Bullying makes learning difficult for nursing students, and using real-life scenarios during training can improve the understanding of workplace bullying. Thus, to mitigate bullying experienced by nurses, this study developed and evaluated a cognitive rehearsal education program that constituted of training nursing students through role-play simulations. A mixed-method research design was used to evaluate 39 nursing students from two universities. A quasi-experimental research design was applied to assess symptoms, knowledge, and perceptions of bullying, and a focus group interview was conducted with six participants. Quantitative analyses revealed that the program improved participants’ knowledge and perceptions, but not their symptoms. The focus group interview revealed that the program improved participants’ coping skills and desire for education. This program could be effective in raising awareness of workplace bullying and increasing relevant coping skills. It can be further developed as part of an overall strategy to manage workplace bullying and its consequences in hospital settings.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common sensory disorder in the elderly. It is associated with aging and hair cell death due to oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Although transgenic mice and long-term cultures for induction of aging have been used to study ARHL, there are presently no ARHL animal models stimulated by intermittent environmental change for aging. In this study, an ARHL animal model was established by inducing continuous oxidative stress to promote short-term aging of cells, determined based on the expression of the hearing loss-induced phenotype and aging related factors in the short term. The incidence of hearing loss was significantly different among the groups subjected to intermittent hypoxic environment, high-fat diet (HFD), and injection with D-galactose. Continuous oxidative stress and HFD were factors that accelerated cellular aging. Increase in UCP2 affected oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. CDH23, SLC26A4, KCNQ4, Myo7a, and Myo6, which are ARHL-related factors, were modified by oxidative stress in cells of the hearing organ. We found that intermittent hypoxic, HFD, and galactose injection accelerated cellular aging in the short term. Thus, we anticipate that the development of this hearing loss animal model, which reflects intermittent environmental changes, will benefit future research on ARHL.

Xerostomia is a subjective symptom of dry mouth resulting from various causes, including side effects of medication, systemic disorders, radiation, and Sjögren’s syndrome. Recently, the number of patients afflicted with xerostomia has increased due to an increase in the elderly population and patients on medication.; (2) Methods: A systematic approach is required to determine the etiology and management of xerostomia. This review summarizes recent literatures on the diagnosis and management of xerostomia.; (3) Results: A patient with xerostomia experiences difficulty in chewing, swallowing, speaking, tasting, and maintaining oral hygiene. Xerostomia and hyposalivation are uncomfortable side-effects in many patients. Assessing the function of the salivary gland is essential for selecting an appropriate treatment, improving symptoms, and preventing oral complications. Also, a more systematic approach is required to differentiate the subjective symptoms of the patient from the objective hyposalivation.; and (4) Conclusions: Although there is no standardized treatment for xerostomia, doctors need to endeavor and adapt the various treatments of xerostomia, to unearth the optimal treatment required for the patient.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a tumor cell subpopulation that drives tumor progression and metastasis, leading to poor overall survival of patients. In colorectal cancer (CRC), hyper-activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by mutation of both Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and K-Ras increases the size of the CSC population. We previously showed that the CPD0857 inactivates Wnt/β-catenin signaling by promoting ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation of β-catenin and Ras proteins, thereby decreasing proliferation and increasing apoptosis of CRC lines. CPD0857 also decreased growth and invasiveness of CRC cells harboring mutant K-Ras resistant to EGFR mAb therapy. Here, we show that CPD0857 treatment decreases proliferation and increases neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). CDP0857 effectively reduced expression of CSC markers and suppressed self-renewal capacity. CPD0857 treatment also inhibited proliferation and expression of CSC markers in D-K-Ras MT cells carrying K-Ras, APC and PI3K mutations, indicating inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling. Moreover, CPD0857-treated xenograft mice showed regression of tumor growth and decreased numbers of CSCs in tumors. We conclude that CPD0857 could serve as the basis of a drug development strategy targeting CSCs activated through Wnt/β-catenin-Ras MAPK-PI3K/AKT signaling in CRCs.

Life is a field of senses and the experience of feeling, thinking, acting, and building relationships with everything around us. These senses and experiences are also consumed in travel destinations to pursue the traveler's escapism and happiness. However, while the field of tourism studies has recognized the importance of experience and focused on the relationship between various travel experiences and happiness, research on the variables that mediate and strengthen these relationships is lacking. Therefore, this study aims to apply the five strategic experiential models proposed by Schmitt [1]— sense, feel, think, act, and relate — to investigate the mediating effect of escapism on travelers' well-being. Data were collected from travelers visiting three major heritage sites in Gyeongju (Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, and Bunhwangsa Temple), and 509 responses were used for analysis. The analysis was conducted using statistical package programs SPSS and AMOS employing frequency analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The results indicated significant positive effects between variables such as cultural heritage travel experience, escapism, and well-being. In the analysis of the mediating effect of escapism, escapism showed a significant mediating effect on the relationship between travel experience and well-being. This study confirmed that, during cultural heritage travels, individuals’ well-being can be enhanced through a holistic experience encompassing sensory, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and relational aspects rather than an isolated experience centered on escapism. This finding provides important implications for the design and planning of travel programs and products.

Genus Clematis is one of the largest within Ranunculaceae. Here we report the chloroplast genome of two Clematis species, C. brachyura and C. trichotoma endemic to Korea. The chloroplast genome lengths of C. brachyura and C. trichotoma are 159,532 bp and 159,170 bp, respectively. Gene contents in the complete chloroplast genomes of these two Clematis species are identical to that of most Ranunculaceae and other angiosperms. However, our data results demonstrated that genus Clematis has inversion and rearrangement events concerning gene rps4 gene, rps16 to trnH region, and trnL to ndhC region, and IR regions expansion. Comparison of IR regions among Ranunculaceae species revealed that Clematis species contained six protein coding genes (infA, rps8, rpl14, rpl16, rps3, and rpl22) usually found in the long single copy (LSC) region of other species. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that genus Clematis is closely related to genus Ranunculus. Differences in repeat structure, substitution rates, and IR expansion in genera Clematis and Ranunculus, explained their relationship. Clematis species showed slightly higher tandem repeats content than Ranunculus species. The six protein-coding genes showed lower synonymous substitution rates in the IR of Clematis species than in the LSC of Ranunculus species. Overall, the chloroplast genomes and results presented here provide important information on the evolution of Ranunculaceae.

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), induced by heat shock, environmental, and pathophysiological stressors, is a multi-dimensional protein that acts as a protein chaperone and an antioxidant. HSP27 plays a major role in the inhibition of apoptosis and actin cytoskeletal remodeling. HSP27 is upregulated in many cancers and is associated with poor prognosis, as well as treatment resistance whereby cells are protected from therapeutic agents that normally induce apoptosis. This review highlights the most recent findings and role of HSP27 in cancer, as well as strategies for using HSP27 inhibitors for therapeutic purposes.

The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model is widely used for evaluating agricultural conservation efforts and their effects on soil and water. A key component of APEX application in Korea is simulating water quality impacts of rice paddies because rice agriculture claims the largest cropland area in the country. In this study, a computational module called APEX-Paddy is developed to simulate water quality with considering pertinent paddy management practices such as puddling, flood irrigation management. Data collected at two experimental paddy sites in Korea were used to calibrate and validate the model. Results indicate that APEX-Paddy performs well in predicting runoff discharge rate and nitrogen yield while the original APEX highly overestimates runoff rates and nitrogen yields on large storm events. With APEX-Paddy, simulated and observed flow and mineral nitrogen yield (QN) are found to be highly correlated after calibration (Nash & Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) = 0.87 and Percent Bias (PBIAS) = −14.6% for flow; NSE = 0.68 and PBIAS = 2.1% for QN). Consequently, the APEX-Paddy showed a greater accuracy in flow and QN prediction than the original APEX modeling practice using the SCS-CN method.

The evolution in semiconducting devices has introduced flexible control on a system but it has also penetrated harmonics in the grid, which results in extra electrical stress and load. Limiting the presence of harmonics in the grid and low power factor maintained by consumers has become of utmost priority to the power system analyst. Hence, the need for Active Filter emerges. Here, a real-time simulation, in dSPACE- Targetlink, of shunt harmonics active filter is propounded. The possible basic control strategy used in the simulation is ”Instantaneous Power Theory”. Control logic of two features of Active Filter viz., Global Harmonics Elimination, and Reactive Power Compensation are produced in the paper. The results obtained in ”Software In Loop Mode” of dSPACE are discussed and verified in detail. The richness of the code generated by the dSPACE- Target link can be reasoned by observing the results which are well aligned with the industrial standards regarding the harmonics.

This study is focused on the development of criteria for night and visual line of sight (VLOS) flights, especially in the context of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone applications. While BVLOS technology is advancing globally, regulatory restrictions and conservative legal regulations often prohibit these flights. The goal is to provide experimental guidelines for operational procedures in night and BVLOS flights. The study aims to establish empirical criteria for physical distances in night and VLOS flights, using a test team composed of a pilot, recorder, and observers. The observers are tasked with assessing the identification and recognition distances, which are crucial for safe drone operations. The criteria established are based on different variables such as aircraft size, altitude, and visual acuity. This research involves extensive flight tests at varying altitudes using different types of drones and observers with differing visual acuities (20/20, 20/13.3, and 20/10). The study also examines the effect of communication equipment limitations on recognition distance and the use of lighting devices to minimize abnormal conditions during nighttime flights. Overall, the study's findings aim to contribute to the safe and efficient planning of BVLOS and night drone flights, especially considering the ever-evolving technology and regulatory landscape in this field.

An efficient design method is proposed for a compact common-mode rejection (CMR) filter utilizing dumbbell-shaped defected ground (DS-DG) structures and gap-coupled stub (GCS) resonators. A CMR filter for differential lines helps to improve the signal integrity of high-speed digital signals on printed circuit boards. The proposed CMR filter design is based on the equivalent circuit models, while the previous designs depended heavily on the DS-DG structure optimization using the EM simulations. The proposed CMR filter effectively reject the common-mode components with minimally affecting the differential signals. To prove the simplified design approach, a 5th-order Chebyshev band-stop filter has been designed with three DS-DG structures and two GCS resonators. From the simulated and measured results, it is found that the proposed CMR filter provides ~90% fractional frequency bandwidth with more than 20 dB of common-mode rejection ratio and less than 0.6 dB of insertion loss of the differential signal.

Optimum postharvest storage conditions increase the shelf life and postharvest quality of horticultural crops. The effects of forced-air precooling (FAP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on shelf life, physicochemical quality, and health-promoting properties of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Nagano) harvested at 90% and 50% coloring stages in May and July respectively, stored at 11℃, 95% relative humidity were assessed. Fruits were treated with FAP + 30 μm polyethylene liner (FOLO), FAP (FOLX), 30 μm polyethylene liner (FXLO), and control (FXLX). The quality attributes, viz. weight loss, firmness, color, SSC, soluble sugars, TPC, TFC, DPPH, and ABTS were evaluated. FOLO maintained sensory quality (weight loss, firmness, and color), physicochemical (soluble solids content and soluble sugars), and health-promoting properties compared to other treatments during storage. The investigated parameters differed significantly (p < 0.05) among treatments except soluble sugars. The 50% coloring fruits had a huge variation between treatments than 90% coloring. The results revealed more TPC and antioxidant capacity in 50% than in 90% coloring fruits. The study highlights the need to consider the ideal fruit coloring stage at harvest under the effect of FAP and MAP treatments in preserving bell pepper's postharvest quality and shelf life.

This study was aimed at investigating the effects of roasting and cryogenic milling on particle size, water solubility, and amount of bioactive components in ginseng root. Samples were pulverized by cryogenic milling, and one treatment condition was selected for each size range (10-50 μm, and >50 μm). The selected samples were roasted at different temperatures (160-200 °C) followed by cryogenic milling. Powdered samples were analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. Results revealed that roasted samples exhibited significantly smaller particle size than controls (not roasted, p<0.05), and the particle size of roasted samples decreased with increase in roasting temperature until flocculation occurred around 180-190 °C. With decrease in particle size of ginseng; water solubility index, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and total polysaccharide content were observed to increase. Ginseng samples showed an increasing trend in antioxidant activity with decreasing particle size (p>0.05) with significantly higher values for all roasted samples compared to the controls (p<0.05). Non-polar ginsenosides such as Rg2(S), Rg2(R), Rg3(S), Rg3(R), and Rh1(S) showed an increase in temperature-dependent manner. This study revealed that roasting at certain temperature range with cryogenic milling has positive effects on ginseng by reducing its particle size, and increasing water solubility and bioactive components.

