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Improving the innovation quality of manufacturing companies has currently received increasing attention in the transformation from "Made in China" to "Created in China". Equity restriction is now one of the most talked about issues in China's corporate governance structures, but we have a limited understanding of the impact of equity restriction on innovation quality. This paper empirically analyzes the relationship and intrinsic mechanism between equity restriction and innovation quality using all A-share listed manufacturing companies in China from 2007 to 2021 as the research sample. First, the Tobit regression model is used to analyze the impact of equity restriction on innovation quality, and the Heckman two-stage model is used for the endogenous test. Then, the three-step regression model with mediating effects is used to validate the intrinsic mechanism of equity restriction to promote innovation quality from two paths, namely equity incentives and R&D investment. The research results show that equity restriction has a significant positive impact on innovation quality; equity incentives and R&D investment play a mediating role between equity restriction and innovation quality. This paper enriches the research on the influencing factors of innovation quality and provides a theoretical basis based on equity restriction for the transformation of manufacturing towards high-quality innovation, and explores the intrinsic mechanisms by which equity restriction affects innovation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid development of various wearable generators to harvest energy from human activity, they are limited to single or intermittent power generation. Here, stretchable and washable energy harvesting fabric is reported, which enables biomechanical and biochemical generation through co‐weaving triboelectric generator (TEG) and perspiration electric generator (PEG)‐based fibers. The two energy harvesting approaches can work individually or simultaneously, thereby combating humidity and increasing the electrical output. The maximum output power density of TEG‐ and PEG‐based fibers can achieve 166 and 5.4 µW cm−2, respectively. The woven‐structured patch‐type energy harvester is conformable with clothing. It can harvest energy from human movements and sweat to drive the wearable Internet of Things (IoT) without charging systems. This synergistic and complementary energy harvester can provide a viable standalone power source relying solely on human activity for wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent article published in this journal (Finkelstein 2020, PEQ 152, 85–93), newly published data on Level V at Tel Lachish was criticized. This new data indicates that Level V was a fortified city and that radiometric dating places its construction in the last quarter of the 10th century bce. This date is in accordance with the biblical tradition describing the fortification of Lachish during the reign of King Rehoboam of the Kingdom of Judah in the last quarter of the 10th century bce (2 Chr 11:5–12). In the past, various scholars have proposed dating the list of Rehoboam's fortification to the reigns of later kings: Hezekiah, Josiah or even John Hyrcanus I. It is thus not surprising that Israel Finkelstein, an advocate of a later date, attempts to refute this new archaeological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: perspiration electric generator-based fibers; triboelectric generator-based fibers; wearable energy harvesting; woven-structured energy harvesters EN perspiration electric generator-based fibers triboelectric generator-based fibers wearable energy harvesting woven-structured energy harvesters 1 1 1 07/31/23 20230727 NES 230727 B Dual Energy Harvesting Fabrics b In article number 2300530, Ji-Soo Jang, Hyun-Cheol Song, and co-workers demonstrate a dual energy harvesting fabric that enables bio-physicochemical generation through the co-weaving of triboelectric generator- and perspiration electric generator-based fibers. Perspiration electric generator-based fibers, triboelectric generator-based fibers, wearable energy harvesting, woven-structured energy harvesters The fabric harvests energy not only from human movement but also from sweat to power wearable IoT devices and exhibits remarkable washing durability. [Extracted from the article]

The water leakage in an underground space cannot easily be repaired owing to the characteristics of the underground space, which not only causes continuous inconvenience to the apartment residents but also facilitates condensation. Thus, the effects of different waterproofing methods in underground spaces on changes in temperature and humidity should be quantitatively studied to establish strong measures for the condensation issue. In this study, two types of specimens were produced separately by dividing the waterproofing materials applied to underground structures into exterior and interior waterproofing construction methods; thereafter, changes in the temperature and humidity inside the specimens were observed. The test results of the evaluation regarding condensation in underground structures indicated that when exterior waterproofing materials are applied, thermal insulation maintains a steady interior temperature and keeps the humidity at an appropriate level, thereby preventing the creation of an environment conducive to the occurrence of condensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of ad hoc routing protocols of vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) have been proposed and evaluated based on mobile ad hoc network (MANET) routing protocols. Although a large