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Abstract Four commercial glass compositions were investigated to understand their mechanisms of alteration in light of the current and future regulations on food contact materials. Lead crystal (fine glassware), soda-lime (food and cosmetic containers), borosilicate (cookware) and barium glass (tableware) powders and slabs were altered for 3 years, in acetic acid (4% vol) at pH = 2.4 and 70 °C. The leaching solution was analyzed by ICP-AES while glass slabs were investigated by ToF-SIMS and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. As a result, in acidic medium, the polymerization of the silicate network as well as the glass composition impacted the alteration rates and depleted depths of alkalis and earth-alkalis elements. Yet the rate of hydrolysis measured from the release of Si, remained similar under identical alteration conditions, whatever the glass structure and composition. For lead crystal glass, repolymerization of the silicate network was observed in the course of alteration.

Abstract Previous studies have examined the prevalence of allergic diseases in adolescents 1–2 years after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, more data is needed to understand the long-term impact of COVID-19 on allergic diseases. Thus, we aimed to examine the trend of the atopic dermatitis prevalence in Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic across 14 years. Additionally, we analyze the risk factors of atopic dermatitis (AD) based on the results. The Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency conducted the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2009 to 2022, from which the data for this study were obtained. Prevalence trends were compared across subgroups, and the β difference (βdiff) was calculated. We computed odds ratios to examine changes in the disease prevalence before and during the pandemic. This study included a total of 917,461 participants from 2009 to 2022. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis increased from 6.79% (95% CI 6.66–6.91) in 2009–2011 to 6.89% (95% CI 6.72–7.05) in 2018–2019, then decreased slightly to 5.82% (95% CI 5.60–6.04) in 2022. Across the 14 years, middle school student status, low parent’s highest education level, low household income, non-alcohol consumption, non-smoker smoking status, no suicidal thoughts, and no suicide attempts were associated with increased risk of atopic dermatitis, while female sex, rural residence, high BMI, low school performance, low household income, and no feelings of sadness and despair was associated with a small increase. This study examined the prevalence of atopic dermatitis across an 18-year, and found that the prevalence increased in the pre-pandemic then decreased during the start of the pandemic and remained constant throughout the pandemic. This trend could be explained mainly by the large scale social and political changes that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Mechanical stress can directly activate chemical reactions by reducing the reaction energy barrier. A possible mechanism of such mechanochemical activation is structural deformation of the reactant species. However, the effect of deformation on the reaction energetics is unclear, especially, for shear stress-driven reactions. Here, we investigated shear stress-driven oligomerization reactions of cyclohexene on silica using a combination of reactive molecular dynamics simulations and ball-on-flat tribometer experiments. Both simulations and experiments captured an exponential increase in reaction yield with shear stress. Elemental analysis of ball-on-flat reaction products revealed the presence of oxygen in the polymers, a trend corroborated by the simulations, highlighting the critical role of surface oxygen atoms in oligomerization reactions. Structural analysis of the reacting molecules in simulations indicated the reactants were deformed just before a reaction occurred. Quantitative evidence of shear-induced deformation was established by comparing bond lengths in cyclohexene molecules in equilibrium and prior to reactions. Nudged elastic band calculations showed that the deformation had a small effect on the transition state energy but notably increased the reactant state energy, ultimately leading to a reduction in the energy barrier. Finally, a quantitative relationship was developed between molecular deformation and energy barrier reduction by mechanical stress.

Abstract In plant cells, cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs) are nanoscale machines that synthesize and extrude crystalline cellulose microfibrils (CMFs) into the apoplast where CMFs are assembled with other matrix polymers into specific structures. We report the tissue-specific directionality of CSC movements of the xylem and interfascicular fiber walls of Arabidopsis stems, inferred from the polarity of CMFs determined using vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy. CMFs in xylems are deposited in an unidirectionally biased pattern with their alignment axes tilted about 25° off the stem axis, while interfascicular fibers are bidirectional and highly aligned along the longitudinal axis of the stem. These structures are compatible with the design of fiber-reinforced composites for tubular conduit and support pillar, respectively, suggesting that during cell development, CSC movement is regulated to produce wall structures optimized for cell-specific functions.

Doping and substitution methods are predominantly employed in the synthesis of ceramics to achieve their desired functional properties. We studied the behavior of excessive dopants in addition to an existing stoichiometric composition using a high-throughput continuous compositional spread sputtering method. We paid attention to the possible formation of thermodynamically unstable phases by the addition of an excessive amount of dopants. We showed that even when dopants were added as an additive, they dissolved into the existing lattice due to the benefit of the entropy of mixing. Regardless of excessiveness, all added elements incorporated into the lattice, stabilized by the tolerance factor. We also demonstrated our findings exemplarily with lead iron niobate to induce magnetic properties alongside inherent ferroelectricity (MS = 10 emu/cm3, PS = 16 μC/cm2). We compare the results from CCS with those from the non-additive solid-state method, leading to a conclusion that the benefit from the entropy of mixing allows foreign elements to substitute for the elements initially residing in the lattice to a degree in compliance with the Goldschmidt tolerance factor. This observation was confirmed by a density functional theory calculation. We anticipate that our study could necessitate intensive research on achieving desired composition through industry-friendly processing.

