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Effects of SiOx or C shells on electrochemical properties of Si nanoparticles were investigated. SiOx shells with thickness of 10~15 nm were formed on homogeneously crystalline Si nanoparticles. Incase of Si-C nanoparticles, there were 30~40 layers of C with a number of defects. Li-ion batteries were fabricated with the above-mentioned nanoparticles, and their electrochemical properties were measured. Pristine Si shows a high IRC (initial reversible capacity) of 2,517 mAh/g and ICE (initial columbic efficiency) of 87%, but low capacity retention of 22%, respectively. SiOx shells decreased IRC (1,534 mAh/g) and ICE (54%), while the retention increased up to 65%, which can be explained by irreversible phases such as LiO2 and Li2SiO3. C shells exhibited no differences in IRC and ICE compared to the pristine Si but an enhanced retention of 54%, which might be from proper defect structures.

Objective : We performed a literature review for developing the clinical ph enotype evaluation system of atopic dermatitis. Methods : We searched the papers that describe symptoms for atopic dermat itis through Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System(OASIS) and Korean Studies Incategoryation Service System(KISS). We looked through all the papers and finally chose 47 papers that are suitable for inclusion. Then, we extracted symptoms from these papers and arranged them in order of frequency and validity through experts' conference. Results : We found 360 papers and chose 47 papers. We decided to include general information of patients, systemic and dermatologic symptoms in evaluation category of at opic dermatitis. Through experts' conference, it was decided that general information has age, sex and body type ; Systemic symptoms have 9 items; Dermatologic symptoms have 15 items. Conclusion : To evaluate atopic dermatitis objectively, the standardization of diagnostic tool is needed. Therefore we developed a clinical phenotype evaluation system of atopic d ermatitis.Key words : atopic dermatitis; clinical phenotype; pattern identification ; Traditional Korean Medicine

P-type single crystalline silicon (Si) wafers with a thickness of 100 μm were obtained in a free abrasive (slurry on) multi-wire sawing process. When wafer thickness decreased to 100 μm, Cu-contamination on sliced wafer surface occurred. We investigated the contamination mechanism and its solution, and finally eliminated this contamination by applying the solution found herein. The thinner the wafer thickness became, the more Cu debris were detached from brass-coated wire, those ultrafine debris (0.08–0.2 μm) became aggregated on SiC abrasive particles. The aggregated Cu debris was strongly attached on wafer surface by mechanical load from wire and thermal energy during the sawing process when wafer was as thin as 100 μm. By adding a coolant to prevent aggregation during the process, Cu-contamination was successively removed. The influences of contamination on physical properties of sliced wafers such as thickness variation, roughness were also investigated. The contaminated wafers exhibited relatively higher reflectivity after texturing process, which resulted in degradation of photoelectric conversion efficiency from 17.6% to 17.0%.

The thermal behavior of silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) was investigated for the preparation of silicon thin film using a solution process. TEM analysis of Si NPs, synthesized by inductively coupled plasma, revealed that the micro-structure of the Si NPs was amorphous and that the Si NPs had melted and merged at a comparatively low temperature (~750 °C) considering bulk melting temperature of silicon (1414 °C). A silicon ink solution was prepared by dispersing amorphous Si NPs in propylene glycol (PG). It was then coated onto a silicon wafer and a quartz plate to form a thin film. These films were annealed in a vacuum or in an N₂ environment to increase their film density. N2 annealing at 800 °C and 1000 °C induced the crystallization of the amorphous thin film. An elemental analysis by the SIMS depth profile showed that N₂annealing at 1000 °C for 180 min drastically reduced the concentrations of carbon and oxygen inside the silicon thin film. These results indicate that silicon ink prepared using amorphous Si NPs in PG can serve as a proper means of preparing silicon thin film via solution process.

Department of Geophysics, Kangwon National UniversityReceived 24 November 2015; received in revised form 1 December 2015; accepted 4 December 2015이 연구에서는 기존의 다양한 미소파괴음(AE)의 신호 도달시간 결정방법을 검토한 후, 전산처리 프로그래밍이 용이하고 자료처리 속도가 빠른 가변 검출한계법을 개발하였다. 가변 검출한계법은 기존의 검출한계법을 수정한 것으로서, 검출한계 값을 하나로 고정하지 않고 측정된 모든 AE 신호마다 배경잡음 분석을 실시하여 각 신호에 맞는 검출한계 값을결정하는 방법이다. 가변 검출한계법의 효과를 검토하기 위해 2차원과 3차원 음원추적 모델을 구성하고 실험적 방법으로 검증을 실시하였다. 2차원 모델에 대한 검증에서 가변 검출한계법을 적용할 경우 기존의 고정된 검출한계 값을 사용하는 방법에 비해 정확도가 평균 약 38.3% 정도 향상되는 것을 확인하였다. 3차원 모델에 대한 검증에서는 2차원 모델에 비해 다소 적으나 가변 검출한계법을 적용할 경우 평균 약 15.2% 정도의 정확도가 향상되는 것으로 분석되었으며, 3점 휨 시험에서도 가변 검출한계법이 적용된 분석 결과가 실제 파괴면과 더 높은 연관성을 보였다. 따라서 가변 검출한계법이 AE 음원의 위치를 정확히 분석하는데 유용한 알고리즘이라는 것을 검증시험으로부터 확인할 수 있었다.주요어: 미소파괴음 (AE), 도달시간 , 가변 검출한계법 , 검증시험We examined various existing threshold methods for the determination of the first arrival time of acoustic emis-sion (AE), and developed a new variable threshold method that could determine the first arrival time of AE moreaccurately and more quickly than existing methods. The new method, a modification of an existing thresholdmethod, does not fix the threshold, but applies variable thresholds for the AE signals according to noise analysis.Two- and three-dimensional models were established to test the effectiveness of the new method. It could deter-mine source locations of AE in a two-dimensional model 38.3% more accurately than the pre-existing thresholdmethods. Its accuracy improvement over the existing methods in a three-dimensional model was about 15.2%. Apractical test involved measuring the source locations of AE during three-point bending tests of granite cores. Thenew method placed the sources closer to the fracture plane than did the pre-existing methods, indicating its supe-rior (and quicker) ability to determine the source locations of AE. Key words: acoustic emission (AE), first arrival time, variable threshold method, verification test