number of routing protocols have been developed in MANET, the VANET has different environments such as highly dynamic topology, frequently disconnected network, hard delay constraints for safety-related application, and various communications environments (e.g., highway or urban traffic scenarios). Therefore, development of a suitable routing protocol that considers these characteristics of VANET should be needed. In this paper we suggest the improved distance-based VANET routing protocol compared with the previous researches on urban traffic environments. We apply approaches to packet-collisions avoidance scheme in the intersection and to stable route decision scheme based on the adaptive waiting time. The performance is then evaluated under simulation which is implemented with the Manhattan urban traffic model. The results show the improved performance as compared with the previous researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minoxidil is the most widely used treatment for hair growth, but has been associated with several side effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 on hair loss prevention and regrowth using human dermal papilla cells and male C57BL/6 mice. To examine the effects of EF-2001, we used minoxidil as the positive control. In the in vitro experiments, EF-2001 treatment (75–500 μg/mL) led to the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In the in vivo experiment, the topical application of 200 µL EF-2001 on the dorsal surface of C57BL/6 male mice led to hair growth. Changes in hair regrowth were examined by visual comparison and hematoxylin and eosin staining of skin sections. We also determined the expression levels of marker genes (Wnt) and growth factors (fibroblast growth factor, insulin growth factor 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor) in the skin tissues of the back of each mouse using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. EF-2001 accelerated the progression of hair regrowth in mice and promoted hair-follicle conversion from telogen to anagen, likely by increasing the expression levels of growth factors and marker genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface molecular imprinting technique was applied for fabricating a porous aromatic gas sensing structure on the surface of a quartz crystal chip. A modified layer by layer process between poly (sodium, styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) in the presence of aromatic compounds was carefully performed to obtain firm and selective films. In the obtained films, two functional areas of the phenyl rings in PSS molecules and hydrophilic static charge interaction sites between PSS and PAH were worked as sensing principles in the gas sensor applications. In the toluene or phenol imprinted film condition, the sensitivities reached to 0.1 ppm and 6.6 ppb (LOD) for the toluene and the phenol gases, and the selectivity value of the phenol to the toluene reached to 67 with our standard. The obtained selectivity and sensitivity were explainable by the nature of the film components and the surface molecular imprint effect. The sub-min level reset time was normally obtained in these measurements. • A surface molecular imprinting based aromatic gas sensor was successfully fabricated on quartz crystals. • The selectivity of the sensor was influenced both the film nature and the imprinting materials. • Both the selectivity and the sensitivity were controllable by the film fabrication architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the frequency of diabetic gastroparesis and associated risk factors in a real-world clinical setting. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients who underwent assessments of solid gastric emptying time (GET) by technetium-99 m scintigraphy between May 2019 and December 2020. We categorized patients into three groups according to gastric retention of technetium-99 m: rapid (< 65% at 1 h or < 20% at 2 h), normal (≤60% at 2 h and/or ≤ 10% at 4 h), and delayed (> 60% at 2 h and/or > 10% at 4 h). Results: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) were more likely to show abnormal GET than those without DM (119 [70.8%] vs. 16 [44.4%]). The mean glycated A1c was 10.3% in DM patients. DM patients with normal GET were significantly younger (57.2 years, P = 0.044) than those with delayed (65.0 years) or rapid GET (60.2 years). Fasting glucose levels were the lowest in the normal GET group and the highest in the rapid GET group (delayed: 176.3 mg/dL, normal: 151.2 mg/dL, rapid: 181.0 mg/dL, P = 0.030). However, glycated A1c was not significantly different among the delayed, normal, and rapid GET groups in patients with DM. Patients with delayed and rapid GET showed a higher frequency of retinopathy (6.0 vs. 15.5%, P = 0.001) and peripheral neuropathy (11.3 vs. 24.4%, P = 0.001) than those with normal GET. In the multinomial logistic regression analysis, retinopathy demonstrated a positive association with delayed GET, while nephropathy showed a significant negative correlation. Conclusion: DM gastroparesis in the clinical setting was not uncommon. Abnormal GET, including delayed and rapid GET, was associated with DM retinopathy or peripheral neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The risk, cost, and adverse outcomes associated with packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients with cardiopulmonary failure requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have raised concerns regarding the overutilization of RBC products. It is, therefore, necessary to establish optimal transfusion criteria and protocols for patients supported with ECMO. The goal of this study was to establish specific criteria for RBC transfusions in patients undergoing ECMO. