Development of web-based software for environmental impact assessment focusing on road traffic noise.

In the Republic of Korea, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) precedes development projects to predict and analyze potential environmental effects. Generally, EIA noise evaluations utilize 2D noise prediction equations and correction coefficients. This method, however, offers only a sectional noise evaluation and has limitations in complex environments with diverse noise sources. Moreover, the determination of various variables during the EIA process based on subjective human judgment raises concerns about the reliability of the results. Thus, this study aims to develop software accessible via a web environment for user-friendly EIA noise evaluations. This software supports integrated data management and generates a 3D noise prediction model for more precise and realistic analysis of noise impacts, specifically focusing on road-traffic noise at this stage of development. The 3D noise prediction model and noise map generated by the developed software have been validated against through comparison with the results of onsite noise measurements and commercial EIA software, SoundPLAN. This validation aimed to assess the practical utility of the application.

Improving the accuracy of nitrogen estimates from nonpoint source in a river catchment with multi-isotope tracers.

Climate change can affect precipitation patterns, temperature, and the hydrological cycle, consequently influencing the dynamics of nitrogen (N) within aquatic ecosystems. In this study, multiple stable isotopes (15N-NO3/18O-NO3 and 2H-H2O/18O-H2O) were used to investigate the N sources and flowpath within the Bogang stream in South Korea. Within the vicinity of the stream with complex land use where various N sources were present, four end-members (rainfall, soil, sewage, and livestock) were sampled and examined. Consequently, spatial-temporal variations of the N sources were observed dependent on the type of land use. During the dry season, sewage accounted for the dominant N source, ranging from 62.2 % to 80.2 %. In contrast, nonpoint sources increased significantly across most sites during the wet season (10.3-41.6 % for soil; 6.3-35.2 % for livestock) compared to the dry season (7.7-28.5 % for soil; 6-13.2 % for livestock). However, sewage (78.7 %) remains dominant, representing the largest ratio at the site downstream of the wastewater treatment plant during the wet season. This ratio showed a notable difference from the calculated N loading ratio of 52.2 %, especially for livestock. This suggests that a significant potential for N legacy effects, given that groundwater flow is likely to be the primary hydrological pathway delivering N to rivers. This study will help to develop water resource management strategies by understanding how the interaction between N sources and hydrological process responds to climate change within sub-basins.

Flexible and Stretchable Light-Emitting Diodes and Photodetectors for Human-Centric Optoelectronics.

Optoelectronic devices with unconventional form factors, such as flexible and stretchable light-emitting or photoresponsive devices, are core elements for the next-generation human-centric optoelectronics. For instance, these deformable devices can be utilized as closely fitted wearable sensors to acquire precise biosignals that are subsequently uploaded to the cloud for immediate examination and diagnosis, and also can be used for vision systems for human-interactive robotics. Their inception was propelled by breakthroughs in novel optoelectronic material technologies and device blueprinting methodologies, endowing flexibility and mechanical resilience to conventional rigid optoelectronic devices. This paper reviews the advancements in such soft optoelectronic device technologies, honing in on various materials, manufacturing techniques, and device design strategies. We will first highlight the general approaches for flexible and stretchable device fabrication, including the appropriate material selection for the substrate, electrodes, and insulation layers. We will then focus on the materials for flexible and stretchable light-emitting diodes, their device integration strategies, and representative application examples. Next, we will move on to the materials for flexible and stretchable photodetectors, highlighting the state-of-the-art materials and device fabrication methods, followed by their representative application examples. At the end, a brief summary will be given, and the potential challenges for further development of functional devices will be discussed as a conclusion.

Application of cold atmospheric microwave plasma as an adjunct therapy for wound healing in dogs and cats.

