Earticle

A path planning using potential field method is very useful for the real-time navigation of mobile robots. However, the method needs high modeling cost to calculate the potential field because of complex preprocessing, and mobile robots may get stuck into local minima. In this paper, An efficient path planning algorithm for multiple mobile robots, based on the potential field method, was proposed. In the algorithm. the concepts of subgoals and obstacle priority were introduced. The subgoals can be used to escape local minima, or to design and change the paths of mobile robots in the work space. In obstacle priority, all the objects (obstacles and mobile robots) in the work space have their own priorities, and the object having lower priority should avoid the objects having higher priority than it has. In this paper, first, potential based path planning method was introduced, next an efficient collision-avoidance algorithm for multiple mobile robots, moving in the obstacle environment, was proposed by using subgoals and obstacle priority. Finally, the developed algorithm was demonstrated graphically to show the usefulness of the algorithm.

In this study, a bistable energy harvester (BEH) with a piecewise potential function is proposed to improve its energy harvesting performance. A mathematical model of the piecewise BEH (PWBEH) system is established first and a series of numerical simulation are performed, based on the developed model, in order to investigate the nonlinear dynamic behaviors and energy-harvesting performance of the system. The analysis results for the proposed PWBEH system are compared with a conventional BEH (CBEH). The frequency response results show the stiffness-softening interwell motion of the PWBEH, due to the piecewise potential energy function, which is contrary to the stiffness-hardening behavior of the CBEH. Such softening behavior of interwell motion tends to reduce the operating frequency of the BEH, while significantly increasing the output power. This observation indicate that the introduction of the piecewise potential function to a BEH would be beneficial to the system design for enhancing enegy-harvesting performance at the cost of redundant frequency band, which depends on the characteristics of environmental vibration sources.

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are among the most important transcription mediators and have multiple biological functions, such as antiviral and antimicrobial defense, cell differentiation, immune modulation, and apoptosis. Three IRF family members (HaIRF4-like, HaIRF6, and HaIRF8) of the big belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) were molecularly and functionally characterized at the sequence and transcriptional level. The coding sequences of HaIRF4-like, HaIRF6, and HaIRF8 were 1214, 1485, and 1266 bp in length, encoding proteins of size 46.21, 55.32, and 47.56 kDa, respectively. Potential viral transcription and replication was detected against VHSV infection using qPCR in HaIRFs-transfected FHM cells. IRFs significantly reduced viral gene expression at 24 h and 48 h post infection and the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was modulated at transcriptional level upon HaIRF overexpression in FHM cells. Subcellular HaIRF localization was observed using GFP-tagged expression vectors in FHM cells. HaIRF4-like and HaIRF8 were localized to the nucleus, whereas HaIRF6 was observed in the cytoplasm. All three IRFs were ubiquitously expressed in all analyzed tissues of the big belly seahorse. The mRNA expression of IRF4-like, IRF6, and IRF8 increased significantly post injection in the blood and gills following LPS, poly (I:C), and Streptococcus iniae challenge. These findings demonstrate that seahorse IRFs are involved in host defense mechanisms against immune stimulants and HaIRFs induce interferon and ISGs which trigger antiviral activity against viral infections in the host.

Objective: Oral frailty is associated with a decline in overall function in the elderly and increases the risk of dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent these issues. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the Korean oral frailty diagnostic criteria and oral diadochokinesis (ODK) in community-dwelling elderly individuals. Methods: Six diagnostic criteria for oral frailty were examined and ODK was assessed in 100 elderly individuals aged 60 years and above residing in the Gangwon State. The correlation was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s rank correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The study found that elderly individuals in the later stages of life had significantly lower tongue pressure, occlusal force, chewing ability, and ODK compared to those in earlier stages. Additionally, increased age and decreased chewing ability and tongue pressure were significantly associated with a decline in ability to rapidly repeat monosyllables /p?/t?/k?/. Conclusion: As age increases in the elderly population, the frequency of /p?/t?/k?/ in ODK assessments may serve as a simple screening tool for oral frailty in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

