Search

Mechanical stability of freeze-casted porous alumina can be achieved by the stimulation of densification with control of the grain growth during sintering. To tailor the porous microstructure beneficially, in this study TiO2was added and its segregation effect on the densification and its grain growth behaviors were investigated. As a result, abnormal grain growth was observed with faceted interfaces and explained by grain boundary structure dependent grain growth theory. In terms of densification, a higher bulk density was obtained with the addition of 1.5 wt% TiO2(41.76 %TD) compared to that without doping (36.02 %TD). The benefit was evident at 1400 °C, whereas the bulk density decreased even with an addition of TiO2above 1500 °C. This temperature dependence could be understood by a change in the dominant densification mechanism at 1500 °C, solving the puzzle of the enhanced densification only at low temperature.

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe trastuzumab biosimilar CT-P6 is approved for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive early breast cancer (EBC), metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and metastatic gastric cancer (MGC). The objective of this post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study was to evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of CT-P6 in patients with HER2-positive cancers.Research design and methodsThis open-label, observational, prospective, PMS study collected data via investigator surveys from 35 centers in the Republic of Korea (5 October 2018–4 October 2022). Eligible patients with HER2-positive EBC, MBC, or MGC started CT-P6 treatment during routine clinical practice, followed by 1-year observation. Evaluations included adverse events (AEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and effectiveness.ResultsSafety was analyzed in 642 patients (494 EBC, 94 MBC, 54 MGC). Overall, 325 (50.6%) patients experienced 1316 AEs, and 550 ADRs occurred in 199 (31.0%) patients. Unexpected ADRs occurred in 62 (9.7%) patients. Unexpected ADRs and ADRs of special interest did not raise any new safety signals. Among trastuzumab-naïve patients, 34/106 (32.1%) with EBC achieved pathological complete response; 30/74 (40.5%) MBC and 24/49 (49.0%) MGC patients achieved complete or partial response.ConclusionsIn a real-world setting, CT-P6 demonstrated safety and efficacy findings consistent with previous CT-P6 studies.

This study aims to elucidate the cellular mechanisms behind the secretion of complement factor B (CFB), known for its dual roles as an early biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and as the initial substrate for the alternative complement pathway (ACP). Using parallel reaction monitoring analysis, we confirmed a consistent ∼2-fold increase in CFB expression in PDAC patients compared with that in both healthy donors (HD) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients. Elevated ACP activity was observed in CP and other benign conditions compared with that in HD and PDAC patients, suggesting a functional link between ACP and PDAC. Protein–protein interaction analyses involving key complement proteins and their regulatory factors were conducted using blood samples from PDAC patients and cultured cell lines. Our findings revealed a complex control system governing the ACP and its regulatory factors, including Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutation, adrenomedullin (AM), and complement factor H (CFH). Particularly, AM emerged as a crucial player in CFB secretion, activating CFH and promoting its predominant binding to C3b over CFB. Mechanistically, our data suggest that the KRASmutation stimulates AM expression, enhancing CFH activity in the fluid phase through binding. This heightened AM–CFH interaction conferred greater affinity for C3b over CFB, potentially suppressing the ACP cascade. This sequence of events likely culminated in the preferential release of ductal CFB into plasma during the early stages of PDAC. (Data set ID PXD047043.)

To improve the lithium-ion battery performance and stability, a conducting polymer, which can simultaneously serve as both a conductive additive and a binder, is introduced into the anode. Water-soluble polyaniline:polystyrene sulfonate (PANI:PSS) can be successfully prepared through chemical oxidative polymerization, and their chemical/mechanical properties are adjusted by varying the molecular weight of PSS. As a conductive additive, the PANI with a conjugated double bond structure is introduced between active materials or between the active material and the current collector to provide fast and short electrical pathways. As a binder, the PSS prevents short circuits through strong π‒πstacking interaction with active material, and it exhibits superior adhesion to the current collector, thereby ensuring the maintenance of stable mechanical properties, even under high-speed charging/discharging conditions. Based on the synergistic effect of the intrinsic properties of PANI and PSS, it is confirmed that the anode with PANI:PSS introduced as a binder has about 1.8 times higher bonding strength (0.4 kgf/20 mm) compared to conventional binders. Moreover, since active materials can be additionally added in place of the generally added conductive additives, the total cell capacity increased by about 12.0%, and improved stability is shown with a capacity retention rate of 99.3% even after 200 cycles at a current rate of 0.2 C.

