Electrical properties of graphene/InO bilayer with remarkable uniformity as transparent conducting electrode.

A graphene/InO bilayer (termed as GI-bilayer) is proposed as a transparent conducting electrode with remarkably improved areal-uniformity. To fabricate this new structure, an InO layer with a thickness of less than 50 nm was grown by atomic layer deposition and then a graphene layer was grown by chemical vapor deposition and subsequently transferred onto the as-grown InO layer. Electrical and optical properties of the GI-bilayer were systematically studied to verify effects of the underlying InO layer.

Enhancing the luminescence of carbon nanodots in films by tailoring the functional groups through alkylamine-functionalization and reduction.

Enhancing the luminescence efficiency and stability of solid-state phosphors with facile processability is important for various applications. Carbon-based materials might have proper optical features and durability under ambient conditions. However, carbon-based phosphors usually showed severe quenching of the photoluminescence in the absence of solvent.

Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery for traumatic ossicular injury.

Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) for traumatic ossicular injuries (TOI) is not well studied. To analyze the treatment outcomes of TEES for TOI. Retrospective case review of fifteen patients (15 ears) with TOI was performed.

MicroRNA-10a-5p regulates macrophage polarization and promotes therapeutic adipose tissue remodeling.

Objective: This study investigated the role of microRNAs generated from adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) during adipose tissue remodeling induced by pharmacological and nutritional stimuli.

Methods: Macrophage-specific Dicer knockout (KO) mice were used to determine the roles of microRNA generated in macrophages in adipose tissue remodeling induced by the β3-adrenergic receptor agonist CL316,243 (CL). RNA-seq was performed to characterize microRNA and mRNA expression profiles in isolated macrophages and PDGFRα+ adipocyte stem cells (ASCs).

SpliceHetero: An information theoretic approach for measuring spliceomic intratumor heterogeneity from bulk tumor RNA-seq.

Motivation: Intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) represents the diversity of cell populations that make up cancer tissue. The level of ITH in a tumor is usually measured by a genomic variation profile, such as copy number variation and somatic mutation. However, a recent study has identified ITH at the transcriptome level and suggested that ITH at gene expression levels is useful for predicting prognosis.

Randomized Controlled Trial of the Lateral Push-Off Skater Exercise for High-Intensity Interval Training vs Conventional Treadmill Training.

Objective: To examine the therapeutic effects of the lateral push-off skater exercise vs conventional treadmill training on health-related quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and balance.

Design: Single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital.

Association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation in healthy adults.

Background & Aims: Previous studies demonstrated conflicting results regarding the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and atrial fibrillation (AF). The statistical power was not sufficient because of modest sample sizes of these studies. We analysed a large population-based cohort to evaluate the association between NAFLD and AF.

Microscale pH variations during drying of soils and desert biocrusts affect HONO and NH emissions.

Microscale interactions in soil may give rise to highly localised conditions that disproportionally affect soil nitrogen transformations. We report mechanistic modelling of coupled biotic and abiotic processes during drying of soil surfaces and biocrusts. The model links localised microbial activity with pH variations within thin aqueous films that jointly enhance emissions of nitrous acid (HONO) and ammonia (NH) during soil drying well above what would be predicted from mean hydration conditions and bulk soil pH.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Nickel Using a Heteroleptic Ni Precursor with NH and Selective Deposition on Defects of Graphene.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Ni was demonstrated by introducing a novel oxygen-free heteroleptic Ni precursor, (η-cyclohexenyl)(η-cyclopentadienyl)nickel(II) [Ni(Chex)(Cp)]. For this process, non-oxygen-containing reactants (NH and H molecules) were used within a deposition temperature range of 320-340 °C. Typical ALD growth behavior was confirmed at 340 °C with a self-limiting growth rate of 1.

Power-law tail in lag time distribution underlies bacterial persistence.

Genetically identical microbial cells respond to stress heterogeneously, and this phenotypic heterogeneity contributes to population survival. Quantitative analysis of phenotypic heterogeneity can reveal dynamic features of stochastic mechanisms that generate heterogeneity. Additionally, it can enable a priori prediction of population dynamics, elucidating microbial survival strategies.

Comparison of Growth Behavior and Electrical Properties of Graphene Grown on Solid and Liquid Copper by Chemical Vapor Deposition.

We study the graphene growth behavior above and below the copper (Cu) melting point (1083 °C) by only changing the growth temperature from 1020 °C to 1100 °C at intervals of 40 °C, to investigate the effect of the Cu phase as a catalyst layer in graphene growth. We investigate the graphene growth behavior by observing the changes in nucleation density and grain size with growth time. As the phase of the Cu catalyst changes from solid to liquid, the grain size of graphene increases by 2 orders of magnitude from 0.

Pre-diagnostic beta-blocker use and head- and neck cancer risk: A nationwide population-based case-control study.

β-blockers have been reported to exhibit potential anticancer effects in various cancer studies. However, few clinical studies concerning head and neck cancer have been conducted. We hypothesized that β-blockers could decrease the incidence of head and neck cancer.

Storage Stability of Vacuum-packaged Dry-aged Beef during Refrigeration at 4°C.

Although the production of dry-aged beef has been increasing, most purveyors are unaware of the changes in quality that ensue after completion of the aging period and do not adhere to specific guidelines for its packaging and storage. The objective of this study was to investigate the storage stability of vacuum-packaged dry-aged beef based on changes in microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties during refrigeration at 4°C for 21 d. The total aerobic bacterial count exceeded 6 Log CFU/g at approximately day 11 and significantly increased after day 14.

