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Interleukin-32γ (IL-32γ) has diverse functions in various malignancies. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-32γ in autophagy induction in liver cancer cells and delineated the underlying mechanisms. We found that the increased IL-32γ expression inhibited the growth, cell cycle progression, and migration of HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines; it also decreased the expression of related proteins. Furthermore, the IL-32γ overexpression induced autophagy, as indicated by the number of puncta, the expression of LC3, and the expression of autophagy-related markers. The expression levels of LAMP1, a protein essential for autophagosome formation, and colocalization with LC3 also increased. Big data analysis revealed that the expression of MET, a well-known target of autophagy, and the expression of mTOR and mTOR-related proteins were decreased by the IL-32γ overexpression. The combination treatment of MET inhibitor, cabozantinib (2 µM), and IL-32γ overexpression further increased the number of puncta, the colocalization of LC3 and LAMP1, and the expression of autophagy-related proteins. In vivo, liver tumor growth was suppressed in the IL-32γ-overexpressing mouse model, and autophagy induction was confirmed by the increased expression of LC3 and LAMP1 and the decreased expression of autophagy pathway markers (MET and mTOR). Autophagy was also decreased in the liver tumor sample of human patients. ROC curve and spearman analysis revealed that the expression levels of LC3 and IL-32γ were significantly correlated in human tumor serum and tissues. Therefore, IL-32γ overexpression induced autophagy in liver tumors through the suppression of MET and mTOR pathways critical for tumor growth inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explain the relationship between cartilage erosion and medial patellar luxation (MPL) and to identify risk factors in dogs. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 90 dogs (103 stifles) surgically treated for MPL between January 2006 and March 2024. Data collected included signalment, side of operated stifle, patellar luxation grade, symptom duration, and lameness score. Cartilage erosion was evaluated for extent and location on the patella and femoral trochlea. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of cartilage erosion of the patella and femoral trochlea was 47.6% (49/103) and 54.4% (56/103), respectively, increasing with a higher grade of patellar luxation. Lesions were most prevalent in the distolateral patella and proximomedial trochlea, with generalized lesions more prevalent in grade IV. The extent of both lesions was significantly associated with age, patellar luxation grade, and symptom duration, while body weight significantly correlated only with the cartilage erosion of the patella. No significant correlation was observed with sex, side of operated stifle, or lameness score. CONCLUSIONS: Many patients with MPL exhibited cartilage erosion in the patellofemoral joint, likely due to biomechanical mechanisms. Surgery can be indicated for patients with MPL, as it may prevent cartilage erosion while improving patellofemoral alignment and gait. When selecting surgical candidates, it is important to consider risk factors, such as patellar luxation grade, body weight, age, and symptom duration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Early surgical treatment is recommended, especially for dogs with higher body weight and higher grade of MPL, to prevent cartilage erosion and secondary osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the help of clustering analysis tools in the field of computer science, this paper conducts a visual study on the structure of contemporary large-scale public buildings. It summarizes the expression strategies of large-scale public building structures and provides references for research and practice in the new era. Based on the visualization analysis results of VOS viewer, this paper conducts analysis from three aspects: first, by reflecting on the development of traditional wood structure technology, it reveals the lag in the development of contemporary architectural structures; second, based on the new temporal context, it distinguishes the cognitive paradigm of contemporary architectural structures; third, it clarifies the inherent requirements of architectural structure representation and explores the possible answers to the expression of architectural structures in the new era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several clinical studies reported that the elevated expression of Chitinase-3-like 1 (CHI3L1) was observed in patients suffering from a wide range of diseases: cancer, metabolic, and neurological diseases. However, the role of CHI3L1 in AD is still unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that 2-({3-[2-(1-Cyclohexen-1-yl)ethyl]-6,7-dimethoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-quinazolinyl}culfanyl)-N-(4-ethylphenyl)butanamide, a CHI3L1 inhibiting compound, alleviates memory and cognitive impairment and inhibits neuroinflammation in AD mouse models. In this study, we studied the detailed correlation of CHI3L1 and AD using serum from AD patients and using CHI3L1 knockout (KO) mice with Aβ infusion (300 pmol/day, 14 days). Serum levels of CHI3L1 were significantly elevated in patients with AD compared to normal subjects, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis data based on serum analysis suggested that CHI3L1 could be a significant diagnostic reference for AD. To reveal the role of CHI3L1 in AD, we investigated the CHI3L1 deficiency effect on memory impairment in Aβ-infused mice and microglial BV-2 cells. In CHI3L1 KO mice, Aβ infusion resulted in lower levels of memory dysfunction and neuroinflammation compared to that of WT mice. CHI3L1 deficiency selectively inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and IκB as well as inhibition of neuroinflammation-related factors in vivo and in vitro. On the other hand, treatment with recombinant CHI3L1 increased neuroinflammation-related factors and promoted phosphorylation of IκB except for ERK in vitro. Web-based gene network analysis and our results showed that CHI3L1 is closely correlated with PTX3. Moreover, in AD patients, we found that serum levels of PTX3 were correlated with serum levels of CHI3L1 by Spearman correlation analysis. These results suggest that CHI3L1 deficiency could inhibit AD development by blocking the ERK-dependent PTX3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemangioblasts give rise to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which also express the cell surface markers CD133 and c-kit. They may differentiate into the outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) that control neovascularization in the developing embryo. According to numerous studies, reduced levels of EPCs in circulation have been linked to human cardiovascular disorders. Furthermore, preeclampsia and senescence have been linked to levels of EPCs produced from cord blood. Uncertainties surround how preeclampsia affects the way EPCs function. It is reasonable to speculate that preeclampsia may have an impact on the function of fetal EPCs during the in utero period; however, the present literature suggests that maternal vasculopathies, including preeclampsia, damage fetal circulation. Additionally, the differentiation potential and general activity of EPCs may serve as an indicator of the health of the fetal vascular system as they promote neovascularization and repair during pregnancy. Thus, the purpose of this review is to compare—through the assessment of their quantity, differentiation potency, angiogenic activity, and senescence—the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs obtained from cord blood for normal and pregnancy problems (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and fetal growth restriction). This will shed light on the relationship between the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs and pregnancy complications, which could have an effect on the management of long-term health issues like metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in offspring with abnormal vasculature development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation delves into the enhancement of heat exchange efficiency in heat exchange stations employing large temperature differential absorption (LTDA) heat pumps, a challenge often attributed to suboptimal operational adjustments. The focus is placed on LTDA heat pump systems within these stations, where operational adjustments are meticulously modified. The criterion for evaluation, energy efficiency, is rigorously applied throughout. A comprehensive