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(1) Background: This study aims to elucidate a novel non-transcriptional action of IRF3 in addition to its role as a transcription factor in mast cell activation and associated allergic inflammation; (2) Methods: For in vitro experiments, mouse bone-marrow-derived mast cells (mBMMCs) and a rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3) were used for investigating the underlying mechanism of IRF3 in mast-cell-mediated allergic inflammation. For in vivo experiments, wild-type and Irf3 knockout mice were used for evaluating IgE-mediated local and systemic anaphylaxis; (3) Results: Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA)-induced tissues showed highly increased IRF3 activity. In addition, the activation of IRF3 was observed in DNP-HSA-treated mast cells. Phosphorylated IRF3 by DNP-HSA was spatially co-localized with tryptase according to the mast cell activation process, and FcεRI-mediated signaling pathways directly regulated that activity. The alteration of IRF3 affected the production of granule contents in the mast cells and the anaphylaxis responses, including PCA- and ovalbumin-induced active systemic anaphylaxis. Furthermore, IRF3 influenced the post-translational processing of histidine decarboxylase (HDC), which is required for granule maturation; and (4) Conclusion: Through this study, we demonstrated the novel function of IRF3 as an important factor inducing mast cell activation and as an upstream molecule for HDC activity.

Advances in interventions after myocardial infarction (MI) have dramatically increased survival, but MI remains the leading cause of heart failure due to maladaptive ventricular remodeling following ischemic damage. Inflammation is crucial in both the initial response to ischemia and subsequent wound healing in the myocardium. To date, preclinical and clinical efforts have been made to elucidate the deleterious effects of immune cells contributing to ventricular remodeling and to identify therapeutic molecular targets. The conventional concept classifies macrophages or monocytes into dichotomous populations, while recent studies support their diverse subpopulations and spatiotemporal dynamicity. The single-cell and spatial transcriptomic landscapes of macrophages in infarcted hearts successfully revealed the heterogeneity of cell types and their subpopulations post-MI. Among them, subsets of Trem2hi macrophages were identified that were recruited to infarcted myocardial tissue in the subacute phase of MI. The upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes was observed in Trem2hi macrophages, and an in vivo injection of soluble Trem2 during the subacute phase of MI significantly improved myocardial function and the remodeling of infarcted mice hearts, suggesting the potential therapeutic role of Trem2 in LV remodeling. Further investigation of the reparative role of Trem2 in LV remodeling would provide novel therapeutic targets for MI.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIP) family 1 signaling has complex effects on inflammatory processes and cell death, but little is known concerning allergic skin diseases. We examined the role of RIP1 in Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin inflammation. RIP1 phosphorylation was increased in HKCs treated with DFE. Nectostatin-1, a selective and potent allosteric inhibitor of RIP1, inhibited AD-like skin inflammation and the expression of histamine, total IgE, DFE-specific IgE, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in an AD-like mouse model. The expression of RIP1 was increased in ear skin tissue from a DFE-induced mouse model with AD-like skin lesions and in the lesional skin of AD patients with high house dust mite sensitization. The expression of IL-33 was down-regulated after RIP1 inhibition, and the levels of IL-33 were increased by over-expression of RIP1 in keratinocytes stimulated with DFE. Nectostatin-1 reduced IL-33 expression in vitro and in the DFE-induced mouse model. These results suggest that RIP1 can be one of the mediators that regulate IL-33-mediated atopic skin inflammation by house dust mites.

