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Simple Summary: This study investigated the impact of tumor size on T3b differentiated thyroid cancer prognosis. No significant difference was found in the prognosis of small T3b tumors compared to the T1 tumors. Disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival were significantly lower only in large T3b tumors compared to T2 and T3a. If T3b tumors are 2 cm or smaller, downstaging may be considered. The modified T category, reclassifying T3b (≤2 cm) as T1, showed better staging performance than the existing category. Adopting this modified T category could improve the prognostic accuracy of the AJCC/TNM staging. The prognostic significance of tumor size in T3b differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) remains debated and underexplored. This study aimed to examine the varying impact of T3b based on tumor size, analyzing disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival. A retrospective review of 6282 DTC patients who underwent thyroid surgery at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from September 2000 to December 2017 was conducted. T3b was classified into three subcategories, T3b-1 (≤2 cm), T3b-2 (2–4 cm), and T3b-3 (>4 cm), using the same size criteria for T1, T2, and T3a. T3b-1 showed no significant difference in disease specific survival compared to T1, and both disease-free and disease-specific survival curves were sequentially ranked as T1, T3b-1, T2, T3a, T3b-2, and T3b-3. The modified T category, reclassifying T3b-1 as T1, demonstrated superior staging performance compared to the classic T category (c-index: 0.8961 vs. 0.8959 and AUC: 0.8573 vs. 0.8518). Tumors measuring 2 cm or less within the T3b category may require downstaging, and a modified T category could improve the precision of prognostic staging compared to the current T category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageratum conyzoides, an annual herbaceous plant that inhabits tropical and subtropical regions, has been traditionally used in Asia, Africa, and South America for phytotherapy to treat infectious and inflammatory conditions. However, the pharmacological effects of standardized ethanolic extract of Ageratum conyzoides (ACE) on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remain unexplored. The objective of this research is to examine the potential physiological impacts of ACE, a traditionally utilized remedy for inflammatory ailments, in a rat model with BPH induced by testosterone propionate (TP). Rats were subcutaneously administered TP (3 mg/kg) to induce BPH and concurrently orally administered ACE (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg) daily for 42 days. ACE markedly improved BPH characteristics, including prostate weight, prostate index, and epithelial thickness, while also suppressing androgens and related hormones. The findings were supported by a decrease in androgen receptor and downstream signals associated with BPH in the prostate tissues of the ACE groups. Furthermore, increased apoptotic signals were observed in the prostate tissue of the ACE groups, along with heightened detection of the apoptotic nucleus compared to the BPH alone group. These changes seen in the group that received finasteride were similar to those observed in this group. These findings suggest that ACE shows promise as an alternative phytotherapeutic agent for treating BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a concrete stress monitoring method utilizing 1D CNN deep learning of raw electromechanical impedance (EMI) signals measured with a capsule-like smart aggregate (CSA) sensor. Firstly, the CSA-based EMI measurement technique is presented by depicting a prototype of the CSA sensor and a 2 degrees of freedom (2 DOFs) EMI model for the CSA sensor embedded in a concrete cylinder. Secondly, the 1D CNN deep regression model is designed to adapt raw EMI responses from the CSA sensor for estimating concrete stresses. Thirdly, a CSA-embedded cylindrical concrete structure is experimented with to acquire EMI responses under various compressive loading levels. Finally, the feasibility and robustness of the 1D CNN model are evaluated for noise-contaminated EMI data and untrained stress EMI cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the shipbuilding industry, welding automation using welding robots often relies on arc-sensing techniques due to spatial limitations. However, the reliability of the feedback current value, core sensing data, is reduced when welding target workpieces have significant curvature or gaps between curved workpieces due to the control of short-circuit transition, leading to seam tracking failure and subsequent damage to the workpieces. To address these problems, this study proposes a new algorithm, MBSC (median-based spatial clustering), based on the DBSCAN (density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise) clustering algorithm. By performing clustering based on the median value of data in each weaving area and considering the characteristics of the feedback current data, the proposed technique utilizes detected outliers to enhance seam tracking accuracy and responsiveness in unstructured and challenging welding environments. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified through actual welding experiments in a yard environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Korea, because of manpower and budgetary limitations, antimicrobial stewardship programs have relied on preauthorization. This study analyzed the impact of a prospective audit and feedback (PAF) program targeting inpatients undergoing intermittent hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy, which was implemented at two community-based university hospitals. During three years of PAF, 27,906 antimicrobial prescriptions were reviewed, with 622 (2.2%) interventions. The mean incidence density per 1000 patient days of multidrug-resistant organisms, except for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, decreased in the study population, whereas it increased among inpatients. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis revealed that after PAF, the incidences of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and mortality decreased (incidence risk ratio, 95% confidence interval: 0.53, 0.31–0.93 and 0.70, 0.55–0.90, respectively). Notably, after PAF, incorrect antimicrobial dosing rates significantly decreased (tau −0.244; p = 0.02). However, the incidences of other multidrug-resistant organisms, Clostridioides difficile, length of stay, and readmission did not significantly change. This study shows that in patients undergoing intermittent hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement, targeted PAF can significantly reduce multidrug-resistant organism rates and all-cause hospital mortality, despite limited resources. Furthermore, it can improve antimicrobial dosage accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether preoperative ultrasonographic (US) features of the index cancer and metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) are associated with level II LN metastasis in N1b papillary rmfthyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Materials and methods: We enrolled 517 patients (mean age, 42 [range, 6–80] years) who underwent total thyroidectomy and lateral compartment LN dissection between January 2009 and December 2015. We reviewed the clinicopathologic and US features of the index cancer and metastatic LNs in the lateral neck. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze features associated with level II LN metastasis. Results: Among the patients, 196 (37.9%) had level II metastasis on final pathology. In the preoperative model, larger tumor size (odds ratios [ORs], 1.031; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.011–1.051, p = 0.002), nonparallel tumor shape (OR, 1.963; 95% CI: 1.322–2.915, p = 0.001), multilevel LN involvement (OR, 1.906; 95% CI: 1.242–2.925, p = 0.003), and level III involvement (OR, 1.867; 95% CI: 1.223–2.850, p = 0.004), were independently associated with level II LN metastasis. In the postoperative model, non-conventional pathology remained a significant predictor for level II LN metastasis (OR, 1.951; 95% CI: 1.121–3.396; p = 0.018), alongside the presence of extrathyroidal extension (OR, 1.867; 95% CI: 1.060–3.331; p = 0.031), and higher LN ratio (OR, 1.057; 95% CI: 1.039–1.076; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative US features of the index tumor and LN may be helpful in guiding surgery in N1b PTC. These findings could enhance preoperative planning and decision-making, potentially reducing surgical morbidities by identifying those at higher risk of level II LN metastasis and tailoring surgical approaches accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can be cured with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. In Korea, sofosbuvir (SOF) and ledipasvir (LDV)/SOF were launched in 2016. Patients who achieve a sustained virologic response (SVR) following DAA treatment are predicted to have a favorable prognosis. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the prognosis of Korean CHC patients who receive SOF-based treatment and achieve SVR. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to look into the long-term outcomes for these patients. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter observational study. CHC patients were enrolled who, following SOF or LDV/SOF treatment, had achieved SVR. The last day for follow-up was December 2023. The primary endpoint was HCC occurrence, which was checked at least once per year. Results: A total of 516 patients were included in this analysis, with a median follow-up duration of 39.0 months. Among them, 231 were male patients (44.8%), with a median age of 62.0 years. Genotypes were 1 (90, 17.4%), 2 (423, 82.0%), and 3 (3, 0.6%). The combination of SOF plus ribavirin was the most common treatment (394, 76.4%). In total, 160 patients were cirrhotic (31.0%), and the mean Child–Pugh score was 5.1. Within a maximum of 7 years, 21 patients (4.1%) developed HCC. Patients with HCC were older (69 vs. 61 years, p = 0.013) and had a higher cirrhosis incidence (81.0 vs. 28.9%, p < 0.001), higher AFP (6.0 vs. 3.3, p = 0.003) and higher APRI (0.8 vs. 0.5, p = 0.005). Age over 65 (p = 0.016) and cirrhosis (p = 0.005) were found to be significant risk factors for HCC by Cox regression analysis. Conclusions: Patients who achieved SVR with SOF-based treatment had a relatively favorable prognosis. However, the risk of HCC was not eliminated, especially in older and cirrhotic patients. Therefore, routine follow-up, surveillance, and early treatment are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotorcrafts experience severe vibrations during operation. To ensure the safety of rotorcrafts, it is necessary to perform anomaly detection to detect small-scale structural faults in major components. To accurately detect small-scale faults before they grow to a fatal size, HR (high sampling rate) vibration data are required. However, to increase the efficiency of data storage media, only LR (low sampling rate) vibration data are generally collected during actual flight operation. Anomaly detection using only LR data can detect faults above a certain size, but may fail to detect small-scale faults. To address this problem, we propose an anomaly detection technique using the SR3 (Super-Resolution via Repeated Refinement) algorithm to upscale LR data to HR data, and then applying the LSTM-AE model. This technique is validated for two datasets (drone arm data, CWRU bearing data). First, the necessity for HR data is illustrated by showing that anomaly detection using LR data fails, and the upscaling performance of the SR3 algorithm is validated in the frequency and time domain. Finally, the anomaly detection for a structural fault diagnosis is performed for the upscaled data and the HR data using the LSTM-AE model. The quantitative evaluation of the Min–Max normalized reconstruction error distribution is performed through the MSE (Mean Square Error) value of the anomaly detection results. As a result, it is confirmed that the anomaly detection using upscaled test data can be performed as successfully as the anomaly detection using HR test data for both datasets by the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a model of cheap talk with transparent and monotone motives from a seller to an informed buyer. By transparent and monotone motives, we mean that the seller's preference does not depend on the state of the world and is increasing in the choice(s) of the buyer regardless of the state of the world. We first show that if the buyer is completely uninformed, only the babbling equilibrium exists. Then, we obtain our main result that even if the buyer has the slightest information, full revelation can be supported by using the crosschecking strategy of the buyer if and only if the seller has a CARA (constant absolute risk aversion) utility function unless the buyer has too much information. In this equilibrium, the buyer can punish the seller who sends a message far above the buyer's information by ignoring the seller's message. Paradoxically, no information and too much information of the buyer both eliminate the fully revealing equilibrium with the crosschecking strategy. We also obtain a counterintuitive result that the seller prefers a more informed buyer than a less informed buyer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of a high-temperature annealing process on the characteristics and performance of a memristor based on a Ag/Ga2O3/Pt structure. Through X-ray diffraction analysis, successful phase conversion from amorphous Ga2O3 to β-Ga2O3 is confirmed, attributed to an increase in grain size and recrystallization induced by annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed a higher oxygen vacancy in annealed Ga2O3 thin films, which is crucial for conductive filament formation and charge transport in memristors. Films with abundant oxygen vacancies exhibit decreased set voltages and increased capacitance in a low-resistive state, enabling easy capacitance control depending on channel presence. In addition, an excellent memory device with a high on/off ratio can be implemented due to the reduction of leakage current due to recrystallization. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a thin film suitable for a memristor by increasing the oxygen vacancy in the Ga2O3 film while improving the overall crystallinity through the annealing process. This study highlights the significance of annealing in modulating capacitance and high-resistive/low-resistive state properties of Ga2O3 memristors, contributing to optimizing device design and performance. This study underscores the significance of high-temperature annealing in improving the channel-switching characteristics of Ga2O3-based memristors, which is crucial for the development of low-power, high-efficiency memory device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, crack-free GaN-on-Si growth technology has become increasingly important due to the high demand for power semiconductor devices with high performances. In this paper, we have experimentally optimized the buffer structures such as the AlN nucleation layer and step-graded AlGaN layer for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si (111) substrate by varying growth conditions and thickness, which is very crucial for achieving crack-free GaN-on-Si epitaxial growth. Moreover, an AlGaN back barrier was inserted to reduce the buffer trapping effects, resulting in the enhancement of carrier confinement and suppression of current dispersion. Firstly, the AlN nucleation layer was optimized with a thickness of 285 nm, providing the smoothest surface confirmed by SEM image. On the AlN nucleation layer, four step-graded AlGaN layers were sequentially grown by increasing the Al composition from undermost layer to uppermost layer, meaning that the undermost one was close to AlN, and the uppermost was close to GaN, to reduce the stress and strain in the epitaxial layer gradually. It was also verified that the thicker step-graded AlGaN buffer layer is suitable for better crystalline quality and surface morphology and lower buffer leakage current, as expected. On these optimized buffer structures, the AlGaN back barrier was introduced, and the effects of the back barrier were clearly observed in the device characteristics of the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si (111) substrate such as the transfer characteristics, output characteristics and pulsed I-V characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is one of the most famous vegetables worldwide, rich in essential metabolites for various health benefits. It is a valuable plant source that has the potential to be a nutraceutical. This study aimed to evaluate the single characteristic marker compound to establish the validation of HPLC-DAD methods applied to the development of a nutraceutical using spinach samples. Six metabolites (1–6) were identified from the spinach samples such as freeze-dried spinach (FDS) and spinach extract concentrate (SEC) by LC-Q-TOF/MS analysis. Among the six metabolites, 3′,4′,5-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone 4′-glucuronide (TMG) was selected as a marker compound due to its highest abundance and high selectivity. The specificity, accuracy, linearity, precision, repeatability, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of TMG in the spinach samples (FDS and SEC) were validated according to AOAC international guideline. The specificity was confirmed by monitoring the well separation of the marker compound from other compounds of spinach samples in the base peak intensity (BPI) and ultraviolet (UV) chromatogram. The calibration curve of TMG (15.625~500 μg/mL) had reasonable linearity (R2 = 0.999) considered with LOD and LOQ values, respectively. Recovery rate of TMG was 93–101% for FDS and 90–95% for SEC. The precision was less than 3 and 6% in the intraday and interday. As a result, the HPLC-DAD validation method of TMG in the spinach samples (FDS and SEC) was first established with AOAC and KFDA regulations for approving functional ingredients in functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a nonlinear simulation block for a fish robot was designed using MATLAB Simulink. The simulation block incorporated added masses, hydrodynamic damping forces, restoring forces, and forces and moments due to dorsal fins, pectoral fins, and caudal fins into six-degree-of-freedom equations of motion. To obtain a linearized model, we used three different nominal surge velocities (i.e., 0.2 m/s, 0.4 m/s, and 0.6 m/s). After obtaining output responses by applying pseudo-random binary signal inputs to a nonlinear model, an identification tool was used to obtain approximated linear models between inputs and outputs. Utilizing the obtained linearized models, two-degree-of-freedom proportional, integral, and derivative controllers were designed, and their characteristics were analyzed. For the 0.4 m/s nominal surge velocity models, the gain margins and phase margins of the surge, pitch, and yaw controllers were infinity and 69 degrees, 26.3 dB and 85 degrees, and infinity and 69 degrees, respectively. The bandwidths of surge, pitch, and yaw control loops were determined to be 2.3 rad/s, 0.17 rad/s, and 2.0 rad/s, respectively. Similar characteristics were observed when controllers designed for linear models were applied to the nonlinear model. When step inputs were applied to the nonlinear model, the maximum overshoot and steady-state errors were very small. It was also found that the nonlinear plant with three different nominal surge velocities could be controlled by a single controller designed for a linear model with a nominal surge velocity of 0.4 m/s. Therefore, controllers designed using linear approximation models are expected to work well with an actual nonlinear model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this nationwide longitudinal cohort study is to determine the risk of congestive heart failure (CHF) associated with a seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population in Korea. Methods: In this study, National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) data from 2002 to 2003 were used. The cohort was followed up with for 12 years until December of 2015. Seropositive RA was defined as a patient prescribed with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) among patients with the International Classification of Diseases code M05 (seropositive RA). Patients who were diagnosed before 2004 were excluded. The seropositive RA group consisted of 2765 patients, and a total of 13,825 patients were in the control group. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the 12-year CHF incidence rate for each group. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratio of CHF. Results: The hazard ratio of CHF in the seropositive RA group was 2.41 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40–4.14) after adjusting for age and sex. The adjusted hazard ratio of CHF in the seropositive RA group was 2.50 (95% CI: 1.45–4.30) after adjusting for age, sex, income, and comorbidities. In females aged ≥65 and aged <65, the incidence rates in the non-hypertension, non-diabetes mellitus, and non-dyslipidemia subgroups were significantly higher in the seropositive RA group than in the control group. Conclusions: This nationwide longitudinal cohort study shows an increased risk of CHF in patients with seropositive RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural damage in the steel bridge anchorage, if not diagnosed early, could pose a severe risk of structural collapse. Previous studies have mainly focused on diagnosing prestress loss as a specific type of damage. This study is among the first for the automated identification of multiple types of anchorage damage, including strand damage and bearing plate damage, using deep learning combined with the EMA (electromechanical admittance) technique. The proposed approach employs the 1D CNN (one-dimensional convolutional neural network) algorithm to autonomously learn optimal features from the raw EMA data without complex transformations. The proposed approach is validated using the raw EMA response of a steel bridge anchorage specimen, which contains substantial nonlinearities in damage characteristics. A K-fold cross-validation approach is used to secure a rigorous performance evaluation and generalization across different scenarios. The method demonstrates superior performance compared to established 1D CNN models in assessing multiple damage types in the anchorage specimen, offering a potential alternative paradigm for data-driven damage identification in steel bridge anchorages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural front-end loader is an implement attached to the front of tractors to transport various agricultural materials, including soil. Since they are subjected to various loads due to the working environment, their safety analysis in consideration of actual working conditions is required. However, there are no official standardized test codes to consider various actual working environments currently. In this study, the structural safety of a front-end loader for static and fatigue failures was evaluated using new test code reflecting actual working environments. Thirty-four measurement locations were determined as the stress concentration spots of each component of the front-end loader derived through multibody dynamic simulation. The total testing time was set to 1 h, and the test time for each task was determined considering the duty percentage of the actual loader work. The measurement results showed that the maximum stress that exceeds the material's yield strength occurred at two locations of the mount, which is the connection to the tractor body, resulting in static yielding. For tasks, the pulling and dumping exhibited the highest stress. The task that had the largest impact on fatigue damage was the dumping. The static safety factor was found to be over 1.93 and the fatigue life met the required lifespan at all measurement locations except for those exhibiting static yielding. Therefore, the most vulnerable part of the front-end loader is the mount, and it is necessary to secure the overall structural integrity by robust design for the mount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a microbial strain was isolated from humus soil to ferment Sophora flavescens and Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus extracts. The isolated microbial was identified as the Bacillus genus by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The fermented plant extracts exhibited antifungal effects against four types plant pathogen, P. carotorum, B. cinerea, C. fructicola Sau-3, and C. gloeosporioides, according to incubation time. In particular, the fermented plant extracts showed the most activity for Colletotrichum genus in inhibiting mycelium growth. Metabolite changes in fermented S. flavescens and E. sessiliflorus extracts were confirmed through LC-Q-TOF/MS. Flavonoid and peptide derivatives were improved in fermented S. flavescens and E. sessiliflorus extracts compared to their unfermented counterparts. This study suggested that isolated Bacillus microbial fermentation could be a valuable tool in improving the bioactivity of S. flavescens and E. sessiliflorus extracts, with the potential to form more environmentally friendly antifungal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Lumbar lordotic curvature (LLC), closely associated with low back pain (LBP) when decreased, is infrequently assessed in clinical settings due to the spatiotemporal limitations of radiographic methods. To overcome these constraints, this study used an inertial measurement system to compare the magnitude and maintenance of LLC across various sitting conditions, categorized into three aspects: verbal instructions, chair type, and desk task types. Methods: Twenty-nine healthy participants were instructed to sit for 3 min with two wireless sensors placed on the 12th thoracic vertebra and the 2nd sacral vertebra. The lumbar lordotic angle (LLA) was measured using relative angles for the mediolateral axis and comparisons were made within each sitting category. Results: The maintenance of LLA (LLAdev) was significantly smaller when participants were instructed to sit upright (−3.7 ± 3.9°) compared to that of their habitual sitting posture (−1.2 ± 2.4°) (p = 0.001), while the magnitude of LLA (LLAavg) was significantly larger with an upright sitting posture (p = 0.001). LLAdev was significantly larger when using an office chair (−0.4 ± 1.1°) than when using a stool (−3.2 ± 7.1°) (p = 0.033), and LLAavg was also significantly larger with the office chair (p < 0.001). Among the desk tasks, LLAavg was largest during keyboard tasks (p < 0.001), followed by mouse and writing tasks; LLAdev showed a similar trend without statistical significance (keyboard, −1.2 ± 3.0°; mouse, −1.8 ± 2.2°; writing, −2.9 ± 3.1°) (p = 0.067). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that strategies including the use of an office chair and preference for computer work may help preserve LLC, whereas in the case of cueing, repetition may be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied in various industries. One such application is indoor user positioning using Big Data. The traditional method for positioning is the global positioning system (GPS). However, the performance of GPS is limited indoors due to propagation loss. Hence, radio frequency (RF)-based communication methods such as WiFi and Bluetooth have been proposed as indoor positioning solutions. However, positioning performance inaccuracies arise due to signal interference caused by RF band saturation. Therefore, this study proposes indoor user positioning based on visible light communication (VLC). The proposed method involves the sequential application of fingerprinting and double deep Q-Network. Fingerprinting is utilized to define the action and state of the double deep Q-Network agent. The agent is designed to learn and locate the reference point (RP) closest to the user's position in a shorter search time. The core idea of the proposed system is to converge a Cell-ID scheme and fingerprinting. Through this, the initial state of the double deep Q-Network agent can be limited. A limited initial state can increase the positioning speed. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme attains a positioning resolution of less than 13 cm and achieves a processing time of less than 0.03 s to obtain the final position in VLC-based office environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the prevalence of myopia, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration among Koreans over 40, utilizing data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII, 2018). We analyzed 204,973 adults (44% men, 56% women; mean age 58.70 ± 10.75 years), exploring the association between myopia and these eye diseases through multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for confounders and calculating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results showed a myopia prevalence of 44.6%, cataracts at 19.4%, macular degeneration at 16.2%, and glaucoma at 2.3%, with significant differences across ages and genders. A potential link was found between myopia and an increased risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, but not with glaucoma. Additionally, a higher dietary intake of carbohydrates, polyunsaturated and n-6 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals correlated with lower risks of these diseases, underscoring the importance of the diet in managing and preventing age-related eye conditions. These findings highlight the need for dietary considerations in public health strategies and confirm myopia as a significant risk factor for specific eye diseases in the aging Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis, a disease defined by the primary bone strength due to a low bone mineral density, is a bone disorder associated with increased mortality in the older adult population. Osteoporosis is mainly treated via hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphates, and anti-bone resorption agents. However, these agents exert severe side effects, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic agents. Many studies are focusing on osteogenic agents as they increase the bone density, which is essential for osteoporosis treatment. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of Diospyros lotus L. leaf extract (DLE) and its components on osteoporosis in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts and ovariectomized mice and to elucidate the underlying related pathways. DLE enhanced the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts, with a 1.5-fold elevation in ALP activity, and increased the levels of osteogenic molecules, RUNX family transcription factor 2, and osterix. This alteration resulted from the activation of bone morphogenic protein 2/4 (BMP2/4) and transformation of growth factor β (TGF β) pathways. In ovariectomized mice, DLE suppressed the decrease in bone mineral density by 50% and improved the expression of other bone markers, which was confirmed by the 3~40-fold increase in osteogenic proteins and mRNA expression levels in bone marrow cells. The three major compounds identified in DLE exhibited osteogenic and estrogenic activities with their aglycones, as previously reported. Among the major compounds, myricitrin alone was not as strong as whole DLE with all its constituents. The osteogenic activity of DLE was partially suppressed by the inhibitor of estrogen signaling, indicating that the estrogenic activity of DLE participated in its osteogenic activity. Overall, DLE suppresses osteoporosis by inducing osteoblast differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comparison between the conventional Electromagnetic Forming (EMF) technique and the novel Electromagnetic Hydraulic Forming (EMHF) approach. The EMHF involves the use of finite element analysis coupled with the EM and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian techniques analyzed through LS-DYNA. In the free-bulge configuration, EMF is influenced by the forming coil, resulting in a dead zone and uneven forming. Additionally, EMF can only be used to shape materials with high electrical conductivity. In contrast, EMHF, driven by induced hydraulic pressure from the electromagnetic field-affected drive sheet, is independent of the electrical conductivity of the material and produces dome-shaped workpieces. For rectangular die shapes, EMF is prone to collision owing to the acceleration of the blank, which results in a reduced quality owing to bouncing. However, EMHF exhibits no bouncing effect and successfully achieves the target shape in most cases. The two techniques differ in the strain rate, with EMF at 4850/s, whereas EMHF operates at approximately 1250/s. Despite being slower, EMHF is still a high-speed forming technique. In conclusion, EMHF is a promising technique capable of addressing the shortcomings of conventional EMF and achieving improvements in forming processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture farms cultivating Saccharina japonica are highly active in Wando, Korea, and Rongcheng, China. However, the yield of S. japonica significantly declined in the Rongcheng region in 2022 compared to previous records, whereas that in Wando remained at a normal level, presumably due to the presence of a pathogenic microbiome. We used environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomic analysis to compare the microbial compositions of seawater from aquaculture farms in Wando and Rongcheng. Seawater samples were collected from one Korean site in Wando (WA) and two Chinese sites in Ailian Bay (AB) and Lidao Bay (LB). Metagenomic analysis focusing on the microbial 16S rRNA identified 38 phyla and 58 families of microbiomes in all regions. Potentially pathogenic bacterial groups associated with S. japonica in AB and LB were more abundant than in WA, suggesting their potential influence on mortality and the decline in the harvest yield of S. japonica. The microbial composition of WA was distinguished from those of the other two sites, which clustered together with higher similarity. Since the S. japonica aquaculture industry is important for both countries, this comparative eDNA monitoring is a valuable initiation towards the next step of problem-solving practices in coastal management in these two aquaculture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potent detection method for cancer biomarkers in physiological fluid, a colorimetric and electrochemical dual-mode sensing platform for breast cancer biomarker thioredoxin 1 (TRX1) was developed based on the excellent peroxidase-mimicking and electrocatalytic property of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs). PBNPs were hydrothermally synthesized using K3[Fe(CN)6] as a precursor and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent. The synthesized spherical PBNPs showed a significant peroxidase-like activity, having approximately 20 and 60% lower Km values for 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H2O2, respectively, compared to those of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The PBNPs also enhanced the electron transfer on the electrode surface. Based on the beneficial features, PBNPs were used to detect target TRX1 via sandwich-type immunoassay procedures. Using the strategies, TRX1 was selectively and sensitively detected, yielding limit of detection (LOD) values as low as 9.0 and 6.5 ng mL−1 via colorimetric and electrochemical approaches, respectively, with a linear range of 10–50 ng mL−1 in both strategies. The PBNP-based TRX1 immunoassays also exhibited a high degree of precision when applied to real human serum samples, demonstrating significant potentials to replace conventional HRP-based immunoassay systems into rapid, robust, reliable, and convenient dual-mode assay systems which can be widely utilized for the identification of important target molecules including cancer biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government sector in South Korea is witnessing a significant increase in employee turnover rates, a phenomenon that challenges the notion of organizational sustainability. This trend is particularly influenced by the influx of Generation MZ public employees who possess professional values distinct from those of older generations, thereby eroding the longstanding view of public service as a lifelong commitment. This shift necessitates the implementation of human resource management strategies that prioritize organizational justice to effectively reduce turnover intention in public employees, especially among the MZ generation, whose members strongly demand fair compensation and treatment. This study delves into the impact of distributive, procedural, and interactional justice on the turnover intentions of public employees while also exploring how these effects vary between Generation MZ and older generations. The study's findings indicate that all three dimensions of justice inversely affect turnover intention. Interestingly, while generational differences do not significantly moderate the effects of distributive justice and interactional justice on turnover intentions, the influence of procedural justice in mitigating turnover intention is more pronounced among Generation MZ employees compared to their older counterparts. These insights highlight the critical need for human resource practices that bolster organizational justice. In public organizations with a significant number of Generation MZ employees, enhancing procedural justice can effectively reduce their intentions to leave. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of devising generational management strategies, particularly those that focus on fair processes for compensation distribution and supervisor treatment, to curb turnover intention, especially within the Generation MZ cohort of public employees in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a groundbreaking approach to the ever-evolving challenge of ransomware detection. A lot of detection methods predominantly rely on pinpointing high-entropy blocks, which is a hallmark of the encryption techniques commonly employed in ransomware. These blocks, typically difficult to recover, serve as key indicators of malicious activity. So far, many neutralization techniques have been introduced so that ransomware utilizing standard encryption can effectively bypass these entropy-based detection systems. However, these have limited capabilities or require relatively high computational costs. To address these problems, we introduce a new concept entropy sharing. This method can be seamlessly integrated with every type of cryptographic algorithm and is also composed of lightweight operations, masking the high-entropy blocks undetectable. In addition, the proposed method cannot be easily nullified, contrary to simple encoding methods, without knowing the order of shares. Our findings demonstrate that entropy sharing can effectively bypass entropy-based detection systems. Ransomware utilizing such attack methods can cause significant damage, as they are difficult to detect through conventional detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed continuous long-term measurements of PM2.5 mass, comprehensive chemical composition, and optical properties, including scattering and absorption coefficients, from March 2011 to December 2020 at the Metropolitan Air Quality Research Center in Seoul, South Korea. PM2.5 peaked at 38 μg/m3 in 2013 and has been declining steadily since then, reaching 22 μg/m3 in 2020. The extinction coefficients also decreased with the decline in PM2.5, but the correlation between the two factors was not as pronounced. This deviation was mainly attributed to the rapid changes in the chemical composition of PM2.5 over the same period. The mass contribution of sulphate to PM2.5 decreased from 33.9 to 24.1%, but the fraction of nitrate and organic carbon increased from 23.4 and 20.0 to 34.1 and 32.2%, respectively, indicating that sulphate has been replaced by nitrate and organic carbon over the past decade. To assess the effect of changing aerosol chemical compositions on light extinction, we compared the measured extinction coefficients with those estimated via the various existing light extinction approaches, including the revised IMPROVE algorithm. We found that the simplified linear regression model provided the best fit to our data, with a slope of 1.03 and R2 of 0.87, and that all non-linear methods, such as the IMPROVE algorithms, overestimated the observed long-term light extinction by 23 to 48%. This suggests that the simple linear regression scheme may be more appropriate for reflecting the varying aerosol conditions over long periods of time, especially for urban air. However, for conditions where the chemical composition does not change much, non-linear methods such as the IMPROVE scheme are likely to be more appropriate for reproducing light extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (RSR MPA) is one of the most productive regions in the Southern Ocean. Mesozooplankton intermediates the primary product to the higher predators, such as penguins and seals, in this ecosystem. In this study, the mesozooplankton community structure and spatial pattern in the RSR MPA in January were investigated by using 505 μm-mesh-size bongo net samples. As a result, 37 mesozooplankton taxa with a total mean abundance of 35.26 ind./m3, ranging from 2.94 to 139.17 ind./m3, were confirmed. Of the 37 taxa, 7 occupied almost 84% of the total abundance, with copepods being the main dominant taxa. As shown by our hierarchical analysis, the mesozooplankton community was divided into four groups, each associated with a specific geographical distribution. Group A was composed of stations around Terra Nova Bay and showed relatively low abundance. Group B included stations around the continental slope region. Group D was composed of the Ross Sea continental shelf stations, while group C consisted of stations geographically located between those of groups B and D. These four groups were influenced by various environmental factors, such as water temperature, salinity, and nutrients. In summary, the mesozooplankton community can be separated according to geographical pattern. This pattern is related to several environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-reflux surgery (ARS) is an efficient treatment option for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Despite growing evidence of the efficacy and safety of ARS, medications including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) remain the most commonly administered treatments for GERD. Meanwhile, ARS can be an effective treatment option for patients who need medications continuously or for those who are refractory to PPI treatment, if proper candidates are selected. However, in practice, ARS is often regarded as a last resort for patients who are unresponsive to PPIs. Accumulating ARS-related studies indicate that surgery is equivalent to or better than medical treatment for controlling typical and atypical GERD symptoms. Furthermore, because of overall reduced medication expenses, ARS may be more cost-effective than PPI. Patients are selected for ARS based on endoscopic findings, esophageal acid exposure time, and PPI responsiveness. Although there is limited evidence, ARS may be expanded to include patients with normal acid exposure, such as those with reflux hypersensitivity. Additionally, other factors such as age, body mass index, and comorbidities are known to affect ARS outcomes; and such factors should be considered. Nissen fundoplication or partial fundoplication including Dor fundoplication and Toupet fundoplication can be chosen, depending on whether the patient prioritizes symptom improvement or minimizing postoperative symptoms such as dysphagia. Furthermore, efforts to reduce and manage postoperative complications and create awareness of the long-term efficacy and safety of the ARS are recommended, as well as adequate training programs for new surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully integrated 24-GHz radar transceiver with one transmitter (TX) and two receivers (RXs) for compact frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar applications is here presented. The FMCW synthesizer was realized using a fractional-N phase-locked loop (PLL) and programmable chirp generator, which are completely integrated in the proposed transceiver. The measured output phase noise of the synthesizer is −80 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset. The TX consists of a three-bit bridged t-type attenuator for gain control, a two-stage drive amplifier (DA) and a one-stage power amplifier (PA). The TX chain provides an output power of 13 dBm while achieving <0.5 dB output power variation within the range of 24 to 24.25 GHz. The RX with a direct conversion I-Q structure is composed of a two-stage low noise amplifier (LNA), I-Q generator, mixer, transimpedance amplifier (TIA), a two-stage biquad band pass filter (BPF), and a differential-to-single (DTS) amplifier. The TIA and the BPF employ a DC offset cancellation (DCOC) circuit to suppress the strong reflection signal and TX-RX leakage. The RX chain exhibits an overall gain of 100 dB. The proposed radar transceiver is fabricated using a 65 nm CMOS technology. The transceiver consumes 220 mW from a 1 V supply voltage and has 4.84 mm2 die size including all pads. The prototype FMCW radar is realized with the proposed transceiver and Yagi antenna to verify the radar functionality, such as the distance and angle of targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and their effect on Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) growth in vitro. The inhibitory effects of PA on AB were assessed using a cross-streak assay. The OMVs were extracted through high-speed centrifugation, tangential flow filtration, and ultracentrifugation and characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nanoparticle tracking assays (NTAs). Proteomic analysis was conducted to compare the OMVs of different PA strains. PA022 exhibited more pronounced inhibition of AB growth compared with PA ATCC 27853. TEM confirmed the presence of OMVs in both PA022 and PA ATCC 27853, revealing phospholipid bilayer structures. The NTA revealed similar sizes and concentrations. Proteomic analysis identified 623 and 538 proteins in PA022 and PA ATCC 27853 OMVs, respectively, with significant proportions of the outer membrane and extracellular proteins, respectively. Importantly, PA022 OMVs contained six known virulence factors and motility-associated proteins. This study revealed the unique characteristics of PA OMVs and their inhibitory effects on AB growth, shedding light on their role in bacterial interactions. Proteomic analysis provides valuable insights into potential pathogenic functions and therapeutic applications against bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a significant abiotic stress that limits crop production. Soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] are regarded as drought-sensitive. In the present study, the drought responses of wild soybean accessions were evaluated at different growth stages. Based on the leaf wilting index of 411 accessions at the vegetative stage, seven highly tolerant (HT) and 24 tolerant (T) accessions were identified, although most wild soybeans were classified as moderate (M), sensitive (S), and highly sensitive (HS) genotypes. In addition, with selected wild soybeans, stomatal density decreased in HT accessions but increased in HS accessions under drought conditions at the vegetative stage. However, for cultivated soybeans, the stomatal density of the drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive were not significantly different between the two conditions. The expression levels of drought-related transcriptional factors indicated that the HT genotype showed a higher expression level of drought-related genes than that of the HS genotype at the vegetative stage. At the reproductive stages, 12 wild soybeans randomly selected from HT, T, S, and HS based on assessment at the vegetative stage showed consistent drought responses with seed yield, root development, and water status. However, the extent of the detrimental effect of drought on the germination rates and root length of 165 wild soybeans at the germination stage varied depending on the genotype, indicating that there may not be a robust correlation between phenotypic measurements at the germination stage and drought-related assessments at the two growth stages. The information from this study can provide useful breeding materials for the development of drought-tolerant cultivars from wild soybeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of agriculture and a shortage of labor have led to an increased use of agricultural machinery. However, the resulting environmental issues have prompted a shift from internal combustion engines to electric drivetrains. The electric drivetrain includes the installation of batteries, which can lead to decreased energy efficiency and significant loads on the vehicle due to their heavy weight. Consequently, the importance of ensuring the safety of agricultural machinery is being increasingly emphasized. The load on the frame of agricultural machinery is not consistent during off-road driving, and the accumulation of load cycles can lead to the destruction and failure of components. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a level of safety and to predict the fatigue life. In this study, we estimate the safety factor and predict the fatigue life of weak points in an electrically driven, multi-purpose cultivation tractor based on working conditions (width, soil, and drive). Strain gauges were attached to these weak points to measure the strain, which was then converted to von Mises stress. Fatigue life was predicted using the rainflow counting method and the Palmgren–Miner rule. The results showed that the safety factor measured under various working conditions was greater than 1. The estimated minimum fatigue life was 124,176 years. Considering that the cultivator is used for 29.7 h annually and has a durability lifespan of 5 years, it is expected to be safely usable throughout its service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with their ubiquitous presence across numerous global industries, pose multifaceted challenges, influencing air pollution and health outcomes. In response, countries such as the United States and Canada have implemented fenceline monitoring systems, enabling real-time tracking of organic solvents, including benzene. Initially, this focus was predominantly placed on the petroleum refining industry, but it has gradually been broadening. This investigation seeks to identify and analyze the specific VOCs produced in the tire manufacturing sector by utilizing both active and passive monitoring methodologies. The findings of the present study aim to recommend prioritized reduction strategies for specific VOCs. Percentage means the ratio of VOCs detected at the research site. At research target facility A, active monitoring demonstrated the presence of Methylene chloride (20.7%) and Carbon tetrachloride (15.3%), whereas passive monitoring identified Carbon tetrachloride (43.4%) and m,p-Xylene (20.8%). After converting these substances to their equivalent concentrations, we found a noteworthy correlation between the active and passive methodologies. At research target facility B, active monitoring detected n-Pentane (45.5%) and Isoprene (11.4%), while passive monitoring revealed Toluene (21.3%) and iso-Hexane (15.8%). Interestingly, even at sites like warehouses and test tracks where VOC concentrations were projected to be low, we observed VOC levels comparable to those in process areas. This underlines the fact that the dispersal of VOCs is considerably influenced by wind direction and speed. Specifically, in the tire manufacturing industry, emissions of Xylene and 3-Methylhexane, both having high photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), contribute significantly to air pollution. However, the overall detection concentration in the tire manufacturing industry was detected at a low concentration of less than 2 μg/m3. This is less than 9 μg/m3, which is the standard for benzene, which has strong carcinogenicity regulations. This suggests that additional research is needed on synthetic rubber manufacturing rather than tire manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, new agri-tech has been developed and adapted for the cultivation of crops using smart farming technologies, e.g., plant factories and hydroponics. Kelp (Laminaria japonica), which has a high industrial value, was considered as an alternative to chemicals for its eco-friendly and sustainably wide use in crop cultivation. In this study, a fermented kelp (FK) was developed for use in hydroponics. The FK contained various free and protein-bound amino acid compositions produced by fermenting the kelp with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Supplementing FK as an aeroponic medium when cultivating ginseng sprouts (GSs) elevated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Additionally, seven ginsenosides (Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rg2, Rb2, and Rd) in GSs cultivated with FK in a smart-farm system were identified and quantified by a high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector/mass spectrometry analysis. Administering FK significantly increased the ginsenosides in the GSs compared to the control group, which was cultivated with tap water. These results indicate the FK administration contributed to the increased accumulation of ginsenosides in the GSs. Overall, this study suggests that FK, which contains abundant nutrients for plant growth, can be used as a novel nutrient solution to enhance the ginsenoside content in GSs during hydroponic cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dry eye syndrome among Korean women aged 40 and above and explore the correlation between the syndrome and daily dietary nutrient intake. We analyzed data from 92,888 female participants (mean age: 63.35 ± 8.86 years) from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2019). Dietary intake was evaluated using a personalized 24 h recall method for 21 nutrients, including macronutrients, macro- and micro-minerals, and both water- and fat-soluble vitamins. Associations between nutrient intake and dry eye syndrome were determined using odds ratios from multivariate logistic regression. We found a 7.7% prevalence of dry eye syndrome in the population studied. Intake of dietary fiber (adjusted OR: 0.72), protein (adjusted OR: 0.84), omega-3 fatty acids (adjusted OR: 0.90), water (adjusted OR: 0.76), calcium (adjusted OR: 0.82), phosphate (adjusted OR: 0.87), potassium (adjusted OR: 0.88), magnesium (adjusted OR: 0.87), vitamin A (adjusted OR: 0.78), vitamin C (adjusted OR: 0.73), and vitamin E (adjusted OR: 0.86) was inversely associated with dry eye syndrome prevalence (p < 0.0001 for all). Conversely, a higher intake of carbohydrates (adjusted OR: 1.23), sugar (adjusted OR: 1.30), fat (adjusted OR: 1.25), cholesterol (adjusted OR: 1.32), sodium (adjusted OR: 1.18), iron (adjusted OR: 1.28), and zinc (adjusted OR: 1.26) correlated with an increased risk (p < 0.0001 for all). No significant associations were found between the prevalence of dry eye syndrome and the intake of omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin D. Our study identified significant associations between specific dietary nutrients and the risk of dry eye syndrome among Korean women aged 40 and above. These findings suggest that dietary choices could influence the likelihood of developing dry eye syndrome, indicating a potential role for dietary intervention in its management. However, it is important to note that these observations are preliminary, and further research is necessary to confirm these relationships and explore their implications for dietary recommendations in dry eye syndrome prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anithiactin D (1), a 2-phenylthiazole class of natural products, was isolated from marine mudflat-derived actinomycetes Streptomyces sp. 10A085. The chemical structure of 1 was elucidated based on the interpretation of NMR and MS data. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by comparing the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectral data. Anithiactin D (1) significantly decreased cancer cell migration and invasion activities at a concentration of 5 μM via downregulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in A549, AGS, and Caco-2 cell lines. Moreover, 1 inhibited the activity of Rho GTPases, including Rac1 and RhoA in the A549 cell line, suppressed RhoA in AGS and Caco-2 cell lines, and decreased the mRNA expression levels of some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in AGS and Caco-2 cell lines. Thus 1, which is a new entity of the 2-phenylthiazole class of natural products with a unique aniline-indole fused moiety, is a potent inhibitor of the motility of cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum) play a crucial intermediary role in connecting top predators and krill in the food web of the Antarctic Ocean. Despite their crucial role, research on their abundance is lacking. In this study, we estimated the abundance of juvenile Antarctic silverfish as foundational data for predicting their abundance. The density of juvenile Antarctic silverfish was estimated using an acoustic backscattering theoretical model. The mean volume backscattering strength was used to investigate the vertical and horizontal distributions of juvenile Antarctic silverfish in the Antarctic Ross Sea. The survey area was located near Cape Hallett, Antarctica, where Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), ice krill (E. crystallorophias), and Antarctic silverfish coexist. The survey was performed four times using the Korean Antarctic research ship, RV Araon (R/V, 7507 GT). Frame trawls were conducted to identify the length and weight of the target fish species in the survey area. Captured Antarctic silverfish captured measured 3–9 cm. The maximum target strength (TS) was −92.93 dB at 38 kHz, −86.63 dB at 120 kHz, and 85.89 dB at 200 kHz. The average TS was −100.00 dB at 38 kHz, −93.00 dB at 120 kHz, and −106.90 dB at 200 kHz. Most