approach combining experimental research with data simulation has been adopted, leading to the establishment of a mathematical model for the unit. Utilizing Matlab software, the simulation of adjustment methods for both the primary and secondary sides of the system is conducted in a phased manner, aiming to identify the most favorable operating conditions across various adjustment methods. Findings from this study reveal that the activation of lithium bromide absorption heating units for volume adjustment on the system's secondary side markedly underperforms in terms of heat exchange efficiency when compared to both mass adjustment and massvolume adjustment strategies. Crucially, it is identified that superior operating conditions under varying adjustment methods are achieved when the primary side supply water temperature is maintained at 110℃, coupled with a 20% ratio of temperature-driven heat exchanger flow to the actual flow on the secondary side, culminating in a peak heat exchange efficiency of 2.18. These results guide LTDA heat pump operational strategies in heat exchange stations, stressing strategic adjustments for better energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proper surgical modality for large non-obstructing proximal ureteral stones is disputed. We compare effectiveness and safety of flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) and tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (TPNL) in treatment of upper ureteral stones larger than 1.5 cm. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients who performed FURL or TPNL for upper ureteral stones between June 2016 and November 2018. Comparative analysis was conducted regarding demographic parameters, stone free rate, postoperative pain and complications. Results: This study included 58 patients treated with FURL and 60 patients treated with TPNL owing to upper ureteral stones larger than 1.5 cm. Stone size was similar in the FURL and TPNL groups (17.6 ± 2.6 vs. 18.0 ± 2.1 mm, p = 0.194). The overall 3-month stone clearance rate was 95.8% for FURL versus 96.0% for TPNL (p = 0.575). There was no difference between the FURL and TPNL groups for hospital stay (p = 0.280) and postoperative complications. On the other hand, patients treated with FURL had longer operative time (p = 0.012) and less postoperative pain (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Both surgical techniques were considered feasible and effective surgical procedures in the treatment of large upper ureteral stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

nc886 is a medium-sized non-coding RNA that is transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol III) and plays diverse roles in tumorigenesis, innate immunity, and other cellular processes. Although Pol III-transcribed ncRNAs were previously thought to be expressed constitutively, this concept is evolving, and nc886 is the most notable example. The transcription of nc886 in a cell, as well as in human individuals, is controlled by multiple mechanisms, including its promoter CpG DNA methylation and transcription factor activity. Additionally, the RNA instability of nc886 contributes to its highly variable steady-state expression levels in a given situation. This comprehensive review discusses nc886's variable expression in physiological and pathological conditions and critically examines the regulatory factors that determine its expression levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores how interleukin (IL)-6/Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/mineralocorticoid receptor (MR)/Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) axis mediates heart-liver cross-talk after myocardial infarction . It mentions the protective role of liver in myocardial infarction.

Colorants, especially synthetic colorants, play a crucial role in enhancing the aesthetic qualities of food owing to their cost-effectiveness and stability against environmental factors. Ensuring the safe and regulated use of colorants is essential for maintaining consumer trust in food safety. Various preparation and analytical technologies, which are continuously undergoing improvement, are currently used to quantify of synthetic colorants in food products. This paper reviews recent developments in analytical techniques for synthetic food colorants, detection and compares the operational principles, advantages, and disadvantages of each technology. Additionally, it also explores advancements in these technologies, discussing several invaluable tools of analysis, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, electrochemical sensors, digital image analysis, near-infrared spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. This comprehensive overview aims to provide valuable insights into current progress and research in the field of food colorant analysis. [Display omitted] • Eco-friendly methods for extracting synthetic food colorants are gaining attention. • As analytics advance, smartphone-based image analysis is another focus area. • Electrochemical sensors analyze fewer colorants but are simple and easy to use. • Portable analytical devices are suitable for on-site monitoring. • HPLC and LC–MS/MS remain popular for simultaneous colorant analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stresses lead to excessive crop yield losses and are a major threat to agriculture. It is essential to equip crops with multi-stress tolerance to mitigate the adverse effects of abiotic stressors and meet the demands of the increasing global population. The association between plants and symbiotic microorganisms is involved in key functions at the ecosystem and plant levels, and the application of microbial plant biostimulants (MPBs) is a sustainable strategy to augment plant growth and productivity, even under abiotic stress conditions. Several different microorganisms can be used as MPBs to enhance plant growth and produce progressive and reproducible effects on crops. In the present review, we assessed the current knowledge on the use of MPBs, discuss the diversity and characteristics of MPBs, and provide a meticulous assessment of the possible applications of MPBs in abiotic stress relief in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the safety and effect of the multifocal low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (MESWT) in the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Materials and Methods: We randomly separated 30 patients with CP/CPPS into a MESWT and placebo group of same number using prospective-randomized, double-blind design. The participants’ National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) total and subdomain scores, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), and visual analogue scale (VAS) were assessed and compared at baseline and at finishing immediately and 4 weeks after procedure and also were compared between MESWT and placebo group. Results: A total of 30 participants were randomized a MESWT or placebo group. Twenty of thirty participants completed this trial. NIH-CPSI total and subdomain scores, IPSS, IIEF-5, and VAS had significantly ameliorated compared with baseline in the MESWT group at 4 weeks assessment. Furthermore, comparison of the results from MESWT and placebo groups represented statistically significant differences in NIH-CPSI total and subdomain scores, IPSS, IIEF-5, and VAS. No side effects or events were occurred in both groups of the participants during study periods. Conclusions: MESWT can be an effective treatment modality in patients with CP/CPPS as it improves pain and QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer, and human exposure to DEHP is widespread and frequent. However, information about the combined effect of DEHP and ultraviolet (UV)-B on the skin are still limited. We investigated the cytotoxic effects of DEHP and UV-B on HaCaT keratinocytes and evaluated the related underlying mechanisms involving endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signals and the disruption of junction complexes as an effective target for skin inflammation. Our results revealed that co-treatment with DEHP and UV-B irradiation alleviated the cell cytotoxicity and markedly decreased X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase 1 alpha (Ero1α), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) whereas a single dose of 40 mJ/cm2 UV-B generated mild ER stress to slightly less or similar levels as that seen with DEHP. DEHP was also shown to inhibit tight junctions (TJs) after UV-B irradiation, increased apoptosis by altering apoptotic gene Bax and stress kinases, JNK, and p38 MAPK. Furthermore, exposure of HaCaT cells to DEHP and UV-B irradiation resulted in the marked suppression of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/p65 