Search

The cellular function and structural configuration of the KEOPS complex have been elucidated in some eukaryotes and archaea but have never been fully characterized in fungal pathogens. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the pathobiological roles of the KEOPS complex in the globally prevalent fungal meningitis-causing pathogen C. neoformans .

Extrasensory neuromorphic devices that can recognize, memorize, and learn stimuli imperceptible to human beings are of considerable interest in interactive intelligent electronics research. This study presents an artificially intelligent magnetoreceptive synapse inspired by the magnetocognitive ability used by birds for navigation and orientation. The proposed synaptic platform is based on arrays of ferroelectric field-effect transistors with air-suspended magneto-interactive top-gates. A suspended gate of an elastomeric composite with superparamagnetic particles laminated with an electrically conductive polymer is mechanically deformed under a magnetic field, facilitating control of the magnetic-field-dependent contact area of the suspended gate with an underlying ferroelectric layer. The remanent polarization of the ferroelectric layer is electrically programmed with the deformed suspended gate, resulting in analog conductance modulation as a function of the magnitude, number, and time interval of the input magnetic pulses. The proposed extrasensory magnetoreceptive synapse may be used as an artificially intelligent synaptic compass that facilitates barrier-adaptable navigation and mapping of a moving object.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive large B-cell lymphoma (ALK+LBCL) is a rare subtype of B-cell lymphoma with aggressive features and a poor prognosis. The rarity of this disease and similarity of microscopic features with undifferentiated epithelial neoplasm disturb the provision of proper treatment. A 57-year-old male presented with a rapidly growing and painless mass on the left side of the neck. Metastatic carcinoma of an unknown primary (CUP) lesion was initially suspected based on the pathologic results obtained from a core needle biopsy, but it was finally diagnosed as ALK+LBCL after a modified radical neck dissection. We herein report a case of ALK+LBCL mimicking CUP with a literature review.

MXenes (Ti3C2TX) are two-dimensional transition-metal carbides and carbonitrides with high conductivity and optical transparency. However, transparent MXene electrodes with high environmental stability suitable for various flexible organic electronic devices have rarely been demonstrated. By laminating a thin polymer film onto a solution-processed MXene layer to protect the MXene film from harsh environmental conditions, we present transparent and flexible MXene electronic devices. A thin polymer layer spin-coated onto a transparent MXene electrode provides environmental stability even under air exposure longer than 7 d at high temperatures (up to 70 °C) and humidity levels (up to 50%) without degrading the transparency of the electrode. The resulting polymer-laminated (PL) MXene electrode facilitates the development of a variety of field-driven photoelectronic devices by exploiting the electric field exerted between the MXene layer and the counter electrode through the insulating polymer. Field-induced electroluminescent displays, based on both organic and inorganic phosphors, with PL-MXene electrodes are demonstrated with high transparency and mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, our PL-MXene electrode exhibits high versatility through successful implementation in capacitive-type pressure sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators, resulting in field-driven sensing and energy harvesting electronic devices with excellent operation reliability.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine if a previously observed axis of placental gene expression associated with early onset and severe preeclampsia (EOSPE) was operative in term pregnancy and correlated with vitamin D sufficiency. METHODS: qPCR analysis of Nkx2-5, Sam68, sFlt-1 and membrane bound VEGFR1/Flt-1 mRNA expression was conducted in placentas from 43 subjects enrolled in a vitamin D3 pregnancy supplementation trial. Pair-wise rank order correlations between patient-specific gene expression levels were calculated, and their relationship to maternal 25(OH)D status was assessed by a two-sample Wilcoxon test. Additionally, we probed the mechanistic link between Sam68 and sFlt-1 using siRNA depletion in a human trophoblast cell line model. RESULTS: Positive and highly significant correlations were found between Sam68 vs. sFlt-1 and Sam68 vs. Flt-1 expression levels, as were significant and differential correlations between the expression of these genes and perinatal 25(OH)D status. The variability when stratified by race/ethnicity was qualitatively distinct from those previously observed in EOSPE. Mechanistic studies confirmed a functional role for Sam68 protein in the regulation of sFlt-1 expression. Nkx2-5 expression was not significantly correlated with sFlt-1 or Sam68 expression in these samples, suggesting that its e may be mainly operative at earlier stages of pregnancy or be restricted to pathological settings. CONCLUSIONS: These data further support our overarching hypothesis that Sam68 expression is a key determinant of VEGFR1 isoform expression in the placenta, and provide additional insights into how this gene pathway may be differentially deployed or modified in normal and pathological pregnancy.

Transcription regulation by bacterial two-component systems is achieved by a response regulator upon its transition to the transcriptionally active form via kinase activity of its cognate sensor under specific conditions. A well-known response regulator, DctD, is converted to its phosphorylated form when DctB senses ambient dicarboxylic acids.

This work proposes positive feedback (PF) device-based synaptic devices for reliable binary neural networks (BNNs). Due to PF operation, the fabricated PF device shows a high on/off current ratio (2.69 [Formula: see text] 107). The PF device has a charge-trap layer by which the turn-on voltage ( Von) of the device can be adjusted by program/erase operations and a long-term memory function is implemented. Also, due to the steep switching characteristics of the PF device, the conductance becomes tolerant to the retention time and the variation in turn-on voltage. Simulations show that high accuracy (88.44% for CIFAR-10 image classification) can be achieved in hardware-based BNNs using PF devices with these properties as synapses.