The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent PD affects the ability to walk, respond to balance perturbations in a single training session, and produce acute short-term effects to improve compensatory reactions and control of unperturbed walking stability. Understanding the mechanism of compensation and neuroplasticity to unexpected step perturbation training during walking and static stance can inform treatment of PD by helping to design effective training regimens that remediate fall risk. Current rehabilitation therapies are inadequate at reducing falls in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). While pharmacologic and surgical treatments have proved largely ineffective in treating postural instability and gait dysfunction in people with PD, studies have demonstrated that therapy specifically focusing on posture, gait, and balance may significantly improve these factors and reduce falls. The primary goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a novel and promising intervention therapy (protective step training – i.e., PST) to improve balance and reduce falls in people with PD. A secondary goal was to understand the effects of PST on proactive and reactive feedback responses during stance and gait tasks. Multiple-baseline, repeated measures analyses were performed on the multitude of proactive and reactive performance measures to assess the effects of PST on gait and postural stability parameters. In general, the results indicate that participants with PD were able to use experiences with perturbation training to integrate and adapt feedforward and feedback behaviors to reduce falls. The ability of the participants with PD to adapt to changes in task demands suggests that individuals with PD could benefit from the protective step training to facilitate balance control during rehabilitation.

In this study, we developed a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-based field-effect transistor (MWCNT-FET) sensor with high sensitivity and selectivity for microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Carboxylated MWCNTs were activated with an MC-LR-targeting aptamer (MCTA). Subsequently the bioactivated MWCNTs were immobilized between interdigitated drain (D) and source (S) electrodes through self-assembly. The top-gated MWCNT-FET sensor was configured by dropping the sample solution onto the D and S electrodes and immersing a Ag/AgCl electrode in the sample solution as a gate (G) electrode. We believe that the FET sensor’s conduction path arises from the interplay between the MCTAs, with the applied gate potential modulating this path. Using standard instruments and a personal computer, the sensor’s response was detected in real-time within a 10 min time frame. This label-free FET sensor demonstrated an impressive detection capability for MC-LR in the concentration range of 0.1–0.5 ng/mL, exhibiting a lower detection limit of 0.11 ng/mL. Additionally, the MWCNT-FET sensor displayed consistent reproducibility, a robust selectivity for MC-LR over its congeners, and minimal matrix interferences. Given these attributes, this easily mass-producible FET sensor is a promising tool for rapid, straightforward, and sensitive MC-LR detection in freshwater environments.

Abstract The interactive corrosion between stainless steel 316 (SS) and International Simple Glass (ISG) has been studied for 12 months. The samples were placed in intimate contact to create crevice corrosion conditions on SS in a 0.6 M NaCl solution with and without 142 ppm dissolved silica species enriched in 29Si. Corrosion on SS was observed with large pits located close to the crevice mouth at the end of 1 year in 0.6 M NaCl solution. The SS corrosion was also associated with the dissolution of nearby glass in a highly localized manner. When the leaching solution was saturated with silica species, the corrosion rate of SS was suppressed. However, the presence of SS enhances ISG dissolution in both conditions. The implications of the observed phenomena on the long-term storage of nuclear waste are discussed.

In this paper, as a purpose to apply the supersaturated solid-solutionized Al-9Mg alloy to the structural sheet parts of automotive, tensile tests were conducted under the various conditions and a constitutive equation was derived from the tensile test results. Al-9Mg alloy was produced using a special Mg master alloy containing Al2Ca during the casting process and extruded into the sheet. In order to study the deformation behavior of Al-9Mg alloy in warm temperature forming environments, tensile tests were conducted under the temperature of 373 K-573 K and the strain rate of 0.001/s~0.1/s. In addition, by using the raw data obtained from tensile tests, a constitutive equation of the Al-9Mg alloy was derived for predicting the optimized condition of the hot stamping process. Al-9Mg alloy showed uncommon deformation behavior at the 373 K and 473 K temperature conditions. The calculated curves from the constitutive equation well-matched with the measured curves from the experiments particularly under the low temperature and high strain rate conditions.

Background: The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) guideline on Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening evolved both in 2008 (Grade I for men 75 years) and in 2012 (Grade D for all ages). Materials and methods: A statewide cancer registry operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health was accessed to analyze over a 15-year period prostate cancer rates across different categories including age, stage, and geographic distribution. Results: Local prostate cancer rates decreased significantly when comparing before and after USPSTF's guideline changes: 2002–2008 vs. 2009–2012 vs. 2013–2016 (p 70 years), the implications of the aforementioned observations on mortality outcomes merit further follow-up.

