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Cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) is a promising therapeutic option for treating skin infections and wounds. Changes in biophysical skin parameters and the tolerability in dogs after applying CAMP is unknown.This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo effects of CAMP on skin biophysical parameters [hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and surface temperature] and tolerability in dogs.Twenty client-owned dogs with normal skin.Cold atmospheric microwave plasma treatment was performed for 30 s and 1, 2 and 4 min, respectively, at different sites of normal canine skin in the inguinal area. Hydration, TEWL and surface temperature were measured five, three and three times, respectively, before and after CAMP application. After treatment, pain and adverse effects were evaluated using a modified Melbourne Pain Scale and the modified short form Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (modified CMPS-SF).Transepidermal water loss values significantly decreased with 4 min of treatment, and hydration decreased significantly with 2 min of treatment. Temperature increased significantly with increasing treatment time. For other parameters, no significant changes were observed. No significant pain response or adverse effects were observed in most dogs, aside from mild erythema in the treatment area after 4 min.Cold atmospheric microwave plasma treatment was well-tolerated and did not significantly change canine skin biophysical parameters. CAMP achieves basic recommendations for safe use and is a potential therapeutic option for various skin diseases in dogs.Contexte - Le CAMP (Cold Atmospheric Microwave Plasma) est une option thérapeutique prometteuse pour le traitement des infections cutanées et des plaies. Les modifications des paramètres biophysiques de la peau et la tolérance chez les chiens après l'application de CAMP sont inconnues. Objectif - Cette étude visait à évaluer les effets in vivo du CAMP sur les paramètres biophysiques de la peau [hydratation, perte d'eau transépidermique (TEWL) et température de surface] et la tolérance chez le chien. Animaux - Vingt chiens de propriétaires à peau normale. Matériels et méthodes - Le traitement CAMP a été effectué pendant 30 s et 1, 2 et 4 min, respectivement, sur différents sites de peau canine normale dans la région inguinale. L'hydratation, la TEWL et la température de surface ont été mesurées cinq, trois et trois fois, respectivement, avant et après l'application de CAMP. Après le traitement, la douleur et les effets indésirables ont été évalués à l'aide d'une échelle de douleur de Melbourne modifiée et de la forme courte modifiée de l'échelle de mesure de la douleur composite de Glasgow (CMPS-SF modifiée). Résultats - Les valeurs de TEWL ont diminué de manière significative après 4 minutes de traitement et l'hydratation a diminué de manière significative après 2 minutes de traitement. La température a augmenté de manière significative avec l'augmentation du temps de traitement. Pour les autres paramètres, aucun changement significatif n'a été observé. Aucune réponse significative à la douleur ni aucun effet indésirable n'ont été observés chez la plupart des chiens, à l'exception d'un léger érythème dans la zone de traitement après 4 minutes. Conclusion et signification clinique - Le traitement CAMP a été bien toléré et n'a pas modifié de manière significative les paramètres biophysiques de la peau canine. CAMP répond aux recommandations de base pour une utilisation sûre et constitue une option thérapeutique potentielle pour diverses maladies de la peau chez les chiens.Introducción- el plasma de microondas atmosférico frío (CAMP) es una opción terapéutica prometedora para el tratamiento de infecciones y heridas de la piel. Se desconocen los cambios en los parámetros biofísicos de la piel y la tolerabilidad en perros después de aplicar CAMP. Objetivo- este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar los efectos in vivo de CAMP en los parámetros biofísicos de la piel [hidratación, pérdida de agua transepidérmica (TEWL) y temperatura superficial] y la tolerabilidad en perros. Animales - Veinte perros de propietarios particulares con piel normal. Materiales y métodos - El tratamiento CAMP se realizó durante 30 s y 1, 2 y 4 min, respectivamente, en diferentes sitios de piel canina normal en el área inguinal. La hidratación, el TEWL y la temperatura superficial se midieron cinco, tres y tres veces, respectivamente, antes y después de la aplicación de CAMP. Después del tratamiento, el dolor y los efectos adversos se evaluaron mediante una escala de dolor de Melbourne modificada y la escala de dolor de medida compuesta de Glasgow de forma abreviada modificada (CMPS-SF modificada). Resultados- los valores de TEWL disminuyeron significativamente con 4 min de tratamiento y la hidratación disminuyó significativamente con 2 min de tratamiento. La temperatura aumentó significativamente con el aumento del tiempo de tratamiento. Para otros parámetros no se observaron cambios significativos. En la mayoría de los perros no se observaron reacciones significativas de dolor ni efectos adversos, aparte de un leve eritema en el área de tratamiento después de 4 min. Conclusión y significado clínico- el tratamiento con CAMP fue bien tolerado y no cambió significativamente los parámetros biofísicos de la piel canina. CAMP obtuvo recomendaciones básicas para un uso seguro y es una opción terapéutica potencial para diversas enfermedades de la piel en perros.Hintergrund - Kaltes atmosphärisches Mikrowellen Plasma (CAMP) ist eine vielversprechende therapeutische Option zur Behandlung von Hautinfektionen und Wunden. Veränderungen der biophysischen Hautparameter und der Toleranz bei Hunden nach Anwendung von CAMP ist bisher nicht bekannt. Ziel - Diese Studie zielte darauf ab, die in vivo Wirksamkeit von CAMP auf biophysische Parameter der Haut [Hydration, Transepidermaler Wasserverlust (TEWL) und die Oberflächentemperatur] und die Verträglichkeit bei Hunden zu evaluieren. Tiere - Es wurden zwanzig Hunde in Privatbesitz, alle mit normaler Haut, inkludiert. Materialien und Methoden - Eine CAMP Behandlung wurde für 30 s und 1, 2 bzw 4 Minuten an verschiedenen Stellen normaler Hundehaut in der Inguinalgegend durchgeführt. Hydration, TEWL und die Oberflächentemperatur wurde fünf, drei bzw dreimal vor und nach der CAMP Anwendung gemessen. Nach der Behandlung wurden Schmerz und Nebenwirkungen mittels modifizierter Melbourne Pain Scale sowie der modifizierten Kurzform der Glasgow Measure Pain Scale (modifizierte CMPS-SF) evaluiert. Ergebnisse - Die TEWL Werte nahmen nach 4 Minuten der Behandlung, die Hydration nach 2 Behandlungsminuten signifikant ab. Die Temperatur nahm mit zunehmender Behandlungsdauer signifikant zu. Für die anderen Parameter konnten keine signifikanten Veränderungen beobachtet werden. Es wurden bei den meisten Hunden keine signifikanten Schmerzreaktionen oder Nebenwirkungen beobachtet, außer einem geringen Erythem nach 4 Minuten in der behandelten Körperregion. Schlussfolgerungen und klinische Bedeutung - Die Behandlung mit CAMP wurde gut toleriert und veränderte die biophysischen Parameter der Hundehaut nicht signifikant. Daher kann die CAMP grundsätzlich zur sicheren Anwendung bei Hunden empfohlen werden und stellt eine potenzielle Therapieoption für verschiedene Hauterkrankungen bei Hunden dar.背景 - 低音大気圧マイクロ波プラズマ (CAMP) は、皮膚の感染症や創傷の治療法として有望である。イヌにCAMPを適用した場合の皮膚の生物物理学的パラメータの変化と忍容性は不明である。 目的 -本研究は、犬の皮膚の生物物理学的パラメータ (水和性、経皮水分蒸散量(TEWL) 、表面温度) および忍容性に及ぼすCAMPのin vivo効果を評価することを目的とした。 供試動物 - 正常な皮膚を持つオーナー所有犬20頭。 材料と方法 -正常なイヌの鼠径部皮膚の異なる部位に、CAMP処理を30秒、1分、2分、4分それぞれ実施した。水和性、TEWL、表面温度はCAMP塗布の前後にそれぞれ5回、3回、3回測定した。治療後、修正メルボルン疼痛尺度及び修正短形式グラスゴー複合測定疼痛尺度 (修正CMPS-SF) を用いて、疼痛および副作用を評価した。 結果 - TEWL値は4分間の治療で有意に減少し、水和性は2分間の治療で有意に減少した。表面温度は治療時間が長くなるにつれて有意に上昇した。その他のパラメータについては、有意な変化は認められなかった。4分後の治療部位の軽度の紅斑を除けば、ほとんどの犬で有意な疼痛反応や副作用は観察されなかった。 結論と臨床的意義 - CAMP治療は忍容性が高く、犬の皮膚の生物物理学的パラメータに有意な変化を与えなかった。CAMPは安全使用のための基本的な推奨事項を満たしており、犬の様々な皮膚疾患に対する潜在的な治療オプションであると考えられる。.背景-冷大气微波等离子体(CAMP)是治疗皮肤感染和伤口的一种有前景的治疗选择。尚不清楚应用CAMP后犬的生物物理皮肤参数变化和耐受性。 目的-本研究旨在评价CAMP对犬皮肤生物物理参数[水合作用、经表皮水分流失(TEWL)和表面温度]和耐受性的体内影响。 动物-20只皮肤正常的私家犬。 材料与方法-在腹股沟区正常犬皮肤不同部位分别进行CAMP治疗30s和1、2和4 min。应用CAMP前后分别测量5次、3次和3次水化、TEWL和表面温度。治疗后采用改良墨尔本疼痛量表和改良简明格拉斯哥综合测量疼痛量表(改良CMPS-SF)评价疼痛和不良反应。 结果-治疗4 min后,TEW L值显著下降,治疗2 min后, 水合作用显著下降。随着治疗时间的增加,温度显著增加。对于其他参数,未观察到显著变化。除4 min后治疗区域出现轻度红斑外,在大多数犬中未观察到显著的疼痛反应或不良反应。 结论和临床意义-CAMP治疗耐受性良好,未显著改变犬皮肤生物物理参数。CAMP实现了安全使用的基本建议,是犬各种皮肤病的潜在治疗选择.Contexto - O plasma frio atmosférico de micro-ondas (CAMP) é uma opção terapêutica promissora para o tratamento de infecções cutâneas e feridas. Não se sabe a respeito das alterações nos parâmetros biofísicos da pele e a tolerabilidade de cães após a aplicação de CAMP. Objetivo - Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar os efeitos in vivo de CAMP nos parâmetros biofísicos da pele [hidratação, perda de água transepidérmica (TEWL) e temperatura da superfície] e a tolerabilidade em cães. Materiais e métodos - O tratamento com CAMP foi realizado por 30s e 1, 2 e 4 min, respectivamente, em diferentes locais da pele canina normal na região inguinal. Hidratação, TEWL e temperatura da superfície foram medidas cinco, três e três vezes, respectivamente, antes e após a aplicação do CAMP. Após o tratamento, a dor e os efeitos adversos foram avaliados usando uma escala de dor de Melbourne modificada e a escala de medida composta de dor de Glasgow modificada (CMPS-SF modificada). Resultados - Os valores de TEWL reduziram significativamente com o tratamento de 4 min, e a hidratação reduziu significativamente com dois minutos de tratamento. A temperatura aumentou significativamente com o aumento do tempo de tratamento. Não foram observadas alterações significativas para outros parâmetros. Não se observou uma resposta de dor significativa ou efeitos adversos na maioria dos cães, além de eritema leve na área tratada após 4 min. Conclusão e significância clínica - O tratamento com CAMP foi bem tolerado e não alterou significativamente os parâmetros biofísicos da pele canina. CAMP requer recomendações básicas de segurança na sua utilização e é uma opção terapêutica potencial para várias dermatopatias em cães.

