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This study compared the anti-pseudomonal effects between nephrite-impregnated contact lenses (CLs) and conventional and cosmetic CLs. After inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa), we counted the number of bacteria on the CL surface and observed each surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To estimate potential harm of nephrite-impregnated CLs, we conducted a safety test using a rabbit model, treated with all CL types. Both conventional and cosmetic CLs (n = 258 ± 2.9 × 104, 368 ± 2.2 × 104) showed significantly decreased number of attached bacteria when compared with those without nephrite impregnation (n = 134 ± 0.8 × 104, 238 ± 2.5 × 104, p < 0.0001, respectively). AFM and SEM revealed that P. aeruginosa was less attached to the nephrite-impregnated CLs than to the conventional and cosmetic CLs, although those with nephrite impregnation had rougher surface. In the safety test, there were no significant differences in the findings between four groups, and the clarity and stability of all corneas were preserved. Nephrite may be used as a next-generation substance to reduce infectious keratitis caused by P. aeruginosa when added to CLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • hiPSCs are differentiated into dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells, identified by RNA sequencing analysis. • hiPSC-derived dental cells encapsulated in GelMA led to the capacity for osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. • Differentiated dental cells in collagen gel induced into chondrogenic or osteogenic lineage. • Our most significant finding is the successful formation of bioengineered tooth-like constructs from hiPSC-derived dental cells in agar gel, a breakthrough in the field of bioengineering. Most mineralized tissues in our body are present in bones and teeth. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are promising candidates for cell therapy to help regenerate bone defects and teeth loss. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a non-cellular structure secreted by cells. Studies on the dynamic microenvironment of ECM are necessary for stem cell-based therapies. We aim to optimize an effective protocol for hiPSC differentiation into dental cells without utilizing animal-derived factors or cell feeders that can be applied to humans and to mineralize differentiated dental cells into hard tissues. For the differentiation of both dental epithelial cells (DECs) and dental mesenchymal cells (DMCs) from hiPSCs, an embryoid body (EB) was formed from hiPSCs. hiPSC were differentiated into neural crest cells with an induction medium utilized in our previous study, and hiPSC-derived DECs were differentiated with a BMP-modulated customized medium. hiPSC-dental cells were then characterized, analyzed, and validated with transcriptomic analysis, western blotting, and RT-qPCR. To form mineralized tissues, hiPSC-derived DECs were recombined with hiPSC-derived DMCs encapsulated in various biomaterials, including gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), collagen, and agar matrix. These hiPSC-derived dental cells are highly osteogenic and chondro-osteogenic in photocrosslinkable GelMA hydrogel and collagen type I microenvironments. Furthermore, hiPSC-derived dental cells in agar gel matrix induced the formation of a bioengineered tooth. Our study provides an approach for applying hiPSCs for hard tissue regeneration, including tooth and bone. This study has immense potential to provide a novel technology for bioengineering organs for various regenerative therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) causes severe postoperative pain. Thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) provides excellent analgesia during various surgeries. We examined the effects of PVB on postoperative analgesia in children undergoing AIS surgery. In this study, 32 children scheduled for AIS surgery were randomly assigned to receive either PVB (PVB group) or no block (control group). The PVB group underwent surgeon-performed PVB with 0.5 mL/kg of adrenalized 0.2% ropivacaine on each side. The primary outcome was the pain score at rest at 6 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included pain scores both at rest and during movement and analgesic use for 48 h postoperatively. The postoperative resting pain scores at 6 h were comparable between the control and PVB groups (5.2 ± 2.0 and 5.1 ± 1.8, respectively), with no significant differences. However, at 1 h postoperatively, the control group showed significantly higher resting and mean moving pain scores than the PVB group (p < 0.05). The pain scores at other time points and analgesic use were comparable between the groups. Initial benefits of surgeon-performed bilateral PVB were observed but diminished at 6 h postoperatively. Future research using various anesthetics is needed to extend the effects of PVB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether the distance to a riverside park and the neighborhood built environment are related to individuals' leisure walking time by examining the case of the Geumho riverside park in Daegu, South Korea. Background: Walking, being an inexpensive means of transportation with numerous health benefits, is influenced by the conditions of neighborhood built environments. Methods: A survey was conducted from October 12 to November 8, 2022, including 184 adults aged 18 years or older. The dependent variable was the total weekly minutes of leisure walking, and the independent variables included the neighborhood built environment measured objectively using geographic information systems as well as demographic/individual characteristics and health attitude data. Analysis of variance was conducted to determine whether leisure walking time differed depending on the distance to the riverside park, and regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between leisure walking time and the neighborhood built environment. Results: Individuals living within a quarter-mile of the park walked an average of 155 min per week for leisure, which was significantly more than those living further than 1 mile (mean = 85.14 min/week). Moreover, greater access to the park, higher crosswalk density, and a lower road density were associated with more leisure walking time for residents. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that good access to riverside parks and pedestrian-centered neighborhood environments may be related to leisure walking among residents. These findings hold significance for urban planning and the formulation of public health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every minor-closed class of matroids of bounded branch-width can be characterized by a list of excluded minors, but unlike graphs, this list may need to be infinite in general. However, for each fixed finite field F , the list needs to contain only finitely many F -representable matroids, due to the well-quasi-ordering of F -representable matroids of bounded branch-width under taking matroid minors [J.F. Geelen, A.M.H. Gerards, and G. Whittle (2002)]. But this proof is non-constructive and does not provide any algorithm for computing these F -representable excluded minors in general. We consider the class of matroids of path-width at most k for fixed k. We prove that for a finite field F , every F -representable excluded minor for the class of matroids of path-width at most k has at most 2 | F | O (k 2) elements. We can therefore compute, for any integer k and a fixed finite field F , the set of F -representable excluded minors for the class of matroids of path-width k , and this gives as a corollary a polynomial-time algorithm for checking whether the path-width of an F -represented matroid is at most k. We also prove that every excluded pivot-minor for the class of graphs having linear rank-width at most k has at most 2 2 O (k 2) vertices, which also results in a similar algorithmic consequence for linear rank-width of graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Remimazolam is a recently approved, ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine. However, few studies have investigated remimazolam in relation to postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). This study aimed to compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol on PONV in patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery. Methods: Patients (n = 206) aged 19–65 years who were scheduled for oral and maxillofacial surgery were randomized into two groups, the remimazolam (R) and propofol group (P). In the R group (n = 94), remimazolam was used to induce anesthesia at 12 mg/kg/h and to maintain anesthesia at 1–2 mg/kg/h. In the P group (n = 95), anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol (target effect-site concentration: 3–5 µg/ml). In both groups, remifentanil was administered at a target effect-site concentration of 2.5-4 ng/ml. The primary outcome was the overall incidence of PONV during the first 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the severity of nausea, use of rescue antiemetics, severity of postoperative pain, use of rescue analgesia, and quality of recovery. Results: The incidence of PONV during the first 24 h after surgery was 11.7% and 10.5% in the R group and P group, respectively, and there was no significant difference in the severity of nausea (P > 0.05). Ten patients in the R group and ten patients in the P group required rescue antiemetics during the first 24 h after surgery (P = 