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Objective: This clinical study describes the effect of Korean medicine on a post-traumatic hydrocephalus patient complaining of gait disturbance and dementia.Case presentation: A post-traumatic hydrocephalus patient complaining of gait disturbance and dementia was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. Clinical symptoms were measured with the Korean Mini Mental Status Exam (K-MMSE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). After treatment, the patient showed improved K-MMSE, FIM, and MBI scores.Conclusion: This clinical case study provides evidence of the effect of Korean medicine on a post-traumatic hydrocephalus patient complaining of gait disturbance and dementia.

The purpose of this study is to report a rare case of bilateral facial palsy after endoscopy and the effects of a series of traditional Korean medicine treatments applied to the patient. The patient was treated with Western oral medications for seven days and then with traditional Korean medicine consisting of acupuncture, moxa, and herbal medicine (Dodamgeopung-san-gami and Yukgungeopung-san-gami) for two months. Treatment progress was measured using the House-Brackmann grading system and Yanagihara’s unweighted grading scale. We were able to notice some improvements in the patient’s symptoms: the House-Brackmann scale went from 5/4 to 2/1, and the Yanagihara scale from 13/16 to 38/40. This study thus reports that traditional Korean medicine treatments can be applied to bilateral facial palsy found in rare cases and still be effective.

Large-area single-crystal monolayers of two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene1-3, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)4-6 and transition metal dichalcogenides7,8 have been grown. hBN is considered to be the 'ideal' dielectric for 2D-materials-based field-effect transistors (FETs), offering the potential for extending Moore's law9,10. Although hBN thicker than a monolayer is more desirable as substrate for 2D semiconductors11,12, highly uniform and single-crystal multilayer hBN growth has yet to be demonstrated. Here we report the epitaxial growth of wafer-scale single-crystal trilayer hBN by a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method. Uniformly aligned hBN islands are found to grow on single-crystal Ni (111) at early stage and finally to coalesce into a single-crystal film. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show that a Ni23B6 interlayer is formed (during cooling) between the single-crystal hBN film and Ni substrate by boron dissolution in Ni. There are epitaxial relationships between hBN and Ni23B6 and between Ni23B6 and Ni. We also find that the hBN film acts as a protective layer that remains intact during catalytic evolution of hydrogen, suggesting continuous single-crystal hBN. This hBN transferred onto the SiO2 (300 nm)/Si wafer acts as a dielectric layer to reduce electron doping from the SiO2 substrate in MoS2 FETs. Our results demonstrate high-quality single-crystal multilayered hBN over large areas, which should open up new pathways for making it a ubiquitous substrate for 2D semiconductors.

Objective: This clinical study describes the effect of Korean medicine on a patient with Delayed Neuropsychiatric Sequelae after Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.Case presentation: A patient with the delayed neuropsychiatric effects of carbon monoxide exposure was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. Clinical symptoms were measured with the Korean Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). After 32 days of treatment, the patient’s K-MMSE score increased from 11 to 21 points, the FIM score from 52 to 94 points, and the MBI score from 46 to 84 points. There were no side effects.Conclusion: According to this case study, Korean medicine may be considered an effective treatment for delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae, although more studies are needed to confirm its validity.

As the utilization of DC systems increases worldwide, the importance of DC cutoff technology is increasing. We proposed a hybrid DC cutoff technology combining an SFCL (superconducting fault-current-limiter) and a mechanical DC circuit breaker. This model can perform a fault-current-limiting operation through the quenching of the SFCL and a breaking operation through an artificial cutoff zero point of a mechanical DC circuit breaker. In particular, the SFCL is responsible for the growth of the initial fault current according to the DC characteristics. As the DC system’s supply and demand increase, the DC system’s capacity also increases. Therefore, the fault-current-limiting capability of the SFCL should be increased according to the increasing DC system breaking capacity. The fault-current-limiting capability can be increased by increasing the superconducting wires used in the SFCL. Current commercially available SFCLs use bifilar-helical-type and bifilar-spiral-type winding methods. These have the disadvantage of increased volume with increased capacity. To compensate for these disadvantages, we proposed a bifilar-meander-type winding method. In this paper, a new bifilar-meander-type winding method was introduced. In addition, the structural and electromagnetic parts of the existing winding method and the bifilar-meander-type winding method were compared and analyzed for differences. The program used for this analysis is the electromagnetic analysis Maxwell program. As a result, it was confirmed that the bifilar-meander-type winding method is superior to the conventional bifilar-helical and bifilar-spiral types.