Small peptides and proteins play critical regulatory roles in plant development and environmental stress responses; however, only a few of these molecules have been identified and characterized to date because of their poor annotation and other experimental challenges. Here, we present that rice (Oryza sativa L.) OsS1Fa1, a small 76-amino acid protein, confers drought stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. OsS1Fa1 was highly expressed in leaf, culm, and root tissues of rice seedlings during vegetative growth and was significantly induced under drought stress. OsS1Fa1 overexpression in Arabidopsis induced the expression of selected drought-responsive genes and enhanced the survival rate of transgenic lines under drought. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 protected the OsS1Fa1 protein from degradation. Together, our data indicate that the small protein OsS1Fa1 is induced by drought and is post-translationally regulated, and the ectopic expression of OsS1Fa1 protects plants from drought stress.

Rain removal in videos is a problem that has attracted tremendous interest of researchers within the field of deep learning. Although deep-learning-based rain removal methods outperform large number of conventional vision methods, some technical issues that need to be resolved remain. In this article, we propose a new deep learning method for video rain removal based on recurrent neural network (RNN) architecture. Pseudo groundtruth was generated from real rainy video sequence by temporal filtering for supervised learning. Instead of focusing on various shapes of rain streaks similar to conventional methods, in this article, we focused on the changing behaviors of rain streaks. To accomplish this, images of progressive rain streaks were generated from the real rain videos and are sequentially fed to the network in a decreasing rain order. Multiple images with different amounts of rain streaks were used as RNN inputs to more efficiently identify rain streaks and then remove them. Experimental results demonstrate that our method is suitable for a wide range of rainy images. Moreover, experiments performed on both real-world and synthetic images demonstrate that our proposed method can achieve competitive results in comparison with the benchmarked and conventional approaches for rain streak removal from images.

Considering difficulty in protecting the fire scene and a high possibility of destroying the evidence, fire-related crime requires timely and professional responses compared to general crime. In South Korea, the special police system for firefighting has been introduced for this reason, but there are many problems in legal, organizational, and technical aspects. This study examined fire-related crime cases in Korea and proposes the solutions. First, in the legal aspect, we proposed the amendment of the legislation and the change in the scope of work, including the revision of Article 196 of the Criminal Procedure Act, inspection of dangerous goods, and the revision of Police Officer's Job Execution Law. Second, in the organizational aspect, we proposed the coordination of investigative rights, the establishment of special departments and the municipal and provincial teams, the unification of organizational systems, and the collaborative investigation with prosecution and police. Finally, as for technical aspect, we proposed the securing of professional manpower and the expansion of professional equipment.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are key players during an immune response at the mucosal surfaces, such as lung, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Giardia lamblia is an extracellular protozoan pathogen that inhabits the human small intestine. In this study, ILCs prepared from the lamina propria of mouse small intestine were incubated with G. lamblia trophozoites. Transcriptional changes in G. lamblia-exposed ILCs resulted in identification of activation of several immune pathways. Secretion of interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, IL-1β, and interferon-γ was increased, whereas levels of IL-13, IL-5, and IL-22, was maintained or reduced upon exposure to G. lamblia. Goup 3 ILC (ILC3) was found to be dominant amongst the ILCs, and increased significantly upon co-cultivation with G. lamblia trophozoites. Oral inoculation of G. lamblia trophozoites into mice resulted in their presence in the small intestine, of which, the highest number of parasites was detected at the 5 days-post infection. Increased ILC3 was observed amongst the ILC population at the 5 days-post infection. These findings indicate that ILC3 from the lamina propria secretes IL-17 in response to G. lamblia, leading to the intestinal pathology observed in giardiasis.

NtrC-mediated production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), essential components for Vibrio vulnificus biofilms, is highly increased in the presence of dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic acids. Gel-shift assays showed that regulation of the EPS-gene cluster I (EPS-I cluster) by NtrC was direct via binding of phosphorylated NtrC (p-NtrC) to the regulatory region of the EPS-I cluster. In contrast, p-NtrC did not bind to the EPS-II and EPS-III clusters, suggesting that NtrC regulation was not direct and another transcription factor belonging to a NtrC-regulon might play a role in activating their transcription. A candidate transcription factor, DctD, of which expression was induced by NtrC, activated the expression of the EPS-II and EPS-III clusters via direct binding to their upstream regions. Under growth conditions with either dicarboxylic or tricarboxylic acids, the expression of NtrC was induced and the transcription of dctD was activated. Furthermore, DctD exhibited higher transcriptional activity under the conditions with dicarboxylic acids than with tricarboxylic acids. Therefore, this study demonstrates that under dicarboxylate-rich conditions, both the abundance and activity of DctD were markedly induced, which activates the expression of two EPS-clusters to maximize biosynthesis of EPS facilitating biofilm maturation in V. vulnificus. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Display-camera communication (DCC) is one of visible light communication (VLC) techniques using an LED display and a camera. Conventional methods hide data bits by dynamically changing luminance intensity of image blocks. However, this approach still suffers from noticeable flickering artifacts. In this paper, we proposed a novel spatial frequency modulation method for display-camera communication. The proposed method hides a bit by modulating spatial frequency of an image block, which is actually implemented by blurring and sharpening. Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) is applied to an image block, and its high frequency coefficients are either boosted (sharpened) or zero-padded (blurred). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve larger throughput and higher transmission accuracy, compared to the existing luminance methods.

