Search

MHV-A59 is a beta-coronavirus that causes demyelinating encephalitis and hepatitis in mice. Recently, the mouse infection model of MHV-A59 has been used as an alternative animal infection model for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, aiding the development of new antiviral drugs. In this study, the MHV-A59 model was employed to investigate the potential of SARS-CoV-2 UTRs as new targets for antiviral drugs. Optimal targets within the MHV-A59 UTRs were identified using a shRNA and siRNA design tool, focusing on RNA secondary stem-loop (SL) structures in the UTRs. We then examined whether the designed RNAi constructs could inhibit MHV-A59 replication. In the 5′UTR, the stem-loop 1 (SL1) was identified as the most effective target, while in the 3′UTR, the minimal element for the initiation of negative-strand RNA synthesis (MIN) proved to be the most effective. Importantly, siRNAs targeting SL1 and MIN structures significantly reduced total RNA synthesis, negative-strand genomic RNA synthesis, subgenomic (sg) RNA synthesis, viral titer, and the plaque size of MHV-A59 compared to the control. Although not statistically significant, the combination of siSL1 and siMIN had a stronger effect on inhibiting MHV-A59 replication than either siRNA monotherapy. Interestingly, while the SL1 structure is present in both MHV and SARS-CoV-2, the MIN structure is unique to MHV. Thus, the SL1 of SARS-CoV-2 may represent a novel and promising target for RNAi-based antiviral drugs.

Turquoise hydrogen is produced through a process of separating carbon into solid carbon based on fossil fuels and refers to hydrogen that does not produce carbon dioxide. In this study, the characteristics of turquoise hydrogen production through a methane thermal cracking reaction using an arc plasma torch were investigated. The plasma torch operated stably under high voltage and transport gas flow conditions. The composition of the gas generated from the methane plasma reaction was analyzed using an online IR gas analyzer and GC-FID. The experimental results show that the hydrogen yield decreased to 16.4% as the methane feed rate increased but increased to 58.8% as the plasma power increased. Under these conditions, the yield of solid carbon, a valuable byproduct, was also shown to increase to 62.9%. In addition, solid carbon showed high-temperature heat-treated characteristics based on its generation location. Carbon oxides such as CO and CO2 are rarely generated under any experimental conditions. Consequently, it can be considered that plasma thermal cracking is a promising technology for CO2-free hydrogen production and a valuable solid carbon.

Abstract Background The requirements for cell-encapsulated injectable and bioprintable hydrogels are extrusion ability, cell supportive micro-environment and reasonable post-printing stability for the acclimatization of the cells in the target site. Detonation nanodiamond (ND) has shown its potential to improve the mechanical and biological properties of such hydrogels. Enhancing the performance properties of natural biopolymer gelatin-based hydrogels can widen their biomedical application possibilities to various areas including drug delivery, tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting. Method In this study, natural cross-linker tannic acid (TA) is used along with ferrous sulphate (FS) to optimize the swelling and disintegration of extrudable and 3D printable gelatin hydrogels. The amounts of TA and FS are restricted to improve the extrusion ability of the gels in 3D printing. Further, ND particles (detonation type) are dispersed using twin screw extrusion technology to study their effect on mechanical and biological properties of the 3D printing hydrogel. Results The improved dispersion of ND particles helps to improve compressive strength almost ten times and dynamic modulus three times using 40 mg ND (2% w/w of gelatin). The surface-functional groups of detonation ND also contributed for such improvement in mechanical properties due to higher interaction with the hydrogel matrix. The stability of the hydrogels in water was also improved to 7 days. Four times improvement of the cell growth and proliferation was observed in ND based hydrogel. Conclusion The cell-supportive nature of these moderately stable and extrudable ND dispersed gelatin hydrogels makes them a good candidate for short term regenerative applications of cell-encapsulated injectable hydrogels with better mechanical properties.

