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Abstract The primary component of the lipid barrier on human hair, which is essential for defense against aging and environmental stresses, is 18-methyleicosanoic acid (18-MEA), which provides hydrophobic properties and protective benefits. Since 18-MEA cannot be regenerated once damaged, developing technology that can permanently bind alternative materials to hair is critical. Once 18-MEA was removed from hair via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), pentaerythritol tetraisoosterate (PTIS) was hydrolyzed and observed via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to confirm that it mimicked 18-MEA, and 16-methylheptadecanoic acid (16-MHA) was obtained at pH 4 or lower. 16-MHA was bioconjugated to damaged hair from which 18-MEA was removed via a carbodiimide reaction using polycarbodiimide. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) confirmed that 16-MHA remained on the surface of the bioconjugated hair even after washing. Observation of the endothermic reaction of moisture in hair via a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and evaluation of the moisture content confirmed that the physical properties of hair enriched with 16-MHA were similar to those of virgin hair. This biomimetic approach has been shown to restore both external structural integrity and internal moisture homeostasis.

We demonstrate that the shorter channel self-aligned top-gate (SA TG) coplanar indiumgallium- zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs), with negative voltage applied to the back-gate, exhibit superior characteristics as driving transistors in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) pixels compared to their longer channel counterparts. The shorter channel IGZO TFTs (with a channel length (L) of 3 μm) biased with a back gate voltage of −3.5 V showed a larger subthreshold swing (SS = 0.21 V/dec) than the longer channel ones (with L = 5 μm, SS = 0.16 V/dec) with a similar threshold value (VTH = 0.7–0.8 V). A large SS is beneficial for controlling grayscale levels, especially at low gray levels, when IGZO TFTs are used as driving transistors in OLED pixels. Furthermore, the negatively back-gate-biased shorter channel SA TG coplanar IGZO TFTs exhibited significantly enhanced electrical stability compared to the longer channel ones under both positive gate bias and hot carrier stresses. The findings of this study are expected to be useful in expanding the utility of IGZO TFTs in OLED displays.

In order to reduce chronic hair flyaways/frizz, both reducing and oxidizing agents have to be used, leaving aside the hair damage issues. This study presents changes in hair morphology caused by treatment with a shampoo containing only reducing agents, excluding oxidizing agents that affect critical hair damages. As a result of flyaway/frizz improvement rates calculated through monitoring of the area of light transmittance in the hair tresses, reducing agents, such as ammonium thioglycolate (ATG), L-cysteine, and sodium sulfite were found to be effective in decreasing hair flyaway/frizz. Additionally, the methods to maintain homeostasis and control damage caused by oxidation during washing were also used to see flyaway/frizz improvement rates. Measurements using electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) showed that the surface charge of hair tresses treated with shampoo containing reducing agents was lowered. Using Raman spectroscopic analysis, it has been suggested that these treatments with reducing agents induced a 3D structural transition of the hair from an α-helix to a random coil. In addition, this structural release was confirmed, identifying the reduction in the enthalpy of the α-helix using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Furthermore, we verified that this change causes no hair damage through a tensile strength test. Therefore, the formulation of shampoo with reducing agents can be used as an effective strategy to care for hair flyaway/frizz without hair damage issues.

In this study, we discovered that washing hair with surfactants causes a decrease in the internal density of hair, and we propose a cuticle-sealing strategy to inhibit this phenomenon. This phenomenon was revealed based on optical analyses such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), drop shape analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and single hair analysis. Repeated treatment with surfactants creates areas of low density within the hair. Additionally, treatment with low-molecular-weight materials resulted in replenishment of the internal density of the hair. It has been shown that the more severe the degree of cuticle lifting, the more the internal density of the hair is reduced by surfactants. In addition, the study confirmed that a decrease in internal density could be prevented by sealing the cell membrane complex (CMC), and it was suggested that this reduced internal density may reflect the pore structure of hair. This study investigates the mass transfer phenomenon that occurs in hair and proposes a strategy to maintain hair homeostasis.

Abstract A biofilm, a community of microorganisms, is highly resistant to antibiotics, resulting in massive losses in various areas. We herein present a strategy to remove Streptococcus mutans biofilms through a spontaneous exfoliation by the synergistic effect between zwitterion and sugar alcohols. It is assumed that the anionic site of zwitterion can be coupled with sugar alcohols and the cationic site remains in the state of lacking electrons. The cationic site allows the complexes to be delivered to negatively charged exopolysaccharides of biofilms. This strategy facilitates a significant increase in the ability of sugar alcohols to disperse aggregated exopolysaccharides. In this work, it was demonstrated that the mixture of betaine and erythritol existed as a complex in water and that the complex induced a spontaneous detachment of biofilms from the surface to which the biofilms had been adhered. This detachment resulted from a reduction in adhesive forces of the biofilms due to an increase in solubility of bacterial exopolysaccharides. The effects triggered by the formation of complex between zwitterion and sugar alcohol provide a simple and safe way to remove biofilms without antibiotics and physical forces.