This study aimed to decrease the particle size of ginseng by roasting and cryogenic milling to increase its water solubility and physiological activity. The samples were roasted for different times (9–21 min) and generated in different sizes (10–50, and > 50 μm). All roasted samples revealed significantly smaller particle sizes than did non-roasted samples based on Sauter mean diameter (D [3,2], p < 0.05). Further, the particle sizes of roasted samples decreased till roasting up to 15 min. In terms of the water solubility index (WSI), antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content (TPC), and total polysaccharides according to particle size, 10-20 μm-sized samples showed the highest values when compared with >50 μm-sized samples. Based on roasting time, WSI values of all samples roasted for up to 15 min were higher than those of the control (not roasted) (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity and TPC also increased with increasing roasting time. Total polysaccharide content was the highest upon roasting for 15 min except for the 10-20 μm sample. Ginsenoside content of roasted samples >20 μm size was higher than that of the control (not roasted) except after 15 min of roasting. Therefore, roasting and cryogenic milling are effective in producing ginseng root powder.

Hf1-xZrxO2 (HZO) thin films are versatile materials suitable for advanced ferroelectric semiconductor devices. Previous studies have shown that the ferroelectricity of HZO thin films, can be stabilized by doping them with group III elements at low concentrations. While doping with Y improves the ferroelectric properties, there has been limited research on Y-HZO thin films fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD). In this study, we investigated the effects of Y doping cycles on the ferroelectric and electrical properties of as-deposited Y-HZO thin films with vaying compositions fabricated through ALD. The Y-HZO thin films were stably crystallized without the need for post-thermal treatment and exhibited transition behavior depending on the Y-doping cycle and initial composition ratio of the HZO thin films. These Y-HZO thin films offer several advantages, including enhanced dielectric constant, leakage current density, and improved endurance. Moreover, the optimized Y-doping cycle induced a phase transformation that resulted in Y-HZO thin films with improved ferroelectric properties, exhibiting stable behavior without fatigue for up to 1010 cycles. These as-deposited Y-HZO thin films show promise for applications in semiconductor devices that require high ferroelectric properties, excellent electrical properties, and reliable performance with a low thermal budget.

The dynamic and surface manipulation of the M13 bacteriophage meeting application demands enable a pathway to design efficient applications with high selectivity and responsivity rate. Herein, we report the role of the M13 bacteriophage thin film layer deposited on an optical nanostructure involving gold nanoparticles/SiO2/Si and its influence on optical and geometrical properties. The thickness of the M13 phage layer was either controlled by varying the concentration or humidity exposure levels, and optical studies were conducted. We designed a standard and dynamic model based upon three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D FDTD) simulations distinguishing the necessity of each model under variable conditions. As seen from the experiments, the origin of respective peak wavelength positions is addressed in detail with the help of simulations. The importance of the dynamic model was noted when humidity-based experiments were conducted. Inexpensive, multi-wavelength optical characteristics from a single structure, reproducibility, and reversible properties are significant advantages of involving M13 bacteriophage. We believe this work will provide fundamental insight into understanding and interpreting the geometrical and optical properties of the nanostructures involving M13 bacteriophage.

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

Anti-diabetic effects of Glycine soja seed extract (GS) on Type 2 diabetes mellitus mouse model and human hepatocytes induced insulin resistance were investigated. 3 weeks old db/db mice were divided into 5 groups (n = 6) including two control groups and 3 GS treated groups with different doses. Oral administration of GS for 6 weeks to diabetic db/db mice reduced blood glucose level significantly in a dose dependent manner by 44.7% (300 mg/kg/day), 30.9% (150 mg/kg/day) and 21.1% (75 mg/kg/day). GS treatment also lowered significantly plasma level of HbA1c, insulin, IGF-1 and leptin, and increased that of adiponectin. GS treatment activated AMPK, and down-regulated GLUT2 in liver tissues of mice while up-regulated GLUT4 in muscle tissues of mice. In in vitro study with insulin resistance induced human hepatocyte, GS treatment increased glucose uptake and increased the activities of Akt and PPAR-γ in response to insulin. Treatment of GS appears to reduce blood glucose level by regulating energy metabolism positively through various metabolic pathways and reducing insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Anti-diabetic effects of Glycine soja seed extract (GS) on Type 2 diabetes mellitus mouse model and human hepatocytes induced insulin resistance were investigated. 3 weeks old db/db mice were divided into 5 groups (n = 6) including two control groups and 3 GS treated groups with different doses. Oral administration of GS for 6 weeks to diabetic db/db mice reduced blood glucose level significantly in a dose dependent manner by 44.7% (300 mg/kg/day), 30.9% (150 mg/kg/day) and 21.1% (75 mg/kg/day). GS treatment also lowered significantly plasma level of HbA1c, insulin, IGF-1 and leptin, and increased that of adiponectin. GS treatment activated AMPK, and down-regulated GLUT2 in liver tissues of mice while up-regulated GLUT4 in muscle tissues of mice. In in vitro study with insulin resistance induced human hepatocyte, GS treatment increased glucose uptake and increased the activities of Akt and PPAR-γ in response to insulin. Treatment of GS appears to reduce blood glucose level by regulating energy metabolism positively through various metabolic pathways and reducing insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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

Background: Inflammasomes recognize cytosolic danger signals, including pathogens, and subsequently induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β. Studying inflammasomes in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is crucial from a wildlife veterinary and public health perspective, as it can be used to help control and prevent the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. The understanding of how diversity in inflammasomes across species affects pathogen carriage in the red fox is still limited. Methods: We investigated the activation and intracellular mechanisms of three inflammasomes (NLRP3, AIM2, and NLRC4) in fox peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using established triggers and inhibitors derived from humans and mice. Results: Fox PBMCs exhibited normal activation and induction of IL-1β secretion in response to representative inflammasome triggers (ATP and nigericin for NLRP3, dsDNA for AIM2, flagellin for NLRC4). However, in inhibitor studies, MCC950, a selective NLRP3 inhibitor, suppressed IL-1β secretion mediated by the fox AIM2 and NLRC4 inflammasomes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that NLRP3 may have a common role in dsDNA- and flagellin-mediated inflammasome activation in the red fox. In conclusion, this fox inflammasome biology can be applied to the control of zoonotic infections and the treatment of inflammasome-mediated diseases in the red fox.

Saussurea neoserrata Nakai offers a reliable and efficient source of antioxidants that can help alleviate adverse skin reactions triggered by air pollutants. Air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), have the ability to infiltrate the skin and contribute to the higher occurrence of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory ailments. Individuals with compromised skin barriers are particularly susceptible to the impact of PM since it can be absorbed more readily through the skin. This study investigated the impact of protocatechuic acid and syringin, obtained from the n-BuOH extract of S. neoserrata Nakai, on the release of PGE₂ and PGD₂ induced by PM₁₀. Additionally, it examined the gene expression of enzymes involved in the synthesis of PGE₂ and PGD₂ in human keratinocytes. The findings of this research highlight the potential of utilizing safe and efficient plant-derived antioxidants in dermatological and cosmetic applications to mitigate the negative skin reactions caused by exposure to air pollution.

Background: Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) produces bioactive substances with a diverse range of pharmacological functions. However, it is currently unknown whether extract prepared from the aerial parts of O. biennis (APOB) can protect the skin against oxidative stress. To investigate the protective effects of APOB against oxidative stress-induced damage in human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: We pretreated HaCaT cells with various concentrations of APOB or the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine before applying H2O2. We then compared the cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and DNA and mitochondrial damage between pretreated and untreated control cells using a range of assays, flow cytometry, and Western blot analysis and also examined the reducing power and DPPH free radical-scavenging activity of APOB. Results: APOB pretreatment significantly increased cell viability, effectively attenuated H2O2-induced comet tail formation, and inhibited H2O2-induced phosphorylation of the histone γH2AX, as well as the number of apoptotic bodies and Annexin V-positive cells. APOB was found to have a high reducing power and DPPH radical-scavenging activity and also exhibited scavenging activity against intracellular ROS accumulation and restored the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential caused by H2O2. APOB pretreatment almost totally reversed the enhanced cleavage of caspase-3, the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP), DNA fragmentation that usually occurs in the presence of H2O2 and increased the levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a potent antioxidant enzyme that is associated with the induction of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Conclusions: APOB can protect HaCaT cells from H2O2-induced DNA damage and cell death by blocking cellular damage related to oxidative stress via a mechanism that affects ROS elimination and by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Loneliness, as a well-established risk factor of mental health, has been strongly associated with low subjective well-being (SWB). However, less is known about potential boundary conditions that may ameliorate this ‘dark side’ of loneliness. Social connections are critical to well-being from the standpoint that the lack of belonging was detrimental to human survival in the evolutionary past. We thus hypothesized that loneliness would exert a more pronounced influence on people’s SWB when the need for others (social resource) is perceived to be high–the presence of environmental harshness. With a particular focus on urban (i.e., Seoul) residents who are presumed to be more vulnerable to loneliness, two studies examined whether feeling lonely matters less to SWB under favorable environmental conditions. As expected, loneliness was less harmful to the SWB of individuals who perceived their surroundings as relatively secure and favorable (Study 1). We then experimentally replicated the results by exposing people to cues of either a harsh (e.g., images of scarcity) or a favorable environment (Study 2).

Regional declines of the Korean fir (Abies koreana) have been observed since the 1980s on the subalpine region. To explain this decline, it is fundamental to investigate the degree to which environmental factors have contributed to plant distributions on diverse spatial scales. We applied a hierarchical regression model to determine quantitatively the relationship between the abundance of Korean fir (seedlings) and diverse environmental factors across two different ecological scales. We measured Korean fir density and the occurrence of its seedlings in 102 (84) plots nested at five sites and collected a range of environmental factors at the same plots. Our model included hierarchical explanatory variables at both site-level (weather conditions) and plot-level (micro-topographic factors, soil properties, and competing species). The occurrence of Korean fir seedlings was positively associated with moss cover and rock cover but negatively related to dwarf bamboo cover. On site-level, winter precipitation was significantly positively related to the occurrence of seedlings. A hierarchical Poisson regression model revealed that Korean fir density were negatively associated with slope aspect, topographic position index, Quercus mongolica cover, and mean summer temperature. Our results suggest that drought and competition with other species are factors which halt the survival of Korean fir. We can predict that the population of Korean fir will continue to decline on the Korean Peninsula due to rising temperatures and seasonal drought, and only a few Korean fir will survive on northern slopes or valleys where competition with dwarf bamboo and Q. mongolica can be avoided.

Rice cultivation serves as a significant anthropogenic source of methane (CH4), a primary greenhouse gas, and nitrous oxide (N2O), a secondary greenhouse gas. Although N2O emissions remain relatively small compared to CH4 emissions, they are remarkably affected by nitrogen-fertilized soil conditions during rice cultivation. To date, investigations are very limited concerning N2O emissions from rice cultivation in relation to environmental factors such as temperature, rainfall, and soil properties. In this case study, we investigated the characteristics of N2O emissions in the central region of South Korea, where a single rice cropping cycle occurs annually over a span of three years, from May 2020 to May 2023. We investigated the impact of variations in temperature and soil moisture on N2O emissions during rice cultivation. In this context, we attempted to discover the complex dynamics of N2O emissions by comparing longer fallow periods with the rice cultivation periods and extended non-dry periods with irrigated periods. We observed that extremely high N₂O flux events encountered during the fallow period appeared to have a substantial impact on the yearly cumulative N₂O emissions, surpassing the impact of cumulative N₂O emissions during the rice cultivation period. We found that high N₂O flux events arose not only from artificial nitrogen inputs but also due to temperature and soil moisture variations influenced by weather conditions. We concluded that assessing N₂O emissions solely based on the rice cultivation period would underestimate annual emissions. To prevent underestimation of N₂O emissions, continual gas collection throughout a year covering both rice cultivation and fallow phases is required in align with monitoring of varying temperature and soil moisture conditions. Based on our findings, we recommend that at least a three whole year evaluation period is needed to ensure estimation accuracy of N₂O emissions under varying nitrogen fertilization rates. Also, the findings from this study would help prepare a further revision or refinement of N2O emission factor from rice cultivation in the national greenhouse gas inventories defined by the inter-governmental panel on climate change (IPCC).

