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Abstract The electron pair approximation offers an efficient variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) approach for chemistry simulations on quantum computers. With the number of entangling gates scaling quadratically with system size and a constant measurement overhead, the orbital optimized unitary pair coupled cluster double (oo-upCCD) ansatz strikes a balance between accuracy and efficiency. However, the electron pair approximation prevents the method from achieving quantitative accuracy. To improve it, we explore the theory of second order perturbation (PT2) correction to oo-upCCD. PT2 accounts for the missing broken-pair contributions in oo-upCCD, while retaining its efficiencies. For molecular bond stretching and chemical reactions, the method significantly improves the predicted energy accuracy, reducing oo-upCCD’s error by up to 90%. On IonQ’s quantum computers, we find that the PT2 energy correction is highly noise-resilient. The predicted VQE-PT2 reaction energies are in excellent agreement with noise-free simulators after applying simple error mitigations solely on the VQE energies.

In this study, we propose a new methodology for designing preform shapes for turbofan blisk and disk forgings of IN718 superalloy using a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network). The objective function of the preform design model is set to minimize grain size and reduce forging load. Various preform shape candidates were generated using NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) curves, defined by points on the target shape outline, and the grain size was calculated through FE (Finite Element) analysis based on the JMAK (Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov) model to train the CNN model. The preform shapes derived from the proposed load and grain size-aware CNN model were compared and validated against those from previous studies regarding grain size and load reduction. An objective function f, which is capable of quantitatively expressing the load and grain size improvement, was developed for comparison and validation. The results showed an improvement of 19.64% for the blisk and 18.96% for the disk compared to previous studies. This research is expected to significantly contribute to the forging of aerospace components.

ABSTRACTAlthough Argonaute (AGO) proteins have been the focus of microRNA (miRNA) studies, we observed AGO-free mature miRNAs directly interacting with RNA-binding proteins, implying the sophisticated nature of fine-tuning gene regulation by miRNAs. To investigate microRNA-binding proteins (miRBPs) globally, we analyzed PAR-CLIP data sets to identify RBP quaking (QKI) as a novel miRBP for let-7b. Potential existence of AGO-free miRNAs were further verified by measuring miRNA levels in genetically engineered AGO-depleted human and mouse cells. We have shown that QKI regulates miRNA-mediated gene silencing at multiple steps, and collectively serves as an auxiliary factor empowering AGO2/let-7b-mediated gene silencing. Depletion of QKI decreases interaction of AGO2 with let-7b and target mRNA, consequently controlling target mRNA decay. This finding indicates that QKI is a complementary factor in miRNA-mediated mRNA decay. QKI, however, also suppresses the dissociation of let-7b from AGO2, and slows the assembly of AGO2/miRNA/target mRNA complexes at the single-molecule level. We also revealed that QKI overexpression suppresses cMYC expression at post-transcriptional level, and decreases proliferation and migration of HeLa cells, demonstrating that QKI is a tumour suppressor gene by in part augmenting let-7b activity. Our data show that QKI is a new type of RBP implicated in the versatile regulation of miRNA-mediated gene silencing.

We investigated the impact of heat treatment on preform deduction during the hot forging of In718 turbine disks. Proposed preform design method leverages a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to aim for minimized damage and uniform grain size in the final forged products. For damage calculation, we employ the Lemaitre damage model, while the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) model is utilized for grain size calculation. The CNN, trained on datasets of NURBS-generated preform shapes and final forged disks from them, showed superior performance in terms of damage and grain size of forged disk compared with other existing approaches. Moreover, the results indicate that preforms deduced with heat treatment considerations can lead to significant improvements in forging results, including up to a 17% reduction in average grain size and a 16% decrease in standard deviation compared to preforms without heat treatment consideration. These results underscore the importance of considering heat treatment in preform design, offering valuable insights for industries where the integrity of forged products, like aerospace, is critical.

Abstract Monoculture switchgrass and restored prairie are promising perennial feedstock sources for bioenergy production on the lands unsuitable for conventional agriculture. Such lands often display contrasting topography that influences soil characteristics and interactions between plant growth and soil C gains. This study aimed at elucidating the influences of topography and plant systems on the fate of C originated from switchgrass plants and on its relationships with soil pore characteristics. For that, switchgrass plants were grown in intact soil cores collected from two contrasting topographies, namely steep slopes and topographical depressions, in the fields in multi-year monoculture switchgrass and restored prairie vegetation. The 13C pulse labeling allowed tracing the C of switchgrass origin, which X-ray computed micro-tomography enabled in-detail characterization of soil pore structure. In eroded slopes, the differences between the monoculture switchgrass and prairie in terms of total and microbial biomass C were greater than those in topographical depressions. While new switchgrass increased the CO2 emission in depressions, it did not significantly affect the CO2 emission in slopes. Pores of 18–90 µm Ø facilitated the accumulation of new C in soil, while > 150 µm Ø pores enhanced the mineralization of the new C. These findings suggest that polyculture prairie located in slopes can be particularly beneficial in facilitating soil C accrual and reduce C losses as CO2.

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of individuals’ protean career orientations on their organizational commitment. We expected protean attitudes to be positively related to organizational commitment, based on the perspective that protean career orientation could increase the sense of organizational identification. Design/methodology/approach: We targeted permanent employees from various industries. The survey was conducted through a website, and a total of 572 employees participated in the survey. For analysis, structural equation modeling was used. Findings: The results show that protean career orientation is positively related to organizational commitment, and this relationship is fully mediated by organizational identification. Specifically, affective and normative commitment were positively influenced by protean career orientation, being mediated by organizational identification. Only continuance commitment did not show any relationship with the protean attitude. Research limitations/implications: Despite elucidating the process of mediating, this study limited the variable to organizational identification. The results of this study suggest that more diverse variables (e. g., personality, ideology, values) and approaches (e. g., moderated mediation model) could be investigated in the area of protean career orientation. Originality/value: The results are contrary to previous speculations that protean people are self-centered with insufficient commitment toward the organization. In particular, the positive relationship between protean career orientation and organizational identification is newly suggested, providing a possibility for redefining the core values of protean careers and their potential.

