Cigarette smoke impairs the hematopoietic supportive property of mesenchymal stem cells via the production of reactive oxygen species and NLRP3 activation.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play important roles in tissue homeostasis by providing a supportive microenvironmental niche for the hematopoietic system. Cigarette smoking induces systemic abnormalities, including an impeded recovery process after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, the role of cigarette smoking-mediated alterations in MSC niche function have not been investigated.

Non-Hermitian chiral degeneracy of gated graphene metasurfaces.

Non-Hermitian degeneracies, also known as exceptional points (EPs), have been the focus of much attention due to their singular eigenvalue surface structure. Nevertheless, as pertaining to a non-Hermitian metasurface platform, the reduction of an eigenspace dimensionality at the EP has been investigated mostly in a passive repetitive manner. Here, we propose an electrical and spectral way of resolving chiral EPs and clarifying the consequences of chiral mode collapsing of a non-Hermitian gated graphene metasurface.

Diesel Exhaust Particles Impair Therapeutic Effect of Human Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells against Experimental Colitis through ROS/ERK/cFos Signaling Pathway.

Background And Objectives: Epidemiological investigations have shown positive correlations between increased diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in ambient air and adverse health outcomes. DEP are the major constituent of particulate atmospheric pollution and have been shown to induce proinflammatory responses both in the lung and systemically. Here, we report the effects of DEP exposure on the properties of human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), including stemness, regeneration, and immunomodulation.

Bulk Metamaterials Exhibiting Chemically Tunable Hyperbolic Responses.

Extraordinary properties of traditional hyperbolic metamaterials, not found in nature, arise from their man-made subwavelength structures causing unique light-matter interactions. However, their preparation requiring nanofabrication processes is highly challenging and merely provides nanoscale two-dimensional structures. Stabilizing their bulk forms via scalable procedures has been a sought-goal for broad applications of this technology.

A SMAD4-modulated gene profile predicts disease-free survival in stage II and III colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Loss of SMAD4, a critical tumor suppressor and the central node of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, is associated with worse outcomes for colorectal cancer patients; however, it is unknown whether an RNA-based profile associated with SMAD4 expression could be used to better identify high-risk colorectal cancer patients.

Aim: Identify a gene expression-based SMAD4-modulated profile and test its association with patient outcome.

Extracellular Vesicles from Thapsigargin-Treated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorated Experimental Colitis via Enhanced Immunomodulatory Properties.

Therapeutic applications of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted considerable attention because of their immunomodulatory properties against immune-mediated, inflammatory diseases. Here, we demonstrated enhanced immunomodulatory properties of EVs secreted from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer thapsigargin (TSG)-primed human Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs). EVs from TSG-primed WJ-MSCs (TSG-EV) showed increased yield and expression of immunomodulatory factors, such as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), and especially indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), compared to control EVs.

Xeno-Free Condition Enhances Therapeutic Functions of Human Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells against Experimental Colitis by Upregulated Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Activity.

The therapeutic applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been actively explored due to their broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. However, the use of xenogeneic components, including fetal bovine serum (FBS), in the expansion media might pose a risk of xenoimmunization and zoonotic transmission to post-transplanted patients. Here, we extensively compared the physiological functions of human Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs) in a xeno-free medium (XF-MSCs) and a medium containing 10% FBS (10%-MSCs).

A pilot study using machine learning methods about factors influencing prognosis of dental implants.

Purpose: This study tried to find the most significant factors predicting implant prognosis using machine learning methods.

Materials And Methods: The data used in this study was based on a systematic search of chart files at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for one year. In this period, oral and maxillofacial surgeons inserted 667 implants in 198 patients after consultation with a prosthodontist.

Self-Assembly of Silver Nanowire Ring Structures Driven by the Compressive Force of a Liquid Droplet.

In a nanowire dispersed in liquid droplets, the interplay between the surface tension of the liquid and the elasticity of the nanowire determines the final morphology of the bent or buckled nanowire. Here, we investigate the fabrication of a silver nanowire ring generated as the nanowire encapsulated inside of fine droplets. We used a hybrid aerodynamic and electrostatic atomization method to ensure the generation of droplets with scalable size in the necessary regime for ring formation.

Graphene-ferroelectric metadevices for nonvolatile memory and reconfigurable logic-gate operations.

Memory metamaterials are artificial media that sustain transformed electromagnetic properties without persistent external stimuli. Previous memory metamaterials were realized with phase-change materials, such as vanadium dioxide or chalcogenide glasses, which exhibit memory behaviour with respect to electrically/optically induced thermal stimuli. However, they require a thermally isolated environment for longer retention or strong optical pump for phase-change.

THz near-field spectral encoding imaging using a rainbow metasurface.

We demonstrate a fast image acquisition technique in the terahertz range via spectral encoding using a metasurface. The metasurface is composed of spatially varying units of mesh filters that exhibit bandpass features. Each mesh filter is arranged such that the centre frequencies of the mesh filters are proportional to their position within the metasurface, similar to a rainbow.

Rotationally reconfigurable metamaterials based on moiré phenomenon.