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at Stanford University Hospital. Data on RBC utilization during the entire hospital stay were obtained, which included patients aged ≥18 years who received ECMO support between 1 January 2017, and 30 June 2020 (n = 281). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results: Hemoglobin (HGB) levels >10 g/dL before transfusion did not improve in-hospital survival. Therefore, we revised the HGB threshold to ≤10 g/dL to guide transfusion in patients undergoing ECMO. To validate this intervention, we prospectively compared the pre- and post-intervention cohorts for in-hospital mortality. Post-intervention analyses found 100% compliance for all eligible records and a decrease in the requirement for RBC transfusion by 1.2 units per patient without affecting the mortality. Conclusions: As an institution-driven value-based approach to guide transfusion in patients undergoing ECMO, we lowered the threshold HGB level. Validation of this revised intervention demonstrated excellent compliance and reduced the need for RBC transfusion while maintaining the clinical outcome. Our findings can help reform value-based healthcare in this cohort while maintaining the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A periodic nano-porous surface on quartz crystal electrodes was carefully fabricated for increasing the mass-sensitive areas. Detailed porous structures were prepared by analyzing Au electrochemical reduction process of PS layer coated quartz crystals. The sensitivity measurement of the porous quartz crystals was performed with several traditional methods, and an optimized reduction time for higher sensitivity was determined. The frequency shift of the nano-porous quartz crystals showed 10 times bigger change with the same concentration of target solutions in self-assembly procedures. In the procedures, the freshly increased surface portion did not produce additional molecular slip-effects on the measured resonant resistance values, thus, the periodic porous chips showed another side merit for the mass sensor applications. We propose a possible use of the current porous surface as a platform for developing other high-performance sensors and analyses. A periodic nano-porous surface on quartz crystal electrodes was carefully fabricated for increasing the mass-sensitive areas. Detailed porous structures were prepared by analyzing Au electrochemical reduction process of PS layer coated quartz crystals. The sensitivity measurement of the porous quartz crystals was performed with several traditional methods, and an optimized reduction time for higher sensitivity was determined. The frequency shift of the nano-porous quartz crystals showed 10 times bigger change with the same concentration of target solutions in self-assembly procedures. In the procedures, the freshly increased surface portion did not produce additional molecular slip-effects on the measured resonant resistance values, thus, the periodic porous chips showed another side merit for the mass sensor applications. We propose a possible use of the current porous surface as a platform for developing other high-performance sensors and analyses. Image 1 • The mechanism for the PSB templated electrochemical gold deposition is clarified. • The increased gold areas did not show the sensitivity decrease done by the molecular-slip effect. • The self-assembly of 3-APTES showed 10-fold bigger frequency changes than a normal commercial quartz crystal. • A novel application of the fabricated chip was suggested for readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: We aimed to demonstrate the effects of pitvastatin therapy on the serum levels of total adiponectin and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin in type 2 diabetes and the correlation with insulin sensitivity. (2) Methods: This study was designed as an open-labelled randomized trial. Patients with diabetes who were prescribed pitavastatin therapy were enrolled and randomized to either treatment with 2 mg of pitavastatin once daily (n = 44) (PITA group) or diet and exercise only, except their antidiabetic medications (n = 49), for 24 weeks. (3) Results: In lipid profiles, the reduction in total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly increased in the PITA group (TC; 207.5 ± 20 vs. 195.5 ± 30.0 ng/dL, p < 0.001, LDL-C; 132.0 ± 15.8 vs. 123.1 ± 25.7 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Adiponectin and HMW adiponectin were elevated in the PITA group, compared to the control group without significance. The PITA group showed a lower level of HOMA-IR and HOMA-β levels. However, there was no significance (HOMA-IR; p = 0.5921 -at 12 weeks and p = 0.3645 at 24 weeks; HOMA-β; p = 0.8915 at 12 weeks and p = 0.7313 in 6 months). (4) Conclusions: The present study did not show a significant change in serum adiponectin or HMW adiponectin from baseline in serum adiponectin following pitavastatin therapy. Although statin has been considered as a risk for dysglycemia, pitavastatin did not affect insulin sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel molecularly imprinted conducting polymer (MICP) system with porous thin films of electropolymerized polypyrrole (Ppy) derivatives was successfully developed to detect a specific target molecule (e.g. theophylline). The porous MICP films grown on gold pore arrays through cyclic voltammetry showed increased sensing response in detecting theophylline compared to a conventional planar MICP film due to its improved sensing capacity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. As skeletal muscle is one of main targets of thyroid