Association between Water Intake and Abdominal Obesity: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019-2021.

Background: This study aimed to determine the link between water consumption and abdominal obesity in individuals aged 19 years and above, utilizing a sample from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: Participants were divided into two groups based on their water intake: those meeting adequate intake (≥5 cups for men and ≥4 cups for women) and those with inadequate intake (<5 cups for men and <4 cups for women). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Compared with the inadequate water intake group, the adequate water intake group showed a lower adjusted OR for abdominal obesity (adjusted OR, 0.874; 95% CI, 0.770-0.992). In the subgroup analysis, the adjusted OR for abdominal obesity in the 19-39 age group was 0.712 (95% CI, 0.520-0.974). However, no significant association was observed in the 40-64 and 65 or higher age groups. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that sufficient water consumption may be negatively associated with abdominal obesity in adults, particularly among young adults; however, this association may not extend to older age groups.

Comprehensive transcriptome profiling between balding and non-balding scalp of female pattern hair loss in Asian.

While many gene expression studies have focused on male pattern baldness (MPB), few studies have investigated the genetic differences between bald and non-bald hair follicles in female pattern hair loss (FPHL). This study aimed to identify molecular biomarkers associated with FPHL through genetic analysis of paired bald and non-bald hair follicles from 18 FPHL patients, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. RNA transcriptome analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between bald and non-bald hair follicles in FPHL. The DEGs were validated using real-time PCR, and protein expression was confirmed through immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Our findings suggest that HOXB13, SFRP2, PTGDS, CXCR3, SFRP4, SOD3, and DCN are significantly upregulated in bald hair follicles compared to non-bald hair follicles in FPHL. SFRP2 and PTGDS were found to be consistently highly expressed in bald hair follicles in all 18 samples. Additionally, elevated protein levels of SFRP2 and PTGDS were confirmed through western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. Our study identified SFRP2 and PTGDS as potential biomarkers for FPHL and suggests that they may play a role in inducing hair loss in this condition. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the pathogenesis of FPHL and potential therapeutic targets.

Evaluation of Induction Immunosuppression and Risk of Incisional Hernia After Liver Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Liver transplantation (LT) is a technically complex operation and usually performed on ill patients. A major postoperative morbidity is incisional hernia, occurring in 9.5%-32.4% of cases. There are mixed results in transplant studies regarding potential risk factors. Additionally, the literature is lacking in the relationship between specific immunosuppressive induction agents administered during LT and postoperative incisional hernia. METHODS: A single center, retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent primary LT between 4/2011-1/2018 was conducted. Clinical variables including demographics and comorbidities were reviewed. The primary end point was the development of an incisional hernia following LT. Sub analysis was performed for secondary end points to determine potential risk factors, including immunosuppressive induction agent. RESULTS: Overall, 418 patients met inclusion criteria. At 5 y post-LT, there were 66/271 (24.4%) and 53/147 (36.1%) patients diagnosed with an incisional hernia in the methylprednisolone and basiliximab groups, respectively. After propensity score matching, there was no difference in incisional hernia development between induction agents, P = 0.19. For patients with body mass index ≥30 and postoperative seroma of the abdominal wall, the hazard ratios were 2.67 (95% CI = 1.7, 4.3) and 2.03 (95% CI = 1.1, 3.9), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Incisional hernia rate after LT was 28.5% at 5 y. Our analysis found that immunosuppressive induction agent at LT was not associated with the development of postoperative incisional hernia. However, preoperative obesity (body mass index ≥30) and postoperative seroma of the abdominal wall were potential risk factors. Further studies are needed to delineate if these risk factors remain across institutions and in alternative settings.

Aberrant function of the salience network related to maltreatment experiences during thought-action fusion.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) causes early deviations in cognitive and affective processes, leading to future adaptation failures and psychopathology. Specifically, CM has been linked to cognitive distortions, and recent studies have focused on the impact of CM on the higher level of metacognitive beliefs. However, only a few studies have revealed the neural mechanisms underlying the association between altered metacognition and CM. Therefore, this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated the neural correlates of thought-action fusion (TAF) tendency and CM experiences. Overall, 40 young and healthy adults (21 men) participated in this study and underwent fMRI during the TAF task as well as psychological evaluation for CM, TAF tendency, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. During the TAF task, they were asked to read negative (Neg) or neutral (Neu) statements about neutral or close people (CP). Notably, significant activations were found in regions such as the bilateral anterior insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), caudate, thalamus, medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus, and right amygdala in the NegCp > NeuCP contrast. Furthermore, anterior insula and dACC activities were significantly correlated with total scores of CM experiences and TAF. Exaggerated TAF tendency in persons with CM experiences was associated with increased response of the anterior insula and dACC, which are two core hubs of the salience network. Our results therefore seem to suggest insights for a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying metacognitive beliefs related to CM experiences.

