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Multi-valued logic (MVL) circuits based on heterojunction transistor (HTR) have emerged as an effective strategy for high-density information processing without increasing the circuit complexity. Herein, an organic ternary logic inverter (T-inverter) is demonstrated, where a nonvolatile floating-gate flash memory is employed to control the channel conductance systematically, thus realizing the stabilized T-inverter operation. The 3-dimensional (3D) T-inverter is fabricated in a vertically stacked form based on all-dry processes, which enables the high-density integration with high device uniformity. In the flash memory, ultrathin polymer dielectrics are utilized to reduce the programming/erasing voltage as well as operating voltage. With the optimum programming state, the 3D T-inverter fulfills all the important requirements such as full-swing operation, optimum intermediate logic value (~VDD/2), high DC gain exceeding 20 V/V as well as low-voltage operation (4 s), leading to the long-term stability of the 3D T-inverter. We believe the 3D T-inverter employing flash memory developed in this study can provide a useful insight to achieve high-performance MVL circuits.

Organic multi-valued logic (MVL) circuits can substantially improve the data processing efficiency in highly advanced wearable electronics. Organic ternary logic circuits can be implemented by utilizing the negative transconductance (NTC) of heterojunction transistors (H-TRs). To achieve high-performance organic ternary logic circuits, the range of NTC in H-TRs must be optimized in advance to ensure the well-defined intermediate logic state in ternary logic inverters (T-inverters). Herein, a simple and efficient strategy, which enables the systematic control of the range and position of NTC in H-TRs is presented. Each thickness of p-/n-type semiconductor in H-TRs is adjusted to control the channel conductivity. Furthermore, asymmetric source/drain (S/D) electrode structure is newly developed for H-TRs, which can adjust the amount of hole and electron injection, independently. Based on the semiconductor thickness variation and asymmetric S/D electrodes, the T-inverter exhibits full-swing operation with three distinguishable logic states, resulting in unprecedentedly high static noise margin (≈48% of the ideal value). Moreover, a flexible T-inverter with an ultrathin polymer dielectric is demonstrated, whose operating voltage is less than 8 V. The proposed strategy is fully compatible with the conventional integrated circuit design, which is highly desirable for broad applicability and scalability for various types of T-inverter production.

Santosh Bashyal,1 Jo-Eun Seo,1 Taekwang Keum,1,2 Gyubin Noh,1,2 Shrawani Lamichhane,1,2 Jeong Hwan Kim,1,2 Chang Hyun Kim,3 Young Wook Choi,3 Sangkil Lee1,2 1College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; 2Center for Forensic Pharmaceutical Science, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; 3College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of KoreaCorrespondence: Sangkil LeeCollege of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-Daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu, 42601, Republic of KoreaTel +82 53 580 6655Fax +82 53 580 5164Email skdavid@kmu.ac.krBackground: The clinical use of therapeutic peptides has been limited because of their inefficient delivery approaches and, therefore, inadequate delivery to target sites. Buccal administration of therapeutic peptides offers patients a potential alternative to the current invasive routes of administration.Purpose: The aim of the study was to fabricate hydrophobic ion-pairing (HIP)-nanocomplexes (C1 and C2) utilizing anionic bile salts and cationic peptides, and to assess their permeability across TR146 buccal cell layers and porcine buccal tissue.Methods: C1 and C2-nanocomplexes were fabricated using the HIP approach. In addition, their physiochemical and morphological attributes, in vitro and ex vivo permeability properties, and qualitative and quantitative cellular uptake were evaluated and compared. The localization of C1 and C2-nanocomplexes in porcine buccal tissue was determined using confocal laser scanning microscopy.Results: The C1-nanocomplex was the superior nanocarrier and significantly enhanced the transport of insulin across TR146 cell layers and porcine buccal tissue, exhibiting a 3.00- and 51.76-fold increase in permeability coefficient, respectively, when compared with insulin solution (p < 0.01). C1-nanocomplex was more efficient than C2-nanocomplex at facilitating insulin permeability, with a 2.18- and 27.64-fold increase across TR146 cell layers and porcine buccal tissue, respectively. The C1-nanocomplex demonstrated immense uptake and localization of insulin in TR146 cells and porcine buccal tissue, as evidenced by a highly intense fluorescence in TR146 cells, and a great shift of fluorescence intensity towards the inner region of buccal tissue over time. The increase in fluorescence intensity was observed in the order of C1 > C2 > insulin solution.Conclusion: In this study, we highlighted the efficacy of potential nanocarriers in addressing the daunting issues associated with the invasive administration of insulin and indicated a promising strategy for the buccal administration and delivery of this life-saving peptide hormone.Keywords: hydrophobic ion-pairing, bile salts, peptide delivery, buccal drug delivery, buccal absorption, TR146 cells, porcine buccal tissue

