Optimizing Yarn Tension in Textile Production with Tension-Position Cascade Control Method Using Kalman Filter.

The production of textiles has undergone a considerable transformation, progressing from its primitive origins in hand-weaving to the implementation of contemporary automated systems. Weaving yarn into fabric is a crucial process in the textile industry that requires meticulous attention to output quality products, particularly in the tension control section. The efficiency of the tension controller in relation to the yarn tension significantly affects the quality of the resulting fabric, as proper tension control leads to strong, uniform, and aesthetically pleasing fabric, while poor tension control can cause defects and yarn breakage, leading to production downtime and increased costs. Maintaining the desired yarn tension during textile production is crucial, although it poses several problems, such as the continuous diameter change of the unwinder and rewinder sections leading to system change. Another problem faced by the industrial operation is maintaining proper tension on the yarn while changing the roll-to-roll operation velocity. In this paper, an optimized method for controlling yarn tension through the cascade control of tension and position, incorporating feedback controllers, feedforward, and disturbance observers, has been proposed to make the system more robust and suitable for industrial use. In addition, an optimum signal processor has been designed to obtain sensor data with reduced noise and minimal phase difference.

High-throughput and direct measurement of androgen levels using turbulent flow chromatography liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (TFC-LC-TQMS) to discover chemicals that modulate dihydrotestosterone production in human prostate cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a high-throughput screening system to measure the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in cultured human prostate cancer cells using turbulent flow chromatography liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (TFC-LC-TQMS). RESULTS: After optimizing the cell reaction system, this method demonstrated a screening capability of 103 samples, including 78 single compounds and 25 extracts, in less than 12 h without manual sample preparation. Consequently, fucoxanthin, phenethyl caffeate, and Curcuma longa L. extract were validated as bioactive chemicals that inhibited DHT production in cultured DU145 cells. In addition, naringenin boosted DHT production in DU145 cells. CONCLUSION: The method can facilitate the discovery of bioactive chemicals that modulate the DHT production, and four phytochemicals are potential candidates of nutraceuticals to adjust DHT levels in male hormonal dysfunction.

The interplay of semantic and syntactic processing across hemispheres.

The current study investigated the hemispheric dynamics underlying semantic and syntactic priming in lexical decision tasks. Utilizing primed-lateralized paradigms, we observed a distinct pattern of semantic priming contingent on the priming hemisphere. The right hemisphere (RH) exhibited robust semantic priming irrespective of syntactic congruency between prime and target, underscoring its proclivity for semantic processing. Conversely, the left hemisphere (LH) demonstrated slower response times for semantically congruent yet syntactically incongruent word pairs, highlighting its syntactic processing specialization. Additionally, nonword data revealed a hemispheric divergence in syntactic processing, with the LH showing significant intrahemispheric syntactic priming. These findings illuminate the intrinsic hemispheric specializations for semantic and syntactic processing, offering empirical support for serial processing models. The study advances our understanding of the complex interplay between semantic and syntactic factors in hemispheric interactions.

Chrysanthemum indicum L. extract induces apoptosis through suppression of constitutive STAT3 activation in human prostate cancer DU145 cells.

Chrysanthemum indicum L. has been shown to possess antiinflammatory and anticancer activities, but its molecular targets/pathways are not yet fully understood in tumor cells. In the present study, the potential effects of C. indicum on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway in different tumor cells were examined. The solvent fractions (hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc, and BuOH,) were obtained from a crude extract (80% EOH extract) of C. indicum. The methylene chloride fraction of C. indicum (MCI) exhibited strong cytotoxic activity as compared with the other fractions and clearly suppressed constitutive STAT3 activation against both DU145 and U266 cells, but not MDA-MB-231 cells. The suppression of constitutive STAT3 activation by MCI is associated with blocking upstream JAK1 and JAK2, but not Src. MCI downregulated the expression of STAT3-regulated gene products; this is correlated with the accumulation of the cell cycle at sub-G1 phase, the induction of caspase-3 activation, and apoptosis. Moreover, the major components of the MCI were bioactive compounds such as sudachitin, hesperetin, chrysoeriol, and acacetin. Sudachitin, chrysoeriol, and acacetin also exerted significantly cytotoxicity, clearly suppressed constitutive STAT3 activation, and induced apoptosis, although hesperetin did not show any significant effect in DU145 cells. Overall, our results demonstrate that MCI could induce apoptosis through inhibition of the JAK1/2 and STAT3 signaling pathways.