Machine learning analysis of primary hyperhidrosis for classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of compensatory hyperhidrosis.

Background: Although sympathectomy is highly effective for improving symptom, compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) is a major issue. In this study, characteristics of primary hyperhidrosis were investigated in terms of the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of CH after sympathicotomy were also determined using machine learning analysis. Methods: From March 2017 to December 2021, 128 subjects who underwent HRV tests before sympathicotomy were analyzed. T2 and T3 bilateral endoscopic sympathicotomy were routinely performed in patients with craniofacial and palmar hyperhidrosis, respectively. Data collected age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hyperhidrosis type, symptom improvement after sympathicotomy, the degrees of CH after sympathicotomy, and preoperative HRV findings. The independent risk factors associated with the degree of CH after sympathicotomy were investigated. Machine learning analysis was used to determine classification of hyperhidrosis type and prediction of the degree of CH. Results: Preoperatively, patients with palmar hyperhidrosis presented with significantly larger standard deviation of normal-to-normal (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), total power (TP), and low frequency (LF) than patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis after controlling for age and sex (P=0.030, P=0.004, P=0.041, and P=0.022, respectively). More sympathetic nervous predominance was found in craniofacial type (P=0.019). Low degree of CH had significantly greater RMSSD (P=0.047), and high degree of CH showed more sympathetic nervous predominance (P=0.006). Multivariate analysis showed the type and expansion of sympathicotomy were significant factors for CH (P=0.001 and P=0.028, respectively). The neural network (NN) algorithm outperformed and showed a 0.961 accuracy, 0.961 F1 score, 0.961 precision, 0.961 recall, and 0.972 area under the curve (AUC) for classification of hyperhidrosis type. The random forest (RF) model outperformed showed a 0.852 accuracy, 0.853 F1 score, 0.856 precision, 0.852 recall, and 0.914 AUC for prediction of the degree of CH. Conclusions: The present study showed the machine learning algorithm can classify types and predict CH after sympathicotomy for primary hyperhidrosis with considerable accuracy. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate the findings and provide management guidelines for primary hyperhidrosis.

Comparison of injectate spread and nerve coverage between single-injection intertransverse process block and paravertebral block at the T2 level: a cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: We compared the spread of an injectate into the thoracic sympathetic chain resulting from a single-injection intertransverse process (ITP) block with that of a single-injection PV block at the T2 level. METHODS: Sixteen soft-embalmed cadavers were used. The right hemithorax was randomly allocated to receive either an ultrasound-guided single-injection ITP block or ultrasound-guided single-injection PV block at the T2 vertebral level, with the opposite block administered to the other side. Approximately 10 mL of latex dye solution was injected into each hemithorax using a random allocation technique. The presence of dye at the nerve root in the sympathetic chain and intercostal nerves at the injection and additional levels was examined by dissection. RESULTS: The injectate spread into the T2 sympathetic ganglion on both ITP (11/16, 68.8%) and PV (16/16, 100%) blocks. The ITP block demonstrated greater uniformity of dye staining in both the dorsal rami and dorsal root ganglion, which contrasts with the less consistent staining outcomes of the PV block in these regions. CONCLUSIONS: At the T2 level, we observed a lower efficacy of the ITP block for analgesic coverage of the sympathetic nerve. This suggested a potential preference by clinicians for the application of the T2 PV block over the ITP block, specifically for the management of sympathetically maintained pain in the upper extremities. In addition, our findings may hint at the potential advantages of the ITP block in specific clinical contexts where targeted nerve involvement, such as the medial branch block or dorsal root ganglion block, is sought.

Biodiesel production and simultaneous treatment of domestic and livestock wastewater using indigenous microalgae, Chlorella sorokiniana JD1-1.