Abstract Hydrogen production techniques based on solar-water splitting have emerged as carbon-free energy systems. Many researchers have developed highly efficient thin-film photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices made of low-cost and earth-abundant materials. However, solar water splitting systems suffer from short lifetimes due to catalyst instability that is attributed to both chemical dissolution and mechanical stress produced by hydrogen bubbles. A recent study found that the nanoporous hydrogel could prevent the structural degradation of the PEC devices. In this study, we investigate the protection mechanism of the hydrogel-based overlayer by engineering its porous structure using the cryogelation technique. Tests for cryogel overlayers with varied pore structures, such as disconnected micropores, interconnected micropores, and surface macropores, reveal that the hydrogen gas trapped in the cryogel protector reduce shear stress at the catalyst surface by providing bubble nucleation sites. The cryogelated overlayer effectively preserves the uniformly distributed platinum catalyst particles on the device surface for over 200 h. Our finding can help establish semi-permanent photoelectrochemical devices to realize a carbon-free society.

Objective To assess the safety and effectiveness of high-density light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation therapy in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) and compare the pre- and post-intervention symptoms. Methods Twenty-three patients with hand OA underwent eight sessions of high-density LED irradiation therapy directed at the five most painful areas in the finger joints. Each session lasted for 18 minutes; and the sessions were conducted twice a week, for 4 weeks. We evaluated the degree of pain using the visual analogue scale, ring size, and passive range of motion (flexion+extension) for two most painful joints from the baseline to post-therapy (weeks 4 and 6). Results High-density LED irradiation therapy significantly reduced the pain posttreatment compared with that observed at the baseline (p0.05). No adverse events were observed. Conclusion We examined the safety and effectiveness of high-density LED irradiation therapy in reducing pain and hand swelling and improving joint mobility in patients with hand OA. These results suggest that high-density LED irradiation therapy has the potential to be an important strategy for managing hand OA.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of light-emitting diode (LED) and their dual-wavelengths as a treatment strategy for osteoarthritis. Methods We induced osteoarthritis in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intra-articular injection of sodium iodoacetate into the right rear knee joint. The animals with lesions were divided into an untreated group and an LED-treated group (n=7 each). In the LED-treated group, the lesioned knee was irradiated with lasers (850 and 940 nm) and dose (3.15 J/cm2) for 20 minutes per session, twice a week for 4 weeks. Knee joint tissues were stained and scanned using an in vivo micro-computed tomography (CT) scanner. Serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-18 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay. Several functional tests (lines crossed, rotational movement, rearing, and latency to remain rotating rod) were performed 24 hours before LED treatment and at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after treatment. Results LED-treated rats showed improved locomotor function and suppressed matrix-degrading cytokines. Micro-CT images indicated that LED therapy had a preserving effect on cartilage and cortical bone. Conclusion LED treatment using wavelengths of 850 and 940 nm resulted in significant functional, anatomical, and histologic improvements without adverse events in a rat model. Further research is required to determine the optimal wavelength, duration, and combination method, which will maximize treatment effectiveness.

This study conducted a survey for establishing in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures for northern lineage plants that are vulnerable to climate change and for designating Forest Genetic Resource Reserve for 25 algific talus slope sites, which are specific areas of forest biodiversity. The survey was conducted in South Korea within a distance of 50 m to the east, west, north and south from the core area where wind blows to the algific talus slopes. The study was conducted once or twice per season from April 2016 to November 2021.Vascular plants of 25 algific talus slope sites in South Korea included a total of 1,052 taxa of 125 families, 486 genera, 947 species, 23 subspecies, 75 variety and 7 forma. The maximum surveyed area was 0.09 km2, accounting for only 0.00014% of the 62,860 km2 forest area in Korea, but comprise 22.27% of the 4,724 species of vascular plants in Korea. The algific talus slopes are areas rich in forest biodiversity. Six taxa were categorized as endangered, including Paeonia obovata Maxim. Sixty-seven taxa, including Astilboides tabularis (Hemsl.) Engl.; 58 taxa endemic to the Korean Peninsula, including Weigela subsessilis (Nakai) L.H. Bailey; and 317 taxa of floristic target plants were categorized as rare plants in the Red list. Further, 181 taxa were identified as northern lineage plants and 32 taxa, including Sillaphyton podagraria (H. Boissieu) Pimenov, were limestone area plants. Regarding alien plants, 75 taxa, including Oenothera biennis L., were identified and the naturalization and urbanization rates were 7.13% and 12.12%, respectively. Plants specific to the phytogeography of the 25 algific talus slope sites in this study were Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., Rosa koreana Kom., Syringa villosa Vahl subsp. wolfii (C.K. Schneid.) Jin Y.Chen & D.Y. Hong, Lonicera chrysantha Turcz. ex Ledeb., Tephroseris flammea (Turcz. ex DC.) Holub, among others.

In this study, we investigated the hot deformation behavior of Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–2Mo (Ti-6242) alloy and propose a method to derive optimal hot process parameters for grain refinement and avoidance of flow instability. Microstructural Risk Index (MRI) was introduced as a microstructural evaluation index consisting of grain size, standard deviation of grain size, and flow instability. The initial temperature of the material and the stroke speed of the die were selected as design variables. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to calculate grain size and flow instability and determine MRI of the forgings. The grain size model coefficient and flow instability were calculated based on the flow stress curve and verified with optical microscope (OM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis results. The Deep Neural Network (DNN) model was used to determine the optimal process parameters for the forging process. The MRI prediction accuracy of the trained DNN models showed excellent performance at 97.01 %. The MRI of the optimized process variables was improved by 7.95 % compared to the minimum MRI of the training data set. Optimized process parameters can improve the quality of forgings through grain refinement and avoidance of flow instability regions.

Tick-borne diseases result from human–ixodid tick encounters, making it crucial to understand host–ixodid tick interactions and host-dependent distribution for epidemiology and prevention. This study examines water deer patterns and ixodid tick interactions in designated croplands of South Korea over two years, finding that the highest deer presence occurred in July and the lowest in May, during crop harvesting. Four tick species were identified, with Haemaphysalis longicornis being predominant (92.2%). Tick life stage analysis revealed peak nymphs and adults in July and larvae in October. Nymph abundance correlated positively with nearby water deer. MaxEnt biodiversity prediction results indicated wider water deer distribution in summer, reflecting their tendency to use multiple croplands. Areas with nymphs and adults aligned with predicted deer presence in summer, while larval areas aligned in autumn. Increased agroforestry expanded water deer habitats, enhancing tick dispersion. Prevention involved minimizing human–deer encounters by strategic land use in tick-prone areas. This comprehensive study provides insights into preventing severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in agricultural workers, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions based on host behavior and tick life stages in different seasons.

