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Contact electrification has been a well-known phenomenon since B.C. 300. However, the origin of triboelectric charge and the charge transfer mechanism are not well understood. To date, the thermionic emission model, Schottky model, flexoelectric model, and intermolecular force model have been proposed for the contact electrification in conductors, semiconductors, and insulators. This article briefly introduces several important research results on the simple-seeming, but baffling, topic of contact electrification.

Background/Introduction Recent evidence has confirmed low bleeding risk with double antithrombotic therapy, combining oral anticoagulant (OAC) and single platelet inhibitor, in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Among the Asian AF population, most of the patients received dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) without OACs, even after the introduction of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs). Purpose The current nationwide study assessed 3-month ischemic and bleeding risks of DAPT in comparison to triple antithrombotic therapy among the Korean AF population undergoing PCI. Methods We analyzed the claims records of 11,039 patients (mean age 70 years, 66.3% male, and mean CHA2DS2-VASc score 3.2) between 2013 to 2018. Patients were categorized into triple therapy group with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs-TT), or NOACs (NOACs-TT), and DAPT group according to the antithrombotic therapy after PCI. 3-month risks of ischemic stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, any in-hospital death, and major bleeding were compared between groups after baseline adjustment using inverse probability weighting. Results A total of 1,786, 1,997, and 7,256 patients were allocated to the VKAs-TT, NOACs-TT, and DAPT groups. The DAPT group had a higher prevalence of prior MI and coronary revascularization, but had lower thromboembolic and bleeding risks than the triple antithrombotic therapy groups (mean CHA2DS2-VASc score 3.8, 4.1, and 3.5; and mean HAS-BLED score 3.3, 3.4, and 3.1 for VKAs-TT, NOACs-TT, and DAPT groups, respectively). The NOACs-TT group was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.70) and any in-hospital death (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49–0.98) compared with the VKAs-TT group. The DAPT group showed a lower risk of ischemic stroke (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.27–0.63) and major bleeding (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37–0.84) than the VKAs-TT group, especially in patients without prior OAC treatment. The DAPT group showed a comparable ischemic risk against the NOACs-TT group, although the risk of major bleeding was lower in the DAPT group, especially among old age (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.29–0.78) or OACs-naive patients (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29–0.86). Conclusion Among the Asian AF population, using short-term DAPT for 3-month after PCI was associated with a lower risk of bleeding without increasing ischemic risk compared to triple antithrombotic therapy with OAC. This may be a therapeutic option in very high bleeding risk patients who have had complex PCI necessitating focus on DAPT in the initial 3 month period. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): This study was supported by grant no 3020200200 from the Seoul National University Hospital Research Fund, by the Korea Medical Device Development Fund grant funded by the Korea government (the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) (Project Number: 202013B14), and by the Korea National Research Foundation funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (grant 2020R1F1A106740). Figure 1Figure 2