In this study, the potential of Chlorella sorokiniana JD1-1 for biodiesel production was evaluated using domestic wastewater (DWW) as a diluent for locally-generated livestock wastewater (LWW). This strategy aimed to provide sustainable wastewater treatment, reduce environmental impacts, enhance cost-effectiveness, and promote biodiesel production. LWW was diluted with tap water and DWW at ratios of 75%, 50%, and 25% (v/v), and the effects on microalgal growth, nutrient removal efficiency, and lipid yield were evaluated. Although the maximum biomass concentration was observed in the artificial growth medium (BG-11) (1170 mg L-1), 75% dilution using tap water (610 mg L-1) and DWW (780 mg L-1) yielded results comparable to the exclusive use of DWW (820 mg L-1), suggesting a potential for substitution. Total nitrogen (TN) removal rates were consistently high under all conditions, particularly in samples with higher concentrations of LWW. Conversely, total phosphorus (TP) concentrations decreased under most conditions, although some displayed large increases. Further studies are necessary to optimize the nutrient balance while maintaining economic feasibility and maximizing biodiesel production.

Opioid-limiting legislation and prescribing habits of otolaryngologists among Medicare beneficiaries.

Objectives: To identify changes in otolaryngologists' opioid prescribing trends for Medicare beneficiaries associated with the enactment of state laws that limit the duration of prescriptions to 3-7 days in the years 2016 and 2017 in the United States. Methods: Through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) database, we retrieved data on Medicare enrollment and on the total days prescribed and total number of beneficiaries for the drugs codeine/acetaminophen, hydrocodone/acetaminophen, oxycodone HCl, oxycodone/acetaminophen, and tramadol HCl, by each otolaryngologist prescriber in 13 states from January 2013 to December 2019. We modeled trends using linear spline regression models that controlled for Medicare beneficiaries' state-level socio-demographic characteristics' fixed effects. Results: Across the 13 states, the number of days of all five opioids prescribed per beneficiary declined by 8.35 (SD = 12.61). The most commonly prescribed opioid type by otolaryngologists during the 5-year study period was tramadol HCl (28.72 days/beneficiary) followed by oxycodone HCl (19.99 days/beneficiary). All opioids had declines in prescription days over this time window and higher rates of decline in the years following law passage. Four states experienced statistically significant declines in the prescriptions of all opioids after the year of legislation passage (p < .05). Some states that had the greatest inclines in opioid prescriptions in the years prior to law enactment also experienced the greatest reductions in the time after legislation enactment. Conclusions: Opioid prescribing practices of otolaryngologists may have been affected by opioid prescription duration limiting laws passed in 13 states in 2016 and 2017. Level of Evidence: Level 4.

Association of patient characteristics, ultrasound features, and molecular testing with malignancy risk in Bethesda III-V thyroid nodules.

Objective: To evaluate the role of patient characteristics, ultrasound findings, and molecular testing in predicting risk of malignancy in Bethesda III, IV, and V thyroid nodules. Design: Single institution retrospective review of 230 patients with Bethesda III, IV, and V cytopathology undergoing thyroidectomy between 2009 and 2018. Setting: Private and public tertiary urban university hospitals at the same academic institution. Subjects and methods: Patients who underwent thyroidectomy with Bethesda III, IV, and V nodules were included. Patient demographics, presence of underlying thyroid disease, nodule size, sonographic features, gene expression results, and surgical procedure were documented. Correlation between these variables and final histopathologic diagnosis of malignancy was analyzed. Results: The 230 patients (103 Bethesda III, 64 Bethesda IV, and 63 Bethesda V) were included for analysis. Bethesda III nodules harbored malignancy in 26.2% of cases compared with 26.6% of Bethesda IV nodules and 82.5% of Bethesda V nodules. On multivariate analysis, age was inversely correlated with a diagnosis of malignancy (OR: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-0.99, p = .03) Although the presence of microcalcifications was positively associated with cancer (OR: 2.31, CI: 1.24-4.29, p = .008) The co-occurrence of microcalcifications and irregular margins was associated with a higher odds of malignancy (OR: 4.42, 95% CI: 1.32-14.93, p = .016), whereas the combination of microcalcifications, irregular margins, and hypoechogenicity was associated with the greatest cancer risk (OR: 5.52, 95% CI: 1.12-27.78, p = .036). Conclusions: The presence of microcalcifications in thyroid nodules categorized as Bethesda III-V is an independent risk factor for malignancy. The combination of microcalcifications, irregular margins, and hypoechogenicity is associated with a greater malignancy risk in nodules indeterminate for thyroid cancer on cytopathology.