This study explores the quantitative relationship between canopy structure and the canopy escape ratio (fesc), measured as the ratio of near-infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv) to the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR). We analyzed the correlation between fesc and key indicators of canopy structure—specifically, leaf area index (LAI) and clumping index (CI)—utilizing both Sentinel-2 satellite data and in situ observations. Our analysis revealed a moderate correlation between fesc and LAI, evidenced by an R2 value of 0.37 for satellite-derived LAI, which contrasts with the lower correlation (R2 of 0.15) observed with field-measured LAI. Conversely, the relationship between fesc and CI proved to be significantly weaker (R2 < 0.1), indicating minimal interaction between foliage distribution and light escape at the canopy level. This disparity in correlation strength was further evidenced in time series analysis, which showed little phenological variation in fesc compared to LAI. Our findings elucidate the complexities of estimating fesc based on the NIRv to fAPAR ratio and underscore the need for advanced methodologies in future research to enhance the accuracy of canopy escape models.

Understanding biophysical and biochemical processes in detritusphere is critical to quantifying and modeling plant residue decomposition dynamics and subsequent soil organic carbon (C) accrual. The objectives of the study were to explore (i) micro-environmental conditions within the detritusphere formed around decomposing corn and soybean leaves, and (ii) the relationships between moisture distribution, enzyme activity, and C dynamics during decomposition. We assessed spatial and temporal dynamics of moisture distribution using X-ray and neutron computed tomography, and activities of β-glucosidase and chitinase, two enzymes involved in soil C and N processing, using zymography. We used 13C labeled residue to track residue contribution to atmospheric CO2 and soil organic C. Moisture redistribution pattern varied depending on the residue type. While the water was immediately absorbed by the corn leaves and maintained afterward, switchgrass leaves absorbed water more slowly and created water-deficient zones within ∼1mm from the residue. This initial moisture depletion led to lower chitinase activity and residue-derived CO2 emissions in switchgrass. In contrast to chitinase, β-glucosidase activity was influenced by a combination of vegetation history and residue type, and it was higher when the origin of the residue matched the vegetation history of the soil. Pore size had an opposite impact on the studied enzymes, supporting the notion that contrasting soil pore architecture can stimulate activities of different enzymes through a selection of dominant enzyme producers. We concluded that the decomposition dynamics of plant residues is not only a simple function of residue chemistry, but rather a combined effect of the vegetation history, in part through its effect on microbial community composition, the plant residue chemical and likely physical characteristics, and the soil pore structure in the detritusphere. Together, they create temporally dynamic micro-environmental conditions influencing decomposition. Specifically, our study demonstrated that the initial micro-environment formulated in detritusphere can play an important role in enzyme activities and consequent C dynamics.

Objective To systematically review the effect of intrathecal baclofen pump insertion in children with cerebral palsy (CP) with respect to scoliosis. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases up to June 2022. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) studies with a quantitative study design; (2) studies with a study group of children with CP; (3) studies comparing scoliosis in children with and without an intrathecal baclofen pump; and (4) studies with Cobb’s angle as a parameter. Results Of the 183 studies found, four studies, all of which were retrospective comparative studies, met the aforementioned inclusion criteria. All studies were homogeneous (I2=0%, p=0.53) and intrathecal baclofen pump insertion accelerated the progression of scoliosis (standard mean difference=0.27; 95% confidence interval=0.07–0.48). Conclusion Intrathecal baclofen pumps have been used to alleviate spasticity in children with CP, thus aiding their daily activities and movements. However, their advantages and disadvantages should be reviewed after sufficient time considering the pumps’ negative effect on the course of scoliosis.

- Ban the trade of non-native species for consumption as food or derived products and for personal use (i.e., as pets).- Ban the trade of native species when they do not originate from within the nation (i.e., same genetically defined conservation unit).- Tracking of potential established alien Rana populations.- Eradication of potentially established alien Rana populations.

Although ionizing radiation (IR) is widely used for therapeutic and research purposes, studies on low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) are limited compared with those on other IR approaches, such as high-dose gamma irradiation and ultraviolet irradiation. High-dose IR affects DNA damage response and nucleotide–protein crosslinking, among other processes; however, the molecular consequences of LDIR have been poorly investigated. Here, we developed a method to profile RNA species crosslinked to an RNA-binding protein, namely, human antigen R (HuR), using LDIR and high-throughput RNA sequencing. The RNA fragments isolated via LDIR-crosslinking and immunoprecipitation sequencing were crosslinked to HuR and protected from RNase-mediated digestion. Upon crosslinking HuR to target mRNAs such as PAX6, ZFP91, NR2F6, and CAND2, the transcripts degraded rapidly in human cell lines. Additionally, PAX6 and NR2F6 downregulation mediated the beneficial effects of LDIR on cell viability. Thus, our approach provides a method for investigating post-transcriptional gene regulation using LDIR.

Abstract Background Adipose tissue thermogenesis is a potential therapeutic target to increase energy expenditure and thereby combat obesity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the thermogenic and anti-obesity effects of heat-transformed green tea extract (HTGT) and enzymatically modified isoquercetin (EMIQ). Methods Immortalized brown pre-adipocytes and C3H10T1/2 cells were used for in vitro analyses. A high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse model and CIDEA-reporter mice were used for in vivo experiments. The effects of HTGT and EMIQ on mitochondrial metabolism were evaluated by immunoblot, mitochondrial staining, and oxygen consumption rate analyses. In vivo anti-obesity effects of HTGT and EMIQ were measured using indirect calorimetry, body composition analyses, glucose tolerance tests, and histochemical analyses. Results Co-treatment with HTGT and EMIQ (50 μg/mL each) for 48 h increased brown adipocyte marker and mitochondrial protein levels (UCP1 and COXIV) in brown adipocytes by 2.9-fold, while the maximal and basal oxygen consumption rates increased by 1.57- and 1.39-fold, respectively. Consistently, HTGT and EMIQ treatment increased the fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial staining in C3H10T1/2 adipocytes by 1.68-fold. The combination of HTGT and EMIQ (100 mg/kg each) increased the expression levels of brown adipocyte markers and mitochondrial proteins in adipose tissue. Two weeks of HTGT and EMIQ treatment (100 mg/kg each) led to a loss of 3% body weight and 7.09% of body fat. Furthermore, the treatment increased energy expenditure by 8.95% and improved glucose tolerance in HFD-fed mice. Conclusions The current study demonstrated that HTGT and EMIQ have in vivo anti-obesity effects partly by increasing mitochondrial metabolism in adipocytes. Our findings suggest that a combination of HTGT and EMIQ is a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Abstract Recent years, there has been an increase in the number of high-rise buildings, and subsequently, the interest in external wall cleaning methods has similarly increased. While a number of exterior wall cleaning robots are being developed, a method to detect contaminants on the exterior walls is still required. The exteriors of most high-rise buildings today take the form of a window curtain-wall made of translucent glass. Detecting dust on translucent glass is a significant challenge. Here, we have attempted to overcome this challenge using image processing, inspired by the fact that people typically use just the ‘naked eye’ to recognize dust on windows. In this paper, we propose a method that detects dust through simple image processing techniques and estimates its density. This method only uses processing techniques that are not significantly restricted by global brightness and background, making it easily applicable in outdoor conditions. Dust separation was performed using a median filter, and dust density was estimated through a mean shift analysis technique. This dust detection method can perform dust separation and density estimation using only an image of the dust on a translucent window with blurry background.

