Browse Articles

Structural, optical and electrical properties of Si-rich and N-rich PECVD silicon nitride films

Washable heat-resistant and inkjet-printed devices on cotton fabric for wearable applications

Chronic neck pain as an exacerbating factor for depressive symptoms in a 1-Year longitudinal population study

Wind speed interannual variability with measured data validations and its impact on energy yield in the Southwest Sea of Korea

Abstract The Republic of Korea (ROK) has set an ambitious goal of 40.7 GW of onshore and offshore wind farms by 2038, as outlined in the “11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand” in May 2024. To achieve this target, both wind farm developers and the government are crafting policies for “Project Site Planning” and “Offshore Wind Farm Clusters”. A major concern for stakeholders is the variability in annual wind resources driven by climate phenomena and climate change, which can lead to increased uncertainty in energy yield predictions. This study investigated the interannual variability (IAV) of wind speed in the Southwest Sea of Korea, a critical factor influencing energy yield predictions and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for offshore wind farms. To achieve this goal, we used reanalysis datasets validated against measurement data to calculate a ROK-specific IAV. Our findings indicate the possibility of reducing LCOE estimation by accurately accounting for regional IAV, particularly in Jeonnam, where 14 GW of offshore wind capacity is projected. This research provides essential data for improving energy yield predictions, thereby enhancing financial confidence and supporting the development of expertise in the growing wind energy sector in the ROK.

Sex differences in the association between visceral adiposity index and biological aging: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 1999–2018 with mediation by insulin resistance

Background Aging poses challenges global health and social care systems, with obesity potentially being associated with this process. However, sex differences and the mediating mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. This study investigated sex differences in the associations of visceral adiposity index (VAI) with biological aging (BA) assessed via the Klemera-Doubal method age (KDMAge) and the risk of KDMAge acceleration (KDMAgeAccel), and explored the mediating role of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Methods According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2018), weighted data from 19486 adults were analyzed cross-sectionally. VAI–BA associations were analyzed in the overall population and sex-specific subgroups using multivariable linear and logistic regressions, with nonlinear patterns explored via restricted cubic splines (RCSs) and threshold analyses. Mediation analyses quantified the mediating effects of HOMA-IR. Results VAI correlated positively with BA overall. However, females showed stronger associations than males for each 1-unit VAI increase with KDMAge elevation (βfemale = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.81–1.23; βmale = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.42–0.75) and KDMAgeAccel risk (ORfemale = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.17–1.28; ORmale = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07–1.13), with all associations remaining significant (P < 0.001). RCSs demonstrated nonlinear positive associations in all cohorts (Pnonlinear < 0.001). Threshold analyses identified that females exhibited a higher VAI threshold for the KDMAge association (3.52 vs. 2.60) despite comparable effect sizes, whereas similar VAI thresholds across sexes were associated with a greater KDMAgeAccel risk in females than in males (75% vs. 36%). HOMA-IR partially mediated VAI–BA associations, with a greater percentage in males than in females in both VAI–KDMAge (21.67% vs. 12.71%) and VAI–KDMAgeAccel risk (27.09% vs. 10.39%) relationships. Conclusion VAI showed a significant positive association with BA, with females demonstrating a stronger association strength and males showing a greater proportion of the association mediated through HOMA-IR.

Hydrogenation of saturated organic and inorganic molecules in metallic hydrogen

Abstract Metallic hydrogen is the most common condensed material in the universe, however, experimental studies are extremely challenging, and understanding of this material has been led by theory. Chemistry in this environment has not been probed experimentally, so here we examine carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in metallic hydrogen using density functional theory calculations. We find that carbon, nitrogen and oxygen react with each other and metallic hydrogen to produce molecules with covalent-type bonding based on sixfold coordinated carbon, threefold oxygen and fourfold nitrogen: CH 6 , C 2 H 8 , C 3 H 10 , OH 3 , NH 4 , and CH 4 OH. In view of the excess hydrogen we refer to them as hypermethane, hyperethane etc. This work suggests that molecular chemistry may take place in very different environments from those found on earth, and may be common throughout the universe. Furthermore, the solubility of C, O, and N casts doubt on whether rocky cores can exist in giant planets.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers examining the effects of acetaminophen and NO-acetaminophen NCX 701 in human endotoxemia