Isolation and screening of indigenous microalgae species for domestic and livestock wastewater treatment, biodiesel production, and carbon sequestration.

The use of indigenous microalgae strains for locally generated domestic (DWW) and livestock wastewater (LWW) treatment is essential for effective and economical applications. Phototrophic microalgae-based biofuel production also contributes to carbon sequestration via CO2 fixation. However, simultaneous consideration of both isolation and screening procedures for locally collected indigenous microalgae strains is not common in the literature. We aimed to isolate indigenous microalgae strains from locally collected samples on coastlines and islands in South Korea. Among five isolated strains, Chlorella sorokiniana JD1-1 was selected for DWW and LWW treatment due to its ability to grow in waste resources. This strain showed a higher specific growth rate in DWW than artificial growth medium (BG-11) with a range of 0.137-0.154 d-1. During cultivation, 96.5%-97.1% of total nitrogen in DWW and 89.2% in LWW was removed. Over 99% of total phosphorus in DWW and 96.4% in LWW was also removed. Finally, isolated C. sorokiniana JD1-1 was able to fix CO2 within a range of 0.0646-0.1043 g CO2 L-1 d-1. These results support the domestic applications of carbon sequestration-efficient microalgae in the waste-to-energy nexus.

Endoscopy Reports for Rectosigmoid Tumors: Frequently Missing Key Information Needed for Surgical Planning.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopy reports by gastroenterologists describing rectosigmoid tumors often are missing crucial data for surgical planning, leading to high rates of repeat exams before surgical decision-making. We hypothesize that there will be significant deficiencies in the endoscopic reporting of rectosigmoid lesions leading to high rates of repeat endoscopic examination at our institution. METHODS: Retrospective review from January 2016 to November 2019 included 188 patients with rectosigmoid lesions referred for surgery with an outside endoscopy report. Three criteria were abstracted from these reports or included pictures: (1) distance from the tumor to an anatomical landmark (anal verge, dentate line, sphincter), (2) Tattoo placement (if performed) and location, and (3) tumor relationship to the valves of Houston. Reports were classified exemplary, nearly adequate, or inadequate if 3, 2, and ≤ 1 of these criteria were met, respectively. RESULTS: Distance was reported in 38.8% (n = 73) of reports, with the anal verge being the most commonly reported anatomical landmark (32.4%, n = 61 reports). Tattoo was placed in 34.6% (n = 65), though only 21.8% (n = 41) described the location of the tattoo relative to the tumor. Relationship to the valves of Houston was seen in 29.2% (n = 55) of reports. Only 5.3% (n = 10) of outside endoscopy reports were graded as exemplary, 20.2% (n = 38) nearly adequate, and the remaining 74.5% (n = 140) inadequate. A total of 87.5% (n = 165) of patients required repeat endoscopy with a significantly higher proportion from the inadequate group. CONCLUSIONS: Many referring endoscopy reports contain inadequate information for the surgical planning of rectosigmoid tumor resection. Efforts to improve documentation (particularly about distance and location within the rectum) must be undertaken.

A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method for determination of by-products originating from ozonation of chlorpyrifos and diazinon spiked in cherry tomato and perilla leaf.

In this study, sample pretreatment methods have been developed for the determination of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and their by-products present in cherry tomato and perilla leaf using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. To optimize a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method, the recoveries at each step were evaluated. The steps improved the recoveries of chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, diazinon, diazoxon, and 2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol up to 80% or more by removing interferents, but diethyl phosphate was almost lost during the partition procedure, and the 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol recovery was below 65%. Therefore, the compounds were evaluated using different solvent compositions based on a quick polar pesticides method; note that 100% methanol showed acceptable extraction results. The optimized method provided method detection limits ranging from 0.03 to 1.22 ng/g and good linearities (R2  > 0.996). The recovery values were between 82.1 and 113.3%. The intra- and interday reproducibility was evaluated to be within 8.6 and 9.9%, respectively. The method was applied to determine the degradation efficiency of chlorpyrifos and diazinon and their by-products formed during plasma treatment.