In this study, 1.0 mol% CuO-added (NaxK1−x)NbO3 (CNxK1−xN) ceramics with 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5 were sintered at a relatively low temperature of 960°C. A large Qm value (≥1750) was obtained for the specimens with x ≤ 0.2 owing to the hardening effect of Cu2+ ions, indicating that a large number of Cu2+ ions had replaced Nb5+ ions in these ceramics. The double polarization versus electric field (P–E) hysteresis loop was observed for the specimens with x ≤ 0.2, and was explained by the defect polarization (Pd) formed between Cu2+ ions and O2− vacancies. These specimens also exhibited a sprout-shaped strain versus electric field (S–E) curves with a large strain of 0.14%–0.15% at 8.0 kV/mm because of the internal bias field produced by Pd. For the CN0.2K0.8N ceramic, a double P–E hysteresis loop was maintained at 125°C without remnant polarization. Moreover, this ceramic showed a large strain of 0.175% after 104 cycles when a high electric field of 8.0 kV/mm was continuously applied to the specimens during each cycles. Therefore, CN0.2K0.8N is a useful lead-free piezoelectric ceramic for multilayer actuators.

Thin silicon (Si) wafers with thickness of 100–140 μm were obtained by using a multi-wire slicing process with a SiC slurry. We investigated the process yields of wafer slicing as well as physical/electrical properties of the sliced wafers with various thicknesses. As the wafer thickness decreases, the process yield abruptly decreased due to wafer breakage during the slicing process, and conventional polishing the brick surface was not enough to gain a considerable process yield. However, elimination of defects on the brick surface by mirror polishing resulted in an 83.1% enhancement of yield even for wafers with a thickness of 100 μm. The number of wafers obtained was even higher than that of conventional 180 μm-thick wafers (479 vs. 415 wafers in this research). Investigation of the microstructure of brick surfaces revealed that surface defects on bricks were main parameter to determine the yield of slicing process. Surface defects containing the micro-cracks introduced residual stress, which decreased the slicing process yield especially for thinner wafers. From measurements of physical and electrical properties, it was revealed that the relative total thickness variations (TTVs) and bowings increased and the characteristic fracture strength of sliced wafer and conversion efficiencies decreased as the wafer thickness decreased. For the wafer with thickness of 100 μm, the relative TTV and bowing were 14.1% and 22.5 mm, respectively. The conversion efficiency of a solar cell using this wafer was 17.6%, while that of a conventional Si solar cell using a 180 μm-thick wafer was 18.4%.

Silicon-carbon (Si-C) composites with various weight ratios were prepared through heat treatment of water-soluble carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with Si nanoparticles synthesized by using an inductively-coupled plasma. Microstructures of the Si-C composites were thoroughly investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that we obtained a micro-sized Si-C composite with homogeneously-distributed crystalline Si nanoparticles in an amorphous C-matrix. Pores, which were due to the volatilization of CO2 from CMC during heat treatment, was detected when the concentration of carbon was increased. The electrochemical properties of those Si-C composites for use as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) were also investigated. The C-matrix enhanced the capacity retention, as well as the rate capability of Si nanoparticles, due to the dense and homogeneous microstructures of the composite. The Si-C composites (7:3 weight ratio) retained a reversible capacity of > 1,000 mAh/g with a capacity retention of 88.9% even after 100 cycles. The reversible capacity ratio at a 1.5 C-rate was about 80% as compared with that at a 0.1 C-rate.

The removal of boron is one of the main challenges in the purification of metallurgical grade silicon destined for low-cost photovoltaic applications. However, boron is very difficult to remove in its elemental form due to its large segregation coefficient in silicon and its low vapor pressure. The removal of boron by slag treatment is today regarded as a highly promising method, but its refining efficiency is relatively low. Also, the reduction of boron by plasma treatment exhibits a high refining efficiency, but the processing cost is high due to the large amount of electricity consumed by the process. In this regard, the use of an oxidizing reactive gas in the refinement process offers some advantages both in terms of low energy consumption and promising refinement rates. Boron can be extracted in various gaseous forms as B(x)O(y) and/or B(x)H(z)O(y) phases, but the vapor pressure of B(x)H(z)O(y) is much greater than that of the other specie at a temperature of 1700 K. The present study reports a modified oxidative refining method designed to enhance the vaporization of boron as B(x)H(z)O(y) by blowing gaseous water onto the silicon melt in a segmented crucible to enhance the electromagnetic force, whereby the processing cost can be dramatically reduced due to the use of a reusable quartz crucible in a graphite crucible. An initial boron content of 13 ppm in the metallurgical grade silicon was significantly decreased to 0.3 ppm by the employment of 1.7SLM Ar + 100 ml/h H2O. Also, a mechanism capable of reducing boron based on thermodynamic considerations is proposed.