0.98). No inter-group differences were observed in terms of postoperative pain score, use of rescue analgesia, and quality of recovery (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In this study, remimazolam did not increase the incidence and severity of PONV compared with propofol. Trial registration: KCT0006965, Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), Republic of Korea. Registration date: 26/01/2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products and their derivatives historically represent alternatives to conventional synthetic molecules for pharmacotherapy, ranging from cancer chemotherapeutics to cosmetic ingredients that exert anti-aging activities. Cellular senescence is considered a main driver of skin aging, yet natural products that target skin senescence in a specific manner are not thoroughly explored. Here, we performed a focused compound screen to identify natural products that exert anti-senescence effects. We found that Isatis tinctoria, woad extracts, displayed a senolytic effect on senescent human skin fibroblasts. Furthermore, treatment with woad extracts attenuated the expression of pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), showing a senostatic activity. Intriguingly, woad extracts displayed only a marginal cytotoxic effect toward senescent human lung fibroblasts. Thus, our results reveal the potential activities of woad extracts for targeting skin senescence and suggest that woad extracts could be an attractive ingredient for cosmetics to prevent skin aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the existence of polynomial kernels, for parameterized problems without a polynomial kernel on general graphs, when restricted to graphs of bounded twin-width. Our main result is that a polynomial kernel for k-Dominating Set on graphs of twin-width at most 4 would contradict a standard complexity-theoretic assumption. The reduction is quite involved, especially to get the twin-width upper bound down to 4, and can be tweaked to work for Connectedk-Dominating Set and Totalk-Dominating Set (albeit with a worse upper bound on the twin-width). The k-Independent Set problem admits the same lower bound by a much simpler argument, previously observed [ICALP '21], which extends to k-Independent Dominating Set, k-Path, k-Induced Path, k-Induced Matching, etc. On the positive side, we obtain a simple quadratic vertex kernel for Connectedk-Vertex Cover and Capacitatedk-Vertex Cover on graphs of bounded twin-width. Interestingly the kernel applies to graphs of Vapnik–Chervonenkis density 1, and does not require a witness sequence. We also present a more intricate O (k 1.5) vertex kernel for Connectedk-Vertex Cover. Finally we show that deciding if a graph has twin-width at most 1 can be done in polynomial time, and observe that most optimization/decision graph problems can be solved in polynomial time on graphs of twin-width at most 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, South Korea's total fertility rate was 1.26 live births per woman, the sixth-lowest in the world. Employment is significantly negatively associated with second births in Korea. To increase fertility rates and help working women better balance work and family lives, a series of government family-supportive workplace policies and employer-provided occupational benefits have been implemented and expanded. The present study examined the effects of family-supportive workplace policies and benefits on boosting working women's fertility intentions in Korea by the current number of children (i.e. parity). Using the 2007–2012 Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (N = 3,405 working women), the study examined seven family policies and benefits. Results revealed that childcare leave was significantly associated with increasing working women's first birth intentions. Also, women's second birth intentions increased significantly when they had more family-supportive provisions at their workplaces. Despite these results, a majority of women perceived the family provisions to be unavailable at their workplaces. The present study underscores that women's fertility decisions differ significantly by parity and informs policymakers in their efforts to develop family provisions that address these differences and make family provisions more readily available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a family of graphs F , Weighted F -Deletion is the problem for which the input is a vertex weighted graph G = (V , E) and the goal is to delete S ⊆ V with minimum weight such that G \ S ∈ F . Designing a constant-factor approximation algorithm for large subclasses of perfect graphs has been an interesting research direction. Block graphs, 3-leaf power graphs, and interval graphs are known to admit constant-factor approximation algorithms, but the question is open for chordal graphs and distance-hereditary graphs. In this paper, we add one more class to this list by presenting a constant-factor approximation algorithm when F is the intersection of chordal graphs and distance-hereditary graphs. They are known as ptolemaic graphs and form a superset of both block graphs and 3-leaf power graphs above. Our proof presents new properties and algorithmic results on inter-clique digraphs as well as an approximation algorithm for a variant of Feedback Vertex Set that exploits this relationship (named Feedback Vertex Set with Precedence Constraints), each of which may be of independent interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naegleriafowleri can cause acute primary amoebic encephalitis. It is known that contact-dependent pathogenicity in free-living amoeba may be mediated through a carbohydrate-dependent pathway. In this study, the effect of mannose on the interaction between N. fowleri and pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-pathogenic E. coli DH5α was analyzed. In particular, the changes in proteases expressed by N. fowleri in response to mannose were analyzed. Unlike the conventional method, mannose was treated with N. fowleri for 1 h. The association between N. fowleri and E. coli O157:H7 treated with 50-mM and 100-mM mannose was significantly reduced by approximately 70.9% and 128.5%, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 invasion was reduced by about 10.8% by 100-mM mannose. Moreover, as a result of culturing N. fowleri invaded by E. coli O157:H7 for 24 h, E. coli O157:H7 also grew about 1.2 times in the group not treated with mannose. E. coli DH5α association was reduced by 25.7% by 100-mM mannose. On the other hand, there was almost no inhibitory effect by 100-mM glucose. In the analysis in which mannose bound to either N. fowleri or bacteria and affected the interaction, there was little effect on the interaction between N. fowleri and bacteria. In zymographic analysis, about 135-kDa and 75-kDa bands were observed by 50-mM and 100-mM mannose, and two bands were significantly increased by 100-mM mannose. This study suggests that mannose can be mediated in the contact-dependent pathway of N. fowleri and will serve as a basis for inducing changes in the protease of N. fowleri by other monosaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human matrix metalloproteinase 9 (hMMP9) is a biomarker in several diseases, including cancer, and the need for developing detectors and inhibitors of hMMP9 is increasing. As an antibody against hMMP9 can be selectively bound to hMMP9, the use of anti-MMP9 antibody presents new possibilities to address hMMP9-related diseases. In this study, we aimed to establish a stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line for the stable production of antibodies against hMMP9. Results: Weconstructed recombinant anti-hMMP9 antibody fragment-expressing genes and transfected these to CHO cells. We chose a single clone, and successfully produced a full-sized antibody against hMMP9 with high purity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. Subsequently, we confirmed the antigen-binding efficiency of the antibody. Conclusions: We developed a novel recombinant anti-hMMP9 antibody via a CHO cell-based mammalian expression system, which has a high potential to be used in a broad range of medical and industrial areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The stratum corneum (SC) is a skin barrier that consists of corneocytes, intercellular lipids, and corneodesmosomes. Ceramides are composed of sphingoid bases linked with various types of fatty acids (FAs), and they are an essential constituent of SC intercellular lipids. Among their subtypes, ceramide NP with a phytosphingosine base is especially important. Most of the previous studies on barrier recovery have focused on a specific ceramide with a single chain FA, not with diverse chain lengths. Skin barrier function is impaired by various factors, including topical corticosteroid. Objective: We evaluated whether a lipid mixture enriched by ceramide NP with FAs of diverse chain lengths (CER [NP]*) can restore the skin barrier function impaired by topical corticosteroid. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adult male volunteers were recruited. Topical corticosteroid was applied on both volar forearms of volunteers. Then, the test cream containing a lipid mixture with CER (NP)* was applied on the left forearm, and a vehicle cream without a lipid mixture was applied on the right forearm of each subject. The functional parameters of the skin barrier were compared before and after the treatment. Epidermal differentiation markers, hyaluronic acid synthase 3 (HAS3), cytokine levels, and the lipid profiles in the SC were analyzed. Results: The functional parameters of the skin barrier, such as barrier recovery rate, SC integrity, and SC hydration were significantly improved in the test cream-applied site compared to the vehicle cream-applied sites. Filaggrin and HAS3 levels were significantly higher in the sites applied with the test cream. Interleukin (IL)-1α levels were also significantly increased in these sites. IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13 levels were significantly decreased in the test cream-applied sites. Lipid analyses showed that C18, C20, and total ceramide NP levels significantly increased in the sites where the test cream was applied. Also, C16, C18, C20, C24, and total ceramide NP levels were significantly elevated in the test cream-applied sites after acute barrier disruption. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that a lipid mixture enriched by CER (NP)* could recover the barrier function impaired by topical corticosteroid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• For given integers d , k and graph G , can we obtain a graph with diameter d via at most k edge deletions? • We determine the computational complexity of this and related problems for different values of d. • For d = 3 , the problem is related to Moore graphs and solvable in polynomial time. • For all d > 4 , the problem is NP -complete. • The NP -completeness results are proved for various values of the diameter of the input graph. We study the following problem: for given integers d , k and graph G , can we obtain a graph with diameter d via at most k edge deletions? We determine the computational complexity of this and related problems for different values of d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different stem cell–based strategies, especially induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have been exploited to regenerate teeth or restore biological and physiological functions after tooth loss. Further research is needed to establish an optimized protocol to effectively differentiate human iPSCs (hiPSCs) into dental epithelial cells (DECs). In this study, various factors were precisely modulated to facilitate differentiation of hiPSCs into DECs, which are essential for the regeneration of functional teeth. Embryoid bodies (EBs) were formed from hiPSCs as embryo-like aggregates, retinoic acid (RA) was used as an early ectodermal inducer, and bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4) activity was manipulated. The characteristics of DECs were enhanced and preserved after culture in keratinocyte serum-free medium (K-SFM). The yielded cell population exhibited noticeable DEC characteristics, consistent with the expression of epithelial cell and ameloblast markers. DECs demonstrated odontogenic abilities by exerting an inductive effect on human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and forming a tooth-like structure with the mouse tooth mesenchyme. Overall, our differentiation protocol provides a practical approach for applying hiPSCs for tooth regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graph is distance-hereditary if for any pair of vertices, their distance in every connected induced subgraph containing both vertices is the same as their distance in the original graph. The Distance-Hereditary Vertex Deletion problem asks, given a graph G on n vertices and an integer k, whether there is a set S of at most k vertices in G such that G - S is distance-hereditary. This problem is important due to its connection to the graph parameter rank-width because distance-hereditary graphs are exactly the graphs of rank-width at most 1. Eiben, Ganian, and Kwon (JCSS' 18) proved that Distance-Hereditary Vertex Deletion can be solved in time 2 O (k) n O (1) , and asked whether it admits a polynomial kernelization. We show that this problem admits a polynomial kernel, answering this question positively. For this, we use a similar idea for obtaining an approximate solution for Chordal Vertex Deletion due to Jansen and Pilipczuk (SIDMA' 18) to obtain an approximate solution with O (k 3 log n + k 2 log 2 n) vertices when the problem is a Yes-instance, and we exploit the structure of split decompositions of distance-hereditary graphs to reduce the total size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the complexity of the Independent Set Reconfiguration problem under the Token Sliding rule. In this problem we are given two independent sets of a graph and are asked if we can transform one to the other by repeatedly exchanging a vertex that is currently in the set with one of its neighbors, while maintaining the set independent. Our main result is to show that this problem is PSPACE-complete on split graphs (and hence also on chordal graphs), thus resolving an open problem in this area. We then go on to consider the c-Colorable Reconfiguration problem under the same rule, where the constraint is now to maintain the set c-colorable at all times. As one may expect, a simple modification of our reduction shows that this more general problem is PSPACE-complete for all fixed c ≥ 1 on chordal graphs. Somewhat surprisingly, we show that the same cannot be said for split graphs: we give a polynomial time (nO(c)) algorithm for all fixed values of c, except c = 1, for which the problem is PSPACE-complete. We complement our algorithm with a lower bound showing that c-Colorable Reconfiguration is W[2]-hard on split graphs parameterized by c and the length of the solution, as well as a tight ETH-based lower bound for both parameters. Finally, we study c-Colorable Reconfiguration under a relaxed rule called Token Jumping, where exchanged vertices are not required to be adjacent. We show that the problem on chordal graphs is PSPACE-complete even if c is some fixed constant. We then show that the problem is polynomial-time solvable for strongly chordal graphs even if c is a part of the input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chordless cycle, or equivalently a hole, in a graph G is an induced subgraph of G which is a cycle of length at least 4. We prove that the Erdős-Pósa property holds for chordless cycles, which resolves the major open question concerning the Erdős-Pósa property. Our proof for chordless cycles is constructive: in polynomial time, one can find either k + 1 vertex-disjoint chordless cycles, or c 1 k 2 log ⁡ k + c 2 vertices hitting every chordless cycle for some constants c 1 and c 2. It immediately implies an approximation algorithm of factor O (opt log ⁡ opt) for Chordal Vertex Deletion. We complement our main result by showing that chordless cycles of length at least ℓ for any fixed ℓ ≥ 5 do not have the Erdős-Pósa property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the association of family policies on married working mothers in South Korea's work-family conflict. The goal of the study was to compare the differential effects of policy availability and accessibility on reducing mothers' work-family conflict. Given Korea's work culture, which emphasises long working hours and work-oriented ethics, some employees may be unable to use family polices even if they are available at work. Using the 2007–2012 Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (N = 941 employed mothers), the study examined six policies. Random effects modelling was used. Results revealed that availability of family polices was insignificant in reducing mothers' work-family conflict in Korea, and mothers' work-family conflict decreased significantly only when they were actually accessible. Mothers' work-family conflict decreased significantly as they had access to more family policies. The present study underscores in order for family policies to have a real impact, family policies should be made more readily accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the employment status of disabled and nondisabled men and women in the United Kingdom. Using the 2009–14 Life Opportunities Survey (N = 32,355 observations), the study empirically examined how the intersection of disability and gender affects disabled women and their employment status in the UK. Random effects multinomial and logistic regression models were used. Findings indicated that disabled women were significantly less likely to be employed and more likely to be economically inactive than disabled men, nondisabled women, and nondisabled men. They were also significantly the least likely to work full-time among the four groups. Disabled women were significantly less likely to be supervisors than disabled men and felt more limited in the type or amount of paid work they could do than nondisabled women. The present study provided empirical evidence to policymakers interested in developing policies that better address intersectional discrimination and enhance disabled women's employment status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose limitation is a major stress condition that cells must respond to by altering their metabolism to ensure survival. Rsv1 is a zinc finger protein previously shown to be required for survival during stationary phase. In this study, we present a novel mechanism regulated by Rsv1 in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe that is involved in altering glucose metabolic flux. We found that rsv1 gene expression is induced by Rst2 and Atf1, two transcription factors regulated by the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, respectively. The downstream target genes of Rsv1 were identified by genome‐wide ChIP sequencing of Rsv1‐bound DNA sites