Febuxostat (FBX), a selective xanthine oxidase inhibitor, belongs to BCS class II showing low solubility and high permeability with a moderate F value (&lt; 49%). Recently, FBX/L-pyroglutamic acid cocrystal (FBX-PG) was developed with improving 4-fold increase of the FBX solubility. Nevertheless, in vivo pharmacokinetic property of FBX-PG has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic feasibility of FBX in FBX and FBX-PG-treated rats and mice was compared in this study. The results showed that the F values of FBX were 210% and 159% in FBX-PG rats and mice, respectively. The 2.10-fold greater AUC of FBX was due to the increased absorption (i.e., 2.60-fold higher Cmax,1 at 15 min) and entero-hepatic circulation of FBX (i.e., 1.68-fold higher Cmax,2 at 600 min) in FBX-PG rats compared to the FBX rats. The 1.59-fold greater AUC of FBX was due to a 1.65-fold higher Cmax,1 at 5 min, and 1.15-fold higher Cmax,2 at 720 min of FBX in FBX-PG mice than those in FBX mice. FBX was highly distributed in the liver, stomach, small intestine, and lungs in both groups of mice, and the FBX distributions to the liver and lungs were increased in FBX-PG mice compared to FBX mice. The results suggest the FBX-PG has a suitable pharmacokinetic profile of FBX for improving its oral F value.

Preproenkephalin (PPE) is a precursor molecule for multiple endogenous opioid peptides Leu-enkephalin (ENK) and Met-ENK, which are involved in a wide variety of modulatory functions in the nervous system. Despite the functional importance of ENK in the brain, the effect of brain-derived factor(s) on PPE expression is unknown. We report the dual effect of neural epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like-like 2 (NELL2) on PPE gene expression. In cultured NIH3T3 cells, transfection of NELL2 expression vectors induced an inhibition of PPE transcription intracellularly, in parallel with downregulation of protein kinase C signaling pathways and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Interestingly, these phenomena were reversed when synthetic NELL2 was administered extracellularly. The in vivo disruption of NELL2 synthesis resulted in an increase in PPE mRNA level in the rat brain, suggesting that the inhibitory action of intracellular NELL2 predominates the activation effect of extracellular NELL2 on PPE gene expression in the brain. Biochemical and molecular studies with mutant NELL2 structures further demonstrated the critical role of EGF-like repeat domains in NELL2 for regulation of PPE transcription. These are the first results to reveal the spatio-specific role of NELL2 in the homeostatic regulation of PPE gene expression.

Advancements in 3D printing technologies have led to new implementations in rapid prototyping, microfluidics, tooling, dentistry, biomedical devices, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Stereolithography techniques, which are photopolymerization-based processes, contribute to the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of 3D printed materials using versatile polymer chemistry. This study used potassium titanate powder (K2Ti8O17) as an additive to enhance the mechanical strength of photocurable resins. PEG was selected as the stabilizer to optimize the dispersion and precipitation of potassium titanate. The flexural strength, hardness, and tensile strength were compared to assess the mechanical strength of the 3D printing resin. The flexural strengths of the printed specimens were in the range of 15–39 N/mm2. The measured surface hardness and tensile strength were 41–80 HV and 2.3–15 N/mm2, respectively. The output resolution of the potassium titanate/acrylate resin was tested using a line-pattern structure. 3D printing resin without stabilizers produced lines with a thickness of 0.3 mm, whereas 3D printing resin containing a stabilizer produced lines with a thickness of 0.2 mm. The flexural strength and pattern thickness results suggest that the potassium titanate/acrylate resin can be utilized as a 3D printer resin, suggesting new possibilities for potassium titanate materials.

This study aimed to identify the utility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with an apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map as a predictor of the intrahepatic response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to cisplatin-based hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). We retrospectively evaluated 113 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MR imaging. The appropriate cutoff for the tumor-to-liver ADC ratio was determined to be 0.741. Of the 113 patients, 51 (45%) presented with a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio < 0.741. Evaluation of the intrahepatic treatment response after 2-3 cycles of HAIC in these 51 patients revealed that 20 patients (39%) experienced an objective response to HAIC. On the other hand, only 10 of the 62 patients with a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio ≥ 0.741 (16%) experienced an objective response. Thus, the objective response rate was significantly higher in patients with a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio < 0.741 than in those with a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio ≥ 0.741 (P = 0.006). Multivariate logistic regression analysis using parameters including perfusion alteration, percentage of a non-enhancing portion, and tumor-to-liver ADC ratio revealed that a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio < 0.741 (odds ratio 3.03; P = 0.015) is the sole predictor of an objective response to HAIC. Overall survival rates were significantly higher in patients with objective responses to HAIC than in those without objective responses (P = 0.001 by log-rank test). In conclusion, patients with unresectable HCC with a tumor-to-liver ADC ratio < 0.741 showed a favorable intrahepatic response to HAIC. Therefore, diffusion-weighted MR imaging can play a critical role as a predictor of response to cisplatin-based HAIC in unresectable HCC.

Background: The world-wide rate of obesity is increasing continuously, representing a serious medical threat since it is associated with a variety of diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and numerous cancers. Sophora japonica is used as a traditional herb for medicinal purposes in eastern Asia. However, the anti-obesity effects of S. japonica fruit have not been explored. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by an ethanol extract of S. japonica fruit (EESF) in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Methods: MTT assay, Oil Red O staining, and Triglyceride contents were used to investigate lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells to clarify adipocyte differentiation. The expression levels of various molecular signals associated with adipogenesis and lipogenesis were examined by western blot analysis. Results: Our results demonstrate that EESF suppressed the terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in lipid droplet number and lipid content through Oil Red O staining. EESF significantly reduced the accumulation of cellular triglyceride, which was associated with a significant inhibition of the levels of pro-adipogenic transcription factors, downregulated the expression levels of adipocyte-specific proteins. Furthermore, EESF treatment effectively increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC. Conclusions: These results together indicate that EESF has significant effects on the inhibition of adipogenesis and acts by stimulating the AMPK signaling pathway. Further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds in S. japonica.

Cisplatin induces early-onset ototoxicity, resulting in hearing loss. The exact mechanism by which cisplatin causes ototoxicity remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the involvement of receptor-interacting protein kinase(RIP)3-dependent necroptosis in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in animal models. Sprague–Dawley rats (SD, 8 week) were treated via intraperitoneal (i.p) injection with cisplatin (16 mg/kg for 1 day), and their hearing thresholds were was measured by the auditory brainstem response (ABR) method. Hematoxylin and eosin (H-E) staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blots were performed to determine the effect of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity on cochlear morphology. H-E stains outlined necroptotic changes in the organ of Cortis (OCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Additionally, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed overexpression of RIP3 in the OCs and SGNs that were treated with cisplatin. These results suggest that RIP3-dependent necroptosis was substantial in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity; inner cochlear regions, the OCs, and SGNs were especially sensitive to necroptosis.

The traditional herbal medicine, Hochu-ekki-to, has been shown to have preventive effects on viral infection and stress. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of Hochu-ekki-to on two stress-related rat models of polycystic ovarian syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and treatment groups, the latter of which were subjected to stress induced by exposure to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cold temperatures. After these stress inductions, rats were orally treated with dissolved Hochu-ekki-to once per day for 7 days. Rats subjected to the two different stressors exhibited upregulation of steroid hormone receptors (in ovaries) and reproductive hormones (in blood), and consequent stimulation of abnormal follicle development accompanied by elevation of Hsp 90 expression (in ovaries). Treatment with Hochu-ekki-to for 7 days after stress induction increased immune functions, reduced the stress-induced activation of Hsp 90, and normalized the levels of the tested steroid hormone receptors and reproductive hormones. Our findings suggest that stress stimulations may promote the activation of Hsp 90 via the dysregulation of steroid hormone receptors and reproductive hormones, but that post-stress treatment with Hochu-ekki-to improves reproductive and immune functions in the ovaries of stressed rats.

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

In patients with unilateral tinnitus with normal hearing, several studies have compared the ipsilateral and contralateral ears; however, few studies have investigated its relationship with the duration of tinnitus. We compared the auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emission parameters between ipsilateral and contralateral ears in adults with unilateral tinnitus and normal hearing. This retrospective review included 84 patients with unilateral tinnitus and normal hearing who underwent auditory brainstem response and otoacoustic emission; they were categorized according to the duration of tinnitus. The latencies and amplitudes of waves I, III, and V, and V/I ratio of both ears in auditory brainstem response, and the results of distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission were examined. The auditory brainstem response parameters, distortion-product otoacoustic emission parameters, and transient evoked otoacoustic emission parameters between the ipsilateral and contralateral ears along the duration of tinnitus were analyzed. Moreover, the failure rates of both distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission between the ears along with the duration and the effects of the variables on the amplitude and latency of each wave were examined. Although there was little significant difference between the ipsilateral and contralateral ears, laterality seemed to have an effect on wave I latency in the multiple linear regression analysis. The distortion-product otoacoustic emission failure rate of the ipsilateral ear was higher than that of the contralateral ear in all patients. However, there was no remarkable difference between the ears in the distortion-product otoacoustic emission and transient evoked otoacoustic emission parameters throughout the duration. We found that outer hair cells and the distal portion of the cochlear nerve are possible pathologic lesions in tinnitus with normal hearing and cochlear synaptopathy could be suspected. Further studies, including those on inner hair cells and higher central cortex, are needed.

The detection of dopamine in a highly sensitive and selective manner is crucial for the early diagnosis of a number of neurological diseases/disorders. Here, a report on a new platform for the electrochemical detection of dopamine with a considerable accuracy that comprises a 3D porous graphene oxide (pGO)/gold nanoparticle (GNP)/pGO composite-modified indium tin oxide (ITO) is presented. The pGO was first synthesized and purified by ultrasonication and centrifugation, and it was then further functionalized on the surface of a GNP-immobilized ITO electrode. Remarkably, owing to the synergistic effects of the pGO and GNPs, the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrode showed a superior dopamine-detection performance compared with the other pGO- or GNP-modified ITO electrodes. The linear range of the newly developed sensing platform is from 0.1 μM to 30 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.28 μM, which is more precise than the other previously reported GO-functionalized electrodes. Moreover, the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrodes maintained their detection capability even in the presence of several interfering molecules (e.g., ascorbic acid, glucose). The proposed platform of the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrode could therefore serve as a competent candidate for the development of a dopamine-sensing platform that is potentially applicable for the early diagnosis of various neurological diseases/disorders.

This study presents a comprehensive ecological evaluation of avian species based on 5,322 photographs obtained through camera-trap sampling. We identified 1,427 independent bird sightings, encompassing 26 families and 49 species. The study focused on temporal activity patterns, nesting behaviors, habitat preferences, and the overlap coefficient of activity patterns among 22 species of Passeriformes. Two species exhibited predominant morning activity, while five species were active in the afternoon, and 15 exhibited cathemeral activity (activity throughout the day). A cross-analysis revealed varying degrees of overlap in the activity patterns of pairs of species with similar behavioral ecology. Our findings indicate that despite exhibiting similar ecological behavior, these species display unique activity patterns, likely influenced by factors such as resource availability, competition avoidance, and thermoregulation strategies. The results highlight the richness and complexity of avian temporal niches and emphasize the need for further research into their correlation with environmental factors. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of niche separation within Passeriformes and expands our knowledge of avian behavioral ecology.

This study entailed the design and analysis of a 400 m-class underwater glider operated by a bladder-type buoyancy engine. The underwater glider was designed for high-speed movement with a maximum velocity of 2 knots. The shape of the hull was designed to reduce water resistance using the Myring hull profile equation. The reliability was verified by performing simulations using resistance coefficients. The relationship between the control value of the ballast discharged from the buoyancy engine and the glider's speed according to the path angle was analyzed. Further, the relationship between the optimal glide angle and the design control value of the ballast was derived, and the optimal glider speed was estimated accordingly. Based on the analysis results, a bladder-type buoyancy engine was developed, and the maximum speed of the tested underwater glider was measured via sea trials.

