A Gellan Gum, Polyethylene Glycol, Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffold with the Addition of Ginseng Derived Compound K with Possible Applications in Bone Regeneration.

Engineered bone scaffolds should mimic the natural material to promote cell adhesion and regeneration. For this reason, natural biopolymers are becoming a gold standard in scaffold production. In this study, we proposed a hybrid scaffold produced using gellan gum, hydroxyapatite, and Poly (ethylene glycol) within the addition of the ginseng compound K (CK) as a candidate for bone regeneration. The fabricated scaffold was physiochemically characterized. The morphology studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image analysis revealed a pore distribution suitable for cells growth. The addition of CK further improved the biological activity of the hybrid scaffold as demonstrated by the MTT assay. The addition of CK influenced the scaffold morphology, decreasing the mean pore diameter. These findings can potentially help the development of a new generation of hybrid scaffolds to best mimic the natural tissue.

Comparative associations of MASLD and MAFLD with the presence and severity of coronary artery calcification.

We aimed to compare the associations of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with coronary artery calcification (CAC). Patients who simultaneously underwent ultrasonography to diagnose hepatic steatosis and cardiac computed tomography to detect CAC were included. The presence and severity of CAC were defined with CAC-score thresholds of >0 and > 300, respectively, and patients were divided into the following groups: no MASLD or MAFLD (reference), MASLD-only, MAFLD-only, and overlapping groups. Overall, 1,060/2,773 (38.2%) patients had CAC, of which 196 (18.5%) had severe CAC. The MASLD and MAFLD prevalence rates were 32.6% and 45.2%, respectively, with an overlap of 30.7%. In an ASCVD risk score-adjusted model, both MASLD (adjusted odd ratios [aOR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.44; p = 0.033) and MAFLD (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.42, p = 0.034) were associated with CAC, whereas only MASLD (aOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.89, p = 0.041) was associated with severe CAC. Compared to the reference group, the overlapping group showed an association with CAC (aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.47; p = 0.038); however, the MASLD and MAFLD subgroups did not differ in their association with CAC. MASLD may predict a higher risk of ASCVD more effectively than MAFLD.

STAT3 Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotides Suppress Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis in Liver Cancer Cells and a DDC-Induced Liver Injury Mouse Model.

Liver damage caused by various factors results in fibrosis and inflammation, leading to cirrhosis and cancer. Fibrosis results in the accumulation of extracellular matrix components. The role of STAT proteins in mediating liver inflammation and fibrosis has been well documented; however, approved therapies targeting STAT3 inhibition against liver disease are lacking. This study investigated the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of STAT3 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) in hepatocytes and liver fibrosis mouse models. STAT3 decoy ODN were delivered into cells using liposomes and hydrodynamic tail vein injection into 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-fed mice in which liver injury was induced. STAT3 target gene expression changes were verified using qPCR and Western blotting. Liver tissue fibrosis and bile duct proliferation were assessed in animal experiments using staining techniques, and macrophage and inflammatory cytokine distribution was verified using immunohistochemistry. STAT3 decoy ODN reduced fibrosis and inflammatory factors in liver cancer cell lines and DDC-induced liver injury mouse model. These results suggest that STAT3 decoy ODN may effectively treat liver fibrosis and must be clinically investigated.

The Clinical Significance of Myosteatosis in Survival Outcomes in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Sorafenib.

The role of body composition parameters in sorafenib-treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is still not fully elucidated. Here, we aimed to evaluate the impact of computed tomography (CT)-based body composition parameters on the survival of such patients. In this multicenter study, we analyzed the data of 245 sorafenib-treated HCC patients from January 2008 to December 2019. Sarcopenia, visceral obesity, and myosteatosis were defined by using cross-sectional CT images at the third lumbar vertebra level. The effects of these parameters on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated. The median age was 67.0 years (interquartile range: 61.0-78.0 year), and 211 patients (86.1%) were male. The median OS and PFS were 7.9 months and 4.8 months, respectively. Vascular invasion (hazard ratio (HR), 1.727; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.258-2.371; p = 0.001), extrahepatic metastasis (HR, 1.401; 95% CI, 1.028-1.908; p = 0.033), alpha-fetoprotein level > 200 ng/mL (HR, 1.559; 95% CI, 1.105-2.201; p = 0.012), and myosteatosis (HR, 1.814; 95% CI, 1.112-2.960; p = 0.017) were associated with OS. Patient mortality was significantly higher in the group with two or more risk factors than in the group with fewer risk factors. In conclusion, myosteatosis may be a novel prognostic CT-based radiological biomarker in sorafenib-treated HCC patients.