Abstract Borosilicate glasses are widely used to confine high-level radioactive wastes. The lifetime of these materials could reach hundreds of thousands of years if leaching of the glass into groundwater enables the formation of a passivating gel layer. Even in this regime, the glass will never stop corroding as thermodynamic equilibrium between glass and solution cannot be achieved. Therefore, accurate predictions of glass durability including passivation, require a deep understanding of the mechanisms controlling the so-called residual rate. However, despite tremendous efforts, these mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, focusing on the behavior of the soluble elements of the International Simple Glass (B, Na, and Ca), we show that the residual rate is controlled by the behavior of B, a glass former supposed to dissolve instantaneously when in contact with water and thus widely considered as an ideal tracer. We then demonstrate that B release is controlled by multiple processes highly dependent on the pH. At the beginning of the passivating layer formation, the hydrolysis of B-O-Si linkages is rate-limiting and has an activation energy of ∼60 kJ mol−1, a value slightly lower than that for breaking Si-O-Si linkages. Once the fraction of closed pores resulting from gel restructuring is high enough, then diffusion of both reactants (water molecules) and some products (mainly Baq, Caaq) through the growing gel layer becomes rate-limiting. Consequently, B and Ca accumulate in an inner layer referred to as the active zone, with potential feedback on the B-O-Si hydrolysis. A new paradigm, including B as a key element of the system, is proposed to develop a comprehensive model for the corrosion of borosilicate glass.

Objective: Our previous studies showed an age-related increased prevalence of nasal polyps (NP) and reduced production of S100A8/9 in elderly patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with NP (CRSwNP). In this study, we investigated an unbiased age-related gene expression profile in CRSwNP subjects and healthy controls, and further identified the differences in their tissue remodeling.Methods: Microarrays using NP and uncinate tissues from health controls (elderly, age ≥65 vs. non-elderly, age 18–49) were performed, and differentially regulated genes were analyzed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), Immunostaining, Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), trichrome staining, Western blot, and ELISA were performed for further investigation.Results: Microarrays identified differentially expressed genes according to disease and age; 278 in NP vs. controls, 75 in non-elderly NP vs. non-elderly controls, and 32 in elderly NP vs. elderly controls. qPCR confirmed that the PLAT gene was downregulated and the SERPINB2 gene upregulated in NP vs. controls. The serous glandular cell-derived antimicrobial protein/peptide-related genes such as BPIFB3, BPIFB2, LPO, and MUC7 were remarkably reduced in NP, regardless of age. SERPINE1 gene (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, PAI-1) expression was significantly increased in elderly NP versus elderly controls. IHC and western blot confirmed significantly decreased production of MUC7 and LPO in NP versus controls. There was a trend of age-related reduction of submucosal gland cells in normal controls. Trichrome and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated an age-related increase of collagen and fibrin deposition in NP, consistent with increased PAI-1 production.Conclusion: This study demonstrated age-related differential glandular remodeling patterns and fibrosis in NP and normal controls. PAI-1 expression was significantly increased in elderly NP versus elderly controls, suggesting PAI-1 as a potential treatment target in elderly NP.

Jae Chul Koh,1,* Hee Jung Kong,2,* Myoung Hwa Kim,3 Jung Hwa Hong,4 Hyunyoung Seong,1 Na Young Kim,2 Sun Joon Bai2 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 4Department of Policy Research Affairs, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Na Young Kim; Sun Joon BaiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaTel +82 2 2228 4435; +82 2 2228 4432Email knnyyy@yuhs.ac; sjbae@yuhs.acPurpose: Oxycodone has affinities for both kappa- and mu-opioid receptors. Therefore, it has been used for postoperative analgesia of surgeries in which visceral pain is expected to be the main cause of pain. However, there are few studies of the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl when using it as intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). Thus, we compared the analgesic and adverse effects of IV-PCA using the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl in patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy.Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients using an automatic PCA pump with oxycodone or fentanyl who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy between January and November 2017. All patients were provided with an IV-PCA consisting of 20 μg/kg of fentanyl or 1.1 mg/kg of oxycodone mixed with 0.9% normal saline solution to a total volume of 250 mL, which was infused basally at a rate of 0.1 mL/h with a bolus dose of 1 mL and lockout time of 6 min. The primary and secondary endpoints were to evaluate the efficacies of IV-PCA using the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl on analgesic and adverse effects.Results: Pain intensity on arrival at the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU; 3.6± 1.4 vs 4.4± 2.0, P=0.031) and additional analgesic requirement within an hour after surgery (including the PACU period) (12% vs 37%; P=0.005) were significantly lower in the oxycodone group (n=49) than in the fentanyl group (n=51). Regarding adverse effects, the rate of postoperative nausea within 1 h after surgery (2% vs 16%; P=0.031) was also significantly lower in the oxycodone group than that in the fentanyl group.Conclusion: Oxycodone-based IV-PCA by dose calculations with a 55:1 potency ratio may achieve better analgesia without any significant adverse effects, when using IV-PCA in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy.Keywords: oxycodone, fentanyl, 55:1 potency ratio, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy

