We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of trauma-focused group psychotherapy in adolescents who experienced traumatic events in Korea. Participants were assigned and recruited from two sites in Korea. Children in Disaster: Evaluation and Recovery (CIDER) V1.0 is a trauma-focused group psychotherapy approach consisting of psychoeducation, normalization, stabilization, and techniques of managing the traumatic memory. The CIDER intervention consists of eight 50-minute-long sessions. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using the Korean version of the Children’s Response to Traumatic Events Scale-Revised (K-CRTES-R), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State Anxiety Inventory for Children (SAIC), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedQL). Data were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. We recruited 22 traumatized adolescents (mean age 16 years; SD 1.43; range 13–18 years old; 71.4% boys) in this pilot study. The K-CRTES-R scores were significantly improved (Z = −2.85, p < 0.01). The BDI demonstrated the effectiveness of the therapy (Z = −2.35, p < 0.05). The assessment of the PedQL supported the effect of CIDER (Z = −3.08, p < 0.01). However, there was no statistically significant differences in the SAIC scores (Z = −1.90, p > 0.05). The results show that there is preliminary evidence that CIDER intervention reduces post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms and improves quality of life. Our findings indicate that CIDER is feasible for treating adolescents exposed to traumatic events. Larger controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy of this trauma-focused group psychotherapy and examine its impact on post-traumatic stress disorder.

This study aimed to compare the efficacies and safety of enhanced and standard monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) in eyes with early glaucoma. Patients with concurrent cataracts and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) were enrolled. They underwent cataract surgery with IOL implantation. Manifest refraction; monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA), and uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA); visual field (VF); contrast sensitivity (CS); defocus curves and questionnaires were assessed three months postoperatively. Thirty-four and 38 patients had enhanced and standard monofocal IOLs, respectively. The enhanced monofocal IOL provided better UIVA than the standard monofocal IOL (p = 0.003) but similar UDVA, CDVA and UNVA. The enhanced monofocal IOL had more consistent defocus curves than the standard monofocal IOL, especially at -1 (p = 0.042) and -1.5 (p = 0.026) diopters. The enhanced monofocal IOL provided better satisfaction (p = 0.019) and lower spectacle dependence (p = 0.004) than the standard monofocal IOL for intermediate vision, with similar VF and CS. In conclusion, the enhanced monofocal IOL is recommended for patients with OAG because they provide better intermediate vision, higher satisfaction, and lower dependence on spectacles than standard monofocal IOL, without worsening other visual outcomes.

: This study aimed to validate the effects of self-compassion-based forest healing therapy as an intervention for reducing stress and promoting coping resources. Therefore, we investigated the effects of self-compassion-based forest healing therapy on stress, self-compassion, and connectedness to nature. A total of 30 participants were divided into an experimental and control group. Two sessions of forest healing meditation activities were held at the Forest of Healing every two weeks between October and November 2023. As a repeated measures experiment, data were collected before the intervention, after the first intervention, and after the second intervention. Perceived stress, positive and negative affect, and salivary cortisol were measured to assess physiological and psychological stress in participants. Connectedness to nature and self-compassion were measured to evaluate stress-coping resources. The results showed that the forest healing program had significant positive effects on stress and emotional states in the experimental group after the intervention. Further, there was a significant incremental effect on connectedness to nature and self-compassion in the experimental group. Therefore, self-compassion meditation-based forest healing therapy is a feasible and efficient approach for facilitating stress management and coping resource building.

It is required to manage sustainable Short-Rotation Coppices (SRCs) as an important role on carbon sink and bioenergy output, because most of SRCs were established in reclaimed land in South Korea. However, during the last three years, growth pattern of the SRCs was remarkably changed with soil condition. This study aimed to identify the sustainability of SRCs on carbon storage, biomass and fuel pellet production, monitoring the neighboring vegetation of SRCs by land-use exchange, physiological change of poplar on seasonal trend, and to evaluate whether poplar is suitable for making wood pellets. The calculated biomass yield per area of poplar grown was 103.07 Mg per total area (55.6 ha), and volumes of carbon dioxide absorption was estimated to be 330 Mg CO2. Wood pellet quality based on the criteria scored third grade, indicating that poplar is suitable for manufacturing fuel pellets. Moreover, monitoring of the flora distribution in SRCs revealed changes in species composition. As halophyte was increased during drought, soil organic matter, net growth and total chlorophyll of poplar were significantly decreased. These findings indicated that photosynthesis and growth pattern of SRCs may be negatively affected by microclimate and will provide valuable information for effective management of SRCs.

The non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have affected the epidemiology of other respiratory viruses. In South Korea, Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) typically occurs from winter to the following spring; however, it was not detected for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and re-emerged in the fall of 2022, which is a non-epidemic season. To examine the molecular genetic characteristics of HMPV before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we analyzed 427 HMPV-positive samples collected in the Gwangju area from 2018 to 2022. Among these, 24 samples were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. The results showed a shift in the predominant genotype from A2b2 before the COVID-19 pandemic to A2b1 in 2022. Furthermore, a significant increase in HMPV cases was observed in the 6–10-year age group. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing have reduced the possibility of HMPV exposure and herd immunity due to non-transmission, resulting in the introduction of new HMPV genotypes in different seasons.

Our study provides guidelines on how to build long-term customer relationship in the non-contract mechanism context. More specifically, the findings show that special, social, and core benefits influence calculative commitment, and operational and special benefits influence affective commitment. This study also supports that calculative and affective commitment play a crucial role in understanding multi-channel agencies’ loyalty. In sum, this study revealed that calculative and affective commitment can be considered as partial or full mediators in the relationship between RBs (relational benefits) and loyalty. This study not only contributed to the existing SET (social exchange theory) and RBs paradigm but also provided practical implications for food distribution management.

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, it has spread rapidly, and many coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have occurred in Gwangju, South Korea. Viral mutations following the COVID-19 epidemic have increased interest in the characteristics of epidemics in this region, and pathogen genetic analysis is required for infection control and prevention. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome analysis was performed on samples from patients with COVID-19 in Gwangju from 2020 to 2022 to identify the trends in COVID-19 prevalence and to analyze the phylogenetic tree of dominant variants. B.41 and B.1.497 prevailed in 2020, the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak; then, B.1.619.1 mainly occurred until June 2021. B.1.617.2, classified as sublineage AY.69 and AY.122, occurred continuously from July to December 2021. Since strict measures to strengthen national quarantine management had been implemented in South Korea until this time, mutations phylogenetic analysis was also able to infer the epidemiological relationship between infection transmission routes. Since the first identification of the Omicron variant in late December 2021, the spread of infection has been very rapid, and weekly whole-genome analysis of specimens has enabled us to monitor new Omicron sublineage occurring in Gwangju. Our study suggests that conducting reginal surveillance in addition to nation-level genomic surveillance will enable more rapid and detailed variant surveillance, which will be helpful in the overall prevention and management of infectious diseases.

Transcriptionally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is a highly conserved protein performing a large number of cellular functions by binding with various partner proteins. The importance of its roles in many diseases requires an assay method to find regulatory compounds. However, the molecular characteristics of TCTP made it difficult to search for chemicals interacting with it. In this study, a tryptophan-based assay method was designed and Y151W mutant TCTP was constructed to search binding chemicals. Since there is no tryptophan in the native sequence of TCTP, the incorporation of tryptophan in the Y151W mutant was very effective to establish the method. A flavonoid library was employed to the assay with the method. With the native and Y151W mutant TCTPs, three flavonoids such as morin, myricetin and isobavachalcone have been found to interact with TCTP. Combined with native gel electrophoresis, the binding region of isobavachalcone was suggested to be the flexible loop of TCTP. This approach can be easily applicable to find binding compounds of proteins with similar molecular characteristics of TCTP.

The etiological agent of various viral diseases has been identified, and clinical characteristics and complications of each disease are well known. In general, a viral disease appears as acute systemic inflammatory disease, but after acute infection, some patients remain asymptomatic carriers or suffer chronic viral diseases, suggesting that the phenomena are unavoidable processes for viruses’ coexistence with their hosts as virome in microbiota of human species. Although each viral disease has been described as having different pathophysiology, the host's control systems, including immune systems, against the insults from any viral infections, have the same components in previously healthy hosts. Therefore, considering the characteristics of the life cycle of viruses being dependent on the host cell and the same immune components of the host, it is reasonable assumption that there is a common immune mechanism to respond to the insults from all viral diseases. The authors discuss on the characteristics of virus infection and unresolved issues in viral diseases and propose a rationale of early immune modulators for acute insults from viral diseases based on our clinical experiences and the protein-homeostasis-system hypothesis.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is an autoimmune disease which is a type of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis that frequently affects the lungs and kidneys. However, GPA limited to a single organ has also been reported. A 73-year-old man was admitted for back pain and fever. We detected elevated levels of inflammatory markers and myeloperoxidase-ANCA. Magnetic resonance imaging indicated diffuse inflammation of the back and psoas muscles. Histology showed degenerated muscle fibers and granulomatosis vasculitis with mixed lymphoplasma cell infiltration. High-dose methylprednisolone therapy improved his symptoms. A final diagnosis of GPA limited to the muscles was made.

Kummerowia striata is a traditional medicine used for the therapy of inflammation-related diseases. Herein, we investigated the anti-melanogenic and antioxidant activities of an ethanolic extract of K. striata (EKS) using a number of in vitro and cell culture model systems. The anti-melanogenic effect was assessed in B16F10 melanoma cells based on melanin synthesis and in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory activity and the anti-oxidant activity assays were performed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2ʹ-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS); EKS exhibited strong anti-oxidant activities in both the assays. The expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1, tyrosinase-related protein 2, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor was decreased in a dose-dependent manner at mRNA and protein levels upon treatment with EKS. Notably, EKS did not affect the cell viability at all the EKS concentrations used in this study, indicating that EKS-mediated inhibition of melanin synthesis is not accompanied with cytotoxicity. Collectively, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that EKS possesses anti-melanogenic and anti-oxidant activities, and suggest that further evaluation and development of EKS as a functional supplement or cosmetic might be useful for skin whitening and for reduction wrinkles.

Tailings generated by mining account for the largest proportion of global waste from industrial activities. Copper is relatively uncommon world-wide, with low concentrations in sediments and waters, yet is very elevated around mining sites. On the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, USA, jutting out into Lake Superior, 140 mines extracted native copper from the Portage Lake Volcanic Series, part of an intercontinental rift system. Between 1901-1932, two mills at Gay (Mohawk, Wolverine) sluiced 22.7 million metric tonnes (MMT) of copper-rich tailings (stamp sands) into Grand (Big) Traverse Bay. Here we examine: 1) 3D coastal elevation and reef bathymetry, 2) particle dispersal, 3) copper concentrations and leaching, plus 4) shoreline toxicity. About 10 MMT of tailings created a migrating coastal beach that stretches 7 km from the Gay pile to the Traverse River Seawall. Another 10 MMT are moving underwater on the coastal shelf, threatening Buffalo Reef, an important lake trout and whitefish breeding ground. Aerial photos, ALS (plane) LiDAR, and relatively inexpensive UAS (drone) surveys characterize shoreline structure and aid initial remediation. Because sands (natural beach quartz, stamp sand basalt) are silicates of similar density, particle dispersal is similar and challenging. However, stamp sand beaches contrast greatly with natural sand beaches in both physical profile and chemistry. Dispersing particles retain copper, and release toxic concentrations. Leaching is elevated by exposure to high DOC and low pH waters. Field experiments, shoreline seining, and benthic sampling confirm serious impacts on aquatic biota, supporting tailings removal.

The dopamine D3 receptor is an important CNS target for the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases. Selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonists modulate the improvement of psychostimulant addiction and relapse. In this study, five and six featured pharmacophore models of D3R antagonists were generated and evaluated with the post-hoc score combining two survival scores of active and inactive. Among Top 10 models, APRRR215 and AHPRRR104 were chosen based on the coefficient of determination (APRRR215: R2training = 0.80; AHPRRR104: R2training = 0.82) and predictability (APRRR215: Q2test = 0.73, R2predictive = 0.82; AHPRRR104: Q2test = 0.86, R2predictive = 0.74) of their 3D-quantitative structure–activity relationship models. Pharmacophore-based virtual screening of a large compound library from eMolecules (> 3 million compounds) using two optimal models expedited the search process 100-fold speed increase compared to the docking-based screening (HTVS scoring function in Glide) and identified a series of hit compounds having promising novel scaffolds. After the screening, docking scores, as an adjuvant predictor, were added to two fitness scores (from the pharmacophore models) and predicted Ki (from PLSs of the QSAR models) to improve accuracy. Final selection of the most promising hit compounds were also evaluated for CNS-like properties as well as expected D3R antagonism.