We measured and analyzed the Hall offset voltages in InGaZnO thin-film transistors. The Hall offset voltages were found to decrease monotonously as the electron densities increased. We attributed the magnitude of the offset voltage to the misalignment in the longitudinal distance between the probing points and the electron density to Fermi energy of the two-dimensional electron system, which was verified by the coincidence of the Hall voltage with the perpendicular magnetic field in the tilted magnetic field. From these results, we deduced the combined conduction band edge energy profiles from the Hall offset voltages with the electron density variations for three samples with different threshold voltages. The extracted combined conduction band edge varied by a few tens of meV over a longitudinal distance of a few tenths of µm. This result is in good agreement with the value obtained from the analysis of percolation conduction.

Purpose: Germline mutations in DNA damage repair (DDR) genes such as BRCA2 have been associated with prostate cancer (PC) risk but has not been thoroughly evaluated for metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) in Asian men. This study attempts to evaluate frequency of DDR mutations in the largest cohort of Koreans. Materials and Methods: We recruited 340 patients with mPC unselected for family history of cancer and compared to 495 controls. Whole genome sequencing was applied to assess germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PV/LPVs) in 26 DDR genes and HOXB13, including 7 genes (ATM, BRCA1/2, CHEK2, BRIP1, PALB2, and NBN) associated with hereditary PC. Comparisons to published Caucasian and Japanese cohorts were performed. Results: Total of 28 PV/LPVs were identified in 30 (8.8%) patients; mutations were found in 13 genes, including BRCA2 (15 men [4.41%]), ATM (2 men [0.59%]), NBN (2 men [0.59%], and BRIP1 (2 men [0.59%]). Only one patient had HOXB13 mutation (0.29%). A lower rate of overall germline variant frequency was observed in Korean mPC compared to Caucasians (8.8% vs. 11.8%), but individual variants notably differed from Caucasian and geographically similar Japanese cohorts. PV/ LPVs in DDR genes tended to increase gradually with higher Gleason scores (GS 7, 7.1%; GS 8, 7.5%; GS 9–10, 9.9%). Conclusions: BRCA2 was the most frequently mutated gene common to different cohorts supporting its importance, but differences in variant distribution in Korean mPC underscore the need for ethnic-specific genetic models. Future ethnic-specific analyses are warranted to verify our findings.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) displays a wide spectrum of oncological prognosis and clinical behavior, and is noted for its generally poor outcome in metastatic settings. However, the introduction of immunotherapy after the cytokine era has changed the landscape of treatment for metastatic RCC, outperforming previous targeted therapy and providing new hope for patients with advanced disease. Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) has been the center of controversy, with questionable survival benefit when compared to systemic therapy. Despite discouraging results from the two randomized clinical trials (CARMENA & SURTIME), interest into the role of CN is being rekindled, and contemporary real-world studies provide supporting evidence to suggest that CN may still have a role in well-selected patients treated or expecting treatment with immunotherapy, not only for symptomatic control but also for oncological benefit. In this review article, we attempt to review the modern insight into the role of CN for metastatic RCC in contemporary medicine, with a focus on treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor combination-based immunotherapy.

Abstract We attempted to assess the performance of an ethnic-specific polygenic risk score (PRS) designed from a Korean population to predict aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) and early-onset (age

With the dogma of sterile urine no longer held as truth, numerous studies have implicated distinct changes in microbial diversity and composition to diseased subgroups in both benign and malignant urological diseases, ranging from overactive bladder to bladder and prostate cancer. Further facilitated by novel and effective techniques of urine culture and sequencing, analysis of the genitourinary microbiome holds high potential to identify biomarkers for disease and prognosis. However, the low biomass of samples included in microbiome studies of the urinary tract challenge researchers to draw definitive conclusions, confounded by technical and procedural considerations that must be addressed. Lack of samples and adequate true negative controls can lead to overestimation of microbial influence with clinical relevance. As such, results from currently available studies and assessment of their limitations required a thorough understanding. The purpose of this narrative review was to summarize notable microbiome studies in the field of urology with a focus on significant findings and limitations of study design. Methodological considerations in future research are also discussed.