Comparative study of four platelet function tests conducted using two systems in neuroendovascular patients

Abstract Confirming the antiplatelet effects of P2Y12 inhibitors is clinically important; although various methods exist for evaluating such antiplatelet effects, standard protocols are currently unavailable. We compared four platelet function tests in neuroendovascular patients performed based on two systems: (i) ADP-induced platelet aggregation level (APAL) and (ii) 10 µM ADP maximum aggregation (MA) using CN-6000, and (iii) P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) as well as (iv) %inhibition using VerifyNow. Retrospective data of all 124 patients (median age 72 [26–92] years; 58.9% male) who received periprocedural antiplatelet therapy for elective neuroendovascular treatments between September 2020–December 2023 were evaluated. Blood samples were acquired the day before, immediately (1–3 days), and 1 month postoperatively, and during bleeding or thrombotic events. The results revealed changes over time in PRU, %inhibition, and APAL values, but not in 10 µM ADP MA. The correlation coefficient for PRU, the most widely used test in this setting, was higher with APAL (r = 0.55, p < 0.01) than with 10 µM ADP MA (r = 0.42, p < 0.01). An APAL result of 8.3 was equivalent to a PRU value of 240. In conclusion, APAL may provide more reliable monitoring of antiplatelet effects than 10 µM ADP MA-based monitoring and is worthy of further evaluation.

Clinical improvement in canine pulmonary hypertension with Perna canaliculus oil (PCSO-524) add-on therapy: Effects on exercise tolerance and cough

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in dogs, characterized by abnormally high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, presents a management challenge, and adjunctive therapies for the standard treatment of sildenafil are needed. This study aimed to determine whether the nutraceutical Perna canaliculus oil (PCSO-524), a marine lipid extract with anti-inflammatory properties, provides additional clinical benefits to dogs with PH. In a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, seventeen client-owned dogs diagnosed with PH were assigned to receive either PCSO-524 or a placebo as an add-on to their sildenafil-based therapy for 70 days. Key outcomes were evaluated using owner-assessed clinical scores for exercise tolerance and coughing, alongside echocardiographic measurements. The PCSO-524 group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in exercise tolerance scores by day 70 (P = 0.009). This group also showed a greater reduction in coughing scores compared to the placebo group between day 35 and day 70 (P = 0.03). While the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG), an estimate of pulmonary pressure, decreased significantly over time in all dogs (P = 0.001), no significant difference was found between the groups for this specific measure. These results indicate that PCSO-524 can serve as a beneficial adjunctive therapy for improving important clinical signs, such as exercise tolerance and coughing, in dogs with PH. This suggests it may be a valuable addition to standard management for enhancing quality of life.

Enriching conductive capping by alkaline treatment of perovskite quantum dots towards certified 18.3%-efficient solar cells

Mixed prototype correction for causal inference in medical image classification

The effect of probability and framing on the default effect in decision making under risk

Study on the acoustic emission characteristics and damage mechanism of power batteries under electrical load

With the rapid development of new energy vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, the safety and reliability of lithium-ion batteries have garnered significant attention. Therefore, it is crucial to study the aging and damage mechanisms of these batteries, explore effective damage monitoring and characterization methods, and improve their safety. This paper constructs an acoustic emission monitoring platform to assess the aging and damage of lithium-ion batteries during charging and discharging processes. It examines the damage mechanisms of both new and aged batteries under various electrical load conditions. All battery groups produced pulse-type acoustic emission signals during the charging and discharging processes at 1C and 0.5C. The acoustic emission waveforms exhibited a dual-peak characteristic throughout the entire charging and discharging cycles. We observed a pattern in which the time intervals between the waveforms decreased rapidly at first and then stabilized. Based on the frequency characteristics analysis of dual waveforms in acoustic emission signals, we propose a hypothesis regarding the formation mechanism of time differences caused by the propagation of acoustic emission signals from the same source through different media to the sensor. The research findings demonstrate the feasibility of non-destructive acoustic emission monitoring during the charging and discharging processes of lithium-ion batteries, offering new technical support for assessing their health status.

