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The aim of this paper is to study degenerate Bernoulli and degenerate Euler polynomials and numbers and their higher-order analogues. We express the degenerate Euler polynomials in terms of the degenerate Bernoulli polynomials and vice versa. We prove the distribution formulas for degenerate Bernoulli and degenerate Euler polynomials. We obtain some identities among the higher-order degenerate Bernoulli and higher-order degenerate Euler polynomials. We express the higher-order degenerate Bernoulli polynomials in [Formula: see text] as a linear combination of the degenerate Euler polynomials in [Formula: see text]. We get certain identities involving the degenerate [Formula: see text]-Stirling numbers of the second and the binomial coefficients.

Assume that is Y a random variable whose moment generating function exists in a neighbourhood of the origin. The aim of this paper is to study probabilistic poly-Bernoulli numbers associated with Y, as probabilistic extensions of poly-Bernoulli numbers. We derive explicit expressions, some related identities and a symmetric relation for those numbers. We also investigate explicit expressions for the modified probabilisitc Bernoulli numbers associated with Y, which are slightly different from probabilisitic Bernoulli numbers associated with Y. As special cases of Y, we treat the Poisson, gamma and Bernoulli random variables.

Assume that [Formula: see text] is a random variable whose moment generating function exists in a neighbourhood of the origin. In this paper, we study the probabilistic degenerate central Bell polynomials associated with [Formula: see text], as probabilistic extension of the degenerate central Bell polynomials. In addition, we investigate the probabilistic degenerate central factorial numbers of the second kind associated with [Formula: see text] and the probabilistic degenerate central Fubini polynomials associated with [Formula: see text]. The aim of this paper is to derive some properties, explicit expressions, certain identities and recurrence relations for those polynomials and numbers.

Recently, many authors have studied degenerate Bernoulli and degenerate Euler polynomials. Let [Formula: see text] be a random variable whose moment generating function exists in a neighbourhood of the origin. The aim of this paper is to introduce and study the probabilistic extension of degenerate Bernoulli and degenerate Euler polynomials, namely the probabilistic degenerate Bernoulli polynomials associated with [Formula: see text] and the probabilistic degenerate Euler polynomials associated with [Formula: see text]. Also, we intoduce the probabilistic degenerate [Formula: see text]-Stirling numbers of the second associated with [Formula: see text] and the probabilistic degenerate two variable Fubini polynomials associated with [Formula: see text]. We obtain some properties, explicit expressions, recurrence relations and certain identities for those polynomials and numbers. As special cases of [Formula: see text], we treat the gamma random variable with parameters [Formula: see text], the Poisson random variable with parameter [Formula: see text], and the Bernoulli random variable with probability of success [Formula: see text].

The aim of this paper is to further study probabilistic versions of the degenerate Stirling polynomials of the second kind, namely the probabilistic degenerate Stirling polynomials of the second kind associated with [Formula: see text], which are also degenerate versions of the probabilistic Stirling polynomials of the second kind investigated earlier. Here [Formula: see text] is a random variable whose moment generating function exists in some neighbourhood of the origin. We derive some properties, explicit expressions and certain identities for those polynomials. In addition, we apply our results to the Bernoulli random variable with probability of success [Formula: see text], the normal random variable with parameters [Formula: see text], and to the uniform random variable on [Formula: see text].

Abstract We consider multipartite quantum state discrimination and provide a specific relation between the properties of entanglement witness and quantum nonlocality inherent in the confidence of measurement. We first provide the definition of the confidence of measurement as well as its useful properties for various types of multipartite measurement. We show that globally-maximum confidence that cannot be achieved by local operations and classical communication strongly depends on the existence of a certain type of entanglement witness. We also provide conditions for an upper bound on maximum of locally-achievable confidence. Finally, we establish a method in terms of entanglement witness to construct quantum state ensembles with nonlocal maximum confidence.