This study aimed to investigate the associations between upper limb somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and motor evoked potential (MEP) status and functional recovery in patients with subacute stroke. A total of 111 patients who underwent SEP and MEP testing within three months of stroke onset were retrospectively analyzed. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Limb (FMA-U/L), Box and Block Test (BBT), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI). Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between SEP and MEP status and changes in functional outcomes during inpatient rehabilitation. The results showed that MEP was significantly associated with improvements in BBT and K-MBI scores, while SEP significantly predicted changes in FIM and K-MBI scores. Neither SEP nor MEP showed significant predictive power for changes in FMA-U/L scores. Among all models, baseline scores were the strongest predictors of recovery in FMA-U/L and K-MBI, while treatment duration contributed significantly to BBT improvement. Scatterplot analysis further confirmed moderate correlations between predicted and actual changes, particularly in K-MBI and FMA-U/L outcomes. These findings suggest that SEP and MEP provide distinct and domain-specific prognostic information for upper limb recovery in subacute stroke. Specifically, MEP may be useful in predicting hand function and ADL performance, while SEP may better reflect the potential for overall functional independence. These results support the complementary use of neurophysiological assessments in developing individualized rehabilitation strategies.

Enterprise informatization is a large system including: input, output, feedback, operation inside, executive action and incentive measures. Inner-enterprise can be seemed as an artificially social organization unit composing of various agents in a rigid formation. This paper mainly proposes an enterprise informatization associated with rigid formation theory of multi-agent. The connection between agents and enterprise factors is represented. The relationship between enterprise factors is described by potential function theory: the attractive force presents that all factors have the same opinion, and the repulsive force presents that all factors have the different opinion needed to be solved. Finally, the simulation proves that the model mentioned in this paper is effective.

As a rapid change has taken place around 2010 in existing media, they have expanded into smart media through next-generation networking by adopting reinforced computing functions and platforms. Such a timely, new emerging paradigm has brought out new technology and service in the field of electronic document. Out of the electronic document systems, a new emerging one that is valid is Sharp(#) Mail, which is different from existing e-mail systems. As explosive growth is expected in Sharp(#) Mail since 2013, many providers have started their business with Sharp(#) Mail solution and service, which, however, is low in the practical use of them, contrary to expectations in Sharp(#) Mail. This study herein aims to provide data and implications in which theories can be used in business by drawing a conclusion that can invigorate Sharp(#) Mail from a theoretical perspective through analysis on individual-targeted acceptance factor for individuals' Sharp(#) Mail. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was conducted for the study, which has much used in the research on users’ acceptance factor recently. For the subject of study, data were collected through the questionnaire survey developed to measure the use intention targeted for potential users who have an intention to use Sharp(#) Mail, research models and hypotheses were developed by using the PLS Path Modeling Approach to verify research hypotheses, and statistical analysis was conducted by using SMART PLS 2.0 analysis tool. Results derived from the study are as follows. Measurement results analyzed that as suggested in UTAUT, performance expectancy and social influence were a positive effect on potential users' use intension of Sharp(#) Mail. However, contrary to what is suggested in UTAUT, effort expectancy factor was analyzed as the outcome dismissed on significant effect relation with the use intention of Sharp(#) Mail users. As suggested in analysis results, this indicates that there is no significant effect of individuals' effort expectancy factor in that Sharp(#) Mail is a business-based solution used in a policy-wise, business-wise manner.

The term of nutri-cosmetics refers to nutritional supplements which can support the function and the structure of the skin. The fisetin is a flavonol which belongs to the flavonoid group of polyphenols. Although the anti-carcinogenic property of fisetin have been widely studied, anti- oxidative function of fisetin in HaCaT keratinocytes is unknown. In this study, we examined the in vitro chemical and cellular anti-oxidant activities of fisetin in HaCaT keratinocytes and we further discussed its potential as an anti-oxidant nutricosmetics. We employed scavenging assay for the 1,1-diphenyl-2,5-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and cellular anti-oxidant activity of fisetin was investigated in H2O2-treated HaCaT keratinocytes as judged by the 2’7’-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA)-based assay. The fisetin effectively scavenged DPPH radicals (IC50 54 μM) when compared to the scavenging activities of L-ascorbic acid (IC50 87 μM) acid and trolox (IC50 74 μM), well-known anti-oxidants. In addition, the fisetin significantly ameliorates H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HaCaT keratinocytes in dose-dependent manner. The fisetin showed more strong cellular anti-oxidant activity than those of L-ascorbic acid and trolox in H2O2-treated HaCaT keratinocytes. In agreement with result of the cellular anti-oxidant activity, we observed markedly suppressed H2O2-induced oxidative stress by the pretreatment of 100 μM fisetin under the fluorescence microscopy analysis. These results provide the scientific evidences for the development of skin targeted nutri-cosmetics which has anti-oxidant function.

