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Background : The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has led to a significant health burden. Technological advancements have highlighted the benefits of digital therapeutics for chronic diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a mobile application on weight reduction in patients with T2DM. Methods : A total of 48 patients with T2DM was included in this single-center, randomized, controlled trial. In addition to conventional treatment, participants in the intervention group used a mobile application-based self-management system for diet, exercise, and medication adherence. The primary outcome of this study was weight change after 3 months of intervention, and secondary outcomes were metabolic parameters. Results : After 12 weeks, no significant differences in body weight change were observed between the intervention and control groups (P=0.229). However, a significant difference was found in waist circumference (WC) between the two groups, wherein the control group showed an increase in WC (from 95.00±8.89 cm to 95.76±9.72 cm), while the intervention group showed a reduction (from 91.93±6.25 cm to 90.75±6.01 cm) with a significant time by group interaction (P=0.016). Additionally, participants with good compliance exhibited a more evident reduction in WC (P=0.037). However, no significant differences were found in other metabolic parameters between the two groups. Conclusion : Lifestyle modification using short-term mobile applications effectively reduced WC, especially in patients with good adherence to the application. However, weight reduction was not achieved.

Background Sleep monitoring is essential to maintain a healthy life, especially for the elderly who want to age well. Among various forms of sleep devices, the non-wearable and home-adapted device might be preferred because it can be easily used. Objective In this study, we evaluated the performance of a non-contact home-adapted device compared to polysomnography (PSG), a gold standard method. Methods As a preliminary study, eight subjects were recorded over fourteen nights through PSG. The non-contact home-adapted device comprised a microwave sensor, passive infrared sensor, and smartphone application. Through the device, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body movement were collected and used to estimate sleep stages. Sleep structure was labeled in four classes: wake, REM, light, and deep sleep, and were classified using a weighted k-nearest neighbor algorithm. Results The device correctly estimated sleep structures with an overall epoch-by-epoch accuracy of 98.65% ± 0.05% based on leave-one-out cross-validation. The device showed significantly positive correlations with PSG in sleep indices including total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a good performance of this non-contact and home-adapted device and suggest its suitability for sleep monitoring.

Background Tinea capitis (TC) is a dermatophyte infection involving hair and scalp and occurs primarily in prepubertal children. However, data on adults are limited. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological, clinical and mycological characteristics of TC in adults in Korea. Patients/methods We retrospectively evaluated 82 adults (44.3%) among 185 TC patients at a tertiary hospital during June 2000-2017. Results Mean patient age was 66.9 ± 15.8 (20-90) years with female predominance; mean disease duration until mycological diagnosis, 22.5 (1-144) weeks; and misdiagnosis rate, 65.9%. Most common presumptive initial diagnoses were seborrhoeic dermatitis (24.4%) and bacterial folliculitis (18.3%). Chronic systemic illness and accompanying alopecia were found in 61 (74.4%) and 46 (56.1%) patients, respectively. Pustular type was found in 26.8% patients, followed by seborrhoeic dermatitis-like 25.6%, grey patch 23.2%, kerion celsi 22.0% and black dot 2.4%. Forty-eight patients (58.5%) had tinea infection at other skin areas. Microsporum canis (56.5%) and Trichophyton rubrum (21.7%) were the most common causative organisms; 92.7% patients achieved complete resolution, and seven patients (9.2%) had a recurrence. Conclusions We report the largest, most recent series of case studies of adult TC. Adult TC is not an uncommon problem, especially in elderly women, and has distinctive epidemiological and clinicomycological characteristics compared to those in prepubertal children. Recognising adult TC profile will help clinicians avoid misdiagnosis and provide appropriate treatment.

The optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level to prevent cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association of LDL-C levels with adverse cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in Korean CKD patients and determine the validity of "the lower, the better" strategy for statin intake.A total of 1886 patients from the KoreaN cohort study for Outcome in patients With CKD (KNOW-CKD) were included. Patients were classified into four LDL-C categories:70, 70-99, 100-129, and ≥130 mg/dL. The primary outcome was extended major adverse cardiovascular events (eMACEs). Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, and CKD progression. During the follow-up period, the primary outcome events occurred in 136 (7.2%) patients (16.9 per 1000 person-years). There was a graded association between LDL-C and the risk of eMACEs. The hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for LDL-C categories of 70-99, 100-129, and ≥130 mg/dL were 2.06 (1.14-3.73), 2.79 (1.18-6.58), and 4.10 (1.17-14.3), respectively, compared to LDL-C70 mg/dL. Time-varying analysis showed consistent findings. The predictive performance of LDL-C for eMACEs was affected by kidney function. Higher LDL-C levels were also associated with significantly higher risks of CKD progression. However, LDL-C level was not associated with all-cause mortality.This study showed a graded relationship between LDL-C and the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcome in CKD patients. The lowest risk was observed with LDL-C70 mg/dL, suggesting that a lower LDL-C target may be acceptable.

BACKGROUND Obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are worldwide epidemics that inflict burdens on both public health and health care costs. Self-management plays an important role in the proper management of these 3 chronic diseases, and in this context, mobile health (mHealth) can be a cost-effective self-management tool. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of an integrative mHealth approach for obesity, hypertension, and T2DM on body fat, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels and demonstrate the clinical outcomes. The participants were patients aged 40 to 70 years who were treated for T2DM (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] above 6.0%) without insulin or hypertension and obesity, controlled with pharmacotherapy. METHODS This pilot study was performed using a controlled, randomized, 3-month, 2-period crossover design. A total of 37 participants were recruited from 2 university hospitals in South Korea. Integrative mHealth comprised 4 parts: self-measuring home devices for monitoring blood glucose and blood pressure; 2 smartphone apps, where one gathered lifestyle data, giving them feedback with health information, and the other provided drug information and reminders of the medication schedule; unmanned kiosks for official measurement of blood pressure and body composition; and web-based access to participants’ health information. RESULTS Data from the 32 participants were analyzed. Their mean HbA1c level was 7.5% (SD 0.8, ranging from 6.1% to 9.4%). Approximately 38% (12/32) of the participants had hypertension. BMIs of all participants except 1 were >23 kg/m2. The input rates of food intake and exercise to the smartphone app were very low (24.9% and 5.3%, respectively). On the contrary, the input rate of medicine intake was high (84.0%). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the input rate of taking medicine irrespective of whether the mHealth period was before or after the conventional treatment period (80.3% and 87.3%, respectively; P=.06). Among the 3 input functions of food intake, exercise, and medicine intake in smartphone apps, the input of medicine intake was a more helpful, easier to use, and better-designed function than the others. There were no significant differences in changes in body weight (−0.519 kg vs 0 kg), BMI (−0.133 kg/m2 vs −0.167 kg/m2), body composition (body fat −0.255% vs 0.172%), blood pressure (systolic −0.226 mm Hg vs −2.839 mm Hg), and HbA1c (−0.269% vs –0.009%) between the integrative mHealth and conventional treatment groups. However, in proportion to the elevation in the input rate of taking medicine, body fat mass (P=.04) and HbA1c (P=.03) were lower in the integrative mHealth group. CONCLUSIONS Although smartphone apps can influence body fat and blood glucose levels, they have failed to show clinical improvement. A higher input rate of taking medicine was related to significantly lower body fat mass and HbA1c levels.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a community-based oral hygiene service on general and periodontal health indicators of patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus visiting a community health centre in Korea. The study used a one-group pretest-posttest and interrupted time-series design. A total of 151 participants (45% male), with a mean age of 63 ± 8.4 years, were included in the study; these included patients with hypertension (62%), diabetes (12%) and both hypertension and diabetes (26%). Two dental hygienists dedicated 2 days per week to this project, providing oral hygiene services to 10-13 participants per day. Four oral hygiene service sessions were provided per patient. The objective oral hygiene status and subjective self-reported periodontal status were compared before and after the service. The changes in blood pressure and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were also assessed. A lower frequency of subjective swelling was reported at the fourth session (37.9%) compared to the first (55.6%) session. Further, significantly fewer cases of calculus and bleeding were observed (p < .05), and significantly more patients reported having no gum problems at the fourth session (43.1% vs. 27.2%; p < .05) than at the first session. Finally, the participants maintained stable blood pressures at each of the four sessions, and their glycosylated haemoglobin levels were significantly lower at the fourth session. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that community oral hygiene services provided by dental hygienists can promote objective oral hygiene and subjective periodontal status in the local community, and may help in the control of hypertension and diabetes.

