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The tracheid length (TL) in conifer species is a primary factor to determine quality of paper and wood products. However, TL in Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc., a dominant conifer species in Korea, has not been monitored systematically across the country yet. To this end, the TL of early- and latewoods of Korean red pine from 16 provinces of the Republic of Korea was measured and compared to verify the differences (1) between the monitoring years (2014–2018), (2) between early- and latewoods of the trees from the same provinces, and (3) between the early- and latewoods from different provinces. Analysis of 31,500 tracheids revealed that the variation of TL of early- and latewood from two and six out of 16 sites, respectively, were not statistically meaningful and the TL of latewood displayed a lower annual variation than that of the earlywood during the monitoring years. The TL of the latewood was longer than that of the earlywood; however, four out of 16 sites showed shorter TL for the latewood. So, it was verified that the relationship between the TL of the early- and latewood can change. Moreover, the TL was longer for the trees located in the southeast regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report our findings on 4-carbazole (CBZ)-appended salen-based indium complexes, CBZIn1 and CBZIn2, which feature diimine bridges exhibiting different electron-accepting properties. Notably, CBZIn2 exhibited a significantly higher photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQY, ΦPL) in toluene than CBZIn1, with a value over 15 times greater (ΦPL = 57.7% for CBZIn2; ΦPL = 3.7% for CBZIn1). In particular, in the rigid state of THF at 77 K, CBZIn2 exhibited a near-unity PLQY of 98.2%. Even in the PMMA film, CBZIn2 maintained a high level of PLQY (ΦPL = 70.2%). These results can be attributed to the highly efficient radiative decay process based on intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) transition between the moderately twisted CBZ, characterized by its conformational rigidity and the 1,2-dicyanoethylene-bridged salen, which exhibits a strong electron-accepting ability. Furthermore, these findings are supported by theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pivot Mandu is an innovative device featuring a leak-tight adjustable 3D balloon spacer, incorporating inner mesh support, an outer e-PTFE layer, and a compliant balloon in the middle layer with a specialized detachable system. To assess its feasibility, proof of concept was rigorously evaluated through bench testing and survival porcine animal experiments. The results demonstrated successful remote inflation of the balloon system, with the balloon spacer exhibiting sustained patent and functional integrity over an extended observation period of up to 6 months. A noteworthy feature of the newly designed 3D balloon spacer is its capability for easy size adjustment during procedures, enhancing its adaptability and practicality in clinical settings. This three-layered 3D balloon spacer, with its established long-term patency, exhibits highly encouraging outcomes that hold promise in overcoming the current limitations of spacer devices for heart valve diseases. Given the compelling results from preclinical investigations, the translation of the Pivot Mandu into human trials is strongly warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the electrochemical detection of single nanosized water emulsion droplets in organic solution using the electrochemical collision technique on an ultramicroelectrode (UME). In this experiment, the detection system for water droplets does not require any kind of redox species in organic solvent. Only water molecules in the water droplets were considered. When water droplets collided with the UME surface, anodic current spikes were observed in the chronoamperometry, resulting from the electrolysis of water molecules in the water droplets. From the collision frequency and integrated current spike, concentrations and size distributions of water droplets in organic solvent can be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]