Purpose: To assess temporal improvement of prostate image reporting and data system (PIRADS) 3-5 lesion correlation to histopathologic findings from radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa). Materials and methods: A total of 1481 patients who underwent RP for biopsy-proven PCa between 2015 and 2019 were divided into 14 groups of 100 sequential readings for the evaluation of histopathological correlation with PIRADS readings. Temporal trends of PIRADS distribution and predictive performance for RP pathology were evaluated to assess underlying changes in prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation by radiologists. Results: PIRADS 4-5 lesions were significantly correlated with the increasing rates of Gleason Group (GG) upgrade (p = 0.044) and decreasing rate of GG downgrade (p = 0.016) over time. PIRADS ≥3 lesions read after median 2 years of experience were shown to independently predict intermediate–high-risk (GG ≥ 3) PCa (odds ratio 2.93, 95% confidence interval 1.00–8.54; P= 0.049) in RP pathology. Preoperative GG ≥ 3 biopsy lesions with PIRADS 4-5 lesions were significantly more susceptible to GG upgrade (P= 0.035) and GG ≥ 4 RP pathology (p = 0.003) in experienced reads, in contrast to insignificant findings in early readings (p = 0.588 and 0.248, respectively). Conclusion: Preoperative MRI reports matched with RP pathology suggest an improved prediction of adverse pathology in PIRADS 3-5 lesions over time, suggesting a temporal change in PIRADS interpretation and predictive accuracy. Institutions with low volume experience should use caution in solely relying on MRI for predicting tumor characteristics. Future prospective trials and larger scale assessments are required to further validate our results.

Purpose: To evaluate possible benefits and clinical feasibility of retrograde bladder filling method prior to intra-vesical catheter removal after transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: Male patients undergoing TURP for BPH from January 2019 to October 2019 were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into either retrograde filling (RF) or spontaneous voiding (SV) methods at a single institution to determine safety and efficacy of RF (NCT04309032), with surgeons blinded to allocation. Perioperative outcomes including postoperative complications were compared between two groups. Clinician/patients’ satisfaction level which was evaluated with postoperative questionnaires were also compared. Results: A total of 56 patients were randomized into two groups and 56 were included in final analysis (28 men in RF group, 26 in SV group). No significant differences in baseline characteristics including age, prostate volume, or perioperative uroflowmetry were observed. However, RF significantly facilitated time to void (67.0±63.2 vs. 144.0±78.7 min; p

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Prostate Health Index (PHI) and prostate multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) during initial prostate biopsy. Materials and Methods: In total, 343 patients underwent initial prostate biopsy and were screened by use of PHI and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels between April 2019 and July 2021. A subgroup of 232 patients also underwent prostate mpMRI. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the accuracies of PSA, PHI, and mpMRI as predictors of PCa or csPCa. These predictive accuracies were quantified by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The different predictive models were compared using the DeLong test. Results: Logistic regression showed that age, PSA, PHI, and prostate volume were significant predictors of both PCa and csPCa. In the mpMRI subgroup, age, PSA level, PHI, prostate volume, and mpMRI were predictors of both PCa and csPCa. The PHI (area under the curve [AUC]=0.693) was superior to the PSA level (AUC=0.615) as a predictor of PCa (p=0.038). Combining PHI and mpMRI showed the most accurate prediction of both PCa and csPCa (AUC=0.833, 0.881, respectively). Conclusions: The most accurate prediction of both PCa and csPCa can be performed by combining PHI and mpMRI. In the absence of mpMRI, PHI is superior to PSA alone as a predictor of PCa, and adding PHI to PSA can increase the detection rate of both PCa and csPCa.

Purpose: To identify the prevalence of detrusor overactivity with impaired contractility (DOIC) in the community-dwelling elderly and explore whether it is from a single or two independent bladder dysfunctions. Materials and Methods: Based on a 10-year urodynamic database of the SEOUL Study Group, elderly patients who met inclusion criteria were selected. Bladder sensation, capacity, and compliance were designated as evaluation elements for storage function, and free maximal flow rate (Qmax) and post void residual volume, detrusor pressure at maximal flow (PdetQmax), and bladder voiding efficiency for voiding function. Results: The prevalence rate of DOIC was 18.8% and 5.5% among 2,571 men and 688 women, respectively, and increased significantly with age. In men, patients with DOIC showed no differences in storage parameters and significantly lower free Qmax and PdetQmax among voiding parameters, compared to those with detrusor overactivity (DO) only. Compared to men with detrusor underactivity (DU) only, those with DOIC had worse parameters in the majority of storage and voiding functions. In women, most of the storage and voiding functions were worse in patients with DOIC than in those with DO only. On the other hand, women with DU showed lower PdetQmax and worse voiding functions than those with DOIC, although some parameters did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: It seems that DOIC is developed from a coincidental combination of two independent DO and DU in men. In contrast, DOIC is likely to be an intermediate step during the process of progression from DO to DU in women.

