845 research outputs found
Optimal input design for a cooperating robot to reduce vibration when carrying flexible objects
No full textThis paper presents a computational method for obtaining an optimal control trajectory for point-to-point motion of a cooperating robot carrying a flexible object. To increase the overall productivity and its efficiency, it is required to move the object as fast as possible using the maximum capacity of actuators of robots. If the carrying object is very sensitive to vibration, the robots should be operated so as not to cause excessive vibration of that object. This work deals with optimal input design for cooperative robots to reduce vibration of flexible objects that are handled at speed, under firm constraints on control torques
Understanding structures and electronic/spintronic properties of single molecules, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoribbons towards the design of nanodevices
No full textTheoretical understanding of metal nanowires and molecular devices is described towards the design of novel nanodevices. We focus our attention on structures, electronic, and spintronic properties of low dimensional metallic/molecular nanostructures based mostly on our recent works. The discussion includes (i) electric field induced molecular orbital control towards molecular electronic and spintronic devices, (ii) conductances of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons, (iii) low dimensional structures and properties, focusing on the stability, quantum conductance, and magnetic features of metallic nanowires, and (iv) metal vs. carbon nanotube/graphene electrodes for negative differential resistance in molecular electronics
Detection of cognitive impairment using a machine-learning algorithm [Corrigendum]
No full textYoun YC, Choi SH, Shin HW, et al. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:2939–2945.On page 2944, under Supplementary materials section, the Table S2 was incorrect.Read the original article
Contribution of Scalp Regions to Machine Learning-Based Classification of Dementia Utilizing Resting-State qEEG Signals [Corrigendum]
No full textSimfukwe C, An SSA, Youn YC. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2024;20:2375—2389.
The authors have advised that the funding statement on page 2387 is incorrect. The correct statement should read as follows.
FundingThis research was supported by the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ01712403) Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea, and a basic science research program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (RS-2023-00251396 and 2021R1A6A1A03038996).
The authors apologize for this error
Neutral and Anionic Gold Decamers: Planar Structure with Unusual Spatial Charge-Spin Separation
No full textWe have investigated the issue of two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) structures for neutral-state Au(10) and clarified the lowest-energy structure among a few 2D Au(10)(-) isomers. Though almost all previous works were based on density functional theory (DFT), we here carried out not only extensive DFT calculations but also high levels of ab initio calculations of Moller-Plesset second order perturbation theory (MP2), and coupled cluster theory with single and double excitations (CCSD) including perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. While DFT favors 2D structures, MP2 and CCSD(T) favor 3D structures for moderate-sized basis sets. However, we note that the basis-set superposition error (BSSE) corrections make the ab intio results favor 2D structures too. The near-degeneracy (driven by relativistic effects) of 5d and 6s orbitals of gold helps stabilize acute apex gold atoms, resulting in 2D structures. The planar triangular structures of a local minimum Au(10) (triplet) and the global minimum Au(10)(-) show remarkable spatial charge-spin separation due to their singly occupied molecular orbital(s). By the same reason, Au(10)(-) shows much larger vertical detachment energy than other even-numbered gold cluster anions
Cross-priming as a predominant mechanism for inducing CD8(+) T cell responses in gene gun DNA immunization
No full textDNA immunization induces CD8(+) CTL responses by bone marrow-derived APCs, which are directly transfected with a plasmid DNA and/or acquire Ags from DNA-transfected non-APCs. To investigate the relative contribution of DNA-transfected APCs vs non-APCs to the initiation of CD8(+) T cell responses, we used tissue-specific promoter-directed gene expression and adoptive transfer systems in gene gun DNA immunization. In this study, we demonstrated that non-APC-specific gene expressions induced significant CD8(+) CTL and IFN-gamma -producing cells and Ab responses, whereas APC-specific gene expressions led to moderate CTL and IFN-gamma -producers, but no Ab responses. Interestingly, mice immunized with a non-A-PC-specific plasmid induced more rapid, vigorous, and prolonged proliferation of adoptively transferred Ag-specific CD8(+) T cells than APC-specific plasmid-immunized mice. In addition, the in vivo proliferative responses elicited by a non-APC-specific plasmid administration were dependent on TA-P, but were independent of CD4(+) T cell help. Collectively, our results suggest that cross-priming, in which Ags expressed in non-APCs are taken up, processed, and presented by APCs, plays an important role in the initiation, magnitude, and maintenance of CD8(+) T cell responses in gene gun DNA immunization.X1181sciescopu
IL-6 induces long-term protective immunity against a lethal challenge of influenza virus