In mammals, photic information delivered to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) via the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) plays a crucial role in synchronizing the master circadian clock located in the SCN to the solar cycle. It is well known that glutamate released from the RHT terminals initiates the synchronizing process by activating ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) on retinorecipient SCN neurons. The potential role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in modulating this signaling pathway has received less attention. In this study, using extracellular single-unit recordings in mouse SCN slices, we investigated the possible roles of the Gq/11 protein-coupled mGluRs, mGluR1 and mGluR5, in photic resetting. We found that mGluR1 activation in the early night produced phase advances in neural activity rhythms in the SCN, while activation in the late night produced phase delays. In contrast, mGluR5 activation had no significant effect on the phase of these rhythms. Interestingly, mGluR1 activation antagonized phase shifts induced by glutamate through a mechanism that was dependent upon CaV1.3 L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs). While both mGluR1-evoked phase delays and advances were inhibited by knockout (KO) of CaV1.3 L-type VGCCs, different signaling pathways appeared to be involved in mediating these effects, with mGluR1 working via protein kinase G in the early night and via protein kinase A signaling in the late night. We conclude that, in the mouse SCN, mGluR1s function to negatively modulate glutamate-evoked phase shifts.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of selecting commercially available blending teas and applying them to bovine teeth on color change over time.Methods: After selecting healthy bovine teeth, using a cutting-disc, 105 specimens with a dimension of 5×5×3 mm were prepared, and 15 specimens were distributed to each group. Black tea was used as a positive control, water was used as a negative control, and blended tea of five types was used as an experimental group. First, pH and buffering capacity were measured with a pH meter, and tooth color was determined using a spectrophotometer before immersion in the blending tea solution and 1, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days after immersion. Thereafter, the shape change of the enamel surface was observed using a scanning electron microscope, and SPSS ver.26 was used to analyze the color change.Results: The average pH of the five blending teas in the experimental group was 3.78, and the pH of group 3 (strawberry rhubarb) was the lowest at 3.22. The pH levels of black tea and water were 5.19 and 7.30, respectively. The buffering capacity was the highest in group 3 at both pH levels of 5.5 and 7.0. The L*a*b* color change according to immersion time was the largest in group 4 (rooibos yellow flower), and the amount of color change was large in black tea and group 4. As a result of observing the enamel surface of bovine teeth, changes in the surface shape were noted in all groups immersed in the experimental solution for 21 days, except for water.Conclusion: There was a significant difference between the experimental groups in terms of color change according to the immersion time, and color and enamel surface changes were observed in black tea and all experimental groups, except for water.

Background: The combined anterior–posterior approach has shown good clinical outcomes for multilevel cervical diseases. This work describes the biomechanical advantage of cervical-pedicle-screw fixation over lateral-mass-screw fixation in combined anterior–posterior cases. Method: Seventy-six patients who received combined cervical surgery from June 2013 to December 2020 were included. The patients were divided into two groups: the lateral-mass-screw group (LMS) and the pedicle-screw group (PPS). Radiological outcomes were assessed with lateral cervical spine X-rays for evaluating sagittal alignment, subsidence, and bone remodeling. Results: At 1 year postoperatively, the numbers of patients whose C2–C7 cervical lordosis was less than 20 degrees decreased by more in the PPS group (p-value = 0.001). The amount of vertical-length change from immediately to 1 year postsurgery was less in the PPS group than in the LMS group (p-value = 0.030). The mean vertebral-body-width change was larger in the PPS group than in the LMS group during 3 months to 1 year postsurgery (p-value = 0.000). Conclusions: In combined anterior–posterior cervical surgery cases, maintenance of cervical lordosis and protection of the vertebral body from subsidence were better with the pedicle-screw fixation. More bone remodeling occurred when using the pedicle-screw fixation method.

Turquoise hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced through a fossil-fuel-based process in which carbon is separated into solid carbon and no carbon dioxide is produced. In this study, dodecane was selected as a simulated oil for waste plastic pyrolysis recovery oil, and the turquoise hydrogen production characteristics through the thermal cracking reaction using an arc plasma torch were investigated. The plasma was stably discharged at 2 to 4 kW. Hydrogen in the produced gas was analyzed through an online IR gas analyzer, and hydrocarbons from C1 to C5 were analyzed through GC-FID. As a result of the experiment, the hydrogen yield tended to increase as the plasma power increased, and a maximum of 11.5% based on mass was obtained. On the other hand, carbon oxides such as CO and CO2 were not generated. Along with hydrogen, the valuable by-products of this process are solid carbon and gaseous hydrocarbons. The solid carbon yields also increased up to 66% as the plasma power increased. On the other hand, the yield of gaseous hydrocarbons showed an opposite trend to that of hydrogen and carbon and consisted mainly of C2 series (average content of 77%) and olefins (average fraction of 0.67). Consequently, it can be considered that the plasma thermal cracking is a promising technology for the CO2-free hydrogen production, as well as solid carbon and C2-olefin.

