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Many studies have documented that ginseng has antidiabetic and antiobesity effects, but the mechanism of the effects has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG, Panax ginseng) and investigate the mechanism of antidiabetic and antiobesity effects in obese insulin resistant animal models. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups: a control group (group I) fed a normal diet, another group (group II) fed only high fat diet (HFD) and a third group (group III) fed HFD with KRG (200 mg/kg, oral) for 18 weeks. The body weight, food intake, adipose tissues, liver, kidney, pancreas, adiponectin, and leptin were measured. Blood glucose, insulin tolerance test, and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp test were investigated. A significant weight reduction, especially fat mass reduction, was observed in the KRG treated group. Increased insulin sensitivity was found in the KRG treated group. We observed increased insulin signalling, increased phosphorylation of IR, IRS-1, Akt, and membranous GLUT4 in muscle by Western blotting assay. In conclusion, KRG may have antidiabetic and antiobesity effects due to partly increased insulin sensitivity by increased adipokine and partly enhanced insulin signalling. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymptotic tests such as the Pearson chi-square test are unreliable for testing the homogeneity of two binomial probabilities in extremely unbalanced cases. Two exact tests (conditional and unconditional) are available as alternatives and can be implemented easily in StatXact 6.0. In equal sample cases it is well known that the unconditional exact test is more powerful than the conditional exact test. However, in this paper, we show that the opposite result holds in extremely unbalanced cases. The reason is that the peaks of the type I error occur at the extremes of the nuisance parameter when the imbalance among the sample sizes becomes severe. After we show that the conditional exact test is more powerful than the unconditional exact test in extremely unbalanced cases whose sample ratio is greater than 20, we compare the conditional exact test with the Berger and Boos approach (J. Amer. Stat. Assoc. 1994; 89:1012-1016) in which the supremum is taken over a confidence interval for the nuisance parameter. The Berger and Boos approach turns out to be slightly more powerful than the conditional exact test in extremely unbalanced data. A real example is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine any associations of the PTPN22 R620W single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with systemic sclerosis (SSc) or with anticentromere antibody (ACA)-positive or anti-topoisomerase I (anti-topo I) antibody-positive SSc, in a case-control study of US white, black, Hispanic, and Choctaw Indian individuals. METHODS: A total of 850 white, 130 black, 120 Hispanic, and 20 Choctaw Indian patients with SSc were compared with 430 white, 164 black, 146 Hispanic, and 76 Choctaw Indian control subjects, respectively. All subjects were living in the US. PTPN22 SNP (rs2476601) genotyping was performed by TaqMan 5' allelic discrimination assay and pyrosequencing. RESULTS: The PTPN22 CT/TT genotype showed significant association with anti-topo I antibody-positive SSc in white patients (odds ratio [OR] 2.21, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.3-3.7) and with ACA-positive white patients with SSc (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.1-2.7). Frequency of the PTPN22*T allele also showed significant association with anti-topo I antibody-positive SSc in white patients (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.3-3.2). When data for patients in the 3 ethnic groups (black, white, and Hispanic) were combined, a significant association with both genotype and allele frequencies was observed, suggesting a trend toward association in ACA-positive and anti-topo I antibody-positive SSc. Stepwise logistic regression analysis (controlled for the confounding effects of sex and race) showed that the PTPN22 CT/TT genotype was associated with a significantly higher risk of SSc compared with the CC genotype (for patients with SSc, OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.2-2.2; for ACA-positive patients with SSc, OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.0-2.6; for anti-topo I antibody-positive SSc, OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.5-3.7). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism is associated with ACA-positive and anti-topo I antibody-positive subsets of SSc and represents a risk factor in both white patients and black patients. The association of subsets of SSc with the PTPN22 R620W polymorphism further strengthens the classification of SSc within the spectrum of autoimmune diseases and strongly suggests the involvement of common susceptibility genes and similarly disordered immunoregulatory pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of perilipin gene (PLIN) polymorphisms on weight gain with rosiglitazone treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes. Research Design and Methods: A total of 160 type 2 diabetic patients were treated with rosiglitazone (4 mg/day) for 12 weeks in addition to their previous medications, which were unchanged. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the PLIN locus were genotyped: PLIN 6209T>C, PLIN 11482G>A, PLIN 13041A>G, and PLIN 14995A>T. Results: Although fasting plasma glucose and HbA(1c) levels decreased; mean body weight increased significantly after rosiglitazone treatment. Among the four SNPs tested, only the PLIN 11482G>A polymorphism was associated with weight gain from rosiglitazone treatment. In addition, there was a significant difference in the increase in the body weight among the genotypes. Patients with the 11482A/A genotype showed less increase in body weight than those with other genotypes. Conclusions: These data suggest that genetic variations in the perilipin gene can affect weight gain associated with rosiglitazone treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: We investigated the prevalence and risk factors for developing erectile dysfunction (ED) in 1312 Korean men with diabetes in a multicentre study. METHODS: We used the modified International Index for Erectile Function-5 criteria to identify mild, moderate and complete ED. A standardized face-to-face questionnaire was used by trained interviewers, and validated against telephone interviews. We recorded the duration of diabetes, level of glycaemic control, vital signs, complications, exercise and alcohol and smoking habits, and diabetes treatments used. Results The mean age and median duration of diabetes were 53.8 +/- 6.65 and 6 years (range 1-43), respectively. The mean HbA(1c) and fasting glucose levels were 7.9 +/- 1.65% and 8.6 +/- 2.82 mmol/l, respectively. The overall prevalences of mild, moderate, complete ED and all ED (mild-to-complete) were 20.1, 19.5, 25.8 and 65.4%, respectively. ED was more common with age, reaching 79.3% in men aged > 60 years. Subjects aged > 60 years and with a duration of diabetes > 10 years were at greatest risk for all ED (OR = 10.4, 95% CI 5.8-18.5, P < 0.001) and complete ED (OR = 13.2, 95% CI 7.3-23.9, P < 0.001) when compared with the reference group (age 40-50 years with duration < 6 years). Age, duration of diabetes, HbA(1c), insulin use, neuropathy and macrovascular complications were positively associated with ED, but alcohol consumption and exercise habits were negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of complete ED was approximately six times higher than in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the association of plasma levels of uric acid, an endogenous antioxidant, in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), while controlling for the confounding effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, age, smoking, and use of oral contraception. Plasma-reduced and oxidized uric acid levels were determined in 650 women by high-performance liquid chromatography, employing electrochemical technique. The findings demonstrated that 1) plasma-reduced uric acid (PRUA) levels in women with CIN (n = 311) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared with women in a control group (n = 339); 2) according to multiple logistic regression analysis, PRUA levels were negatively (P = 0.0113) and HPV infection were positively associated (P < 0.0001) with CIN, after controlling for the confounding effects of the studied factors; 3) according to multiple regression analysis, there was a 31% decrease in CIN risk for each incremental increase of 1mg/dl of PRUA; and 4) according to polychotomous logistic regression analysis, independent of HPV infection, PRUA level was inversely associated with the histopathological graded severity of CIN. We have previously reported decreased plasma levels of exogenous antioxidants, for example, vitamins C and E, in women with CIN independent of HPV infection. The data suggest that plasma deficiencies of several antioxidants in HPV-infected uterine cervical tissue may create an oxidative environment that renders the tissue susceptible to free radical damage. It may be speculated that chronic free radical-induced tissue damage in the context of persistent HPV infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of CIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the role of oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy by measuring intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox-sensitive