Caffeine-Induced Upregulation of and Enhances Intestinal Integrity by Reducing Vitellogenin in Aged Model.

Intestinal aging is characterized by declining protein homeostasis via reduced proteasome activity, which are hallmarks of age-related diseases. Our previous study showed that caffeine intake improved intestinal integrity with age by reducing vitellogenin (VIT, yolk protein) in . In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanisms by which caffeine intake improves intestinal integrity and reduces vitellogenin (VIT) production in aged .

Sulfur powder utilization and denitrification efficiency in an elemental sulfur-based membrane bioreactor with coagulant addition.

The integration of elemental sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification with membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology offers a cost-effective solution for nitrate removal; however, stable operation demands efficient sulfur utilization and phosphorus management. This study explores sulfur consumption dynamics and the impacts of coagulant injection on denitrification efficiency. Sulfur consumption was closely correlated with nitrate removal rates, highlighting the critical role of stoichiometric sulfur availability for sustained denitrification.

Electrochemical valorization of dilute reactive nitrogen compounds into ammonia: advances in catalysis and reactive separations.

The global demand for sustainable nitrogen management has brought attention to the challenge of efficiently converting dilute nitrogen compounds, such as nitrates and nitrogen oxides, into valuable ammonia. This review emphasizes on innovative catalyst designs, including homogeneous and heterogenous catalysts tailored to low-concentration reactive nitrogen species. Moreover it explores the integration of advanced separation and concentration techniques, such as electrosorption and dialysis, to overcome mass transport limitations and enable effective electrochemical valorization.

Development of a diagnostic and drug evaluation system for acute inflammation using a novel [Zr]DTPA-sorbitol probe.

Non-invasive imaging techniques employing biomarkers with high selectivity for inflammation are essential not only for the early diagnosis and prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases but also for guiding appropriate drug therapy and enabling real-time evaluation of anti-inflammatory drug efficacy. In this study, we conjugated radioactive zirconium to sorbitol, a compound that can selectively target inflammation, and evaluated its inflammation-specific uptake and potential for assessing anti-inflammatory treatment efficacy in a mouse inflammation model. Pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated that radiolabeled sorbitol achieved maximal uptake in inflamed tissues within 1 h.

Full-color time-sequential super multi-view near-eye display with front-lit waveguide illumination.

Light field (LF) displays can offer a quasi-natural three-dimensional (3D) viewing experience by tailoring the four-dimensional light information. However, the primary drawback of conventional LF displays is their limited image quality due to restricted information. To address this limitation, time-multiplexing techniques are employed, but the resulting system configurations are often impractical for achieving compact systems.

Spatiotemporal Cellular Dynamics of Germinal Center Reaction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Lung-Draining Lymph Node Based on Imaging-Based Spatial Transcriptomics.

Although lymph node structures may be compromised in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, the extent and parameters of recovery in convalescing patients remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the nuances of lymphoid structural recovery and their implications for immunologic memory in nonhuman primates infected with SARS-CoV-2. To do so, we utilized imaging-based spatial transcriptomics to delineate immune cell composition and tissue architecture formation in the lung-draining lymph nodes during primary infection, convalescence, and reinfection from COVID-19.

Dual-Coated Antireflective Film for Flexible and Robust Multi-Environmental Optoelectronic Applications.

Artificial antireflective nanostructured surfaces, inspired by moth eyes, effectively reduce optical losses at interfaces, offering significant advantages in enhancing optical performance in various optoelectronic applications, including solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and cameras. However, their limited flexibility and low surface hardness constrain their broader use. In this study, we introduce a universal antireflective film by integrating nanostructures on both sides of a thin polycarbonate film.

Dynamic Reconstruction of Cu Catalyst Under Electrochemical NO Reduction to NH.

The electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to ammonia (NH) offers a sustainable way of simultaneously treating the air pollutant and producing a useful chemical. Among catalyst candidates, Cu emerges as a stand-out choice for its superb NH selectivity and production rate. However, a comprehensive study concerning its catalytic behavior in the NO reduction environment is still lacking.

Tumor Pre-Targeting System Using Streptavidin-Expressing Bacteria.

Purpose: A major obstacle to targeted cancer therapy is identifying suitable targets that are specifically and abundantly expressed by solid tumors. Certain bacterial strains selectively colonize solid tumors and can deliver genetically encoded cargo molecules to the tumor cells. Here, we engineered bacteria to express monomeric streptavidin (mSA) in tumors, and developed a novel tumor pre-targeting system by visualizing the presence of tumor-associated mSA using a biotinylated imaging probe.

Impact of IL-1β on lung pathology caused by Mycobacterium abscessus infection and its association with IL-17 production.

Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB), a non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), causes chronic pulmonary inflammation in humans. The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multi-protein complex that triggers IL-1β maturation and pyroptosis through the cleavage of caspase-1. In this study, we investigated the roles of NLRP3 and IL-1β in the host's defense against MAB.

Effects of L-Type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (LTCC) Inhibition on Hippocampal Neuronal Death after Pilocarpine-Induced Seizure.

