Search

Microscale lasers efficiently deliver coherent photons into small volumes for intracellular biosensors and all-photonic microprocessors. Such technologies have given rise to a compelling pursuit of ever-smaller and ever-more-efficient microlasers. Upconversion microlasers have great potential owing to their large anti-Stokes shifts but have lagged behind other microlasers due to their high pump power requirement for population inversion of multiphoton-excited states. Here, we demonstrate continuous-wave upconversion lasing at an ultralow lasing threshold (4.7 W cm−2) by adopting monolithic whispering-gallery-mode microspheres synthesized by laser-induced liquefaction of upconversion nanoparticles and subsequent rapid quenching (“liquid-quenching”). Liquid-quenching completely integrates upconversion nanoparticles to provide high pump-to-gain interaction with low intracavity losses for efficient lasing. Atomic-scale disorder in the liquid-quenched host matrix suppresses phonon-assisted energy back transfer to achieve efficient population inversion. Narrow laser lines were spectrally tuned by up to 3.56 nm by injection pump power and operation temperature adjustments. Our low-threshold, wavelength-tunable, and continuous-wave upconversion microlaser with a narrow linewidth represents the anti-Stokes-shift microlaser that is competitive against state-of-the-art Stokes-shift microlasers, which paves the way for high-resolution atomic spectroscopy, biomedical quantitative phase imaging, and high-speed optical communication via wavelength-division-multiplexing., Upconversion microlasers present a lot of advantages but also require high pumping powers. Here the authors present a high-performing microlaser based on anti-Stokes-shift in upconversion nanoparticles synthesized using a technique of liquid quenching.

Background: ESR1 mutations are acquired following ERα targeted therapies and are a major determinant of therapy-resistance. These ESR1 mutations maintain ESR1 signaling, albeit in a ligand-independent manner. Effective drugs targeting these mutant (MT) ERα proteins represent a significant unmet clinical need. We had previously shown that ERX-11, an ESR1-coregulator binding inhibitor, could block the function of these MT ERα proteins. In this study, we sought to leverage recently published structures of MT ERα to develop more potent analogues of ERX-11. Methods: Virtual screening of >250,000 derivatives of ERX-11 was performed with simulated docking on the MT ERα to identify and design analogues of ERX-11. Several hundred analogues were synthesized and tested in vitro using multiple BC model cells that express wild type (WT) ESR1 or mutant (MT) ESR1 (Y537S or D538G). Mechanistic studies were performed using RNA-Seq, Western blotting, qRT-PCR and reporter gene assays. The in vivo efficacy of the most potent ERX-11 analogue ERX-245 was examined using xenograft, PDX and metastatic models of MT-ER driven BC. Results: From our virtual and functional screen, we identified an ERX-11 analogue, ERX-245 as the most potent hit to target MT-ERα. Docking studies modeled a better fit of ERX-245 into the ligand binding domain of both the Y537S and D538G MT-ERα. ERX-245 potently reduced (IC50 ~250 nM) the cell viability of both WT-ERα and MT-ERα driven BC cells but not ERα negative BC cells. ERX-245 significantly reduced the growth (colony formation, clonogenic and mammosphere assays) of MT-ERα BC cells. ERX-245 exhibited synergistic activity in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors. In distinction to classic SERDs like fulvestrant (which degrade ERα with in 4h), ERX-245 treatment decreased MT-ERα protein levels over 24 hours. PK studies indicated that ERX-245 is more polar and has better solubility and pharmacokinetic properties than ERX-11. ERX-245 reduced tumor growth of subcutaneous xenograft and PDX models driven by MT-ERα as well as the proliferation of xenograft derived MT-ERα explant models. ERX-245 significantly reduced the invasive capability of MT-ERα BC cells in vitro and inhibited both the metastatic capability and growth of metastatic tumors derived from MT-ERα BC cells injected by intracardiac or intratibial routes. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicate that ERX-245 is a potent and pharmacologically translatable analog of ERX-11, with activity against both primary and metastatic tumors driven by MT-ERα. Citation Format: Ganesh V Raj, Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, Karla Parra, Shihong Ma, Tae-Kyung Lee, Xihui Liu, Kara Kassees, Weiwei Tang, Junhao Liu, Zexuan Liu, Uday P Pratap, Behnam Ebrahimi, Rajeshwar Rao Tekmal, Jung-Mo Ann, Ratna K Vadlamudi. Development of a potent mutant-ESR1 targeted agent, ERX-245, for treating metastatic therapy-resistant breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS17-09.

Practical electronic device applications using graphene-based materials dictate that their band gap must be tunable. The synthesis of hydrogenated graphene has received much attention due to the de...

