Tumor-derived interleukin-1α and leukemia inhibitory factor promote extramedullary hematopoiesis.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) expands hematopoietic capacity outside of the bone marrow in response to inflammatory conditions, including infections and cancer. Because of its inducible nature, EMH offers a unique opportunity to study the interaction between hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and their niche. In cancer patients, the spleen frequently serves as an EMH organ and provides myeloid cells that may worsen pathology. Here, we examined the relationship between HSPCs and their splenic niche in EMH in a mouse breast cancer model. We identify tumor produced IL-1α and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) acting on splenic HSPCs and splenic niche cells, respectively. IL-1α induced TNFα expression in splenic HSPCs, which then activated splenic niche activity, while LIF induced proliferation of splenic niche cells. IL-1α and LIF display cooperative effects in activating EMH and are both up-regulated in some human cancers. Together, these data expand avenues for developing niche-directed therapies and further exploring EMH accompanying inflammatory pathologies like cancer.

Small Peptide Derived from SFRP5 Suppresses Melanogenesis by Inhibiting Wnt Activity.

Melanocytes, located in the epidermis' basal layer, are responsible for melanin pigment production, crucial for skin coloration and protection against UV radiation-induced damage. Melanin synthesis is intricately regulated by various factors, including the Wnt signaling pathway, particularly mediated by the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). While MITF is recognized as a key regulator of pigmentation, its regulation by the Wnt pathway remains poorly understood. This study investigates the role of Sfrp5pepD, a peptide antagonist of the Wnt signaling pathway, in modulating melanogenesis and its potential therapeutic implications for pigmentary disorders. To tackle this issue, we investigated smaller peptides frequently utilized in cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, there is a significant scarcity of reports on peptides associated with melanin-related signal modulation or inhibiting melanin production. Results indicate that Sfrp5pepD effectively inhibits Wnt signaling by disrupting the interaction between Axin-1 and ß-catenin, thus impeding downstream melanogenic processes. Additionally, Sfrp5pepD suppresses the interaction between MITF and ß-catenin, inhibiting their nuclear translocation and downregulating melanogenic enzyme expression, ultimately reducing melanin production. These inhibitory effects are validated in cell culture models suggesting potential clinical applications for hyperpigmentation disorders. Overall, this study elucidates the intricate interplay between Wnt signaling and melanogenesis, highlighting Sfrp5pepD as a promising therapeutic agent for pigmentary disorders. Sfrp5pepD, with a molecular weight of less than 500 Da, is anticipated to penetrate the skin unlike SFRPs. This suggests a strong potential for their use as cosmetics or transdermal absorption agents. Additional investigation into its mechanisms and clinical significance is necessary to enhance its effectiveness in addressing melanin-related skin conditions.

Overcoming Downscaling Limitations in Organic Semiconductors: Strategies and Progress.

Organic semiconductors have great potential to revolutionize electronics by enabling flexible and eco-friendly manufacturing of electronic devices on plastic film substrates. Recent research and development led to the creation of printed displays, radio-frequency identification tags, smart labels, and sensors based on organic electronics. Over the last 3 decades, significant progress has been made in realizing electronic devices with unprecedented features, such as wearable sensors, disposable electronics, and foldable displays, through the exploitation of desirable characteristics in organic electronics. Neverthless, the down-scalability of organic electronic devices remains a crucial consideration. To address this, efforts are extensively explored. It is of utmost importance to further develop these alternative patterning methods to overcome the downscaling challenge. This review comprehensively discusses the efforts and strategies aimed at overcoming the limitations of downscaling in organic semiconductors, with a particular focus on four main areas: 1) lithography-compatible organic semiconductors, 2) fine patterning of printing methods, 3) organic material deposition on pre-fabricated devices, and 4) vertical-channeled organic electronics. By discussing these areas, the full potential of organic semiconductors can be unlocked, and the field of flexible and sustainable electronics can be advanced.

