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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.

This paper introduces the novel design and implementation of a low-power wireless monitoring system designed for nuclear power plants, aiming to enhance safety and operational efficiency. By utilizing advanced signal-processing techniques and energy-efficient technologies, the system supports real-time, continuous monitoring without the need for frequent battery replacements. This addresses the high costs and risks associated with traditional wired monitoring methods. The system focuses on acoustic and ultrasonic analysis, capturing sound using microphones and processing these signals through heterodyne frequency conversion for effective signal management, accommodating low-power consumption through down-conversion. Integrated with edge computing, the system processes data locally at the sensor level, optimizing response times to anomalies and reducing network load. Practical implementation shows significant reductions in maintenance overheads and environmental impact, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of nuclear power plant operations. The study also sets the groundwork for future integration of sophisticated machine learning algorithms to advance predictive maintenance capabilities in nuclear energy management.

Understanding the degradation mechanism of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) is essential to improve device performance and stability. OLED failure, if not process-related, arises mostly from chemical instability. However, the challenges of sampling from nanoscale organic layers and interfaces with enough analytical information has hampered identification of degradation products and mechanisms. Here, we present a high-resolution diagnostic method of OLED degradation using an Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with a gas cluster ion beam to gently desorb nanometre levels of materials, providing unambiguous molecular information with 7-nm depth resolution. We chemically depth profile and analyse blue phosphorescent and thermally-activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) OLED devices at different degradation levels. For OLED devices with short operational lifetimes, dominant chemical degradation mainly relate to oxygen loss of molecules that occur at the interface between emission and electron transport layers (EML/ETL) where exciton distribution is maximised, confirmed by emission zone measurements. We also show approximately one order of magnitude increase in lifetime of devices with slightly modified host materials, which present minimal EML/ETL interfacial degradation and show the method can provide insight for future material and device architecture development. Understanding the degradation mechanism of organic light-emitting diodes is essential to improve device performance and stability. Here, authors present a high-resolution diagnostic method to obtain molecular information with 7-nm depth resolution and analyse devices at different degradation levels.

Leak detection in nuclear reactor coolant systems is crucial for maintaining the safety and operational integrity of nuclear power plants. Traditional leak detection methods, such as acoustic emission sensors and spectroscopy, face challenges in sensitivity, response time, and accurate leak localization, particularly in complex piping systems. In this study, we propose a novel leak detection approach that incorporates a rigid guide tube into the insulation layer surrounding reactor coolant pipes and combines this with an advanced detection criterion based on Frequency Center of Gravity shifts and Signal-to-Noise Ratio analysis. This dual-method strategy significantly improves the sensitivity and accuracy of leak detection by providing a stable transmission path for ultrasonic signals and enabling robust signal analysis. The rigid guide tube-based system, along with the integrated criteria, addresses several limitations of existing technologies, including the detection of minor leaks and the complexity of installation and maintenance. By enhancing the early detection of leaks and enabling precise localization, this approach contributes to increased reactor safety, reduced downtime, and lower operational costs. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the system’s effectiveness, focusing on its potential as a valuable addition to the current array of nuclear power plant maintenance technologies. Future research will focus on optimizing key parameters, such as the threshold frequency shift (Δf) and the number of randomly selected frequencies (N), using machine learning techniques to further enhance the system’s accuracy and reliability in various reactor environments.

Various advanced oxidation processes have been used to degrade perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), one of the persistent organic pollutants that dissolves in aquatic ecosystems, but these processes suffer from inherent limitations. This study proposes aeration-assisted cold plasma (CP) technology as an alternative. PFOS removal via CP treatment reached 62.5% after 1 h of exposure, with a degradation rate constant of 3.1 h−1. The detection of sulfate (SO42−) in the solution provides evidence of effective PFOS degradation. The close agreement between the measured and estimated fluoride concentrations further confirms mass balance after degradation. Acute toxicity tests indicate that PFOS degradation may initially increase the acute toxicity, possibly due to the formation of degradation by-products. However, this increased toxicity can be mitigated through additional exposure to the reactive species generated by CP. Furthermore, investigations into the energy per order of CP and the quantification of hydroxyl radicals support its operational effectiveness. This study confirms that aeration-assisted CP has the potential to serve as a viable treatment option for mitigating the environmental threats posed by PFOS.

Introduction The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‐mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large‐scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients. Methods The Korean EGFR Registry was designed to enroll 2000 patients with all stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC from 40 university hospitals across Korea. This study, encompassing both retrospective and prospective cohorts, aims to analyze clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes in these patients. Data collection will include patient demographics, smoking history, quality of life assessments, pathological data, and treatment outcomes, with follow‐up until December 2026. The primary endpoint is disease‐free survival in patients who have undergone radical therapy (surgery and radiotherapy) or progression‐free survival in those receiving targeted therapy (first, second, and subsequent lines), chemotherapy (first and subsequent lines), combination therapy, and palliative/maintenance therapy according to stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC. The study will explore the diagnostic methods for EGFR mutations, clinical outcomes based on treatment modalities, and metastatic patterns in EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients. Moreover, it will investigate various aspects, including the safety and efficacy of a new third‐generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), lazertinib, approved for both first‐ and second‐line treatments. Discussion This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the epidemiology, risk factors, progression, and treatment outcomes of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC in Korea. The Korean EGFR Registry will contribute significantly to the understanding of the complex dynamics of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC, aiding in the development of more effective and personalized treatment strategies.