Background In a recent study, alcohol abstinence reduced the atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in patients with AF. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and incident stroke in patients with AF per se remains unclear. Purpose To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption status (and its changes) after newly diagnosed AF and the risk of ischaemic stroke. Methods Using the Korean nationwide claims and health examination database, we included subjects who were newly diagnosed with AF between 2010 and 2016. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the status of alcohol consumption before and after AF diagnosis: non-drinkers; abstainers from alcohol after AF diagnosis; and current drinkers. The primary outcome was incident ischaemic stroke during follow-up. Results Among a total of 97,869 newly diagnosed AF patients, 51% were non-drinkers, 13% were abstainers, and 36% were current drinkers. After inverse probability of treatment weighting, baseline characteristics of three groups were well-balanced. Compared to current drinkers, abstainers and non-drinkers were associated with a lower risk of ischaemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77–0.96 for abstainers and HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.70–0.81 for non-drinkers, respectively). Amongst current drinkers, there was a dose-response relationship between the amount of alcohol consumption and the risk of ischaemic stroke. Conclusion Current alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with newly diagnosed AF, and alcohol abstinence after AF diagnosis could reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke. Lifestyle intervention, including attention to alcohol consumption, should be encouraged as a part of a comprehensive approach to AF management to improve clinical outcomes. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background In a recent trial, rivaroxaban monotherapy was noninferior for efficacy and superior for safety to rivaroxaban plus single antiplatelet therapy, as antithrombotic therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there are limited data regarding the comparative effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulant (OAC) monotherapy versus OAC plus single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) in real-world practice, especially after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). Purpose To compare the effectiveness, safety, and net clinical benefit of OAC monotherapy to OAC plus SAPT in patients with AF and stable CAD of 1-year and 3-year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a contemporary real-world observational cohort. Methods Using the Korean nationwide claims database, we included AF patients who underwent PCI from January 1, 2009 to February 28, 2019. Considering dynamic changes of antithrombotic therapy according to the period after receiving PCI, the index antithrombotic treatment was independently defined at the different time after receiving PCI and we conducted two cohort: 1-year and 3-year after PCI. In each cohort, the baseline characteristics of OAC monotherapy and OAC plus SAPT groups were balanced using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) methods. To assess clinical outcomes, ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, and composite clinical outcomes of each outcome were analyzed. Results In cohort with 1-year after PCI, 678 patients with OAC monotherapy and 3159 patients with OAC plus SAPT were included. In cohort with 3-year after PCI, 1038 patients with OAC monotherapy and 2128 patients with OAC plus SAPT were enrolled. The baseline characteristics were well-balanced after IPTW between the two groups in both cohorts. Among total population, about 45% of patients prescribed DOAC as OAC treatment. Among patients with 1-year after PCI, OAC monotherapy and OAC plus SAPT showed comparable results for ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, and composite clinical outcomes (Figure). In cohort with 3-year after PCI, OAC monotherapy and OAC plus SAPT showed comparable results for ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, but OAC monotherapy was associated with a lower risk of the composite clinical outcome (hazard ratio [HR] 0.762, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.607–0.950), mainly driven by reduction of major bleeding risk (HR 0.762, 95% CI 0.607–0.950) compared to OAC plus SAPT (Figure). Conclusion OAC monotherapy might be, at least, comparable choice for patients with AF and stable CAD compared to OAC plus SAPT. In patients with stable CAD more than 3-years after index PCI, OAC monotherapy could be better therapeutic choice to achieve less major bleeding and positive net clinical benefit. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Prurigo pigmentosa (PP) is a recurrent severe pruritic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by the sudden appearance of erythematous papules on the chest, back, or neck.1,2 The treatment options include minocycline, doxycycline, and dapsone.3 However, these treatments have limitations in that they are restricted during pregnancy and patients who cannot take oral medications. We experienced the first dramatic improvement of PP in a pregnant woman after narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy (NB-UVB).4.