Abstract Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are based on photon-excited surface charge density oscillations confined at metal-dielectric interfaces, which makes them highly sensitive to biological or chemical molecular bindings to functional metallic surfaces. Metal nanostructures further concentrate surface plasmons into a smaller area than the diffraction limit, thus strengthening photon-sample interactions. However, plasmonic sensors based on intensity detection provide limited resolution with long acquisition time owing to their high vulnerability to environmental and instrumental noises. Here, we demonstrate fast and precise detection of noble gas dynamics at single molecular resolution via frequency-comb-referenced plasmonic phase spectroscopy. The photon-sample interaction was enhanced by a factor of 3,852 than the physical sample thickness owing to plasmon resonance and thermophoresis-assisted optical confinement effects. By utilizing a sharp plasmonic phase slope and a high heterodyne information carrier, a small atomic-density modulation was clearly resolved at 5 Hz with a resolution of 0.06 Ar atoms per nano-hole (in 10–11 RIU) in Allan deviation at 0.2 s; a faster motion up to 200 Hz was clearly resolved. This fast and precise sensing technique can enable the in-depth analysis of fast fluid dynamics with the utmost resolution for a better understanding of biomedical, chemical, and physical events and interactions.

Abstract Neoantigens are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy because they are expressed de novo in tumor tissue but not in healthy tissue and are therefore recognized as foreign by the immune system. Advances in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics technologies have enabled the quick identification and prediction of tumor-specific neoantigens; however, only a small fraction of predicted neoantigens are immunogenic. To improve the predictability of immunogenic neoantigens, we developed the in silico neoantigen prediction workflows VACINUSpMHC and VACINUSTCR: VACINUSpMHC incorporates physical binding between peptides and MHCs (pMHCs), and VACINUSTCR integrates T cell reactivity to the pMHC complex through deep learning-based pairing with T cell receptors (TCRs) of putative tumor-reactive CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We then validated our neoantigen prediction workflows both in vitro and in vivo in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in a B16F10 mouse melanoma model. The predictive abilities of VACINUSpMHC and VACINUSTCR were confirmed in a validation cohort of 8 patients with HCC. Of a total of 118 neoantigen candidates predicted by VACINUSpMHC, 48 peptides were ultimately selected using VACINUSTCR. In vitro validation revealed that among the 48 predicted neoantigen candidates, 13 peptides were immunogenic. Assessment of the antitumor efficacy of the candidate neoepitopes using a VACINUSTCR in vivo mouse model suggested that vaccination with the predicted neoepitopes induced neoantigen-specific T cell responses and enabled the trafficking of neoantigen-specific CD8 + T cell clones into the tumor tissue, leading to tumor suppression. This study showed that the prediction of immunogenic neoantigens can be improved by integrating a tumor-reactive TIL TCR-pMHC ternary complex.

Abstract The recent progress in the development of measurement systems for autonomous recognition had a substantial impact on emerging technology in numerous fields, especially robotics and automotive applications. In particular, time-of-flight (TOF) based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems enable to map the surrounding environmental information over long distances and with high accuracy. The combination of advanced LiDAR with an artificial intelligence platform allows enhanced object recognition and classification, which however still suffers from limitations of inaccuracy and misidentification. Recently, multi-spectral LiDAR systems have been employed to increase the object recognition performance by additionally providing material information in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range where the reflection spectrum characteristics are typically very sensitive to material properties. However, previous multi-spectral LiDAR systems utilized band-pass filters or complex dispersive optical systems and even required multiple photodetectors, adding complexity and cost. In this work, we propose a time-division-multiplexing (TDM) based multi-spectral LiDAR system for semantic object inference by the simultaneous acquisition of spatial and spectral information. By utilizing the TDM method, we enable the simultaneous acquisition of spatial and spectral information as well as a TOF based distance map with minimized optical loss using only a single photodetector. Our LiDAR system utilizes nanosecond pulses of five different wavelengths in the SWIR range to acquire sufficient material information in addition to 3D spatial information. To demonstrate the recognition performance, we map the multi-spectral image from a human hand, a mannequin hand, a fabric gloved hand, a nitrile gloved hand, and a printed human hand onto an RGB-color encoded image, which clearly visualizes spectral differences as RGB color depending on the material while having a similar shape. Additionally, the classification performance of the multi-spectral image is demonstrated with a convolution neural network (CNN) model using the full multi-spectral data set. Our work presents a compact novel spectroscopic LiDAR system, which provides increased recognition performance and thus a great potential to improve safety and reliability in autonomous driving.

