed that proposed algorithms can achieve better performance than the existing pruning technique in the k-prototypes algorithm.

This study investigates the synergistic impact of fermenting kale juice with Limosilactobacillus strains on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Kale's rich nutrient profile, especially its flavonoids, offers potential health benefits. Probiotic lactic acid bacteria are employed in kale fermentation to enhance nutrient bioavailability and generate bioactive compounds. Kale juices fermented with L. reuteri EFEL6901 or L. fermentum EFEL6800 exhibited superior microbial growth. Free sugars and amino acids were converted to alcohols and organic acids, affecting the organoleptic and health-related properties of product. In addition, fermentation increased quercetin and kaempferol content, indicating improved availability. Furthermore, the fermented juice exhibited notable antioxidant activity and suppressed NO production, revealing anti-inflammatory potential. Gene expression analysis confirmed reduced pro-inflammatory markers and elevated anti-inflammatory cytokines. This research highlights the promising potential of fermented kale juice, enriched with Limosilactobacillus strains, as a functional food with combined antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Astroviruses (AstVs) have been detected in a wide range of animal species, including mammals and birds. Recently, a novel AstVs associated with neurological symptoms has been detected in the brain of some mammals. Raccoon dog AstV has been reported recently in China. However, there have been no reports in South Korea. Therefore, the present study aimed to detect and genetically characterize AstVs in intestine and brain tissues of 133 wild raccoon dogs collected in Korea between 2017 and 2019. Seven wild raccoon dogs were positive for AstV, four of which were also detected in brain tissue. Analysis of the capsid protein amino acid sequences of raccoon dog AstVs detected in Korea revealed a high similarity to canine AstVs, suggesting possible interspecies transmission between raccoon dogs and dogs. Phylogenetic and capsid protein amino acid sequence analysis of raccoon dog AstVs detected in brain 17-148B strain belonged to the HMO clade and exhibited conserved sequences found in neurotropic AstVs (NT-AstVs), indicating their potential as NT-AstVs. However, the pathogenicity and transmission routes of the raccoon dog AstV detected in Korea have not yet been elucidated, so further research and continued surveillance for AstV in wild raccoon dogs are needed.

The effect of the acetylene and hydrogen gases mixture ratios in direct low-temperature vacuum carburization was investigated. The gas ratio is an important parameter for producing the free radicals in the carburization. The free radicals can remove the natural oxide film by the strong reaction of the hydrocarbons, and then thermodynamically activity can be increased. When the gas ratio was below 1, the supersaturation expanded austenite layers were formed on the surface of the AISI 316L stainless steel, which had the maximum carbon solubility up to 11.5 at.% at 743 K, were formed. On the other hand, when the gas ratio was above 1, the carbon concentration of them remained low even if the process time was enough increased to reach the maximum carbon solubility. As a result, the carbon concentration underneath the surface was determined to be highly dependent on the gas mixture ratio of acetylene and hydrogen. In conclusion, it is necessary to restrict the ratio of acetylene and hydrogen gases to total mixture gases to form the expanded austenite layer with the high carbon concentration in the direct low-temperature vacuum carburization.

The current study investigated the use of two-dimensional spatial distribution mapping representing the chlorophyll-a level in a river generated via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an unmanned surface vehicle (USV). A domestically developed UAV (Remo-M, Uconsystem Inc., Korea) and a USV developed by our research team were used to collect data from the Nae Seong stream in Korea. An adaptation of the “Data Cleaner” tool was developed and used for USV data processing and analysis. The operation of the autonomous USV was successful. Four previously described indices for quantifying algal blooms in rivers were utilized to create chlorophyll-a images, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the normalized green red difference index, the green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI), and the normalized difference red edge index. The suitability of the linear regression analysis of the correlation between the spectral indices obtained using the UAV and the in situ chlorophyll-a data obtained using the USV was evaluated with the coefficient of determination (R2) at a significance level of p &lt; 0.001. In field application and correlational analysis the NDVI was strongly correlated with chlorophyll-a (R2 = 0.88, p < 0.001), and the GNDVI was moderately correlated with chlorophyll-a (R2 = 0.74, p < 0.001). The map of chlorophyll-a was successfully quantified using the UAV and USV hybrid platforms.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with cardiovascular, ophthalmic, and renal comorbidities. Among these, diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) causes the most severe symptoms and is considered to be a major health problem worldwide. Exercise is widely known as an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Importantly, the onset of complications arising from diabetes can be delayed or even prevented by exercise. Regular exercise is reported to have positive effects on diabetes mellitus and the development of DCM. The protective effects of exercise include the prevention of cardiac apoptosis, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and microvascular diseases, as well as improvement in cardiac mitochondrial function, and calcium regulation. The present review summarizes the recent findings to describe the potential mechanisms by which exercise may prevent DCM and heart failure.

