Promotion of Tricholoma matsutake mycelium growth by Penicillium citreonigrum.

Tricholoma matsutake has been the most valuable ectomycorrhizal fungi in Asia because of its unique flavor and taste. However, due to the difficulty of artificial cultivation, the cultivation of T. matsutake has relied on natural growth in forests. To cultivate the T. matsutake artificially, microorganisms in fairy rings were introduced. In this study, we isolated 30 fungal species of microfungi from the soil of fairy rings. Among them, one single fungal strain showed a promoting effect on the growth of T. matsutake. The growth effect was confirmed by measuring the growth area of T. matsutake and enzyme activities including α-amylase, cellulase, and ß-glucosidase. In comparison with control, microfungal metabolite increased the growth area of T. matsutake by 213% and the enzyme activity of T. matsutake by 110-200%. The isolated fungal strain was identified as Penicillium citreonigrum by BLAST on the NCBI database. The Discovery of this microfungal strain is expected to contribute to artificial cultivation of T. matsutake.

Smooth, Chemically Altered Nucleating Platform for Abrupt Performance Enhancement of Ultrathin Cu-Layer-Based Transparent Electrodes.

Rapid advances in flexible optoelectronic devices necessitate the concomitant development of high-performance, cost-efficient, and flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). This Letter reports an abrupt enhancement in the optoelectronic characteristics of ultrathin Cu-layer-based TCEs via Ar+-mediated modulation of the chemical and physical states of a ZnO support surface. This approach strongly regulates the growth mode for the subsequently deposited Cu layer, in addition to marked alteration to the ZnO/Cu interface states, resulting in exceptional TCE performance in the form of ZnO/Cu/ZnO TCEs. The resultant Haacke figure of merit (T10/Rs) of 0.063 Ω-1, 53% greater than that of the unaltered, otherwise identical structure, corresponds to a record-high value for Cu-layer-based TCEs. Moreover, the enhanced TCE performance in this approach is shown to be highly sustainable under severe simultaneous loadings of electrical, thermal, and mechanical stresses.

Gene Expression Analyses of Mutant Flammulina velutipes (Enokitake Mushroom) with Clogging Phenomenon.

Regulation of proper gene expression is important for cellular and organismal survival, maintenance, and growth. Abnormal gene expression, even for a single critical gene, can thwart cellular integrity and normal physiology to cause diseases, aging, and death. Therefore, gene expression profiling serves as a powerful tool to understand the pathology of diseases and to cure them. In this study, the difference in gene expression in Flammulina velutipes was compared between the wild type (WT) mushroom and the mutant one with clogging phenomenon. Differentially expressed transcripts were screened to identify the candidate genes responsible for the mutant phenotype using the DNA microarray analysis. A total of 88 genes including 60 upregulated and 28 downregulated genes were validated using the real-time quantitative PCR analysis. In addition, proteomic differences between the WT and mutant mushroom were analyzed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Interestingly, the genes identified by these genomic and proteomic analyses were involved in stress response, translation, and energy/sugar metabolism, including HSP70, elongation factor 2, and pyruvate kinase. Together, our data suggest that the aberrant expression of these genes attributes to the mutant clogging phenotype. We propose that these genes can be targeted to foster normal growth in F. velutipes.

Simultaneous Enhancement in Visible Transparency and Electrical Conductivity via the Physicochemical Alterations of Ultrathin-Silver-Film-Based Transparent Electrodes.

A methodology for the simultaneous modulation of the chemical and physical states of an amorphous TiOx layer surface and its impact on the subsequent deposition of a polycrystalline Ag layer are presented. The smoothened TiOx layer surface comprising chemically altered, oxygen-deficient states serves as a nucleating platform for Ag deposition, facilitating a marked increase (∼75%) in the nucleation number density, which strongly enhances the wettability of ultrathin Ag layers. The physically smoothened TiOx/Ag interface further reduces the optical and electrical losses. When the proposed methodology is applied to TiOx/Ag/ZnO transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs), exceptional TCE properties are yielded owing to the simultaneous improvement in visible transparency and electrical conductivity; specifically, a record-high 0.22 Ω-1 Haacke figure of merit is realized. TCEs are prepared on flexible substrates to verify their applicability as stand-alone flexible transparent heaters and as integrated heaters within electrochromic devices to enhance color-switching reactions.

Strategy for Fabricating Ultrathin Au Film Electrodes with Ultralow Optoelectrical Losses and High Stability.

A vital objective in the wetting of Au deposited on chemically heterogeneous oxides is to synthesize a completely continuous, highly crystalline, ultrathin-layered geometry with minimized electrical and optical losses. However, no effective solution has been proposed for synthesizing an ideal Au-layered structure. This study presents evidence for the effectiveness of atomic oxygen-mediated growth of such an ideal Au layer by improving Au wetting on ZnO substrates with a substantial reduction in free energy. The unexpected outcome of the atomic oxygen-mediated Au growth can be attributed to the unconventional segregation and incorporation of atomic oxygen along the outermost boundaries of Au nanostructures evolving in the clustering and layering stages. Moreover, the experimental and numerical investigations revealed the spontaneous migration of atomic oxygen from an interstitial oxygen surplus ZnO bulk to the Au-ZnO interface, as well as the segregation (float-out) of the atomic oxygen toward the top Au surfaces. Thus, the implementation of a 4-nm-thick, two-dimensional, quasi-single-crystalline Au layer with a nearly complete crystalline realignment at a mild temperature (570 K) enabled exceptional optoelectrical performance with record-low resistivity (<7.5 × 10-8 Ω·m) and minimal optical loss (∼3.5%) at a wavelength of 700 nm.