6-Shogaol Ameliorates Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis in Mice on a Methionine- and Choline-Deficient Diet by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress, Cell Death, and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is becoming an increasingly serious global health threat, distinguished by hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. There is a lack of approved pharmaceutical interventions for this disease, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatment. This study explores the hepatoprotective potential of 6-shogaol, a natural compound derived from ginger, in a methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) dietary mouse model of NASH. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to the MCD diet for 4 weeks to induce NASH, with concurrent intraperitoneal administration of 6-shogaol (20 mg/kg) three times a week. While 6-shogaol did not impact body weight, liver weight, or hepatic lipid accumulation, it effectively mitigated liver injury, inflammation, and fibrosis in MCD diet-fed mice. Mechanistically, 6-shogaol inhibited lipid and DNA oxidation, restored hepatic glutathione levels, and regulated the expression of pro-oxidant and antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, 6-shogaol inhibited apoptosis and necroptosis, as indicated by a decrease in TUNEL-stained cells and downregulation of apoptosis- and necroptosis-associated proteins. Additionally, 6-shogaol alleviated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, as demonstrated by decreased expression of molecules associated with unfolded protein response pathways. These findings underscore the potential of 6-shogaol as a therapeutic intervention for NASH by targeting pathways related to oxidative stress, cell death, and ER stress.

Maternal PM2.5 exposure is associated with preterm birth and gestational diabetes mellitus, and mitochondrial OXPHOS dysfunction in cord blood.

Maternal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with adverse pregnancy and neonatal health outcomes. To explore the mechanism, we performed mRNA sequencing of neonatal cord blood. From an ongoing prospective cohort, Air Pollution on Pregnancy Outcome (APPO) study, 454 pregnant women from six centers between January 2021 and June 2022 were recruited. Individual PM2.5 exposure was calculated using a time-weighted average model. In the APPO study, age-matched cord blood samples from the High PM2.5 (˃15 ug/m3; n = 10) and Low PM2.5 (≤ 15 ug/m3; n = 30) groups were randomly selected for mRNA sequencing. After selecting genes with differential expression in the two groups (p-value < 0.05 and log2 fold change > 1.5), pathway enrichment analysis was performed, and the mitochondrial pathway was analyzed using MitoCarta3.0. The risk of preterm birth (PTB) increased with every 5 µg/m3 increase of PM2.5 in the second trimester (odds ratio 1.391, p = 0.019) after adjusting for confounding variables. The risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increased in the second (odds ratio 1.238, p = 0.041) and third trimester (odds ratio 1.290, p = 0.029), and entire pregnancy (odds ratio 1.295, p = 0.029). The mRNA-sequencing of cord blood showed that genes related to mitochondrial activity (FAM210B, KRT1, FOXO4, TRIM58, and FBXO7) and PTB-related genes (ADIPOR1, YBX1, OPTN, NFkB1, HBG2) were upregulated in the High PM2.5 group. In addition, exposure to high PM2.5 affected mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and proteins in the electron transport chain, a subunit of OXPHOS. These results suggest that exposure to high PM2.5 during pregnancy may increase the risk of PTB and GDM, and dysregulate PTB-related genes. Alterations in mitochondrial OXPHOS by high PM2.5 exposure may occur not only in preterm infants but also in normal newborns. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required.

Remote Assessment of ADHD Symptoms Based on Mobile Game Performance in Children with ADHD: A Proof of Concept.

