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High-performance applications commonly utilize OpenMP, which supports shared-memory-based multi-processing programming. Unlike sequential programs, they are exposed to various programming errors owing to the different paradigms in executing parallel programs. One of these errors, the data race, is dependent on the sequence (timing) of other events or the execution flow of programs; therefore, it is not easy to detect. Although ample efforts have been made to build data-race detection techniques and tools, even state-of-the-art tools such as Intel Inspector still have functionality and performance issues. In this paper, we devise PCSP and AMSP, self-developed synthetic programs written in OpenMP directives to thoroughly examine these issues and have refined the problems of Intel Inspector through these programs. To resolve these problems, we propose a program analysis-based race digger (PARD). The race digger consists of a program analyzer, a source instrumentor, an adaptive on-the-fly race detector, and a race analyzer. It passes through three phases to detect data races and finally provides the root causes of detected races using the race analyzer. We demonstrate the functionality and performance advantages of PARD over Intel Inspector. Regarding functionality, experimental results show that while Intel Inspector can only verify data races in the simple model, PARD verifies data races in both simple and complex models; The results show that PARD’s data-race detection time is better than that of Intel Inspector by MIN 99.04% ~ MAX 99.89% in single-process systems and MIN 98.77% ~ MAX 99.68% in multi-process systems.

Tractor noise and vibrations adversely affect the health of operators, reduce work efficiency, and interfere with the creation of a comfortable working environment. Electric-powered next-generation tractor systems lack masking effects in engines. Moreover, as various excitation sources contribute to noise, rapid causal analysis of numerous transfer paths is necessary. An operational transfer path analysis (OTPA) is an experimental method used to analyze the energy transfer of noise and vibration. This paper proposed an operational transfer path analysis (OTPA) network for agricultural tractor using a multi-layer transfer function matrix and a contribution calculation method. A root cause analysis of the noise transfer considering the entire tractor system was performed using only the response signals. Acoustic and vibration signals were acquired from 83 sensor channels on the sources and transfer paths of the tractor. Based on the measured signals, an analysis network was constructed using air- and structure-borne paths. The signals predicted by the developed OTPA model matched the overall response level and frequency domain characteristics of the sound pressure signals measured from an actual tractor. Additionally, air- and structure-borne noise contributions were quantitatively evaluated according to the frequency. Analysis results showed that the structure-borne noise was dominant. In addition, the floor panel of cab had a high contribution to the engine 4th-order noise(four times of the engine rotational frequency), and the front glass comprises a structural mode in the 684 Hz band. The contribution from the rear mounts showed that it was the dominant paths for transmitting vibrations to the tractor cab. Moreover, it was higher than that from the front part. This difference indicated that a separate design for the front and rear mounts should be needed. The contribution of air-borne noise increased as the engine speed increased. The air-borne noise was primarily contributed by the wheel noise, with the rear wheels contributing more than the front wheels. The results of this study can contribute to improvements in noise and vibration comfort performance of the agricultural tractor cab.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as image recognition, classification, and generative AI are constantly evolving rapidly. Many of these techniques operate in high-performance computing environments because they use complex architectural models and millions of parameters to improve inference and prediction performance. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for AI applications in the defense domain, and considerable research has been conducted. In tactical environments, images are used for various functions, such as creating an operational overlay and analyzing information, and AI can be leveraged for these functions. However, tactical mobile edge devices have insufficient computing resources, which limits their ability to simultaneously perform various applications such as service-proven command and control, intelligence analysis, and fire operations, as well as applications using existing AI models. Therefore, a robust bare-bone convolutional neural network (CNN) model that can support reliable services on tactical mobile edge devices was proposed. The proposed model uses only four convolutional layers, has a performance equivalent to or better than that of existing CNN models, and has a stable and sufficient performance potential to perform multiple applications simultaneously. For experimental validation of the proposed model, a military symbol inferencer using self-collected handwritten military symbol images was implemented. This inferencer has an average accuracy of 95.42% when used alone, with CPU utilization reduced by up to 31.3% and inference time reduced by up to 47.2%. When running multiple applications in parallel, CPU utilization was reduced by up to 23.7% and inference time by up to 55.9%.

In the rapidly advancing realm of mobile technology, under-display camera (UDC) systems have emerged as a promising solution for achieving seamless full-screen displays. Despite their innovative potential, UDC systems face significant challenges, including low light transmittance and pronounced diffraction effects that degrade image quality. This study aims to address these issues by examining degradation phenomena through optical simulation and employing a deep neural network model incorporating hybrid frequency–spatial domain learning. To effectively train the model, we generated a substantial synthetic dataset that virtually simulates the unique image degradation characteristics of UDC systems, utilizing the angular spectrum method for optical simulation. This approach enabled the creation of a diverse and comprehensive dataset of virtual degraded images by accurately replicating the degradation process from pristine images. The augmented virtual data were combined with actual degraded images as training data, compensating for the limitations of real data availability. Through our proposed methods, we achieved a marked improvement in image quality, with the average structural similarity index measure (SSIM) value increasing from 0.8047 to 0.9608 and the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) improving from 26.383 dB to 36.046 dB on an experimentally degraded image dataset. These results highlight the potential of our integrated optics and AI-based methodology in addressing image restoration challenges within UDC systems and advancing the quality of display technology in smartphones.