Proteins are the primary functional actors of the cell. While proteoform diversity is known to be highly biologically relevant, current protein analysis methods are of limited use for distinguishing proteoforms. Mass spectrometric methods, in particular, often provide only ambiguous information on post-translational modification sites, and sequences of co-existing modifications may not be resolved. Here we demonstrate fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based single-molecule protein fingerprinting to map the location of individual amino acids and post-translational modifications within single full-length protein molecules. Our data show that both intrinsically disordered proteins and folded globular proteins can be fingerprinted with a subnanometer resolution, achieved by probing the amino acids one by one using single-molecule FRET via DNA exchange. This capability was demonstrated through the analysis of alpha-synuclein, an intrinsically disordered protein, by accurately quantifying isoforms in mixtures using a machine learning classifier, and by determining the locations of two O-GlcNAc moieties. Furthermore, we demonstrate fingerprinting of the globular proteins Bcl-2-like protein 1, procalcitonin and S100A9. We anticipate that our ability to perform proteoform identification with the ultimate sensitivity may unlock exciting new venues in proteomics research and biomarker-based diagnosis.

The stability of n-type organic and hybrid thermoelectric materials is limited in terms of their practical application to p–n parallel thermoelectric devices. We demonstrate the ambient stability of an n-type single-walled carbon nanotube/organic small-molecule (SWNT/OSM) hybrid by deepening the lowest occupied molecular orbital energy level. This hybrid exhibited the best figure of merit (0.032) among n-type SWNT/OSM hybrid thermoelectrics and an enhanced power factor of 291.0 μW m–1K–2. Furthermore, we observed that the n-type thermoelectric stability of a hybrid of SWNT and pipcontaining two N-ethylpiperidinyl groups on both sides of a naphthalenediimide core was retained at 87% over 7 months (220 days) under ambient conditions without encapsulation.

Nowadays, as wafer sizes continue to increase in the solar industry, the use of half-cut cells has gained attention as a means of increasing the current output by reducing resistive losses. The laser scribing technology cannot increase the output power, as the laser process can cause losses due to laser-induced damages. Therefore, laser scribing losses have a more substantial influence on the photovoltaic electrical characteristic. It is significantly impacted by high-efficiency solar cells such as heterojunction technology (HJT) and passivated contact solar cells. Currently, infra-red (IR) and non-destructive cutting (NDC) technology are both very useful cutting technologies for halved solar cells. IR technology has been already known conventional scribing method and has been considerably researched. However, how NDC cutting causes damage and the critical factors to reduce the damage still lack comprehensive research. Hence, in this research, we studied how different laser-cutting conditions affect the electrical characteristics of half-cut HJT solar cells. Firstly, IR laser scribing at the front and rear surfaces of HJT cells was demonstrated to compare surface damage dependence. Next, we exploited state-of-the-art cutting technology NDC with various cutting conditions, such as laser scribing powers and scan speeds. The results show that NDC cutting technology shows that the second laser power and scan speeds impacted output performance. Therefore, the NDC method shows a higher power efficiency than conventional IR scribing technology, with improvements of 2.6% in fill factor and 0.63 W in output power.