transcription factors in isolated peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 66 diabetic patients with or without diabetic nephropathy (Groups III and II, respectively) and 49 normal controls (Group I). Stimulated ROS was significantly higher in Group III compared to Group II (increment of H(2)O(2)-induced ROS production: 21.8+/-2.2% vs. 11.1+/-2.0%; increment of PMA-induced ROS production 23.5+/-4.5% vs. 21.6+/-2.2%; both respectively), and the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), but not specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was significantly higher in Group III than in Group II (2.53-fold vs. 2.0-fold vs. 1.43-fold, respectively). Both PBMC- and urinary TGF-beta1 levels were higher in Group III than Group II (3.23+/-0.39 ng/g vs. 1.99+/-0.68 ng/g in PBMCs, 16.88+/-6.84 (ng/g Cr) vs. 5.61+/-1.57 (ng/g Cr) in urine, both respectively), and they correlated with the activity of NF-kappaB and AP-1 and 24-h urine albumin excretion (UAE). Increased intracellular ROS generation in PBMCs of diabetic patients is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy via activation NF-kappaB and AP-1 and an increased expression of TGF-beta1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies show poor agreement between fasting plasma glucose (FPG)-based and 2-h postchallenge glucose (2-h PG)-based criteria to assess glucose metabolism. We examined the rate of agreement between FPG- and 2-h PG-based criteria in the diagnosis of intermediate hyperglycemia in four representative cohort studies in South Korea and compared the clinical characteristics and biochemical parameters in subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) according to their FPG values. Of 6234 subjects from four population-based studies performed from 1993 to 2000, 4610 individuals with data from a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and no previous history of diabetes were selected. We examined the concordance rate between the FPG and 2-h PG-based criteria. We also investigated the differences in the clinical characteristics and biochemical parameters between individuals with IFG according to their FPG values. The fasting and 2-h PG criteria had large discordance rates in the diagnosis of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in Korean adults. When individuals with IFG were classified into stage 1 [5.6-6.1mmol/L (100-109mg/dL)] and stage 2 [6.1-7.0mmol/L (110-125mg/dL)] IFG, individuals with stage 2 IFG are more obese and had higher blood pressure and total cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations compared with those with stage 1 IFG. In addition, more individuals with stage 2 IFG were with diabetes as determined by a 2-h PG>or=11.1mmol/L (14.1% vs. 1.9%) (P<0.05). Considering the poorer metabolic profile and higher percentage of people with diabetes by OGTT, these data indicate that, in the Korean population, individuals with stage 2 IFG should be treated differently from those with stage 1 IFG. To detect more cases of diabetes, the OGTT is recommended for all individuals with stage 2 IFG and cases with stage 1 IFG with some additional risk factors for diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding microscopic mechanisms of polarization retention characteristics in ferroelectric thin films is of great significance for exploring unusual physical phenomena inaccessible in the bulk counterparts and for realizing thin-film-based functional electronic devices. Perovskite (K,Na)NbO 3 is an excellent class of lead-free ferroelectric oxides attracting tremendous interest thanks to its potential applications to nonvolatile memory and eco-friendly energy harvester/storage. Nonetheless, in-depth investigation of ferroelectric properties of (K,Na)NbO 3 films and the following developments of nano-devices are limited due to challenging thin-film fabrication associated with nonstoichiometry by volatile K and Na atoms. Herein, ferroelectric (K,Na)NbO 3 films of which the atomic-level geometrical structures strongly depend on thickness-dependent strain relaxation are epitaxially grown. Nanopillar crystal structures are identified in fully relaxed (K,Na)NbO 3 films to the bulk states representing a continuous reduction of switchable polarization under air environments, that is, polarization retention failures. Protonation by water dissociation is responsible for the humidity-induced retention loss in nano-columnar (K,Na)NbO 3 films. The protonation-driven polarization retention failure originates from domain wall pinning by the accumulation of mobile hydrogen ions at charged domain walls for effective screening of polarization-bound charges. Conceptually, the results will be utilized for rational design to advanced energy materials such as photo-catalysts enabling ferroelectric tuning of water splitting., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In this paper, we propose employing electron scattering to realize unitary quantum gates that are controlled by three qubits. Using Feynman's rules, we find an expression for the transition amplitude for scattering from an external electromagnetic source. In this context, the scattering amplitude is modeled as a unitary gate whose state can be regulated. The optimal value of the vector potential needed to implement the gate is obtained by minimizing the difference between the designed gate and the target gate, with the total energy consumed as a constraint. The design algorithm is obtained by discretizing the resulting integral equations into vector equations. This design algorithm can be applied in various fields such as quantum computing, communication, and sensing. It offers a promising approach for developing efficient and accurate gates for quantum information processing. Furthermore, this approach can also be extended to design gates for multi-qubit systems, which are essential for large-scale quantum computing. The use of this algorithm can significantly contribute to the development of practical quantum technologies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Current silicon-based CMOS devices face physical limitations in downscaling size and power loss, restricting their capability to meet the demands for data storage and information processing of emerging technologies. One possible alternative is to encode the information in a non-volatile magnetic state and manipulate this spin state electronically, as in spintronics. However, current spintronic devices rely on the current-driven control of magnetization, which involves Joule heating and power dissipation. This limitation has motivated intense research into the voltage-driven manipulation of spin signals to achieve energy-efficient device operation. Here, we show non-volatile control of spin-charge conversion at room temperature in graphene-based heterostructures through Fermi level tuning. We use a polymeric ferroelectric film to induce non-volatile charging in graphene. To demonstrate the switching of spin-to-charge conversion we perform ferromagnetic resonance and inverse Edelstein effect experiments. The sign change of output voltage is derived by the change of carrier type, which can be achieved solely by a voltage pulse. Our results provide an alternative approach for the electric-field control of spin-charge conversion, which constitutes a building block for the next generation of spin-orbitronic memory and logic devices., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) are prevalent metabolic disorders with substantial global health implications that are often inadequately addressed by current treatments and may have side effects. Probiotics have emerged as promising therapeutic agents owing to their beneficial effects on gut health and metabolism. This study investigated the synergistic effects of a probiotic combination of BNR17 and ABF21069 on obesity and MAFLD in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-sucrose diet. The probiotic combination significantly reduced body weight and fat accumulation compared with the high-sucrose diet. It also alleviated elevated serum leptin levels induced by a high-sucrose diet. Histological analysis revealed a significant reduction in white adipose tissue and fatty liver in the mice treated with the probiotic combination. Furthermore, increased expression of genes related to β-oxidation, thermogenesis, and lipolysis suggested enhanced metabolic activity. The probiotic groups, particularly the BNR17 group, showed an increase in fecal exopolysaccharides, along with a tendency toward a lower expression of intestinal sugar transport genes, indicating reduced sugar absorption. Additionally, inflammatory markers in the liver tissue exhibited lower expression in the ABF21069 group than in the HSD group. Despite each strain in the combination group having distinct characteristics and functions, their combined effect demonstrated synergy in mitigating obesity and MAFLD, likely through the modulation of fecal exopolysaccharides content and improvement in lipid metabolism. These findings underscore the potential of probiotic supplementation as a promising assistant therapy for managing obesity and MAFLD and provide valuable insights into its therapeutic mechanisms in metabolic disorders., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest All authors are employed by AceBiome R&D Center. Ethical Statements All the experimental procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (approval number: IACUC-23001) of siRNAgen Therapeutics (Daejeon, Korea)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Microbiological Society of Korea.)

