Search

Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) roots and leaves are widely used in herbal preparations, which have beneficial effects on the stimulation of digestion and metabolism of food ingredients, gastric juice excretion, diuretic action, and bile excretion. Notably, chicory root is well known as a source of polyphenols, compounds with recognized value in health improvement. In this study, we examined the physicochemical characteristics (TA, pH, and sensory evaluation) of bioactive yoghurt containing different concentrations of chicory. With increasing incubation time (5 h), the TA of the yoghurt increased whereas the pH decreased, regardless of the amount of chicory. As the amount of chicory increased, the scores for color, flavor, taste, and overall acceptability generally decreased. Among the tested groups, yoghurt with the addition of 1% chicory attained the highest scores. Further studies on the production of bioactive yogurt with optimum chicory concentration are needed.

Pyrenesulfonamide-functionalized inorganic/organic hybrid Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared for the selective and sensitive detection of Ga 3+ . The fluorescence monomer emission intensity of pyrene at 380 nm was “switched on” by interaction with Ga 3+ . The limit of detection for Ga 3+ was 100 nM in acetonitrile. The in-situ prepared Ga 3+ -complex with inorganic/organic hybrid Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles led to the selective and sensitive detection of I − ions with “switch off” fluorescence emission. The limit of detection for I − was 50 nM in acetonitrile. Thus, inorganic/organic hybrid Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles act as a switch with “OFF-ON-OFF” operation for sequential detection of Ga 3+ and I − ions. The inorganic/organic hybrid Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, XRD, and TEM techniques.

Cronobacter sakazakii constitutes one of the most life-threatening foodborne pathogens in neonates, and is typically acquired via contaminated powdered infant formula. In this study, we developed a sensitive and convenient two-stage label-free aptasensing platform for colorimetric detection of C. sakazakii in powdered infant formula. In this system, C. sakazakii depletes aptamers from the test solution, and the reduction of aptamers induces aggregation of gold nanoparticles in salt, a process accompanied by a color change from red to purple. Under optimal conditions, C. sakazakii present in PIF at a concentration as low as 7.1 × 103 CFU mL−1 could be visually detected within 30 min, with a linear range between 7.1 × 103 and 7.1 × 107 CFU mL−1. This novel assay provides new opportunities to detect bacteria in real-world samples.

We report the fabrication of strongly coupled nanohybrid superconducting junctions using PbS semiconductor nanowires and Pb0.5In0.5 superconducting electrodes. The maximum supercurrent in the junction reaches up to ~15 \mu A at 0.3 K, which is the highest value ever observed in semiconductor-nanowire-based superconducting junctions. The observation of microwave-induced constant voltage steps confirms the existence of genuine Josephson coupling through the nanowire. Monotonic suppression of the critical current under an external magnetic field is also in good agreement with the narrow junction model. The temperature-dependent stochastic distribution of the switching current exhibits a crossover from phase diffusion to a thermal activation process as the temperature decreases. These strongly coupled nanohybrid superconducting junctions would be advantageous to the development of gate-tunable superconducting quantum information devices., Comment: 32 pages

Background Although interscalene brachial plexus block provides effective anesthesia and analgesia for shoulder surgery, one major drawback of interscalene brachial plexus block is ipsilateral phrenic nerve palsy. Several diaphragm-sparing nerve blocks have been suggested. We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of combined suprascapular nerve and costoclavicular brachial plexus block for postoperative analgesia following arthroscopic shoulder surgery.Methods Nineteen patients scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery received combined ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve and costoclavicular brachial plexus block. Pain scores, use of supplemental analgesia, incidence of phrenic nerve palsy, block-related outcomes, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects were assessed.Results The block was successful in 17 patients (89.5%). Postoperative pain control was effective during the first 24 h after surgery. Phrenic nerve palsy did not occur (0%, 95% confidential interval 0 – 17%). There were no severe adverse events. Patients reported a high degree of satisfaction.Conclusion Combined suprascapular nerve and costoclavicular brachial plexus block provided effective postoperative analgesia for arthroscopic shoulder surgery without causing phrenic nerve palsy.