BACKGROUND: Cold atmospheric plasma is a novel innovative approach for wound care, and it is currently underrepresented in veterinary medicine. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of using cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) as an adjunct therapy for wound healing in dogs and cats. METHODS: Wound healing outcomes were retrospectively analyzed using clinical records of client-owned dogs and cats who were first managed through standard wound care alone (pre-CAMP period) and subsequently via CAMP therapy (CAMP period). The degree of wound healing was estimated based on wound size and a modified wound scoring system. RESULTS: Of the 27 acute and chronic wounds included in the analysis, 81.48% showed complete healing after the administration of CAMP as an adjunct therapy to standard care. Most wounds achieved complete healing in < 5 weeks. Compared with the pre-CAMP period, the rate of wound healing significantly increased every week in the CAMP period in terms of in wound size (first week, p < 0.001; second week, p = 0.012; third week, p < 0.001) and wound score (first week, p < 0.001; second week, p < 0.001; third week, p = 0.001). No adverse events were noted except for mild discomfort and transient erythema. CONCLUSIONS: CAMP is a well-tolerated therapeutic option with immense potential to support the treatment of wounds of diverse etiology in small animal practice. Further research is warranted to establish specific criteria for CAMP treatment according to wound characteristics.

Inhibitory Effects of Loganin on Adipogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo.

Obesity is characterized by the excessive accumulation of mature adipocytes that store surplus energy in the form of lipids. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of loganin on adipogenesis in mouse preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells and primary cultured adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in vitro and in mice with ovariectomy (OVX)- and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in vivo. For an in vitro study, loganin was co-incubated during adipogenesis in both 3T3-L1 cells and ADSCs, lipid droplets were evaluated by oil red O staining, and adipogenesis-related factors were assessed by qRT-PCR. For in vivo studies, mouse models of OVX- and HFD-induced obesity were orally administered with loganin, body weight was measured, and hepatic steatosis and development of excessive fat were evaluated by histological analysis. Loganin treatment reduced adipocyte differentiation by accumulating lipid droplets through the downregulation of adipogenesis-related factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (Pparg), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (Cebpa), perilipin 2 (Plin2), fatty acid synthase (Fasn), and sterol regulatory element binding transcription protein 1 (Srebp1). Loganin administration prevented weight gain in mouse models of obesity induced by OVX and HFD. Further, loganin inhibited metabolic abnormalities, such as hepatic steatosis and adipocyte enlargement, and increased the serum levels of leptin and insulin in both OVX- and HFD-induced obesity models. These results suggest that loganin is a potential candidate for preventing and treating obesity.

Identification of nitrate sources in tap water sources across South Korea using multiple stable isotopes: Implications for land use and water management.

Stable nitrate isotopes (δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3) in conjunction with stable water isotopes (δ18O-H2O and δD-H2O) were used to identify nitrogen (N) sources and N-biogeochemical transformation in tap water sources sampled from 11 water purification plants across South Korea. The raw water sources are taken from rivers within the water supply basins, which indicates the quality of tap water is highly dependent on surrounding the land use type. We estimated the proportional contribution of the various N sources (AD: atmospheric deposition; SN: soil nitrogen; CF: chemical fertilizer; M&S: manure/sewage) using Bayesian Mixing Model. As a result, the contribution of N sources exhibited large seasonal and spatial differences, which were related to the type of land use in the water supply basins. Commonly, the M&S and SN were the dominant N source during the dry and wet seasons in almost regions, respectively. However, in the regions with high N loading ratios from urban and industrial sources, the M&S was the dominant N source during both the wet and dry seasons. In addition, the regions were characterized by high NO3- concentrations due to the decreased dilution effect of precipitation during the dry seasons. In contrast, the SN was the dominant N source in the regions with high N loading ratios from agricultural areas during both the wet and dry seasons. The NO3--N concentration during the wet season was significantly higher than those during the dry season in these regions due to the input of non-point sources with high concentrations. Meanwhile, denitrification and nitrification were observed in the watersheds. It is important to understand the isotope fractionation due to N-biogeochemical transformation for considering the potential misinterpretations of the origin and fate NO3-. Collectively, our findings provide a basis on N source control strategies to ensure tap water quality in complex land use areas.

