Search Results (20)

The supplementation of pig diets with exogenous enzymes is widely used with the expectation that it will improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization, thereby, improving growth performance. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 0.1% (v/v) multi-enzyme (a mixture of arazyme (2,500,000 Unit/kg), xylanase (200,000 Unit/kg) and mannanase (200,000 Unit/kg)) supplementation derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria on pig performance. Here, 256 growing pigs were assigned to control and treatment groups, respectively. The treatment group exhibited a significantly reduced average slaughter age; the final body weight and average daily gain increased compared with that of the control group. In the treatment group, the longissimus muscle showed a remarkable decrease in cooking loss, shear force, and color values with increased essential and non-essential amino acid concentrations. Furthermore, the concentrations of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment group increased. Feed additive supplementation increased the family of Ruminococcaceae and genera Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Oscillibacter, which play a positive role in the host physiology and health. Predicted metabolic pathway analysis confirmed that operational taxonomic units and predicted amino acid biosynthesis pathways were strongly associated. The results suggest that applying exogenous enzymes derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria enhances animal performance. Full article

EMT is a critical cellular phenomenon that promotes tumor invasion and metastasis. Procaine is a local anesthetic agent used in oral surgeries and as an inhibitor of DNA methylation in some types of cancers. In this study, we have investigated whether procaine can inhibit the EMT process in HCC cells and the preclinical model. Procaine suppressed the expression of diverse mesenchymal markers but induced the levels of epithelial markers such as E-cadherin and occludin in HGF-stimulated cells. Procaine also significantly reduced the invasion and migration of HCC cells. Moreover, procaine inhibited HGF-induced c-Met and its downstream oncogenic pathways, such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MEK/ERK. Additionally, procaine decreased the tumor burden in the HCC mouse model and abrogated lung metastasis. Overall, our study suggests that procaine may inhibit the EMT process through the modulation of a c-Met signaling pathway. Full article

In this study, we demonstrated the process of an integrated apparatus for decay time analysis and gamma radiation measurement with a liquid-scintillator-based cadmium-doped zinc oxide (CZO) nanomaterial. Generally, time-resolved photon counting is an essential analysis method in the field of precision measurement in the quantum domain. Such photon counting equipment requires a pulse laser that can be repeated quickly while having a sharp pulse width of picoseconds or femtoseconds as a light source. Time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) equipment, which is currently a commercial product, is inconvenient for recent development research because the scintillator size and shape are limited. Here, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd/YAG) laser TCSPC equipment was constructed to analyze the fluorescence characteristics of scintillators having various sizes and shapes. Then, a liquid scintillator added with CZO nanomaterial was prepared and the Nd/YAG laser TCSPC equipment test was performed. As a result of measuring the scintillator using the manufactured Nd/YAG laser TCSPC equipment, the non-CZO liquid scintillator was analyzed at 2.30 ns and the liquid scintillator equipped with CZO-loaded nanomaterial was analyzed at 11.95 ns. It showed an error within 5% when compared with the result of commercial TCSPC equipment. In addition, it was verified that the Nd/YAG laser TCSPC system can sufficiently measure the decay time in nanoseconds (ns). Moreover, it was presented that the Compton edge energy of Cs−137 is 477.3 keV, which hardly generates a photoelectric effect, and Compton scattering mainly occurs. Full article

miR-769-3p expression is suppressed in the stromal subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC); however, its role in stromal HNSCC has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the biological relevance of miR-769-3p in the stromal phenotype, we established oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) cell lines, namely CAL27, HSC3, and YD8, overexpressing miR-769-3p. miR-769-3p expression was positively and negatively correlated with interferon-gamma-related genes and MYC target gene sets, respectively. miR-769-3p decreased OSCC cell migration and invasion as well as mesenchymal marker expression and increased epithelial marker expression. Moreover, miR-769-3p enhanced OSCC cell sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil. High miR-769-3p expression was associated with good prognosis of HNSCC patients. Collectively, these results suggest that miR-769-3p suppression enhances stromal gene expression and promotes the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Therefore, miR-769-3p may be a potential biomarker of the miRNA phenotype in OSCC patients. Full article