A synthesis and patterning process of luminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) is highly desirable in applications to industrial- and bio-fields. In this paper, a novel strategy to obtain GQDs is proposed and demonstrated by an ion-beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Ion-beam irradiation provides catalyst sources for the GQD creation. The luminescent GQDs are generated using a Fe-implanted Si wafer by a two-step annealing process: i) A formation step of nano-sized Fe catalyst particles and ii) a synthesis step of GQDs by a CVD method. Under the 1st annealing step of the Fe-implanted Si wafer, Fe nanoparticles (FeNPs) are created by the diffusion and aggregation of Fe atoms. Due to the high temperature atmosphere in the 2nd annealing step, FeNPs are then completely removed, and thus only high-purity and -quality GQDs are finally produced. In our work, patterned GQDs were fabricated by using a metallic mask during the ion-beam irradiation. Furthermore, various GQD patterns were also demonstrated by combining the conventional semiconductor manufacturing process and our ion-beam assisted CVD technique.

A sample preconcentration technique that exceeds a microfluidic device’s limited processing volume (up to microliters) is critical for real sample pretreatment applications. Here, we have developed a 3D-printed preconcentrator with a pillar structure (3DP2) to enrich the biological samples up to hundreds of microliter scales (700 μL) within 20 min by utilizing ion concentration polarization (ICP). We designed three-dimensional ready-to-pick reservoirs serially connected with a pillar-structured channel to enable large-volume preconcentration by balancing the preconcentrating forces (depletion, electrophoretic, and electroosmotic force) generated by ICP. Using the I-t and I-V curves, we confirmed that ICP performance was enhanced due to a pillar structure’s suppression of the vortex. Finally, we preconcentrated bovine serum albumin (BSA) and micro ribonucleic acid-21 (miRNA-21) two-fold. Moreover, depending on their size and charge, these were concentrated at different locations and could be extracted easily using pipettes. We believe that this study provides a novel strategy for downstream applications.