Abstract Although graphene is well known for super-lubricity on its basal plane, friction at its step edge is not well understood and contradictory friction behaviors have been reported. In this study, friction of mono-layer thick graphene step edges was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a Si tip in dry nitrogen atmosphere. It is found that, when the tip slides over a ‘buried’ graphene step edge, there is a resistive force during the step-up motion and an assistive force during the step-down motion due to the topographic height change. The magnitude of these two forces is small and the same in both step-up and step-down motions. As for the ‘exposed’ graphene step edge, friction increases in magnitude and exhibits more complicated behaviors. During the step-down motion of the tip over the exposed step edge, both resistive and assistive components can be detected in the lateral force signal of AFM if the scan resolution is sufficiently high. The resistive component is attributed to chemical interactions between the functional groups at the tip and step-edge surfaces, and the assistive component is due to the topographic effect, same as the case of buried step edge. If a blunt tip is used, the distinct effects of these two components become more prominent. In the step-up scan direction, the blunt tip appears to have two separate topographic effects elastic deformation of the contact region at the bottom of the tip due to the substrate height change at the step edge and tilting of the tip while the vertical position of the cantilever (the end of the tip) ascends from the lower terrace to the upper terrace. The high-resolution measurement of friction behaviors at graphene step edges will further enrich understanding of interfacial friction behaviors on graphene-covered surfaces.

Abstract Understanding protein structure and function relationships in cellulose synthase (CesA), including divergent isomers, is an important goal. Here, we report results from mutant complementation assays that tested the ability of sequence variants of AtCesA7, a secondary wall CesA of Arabidopsis thaliana, to rescue the collapsed vessels, short stems, and low cellulose content of the irx3‐1 AtCesA7 null mutant. We tested a catalytic null mutation and seven missense or small domain changes in and near the AtCesA7 FTVTSK motif, which lies near the catalytic domain and may, analogously to bacterial CesA, exist within a substrate “gating loop.” A low‐to‐high gradient of rescue occurred, and even inactive AtCesA7 had a small positive effect on stem cellulose content but not stem elongation. Overall, secondary wall cellulose content and stem length were moderately correlated, but the results were consistent with threshold amounts of cellulose supporting particular developmental processes. Vibrational sum frequency generation microscopy allowed tissue‐specific analysis of cellulose content in stem xylem and interfascicular fibers, revealing subtle differences between selected genotypes that correlated with the extent of rescue of the collapsing xylem phenotype. Similar tests on PpCesA5 from the moss Physcomitrium (formerly Physcomitrella) patens helped us to synergize the AtCesA7 results with prior results on AtCesA1 and PpCesA5. The cumulative results show that the FTVTxK region is important for the function of an angiosperm secondary wall CesA as well as widely divergent primary wall CesAs, while differences in complementation results between isomers may reflect functional differences that can be explored in further work.

Various factors are responsible for injuries that occur in the U.S. Army soldiers. In particular, rucksack load carriage equipment influences the stability of the lower extremities and possibly affects gait balance. The objective of this investigation was to assess the gait and local dynamic stability of the lower extremity of five subjects as they performed a simulated rucksack march on a treadmill. The Motek Gait Real-time Interactive Laboratory (GRAIL) was utilized to replicate the environment of the rucksack march. The first walking trial was without a rucksack and the second set was executed with the All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE), an older version of the rucksack, and the third set was executed with the newer rucksack version, Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment (MOLLE). In this experiment, the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) system, Dynaport was used to measure the ambulatory data of the subject. This experiment required subjects to walk continuously for 200 seconds with a 20kg rucksack, which simulates the real rucksack march training. To determine the dynamic stability of different load carriage and normal walking condition, Local Dynamic Stability (LDS) was calculated to quantify its stability. The results presented that comparing Maximum Lyapunov Exponent (LyE) of normal walking was significantly lower compared to ALICE (P=0.000007) and MOLLE (P=0.00003), however, between ALICE and MOLLE rucksack walking showed no significant difference (P=0.441). The five subjects showed significantly improved dynamic stability when walking without a rucksack in comparison with wearing the equipment. In conclusion, we discovered wearing a rucksack result in a significant (P < 0.0001) reduction in dynamic stability.

