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Purpose Delta neutrophil index (DNI) indicates immature granulocytes in peripheral blood and has been confirmed to be effective as a prognostic factor for neonatal sepsis. Also, it has been reported to have diagnostic value in acute pyelonephritis and in predicting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in the infant. We conducted the study to verify whether DNI is also helpful in the entire pediatric age group with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods Medical records of children hospitalized for febrile UTIs were analyzed retrospectively. All subjects underwent kidney ultrasound and voiding cystourethrography. In the group with and without VUR, we compared sex and age, and the following laboratory values: the white blood cell count, neutrophil, polymorphonuclear leucocyte, eosinophil, hemoglobin, platelet count, C-reactive protein, DNI value, and the finding of ultrasound. Results A total of 315 patients (163 males and 152 females; range, 0–127 months) were eligible, and 41 patients (13%) had VUR. As a result of univariate analysis, the white blood cell count, neutrophil, DNI, and ultrasonic abnormalities were high in the reflux group, and the hemoglobin and lymphocyte fraction values were low. The value of DNI and the abnormal ultrasound were significantly higher in the reflux group on the multivariate analysis. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating curve was higher in DNI (0.640; 95% confidence interval, 0.536–0.744; P=0.004), and the DNI cutoff value for VUR prediction was 1.85%. Conclusions We identified that ultrasound findings and DNI values were helpful predictors of VUR in pediatric febrile UTIs.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a representative substance that induces bone regeneration. Our research team extracted nanohydroxyapatite (EH) from natural resources, especially equine bones, and developed it as a molecular biological tool. Polyethylenimine (PEI) was used to coat the EH to develop a gene carrier. To verify that PEI is well coated in the EH, we first observed the morphology and dispersity of PEI-coated EH (pEH) by electron microscopy. The pEH particles were well distributed, while only the EH particles were not distributed and aggregated. Then, the existence of nitrogen elements of PEI on the surface of the pEH was confirmed by EDS, calcium concentration measurement and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Additionally, the pEH was confirmed to have a more positive charge than the 25 kD PEI by comparing the zeta potentials. As a result of pGL3 transfection, pEH was better able to transport genes to cells than 25 kD PEI. After verification as a gene carrier for pEH, we induced osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs by loading the BMP-2 gene in pEH (BMP-2/pEH) and delivering it to the cells. As a result, it was confirmed that osteogenic differentiation was promoted by showing that the expression of osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) was significantly increased in the group treated with BMP-2/pEH.In conclusion, we have not only developed a novel nonviral gene carrier that is better performing and less toxic than 25 kD PEI by modifying natural HA (the agricultural byproduct) but also proved that bone differentiation can be effectively promoted by delivering BMP-2 with pEH to stem cells.

Abstract Cryopreservation, the most common method of preserving stem cells, requires post-processing because it produces trauma to the cells. Post-thawing trauma typically induces cell death, elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration, and lowers mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Although this trauma has been solved using antioxidants, we attempted to use photobiomodulation (PBM) instead of chemical treatment. We used a 950-nm near-infrared LED to create a PBM device and chose a pulsed-wave mode of 30 Hz and a 30% duty cycle. Near-infrared radiation (NIR) at 950 nm was effective in reducing cell death caused by hydrogen peroxide induced-oxidative stress. Cryodamage also leads to apoptosis of cells, which can be avoided by irradiation at 950 nm NIR. Irradiation as post-processing for cryopreservation had an antioxidant effect that reduced both cellular and mitochondrial ROS. It also increased mitochondrial mass and activated mitochondrial activity, resulting in increased MMP, ATP generation, and increased cytochrome c oxidase activity. In addition, NIR increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a biomarker of differentiation. As a result, we identified that 950 nm NIR PBM solves cryodamage in human stem cells from the apical papilla, indicating its potential as an alternative to antioxidants for treatment of post-thawing trauma, and further estimated its mechanism.

Docetaxel (DTX)-loaded polymeric micelles (DTBM) were formulated using the triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)–polylactide–poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG–PLA–PEG), to comprehensively study their pharmaceutical application as anticancer nanomedicine. DTBM showed a stable formulation of anticancer nanomedicine that could be reconstituted after lyophilization (DTBM-R) in the presence of PEG 2000 and D-mannitol (Man) as surfactant and protectant, respectively. DTBM-R showed a particle size less than 150 nm and greater than 90% of DTX recovery after reconstitution. The robustly formed micelles might minimize systemic toxicity due to their sustained drug release and also maximize antitumor efficacy through increased accumulation and release of DTX from the micelles. From the pharmaceutical development point of view, DTBM-R showing successful reconstitution could be considered as a potent nanomedicine for tumor treatment.

