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The sub-micrometer sized TiO2 particles (100~200 nm) were synthesized by a sol-gel and subsequent thermal annealing. The particle size, surface area, pore structure, and crystallinity were varied upon the annealing temperatures (450, 550, 650 oC). The photocatalytic activities of three TiO2 particles annealed at various temperatures (450-, 550-, and 650-TiO2) were examined by performing photocatalytic depollution of three organic model pollutants (methylene blue, methyl orange, and phenol) from aqueous solutions under the UV light irradiation. Among three samples, 550-TiO2 (~200 nm) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity towards the removals of all three model pollutants. Photocatalytic activity of the 550-TiO2 was compared with a commercial TiO2 (P25, Evonik) at various conditions of loading amounts of particles dispersed in MB solution. Light scattering by dispersed particles at high sample loading conditions was less pronounced in the case of 550-TiO2. Therefore, the sub-micro 550-TiO2 particles can exhibit comparable activity to P25 at high sample loading conditions (2-4 g/L). In addition, the bigger size of 550-TiO2 made it possible to separate them via a simple sedimentation process, showing a potential of sub-micro TiO2 particles as an efficient photocatalysts for water depollution.

Nanoscale ruthenium (Ru)-based materials are promising replacements for existing multilayered Cu interconnects in integrated circuits. However, it is not easy to apply the results of previously reported studies directly to the electrochemical damascene process because the previous studies have mainly focused on thin films by dry deposition. Here, we report the electrical resistivity and microstructure of electrodeposited Ru nanowires. We estimate that the resistivity value of a 10 nm diameter Ru nanowire to be 71.6 μΩ cm after analyzing the resistivity values of individual nanowires with various diameters. Furthermore, we investigate the electrical properties of RuxCo1-x nanowires where x is 0.04–0.99 at.% as possible replacements of the current TaN barrier structures. Over the entire composition range, the resistivity values of alloys are much lower than that of the conventional TaN. Additionally, Ru and Ru-alloy nanowires surrounded by dielectric silica are thermally stable after 450 °C heat treatment. Therefore, the nanoscale Ru and Ru-Co alloys possessing low resistivity values can be candidates for the interconnect and barrier materials, respectively.

An increase of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a common observation in early diabetes and is considered a key risk factor for subsequent kidney injury. However, the mechanisms underlying diabetic hyperfiltration have not been fully clarified. Here, we tested the hypothesis that macula densa neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) is upregulated via sodium glucose cotransporter type 1 (SGLT1) in diabetes, which then inhibits tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) promoting glomerular hyperfiltration. Therefore, we examined changes in cortical NOS1 expression and phosphorylation, nitric oxide production in the macula densa, TGF response, and GFR during the early stage of insulin-deficient (Akita) diabetes in wild-type and macula densa-specific NOS1 knockout mice. A set of sophisticated techniques including microperfusion of juxtaglomerular apparatus in vitro, micropuncture of kidney tubules in vivo, and clearance kinetics of plasma fluorescent-sinistrin were employed. Complementary studies tested the role of SGLT1 in SGLT1 knockout mice and explored NOS1 expression and phosphorylation in kidney biopsies of cadaveric donors. Diabetic mice had upregulated macula densa NOS1, inhibited TGF and elevated GFR. Macula densa-selective NOS1 knockout attenuated the diabetes-induced TGF inhibition and GFR elevation. Additionally, deletion of SGLT1 prevented the upregulation of macula densa NOS1 and attenuated inhibition of TGF in diabetic mice. Furthermore, the expression and phosphorylation levels of NOS1 were increased in cadaveric kidneys of diabetics and positively correlated with blood glucose as well as estimated GFR in the donors. Thus, our findings demonstrate that the macula densa SGLT1-NOS1-TGF pathway plays a crucial role in the control of GFR in diabetes.

A systematic and extensible framework for quantification of structural hierarchy is indispensable to understand the structure–property correlation of SiC ceramics. Microstructural hierarchy descriptor (μSHD) is constructed and used to quantify experimental microstructures reported in the literature. Despite a variation nature of microstructures and the scatterness in measured properties, μSHD–property correlations have been identified. The μSHD curves with less hierarchical levels suggest a high strength, while more hierarchical levels are related to a high toughness. The μSHD curve exhibiting a homogeneous distribution across all the scales and one exhibiting a gradual decrease from the smaller to larger scales can both stand for a high thermal conductivity. A quick drop from the smaller to larger scales on the μSHD curve is a characteristic of a high electrical resistivity, and a reverse trend, showing a gradual increase from smaller to larger scales and maintaining larger μSHDs at larger scales, characterizes a low resistivity.

Objective Two series of experiments were conducted to determine how the incremental levels of sodium metabisulfite (SMB)-treated fruit and vegetable discards (FVD) in diet of Hanwoo heifers and cows affect their performance and health. Methods In Exp. 1, 36 Hanwoo heifers were stratified by age (13.3 ± 0.83 mo) and initial body weight (305 ± 19.7 kg), and divided randomly to one of three diets containing 0, 10, or 20% SMB-treated FVD (as-fed basis). The experiment lasted 110 d, including 20 d of adaptation. In Exp. 2, 24 multiparous Hanwoo cows were divided into three groups based on age (48.2 ± 2.81 mo) and initial body condition score (2.64 ± 0.33). Cows in each block were assigned randomly to one of three diets containing 0, 11, or 22% SMB-treated FVD (as-fed basis). The experiment lasted 80 d, including a 20-d adaptation period. In both experiments, SMB-treated FVD was used as a replacement for wet brewers grain in total mixed ration (TMR). Results Growing heifers exhibited no differences in their daily feed intake (6.58 ± 0.61 kg/d DM), average daily gain (0.60 ± 0.07 kg/d), and body condition score when they consumed the incremental levels of SMB-treated FVD. Although the majority of blood metabolites were unaffected by treatments, blood urea-N and s-hydroxybutyrate levels decreased linearly as the SMB-treated FVD level increased in TMR. Similar to Exp. 1, minor differences were found in daily feed intake (8.27 ± 0.72 kg DM/d) and body condition score of Hanwoo cows. The majority of blood metabolites remained unaffected by treatments, but blood urea-N decreased as the SMB-treated FVD level in TMR increased. Conclusion Our findings suggest that SMB-treated FVD could be safely incorporated into the diet of Hanwoo heifers and cows, potentially improving N-use efficiency in the body while not impairing performance or health.