Relaxor ferroelectric polymers exhibit both high dielectric constants and low remnant polarization and thus deliver much higher energy densities and greater charge–discharge efficiencies than normal ferroelectrics for capacitive energy storage applications. Herein, dielectric energy storage behavior of several newly discovered relaxor ferroelectric polymers is studied from a molecular perspective. It is observed that the homopolymers exhibit very slim polarization–electric field loops and the highest charge–discharge efficiencies among ferroelectric polymers, which are attributed to the highly disordered chain conformation as evidenced from the scanning probe microscopy results. Based on the findings on the relaxor homopolymers, the benchmark relaxor ferroelectric terpolymers is revisited and insights into their outstanding capacitive performance are provided. Moreover, it is found that the disordered chain conformation in relaxor ferroelectric polymers remains as the ground state at varied temperatures and applied electric fields, which is in stark contrast to relaxor perovskites whose ground state is strongly dependent on temperatures and external electric fields. The discovery of the absence of thermal‐ and field‐induced phase transition in relaxor ferroelectric polymers makes this class of ferroelectric materials more attractive for advanced electronic and energy applications.

Abstract Background Mechanical refining is a low-capital and well-established technology used in pulp and paper industry to improve fiber bonding for product strength. Refining can also be applied in a biorefinery context to overcome the recalcitrance of pretreated biomass by opening up the biomass structure and modifying substrate properties (e.g., morphology, particle size, porosity, crystallinity), which increases enzyme accessibility to substrate and improves carbohydrate conversion. Although several characterization methods have been used to identify the changes in substrate properties, there is no systematic approach to evaluate the extent of fiber cell wall disruption and what physical properties can explain the improvement in enzymatic digestibility when pretreated lignocellulosic biomass is mechanically refined. This is because the fiber cell wall is complex across multiple scales, including the molecular scale, nano- and meso-scale (microfibril), and microscale (tissue level). A combination of advanced characterization tools is used in this study to better understand the effect of mechanical refining on the meso-scale microfibril assembly and the relationship between those meso-scale modifications and enzymatic hydrolysis. Results Enzymatic conversion of autohydrolysis sugarcane bagasse was improved from 69.6 to 77.2% (11% relative increase) after applying mechanical refining and an increase in enzymatic digestibility is observed with an increase in refining intensity. Based on a combination of advanced characterizations employed in this study, it was found that the refining action caused fiber size reduction, internal delamination, and increase in pores and swellability. Conclusions A higher level of delamination and higher increase in porosity, analyzed by TEM and DSC, were clearly demonstrated, which explain the faster digestibility rate during the first 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis for disc-refined samples when compared to the PFI-refined samples. In addition, an increased inter-fibrillar distance between cellulose microfibrils at the nano–meso-scale was also revealed by SFG analysis, while no evidence was found for a change in crystalline structure by XRD and solid-state NMR analysis.

Abstract All materials can suffer from environmental degradation; the rate and extent of degradation depend on the details of the material composition and structure as well as the environment. The corrosion of silicate glasses, crystalline ceramics, and metals, particularly as related to nuclear waste forms, has received a lot of attention. The corrosion phenomena and mechanisms of these materials are different, but also have many similarities. This review compares and contrasts the mechanisms of environmental degradation of glass, crystalline ceramics, and metals, with the goal of identifying commonalities that can seed synergistic activities and advance the current knowledge in each area.

The continued scaling of silicon based electronic devices requires the development of increasingly innovative approaches for high-precision material removal. Here, the authors demonstrate subnanometre depth removal of silicon using scanning probe, shear-induced mechanochemical reactions.

Identifying the mutational landscape of tumours from cell-free DNA in the blood could help diagnostics in cancer. Here, the authors present ichorCNA, software that quantifies tumour content in cell free DNA, and they demonstrate that cell-free DNA whole-exome sequencing is concordant with metastatic tumour whole-exome sequencing.

The practical application of lithium metal anodes suffers from the poor Coulombic efficiency and growth of lithium dendrites. Here, the authors report an approach to enable the self-formation of stable and flexible solid-electrolyte interphase layers which serve to address both issues.

A modern lubricant contains various additives with different functionalities and the interactions or reactions between these additives could induce synergistic or antagonistic effects in tribological performance. In this study, sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was used to investigate competitive adsorption of lubricant additives at a solid/base oil interface. A silica substrate was used as a model solid surface. The lubricant additives studied here included two oil-soluble ionic liquids (ILs, [N888H][DEHP] and [P8888][DEHP]), an antiwear additive (secondary ZDDP), an organic friction modifier (OFM), and a dispersant (PIBSI). Our results showed that for mixtures of ZDDP and IL in a base oil (PAO4), the silica surface is dominated by the IL molecules. In the cases of base oils containing OFM and IL, the silica/lubricant interface is dominated by OFM over [N888H][DEHP], while it is preferentially occupied by [P8888][DEHP] over OFM. The presence of PIBSI in the mixture of PAO4 and IL leads to the formation of a mixed surface layer at the silica surface with PIBSI as a major component. The SFG results in this investigation provide fundamental insights that are helpful to design the formulation of new lubricant additives of desired properties.