Assume that the moment-generating function of the random variable $ Y $ exists in a neighborhood of the origin. The aim of this paper is to investigate the probabilistic type 2 Bernoulli polynomials associated with $ Y $ and the probabilistic type 2 Euler polynomials associated with $ Y $, along with the probabilistic type 2 cosine-Bernoulli polynomials associated with $ Y $, the probabilistic type 2 sine-Bernoulli polynomials associated with $ Y $, the probabilistic type 2 cosine-Euler polynomials associated with $ Y $, and the probabilistic type 2 sine-Euler polynomials associated with $ Y $. We deal with their properties, related identities and explicit expressions.

Immune checkpoint inhibition shows promise for cancer treatment, but only a minority of patients respond. Combination strategies have been explored to overcome this resistance. Combining immunogenic clearance using immunogenic cell death inducers with a rho kinase inhibitor enhances phagocytosis of immunogenically dying cancer cells by antigen-presenting cells, stimulating tumor-specific immune responses by activating CD8+ T cells via dendritic cell-mediated priming. This approach increases the responsiveness of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-resistant cancer to ICB. However, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study elucidates cellular mechanisms of immunogenic clearance enhancing ICB response. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we observed an increase in effector memory-like CD8+ T cells within the tumor microenvironment with combined treatment. We propose this cell cluster may originate from proliferating CD8+ T cells elevated by immunogenic clearance. Notably, abundant effector memory-like CD8+ T cells in ICB-responsive patients suggest their antitumor effect. Thus, increasing this cell population through enhanced T cell priming may improve the response of ICB-resistant tumors.

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses unique challenges due to its complex nature and the need for more effective treatments. Recent studies showed encouraging outcomes from combining paclitaxel (PTX) with programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockade in treating TNBC, although the exact mechanisms behind the improved results are unclear.Methods We employed an integrated approach, analyzing spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing data from TNBC patients to understand why the combination of PTX and PD-1 blockade showed better response in TNBC patients. We focused on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a receptor of PTX, and its role in modulating the cross-presentation signaling pathways in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment. Leveraging insights obtained from patient-derived data, we conducted in vitro experiments using immunosuppressive bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs) to validate if PTX could augment the cross-presentation and phagocytosis activities. Subsequently, we extended our study to an in vivo murine model of TNBC to ascertain the effects of PTX on the cross-presentation capabilities of TAMs and its downstream impact on CD8+ T cell-mediated immune responses.Results Data analysis from TNBC patients revealed that the activation of TLR4 and cross-presentation signaling pathways are crucial for the antitumor efficacy of PTX. In vitro studies showed that PTX treatment enhances the cross-presentation ability of iBMDMs. In vivo experiments demonstrated that PTX activates TLR4-dependent cross-presentation in TAMs, improving CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor responses. The efficacy of PTX in promoting antitumor immunity was elicited when combined with PD-1 blockade, suggesting a complementary interaction.Conclusions This study reveals how PTX boosts the effectiveness of PD-1 inhibitors in treating TNBC. We found that PTX activates TLR4 signaling in TAMs. This activation enhances their ability to present antigens, thereby boosting CD8+ T cell antitumor responses. These findings not only shed light on PTX’s immunomodulatory role in TNBC but also underscore the potential of targeting TAMs’ antigen presentation capabilities in immunotherapy approaches.

Abstract Cancer vaccines offer a promising avenue in cancer immunotherapy by inducing systemic, tumor‐specific immune responses. Tumor extracellular vesicles (TEVs) are nanoparticles naturally laden with tumor antigens, making them appealing for vaccine development. However, their inherent malignant properties from the original tumor cells limit their direct therapeutic use. This study introduces a novel approach to repurpose TEVs as potent personalized cancer vaccines. The study shows that inhibition of both YAP and autophagy not only diminishes the malignancy‐associated traits of TEVs but also enhances their immunogenic attributes by enriching their load of tumor antigens and adjuvants. These revamped TEVs, termed attenuated yet immunogenically potentiated TEVs (AI‐TEVs), showcase potential in inhibiting tumor growth, both as a preventive measure and a possible treatment for recurrent cancers. They prompt a tumor‐specific and enduring immune memory. In addition, by showing that AI‐TEVs can counteract cancer growth in a personalized vaccine approach, a potential strategy is presented for developing postoperative cancer immunotherapy that's enduring and tailored to individual patients.

