Design and optimization of hybrid seawater reverse osmosis-solar-driven desalination-pressure retarded osmosis system for energy efficient desalination maximizing economic potential.

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO)-pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) hybrid desalination system is being actively researched to reduce energy consumption by generating energy in the PRO. However, the SWRO-PRO hybrid system still faces the following challenges: low freshwater recovery and low energy generation. To resolve these challenges, this study first proposes a novel SWRO-Solar-driven desalination (SD)-PRO hybrid system for energy-efficient desalination.

Protection against tuberculosis by vaccination of secreted chorismate mutase (Rv1885c) combined with a hepatitis B virus (HBV)-derived peptide, Poly6, and alum adjuvants.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health issue due to the limited efficacy of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, highlighting the need for the development of an improved TB vaccine. In this study, we created a novel TB subunit vaccine consisting of TB-secreted chorismate mutase (TBCM) (Rv1885c) and a hepatitis B virus (HBV)-derived peptide (Poly6), which elicits Type I interferon responses, both with and without an alum adjuvant. We evaluated the immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and therapeutic efficacy of this vaccine candidate in an in vivo mouse model.

Synergistic effect of naringenin and mild heat for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus in peptone water and cold brew coffee.

This study aimed to investigate the bactericidal effect of naringenin (NG), a plant-derived flavonoid, and its synergistic effect with mild heat (MH) treatment at 50 °C in peptone water (PW) and ready-to-drink cold brew coffee (RDC). Among various NG concentrations (1-20 mM), 10 mM NG resulted in the greatest inactivation for Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. In RDC, NG + MH treatment resulted in a 5-8-log reduction in all pathogens after 10 min, except for S.

Migration characteristics and toxic effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorobutane sulfonate in tobacco.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its new substitute, perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), are increasing in concentration in the environment annually, and their toxicity cannot be ignored. With an increasing amount of PFOS and PFBS entering the environment, especially into farmland soil, it is very likely to pollute tobacco-planting soil. Therefore, we chose tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.

Consolidation of the Anteromedial Aspect of the Tibia is Inferior to The Other Areas in the Reconstruction of Critical-Sized Bone Defect of the Tibial Shaft using the Induced Membrane Technique: An Analysis of 111 Serial Computed Tomography of 37 patients.

Objectives: To compare the consolidation quality between the anteromedial aspect of regenerated bone (AMRB) and other areas of regenerated bone (TORB) following the induced membrane technique (IMT) for managing critical-sized tibial shaft bone defects, and determine the factors affecting consolidation quality in the AMRB.

Methods: Design: Retrospective comparative study.

Setting: Academic Level I trauma center.

Optimizing Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia for Cancer Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial on Adjusted Background Infusion Rates.

Purpose: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) has been considered for managing cancer pain; however, limited research has been conducted on optimizing continuous infusion rates with PCA. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a method that optimizes background infusion (BI) alongside PCA for titrating intravenous (IV) morphine in managing cancer-related pain.

Methods: Forty-four patients with solid tumors who could not manage pain with oral or transdermal opioid analgesics were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive IV morphine through PCA or the conventional method.

Fluorine-rich poly(arylene amine) membranes for the separation of liquid aliphatic compounds.

We explored the potential for membrane materials to reduce energy and carbon requirements for the separation of aliphatic hydrocarbon feedstocks and products. We developed a series of fluorine-rich poly(arylene amine) polymer membranes that feature rigid polymer backbones with segregated perfluoroalkyl side chains. This combination imbues the polymers with resistance to dilation induced by hydrocarbon immersion without the loss of solution-based membrane fabrication techniques.

Superstable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics.

Conventionally, the size, shape, and biomechanics of cartilages are determined by their voluminous extracellular matrix. By contrast, we found that multiple murine cartilages consist of lipid-filled cells called lipochondrocytes. Despite resembling adipocytes, lipochondrocytes were molecularly distinct and produced lipids exclusively through de novo lipogenesis.

The impact of recognition, fairness, and leadership on employee outcomes: A large-scale multi-group analysis.

In the dynamic field of organizational behavior, comprehending the determinants of employee engagement, burnout, and job satisfaction is pivotal. This research investigates the influence of various workplace factors, such as recognition, fairness, leadership, and workload, on these key employee outcomes. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for analysis, the study examines data from 25,285 employees.

An exploratory study on the perception of the over-the-top (OTT) industry among film and media production major university students: Utilizing the Q methodology.

This study investigates the perceptions of university students majoring in film and media production (FMP) regarding the over-the-top (OTT) industry. We used the Q methodology to achieve this study's purpose, with 33 Q sets and 22 university students majoring in FMP. The study revealed three perception structures of FMP major university students regarding the OTT industry.

Deep learning model for identifying acute heart failure patients using electrocardiography in the emergency room.

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) poses significant diagnostic challenges in the emergency room (ER) because of its varied clinical presentation and limitations of traditional diagnostic methods. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a deep-learning model using electrocardiogram (ECG) data to enhance AHF identification in the ER.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the ECG data of 19,285 patients who visited ERs of three hospitals between 2016 and 2020; 9,119 with available left ventricular ejection fraction and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level data and who were diagnosed with AHF were included in the study.