We demonstrate that when a thin ALD (atomic layer deposition) TaN as a barrier metal is deposited to the Cu interconnect, the upper via resistance is significantly increased. We also exhibit that the abnormal upper via resistance is consistent with the N/Ta increase by nitrogen diffusion. To overcome this issue, we investigate a hybrid TaN (PVD TaN on the top of ALD TaN), which prevents the nitrogen diffusion to the bottom of the upper via, resulting in the improvement of the upper via resistance.

We present a comprehensive numerical analysis of contact resistance in coplanar organic thin-film transistors. A large number of hole-transporting organic transistors are investigated through two-dimensional finite-element simulation, by deliberately changing the channel length, source/drain electrode thickness, and hole-injection energy barrier heights. Gate-field-dependent terminal contact resistances of these devices are fully estimated and electrostatic distributions inside the organic semiconductor film are visualized for the understanding of physical mechanisms. It is found that the relationship between source/drain electrode thickness and contact resistance does not follow any simple trend and is also strongly associated with the injection energy barrier. Moreover, the origin of negative contact resistance in organic transistors featuring a minimal charge-injection barrier is elaborated. Finally, a direct impact of the semiconductor charge-carrier mobility on contact resistance is addressed, revealing a linear dependence of contact resistance on inverse mobility over a broad parameter range.

Since PCM memory has various advantages over DRAM, it is attracting attention as the next-generation memory. However, because of a few drawbacks, such as long write latency and limited write endurance, PCM cannot be used as the conventional system's main memory. This paper proposes the last-level cache (LLC) management algorithm to improve PCM's lifetime by evicting dirty blocks evenly to the PCM. As a result, we achieved 35% longer lifetime improvement without any PCM modification.

The characteristics of recurrent and functional reduction in RNNs (Recurrent Neural Networks) may cause an inefficient execution in conventional hardware such as CPU (Central Processing Unit) and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). Their large number of recurrent data prevents the CPU from exploiting their locality, while the reduction feature limits the GPU parallelism. As a result, several dedicated hardware for efficient RNN execution has been proposed recently. In this paper, we propose a processing element that performs primary operations (i.e., multiplication and accumulation operation and activation function operation) of LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory), the most dominant model of RNN We implemented the processing element on an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) and verified the accuracy by measuring the BLEU score (Bilingual Evaluation Understudy score) of the PyTorch-based LSTM application. It was decreased by 2.3% compared to the CPU result.

Wafer-scale growth of transition metal dichalcogenides with precise control over the number of layers, and hence the electronic state is an essential technology for expanding the practical application of 2D materials. Herein, a new growth method, phase-transition-induced growth (PTG), is proposed for the precisely controlled growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) films consisting of one to eleven layers with spatial uniformity on a 2 in. wafer. In this method, an energetically unstable amorphous MoSx Oy (a-MoSx Oy ) phase is effectively converted to a thermodynamically stable crystalline MoS2 film. The number of MoS2 layers is readily controlled layer-by-layer by controlling the amount of Mo atoms in a-MoSx Oy , which is also applicable for the growth of heteroatom-inserted MoS2 . The electronic states of intrinsic and Nb-inserted MoS2 with one and four layers grown by PTGare are analyzed based on their work functions. The work function of monolayer MoS2 effectively increases with the substitution of Nb for Mo. As the number of layers increases to four, charge screening becomes weaker, dopant ionization becomes easier, and ultimately the work function increases further. Thus, better electronic state modulation is achieved in a thicker layer, and in this respect, PTG has the advantage of enabling precise control over the film thickness.

This study presents a comparative theoretical analysis of different doping schemes in organic semiconductor devices. Especially, an in-depth investigation into bulk and contact doping methods is conducted, focusing on their direct impact on the terminal characteristics of field-effect transistors. We use experimental data from a high-performance undoped organic transistor to prepare a base simulation framework and carry out a series of predictive simulations with various position- and density-dependent doping conditions. Bulk doping is shown to offer an overall effective current modulation, while contact doping proves to be rather useful to overcome high-barrier contacts. We additionally demonstrate the concept of selective channel doping as an alternative and establish a critical understanding of device performances associated with the key electrostatic features dictated by interfaces and applied voltages.