Cisplatin, a representative anticancer drug used to treat cancer, has many adverse effects. In particular, it causes significant damage to the kidneys. Thus, many researchers have studied the delivery of drugs, such as cisplatin, to cancer areas using targeted drug-delivery systems. Here, we propose a new way to treat cancer by delivering anticancer drugs directly to the tumor site using the electrospray (ES) technique. We determined the optimal conditions for ES to promote the introduction of cisplatin into cancer cells. In our results, the group with cisplatin delivery-based electrospray (CDES) at 6 kV had an apoptosis of cancer cells approximately two times more than the group treated with cisplatin alone. We also confirmed that ES alone did not affect the survival of cells up to a voltage of 6 kV, but increased the permeability of the cell plasma membrane instantaneously, facilitating the influx of the drug.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a good medicine source because of their potential to differentiate into various tissues or cells. However, traditionally, iPSCs made by specific transgenes and virus vectors are not appropriate for clinical use because of safety concerns and risk of tumor development. The goal of this research was to develop an alternative method for reprogramming, using small molecules and external stimuli. Two groups were established: short-term shear stress (STSS) under suspension culture and a combination of short-term shear stress and vitamin C (SSVC) under suspension culture. For STSS, the pipetting was carried out for cells twice per day for 2 min for 14 days in the embryonic stem cell (ES) medium. In the case of SSVC, the procedure was the same as for STSS however, its ES medium included 10 µM of vitamin C. After 14 days, all spheroids were picked and checked for pluripotency by ALP (alkaline phosphatase) assay and immunocytochemistry. Both groups partially showed the characteristics of stem cells but data demonstrated that the spheroids under shear stress and vitamin C had improved stem cell-like properties. This research showed the possibility of external stimuli and small molecules to reprogram the somatic cells without the use of transgenes.

Supramolecular hydrogels are considered promising drug carriers in the tissue engineering field due to their versatile nature. Chitosan hydrogels without chemical cross-linkers have low cytotoxicity and good delivery capacity; however, they have lower mechanical properties for injectable hydrogel usage. In this study, we developed novel chitosan derivatives via click chemistry for fabricating supramolecular hydrogels with higher mechanical strength under mild conditions. The chitosan derivative was successfully synthesized by a sulfur fluoride exchange reaction, and the synthesized chitosan-mPEG/Pluronic-F127 (CS-mPEG/F127) interacted with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) to form a supramolecular hydrogel via a host-guest reaction. The gelation dynamics, hydrogel properties, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) release could be modulated by the concentration ratio of chitosan-mPEG and F127. This supramolecular hydrogel is a promising protein releasing carrier candidate for long term regeneration therapy.

Congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS), though rare, is important because the mortality and morbidity rates are high in infants. Especially, associated congenital heart disease (CHD) in these infants may compound the effects of airway pathology. A 3-week-old patient with long-segmental tracheal stenosis below an anomalous right-upper lobe (RUL) bronchus had undergone a total correction of double outlet right ventricle. On third postoperative day, hypercarbia developed, and severe airway obstruction and atelectasis were detected. An emergency slide tracheoplasty was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The patient recovered well after the surgery. Thus, special attention needs to be paid during the postoperative intensive care of patients with congenital tracheal anomalies. Early detection and prompt diagnosis of airway obstruction can help reduce the morbidity and mortality rates. Further, it is important to select the suitable treatment of CTS associated with CHD.

Adiponutrin and a related protein, adipocyte triglyceride lipase (ATGL; also known as Desnutrin), were recently described as adipocyte-specific proteins with lipid hydrolase activity. Using bioinformatics, we identified three additional Adiponutrin family members (GS2, GS2-Like, and PNPLA1). Here, we report on the expression, regulation, and activity of GS2 and GS2-Like compared with Adiponutrin and Desnutrin/ATGL. GS2-Like is expressed and regulated in a manner similar to Adiponutrin; however, the absolute levels of mRNA are significantly lower than those of Adiponutrin or Desnutrin/ATGL. GS2 transcripts were identified only in humans and are highly expressed in adipose as well as other tissues. All four proteins show lipase activity in vitro, which is dependent on the presence of the active site serine for Adiponutrin, Desnutrin/ATGL, and GS2. Overexpression of Desnutrin/ATGL, GS2, and GS2-Like, but not Adiponutrin, decreases intracellular triglyceride levels. This is consistent with a function for Desnutrin/ATGL, GS2, and GS2-Like in lipolysis, but not for Adiponutrin. Consistent with previously reported data, Desnutrin/ATGL is upregulated by fasting in adipose tissue, whereas Adiponutrin is downregulated. Additionally, Adiponutrin and GS2-Like, but not Desnutrin/ATGL, are strongly induced in the liver of ob/ob mice.Our data support distinct functions for Adiponutrin and Desnutrin/ATGL and raise the possibility that GS2 may contribute significantly to lipolysis in human adipose tissue.