This study investigates the possibility of tuning the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption peak frequency in the near-infrared (NIR) region by changing the size and concentration of indium tin oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs). Dispersion solutions containing ITO NPs with dimensions of 18, 50, and 100 nm were prepared in isopropanol and deposited on a Si substrate by spin coating. The position of the SPR peak varied depending on the size of the ITO NPs and was slightly shifted according to the dispersion concentration. A significant effect of the surface roughness of the sample on the shift of the SPR peak was confirmed using atomic force microscopy measurements. Subsequently, a new SPR peak was obtained by mixing ITO NPs with different sizes. Thus, in this study, by controlling the size, concentration, and ratio of ITO NPs, the SPR absorption peak frequency was easily controlled in a wider NIR region compared with previous studies.

AbstractPlastic wastes have a negative impact on marine environments; however, they can be used as carbon sources and habitats by certain microbes. Microbes in the marine plastisphere can migrate worldwide through the ocean and cause serious environmental problems when they encounter suitable environments. Therefore, efforts to investigate the microbes inhabiting the marine plastisphere are increasing. In the present study, fungal strains were isolated from plastic wastes buried in Korean sea sands and mudflats and identified using molecular and morphological analyses. Five species were identified that were previously unrecorded from South Korea: Cladosporium funiculosum, Neosetophoma poaceicola, Neosetophoma rosigena, Parasarocladium gamsii, and Trichoderma fomiticola. Their molecular phylogenies and morphological characteristics are described in this study.

AbstractPenicilliumspecies have been actively studied in various fields, and many new and unrecorded species continue to be reported in Korea. Moreover, unidentified and misidentified Korean Penicilliumspecies still exist in GenBank. Therefore, it is necessary to revise the Korean Penicilliuminventory based on accurate identification. We collected Korean Penicilliumnucleotide sequence records from GenBank using the newly developed software, GenMine, and re-identified Korean Penicilliumbased on the maximum likelihood trees. A total of 1681 Korean PenicilliumGenBank nucleotide sequence records were collected from GenBank. In these records, 1208 strains with four major genes (Internal Transcribed Spacer rDNA region, β-tubulin, Calmodulin and RNA polymerase II) were selected for Penicilliumre-identification. Among 1208 strains, 927 were identified, 82 were identified as other genera, the rest remained undetermined due to low phylogenetic resolution. Identified strains consisted of 206 Penicilliumspecies, including 156 recorded species and 50 new species candidates. However, 37 species recorded in the national list of species in Korea were not found in GenBank. Further studies on the presence or absence of these species are required through literature investigation, additional sampling, and sequencing. Our study can be the basis for updating the Korean Penicilliuminventory.

Single-molecule fluorescence experiments allow monitoring of the structural change and dynamics of a single biomolecule in real time using dye molecules attached to the molecule. Often, the molecules are immobilized on the surface to observe a longer molecular dynamics, yet the finite photon budget available from an individual dye molecule before photobleaching sets the limit to the relatively poor signal-to-noise level. To increase the accuracy of these single-molecule experiments, it is necessary to study the cause of noise in the fluorescence signal from the single molecules. To find the origin of this noise, the lifetime of the fluorescent dye molecules labeled on surface-immobilized DNA was measured by using time-correlation single photon counting. The standard deviation of the fluorescence lifetimes obtained from repeated measurements of a single dye molecule with the total photon number Ndecreased as 1/N, thus following a shot noise of the Poisson statistics. On the other hand, an additional constant noise source, which is independent of the photon number, was observed from the lifetime uncertainties from many molecules and became more dominant after a certain photon number N. This trend was also followed in the uncertainties of the single-molecule FRET signals obtained from single and many molecules. This additional noise is considered to come from the inhomogeneous environment of each DNA immobilized on the surface.