The use of game-based digital medicine is gaining increasing interest in helping children with ADHD to improve their attention outside the clinical setting. In this process, it is important to continue monitoring children's responses to the use of digital medicine. In this work, we introduce novel digital markers and an analytic pipeline to estimate ADHD-related symptomatic levels during the self-administration of attention games. The digital markers, capturing the children's characteristics of attention and inattention spans, were extracted and translated into clinically-accepted measures of ADHD symptoms, specifically the ADHD-Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). To validate the feasibility of our approach, we collected game-specific performance data from 15 children with ADHD, which was used to train machine learning-based regression models to estimate their corresponding ADHD-RS and CBCL scores. Our experiment results showed mean absolute errors of 5.14 and 4.05 points between the actual and estimated ADHD-RS and CBCL scores respectively. This study enables new clinical and research opportunities for accurate longitudinal assessment of symptomatic levels of ADHD via an interactive means of playing mobile games.

Investigating the Impact of Control Modes to Competency and Engagement in Serious Game Play for Children with ADHD.

Serious games are designed to reduce symptoms of attention deficit among children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These games predominantly use touchscreen interfaces that children with ADHD play in a sitting position, which contributes to already-problematic sedentary behaviors. In an effort to mitigate negative impacts of sedentary behavior, we set out to investigate the use of Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) mats with serious games to induce gross movements. To that end, we designed and implemented Breathtaking Glass Bridge to investigate the impact of interface (DDR vs. touchscreen) on competency and engagement in children with ADHD. Our investigation with 30 children with ADHD reveal that the DDR mat was as engaging as the conventional touchscreen interface despite relatively lower competence shown by our participants. Our study opens new research opportunities for developing and strategically using movement-based control interfaces to encourage gross movements while reducing attention deficit symptoms among children with ADHD.

Comparison of complications between laparoscopic and open gastrectomies for early gastric cancer by a nationwide propensity score-matched cohort study.

The safety of laparoscopic gastrectomy compared with that of open surgery for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) is unidentified on a national scale. We aimed to compare the morbidity between laparoscopic and open gastrectomies for pathological T1 gastric cancer based on nationwide survey data. Data of 14,076 patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery obtained from the 2019 Korean Gastric Cancer Association-led nationwide survey were used. For patients with pathological T1 gastric cancer, the clinical characteristics were compared between the laparoscopic and open gastrectomy groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to match the baseline characteristics of the groups. Among the 7765 patients with pathological T1 gastric cancer who underwent open or laparoscopic gastrectomy, 612 pairs were matched. After balancing the baseline characteristics, the laparoscopic gastrectomy group had a significantly longer operative time, less blood loss, greater number of harvested lymph nodes, shorter hospital stays, and comparable morbidity, compared with the open gastrectomy group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.709, respectively). The surgical approach was not a risk factor for postoperative complication in logistic regression analysis. The PSM analysis with the 2019 Korean nationwide survey data demonstrated that laparoscopic gastrectomy showed comparable morbidity with open gastrectomy for EGC.

The Synergetic Effect of Plyometric Compound Exercises and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Balance and Physical Function.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of plyometric compound exercises and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on balance and body function in healthy adults. Forty-five students enrolled at Noryangjin Y Academy in Seoul who met the research criteria were equally and randomly divided into the following groups: the Experimental Group I, Experimental Group II, and Control Group. Experimental Groups I and II received tDCS and sham tDCS for 20 min, respectively; both groups performed plyometric compound exercises for 30 min twice weekly for four weeks. The Control Group received sham tDCS for 20 min twice weekly for four weeks. Tests such as the static balance test (Functional Reach Test, FRT), dynamic balance test (Y-Balance Test, Y-BT), power test (vertical jump test and long jump test), and agility test (t-test and side-step test) were conducted on the day of the experiment, before and after the intervention. Experimental Groups I and II significantly improved in static balance, dynamic balance, power, and agility (p < 0.001), whereas the Control Group did not. Experimental Group I showed greater effects on static balance, dynamic balance, power, and agility than Experimental Group II and the Control Group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, plyometric compound exercises + tDCS intervention can be effective for an ordinary person who trains balance and body functions (power and agility); in particular, to improve exercise performance.

Risk Factors and Prognosis of Stroke in Gynecologic Cancer Patients.