Enveloped viruses represent a significant category of pathogens that cause serious diseases in animals. These viruses express envelope glycoproteins that are singularly important during infection of host cells by mediating fusion between the viral envelope and host cell membranes. Despite low homology at protein levels, three classes of viral fusion proteins have, as of yet, been identified based on structural similarities. Their incorporation into viral particles is dependent upon their proper sub-cellular localization after being expressed and folded properly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, viral protein expression can cause stress in the ER, and host cells respond to alleviate the ER stress in the form of the unfolded protein response (UPR); the effects of which have been observed potentiating or inhibiting viral infection. One important arm of UPR is to elevate the capacity of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, which is comprised of host quality control machinery that ensures proper protein folding. In this review, we provide relevant details regarding viral envelope glycoproteins, UPR, ERAD, and their interactions in host cells.

Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb1 and Rheb2), a small GTPase, regulates neuronal activity and has drawn attention for its implications in cancer development, especially breast cancer. This study explores the multifaceted role of Rheb1 in cancer, elucidating its involvement in crucial cel-lular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis resistance, migration, invasion, metastasis, and inflammatory responses. Despite these acknowledged connections, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between Rheb1 and cancer remains elusive. This review consolidates cur-rent knowledge on the impact of Rheb1 on cancer hallmarks and examines the potential of Rheb1 as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment. The review underscores the need for a more profound comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying Rheb1-mediated oncogenic processes. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the exploration of Rheb1 inhibitors as a promising avenue for cancer therapy. This study, by bringing to light the complex associations between Rheb1/Rheb2 and cancer, delivers valuable insights to the scientific community. These insights are instrumental in guiding the identification of novel targets and advancing the development of effective therapeu-tic strategies for treating cancer.

Core-shell structured magnetic nanoparticles combine hard and a soft phases to improve energy efficiency. The mutual interaction of the two phases can lead to the exchange spring effect leading to higher magnetic energy. In this regard, synthesis of Nd2Fe14B based core-shell structured powders have proven to be elusive due to the relatively reactive nature of this phase. In this study, a process has been established for successfully coating the surface of Nd2Fe14B powders with FeCo layer using galvanic displacement method. Initially, a binary phase magnetic powder was synthesized containing Nd2Fe14B and Nd2Fe17 phase. Subsequently, the powders were coated using a Co precursor at 303 K. During coating the metastable Nd2Fe17 phase was dissolved and the Fe ions were released into the solution. Subsequently, the Fe ions deposited together with the Co ions on the surface of Nd2Fe14B powder to form a FeCo shell. The deposited layer thickness and composition was confirmed using TEM analysis.

In order to understand the effect of Pb-CuI co-doping on the thermoelectric performance of Bi₂Te₃, n-type Bi₂Te₃ co-doped with x at% CuI and 1/2x at% Pb (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.10) were prepared via high temperature solid state reaction and consolidated using spark plasma sintering. Electron and thermal transport properties, i.e., electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, of CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te₃ were measured in the temperature range from 300 K to 523 K and compared to corresponding x% of CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ and undoped Bi₂Te₃. The addition of a small amount of Pb significantly decreased the carrier concentration, which could be attributed to the holes from Pb atoms, thus the CuI-Pb co-doped samples show a lower electrical conductivity and a higher Seebeck coefficient compared to CuI-doped samples with similar x values. The incorporation of Pb into CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ rarely changed the power factor because of the trade-off relationship between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient. The total thermal conductivity(κ_tot) of co-doped samples (κ_tot ~1.4 W/m∙K at 300 K) is slightly lower than that of 1% CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ (κ_tot~1.5 W/m∙K at 300 K) and undoped Bi₂Te₃ (κ_tot ~1.6 W/m∙K at 300 K) due to the alloy scattering. The 1% CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te₃ sample shows the highest ZT value of 0.96 at 370 K. All data on electrical and thermal transport properties suggest that the thermoelectric properties of Bi₂Te₃ and its operating temperature can be controlled by co-doping.

Field cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) is newly emerged as an edible insect in several countries. Anti-inflammatory effect of glycosaminoglycan derived this cricket was not fully investigated on chronic disease animal model such as diabetic mouse. For potential therapeutic agents, anti-diabetic activities of field cricket glycosaminoglycan (GbG) was evaluated in diabetic mice based on their abilities to reduce glucose, ALT, AST, LDL-cholesterol, and BUN levels, compared with dung beetle (Catharsius molossus) glycosaminoglycan (CaG) as a positive control glycosaminoglycan. Db mice were orally administered for one month according to their groups: Db Hetero (normal), Db Homo (type-2 diabetic), CaG (5 mg/kg), GbG (5 mg/kg), and metformin (10 mg/kg). Blood glucose level was decreased after 1^st week treatment with GbG. It also inhibited LDL-cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase levels. Regarding oxidative damage of diabetic state, levels of hepatocellular biomarkers levels and protein carbonyl content were reduced in db mice treated with GbG. Especially anti-oxidative activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased in GbG treated group compared to those in the control. GbG was composed of heparin disaccharides and main N-glycan was identified as Hex₉GlcNAc₂ (m/z 1905.7) of with neutral mono-sugar mainly comprising of hexose, L (+) rhamnose by mass spectroscopy. These results from sero-biochemical, hepatocellular anti-oxidant assay in db mice data suggest cricket (G. bimaculatus) glycosaminoglycan might play a role in its anti-diabetic action.

This study investigated the presence of human Norovirus (HuNoV) by genotype in 1,486 groundwater samples, collected from 843 groundwater wells suspected of contamination during 2007-2016, in Republic of Korea. We identified and genotyped 186 HuNoV sequences in 178 HuNoV-positive samples using the RIVM-NoroNet norovirus genotyping tool (NGT) and phylogenetic tree analysis based on RIVM-NoroNet reference sequences. HuNoV GII was more prevalent than GI. The major genotypes detected were HuNoV GII.4 (43.0%), GII.22 (15.6%), GI.5 (10.2%) and GI.1 (8.6%); 14 genotypes accounted for < 5.0%. Increasing HuNoV GII.17 has displayed a worldwide trend, including in Europe and Asia since 2010, and it was the dominant HuNoV genotype during 2013-2014 in Korea. However, HuNoV GII.4 was the major genotype detected in groundwater in Korea in 2015-2016, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent similar to HuNoV GII.17.

Bangladeshi medicinal plants (BMP) have been used as traditional medicinal plants to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, but the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the bark of BMP are not yet known. The objective of this study was to determine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities using methanolic extracts of bark obtained from 15 medicinal spices of Bangladesh plants. The bark methanol extracts of BMP evaluated the total antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among the 15 bark extracts of BMP, Albizia odoratissima (A. odoratissima), Engelhardia spicata (E. spicata), and Shorea robusta (S. robusta) showed the highest total phenolic contents and total antioxidant capacity by reducing free radicals scavenging activity. In particular, the three bark extracts significantly reduced the mRNA expression of LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines and inflammation-inducible enzymes in macrophages. Also, the mRNA expression of NADPH oxidase 2 was significantly suppressed by three bark extracts in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results suggest that among the 15 bark extracts obtained from medicinal plant in Bangladesh, three bark extracts of A. odoratissima, E. spicata, and S. robusta exert total antioxidant capacity by reducing free radicals scavenging activity and inhibitory effects on LPS-stimulated inflammation in macrophages.

Although sarcopenia is known to be a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), whether NAFLD is a risk factor for the development of sarcopenia is not clear. We investigated bidirectional relationships between NAFLD and low skeletal muscle mass index (LSMI) using three different datasets. Participants were classified into LSMI and normal groups. LSMI was defined as a body mass index (BMI)-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass &lt;0.789 in men and &lt;0.512 in women or as the sex-specific lowest quintile of BMI-adjusted total skeletal muscle mass. NAFLD was determined according to NAFLD liver fat score or abdominal ultrasonography. The NAFLD groups showed a higher hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LSMI than the normal groups (HRs=1.213, 95% CIs=1.050–1.402). The LSMI groups also showed a higher HRs with 95% CIs for NAFLD than normal groups (HRs=1.564, 95% CIs=1.378–1.775). Participants with NAFLD had consistently less skeletal muscle mass over 12 years of follow-up. In conclusion, LSMI and NAFLD showed a bidirectional relationship. Maintaining muscle mass should be emphasized in the management of NAFLD.

We investigated the potential genetic variants using whole exome sequencing (WES) and evalu-ated the disease course using T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire analysis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Fourteen patients with RA and five healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. For patients with RA, only naïve patients were recruited before treatment, and data were collected at baseline and 6 and 12 months after the initiation of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment. Laboratory data and disease parameters were also collected. Genetic variants were detected using WES, and the diversity of the TCR repertoire was assessed using Shannon-Weiner diversity. Some variants were detected by WES, but their clinical significance should be confirmed by further studies. The diversity of the TCR repertoire in patients with RA was lower than that in HCs; however, after DMARD treatment, it increased significantly. The diversity was negatively cor-related with laboratory findings and disease measures with statistical significance. Variants with a potential for RA pathogenesis were identified and the clinical significance of TCR repertoire was evaluated in Korean patients with RA. Further studies are required to confirm the findings of the present study.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has been an important source of income for communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin in Peru for hundreds of years. However, in recent decades, the scale of ASGM activities in the region has increased dramatically, and exposures to a variety of occupational and environmental hazards related to ASGM, including mercury, are becoming more widespread. The aims of our study were to: (1) examine patterns in the total hair mercury level of human participants in several communities in the region and compare these results to the 2.2 µg/g total hair mercury level equivalent to the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA)’s Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI); and (2), to measure the mercury levels of paco (Piaractus brachypomus) fish raised in local aquaculture ponds, in order to compare these levels to the EPA Fish Tissue Residue Criterion of 0.3 µg Hg/g fish (wet weight). We collected hair samples from 80 participants in four communities (one control and three where ASGM activities occurred) in the region, and collected 111 samples from fish raised in 24 local aquaculture farms. We then analyzed the samples for total mercury. Total mercury levels in hair were statistically significantly higher in the mining communities than in the control community, and increased with increasing distance away from the Madre de Dios headwaters (as the crow flies), did not differ by sex, and frequently exceeded the reference level. Regression analyses indicated that higher hair mercury levels were associated with residence in ASGM communities. The analysis of paco fish samples found no samples that exceeded the EPA tissue residue criterion. Collectively, these results align with other recent studies showing that ASGM activities are associated with elevated human mercury exposure. The fish farmed through the relatively new process of aquaculture in ASGM areas appeared to have little potential to contribute to human mercury exposure. More research is needed on human health risks associated with ASGM to discern occupational, residential, and nutritional exposure, especially through tracking temporal changes in mercury levels as fish ponds age, and assessing levels in different farmed fish species. Additionally, research is needed to definitively determine that elevated mercury levels in humans and fish result from the elemental mercury from mining, rather than from a different source, such as the mercury released from soil erosion during deforestation events from mining or other activities.

Cervi cornu has been extensively used in traditional medicine as an antioxidant and for the treatment of various disorders, including osteoporosis. However, since it is not easy to separate the active ingredient, absorption is not performed well. In this study, we extracted the low molecular weight (843Da) collagen NP-2007 from cervi cornu by enzyme hydrolyzation, and evaluated the therapeutic effect in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced rat osteoarthritis model, and identified their molecular mechanisms. NP-2007 was orally administered at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 21 d. Efficacy was evaluated based on serum parameters, inflammatory mediators, and mor-phological and histopathological analyses of knee joints. Production of matrix metalloproteinases, including MMP-2, MMP-3, and MMP-9, in the serum was higher in MIA-treated rats; however, these levels decreased after NP-2007 treatment. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and prostaglandin E2 were lower in the NP-2007 group than in the MIA group. Furthermore, the administration of NP-2007 resulted in effective preservation of both the synovial membrane and knee cartilage, and significantly decreased the transformation of fibrous tissue. This study indicates that NP-2007 can prevent and alleviate symptoms of osteoarthritis and have applications as a novel arthritis treatment.

