Inhibition of the RPS6KA1/FoxO1 signaling axis by hydroxycitric acid attenuates HFD-induced obesity through MCE suppression.

Background: Because obesity is associated with a hyperplasia-mediated increase in adipose tissue, inhibiting cell proliferation during mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) is a leading strategy for preventing obesity. Although (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is used to control obesity, the molecular mechanisms underlying its effects on MCE are poorly understood.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of HCA on MCE and underlying molecular mechanisms affecting adipogenesis and obesity improvements.

The anti-obesity effect of mulberry leaf (Mori Folium) extracts was increased by bioconversion with Pectinex.

Mulberry leaf (Mori Folium) extract (MLE) is known to have anti-obesity effects. In this study, the enhanced effects of MLE after bioconversion treatment using Pectinex (BMLE) on obesity were explored, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using the active components, neochlorogenic acid (5-CQA) and cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), whose amounts were increased by bioconversion of MLE. Both MLE and BMLE inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without cytotoxicity and suppressed the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα).

A brief history of the Italian-Korean symposium on relativistic astrophysics.

The series of Italian-Korean Symposia on Relativistic Astrophysics began in 1987, well before the Astrophysics Division of the Korean Physical Society was established in 1995. The symposiums brought together young researchers and scientists of both nations and formed the foundation that would lead to the establishment of the astrophysics division. In this essay, I want to describe a brief history for the series.

Direct conversion of NO and SO in flue gas into fertilizer using ammonia and ozone.

This study focused on the simultaneous removal of NO and SO from an industrial flue gas stream. To evaluate the removal efficiency of NO and SO using O and NH, the consumption of two reactants (O and NH) in line with the conversion of NO and SO was quantified experimentally. In addition, NO and SO were converted to valuable fertilizers, NHNO and (NH)SO.

Catalytic ozonation of toluene using Mn-M bimetallic HZSM-5 (M: Fe, Cu, Ru, Ag) catalysts at room temperature.

We investigated the catalytic efficiency of Mn-based bimetallic oxides in degrading toluene and ozone at room temperature. The room temperature-active bimetallic oxide catalysts were prepared by the addition of Fe, Cu, Ru, and Ag precursors to Mn/HZSM-5. We obtained H-temperature-programmed reduction (H-TPR) profiles, X-ray diffraction patterns, and X-ray photoelectron spectra to investigate the characteristics of the prepared catalysts.

Emulsification characteristics of ether extracted pyrolysis-oil in diesel using various combinations of emulsifiers (Span 80, Atlox 4916 and Zephrym PD3315) in double reactor system.

Emulsification is a cost effective and simple method to use pyrolysis oil (or bio-oil) along with diesel as an emulsified fuel. Several combinations of emulsifiers, such as Span 80 and Atlox 4916, Span 80 and Zephrym PD3315, and Atlox 4916 and Zephrym PD3315, were tested to obtain stable emulsions. Two set of reactors (ultrasonicator and agitator-based mechanical reactor system) were used for the process.

Production of bio-oil with reduced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons via continuous pyrolysis of biobutanol process derived waste lignin.

The fast pyrolysis of waste lignin derived from biobutanol production process was performed to determine the optimal pyrolysis conditions and pyrolysis product properties. Four types of pyrolysis reactors, e.g.

Production of an upgraded lignin-derived bio-oil using the clay catalysts of bentonite and olivine and the spent FCC in a bench-scale fixed bed pyrolyzer.

Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant renewable energy source that can be converted into various liquid fuels via thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is a thermal decomposition method, in which solid biomass are thermally depolymerized to liquid fuel called bio-oil or pyrolysis oil. However, the low quality of pyrolysis oil caused by its high oxygen content necessitates further catalytic upgrading to increase the content of oxygen-free compounds, such as aromatic hydrocarbons.

Overview of the recent advances in lignocellulose liquefaction for producing biofuels, bio-based materials and chemicals.

The concerns over the increasing energy demand and cost as well as environmental problems derived from fossil fuel use are the main driving forces of research into renewable energy. Lignocellulosic biomass comprised of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin is an abundant, carbon neutral, and alternative resource for replacing fossil fuels in the future. Solvent liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass is a promising route to obtain biofuels, bio-based materials, and chemicals using a range of solvents as reaction media under moderate reaction conditions.

Characterization of solvent-fractionated lignins from woody biomass treated via supercritical water oxidation.

Crude supercritical lignin (SCL) extracted from hardwood (Quercus mongolica) treated via supercritical water (SCW) oxidation was subjected to sequential fractionation with four organic solvents; five lignin fractions (F1-F4 and F) were thus obtained. The molecular weight (MW) of the fractionated lignins gradually increased as fractionation proceeded. However, the content of methoxyl groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups tended to decrease with increasing molecular weight of the lignins.

Catalytic Conversion of Pinus densiflora Over Mesoporous Catalysts Using Pyrolysis Process.

Catalytic pyrolysis experiments were conducted to investigate the possibility of obtaining valuable chemicals from Pinus densiflora, a native Korean tree species occupying 21.4% of the total area under forests in South Korea. Two representative mesoporous catalysts, Al-MCM-41 and Al-MSU-F, as well as hierarchical mesoporous MFI (Meso-MFI) that has both mesopores and micropores, were used as catalysts.

Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessment of Internal Mammary Lymph Node Status in Breast Cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of malignant internal mammary lymph nodes (IMLNs) and benign IMLNs in breast cancer patients.

Methods: From 2009 to 2014, the records of 85 patients with IMLNs were archived using MRI report data; 26 patients with small size (long axis diameter <5 mm) nodes were subsequently excluded. The current study evaluated internal mammary lymph nodes in 59 patients who underwent breast MRI for breast cancer staging and for posttherapy follow-up.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of waste particle board and polyproplylene over nanoporous Al-MCM-41 catalysts.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of particle board, a waste wood biomass, and polypropylene (PP), a petroleum-based plastic, was carried out with a mixing ratio of 1:1 over a representative mesoporous material, Al-MCM-41 catalyst. The Si/Al ratios of the Al-MCM-41 catalysts were controlled at 20 and 80 to investigate the effect of the acidity of the catalyst. The characterization of the catalyst was performed by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption, and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption.

Removal of Cu(2+) by biochars derived from green macroalgae.

The by-product char of the fast pyrolysis of a green macroalga Enteromorpha compressa was used to remove copper from an aqueous solution. The surface area and the amount of cation exchange capacity (CEC) were increased by steam activation, resulting in enhanced adsorption capacity. Although chemical activation using a KOH solution increased the pore volume and surface area dramatically, it decreased the adsorption capacity because of activating in the KOH solution and washing decreased CEC.

Identification of active transcriptional regulatory elements from GRO-seq data.

Modifications to the global run-on and sequencing (GRO-seq) protocol that enrich for 5'-capped RNAs can be used to reveal active transcriptional regulatory elements (TREs) with high accuracy. Here, we introduce discriminative regulatory-element detection from GRO-seq (dREG), a sensitive machine learning method that uses support vector regression to identify active TREs from GRO-seq data without requiring cap-based enrichment (https://github.com/Danko-Lab/dREG/).

Pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis of Laminaria japonica and polypropylene over mesoporous Al-SBA-15 catalyst.

The catalytic co-pyrolysis of a seaweed biomass, Laminaria japonica, and a typical polymer material, polypropylene, was studied for the first time. A mesoporous material Al-SBA-15 was used as a catalyst. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted using a fixed-bed reactor and pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS).

Conversion of kraft lignin over hierarchical MFI zeolite.

Catalytic pyrolysis of kraft lignin was carried out using pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Hierarchical mesoporous MFI was used as the catalyst and another mesoporous material Al-SBA-15 was also used for comparison. The characteristics of mesoporous MFI were analyzed by X-ray diffraction patterns, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, and temperature programmed desorption of NH3.

Application of mesoporous Al-MCM-48 material to the conversion of lignin.

Al-MCM-48 was applied to the catalytic pyrolysis of lignin for the first time. The pyrolysis reaction and in-situ product were analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The main products of the non-catalytic pyrolysis of lignin were phenols.

Effect of Pt particle size on the hydroisomerization of n-dodecane over Pt/Ai-SBA-15 catalysts.

The hydroisomerization of n-dodecane was carried out over platinum-impregnated Al-SBA-15 as a bifunctional catalyst. A range of Pt/Al-SBA-15 catalysts with a Pt particle size of 1.7, 2.

Catalytic fast pyrolysis of lignin over mesoporous Y zeolite using Py-GC/MS.

The catalytic pyrolysis of lignin was carried out at 500 degrees C using pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In-situ vapor cracking method, in which the vapor-phase products from the noncatalytic pyrolysis step were catalytically upgraded in the second step, was used. Mesoporous Y zeolite, which was synthesized from commercial zeolite Y (CBV720) using the pseudomorphic synthesis method, was used for the catalytic pyrolysis of lignin for the first time.

Hydroconversion of n-dodecane over nanoporous catalysts.

Platinum catalysts impregnated on different nanoporous materials, Meso-MFI, Si-SBA-15 and AI-SBA-15, were synthesized, and the hydroconversion of n-dodecane over these catalysts was performed. The catalytic characteristics were analyzed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, X-ray diffraction, N2-adsorption-desorption and temperature programmed desorption of NH3. The effects of operation parameters, such as temperature and pressure, on the catalytic activities were investigated.

Catalytic pyrolysis of Laminaria japonica over nanoporous catalysts using Py-GC/MS.

The catalytic pyrolysis of Laminaria japonica was carried out over a hierarchical meso-MFI zeolite (Meso-MFI) and nanoporous Al-MCM-48 using pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The effect of the catalyst type on the product distribution and chemical composition of the bio-oil was examined using Py-GC/MS. The Meso-MFI exhibited a higher activity in deoxygenation and aromatization during the catalytic pyrolysis of L.

A study on industrial accident rate forecasting and program development of estimated zero accident time in Korea.

To begin a zero accident campaign for industry, the first thing is to estimate the industrial accident rate and the zero accident time systematically. This paper considers the social and technical change of the business environment after beginning the zero accident campaign through quantitative time series analysis methods. These methods include sum of squared errors (SSE), regression analysis method (RAM), exponential smoothing method (ESM), double exponential smoothing method (DESM), auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, and the proposed analytic function method (AFM).