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a neoplasm derived from the adnexal epithelium of the sebaceous glands, and most studies on this neoplasm have been conducted in Caucasians. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 patients with SC (16 extraocular and 13 ocular lesions) who were diagnosed from 2001 to 2014 to analyze the clinical and histopathological features of SC in the Korean population. Sixteen of the patients were women and 13 were men. There was an equal sex distribution for extraocular lesions, and a female predilection (M:F = 1:1.6) for ocular lesions. The mean ages at presentation of extraocular and ocular lesions were 69.19 ± 37.19 (range, 32–87) and 67.46 ± 24.46 (range, 43–85) years, respectively. Most lesions occurred in the eyelid (13/29, 44.83%), and most extraocular lesions occurred in the head and neck area (13/16, 81.25%). There was no recurrence or death during the follow-up period. Most lesions were poorly differentiated (extraocular, 43.75%; ocular, 38.46%), had a lobular infiltrative growth pattern (extraocular, 68.75%; ocular, 76.92%), and were basaloid (extraocular, 56.25%; ocular, 61.54%). Only 5 cases (2 extraocular and 3 ocular lesions) showed pagetoid spread. Extraocular lesions were marginally more common than the ocular form. There were higher incidences in elderly patients, who also had the highest incidence of eyelid lesions. The proportion of cells with sebaceous differentiation and prominent growth patterns were variable. Our results show that SC may not be very aggressive in Koreans., Graphical Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous environmental organisms that are rare pathogens in immunocompetent individuals. However, cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacteria infections have been increasingly associated with invasive procedures, including surgery, liposuction, filler injection, intramuscular injection, mesotherapy, piercing, acupuncture, and cupping therapy. Herein, we report the first case of cutaneous nontuberculous mycobacteria infection caused by the East-Asian traditional treatment ‘Gua Sha’, also known as scraping, coining or spooning in English. A 35-year-old healthy female presented with widespread, painful skin nodules and pustules on her upper and lower extremities that had developed after Gua Sha treatment for body contouring. Histopathologic examination of the lesions revealed granulomatous inflammation in the dermis and the culture isolates were identified as Mycobacterium massiliense with molecular identification. The patient was successfully treated with intermittent incision and drainage of persistent nodules and oral clarithromycin based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We recommend implementation of a standard safety protocol for Gua Sha practitioners to minimize the risk of infection transmission.

N/F-doping and CaCO3 surface modification was carried out in TiO2 photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The combined effect of the N/F doped TiO2 and the CaCO3 coating showed a great increase of the short-circuit current (J(sc)), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the prepared cells; the efficiency (η) was improved from 7.00% of a commercial TiO2 photoelectrode to 7.90% of an uncoated N/F-doped electrode, and to 9.09% of a N/F-doped and CaCO3 surface modified electrode. An enhanced photoresponse in N/F-doped TiO2 nanoparticles generate more photo-excited electrons, as supported by measured UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra. A successive CaCO3 surface modification then forms a barrier on the surface of the N/F-doped TiO2 particles; the higher basicity of the CaCO3 modified TiO2 facilitates the dye adsorption, as supported by the direct measurement of the amount of adsorbed dye.