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and diabetes mellitus (DM) share a common cause in inflammation; however, potential relationships between them are not clear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the associations between AR and DM. In this cross-sectional study, data were extracted from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 and weighted based on sociodemographic characters. AR and DM were defined by diagnoses thereof. Since self-reporting was not perfect, in order to complement the validity, we additionally performed sensitivity analysis by defining DM according to HbA1c and medication history. After excluding invalid data, the number of final participants was 29,246 (mean age, 54.95 ± 14.27 years). We calculated the odds ratio (OR) of newly self-reported DM among AR patients without DM history by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. A reverse association was also assessed. Patients with AR showed lower ORs for DM than those without AR (OR, 95% CI: men, 0.28, 0.19–0.42; women, 0.33, 0.24–0.46). Similarly, DM patients showed lower ORs for AR than patients without DM (men, 0.41, 0.31–0.56; women, 0.34, 0.25–0.46). The same results were obtained in sensitivity analysis defining DM according to HbA1c levels or DM treatment and in stratification analysis for age, residency, comorbidity, BMI, and menopause. In conclusion, we discovered that AR and DM show mutual inverse associations, regardless of sex, in individuals aged 30 years and older.

Upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs)‐embedded microarchitectures with luminescence color transition capability and enhanced luminescence intensity under extreme conditions are suitable for developing a robust labeling system in a high‐temperature thermal industrial process. However, most UCNs based labeling systems are limited by the loss of luminescence owing to the destruction of the crystalline phase or by a predetermined luminescence color without color transition capability. Herein, an unusual crystal phase transition of UCNs to a hexagonal apatite phase in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles is reported with the enhancements of 130‐fold green luminescence and 52‐fold luminance as compared to that of the SiO2‐free counterpart. By rationally combining this strategy with an additive color mixing method using a mask‐less flow lithography technique, single to multiple luminescence color transition, scalable labeling systems with hidden letters‐, and multi‐luminescence colored microparticles are demonstrated for a UCNs luminescence color change‐based high temperature labeling system., The multiple luminescence color tuning of upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) with enhanced intensity is realized via a SiO2‐NPs involved unique crystal phase transition method. As a proof of concept demonstration, the robust optical labeling system through stepwise alteration of the luminescence color or hidden pattern generation in UCNs embedded microarchitectures are suggested.

Polymeric materials have been used to realize optical systems that, through periodic variations of their structural or optical properties, interact with light-generating holographic signals. Complex holographic systems can also be dynamically controlled through exposure to external stimuli, yet they usually contain only a single type of holographic mode. Here, we report a conjugated organogel that reversibly displays three modes of holograms in a single architecture. Using dithering mask lithography, we realized two-dimensional patterns with varying cross-linking densities on a conjugated polydiacetylene. In protic solvents, the organogel contracts anisotropically to develop optical and structural heterogeneities along the third dimension, displaying holograms in the form of three-dimensional full parallax signals, both in fluorescence and bright-field microscopy imaging. In aprotic solvents, these heterogeneities diminish as organogels expand, recovering the two-dimensional periodicity to display a third hologram mode based on iridescent structural colours. Our study presents a next-generation hologram manufacturing method for multilevel encryption technologies.

We developed a plant model and model-based controller for a heat recovery system with a swirling flow incinerator located in South Korea. First, a plant model was designed to understand the dynamic characteristics of the system. The system was divided into three parts: incinerator, boiler, and steam drum. Then, each part was modeled with a multi-zone, zero-dimensional modeling scheme. Consequently, we found that the plant model followed the dynamic behavior of the target system, particularly for the seven important variables: boiler inlet temperature, superheater inlet temperature, boiler outlet temperature, oxygen mole fraction, steam production rate, steam pressure, and steam temperature. Then, we designed a multi-input multi-output controller for the system with a nonlinear control model. In the controller design, input variables were selected as air flow rate, fuel supply rate and steam valve opening area; while output variables were oxygen mole fraction of exhaust gas, steam production rate and steam pressure. A nonlinear control model was constructed by reducing the plant model. Then a linear quadratic regulator was applied while evaluating control gain at each time step. Finally, we validated the controller on the plant model, which adequately suppressed the disturbance on fuel composition and adjusted the steam production rate.