While environmental vibrations are usually in the range of a few hundred Hertz, small-form-factor piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters will have higher resonant frequencies due to the structural size effect. To address this issue, we propose a resonant frequency-down conversion based on the theory of dynamic vibration absorber for the design of a small-form-factor piezoelectric vibration energy harvester. The proposed energy harvester consists of two frequency-tuned elastic components for lowering the first resonant frequency of an integrated system but is so configured that an energy harvesting beam component is inverted with respect to the other supporting beam component for a small form factor. Furthermore, in order to change the unwanted modal characteristic of small separation of resonant frequencies, as is the case with an inverted configuration, a proof mass on the supporting beam component is slightly shifted toward a second proof mass on the tip of the energy harvesting beam component. The proposed small-form-factor design capability was experimentally verified using a fabricated prototype with an occupation volume of 20 × 39 × 6.9 mm3, which was designed for a target frequency of as low as 100 Hz.

The title compound, C31H22N2, crystallizes with two symmetry-independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The molecules have slightly different conformations, the dihedral angles between the central phenyl ring and the carbazolyl groups being 56.29 (4) and 59.57 (4)° in one molecule and 48.71 (4) and 65.47 (4)° in the other. In the crystal, molecules are linked by weak C—H...π and π–π [centroid–centroid distances = 3.7698 (10), 3.8292 (9), 3.9429 (10) and 3.9431 (10) Å].

The title 20-crown-6 unit, C28H30Br2O6·CH2Cl2, consisting of three benzo groups and triethylene glycol was prepared from the reaction of 1,2,4,5-tetrakis(bromomethyl)benzene and bisphenol in the presence of sodium hydride. In the crystal, one O atom of the central ethylene glycol in the triethylene glycol unit exhibits an exo conformation as a result of intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds. The crown unit and the solvent molecule are linked by weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds.

We propose a vibration energy harvester consisting of an auxiliary frequency-tuned mass unit and a piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting unit for enhancing output power. The proposed integrated system is so configured that its out-of-phase mode can appear at the lowest eigenfrequency unlike in the conventional system using a tuned unit. Such an arrangement makes the resulting system distinctive: enhanced output power at or near the target operating frequency and very little eigenfrequency separation, not observed in conventional eigenfrequency-tuned vibration energy harvesters. The power enhancement of the proposed system is theoretically examined with and without tip mass normalization or footprint area normalization.