This paper presents a potential-function-based formation shape control scheme for swarm simulation. The potential function is designed to avoid collision among agents, approach a destination, and achieve a certain shape formation around the destination. The agents move in a swarm to the formation position, which is generated from a reference point and the neighboring agents. In the framework, a local minimum case created by combining the potential repulsed from neighboring robots and that attracted from a reference point is presented; herein, a robot escapes from a local minimum using a virtual escape point after recognizing the trapped situation. Similarly, in the proposed framework, for a well-equipped formation shape, potential functions are designed to maintain the same relative distance between neighboring robots on a formation line, which also satisfies scalability for the number of agents. The simulation results show that the proposed approach can effectively construct elliptical, diamond, and heart-shaped formations for swarm agents.

A new potential function based on spectroscopic results for diatomic molecules is presented and applied to the hydrogen bonding systems. The potential energy of interaction is supposed to have electrostatic, polarization, dispersion, repulsion and effective charge-transfer contributions. Estimates of the effective charge-transfer quantity have been made based on the average charge of the proton donor and the acceptor atoms. For dimers such as water, methanol, acetic acid and formic acid, the vibrational stretching frequencies and dimerization energies are calculated and dicussed in connection with Badger-Bauer rule.

The microcystin is a cyclic heptapeptide from metabolites of cyanobacteria in the genera mycrocystis, anabaeba as a result of eutrophication. It has been known that microcystin-LR is a potent inhibitor of the catalytic subunits of protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) as well as powerful tumor promoter. The active site of microcystin actually has two metal ions $Fe^{2+}/Zn^{2+}$ close to the nucleophilic portion of PP-1-microcystin complex. We report the isolation and purification of this microcystin-LR from cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) obtained from Daechung Dam in Chung-cheong Do, Korea. Microcystin-LR was extracted from solid-phase extraction (SPE) sample preparation using a CN cartridge. The cyanobacteria extract was purified to obtain microcystin-LR by HPLC method and identified by LC/MS. The detail structural studies that can elucidate the possible role of monovalent and divalent metal ions in PP-1-microcystin complexation were carried out by utilizing molecular dynamics. Conformational changes in metal binding for ligands were monitored by molecular dynamic computation and potential of mean force (PMF) using the method of the free energy perturbation. The microcystin-metal binding PMF simulation results exhibit that microcystin can have very stable binding free energy of -10.95 kcal/mol by adopting the $Mg^{2+}$ ion at broad geometrical distribution of $0.5{\sim}4.5{\AA}$, and show that the $K^+$ ion can form a stable metal complex rather than other monovalent alkali metal ions.

In order to analyze the potential rise of grounding systems installed in buildings, a hemispherical grounding simulation system was studied. Potential rise was measured and analyzed regarding the shape and distance of the grounding electrodes by using this system. The system was composed of a hemispherical water tank, AC power supply, a movable potentiometer, and test grounding electrodes. The potential rise was measured in real time by the horizontal moving probe of be potentiometer. The test grounding electrodes were fabricated through reducing the grounding electrode installed in real buildings such as the ground rod, grounding grid and so on. The potential rise was displayed in a two-dimensional profile and was analyzed regarding the shapes of the ground electrodes. The potential rise of the grounding grid combined with a ground rod was the lowest of every grounding electrode tested. The proposed results can be applicable to evaluating ground potential rise in grounding systems, and the analytical data can be used to stabilize the electrical installations and prevent electrical disasters.