BackgroundCharacterizing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is necessary to understand immunogenic interactions, and how several key immune genes were closely associated with the susceptibility of SLE.ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify DEGs of SLE using gene expression-based computational methodologies to analyze disease-immune interactions, which affect the development and progression of SLE.MethodsTwenty-six patients with SLE and 46 healthy controls were selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The significantly enriched immune and virus related gene lists were computed and visualized by using the DEGs from the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Quantification of 38 immune cells were performed in determining the impact of immune cells on the virus mediated immunity in SLE by using ImmQaunt algorithm.ResultsThirty nine upregulated and 57 downregulated were identified in SLE patient compared to the healthy controls. Upregulated genes were significantly implicated in Gene Ontology gene sets as cytokine mediated signaling, secretion, and exocytosis in immune response pathways. In addition, these genes were enriched in hepatitis C, influenza A, measles, Epstein–Barr virus, and herpes simplex virus 1 infection in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Especially, FCGR1A, IRF7, OAS2, CAMP, MX1, OAS3, OAS1, DEFA3, ISG15, and RSAD2 were involved in virus mediated SLE mechanism, and the expression for OAS1, OAS2, and IRF7 was closely associated with the quantities of colony forming unit-monocyte and colony forming unit-granulocyte.ConclusionIdentifying virus mediated SLE genes and quantifies of immune cells were used to understand the pathological process and perform early diagnosis of SLE, and will lead to clinical tools for treating SLEs in patients.References[1]Ghodke-Puranik Y and Niewold TB. Immunogenetics of systemic lupus erythematosus: A comprehensive review. J Autoimmun 2015; 64: 125-136.[2]Teruel M and Alarcón-Riquelme ME. The genetic basis of systemic lupus erythematosus: What are the risk factors and what have we learned. J Autoimmun 2016; 74: 161-175.[3]Lauwerys BR, Hachulla E, Spertini F, et al. Down-regulation of interferon signature in systemic lupus erythematosus patients by active immunization with interferon alpha-kinoid. Arthritis Rheum 2013; 65: 447-456.[4]Frishberg A, Brodt A, Steuerman Y and Gat-Viks I. ImmQuant: a user-friendly tool for inferring immune cell-type composition from gene-expression data. Bioinformatics 2016; 32: 3842-3843.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and atherosclerosis is a cause of cardiac comorbidities in COPD. However, it is not clear whether airflow limitation is associated with atherosclerosis irrespective of smoking.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether airflow limitation is independently associated with vascular stiffness.METHODS: We enrolled 18 893 participants (male 70.5%; mean age 47.5 ± 9.8 years; never smokers 44.2%) who underwent spirometry and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) as part of a standard health examination at Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, South Korea, from January 2010 to December 2015.We defined vascular peripheral atherosclerosis as baPWV ≥ 1400 cm/s and airflow limitation as pre-bronchodilator ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) RESULTS: Mean baPWV was higher in subjects with airflow limitation (1477.6 ± 331.7 cm/sec, n = 638) than in those without airflow limitation (1344.1 ± 231.8 cm/sec, n = 18255, P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following were independent predictors associated with peripheral atherosclerosis (P < 0.05): age, male sex, fasting serum glucose, mean blood pressure, serum leukocyte count, serum low density lipoprotein level and FEV1.CONCLUSION: Airflow limitation was an independent predictor of vascular stiffness irrespective of smoking history, which suggests that airflow limitation is linked with atherosclerosis.

In intracavitary radiotherapy, incorrect source locations can result in excessive doses to normal tissues. Therefore, it is essential to accurately evaluate the source location. In this study, we investigated a digital line dosimeter based on thallium (I) bromide (TlBr) to improve the existing analogue verification method. Therefore, a polycrystalline TlBr unit cell dosimeter was manufactured, and the measurement performance of iridium-192 (Ir-192) sources was evaluated. We found that the dosimeter's reproducibility satisfied the evaluation criteria of 1.5% with a relative standard deviation of 1.44%. Moreover, the linearity showed excellent results (linear coefficient, R 2 = 0.9999). The distance dependence showed a difference of 0.03 cm at 50% intensity when compared to the inverse square value, whereas the angular dependence showed a large difference when compared to a diode. As the angle increased, the intensity gradually decreased, resulting in a difference of up to 41.9%. These results demonstrate the excellent performance of the TlBr dosimeter. However, because of the significant influence of angular dependence, a measurement distance that minimises this error should be applied when manufacturing line dosimeters in the future.