Background: Minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) is a challenging procedure. Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is feasible and safe. Since the development of robotic platforms, the number of reports on robot-assisted pancreatic surgery has increased. We compared the technical feasibility and safety between LPD and robot-assisted LPD (RALPD). Methods: From September 2012 to August 2020, 257 patients who underwent MIPD for periampullary tumors were enrolled. Of these, 207 underwent LPD and 50 underwent RALPD. We performed a 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis and retrospectively analyzed the demographics and surgical outcomes. Results: After PSM analysis, no difference was noted in demographics. Operation times and estimated blood loss were similar, as was the incidence of complications (p> 0.05). In subgroup analysis in patients with soft pancreas with pancreatic duct ≤ 2 mm, no significant between-group difference was noted regarding short-term surgical outcomes, including clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF) (p> 0.05). In multivariable analysis, the only soft pancreatic texture was a predictive factor (HR 3.887, 95% confidence interval 1.121–13.480, p= 0.032). Conclusion: RALPD and LPD are safe and effective for MIPD and can compensate each other to achieve the goal of minimally invasive surgery.

Secondary-type mutations (STMs), namely SRSF2, SF3B1, U2AF1, ZRSR2, ASXL1, EZH2, BCOR, and STAG2, are more frequently detected in secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) than in de novo AML. Whether de novo AML with STMs should be differently managed is, however, unclear. In 394 patients diagnosed with de novo AML who had a normal karyotype, the genetic profiling via targeted deep sequencing of 45 genes revealed 59 patients carrying STMs (STM+). The STM+group showed shorter overall survival (OS) than the STM−group (5-year OS, 15.3 vs. 31.0%) (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.975, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.446–2.699, p< 0.001). Among the 40 STM+patients who achieved CR, those who received allogeneic HCT (n= 15) showed better OS (5-year OS, 40.0 vs. 12.0%) (HR: 0.423, 95% CI: 0.184–0.975, p= 0.043) and relapse-free survival (5-year, 40.0 vs. 8.0%) (HR: 0.438, 95% CI: 0.189–1.015, p= 0.054) than those who received consolidation chemotherapy only. The cumulative incidence of relapse was lower in the patients who received allogeneic HCT (5-year, 33.3 vs. 60.0%) (HR: 0.288, 95% CI: 0.111–0.746, p= 0.011), and non-relapse mortality was similar between the two groups (p= 0.935). In conclusion, STM is an independent prognostic factor for adverse outcomes in AML that can be overcome by allogeneic HCT.

AbstractThe genus Aspergillusis commonly isolated from various marine and terrestrial environments; however, only a few species have been studied in rhizosphere soil. As part of the Korean indigenous fungal excavation project, we investigated fungal diversity from rhizosphere soil, focusing on Aspergillusspecies. A total of 13 strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of three different plants. Based on phylogenetic analysis of β-tubulin and calmodulin and morphological characteristics, we identified five Aspergillusspecies. A. calidoustusand A. pseudodeflectuswere commonly isolated from the rhizosphere soil. Four species were confirmed as unrecorded species in Korea: A. calidoustus, A. dimorphicus, A. germanicus, and A. pseudodeflecuts. The detailed morphological descriptions of these unrecorded species are provided.

Although skin sensitization potential of various chemicals has been extensively studied, there are only a few reports on nanoparticles induced skin sensitization. Aiming to fill this lacuna, in this study we evaluated the potential of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) to induce skin sensitization with flow cytometry. Seven different metal oxide NPs, including copper oxide, cobalt oxide, nickel oxide, titanium oxide, cerium oxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide were applied to Balb/c mice. After selecting the proper vehicle, the NPs were applied, and the skin sensitization potential were assessed using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine with flow cytometry. Physiochemical properties such as hydrodynamic size, polydispersity, and zeta potential were measured for the NPs prior to the tests. All the seven metal oxide NPs studied showed negative responses for skin sensitization potential. These results suggest that the OECD TG 442B using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine with flow cytometry can be applied to evaluate the potential of NPs for skin sensitization.