AimsThe purpose of this study is to evaluate an aggregate influence of prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility variants on the development of PCa in Korean men by using the polygenic risk score (PRS) approach.MethodsAn analysis of 1,001 cases of PCa and 2,641 controls was performed to: (i) identify potential PCa-related risk loci in Koreans and (ii) validate the cumulative association between these loci and PCa using the PRS. Subgroup analyses based on risk stratification were conducted to better characterize the potential correlation to key PCa-related clinical outcomes (e.g., Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen levels). The results were replicated using 514 cases of PCa and 548 controls from an independent cohort.ResultsGenome-wide association analysis from our discovery cohort revealed 11 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PCa showing statistical significance of p < 5.0 × 10–5. Seven variants were located at 8q24.21 (rs1016343, rs16901979, and rs13252298 in PRNCR1; rs4242384, rs7837688, and rs1447295 in CASC8; and rs1512268 in NKX3). Two variants located within HNF1B (rs7501939 and rs4430796) had a significant negative association with PCa risk [odds ratio (OR) = 0.717 and 0.747, p = 6.42 × 10–7 and 3.67 × 10–6, respectively]. Of the six independent SNPs that remained after linkage disequilibrium (LD) pruning, the top four SNPs best predicted PCa risk with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.637 (95% CI: 0.582–0.692). Those with top 25% polygenic risk had a 4.2-fold increased risk of developing PCa compared with those with low risk.ConclusionEleven PCa risk variants in Korean men were identified; PRSs of a subset of these variants could help predict PCa susceptibility.

