A Study on the Effect of Graphene Oxide on Geotechnical Properties of Soil.

Edge-oxidized graphene oxide (EOGO) is a nano-sized material that is chemically stable and easily mixed with water due to its hydrophilic properties; thus, it has been used in various engineering fields, particularly for the reinforcement of building and construction materials. In this study, the effect of EOGO in soil reinforcement was investigated. When mixed with soil, it affects the mechanical properties of the soil-GO mixture.

A Two-Year Observational Study to Evaluate Conversion Rates from High- and Low-Risk Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment to Probable Alzheimer's Disease in a Real-World Setting.

Background: Predicting conversion to probable Alzheimer&s disease (AD) from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is difficult but important. A nomogram was developed previously for determining the risk of 3-year probable AD conversion in aMCI.

Objective: To compare the probable AD conversion rates with cognitive and neurodegenerative changes for 2 years from high- and low risk aMCI groups classified using the nomogram.

TMEM106B coding variant is protective and deletion detrimental in a mouse model of tauopathy.

TMEM106B is a risk modifier of multiple neurological conditions, where a single coding variant and multiple non-coding SNPs influence the balance between susceptibility and resilience. Two key questions that emerge from past work are whether the lone T185S coding variant contributes to protection, and if the presence of TMEM106B is helpful or harmful in the context of disease. Here, we address both questions while expanding the scope of TMEM106B study from TDP-43 to models of tauopathy.

Study on the Combined Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash and Waste Shingle in Hot Mix Asphalt.

This study investigated the positive effect of the combined use of recycled asphalt shingles (RASs) and municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (B.A.) in asphalt concrete, which contributes to enhanced sustainability in pavement engineering.

Generation of a Dcx-CreER knock-in mouse for genetic manipulation of newborn neurons.

A wide variety of CreER driver lines are available for genetic manipulation of adult-born neurons in the mouse brain. These tools have been instrumental in studying fate potential, migration, circuit integration, and morphology of the stem cells supporting lifelong neurogenesis. Despite a wealth of tools, genetic manipulation of adult-born neurons for circuit and behavioral studies has been limited by poor specificity of many driver lines targeting early progenitor cells and by the inaccessibility of lines selective for later stages of neuronal maturation.

Effects of three-dimensional image based insole for healthy volunteers: a pilot clinical trial.

Unlabelled: Insoles are used to treat various foot diseases, including plantar foot, diabetic foot ulcers, and refractory plantar fasciitis. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3-dimensional image-based (3-D) insole in healthy volunteers with no foot diseases. Additionally, the comfort of the 3-D insole was compared with that of a custom-molded insole.

TMEM106B coding variant is protective and deletion detrimental in a mouse model of tauopathy.

TMEM106B is a risk modifier for a growing list of age-associated dementias including Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia, yet its function remains elusive. Two key questions that emerge from past work are whether the conservative T185S coding variant found in the minor haplotype contributes to protection, and whether the presence of TMEM106B is helpful or harmful in the context of disease. Here we address both issues while extending the testbed for study of TMEM106B from models of TDP to tauopathy.

Extensive accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates during natural aging and senescence.

Accumulation of misfolded protein aggregates is a hallmark event in many age-related protein misfolding disorders, including some of the most prevalent and insidious neurodegenerative diseases. Misfolded protein aggregates produce progressive cell damage, organ dysfunction, and clinical changes, which are common also in natural aging. Thus, we hypothesized that aging is associated to the widespread and progressive misfolding and aggregation of many proteins in various tissues.

Activity disruption causes degeneration of entorhinal neurons in a mouse model of Alzheimer's circuit dysfunction.

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by selective vulnerability of distinct cell populations; however, the cause for this specificity remains elusive. Here, we show that entorhinal cortex layer 2 (EC2) neurons are unusually vulnerable to prolonged neuronal inactivity compared with neighboring regions of the temporal lobe, and that reelin + stellate cells connecting EC with the hippocampus are preferentially susceptible within the EC2 population. We demonstrate that neuronal death after silencing can be elicited through multiple independent means of activity inhibition, and that preventing synaptic release, either alone or in combination with electrical shunting, is sufficient to elicit silencing-induced degeneration.

Computed tomographic features of the temporomandibular joint in 10 Jeju horses.

Background: The equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has a complex anatomical structure that makes diagnosis of TMJ disorders difficult. Computed tomography (CT) is now available in equine medicine; hence, TMJ evaluation has become more convenient.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe the CT features of the TMJ in Jeju horses and to compare these features with those of Thoroughbreds.

Temporal and spatially controlled APP transgene expression using Cre-dependent alleles.

Although a large number of mouse models have been made to study Alzheimer's disease, only a handful allow experimental control over the location or timing of the protein being used to drive pathology. Other fields have used the Cre and the tamoxifen-inducible CreER driver lines to achieve precise spatial and temporal control over gene deletion and transgene expression, yet these tools have not been widely used in studies of neurodegeneration. Here, we describe two strategies for harnessing the wide range of Cre and CreER driver lines to control expression of disease-associated amyloid precursor protein (APP) in modeling Alzheimer's amyloid pathology.

Drug screening by uniform patient derived colorectal cancer hydro-organoids.