Advancing fluorescence imaging: enhanced control of cyanine dye-doped silica nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) have immense potential in biomedical research, particularly in drug delivery and imaging applications, owing to their stability and minimal interactions with biological entities such as tissues or cells. RESULTS: With synthesized and characterized cyanine-dye-doped fluorescent SNPs (CSNPs) using cyanine 3.5, 5.5, and 7 (Cy3.5, Cy5.5, and Cy7). Through systematic analysis, we discerned variations in the surface charge and fluorescence properties of the nanoparticles contingent on the encapsulated dye-(3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane conjugate, while their size and shape remained constant. The fluorescence emission spectra exhibited a redshift correlated with increasing dye concentration, which was attributed to cascade energy transfer and self-quenching effects. Additionally, the fluorescence signal intensity showed a linear relationship with the particle concentration, particularly at lower dye equivalents, indicating a robust performance suitable for imaging applications. In vitro assessments revealed negligible cytotoxicity and efficient cellular uptake of the nanoparticles, enabling long-term tracking and imaging. Validation through in vivo imaging in mice underscored the versatility and efficacy of CSNPs, showing single-switching imaging capabilities and linear signal enhancement within subcutaneous tissue environment. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides valuable insights for designing fluorescence imaging and optimizing nanoparticle-based applications in biomedical research, with potential implications for targeted drug delivery and in vivo imaging of tissue structures and organs.

CanISO: a database of genomic and transcriptomic variations in domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris).

BACKGROUND: The domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, is a companion animal for humans as well as an animal model in cancer research due to similar spontaneous occurrence of cancers as humans. Despite the social and biological importance of dogs, the catalogue of genomic variations and transcripts for dogs is relatively incomplete. RESULTS: We developed CanISO, a new database to hold a large collection of transcriptome profiles and genomic variations for domestic dogs. CanISO provides 87,692 novel transcript isoforms and 60,992 known isoforms from whole transcriptome sequencing of canine tumors (N = 157) and their matched normal tissues (N = 64). CanISO also provides genomic variation information for 210,444 unique germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the whole exome sequencing of 183 dogs, with a query system that searches gene- and transcript-level information as well as covered SNPs. Transcriptome profiles can be compared with corresponding human transcript isoforms at a tissue level, or between sample groups to identify tumor-specific gene expression and alternative splicing patterns. CONCLUSIONS: CanISO is expected to increase understanding of the dog genome and transcriptome, as well as its functional associations with humans, such as shared/distinct mechanisms of cancer. CanISO is publicly available at https://www.kobic.re.kr/caniso/ .

Nanoscale Channel Gate-Tunable Diodes Obtained by Asymmetric Contact and Adhesion Lithography on Fluoropolymers.

Adhesion lithography offers to fabrication of coplanar asymmetric nanogap electrodes with a low-cost and facile process. In this study, a gate-tunable diode with coplanar asymmetric nanogap is fabricated using adhesion lithography. A fluoropolymer material is introduced to the adhesion lithography process to ensure a manufacturing patterning process yield as high as 96.7%. The asymmetric electrodes formed a built-in potential, leading to rectifying behavior. The coplanar electrode structure allowed the use of a gate electrode in vertical contact with the channel, resulting in gate-tunable diode characteristics. The nanoscale channel induced a high current density (3.38 × 10-7  A∙cm-1 ), providing a high rectification ratio (1.67 × 105  A∙A-1 ). This rectifier diode is confirmed to operate with pulsed input signals and suggests the gate-tunability of nanogap diodes.

3DIV update for 2021: a comprehensive resource of 3D genome and 3D cancer genome.

Three-dimensional (3D) genome organization is tightly coupled with gene regulation in various biological processes and diseases. In cancer, various types of large-scale genomic rearrangements can disrupt the 3D genome, leading to oncogenic gene expression. However, unraveling the pathogenicity of the 3D cancer genome remains a challenge since closer examinations have been greatly limited due to the lack of appropriate tools specialized for disorganized higher-order chromatin structure. Here, we updated a 3D-genome Interaction Viewer and database named 3DIV by uniformly processing ∼230 billion raw Hi-C reads to expand our contents to the 3D cancer genome. The updates of 3DIV are listed as follows: (i) the collection of 401 samples including 220 cancer cell line/tumor Hi-C data, 153 normal cell line/tissue Hi-C data, and 28 promoter capture Hi-C data, (ii) the live interactive manipulation of the 3D cancer genome to simulate the impact of structural variations and (iii) the reconstruction of Hi-C contact maps by user-defined chromosome order to investigate the 3D genome of the complex genomic rearrangement. In summary, the updated 3DIV will be the most comprehensive resource to explore the gene regulatory effects of both the normal and cancer 3D genome. '3DIV' is freely available at http://3div.kr.

iCSDB: an integrated database of CRISPR screens.