Background: Women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have a more aggressive clinical course, with a higher propensity to metastasize and a worse outcome due to a lack of effective therapies and significant intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity. Development of novel therapeutic strategies represents a clear unmet need. We have developed a first-in-class compound, an oligobenzamide, ERX-41, that has anti-proliferative activity against all six molecular subtypes of TNBC. Methods: In vitro activity of ERX-41 on TNBC cell lines was tested using CellTiter glo, MTT, and apoptosis assays. Efficacy of ERX-41 was tested using TNBC patient derived explants (PDEs) ex vivo, cell line-derived xenografts (CDXs), and patient derived xenografts (PDX) in vivo. To examine the mechanism, we conducted mass spec analyses using total lysates of TNBC cells treated with vehicle or ERX-41. Results: ERX-41 demonstrated potent activity in both blocking proliferation and inducing apoptosis in 30 distinct cell line models of TNBC, (representing all six molecular subtypes of TNBC), with an IC50 that ranges from 50-250nM. Incubation of ERX-41 with PDEs from primary TNBC patient tumors ex vivo caused a significant reduction in proliferation indices, as measured by Ki67 staining. ERX-41 also decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis in explants from TNBC CDX and PDX tumors cultured ex vivo. Oral administration of ERX-41 (10 mg/kg/daily) was shown to be non-toxic and dramatically limited the growth of CDX tumors derived from MDA-MB-231, SUM-159 or D2A1 syngeneic tumors. Importantly, ERX-41 treatment also significantly reduced tumor progression in four TNBC PDX (PDX-1, PDX-89, PDX-96 and PDX-98) models compared to the vehicle treated control group. Our ultrastructural and molecular studies indicate that ERX-41 induces significant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress within TNBC cells but not in primary epithelial cells. Global mass spectrometry studies indicated that ERX-41 treatment resulted in the alteration [down regulation (265 proteins) or upregulation (218 proteins)] of 483 proteins out of ~4000 proteins quantified with two or more peptides. Reactome pathway analysis indicated that the top pathways modulated by ERX-41 included Intra-Golgi and retrograde Golgi-to-ER traffic, membrane trafficking and TP53 mediated apoptosis. ER stress induced by ERX-41 blocks de novo protein synthesis, and triggers ER-assisted degradation (ERAD) pathways, causing TNBC apoptotic cell death. Conclusions: ERX-41 is orally bioavailable, non-toxic, and demonstrated activity in primary PDEs, CDXs and PDXs. The ability of ERX-41 to induce ER stress and apoptotic cell death in multiple types of TNBC suggests that this drug targets a fundamental weakness in TNBC cells (the high basal level of ER stress) and can effectively overcome the heterogeneity of TNBC. These studies strongly support the further clinical translation of ERX-41. Citation Format: Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, Xihui Liu, Shi-Hong Ma, Tae-Kyung Lee, Mengxing Li, Weiwei Tang, Junhao Liu, Xiaonan Li, Gangadhara R. Sareddy, Rajeshwar Rao Tekmal, Jung-Mo Ahn, Ratna K. Vadlamudi, Ganesh V. Raj. Preclinical evaluation of ERX-41 in triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1237.

A highly luminescent CsPbBr3-perovskite structure was synthesized by dropping a PbBr2-DMF solution to bulk CsBr. The bulk CsBr was used as the matrix for the CsPbBr3. The product showed a strong green emission with a narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM). This method is very fast, and it is suitable for mass production and large-area coating. The particle sizes are more than hundreds of nanometers, and orthorhombic crystal structures are also evident. Interestingly, the case here shows a strong photoluminescence (PL) emission at room temperature (RT). A new hypothesis between the particle size of CsPbBr3 and the quantum yield (QY) is therefore suggested by the authors. The free charge carriers in the bigger particles have enough space for free migration, and as a result, the probability of recombination is decreased and a low QY is observed. The migration of the free charge carriers in small particles is inhibited by a spatial limit. The CsPbBr3 particles can be directly synthesized on diverse substrates including glass, fabric, and paper. The finding of this study can provide a novel way to achieve applications and scalable processes; especially, owing to the substrate diversity, it can be applied to continuous processes such as R2R for mass production.

Multiple-patterned nanostructures prepared by synergistically combining block-copolymer lithography with nano-imprinting lithography have been used as back reflectors for enhancing light absorption in organic optoelectronic devices. The multiple-patterned electrodes have significantly boosted the performance of organic photovoltaics and photo-transistors, owed to the highly effective light scattering and plasmonic effects, extending the range of their practical applications.

Infrared (IR) display technology implements a display using IR radiation. Whereas ordinary visible displays that output digital data in the visible spectral range are detectable to human eyes, an IR display outputs data outside the visible spectral range. This study looks at the possibility of expanding the color-replication spectrum beyond the visible range by applying IR wavelength separation techniques. We developed a new display technology that uses the same driving method as general display technology but emits IR radiation that cannot be seen by humans. The IR wavelength region was separated into three regions, similar to the RGB regions of visible displays, and an IR display capable of outputting images and movies was produced by combining these IR emissions. The implementation of various characters, figures, and videos was demonstrated. The present method can be applied to the production of single displays based on IR radiation, as well as to the production of multi-displays whereby an IR display is mounted on top of a visible light display on a single device. This technology can be used to provide a smart digital information environment where humans can selectively visualize or conceal information.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the evolution in the use and demands for community spaces of apartment complexes based on empirical resident assessment. To this end, four apartment complexes in Busan of South Korea were selected and their residents were each surveyed twice over 10 years. The first survey was conducted in 2001 and the second in 2011. The survey results were then compared to analyze use, satisfaction and demands with respect to community spaces. The analysis included frequency analysis and variance analysis aided by SPSS WIN 18. The results are followings. Firstly, some community spaces of apartments changed in their usage function. And problems arose in management and safety aspects, such as deterioration, breakdown and noise. Secondly, the use of community space in 2011was reported significantly lower than 2001. Lastly, residents desired greater access to exercise facilities and to green spaces to better enrich their lives. This study will serve as a basis for future design of sustainable community spaces in apartment complexes.

