Compact Solid Electrolyte Interface Realization Employing Surface-Modified Fillers for Long-Lasting, High-Performance All-Solid-State Li-Metal Batteries.

The implementation of polymer-based Li-metal batteries is hindered by their low coulombic efficiency and poor cycling stability attributed to continuous electrolyte decomposition. Enhancement of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) stability is key to mitigating electrolyte decomposition. This study proposes surface-functionalized silica mesoball fillers to fabricate a composite polymer electrolyte (MSBM-CPE). As a result of surface modification, the polyethylene oxide matrix benefits from the uniform distribution of the filler, which provides a large surface area and Lewis acid sites. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the dissociation energy of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide in the filler is fourfold higher (-1.95 eV) than that of the filler-free electrolyte. Consequently, the MSMB-CPE diffusivity is 30 times higher than its filler-free counterpart. The MSMB-CPE of ionic conductivity of 1.16 × 10-2 S cm-1 @60 °C and a venerable Li-ion transference number of 0.81. The excellent compatibility of MSMB-CPE with the Li anode is demonstrated by its stable symmetric cell performance under high current density (200 µA cm-2 @60 °C) for over 5000 h. Approximately 85.60% retention capacity of the [Li/MSMB-CPE/LiFePO4] full cell after 700 cycles. Furthermore, compositional analysis reveals that the SEI layer in MSMB-CPE is smooth with fewer by-products at the electrolyte/Li interface.

Brassinosteroid-BZR1/2-WAT1 module determines the high level of auxin signalling in vascular cambium during wood formation.

The tight regulation of local auxin homeostasis and signalling maxima in xylem precursor cells specifies the organising activity of the vascular cambium and consequently promotes xylem differentiation and wood formation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the local auxin signalling maxima in the vascular cambium are largely unknown. Here, we reveal that brassinosteroid (BR)-activated WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1) facilitates wood formation by enhancing local auxin signalling in the vascular cambium in Solanum lycopersicum. Growth defects and low auxin signalling readouts in the BR-deficient tomato cultivar, Micro-Tom, were associated with a novel recessive allele, Slwat1-copi, created by the insertion of a retrotransposon in the last exon of the SlWAT1 locus. Molecular and genetic studies by generating the gain-of-function and loss-of-function tomato mutants revealed that SlWAT1 is a critical regulator for fine tuning local auxin homeostasis and signalling outputs in vascular cambium to facilitate secondary growth. Finally, we discovered that BR-regulated SlBZR1/2 directly activated downstream auxin responses by SlWAT1 upregulation in xylem precursor cells to facilitate xylem differentiation and subsequent wood formation. Our data suggest that the BR-SlBZR1/2-WAT1 signalling network contributes to the high level of auxin signalling in the vascular cambium for secondary growth.

PlgMYBR1, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, plays as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Platycodon grandiflorus.

Floral color plays a major role in pollinator specificity, and changes in color may result in pollinator shifts and pollinator-mediated speciation. In the purple flowers of Platycodon grandiflorus, anthocyanins are the major pigment metabolites, whereas white flowers result due to the absence of anthocyanins. The lack of anthocyanins may be due to the inhibition of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. However, the molecular mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus is not fully understood. Hence, we identified R2R3-MYB transcription factor, PlgMYBR1, as a negative regulator for anthocyanin biosynthesis using sequence homology and tissue-specific expression pattern analyses. A heterologous co-expression assay suggested that PlgMYBR1 inhibited the function of AtPAP1 (Arabidopsis thaliana production of anthocyanin pigment 1), indicating that PlgMYBR1 plays as a repressor of anthocyanin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus. Our results provide a foundation for future efforts to understand the anthocyanin biosynthesis in P. grandiflorus and, thereby, to improve flower color through genetic engineering. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03490-6.

Nurses' attitudes and stress related to perinatal bereavement care in Korea: a cross-sectional survey.

