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In industrial system health management, prognostics play a crucial role in ensuring safety and enhancing system availability. While the data-driven approach is the most common for this purpose, they often face challenges due to insufficient training data. This study delves into the prognostic capabilities of four methods under the conditions of limited training datasets. The methods evaluated include two neural network-based approaches, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, and two similarity-based methods, Trajectory Similarity-Based Prediction (TSBP) and Data Augmentation Prognostics (DAPROG), with the last being a novel contribution from the authors. The performance of these algorithms is compared using the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation (CMAPSS) datasets, which are made by simulation of turbofan engine performance degradation. To simulate real-world scenarios of data deficiency, a small fraction of the training datasets from the original dataset is chosen at random for the training, and a comprehensive assessment is conducted for each method in terms of remaining useful life prediction. The results of our study indicate that, while the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model generally outperforms others in terms of overall accuracy, Data Augmentation Prognostics (DAPROG) shows comparable performance in the small training dataset, being particularly effective within the range of 10% to 30%. Data Augmentation Prognostics (DAPROG) also exhibits lower variance in its predictions, suggesting a more consistent performance. This is worth highlighting, given the typical challenges associated with artificial neural network methods, such as inherent randomness, non-intuitive decision-making processes, and the complexities involved in developing optimal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat grain productivity is different from year to year because growing environments are highly seasonally variable as a result of climate change. This study analyzed the variation in the weather conditions in the 2010–2023 growing seasons and evaluated the crop developmental phase, yield-related components, and the correlations of the variables in the southern plain of South Korea, measuring agronomic traits, including the above-ground dry weight, young-panicle length, spike number per m2, number of grains per spike, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. The number of days in the heading and ripening phase showed less differences than the other growth phases. The thousand-grain weight showed low variations over the fourteen years observed, unlike the number of grains per spike, the marketable grain yield, and the straw yield, with comparatively high variations. The grain yield was negatively correlated with the average air temperature during the winter dormancy phase (R = −0.687, p = 0.007) and precipitation (R = −0.726, p = 0.003), but showed positive associations with the number of days in the winter dormancy phase (R = 0.597, p = 0.024) and the number of grains per spike (R = 0.809, p = 0.000). In conclusion, longer winter dormancy and a longer tillering phase delay young-panicle development but increase the number of spikes and the number of grains per spike, resulting in a higher wheat grain yield in Southern Korean weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban transportation systems are increasingly burdened by traffic congestion, a consequence of population growth and heightened reliance on private vehicles. This congestion not only disrupts travel efficiency but also undermines productivity and urban resident's overall well-being. A critical step in addressing this challenge is the accurate prediction of bus travel times, which is essential for mitigating congestion and improving the experience of public transport users. To tackle this issue, this study introduces the Hybrid Temporal Forecasting Network (HTF-NET) model, a framework that integrates machine learning techniques. The model combines an attention mechanism with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) layers, enhancing its predictive capabilities. Further refinement is achieved through a Support Vector Regressor (SVR), enabling the generation of precise bus travel time predictions. To evaluate the performance of the HTF-NET model, comparative analyses are conducted with six deep learning models using real-world digital tachograph (DTG) data obtained from intracity buses in Cheonan City, South Korea. These models includes various architectures, including different configurations of LSTM and GRU, such as bidirectional and stacked architectures. The primary focus of the study is on predicting travel times from the Namchang Village bus stop to the Dongnam-gu Public Health Center, a crucial route in the urban transport network. Various experimental scenarios are explored, incorporating overall test data, and weekday and weekend data, with and without weather information, and considering different route lengths. Comparative evaluations against a baseline ARIMA model underscore the performance of the HTF-NET model. Particularly noteworthy is the significant improvement in prediction accuracy achieved through the incorporation of weather data. Evaluation metrics, including root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean squared error (MSE), consistently highlight the superiority of the HTF-NET model, outperforming the baseline ARIMA model by a margin of 63.27% in terms of the RMSE. These findings provide valuable insights for transit agencies and policymakers, facilitating informed decisions regarding the management and optimization of public transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are comorbidities that result from the sharing of common genes. The molecular background of comorbidities can provide clues for the development of treatment and management strategies. Here, the common genes involved in the development of the two diseases and in memory and cognitive function are reviewed. Network clustering based on protein–protein interaction network identified tightly connected gene clusters that have an impact on memory and cognition among the comorbidity genes of AD and T2DM. Genes with functional implications were intensively reviewed and relevant evidence summarized. Gene information will be useful in the discovery of biomarkers and the identification of tentative therapeutic targets for AD and T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Despite numerous noninvasive methods for assessing liver fibrosis, effective ultrasound parameters remain limited. We aimed to identify easily measurable ultrasound parameters capable of predicting liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); (2) Methods: The data of 994 patients diagnosed with NAFLD via ultrasound at the Armed Forces Goyang Hospital were retrospectively collected from June 2022 to July 2023. A liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ≥ 8.2 kPa was classified as significant fibrosis. Liver steatosis with cardiometabolic risk factors was defined as MASLD. Two ultrasound variables, the portal venous pulsatility index (VPI) and main portal vein diameter (MPVD), were measured; (3) Results: Of 994 patients, 68 had significant fibrosis. Significant differences in VPI (0.27 vs. 0.34, p < 0.001) and MPVD (10.16 mm vs. 8.98 mm, p < 0.001) were observed between the fibrotic and non-fibrotic groups. A logistic analysis adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI) revealed that only VPI (OR of 0.955, p = 0.022, VPI on a 0.01 scale) and MPVD (OR of 1.501, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with significant liver fibrosis. In the MASLD cohort (n = 939), VPI and MPVD were associated with significant fibrosis. To achieve better accuracy in predicting liver fibrosis, we established a nomogram that incorporated MPVD and VPI. The established nomogram was validated in the test cohort, yielding an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.821 for detecting significant liver fibrosis; (4) Conclusions: VPI and MPVD, as possible surrogate markers, are useful in predicting significant fibrosis in patients with NAFLD and MASLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concepts of Wardowski-type set-valued contractions and Işik-type set-valued contractions are introduced and fixed point theorems for such contractions are established. A