This study was performed to investigate the learning curve of transurethral enucleation with bipolar energy (TUEB) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The study involved 494 consecutive patients who underwent TUEB for benign prostatic hyperplasia from August 2018 to March 2022 by one surgeon (SJJ, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea). The patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. To evaluate the learning curve of TUEB, perioperative parameters including the enucleation ratio (enucleated tissue weight/transitional zone volume), TUEB efficiency (enucleated tissue weight/operation time), and enucleation efficiency (enucleated tissue weight/enucleation time) were analyzed. Functional outcomes and postoperative complications were also assessed, including the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), IPSS quality-of-life (QoL) score, and uroflowmetry outcomes. The patients' median age was 72 (interquartile range [IQR]: 66-78) years, and the estimated prostate volume and transitional zone volume were 63.0 (IQR: 46.0-90.6) ml and 37.1 (IQR: 24.0-60.0) ml, respectively. The enucleation ratio, TUEB efficiency, and enucleation efficiency were 0.60 (IQR: 0.46-0.54) g ml-1, 0.33 (IQR: 0.22-0.46) g min-1, and 0.50 (IQR: 0.35-0.72) g min-1, respectively, plateauing after 70 cases. The functional outcomes, including total IPSS, IPSS QoL score, and uroflowmetry outcomes, significantly improved at 6 months after TUEB (all P < 0.05), but without significant differences over the learning curve. Sixty-five (13.2%) patients developed complications after TUEB, 21.5% of whom experienced major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade =3). The rate of major complications declined as the number of TUEB cases increased (P = 0.013). Our results suggest that the efficiency of TUEB stabilized within 70 procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Outcome analysis of urachal cancer (UraC) is limited due to the scarcity of cases and different staging methods compared to urothelial bladder cancer (UroBC). We attempted to assess survival outcomes of UraC and compare to UroBC after stage-matched analyses. Materials and Methods Total 203 UraC patients from a multicenter database and 373 UroBC patients in single institution from 2000 to 2018 were enrolled (median follow-up, 32 months). Sheldon stage conversion to corresponding TNM staging for UraC was conducted for head-to-head comparison to UroBC. Perioperative clinical variables and pathological results were recorded. Stage-matched analyses for survival by stage were conducted. Results UraC patients were younger (mean age, 54 vs. 67 years; p < 0.001), with 163 patients (80.3%) receiving partial cystectomy and 23 patients (11.3%) radical cystectomy. UraC was more likely to harbor ≥ pT3a tumors (78.8% vs. 41.8%). While 5-year recurrence-free survival, cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival were comparable between two groups (63.4%, 67%, and 62.1% in UraC and 61.5%, 75.9%, and 67.8% in UroBC, respectively), generally favorable prognosis for UraC in lower stages (pT1-2) but unfavorable outcomes in higher stages (pT4) compared to UroBC was observed, although only 5-year CSS in ≥ pT4 showed statistical significance (p=0.028). Body mass index (hazard ratio [HR], 0.929), diabetes mellitus (HR, 1.921), pathologic T category (HR, 3.846), and lymphovascular invasion (HR, 1.993) were predictors of CSS for all patients. Conclusion Despite differing histology, UraC has comparable prognosis to UroBC with relatively favorable outcome in low stages but worse prognosis in higher stages. The presented system may be useful for future grading and risk stratification of UraC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital isolated hydronephrosis encompasses a spectrum of physiologic states that spontaneously resolve and pathologic obstruction that necessitates surgical intervention. Distinguishing patients whose condition will resolve, those who will require stringent follow-up, and those who will eventually need surgical intervention present a challenge to clinicians, particularly because no unified guidelines for assessment and follow-up have been established. The recognition of the natural course and prognosis of hydronephrosis and a comprehensive understanding of the currently proposed consensus guidelines may aid in multidisciplinary treatment and in providing proper counseling to caregivers. In this review, we aimed to summarize the literature on the grading systems and management strategies for congenital isolated hydronephrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop and evaluate the performance of a polygenic risk score (PRS) constructed in a Korean male population to predict clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Materials and Methods: Total 2,702 PCa samples and 7,485 controls were used to discover csPCa susceptible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Males with biopsy-proven or post-radical prostatectomy Gleason score 7 or higher were included for analysis. After genotype imputation for quality control, logistic regression models were applied to test association and calculate effect size. Extracted candidate SNPs were further tested to compare predictive performance according to number of SNPs included in the PRS. The best-fit model was validated in an independent cohort of 311 cases and 822 controls. Results: Of the 83 candidate SNPs with significant PCa association reported in previous literature, rs72725879 located in PRNCR1 showed the highest