In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of L_g = 50 nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) In_0.53Ga_0.47As nanosheet (NS) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with sub-20 nm nanosheet thickness that were fabricated through an S/D regrowth process. The fabricated GAA In_0.53Ga_0.47As NS MOSFETs feature a bi-layer high-k dielectric layer of Al₂O₃/HfO₂, together with an ALD-grown TiN metal-gate in a cross-coupled manner. The device with L_g = 50 nm, W_NS = 200 nm and t_NS = 10 nm exhibited an excellent combination of subthreshold-swing behavior (S < 80 mV/dec.) and carrier transport properties (g_{m_max} = 1.86 mS/μm and I_ON = 0.4 mA/μm) at V_DS = 0.5 V. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of In_xGa_1-xAs GAA NS MOSFETs that would be directly applicable for their use in future multi-bridged channel (MBC) devices. Full article

The optimum hole diameter of a ring reflector was experimentally investigated using an axial virtual cathode oscillator (vircator) to enhance its microwave power. The ring reflector enhances the microwave power from the axial vircator by forming a cavity. The ring reflector was installed 9 mm behind the anode. The optimum hole diameter of the ring reflector was analyzed through simulations and experiments by changing the diameter from 60 mm to 160. PIC simulations show that the maximum peak microwave power was generated when the hole diameter was 116 mm and enhanced by 210%. The experiments show similar results to the simulations. The largest peak maximum power was 23.67 MW when the hole diameter was 120 mm. The simulations show that the dominant microwave frequency was formed between 5.33 GHz and 6.7 GHz. The experiments show that the dominant microwave frequency was formed between 5.3 GHz and 5.8 GHz. The frequency trend was approximately similar to that of the simulation results. However, the trend depending on the hole diameter was not as obvious as in the simulations. Although the frequency change was not as clear as in the simulations, experiments show that the hole diameter of the ring reflector affects the vircator operation. Full article

The operation features of the coaxial virtual cathode oscillator emitting electrons in the outer radial direction were investigated through simulations and experiments. A coaxial vircator was compared with an axial vircator when the anode to cathode distance of both vircators was 6 mm. The proposed coaxial vircator was operated when the anode to cathode distance was 5 mm, 6 mm, and 7 mm. The peak power and frequency of the microwave generated from the proposed coaxial vircator when the anode to cathode distance was 6 mm were 20.18 MW and 6.17 GHz, respectively. The simulations and experiments show that the proposed coaxial vircator generates 80% more microwave power than the axial vircator with the same anode to cathode distance. According to the simulations and experiments, the proposed coaxial vircator tends to generate a higher power average when the anode to cathode distance was larger than 5 mm. The frequency of the proposed coaxial vircator when the anode to cathode distance was 5 mm and 7 mm was approximately 8 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively. The geometric factor of the proposed coaxial vircator was considered to be the reason for the greater microwave power generation than the axial vircator. The frequency of the proposed coaxial vircator decreases inversely proportional with the anode to cathode distance as observed in the axial and basic coaxial vircators. Full article

The emergence of new technologies and the era of IoT which will be based on compute-intensive applications. These applications will increase the traffic volume of today’s network infrastructure and will impact more on emerging Fifth Generation (5G) system. Research is going in many details, such as how to provide automation in managing and configuring data analysis tasks over cloud and edges, and to achieve minimum latency and bandwidth consumption with optimizing task allocation. The major challenge for researchers is to push the artificial intelligence to the edge to fully discover the potential of the fog computing paradigm. There are existing intelligence-based fog computing frameworks for IoT based applications, but research on Edge-Artificial Intelligence (Edge-AI) is still in its initial stage. Therefore, we chose to focus on data analytics and offloading in our proposed architecture. To address these problems, we have proposed a prototype of our architecture, which is a multi-layered architecture for data analysis between cloud and fog computing layers to perform latency- sensitive analysis with low latency. The main goal of this research is to use this multi-layer fog computing platform for enhancement of data analysis system based on IoT devices in real-time. Our research based on the policy of the OpenFog Consortium which will offer the good outcomes, but also surveillance and data analysis functionalities. We presented through case studies that our proposed prototype architecture outperformed the cloud-only environment in delay-time, network usage, and energy consumption. Full article