and RNA sequencing analysis of Rsv1‐dependent transcripts that were differentially expressed under glucose starvation. Rsv1 directly regulated the expression of at least 21 genes that mostly encode transporters and proteins related to sugar metabolism. Among these, gcd1, which encodes glucose dehydrogenase in the gluconate shunt for the pentose phosphate pathway, was most remarkably repressed by Rsv1. The defect in survival of Δrsv1 mutant under glucose starvation condition was mitigated by additional deletion of a gcd1, idn1, or a gene for a putative lactonase (SPCC16c4.10), suggesting the critical importance of downregulating the gluconate shunt and pentose phosphate pathway for long‐term survival. These results show an intricate response to glucose starvation: increasing the synthesis of a transcription factor via two signal transduction pathways, which sheds light on the importance of remodeling a metabolic circuit to secure glucose for cell survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish a protocol of optimized three-dimensional (3D) culture of ovarian follicles, various biomaterials have been investigated with regard to their properties and functions on in vitro follicle growth. The present study aims to compare the new biomaterial, extracellular matrix-derived soft hydrogel (ES-hydrogel) and alginate, and evaluate the effects of biomaterials on further in vitro 3D culture growth of ovarian follicle and oocyte maturation. The isolated follicles from mouse ovaries were randomly divided into two-dimensional (2D) culture, alginate and ES-hydrogel, and just seeded on culture wells (2D culture) or encapsulated with alginate or ES-hydrogel (3D culture). Culture media from each group were collected on days 4, 8 and 10 or 11 for 17ß-oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) measurement. On day 10 of in vitro culture, follicular survival and pseudo-antrum formation rate were examined, and oocyte maturation was induced by adding human chorionic gonadotropin and epidermal growth factor. After 17 h, ovulated mature oocytes collected and analyzed for oocyte diameter, normal spindle and chromosome alignment configuration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and mitochondrial membrane potential level. To compare mechanical properties of two biomaterials, storage modulus was measured with the advanced rheometric expansion system. Our results showed that follicles cultured in ES-hydrogel, were significantly superior to those cultured 2D or alginate in the pseudo-antrum formation rate, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) rate, MII oocyte rate, normal spindle rate, and E2 production. The ES-hydrogel and alginate groups were not significantly different in follicle survival rate, oocyte diameter, P4 production, ROS, and mitochondrial membrane potential levels. The storage modulus of ES-hydrogel was lower than that of alginate, suggesting that the improved follicular physiology and oocyte maturation in the ES-hydrogel group was due to better hormone exchange through a less stiff encapsulating material. This study shows that 3D culture system using ES-hydrogel effectively improve the outcome of in vitro ovarian follicle culture, supporting follicle morphology and growth and enhancing oocyte maturation. It means one of the most important factors for 3D culture of ovarian follicle was the selection of appropriate and effective biomaterial that can preserve the structure and morphology of ovarian follicle and facilitate nutrition and hormone exchange. • The mechanical property of biomaterials is crucial for in vitro follicle growth. • Extracellular matrix-derived soft hydrogel improves follicle development and growth. • The low storage modulus allows the proper follicle growth and oocyte maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the economic well‐being of disabled and nondisabled men and women in the United Kingdom. Using the 2009–2014 Life Opportunities Survey (N = 6,159 adults), the study is the first longitudinal study to empirically compare the economic well‐being of disabled women in contrast to disabled men and nondisabled men and women. Hierarchical linear modelling and hierarchical linear logistic modelling were used to estimate the longitudinal changes. Findings indicate that, overall, disabled women's economic well‐being improved significantly between 2009 and 2014 even after controlling for other demographic characteristics. However, the improvements were not substantial enough to significantly narrow the economic disparities between disabled women and disabled men and nondisabled men and women. Disabled women remained worse off than disabled men and nondisabled men and women in 2014 as they did in 2009. The findings indicate that intersectional discrimination against disabled women exist in the United Kingdom. Findings from this study provide empirical evidence to support policies that enhance the economic security of disabled women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoprenoids comprise a diverse group of natural products with a broad range of metabolic functions. Isoprenoids are synthesized from prenyl pyrophosphates by prenyltransferases that catalyze the isoprenoid chain-elongation process to different chain lengths. We hereby present the crystal structure of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase from the marine flavobacterium Nonlabens dokdonensis DSW-6 (Nd GGPPS). Nd GGPPS forms a hexamer composed of homodimeric trimer, and the monomeric structure is composed of 15 α-helices (α1–α15). In this structure, we observed the binding of one pyrophosphate molecule and two glycerol molecules that mimicked substrate binding to the enzyme. The substrate binding site of Nd GGPPS contains large hydrophobic residues such as Phe, His and Tyr, and structural and amino acids sequence analyses thereof suggest that the protein belongs to the short-chain prenyltransferase family. • Crystal structure of GGPPS from Nonlabens dokdonensis DSW-6 was determined. • Nd GGPPS structure is composed 15 α-helices and shows a class I terpenoid synthase fold. • Nd GGPPS might function as a short-chain prenyltransferase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing Grace and O'Cass's Service Brand Verdict (SBV) framework, this research suggests that brand hearsay (i.e., advertising/promotion, word-of-mouth, and non-paid publicity) affects brand trust (i.e., affective and cognitive trust), which then leads to forming brand attitudes. This study tests the model and hypotheses based on responses from a sample of 346 respondents recruited by online sampling. A two-stage procedure is conducted to assess the measurement model and structural model using a bootstrapping technique with SmartPLS 3. The findings demonstrate that advertising/promotion and WOM (eWOM) had effects on affective trust while publicity did not have effect on affective trust. Also, advertising/promotion had a direct positive effect on cognitive trust, whereas neither WOM (eWOM) nor publicity did. In the brand trust-attitude link, affective trust not only fosters cognitive trust to brands, but also affects brand attitude positively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Oxalic acid can effectively extract arsenic bound to amorphous iron oxides via dissolution of iron oxides containing arsenic. Therefore, soil washing with oxalic acid is a promising method to remediate arsenic-contaminated soil, since arsenic is often associated with amorphous iron oxides in soil. However, high cost of oxalic acid compared to the other inorganic acids commonly used for remediation of metal-contaminated soils is the main disadvantage of using oxalic acid for soil washing. In this study, in order to increase the economic feasibility of soil washing using oxalic acid, selective recovery of iron and oxalate as resources was suggested via two step reduction reaction using dithionite as a reductant during soil-washing wastewater treatment. In the first step, high levels of oxalate and iron present in wastewater was recovered as a ferrous oxalate phase. Under mild reducing conditions, ferric iron in the wastewater was reduced to ferrous iron, which could form a complex with oxalate and precipitate as the ferrous oxalate phase with low solubility. The ferrous oxalate phase did not affect dissolved arsenic retention in this step. The recovered ferrous oxalate phase can be applied in the industry as useful resources, which can contribute to the sustainable development and cleaner production. In the second step, arsenic in wastewater was removed by forming a realgar-like phase from the reaction with dithionite. Sulfide produced by the decomposition of dithionite reacted with arsenic and other metals in wastewater, and formed sulfide phases such as realgar (As 4 S 4)/orpiment (As 2 S 3) and lead sulfide (PbS). Highlights • Two-step reduction reaction for the feasibility of soil-washing with oxalate. • Ferrous oxalate was selectively recovered from wastewater in the 1st-step reaction. • As in wastewater was precipitated as a realgar-like phase in the 2nd-step reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionally graded materials (FGM) have been developed by gradually combining two or more materials and are used to improve the properties of metallic materials, such as heat resistance, corrosion resistance, and hardness. FGM can be effectively fabricated using additive manufacturing. In this study, FGM were fabricated using a direct energy deposition method with Ni-20Cr and Ti-6Al-4V metal powders. The initial layer contents were 100% Ni-20Cr and 0% Ti-6Al-4V, and the final layer contents was 100% Ti-6Al-4V and 0% Ni-20Cr, for a total of 11 layers stacked sequentially. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and phase diagram analyses were performed to examine the microstructure, composition, microhardness, and crack generation. Intergranular cracks were observed owing to the Cr depletion zone in the Ti alloy contents 40 ∼ 60% region. Cr carbides, such as Cr 23 C 6, are responsible for the Cr depletion zone. A calculated phase diagram was used to investigate the Cr carbide precipitation temperature, the deposition conditions were suggested to prevent intergranular cracks and the effect was verified through a verification experiment. These experimental results can be used to develop other stable FGMs. • Functionally graded material is fabricated by directed energy deposition using Ni-20Cr and Ti-6Al-4V metal powders. • Intergranular crack is generated by Cr carbide and eliminated through deposition temperature control. • The microstructure and hardness of functionally graded materials are verified by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Utility weight, a measure of health-related quality of life, is used in disease burden measurements and economic evaluations. In this study, we used the visual analogue scale (VAS) and standard gamble (SG) method to determine the utility weights of lung cancer health states in South Korea from a societal perspective.Methods: Six hypothetical health states for lung cancer or a related health state reflective of disease severity were developed: 1) Stage I, 2) Stage II, 3) Stage IIIa, 4) Stage IIIB, 5) Stage IV, and 6) Pulmonary nodule. The description of each health state description was divided into four parts: diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and progression and prognosis. A total of 515 representative adult Korean participants used a VAS and SG to evaluate these six health states via face-to-face computer-assisted interviews. The means, standard deviations, and median utility weights of the six health states were estimated by valuation method.Results: The two valuation methods of the scenarios yielded the same mean utility rankings. Pulmonary nodule received the highest rank (VAS, 0.66 and SG, 0.83), whereas Stage 4 was assigned the lowest rank (VAS, 0.09 and SG, 0.31). For all health states, the mean utility weights calculated using the SG were greater than those calculated using the VAS. The differences between the utility weights obtained using the two valuation methods ranged from 0.14 (Stage I) to 0.22 (Stage IV). The two approaches tended to yield larger differences for more severe stages.Conclusions: This study determined utilities for squamous cell lung cancer that will be useful for estimating the burden of lung cancer and for conducting economic evaluations of lung cancer interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In vitro follicle growth (IVFG) is an emerging alternative option for fertility preservation in women instead of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation. To widen the application of this technique, follicle cryopreservation should be established prior to clinical use. In the present study, we tried to determine the optimal vitrification protocol of mouse ovarian follicle for in vitro culture and oocyte maturation by comparing four different compositions of cryoprotective agents (CPA). Secondary follicles were mechanically isolated from 2-week-old BDF-1 mice and randomly assigned to fresh control and four different groups by the composition of CPAs (ES, EDS, EFS and EPS groups; E: ethylene glycol, D: dimethyl sulfoxide, S: sucrose, F: ficoll, P: 1,2-propanediol (PROH)). After vitrification and warming procedures, the follicles were cultured in vitro for 10 days and then treated with human chorionic gonadotropin and epidermal growth factor to induce oocyte maturation. Fourteen to 16 h later, oocyte maturation and quality were assessed. Follicle viability was evaluated by Calcein-AM/ethidium homodimer-1 staining immediately after warming, and their survival and diameters were measured during follicle culture periods. Antral cavity formation was observed at the end of the culture period (on the 10th day of culture). Following oocyte maturation, its maturational ability and meiotic spindle formation were assessed to evaluate their competence. There was no significant difference in viability after warming among the vitrification groups. From the 8th day of culture, the survival rate of ES and EDS were significantly higher than those of other vitrification groups (EPS and EFS). The follicle diameter was largest in the fresh-control group from the 6th day, while smallest in the EFS with statistical significance. On the 10th day of culture, the antral-cavity formation rate of EDS was comparable to that of the fresh control group. However, the oocyte maturation was significantly decreased in all four vitrification groups when compared with control group; especially, the EFS showed a more marked reduction in the oocyte maturation. There were no significant differences in meiotic spindle formation among all of those groups. Our results suggest that EDS combination for mouse follicle vitrification are the most effective vitrification protocols for mouse follicle and evaluated by an in vitro culture and oocyte maturation after warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • ASK1 silencing reduced I/R-induced NLRP2 inflammasome and pro-inflammatory IL-1β and IL-18. • ASK1 silencing reduced apoptotic cell death in ischemic brain. • ASK1 inhibition reduced OGD/R-induced NLRP2 inflammasome components in cultured astrocytes. • ASK1 inhibition decreased pro-inflammatory IL-1β and IL-18 levels in cultured astrocytes. Abstract Activation of the inflammasome complex contributes to the inflammatory response and cell death under pathologic conditions. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 2 (NLRP2) inflammasome is activated in astrocytes after cerebral ischemia, which can aggravate ischemic damage. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is an early activator and immune-regulator after ischemic injury, that can lead to cell death. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the role of ASK1 in controlling NLRP2 inflammasomes in astrocytes after cerebral ischemia. In a mouse model of ischemic stroke, the levels of NLRP2 inflammasome components, and interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, were quantified in different brain regions. In addition, an astrocyte cell line was subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) injury, and the levels of NLRP2 inflammasome factors, IL-1β and IL-18 were evaluated. Ischemic brain injury activated astrocytes. The levels of NLRP2 inflammasome components, IL-1β and IL-18 productions, and cell death increased in the cortex and striatum after ischemic injury. In cultured astrocytes, NLRP2 inflammasome components, IL-1β and IL-18 levels were upregulated after OGD/R. ASK1 silencing or inhibition efficiently reduced NLRP2 inflammasome components and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in mice and cultured astrocytes. Our findings identify a key role for ASK1 in regulating astroglial inflammasomes after cerebral ischemia. We suggest ASK1 as one of the main targets for astroglial inflammasomes in ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly robust porous hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) constructed by 4,4′,4′′-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tris(benzoic acid) not only achieves the highest uptakes of ethylene and ethane among the HOF materials, but also exhibits unusual adsorption selectivity of C2H6 over other C2 gases. Besides, it exhibits the second highest acetylene uptake among all the reported HOF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian follicle in vitro culture is a promising fertility preservation option to avoid risk of reintroduction of malignant cells. The objective of this study is to compare 4 different follicle isolation methods from ovarian tissue and evaluate the effect of follicle isolation on further in vitro follicle culture and oocyte competency. Mouse ovaries were dissected and randomly divided into 4 groups according to follicle isolation method: mechanical (MCH) isolation, mincing (MNC) isolation, enzymatically digestion using collagenase (COL), and enzymatically digestion using liberase (LIB). The isolated early secondary follicles were cultured for day 10, and ovulation induction was conducted. Follicular diameter and concentrations of steroid hormone in spent media were measured. Also, follicular survival rate and pseudo-antrum formation rate were examined. After ovulation induction, the cumulus oocyte complexes rate and the number of mature oocyte, normal spindle rate, and mitochondrial activity in ovulated oocyte were counted. After in vitro culture, follicular diameter was significantly greater in MNC and MCH group than other groups. Also, follicle survival rate was significantly higher in MNC and MCH groups than other groups. The MNC group had made a result that significantly improved the mature oocyte rate than other groups. The normal meiotic spindle and chromosome rate is significantly higher in MNC and MCH groups than other groups. The MNC method showed significantly improved rate of follicle diameter, survival, pseudo-antrum formation, a mature oocyte, and normal spindle in ovulated oocyte after in vitro culture. Based on the results, MNC method can be an alternative for MCH method