significance for PCa risk (odds ratio, 0.597; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.555-0.641; p=4.3×10-45). Thirty-two SNPs within 26 distinct loci were further selected for PRS construction. Best performance was found with the top 29 SNPs, with AUC found to be 0.700 (95% CI, 0.667-0.734). Males with very-high PRS (above the 95th percentile) had a 4.92-fold increased risk for csPCa. Conclusions: Ethnic-specific PRS was developed and validated in Korean males to predict csPCa susceptibility using the largest csPCa sample size in Asia. PRS can be a potential biomarker to predict individual risk. Future multi-ethnic trials are required to further validate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of a new smartphone-based acoustic uroflowmetry compared to conventional uroflowmetry. Methods: This was a prospective validation study enrolling 128 subjects from September 2017 to April 2018 comparing a novel acoustic uroflowmetry to conventional uroflowmetry in an outpatient urologic clinic at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Visual comparison of flow patterns and uroflow parameters such as maximum flow rate (Qmax), average flow rate (Qavg), and voided volume were compared between the 2 techniques. Reliability and accuracy of the uroflowmetry results were compared using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and Student t-test, respectively. Results: One hundred twelve participants were included in the study. Of these, 77 had baseline urologic comorbidities while 35 were normal participants. Flow patterns between the 2 uroflowmetry techniques demonstrated strong visual correlation. When compared to conventional uroflowmetry, all 3 parameters of voiding in male participants showed a very robust correlation with PCC of 0.88, 0.91, and 0.95 for Qmax, Qavg, and voided volume, respectively. Among female participants, we observed a PCC of 0.78, 0.93, and 0.96 for Qmax, Qavg, and voided volume, respectively. The Qmax showed a statistically significant difference in both sexes between the 2 methods, although the absolute value was small. Conclusions: Uroflowmetry using acoustic analysis demonstrates comparable findings to conventional uroflowmetry. This provides an opportunity to perform uroflowmetry in the clinic or at home in a reliable, inexpensive manner. Future large-scale prospective studies are required to further validate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreasing costs of genetic testing and interest in disease inheritance has changed the landscape of cancer prediction in prostate cancer (PCa), and guidelines now include genetic testing for high-risk groups. Familial and hereditary PCa comprises approximately 20% and 5% of all PCa, respectively. Multifaceted disorders like PCa are caused by a combinatory effect of rare genes of high penetrance and smaller genetic variants of relatively lower effect size. Polygenic risk score (PRS) is a novel tool utilizing PCa-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from genome-wide association study (GWAS) to generate an additive estimate of an individual's lifetime genetic risk for cancer. However, most PRS are developed based on GWAS collected from mainly European populations and do not address ethnic differences in PCa genetics. This review highlights the attempts to generate a PRS tailored to Asian males including data from Korea, China, and Japan, and discuss the clinical implications for prediction of early onset and aggressive PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe a single-center 15-year experience of active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer (PCa). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent AS between 2003 and 2018. One hundred fiftythree patients were selected according to the following criteria: (1) biopsy Gleason pattern ≤3+4 with (2) ≤two positive core(s) and (3) ≤50% core involvement, clinical-stage ≤T2a, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤20 ng/mL. Follow-up included PSA measurement every six months, prostate biopsies at one year and then every 2--3 years, and MRI every year. Intervention was triggered by (1) Gleason score (GS) upgrading, (2) >two positive cores, or (3) PSA doubling-time in <3 years. Results: Mean (±standard deviation) follow-up was 36.4 (±31.9) months. Ninety-three (60.8%) and 20 (13.1%) patients received second and third biopsies, respectively. Seventy-two patients (47.1%) discontinued AS for various reasons (59, intervention; 13, follow-up loss). Reasons for intervention consisted of GS upgrading (42.4%), >two positive cores (8.5%), abnormal PSA kinetics (11.9%), and patient preference (37.3%). Notably, 12 (25.5%) patients had pathologic GS ≥4+3 (unfavorable disease) and 3 (6.4%) patients had pathologic stage ≥T3a at radical prostatectomy. Median time to treatment-free survival was 19.5 months. Of the 59 patients who switched to intervention, biochemical recurrence was reported in only one (0.7%) patient. Conclusions: AS is an available option for low-risk PCa in carefully selected patients. Further larger prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal criteria for AS, especially in Korean PCa patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the purification of type 4 cryptochromes (CRYs) of zebrafish and chicken as recombinant proteins with full flavin complement and evaluate the spectroscopic properties of type 4 and type 1 CRYs. Results revealed that in contrast to animal type 2 CRYs and Arabidopsis CRY1 neither insect type 1 nor type 4 CRYs has autokinase activities.

