Gemigliptin ameliorates Western-diet-induced metabolic syndrome in mice.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are widely used antihyperglycemic agents for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently, increasing attention has been focused on the pleiotropic actions of DPP-4 inhibitors. The aim of the present study was to examine whether gemigliptin, a recently developed DPP-4 inhibitor, could ameliorate features of metabolic syndrome.

Ion gyroscale fluctuation measurement with microwave imaging reflectometer on KSTAR.

Ion gyroscale turbulent fluctuations with the poloidal wavenumber k ∼ 3 cm have been measured in the core region of the neutral beam (NB) injected low confinement (L-mode) plasmas on Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research. The turbulence poloidal wavenumbers are deduced from the frequencies and poloidal rotation velocities in the laboratory frame, measured by the multichannel microwave imaging reflectometer. Linear and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations also predict the unstable modes with the normalized wavenumber kρ ∼ 0.

Optimal volume of injectate for fluoroscopy-guided cervical interlaminar epidural injection in patients with neck and upper extremity pain.

There is no study of optimal volume of contrast medium to use in cervical interlaminar epidural injections (CIEIs) for appropriate spread to target lesions. To determine optimal volume of contrast medium to use in CIEIs. We analyzed the records of 80 patients who had undergone CIEIs.

Hybrid Energy Cell with Hierarchical Nano/Micro-Architectured Polymer Film to Harvest Mechanical, Solar, and Wind Energies Individually/Simultaneously.

We report the creation of hybrid energy cells based on hierarchical nano/micro-architectured polydimethylsiloxane (HNMA-PDMS) films with multifunctionality to simultaneously harvest mechanical, solar, and wind energies. These films consist of nano/micro dual-scale architectures (i.e.

Enhanced Light Emission from Monolayer Semiconductors by Forming Heterostructures with ZnO Thin Films.

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (1L-TMDs) are atomically thin direct band gap semiconductors, from which the emission of light is determined by optical transitions of exciton complexes such as neutral excitons and trions. While the quantum yields of 1L-TMDs are quite low, the ability to control the populations of exciton complexes in 1L-TMDs through various doping processes is an interesting advantage, and provides ample possibilities for engineering the optical properties of these semiconductor monolayers. Here we demonstrate a simple method of controlling the populations of excitons and trions to enhance the light emission of 1L-TMDs by having them form heterostructures with ZnO thin films (TFs).

Acupuncture for heart failure: A systematic review of clinical studies.

Background: Acupuncture has been used for treating heart failure mainly in combination with conventional treatments, but evidence for its effectiveness and safety has not been well established. Our aim was to review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for heart failure and assess the clinical evidence.

Methods: Electronic databases such as Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and certain Chinese & Korean databases were searched until October 2015.

Effects of Precursor Concentration on Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Grown on Muscovite Mica Substrates by Sol-Gel Spin-Coating.

The structural and optical properties of the ZnO thin films grown on mica substrates for different precursor concentrations were investigated. The surface morphologies of all the samples indicated that they consisted of granular structures with spherical nano-sized crystallites. The thickness of the ZnO thin films increased significantly and the optical band gap exhibited a blue shift with an increase in the precursor concentration.

A case report: Clinical application of celiac plexus block in bile duct interventional procedures.

Although percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and tract dilatation (TD) are very painful procedures, almost all of those procedures have been conducted under local anesthesia and opioid injection due to the lack of manpower and time. Celiac plexus block (CPB) is an interventional technique used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the treatment of abdominovisceral pain. CPB decreases the side effects of opioid medications and enhances analgesia from medications.

ABodyBuilder: Automated antibody structure prediction with data-driven accuracy estimation.

Computational modeling of antibody structures plays a critical role in therapeutic antibody design. Several antibody modeling pipelines exist, but no freely available methods currently model nanobodies, provide estimates of expected model accuracy, or highlight potential issues with the antibody's experimental development. Here, we describe our automated antibody modeling pipeline, ABodyBuilder, designed to overcome these issues.

An Ultrahigh-Performance Photodetector based on a Perovskite-Transition-Metal-Dichalcogenide Hybrid Structure.

An ultrahigh performance MoS2 photodetector with high photoresponsivity (1.94 × 10(6) A W(-1) ) and detectivity (1.29 × 10(12) Jones) under 520 nm and 4.

The preventive effect of resiniferatoxin on the development of cold hypersensitivity induced by spinal nerve ligation: involvement of TRPM8.

Background: Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a potent analog of capsaicin and activates transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid type (TRPV) 1. In the current study, we investigated the preventive effect of perineural RTX on the development of cold hypersensitivity induced by spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in rats. Furthermore, we examined the association between the expression level of TRPV1, TRP ankyrin type (TRPA) 1 and TRP melastatin type (TRPM) 8 in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and cold hypersensitivity after SNL.

