Chemically triggered transformable polymers and supramolecular materials for detection of nerve agents

Polymers can be designed to transform their structure in response to a changing environment. However, it is challenging to efficiently morph or transform the static and persistent macromolecular structures. In this study, synthetic routes of chemically triggered transforming polymers have been developed based on click and declick chemistry. Linear polymers, a cross-linked polymer, and a hydrogel were synthesized through a copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction. On the basis of these subconstructs, amphiphilic linear polymers, deformed cross-linked polymers, and recombined hydrogels were prepared via amine-thiol or thiol-thiol exchanges using a newly developed Meldrum's acid-derived conjugate acceptor under mild conditions. Furthermore, all the polymers could be degraded into small molecules with a reducing agent, dithiothreitol. Going one step further, declicking reactions were designed to selectively respond to a nerve agent surrogate. The morphological changes of these next-generation polymers were investigated using a self-propagating cascade reaction and applied to develop a novel nerve agent detecting system. Nerve agents are highly hazardous chemical compounds that have been used in terrorism as well as in wars. They contain an organophosphorus functional group and trigger a powerful activation of the parasympathetic nerve through phosphorylation of the hydroxy groups in the body, causing fatal injuries to humans. To avoid these threats, it is important to detect and eliminate them. Thus, a self-degradable hydrogel was utilized to detect a nerve agent, tabun, via a nucleophilic attack of a cyanide anion that is the leaving group of tabun and a thiol-sulfide redox reaction. Additionally, the hydrogel was able to be employed as a membrane. It could be used as a barrier between two liquids, and the degradation of the membrane can be controlled by varying the thickness of the membrane and the concentration of the target material to allow the liquid to pass through. Additionally, a bis-pyridinium calix[4]pyrrole was employed as a receptor which can remediate and detect nerve agents through hydrogen bonding interactions and anion binding, respectively. The receptor induced a hydrolysis of nerve agents and detected nerve agents using their leaving groups simultaneously.Chemistr

Analysis and evaluation of mobile rhythm games : Game structure and playability

The rhythm game is an action simulation game adapted to the presented music. While it is expected to have an educational effect as a functional game, the relationship between the operability and rhythm education under the mobile platform is still questionable. In Korea, it seems that mobile rhythm game is a minority maniac genre that are played mostly among teenagers and early twenties. In this paper, we select three mobile rhythm games that are most played by Korean gamers in analysis. First, we analyze the user interface layout, note control, evaluation style and level of difficulty for three games – Deeno, Cytus, and Lanota. Then, we take a user survey in order to evaluate the playability of those games. All three games obtain high scores but there exust several statistically significant differences among games in analysis

From Agasa Cristie to Group Image Play-Analysis of Horror Survival Game Panic Room : Escaping from the Den on Emotional Elements Development

A maniac computer game genre called "Survival Horror Games‟ is aimed for making gamers feel cathartic feeling when they escaped from the designed horror successfully. The degree of gaming quality, however, is not easy to measure. In this paper, we apply Caillois‟ game playing categories and other standards to measure how a game induces the feeling of fear and other emotional experience to players. Once dominated horror survival game series called Panic Room: Escaping from the Den was chosen to analyze and evaluate with those standards as well as its narratives and subsystems. Especially the 2nd version was most welcomed to users among 4 versions thus we focused on the difference between the version 1 and the version 2 in terms of game playing and fear elements in the game content and story structure. In result, version 2 showed much more Agon and Mimicry and all other fear elements than version 1. The group image playing structure and conference/collection subsystem that were newly provided to version 2 were attributed to its success

Lepidopterous Insect Fauna of Gyeongju National Park in Korea

AbstractLepidopterous insect fauna of Gyeongju National Park, was investigated during 25-28 April and 10-11 August 2007, especially in Mt. Namsan Zone. In total, 150 species of 21 families belonging to Lepidoptera were identified through this study. Therefore, a total of 183 species under 25 families are recorded from Gyeongju National Park, including the previous studies

Purification and characterization of angiotensin-1 converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide from the jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai

The Nemopilema nomurai hydrolysate was produced by the reaction of papain, and an angiotensin-Ι converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide was purified by using the molecular cut-offs membrane filter, the gel filtration chromatography with Sephadex LH-20 and the reverse phase chromatographic method using C18 and C12 columns. Purification yield of the active peptide was estimated to be 0.2 ± 0.1%, starting from the lyophilized jellyfish. The infrared (IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) spectrometer analyses elucidated that the structure of the purified peptide is tyrosine-isoleucine (Tyr-Ile). The inhibitory concentration at 50% (IC50) and Ki values were calculated to be 2.0 ± 0.3 μg/ml and 3.3 ± 0.3 μM, respectively, which acts as a competitive inhibitor to ACE.Keywords: Angiotensin-Ι converting enzyme, Jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai, Papain hydrolysate, Tyrosine-IsoleucineAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(15), pp. 1888-189