signaling pathway. Taken together, our data suggest that nontoxic DEHP and UV-B irradiation regulated ER stress and epidermal TJ disruption with the induction of apoptosis activation and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-6 in human keratinocytes. Further investigation is needed to confirm the mechanisms implicated in its toxicity and determine the effects of exposure to DEHP and UV-B irradiation on markers involved in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is no definite treatment method for chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). The purpose of this study was to compare and assess the effectiveness and safety of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) versus placebo treatment in CPPS IIIb patients. Materials and Methods:Materials and Methods: Thirty participants with CPPS IIIb were included and randomized in this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Li-ESWT was performed at the perineum without anesthesia once per week for 8 weeks. CPPS- related symptoms were evaluated using the National Institutes of Health-chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI). Pain and erectile function were appraised using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and International Index of Erectile Function- Erectile Function (IIEF-EF), respectively. The Global Efficacy Assessment Question (GEAQ) was also assessed. The parameters were evaluated immediately after the last Li-ESWT treatment and 4 weeks after Li-EWST treatment. Results:Results: Fifteen subjects each in the Li-ESWT and placebo groups completed this study. Amelioration of NIH-CPSI total, pain, and quality of life score in the Li-ESWT group was found compared to the placebo group (p=0.002, 0.02, 0.001, respec- tively). Improvement of the VAS score was observed in the Li-ESWT group (p=0.002). The differences in the GEAQ “Yes” re- sponses were also significant in the Li-ESWT group. No patients experienced side effects related to ESWT during therapeutic period or follow-up duration. Conclusions:Conclusions: Results indicated that Li-ESWT improved the NIH-CPSI score, pain, and the quality of life in CPPS IIIb patients. Li-ESWT could be an effective alternative treatment modality for CPPS IIIb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigonal warping distortion in energy band lifts the degeneracy of two valleys (K and K' points) of graphene. In this situation, electron transport becomes valley dependent, which can be used to design the valley beam splitter, collimator, or guiding device. Here, valley-dependent beam manipulators are designed based on artificial photonic graphene. In this scheme, the finite-size artificial photonic graphene is intentionally designed to realize the novel device functionalities. This kind of valley-dependent beam manipulators can work at an arbitrary range of electromagnetic waves from microwave to visible light. It potentially paves the way for the application of photonic graphene in future integrated photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the most fungal endophytes in the host plant growth and production of metabolites under stress conditions is still unknown. Fungal endophytes occur in almost all plants to benefit the host plants exposed to biotic and abiotic stress. In the present work, we investigated salt (NaCl) stress alleviation capability of a fungal endophyte (Porostereum spadiceum-AGH786). The culture filtrate (CF: 1.5 mL.) of P. spadiceum-AGH786 contained IAA (158 µg/ml), SA (29.3 µg/ml), proline (114.6 µg/ml), phenols (167.4 µg/ml), lipids (71.4 µg/ml), sugar (133.2 µg/ml), flavonoids (105.04 µg/ml). Smaller amounts of organic acids, such as butyric acid (5.8 µg/ml), formic acid (2.34 µg/ml), succinic acid (2.02 µg/ml), and quinic acid (2.25 µg/ml) were also found in CF of P. spadiceum-AGH786. Similarly, the CF displayed antioxidant activity in 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Moreover, wheat plants colonized by P. spadiceum-AGH786 showed significantly (P = 0.05) higher polyphenol oxidases activity (2.2 mg/g DW) under normal conditions as compared to the NaCl-treated plants. We also observed that P. spadiceum-AGH786 improved biomass (0.30 g) of wheat plants subjected to 140 mM NaCl stress. The results conclude that the wheat plant colonization by P. spadiceum-AGH786 greatly improved the plant growth under 70 mM and 140 mM NaCl stress. Thus, the biomass of the P. Spadiceum-AGH786 can be used in saline soil to help the host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification with renewable energy to synthesize methanol shows great potential in alleviating the dependence on fossil energy and reducing the negative environmental impact of increasing MSW production. In this study, three technological processes including MSW-tomethanol integrated with carbon capture and storage (MTMC), MSW-to-methanol integrated with solid oxygen electrolysis cell unit (MTMS) and MSW incineration to power (MTP) are compared from the perspective of techno-environmental-economic performance. Results show that MTMS process owns the maximum exergy efficiency (60.8%), followed by MTMC (41.5%) and MTP (18.9%). In terms of global warming potential (GWP), MTP process has the worst environmental performance with 19,164.84 kgCO2eq/h. The economic analysis shows that MTMS process owns the highest value of levelized profit of MSW (LPO1W) with 38.64 USD/t under the current market conditions. In addition, comparative analysis shows the production cost of methanol (PC0M~) of MTMC and MTMS routes is 406.09 USD/t and 355.89 USD/t, respectively, which are economically competitive compared with the coal / biomass / CO2 hydrogenation to methanol route. Sensitivity analysis shows that MTMS process processes its advantage on economic performance only if the methanol price is higher than 350 USD/t and photovoltaic on-grid tariff is lower than 0.055 USD/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs or long ncRNAs, have brought about a new paradigm in the regulation of gene expression. Sequencing technologies have detected transcripts with tremendous sensitivity and throughput and revealed that the majority of them lack protein-coding potential. Myriad articles have investigated numerous ncRNAs and many of them claim that ncRNAs play gene-regulatory roles. However, it is questionable whether all these articles draw conclusions through cautious gain- and loss-of function experiments whose design was reasonably based on an ncRNA's correct identity and features. In this review, these issues are discussed with a regulatory ncRNA, nc886, as an example case to represent cautions and guidelines when studying ncRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a multifunctional sphingolipid that has been implicated in regulating cellular activities in mammalian cells. Due to its therapeutic potential, there is a growing interest in developing efficient methods for S1P production. To date, the production of S1P has been achieved through chemical synthesis or blood extraction, but these processes have limitations such as complexity and cost. In this study, we generated an S1P-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain by using metabolic engineering and introducing a heterologous sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway to demonstrate the possibility of microbial S1P production. Results: To construct the sphingosine-producing S. cerevisiae strain, both the sphingolipid delta 4 desaturase gene (DES1) and the alkaline ceramidase gene (ACER1) derived from Homo sapiens were introduced into the genome of S. cerevisiae by deleting the dihydrosphingosine phosphate lyase gene (DPL1) and the sphingoid long-chain base kinase gene (LCB5) to prevent S1P degradation and byproduct formation, respectively. The sphingosine-producing strain, DDLA, produced sphingolipids containing sphingosine. In flask fed-batch fermentation, the DDLA strain showed a higher production level of sphingosine under aerobic conditions with high initial cell density. The S1P-producing strain was generated by expressing the human sphingosine kinase gene (SPHK1) under the control of the inducible promoter, while deleting the ORM1 gene involved in the regulation of sphingolipid biosynthesis. The S1P-producing strain, DDLAOgS, exhibited the highest sphingosine production level under fed-batch fermentation in a bioreactor, achieving a 2.6-fold increase compared to flask fermentation. S1P biosynthesis in the DDLAOgS strain was verified by qualitative analysis using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI–MS). Conclusions: We successfully developed a metabolically engineered S. cerevisiae as a platform strain for microbial production of S1P by introducing an exogenous pathway of sphingolipids metabolism. The engineered yeast strains showed significant capabilities for sphingolipid production, including S1P. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that engineered S. cerevisiae can be a major platform strain for producing microbial S1P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furthermore, the analysis of the reconstructed human skin (RHS) tissue AD model confirmed that CHI3L1-Ab treatment reduced skin inflammation by inhibiting the CHI3L1/NF- B/ITGA5 axis (Figure 3E-I). After confirming that CHI3L1 regulates AD-related skin inflammation, we examined the therapeutic effect of CHI3L1-antibody (Ab). Furthermore, the inhibition of CHI3L1 by CHI3L1-Ab suppresses AD-like symptoms and inflammatory responses by regulating CHI3L1, the NF- B/ITGA5 axis. [Extracted from the article]