Highly sensitive rapid testing for COVID-19 is essential for minimizing virus transmission, especially before the onset of symptoms and in asymptomatic cases. Here, we report bioengineered enrichment tools for lateral flow assays (LFAs) with enhanced sensitivity and specificity (BEETLES2), achieving enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 viruses, nucleocapsid (N) proteins and immunoglobulin G (IgG) with 3-minute operation. The limit of detection is improved up to 20-fold. We apply this method to clinical samples, including 83% with either intermediate (35%) or low viral loads (48%), collected from 62 individuals (n = 42 for positive and n = 20 for healthy controls). We observe diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 88.1%, 100%, and 91.9%, respectively, compared with commercial LFAs alone achieving 14.29%, 100%, and 41.94%, respectively. BEETLES2, with permselectivity and tunability, can enrich the SARS-CoV-2 virus, N proteins, and IgG in the nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab, saliva, and blood serum, enabling reliable and sensitive point-of-care testing, facilitating fast early diagnosis.

A simple, affordable point of care test (POCT) is necessary for on-site detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The lateral flow assay (LFA) has great potential for use in POCT mainly because of factors such as low time consumption, low cost, and ease of use. However, it lacks sensitivity and limits of detection (LOD), which are essential for early diagnostics. In this study, we proposed a non-powered preconcentrator (NPP) based on nanoelectrokinetics for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Antigen (Ag) lateral flow assay. The non-powered preconcentrator is composed of glass fiber-based composite paper and ion permselective material, and it can be simply operated by force balancing gravitational, capillary, and depletion-induced forces. The proposed approach helps enrich the SARS-CoV-2 viral nucleocapsid (N) proteins based on a 10-min operation, and it improved the LOD by up to 10-fold. The corresponding virus enrichment, which was evaluated using the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), revealed an improvement in ΔCt values 3. We successfully demonstrated the enhancement of the NPP-assisted LFA, we extended to applying it to clinical samples. Further, we demonstrated an affordable, easy-to-implement form of LFA by simply designing NPP directly on the LFA buffer tube.

Advanced anodic SnO

Background Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous G-protein–coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, which exhibits in vitro and in vivo functions against Alzheimer disease (AD) through lysophosphatidic acid 1/3 receptors. A recent study demonstrated that systemic treatment with gintonin enhances paracellular permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) through the LPA1/3 receptor. However, little is known about whether gintonin can enhance brain delivery of donepezil (DPZ) (Aricept), which is a representative cognition-improving drug used in AD clinics. In the present study, we examined whether systemic administration of gintonin can stimulate brain delivery of DPZ. Methods We administered gintonin and DPZ alone or coadministered gintonin with DPZ intravenously or orally to rats. Then we collected the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and serum and determined the DPZ concentration through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Results Intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin with DPZ increased the CSF concentration of DPZ in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by Ki16425, a LPA1/3 receptor antagonist. Coadministration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) + gintonin with DPZ similarly increased CSF DPZ concentration. However, gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ was blocked by axitinip, a VEGF receptor antagonist. Mannitol, a BBB disrupting agent that increases the BBB permeability, enhanced gintonin-mediated enhancement of brain delivery of DPZ. Conclusions We found that intravenous, but not oral, coadministration of gintonin facilitates brain delivery of DPZ from plasma via LPA1/3 and VEGF receptors. Gintonin is a potential candidate as a ginseng-derived novel agent for the brain delivery of DPZ for treatment of patients with AD.

Fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have a significant potential in the application to bio-fields. However, most of the GQDs synthesized by existing methods face limitations due to the harmful chemicals involved in their synthesis and the presence of various oxygen functional groups, both of which affect the biocompatibility of the GQDs. Here, we present a simple approach to fabricating fluorescent and biocompatible high-quality GQDs with low oxygen content without the involvement of harmful chemicals. High-quality GQDs are synthesized by hydrogen-assisted pyrolysis of silicon carbide and this dry synthesis process allows the GQDs to possess high crystallinity with no unwanted chemicals on the surface. Subsequently, the high-quality GQDs are slightly oxidized through sonication in ethanol, but the treated GQDs (t-GQDs) still retain their high crystallinity. The t-GQDs exhibit strong ultraviolet/blue light emission with a high yield of 30.9%, a phenomenon that can be attributed to intrinsic emission resulting from the low oxygen content of the t-GQDs. Furthermore, the t-GQDs show low cytotoxicity even at a high concentration of 200 μg/mL due to the absence of harmful chemicals during their synthesis and the low oxygen content of the t-GQDs. These results demonstrate the excellence of the t-GQDs and their applicability in bio-fields.

The concept of a Major/Minor system was applied to use urban flood prediction techniques, based on rainfall forecasts and real-time simulations, to reduce flood damage, by notifying a possible flood risk in advance. The SWMM one dimensional (1D)-two dimensional (2D) model has become the standard approach used in urban flood modeling, as it can realistically express the interaction between drainage networks and road surfaces. However, it is limited to the flood analysis of small areas due to its two-dimensional model characteristics, such as its long simulation time. Therefore, the SWMM 1D-1D model, which is fast enough to be applied to real-time simulations, is applied to real-time flood forecasting. To improve the accuracy of the model, SWMM 1D-1D model was calibrated using the SWMM 1D-2D model simulation results, and the SWMM 1D-1D model simulation results were extracted using the SWMM5 DLL and EXCEL VBA to analyze the flood situation. Finally, the applicability of the SWMM 1D-1D model was reviewed based on a rainfall event that occurred on 25 August 2014, assuming an hour of predicted rainfall.