In this paper, we introduce a new blue-emitting material, CuCrS2/ZnS QDs (CCS QDs). To obtain bright and stable photoluminescent probes, we prepared a core/shell structure; the synthesis was conducted in a one-pot system, using 1-dodecanethiol as a sulfur source and co-ligand. The CCS QDs exhibited a semi-spherical colloidal nanocrystalline shape with an average diameter of 9.0 nm and ZnS shell thickness of 1.6 nm. A maximum photoluminescence emission peak (PL max) was observed at 465 nm with an excitation wavelength of 400 nm and PLQY was 5% at an initial [Cr3+]/[Cu+] molar ratio of one in the core synthesis. With an off-stoichiometric modification for band gap engineering, the CCS QDs exhibited slightly blue-shifted PL emission spectra and PLQY was 10% with an increase in initial molar ratio of 2.0 (462 nm PL max). However, when the initial molar ratio exceeded two, the CCS QDs exhibited a lower photoluminescence quantum yield of 4.5% with 461 nm of PL max at the initial molar ratio of four due to the formation of non-emissive Cr2S3 nanoflakes.

A small-scale grid-connected PV system that is easy to install and is inexpensive as a remote monitoring system may cause economic losses if its failure is not found and it is left unattended for a long time. Thus, in this study, we developed a low-cost fault detection remote monitoring system for small-scale grid-connected PV systems. This active monitoring system equipped with a simulation-based fault detection algorithm accurately predicts AC power under normal operating conditions and notifies its failure when the measured power is abnormally low. In order to lower the cost, we used a single board computer (SBC) with edge computing as a data server and designed a monitoring system using openHAB, an open-source software. Additionally, we used the Shewhart control chart as a fault detection criterion and the ratio between the measured and predicted ac power for the normal operation data as an observation. As a result of the verification test for the actual grid-connected PV system, it was confirmed that the developed remote monitoring system was able to accurately identify the system failures in real-time, such as open circuit, short circuit, partial shading, etc.

In this study, a fluorescence sensor based on nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dot/silver nanoparticle (NPCD/AgNP) nanocomposites was developed for metformin hydrochloride (MFH) detection. We first utilized the reducing nature of the NPCDs to prepare AgNPs from Ag+ and subsequently prepare NPCD/AgNP nanocomposites. The nanocomposite material was characterized by various methods, including electron microscopic methods (SEM and TEM), spectroscopic methods (UV-Vis, PL, FTIR, and XPS spectroscopy), light scattering (ELS), and XRD. Further, we utilized the enhanced fluorescence of the NPCDs as well as the overlap between the fluorescence emission spectrum of the NPCDs and the absorption spectrum of the AgNPs to use the NPCD/AgNP nanocomposites as an effective inner filter effect (IFE) pair for sensing MFH. The IFE between NPCDs and AgNPs in the nanocomposite material resulted in a significant quenching of the fluorescence intensity of the nanocomposites compared to that of the pure NPCDs. However, the fluorescence was recovered when MFH was introduced into the nanocomposite solution. The fluorescence intensity of the nanocomposites increased linearly as the MFH concentration increased from 2 to 100 µg/L. This detection method showed good sensitivity compared to other methods. It also showed high selectivity and high sensing potential for MFH in human serum and yielded acceptable results.