Mixed urinary incontinence (UI) is common in women. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of anti-incontinence surgery in female patients with equally severe stress UI (SUI) and urge UI (UUI). All patients had equal severity of SUI and UUI. The postoperative cure rate was categorized into the cure group (CG) and failure group (FG). Postoperative satisfaction was categorized into the satisfaction group (SG) and the dissatisfaction group (DG). Statistical significance was set at P

Introduction: There is little evidence about the factors related to the detection of neurological deterioration by nurses. We examined the related factors and therapeutic outcomes of nurses' detections of patient's neurological deterioration. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study. We included 549 adult stroke patients who were admitted to the acute stroke unit of a tertiary hospital between May 2018 and December 2019 and had changes in neurological symptoms that were detected by stroke nurses. We measured the following outcomes: stroke lesion progression, early neurological deterioration (increase in the total national institutes of health stroke scale score of 2 points or more, increase in the limb weakness score of 1 point or more, or decrease in the alertness score of 1 point or more), and additional clinical management (increasing intravenous fluids, diagnostic imaging, or neuro-intervention). Data was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: A total of 651 new or aggravating symptoms were detected by nurses. The most detected symptom was motor aggravations (49.2 %). Symptoms were commonly detected during the day shift (51.0 %) and by scheduled neurochecks (71.3 %). Of 132 patients who underwent diagnostic imaging by nurses’ detection, 63.6 % cases had stroke lesion progression. Nursing experience over 4 years was positively associated with finding stroke lesion progression (OR: 2.49, 95 % CI = 1.09–5.67). Early neurological deterioration was found in 70.7 %, and it was significantly higher during scheduled neurochecks (OR:2.65, 95 % CI = 1.04–6.72) and in the group of large artery atherosclerosis (OR: 2.19, 95 % CI = 1.06–4.49) Additional clinical management was provided to 49.9 % of detection, and scheduled neurocheks (OR: 4.76, 95 % CI = 2.18–10.39) and changes of alertness (OR: 2.89, 96 % CI = 1.51–5.26) were the significant factors. Conclusion: Stroke nurses were able to detect a large number of stroke lesion progression and early neurological deterioration as well as to provide additional clinical management. Systematic guidelines for qualification of stroke nurses may be beneficial.

Abstract Various allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis, and asthma are considered incurable conditions that have yet to be fully conquered. Paedoksan (PDS), an herbal preparation consisting of 14 medicines, displays effective anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, yet its underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. This study aims to uncover PDS’s mechanism for treating allergic diseases and suggest its therapeutic potential. Through a network pharmacological prediction, its impact on signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) regulation, a sub-mechanism of interleukin 4 (IL-4), a major inflammatory cytokine involved in degranulation and allergy, was investigated in RBL-2H3 cells and an atopic mouse model. PDS inhibits immunoglobulin E (IgE)-induced degranulation and STAT6 phosphorylation evoked by IL-4 in granulocytes. The downregulation of phospho-STAT6 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) by PDS was confirmed in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced mouse skin. The results demonstrate that PDS exhibited remarkable effects on degranulation and STAT6 phosphorylation in RBL-2H3 cells, as well as in an atopic mouse model. Furthermore, the main active components from PDS based on chromatographic analysis showed good accordance with PDS’s effects on RBL-2H3 cells. In summary, these findings collectively suggest that PDS holds the potential to effectively suppress inflammatory and allergic reactions by obstructing the target IL-4 protein and its downstream effects, as elucidated through a network pharmacological analysis.

Abstract Pick-and-place is essential in diverse robotic applications for industries including manufacturing, and assembly. Soft grippers offer a cost-effective, and low-maintenance alternative for secure object grasping without complex sensing and control systems. However, their inherent softness normally limits payload capabilities and robustness to external disturbances, constraining their applications and hindering reliable performance. In this study, we propose a weaving-inspired grasping mechanism that substantially increases payload capacity while maintaining the use of soft and flexible materials. Drawing from weaving principles, we designed a flexible continuum structure featuring multiple closed-loop strips and employing a kirigami-inspired approach to enable the instantaneous and reversible creation of a woven configuration. The mechanical stability of the woven configuration offers exceptional loading capacity, while the softness of the gripper material ensures safe and adaptive interactions with objects. Experimental results show that the 130 g·f gripper can support up to 100 kg·f. Outperforming competitors in similar weight and softness domains, this breakthrough, enabled by the weaving principle, will broaden the scope of gripper applications to previously inaccessible or barely accessible fields, such as agriculture and logistics.

Abstract Dangkwisoo-san (DS) is a traditional Korean herbal medicine used to treat traumatic diseases, including pulmonary contusions, traumatic pneumothorax, bruising, and ankle sprain. Quality control (QC) biomarkers for DS can help ensure its safety and efficacy. Although chemical quality assessments are performed to ensure consistent efficacy of DS, the identity and quantity of the compounds contained within a given natural product is a frequent complication. We conducted a literature review to identify biological assays that support the chemical QC of DS. The results of our investigation confirmed that in vitro experiments with aqueous and alcoholic extracts of DS exhibited positive effects on many aspects of treatment. With 80% EtOH extraction, a low concentration of DS (1 μg/ml) significantly diminished the expression of inflammatory factors, such as nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, in the Raw264.7 cell line. MeOH extracts activated NRF2 and antioxidant activities in response to the inflammatory inducer LPS, and water extracts of DS remarkably reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels compared to dexamethasone and cyclosporin treatments. Aqueous extracts of DS at a moderate dose of 125 μg/ml supported bone regeneration, recovered ischemic injury in an eNOS-dependent manner, and prevented metabolic disorders (TRPM7 channel inhibition). Cytokines, NO, and immunoglobulins are potential biological QC biomarkers to assess the anti-inflammation and immune response to DS. Future quality evaluation studies of herbal medicines (herbal prescriptions) should aim to select the mechanism-based in vitro efficacy evaluation methods that can estimate consistent clinical effects.

Abstract Background Early intervention to reduce the impact of adverse events (AEs) may improve patients’ quality of life and enable optimal treatment duration. Methods This nationwide, multicenter, prospective, longitudinal, 1-year observational study investigated patients’ self-management of AEs associated with targeted therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and explored corresponding outcomes, including treatment duration and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Results We enrolled 77 advanced RCC patients (mean age 62 years) treated with a first targeted therapy. 210 cases of seven AEs of interest (fatigue, hand-foot syndrome, oral mucosal inflammation, diarrhea, gastrointestinal symptoms, hypertension, and anorexia) were observed. Most AEs were mild to moderate. Overall, 63.4% of patients were identified as managing their AEs well, reporting numerically longer treatment duration and significantly higher PRO scores than patients identified as poor managers. Conclusions Longer treatment duration and improved PROs were observed when advanced RCC patients managed targeted therapy-associated AEs well. Repeated education for consolidating AE self-management could be considered to enhance overall treatment outcomes.