Summary: Background: Disease susceptibility and progression of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) is associated with multiple factors, including low body mass index (BMI). However, the specific impact of low BMI on MAC-PD progression remains poorly understood. This study aims to examine the progression of MAC-PD in the context of low BMI, utilising a disease-resistant mouse model. Methods: We employed a MAC infection-resistant female A/J mouse model to compare the progression of MAC-PD under two dietary conditions: one group was fed a standard protein diet, representing protein-energy unrestricted conditions, and the other was fed a low protein diet (LPD), representing protein-energy restriction. Findings: Our results reveal that protein-energy restriction significantly exacerbates MAC-PD progression by disrupting lipid metabolism. Mice fed an LPD showed elevated fatty acid levels and related gene expressions in lung tissues, similar to findings of increased fatty acids in the serum of patients who exhibited the MAC-PD progression. These mice also exhibited increased CD36 expression and lipid accumulation in macrophages upon MAC infection. In vitro experiments emphasised the crucial role of CD36-mediated palmitic acid uptake in bacterial proliferation. Importantly, in vivo studies demonstrated that administering anti-CD36 antibody to LPD-fed A/J mice reduced macrophage lipid accumulation and impeded bacterial growth, resulting in remarkable slowing disease progression. Interpretation: Our findings indicate that the metabolic status of host immune cells critically influences MAC-PD progression. This study highlights the potential of adequate nutrient intake in preventing MAC-PD progression, suggesting that targeting CD36-mediated pathways might be a host-directed therapeutic strategy to managing MAC infection. Funding: This research was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, and the Korea National Institute of Health.

Abstract Curcuma longa L. extract (CLE) exerts various biological functions including antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anticancer, and antiallergenic effects. However, its immune-enhancing capacity remains unclear. Therefore, the immune-enhancing effect of CLE was investigated in RAW 264.7 cells and cyclophosphamide (CPP)-induced immunosuppression model. CLE upregulated nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species production and increased inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression without affecting the RAW 264.7 cells viability. The results of quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that CLE increased the gene expression and protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β in RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, CLE upregulated p65, I kappa B kinase α/β, and I kappa B α (IκBα) phosphorylation and downregulated IκBα expression in RAW 264.7 cells. CLE also increased p65 translocation from the cytoplasmic to the nucleus in RAW 264.7 cells. The oral administration of CLE increased organ indexes (including the spleen and thymus) and NO production in peritoneal macrophages and improved natural killer cell activity in CPP-induced immunosuppression BALB/c mice. Overall, CLE could be a useful health functional food material that can improve innate immunity via macrophage activation.

Background: Hominis placental (HPP) extract has been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea for treating chronic liver diseases and postmenopausal syndrome. However, its efficacy and safety for treating chronic temporomandibular disorder (TMD) remains unclear. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of HPP for treating chronic TMD compared with physical therapy (PT). Methods: This study is a 2-arm parallel, multi-center, randomized controlled trial. We enrolled 82 chronic TMD patients from 2 Korean medicine hospitals between December 2019 and January 2021. We included patients with chronic TMD and randomly assigned them to undergo HPP or PT. The primary outcome was the difference in the scores for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain at baseline and week 6. The secondary outcomes were the scores for TMJ pain and bothersomeness, TMJ range of motion, the Korean version of Beck's depression index-Ⅱ, jaw functional limitation scale (JFLS) score, patient global impression of change (PGIC) scores, EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level score, and short form-12 health survey (SF-12) scores. Results: Compared with PT, HPP showed significantly superior effects on TMJ pain and bothersomeness, protrusive movement pain, JFLS (verbal, emotional, and global), SF-12, and PGIC scores at week 6 (P < 0.05). Compared with the PT group, the HPP group showed a significantly higher recovery rate (≥50 % reduction in the scores for TMJ pain at the 24-week follow-up). Conclusion: HPP was more effective than PT managing pain and improving function and quality of life. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of HPP for TMD treatment. Trial registration: This study has been registered at clinicalTrials.gov (NCT04087005), Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) (KCT0004437), and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (No. 31886).