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) has been explored to implement neuromorphic systems to accelerate neural networks. In this study, an RRAM crossbar array using parylene C (PPXC) as both a resistive switching layer and substrate was fabricated. PPXC is a flexible and transparent polymer with excellent chemical stability and biocompatibility. We studied PPXC-based RRAM devices with Ti/PPX-C/Cu and Cu/PPX-C/Ti structures. Devices with the Ti/PPX-C/Cu structure offer stable electrical and mechanical characteristics, such as a low set voltage of < 1 V, good retention time of $> 10^{4}$ s, endurance cycles of >300, conductance ON/OFF ratio >10, and can withstand >350 mechanical bending cycles. Additionally, the switching and conduction mechanisms of the devices were carefully investigated by analyzing their electrical, structural, and chemical properties. Finally, we demonstrated the feasibility of the fabricated RRAM array for neuromorphic applications through system-level simulations using the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology database. The simulation results reflecting the variations of realistic devices demonstrated that the artificial neural network developed using the PPXC-based RRAM array works satisfactorily in pattern recognition tasks. The findings of this study can aid in the development of future wearable neuromorphic systems.

The magnitude and frequency of extreme rainfall due to climate change is increasing. Increasing rainfall causes serious hydrological problems in cities. Rainfall does not infiltrate the soil, but mostly flows through the sewer pipes into the stream. Most old urban watersheds have combined sewer pipes. When rainfall exceeds the capacity of the combined sewer pipes, sewage mixed with stormwater overflows the sewer pipes and flows directly into the stream. This is called Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). CSOs enter the stream with non-point source pollutants accumulated on the surface and pollute the stream. CSOs are one of the major water quality problems in older urban watersheds. This can be solved by replacing the combined sewer pipes with separated sewer pipes, but in reality it requires astronomical costs. As an alternative, the Low Impact Development (LID) technique has recently been introduced. In this study, we analyzed the effects of climate change on CSOs in urban watersheds and applied LID techniques to offset the effects. The LID facility was applied with the most commonly used Bio-Retention cells. HIGHLIGHTS Applicability of bio-retention to offset the negative effects of climate change on urban streams are investigated using EPA SWMM.; Run-off, TP load, and CSOs in urban watershed show high potential for increases by climate change.; The bio-retention cell is useful for offsetting the negative effects of climate change.;

Inflammatory-related diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent, leading to a growing focus on the development of anti-inflammatory agents, with a particular emphasis on creating novel structural compounds. In this study, we present a highly efficient synthetic method for direct N-arylation to produce a variety of N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3, which exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. The Chan–Evans–Lam (CEL) coupling of N(1)-benzyl-indazol-3-(2H)-ones 1 with arylboronic acids 2 in the presence of a copper complex provided the corresponding N(2)-arylindazol-3(2H)-ones 3 in good-to-excellent yields, as identified with NMR, MS, and X-ray crystallography techniques. The cell viability and anti-inflammatory effects of the synthesized compounds (3 and 5) were briefly assessed using the MTT method and Griess assay. Among them, compounds 5 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects with negligible cell toxicity.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of APIC, a mixture containing soy isoflavone and L-carnitine on running endurance. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally administered APIC for 8 weeks. The APIC group exhibited a significant increase in treadmill running time until exhaustion compared to the control group. The respiratory exchange ratio in the APIC group was lower, indicating an enhancement in fatty acid oxidative metabolism. Furthermore, APIC supplementation increased the proportion of oxidative myofibers. Biochemical parameters associated with endurance capacity were also affected by APIC, as evidenced by increased muscle ATP levels and decreased levels of muscle triglycerides and blood lactate. qPCR and immunoblot analysis of C2C12 myotubes and gastrocnemius muscles indicated that APIC treatment stimulated AMPK signaling, mitochondrial biogenesis, and fatty acid metabolism. Additionally, treatment with APIC led to an increased oxygen consumption rate in C2C12 myotubes. Collectively, these findings suggest that APIC supplementation enhances mitochondrial biogenesis, promotes a switch from glycolytic to oxidative fiber types, and improves fatty acid metabolism through the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway in murine skeletal muscle. Ultimately, these effects contribute to the enhancement of running endurance.

Animal–vehicle collisions (AVC) threaten animals as well as human life and property. AVC with ungulates, called ungulate–vehicle collision (UVC), often seriously endangers human safety because of the considerable body size of ungulates. In the Republic of Korea, three ungulate species, Capreolus pygargus, Hydropotes inermis, and Sus scrofa, account for a large proportion of AVC. This study aimed to understand the characteristics of UVC by examining various parameters related to habitat, traffic, and seasonality using MaxEnt. The results showed that the peak UVC seasons coincided with the most active seasonal behaviors of the studied ungulates. For the modeling results, in C. pygargus, habitat variables are most important for models across seasons, and UVC events are most likely to occur in high mountain chains. In H. inermis, habitat and traffic variables are most important for models across seasons. Although the important habitat for the models were different across seasons for S. scrofa, the maximum speed was consistently critical for models across all seasons. Factors critical to UVC in the Republic of Korea were different for the three ungulate species and across seasons, indicating that seasonal behavior should be considered along with landscape and traffic characteristics to mitigate UVC.

In this study, we propose a systematic process design method using a convolutional neural network (CNN) for the uniform strain distribution of a Ti-6242 impeller during forging. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a machine learning algorithm optimized for processing grid-like data, such as images, by identifying patterns within the data. To achieve the design goal with a simple process, we propose a methodological process in which the initial billet passes through three steps: upsetting, preform forging, and target impeller forging. We used the CNN model in the upsetting and preforming steps to enable our proposed design method to be applied to various impeller shapes. We trained a CNN model with two different types of datasets: one to derive the preform shape suitable for the target impeller forging and another to determine the shape of the initial billet that was upset for impeller preform forging. The proposed forging process resulted in a reduction in the mean strain, strain standard deviation, and maximum strain by up to 38.6%, 52.5%, and 59.7%, respectively, compared with the impeller forging processes proposed in previous studies. Consequently, the strain of the forged product was been homogenized, thereby reducing the possibility of defects. This process design method can be used in fields such as aerospace that require high-quality forging.