Background/Aim Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) has a dichotomous role, functioning as a tumor suppressor and tumor promoter. TGF-β signatures, explored in mouse hepatocytes, have been reported to predict the clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients; HCCs exhibiting early TGF-β signatures showed a better prognosis than those with late TGF-β signatures. The expression status of early and late TGF-β signatures remains unclear in defined lesions of human B-viral multistep hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods The expression of TGF-β signatures, early and late responsive signatures of TGF-β were investigated and analyzed for their correlation in cirrhosis, low-grade dysplastic nodules (DNs), high-grade DNs, early HCCs and progressed HCCs (pHCCs) by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results The expression levels of TGF-β signaling genes (TGFB1, TGFBR1, TGFBR2 and SMAD4) gradually increased with the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis, peaking in pHCCs. The expression of early responsive genes of TGF-β (GADD45B, FBP1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4) gradually decreased, and that of the late TGF-β signatures (TWIST and SNAI1) significantly increased according to the progression of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, mRNA levels of TWIST and SNAI1 were well correlated with those of stemness markers, with upregulation of TGF-β signaling, whereas FBP1 expression was inversely correlated with that of stemness markers. Conclusions The enrichment of the late responsive signatures of TGF-β with induction of stemness is considered to be involved in the progression of the late stage of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, whereas the early responsive signatures of TGF-β are suggested to have tumor-suppressive roles in precancerous lesions of the early stage of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis.

Abstract Background Although depression and body weight have been noted as important predictors of cognitive health, it remains unclear how age and sex influence the mechanism by which depressive symptoms and body weight are associated with cognitive functioning. This study examined whether and how the relationships between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning mediated by body mass index (BMI) differ in terms of age and sex. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of a large sample of population-based data (N = 5,619; mean age 70.73 [± 9.07]), derived from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, was conducted with hierarchical mediated-moderation regressions and a PROCESS macro approach in SPSS. Depressive symptoms were measured through the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, and cognitive functioning was assessed with the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). Results The results showed that depressive symptoms were significantly associated with cognitive decline directly and indirectly through reduced BMI. The estimated coefficients indicated that a one standard deviation increase in CES-D scale was associated with about 0.9 decrease in K-MMSE score. However, the indirect relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function through BMI emerged only in men or individuals older than 70 years. Conclusions The findings suggest that a careful assessment of BMI is warranted for early detection and prevention of cognitive decline related to depressive symptoms, particularly among older men.

Abstract Background Chronic diseases like hypertension need comprehensive lifetime management. This study assessed clinical and patient-reported outcomes and compared them by treatment patterns and adherence at 6 months among uncontrolled hypertensive patients in Korea. Methods This prospective, observational study was conducted at 16 major hospitals where uncontrolled hypertensive patients receiving anti-hypertension medications (systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg) were enrolled during 2015 to 2016 and studied for the following 6 months. A review of medical records was performed to collect data on treatment patterns to determine the presence of guideline-based practice (GBP). GBP was defined as: (1) maximize first medication before adding second or (2) add second medication before reaching maximum dose of first medication. Patient self-administered questionnaires were utilized to examine medication adherence, treatment satisfaction and quality of life (QoL). Results A total of 600 patients were included in the study. Overall, 23% of patients were treated based on GBP at 3 months, and the GBP rate increased to 61.4% at 6 months. At baseline and 6 months, 36.7 and 49.2% of patients, respectively, were medication adherent. The proportion of blood pressure-controlled patients reached 65.5% at 6 months. A higher blood pressure control rate was present in patients who were on GBP and also showed adherence than those on GBP, but not adherent, or non-GBP patients (76.8% vs. 70.9% vs. 54.2%, P

ABSTRACT While long‐distance running has important health benefits, chronic elevation of blood pressure during exercise might induce cardiac events and sudden death. This study aimed to investigate characteristics of exercise and incidence of abnormal exercise electrocardiography findings in long‐distance runners with exercise‐induced hypertension. Long‐distance runners (n = 606) underwent a questionnaire survey, history taking, and exercise stress testing, and they were classified into the non‐exercise‐induced (n = 268) and exercise‐induced (n = 338) hypertension groups. Exercise‐induced hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥210 mm Hg during maximal exercise. Abnormal electrocardiogram response (AER) were defined as abnormal electrocardiography findings, such as arrhythmias or ST‐segment changes, during exercise stress testing. There were no differences in general and exercise‐related characteristics between the non‐exercise‐induced and exercise‐induced hypertension groups. The AER group (AERg, n = 37) had a significantly longer training history and total exercise time than the non‐AER group (non‐AERg, n = 569) (p

Controlling the threshold response in synthetic molecular structures is challenging. Here, the authors report on the buckling of ring-shaped DNA origami structures into twisted architectures via mechanical instability, induced by DNA intercalators.

Prolonged exposure to inflammatory mediators can lead to tissue damage, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and altered cellular metabolism [...]

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BackgroundDisclosing the underlying relationship between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive decline is imperative for cognitive impairment prevention and early detection. Empirical studies have indicated the risk of abnormal BMI leading to cognitive impairment. However, the relative risk of underweight or overweight on cognitive function is obscure. This study investigated the asymmetric causal effect of BMI on cognitive decline below and above an unknown threshold and the heterogeneity in the threshold level and the magnitude of the threshold effect due to sex and cardiovascular risk factors.MethodsThis study used 2010–2018 panel data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging that assessed sociodemographic and health-related trends in Korean middle-aged to older population. A generalized method of moments estimator of the panel threshold model was applied to estimate the potential nonlinear pattern between BMI and cognitive function.ResultsThere was a threshold effect in the relationship between BMI and cognitive function. An increase in BMI below the threshold was associated with higher cognitive function, whereas a further increase in BMI above the threshold led to cognitive decline. The nonlinear pattern between BMI and cognitive function differed by sex and cardiovascular risk appearing more distinctively within men or the cardiovascular risk group.ConclusionsThe detrimental impact of being underweight or overweight on cognitive function is heterogeneous by sex or cardiovascular risk. For obese men or individuals with cardiovascular risk factors, maintaining adequate BMI should be highlighted to help prevent cognitive decline.