BACKGROUND This report describes an ethmoidal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) presenting with the unusual symptom of recurrent epistaxis and successfully treated with selective transarterial embolization through the infraorbital artery (IOA), which is the first time this route was used to the best of the authors’ knowledge, and reviews the literature focusing on the anatomical consideration of ethmoidal DAVFs causing epistaxis and its treatment approaches. OBSERVATIONS A 70-year-old man experienced recurrent intractable epistaxis that bled like a faucet turned on. Cerebral angiography revealed an ethmoidal DAVF supplied by the left anterior ethmoidal artery, both sphenopalatine arteries, both IOAs, and the right angular artery, which drained directly into the frontal cortical veins with a tortuous arterialized ectasia. Microaneurysms around the fistulous location where multiple feeding arteries converge were demonstrated and considered the likely source of the epistaxis. The fistula was completely occluded using transarterial Onyx embolization through the IOA, a branch of the internal maxillary artery. No further epistaxis appeared. LESSONS Although extremely rare, ethmoidal DAVFs should be included in the differential diagnosis of recurrent epistaxis. Ethmoidal DAVFs with bleeding sources in the ethmoid sinus and nasal cavity may cause epistaxis. It is important to properly diagnose and treat ethmoidal DAVFs presenting with epistaxis on the basis of a comprehensive anatomical understanding of extensive extracranial-extracranial and extracranial-intracranial anastomoses.

Epidermal or epidermoid cysts are one of the most frequent benign masses at the subepidermal level. They are typically smooth, movable, and fluctuant masses covered with stratified squamous epithelium. They rarely grow to a huge size, and only a few cases have been reported. A 69-year-old woman visited the authors' clinic for treatment of a well-defined huge mass in the right temporoparietal and occipital regions of the scalp that had regrown and spontaneously increased in size after excision 30 years prior. Computed tomography revealed a large lobulated mass with an air-fluid level and calvarial bone erosion invading the inner table in the right parietal region. Dural exposure was suspected based on magnetic resonance imaging, which depicted diffuse dural thickening with enhancement.The authors aesthetically excised the mass in cooperation with the Department of Neurosurgery using an inverted T-shaped excisional flap design for the reduction of the redundant scalp similar to that used in reduction mammoplasty surgery. Two months later there was no evidence of recurrence or complications, and the patient was satisfied with the results of the surgery.The authors report the case of a huge scalp mass with skull defect and propose an aesthetic treatment option for this unusual mass on the scalp.

Multiprocessors have become prevalent in real-time systems owing to their higher throughput. Various types of scheduling algorithms have been proposed for parallel real-time tasks, which differ from traditional tasks in that their subtasks execute in parallel. A parallel task is frequently modelled as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) that expresses the precedence constraints between its subtasks. In this Letter, the authors propose a decomposition algorithm to improve the Earliest Deadline First schedulability for DAG tasks, based on convex optimisation theory. Their experimental results demonstrate that their algorithm outperforms the two most recently published algorithms.

본 연구는 대학교육수요자의 감소와 교육시장의 개방, 대학환경의 변화 속에서 대학의 생존전략을 위한 대학 교육행정서비스 질을 어떻게 제고할 것인가를 모색하기 위하여 이루어졌다. 이러한 연구목적을 달성하기 위하여 대학교육행정서비스, 학생들의 교육행정서비스만족과 학교생활만족, 인성에 대한 이론적 연구를 실시하였다. 이를 토대로 대학교육행정서비스 대상인 강원도, 경상북도, 충청북도의 4년제 대학 4개소와 전문대학 4개소 총 8개 대학의 대학생 1005명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시한 연구결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 이 연구는 대학 교육 행정 서비스와 인성의 영향력이 부분적으로 나타났다. 둘째, 이 연구는 인성과 학교생활에서 대학생들의 만족감 사이의 영향력이 부분적으로 나타났다. 셋째, 본 연구는 대학 교육 행정 서비스와 학교생활에서 대학생들의 만족도 간에 영향력이 부분적으로 나타났다. 따라서 학생들의 지원 선호도가 떨어지는 지방대학, 또는 지역적, 환경적 여건으로 신입생 확보가 더욱 어려운 실정이 곧 신입생 감소와 학교재정 감소로 이어지고 이는 대학의 부실화를 불러올 수 있다. 이에 대학은 학생들에게 학교생활에 만족하고 학업 성취도를 높일 수 있는 합리적이고 효율적인 질 높은 교육행정서비스와 인성교육을 강화해야 된다는 시사점을 제공한다.

