Elevation of fibrinogen due to loss of ovarian function enhances actin ring formation and leads to increased bone resorption.

Ke, Ke,Kim, Woon-Ki,Sul, Ok-Joo,Phan, Van Tien,Lee, Mi-Hyun,Kim, Hyun-Ju,Kim, Shin-Yoon,Choi, Hye-Seon American Physiological Society 2012 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-ENDOCRINOLOGY AND M Vol.303 No.11

<P>The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of fibrinogen on number and function of osteoclasts (OC) consequently resulting in bone loss. It was hypothesized that the enhanced level of released fibrinogen due to loss of ovarian function caused bone loss by acting on OCs. Bone loss was induced by ovariectomy (OVX) in mice and analyzed by micro-CT. The effect of fibrinogen on OCs was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, annexin V, actin staining, pit formation observed on dentine slices, and Western blotting. Exogenous fibrinogen increased OC survival, actin ring formation, and bone resorption in vitro. The effect of fibrinogen was dependent on β(3)-integrin, which is a marker for mature OCs. Fibrinogen induced the activation of transforming oncogene from Ak strain (Akt), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), and Rho family of GTPase (Rho) and the degradation of the Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) in a manner similar to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). OVX increased plasma fibrinogen and serum M-CSF together with elevated actin ring formation and bone loss. The increased fibrinogen level due to loss of ovarian function may contribute, at least partly, to bone loss through the enhanced number and activity of OCs.</P>

Mechanical analysis of bi-functionally graded sandwich nanobeams

Luat, Doan Trac,Van Thom, Do,Thanh, Tran Trung,Van Minh, Phung,Van Ke, Tran,Van Vinh, Pham Techno-Press 2021 Advances in nano research Vol.11 No.1

In this study, the bending, free vibration and buckling analysis of a novel bi-functionally graded sandwich nanobeam are investigated for the first time via a nonlocal refined simple shear deformation theory. The novel sandwich beam consists of one ceramic core and two different functionally graded face sheets, which has a significant potential application in various fields of practical engineering and industry. The Eringen's nonlocal elastic theory has been used in cooperation with a refined simple shear deformation theory as well as Hamilton's principle to derive the equations of motion. Closed-form solution based on Navier's technique is used to solve the equations of motion of simply supported nanobeams. The present numerical results are compared with the available solutions to demonstrate the accuracy of the present theory. The influence of some parameters such as the slender ratio, the power-law index, the skin-core-skin thicknesses and the small-scale parameter on the bending, free vibration and buckling behavior of bi-functionally graded sandwich nanobeams are carried out carefully.

Finite element analysis for functionally graded porous nano-plates resting on elastic foundation

Quoc-Hoa Pham,Phu-Cuong Nguyen,Van-Ke Tran,Trung Nguyen-Thoi 국제구조공학회 2021 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.41 No.2

This paper proposes an improved triangular element based on the strain approach and the Reissner-Mindlin theory to investigate the static, free vibration, and buckling response of functionally graded porous (FGP) nano-plates resting on the Parternak’s two-parameter elastic medium foundation. The internal pores of nano-plates are described by two distribution laws, including uneven porosity distribution and logarithmic-uneven porosity distribution. Using Hamilton’s principle, equilibrium equations of FGP nano-plates lying on a two-parameter foundation are obtained. The most remarkable feature of the improved triangular element is the degrees of freedom of elements approximated by Lagrange functions for the membrane strain and by the high-degree polynomial functions for the bending strain. The numerical results of the present work are compared with the available results in the literature to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. Effects of geometrical and material properties such as the power-law index n, the porosity coefficient ξ, the nonlocal coefficient μ, and the parameters of the elastic foundation on the static, free vibration, and buckling behavior of the FGP nano-plates are examined in detail.

Ring-Type Rotary Ultrasonic Motor Using Lead-free Ceramics

( Chang Hyo Hong ),( Hyoung Su Han ),( Jae Shin Lee ),( Ke Wang ),( Fang Zhou Yao ),( Jing Feng Li ),( Jung Ho Gwon ),( Nguyen Van Quyet ),( Jin Kyung Jung ),( Wook Jo ) 한국센서학회 2015 센서학회지 Vol.24 No.4

Ultrasonic motors provide high torques and quick responses compared to their magnetic counterparts; therefore, they are widely used in small-scale applications such as mobile phones, microrobots, and auto-focusing modules in digital cameras. To determine the feasibility of lead-free piezoceramics for ultrasonic motor applications, we fabricated a ring-type piezoceramic with a KNN-based lead-free piezoceramic (referred to as CZ5), intended for use in an auto-focusing module of a digital camera. The vibration of the lead-free stator was observed at 45.1 kHz. It is noteworthy that the fully assembled lead-free ultrasonic motor exhibited a revolution speed of 5-7 rpm, even though impedance matching with neighboring components was not considered. This result suggests that the tested KNN-based piezoceramic has great potential for use in ultrasonic motor applications, requiring minimal modifications to existing lead-based systems.