Carbon electrode was applied to a wastewater treatment system as biofilm media. The spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacteria in aerobic wastewater biofilm grown on carbon electrode was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and biomass measurement. Five volts of electric oxidation and reduction potential were charged to the carbon anode and cathode of the bioelectrochemical system, respectively, but were not charged to electrodes of a conventional system. To correlate the biofilm architecture of bacterial populations with their activity, the bacterial treatment efficiency of organic carbons was measured in the bioelectrochemical system and compared with that in the conventional system. In the SEM image, the biofilm on the anodic medium of the bioelectrochemical system looked intact and active; however, that on the carbon medium of the conventional system appeared to be shrinking or damaging. In the AFM image, the thickness of biofilm formed on the carbon medium was about two times of those on the anodic medium. The bacterial treatment efficiency of organic carbons in the bioelectrochemical system was about 1.5 times higher than that in the conventional system. Some denitrifying bacteria can metabolically oxidize $H_{2}$, coupled to reduction of $NO_{3}^{-}\;to\;N_{2}$. $H_{2}$ was produced from the cathode in the bioelectrochemical system by electrolysis of water but was not so in the conventional system. The denitrification efficiency was less than $22\%$ in the conventional system and more than $77\%$ in the bioelectrochemical system. From these results, we found that the electrochemical coupling reactions between aerobic and anaerobic reactors may be a useful tool for improvement of wastewater treatment and denitrification efficiency, without special manipulations such as bacterial growth condition control, C/N ratio (the ratio of carbon to nitrogen) control, MLSS returning, or biofilm refreshing.

Electroencephalography (EEG) measures neural activation due to various cognitive processes. EEG and event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely used in studies investigating psychopathology and neural substrates of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to review recent ERP studies in child and adolescent psychiatry. ERPs are non-invasive methods for studying synaptic functions in the brain. ERP might be a candidate biomarker in child-adolescent psychiatry, considering its ability to reflect cognitive and behavioral functions in humans. For the EEG study of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents, several ERP components have been used, such as mismatch negativity, P300, error-related negativity (ERN), and reward positivity (RewP). Regarding executive functions and inhibition in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), P300 latency, and ERN were significantly different in patients with ADHD compared to those in the healthy population. ERN showed meaningful changes in patients with anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with depression showed significantly attenuated RewP compared to the healthy population, which was related to the symptoms of anhedonia.

Purpose Epigenetic alterations of specific genes have recently been identified as diagnostic biomarkers for human cancers. However, there are currently no standardized epigenetic biomarkers for drug sensitivity in human gastrointestinal cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify a novel epigenetic biomarker in gastrointestinal cancer. Materials and Methods Using bisulfite sequencing and pyrosequencing analysis, DNA methylation patterns of gastric, colon primary tissues and their cancer cells were analyzed, and histone modifications were analyzed using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, cancer cells were exposed to cisplatin and treated with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. Results We report that in human gastric and colon cancers, latrophilin 2 (LPHN2) is silenced by epigenetic modifications, including CpG island methylation and aberrant histone modifications. We also confirmed that LPHN2 was silenced by DNA hypermethylation in primary gastric and colon tumor tissues compared to their normal counterparts. Interestingly, we found that cancer cells with methylated LPHN2 showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin. Also, 5-aza- 2!-deoxycytidine combined with cisplatin decreased the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in cancer cells with methylated LPHN2. In addition, LPHN2 knockdown in cancer cells with high LPHN2 expression sensitized these cells to the anti-proliferative effects of cisplatin. Conclusion In human gastrointestinal cancer, we found that LPHN2 is regulated by epigenetic modifications, and that cancer cells with lower LPHN2 expression show higher sensitivity to cisplatin. Therefore, the methylation status of LPHN2 is a potential novel epigenetic biomarker for cisplatin treatment in human gastric and colon cancers.