A systematic study of the dynamics of four redox states of the flavin cofactor in both photolyases and insect type 1 cryptochromes is reported. The unique properties of anionic flavins provide insight into the universal mechanism of electron transfer for the initial functional steps of the photolyase/cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptor family.

The authors demonstrate the enhancement mode p-type SnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) using dual gate (DG) structures. The cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol dielectric with a polymethylmethacrylate buffer layer is formed as a top gate (TG) insulator of the DG SnO TFT. The fabricated DG SnO TFT exhibits better electrical performances than the bottom gate (BG) and TG SnO TFTs including higher field-effect mobility and smaller subthreshold slope. In fabricated DG TFTs, the threshold voltage (Vth) of the BG TFT is linearly modulated by the voltage applied to the TG electrode. The BG transfer curve exhibits a depletion mode operation when measured while TG is grounded, but operates in the enhancement mode with a negative Vth (=-0.9 V) when a positive bias of 10V is applied to the TG electrode. The enhancement mode operation of p-type SnO TFTs can increase the output voltage swing range and decreases the off-stage leakage currents of the complementary logic circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the bottom and top channel interface properties are investigated in the back channel etch-type double-gate amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors. The authors apply the subthreshold technique by depleting one channel, while sweeping the gate voltage of the opposite channel to separately characterize the bottom and top channel interfaces. The extracted surface energy distribution of the bottom and top channel interface trap densities is well fitted with an exponential distribution, and the top channel interface trap density is found to be around 2.5 times greater than that of the bottom channel interface at the conduction band edge. This is mainly attributed to the poor quality of the top gate SiOx insulator owing to the low plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition temperature or to the defect generation at the back surface of the a-IGZO caused by the plasma damage during the top gate SiOx insulator deposition. The electrons are shown to be more easily trapped at the top channel interface than at the bottom channel interface under high gate bias stresses in the fabricated back channel etch-type double-gate a-IGZO thin-film transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetrical degradation behaviors of amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors are studied comprehensively under various gate and drain bias stresses. The transfer curve moves to the negative direction after bias stresses are applied, and different types of asymmetrical degradation are observed depending upon the magnitude of the applied gate and drain bias stresses. After the application of gate-to-source (VGS) and drain-to-source (VDS) bias stresses of (VGS = 16 V, VDS = 16 V) and (VGS = 22 V, VDS = 10 V), the forward mode transfer curve exhibits a more negative shift compared to that of the reverse mode, whereas opposite results are observed under the stress condition of (VGS = 10 V, VDS = 25 V). From the two-dimensional simulation results and the separately extracted subgap density of states in the source and drain sides of the thin film transistors before and after the application of various bias stresses, the local high electric field-induced nonuniform generation rate of the subgap states near the conduction band edge is considered to be the dominant mechanism causing the asymmetrical degradation of the devices under various gate and drain bias stresses. The generation of the subgap states is observed at different locations depending upon the magnitude of the applied gate and drain bias stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary (100 fs to 10 ns) and secondary (10 ns to 100 //s) photodynamics in the type II light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domain from the blue light YtvA photoreceptor extracted from Bacillus subtilis were explored with transient absorption spectroscopy. The photodynamics of full-length YtvA were characterized after femtosecond 400 ran excitation of both the dark-adapted D447 state and the light-adapted S390, state. The S390 state relaxes on a 43 min time scale at room temperature back into D447, wliich is weakly accelerated by the introduction of imidazole. This is ascribed to an obstructed cavity in YtvA that hinders access to the embedded FMN chromophore and is more open in type I LOV domains. The primary photochemistry of dark-adapted YtvA is qualitatively similar to that of the type I LOV domains, including AsLOV2 from Avena sativa, but exhibits an appreciably higher (60% greater) terminal triplet yield, estimated near the maximal ΦISC value of ≈78%; the other 22% decays via non-triplet-generating fluorescence. The subsequent secondary dynamics are inhomogeneous, with three triplet populations co-evolving: the faster-decaying 1T" population (38% occupancy) with a 200 ns decay time is nonproductive in generating the S390 adduct state, a slower IIT" population (57% occupancy) exhibits a high yield (Φadduct ≈ 100%) in generating S390 and a third (5%) IIIT"population persists (>100 μs) with unresolved photoactivity. The ultrafast photoswitching dynamics of the S390 state appreciably differ from those previously resolved for the type I AcLOV2 domain from Adiantum capiUus-veneris [Kermis, J. T., et al. (2004) J. Am. Chcm. Soa 126, 4512], with a low-yield dissociation (Φdis ≈ 2.5%) reaction, wliich is due to an ultrafast recombination reaction, following photodissociation, and is absent in AcLOV2, which results in die increased photoswitching activity of the latter domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the effects of vacuum annealing on the optical and electrical properties of the p-type copper-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs). The vacuum annealing of the copper-oxide thin-film was performed using the RF magnetron sputter at various temperatures. From the x-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that the high-temperature vacuum annealing reduces the copper-oxide phase from CuO to Cu2O, and increases the optical transmittance in the visible part of the spectrum. The fabricated copper-oxide TFT does not exhibit the switching behavior under low-temperature vacuum annealing conditions. However, as the annealing temperature increases, the drain current begins to be modulated by a gate voltage, and the TFT exhibits a high current on-off ratio over 104 as the vacuum annealing temperature increases over 450 °C. These results show that the vacuum annealing process can be an effective method of simultaneously improving the optical and electrical performances in p-type copper-oxide TFTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid switch that uses a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch as a gate driver of a MOSFET is applied to an energy harvesting system. The power management circuit adopting the hybrid switch provides ultralow leakage, self-referencing, and high current handling capability. Measurements show that solar energy harvester circuit utilizing the MEMS-MOSFET hybrid switch accumulates energy and charges a battery or drive a resistive load without any constant power supply and reference voltage. The leakage current during energy accumulation is less than 10 pA. The power management circuit adopting