The miniaturization and usability of radiation detectors make it increasingly possible to use mobile instruments to detect and monitor gamma radiations. Here, a Bluetooth-based mobile detection system for integrated interaction in a backpack was designed and implemented to smart equipment for the detection of radioactive cesium on contaminated soil. The radiation measurement system was demonstrated in the form of a backpack using a quantum dot (QD)-loaded plastic scintillator manufactured and prepared directly in this study, and it can be measured by a person in the wireless framework of integrated interaction. The QD-loaded plastic scintillator was measured after setting the distance from the contaminated soil to 20, 50, and 100 mm. As a result, the detection efficiency of the commercial plastic scintillator (EJ-200) was calculated to be 11.81% and that of the QD-loaded plastic scintillator was 15.22%, which proved the higher detection efficiency performance than the commercial plastic scintillator. The measurement result was transmitted to a personal computer using Bluetooth as a portable system. In the future, this wireless system design could be expanded as a wireless communication system equipped with a global positioning system to detect and measure radioactively contaminated environments. Full article

This study aims to investigate and determine the actual size of the “cheok” scale—The traditional weights and measures of Korea—To aid in data construction on the recognition of ancient drawings in the field of artificial intelligence. The cheok scale can be divided into Yeongjocheok, Jucheok, Pobaekcheok, and Joryegicheok. This study calculated the actual dimensions used in the drawings of Tonga and Eonjo contained in Jaseungcha Dohae by Gyunam Ha BaeckWon, which helped us analyze the scale used in the southern region of Korea in the 1800s. The scales of 1/15 cheok and 1/10 cheok were used in the Tonga and Eonjo sections in Jaseungcha Dohae, and the actual dimensions in the drawing were converted to the scale used at the time. Owing to the conversion, the dimensions in the drawings of Tonga were converted to 30.658 cm per cheok, and ~31.84 cm per cheok for Eonjo. In this manner, the actual dimensions used in the southern region of Korea around the year 1800 were restored. Through this study, the reference values for drawing recognition of machinery drawings in Korea around 1800 were derived. Full article

Plastic scintillators are widely used in various radiation measurement applications, and the use of plastic scintillators for nuclear applications including decommissioning, such as gamma-ray detection and measurement, is an important concern. With regard to efficient and effective gamma-ray detection, the optimization for thickness of plastic scintillator is strongly needed. Here, we elucidate optimization of the thickness of high-performance plastic scintillator using high atomic number material. Moreover, the EJ-200 of commercial plastic scintillators with the same thickness was compared. Two computational simulation codes (MCNP, GEANT4) were used for thickness optimization and were compared with experimental results to verify data obtained by computational simulation. From the obtained results, it was confirmed that the difference in total counts was less than 10% in the thickness of the scintillator of 50 mm or more, which means optimized thickness for high efficiency gamma-ray detection such as radioactive ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰CO. Finally, simulated results, along with experimental data, were discussed in this study. The results of this study can be used as basic data for optimizing the thickness of plastic scintillators using high atomic number elements for radiation detection and monitoring. Full article

A ring reflector was experimentally investigated using an axial virtual cathode oscillator (vircator). The ring reflector was installed behind the mesh anode of the axial vircator to enhance the microwave power output by forming a resonant cavity and increasing the electron beam to microwave energy conversion efficiency. The optimum position of the ring reflector is analyzed through simulations and experiments by varying the anode to reflector distance from 6 mm to 24 mm in 3 mm steps. PIC simulations show that the ring reflector enhances the microwave power of the axial vircator up to 220%. Experiments show that the microwave power from the axial vircator without the ring reflector is 11.22 MW. The maximum average peak microwave power of the axial vircator with the ring reflector is 25.82 MW when the anode to ring reflector distance is 18 mm. From the simulations and experiments, it can be seen that the ring reflector yields decaying enhancement that is inversely proportional to the anode to ring reflector distance and there is no noticeable microwave enhancement after 24 mm. The frequency range attained from the simulations and experiments is 5.8 to 6.7 GHz and 5.16 to 5.8 GHz, respectively. The difference between the simulation and experimental results is due to the error in the anode to cathode gap distance. Although the frequency is slightly changed, the ring reflector seems to have no influence on the frequency of the generated microwave. Full article