Biogenic amines (BAs) produced by the action of bacterial amino acid decarboxylases in fermented foods cause various health problems in human. Despite the importance, detailed characterizations of the BA-producing decarboxylases are relatively less progressed than the studies on BA-producing bacteria, due to the time-consuming chromatography-based assay method. In this study, a simple and general colorimetric assay for aromatic amino acid decarboxylases coupled with an amine oxidase from Arthrobacter aurescens (AMAO) and horseradish peroxidase was developed using a tyrosine decarboxylase from Enterococcus faecium DSM20477 (EfmTDC) as a model enzyme. The activity profiles over pH and temperature and the kinetic analysis for EfmTDC revealed that the results by the colorimetric assay are compatible with those by the chromatographic assay. In addition, due to the broad substrate specificity of AMAO for histamine and 2-phenylethylamine, the colorimetric assay would be applicable to the characterization of other aromatic amino acid decarboxylases including histidine decarboxylases. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00938-4.

Ti-based alloy powder is an excellent candidate as an additive manufacturing material, owing to its high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. However, molten Ti is h...

Hexagonal boron nitrides (h-BNs) have received much attention as thermally conductive fillers because of their high thermal conductivity. However, their high aspect ratio hampers the realization of high filler loading by dramatically increasing viscosity and deteriorating the processability of the h-BN composites. To address this issue, an epoxyorganosiloxane with the viscosity of 250 mPa s was used to maximize h-BN loading in composites in this study. Although the BN-50 composite containing 50 wt% of h-BN achieved high in-plane thermal conductivity (5.25 W/m·K), its use was limited because of its low through-plane thermal conductivity (1.35 W/m·K) and high viscosity. To overcome this, spherical aluminum oxides (s-AOs) were incorporated into the h-BN composite with 40 wt% fillers. This increased the through-plane thermal conductivity of the h-BN/AO hybrid composites up to 2.47 W/m·K. Moreover, thanks to the spherical shape of AOs, the viscosity of the h-BN/AO hybrid composites was lower than that of the BN-50 composite despite higher filler loading.

Solid oxide fuel cells are promising renewable energy devices due to their high efficiency and fuel flexibility. As they operate at a higher temperature than other fuel cells, ceramic materials, such as perovskite-based La0.6Sr0.4CoO3 and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3, can be used as electrodes to replace expensive noble metals. However, when the corresponding electrode and yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte are sintered together, SrZrO3 produced from a side reaction acts as an insulator and deteriorates the performance of the fuel cell. Thus, the dense functional layer of a ceria-based material should be introduced between the electrode and the electrolyte to suppress the formation of secondary phases. However, in the conventional cell manufacturing process, it is challenging to manufacture a dense functional layer under constrained sintering conditions. In this study, we develop a method for fabricating a dense gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) functional layer, even under constrained sintering conditions, by using a sacrificial bismuth oxide, Bi2O3, sintering aid layer above the GDC layer. As thermal sintering progresses at 1000–1200 °C, the Bi2O3 sintering aid layer is sublimated, leaving only the pure GDC functional layer. The fabricated dense GDC functional layer characterized by various analysis methods shows improved solid oxide fuel cell performance.

Background Methamphetamine (METH) is the most widely used psychostimulant and has been known to exhibit reinforcing effects even after long abstinence. We showed the inhibitory effect of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) on METH-induced addictive behaviors in animal models mimicking the human drug-use pattern. Methods We first investigated the effect of RGE on the acquisition of METH-induced dependence using self-administration and conditioned place preference (CPP) tests. Additionally, further experiments such as METH-induced motivational behavior and seeking behavior were conducted. To study the underlying mechanism, dopamine receptor, dopamine transporter, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor were assessed through Western blot analysis. Results Treatment with RGE significantly reduced METH-induced self-administration on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement. It could be also decreased a progressive ratio schedule, and inhibited METH-primed reinstatement. In CPP, RGE significantly prevented the development of METH-induced CPP. Moreover, RGE not only shortened the withdrawal period clearly, but also prevented the reinstatement of CPP. RGE treatment also reversed METH-induced overexpression of dopamine transporter, dopamine receptor D1, and NMDA receptor in the nucleus accumbens. Conclusion Our findings reflect that RGE has therapeutic potential to suppress METH-induced addictive behaviors by regulating dopaminergic and NMDAergic system., Graphical abstract Image 1

Cell reversal is observed when a current load is applied to the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell under fuel starvation conditions. Cell reversal causes severe corrosion (or oxidation) of the carbon support in the anode, which leads to a decrease in overall fuel cell performance. To suppress the corrosion reaction of carbon under cell reversal conditions and to increase the durability of fuel cells, studies on anode additives are being conducted. However, studies on the effect of additives on catalysts with different platinum contents have not been conducted. In this study, 20 wt%, 40 wt%, 60 wt% commercial Pt/C catalyst was applied to the anode, and 50 cycles of cell reversal were performed. Furthermore, the performance change with and without IrO2 as an additive was observed and its effect was assessed. Changes in the morphologies of the electrodes before and after cell reversal tests were also observed using a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The higher the platinum content of the catalyst, the more resistant to cell reversal. In addition, the addition of IrO2 to the anode effectively prevents performance degradation due to cell reversal.