Objectives: This study investigated injuries of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) following whiplash injury, in patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).Methods: Twenty-three patients with whiplash injury and 26 healthy control subjects were recruited for this study. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used for evaluating sleepiness. According to the ESS score, the patients were classified into two groups: subgroup A – ESS score 0.05). Conversely, the values of FA and TV in the lower ventral ARAS of the patient group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Comparing the values of subgroups A and B, the TV value of subgroup B was significantly lower than subgroup A (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the values of the FA and TV in the lower dorsal and upper ARAS, and the FA value in the lower ventral ARAS (p > 0.05).Conclusions: We found significant injury of the lower ventral ARAS in EDS patients with whiplash injury. These results suggest that diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) could provide useful information for detecting injuries of the ARAS following whiplash injury, in patients with EDS.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea by evading innate immunity. Colonizing the mucosa of the reproductive tract depends on the bacterial outer membrane porin, PorB, which is essential for ion and nutrient uptake. PorB is also targeted to host mitochondria and regulates apoptosis pathways to promote infections. How PorB traffics from the outer membrane of N. gonorrhoeae to mitochondria and whether it modulates innate immune cells, such as macrophages, remains unclear. Here, we show that N. gonorrhoeae secretes PorB via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Purified OMVs contained primarily outer membrane proteins including oligomeric PorB. The porin was targeted to mitochondria of macrophages after exposure to purified OMVs and wild type N. gonorrhoeae. This was associated with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, activation of apoptotic caspases and cell death in a time-dependent manner. Consistent with this, OMV-induced macrophage death was prevented with the pan-caspase inhibitor, Q-VD-PH. This shows that N. gonorrhoeae utilizes OMVs to target PorB to mitochondria and to induce apoptosis in macrophages, thus affecting innate immunity.

A double dielectric barrier discharge reactor operated at a low power frequency of 400 Hz and atmospheric pressure was utilized for regulating the wettability of glass surface. The hydrophobic treatment was performed by plasma polymerization of tetramethylsilane (TMS, in argon gas). The obtained results showed that the TMS coatings formed on the glass substrates without oxygen addition were smooth, uniform films with the maximum water contact angle (WCA) of about 106°, which were similar to those obtained by low pressure, high power frequency plasmas reported in the literature. The addition of oxygen into TMS/Ar plasma gas decreased the WCA and induced the formation of SiOSi and/or SiOC linkages, which dominated the existence of Si(CH2)nSi network formed in TMS/Ar (without oxygen) plasma.

Most inorganic material surfaces exposed to ambient air can adsorb water, and hydrogen bonding interactions among adsorbed water molecules vary depending on, not only intrinsic properties of material surfaces, but also extrinsic working conditions. When dimensions of solid objects shrink to micro- and nano-scales, the ratio of surface area to volume increases greatly and the contribution of water condensation on interfacial forces, such as adhesion (Fa) and friction (Ft), becomes significant. This paper reviews the structural evolution of the adsorbed water layer on solid surfaces and its effect on Fa and Ft at nanoasperity contact for sphere-on-flat geometry. The details of the underlying mechanisms governing water adsorption behaviors vary depending on the atomic structure of the substrate, surface hydrophilicity and atmospheric conditions. The solid surfaces reviewed in this paper include metal/metallic oxides, silicon/silicon oxides, fluorides, and two-dimensional materials. The mechanism by which water condensation influences Fa is discussed based on the competition among capillary force, van der Waals force and the rupture force of solid-like water bridge. The condensed meniscus and the molecular configuration of the water bridge are influenced by surface roughness, surface hydrophilicity, temperature, sliding velocity, which in turn affect the kinetics of water condensation and interfacial Ft. Taking the effects of the thickness and structure of adsorbed water into account is important to obtain a full understanding of the interfacial forces at nanoasperity contact under ambient conditions.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are the major fat storage organelles in eukaryotic cells, but how their size is regulated is unknown. Using genetic screens in C. elegans for LD morphology defects in intestinal cells, we found that mutations in atlastin, a GTPase required for homotypic fusion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, cause not only ER morphology defects, but also a reduction in LD size. Similar results were obtained after depletion of atlastin or expression of a dominant-negative mutant, whereas overexpression of atlastin had the opposite effect. Atlastin depletion in Drosophila fat bodies also reduced LD size and decreased triglycerides in whole animals, sensitizing them to starvation. In mammalian cells, co-overexpression of atlastin-1 and REEP1, a paralog of the ER tubule-shaping protein DP1/REEP5, generates large LDs. The effect of atlastin-1 on LD size correlates with its activity to promote membrane fusion in vitro. Our results indicate that atlastin-mediated fusion of ER membranes is important for LD size regulation.