Background: Both C-reactive protein (CRP) and arterial stiffness are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was performed to investigate whether a combination of these two measurements could improve cardiovascular risk stratification. Methods: A total of 6572 consecutive subjects (mean age, 60.8 ± 11.8 years, female, 44.2%) who underwent both high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) and brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurement within 1 week were retrospectively analyzed. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, acute myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and stroke were assessed during the clinical follow-up. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 3.75 years (interquartile range, 1.78–5.31 years), there were 182 cases of MACE (2.8%). The elevated baPWV (≥1505 cm/s) (hazard ratio (HR), 4.21, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.73–6.48, p &lt, 0.001) and hs-CRP (≥3 mg/L) (HR, 1.57, 95% CI, 1.12–2.21, 0.001) levels were associated with MACE even after controlling for potential confounders. The combination of baPWV and hs-CRP further stratified the subjects’ risk (subjects with low baPWV and hs-CRP vs. subjects with high baPWV and hs-CRP, HR, 7.08, 95% CI, 3.76−13.30, 0.001). Adding baPWV information to clinical factors and hs-CRP had an incremental prognostic value (global Chi-square score, from 126 to 167, p &lt, 0.001). Conclusions: The combination of hs-CRP and baPWV provided a better prediction of future CVD than either one by itself. Taking these two simple measurements simultaneously is clinically useful in cardiovascular risk stratification.

This paper presents the development of the JET humanoid robot, which is based on the existing THORMANG platform developed in 2015. Application in the industrial and service fields was targeted, and three design concepts were determined for the humanoid robot. First, low stiffness of the actuator modules was utilized for compliance with external environments. Second, to maximize the robot whole-body motion capability, the overall height was increased. However, the weight was reduced to satisfy power requirements. The workspace was also increased to enable various postures, by increasing the range of motion of each joint and extending the links. Compared to the original THORMANG platform, the lower limb length increased by approximately 20%, and the hip range of motion increased by 39.3%. Third, the maintenance process was simplified through modularization of the electronics and frame design for improved accessibility. Several experiments, including stair climbing and egress from a car, were performed to verify that the JET humanoid robot performance enhancements reflected the design concepts.

In this study, a newly isolated halotolerant strain Oceanisphaera arctica YHY1, capable of hydrolyzing seafood processing waste chitin biomass, is reported. Microbial fuel cells fed with 1% chitin and 40 g L−1 as the optimum salt concentration demonstrated stable electricity generation until 216 h (0.228 mA/cm2). N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) was the main by-product in the chitin degradation, reaching a maximum concentration of 192.01 mg g−1 chitin at 120 h, whereas lactate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate were the major metabolites detected in the chitin degradation. O. arctica YHY1 utilized the produced GlcNAc, lactate, acetate, and propionate as the electron donors to generate the electric current. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) investigation revealed the participation of outer membrane-bound cytochromes, with extracellular redox mediators partly involved in the electron transfer mechanism. Furthermore, the changes in structural and functional groups in chitin after degradation were analyzed using FTIR and XRD. Therefore, the ability of O. arctica YHY1 to utilize waste chitin biomass under high salinities can be explored to treat seafood processing brine or high salt wastewater containing chitin with concurrent electricity generation.

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an environmental-impact assessment tool has received increasing attention over the years. Unlike the water footprint (WF) and carbon footprint (CF) assessments, whose focus is only on a single environmental aspect, the LCA systematically analyzes the different impacts along the entire life cycle, making possible the identification of potential environmental tradeoffs. In Korea, LCA has drawn much attention from both industry and academia since the mid-1990s. However, the level of Korean-related LCA studies with respect to different sectors in the last 20 years has not been analyzed. This study, therefore, sought to assess the status of environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies in South Korea. Specifically, the study focused on a bibliometric review of LCAs conducted in South Korea in the last 20 years and identified potential research gaps. Online searches of English-written articles published between 2000 and 2019 were conducted on Google, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, using eligible keywords. At the end of the search, about 91 LCA-related studies were discovered for South Korea within the study period. The majority of these studies focused on the construction (47%) and energy (30%) sectors, with fewer environmental studies on manufacturing (11%), transportation (9%), agriculture (2%), and information and communication (1%) industries. Based on publication trends, results show that LCA studies in South Korea have been on the rise in the past 20 years, even though the number of publications has not followed a constant pace. In comparison with the economic sectors of the country, reports show an inadequacy in the coverage of major industries of growing economic relevance, such as tourism, health, and agriculture, suggesting a need to increase and improve LCA-related studies in these sectors.