The development of high throughput genotyping techniques has facilitated the identification of selection signatures of pigs. The detection of genomic selection signals in a population subjected to differential selection pressures may provide insights into the genes associated with economically and biologically important traits. To identify genomic regions under selection, we genotyped 488 Duroc (D) pigs and 155 D × Korean native pigs (DKNPs) using the Porcine SNP70K BeadChip. By applying the FST and extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH-Rsb) methods, we detected genes under directional selection associated with growth/stature (DOCK7, PLCB4, HS2ST1, FBP2 and TG), carcass and meat quality (TG, COL14A1, FBXO5, NR3C1, SNX7, ARHGAP26 and DPYD), number of teats (LOC100153159 and LRRC1), pigmentation (MME) and ear morphology (SOX5), which are all mostly near or at fixation. These results could be a basis for investigating the underlying mutations associated with observed phenotypic variation. Validation using genome-wide association analysis would also facilitate the inclusion of some of these markers in genetic evaluation programs.

Background Although the prescription of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) has been rapidly increasing in Asian countries since their introduction, limited evidence exists on the effectiveness and safety of warfarin and all 4 available NOACs from current clinical practice in the Asian population. We aimed to evaluate comparative effectiveness and safety of warfarin and all 4 available NOACs Methods We studied a retrospective observational cohort of oral anticoagulant (OAC) naïve non-valvular AF patients treated with warfarin or NOACs (rivaroxaban, dabigatran, apixaban, or edoxaban) from January 2015 to December 2017, based on the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. For the comparisons, warfarin to 4 NOACs and NOAC to NOAC comparison cohorts were balanced using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), major bleeding (MB) and a composite clinical outcome were evaluated. Results A total of 116,804 patients were included (25,420 with warfarin, 35,965 with rivaroxaban, 17,745 with dabigatran, 22,177 with apixaban, and 15,496 with edoxaban). Patients treated with warfarin were younger (mean age 67 years) compared to NOAC users (71 to 73 years) and had lower mean CHA2DS2-VASc score (3.18) than the NOAC groups (3.58 to 3.76). Among the NOAC users, patients prescribed apixaban were older (mean age 73 years) than other NOAC groups (71 to 72 years), had higher mean CHA2DS2-VASc score (3.76) than others (3.55 to 3.63) and higher burden of comorbidities. More than half of patients were prescribed reduced dose regimes. After IPTW, all baseline covariates were well balanced across 5 treatment groups. Compared with warfarin, all NOACs were associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke, ICH, GIB, MB and composite outcome (Figure A). Apixaban and edoxaban showed a lower rate of ischemic stroke compared with rivaroxaban and dabigatran (Figure B). Apixaban, dabigatran and edoxaban had a lower rate of GIB and MB compared with rivaroxaban. The composite clinical outcome was non-significantly different for apixaban vs edoxaban. Conclusions In this large contemporary observational Asian cohort, all 4 NOACs were associated with lower rates of ischemic stroke and major bleeding compared to warfarin. Differences in clinical outcomes between NOACs may give useful guidance for physicians to choose drugs to fit their particular patient clinical profile.