Objectives: Amid the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, South Korea has been lauded for successfully preventing the spread of this infectious disease, which may be due to the aggressive implementation of preventive policies. This study was performed to evaluate the pattern of spread of COVID-19 in South Korea considering the potential impact of policy interventions on transmission rates. Methods: A SIR (susceptible–infected–removed) model with a breakpoint that allows a change in transmission rate at an unknown point was established. Estimated trajectories of COVID-19 from SIR models with and without a breakpoint were compared. Results: The proposed model with a break fitted the actual series of infection cases much better than the classic model. The estimated breakpoint was March 7, 2020 and the transmission rate dropped by 0.23 after the breakpoint. A counterfactual study based on our estimate indicated that the number of infected could have reached 2 500 000 compared to the peak of 8000 in the observed series. Conclusions: It is critical to consider a change in the transmission rate to evaluate the trajectory of spread of COVID-19 in South Korea. Our estimation and counterfactual experiments indicate that public health interventions may play a role in determining the pattern of spread of infectious diseases.

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common chronic metabolic disorder with an increasing prevalence worldwide. According to a previous study, physicians' treatment patterns or patients' behaviors change when they become aware of the risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease in patients with DM. However, there exist controversial reports from previous studies in the impact of physicians' behaviors on the patients' quality of life (QoL) improvements. So we investigate the changes in QoL according to physicians and patients' behavioral changes after the awareness of CV risks in patients with type 2 DM.MethodsData were obtained from a prospective, observational study where 799 patients aged ≥40 years with type 2 DM were recruited at 24 tertiary hospitals in Korea. Changes in physicians' behaviors were defined as changes in the dose/type of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and anti-platelet therapies within 6-month after the awareness of CV risks in patients. Changes in patients' behaviors were based on lifestyle modifications. Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life comprising 19-life-domains was used.ResultsThe weighted impact score change for local or long-distance journey (P=0.0049), holidays (P=0.0364), and physical health (P=0.0451) domains significantly differed between the two groups; patients whose physician's behaviors changed showed greater improvement than those whose physician's behaviors did not change.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that changes in physicians' behaviors, as a result of perceiving CV risks, improve QoL in some domains of life in DM patients. Physicians should recognize the importance of understanding CV risks and implement appropriate management.

Purpose To analyze the clinical parameters correlated with early recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy, with a focus on urethral mobility during pelvic contraction at catheter removal. Methods We prospectively analyzed 67 patients who underwent prostatectomy for prostate cancer at Jeju National University Hospital from January 2015 to June 2018. At the time of catheter removal, a cystography was performed in 67 men (median age, 65 years; range, 55–76 years) who had undergone robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. The vertical length of bladder neck movement between relaxing and contracting the pelvic muscles was measured. The correlation between the rate of continence recovery and the length of urethral movement was also assessed. All participants were divided into 2 groups according to the length of bladder neck elevation. Group 1 had ≥0.6 cm of elevation, while group 2 demonstrated

Abstract Background Studies have shown that the concomitant use of a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and an antiplatelet (APL) drug increased the bleeding risk and was less effective at preventing ischemic events. This study aimed to investigate the control status of international normalized ratio (INR) and the discontinuation rate of a VKA in patients taking VKA plus an APL drug compared with those taking a VKA alone. Methods Data were extracted from the KORean Atrial Fibrillation Investigation II registry, a multicenter noninterventional prospective observational study. Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients with CHADS2 scores ≥ 1 who newly started (within 3 months) a VKA were enrolled and followed up for 1 year. Results A total of 866 NVAF patients (mean age, 67.7 years; 60.3% men) without a bleeding history were divided into the VKA+APL (n = 229) and VKA alone (n = 637) groups. During follow‐up, mean INR level was lower in the VKA+APL group than in the VKA alone group (1.7 ± 0.8 vs 1.9 ± 0.9, P = 0.0005). INR levels were poorly controlled in both groups (66.1% and 64.7%, respectively). Patients in the VKA+APL group more frequently discontinued VKA than patients in the VKA alone group (28.8% vs 24.2%, P = 0.045). Major causes of VKA discontinuation were uncontrolled INR level and patient dissatisfaction or concerns. Conclusions The conditions of NVAF patients were inadequately controlled with VKA with or without an APL. These findings suggest that other antithrombotic treatment options are warranted in NVAF patients to achieve INR control.

FoxP3 reporter mice expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) have been used as a very convenient tool to investigate the impact of regulatory T (Treg) cells on pathogenesis in autoimmune diseases. Here, we found that GFP-FoxP3+ knock-in (KI) mice showed alterations in the production of anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANAs) and nephritis with different extent, depending on the presence or absence of lupus susceptibility gene locus 1 (Sle1) and KI method: contrasting with B6.Sle1.fGFP-FoxP3 mice, expressing GFP via N-terminal insertion, B6.Sle1.iGFP-FoxP3, expressing GFP via bicistronic internal ribosome entry site-driven promotion, exhibited significantly lower penetrance of serum ANA, comparing to control B6.Sle1 mice. Moreover, B6.Sle1.GFP-FoxP3+ mice reduced the Sle1-induced splenomegaly and B-cell expansion independently of the KI method employed, mainly by reducing the numbers of transitional 1 (T1) B cells and CD21–CD23– B cells, including plasmablasts and plasma cells. The absolute numbers of both splenic CD4+ T cells and Treg cells from B6.Sle1.GFP-FoxP3 KI mice were significantly reduced but their proportion was not changed, compared to B6.Sle1 mice. Although the glomerular basement membranes were thickened in both B6.Sle1 and B6.Sle1.iGFP-FoxP3 mice, they were thinner in B6.Sle1.fGFP-FoxP3 mice. The latter mice expressed more nephrophilic autoantibodies and deposited more complement component 3 in glomeruli compared to B6.iGFP-FoxP3 mice. FoxP3+ Treg cells may modulate B-cell tolerance in lupus-prone B6.Sle1 mice, presumably by modulating pathogenic, nephrophilic autoantibody production and nephritis.