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) actively colonize the plant rhizosphere, which not only stimulates plants' growth and development but also mitigates the adverse effects of abiotic stressors. Besides other techniques and approaches used for the alleviation of abiotic stress conditions, the utilization of PGPR with multiplant growth-promoting traits is desirable because the application of PGPR is pragmatic, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. In the past four decades, numerous ACC deaminase-producing PGPR have been reported for the improvement of crop plants' growth and development under different abiotic stress conditions. Since 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase producing PGPR regulates ethylene production by utilizing the exuded ACC, which is an immediate precursor of ethylene biosynthesis. However, little is known about the basic mechanism involved in the acquisition of ACC by ACC deaminase-producing bacteria since the enzyme ACC deaminase is localized inside the bacterial cells and ACC is exuded into the rhizosphere from plant roots. In the present article, we proposed candidate attractants involved in the transfer of ACC into ACC deaminase-producing bacteria. Additionally, we discussed the importance and relation of these candidate attractants with ACC deaminase under abiotic stress conditions. Key points: • The ethylene precursor, ACC, exude from plant tissues under abiotic stresses • ACC deaminase activity of PGPR localized in the cytoplasm and periplasm of bacteria • Proposed candidate attractants for the transfer and equilibrium of exuded ACC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By measuring the i-v characteristics of Y3N@[C80]6- anionic solid at various temperatures and electric field strengths, four conducting phases with i∞v , i∞v2 with low resistance, i∞v4 and i∞v2 with high resistance were observed. First, at temperatures below 100K and field strengths below 30 Vcm-1, the current passing through the sample was a linear function of the d.c. bias voltage due to free moving charges. Second, at the same field strengths, the trapped carrier was thermally activated with activation energies of 13.6meV for temperature range of 100-250 K and 88.7meV for 250-450 K. In this conducting phase, the carrier transport was governed by space charge limited conduction mechanism. Third, when the electric field increased from 30 to 120 Vcm-1, the i became a quartic function of the v because the carrier mobility is a quadratic function of the field strength. A conducting phase with high resistance was observed at temperatures below 100K. The trapped carrier was thermally activated with activation energies of 146.5meV for temperature range of 100-250K and 288.5meV for 250-450K. Finally, in the electric field strengths of 120-2000 Vcm-1, a high resistance phase appeared in the anionic solid at temperatures below 100K. The current was a quadratic function of the d.c. bias voltage, and the carrier mobility was independent of the field strength [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical transport properties of the nanocrystalline Er3N@C80 with fcc crystal structure were characterized by measuring both temperature-dependent d.c. conductance and a.c. impedance. The results showed that the Er3N@C80 sample has characteristics of n-type semiconductor and an electron affinity larger than work function of gold metal. The Er3N@C80/Au interface has an ohmic contact behavior and the contact resistance was very small as compared with bulk resistance of the Er3N@C80 sample. The charge carriers in the sample were thermally excited from various trapped levels and both acoustic phonon and ionic scatterings become a dominant process in different temperature regions, respectively. At temperatures below 250 K, the activation energy of the trapped carrier was estimated to be 35.5 meV, and the ionic scattering was a dominant mechanism. On the other hand, at temperatures above 350 K, the activation energy was reduced to 15.9 meV, and the acoustic phonon scattering was a dominant mechanism. In addition, a polarization effect from the charge carrier was observed at low frequencies below 2.0 MHz, and the relative intrinsic permittivity of the Er3N@C80 nanocrystalline lattice was estimated to be 4.6 at frequency of 5.0 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical properties of the C60(OH)10/Au contact have been studied by measuring its current-voltage characteristics in the temperature range of 300-500 K. The Schottky barrier of the C60(OH)10/Au contact was confirmed to be 0:7060:02eV from Arrhenius plots of the current-voltage characteristics measured at various bias voltages as well as various preparation conditions of the C60(OH)10 material. Significant effect of the applied electric field on the barrier height has not been observed in the range of 0: 1-2:0 MVm-1. The effects of both the charge transfer from C60 cage to OH groups and the crystallinity of the C60(OH)10 material on the Schottky barrier were discussed on the basis of x-ray photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) method is used to identify microbes in cheese and their potential functional properties. The technique can be applied to the microbiota of the cheese processing environment, raw milk, curd, whey, and starter cultures, and be used to improve the quality, safety, and other physicochemical properties of the final product. The HTS method is also utilized to study the microbiota shift of different types of cheeses during processing, as the composition and functional properties of the microbiome provide unique characteristics to different cheeses. Although there are several reviews that focused on microbiota of various types of cheeses, this review focuses on evaluating the microbiota shift of different types of cheese production and highlights key bacteria in each step of the processing as well as microbiota of various types of cheeses. Key points: • High-throughput sequencing can be applied to identify microbiota in cheese. • Microbiota in cheese is changed during making process and aging. • Starter culture plays an important role to establish microbiota in cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of yeasts associated with apricots was carried out in May 2019. Two strains isolated from two fresh apricots were identified as a novel species of the genus Colacogloea based on a multi locus phylogenetic analysis, and physiological and biochemical tests. The two strains differed from any hitherto known Colacogloea species by at least 18 nucleotide substitutions (3%) in the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene and by more than 10% mismatches in the ITS region. Also, the two strains differed phylogenetically from their closest relatives, C. falcata and C. diffluens, in its inability to assimilate galactose, D-xylose and citrate. The new species C. armeniacae sp. nov. is proposed here to accommodate those two strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infection processes of Ceratocystis fimbriata BMPZ13 (BMPZ13) was elucidated on vegetative tissues of sweetpotato plants employing light and scanning electron microscopy. Vegetative tissues infected with C. fimbriata BMPZ13 by either wounding or nonwounding inoculation methods developed typical disease symptoms, establishing black rot in stems and necrosis on buds, young leaves, and stems of sprouts, in addition to wilt on leaves and shoot cuttings, typical of vascular associated diseases. The runner hyphae of C. fimbriata BMPZ13 formed from germinated conidia were able to directly penetrate the epidermal cuticle for initial infection and invade sweetpotato peltate glandular trichomes, specialized secretory structures to store and secrete metabolites. A two-step biotrophic phase was observed with nonwounding inoculation on leaves and stems, featuring both intercellular and intracellular invasive hyphae, with the latter