Electroacupuncture to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease lowers the quality of life and increases medical costs. Electroacupuncture has been used to ease symptoms and improve gastrointestinal motility in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The main purposes of this study are to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure.

Influences of Si-doped graded short-period superlattice on green InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes.

We report significant improvement in optical and electrical properties of green InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using Si-doped graded short-period InGaN/GaN superlattice (SiGSL) formed by so called indium-conversion technique. For comparison, a conventional LED without the superlattice (C-LED) and a LED with undoped graded superlattice (unGSL-LED) were prepared, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the SiGSL-LED was increased more than 3 times at room temperature (RT) as compared to C-LED.

Design of a collective scattering system for small scale turbulence study in Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research.

The design characteristics of a multi-channel collective (or coherent) scattering system for small scale turbulence study in Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR), which is planned to be installed in 2017, are given in this paper. A few critical issues are discussed in depth such as the Faraday and Cotton-Mouton effects on the beam polarization, radial spatial resolution, probe beam frequency, polarization, and power. A proper and feasible optics with the 300 GHz probe beam, which was designed based on these issues, provides a simultaneous measurement of electron density fluctuations at four discrete poloidal wavenumbers up to 24 cm(-1).

SAbPred: a structure-based antibody prediction server.

SAbPred is a server that makes predictions of the properties of antibodies focusing on their structures. Antibody informatics tools can help improve our understanding of immune responses to disease and aid in the design and engineering of therapeutic molecules. SAbPred is a single platform containing multiple applications which can: number and align sequences; automatically generate antibody variable fragment homology models; annotate such models with estimated accuracy alongside sequence and structural properties including potential developability issues; predict paratope residues; and predict epitope patches on protein antigens.

Impact of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from maternal diet on birth outcomes: a birth cohort study in Korea.

Objective: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are common dietary exposures that cross the human placenta and are classified as a probable human carcinogen. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential impact of exposure to PAH-containing meat consumed during pregnancy on birth outcomes.

Design: Prospective birth cohort study.

Increased prevalence of some birth defects in Korea, 2009-2010.

Background: Birth defects are a leading cause of neonatal and infant mortality, and several studies have indicated an increase in the prevalence of birth defects; more recent investigations have suggested that the trends of some defects are increasing in rapidly industrialized areas. This study estimates the prevalence rate and types of birth defects in Korea.

Methods: This study used medical insurance benefit data of 403,250 infants aged less than one year from the National Health Insurance Corporation from seven metropolitan areas in Korea for 2009 and 2010.

Mechanisms of Vascular Calcification: The Pivotal Role of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4.

Vascular calcification, abnormal mineralization of the vessel wall, is frequently associated with aging, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Vascular calcification is a key risk factor for many adverse clinical outcomes, including ischemic cardiac events and subsequent cardiovascular mortality. Vascular calcification was long considered to be a passive degenerative process, but it is now recognized as an active and highly regulated process similar to bone formation.

Association of infant and young child feeding practices with under-nutrition: evidence from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: Childhood undernutrition remains a highly influential risk factor in terms of the global burden of disease. Increasing evidence links infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices to undernutrition. However, the results are inconsistent, and more country-specific studies are needed.

Efficacy and safety of Myofascial-meridian Release Acupuncture (MMRA) for chronic neck pain: a study protocol for randomized, patient- and assessor-blinded, sham controlled trial.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of myofascial-meridian release acupuncture (MMRA) in the treatment of chronic neck pain compared with sham acupuncture.

Methods/design: A protocol for a randomized, patient- and assessor-blinded, sham controlled parallel trial is presented. Seventy-four participants with a ≥3 month history of neck pain and a score of ≥4 on the 11-point pain intensity numerical rating scale (PI-NRS) will be randomly assigned to the MMRA group (n = 37) or sham acupuncture group (n = 37).

Evaluating validity of various acupuncture device types: a random sequence clinical trial.

Background: Although various placebo acupuncture devices have been developed and used in acupuncture research, there is controversy concerning whether these devices really serve as appropriate placebos for control groups.

Methods/design: The proposed study is a single-center prospective random sequence participant- and assessor-blinded trial with two parallel arms. A total of 76 participants will be randomly assigned to Group 1 or Group 2 in a 1:1 ratio.

A meta-analysis of exposure to particulate matter and adverse birth outcomes.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to provide summarized evidence on the association between maternal exposure to particulate air pollution and birth weight (BW) and preterm birth (PTB) after taking into consideration the potential confounding effect of maternal smoking.

Methods: We systematically searched all published cohort and case-control studies examining BW and PTB association with particulate matter (PM, less than or equal to 2.5μm and 10.