the proposed hybrid switch is believed to be an ideal solution to self-powered wireless sensor nodes in smart grid systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigated the effects of active layer thickness on the structual, optical, and electrical characteristics of p-type Cu2O thin-film transistors (TFTs). It was observed that as the channel thickness increases, the average grain size and root mean square roughness of the Cu2O thin films increase, but the optical transmittance notably decreases, especially in the short wavelength range below 500 nm. The p-type Cu2O TFT device exhibits the cleanest transfer function with only a small subthreshold slope when the channel thickness is 45 nm, whereas notable subthreshold slope humps are observed in the transfer curves for devices with thicker channels [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phototropins, a class of light-activated protein kinases, are essential for several blue light responses in plants and algae, including phototropism. These proteins contain two internal light, oxygen, and voltage sensitive (LOV) domains, which bind flavin chromophores and undergo a reversible photochemical formation of a cysteinyl-flavin adduct as part of the light sensing process. While the photodynamic properties of such photosensory domains are dictated by interactions between the chromophore and surrounding protein, more distant residues can play a significant role as well. Here we explore the role of the Phe434 residue in the photosensory response of the second LOV domain of Avena sativa phototropin 1 (AsLOV2), a model photochemical system for these LOV domains. Phe434 is more than 6 Å from the FMN chromophore in AsLOV2; nevertheless, an F434Y point mutation is likely to change several structural features of the chromophore binding site, as we demonstrate using molecular dynamics simulations. Transient absorption signals spanning 15 decades in time were compared for wild-type AsLOV2 and the F434Y mutant, showing that the latter has significantly altered photodynamics, including (i) a faster intersystem crossing leading to triplet formation on a nanosecond time scale, (ii) biphasic formation of adduct-state kinetics on the microsecond time scale, and (iii) greatly accelerated ground-state recovery kinetics on a second time scale. We present mechanistic models that link these spectroscopic differences to changes in the configuration of the critical cysteine residue and in the chromophore's accessibility to solvent and oxygen according to MD trajectories and purging experiments. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of residues outside the chromophore-binding pocket in modulating LOV domain photodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has recently been realized that animal cryptochromes (CRYs) fall into two broad groups. Type 1 CRYs, the prototype of which is the Drosophila CRY, that is known to be a circadian photoreceptor. Type 2 CRYs, the prototypes of which are human CRY 1 and CRY 2, are known to function as core clock proteins. The mechanism of photosignaling by the Type 1 CRYs is not well understood. We recently reported that the flavin cofactor of the Type 1 CRY of the monarch butterfly may be in the form of flavin anion radical, Formula, in vivo. Here we describe the purification and characterization of wild-type and mutant forms of Type 1 CRYs from fruit fly, butterfly, mosquito, and silk moth. Cryptochromes from all four sources contain FADox when purified, and the flavin is readily reduced to Formula by light. Interestingly, mutations that block photoreduction in vitro do not affect the photoreceptor activities of these CRYs, but mutations that reduce the stability of Formula in vitro abolish the photoreceptor function of Type 1 CRYs in vivo. Collectively, our data provide strong evidence for functional similarities of Type 1 CRYs across insect species and further support the proposal that Formula represents the ground state and not the excited state of the flavin cofactor in Type 1 CRYs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) cryptochrome 1 (DpCry1) belongs in the class of photosensitive insect cryptochromes. Here we purified DpCry1 expressed in a bacterial host and obtained the protein with a stoichiometric amount of the flavin cofactor in the two-electron oxidized, FADOX, form. Exposure of the purified protein to light converts the FADOX to the FAD- flavin anion radical by intraprotein electron transfer from a Trp residue in the apoenzyme. To test whether this novel photoreduction reaction is part of the DpCry1 physiological photocycle, we mutated the Trp residue that acts as the ultimate electron donor in flavin photoreduction. The mutation, W328F, blocked the photoreduction entirely but had no measurable effect on the light-induced degradation of DpCry1 in vivo. In light of this finding and the recently published action spectrum of this class of Crys, we conclude that DpCry1 and similar insect cryptochromes do not contain flavin in the FADOX form in vivo and that, most likely, the FADOX hv→ FAD- photoreduction reaction is not part of the insect cryptochrome photoreaction that results in proteolytic degradation of the photopigment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Focal therapy is considered one of the treatment options for localized prostate cancer (PCa), particularly for low or very-low-risk patients. In this study, we compared the mid-term oncological outcomes in localized PCa patients treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 237 patients who underwent HIFU for localized PCa. Patients were divided into two groups based on ablation type: whole gland ablation (WGA) and partial gland ablation (PGA). Follow-up biopsies were performed after one year postoperatively, and the oncological outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: Among the total of 237 patients, 54 subjects were treated by WGA and 183 subjects by PGA. After one year postoperatively, follow-up biopsies were conducted on 199 patients, revealing residual cancer in 21.4% of WGA group and 15.3% of PGA group. Additionally, clinically significant (CS) cancer was observed in 14.3% of WGA group and 8.3% of PGA group. Survival analyses revealed significantly longer failure-free (P

Background: We investigated whether combining T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical risk categories improves upon established prognostic indicators of oncological outcomes in prostate cancer. Methods: Patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, but not preoperative hormone therapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, for localized prostate cancer at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from October 2007 to April 2016 were included. MRIs were classified according to the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS). Patients were divided into the following five groups: 1, no focal suspicious lesion; 2, organ-confined suspicious lesion PI-RADS ≤3; 3, organ-confined suspicious lesion PI-RADS 4 or 5; 4, suspicious lesion with extraprostatic extension (EPE), no seminal vesicle invasion (SVI); 5, suspicious lesion with EPE and SVI. Risk classified according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and MRI findings were combined to analyze survival curves for biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free and metastasis-free survival. The area under a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic was analyzed for event prediction after 5 years. Results: We analyzed 1,290 patients. In multivariate Cox regression models, PI-RADS ≥4 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.33, P