In this study, carbon blocks were fabricated using isotropic coke and coal tar pitch as raw materials, with a variation in pressure during cold isostatic pressing (CIP). The CIP pressure was set to 50, 100, 150, and 200 MPa, and the effect of the CIP pressure on the mechanical and electrical properties of the resulting carbon blocks was analyzed. Microstructural observations confirmed that after the kneading, the surface of isotropic coke was covered with the pitch components. Subsequently, after the CIP, granules, which were larger than isotropic coke and the kneaded particles, were observed. The formation of these granules was attributed to the coalescence of kneaded particles under the applied pressing pressure. This granule formation was accompanied by the development of pores, some remaining within the granules, while others were extruded, thereby existing externally. The increase in the applied pressing pressure facilitated the formation of granules, and this microstructural development contributed to enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. At a pressing pressure of 100 MPa, the maximum flexural strength was achieved at 33.3 MPa, and the minimum electrical resistivity was reached at 60.1 μΩm. The higher the pressing pressure, the larger the size of the granules. Pores around the granules tended to connect and grow larger, forming crack-like structures. This microstructural change led to degraded mechanical and electrical properties. The isotropic ratio of the carbon blocks obtained in this study was estimated based on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The results confirmed that all carbon blocks obtained proved to be isotropic. In this study, a specimen type named CIP-100 exhibited the best performance in every aspect as an isotropic carbon block.

In this study, the effect of heat treatment was investigated to influence the occurrence of fracture during manufacturing process of Alloy B steel with boron contents as high as 130 ppm. As the content of boron increases, it affects the phase transformation temperature and texture. The development of {111}<uvw> components in the γ-fiber is affected depending on the austenite fraction after phase transformation. The Alloy B steel indicated that the increase in the boron content increased the α to γ phase transformation temperature such that sufficient transformation did not occur in the normalizing condition. The cracks occurred at the point of the transition from elastic to plastic deformation in the ND direction during the rolling process, thereby resulting in failure. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the intermediate heat treatment condition in which γ-fiber does not fully develop, i.e., an imperfect normalization.

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

This study aimed to evaluate the level of skill in observing teaching competency in pre-service physical education (PE) teachers and provide basic data to cultivate teaching competency. A total of 21 third-year pre-service PE teachers were selected as participants. The study derived descriptive statistics to analyze the participants’ observation skills regarding teaching competency in different class stages using evaluation results of class demonstrations by pre-service teachers. Mann–Whitney U test was conducted to verify the statistical significance of the evaluation between in-service and pre-service teachers. Compared with in-service teachers, pre-service teachers reported high agreement with intuitive teaching behaviors. However, pre-service teachers indicated low agreement with skills that required complex teaching behaviors depending on various situations. Based on theories by Schon (1983), pre-service teachers showed high “knowledge for practice” and low “knowledge in practice.” Thus, pre-service education must balance practical knowledge and theory rather than focus on theory-based education. This study provided directions for pre-service teacher education to enhance the competency of pre-service teachers for leading and analyzing classes.

Building on the Sustainable Happiness Model, this study examined how congruency between ideal self-image and brand image influence a sense of happiness. The findings show that when ideal self-image and ideal social self-image are congruent with brand image a sense of happiness can be enhanced through brand identification and positive emotions. This study contributes to literature as it reveals the mechanism of how congruency between ideal self-image and brand image positively affect happiness.

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

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, 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.

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

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

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

Patients undergoing dialysis through a permanent catheter often experience infection or malfunction. However, few studies have clarified the predictors of permanent catheter patency survival in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We assessed the relationship between parameters of body composition monitoring (BCM) determined before the initiation of dialysis and the patency survival of the permanent catheters inserted in 179 patients who commenced hemodialysis between January 14, 2020 and August 31, 2021. The relationships between permanent catheter patency at 6 weeks and BCM parameters, laboratory tests, age, sex, comorbidities, and medications at baseline were studied using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Permanent catheter patency was observed to be superior at high extracellular-to-intracellular (ECW/ICW) ratio (P<0.005). After adjustment for covariates, the ECW/ICW ratio remained an independent factor associated with permanent catheter patency survival. When patients with non-patent catheters were subdivided into infection and malfunction groups, and the associations of BCM parameters were evaluated in those groups, the ECW/ICW ratio was not significantly associated with permanent catheter patency survival in the infection group (P = 0.327); instead, a significant association was found for the lean tissue index (P<0.001). In the malfunction group, the ECW/ICW ratio remained significantly associated with permanent catheter patency survival (P < 0.001).

Breath volatile organic compound analysis is a non-invasive tool for assessing health status; the compositional profile of these compounds in the breath of patients with chronic kidney disease is believed to change with decreasing renal function. We aimed to identify breath volatile organic compounds for recognizing patients with chronic kidney disease. Using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, untargeted analysis of breath markers was performed using breath samples of healthy controls (n=18) versus non-dialysis (n=21) and hemodialysis (n=12) patients with chronic kidney disease in this cross-sectional study. A total of 303 volatile organic compounds alongside 12 clinical variables were used to determine the breath volatile organic compound profile. Metabolomic analysis revealed that age, systolic blood pressure, and fifty-eight breath volatile organic compounds differed significantly between the chronic kidney disease group (non-dialysis + hemodialysis) and healthy controls. Thirty-six volatile organic compounds and two clinical variables that showed significant associations with chronic kidney disease in the univariate analysis were further analyzed. Different spectras of breath volatile organic compounds between the control and chronic kidney disease groups were obtained. Multivariate model incorporating age, 2-methyl-pentane, and cyclohexanone showed high performance (accuracy, 86%) in identifying patients with chronic kidney disease, with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) P-values of 0.18 (0.07-2.49) 0.013; 2.10 (0.94-2.24) 0.025; and 2.31 (0.88–2.64) 0.008, respectively. Hence, renal dysfunction-associated characteristic profiles of breath volatile organic substances can be used as non-invasive markers to screen for chronic kidney disease.