Geological discontinuities govern the strength and deformation of rock mass and play an important role in the stability of geotechnical excavations, such as tunnels, caverns, slopes, and mines. In this paper, the failure mechanism of a tunnel in the vicinity of a fault zone is investigated by physical model tests with dimensions of 3 m × 2.4 m × 0.4 m, in which the non-contact Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique is employed to provide full-field displacement measurements. Results show that the fault zone near the tunnel shoulder has a significant influence on the stability of the surrounding rock, in terms of strain localization and failure initiation. With the increase of surcharge loading, cracks initiate at the two sidewalls, following by the initiation of cracks at the left shoulder and the crown. Cracks propagate to the fault zone eventually, leading to asymmetrical collapse. The stress loosening zone (SLZ) in the surrounding rock after tunnel excavation is significantly influenced by the fault zone near the left shoulder of the tunnel, showing the occurrence of stress redistribution. It is recommended to implement reinforcement in the rock mass between the tunnel and the fault to improve the stability.

Background The prevalence of obesity among women is increasing. Obesity is associated with various metabolic syndromes; conventional treatments are limited and may induce serious adverse events due to polytherapy regimens. Currently, demands for complementary and alternative medicine that has a proven safety profile for the treatment of obesity with or without metabolic risk factors are increasing.Our team of preclinical experts reported a significant anti-obesity effect of the Korean herbal medicine, Galgeun-tang (GGT). Thus, we designed this trial to explore the effects of GGT among obese women to accumulate optimal clinical evidence.Obesity is not only a component of metabolic syndrome and a factor associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but is also related to insulin resistance. Previous research has confirmed that an increasing body mass index is highly related with increased risk of metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese individuals. The effectiveness of the Korean medicine herbal formula, GGT on obesity has been previously reported. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of GGT for weight loss among obese Korean women with or without high risk for metabolic syndrome. Methods/design This study is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial. A total of 160 participants will be randomly distributed in 2 groups, the GGT group or the placebo group in a 1:1 ratio using a web-based randomization system. Each group will be administered GGT or placebo 3 times a day for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint is to assess the change in weight from baseline. The secondary endpoints are the following: the changes in body composition measurements, anthropomorphic measurements, obesity screening Laboratory tests, patient self-reported questionnaires, and economic evaluation outcomes. Adverse events will also be reported. Discussion The findings of this study will confirm methodologies regarding the efficacy and safety of GGT for weight loss among obese Korean women with or without metabolic risk factors.

The tunnel instability accidents caused by surcharge loading could even lead to ground settlement or collapse, damage to the existing municipal pipelines or inclination of the surgical buildings. Series of large-scale physical model test was conducted in this paper to reveal the failure mechanism of tunnel in soft rock subjected to surcharge loading. The non-contact full-field displacement measurement (i.e. Digital Image Correlation, DIC) was employed to obtain a detailed deformation of surrounding rock after excavation. A coupled numerical method combing the continuum (Finite Difference Method, FDM) and dis-continuum (Discrete Element Method, DEM) analysis was used to deal with the failure mechanism of tunnel excavation in rock mass. Good agreements between physical model test and numerical analysis approve the accuracy of the proposed FDM-DEM numerical model. It is found that the collapse mainly occurred in tunnel roof rather than in tunnel sidewall. The collapse zone shows a step-type increase with the increase of surcharge loads. The stress loosening zone (SLZ) in tunnel roof is larger than that in tunnel sidewall. The thickness of SLZ in tunnel roof can be used to design the length of the formed pressure anchors. The proposed large-scale model test with DIC method is applicable to the tunnel engineering study. Moreover, the results in this paper give some insights to secure excavation works and optimize supporting structures.

Background Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF) is a common complaint in Asian female population especially in Korea. Due to the symptoms of CHHF the quality of individual's daily life can be degraded. Ucha-Shinki-Hwan (UCHA) is widely used in the treatment of various diseases including CHHF by harmonizing Yin and Yang, and improving the vitality of whole body. However, the efficacy of UCHA as a treatment option of CHHF has not been assessed in trials. Thus, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of UCHA in Korean women with CHHF through this trial. Methods This study will be an exploratory, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter trial. Korean women aged 19 to 59 years who complaint with CHHF will be enrolled from 5 university affiliated Korean medicine hospitals. A total of 164 subjects will be randomly assigned to a treatment group (UCHA) or a placebo group at a 1:1 ratio. The subjects will receive 2.5 g of either UCHA or placebo three times a day for 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be evaluated with the visual analog scale score of CHHF. The secondary outcome measures will be changes in skin temperature in extremities as measured by using a thermometer and the Korean version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version. Discussion This study will be the first trial to explore the efficacy and safety of UCHA for CHHF patient. This will provide meaningful clinical information on herbal medicine treatment of CHHF and a clinical evidence for planning a full randomized clinical trial. Disclosures and acknowledgments The authors report no competing interests. Trial registration This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03790033. Registered on (31 December 2018) PROTOCOL VERSION:: The final approved version of the trial protocol is V1.3. (25 January 2019).

