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Abstract Photoporation techniques based on plasmonic nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles have been extensively studied for the intracellular delivery of substances via cell membrane disruption. However, the clinical application of AuNP is challenging due to its absorption in the 500 nm region of the light spectrum. To overcome this challenge, upconversion nanoparticles were employed to stimulate AuNP at NIR wavelengths. posAuNP@UCNPs nanocomposites were produced by coating 30 nm UCNPs on 80 nm AuNPs using DOPA-PEI, which were then irradiated with 980 nm NIR light to facilitate their intracellular delivery. TEM and DLS confirmed that posAuNP and UCNP combine to form nanocomposites. Additionally, multiphysics simulation was used to analyze the distribution of the posAuNP electric field based on morphological differences that change as the UCNP ratio increases. Next, effective LED irradiation conditions were established by applying upconverting-photon quenching-mediated perforation influx to C28/I2 cells as suspensions or spheroids. posAuNP@UCNP nanocomposites were confirmed to be effective for the delivery of baricitinib as a treatment for osteoarthritis in a three-dimensional osteoarthritis model. Finally, chondrocyte differentiation was induced through intracellular delivery of baricitinib using posAuNP@UCNPs. The findings suggest that posAuNP@UCNPs have great potential as a tool for non-invasive drug delivery via UCPPin. Graphical Abstract

In this study, the effect of atmospheric hydrogen plasma treatment on the in-plane conductivity of solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) in various environments is reported. The hydrogen-plasma-treated and untreated ZnO films exhibited ohmic behavior with room-temperature in-plane conductivity in a vacuum. When the untreated ZnO film was exposed to a dry oxygen environment, the conductivity rapidly decreased, and an oscillating current was observed. In certain cases, the thin film reversibly ‘switched’ between the high- and low-conductivity states. In contrast, the conductivity of the hydrogen-plasma-treated ZnO film remained nearly constant under different ambient conditions. We infer that hydrogen acts as a shallow donor, increasing the carrier concentration and generating oxygen vacancies by eliminating the surface contamination layer. Hence, atmospheric hydrogen plasma treatment could play a crucial role in stabilizing the conductivity of ZnO films.

In this study, we applied iron (-oxide) incorporated carbide nanofiber composites as heterogeneous catalysts with wide visible-light absorption ability, catalytic reactivity, and catalytic stability for the highly efficient decomposition performance. Notably, water vapor activated iron (-oxide) incorporated carbide nanofiber catalyst (Act-Fe-CNF) showed high crystalline Fe3O4 phase, saturation magnetization point (17.76 emu/g), and large surface area (508.2 m2/g). In water vapor activation, Fe3C particles inside carbide nanofiber oxidized and aggregated to larger Fe3O4 particles, thereby forming a meso/macroporous structure and improving surface area offering more available active sites for catalytic reactivity. Under both UV-/real solar-light irradiation, it was demonstrated that the Act-Fe-CNF catalysts exhibited unprecedentedly excellent removal capabilities (>98%, [k] = 4.06 h−1) for rhodamine B, leading to complete water purification. Interestingly, the AF-CNFs catalysts also showed strong antimicrobial activities against gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under incandescent-light irradiation. These results indicated that the Act-Fe-CNF catalysts might have utility in important environmental and bio-medical applications.

Recent studies have shown that expanded graphite (EG) is a suitable substrate for combining iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). However, the low density and insignificant hydrophobicity of pristine EG hinder its applicability in wastewater treatment systems. Herein, iron oxide (IO)-combined EG nanocomposites (IO/EGs) were prepared using an underwater plasma discharge process, which is a fast and simple method for synthesizing composites. The IO/EGs produced by this method are complex combinations of the FeOOH and γ–Fe2O3 phases, whose compositions vary as the IO precursor content changes between 20 and 60 wt.%. Compared with pristine EG, the IO/EGs with varying IO precursor contents (IOx/EGs) exhibited approximately six times higher surface areas (>100 m2/g), nearly double zeta potential values (>39 mV), and excellent heavy-metal removal efficiencies. The excellent heavy-metal removal efficiencies (>80% within 10 min, [k] = 2.30 h−1, qe;≥ 125 mg/g) of IO20/EGs are attributed to their high specific surface areas (117.5 m2/g), relatively positive surface potentials (41.76 mV), and abundant reactive active sites (hydroxyl group). Overall, this study demonstrates that the simple and fast combined IOx/EGs are suitable adsorbents for removing heavy metals from polluted solutions.