Background Postoperative pillar pain (deep-seated wrist pain worsened by leaning on the heel of the hand) sometimes occurs after carpal tunnel release (CTR), leading to weakness in the hand and delayed return to work. Increased pain sensitivity has been found to be associated with worse symptoms and poorer treatment response in a number of chronic musculoskeletal conditions, but few studies have investigated the association of pain sensitization with pillar pain after CTR. Questions/purposes (1) Is preoperative pain sensitization in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) associated with increased severity of pillar pain after open CTR? (2) What other demographic, electrophysiological, or preoperative clinical characteristics are associated with pillar pain after CTR? Methods Over a 35-month period, one surgeon performed 162 open carpal tunnel releases. Patients were eligible if they had sufficient cognitive and language function to provide informed consent and completed a self-reported questionnaire; they were not eligible if they had nerve entrapment other than CTR or if the surgery was covered by workers compensation insurance. Based on these criteria, 148 (91%) were approached for this study. Of those, 17 (9%) were lost to followup before 12 months, leaving 131 for analysis. Their mean age was 54 years (range, 32-78 years), and 81% (106 of 131) were women; 34% (45 of 131) had less than a high school education. We preoperatively measured pain sensitization by assessing the patients' pressure pain thresholds by stimulating pressure-induced pain in the pain-free volar forearm and administering a self-reported Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor subscale, an instrument that assesses pain intensity in daily life situations. We evaluated postoperative pillar pain using the "table test" (having the patient lean on a table with their weight on their hands placed on the table's edge with elbows straight) with an 11-point ordinal scale at 3, 6, and 12 months after their surgical procedures. We conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses to determine whether the patients' clinical, demographic, and pain sensitization factors were associated with their postoperative pillar pain severity after CTR. Results After controlling for relevant confounding variables such as age, education level, and functional states, we found that increased pillar pain severity was associated with the pressure pain threshold (β = -1.02 [-1.43 to -0.61], partial R = 11%, p = 0.021) and Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor (β = 1.22 [0.73-1.71], partial R = 17%, p = 0.013) at 3 months, but by 6 months, only Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor (β = 0.92 [0.63-1.21], partial R = 13%, p = 0.018) remained an associated variable for pillar pain. Additionally, gender (women) was associated with increased pain severity at 3 (β = 0.78 [0.52-1.04], partial R = 9%, p = 0.023) and 6 months (β = 0.72 [0.41-1.01], partial R = 8%, p = 0.027). At 3 months, pressure pain threshold, Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor, and gender (women) collectively accounted for 37% of the variance in pillar pain severity; at 6 months, Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor and gender (women) accounted for 21% of the variance, but no relationship between those factors and pillar pain was observed at 12 months. Conclusions Gender (women) and preoperative pain sensitization measured by pressure pain threshold and self-reported Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire were associated with pillar pain severity up to 3 and 6 months after CTR, respectively. However, the influence of pain sensitization on pillar pain was diminished at 6 months and it did not show persistent effects beyond 12 months. Pain sensitization seems to be more important in the context of recovery from surgical intervention (in the presence of a pain condition) than in healthy states, and clinicians should understand the role of pain sensitization in the postoperative management of CTS. Future research may be needed to determine if therapeutic interventions to reduce sensitization will decrease the risk of pillar pain. Level of evidence Level III, prognostic study.

The mechanism for the formation of Z-phase was investigated for samples of an 11CrMoVNbN steel aged at 593 °C for up to 50,000 h. X-ray diffraction indicates that Z-phase appears after 5000 h of aging, and its amount gradually increases up to 50,000 h aging at the expense of mainly Cr 2 N. Transmission electron microscopy shows that Z-phase nucleates in the V-enriched rim region of Cr 2 N precipitates, which forms due to the diffusion of V into the precipitates from the matrix. Nucleated Z-phase tends to grow relatively rapidly compared with the preexisting precipitates such as Nb(C,N) and M 23 C 6 . Z-phase seems to consume Cr 2 N by the nucleation and growth mechanism rather than the transformation mechanism. The main difference in the aged samples is that the Nb content of Z-phase is lower and that Z-phase does not replace Cr 2 N completely, compared to the results of the crept samples.

BackgroundNew nurses need a certain period of time to adapt to the organization due to a lack of clinical competence, and also immaturity in social skill. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of new nurses’ clinical competence on career adaptation in order to use the results as basic information for developing education programs to improve their adaptability in clinical practice.MethodThis study employed a descriptive survey to investigate the clinical competence and the career adaptability of new nurses working in a general hospital. The study subjects were 61 new nurses with less than one year of work experience and data was collected from June, 2018 to July, 2019. Data was analyzed using frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.ResultsOn average, the study subjects have worked for 11.33±1.51 months. In this study, the average clinical competence of new nurses was 2.21±0.61, and career adaptability was 3.00±0.39. The clinical competence of new nurses was positively correlated with career adaptability (r=.453, pConclusionThe clinical competence of the new nurses was shown to positively affect their career adaptability, and it was confirmed that developing professional and legal implementation in the subcategories of clinical competence affected the career adaptability of the new nurses. Thus, it is necessary to establish a program that provides support for new nurses to enable them to build professional identities that they can be proud of.