In this study, pure TiO2, N-doped TiO2, F-doped TiO2, and N/F-doped TiO2 particles were successfully synthesized through the hydrolysis of TiCl4 in the presence of ammonia water and NH4F, respectively. The introduction of doping materials did not affect the crystalline structure. No absorption peak for pure TiO2 was observed above the wavelength of 400 nm. However, the N-doped TiO2 and N/F-doped TiO2 powders exhibited a new absorption peak in the visible light region between 400 and 530 nm. The Jsc value of DSSCs based on the N/F-doped TiO2 electrode was increased by 10% compared to DSSCs using a pure TiO2 electrode, and the energy conversion efficiency was increased by 12%.

Pancreatic β-cells are critical in the regulation of glucose homeostasis by controlled secretion of insulin in mammals. Activation of protein kinase A by cAMP is shown to be responsible for enhancing this pathway, which is countered by phosphodiesterase (PDE) that converts cAMP to AMP and turns off the signal. Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) were also known to inhibit cAMP signaling, mostly by promoting inhibitory phosphorylation on CREB-regulated transcription coactivators. Here, we showed that SIK1 regulates insulin secretion in β-cells by modulating PDE4D and cAMP concentrations. Haploinsufficiency of SIK1 led to the improved glucose tolerance due to the increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Depletion of SIK1 promoted higher cAMP concentration and increased insulin secretion from primary islets, suggesting that SIK1 controls insulin secretion through the regulation of cAMP signaling. By using a consensus phosphorylation site of SIK1, we identified PDE4D as a new substrate for this kinase family. In vitro kinase assay as well as mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the predicted Ser136 and the adjacent Ser141 of PDE4D are critical in SIK1-mediated phosphorylation. We found that overexpression of either SIK1 or PDE4D in β-cells reduced insulin secretion, while inhibition of PDE4 activity by rolipram or knockdown of PDE4D restored it, showing indeed that SIK1-dependent phosphorylation of PDE4D is critical in reducing cAMP concentration and insulin secretion from β-cells. Taken together, we propose that SIK1 serves as a part of a self-regulatory circuit to modulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells by controlling cAMP concentration through modulation of PDE4D activity.

In this study, C-doped TiO2 particles were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Three binding energy peaks were observed at 284.6, 286.2, and 288.5 eV in the C is region of the XPS. The signals at 286.2 and 288.5 eV were attributed to chemically bound C-O and Ti-C-O linkages within the crystalline TiO2 lattice, respectively. The introduction of carbon did not affect the crystallite structure or BET surface area of TiO2. The JSC value of DSSCs based on a C-doped TiO2 electrode was increased by 20% compared to DSSCs using a pure TiO2 electrode, and the energy conversion efficiency was increased by 23%. This was due to the enhancement of dye adsorption and high electrical conductivity of the carbon. High energy conversion efficiency was achieved with the DSSCs based on the C-doped TiC2 electrode.

The influence of a mixed overlayer comprising titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ), which was coated on the surfaces of TiO 2 nanoporous photoelectrodes, on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was studied. The DSSCs with the TiO 2 :Nb 2 O 5 -coated photoelectrodes showed an increase in short-circuit current ( J sc ) and open-circuit voltage ( V oc ), resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 10.37% compared to 7.90% for the reference cell with a TiO 2 -coated photoelectrode. The increase in J sc was due to an improvement in the light harvesting and electron collection efficiency. The suppression of the charge recombination between the injected electrons and the I 3 − ions was found to increase the V oc value of the device with the TiO 2 :Nb 2 O 5 -coated photoelectrodes.