[Display omitted] Analyzing the products obtained from the catalytic reaction of jet fuels is challenging because the fuels consist of several components. It is crucial to select suitable model compounds as representatives of the fuel to study its catalytic reaction, and methylcyclohexane (MCH) and n- dodecane were selected consequently. Further, the change in the products obtained from the reaction (catalyzed by commercial HZSM-5 in a flow reactor under a supercritical condition (550 °C and 5 MPa)) was investigated by varying the ratios of MCH and n- dodecane in the blended fuels. Although the fuel conversion and gas yield were proportional to the n -dodecane fraction in the fuel, the yield of aromatic compounds at each time, which was relative to the yield at the initial time, did not indicate any relation with it. The relative yields of the aromatic hydrocarbons obtained from the blended fuel reduced much slower than those obtained from the pure fuels. Particularly, the fuel containing an n- dodecane mass fraction of 0.2 exhibited the lowest reduction rate regarding the relative yields of aromatic hydrocarbons. The change in the relative yields of the products regarding the fuels was not crucial to coke formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-cell profiling methods have had a profound impact on the understanding of cellular heterogeneity. While genomes and transcriptomes can be explored at the single-cell level, single-cell profiling of proteomes is not yet established. Here we describe new single-molecule protein sequencing and identification technologies alongside innovations in mass spectrometry that will eventually enable broad sequence coverage in single-cell profiling. These technologies will in turn facilitate biological discovery and open new avenues for ultrasensitive disease diagnostics.

According to current paradigms, various risk factors, such as genetic mutations, oxidative stress, neural network dysfunction, and abnormal protein degradation, contribute to the progression of brain disorders. Through the cooperation of gene transcripts in biological processes, the study of noncoding RNAs can lead to insights into the cause and treatment of brain disorders. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are longer than 200 nucleotides in length have been suggested as key factors in various brain disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. High-throughput screening-based sequencing has been instrumental in identification of lncRNAs that demand new approaches to understanding the progression of brain disorders. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in the study of lncRNAs, and addresses the pathogenesis of brain disorders that involve lncRNAs and describes the associations of lncRNAs with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and neurodevelopmental disorders. We also discuss potential targets of lncRNAs and their promise as novel therapeutics and biomarkers in brain disorders.

Understanding the structure of biomolecules is vital for deciphering their roles in biological systems. Single-molecule techniques have emerged as alternatives to conventional ensemble structure analysis methods for uncovering new biology in molecular dynamics and interaction studies, yet only limited structural information could be obtained experimentally. Here, we address this challenge by introducing iMAXFRET, a one-pot method that allows ab initio3D profiling of individual molecules using two-color FRET measurements. Through the stochastic exchange of fluorescent weak binders, iMAXFRET simultaneously assesses multiple distances on a biomolecule within a few minutes, which can then be used to reconstruct the coordinates of up to four points in each molecule, allowing structure-based inference. We demonstrate the 3D reconstruction of DNA nanostructures, protein quaternary structures, and conformational changes in proteins. With iMAXFRET, we provide a powerful approach to advance the understanding of biomolecular structure by expanding conventional FRET analysis to three dimensions.

Polymer thin films containing fluorine are attracting much attention in various high-tech industries owing to their transparency, flexibility, and excellent water repellency. However, the generation of static electricity due to high electrical resistance limits their application. In this study, highly transparent and flexible Cu–plasma-polymerized fluorocarbon (PPFC) nanocomposite thin films that exhibit hydrophobicity and antistatic properties are proposed. These films, obtained using the mid-range frequency sputtering, exhibited a light transmittance of 84.2%, a water contact angle of 94.6°, and a sheet resistance of 1.2 × 1012Ω/□. Transmission electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering confirmed that Cu nanoparticles with an average size of 4–5 nm were distributed uniformly in the PPFC matrix. In repeated fatigue bending tests, the Cu–PPFC nanocomposite thin films exhibited excellent mechanical robustness and flexibility. Antiviral properties of the Cu–PPFC nanocomposite thin films were evaluated against influenza A virus, and the number decreased by 96.9% after 30 min. Carbon nanotube–Cu–polytetrafluoroethylene composite targets are advantageous for large-area coating and mass production because they can be applied in large-area sputtering and roll-to-roll processes. The transparency, charging characteristics, and water repellency can be easily controlled in Cu–PPFC nanocomposite thin films by controlling the sputtering power density according to the required product. Therefore, these films can be applied in various industries such as flexible displays, medical, automobiles, functional textiles, and aerospace.