Abstract Tumor-associated lymphatic vessels (LV) serve as a route of cancer dissemination through the prometastatic crosstalk between lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) lining the LVs and cancer cells. Compared to blood endothelial cell-derived angiocrine factors, however, LEC-secreted factors in the tumor microenvironment and their roles in tumor metastasis are poorly understood. Here, we report that ELK3 expressed in LECs contributes to the dissemination of cancer cells during tumor growth by providing oncogenic miRNAs to tumor cells through exosomes. We found that conditioned medium from ELK3-suppressed LECs (LCM) lost its ability to promote the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells such as MDA-MB-231, Hs578T and BT20 in vitro. Suppression of ELK3 in LECs diminished the ability of LECs to promote tumor growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 in vivo. Exosomes derived from LECs significantly increased the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 in vitro, but ELK3 suppression significantly diminished the pro-oncogenic activity of exosomes from LECs. Based on the miRNA expression profiles of LECs and functional analysis, we identified miR-503-3p, miR-4269 and miR-30e-3p as downstream targets of ELK3 in LECs, which cause the above phenotype of cancer cells. These findings strongly suggest that ELK3 expressed in LECs is a major regulator that controls the communication between the tumor microenvironment and tumors to support cancer metastasis.

We report a simple detection of protein kinase activity using Zn(II)-mediated fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) between quantum dots (QDs) and dye-tethered peptides. With neither complex chemical ligands nor surface modification of QDs, Zn(II) was the only metal ion that enabled the phosphorylated peptides to be strongly attached on the carboxyl groups of the QD surface via metal coordination, thus leading to a significant FRET efficiency. As a result, protein kinase activity in intermixed solution was efficiently detected by QD-FRET via Zn(II) coordination, especially when the peptide substrate was combined with affinity-based purification. We also found that mono- and di-phosphorylation in the peptide substrate could be discriminated by the Zn(II)-mediated QD-FRET. Our approach is expected to find applications for studying physiological function and signal transduction with respect to protein kinase activity.

The present paper covers the numerical prediction of the propagation and run-up of a solitary wave over non-flat seabed with various slope angles using a refined MPS (moving particle simulation) method. In the refined method, the corrected gradient model, new staggered divergence-free model, moving-particle wall boundary treatment, and the sub-particle scale turbulence model are applied to obtain more stable and precise results. The simulation results by the developed method are compared with experimental results, and both results were in good agreement. Especially, it can be seen that the complicated and fully-nonlinear behavior of the free-surface motion during the turbulent processes of build-up, break-down, and overturning of the waves are well reproduced by the developed method.