Effect of Glomerular Hyperfiltration on Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The effects of glomerular hyperfiltration (GHF) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were explored.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 1,952,053 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2015 and 2016. Based on age- and sex-specific estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) percentiles, patients were classified into five groups: <5 (low filtration), 5-40, 40-60, 60-95, and >95 (GHF).

sp. nov., isolated from human epidermis.

Five pink-pigmented bacterial strains, isolated from human skin and classified within the genus , were examined. Among them, four were identified as , while strain OT10 was deemed to be a potential novel species. Strain OT10 exhibited characteristics, such as Gram-stain-negative, oxidase positive, motile, strictly aerobic and rod shaped.

Validation of the 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for giant cell arteritis in Koran patients with giant cell arteritis.

Objectives: We applied the 2022 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European Alliance of Association for Rheumatology (EULAR) criteria to Korean patients previously diagnosed with giant cell arteritis (GCA) according to the 1990 ACR criteria and validated its clinical efficiency.

Methods: Nine patients with GCA were included in this study. The proportion of patients meeting each item of the 1990 ACR criteria and the 2022 ACR/EULAR criteria were assessed.

Formation Cycle Control for Enhanced Structural Stability of Ni-Rich LiNiCoMnO Cathodes.

Nickel-rich NCM cathode materials promise lithium-ion batteries with a high energy density. However, an increased Ni fraction in the cathode leads to complex phase transformations with electrode-electrolyte side reactions, which cause rapid capacity fading. Here, we show that an initial formation cycle at 0.

Immunomodulation Effects of Porcine Cartilage Acellularized Matrix (pCAM) for Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Background: Pain reduction, immunomodulation, and cartilage repair are key therapeutic goals in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of porcine cartilage acellularized matrix (pCAM) derived from naive tissue and compared it with the synthetic material polynucleotides (PN) for OA treatment.

Methods: pCAM was produced from porcine cartilage through physicochemical processing.

Mild behavioral impairment in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder and Lewy body disease continuum.

To investigate the clinical impact of mild behavioral impairment (MBI) in a predefined cohort with Lewy body disease (LBD) continuum. Eighty-four patients in the LBD continuum participated in this study, including 35 patients with video-polysomnography-confirmed idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) and 49 clinically established LBD. Evaluations included the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), neuropsychological tests, and MBI Checklist (MBI-C).

Intra-individual comparison of long-term outcomes between combined and indirect bypass surgery in adult moyamoya disease.

Purpose: Bypass surgery is regarded as the standard treatment option for symptomatic and hemodynamically unstable moyamoya disease (MMD). However, there is ongoing debate about the most effective type of bypass surgery. We aimed to analyze the long-term outcomes of combined and indirect bypasses for MMD patients through intra-individual comparisons.

Brain MRI Detection of an Abnormal Peak Width of Skeletonized Mean Diffusivity in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Background And Purpose: Peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD) is a novel marker of white matter damage, which may be related to small vessel disease. This study aimed to investigate the presence of white matter damage in patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) using PSMD.

Methods: We enrolled patients with newly diagnosed isolated RBD confirmed by polysomnography and age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

CO Cryo-sorption as a Surface-sensitive Spectroscopic Probe of the Active Site Density of Single-atom Catalysts.

Quantifying the number of active sites is a crucial aspect in the performance evaluation of single metal-atom electrocatalysts. A possible realization is using adsorbing gas molecules that selectively bind to the single-atom transition metal and then probing their surface density using spectroscopic tools. Herein, using in situ X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, we detect adsorbed CO gas molecules on a FeNC oxygen reduction single atom catalyst.

Biomarkers.

Background: Normative percentile (NP) quantifies brain atrophy by comparing regional brain volumes of a subject against age and sex-matched cognitively normal populations. Accurate intracranial volume (ICV) adjustment is vital in NP quantification to minimize the effect of an individual's head size. However, which intracranial volume adjustment method yields reliable normative percentiles remains unclear.

Biomarkers.

Background: Glymphatic system dysfunction as characterized by increased MRI-visible Perivascular Spaces (PVS) is speculated to play a role in the acceleration of amyloid accumulation in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, while PVS is also prevalent amongst Vascular Dementia (VD), the pathological distinctions between regional PVS in AD- and VD-driven cohorts remain largely unknown. Through a mixed dementia cohort, we examined these pathology-driven localization patterns via automated PVS segmentations from T2-weighted MRI.

Biomarkers.

Background: To investigate the neuroanatomical characteristics at the whole-brain level associated with progression from amyloid-positive preclinical to prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in relation to amyloid deposition and regional atrophy.

Method: We included 45 participants with amyloid-positive preclinical AD and 135 participants with prodromal AD matched 1:3 by age, sex, and education, from participants in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia and visitors to the dementia clinic of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. All participants underwent F-florbetaben positron emission tomography and 3D structural T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Biomarkers.

Background: Spectrum Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is a non-invasive technology that acquires cross-sectional images of retinal structures allowing neural fundus integrity assessment. Macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by an SD-OCT have been used as a indicator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However which portion of retinal RNFL is the most sensitive area among normal control, aMCI and AD is not clear yet.