Spin-momentum locked (SML) topological surface state (TSS) provides exotic properties for spintronics applications. The spin-polarized current, which emerges owing to the SML, can be directly detected by performing spin potentiometric measurement. We observed spin-polarized current using a bulk insulating topological insulator (TI), Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.7Se1.3, and Co as the ferromagnetic spin probe. The spin voltage was probed with varying the bias current, temperature, and gate voltage. Moreover, we observed non-local spin-polarized current, which is regarded as a distinguishing property of TIs. The spin-polarization ratio of the non-local current was larger than that of the local current. These findings could reveal a more accurate approach to determine spin-polarization ratio at the TSS., 21 pages, 4 figures

In this study, we developed a novel KNO3–Al2O3 slurry for the chemical strengthening of thin glass sheets using a spray process, and investigated the physical properties of the strengthened glass. A 1 μm particle size α-Al2O3 powder is mixed with a KNO3 solution to obtain the novel slurry. Controlling the temperature and duration of the chemical strengthening process effectively tunes the compressive stress and depth of layer. The strengthened thin glass sheet produced in this study exhibits similar strength properties as commercial products. The highest compressive stress (CS) value (868 MPa) is obtained for the sample heated at 400 °C for 1.5 h, and the highest depth of layer value (60 μm) is observed for the sample at 480 °C for 4 h. The strengthened glass shows good hardness and bending strength. The glass sample heated at 400 °C for 1.5 h exhibits the highest hardness (680 HV) and bending strength (630 MPa).

Pyrenesulfonamide-functionalized inorganic/organic hybrid Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles were prepared for the selective and sensitive detection of 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (3,5-DNSA) among a series of aromatic carboxylic acids. The monomer fluorescence emission intensity of pyrene at 380 nm was switched off on interaction with 3,5-DNSA. The minimum detection limit for 3,5-DNSA was 10 nM in 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)–CH3CN (8:2; pH 7.4). The inorganic/organic hybrid Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIP)(No. 2015R1A2A2A01005017).

The roots of Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) have many nutritional qualities and also have been used for health promotion as traditional medicine. The antimicrobial activity of Cichorium intybus L.`s (chicory) ethanol extract on Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 were investigated using spot on lawn method in this study. Ethanol extract exhibited antimicrobial activities against Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 with significance. Also, the results produced the larger zones of inhibition against Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 tested, with increasing concentration of Cichorium intybus L.`s (chicory) ethanol extracts,. Hence, Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) could be served for keeping the safety of various dairy products as natural antimicrobial agents.

Aims: Protein S-glutathionylation, the formation of a mixed disulfide between glutathione and protein thiols, is an oxidative modification that has emerged as a new signaling paradigm, potentially linking oxidative stress to chronic inflammation associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, lung disease, and aging. Using a novel, highly sensitive, and selective proteomic approach to identify S-glutathionylated proteins, we tested the hypothesis that monocytes and macrophages sense changes in their microenvironment and respond to metabolic stress by altering their protein thiol S-glutathionylation status. Results: We identified over 130 S-glutathionylated proteins, which were associated with a variety of cellular functions, including metabolism, transcription and translation, protein folding, free radical scavenging, cell motility, and cell death. Over 90% of S-glutathionylated proteins identified in metabolically stressed THP-1 monocytes were also found in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated cells, suggesting that H2O2 mediates metabolic stress-induced protein S-glutathionylation in monocytes and macrophages. We validated our findings in mouse peritoneal macrophages isolated from both healthy and dyslipidemic atherosclerotic mice and found that 52% of the S-glutathionylated proteins found in THP-1 monocytes were also identified in vivo. Changes in macrophage protein S-glutathionylation induced by dyslipidemia were sexually dimorphic. Innovation: We provide a novel mechanistic link between metabolic (and thiol oxidative) stress, macrophage dysfunction, and chronic inflammatory diseases associated with metabolic disorders. Conclusion: Our data support the concept that changes in the extracellular metabolic microenvironment induce S-glutathionylation of proteins central to macrophage metabolism and a wide array of cellular signaling pathways and functions, which in turn initiate and promote functional and phenotypic changes in macrophages. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 836–851.

Lactobacillus kefiri is one of the key functional lactic acid bacteria in kefir milk. We designed a novel real-time PCR primer/probe set, LK_508 targeting the recA gene, for the rapid identification and enumeration of L. kefiri. In inclusivity and exclusivity test using standard strains and kefir isolates, only the 9 tested L. kefiri strains were positive, with the remaining 38 closely related microorganisms testing negative, thus indicating 100% sensitivity and specificity of the assay. The population of L. kefiri was 3.77, 4.30, 4.79, and 5.63 log cfu mL−1 of kefir milk fermented at 25 °C with 5% grain-milk ratio for 12, 24, 36, and 48 h, respectively. The newly developed qPCR assay could be applied to investigate the quantitative relationship of kefir microbiota in fermentation process.