Exploiting moiré interference, we make a new type of reconfigurable metamaterials and study their transmission tunability for incident electromagnetic waves. The moiré pattern is formed by overlapping two transparent layers, each of which has a periodic metallic pattern, and the cluster size of the resulting moiré pattern can be varied by changing the relative superposition angle of the two layers. In our reconfigurable metamaterials, both the size and structural shape of the unit cell can be varied simultaneously through moiré interference.

Nondispersive optical activity of meshed helical metamaterials.

Extreme optical properties can be realized by the strong resonant response of metamaterials consisting of subwavelength-scale metallic resonators. However, highly dispersive optical properties resulting from strong resonances have impeded the broadband operation required for frequency-independent optical components or devices. Here we demonstrate that strong, flat broadband optical activity with high transparency can be obtained with meshed helical metamaterials in which metallic helical structures are networked and arranged to have fourfold rotational symmetry around the propagation axis.

Optical activity enhanced by strong inter-molecular coupling in planar chiral metamaterials.

The polarization of light can be rotated in materials with an absence of molecular or structural mirror symmetry. While this rotating ability is normally rather weak in naturally occurring chiral materials, artificial chiral metamaterials have demonstrated extraordinary rotational ability by engineering intra-molecular couplings. However, while in general, chiral metamaterials can exhibit strong rotatory power at or around resonances, they convert linearly polarized waves into elliptically polarized ones.

A case of malignant granular cell tumor in the sigmoid colon.

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is an uncommon, usually benign neoplasm; however, a malignant potential has been described. Malignant GCT is an extremely rare neoplasm showing rapid growth and invasion into adjacent muscles, lymph nodes, or vessels, or even distant metastasis. We recently experienced a case of a histologically benign or atypical but clinically malignant GCT, with invasion of the lymph nodes and vessels in the sigmoid colon, diagnosed by segmental colon resection with lymph node dissection.

Neuromuscular junction in a microfluidic device.

Malfunctions at the site of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of post-injuries or diseases are major barriers to recovery of function. The ability to efficiently derive motor neurons (MN) from embryonic stem cells has indicated promise toward the development of new therapies in increasing functional outcomes post injury. Recent advances in micro-technologies have provided advanced culture platforms allowing compartmentalization of sub-cellular components of neurons.

The role of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans in arsenic bioleaching from soil.

Bioleaching of As from the soil in an abandoned Ag-Au mine was carried out using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. A. ferrooxidans is an iron oxidizer and A.

Immobilization of lysozyme-CLEA onto electrospun chitosan nanofiber for effective antibacterial applications.

Chitosan (CS) nanofibers with a diameter of 150-200nm were fabricated from a mixed chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solution by the electrospinning method. The nascent CS/PVA nanofibers were treated with 0.5M NaOH solution to make stable CS nanofibers by removing PVA under aqueous conditions.

[The prevalence of Barrett's esophagus and the comparison of Barrett's esophagus with cardiac intestinal metaplasia in the health screening at a secondary care hospital].

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and its association with reflux esophagitis (RE) and peptic ulcer disease detected by free charge endoscopy which was covered by the National Health Insurance at a secondary care hospital, and to compare the results of the biopsy of BE with that of cardiac intestinal metaplasia (CIM).

Methods: A total of 4,002 patients underwent endoscopy from March 2010 to December 2012. BE was diagnosed if there was histologically proven specialized intestinal metaplasia, and CIM was diagnosed if intestinal metaplasia was accompanied with chronic gastritis.

Assessment of Young Dong tributary and Imgok Creek impacted by Young Dong coal mine, South Korea.

An initial reclamation of the Young Dong coal mine site, located in northeastern South Korea, was completed in 1995. Despite the filling of the adit with limestone, acid rock drainage (ARD) enters Young Dong tributary and is then discharged to Imgok Creek. This ARD carries an average of 500 mg CaCO(3)/l of mineral acidity, primarily as Fe(II) and Al.

Comparative effectiveness of mixed organic substrates to mushroom compost for treatment of mine drainage in passive bioreactors.

Bioreactors are one possible best sustainable technology to address the mine-impacted water problems. Several prospective substrates (mushroom compost, cow manure, sawdust, wood chips, and cut rice straw) were characterized for their ability to serve as a source of food and energy for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Twenty bench-scale batch bioreactors were then designed and set up to investigate relative effectiveness of various mixtures of substrates to that of mushroom compost, the most commonly used substrate in field bioreactors, for treating mine drainage with acidic (pH 3) and moderate pH (pH 6).

The effects of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans on the leaching of cobalt and strontium adsorbed onto soil particles.

Bioleaching from soil artificially contaminated with analogues of radionuclides, Co and Sr, was carried out using a Fe-oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Due to bacterial metabolism, the pH and dissolved Fe(3+) concentration in a biotic slurry decreased and increased respectively, over time, but the concentrations of Co and Sr extracted from the soil showed no significant enhancement compared with those under abiotic control. In both cases, Co and Sr were leached from the soil during the initial period of the experiment, due to the initially low solution pH of 2.