Virtual reality therapy (VRT) uses multimodal stimulation that includes visual, auditory, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of VRT in treating subjects with alcohol dependence (AD) by evaluating changes in brain metabolism.The VRT protocol consisted of three steps: relaxation, presentation of a high-risk situation, and presentation of an aversive situation. Twelve alcohol-dependent subjects underwent 10 sessions of VRT. The alcohol-dependent subjects were assessed with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images before and after VRT, whereas the control group underwent imaging according to the same protocol only at baseline.Compared with the healthy control group, AD subjects showed higher metabolism in the right lentiform nucleus and right temporal lobe (BA20) at baseline (P(FDR.05) = .026). In addition, the metabolism in the left anterior cingulate was lower in subjects with AD (P(uncorr) = .001). After VRT, alcohol-dependent subjects showed decreased brain metabolism in the right lentiform nucleus (P(FDR.05) = .026) and right temporal lobe (BA38, P(FDR.05) = .032) relative to that at baseline.Our results suggest a neurobiological imbalance, notably, a high sensitivity to stimuli, in the limbic system in subjects with AD. Furthermore, we determined that metabolism decreased in the basal ganglia after VRT, which may explain the limbic-regulated responses of reward and regulation. Therefore, we tentatively recommend VRT to treat AD through its regulating effect on limbic circuits.

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effects of squat exercises with and without a variety of tools including a gym ball, wedge, and elastic band on the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis oblique muscles. [Subjects and Methods] A total of twenty healthy subjects with no history of neurological, musculoskeletal injury, or pain in the lower extremities were recruited. All subjects performed four types of exercise (conventional squat exercise, squat exercise with a gym ball, squat exercise with a wedge, squat exercise with an elastic band). [Results] There were no significant differences between exercises in comparison of the vastus lateralis muscle activity. In the squat exercise with a wedge, significantly higher activity of the vastus medialis oblique muscle was found compared with in the squat exercise with an elastic band. [Conclusion] The present study suggests that the conventional squat exercise can be one of the useful interventions for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Summary Background The optimal treatment for patients with ischaemic stroke with a high risk of cerebral haemorrhage is unclear. We assessed the efficacy and safety of cilostazol versus aspirin, with and without probucol, in these patients. Methods In this randomised, controlled, 2 × 2 factorial trial, we enrolled patients with ischaemic stroke with a history of or imaging findings of intracerebral haemorrhage or two or more microbleeds from 67 centres in three Asian countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to receive oral cilostazol (100 mg twice a day), aspirin (100 mg once a day), cilostazol plus probucol (250 mg twice a day), or aspirin plus probucol with centralised blocks stratified by centre. Cilostazol versus aspirin was investigated double-blinded; probucol treatment was open-label, but the outcome assessor was masked to assignment. The co-primary outcomes were incidence of the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death (efficacy) and incidence of haemorrhagic stroke (safety), which were assessed in intention-to-treat and modified intention-to-treat populations. Efficacy was analysed with a non-inferiority test and a superiority test if non-inferiority was satisfied. Safety was assessed with a superiority test only. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01013532. Findings Between Aug 1, 2009, and Aug 31, 2015, we randomly assigned 1534 patients to one of the four study groups, of whom 1512 were assessed for the co-primary endpoints. During a median follow-up of 1·9 years (IQR 1·0–3·0), the incidence of composite vascular events was 4·27 per 100 person-years in patients who received cilostazol and 5·33 per 100 person-years in patients who received aspirin (HR 0·80, 95% CI 0·57–1·11; non-inferiority p=0·0077; superiority p=0·18). Incidence of cerebral haemorrhage was 0·61 per 100 person-years in patients who received cilostazol and 1·20 per 100 person-years in those who received aspirin (HR 0·51, 97·5% CI 0·20–1·27; superiority p=0·18). The incidence of vascular events was 3·91 per 100 person-years in the probucol group compared with 5·75 per 100 person-years in the non-probucol group (HR 0·69, 95% CI 0·50–0·97; superiority p=0·0316). The incidence of cerebral haemorrhage was 0·72 per 100 person-years in the probucol group and 1·11 per 100 person-years in the non-probucol group (HR 0·65, 97·5% CI 0·27–1·57; p=0·55). Adverse events were similar across the four study groups; the most common events were dizziness, headache, diarrhoea, and constipation. Interpretation In patients with ischaemic stroke at high risk of cerebral haemorrhage, cilostazol was non-inferior to aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular events, but did not reduce the risk of haemorrhagic stroke. Addition of probucol to aspirin or cilostazol could be beneficial for reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events. Funding Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical.