The Rare Isotope Science Project was launched in 2011 in Korea toward constructing the Rare isotope Accelerator complex for ON line experiments (RAON). RAON will house several experimental systems, including the Muon Spin Rotation/Relaxation/Resonance (μSR) facility in High Energy Experimental Building B. This facility will use 600-MeV protons with a maximum current of 660 pμA and beam power of 400 kW. The key μSR features will facilitate projects related to condensed-matter and nuclear physics. Typical experiments require a few million surface muons fully spin-polarized opposite to their momentum for application to small samples. Here, we describe the design of a muon transport beam line for delivering the requisite muon numbers and the electromagnetic-component specifications in the μSR facility. We determine the beam-line configuration via beam-optics calculations and the transmission efficiency via single-particle tracking simulations. The electromagnet properties, including fringe field effects, are applied for each component in the calculations. The designed surface-muon beamline is 17.3 m long, consisting of 2 solenoids, 2 dipoles affording 70° deflection, 9 quadrupoles, and a Wien filter to eliminate contaminant positrons. The average incident-muon flux and spin rotation angle are estimated as 5.2 × 106 μ+/s and 45°, respectively.

Following the launch of Rare Isotope Science Project in December 2011, a heavy ion accelerator complex in South Korea, named RAON, has since been designed. It includes a muon facility for muon spin rotation, relaxation, and resonance. The facility will be provided with 600 MeV and 100 kW (one-fourth of the maximum power) proton beam. In this study, the graphite target in RAON was designed to have a rotating disk shape and was cooled by radiative heat transfer. This cool-down process has the following advantages: a low-temperature gradient in the target and the absence of a liquid coolant cooling system. Monte Carlo simulations and ANSYS calculations were performed to optimize the target system in a thermally stable condition when the 100 kW proton beam collided with the target. A comparison between the simulation and experimental data was also included in the design process to obtain reliable results. The final design of the target system will be completed within 2020, and its manufacturing is in progress. The manufactured target system will be installed at the RAON in the Sindong area near Daejeon-city in 2021 to carry out verification experiments.

Roadkills are a major threat to the wildlife in human-modified landscapes. Due to their ecology, relatively small size, and slow movement, amphibians and reptiles are particularly prone to roadkill. While standardized roadkill surveys provide valuable data for regional roadkill trends, such surveys are often resource-intensive and have limited geographic coverage. Herein, we analyzed a roadkill dataset of the Korean herpetofauna derived from the citizen science database iNaturalist and compared the overall roadkill trends detected in the iNaturalist data with standardized survey-based literature data. Our results show that the overall citizen science data provide a good picture of roadkill trends for the Korean herpetofauna in terms of recorded species. We detected both similarities and notable differences between the iNaturalist and literature data. The most notable differences between the two datasets were found in the number of recorded species, distribution across habitat types, and distribution across elevational ranges. Even with spatially biased sampling, the iNaturalist data had a considerably broader geographic coverage compared to standardized surveys. In addition, we related the presence of roadkills of amphibians and reptiles to the presence of agricultural lands, forests, and grassland. While the unstandardized nature of the citizen science data can be criticized, we argue that this feature also acts as an advantage for this type of data, as citizen science can better detect roadkills of rare species or seasonal events, such as mass migration of amphibians, and inform population trends and threats. Thus, our results highlight the importance of spatially biased and unstandardized citizen science data for roadkill detection. This study builds on previous studies demonstrating citizen science as a viable method of roadkill surveys.

Objectives : Photovoltaic power generation which significantly depends on meteorological conditions is intermittent and unstable. Therefore, accurate forecasting of photovoltaic power generation is a challenging task. In this research, random forest (RF), recurrent neural network (RNN), long short term memory (LSTM), and gated recurrent unit (GRU) are proposed and we will find an efficient model for forecasting photovoltaic power generation of photovoltaic power plants. Methods : We used photovoltaic power generation data from photovoltaic power plants at Gamcheonhang-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, and meteorological data from Busan Regional Meteorological Administration. We used solar irradiance, temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, duration of sunshine, and cloud amount as input variables. By applying the trial and error method, we optimized hyperparameters such as estimators in RF, and number of hidden layers, number of nodes, epochs, and validation split in RNN, LSTM, and GRU. We compared proposed models by evaluation indexes such as coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE). Results and Discussion : The best RF at 1,000 of number of decision tree achieved test R2=0.865, test RMSE=16.013, and test MAE=9.656. The best choice of RNN was 6 hidden layers and the number of nodes in each layer was 90. We set the epochs at 450. RNN achieved test R2=0.942, test RMSE=10.530, and test MAE=6.390. To find the best result of LSTM, we used 3 hidden layers, and the number of nodes was 600. The epochs were set to 200. LSTM achieved test R2=0.944, test RMSE=10.29, and test MAE=6.360. GRU was set to 3 hidden layer and the number of nodes was 450. The epochs were set to 500. GRU achieved test R2=0.945, test RMSE=10.189, and test MAE=5.968. Conclusions : We found RNN, LSTM, and GRU performed better than RF, and GRU model showed the best performance. Therefore, GRU is the most efficient model to predict photovoltaic power generation in Busan, Korea.

Abstract Human Nbs1, a component of the MRN complex involved in DNA double strand break repair, contains a concatenated N-terminal FHA-BRCT1/2 sequence that supports interaction with multiple phosphopeptide binding partners. MDC1 binding localizes Nbs1 to the damage site, while binding of CDK-phosphorylated CtIP activates additional ATM-dependent CtIP phosphorylation, modulating substrate-dependent resection. We have investigated the phosphopeptide binding characteristics of Nbs1 BRCT1/2 based on a molecular modeling approach that revealed structural homology with the tandem TopBP1 BRCT7/8 domains. Relevance of the model was substantiated by the ability of TopBP1-binding FANCJ phosphopeptide to interact with hsNbsBRCT1/2, albeit with lower affinity. The modeled BRCT1/2 is characterized by low pSer/pThr selectivity, preference for a cationic residue at the + 2 position, and an inter-domain binding cleft selective for hydrophobic residues at the + 3/ + 4 positions. These features provide insight into the basis for interaction of SDT motifs with the BRCT1/2 domains and allowed identification of CtIP pSer347- and pThr847-containing phosphopeptides as high and lower affinity ligands, respectively. Among other binding partners considered, rodent XRCC1 contains an SDT sequence in the second linker consistent with high-affinity Nbs1 binding, while human XRCC1 lacks this motif, but contains other phosphorylated sequences that exhibit low-affinity binding.