Purpose To develop an intravesical instillation system for the treatment of bladder cancer, rapamycin (Rap) was encapsulated into liposomes and then homogeneously dispersed throughout a poloxamer 407 (P407)-based hydrogel. Methods Rap-loaded conventional liposomes (R-CL) and folate-modified liposomes (R-FL) were prepared using a film hydration method and pre-loading technique, and characterized by particle size, drug entrapment efficiency, and drug loading. The cellular uptake behavior in folate receptor-expressing bladder cancer cells was observed by flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy using a fluorescent probe. In vitro cytotoxic effects were evaluated using MTT assay, colony forming assay, and Western blot. For in vivo intravesical instillation, Rap-loaded liposomes were dispersed in P407-gel, generating R-CL/P407 and R-FL/P407. Gel-forming capacities and drug release were evaluated. Using the MBT2/Luc orthotopic bladder cancer mouse model, in vivo antitumor efficacy was evaluated according to regions of interest (ROI) measurement. Results R-CL and R-FL were successfully prepared, at approximately 12 hrs, both R-CL/P407 and R-FL/P407 preparations transformed into gel immediately after instillation into the mouse bladder. Drug release from the liposomal gel was erosion controlled. In orthotopic bladder cancer mouse model, statistically significant differences in ROI values were found between R-CL/P407 and R-FL/P407 groups at day 11 (P=0.0273) and day 14 (P=0.0088), indicating the highest tumor growth inhibition by R-FL/P407. Conclusion Intravesical instillation of R-FL/P407 might represent a good candidate for bladder cancer treatment, owing to its enhanced retention and FR-targeting.

Although mannitol is used widely to facilitate brain retraction in cases of ruptured aneurysms, there is no consensus about the intraoperative administration of mannitol in the case of unruptured aneurysms. Accordingly, this study was conducted to identify an intraoperative mannitol administration strategy.Mannitol was administered routinely to patients (n = 90) from January 2015 to April 2016 and not administered to patients (n = 97) from May 2016 to June 2017. The patient groups with and without mannitol administration were then compared based on the patient medical records, radiologic data, and digital recordings from an intraoperative microscope.The patient groups with and without mannitol administration were comparable regarding patient age, number of elderly patients, sex, and aneurysm locations. No between-group difference was identified in terms of the intradural procedural time, retraction-induced cortical injury, postoperative electrolyte imbalance, symptomatic infarction, and postoperative epidural hematomas. However, the patient group without mannitol administration showed a significantly lower incidence of chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs)50 mL (13.3% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.010). Moreover, a multivariate analysis revealed that an advanced age (P = 0.019), male sex (P0.001), and mannitol administration (P = 0.040) were all statistically significant risk factors for a postoperative CSDH50 mL following unruptured aneurysm surgery.Withholding the administration of mannitol during a pterional or modified procedure for unruptured aneurysms was found to reduce the postoperative occurrence of a CSDH without increasing the operative difficulties or other postoperative complications.

Purpose Emergent intracranial occlusions causing acute ischemic stroke are often related to extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. This study aimed to investigate the association between post-procedure intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and emergent extracranial artery stenting and assess their effects on clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Materials and methods We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing hyperacute endovascular treatment for cervicocephalic vascular occlusion in three Korean hospitals between January 2011 and February 2016. Patients who had extracranial artery involvement and were treated from 24 hours of symptom onset to puncture were included in this study, and they were divided into the extracranial stenting (ES) and non-ES groups. Any type of petechial hemorrhages and parenchymal hematoma was defined as ICH for the current study. Results In total, 76 patients were included in this study. Among them, 56 patients underwent ES, and 20 patients did not. Baseline characteristics, risk factors, laboratory data, treatment methods, successful reperfusion rates, and baseline stenotic degrees of extracranial internal carotid artery did not differ between these two groups. However, atrial fibrillation was more frequent in patients without than with ES (P=0.002), and post-procedure ICH was more frequent in patients with than without ES (P=0.035). Logistic regression models revealed that ES was independently associated with post-procedure ICH (odds ratio [OR], 7.807; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.213-50.248; P=0.031), and ICH was independently associated with poor clinical outcomes (OR, 0.202; 95% CI, 0.054-0.759; P=0.018); however, ES itself was not associated with clinical outcomes (OR, 0.530; 95% CI, 0.117-2.395; P=0.409). Notably, ICH and ES had interaction for predicting good outcomes (P=0.041). Conclusion Post-procedure ICH was associated with ES and poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, ES should be cautiously considered in patients with hyperacute stroke.