Unavoidable exposure to radiosensitive normal tissues around cancerous tumor during the radiotherapy can cause side effects such as self-limited acute toxicities, mild chronic symptoms, or severe organ dysfunction. Nevertheless, clinical use of currently available radiation protective agents is limited because of their generic cytotoxicity. A study on radiation protective effect of delphinidin was conducted with proton-beam-exposed human colon cells (CCD-18Co). The measurement in changes of survival fractions of CCD-18Co with/without delphinidin administration at different radiation doses were measured by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The changes in expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and in activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured by colorimetric assays using pertinent assay kits. The measurement of pro-apoptosis/pro-survival protein expressions using Western blot assay and the measurement of DNA damage using comet assay were also fulfilled to evaluate the molecular level of radiation damages in CCD-18Co cells. The experimental results revealed that the pre-administration of delphinidin regulated antioxidant enzymes, reduced ROS, decreased DNA damage, regulated pro-apoptosis/pro-survival proteins, and eventually reduced apoptosis of CCD-18Co cells. In conclusion, it is claimed that delphinidin is nontoxic natural radiation protective compound, and thus delphinidin can be used to protect normal colon tissues during the proton beam therapy.

Studies on the long-term stability of meat analogs stored under frozen conditions are lacking. Here, we aimed to assess the storage stability of vegetable oil-supplemented meat analogs and analyze the effects of temperature and storage period on their physiochemical characteristics. The meat analogs were prepared by adding 30 g castor oil, orange oil, palm oil, shortening, or margarine vegetable oil based on 100 g of textured vegetable protein. They were then stored at −18 or −60 °C for 6 months and analyzed at one-month intervals. The meat analog supplemented with orange oil had the highest water content, liquid-holding capacity, hardness, and antioxidant activity. During frozen storage, temperature barely affected the meat quality. The storage stability of all meat analog samples was maintained for 6 months, although the quality was slightly reduced with an increase in storage duration. Coliform group bacteria were not detected regardless of the storage condition. Orange oil improved the juiciness of meat analogs, and the quality of samples was maintained for at least 6 months under frozen storage. The findings of this study are relevant to the development and promotion of vegetable meat as an alternative to animal meat.

Pyracantha angustifolia has been used in traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases of the stomach and improve digestion, blood circulation, diarrhea, dysentery, and hemostasis. This study evaluated bioactivity-guided fractionation as a means to identify therapeutic phytochemicals from P. angustifolia that can attenuate melanogenesis and oxidation. Seven compounds with inhibitory effects on melanin production and tyrosinase (TYR) activity, as well as ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and have not been reported as whitening materials, were isolated from the n-butanol fraction from P. angustifolia leaves (PAL). Among the seven compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid beta-d-glucosylester (HG), and cimidahurinine (CD) had strong inhibitory effects of melanin production, TYR activity, and ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Western blot analysis showed that HG and CD suppressed tyrosinase-related protein (TYRP)-1 and TYRP-2 expression. These results suggest that P. angustifolia containing active compounds, such as HG and CH, is a potent therapeutic candidate for the development of hypopigmenting agents.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major event in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis. Here, we investigated whether growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) plays a protective role in lung fibrosis via suppression of the EMT and fibroblast activation. rGas6 ad-ministration inhibited the EMT in isolated mouse ATII cells 14 days post-BLM treatment based on morphologic cellular alterations, changes in mRNA and protein expression profiles of EMT markers, and induction of EMT-activating transcription factors. BLM-induced increases in gene expression of fibroblast activation-related markers and the invasive capacity of primary lung fi-broblasts in primary lung fibroblasts were reversed by rGas6 administration. Furthermore, the hydroxyproline content and collagen accumulation in interstitial areas with damaged alveolar structures in lung tissue were reduced by rGas6 administration. Targeting Gas6/Axl signaling events with specific inhibitors of Axl (BGB324), COX-2 (NS-398), EP1/EP2 receptor (AH-6809), or PGD2 DP2 receptor (BAY-u3405) reversed the inhibitory effects of rGas6 on EMT and fibroblast activation. Finally, we confirmed the antifibrotic effects of Gas6 using Gas6−/− mice. Therefore, Gas6/Axl signaling events play a potential role in inhibition of EMT process and fibroblast acti-vation via COX-2-derived PGE2 and PGD2 production, ultimately preventing the development of pulmonary fibrosis.

Previous studies to recognize negative emotions (e.g. disgust, fear, sadness) for mental health care have used heavy equipment directly attaching electroencephalogram (EEG) electrodes to the head, making it difficult to use in daily life, and they have proposed binary classification methods to determine whether negative emotion or not. To tackle this problem, we propose a negative emotion recognition system to collect multimodal biosignal data such as five EEG signals in an EEG headset and heart rate, galvanic skin response, and skin temperature in a smart band for classifying multiple negative emotions. It consists of android Internet of Things (IoT) application, an oneM2M-compliant IoT server, and a machine learning server. The android IoT application upload the biosignal data to the IoT server. By using the biosignal data stored in the IoT server, the machine learning server recognizes the negative emotions of disgust, fear, and sadness using a multi-class support vector machine (SVM) model with a radial basis function kernel (RBF). The experimental results showed that the multi-class SVM model achieved 93% accuracy when considering all the multimodal biosignal data. Moreover, when considering only data in the smart band, it could achieve 98% accuracy by optimizing the hyper-parameter of the RBF kernel.

The bark of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) is used as a food additive and herbal medicine for various inflammatory disorders and cancer in Eastern Asia. RVS exerted anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, but whether this effect occurs in macrophages after oral administration has not been determined. We used a thioglycollate-induced peritonitis model to obtain macrophages from mice given RVS. We examined the systemic inflammatory response to intraperitoneal LPS. RVS-treated mice had an increased population of peritoneal exudate cells expressing CD11b and SRA. Increased uptake of Alexa Fluor 488-labeled acetylated lipoprotein was observed in monocyte-derived macrophages from RVS-treated mice. When these cells from the RVS group were stimulated with LPS, the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- and interleukin (IL)-6 in the supernatant decreased, but the level of IL-12 increased. The surface expression of CD86 was reduced, but surface expression of class II MHC molecules was increased. RVS suppressed the serum levels of LPS-induced TNF- and IL-6. RVS enhanced monocyte differentiation in thioglycollate-induced peritonitis by increasing scavenger receptor expression and activity. Macrophages isolated from mice given RVS responded differently to LPS. These findings demonstrate that RVS confers selective anti-inflammatory activity without causing the overall inhibitory effects on immune cells.

To assess the usefulness of an attachable video laryngoscope (AVL) by attaching a camera and monitor to a conventional Macintosh laryngoscope (CML). Normal and tongue edema airway scenarios were simulated using a manikin. Twenty physicians performed tracheal intubations using CML, AVL, Pentax AWS® (AWS), and McGrath MAC® (MAC) in each scenario. Ten physicians with more than 10 cases of clinical experience with tracheal intubation using CML were included in the skilled group. Ten physicians with less than 10 cases of clinical experience with tracheal intubation using CML were included in the unskilled groups. The time required to intubate and the success rate were recorded. The degree of difficulty of use and glottic view assessment scored by participants. All 20 participants successfully completed the study. There was no difference in the success rate and time required for tracheal intubation in the normal airway scenarios. For the skilled group, in the tongue edema airway scenario, the AWS had the highest success rate (100%) followed by AVL (60%), MAC (60%), and CML (20%) (p = 0.001). The time required to intubate with the AWS was significantly shorter than with AVL (10.2 vs 22.3 s; p=0.002) or MAC (10.2 vs 23.7 s; p=0.001). There was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) difference between AVL and MAC. The degree of Difficulty of Use for AVL was significantly lower than that for CML (7.8 vs 2.8; p &lt; 0.001). There was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) difference between AVL and other video laryngoscopes. AVL had a higher rate of successful tracheal intubation than CML in the tongue edema scenario. AVL showed a similar success rate and time of tracheal intubation to the MAC. Therefore, AVL may be a possible alternative video laryngoscope device.

Objectives: To assess clinical implications of increased nuchal translucency (INT) in twin pregnancies based on the chorionicity. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the twin pregnancies who underwent first trimester ultrasound with nuchal translucency (NT) measurement at 11-13 weeks of gestation from January 2006 to December 2014. Data were collected using the OB database and the chart review. Pregnancy outcomes including gestational weeks at the delivery, abnormal fetal karyotypes, fetal structural anomalies, twin specific complications were analyzed. Results: A total of 1,622 twin pregnancies with INT≥95th percentile in one or both fetuses were identified. In all twin pregnancies with INT, abnormal fetal karyotypes were identified in 17 (8.6%) patients (odds ratio=13.28, CI=5.990-29.447, P=0.000) and twin-specific complications were identified in 23 (11.6%) patients (odds ratio=2.398, CI=1.463-3.928, P=0.001) compared to those with normal NT. Among the INT group, when the groups were subdivided into monochorionic (MC) and dichorionic (DC) pregnancies, 14.8% and 29.6% of the MC pregnancies had structural anomalies in one or both fetuses (odds ratio=5.774, 95% CI=1.445-23.071, P=0.01) and twin-specific complications (odds ratio=4.379, 95% CI=1.641-11.684, P=0.03), respectively, compared to DC pregnancies. The prevalence of abnormal fetal karyotypes was not statistically different in patients with INT when compared between MC and DC pregnancies (P=0.329). Conclusions: INT was associated with a higher rate of twin-specific complications and fetal structural anomalies in MC twin pregnancies rather than abnormal fetal karyotype. Therefore, NT measurement in MC twin pregnancies can be a useful tool for prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Appropriate counseling and surveillance based on the chorionicity is imperative in prenatal care of twin pregnancies.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that Glycine max hydrolyzed with enzymes from Bacillus velezensis KMU01 has on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Hydrolysis improves functional health through the bioconversion of raw materials and increase in intestinal absorption rate and antioxidants. Therefore, G. max was hydrolyzed in this study using a food-derived microorganism, and its anti-inflammatory effect observed. Enzymatically hydrolyzed G. max (EHG) was orally administered once daily for four weeks before DSS treatment. Colitis was induced in mice through consumption of 5% (w/v) DSS in drinking water for eight days. Results showed that EHG treatment significantly alleviated DSS-induced body weight loss and decreased the disease activity index and colon length. In addition, EHG markedly reduced tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin (IL)-1b, and IL-6 production, and increased that of IL-10. EHG improved DSS-induced histological changes and intestinal epithelial barrier integrity in mice. Moreover, we found that the abundance of 15 microorganisms changed significantly; that of Proteobacteria and Escherichia coli, which are upregulated in patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, decreased after EHG treatment. These results suggest that EHG has a protective effect against DSS-induced colitis and is a potential candidate for colitis treatment.

Workplace bullying is a prevalent issue with a significant impact on employees’ mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression with a particular focus on the role of gender. A total of 12,344 Korean employees aged 19–65 years were included in the study. They completed questionnaires including the Korean version of the Occupational Stress Scale, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A score of 16 or higher in CES-D indicated depression. The association between workplace bullying and depression was analyzed using logistic regression analyses. The average CES-D scores were higher for both male and female employees who experienced bullying than for those who did not (p &lt; 0.001). The association between the experience of workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression was statistically significant for both genders, with a stronger correlation observed among male employees (p for interaction &lt;0.001). Organizations are urged to address workplace bullying, particularly for male employees, through the implementation of anti-bullying strategies and policies, as well as the provision of mental health resources and support.