hormone signalling, an association of thyroid function and muscle strength could be expected. The aim of study is to evaluate the association of free thyroxine (FT4) and thyrotropin (TSH) with upper limb muscle strength, measured by hand grip strength, in subjects with normal FT4 from national representative data. The study utilized the sixth edition of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After exclusion of subjects with FT4 level out of normal range, a history of thyroid disease or cerebral disease, restricted activity, and incomplete data, a total of 3503 were recruited (age range 19–80 years, 51% male). FT4 positively correlated with upper limb muscle strength (β coefficient = −12.84, p < 0.001), while TSH did negatively (β coefficient = −0.37, p = 0.002). After adjusting for confounding factors, statistical significance disappeared. However, among subjects with BMI above 23 kg/m2, a negative correlation of TSH with upper limb muscle strength was found in a younger age group (19–39 years old) (β coefficient = −0.56, p = 0.021), while FT4 positively correlated with upper limb muscle strength (β coefficient = 3.24, p = 0.019) in an older group (above 40 years old). In overweight and obese subjects, a significant association of thyroid function with upper limb muscle strength was observed in nation-wide representative data. High TSH in a younger group and low FT4 in an older group could be risk factors for decreased upper limb muscle strength in obese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In general, obesity is a major contributor to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is associated with insulin resistance (IR). Metabolically obese but normal weight (MONW) individuals present metabolic abnormalities and features of MetS despite having a normal range of body mass index (BMI). In recent years, different subtypes of obesity have been introduced, including metabolically healthy obese (MHO) and metabolically obese obese (MOO). Also, it has been reported that vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) are possibly linked with MetS. Methods and findings: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum 25(OH)D, serum PTH, and the risk of metabolic obesity in four subtypes using nationally representative survey data for a Korean population conducted between 2008 and 2010. Of the 29,235 Korean participants, 18,997 subjects aged under 50 years were excluded. Participants with diabetes (n = 1,520), renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] < 45 ml/min/1.73 m2, chronic kidney disease [CKD] stage 3b, 4, and 5 according to KDOQI classification []) (n = 49), history of treatment for osteoporosis (n = 455), insufficient data (n = 1,613), and fasting time less than 8 hours prior to blood collection (n = 771) were excluded for analysis. Ultimately, 5,830 adults (2,582 men and 3,248 women) were eligible for the present study. And, subtypes of obesity were divided into four types: Metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), Metabolically healthy obese (MHO), Metabolically obese but normal weight (MONW), and Metabolically obese obese (MOO). Female subjects with metabolic obesity were more likely to have higher levels of PTH and Male subjects with metabolic health were more likely to have higher serum 25(OH)D levels Conclusion: We concluded that a positive association between serum PTH concentration and metabolic obesity among female subjects and an inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and the risk of metabolic obesity were found among male subjects. Further prospective studies are necessary to explore the biological mechanisms underlying these sex-specific findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N2O, which is emitted mainly from nitrogen decomposition via bacteria, livestock manure, agricultural fertilizer use, fossil fuel combustion and waste incineration, is classified as a substance that causes significant destruction of the ozone layer. The N2O measurement methods for these emission sources may be divided into chromatography, optical, and electrical current measurements. Chromatography has been widely utilized for analyzing N2O. However, up until now, few studies have been conducted on N2O using photoacoustic spectroscopy. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate performance of photoacoustic spectroscopy in this regard based on laboratory and field test results. The repeatability of photoacoustic spectroscopy was measured at 1.12%, which is lower than the repeatability of 3.0% suggested by the ISO 1564 standard, so, it has shown an excellent repeatability. The detection limit was determined to be 0.025 ppm, and the response time was confirmed to be 3 min and 26 s. The results of comparison between these measurements and GC show that the latter has superior accuracy, but mobility and convenience are superior for PAS. On the contrary, GC has a continuous measurement limitation, but PAS makes it possible to conduct continuous measurements. Therefore, PAS can be extremely useful to confirm the characteristics of N2O emissions and to quantify their amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Our previous research showed that N -carboxy-phenylsulfonyl hydrazide (scaffold A) could reduce LPS-stimulated PGE 2 levels in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by an inhibition of mPGES-1 enzyme. However, a number of scaffold A derivatives showed the drawbacks such as the formation of regioisomers and poor liver metabolic stability. In order to overcome these synthetic and metabolic problems, therefore, we decided to replace N -carboxy-phenylsulfonyl hydrazide (scaffold A) with N -carboxy-phenylsulfonamide (scaffold B) or N -amido-phenylsulfonamide frameworks (scaffold C) as a bioisosteric replacement. Among them, MPO-0186 (scaffold C) inhibited the production of PGE 2 (IC 50 : 0.24 μM) in A549 cells via inhibition of mPGES-1 (IC 50 : 0.49 μM in a cell-free assay) and was found to be approximately 9- and 8-fold more potent than MK-886 as a reference inhibitor, respectively. A molecular docking study theoretically suggests that MPO-0186 could inhibit PGE 2 production by blocking the PGH 2 binding site of mPGES-1 enzyme. Furthermore, MPO-0186 demonstrated good liver metabolic stability and no significant inhibition observed in clinically relevant CYP isoforms except CYP2C19. This result provides a potential starting point for the development of selective and potent mPGES-1 inhibitor with a novel scaffold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep duration is an identified risk factor for adverse health outcomes. As the endocrine system is closely intertwined with sleep duration and quality, the association between endocrine dysfunction and sleep has been evaluated. Thyroid function, particularly that related to thyrotropin (TSH), is also known to be influenced by the sleep/awake status and circadian rhythm. Additionally, a link between sleep duration and autoimmunity, which is a common cause of thyroid dysfunction, has been suggested; however, depending on the sleep deprivation method used in studies, the effects of sleep on thyroid function vary. The relationship between subclinical thyroid dysfunction and sleep duration is poorly documented. Thus, to elucidate the impact of sleep on thyroid function, we investigated the association of subclinical thyroid dysfunction with sleep duration using representative data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 2013 to 2015. Methods: In all, 4945 participants (2543 male and 2402 female) were included after excluding subjects using the following criteria: <19 years of age, free T4 level outside the normal range, history of thyroid disease, or incomplete data. The population was classified into three groups: short sleeper (<7 h/day), normal sleeper (7–8 h/day), and long sleeper (>8 h/day). The odds ratio (OR) for subclinical hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism according to sleep duration was evaluated. Results: The short, normal, and long sleeper groups consisted of 2097, 2514, and 334 subjects, respectively. On multiple logistic regression analysis, compared to normal sleepers, short sleepers showed a significantly increased risk of subclinical hyperthyroidism (OR 1.37, 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.02–1.84, p = 0.036), while the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in short sleepers was not elevated. Comparing long sleepers to normal sleepers, the OR for subclinical hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism was 1.79 (95% CI 1.12–2.86, p = 0.015) and 1.91 (95% CI 1.03–3.53, p = 0.039), respectively. Conclusions: Both shorter and longer sleep durations were associated with an increase in the risk of subclinical thyroid dysfunction compared to the optimal sleep duration. This analysis of representative population data shows that sleep duration could intertwine with thyroid function resulting in increased risk of subclinical thyroid dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to evaluate the association between thyroid hormone (free thyroxine, free T4) level and lipid profiles in nationally representative data. Methods: This study was based on cross-sectional survey data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. After exclusion of subjects with a history of thyroid disease or abnormal thyroid function test and those on medication for dyslipidemia and/or cardiovascular disease, a total of 3548 subjects were included in the study. Results: There was a significant decrease in serum triglyceride levels and increase in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels with high free T4 quartiles after adjustment for confounding factors (p for trend = 0.001 and p for trend = 0.014, respectively). Risk of hypertriglyceridemia was significantly decreased (odds ratio of 0.72 (95% confidential interval 0.53–0.98)) in the highest free T4 quartile compared to the lowest free T4 quartile, p = 0.044). Conclusions: Serum free T4 levels within normal range negatively correlated with serum triglyceride level and positively correlated with HDL-cholesterol level. Therefore, a close surveillance in terms of lipid profiles could be considered in subjects with low normal serum free T4 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent liver disease encompassing a broad spectrum of pathologic changes in the liver. Metabolic derangements are suggested to be main causes of NAFLD. As thyroid hormone is a main regulator of energy metabolism, there may be a link between NAFLD and thyroid function. In previous studies, the association between NAFLD and thyroid function was not conclusive. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between NAFLD and thyroid function, focusing on subclinical hypothyroidism, using nationwide survey data representing the Korean population. NAFLD was defined as a hepatic steatosis index of 36 or higher. Based on the analysis of nationwide representative data, subclinical hypothyroidism was related to a high risk of NAFLD in males, but not in females. Our study showed that thyroid function might play a substantial role in the development of NAFLD, especially in males. Further study to elucidate the underlying mechanism of gender specific association of mild thyroid dysfunction and NAFLD would be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]