DNA barcoding provides a way to label a myriad of different biological molecules using the extreme programmability in DNA sequence synthesis. Fluorescence imaging is presumably the most easy-to-access method for DNA barcoding, yet large spectral overlaps between fluorescence dyes severely limit the numbers of barcodes that can be detected simultaneously. We here demonstrate the use of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to encode virtual signals in DNA barcodes using conventional two-color fluorescence microscopy. By optimizing imaging and biochemistry conditions for weak DNA hybridization events, we markedly enhanced accuracy in our determination of the single-molecule FRET efficiency exhibited by each binding event between DNA barcode sequences. This allowed us to unambiguously differentiate six DNA barcodes encoding different FRET values without involving any probe sequence exchanges. Our method can be directly incorporated with previous DNA barcode techniques, and may thus be widely adopted to expand the signal space of DNA barcoding.

Information technology ethics, information technology security, online user participation, and knowledge sharing in organisations have been recognised as substantial issues in the management information systems arena. However, for the most part, these topics have been researched separately. The objective of this study is to show the correlation between these topics. The authors found that the perception of information ethics is recognised differently from other ethics, such as sexual discrimination, racial discrimination, price discrimination, bribery, harmful products, telecommunication, pollution issues, and intellectual property protection issues. Furthermore, the authors showed that subjects such as security, knowledge absorption, knowledge transfer, and online user participation are related to one another. This means that a group that holds a different disposition from another group regarding one particular topic will also show a different disposition regarding another particular topic. For this research, the authors used the protection motivation theory, built a model that shows the relationship among several ethical issues and knowledge sharing, security and the participation in the virtual community, then verified it with a survey of 497 samples. We expect these findings will be helpful for future researchers and practitioners.

Big data has proven to be a good source in analysing complicated situations and designing complex systems. With big data analysis, solutions have become more accurate. However, due to a lack of experience with big data, projects that generally handle big data have a higher failure rate in terms of time, money and user satisfaction. Therefore, projects involving big data should differ from a typical project. Using the case of the Seoul Metropolitan City Owl Bus, the authors have setup project procedures and raised several issues developers would do well to consider when dealing with big data. When the Seoul City Government in South Korea planned the night bus lines and its schedules, it made use of big data to do so. We expect that this case analysis will guide the further usage of big data in the service sector project management.

Nickel base Alloy X-750, which is used as fastener parts in light-water reactor (LWR), has experienced many failures by environmentally assisted cracking (EAC). In order to improve the reliability of passive components for nuclear power plants (NPP's), it is necessary to study the failure mechanism and to predict crack growth behavior by developing a probabilistic failure model.

ABSTRACTIntroductionCT-P10 is the first biosimilar of rituximab (RTX) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The application of valuable biosimilar for the treatment of RA may decrease economic burden of society, and disease activity of RA. Thus, it is worthwhile to identify the economic advantage and further requirement for the proper use of CT-P10 in real world.Areas coveredLiterature searching was performed to identify suitable references written in English for this review article. Rituximab, biosimilar, CT-P10, and rheumatoid arthritis were used as keywords. Current state of RA treatment, position of RTX in the recommendations for the treatment of RA, current status of RTX biosimilar development were assessed before evaluating CT-P10 itself. Physicochemical property, pharmacokinetic profile through phase I to phase III studies, pharmacodynamics, toxicology data, clinical efficacy, and safety were reviewedExpert opinionAs the first biosimilar to originator RTX, CT-P10 may be a useful alternative for the treatment of RA in all indications for originator RTX. In addition, more studies are required to identify long-term effectiveness and safety of CT-P10 in real world. It is also important to find out new indications of CT-P10 and effective mechanisms to lessen nocebo effect against biosimilar including CT-P10.