Korean mistletoe has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions and may be a useful training supplement. We investigated the effect of Korean mistletoe extract (KME) on inflammatory markers after high-intensity exercise by 20 university male rowers (KME group vs. CON group) consuming 110 mL KME/dose (2 times a day over 8 weeks). Blood samples were collected for measurement of serum cytokine levels at baseline, immediately after exercise, and following 30 minutes of recovery. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were used as markers for inflammation. After supplementation, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were significantly lowered in the KME group than in the CON group at baseline, immediately after exercise, and following 30 minutes of recovery. KME can reduce high-strength exercise-induced increases in the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines in active individuals and improve anti-inflammatory functions.

Tension clamps play an important role in maintaining the track gauge by fixing the rails to the sleepers. Damage to the tension clamps was observed on an urban railway. The cause of the fracturing of the tension clamps was identified and reliability analyses on the fatigue failure of the tension clamps were performed. The stress ranges were estimated by measuring the strain at the locations where most of the fractures occurred during train operation. Afterward, a statistical model of the stress ranges was developed using the measured data. The statistical parameters of the stress ranges for the reliability analysis were estimated based on the field measurement data. The reliability indexes were calculated for the inner and outer rails and for the inside and outside track gauges of each rail. The variations of the reliability index for the years in service and the number of cycles were investigated. The results of the reliability analyses showed a consistency with the field observations.

As climates change around the world, concern regarding environmental pollutants emitted into the atmosphere is increasing. The cement industry consistently produces more than 4000 million metric tons of cement per year. However, the problem of air pollutants being emitted from the calcination process is becoming more critical because their amount increases proportionally with cement production. Each country has established regulatory standards for pollutant emission. Accordingly, the cement industry is equipped with facilities to reduce air pollutants, one of which is the NOx removal process. NOx reduction processes under combustion conditions are modified to minimize NOx generation, and the generated NOx is removed through post-treatment. In terms of NOx removal efficiency, the post-treatment process effectively changes the combustion conditions during calcination. Selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) processes are post-treatment environmental facilities for NOx reduction. Accordingly, considering the stringent NOx emission standards in the cement industry, SNCR is essential, and SCR is selectively applied. Therefore, this paper introduces nitrogen oxide among air pollutants emitted from the South Korean cement industry and summarizes the technologies adapted to mitigate the emission of NOx by cement companies in South Korea.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are toxic and are considered the most important sources for the formation of photochemical smog, secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), and ozone. These can also greatly affect the environment and human health. For this reason, VOCs are removed by applying various technologies or reused after recovery. Catalytic oxidation for VOCs removal is widely applied in the industry and is regarded as an efficient and economical method compared to other VOCs removal technologies. Currently, a large amount of VOCs are generated in industries with solvent-based processes, and the ratio of aromatic compounds is high. This paper covers recent catalytic developments in VOC combustion over noble-metal-based catalysts. In addition, this report introduces recent trends in the development of the catalytic mechanisms of VOC combustion and the deactivation of catalysts, such as coke formation, poisoning, sintering, and catalyst regeneration. Since VOC oxidation by noble metal catalysts depends on the support of and mixing catalysts, an appropriate catalyst should be used according to reaction characteristics. Moreover, noble metal catalysts are used together with non-noble metals and play a role in the activity of other catalysts. Therefore, further elucidation of their function and catalytic mechanism in VOC removal is required.

Despite the transformative benefits of platform technology for cultural production, critical scholars have raised vigilance against the emergence of digital platforms as a new hegemonic constellation of 21st-century capitalism, and the neoliberal governance and exploitation of labor that concomitantly intensify. Taking as a case study, the platformization of the “Webtoon” industry in South Korea, this article addresses such concerns, questioning the potentially detrimental effects of platforms on creative labor and their dominance in the market. More importantly, however, it commands wider attention to how platformization has been restructuring this particular cultural industry, and reveals that this process does not simply augment exploitation. Instead, focusing our analysis on the reconfiguration of the process of Webtoon production and the opportunities it affords for the creative labor, we illuminate the complication of relationship between the involved actors, and argue for a broader scope of inquiry that makes explicit the ramifications of platformization on cultural production.