Increased life expectancy and cancer prevalence rates expose patients to a higher risk of developing other comorbidities such as stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for and prognosis of stroke in patients with gynecological cancers. A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with cervical, endometrial, and epithelial ovarian cancers. Patients were classified into three groups based on the period of stroke onset: at least one year before cancer diagnosis, within one year before cancer diagnosis to six months after the last treatment date, and six months after the last treatment date. Among the 644 patients, stroke occurred in 54 (8.4%). In univariate analysis, stroke was significantly associated with overall survival. In contrast, in multivariate analysis, stroke was significantly associated with age and hypertension, but not with overall survival. Age, pulmonary thromboembolism/deep vein thrombosis, histological grade, and tumor stage were significantly associated with overall survival. Therefore, it is important to establish an appropriate examination and treatment plan for patients with gynecologic cancers using a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the patient's age, medical condition, and tumor characteristics rather than excessively considering the adverse effects of stroke on cancer prognosis.

An observational, prospective, open label, multicenter study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylaxis to decrease the incidence of febrile neutropenia in Korean female patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Pegfilgrastim is a widely used long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) that prevents febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of chemotherapy-related FN events and other adverse events (AEs) during chemotherapy in Korean patients with breast cancer treated with pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylactic support. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, prospective, observational study. A total of 1255 patients were enrolled from 43 institutions. The incidence of FN was evaluated as the primary endpoint. The secondary endpoints included (1) incidence of bone pain, (2) proportion of patients with a relative dose intensity (RDI) of ≥85%, and (3) proportion of patients with AE. RESULTS: Pegfilgrastim administration reduced FN by 11.8-1.6%. The highest incidence of bone pain was observed at the time point of the 1st day after the administration and mild bone pain was the most common of all bone pain severity. The mean RDI was 98.5 ± 7.3%, and the proportion of the patients with and RDI≥85% was 96.9% (1169/1233). AEs were reported in 52.6% of the patients, and serious drug reactions occurred in only 0.7%. CONCLUSION: The use of pegfilgrastim as secondary prophylaxis was effective and safe for preventing FN in patients with breast cancer who were treated with chemotherapy.

Risk of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission through Acupuncture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C is a major risk factor for liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic failure. Although traditional practices, including acupuncture, tend to increase the risk of HCV infection, the association remains controversial. Therefore, the current meta-analytical study was undertaken to evaluate the risks of acupuncture and hepatitis C transmission. Methods: Two researchers independently screened studies from the databases encompassing the period from inception to May 12, 2022. Baseline demographics, HCV transmission OR, and 95% CIs were extracted, pooled, and analyzed using random-effect models. Subgroup analyses utilizing study design and ethnicity were performed. Heterogeneity and publication bias were analyzed using the Higgins I2 test and funnel plots, respectively. Results: In all, 28 studies with 194,826 participants (178,583 controls [91.7%] vs. 16,243 acupuncture users [8.3%]) were included in the final analysis. The pooled analysis showed that acupuncture users had a significantly higher HCV transmission rate than controls with heterogeneity (OR, 1.84 [1.46-2.32]; p<0.001; I2 =80%). In the subgroup analysis, both cross-sectional case-control (n=14; OR, 1.96 [1.47-2.61]; p<0.001; I2 =88%) and cross-sectional studies (n=12; OR, 1.85 [1.32-2.61]; p<0.001; I2 =0%) showed significantly higher HCV infection rates in the acupuncture group than in the control group. Both Asian and non-Asian acupuncture users showed a higher HCV transmission risk than the controls (all Ps<0.001). No significant publication bias was observed. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that acupuncture increases the risk of HCV transmission. Due to HCV's contagiousness, unsafe medical and social practices (including acupuncture) should be performed with caution.

Intracorporeal modified delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy during 2-port distal gastrectomy: technical aspects and short-term outcomes.