Cold spray (CS) which has recently become a promising additive manufacturing (AM) technology, was used to fabricate ultra-strong pure copper. In addition, the effects of carrier gas species on the microstructural characteristics, mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms were systemically explored. The CSAM copper manufactured with N2 carrier gas reveals a heterogeneous bimodal microstructure consisting of ultra-fine grains at the particle interface and relatively coarse grains in inner particles. With He carrier gas, a homogeneous grain structure consisting of ultra-fine grains in most areas was obtained. Compressive tests showed that N2 and He carrier gasses enabled ultra-high yield strengths of 340 and 415 MPa, respectively. These values are comparable to severely plastic deformed copper, which has extremely low ductility and shape fidelity. On the other hand, both samples showed a strain-softening phenomenon that does not commonly occur at room temperature. The deformation microstructures revealed that dynamic recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) phenomena were generated despite being deformed at room temperature. Based on the above findings, the overall deformation mechanisms according to the carrier gas species in the CSAM copper manufacturing process were discussed. Furthermore, the work hardening and softening behaviors of CSAM Cu are predicted by using a constitutive equation .

Background Korean Red ginseng extract (KRGE) has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system by improving endothelial cell function. However, its pharmacological effect on endothelial cell senescence has not been clearly elucidated. Therefore, we examined the effect and molecular mechanism of KRGE on the senescence of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods HUVECs were grown in normal or KRGE-supplemented medium. Furthermore, they were transfected with heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene or treated with its inhibitor, a NF-κB inhibitor, and a miR-155-5p mimic or inhibitor. Senescence-associated characteristics of endothelial cells were determined by biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses. Results Treatment of HUVECs with KRGE resulted in delayed onset and progression of senescence-associated characteristics, such as increased lysosomal acidic β-galactosidase and decreased telomerase activity, angiogenic dysfunction, and abnormal cell morphology. KRGE preserved the levels of anti-senescent factors, such as eNOS-derived NO, MnSOD, and cyclins D and A: however, it decreased the levels of senescence-promoting factors, such as ROS, activated NF-κB, endothelial cell inflammation, and p21 expression. The beneficial effects of KRGE were due to the induction of HO-1 and the inhibition of NF-κB-dependent biogenesis of miR-155-5p that led to the downregulation of eNOS. Moreover, treatment with inhibitors of HO-1, NF-κB, and miR-155-5p abolished the anti-senescence effects of KRGE. Conclusion KRGE delayed or prevented HUVEC senescence through a signaling cascade involving the induction of HO-1, the inhibition of NF-κB-dependent miR-155-5p biogenesis, and the maintenance of the eNOS/NO axis activity, suggesting that it may protect against vascular diseases associated with endothelial senescence.

Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav. (P. crocatum), a traditional medicinal plant, has been shown to possess various pharmacological activities, including anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, anti-hyperglycemic activity, anti-allergic inflammatory activity and others. To identify the potential anti-allergic inflammatory effective constituents of P. crocatum, 13 single compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of P. crocatum leaves, and their structures were identified by contrasting their NMR spectroscopic data and previously published papers. First, the anti-allergic inflammatory activities of these single compounds were examined by accessing immune function related biomarkers such as nitric oxide (NO) and β-hexosaminidase. We found that the methanol extract and catechaldehyde (compound 1) potently suppressed NO production. Additionally, Western blot analysis showed that P. crocatum methanol extract and compound 1 suppressed the production of NO by reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Consistent with these observations, P. crocatum methanol extract and compound 1 remarkably decreased β-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells stimulated with 2,4-dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA)-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. Furthermore, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay indicated that P. crocatum methanol extract and compound 1 exhibited no cytotoxicity to RAW264.7 and RBL-2H3 cells. Based on these findings, compound 1 is suggested as an active anti-allergic inflammatory component of P. crocatum.