PURPOSE This study aims to carry out a comparative analysis of measuring methods to predict a critical power in rowers. METHODS Three types of tests were performed for seven male university rowers: 1) a critical power determination test, 2) a 3‐ and 6‐minute all‐out rowing test, 3) a 2,000 m simulated rowing test. The CP and W ́ were determined from the regression between work and time to exhaustion, derived from two exhaustive trials at 60, 70% of the maximal power, and 3‐, 6‐minute all‐out rowing test to estimate the EP and WEP. The test data were analyzed by paired t‐test, one‐way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. RESULTS Comparing the differences between the 3‐ and 6‐minute all‐out tests, EP (p< .001) showed that the 6‐minute test was lower than the 3‐minute test and WEP (p

Glutathione (GSH) is a thiol that plays a significant role in nutrient metabolism, antioxidant defense and the regulation of cellular events. GSH deficiency is related to variety of diseases, so it is useful to develop novel approaches for GSH evaluation and detection. In this study we used nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dot-gold nanoparticle (NPCD–AuNP) composites to fabricate a simple and selective fluorescence sensor for GSH detection. We employed the reductant potential of the nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) themselves to form AuNPs, and subsequently NPCD–AuNP composites from Au3+. The composites were characterized by using a range of spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques, including electrophoretic light scattering and X-ray diffraction. The overlap of the fluorescence emission spectrum of NPCDs and the absorption spectrum of AuNPs resulted in an effective inner filter effect (IFE) in the composite material, leading to a quenching of the fluorescence intensity. In the presence of GSH, the fluorescence intensity of the composite was recovered, which increased proportionally to increasing the GSH concentration. In addition, our GSH sensing method showed good selectivity and sensing potential in human serum with a limit of detection of 0.1 µM and acceptable results.

Over the past 20 years, net-zero energy house (NZEH) construction costs have steadily decreased because of many reasons, such as technical progress, energy-saving design obligations, and dramatic cost reductions in renewable energy systems, especially solar power systems. Currently, the costs of NZEH are estimated to be about 5% higher than similar-sized houses. These additional costs are mainly for installing PV systems, which can be offset by energy saving costs. This study assessed energy performance and load matching through remote monitoring systems, and energy costs were analyzed for two-family houses. The two houses were all-electric houses and different in both size and location. A 6 kWp grid-connected PV system and 16 kW air source heat pump for space heating and domestic hot water were equally implemented. After data analysis, 100% of the energies were supplied through the PV system for 3 years, thus achieving net-zero energy. According to the Korean residential electricity tariff system, the annual electricity charges were, on average, between USD 105.1 and USD 121.4 after adding demand charges and value-added tax for import electricity charges. The energy cost reduction rate, compared to the same house without a PV system, was about 95%, and the simple payback period of the 6 kW PV system in NZEH was about 6 years. In addition, the annual load cover factor and supply cover factor as load-match indices between electricity generation and the load were in a range of 0.39–0.49 and 0.37–0.42, respectively.

We investigated whether intraoperative systolic blood pressure (ISBP) is associated with the risk of transient neurologic deficits (TND) following superficial temporal-to-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis in adult patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). In this retrospective observational study, data from adult patients with MMD who had undergone STA-MCA anastomosis at a single tertiary academic hospital during May 2003–April 2014 were examined. Data on patient characteristics were obtained from electronic medical records, including the details of comorbidities and laboratory findings. TND was the primary outcome of interest. Out of 192 patients (228 hemispheres), 66 (29%) hemispheres had TND after surgery. There were significant differences in ISBP between patients with and without TND. The lowest ISBP quartile was independently associated with TND (odds ratio: 5.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.96–15.46). Low ISBP might lead to TND after STA-MCA anastomosis in adult patients with MMD. In patients with poor perfusion status, low ISBP was associated with an increased risk of TND. Our findings suggest that strict ISBP control might be required to prevent TND after anastomosis in patients with MMD, in particular, in patients with poor perfusion status. Given limitations due to the retrospective design, further studies are needed to clarify these findings.