Purpose: Surgeons have become increasingly interested in reduced-port gastrectomy to minimize trauma while maintaining oncologic safety. Although gastroduodenostomy has the benefits of better nutritional outcomes and fewer postoperative complications than other types of reconstruction, gastroduodenostomy is not a preferred option for reduced-port distal gastrectomy because of technical difficulties. In this study, we describe our intracorporeal modified delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy technique, which is easily applicable during 2-port distal gastrectomy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our database of 30 consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent 2-port distal gastrectomy with intracorporeal modified delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy from October 2016 to May 2021. In this reduced-port approach, we used a Tropian Single port (TROPIAN TECH) via a 25-mm transumbilical incision and a 12-mm port at the right flank. All anastomoses were performed using a 60-mm endolinear stapler. We used 3 additional sutures to provide proper traction and support for the anastomosis. Results: Mean ± standard deviation of operation time was 148.9 ± 34.7 minutes; reconstruction time was 13.2 ± 4.6 minutes; estimated blood loss was 29.3 ± 44.4 mL; and length of hospital stay was 4.5 ± 1.2 postoperative days. A total of 11 patients (36.7%) had a Clavien-Dindo grade I or grade II complication, and there were no grade IIIa or higher complications. Conclusion: Intracorporeal modified delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy was safely performed via a 2-port approach, resulting in acceptable surgical outcomes and no major complications.

The efficacy of treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Despite the increasing proportion of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over time, treatment efficacy in this population is not well established. METHODS: Data collected from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry, a representative cohort of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in Korea between 2008 and 2017, were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) according to tumor stage and treatment modality was compared between elderly and non-elderly patients with HCC. RESULTS: Among 15,186 study patients, 5,829 (38.4%) were elderly. A larger proportion of elderly patients did not receive any treatment for HCC than non-elderly patients (25.2% vs. 16.7%). However, OS was significantly better in elderly patients who received treatment compared to those who did not (median, 38.6 vs. 22.3 months; P<0.001). In early-stage HCC, surgery yielded significantly lower OS in elderly patients compared to non-elderly patients (median, 97.4 vs. 138.0 months; P<0.001), however, local ablation (median, 82.2 vs. 105.5 months) and transarterial therapy (median, 42.6 vs. 56.9 months) each provided comparable OS between the two groups after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis (all P>0.05). After IPTW, in intermediate-stage HCC, surgery (median, 66.0 vs. 90.3 months) and transarterial therapy (median, 36.5 vs. 37.2 months), and in advanced-stage HCC, transarterial (median, 25.3 vs. 26.3 months) and systemic therapy (median, 25.3 vs. 26.3 months) yielded comparable OS between the elderly and non-elderly HCC patients (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Personalized treatments tailored to individual patients can improve the prognosis of elderly patients with HCC to a level comparable to that of non-elderly patients.

Prognostic impacts of participation in prospective surgical clinical trials on surgical outcomes in gastric cancer patients.

Various prospective surgical trials have been conducted on treating patients with gastric cancer. In clinical practice, patients and surgeons may hesitate to participate in prospective surgical trials due to trial-related complications. In this study, we evaluated the effects of participation in prospective surgical trials on surgical outcomes after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study included 1689 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2016 and 2020. The propensity score weighting (PSW) method was used to adjust for differences in baseline clinicopathological characteristics between patients who participated and those who did not participate in prospective surgical clinical trials. Perioperative outcomes and overall survival were compared between groups. Of the 1689 patients, 309 (18.3%) participated in surgical clinical trials (SCT group). Before PSW, the SCT group had a similar operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, major complications, and hospital stay as the non-SCT group but had superior overall survival. After PSW, overall survival and perioperative outcomes were not significantly different between the groups. The present study suggests that participation in prospective surgical trials was not associated with surgical outcomes. Patients and surgeons may participate in prospective surgical trials without fearing adverse effects on surgical outcomes.