Immediate breast reconstruction is safe from an oncological perspective, but the relatively high rate of postoperative complications raises oncological concerns. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential influence of postoperative complications after immediate breast reconstruction on breast cancer recurrence and survival.Patients with breast cancer who had total mastectomy and immediate reconstruction between 2008 and 2013 were followed for at least 5 years. The impact of postoperative complications on oncological outcomes was assessed using multivariable Cox regression analyses.In total, 438 patients with a median follow-up of 82 months were analysed. Five-year local recurrence-free, disease-free and overall survival rates were 95·4, 93·1 and 98·4 per cent respectively. Postoperative complications developed in the operated breast in 120 patients (27·4 per cent) and at other sites (flap donor) in 30 patients (6·8 per cent). Development of breast complications was associated with significantly increased rate of recurrence compared with no complications (16·7 versus 5·9 per cent; P = 0·002). In multivariable analysis, patients with breast complications had significantly worse disease-free survival than those with no complications (hazard ratio (HR) 2·25; P = 0·015). This remained significant in patients who received adjuvant therapy without delay (8 weeks or less after surgery) (HR 2·45; P = 0·034).Development of postoperative complications in the breast can have a negative impact on survival and recurrence after immediate reconstruction.La reconstrucción mamaria inmediata es una técnica segura desde el punto de vista oncológico, pero con una tasa relativamente alta de complicaciones postoperatorias, lo que preocupa por si puede afectar a los resultados. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la influencia potencial de las complicaciones postoperatorias tras la reconstrucción mamaria inmediata en la recidiva y la supervivencia del cáncer de mama. MÉTODOS: Se hizo un seguimiento de al menos 5 años de las pacientes a las que se realizó una mastectomía total por cáncer de mama y una reconstrucción mamaria inmediata entre 2008 y 2013. Se evaluó el impacto de las complicaciones postoperatorias en los resultados oncológicos mediante un análisis multivariables de regresión de Cox.Se analizaron 438 pacientes con una mediana de seguimiento de 82 meses. La supervivencia libre de recidiva local a 5 años, la supervivencia libre de enfermedad y la supervivencia global fueron del 95,4%, 93,1% y 98,4%, respectivamente. Hubo complicaciones postoperatorias en la mama en 120 (31,8%) pacientes y en otros lugares (zona donante de colgajo) en 30 (6,8%). La presentación de complicaciones mamarias se asoció con una tasa de recidiva significativamente mayor en comparación con el grupo de pacientes sin complicaciones (16,7% versus 5,9%, P 0,01). En el análisis multivariable, las pacientes con complicaciones mamarias mostraron una supervivencia libre de enfermedad significativamente menor que aquellas que no padecieron complicaciones (cociente de riesgos instantáneos, hazard ratio, HR 2,25; P = 0,02). También fue significativo el porcentaje de pacientes que recibieron tratamiento adyuvantes sin demora (≤ 8 semanas después de la operación) (HR 2,45; P = 0,03). CONCLUSIÓN: El desarrollo de complicaciones postoperatorias en la mama puede impactar negativamente en la supervivencia y en la recidiva después de la reconstrucción inmediata.

We estimate the fractal dimension of the ρ Ophiuchus Molecular Cloud Complex, associated with star forming regions. We selected a cube (v, l, b) database, obtained with J = 1−0 transition lines of 12 CO and 13 CO at a resolution of 22′′ using a multibeam receiver system on the 14-m telescope of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory. Using a code developed within IRAF, we identified slice-clouds with two threshold temperatures to estimate the fractal dimension. With threshold temperatures of 2.25 K (3σ) and 3.75 K (5σ), the fractal dimension of the target cloud is estimated to be D = 1.52–1.54, where P ∝ A D/2 , which is larger than previous results. We suggest that the sampling rate (spatial resolution) of observed data must be an important parameter when estimating the fractal dimension, and that narrower or wider dispersion around an arbitrary fit line and the intercepts at NP = 100 should be checked whether they relate to rms noise level or characteristic structure of the target cloud. This issue could be investigated by analysing several high resolution databases with different quality (low or moderate sensitivity).

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors effectively treat sarcoidosis, but can, paradoxically, induce sarcoidosis. The TNF-α inhibitor etanercept is most commonly associated with paradoxical sarcoidosis, which has previously been reported to be resolved by adalimumab. However, we describe the case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and adalimumab-induced sarcoidosis not aggravated by switching to etanercept, thus indicating that etanercept could be a treatment option for patients who develop paradoxical sarcoid-like reactions after treatment with other TNF-α inhibitors.

Supplemental material for Systemic lupus erythematosus is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: a nationwide, population-based study in Korea by S Y Lim, E H Bae, K-D Han, J-H Jung, H S Choi, HY Kim, C S Kim, S K Ma and S W Kim in Lupus

We investigated the electrocaloric (EC) effects in epitaxial Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 (BSTO) thin films grown on LaAlO3 and MgO substrates and in BSTO sol-gel thin films grown on Si substrates. We compared the EC effects in two forms of BSTO to confirm whether the giant EC effect recently observed in the polycrystalline thin film is an intrinsic effect or an extrinsic effect exclusively occurring in polycrystalline thin films with nano-sized grains. The EC effect in our BSTO single crystals exhibited a moderate EC temperature change over a broad temperature range. On the other hand, the EC effect in the BSTO sol-gel film was observed over a narrow temperature range with a giant ΔT of about 14 °C. We claim that this giant EC effect is due to the increased saturation field related to the small grain size in the sol-gel thin film.