With the continuous growth of electric and electronic appliances’ usage, the waste produced with obsolete material (e-waste) has an increasing environmental impact. Also, the production of such appliances bears to increased consumption of natural resources and produces a multitude of toxic and hazardous substances, which typically are not properly treated. One of the approaches that may be adopted to reduce such problems relies on the circularization of the current linear model, commonly adopted in the EEE value chain. This includes recovering eol products and reintroducing its parts, components, or raw materials into the value chain (e.g. semiconductors, circuit boards, raw metals, etc.), thus contributing to a more sustainable value chain. In this article, we present a state-of-art review that focuses on approaches and solutions for the EEE value chain traceability, and analyses the technologies that may be beneficial for promoting and implementing the CE model in this value chain.

To evaluate the anti-obesity effects of Smilax sieboldii (Smilacaceae), we screened methylene chlo-ride (CH2Cl2), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), aqueous-saturated n-butanol, and ethanol (EtOH) extracts of the whole plant at various concentrations to inhibit adipogenesis in adipocytes. The 3T3-L1 cell line with Oil red O staining with the help of fluorometry was used as an indicator of anti-obesity ac-tivity. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the EtOH extract and subsequent phytochemical inves-tigation of the active CH2Cl2- and EtOAc-soluble fractions resulted in the isolation of 19 secondary metabolites (1–19), including a new α-hydroxy acid derivative (16) and two new lanostane-type triterpenoids (17 and 18). The structures of these compounds were characterized using various spectroscopic methods. All the isolated compounds were screened for adipogenesis inhibition at concentration of 100 μM. Of these, compounds 1, 2, 4-9, 15, and 19 significantly reduced fat ac-cumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, especially compounds 4, 7, 9, and 19 showing 37.05 ± 0.95, 8.60 ± 0.41 15.82 ± 1.23, and 17.73 ± 1.28% lipid content, respectively, at a concentration of 100 μM. These findings provide experimental evidence that isolates from S. sieboldii extracts exert beneficial ef-fects regarding the regulation of adipocyte differentiation.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are basic pathogenic factors involved in tissue injury, pain, as well as acute and chronic diseases. Since long-term uses of steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause severe adverse effects, novel effective materials with minimal side effects are required. In this study, polyphenol content and antioxidative activity of rosebud extracts from 24 newly-crossbred Korean roses were analyzed. Among them, Pretty Velvet rosebud extract (PVRE) were found to contain high polyphenols and to show in vitro antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), PVRE down-regulated mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and thereby decreased nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In an air-pouch inflammation model, treatment with PVRE decreased λ-carrageenan-induced tissue exudation, infiltration of inflammatory cells including neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes, and tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β concentrations, as achieved with dexamethasone (a steroid). Notably, PVRE also inhibited PGE2, similar to dexamethasone and indomethacin (an NSAID). The anti-inflammatory effects of PVRE were confirmed by microscopic findings, attenuating tissue erythema, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. These results indicate that PVRE exhibits dual (steroid- and NSAID-like) anti-inflammatory activities by blocking both the iNOS ― NO and COX-2 ― PG pathways, and that PVRE could be a promising anti-inflammatory material for diverse issue injuries.

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

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

1) Background: Recently, illegal abuse of γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has increased in drug-facilitated crimes, but determination of GHB exposure and intoxication is difficult due to rapid metabolism of GHB. Its biochemical mechanism has not been completely investigated. And metabolomic study by polyamine profile and pattern analyses was not performed in rat urinefollowing intraperitoneal injection with GHB. 2) Methods: Polyamine profiling analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with star pattern recognition analysis was performed in this study. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to evaluate discrimination between control and GHB administration groups. 3) Results: Six polyamines were determined in control, single and multiple GHB administration groups. Star pattern showed distorted hexagonal shapes with characteristic and readily distinguishable patterns for each group. N¹-Acetylspermine (p < 0.001), putrescine (p <0.006), N¹-acetylspermidine (p <0.009), and spermine (p < 0.027) were significantly increased in single administration group but were significantly lower in the multiple administration group than in the control group. N¹-Acetylspermine was the main polyamine for discrimination between control, single and multiple administration groups. Spermine showed similar levels in single and multiple administration groups. 4) Conclusions: The polyamine metabolic pattern was monitored in GHB administration groups. N¹-Acetylspermine and spermine were evaluated as potential biomarkers of GHB exposure and addiction.

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the significant role of bacterial biofilms in the pathogenesis of various human diseases including cancer. Biofilms are polymicrobial communities enclosed within an extracellular matrix composed of polysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA, and lipids. This complex matrix provides protection against antibiotics and host immune responses, enabling the microorganisms to establish persistent infections. Moreover, biofilms induce anti-inflammatory responses and metabolic changes in the host, further facilitating their survival. Many of these changes are comparable to those observed in cancer cells. This review will cover recent research on the role of bacterial biofilms in carcinogenesis, especially in colorectal (CRC) and gastric cancers, emphasizing the shared physical and chemical characteristics of biofilms and cancer. This review will also discuss the interactions between bacteria and the tumor microenvironment, which can facilitate oncogene expression and cancer progression. This information will provide insight into developing new therapies to identify and treat biofilm-associated cancers, such as utilizing bacteria as delivery vectors, using bacteria to upregulate immune function, or more selectively targeting biofilms and cancer for their shared traits.

The Textile and Clothing (T\&C) value chain is one of the most polluting in the world and one that produces the most waste. It is, therefore, important to encourage the Circular Economy (CE) model in this sector, to reduce pollution and mitigate the effects of waste production, and consequently increase environmental sustainability. For that, the involvement of the final consumer is essential. And, the final consumer's use of an Eco-gamified application for registering and promoting Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) and Consumer-to-Business (C2B) activities, which extends the life time of textile products, is of utmost importance. In this article, we survey gamification frameworks for analyzing system design level techniques that enable engaging the final consumer in the CE process. Then, we select and use one of such frameworks, Gameful Design Heuristics (GDH), for defining the gamification structure needed to implement on a Business-to-Consumer-to-Consumer (B2C2C) context of a circular economy. As result, we present a B2C2C circular business process model for the T\&C value chain, and propose the design model of a gamified platform for the final consumers, which allows them to register the C2B and C2C activities, from the circular value chain's business process, and benefit from a game-like experience. All model features have been mapped to GDH framework heuristics, validating that it is possible to support a set of defined heuristics of applied gamification for promoting CE in the T\&C value chain.

In the field of visualization, understanding users’ analytical process is important to determine the effectiveness of a designed visualization application. To understand the users’ analytical process, numerous studies have been performed to capture and analyze user interactions. Although many studies have emphasized the importance of analyzing user interactions to understand users’ analytical reasoning processes, few have successfully linked these interactions to users’ reasoning processes. This paper introduces an approach that bridges this gap by correlating semantic user interactions with analysis decisions through an interactive wire transaction analysis system and a visual state transition matrix. With the designed analysis system, interactive analysis can be performed to evaluate financial fraud in wire transactions. It also allows the mapping of captured user interactions and analytical decisions back onto the visualization, revealing users’ distinct results. The visual state transition matrix further aids to help understanding users’ analytical flows, revealing their decision-making processes. Classification machine learning algorithms are applied to assess the effectiveness of our approach in understanding analysts’ strategies by connecting them to their decisions. From the study, we observed an average of 72% accuracy in clearly classifying the semantic user interactions. For classifying individual decisions, we observed an average of 70% classification accuracy. This emphasizes the importance of capturing semantic user interactions to understand users’ analytical processes. Overall, it is determined that the proposed approach not only enhances the understanding of analytical behaviors but also offers a robust approach for evaluating user interactions in visualization tools.

Background: Relatively little is known and inconclusive about social inequality in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among teenagers in the United States. This study aims to investigate whether there is a social disparity in HPV vaccination among teenagers and if so, whether it can differ by the source of teen vaccination information (parental reports and provider records). 
Methods: We used the data from the 2019 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen; 42,668 teenagers, aged 13-17) including parental reported vaccination status. Among them, 18,877 teenagers had adequate provider reported vaccination records. Two socioeconomic status (SES) measures were used: mother’s education and annual family income. Multivariate logistic analyses were conducted. 
Results: False negatives of parental reports against provider records were more than two times higher (p < 0.001) in low SES teens than in high SES teens. In both SES measures, the proportion of HPV unvaccinated teenagers were lowest in the highest SES level in analyses with parental reports. However, it was the opposite in analyses with provider records. Interestingly, regardless of vaccination information source, the HPV unvaccinated rate was highest in the middle SES teens (>12 years, non-college graduates; and above poverty level, but not > $75K). 
Conclusion: A significant social inequality in HPV vaccination among teenagers exists in the United States. The pattern of social inequality in HPV vaccination can be distorted when only parent reported vaccination information is used.

Background: Pathologic complete response (pCR) of breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is highly related to molecular subtypes. Patients who achieved tumor pCR after NAC have a better prognosis. However, despite of better prognosis, pCR patients have a potential for recurrence. There is little evidence of risk factors of recurrence in patients with pCR. We aim to analyze factors associated with tumor recurrence in patients who achieved pCR. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the data of patients diagnosed with breast cancer who achieved pCR after receiving NAC between January 2009 and December 2018 in Samsung Medical Center. pCR was defined as no residual invasive cancer in the breast and axillary nodes even if there is residual ductal carcinoma in situ (ypT0 or ypTis with ypN0). Breast cancers are classified into 4 subtypes based on hormone receptors (HR) and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. Patients who had bilateral breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, distant metastasis, unknown subtype, and histologically unique case were excluded from the study. Results: In total 483 patients were included in this study except for patients who corresponded to the exclusion criteria. The median follow-up duration was 59.0 months (range, 0.5-153.3 months). Breast cancer recurred in 4.1% of patients (20 of 483). There was a significant difference in clinical T (p = .004) and clinical N (p = .034) stage in the Kaplan-Meier curve for disease-free survival. Molecular subtypes (p = .573), Ki67 (p = 1.000), and breast surgery type (p = .574) were not associated with tumor recurrence in patients who achieved pCR after NAC. In the clinical T stage and clinical N stage, there was a significant difference between recurrence and no-recurrence groups (clinical T stage; p = .045, clinical N stage; p = .002). Univariable Cox regression revealed statistical significance in the clinical T stage (p = .049) and clinical N stage (p = .010), while multivariable Cox regression demonstrated non-significance in the clinical T stage (p = .320) and clinical N stage (p = .073). Conclusion: Results in this study showed that clinical T, clinical N stage, and molecular subtypes were not statistically significant predictors of recurrence in patients who achieved pCR after NAC. It is hypothesized that a multicenter-based study would lead to the identification of factors as predictors of recurrence after achieving pCR.

(1) Background : When placing implants in the maxillary posterior region with insufficient alveolar bone, a maxillary sinus elevation is necessary. Autogenous bone, though biologically ideal, poses risks and discomfort due to donor site harvesting. Block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material, made from the patient’s own extracted tooth, offers similar biological stability without these drawbacks; (2) Methods : This study observed the progress of 19 implant patients who were treated with maxillary sinus elevation procedures using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material at the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center. Extracted teeth were processed into demineralized tooth block bone. After elevating the sinus membrane, implants and the tooth bone graft material were placed in the space, and the bony window was repositioned. Postoperative evaluations through clinical observation and radiographic imaging assessed sinus membrane elevation, alveolar bone height increase, and implant osseointegration; (3) Results : Results showed proportional increases in alveolar bone height to the graft material size, with long-term stability. No postoperative complications occurred, even with sinus membrane perforation, and implants remained stable; (4) Conclusions : The study concludes that maxillary sinus lifts using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material provide excellent bone induction and biocompatibility, making it a highly beneficial method for both dentists and patients.

This paper proposes a metaphysical framework for distinguishing between human and machine intelligence. It posits two identical deterministic worlds -- one comprising a human agent and the other a machine agent. These agents exhibit different information processing mechanisms despite their apparent sameness in a causal sense. Providing a conceptual modeling of their difference, this paper resolves what it calls “the vantage point problem” – namely, how to justify an omniscient perspective through which a determinist asserts determinism from within the supposedly deterministic universe.