Background Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases one's risk for heart disease and other conditions. The prevalence of obesity and associated diseases have steadily increased among Korean adults. The effect of the herbal medicines Daesiho-tang (DSHT) and Chowiseungcheng-tang (CST) on obesity have been reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Daesiho-tang and Chowiseungcheng-tang on obese Korean women with high risk for metabolic syndrome. Methods/design This study is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multi-center, 3-arm, parallel group clinical trial. A total of 120 participants will be enrolled and randomly assigned to the Daesiho-tang group, the Chowiseungcheng-tang group, or the placebo group in a 1:1:1 ratio using an internet-based randomization system at visit 2. Each group will be administered DSHT, CST, or placebo 3 times per day for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is to evaluate the changes in mean body weight of participants in the DSHT and CST groups and compare with those in the placebo group, and determine their statistical significance, if any, after 12 weeks. The secondary outcomes are the following: changes in body fat percentage and body fat mass, changes in waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index, changes in serum lipids, fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, and C-reactive proteins (CRP) levels between visit 1 and visit 5 measurements. Changes in visceral fat volume determined through abdominal computed tomography, patient-reported health outcomes surveys-the Korean version of the Obesity-related Quality of Life and the Korean version of Eating Attitudes Test. Discussion This study will provide research methodologies for evaluating the efficacy and safety of Daesiho-tang and Chowiseungcheng-tang on obese Korean women with high risk for metabolic syndrome. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02651454. Registered on 11 January 2016.Protocol version: The final approved version of the trial protocol is V1.3.(2017.11.10).

Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration and neuronal cell death, resulting in neural network dysfunction. As the underlying mechanisms, oxidative damage and neuroinflammation have been reported to contribute to the onset and deterioration of Alzheimer's disease. The nuclear factor E2-related factor 2-antioxidant responsive element signaling pathway is a pivotal cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress. Nrf2, a transcription factor, regulates the cellular redox balance and is primarily involved in anti-inflammatory responses. In this study, we synthesized novel chalcone derivatives and found a highly potent Nrf2 activator, compound 20a. Compound 20a confirmed to activate Nrf2 and induce expression of the Nrf2-dependent enzymes HO-1 and GCLC at both mRNA and protein levels. It also suppressed the production of nitric oxide and downregulated inflammatory mediators in BV-2 microglial cells. We found that compound 20a effectively increased the expression level and the activity of superoxide dismutase in both BV-2 microglial cells and brain hippocampus region of the scopolamine-induced mouse model. In addition, compound 20a effectively recovered the learning and memory impairment in a scopolamine-induced mouse model.

Decreased thyroid hormone (TH) has been considered as one of the potential predictors of mortality in sepsis. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of decreased TH on mortality in septic patients during intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We included studies that assessed thyroid function by measuring the serum thyroid hormone level and in-hospital mortality in adult septic patients. Reviews, case reports, editorials, letters, commentaries, animal studies, duplicate studies, and studies with irrelevant populations and inappropriate controls were excluded. A total of 1,578 patients from eight studies were included. Triiodothyronine levels in non-survivors were relatively lower than that of survivors (6 studies; standardized mean difference [SMD] 2.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52–4.10; I2 = 97%; P = 0.01). Thyroxine levels in non-survivors were also lower than that of survivors (5 studies; SMD 2.40; 95% CI, 0.91–3.89). There were no statistically significant differences in thyroid-stimulating hormone levels between non-survivors and survivors. The present meta-analysis suggested that the decreased TH during ICU admission might be associated with the increase in mortality in adult septic patients. Hence, the measurement of TH could provide prognostic information on mortality in adult septic patients.

IntroductionCancer-related fatigue is a frequent symptom in patients with cancer and one of the most distressing symptoms in patients with breast cancer. Sipjeondaebo-tang (Juzen-taiho-to in Japanese or Shi-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang in Chinese) is a widely used herbal medicine for the treatment of fatigue in Korea, China and Japan. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility of Sipjeondaebo-tang for cancer-related fatigue.Methods and analysisThe present study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Forty-eight patients with breast cancer who are indicated for doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide will be recruited. The participants will receive 3 g of Sipjeondaebo-tang or a placebo three times a day for 56 days. The primary outcome measurement is the change in the Brief Fatigue Inventory scores. The secondary outcome measurements include the changes in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of fatigue, and quality of life measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer—QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23. VAS of fatigue will be measured on every visit, and other outcomes will be measured on visits 2, 4, 6 and 7. The total study period is 14 weeks.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Catholic Kwandong University International St Mary’s Hospital (reference IS16MNSI0011). The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at a scientific conference.Trial registration numberNCT02858856; Pre-results.

Aims This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the gray matter to white matter ratio (GWR) in predicting neurological outcomes in post-cardiac arrest patients treated with target temperature management. Data sources We systematically searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (Search date: 09/13/2017). Included studies were those evaluating neurological outcomes using the cerebral performance categories scale. We performed a subgroup analysis based on the location of the measurement. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Results In total, 1150 patients from 10 observational studies were included. GWR of the basal ganglia (BG) average showed the highest value (area under the curve [AUC] 0.96, SE 0.02, Q 0.90) compared with the putamen/posterior limb of internal capsule (AUC 0.93, SE 0.05, Q 0.87), overall average (AUC 0.91, SE 0.02, Q 0.85), and cerebrum (AUC 0.89, SE 0.05, Q 0.82) for prognostic accuracy. Furthermore, the highest pooled diagnostic odd ratio of GWR for predicting poor neurological outcomes was shown for the BG average (21.00, 95% CI 6.85–64.40) followed by the overall average (20.71, 95% CI 9.53–44.98), putamen/posterior limb of internal capsule (16.08, 95% CI 4.36–59.23), and cerebrum (13.96, 95% CI 4.26–45.76). Conclusions GWR in the early cranial computed tomography scan had high prognostic value in predicting poor neurological outcomes in post-cardiac arrest patients. The BG GWR had the highest prognostic accuracy when compared to other locations of the brain.