The design of a suitable controller that handles robot-human interaction is one of the critical tasks in rehabilitation robotics. For this purpose, an accurate model of the robot is required. The Universal Haptic Pantograph (UHP) is a novel upper limb rehabilitation robot that can be configured to perform arm or wrist exercises. This work is focused on the latter, solving the kinematic model by the use of the closure loop equations, while Lagrangian formulation is used to estimate the interaction force. In order to prove the effectiveness of the model, several experimental tests are carried out. Results demonstrate that the mean motion error is less than 1 mm, and the estimated force error less than \(10\%\).

10nm 2nd generation BEOL technology is described with an optimized illumination system and multi-patterning lithography. While the optimized illumination system offered a possibility to pattern reduced metal pitches in the preferred orientation, difficulties of T-T and T-S patterning still remained. It was overcome by increasing the number of available multi-patterning colors from 2 to 4. First-ever implementation of LELELELE with tight inter-color misalignment control increased scalability up to 17.1% and was demonstrated with SRAM 128Mb yield.

Multiferroic systems fashioned by involvement of a ferroelectric phase and a ferromagnetic phase have received significant attention because of their wide possibilities for tailoring properties. However, many interrogations persist about how the structure and chemistry of interface mediates magnetodielectric activities. In this study, we have explored the magnetic, dielectric and magnetodielectric behavior of BaTiO3/Fe3O4 core/shell nanocomposite synthesized by combined co-precipitation cum sonochemical method. The phase formation of the core/shell naonocomposite was confirmed independently from X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction studies. The microstructure of the sample was studied by transmission electron microscopy and High resolution TEM revealing a good mixing of two phases in the form of core (BaTiO3)/shell (Fe3O4). Magnetic property of the sample was investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. The magnetic study reveals that the synthesized core/shell nanocompositeis ferromagnetic with saturation magnetization of ~58 emu/g. The dielectric constant of the core/shell nanocomposite, measured as a function of temperature, at frequencies 1, 10, 100, 500 and 1 MHz combines almost the characteristics of BaTiO3 and Fe3O4 in accordance with the Maxwell–Garnett equation. However, near 125 K a clear hump is observed probably due to characteristic Verwey transition (TV) in Fe3O4. The dielectric constant also shows dispersion behavior with increasing frequency due to Maxwell–Wagner interfacial polarization. Furthermore, the shrinkagein dielectric constant (at 20 K) on the application of 1 T external magnetic field depicts the possible coupling between the dielectric (BaTiO3) and the magnetic (Fe3O4) phases of BaTiO3/Fe3O4 core/shell nanocomposite.

We have investigated the effect of oxygen vacancy on the structural and electrical properties of NaNbO3 sub-micron cubes. Through the Rietveld analysis and Raman scattering, we have confirmed that both NaNbO3 and oxygen deficient NaNbO3−δ have Pmc21 symmetry, which has no space-inversion. The oxygen vacancy seems to induce the change from the ferroelectricity of NaNbO3 to the piezoelectricity of NaNbO3−δ and the increase of electric conduction. This work may provide the plausible way to realize sub-micron-size lead-free piezoelectric semiconductors with perovskite structure, which should be quite useful for piezoelectric energy harvesting, switchable diode, and photovoltaic applications.