Background and Purpose— Several studies have reported partial reversal of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions after acute stroke reperfusion treatment. However, factors associated with DWI reversal have not yet been systematically investigated. We evaluated the factors associated with DWI reversal after endovascular treatment (EVT). Methods— We retrospectively analyzed consecutively encountered patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent EVT at 3 comprehensive stroke centers in Korea from January 2011 to February 2016. Patients who received EVT within 24 hours of anterior circulation infarction and had both baseline and follow-up DWIs were included. DWI reversal was defined as a decrease in DWI volume from baseline to follow-up. We compared the characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without DWI reversal and assessed independent factors associated with DWI reversal. Results— Of 720 patients encountered during the time period, 404 patients (56.1%) met the study criteria, with 63 patients (15.5%) showing DWI reversal after EVT. The mean time interval between baseline and follow-up DWI was 4.7±2.4 days. Mean baseline DWI volumes of patients with and without DWI reversal were 30.1±36.7 versus 22.0±30.7 mL ( P =0.106), and follow-up DWI volumes were 17.8±24.9 versus 68.7±77.5 mL ( P P =0.001). In a multivariate analysis, complete reperfusion (odds ratio, 1.954; 95% CI, 1.063–3.582) and shorter time from baseline DWI to final reperfusion (odds ratio, 0.991; 95% CI, 0.983–0.998) were independently associated with DWI reversal. Conclusions— Complete reperfusion and shorter imaging time to recanalization were independently associated with DWI reversal among patients with acute ischemic stroke who received EVT.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess oncological outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy plus chemotherapy (CRT) versus chemotherapy alone (CTx) in stage II or III upper rectal cancer patients who underwent curative surgery.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 263 consecutive patients with pathologic stage II or III upper rectal cancer who underwent primary curative resection with postoperative CRT or CTx from January 2008 to December 2014 at Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital. Multivariate and propensity score matching analyses were used to reduce selection bias.Results: Median follow-up was 48.1 months for the entire cohort and 53.5 months for the matched cohort. In subgroup analysis of the propensity score matched cohort, the 3-year local recurrence-free survival was 94.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.8%–100%) in the CRT group and 90.1% (95% CI, 82.8%–97.9%) in the CTx group (P = 0.370). No significant difference in disease-free survival was observed according to treatment type. On multivariate analysis, circumferential resection margin involvement (hazard ratio [HR], 2.386; 95% CI, 1.190–7.599; P = 0.032), N stage (HR, 6.262; 95% CI, 1.843–21.278, P = 0.003), and T stage (HR, 5.896, 95% CI, 1.298–6.780, P = 0.021) were identified as independent risk factors for local recurrence of tumors of the upper rectum.Conclusion: Omission of radiotherapy in an adjuvant treatment setting may not jeopardize oncologic outcomes in stages II and III upper rectal cancer.

In this paper, a novel control method is proposed for superconducting-hybrid magnetic levitation systems applied in conveyor manufacturing facilities. Recently, magnetic levitation systems are variously researched not only for high-speed transportation but also manufacturing process requiring the dust-free condition. The proposed controller consists of the inner feedback compensator and set-point error controller. The structure of the controller with convex set between conventional proportional–derivative–integral controllers guarantees the performances and robustness of the conventional controller and makes it possible to consider the additional properties that can be converted into linear matrix inequality constraints. The control factors are determined by solving the optimization problem with linear matrix inequalities to be expressed for time-domain specifications such as overshoot, rise time, and settling time and control input bound. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is verified by the simulation and finite-element analysis.