High-throughput screening based on CRISPR-Cas9 libraries has become an attractive and powerful technique to identify target genes for functional studies. However, accessibility of public data is limited due to the lack of user-friendly utilities and up-to-date resources covering experiments from third parties. Here, we describe iCSDB, an integrated database of CRISPR screening experiments using human cell lines. We compiled two major sources of CRISPR-Cas9 screening: the DepMap portal and BioGRID ORCS. DepMap portal itself is an integrated database that includes three large-scale projects of CRISPR screening. We additionally aggregated CRISPR screens from BioGRID ORCS that is a collection of screening results from PubMed articles. Currently, iCSDB contains 1375 genome-wide screens across 976 human cell lines, covering 28 tissues and 70 cancer types. Importantly, the batch effects from different CRISPR libraries were removed and the screening scores were converted into a single metric to estimate the knockout efficiency. Clinical and molecular information were also integrated to help users to select cell lines of interest readily. Furthermore, we have implemented various interactive tools and viewers to facilitate users to choose, examine and compare the screen results both at the gene and guide RNA levels. iCSDB is available at https://www.kobic.re.kr/icsdb/.

Mediating effect of waist:height ratio on the association between BMI and frailty: the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study.

Body weight is a major risk determinant of frailty, but the effect of obesity on frailty is controversial. The present study aimed to confirm the hypothesis that the risk of frailty is positively associated with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), but the association is mediated by the waist:height ratio (WHtR) in older women and men. A total of 2862 community-dwelling older individuals aged 70-84 years were assessed for frailty using the Korean version of Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, and Loss of weight index. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) was associated with a higher risk of frailty compared with BMI 18·5-<23 kg/m2 in all the older individuals (OR 1·88; 95 % CI 1·11, 3·17; P = 0·018) and in older women (OR 1·86; 95 % CI 1·01, 3·42; P = 0·047) before adjusting for WHtR but was not associated with BMI after adjusting for WHtR. Additionally, obesity was not significantly associated with the risk of frailty before and after adjusting for WHtR in older men. Mediation analysis revealed that the association between BMI and frailty score was mediated by WHtR. Moreover, the mediating effect of WHtR on frailty score was positive in both women and men, but the frailty score was associated with BMI positively in women and negatively in men. The present study suggests that the risk of frailty is higher in obese women, which is mediated by WHtR, but not in obese men.

3DIV: A 3D-genome Interaction Viewer and database.

Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin structure is an emerging paradigm for understanding gene regulation mechanisms. Hi-C (high-throughput chromatin conformation capture), a method to detect long-range chromatin interactions, allows extensive genome-wide investigation of 3D chromatin structure. However, broad application of Hi-C data have been hindered by the level of complexity in processing Hi-C data and the large size of raw sequencing data. In order to overcome these limitations, we constructed a database named 3DIV (a 3D-genome Interaction Viewer and database) that provides a list of long-range chromatin interaction partners for the queried locus with genomic and epigenomic annotations. 3DIV is the first of its kind to collect all publicly available human Hi-C data to provide 66 billion uniformly processed raw Hi-C read pairs obtained from 80 different human cell/tissue types. In contrast to other databases, 3DIV uniquely provides normalized chromatin interaction frequencies against genomic distance dependent background signals and a dynamic browsing visualization tool for the listed interactions, which could greatly advance the interpretation of chromatin interactions. '3DIV' is available at http://kobic.kr/3div.

Internet of Things-Enabled Patch With Built-in Microsensors and Wireless Chip: Real-Time Remote Monitoring of Patch Treatment.

Purpose: We aimed to design, develop, and evaluate an internet of things-enabled patch (IoT patch) for real-time remote monitoring of adherence (or patch wear time) during patch treatment in child participants in clinical trials. This study provides healthcare providers with a tool for objective, real-time, and remote assessment of adherence and for making required adjustments to treatment plans. Methods: The IoT patch had two temperature microsensors and a wireless chip. One sensor was placed closer to the skin than the other, resulting in a temperature difference depending on whether the patch was worn. When the patch was worn, it measured temperatures every 30 seconds and transmitted temperature data to a cloud server via a mobile application every 15 seconds. The patch was evaluated via 2 experiments with 30 healthy adults and 40 children with amblyopia. Results: Excellent monitoring accuracy was observed in both adults (mean delay of recorded time data, 0.4 minutes) and children (mean, 0.5 minutes). The difference between manually recorded and objectively recorded patch wear times showed good agreement in both groups. Experiment 1 showed accurate monitoring over a wide range of temperatures (from 0 to 30°C). Experiment 2 showed no significant differences in wearability (ease-of-use and comfort scores) between the IoT and conventional patches. Conclusions: The IoT patch offers an accurate, real-time, and remote system to monitor adherence to patch treatment. The patch is comfortable and easy to use. The utilization of an IoT patch may increase adherence to patch treatment based on accurate monitoring. Translational Relevance: Results show that the IoT patch can enable real-time adherence monitoring in clinical trials, improving treatment precision, and patient compliance to enhance outcomes.