Danggui-Sayuk-Ga-Osuyu-Saenggang-Tang (DSGOST in Korean, Danggui-Sini-Jia-Wuzhuyu-Shengian-Tang in Chinese, and Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38) in Japanese), a well-known traditional Korean/Chinese/Japanese medicine, has long been used to treat vascular diseases such as Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). However, anticancer effect of DSGOST remains elusive. In this study, we checked if DSGOST has an anticancer effect against gastric cancer cells, and investigated the mechanisms underlying DSGOST resistance. Moreover, DSGOST regulates chemoresistance in cisplatin-treated gastric cancer cells. Interestingly, DSGOST treatment induced the accumulation of GFP-LC3 puncta and increased the level of autophagy markers, such as LC3-II, ATG5, and Beclin-1, indicating activated autophagy. Furthermore, DSGOST could activate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and exosomes via induction of autophagy. DSGOST in combination with TGFβ also induced autophagy and EMT. However, autophagy inhibition induces DSGOST-mediated cell death in gastric cancer cells. In addition, autophagy inhibition blocks the activation of DSGOST-mediated EMT markers including N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, vimentin, β-catenin, p-Smad2, and p-Smad3. Taken together, these findings indicated that prosurvival autophagy was one of the mechanisms involved in the resistance of gastric cancer to DSGOST. Targeting the inhibition of autophagy could be an effective therapeutic approach to overcome resistance to DSGOST in gastric cancer.

Septicemia-causing Vibrio vulnificus produces at least three exoproteases, VvpE, VvpS, and VvpM, all of which participate in interactions with human cells. Expression of VvpE and VvpS is induced in the stationary phase by multiple transcription factors, including sigma factor S, SmcR, and the cAMP-cAMP receptor protein (cAMP-CRP) complex. Distinct roles of VvpM, such as induction of apoptosis, lead us to hypothesize VvpM expression is different from that of the other exoproteases. Its transcription, which was found to be independent of sigma S, is induced at the early exponential phase and then becomes negligible upon entry into the stationary phase. SmcR and CRP were studied regarding the control of vvpM expression. Transcription of vvpM was repressed by SmcR and cAMP-CRP complex individually, which specifically bound to the regions −2 to +20 and +6 to +27, respectively, relative to the vvpM transcription initiation site. Derepression of vvpM gene expression was 10- to 40-fold greater in an smcR crp double mutant than in single-gene mutants. Therefore, these results show that the expression of V. vulnificus exoproteases is differentially regulated, and in this way, distinct proteases can engage in specific interactions with a host. IMPORTANCE An opportunistic human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus produces multiple extracellular proteases that are involved in diverse interactions with a host. The total exoproteolytic activity is detected mainly in the supernatants of the high-cell-density cultures. However, some proteolytic activity derived from a metalloprotease, VvpM, was present in the supernatants of the low-cell-density cultures sampled at the early growth period. In this study, we present the regulatory mechanism for VvpM expression via repression by at least two transcription factors. This type of transcriptional regulation is the exact opposite of those for expression of the other V. vulnificus exoproteases. Differential regulation of each exoprotease's production then facilitates the pathogen's participation in the distinct interactions with a host.

We performed a meta-analysis to seek evidence for the usefulness of the delta neutrophil index (DNI) as a prognostic blood biomarker for mortality in the early stage of sepsis in adults. A literature search was performed using criteria set forth in a predefined protocol. Studies of adults with sepsis that provided a DNI measurement and that had mortality as the outcome, were included. Review articles, editorials, and non-human studies were excluded. The methodological quality of identified studies was assessed independently by two authors using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. A total of 1,822 patients from eleven studies were ultimately included. Standardized mean differences between non-survivors and survivors were compared. An elevated DNI was associated with mortality in patients with sepsis (standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.22; 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.71; I2 = 91%). After excluding two studies—one that included paediatric patients and one with a disproportionately low mortality rate—heterogeneity was minimized (SMD 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.53–0.94; I2 = 43%). Overall, the findings suggest that high DNI values are associated with mortality in septic patients.

Introduction This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of adding copeptin to cardiac troponin (cTn) on admission to the emergency department (ED) for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) compared to cTn alone. Materials and methods A literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library was performed (search date: April 13, 2018). Primary studies were included if they accurately reported on patients with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction and measured both cTn alone and cTn with copeptin upon admission to the ED. The patients with evidence of ST elevation myocardial infarction were excluded. To assess the risk of bias for the included studies, the QUADAS-2 tool was used. Results The study participants included a total of 7,998 patients from 14 observational studies. The addition of copeptin to cTn significantly improved the sensitivity (0.81 [0.74 to 0.87] vs. 0.92 [0.89 to 0.95], respectively, p

We investigated the expression profile of leucine-rich, repeat-containing, G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) during colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and determined the prognostic impact of LGR5 in a large cohort of CRC samples. LGR5 expression was higher in CRCs than in normal mucosa, and was not associated with other cancer stem cell markers. LGR5 positivity was observed in 68% of 788 CRCs and was positively correlated with older age, moderately to well-differentiated cells, and nuclear β-catenin expression. Enhanced LGR5 expression remained persistent during the adenoma-carcinoma transition, but markedly declined in the budding cancer cells at the invasive fronts, which was not due to altered wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family (Wnt) or epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling. LGR5 showed negative correlations with microsatellite instability and CpG island methylator phenotype, and was not associated with KRAS or BRAF mutation. Notably, LGR5 positivity was an independent prognostic marker for better clinical outcomes in CRC patients. LGR5 overexpression attenuated tumor growth by decreasing ERK phosphorylation along with decreased colony formation and migration abilities in DLD1 cells. Likewise, knockdown of LGR5 expression resulted in a decline in the colony-forming and migration capacities in LoVo cells. Taken together, our data suggest a suppressive role of LGR5 in CRC progression.