Backgruound: Atherogenic dyslipidemia, which is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance, contributes to the development of vascular complications. Statin therapy is the primary approach to dyslipidemia management in T2D, however, the role of non-statin therapy remains unclear. Ezetimibe reduces cholesterol burden by inhibiting intestinal cholesterol absorption. Fibrates lower triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels via peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor alpha agonism. Therefore, when combined, these drugs effectively lower non-HDL-C levels. Despite this, few clinical trials have specifically targeted non-HDL-C, and the efficacy of triple combination therapies, including statins, ezetimibe, and fibrates, has yet to be determined., Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, active-comparator controlled trial involving 3,958 eligible participants with T2D, cardiovascular risk factors, and elevated non-HDL-C (≥100 mg/dL). Participants, already on moderate-intensity statins, will be randomly assigned to either Ezefeno (ezetimibe/fenofibrate) addition or statin dose-escalation. The primary end point is the development of a composite of major adverse cardiovascular and diabetic microvascular events over 48 months., Conclusion: This trial aims to assess whether combining statins, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate is as effective as, or possibly superior to, statin monotherapy intensification in lowering cardiovascular and microvascular disease risk for patients with T2D. This could propose a novel therapeutic approach for managing dyslipidemia in T2D.

Microbatteries are emerging as a sustainable, miniaturized power source, crucial for implantable biomedical devices. Their significance lies in offering high energy density, longevity, and rechargeability, facilitating uninterrupted health monitoring and treatment within the body. The review delves into the development of microbatteries, emphasizing their miniaturization and biocompatibility, crucial for long-term, safe in-vivo use. It examines cutting-edge manufacturing techniques like physical and chemical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition, essential for the precision manufacture of the microbatteries. The paper contrasts primary and secondary batteries, highlighting the advantages of zinc-ion and magnesium-ion batteries for enhanced stability and reduced reactivity. It also explores biodegradable batteries, potentially obviating the need for surgical extraction post-use. The integration of microbatteries into diagnostic and therapeutic devices is also discussed, illustrating how they enhance the efficacy and sustainability of implantable biosensors and bioelectronics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. Received: ((will be filled in by the editorial staff)) Revised: ((will be filled in by the editorial staff)) Published online: ((will be filled in by the editorial staff)), (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Backgruound: Guidelines for switching to triple combination therapy directly after monotherapy failure are limited. This study investigated the efficacy, long-term sustainability, and safety of either mono or dual add-on therapy using alogliptin and pioglitazone for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who did not achieve their target glycemic range with metformin monotherapy., Methods: The Practical Evidence of Antidiabetic Combination Therapy in Korea (PEAK) was a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial. A total of 214 participants were randomized to receive alogliptin+pioglitazone (Alo+Pio group, n=70), alogliptin (Alo group, n=75), or pioglitazone (Pio group, n=69). The primary outcome was the difference in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels between the three groups at baseline to 24 weeks. For durability, the achievement of HbA1c levels <7% and <6.5% was compared in each group. The number of adverse events was investigated for safety., Results: After 24 weeks of treatment, the change of HbA1c in the Alo+Pio, Alo, and Pio groups were -1.38%±0.08%, -1.03%±0.08%, and -0.84%±0.08%, respectively. The Alo+Pio group had significantly lower HbA1c levels than the other groups (P=0.0063, P<0.0001) and had a higher proportion of patients with target HbA1c achievement. In addition, insulin sensitivity and β-cell function, lipid profiles, and other metabolic indicators were also improved. There were no significant safety issues in patients treated with triple combination therapy., Conclusion: Early combination triple therapy showed better efficacy and durability than the single add-on (dual) therapy. Therefore, combination therapy with metformin, alogliptin, and pioglitazone is a valuable early treatment option for T2DM poorly controlled with metformin monotherapy.