This study was carried out to investigate the influence of pH on the Berkshire’s pork longissimus dorsi muscle, by comparing physicochemical characteristics in a high pH group (5.92 ± 0.02) and a low pH group (5.55 ± 0.03) on the basis of muscle pH24 h post-mortem. Fifteen pigs were assigned to each group (n = 15). The low pH group showed higher filter-paper fluid uptake, cooking loss and National Pork Producers Council marbling scores but did not significantly differ from the high pH group (P > 0.05). The low pH group also showed higher Commission International de l’Eclairage L* and b*, drip loss, and shearing forces were significantly different from the high pH group. However, Commission International de l’Eclairage meat colour value (a*) and National Pork Producers Council colour were higher in the high pH group. The content of glutamic acid, threonine, and serine amino acids associated with a good flavour was higher in the high pH group. Also, amino acids associated with a bitter or poor flavour, such as valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, and histidine, was higher in the high pH group as well. The taste of umami was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the high pH group. Levels of the nucleotide compounds hypoxanthine and inosine tended to be higher (P < 0.05) in the high pH group, whereas adenosine diphosphate levels were increased in the low pH group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that pH of pork could be a good indicator of pork quality and related to factors influencing pork eating quality. As pH of pork is not only positively associated with physical traits of pork but also closely related to chemical traits of which higher free amino acids and nucleotides enhance pork quality.

We present a multi-dimensional reduction method of the surveyed cube database obtained using a single-dish radio telescope in Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory (TRAO). The multibeam receiver system installed at the 14 m telescope in TRAO was not optimized at the initial stage, though it became more stabilized in the following season. We conducted a Galactic Plane survey using the multibeam receiver system. We show that the noise level of the first part of the survey was higher than expected, and a special reduction process seemed to be definitely required. Along with a brief review of classical methods, a multi-dimensional method of reduction is introduced; It is found that the ‘background’ task within IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility) can be applied to all three directions of the cube database. Various statistics of reduction results is tested using several IRAF tasks. The rms value of raw survey data is 0.241 K, and after primitive baseline subtraction and elimination of bad channel sections, the rms value turned out to be 0.210 K. After the one-dimensional reduction using ‘background’ task, the rms value is estimated to be 0.176 K. The average rms of the final reduced image is 0.137 K. Thus, the image quality is found to be improved about 43% using the new reduction method.

The Hebei Spirit oil spill (HSOS) on December 7, 2007 was the worst oil spill recorded in Korea, with the release of approximately 10,900 tons of crude oil and 375 km of coastline polluted along the west coast of Korea. Cleanup operation was conducted by official and contract responders as well as volunteers for massive oil containment and removal of heavy accumulations of stranded oil. Together with the oil cleanup, a long-term environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the HSOS was initiated based on the Marine Environmental Management Act, which covers oil contamination in a multimedia environment, toxic effects on organisms, and ecosystem injury. This review summarizes the long-term monitoring results of HSOS EIA focused on (1) pollution status of seawater, sediment, and bivalves, (2) ecotoxicological effects, and (3) ecosystem recovery. Overall, concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment indicated that their concentrations were well down to at or near background or pre-spill contamination levels at most sites after 1 year. The potential toxic effects of residual oils in sediments have decreased to background levels in most coastal areas of Taean. The entire ecosystem in the most affected area of the Taean coasts appear to be considerably, but not fully, recovered at present, namely after 8 years of the HSOS. The presence of lingering oil and elevated contamination levels at several sites still require continuous long-term monitoring.

We have reported a new blue-emitting cerium (Ce3+)-doped sodium strontium pentaborate (Na3SrB5O10) microstructures via a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction route. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the phosphors crystallized in triclinic structure. Significantly, well-shaped morphology in micrometer dimension phosphors was identified by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The phosphors displayed a single broad blue emission centered at around 370 nm because of the Ce3+ 5d–4f transition under the excitation wavelength of 232 nm. In the region of room temperature to 350 °C, the thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves consist of only one sharp peak located at about 200.31 °C. The optimum concentration of Ce3+ for TL and PL intensity was found to be 1 at.% in host. These results suggest that the newly proposed Na3SrB5O10:Ce3+ phosphor with the suitable TL emission (Tm ~ 200 °C) in micrometer dimension might potentially be used for thermoluminescence dosimetric applications.