Association Between Antibiotic Exposure and Thyroid Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea.

Background: Although recent studies have introduced antibiotics as a potential risk factor for thyroid cancer, further studies are necessary. We examined the association between long-term antibiotic usage and thyroid cancer risk. Methods: This nationwide cohort study investigated 9,804,481 individuals aged 20 years or older who participated in health screening (2005-2006) with follow-up ending on December 31, 2019, using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for thyroid cancer risk according to the cumulative days of antibiotic prescription and the number of antibiotic classes, respectively. A 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching was also performed for analysis. Results: Compared with nonusers of antibiotics, participants prescribed ≥365 days of antibiotics showed an increased risk of thyroid cancer (aHR, 1.71; CI, 1.66-1.78) after adjusting for covariates including age, smoking status, comorbidities including thyroid-related diseases, and the number of head and neck computed tomography scans. Participants prescribed ≥365 days of antibiotics also had a significantly increased risk of thyroid cancer (aHR, 1.37; CI, 1.34-1.40) compared with participants prescribed 1-14 days of antibiotics. Association remained significant in the 1:1 PS-matched cohort. Moreover, compared with nonusers of antibiotics, the 5 or more antibiotic class user group had a higher thyroid cancer risk (aHR, 1.71; CI, 1.65-1.78). Conclusions: Long-term antibiotic prescriptions and an increasing number of antibiotic classes may be associated with a higher risk of thyroid cancer in a duration-dependent manner. The effects of long-term antibiotic exposure on thyroid cancer should be further investigated.

Exploring oral bacterial compositional network in two oral disease groups using a convergent approach of NGS-molecular diagnostics.

BACKGROUND: Since most of the commonly known oral diseases are explained in link with balance of microbial community, an accurate bacterial taxonomy profiling for determining bacterial compositional network is essential. However, compared to intestinal microbiome, research data pool related to oral microbiome is small, and general 16S rRNA screening method has a taxonomy misclassification issue in confirming complex bacterial composition at the species level. OBJECTIVE: Present study aimed to explore bacterial compositional networks at the species level within saliva of 39 oral disease patients (Dental Caries group: n = 26 and Periodontitis group: n = 13) through comparison with public Korean-specific healthy oral microbiome data. METHODS: Here, we applied comprehensive molecular diagnostics based on qRT-PCR and Sanger sequencing methods to complement the technical limitations of NGS-based 16S V3-V4 amplicon sequencing technology. RESULTS: As a result of microbiome profiling at the genus level, relative frequencies of many nitrate-reducing bacteria within each oral disease group were found to be significantly low compared to the healthy group. In addition, the molecular diagnostics-based bacterial identification method allowed the determination of the correct taxonomy of screened primary colonizers (Streptococcus and Actinomyces unclassification clusters) for each oral disease. Finally, as with the results of microbiome profiling at the genus level, many core-species classified within the saliva of each oral disease group were also related to nitrate-reduction, and it was estimated that various pathogens associated with each disease formed a bacterial network with the core-species. CONCLUSION: Our study introduced a novel approach that can compensate for the difficulty of identifying an accurate bacterial compositional network at the species level due to unclear taxonomy classification by using the convergent approach of NGS-molecular diagnostics. Ultimately, we suggest that our experimental approach and results could be potential reference materials for researchers who intend to prevent oral disease by determining the correlation between oral health and bacterial compositional network according to the changes in the relative frequency for nitrate-reducing species.

Early-life stress triggers long-lasting organismal resilience and longevity via tetraspanin.