Purpose: A descriptive correlational survey was conducted to examine nurses' attitudes and stress related to perinatal bereavement care (PBC) and their relationships, with the ultimate goal of improving nurses' capabilities related to PBC. Methods: Korean nurses (N=136) who had experienced perinatal death at least once were recruited from seven hospitals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Korean version of Nurses' Attitudes towards Perinatal Bereavement Support was assessed in terms of three subdomains (attitudes to PBC, importance of policies related to PBC, and importance of training related to PBC), and nurses' stress was measured. Results: The participants gave high scores for the attitude-related items of "giving sufficient time to bereaved parents to mourn for their dead baby" (4.54 points) and "nurses should treat bereaved parents with respect and dignity" (4.51 points), and they perceived a high level of importance for the policy-related items of "every staff member in the hospital should understand the policies relevant for PBC" and "when nurses feel emotional exhaustion, they should seek support" (4.58 points). Nurses' attitude toward PBC was associated with the perceived importance of policies (r=.40, p<.001), the perceived importance of PBC-related training (r=.61, p<.001), and stress related to PBC (r=.29, p<.001). Nurses' perceived importance of PBC-related training was associated with stress related to PBC (r=.38, p<.001). Conclusion: Establishing hospital policies related to PBC and providing PBC training for nurses could positively affect nurses' attitudes toward PBC. A stress management program for nurses could reduce the stress caused by PBC.

Plant Response to Cold Stress: Cold Stress Changes Antioxidant Metabolism in Heading Type Kimchi Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. Pekinensis).

Cold stress is known as the important yield-limiting factor of heading type Kimchi cabbage (HtKc, Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis), which is an economically important crop worldwide. However, the biochemical and molecular responses to cold stress in HtKc are largely unknown. In this study, we conducted transcriptome analyses on HtKc grown under normal versus cold conditions to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying HtKc responses to cold stress. A total of 2131 genes (936 up-regulated and 1195 down-regulated) were identified as differentially expressed genes and were significantly annotated in the category of "response to stimulus". In addition, cold stress caused the accumulation of polyphenolic compounds, including p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids, in HtKc by inducing the phenylpropanoid pathway. The results of the chemical-based antioxidant assay indicated that the cold-induced polyphenolic compounds improved the free-radical scavenging activity and antioxidant capacity, suggesting that the phenylpropanoid pathway induced by cold stress contributes to resistance to cold-induced reactive oxygen species in HtKc. Taken together, our results will serve as an important base to improve the cold tolerance in plants via enhancing the antioxidant machinery.

Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of Heat Stress-Responsive Superoxide Dismutases in Garlic (Allium sativum L.).

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are key antioxidant enzymes that can detoxify the superoxide radicals generated by various stresses. Although various plant SODs have been suggested to improve stress tolerance, SODs in garlic, an economically important vegetable grown worldwide, remain relatively unknown. In this study, we found that heat stress strongly induced the activities of Cu/ZnSODs, FeSODs, and MnSODs in garlic leaves. In addition, we cloned four garlic SODs (AsSODs) and suggest that heat stress-increased SOD activity was reflected at least by the induction of these AsSODs. The results of the agro-infiltration assay suggested that the cloned AsSODs encoded functional SOD enzymes belonging to the Cu/ZnSOD and MnSOD families. As a first step toward understanding the enzymatic antioxidant system in garlic plants, our results provide a solid foundation for an in-depth analysis of the physiological functions of the AsSOD family.

An Event-related Potential Study of Error-monitoring Deficits in Female College Students Who Participate in Binge Drinking.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated error-monitoring deficits in female college students with binge drinking (BD) using event-related potentials (ERPs) and the modified Flanker task. METHODS: Participants were categorized into BD (n=25) and non-BD (n=25) groups based on the scores of the Korean-version of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-K) and the Alcohol Use Questionnaire (AUQ). The modified Flanker task, consisting of congruent (target and flanker stimuli are the same) and incongruent (target and flanker stimuli are different) conditions, was used to evaluate error-monitoring abilities. RESULTS: The BD group exhibited significantly shorter response times and more error rates on the Flanker task, as well as reduced error-related negativity (ERN) amplitudes compared with the non-BD group. Additionally, ERN amplitudes measured at FCz and Cz were significantly correlated with scores on the AUDIT-K and AUQ in the whole participants. The BD and non-BD groups did not show any significant differences in error positivity amplitudes. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that college students with BD have deficits in error-monitoring, and that reduced ERN amplitudes may serve as a biological marker or risk factor of alcohol use disorder.