The objective of this study is assess the influences of 8 environmental factors, population, coastline length, island area, vegetated area, highest peak, distance to the mainland, longitude, latitude on vascular plant species richness (PSR) of 10 inhabited islands of Shinan-gun, South Korea. In simple regression, the relationships between PSR and distance to the mainland, longitude and latitude were significant at the 5% level. When distance increases, longitude and latitude decrease, plant species richness increases. The relationship between PSR and coastline length, island area and highest peak were not significant at 5% level. But coastline length, island area and vegetated area showed negative relation with plant species richness and highest peak showed positive relation. Relationship between population and PSR was not statistically significant and showed negative relation. This may indicate PSR decrease by the effects of human dynamics, but further research is needed. In stepwise regression method three variables, distance, longitude and latitude, explained 98.0% of the variation in PSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure influences of environmental factors and population on Living Tool Diversity (LTD) in 10 islands of Shinangun, the number of living tools was determined. Correlation analysis, simple linear regression analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. Results showed that coastline length and population were positively related to LTD and thus, island size and human dynamics. PCA results showed that living tools could be classified into four groups and that islands could be classified into three groups. Living tool-environmental biplot showed that: 1) the first group composed of AG tools was related to human dynamics as PO, CL, and IA; 2) the second group composed of FI tools was related to island biogeography as DM and PS; 3) the third group composed of FP tools was related to geographical coordinates as LA and LO; 4) the fourth group composed of TA, CO, BR, FS, PM, and CT had weaker correlations than other groups. Island-environmental biplot showed that: 1) the first group composed of R7 and R9 was related to AG and FP tools; 2) the second group composed of R2 was related to FI tools; and 3) the third group composed of R3, R6, R8, and R10 was related to TA, CO, BR, FS, PM, and CT tools. Regression and PCA models accounted for most of the variation of LTD by population and environmental factors across Shinan-gun islands of South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sea is a space where 'humans, materials, and information' come and go. Given the abundant resources it provides, the sea has been significant in human culture until the present day. In particular, humans have made great advances in technological development and knowledge acquisition in relation to the use of fishing grounds. A characteristic example is the use of stone tidal weirs, a traditional fishing method that utilizes tidal differences and can be found all around the world. Stone tidal weirs have played an important role as a means of subsistence in the lives and livelihoods of islanders. This study, part of a bio-cultural diversity research study on the ecological and cultural characteristics of primitive traditional fisheries in island areas, was conducted in the island region of Shinan-gun, which has the largest number of islands in Korea and a sizeable tidal range. The study comprised a literature review, interviews with residents, and field surveys. Currently, there is no place where this traditional and primitive fishing method is used except for tourism purposes such as fishing village experiences. However, with the growing attention for nature-based solutions and community cooperation for marine ecosystem conservation, these traditional fishing methods are gaining renewed interest. This paper aims to discover the original fishing methods of the Southwest Sea islands and shed new light on their value in different respects, so that they can be used for ecotourism, education, exhibition, and scholarly activities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new study investigates the effects of the contrast of velocity and impedance on acoustic band gaps.

Besides the great burden that has been placed on the world by the COVID-19 pandemic, radical climate change is causing natural disasters in every corner of the world. According to the IPCC’s most recent report, rising global temperatures already have very negative impacts beyond our expectation. The main cause of this lies in human activities that drive global population growth, ongoing urbanization, excessive use of natural resources, and so on. Every minute, the environment in islands and oceans is changing in different directions and angles. This forum is to have an in-depth discussion on how climate crisis including pandemic and climate change and sprawling development by humans etc., can affect cultures and ecosystem in islands and seascapes and which direction identity of islands will be heading in the future. For this matter, the theme of this forum is fixed as “Changes and Chaos in Islands and Seascapes”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of plant communities in the reclaimed land of the southwestern coasts of South Korea, along with the environmental or plant factors, was studied through canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and the competitor (C), stress tolerator (S), and ruderal (R) (CSR) ecological strategies. The coastal reclaimed land plants were classified into three plant-factor groups in the CCA biplot diagram. Axis1 was correlated with LS, SLA, CH, and FS. Axis 2 was correlated with LDMC, FP, and LDW. The reclaimed landplants were classified into three soil-factor groups in the CCA biplot diagram. First, the group factor was correlated with SAND. Second, the group factor was distributed according to T-N and TOC. Third, the group factor was distributed according to Salinity content. To clarify the relative significance of competition, stress, and disturbance in the distribution process of plant communities, the CSR distribution model was adopted. Sixteen of the 19 species were allocated to the factors related to the ruderals strategies such as R/CR and CR including R/CSR, SR/CSR, and CR/CSR, and SC strategies. They displayed ruderal and competition adaptation strategies reflecting the ecological environment. Seven species showed R/CR (ruderal/competitor-ruderal) strategies; Aeschno meneindica, Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum, Lolium perenne, Lotus corniculatus var .japonicus, Phragmites communis, Portulaca oleracea, and Soncous brachyotus and 6 species showed CR (competitor-ruderal) strategies; Bidens frondosa, Echinochloa crus-galli, Echino chloaoryzicola, Erigeron canadensis, Fimbristy lislongispica and Setaria viridis. The three species with R-related strategies were Artemisia princeps, Lolium perenne, and Trifolium repens. The distribution patterns of the CCA diagrams and CSR triangles may provide a useful scientific basis for protecting and restoring reclaimed lands and their valuable ecosystem services, from the increasing disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : The purposes of this study were to examine the levels of job stress, perceptions of the patient safety culture, and patient safety nursing activities, and to identify factors influencing patient safety nursing activities among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 161 ICU nurses working in two university-affiliated hospitals in Gyeonggi-do between June 30 and July 30, 2020. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, the Pearson correlation method, and multiple regression using the SPSS program. Results: The average levels of job stress, perception of patient safety culture, and patient safety nursing activities were 3.48, 3.44, and 4.45 out of 5, respectively. Multiple regression showed that perception of patient safety culture and career in current workplace were found to be statistically significant correlates of patient safety nursing activities. Conclusion: In order to promote patient safety nursing activities, patient safety culture needs to be incorporated into the education of ICU nurses. Perception of patient safety should be enhanced to improve patients safety nursing activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the reflectivity and the reflection delay of a quarter wave mirror (QWM) can be controlled by choosing the outermost layer of the QWM appropriately. For a GaAs/Al0.75Ga0.25As QWM, depositing a Si layer as the incoming outermost layer decreases the reflectivity to the same degree as removing 19.6 layers, and increases the reflection delay by 12.0 times. Likewise, when using a TiO2 layer, the reflectivity decreases to a level similar to the removal of 16.1 layers while the reflection delay is 7.9 times longer. Therefore, an efficient method to fabricate resonant cavity enhanced photodetectors for bidirectional optical interconnects is proposed. This method needs no subsequent etching process while giving a quantum efficiency of approximately 90% using currently available deposition techniques. Furthermore, the tunable wavelength and bandwidth ranges of microelectromechanical system tunable filters can be controlled separately by the outermost layer, thereby allowing filters with different bandwidths to be fabricated on the same wafer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical constants of evaporated gold films are measured by using the surface plasmon resonance curve fitting method with an attenuated total reflection device at telecommunication wavelengths. It is shown that for the gold films of thicknesses of less than 20 nm, the real part of the refractive index has increased and the imaginary part has decreased with the decreasing film thickness.