Factors associated with the composition of the gut microbiome in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis and its value for predicting treatment responses.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the gut microbiota of patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have been managed with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for a long time. We focused on factors that might affect composition of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, we investigated whether gut microbiota composition predicts future clinical responses to conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) in patients with an insufficient response to initial therapy. METHODS: We recruited 94 patients with RA and 30 healthy participants. Fecal gut microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA amplificon sequencing; the resulting raw reads were processed based on QIIME2. Calypso online software was used for data visualization and to compare microbial composition between groups. For RA patients with moderate-to-high disease activity, treatment was changed after stool collection, and responses were observed 6 months later. RESULTS: The composition of the gut microbiota in patients with established RA was different from that of healthy participants. Young RA patients (< 45 years) had reduced richness, evenness, and distinct gut microbial compositions when compared with older RA patients and healthy individuals. Disease activity and rheumatoid factor levels were not associated with microbiome composition. Overall, biological DMARDs and csDMARDs, except sulfasalazine and TNF inhibitors, respectively, were not associated with the gut microbial composition in patients with established RA. However, the combination of Subdoligranulum and Fusicatenibacter genera was associated with a future good response to second-line csDMARDs in patients who showed an insufficient response to first-line csDMARDs. CONCLUSION: Gut microbial composition in patients with established RA is different from that in healthy individuals. Thus, the gut microbiome has the potential to predict responses of some RA patients to csDMARDs.

Development and Characterization of Inula britannica Extract-Loaded Liposomes: Potential as Anti-Inflammatory Functional Food Ingredients.

We investigated the potential of Inula britannica extract encapsulated in liposomes as a functional food ingredient with enhanced bioavailability and stability. Inula britannica, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and various health benefits, was encapsulated using a liposome mass production manufacturing method, and the physical properties of liposomes were evaluated. The liposomes exhibited improved anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages, suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 and downregulating the expression of iNOS and COX-2 transcription factors. Additionally, we observed reduced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß, and modulation of the NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. These findings suggest that Inula britannica extract encapsulated in liposomes could serve as a valuable functional food ingredient for managing and preventing inflammation-related disorders, making it a promising candidate for incorporation into various functional food products. The enhanced absorption and stability provided by liposomal encapsulation can enable better utilization of the extract's beneficial properties, promoting overall health and well-being.

Accuracy and validity of stitching sectional cone beam computed tomographic images.

To determine whether three-dimensionally reconstructed images of skulls created by stitching multiple cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images are as accurate as single images obtained using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), 10 skull models were scanned using an optical three-dimensional scanner, MDCT, and CBCT. Cone beam CT images at 3 different levels of the skull were manually superimposed and stitched. The reconstructed CBCT images at each level were aligned and fused using computer software and then compared to the nominal reference image obtained from the optical three-dimensional scanner by determining positional errors. The reconstructed MDCT images were also compared, and the differences in the mean errors for the 3 image types compared with the nominal reference image data were evaluated. There were no significant differences between the MDCT images and the manually merged CBCT images (Wilcoxon signed rank test, P = 0.017). In contrast, there were significant differences between the MDCT images and the software-aligned CBCT images (P = 0.005). Manual stitching of CBCT sectional images at different levels can provide accurate anatomic details of the oral and maxillofacial regions.

Dysbiotic but nonpathogenic shift in the fecal mycobiota of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is closely associated with the oral and gut microbiomes. Fungal cell wall components initiate inflammatory arthritis in mouse models. However, little is known regarding the role of the fungal community in the pathogenesis of RA. To evaluate the association between RA and the gut microbiome, investigations of bacterial and fungal communities in patients with RA are necessary. Therefore, we investigated the compositions and associations of fecal bacterial and fungal communities in 30 healthy controls and 99 patients with RA. The relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Blautia decreased, whereas the relative abundance of Streptococcus increased, in patients with RA. The relative abundance of Candida in the fecal fungal community was higher in patients with RA than in healthy controls, while the relative abundance of Aspergillus was higher in healthy controls than in patients with RA. Candida species-specific gene amplification showed that C. albicans was the most abundant species of Candida. Ordination analysis and random forest classification models supported the findings of structural changes in bacterial and fungal communities. Aspergillus was the core fecal fungal genus in healthy controls, although Saccharomyces spp. are typically predominant in Western cohorts. In addition, bacterial-fungal association analyses showed that the hub node had shifted from fungi to bacteria in patients with RA. The finding of fungal dysbiosis in patients with RA suggests that fungi play critical roles in the fecal microbial communities and pathogenesis of RA.

Protective effect of Tisochrysis lutea on dry eye syndrome via NF-κB inhibition.