After an injury, soft tissue structures in the body undergo a natural healing process through specific phases of healing. Adhesions occur as abnormal attachments between tissues and organs through the formation of blood vessels and/or fibrinous adhesions during the regenerative repair process. In this study, we developed an adhesion-preventing membrane with an improved physical protection function by modifying the surface of chondrocyte-derived extracellular matrices (CECM) with anti-adhesion function. We attempted to change the negative charge of the CECM surface to neutral using poly-L-lysine (PLL) and investigated whether it blocked fibroblast adhesion to it and showed an improved anti-adhesion effect in animal models of tissue adhesion. The surface of the membrane was modified with PLL coating (PLL 10), which neutralized the surface charge. We confirmed that the surface characteristics except for the potential difference were maintained after the modification and tested cell attachment in vitro. Adhesion inhibition was identified in a peritoneal adhesion animal model at 1 week and in a subcutaneous adhesion model for 4 weeks. N-CECM suppressed fibroblast and endothelial cell adhesion in vitro and inhibited abdominal adhesions in vivo. The CECM appeared to actively inhibit the infiltration of endothelial cells into the injured site, thereby suppressing adhesion formation, which differed from conventional adhesion barriers in the mode of action. Furthermore, the N-CECM remained intact without degradation for more than four weeks in vivo and exerted anti-adhesion effects for a long time. This study demonstrated that PLL10 surface modification rendered a neutral charge to the polymer on the extracellular matrix surface, thereby inhibiting cell and tissue adhesion. Furthermore, this study suggests a means to modify extracellular matrix surfaces to meet the specific requirements of the target tissue in preventing post-surgical adhesions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Introduction This study was designed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile in South Korea, and to evaluate the risk factors of rifaximin-nonsusceptible C. difficile infections (CDI). Methods A total of 413 patients with CDI from two sentinel hospitals in South Korea were enrolled in this study. Putative clinical risk factors for CDI were identified using the digital medical records of the patients, and pathogen profiles, including antimicrobial susceptibility, toxin generation, and ribotype, were evaluated for each of the causative C. difficile isolates. Results A total of 81 (19.6%) C. difficile isolates were shown to be rifaximin-nonsusceptible with the most common ribotypes being described as 018 (56.8%, 46/81), 017 (16.0%, n = 13), and 027 (6.2%, n = 5). Rifaximin-nonsusceptible C. difficile isolates exhibited higher nonsusceptibility rates to most of the other drugs tested in this study when compared to the rifaximin-susceptible isolates. Previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis and prior rifaximin treatment were shown to be linked with the occurrence of rifaximin-nonsusceptible CDIs than those with susceptible CDIs. Conclusions The rifaximin-nonsusceptibility rates for the C. difficile isolates identified in this study were reasonably high with most of these resistant strains belonging to either the 018 or 017 RT. The widespread dissemination of these clones may be the result of the antimicrobial selection pressure introduced by the widespread use of rifaximin. These results suggest that a sustainable surveillance program for C. difficile infections and resistance is needed in order to better control CDIs and improve therapeutic efficacy.

Background and Objectives Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) elicit therapeutic effects against liver fibrosis in animal models. Human liver stem cells (HLSCs) are cells isolated from human liver tissue that have mesenchymal morphology and express MSC markers. HLSCs also possess intrahepatic stem cell properties. We introduce a rat model of liver fibrosis and trans-portal transplantation of HLSC to demonstrate alleviation of liver fibrosis. Methods and Results Liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Sprague Dawley rats underwent simultaneous partial hepatectomy of the left hepatic lobe and HLSC transplantation via the portal vein. Gross appearance of the liver observed following CCl4 injection showed cholestasis and surface nodularity. Sirius red staining revealed deposition of collagen fibers in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Following HLSC transplantation, human albumin secreting cells were detected by immunohistochemistry in liver specimens. Quantitative measurements of fibrosis area stained by Sirius red were compared between baseline and post-HLSC transplant (1×107 cells) following 10 weeks of CCl4 treatment liver specimens. Fibrosis area (p

We propose a hydrogen-based preliminary reduction process for primary ilmenite before the smelting process in titanium dioxide pigment production, because of its advantages of low energy consumption and carbon dioxide mitigation. The hydrogen-based gaseous reduction of primary ilmenite concentrate was investigated at temperatures between 1273 K and 1473 K (1000 °C and 1200 °C) in an H2–CO atmosphere and compared it with the carbothermic reduction of secondary ilmenite. Between 1273 K and 1373 K, hydrogen reduction was faster than carbothermic reduction for the entire time of the reaction. However, at 1473 K, CO evolution by the Boudouard reaction caused the carbothermic reduction to be faster initially; however, hydrogen reduction was faster after 70 minutes. The phases of the final product by the gaseous reduction were metallic iron, TiO2, and a pseudobrookite solid solution. Numerous cracks and pores were generated, and agglomerated iron was observed throughout the particles. The gaseous reduction reaction was controlled by a chemical reaction with an activation energy of 42 kJ/mol. For the subsequent smelting process, the use of ilmenite concentrate feeds reduced by hydrogen during the preliminary reduction process decreased the energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Bacterial β-glucuronidase in the intestine is involved in the conversion of 7-ethyl-10- hydroxycamptochecin glucuronide (derived from irinotecan) to 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin, which causes intestinal bleeding and diarrhea (side effects of anti-cancer drugs). Twelve compounds (1-12) from Polygala tenuifolia were evaluated in terms of β-glucuronidase inhibition in vitro. 4-O-Benzoyl-3'-O-(O-methylsinapoyl) sucrose (C3) was highly inhibitory at low concentrations. C3 (an uncompetitive inhibitor) exhibited a ki value of 13.4 μM; inhibitory activity increased as the substrate concentration rose. Molecular simulation revealed that C3 bound principally to the Gln158-Tyr160 enzyme loop. Thus, C3 will serve as a lead compound for development of new β- glucuronidase inhibitors.