Cow`s milk and dairy products are elements of the human diet that could play an important role in improving human health. The macronutrients and micronutrients found in milk could supply the nutrients required to maintain human health. Among them, milk-derived bioactive peptides have been identified as potential ingredients found in health promoting functional foods. These bioactive peptides target diet-related chronic diseases, particularly non-communicable ones such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Additionally probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are can be considered live microorganisms that confer health benefits for the host-, when administered in adequate amounts. Further, the calcium, vitamin D, and protein content of milk and dairy products could play a role in proving bone health. The effect of milk and calcium on bone mineral density could prevent against fracture, osteoporosis and rickets. Furthermore, milk and dairy products also contain which factors that, which protect against dental caries (anti-cariogenic properties). This paper reviews the various nutritional functions of milk and dairy products in improving human health.

Kaempferia parviflora (Krachaidam, Zingiberaceae) is used as a traditional Thai medicine for treating various ailments, including allergy, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and ulcer. Moreover, it is also used to promote longevity and as a nerve tonic. The aim of this study was to develop functional yoghurt containing Kaempferia parviflora and to examine the physicochemical characteristics of yoghurt supple-mented with different concentration of K. parviflora. To this end, we examined the pH and sensory evaluation of yoghurt containing K. parviflora. The pH of this yoghurt decreased whereas the TA increased with incubation time (up to 5 h) without altering the amounts of K. parviflora added. In the sensory evaluation, the taste, flavor, color, and overall acceptability decreased in proportion to the amount of K. parviflora added. Among the experimental group, high scores were achieved by yoghurt containing 1% K. parviflora compared with that by the control group. We conclude there is an urgent need for additional research on the production of this multi-functional yogurt (with properties including anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory), using an optimum concentration of K. Parviflora.

A mixed light source generates various colors, with the potential to adjust intensities of multiple LEDs, which makes it possible to generate arbitrary colors. Currently, PCs and OSs provide color selection windows that can obtain the RGB or HSL color coordinates of a user’s selection. Mixed light sources are usually composed of LEDs in the primary colors, with LEDs in auxiliary colors such as white and yellow used in a few cases. When using auxiliary color LEDs, the number of LED inputs, the dimming levels, is larger than the number of elements in the color coordinate, which causes an under-determined problem. This study proposed how to determine the dimming levels of LEDs based on the selected color. Commercial LEDs have di_erent optical power values and impure color coordinates, even if they are RGB. Hence, the characteristics of the LEDs were described using a linear model derived from the tri-stimulus values (an XYZ color coordinate model) and dimming levels. Color mixing models were derived for the arbitrary number of auxiliary color LEDs. The under-determined problem was solved using a simplex search method without an inverse matrix operation. The proposed method can be applied to a machine vision system and an RGBW light mixer for semiconductor inspection. The dimming levels, obtained using the proposed method were better than derived using other methods.

Pyrene-appended imidazolium salts ( 1 – 3 ) were synthesized for sensing 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP); the salts selectively and sensitively detected TNP in a pH 7.4 PBS–DMSO (99.5:0.5 v/v) solution. The binding of TNP to probe 3 completely quenched its green excimer emission because of the loss of π – π interactions between the pyrene rings and energy transfer from electron-rich pyrene to electron-deficient TNP. Probe 3 showed the highest association constant with TNP ( K a = 8.34 × 10 6 M −1 ) in a 1:2 stoichiometry; the limit of detection (LOD) of TNP in a pH 7.4 PBS–DMSO (99.5:0.5 v/v) solution was 10 nM. Probe 3 also detected TNP in tap water and river water with an LOD of 10 nM and a good association constant; the calculated LOD was 0.067 ppb. Filter paper strips coated with 3 detected TNP in an aqueous solution. The interactions of TNP with probes 1 – 3 were investigated by UV–vis, fluorescence, and 1 H NMR spectroscopies as well as density functional theory calculations.