The surface treatment for a polymer-ceramic composite is additionally performed in advanced material industries. To prepare the composite without a surface treatment, the simplest way to manufacture an advanced ceramic-particle is devised. The method is the formation of a nanocrystalline composite layer through the simple liquid-phase sintering. Using magnesia (MgO) which shows hydrophilicity, a nanocrystalline surface layer is realized by liquid-phase sintering. The amorphous matrix of nanocrystalline composite layer makes MgO hydrophobic and ensures miscibility with polymers, and the nanocrystalline MgO ensures high thermal conductivity. In addition, the liquid phase removes the open pores and makes the surface morphology smooth MgO with smooth surface (MgO-SM). Thermal interface materials (TIM) prepared with MgO-SM and epoxy show a high thermal conductivity of ≈7.5 W m -1 K -1 , which is significantly higher than 4.5 W m -1 K -1 of pure MgO TIM. Consequently, the formation process of a nanocrystalline surface layer utilizing simple liquid-phase sintering is proposed as a fabrication method for a next-generation ceramic-filler. In addition, it is fundamentally identified that the thermal conductivity of MgO depends on the Mg deficiency, and therefore a poly-crystal MgO-SM (produced at a low temperature) has a higher thermal conductivity than a single-crystal MgO (produced at a high temperature)., (© 2023 The Authors. Small Methods published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, known as MXenes, have captured much attention for their excellent electrical conductivity and electrochemical capability. However, the susceptibility of MXenes to oxidation, particularly Ti 3 C 2 T x transforming into titanium dioxide upon exposure to ambient air, hinders their utilization for extended operational life cycles. This work introduces a simple and straightforward method for producing ultrathin MXene electrode films tailored for energy storage applications, employing centrifugal-gravity force. Our approach significantly suppresses the oxidation phenomenon that arises in MXene materials and also effectively prevents the recrystallization of potentially residual LiF during the film formation. Additionally, the utilization of this MXene electrode in an all-solid-state microsupercapacitor (MSC) with an interdigitated pattern demonstrates an exceptionally improved and stable electrochemical performance. This includes a high volumetric capacitance of approximately 467 F cm -3 , an energy density of around 65 mWh cm -3 , and impressive long-term cycle stability, retaining about 94% capacity after 10 000 cycles. Moreover, a downsized MSC device exhibits remarkable mechanical durability, retaining over 98% capacity even when folded and sustaining stability over extended periods. Therefore, we believe that this study provides valuable insights for advancing highly integrated energy storage devices, ensuring exceptional electrochemical efficiency and prolonged functionality in diverse environments, whether ambient or humid.

Introduction: The TOujeo BEyond glucose control (TOBE) study evaluated clinical outcomes with insulin glargine 300 units/mL (Gla-300) in insulin-naïve Korean people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a real-world setting., Methods: This 24-week, prospective, non-interventional, multicenter, open-label, single-arm, observational study included adults aged ≥ 20 years with T2DM suboptimally controlled with oral hypoglycemic agents and/or glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists who require basal insulin. Eligible participants were assigned to either general target glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c < 7%) or individualized target groups as per physician's discretion considering guidelines and participants' characteristics. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants achieving the HbA1c target (individualized or general) at 24 weeks., Results: Among 369 participants, 19.5% (72/369) of participants achieved the HbA1c target at week 24; 37.5% (33/88) in the individualized and 13.9% (39/281) in the general target group. In both target groups, similar reductions in fasting plasma glucose and body weight were observed, with low incidence of hypoglycemia, and T2DM duration was significantly shorter in participants who did versus those who did not achieve the target HbA1c (individualized target group: 9.6 ± 8.0 versus 13.1 ± 8.4 years, P = 0.0454; general target group: 10.2 ± 8.6 versus 12.8 ± 7.4 years, P = 0.0378)., Conclusions: This study showed that initiation of insulin therapy with Gla-300 in people with T2DM using an individualized approach is more effective in achieving an HbA1c target. Moreover, earlier initiation of insulin therapy in people with suboptimally controlled T2DM may increase the success rate of glycemic control. A graphical abstract is available with this article., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

So Shiho Tang (SSHT) is a traditional herbal medicine commonly used in Asian countries. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of SSHT and the associated mechanism using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and murine dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis models. Pre-treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with SSHT significantly reduced LPS-induced inflammation by decreasing nitrite production and regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Meanwhile, in mice, DSS-induced colitis symptoms, including colon shortening and body weight loss, were attenuated by SSHT. Moreover, representative compounds of SSHT, including glycyrrhizic acid, ginsenoside Rb 1 , baicalin, saikosaponin A, and saikosaponin B2, were quantified, and their effects on nitrite production were measured. A potential anti-inflammatory effect was detected in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Our findings suggest that SSHT is a promising anti-inflammatory agent. Its representative components, including saikosaponin B2, ginsenoside Rb 1 , and baicalin, may represent the key active compounds responsible for eliciting the anti-inflammatory effects and can, therefore, serve as quality control markers in SSHT preparations.