Frailty is a risk factor associated with aging. Physical exercise is an important lifestyle factor that can help to avoid risks associated with aging. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of aquatic exercise for 12 weeks on body composition, cardiovascular disease risk factors, insulin resistance, and aging-related sex hormones in elderly South Korean women. Twenty-two women aged 70–82 years were randomly assigned to groups that participated or did not participate (controls; n = 10 in aquatic exercise for 60 min, three times per week for 12 weeks (n = 12). Exercise intensity defined as the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), was increased from 12–13 to 13–14, and to 14–15 during weeks 1–4, 5–8, and 9–12, respectively. Body composition (skeletal muscle mass, ratio (%) body fat, and waist circumference), cardiovascular disease risk factors (total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), insulin resistance (glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), and aging-related sex hormone changes (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEA-S]) and sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG]) were assessed. Aquatic exercise safely improved body composition, reduced insulin resistance, and positively affected the sex hormones DHEA-S and SHBG as well as blood lipid profiles. Our findings suggested that the aquatic exercise program positively altered blood lipids, regulated glucose levels, and sex hormone levels. Therefore, regular, and continuous aquatic exercise is recommended to prevent frailty, decrease cardiovascular risk, and provide older women with an optimal quality of life as they age.

Abstract Background Dietary fructose can rapidly cause fatty liver in animals through de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and contribute to the development and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In response to diverse cellular insults including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and oxidative stress, phosphorylation of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha subunit (eIF2α) attenuates general translation initiation, allowing cells to conserve resources and initiate adaptive gene expression to restore homeostasis. The present study aimed to investigate the role of eIF2α phosphorylation in protecting against NAFLD induced by high fructose ingestion in a hepatocyte-specific eIF2α-phosphorylation-deficient mouse model. Methods Hepatocyte-specific non-phosphorylatable (S51A) eIF2α knock-in (A/A;fTg/0;Cre Hep /0, A/A Hep ) mice were generated by crossing A/A;fTg/fTg mice with the floxed WT eIF2α transgene (fTg) with Alfp-Cre recombinase transgenic S/A;Cre Hep /0 (S/A-Cre Hep ) mice. Hepatocyte-specific eIF2α-phosphorylation-deficient 3-month-old mice or 12-month-old mice were fed a 60% high fructose diet (HFrD) for 16 or 5 wks, and the effects of eIF2α-phosphorylation deficiency on NADP/NADPH and GSSG/GSH levels, ROS-defense gene expression, oxidative damage, cell death, and fibrosis were observed. Results Prolonged fructose feeding to mice caused dysregulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) sensor activation and UPR gene expression, and then led to decreased expression of several ROS defense genes including glutathione biogenesis genes. Nonetheless, these changes were not sufficient to induce the death of eIF2α phosphorylation-sufficient hepatocytes. However, there was a substantial increase in hepatocyte death and liver fibrosis in fructose-fed middle-aged mice deficient in hepatocyte-specific eIF2α phosphorylation because of diminished antioxidant capacity due to reduced expression of antioxidant enzymes (GPX1 and HO-1) and lower NADPH and glutathione levels, as well as a possible increase in ROS-induced damage from infiltrating NOX2-expressing leukocytes; all this led to a vicious cycle of hepatocyte death and leukocyte infiltration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that eIF2α phosphorylation maintains NADPH and GSH levels and controls the expression of ROS-defense genes, thereby protecting hepatocytes from oxidative stresses induced by fructose metabolism.

Genomics & Informatics (NLM title abbreviation: Genomics Inform) is the official journal of the Korea Genome Organization. Text corpus for this journal annotated with various levels of linguistic information would be a valuable resource as the process of information extraction requires syntactic, semantic, and higher levels of natural language processing. In this study, we publish our new corpus called GNI Corpus version 1.0, extracted and annotated from full texts of Genomics & Informatics, with NLTK (Natural Language ToolKit)-based text mining script. The preliminary version of the corpus could be used as a training and testing set of a system that serves a variety of functions for future biomedical text mining.

Genomics & Informatics (NLM title abbreviation: Genomics Inform) is the official journal of the Korea Genome Organization. Herein, we conduct a statistical analysis of the publications of Genomics & Informatics over the 16 years since its inception, with a particular focus on issues relating to article categories, word clouds, and the most-studied genes, drawing on recent reviews of the use of word frequencies in journal articles. Trends in the studies published in Genomics & Informatics are discussed both individually and collectively.