The importance of traditional ecological knowledge to the sustainability of ecosystem services is obvious when realizing that such knowledge, handed down through generations, is essentially about how to ensure the continuous utilization of limited natural resources. In other words, traditional ecological knowledge provides a way to sustain the value of ecosystem services. In existing research on the value of ecosystem services, however, the role of traditional ecological knowledge remains largely unaddressed. For traditional ecological knowledge to remain available in local communities, it is necessary that elderly community members can pass it on to younger generations. Worryingly, this knowledge transmission is often hampered by modern-day demographic changes that see the working-age population decrease and the elderly population increase. This paper aims to investigate the impact of traditional ecological knowledge on the value of ecosystem services by accounting for the demographic composition of communities, taking the islands in Shinan County, Jeollanamdo, Republic of Korea, as a case study. The varying degrees in which the 13 investigated islands in Shinan County are experiencing the aforementioned demographic changes affect the sustainability of their ecosystem services. To incorporate the demographic composition into the valuation of ecosystem services, a weight factor was calculated being the ratio of the working-age population to the elderly population. The study results identified the islands Aphaedo and Jido, both areas with a high value of ecosystem services, as having the highest sustainability. Although having a relatively low value of ecosystem services, the island Imjado ranked third in terms of sustainability due to a relatively good demographic composition. It is reasonable to say that the study took a very simple approach by using only a single weight factor based on the demographic composition of communities to quantify the possibilities of transfer and acquisition of traditional ecological knowledge in those communities. Despite this limitation, however, the paper is expected to facilitate the necessary indepth discussion of the role of traditional ecological knowledge in sustaining the value of ecological services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheongsando, located in Wando-gun, Jeollanamdo, is designated as being part of the Dadohaehaesang National Park. The island is also designated as Asia's first "Slow City" and its traditional Gudeuljang irrigated rice terraces are officially listed as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. This has resulted in the creation of a "Slow Walking Trail", linking various eco-cultural resources. However, in its current configuration the Slow Walking Trail network fails to connect all parts of the islands equally well, causing regional imbalance and dissatisfaction among residents. To overcome these issues and improve the connectivity between villages, this study aimed to identify ways to refine the Slow Walking Trail network by means of a least cost path analysis. The results show that land use patterns such as rice paddy field, grassland, and road shape are the low cost land use patterns for network connection. Moreover, the analysis shows that the existing network forms a useful basis for refinements as there are sufficient similarities to the connected network identified by the least cost path analysis. In the end, the already established and used small road will have an important influence on the connected villages and improving the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is (1) to study the epistemological meanings of biological diversity and cultural diversity and the connectivity of biocultural diversity and (2) to concretize a plan for making the biocultural diversity, containing the ecological environment and the life culture of the island areas, into knowledge resources. By carrying out onsite investigations, in-depth interviews, and the empirical case example research with the Wando County area of Jeonnam Province as the subject, (3) the possibility of the agenda is presented through the interdisciplinary convergence researches, including but not limited to: biology, anthropology, linguistics, Korean literature, folklore, cultural contents study. As a plan for putting into practice the convergence research, the theoretical foundations, the methodologies of the biological diversity and the cultural diversity of the islands can be systematically established through the research on the biocultural diversity of the islands and the excavation of the agenda. The theoretical foundations, the methodologies of biological diversity, and the cultural diversity of the islands can be systematically established. Through this establishment, the conceptual and the epistemological expansion of the biocultural diversity of the islands through the convergence of biological diversity and cultural diversity will be induced. This convergence research will contribute to the securing of the biological sovereignty and cultural sovereignty of the island people through the biological resources of the islands. Through the research on biocultural diversity of the islands, it will contribute in promotion of awareness on resource security regarding the approach to, and the sharing of, genetic resources in accordance with the biological diversity agreement. In addition, the preservation of biological, and genetic resources of the islands based on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the island people and direction for sustainable development will be pursued. Groundwork will also be laid for future endeavors, through establishment of Traditional Knowledges (TK), traditional local foods, recipes, and medical folk traditions, all based on the biological diversity. A plan for the resources will be prepared by excavating cultural traditions contained in the information from the biological diversity data along with linguistic diversity information, and through the establishment of an archive through the convergence research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection activates pro-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin (IL)-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastric epithelial cells. 1-Tetradecanol (1-TD) has been purified from Dendropanax morbifera Leveille; its physiological activities are poorly understood. The present study assessed whether 1-TD has an effect on H. pylori-mediated inflammation in AGS gastric epithelial cells. 