Objective: This study aimed to report a case of alcoholic liver disease with jaundice that was improved with Korean medicine treatment.Methods: A patient who developed jaundice due to continuous drinking was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. Blood tests were performed to measure the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), total bilirubin, albumin, and total protein; AST/ALT ratio; and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Jaundice parameters were subjectively recorded at 3-day intervals.Results: After treatment, the AST, ALT, ALP, γ-GTP, and total bilirubin levels; MCV; and jaundice were decreased.Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment appeared to be an effective method for alcoholic liver disease with jaundice.

Background The protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) has been suggested to be related to the inhibition of the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a novel diarylcyclohexanone derivative, MHY4571, in regulating the PKA-CREB pathway and to study its anti-tumor role in squamous NSCLC. Methods We designed MHY4571 as a novel PKA inhibitor with acceptable in silico ADME properties and tested it in vitro in lung cancer cell lines and in vivo in xenograft and orthotopic mouse models of squamous cell lung carcinoma. Results MHY4571 inhibited PKA activity (> 70% inhibition) and suppressed the expression of p-PKA and p-CREB dose-dependently. MHY4571 treatment reduced lung cancer cell viability and promoted caspase 3-dependent apoptotic cell death. Orally administered MHY4571 significantly suppressed lung tumor growth in xenograft and orthotopic mouse models. PKA catalytic subunit alpha-silencing by siRNA (siPKA) strongly attenuated CREB phosphorylation; siCREB did not alter PKA protein levels or its phosphorylation, suggesting that PKA is an upstream regulator of CREB activity. MHY4571 acted synergistically with cisplatin (on co-treatment) to induce apoptotic cell death in lung cancer cells. Conclusions Our results imply that MHY4571 may be a potential drug candidate for squamous cell lung cancer treatment.

Nowadays, quadcopters are used widely in different applications, but their flight time is limited during operation. In this paper, a precision landing method based on a Kalman filter is proposed for an autonomous indoor persistent drone system that aims to increase the flight time of quadcopters. First, a local positioning system is used for tracking performance. Second, instead of using this local positioning system during the landing phase, a multi-ranger sensor is proposed to increase the accuracy of horizontal errors. Next, based on the relative position provided by the multi-ranger sensor, a Kalman filter technique is applied to estimate the relative velocity of the system, which is then applied to control the position of the quadcopter during the landing phase. Finally, a charging state machine law is proposed to charge the battery of three quadcopters sequentially. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed concept based on a multi-ranger sensor can enhance the accuracy of the landing phase in comparison with the conventional method.

Background: The evaluation of skyshine distribution, release of airborne radioactive nuclides, and soil activation and groundwater migration were required for radiological assessment of the impact on the environment surrounding In-Flight (IF)-system facility of the RAON (Rare isotope Accelerator complex for ON-line experiment) accelerator complex.Materials and Methods: Monte Carlo simulation by MCNPX code was used for evaluation of skyshine and activation analysis for air and soil. The concentration model was applied in the estimation of the groundwater migration of radionuclides in soil.Results and Discussion: The skyshine dose rates at 1 km from the facility were evaluated as 1.62 × 10-3 μSv·hr-1. The annual releases of 3H and 14C were calculated as 9.62 × 10-5 mg and 1.19 × 10-1 mg, respectively. The concentrations of 3H and 22Na in drinking water were estimated as 1.22 × 10-1 Bq·cm-3 and 8.25 × 10-3 Bq·cm-3, respectively.Conclusion: Radiological assessment of environmental impact on the IF-facility of RAON was performed through evaluation of skyshine dose distribution, evaluation of annual emission of long-lived radionuclides in the air and estimation of soil activation and groundwater migration of radionuclides. As a result, much lower exposure than the limit value for the public, 1 mSv·yr-1, is expected during operation of the IF-facility.

Carotenoids are not naturally accumulated in the endosperms of rice, which is a cereal crop. In our previous study, biofortified rice seeds accumulated two red color carotenoids, ketocarotenoids including astaxanthin and ketoxanthophylls including capsanthin, via four-step pathway engineering. Their biosynthetic pathways require zeaxanthin as a common precursor and then bifurcated. In this study, cross-fertilization between two astaxanthin (BP and sBP) and two capsanthin (C and CB) rice plants were reciprocally performed to elucidate the rice seed system’s metabolic preference. Filial seeds showed different colors in red hues between mutually interbred lines as well as from parents. The strongest driving force for metabolism was caused by the sBP line for astaxanthin regardless of the parent side and proved to be the most efficacious customized synthetic gene for rice crops. It further resulted in the highest astaxanthin levels when paternal sBP mated with maternal CB line, which has the biggest capacity of total carotenoids. Also, reciprocal crosses between CB and BP lines ascertained their metabolically balanced gene efficacy by showing the pathway preference toward either ketoxanthophylls or ketocarotenoids depending on the paternal parental side. Our study suggests that gene efficacy plays the most decisive role in leading the metabolic path and revealed the unexpectedly paternal parent-of-origin effects in the endosperm. Consequently, we simultaneously biofortified rice crops with two functional red carotenoids and finally generated new red-colored rice varieties.