Abstract Although post‐synthetic anion exchange allows halide perovskite quantum dots to easily change the optical bandgap of materials, additional exchange of shorter ligands is required to use them as active materials in optoelectronic devices. In this study, a novel all‐in‐one process exchanging ligands and halide anions in film‐state for facile color tuning and patterning of cesium lead halide perovskite colloidal quantum dot (PeQD) light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) is proposed. The proposed all‐in‐one process significantly enhances the performances of PeQD LEDs by passivating the PeQD with shorter ligands. In addition, the all‐in‐one process is repeated more stably in the film state. Red, green, and blue LEDs with extremely narrow emission spectra using cesium lead bromide PeQDs and appropriate butylammonium halide solutions are fabricated. Furthermore, the proposed all‐in‐one process in film‐state facilitated rapid color change in localized areas, thereby aiding in realizing fine patterns of narrow widths (300 µm) using simple contact masks. Consequently, various paint‐over red/green/blue patterns in PeQD LEDs by applying halide solutions additively are fabricated.

Since 2003, when the European Union (E.U.) announced the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), multiple efforts have been made to replace lead zirconate titanate (PZT) based piezoelectric materials. However, despite these efforts, very few PZT alternatives have been found. The Lithium niobate (LN) is one such lead-free piezoelectric material often used in acoustic applications due to its high signal generation efficiency, high curie temperature, and high mechanical Q factor. However, LN is not suitable for miniaturized applications because of its low dielectric constant and high electrical impedance. In this paper, we aim to address the problem of the low-dielectric constant of LN while avoiding hazardous PZT material. We propose to utilize 1–3 composites structure with LN and barium titanate (BT), which has a high dielectric constant while controlling acoustic properties such as density, dielectric constant, sound velocity. We also developed new LN-BT modeling to design piezoelectric composite with interdigital pair bonding (IPB) technique, based on previous PZT-polymer 1–3 composite modeling. We verified that the composite components are lead-free by examining with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This proposed lead-free composite with high-dielectric and lower electrical impedance is better suited for miniaturized applications.

An emerging neurostimulation therapy utilizes electroceuticals to treat numerous neurological disorders. With the aim to discover novel clinical applications of neural stimulation, device miniaturization has been a key challenge for successful clinical translation of implantable stimulators. The battery size has been a limiting factor in further miniaturization, so wireless power transfer without the use of an implanted battery has gained interest. Among various power transfer techniques, acoustic power transfer (APT) provides substantial benefits for powering implantable devices due to its proven safety and efficiency for human body penetration. In this study, we proposed an APT-based neurostimulator with an integrated self-focused 3.6 MHz acoustic transducer and a receiver circuit composed of a power management module and pulse generator. The size of the entire device was 8 mm $\times$ 8 mm $\times8.6$ mm, which is small enough to be implanted with a small incision. A focused beam generated by an external transmitter was received by another focused beam from a receiver transducer, and this optimized pair of transducers with a receiver circuit generated 1.5 V, 1.3 ms pulse trains, which successfully transmitted stimulation pulses. We adopted a 1–3 composite with a piezolayer to implement a curved aperture, which enabled less-attenuated, focused, and matched beams for maximization of power transfer efficiency. We evaluated APT performance through rigorous bench-top and phantom tests and demonstrated the feasibility of stimulation through an in vivo experiment of sciatic nerve stimulation using a rat model.

The minimum bronchial cuff volume (BCVmin) of a double-lumen tube (DLT) without air leaks during lung isolation may vary among individuals, and lateral positioning could increase the bronchial cuff pressure (BCP). We investigated the effect of initially established BCVmin (BCVi) on the change in BCP by lateral positioning. Seventy patients who underwent elective lung surgery were recruited and divided into two groups according to the BCVi obtained during anesthetic induction in each patient. Outcome analysis was conducted using data from 39 patients with a BCVi greater than 0 (BCVi > 0 group) and 27 with a BCVi of 0 (BCVi = 0 group). The primary outcome was a change in the value measured in the supine and lateral positions of the initially established BCP (BCPi; BCP at the time of BCVi injection), which was significantly larger in the BCVi > 0 group than in the BCVi = 0 group (1.5 (0.5–6.0) cmH2O vs. 0.0 (0.0–1.0) cmH2O; p < 0.001). BCVi was related to the left main bronchus (LMB) diameter (Spearman’s rho = 0.676, p < 0.001) and the gap between the LMB diameter and the outer diameter of the bronchial cuff (Spearman’s rho = 0.553, p < 0.001). Therefore, selecting a DLT size with a bronchial cuff that fits each patient’s LMB may be useful in minimizing the change in BCP when performing lateral positioning during thoracic surgery. If the bronchial cuff requires unavoidable initial inflation, it is necessary to be aware that BCP may increase during lateral positioning and to monitor the BCP regularly if possible.

Objectives: In Korea, the National Immunization Program provided trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV3) to all children aged 6–59 months during the 2017–2018 season. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of IIV3 in children during the 2017–2018 season. Methods: Children aged 6–59 months who were tested for influenza for their acute respiratory illness in four hospitals during the 2017–2018 influenza season were included. We estimated the VE of IIV3 by test-negative case-control design based on the rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results. Results: A total of 4738 children were included in this study. The number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases was 845 (17.8%), and there were 478 cases of influenza A and 362 cases of influenza B. The adjusted VE based on RT-PCR was 53.4% (95% CI, 25.3–70.5) against any influenza, 68.8% (95% CI, 38.7–84.1) against influenza A, and 29.7% (95% CI, −35.1 to 61.8) for influenza B. The adjusted VE based on RIDT was 14.8% (95% CI, −4.4 to 30.0) against any influenza, 24.2% (95% CI, 3.1–40.2) against influenza A, and −5.1% (95% CI, −42.6 to 21.4) against influenza B. Age-specific VE based on RT-PCR against any influenza was 44.1% (95% CI, −0.2 to 67.8) in children aged 6 months to 2 years and 59.3% (95% CI, 8.8–81.9) in children aged 3–