As the importance of organoids increases, the need to develop organoid culture systems suitable for basic biological and clinical applications is being emphasized. However, there is still an unmet need to produce functionally complex and scalable uniform organoids. Here, we demonstrate a scalable organoid production platform with 8 well strips and a total of 8 × 9 microwells per strip using organoids derived from colorectal cancer tissue.

Multi-Component Intervention Program on Habitual Physical Activity Parameters and Cognitive Function in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Age-related dementia refers to a state in which someone experiences multiple cognitive function impairment due to degenerative brain disease, and which causes difficulties in their daily life or social life. Dementia is the most common and serious obstacle in later life. Early intervention in the case of patients who are in the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage among the high-risk group can maintain and improve their cognitive function.

Gene therapy using Aβ variants for amyloid reduction.

Numerous aggregation inhibitors have been developed with the goal of blocking or reversing toxic amyloid formation in vivo. Previous studies have used short peptide inhibitors targeting different amyloid β (Aβ) amyloidogenic regions to prevent aggregation. Despite the specificity that can be achieved by peptide inhibitors, translation of these strategies has been thwarted by two key obstacles: rapid proteolytic degradation in the bloodstream and poor transfer across the blood-brain barrier.

Antioxidant Activity of Hydrogen Water Mask Pack Composed of Gel-Type Emulsion and Hydrogen Generation Powder.

In this study, hydrogen generation powder samples were prepared using zinc carbonate as a precursor, at a temperature varying from 400 to 700 °C in H atmosphere, and were characterized in terms of antioxidant activity. The concentration of dissolved hydrogen obtained by the powder samples was measured using a dissolved hydrogen meter as a function of time. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the samples was evaluated based on the Oyaizu's method, removal rate of ·OH radicals, and ferric reducing antioxidant power.

Cycling system for decomposition of gaseous benzene by hydrogen peroxide with naturally Fe-containing activated carbon.

For the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from environmental systems, gaseous benzene, a model VOC, was adsorbed on naturally Fe-containing activated carbon and subsequently, decomposed in the presence of de-ionized water, and low (0.03%, pH 6.5) and high (30%, pH 2.

Beyond Strict Regulations to Achieve Environmental and Economic Health-An Optimal PM Mitigation Policy for Korea.

Growing concern about particulate matter (PM) pressures Korea to reduce the health risks associated with its high dependency on fossil fuels. The Korean economy relies heavily on large thermal power plants-a major source of PM emissions. Although air quality regulations can negatively impact local economies, the Korean government announced two strict air quality mitigation policies in 2019.

Enhanced electrochemical performance of MoS/graphene nanosheet nanocomposites.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS) is attractive as an anode material for next-generation batteries, because of its layered structure being favorable for the insertion/deinsertion of Li ions, and its fairly high theoretical capacity. However, since the MoS anode material has exhibited disadvantages, such as low electrical conductivity and poor cycling stability, to improve the electrochemical performance of MoS in this study, a nanocomposite structure consisting of MoS and GNS (MoS/GNS) as an anode for LIBs was prepared, by controlling the weight ratios of MoS/GNS. The X-ray diffraction patterns and electron microscopic analysis showed that the nanocomposite electrode structure consisted of well-formed MoS nanoparticles and GNS.

Porous SnO nanostructure with a high specific surface area for improved electrochemical performance.

Tin oxide (SnO) has been attractive as an alternative to carbon-based anode materials because of its fairly high theoretical capacity during cycling. However, SnO has critical drawbacks, such as poor cycle stability caused by a large volumetric variation during the alloying/de-alloying reaction and low capacity at a high current density due to its low electrical conductivity. In this study, we synthesized a porous SnO nanostructure (n-SnO) that has a high specific surface area as an anode active material using the Adams fusion method.

Emission characteristics of particulate matter, odors, and volatile organic compounds from the grilling of pork.

Meat-grilling restaurants are considered to be residential emission sources of air pollutants. To investigate the emission characteristics of particulate matter (PM), odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the grilling of meat, a grilling apparatus equipped with butane gas burners was used to grill pork belly and marinated pork ribs in a laboratory setting. When grilling the pork belly, the emission factor for PM with a diameter of 2.

Role of polyvinylpyrrolidone in the electrochemical performance of LiMnO cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

While LiMnO as an over-lithiated layered oxide (OLO) shows a significantly high reversible capacity of 250 mA h g in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), it has critical issues of poor cycling performance and deteriorated high rate performance. In this study, modified OLO cathode materials for improved LIB performance were obtained by heating the as-prepared OLO at different temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) under an N atmosphere. Compared to the as-prepared OLO, the OLO sample heated at 500 °C with PVP exhibited a high initial discharge capacity of 206 mA h g and high rate capability of 111 mA h g at 100 mA g.

TiO-coated LiCoO electrodes fabricated by a sputtering deposition method for lithium-ion batteries with enhanced electrochemical performance.

We fabricated lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO, LCO) electrodes in the absence and presence of TiO layers as cathodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) using a sputtering deposition method under an Ar atmosphere. In particular, TiO coating layers on sputtered LCO electrodes were directly deposited in a layer-by-layer form with varying TiO sputtering times from 60 to 120 s. These sputtered electrodes were heated at 600 °C in an air atmosphere for 3 h.