Objective Fasting may lead to changes in the microbiota and activity in the rumen. In the present study, the effects of fasting on rumen microbiota and the impact of fasting on in vitro rumen fermentation were evaluated using molecular culture-independent methods. Methods Three ruminally cannulated Holstein steers were fed rice straw and concentrates. The ruminal fluids were obtained from the same steers 2 h after the morning feeding (control) and 24 h after fasting (fasting). The ruminal fluid was filtrated through four layers of muslin, collected for a culture-independent microbial analysis, and used to determine the in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics. Total DNA was extracted from both control and fasting ruminal fluids. The rumen microbiota was assessed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Microbial activity was evaluated in control and fasting steers at various intervals using in vitro batch culture with rice straw and concentrate at a ratio of 60:40. Results Fasting for 24 h slightly affected the microbiota structure in the rumen as determined by DGGE. Additionally, several microorganisms, including Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Eubacterium ruminantium, Prevotella albensis, Prevotella ruminicola, and Ruminobacter amylophilus, decreased in number after fasting. In addition, using the ruminal fluid as the inoculum after 24 h of fasting, the fermentation characteristics differed from those obtained using non-fasted ruminal fluid. Compared with the control, the fasting showed higher total gas production, ammonia, and microbial protein production (p

The colon originates from the midgut and hindgut, with subsequent differentiation into the right and left colon. The embryology, clinical symptoms, incidence, molecular pathways, and oncologic outcomes differ between right and left colorectal cancers. However, the differences have not been fully accepted.This study compared short- and long-term outcomes between right and left colon cancers.This study included 966 patients who underwent laparoscopic resection with radical lymph node dissection for stage I, II, and III colon cancers between 2009 and 2014 at a tertiary teaching hospital. We excluded cases with fewer than 12 retrieved lymph nodes, emergency operations, synchronous or multiple cancers, and those located in the transverse colon and rectum.ResultsAlthough the oncologic outcomes show no significant differences, colon cancer has characteristic, perioperative, and histopathologic differences according to its embryologic origin.

Purpose Treatment after failure of circumferential resection margin (CRM) conversion after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has not been evaluated well. We conducted a single‐center, retrospective analysis to fill this information gap. Methods From 2008 to 2016, we included 112 patients who had predictive CRM involvement on baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and who underwent surgery following pCRT for LARC. Baseline and posttreatment radiologic and clinical factors were analyzed. Results Of 493 patients with LARC, 112 had CRM involvement by baseline MRI (mrCRM). In 40 patients (35.7%), mrCRM involvement was converted as negative posttreatment CRM (ymrCRM−). Multivariate analysis showed the risk factors for persistent CRM involvement (ymrCRM+) after pCRT were extramural venous invasion (mrEMVI+) (P = 0.030) and lower tumor location (P = 0.007). In addition, persistent CRM involvement after pCRT was an independent risk factor for predicting pathologic CRM involvement. The Cox proportional hazard model showed baseline positive mrEMVI remained significant for disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.001). On posttreatment MRI, abdominoperineal resection (P = 0.031), intersphincteric resection (P = 0.006), and persistent CRM involvement (P = 0.001) remained significant for local recurrence-free survival. With regard to DFS, persistent CRM involvement (P = 0.048) and positive EMVI on posttreatment MRI (ymrEMVI) (P = 0.014) were significant. In the patient subgroup with persistent CRM involvement, 5-year DFS in patients with mrEMVI and ymrEMVI was 29.8% and 21.2%, respectively. Conclusion Patients who fail to convert to negative CRM have extremely poor oncologic outcomes. Lower tumor height and negative mrEMVI status were good responders to ymrCRM conversion. Our results suggest that these patients require a more intensive treatment modality.

A systematic analysis of the bias-stress effects in solution-processed organic field-effect transistors is reported. Difluoro 5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene, a high-performance molecular semiconductor, forms a charge-transport channel and is coupled with injection contacts made of Au, Ag, or Cu. The electrode metal is found to not only greatly affect the switching performances but also drive the response of transistors to the extended applications of gate voltage. The observations are put into the framework of contact-limited transistor model, which holistically assesses the material, geometry, and stress-related contributions.