Epilepsy, marked by abnormal and excessive brain neuronal activity, is linked to the activation of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LTCCs) in neuronal membranes. LTCCs facilitate the entry of calcium (Ca) and other metal ions, such as zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg), into the cytosol. This Ca influx at the presynaptic terminal triggers the release of Zn and glutamate to the postsynaptic terminal.

AutoSCAN: automatic detection of DBSCAN parameters and efficient clustering of data in overlapping density regions.

The density-based clustering method is considered a robust approach in unsupervised clustering technique due to its ability to identify outliers, form clusters of irregular shapes and automatically determine the number of clusters. These unique properties helped its pioneering algorithm, the Density-based Spatial Clustering on Applications with Noise (DBSCAN), become applicable in datasets where various number of clusters of different shapes and sizes could be detected without much interference from the user. However, the original algorithm exhibits limitations, especially towards its sensitivity on its user input parameters minPts and .

DeepPI: Alignment-Free Analysis of Flexible Length Proteins Based on Deep Learning and Image Generator.

With the rapid development of NGS technology, the number of protein sequences has increased exponentially. Computational methods have been introduced in protein functional studies because the analysis of large numbers of proteins through biological experiments is costly and time-consuming. In recent years, new approaches based on deep learning have been proposed to overcome the limitations of conventional methods.

Water Extract of Desalted Inhibits RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation and Prevents Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Mice.

Osteoporosis, which is often associated with increased osteoclast activity due to menopause or aging, was the main focus of this study. We investigated the inhibitory effects of water extract of desalted L. (WSE) on osteoclast differentiation and bone loss in ovariectomized mice.

Hotspots-based patrol route optimization algorithm for smart policing.

Smart policing based on the analysis of big data ensures the development and sustainability of police policy. However, it is difficult to find instances in which the results of data analysis have been applied to actual policy in the field of crime prevention. The South Korean police force recognizes the need for smart policing and is engaged in various research and field support activities.

Synthesis and evaluation of F-labeled procainamide as a PET imaging agent for malignant melanoma.

Malignant melanoma has an aggressive nature and a high metastatic propensity resulting in the highest mortality rate of any skin cancer. In this study, we synthesized F-labeled procainamide (PCA) for detection of melanoma using positron emission tomography (PET), and evaluated its biological characteristics. The non-decay-corrected radiochemical yield of F-PCA was 10-15% and its in vitro stability was over 98% for 2 h.

Electrochemically-mediated reactive separation of nitric oxide into nitrate using iron chelate.

Valorization of nitric oxide is a promising solution for addressing the environmental and resource issues related to the nitrogen cycle. However, low concentrations of nitric oxide combined with impurities in exhaust streams limit its potential, and it requires extensive energy to produce high-purity nitric oxide. Here, we propose a synergistic reactive separation system that combines iron-chelate selective absorption with an electrochemical reaction to convert nitric oxide to nitrate.

Effects of air blower and pump failures on the performance of AO processes for wastewater treatment.

The unexpected failure of equipment such as pumps and fans in wastewater treatment plants can reduce wastewater treatment efficiency, leading to direct leakage of untreated wastewater into the environment. It is hence important to predict the possible consequences of equipment failure to minimize the leakage of harmful substances. This study examines the impacts of equipment shutdown on the performance and recovery time of a laboratory-scale anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic system with regard to reactor conditions and water quality.

Effects of Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) Gene Deletion on Astrocyte-Specific Glycolysis and Global Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Neuronal Death.

Ischemic stroke is caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain. Astrocytes have a role in bidirectionally converting pyruvate, generated via glycolysis, into lactate and then supplying it to neurons through astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle (ANLS). Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is an enzyme that dephosphorylates phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate during glycolysis in astrocytes.

GPS Spoofing Detection Method for Small UAVs Using 1D Convolution Neural Network.

The navigation of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as quadcopters, significantly relies on the global positioning system (GPS); however, UAVs are vulnerable to GPS spoofing attacks. GPS spoofing is an attempt to manipulate a GPS receiver by broadcasting manipulated signals. A commercial GPS simulator can cause a GPS-guided drone to deviate from its intended course by transmitting counterfeit GPS signals.

cPlot: Contig-Plotting Visualization for the Analysis of Short-Read Nucleotide Sequence Alignments.

Advances in the next-generation sequencing technology have led to a dramatic decrease in read-generation cost and an increase in read output. Reconstruction of short DNA sequence reads generated by next-generation sequencing requires a read alignment method that reconstructs a reference genome. In addition, it is essential to analyze the results of read alignments for a biologically meaningful inference.

D-galactose Intake Alleviates Atopic Dermatitis in Mice by Modulating Intestinal Microbiota.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most prevalent, chronic and persistent inflammatory skin diseases closely associated with intestinal microbiota. To evaluate the effect of D-galactose intake on AD, we orally administered D-galactose to BALB/c mice whose ears and skin were treated with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). D-galactose alleviated DNCB-induced AD-like phenotypes such as redness, scaling/dryness and excoriation.