Some time ago, Kobayashi et al. experimentally studied the so-called Lee-Naughton-Lebed's (LNL) angular effect in strong electric fields [K. Kobayashi, M. Saito, E. Omichi, and T. Osada, Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{96}, 126601 (2006)]. They found that strong electric fields split the LNL conductivity maxima in $\alpha$-(ET)$_2$-based organic conductor and hypothetically introduced the corresponding equation for conductivity. In this Letter, for the first time we suggest quantum mechanical theory of the LNL angular oscillations in moderately strong electric fields. In particular, we demonstrate that the obtained by us approximate theoretical formula coincides with the hypothetical one and well describes the above mentioned experiments.

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic disease that is characterized by the presence of fibrosis and regeneration of nodules in the liver whose consequences are the development of portal hypertension and liver failure. Cirrhosis arises from a wide variety of chronic diseases, which progresses slowly after years or decades. Liver cirrhosis is a public health problem. It is usually associated with viral hepatitis, consumption of alcohol, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune processes, storage diseases, toxic substances, and medications. Cirrhosis is the fourteenth most common cause of death in adults throughout the world, the fourth in Europe and the ninth in the United States. The prevalence of this disease is underestimated because it is symptomatic it is not diagnosed in initial stages, and it usually goes to the decompensated stage at a rate of 5 to 7% per year. We review here the epidemiology, pathophysiology, etiology, and diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.

Circadian rhythm disruptions are a hallmark feature of mood disorders. Patients experiencing acute depressive episodes report noticeable changes in their sleep-wake cycles. This research explains the association between depression and various circadian rhythm metrics, explicitly focusing on adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders. Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant physiological and psychological changes, making it imperative to understand how mood disorders manifest during this phase. However, there have been minimal specific studies in pediatric populations to determine whether circadian rhythm changes differ between adolescents with first- and multiple-recurrent depressive episodes. Our study involved a group of 61 adolescents aged between 13 and 18. We performed a cross-sectional study of a clinical popu-lation of patients presenting to a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic diagnosed with depression. Participants were asked to complete self-report evaluations using several tools: The Korean ver-sion of the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (K-BRIAN), the Korean Translation of Composite Scale to Measure Morningness-Eveningness (KtCS), and the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Tools such as the Children's Depression In-ventory (CDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and K-Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-MDQ) were employed for the assessment of clinical characteristics of depression. Based on the frequency of their depressive episodes, participants were bifurcated into two distinct groups: those experi-encing their first episode (n=22, mean age: 15.09±1.44 years) and those with recurrent episodes (n=39, mean age: 15.95±1.26 years). At first, the two groups' data revealed no significant differences regarding mood or circadian rhythm metrics (CDI: first-episode 26.18±10.54 and recurrent episode 25.90±10.59, STAI-S: first-episode 56.91±12.12 and recurrent episode 57.49±11.93, STAI-T: first-episode 60.36±11.63 and recurrent episode 59.09±12.10, SPAQ-total: first-episode 6.59±4.86 and recurrent episode 6.77±5.23, KtCS: first-episode 30.32±5.83 and recurrent episode 28.13±7.36). However, we observed significant correlations between circadian rhythm disruptions and depression scales (CDI with SPAQ-weight (r=0.26), KtCS (r=-0.48), K-BRIAN-sleep (r=0.58), K-BRIAN-activity (r=0.64), K-BRIAN-social (r=0.71) and K-BRIAN-eating (r=0.40)). These correlations were especially pronounced in the recurrent episode group, suggesting that with the progression and chronicity of depression, the relationship between circadian rhythms and depression becomes more intertwined and evident. In conclusion, especially in adolescents, as the severity and chronicity of depression increase, the interplay between circadian rhythms and mood disorders becomes more pronounced, warranting further research and clinical attention.

Bisphenols are widely used in the synthesis of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and thermal paper, which are used in manufacturing items of daily use. Packaged foods and drinks are the main sources of exposure to bisphenols. These chemicals affect humans and animals by disrupting the estrogen, androgen, progesterone, thyroid, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor functions. Bisphenols exert numerous harmful effects because of their interaction with receptors, ROS formation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell signal alterations. Both cohort and case-control studies have determined an association between bisphenol exposure and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, reproductive abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol results in developmental disorders in animals. These chemicals also affect the immune cells and play a significant role in initiating the inflammatory response. Exposure to bisphenols exhibit age, gender, and dose-dependent effects. Even at low concentrations, bisphenols exert toxicity, and hence deserve a critical assessment for their uses. Since bisphenols have a global influence on human health, the need to discover the underlying pathways involved in all disease conditions is essential. Furthermore, it is important to promote the use of alternatives for bisphenols, thereby restricting their uses.

Gastric cancer is the 5th most common disease in the world and the 4th most common cause of death. It is diagnosed through esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy, however there are limitations in finding lesions in the early stages. Recently, research has been actively conducted to use liquid biopsy to diagnose various cancers, including gastric cancer. Various substances derived from cancer are reflected in the blood. By analyzing these substances, it was expected that not only the presence or absence of cancer but also the type of cancer can be diagnosed. However, the amount of these substances is extremely small, and even these have various variables depending on the characteristics of the individual or the characteristics of the cancer. To overcome these, we collected methylated DNA fragments using MeDIP and compared them with normal plasma to characterize gastric cancer tissue or patient’s plasma. And we attempted to diagnose gastric cancer using the characteristics of cancer reflected in the blood through the cancer tissue and patient’s plasma. As a result, we confirmed that the consistency of common methylated fragments between tissue and plasma was approximately 41.2%, and found the possibility of diagnosing and characterizing cancer using the characteristics of the fragments through SFR and 5'end-motif analysis.

Berberis koreana Palibin is an endemic plant native to Korea. In this study, we aimed to study seed germination in this species using a water imbibition experiment, gibberellic acid (GA3) treat-ment (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg·L−1), cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks at 4 °C), a move-along experiment, and phenology studies. In the water imbibition experiment, the weight of the seeds increased by more than 120% in 24 h. Analysis of the internal and external morphological char-acteristics of the seed revealed that the embryo was already fully grown from the fruit and did not grow thereafter. The final germination percentages for cold stratification at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks at 4 °C were 12, 32, 59, 59, and 71%, respectively. In the move-along experiment and phe-nology studies, a longer low-temperature treatment period resulted in a higher germination percentage. However, the GA3 treatment had little effect on seed germination. Our results indi-cate that B. koreana exhibits intermediate physiological seed dormancy.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

Forest ecosystems make a greater contribution to carbon (C) stocks than any other terrestrial ecosystem. To understand the role of regional forest ecosystems in global climate change and carbon exchange, forest C stock and its spatial distribution within the small (2,300 km2) Liuxihe River basin were analyzed to determine the different contributors to the C stock. Forest C stocks were quantified by measuring the biomass of trees, understory vegetation, litter and roots, as well as soil organic C, using data from field samples and laboratory experiments. The results showed that forests stored 38.04 Tg C in the entire basin, with secondary and planted forests accounting for 89.82% and 10.18%, respectively, of the stored C. Five types of forests, a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, a subtropical coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, a subtropical coniferous forest, a timber forest, and a non-wood forest, stored 257.55 ± 15.01, 218.92 ± 9.59, 195.24 ± 18.29, 177.42 ± 17.55, and 117.86 ± 6.04 Mg C ha−1, respectively. In the forest ecosystem C stocks of the basin, soils averagely contribute about 73.78%, not including root underground biomass. It provides a comprehensive method for forest ecosystem carbon investigation and forest management in small basin scale.

Odontogenic infections are infections of the orofacial structures arising from dental disease. Despite its preventability, it exerts a significant burden on healthcare infrastructure worldwide. Our study explored the various different microbiological, social, and epidemiological characteristics of 103 cases of odontogenic infections at our regional center which demonstrated specific predilections for the young and middle-aged, those with diabetes mellitus, African American/Black and Hispanic ethnicities, posterior teeth, left-sided dentition, and male gender. However, nuances and exceptions to these trends were also seen with specific groups that may complicate treatment.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of velamentous cord insertion (VCI) and the actual association between pathologically confirmed VCI and perinatal outcomes in twins based on the chorionicity. Methods All twin pregnancies who received prenatal care at a specialty clinic for multiple pregnancies, from less than 12weeks of gestation until delivery in a single institution between 2015 and 2018 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Results A total of the 941 twins were included in the study. The prevalence of VCI in dichorionic (DC) twins and monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins was 5.8% and 7.8%, respectively (p=0.251). In all study population, the prevalence of vasa previa and placenta accreta were higher in VCI group compared to that of non-VCI group (p=0.008 and 0.022). In MCDA twins with VCI, birth weight, 1 and 5-minute Apgar score were lower compared to DC twins with VCI (p=0.010, 0.002 and 0.000). There was no significant association between VCI and selective fetal growth restriction (p=0.708), twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (p=0.400) and birth-weight discordance (>20% and >25%) (p= 0.378 and 0.161) in MCDA twins. Conclusion VCI in twins was not a risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes and twin-specific complications.

The work proposes a backtesting analysis in comparison between the Lee-Carter and the Cairns-Blake-Dowd mortality models, employing Italian data. The mortality data come from the Italian National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) database and span the period 1975-2014, over which we computed back-projections evaluating the performances of the models in comparisons with real data. We propose three different backtest approaches, evaluating the goodness of short-run forecast versus medium-length ones. We find that both models were not able to capture the improving shock on the mortality observed for the male population on the analyzed period. Moreover, the results suggest that CBD forecast are reliable prevalently for ages above 75, and that LC forecast are basically more accurate for this data.

Accurate weight measurement is pivotal for monitoring the growth and well-being of cattle. However, the conventional weighing process, which involves physically placing cattle on scales, is labor-intensive and distressing for the animals. Hence, the development of automated cattle weight prediction techniques assumes critical significance. This study proposes a weight prediction approach for Korean cattle using 3D segmentation-based feature extraction and regression machine learning techniques from incomplete 3D shapes acquired from real farm environments. In the initial phase, we generated mesh data of 3D Korean cattle shapes using a multiple-camera system. Subsequently, deep learning-based 3D segmentation with the PointNet network model was employed to segment two dominant parts of the cattle. From these segmented parts, three crucial dimensions of Korean cattle were extracted. Finally, we implemented five regression machine learning models (CatBoost regression, LightGBM, Polynomial regression, Random Forest regression, and XGBoost regression) for weight prediction. To validate our approach, we captured 270 Korean cattle in various poses, totaling 1190 poses of 270 cattle. The best result was achieved with mean absolute error (MAE) of 25.2 kg and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of 5.81% using the random forest regression model.

Antibiotics’ effect on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection still remains controversial. A prospective study of 257 children with MP pneumonia during a recent epidemic (2015-2016) was conducted. All MP pneumonia patients were treated with corticosteroids within 24-36 h after admission. Initially, oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg) or intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) (1-2 mg/kg) was administered for mild pneumonia patients, and IVMP (5 -10 mg/kg/day) for severe pneumonia patients. If patients showed persistent fever for 36-48 hours or disease progression, additive IVMP (5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg) was given. Eighty-five patients received only a broad-spectrum antibiotic without macrolide. The mean age and the male:female ratio were 5.6 ± 3.1 years, respectively. Seventy-four percent of patients (190/257) showed immediate defervescence within 24 h, and 95.7% (246/257) of patients showed defervescence within 72 h with improvements in clinical symptoms. Eight patients who received additive IVMP also showed clinical improvement within 48 h without adverse reactions. There were no clinical or laboratory differences between patients treated with a macrolide (n = 172) and without (n = 85). Early corticosteroid therapy might reduce disease morbidity and prevent disease progression in MP pneumonia patients without side effects, and antibiotics may have limited effects on MP infection.

This study presents a novel approach for automating the body condition scoring of dairy cows, leveraging advancements in 3D imaging technology and deep neural networks. The primary objective was to design and implement a system capable of accurately and efficiently assessing the body condition of dairy cows, a critical metric in livestock management for optimizing health and productivity. To achieve this, a 3D camera was employed to capture detailed point cloud data, reconstructing the three-dimensional morphology of individual cows. The obtained data were then fed into a deep neural network, specifically tailored for the task of ranking body condition. The neural network was trained on a diverse dataset of annotated body condition score representing varying degrees of body condition, ensuring robust performance across different physiological states. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed system in automatically and objectively scoring the body condition of dairy cows. The automated process not only expedites the assessment but also reduces the subjectivity associated with manual scoring methods. This innovative approach holds promise for improving the efficiency of dairy farm management by providing timely and accurate body condition assessments. The integration of 3D imaging and deep learning techniques paves the way for future advancements in precision livestock farming, contributing to enhanced animal welfare, optimized production, and sustainable agriculture practices.