Anatomic variations of the T2 nerve root (including the nerve of Kuntz) and their implications for sympathectomy

AbstractObjective: The aim of this study was to clarify the anatomic variations of the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz, and this should help delineate the resection margins during video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy. Methods: Sixty-six thoracic sympathetic chains of 39 adult Korean cadavers were dissected on both sides of the thorax in 27 cadavers (54 sides) and on one side in 12 cadavers (12 sides). Results: The intrathoracic nerve was observed in 45 (68.2%) sides and was present bilaterally in 48.1% of cadavers. No intrathoracic nerve or ascending ramus communicans arising from the second thoracic nerve was observed in only 5 (7.6%) sides. The diameter of the intrathoracic nerve was 1.25 ± 0.55 mm on average. The arising point of the intrathoracic nerve from the second thoracic nerve was 7.3 mm on average from the sympathetic trunk. Presence of the stellate ganglion was noted in 56 (84.8%) sides, and 6 (9.1%) sides showed a single large ganglion formed by the stellate and the second thoracic sympathetic ganglia. The second thoracic sympathetic ganglion was most commonly located (50%) in the second intercostal space. Conclusion: The anatomic variations of the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz and the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion were characterized in human cadavers. It is hoped that this study will help to improve the recurrence of symptoms caused by the intrathoracic nerve in an upper thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;123:498-50

Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Imaging of Two-Dimensional Tungsten Disulfide with Optimized Tip Fabrication Process

We successfully achieve the tip-enhanced nano Raman scattering images of a tungsten disulfide monolayer with optimizing a fabrication method of gold nanotip by controlling the concentration of etchant in an electrochemical etching process. By applying a square-wave voltage supplied from an arbitrary waveform generator to a gold wire, which is immersed in a hydrochloric acid solution diluted with ethanol at various ratios, we find that both the conical angle and radius of curvature of the tip apex can be varied by changing the ratio of hydrochloric acid and ethanol. We also suggest a model to explain the origin of these variations in the tip shape. From the systematic study, we find an optimal condition for achieving the yield of similar to 60% with the radius of similar to 34 nm and the cone angle of similar to 35 degrees. Using representative tips fabricated under the optimal etching condition, we demonstrate the tip-enhanced Raman scattering experiment of tungsten disulfide monolayer grown by a chemical vapor deposition method with a spatial resolution of similar to 40 nm and a Raman enhancement factor of similar to 4,760. © The Author(s) 2017

Assessment of Allergic Rhinitis Websites in Korea

Objectives. The internet has become an important source of medical information and a great amount of information related to allergic rhinitis (AR) is available on the internet. However, the quality of this information is still a matter of debate. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the AR-related information on Korean websites. Methods. The key word "allergic rhinitis" was entered into 4 popular search engines, and this led to identifying 40 websites. After being categorized according to authorship, the informational value of these websites was evaluated using 4 different assessment tools such as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, the DISCERN questionnaire, the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2008 Update and the Health On the Net (HON) code. Results. The 40 websites containing AR-related information were categorized according to their authorship as Western physician: 20, Oriental physician: 14, commercial: 1, and others: 5. The mean citation frequencies of the JAMA benchmarks and the ARIA 2008 Update concepts was 1.23 out of 4 and 4.33 out of 8, respectively, while the mean DISCERN score was 1.92 out of 5. When the websites were evaluated based on the type of authorship, the mean citation frequencies of the AMA 2008 Update concepts were Western physician: 5.35, Oriental physician: 2.64. Additionally, three websites authored by Western physicians and 13 authored by Oriental physicians contained unreliable information. Among these 16 websites, only 3 websites met the requirements for the HON code "Justification". Conclusion. AR-related information available on Korean websites is of variable quality and not all of the information provided is justifiable. Thus, performing surveillance of the medical information on these websites is necessary. Furthermore, common criteria that can be used to evaluate the websites created by both Western and Oriental physicians are also needed.Bousquet J, 2008, ALLERGY, V63, P8*HLTH NET FDN, 2006, HLTH NET COD COND VESILVA LVE, 2005, BRAZILIAN J OTHORHIN, V71, P590Park HW, 2004, J KOREAN MED SCI, V19, P364Winker MA, 2000, JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC, V283, P1600Charnock D, 1999, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, V53, P105Silberg WM, 1997, JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC, V277, P1244