Enterobacteriaceae enrichment (EE) broth, a selective enrichment medium for Cronobacter sakazakii detection, has been shown to contain polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. Therefore, a modified enrichment broth was developed, wherein possible PCR inhibitors, brilliant green and bile salts, were substituted with sodium citrate. Investigations were conducted to determine whether realtime PCR detection of C. sakazakii in powdered infant formula and dried vegetables with this modified medium improved compared with conventional culture methods. The detection rate of the modified EE broth was significantly higher (p

Rhizomes of Kaempferia parviflora (Zingiberaceae) have been used in traditional Thai medicine for health promotion. In this study, the antibacterial activity of ethanol extract of K. parviflora against Cronobacter spp. and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) was investigated using paper disc dilution method. The results revealed that the ethanol extract exhibited antibacterial activity against Cronobacter spp. and EHEC. With an increasing concentration of K. parviflora ethanol extract, larger zones of inhibition of Cronobacter spp. and EHEC strains tested were observed. Therefore, its antibacterial activity suggested that K. parviflora could be used as a natural additive to ascertain food safety of various dairy products.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermally driven membrane process. For MD application, a hydrophobic and porous membrane is required. A bi-composite membrane has been introduced for many MD applications because of its superior membrane performance, especially flux. In this research, in order to increase the flux of a commercial bi-composite membrane, various macro punctures were formed in the support layer. The modified MD membranes were tested in a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) configuration. The flux of a modified membrane was affected by the size and location of macro punctures and overall porosity in the support layer. The flux of a modified membrane was enhanced up to 27% compared with that of pristine membrane when the size of the macro puncture and overall porosity of the support layer were larger than 20 mm 2 and 60%, respectively. The overall porosity and size and location of macro punctures in the support layer affected the flux due to the turbulent production in the permeate side. The membrane integrity was checked not only by the tensile strength of the modified membrane samples but also by the long term operation by using the secondary effluent of the wastewater treatment plant as a feed.

The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay is a rapid and convenient method for verifying milk pasteurization. Since colorimetric ALP assays rely on subjective visual assessments, their results are especially unreliable near the detection limits. In this study, we attempted to establish quantitative criteria for residual ALP in milk by using a more objective method based on spectrophotometric measurements. Raw milk was heat-treated for 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 min and then subjected to ALP assays. The quantitative criteria for residual ALP in the milk was determined as 2 μg phenol/mL of milk, which is just above the ALP value of milk samples heat-treated for 30 min. These newly proposed methodology and criteria could facilitate the microbiological quality control of milk.

Although cefoperazone is the most commonly used antibiotic in Campylobacter-selective media, the distribution of cefoperazone-resistant bacteria such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is increasing. Here we evaluated the potential of cephamycins for use as supplements to improve modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) by replacing cefoperazone with the same concentrations (32 mg/L) of cefotetan (modified charcoal-cefotetan-deoxycholate agar, mCCtDA) and cefoxitin (modified charcoal-cefoxitin-deoxycholate agar, mCCxDA). In chicken carcass rinse samples, the number of mCCDA plates detecting for Campylobacter (18/70, 26%) was significantly lower than that of mCCtDA (42/70, 60%) or mCCxDA plates (40/70, 57%). The number of mCCDA plates (70/70, 100%) that were contaminated with non-Campylobacter species was significantly higher than that of mCCtDA (20/70, 29%) or mCCxDA plates (21/70, 30%). The most common competing species identified using mCCDA was ESBL-producing E. coli, while Pseudomonas species frequently appeared on mCCtDA and mCCxDA.

Pyrenebutylamidopropylimidazole 1 was synthesized as a sensor for 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (3,5-DNSA) and 5-nitrosalicylic acid (5-NSA), among other aromatic carboxylic acids, and Hg2+ among different metal ions in PBS-EtOH (5:95; pH=7.4) solutions. The sensing ability of probe 1 was examined using fluorescence and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The presence of 3,5-DNSA and 5-NSA resulted in 97% and 50% quenching, respectively, of the emission intensity at λmax=379 nm of probe 1, whereas the presence of Hg2+ resulted in the selective development of an excimer band at 476 nm with simultaneous quenching of the monomer emission. Probe 1 had good association constants with 3,5-DNSA (Ka=4.38×104 M−1) and 5-NSA (Ka=2.37×104 M−1) in a 1:1 stoichiometry in PBS-EtOH (5:95; pH=7.4) solution, whereas the presence of Hg2+ led to the formation of a 1:2 complex between Hg2+ and probe 1 with a high association constant (Ka=9.76×104 M−1). These results were further supported by energy-minimization density functional theory calculations.