Protein methylation plays important roles in most, if not all, cellular processes. Lysine and arginine methyltransferases are known to regulate the function of histones and non-histone proteins through the methylation of specific sites. However, the role of the carboxyl-methyltransferase protein L -isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) in the regulation of protein functions is relatively less understood. Here we show that PIMT negatively regulates the tumour suppressor protein p53 by reducing p53 protein levels, thereby suppressing the p53-mediated transcription of target genes. In addition, PIMT depletion upregulates the proapoptotic and checkpoint activation functions of p53. Moreover, PIMT destabilizes p53 by enhancing the p53–HDM2 interaction. These PIMT effects on p53 stability and activity are attributed to the PIMT-mediated methylation of p53 at isoaspartate residues 29 and 30. Our study provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms by which PIMT suppresses the p53 activity through carboxyl methylation, and suggests a therapeutic target for cancers. Protein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) is a carboxyl methyltransferase, but its role in regulating the tumour suppressor p53 is unclear. Here, PIMT is shown to methylate p53, obstructing the tumour suppressor function of p53 through reduced protein levels and stability.

Programmed cell death protein-1/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway blockade is a promising new cancer therapy. Although PD-1/PD-L1 treatment has yielded clinical benefits in several types of cancer, further studies are required to clarify predictive biomarkers for drug efficacy and to understand the fundamental mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction between host and tumor cells. Here, we show that exosomes derived from lung cancer cells express PD-L1 and play a role in immune escape by reducing T-cell activity and promoting tumor growth. The abundance of PD-L1 on exosomes represented the quantity of PD-L1 expression on cell surfaces. Exosomes containing PD-L1 inhibited interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion by Jurkat T cells. IFN-γ secretion was restored by PD-L1 knockout or masking on the exosomes. Both forced expression of PD-L1 on cells without PD-L1 and treatment with exosomes containing PD-L1 enhanced tumor growth in vivo. PD-L1 was present on exosomes isolated from the plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and its abundance in exosomes was correlated with PD-L1 positivity in tumor tissues. Exosomes can impair immune functions by reducing cytokine production and inducing apoptosis in CD8 + T cells. Our findings indicate that tumor-derived exosomes expressing PD-L1 may be an important mediator of tumor immune escape. Lung cancer: Immune suppressant protein promotes tumor growth An immune suppressant protein expressed by non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) to facilitate tumor growth could be a valuable therapeutic target. NSCLC is often diagnosed at advanced stages, making treatment challenging. Therapies that inhibit an immune suppressant protein called programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) have shown promise for other cancers, but how PD-L1 interacts with host and tumor cells in NSCLC needs clarification. In experiments on human cell lines and mice, Jae Cheol Lee and Jin Kyung Rho at the University of Ulsan in Seoul, South Korea, and co-workers found that microvesicles (or ‘exosomes’) released by NSCLC cells carry PD-L1, which interacts with tumor-infiltrating immune cells, inhibiting their activity. The amount of PD-L1 in exosomes directly correlates with PD-L1 expression levels on tumor cell surfaces, providing a useful indication of disease activity.

Trever Bivona and colleagues identify the upregulation of the AXL kinase in human non–small cell lung cancer with acquired resistance to erlotinib. Inhibition of AXL restores sensitivity to erlotinib in in vitro and in vivo tumor models. The authors suggest AXL as a potential therapeutic target that may prevent or overcome acquired resistance in patients with EGFR -mutant lung cancer. Human non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) with activating mutations in EGFR frequently respond to treatment with EGFR-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as erlotinib, but responses are not durable, as tumors acquire resistance. Secondary mutations in EGFR (such as T790M) or upregulation of the MET kinase are found in over 50% of resistant tumors. Here, we report increased activation of AXL and evidence for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in multiple in vitro and in vivo EGFR -mutant lung cancer models with acquired resistance to erlotinib in the absence of the EGFR p.Thr790Met alteration or MET activation. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of AXL restored sensitivity to erlotinib in these tumor models. Increased expression of AXL and, in some cases, of its ligand GAS6 was found in EGFR -mutant lung cancers obtained from individuals with acquired resistance to TKIs. These data identify AXL as a promising therapeutic target whose inhibition could prevent or overcome acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs in individuals with EGFR -mutant lung cancer.

Lee, J.-C. and Lee, D-H., 2023. Accuracy assessment of recent global ocean tide models using tide gauge measurements from the East Sea of Korea. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(2), 354–359. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. The continued rise in average sea level owing to climate change has intensified coastal damage worldwide. Therefore, various studies in the field of oceanography and hydrography including the development of ocean tidal prediction models are in progress. In this study, the accuracy of the recent ocean tide models using the long and short-term tide gauge measurements from seven tidal gauging stations and 10 tidal benchmarks at the coastal area in the East Sea of Korea was assessed. For this purpose, a total of five ocean tide models, DTU10, FES2014, OSU12, NAO99, and TPXO9 were used. The accuracy of the four major tidal components (M2, S2, K1, and O1) were assessed based on the same components determined from direct tide gauge measurements in east coastal area of Korea. The tide gauge measurements used in this study consisted of long-term observation data of over 1.7 years on average from seven permanent tide gauge stations and short-term observation data of about 6.6 months on average from 10 tidal benchmarks. Observation and determination of tidal components were performed by the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency. The accuracy of each ocean tide model was assessed by comparing the amplitude of four major components with those from tide gauge measurements for each location of tide gauge. The lowest accuracy of modelled component values was detected in the M2, S2, K1, and O1 tidal components of NAO99 model. On the contrary, FES2014 was the most accurate in M2, S2 tidal components and TPXO9 was most accurate in the K1, O1 tidal components in the East Sea of Korea.