found within living cells of the leaf epidermis. Subsequent to the biotrophic phase was a necrotrophic phase displaying cell death in infected leaves and veins. Additionally, this cell death was an iron-associated ferroptosis, supporting the notion that iron is involved in the necrotrophic phase of C. fimbriata BMPZ13 infection. Significantly, we establish that C. fimbriata employs a unique infection strategy: the targeting of peltate glandular trichomes. Collectively, our findings show that C. fimbriata is a plant fungal pathogen with a hemibiotrophic infection style in sweetpotato vegetative tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders characterized by gradual memory loss and neuropsychiatric symptoms. We have previously demonstrated that the 2-({3-[2-(1-cyclohexene-1-yl)ethyl]-6,7-dimethoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-quinazolinyl}sulfanyl)-N-(4-ethylphenyl)butanamide (K284-6111), the inhibitor of CHI3L1, has the inhibitory effect on memory impairment in Αβ infusion mouse model and on LPS-induced neuroinflammation in the murine BV-2 microglia and primary cultured astrocyte.Methods: In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of K284-6111 on memory dysfunction and neuroinflammation in Tg2576 transgenic mice, and a more detailed correlation of CHI3L1 and AD. To investigate the effects of K284-6111 on memory dysfunction, we administered K284-6111 (3 mg/kg, p.o.) daily for 4 weeks to Tg2576 mice, followed by behavioral tests of water maze test, probe test, and passive avoidance test.Results: Administration of K284-6111 alleviated memory impairment in Tg2576 mice and had the effect of reducing the accumulation of Aβ and neuroinflammatory responses in the mouse brain. K284-6111 treatment also selectively inactivated ERK and NF-κB pathways, which were activated when CHI3L1 was overexpressed, in the mouse brain and in BV-2 cells. Web-based gene network analysis and our results of gene expression level in BV-2 cells showed that CHI3L1 is closely correlated with PTX3. Our result revealed that knockdown of PTX3 has an inhibitory effect on the production of inflammatory proteins and cytokines, and on the phosphorylation of ERK and IκBα.Conclusion: These results suggest that K284-6111 could improve memory dysfunction by alleviating neuroinflammation through inhibiting CHI3L1 enhancing ERK-dependent PTX3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The naturally lackadaisical kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the cathode is one of the important factors that restrict the development of air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this work, the iron-nitrogen-carbon hierarchically nanostructured materials had been successfully fabricated by pyrolyzing glucose, iron chloride, and dicyandiamide with the aim of solving the issue. The obtained catalyst with an ultrathin nanostructure demonstrated an idiosyncratic electrocatalytic activity caused by the high content introduction of nitrogen and iron atoms, large surface area, which will offer sufficient active sites for improving the charge/mass transfer and reducing the diffusion resistance. Furthermore, with the increase of N dopant in the catalyst, better ORR catalytic activity could be achieved. Illustrating the N doping was beneficial to the ORR process. The high content of N, BET surface area caused by the N increasing could be responsible for the superior performance according to results of X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman and Brunner-Emmet-Teller (BET) analysis. The ORR on the Fe–N3/C material follows 4e− pathway, and MFCs equipped with Fe–N3/C catalyst achieved a maximum power density (MPD) of 912 mW/m2, which was 1.1 times of the MPD generated by the commercial Pt/C (830 mW/m2). This research not only provided a feasible way for the fabrication of Pt-free catalyst towards oxygen reduction but also proposed potential cathode catalysts for the development of MFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia is a syndrome characterized by deterioration of either the maternal condition or the fetal condition. The adverse intrauterine environment made by preeclampsia results into intrauterine growth restriction and increased risk of a variety of diseases in future life. Given the adverse environment of fetal circulation made in the preeclamptic condition, and the role of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) as a multipotent progenitor cell, we hypothesized that MSCs derived from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB-MSCs) obtained from preeclampsia are adversely altered or affected compared with normal pregnancy. The aim of this study was to analyze the biological characteristics and compare the functional abilities and gene expression patterns of hUCB-MSCs originating from pregnant women with and without severe preeclampsia. hUCB-MSCs were isolated and cultured from 28 pregnant women with severe preeclampsia and 30 normal pregnant women. hUCB-MSCs obtained from women with preeclampsia were less proliferative and more senescent and had lower telomerase activity and higher ROS activity than cells from women with normal pregnancy. In addition, many senescence-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by analysis of microarray gene expression profiles and significantly associated with the Gene Ontology term cell aging. In conclusion, hUCB-MSCs obtained from women with preeclampsia showed the poorly proliferative, more senescent, and decreased telomerase activity, and these characters may be related with functional impairment of MSC from preeclampsia compared with cells from normal pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis is a global inflammatory disease that causes death. It has been reported that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment can attenuate inflammatory and septic symptoms. In this study, we investigated how interactions between neutrophils and human umbilical cord blood (hUCB)-MSCs in the liver of septic mice are involved in mitigating sepsis that is mediated by MSCs. Accordingly, we aimed to determine whether hUCB-MSC application could be an appropriate treatment for sepsis. Methods: To induce septic condition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected into mice 24 h after the intravenous (i.v.) injection of saline or hUCB-MSCs. To determine the effect of hUCB-MSCs on the immune response during sepsis, histologic analysis, immunoassays, and two-photon intravital imaging were performed 6 h post-LPS injection. For the survival study, mice were monitored for 6 days after LPS injection. Results: The injection (i.v.) of hUCB-MSCs alleviated the severity of LPS-induced sepsis by increasing IL-10 levels (p < 0.001) and decreasing mortality (p < 0.05) in septic mice. In addition, this significantly reduced the recruitment of neutrophils (p < 0.001) to the liver. In hUCB-MSC-treated condition, we also observed several distinct patterns of dynamic interactions between neutrophils and hUCB-MSCs in the inflamed mouse liver, as well as vigorous interactions between hepatic stellate cells (HSCs or ito cells) and hUCB-MSCs. Interestingly, hUCB-MSCs that originated from humans were not recognized as foreign in the mouse body and consequently did not cause graft rejection. Conclusions: These distinct interaction patterns between innate immune cells and hUCB-MSCs demonstrated that hUCB-MSCs have beneficial effects against LPS-induced sepsis through associations with neutrophils. In addition, the immunomodulatory properties of hUCB-MSCs might enable immune evasion in the host. Taken together, our results suggest the prospects of hUCB-MSCs as a therapeutic tool to inhibit inflammation and alleviate pathological immune responses such as sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper carries out simulation and tests on an electric thermal storage heating system with solid storage material (SS-ETSHS), and discusses the law of thermal storage and release in system operation, aiming to reduce the energy consumption and enhance the reliability and safety of the system. Based on the lumped parameter method, a mathematical model of the SSETSHS was established, and then solved by Matlab programming. The simulation results were used to analyze the change laws of the temperature of the thermal storage structure (TSS), circulating air temperature, and water temperature of the heat exchanger. The simulation results were proved valid and accurate through actual engineering tests. In addition, the patterns of temperature variation in different parts of the system were investigated under quantity adjustment and quality adjustment. The results show that the simulated results deviated from the measured results by 7.9% at the maximum, suggesting that our