The purpose of this study was to identify the variables affecting parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. The selected variables were marital satisfaction, social support, and acculturation. The participants consisted of 105 mothers who had defected from North Korea with preschool children living in Seoul, Gwangmyeong-si, and Gyeongsangnam-do provinces. The data thus collected were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that the marital satisfaction and social support had meaningfully positive effects on the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. However, marginalization was found to be a predictor of competence-anxiety in parenting. The selected variables derived from the environmental systems in maternal parenting were significant factors in the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers and furthermore, their sociocultural environments were also important in parenting. These findings clearly showed that marital satisfaction and social support were the most significant variables of parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers. The results of this study appear to Korean J. of Child Studies Vol. 35, No. 4, 103-122, August 2014 DOI:dx.org/10.5723/KJCS.2014.35.4.103 www.childkorea.or.kr pISSN1226-1688 eISSN2234-408X 2 Korean J. of Child Studies Vol. 35, No. 4, 2014 104 have a great deal of utility as preliminary data to improve the parenting efficacy of North Korean refugee mothers.

A nanoporous TiO2 electrode was modified with magnesium salts (MSs), MgCO3 and Mg(CH3COO)2, by simple dip coating process at varied temperatures, and then applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). When the surface treatment was conducted at 40 °C, the DSSC with MS-modified TiO2 layer showed an increase in short circuit current (JSC) and open circuit voltage (VOC), resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 8.52%, compared to that (7.02%) of reference device with bare TiO2. The improved JSC value was attributed to the increased dye adsorption. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and dark current-voltage studies revealed that the VOC enhancement was caused by the suppression of charge recombination between injected electrons and I3(-) ions.

This study was carried out to characterize the ambient VOCs concentrations of industrial complex in Daegu city. VOCs concentrations of industrial complex area appeared to be higher than those in the non-industrial complex area as following order toluene > ethylbenzene > m,p-xylenes > o-xylene but benzene and chloroform were similar to each other sites. There was seasonal variation of VOCs concentrations in the industrial complex area, higher in summer and lower in winter. In particular the industrial complex area shows that higher on weekday than weekend and higher in the daytime than in the morning or nighttime because industrial complex area influenced by the chemicals. Correlation coefficients among VOCs were confirmed that VOCs of industrial complex area were more related to each other than those of non-industrial complex area and VOCs concentrations have shown generally negative correlation with wind speed. Key Words : Industrial Complex Area, Non-industrial Complex Area, VOCs, Chemicals

본 연구의 목적은 저소득가정 아동과 일반가정 아동간에 학교준비도가 차이가 있는지를 살펴보는 것이다. 특히 저소득가정 아동은 취약계층을 위한 교육지원사업인 드림스타트 참여 유무에 따라 학 교준비도에 차이가 나타나는지를 살펴보고자 하였다. 그리고 아동의 연령과 성별에 따라 학교준비 도에 차이가 나타나는지를 분석하였다. 연구대상은 만 4세, 만 5세 아동 184명을 대상으로 하여 학 교준비도를 조사하였다. 수집된 자료는 기술통계, t검증, 일원변량분석, 이원변량분석, Scheffe 검증 을 실시하여 분석하였다. 자료분석 결과, 학교준비도는 아동의 연령과 성별에 따른 상호작용효과가 나타났으며, 일반가정 아동의 학교준비도 수준이 저소득가정 아동보다 높게 나타났다. 그러나 저소 득가정 아동 중에서 드림스타트 참여유무에 따라서는 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 이와 같은 결과를 통해 경제적으로 어려움이 있는 가정의 취학 전 아동이 학교준비도를 잘 갖출 수 있도록 적극적인 관심과 지원의 중요성을 강조하였다.

A successive embedding of N-doping and CaCO3 surface modification was carried out in the TiO2 photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The combined effect was revealed with the great increase of the open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Jsc), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the prepared cells; the efficiency (η) was improved from 5.42% of a commercial TiO2 photoelectrode to 7.47% of an unmodified N-doped electrode, and to 9.03% of a N-doped and CaCO3 surface modified electrode. An enhanced photoresponse in N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles generate more photo-excited electrons in adsorbed dye, as supported by measured UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra and incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE). A successive CaCO3 surface modification then form a barrier on the surface of N-doped TiO2 particles, suppressing charge recombination of photo-generated electrons from N-doped TiO2 to dye or electrolyte, and thus extending their life time in the electrode, as supported by electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Furthermore, the higher basicity of the CaCO3 modified TiO2 facilitates the dye adsorption, as supported by the direct measurement of the amount of adsorbed dye.