Dry eye syndrome (DES) affects the cornea, causes pain and hypersensitivity to light. Although inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress are known to be involved, the detailed mechanisms remain unknown. DES is characterized by a decrease in corneal thickness, tear volume, and lacrimal gland size, and damage to corneal cells. Tisochrysis lutea is a microalga that has been shown to reduce immune factors. Therefore, we hypothesized that T. lutea could ameliorate DES. We investigated the role of T. lutea in scopolamine-induced DES in BALB/c mice. Oral administration of T. lutea increased corneal thickness, tear volume, and size of the corneal cells, and reduced damage to the corneal cells. Furthermore, treatment of ARPE-19 human retinal pigmented epithelial cells with T. lutea reduced expression of the inflammatory factor, NF-κB, MAPK, and AKT. T. lutea may be used therapeutically to reduce the symptoms of DES.

Ecological study for refrigerator use, salt, vegetable, and fruit intakes, and gastric cancer.

We used an ecological approach to determine the correlation between vegetable, fruit and salt intakes, refrigerator use, and gastric cancer mortality in Korean population. Information on fruit and vegetable intakes per capita from the National Health and Nutrition Survey, death certificate data from the National Statistical office, refrigerator per household data from Korean Statistical Information Service, and salt/sodium intake data from a cross-sectional survey were utilized. Correlation coefficients were calculated between vegetable and fruit intakes, refrigerator per household, and gastric cancer mortality and between salt and sodium intakes, and gastric cancer mortality and incidence in the four areas. With 5, 10, and 15 years lag time, refrigerator usage and fruit intake were negatively associated with gastric cancer mortality (p < 0.01), but vegetable intake was not associated with gastric cancer mortality. When estimates of salt/sodium intake evaluated by 24-h urine collection in four areas of Korea were compared to the gastric cancer mortality and incidence in these regions, positive correlation was shown between salt/sodium intake, and gastric cancer incidence and mortality. Negative associations between refrigerator use, fruit intake, and gastric cancer mortality and positive associations between salt/sodium intake and gastric cancer mortality and incidence were suggested.

Inhibitory effect of ursolic acid derivatives on recombinant human aldose reductase.

Aldose reductase (AR) is the first enzyme in the polyol pathway. AR has been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Ursolic acid and fourteen synthetic derivatives with ursane skeleton were tested for recombinant human aldose reductase (rhAR) inhibitory activity for development of diabetic complications. Among them, N-(3beta-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-4-aminobutyric acid (XV) showed most potent rhAR inhibitory activity in vitro. Inhibition mode of N-(3beta-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-4-aminobutyric acid (XV) was tested uncompetitively by kinetic analysis using the Lineweaver-Burk plots. Ursolic acid derivative N-(3beta-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oyl)-4-aminobutyric acid is able to inhibit rhAR uncompetitively and could be offered as a lead compound for AR inhibition.

Characterization of endogenous promoters of GapC1 and GS for recombinant protein expression in Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Although diatoms have been utilized as a cellular factory to produce biopharmaceuticals, recombinant proteins, and biofuels, only a few numbers of gene promoters are available. Therefore, the development of novel endogenous promoters is essential for the production of a range of bioactive substances. Here, we characterized the activities of endogenous promoters glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapC1) and glutamine synthetase (GS) of Phaeodactylum tricornutum using green fluorescent protein (GFP) under different culture conditions. Compared with the widely used fucoxanthin chlorophyll-binding protein A (fcpA) promoter, the GS promoter constitutively drove the expression of GFP throughout all growth phases of P. tricornutum, regardless of culture conditions. Additionally, the GFP level driven by the GapC1 promoter was the highest at the log phase, similar to the fcpA promoter, and increased light and nitrogen-starvation conditions reduced GFP levels by inhibiting promoter activity. These results suggested that the GS promoter could be utilized as a strong endogenous promoter for the genetic engineering of P. tricornutum.

Preventive Effect of M. cochinchinensis on Melanogenesis via Tyrosinase Activity Inhibition and p-PKC Signaling in Melan-A Cell.