Background and purpose: This parallel, single-center, pragmatic, randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of motion style acupuncture treatment (MSAT; a combination of acupuncture and Doin therapy) to reduce pain and improve the functional disability of patients with acute low back pain (aLBP) due to road traffic accidents. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six patients with aLBP admitted to the Haeundae Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine in South Korea due to traffic accidents were treated with integrative Korean medicine (IKM) with additional 3-day MSAT sessions during hospitalization (MSAT group, 48 patients) or without (control group, 48 patients), and followed up for 90 days. Results: The mean numeric rating scale (NRS) scores of low back pain (LBP) of the MSAT and control groups were both 6.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3, 7.1) at baseline. After completing the third round of all applicable treatment sessions (the primary endpoint in this study), the mean NRS scores of the MSAT and control groups were 3.76 (95% CI: 3.54, 3.99) and 5.32 (95% CI: 5.09, 5.55), respectively. The difference in the mean NRS score between the two groups was 1.56 (95% CI: 1.25, 1.87). Conclusion: IKM treatment combined with MSAT can reduce pain and improve the range of motion of patients with aLBP. Trial registration: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT04956458).

Abstract Cell migration interacting with continuously changing microenvironment, is one of the most essential cellular functions, participating in embryonic development, wound repair, immune response, and cancer metastasis. The migration process is finely tuned by integrin‐mediated binding to ligand molecules. Although numerous biochemical pathways orchestrating cell adhesion and motility are identified, how subcellular forces between the cell and extracellular matrix regulate intracellular signaling for cell migration remains unclear. Here, it is showed that a molecular binding force across integrin subunits determines directional migration by regulating tension‐dependent focal contact formation and focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. Molecular binding strength between integrin αvβ3 and fibronectin is precisely manipulated by developing molecular tension probes that control the mechanical tolerance applied to cell‐substrate interfaces. This data reveals that integrin‐mediated molecular binding force reduction suppresses cell spreading and focal adhesion formation, attenuating the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation that regulates the persistence of cell migration. These results further demonstrate that manipulating subcellular binding forces at the molecular level can recapitulate differential cell migration in response to changes of substrate rigidity that determines the physical condition of extracellular microenvironment. Novel insights is provided into the subcellular mechanics behind global mechanical adaptation of the cell to surrounding tissue environments featuring distinct biophysical signatures.

ABSTRACTHarmonic numbers and generalized harmonic numbers have been studied in connection with combinatorial problems, many expressions involving special functions in analytic number theory and analysis of algorithms. We introduce Lerch-harmonic numbers which generalize the harmonic numbers and the generalized harmonic numbers. The aim of this note is to derive some identities expressing certain finite sums as the infinite sums involving the Lerch-harmonic numbers. Then, by taking limits of such identities we obtain the corresponding infinite sums of the finite sums as the infinite sums involving the Lerch transcendents.

Background: In 2016, two consecutive moderate magnitude earthquakes occurred in Ulsan, South Korea. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of earthquakes on the mental health of residents in Ulsan. Methods: We used data from the 2015–2017 Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service National Patient Sample. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis using location-based controls. Changes in the number of antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and zolpidem prescriptions in Ulsan were compared to controls. Overall changes in weekly prescriptions 1 year after the first earthquake, compared to a non-earthquake scenario, were estimated. Results: In antidepressant prescriptions, the increase in trend after an earthquake was significantly higher than controls. However, the changes in benzodiazepines and zolpidem prescribing were not significant. Overall, the impact of the earthquake on weekly antidepressant prescriptions at 1 year was estimated as a 1.32 (95% CI, 1.18–1.56) rate ratio compared to the non-earthquake scenario. This corresponded to an increase of 1,989.7 (95% CI, 1,202.1–3,063.0) in the number of prescriptions. Among subgroups, the increase was highest among males aged 20–39 years. Conclusion: The moderate earthquake in Ulsan was associated with an increase in antidepressant prescriptions. The increase in the male group aged 20–39 was the highest. The impact may vary according to the context of the population.