A rationally designed scalable thin film nanocomposite cation exchange membrane for precise lithium extraction

Role of 17β-estradiol injection on growth, physiology, and reproductive performance in male goldfish (Carassius auratus) with or without female interaction

Maternal administration of octanoate, a medium-chain fatty acid, improves feed efficiency of Japanese black calves through influencing gut bacteriome structure

Abstract Maternal-offspring gut bacteriomes are closely linked to each other; however, the effects of the maternal diet have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the effect of administration of octanoate, a medium-chain fatty acid as a physiological regulator, on the fecal bacteriome and physiological indices of dams and their calves as a livestock animal model. Twelve Japanese Black cattle were randomly assigned to CON (without Ca-octanoate supplementation, n = 6) or OCT (with Ca-octanoate supplementation, n = 6), 60 days prior to the expected parturition date. A tendency towards enhanced feed efficiency was observed during the suckling period in OCT calves compared to CON calves, although the management of the calves was uniform from birth. Three types of machine learning algorithms computationally selected the feature factors of dams and their calves (30 d and 180 d of age). Based on the feature selection, causal inference estimated that feeding octanoate to dams would establish a positive association with the genus Bacteroides, a producer of short-chain fatty acids, at 30 d and a negative association with the genus Candidatus Stoquefichus, which is involved in colitis, at 180 d. These findings highlight that feeding octanoate to dams may influence the bacteriome of calves, thereby improving their feed efficiency.

In vitro and molecular modeling insights into α-amylase inhibition by tamarind seed-derived trypsin inhibitor: Implications for hyperglycemic control

Inhibitors of enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion may be a potential option for glycemic control in Diabetes Mellitus. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the trypsin inhibitor isolated from tamarind seed (Tamarindus indica L.) (TTI) on α-amylase. After confirmation of the obtaining and characterization of the TTI, the in vitro inhibitory activity of the TTI against α-amylase was analyzed. The interaction of the modeled structures’ theoretical TTI (TTIp 56/287) and five of its derived peptides with α-amylase was also evaluated in silico using Docking and Molecular Dynamics, and their functional properties were examined. The Interaction Potential Energy (IPE) and the main interactions of the peptide-α-amylase complex were described using three-dimensional representations. TTI presented 100% antitryptic activity and a molecular mass of approximately 21 kDa. In vitro, inhibition of α-amylase was higher than 37%. These results were corroborated by computational analyses, which demonstrated strong interaction between the TTIp 56/287 complex and its peptides with the enzyme. The Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) and Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF) analyses showed good stability. IPE was −705.08 kJ/mol for DTVHDTDGQVPL and −584.11 kJ/mol for TIAPACAPKPAR. Electrostatic interactions stand out, especially the salt bridge, between the main residues that interacted in the complexes (DTVHDTDGQVPL, TIAPACAPKPAR, and TVSQTPIDIPIGLPVR). Additionally, the bioactive potential predicted two candidates with good stability, a long half-life, and bioactivity in an intestinal simulation environment. This is the first report of tamarind trypsin inhibitor or its peptides inhibiting α-amylase. Thus, the amino acid sequences DTVHDTDGQVPL and TIAPACAPKPAR were revealed as candidates that could be tested for action against α-amylase and possibly for glycemic control.

Giant virus genomes are unlikely to be reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes

Analysis of long-term rainfall trend and extreme in upper northern Thailand

Association of daily lung condition in COPD patients with wearable speech and physiological data

Abstract Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent condition that imposes significant burden on patients and healthcare systems, with COPD exacerbations being a leading cause of hospitalizations and mortality worldwide. Continuous monitoring of lung function is crucial for effective management, yet traditional methods are often cumbersome and require clinic visits. Wearable technology offers a non-invasive alternative, enabling the monitoring of physiological parameters in real-world settings. In this study, we analyzed free-living speech data collected via smartwatches from 18 COPD patients over an average period of 198.9 ± 122.6 days. Utilizing linear mixed-effects models, we discovered that phonation features are negatively associated with adverse COPD outcomes, while prosodic speech features show a positive correlation with increased exacerbation risk. Further analysis revealed that these associations are significantly moderated by physiological covariates such as heart rate variability and physical activity levels. These findings highlight the complex interplay between respiratory function, autonomic regulation, and vocal production, suggesting that the integration of speech analysis with physiological monitoring through wearables can lead to the development of composite digital biomarkers of impaired lung function.