Bypassing Negative Epistasis on Yield in Tomato Imposed by a Domestication Gene

Soyk, Sebastian,Lemmon, Zachary H.,Oved, Matan,Fisher, Josef,Liberatore, Katie L.,Park, Soon Ju,Goren, Anna,Jiang, Ke,Ramos, Alexis,van der Knaap, Esther,Van Eck, Joyce,Zamir, Dani,Eshed, Yuval,Lippma Cell Press 2017 Cell Vol. No.

<P><B>Summary</B></P> <P>Selection for inflorescence architecture with improved flower production and yield is common to many domesticated crops. However, tomato inflorescences resemble wild ancestors, and breeders avoided excessive branching because of low fertility. We found branched variants carry mutations in two related transcription factors that were selected independently. One founder mutation enlarged the leaf-like organs on fruits and was selected as fruit size increased during domestication. The other mutation eliminated the flower abscission zone, providing “jointless” fruit stems that reduced fruit dropping and facilitated mechanical harvesting. Stacking both beneficial traits caused undesirable branching and sterility due to epistasis, which breeders overcame with suppressors. However, this suppression restricted the opportunity for productivity gains from weak branching. Exploiting natural and engineered alleles for multiple family members, we achieved a continuum of inflorescence complexity that allowed breeding of higher-yielding hybrids. Characterizing and neutralizing similar cases of negative epistasis could improve productivity in many agricultural organisms.</P> <P><B>Video Abstract</B></P> <P>Display Omitted</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Mutations in two MADS-box genes were selected in tomato domestication and breeding </LI> <LI> Interaction of the alleles caused extreme inflorescence branching and sterility </LI> <LI> Natural and gene-edited MADS-box alleles provide a range of inflorescence types </LI> <LI> Dosage from selected alleles allows improved inflorescence architecture and yield </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical Abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Variation in the flowering gene SELF PRUNING 5G promotes day-neutrality and early yield in tomato

Soyk, Sebastian,Mü,ller, Niels A,Park, Soon Ju,Schmalenbach, Inga,Jiang, Ke,Hayama, Ryosuke,Zhang, Lei,Van Eck, Joyce,Jimé,nez-Gó,mez, José,M,Lippman, Zachary B Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan P 2017 Nature genetics Vol.49 No.1

<P>Plants evolved so that their flowering is triggered by seasonal changes in day lengths. However, day-length sensitivity in crops limits their geographical range of cultivation, and thus modification of the photoperiod response was critical for their domestication(2-11). Here we show that loss of day-length-sensitive flowering in tomato was driven by the florigen paralog and flowering repressor SELF-PRUNING 5G (SP5G). SP5G expression is induced to high levels during long days in wild species, but not in cultivated tomato because of cis-regulatory variation. CRISPR/Cas9-engineered mutations in SP5G cause rapid flowering and enhance the compact determinate growth habit of field tomatoes, resulting in a quick burst of flower production that translates to an early yield. Our findings suggest that pre-existing variation in SP5G facilitated the expansion of cultivated tomato beyond its origin near the equator in South America, and they provide a compelling demonstration of the power of gene editing to rapidly improve yield traits in crop breeding.</P>

International Digestive Endoscopy Network consensus on the management of antithrombotic agents in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy

Seung Joo Kang,Chung Hyun Tae,Chang Seok Bang,Ki-Nam Shim,Cheol Min Shin,Young-Hoon Jeong,Miyoung Choi,Joo Ha Hwang,Yutaka Saito,Philip Wai Yan Chiu,Rungsun Rerknimitr,Christopher Khor,Vu Van Khien,Ke 대한소화기내시경학회 2024 Clinical Endoscopy Vol.57 No.2

Antithrombotic agents, including antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants, are widely used in Korea because of the increasing incidence of cardiocerebrovascular disease and the aging population. The management of patients using antithrombotic agents during endoscopic procedures is an important clinical challenge. The clinical practice guidelines for this issue, developed by the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, were published in 2020. However, new evidence on the use of dual antiplatelet therapy and direct anticoagulant management has emerged, and revised guidelines have been issued in the United States and Europe. Accordingly, the previous guidelines were revised. Cardiologists were part of the group that developed the guideline, and the recommendations went through a consensus-reaching process among international experts. This guideline presents 14 recommendations made based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology and was reviewed by multidisciplinary experts. These guidelines provide useful information that can assist endoscopists in the management of patients receiving antithrombotic agents who require diagnostic and elective therapeutic endoscopy. It will be revised as necessary to cover changes in technology, evidence, or other aspects of clinical practice.