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the cost utility of pharmacopuncture in comparison with usual care for patients with chronic neck pain. Methods A 12-week, multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted, and 101 patients suffering from chronic neck pain for more than six months were randomly placed into the pharmacopuncture and usual care groups to receive four weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of follow-up observations. The quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was calculated using EQ-5D and SF-6D. Concerning costs in 2019, a primary analysis was performed on societal perspective cost, and an additional analysis was performed on healthcare perspective cost. Results Compared to usual care, pharmacopuncture was superior as it showed a slightly higher QALY and a lower incremental cost of $1,157 from a societal perspective. The probability that pharmacopuncture would be more cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) of $26,374 was 100%. Pharmacopuncture was also superior from a healthcare perspective, with a lower incremental cost of $26. The probability that pharmacopuncture would be more cost-effective at a WTP of $26,374 was 83.7%. Conclusions Overall, pharmacopuncture for chronic neck pain was found to be more cost-effective compared to usual care, implying that clinicians and policy makers should consider new treatment options for neck pain. Trial registration Number NCT04035018 (29/07/2019) Clinicaltrials.gov; Number KCT0004243 (26/08/2019) Clinical Research Information Service.

The aim of this paper is to study the $ \lambda $-Stirling numbers of both kinds, which are $ \lambda $-analogues of Stirling numbers of both kinds. These numbers have nice combinatorial interpretations when $ \lambda $ are positive integers. If $ \lambda = 1 $, then the $ \lambda $-Stirling numbers of both kinds reduce to the Stirling numbers of both kinds. We derive new types of generating functions of the $ \lambda $-Stirling numbers of both kinds which are related to the reciprocals of the generalized rising factorials. Furthermore, some related identities are also derived from those generating functions. In addition, all the corresponding results to the $ \lambda $-Stirling numbers of both kinds are obtained for the $ \lambda $-analogues of $ r $-Stirling numbers of both kinds, which are generalizations of those numbers.

Interfaces between implantable bioelectrodes and tissues provide critical insights into the biological and pathological conditions of targeted organs, aiding diagnosis and treatment. While conventional bioelectronics, made from rigid materials like metals and silicon, have been essential for recording signals and delivering electric stimulation, they face limitations due to the mechanical mismatch between rigid devices and soft tissues. Recently, focus has shifted toward soft conductive materials, such as conductive hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites, known for their tissue-like softness, biocompatibility, and potential for functionalization. This review introduces these materials and provides an overview of recent advances in soft hydrogel nanocomposites for implantable electronics. It covers material strategies for conductive hydrogels, including both intrinsically conductive hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites, and explores key functionalization techniques like biodegradation, bioadhesiveness, injectability, and self-healing. Practical applications of these materials in implantable electronics are also highlighted, showcasing their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Finally, we discuss emerging technologies and future needs for chronically implantable bioelectronics, offering insights into the evolving landscape of this field.

For any positive integer $ r $, the $ r $-truncated (or $ r $-associated) Stirling number of the second kind $ S_{2}^{(r)}(n, k) $ enumerates the number of partitions of the set $ \{1, 2, 3, \dots, n\} $ into $ k $ non-empty disjoint subsets, such that each subset contains at least $ r $ elements. We introduce the degenerate $ r $-truncated Stirling numbers of the second kind and of the first kind. They are degenerate versions of the $ r $-truncated Stirling numbers of the second kind and of the first kind, and reduce to the degenerate Stirling numbers of the second kind and of the first kind for $ r = 1 $. Our aim is to derive recurrence relations for both of those numbers.

The aim of this paper is to introduce several degenerate hyperbolic functions as degenerate versions of the hyperbolic functions, to evaluate Volkenborn and the fermionic $ p $-adic integrals of the degenerate hyperbolic cosine and the degenerate hyperbolic sine functions and to derive from them some identities involving the degenerate Bernoulli numbers, the degenerate Euler numbers and the Cauchy numbers of the first kind.

There are a variety of microorganisms in the animal intestine, and it has been known that they play important roles in the host such as suppression of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, modulation of the gut immunity. In addition, the gut microbiota and the livestock growth performance have long been known to be related. Therefore, we evaluated the interrelation between the growth performance and the gut microbiome of the pigs from 3 different farms, with pigs of varied ages ready to be supplied to the market. When pigs reached average market weight of 118 kg, the average age of pigs in three different farms were < 180 days, about 190 days, and > 200 days, respectively. Fecal samples were collected from pigs of age of 70 days, 100 days, 130 days, and 160 days. The output data of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing by the Illumina Miseq platform was filtered and analyzed using Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME)2, and the statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Analysis of Metagenomic Profiles (STAMP). The results of this study showed that the gut microbial communities shifted as pigs aged along with significant difference in the relative abundance of different phyla and genera in different age groups of pigs from each farm. Even though, there was no statistical differences among groups in terms of Chao1, the number of observed operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and the Shannon index, our results showed higher abundances of Bifidobacterium, Clostridium and Lactobacillus in the feces of pigs with rapid growth rate. These results will help us to elucidate important gut microbiota that can affect the growth performance of pigs.

