A Current Development of Energy Harvesting Systems for Energy-Independent Bioimplantable Biosensors.

Biosensors have emerged as vital tools for the detection and monitoring of essential biological information. However, their efficiency is often constrained by limitations in the power supply. To address this challenge, energy harvesting systems have gained prominence. These off-grid, independent systems harness energy from the surrounding environment, providing a sustainable solution for powering biosensors autonomously. This continuous power source overcomes critical constraints, ensuring uninterrupted operation and seamless data collection. In this article, a comprehensive review of recent literature on energy harvesting-based biosensors is presented. Various techniques and technologies are critically examined, including optical, mechanical, thermal, and wireless power transfer, focusing on their applications and optimization. Furthermore, the immense potential of these energy harvesting-driven biosensors is highlighted across diverse fields, such as medicine, environmental surveillance, and biosignal analysis. By exploring the integration of energy harvesting systems, this review underscores their pivotal role in advancing biosensor technology. These innovations promise improved efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and broader applicability, marking significant progress in the field of biosensors.

Overseas Air Medical Repatriation of National Soccer Players Infected With Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Contacted Staff From Austria to South Korea.

Korea rarely has a system to transport patients from abroad. However, single-patient transfers are steadily being performed, and there was an experience of transferring a large number of personnel regardless of whether they were confirmed or not due to coronavirus disease 2019. Recently, a national soccer game was held abroad, and a total of 8 players and staff were infected. A total of 15 people were transported through a charter fully equipped with quarantine equipment by a medical response team with experience in air transport.

Recent advancements in implantable neural links based on organic synaptic transistors.

The progress of brain synaptic devices has witnessed an era of rapid and explosive growth. Because of their integrated storage, excellent plasticity and parallel computing, and system information processing abilities, various field effect transistors have been used to replicate the synapses of a human brain. Organic semiconductors are characterized by simplicity of processing, mechanical flexibility, low cost, biocompatibility, and flexibility, making them the most promising materials for implanted brain synaptic bioelectronics. Despite being used in numerous intelligent integrated circuits and implantable neural linkages with multiple terminals, organic synaptic transistors still face many obstacles that must be overcome to advance their development. A comprehensive review would be an excellent tool in this respect. Therefore, the latest advancements in implantable neural links based on organic synaptic transistors are outlined. First, the distinction between conventional and synaptic transistors are highlighted. Next, the existing implanted organic synaptic transistors and their applicability to the brain as a neural link are summarized. Finally, the potential research directions are discussed.

Progress in organic photovoltaics for indoor application.

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have recently emerged as feasible alternatives for indoor light harvesting because of their variable optical absorption, high absorption coefficients, and low leakage currents under low lighting circumstances. Extensive research has been performed over the last decade in the quest for highly efficient, ecologically stable, and economically feasible indoor organic photovoltaics (IOPVs). This research covers a wide range of topics, including the development of new donor-acceptor materials, interlayers (such as electron and hole transport layers), energy loss reduction, open-circuit voltage enhancement via material and device engineering, and device architecture optimization. The maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of IOPVs has already topped 35% as a consequence of these collaborative efforts. However, further research is needed to improve numerous elements, such as manufacturing costs and device longevity. IOPVs must preserve at least 80% of their initial PCE for more than a decade in order to compete with traditional batteries used in internet of things devices. A thorough examination of this issue is urgently required. We intend to present an overview of recent developments in the evolution of IOPVs.

Washable Fabric Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Potential Application in Face Masks.

In order to counteract the COVID-19 pandemic by wearing face masks, we examine washable fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerators (FTENGs). We applied the flash-spun nonwoven fabric (FS fabric) into the FTENGs, comparing the melt-blown nonwoven fabric (MB fabric) based FTENGs, which is conventionally studied in the field of energy harvesting. For reusability, all our proposed FTENGs are systematically investigated by controlling the washing conditions. After washing, the degradation ratio of the obtained output voltage is found to be only 12.5% for FS FTENGs, compared to the ratio of about 50% for the typical MB FTENGs. A rather small degradation ratio for FS fabric cases has resulted from less changed fabric structure after washing due to more dense fabric nature. Additionally, in order to improve the electrical characteristics of FS FTENGs. Note that the output voltage of FTENGs exhibits as much as 600 V.

The trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase Tps2 regulates ATG8 transcription and autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an important catabolic process for maintaining cellular homeostasis by adapting to various stress conditions. Autophagy is mediated by a double-membrane autophagosome, which sequesters a portion of cytoplasmic components for delivery to the vacuole. Several autophagy-related (ATG) genes play crucial roles in autophagosome formation. The induction of ATG genes must be tightly regulated to maintain a proper autophagic activity, but their regulatory mechanisms are still largely unknown. Here, we report that the trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase Tps2 functions as a positive regulator of autophagy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cellular trehalose levels do not affect autophagy regulation by Tps2. Loss of Tps2 leads to impaired autophagic flux and reduced ATG8 expre/ssion under nitrogen starvation. In tps2Δ cells, Ume6 is predominantly dephosphorylated and represses ATG8 transcription by binding to its promoter region. Tps2 regulates nuclear translocation and activation of Rim15 kinase, a negative regulator of Ume6, by causing the dissociation of Rim15 from the 14-3-3 proteins Bmh1/2 under nitrogen starvation, suggesting that Rim15 mediates the function of Tps2 as a positive regulator of ATG8 induction. Furthermore, Tps2 plays a crucial role in the dephosphorylation of Ser1061 and Thr1075 residues of Rim15, which is important for controlling the dissociation of Rim15 from Bmh1/2 under nitrogen starvation. Together, our results reveal the role of Tps2 as a positive regulator of autophagy and provide new insight into the regulatory mechanisms of ATG gene expression.Abbreviations: ATG: autophagy-related; ChIP: chromatin immunoprecipitation; Co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; DAPI: 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; GFP: green fluorescent protein; PKA: protein kinase A; PtdIns3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Rim15KI: kinase-inactive Rim15; Rim15-2A: Rim15S1061A,T1075A; TEM: transmission electron microscopy; TORC1: target of rapamycin complex 1.

Natural killer cells inhibit breast cancer cell invasion through downregulation of urokinase­type plasminogen activator.

Triple­negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer, and there is no effective therapeutic target to date. Natural killer (NK) cells are functionally diverse lymphocytes that recognize and kill cancer cells. Although it is clear that NK cells exert antitumor activity in the tumor microenvironment, their role in the aggressive progression of TNBC has not been elucidated in detail. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NK cells on MDA­MB­231 TNBC cells using an indirect co­culture system. The invasive phenotype of MDA­MB­231 cells was significantly inhibited by co­culture with NK cells. Notably, the expression of urokinase­type plasminogen activator (uPA) was markedly reduced by NK cells. Cytokine array analysis showed that the levels of interleukin (IL)­10, IL­6, IL­8, C­C motif ligand (CCL)5, and CCL2 were increased in conditioned media from the co­cultured cells. Among these cytokines, IL­6 played a crucial role in the NK cell­induced uPA downregulation and inhibition of the invasive phenotype of MDA­MB­231 cells and Hs578T cells. We analyzed the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database for correlations between IL­6 and uPA with the overall survival of breast cancer patients. The Kaplan­Meier survival analysis revealed that a low IL­6/uPA ratio was associated with the poor survival of breast cancer patients, suggesting it as an important factor for determining the overall survival of breast cancer patients. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that NK cells in the tumor microenvironment inhibit the invasiveness of TNBC cells through the IL­6­mediated inhibition of uPA.

In situ synthesis of copper-ruthenium bimetallic nanoparticles on laser-induced graphene as a peroxidase mimic.

A new type of disposable flexible sensor for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection was developed by in situ synthesis of copper-ruthenium bimetallic nanoparticles on a laser-induced graphene surface (Cu-Ru/LIG). The approach produced Cu-Ru/LIG via a solid phase transfer mechanism which loaded the metal precursor onto LIG, followed by laser scribing without demanding chemical vapor deposition or solution-based reactions. Cu-Ru/LIG showed a high electrocatalytic response toward H2O2 reduction at -0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The sensor also showed good selectivity and reproducibility. This method provides an alternative route to easily synthesize various catalysts on conductive substrates for sensor applications.

Crosstalk between cancer cells and endothelial cells: implications for tumor progression and intervention.

Communication between tumor cells and stromal cells is crucial to tumor development and progression. Fibroblasts and macrophages are the most common stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. Endothelial cells are another type of stromal cell in the tumor microenvironment required for angiogenesis via interaction with tumor cells. Tumor angiogenesis provides not only oxygen and nutrients for tumor cells but also the necessary anchorage to facilitate tumor metastasis. The present review summarizes studies on the crosstalk between cancer cells and endothelial cells with a focus on implications for tumor progression. The following four categories are discussed in this review: (1) cell-cell communication in tumor microenvironment; (2) induction of metastasis by interaction between cancer cells and endothelial cells; (3) angiogenesis induced by tumor cells; (4) therapeutic strategies targeting adhesion and signaling molecules as well as chemokines. This review provides useful information highlighting the process of cancer aggressiveness affected by the crosstalk between cancer cells and endothelial cells, and suggests therapeutic strategies against tumor progression.

Correction to: Crosstalk between cancer cells and endothelial cells: implications for tumor progression and intervention.

Unfortunately, there is an error in the original version of the article. The original published article contains an incomplete 'Acknowledgements' section. Please find the full 'Acknowledgements' section below.