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNTs-P)–small organic molecule hybrid materials are promising candidates for achieving high thermoelectric (TE) performance. In this study, we synthesized rod-coil amphiphilic molecules, that is, tri(ethylene oxide) chain-attached bis(bithiophenyl)-terphenyl derivatives (1and 2). Supramolecular functionalization of SWCNTs-Pwith 1or 2induced charge-transfer interactions between them. Improved TE properties of the supramolecular hybrids (SWCNTs-1and SWCNTs-2) are attributed to increased charge-carrier concentration (electrical conductivity), interfacial phonon scattering (thermal conductivity), and energy difference between the transport and Fermi levels (ETr– EF; Seebeck coefficient). SWCNTs-2exhibited a ZT of 0.42 × 10–2at 300 K, which is 350% larger than that of SWCNTs-P. Furthermore, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ)-doped SWCNTs-2showed the highest ZT value of 1.96 × 10–2at 300 K among SWCNTs-P/small organic molecule hybrids known until now. These results demonstrated that the supramolecular functionalization of SWCNTs-Pwith small organic molecules could be useful for enhancement of TE performance and applications in wearable/flexible thermoelectrics.

AbstractPenicillium, the most common genus plays an important ecological role in various terrestrial and marine environments. However, only a few species have been reported from rhizosphere soil. As part of a project to excavate Korean indigenous fungi, we investigated rhizosphere soil of six plants in the forest (terrestrial habitat) and sand dunes (coastal habitat) and focused on discovering Penicilliumspecies. A total of 64 strains were isolated and identified as 26 Penicilliumspecies in nine sections based on morphological characteristics and the sequence analysis of β-tubulin and calmodulin. Although this is a small-scale study in a limited rhizosphere soil, eight unrecorded species and four potential new species have been identified. In addition, most Penicilliumspecies from rhizosphere soil were unique to each plant. Penicillium halotolerans, P. scabrosum, P. samsonianum, P. jejuense, and P. janczewskiiwere commonly isolated from rhizosphere soil. Eight Penicilliumspecies, P. aurantioviolaceum, P. bissettii, P. cairnsense, P. halotolerans, P. kananaskense, P. ortum, P. radiatolobatum, and P. verhageniiwere recorded for the first time in Korea. Here, we provide the detailed morphological description of these unrecorded species.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the tissues surrounding teeth that causes destruction of connective tissues. During the progress of periodontitis, osteoclasts are solely accountable for the resorption of alveolar bones that leads to the loss of teeth if not properly treated. Thus, the development of effective anti‐resorptive therapies will greatly benefit the treatment of periodontitis patients. In the present study, we suggest an inhibitory effect of 6‐shogaol, an ingredient of ginger, on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. Mouse bone marrow cells were cultured in the presence of macrophage‐colony stimulating factor and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL) to investigate the effect of 6‐shogaol on osteoclast differentiation and intracellular signaling pathways. 6‐shogaol significantly reduced osteoclast differentiation, actin ring formation, and resorption. In the presence of 6‐shogaol, osteoclast signaling including the RANKL‐induced activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases, Ca2+oscillation, generation of reactive oxygen species, and nuclear factor of activated T‐cells, cytoplasmic 1 nuclear translocation was significantly inhibited in vitro. Furthermore, a ligature‐induced periodontitis model in mice was used to determine the role of 6‐shogaol in vivo. The administration of 6‐shogaol prevented osteoclastogenesis and alveolar bone resorption induced by ligature. Furthermore, the ligature‐induced number of macrophages and neutrophils as well as the expression of interleukin‐1β and tumor necrosis factor‐α were considerably lower in the periodontal tissues following shogaol injection. These results confirm the anti‐osteoclastogenic effect of 6‐shogaol and suggest the possibility of application as an anti‐resorptive strategy in periodontitis.