that is laborious and time-consuming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Although Spilanthes acmella has been used to relieve inflammation, fever, pain, or infection in traditional Asian medicine, experimental evidence supporting these functions is scarce. Here, we examined an anti-inflammatory function and a possible underlying mechanism of S. acmella Murray (SAM). Materials and method The methanol extract of SAM was fingerprinted by HPLC. C57BL/6 mice were administered with a single intratracheal (i.t.) LPS and 2 h later with a single i.t. SAM. The effect of SAM on lung inflammation was assessed by histology, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and MPO assay of lung tissue. The effects of SAM on a pro-inflammatory factor NF-κB and an anti-inflammatory factor Nrf2 were analyzed by immunoblotting of nuclear proteins and by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of mRNA of the genes governed by these transcription factors. V5-Nrf2 was precipitated by an anti-V5 antibody and the ubiquitinated V5-Nrf2 was revealed by immunoblotting of HA-tagged ubiquitin. Results The i.t. SAM robustly diminished a neutrophilic lung inflammation induced by i.t. LPS treatment of mice. In RAW 264.7 cells, SAM suppressed the nuclear localization of NF-κB and the expression of NF-κB-dependent cytokine genes. SAM increased the level of Nrf2 in the nucleus and the expression of Nrf2-dependent genes while suppressing ubiquitination of Nrf2. Conclusion Our results suggest that SAM can suppress a neutrophilic inflammation in mouse lungs, which is associated with suppressed NF-κB and activated Nrf2. Our results provide experimental evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory function of S. acmella . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro follicle growth (IVFG) is an emerging fertility preservation technique, which can obtain fertilizable oocytes from an in vitro culture system in female. This study aimed to compare efficiency of the most widely used two-dimensional follicle culture methods [with or without oil layer (O+ or O− group)]. Preantral follicles were isolated from mice and randomly assigned. Follicles were cultured for 10 days and cumulus-oocyte complexes harvested 16–18 hours after hCG treatment. Follicle and oocyte growth, hormones in spent medium, meiotic spindle localization, expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial activity, and gene expression were evaluated. In follicle growth, survival, pseudoantral cavity formation, ovulation, and oocyte maturation were also significantly higher in O+ group than O− group. Hormone production was significantly higher in follicles cultured in O+ than O−. There were no significant differences in mRNA expression related to development. On the other hand, the level of ROS was increased while the mitochondrial activity of in vitro grown matured oocyte was less than in vivo matured oocytes. In conclusion, follicle culture with O+ group appears to be superior to the culture in O− group in terms of follicle growth, development, oocyte growth, maturation, and microorganelles in oocyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Curcumin (diferuloylmethane or [1 E ,6 E ]-1,7-bis[4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl]-1,6heptadiene-3,5-dione) is a phenolic natural product derived from the rhizomes of the turmeric plant, Curcuma longa . It is reported to have various biological actions such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, the molecular mechanism of osteoblast differentiation by curcumin has not yet been reported. Main methods The cytotoxicity of curcumin was identified using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Expression of osteogenic markers and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers in C3H1-T1/2 cells were measured using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was performed to assess ALP activity in C3H10T1/2 cells. Transcriptional activity was detected using a luciferase reporter assay. Key findings Curcumin increased the expression of genes such as distal-less homeobox 5 (Dlx5), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), ALP, and osteocalcin (OC), which subsequently induced osteoblast differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells. In addition, ALP activity and mineralization was found to be increased by curcumin treatment. Curcumin also induced mild ER stress similar to bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) function in osteoblast cells. Next, we confirmed that curcumin increased mild ER stress and osteoblast differentiation similar to BMP2 in C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells. Transient transfection studies also showed that curcumin increased ATF6-Luc activity, while decreasing the activities of CREBH-Luc and SMILE-Luc. In addition, similar to BMP2, curcumin induced the phosphorylation of Smad 1/5/9. Significance Overall, these results demonstrate that curcumin-induced mild ER stress increases osteoblast differentiation via ATF6 expression in C3H10T1/2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic surgery involves the creation of a carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum to facilitate a clear surgical view, which may result in an elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Depending on the surgical area, steep Trendelenburg positioning may be used as well, further increasing the ICP. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of laparoscopic surgery on changes in ICP assessed by ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), which is a generally accepted simple, reliable, and non-invasive ICP measurement technique.Methods: A computerized literature search was performed in August 2016 to identity prospective studies that measured ONSD to assess ICP changes during laparoscopic surgery. The primary outcome was the change in ONSD during the early (0-30 min) and late (30-120 min) periods after initiating pneumoperitoneum, compared with baseline values measured after anesthesia induction. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals [CIs] were calculated.Results: Nine observational studies and one randomized controlled trial, with a total of 460 subjects, were analyzed. Compared to the baseline value after anesthesia induction, significant increases in ONSD were observed in both the early period (MD 0.46, 95% CI 0.31-0.61, P < 0.001, I 2 = 97.3%) and late period (MD 0.67, 95% CI 0.20-1.14, P = 0.005, I 2 = 99.2%). Comparing the ONSD during the early and late periods revealed no significant differences over time.Conclusions: The current meta-analysis revealed that ICP elevation during laparoscopy could be anticipated through a significant increase in the ONSD in the early (0-30 min) and late (30-120 min) periods during CO2 pneumoperitoneum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed the occurrence, levels, and distribution patterns of hexachlorocyclohexanes (α-, β-, and γ-HCHs), endosulfans (α- and β-endosulfan, and endosufan sulfate), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in major water systems across South Korea. We studied water and sediment in four major rivers (Han, Nakdong, Keum, and Yeongsan Rivers), six smaller rivers, and four reservoirs in South Korea. Results showed that these organohalogen compounds were widely distributed throughout the country. Relatively high concentration of γ-HCH was observed at the downstream of the highly populated areas, which indicates the current use of lindane for medical purposes. High concentrations of PFCs and endosulfans in water might reflect the current input of PFCs to the water systems through the release from PFC-containing products and the recent extensive use of endosulfans for pest control. Concentrations of organohalogen compounds in water and sediment were in the range of ND (nondetectable)-1.16 ng/L (average ± standard deviation: 0.342 ± 0.308 ng/L) and ND-0.30 ng/g (0.063 ± 0.093 ng/g) for HCHs (α-, β-, and γ-HCHs), 1.66-15.8 ng/L (6.36 ± 3.23 ng/L) and ND-6.85 ng/g (1.99 ng/g ± 1.04 ng/g) for endosulfans (α- and β-endosulfan, and endosufan sulfate), 0.019 ng/L-0.216 ng/L (0.097 ± 0.060 ng/L) and 0.091-12.13 ng/g (3.11 ± 4.21 ng/g) for 17 PBDEs, and ND-69.02 ng/L (14.06 ± 19.44 ng/L) and ND-3.715 ng/g (0.68 ± 1.16 ng/g) for PFCs (PFOA and PFOS), respectively. Different distribution of these POPs was observed between water and sediment even in the same locations, which might be due to the characteristics of continuously changing river water and stationary sediment as well as the different physicochemical properties of the POPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piperine is an alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper. It is reported to have various biological actions such as anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory, and aids cancer prevention. Antioxidants have been shown to promote osteoblast differentiation. However, osteoblast differentiation by piperine has not yet been elucidated. Piperine-induced expression of the osteogenic genes such as distal-less homeobox 5 (Dlx5), inhibitor of DNA binding-1 (Id1), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was investigated using RT-PCR. In addition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralization was found to be increased by piperine treatment. Finally, we confirmed that piperine induced phosphorylation of AMPK in MC3T3-E1 cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that piperine enhance osteoblast differentiation through AMPK phosphorylation