This study evaluated the ranking of comprehensibility of the pictograms for judo, taekwondo, boxing, and wrestling used in the six games from the 27th Sydney Olympics in 2000 to the 32nd Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The evaluation was done using the Fuzzy TOPSIS method, one of the multi-criteria decision-making methodologies commonly used in economics and others fields. The results are as follows. The first, pictograms from the 2008 Beijing Olympics ranked first in three sports: taekwondo, boxing, and wrestling, but there were no pictograms that consistently ranked first or sixth in all sports. Second, the result of the sensitivity analysis shows a possibility that the ranking will be reversed if the weight of the evaluation factors changes, but in the 1000-time repetitive prediction, the better the evaluation ranking, the closer the value of the priority ranking to the ideal solution on average even if the weight changes.

Introduction: Given increasing adult use of amphetamine and methylphenidate and their high misuse potential, we examined suspected suicide attempts and other intentional misuse and medical outcomes and their associations with co-used other substances among amphetamine and methylphenidate exposure cases age 50+.Methods: Using the 2015-2021 U.S. National Poison Data System (N=7,701 amphetamine and/or methylphenidate cases), we fit two generalized linear models for a Poisson distribution with log link function, with suspected suicide attempt versus intentional misuse and major medical effect/death versus other outcomes as the dependent variables. Results: Of all amphetamine/methylphenidate exposure cases, suspected suicide attempts and intentional misuse were 28.4% and 13.2%, respectively. Benzodiazepine use was associated with a higher likelihood but any illicit drug use was associated with a lower likelihood of suspected suicide attempts compared to intentional misuse. Type of stimulant involved (amphetamine or methylphenidate) was not significant. Co-use of antidepressants (IRR=1.43, 95% CI=1.16-1.76), prescription opioids (IRR=1.48, 95% CI=1.21-1.81), drugs for cardiovascular disease (IRR=1.51 95% CI=1.20-1.90), antipsychotics (IRR=1.26, 95% CI=1.02-1.55), or illicit drugs (IRR=2.40, 95% CI=1.82-3.15) was associated with a higher likelihood of major effect/death.Conclusions: Suspected suicide attempts or intentional misuse accounted for more than 40% of amphetamine or methylphenidate exposure cases age 50+. The higher likelihood of major effect/death in cases involving antidepressants, antipsychotics, and cardiovascular disease drugs also suggests confounding effects of comorbid mental and physical health problems. Careful monitoring of those who were prescribed amphetamine or methylphenidate and use other substances are needed.

Background and Objectives: The ingestion of anhydrous calcium chloride (CaCl2) causes direct injury to the gastrointestinal wall via a thermal burn. Severe CaCl2 intoxication can induce a hypercalcemic crisis, presenting with arrhythmia, acute pancreatitis, and acute kidney injury. This case report details a patient with hematemesis and hypercalcemia following the ingestion of a commercial desiccant. We aimed to report the progression of the case and focused on the elec-trocardiographic manifestations. Case presentation: A 39-year-old female presented at a regional emergency center with blood in her vomit after the ingestion of a commercial desiccant. Bloody emesis was the initial symptom, and various electrolyte imbalances developed during admission. Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes occurred early after hospitalization and disappeared before the electrolyte levels normalized. The patient was maintained in an NPO state throughout her hospital stay. Bloody emesis and abdominal pain resolved rather early, despite her minimal mention of symptoms, possibly due to her suspected negative psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions: The rise in suicidal attempts has led to an increase in unusual intoxication cases. Previous reports on CaCl2 ingestion primarily considered the gastrointestinal injury. In this case, we observed the dynamic and prolonged multiple electrolyte imbalances along with the early-phase ECG changes, all of which responded well to supportive care. This report adds to the understanding of the diverse manifestations and management of CaCl2 intoxication.

In this work, we report on the first attempt using size-controlled ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to analyze role of thioacetamide (TAA) in forming ZnS nanostructures from ZnO. The size-controlled B(blue)_, G(green)_, Y(yellow)_ZnO QDs, and NC (nanocrystalline)_ZnO NPs were synthesized by sol-gel process as well as hydrothermal method, respectively and then reacted with an ethanolic TAA solution as sulfur source. After reacting with TAA, the formation of ZnS QDs was observed over time. The chemical reactions were identified using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence (PL). All results indicate that ZnS formation is due to direct crystal growth and/or chemical conversion of ZnO to ZnS. Our results enable a broader understanding of the synthetic mechanisms involved in the use of TAA as a sulfur source in forming ZnS nanostructures from ZnO.

In order to investigate both the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the impacts of organic selenium and nano-selenium on drought stress of Pak Choi (Brassica chinensis var. pekinensis. cv. ‘Suzhouqing’), we measured photosynthetic pigment, antioxidant, nutritional quality, and performed transcriptome sequencing of leaves using RNA-seq technology. Under drought conditions, the beneficial effects of organic selenium and nano-selenium on weight and quality of ‘Suzhouqing’ were primarily manifested in the following aspects. Firstly, there was an enhancement in photosynthetic capacity through upregulation of light-trapping pigment proteins: Lhca1, Lhca2, Lhca3, Lhca4, Lhcb1, Lhcb2, Lhcb3, Lhcb4 and Lhcb5. Secondly, effective regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis was achieved by activating the antioxidant system via up-regulation of glutathione S-transferase. Thirdly, water homeostasis was maintained through glutathione oxidase activity. Lastly, increased expression levels of ABC transporter, adenylate kinase and cysteine desulphurase contributed to elevated total selenium content. In addition, we screened hub core genes related to the above key metabolic pathways through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis. Since the results were consistent with the up-regulated genes identified in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway of differentially expressed genes by transcriptome sequencing analysis, this confirms the accuracy and reliability of the transcriptome sequencing data.

Brown leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria spp. is among the most common diseases in potato crops. Typical brown spot symptoms were observed in commercial potato-cultivated areas of northern Korea during June 2021–2022. In total, 77 isolates were collected, and based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the collected isolates were identified as Alternaria spp. (83.1%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that a majority of these isolates clustered within a clade that included A. alternata. Additionally, the ITS region and rpb2 yielded the most informative sequences for the identification of A. alternata. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the collected pathogens elicited identical symptoms in the field. In the pathogenicity test performed on seven commercial cultivars, the pathogens exhibited strong virulence in both wound and non-wound inoculations. Among the cultivars tested, Arirang-1ho, Arirang-2ho, and Golden Ball were resistant to the pathogens. Furthermore, when testing effective fungicides in vitro, mancozeb and difenoconazole were found to be effective agents for inhibiting mycelial growth. In summary, our findings suggest that A. alternata plays a critical role in leaf disease in potato crop regions and emphasise the necessity for continuous monitoring and management to protect against this disease in South Korea.

Since the accident of Fukushima Nuclear Power plant in 2011, people have been more interested in radiation safety in life. This study investigated the level of exact recognition of 6 warning pictograms enacted and utilized as per Korea Industrial Regulation in relation to medical &amp; natural radiation safety at this time. Unless people recognize pictogram prepared for radiation safety correctly in accordance with its purpose, safety would be severely intimidated. The result of corroboratively analyzing recognition of radiation safety pictogram is as follows. First, some 63.3% of respondents negatively responded on understanding 6 pictograms related to radiation in life, showing low level of understanding. Second, the average mark of correct response on the questions asking the meaning of 6 pictograms presented in relation to radiation safety in life was 2.79 point (standard deviation 1.447 point), which was relatively low. As seen above, the level of recognition &amp; comprehension is low, because education related to life radiation safety in the school is insufficient and the present warning pictogram established by Korea Industrial Regulation needs to be revised &amp; supplemented. This study is meaningful in that the method of using pictogram is presented as one of diverse efforts to improve life radiation safety.

Many studies on magnetorheological fluid (MRF) have been carried out over last three decades several salient advantages such as fast phase change, easy control of the yield stress and so forth. Especially, several review articles of MRF technology have been reported for last two decades summarizing the development of MRFs and their applications. As specific examples, the review articles including the optimization of the particles and carrier liquid to achieve minimum off-state viscosity and maximum yield stress at on-state, the formulation of many constitutive models in-cluding Casson model and Herschel-Bulkley (H-B) model, the sedimentation enhancement using additives and nanosized particles, many types of dampers for automotive suspension and civil structures, medical and rehabilitation devices, MRF polishing technology, the methods of mag-netic circuit design, and the synthesis of various controllers have been published. More recently, the effect of the temperature and thermal conductivity on the properties of MRFs and application systems are actively being investigated by several works. However, there is no review article on this issue so far despite of that the thermal problem is one of crucial factors to be seriously con-sidered for the development of advanced MRFs and commercial products of application systems. In this work, studies on the thermal conductivity and temperature in MRFs themselves and tem-perature-dependent application systems are reviewed, respectively, and principal results are summarized emphasizing on the followings: how to reduce the temperature effect on the field-dependent properties of MRFs and how to design application system to minimize the thermal effect. It is noted here that the review summary is organized in a chronological format using tables.

This study investigated the physical properties of section-restoration mortar with calcium nitrite and carbon dioxide (CO2) nanobubble mixing water to develop materials and methods for the repair and reinforcement of cracks in reinforced concrete (RC) structures. As the calcium nitrite content increased, the generation rate and generated amount of nitrite-based hydration products increased, owing to the rapid reaction between NO2- ions in calcium nitrite and C3A(Al2O3). Further, the reaction with C3S and C2S was accelerated, thereby increasing the generation rates of Ca(OH)2 and C-S-H. Further, the large amount of Ca2+ ions in these hydration products reacted with CO32- ions in CO2 nanobubble water, thereby increasing the generation of calcite-based CaCO3 in the cement matrix. This appears to have affected the strength development and durability improvement via the densification of the structure. These results suggest that the performance of polymer cement mortar for repairing concrete structures can be improved if calcium nitrite and CO2 nanobubble water are properly combined and applied.

In recent years, frequent occurrences of low temperature disasters due to global climate change have significantly impacted the normal growth of crops. Research has indicated that inorganic selenium (which is more toxic) can not only enhance the effects of low temperature stress but also increase selenium content on plants; however, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the impacts of organic selenium and nano-selenium on crops. In order to investigate whether organic selenium and nano-selenium can enhance low-temperature tolerance and increase selenium content in pak choi (Brassica chinensis var. pekinensis. cv. ‘Suzhouqing’), different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 mg L-1) of exogenous selenium were applied in this experiment to assess their effects on plant growth, nutritional quality and antioxidant properties. RNA-Seq technology was used to sequence the transcriptome of the leaves. Based on the transcriptome data, a Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was employed to construct a network that associates with physiological traits related to stress resistance. Two highly correlated gene co-expression modules were identified, and within them, nine hub genes associated with endocytosis, antioxidant stress, absorption, transport, and metabolism of selenium were discovered. The results indicated that the beneficial effects on yield and total selenium content under low temperature were attributed to (1) protection of photosynthetic pigments for enhancing photosynthetic capacity by the up-regulation of LHca2, LHcb1, LHca1, LHcb4 in KEGG pathway: photosynthesis-antenna proteins; (2) activation of antioxidant system for efficient ROS homeostasis such as SOD, POD and CAT by the genes such as Superoxide dismutase, Monodehydroascorbate and (3) selenium absorption by endocytosis, seleninum transportation by ABC transporter gene family and selenium metabolism related genes such as Cysteine synthase, Glutaredoxin. These findings provide a foundation for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of organic selenium and nano-selenium on cyanochloride production at low temperatures.

Standardized protocols were specifically designed and developed for clinical information collection and obtaining trio genomic information from infants affected with congenital anomalies (CA) and their parents, as well as securing human biological resources. Two large areas of these protocols include clinical and genomic information collection on CA which were difficult to diagnose using pre-existing screening methods. The following are three essential items for the clinical information collection protocol: establishment of a consent system for collecting and utilizing research resources, establishment of criteria for target patient selection, and collection of clinical and epidemiological information. A total of 138 cases consisting of 45 families of infants with CA and their parent trios have provided human-derived resources and genomic information. Whole genome sequencing data have been generated for all participants, and standardized protocols for resource collection and manufacturing have been developed. Phenotype information according to the Human Phenotype Ontology term and major test findings were recorded. It is important to keep updating and recording clinical symptoms and genetic diagnosis that are newly added or changed over time. The unique significance of this study is to develop a protocol that enables long-term tracking by adding growth and development tests that reflect important characteristics of newborns. By using these clinical and genetic information collection protocols for CA, it will be possible to establish an essential platform for early genetic diagnosis and diagnostic research, and further present new genetic diagnostic guidelines in the near future.

