This study investigated how Fe substituted with Mn and Cr affected the microstructure and the first hydrogenation kinetics of a TiFe-based hydrogen storage alloy. Vacuum arc melting was used to ...prepare TiFe1-xMx ingots (M = Mn, Cr, x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3). Thermodynamic calculations were performed to predict the phase formation behavior. The TiFe0.9Mn0.1 alloy was expected to form a single TiFe phase, and all other alloys were calculated to have dual-phase microstructures with TiFe and Laves phases. Based on the microstructure analysis results, the phase formation behaviors of the alloys showed a trend similar to the thermodynamic calculation results. The first hydrogenation kinetics was examined at room temperature (20 °C) with a hydrogen pressure of 40 bar. The samples for the kinetic analysis were prepared by crushing the ingots in air. The TiFe0.9Mn0.1 alloy with a single TiFe phase did not absorb hydrogen, while the alloys containing Laves phase absorbed hydrogen without any thermal activation process. As for the microstructure and kinetics analysis results, both the percentage and composition of the Laves phases affected the first hydrogenation kinetics.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Biological surfaces in plants are critical for controlling essential functions such as wettability, adhesion, and light management, which are linked to their adaptation, survival, and reproduction. ...Biomimetically patterned surfaces replicating the microstructures of plant surfaces have become an emerging tool for understanding plant-environment interactions. In this study, we developed a two-step micro-replication platform to mimic the microstructure of seed surfaces and demonstrated that this initial platform can be used to study seed surface-environment interactions. The two-step process involved the extraction of a simplified seed surface model from real seeds and micro-replication of the simplified seed surface model using nanoimprint lithography. Using Allium seeds collected from Mongolia and Central Asia as the model system, we studied the wettability of biological and synthetic seed surfaces. We could independently control the material properties of a synthetic seed surface while maintaining the microstructures and, thereby, provide clear evidence that Allium seed surfaces were highly wettable owing to the high surface energy in the epidermal material rather than a microstructural effect. We expect that this platform can facilitate study of the independent effect of microstructure on the interaction of seed surfaces with their surroundings and contribute to research on the evolution of plant-environment interactions.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to elucidate the structural congeners of natural izenamides A, B, and C (
-
) responsible for cathepsin D (CTSD) inhibition. Structurally modified izenamides were synthesized and ...biologically evaluated, and their biologically important core structures were identified. We confirmed that the natural statine (Sta) unit (3
,4
)-γ-amino-β-hydroxy acid is a requisite core structure of izenamides for inhibition of CTSD, which is closely related to the pathophysiological roles in numerous human diseases. Interestingly, the statine-incorporated izenamide C variant (
) and 18-
-izenamide B variant (
) exhibited more potent CTSD-inhibitory activities than natural izenamides.
Potentilla rugulosa Nakai (P. rugulosa) is a perennial herb in the Rosaceae family and found in the Korean mountains. Previously, our findings demonstrated that P. rugulosa contains numerous ...polyphenols and flavonoids exhibiting important antioxidant and anti-obesity bioactivities. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a xenoestrogen that was shown to produce pulmonary inflammation in humans. However, the mechanisms underlying BPA-induced inflammation remain to be determined. The aim of this study was to examine whether ethanolic extract of P. rugulosa exerted an inhibitory effect on BPA-induced inflammation utilizing an adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cell line A549. The P. rugulosa extract inhibited BPA-mediated cytotoxicity by reducing levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Further, P. rugulosa extract suppressed the upregulation of various pro-inflammatory mediators induced by activation of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. In addition, inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways by P. rugulosa extract was found to occur via decrease in the transcriptional activity of NF-κB. Further, blockade of phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) was noted. Thus, our findings suggest that the ethanolic extract of P. rugulosa may act as a natural anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
We investigated the microRNA expression pattern from thrombus retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy in acute stroke patients to understand the stroke mechanism.