Three undescribed cassane-type diterpenoids (CAs), caesalpulcherrins K-M (1–3), together with three known ones (4–6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw (Fabaceae). Their structures were elucidated via analysis of NMR (1 D and 2 D) and HRESIMS data. The character for caesalpulcherrin K possessing the olefin bond at C-11 and C-12 in its cassane skeleton was observed, which belonged to a small group among more than 450 CAs. That is, only fifteen derivatives have been reported up to now, to our knowledge. Biological evaluation revealed that compounds 1–6 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity, with an IC50 value from 6.04 ± 0.34 to 8.92 ± 0.65 μM. Furthermore, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at 10 μM.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) induces pulmonary fibrosis by enhancing epithelial apoptosis and affects the enzymatic activity of transglutaminase 2 (TG2). The aim of this study was to determine the role of TG2 in TGF-β1-induced lung remodeling and alveolar macrophage modulation. We characterized the in vivo effects of TGF-β1 and TG2 on lung inflammation, fibrosis, and macrophage activity using transgenic C57BL/6 mice with wild and null TG2 loci. The effect of TG2 inhibition on in vitro TGF-β1-stimulated alveolar macrophages was assessed through mRNA analysis. TG2 was remarkably upregulated in the lungs of TGF-β1 transgenic (TGF-β1 Tg) mice, especially in alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells. In the absence of TG2, TGF-β1-induced inflammation was suppressed, decreasing the number of macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In addition, the alveolar destruction and peribronchial fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 overexpression were significantly reduced, which correlated with decreases in the expression of fibroblast growth factor and matrix metallopeptidase 12, respectively. However, TG2 deficiency did not compromise the phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages in TGF-β1 Tg mice. At the same time, TG2 contributed to the regulation of TGF-β1-induced macrophage activation. Inhibition of TG2 did not affect the TGF-β1-induced expression of CD86, an M1 marker, in macrophages, but it did reverse the TGF-β1-induced expression of CD206. This result suggests that TG2 mediates TGF-β1-induced M2-like polarization but does not contribute to TGF-β1-induced M1 polarization. In conclusion, TG2 regulates macrophage modulation and plays an important role in TGF-β1-induced lung inflammation, destruction, and fibrosis.

ConspectusWith the ever-increasing demand on energy storage systems and subsequent mass production, there is an urgent need for the development of batteries with not only improved electrochemical performance but also better sustainability-related features such as environmental friendliness and low production cost. To date, transition metals that are sparse have been centrally employed in energy storage devices ranging from portable lithium ion batteries (e.g., cobalt and nickel) to large-scale redox flow batteries (e.g., vanadium). Toward the sustainable battery chemistry, there are ongoing efforts to replace the transition metal-based electrode materials in these systems to redox-active organic materials (ROMs). Most ROMs are composed of the earth abundant elements (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur), thus are less restrained by the resource, and their production does not require high-energy consuming processes. Furthermore, the structural diversity and chemical tunability of organic compounds make them more attractive for the versatile design of future energy storage systems. Accordingly, the timely development of high-performance ROM-based electrodes would expedite the shift from the current resource-limited battery chemistry to more sustainable energy solutions.In this Account, we provide an overview of the endeavors to employ and develop ROMs as high-performance active materials for various battery systems. Diverse approaches will be introduced starting from the new ROM design mimicking the energy carrying molecules in biological metabolism to the chemical modifications to tailor the properties for specific battery systems. The molecular redesign of ROM, for example, can be carried out by substituting heteroatoms in the redox center, which leads to the enhancement of the redox potential by the inductive effect. Or, tailoring the ROM molecule by removing redox-inactive functionals results in a reduced molecular weight, thereby an increased specific capacity. The intrinsic limitations of ROMs, such as the low electrical conductivity and the dissolving nature, have been under extensive scrutiny; however, they can be partly addressed through efforts including intermolecular fusion and/or nanoscale hybridization with a conducting scaffold. On the other hand, this problematic dissolving nature of ROMs makes them appealing for some new battery configurations such as redox flow batteries that employ the liquid-state active materials. The high solubility and the stability of the ROM were found to be beneficial in attaining the enhanced energy density and the cycle stability of flow batteries, which could be further optimized by the chemical modifications of ROMs. Besides the role of active materials, the redox activity of ROMs has also enabled their use as catalysts to promote the electrode reaction in metal-air batteries. The redox capability of the ROM was often proven to be effective in the solution-based redox mediation that facilitates both the charging and discharging reaction in metal-air batteries. Finally, we conclude this account by proposing the future research directions regarding the fundamental electrochemistry and the further practical development of ROMs for the sustainable rechargeable energy storage.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of polystyrene-based acidic copolymers and ionomers on the dispersion of asphaltenes in heavy oil. In the first part of the work, we studied ...

Synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticles (S-CeO2 NPs) and 1%, 5% and 10% zirconium doped CeO2 (Zr-doped CeO2) NPs were fabricated using aqueous leaf extract of Pometia pinnata. The synthesized NPs were characterized using standard techniques which confirmed successful synthesis of NPs with particle size ranging from 12 to 23 nm and band gap energy of 2.54–2.66 eV. Photoantioxidant activities showed enhanced activities under visible light irradiation in comparison to the dark condition in the dose-dependent study. Biofilm inhibition studies showed ~ 73% biofilm inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus at 512 µg/mL for S-CeO2, whereas 10% Zr-doped CeO2 NPs showed biofilm inhibition of 52.7%. The bactericidal tests showed killing properties at 1024 µg/mL of S-CeO2 NPs and at 512 µg/mL of 1% Zr-doped CeO2. Reduced bactericidal activities were observed for 5% and 10% Zr-doped CeO2. These studies showed that the fabricated NPs have both good photoantioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Ozone (O3) is a prevalent air pollutant causing lung inflammation. Previous studies demonstrate that O3 oxidizes lipids, such as cholesterol, in the airway to produce oxysterols, such as secosterol...

Organic redox flow batteries (ORFBs) have recently drawn significant attention as cost-effective and scalable energy storage systems, utilizing the distinct features of redox-active organic materials (ROMs), which offer chemical diversity and potential mass-scalability. Nevertheless, their inferior cycle performance compared with that of conventional inorganic-based RFBs is one of the major drawbacks limiting their practical application, which is often attributable to the chemical instability of charged ROMs during long-term operation. Herein, we present an ultra-stable triphenylamine-based molecule, tris(4-methoxyphenyl)amine or 3MTPA, which exhibits a highly stable redox reaction and rapid kinetics as a catholyte in non-aqueous media. It is demonstrated that the 3MTPA catholyte exhibits exceptionally robust radical cation stability, enabling its retention of near the theoretical capacity even after 168 h of high temperature storage in a fully charged state, while most known ROMs have not been able to achieve it and suffer from the significant degradation. Moreover, a flow cell exploiting 3MTPA is capable of delivering an unprecedentedly high capacity retention of 99.998% per cycle over 1400 cycles, opening up a new pathway toward highly durable ORFBs.