Abstract In this study, an isotropic etching process of SiO2 selective to Si3N4 using NF3/H2/methanol chemistry was investigated. HF was formed using a NF3/H2 remote plasma, and in order to remove the F radicals, which induces spontaneous etching of Si-base material, methanol was injected outside the plasma discharge region. Through this process, etch products were formed on the surface of SiO2, and then the (NH4)2SiF6 was removed by following heating process. When the H and F radicals were abundant, the highest SiO2 etch per cycle (EPC) was obtained. And, the increase of H2 and methanol percentage in the gas chemistry increased the etch selectivity by decreasing the F radicals. The etch products such as (NH4)2SiF6 were formed on the surfaces of SiO2 and Si3N4 during the reaction step and no noticeable spontaneous etching by formation of SiF4 was observed. By optimized conditions, the etch selectivity of SiO2 over Si3N4 and poly Si higher than 50 and 20, respectively, was obtained while having SiO2 EPC of ~ 13 nm/cycle. It is believed that the cyclic process using NF3/H2 remote plasma and methanol followed by heating can be applied to the selective isotropic SiO2 etching of next generation 3D device fabrication.

Objective To assess the impact of HRQoL in patients hospitalised with COVID-19-related SARI at 1 year post discharge, focusing on the potential impact of age, frailty, and disease severity.Method Routinely collected outcome data on 1207 patients admitted with confirmed COVID-19 related SARI across all three secondary care sites in our NHS trust over 3 months were assessed in this retrospective cohort study. Of those surviving 1 year, we prospectively collected 36-item short form (SF-36) HRQoL questionnaires, comparing three age groups (

Abstract While a wide range of treatments, including medical therapies and surgery, are used to manage endometriosis, the characteristics and treatment status of patients who received these treatments have not been investigated in Korea. This study analyzed the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service—National Patient Sample (HIRA-NPS) data from 2010 to 2019 with 7530 patients diagnosed with endometriosis. Annual trends in the types of visit and surgery, medication prescriptions and associated costs were investigated. The analysis showed that surgery slightly decreased among the types of utilized healthcare services (2010: 16.3, 2019: 12.7), dienogest prescription rapidly increased due to national health insurance coverage from 2013 (2013: 12.1, 2019: 36.0), and the use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues decreased (2010: 33.6, 2019: 16.4). There was no significant change in total and outpatient costs per person over time. Regarding endometriosis treatment, conservative treatment mainly based on prescribed medications has been gradually replacing surgery. Particularly, the listing of dienogest for national health insurance coverage might have affected the trend. However, there were no significant changes in terms of total and medication costs per person.

As offline control photovoltaic (PV) plants are not equipped with online communication and remote control systems, they cannot adjust their power in real-time. Therefore, in a distribution network saturated with offline control PVs, the distribution system operator (DSO) should schedule the distributed energy resources (DERs) considering the uncertainty of renewable energy to prevent curtailment due to overvoltage. This paper presents a day-ahead network operation strategy using a mobile energy storage system (MESS) and offline control PVs to minimize power curtailment. The MESS model efficiently considers the transportation time and power loss of the MESS, and models various operating modes, such as the charging, discharging, idle, and moving modes. The optimization problem is formulated based on mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) considering the spatial and temporal operation constraints of MESSs and is performed using chanced constrained optimal power flow (CC-OPF). The upper limits for offline control PVs are set based on the probabilistic approach, thus mitigating overvoltage due to forecasting errors. The proposed operation strategy was tested in the IEEE 33-node distribution system coupled with a 15-node transportation system. The test results show the effectiveness of the proposed method for minimizing curtailment in offline control PVs.