Objective To isolate and identify new methanogens from the rumen of Holstein steers in Korea. Methods Representative rumen contents were obtained from three ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (793±8 kg). Pre-reduced media were used for the growth and isolation of methanogens. Optimum growth temperature, pH, and sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration as well as substrate utilization and antibiotic tolerance were investigated to determine the physiological characteristics of the isolated strain. Furthermore, the isolate was microscopically studied for its morphology. Polymerase chain reaction of 16S rRNA and mcrA gene-based amplicons was used for identification. Results One strain designated as KOR-2 was isolated and found to be a non-motile irregular coccus with a diameter of 0.2 to 0.5 μm. KOR-2 utilized H2+CO2 and formate but was unable to metabolize acetate, methanol, trimethylamine, 2-propanol, and isobutanol for growth and methane production. The optimum temperature and pH for the growth of KOR-2 were 38°C and 6.8 to 7.0, respectively, while the optimum NaCl concentration essential for KOR-2 growth was 1.0% (w/v). KOR-2 tolerated ampicillin, penicillin G, kanamycin, spectromycin, and tetracycline. In contrast, the cell growth was inhibited by chloramphenicol. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and mcrA genes revealed the relatedness between KOR-2 and Methanoculleus bourgensis. Conclusion Based on the physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, KOR-2 was thought to be a new strain within the genus Methanoculleus and named Methanoculleus bourgensis KOR-2.

The computing domain of today’s computer systems is moving very fast from arithmetic to data processing as data volumes grow exponentially. As a result, processing-in-memory (PIM) studies have been actively conducted to support the data processing in or near memory devices to address the limited bandwidth and high power consumption due to data movement between CPU/GPU and memory. However, most PIM studies so far have been conducted in a way that the processing units are designed only as an accelerator on the base die of 3D-stacked DRAM, not involved inside memory while not servicing the standard DRAM requests during the PIM execution. Therefore, in this paper, we show how to design and operate the PIM computing units inside DRAM by effectively coordinating with standard DRAM operations while achieving the full computing performance and minimizing the implementation cost. To make our goals, we extend a standard DRAM state diagram to depict the PIM behaviors in the same way as standard DRAM commands are scheduled and operated on the DRAM devices and exploit several levels of parallelism to overlap memory and computing operations. Also, we present how the entire architecture layers from applications to operating systems, memory controllers, and PIM devices should work together for the effective execution by applying our approaches to our experiment platform. In our HBM2-based experimental platform to include 16-cycle MAC (Multiply-and-Add) units and 8-cycle reducers for a matrix-vector multiplication, we achieved 406% and 35.2% faster performance by the all-bank and the per-bank schedulings, respectively, at ( $1024\times1024$ ) $\times $ ( $1024\times1$ ) 8-bit integer matrix-vector multiplication than the execution of only its operand burst reads assuming the external full DRAM bandwidth. It should be noted that the performance of the PIM on a base die of a 3D-stacked memory cannot be better than that provided by the full bandwidth in any case.

In this paper, we report an integrated techno-economic analysis of glycerol steam reforming (GSR) targeting distributed H2 refueling stations for a H2 production capacity of 700 m3 h−1. A process simulation based on mass and energy balances was performed to identify the product yield at effect of temperature and water/glycerol ratio. The results show that temperature of 900 K and a water/glycerol ratio of 9 are optimal to techno-economically operate a GSR process. An economic analysis using itemized cost estimation, sensitivity analysis (SA), and profitability analysis (PA) was carried out to investigate the economic feasibility of GSR for distributed H2 refueling stations. The unit H2 production cost was 4.46 $ kgH2−1 at the optimum conditions identified in the process simulation, and the most influential economic key factor was the reactant from the SA. Meaningful economic indicators such as net present value, discounted payback period, present value ratio, and rate of return on investment were obtained from the PA through a discounted cash flow diagram. Moreover, a cumulative probability analysis based on an uncertainty analysis using a Monte-Carlo simulation method was applied to unit H2 production cost and B/C ratio calculations to quantify the risk of a proposed GSR process as premature technology providing crucial guidelines to decision-makers.

Nanotrapping memories are suggested as an enabler for a nano-empowered, data-centric future.

In this paper, a robust self-consistent parameter extraction method is applied to high-performance p-type printed polymer field-effect transistors. Simultaneous extraction of contact resistance and intrinsic channel mobility with their full gate-voltage dependence is achieved through an analytically reinforced transmission-line method. The proposed method yields a minimum width-normalized contact resistance of 12 kΩ cm and a maximum hole mobility of 1.9 cm2 V−1 s−1. Moreover, the gate-voltage-dependent mobility is interpreted in the framework of trap-and-release transport through double-exponential density of states, unveiling a disorder energy near the transport orbital as low as 29 meV.