The Bi 2 O 2 Se surfaces are well-known to possess 50% Se vacancies, yet they have shown no in-gap states within the indirect bandgap (∼0.8 eV). We have found that the hidden in-gap states arising from the Se vacancies in a 2 × 1 pattern induce a reduced direct bandgap (∼0.5 eV). Such a reduced direct bandgap is responsible for the high electron mobility of Bi 2 O 2 Se. Moreover, the Bi oxide overlayers of the Bi thin films, formed through air exposure and annealing, unexpectedly exhibit a large direct bandgap (∼2.1 eV). The simplified fabrication of Bi oxide overlayers provides promise for improving Bi 2 O 2 Se electronic devices and enhancing photocatalytic activity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the follistatin-like 1 (Fstl1) and disco-interacting protein 2 homolog A (DIP2a) axis in relation to lipid metabolism during and after endurance exercise and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the metabolic effects of Fstl1 on adipocytes, considering its regulation by exercise and muscle mass and its link to obesity., Methods: Twenty-nine sedentary males participated in endurance exercise, and blood samples were collected during and after the exercise. Body composition, Fstl1, glycerol, epinephrine, growth hormone, and atrial natriuretic peptide were measured. 3T3-L1 adipocytes, with or without DIP2a knockdown, were treated with Fstl1 to assess glycerol release, cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP production, and hormone sensitive lipase phosphorylation. The association between DIP2a gene expression levels in human adipose tissues and exercise-induced lipolysis was examined., Results: Fstl1 levels significantly increased during endurance exercise and following recovery, correlating with lean body mass and lipolysis. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Fstl1 increased glycerol release, cyclic GMP production, and hormone sensitive lipase activation, but these effects were attenuated by DIP2a knockdown. DIP2a gene expression in human adipose tissues correlated with serum glycerol concentrations during endurance exercise., Conclusions: Fstl1 is a myokine facilitating lipid mobilization during and after endurance exercise through DIP2a-mediated lipolytic effects in adipocytes., (© 2023 The Obesity Society.)

Developing a new master mold-based patterning technology that can be used to accurately, precisely, and uniformly create large-area micropatterns while controlling the micropatterns of curved structures is essential for promoting innovative developments in various application fields. This study develops a new top-down lithographic process that can effectively produce structural patterns with high curvatures by growing isolated microbubbles in the master pattern holes. The isolated air-pocket lithography (IAL) we developed is based on the controlled behavior of micrometer-sized air pockets trapped between the grooves of the master pattern and the curable polymer. We successfully fabricated a concave array polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film and a convex array polymer film. In addition, the IAL mechanism was proven by confirming the expansion process of micrometer-sized air pockets trapped between the deep groove of the silicon master pattern and the PDMS coating film by using optical microscopy images. We successfully obtained complex three-dimensional structural patterns containing both 3D hollow spherical concave and ring-shaped two-dimensional convex patterns. This simple, fast, and effective high-curvature patterning technique is expected to provide innovative solutions for future applications such as nanoelectronics, optical devices, displays, and photovoltaics.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of dapagliflozin on body composition such as total body fat (BF) mass, abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) areas compared with glimepiride in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes., Materials and Methods: This was a 52-week, multicentre, randomized, parallel-group, open-label, Phase IV (NCT02564926) study. Patients with inadequate glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin ≥7.0% and <10.0%) on metformin monotherapy (≥1000 mg/day) were randomized 1:1 to receive dapagliflozin 10 mg/day or glimepiride 1-2 mg/day for 12 months as an add-on to metformin. Baseline and end of study body composition evaluations included dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal computed tomography scans., Results: Of 124 enrolled patients from 14 centres, 121 received study treatment (dapagliflozin: 60; glimepiride: 61) and 106 (85.5%) completed the study. Over 52 weeks, the dapagliflozin group showed the following differences versus the glimepiride group: -2.59 kg BF mass, -1.94% BF%, -17.55 cm 2 VAT area, -18.39 cm 2 SAT area, -0.46% glycated haemoglobin, -18.25 mg/dl fasting blood glucose, -3.7 kg weight, -2.21 cm waist circumference, -1.37 kg/m 2 body mass index, -6.81 mmHg systolic blood pressure and +657.71 ng/ml in adiponectin; all were statistically significant. Both groups had similar incidences of adverse events; however, hypoglycaemic events were mainly (12 of 15) reported in the glimepiride group., Conclusion: Dapagliflozin reduced total BF mass, abdominal VAT and SAT areas, and showed better glycaemic control than glimepiride. Being safe and well-tolerated, dapagliflozin appears to be a more favourable alternative to sulphonylureas as add-on therapy after metformin monotherapy failure in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes., (© 2023 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In efforts to minimize environmental pollution and carbon-based gas emissions, photocatalytic hydrogen production and sensing applications at ambient temperature are important. This research reports on the development of new 0D/1D materials based on TiO 2 nanoparticles grown onto CdS hetersturctured nanorods via two-stage facile synthesis. The titanate nanoparticles when loaded onto CdS surfaces at an optimized concentration (20 mM), exhibited superior photocatalytic hydrogen production (21.4 mmol/h/g cat ). The optimized nanohybrid was recycled for 6 cycles up to 4 h, indicating its excellent stabity for a prolonged period. Also, the photoelectrochemical water oxidation in alkaline medium was investigated to offer the optimized CRT-2 composite with 1.91 mA/cm 2 @0.8 V vs. RHE (0 V vs. Ag/AgCl) that was used for effective room-temperature NO 2 gas detection exhibiting a higher response (69.16%) to NO 2 (100 ppm) at room temperature at the lowest detection limit of ∼118 ppb than the pristine counterparts. Further, NO 2 gas sensing performance of CRT-2 sensor was increased using UV light (365 nm) activation energy. Under the UV light, the sensor exhibited a remarkable gas sensing response quick response/recovery times (68/74), excellent long-term cycling stability, and significant selectivity to NO 2 gas. Due to high porosity and surface area values of CdS (5.3), TiO 2 (35.5), and CRT-2 (71.5 m 2 /g), excellent photocatalytic H 2 production and gas sensing of CRT-2 is ascribed to morphology, synergistic effect, improved charge generation, and separation. Overall, 1D/0D CdS@TiO 2 is proved to be an efficient material for hydrogen production and gas detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since facile routes to fabricate freestanding oxide membranes were previously established, tremendous efforts have been made to further improve their crystallinity, and fascinating physical properties have been also reported in heterointegrated freestanding membranes. Here, we demonstrate our synthetic recipe to manufacture highly crystalline perovskite SrRuO 3 freestanding membranes using new infinite-layer perovskite SrCuO 2 sacrificial layers. To accomplish this, SrRuO 3 /SrCuO 2 bilayer thin films are epitaxially grown on SrTiO 3 (001) substrates, and the topmost SrRuO 3 layer is chemically exfoliated by etching the SrCuO 2 template layer. The as-exfoliated SrRuO 3 membranes are mechanically transferred to various nonoxide substrates for the subsequent BaTiO 3 film growth. Finally, freestanding heteroepitaxial junctions of ferroelectric BaTiO 3 and metallic SrRuO 3 are realized, exhibiting robust ferroelectricity. Intriguingly, the enhancement of piezoelectric responses is identified in freestanding BaTiO 3 /SrRuO 3 heterojunctions with mixed ferroelectric domain states. Our approaches will offer more opportunities to develop heteroepitaxial freestanding oxide membranes with high crystallinity and enhanced functionality.