Whitening research is of particular interest in the cosmetics market. The main focus of whitening research is on melanogenesis inhibition through tyrosinase activity. The mechanism of melanogenesis is involved with tyrosinase activity and p-PKC signaling. In this study, we used Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) spreng, a tropical fruit found throughout Southeast Asia, to investigate the inhibitory effect of melanogenesis. M. cochinchinensis contains a high concentration of polyphenols, flavonoids, and unsaturated fatty acids, which might be related to antioxidant activity. This study aimed to determine whether M. cochinchinensis extracts inhibit melanin synthesis in melan-A cells by inhibiting tyrosinase activity and p-PKC signaling. M. cochinchinensis was divided into pulp and aril and extracted under various conditions, and it was confirmed that all pulp and aril extracts have high contents of both phenols and flavonoids. Melan-A cells were treated with PMA for three days to induce melanin synthesis. After PMA treatment, M. cochinchinensis extracts were added to cultured media in a dose-dependent manner. Melanin contents and MTS were used to determine the amount of melanin in live cells. M. cochinchinensis extracts were evaluated for their effects on tyrosinase activity and p-PKC signaling pathways by Western blotting. It was found that M. cochinchinensis extract treatment decreased the amount of melanin and suppressed p-PKC expression. Additionally, tyrosinase activity was reduced after M. cochinchinensis extract treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, it was concluded that M. cochinchinensis could be used in antimelanogenesis and functional cosmetic materials to improve whitening.

Effect of BRCA1/2 mutation on short-term and long-term breast cancer survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Reports of BRCA genetic mutations and risk of death or recurrence are inconsistent. This study aimed to compare overall and disease-free breast cancer survival rates between BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and non-carriers for short-term and long-term outcomes separately. We searched the PUBMED and EMBASE databases and retrieved 452 articles using keywords that included breast cancer, BRCA mutation, and survival. Seventeen articles were selected for systematic review and among them 11 were included in our meta-analysis. We used the random-effects model to calculate the summary hazard ratio and corresponding 95% confidence interval. BRCA1 mutation carriers had significantly lower short-term and long-term overall survival rates (OSR) relative to non-carriers (HR = 1.92 [95% CI = 1.45-2.53]; 1.33 [1.12-1.58], respectively), while both short-term and long-term OSR of BRCA2 carriers did not differ from non-carriers (HR = 1.30 [95% CI = 0.95-1.76]; 1.12 [95% CI = 0.86-1.45], respectively). For short-term progression-free survival rate (PFSR), BRCA1 mutation carriers had a significantly lower rate than non-carriers (HR = 1.54 [95% CI = 1.12-2.12]), while BRCA2 mutation carriers had a similar PFSR (HR = 1.23 [95% CI = 0.96-1.58]). For long-term PFSRs, we found no significant results. Our results suggest that BRCA1 mutation decreases short-term and long-term OSRs and short-term PFSR, however, BRCA2 mutation does not affect either short-term or long-term survival rate, which is attributed to the different carcinogenic pathways for BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Non-type I cystinuria associated with mental retardation and ataxia in a Korean boy with a new missence mutation(G173R) in the SLC7A9 gene.

Cystinuria is an inherited renal and intestinal disease characterized by defective amino acids reabsorption and cystine urolithiasis. It is unusually associated with neurologic symptoms. Mutations in two genes, SLC3A1 and SLC7A9, have been identified in cystinuric patients. This report presents a 13-yr-old boy with cystinuria who manifested difficulty in walking, ataxia, and mental retardation. Somatosensory evoked potential of posterior tibial nerve stimulation showed the central conduction dysfunction through the posterior column of spinal cord. He was diagnosed non-type I cystinuria by urinary amino acid analysis and oral cystine loading test. We screened him and his family for gene mutation by direct sequencing of SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 genes. In this patient, we identified new missence mutation G173R in SLC7A9 gene.

Therapeutic use of botulinum toxin type A in treating neck and upper-back pain of myofascial origin: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in treating neck and upper-back pain of myofascial origin. DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. SETTING: Outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 29 subjects enrolled from among 45 screened patients. No subject withdrawal due to serious adverse events occurred. INTERVENTION: Subjects were evaluated at baseline, received a 1-time injection of either BTX-A (treatment group) or saline (control group), and were followed up at 2 weeks and at months 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS: Improvements in the VAS and NDI scores were seen in the treatment group but were not significant when compared with the controls. Statistically significant improvements for the treatment group were seen in the SF-36 bodily pain (at months 2 and 4) and mental health (at month 1) scales but not in the other scales, nor in the summary measures. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Trends toward improvements in VAS and NDI scores of the BTX-A group are encouraging, but they were possibly due to a placebo effect and were not statistically significant. The BTX-A subjects, at certain time points, showed statistically significant improvements in the bodily pain and mental health scales of the SF-36 compared with controls. Our study had limited power and population base, but the results could be used to properly power follow-up studies to further investigate this topic.

Effects of fermented milk treatment on microbial population and metabolomic outcomes in a three-stage semi-continuous culture system.