Background Ginseng has been widely used as a health-promoting tonic. Gintonin present in ginseng acts as a lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand that activates six LPA receptor subtypes. The LPA6 subtype plays a key role in normal hair growth, and mutations in the LPA6 receptor impair normal human hair growth. Currently, human hair loss and alopecia are concerning issues that affect peoples' social and day-to-day lives. Objective We investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of a gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on mouse hair growth. Methods Human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) and six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used. The mice were divided into the four groups: control, 1% minoxidil, 0.75% GEF, and 1.5% GEF. The dorsal hair was removed to synchronize the telogen phase. Each group was treated topically, once a day, for 15 days. We analyzed hair growth activity and histological changes. Results GEF induced transient [Ca2+]i, which stimulated HFDPC proliferation and caused 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. GEF-mediated HFDPC proliferation was blocked by the LPA receptor antagonist and Ca2+ chelator. HFDPC treatment with GEF stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor release. Topical application of GEF and minoxidil promoted hair growth in a dose-dependent manner. Histological analysis showed that GEF and minoxidil increased the number of hair follicles and hair weight. Conclusion Topical application of GEF promotes mouse hair growth through HFDPC proliferation. GEF could be one of the main components of ginseng that promote hair growth and could be used to treat human alopecia., Highlights • Gintonin is a novel ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. • LPA receptor is involved in human hair growth. • Gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) stimulates proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells via the LPA receptor. • Topical application of GEF promotes mouse hair growth. • GEF can be applied for human alopecia.

A lateral flow assay (LFA) platform is a powerful tool for point-of-care testing (POCT), especially for self-testing. Although the LFA platform provides a simple and disposable tool for Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) antigen (Ag) and antibody (Ab) screening tests, the lower sensitivity for low virus titers has been a bottleneck for practical applications. Herein, we report the combination of a microfluidic paper-based nanoelectrokinetic (NEK) preconcentrator and an LFA platform for enhancing the sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD). Biomarkers were electrokinetically preconcentrated onto a specific layer using the NEK preconcentrator, which was then coupled with LFA diagnostic devices for enhanced performance. Using this nanoelectrokinetic-assisted LFA (NEK-LFA) platform for self-testing, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Immunoglobulin G (SARS-CoV-2 IgG) sample was preconcentrated from serum samples. After preconcentration, the LOD of the LFA was enhanced by 32-fold, with an increase in analytical sensitivity (16.4%), which may offer a new opportunity for POCT and self-testing, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic and endemic global context.

Background/Aims: To investigate the treatment efficacy and renal safety of long-term tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with preserved renal function. Methods: The medical records of 919 CHB patients who were treated with TDF therapy were reviewed. All patients had preserved renal function with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results: A total of 426 patients (184 treatment-naive and 242 treatment-experienced) were included for analysis. A virologic response (VR) was defined as achieving an undetectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level, and the overall VR was 74.9%, 86.7%, and 89.4% at the 1, 2, and 3-year follow-ups, respectively. Achieving a VR was not influenced by previous treatment experience, TDF combination therapy, or antiviral resistance. In a multivariate analysis, being hepatitis B e antigen positive at baseline and having a serum HBV DNA level ≥2,000 IU/mL at 12 months were associated with lower VR rates during the long-term TDF therapy. The overall renal impairment was 2.9%, 1.8%, and 1.7% at the 1, 2, and 3-year follow-ups, respectively. With regard to renal safety, underlying diabetes mellitus (DM) and an initial eGFR of 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m2 were significant independent predictors of renal impairment. Conclusions: TDF therapy appears to be an effective treatment option for CHB patients with a preserved GFR. However, patients with underlying DM and initial mild renal dysfunction (eGFR, 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m2) have an increased risk of renal impairment. (Gut Liver 2019;13:93-103.)

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) isolated from numerous tissues including human fetal tissue are currently used in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. Among fetal tissues, the umbilical cord (UC) is one of the sources for both MSCs and endothelial cells (ECs). To establish ectopic vascularized bone tissue formation, UC-derived MSCs and ECs were isolated. UC-MSCs expressing human BMP-2 (hBMP-2-MSCs) were generated using an adenoviral system to promote bone formation. These cells were then transplanted with Matrigel into the subcutaneous tissue of an immune deficient NSG mouse, and bone tissue was analyzed after several weeks. The osteogenic differentiation ability of MSCs was elevated by transduction of the hBMP-2 expressing adenoviral system, and vascularization of bone tissue was enhanced by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In this study, our results provide evidence that MSCs and HUVECs from human umbilical cord are suitable cells to investigate bone tissue engineering. The results also suggest that the co-transplantation of hBMP2-MSCs and HUVECs may be a simple and efficient strategy for improving tissue generation and angiogenesis in bone tissue engineering using stem cells.

It has been previously indicated that gintonin, which is a novel exogenous ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, restores memory dysfunctions in an APPswe/PSEN-1 double-transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD Tg mice) by attenuating β-amyloid plaque deposition, recovering cholinergic dysfunctions and upregulating hippocampal neurogenesis in the cortex and hippocampus. Although β-amyloid plaque depositions in AD is accompanied with disruptions of brain microvessels, including the brain-blood barrier (BBB), it is unknown whether gintonin exerts protective effects on brain microvascular dysfunctions in AD Tg mice. In the present study, the effects of gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on the changes in β-amyloid plaque depositions, brain permeability of Evans blue, and microvascular junctional proteins were investigated in AD Tg mice. Long-term oral administration of GEF reduced β-amyloid plaque depositions in the cortex and hippocampus of AD Tg mice. GEF treatment also reduced the permeability of Evans blue through BBB and decreased immunoreactivity of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (a marker of BBB disruption) in the cortex and hippocampus of AD Tg mice in a dose-dependent manner. However, GEF elevated the protein expression of occludin, claudin-5 and zonula occludens-1, which are tight-junction proteins. The present results demonstrated that long-term oral GEF treatment not only attenuates β-amyloid plaque depositions in the brain but also exhibits protective effects against microvascular disruptions in AD Tg mice. Finally, GEF exhibits anti-AD effects through attenuation of β-amyloid plaque depositions and protection against brain microvascular damage in an AD animal model.

Astrocytes are a unique brain cell-storing glycogen and express lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors. Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous G protein-coupled LPA receptor ligand. Accumulating evidence shows that astrocytes serve as an energy supplier to neurons through astrocytic glycogenolysis under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. However, little is known about the relationships between LPA receptors and astrocytic glycogenolysis or about the roles of LPA receptors in hypoxia and re-oxygenation stresses. In the present study, we examined the functions of gintonin-mediated astrocytic glycogenolysis in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, glutamate uptake, and cell viability under normoxic, hypoxic, and re-oxygenation conditions. The application of gintonin or LPA to astrocytes induced glycogenolysis in concentration- and time-dependent manners. The stimulation of gintonin-mediated astrocytic glycogenolysis was achieved through the LPA receptor-Gαq/11 protein-phospholipase C-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) transient pathway. Gintonin treatment to astrocytes increased the phosphorylation of brain phosphorylase kinase, with sensitive manner to K252a, an inhibitor of phosphorylase kinase. Gintonin-mediated astrocytic glycogenolysis was blocked by isofagomine, a glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor. Gintonin additionally increased astrocytic glycogenolysis under hypoxic and re-oxygenation conditions. Moreover, gintonin increased ATP production, glutamate uptake, and cell viability under the hypoxic and re-oxygenation conditions. Collectively, we found that the gintonin-mediated [Ca2+]i transients regulated by LPA receptors were coupled to astrocytic glycogenolysis and that stimulation of gintonin-mediated astrocytic glycogenolysis was coupled to ATP production and glutamate uptake under hypoxic and re-oxygenation conditions, ultimately protecting astrocytes. Hence, the gintonin-mediated astrocytic energy that is modulated via LPA receptors helps to protect astrocytes under hypoxia and re-oxygenation stresses.