Objectives Fibromyalgia treatment trends vary globally; however, the trend in South Korea has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to analyse the fibromyalgia treatment trends in South Korea.Design Retrospective, observational study using serial cross-sectional data.Setting The National Patient Samples of the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service from 2011 to 2018 were used.Participants A total of 31 059 patients with fibromyalgia were included in this study. The basic characteristics of the patients were stratified by sex, age and comorbidity. A patient was considered to have a condition if it was recorded as a principal diagnosis at least once in a year.Primary and secondary outcome measures Trends in the types of medical visits and prescribed treatments were investigated and the values are presented as rates per 100 patients. The types of pharmacological treatment were presented according to the existing clinical guidelines. Additionally, combination prescription trends and associated characteristics were investigated.Results Of the patients, 66.2% were female. Visits to internal medicine departments showed the most significant increase (2011: 11.34; 2018: 21.99; p

Many works have been done in recent years as to explorations for degenerate versions of some special polynomials and numbers, which began with the pioneering work of Carlitz on the degenerate Bernoulli and degenerate Euler polynomials. This paper is focused on the study of some properties, recurrence relations and identities related to the degenerate r-Bell polynomials, the two variable degenerate Fubini polynomials and the degenerate r-Stirling numbers of the second kind. Especially, we express the power series $ \sum _{n=0}^{\infty }\sum _{k=0}^{n}(k+r)_{p,\lambda }\frac {x^n}{n!} $ in terms of the degenerate r-Bell polynomials, of the degenerate r-Stirling numbers of the second kind and of the degenerate Fubini polynomials.

The degenerate exponentials are degenerate versions of the ordinary exponential and the truncated degenerate exponentials are obtained from the Taylor expansions of them by truncating the first finitely many terms. The degenerate exponentials play an important role in recent studies on degenerate versions of many special numbers and polynomials, the degenerate gamma function, the degenerate umbral calculus and the degenerate q-umbral calculus. The aim of this note is to consider infinite series whose terms involve truncated degenerate exponentials together with binomial coefficients, the generalized falling factorials and the Stirling numbers of the second kind, and to find either their values or some other expressions of them as finite sums.

We introduce the generalized degenerate Euler–Genocchi polynomials as a degenerate version of the Euler–Genocchi polynomials. In addition, we introduce their higher-order version, namely the generalized degenerate Euler–Genocchi polynomials of order α, as a degenerate version of the generalized Euler–Genocchi polynomials of order α. The aim of this paper is to study certain properties and identities involving those polynomials, the generalized falling factorials, the degenerate Euler polynomials of order α, the degenerate Stirling numbers of the second kind, and the ‘alternating degenerate power sum of integers’.

The paper has two main objectives. Firstly, it explores the properties of hyperbolic cosine and hyperbolic sine functions by using Volkenborn and the fermionic p-adic integrals, respectively. It also investigates interesting identities involving Bernoulli and degenerate Bernoulli numbers from differential equations with their solutions. Secondly, it introduces a random variable whose mass function is given in terms of Euler polynomials and find some expressions for the expectation of the random variable.

It is remarkable that, in recent years, intensive studies have been done for degenerate versions of many special polynomials and numbers and have yielded many interesting results. The aim of this paper is to study the generalized degenerate $ (r,s) $ -Stirling numbers of the second and their natural extensions to polynomials, namely the generalized degenerate $ (r,s) $ -Bell polynomials, arising from certain ‘degenerate boson normal ordering.’ We derive some properties, explicit expressions and generating functions for those numbers and polynomials. The generalized degenerate $ (r,s) $ -Stirling numbers of the second and the degenerate boson normal ordering are respectively degenerate versions of the generalized $ (r,s) $ -Stirling numbers of the second and the boson normal ordering studied earlier by Blasiak-Person-Solomon.

Fat metabolism: protecting against obesity-related metabolic disorders Studying a protein called TGFBI, which regulates adipose expansion, may help the development of new approaches to protect against obesity and related metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes. White adipose tissue (body fat) stores energy, and brown adipose tissue generates heat. Promoting “browning” of adipose tissue may help protect against obesity. Proteins that influence adipose microenvironment can be involved in metabolic diseases, so Seul Gi Lee and Ju-Ock Nam at Kyungpook National University, Taeg Kyu Kwon at Keimyung University, both in Daegu, South Korea, and co-workers investigated how TGFBI affects adipose metabolism in a mouse model. Deleting TGFBI in mice promoted the transformation of white adipose tissue to brown, protecting mice against weight gain and increase in adipose tissue. These results offer insights into potential therapies for obesity and related disorders via TGFBI regulation.