We investigate gender differences in lying behavior when the opportunity to tell lies is repeated. In specific, we distinguish the situations in which such an opportunity can be planned versus when it comes as a surprise. We utilize data from an existing published research and show that when the opportunity to tell a lie comes as a surprise, then on the first occasion, males lie more than females. However, when telling lies can be planned, then there is no gender difference in telling a lie. When planning is possible, females tell more lies in the first occasion compared to when it is not possible to plan, males do not show such behavior. On the second and final occasion, males tell more lies than females when they either could not plan but had the opportunity to a lie before, or could plan but did not have to tell a lie before. These observations can be interpreted in terms of the gender differences in consistent versus compensatory moral behavior.

The external prestressing method was developed to improve the load carrying capacity of concrete bridges damaged by ageing or other external environmental factors. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the performance of the structure before and after strengthening, and verification and confirmation of the actual strengthening effect should be preceded. However, for reasons such as securing deteriorated bridges and the absence of design data, the strengthening effect of an actual bridge is rarely analyzed. Hence, in this study, the strengthening effect was verified by conducting a set of material property tests and four-point loading tests before and after strengthening of an actual bridge, which had been utilized for over 45 years. As a result, it was determined that confirming the strengthening effect before cracking is challenging due to the nature of the external prestressing method, which has an insignificant effect on the stiffness, however, the effect of increasing the crack load of the external prestressing method was experimentally verified. The result of the study is expected to contribute to the determination of the load carrying capacity and required strengthening amount when strengthening existing prestressed concrete girder bridges.

Warmer and drier conditions in temperate regions are increasing the length of the wildfire season. Given the greater fire frequency and extent of burned areas under climate warming, greater focus has been placed on predicting post-fire tree mortality as a crucial component of sustainable forest management. This study evaluates the potential of logistic regression models to predict post-fire tree mortality in Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) stands, and we propose novel means of evaluating bark injury. In the Samcheok region of Korea, we measured topography (elevation, slope, and aspect), tree characteristics (tree/crown height and diameter at breast height (DBH)), and bark injuries (bark scorch height/proportion/index) at three sites subjected to a surface fire. We determined tree status (dead or live) over three years after the initial fire. The bark scorch index (BSI) produced the best univariate model, and by combining this index with the DBH produced the highest predictive capacity in multiple logistic regression models. A three-variable model (BSI, DBH, and slope) enhanced this predictive capacity to 87%. Our logistic regression analysis accurately predicted tree mortality three years post fire. Our three-variable model provides a useful and convenient decision-making tool for land managers to optimize salvage harvesting of post-fire stands.

Hypotensive events in the initial stage of anesthesia can cause serious complications in the patients after surgery, which could be fatal. In this study, we intended to predict hypotension after tracheal intubation using machine learning and deep learning techniques after intubation one minute in advance. Meta learning models, such as random forest, extreme gradient boosting (Xgboost), and deep learning models, especially the convolutional neural network (CNN) model and the deep neural network (DNN), were trained to predict hypotension occurring between tracheal intubation and incision, using data from four minutes to one minute before tracheal intubation. Vital records and electronic health records (EHR) for 282 of 319 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy from October 2018 to July 2019 were collected. Among the 282 patients, 151 developed post-induction hypotension. Our experiments had two scenarios: using raw vital records and feature engineering on vital records. The experiments on raw data showed that CNN had the best accuracy of 72.63%, followed by random forest (70.32%) and Xgboost (64.6%). The experiments on feature engineering showed that random forest combined with feature selection had the best accuracy of 74.89%, while CNN had a lower accuracy of 68.95% than that of the experiment on raw data. Our study is an extension of previous studies to detect hypotension before intubation with a one-minute advance. To improve accuracy, we built a model using state-of-art algorithms. We found that CNN had a good performance, but that random forest had a better performance when combined with feature selection. In addition, we found that the examination period (data period) is also important.

