Facile Strategy for Reducing Cell-to-Module Efficiency Gap in Organic Solar Cells by Controlling the Preaggregation of Photoactive Solutions.

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have recently achieved efficiencies of >20% in single-junction unit cells owing to rapid advancements in materials and device technologies. Large-area OSCs face several challenges that adversely affect their efficiency compared to small unit cells. These challenges include increased resistance loads derived from their larger dimensions, as well as limitations related to morphology, miscibility, and crystallinity.

Nationwide cohort study of primary open angle glaucoma risk and cardiovascular factors among in Korean glaucoma suspects.

This retrospective study investigated the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) among individuals identified as glaucoma suspects and examined associated cardiovascular risk factors. We conducted a longitudinal, nationwide cohort study using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) and included 362,285 participants aged ≥ 40 years from the Korean National Health Screening Program (NHSP) without pre-existing POAG in 2009 and 2010. Of these, glaucoma suspects (n = 32,220) were defined as individuals with at least two recorded instances of the KCD code H400 for glaucoma suspect and no prior antiglaucoma medication prescriptions before health screening.

Simultaneous Epigenetic and Gene Expression Profiling at Single Cell Resolution Uncovers Stem-Like Treg Subsets Induced With Oligonucleotide Expansion in Humans.

Tregs play a central role in maintaining immune tolerance. Recent progress in the clinical application of Tregs underscores their potential for cell therapy. Nevertheless, a notable hurdle remains in producing functional Tregs .

An Investigation of the Indentation Elastic Modulus for Metal Films on Flexible Substrates Considering the Substrate Effect.

The accurate measurement of the elastic modulus of thin metal films on flexible substrates is critical for understanding the mechanical reliability of flexible electronics. However, conventional methods, such as the Oliver-Pharr model, often underestimate the modulus due to substrate effects, particularly with low-modulus substrates like polyimide (PI). In this study, we propose an improved weighting model that replaces the empirical weighting factor with a variable X to better account for substrate contributions.

Prevention of radiotherapy-induced pro-tumorigenic microenvironment by SFK inhibitors.

Radiotherapy is a widely employed technique for eradication of tumor using high-energy beams, and has been applied to approximately 50% of all solid tumor patients. However, its non-specific, cell-killing property leads to inevitable damage to surrounding normal tissues. Recent findings suggest that radiotherapy-induced tissue damage contributes to the formation of a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment.

Role of Filter-Feeding Bivalves in the Bioaccumulation and Transmission of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) in Shrimp Aquaculture Systems.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) poses a major risk to shrimp aquaculture, and filter-feeding bivalves on shrimp farms may contribute to its persistence and transmission. This study investigated the bioaccumulation and vector potential of WSSV in Pacific oysters (), blue mussels (), and manila clams () cohabiting with WSSV-infected shrimp. Sixty individuals of each species (average shell lengths: 11.

Study Protocol of the Korean EGFR Registry: A Multicenter Prospective and Retrospective Cohort Study in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients With EGFR Mutation.

Introduction: The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large-scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients.

Effects of Graphene Quantum Dots on Renal Fibrosis Through Alleviating Oxidative Stress and Restoring Mitochondrial Membrane Potential.

Podocyte injury and proteinuria in glomerular disease are critical indicators of acute kidney injury progression to chronic kidney disease. Renal mitochondrial dysfunction, mediated by intracellular calcium levels and oxidative stress, is a major contributor to podocyte complications. Despite various strategies targeting mitochondria to improve kidney function, effective treatments remain lacking.

Generation and validation of a D1 dopamine receptor Flpo knock-in mouse.

Background: Dopamine is a powerful neuromodulator of diverse brain functions, including movement, motivation, reward, and cognition. D1-type dopamine receptors (D1DRs) are the most prevalently expressed dopamine receptors in the brain. Neurons expressing D1DRs are heterogeneous and involve several subpopulations.

A core-shell microneedle system for stable fibroblast delivery in cell-based therapies.

Human cells, such as fibroblasts and particularly human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), represent a promising and effective therapeutic tool for a range of cell-based therapies used to treat various diseases. The effective delivery of therapeutic cells remains a challenge due to limitations in targeting, invasiveness, and cell viability. To address these challenges, we developed a microneedle (MN) system for minimally invasive cell delivery with high cellular stability.

Immunogenic recombinant Mayaro virus-like particles present natively assembled glycoprotein.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are an established vaccine platform and can be strong immunogens capable of eliciting both humoral and cellular immune responses against a range of pathogens. Here, we show by cryo-electron microscopy that VLPs of Mayaro virus, which contain envelope glycoproteins E1-E2 and capsid, exhibit an architecture that closely resembles native virus. In contrast to monomeric and soluble envelope 2 (E2) glycoprotein, both VLPs as well as the adenovirus and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vaccine platforms expressing the equivalent envelope glycoproteins E1-E2, and capsid induced highly neutralising antibodies after immunisation.