Early-life stress experiences can produce lasting impacts on organismal adaptation and fitness. How transient stress elicits memory-like physiological effects is largely unknown. Here, we show that early-life thermal stress strongly up-regulates tsp-1, a gene encoding the conserved transmembrane tetraspanin in C. elegans. TSP-1 forms prominent multimers and stable web-like structures critical for membrane barrier functions in adults and during aging. Increased TSP-1 abundance persists even after transient early-life heat stress. Such regulation requires CBP-1, a histone acetyltransferase that facilitates initial tsp-1 transcription. Tetraspanin webs form regular membrane structures and mediate resilience-promoting effects of early-life thermal stress. Gain-of-function TSP-1 confers marked C. elegans longevity extension and thermal resilience in human cells. Together, our results reveal a cellular mechanism by which early-life thermal stress produces long-lasting memory-like impact on organismal resilience and longevity.

Te-rP-C Anodes Prepared Using a Scalable Milling Process for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Red phosphorus (rP) is one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, owing to its high theoretical capacity. However, its low electronic conductivity and large volume expansion during cycling limit its practical applications, as it exhibits low electrochemical activity and unstable cyclability. To address these problems, tellurium (Te)-rP-C composites, which have active materials (Te, rP) that are uniformly distributed within the carbon matrix, were fabricated through a simple high-energy ball milling method. Among the three electrodes, the Te-rP (1:2)-C electrode with a 5% FEC additive delivers a high initial CE of 80% and a high reversible capacity of 734 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g-1. Additionally, it exhibits a high-rate capacity of 580 mAh g-1 at a high current density of 10,000 mA g-1. Moreover, a comparison of the electrolytes with and without the 5% FEC additive demonstrated improved cycling stability when the FEC additive was used. Ex situ XRD analysis demonstrated the lithiation/delithiation mechanism of Te-rP (1:2)-C after cycling based on the cyclic voltammetry results. Based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis results, a Te-rP-C composite with its notable electrochemical performance as an anode can sufficiently contribute to the battery anode industry.

Alleviation of hippocampal necroptosis and neuroinflammation by NecroX-7 treatment after acute seizures.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common neurological disorders, but still one-third of patients cannot be properly treated by current medication. Thus, we investigated the therapeutic effects of a novel small molecule, NecroX-7, in TLE using both a low [Mg2+]o-induced epileptiform activity model and a mouse model of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). NecroX-7 post-treatment enhanced the viability of primary hippocampal neurons exposed to low [Mg2+]o compared to controls in an MTT assay. Application of NecroX-7 after pilocarpine-induced SE also reduced the number of degenerating neurons labelled with Fluoro-Jade B. Immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry showed that NecroX-7 post-treatment significantly alleviated ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) intensity and immunoreactive area, while the attenuation of reactive astrocytosis by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining was observed in cultured hippocampal neurons. However, NecroX-7-mediated morphologic changes of astrocytes were seen in both in vitro and in vivo models of TLE. Finally, western blot analysis demonstrated that NecroX-7 post-treatment after acute seizures could decrease the expression of mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL) and phosphorylated MLKL (p-MLKL), markers for necroptosis. Taken all together, NecroX-7 has potential as a novel medication for TLE with its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-necroptotic effects.

Structural and biochemical insights into PsEst3, a new GHSR-type esterase obtained from Paenibacillus sp. R4.

PsEst3, a psychrophilic esterase obtained from Paenibacillus sp. R4, which was isolated from the permafrost of Alaska, exhibits relatively high activity at low temperatures. Here, crystal structures of PsEst3 complexed with various ligands were generated and studied at atomic resolution, and biochemical studies were performed to analyze the structure-function relationship of PsEst3. Certain unique characteristics of PsEst3 distinct from those of other classes of lipases/esterases were identified. Firstly, PsEst3 contains a conserved GHSRA/G pentapeptide sequence in the GxSxG motif around the nucleophilic serine. Additionally, it contains a conserved HGFR/K consensus sequence in the oxyanion hole, which is distinct from that in other lipase/esterase families, as well as a specific domain composition (for example a helix-turn-helix motif) and a degenerative lid domain that exposes the active site to the solvent. Secondly, the electrostatic potential of the active site in PsEst3 is positive, which may cause unintended binding of negatively charged chemicals in the active site. Thirdly, the last residue of the oxyanion hole-forming sequence, Arg44, separates the active site from the solvent by sealing the acyl-binding pocket, suggesting that PsEst3 is an enzyme that is customized to sense an unidentified substrate that is distinct from those of classical lipases/esterases. Collectively, this evidence strongly suggests that PsEst3 belongs to a distinct family of esterases.

