Exploring Team Growth and Fixed Mindsets in Work Teams at a Large Korean Corporation

We conducted a qualitative study to understand how team mindsets can be manifested in work teams. We interviewed 21 participants from seven departments in one of the big corporations in Korea

Realizing a Superconducting Square-Lattice Bismuth Monolayer

Interplay of crystal symmetry, strong spin$-$orbit coupling (SOC), and many-body interactions in low dimensional materials provides a fertile ground for the discovery of unconventional electronic and magnetic properties and versatile functionalities. Two-dimensional (2D) allotropes of group 15 elements are appealing due to their structures and controllability over symmetries and topology under strong SOC. Here, we report the heteroepitaxial growth of a proximity-induced superconducting 2D square-lattice bismuth monolayer on superconducting Pb films. The square lattice of monolayer bismuth films in a $C_4$ symmetry together with a stripey moir\'e structure is clearly resolved by our scanning tunneling microscopy and its atomic structure is revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A Rashba-type spin-split Dirac band is predicted by DFT calculations to exist at the Fermi level and becomes superconducting through the proximity effect from the Pb substrate. We suggest the possibility of a topological superconducting state in this system with magnetic dopants/field. This work introduces an intriguing material platform with 2D Dirac bands, strong SOC, topological superconductivity, and the moir\'e superstructure.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

Time Dependent Gene Expression Changes in the Liver of Mice Treated with Benzene

Benzene is used as a general purpose solvent. Benzene metabolism starts from phenol and ends with p-benzoquinone and o-benzoquinone. Liver injury inducted by benzene still remains a toxicologic problem. Tumor related genes and immune responsive genes have been studied in patients suffering from benzene exposure. However, gene expression profiles and pathways related to its hepatotoxicity are not known. This study reports the results obtained in the liver of BALB/C mice (SLC, Inc., Japan) administered 0.05 ml/100 g body weight of 2% benzene for six days. Serum, ALT, AST and ALP were determined using automated analyzer (Fuji., Japan). Histopathological observations were made to support gene expression data. c-DNA microarray analyses were performed using Affymetrix Gene-chip system. After six days of benzene exposure, twenty five genes were down regulated whereas nineteen genes were up-regulated. These gene expression changes were found to be related to pathways of biotransformation, detoxification, apoptosis, oxidative stress and cell cycle. It has been shown for the first time that genes corresponding to circadian rhythms are affected by benzene. Results suggest that gene expression profile might serve as potential biomarkers of hepatotoxicity during benzene exposure

Analysis of Building Energy Savings Potential for Metal Panel Curtain Wall Building by Reducing Thermal Bridges at Joints Between Panels

AbstractTo achieve national greenhouse gas reduction in the building sector, heating and cooling energy in buildings should be reduced. The government has strengthened regulations on insulation performance for building energy savings. However, the building envelope has various thermal bridges. In particular, a metal panel curtain wall comprises a number of thermal bridges at joints between the panels and the fixing units, thus degrading the overall thermal performance. To reduce building energy, it is necessary to reduce thermal bridges in building envelopes. This study aims to analyze the energy saving potential achieved by reducing thermal bridges. For this, the insulation performance and building energy needs of the existing and alternative metal panel curtain wall were evaluated. The alternative metal panel curtain wall that uses plastic molds at joints between panels and the thermally-broken brackets was suggested to reduce heat loss through thermal bridges. As results, the effective U-value of the alternative metal panel curtain wall was reduced by 72% compared with the existing metal panel curtain wall. In addition, annual heating energy needs of the alternative metal panel curtain wall building was reduced by 26%, and annual total energy needs was reduced by 6% because annual cooling energy needs of it slightly increased compared with the existing metal panel curtain wall. In conclusion, the alternative metal panel curtain wall considerably influenced the savings in building energy needs by reducing thermal bridges

Ethanol Extract of the Flower Chrysanthemum morifolium Augments Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep Behaviors: Involvement of Cl− Channel Activation

Dried Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers have traditionally been used in Korea for the treatment of insomnia. This study was performed to investigate whether the ethanol extract of Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers (EFC) enhances pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors. EFC prolonged sleep time induced by pentobarbital similar to muscimol, a GABAA receptors agonist. EFC also increased sleep rate and sleep time when administrated with pentobarbital at a subhypnotic dosage. Both EFC and pentobarbital increased chloride (Cl−) influx in primary cultured cerebellar granule cells. EFC increased glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) expression levels, but had no effect on the expression of α1-, β2-, and γ2-subunits of the GABAA receptor in the hippocampus of a mouse brain. This is in contrast to treatment with pentobarbital, which showed decreased α1-subunit expression and no change in GAD expression. In conclusion, EFC augments pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors; these effects may result from Cl− channel activation

Inhibitory effect of a tyrosine-fructose Maillard reaction product, 2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal on amyloid-β generation and inflammatory reactions via inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 activation in cultured astrocytes and microglial BV-2 cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Amyloidogenesis is linked to neuroinflammation. The tyrosine-fructose Maillard reaction product, 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal, possesses anti-inflammatory properties in cultured macrophages, and in an arthritis animal model. Because astrocytes and microglia are responsible for amyloidogenesis and inflammatory reactions in the brain, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-amyloidogenic effects of 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated astrocytes and microglial BV-2 cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cultured astrocytes and microglial BV-2 cells were treated with LPS (1 μg/ml) for 24 h, in the presence (1, 2, 5 μM) or absence of 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal, and harvested. We performed molecular biological analyses to determine the levels of inflammatory and amyloid-related proteins and molecules, cytokines, Aβ, and secretases activity. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) DNA binding activity was determined using gel mobility shift assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (1, 2, 5 μM) suppresses the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as well as the production of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in LPS (1 μg/ml)-stimulated astrocytes and microglial BV-2 cells. Further, 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal inhibited the transcriptional and DNA binding activity of NF-κB--a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in neuroinflammation and amyloidogenesis via inhibition of IκB degradation as well as nuclear translocation of p50 and p65. Consistent with the inhibitory effect on inflammatory reactions, 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal inhibited LPS-elevated Aβ₄₂levels through attenuation of β- and γ-secretase activities. Moreover, studies using signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) siRNA and a pharmacological inhibitor showed that 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal inhibits LPS-induced activation of STAT3.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal inhibits neuroinflammatory reactions and amyloidogenesis through inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 activation, and suggest that 2,4-bis(<it>p</it>-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal may be useful for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases like Alzheimer's disease.</p