Flexible see-through displays are considered to be the next generation smart display, providing improved information flow, safety, situational awareness, and overall user experience in smart windows, automotive displays, glass-form biomedical displays, and augmented reality systems. 2D titanium carbides (MXenes) are promising material as electrodes of the transparent and flexible displays due to their high transparency, metallic conductivity, and flexibility. However, current MXene-based devices have insufficient air stability and lack engineering schemes to develop matrix-addressable display forms with sufficient pixels to display information. Here, we develop an ultraflexible and environmentally stable MXene-based organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display by combining high performance MXene electrodes, flexible OLEDs, and ultrathin and functional encapsulation systems. The MXene material was synthesized and used to fabricate a highly reliable MXene-based OLED that can stably operate in air condition for over 2000 h, endure repetitive bending deformation of 1.5 mm radius, and maintain environmental stability for 6 h when exposed to wet surroundings. The RGB MXene-based OLEDs were fabricated, (1691 cd m -2 at 40.4 mA cm -2 for red, 1377 cd m -2 at 4.26 mA cm -2 for green, and 1475 cd m -2 at 18.6 mA cm -2 for blue) and a matrix-addressable transparent OLED display was demonstrated that could display letters and shapes.

Boosting dielectric permittivity representing electrical polarizability of dielectric materials has been considered a keystone for achieving scientific breakthroughs as well as technological advances in various multifunctional devices. Here, we demonstrate sizable enhancements of low-frequency dielectric responses in oxygen-deficient oxide ceramics through specific treatments under humid environments. Ultrahigh dielectric permittivity (~5.2 × 10 6 at 1 Hz) is achieved by hydrogenation, when Ni-substituted BaTiO 3 ceramics are exposed to high humidity. Intriguingly, thermal annealing can restore the dielectric on-state (exhibiting huge polarizability in the treated ceramics) to the initial dielectric off-state (displaying low polarizability of ~10 3 in the pristine ceramics after sintering). The conversion between these two dielectric states via the ambient environment-mediated treatments and the successive application of external stimuli allows us to realize reversible control of dielectric relaxation characteristics in oxide ceramics. Conceptually, our findings are of practical interest for applications to highly efficient dielectric-based humidity sensors.

Spiegelmers are enantiomers of natural D-oligonucleotides that bind to targets with distinct structures such as aptamers. The high susceptibility of natural D-form aptamers to nucleases greatly hinders their application in biological environments. Here, a nonbiodegradable spiegelmer-based platform for the sensitive detection of bisphenol A (BPA) was developed. Due to the symmetric molecule of BPA, the D-form aptamer can be directly converted into mirror forms via chemical synthesis. Aptamer-target interactions that involve chemically synthesized spiegelmers were characterized by biolayer interferometry, and their stabilities were tested in various biological fluids by exposure to nucleases. We demonstrate for the first time the use of a nuclease-resistant spiegelmer in a simple, label-free gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric assay to detect BPA in a highly sensitive and selective manner. The aptasensor exhibits an LOD of 0.057 ng/mL and dynamic range of 10 5 (100 pg/mL to 10 mg/mL). With sensing capacity and biological stability, the developed aptasensor shows great potential to utilize in in-field applications such as water quality monitoring.

Backgruound: Shift work is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, this association in the normal-weight population remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether shift work is associated with normal-weight obesity (NWO)., Methods: From the nationally representative Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) dataset (2008 to 2011), 3,800 full-time workers aged ≥19 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≤25 kg/m2 were analysed. We defined NWO as BMI ≤25 kg/m2 and body fat percentage ≥25% in men and ≥37% in women. Working patterns were classified into "daytime," "other than daytime," and "shift." Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between shift work and NWO., Results: Shift work was associated with higher odds of NWO than daytime work (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 2.09) and night/evening work (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.11 to 3.14) after adjustment for type of work, working hours, age, sex, BMI, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and other sociodemographic factors. In subgroup analyses, the association between shift work and NWO was more robust in those aged ≥60 years and those working ≥56 hours/week., Conclusion: Shift work was associated with NWO in community-dwelling Korean adults, independent of age, sex, BMI, and other covariates.