The effect of catalyst structure, acidity, and Ga addition of zeolites on the pyrolysis of polypropylene (PP) was investigated by comparing PP cracking efficiency and product distribution properties in this study. Thermogravimetric analysis result indicated that HY(SiO2/Al2O3; 30) is the most effective catalyst lowering PP decomposition temperature, followed by Ga/HZSM-5(30), HZSM-5(30), HZSM-5(80), and HZSM-5(280). Meanwhile, Ga/HZSM-5(30) revealed the lowest apparent activation energy (Ea), 110 kJ/mol, than HY(30) (159 kJ/mol), and other HZSM-5 catalysts (122 ~ 172 kJ/mol), suggesting its high efficiency lowering Ea on PP pyrolysis. Py-GC/MS results also suggested that Ga/HZSM-5 produces the largest amount of aromatic hydrocarbons, followed by HZSM-5(30), HZSM-5(80), HY(30), and HZSM-5(280). The increase of Ga/HZSM-5(30) amount on PP pyrolysis led the further decrease of Ea value and increase of aromatics production efficiency.

Recent advances in DNA nanotechnology led the fabrication and utilization of various DNA assemblies, but the development of a method to control their global shapes and mechanical flexibilities with high efficiency and repeatability is one of the remaining challenges for the realization of the molecular machines with on-demand functionalities. DNA-binding molecules with intercalation and groove binding modes are known to induce the perturbation on the geometrical and mechanical characteristics of DNA at the strand level, which might be effective in structured DNA assemblies as well. Here, we demonstrate that the chemo-mechanical response of DNA strands with binding ligands can change the global shape and stiffness of DNA origami nanostructures, thereby enabling the systematic modulation of them by selecting a proper ligand and its concentration. Multiple DNA-binding drugs and fluorophores were applied to straight and curved DNA origami bundles, which demonstrated a fast, recoverable, and controllable alteration of the bending persistence length and the radius of curvature of DNA nanostructures. This chemo-mechanical modulation of DNA nanostructures would provide a powerful tool for reconfigurable and dynamic actuation of DNA machineries.

The effects of the boron nitride (BN) content on the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of porous SiC ceramics were investigated in N2 and Ar atmospheres. The electrical resistivity was predominantly controlled by the sintering atmosphere and secondarily by the BN concentration, whereas the thermal conductivity and flexural strength were more susceptible to changes in the porosity and necking area between the SiC grains. The electrical resistivities of argon-sintered porous SiC ceramics (6.3 × 105 – 1.6 × 106 Ω·cm) were seven orders of magnitude higher than those of nitrogen-sintered porous SiC ceramics (1.5 × 10−1 – 6.0 × 10−1 Ω·cm). The thermal conductivity and flexural strength of the argon-sintered porous SiC ceramics increased from 8.4–11.6 W·m−1 K−1 and from 9.3–28.2 MPa, respectively, with an increase in the BN content from 0 to 1.5 vol%, which was attributed to the increase in necking area and the decrease in porosity.

Despite its high theoretical energy density, lithium metal faces huge challenges in its implementation as an anode for Li secondary batteries because of its uncontrollable dendritic growth and large volume change during plating/stripping processes. These geometric changes cause degradation in a cell’s cycle life and performance and can lead to short-circuits and explosions. Here, we report a new approach to producing a LiF-rich phase on the lithium anode surface by employing a “bi-phase” separator. We fabricated it by coating polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) onto a cellulose separator. The coverage of coating was adjusted by varying its concentration in the coating solution. The combination of cellulose and PVDF-HFP produced a LiF-rich solid-electrolyte interphase layer on the Li metal surface via an alkyl halide nucleophile exchange in contact with the bi-phase separator during plating. Symmetric cell tests show that the bi-phase separator extends the cycle life by more than 300 h, with overpotentials of less than 100 mV under plating/stripping at 2 mA cm−2 for a capacity of 2 mAh cm−2. The formation mechanism of the LiF-rich phase is suggested from spectroscopic analyses.

This study was conducted to evaluate the supplementation of glutamic acid (Glu) to reduced protein diets on the performance of weanling pigs. One hundred and eighty crossbred weanling pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc, 21 d old) having similar body weight (BW) of 6.45 kg were randomly allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments (5 pigs per pen [2 barrows and 3 gilts]; 6 pens per treatment) based on BW and sex during a 6-week trial. Dietary treatments consisted of positive control (PC) diet formulated to have 226.9, 205.6, and 188.8 g crude protein (CP) during phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and negative control (NC) diets with 20 g CP reduction from PC diets and addition of Glu with increasing levels, resulting in the calculated Lys-to-Glu ratios of 1:2.25, 1:2.30.1:2.35, 1:2.40, and 1:2.45, designated as NC, NC1, NC2, NC3, and NC4, respectively. The BW of pigs receiving PC diet was higher (P

In plasma material processing, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) emission is released from gas discharges, leading to undesirable results. Energetic VUV photons enable the creation of an electron-hole pair current when their energy is larger than the bandgap energy of the plasma-facing top layer during plasma material processing. For example, the high energy of VUV photons from helium (21.2 eV), argon (11.6 eV), and oxygen (13.6 eV) is sufficient to generate induced currents in SiO2 thin films. These feedstock gases are widely used in many procedures utilizing low-temperature industrial plasmas. Thus, the VUV emission evolution with both the power ratio between high (60 MHz) and low (2 MHz) frequencies and pulse duty ratio of the low-frequency radio frequency (rf) power in a dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasma, which is indispensable in modern plasma etching processes, was investigated. Both the power ratio between high and low frequencies and the pulse duty ratio changed the electron temperature, leading to evolution of the VUV emission intensity.