positive answer to the open Question is given. Examples to support main theorems and an application to integral inclusion are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, women have been adopting oocyte cryopreservation (OC) for fertility preservation for various reasons, such as inevitable gonadotoxic treatment for specific pathologic states and social preferences. While conventional vitrification (C-VIT) has improved the success rate of OC, challenges of possible toxicities of high-concentration cryoprotective agents and osmotic stress persist. To overcome these challenges, we evaluated the ultra-fast vitrification (UF-VIT) method, which reduces the equilibration solution stage exposure time compared to C-VIT by observing mouse oocyte intracellular organelles and embryonic development. Consequently, compared to fresh mouse oocytes, UF-VIT presented significant differences only in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) intensity and mitochondrial (MT) distribution. Meanwhile, C-VIT showed substantial differences in the survival rate, key ER and MT parameters, and embryonic development rate. UF-VIT exhibited considerably fewer negative effects on key MT parameters and resulted in a notably higher blastocyst formation rate than C-VIT. Meiotic spindle (spindle and chromosomes) morphology showed no significant changes between the groups during vitrification/warming (VW), suggesting that VW did not negatively affect the meiotic spindle of the oocytes. In conclusion, UF-VIT seems more effective in OC owing to efficient cytoplasmic water molecule extraction, osmotic stress reduction, and minimization of cell contraction and expansion amplitude, thus compensating for the drawbacks of C-VIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a debate regarding the prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in pedunculated T1 colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study with four cases of pedunculated T1 CRCs, we aimed to investigate gene expression variations based on the distance from the Haggitt line (HL) and identify potential molecular risk factors for LNM. By leveraging the Cancer Transcriptome Atlas and digital spatial profiling technology, we meticulously analyzed discrete regions, including the head, HL, proximal stalk region (300–1000 μm from HL), and distal stalk region (1500–2000 μm from HL) to identify spatially sequential molecular changes. Our findings showed significant overall gene expression variations among the head, proximal stalk, and distal stalk regions of pedunculated T1 CRCs compared to the control adenoma. Compared to LNM-negative T1 CRCs, LNM-positive T1 CRC showed that the expression of genes involved in immune-related pathways such as B2M, HLA-B, and HLA-E were significantly downregulated in the distal stalk region compared to the proximal stalk region. In summary, our results may tentatively suggest considering endoscopic resection of the stalk with a minimum 2000 μm margin from the HL, taking into account the gene expression alterations related to immune-related pathways. However, we acknowledge the limitations of this pilot study, notably the small case series, which may restrict the depth of interpretation. Further validation is imperative to substantiate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of temperature on the aspect-ratio etching of SiO2 in CF4/H2/Ar plasma using patterned samples of a 200 nm trench in a low-temperature reactive-ion etching system. Lower temperatures resulted in higher etch rates and aspect ratios for SiO2. However, the plasma property was constant with the chuck temperature, indicated by the line intensity ratio from optical emission spectroscopy monitoring of the plasma. The variables obtained from the characterization of the etched profile for the 200 nm trench after etching were analyzed as a function of temperature. A reduction in the necking ratio affected the etch rate and aspect ratio of SiO2. The etching mechanism of the aspect ratio etching of SiO2 was discussed based on the results of the surface composition at necking via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with temperature. The results suggested that the neutral species reaching the etch front of SiO2 had a low sticking coefficient. The bowing ratio decreased with lowering temperature, indicating the presence of directional ions during etching. Therefore, a lower temperature for the aspect ratio etching of SiO2 could achieve a faster etch rate and a higher aspect ratio of SiO2 via the reduction of necking than higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) exhibit high rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity. The expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA), which are small RNA molecules that play pivotal roles in biological processes, in TSCC in relation to the HPV status and cancer-related genetic mutations are not well investigated. Herein, we expanded our previous research, which was focused on established clinicopathological and genetic mutational data, to profile miRNA expression in TSCC, aiming to identify clinically relevant targets for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. The miRNA profiles were analyzed using the nCounter Nanostring miRNA Expression assay in 22 surgically resected TSCC tissues and their contralateral normal tonsil tissues. The TERT promoter (TERTp) gene was the only relevant candidate gene associated with differentially expressed miRNAs in TSCC. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed high expression levels of hsa-miR-1285-5p, hsa-miR-1203, hsa-miR-663a, hsa-miR-1303, hsa-miR-33a-5p, and hsa-miR-3615 coupled with low expression levels of hsa-miR-3182, hsa-miR-219a-2-3p, and hsa-miR-767-3p, which were associated with HPV-positive TSCC (p = 0.009). Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these dysregulated miRNAs tended to be involved in protein binding (molecular function) and cellular components (biological processes). Therefore, hsa-miR-1285-5p and hsa-miR-663a may be associated with HPV-positive TERTp-mutated tumors and may serve as potential treatment targets and biomarkers for early detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipofibromatous hamartoma, first reported in 1953, is a rare, slowly progressive soft tissue tumor, the characteristics of which include the enlargement of the affected nerve via the epineurial and perineurial proliferation of adipose and fibrous tissues. Out of 200 previously reported cases of lipofibromatous hamartoma of the median nerve, there have been approximately 25 pediatric cases under the age of 18. Herein, we report a case of lipofibromatous hamatoma of the median nerve in a 3-year-old female patient who was surgically decompressed via carpal tunnel release and epineurolysis. The patient was followed-up on an outpatient clinic basis annually with sonographic evaluations, and the postoperative 10th-year follow-up did not show recurrence or any deficits in motor and sensory functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice is a very unusual material that can not be explained by the basic physics of adhesion and friction when the ice contacts other solid materials. Several studies are being conducted to reduce resistance due to friction with sea ice during the design and construction of icebreakers that break sea ice and operate. However, fundamental studies on the frictional phenomenon of ice are very lacking because not only the frictional behavior is different depending on the shape of the hull, the coating condition, the ice state, and the speed of the ship, but also it is difficult to test and measure in actual sea areas. In this study, a test method for frictional force and coefficient using ice was introduced to accurately estimate the frictional resistance of icebreakers. The frictional characteristics of model ice and freshwater ice on various rough plates were investigated, and the frictional behavior under various test conditions was measured and evaluated. In particular, the friction change according to the difference in material and the roughness change in the same material, and the friction behavior according to the test conditions were measured. Test results show that the frictional coefficient of ice depends on the material of the plate, the roughness of the plates, lubrication conditions, and ice types. In addition, the tribological behavior of ice on rough surfaces is greatly influenced by the height