KTX wheelset bearings have thus far been maintained in accordance with the maintenance system of French national railway company, SNCF. The overhaul cycle time (OCT) of KTX wheelset bearings is now 1.4 million km in mileage. This value, however, has not been validated in Korea that has much different railway environments with France. In fact, it is impossible to validate OCT of wheelset bearings directly because they are disassembled and cleaned only when some faults are detected. In this paper, the accuracy of the current OCT value was evaluated indirectly by investigating the effect of grease lubricants on the bearing life. Five grease samples (one new and four aged greases) were used in this study. Four aged greases of different conditions were obtained from four wheelset bearings whose mileages were about 0.3, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.8 million km, respectively. Each grease sample was then injected into the RCF (Rolling Contact Fatigue) tester and fatigue lifetime was experimentally estimated. In addition, the wt% of Fe in each grease sample was analysed. The experiment results reveal that the bearing lifetime is inversely proportional to the mileage of grease sample while the wt% of Fe increases with the mileage of grease sample. Based on the experimental results, it can be concluded that the current OCT value is appropriate for the first overhaul of wheelset bearings. However, further validation is required to determine the second and third OCT values.

The mechanism by which 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) bypasses cellular senescence was investigated using human diploid fibroblast (HDF) cell replicative senescence as a model. Upon TPA treatment, protein kinase C (PKC) α and PKCβ1 exerted differential effects on the nuclear translocation of cytoplasmic pErk1/2, a protein which maintains senescence. PKCα accompanied pErk1/2 to the nucleus after freeing it from PEA-15pS(104) via PKCβ1 and then was rapidly ubiquitinated and degraded within the nucleus. Mitogen-activated protein kinase docking motif and kinase activity of PKCα were both required for pErk1/2 transport to the nucleus. Repetitive exposure of mouse skin to TPA downregulated PKCα expression and increased epidermal and hair follicle cell proliferation. Thus, PKCα downregulation is accompanied by in vivo cell proliferation, as evidenced in 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-TPA-mediated carcinogenesis. The ability of TPA to reverse senescence was further demonstrated in old HDF cells using RNA-sequencing analyses in which TPA-induced nuclear PKCα degradation freed nuclear pErk1/2 to induce cell proliferation and facilitated the recovery of mitochondrial energy metabolism. Our data indicate that TPA-induced senescence reversal and carcinogenesis promotion share the same molecular pathway. Loss of PKCα expression following TPA treatment reduces pErk1/2-activated SP1 biding to the p21(WAF1) gene promoter, thus preventing senescence onset and overcoming G1/S cell cycle arrest in senescent cells.

We investigate the quantum transport properties of surface electrons on a topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanowire in a magnetotransport study. Although the nanowires are synthesized by using a relatively coarse method of electrochemical deposition, clear Aharonov–Bohm oscillations of phases 0 and π are observed, owing to the highly coherent surface electron channel. The oscillation amplitude exhibits exponential temperature dependence, suggesting that the phase coherence length Lφ is inversely proportional to the temperature, as in quasi-ballistic systems. In addition, a weak antilocalization analysis on the surface channel by using a one-dimensional localization theory, enabled by successful extraction of the surface contribution from the magnetoconductance data, is provided in support of the temperature dependence of Lφ.

1 성균관대학교 대학원 기계공학과 (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School, Sungkyunkwan University)2 한국기계연구원 초정밀기계시스템연구실 (Department of Ultra Precision Machines and Systems, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials)3 서울과학기술대학교 기계·자동차공학과 (Department of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering,Seoul National University of Science and Technology)4 성균관대학교 기계공학부 (School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University) Corresponding author: sangwonl@skku.edu, Tel: +82-31-290-7467