In recent years, protected crop production using plant factories to produce high-value crops with greater functional components has become more popular in many countries. The quantification of the components, however, is mainly conducted by laboratory analyses, which are both time- and labor-consuming. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of a non-destructive diffuse reflectance spectroscopy technique for estimating functional components (i.e. glucosinolates, amino acids, sugars and carotenoids) in the leaves of Chinese cabbage grown in a plant factory.From the overall analysis, better estimations were obtained using the partial least square regression procedure. The important wavelengths for each functional component were identified mainly in the ultraviolet-visible regions. Identified wavelengths were 317, 390, 888 and 940 nm for sugars; 520 and 960 nm for amino acids; 385, 860 and 945 nm for glucosinolates; and 454, 472 and 530 nm for carotenoids.Optical reflectance spectroscopy shows potential as a tool for the estimation of functional components in the leaves of Chinese cabbage. The results of the present study provide useful information for the design and application of sensors with respect to on-site quantification of the functional components. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Whether or not epitaxially grown superconducting films have the same bulk-like superconducting properties is an important concern. We report the structure and the electronic properties of epitaxially grown Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 films using scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). This film showed a different surface structure, (2sqrtx2sqrt2)R45 reconstruction, from those of as-cleaved surfaces from bulk crystals. The electronic structure of the grown film is different from that in bulk, and it is notable that the film exhibits the same superconducting transport properties. We found that the superconducting gap at the surface is screened at the Ba layer surface in STS measurements, and the charge density wave was observed at the surface in sample in the superconducting state., Comment: 24 pages 8 figures

In Korea, the mechanization rate of the seeding and transplanting work is 5% and the harvesting work is 13.3%. When the Chinese cabbage is transported from the harvested location to the collection part, the cabbage may be damaged due to the transportation speed, mechanical vibration, and contact with the mechanical parts. Power transmission need to be designed considering transmission efficiency, failure stress, and fatigue stress. Objectives of this study were to conduct 1) kinematic analysis of the transportation part to minimize the cabbage damage, and 2) stress and fatigue analysis of the power transmission part to optimize the component materials and dimensions. Transportation speed was from 0.2 to 1 m/s at a 0.2 m/s interval, and the length of the transfer link was 19, 22, and 25 cm. For the power transmission part, stress and fatigue were calculated using commercial software (midas NFX) for different materials, numbers of teeth, and pressure angles of the main sprocket gears as a result of the kinematic analysis of the transportation part, the optimum transfer speed of the Chinese cabbage was 0.4 m/s, the length of the link was 19 cm, and the width of the transportation part was 66 cm. And result of stress analysis, the safety factor of SCR420H material was more than 1 and the safety factor of SM45C was 0.48. The fatigue analysis results showed no significant difference according to the material and pressure angle. In order to improve the reliability of the simulation, field tests and validation would be necessary.

This study aims to examine the long-term effect of adjuvant treatment in Korean Medicine (KM) clinics in ischemic stroke patients, using a national sample cohort from the National Health Insurance Service in Korea between 2010 and 2013. The National Health Insurance Service – National Sample Cohort database from 2002 to 2013 was used in this study. Ischemic stroke patients were defined and covariates were included to account for socioeconomic variables, comorbidities and disease severity. Propensity score matching was applied. Cox proportional hazards modeling and Kaplan-Meier analysis were applied to determine the differences between KM and non-KM treated groups. The results shows that KM-treated group had a higher probability of survival than non-KM group patients. No significant difference was observed between the risk of readmission between the treated and non-treated patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a weak effect of KM treatments in the patients with 8 to 28 days of hospital stay for a lower risk of recurrence than in non-treated patients. In conclusion, KM treatment of mild to moderate ischemic stroke patients has a mild effect on the survival probability of stroke. Its effect for improving long-term recurrence need to be explored in the future studies.

Overcoming drug resistance is an important task for investigators and clinician to achieve successful chemotherapy in cancer patients. Drug resistance is caused by various factors, including the overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, MDR1). The development of new, useful compounds that overcome drug resistance is urgent. SH003 is extracted from the mixture of three different herbs, and its anticancer effect has been revealed in different cancer cell types. In the present study, we investigated whether SH003 is able to reverse drug resistance using paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/PAC). In our experiments, SH003 significantly decreased cell growth and colony formation in MCF-7/PAC cells and parental MCF-7 cells. This growth inhibition was related to the accumulation of cells in the sub-G0/G1 apoptotic population and an increase in the number of apoptotic cells. SH003 reduced the mRNA expression of multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) and multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) in MCF-7/PAC cells. SH003 also down-regulated the expression of P-gp. SH003 reversed drug efflux from MCF-7/PAC cells, resulting in rhodamine123 (Rho123) accumulation. Inhibition of drug resistance by SH003 is related to the suppression of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. SH003 decreased STAT3 activation (p-STAT3) and its nuclear translocation and inhibited the secretion of VEGF and MMP-2, which are STAT3 target genes. An STAT3 inhibitor, JAK inhibitor I and an HIF-1α inhibitor decreased cell growth in MCF-7 and MCF-7/PAC cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SH003 can overcome drug resistance, and SH003 might be helpful for chemotherapy in cancer patients.