Flagellar filaments of the pathogenic Vibrio species, including V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. cholerae, are composed of multiple flagellin subunits. In their genomes, however, there are higher numbers of the ORFs encoding flagellin-like proteins than the numbers of flagellin subunits required for filament assembly. Since these flagellin-homologous proteins (FHPs) are well expressed and excreted to environments via a flagellin transport channel, their extracellular role in the pathogenic Vibrio has been enigmatic. Their biological significance, which is not related with flagellar functions, has been revealed to be in maturation of biofilm structures. Among various components of the extracellular polymeric matrix produced in the V. vulnificus biofilms, the exopolysaccharides (EPS) are dominant constituents and crucial in maturation of biofilms. The enhancing role of the V. vulnificus FHPs in biofilm formation requires the presence of EPS, as indicated by highly specific interactions among two FHPs and three EPS., The pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus exhibits the ability to form biofilm, for which initiation is dependent upon swimming motility by virtue of a polar flagellum. The filament of its flagellum is composed of multiple flagellin subunits, FlaA, -B, -C, and -D. In V. vulnificus genomes, however, open reading frames (ORFs) annotated by FlaE and -F are also present. Although neither FlaE nor FlaF is involved in filament formation and cellular motility, they are well expressed and secreted to the extracellular milieu through the secretion apparatus for flagellar assembly. In the extrapolymeric matrix of V. vulnificus biofilm, significant levels of FlaEF were detected. Mutants defective in both flaE and flaF formed significantly decreased biofilms compared to the wild-type biofilm. Thus, the potential role of FlaEF during the biofilm-forming process was investigated by exogenous addition of recombinant FlaEF (rFlaEF) to the biofilm assays. The added rFlaE and rFlaF were predominantly incorporated into the biofilm matrix formed by the wild type. However, biofilms formed by a mutant defective in exopolysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis were not affected by added FlaEF. These results raised a possibility that FlaEF specifically interact with EPS within the biofilm matrix. In vitro pulldown assays using His-tagged rFlaEF or rFlaC revealed the specific binding of EPS to rFlaEF but not to rFlaC. Taken together, our results demonstrate that V. vulnificus FlaEF, flagellin-homologous proteins (FHPs), are crucial for biofilm formation by directly interacting with the essential determinant for biofilm maturation, EPS. Further analyses performed with other pathogenic Vibrio species demonstrated both the presence of FHPs and their important role in biofilm formation.

How motile bacteria recognize their environment and decide whether to stay or navigate toward more favorable location is a fundamental issue in survival. The flagellum is an elaborate molecular device responsible for bacterial locomotion, and the flagellum-driven motility allows bacteria to move themselves to the appropriate location at the right time. Here, we identify the polar landmark protein HubP as a modulator of polar flagellation that recruits the flagellar assembly protein FapA to the old cell pole, thereby controlling its activity for the early events of flagellar assembly in Vibrio vulnificus. We show that dephosphorylated EIIAGlc of the PEP-dependent sugar transporting phosphotransferase system sequesters FapA from HubP in response to glucose and hence inhibits FapA-mediated flagellation. Thus, flagellar assembly and motility is governed by spatiotemporal control of FapA, which is orchestrated by the competition between dephosphorylated EIIAGlc and HubP, in the human pathogen V. vulnificus.

Bacillus cereus causes food-borne illness through contaminated foods; therefore, its pathogenicity and genome sequences have been analyzed in several studies. We sequenced and analyzed B. cereus strain FORC_021 isolated from a sashimi restaurant. The genome sequence consists of 5,373,294 bp with 35.36% GC contents, 5,350 predicted CDSs, 42 rRNA genes, and 107 tRNA genes. Based on in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values, B. cereus ATCC 14579T was closest to FORC_021 among the complete genome-sequenced strains. Three major enterotoxins were detected in FORC_021. Comparative genomic analysis of FORC_021 with ATCC 14579T revealed that FORC_021 harbored an additional genomic region encoding virulence factors, such as putative ADP-ribosylating toxin, spore germination protein, internalin, and sortase. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity testing showed that FORC_021 exhibited a high level of cytotoxicity toward INT-407 human epithelial cells. This genomic information of FORC_021 will help us to understand its pathogenesis and assist in managing food contamination.

Purpose: Yield monitoring systems are an essential component of precision agriculture. They indicate the spatial variability of crop yield in fields, and have become an important factor in modern harvesters. The objective of this paper was to review research trends related to yield monitoring sensors for grain crops. Methods: The literature was reviewed for research on the major sensing components of grain yield monitoring systems. These major components included grain flow sensors, moisture content sensors, and cutting width sensors. Sensors were classified by sensing principle and type, and their performance was also reviewed. Results: The main targeted harvesting grain crops were rice, wheat, corn, barley, and grain sorghum. Grain flow sensors were classified into mass flow and volume flow methods. Mass flow sensors were mounted primarily at the clean grain elevator head or under the grain tank, and volume flow sensors were mounted at the head or in the middle of the elevator. Mass flow methods used weighing, force impact, and radiometric approaches, some of which resulted in measurement error levels lower than 5% (R 2 = 0.99). Volume flow methods included paddle wheel type and optical type, and in the best cases produced error levels lower than 3%. Grain moisture content sensing was in many cases achieved using capacitive modules. In some cases, errors were lower than 1%. Cutting width was measured by ultrasonic distance sensors mounted at both sides of the header dividers, and the errors were in some cases lower than 5%. Conclusions: The design and fabrication of an integrated yield monitoring system for a target crop would be affected by the selection of a sensing approach, as well as the layout and mounting of the sensors. For accurate estimation of yield, signal processing and correction measures should be also implemented.

High performance small and mid-sized tractors are required for dryland and orchard operations. A power transmission system is the most important issue for the design of high performance tractors. Many operations, such as loading and lifting, use hydraulic power. In the present study, a hydraulic power transmission system for the 3-point hitch of a 50 kW narrow tractor was developed and its performance was evaluated. First, major components were designed based on target design parameters. Target operations were spraying, weeding, and transportation. Main design parameters were determined through mathematical calculation and computer simulation. The capacity of the hydraulic cylinder was calculated taking the lifting force required for the weight of the implements into consideration. Then, a prototype was fabricated. Major components were the lifting valve, hydraulic cylinder, and 3-point hitch. Finally, performance was evaluated through laboratory tests. Tests were conducted using load weights, lift arm sensor, and lift arm height from the ground. Test results showed that the lifting force was in the range of 23.5 - 29.4 kN. This force was greater than lifting forces of competing foreign tractors by 3.9 - 4.9 kN. These results satisfied the design target value of 20.6 kN, determined by survey of advanced foreign products. The prototype will be commercialized after revision based on various field tests. Improvement of reliability should be also achieved.