A novel yet simple approach to fabricate and pattern wrinkled surfaces on polymers is presented. Only by irradiating an electron beam onto a polymer, wrinkles are created on the polymer surface. Electron irradiation produces a bilayer polymeric structure comprising a degrading upper layer and a pristine bottom layer. Electron irradiation also increases the polymer surface temperature to a point much higher than the glass-transition temperature of the upper layer, leading to drastic thermal expansion of the upper layer. As a result, significant compressive force is applied to form surface wrinkles. The mechanism behind the wrinkle formation and the effects of electron irradiation parameters on the wrinkle characteristics are discussed. In addition, by this electron irradiation approach, a patterned wrinkle structure is uniquely prepared.

We present a novel approach to preparing non-toxic sunscreen active ingredients by electron irradiation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (NPs). Electron irradiation modifies the molecular structure of the polymers, generating conjugated aliphatic carbon–carbon double bonds in PMMA and conjugated aromatic rings in PS. The conjugation length increases as the electron fluence increases, leading to hyperchromic and bathochromic shifts in the UV-vis absorption spectra of the irradiated polymer NPs. Consequently, the irradiated polymer NPs become capable of UV absorption and the UV-absorbing properties are improved with increasing electron fluence. The UV-screening performance of the electron-irradiated polymer NPs are found to be superior to those of commercially available sunscreen ingredients. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity and phototoxicity test results show that the irradiated polymer NPs exhibit excellent biocompatibility.

Background Assessing and satisfying patient expectation are essential in successful patient-centered communication. Recognizing the gap between patient expectation and perception during pharmacist–patient communication can help to identify communication problems and suggest ways to improve communication. Objective To evaluate the gap between patient expectation and perception of sharing information and communications skills during pharmacist–patient communication. Setting Community pharmacies in South Korea. Method A questionnaire was developed to collect expectation and perception of sharing information and communication skills. Items for sharing information included drug effect, dosage/route of administration, adverse drug reactions, storage, drug–drug interactions, drug–food interactions, managing a missed dose or overdose, co-medication, and past drug allergies. Communication skills included friendliness, expertise, easy language, emphasis on main content, confirmation of understanding, enough time, calm environment, and private space. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 500 convenience sample using an online or written questionnaire in May 2018. Responses about patient expectation and perception were scored using 4-point Likert scales. Gap between patient expectation and perception was calculated as the differences among 4-point Likert scores. Factors associated with patient expectation and gap scores were evaluated using a multivariable regression method. Main outcome measure Patient expectation and perception of sharing information, as well as perception of communication skills during pharmacist–patient communication (questionnaire consisting 35 items). Results This study analyzed responses of 460 participants who answered all items on the questionnaire. Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they want to share information with pharmacists. All items had significant gap between patient expectation and perception (p

PURPOSE To evaluate clinical risk factors of disease progression after cataract surgery using phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation, in eyes with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) and coexisting cataract. DESIGN Retrospective study. METHODS The data of 56 eyes of 45 CACG patients who had undergone uncomplicated phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation were retrospectively analyzed. Disease progression was defined as glaucomatous optic nerve change or visual field (VF) deterioration according to the European Glaucoma Society guideline. Correlations between VF progression and various preoperative and postoperative factors were determined by χ and independent t tests. Linear regression analysis [(odds ratio (OR)] was used to determine predictive risk factors for disease progression using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS The mean postoperative follow-up period was 45.13 ± 17.54 (24 to 84) months. Fourteen eyes (25%) with cataracts diagnosed with CACG progressed after phacoemulsification, but the remaining 42 eyes (75%) did not. According to univariate analysis, disease progression was significantly associated with older age, more number of preoperative/postoperative antiglaucoma drugs, higher scores of preoperative pattern standard deviation, and lower scores of preoperative and postoperative visual field index (VFI) (P

In the original publication of the article the order of authors has been interchanged and now the same has been provided correctly in this correction.

A simple approach to producing tunable lasing is explored. In this work, a basic planar lasing system with a layer of light emitting conjugated polymer, MEH-PPV, sandwiched between a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and silver is utilized. By irradiating MEH-PPV with electrons, the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of MEH-PPV undergoes blueshift and peak broadening, which in turn alters the lasing wavelength. Furthermore, patterning the MEH-PPV layer by electron irradiation and employing filters allow lasing to be controlled to occur only at certain areas. Thus, our approach allows the fabricated system to possess significant tunability, a highly sought out trait in the field of lasing. The detailed methodology by which tunable lasing is achieved is discussed along with the mechanism behind the irradiation-induced blueshift of the PL spectrum.

To evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of combined phacoemulsification and goniosynechialysis (PEGS) to phacoemulsification alone (PE) in patients with medically well-controlled chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) with cataracts.Thirty eyes diagnosed with CACG and requiring cataract surgery from January 2008 to October 2010 were prospectively randomized, 15 each to PE and PEGS. Changes in peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS), intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior chamber depth, and number of antiglaucoma drugs from baseline to 2 months after the operation were analyzed, as were the type and number of complications.The PE group showed decreases in PAS (118.67±95.38 degrees) and IOP (2.33±2.38 mm Hg) and a significant reduction in the number of antiglaucoma drugs (0.53±0.83, P0.05) from before to 2 months after surgery. The PEGS group showed similar decreases in PAS (114.00±90.95 degrees), and IOP (4.53±4.16 mm Hg) and number of antiglaucoma drugs (1.20±1.32) (P0.05). However, the amount of decline in both the groups did not show any significantly difference in PAS, reduction of IOP, or number of antiglaucoma drugs (P0.05), The increase in anterior chamber depth from baseline to 2 months after surgery was significantly greater in the PEGS group (P=0.003).The IOP-lowering effects of PEGS do not differ significantly from those of PE in medically well-controlled CACG patients with cataract. These results suggest that additional goniosynechialysis during phacoemulsification is not necessary in such patients.