A room temperature refining process using a new acidic mixture was investigated for the purification of metallurgical grade-silicon (MG-Si) with an average particle size of 617 μm. MG-Si typically contains precipitated metal impurities, such as iron (Fe), aluminum (Al) and titanium (Ti), in the triple points of grain boundaries. These metal impurities tend to concentrate within the laminar structure at grain boundaries during solidification due to their different segregation coefficients and are leached with acid at different rates because of their different reactivities with acid. The addition of acetic acid (CH3COOH) to a conventional acid mixture composed of nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) resulted in improved extraction of the main metal impurities. This new acid mixture efficiently extracted Al, which is known to be particularly difficult to remove with conventional acid leaching agents, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitric acid (HNO3), and hydrofluoric acid (HF). The recorded decreases of the Fe and Al concentrations in the material followed two distinct leaching events. The first decrease was due to the extraction of impurities located on the particle surface; the second occurred when the acid leaching time exceeded 15 h. This second leaching event may be due to the removal of metal impurities located deep in the material's pores and deep within the bulk structure of the MG-Si particles. After 25 h of leaching MG-Si with an acid mixture composed of HNO3, HF, and CH3COOH, the purity of the material increased from 99.74 to 99.99% with extraction efficiencies of 99.92 for Fe and 99.98% for Al and Ti.

Background: The biological significance of FOXO1, a member of the forkhead box O transcription factor family, in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. The present study provides direct evidence of the role of FOXO1 in tumour growth and metastasis of GC in relation to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Methods: The expressions of FOXO1 and HER2 were modulated in GC cell lines (SNU-638, MKN45, SNU-216 and NCI-N87) by stable transfections. The effects of transfection on GC phenotypes were evaluated in vitro and in animal models. In addition, the relationship between FOXO1 and HER2 was analysed using GC clinical specimens, cell lines and xenografts. Results: FOXO1 silencing in GC cells increased colony formation and mesenchymal transition in vitro, as well as tumour growth and metastasis in nude mice, whereas HER2 silencing induced the opposite results.. Furthermore, an inverse relationship between FOXO1 and HER2 was found in clinical specimens of GC, GC cells and GC xenograft tumours. Although a negative crosstalk between these two molecules was shown, double knockdown of both FOXO1 and HER2 in GC cells revealed that HER2 silencing reversed the FOXO1 shRNA-induced migration and invasion even without the FOXO1 restoration. Conclusions: Our results indicate that loss of FOXO1 promotes GC growth and metastasis by upregulating HER2 expression and that the HER2 expression is more critical to the induction of GC cell metastasis. The present study provides evidence that the FOXO1/HER2 pathway may regulate GC progression in a subgroup of GC patients.

주요어: 취성파괴, 경험적 해석, 수치해석 모델링 , 손상제어시험, CWFS 모델 Brittle failure of Mesozoic granite in the Daejeon region is predicted using empirical analysis and numerical modeling techniques. The input parameters selected for these techniques were based on the results of laboratory tests, including damage-controlled tests. Rock masses that were considered to be strong during laboratory testing were assigned to “group A” and those considered to be extremely strong were assigned to “group B”. The properties of each group were then used in the analyses. In-situ stress measurements, or the ratio of horizontal to vertical stress (k), were also necessary for the analyses, but no such measurements have been made in the study area. Therefore, k values of 1, 2, and 3 were assumed. In the case of k=1, empirical analysis and numerical modeling show no indication of brittle failure from the surface to1000 m depth. When k=2, brittle failure of the rock mass occurs at depths below 800 m. For k=3, brittle failure occurs at depths below 600 m. Although both the Cohesion Weakening Friction Strengthening (CWFS) and Mohr-Coulomb models were used to predict brittle failure, only the CWFS model performed well in simulating the range and depth of the brittle failure zone.

Cells expressing LGR5, an intestinal stem cell marker, have been suggested as cancer stem cells in human colon cancers. Previously, we discovered that LGR5-expressing cells exist in the gastric antrum and remarkably increase in number in intestinal metaplasia. In addition, most gastric adenomas contain abundant LGR5-expressing cells coexpressing intestinal stem cell signatures. However, LGR5 expression in gastric cancers (GCs) and its prognostic significance remain unknown. We examined the LGR5 expression in GC tissues by real time-PCR and RNA in situ hybridization, and analyzed its clinicopathological relevance and prognostic value. The effects of LGR5 on cancer cell proliferation and migration were assessed with an in vitro transfection technique. LGR5 expression was significantly lower in GCs than in matched nontumorous gastric mucosa. RNA in situ hybridization on tissue microarrays showed that 7 % of GCs were positive for LGR5. LGR5 positivity was associated with old age, well to moderate differentiation, and nuclear β-catenin positivity. Although LGR5 did not show any prognostic significance for all GC cases, it was associated with poor survival in GCs with nuclear β-catenin expression. LGR5 expression was induced by transfection in GC cell lines with abnormal Wnt activation, which, however, showed no influence on the growth and migration of GC cells. A small portion of GCs expressed LGR5. Although LGR5 was associated with poor survival in GCs with nuclear β-catenin, LGR5 expression in GC cells had no effects on the growth and migration, requiring a further study exploring a biological role of LGR5 in GCs.