Purpose: To compare the fit of 3D-printed titanium (Ti) and cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) abutments with implants to computer numerical control (CNC)-milled, ready-made abutment-implant assemblies. Their clinical applicability was also evaluated by measuring removal torque values (RTVs) and percentage torque loss of abutment screws. Materials and Methods: A total of 138 abutments were included in the study: 92 abutments were fabricated with Ti and Co-Cr alloys using computerassisted design (CAD) through selective laser melting, and 46 ready-made abutments were prepared. The fit of interfaces between 90 abutments from the three groups (30 ready-made, 30 3D-printed Ti, and 30 3D-printed Co-Cr abutments) and implant assemblies was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). After 30-Ncm torque tightening of Ti abutment screws twice within 10 minutes, the RTVs and percentage torque loss of screws of 48 abutments (16 ready-made, 16 3D-printed Ti, and 16 3D-printed Co-Cr) were evaluated after 10 minutes of thermocycling and cyclic loading. Results: The fits of 3D-printed Co-Cr abutments were not statistically different from those of ready-made abutments (P = .383), while the fit of 3D-printed Ti abutments was inadequate (P < .001). The RTVs of 3D-printed abutments after cyclic loading were significantly decreased compared with those of CNC-milled abutments (P < .001). Conclusion: The fit of interfaces between 3D-printed Co-Cr abutments and implants was adequate. The RTVs of 3D-printed Co-Cr abutments were not significantly different from those of CNC-milled abutments after 10 minutes of 30-Ncm torque tightening and thermocycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The pathophysiological mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has not been clearly identified, and effective treatment methods have not yet been established. Scopolamine causes cholinergic dysfunction in the brain, including the accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques, thereby increasing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, mimicking AD. Glial cells such as astrocytes have recently been identified as possible biomarkers for AD. Photobiomodulation (PBM) elicits a beneficial biological response in cells and tissues. PBM effects on the central nervous system (CNS) have been widely researched, including effects on astrocyte activity. Methods: In the present study, PBM was performed using light at the nearinfrared wavelength of 825 nm. The Morris water maze and Y-maze tests were employed to evaluate cognitive function decline in a scopolamineinduced memory dysfunction model and its improvement with PBM. In addition, alteration of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and immunofluorescence expression levels of active astrocytes were observed in the hippocampus, which is one of the areas affected by AD, to evaluate the mechanism of action of PBM. Results: A reduction in the neuronal cell death in the hippocampus caused by scopolamine was observed with PBM. Moreover, alteration of a MAPK pathwayrelated marker and changes in glial fibrillary acidic protein (an active astrocyte marker) expression were observed in the PBM-treated group. Finally, significant correlations between functional and histological results were found, validating the results. Discussion: These findings indicate the possibility of behavioral and histological improvement due to PBM in scopolamine-induced CNS alteration, which mimics AD. This improvement could be related to neuroinflammatory modulation and altered astrocyte activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) is one of the most important orphan crops worldwide. Various research efforts have been done to improve cultivation methods to enhance important agronomic traits such as productivity and biotic/abiotic resistance. One important aspect is the seed trait, which has not been extensively studied due to the time-consuming and tedious nature of its examination. Despite this, understanding seed traits is crucial for meeting consumer needs and optimizing crop yields. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate the inheritance of common buckwheat seed traits--such as shape, size, and coat color--using an image-based approach. This method allows for the analysis of a large number of seeds with a level of accuracy and precision that was previously unattainable. The results indicate that seed coat color is inherited maternally. Notably, the parameters in size had substantial increases acting like overdominance. The number of seeds that were harvested from F1s of each cross differed a lot depending on the cross combinations and pin/thrum type. In addition, seed size had large reduction in F1s from the different seed-sized parents, especially in thrum type. These may show that there could be cross barriers. The results revealed trends of maternal inheritance for seed shape and coat color in buckwheat, an area that has not been extensively studied. These findings could support buckwheat breeding efforts, helping to address market needs and food demands in the face of significant climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plant disease recognition has witnessed a significant improvement with deep learning in recent years, a common observation is that current deep learning methods with decent performance tend to suffer in real-world applications. We argue that this illusion essentially comes from the fact that current plant disease recognition datasets cater to deep learning methods and are far from real scenarios. Mitigating this illusion fundamentally requires an interdisciplinary perspective from both plant disease and deep learning, and a core question arises. What are the characteristics of a desired dataset? This paper aims to provide a perspective on this question. First, we present a taxonomy to describe potential plant disease datasets, which provides a bridge between the two research fields. We then give several directions for making future datasets, such as creating challenge-oriented datasets. We believe that our paper will contribute to creating datasets that can help achieve the ultimate objective of deploying deep learning in real-world plant disease recognition applications. To facilitate the community, our project is publicly available at https://github.com/xml94/PPDRD with the information of relevant public datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) is an extremely rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by movement disorders and acanthocytosis. Orofacial dyskinesia is a distinct symptom of this disorder that can lead to lip injuries and feeding difficulties. This paper reports the first case of a patient with ChAc presenting with a lip defect, who was managed with surgical and adjuvant onabotulinumtoxinA (BTX-A) therapy. A 43-year-old woman diagnosed with ChAc was referred to our clinic because of a 5× 5 mm lip defect resulting from orofacial dyskinesia. Wedge resection of the scar tissue was carried out, followed by reconstruction by suturing. Postoperatively, BTX-A injections were administered to ameliorate dyskinesia. Thirty units of BTX-A were injected into each masseter muscle, and 40 units were injected into the orbicularis oris muscle. At 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the injections, assessments were performed using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, and the patient's impression of change was assessed using the Global Rating of Change Scale. Subsequent adjuvant BTX-A treatment yielded subjective and objective improvements in orofacial dyskinesia. In conclusion, lip reconstruction and adjuvant BTX-A injections were effective in treating lip defects associated with orofacial dyskinesia in patients with ChAc, which highlights the need for a multimodal treatment approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims In Korea, changes in the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) after the Rome IV update have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence and psychosocial risk factors of IBS according to Rome III and Rome IV criteria in medical and nursing students. Methods From August 13, 2021 to October 22, 2021, participants were enrolled and surveyed online. The survey includes general and specific questions for disease diagnosis and regarding participants’ social and psychological characteristics using the 36-item short form survey, the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean version, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results In total, 338 medical students and 102 nursing students completed the survey. IBS was diagnosed in 78 students (17.7%) using Rome III criteria and in 51 students (11.6%) using Rome IV criteria. Significant differences in physical functioning score and severity score were observed between patients diagnosed using Rome IV criteria and patients diagnosed using Rome III criteria. Multiple logistic regression revealed that severity score (adjusted odds ratio = 1.01; 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.21; P = 0.022) is the only predictor of IBS that differentiates Rome IV criteria from Rome III criteria. Conclusions Even after updating the Rome IV diagnostic criteria, the prevalence of IBS in medical and nursing students in Korea remained high. Patients who met the Rome IV criteria had more severe symptoms and lower quality of life than patients who met the Rome III criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and assess the feasibility and effectiveness of digital therapeutics for supportive care after gastrectomy. Materials and Method: The study included 39 patients with gastric cancer who underwent minimally invasive gastrectomy and were able to use a mobile application (app) on their smartphones. The developed research app automatically calculates and provides daily targets for calorie and protein intake based on the patient’s body mass index (BMI). Patients recorded their daily diets, weights, and symptoms in the app and completed special questionnaires to assess the feasibility of the app in real-world clinical practice. Results: At the 10-week follow-up, the mean questionnaire scores for ease of learning, usability, and effectiveness of the app (primary endpoint) were 2.32±0.41, 2.35±0.43, and 2.4±0.39 (range: 0–3), respectively. Patients were classified as underweight (<18.5, n=4), normal (18.5–24.9, n=24), or overweight (≥25.0, n=11) according to predischarge BMI. Underweight patients showed higher compliance with app usage and a higher rate of achieving the target calorie and protein intake than normal weight and overweight patients (98% vs. 77% vs. 81%, p=0.0313; 102% vs. 75% vs. 61%, P=0.0111; 106% vs. 79% vs. 64%, P=0.0429). Two patients transitioned from underweight to normal weight (50.0%), one patient (4.3%) transitioned from normal weight to underweight, and two patients (22.2%) transitioned from overweight to normal weight. Conclusions: The mobile app is feasible and useful for postoperative supportive care in terms of ease of learning, usability, and effectiveness. Digital therapeutics may be an effective way to provide supportive care for postgastrectomy patients, particularly in terms of nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is characterized by its favorable prognosis and potential for active surveillance (AS) as a management option. However, the presence of cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis, especially lateral LN metastasis, significantly impacts management and prognosis. Previous studies have focused on post-surgery risk factors for cervical LN metastasis. This study aims to identify predictors of lateral LN metastasis by analyzing pre)operative ultrasonographic findings alongside clinicopathological factors. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for patients with PTMC who underwent surgery at Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital between 2004 and 2013. This is a case–control study that compares patients with lateral LN metastasis (N1b) to age- and sex-matched patients without LN metastasis (N0). Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors of skip metastasis. Results: The study included 90 patients with PTMC with lateral LN metastasis (N1b) and 268 age- and sex-matched patients without LN metastasis (N0). The mean age was 49.3 years, and female patients were dominant in both groups. Structural recurrences of 4.4% (4/90) were observed only in the N1b group. The N1b group exhibited a higher frequency of upper lobe tumor location compared to the N0 group (38.9% vs. 16.0%, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the locations with the presence of invasion to adjacent organs. A higher proportion of non-parallel shape was observed in the N1b group than the N0 group (80.0% vs. 66.0%, p = 0.013). There were no differences in echogenicity, sonographic feature, margin, and AP diameter of the thyroid gland between the two groups. In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for lateral LN metastasis included extrathyroidal extension, multiplicity, upper lobe tumor location, and non-parallel shape. Skip metastasis in patients with PTMC was associated with upper lobe tumor location. Conclusion: Detailed ultrasound examinations, evaluating tumor location, number, orientation, and the presence of ETE, are crucial in accurately predicting lateral LN metastasis especially when primary tumor was in the upper lobe to avoid missing skip metastasis. These evaluations can help guide the decision between AS and immediate surgery in patients with PTMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]