characteristics parameters as well as the amplitude parameters of the roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder prevalent in women of reproductive age. The primary symptoms include dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, and infertility. However, the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unclear. With the advent of high-throughput technologies, various omics experiments have been conducted to identify genes related to the pathophysiology of endometriosis. This review highlights the molecular mechanisms underlying endometriosis using omics. When genes identified in omics experiments were compared with endometriosis disease genes identified in independent studies, the number of overlapping genes was moderate. However, the characteristics of these genes were found to be equivalent when functional gene set enrichment analysis was performed using gene ontology and biological pathway information. These findings indicate that omics technology provides invaluable information regarding the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Moreover, the functional characteristics revealed using enrichment analysis provide important clues for discovering endometriosis disease genes in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette smoke (CS) poses a significant risk factor for respiratory, vascular, and organ diseases owing to its high content of harmful chemicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). These substances are known to induce oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and senescence due to their exposure to environmental pollutants and the presence of oxidative enzymes. The lung is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. Persistent oxidative stress caused by chronic exposure to CS can lead to respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and lung cancer. Avoiding exposure to environmental pollutants, like cigarette smoke and air pollution, can help mitigate oxidative stress. A comprehensive understanding of oxidative stress and its impact on the lungs requires future research. This includes identifying strategies for preventing and treating lung diseases as well as investigating the underlying mechanisms behind oxidative stress. Thus, this review aims to investigate the cellular processes induced by CS, specifically inflammation, apoptosis, senescence, and their associated biomarkers. Furthermore, this review will delve into the alveolar response provoked by CS, emphasizing the roles of potential therapeutic target markers and strategies in inflammation and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle digital forensics includes the process of collecting and analysing digital data stored in vehicles to find evidence related to traffic accidents or crime scenes. Through this process, we can reconstruct digital events by recognizing various information such as driver behaviour, driving patterns, vehicle destinations, and smartphones connected to a vehicle. Recently, many vehicle digital forensic studies have been conducted, but few of them have dealt with Android-based infotainment (or audio video navigation, AVN) systems. While many AVN systems adopt Android as the operating system, digital forensics of Android-based AVN systems is not easy. This is because Android-based AVN systems support various storage devices and data formats and have various data sources, making consistent data collection or analysis difficult. In this article, we perform digital forensics on four AVN systems: two Android 4.2.2 Jellybean-based and two Android 4.4.2 KitKat-based, aiming to develop a data acquisition and analysis method appropriate for each Android version. As a data collection method for the AVN system forensics, logical data acquisition is performed on the Jellybean-based systems and physical data acquisition on the KitKat-based systems. For the collected data, we identify and analyse Bluetooth data, navigation data, and system logs individually. Next, we investigate the differences in the storage structure and file location of major digital artefacts depending on the Android versions and show the limitations of the individual data analysis. Finally, we construct a timeline for the driver's activities by integrating and analysing the diverse artefacts which consist of Bluetooth data, navigation data, and system logs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the improvement in techno-functional properties of mung bean protein isolate (MBPI) treated with microbial transglutaminase (MTG), including water- and oil-holding capacity, gelling properties, and emulsifying capacity. MBPI dispersions were incubated with MTG (5 U/g of protein substrate) at 45 °C with constant stirring for 4 h (MTM4) or 8 h (MTM8). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that MTG treatment for different durations increased the amount of high-molecular-weight proteins in MBPI, and most of the cross-linking by MTG was terminated at 8 h. Improved water-holding capacity, gelling properties, emulsifying capacity, and stability were observed after MTG treatment, and decreased protein solubility and surface hydrophobicity were observed. Furthermore, the texture of the heat-induced gels made from MTG-treated MBPI was evaluated using a texture analyzer. MTG treatment increased the hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and adhesiveness of the heat-induced gels. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the enhanced hardness of the gels. This research reveals that MTG-catalyzed cross-linking may adjust the techno-functional properties of MBPI, allowing it to be used as a soy protein alternative in food products, such as plant-based and processed meats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated that genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of allergic diseases. However, there is limited information on these factors in the Korean population. This study investigated the importance of genetic and environmental factors in allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, or atopic dermatitis, by comparing the disease incidence in Korean adult monozygotic and dizygotic twins. This cross-sectional study utilized data from 1296 twin pairs, including 1052 monozygotic and 244 dizygotic twins, aged over 20 years, from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (2005–2014). The study utilized binomial and multinomial logistic regression models to compute odds ratios of disease concordance. The concordance rate (92%) of the presence or absence of atopic dermatitis in monozygotic twins was slightly higher than that in dizygotic twins (90.2%), which only had a borderline significance (p = 0.090). The concordance rates of other allergic diseases within monozygotic twins were lower compared to dizygotic twins (asthma, 94.3% vs. 95.1%; allergic rhinitis, 77.5% vs. 78.7%; allergic conjunctivitis, 90.6% vs. 91.8%), of which the differences were not statistically significant. Monozygotic twins had a higher proportion of cases in which both siblings had allergic diseases than dizygotic twins (asthma, 1.1% vs. 0.0%; allergic rhinitis, 6.7% vs. 3.3%; atopic dermatitis, 2.9% vs. 0.0%; allergic conjunctivitis, 1.5% vs. 0.0%), of which the differences were also not statistically significant. In conclusion, our results appear to indicate the relative importance of environmental factors over genetic factor in the development of allergic diseases in Korean adult monozygotic twins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that miRNA may be involved in the development of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). We explored the frequency of clinicopathologically relevant mutations and miRNA expression in rectal NETs to examine molecular profiles related to prognosis and behavior. Twenty-four eligible specimens with endoscopically excised rectal NETs were selected. Next-generation sequencing and an miRNA expression assay were used to evaluate the expression profile relevant to common genetic mutations in rectal NETs. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis predicted that the possible target signaling pathways were correlated with dysregulated miRNAs. Nineteen rectal NETs harbored more than one mutation in the 24 cancer-related genes. Seven miRNAs (hsa-miR-769-5p, hsa-miR-221-3p, hsa-miR-34a-5p, hsa-miR-181c-5p, hsa-miR-1246, hsa-miR-324-5p, and hsa-miR-361-3p) were significantly down-regulated in tumors harboring the FBWX7 mutation. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis showed that up-regulation of these seven miRNAs may result in high mitotic indices, indicating the role of miRNAs in tumor progression. Among the down-regulated miRNAs, hsa-miR-769-5p was strongly correlated with extracellular matrix–receptor interaction and lysine degradation. Among the clinicopathological factors, up-regulated hsa-miR-3934-5p was linked to an increased mitotic count. No change in miRNA expression was associated with a tumor size >1 cm, lymphovascular invasion, or Ki-67 index. In summary, we identified different miRNA signatures involved in FBXW7 mutations or high mitotic indices in rectal NETs, which may play a critical role in tumor behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data regarding driver mutation profiles in tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) remain scarce, limiting the understanding of its pathogenesis and unexpected behavior in the updated staging system. We investigated the incidence of clinically relevant mutations and their contribution in the prognosis of the condition, and their association with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and adjuvant therapy. We subjected 43 surgically resected TSCC samples to targeted next-generation sequencing, determined their HPV status using polymerase chain reaction, and performed The Cancer Genomic Atlas and Gene Set Enrichment analyses. Thirty-five TSCC samples (81.4%) showed at least one oncogenic/likely oncogenic mutation among twenty-nine cancer-related genes. The top five mutated genes were TP53 (46.5%), PIK3CA (25.6%), PTEN (18.6%), EGFR (16.3%), and SMAD4 (14.0%). The EGFR pathway was the most frequently affected (51.2%), followed by the p53 (48.8%), PI3K (39.5%), and RTK (34.9%) pathways. The gene set enrichment analysis confirmed that the genes involved in signal transduction, such as growth factor receptors and second messengers, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and PI3K signaling pathways, were mostly related with TSCCs. TP53 mutation was an independent prognostic factor predicting worse overall survival in the adjuvant therapy group. RTK mutations were related to survival in all patients and in the HPV-positive group, but multivariate analyses showed no significance. In conclusion, oncogenic/likely oncogenic mutations were relatively high in TSCCs, and TP53 and RTK mutations may be candidate predictors for poor prognosis in the adjuvant therapy and HPV-positive groups, respectively, under the updated staging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have an advantage in printing thin film transistors (TFTs) due to their high carrier mobility, excellent chemical stability, mechanical flexibility, and compatibility with solution-based processing. Thus, the printed SWCNT-based TFTs (pSWCNT-TFTs) showed significant technological potential such as integrated circuits, conformable sensors, and display backplanes. However, the long-term environmental stability of the pSWCNT-TFTs hinders their commercialization. Thus, to extend the stability of the pSWCNT-TFTs, such devices should be passivated with low water and oxygen permeability. Herein, we introduced the silicon nitride (SiNx) passivation method on the pSWCNT-TFTs via a combination of roll-to-roll (R2R) gravure and the roll-to-roll plasma-enhanced vapor deposition (R2R-PECVD) process at low temperature (45 °C). We found that SiNx-passivated pSWCNT-TFTs showed ± 0.50 V of threshold voltage change at room temperature for 3 days and ±1.2 V of threshold voltage change for 3 h through a Temperature Humidity Test (85/85 test: Humidity 85%/Temperature 85 °C) for both p-type and n-type pSWCNT-TFTs. In addition, we found that the SiNx-passivated p-type and n-type pSWCNT-TFT-based CMOS-like ring oscillator, or 1-bit code generator, operated well after the 85/85 test for 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health issues associated with gout and increased occurrence of osteoporosis or fractures have been raised; however, the results are elusive. Herein, we explored the possible link between gout and incident osteoporosis/osteoporotic fractures based on long-term follow-up nationwide data. This study enrolled 16,305 patients with gout and 65,220 controls who were matched by propensity score at a 1:4 ratio on the basis of sex, age, income, and residence from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database (2002–2015). A Cox proportional hazard model was employed to identify the relevance between gout and incident osteoporosis/fractures, following adjustment for various covariates. In the follow-up period, osteoporosis developed in 761 individuals with gout and 2805 controls (incidence rates: 8.0 and 7.3/1000 person-years, respectively), and each osteoporotic fracture in the distal radius (2.8 vs. 2.7/1000 person-years), hip (1.3 vs. 1.3/1000 person-years), and spine (4.5 vs. 4.5/1000 person-years) occurred in gout and control groups, respectively. After adjustment, the gout group presented an 11% higher development of osteoporosis (95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.20) than the controls (p = 0.011). Subgroup analyses maintained the augment of incident osteoporosis in sufferers with gout, particularly in either men or <60 years. However, no such relevance was identified between gout and incident osteoporotic fractures at any site. In conclusion, gout may result in a slightly elevated likelihood of developing osteoporosis, and not osteoporotic fractures, in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus sikokianus is a rare Japanese perennial of the seashore that was reported to be extinct in the wild. The small seed size and deep dormancy of A. sikokianus make it difficult for direct seeding restoration in aspects of seed handling, transport, planting, and seedling establishment. For the large-scale economic restoration of dormant small-seeded species, seed pelleting combined with the breaking of dormancy was studied. Physiological (prechilling and plant hormones) and physical (hot water, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid) seed dormancy break treatments were evaluated. The dormant broken seeds were used for pelleting. The effects of the substrate, pellet sizes, and their interactions on germination were measured. The scarification of five rubs of seeds placed between sandpapers completely broke the physical dormancy of A. sikokianus. Seed coat impermeability inhibited germination. Pelleted seeds ranging from 2.0 to 4.0 mm in diameter showed more than 90% germination on filter paper. The germination of the pelleted seeds was measured in commercial, field, and sand soil conditions. The highest germination was shown in sand (70–74% GP), regardless of the pellet size, whereas unpelleted scarified seeds germinated only 48%. These results suggest that small-seeded species with physical dormancy can be used for seed-based restoration after seed pelleting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) by comparing disease concordance in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. This cross-sectional study analyzed 1294 (1040 monozygotic and 254 dizygotic) twin pairs (>20 years) based on the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study data (2005–2014). The odds ratios of disease concordance were calculated using binomial and multinomial logistic regression models. The occurrence of CMDs (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, cerebral stroke, transient ischemic attack, and ischemic heart disease) and related physical and laboratory levels did not differ between the monozygotic and dizygotic twin groups. The odds for concordance of the presence/absence of CMDs and the likelihood of incident CMD within monozygotic twins were comparable to that of dizygotic twins. The absolute differences in hemoglobin A1c, insulin, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure were lower in monozygotic twins than in dizygotic twins. Absolute differences in fasting glucose and diastolic blood pressure did not differ between groups. Although baseline levels of several laboratory parameters related to CMD showed a strong likelihood of heritability in monozygotic twins, CMD phenotype appears to be largely affected by environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice bran is rich in proteins with high nutritional values. However, current protein extraction methods from rice bran are greatly limited by their low yield. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to develop a feasible method to extract rice bran protein (RBP) of high purity and quality. We prepared RBP using low-heat-treated defatted rice bran (LDRB) and analyzed its functional properties. The protein solubility of LDRB increased from 25.4% to 56% upon increasing the pH level and was more than double that of heat-stabilized defatted rice bran. RBP prepared from LDRB had good functional properties, comparable to those of soy proteins. The emulsifying capacities of RBP were 424 ± 14 mL/g at pH 4 and 530 ± 21 mL/g at pH 7.0. Under acidic conditions, RBP showed a better emulsifying capacity than soy proteins (262 ± 1 mL/g at pH 4). RPB showed water-binding and oil-absorption capacities of 270 ± 35 g/100 g and 268 ± 30 g/100 g, respectively. Moreover, RBP showed better foaming capacity (610% vs. 590%) and foam stability (83% vs. 4%) than soy proteins; however, it lacked gelling properties. This study demonstrated that RBP is a potential new protein source in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the genetic and environmental inter-relationships among osteoporosis, fracture, arthritis, and bone mineral density concordance in monozygotic twins compared to those in dizygotic twins. This cross-sectional research assessed data of 1032 monozygotic and 242 dizygotic twin pairs aged >20 years included in the Healthy Twin Study data of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study between 2005 and 2014. Outcomes of interest included illness concordance and absolute differences in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) T-scores. We found comparable concordances of osteoporosis, fractures, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis between monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Medical histories of osteoporosis, fractures caused by accident or falling, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis were not distinct between monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Accidental fracture occurrence in both monozygotic twins showed significantly lower odds than that in dizygotic twins. Genetic influence on liability to fracture risk might thus be maintained. DEXA T-scores for bone mineral density indicated more comparable tendencies within monozygotic twin pairs than within dizygotic ones, suggesting the relative importance of genetic contribution to bone mineral density. The relative importance of genetic factors in bone mineral density is sustained between monozygotic twins; overt disease expression of osteoporosis, fractures, or arthritis may be affected by environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concepts of Suzuki-type ℒγ contractions and Suzuki–Berinde-type ℒγ contractions are introduced, and new fixed-point theorems for these two contractions are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) are essential genes in the development of cancer. While they have many roles in normal cells, mutation and dysregulation of the TSGs result in aberrant molecular processes in cancer cells. Therefore, understanding TSGs and their roles in the oncogenic process is crucial for prevention and treatment of cancer. In this research, multi-omics breast cancer data were used to identify molecular mechanisms of TSGs in breast cancer. Differentially expressed genes and differentially coexpressed genes were identified in four large-scale transcriptomics data from public repositories and multi-omics data analyses of copy number, methylation and gene expression were performed. The results of the analyses were integrated using enrichment analysis and meta-analysis of a p-value summation method. The integrative analysis revealed that TSGs have a significant relationship with genes of gene ontology terms that are related to cell cycle, genome stability, RNA processing and metastasis, indicating the regulatory mechanisms of TSGs on cancer cells. The analysis frame and research results will provide valuable information for the further identification of TSGs in different types of cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, the Signal Propagation Model (SPM) and the location information of the base stations are required for positioning a smartphone. To this end, this paper proposes a technique for estimating the SPM and the location of the base station at the same time using location-based Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) information acquired in a limited area. In the proposed technique, multiple Virtual Locations (VLs) for a base station are set within the service area. Signal propagation modelling is performed based on the assumptions that a base station is in each VL and the RSRP measurements are obtained from the corresponding base station. The residuals between the outputs of the estimated SPM and the RSRP measurements are then calculated. The VL with the minimum sum of the squared residuals is determined as the location of the base station. At the same time, the SPM estimated based on the corresponding VL is selected as the SPM of the base station. As a result of the experiment in Seoul, it was confirmed that the positions of seven base stations were estimated with an average accuracy of 40.2 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis can affect multiple arteries, and result in stroke and heart disease. Clinical and conventional imaging is insufficient to predict the progression of atherosclerosis. This study investigates risk factors that rely on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI). Patients with cerebral artery stenosis who had undergone HR-MRI at least twice were included. The demographics, risk factors, and proportion of patients with cerebral artery stenosis were investigated. The association between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics and the progression or regression of artery stenosis was also analyzed. A total of 42 patients were analyzed, with a median follow-up of 16.88 ± 12.53 months. The mean age of all subjects was 63.1 ± 9.15 years, and 83.3% of them were male. The incidences of stenosis of the basilar, proximal internal carotid, and middle cerebral arteries were 21.4%, 61.9%, and 16.7%, respectively. Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) was detected in 20 (47.6%) patients. Multivariate analysis showed that age (odds ratio (OR), 0.87; p = 0.014), smoking (OR, 0.11; p = 0.033), and IPH regression (OR, 10.13; p = 0.027) were associated with stenosis regression. The progression of IPH (OR, 115.80; p = 0.007) was associated with stenosis progression. Results suggest that IPH on HR-MRI is associated with changes in cerebral atherosclerotic stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, in conjunction with public health measures, influenced the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases according to age and sex during the pandemic. Changes in the monthly incidence rates (January 2018 to June 2021) of common gastrointestinal diseases were assessed using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service by comparing the data of two periods: before COVID-19 (January 2018–February 2020) and during COVID-19 (March 2020–June 2021). The Mann–Whitney U test and Levene's test were used to compare the differences in the incidences before and during the pandemic. In the pandemic period, compared to in the pre-COVID-19 period, the incidence rates of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, cholelithiasis, and esophageal reflux significantly increased, whereas those of infective enteritis and irritable bowel syndrome decreased, regardless of age or sex. There were no significant changes in the incidence rates of pancreatitis, acute appendicitis, liver cirrhosis, and hemorrhoids. No seasonal variations in gastrointestinal disease occurrence were observed. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic may have had unprecedented and long-term impacts on the epidemiology of gastrointestinal disease. These changes may indicate a substantial future burden on healthcare resources during the recovery phase of the pandemic and thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new model of particle entrapment during continuous casting of steel is presented, which includes the effects of multiphase flow from argon gas injection and thermal buoyancy from superheat in the strand. The model simulates three different capture mechanisms, including capture by solidified hooks at the meniscus, entrapment between dendrites, and engulfment by the surrounding of large particles. The fluid flow and bubble capture results are validated with plant measurements, including nail board dipping tests and ultrasonic tests, respectively, and good agreement is seen. Results suggest that the superheat has a negligible effect on the flow in the mold region. However, higher (30 K) superheat causes a more complex flow in the lower strand by creating multiple recirculation zones due to the thermal buoyancy effects. This causes less penetration deep into the strand, which leads to fewer and shallower particle captures. Lower (10 K) superheat may enable significant top surface freezing, leading to very large internal defect clusters. Lower superheat also leads to deeper meniscus hooks, which sometimes (0.003%) capture large (1 mm) bubbles. Capture bands occur near the transition line from vertical to curved, due to the downward fluid velocity balancing the particle terminal velocity, enabling capture in the relative stagnation region beneath the longitudinal recirculation zone. These findings agree with plant observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential link between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cancer incidence needs to be validated due to inconsistent results between Asian and Western countries. We explored the long-term association of RA with the overall and organ-specific cancer incidence using nationwide population data. This longitudinal follow-up study (2002–2015) included 3070 patients with RA and 12,280 controls (1:4 propensity score-matched for sex, age, residence, and income) from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database. A Cox proportional hazard model estimated the hazard ratio for malignancy following adjusting for covariates. Despite the similar overall cancer incidence between RA and control groups, differences in the incidence of organ-specific cancers were noted: the RA group had a 1.63-fold greater likelihood for lung cancer (95% confidence interval 1.11–2.40). In the sex-stratified subgroup analyses, the male RA patients exhibited higher odds of lung and thyroid cancer but a lower probability for colorectal cancer; no such associations were detected in either female patients with RA or age subgroups. In summary, the higher likelihood for lung cancer in Korean RA patients, especially thyroid and lung cancer in male RA patients, seems to be characteristic, which needs to be carefully monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although safety concerns regarding proton pump inhibitor (PPI)/H2-receptor antagonists (H2RA) in the incident esophageal cancer have been raised, the Asian-based report is unclear. We investigated the estimated likelihood of incident esophageal cancer—its mortality depending on prior history of PPI/H2RA use—and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Koreans. Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort data (2002–2015), a case–control study was retrospectively conducted, including 811 patients with incident esophageal cancer and 3244 controls matched with sex, age, income, and residence. Propensity score overlap weighting was adjusted to balance the baseline covariates. Overlap propensity score-weighted logistic regression analyses were assessed to determine associations of the prior exposure of PPI/H2RA (current vs. past) and the medication duration (<30-, 30–90-, vs. ≥90-days) with incident esophageal cancer and its mortality among the total participants or those with/without the GERD episodes, after adjusting for multiple covariates including PPI/H2RA. The current exposure to either PPI or H2RA showed higher odds for incident esophageal cancer than the nonuser group ([13.23; 95%CI 10.25–17.06] and [4.34; 95%CI 3.67–5.14], respectively), especially in all adults over the age of 40 years without GERD. Both current and past exposures to PPI showed a decreased probability of mortality compared with those of the nonuser group ([0.62; 95%CI 0.45–0.86] and [0.41; 95%CI 0.25–0.67], respectively). However, current or past exposure to H2RA harbored the mutually different likelihoods for mortality depending on the presence of GERD and old age. This study carefully speculates on the possible link between PPI/H2RA and incident esophageal cancer in the Korean population. Mortality appears to be affected by certain risk factors depending on drug types, exposure history, old age, and the presence of GERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the demand for lithium (Li) as an energy storage element has increased, owing to the rapid increase in the number of electric vehicles. To meet this demand, Li exploration has become increasingly important. The Boam deposit is located in the Uljin area of eastern South Korea, where several rare-element pegmatites (0.24% Li) intrude the Precambrian Janggun Limestone Formation. In this study, we performed petrographical and geometrical analyses of the rare-element pegmatites recognized in the vicinity of the Boam deposit, through which the Li-mineralization process was identified and the factors controlling intrusion studied. Our results are summarized as follows: (1) the pegmatites exhibit regional and internal zoning based on their mineral assemblages; (2) Li mineralization is restricted to pegmatites; (3) the geometry and distribution of the pegmatites are strongly controlled by fracture, bed contact, and post-intrusive deformation; and (4) exploration should be concentrated in the ENE–WSW-trending zone of the upper part of the Janggun Limestone Formation. These results provide valuable understanding to guide the development of strategies for early-stage mineral exploration in the Uljin area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biology is characterized by smooth, elastic, and nonplanar surfaces; as a consequence, soft electronics that enable interfacing with nonplanar surfaces allow applications that could not be achieved with the rigid and integrated circuits that exist today. Here, we review the latest examples of technologies and methods that can replace elasticity through a structural approach; these approaches can modify mechanical properties, thereby improving performance, while maintaining the existing material integrity. Furthermore, an overview of the recent progress in wave/wrinkle, stretchable interconnect, origami/kirigami, crack, nano/micro, and textile structures is provided. Finally, potential applications and expected developments in soft electronics are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing process, cell-to-module (CTM) loss is inevitably caused by the optical loss, and it generally leads to the output power loss of about 2~3%. It is known that the CTM loss rate can be reduced by increasing the reflectance of a backsheet and reflective area through widening spaces between the PV cell strings. In this study, multi-busbars (MBB) and shingled PV cells were connected in series, and a mini-module composed of four cells was fabricated with a white and black backsheet to investigate the effects of reflectance of backsheets and space between the PV cells. Moreover, the MBB modules with cell gap spaces of 0.5 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.5 mm were demonstrated with fixed 3 mm spaces between the strings. The shingled modules with varying spaces from 2 mm to 6 mm were also tested, and our results show that spacing between PV cells and strings should be well-balanced to minimize the CTM loss to maximize the output power (efficiency). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These days, because of the coronavirus, all countries are introducing online university systems. Online universities have the advantage of allowing students to take classes anytime, anywhere, 24 h a day, but lectures are given in a non-face-to-face manner between instructors and students. Thus, while students are taking classes on a web-based basis, the problem arises that concentration on the lectures is significantly reduced. Therefore, in order to solve these problems, in this paper, we propose a level-wise learning algorithm based on the difficulty level of the test problem, and we present the simulation results. In order to improve this problem, in this paper, we propose an automatic music recommendation algorithm based on fuzzy reasoning that can improve the level of learning and lecture concentration, and we show our results on developing a web-based, smart e-learning software. As a result of computer simulation, it was proved that the learning test method, considering by level the difficulty of the test and the incorrect answer rate, was more effective than the existing test method, judged the student's grades fairly, and improved the risk of unfairly failing the test by 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addition is the most basic operation of computing based on a bit system. There are various addition algorithms considering multiple number systems and hardware, and studies for a more efficient addition are still ongoing. Quantum computing based on qubits as the information unit asks for the design of a new addition because it is, physically, wholly different from the existing frequency-based computing in which the minimum information unit is a bit. In this paper, we propose an efficient quantum circuit of modular addition, which reduces the number of gates and the depth. The proposed modular addition is for the Galois Field G F (2 n − 1) , which is important as a finite field basis in various domains, such as cryptography. Its design principle was from the ripple carry addition (RCA) algorithm, which is the most widely used in existing computers. However, unlike conventional RCA, the storage of the final carry is not needed due to modifying existing diminished-1 modulo 2 n − 1 adders. Our proposed adder can produce modulo sum within the range 0 , 2 n − 2 by fewer qubits and less depth. For comparison, we analyzed the proposed quantum addition circuit over G F (2 n − 1) and the previous quantum modular addition circuit for the performance of the number of qubits, the number of gates, and the depth, and simulated it with IBM's simulator ProjectQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study optimizes furfural production from pentose released in the liquid hydrolysate of hardwood using an aqueous biphasic system. Dilute acid pretreatment with 4% sulfuric acid was conducted to extract pentose from liquid Quercus mongolica hydrolysate. To produce furfural from xylose, a xylose standard solution with the same acid concentration of the liquid hydrolysate and extracting solvent (tetrahydrofuran) were applied to the aqueous biphasic system. A response surface methodology was adopted to optimize furfural production in the aqueous biphasic system. A maximum furfural yield of 72.39% was achieved at optimal conditions as per the RSM; a reaction temperature of 170 °C, reaction time of 120 min, and a xylose concentration of 10 g/L. Tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and dimethyl sulfoxide were evaluated to understand the effects of the solvent on furfural production. Tetrahydrofuran generated the highest furfural yield, while DMSO gave the lowest yield. A furfural yield of 68.20% from pentose was achieved in the liquid hydrolysate of Quercus mongolica under optimal conditions using tetrahydrofuran as the extracting solvent. The aqueous and tetrahydrofuran fractions were separated from the aqueous biphasic solvent by salting out using sodium chloride, and 94.63% of the furfural produced was drawn out through two extractions using tetrahydrofuran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fault diagnosis study, data deficiency, meaning that the fault data for the training are scarce, is often encountered, and it may deteriorate the performance of the fault diagnosis greatly. To solve this issue, the transfer learning (TL) approach is employed to exploit the neural network (NN) trained in another (source) domain where enough fault data are available in order to improve the NN performance of the real (target) domain. While there have been similar attempts of TL in the literature to solve the imbalance issue, they were about the sample imbalance between the source and target domain, whereas the present study considers the imbalance between the normal and fault data. To illustrate this, normal and fault datasets are acquired from the linear motion guide, in which the data at high and low speeds represent the real operation (target) and maintenance inspection (source), respectively. The effect of data deficiency is studied by reducing the number of fault data in the target domain, and comparing the performance of TL, which exploits the knowledge of the source domain and the ordinary machine learning (ML) approach without it. By examining the accuracy of the fault diagnosis as a function of imbalance ratio, it is found that the lower bound and interquartile range (IQR) of the accuracy are improved greatly by employing the TL approach. Therefore, it can be concluded that TL is truly more effective than the ordinary ML when there is a large imbalance between the fault and normal data, such as smaller than 0.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of dimeric products from monoterpene hydrocarbons has been studied for the development of renewable high-density fuel. In this regard, the conversion of α-pinene in turpentine over stannic chloride molten salt hydrates (SnCl4·5H2O) as a catalyst was investigated, and the reaction products were analyzed with gas chromatography/flame ionization detector/mass spectrometer (GC/FID/MS). Overall, the content of α-pinene in a reaction mixture decreased precipitously with an increasing reaction temperature. Almost 100% of the conversion was shown after 1 h of reaction above 90 °C. From α-pinene, dimeric products (hydrocarbons and alcohols/ethers) were mostly formed and their yield showed a steady increase of up to 61 wt% based on the reaction mixture along with the reaction temperature. This conversion was thought to be promoted by Brønsted acid activity of the catalyst, which resulted from a Lewis acid-base interaction between the stannic (Sn(IV)) center and the coordinated water ligands. As for the unexpected heteroatom-containing products, oxygen and chlorine atoms were originated from the coordinated water and chloride ligands of the catalyst. Based on the results, we constructed not only a plausible catalytic cycle of SnCl4·5H2O but also the mechanism of catalyst decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Drying causes irreversible structural changes in cellulose and the changes are intimately associated with porosity, including pore volume and surface area. These changes must be considered for the application of cellulose in high value industry such as sustainable polymers that use cellulose nanofiber and sustainable sugar production. The effect of drying on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose was determined by analysis of porosity and crystallinity. Fiber hornification induced by drying produced an irreversible reduction in pore volume due to shrinkage and pore collapse, and the decrease in porosity inhibited enzymatic hydrolysis. The drying effect index (DEI) was defined as the difference in enzymatic digestibility between oven- and never-dried pulp, and it was determined that more enzymes caused a higher DEI at the initial stage of enzymatic hydrolysis and the highest DEI was also observed at the earlier stages with higher enzyme dosage. However, there was no significant difference in the DEI with less enzymes because cellulose conversion to sugars during hydrolysis did not enhance enzymatic hydrolysis due to the decrease in enzyme activity. The water retention value (WRV) and Simons' staining were used to measure pore volume and to investigate the cause of the decrease in enzymatic hydrolysis. A decrease in enzyme accessibility induced by the collapse of enzymes' accessible larger pores was determined and this decreased the enzymatic hydrolysis. However, drying once did not cause any irreversible change in the crystalline structure, thus it seems there is no correlation between enzymatic digestibility and crystalline structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the degradation of the cycle efficiency of a supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton cycle with dry cooling, this study proposes an improved design of an S-CO2 centrifugal compressor. The conventional air centrifugal compressor can achieve higher efficiency as backsweep angle increases. However, the structural issue restricts the maximum allowable angle (−50~−56°). In this study, an S-CO2 centrifugal compressor performance was examined while changing the backward sweep angle at impeller exit to study if the previous optimum backsweep angle for an air centrifugal compressor is still valid when the fluid has changed. It is shown