Several types of guided bone regeneration materials are available with various properties and clinical indications. Among them, dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth is an excellent alternative to traditional graft materials, such as allografts and xenografts. Different clinical preparation protocols exist: block form versus powder form, demineralized versus non-demineralized form. Out of these methods, demineralization protocols for dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth have been noted for a wide range of successful clinical outcomes. The purpose of this animal study was to find out the most effective method of demineralizing dentin-derived matrix to result in the highest regenerative ability in the bone graft material in rabbit calvaria. The study conducted a comparative histomorphometric analysis of four groups in distinguished matrix conditions: a control group without graft placement, a non-demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, and a 30-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group. Regenerative processes were evaluated three times at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-graft placement. These groups of rabbits were evaluated randomly in a blinded setting to prevent bias. Among the four groups compared, the group with a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft showed the most efficient bone regeneration in the histomorphometric analysis. Based on this animal study, it was apparent that a 15-minute demineralization of dentin-derived matrix is the preferred preparation protocol to maximize the regenerative potential in the matrix.

In this paper, we perform the neural cryptanalysis and comprehensively analyze five block ciphers, Data Encryption Standard (DES), Simplified DES (SDES), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Simplified AES (SAES), and SPECK. The vulnerability of the block ciphers is investigated in three different attacks, such as Encryption Emulation (EE), Plaintext Recovery (PR), Key Recovery (KR), and Ciphertext Classification (CC) attacks. For the plaintexts, randomly generated block-sized bit arrays and texts are used. The block ciphers apply different numbers of round functions in the encryption of the block-sized bit arrays, and they are investigated by using the deep learning models trained with different numbers of data in EE, PR, and KR attacks. Moreover, the block ciphers use two different text encryption methods, Word-based Text Encryption (WTE) and Sentence-based Text Encryption (STE), to encrypt the texts in various operation modes, and they are analyzed with deep learning models in EE, PR, and CC attacks. As a result, the block ciphers can be vulnerable to deep learning-based EE and PR attacks using a large amount of train data, and STE can improve the strength of the block ciphers, unlike WTE, which shows almost the same classification accuracy as the plaintexts, especially in CC attack. Additionally, when the keys that are the same as the plaintexts are used in encryption, the block ciphers can be perfectly broken in KR attack. Moreover, especially in KR attack, the RNN-based deep learning model shows higher average Bit Accuracy Probability (BAPavg) than the fully connected-based deep learning model, which is used more often in previous works of neural cryptanalysis. Furthermore, although the transformer-based deep learning model is a state-of-the-art model in Natural Language Processing (NLP), the RNN-based deep learning model is more suitable for CC attack and shows higher classification accuracy.

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

Commuting is a vital travel channel for college students throughout their higher education career; nevertheless, excessive commute time negatively impacts students’ school satisfaction, academic achievement, health, and quality of life. Meanwhile, few studies have explored students’ commute time, covering a large population and scope. Therefore, this study analyzes the dwelling type that influences college and graduate students’ school commute times in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, using data from the 2016 Household Travel Diary Survey. This study uses spatial data on housing development to classify five dwelling types (i.e., new town, housing site development, Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do). A multiple linear regression model empirically analyses students’ household and personal characteristics. The results reveal that dwelling type significantly affects students’ commute time. Specifically, Students living in Seoul have a shorter commute to school than those living in new towns. Socioeconomic characteristics have less effect on college and graduate students' school commute time. This study discusses the problem of excessive commuting of college and graduate students in new towns.

Functional connectivity (FC) is a potential candidate that can increase the performance of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in the elderly because of its compensatory role in neural circuits. However, it is difficult to decode FC by current machine learning techniques because of a lack of its physiological understanding. To investigate the suitability of FC in BCI for the elderly, we propose the decoding of lower- and higher-order FCs using a convolutional neural network (CNN) in six cognitive-motor tasks. The layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) method describes how age-related changes in FCs impact BCI applications for the elderly compared to younger adults. Seventeen younger (24.5±2.7 years) and twelve older (72.5±3.2 years) adults were recruited to perform tasks related to hand-force control with or without mental calculation. CNN yielded a six-class classification accuracy of 75.3% in the elderly, exceeding the 70.7% accuracy for the younger adults. In the elderly, the proposed method increases the classification accuracy by 88.3% compared to the filter-bank common spatial pattern (FBCSP). LRP results revealed that both lower- and higher-order FCs were dominantly overactivated in the prefrontal lobe depending on task type. These findings suggest a promising application of multi-order FC with deep learning on BCI systems for the elderly.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by rapid growth and uncontrolled proliferation of undifferentiated myeloid cells. Metabolic reprogramming is commonly observed in the bone marrow of AML patients, as leukemia cells require increased ATP supply to support disease progression. In this study, we examined the potential role of mesothelin as a metabolic modulator in myeloid cells in AML. Mesothelin is a well-known marker of solid tumors that promotes cancer cell proliferation and survival. We initially analyzed alterations in mesothelin expression in the myeloblast subpopulations, defined as SSC-Alow/CD45dim, obtained from bone marrow of AML patients using flow cytometry. Our results showed overexpression of mesothelin in 34.8% of AML patients. Subsequently, metabolic changes in leukemia cells were evaluated by comparing the oxygen consumption rates (OCR) of bone marrow samples derived from adult AML patients. Notably, higher OCR was observed in the mesothelin-positive compared to the mesothelin-low and non-expressing groups. Treatment with recombinant human mesothelin protein enhanced OCR and increased the mRNA expression of glycolytic enzymes and mitochondrial complex II in KG1α AML cells. Notably, siRNA targeting mesothelin in KG1α cells led to reduction of glycolysis-related gene expression but had no effect on the mitochondrial complex gene. The collective results demonstrate that mesothelin induces metabolic changes in leukemia cells, facilitating acquisition of a rapid supply of ATP for proliferation in AML. Therefore, targeting of mesothelin presents a potentially promising approach for mitigating the progression of AML through inhibition of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in myeloid cells.

Human sepsis is one of the leading cause of death worldwide and is known to be a harmful damaging host inflammatory condition, primarily caused by endotoxin released by gram-negative bacteria. Despite antibiotics administration being widely used to treat disease, effective targeted therapeutic strategies for the sepsis are still lacking. Here, we demonstrate that CM1, a derivative of natural polyphenol chrysin, exerts anti-inflammatory activity by inducing the ubiquitin-editing protein TNFAIP3 and NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). We found that CM1 attenuated Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-induced the generation of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MAPK and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. In addition, the treatment of macrophages with CM1 induced the expression of TNFAIP3 and SIRT1 in TLR4-stimulated primary macrophages, however the anti-inflammatory properties of CM1 was disappeared by siRNA silencing of TNFAPI3 or by the genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of SIRT1. Importantly, intravenously administration of CM1 resulted in the decreased susceptibility to endotoxin-induced sepsis, leading to inhibition of the generation of proinflammatory cytokines and neutrophils infiltration into lung than control mice. Collectively, these findings suggest that CM1 has the potential to be a treatment candidate for diverse inflammatory diseases including sepsis.

Background: To examine the association between income levels and mortality rates in patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: We analyzed data obtained from 3,172 patients with chronic kidney disease obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database (2003–2009). Each patient was monitored until December 2010 or until death, whichever came first. Individual income was estimated from the national health insurance premium. Information on mortality was obtained from the Korean National Statistical Office. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare mortality rates between different income groups after adjusting for possible confounding risk factors. Results: A low income was significantly associated with a high mortality rate after adjusting for covariates (adjusted HR 1.298 [1.082–1.556]). In addition, dialysis patients who had low incomes were more likely to have higher mortality rates compared to those in dialysis patients who had high incomes (adjusted HR 1.528 [1.122–2.082]). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that chronic kidney disease patients with low incomes have the highest mortality risk. Promotion of targeted policies and priority health services for patients with low incomes may help reduce the mortality rate in this vulnerable group.

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.

This study employs the FLACS code to analyze hydrogen leakage, vapor dispersion, and subsequent explosions. Utilizing pseudo-source models, a liquid pool model, and a hybrid model combining both, we investigate dispersion processes for varying leak mass flow rates (0.225 kg/s and 0.73 kg/s) in a large open space. We also evaluate explosion hazards based on overpressure and impulse effects on humans. The computational results, compared with experimental data, demonstrated reasonable hydrogen vapor cloud concentration predictions, especially aligned with the wind direction. For higher mass flow rate of 0.73 kg/s, the pseudo-source model and hybrid model proved appropriate, while the liquid pool model was more suitable for lower mass flow rate of 0.225 kg/s. Regarding explosion analyses using overpressure-impulse diagram, higher mass flow rates leaded to potentially fatal overpressure and impulse effects on humans. However, lower mass flow rates may cause severe eardrum damage at the maximum overpressure point.

The use of autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has been increasing, and the autonomy of these systems and their capabilities in dealing with uncertainties is crucial. Autonomous landing is pivotal for the success of an autonomous mission of UAVs. This paper presents an autonomous landing system for quadrotor UAVs with the ability to perform smooth landing even in undesirable conditions like obstruction by obstacles in and around the designated landing area and inability to identify or the absence of a visual marker establishing the designated landing area. We have integrated algorithms like version 5 of You Only Look Once (YOLOv5), DeepSORT, Euclidean distance transform, and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller to strengthen the robustness of the overall system. While the YOLOv5 model is trained to identify the visual marker of the landing area and some common obstacles like people, cars, and trees, the DeepSORT algorithm keeps track of the identified objects. Similarly, using the detection of the identified objects and Euclidean distance transform, an open space without any obstacles to land could be identified if necessary. Finally, the PID controller generates appropriate movement values for the UAV using the visual cues of the target landing area and the obstacles. To warrant the validity of the overall system without risking the safety of the involved people, initial tests are performed, and a software-based simulation is performed before executing the tests in real life. A full-blown hardware system with an autonomous landing system is then built and tested in real life. The designed system is tested in various scenarios to verify the effectiveness of the system.

Short stature has been associated with increased various disease and all-cause death, but no reliable data exist the association between height and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in diabetic patients. We investigated the relationship between short stature, development of ESRD, and mortality in type 2 diabetes. This study analyzed clinical data using the National Health Insurance Database in Korea. Height was stratified by five groups according to age and sex. Risk of ESRD and all-cause mortality was analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models. During a 6.9-year follow-up period, 220,457 subjects (8.4%) died and 28,704 subjects (1.1%) started dialysis. Short stature significantly increased the incidence of ESRD and all-cause mortality in the overall cohort analysis. In multivariable analysis, hazard ratios (HR) for development of ESRD comparing the highest versus lowest quartiles of adult height were 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.83–0.89). All-cause mortality also decreased with highest height compared to patients with lowest height after fully adjusting for confounding variables (HR 0.79, 95% CI, 0.78–0.81). Adult height had an inverse relationship with newly diagnosed ESRD and all-cause in both males and females. Short stature is strongly associated with an increased risk of ESRD and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes.

Background: Despite advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over the last few decades, treatment opportunities for patients with HCC remain limited. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for approximately 90% of all cases worldwide. Moreover, apart from the current pharmacological interventions, hepatic resection and liver transplantation are the mainstay curative approaches for patients with HCC. Methods: This systematic review included phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials (CTs) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on current treatments for patients with HCC in an Asian population (2013–2023). A total of 427 articles were screened, and 184 non-duplicate publications were identified. After screening titles and abstracts, 96 publications were excluded, and another 28 were excluded after full-text screening. The remaining 60 eligible RCTs/CTs were finally included. Results: Sixty clinical trials fulfilled our inclusion criteria and screened 36 drugs as monotherapy or combination therapy for HCC. Most studies used sorafenib alone or in combination with any of the treatment regimens. Lenvatinib or atezolizumab with bevacizumab was used for HCC after initial sorafenib treatment. Eighteen studies compared the efficacy of sorafenib with that of other drugs, including lenvatinib, cabozantinib, tepotinib, tigatuzumab, linifanib, erlotinib, resminostat, brivanib, tislelizumab, selumetinib, and refametinib. Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive insights into effective treatment interventions for HCC in Asian populations. The overall assessment indicated that sorafenib alone or in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab has been the first treatment choice in the past decade to achieve better outcomes in patients with HCC in an Asian population

Residential segregation refers to the phenomenon where people of different socioeconomic backgrounds live in spatially separated areas. It is essential to ensure equitable access to urban amenities for all residents in pursuit of the normative values in urban planning. To achieve this planning goal, the disparity in accessibility to urban amenities needs to be appropriately diagnosed. Private apartments and public rental apartments are representative types of residences where residential segregation is likely to occur in the context of South Korea, since these two types show considerable differences in the education, income, and occupations. The objective of this study is to develop an analysis framework for diagnosing the difference in accessibility to urban amenities between the two residential types, and to empirically demonstrate their utility in the planning process. The empirical analysis conducted on Seoul revealed that not only were there significant local variations in accessibility between the two segregated residential areas, but the overall differences across the entire area were also pronounced. The proposed framework is useful in supporting decision-making processes for locating new public facilities or identifying regional priorities for guiding the placement of private amenities, with the aim of mitigating differences between segregated residential areas.