In insect eyes, ommatidia with hierarchical structured cornea play a critical role in amplifying and transferring visual signals to the brain through optic nerves, enabling the perception of various visual signals. Here, inspired by the structure and functions of insect ommatidia, a flexible photoimaging device is reported that can simultaneously detect and record incoming photonic signals by vertically stacking an organic photodiode and resistive memory device. A single-layered, hierarchical multiple-patterned back reflector that can exhibit various plasmonic effects is incorporated into the organic photodiode. The multiple-patterned flexible organic photodiodes exhibit greatly enhanced photoresponsivity due to the increased light absorption in comparison with the flat systems. Moreover, the flexible photoimaging device shows a well-resolved spatiotemporal mapping of optical signals with excellent operational and mechanical stabilities at low driving voltages below half of the flat systems. Theoretical calculation and scanning near-field optical microscopy analyses clearly reveal that multiple-patterned electrodes have much stronger surface plasmon coupling than flat and single-patterned systems. The developed methodology provides a versatile and effective route for realizing high-performance optoelectronic and photonic systems.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect relies on the shape, size, and dispersion state of metal nanoparticles and can potentially be employed in many applications such as chemical/biological sensor, optoelectronics, and photocatalyst. While complicated synthetic approaches changing shape and size of nanoparticles can control the intrinsic LSPR effect, here we show that controlling interparticle interactions with silica-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@SiO2 NPs) is a powerful approach, permitting wide range of optical bandwidth of gold nanoparticles with great stability. The interparticle interactions of Au@SiO2 NPs are controlled through concentration-, temperature-, and time-dependent polymer-induced interactions. The polymer-induced interactions modulate the state of particle dispersion, resulting an effective plasmonic shift by more than 200 nm. We further explore the microstructure of particle aggregation and explain mechanisms of plasmonic shift based on the results of small-angle X-ray scatt...

Lanthanide upconversion (UC) luminescent nanocrystals exhibit a uniquely sharp multiband emission over a broad spectral bandwidth covering the ultraviolet region to the near-infrared (NIR) region when subjected to NIR excitation, which is vital for multichannel optical communication using wavelength-division multiplexing to achieve high transmission rates. In this study, we experimentally and theoretically investigated the spectral and spatial characterization of a single NaYF4:Yb3+,Tm3+(Yb3+,Er3+) UC nanocrystal as a nanowaveguide. We suggest that a UC nanocrystal can be used as a nanowaveguide because it produces a range of output colors simultaneously and provides unaltered emission bands during propagation. Via the observation of single NaYF4:Yb3+,Tm3+(Yb3+,Er3+) UC nanocrystals, we found, for the first time, that a single UC nanocrystal exhibited wavelength- and position-dependent UC emissions. In addition, by adding Ag coating to the UC nanocrystal to act as a plasmonic waveguide and introducing a photonic crystal, the scattering loss of the UC emissions was significantly suppressed in the middle of the NaYF4 nanocrystal, indicating efficient light guiding through the UC nanocrystal. Our discovery provides a basic understanding of the use of UC nanocrystals as nanowaveguides at the single-nanoparticle level, expanding our knowledge of the performance optimization of UC nanomaterials.

As global warming has become an international environmental problem recently, regulations on carbon emissions are being strengthened by each country. Leading automakers are focusing on developing lightweight and highly efficient automotive components in order to provide competitive eco-friendly cars. It is essential for green cars to have a power conversion system to utilize the electric energy from the battery as a power source. An inductor is a component in the power conversion system, which stores and transfers electrical energy and is composed of a magnetic core and electrical wires. While soft magnetic ferrite is a common material for a magnetic core, research on soft magnetic metallic alloy powders are required to make inductors smaller and lighter. In this letter, we present the research of the inductor in a 48/12 V converter for 48 V mild hybrid vehicles. A mold inductor, which embeds electrical wires inside of the inductor filled with metallic alloy magnetic powder combined with epoxy, has been developed and its properties were compared to the soft magnetic ferrite inductor.

Electronic properties of Ga0.9375Al0.0625As with Ga and As monovacancies are investigated with the density functional theory. A perfect GaAlAs, which specifically produces a radiation wavelength of ∼825.6 nm, has been determined in terms of size and number of atoms of substances. We have introduced eight types of vacancies depending on the distance from the Al atom to the vacancy to obtain the changes in charges, band structures, density of states, and optical conductivity. We found that the Fermi level enters into the valence band due to the formations of the Ga or As vacancies so that the vacant materials may show the characteristics of the p-type semiconductor. Interestingly, Ga-vacancy systems make direct band gaps, which are still good for the use in a semiconductor laser. But, As-vacancy systems, where the indirect gaps appear, are not feasible for the same application. It has been found that the latter phenomenon is induced by a newly formed density of state, which comes from the overlapping of hyb...