Background and objectives: Cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. Resveratrol (RSV) exerts various pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anticancer. Although, it has been verified the beneficial effects of RSV on various subjects, the effect of RSV on thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) regulation has not been elucidated. Materials and Methods: Here, we examined how RSV regulates TSLP in HMC-1 cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and calcium assay were performed to evaluate the effect of RSV. Results: TSLP production and mRNA expression were reduced by RSV. RSV down-regulated nuclear factor-κB activation, IκBα phosphorylation as well as activation of receptor-interacting protein2 and caspase-1 in HMC-1 cells. In addition, RSV treatment decreased the up-regulation of intracellular calcium in HMC-1 cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that RSV might be useful for the treatment of atopic diseases through blocking of TSLP.

Silver nanomaterials (AgNMs) have been applied as antibacterial agents to combat bacterial infections that can cause disease and death. The antibacterial activity of AgNMs can be improved by increasing the specific surface area, so significant efforts have been devoted to developing various bottom-up synthesis methods to control the size and shape of the particles. Herein, we report on a facile heat-treatment method that can improve the antibacterial activity of transparent silver nanowire (AgNW) films in a size-controllable, top-down manner. AgNW films were fabricated via spin-coating and were then heated at different temperatures (230 and 280 °C) for 30 min. The morphology and the degree of oxidation of the as-fabricated AgNW film were remarkably sensitive to the heat-treatment temperature, while the transparency was insensitive. As the heat-treatment temperature increased, the AgNWs spontaneously broke into more discrete wires and droplets, and oxidation proceeded faster. The increase in the heat-treatment temperature further increased the antibacterial activity of the AgNW film, and the heat treatment at 280 °C improved the antibacterial activity from 31.7% to 94.7% for Staphylococcus aureus, and from 57.0% to 98.7% for Escherichia coli. Following commonly accepted antibacterial mechanisms of AgNMs, we present a correlation between the antibacterial activity and surface observations of the AgNW film.

Cross-infection following cross-contamination is a serious social issue worldwide. Pathogens are normally spread by contact with germ-contaminated surfaces. Accordingly, antibacterial surface technologies are urgently needed and have consequently been actively developed in recent years. Among these technologies, biomimetic nanopatterned surfaces that physically kill adhering bacteria have attracted attraction as an effective technological solution to replace toxic chemical disinfectants (biocides). Herein, we introduce a transparent, colorless, and self-disinfecting polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film that mimics the surface structure of the Progomphus obscurus (sanddragon) wing physically killing the attached bacteria. The PET film was partially etched via a 4-min carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) plasma treatment. Compared to a flat bare PET film, the plasma-treated film surface exhibited a uniform array structure composed of nanopillars with a 30 nm diameter, 237 nm height, and 75 nm pitch. The plasma-treated PET film showed improvements in optical properties (transmittance and B*) and antibacterial effectiveness over the bare film; the transparency and colorlessness slightly increased, and the antibacterial activity increased from 53.8 to 100% for Staphylococcus aureus, and from 0 to 100% for Escherichia coli. These results demonstrated the feasibility of the CF4 plasma-treated PET film as a potential antibacterial overcoating with good optical properties.

To combat infectious diseases, zinc oxide (ZnO) has been identified as an effective antibacterial agent; however, its performance can be adversely affected by harsh application environments. The ozone impact on ZnO antibacterial film needs to be evaluated prior to its application in an ozone disinfection system. In this study, ZnO films synthesized via sol-gel/spin-coating were subjected to ultraviolet−ozone (UVO) treatment for different periods. Surface investigations using scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet−visible spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the treatment-induced film changes. With longer UVO treatment, the surface porosity of the film gradually increased from 5% to 30%, causing the transmittance reduction and absorbance increase in visible-light range. Phase transformation of Zn(OH)2 to ZnO occurred during the first 10 min of UVO treatment, followed by oxygen uptake as a consequence of the reaction with reactive oxygen species generated during UVO treatment. However, despite these surface changes, the satisfactory antibacterial activity of the synthesized ZnO film against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was sustained even after 120 min of UVO treatment. This indicates that the UVO-induced surface changes do not have a significant effect on the antibacterial performance and that the ZnO sol-gel film possesses good functional durability in ozone environments.