juvenile Antarctic silverfish were found at a depth of 100 m and were distributed closer to sea ice. Between nearshore and polynya waters, the fish demonstrated a proclivity for polynya waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otitis media (OM) is a common cause of hearing loss in children that requires corrective surgery. Various studies have investigated the pathomechanisms and treatment of OM. Autophagy, an essential cellular recycling and elimination mechanism implicated in various diseases, is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of OM. Here, we conducted a literature review on autophagy in OM, highlighting the relationship between expression patterns of autophagy-related factors and pathophysiological and clinical aspects of OM. We summarized the existing research results on the expression of autophagy-related factors in acute OM (AOM), OM with effusion (OME), chronic OM (COM) with cholesteatoma, and COM without cholesteatoma (CholeOM) in animals and humans. Autophagy-related factors are expressed in the middle ear mucosa or fluid of AOM, effusion of OME, granulation tissue of COM, and cholesteatoma of CholeOM. Among ATGs and other autophagy-related factors, the most extensively studied in relation to the pathogenesis of OM are mTOR, LC3II/I, PI3K, Beclin-1, FLIP, Akt, and Rubicon. Expression of autophagy-related factors is associated with AOM, OME, COM, and CholeOM. Inadequate expression of these factors or a decrease/increase in autophagy responses can result in OM, underscoring the critical role of ATGs and related factors in the pathogenesis of OM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an escalating global concern for environmentally sustainable marine fuels, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is attracting attention as an eco-friendly and economical alternative. This study explored LPG utilization in small marine vessels, focusing on its eco-friendliness and economic feasibility. To assess its environmental implications, the AVL FIRE simulation program was used to compare CO2, CO, NO, and soot emissions from LPG engines with those from conventional gasoline and diesel engines. The LPG engine model relied on data from a pioneering type-approved experimental LPG engine designed for small South Korean marine vessels, while parameters for gasoline and diesel engines were adjusted to suit their distinctive features. Regarding long-term economic feasibility, assuming a 30-year ship lifespan, incorporating 2022 annual average prices, average annual price growth rates, and annual fuel consumption data of each fuel, results indicate that LPG engines exhibited lower CO2, CO, NO, and soot emissions than conventional engines, except that NO emissions were higher than gasoline engines. Evaluating LPG's economic feasibility over a 30-year ship life cycle for an individual vessel revealed varying fuel cost savings, with the greatest savings observed in gasoline–other (KRW 2220.7 million) and the least in gasoline–coastal (KRW 1152.5 million). These findings offer vital insights for ship operators and policymakers seeking a balance between eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness, as well as LPG engine technology emerging as pivotal for a sustainable future, harmonizing environmental protection and economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeine is present in various foods and medicines and is highly accessible through various routes, regardless of age. However, most studies on caffeine have focused on the effects of high-dose caffeine ingestion based on the recommended daily amount for adults. In this study, we examined the physiological changes in the central and peripheral vessels that may occur when ingesting low-dose caffeine due to its high accessibility, with the aim of creating an environment of safe caffeine ingestion. This study included 26 healthy participants in their 20s. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), heart rate (HR), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) for vascular stiffness assessment were measured at 0, 30, and 60 min after caffeine ingestion using diagnostic ultrasound to determine the physiological changes in the blood vessels, common carotid artery (CCA) and radial artery (RA). In addition, percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood pressure (BP), and accelerated photoplethysmography (APG) were measured. In comparison with before ingestion, the HR tended to decrease and showed a significant difference at 30 and 60 min (p = 0.014 and p = 0.031, respectively). PSV significantly decreased in both vessels at 30 and 60 min (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). APG showed a decreasing trend until 60 min after ingestion, with a significant difference at 30 and 60 min (p = 0.003 and p = 0.012, respectively). No significant difference was observed in SpO2, BP, or PWV; however, they showed a tendency to increase after ingestion. Decreased HR may occur because of the baroreflex caused by an increase in BP. The RA has many branches and a smaller diameter; therefore, the PSV was lower in the RA than that in the CCA. This effect can occur because of the difficulty in the smooth expansion of blood vessels, which leads to a decrease in blood flow. In addition, an increase in intracellular calcium concentration can prevent vasodilation and increase the propagation velocity of pulse waves. The reflected waves can increase systolic blood pressure but reduce PWV and vascular elasticity. These results suggest that even low-dose caffeine can improve blood vessel health by providing temporary stimulation to the blood vessels; however, it can also cause changes in blood flow and blood vessel elasticity, which can lead to serious diseases such as stroke and high blood pressure. Therefore, caution should be exercised when caffeine consumption is indiscriminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants monitor day length and memorize changes in temperature signals throughout the day, creating circadian rhythms that support the timely control of physiological and metabolic processes. The DEHYDRATION-RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEIN 1/C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR (DREB1/CBF) transcription factors are known as master regulators for the acquisition of cold stress tolerance, whereas PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) is involved in plant adaptation to heat stress through thermomorphogenesis. Recent studies have shown that circadian clock genes control plant responses to temperature. Temperature-responsive transcriptomes show a diurnal cycle and peak expression levels at specific times of throughout the day. Circadian clock genes play essential roles in allowing plants to maintain homeostasis by accommodating temperature changes within the normal temperature range or by altering protein properties and morphogenesis at the cellular level for plant survival and growth under temperature stress conditions. Recent studies revealed that the central oscillator genes CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1/LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (CCA1/LHY) and PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR5/7/9 (PRR5/7/9), as well as the EVENING COMPLEX (EC) genes REVEILLE4/REVEILLE8 (REV4/REV8), were involved in the DREB1 pathway of the cold signaling transcription factor and regulated the thermomorphogenesis gene PIF4. Further studies showed that another central oscillator, TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1), and the regulatory protein ZEITLUPE (ZTL) are also involved. These studies led to attempts to utilize circadian clock genes for the acquisition of temperature-stress resistance in crops. In this review, we highlight circadian rhythm regulation and the clock genes involved in plant responses to temperature changes, as well as strategies for plant survival in a rapidly changing global climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study emphasizes the potential risk posed by microplastics, particularly in tap water. Numerous studies have reported the removal of microplastics, but the limitations in addressing this issue remain challenging. To tackle this problem, a new method is introduced using tandem flexible structures (FSs) for microplastic removal. The present study focused on understanding the hydrodynamic characteristics between FSs to utilize microplastic removal. This comprehension of fluid flow and FSs offers valuable insights for improving the efficiency of microplastic removal methods. Therefore, the optimal conditions for removing microplastics were experimentally investigated inside the FSs gap region. Based on the gap distance and height, the flow structures between FSs were investigated. A small secondary vortex structure that could trap particles from upstream was continuously maintained behind the upstream FSs under certain geometric conditions. It is shown that this vortex structure has an effective way of confining the particles from upstream. The persistency of a small secondary vortex was also evaluated. This study may be helpful to researchers working on microplastic removal and FSs with a tandem arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban and agricultural streams, assessing aquatic ecosystem health is critical due to widespread pollution. Traditional methods for evaluating attached diatoms crucial for ecosystem monitoring face limitations such as species misidentification and sample damage. This study was conducted in the Miho River within the Geum River system and highlights the effectiveness of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques for more accurate and efficient genetic-based analysis than conventional microscopic analysis methods. When eDNA-based