Geometric parameters on MRA source images to differentiate small Proximal Posterior communicating artery aneurysms from Infundibular dilation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the accuracy of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the differentiation of small aneurysms versus infundibular dilations (IDs) at the internal carotid artery-posterior communicating artery (ICA-PComA) junction, emphasizing the role of MRA axial source images. METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 83 focal arterial protrusions at ICA-PComA junction in 76 patients who underwent both MRA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA)/3-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA). The diagnostic performance of MRA for differential diagnosis of aneurysm from ID was calculated using DSA/3DRA interpretation as the standard of reference. In addition, long-axis diameter, short-axis diameter, long-axis diameter/short-axis diameter (L/S) ratio, and angle of lesion (angle of the long-axis of lesion with respect to the x-axis) measured on MRA source images were compared between aneurysms and IDs. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRA for distinguishing aneurysms from IDs were 74.4% (57.9-87.0%) to 76.9% (60.7-88.9%), 93.2% (81.3-98.6%) to 95.5% (84.5-99.4%), and 85.5% (76.1-92.3%), respectively. Significant differences were found for the long-axis diameter (P < .001), short-axis diameter (P < .001), L/S ratio (P < .05), and angle of the lesion (P < .001) on MRA axial source images between aneurysms and IDs. The angle of the lesion had the highest discriminatory ability (area under the curve = .966 [.902-.994]) to differentiate aneurysms from IDs. An angle of lesion >60° was 89.7% (75.8-97.1%) sensitive and 100% (92.0-100.0%) specific for diagnosis of aneurysm. CONCLUSIONS: MRA is a useful imaging modality for distinguishing between aneurysm and ID at the ICA-PComA junction. Furthermore, geometric parameters on MRA axial source images can provide added value in their differentiation.

Reconstruction of the Korean Asbestos Job Exposure Matrix.

BACKGROUND: A job-exposure matrix (JEM) is an important surrogate indicator to evaluate past exposure levels. Although a Korean asbestos JEM has been constructed previously, this JEM includes only a few industrial and occupational groups. This study aimed to reconstruct the JEM by integrating the latest organized data to improve its utility. METHODS: We used recent Korean standard industry and occupation codes and extracted 36 articles from a systematic literature review to initiate the reconstruction of the previous Korean asbestos JEM. The resulting data consisted of 141 combinations of industrial and occupational groups. Data from the Netherlands's JEM were also reviewed and categorized into 70 industrial and 117 occupational groups by matching with the Korean data. We also utilized Germany's data, which consisted of 10 industrial and 14 occupational groups. RESULTS: The reconstructed Korean asbestos JEM had 141 combinations of industries and occupations. The time periods are from the 1980s to the 2000s in 10-year intervals. Most of the data were distributed between the 1990s and the 2000s. Occupations with high exposure to asbestos included knitting and weaving machine operators, automobile mechanics or assemblers, ship mechanics or assemblers, mineral ore and stone products processing mechanics, and metal casting machine operators or mold makers. CONCLUSIONS: The reconstructed Korean asbestos JEM has expanded the type and duration of the occupational groups of the previous JEM and can serve as an important reference tool for evaluating asbestos exposure and designing compensation and prevention policies in Korea.

Degradation of different pesticides in water by microplasma: the roles of individual radicals and degradation pathways.

Pesticides are emergent toxins often identified in aquatic environments. In the present study, microplasma was employed to reduce the pesticide content in water. The degradation efficacy, rate, and pathways of standard organophosphorus pesticides (namely, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxone, and diazinone) and an organochlorine pesticide (namely, DDT solution) were evaluated using microplasma. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to elucidate the degradation efficiency of pesticides as a function of plasma-produced substances that originally contributed to the main reduction procedure. Microplasma produces several types of radicals or reactive substances, for instance dissolved ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides, hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The removal potential differs due to the existence or absence of varieties of plasma-produced substances. The functions of major plasma-produced species on pesticide removal were determined by a passive technique. Nitrogen oxides showed a key role in organophosphorus pesticide removal, whereas dissolved ozone and OH radicals played major roles in DDT degradation. HPLC data showed that plasma-induced pesticide removal showed first-order reaction kinetics. The pesticide removal pathways through microplasma were validated by investigating the achieved data from LC-MS and GC-MS.

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor of the upper cervical spine arising from the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane: a case report.

A tenosynovial giant cell tumor is a benign proliferative disease, mostly arising from the synovial membrane of tendon sheaths, bursae, and joints. Axial skeleton involvement is very rare, but it is often found in the cervical spine. Spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumors often arise at the facet joints; a completely extra-articular spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumor is rare. We report an extremely rare case of tenosynovial giant cell tumor in the upper cervical spine that extended from the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane rather than the facet joint. Herein, the clinical and radiological findings will be reviewed to better our understanding of the characteristics of spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumors, and to help improve their diagnosis despite their non-typical locations of origin.