In this study, 61 local meteorological station data elements by weather disasters over the past 30-year period subject to rainfall, wind and snow, regional variations were analyzed using the normalization method. Also rainfall-Wind, snowfall-wind continued to analyze the complex nature of the maximum hourly and analyzed. The analysis results, In the case of regional characteristics Rainfall and snowfall has been increased in the West coast and the Honam region showed a tendency to increase the wind from the west coast and the island. Complex nature of the rainfall and wind was shown in Gangwon Province, on the south coast region typhoon moving path when the snow and wind do not have a clear characteristics were analyzed by non-wind side effect greater action to snow.

Objectives: The Korean government implemented a smoke-free regulation for pubs with a net indoor area of ≥100 m on January 1, 2014. The purpose of this study was to determine the indoor levels of concentrations of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) in implemented and non-implemented pubs in Seoul and Changwon. Methods: PM2.5 concentrations in fifty-two 100-150 m 2 (implemented) and fifty-seven

Artificial lighting in office buildings accounts for about 30% of the total building energy consumption. Lighting energy is important to reduce building energy consumption since artificial lighting typically has a relatively large energy conversion factor. Therefore, previous studies have proposed a dimming control using daylight. When applied dimming control, method based on building modeling does not need illuminance sensors. Thus, it can be applied to existing buildings that do not have illuminance sensors. However, this method does not accurately reflect real-time weather conditions. On the other hand, solar power generation from a PV (photovoltaic) panel reflects real-time weather conditions. The PV panel as the sensor improves the accuracy of dimming control by reflecting disturbance. Therefore, we compared and analyzed two types of sensorless dimming controls: those based on the building modeling and those that based on solar power generation using PV panels. In terms of energy savings, we found that a dimming control based on building modeling is more effective than that based on solar power generation by about 6%. However, dimming control based on solar power generation minimizes the inconvenience to occupants and can also react to changes in solar radiation entering the building caused by dirty window.

Angiomyolipomas (AMLs) are relatively rare hamartomatous or benign tumors that occasionally occur as part of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Mutations in either of the two genes, TSC 1 and TSC 2, have been attributed to the development of TSC. Between 1994 and January 2009, 83 patients were diagnosed with AML at the Samsung Medical Center. In that group of patients, 5 (6%) had AML with TSC (AML-TSC). Mutational analysis of the TSC 2 gene was performed using 7 samples from the 5 AML-TSC patients and 14 samples from 14 patients with sporadic AML without TSC (AML-non-TSC). From this analysis, mutations in TSC genes were identified in 5 samples from the AML-TSC patients (mutation detection rate = 71%) and 3 samples from AML-non-TSC patients (mutation detection rate = 21%). In the case of AML-TSC, 6 mutations were found including 3 recurrent mutations and 3 novel mutations, while in the case of AML-non-TSC, 4 mutations were identified once, including 1 novel mutation. Also MLPA analysis of the TSC2 gene showed that TSC2 exon deletion is more frequently observed in AML-TSC patients than in AML-non-TSC patients. This is the first mutation and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analyses of TSC 2 in Korean AMLs that focus on TSC. This study provides data that are representative of the distribution of mutations and exon deletions at TSC genes in clinically diagnosed AML-TSC cases of the Korean population.

We report a simple technique for the fabrication of dots-on-spheres (DoS) structures in which conjugated polymer dots (CPdots) are immobilized on the surface of silica spheres via charged interaction. Red-, green-, and blue-emissive conjugated polymers were synthesized and employed to validate the feasibility of an approach to develop a DoS system with emission across the visible range. The robust binding of CPdots to silica particles provides a buffer resistance and good stability to photoirradiation and mechanical agitation. Further bioconjugation of the DoS system is achieved by the introduction of polyarginine and neu antibody that is specific for the HER2 receptor, leading to their successful application to targeted imaging of SKBR-3 breast cancer cells overexpressing HER2. Moreover, DoS with simultaneous multicolor emissions of red, green, and blue can be easily synthesized and used to demonstrate the versatility of this strategy for multicolor cellular imaging based upon a single excitation source. We believe that this hybrid DoS strategy and the easy fabrication of organic polymer nanoparticles with silica substrates will facilitate their effective integration of organic and inorganic materials into versatile applications.

Illustrations in text books are the most influential material to students. So we have to analyze illustrations in text books. In this study, the number, sort, purposes of illustrations in the Unit ‘The Human in the nature’ of highschool Life Science textbooks was analyzed. The sort consists of ‘photograph (49.3 %)’ and many of ‘drawings’ and ‘graphs’. The main purpose of illustrations is for ‘providing materials 2’, followed by ‘motivation’, ‘providing materials 1’. According to the analysis of the purpose depending on the sort, ‘photograph’ is mainly used for ‘motivation’, ‘providing materials’, other illustrations like ‘drawing’ and ‘graph’ are mainly used for ‘providing materials’. The result of this study was very similar to existing studies, but there are some differences in ‘graph’. The Unit ‘The Human in the nature’ uses more graphs than any other subjects because it contains connections between various factors. For providing understandable and easily usable textbook, we have to increase the number of illustrations used for experiments. And we need more various illustrations that suit the learning situations for 고등학교 생명 과학I 교과서 ‘자연 속의 인간’ 단원 삽화 분석 93 motivating students effectively.

We prepared pyrene-labeled peptide amphiphiles (PAs) consisting of a hydrophobic linear- or branched-alkyl chain (for 1 or 2, respectively) and a hydrophilic histidine-rich peptide of HGGGHGHGGGHG (HG12). Both peptides have a strong tendency to form nanofibrils (NFs) in aqueous media. The resulting histidine-coated NFs show a great binding affinity to Cu2+ as a fluorescence “light-off” sensor. Interestingly, the emission spectra of the pyrene probe show that the different supramolecular assemblies between 1 and 2 can significantly affect the binding affinity to specific metal ions. In particular, “light-up” fluorescent Ag+ detection of NFs of 2 through inhibition of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) was observed even at a low concentration of PA solution. As a means to determine the biological responsibility of 2 to Ag+, intracellular detection using the “turn-on” response was performed. A considerable enhancement of fluorescence in NF-loaded HeLa cells was observed. In addition, the NFs were used as a template scaffold for the production of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) with high monodispersity and stability. The NFs decorated with AgNPs are shown to possess highly effective and long-term antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria.