The geographical environment, food culture, and dietary habits are substantially different between the southern and northern regions in China. We investigated the associations with dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome between Chinese adult from the southern and northern regions (North: 1249; South: 1849) using data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition 2009 survey. Respectively, four dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis in the two regions. Each dietary pattern of factor score was calculated for three groups by tertile (T1<T2<T3). In the northern region, the association between the Alcohol and Western pattern and the risk of abdominal obesity (OR: 1.31; 95%:1.01, 1.68), hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 1.35; 95%:1.05, 1.74), high fasting blood glucose (OR: 1.37; 95%: 1.05, 1.80), and hypertension (OR: 1.55; 95%: 1.45, 1.99) was increased. In the southern region, the Convenience Food pattern was positively associated with hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 1.53; 95%: 1.03, 2.26), low HDL-cholesterol (OR: 1.96; 95%: 1.12, 3.43), and metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.79; 95%: 1.03, 3.11). The Alcohol dietary pattern was positively associated with high fasting blood glucose (OR: 1.83, 95%: 1.13, 2.97). There are some dietary pattern differences in the two regions. It is necessary to consider the factors of food culture and food intake habits in order to provide nutrition education to Chinese individuals from different regions in the future.

The number of patients with bone metabolic disorders including osteoporosis is increasing worldwide. These disorders often facilitate bone fractures, which seriously impact the patient’s quality of life and could lead to further health complications. Bone homeostasis is tightly regulated to balance bone resorption and formation. However, many anti-osteoporotic agents are broadly categorized as either bone forming or anti-resorptive, and their therapeutic use is often limited due to unwanted side effects. Therefore, safe and effective therapeutic agents are needed for osteoporosis. This study aims to clarify the bone protecting effects of oat bran water extract (OBWE) and its mode of action. OBWE inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation by blocking c-Fos/NFATc1 through the alteration of I-κB. Furthermore, we found that OBWE enhanced BMP-2-stimulated osteoblast differentiation by the induction of Runx2 via Smad signaling molecules. In addition, the anti-osteoporotic activity of OBWE was also evaluated using an in vivo model. OBWE significantly restored ovariectomy-induced bone loss. These in vitro and in vivo results showed that OBWE has the potential to combat bone metabolic disorders including osteoporosis

Hair loss attributed to excessive stress from work and lifestyle changes has become a growing concern, particularly among young individuals. However, currently used drugs such as minoxidil and finasteride impose a plethora of side effects. Therefore, natural substances as alternatives have garnered research interest. A recent study showed the efficacy of Malva verticillata seed extracts in alleviating hair loss via upregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this study, the efficacy of M. verticillata seed extracts on alleviation of hair loss was further investigated. Further fractionation and purification of the seed extracts using silica gel column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography helped identify linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid as the major bioactive components. LA insufficiency is reported to cause hair loss. However, its mechanism of action is not clearly known. Here, we explored the efficacy of LA treatment on preventing hair loss and its underlying mechanism of action. We found that LA treatment activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling and induced dermal papilla cell (DPC) proliferation in cell proliferation assays. Moreover, it increased the expression of cell cycle proteins such as cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2. LA treatment also increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, hepatocyte growth factor, and keratinocyte growth factor in a concentration-dependent manner and significantly inhibited that of DKK-1, induced by dihydrotestosterone. These findings suggest that LA treatment induces hair growth by increasing DPC proliferation and alleviates androgenic alopecia by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in DPCs.

The emergence of CDK4/6 inhibitors, such as palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib, has revolutionized the treatment landscape for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. These agents have demonstrated significant clinical benefits in terms of both progression-free survival and overall survival. However, resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors remains a challenge, limiting their long-term efficacy. Understanding the complex mechanisms driving resistance is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic strategies and improvement of patient outcomes. Translational research efforts, such as preclinical models and biomarker studies, offer valuable insight into resistance mechanisms and may guide the identification of novel combination therapies. This review paper aims to outline the reported mechanisms underlying CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance, drawing insights from both clinical data and translational research in order to help direct the future of treatment for hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer.

Background: Patients with burn scars often suffer from a ‘vicious cycle’ in which their skin becomes dry and pruritus. This greatly reduces patients' quality of life, but there is no well-known mechanism yet, and the development of drugs for effective treatment is necessary. Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of cosmetic formulation containing arginine glutamate ion pair (named as RE:pair) on epidermal barrier function and reducing pruritus. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 patients [15 male and 5 female; average age 48.35 ± 13.13 years] participated in evaluating the effectiveness of using the RE:pair formula topically twice daily for up to 4 weeks after burn pruritus. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for itching and pain, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) evaluation, and the patient’s overall satisfaction. Results: This formula was well-tolerated, with significant relief of NRS for itching and pain score after 2nd weeks and 4th weeks of application (p &lt; 0.05). The itching score was high in some patients, and overall, it decreased significantly after 4 weeks compared to before application. Also, the personal pain score decreased after 4th weeks. Overall TEWL showed 35 % improvement after 4th week, and 52 % improvement was confirmed in arms and 19 % in legs. The overall improvement effect of skin hydration was also 45 % (p = 0.0012), and the improvement effect was 40 % (p = 0.0371) in areas including arms and 54 % (p = 0.0313) in areas including legs. All patient satisfactory evaluations were "excellent". Conclusions: RE:pair formula was safe and effective in improving skin barrier and itch relief, and if further studies are conducted, it can be used as an excellent topical treatment for post-burn scar that strengthens the skin barrier.

Lake sediment records are of great importance for understanding the evolution of watershed environments. Various studies have been carried out to constrain the depositional ages of lake sediments and examine their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, aiming to construct historical vegetation, environment and climate patterns in Chinese lake watersheds. In this study, we obtained relevant literature on lake sediment records by searching the key word 'age-depth' from the databases – Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, the largest Chinese academic database). We analyzed the literature based on its type (published in a Chinese/English journal or as a Master’s/PhD thesis), period of publication, journal (if published in a journal), key authors, study area, dating scale, and main aims. The results suggest that the lakes in the plateau regions are the most popular research topic typically covering 100–200 years (short-term) and 500–30,000 years (long-term). The literature focuses on a wide range of topics, from past environmental evolution in the watershed to lake ecology, and provides a solid foundation for better understanding regional climate change and the preservation of lake environments and ecosystems. In the future, resulting data from environmental reconstruction with lake sediments will be needed to integrate with emerging information processing technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence and meta-analysis), to disentangle the complex interplay between Earth surface processes and global climate change; furthermore, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration will deepen our comprehension of man-land relationship and promote the sustainable management of lake ecosystems in the context of global climate change.

Diagnosing congenital heart disease (CHD) remains challenging because of its complex morphology. Representing the intricate structures of CHD on conventional two-dimensional flat screens is difficult owing to wide variations in the pathologies. Technological advancements, such as three-dimensional printed heart models (3DPHM) and virtual reality (VR), could potentially address the limitations of viewing complex structures using conventional methods. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness and clinical value of four visualization modalities across three different cases of CHD, including ventricular septal defect, double outlet right ventricle, and tetralogy of fallot. Seventeen cardiac specialists were invited to participate in this study, which was aimed at assessing the usefulness and clinical value of four visualization modalities, namely, DICOM images, 3DPHM, VR, and 3D PDF. Of these modalities, 76.4% of the specialists ranked VR as the best for understanding the spatial associations among cardiac structures and for presurgical planning. Meanwhile, 94.1% ranked 3DPHM as the best modality for communicating with patients and their families. Of the various visualization modalities, VR was the best tool for assessing anatomical locations and vessels, comprehending the spatial relationships among cardiac structures, and for presurgical planning. The 3DPHM models were the best tool for medical education as well as communication. In summary, both 3DPHM and VR have their own advantages and outperform the other two modalities, i.e., DICOM images and 3D PDF, in terms of visualizing and managing CHD.

Hair loss attributed to excessive stress from work and lifestyle changes has become a growing concern, particularly among young individuals. However, currently used drugs such as minoxidil and finasteride impose a plethora of side effects. Therefore, natural substances as alternatives have garnered research interest. A recent study showed the efficacy of Malva verticillata seed extracts in alleviating hair loss via upregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this study, the efficacy of M. verticillata seed extracts on alleviation of hair loss was further investigated. Further fractionation and purification of the seed extracts using silica gel column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography helped identify linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid as the major bioactive components. LA insufficiency is reported to cause hair loss. However, its mechanism of action is not clearly known. Here, we explored the efficacy of LA treatment on preventing hair loss and its underlying mechanism of action. We found that LA treatment activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling and induced dermal papilla cell (DPC) proliferation in cell proliferation assays. Moreover, it increased the expression of cell cycle proteins such as cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2. LA treatment also increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, hepatocyte growth factor, and keratinocyte growth factor in a concentration-dependent manner and significantly inhibited that of DKK-1, induced by dihydrotestosterone. These findings suggest that LA treatment induces hair growth by increasing DPC proliferation and alleviates androgenic alopecia by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in DPCs.

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

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising chemotherapeutic agent because of its selective apoptotic action on cancer cells. However, resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis remains a challenge in many cancers. The gintonin-enriched Panax ginseng extract fraction (GEF) has diverse pharmacological benefits. We explored the combined efficacy of GEF and TRAIL in inducing apoptosis in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. The effect of GEF treatment on viability, clonogenic potential, wound healing, and TRAIL-induced apoptotic signaling of RCC cells was studied in vitro. Our investigation revealed that GEF pre-treatment sensitized RCC cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation and cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration inhibition. This sensitization was linked to the upregulation of death receptors 4 and 5 and alterations in apoptotic protein expression; notably, decreased expression of Mu-2-related death-inducing gene, a novel anti-apoptotic protein. Our findings underscore the necessity of caspase activation for GEF/TRAIL-induced apoptosis using the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. It demonstrates that GEF sensitizes human RCC cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by upregulating DR4/5 and modulating apoptotic protein expression. These findings suggest a promising strategy for overcoming TRAIL resistance in cancer therapy and highlight the potential of GEF as a valuable adjunct to TRAIL-based treatments.

Despite accumulating evidence for the pro-apoptotic role for X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis-associated factor 1 (XAF1), its involvement in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response remains undefined. Here, we report that XAF1 enhances cell sensitivity to ER stress and acts as a switch in unfolded protein response (UPR)-mediated cell-fate decisions favoring apoptosis over adaptive autophagy. XAF1 interacts with and destabilizes ER stress sensor GRP78 through the assembly of zinc finger protein 313-mediated destruction complex. Moreover, XAF1 gene transcription is activated by ER stress through PERK-Nrf2 signaling to direct an adaptive to apoptotic switch of stress response by blocking C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination and subsequent phosphorylation of inositol-required enzyme-1α (IRE1α). In tumor xenograft assays, XAF1-/- tumors display substantially lower regression compared to XAF1+/+ tumors in response to cytotoxic dose of ER stress inducer. XAF1 and GRP78 expression show an inverse correlation in human cancer cell lines and primary breast carcinomas. Collectively this study uncovers an important role for XAF1 as a linchpin to govern the sensitivity to ER stress and the outcomes of UPR signaling, illuminating the mechanistic consequence of XAF1 inactivation in tumorigenesis.

As a representative of Exponential Organizations, MI went from obscurity to the Fortune 500 in just ten years. Mi's success is inextricably linked to its outstanding business model. This paper summarizes the elements of MI's business model from four perspectives: value proposition, value creation, value delivery, and value capture, as well as its measures for developing into an exponential organization. Expecting to provide theoretical references for the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing organizations.