This study is concerned with health damages from SO2 under different assumptions on the relationship between air concentrations and their marginal health impacts. SO2 concentration profiles resulting under emission caps, and a system of tradable emission allowances are compared. Using slopes and curvatures of the health response function consistent with evidence in medical literature, emission caps are shown to lead to lower aggregate damages under all considered parameters, an advantage of $26～452 million. The benefit of emission caps over tradable allowances increases with the curvature of the response function, but falls with its slope. The advantage of emission caps in terms of environmental damages is never overturned completely for the considered functional forms. The marginal damage function would have to be steeper than what the current medical evidence suggests for price instruments to outperform emission caps in terms of aggregate damages. With other welfare consequences included-emission abatement costs, consumer and producer surpluses, and government revenue-emission caps always lead to a $3.7～4.1 billion greater measure of social welfare.

A procedure to calculate the complete basis set limits of electronic energy of water molecules is developed based on two levels of extrapolation scheme. A three-point fitting scheme with the energies computed at the levels of basis function, aug-cc-pVXZ for X = 4-6, is employed to obtain accurate energies of a monomer and a dimer of water. Three extrapolation functions considered in this article are found to work excellently to give accurate Hartree-Fock (HF) energies of water molecules. However, the three functions give slightly different values up to 1-2 mHartree for the complete basis limit of electronic correlation energy. The best performing extrapolating function for the five-point fitting scheme with a larger set of basis functions for X = 2-6 has been determined aiming for the extrapolation from the lowest two levels of basis sets, double and triple zeta basis functions. For this purpose, an exponential function is suggested for HF energy while an exponential function with a square root exponent is suggested for electronic correlation energy. The optimal exponents of the two functions have been determined.

난소 내 존재하는 황체는 다이내믹한 조직의 하나이다. 황체의 형성과 퇴화 과정을 기반으로 한 생식호르몬의 작용은 다양하게 알려졌으나, 그 기전은 명확하게 밝혀지지 않고 있다. 황체는 난포세포가 황체세포로 전환되어 혈관이 형성되고 조직을 구성하게 된다. 황체의 유지는 임신에 관여하고 그 기능을 다하면 퇴화의 과정을 거치게 된다. 이러한 생식호르몬 중, 에스트로겐, 프로게스테론, 프로스타글란딘 F2α는 황체의 생리작용에 중요하게 작용하고 있다. 에스트로겐은 난소의 생리 조절에 관여하며 황체화에 기여하고, 프로게스테론은 황체의 생리작용과 임신을 유지하는데 관여한다. 또한, 프로스타글란딘 F2alpha는 황체의 퇴화를 유도하는 핵심적인 호르몬이다. 그러나, 에스트로겐, 프로게스테론, 프로스타글란딘 F2α의 호르몬에 대한 역할은 알려지고 있으나 그 기능이 아직까지도 명확하지가 않고, 생식호르몬과의 상관관계에 관한 연구가 진행되지 않고 있다. 난소 내에서 황체의 생리학적 기전을 이해하기 위해서는 이 호르몬들의 상호작용을 알아내는 것이 중요하다. 따라서, 본 총설은 난소 내 존재하는 다이내믹한 다양한 미세환경 속에서 황체와 생식호르몬의 잠재적인 역할과 기능을 이해하고, 그 연구의 내용을 기반으로 잠재적인 생식호르몬의 작용을 다양한 측면에서 응용하여 활용하는 데 도움이 될 것으로 판단된다.

The corpus luteum in the ovary is a dynamic tissue. The actions of reproductive hormones based on the formation and regression of the corpus luteum are widely known. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. The corpus luteum is formed through the transformation of follicular cells into luteal cells. The maintenance of the corpus luteum is essential for pregnancy. The reproductive hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and prostaglandin F2α have significant roles in regulating the physiological functions of the corpus luteum. Estrogen has a crucial role in ovarian regulation, contributing to luteinization, while progesterone is essential for maintaining corpus luteum function and supporting pregnancy. Prostaglandin F2α serves as a key hormone that induces luteal regression. Although the individual roles of estrogen, progesterone, and prostaglandin F2α are recognized, their specific functions remain poorly defined, and the interactions among these reproductive hormones have not been investigated. Understanding these hormonal interactions is crucial for elucidating the physiological mechanisms of the corpus luteum in the ovary. Therefore, this review aims to understand the potential roles and functions of the corpus luteum and reproductive hormones in the dynamic microenvironment of the ovary.