The purpose of this study is to determine the levels of delirium-related knowledge, recognition, and practice, and to identify their correlation in nurses working at general hospitals. This study is a descriptive correlation study attempting to provide raw data for the development of a tool to assess groups at high risk for delirium, as well as preventive intervention programs. The sample size of this study is 206 nurses working at medical surgical units, the intensive care unit (ICU) and the emergency room (ER) with primary assessment of delirium-related knowledge, followed by the secondary assessment of delirium-related recognition and practice one day after. Before commencement, the study was able to obtain the approval of the Institutional Review Board. The data analysis is conducted using the PASW statistic 18 program, by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, t-test and ANOVA. The delirium-related knowledge was 69.8 out of 100 points. The cause-related knowledge was shown as the highest point, followed by patient care-related knowledge and symptom-related knowledge in that order. The mean value of delirium-related recognition was 82.26±8.74 out of 100 points, whereas the practice had shown the mean 74.43±12.17 out. There was no statistically significant correlation between delirium-related knowledge and practice, but it was reported that there was a statistically significant correlation between recognition and practice. Since making nurses become more aware of the group at the highest risk for delirium is the most important factor in connection to preventive intervention, it is necessary to develop a tool to assess the group at high risk of delirium for nurses to be more easily aware.

While active materials based on germanium (Ge) are considered as a promising alternative anodic electrode due to their relatively high reversible capacity and excellent lithium-ion diffusivity, the quite unstable structural/electrochemical stability and severe volume expansion or pulverization problems of Ge electrodes remain a considerable challenge in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Here, we present the development of Ge embedded in one-dimensional carbon nanostructures (Ge/CNs) synthesized by the modified in situ electrospinning technique using a mixed electrospun solution consisting of a Ge precursor as an active material source and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a carbon source. The as-prepared Ge/CNs exhibit superior lithium ion behavior properties, i.e., highly reversible specific capacity, rate performance, Li ion diffusion coefficient, and superior cyclic stability (capacity retention: 85% at 200 mA g(-1)) during Li alloying/dealloying processes. These properties are due to the high electrical conductivity and unique structures containing well-embedded Ge nanoparticles (NPs) and a one-dimensional carbon nanostructure as a buffer medium, which is related to the volume expansion of Ge NPs. Thus, it is expected that the Ge/CNs can be utilized as a promising alternative anodic material in LIBs.

Soft ferroelectrics based on organic and organic-inorganic hybrid materials have gained much interest among researchers owing to their electrically programmable and remnant polarization. This allows for the development of numerous flexible, foldable, and stretchable nonvolatile memories, when combined with various crystal engineering approaches to optimize their performance. Soft ferroelectrics have been recently considered to have an important role in the emerging human-connected electronics that involve diverse photoelectronic elements, particularly those requiring precise programmable electric fields, such as tactile sensors, synaptic devices, displays, photodetectors, and solar cells for facile human-machine interaction, human safety, and sustainability. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments in soft ferroelectric materials with an emphasis on their ferroelectric switching principles and their potential application in human-connected intelligent electronics. Based on the origins of ferroelectric atomic and/or molecular switching, the soft ferroelectrics are categorized into seven subgroups. In this review, the efficiency of soft ferroelectrics with their distinct ferroelectric characteristics utilized in various human-connected electronic devices with programmable electric field is demonstrated. This review inspires further research to utilize the remarkable functionality of soft electronics.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pillar pain (deep-seated wrist pain worsened by leaning on the heel of the hand) sometimes occurs after carpal tunnel release (CTR), leading to weakness in the hand and delayed return to work. Increased pain sensitivity has been found to be associated with worse symptoms and poorer treatment response in a number of chronic musculoskeletal conditions, but few studies have investigated the association of pain sensitization with pillar pain after CTR. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Is preoperative pain sensitization in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) associated with increased severity of pillar pain after open CTR? (2) What other demographic, electrophysiological, or preoperative clinical characteristics are associated with pillar pain after CTR? METHODS: Over a 35-month period, one surgeon performed 162 open carpal tunnel releases. Patients were eligible if they had sufficient cognitive and language function to provide informed consent and completed a self-reported questionnaire; they were not eligible if they had nerve entrapment other than CTR or if the surgery was covered by workers compensation insurance. Based on these criteria, 148 (91%) were approached for this study. Of those, 17 (9%) were lost to followup before 12 months, leaving 131 for analysis. Their mean age was 54 years (range, 32–78 years), and 81% (106 of 131) were women; 34% (45 of 131) had less than a high school education. We preoperatively measured pain sensitization by assessing the patients’ pressure pain thresholds by stimulating pressure-induced pain in the pain-free volar forearm and administering a self-reported Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor subscale, an instrument that assesses pain intensity in daily life situations. We evaluated postoperative pillar pain using the “table test” (having the patient lean on a table with their weight on their hands placed on the table’s edge with elbows straight) with an 11-point ordinal scale at 3, 6, and 12 months after their surgical procedures. We conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses to determine whether the patients’ clinical, demographic, and pain sensitization factors were associated with their postoperative pillar pain severity after CTR. RESULTS: After controlling for relevant confounding variables such as age, education level, and functional states, we found that increased pillar pain severity was associated with the pressure pain threshold (β = -1.02 [-1.43 to -0.61], partial R(2) = 11%, p = 0.021) and Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor (β = 1.22 [0.73-1.71], partial R(2) = 17%, p = 0.013) at 3 months, but by 6 months, only Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor (β = 0.92 [0.63-1.21], partial R(2) = 13%, p = 0.018) remained an associated variable for pillar pain. Additionally, gender (women) was associated with increased pain severity at 3 (β = 0.78 [0.52-1.04], partial R(2) = 9%, p = 0.023) and 6 months (β = 0.72 [0.41-1.01], partial R(2) = 8%, p = 0.027). At 3 months, pressure pain threshold, Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor, and gender (women) collectively accounted for 37% of the variance in pillar pain severity; at 6 months, Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire minor and gender (women) accounted for 21% of the variance, but no relationship between those factors and pillar pain was observed at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Gender (women) and preoperative pain sensitization measured by pressure pain threshold and self-reported Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire were associated with pillar pain severity up to 3 and 6 months after CTR, respectively. However, the influence of pain sensitization on pillar pain was diminished at 6 months and it did not show persistent effects beyond 12 months. Pain sensitization seems to be more important in the context of recovery from surgical intervention (in the presence of a pain condition) than in healthy states, and clinicians should understand the role of pain sensitization in the postoperative management of CTS. Future research may be needed to determine if therapeutic interventions to reduce sensitization will decrease the risk of pillar pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study.