IL-10+ regulatory B (Breg) cells play a vital role in regulating the immune responses in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, colitis, and contact hypersensitivity (CHS). Several stimulants such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), CD40 ligand, and IL-21 spur the activation and maturation of IL-10+ Breg cells, while the epigenetic mechanism for the IL-10 expression remains largely unknown. It is well accepted that the histone acetylation/ deacetylation is an important mechanism that regulates the expression of IL-10. We found that entinostat, an HDAC inhibitor, stimulated the induction of IL-10+ Breg cells by LPS in vitro and the formation of IL-10+ Breg cells to suppress CHS in vivo. We further demonstrated that entinostat inhibited HDAC1 from binding to the proximal region of the IL-10 expression promoter in splenic B cells, followed by an increase in the binding of NF-κB p65, eventually enhancing the expression of IL-10 in Breg cells. [BMB Reports 2021; 54(10): 534-539].

To ensure safety and reduce the weight of vehicles, studies are being actively conducted on different aluminum alloys that have strength higher than conventional aluminum alloys. The development of high-performance aluminum alloys through magnesium content control is underway. Research on manufacturing techniques, such as, welding for application to the car body parts of these materials is required. In this study, the resistance spot weldability of an aluminum alloy with 6 wt.% magnesium (Al-6Mg) was evaluated and compared with the commercial aluminum alloy 5052, 6061 (Al5052, Al6061). The suitable welding range of the Al-6Mg was found to have a welding current of 24 kA to 28 kA, and a similar level of Al6061. The welding heat input was almost the same for the three materials, which resulted in no difference in the diameter of the nuggets. There was no significant difference of the porosity ratio between Al-6Mg and Al5052; however, the porosity ratio of Al6061 was higher. The alloy with the highest tensile shear strength, hardness and energy absorption of a welded joint was Al-6Mg. The low porosity ratio and high hardness of the Al-6Mg alloy caused the relatively high tensile shear strength and energy absorption of the welded joint.

Structural DNA nanotechnology is a promising approach to create chromophore networks with modular structures and Hamiltonians to control the material's functions. The functional behaviors of these systems depend on the interactions of the chromophores' vibronic states, as well as interactions with their environment. To optimize their functions, it is necessary to characterize the chromophore network's structural and energetic properties, including the electronic delocalization in some cases. In this study, parameters of interest are deduced in DNA-scaffolded Cyanine 3 and Cyanine 5 dimers. The methods include steady-state optical measurements, physical modeling, and a genetic algorithm approach. The parameters include the chromophore network's vibronic Hamiltonian, molecular positions, transition dipole orientations, and environmentally induced energy broadening. Additionally, the study uses temperature-dependent optical measurements to characterize the spectral broadening further. These combined results reveal the quantum mechanical delocalization, which is important for functions like coherent energy transport and quantum information applications.

Background Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States. DILI is mainly caused by painkillers and fever reducers, and it is often characterized by the type of hepatic injury (hepatocellular or cholestatic). This report presents a case of fenofibrate-induced severe jaundice in a 65-year-old Korean male with no prior history of liver disease. We offer a strategy for patients who present signs of severe liver injury with jaundice and high elevations in serum transaminases. Case summary A 65-year-old male visited the gastroenterology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital due to increased levels of liver enzyme and total bilirubin which were incidentally detected through a preoperative screening test. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography showed no biliary obstruction or non-specific findings in the liver. Liver biopsy was performed and the patient was finally diagnosed with acute cholestatic hepatitis. Following the biopsy, steroid therapy was initiated and after 3 wk of treatment, the total bilirubin level was reduced to 7.22 mg/dL. Conclusion In patients with hyperlipidemia, treatment including fenofibric acid induces rare complications such as severe jaundice and acute cholestatic hepatitis, warranting clinical attention.

Although endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is thought to be involved in various diseases such as cancer, metabolic, and inflammatory disorders, the relationship between ER stress and bone diseases, are remains unclear. Tunicamycin-treated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were used as the ER stress model in this study. 635 nm light-emitting diode irradiation (635 nm-IR) was carried out for 1 h before and after inducing ER stress. To investigate the effects of 635 nm-IR on ER stress-induced MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and the underlying mechanism, western blot, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red staining, 2',7'-dichlorodyhydrofluorescein diacetate assay, Fluo-3AM and immunocytochemistry were performed. Pretreatment with 635 nm-IR effectively prevented intracellular reactive oxygen species production and alleviated ER stress through the pancreatic ER kinase (PERK)-eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2)-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. Hence, 635 nm-IR may serve a protective role in the treatment of ER stress-related bone diseases.