assessments were compared with traditional microscopic methods, this study found that eDNA analysis often revealed poorer ecosystem health. Notably, eDNA assessments showed a stronger correlation with phosphorus concentrations, underlining their precision and importance in ecological studies. These findings suggest that eDNA has potential as a valuable tool for comprehensive biomonitoring. However, the use of international genetic barcode databases in eDNA analysis could lead to the identification of unrecorded species in Korea. Therefore, this study recommends developing a localized genetic barcode database and constructing eDNA information through meta-barcoding, focusing on native species. This approach is crucial for enhancing the accuracy and applicability of eDNA-based health assessments in national biomonitoring efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increase in local precipitation caused by extreme climatic phenomena, the frequency of landslides and associated damage has also increased. Therefore, compiling fine-scale landslide susceptibility assessment maps based on data from landslide-affected areas is essential. Deep neural network (DNN) and kernel-based DNN(DNNK) models were used to prepare landslide susceptibility maps of the mountainous Pyeongchang-gun region (South Korea) within a geographic information system framework. To map landslide susceptibility, datasets of landslide occurrence areas, topography, land use, forest, and soil were collected and entered into spatial databases, and 18 factors were then selected from the databases and used as model inputs. The training and test datasets consisted of 1600 and 400 landslide locations, respectively. The test accuracies of the DNN and DNNK models were 98.19% and 97.53% and 94.11% and 92.22% for the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the average precision value of the precision-recall curve, respectively. The location of future landslides can now be quickly and efficiently predicted using remote sensing data at a lower cost and with less labor. The landslide susceptibility maps produced in this study can play a role in sustainability and serve as references for establishing policies for landslide prevention and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) contributes to tumorigenesis, while protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) contribute to tumor control. One of the most representative PTPs is Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1), which is associated with either an increased or decreased survival rate depending on the cancer type. Hypermethylation in the promoter region of PTPN6, the gene for the SHP-1 protein, is a representative epigenetic regulation mechanism that suppresses the expression of SHP-1 in tumor cells. SHP-1 comprises two SH2 domains (N-SH2 and C-SH2) and a catalytic PTP domain. Intramolecular interactions between the N-SH2 and PTP domains inhibit SHP-1 activity. Opening of the PTP domain by a conformational change in SHP-1 increases enzymatic activity and contributes to a tumor control phenotype by inhibiting the activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT3) pathway. Although various compounds that increase SHP-1 activation or expression have been proposed as tumor therapeutics, except sorafenib and its derivatives, few candidates have demonstrated clinical significance. In some cancers, SHP-1 expression and activation contribute to a tumorigenic phenotype by inducing a tumor-friendly microenvironment. Therefore, developing anticancer drugs targeting SHP-1 must consider the effect of SHP-1 on both cell biological mechanisms of SHP-1 in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment according to the target cancer type. Furthermore, the use of combination therapies should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to analyze the stress exerted on a four-bar link-type transplanting device using two distinct methods: stress measurement performed during a field test and stress simulation. A field test is conducted to measure stress using a strain gauge positioned at 15 specific points on the transplanting device. Subsequently, the measured strain data are converted into calculated stress data. In another method, stress is simulated using specialized multibody dynamic simulation software. The simulation results are compared with the stress measured during field tests to verify the simulation model. Based on the results, the maximum stress derived from the simulation correlates with the measured results, although notable discrepancies are shown, particularly at strain gauge positions 11 and 13. The maximum stress derived from the simulation is used to calculate the static safety factor of the transplanting device. The peak stress derived from the simulation aligns with the measured results, although significant discrepancies are observed at positions corresponding to strain gauges 4 and 10. The maximum stress (150.82 MPa) is observed on the link of the transplanting device, and the static safety factor determined via the simulation is 1.39. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A web-based clinical simulation program, known as FIRST2ACT (Feedback Incorporating Review and Simulation Techniques to Act on Clinical Trends), was designed to increase the efficacy of clinicians' actions in the recognition and immediate response to a patient's deterioration. This study, which was nested in a larger mixed method project, used ten focus groups (n = 65) of graduate, enrolled, registered nurses, associate nurse unit managers, and general managers/educators/coordinators from four different institutions to investigate whether nurses felt their practice was influenced by participating in either a face-to-face or web-based simulation educational programme about patient deterioration. The results indicate that individuals who were less "tech-savvy" appreciated the flexibility of web-based learning, which increased their confidence. Face-to-face students appreciated self-reflection through performance evaluation. While face-to-face simulations were unable to completely duplicate symptoms, they showed nurses' adaptability. Both interventions enhanced clinical practice by improving documentation and replies while also boosting confidence and competence. Web learners initially experienced tech-related anxiety, which gradually subsided, demonstrating healthcare professionals' resilience to new learning approaches. Overall, the study highlighted the advantages and challenges of web-based and face-to-face education in clinical practice, emphasising the importance of adaptability and reflective learning for healthcare professionals. Further exploration of specific topics is required to improve practice, encourage knowledge sharing among colleagues, and improve early detection of patient deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisetin is a flavonoid found in plants and has been reported to be effective in various human diseases. However, the effective mechanisms of ultraviolet-A (UVA)-mediated skin damage are not yet clear. In this study, we investigated the protective mechanisms of fisetin regarding UVA-induced human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) damages. Fisetin showed a cytoprotective effect against UVA irradiation and suppressed matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-1, and MMP-3 expression. In addition, fisetin was rescued, which decreased mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species production, and the downregulation of MAPK/AP-1 related protein and NADPH oxidase (NOX) mRNA levels. Furthermore, UVA-induced MMP-1 and MMP-3 were effectively inhibited by siRNAs to NOX 1 to 5 in HDFs and HEKs. These results indicate that fisetin suppresses UVA-induced damage through the NOX/ROS/MAPK pathway in HDFs and HEKs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an amorphous solid dispersion containing the poorly water-soluble drug, bisacodyl, was prepared by hot-melt extrusion to enhance its therapeutic efficacy. First, the miscibility and interaction between the drug and polymer were investigated as pre-formulation strategies using various analytical approaches to obtain information for selecting a suitable polymer. Based on the calculation of the Hansen solubility parameter and the identification of the single glass transition temperature ( T g ), the miscibility between bisacodyl and all the investigated polymers was confirmed. Additionally, the drug–polymer molecular interaction was identified based on the comprehensive results of dynamic vapor sorption (DVS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, and a comparison of the predicted and experimental values of T g . In particular, the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based solid dispersions, which exhibited large deviation between the calculated and experimental values of T g and superior physical stability after DVS experiments, were selected as the most appropriate solubilized bisacodyl formulations due to the excellent inhibitory effects on precipitation based on the results of the non-sink dissolution test. Furthermore, it was shown that the enteric-coated tablets containing HPMC–bisacodyl at a 1:4 ratio (w/w) had significantly improved in vivo therapeutic laxative efficacy compared to preparations containing un-solubilized raw bisacodyl in constipation-induced rabbits. Therefore, it was concluded that the pre-formulation strategy, using several analyses and approaches, was successfully applied in this study to investigate the miscibility and interaction of drug–polymer systems, hence resulting in the manufacture of favorable solid dispersions with favorable in vitro and in vivo performances using hot-melt extrusion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]