Serologic and molecular surveillance of serum collected from 152 suspected scrub typhus patients in Myanmar revealed Orientia tsutsugamushi of genotypic heterogeneity. In addition, potential ...co-infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus was observed in 5 (3.3%) patients. Both scrub typhus and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome are endemic in Myanmar.
Crystalline or amorphous metal oxides are widely used in various optoelectronic devices as key components, such as transparent conductive electrodes, dielectrics or semiconducting active layers for ...thin‐film transistor (TFT) backplanes in large‐area displays, photovoltaics, and light‐emitting diodes. Although crystalline inorganic materials demonstrate outstanding optoelectronic performance, owing to their wide bandgaps, large conductivities, and high carrier mobilities, their inherent brittleness makes them vulnerable to mechanical stress, thereby limiting the use of metal‐oxide films in emerging flexible electronic applications. In this study, stress‐diffusive organic–inorganic hybrid superlattice nanostructures are developed to overcome the mechanical limitation of crystalline oxides and to provide high mechanical stability to metal‐oxide semiconductors. In particular, hybrid transparent superlattice electrodes based on crystalline indium–tin oxide exhibit high electrical conductivities of up to 555 S cm–1 (resistance variation < 3%) and effectively reduce the mechanical stress on the inorganic layer (up to 10 000 bending cycles with a radius of 1 mm). Furthermore, to ensure the viability of the hybrid superlattice flexible electronics, all solution‐processed superlattice crystalline indium–gallium‐oxide TFTs are implemented on a thin (≈5 µm) polyimide substrate, providing highly robust and excellent electrical performance (average mobility of 7.6 cm2 V–1 s–1).
A facile, high‐throughput, solution‐processed industrial standard metal‐oxide material is fabricated for flexible optoelectronic devices. The huge demand for flexible electronic devices needs a new class of materials. Instead of spending time on not well‐studied materials, the solution‐processed hybrid superlattice with industrial standard metal‐oxide and organic materials can be successfully applied in flexible electronic devices.
•Thin film based micro gas sensors were successfully fabricated and characterized to indoor pollutant gases such as HCHO, Toluene, and CO.•Operating conditions for micro gas sensors to have good ...selectivities to HCHO and toluene gases were optimized.•Sensitivities of micro gas sensors with SnO2 thin films were enhanced with adding Pt on the surfaces of SnO2 thin films.•Microstructures of SnO2 and Pt doped SnO2 thin films were characterized and investigated sensing properties.
Thin film-based micro gas sensors using undoped and Pt-doped SnO2 thin films with thicknesses of 50 and 120nm are deposited using RF sputtering on MEMS structures and their sensing characteristics to 25ppm CO, 25ppm toluene, and 1ppm HCHO gases were investigated at 300–440°C. The Pt-doped SnO2 gas sensors with the thickness of 120nm showed the selectivity to 1ppm HCHO gas at 31.5mW power consumption and to 25ppm toluene gas at 45mW. The control of gas selectivity by tuning thickness of sensing film and Pt catalyst loading was discussed. The results of this study suggest the possibility of employing thin film-based micro gas sensors for real applications with mass productivity and cost effectiveness.
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick‐borne disease with high mortality in Eastern Asia. The disease is caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV), also known as
Dabie ...bandavirus
, which has a segmented RNA genome consisting of L, M, and S segments. Previous studies have suggested differential viral virulence depending on the genotypes of SFTSV; however, the critical viral factor involved in the differential viral virulence is unknown. Here, we found a significant difference in viral replication in vitro and virulence in vivo between two Korean isolates belonging to the F and B genotypes, respectively. By generating viral reassortants using the two viral strains, we demonstrated that the L segment, which encodes viral RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is responsible for the enhanced viral replication and virulence. Comparison of amino acid sequences and viral replication rates revealed a point variation, E251K, on the surface of RdRp to be the most significant determinant for the enhanced viral replication rate and in vivo virulence. The effect of the variation was further confirmed using recombinant SFTSV generated by reverse genetic engineering. Therefore, our results indicate that natural variations affecting the viral replicase activity could significantly contribute to the viral virulence of SFTSV.
Energy recovery efficiency is the main criterion determining waste disposal charges under Korean law, encouraging the use of incineration heat energy. Measures to improve the energy recovery ...efficiency of incineration facilities are desirable as they can reduce waste disposal charges. To derive energy recovery efficiency objectively—providing direct financial benefits—its calculation formula should be reassessed continuously. Our study objective was to recalculate the heat loss modification factors of the formula for establishing the waste lower heating value (LHV), a key component of energy recovery efficiency. Sixteen municipal solid waste incineration facilities were classified by incineration type: pyrolysis/melting or general/high temperature. Instrumental measurement data for calculating the heat loss modification factors were collected, and field measurements were performed. Our heat loss modification factors for pyrolysis/melting facilities exhibited small errors (+0.4 to +3.3%) compared to the established ones. Contrastingly, in general/high-temperature facilities, our exhaust gas heat loss modification factor differed by >10% from the conventional one. Aging incineration facility infrastructure and changes in waste properties may be causal factors. This study contributes to the objective measurement of waste heat energy recovery efficiency, deriving and applying a waste LHV formula that reflects the current operational status of domestic waste incineration facilities.