First Report of Polymorphisms and Genetic Characteristics of Protein Gene () in Cats.

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding of the normal cellular prion protein (PrP) into its infectious isoform (PrP). Although prion diseases in humans, sheep, goats, and cattle have been extensively studied, feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) remains poorly understood. Genetic factors, particularly polymorphisms in the prion protein gene () and protein gene (), have been linked to prion disease susceptibility in various species.

The first meta-analysis of the G96S single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the prion protein gene () with chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer.

Background: Prion diseases are irreversible infectious neurodegenerative diseases caused by a contagious form of prion protein (PrP). Since chronic wasting disease (CWD)-infected white-tailed deer are strong carriers of the prion seed through corpses via scavenger animals, preemptive control based on genetic information for a culling system is necessary. However, the risk of CWD-related genetic variants has not been fully evaluated.

Clinical Significance of Incident Osteoporotic Fractures After Kidney Transplantation: A National Korean Cohort Study.

Rationale & Objective: Recipients of kidney allografts are at risk for osteoporotic fractures (OF), but their association with patient and allograft outcomes remains uncertain due to common coexisting risks and complex medical conditions. This study sought to assess if overall incidence of OF among recipients of kidney allografts compared to patients receiving maintenance dialysis for kidney failure.

Study Design: A national retrospective cohort study.

High-resolution genetic map and SNP chip for molecular breeding in a tetraploid medicinal plant.

Ginseng () renowned as the king of medicinal plants. Ginseng grows slowly under shade conditions, requiring at least 4 years to produce a limited number of seeds. Molecular breeding of ginseng faces challenges due to its the tetraploid genome and the absence of an efficient molecular marker system.

Exploring Traits Associated With Central Sensitization Features in Patients With Chronic Cough.

The concept of cough hypersensitivity suggests that central sensitization plays a role in the pathophysiology of chronic cough. However, it remains unclear which traits are associated with central sensitization features in patients with chronic cough. A cohort of 317 Korean patients with newly referred chronic cough underwent clinical evaluations.

Liposomal Codelivery of Doxorubicin and Curcumin Sensitizes Antitumor Activity and Reduces Tumor Metastasis.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to traditional cancer treatment using chemotherapeutic agents like doxorubicin (DOX). MDR affects drug dosage regimens and enables the recurrence and metastasis of cancer. Because DOX causes severe side effects at high dosages, it is important to use an MDR modulator to make cancer cells sensitive to DOX.

Transcriptomics of SGLT2-positive early proximal tubule segments in mice: response to type 1 diabetes, SGLT1/2 inhibition, or GLP1 receptor agonism.

SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and GLP1 receptor (GLP1R) agonists have kidney protective effects. To better understand their molecular effects, RNA sequencing was performed in SGLT2-positive proximal tubule segments isolated by immunostaining-guided laser capture microdissection. Male adult DBA wild-type (WT) and littermate diabetic Akita mice ± knockout (-KO) were given vehicle or SGLT2i dapagliflozin (dapa; 10 mg/kg diet) for 2 wk, and other Akita mice received GLP1R agonist semaglutide [sema; 3 nmol/(kg body wt·day), sc].

Enhancing Skin Regeneration Efficacy of Human Dermal Fibroblasts Using Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Coated Biodegradable Polymer.

Background: Polylactic acid (PLA) is extensively used in the medical and cosmetic industries for skin regeneration and as a dermal filler due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the effectiveness of PLA as a cosmetic filler is limited by its slow degradation rate and poor cell attachment properties. Recent studies have focused on enhancing the performance of PLA by combining it with other materials.

Sequence-dependent conformational transitions of disordered proteins during condensation.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) can form biomolecular condensates through phase separation. It is recognized that the conformation of IDPs in the dense and dilute phases, as well as at the interfaces of condensates, can critically impact their functionality. However, a residue-level understanding of the conformational transitions of IDPs during condensation remains elusive.

pH and Redox Dual-Responsive Nanoparticle with Enhanced Dendritic Cell Maturation for Cancer Therapy.

Type I interferons (IFNs) are essential for activating dendritic cells (DCs) and presenting tumor-associated antigens to T cells. IFNs are primarily produced from DCs among immune cells. A combination of chemotherapy and metalloimmunotherapy induces IFN production by activating the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway.

Could cough hypersensitivity symptom profile differentiate phenotypes of chronic cough?

Background: Recently, cough reflex hypersensitivity has been proposed as a common underlying feature of chronic cough in adults. However, symptoms and clinical characteristics of cough hypersensitivity have not been studied amongst phenotypes of chronic cough. This study aimed to compare symptom features, such as cough triggers and associated throat sensations, of cough hypersensitivity in patients with asthmatic chronic cough and those with refractory chronic cough (RCC).