The inelastic interaction between the incident photons and acoustic phonons in the taurine single crystal was investigated by using Brillouin spectroscopy. Three acoustic phonons propagating along the crystallographic b-axis were investigated over a temperature range of −185 to 175 °C. The temperature dependences of the sound velocity, the acoustic absorption coefficient, and the elastic constants were determined for the first time. The elastic behaviors could be explained based on normal lattice anharmonicity. No evidence for the structural phase transition was observed, consistent with previous structural studies. The birefringence in the ac-plane indirectly estimated from the split longitudinal acoustic modes was consistent with one theoretical calculation by using the extrapolation of the measured dielectric functions in the infrared range. Full article

Big data analysis has revealed the upregulation of cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its poorer survival outcome. However, the functions of CDCA8 during HCC development remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate in vitro that CDCA8 silencing inhibits HCC cell growth and long-term colony formation and migration through the accumulation of the G2/M phase cell population. Conversely, CDCA8 overexpression increases the ability to undergo long-term colony formation and migration. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis revealed that CDCA8 knockdown led to the same directional regulation in 50 genes (25 down- and 25 upregulated). It was affirmed based on protein levels that CDCA8 silencing downregulates the levels of cyclin B1 and p-cdc2 and explains how it could induce G2/M arrest. The same condition increased the protein levels of tumor-suppressive ATF3 and GADD34 and inactivated AKT/β–catenin signaling, which plays an important role in cell growth and stemness, reflecting a reduction in sphere-forming capacity. Importantly, it was demonstrated that the extent of CDCA8 expression is much greater in CD133⁺ cancer stem cells than in CD133⁻ cancer cells, and that CDCA8 knockdown decreases levels of CD133, p-Akt and β-catenin and increases levels of ATF3 and GADD34 in the CD133⁺ cancer stem cell (CSC) population. These molecular changes led to the inhibition of cell growth and sphere formation in the CD133⁺ cell population. Targeting CDCA8 also effectively suppressed tumor growth in a murine xenograft model, showing consistent molecular alterations in tumors injected with CDCA8siRNA. Taken together, these findings indicate that silencing CDCA8 suppresses HCC growth and stemness via restoring the ATF3 tumor suppressor and inactivating oncogenic AKT/β–catenin signaling, and that targeting CDCA8 may be the next molecular strategy for both primary HCC treatment and the prevention of metastasis or recurrence. Full article

Rhubarb is a well-known herb worldwide and includes approximately 60 species of the Rheum genus. One of the representative plants is Rheum palmatum, which is prescribed as official rhubarb due to its pharmacological potential in the Korean and Chinese pharmacopoeia. In our bioactive screening, we found out that the EtOH extract of R. palmatum inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Chemical investigation of the EtOH extract led to the isolation of chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside, which was determined by structural analysis using NMR spectroscopic techniques and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS). To elucidate the effects of chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside on HSC activation, activated LX-2 cells were treated for 48 h with chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside, and α-SMA and collagen, HSC activation markers, were measured by comparative quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blotting analysis. Chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside significantly inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of α-SMA and collagen compared with that in TGF-β1-treated LX-2 cells. Next, the expression of phosphorylated SMAD2 (p-SMAD2) and p-STAT3 was measured and the translocation of p-STAT3 to the nucleus was analyzed by western blotting analysis. The expression of p-SMAD2 and p-STAT3 showed that chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside strongly downregulated STAT3 phosphorylation by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of p-STAT3, which is an important mechanism in HSC activation. Moreover, chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside suppressed the expression of p-p38, not that of p-JNK or p-Erk, which can activate STAT3 phosphorylation and inhibit MMP2 expression, the downstream target of STAT3 signaling. These findings provided experimental evidence concerning the hepatoprotective effects of chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside against liver damage and revealed the molecular basis underlying its anti-fibrotic effects through the blocking of HSC activation. Full article