This study examines how the high-fat diet (HFD) affects mitochondrial dynamics and biogenesis, and also whether combining it with low-intensity endurance exercise adds to these effects. Six 8-week-old male Sprague&ndash, Dawley (SD) rats were put on control (CON, standard chow diet), HF (HFD intake), and HFEx (HFD + low-intensity treadmill exercise) for 6 weeks. As a result, no change in body weight was observed among the groups. However, epididymal fat mass increased significantly in the two groups that had been given HFD. Blood free fatty acid (FFA) also increased significantly in the HF group. While HFD increased insulin resistance (IR), this was improved significantly in the HFEx group. HFD also significantly increased mitochondrial biogenesis-related factors (PPAR&delta, PGC-1&alpha, and mtTFA) and mitochondrial electron transport chain proteins, however, no additional effect from exercise was observed. Mitochondrial dynamic-related factors were also affected: Mfn2 increased significantly in the HFEx group, while Drp1 and Fis-1 increased significantly in both the HF and HFEx groups. The number of mitochondria in the subsarcolemmal region, and their size in the subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar regions, also increased significantly in the HFEx group. Taken overall, these results show that HFD in combination with low-intensity endurance exercise has no additive effect on mitochondrial biogenesis, although it does have such an effect on mitochondrial dynamics by improving IR.

Information security management (ISM) has emerged as a major challenge to sustainable management of companies that highly rely on information technology (IT). To achieve organizational sustainability for managing assets, it is critical for all members of the organization to be assimilated into ISM. An important consideration of ISM assimilation is sustainable IT capabilities. However, so far, there are limited empirical studies on ISM assimilation, particularly those focusing on importance of the organization&rsquo, s sustainable IT capabilities. Therefore, this study proposes three sustainable IT capabilities (viz., IT infrastructure, IT business spanning capability, and IT proactive stance) with their antecedents based on the existing research, and attempts to empirically prove the impact of these sustainable IT capabilities on ISM assimilation for sustainable management of assets. Additionally, this study proposes policy-to-technology balance as a moderator on the relationships between the three sustainable IT capabilities and ISM assimilation to examine the impact of the non-technical aspect. Responses from 232 upper-management-level employees at various firms currently implementing ISM were collected. Structural equation analysis was run using AMOS 22.0. The results show that the three sustainable IT capabilities were found to have a positive effect on ISM. Furthermore, policy-to-technology balance was found to strengthen the relationship between two IT capabilities (IT infrastructure and IT business spanning capability) and ISM assimilation. However, it emerges that the policy-to-technology balance does not impact IT proactive stance and assimilation. The findings provide meaningful information for future research on sustainable IT capabilities and ISM along with key guidance for the organization to establish a complementary strategy for sustainable assets.

The proper distribution of prestressing force (PF) is the basis for the design of prestressed concrete (PSC) structures. However, the PF distribution obtained by predictive equations of prestress losses has not been sufficiently validated by comparison with measured data due to the poor reliability and durability of conventional sensing technologies. Therefore, the Smart Strand with embedded fiber optic sensors was developed and applied to PSC structures to investigate the long-term characteristics of PF distribution as affected by concrete creep and shrinkage. The data measured in a 20 m-long full-scale specimen and a 60 m-long PSC girder bridge were analyzed by comparing them with the theoretical estimation obtained from several design equations. Although the long-term decreasing trend of the PF distribution was similar in the measurement and theory, the equation of Eurocode 2 for estimating the long-term prestress losses showed better agreement with the measurement than ACI 209R and ACI 423.10R did. This can be attributed to the more refined form of the predictive equation of Eurocode 2 in dealing with the time-dependency of the PF. The study results also confirmed the need to compensate for the temperature variation in the long-term monitoring to derive the actual mechanical strain related to the PF. We expect our developed Smart Strand to be applied practically in PF measurement for the reasonable safety assessment and maintenance of PSC structures by improving several of the existing drawbacks of conventional sensors.