The current study examines the perceived differences of stress and stress coping strategies between smoking and nonsmoking South Korean casino workers. Casino employees (N = 621) were grouped into two groups (i.e., smokers and nonsmokers). Using logistic regression analysis with cigarette smoking as the dependent variable, investigators observed that nonsmokers were more likely to report stress related to work or job issues and identify their leisure activity as a form of personal development compared with smokers. Casino employees have a higher prevalence of tobacco smoking than the general population and smoking behaviors tend to cluster with alcohol use and gambling. These findings suggest that smoking cession programs might benefit from taking into account how to provide personal development as a type of leisure.

This study evaluates the health performance of high-density, high-rise public housing in Korea to seek ways to improve their performance for the health and wellbeing of occupants. To do this, the existing ‘Health Performance Indicator for the Public Housing’ developed by a previous study in 2010 was utilized to compare and analyse the characteristic differences as evaluated by experts and the residents. The survey tool was developed to allow evaluation by the experts using pairwise comparison between components; while the residents were asked to evaluate the relative importance of the components in the survey tool. Furthermore, Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied to the evaluation given by experts and PASW statistical package was used to analyse the survey results given by the residents. The results showed that the residents do have a high awareness of the impacts of the various components in their apartments that could be seen visually, revealing a partial difference in their awareness in comparison to that given by the experts. It is therefore necessary to utilize this understanding of the experts and residents in order to meet the actual demands of the residents in accordance with their awareness. It is expected that the evaluation results of this study would be used in the construction plan of new apartments to promote healthy housing and to incorporate not just the experts’ view but also the demand of the residents.

The purpose of this study is to understand the healthy housing quality of four different multi-family attached house complexes that the constructions were finished at different years. In order to evaluate their healthy housing quality, the evaluation indicators of healthy housing, that have already existed, were used and the four complexes with different dwelling unit ages, located in Busan of Korea, were evaluated. For this, this study carry out residents’ evaluations of healthy housing quality through surveys on their satisfaction, and the study mainly identified characteristic according to dwelling unit age. According to the study, the health housing quality of multi-family attached house, of which the dwelling unit age is 10, begins to decrease in terms of managerial aspect. The healthy housing quality of social and managerial aspects is important for dwellers. The evaluation results can then be utilized to develop guidelines to manage and maintain healthy housing environments for apartments.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use grid electricity as well as on-board gasoline for motive force. These multiple energy sources make prediction of PHEV energy consumption challenging and also complicate evaluation of their environmental impacts. This paper introduces a novel PHEV energy consumption modeling approach and compares it to a second approach from the literature, each using actual trip patterns from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). The first approach applies distance-dependent fuel efficiency and on-road electricity consumption rates based on naturalistic or real world, driving information to determine gasoline and electricity consumption. The second uses consumption rates derived in accordance with government certification testing. Both approaches are applied in the context of a location-specific case study that focuses on the state of Michigan. The two PHEV models show agreement in electricity demand due to vehicle charging, gasoline consumption, and life cycle environmental impacts for this case study. The naturalistic drive cycle approach is explored as a means of extending location-specific driving data to supplement existing PHEV impact assessments methods.

Closed flexor tendon ruptures due to trauma without external wound are rare. When the flexor tendon has excessive loading, failure occurs at the tendon insertion or its origin from the bone. It is likely to result in avulsion fracture rather than rupture of the proper portion of the tendon by forceful grasping with hyperextension. However, we have experienced three cases of closed flexor tendon ruptures at zone V, caused by forceful grasping or hyperextension mechanism against resistance. On physical examination, these patients could not flex interphalangeal joint of thumb or distal interphalangeal joint of the fifth finger. All patients underwent MRI or ultrasonography to find out the location of loss in continuity of the flexor tendons before the operation. After identifying the location, flexor tendon repair or tendon graft using palmaris longus were performed.

A considerable amount of research suggests that depression may be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the risk factors for the development of CVD such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to investigate the associations between depression, MetS, and combinations of the individual MetS components in Korean women.Cross-sectional data for 23,385 women who aged 19 years and older were obtained from the nationally representative Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2013). Associations between prior diagnosis of depression and MetS were estimated after adjusting for related factors using multivariable logistic regression analysis.MetS was more prevalent in women with a prior diagnosis of depression than those without diagnosed depression (26.20% vs. 19.07%, p.001). Depression was significantly associated with MetS (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.43) after adjusting for age, education, monthly household income, smoking status, alcohol use, physical activity, and postmenopausal status. There was a higher prevalence of most MetS combinations among women with depression than women without depression. Specifically, significant differences between the two groups were found for MetS combinations including high triglycerides.A cross-sectional study design and lack of a standardized objective measure for depression.Diagnosed depression is associated with MetS in Korean women. Specifically, women with diagnosed depression have significantly elevated levels of several combinations of MetS components including high triglycerides. Addressing these MetS combinations could help reduce CVD events and mortality among women with depression.