BACKGROUND:Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is induced in airways by virus and may mediate asthmatic airway remodeling. We sought to evaluate if genetic variants and early life lower respiratory infections jointly affect asthma risk. METHODS:We included Latino children, adolescents, and young adults aged 8-21 years (1736 subjects with physician-diagnosed asthma and 1747 healthy controls) from five U.S. centers and Puerto Rico after excluding subjects with incomplete clinical or genetic data. We evaluated the independent and joint effects of a PAI-1 gain of function polymorphism and bronchiolitis / Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) or other lower respiratory infections (LRI) within the first 2 years of life on asthma risk, asthma exacerbations and lung function. RESULTS:RSV infection (OR 9.9, 95%CI 4.9-20.2) and other LRI (OR 9.1, 95%CI 7.2-11.5) were independently associated with asthma, but PAI-1 genotype was not. There were joint effects on asthma risk for both genotype-RSV (OR 17.7, 95% CI 6.3-50.2) and genotype-LRI (OR 11.7, 95% CI 8.8-16.4). A joint effect of genotype-RSV resulted in a 3.1-fold increased risk for recurrent asthma hospitalizations. In genotype-respiratory infection joint effect analysis, FEV1% predicted and FEV1/FVC % predicted were further reduced in the genotype-LRI group (β -2.1, 95% CI -4.0 to -0.2; β -2.0, 95% CI -3.1 to -0.8 respectively). Similarly, lower FEV1% predicted was noted in genotype-RSV group (β -3.1, 95% CI -6.1 to -0.2) with a trend for lower FEV1/FVC % predicted. CONCLUSIONS:A genetic variant of PAI-1 together with early life LRI such as RSV bronchiolitis is associated with an increased risk of asthma, morbidity, and reduced lung function in this Latino population.

Innate and adaptive immune responses change with increasing age and affect the course of diseases. Previous study investigated immunologic alteration in Western nasal polyps (NP) which is mostly eosinophilic. However, there are no reports regarding age-related immune changes of non-eosinophilic NP (NE-NP) which is a predominant subtype in Asian population.A total of 153 subjects, including 20 with control, 63 with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without NP (CRSsNP), and 70 with CRS with NP were enrolled. Age-related changes in computed tomography (CT), cytokines and clinical information were investigated. Tissue samples were analyzed for protein levels of IL-5, IL-17A, IL-23, interferon (IFN)-γ, CCL-11, and CXCL-8, using Luminex immunoassay and for mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-17A, IL-23p19, IFN-γ, CCL-11, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, CXCL-8, and CXCR2 by quantitative RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed for the number of inflammatory cells.We observed that Lund-Mackay CT scores decreased with age in NE-NP. The number of human neutrophil elastase-positive cells and myeloperoxidase gene expression decreased in older patients with NE-NP, but not in control subjects, CRSsNP, and E-NP. Neutrophil-associated cytokines including IL-17A and IL-23, were negatively correlated with age in NE-NP at the protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, the expression of CXCR2, a receptor for CXCL-1 and CXCL-2, was decreased with age in NE-NP. However, there were no age-related changes in blood neutrophil count, and neutrophil-recruiting chemokines such as CXCL-1, CXCL-2, and CXCL-8. Elderly NE-NP patients showed better endoscopic scores at 12 months after surgery compared with the non-elderly.Age-related decline in neutrophil inflammation may favorably affect postoperative results in elderly patients with NE-NP.

The friction and wear behavior of materials are not intrinsic properties, but extrinsic properties; in other words, they can drastically vary depending on test and environmental conditions. In ambient air, humidity is one such extrinsic parameter. This paper reviews the effects of humidity on macro- and nano-scale friction and wear of various types of materials. The materials included in this review are graphite and graphene, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD), transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), boric acid, silicon, silicon oxide, silicates, advanced ceramics, and metals. Details of underlying mechanisms governing friction and wear behaviors vary depending on materials and humidity; nonetheless, a comparison of various material cases revealed an overarching trend. Tribochemical reactions between the tribo-materials and the adsorbed water molecules play significant roles; such reactions can occur at defect sites in the case of two-dimensionally layered materials and carbon-based materials, or even on low energy surfaces in the case of metals and oxide materials. It is extremely important to consider the effects of adsorbed water layer thickness and structure for a full understanding of tribological properties of materials in ambient air.