A series of single and double branched organic dyes (1–4) utilizing two different acceptor groups, 2-cyanoacetic acid and rhodanine-3-acetic acid as anchoring moieties, were synthesized and characterized for their potential in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSC based on sensitizer 3 has the best power conversion efficiency (3.51%) among all the devices assessed, which was 2 times higher than that of 1 with only one anchoring group. Compared to the 1–2 congeners with only one anchor, the dianchoring dyes 3–4 could suppress charge recombination more effectively and increase the electron injection efficiency, leading to a higher open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current.

Purpose: Although a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order is widely in use, it is one of the challenging issues in end-of-life care. This study was conducted to investigate attit udes toward DNR according to education and clinical experience. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprisin g 30 items in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Results: Participants were 238 nurses and 72 physicians. Most participants (99%) agreed to the necessity of DNR for reasons such as dignified death (52%), irreversible medical condition (23%) and patients' autonomy in decision making (19%). Among all, 33% participants had received education about DNR and 87% had DNR experience. According to participants' clinical DNR experience, their attitudes toward DNR significantly differed in terms of the necessity of DNR, timing of the DNR consent and post-DNR treatments including anti- biotics. However, when participants were grouped by the level of DNR education, no significant difference was observed except in the timing of the DNR consent. Conclusion: This study suggests that the attitudes toward DNR were more affected by clinical experience of DNR rather than education. Therefore, DNR education programs should involve clinical settings.

Ectopic pancreas is a well-known developmental anomaly found in approximately 2% of all autopsies, frequently in the gastrointestinal tract. Mediastinal pancreatic ectopia is very rare; only a few cases have been described in the English-language literature. According to previous reports, the pancreatic tissue is detected in the cyst wall or appears as small solid components of cystic masses within the anterior mediastinum. In this report, we present a case of ectopic pancreas appearing as a large solid mass in the anterior mediastinum of a 17-year-old male patient.

Si nanoparticles were synthesized by inductively coupled plasma and a specially designed double tube reactor. By injection of large amount of PH3 during the synthesis, the effects of phosphorous incorporation on their microstructures and chemical binding environments were investigated. Injection of PH3 gas during the synthesis resulted in a change from crystalline to amorphous phase, a reduction of particle size as well as a process yield. All of the above results were attributed to a lower plasma density when higher amount of PH3 was injected. From energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, it was revealed that P was doped in Si nanoparticles. However, secondary phases such as P4 and P2O5 were formed as amorphous ones in nano-scale when a relatively large amount of PH3 was injected. In addition, those nanoparticles were applied as an active material in the lithium-ion battery's anode. Unexpectedly, amorphous Si nanoparticles with secondary phases showed improved electrochemical properties. P-doping in Si nanoparticles could not directly advance cycling performance by improvement of electrical conductivity of Si nanoparticles. It was rather assumed that a secondary phase influenced and enhanced electrochemical properties by additional capacity due to a formation of Li3P and forming an effective buffer against large volumetric change of Si nanoparticles during the charge/discharge. The initial reversible capacity of amorphous Si nanoparticles synthesized with 100 sccm of PH3 flow rate was 2113 mAh g− 1, and that at the 100th cycle was still about 1000 mAh g− 1, which was twice as high as that of Si nanoparticles synthesized without PH3 injection.

The oxidation behavior of photovoltaic ribbon was measured for 48 hours over the temperature range of 300°C to 800°C using thermogravimetric apparatus (TGA). It was found that weigh-gained of both samples was found to be increased with increasing temperature and it was dramatically increased at 800°C for 30 minutes of initial oxidation time. Pure copper with 99.55% purity was successfully recovered from the photovoltaic ribbon of spent solar module using cyclic oxidation method.

A novel efficient metal free sensitizer containing unsymmetrical double branched anchoring dye ( AB ) was synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and compared with corresponding cosensitizer ( A + B ), single ( A , B ) and symmetric double branched ( AA , BB ) dyes. Comparing to 2.23% for the DSSC based on the dye with ( A + B ), 1.29% and 1.51% for the DSSCs based on the dyes with A , B and 2.03% and 2.02% for the DSSCs based on the dyes with AA , BB , the overall conversion efficiency reaches 2.43% for AB -sensitized solar cell as a result of its complementary absorption, more efficient interfacial charge generation and transport. The results show that the performance of DSSCs can be effectively enhanced by the cooperation of two different donor-acceptor containing branches in one molecule of the dye.

This paper presents a metallurgical route that consumes much less energy than the gasification route such as Siemens process-based photovoltaic (PV) value chain including metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si), solar-grade silicon (SoG-Si) purified by the metallurgical route, Czochralski (Cz) ingot growth, 6″ wafer fabrication, solar cell fabrication, and PV performance evaluation. Mono-like crystalline silicon ingot for achieving high purity was continuously cast with MG-Si for the fabrication of feedstock for Cz ingot growth through the advanced electron beam melting (EBM) system. The system was developed with the combination of vacuum refining part and directional solidification (DS) part for the purification of large amounts of MG-Si, where the two parts are connected by an overflow of Si melts to undergo continuous refining and casting processes in a chamber. To grow the mono-like crystalline Si ingot in our EBM system, a single crystalline seed was placed on the graphite dummy cylinder with DS zone. The mono-like crystalline Si ingot with high purity of >99.999% (above 5N) was blended 50–50 with undoped SoG-Si chunk for the compensation of boron dopant concentration in a crucible of Cz grower. The 156 × 156 mm 2 wafers were cut from Cz ingot grown with purity of >99.99999% (above 7N) by slurry-based multi-wire sawing and were fabricated by the conventional solar cell process. The measured photovoltaic performance recorded cell efficiency of 17.1%; hence its higher potential for application to the PV industry.