Effects of Loganin on Bone Formation and Resorption In Vitro and In Vivo.

Osteoporosis is a disease caused by impaired bone remodeling that is especially prevalent in elderly and postmenopausal women. Although numerous chemical agents have been developed to prevent osteoporosis, arguments remain regarding their side effects. Here, we demonstrated the effects of loganin, a single bioactive compound isolated from Cornus officinalis, on osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation in vitro and on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in mice in vivo. Loganin treatment increased the differentiation of mouse preosteoblast cells into osteoblasts and suppressed osteoclast differentiation in primary monocytes by regulating the mRNA expression levels of differentiation markers. Similar results were obtained in an osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system, which showed that loganin enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and reduced TRAP activity. In in vivo experiments, the oral administration of loganin prevented the OVX-induced loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure in mice and improved bone parameters. In addition, loganin significantly increased the serum OPG/RANKL ratio and promoted osteogenic activity during bone remodeling. Our findings suggest that loganin could be used as an alternative treatment to protect against osteoporosis.

Ultrahigh-resolution full-color perovskite nanocrystal patterning for ultrathin skin-attachable displays.

High-definition red/green/blue (RGB) pixels and deformable form factors are essential for the next-generation advanced displays. Here, we present ultrahigh-resolution full-color perovskite nanocrystal (PeNC) patterning for ultrathin wearable displays. Double-layer transfer printing of the PeNC and organic charge transport layers is developed, which prevents internal cracking of the PeNC film during the transfer printing process. This results in RGB pixelated PeNC patterns of 2550 pixels per inch (PPI) and monochromic patterns of 33,000 line pairs per inch with 100% transfer yield. The perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) with transfer-printed active layers exhibit outstanding electroluminescence characteristics with remarkable external quantum efficiencies (15.3, 14.8, and 2.5% for red, green, and blue, respectively), which are high compared to the printed PeLEDs reported to date. Furthermore, double-layer transfer printing enables the fabrication of ultrathin multicolor PeLEDs that can operate on curvilinear surfaces, including human skin, under various mechanical deformations. These results highlight that PeLEDs are promising for high-definition full-color wearable displays.

Generalised optical printing of photocurable metal chalcogenides.

Optical three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques have attracted tremendous attention owing to their applicability to mask-less additive manufacturing, which enables the cost-effective and straightforward creation of patterned architectures. However, despite their potential use as alternatives to traditional lithography, the printable materials obtained from these methods are strictly limited to photocurable resins, thereby restricting the functionality of the printed objects and their application areas. Herein, we report a generalised direct optical printing technique to obtain functional metal chalcogenides via digital light processing. We developed universally applicable photocurable chalcogenidometallate inks that could be directly used to create 2D patterns or micrometre-thick 2.5D architectures of various sizes and shapes. Our process is applicable to a diverse range of functional metal chalcogenides for compound semiconductors and 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides. We then demonstrated the feasibility of our technique by fabricating and evaluating a micro-scale thermoelectric generator bearing tens of patterned semiconductors. Our approach shows potential for simple and cost-effective architecturing of functional inorganic materials.

Materials and design strategies for stretchable electroluminescent devices.

Stretchable displays have recently received increasing attention as input and/or output interfaces for next-generation human-friendly electronic systems. Stretchable electroluminescent (EL) devices are a core component of stretchable displays, and they can be classified into two types, structurally stretchable EL devices and intrinsically stretchable EL devices, according to the mechanism for achieving their stretchability. We herein present recent advances in materials and design strategies for stretchable EL devices. First, stretchable devices based on ultrathin EL devices are introduced. Ultrathin EL devices are mechanically flexible like thin paper, and they can become stretchable through various structural engineering methods, such as inducing a buckled structure, employing interconnects with stretchable geometries, and applying origami/kirigami techniques. Secondly, intrinsically stretchable EL devices can be fabricated by using inherently stretchable electronic materials. For example, light-emitting electrochemical cells and EL devices with a simpler structure using alternating current have been developed. Furthermore, novel stretchable semiconductor materials have been presented for the development of intrinsically stretchable light-emitting diodes. After discussing these two types of stretchable EL devices, we briefly discuss applications of deformable EL devices and conclude the review.