Metabolically stressed kidney is in part characterized by infiltrating macrophages and macrophage-derived TGF-β1 that promote the synthesis of various ECM molecules. TGF-β1 strongly enhances the expression of the gene TGFBI that encodes a cell-adhesion class, proapoptotic ECM protein called BIGH3. We hypothesized that in a diabetic environment a relationship between infiltrating macrophages, macrophage-derived TGF-β1, and BIGH3 protein promotes renal cell death. To investigate this hypothesis, we used our mouse model of diabetic complications. Mice on a high-fat diet developed hypercholesterolemia, and exposure to streptozotocin rendered hypercholesterolemic mice diabetic. Immunohistochemical images show increased macrophage infiltration and BIGH3 protein in the kidney cortices of hypercholesterolemic and diabetic mice. Macrophages induced a two-fold increase in BIGH3 expression and an 86% increase in renal proximal tubule epithelial cell apoptosis. TGF-β1 antibody and TGF-β1 receptor chemical antagonist blocked macrophage-induced apoptosis. BIGH3 antibody completely blocked apoptosis that was induced by TGF-β1, and blocked apoptosis induced by exogenous recombinant BIGH3. These results uncover a distinctive interplay of macrophage-derived TGF-β1, BIGH3 protein, and apoptosis, and indicate that BIGH3 is central in a novel pathway that promotes diabetic nephropathy. Macrophage TGF-β1 and BIGH3 are identified as prediabetic biomarkers, and potential therapeutic targets for intervention in prediabetic and diabetic individuals.

A novel imidazole-appended anthracenedicarboxamide “switch-off” probe, AIM-D, was designed and synthesized for nitrophenol sensing. AIM-D selectively detected 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) relative to other nitrophenol derivatives through a ratiometric fluorescence response in 1 : 1 EtOH–H2O and exhibited a large Stern–Volmer quenching constant (Ksv = 2.69 × 107 M−1) and a binding ratio of 1 : 2. Mono- and dinitrophenols also quenched anthracene emission to a moderate (∼37%) or great (∼80%) extent depending on the position(s) of the nitro group(s) on the aromatic ring. The limit of detection of TNP with AIM-D was 1 ppb. The selective ratiometric discrimination of TNP over other nitrophenols was attributed mainly to protonation-induced electron transfer aided synergistic coulombic, multiple hydrogen bonding and πan–πTNP interactions in a symmetrical manner. Monomer quenching resulted from resonance energy transfer and a new enhancement at 520 nm occurred as a result of the effective inhibition of intramolecular charge transfer through intermolecular sequential opposite charge flow between AIM-D and TNP. However, mono- and dinitrophenol sensing attributed to the nitro group oriented resonance energy transfer from the latter to the former without inducing protonation at imidazole resulted in only monomer band quenching. An AIM-D coated paper strip was applied to the detection of nitrophenols in sea and river water samples and showed a limit of detection of 20 nM. The interaction of AIM-D with nitrophenols was examined by UV-visible, fluorescence, and 1H NMR spectrometry and supported by DFT calculations.

(p)-Co3O4 nanoparticle-decorated (n)-ZnO nanowires were synthesized by two step process. ZnO nanowires and Co3O4 nanoparitcles were synthesized using a vapor-liquid-solid method and hydrothermal method, respectively. To decorate Co3O4 nanoparticles on ZnO nanowires, several amount of Co3O4 nanoparticle-suspended solution was dropped to ZnO nanowires, and this process was repeated to several times to find optimum amount of Co3O4 nanoparticles. As a result, Gas sensing response of ZnO nanowire-based sensor presented 1.73, 2.44, 3.07, 4.09, and 5.13 when exposed to 0.1 ppm, 0.5 ppm 1 ppm, 5 ppm, and 10 ppm acetone gas, respectively, whereas presented 5.38, 10.1, 15.81, 31.85, and 43.86 in case of three times of Co3O4 nanoparticle-decorated ZnO nanowire-based sensor to exposed to same condition of gas. In this paper, detailed method for synthesis of (p)-Co3O4 nanoparticle-decorated (n)-ZnO nanowires were introduced, and its enhanced acetone sensing mechanisms followed by decoration of optimum amount of Co3O4 nanoparticles on ZnO nanowires were discussed.

In this study, a laser shock surface patterning process was performed to effectively implement hundreds of micro-patterns on a metallic surface through a single laser beam irradiation. Micro-pattern arrays of rectangular, hexagonal, circular, and mesh shapes of various sizes were successfully transferred to the workpiece, and a multi-textured surface structure was realized. In order to improve the homogeneity of the micro-pattern array, it was most effective to increase the thickness of the ablation layer. In the case of the thicker ablation layer, it seems that more uniform pressure was transferred to the material because the ablation layer was in a relatively rigid state due to the reduced level of self-deformation. Since the laser shock surface patterning process exerts a strong shock loading along with plastic deformation on the material surface, the hardness value increased mainly around the area subjected to the shock load. The better the homogeneity of the micro-pattern array, the less the deviation in the hardness value. Therefore, it is important to ensure micro-pattern uniformity in order to achieve uniform surface properties. Changes in the contact angle were also observed under various process conditions. After surface patterning, the contact angle increased as the amount of air trapped in the bar region increased. As the laser intensity increased, it was observed that the geometric surface changes were sharp, and the surface structure changed. As a result, the contact between the air and the water droplets decreased, and the contact angle decreased.