Ameliorative effects of Kyung-Ok-Ko and its mixture with Pueraria lobata Ohwi on postmenopausal osteoporosis by promoting phytoestrogenic activity in rats.

Introduction: Kyung-Ok-Ko (KOK) is a popular traditional medicine used as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy for treating postmenopausal symptoms in Asia. Pueraria lobata Ohwi (P. lobata) is rich in isoflavones and has been traditionally used in combination with other herbs to produce synergistic and pharmaceutical effects via a multi-target approach for disease treatment. We aimed to investigate the phytoestrogenic effects of KOK extract against postmenopausal symptoms in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and confirm its efficacy by mixing KOK and P. lobata extracts. Methods: OVX rats were daily oral administrated with KOK and KOK + P. lobata mixture extracts (300-400 mg/kg) and their body weight and tail temperature were monitored for 12 weeks. The biochemical parameters, estradiol levels, and bone turnover markers were measured in the serum samples. Moreover, the estrogen receptor, ER-α and ER-ß expression in the uterus and the uterus morphology were evaluated. AMPK, ATG1/ULK1, and mTOR protein expression in the liver were assessed. Results: The 12-week treatment with KOK and KOK + P. lobata mixture extracts did not cause liver damage or hormonal changes in the OVX rats. The treatments reduced the high lipid accumulation-related body weight gain and the tail temperature increase that was induced by ovariectomy. Further, it exhibited protective effects against hyperlipidemia and osteoporosis. No significant difference was observed in uterine weight compared to the OVX-treated group, while endometrial thickness reduction inhibition was observed due to ovariectomy. Bone mineral density (BMD) and serum osteocalcin levels, which decreased in OVX rats, increased with both treatments. Western blotting analysis showed that ER-α and ER-ß were not expressed in the treated rats, whereas these proteins were expressed in Sham-operated rats. No significant differences in the phosphorylation of AMPK were observed; however, the ATG1/ULK1 and mTOR protein phosphorylation levels were upregulated and downregulated in the treated rats compared to those of OVX rats, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first in vivo study observing the efficacy and synergistic effects of the mixture of KOK and P. lobata. Our results suggest the potential of KOK and KOK + P. lobata mixture as an alternative therapy for alleviating menopausal symptoms.

Machine Learning Attacks-Resistant Security by Mixed-Assembled Layers-Inserted Graphene Physically Unclonable Function.

Mixed layers of octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (FOTS) on an active layer of graphene are used to induce a disordered doping state and form a robust defense system against machine-learning attacks (ML attacks). The resulting security key is formed from a 12 × 12 array of currents produced at a low voltage of 100 mV. The uniformity and inter-Hamming distance (HD) of the security key are 50.0 ± 12.3% and 45.5 ± 16.7%, respectively, indicating higher security performance than other graphene-based security keys. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the uniqueness of the 10,000 points, with the degree of shift of the G peak distinguishing the number of carriers. The resulting defense system has a 10.33% ML attack accuracy, while a FOTS-inserted graphene device is easily predictable with a 44.81% ML attack accuracy.

Enhancing biodegradation of PBAT through bio-stimulation using Pseudozyma jejuensis for effective plastic waste reduction.

Polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) is a flexible and biodegradable material that finds applications in mulching film and the food packaging industry. In this study, we aimed to address the global plastic waste problem by developing an improved biodegradation system for PBAT. Our focus was on utilizing the biodegradation capabilities of Pseudozyma jejuensis, a microorganism known for its ability to decompose Polycaprolactam (PCL). Through bio-stimulation, we aimed to enhance the growth mechanism of P. jejuensis and optimize PBAT biodegradation. Our results demonstrated significant structural changes in the PBAT film, as revealed by FT-IR analysis. Moreover, FE-SEM imaging exhibited evident surface erosion and pitting, indicating physical alterations due to biodegradation. These findings provide strong evidence for the efficiency of our developed biodegradation system. To fully harness the potential of this system and enable its practical implementation, further research is warranted to optimize and scale up the process. Our work contributes to the ongoing efforts to combat the global plastic waste crisis, offering a valuable solution for the efficient biodegradation of PBAT.