Bifunctional Al2O3/Cu/ZnO catalysts with Al composition of between 30 mol% and 80 mol% were prepared by sequential precipitation (SP) for the conversion of CO2 into dimethyl ether (DME). In the SP synthesis, the concentration of a precipitation agent managed to be high enough to induce the complete precipitation of Al3+. The prepared precipitates were composed of zincian malachite and amorphous AlO(OH). Furthermore, the calcined mixed metal oxide materials of 60% and 80% Al exhibited a higher acidity than commercial Al2O3 and the H2-reduced catalysts showed the similar Cu dispersion of 6%−7% at all Cu loadings. In the activity test at 573 K and 50 bar, the SP-derived catalyst of 80% Al (SP-80) displayed the best performance corresponding to CO2 conversion of 25% and DME selectivity of 75% that are close to equilibrium values. In order to overcome the thermodynamic limitation, a dual-bed catalyst system was made up of SP-80 in the first layer and zeolite ferrierite in the next. This approach enabled DME selectivity to be enhanced to 90% while CO2 conversion increased a little. Consequently, the studied catalyst system based on the SP-derived catalysts can contribute greatly to selective DME production from CO2.

Physcion is well known for the treatment of carcinoma. However, the therapeutic effect of physcion on atopic dermatitis (AD) through the inhibition of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) level remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the anti-AD effect of physcion using HMC-1 cells, splenocytes, and a murine model. Treatment with physcion decreased production and mRNA expression levels of TSLP, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in activated HMC-1 cells. Physcion reduced the expression levels of RIP2/caspase-1 and phospho (p)ERK/pJNK/pp38 in activated HMC-1 cells. Physcion suppressed the expression levels of pIKKβ/NF-κB/pIkBα in activated HMC-1 cells. Moreover, physcion attenuated the production levels of TSLP, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ from activated splenocytes. Oral administration of physcion improved the severity of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced AD-like lesional skin through reducing infiltration of inflammatory cells and mast cells, and the protein and mRNA levels of TSLP, IL-4, and IL-6 in the lesional skin tissues. Physcion attenuated histamine, IgE, TSLP, IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in serum. In addition, physcion inhibited caspase-1 activation in the lesional skin tissues. These findings indicate that physcion could ameliorate AD-like skin lesions by inhibiting TSLP levels via caspase-1/MAPKs/NF-kB signalings, which would provide experimental evidence of the therapeutic potential of physcion for AD.

Background/Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) generally shows sex differences, and psychiatric comorbidities play an important role in its pathogenesis. We aim to measure the levels of gender roles and investigate their relationship with psychiatric factors in patients with IBS versus healthy controls. Methods: Patients diagnosed with IBS by Rome III and whose colonoscopy findings were normal were enrolled at multiple sites in Korea. The participants completed the Korean Sex Role Inventory-Short Form (KSRI-SF) to assess masculinity and femininity, the stress questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire to assess the quality of life (QOL). Results: In total, 102 patients with IBS (male:female = 35:67; mean age 42.6 ± 16.7 years) and 55 controls (male:female = 20:35; mean age 42.4 ± 11.1 years) were recruited. IBS patients had higher stress (9.69 ± 8.23 vs 4.56 ± 8.31, P < 0.001) and HADS scores (16.12 ± 7.17 vs 10.22 ± 5.74, P < 0.001) than the control group, but showed no significant difference in KSRI-SF scores. No significant differences in HADS and KSRI-SF scores were found between males and females. However, IBS patients whose symptoms worsened due to stress and patients with anxiety or depression had significantly lower masculinity. QOL was poorer in IBS patients than in controls. In stepwise multivariate analyses, the anxiety score, depression score, and the degree of daily life disturbance, not masculinity, were associated with the QOL of IBS patients. Conclusions: IBS patients had higher stress, more psychiatric comorbidities, and lower QOL than controls. Low masculinity, rather than sex, was associated with stress and psychological comorbidities, which deteriorated the QOL in IBS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]