The cardiac homeobox transcription factor Nkx2-5 is a major determinant of cardiac identity and cardiac morphogenesis. Nkx2-5 operates as part of a complex and mutually reinforcing network of early transcription factors of the homeobox, GATA zinc finger and MADS domain families to initiate the program of cardiac development and differentiation, particularly in outflow tract precursor cells in the second heart field (SHF). We have now found evidence for another aspect of cardiac transcription factor cooperativity between Nkx2-5 and the cardiac enriched MADS domain transcription factor Srf. Specifically, Srf interaction with an evolutionarily conserved binding site in the Nkx2-5 CpG island-like proximal promoter is required for cardiac specific expression mediated by an SHF enhancer, and for combinatorial activation of these elements by cardiac transcription factors. These results provide further insight into cooperative gene regulation during cardiogenesis at the level of promoter-enhancer interactions.

The cardiac transcription factor Nkx2-5 is essential for normal outflow tract (OFT) and right ventricle (RV) development. Nkx2-5−/− null mouse embryos display severe OFT and RV hypoplasia and a single ventricle phenotype due to decreased proliferation of Second Heart Field (SHF) cells, a pool of cardiac progenitors present in anterior pharyngeal arch mesoderm at mid-gestation. However, definition of the precise role of Nkx2-5 in facilitating SHF expansion is incomplete. We have found that Nkx2-5 positively and directly regulates a novel target gene, Ccdc117, in cells of the SHF at these stages. The nuclear/mitotic spindle associated protein Ccdc117 interacts with the MIP18/MMS19 cytoplasmic iron-sulfur (FeS) cluster assembly (CIA) complex, which transfers critical FeS clusters to several key enzymes with functions in DNA repair and replication. Loss of cellular Ccdc117 expression results in reduced proliferation rates associated with a delay at the G1-S transition, decreased rates of DNA synthesis, and unresolved DNA damage. These results implicate a novel role for Nkx2-5 in the regulation of cell cycle events in the developing heart, through Ccdc117′s interaction with elements of the CIA pathway and the facilitation of DNA replication during SHF expansion.

Vibrio vulnificus, an opportunistic human pathogen, produces cyclo-(l-Phe-l-Pro) (cFP), which serves as a signaling molecule controlling the ToxR-dependent expression of innate bacterial genes, and also as a virulence factor eliciting pathogenic effects on human cells by enhancing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. We found that cFP facilitated the protection of V. vulnificus against hydrogen peroxide. At a concentration of 1 mM, cFP enhanced the level of the transcriptional regulator RpoS, which in turn induced expression of katG, encoding hydroperoxidase I, an enzyme that detoxifies H2O2 to overcome oxidative stress. We found that cFP upregulated the transcription of the histone-like proteins vHUα and vHUβ through the cFP-dependent regulator LeuO. LeuO binds directly to upstream regions of vhuA and vhuB to enhance transcription. vHUα and vHUβ then enhance the level of RpoS posttranscriptionally by stabilizing the mRNA. This cFP-mediated ToxR-LeuO-vHUαβ-RpoS pathway also upregulates genes known to be members of the RpoS regulon, suggesting that cFP acts as a cue for the signaling pathway responsible for both the RpoS and the LeuO regulons. Taken together, this study shows that cFP plays an important role as a virulence factor, as well as a signal for the protection of the cognate pathogen.

Septicemia-causing Vibrio vulnificus produces at least three exoproteases, VvpE, VvpS, and VvpM, all of which participate in interactions with human cells. Expression of VvpE and VvpS is induced in the stationary phase by multiple transcription factors, including sigma factor S, SmcR, and the cAMP-cAMP receptor protein (cAMP-CRP) complex. Distinct roles of VvpM, such as induction of apoptosis, lead us to hypothesize VvpM expression is different from that of the other exoproteases. Its transcription, which was found to be independent of sigma S, is induced at the early exponential phase and then becomes negligible upon entry into the stationary phase. SmcR and CRP were studied regarding the control of vvpM expression. Transcription of vvpM was repressed by SmcR and cAMP-CRP complex individually, which specifically bound to the regions −2 to +20 and +6 to +27, respectively, relative to the vvpM transcription initiation site. Derepression of vvpM gene expression was 10- to 40-fold greater in an smcR crp double mutant than in single-gene mutants. Therefore, these results show that the expression of V. vulnificus exoproteases is differentially regulated, and in this way, distinct proteases can engage in specific interactions with a host. IMPORTANCE An opportunistic human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus produces multiple extracellular proteases that are involved in diverse interactions with a host. The total exoproteolytic activity is detected mainly in the supernatants of the high-cell-density cultures. However, some proteolytic activity derived from a metalloprotease, VvpM, was present in the supernatants of the low-cell-density cultures sampled at the early growth period. In this study, we present the regulatory mechanism for VvpM expression via repression by at least two transcription factors. This type of transcriptional regulation is the exact opposite of those for expression of the other V. vulnificus exoproteases. Differential regulation of each exoprotease's production then facilitates the pathogen's participation in the distinct interactions with a host.