in MC3T3-E1 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given n subspaces of a finite-dimensional vector space over a fixed finite field \mathbb F , we wish to find a linear layout V1,V2,\ldots ,Vn of the subspaces such that \dim ((V1+V2+\cdots +Vi) \cap ~(Vi+1+\cdots +Vn))\le k for all $i$ ; such a linear layout is said to have width at most $k$ . When restricted to 1-dimensional subspaces, this problem is equivalent to computing the trellis-width (or minimum trellis state-complexity) of a linear code in coding theory and computing the path-width of an $\mathbb F$ -represented matroid in matroid theory. We present a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm to construct a linear layout of width at most $k$ , if it exists, for input subspaces of a finite-dimensional vector space over $\mathbb F$ . As corollaries, we obtain a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm to produce a path-decomposition of width at most $k$ for an input $\mathbb F$ -represented matroid of path-width at most $k$ , and a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm to find a linear rank-decomposition of width at most $k$ for an input graph of linear rank-width at most $k$ . In both corollaries, no such algorithms were known previously. Our approach is based on dynamic programming combined with the idea developed by Bodlaender and Kloks (1996) for their work on path-width and tree-width of graphs. It was previously known that a fixed-parameter tractable algorithm exists for the decision version of the problem for matroid path-width; a theorem by Geelen, Gerards, and Whittle (2002) implies that for each fixed finite field $\mathbb F$ , there are finitely many forbidden $\mathbb F$ -representable minors for the class of matroids of path-width at most $k$ . An algorithm by Hliněný (2006) can detect a minor in an input $\mathbb F$ -represented matroid of bounded branch-width. However, this indirect approach would not produce an actual path-decomposition. Our algorithm is the first one to construct such a path-decomposition and does not depend on the finiteness of forbidden minors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ohmic heating (OH) is a processing in which heat is generated inside foods by the passage of electric current. This study aimed to determine the optimal conditions for pasteurizing the Gochujang Korean-style fermented food containing hot pepper paste using a continuous OH system. The effective conditions for OH involved three pairs of electrodes connected diagonally and excitation over the voltage range of 50–100 V. The selected conditions provided heating above 100 °C without scale buildup. A microbial inactivation with a 2 log reduction was achieved by the OH, with the processing time being shorter than for conventional heating (CH). OH was available for 57 cycles during 1 cycle of CH, and it could process 104.4 kilotonnes of product. The consistency index related to thickening properties was markedly higher for OH than for CH. This study has confirmed that continuous OH is suitable for the heat-based sterilization of highly viscous foods. Industrial relevance Ohmic heating (OH) is a food processing technique in which heat is generated inside food products by the passage of alternating electric current. This study aimed to determine the optimal conditions for pasteurizing the Gochujang Korean-style fermented food containing hot pepper paste using a self-designed continuous OH system. The effective conditions for OH involved three pairs of electrodes connected diagonally and excitation over the voltage range of 50–100 V. The selected conditions provided heating above 100 °C without scale buildup. The rapid and uniform OH produced a microbial inactivation effect of a 2 log reduction despite the shorter processing time than for batch-type conventional heating (CH). OH was available for 57 cycles during 1 cycle of CH, and it could process 104.4 kilotonnes of food products. And the continuous OH is suitable for the heat-based sterilization of highly viscous foods and could result in better energy efficiency and be suitable for implementation in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acute hyperglycemia on admission is common in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients regardless of diabetic status, and is known as one of prognostic factors. However, the effect of hyperglycemia on non-diabetic patients is still on debate. Methods A total of 12,625 AMI patients (64.0 ± 12.6 years, 26.1% female) who were enrolled in Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health between November 2011 and December 2015, were classified into 4367 diabetes (65.4 ± 11.6 years, 30.4% female) and 8228 non-diabetes (63.3 ± 13 years, 23.9% female). Patients were analyzed for in-hospital clinical outcome according to admission hyperglycemic status. Results In diabetic patients, independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were old age, high HbA 1 C, pre-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow 0, left ventricle ejection fraction < 40%, cardiogenic shock and ventricular tachycardia. In non-diabetic patients, independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were old age, high admission glucose (≥ 200 mg/dL), pre TIMI flow 0, failed percutaneous coronary intervention, low left ventricle ejection fraction < 40%, cardiogenic shock, stent thrombosis and decreased Hb ≥ 5 g/dL. In hospital mortality was significantly higher in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic patients (5.0% vs. 3.4%, p < 0.001). However, non-diabetic patients with hyperglycemia have significantly higher mortality compared to diabetic patients (17.4% vs. 7.2%, p < 0.001). Comorbidity including cardiogenic shock ( p < 0.001), cerebral hemorrhage ( p = 0.012), decreased Hb ≥ 5 g/dL ( p = 0.013), atrioventricular block ( p < 0.001) and ventricular tachycardia ( p = 0.007) was higher in non-diabetic with hyperglycemia than in diabetic patients. Conclusions These findings underscore clinical significance of admission hyperglycemia on in-hospital mortality in non-diabetic AMI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We design FPT -algorithms for the following problems. The first is List Digraph Homomorphism : given two digraphs G and H , with order n and h , respectively, and a list of allowed vertices of H for every vertex of G , does there exist a homomorphism from G to H respecting the list constraints? Let ℓ be the number of edges of G mapped to non-loop edges of H . The second problem is Min-Max Multiway Cut : given a graph G , an integer ℓ ≥ 0 , and a set T of r terminals, can we partition V ( G ) into r parts such that each part contains one terminal and there are at most ℓ edges with only one endpoint in this part? We solve both problems in time 2 O ( ℓ ⋅ log ⁡ h + ℓ 2 ⋅ log ⁡ ℓ ) ⋅ n 4 ⋅ log ⁡ n and 2 O ( ( ℓ r ) 2 log ⁡ ℓ r ) ⋅ n 4 ⋅ log ⁡ n , respectively, via a reduction to a new problem called List Allocation , which we solve adapting the randomized contractions technique of Chitnis et al. (2012) [4] . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of Lycium chinense Miller (Solanaceae) is used as a functional food and a medicinal herb for treating many specific health concerns. Weight gain induced by estrogen deficiency is a problem for post-menopausal women around the globe. The present study investigates the effects of aqueous extract of L. chinense (LC) on post-menopausal obesity. Female C57BL/6 mice were ovariectomized and fed on high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce post-menopausal obesity. LC extract (1mg/kg and 10mg/kg) was orally administrated for 6 weeks with continuous HFD feeding. Ovarian adipose tissues and uterus were weighed. Serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and fasting glucose levels were analyzed. The expressions of adipocyte-specific factors and estrogen receptors (ERs) were investigated. Additionally, lipid accumulation was confirmed in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Increased body weight due to post-menopausal obesity was ameliorated about 14.7% and 17.76% by treatment of 1mg/kg and 10mg/kg LC, respectively. LC treatment reduced both of serum lipid and fasting blood glucose levels. Adipocyte hypertrophy and fatty liver were ameliorated in LC-treated groups. In LC-treated adipocyte cells, lipid accumulation was significantly inhibited. The expression of perilipin in adipose tissues was decreased by LC. In addition, expression of PPAR- protein was down-regulated in adipose tissues and differentiated adipocytes, while GLUT4 expression was increased in adipose tissues by LC treatment. Moreover, LC treatment up-regulated the expressions of ER-/ accompanied with increased uterine weight. These results showed the ameliorative effects of LC on overweight after menopause. Post-menopausal obesity may be improved by LC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Ascitic fluid infections (AFI) in cirrhotic patients can be classified into two groups: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and culture-negative neutrocytic ascites (CNNA). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the two groups of patients with AFI. Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of cirrhotic patients with AFI. We evaluated demographic data, clinical presentations of AFI, laboratory findings, liver function, and mortality rates. Results:Between January 2005 and December 2014, 533 patients with AFI were evaluated; 259 (48.6%) had SBP and 274 (51.4%) CNNA. Ascites neutrophil count (4410/mm3versus 1046/mm3,p < .001) and the blood culture positive rate (38.1% versus 20.1%,p < .001) were higher in the SBP group, which also had a higher MELD score (24.29 versus 22.05,p = .004). Seven-day mortality was higher in the SBP group (9.4% versus 4.5%,p = .027) but there was no significant difference in 30-day (22.1% versus 17.5%) or 90-day mortality rate (36.1% versus 36.4%). Conclusions:Patients in the SBP group had a higher MELD score, ascites neutrophil count, and positive blood culture rate. Although seven-day mortality rate was higher in the SBP group, the 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were similar in the two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Arsenic is often associated with iron oxides in soils due to its high affinity with iron oxides and the abundance of iron oxides in the environment. Dissolution of iron oxides can subsequently release arsenic associated with them into the environment, which results in the increase of arsenic mobility in the soil environment. In this study, arsenic extraction from soils via the dissolution of iron oxides was investigated using oxalate, ascorbate, and their combination in order to effectively remediate arsenic-contaminated soils. Oxalate mainly extracted iron from soils via a ligand-promoted reaction, while ascorbate extracted iron mainly via a reductive reaction. Arsenic extractions from soils by oxalate and ascorbate were shown to behave similarly to iron extractions, indicating the concurrent release of arsenic adsorbed on iron oxides upon the dissolution of iron oxides. The combination of oxalate and ascorbate greatly increased arsenic extraction, indicating the synergistic effects of the combination of oxalate and ascorbate on iron and arsenic extraction from soils. Oxalate and ascorbate are naturally-occurring organic reagents that have chelating and reducing capacity. Therefore, the use of oxalate and ascorbate is environmentally friendly and effective for the remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In hemodialysis patients, fluid overload and malnutrition are accompanied by extracellular fluid (ECF) expansion and intracellular fluid (ICF) depletion, respectively. We investigated the relationship between ECF/ICF ratio (as an integrated marker reflecting both fluid overload and malnutrition) and survival and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the context of malnutrition-inflammation-arteriosclerosis (MIA) complex. Methods: Seventy-seven patients from a single hemodialysis unit were prospectively enrolled. The ECF/ICF volume was measured by segmental multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis. MIA and volume status were measured by serum albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), respectively. Results: The mean ECF/ICF ratio was 0.56±0.06 and the cut-off value for maximum discrimination of survival was 0.57. Compared with the low ECF/ICF group, the high ECF/ICF group (ratio≥0.57, 42%) had higher all-cause mortality, CVD, CRP, PWV, and BNP, but lower serum albumin. During the 5-year follow-up, 24 all-cause mortality and 38 CVD occurred (18 and 24, respectively, in the high ECF/ICF group versus 6 and 14 respectively in the low ECF/ICF group, P<0.001). In the adjusted Cox analysis, the ECF/ICF ratio nullifies the effects of the MIA and volume status on survival and CVD and was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and CVD: hazard ratio (95% confidence interval); 1.12 (1.01–1.25) and 1.09 (1.01–1.18) for a 0.01 increase in the ECF/ICF ratio. The degree of malnutrition (albumin), inflammation (CRP), arteriosclerosis (PWV), and fluid overload (BNP) were correlated well with the ECF/ICF ratio. Conclusions: Hemodialysis patients with high ECF/ICF ratio are not only fluid overloaded, but malnourished and have stiff artery with more inflammation. The ECF/ICF ratio is highly related to the MIA complex, and is a major risk indicator for all-cause mortality and CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Directly radioiodinated [131I]-rituximab has been developed as a radioimmunotherapeutic agent in patients with CD20-positive B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, there are concerns over its in vivo catabolism and deiodination. A novel radioiodination linker, N-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-2-(3-(tributylstannyl)phenyl) acetamide (IBPA), was synthesized for the preparation of stable radioiodinated proteins. Methods: The authors evaluated the potential of IBPA as a stable radioiodinated linker for rituximab. [125I]-IBPA was purified and conjugated with rituximab, and in vitro stability testing was performed in serum and liver microsomes. In vivo studies were performed after i.v. injection of [125I]-rituximab or [125I]-IBPA-rituximab to nude mice. Results: In in vitro studies, [125I]-IBPA-rituximab was stable in serum and liver microsomes. In static scans, high radioactivity was evident in the thyroid following injection of [125I]-rituximab, but low radioactivity was seen in the thyroid following injection of [125I]-IBPA-rituximab. In biodistribution studies, radioactivity uptake in thyroid glands of [125I]-IBPA-rituximab was decreased by approximately sevenfold compared to [125I]-rituximab. In pharmacokinetics, the half-life of [125I]-rituximab was shorter than that of [125I]-IBPA-rituximab in plasma of nude mice. Conclusions: The authors demonstrate that [125I]-IBPA-rituximab is more stable to metabolic deiodination in vivo than is [125I]-rituximab. Radioiodination of rituximab using IBPA is thus preferable to direct labeling in terms of in vivo stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transcription factor Sox2 is a stem cell marker that dictates cell lineage. It has been shown to mark the epithelial stem cells of the continuously growing mouse incisors. Sox2 also interferes with Wnt signaling by binding to β-catenin, a central mediator of the Wnt pathway. We show that these functions of Sox2 are essential for mouse molar development. Sox2 has previously been shown to play a role in the formation of new teeth from the existing dental epithelium. To assess Sox2 function related to cell migration within a tooth, we monitored cell movement by using a DiI system and observed that DiI moves from molar 1 to molar 2 during tooth development. However, upon temporal knockdown of Sox2, DiI remains in the molar 1 region. This study also provides novel insights into the role of Sox2 and the important validation of Sox2 as a potent target in Wnt signaling during tooth development. Our data reveal that the degradation of Wnt signaling caused by the knockdown of Sox2 results in a lack of cell migration during tooth development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many metal-contaminated sites contain both anionic arsenic and cationic heavy metals, the current remediation technologies are not effective for the simultaneous removal of both anionic and cationic elements from the contaminated sites due to their different characteristics. In this study, the role of reducing agent in simultaneous extraction of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn from contaminated soils was investigated using EDTA. The addition of reducing agents, which includes sodium oxalate (Na 2 C2O 4 ), ascorbic acid (C 6 H 8 O 6 ) and sodium dithionite (Na 2 S 2 O 4 ), greatly enhanced the EDTA extraction of both As and heavy metals from the contaminated soils due to the increased mobility of the metals under the reduced conditions. The extent of the enhancement of the EDTA extraction was greatly affected by the reducing conditions. Strong reducing conditions (0.1 M of dithionite) were required for the extraction of metals strongly bound to the soil, while weak reducing conditions (0.01 M of dithionite or 0.1 M of oxalate/ascorbic acid) were sufficient for extraction of metals that were relatively weakly bound to the soil. An almost 90% extraction efficiency of total metals (As, Cu, Zn, and Pb) was obtained from the contaminated soils using the combination of dithionite and EDTA. Our results clearly showed that the combination of dithionite and EDTA can effectively extract As and heavy metals simultaneously from soils under a wide range of pH conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oxalate-based washing process was designed to remediate the arsenic (As)-contaminated soil, where As was mainly associated with amorphous iron–aluminum (Fe/Al) hydrous oxides. Oxalate is a naturally present organic acid and has been commonly used to extract Fe from amorphous oxides due to its reducing and chelating capacities. In the oxalate-based washing process, reductive and ligand-promoted dissolution of iron oxides occurred by oxalate and concurrently As bound to the iron oxides was released from the soil. In addition, desorption of As from the surface of soil could enhance the As removal when As(V) was reduced to As(III) by oxalate. As extraction by oxalate was effective for As bound to amorphous Fe/Al hydrous oxides, but was not effective for As combined with crystalline Fe/Al oxides and residual fraction. The germination test using the residual soil after soil washing showed that germination rate and growth of wheat ( Triticumaestivum L.) and sunflower ( Helianthus annus L.) were improved on the soil after oxalate washing compared to those on the initial and HCl washed soils. Consequently, oxalate was effective to extract As bound to amorphous Fe/Al hydrous oxides and had positive influence on the soil quality for plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]