1-TD reduced IL-8 production by AGS cells in response to H. pylori in a significant and dose-dependent manner, as measured by ELISA. Western blot analysis demonstrated that 1-TD also suppressed the activation of nuclear factor-κB, and two mitogen activated protein kinase species (p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2), but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase in H. pylori-infected AGS cells. As predicted, VEGF expression and hypoxia inducible factor-1α stabilization induced by H. pylori in AGS cells were inhibited by 1-TD. In addition, 1-TD directly inhibited the growth of H. pylori in a dose-dependent manner, as investigated by measuring the optical density. These findings indicated that 1-TD may be a potential preventive or therapeutic agent for H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hominis Placenta (HP) known as a restorative medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely applied in the clinics of Korea and China as an anti-aging agent to enhance the regeneration of tissue. This study was conducted to investigate whether topical treatment of HP promotes hair regrowth in the animal model. Methods: The dorsal hairs of 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were depilated to synchronize hair follicles to the anagen phase. HP was applied topically once a day for 15 days. Hair growth was evaluated visually and microscopically. The incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7) in dorsal skin tissue was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of FGF-7. Results: HP exhibited potent hair growth-promoting activity in C57BL/6 mice. Gross examination indicated that HP markedly increased hair regrowth as well as hair density and diameter. Histologic analysis showed that HP treatment enhanced the anagen induction of hair follicles. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BrdU incorporation and the expressions of PCNA were increased by treatment of HP. HP treatment significantly increased the expression of FGF-7, which plays pivotal roles to maintain anagen phase both protein and mRNA levels. Conclusions: Taken together, our results indicate that HP has a potent hair growth-promoting activity; therefore, it may be a good candidate for the treatment of alopecia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mature microRNA (miRNA) acts as an important posttranscriptional regulator. We aimed to profile vasopressin-responsive miRNAs in kidney inner medullary collecting duct cells and to identify aquaporin-2 (AQP2)-targeting miRNAs. Microarray chip assay was carried out in inner medullary collecting duct tubule suspensions from rat kidneys in the absence or presence of desmopressin (dDAVP) stimulation (10-9 M, 2 h). The results demonstrated 19 miRNAs, including both precursor and mature miRNAs, as potential candidates that showed significant changes in expression after dDAVP stimulation (P < 0.05). Nine mature miRNAs exhibiting >1.3-fold changes in expression on the microarray (miR-127, miR-1, miR-873, miR-16, miR-206, miR-678, miR-496, miR-298, and miR-463) were further examined by quantitative real-time PCR, and target genes of the selected miRNAs were predicted. Next, to identify AQP2-targeting miRNAs, in silico analysis was performed. Four miRNAs (miR-32, miR-137, miR-216a, and miR-216b) target the 3=-untranslated region of rat AQP2 mRNA. Target seed regions of miR-32 and miR-137 were also conserved in the 3=-untranslated region of mouse AQP2 mRNA. Quantitative realtime PCR and immunoblot analysis demonstrated that dDAVPinduced AQP2 expression was significantly attenuated in mpkCCDc14 cells when cells were transfected with miRNA mimics of miR-32 or miR-137. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay demonstrated a significant decrease of AQP2 translation in mpkCCDc14 cells transfected with miRNA mimics of miR-32 or miR-137. The present study provides novel insights into the regulation of AQP2 by RNA interference; however, vasopressin-regulated miRNAs did not include miR-32 or miR-137, indicating that the interaction of miRNAs with the AQP2 regulatory pathway requires further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands are often habitats to unique species because they have different environmental conditions from the mainland and other islands. Another characteristic of islands is their limited natural resources, which has led island residents to heavily rely on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and use resources sustainably. The so-called "Maeul landscape" shows the interrelationship of biological species and people's use of natural resources. Shinan-gun is an administrative district located in the southwestern part of Korea that forms an archipelago with huge tidal flat areas. Since long ago, people's use of these tidal flats shows a high degree of biocultural diversity. Maeul landscapes also show humans' adaptation to the natural environment. For instance, strong winds blowing mainly from the northwest have led people in Shinan-gun to create "Ushil," a windbreak forest with stone blocks to block wind from their villages and agricultural fields. At present, the transfer of TEK to future generations is at stake due to socio-economic changes that cause island populations to shrink and age rapidly. Islands are often regarded as good destinations for tourism, but attention should also be given to sustainable development due to the environmental characteristics of islands. International organizations are making efforts to curb the threats of global environmental problems especially on small islands. Their activities are aimed at seeking solutions that stress the central role of biocultural diversity in establishing the sustainable use of natural resources on islands. Joint efforts of local people and government authorities to protect and conserve the Maeul landscape should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the direct effects of moral judgment, moral intensity, and moral affect, specifically shame and guilt, on undergraduates' purchase intent concerning counterfeits, gray-market products, and imitations. The indirect effects of moral intensity, shame, and guilt on moral judgment were also investigated. A between subjects experiment was designed and participants (n = 313) responded to a scenario. For both the counterfeit and imitation products, moral judgment had a significant negative effect on purchase intent. Moral intensity had no significant