Ketocarotenoid–biofortified crops are required as natural additives with respect to their Rubi-like reddish color and strong antioxidative properties for foods and feeds. They can be an alternative means of microalgal and bacterial systems and do not depend on chemical synthesis, providing safe, sustainable, and processing-free platforms. To reach sufficient commercial demands, different metabolic engineering strategies have been used in diverse crop plants. In this study, we summarized the current achievements for de novo production of ketocarotenoids in major crops and described host crop-specific tactics to optimize the ketocarotenoid biosynthetic pathway, considering the following different levels and types of carotenoid being accumulated as precursors: lutein and zeaxanthin in maize seeds; lutein in rice seeds, canola seeds, soybean seeds, and tobacco flowers; zeaxanthin in potato tubers; β–carotene in carrot roots; and lycopene in tomato fruits. This study suggests prospects for the advanced performance of ketocarotenoid biofortification in crops in two crucial points: host crop cultivar and the elaborately designed genetic strategies. The latter includes an increase in the total carotenoid capacity by co-consideration to supply precursors and stabilizers, the prevention of metabolite loss in competing or catabolic pathways or both pathways, and the sensible choice of genes and genetic elements for optimal expression. Furthermore, progresses in synthetic biology and new biotechnology, such as genome editing, could accelerate the development of high-valued “Rubi Crops,” which satisfy the nutritional and functional needs of humans and animals.

Yes-associated protein (YAP)/WW domain-containing transcription factor (TAZ) is critical for cell proliferation, survival, and self-renewal. It has been shown to play a crucial oncogenic role in many different types of tumors. In this study, we investigated the antitumor effect of the extracts of Perilla frutescens var. acuta (Odash.) Kudo leaves (PLE) on Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling. PLE induced the phosphorylation of YAP/TAZ, thereby inhibiting their activity. In addition, the treatment suppresses YAP/TAZ transcriptional activity via the dissociation of the YAP/TAZ-TEAD complex. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of PLE in the regulation of YAP activity, we treated WT and cell lines with gene knockout (KO) for Hippo pathway components with PLE. The inhibitory effects of PLE on YAP-TEAD target genes were significantly attenuated in LATS1/2 KO cells. Moreover, we found the antitumor effect of PLE on MDA-MB-231 and BT549, both of which are triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. PLE reduced the viability of TNBC cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced cell apoptosis. Further, PLE inhibited the migration ability in MDA-MB-231 cells. This ability was weakened in YAP and TEAD-activated clones suggesting that the inhibition of migration by PLE is mainly achieved by regulating YAP activity. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that PLE suppressed cell growth and increased the apoptosis of breast cancer (BC) cells via inactivation of YAP activity in a LATS1/2-dependent manner.

We report the near-complete genome sequence of an avian orthoavulavirus 13 (AOAV-13) strain isolated from a wild goose fecal sample collected in South Korea in early 2020. The AOAV-13 sequence had a unique 3′ trailer region, including an 84-nucleotide (nt) deletion and a 24-nt insertion, compared to the most closely related Chinese genome sequence from 2015.

Methane monooxygenase (MMO) has attracted significant attention owing to its crucial role in the global carbon cycle; it impedes greenhouse effects by converting methane to methanol under ambient conditions. The water-soluble form of MMO (sMMO) has three essential components for the hydroxylation of methane: hydroxylase (MMOH), reductase (MMOR), and a regulatory (MMOB) component. MMOR consists of a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) binding domain and a ferredoxin domain containing the [2Fe–2S] cluster for electron transfer from NADH to the di-iron sites in MMOH, which exerts its catalytic activity through O2 activation. Herein, the electronic structures of two cofactors, the FAD radical and [2Fe–2S]+, of reduced MMOR from Methylosinus sporium strain 5 were investigated. The results of multi-frequency and multi-technique electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of chemically reduced MMOR indicated the presence of a neutral flavin radical, and its detailed electronic structure was supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The electronic and oxidation environments of [2Fe–2S]+ were further investigated using advanced EPR spectroscopy. Spectroscopic results confirmed that the oxidized state of FeIII is positioned near Cys50, which consists of a ferredoxin domain with a 2.7 A distance between iron atoms. Our EPR spectroscopic results may provide a paradigm to elucidate the distribution of electronic densities of multiple cofactors in the enzyme, thus understanding its functional role.