Interaction between dipoles often emerges intriguing physical phenomena, such as exchange bias in the magnetic heterostructures and magnetoelectric effect in multiferroics, which lead to advances in multifunctional heterostructures. However, the defect-dipole tends to be considered the undesired to deteriorate the electronic functionality. Here, deterministic switching between the ferroelectric and the pinched states by exploiting a new substrate of cubic perovskite, BaZrO 3 is reported, which boosts the square-tensile-strain to BaTiO 3 and promotes four-variants in-plane spontaneous polarization with oxygen vacancy creation. First-principles calculations propose a complex of an oxygen vacancy and two Ti 3+ ions coins a charge-neutral defect-dipole. Cooperative control of the defect-dipole and the spontaneous polarization reveals ternary in-plane polar states characterized by biased/pinched hysteresis loops. Furthermore, it is experimentally demonstrated that three electrically controlled polar-ordering states lead to switchable and nonvolatile dielectric states for application of nondestructive electro-dielectric memory. This discovery opens a new route to develop functional materials via manipulating defect-dipoles and offers a novel platform to advance heteroepitaxy beyond the prevalent perovskite substrates., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

We herein report a facile molten-salt synthetic strategy to prepare transparent and uniform Li, Ba-doped (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNN) single-crystal microcuboids (∼80 μm). By controlling the degree of supersaturation, different growth modes were found and the single-crystal microcuboids were synthesized via island-like oriented attachment of KNN particles onto the growing surface. The distinct relaxor ferroelectric (RFE) properties were achieved in the single-crystal microcuboids, which were different from the normal ferroelectric (FE) properties found in their KNN ceramic counterparts prepared through a solid-state reaction using the same initial precursors. The RFE properties were realized by dislocation-induced nanodomain formation during oriented attachment growth of single-crystal microcuboids, which is different from the current strategies to derive the nanodomains by the local compositional inhomogeneity or the application of an electric field. The dislocations served as nucleation sites for ferroelectric domain walls and block the growth of domains. The KNN single-crystal microcuboids exhibited a higher effective piezoelectric coefficient (∼459 pm/V) compared to that of the bulk KNN ceramic counterpart (∼90 pm/V) and showed the broad diffuse maxima in the temperature dependence dielectric permittivity. The high maximum polarization (69.6 μC/cm 2 ) at a relatively low electric field (30 kV/cm) was beneficial for energy storage applications. Furthermore, the KNN-based transparent, flexible pressure sensor directly monitored the mechanical motion of human activity without any external electric power. This study provides insights and synthetic strategies of single-crystal RFE microcuboids for other different perovskites, in which nanodomain structures are primarily imposed by their chemical composition.

The plasma atherogenic index (AIP) has been suggested as a useful independent predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in high CV risk patients. We investigated the association between AIP and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in healthy adults. A total of 3468 healthy subjects without any metabolic or CV diseases were enrolled. Anthropometric and CV risk factors were measured. The AIP was defined as the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of the concentration of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Subjects were classified into AIP quartiles. There were gradual deteriorations in metabolic parameters and increase in baPWV across the increasing AIP quartiles. In a fully adjusted analysis, compared with Q1 (lowest quartile) group, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for increased baPWV was higher in Q2 1.51, Q3 1.64, and Q4 (highest quartile) 2.77 among men, and Q2 1.09, Q3 1.55, and Q4 1.83 among women (all P trend  <0 .05). There was a strong association between AIP and baPWV, and a higher AIP was an independent predictor of increased arterial stiffness in healthy Korean men and women. The AIP may be a simple screening tool for subclinical atherosclerosis.

The need for miniaturized and high-performance devices has attracted enormous attention to the development of quantum silicon nanowires. However, the preparation of abundant quantities of silicon nanowires with the effective quantum-confined dimension remains challenging. Here, we prepare highly dense and vertically aligned sub-5 nm silicon nanowires with length/diameter aspect ratios greater than 10,000 by developing a catalyst-free chemical vapor etching process. We observe an unusual lattice reduction of up to 20% within ultra-narrow silicon nanowires and good oxidation stability in air compared to conventional silicon. Moreover, the material exhibits a direct optical bandgap of 4.16 eV and quasi-particle bandgap of 4.75 eV with the large exciton binding energy of 0.59 eV, indicating the significant phonon and electronic confinement. The results may provide an opportunity to investigate the chemistry and physics of highly confined silicon quantum nanostructures and may explore their potential uses in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and energy systems., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Inelastic light scattering spectra of organic-inorganic halide perovskite MAPbCl 3 single crystals were investigated by using Brillouin spectroscopy. Sound velocities and acoustic absorption coefficients of longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes propagating along the cubic [100] direction were determined in a wide temperature range. The sound velocities exhibited softening upon cooling in the cubic phase, which was accompanied by the increasing acoustic damping. The obtained relaxation time showed a critical slowing-down behavior, revealing the order-disorder nature of the phase transition, which is consistent with the growth of strong central peaks upon cooling toward the phase transition point. The temperature dependences of the two elastic constants C 11 and C 44 were obtained in the cubic phase for the first time. The comparison of C 11 and C 44 with those of other halide perovskites showed that C 11 of MAPbCl 3 is larger and C 44 is slightly smaller compared to the values of MAPbBr 3 and MAPbI 3 . It suggests that MAPbCl 3 has a more compact structure (smaller lattice constant) along with stronger binding forces, causing larger C 11 and bulk modulus in this compound, and that the shear rigidity is exceedingly small similar to other halide perovskites. The reported elastic constants in this study may serve as a testbed for theoretical and calculational approaches for MAPbCl 3 .

In order to recover the damaged structure of a nitrogen-implanted TiO 2 (N-I-TiO 2 ) photoanode, hybrid microwave annealing (HMA) is proposed as an alternative postannealing process instead of conventional thermal annealing (CTA). Compared to CTA, HMA provides distinctive advantages: (i) facile transformation of the interstitial N-N states into substitutional N-Ti states, (ii) better preservation of the ion-implanted nitrogen in TiO 2 , and (iii) effective alleviation of lattice strain and reconstruction of the broken bonds. As a result, the HMA-activated photoanode improves the photocurrent density by a factor of ∼3.2 from 0.29 to 0.93 mA cm -2 at 1.23 V RHE and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) from ∼2.9% to ∼10.5% at 430 nm relative to those of the as-prepared N-I-TiO 2 photoanode in photoelectrochemical water oxidation, which are much better than those of the CTA-activated photoanode (0.58 mA cm -2 at 1.23 V RHE and IPCE of 5.7% at 430 nm), especially in the visible light region (≥420 nm).