Nonintrusive load monitoring (NILM) is a technology that analyzes the load consumption and usage of an appliance from the total load. NILM is becoming increasingly important because residential and commercial power consumption account for about 60% of global energy consumption. Deep neural network-based NILM studies have increased rapidly as hardware computation costs have decreased. A significant amount of labeled data is required to train deep neural networks. However, installing smart meters on each appliance of all households for data collection requires the cost of geometric series. Therefore, it is urgent to detect whether the appliance is used from the total load without installing a separate smart meter. In other words, domain adaptation research, which can interpret the huge complexity of data and generalize information from various environments, has become a major challenge for NILM. In this research, we optimize domain adaptation by employing techniques such as robust knowledge distillation based on teacher–student structure, reduced complexity of feature distribution based on gkMMD, TCN-based feature extraction, and pseudo-labeling-based domain stabilization. In the experiments, we down-sample the UK-DALE and REDD datasets as in the real environment, and then verify the proposed model in various cases and discuss the results.

This study assessed epidemiologic data and clinical outcomes, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence and bleeding events, in patients with cancer-associated VTE, and assessed factors associated with clinical outcomes. Data were extracted from retrospective medical-chart review of adult patients diagnosed with cancer-associated deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism who received anticoagulation treatment for ≥3 months. Patients were classified by: low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), and other anticoagulants. First VTE recurrence and bleeding events, and factors associated with their occurrence, were assessed during the initial 6 months of treatment. Overall, 623 patients (age: 63.7 ± 11.3 years, 49.3% male) were included (119, 132, and 372 patients in LMWH, DOACs and other anticoagulants groups, respectively). The cumulative 6-month incidence of VTE recurrence was 16.6% (total), 8.3% (LMWH), 16.7% (DOACs), and 20.7% (other); respective bleeding events were 22.5%, 11.0%, 12.3%, and 30.7%). VTE recurrence and bleeding rates differed only between LMWH and other anticoagulants (HR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2-5.0 and 3.6, 1.9-6.8, respectively). These results highlight the importance of initial VTE treatment choice for preventing VTE recurrence and bleeding events. LMWH or DOACs for ≥3 months can be considered for effective VTE management in cancer patients.

Background/Aims Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2), a collagen-modifying enzyme, has been implicated in cancer invasiveness and metastasis. Methods : We evaluated the expression of LOXL2 protein, in addition to carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), keratin 19, epithelial cell adhesion molecule, and interleukin 6, in 105 resected hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) by immunohistochemistry. Results : LOXL2 positivity was found in 14.3% (15/105) of HCCs, and it was significantly associated with high serum α-fetoprotein levels, poor differentiation, fibrous stroma, portal vein invasion, and advanced TNM stage (p

Existing inefficient traffic signal plans are causing traffic congestions in many urban areas. In recent years, many deep reinforcement learning (RL) methods have been proposed to control traffic signals in real-time by interacting with the environment. However, most of existing state-of-the-art RL methods use complex state definition and reward functions and/or neglect the real-world constraints such as cyclic phase order and minimum/maximum duration for each traffic phase. These issues make existing methods infeasible to implement for real-world applications. In this paper, we propose an RL-based multi-intersection traffic light control model with a simple yet effective combination of state, reward, and action definitions. The proposed model uses a novel pressure method called Biased Pressure (BP). We use a state-of-the-art advantage actor-critic learning mechanism in our model. Due to the decentralized nature of our state, reward, and action definitions, we achieve a scalable model. The performance of the proposed method is compared with related methods using both synthetic and real-world datasets. Experimental results show that our method outperforms the existing cyclic phase control methods with a significant margin in terms of throughput and average travel time. Moreover, we conduct ablation studies to justify the superiority of the BP method over the existing pressure methods.

This paper proposes a human‐like sign‐language learning method that uses a deep‐learning technique. Inspired by the fact that humans can learn sign language from just a set of pictures in a book, in the proposed method, the input data are pre‐processed into an image. In addition, the network is partially pre‐trained to imitate the preliminarily obtained knowledge of humans. The learning process is implemented with a well‐known network, that is, a convolutional neural network. Twelve sign actions are learned in 10 situations, and can be recognized with an accuracy of 99% in scenarios with low‐cost equipment and limited data. The results show that the system is highly practical, as well as accurate and robust.

Objective To investigate changes of cardiac and muscle damage markers in exercise-induced hypertension (EIH) runners before running (pre-race), immediately after completing a 100-km ultramarathon race, and during the recovery period (24, 72, and 120 hours post-race). Methods In this observational study, volunteers were divided into EIH group (n=11) whose maximum systolic blood pressure was ≥210 mmHg in graded exercise testing and normal exercise blood pressure response (NEBPR) group (n=11). Their blood samples were collected at pre-race, immediately after race, and at 24, 72, and 120 hours post-race. Results Creatine kinase (CK) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were significantly higher in EIH group than those in the NEBPR group immediately after race and at 24 hours post-race (all p

Study DesignA noninterventional, multicenter, cross-sectional study.PurposeWe investigated the prevalence of neuropathic pain (NP) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of the quality of life (QoL) and functional disability in Korean adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP).Overview of LiteratureAmong patients with CLBP, 20%–55% had NP.MethodsPatients older than 20 years with CLBP lasting for longer than three months, with a visual analog scale (VAS) pain score higher than four, and with pain medications being used for at least four weeks before enrollment were recruited from 27 general hospitals between December 2014 and May 2015. Medical chart reviews were performed to collect demographic/clinical features and diagnosis of NP (douleur neuropathique 4, DN4). The QoL (EuroQoL 5-dimension, EQ-5D; EQ-VAS) and functional disability (Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, QBPDS) were determined through patient surveys. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to compare PROs between the NP (DN4≥4) and non-NP (DN4

Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of secondary cancer to the bladder. There have been few reports about distant metastasis to the bladder from primary prostate cancer, since secondary involvement of the urinary bladder in prostate cancer is most often by direct invasion. Metastatic prostate cancer to the bladder is often mistaken for other primary bladder tumors. Here, we report a case of solitary metastatic prostatic cancer to the bladder, which was previously misdiagnosed as a submucosal tumor of the bladder.