The planar dipole reader antenna using a dual polarization, which consists of two dipole radiating patches and Wilkinson power divider, is presented. The electric cross dipole is added to generate a symmetric radiation pattern and to compensate the high back radiation due to the shortened patches. From experimental results, the measured impedance bandwidth of the antenna (defined by −10 dB return loss) is 30 MHz (907 MHz–954 MHz, Korea standard = 917 MHz–923.5 MHz). Simulated isolation between the two input ports is over 35 dB. The measured gain of the proposed antenna is stable with frequency. The average gain is about 6.3 dBi.

The crystal structure, microstructural evolution, and ferroelectric and magnetic properties of BiFeO 3 (BFO) ceramic materials, widely known as room temperature multiferroic materials, were investigated with various contents of Ba(Cu 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 (BCN). The ceramics were synthesized through the solid state reaction and pressureless sintering in air. By adding tetragonal structured BCN phase to the rhombohedral structured BFO phase, a solid solution was formed. The rhombohedral crystal structure and lattice parameter, densification behavior, and microstructure of BFO were noticeably changed upon the addition of BCB. The electrical properties of BFO were slightly enhanced by the addition of BCN. However, the magnetic properties of BFO which is the most critical issue in BFO multiferroics were drastically changed and the 20 mol% BCN added BFO ceramics showed extremely enhanced magnetization characteristics compared to the other BFO–BCN ceramics. It is expected that BFO–BCN ceramics with this composition could be one of the most promising multiferroic materials for future multiferroic applications.

A total of 150 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average BW of 7.22 ± 0.80 kg (21 d of age) were used in a 28-d trial to determine the effects of dietary fructan and mannan oligosaccharides on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, and diarrhea score in weanling pigs. Pigs were allotted randomly to 1 of 5 dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC), basal diet; 2) positive control (PC), NC + 0.01% apramycin (165 mg/kg); 3) NC + 0.1% fructan (FC); 4) NC + 0.1% mannan oligosaccharide source (MO); and 5) NC + 0.05% fructan + 0.05% mannan oligosaccharide source (FM). There were 3 replications per treatment with 10 pigs per pen (5 barrows and 5 gilts). From d 0 to 14, ADG and ADFI of pigs fed the PC, MO, and FM diets were greater (P 0.05) in ADG, ADFI, and G:F. During the overall period (d 0 to 28), pigs fed the MO diet had a greater ADG than pigs fed the NC diet (P < 0.05). Pigs fed the PC and MO diets increased ADFI (P < 0.05) compared with pigs fed the NC diet. However, no differences were detected among dietary treatments in G:F during the overall experimental period. On d 14, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM and N in pigs fed the PC, MO, and FM diets was greater (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the NC diet. The ATTD of DM increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the MO and FM diets compared with pigs fed the FC diet. However, at the end of the experiment, pigs fed the FM diet had a greater (P < 0.05) ATTD of DM compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Additionally, there were no differences in IgG, red blood cells, white blood cells, and lymphocyte counts among dietary treatments on d 0, 14, or 28. The diarrhea score in pigs fed the MO diet was reduced (P < 0.05) compared with pigs fed the NC diet. In conclusion, mannan oligosaccharides have a beneficial effect on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in weanling pigs. Furthermore, mannan oligosaccharides can decrease diarrhea score in weanling pigs.

A test circuit for modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based voltage-sourced converter valves in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system is dealt with. The proposed scheme has an ability to provide a submodule current having DC component as well as AC component to represent real operating condition of HVDC transmission system. There is no need of extra power supply to provide the DC current component because the scheme has inherent circulating DC current between rectifier and inverter valves. Therefore, only one small power rated DC power supply is necessary. Experiments are carried out to show the validity of the proposed test circuit.