Anti-Osteoarthritic Effects of Prunella Vulgaris and Gentiana Lutea In Vitro and In Vivo.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the progressive destruction of articular cartilage with severe symptoms, including pain and stiffness. We investigated the anti-osteoarthritic effects of Prunella vulgaris (PV) and Gentiana lutea (GL) extract in primary cultured chondrocytes RAW 264.7 cells in vitro and destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA mice in vivo. Primary chondrocytes were induced with IL-1ß, and RAW 264.7 cells were treated with LPS and co-incubated with either individual extracts of PV and GL or different ratios of PV and GL mixture. For the OA animal model, the medial meniscus (DMM) was destabilized in 9-week-old male C57BL/6 mice. Treatment of individual PV and GL and combination of PV and GL extracts inhibited the mRNA expression level of COX2 in chondrocytes and RAW 264.7 cells. The optimized inhibitory effect was attained with a PV and GL combination at an 8:2 ratio (PG) without cytotoxic effects. PG extracts prevented the expression of catabolic factors (COX2, Mmp3, Mmp9, and Mmp13) and inflammatory mediator levels (PGE2 and collagenase). In addition, PG decreased subchondral sclerosis and increased BMD in the subchondral region of DMM-induced OA mice with protection of articular cartilage destruction by inhibiting inflammatory processes. This study suggests that PG may be an alternative medicinal herb for treatment of OA.

Carfilzomib Delivery by Quinic Acid-Conjugated Nanoparticles: Discrepancy Between Tumoral Drug Accumulation and Anticancer Efficacy in a Murine 4T1 Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model.

Despite being a major breakthrough in multiple myeloma therapy, carfilzomib (CFZ, a second-generation proteasome inhibitor drug) has been largely ineffective against solid cancer, possibly due to its pharmacokinetic drawbacks including metabolic instability. Recently, quinic acid (QA, a low-affinity ligand of selectins upregulated in peritumoral vasculature) was successfully utilized as a surface modifier for nanoparticles containing paclitaxel. Here, we designed QA-conjugated nanoparticles containing CFZ (CFZ@QANP; the surface of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles modified by conjugation with a QA derivative). Compared to the clinically used cyclodextrin-based formulation (CFZ-CD), CFZ@QANP enhanced the metabolic stability and in vivo exposure of CFZ in mice. CFZ@QANP, however, showed little improvement in suppressing tumor growth over CFZ-CD against the murine 4T1 orthotopic breast cancer model. CFZ@QANP yielded no enhancement in proteasomal inhibition in excised tumors despite having a higher level of remaining CFZ than CFZ-CD. These results likely arise from delayed, incomplete CFZ release from CFZ@QANP as observed using biorelevant media in vitro. These results suggest that the applicability of QANP may not be predicted by physicochemical parameters commonly used for formulation design. Our current results highlight the importance of considering drug release kinetics in designing effective CFZ formulations for solid cancer therapy.

Identification of oxidative stress and estrogenic activity induced by polarity fractions of effluent organic matter.