The purpose of this study was to apply health performance indicators to actual apartments in order to evaluate the health performance of high-rise and high-density Korean apartments and their environment. In addition, this study analysed factors that are perceived as affecting the residents’ satisfaction. To this end, two apartment complexes that are in a similar location and environment, but with a 10-year difference in their age, were examined and evaluated. Both apartment complexes were assessed as healthy in all dimensions, but unhealthy in the attribute of information management in the managerial dimension. The study also identified that residents were positive and enthusiastic about the performance evaluation. Both groups of residents responded positively and showed satisfaction with their housing environment with no significant differences between the two groups. However, using different evaluation dimensions and attributes could affect their observed satisfaction levels based on residence duration. Therefore, in order for these apartments to be recorded as healthy environments, evaluation indicators would need to be validated and illustrate a healthy housing quality, which reflects the characteristics and current status. The evaluation results can then be utilised to develop guidelines to manage and maintain healthy housing environments for apartments.

Daily driving missions provide the fundamental information required to predict the impact of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) on the grid. In this paper, we propose a statistical modeling approach of daily driving mission sets. The approach consists of temporal distribution modeling and the synthesis of individual representative cycles. The proposed temporal distribution model can capture departure and arrival time distributions with a small number of samples by statistically relating the distributions. Then, representative naturalistic cycles are constructed through a stochastic process and a subsequent statistical analysis with respect to driving distance. They are randomly assigned to the temporal distribution model to build up complete daily driving missions. The proposed approach enables the assessment of the impact on the grid of a large-scale deployment of PHEVs using a small number of simulations capturing real-world driving patterns and the temporal distributions of departure and arrival times.

This paper proposes a battery power management strategy using the estimated lithium-ion concentration in the electrodes to prevent battery over-charging and over-discharging under aggressive driving conditions. Excessive battery operation is moderated by adjusting the allowable battery power limits through the feedback of information on the electrode-averaged lithium-ion concentration estimated by the extended Kalman filter. Uneven discretization of the radii of the solid electrode particles is used in the extended Kalman filter to reduce the computation effort. Safe battery operation with a relatively small size of the battery is possible with the proposed battery power management strategy by preventing extreme conditions, thus providing more flexibility for the development of robust and cost-effective hybrid electric vehicles.

This paper analyzes plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) behavior, its impact on the electric grid, and possible charging opportunities using representative synthetic cycles with the consideration of daily driving schedules. The representative naturalistic cycles are synthesized through a stochastic process utilizing transition probability matrices extracted from naturalistic driving data collected in the Midwest region of the United States. The representativeness of the cycles is achieved through the subsequent statistical analysis. The distributions of the departure/arrival time and the rest time, analyzed from the real-world data at the key locations, complete the picture to analyze vehicle daily missions and the PHEV impact on the grid. PHEV simulation is used to determine the battery state of charge (SOC) distribution upon arrival. The results for typical locations such as residential, work, large business, and small business allow the assessment of the PHEV impact on the grid and possible charging opportunities during daily missions.

A comfortable indoor environment is an essential condition for establishing a healthy housing environment. The indoor comfort is influenced by not only architectural conditions, but also residents’ psychological adaptation and behavioural adjustments. Moreover, specific information about adjusting behaviours, such as opening windows, closing blinds and adjusting clothing, is important to enhance indoor comfort effectively and reduce energy consumption at home. The purpose of this study is to explore residents’ evaluation and adjusting behaviour related to the indoor comfort of apartments in Korea. This study collected residents’ evaluations of thermo, sound, light and air conditions through surveys on their satisfaction, and the study identified factors affecting residents’ evaluations. In addition, this study investigated adjusting behaviours that would improve levels of indoor comfort based on the unique attributes of apartments and residents’ living culture, and it analysed the relationship between such behaviour and their satisfaction. The questionnaire survey was collected from apartment residents. Frequency analyses, t-test and multiple linear regression analysis were employed. The results of this study would contribute to developing plans and management guidelines for enhancing indoor comfort and satisfaction as specific and practical data.

This paper investigates series plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) behavior during one-day with synthesized representative one-day missions. The amounts of electric energy and fuel consumption are predicted to assess the PHEV impact on the grid with respect to the driving distance and different charging scenarios: (1) charging overnight, (2) charging whenever possible. The representative cycles are synthesized using the extracted information from the real-world driving data in Southeast Michigan gathered through the Field Operational Tests (FOT) conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The real-world driving data include 4,409 trips covering 830 independent days and temporal distributions of departure and arrival times. The sample size is large enough to represent real-world driving. The driving cycle synthesis approach proposed by Lee, and Filipi 2,3 based on a stochastic process and subsequent validation procedure is used to create real-world driving cycles. To cover the entire range of real-world driving distance, ten synthetic cycles are created ranging from 4.78 miles to 40.71 miles following the real-world driving distance distribution. The PHEV behavior over one-day is characterized through a simulation based approach. The PHEV simulation is executed using Matlab simulink based Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit (PSAT) developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and in-house Matlab codes. The amounts of the electricity and fuel consumptions over one-day are predicted under different driving distances and different charging scenarios. The prediction of the PHEV behavior can be directly linked to the loads on the local distribution network. © 2011 SAE International.