Wear failures in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) compartments are known to limit the life of a joint implant. In this study, we applied atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to produce wear-resistant zinc oxide (ZnO) films to improve mechanical and wear characteristics on the surface of UHMWPE. Organic material layers in molecular units were mixed with ALD ZnO films to minimize surface cracks through a molecular layer deposition (MLD) technique. We aimed to examine (1) the effect of organic layers on minimizing surface cracks and (2) the mechanical properties of ZnO and inorganic/organic hybrid films. We prepared UHMWPE samples with pure ZnO and five different hybrid films with ZnO to organic layer ratios of 1 : 1, 2 : 1, 3 : 1, 4 : 1, and 5 : 1. Surface cracks were observed by using a field-emission scanning electron microscope. Hardness and elastic modulus of an ALD-coated UHMWPE were measured by nano-indentation examinations. Severe cracks were found in the samples with pure ZnO films. However, no cracks were found in the samples with all hybrid films except the samples with a ZnO to organic layer ratio of 5 : 1. The hardness and elastic modulus of the samples with pure ZnO and hybrid films significantly increased compared to those of the native UHMWPE. The hardness to elastic modulus ratios, indicating the wear resistance, increased over 50% for all films compared to the values of native UHMWPE. These results suggested that ALD ceramic coatings with organic layers may become a potential solution for realizing a wear-resistant protection coating for the polymer compartment of joint prostheses.

Abstract To achieve a high solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency, delicate strategies toward high photocurrent together with sufficient onset potential should be developed. Herein, an SnS semiconductor is reported as a high‐performance photocathode. Use of proper sulfur precursor having weak dipole moment allows to obtain high‐quality dense SnS nanoplates with enlarged favorable crystallographic facet, while suppressing inevitable anisotropic growth. Furthermore, the introducing Ga2O3 layer between SnS and TiO2 in SnS photocathodes efficiently improves the charge transport kinetics without charge trapping. The SnS photocathode reveals the highest photocurrent density of 28 mA cm−2 at 0 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Overall solar water splitting is demonstrated for the first time by combining the optimized SnS photocathode with a Mo:BiVO4 photoanode, achieving a STH efficiency of 1.7% and long‐term stability of 24 h. High performance and low‐cost SnS photocathode represent a promising new material in the field of photoelectrochemical solar water splitting.

Dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH) technique, the most popular streaming method, requires a large number of hard disk drives (HDDs) to store multiple bitrate versions of many videos, consuming significant energy. A solid-state drive (SSD) can be used to cache popular videos, thus reducing HDD energy consumption by allowing I/O requests to be handled by an SSD, but this requires effective HDD power management due to limited SSD bandwidth. We propose a new SSD cache management scheme to minimize the energy consumption of a video storage system with heterogeneous HDDs. We first present a technique that caches files with the aim of saving more HDD energy as a result of I/O processing on an SSD. Based on this, we propose a new HDD power management algorithm with the goal of increasing the number of HDDs operated in low-power mode while reflecting the heterogeneous HDD power characteristics. For this purpose, it assigns a separate parameter value to each I/O task based on the ratio of HDD energy to bandwidth and greedily selects the I/O tasks handled by the SSD within limits on its bandwidth. Simulation results show that our scheme consumes between 12% and 25% less power than alternative schemes under the same HDD configuration.

Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo are monitoring the sky and collecting gravitational-wave strain data with sufficient sensitivity to detect signals routinely. In this paper we describe the data recorded by these instruments during their first and second observing runs. The main data products are gravitational-wave strain time series sampled at 16384 Hz. The datasets that include this strain measurement can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at http://gw-openscience.org, together with data-quality information essential for the analysis of LIGO and Virgo data, documentation, tutorials, and supporting software.

Pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) are based on the algorithm that generates a sequence of numbers arranged randomly. Recently, random numbers have been generated through a reinforcement learning mechanism. This method generates random numbers based on reinforcement learning characteristics that select the optimal behavior considering every possible status up to the point of episode closing to secure the randomness of such random numbers. The LSTM method is used for the long-term memory of previous patterns and selection of new patterns in consideration of such previous patterns. In addition, feature vectors extracted from the LSTM are accumulated, and their images are generated to overcome the limitation of LSTM long-term memory. From these generated images, features are extracted using CNN. This dynamical pseudo-random number generator secures the randomness of random numbers.

With the increase in meals eaten outside the home, sodium reduction in restaurant foods is essential for reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the stages of behavioral change for reducing sodium and the differences in perceptions among restaurant staff by stage. Restaurant owners and cooks (n = 313) in Seongnam, South Korea were surveyed on their stage of behavioral change, practices, and perceptive factors related to sodium reduction in restaurant meals using a questionnaire. The proportion of behavioral change by stage was 20.4% in the maintenance and action (MA) stage, 32.3% in the preparation (P) stage, and 47.3% in the pre-preparation (PP) stage, which included contemplation and pre-contemplation stages. The items that represent differences among the groups were recognition of social environment for sodium reduction, practice of weighing condiments and measuring salinity, and feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for practice and perceptive factors by using stage of behavioral change as the independent variable. Factors associated with being in the MA stage were weighing condiments, measuring salinity, and high feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Recognition of sodium labeling and anticipation of better taste by reducing sodium increased the odds of being in the P stage rather than the PP stage. These results suggest that customized stepwise education and support are needed for the efficacy of restaurant-based sodium reduction programs.

Chronic allergic inflammatory skin disease—atopic dermatitis (AD)—is characterized by eczema, pruritus, xeroderma, and lichenification. Psychological stress is one cause of this disease; however, psychological stress will also result from the presence of AD symptoms. Previous studies have shown that psychological stress triggers neuroinflammation in the brain, where microRNAs (miRNAs) in the neuronal exosomes (nEVs) were analyzed to identify the composition of the miRNAs in the nEVs and how they were altered by AD. In this study, the AD model was induced by treatment with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). The expression patterns of neuroinflammation markers, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, cyclooxygenase-2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein, were subsequently evaluated over time. Among these groups, there was a significant difference in DNCB 14 days expression compared with the control; therefore, nEVs were isolated from serum and next-generation sequencing was performed. The results demonstrate that 9 miRNAs were upregulated and 16 were downregulated in the DNCB 14 days compared with the control. Previous studies have shown that some of these miRNAs are associated with stress and stress-induced depression, which suggests that the miRNAs in nEVs may also be stress-related biomarkers.