Depressive disorder in childhood and adolescence is a highly prevalent mood disorder that tends to recur throughout life. Untreated mood disorders can adversely impact a patient's quality of life and cause socioeconomic loss. Thus, an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment is crucial. However, until now, diagnoses and treatments are conducted according to clinical symptoms. Objective and biological validation are lacking. This may result in a poor outcome for patients with depressive disorder. Research has been conducted to identify the biomarkers that are related to depressive disorder. Cumulative evidence has revealed that certain immunologic biomarkers in-cluding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cytokines, gastrointestinal biomarkers, hormones, oxidative stress, and certain hypothalamus-pituitary axis biomarkers are associated with depressive disorder. This article reviews the biomarkers related to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric depressive disorders. To date, clinical biomarker tests are not yet available for diagnosis or for the prediction of treatment prognosis. However, cytokines such as Interleukin-2, interfer-on-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and BDNF have shown significant results in previous studies of pediatric depressive disorder. These biomarkers have the potential to be used for diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and group screening for those at high risk.

The fungus Xylaria sp. Z184, harvested from the leaves of Fallopia convolvulus (L.) Á. Löve, has been isolated for the first time. Chemical investigation of the methanol extract of this strain’s culture broth led to the discovery of three new pyranone derivatives fallopiaxylaresters A-C (1–3) and a new bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid named fallopiaxylarol A (4), along with the first complete set of spectroscopic data for the previously-reported pestalotiopyrone M (5). Known pyranone derivatives (6–11), sesquiterpenoids (12–14), isocoumarin derivatives (15–17), and an aromatic allenic ether (18) were co-isolated. Their structures were elucidated by the interpretation of HRESIMS, 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical computation method. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of selected compounds and crude extract were evaluated in vitro. The extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine RAW264.7 macrophage cells, with an inhibition rate of 77.28 ± 0.82% at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. The compounds 5, 7 and 8 displayed weak antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus areus subsp. aureus at a concentration of 100 μM.

This study investigated the effects of silibinin, derived from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced morphological changes in mouse macrophages. Silibinin was treated at various doses and time points to assess its effects on macrophage activation including morphological changes and phagocytosis. Silibinin effectively inhibited LPS-induced pseudopodia formation and size increase, while unstimulated cells remained round. Silibinin's impact on phagocytosis was dose- and time-dependent, showing a decrease. We explored its mechanism of action on kinases using a MAPK array. Among the three MAPK family members tested, silibinin had a limited effect on JNK and p38 but significantly inhibited ERK1/2 and related RSK1/2. Silibinin also inhibited MKK6, AKT3, MSK2, p70S6K, and GSK-3β. These findings highlight silibinin's potent inhibitory effects on phagocytosis and morphological changes in macrophages. We suggest its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent due to its ability to target key inflammatory pathways involving ERK1/2 and related kinases. Overall, this study demonstrates the promising therapeutic properties of silibinin in modulating macrophage function and inflammation.

Technological advancements must keep pace with earth’s rising demand for energy, while minimizing the carbon footprint on earth. One such option is using space based solar (SBS) radio frequency (RF) microwave power beaming. This innovative and novel technology is currently being explored to address terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) intermittency and provide a method to transmit power to other spacecraft in various orbits. This modality of power generation and distribution presents a new way to power terrestrial off-grid applications and earth orbiting spacecraft. In 1968, Dr. Peter Glaser published "Power from the Sun: Its Future", which serves as the foundation of this paper to revitalize scientific interest and efforts in this topic. This paper will primarily focus on the reliance of SBS initiatives on reusable launch vehicles (RLV) to place SBS spacecraft in a designated orbit, as well as the technological, economic, and operational challenges associated with power beaming to earth and other spacecraft. This includes a discussion of the variables from the operational environment that contribute or accelerate spacecraft end of life.

Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominantly inherited fatal neurodegenerative disease. It affects motor, cognitive and psychiatric functions, and ultimately leads to death. The pathology of the disease is due to an expansion of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene on chromosome 4, which produces a mutant huntingtin protein (mhtt). HD patients manifest a typical phenotype of sporadic, rapid, involuntary control of limb movement, stiffness of limbs, impaired cognition and severe psychiatric disturbances. A variety of symptomatic treatments (which target excitotoxicity, the dopamine pathway, caspases, aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional dysregulation, mHtt, nucleic acid, neurodegeneration, fetal neural transplants, etc.) are currently available, and new symptomatic and potentially disease-modifying therapies are being actively developed. Recent advances in novel therapeutic strategies, including targeting mutant huntingtin (mhtt) and the htt gene, promise another wave of disease-modifying trials in the near future. A better appreciation of heterogeneous clinical phenomenology and immediate tractable treatment goals coupled with advances in new therapeutics heralds a golden age of HD treatment that will positively impact the quality of life and longevity of HD patients and inform advances in other inherited and neurodegenerative neurological disorders. In the present review literature, our aims to address the latest research on promising therapeutics based on influencing the hypothesized pathological mechanisms associated with HD.

We introduce a novel microscopic image dataset augmented with segmentation and detection labels specifically designed for microplastic analysis in sewage environments. Recognizing the increasing concern over microplastics — particles of synthetic polymers smaller than 5mm — and their detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and human health, our research focuses on enhancing detection and analytical methodologies through advanced computer vision and deep learning techniques. The dataset comprises high-resolution microscopic images of microplastics collected from sewage, meticulously labeled for both segmentation and detection tasks, aiming to facilitate accurate and efficient identification and quantification of microplastic pollution. In addition to dataset development, we present example deep learning models optimized for segmentation and detection of microplastics within complex sewage samples. The models demonstrate significant potential in automating the analysis of microplastic contamination, offering a scalable solution to environmental monitoring challenges. Furthermore, we ensure the accessibility and reproducibility of our research by making the dataset and model codes publicly available, accompanied by detailed documentation on GitHub and LabelBox. The dataset and example deep learning models are publicly available at the following GitHub link. https://anonymous.4open.science/r/Microplastics-in-Sewage-1BEF

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between 1-year mortality and health insurance benefit extension policy items in severe pneumonia pa-tients requiring mechanical ventilation using a South Korean nationwide cohort. Methods: A nationwide population-based retrospective study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance database. A total of 1,099 patients (542 patients in the health insurance benefit item group and 557 patients in the control group) were included. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Results: Among patients with health insurance benefit extension policy items, 203 patients (37.5%) were diagnosed with hemato-oncological disease, who were categorized as group A, and 339 patients (62.5%) were diagnosed with cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, or rare diseases, who were categorized as group B. Group B had lower 1-year mortality (50.7% vs. 62.5%, P

An understanding of the mechanism underlying fruit ripening is critical for fruit quality improvement. Although post-harvest ethylene application is known to enhance the onset of fruit ripening, exact mechanisms remain unclear. To characterize the fruit ripening process and mechanism, we investigated the effects of exposing kiwifruit cultivars ‘Hayward’ and ‘Gamrok’ to exogenous ethylene treatment post-harvest using comprehensive proteomic analyses. Comparative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that most of the proteins aggregated in ethylene-treated samples compared to the control (non-treated). We observed that among all ethylene treatments, 95 proteins from ‘Hayward’ and 106 from ‘Gamrok’ were differentially expressed. Interestingly, among the elicited protein successfully identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry, 50% from “Hayward’ and 60% from ‘Gamrok’ are associated with fruit ripening. Furthermore, 18% and 10% of proteins, respectively, are associated with defense response, whereas other major proteins are related to protein biosynthesis and photosynthesis/Calvin cycle. Interactions between identified proteins were demonstrated by bioinformatic analysis, providing insights into biological pathways and molecular functions in post-harvest kiwifruit ripening elicited by ethylene application. The present proteomic study in accordance with physiological analysis provides a quantitative evaluation of fruit ripening in response to exogenous ethylene in post-harvest kiwifruit.

Smart City has emerged as the mainstream paradigm for urban governance innovation, sustainable development, and strategy upgrades, which is drawing attention from scholars worldwide. However, current frameworks for Smart City assessment remain incomplete and simplistic. In is paper, 30 national or provincial capitals in China were selected and we designed a tri-dimensional SPI model—Social, Physical, and Information Space—for smart city spatial development assessment. Utilizing methods such as entropy weighting, coupled coordination degree models, and the Dagum Gini coefficient, this study assesses the spatial development and coupled coordination of 30 cities from 2011 to 2019. Finally, by means of BP neural networks, the study examines the contribution of each indicator to the spatial coupled coordination. The results indicated that with a narrowing disparity in development speeds among different regions, the spatial coupled coordination development level of smart capitals in China has steadily increased, presenting a pattern of staggered distribution. Moreover, the IS subsystem plays the most significant role in coupled coordination. The significance of this research lies in its tri-dimensional spatial perspective of the spatial development and coupled coordination differences of the Smart City, providing evidence-based support for the regional layout and optimization in China.

With the advent of Neural Machine Translation, the more the achievement of human-machine parity is claimed at WMT, the more we come to ask ourselves if their evaluation environment can be trusted. In this paper, we argue that the low quality of the source test set of the news track at WMT may lead to an overrated human parity claim. First of all, we report nine types of so-called technical contaminants in the data set, originated from an absence of meticulous inspection after web-crawling. Our empirical findings show that when they are corrected, about 5% of the segments that have previously achieved a human parity claim turn out to be statistically invalid. Such a tendency gets evident when the contaminated sentences are solely concerned. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first attempt to question the “source” side of the test set as a potential cause of the overclaim of human parity. We cast evidence for such phenomenon that according to sentence-level TER scores, those trivial errors change a good part of system translations. We conclude that to overlook it would be a mistake, especially when it comes to an NMT evaluation.

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

The global warming our generation is experiencing is just one of the great environmental crises of the Anthropocene, a geological period that began with the use of fossil fuels and that, in merely one century and a few decades of industrial activity, has altered ecosystemic processes that sustain human health and well-being. Beyond the loss of the “intrinsic value of nature”, changes in the magnitude and direction of biogeochemical cycles and increases in temperature are phenomena that not only accompany the loss of habitats and species but impair resilience by ultimately generating greater and more complex numbers and types of exposures that constitute a danger to human health. In this study, we attempted to offer some notes about the margin, understood as that space with the greatest inequity and therefore the fastest growth of risk: the collision area where deprivation marks the social determinants of health and where the greatest interaction with causes of disease occur.

Studying the two famous old problems that why the moon can move around the Sun and why the orbit of the Moon around the Earth cannot be broken off by the Sun under the condition that calculating with F=GMm/R^2, the attractive force of the Sun on the Moon is almost 2.2 times that of the Earth. We found that the planet and moon are unified as one single gravitational unit which results in that the Sun cannot have the force of F=GMm/R^2 on the moon. The moon is moved by the gravitational unit orbiting around the Sun. It could indicate that the gravitational field of the moon is limited inside the unit and the gravitational fields of both the planet and moon is unified as one single field interacting with the Sun. The findings are further clarified by reestablishing Newton’s repulsive gravity.

The aim of the study is to assess the loads that are transferred from the main rotor and the tail rotor to the helicopter fuselage. These loads change in the various phases of the transient flight as a result of the variable control of the maneuver and as a result of the variable flow around the blades. The knowledge of the loads allows for the proper selection of the level of excitations that should load the fuselage structure during fatigue and strength tests. The simulation model describing the helicopter flight is discussed. This model takes into account the motion of each blade relative to its hinges. Results are shown for two maneuvers - pullup/pushover and diving. The values of extreme loads transferred to the fuselage were obtained.

Retinal apoptosis plays a critical role in the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common diabetic complication. Currently, the tight control of blood glucose levels is the standard approach to prevent or delay the progression of DR. However, prevalence of DR among diabetic patients remains high. Focusing on natural nutrients or herbal medicines that can prevent or delay the onset of diabetic complications, we administered an ethanol extract of the aerial portion of Osteomeles Schwerinae (OSSCE), a Chinese herbal medicine, over a period of 17 weeks to spontaneously diabetic Torii (SDT) rats. OSSCE was found to ameliorate retinal apoptosis through the regulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function via inhibition of NF-κB activity, in turn through the downregulation of PKCδ, P47phox, and ERK1/2. We further demonstrated in 25 mM glucose-treated human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) that hyperoside (3-O-galactoside-quercetin), quercitrin (3-O-rhamnoside-quercetin), and 2''-O-acetylvitexin (8-C-(2''-O-acetyl-glucoside)-apigenin) were the active components of OSSCE that mediated its pharmacological action. Our results provide evidence that OSSCE is a powerful agent that may directly mediate a delay in development or disease improvement in patients of DR.