Associations between symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and suicide in Korean female adolescents.

The objective of this study was to examine the associations between symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and suicide in Korean female adolescents. It was hypothesized that the relationship between ADHD symptoms and suicidal ideation would be mediated by the level of depressive symptoms. Seven hundred and eighty-eight high school girls completed the Conners/Wells Adolescent Self-Report Scale: Short Form, Children's Depression Inventory, and Reynolds Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. Path analyses were conducted using the statistical program, AMOS version 4.0, to determine the best fitting model. The conduct, cognitive, and hyperactivity problems of the ADHD symptoms in each domain were associated positively with the depressive symptoms, with the depressive symptoms being associated with suicidal ideation. This initially proposed model represented an acceptable fit to the data (root mean square error of approximation, RMSEA=0.077; normed fit index, NFI=0.998; non-NFI, NNFI=0.990; comparative fit index, CFI=0.998). The inclusion of a direct path from the conduct problems of ADHD symptoms to suicidal ideation significantly improved the model fit (RMSEA=0, NFI=1, NNFI=1, CFI=1). The results of our study suggest that depressive symptoms partially mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and suicidal ideation, and that the conduct problems of ADHD symptoms are associated with suicidal ideation both directly and indirectly via the depressive symptoms in Korean female adolescents.

LDA-Based Unified Topic Modeling for Similar TV User Grouping and TV Program Recommendation.

Social TV is a social media service via TV and social networks through which TV users exchange their experiences about TV programs that they are viewing. For social TV service, two technical aspects are envisioned: grouping of similar TV users to create social TV communities and recommending TV programs based on group and personal interests for personalizing TV. In this paper, we propose a unified topic model based on grouping of similar TV users and recommending TV programs as a social TV service. The proposed unified topic model employs two latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) models. One is a topic model of TV users, and the other is a topic model of the description words for viewed TV programs. The two LDA models are then integrated via a topic proportion parameter for TV programs, which enforces the grouping of similar TV users and associated description words for watched TV programs at the same time in a unified topic modeling framework. The unified model identifies the semantic relation between TV user groups and TV program description word groups so that more meaningful TV program recommendations can be made. The unified topic model also overcomes an item ramp-up problem such that new TV programs can be reliably recommended to TV users. Furthermore, from the topic model of TV users, TV users with similar tastes can be grouped as topics, which can then be recommended as social TV communities. To verify our proposed method of unified topic-modeling-based TV user grouping and TV program recommendation for social TV services, in our experiments, we used real TV viewing history data and electronic program guide data from a seven-month period collected by a TV poll agency. The experimental results show that the proposed unified topic model yields an average 81.4% precision for 50 topics in TV program recommendation and its performance is an average of 6.5% higher than that of the topic model of TV users only. For TV user prediction with new TV programs, the average prediction precision was 79.6%. Also, we showed the superiority of our proposed model in terms of both topic modeling performance and recommendation performance compared to two related topic models such as polylingual topic model and bilingual topic model.

Biogenetic temperament and character profiles and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in Korean adolescents with problematic Internet use.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the biogenetic temperament and character profiles in Korean adolescents with problematic Internet use. Six hundred eighty-six high school students completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), and Conners/Wells Adolescent Self-Report Scale: Short Form (CASS: Short). The problematic Internet use group showed higher scores in the Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness profiles and lower scores in the Novelty Seeking and Self-Transcendence profiles of the JTCI, compared with the nonproblematic Internet use group, after controlling for the ADHD symptoms. The results of this study suggest that temperament/character patterns should be considered in accounts of the etiology of problematic Internet use.