In this study, a laser shock micro-patterning process was used to indirectly transfer laser energy to materials and to efficiently fabricate a microscale pattern array on the material surface. Various pressure transfer methods of laser shock waves were investigated and the optimal process condition was determined. The method of pressurizing the workpiece using the ablation layer was considered most appropriate for achieving the desired depth and homogeneity of the micro-patterns. The method of pressing the grid mold using the ablation layer was very effective in minimizing the shape deviation between the patterns. However, excessive deformation of this layer resulted in a large loss of depth. The method of creating a micro-pattern array through high-speed collisions of metal flyers with the workpiece played a minor role in the laser shock micro-patterning process. This resulted from the considerable energy loss and concentration of the impact in the central region of the flyer. The effect of the ablation-layer thickness and the insertion of the hyper-elastic material on the surface patterning performance was investigated. When a thin ablation layer was used, the energy loss was reduced and, hence, the depth of the micro-pattern increased. However, when the hyper-elastic material was inserted, reductions in the pressure transfer efficiency prevented improvements in the depth and homogeneity of the patterns. Hardness measurements of the patterned surface revealed that the hardness increased, due to the influence of the laser shock load, even in the region indirectly exposed to the laser shock wave. Furthermore, the hardness value increased with increasing depth of the micro-pattern.

In this paper, we propose a method to model social interaction between a human and a virtual avatar. To this end, two human performers fist perform social interactions according to the Learning from Demonstration paradigm. Then, the relative relevance of all joints of both performers should be reasonably modeled based on human demonstrations. However, among all possible combinations of relative joints, it is necessary to select only some of the combinations that play key roles in social interaction. We select such significant features based on the joint motion significance, which is a metric to measure the significance degree by calculating both temporal entropy and spatial entropy of all human joints from a Gaussian mixture model. To evaluate our proposed method, we performed experiments on five social interactions: hand shaking, hand slapping, shoulder holding, object passing, and target kicking. In addition, we compared our method to existing modeling methods using different metrics, such as principal component analysis and information gain.

A new class of ‘ switch off ’ anthracenecarboxamide-based sensing probes ( 1 – 3 ) for the detection of picric acid (PA) was designed and synthesized. Probe 1 exhibited the highest sensitivity and selectivity toward PA, enabling complete fluorescence quenching and exhibiting a high association constant (4.14 × 10 5 M −1 ) with a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of 1 to PA in EtOH. Probe 1 was able to detect PA through multiple synergic interactions such as hydrogen bonding, π – π interactions between the electron-rich aromatic rings of anthracene and the electron-deficient aromatic ring of PA that resulted in a favorable fluorescence resonance energy transfer from the latter to the former. The ability of probe 1 to sense PA was investigated by UV–visible, fluorescence, and 1 H NMR spectroscopies, as well as DFT calculations.

This paper attempts to analyze the return time series of both equity and balanced funds by using a statistical physics approach to estimate the mechanism of fund performance. Our empirical results suggest that for equity and balanced fund data, the Hurst exponent of the return time series is approximately 0.5 whereas the volatility data yield a long term correlation with the Hurst exponent of 0.9. After the temporal correlation and nonlinearity has been eliminated by using the shuffle and surrogate methods, the Hurst exponent is approximately 0.5. In addition, we measure the complexity by using the multifractality, which can help us to understand the mechanism of the fund performance. We find the presence of multifractality regardless of the data used, which is attributed to extreme events and temporal correlation. In particular, the degree of multifractality of equity funds is very similar to that of the balanced fund even though the funds are characterized by differences in the degree of risk.