Impact of fasciculoventricular bypass tracts on the diagnosis and treatment of concomitant arrhythmias and cardiac diseases.

Background: Fasciculoventricular (FV) bypass tracts (BTs) are the rarest form of ventricular preexcitation. Although they are not involved in clinically significant reentrant tachycardia, they may cause diagnostic and therapeutic confusion if not properly understood. This study aimed to assess the impact of FV BTs on the diagnosis and treatment of concomitant arrhythmias and cardiac diseases.

Impact of the emission wavelengths on multiphoton imaging of mouse brains.

Tissue scattering and absorption impact the excitation and emission light in different ways for multiphoton imaging. The collected fluorescence includes both ballistic photons and scattered photons whereas multiphoton excited signal within the focal volume is mostly generated by ballistic photons. The impact of excitation wavelengths on multiphoton imaging has been extensively investigated before; however, experimental data is lacking to evaluate the impact of emission wavelengths on fluorescence attenuation in deep imaging.

A secure SNP panel scheme using homomorphically encrypted K-mers without SNP calling on the user side.

Background: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) in the genome has become crucial information for clinical use. For example, the targeted cancer therapy is primarily based on the information which clinically important SNPs are detectable from the tumor. Many hospitals have developed their own panels that include clinically important SNPs.

Changes in microbial composition on the crust by different air flow velocities and their effect on sensory properties of dry-aged beef.

Beef rumps (middle gluteal) were dry aged for 28 days using different air flow velocities of 0, 2.5, and 5 m/s (DA0, DA2.5, and DA5, respectively).

Effects of Aging and Aging Method on Physicochemical and Sensory Traits of Different Beef Cuts.

Wet and dry aging methods were applied to improve the quality of three different beef cuts (butt, rump, and sirloin) from Hanwoo cows (quality grade 2, approximately 50-mon-old). After 28 d of wet aging (vacuum packaged; temperature, 2±1°C) and dry aging (air velocity, 2-7 m/s; temperature, 1±1°C; humidity, 85±10%), proximate composition, cooking loss, water holding capacity, shear force, color, nucleotides content, and sensory properties were compared with a non-aged control (2 d postmortem). Both wet and dry aging significantly increased the water holding capacity of the butt cuts.

Optimization of 1D H Quantitative NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Conditions for Polar Metabolites in Meat.

The objective of this study was to establish an optimized 1D H quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) analytical method for analyzing polar metabolites in meat. Three extraction solutions [0.6 M perchloric acid, 10 mM phosphate buffer, water/methanol (1:1)], three reconstitution buffers [20 mM 3-morpholinopropane-1-sulfonic acid, 2-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl]ethanesulfonic acid, phosphate buffer], and two pulse programs (zg30, noesypr1d) were evaluated.

Robotic-Assisted Shoulder Rehabilitation Therapy Effectively Improved Poststroke Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of a newly developed shoulder robot on poststroke hemiplegic shoulder pain.

Design: Prospective, single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Inpatient department of a tertiary university hospital.

Peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells demonstrate immunomodulatory potential for therapeutic use in horses.

Previously, we showed that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) can be mobilized into peripheral blood using electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints, LI-4, LI-11, GV-14, and GV-20. The purpose of this study was to determine whether EA-mobilized MSC could be harvested and expanded in vitro to be used as an autologous cell therapy in horses. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from young and aged lame horses (n = 29) showed a marked enrichment for MSCs.

PEBAX-1657/Ag nanoparticles/7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane complex for highly permeable composite membranes with long-term stability.

Poly (ether-block-amide) resin-1657 (PEBAX-1657)/silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)/7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) composite membranes were prepared for olefin/paraffin separation. The long-term performance of composite membranes can be improved by preventing the reduction of silver ions by adding Al(NO) and PEBAX-1657, which has 40% amide groups and 60% ether groups, to the polymer matrix for high permeance. In this study, silver ions were reduced to form nanoparticles to which 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ, electron acceptor) was added to produce long-term olefin carriers.

Role of moisture evaporation in the taste attributes of dry- and wet-aged beef determined by chemical and electronic tongue analyses.

The role of moisture evaporation in the taste attributes of dry- and wet-aged beef was determined in this study. A total of 30 striploins (longissimus lumborum) were dry or wet aged for 28 days and analyzed for moisture content, taste-active compounds [free amino acids (FAAs), inosine 5'-monophophate (IMP), and reducing sugars], and taste attributes by an electronic tongue. After the completion of aging process, higher amounts of FAAs and reducing sugars were found in dry-aged beef (P < .

Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Oral Cancer: Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery.

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to provide guidance on the implementation of a surgical treatment of oral cancer. MEDLINE databases were searched for articles on subjects related to "surgical management of oral cancer" published in English. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies.

Comparison of Surgical Outcomes of Rectangular Lid Excision Versus Elliptical Excision for the Treatment of Epidermal Cysts.

Background: Elliptical excision (EE) has been the standard surgical technique for the removal of epidermal cysts. However, it produces to create a long, linear wound causing cosmetic concerns.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the cosmetic outcomes and postoperative complications of rectangular lid excision (LE) compared with EE in epidermal cyst removals.