Osteoporosis is an abnormal bone remodeling condition characterized by decreased bone density, which leads to high risks of broken bones. Previous studies have demonstrated that Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC) extract inhibits bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice by enhancing the osteoblast differentiation. A bioactive compound, Kukoamine B (KB), was identified from a fractionation of LRC extract as a candidate component responsible for an anti-osteoporotic effect. This study investigated the anti-osteoporotic effects of KB using in vitro and in vivo osteoporosis models. KB treatment significantly increased the osteoblastic differentiation and mineralized nodule formation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells, while it significantly decreased the osteoclast differentiation of primary-cultured monocytes derived from mouse bone marrow. The effects of KB on osteoblastic and osteoclastic differentiations under more physiological conditions were also examined. In the co-culture of MC3T3-E1 cells and monocytes, KB promoted osteoblast differentiation but did not affect osteoclast differentiation. For the in vivo experiments, KB significantly inhibited OVX-induced bone mineral density loss and restored the impaired bone structural properties in osteoporosis model mice. These results suggest that KB may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of osteoporosis.

This paper describes some of the challenges that need to be addressed in order to develop collaborative spectrum sharing systems. The importance of these challenges stems from the assumption that rules for spectrum sharing can change after the deployment of radio networks and the whole system must be able to adapt to them. To address such a requirement, we used a policy-based approach in which transmissions are controlled by a policy interpreter system, and the policies can be modified during system operation. Our primary goal was to develop a prototype of such a system. In this paper, we outline the implementation of policy interpretation, automatic generation of transmission opportunities in case a request for transmission is denied by the policy reasoner, and the generation of rendezvous channels for the synchronization of otherwise asynchronously running software defined radios.

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

A Micro holes in a diamond are presented by using a homemade femtosecond (fs) Yb:KGW laser. An fs laser source was used emitting pulse duration of 230 fs at 1030 nm wavelength, whereas the spot size amounted to 8.9 μm. Parameters like pulse energy, and pulse number were varied over a wide range in order to evaluate their influence both on the micro hole geometry like hole diameter, circularity, taper angle, and on the drilling quality. Hourglass-shaped micro holes whose diameters decrease and increase again after a certain depth have important applications. The results demonstrate the feasibility of extending the drilling of an hourglass-shaped hole in a diamond sample, which has similar diameters at the hole entrance (92 μm) and exit (95 μm), but a much smaller diameter (28 μm) at a certain waist section inside the hole.

Regulated autophagy is involved in the repair of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). ω3-Polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-PUFAs) show protective effects against various renal injuries. It was recently reported that ω3-PUFAs regulate autophagy. We assessed whether ω3-PUFAs attenuated IR-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) and evaluated associated mechanisms. C57Bl/6 background fat-1 mice and wild-type mice (wt) were divided into four groups: wt sham (n = 10), fat-1 sham (n = 10), wt IRI (reperfusion 35 min after clamping both the renal artery and vein; n = 15), and fat-1 IRI (n = 15). Kidneys and blood were harvested 24 h after IRI. Renal histological and molecular data were collected. The kidneys of fat-1 mice showed better renal cell survival, renal function, and pathological damage than those of wt mice after IRI. In addition, fat-1 mice showed less oxidative stress and autophagy impairment; greater amounts of LC3, Beclin-1, and Atg7; lower amounts of p62; and higher levels of renal cathepsin D and ATP6E than wt kidneys. They also showed more AMPK activation, which resulted in the inhibition of phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Collectively, ω3-PUFAs in fat-1 mice contributed to AMPK mediated autophagy activation, leading to a renoprotective response.

Over the few decades, cancer-associated mortalities and morbidities were continuously increased worldwide despite sophisticated technological advancements. Pharmaceutical interventions associated with drugs exhibit a high degree of side effects and toxicities in addition to very high costs. Subsequently, to reduce or to vanish the side effects and high costs, researchers are now exploring natural bioactive compounds such as quercetin in its nanoformulations along with biologics as cargo delivery vehicles. Quercetin along with mesenchymal stromal lineage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) possesses an anti-cancer potential that can be explored to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Exerting enhanced effect, nano quercetin synergistically with EVs triggers the anti-cancer mechanisms by regulating and dysregulating several signalling mechanisms including NF-κB, p53, JAK/STAT, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT, in addition to PBX3/ERK1/2/CDK2, and miRNAs modulation. In addition, findings regarding the potential checkpoints of anti-cancer signalling pathways were investigated that offer opportunities to develop engineered EVs incorporated with nano quercetin for the development of novel therapeutics to treat HCC in future. In this present mechanistic review, we abridged the regulation of such signalling mechanisms synergetic approach of nano quercetin and EVs. The regulatory role of EVs in the manifestation of innumerable miRNAs has also been tailed with special context to HCC.

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.

The research community has shown significant interest in the aqueous synthesis of nanomaterials due to its ability to eliminate the need for complex organic solvents. This synthesis approach aligns with the principles of green chemistry, attracting considerable attention. Aqueous solution technology in fabricating nanostructures has gained recognition for its potential to create ultrasensitive, low-energy, and ultrafast optoelectronic devices. This report focuses on synthesizing lead iodide (PbI2) nanoplates using a water-based solution technique and fabricating a planar photodetector. The photodetectors with a planar type of device structure (ITO/PbI2 NPs/Au) demonstrated a remarkable photosensitivity of 3.9×103 and a photoresponsivity of 0.51 mA/W at a wavelength of 405 nm. Notably, the asymmetrical output properties of ITO/PbI2 NPs/Au detector deliver additional evidence of the effective creation of a Schottky contact. Thus, the photodetector exhibited a photoresponse even at 0 V bias, leading to the realization of self-powered photodetectors. Additionally, the device exhibited a rapid photoresponse of 0.21/0.38 s (−5 V) in the visible range. This study has expanded the horizons for the aqueous-phase synthesis of nanoplate nanostructures, enabling the large-area fabrication of high-performance photodetectors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the third leading cause of malignancy-related mortalities worldwide. Natural killer (NK) cells are involved in the critical role of first line immunological defense against cancer development. Defects in NK cell functions are recognized as important mechanisms for immune evasion of tumor cells. NK cell function appears to be attenuated in HCC, and many previous reports suggested that NK cells play a critical role in controlling HCC, suggesting that boosting the activity of dysfunctional NK cells can enhance tumor cell killing. However, the detailed mechanisms of NK cell dysfunction in tumor microenvironment of HCC remain largely unknown. A better understanding of the mechanisms of NK cell dysfunction in HCC will help in the NK cell-mediated eradication of cancer cells and prolong patient survival. In this review, we describe the various mechanisms underlying NK cell dysfunction in HCC. Further, we summarize current advances in the approaches to enhance endogenous NK cell function and in adoptive NK cell therapies, to cure this difficult-to-treat cancer.

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic, triggered by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in over 160 million infections and 3.5 million fatalities worldwide. Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 presence in the highly vascularized penile tissue and the established correlation between COVID-19 and subsequent erectile dysfunction (ED) has emerged. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a popular procedure for prostate cancer because of its reliability and swift recovery rate. However, the ED prevalence post-surgery is believed to be comparable to open surgery, and postoperative ED significantly affects the patient's quality of life. Our study aimed to explore the effect of COVID-19 on ED recovery in patients undergoing bilateral nerve preservation during RARP. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective study on 85 patients who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing RARP (nsRARP) at our institution between December 2017 and May 2021. Chart reviews and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire facilitated the analysis. Our objective was to contrast ED recovery after surgery between SARS-CoV-2–infected and non-infected patients using preoperative IIEF-5 scores and scores at 6, 12, and 24 months post-surgery. We defined successful ED recovery as an IIEF-5 score of 17 or higher and successful sexual intercourse. We also compared ED recovery rates between the two groups, regardless of the timing of COVID-19 diagnosis. IBM's SPSS version 18.0 assisted in the statistical analysis, with Fisher's exact test and chi-square test used for comparing categorical variables. Independent t-tests determined mean differences between baseline and postoperative IIEF-5 scores. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results From December 2017 to May 2021, our institution executed 213 RARP cases, with 185 of these involving nerve preservation. Among these patients, 133 had an IIEF-5 score of 17 or higher during preoperative EF assessment. We included 85 patients with consistent IIEF-5 records before surgery and at 6, 12, and 24 months post-surgery in this study. Of these, 44 and 41 patients comprised the COVID-19–positive and COVID-19–negative groups, respectively. The COVID-19–positive group had a higher proportion of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients (24 (54.55%) vs. 7 (17.07%), p<0.001). There was no significant difference in preoperative IIEF-5 scores or scores up to 6 months after surgery between the two groups. However, the IIEF-5 scores of the COVID-19–positive group were statistically lower after 12 and 24 months post-surgery. Additionally, the COVID-19–negative group showed a more considerable score increase between 6 and 12 months post-surgery, and the EF recovery rate was lower in the COVID-19–positive group starting from the 12th month after surgery. Within the COVID-19–positive group, no statistically significant difference in IIEF-5 scores was found between single infection and multiple reinfection groups. Conclusions Principal component analysis revealed the impact of COVID-19 on ED recovery in patients who underwent nsRARP. The most substantial changes in IIEF-5 scores occurred between 6 and 12 months. From 12 months onwards, the COVID-19–positive group had significantly lower scores, and fewer patients had IIEF-5 scores above 17. However, the number of COVID-19 diagnoses did not significantly affect the IIEF-5 scores.

To understand dynamics in climate change, informing policy decisions and prompting timely action to mitigate its impact, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the short-term trend of year-on-year CO2 emission changes across ten countries, considering a broad range of factors including socioeconomic, CO2-related industry, and education. This study uniquely goes beyond the common country-based analysis, offering a broader understanding of the interconnected impact of CO2 emissions across countries. Our preliminary regression analysis, using the ten most significant features, could only explain 66% of variations in the target. To capture emissions trend variation, we categorized countries by the change in CO2 emission volatility (high, moderate, low with upward or downward trends), assessed using standard deviation. We employed machine learning techniques, including feature importance analysis, Partial Dependence Plots (PDPs), sensitivity analysis, and Pearson and Canonical correlation analyses, to identify influential factors driving these short-term changes. The Decision Tree Classifier was the most accurate model, with an accuracy of 96%. It revealed population size, CO2 emissions from coal, the three-year average change in CO2 emissions, GDP, CO2 emissions from oil, education level (incomplete primary), and contribution to temperature rise as the most significant predictors, in order of importance. Furthermore, this study estimates the likelihood of a country transitioning to a higher emission category. Our findings provide valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of factors influencing CO2 emissions changes, contributing to global efforts to address climate change

This study numerically analyzed the effect of composition and temperature and oxygen concentration changes on the selfignition characteristics of n-heptane/methane blended fuels in order to cope with development of alternative fuels and international environmental regulations. CHEMKIN-PRO is used as the analysis program and the LLNL model is used as the reaction model. The numerical results revealed that on autoignition and ignition delay time were sensitive to changes in fuel composition and oxygen concentration. As the methane ratio increases, OH radicals causing ignition are delayed in generation and the concentration is lowered, thus longer the ignition timing. The oxygen concentration in the mixed fuels are changed to simulate the exhaust gas recirculation and a numerical analysis in then performed. As the oxygen concentration decreases, the ignition delay time longer because the nitrogen gas acts as a thermal load in the combustion chamber.

This paper presents the perspective that universe is relative. The universe, which changes according to the traveler’s proper time, is dynamic. While the universe generally expands, it could also contract if traveler accelerates sufficiently. The Hubble parameter merely represents that change. If the Hubble parameter is dependent on the proper time, the measurement can only be uncertain. Identifying the factors that influence the proper time could potentially lead to a more accurate measurement of the universe’s age, and it could also offer insights into the state of the early universe and the causes of the accelerated expansion observed in the current epoch.