Recent advances in endoscopic technology allow clinicians to not only detect digestive diseases early, but also provide appropriate treatment. The development of various therapeutic endoscopic technologies has changed the paradigm in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, contributing greatly to improving the quality of life of patients. The application of robotics for gastrointestinal endoscopy improves the maneuverability and therapeutic ability of gastrointestinal endoscopists, but there are still technical limitations. With the development of minimally invasive endoscopic treatment, clinicians need more sophisticated and precise endoscopic instruments. Novel robotic systems are being developed for application in various clinical fields, to ultimately develop into minimally invasive robotic surgery to lower the risk to patients. Robots for endoscopic submucosal dissection, autonomous locomotive robotic colonoscopes, and robotic capsule endoscopes are currently being developed. In this review, the most recently developed innovative endoscopic robots were evaluated according to their operating mechanisms and purpose of use. Robotic endoscopy is an innovative treatment platform for future digestive endoscopy.

The extracts of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Schisandraceae) have various therapeutic effects, including inflammation and allergy. In this study, gomisin M2 (GM2) was isolated from S. chinensis and its beneficial effects were assessed against atopic dermatitis (AD). We evaluated the therapeutic effects of GM2 on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE)-induced AD-like skin lesions with BALB/c mice ears and within the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ-stimulated keratinocytes. The oral administration of GM2 resulted in reduced epidermal and dermal thickness, infiltration of tissue eosinophils, mast cells, and helper T cells in AD-like lesions. GM2 suppressed the expression of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12a, and TSLP in ear tissue and the expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A in auricular lymph nodes. GM2 also inhibited STAT1 and NF-κB phosphorylation in DNCB/DFE-induced AD-like lesions. The oral administration of GM2 reduced levels of IgE (DFE-specific and total) and IgG2a in the mice sera, as well as protein levels of IL-4, IL-6, and TSLP in ear tissues. In TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated keratinocytes, GM2 significantly inhibited IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL8, and CCL22 through the suppression of STAT1 phosphorylation and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Taken together, these results indicate that GM2 is a biologically active compound that exhibits inhibitory effects on skin inflammation and suggests that GM2 might serve as a remedy in inflammatory skin diseases, specifically on AD.

New technologies are driving rapid change and innovation in the industrial structure. In this environment, individuals&rsquo, use of contents also changes remarkably. This study aims to empirically prove why individuals switch from traditional to augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) content services. We propose a research model and hypotheses based on data collected from existing research and AR/VR users. To explain individuals&rsquo, switch, we include three constructs for the push effects (low usefulness, functional simplicity, and perceived inefficiency) and three constructs for the pull effects (interactivity, experienceability, and amplified enjoyment) in our proposed model based on the most valid push-pull-mooring. Furthermore, we propose personal innovativeness as a mooring effect on the relationships between push/pull effects and switching intention to AR/VR content services. The data (n = 465) from actual AR/VR users were collected and analyzed using structural equation modeling with AMOS 22.0. Results empirically prove that all push/pull constructs, with the exception of perceived inefficiency, have a significant impact on switching intention. Moreover, a mooring effect&mdash, personal innovativeness&mdash, strengthens all paths in the research model, except that between perceived inefficiency and switching intention. The findings of this study would provide theoretical and practical implications for understanding individuals&rsquo, perceptions regarding AR/VR content services.

This article analyzed the wheat yield variabilities and water footprints under projected future climate based on wheat yield sensitivity to past (1980&ndash, 2017) trends of maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), solar radiation (Rn) and rainfall (P) for the semi-arid condition of Punjab, Pakistan. The past and projected future trends of the climate variables were identical featuring prominent Tmin rise than Tmax accompanied by Rn and P declines. Based on the past influences and the projected future trends of the climate variables, Tmin was the principal driver of wheat yield decline followed by the Tmax, P and Rn. Wheat evapotranspiration and net irrigation water requirement declined due to the influence of both decrease of growing season length and Rn for the first half of 21st-century, and this trend reversed during the second half of 21st-century. These phenomena were caused by different degree of climate warming between the two-time slices. Due to future wheat yield decline and a gradual rise in green water scarcity the blue and grey water footprints rise consistently particularly during 2nd-time slices. CO2 enrichment showed limited mitigation potential of nullifying the warming-induced threats on future wheat yield and water footprints.