No full textThe coadministration of cytokines can modulate immunity in DNA based viral vaccines. In order to determine the effects of various cytokines on long-term protection against the influenza virus, mice were intramuscularly coinoculated with plasmids that encoded either the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-12 (IL-12), or the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene, in the presence of two plasmids that encoded the nucleoprotein (NP) and the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of the influenza A virus. The coadministration of IL-4, IL-6 and IL-12 transiently enhanced antibody responses against influenza virus in early time points (4 to 7 week post immunization) after post inoculation. The expression of GMCSF gene resulted in the sustained elevation of antibody responses for at least 20 weeks post inoculation. However, NP-specific CTL responses decreased in these animals. Mice that received either the IL-12 or the IL-6 gene had enhanced NP-specific CTL responses. Remarkably, the coadministration of the IL-6 gene completely protected mice from a lethal challenge with influenza virus. Conversely, mice that received the IL-4 gene appeared to be more susceptible to lethal challenge than mice that were inoculated with the NP and the HA genes alone. These results demonstrate that the use of cytokines as molecular adjuvants when coadministered in influenza DNA vaccination must be specific. Our data also demonstrates that the coadministration of IL-6 should be considered to enhance the efficacy of influenza DNA vaccines. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.X1141sciescopu
Optimal induction of HPV DNA vaccine-induced CD8(+) T cell responses and therapeutic antitumor effect by antigen engineering and electroporation
No full textSince human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 are promising tumor antigens, we engineered E6 and E7 antigens to generate an optimal HPV DNA vaccine by codon optimization (Co), fusion of E6 and E7, addition of a tissue plasminogen activator (tpa) signal sequence, addition of CD40 ligand (CD40L) or Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (Flt3L). The resulting constructs were investigated in terms of their antitumor activity as well as induction of HPV-specific CD8(+) T cell responses. When E6(Co) and E7(Co) were fused (E67(Co)), CD8(+) T cell responses specific for E6 or E7 antigen decreased, but the preventive antitumor effect rather improved, demonstrating the importance of broad immunity. Interestingly, Flt3L-fused HPV DNA vaccine exhibited stronger E6- and E7-specific CD8(+) T cell responses as well as therapeutic antitumor effect than that of CD40L linked HPV DNA vaccine. Finally, the optimal construct, tFE67(Co), was generated by including tpa signal sequence, Flt3L, fusion of E6 and E7. and codon optimization, which induces 23 and 25 times stronger E6- and E7-specific CD8(+) T cell responses than those of initial E67 fusion construct. In particular, inclusion of electroporation in intramuscular immunization of tFE67(Co) further enhances HPV-specific CD8(+) T cell responses, leading to complete tumor regression in a therapeutic setting. Thus, our results provide valuable insight on effective HPV DNA vaccine design and suggest that tFE67(Co) delivered with electroporation may be a promising therapeutic HPV DNA vaccine against cervical cancer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.X113135sciescopu
Differential regulation of antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses by IL-12p40 in a dose-dependent manner
No full textIL-12p40 is a natural antagonist which inhibits IL-12- and IL-23-mediated biological activity by blocking the binding of IL-12/23 to their receptors. Recently, IL-12p40 was also shown to have immune-enhancing activity through the activation of macrophages or dendritic cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of IL-12p40 as a genetic adjuvant on immune modulation using recombinant adenoviruses expressing IL-12p40 (rAd/IL-12p40) and OVA (rAd/OVA). Coimmunization of rAd/IL-12p40 at a low dose (1 x 10(4) PFU) with rAd/OVA resulted in OVA-specific immune enhancement, while a high dose of rAd/IL-12p40 (1 x 10(8) PFU) caused significant suppression of CD8(+) T cell responses. In addition, the enhancement and suppression of OVA-specific CD8(+) T cell responses correlated with antitumor activity against E.G7-OVA tumor challenge, which subsequently affected the survival rate. Moreover, the differential CD8(+) T cell response by IL-12p40 was still observed in IL-12R beta 2 knockout (IL-12R beta 2KO), but not in IL-12R beta 1 knockout (IL-12R beta 1KO) mice, indicating that IL-12p40 is a cytokine which can modulate Ag-specific T cell responses depending on IL-12R beta 1. Our findings provide a novel insight on the physiological role of IL-12p40, which can be informative in the design of vaccine strategies and therapeutic regimens.X119sciescopu
A Radical Polymer as a Two-Dimensional Organic Half Metal
No full textGiven that half-metals are promising futuristic materials for spintronics, organic materials showing half-metal character are highly desirable for spintronic devices, not only owing to their weak spin-orbit and hyperfine interactions, but also their light and flexible properties. We predict that a two-dimensional organic 2,4,6-tri-(1,3,5-tri-azinyl)methyl radical polymer has half-metallic properties as well as a spontaneous magnetic ordering at ambient temperature. The quantum transmission is studied based on the nonequilibrium Green function theory coupled with density functional theory. The half-metallic property in the triazine-based polymer depends mainly on the nature of the p-band in contrast to of conventional half metals in which the nature of the d-band is more important
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