The output of non-ferrous metal smelters is 450,000 tons (3.1% of world output), and copper ranks 10th in the world for health impact evaluation. According to the latest information from smelters, the overall average concentration in 2020 was 8.2 ppb each of SO2, NO2, O3, PM10, and PM2.5. 7.5 ppb, 30.8 ppb, 21.3 μg/m3, and 13.2 μg/m3, and the maximum concentrations were 390 ppb, 50 ppb, 167 ppb, 148 μg/m3, and 107 μg/m3. Art Corporation, A2C (Atmosphere to CFD) model was used to investigate the resident health follow-up management (cohort study) study (SAS Enterprise Guide) as the basis for the source of diffuse pollution in the area. The average concentration of PAHs (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) among carcinogens in the air by survey site was the highest in Seokpo 4-ri (60.7 ng/m3), followed by Seokpo 1-ri (48.6 ng/m3) and Seokpo. Among the respiratory diseases, the disease (Acute upper respiratory tract disease(J00-J06), Other upper respiratory tract diseases (J32-J39), Acute lower respiratory tract infection (excluding pneumonia) (J20-J22), Chronic lower respiratory disease (persons) (excluding J40-J47, J45-J46), Asthma (J45-J46), Rhinitis (J30-J31), Respiratory disease (J00-J99), Cough (R05)) that has a correlation between the exposed area and the control area is as follows.

Wi-Fi tethering using a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone or a tablet) as a hotspot for other devices has become a common practice. Despite the potential benefits of Wi-Fi tethering, the open source nature of mobile operating systems (e.g., Google Android) can be abused by a selfish device to manipulate channel-access parameters to gain an unfair advantage in throughput performance. This can cause serious performance problems within a well-planned Wi-Fi network due to an unauthorized selfish or misconfigured tethering device interfering with nearby well-planned access points (APs). In this paper, we demonstrate that the selfish behavior of a tethering node that adjusts the clear channel assessment (CCA) threshold has strong adverse effects in a multi-AP network, while providing the selfish node a high throughput gain. To mitigate this problem, we present a passive online detection scheme that identifies the network condition and detects selfish tethering nodes with high accuracy by exploiting the packet loss information of on-going transmissions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research to consider the problem of detecting a selfish tethering node in managed Wi-Fi networks.

Background Patients with severe dysphagia are usually fed using a nasogastric tube (NGT). Many patients who receive long-term NGT feeding are unable to obtain sufficient nutrients orally immediately after NGT removal. Thus, a transitional period involving oral diet training is required to transition from NGT feeding to exclusive oral feeding. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of oral diet training in indwelling NGT patients with prolonged dysphagia. Methods A total of 175 patients who were fed using an NGT for more than 4 weeks were enrolled. Their swallowing function was evaluated by a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). During the VFSS, patients received thick and thin barium while the NGT was insulted. Then, the patients underwent a VFSS without an NGT thirty minutes after NGT removal. If a patient had no aspiration with NGT inserted during the VFSS, oral diet training combined with NGT feeding was recommended. Results Of the 49 indwelling NGT patients who were recommended to receive oral diet training, 39 (79.6%) transitioned to exclusive oral feeding. A transition period of 2-8 weeks was required for them to achieve full oral feeding. Patients who were eligible for oral feeding trials showed no significant aspiration during the VFSS with an NGT inserted and had sufficient cough function. Patients who required prolonged NGT feeding and who could not complete oral trials showed significant aspiration during the VFSS when an NGT was inserted. Conclusion This study demonstrated that oral diet training combined with NGT feeding was safe in patients with prolonged dysphagia who had sufficient cough function and no aspiration during VFSS. We suggest that if the patient is a proper candidate for NGT removal, direct oral feeding training with an NGT inserted could be a useful therapeutic strategy during the transitional period from long-term NGT feeding to successful oral feeding.

Tobacco smoke is an environmental mixture including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and may interfere in endocrine system as an EDC in aging. Thus, we performed a molecular epidemiological approach with in-depth biological monitoring of combustible cigarette smoking among adolescents and adults in South Korea (N=620) with exposure biomarkers, i.e., exhaled CO, urinary cotinine, t,t-muconic acid (TTMA), malondialdehyde (MDA), and obtained information of their lifestyle and tobacco addiction status. We also diagnosed the genetic polymorphisms on the 96 SNPs for tobacco-metabolism, -addiction, and expression differences and compared mtDNA abnormalities in buccal and blood cells. As results, there were positive associations among the above tobacco exposure biomarkers. Man or youth smokers showed high frequency in some of mtDNA alteration, such as ‘SNPs for inconsistent bases between buccal and blood cells’. Among the SNPs, the polymorphisms on SULT1A1, DRD2, and ADH1B were related to multi-exposure biomarkers. Interestingly, youth showed similar levels of urinary TTMA and MDA to adults, although their pack-year was approx. 1/6 volume of that of adults. We also observed the negative association between urinary MDA levels and the growth rate in the adolescents (p<0.05). In conclusion, the present biological monitoring provides high susceptible population, i.e., adolescents rather than adults, and reliable genetic factors affecting tobacco exposure. The inferred environment-gene-gene interaction suggests tobacco smoking accelerats aging in adolescents as an EDC.

(1) Background: This study aimed to compare the effect of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium abutments on implant prosthetic systems and supporting bone using three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA); (2) Methods: A three-dimensional finite element analysis was conducted using CATIA and Abaqus software to model mandibular first molar implant systems with titanium and PEEK abutments. Under external loading conditions, finite element analysis was conducted for the stresses in implant components and surrounding bones of each group; (3) Results: The implant fixture of the PEEK model exhibited the highest von Mises stress (VMS). The lowest VMS was observed in the abutment screw of the titanium model. Both implant systems demonstrated similar stress distribution and magnitudes in cortical and cancellous bones; (4) Conclusion: PEEK abutments show similar stress distribution in surrounding bone compared to titanium. However, PEEK absorbs the stresses within the implant system and exhibits the highest VMS values due to its low mechanical and physical properties. Therefore, PEEK abutments need improved mechanical properties for better clinical application.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) is a malignant epithelial neoplasm characterized by biliary differentiation within the liver. ICCA is molecularly heterogeneous and exhibits a broad spectrum of histopathological features. It is a highly aggressive carcinoma with high mortality and poor survival rates. ICCAs are classified into two main subtypes: small duct type and large duct types. These two tumor types have different cell origins and clinicopathological features. ICCAs are characterized by numerous molecular alterations, including mutations in KRAS, TP53, IDH1/2, ARID1A, BAP1, BRAF, SAMD4, and EGFR, and FGFR2 fusion. Two main molecular subtypes–inflammation and proliferation–have been proposed. Recent advances in high-throughput assays using next-generation sequencing have improved our understanding of ICCA pathogenesis and molecular genetics. The diagnosis of ICCA poses a significant challenge for pathologists because of its varied morphologies and phenotypes. Accurate diagnosis of ICCA is essential for effective patient management and prognostic determination. This article provides an updated overview of ICCA pathology, focusing particularly on molecular features, histological subtypes, and diagnostic approaches.

Based on electromagnetic heat transfer and metal phase transformation co-simulations, we modeled an AISI 1045 specimen under high-frequency heat treatment. Hardening zone predictions were confirmed through cooling and metal phase transformation simulations after obtaining the results from electromagnetic heat transfer simulations. The cooling process was modeled by applying the cooling coefficient of the cooling water in the same way as the actual heat-treatment process. To obtain the current flowing through the coil during high-frequency induction heating, the voltage was measured and applied using the resistance–inductance–capacitance circuit calculation method. Experimental and simulated results of the heating temperature and curing depth of an AISI 1045 specimen with a carbon content of 0.45% were compared; the comparison indicated good agreement between the two. Using the simulation results, we established a method for obtaining the current flowing through the induction coil for predicting the extent and depth of the hardening zone during high-frequency induction heat treatment.

This study explored the effects of a comprehensive health care program (CHCP) on blood pressure, blood glucose, body composition, and depression in older adults living alone. We used a quasi-experimental, two-group, pre-posttest design. The CHCP consisted of open lectures, health counseling, exercise classes, nutrition counseling, and self-help group meetings at a local senior welfare center. Fifty-eight subjects participated in this study, with thirty subjects in the experimental group and twenty-eight subjects in the control group. Data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics, χ²-test, and t-test. Comparisons of the pretest and posttest systolic blood pressure (t = - 2.530, p < .016) and blood glucose (t = 3.089, p < .004) between the experimental and control groups showed significant differences. In both the experimental (t = 3.949, p < .001) and control groups (t = 3.816, p < .002), depression symptoms showed a significant decrease post-test, compared with pre-test. Our findings infer that older adults require physical and psychosocial healthcare and that more efforts must be made to improve the general health and wellbeing of this population group.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) showed in vitro mesoderm-lineage differentiation and self-renew capacity. However, no comparative study was reported on the biological characteristics of stem cells derived from skeletal muscle (SM-MSCs), dermal skin (DS-MSCs), and adipose tissues (A-MSCs) from a single donor in camels. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of MSCs source on stem cell characteristics. We evaluated proliferation capacity and mesoderm-lineage differentiation potential from SM-MSCs, DS-MSCs, and A-MSCs. They showed spindle-like morphology after homogenization. The proliferation ability was no significant difference in all groups. Furthermore, the portion of the cell cycle and expression of pluripotent markers (Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog) were similar in all cell lines at passage 3. The differentiation capacity of A-MSCs into adipocytes was significantly higher than that of SM-MSCs and DS-MSCs. However, the osteoblast differentiation capacity of A-MSCs was significantly lower than that of SM-MSCs and DS-MSCs. Additionally, after osteoblast differentiation, the ALP activity and calcium content was significantly decreased in A-MSCs as compared to SM-MSCs and DS-MSCs. To the best of our knowledge, we primally established MSCs from the single camel and demonstrated their comparative characteristics including expression of pluripotent factors and proliferation, and in vitro differentiation capacity into adipocytes and osteoblasts.

Background and Objectives: High rates of psychiatric disorders and comorbidities have been reported in juvenile detainees which have been associated with repeat offenses. However, research on this topic has been limited to Asian countries. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and sexual differences among juvenile detainees in a detention center in South Korea. Materials and Method: The participants comprised 54 males and 46 females, with a minimum intelligence score of 80. Psychiatric diagnosis was determined using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID). The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2) was used to investigate gender differences. Results: Using the MINI-KID, the most frequent diseases were conduct disorder (CD), alcohol dependence, suicidal tendency, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with statistically significant differences between men and women. Only alcohol abuse was higher in men while the rest were higher in women. The items with a statistically significant gender difference in MAYSI-2, were alcohol/drug use, feeling depressed/anxious, somatic complaints, suicidal ideation, and traumatic experience. All items for which the gender difference was statistically significant were higher in the proportion of women. Conclusions: Juvenile detainees exhibit high rates of psychiatric disorders and comorbidities. CDs, alcohol dependence and ADHD are the most common psychiatric disorders among juvenile detainees in South Korea. Assessment of and intervention in psychiatric disorders may help prevent further offenses. These findings highlight the importance of diagnosing and intervening in psychiatric disorders within juvenile detention systems.

Background: Particulate matter and urban air pollution affect the human body and can lead to death. Epidemiological studies should consider the exposure to pollutants and the diverse responses of individuals depending on their sensitivity to the pollutants. Methods: In this study, air pollution measurements were obtained hourly at measuring stations operated by the national and local governments to increase the reliability of the measured values. A β-ray absorption method was used to analyze the measurements of fine dust and determine the particulate matter content. Results: The air pollution data were log-converted to enable the comparison of data from different time periods. The comparison was made, focusing on the period of Seoul's fine dust policy. As a result, the cancer incidence rate also decreased after the policy. The data on individual characteristics were obtained from a survey of Seoul citizens conducted from 2015 to 2016 and using indicators such as the quality of life and social trust of Seoul citizens. Concludions: The survey on the living environment and residence indicated that 80% of the heads of households were men. Women had a greater dissatisfaction than men with the residential, economic, and social environments. The survey questions on well-being were related to the internal and external environment such as air pollution, noise, and fine dust.