This review aims at introducing a vertical integration approach as a promising new driver of field-effect transistor circuits and systems, which can overcome limitations of flexible and printed electronics. A large portion of this article is dedicated to systematic categorization and illustration of important and recent demonstrations of vertically integrated circuit building blocks incorporating organic materials, metal-oxide semiconductors, nanotubes, and nanosheets. Key features of each of these materials platforms and their fabrication issues are also broadly discussed. Then, common technical requirements for high-performance devices and circuits are critically evaluated in view of the specific geometrical and theoretical aspects of vertically connected complementary digital logic inverters. Prominent technological opportunities and challenges for the vertical and three-dimensional transistor integration are finally addressed to further motivate active multidisciplinary research on related materials, devices, and systems.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) plays an important role in controlling the immune response against cancer and in suppressing autoimmunity and allergic inflammation. However, the therapeutic effect of MDSCs on experimental mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been reported. We investigated the therapeutic efficacy of human myeloid-derived suppressor cells expanded from cord blood (hUCB-MDSCs) in dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-induced AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice and explored the mechanisms involved. The administration of hUCB-MDSCs (1×105 and 1×106 cells per mouse) significantly reduced in clinical severity scores and was associated with the reduction of histopathological changes including inflammatory cellular infiltration, epidermal hyperplasis, and hyperkeratosis. hUCB-MDSCs decreased the serum levels of IgE, Th2-mediated cytokines and chemokines. Particularly, the expression of filaggrin and involucrin in the skin lesions was recovered, whereas the expression of keratin-10 and keratin-14 decreased. These immunomodulatory effects of hUCB-MDSCs in a murine model of AD may provide helpful evidence for the clinical development of cell therapies to treat AD.

본고는 설문대할망과 자청비를 중심으로 제주 신화의 세계적 보편성과 지역적 특수성을 궁구하고 이를 토대로 문화콘텐츠로서 제주 신화의 세계화 가능성을 모색하는 것을 목표로 한다. 설문대할망과 자청비는 모두 지모신의 성격을 지닌 여성신이다. 그리스 신화의 가이아와 같이 대지신의 형상을 지닌 설문대할망 이야기는 노동하는 거대 지모신으로서 그녀가 지닌 고유한 매력을 극대화하고 제주의 장소들과 더 긴밀히 결합시킬 필요가 있다고 진단했다. 농신(農神)으로서 자청비 이야기는 애니미즘적 이원성을 넘어서는 열린 구조를 지니고 있다. 따라서 여러 서사들이 지닌 신화적 의미를 간결하게 풀어주면서 자청비 위에 구현된 제주인의 기질과 바람을 선명하게 부각하여 보다 생동감 있는 이야기로 스토리텔링할 필요가 있다. 궁극적으로 제주신화를 하나의 연대기를 가진 대서사시(大敍事詩)로 재서사화하고, 이를 기반으로 제주도를 신들의 섬으로 스토리텔링하여 제주의 여러 장소와 산업에 연관시키는 전략이 필요하다.

Here we report the steady state kinetic analysis of field-effect-controlled outer-sphere electrochemistry on ultrathin back-gated ZnO working electrodes (i.e., 5 nm ZnO electrodes prepared on SiO2/degenerate Si back gates). To achieve steady state conditions in the electrolyte phase, gate-tunable electrochemical flow cells were prepared by integrating a silicone microfluidic channel on the back-gated ZnO electrode. In these flow cells, continuous supply of fresh electrolyte generates time-invariant diffusion layers near the ZnO surface, allowing steady-state kinetic analysis as in other hydrodynamic methods. From the steady-state analysis, it was found that the electron density on the ZnO surface increases with the voltage bias, VBG, applied to the back gate, while the rate constant for electron transfer decreases with VBG. The observed trend can be explained as a result of the field-effect-induced band alignment shift at the ZnO/electrolyte interface which is predicted by our conceptual model; a positive...

The origin of ideality improvement in aged dinaphtho[2,3-b:2′,3′-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) transistors is explored. High-performance plastic transistors exhibit nontrivial enhancements under ambient conditions, in the light of emerging parameterization scheme that elucidates the linearity of the transfer curves. Unintentional carrier doping in exceptionally stable DNTT molecules is suggested as the major driver of the recovery of an ideal state of the functional devices, thoroughly investigated by analytical decoupling of the channel and contact potentials as well as numerical finite-element simulation on parametric interplays.