This study included acute ischemic ...stroke patients who had undergone intra-arterial thrombectomy at Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea between February 2016 and March 2019. The thrombus was retrieved and stored at -70℃ after obtaining informed consent. MicroRNA microarray analysis was performed for the patients with identified stroke mechanisms including (1) large artery atherosclerosis, (2) cardioembolism with atrial fibrillation, and (3) cardioembolism with valvular heart disease. The microRNAs derived from microarray analysis were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) from different patient populations. The correlation analysis was performed between microRNA levels and laboratory data to understand the functional relevance of the altered microRNA.
In total, 55 thrombi were obtained from 74 patients, and the microRNAs were analyzed in 45 samples. Microarray analysis of 2578 microRNAs revealed that 50 microRNAs were significantly altered among the three groups. Validation using qRT-PCR showed that miR-378f and miR-450b-5p were significantly elevated among the cardioembolic thrombi; both microRNAs were inversely correlated with the ejection fraction from echocardiography. Thrombi from patients with early neurological deterioration exhibited higher levels of miR-93-5p and lower levels of miR-629-5p than those from neurologically stable patients.
The microRNA expression pattern can provide information regarding the mechanism of stroke by reflecting the underlying pathological status of the organ from which the thrombus was derived.
•Enhanced environmental cleaning alone failed to reduce carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) acquisition in an intensive care unit.•The ventilator utilization ratio increased the CRAB ...colonization pressure.•Inexperienced nurses may be associated with increased CRAB acquisition.
To evaluate the impact of enhanced environmental cleaning (two times per day) compared with conventional cleaning on the acquisition of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in a highly endemic intensive care unit (ICU).
The intervention consisted of alternating environmental cleaning and conventional cleaning every 3 months during the study period from July 2018 to June 2019. CRAB acquisition was assessed using incidence and prevalence rates, and colonization pressure.
The incidence rates of CRAB with and without enhanced cleaning were 16.3 and 13.9 cases per 1000 population, respectively; and the prevalence rates were 66.9 and 61.7 cases per 1000 population, respectively. Colonization pressure was 53.3% with enhanced cleaning and 51.3% without enhanced cleaning. No association was found between enhanced environmental cleaning and the incidence (P=0.156), prevalence (P=0.888) and colonization pressure (P=0.825) of CRAB acquisition. The ventilator utilization ratio increased the colonization pressure of CRAB acquisition (P=0.010, β coefficient=0.37). The proportion of new nurses with <3 years of clinical practice experience was positively correlated with the incidence and prevalence of CRAB acquisition.
Enhanced environmental cleaning alone failed to reduce CRAB acquisition in a highly endemic ICU. The ventilator utilization ratio may be of more importance than environmental cleaning. Inexperienced nurses may need to be monitored regarding infection control activities in addition to hand hygiene adherence.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•A method of sequence-related amplified polymorphism is used to detect scion roots.•The method employs sequence-characterized amplified region markers.•The method can be used by identify early scion ...rooting in Citrus cultivars.
Recently, scion rooting at the grafted region of Poncirus trifoliata rootstocks has been found to decrease fruit setting and quality. Under cultivation conditions, the identification of scion-rooted Shiranuhi mandarin hybrid (Citrus unshiu Marcov. × C. sinensis Osbeck) × C. reticulata Blanco trees is difficult. Therefore, we aimed to develop a novel method for rapid and accurate identification of scion roots based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) in combination with a sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. The genomic DNA was extracted from the normal rootstocks of P. trifoliata and scion roots of Shiranuhi. The sequence of amplified DNA fragments from scion root samples was analyzed using SRAP F4 and R15 primer combination, and was used to construct nine combinations of SCAR primers. Five markers (P1, P2, P3, P4, and P6) were obtained, of which SCAR-P3 presented the best results. We also efficiently screened the scion roots in Kiyomi and Settokka. These SCAR markers accurately identified scion rooting in Shiranuhi mandarin hybrid and other citrus cultivars, thus allowing the implementation of improved cultivation techniques to ensure normal fruit setting. The proposed method can also be applied to control the damage caused by scion rooting in other Citrus cultivars.