This study evaluated oxidative stress and estrogenic activity induced by hydrophobic (HP), transphilic (TP), and hydrophilic (HL) fractions of effluent organic matter (EfOM) from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Fluorescence regional integration (FRI) analysis indicated that EfOM showed higher FRI distribution in regions II (aromatic protein-like) and IV (soluble microbial products, SMPs) than Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM), which was primarily in regions III (fulvic acid-like) and V (humic acid-like). The HP and HL fractions of industrial EfOMs significantly increased catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and lipid peroxidation compared with those of the control (p < 0.05). Estrogenic activity was the highest in industrial EfOM followed by municipal EfOM, and both were significantly higher than that of SRNOM and the control (p < 0.05). FRI distribution in region II was significantly related to CAT, GST, and estrogenic activity (r = 0.7142, 0.7786, and 0.8107, respectively) for the HL fraction of EfOM. For the HP fraction of EfOM, regions II and IV were significantly related to estrogenic activity (r = 0.7221 and 0.6707, respectively). These findings suggest that aromatic protein-like substances and SMPs in EfOM were responsible for the observed oxidative stress and estrogenic activity.

Development of Novel Epoxyketone-Based Proteasome Inhibitors as a Strategy To Overcome Cancer Resistance to Carfilzomib and Bortezomib.

Over the past 15 years, proteasome inhibitors (PIs), namely bortezomib, carfilzomib (Cfz) and ixazomib, have significantly improved the overall survival and quality-of-life for multiple myeloma (MM) patients. However, a significant portion of MM patients do not respond to PI therapies. Drug resistance is present either de novo or acquired after prolonged therapy through mechanisms that remain poorly defined. The lack of a clear understanding of clinical PI resistance has hampered the development of next-generation PI drugs to treat MM patients who no longer respond to currently available therapies. Here, we designed and synthesized novel epoxyketone-based PIs by structural modifications at the P1' site. We show that a Cfz analog, 9, harboring a hydroxyl substituent at its P1' position was highly cytotoxic against cancer cell lines displaying de novo or acquired resistance to Cfz. These results suggest that peptide epoxyketones incorporating P1'-targeting moieties may have the potential to bypass resistance mechanisms associated with Cfz and to provide additional clinical options for patients resistant to Cfz.

Variability of pCO2 in surface waters and development of prediction model.

Inland waters are substantial sources of atmospheric carbon, but relevant data are rare in Asian monsoon regions including Korea. Emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere depend largely on the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in water; however, measured pCO2 data are scarce and calculated pCO2 can show large uncertainty. This study had three objectives: 1) to examine the spatial variability of pCO2 in diverse surface water systems in Korea; 2) to compare pCO2 calculated using pH-total alkalinity (Alk) and pH-dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) with pCO2 measured by an in situ submersible nondispersive infrared detector; and 3) to characterize the major environmental variables determining the variation of pCO2 based on physical, chemical, and biological data collected concomitantly. Of 30 samples, 80% were found supersaturated in CO2 with respect to the overlying atmosphere. Calculated pCO2 using pH-Alk and pH-DIC showed weak prediction capability and large variations with respect to measured pCO2. Error analysis indicated that calculated pCO2 is highly sensitive to the accuracy of pH measurements, particularly at low pH. Stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RF) techniques were implemented to develop the most parsimonious model based on 10 potential predictor variables (pH, Alk, DIC, Uw, Cond, Turb, COD, DOC, TOC, Chla) by optimizing model performance. The RF model showed better performance than the MLR model, and the most parsimonious RF model (pH, Turb, Uw, Chla) improved pCO2 prediction capability considerably compared with the simple calculation approach, reducing the RMSE from 527-544 to 105µatm at the study sites.

Comparative assessment of the adverse outcome of wastewater effluents by integrating oxidative stress and histopathological alterations in endemic fish.