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•Heat loss modification factors are updated for calculating lower heating values.•Lower heating value (LHV) is a key component determining energy recovery efficiency.•Our updated LHV formula generates new waste incineration facility data.•Changes in incineration facility operation status over time are shown.•Regular computational updates are essential for objective LHV assessments.
Outbreak of African swine fever in South Korea, 2019 Kim, Hyun‐Joo; Cho, Ki‐Hyun; Lee, Soo‐Kyoung ...
Transboundary and emerging diseases,
March 2020, 2020-Mar, 2020-03-00, 20200301, Volume:
67, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
African swine fever, a fatal haemorrhagic disease of swine, was confirmed in domestic pigs for the first time in South Korea in September 2019. The causative virus belonged to the p72 genotype II and ...had an additional tandem repeat sequence in the intergenic region (IGR) between the I73R and I329L.
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, caused by a novel reassortant influenza A (H5N8) virus, occurred among poultry and wild birds in South Korea in 2014. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate the pathogenesis in and mode of transmission of this virus among domestic and wild ducks. Three of the viruses had similar pathogenicity among infected domestic ducks: the H5N8 viruses were moderately pathogenic (0%-20% mortality rate); in wild mallard ducks, the H5N8 and H5N1 viruses did not cause severe illness or death; viral replication and shedding were greater in H5N8-infected mallards than in H5N1-infected mallards. Identification of H5N8 viruses in birds exposed to infected domestic ducks and mallards indicated that the viruses could spread by contact. We propose active surveillance to support prevention of the spread of this virus among wild birds and poultry, especially domestic ducks.
In this study, we synthesized nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) by using various concentrations (0–0.05 M) of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant to optimize its morphology for gas ...sensor applications. The optimization process was used to elucidate the morphology effects (rod-shaped and flower-shaped morphologies). The morphologies were investigated through scanning electron microscopy, in which the assembly of nanorods leading to a spherical microstructure with a CTAB concentration of 0.005 M was observed. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller isotherm measurements revealed a surface area of 7.928 g/m2 for the flower-like morphology, which was relatively higher than those of other CTAB-assisted morphologies. Such morphological features were expected to contribute toward high-performance gas-sensing. The effect of morphology variation on the resistance of ZnO microstructures was used for gas measurements. Among the varied morphologies, a sample with a spherical flower-shaped morphology exhibited a very high response at low temperatures (~29 at 25 °C) toward NOX gas (0.75 ppm) and a high selectivity toward NOx among ammonia (NH3), toluene (C6H5CH3), carbon monoxide (CO), acetone (CH3COCH3), and ethanol (C2H5OH). Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy analyses unraveled the presence of a high density of oxygen vacancies in the sample, thereby suggesting a close link between the defective nature of the sample and the high response of the flower-like ZnO at low temperatures.
Development of selective and sensitive ZnO-based NOX gas sensors operating at low temperatures.Synthesis of spherical flower-shaped ZnO with CTAB as the sensing material.Excellent sensitivity of 29 toward NOX at 25 °C.Low concentration (0.19–0.74 ppm) detection of NOX at 25 °C.Highly selectivity toward NOX among NH3, C6H5CH3, CO, CH3COCH3, and C2H5OH at 25 °C. Display omitted
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV) infection. Despite a gradual increase of SFTS cases and high mortality in endemic ...regions, no specific viral therapy nor vaccine is available. Here, we developed a single recombinant plasmid DNA encoding SFTSV genes, Gn and Gc together with NP-NS fusion antigen, as a vaccine candidate. The viral antigens were fused with Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (Flt3L) and IL-12 gene was incorporated into the plasmid to enhance cell-mediated immunity. Vaccination with the DNA provides complete protection of IFNAR KO mice upon lethal SFTSV challenge, whereas immunization with a plasmid without IL-12 gene resulted in partial protection. Since we failed to detect antibodies against surface glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, in the immunized mice, antigen-specific cellular immunity, as confirmed by enhanced antigen-specific T cell responses, might play major role in protection. Finally, we evaluated the degree of protective immunity provided by protein immunization of the individual glycoprotein, Gn or Gc. Although both protein antigens induced a significant level of neutralizing activity against SFTSV, Gn vaccination resulted in relatively higher neutralizing activity and better protection than Gc vaccination. However, both antigens failed to provide complete protection. Given that DNA vaccines have failed to induce sufficient immunogenicity in human trials when compared to protein vaccines, optimal combinations of DNA and protein elements, proper selection of target antigens, and incorporation of efficient adjuvant, need to be further investigated for SFTSV vaccine development.
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