In Korean residential building, wall – piloti structures have been frequently used in the ground floor. For cost-effective design, a new wall – piloti structure where the walls are directly connected with the columns without transfer girder was suggested in the previous study. In this study, the proposed structure was applied to actual residential building. To verify the structure safety, structural monitoring and long-term behavior prediction was carried out. Strain gauge and displacement meters was installed to measure the strain of re-bars and the deflection of slab. During the construction period, in all wall – piloti structures, compressive strain was less than the allowable strain and relative deflection of slab satisfied the serviceability criteria. Further, in the long-term behavior, the maximum vertical strains of the re-bar were less than allowable strain under the service load condition.

Background: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a tetrameric protein complex composed of glycine-linked NR1 subunits and glutamate-linked NR2 subunits. There are four NR2 subunits (A–D) that differ in development, anatomy, and function profiles. They play various roles in normal and neuropathologic conditions. Specific agonists, antagonists, and modulators of subunits for selective NMDA receptors may be precious mediational tools and potent agents for treating diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of poricoic acid A on NMDA receptor known to mediate excitatory synaptic transmission factors and cause changes in synaptic strength. Inhibitory effect of poricoic acid A on NR1a combined with NR2A, NR2B, NR2C, or NR2D receptor was evaluated. Methods: Glutamate-mediated currents for each NR1a and NR2 subunits were investigated using two-electrode voltage-clamp techniques. Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulation studies were carried out with Autodock Tools. Poricoic acid A and NMDA receptor protein complex were examined with Ligplot and Pymol docking program. Ligplot shows binding activity at the protein and the ligand. Results: The inhibitory effect of poricoic acid A on glutamate-induced inward current in a concentration-dependent manner that was reversible. Half inhibitory concentrations of glutamate on NR1a/NR2A, NR1a/NR2B, NR1a/NR2C, and NR1a/NR2D receptors were 9.6 ± 1.2, 5.7 ± 0.4, 46.1 ± 21.5, and 21.5 ± 8.2 μM, respectively. This corresponded to the order of inhibitory effect of oocyte expressing NR1a and NR2s subunit of NR1a/NR2B > NR1a/NR2A > NR1a/NR2C > NR1a/NR2D. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicate that poricoic acid A can modulate the expression of NMDA receptor. In addition, the regulation of excitatory ligand-gating ion channel by poricoic acid A may have pharmaceutical functions on excitatory synaptic transmission of neuronal system. Graphic abstract:

BackgroundIt is well known that hemodynamic stress may impact the recanalization of coiled aneurysms. One of the most common sites for aneurysms to develop is the posterior communicating artery (PcoA), the variants of which are defined by diameter ratios (PcoA/P1 segment).ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to investigate the impact of a fetal-type posterior cerebral artery (PCA) on recanalization of PcoA aneurysms after coil embolization based on matched-pair (fetal vs non-fetal PCA) analysis.MethodsA total of 480 consecutive PcoA aneurysms (PCA: fetal, n=156; non-fetal, n=324) subjected to coil embolization between January 2007 and June 2017 were selected for study. All lesions were followed for ≥6 months via radiologic imaging, grouped by adjacent PCAs as fetal (PcoA/P1 >1) or non-fetal (PcoA/P1 ≤1) type. Paired subjects were matched (1:1) for several relevant variables.ResultsOf the 480 coiled aneurysms, 159 (33.1%) showed recanalization (minor, 76; major, 83) in the course of follow-up (mean 33.8±21.9 months), developing significantly more often in fetal (37.8%) than in non-fetal (26.9%; p=0.020) PCA types. Once matched, however, 6-month and cumulative recanalization rates did not differ significantly by group (p=0.531 and p=0.568, respectively). Complications (hemorrhage, p=0.97; thromboembolism, p=0.94) during endovascular coil embolization also showed similar rates in these groups.ConclusionsThe chances of recanalization after coil embolization seem to be greater in PcoA aneurysms than in intracranial aneurysms overall, thus calling for careful follow-up monitoring. Surprisingly, PcoA type appeared unrelated in this regard.