through an analysis that an S-CO2 centrifugal compressor can achieve the highest efficiency at −70° backsweep angle, which is greater than the typical design value. The S-CO2 centrifugal compressor is less restricted from a structural integrity issue because it has low relative Mach number regardless of the low sound speed near critical point (Tc = 304.11 K, Pc = 7377 kPa). It is also shown in the paper that the variation of compressibility factor does not impact on its total to total efficiency since its Mach number is still lower than unity. Finally, it is also shown that a backward sweep impeller can achieve higher pressure ratio and operate stably in wider range as the mass flow rate is decreased. As further works, the suggested concept will be validated by the structural analysis and the compressor performance test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological phenomena comprise various interactions between genes and molecules. Since network models are flexible and powerful tools for the representation of data and knowledge, network-based integrative analyses of heterogeneous data are being actively implemented in biomedical research. Gene co-expression networks are determined via the computation of the co-expression of gene pairs, and significant results are presented in the form of networks, which are frequently used in the inference of gene functions [[4]]. [Extracted from the article]

This paper details the design of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-shielded waterproof crack-based stretchable strain sensor, in which the electrical characteristics and sensing performance are not influenced by changes in humidity. This results in a higher number of potential applications for the sensor. A previously developed omni-purpose stretchable strain (OPSS) sensor was used as the basis for this work, which utilizes a metal cracking structure and provides a wide sensing range and high sensitivity. Changes in the conductivity of the OPSS sensor, based on humidity conditions, were investigated along with the potential possibility of using the design as a humidity sensor. However, to prevent conductivity variation, which can decrease the reliability and sensing ability of the OPSS sensor, PDMS was utilized as a shielding layer over the OPSS sensor. The PDMS-shielded OPSS sensor showed approximately the same electrical characteristics as previous designs, including in a high humidity environment, while maintaining its strain sensing capabilities. The developed sensor shows promise for use under high humidity conditions and in underwater applications. Therefore, considering its unique features and reliable sensing performance, the developed PDMS-shielded waterproof OPSS sensor has potential utility in a wide range of applications, such as motion monitoring, medical robotics and wearable healthcare devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, much research has been focused on stretchable or flexible electronic sensors for the measurement of strain or deformation on movable and variably shaped objects. In this research, to evaluate the performance of stretchable strain sensors, we have designed an integrated evaluation system capable of simultaneously measuring the change in stress and conductance of a strain sensor. Using the designed system, we have successfully evaluated the deformation characteristics, sensing range and sensing sensitivity of a stretchable strain sensor. We believe that the developed integrated evaluation system could be a useful tool for performance evaluation of stretchable strain sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO nanorods were formed by chemical bath deposition on fluorine–doped tin oxide (FTO) glass and the photovoltaic performance of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) was investigated. A DSC with 8 h-grown ZnO nanorods showed a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than devices with 4, 6, and 10 h-grown ones. Further improvement in PCE was achieved in a cell with a silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO electrode. By deposition of Ag+ on the surface of the 8 h-grown ZnO nanorods, the dye-loading amount increased by approximately 210%, compared to that of pristine ZnO nanorods, resulting in a 1.8-times higher PCE. A DSC with the pristine ZnO/FTO electrode showed a PCE of 0.629%, while in a device with the silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO, the PCE increased to 1.138%. In addition, interfacial resistance at the ZnO/dye/electrolyte was reduced to approximately 170 Ω from 460 Ω for the control cell with the pristine ZnO/FTO. We attributed the higher dye-loading amount in the silver-ion-deposited ZnO/FTO to the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged ZnO and carboxylate anions (–COO−) of the N719 dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that is characterized by hyperandrogenism. Therefore, information about androgen-induced molecular changes can be obtained using the tissues of patients with PCOS. We analyzed two microarray datasets of normal and PCOS muscle samples (GSE8157 and GSE6798) to identify androgen-responsive genes (ARGs). Differentially expressed genes were determined using the t-test and a meta-analysis of the datasets. The overlap between significant results of the meta-analysis and ARGs predicted from an external database was determined, and differential coexpression analysis was then applied between these genes and the other genes. We found 313 significant genes in the meta-analysis using the Benjamini–Hochberg multiple testing correction. Of these genes, 61 were in the list of predicted ARGs. When the differential coexpression between these 61 genes and 13,545 genes filtered by variance was analyzed, 540 significant gene pairs were obtained using the Benjamini–Hochberg correction. While no significant results were obtained regarding the functional enrichment of the differentially expressed genes, top-level gene ontology terms were significantly enriched in the list of differentially coexpressed genes, which indicates that a broad range of cellular processes is affected by androgen administration. Our findings provide valuable information for the identification of ARGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Numerous studies targeting Rab GTPases and its multiple effectors have been attempted since exocytosis has been shown to alter tumor malignancy by modulating cancer cell behavior and tumor microenvironment. Here, we demonstrated that BHMPS inhibits migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by blocking the interaction between Rab27a and Slp4. BHMPS interfered with vesicle trafficking and secretion by decreasing FAK and JNK activation. In addition, BHMPS suppressed tumor growth in Rab27a-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 xenograft mice. This study highlighted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of Rab27a-mediated metastasis in improving the therapeutic options for metastatic cancers. Our previous work demonstrated that (E)-N-benzyl-6-(2-(3, 4-dihydroxybenzylidene) hydrazinyl)-N-methylpyridine-3-sulfonamide (BHMPS), a novel synthetic inhibitor of Rab27aSlp(s) interaction, suppresses tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Here, we aimed to further investigate the mechanisms of action and biological significance of BHMPS. BHMPS decreased the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factors through inhibition of focal adhesion kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, thereby reducing the migration and invasion of breast cancer. Additionally, knockdown of Rab27a inhibited tumor migration, with changes in related signaling molecules, whereas overexpression of Rab27a reversed this phenomenon. BHMPS effectively prevented the interaction of Rab27a and its effector Slp4, which was verified by co-localization, immunoprecipitation, and in situ proximity ligation assays. BHMPS decreased the secretion of epidermal growth factor receptor and fibronectin by interfering with vesicle trafficking, as indicated by increased perinuclear accumulation of CD63-positive vesicles. Moreover, administration of BHMPS suppressed tumor growth in Rab27a-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 xenograft mice. These findings suggest that BHMPS may be a promising candidate for attenuating tumor migration and invasion by blocking Rab27a-mediated exocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]