The active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar consists of many transmit/receive (T/R) modules and is used to track missiles approaching destroyers and fighters. The performance of the AESA radar depends on the T/R module temperature. The T/R module temperature should be maintained under 80 °C to guarantee the performance of the AESA radar. In order to match the design requirements of the cooling system of the AESA radar, it is necessary to evaluate the cooling performance according to various operation/installation environments. In this study, computational fluid analysis was performed by changing the number of T/R modules and the coolant mass flow rate to evaluate the cooling performance of the AESA radar coolant channel. The number of T/R modules was changed from 2 to 16, and the number of coolant inlet Re was changed from 277 to 11,116. As a result, it was confirmed that the temperature increased as the number of T/R modules increased. In addition, when the coolant status was laminar flow, it was confirmed that the cooling performance was significantly lowered. Therefore, the coolant status should be transient or turbulence to decrease the temperature of the T/R module. Additionally, the correlation between the arrangement of the T/R module and the cooling flow must be considered to cool the AESA radar.

Various methods for strengthening existing structures have been developed owing to the increase in human and property damages caused by the deterioration of structures. Among the various reinforcing methods, the external prestressing method increases the usability and safety of a structure by directly applying tension to the weak tensile area that suffers the greatest deflection during the structure usage. The external prestressing method is advantageous in reducing cracks caused by the introduced tension and restoration of the deflection. Since the strengthening method is applied to deterioration bridges, the strengthening effect is affected by the condition of the existing structure. However, studies on the strengthening effect according to the degree of deterioration are insufficient. Therefore, the behavior according to the strengthening status was analyzed, and the strengthening effect was identified in this study by simulating the deteriorated bridge, reducing the compressive strength and reinforcement quantity, and conducting a four-point loading test. As a result of the experiment, a reinforcement effect of 215% crack load, 161% yield load, and the difference in behavior according to the reinforcement parameters were confirmed.

Dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, is commonly used as immunosuppressive and chemotherapeutic agent. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of DEX on the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis in cancer cells. We found that upregulation of c-FLIP(L) and downregulation of death receptor 5 (DR5, receptor for TRAIL ligand) contribute to the anti-apoptotic effect of DEX on TRAIL-induced apoptosis. DEX increased c-FLIP(L) expression at the transcriptional levels through the GSK-3&beta, signaling pathway. The pharmacological inhibitor and catalytic mutant of GSK-3&beta, suppressed DEX-induced upregulation of c-FLIP(L) expression. Furthermore, GSK-3&beta, specific inhibitor markedly abolished DEX-mediated reduction of TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human renal cancer cells (Caki-1 and A498), human lung cancer cells (A549), and human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB361). In addition, DEX decreased protein stability of DR5 via GSK-3&beta, mediated upregulation of Cbl, an E3 ligase of DR5. Knockdown of Cbl by siRNA markedly inhibited DEX-induced DR5 downregulation. Taken together, these results suggest that DEX inhibits TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via GSK-3&beta, mediated DR5 downregulation and c-FLIP(L) upregulation in cancer cells.

This study explores the international natural gas market integration using the Engle–Granger cointegration and error correction model. Previous studies have suggested that liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil-linked pricing with a long-term contract have played key roles in gas market integration, especially between European and Asian markets. There is, however, little discussion of the role of the emergence of a swing supplier. A swing supplier, e.g., Qatar or Russia, is flexible to unexpected changes in supply and demand in both European and Asian markets and adapts the gas production/exports swiftly to meet the changes in the markets. Qatar has been a swing supplier since 2005 in the global natural gas market. In 2009, Qatar’s global LNG export share reached above 30% and has remained around 25% since then. Empirical results indirectly support that the emergence of a swing supplier may tighten market integration between Europe and Asia. The swing supplier may have accelerated the degree of market integration as well, particularly after 2009.