Non-eosinophilic nasal polyps (NPs) show less inflammatory changes and are less commonly associated with lower airway inflammatory disorders such as asthma, compared with eosinophilic NPs. However, the development of non-eosinophilic NPs which is a predominant subtype in Asian population still remains unclear.A total of 81 patients (45 with non-eosinophilic NPs and 36 with eosinophilic NPs) were enrolled. Clinical information and computed tomography (CT), endoscopic, and histological findings were investigated. Tissue samples were analyzed for total IgE levels and for mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-23p19, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and periostin. Immunostaining assessment of Ki-67 as a proliferation marker was performed.We found that epithelial in-growing patterns such as pseudocysts were more frequently observed in histological and endoscopic evaluations of non-eosinophilic NPs, which was linked to increase epithelial staining of Ki-67, a proliferating marker. Eosinophilic NPs were characterized by high infiltration of inflammatory cells, compared with non-eosinophilic NPs. To investigate the developmental course of each subtype, CT was analyzed according to CT scores and subtypes. Non-eosinophilic NPs showed more localized pattern and maxillary sinus involvement, but lesser olfactory involvement in early stage whereas eosinophilic NPs were characterized by diffuse ethmoidal and olfactory involvement. In addition, high ethmoidal/maxillary (E/M) CT scores, indicating ethmoidal dominant involvement, were one of surrogate markers for eosinophilic NP. E/M CT scores was positively correlated with levels of TH2 inflammatory markers, including IL-4, IL-5, periostin mRNA expression and total IgE levels in NPs, whereas levels of the TH1 cytokine, IFN- γ were inversely correlated. Moreover, if the combinatorial algorithm meet the three of the four markers, including IL-5 (0.316), and E/M ratio (

The rumen microbial ecosystem is a complex system where rumen fermentation processes involve interactions among microorganisms. There are important relationships between diet and the ruminal bacterial composition. Thus, we investigated the ruminal fermentation characteristics and compared ruminal bacterial communities using tag amplicon pyrosequencing analysis in Yanbian yellow steers, which were fed linseed oil (LO) and propionate precursors. We used eight ruminally cannulated Yanbian yellow steers (510 ± 5.8 kg) in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with four dietary treatments. Steers were fed a basal diet that comprised 80% concentrate and 20% rice straw (DM basis, CON). The CON diet was supplemented with LO at 4%. The LO diet was also supplemented with 2% dl-malate or 2% fumarate as ruminal precursors of propionate. Dietary supplementation with LO and propionate precursors increased ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acid concentrations, and the molar proportion of propionate. The most abundant bacterial operational taxonomic units in the rumen were related to dietary treatments. Bacteroidetes dominated the ruminal bacterial community and the genus Prevotella was highly represented when steers were fed LO plus propionate precursors. However, with the CON and LO diet plus malate or fumarate, Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum and the genus Ruminococcus was predominant. In summary, supplementing the diets of ruminants with a moderate level of LO plus propionate precursors modified the ruminal fermentation pattern. The most positive responses to LO and propionate precursors supplementation were in the phyla Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes, and in the genus Ruminococcus and Prevotella. Thus, diets containing LO plus malate or fumarate have significant effects on the composition of the rumen microbial community.

Mechanochemical activation has created new opportunities for applications such as solvent-free chemical synthesis, polymer processing, and lubrication. However, mechanistic understanding of these processes is still limited because the mechanochemical response of a system is a complex function of many variables, including the direction of applied stress and the chemical features of the reactants in non-equilibrium conditions. Here, we studied shear-activated reactions of simple cyclic organic molecules to isolate the effect of chemical structure on reaction yield and pathway. Reactive molecular dynamics simulations were used to model methylcyclopentane, cyclohexane, and cyclohexene subject to pressure and shear stress between silica surfaces. Cyclohexene was found to be more susceptible to mechanochemical activation of oxidative chemisorption and subsequent oligomerization reactions than either methylcyclopentane or cyclohexane. The oligomerization trend was consistent with shear-driven polymerization yield measured in ball-on-flat sliding experiments. Analysis of the simulations showed the distribution of carbon atom sites at which oxidative chemisorption occurred and identified the double bond in cyclohexene as being the origin of its shear susceptibility. Lastly, the most common reaction pathways for association were identified, providing insight into how the chemical structures of the precursor molecules determined their response to mechanochemical activation.

Multimedia applications based on cloud services for mobile devices have recently gained considerable popularity. However, the increasing density of devices leads to a high level of interference, which reduces the performance of wireless communication between devices and cloud. In this paper, we propose a new approach which allows the network to adaptively find a transmission opportunity scheduling strategy by choosing the most valuable transmission request opportunity. In this approach, the transmission request selection strategy is optimized by considering multimedia distortion reduction, hidden node problem, transmission interference, and signal coverage. Simulation results show that the proposed request selecting strategy significantly improves the systems overall data transmission quality by exploring the tradeoff between communication node pair and their neighbor nodes.