Pyrene-appended imidazolium salts ( 1 and 2 ) were synthesized for sensing of salicylic acids and they selectively and sensitively detected 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (3,5-DNSA) in pH 7.4 PBS–EtOH (1:9) solution. The interaction of 3,5-DNSA with 1 and 2 was examined by UV–visible, fluorescence, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy and was supported by DFT calculations. The binding of 3,5-DNSA to probe 2 leads to complete quenching of its green excimer emission because of loss of π – π interactions between the pyrene rings and energy transfer from electron-rich pyrene to electron-deficient 3,5-DNSA. Binding of 3,5-DNSA to probe 1 causes its blue (monomer) fluorescence to “switch off”. The limit of detection of 3,5-DNSA in water was 1 μM using probe 2 coated onto a paper strip.

Recently, Si technology has been searching for ways to develop Si-driven future electronics by overcoming the limitations in its electrical and optical properties through more Moore (MM), morethan- Moore (MtM), and beyond complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) approaches. Among the suggested strategies, III-V-on-Si heterogeneous integration can be a solution that allows the merger of III-V-based devices and Si CMOS logic blocks on Si monolithically and costeffectively. GaN has wide applicability owing to its high electron mobility and large energy bandgap for high-speed low-power transistors and visible light sources. In this work, the room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) characteristics and the crystallinity of GaN-on-Si were empirically studied. GaN was deposited by using RF sputtering on p-type Si substrates. The results show that the peak location near 520 nm does not vary with the wavelength of the excitation laser, which is strongly supported by the fact that the signals are not from higher-order harmonics but are genuinely from the prepared GaN. Further, a sharp peak is observed in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis cooperatively performed with PL experiments. Consequently, partially-crystallized GaN has been obtained on Si by using conventional CMOS processing with a low thermal budget and high cost-effectiveness.

The vapor viscosities of the new refrigerant R1234yf and its binary mixtures, R32+R1234yf, R125+R1234yf, were measured at atmospheric pressure with a falling-ball-type viscometer. The combined expanded uncertainty of the measurement apparatus was less than 1.5%. The binary mixtures consisted of 20.0, 30.0, 40.0, and 50.0 wt% R32 for R32+R1234yf and of 20.0, 35.0, 50.0, and 70.0 wt% R125 for R125+R1234yf. The viscosities of R1234yf were correlated with the Chapman–Enskog gas kinetic theory and those of binary mixtures were correlated with the Wilke mixture rule. The average absolute deviation (AAD) is 0.189% for R32+R1234yf and 1.169% for R125+R1234yf. The deviations of experimental viscosities of the binary mixtures from data calculated using RefProp v9.1 were also obtained. The AAD is 0.555% for R32+R1234yf and 1.479% for R125+R1234yf.

Wall-to-wall transitions, attachment to various materials, and high payload capacity are important requirements for high-rise building cleaning using robots. In this paper, we present a new robotic platform, called the “MultiTrack”, that satisfies these requirements. The MultiTrack employs a multi-linked track mechanism and pneumatic adhesion technology. The MultiTrack can perform wall-to-wall transitions by dexterous motion, can be attached to various materials by suction, and can provide high payload capacity. The robot consists of five driving modules and two connecting links that are connected by six active joints. The center of the robot has a steering suction pad that is used in steering. Each driving module has a caterpillar track with six suction pads. During the rotation of the track, the suction pads are automatically activated or deactivated by mechanical valves and guide rails. The locomotion strategy for wall-to-wall transitions is determined by kinematic analysis. A stability analysis of the worst-case scenario was performed to derive relationships between the required adhesion force and other design parameters. The MultiTrack is 1600 mm × 1000 mm × 300 mm in size, weighs 70 kg, and has a 15-kg payload capacity. It can transit from a floor to a vertical wall and can climb over a thin (130-mm-thick) wall.

Microforming technologies are very suited for the mass production of microscale products. However, the industrial applications of microforming processes are still limited, because the so-called size effects make it difficult to understand and predict the deformation behavior of the material in microforming. In this study, the scaled upsetting experiments of disks were performed to investigate the tribological size effect in microforming. A simple multi-region FEA model was utilized to determine the frictional properties of the material at the dry and lubricated interface conditions and to verify the open and closed lubricant pockets theory. The general trend of increasing friction with decreasing specimen size can be expressed quantitatively from the experimental and numerical results. The increasing fraction of the open lubricant pockets in microforming was identified as the major reason for the size effect phenomenon in friction. It was found that when this fraction exceeds a certain critical value, the lubrication effect becomes negligible due to the high frictional stress of the open lubricant pockets. It is expected that this research provides the in-depth understandings on the friction size effect in microforming to establish the design guidelines and optimize the process parameters cost-effectively.