Various behavioral and physiological pathways follow a pre-determined, 24 hour cycle known as the circadian rhythm. Metabolic homeostasis is regulated by the circadian rhythm. Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a type of intermittent fasting based on the circadian rhythm. In this study, we aim to analyze systemically the effects of TRE on body weight, body composition, and other metabolic parameters. We reviewed articles from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials that compared TRE to a regular diet. We included 19 studies for meta-analysis. Participants following TRE showed significantly reduced body weight (mean difference (MD), −0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.71 to −0.10) and fat mass (MD: −1.58, 95% CI: −2.64 to −0.51), while preserving fat-free mass (MD, −0.24; 95% CI: −1.15 to 0.67). TRE also showed beneficial effects on cardiometabolic parameters such as blood pressure (systolic BP, MD, −3.07; 95% CI: −5.76 to −0.37), fasting glucose concentration (MD, −2.96; 95% CI, −5.60 to −0.33), and cholesterol profiles (triglycerides, MD: −11.60, 95% CI: −23.30 to −0.27). In conclusion, TRE is a promising therapeutic strategy for controlling weight and improving metabolic dysfunctions in those who are overweight or obese. Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings and the usefulness of TRE.

Tachycardia is defined as a heart rate greater than 100 bpm for more than 1 min. Tachycardia often occurs after endotracheal intubation and can cause serious complication in patients with cardiovascular disease. The ability to predict post-intubation tachycardia would help clinicians by notifying a potential event to pre-treat. In this paper, we predict the potential post-intubation tachycardia. Given electronic medical record and vital signs collected before tracheal intubation, we predict whether post-intubation tachycardia will occur within 10 min. Of 1931 available patient datasets, 257 remained after filtering those with inappropriate data such as outliers and inappropriate annotations. Three feature sets were designed using feature selection algorithms, and two additional feature sets were defined by statistical inspection or manual examination. The five feature sets were compared with various machine learning models such as na&iuml, ve Bayes classifiers, logistic regression, random forest, support vector machines, extreme gradient boosting, and artificial neural networks. Parameters of the models were optimized for each feature set. By 10-fold cross validation, we found that an logistic regression model with eight-dimensional hand-crafted features achieved an accuracy of 80.5%, recall of 85.1%, precision of 79.9%, an F1 score of 79.9%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85.

Robot technology at small- and medium-sized enterprises has become a crucial part of current business operations. Beginning with the manufacturing industry, more industries than ever before have recently begun making use of robot technology to increase operational efficiency and productivity. However, prior studies regarding innovation related to intelligent robot use have been limited to developing strategies for describing robot technologies in general. Therefore, we developed a research model for investigating process innovation as it relates to intelligent robots. Based on the literature, two variables of technology benefits (direct usefulness and indirect usefulness) and two constructs of environmental pressure (industry and government) were incorporated into the research model as key determinants of a firm&rsquo, s process innovation. Furthermore, organizational supports as moderating variables were added to the relationship between technology benefits and process innovation. We collected 257 responses in managerial position at various firms in order to test the proposed hypotheses using structural equation modeling in the statistical software (AMOS 22.0). The results revealed that all variables have a significant impact on process innovation, as well as the moderator. The findings of this study provide theoretical and practical implications for process innovation based on intelligent robot technology.

Maritoclax, an active constituent isolated from marine bacteria, has been known to induce Mcl-1 downregulation through proteasomal degradation. In this study, we investigated the sensitizing effect of maritoclax on tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells. We found that combined treatment with maritoclax and TRAIL markedly induced apoptosis in renal carcinoma (Caki, ACHN and A498), lung cancer (A549) and hepatocellular carcinoma (SK-Hep1) cells. The upregulation of death receptor 5 (DR5) and downregulation of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) were involved in maritoclax plus TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Maritoclax-induced DR5 upregulation was regulated by induction of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression. Interestingly, maritoclax induced cFLIP downregulation through the increased expression of miR-708. Ectopic expression of cFLIP prevented combined maritoclax and TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Taken together, maritoclax sensitized TRAIL-induced apoptosis through CHOP-mediated DR5 upregulation and miR-708-mediated cFLIP downregulation.