Purpose Recently, intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) has been identified as one important factor in the outcome of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) related surgery. Clinical factors that can predict ISD are uncommon. The aim of this study was to determine predictive clinical factors for ISD in female patients with SUI. Methods The patients were classified into 3 groups according to the value of Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP)>90 cm H2O (anatomical incontinence, AI), between 61 and 90 cm H2O (equivocal, EV), and

The assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a patient-reported outcome provides information about the patients' general well-being as well as the effects of the disease and its treatment. This study aimed to investigate HRQoL using both generic and haemophilia-specific QoL instruments and to assess the clinical factors associated with HRQoL among haemophilia patients in Korea. In this cross-sectional, multicenter, observational study, moderate-to-severe haemophilia patients aged 8-64 years were recruited between November 2012 and September 2013. The EQ-5D Questionnaire, EQ Visual Analogue Scale, and Haemophilia-Specific QoL (Haemo-QoL) Questionnaire (Haemo-QoL for 8-16 years and Haemo-A-QoL for ≥17 years) were used to assess HRQoL. A total of 605 participants with a mean age of 29.32 ± 12.62 years were enrolled. The mean Haemo-QoL scores revealed significant differences by age group (children vs. adolescent vs. adult, 26.44 ± 11.3 vs. 28.88 ± 11.1 vs. 38.43 ± 17.7, respectively, p < 0.001). "Sports and leisure," "family planning," and "view" in adults and "perceived support," "friends," and "dealing" in children and adolescents were identified as the domains with the greatest HRQoL impairments. HRQoL was significantly impaired in patients with the following clinical factors: hepatitis, haemophilia-induced disability, bleeding experiences within the last 6 months, joint bleedings within the last 6 months, and haemophilic arthropathy. According to the multivariate regression analysis, HRQoL showed a negative association with the presence of haemophilia-induced disability (β = 0.222, p < 0.0001), bleeding experiences within the last 6 months (β = 0.098, p = 0.010), and haemophilic arthropathy (β = 0.212, p < 0.0001). HRQoL decreased in patients with older age and impaired clinical conditions among moderate-to-severe haemophilia patients in Korea. These study findings may provide significant insights into the adequate haemophilia management using patient-reported measurements.

Background/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use heart rate variability (HRV) to investigate the effects of distilled Cervi Pantotrichum Cornu pharmacopuncture and Rehmannia glutinosa pharmacopuncture on the autonomic nervous system. Materials and methods: Forty healthy male participants were divided into two groups: the participants of the C-group received distilled Cervi Pantotrichum Cornu pharmacopuncture and those of the R-group received Rehmannia glutinosa pharmacopuncture. The study design was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Each participant received one of the two solutions injected at GB21 (Jianjing). The changes in HRV were measured seven times using the QECG-3: LXC3203 system (LAXTHA Inc. Korea). Time-dependent changes in HRV for each group were analyzed using the paired t test (significance level: p < 0.05), and the difference in the HRV fluctuations between the two experimental groups was evaluated using the independent sample test (significance level: p < 0.05). Results and conclusion: The results showed that Cervi Pantotrichum Cornu pharmacopuncture and Rehmannia glutinosa pharmacopuncture tended to activate the autonomic nervous system within the normal range. Cervi Pantotrichum Cornu pharmacopuncture tended to activate the sympathetic nervous system, whereas Rehmannia glutinosa pharmacopuncture tended to activate both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the third gasotransmitter and is generated endogenously in hypoxic or inflammatory tissues and various cancers. We have recently demonstrated that endogenous H2S can be imaged with [99mTc]Tc-gluconate. In the present study, we detected H2S generated in hypoxic tissue, both in vitro and in vivo, using [99mTc]Tc-gluconate. In vitro uptake of [99mTc]Tc-gluconate was measured under hypoxic and normoxic conditions, using the colon carcinoma cell line CT26, and was higher in hypoxic cells than that in normoxic cells. An acute hindlimb ischemia-reperfusion model was established in BALB/c mice by exposing the animals to 3 h of ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion prior to in vivo imaging. [99mTc]Tc-gluconate (12.5 MBq) was intravenously injected through the tail vein, and uptake in the lower limb was analyzed by single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT). SPECT/CT images showed five times higher uptake in the ischemic limb than that in the normal limb. The standard uptake value (SUVmean) of the ischemic limb was 0.39 ± 0.03, while that of the normal limb was 0.07 ± 0.01. [99mTc]Tc-gluconate is a novel imaging agent that can be used both in vitro and in vivo for the detection of endogenous H2S generated in hypoxic tissue.

Melanin protects skin from ultraviolet radiation, toxic drugs, and chemicals. Its synthesis is sophisticatedly regulated by multiple mechanisms, including transcriptional and enzymatic controls. However, uncontrolled excessive production of melanin can cause serious dermatological disorders, such as freckles, melasma, solar lentigo, and cancer. Moreover, melanogenesis disorders are also linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, there is a huge demand for safer and more potent inhibitors of melanogenesis. In the present study, we report novel inhibitory effects of Jeju magma-seawater (JMS) on melanogenesis induced by α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) in B16F10 melanoma cells. JMS is the abundant underground seawater found in Jeju Island, a volcanic island of Korea. Research into the physiological effects of JMS is rapidly increasing due to its high contents of various minerals that are essential to human health. However, little is known about the effects of JMS on melanogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that JMS safely and effectively inhibits α-MSH-induced melanogenesis via the CaMKKβ (calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase β)-AMPK (5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway. We further demonstrate that AMPK inhibits the signaling pathways of protein kinase A and MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinase), which are critical for melanogenesis-related gene expression. Our results highlight the potential of JMS as a novel therapeutic agent for ameliorating skin pigmentation-related disorders.