Increase of national family income improved demand of high-quality and year-round horticultural products including chrysanthemum. To meet these demand, farmers have introduced protected facilities, such as greenhouses, of which environmental conditions could be monitored and controlled. Environment management up to three weeks after transplanting is critical for chrysanthemum quality. Artificial lighting and light-blocking screen are especially important for long-day (day period > 13 hours) and short-day (night period > 13 hours) treatments. In this study, a web-camera was installed, and the image was obtained and transmitted to mobile phones to monitor the status of 3-wavelength(RGB) lighting environments. RGB pixel values were used to determine malfunctioning of the lighting lamps, and leaking out and incoming illumination status during short-day and long-day treatment periods. Normal lighting lamps provided RGB pixel values of 240～255. During long-day treatment period, G pixel values were useful to detect abnormal lighting conditions (e.g., leaking). During short-day treatment period, R pixel values were useful to determine incoming light (e.g., sun-light). Results of this study would provide useful information for remote monitoring of light conditions for protected chrysanthemum production under artificial lights.

Study Objective To investigate the effects of a 1:1 inspiratory-to-expiratory (I:E) ventilation ratio on oxygenation and respiratory mechanics during one-lung ventilation (OLV) in patients with low diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO). Design Prospective, randomized, crossover study. Setting Operating room, university hospital. Patients Twenty-six patients with a preoperative DLCO less than 80% who were scheduled for lung lobectomy requiring OLV under general anesthesia. Interventions In the first group (n = 13), OLV was begun with a 1:1 I:E ratio, which was switched to a 1:2 I:E ratio after 30minutes. In the second group (n = 13), the modes of ventilation were performed in the opposite order. Pressure-controlled ventilation with 5 cm H 2 O of positive end-expiratory pressure and a tidal volume of 5 to 8mL/kg was applied during OLV. Measurements Arterial and central venous blood gas analyses were recorded and used to calculate intrapulmonary shunt fraction and physiologic dead space. These measurements were taken at 4 time points: 10minutes after two-lung ventilation in the lateral decubitus position, 30minutes after initiation of OLV, 30minutes after switching the I:E ratio, and 10minutes after two-lung ventilation was resumed. Main Results There was no difference in arterial oxygen tension during OLV between the 2 groups ( P = .429). Arterial carbon dioxide tension and peak airway pressure were lower in the 1:1 group than in the 1:2 group ( P = .003; P = .008). Physiologic dead space was also decreased in the 1:1 I:E ratio group ( P = .003). Mean airway pressure and dynamic compliance were higher in the 1:1 group ( P = .003; P = .007). Conclusions Pressure-controlled ventilation with a 1:1 I:E ventilation ratio did not improve oxygenation in patients with low DLCO during OLV compared with a 1:2 I:E ventilation ratio. However, it did provide benefits in terms of respiratory mechanics and increased the efficiency of alveolar ventilation during OLV.

A densely-packed IRMOF-3 membrane (S-IRMOF-3(Mem)), ∼55 μm in thickness, on an Al 2 O 3 disc support was prepared via a sonochemical synthesis route, and the optimal fabrication conditions were established. Bare IRMOF-3 particles (S-IRMOF-3(p)) were synthesized independently to analyze the contribution of the Al 2 O 3 support. The overall physicochemical properties of the IRMOF-3 products produced via the sonochemical route were superior to those prepared by microwave heating. The IRMOF-3 materials produced were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS-mapping, and N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements. S-IRMOF-3(p) exhibited satisfactory CO 2 adsorption capacities (54 mg/g at 298 K/1 bar; 732 mg/g at 298 K/20 bar) and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity (18 at 298 K/1 bar). Both S-IRMOF-3(Mem) and S-IRMOF-3(p) were assessed as a catalyst for a liquid phase Knoevenagel condensation reaction between benzaldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate. S-IRMOF-3(Mem) and S-IRMOF-3(p) showed comparable conversions (87–89%) with 100% selectivity after a 4 h reaction at 333 K. The heterogeneous nature of the catalyst was confirmed by a hot filtering experiment, and S-IRMOF-3(Mem) could be recovered easily after the reaction and be recycled several times with little change in product yield.

The creep behavior of high-Cr martensitic heat-resistant steels was investigated to discuss the dominant factors determining the creep-rupture life in the temperature range from 839 to 894 K. Variation in the content of Nb, a carbide former, induced a difference in creep-degradation at the long-term creep condition, which was attributed to the formation of a Z-phase at the expense of M 2 N precipitates. Due to the continuous evolution of the microstructure during creep service, a simple form of the Monkman–Grant equation could not properly describe the creep-rupture life of the alloys; however, the modified Monkman–Grant equation, which incorporates the creep rate at the tertiary creep region, resulted in a reasonable estimation of creep-rupture life.