effect on purchase intent for all product types but it had significant positive influence on moral judgment for all product types. Guilt had a significant negative influence on purchase intent for graymarket products and a positive influence on moral judgment for all product types. In addition, moral judgment mediated the impact of guilt on intent to purchase gray-market products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 has been proposed to be one of the mediators that link obesity-derived chronic inflammation with insulin resistance. Signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been found to impact insulin sensitivity under various pathological conditions, through serine phosphorylation and inhibition of insulin receptor substrate by the downstream effector of mTOR, ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1). However, an involvement of mTOR in IL-6-induced insulin resistance has not yet been reported. Here we show that rapamycin, the inhibitor of mTOR signaling, rescues insulin signaling and glycogen synthesis from IL-6 inhibition in HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells as well as in mouse primary hepatocytes. IL-6 activates S6K1 in these cells, but unexpectedly, S6K1 is not involved in IL-6 inhibition of insulin signaling, since the effect of IL-6 persists in cells with drastically reduced 56K1 levels induced by RNA interference, suggesting that the function of mTOR signaling is through a mechanism different from the prevailing model of S6K1 phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1. Interestingly, we find that the phosphorylation of STAT3 on Ser727 and STAT3 transcrip- tional activity are regulated by mTOR upon IL-6 stimulation and that STAT3 is required for IL-6 inhibition of insulin signaling. Furthermore, IL-6-induced SOCS3 expression is inhibited by rapamycin, and ectopic expression of SOCS3 blocks the ability of rapamycin to enhance insulin sensitivity in the presence of IL-6. Taken together, we propose that mTOR plays a key role in IL-6-induced hepatic insulin resistance by regulating STAT3 activation and subsequent SOCS3 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hinges, the unrepeated checkerboard cells, may appear in the topology optimization using low-order finite elements, especially for compliant mechanism design. Existing hinge-controlling methods are based on the rectangular element discretization, so slant or curved boundary lines may not be represented satisfactorily. To avoid hinge formation and to represent curved boundary lines better, we consider a macro-design element method which subdivides the design element into eight triangular finite elements; the finite element calculation is carried out with triangular elements, but the design variables are defined at the nodes defining rectangular macro-design elements. For hinge-free results, different stiffness interpolations are suggested depending on whether the triangular element belongs to a master group or a slave group. The performance of the proposed method was checked with compliant mechanism design problems from the viewpoint of hinge suppression and the possibility of generating slant boundary lines. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate experimentally the relationship between the pitch and the elastic constants of a transient planar state in cholesteric liquid crystals. The pitch of the transient planar state is measured by the optical reflection technique. The twist and bend elastic constants of cholesteric materials are determined from the measured values of the threshold voltages for the transitions between a focal-conic state and a homeotropic state. By comparing these values, we experimentally confirm the relationship for the pitch of a transient planar state; P transient =( K 33 /K 22 ) P 0 , which has been suggested theoretically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ecotope (spatial eco-space) map that considers topography and bio-organism-relevant variables emerges as an important basic framework when landscape-scale characteristics for ecosystem management and wildlife conservation are needed. A spatio-geoecological framework based on geographic information systems (GIS) and a vegetation survey were developed for wildlife habitat evaluation of national parks and applied to a representative rugged valley area of Mt. Sorak National Park in Korea. An ecotope map was classified into hundreds of types and dozens of groups by combining biological and geophysical variables. Variables included: forest vegetation type, topographic solar radiation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), elevation, and anthropogenic factors, such as, streams and roads. Layers of GIS variables were produced by field surveys, modeling, satellite images, or digitalization. Vegetation surveys were carried out to identify finer-scale distribution of vegetation types in the rugged valley area. Digital forest vegetation maps from the Forestry Administrator were then modified using the field-surveyed vegetation maps. Topographic solar radiation was predicted with a daily topographic radiation model. The NDVI was calculated from the satellite imagery of a Landsat Thematic Mapper. A digital elevation model (DEM) was used and the other layers were digitized using topographical maps with a scale of 1:25 000. The aim of this study is to determine the geoecological factors relating to the spatial pattern of plant community. It was cleared by the spatial pattern of environmental variables and vegetation characteristics by detrended correspondence analysis using plant species and the environmental variables of each plot. The ordination component value of the first axis shows significant regression to some environmental variables. A case study of habitat evaluation was carried out using the resultant ecotope map. The spatial distribution of potential goral habitat and vegetation characteristics were predicted and the impact of human trails on the neighboring vegetation was also examined for restoration planning. The GIS-based framework developed for wildlife habitat evaluation is useful for natural resource management and human activity control in national parks in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which investigated the optical absorption spectra of cobalt-doped MgIn[sub2]S[sub4], CdIn[sub2]S[sub4] and HgIn[sub2]S[sub4] single crystals grown by a chemical transport reaction. Review of related literature; Methodology; Results and discussion.