model and program are suitable for simulating the SS-ETSHS; in both adjustment modes, the residual heat of the TSS could not be released in the thermal release phase but built up, severely suppressing the thermal efficiency of the system. The research results are of great significance to the safe and reliable operation of the SS-ETSHS, shedding light on the optimization of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety and environmental problems caused by coal mining and utilization are becoming increasingly serious. Studies in the coal spontaneous combustion characteristics based on constant temperature difference guidance method, which is of great significance for mine safety prevention and environmental protection. In this paper, a new method, Constant Temperature Difference Guidance Method, was developed in this paper for studying coal spontaneous combustion characteristics. By creating a constant temperature difference between coal temperature and ambient temperature, self-heating of coal is guided in this new method, which largely improves the efficiency and success rate of coal spontaneous combustion testing. Through analysis, this method was proved capable of providing a comprehensive description of coal's low-temperature oxidation characteristics. Besides, through changing different values of the temperature difference, various factors of low-temperature coal oxidation under adiabatic environment can be calculated. Additionally, spontaneous combustion point and ignition point can be obtained by analyzing time-temperature curve of coal oxidation. These two points along with the duration to achieve these two points were used in this paper to develop a risk index for evaluating coal spontaneous combustion propensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety and environmental problems caused by coal mining and utilization are becoming increasingly serious. Studies in the coal spontaneous combustion characteristics based on constant temperature difference guidance method, which is of great significance for mine safety prevention and environmental protection. In this paper, a new method, Constant Temperature Difference Guidance Method, was developed in this paper for studying coal spontaneous combustion characteristics. By creating a constant temperature difference between coal temperature and ambient temperature, self-heating of coal is guided in this new method, which largely improves the efficiency and success rate of coal spontaneous combustion testing. Through analysis, this method was proved capable of providing a comprehensive description of coal's low-temperature oxidation characteristics. Besides, through changing different values of the temperature difference, various factors of low-temperature coal oxidation under adiabatic environment can be calculated. Additionally, spontaneous combustion point and ignition point can be obtained by analyzing time-temperature curve of coal oxidation. These two points along with the duration to achieve these two points were used in this paper to develop a risk index for evaluating coal spontaneous combustion propensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The function of Solcoseryl in the corneal epithelium has not been fully examined. Here, we investigated the roles of Solcoseryl in the regulation of gene expression and corneal epithelial cell (CEC) activity. Materials and Methods: The effect of Solcoseryl on CEC activity was analyzed through cell migration, adhesion, proliferation, and wound healing assays. Analysis of gene expression was conducted via western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The results demonstrated that Solcoseryl increased the adhesion, migration, proliferation, and wound healing of CECs. Analysis of gene expression showed that Solcoseryl-stimulated CECs exhibited increased expression of mucin family genes, such as MUC1, −5AC, −7, and −16. Solcoseryl also increased the activities of the intracellular signaling molecules AKT, FAK, ERK, and Src in CECs. Using pharmacologic inhibitors of ERK and AKT, we showed that the expression of mucin genes by Solcoseryl is mediated by the activation of ERK and AKT signaling. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that Solcoseryl may contribute to the wound healing of CECs by enhancing their migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Additionally, our results suggest that Solcoseryl has a protective effect on ocular surfaces due to its induction of the expression of mucin genes in CECs. These findings suggest that Solcoseryl is a useful therapeutic target for patients with corneal wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we investigate the upper bounds on third order Hankel determinants for certain class of close-to-convex functions in the unit disk. Furthermore, we obtain estimates of the Zalcman coefficient functional for this class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the categories of nocturia and relationships with the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) in Korean men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) accompanying nocturia. Materials and Methods: Five hundred twenty-one male patients from five different hospitals, aged =18 years, were included. The 3-day frequency volume chart was used to identify nocturia. We also used the IPSS and The International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Nocturia (ICIQ-N) module to verify the correlation between nocturia and quality of life. Results: The distribution of nocturia events varied from 1 to 11, and 2 nocturia events were most prevalent (48.4%). Across the various numbers of nocturia events, the mean age, first sleep period, functional bladder capacity (FBC), nocturnal polyuria index (NPI), nocturia index (NI), predicted number of nightly voids, and nocturnal bladder capacity index (NBCI) were statistically different. Patients with pure nocturnal polyuria showed different night lengths, nocturnal urine volume, FBC, NPI, NI, and predicted number of nightly voids than those without nocturnal polyuria. Patients with severely reduced NBCI were prominent in the IPSS >20 group, and the degree of vexation increased with the number of nocturia events. The IPSS storage symptom score and ICIQ-N symptom score positively correlated with nocturia events. Conclusions: In Korean male LUTS patients with nocturia, mixed-type nocturia was prominent, and patients with a high IPSS had a much poorer sleep quality than those with a low IPSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the toxin gene profile, toxin production, antibiotic resistance coagulase serotype, and genetic diversity of 42 coagulase‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (CPS) isolates collected from 1,464 cream‐filled bakery products in Korea. Among the CPS isolates, 37 (88.1%) produced enterotoxin genes in combination with another toxin; 26 (61.9%) of the strains were positive for sea, 1 (2.4%) for sea‐seb, and 4 (9.5%) for sea‐sec. Among the strains showing antibiotic resistance, 28 (66.7%) showed resistance to only one antibiotic, whereas nine (21.4%) showed resistance to multiple antibiotics: 4 (9.5%) strains were both mecA‐positive and oxacillin‐resistant. Most strains are resistant to at least one antibiotic—benzyl penicillin. The CPS isolates were classified into eight coagulase serotypes. This information will be valuable for assessing the capability risks of CPS food poisoning, contributing a better known of the epidemiology result associated with CPS contamination in bakery products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lee, Y.-S. and Kwon, S.-C., 2023. Examining the role of Swimming and Water Safety education Curriculums (SWSCs) in Korean Physical and Health Education programs. In: Lee, J.L.; Lee, H.; Min, B.I.; Chang, J.-I.; Cho, G.T.; Yoon, J.-S., and Lee, J. (eds.), Multidisciplinary Approaches to Coastal and Marine Management. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 116, pp. 473-477. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. This study aimed to examine Swimming and Water Safety education Curriculums (SWSCs) taught in schools and organizations in high-income countries (e.g., Australia, England, and New Zealand) that can be integrated with Korean primary school Physical-Health Education curriculum (PHE). The authors conducted a review of the literature on the SWSC and reviewed a vast body of information, facts, and evidence regarding the water safety education described in research papers and reports released by governments and organizations. The key features of the SWSC in high-income countries were: (1) they served as integral and vital components of physical-health education (co-)curricular activities, (2) they designed broad levels of learning goals and lessons for all students' learning needs, and (3) they integrated and addressed psychomotor, cognitive, and affective learning domains to enhance water competencies and assess students' learning outcomes. The 15 water competencies framework was an evidence-based approach to the SWSCs that highlights Bloom's taxonomy (psychomotor, cognitive, and affective learning domains). It is believed that the 15 water competencies can be used as a framework for the development and implementation of swimming and water safety education curriculum in Korean primary physical-health education. More research is needed to study psycho-pedagogical aspects of the SWSCs not only to enhance water safety practices but also to meet Korean national curricular goals in primary school physical-health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkin, a critical gene of Parkinson's disease, is involved in the development of numerous cancers. However, the effect of parkin deficiency on melanoma growth and metastasis has not been reported. We showed that the tumor size and number of surface lung metastases, and expression of tumor growth and metastasis marker proteins were significantly lower in parkin-KO mice than those observed in non-transgenic controls. In an in vitro study, we also showed that parkin siRNA inhibited cell growth and migration of B16F10 and SK-Mel-28 cells. Parkin-specific ubiquitination of mitofusin-2 (MFN2) was decreased in tumors and metastasized lung tissues of parkin-KO mice. Moreover, we showed that parkin directly binds and ubiquitinates MFN2. Knockdown of MFN2 decreased the expression of Bax and apoptotic cell death, but increased that of Bcl2 and apoptotic cancer cell death. However, these effects were reversed by knockdown of parkin. Conversely, inhibitory effects on melanoma growth and migration of parkin siRNA were reversed by MFN2 siRNA. These data indicate that melanoma development was inhibited in parkin-KO mice through maintaining of MFN2 level by inhibition of ubiquitinating ability of parkin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: IL-35, a powerful suppressor of inflammation and autoimmunity, is primarily secreted by regulatory T cells (Tregs) and can, in turn, promote Treg differentiation. However, the precise effect of IL-35 on dendritic cells (DCs) remains to be clarified. Methods: In this study, we investigated the expression of IL-35 in DCs after stimulation with LPS utilizing enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting, and the influence of IL-35 on the maturation and function of DCs by mixed lymphocyte reaction assay and flow cytometry. We further examined the regulation of IL-35 in DCs by the microRNA let-7i (let-7i) via transfected with let-7i mimic, inhibitor or suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) siRNA. IL-35-overexpressing DCs were transfused into BALB/c recipients with C57BL/6 heart transplantations to verify the role of immune tolerance in transplantation. Results: The results showed that IL-35 expression was significantly up-regulated following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced DC maturation. Overexpression of IL-35 suppressed DC maturation, promoted the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and subsequently affected the balance between Treg and Th17 cells. IL-35 expression in DCs was regulated by let-7i, which targets SOCS1. The transfusion of IL-35-transfected DCs induced Treg generation in mice and prolonged cardiac allograft survival. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that IL-35 induces tolerogenic DCs which are capable of alleviating allograft rejection. Clinical application of IL-35-treated DCs might be a promising approach for eliciting cardiac allograft immune tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Ureteral injuries are well-known complications of any gynecologic surgery. We evaluated the safety and feasibility of ureteroscopic double-J (DJ) ureteral stenting in patients with distal ureteral injuries after gynecologic surgery.Methods: Eleven consecutive patients with an iatrogenic ureteral injury in the distal ureter secondary to gynecologic surgery underwent DJ ureteral stenting between March 2008 and January 2016. Ureteral leakage and stricture were appraised using intravenous pyelography. The operative and clinical outcomes were evaluated.Results: The DJ ureteral stent was successfully inserted using ureteroscopy in all patients, none of whom showed major or minor complications during the intraoperative and perioperative follow-up periods. Intravenous pyelography performed every 3 months during the follow-up period verified recovery at the ureteral injury site, without urine leakage. However, five patients experienced ureteral stricture. Balloon dilatation or Holmium laser endoureterotomy was performed successfully in all patients. One patient with recurring ureteral stricture was retreated using Holmium laser endoureterotomy and balloon dilatation; during 12 months of follow-up, there was no recurrence. Overall long-term success rate was 100%, with a mean follow-up of 20.4 months.Conclusion: DJ stenting using ureteroscopy diminishes the necessity for invasive surgical procedures and is regarded as one of the available management options for patients with an iatrogenic ureteral injury before considering an invasive operation. However, since ureteral stricture frequently occurs after ureteroscopic procedures, it is essential to select the appropriate patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel nanoparticles supported on a NiO-MgO solid solution are fabricated using the exsolution process. Upon reduction, the nickel nanoparticles are exsoluted from a Ni 0·4 Mg 0·6 O solid solution powder. From the results obtained from transition electron microscopy (TEM) and temperature programmed reduction (TPR) measurements, it is concluded that the size and dispersion state of the nickel nanoparticles strongly depend on the homogeneity of the parent solid solution. Sintering the parent solid solution powder at a high temperature results in a homogeneous solid solution, which leads to a decreased reducibility of the nickel ions and, consequently, well-distributed Ni nanoparticles are successfully obtained. The metallic nickel moves reversibly to and out of the parent solid solution in response to a specific atmospheric condition. The methane steam reforming over the as-synthesized nickel nanoparticles are evaluated and appreciable degradation (1000 h) of the catalytic activity is not found for the catalyst sample that is sintered at 1000 °C followed by subsequent reduction to 800 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Kim, Y.S.; Jang, C.J.; Jeong, J.-Y., and Shim J.-S., 2018. Daily to seasonal variability of the mixed layer depth in the central Yellow Sea: Effects of atmospheric forcing. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 576–580. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Daily to seasonal variability of the mixed layer depth (MLD) was investigated based on the CTD mooring time series during the April to October 2015 period, taken from the Ongjin Socheongcho Ocean Research Station in the central Yellow Sea. The time evolution of the seasonal MLD was characterized by three distinct phases: fully-mixed (deep) phase by late April, quasi-stable (shallow) phase from late April to late July, and gradual deepening phase thereafter. During the first phase, the entire water column was occupied by cold bottom waters, which seemed to impede the change of the MLD according to atmospheric forcing. Besides this fully-mixed phase, daily MLD fluctuations varied coherently with the surface wind speed with a lag of several hours on the time scale of few days. During the deepening phase, the MLD increased monotonically at a rate of 2.6 m per month, corresponding to gradually increased net heat losses to the atmosphere at a rate of −2.7 W/m2 per day, suggesting the role of net heat flux in determining seasonal variance of the MLD. The relationships of both the winds and net heat fluxes with the MLDs weakened to an insignificant level from late July to middle August. During this period, heavy rainfall associated with both typhoon and tropical depressions, and the attendant riverine runoff probably added buoyancy forcing, forming a barrier layer near the MLD base. Our results collectively suggest that atmospheric forcing plays a critical role in determining the variability of the MLD in the central Yellow Sea, where three-dimensional oceanic processes including tides and currents are relatively weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow and East China Seas (YECS) are widely believed to have experienced robust, basin-scale warming over the last few decades. However, the warming reached a peak in the late 1990s, followed by a significant cooling trend. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of this low-frequency sea surface temperature (SST) variance and its dynamic relationship with large-scale climate variability through cyclostationary orthogonal function analysis for the 1982–2014 period. Both regressed surface winds on the primary mode of the YECS SST and trends in air-sea heat fluxes demonstrate that the intensification of the northerly winds in winter contribute largely to the recent cooling trend by increasing heat loss to the atmosphere. As a localized oceanic response to these winds, the upwind flow seems to bring warm waters and partially counteracts the basin-scale cooling, thus contributing to a weakening of the cooling trend along the central trough of the Yellow Sea. In the context of the large-scale climate variabilities, a strong relationship between the YECS SST variability and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) became weak considerably during the recent cooling period after the late 1990s as the PDO signals appeared to be confined within the eastern basin of the North Pacific in association with the regime shift. In addition to this decoupling of the YECS SST from the PDO, the intensifying Siberian High pressure system likely caused the enhanced northerly winds, leading to the recent cooling trend. These findings highlight relative roles of the PDO and the Siberian High in shaping the YECS SST variance through the changes in the large-scale atmospheric circulation and attendant oceanic advection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kim, Y.S.; Jang, C.J.; Jeong, J.-Y., and Shim J.-S., 2018. Daily to seasonal variability of the mixed layer depth in the central Yellow Sea: Effects of atmospheric forcing. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 576–580. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Daily to seasonal variability of the mixed layer depth (MLD) was investigated based on the CTD mooring time series during the April to October 2015 period, taken from the Ongjin Socheongcho Ocean Research Station in the central Yellow Sea. The time evolution of the seasonal MLD was characterized by three distinct phases: fully-mixed (deep) phase by late April, quasi-stable (shallow) phase from late April to late July, and gradual deepening phase thereafter. During the first phase, the entire water column was occupied by cold bottom waters, which seemed to impede the change of the MLD according to atmospheric forcing. Besides this fully-mixed phase, daily MLD fluctuations varied coherently with the surface wind speed with a lag of several hours on the time scale of few days. During the deepening phase, the MLD increased monotonically at a rate of 2.6 m per month, corresponding to gradually increased net heat losses to the atmosphere at a rate of −2.7 W/m2 per day, suggesting the role of net heat flux in determining seasonal variance of the MLD. The relationships of both the winds and net heat fluxes with the MLDs weakened to an insignificant level from late July to middle August. During this period, heavy rainfall associated with both typhoon and tropical depressions, and the attendant riverine runoff probably added buoyancy forcing, forming a barrier layer near the MLD base. Our results collectively suggest that atmospheric forcing plays a critical role in determining the variability of the MLD in the central Yellow Sea, where three-dimensional oceanic processes including tides and currents are relatively weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compressed sensing (CS) is a technique which reconstructs an approximated full image using reduced samples. With the CS technique, the measurement time is reduced and high-resolution reconstructed data are obtained. On the other hand, the computational time is increased because the CS algorithm requires slightly more time than conventional reconstruction algorithms. Therefore, reducing the computational time is a critical issue. In this paper, an improved CS algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm is based on a greedy algorithm which solves CS problems using an iteration method. By reducing the number of iterations, the computational time of the proposed algorithm is reduced. The proposed CS algorithm is applied to a simple discrete Fourier transform problem and to millimeter-wave ground-based synthetic aperture radar imaging for verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore glucose uptake and elucidate the underlying mechanism of insulin resistance (IR) in human liver cancer cell (HepG2) upon the intervention of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from fermented soybean dregs, HepG2 cell model with insulin resistance (HepG2/IR) was established to measure the cell viability and glucose uptake by cholecystokinin (CCK) 8 and glucose oxidase (GOD) kits upon SDF intervention. Meanwhile, protein expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and protein kinase B (Akt) in HepG2/IR cells treated with SDF was evaluated by Western blot. Moreover, protein expression of Mfn2 and Drpl associated with mitochondrial dynamics in HepG2/IR cells exposed to SDF was detected. Our results revealed that SDF increased glucose uptake in HepG2/IR cells, with evidences of up-regulated p-IRS, Akt, p-adenosine, 5 '-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and irisin. Furthermore, SDF restored the balance of mitochondrial dynamics via upregulating Mfn2, and down-regulating PGC-la and Drpl in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. In contrast, after blocking SIRT1 by EX527, the glucose uptake of HepG2/IR cells could not be rescued when treated with SDF. Therefore, SDF can mitigate or rescue insulin resistance to improve glucose uptake via regulating AMPK/SIRT1 signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classic equal-area criterion (EAC) is of key importance in power system analysis, and provides a powerful, pictorial and quantitative means of analysing transient stability (i.e. the system's ability to maintain stable operation when subjected to a large disturbance). Based on the traditional EAC, it is common sense in engineering that there is a critical cleaning time (CCT); namely, a power system is stable (unstable) if a fault is cleared before (after) this CCT. We regard this form of CCT as bipartite. In this paper, we revisit the EAC theory and, surprisingly, find different kinds of transient stability behaviour. Based on these analyses, we discover that the bipartite CCT is only one type among four major types, and, actually, the forms of CCT can be diversified. In particular, under some circumstances, a system may have no CCT or show a periodic CCT. Our theoretical analysis is verified by numerical simulations in a single-machine-infinitebus system and also in multi-machine systems. Thus, our study provides a panoramic framework for diverse transient stability behaviour in power systems and also may have a significant impact on applications of multi-stability in various other systems, such as neuroscience, climatology or photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming growth factor-beta-induced protein (TGFBIp) is ubiquitously expressed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of various tissues and cell lines. Progressive accumulation of mutant TGFBIp is directly involved in the pathogenesis of TGFBI-linked corneal dystrophy. Recent studies reported that mutant TGFBIp accumulates in cells; however, the trafficking of TGFBIp is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated TGFBIp trafficking to determine the route of its internalization and secretion and to elucidate its roles in the pathogenesis of granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2). Our data indicate that newly synthesized TGFBIp was secreted via the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi-dependent secretory pathway, and this secretion was delayed in the corneal fibroblasts of patients with GCD2. We also found that TGFBIp was internalized by caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and the internalized TGFBIp accumulated after treatment with bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of lysosomal degradation. In addition, the proteasome inhibitor MG132 inhibits the endocytosis of TGFBIp. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that TGFBIp interacted with integrin αVβ3. Moreover, treatment with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) tripeptide suppressed the internalization of TGFBIp. These insights on TGFBIp trafficking could lead to the identification of novel targets and the development of new therapies for TGFBI-linked corneal dystrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]