The effect of Nb addition on the creep strength of high-Cr martensitic heat-resistant steel was investigated at temperatures ranging from 839 to 894 K. The short-term creep properties were improved by Nb addition due to the enhanced MX precipitation. However, Nb addition deteriorated the steel's long-term stability resulting in an even shorter creep-rupture life than the original alloy. Onset of the accelerated degradation in Nb-containing steel was attributed to the gradual formation of Z-phase at the expense of M 2 N precipitates during creep exposure.

Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is essential for the dispersal of biofilms formed by the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus. CPS production is induced by the quorum-sensing (QS) master regulator SmcR when biofilms mature. However, V. vulnificus biofilms formed under heat shock conditions did not exhibit the dispersion stage. Transcripts of the CPS gene cluster were at basal levels in the heat-exposed cell owing to reduced cellular levels of SmcR. At least two proteases induced by heat shock, ClpPA and Lon, were responsible for determining the instability of SmcR. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that SmcR levels were regulated via proteolysis by these proteases, with preferential proteolysis of monomeric SmcR. Thus, CPS production was not induced by QS when bacteria were heat treated. Further studies performed with other Vibrio species demonstrated that high temperature deactivated the QS circuits by increased proteolysis of their QS master regulators, thus resulting in alterations to the QS-regulated phenotypes, including biofilm formation., IMPORTANCE The term "quorum-sensing mechanism" is used to describe diverse bacterial cell density-dependent activities that are achieved by sensing of the signaling molecules and subsequent signal transduction to the master regulators. These well-known bacterial regulatory systems regulate the expression of diverse virulence factors and the construction of biofilms in pathogenic bacteria. There have been numerous studies designed to control bacterial quorum sensing by using small molecules to antagonize the quorum-sensing regulatory components or to interfere with the signaling molecules. In the present study, we showed that the quorum-sensing regulatory circuits of pathogenic Vibrio species were deactivated by heat shock treatment via highly increased proteolysis of the master transcription factors. Our results showed a new mode of quorum deactivation which can be achieved under conditions of high but nonlethal temperature even if the ambient signaling molecules may reach the levels representing high cell density.

Vibrio vulnificus, an opportunistic human pathogen, produces cyclo-(l-Phe-l-Pro) (cFP), which serves as a signaling molecule controlling the ToxR-dependent expression of innate bacterial genes, and also as a virulence factor eliciting pathogenic effects on human cells by enhancing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. We found that cFP facilitated the protection of V. vulnificus against hydrogen peroxide., Vibrio vulnificus, an opportunistic human pathogen, produces cyclo-(l-Phe-l-Pro) (cFP), which serves as a signaling molecule controlling the ToxR-dependent expression of innate bacterial genes, and also as a virulence factor eliciting pathogenic effects on human cells by enhancing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. We found that cFP facilitated the protection of V. vulnificus against hydrogen peroxide. At a concentration of 1 mM, cFP enhanced the level of the transcriptional regulator RpoS, which in turn induced expression of katG, encoding hydroperoxidase I, an enzyme that detoxifies H2O2 to overcome oxidative stress. We found that cFP upregulated the transcription of the histone-like proteins vHUα and vHUβ through the cFP-dependent regulator LeuO. LeuO binds directly to upstream regions of vhuA and vhuB to enhance transcription. vHUα and vHUβ then enhance the level of RpoS posttranscriptionally by stabilizing the mRNA. This cFP-mediated ToxR-LeuO-vHUαβ-RpoS pathway also upregulates genes known to be members of the RpoS regulon, suggesting that cFP acts as a cue for the signaling pathway responsible for both the RpoS and the LeuO regulons. Taken together, this study shows that cFP plays an important role as a virulence factor, as well as a signal for the protection of the cognate pathogen.

Background Stroke is the number one cause of adulthood disability in Korea. Rehabilitation after stroke can minimize functional disability, enhance recovery toward independence, and optimize community reintegration. The inter-departmental stroke meeting (IDSM) is a potential method to improve rehabilitation outcomes in patients with stroke. We aimed to analyze the effect of IDSM on rehabilitation after acute ischemic stroke management. Methods Medical records of 753 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the neurology department of our medical center between January and December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. In May 2014, weekly IDSMs were initiated. All physicians responsible for the patient's care reviewed patient treatment, methods of secondary prevention, and future rehabilitation plans. Results The transfer rate significantly increased after initiation of IDSM (phase 2, 3) and the length of stay (LOS) before transfer to the rehabilitation department decreased significantly from 9.68 ± 8.50 days to 5.75 ± 2.12 days. There was a reduction in the total LOS from 52 ± 28.57 days to 35 ± 27.21 days after IDSMs were introduced. In non-transferred patients also, the total LOS reduced significantly. The transfer rate increased significantly and the LOS before transfer to the rehabilitation department decreased significantly after implementation of IDSM in a subgroup of patients with moderate to severe stroke. Conclusion The introduction of IDSM was significantly correlated with improvements in transfer rates and reduction of LOS in hospital. This finding shows that IDSMs are an important intervention to improve therapeutic progress and outcomes for patients with stroke., Graphical Abstract

Visibility of the overlaid virtual image is sensitively affected by surrounding illumination in OST (optical see-through) displays. Ambient light may especially deteriorate the visibility of low gray levels, whose luminance is comparable to ambient light. Therefore, we first derive a luminance model based on actual measurements under various ambient lights, and use this model to extract low gray-level region (LGR), which suffers severely from contrast loss. It was experimentally found that gamma tone mapping is the most appropriate for LGR contrast enhancement of OST displays. The gamma value is optimally determined by cost minimization. Visibility enhancement is verified by experiments on a practical setup with a variety of ambient light levels and images.