This paper proposes a novel online object-packing system which can measure the dimensions of every incoming object and calculate its desired position in a given container. Existing object-packing systems have the limitations of requiring the exact information of objects in advance or assuming them as boxes. Thus, this paper is mainly focused on the following two points: (1) Real-time calculation of the dimensions and orientation of an object; (2) Online optimization of the object’s position in a container. The dimensions and orientation of the object are obtained using an RGB-D sensor when the object is picked by a manipulator and moved over a certain position. The optimal position of the object is calculated by recognizing the container’s available space using another RGB-D sensor and minimizing the cost function that is formulated by the available space information and the optimization criteria inspired by the way people place things. The experimental results show that the proposed system successfully places the incoming various shaped objects in their proper positions.

This study was conducted to analyze the effects of tillage depth and gear selection on the mechanical load and fuel efficiency of an agricultural tractor during plow tillage. In order to analyze these effects, we developed an agricultural field measuring system consisting of a load measurement part (wheel torque meter, proximity sensor, and real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS)) and a tillage depth measurement part (linear potentiometer and inclinometer). Field tests were carried out using moldboard plows with a maximum tillage depth of 20 cm and three gear selections (M2H, M3L, and M3H) in a rice stubble paddy field for plow tillage. The average travel speed and slip ratio had the lowest M2H and the highest M3L. M3H had the highest theoretical speed, but the travel speed was 0.13 km/h lower than M3L due to the reduction in the axle rotational speed at deep tillage depth. Regarding engine load, the higher the gear, the greater the torque and the lower the axle rotation speed. The front axle load was not significantly affected by the tillage depth as compared to other mechanical parts, except for the M3H gear. The rear axle load generated about twice the torque of the front wheel and overall, it tended to show a higher average rear axle torque at higher gear selection. The rear axle load and fuel rate were found to be most affected by the combination of the tillage depth and gear selection combination. Overall, field test results show that the M3H had the highest fuel efficiency and a high working speed while overcoming high loads at the same tillage depth. In conclusion, M3H is the most suitable gear stage for plow cultivation, and the higher the gear stage and the deeper the tillage depth during plowing, the higher the fuel efficiency. The results of this study will be useful for analyzing mechanical load and fuel efficiency during farm operations. In a future study, we will conduct load analysis studies in other farming operations that consider various soil mechanics factors as well as tillage depths and gear selections.

Bile acids (BAs) control metabolism and inflammation by interacting with several receptors. Here, we report that intravenous infusion of taurodeoxycholate (TDCA) decreases serum pro-inflammatory cytokines, normalizes hypotension, protects against renal injury, and prolongs mouse survival during sepsis. TDCA increases the number of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCLT) distinctive from MDSCs obtained without TDCA treatment (MDSCL) in the spleen of septic mice. FACS-sorted MDSCLT cells suppress T-cell proliferation and confer protection against sepsis when adoptively transferred better than MDSCL. Proteogenomic analysis indicated that TDCA controls chromatin silencing, alternative splicing, and translation of the immune proteome of MDSCLT, which increases the expression of anti-inflammatory molecules such as oncostatin, lactoferrin and CD244. TDCA also decreases the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules such as neutrophil elastase. These findings suggest that TDCA globally edits the proteome to increase the number of MDSCLT cells and affect their immune-regulatory functions to resolve systemic inflammation during sepsis.

DNA damage induced apoptosis suppressor (DDIAS), or human Noxin (hNoxin), is strongly expressed in lung cancers. DDIAS knockdown induced apoptosis in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells in response to DNA damage, indicating DDIAS as a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer. To understand the transcriptional regulation of DDIAS, we determined the transcription start site, promoter region, and transcription factor. We found that DDIAS transcription begins at nucleotide 212 upstream of the DDIAS translation start site. We cloned the DDIAS promoter region and identified NFAT2 as a major transcription factor (Im et al., 2016 [1]). We demonstrated that NFATc1 regulates DDIAS expression in both pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells and lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to describe patterns of long-term antithrombotic use in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in Korea and their impacts on clinical events before introduction of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) into practice in 2015. METHODS:Patients with NVAF who were admitted due to the AIS and discharged no later than 2008 were enrolled retrospectively. Data were collected at 11 time points during the first 3 years of follow-up. The primary outcome event was a composite of stroke recurrence, major bleeding, and death. Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) users were categorized into a well-controlled INR group and a poorly-controlled INR group (modified TTR ≥47.0% vs

Ni-based superalloy Haynes 282 was developed as a gas turbine material for use in the ultra-supercritical (USC) stage of next-generation coal-fired power plants. Temperatures in the USC stage exceed 700°C during operation. Despite the important role of Haynes 282 in increasing the performance of high-pressure turbines, as a result of its high-temperature capability, there is little information on the microstructure, deformation mechanism, or mechanical properties of the cast condition of this alloy. In this study, we compared the creep properties of Haynes 282 cast alloy with those of its wrought alloy counterpart. The tensile test results of cast and wrought Haynes 282 alloys over the temperature range 25–800°C showed that the cast product exhibited significantly lower strength and ductility compared with the wrought product at all test temperatures. A creep test performed at 750°C showed only a slight difference in the rupture life of the two products. Based on the creep test results, the deformation mechanism is discussed.

Cytochalasans are a group of structurally diverse fungal polyketide-amino acid hybrid metabolites that exhibit diverse biological functions. Asperchalasine A was identified and isolated from an extract of the marine-derived fungus, Aspergillus. Asperchalasine A is a cytochalasan dimer which consists of two cytochalasan molecules connected by an epicoccine. This study investigated the potential antiangiogenic effects of Aspergillus extract and asperchalasine A, which significantly inhibited cell adhesion and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Aspergillus extract and asperchalasine A decreased the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2 mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, Aspergillus extract and asperchalasine A inhibited angiogenesis via downregulation of VEGF, p-p38, p-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), p-VEGFR-2, and p-Akt signaling pathways. Moreover, Aspergillus extract and asperchalasine A significantly inhibited the amount of blood vessel formation in fertilized chicken eggs using a chorioallantoic membrane assay. Our results provide experimental evidence of this novel biological activity of the potential antiangiogenic substances, Aspergillus extract, and asperchalasine A. This study also suggests that Aspergillus extract and its active component asperchalasine A are excellent candidates as adjuvant therapeutic substances for cancer prevention and treatment.