Energy saving starts by knowing how much energy is being consumed. A building factor is easier than any other things in energy saving. Since, especially, it is closely connected with user`s space-use-patterns and manager`s utility-operation-style. An energy metering system lets building users know about energy consumption pattern in buildings and measure energy in real time. Development and materialization of metering systems need more careful plans, so that they depend on a demand of individual facilities and available infrastructures they used to use. But, so far, there is no guidelines how to install metering systems. This paper suggested how to install meters and researched a method for how to analyze by using metered data. For that, Green Building in KIER is used as a test bed. As the results, nevertheless the smallest number of meters is basically one for the whole building energy measuring, it is too limited in analysis. So we needed to add the sort of fuel and utility types and found that it depends on all cases. For this reasons, a guideline should be created in order to install meters as soon as possible. It would be suggest a way to save more energy in building factor.

Demand response(DR) is potential generation alternative to improve the reliability indices of system and load points. However, when demand resources scheduled in DR market fail to reduce demand, it can create new problems associated with maintaining a reliable supply. In this paper, a reliability model of demand resource is constructed considering customers' behaviors in the same form as conventional generation units, where availability and unavailability are associated with the simple two-state model. As a result, the generalized reliability model of demand resources is represented by multi-state model. Key Words : Power system, Demand response, Demand resource, Reliability, Transition rate, Unavailability, Ramp rate*Dept. Electrical Engigeering, Hanyang University, Korea†Corresponding Author : Dept. Electrical Engigeering, Hanyang University, KoreaE-mail : jokim@hanyang.ac.krReceived : March 29, 2013; Accepted : June 19, 2013 1. 서 론 전력 시스템의 신뢰도 문제를 해결하기 위하여 많은 국가들이 피크 부하 시 종래의 발전기의 대체재로써 수요반응을 도입하고 있다. 수요반응(DR, demand response)은 전기 가격의 변화에 따른 소비자의 전기 사용의 변화를 유도하는 가격 기반 수요반응과 시스템의 신뢰도가 악화되거나 도매시장에서의 전기 가격이 높게 형성된 경우 인센티브를 통한 전기 사용의 변화를 유도하는 인센티브 기반 수요반응으로 구분한다 [1-2]. 일반적으로 풀 기반의(pool-based) 전기 에너지 시장과 마찬가지로 수요반응도 풀 기반의 수요반응 시장에서 거래가 되며 [3], 수요반응 시장에서 거래가 성사된 수요자원은 부하 감축에 대한 의무를 가진다. 그러나 만약 수요반응 시장에서 정산된 수요자원이 부하 감축에 실패하게 된다면 전력 계통의 신뢰도에 좋지 않은 영향을 끼치게 될 것이다. 이러한 계통의 신뢰도 관점에서 수요반응에 관한 연구들이 최근에 진행되어 왔다. 수요반응에 따른 각 부하 버스에서의 전기 가격과 신뢰도 지수를 계산하고 신뢰도 영향력을 분석하였고 [4-5] 수요반응을 고려한 스마트 그리드의 신뢰도 영향력을 분석하였다 [6]. 또한 수요반응의 지리적 이점과 빠른 반응 속도 때문에 수요자원의 운영 예비력으로 활용하는 방안도 소개되었다 [7]. 하지만 기존의 모든 연구들이 소비자의 행동 패턴이 불확실하고 그 예측이 가능하지 않으며 소비자가 쉽게 마음을 바꿀 수 있다는 사실을 간과하였다. 심지어 소비 패턴에 관한 과거 데이터를 축적하여 소비 패턴을 계량화 한다고 하더라도 그들의 다음 소비 패턴을 예측하는 것은 거의 불가능할 것이다. 이러한 소비자 행동의 불확실성은 시스템의 신뢰도에 부정적인 영향을 끼치고 때때로 심각한 상정사고를 야기할 지도 모른다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 기존 발전기의 가용성(availability), 비가용성(unavailability)의 고장상태 모델처럼 소비자의 행동의 불확실성에 따른 상태천이 모델을 소개하고 [8-9] 이를 다단 상태 모델로 확장하여 전력시스템에 투입되는 수요자원의 신뢰성을 판단하는 방법을 제안한다.

A need for building energy efficiency is on the issue since energy demand in the building stock in Korea represents about 24% of the final energy consumption. As a way of improving the thermal performance of buildings for reducing maintenance costs and environmental conservation, a lot of effort is shown to improve the building energy efficiency by applying improvement of envelope insulation performance for buildings whose energy efficiency is low relatively through the remodeling. The windows of building envelopes are areas that lead to the biggest heat loss in the building. So windows are considered to be the primary target of energy efficiency in remodeling and various studies for windows have been done. Currently, however, only U-factor and airtightness of windows performance are regulated. Window wall ratio(WWR) and solar heat gain coefficient(SHGC) of windows are not considered when conducting the remodeling. In this study appropriate performance of windows(U-factor and SHGC) for existing residential is proposed according to the window wall ratio by using EnergyPlus. As the results of this study, the U-factor of windows representing the maximum energy savings is but in case of SHGC, the values that indicate the maximum energy savings are different depending on the window wall ratio. Therefore, when conducting the remodeling of windows, to determine energy efficiency by considering only the U-factor is inadequate so it is necessary that appropriate windows are applied to buildings by considering window wall ratio and windows properties(U-factor and SHGC).

In recent years, as the occurrence of torrential rainfall in urban area which caused by global climate change has increased, the flood damage also has increased. It`s because careful consideration of increase tendency for rainfall wasn`t given to the hydraulic structure design standard and the occurrence of rainfall which exceed the design probability rainfall has actually increased. This paper suggests the regression equation which presents the extreme rainfall value in a probability function. The regression equation is made from the observed data and it can be used in design. As a result of the research, it is possible to apply the regression equation to disaster safety assessment of extreme rainfall when the hydraulic structures are designed.

As the exterior of building has been considered one of th important parts, the use of glass that is suitable to express various appearances gets raised. However, windows have 6~7times lower insulating performance than insulated walls. Lately, highly efficient windows are required as the needs for reduction of energy consumption come to the force. Therefore, Nowadays more people use cooling systems in summer, more the use of Low-E glazing is increasing. Because it is good to block Solar Radiant Energy which can cause much of heat loss while cooling system is working. This study measures U-value of the double Low-E glazing window and commonly used single Low-E glazing window. And then the effect of each window on the efficiency rating has been analyzed applying to the certification system of the building energy efficiency rating which has implemented.