Many companies, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), use open source software (OSS) to promote the strategic application of their information technology assets. Several studies have claimed that male and female employees in SMEs differ in their use of various information technologies. This study investigates the factors influencing the perceived usefulness of and satisfaction with OSS among employees at SMEs in various industries, specifically comparing male and female employee perceptions. For this purpose, this study uses a proposed research model to examine the effects of quality factors&mdash, such as ease of maintenance, cost advantage, customization, and job relevance&mdash, on perceived usefulness of and satisfaction with OSS. Data were collected from 328 randomly selected survey responses of employees in various organizations using OSS. A structural equational model was created using AMOS 22.0 to test the proposed hypotheses in the research model. Results show that all OSS quality factors were significantly related to the perceived usefulness of OSS in both genders, positively affecting satisfaction. Moreover, the perceptions of male and female employees differed in relation to each research model variable. These findings suggest that employees value specific OSS qualities while perceiving its usefulness and their satisfaction.

Anesthesia induction is associated with frequent blood pressure fluctuation such as hypotension and hypertension. If it is possible to precisely predict blood pressure a few minutes ahead, anesthesiologists can proactively give anesthetic management before patients develop hemodynamic problem. The objective of this study is to develop a real-time model for predicting 3-min-ahead blood pressure from the start of anesthesia induction to surgical incision. We used only vital signs and anesthesia-related data obtained during anesthesia-induction phase and designed a bidirectional recurrent neural network followed by fully connected layers. We conducted experiments on our collected data of 102 patients, and obtained mean absolute errors between 8.2 mmHg and 11.1 mmHg and standard deviation between 8.7 mmHg and 12.7 mmHg. The average elapsed time for prediction of a batch of 100 unseen data was about 26.56 milliseconds. We believe that this study shows feasibility of real-time prediction of future blood pressures, and the performance will be improved by collecting more data and finding better model structures.

Artificial reservoirs are created by dike construction in coastal areas to secure the agricultural water supply on the west coast of South Korea. These systems are found to retain brackish characteristics until total desalination is achieved. To evaluate the effects of salinity on the organic substances released from the sediment, a laboratory water-sediment column experiment was conducted to assess associated changes in water quality variables such as the sediment oxygen demand (SOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Under high salinity conditions, the release of N from the sediment was promoted with the enhancement of SOD and COD. This trend was accounted for by the response of the microorganisms (cell breakdown of algae and suppression of metabolic activity). Our results suggest that chemicals (N, P, and COD) released from sediment and its overall impact on the water quality of a brackish lake should vary depending on the temporal and spatial dynamics of the salinity.

The inflammasome acts as a key platform for the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Adiponectin exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of adiponectin on the modulation of the inflammasome has not been explored. Herein, we show that globular adiponectin (gAcrp) suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed inflammasomes activation in murine peritoneal macrophages judged by prevention of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) maturation, caspase-1 activation, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) speck formation, and pyroptotic cell death. Interestingly, pretreatment with 3-methyl adenine, a pharmacological inhibitor of autophagy, abrogated the suppressive effects of gAcrp on IL-1 beta secretion and caspase-1 activation, indicating the crucial role of autophagy induction in gAcrp-modulation of the inflammasome activation. In addition, inhibition of 5'Adenosine monophaspahate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling abolished suppressive effect of gAcrp on inflammasomes activation. Furthermore, autophagy induction or inhibition of the inflammasome activation by gAcrp was not observed in macrophages deficient in AMPK. Taken together, these results indicate that adiponectin inhibits LPS-primed inflammasomes activation in macrophages via autophagy induction and AMPK signaling-dependent mechanisms.

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid), is a natural product found in various foods and herbs that are well known as powerful antioxidants. Our previous report demonstrated that it inhibits mast cell-derived inflammatory allergic reactions by blocking histamine release and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. In this report, various amide analogs of gallic acid have been synthesized by introducing different amines through carbodiimide-mediated amide coupling and Pd/C-catalyzed hydrogenation. These compounds showed a modest to high inhibitory effect on histamine release and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Among them, the amide bearing (S)-phenylglycine methyl ester 3d was found to be more active than natural gallic acid. Further optimization yielded several (S)- and (R)-phenylglycine analogs that inhibited histamine release in vitro. Our findings suggest that some gallamides could be used as a treatment for allergic inflammatory diseases.