Deep learning using computed tomography to identify high-risk patients for acute small bowel obstruction: development and validation of a prediction model : a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To build a novel classifier using an optimized 3D-convolutional neural network for predicting high-grade small bowel obstruction (HGSBO). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Acute SBO is one of the most common acute abdominal diseases requiring urgent surgery. While artificial intelligence and abdominal computed tomography (CT) have been used to determine surgical treatment, differentiating normal cases, HGSBO requiring emergency surgery, and low-grade SBO (LGSBO) or paralytic ileus is difficult. METHODS: A deep learning classifier was used to predict high-risk acute SBO patients using CT images at a tertiary hospital. Images from three groups of subjects (normal, nonsurgical, and surgical) were extracted; the dataset used in the study included 578 cases from 250 normal subjects, with 209 HGSBO and 119 LGSBO patients; over 38 000 CT images were used. Data were analyzed from 1 June 2022 to 5 February 2023. The classification performance was assessed based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: After fivefold cross-validation, the WideResNet classifier using dual-branch architecture with depth retention pooling achieved an accuracy of 72.6%, an area under receiver operating characteristic of 0.90, a sensitivity of 72.6%, a specificity of 86.3%, a positive predictive value of 74.1%, and a negative predictive value of 86.6% on all the test sets. CONCLUSIONS: These results show the satisfactory performance of the deep learning classifier in predicting HGSBO compared to the previous machine learning model. The novel 3D classifier with dual-branch architecture and depth retention pooling based on artificial intelligence algorithms could be a reliable screening and decision-support tool for high-risk patients with SBO.

Korean guidelines for the management of gout.

Gout is the most common form of arthritis, with the prevalence increasing worldwide. The present treatment guidelines provide recommendations for the appropriate treatment of acute gout, management during the inter-critical period, and prevention of chronic complications. The guidelines were developed based on evidence-based medicine and draft recommendations finalized after expert consensus. These guidelines are designed to provide clinicians with clinical evidence to enable efficient treatment of gout.

X-band MMICs for a Low-Cost Radar Transmit/Receive Module in 250 nm GaN HEMT Technology.

This paper describes Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) for an X-band radar transceiver front-end implemented in 0.25 µm GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) technology. Two versions of single pole double throw (SPDT) T/R switches are introduced to realize a fully GaN-based transmit/receive module (TRM), each of which achieves an insertion loss of 1.21 dB and 0.66 dB at 9 GHz, IP1dB higher than 46.3 dBm and 44.7 dBm, respectively. Therefore, it can substitute a lossy circulator and limiter used for a conventional GaAs receiver. A driving amplifier (DA), a high-power amplifier (HPA), and a robust low-noise amplifier (LNA) are also designed and verified for a low-cost X-band transmit-receive module (TRM). For the transmitting path, the implemented DA achieves a saturated output power (Psat) of 38.0 dBm and output 1-dB compression (OP1dB) of 25.84 dBm. The HPA reaches a Psat of 43.0 dBm and power-added efficiency (PAE) of 35.6%. For the receiving path, the fabricated LNA measures a small-signal gain of 34.9 dB and a noise figure of 2.56 dB, and it can endure higher than 38 dBm input power in the measurement. The presented GaN MMICs can be useful in implementing a cost-effective TRM for Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems at X-band.

Evaluation of Silk Fibroin/Gellan Gum Hydrogels with Controlled Molecular Weight through Silk Fibroin Hydrolysis for Tissue Engineering Application.

Hydrogel is a versatile material that can be manipulated to achieve the desired physicochemical properties, such as stiffness, pore size, and viscoelasticity. Traditionally, these properties have been controlled through parameters such as concentration and pH adjustments. In this study, we focused on exploring the potential of hydrolyzed silk fibroin (HSF) as a molecular weight-modulating agent to control the physicochemical properties of double-composite hydrogels. We developed a synergistic dual-crosslinked hydrogel by combining ionically crosslinked silk fibroin with gellan gum (GG). The hydrolysis of silk fibroin not only enhanced its hydrophilicity but also enabled adjustments in its mechanical properties, including the pore size, initial modulus elasticity, and relaxation time. Moreover, biocompatibility assessments based on cell viability tests confirmed the potential of these hydrogels as biocompatible materials. By highlighting the significance of developing an HSF/GG dual-crosslinked hydrogel, this study contributes to the advancement of novel double-composite hydrogels with remarkable biocompatibility. Overall, our findings demonstrate the capability of controlling the mechanical properties of hydrogels through molecular weight modulation via hydrolysis and highlight the development of a biocompatible HSF/GG dual-crosslinked hydrogel with potential biomedical applications.