Background: Research has been conducted with regard to the development of methods for improving the pharmaceutical effect of ginseng by conversion of ginsenosides, which are the major active components of ginseng, via high temperature or high-pressure processing. Methods: The present study sought to investigate the anticancer effect of heat-processed American ginseng (HAG) in human gastric cancer AGS cells with a focus on assessing the role of apoptosis as an important mechanistic element in its anticancer actions. Results and Conclusion: HAG significantly reduced the cancer cell proliferation, and the contents of ginsenosides Rb1 and Re were markedly decreased, whereas the peaks of less-polar ginsenosides [20(S,R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5] were newly detected. Based on the activity-guided fractionation of HAG, ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 played a key role in inducing apoptosis in human gastric cancer AGS cells, and it was generated mainly from ginsenoside Rb1. Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 induced apoptosis through activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, as well as regulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that heat-processing serves as an increase in the antitumor activity of American ginseng in AGS cells, and ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3, the active component produced by heat-processing, induces the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, which contributes to the apoptotic cell death.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subset of tumor cells, contribute to an aggressive biological behavior, which is also affected by the tumor stroma. Despite the role of CSCs and the tumor stroma in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), features of stemness have not yet been studied in relation to tumor stromal alterations in multistep hepatocarcinogenesis. We investigated the expression status of stemness markers and tumor stromal changes in B viral carcinogenesis, which is the main etiology of HCC in Asia. Stemness features of tumoral hepatocytes (EpCAM, K19, Oct3/4, c-KIT, c-MET, and CD133), and tumor stromal cells expressing α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CD68, CD163, and IL-6 were analyzed in 36 low grade dysplastic nodules (DNs), 48 high grade DNs, 30 early HCCs (eHCCs), and 51 progressed HCCs (pHCCs) by immunohistochemistry or real-time PCR. Stemness features (EpCAM and K19 in particular) were progressively acquired during hepatocarcinogenesis in combination with enrichment of stromal cells (CAFs, TAMs, IL-6+ cells). Stemness features were seen sporadically in DNs, more consistent in eHCCs, and peaked in pHCCs. Likewise, stromal cells were discernable in DNs, showed up as consistent cell densities in eHCCs and peaked in pHCCs. The stemness features and tumor stromal alterations also peaked in less differentiated or larger HCCs. In conclusion, progression of B viral multistep hepatocarcinogenesis is characterized by an enrichment of stemness features of neoplastic hepatocytes and a parallel alteration of the tumor stroma. The modulation of neoplastic hepatocytes and stromal cells was at low levels in precancerous lesions (DNs), consistently increased in incipient cancer (eHCCs) and peaked in pHCCs. Thus, in B viral hepatocarcinogenesis, interactions between CSCs and the tumor stroma, although starting early, seem to play a major role in tumor progression.

Previous studies on the vast increase in suicide mortality in Southeast Asia have indicated that suicide rates increase in parallel with a rise in unemployment or during periods of economic recession. This paper examines the effects of economic recession on suicidal rates amongst agriculture, fisheries, and forestry workers in Korea. Monthly time-series gross domestic product (GDP) data were linked with suicidal rates gathered from the cause of death records between1993-2008. Data were analyzed using generalized additive models to analyze trends, while a polynomial lag model was used to assess the unconstrained time lag effects of changes in GDP on suicidal rate. We found that there were significant inverse correlations between changes in GDP and suicide for a time lag of one to four months after the occurrence of economic event. Furthermore, it was evident that the overall relative risks of suicide were high enough to bring about social concern.

An extract of the red alga, Neorhodomela aculeata, exhibited antiviral activity against human rhinoviruses. Bioassay-guided purification was performed to yield six compounds, which were subsequently identified as lanosol (1) and five polybromocatechols (2–6) by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometric analyses. Structurally, all of these compounds, except compound 5, contain one or two 2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxyphenyl moieties. In a biological activity assay, compound 1 was found to possess antiviral activity with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2.50 μg/mL against HRV2. Compound 3 showed anti-HRV2 activity, with an IC50 of 7.11 μg/mL, and anti-HRV3 activity, with an IC50 of 4.69 μg/mL, without demonstrable cytotoxicity at a concentration of 20 μg/mL. Collectively, the results suggest that compounds 1 and 3 are candidates for novel therapeutics against two different groups of human rhinovirus.

This paper proposes a novel search method for a swarm of quadcopter drones. In the proposed method, inspired by the phenomena of swarms in nature, drones effectively look for the search target by investigating the evidence from the surroundings and communicating with each other. The position update mechanism is implemented using the particle swarm optimization algorithm as the swarm intelligence (a well-known swarm-based optimization algorithm), as well as a dynamic model for the drones to take the real-world environment into account. In addition, the mechanism is processed in real-time along with the movements of the drones. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through repeated test simulations, including a benchmark function optimization and air pollutant search problems. The results show that the proposed method is highly practical, accurate, and robust.

In this article, we investigate the principal structural features of the DNA double helix and their effects on its elastic mechanical properties. We develop, in the pursuit of this purpose, a helical continuum model consisting of a soft helical core and two stiff ribbons wrapping around it. The proposed model can reproduce the negative twist-stretch coupling of the helix successfully as well as its global stretching, bending, and torsional rigidities measured experimentally. Our parametric study of the model using the finite element method further reveals that the stiffness of phosphate backbones is a crucial factor for the counterintuitive overwinding behavior of the duplex and its extraordinarily high torsional rigidity, the major-minor grooves augment the twist-stretch coupling, and the change of the helicity might be responsible for the transition from a negative to a positive twist-stretching coupling when a tensile force is applied to the duplex.