Flounders have been widely used as indicator species for monitoring the benthic environment of marine coastal regions owing to their habitat and feeding preferences in or on sandy sediments. Here, a single-step, sensitive, specific, and simple luciferase assay was developed, using the olive flounder cyp1a1 gene, for effective detection of CYP1A-inducing contaminants in coastal sediments. The developed cyp1a1-luciferase assay was highly sensitive to the widely used CYP1A inducers 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126). In the case of TCDD, significant dose-dependent increases in luciferase activity (0.3-300 ng/L) were detected. The assay was more sensitive to PCB 126 than to B[a]P. The assay also involved the highly sensitive expression of luciferase to extracted mixtures of PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) collected from coastal sediments. PCBs were more capable of cyp1a1 induction in the assay system at small doses than PAHs in environmental samples. Using the cyp1a1-luciferase assay along with water or sediment chemistry will certainly aid in diagnosing CYP1A-inducing contaminants in coastal environments.

This study investigated the removal of the organic dye like methylene blue using porous particles in a batch adsorption process. Porous silica microparticles were synthesized with macropores or meso-macropores and used as adsorbent particles. The hierarchically porous structures with additional mesopores were found to be more effective adsorbent than simple macroporous particles. The size of the macropores affected the adsorption capacity of the porous particles, and smaller pore size resulted in a larger amount of organic dye being adsorbed on the particle surface, due to increased surface area. Silica microparticles with wrinkled surfaces were also tested, and their adsorption capacities were studied in relation to their morphologies. Unlike previous studies using mesoporous silica as adsorbents, in this study the methylene blue adsorption kinetics could be explained by the second to fourth order reaction, implying that faster removal of dye molecules is possible compared to photocatalytic reactions, with first order kinetics. The higher order kinetics can be advantageous, providing a faster removal rate, compared to the conventional photocatalytic removal of dyes and other adsorbents.

A high-performance CMOS operational amplifier (op-amp) has been demonstrated with the low-temperature poly-Si oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The p-type TFT exhibits the maximum field-effect mobility of 80 cm2/V.s and subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.7 V/decade. The n-type amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (a-IGZO) TFT exhibits the SS of 0.3 V/decade and the mobility of 11.5 cm2/V.s. The op-amp consisting of 13 TFTs functions in two stages. It exhibits a high voltage gain of 50.7 dB, a cutoff frequency of 200 kHz, a unit gain frequency of 7 MHz, and a very high gain-bandwidth product of 68.5 MHz. The first LTPO CMOS op-amp with low-power consumption of 0.6 mW demonstrates the potentiality of this emerging technology.

We proposed a superconducting DC circuit breaker that can reliably cut off the fault currents in preparation for the DC system. It consists of a superconducting element and a mechanical DC circuit breaker. The mechanical DC circuit breaker is connected in parallel with a mechanical high-speed switch, an LC divergence oscillation circuit, and a surge arrester. This provides stable cutoff operation due to the fault-current-limiting operation of the superconducting element and the artificial current zero point of the mechanical DC circuit breaker. In this paper, the operating principle of the LC divergence oscillation circuit that creates an artificial current zero point was reviewed based on the theory. We used experimental data to model the time constant of the initial fault current, the arc model generated by the mechanical high-speed switch, and the experimental equipment. As a result, the LC divergence oscillation circuit was confirmed in the simulation, and simulation modeling was reviewed based on the theoretical principle of generation.

Background Garcinia subelliptica Merr. is a multipurpose coastal tree, the potential medicinal effects of which have been studied, including cancer suppression. Here, we present evidence that the ethanol extract of G. subelliptica Merr. (eGSM) induces autophagy in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods Two different human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, A549 and SNU2292, were treated with varying amounts of eGSM. Cytotoxicity elicited by eGSM was assessed by MTT assay and PARP degradation. Autophagy in A549 and SNU2292 was determined by western blotting for AMPK, mTOR, ULK1, and LC3. Genetic deletion of AMPKα in HEK293 cells was carried out by CRISPR. Results eGSM elicited cytotoxicity, but not apoptosis, in A549 and SNU2292 cells. eGSM increased LC3-II production in both A549 and, more extensively, SNU2292, suggesting that eGSM induces autophagy. In A549, eGSM activated AMPK, an essential autophagy activator, but not suppressed mTOR, an autophagy blocker, suggesting that eGSM induces autophagy by primarily activating the AMPK pathway in A549. By contrast, eGSM suppressed mTOR activity without activating AMPK in SNU2292, suggesting that eGSM induces autophagy by mainly suppressing mTOR in SNU2292. In HEK293 cells lacking AMPKα expression, eGSM increased LC3-II production, confirming that the autophagy induced by eGSM can occur without the AMPK pathway. Conclusion Our findings suggest that eGSM induces autophagy by activating AMPK or suppressing mTOR pathways, depending on cell types.