We investigated the impact of a fermented milk product on gut microbiota and their metabolism in 3 different conditions of the colon with a systemic viewpoint. An in vitro semi-continuous anaerobic cultivation was used to assess the colon compartment-specific influence of fermented milk, followed by a multiomics approach combining 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The microbiome profiling and metabolomic features were significantly different across three colon compartments and after fermented milk treatment. Integrative correlation analysis indicated that the alteration of butyrate-producing microbiota (Veillonella, Roseburia, Lachnospira, and Coprococcus) and some primary metabolites (butyrate, ethanol, lactate, and isobutyrate) in the treatment group had a strong association with the fermented milk microorganisms. Our findings suggested that fermented milk treatment significantly affected microbial population in an in vitro cultivation system as well as the colonic metabolome in different ways in each of colon compartment.

Data on the anti-tumor effects of Selaginella tamariscina extract and amentoflavone combined with doxorubicin in mice.

Here, we report animal experimental data associated with the article entitled "AKR1B10-inhibitory Selaginella tamariscina extract and amentoflavone decrease the growth of A549 human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo" (Jung et al., 2017) [1]. We tested the synergistic anti-tumor effects of Selaginella tamariscina extract and amentoflavone combined with doxorubicin hydrochloride in a nude mouse xenograft model of A549 human lung cancer cells. In our experiment, Selaginella tamariscina extract and amentoflavone were administered orally; and doxorubicin hydrochloride was injected intraperitoneally. We expect our preliminary data will be helpful to the development of the anticancer agent using Selaginella tamariscina extract or amentoflavone.

AKR1B10-inhibitory Selaginella tamariscina extract and amentoflavone decrease the growth of A549 human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Selaginella tamariscina (P.Beauv.) Spring is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat various human diseases, including cancer, in Asia. The detailed molecular mechanism underlying the anti-cancer effects of this plant and the anti-cancer action of the combinatorial treatment of S. tamariscina and doxorubicin have not yet been investigated. AIM OF THE STUDY: We evaluated the inhibitory activity of S. tamariscina extract (STE) and its major compound, amentoflavone, on human aldo-keto reductase family 1B10 (AKR1B10), which is a detoxification enzyme involved in drug resistance, to evaluate their anti-cancer effects and their potential as adjuvant agents for doxorubicin cancer chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested the AKR1B10 inhibitory activity of STE and amentoflavone via an in vitro biochemical assay using recombinant human AKR1B10. We tested the anti-proliferative activity in A549, NCI-H460, SKOV-3, and MCF-7 human cancer cells, which contain different expression levels of AKR1B10, and determined the combination index to evaluate whether the addition of STE and amentoflavone is synergistic or antagonistic to the anti-cancer action of doxorubicin. We finally evaluated the in vivo anti-tumor effects of STE in a nude mouse xenograft model of A549 cells. RESULTS: STE and amentoflavone potently inhibited human AKR1B10 and synergistically increased the doxorubicin anti-proliferative effect in A549 and NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells that express a high level of AKR1B10 mRNA and protein. STE also significantly inhibited A549 tumor growth in animal experiments. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that STE and amentoflavone could be potential anti-cancer agents that target AKR1B10 and might be candidate adjuvant agents to boost the anti-cancer effect of doxorubicin.

Effect of coping on endocrinoimmune functions in different stress situations.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of coping strategies on the endocrine and immune functions in different stress situations. Thirty-eight medical students were enrolled in this study. Cell-mediated immune function was measured using the lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production during the nonexamination period and during the preexamination period. Endocrine functions were assessed by measuring the plasma levels of norepinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. The Global Assessment of Recent Stress (GARS) scale, the Stress Response Inventory, the anxiety, depression, and somatization subscales of the Symptom Checklist-90-revised, the Way of Coping-revised, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Anger Expression Scale were used as psychometric measures. The subjects with higher levels of total GARS scores showed significantly higher IL-2 production during the nonexam period than those with lower levels of total GARS scores. During the same period, IL-2 production in the less positive reappraisal group was significantly higher than in the more positive reappraisal group. Lymphocyte proliferation in the group seeking less social support was also significantly higher than in the group seeking more social support. However, no significant association was found between the coping strategies and each of the hormone levels. These results suggest that positive reappraisal and seeking social support can be associated with the alteration of immune function during a chronic stress period. In particular, positive reappraisal is likely to reverse the stress-induced immune responses. This study did not find that neuroendocrine function such as the sympathetic-adrenal medullary axis or the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is playing a mediating role in the relationship between coping and immunity.