This study evaluated the adverse effect of wastewater effluents on three fish species, Carassius auratus, Zacco platypus, and Zacco koreanus, collected in the Eungcheon, Mihocheon, and Busocheon streams, respectively. Fish gills, liver, and kidneys from the mixing zone (MZ) and sites upstream (US) and downstream (DS) of the MZ were analyzed for oxidative stress responses and histology. Catalase and glutathione S-transferase activity was significantly higher at MZ and DS than from US (p<0.05), indicating induction of antioxidant defense mechanisms. Additionally, degree of tissue changes (DTC) indicated highest histopathological alteration in MZ, followed by DS and US. Integrated biomarker response (IBR) for oxidative stress and histopathological alterations showed higher values consistently for Z. koreanus than other two species. Water temperature, EC, and TN levels seemed to be responsible for the observed biomarker responses. These findings indicate that thermal hot spring effluent discharged into Busocheon steam induced the most significant impact on the cool water species (Z. koreanus). Overall, this study suggests that the IBR index is a very useful tool for monitoring in situ adverse effects of wastewater effluents on fish, particularly for histopathological alterations representing prolonged impact.

Factors affecting satisfaction with cancer information provided through the social networking services of the National Cancer Information Center in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the characteristics of social networking service (SNS) users and to assess the relationship of those factors to user satisfaction with the SNSs of the National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) in South Korea. METHODS: A Web-based survey was completed by 1,670 users of the NCIC SNSs, who provided data on the sources they consulted for information about cancer, determinants of SNS use, sources of NCIC SNS awareness, the time of day they used the SNS, and their satisfaction level. RESULTS: Facebook users mainly became aware of the NCIC SNSs through an acquaintance's recommendation, while Twitter was accessed through other SNSs or blogs. Users in their 30s were less satisfied with the NCIC SNSs than those in their teens and 20s. Browsing for cancer-related information on the Internet, prioritizing information quality, and engaging in active use were related to a high level of satisfaction with the NCIC SNSs. Individuals who were exposed to the NCIC SNSs through other SNSs or printed materials were less satisfied with their experience of the NCIC SNSs than those who received a recommendation from an acquaintance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may act as a catalyst to guide public health agencies to enhance their use of SNSs.

Correction: Effect of low-purity Fenton reagents on toxicity of textile dyeing effluent to Daphnia magna.

Correction for 'Effect of low-purity Fenton reagents on toxicity of textile dyeing effluent to Daphnia magna' by Joorim Na et al., Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7em00078b.

Effect of low-purity Fenton reagents on toxicity of textile dyeing effluent to Daphnia magna.

This study aimed to identify the source of toxicity in textile dyeing effluent collected from February to July 2016, using Daphnia magna as a test organism. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures were used to identify the toxicants in textile dyeing effluent, and Jar testing to simulate the Fenton process was conducted to identify the source of toxicants. Textile dyeing effluent was acutely toxic to D. magna [from 1.5 to 9.7 toxic units (TU)] during the study period. TIE results showed that Zn derived from the Fenton process was a key toxicant in textile dyeing effluent. Additionally, Jar testing revealed that low-purity Fenton reagents (FeCl2 and FeSO4), which contained large amounts of Zn (89 838 and 610 mg L-1, respectively), were the source of toxicity. Although we were unable to conclusively identify the residual toxicity (approx. 1.4 TU of 9.71 TU) attributable to unknown toxicants in textile dyeing effluent, the findings of this study suggest that careful operation of the Fenton treatment process could contribute to eliminating its unintended toxic effects on aquatic organisms.

Time-Dependent Toxicity Responses in Daphnia magna Exposed to CuO and ZnO Nanoparticles.

Aggregation and dissolution of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) increased with increasing exposure time (24, 48, and 72 h). Acute toxicity of CuO NPs to Daphnia magna also increased significantly with increasing exposure time (p < 0.05), whereas exposure time did not significantly affect acute toxicity of ZnO NPs. The dissolved Cu concentration of CuO NPs was much lower than the median effective concentration (EC50) value (44 µg L-1 at 72 h), implying that the increase in acute toxicity was caused by particles rather than by dissolved ions. However, the dissolved Zn concentration of ZnO NPs was higher than the EC50 value (600 µg L-1 at 72 h), suggesting this acute toxicity may be caused by dissolved ions. Moreover, CuO NPs induced greater lipid peroxidation than Cu ions did at an exposure time of 72 h, whereas converse results were observed for ZnO NPs.