Fast and predictive simulation tools are prerequisites for pursuing simulation based engine control development. A particularly attractive tradeoff between speed and fidelity is achieved with a co-simulation approach that marries a commercial gas dynamic code WAVE™ with an in-house quasi-dimensional combustion model. Gas dynamics are critical for predicting the effect of wave action in intake and exhaust systems, while the quasi-D turbulent flame entrainment model provides sensitivity to variations of composition and turbulence in the cylinder. This paper proposes a calibration procedure for such a tool that maximizes its range of validity and therefore achieves a fully predictive combustion model for the analysis of a high degree of freedom (HDOF) engines. Inclusion of a charge motion control device in the intake runner presented a particular challenge, since anything altering the flow upstream of the intake valve remains “invisible” to the zero-D turbulence model applied to the cylinder control volume. The solution is based on the use of turbulence multiplier and scheduling of its value. Consequently, proposed calibration procedure considers two scalar variables (dissipation constant Cβ and turbulence multiplier CM), and the refinements of flame front area maps to capture details of the spark-plug design, i.e. the actual distance between the spark and the surface of the cylinder head. The procedure is demonstrated using an SI engine system with dual-independent cam phasing and charge motion control valves (CMCV) in the intake runner. A limited number of iterations led to convergence, thanks to a small number of adjustable constants. After calibrating constants at the reference operating point, the predictions are validated for a range of engine speeds, loads and residual fractions.

We read with interest the Papageorgiou et al.1 Teaching Video NeuroImage on pulsatile proptosis and wall-eyed bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia. While this is a well-written case report with a good quality video, we offer an alternative interpretation of the MRI findings. At the pontine level, the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) is situated beneath the floor of the fourth ventricle on either side of the midline,2 and lesions involving bilateral MLFs can cause wall-eyed bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia (WEBINO).3 However, the lesion that the authors indicated with the arrow on the T2-weighted MRI (figure, white arrow)1 is located more anteriorly compared to the area of the MLF on MRIs in previous reports3 and on anatomic templates.2 In addition, the lesion indicated appears chronic given the strong high signal intensity, similar to that of the CSF, even though the interval from the symptom onset to MRI was not provided. Instead, we propose that the symmetric high signal intensity lesions just beneath the facial colliculi were responsible for WEBINO in this patient (figure, black arrow added).

Virtual sensing models of combustion emissions variables and the mass air flow rate into the cylinders are proposed to replace physical sensors by predicting effects of each actuator control inputs. The nonlinear combustion processes and gas exchange processes are captured by the high fidelity simulation and subsequently are implemented in the virtual sensor using ANN models. The high fidelity simulation is based on the co-simulation approach combining a one-D gas dynamics model and a quasi-D combustion model. The quasi-D combustion model is capable of capturing the effects of key process variables on combustion, such as air-to-fuel (A/F) ratio, residual fraction, and turbulence. The ANNs are trained on the datasets created with the high fidelity simulation to provide the high prediction accuracy and fast computation time, and, subsequently validated on a test sample. Particular benefit of using virtual sensors is the ability to sense variables otherwise difficult or impossible to measure, such as residual gas fraction, and use them for controller development and implementation.

Objective:Korea has 3,170 islands with about 188,000 inhabitants. These inhabitants` needs for health services might go unmet because of geographic isolation, slimmer availability of health services, and higher proportion of the elderly compared with the mainland population. Unmet health service needs might result in serious health problems for these island residents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate their unmet health service needs and related factors from population of Nowha island. Methods: The survey was conducted from July 30 to August 1 by trained interviewers. Target population were residents in Nohwa island and the sampling method was incomplete quota sampling. General characteristics, socioeconomic status, utilization of health service, and unmet medical service needs were investigated. First univariate and then multivariate logistic analyses were done for the statistical analysis. Results: 324 residents were surveyed and the proportion of unmet health services needs was 26.5%. People living alone and of female sex had increased health services needs based on univariable analysis. From the multivariate analysis, those living alone increased the health services needs. Self-determined low socioeconomic status and medical aid increased the proportion of unmet medical needs, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion:In Nowha island, those who are elder, and of lower socioeconomic status had much higher unmet medical needs. The results suggest the need for more social support by qualified health services to solve this unmet medical needs problem.