Abstract Background Febrile seizures are the most common form of childhood seizures. Fever generation involves many cytokines, including both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Some of these cytokines also induce febrile seizures. We compared cytokine production in children with a fever alone (healthy control group) and febrile seizure children group. Also, we evaluated the cytokine level of children with a fever alone and febrile seizure history. Methods Fifty febrile seizure patients and 39 normal control patients who visited the emergency department of Konkuk University Hospital from December 2015 to December 2016 were included in this study. Blood was taken from the peripheral vessels of children in all groups within 1 h of the seizure, and serum was obtained immediately. Serum samples from patients with only a fever and a febrile seizure history (N = 13) and afebrile seizure controls (N = 12) were also analyzed. Results The serum IL-10 and IL-1Ra levels were significantly higher in the febrile seizure patients than in the fever-only control, fever only with a febrile seizure history, and afebrile seizure groups (p

Stress is the physical and psychological tension felt by an individual while adapting to difficult situations. Stress is known to alter the expression of stress hormones and cause neuroinflammation in the brain. In this study, miRNAs in serum-derived neuronal exosomes (nEVs) were analyzed to determine whether differentially expressed miRNAs could be used as biomarkers of acute stress. Specifically, acute severe stress was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats via electric foot-shock treatment. In this acute severe-stress model, time-dependent changes in the expression levels of stress hormones and neuroinflammation-related markers were analyzed. In addition, nEVs were isolated from the serum of control mice and stressed mice at various time points to determine when brain damage was most prominent; this was found to be 7 days after foot shock. Next-generation sequencing was performed to compare neuronal exosomal miRNA at day 7 with the neuronal exosomal miRNA of the control group. From this analysis, 13 upregulated and 11 downregulated miRNAs were detected. These results show that specific miRNAs are differentially expressed in nEVs from an acute severe-stress animal model. Thus, this study provides novel insights into potential stress-related biomarkers.

The growing importance of rice globally over the past three decades is evident in its strategic place in many countries’ food security planning policies. Still, its cultivation emits substantial greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Indica and Japonica sub-species of Oryza sativa L. are mainly grown, with Indica holding the largest market share. The awareness, economics, and acceptability of Japonica rice in a food-insecure Indica rice-consuming population were surveyed. The impact of parboiling on Japonica rice was studied and the factors which most impacted stickiness were investigated through sensory and statistical analyses. A comparison of the growing climate and greenhouse gas emissions of Japonica and Indica rice was carried out by reviewing previous studies. Survey results indicated that non-adhesiveness and pleasant aroma were the most preferred properties. Parboiling treatment altered Japonica rice’s physical and chemical properties, introducing gelatinization of starch and reducing adhesiveness while retaining micronutrient concentrations. Regions with high food insecurity and high consumption of Indica rice were found to have suitable climatic conditions for growing Japonica rice. Adopting the higher-yielding, nutritious Japonica rice whose cultivation emits less GHG in these regions could help strengthen food security while reducing GHGs in global rice cultivation.

Using data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2009 Cohort, this study investigated the school readiness trajectories of 2,908 Head Start children from Head Start to kindergarten. Multilevel growth curve models examined differences by immigrant-origin status and the moderating role of enriching experiences. Research Findings: Immigrant-origin children demonstrated lower language and math skills at Head Start entry. However, the differences narrowed over time by accelerated gains in skills. Also, moderation analyses suggested that higher levels of enriching experiences, including community-based activities and family history/ethnic heritage talk, could potentially contribute to the school readiness of immigrant-origin children. Practice or Policy: Findings underscore that family resources may have implications for alleviating unequal opportunities and outcomes for immigrant-origin children, in particular.

When PFCs have castellated structure, co-deposition of fuel inside gaps between castellated blocks is an important issue. Four different shapes of castellated tungsten blocks were fabricated to study corresponding issues in KSTAR: Conventional “basic” rectangular shape, single chamfer leading edge, double-chamfer and rounded edge, with two different poloidal gap distances of 0.5mm and 1.0mm. These tungsten blocks were exposed plasma of L- and H-mode discharges during a whole campaign in 2014. The blocks were taken out from the vacuum vessel after the campaign. Gap deposition was analyzed by Electron Probe X-ray Micro Analyzer (EPMA) to obtain carbon surface density (atoms/cm2), and by Raman spectroscopy to identify chemical bonding structure of carbon deposits in gaps. The carbon surface density in toroidal and poloidal gaps was in a range from 0.5 × 1015 atom/cm2 up to 6.7 × 1015 atom/cm2. At the gap entrance, contribution of ions is 6.0–6.7 × 1015 atom/cm2, decreased down to 1.0 × 1015 atom/cm2 at a depth of 0.5mm, and remains constant afterwards. The contribution of charge exchange neutral is about 3.0 × 1015atom/cm2 at the gap entrance, and then gradually decreases as a function of distance from the entrance. Deposition in 1.0mm wide gaps show much larger deposition patterns and that particles have reached much deeper inside the gap. Raman spectra show that the intensity ratio I(D)/I(G) decreases from top to the depth of 5mm indicating the increase of hydrogen contents. Keywords: Plasma-facing components, Tungsten, Castellation, Gap geometry, Deposition, Retention

Road-kills negatively impact wildlife populations, especially those that are threatened or small in size. The increase of linear structures such as roads or railways causes road-kills. Understanding and knowing where and when road-kill probability is high is important to prevent collisions. The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilrura) is listed on CITES Appendix Ⅱ and is considered as endangered in the Republic of Korea. We used 141 P. b. euptilura road-kill events occurring from 2006 to 2012 in the Republic of Korea with the same number of randomly generated points for spatial analyses. Further, 239 events were used for temporal analyses. Spatial analyses and graph modeling were conducted using geographic information system (GIS) and Graphab software. In landscape analyses, P. b. euptilura road-kills were concentrated around agricultural lands and forest, and less frequent near developed areas. The result of the traffic patterns analyses showed that traffic volume, the number of lanes, and distance from ramps were significantly different between the road-kill points and the random points. The road-kill frequency was significantly different by season, and there were two peaks in winter and fall reflecting the seasonal behavior of P. b. euptilura. Among the 14 candidate models, the best model with the lowest Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) included five factors: traffic volume, distance from ramps, elevation, patch connectivity index, and distance from water. This study shows that P. b. euptilura road-kills are not randomly distributed, but rather are related to adjacent landscape, traffic patterns, and season. This study can contribute to minimizing future collisions and lead to conservation of the endangered populations through application to road-kill management policy. Keywords: Conservation, Endangered species, Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura, Prediction modeling, Road-kills, Management policy