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Piezocatalytic cancer therapy, in which piezoelectric nanomaterials generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) via piezocatalytic redox reactions under mechanical stress, has emerged as an effective ...strategy for cancer treatment. However, the inherent hypoxia in tumor microenvironments enormously restricts its efficacy. To address this issue, acid‐degradable Janus‐type multicompartmental carriers able to separately encapsulate piezocatalytic gold nanoparticle‐coated poly(ethylene glycol)‐modified zinc oxide nanorods (Au@P‐ZnO NRs) and O2‐generating catalase (CAT) are fabricated in this study using stop‐flow lithography (SFL). The CAT and Au@P‐ZnO NRs are sequentially released by modulating the composition ratios of acid‐cleavable monomers in the precursor solution during the SFL. The sequential release by the Janus carriers significantly increased the intracellular ROS levels under hypoxia conditions upon ultrasound irradiation owing to the O2 supplied by the CAT. An in vivo study showed that a single intratumoral injection of Janus particles encapsulating the CAT and Au@P‐ZnO NRs efficiently alleviated tumor hypoxia and substantially suppressed tumor growth. This study demonstrates that pH‐responsive, O2‐generating, and piezocatalytic Janus carriers have high potential for piezocatalytic therapy of hypoxic tumors and offers insights into using pH‐responsive Janus carriers for efficient hypoxia‐relieving piezocatalytic cancer therapy via the cascade of oxygenation and ROS generation.
pH‐responsive Janus‐type multicompartmental carriers encapsulating piezocatalytic Au@P‐ZnO NRs and O2‐generating natural catalase (CAT) in separate compartments are developed for ultrasound‐triggered, hypoxia‐relieving, tumor‐targeted piezocatalytic therapy. The Janus carriers enable the sequential release of the CAT (Step I) and Au@P‐ZnO NRs (Step II) under acidic tumor microenvironments and thus efficiently eradicate hypoxic tumors under ultrasound irradiation via the cascade of oxygenation and ROS generation.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
We aimed to compare seroprevalence of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies in Korean adults with inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDDs) of the ...central nervous system (CNS), based on a multicenter nationwide database. Sera were analyzed using a live cell–based assay for MOG and AQP4 antibodies. Of 586 Korean adults with IDDs of the CNS, 36 (6.1%) and 185 (31.6%) tested positive for MOG and AQP4 antibodies, respectively. No participant showed double positivity. Seroprevalence of MOG antibodies was about five times lower than that of AQP4 antibodies in a large cohort of Korean adults with IDDs of the CNS.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
ABSTRACT
Aim
Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) allows volume status to be assessed objectively. This study evaluated the effect of BIS‐guided fluid management on residual kidney function (RKF), volume ...status, and cardiovascular events in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.
Methods
A multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted over 12 months in 2013–2017. Non‐anuric PD patients (urine volume ≥ 500 mL/day) were randomized to clinical method‐guided management (n = 98) or BIS‐guided management (n = 103). The volume in the BIS group was controlled with BIS, with the aim of achieving the target overhydration (OH) goal of −2.0 to +2.0 L. The volume in the control group was controlled by clinical assessment alone. The groups were compared in terms of change in RKF and volume status at 12 months relative to baseline and in terms of cardiovascular event rates during a median follow‐up period of 36 months.
Results
Compared with the controls, the BIS group did not show a significant improvement in change in OH, after adjustments were made for covariates (P = 0.191). The two groups did not differ in terms of delta OH, renal creatinine and urea clearance, and 24 h urine volume. The control and BIS groups also did not differ significantly in terms of change in peritoneal ultrafiltration volume, blood pressure, body weight and echocardiographic variables or in cardiovascular event rates (10.2% vs 11.3%; P = 0.953).
Conclusion
Bioimpedance spectroscopy‐guided fluid management did not show an additional benefit to achieve euvolemia, and did not affect the decline in RKF in non‐anuric PD patients.
SUMMARY AT A GLANCE
Among non‐anuric peritoneal dialysis patients with urine output ≥ 500 mL/day, the application of bioimpedance spectroscopy‐guided fluid management did not result in an additional benefit to achieve euvolaemia, nor did it affect the decline in residual kidney function.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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