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) are strongly associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic diseases. However, few studies have examined this association in Koreans. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the associations between PA and MetS risks in Korean adults. Methods: A total of 1,016 Korean adults (494 males and 522 females) participated in this study. PA levels were assessed using the International PA Questionnaire. MetS risk factors were determined using clinically established diagnostic criteria. Results: Compared with the highest PA group, the group with the lowest level of PA was at greater risk of high triglyceride (TG) in males (odds ratio [OR], 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 3.24) and of hemoglobin A1c ≥5.5% in females (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.00 to 3.04) after adjusting for age and body mass index. Compared with subjects who met the PA guidelines, those who did not meet the guidelines were more likely to have low high density lipoprotein cholesterol in both males (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.58), and females (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.77). Furthermore, those who did not meet the PA guidelines were at increased risk of high TG levels in males (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.86) and abnormal fasting glucose (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.17 to 3.20) and MetS (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.15 to 3.84) in females. Conclusion: Increased levels of PA are significantly associated with a decreased risk of abnormal MetS components.

Microglial cells are the prime effectors in immune and inflammatory responses of the central nervous system (CNS). During pathological conditions, the activation of these cells helps restore CNS homeostasis. However, chronic microglial activation endangers neuronal survival through the release of various proinflammatory molecules and neurotoxins. Thus, negative regulators of microglial activation have been considered as potential therapeutic candidates to target neurodegeneration, such as that in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Ligusticum wallichii Franch) has been widely used for the treatment of vascular diseases in traditional oriental medicine. Butylidenephthalide (BP), a major bioactive component from L. chuanxiong, has been reported to have a variety of pharmacological activities, including vasorelaxant, anti-anginal, anti-platelet and anti-cancer effects. The aim of this study was to examine whether BP represses microglial activation. In rat brain microglia, BP significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, BP clearly blocked the effect of LPS on hippocampal cell death and inhibited LPS-induced NO production in culture medium. These results newly suggest that BP provide neuroprotection by reducing the release of various proinflammatory molecules from activated microglia.

The influence of LiNO3incorporation onto TiO2electrodes on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was studied. LiNO3-incorporated TiO2electrodes were prepared by a dip coating process and the resulting electrodes were applied to DSSCs. Open circuit voltage (Voc ) of DSSC with a LiNO3-modified TiO2layer was averagely improved by over 24% compared to that of a reference device with bare TiO2. The conduction band edge shift of TiO2to a negative direction, arising from the formation of a surface dipole, accounted for the improvement in Voc .

We investigated effects of valeric acid (VA) as a co-adsorbate on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). When the introduction of VA onto TiO2surface was performed after dye (N719) adsorption, the DSSC with VA showed an increase in short-circuit current (Jsc ), open-circuit voltage (Voc ) and fill factor, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 7.27%, compared to that (6.20%) of reference device without VA. Incorporation of VA on free TiO2surface induced longer lifetime of electrons injected from excited dyes to conduction band of TiO2, leading to the increase of electron collection efficiency and the suppression of charge recombination between injected electrons and I3 −ions, and thus larger Jsc and Voc , respectively.

Double layer coating on TiO2surfaces was performed to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Nanoporous TiO2electrode was first treated with TiCl4followed by sintering, and then a dilute aqueous solution of Li2CO3was applied to doubly modify TiO2surface via a dip coating process. The DSSC with the doubly modified TiO2film showed a power conversion efficiency of 9.85%, enhanced from that (8.70%) of pristine TiO2-based device, due to an improvement in short circuit current and open circuit voltage.