In solid tumors, glycolytic cancer or stromal cells export lactates through monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 4, while oxidative cancer or stromal cells take up lactates as metabolic fuels or signaling molecules through MCT1. CD147 acts as a chaperone of MCT1 or MCT4. Unlike solid tumors, malignant lymphomas have a peculiar tumor microenvironment. To investigate the metabolic phenotype of malignant lymphoma associated with lactate transport, we analyzed immunohistochemical expressions of MCT1, MCT4, and CD147 in 247 cases of various malignant lymphomas. Surprisingly, both MCT1 and MCT4 were diffusely expressed on tumor cell membranes in all cases (11/11, 100%) of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) (+) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). In contrast, only MCT1 was diffusely expressed in tumor cells of ALK(-) ALCL, as well as in B-cell, natural killer/T-cell, T-cell, and classic Hodgkin lymphomas. In these lymphomas, MCT4 expression was mostly localized to adjacent stromal cells. The pattern of diffuse membranous MCT1 and partial MCT4 expressions in tumor cells was observed in 1 case each of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (1/15, 6.7%) and multiple myeloma (1/34, 2.9%). CD147 was diffusely expressed in all types of lymphoma tumor and/or stromal cells. In conclusion, ALK(+) ALCL has a unique metabolism showing high coexpression of MCT1 and MCT4 in tumor cells. Because only ALK(+) ALCL overexpresses MCT4, immunostaining for MCT4 together with ALK is very useful for differential diagnosis from ALK(-) ALCL or peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Moreover, dual targeting against MCT1 and MCT4 would be an appropriate therapeutic approach for ALK(+) ALCL.

Nickel (Ni) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared through vapor-phase synthesis (VPS) are preferred for multilayer ceramic capacitor electrodes due to their high purity and crystallinity advantages. Agglomerated Ni NPs are usually generated using VPS but are undesirable because they cause various problems such as low packing density and electrical shorts. This study proposes the use of coating-assisted chemical vapor synthesis (CVS) for agglomerate inhibition using NaCl or KCl as a coating agent. We have found that the agglomeration ratio, 34.40%, for conventional CVS, can be reduced to 4.80% in the proposed method by in-flight coating with KCl at 900 °C by image analysis using field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence analyses confirm that the NaCl and KCl coating agent can be removed by washing with distilled water. We believe that this coating process can be used to inhibit the formation of agglomerates during the CVS of Ni NPs.

In the present study, the anti-wrinkle effects of an extract of Rosa multiflora were assessed to determine whether it can be used as a heat aging-prevention cosmetic. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the content of astragalin (the active ingredient) in the extract. The protein expression levels of MMP-1, procollagen, and transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV-1), which is a heat receptor thermal aging inhibitor, were measured. The protein expression of RMA, which has the best anti-wrinkle effect, was also measured. Consequently, the anti-wrinkle and heat-aging inhibition effects of R. multiflora extract and the content of astragalin resulting from each extraction condition were confirmed. Additional research is needed to verify whether astragalin has a direct effect on heat aging. However, the potential of astragalin as a heat aging-inhibitor is apparent considering the results of previous studies that have demonstrated that R. multiflora extract has excellent antioxidant activity and that R. multiflora extract inhibits the expression of certain proteins. Therefore, R. multiflora extract is a potentially useful cosmetic for the prevention or alleviation of wrinkles and heat aging.

To meet the rising energy demand for rapidly advancing battery-driven devices, a novel Li/Cl dual-ion battery chemistry based on non-flammable SO2-in-salt electrolyte is receiving significant attention. Herein, we propose a natural-activable CuO hollow nanocube (HNC) cathode material for dual-ion Li metal batteries using SO2-in-salt electrolyte. Natural activation is achieved via spontaneous chlorination of CuO HNCs into an electrochemically active CuCl2 phase upon immersed in a SO2-in-salt electrolyte. The on-site conversion reactions are proposed with the support of thermodynamic calculations; the phase transformations of active materials are confirmed through X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. As a solution to alleviate the volume expansion after chlorination, the HNC structure of CuO allows the resulting CuCl2 cathode material to deliver a reversible capacity up to 262.2 mAh g−1 (894.2 Wh kgCuO−1) with stable cycle performance over 150 cycles. The Li-CuO battery system presented here demonstrates the feasibility of non-flammable, high-energy density Li/Cl dual-ion Li metal batteries as a potential alternative to currently used lithium ion batteries.

Low-dose metronomic chemotherapy (LDMC) inhibits tumor angiogenesis and growth by targeting tumor-associated endothelial cells, but the molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here, we examined the functional role of regulated in development and DNA damage responses 1 (REDD1), an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), in LDMC-mediated endothelial cell dysfunction. Low-dose doxorubicin (DOX) treatment induced REDD1 expression in cultured vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and subsequently repressed the mRNA expression of mTORC1-dependent translation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (Vegfr)-2/3, resulting in the inhibition of VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. These regulatory effects of DOX-induced REDD1 expression were additionally confirmed by loss- and gain-of-function studies. Furthermore, LDMC with DOX significantly suppressed tumor angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, vascular permeability, growth, and metastasis in B16 melanoma-bearing wild-type but not Redd1-deficient mice. Altogether, our findings indicate that REDD1 is a crucial determinant of LDMC-mediated functional dysregulation of tumor vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells by translational repression of Vegfr-2/3 transcripts, supporting the potential therapeutic properties of REDD1 in highly progressive or metastatic tumors., Cancer: Stress protein implicated in effects of low-dose metronomic chemotherapy Sustained low-dose metronomic chemotherapy impairs the function of tumor-associated blood vessels and lymphatic tissues due to the action of a stress response protein called REDD1. A research team from South Korea led by Young-Myeong Kim of Kangwon National University School of Medicine in Chuncheon showed that low doses of doxorubicin, a widely used anti-cancer drug, induces the expression of REDD1. This in turn inhibits the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors-2/-3 that are needed for the formation of blood and lymphatic vessels, both of which can promote tumor growth. Cancer-bearing mice that lacked a working version of REDD1 did not respond to continuous low-dose treatment with doxorubicin, demonstrating the critical nature of this protein in mediating the drug regimen’s effects. The authors propose that pharmacologically enhancing REDD1 activity could help combat highly aggressive or metastatic tumors.