Identification and determination of by-products originating from ozonation of chlorpyrifos and diazinon in water by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The degradation of two organophosphates, chlorpyrifos and diazinon, in water using microplasma equipment to produce ozone and the identification of their products were studied by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The organophosphates gradually decreased with time and were completely removed after 10 min, and diazinon was degraded at a relatively fast rate compared to chlorpyrifos. The products formed during the process were identified and determined with accurate mass measurements and tandem mass spectrometry spectra, providing reliable structural determination. Chlorpyrifos oxon was formed through the oxidation of chlorpyrifos, followed by the formation of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol and diethyl phosphate by hydrolysis. Diazinon formed various products through more complicated degradation processes than those of chlorpyrifos. The major products of diazinon degradation were 2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol and diethyl phosphate by hydrolysis after oxidation, exhibiting diazoxon as an intermediate at trace levels. Direct hydrolysis of diazinon also occurred, producing diethyl thiophosphate, which was observed at a low concentration for a transient time and exhibited a less favorable process than sequential oxidation and hydrolysis. The other products, hydroxy diazinons and hydroxy-2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinols, formed by hydroxylation, were also identified, but they were present in low amounts. Degradation mechanisms of chlorpyrifos and diazinon were proposed with the quantitatively evaluated products.

Dynamic band alignment modulation of ultrathin WOx/ZnO stack for high on/off ratio field-effect switching applications.

A two-dimensional (2D) WOx/ZnO stack reveals a unique carrier transport behavior, which can be utilized as a novel device element to achieve a very high on/off ratio (>106) and an off current density lower than 1 nA cm-2. These unique behaviors are explained by a dynamic band alignment between WOx and ZnO, which can be actively modulated by a gate bias. The performance of FET utilizing the WOx/ZnO stack is comparable to those of other 2D heterojunction devices; however, it has a unique benefit in terms of process integration because of very low temperature process capability (T < 110 °C). The high on/off switching with extremely low off current density utilizing the dynamic band alignment modulation at the WOx/ZnO stack can be a very useful element for future device applications, especially in monolithic 3D integration or flexible electronics.

Power of Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis in Rapid Microbial Detection and Identification at the Single Cell Level.

The demand for rapid, consistent and easy-to-use techniques for detecting and identifying pathogens in various areas, such as clinical diagnosis, the pharmaceutical industry, environmental science and food inspection, is very important. In this study, the reference strains of six food-borne pathogens, namely, Escherichia coli 0157: H7 ATCC 43890, Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC 29004, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 43971, Staphylococcus aureus KCCM 40050, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 14579, and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, were chosen for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. In our study, the time-consuming sample preparation step for the microbial analysis under SEM was avoided, which makes this detection process notably rapid. Samples were loaded onto a 0.01-µm-thick silver (Ag) foil surface to avoid any charging effect. Two different excitation voltages, 10 kV and 5 kV, were used to determine the elemental information. Information obtained from SEM-EDX can distinguish individual single cells and detect viable and nonviable microorganisms. This work demonstrates that the combination of morphological and elemental information obtained from SEM-EDX analysis with the help of principal component analysis (PCA) enables the rapid identification of single microbial cells without following time-consuming microbiological cultivation methods.

Ratiometric Detection of γ-Glutamyltransferase in Human Colon Cancer Tissues Using a Two-Photon Probe.

γ-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) plays a role in cleaving the γ-glutamyl bond of glutathione. The GGT is known to be overexpressed in some tumors and has been recognized as a potential biomarker for malignant tumors. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide; however, there is no quantitative method for detecting cancer cells in human colon tissues. In this study, we report a ratiometric two-photon probe for GGT that can be applied in human colon tissues. The probe (Probe 2) showed high fluorescence efficiency, marked fluorescence changes, excellent kinetics, and selectivity for the GGT in live colon cells. Additionally, we obtained ratiometric two-photon microscopy images of GGT activity in human colon tissue. We used this method to compare normal and cancer tissues based on their ratio values; the ratio value was higher in cancer tissue than in normal tissue. This study provides a method for quantitative analysis of GGT, particularly in human colon cancer, which will be useful for studying GGT-related diseases and diagnosing colon cancer.