KCNQ channels are critical determinants of neuronal excitability, thus emerging as a novel target of anti-epileptic drugs. To date, the mechanisms of KCNQ channel modulation have been mostly characterized to be inhibitory via Gq-coupled receptors, Ca2+/CaM, and protein kinase C. Here we demonstrate that methylation of KCNQ by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (Prmt1) positively regulates KCNQ channel activity, thereby preventing neuronal hyperexcitability. Prmt1+/- mice exhibit epileptic seizures. Methylation of KCNQ2 channels at 4 arginine residues by Prmt1 enhances PIP2 binding, and Prmt1 depletion lowers PIP2 affinity of KCNQ2 channels and thereby the channel activities. Consistently, exogenous PIP2 addition to Prmt1+/- neurons restores KCNQ currents and neuronal excitability to the WT level. Collectively, we propose that Prmt1-dependent facilitation of KCNQ-PIP2 interaction underlies the positive regulation of KCNQ activity by arginine methylation, which may serve as a key target for prevention of neuronal hyperexcitability and seizures. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17159.001, eLife digest In the brain, cells called neurons transmit information along their length in the form of electrical signals. To generate electrical signals, ions move into and out of neurons through ion channel proteins – such as the KCNQ channel – in the surface of these cells, which open and close to control the electrical response of the neuron. Abnormally intense bursts of electrical activity from many neurons at once can cause seizures such as those experienced by people with epilepsy. A significant proportion of patients do not respond to current anti-seizure medications. Openers of KCNQ channels have emerged as a potential new class of anti-epileptic drugs. A better understanding of how KCNQ channels work, and how their opening by PIP2lipid signals is regulated, could help to develop more effective therapies for epilepsy. A process called methylation controls many biological tasks by changing the structure of key proteins inside cells. Although methylation occurs throughout the brain, its role in controlling how easily neurons are activated (a property known as “excitability”) remains unclear. Kim, Jeong, Kim, Jung et al. now show that a protein called Prmt1 methylates the KCNQ channels in mice, and that this methylation is essential for suppressing seizures. Mice born without the Prmt1 protein developed epileptic seizures and the KCNQ channels in their neurons featured a reduced level of methylation. However, increasing the amount of PIP2 in these neurons restored their excitability back to normal levels. The methylation of KCNQ channel proteins increases their affinity for PIP2, which is critical to open KCNQ channels. Kim et al. propose that these “opening” controllers balance the action of known “closers” of KCNQ channels to maintain neurons in a healthy condition. In future, Kim et al. plan to investigate whether methylation affects the activity of other ion channels controlled by PIP2. Such experiments will complement a more widespread investigation into other ways in which the Prtmt1 protein may control the activity of neurons. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17159.002

A 76-year-old male presented with sudden onset of a painful ulcerative lesion involving firstly the lower lip and secondly the oral cavity. The lesion initially started as a nut-sized round erythematous patch on the lower lip and rapidly progressed into a necrotic ulcer within three days (figure 1A). Thereafter, the ulcer gradually extended to the buccal gingiva, teeth, and tip of the tongue (figure 1B). There was no past history of burn or trauma on the area. Six years ago, he was diagnosed with [...]

Angiokeratomas are well-circumscribed benign vascular lesions that present as one or more dilated blood vessels in combination with hyperkeratosis, characterized histologically as capillary ectasia in the papillary dermis [1]. Angiokeratomas localized on the nipple have not been reported until now in the literature. We identified a rare and interesting case of angiokeratomas localized on the left nipple of an adolescent boy, associated with enlargement of the ipsilateral breast.A 13-year-old Korean [...]

This work reports on the preparation of Mg salts [MS; MgCO 3 and Mg(CH 3 COO) 2 ]-modified TiO 2 electrodes by very simple dip coating and effects on the photovoltaic properties of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with them. The DSSC with MS-modified TiO 2 layer showed an increase in short-circuit current ( J sc ) and open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) , resulting in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.48% compared to that (7.27%) of reference device with bare TiO 2 . The improved J sc value was attributed to the increased dye adsorption. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, dark current–voltage and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency studies revealed that the V oc enhancement was caused by the conduction band edge shift of TiO 2 to a more negative potential due to the formation of a surface dipole.