This paper presents a piezoresistive pressure sensor with a shield layer for improved stability. Compared with the conventional piezoresistive pressure sensors, p-type piezoresistors are covered by an n-type shield layer, which is formed by ion implantation. The proposed pressure sensors have been successfully fabricated by bulk micromachining techniques. The impact of electrical field on piezoresistors is studied by simulation. The temperature drift of the pressure sensor has been investigated by both simulation and experimental measurement. Characteristics of developed pressure sensors are tested from -40 C to 125 C. A sensitivity of 0.022 mV/V/KPa and a maximum non-linearity of 0.085% FS are measured for the fabricated sensor in a pressure range of 1 MPa. The temperature coefficients of resistance of shielded piezoresistors are found to be smaller than those of un-shielded ones. It is demonstrated that the shield layer is able to reduce the drift caused by electrical field and ambient temperature variation.

To date, various chimeric lysins have been developed as efficacious antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria, but direct comparisons of their antibacterial activities have been difficult due to the preparation of multiple recombinant chimeric lysins. Previously, we reported an E. coli cell-free expression method to screen better chimeric lysins against Staphylococcus aureus, but we still needed to increase the amounts of expressed proteins enough to be able to detect them non-isotopically for quantity comparisons. In this study, we improved the previous cell-free expression system by adding a previously reported artificial T7 terminator and reversing the different nucleotides between the T7 promoter and start codon to those of the T7 phage. The new method increased the expressed amount of chimeric lysins enough for us to detect them using Western blotting. Therefore, the qualitative comparison of activity between different chimeric lysins has become possible via the adjustment of the amount variables between samples without protein purification. We applied it to select more active chimeric lysins derived from our previously reported chimeric lysin (ALS2). Finally, we compared the antibacterial activities of our selected chimeric lysins with reported chimeric lysins (ClyC and ClyO) and lysostaphin, and determined the rank orders of antibacterial activities on different S. aureus strains in our experimental conditions.

Novel genetic and epigenetic factors involved in the development and prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have been identified. We previously observed that EPB41L3 increased in the lung fibroblasts of IPF patients. Thus, we investigated the role of EPB41L3 in IPF by comparing EPB41L3 mRNA and protein expression of lung fibroblast between patients with IPF and controls. We also investigated the regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in an epithelial cell line (A549), and the fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) in a fibroblast cell line (MRC5), by overexpressing and silencing EPB41L3. EPB41L3 mRNA and protein levels, as measured by RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and western blot, were significantly higher in fibroblasts derived from 14 IPF patients than in those from 10 controls. The mRNA and protein expression of EPB41L3 was upregulated during transforming growth factor-β-induced EMT and FMT. Overexpression of EPB41L3 in A549 cells using lenti-EPB41L3 transfection suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of N-cadherin and COL1A1. Treatment with EPB41L3 siRNA upregulated mRNA and protein expression of N-cadherin. Overexpression of EPB41L3 in MRC5 cells using lenti-EPB41L3 transfection suppressed mRNA and protein expression of fibronectin and α-SMA. Finally, treatment with EPB41L3 siRNA upregulated mRNA and protein expression of FN1, COL1A1, and VIM. Overall, these data strongly support an inhibitory effect of EPB41L3 on the process of fibrosis and suggest therapeutic potential of EPB41L3 as an anti-fibrotic mediator.

Climate change related increases in frequency and intensity of heatwaves affect viticulture, leading to losses in yield and grape quality. We assessed whether canopy architecture manipulation mitigates the effects of summer stress in a Mediterranean vineyard. Muscat of Alexandria grapevines were monitored during 2019-2020. Two canopy shoot positioning treatments were applied: Vertical shoot positioning (VSP); and Modulated shoot positioning (MSP), the west side upper foliage released to promote partial shoot leaning, shading the clusters. Clusters were sampled at pea size (PS), veraison (VER) and full maturation (FM). Measurements included rachis anatomy and hydraulic conductance, and aquaporins (AQP) and stress-related genes expression in cluster tissues. Results show significant seasonal and interannual differences in Kh and vascular anatomy. At VER, Krachis , Krachis+pedicels, and xylem diameter decreased but were unaffected by treatments. The Phloem/Xylem ratio was either increased (2019) or reduced (2020) in MSP, compared to VSP. Most AQP were down-regulated at FM in pedicels, and up-regulated at VER in pulp. A potential maturation shift in MSP was observed, confirmed by the up-regulation of several stress-related genes in all tissues. The study pinpoints the role of canopy architecture in berry water relations and stress response during ripening.

Our lives are comprised of moment-to-moment activity experiences. According to the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), our occupational experiences can be affected by volition, which consists of personal causation, values, and interests. This study investigated how momentary volition affected occupational satisfaction and mind-wandering while performing occupations. This study also examined the relationship between momentary volition and the overall life perspectives of life satisfaction and life balance. Undergraduate students participated in this cross-sectional study. The experience sampling method (ESM) was used to measure students’ momentary states such as activity, volition, occupational satisfaction, and mind-wandering. After conducting the ESM, the participants’ life satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and their life balance was measured by the Life Balance Inventory (LBI). Forty-two participants and 1,092 sampling data were included in the analysis. Momentary personal causation, values, and interests contributed to occupational satisfaction. Mind-wandering was predicted negatively by interests but positively by personal causation. Momentary interests were positively correlated with SWLS and LBI scores. This study demonstrated that momentary volition was associated with occupational satisfaction and engagement, as well as life satisfaction and balance, in undergraduate students.

We report the use of four-layer graphene (4LG) as a highly reliable transparent conductive electrode (TCE) for polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC)-based smart window devices. The adhesion between 4LG and the substrate was successfully improved through a water-induced interface-cleaning (WIIC) process. We compared the performance of a device with a WIIC-processed 4LG electrode with that of devices with a conventional Indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and a 4LG electrode without a WIIC. With the application of the WIIC process, the PDLC smart window with a 4LG electrode exhibited reduced turn-on voltage and haze compared to 4LG without the WIIC process and characteristics comparable to those of the ITO electrode. Based on our observations, we conclude that 4LG with WIIC is a promising TCE for flexible smart windows.

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

The calmodulin-binding transcription activators (CAMTAs) mediate transcriptional regulation of development, growth, and responses to various environmental stresses in plants. To characterize the biological processes of soybean CAMTA (GmCAMTA) family members in response to abiotic stress, we identified 15 GmCAMTA genes from soybean (Glycine max L.) and investigated their roles in the abiotic stress response. The transcriptions of GmCAMTAs exhibited distinct circadian regulation patterns and were expressed differently in response to salt, drought, and cold stresses, except ABA. Interestingly, the expression levels of GmCAMTA2, GmCAMTA8, and GmCAMTA12 were higher in stem tissue than in other soybean tissues. To determine the roles of GmCAMTAs in the regulation of developmental processes and stress responses, we isolated GmCAMTA2 and GmCAMTA8 cDNAs from soybean and generated Arabidopsis overexpressing transgenic plants. The GmCAMTA2-OX and GmCAMTA8-OX plants showed hypersensitivity to drought stress. The water in the leaves of GmCAMTA2-OX and GmCAMTA8-OX plants was lost faster than that in WT plants under drought stress conditions. In addition, stress-responsive genes in the GmCAMTA2-OX and GmCAMTA8-OX plants were down-regulated under drought stress conditions. Our results suggest that GmCAMTA2 and GmCAMTA8 genes are regulated by circadian rhythms and function as negative regulators in development and drought stress responses.

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

Air passenger traffic prediction is crucial for the effective operation of civil aviation airports. Despite some progress in this field, the prediction accuracy and methods need further improvement. This paper proposes an integrated approach to the prediction of air passenger index as follows. Firstly, the air passenger index is defined and classified by the K-means clustering method. Based on the mutual information (MI) principle, the information entropy is used to analyze and select the key influencing factors of air passenger travel. By incorporating the MI principle into the support vector regression (SVR) framework, this paper presents an innovative MI-SVR machine learning model used to predict the air passenger index. Finally, the proposed model is validated by passenger throughput data of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China. The experimental results prove the model feasibility and effectiveness by comparing them with conventional methods, such as ARIMA, LSTM, and other machine learning models, outperformed by the MI-SVR model. Besides, it is shown that the prediction effect of each model could be improved by introducing influencing factors based on mutual information. The main findings are considered instrumental to the airport operation and air traffic optimization.

Air passenger traffic prediction is crucial for the effective operation of civil aviation airports. Despite some progress in this field, the prediction accuracy and methods need further improvement. This paper proposes an integrated approach to the prediction of air passenger index as follows. Firstly, the air passenger index is defined and classified by the K-means clustering method. Based on the mutual information (MI) principle, the information entropy is used to analyze and select the key influencing factors of air passenger travel. By incorporating the MI principle into the support vector regression (SVR) framework, this paper presents an innovative MI-SVR machine learning model used to predict the air passenger index. Finally, the proposed model is validated by passenger throughput data of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China. The experimental results prove the model feasibility and effectiveness by comparing them with conventional methods, such as ARIMA, LSTM, and other machine learning models, outperformed by the MI-SVR model. Besides, it is shown that the prediction effect of each model could be improved by introducing influencing factors based on mutual information. The main findings are considered instrumental to the airport operation and air traffic optimization.

In this paper, we propose and evaluate two mechanisms aimed at improving the communication reliability of IEEE 802.15g SUN (Smart Utility Networks) in industrial scenarios: RTS (Re-Transmission Shaping), which uses acknowledgements to track channel conditions and dynamically adapt the number of re-transmissions per packet, and AMS (Adaptive Modulation Selection), which makes use of reinforcement learning based on MAB (Multi-Armed Bandits) to choose the modulation that provides the best reliability for each packet re-transmission. The evaluation of both mechanisms is performed through computer simulations using a dataset obtained from a real-world deployment and two widely used metrics, the PDR (Packet Delivery Ratio) and the RNP (Required Number of Packet transmissions). The PDR measures the ratio between received and transmitted packets, whereas the RNP is the number of packet repetitions before a successful transmission. The results show that both mechanisms allow to increase the communication reliability while not jeopardizing the battery life-time constraints of end devices. For example, when three re-transmissions per packet are allowed, the PDR reaches 98/96\% with a RNP of 2.03/1.32 using RTS and AMS, respectively. Additionally, the combination of both proposed mechanisms allows to reach a 99% PDR with a RNP of 1.7, making IEEE 802.15.4g SUN compliant with the stringent data delivery requirements of industrial applications.

This study analyses regional development in one of the poorest provinces in China, Guizhou Province, between 2000 and 2012 using a multiscale and multi-mechanism framework. In general, regional inequality has been declining since 2000. In addition, economic development in Guizhou Province presented spatial agglomeration and club convergence, which shows how the development pattern of one core area, two-wing areas and a contiguous area at the edge of the province have been developed between 2006 and 2012. Multilevel regression analysis revealed that industrialization and investment level were the primary driving forces of regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province. The influences of marketization and decentralization on regional economic disparity were relatively weak. Investment level reinforced regional economic disparity and the development of core-periphery structure in the province. However, investment level actually weakened the regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province when the variable of time was considered. In addition, both the topography and urban–rural differentiation were the two main reasons for forming a core-periphery structure in Guizhou Province.

Because the development of the internet of things (IoT) requires technology that transfers information between objects without human intervention, the core of IoT security will be secure authentication between devices or between devices and servers. Software-based authentication may be a security vulnerability in IoT, but hardware-based security technology can provide a strong security environment. A physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are a hardware security element suitable for lightweight applications. PUFs can generate challenge-response pairs(CRPs) that cannot be controlled or predicted by utilizing inherent physical variations that occur in the manufacturing process. In particular, pulse width memristive PUF (PWM-PUF) improves security performance by applying different write pulse widths and bank structures. Bloom filter (BF) is probabilistic data structures that answer membership queries using small memories. Bloom filter can improve search performance and reduce memory usage and are used in areas such as networking, security, big data, and IoT. In this paper, we propose a structure that applies Bloom filters based on the PWM-PUF to reduce PUF data transmission errors. The proposed structure uses two different Bloom filter types that store different information and that are located in front of and behind the PWM-PUF, improving security by removing challenges from attacker access. Simulation results show that the proposed structure decreases the data transmission error rate and reuse rate as the Bloom filter size increases, the simulation results also show that the proposed structure improves PWM-PUF security with a very small Bloom filter memory.

Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness programmes have been explored to provide students with pleasant and satisfying experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of integrating Zen meditation(禪)and music listening on the mindfulness and happiness levels of university music therapy students. Qualitative methodology was used, and data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews. To investigate various aspects of data regarding the role of meditation and music (MM) programme for mindfulness and happiness, this study used thematic analysis within a qualitative research design. The results of this study indicate that the 8-week MM programme is effective in enhancing mindfulness and happiness and has positive responses to daily life stress (e.g., exam anxiety, financial difficulties, and emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic). The role of meditation and music in promoting mental health and well-being has long been discussed and the combination of the two has been recognised as a beneficial intervention. This paper could contribute to the support of mental health resources and coping strategies in higher education, as well as expand the potential range of integrating practices involving music and meditation.

This paper presents a 612–1152 MHz Injection Locked Frequency Multiplier (ILFM). The proposed ILFM is only used for sending an input signal to the receiver in the I/Q mismatch calibration mode. Using the Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) to calibrate the receiver places a burden on this system due to the extra area required and power consumption. Instead of the PLL, to satisfy high frequency, low jitter, and low area, a Ring Oscillator is proposed. The free-running frequency of the ILFM is automatically digitally calibrated to reflect the frequency of the injected signal from the harmonics of the reference clock. To control the frequency of the ILFM, the load current is digitally tuned with 6-bit digital control signal. The proposed ILFM locks to the target frequency using a digitally controlled Frequency Locked Loop (FLL). This chip is fabricated using 1-poly 6-metal 0.18 µm CMOS and achieve the wide tuning range of 612–1152 MHz. The power consumption is 0.95 mW from a supply voltage of 1.8 V. The measured phase noise of the ILFM is −108 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz offset.

This paper investigates the density, phase composition, microstructure and mechanical properties (microhardness, fracture toughness) of binderless WC + SiC ceramics obtained by conventional pressureless sintering (CPS) and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). α-WC nanopowders obtained by DC arc plasma chemical synthesis and β-SiC powders have been used as raw materials. The content of SiC particles was 1, 3, 5% wt. Excess graphite (0.3, 0.5% wt.) was added to α-WC nanopowders to decrease the volume fraction of W2C particles that negatively affect the mechanical properties of ceramics. WC + 1% wt. SiC + 0.3% wt. C ceramics are shown to have a homogeneous fine-grained microstructure, high relative density, increased microhardness and Palmquist fracture toughness. The CPS and SPS activation energies of WC + SiC nanopowders at an intensive shrinkage stage are determined using the Young-Cutler model. The effect of carbon and SiC particles on the CPS and SPS activation energies of tungsten carbide nanopowders has been analyzed. The CPS activation energies of WC, WC + C and WC + SiC + C nanopowders are shown to be closer to the carbon diffusion activation energy along α-WC grain boundaries. The SPS activation energies of WC and WC + SiC nanopowders turn out to be lower than the carbon grain boundary diffusion activation energy of α-WC.

This paper aims to investigate the rate of expansion and extraction within the solar system. We carried out the Solar system expansion calculations to do such a review. The Universe is expected to look the same from every point in it. After the big bang, Universe is expanding at some speed. Astrophysicists have been in a race to measure precisely how fast the Universe is expanding since Hubble announced that galaxies were systematically moving away from Milky Way Galaxy with a current speed in 1929. Hubble’s observations came after Einstein’s general relativity, which inspired the big bang theory. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe has created billions of years ago with an explosion and started to expand until today. The expansion of the Universe mostly happens in vast spaces, so clusters of galaxies move away from each other. For example, raising bread during baking will expand, but the raisings will stay the same size while moving each other to expand the bread. Observers have proven that an object (galaxies, a cluster of planets) held together by gravity has a patch of nonexpanding space produced by a gravitational field. However, some observers claimed the solar system is not expanding, while others claimed it is expanding. Does our solar system expand in an expanding Universe? The cosmological expansion of local systems is reviewed in the modern cosmological models. We showed answers related to this question with the help of literature. This review article revisited the proof of the Solar System’s expansion and its speed with about 0.32 nm/s in an expanding Universe.

Background. The treatment of coronary stenosis relies on invasive high risk surgical assessment to generate the fractional flow reserve diagnostics index, a ratio of distal to proximal pressures in respect of coronary atherosclerotic plaque causing stenosis. Non-invasive methods are therefore a need of the times. This study proposes an extensible mathematical description of the coronary vasculature that permits rapid estimation of the coronary fractional flow reserve. Methods. By adapting an existing closed loop model of human coronary blood flow, the effects of large vessel stenosis and microvascular disease on fractional flow reserve were quantified. Several simula-tions generated flow and pressure information which was used to compute fractional flow re-serve under a spectrum of conditions including focal stenosis, diffuse stenosis, and microvascular disease. Sensitivity analysis stratified the influence of model parameters on the index. The model was simulated as coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations and numerically solved us-ing an implicit higher order method. Results. Large vessel stenosis affected fractional flow re-serve. The model predicts that the presence, rather than severity, of microvascular disease affect coronary flow deleteriously. Sensitivity analysis revealed that heart rate may not affect the index. Conclusions. The model provides a computationally inexpensive instrument for future in silico coronary blood flow investigations as well as clinical-imaging decision making. A combination of focal and diffuse stenosis appears to be essential in reducing the index. In addition to pressure measurements in the large epicardial vessels, diagnosis of microvascular disease is essential. The independence of the index with respect to heart rate suggests that computationally inexpensive steady state simulations may provide sufficient information to reliably compute the index.

Packet re-transmissions are a common technique to improve link reliability in low-power wireless networks. However, since packet re-transmissions increase the end-device energy consumption and the network load, a maximum number of re-transmissions per packet is typically set, also considering the duty-cycle limitations imposed by radio-frequency regulations. Moreover, the number of re-transmissions per packet is typically set to a constant value, meaning that all packet re-transmissions are treated the same regardless of actual channel conditions (i.e., multi-path propagation or internal/external interference effects). Taking that into account, in this paper we propose and evaluate the concept of re-transmission shaping, a mechanism that manages packet re-transmissions to maximize link reliability, while minimizing energy consumption and meeting radio-frequency regulation constraints. The proposed re-transmission shaping mechanism operates by keeping track of unused packet re-transmissions and allocating additional retransmission when the instantaneous link quality decreases due to channel impairments. To evaluate the re-transmission shaping mechanism we use trace-based simulations using a IEEE 802.15.4g SUN data-set and two widely used metrics, the PDR (Packet Delivery Ratio) and the RNP (Required Number of Packets). The obtained results show that re-transmission shaping is a useful mechanism to improve link reliability of low-power wireless communications, as it can increase PDR from 77.9% to 99.2% while sustaining a RNP of 2.35 re-transmissions per packet, when compared to using a single re-transmission per packet.

(1) Background: P-cadherin (CDH3) is a transmembrane protein that plays a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissue and homeostasis. Its role in carcinogenesis remains a subject of debate, as its behavior can vary depending on the molecular context and the specific tumor cell model under study. In this study, we explored the role of P-cadherin in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the mechanism underlying its function. (2) Methods: We analyzed P-cadherin expression in HNSCC patients using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. For in vitro functional analysis, we conducted proliferation, migration, invasion, and western blot assays after either suppressing or overexpressing P-cadherin. For in vivo functional analysis, we utilized mouse xenograft models. (3) Results: P-cadherin was significantly overex-pressed in tumor samples compared to normal samples in the TCGA-HNSCC cohort. P-cadherin knockdown resulted in decreased proliferation, migration, and invasion compared to control cells, while P-cadherin overexpression increased cell proliferation and migration in HNSCC cells. We discovered that c-Met functioned as an upstream regulator of P-cadherin. Surprisingly, we found that P-cadherin knockdown increased the phosphorylation of c-Met and STAT3. Combining P-cadherin siRNA with the c-Met inhibitor SU11274 resulted in a more effective reduction in HNSCC cell growth, both in vitro and in vivo, compared to either treatment alone. (4) Conclusions: Our study uncovered a previously unknown aspect of P-cadherin-mediated c-Met regulation. The enhanced activation of c-Met/STAT3 following P-cadherin inhibition could be responsible for the survival of resistant tumor cells. Therefore, dual inhibition of P-cadherin and c-Met may be a potentially effective approach for treating HNSCC.

A multiscale model that enables quantitative understanding and prediction of the size effect on scattering properties of micro- and nanostructures is crucial for the design of LED surface textures optimized for high light extraction efficiency (LEE). In this paper, a hybrid process for combining full-wave finite-difference time-domain simulation and a ray-tracing technique based on a bidirectional scattering distribution function model is proposed. We apply this method to study the influence of different pattern sizes of a patterned sapphire substrate on GaN-based LED light extraction from the microscale to the nanoscale. The results show that near-wavelength–scaled patterns with strong diffraction are not expected to enhance LEE. By contrast, microscaled patterns with optical diffusion behavior have the highest LEE at a specific aspect ratio, and subwavelength-scaled patterns that have antireflection properties show marked enhancement of LEE for a wide range of aspect ratios.

Baobab (Adansonia digitata) leaves are usually used in dry form in the preparation of a soup known as ‘miyan kuka’ in Northern Nigeria. The leaves are believed to have nutritional and medicinal benefits and have been used for those purposes in Africa and Asia. However there has been limited research on the detailed constituents of the dry leaves. In this study, phytochemical, elemental and proximate analyses of stored, sun and shade-dried baobab leaves were conducted. The results revealed a great variation in the nutritional contents of the leaves. The study reveals that the leaves are rich in phytochemicals such as glycosides, saponins, steroids and flavonoids while alkaloids, tannins and resins are absent. Also, they are important source of minerals such as zinc, copper, iron and manganese. In addition, they are rich in fibre, crude protein, nitrogen and ash. Contrasting responses were obtained in the samples studied. The implications of these responses are discussed in relation to crop yield.

Factors responsible of species distribution were intensively investigated in the past, including response at different spatial scales. The aim of the present research is to review the most relevant factors explaining chironomid species distribution focusing to factors operating at different spatial scales, such as latitude, longitude, altitude, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, nutrients acting at regional, country, water basin extension. Data including chironomid species abundances from different lentic and lotic waters from Italy and other surrounding countries were analyzed with different multivariate methods: partial canonical correspondence analysis and multiple discriminant analysis. Spatial analysis included univariate Moran’I correlograms, multivariate Mantel correlograms and Moran’s Eigenvectors Maps (MEM) calculation. The results confirmed previous conclusions, that is habitat type including different running waters reaches (kryal, krenal, rhthral, potamal) and different lake types is the most significant factor in separating chironomid assemblages and spatial factors act only as indirect influencers..

Abstract The construction of a heterostructured nanowire array allows the manipulation of the interfacial, surface, charge transport, and transfer properties simultaneously, offering new opportunities to achieve multi-functionality for various applications. Herein, we developed a facile thermal evaporation and post-annealing method to synthesize ternary-Zn2SnO4/binary-ZnO radially heterostructured nanowire arrays (HNA). Vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays (3.5 μm in length) were grown on a ZnO-nanoparticle-seeded fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate by a hydrothermal method. Subsequently, the amorphous layer consisting of Zn-Sn-O complex was uniformly deposited on the surface of the ZnO nanowires via the thermal evaporation of the Zn and Sn powder mixture in vacuum, followed by post-annealing at 550 °C in air to oxidize and crystallize the Zn2SnO4 shell layer. The use of a powder mixture composed of elemental Zn and Sn (rather than oxides and carbon mixture) as an evaporation source ensures high vapor pressure at a low temperature (e.g., 700 °C) during thermal evaporation. The morphology, microstructure, and charge-transport properties of the Zn2SnO4/ZnO HNA were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Notably, the optimally synthesized Zn2SnO4/ZnO HNA shows an intimate interface, high surface roughness, and superior charge-separation and -transport properties compared with the pristine ZnO nanowire array.