The surface of nanoparticles governs the overall properties of the nanoparticles because nanoparticles have a large surface-to-volume ratio. Charge, crystallinity, and chemical properties (such as hydrophilicity) of surfaces determine the stability, structure, and reactivity of nanoparticles. In this respect, it is essential to have a capability to control and modify the surfaces of nanoparticles. Among many nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are fascinating because of their unique plasmonic properties. Surface plasmons, collective oscillation of conduction electrons, permit a wide variety of applications of AuNPs in spectroscopy, imaging, energy, and biomedicine. AuNPs are typically synthesized using citrate-reduction of Au ions in an aqueous solution, which results in the AuNP surfaces covered with citrate anions. The citrate anions on the AuNP surface are weakly bound and thus easy to replace with more strongly binding thiol ligands. Changing the surface functionality of AuNPs from citrate anions (negative charge) to carboxylate (negative charge) or hydroxyl group (hydrophilic group) has been achieved using the corresponding organofunctional thiol compounds. More challenging in modifying the surface of citratecapped AuNPs is to impart positive charges to the surface. Simple ligand exchange using thiol with cationic functional groups (e.g., NH3 ) generally causes irreversible agglomeration of AuNPs due to multiple electrostatic crosslinking. Another formidable task is to conjugate hydrophobic materials to the AuNPs prepared in an aqueous phase. In this study, we aim to resolve these two issues, which will help us expand our ability to control and modify the surface of citratecapped AuNPs for further advanced applications. The molecule of choice for converting the surface charge from negative to positive was cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant with a positive ammonium head group and a long hydrocarbon tail. CTAB is a commonly used surface ligand in nanochemistry, particularly for the synthesis of gold nanorods or nanocubes. CTAB stabilizes Au nanorods by forming a stable bilayer on the surfaces with the cationic head groups exposed to the outside. When we added a CTAB solution to a solution of citratecapped AuNPs, we observed an anomalous concentrationdependent response of the AuNPs. Addition of a small amount of CTAB expectedly resulted in aggregation of AuNPs. The cationic CTAB head group binds to the negatively charged citrate-capped AuNPs via electrostatic interaction. Consequently, either surface charge neutralization or hydrophobic interaction causes the AuNPs to aggregate in an aqueous solution. When we increased the concentration of added CTAB, we obtained surprisingly unexpected results. Addition of a large amount of CTAB stabilized the AuNPs rather

A new bacterial strain isolated from activated sludge, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa EMS1, produced a biosurfactant when grown on acidified soybean oil as the sole carbon source. An optimum biosurfactant production of 5 g/L was obtained with the following medium composition: 2% acidified soybean oil, 0.3% NH4NO3, 0.03% KH2PO4, 0.03% K2HPO4, 0.02% MgSO4.7H2O and 0.025% CaCl2.2H2O, with shaking at 200 rpm for an incubation period of 100 h at 30 degrees C. The production of the biosurfactant was found to be a function of cell growth, with maximum production occurring during the exponential phase. Hemolysis of erythrocytes and thin-layer chromatography studies revealed that the secreted biosurfactant was rhamnolipid. To overcome the complex environmental regulation with respect to rhamnolipid biosynthesis, and to replace the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa with a safe industrial strain, attempts were made to achieve rhamnolipid production in a heterologous host, Pseudomonas putida, using molecular cloning of rhlAB rhamnosyltransferase genes with the rhlRI quorum sensing system, assuming that a functional rhamnosyltransferase would catalyze the formation of rhamnosyl-6-hydroxydecanoyl-6-hydroxydecanoate (mono-rhamnolipid) in P. putida. It was shown that rhamnolipid can be produced in the heterologous strain, P. putida, when provided with the rhamnosyltransferase genes.

The regulation of labelling criterion for genetically modified (GM) foods has been enforced since 2001 in Korea. Therefore, GM soybean (GMS) or GM maize (GMM) processed foods must be labeled as GMO derived. We surveyed to see whether this regulation is kept relevantly or not and the distributive statue of GM processed foods. Using the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on endogenous gene (Le1n, SSIIb), promoter gene (P35S), terminator gene (NOS) and transgenic gene (RRS, Bt11, Bt176, GA21, T25, Mon810), we detected GMS and GMM processed foods circulating at the market in Busan area. Out of total 100 samples, 38 items were showed to be contaminated with recombinant gene by qualitative PCR. Among 82 domestic and 18 imported items, 32 (39.0%) and 6 (33.3%) items were detected with GM ingredients respectively. Also among the 80 soybean and 20 maize processed foods, 23 (28.7%) and 15 (75.0%) foods were sensitive to detect GMS and GMM ingredients respectively. For the qualitative PCR positive foods, we chased identity preservation (IP) certificates. And we verified that the PCR positive crops were grown up, harvested and shipped separately from GMO but just mixed with GMO in the threshold of the non attentional contamination levels (3%). Thus we can not find out any regulation-violent case at all. The results of this study will help to keep the regulations of GM labelling and be informative to consumers who want to know the laboratory results of GMO testing.

Sphingomonas paucimobilis is an aerobic Gram-negative bacillus found in soil and water. Knowledge regarding the role of this infectious agent is limited because it is rarely isolated from human material. Furthermore, it is an unusual pathogen in cases of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis. The clinical courses and outcomes of peritonitis caused by S. paucimobilis are variable. Whereas some patients were cured with appropriate antibiotic therapy, others required catheter removal. Cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by S. paucimobilis have been reported worldwide, and there was a case report of coinfection with S. paucimobilis and Chryseobacterium indologenes in Korea. However, there has been no case caused by S. paucimobilis as a single pathogen. We report a case of PD-associated peritonitis due to S. paucimobilis in which the patient recovered after catheter removal.

A novel chemical warfare agent sensor based on conjugated polymer dots (CPdots) immobilized on the surface of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-silica nanofibers was prepared with a dots-on-fibers (DoF) hybrid nanostructure via simple electrospinning and subsequent immobilization processes. We synthesized a polyquinoxaline (PQ)-based CP as a highly emissive sensing probe and employed PVA-silica as a host polymer for the elctrospun fibers. It was demonstrated that the CPdots and amine-functionalized electrospun PVA-silica nanofibers interacted via an electrostatic interaction, which was stable under prolonged mechanical force. Because the CPdots were located on the surface of the nanofibers, the highly emissive properties of the CPdots could be maintained and even enhanced, leading to a sensitive turn-off detection protocol for chemical warfare agents. The prepared fluorescent DoF hybrid was quenched in the presence of a chemical warfare agent simulant, due to the electron transfer between the quinoxaline group in the polymer and the organophosphorous simulant. The detection time was almost instantaneous, and a very low limit of detection was observed (∼1.25 × 10(-6) M) with selectivity over other organophosphorous compounds. The DoF hybrid nanomaterial can be developed as a rapid, practical, portable, and stable chemical warfare agent-detecting system and, moreover, can find further applications in other sensing systems simply by changing the probe dots immobilized on the surface of nanofibers.