Examines the role of KBP12-rapamycin associated protein (FRAP), a cytoplasmic protein localized to intracellular membranes, in genetic translation and signalling. Regulatory mechanism of FRAP function; Cytoplasmic-nuclear shuttling; Regulation of the protein synthesis via extracellular signals.

We experimentally confirm that the antireflection structures effectively minimize unnecessary reflections of self-collimated microwave beams at the interfaces of a two-dimensional photonic crystal, which is composed of cylindrical alumina rods. Optimized design parameters for the antireflection structures are obtained from the one-dimensional antireflection coating theory and the finite-difference time-domain simulations. Measured transmittance through the photonic crystal samples with and without the antireflection structures agree well with the simulation results. The measured results show that the photonic crystal with an antireflection structure yields about 90% transmission of incident power on the average in the frequency range of 12.0 to 13.0 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that line defects can give rise to the bending and splitting of self-collimated beams in two-dimensional photonic crystals from the equifrequency contour calculations and the finite-difference time-domain simulations. The power ratio between two split self-collimated beams can be controlled systematically by varying the radii of rods or holes in the line defect. We also show that the bending and controllable splitting of self-collimated beams can be useful in steering the flow of light in photonic crystal integrated light circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel two-phase design method based on the topology optimization formulation is proposed in order to configure not only the optimal coil shape, but also the optimal number of coils without using any initial layout The specific design objective is to find an optimal coil configuration maximizing the Lorentz force in the desired direction and minimizing the force in other directions under a given magnetic field. The problem complexity comes from the fact that the location and the number of coils should be determined during the optimization process. To overcome this difficulty, a two-phase topology optimization method is developed where the location and number of coils are determined in the first phase, and the detailed coil shape in the second phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]