A smart city is an urban area that collects data from various devices to effectively manage urban resources. The smart city IoT infrastructure connects numerous devices to an Internet-protocol-based low-power wireless network, shares massive amounts of data, and facilitates the development of new services. Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT), a lightweight exchange protocol for the IoT environment, uses a publish and subscribe structure via a centralized broker to share data. The extent of edge computing provides distributed and closer resources to the data source while maintaining low transmission costs. However, a centralized MQTT data broker is unsuitable for distributed edge resources and could result in high latency, traffic, and bottleneck risk. Therefore, we proposed a distributed MQTT broker optimized architecture. A distributed MQTT broker for edge resources could reduce network traffic and data delivery latency by only managing consumed topics in the network. We formulate an integer non-linear program to optimize container placement and avoid wasting edge computing resources. We compared our proposed architecture to the existing distributed MQTT middleware architecture with greedy and random container placement through extensive simulation. Our methods show better performance in lowering deployment failure ratio, power consumption, network usage, and synchronization overhead.

Hyperglycemia is among the main risk factors for severe COVID-19. We evaluated the association of glycated albumin (GA) and GA/HbA1c ratio with progression of COVID-19 from mild to severe disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our retrospective study included 129 patients aged over 18 years with COVID-19 and T2DM who did not have any need of oxygen supplement. Of these, 59 patients whose COVID-19 was aggravated and required oxygen supplementation eventually were classified as having severe disease. Clinical and laboratory data were compared between mild and severe cases. The median of GA (18.4% vs. 20.95%, p = 0.0013) and GA/HbA1c (2.55 vs. 2.68, p = 0.0145) were higher in severe disease than in mild disease and positively correlated with C-reactive protein (Kendal Tau coefficient 0.200 and 0.126, respectively; all p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that GA (odds ratio (OR), 1.151; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.024−1.294) and GA/HbA1c (OR, 8.330; 95% CI, 1.786−38.842) increased the risk of severe disease. Patients with GA 20% or higher were 4.03 times more likely to progress from mild to severe disease. GA and GA/HbA1c ratio predicted progression of COVID-19 from mild to severe disease in patients with T2DM.

We report an artificial eardrum using an acoustic sensor based on two-dimensional MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x ), which mimics the function of a human eardrum for realizing voice detection and recognition. Using MXene with a large interlayer distance and micropyramid polydimethylsiloxane arrays can enable a two-stage amplification of pressure and acoustic sensing. The MXene artificial eardrum shows an extremely high sensitivity of 62 kPa -1 and a very low detection limit of 0.1 Pa. Notably, benefiting from the ultrasensitive MXene eardrum, the machine-learning algorithm for real-time voice classification can be realized with high accuracy. The 280 voice signals are successfully classified for seven categories, and a high accuracy of 96.4 and 95% can be achieved by the training dataset and the test dataset, respectively. The current results indicate that the MXene artificial intelligent eardrum shows great potential for applications in wearable acoustical health care devices.

Background: Several experimental studies have suggested beneficial effects of Ceriporia lacerata on glucose metabolism. However, there has been no human study assessing the effects of C. lacerata on glucose metabolism. Therefore, we investigated whether C. lacerata improves glucose control and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes patients., Methods: Ninety patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) for more than 6 months were enrolled. Subjects were randomly divided into placebo ( n = 45) or C. lacerata ( n = 45) groups and then assigned to take placebo or C. lacerata capsules (500 mg/capsule) for a 12-week intervention period. Biochemical markers, including fasting glucose, 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose, and lipid profile levels, as well as insulin, c-peptide, and Hba1c, were measured. Furthermore, insulin sensitivity indices, such as HOMA-IR, HOMA-beta, and QUICKI, were assessed before and after the 12-week administration., Results: Eighty-four patients completed the study. There were no significant differences in fasting, postprandial glucose, HbA1c, or lipid parameters. HOMA-IR and QUICKI indices were improved at week 12 in the C. lacerata group, especially in subjects with HOMA-IR of 1.8 or more ( p < 0.05). Fasting, postprandial c-peptide, and insulin levels decreased at week 12 in the C. lacerata group ( p < 0.05). These significant differences were not observed in the placebo group., Conclusion: Twelve-week administration of C. lacerata in T2DM patients resulted in significant improvement in insulin resistance, especially in those with lower insulin sensitivity. A larger population study with a longer follow-up period and an effort to elucidate the mechanism is warranted to further assess the effects of C. lacerata on T2DM patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Arim Choi et al.)

Purpose: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic metabolic diseases. This study investigated the effect of the antioxidant-rich dietary intervention on oxidative stress, metabolic parameters, and arterial stiffness in elderly Koreans with metabolic syndrome (MetS)., Materials and Methods: Thirty-one subjects with MetS were enrolled and randomly divided into dietary intervention group and control group. Subjects in the intervention group received three meal boxes prepared with antioxidant-rich ingredients every day for 4 weeks, and subjects in the control group maintained their usual diets. Anthropometric and various biochemical parameters related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and MetS were assessed. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and fat measurement using computed tomography were also conducted before and after 4 weeks., Results: There were significant differences in waist circumference, visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio, lipid peroxidation, oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipid parameters, advanced glycation end products, and baPWV between before and after the study in the experimental group (all p <0.05). Significant inter-group differences were observed between the experimental and control group in terms of the differences in body mass index, waist circumference, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, protein carboxylation, lipid peroxidation, oxLDL, blood pressure, lipid parameters, and baPWV between before and after the study (all p <0.05)., Conclusion: Antioxidant-rich dietary intervention for a 4-week period ameliorated the state of oxidative stress and improved the components of MetS including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and arterial stiffness in elderly Koreans with MetS., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2022.)

Beyond the general purpose of noble gas ion sputtering, which is to achieve functional defect engineering of two-dimensional (2D) materials, we herein report another positive effect of low-energy (100 eV) He + ion irradiation: converting n-type MoS 2 to p-type by electron capture through the migration of the topmost S atoms. The electron capture ability via He + ion irradiation is valid for supported bilayer MoS 2 ; however, it is limited at supported monolayer MoS 2 because the charges on the underlying substrates transfer into the monolayer under the current condition for He + ion irradiation. Our technique provides a stable and universal method for converting n-type 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) into p-type semiconductors in a controlled fashion using low-energy He + ion irradiation., (© 2021. The Author(s).)