Micro-to-Nanometer Scale Patterning of Perovskite Inks via Controlled Self-Assemblies.

In the past decade, perovskite materials have gained intensive interest due to their remarkable material properties in optoelectronics and photodetectors. This review highlights recent advances in micro-to-nanometer scale patterning of perovskite inks, placing an undue emphasis on recently developed approaches to harness spatially ordered and crystallographically oriented structures with unprecedented regularity via controlled self-assemblies, including blade coating, inkjet printing, and nanoimprinting. Patterning of the perovskite elements at the micro- or nanometer scale might be a key parameter for their integration in a real system. Nowadays, unconventional approaches based on irreversible solution evaporation hold an important position in the structuring and integration of perovskite materials. Herein, easier type patterning techniques based on evaporations of polymer solutions and the coffee ring effect are systematically reviewed. The recent progress in the potential applications of the patterned perovskite inks is also introduced.

Endophytic Fungi of Salt-Tolerant Plants: Diversity and Ability to Promote Plant Growth.

Suaeda australis, Phragmites australis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Limonium tetragonum in the Seocheon salt marsh on the west coast of the Korean Penincula were sampled in order to identify the endophytes inhabiting the roots. A total of 128 endophytic fungal isolates belonging to 31 different genera were identified using the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene. Fusarium, Paraconiothyrium and Alternaria were the most commonly isolated genera in the plant root samples. Various diversity indicators were used to assess the diversity of the isolated fungi. Pure cultures containing each of the 128 endophytic fungi, respectively, were tested for the plant growth-promoting abilities of the fungus on Waito-C rice germinals. The culture filtrate of the isolate Lt-1-3-3 significantly increased the growth of shoots compared to the shoots treated with the control. Lt-1-3-3 culture filtrate was analyzed and showed the presence of gibberellins (GA1 2.487 ng/ml, GA3 2.592 ng/ml, GA9 3.998, and GA24 6.191 ng/ml). The culture filtrate from the Lt-1-3-3 fungal isolate produced greater amounts of GA9 and GA24 than the wild-type Gibberella fujikuroi, a fungus known to produce large amounts of gibberellins. By the molecular analysis, fungal isolate Lt-1-3-3 was identified as Gibberella intermedia, with 100% similarity.

Comparing the Effectiveness of a Wearable Activity Tracker in Addition to Counseling and Counseling Only to Reinforce Leisure-Time Physical Activity among Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of a wearable activity tracker (WAT) in addition to counseling (WAT+counseling) and counseling only for reinforcing leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among breast cancer patients during radiotherapy (RT). A total of 152 breast cancer patients who were planning to undergo radiation therapy (RT) after surgery participated in the study. The WAT+counseling group (n = 76) underwent physical activity (PA) self-monitoring using a WAT and participated in counseling. The counseling-only group (n = 76) received telephone counseling once a week during RT and did not receive WAT. The WAT+counseling group had increased relative change in self-reported LTPA (102.8) compared with the counseling-only group (57.8) immediately after RT compared to baseline. Although the relative changes of self-reported LTPA of the WAT+counseling group were higher at three and six months after the end of RT compared to in the counseling-only group, the results were not significant. The mean average daily step count of the WAT+counseling group was 9351.7, which increased to 11,592.2 during RT and 12,240.1 after RT. In the subgroup analysis, patients who did not perform regular PA before cancer diagnosis had significantly increased step counts. This study shows the feasibility of WAT with counseling to reinforce PA among breast cancer patients.

Pyrosequencing and Taxonomic Composition of the Fungal Community from Soil of Tricholoma matsutake in Gyeongju.

Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with the root of Pinus densiflora. Soil microbial communities greatly affect the growth of T. matsutake, however, few studies have examined the characteristics of these communities. In the present study, we analyzed soil fungal communities from Gyeongju and Yeongdeok using metagenomic pyrosequencing to investigate differences in fungal species diversity, richness, and taxonomic composition between the soil under T. matsutake fruiting bodies (Sample 2) and soil where the fairy ring of T. matsutake was no longer present (Sample 1). The same spot was investigated three times at intervals of four months to observe changes in the community. In the samples from Yeongdeok, the number of valid reads was lower than that at Gyeongju. The operational taxonomic units of most Sample 2 groups were less than those of Sample 1 groups, indicating that fungal diversity was low in the T. matsutakedominant soil. The soil under the T. matsutake fruiting bodies was dominated by more than 51% T. matsutake. From fall to the following spring, the ratio of T. matsutake decreased. Basidiomycota was the dominant phylum in most samples. G-F1-2, G-F2-2, and Y-F1-2 had the genera Tricholoma, Umbelopsis, Oidiodendron, Sagenomella, Cladophialophora, and Phialocephala in common. G-F1-1, G-F2-1, and Y-F1-1 had 10 genera including Umbelopsis and Sagenomella in common. From fall to the following spring, the amount of phyla Basidiomycota and Mucoromycota gradually decreased but that of phylum Ascomycota increased. We suggest that the genus Umbelopsis is positively related to T. matsutake.

Diversity and Plant Growth Promotion of Fungal Endophytes in Five Halophytes from the Buan Salt Marsh.

The diversity and plant growth-promoting ability of fungal endophytes that are associated with five halophytic plant species (Phragmites australis, Suaeda australis, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Suaeda maritima) growing in the Buan salt marsh on the west coast of South Korea have been explored. About 188 fungal strains were isolated from these plant samples' roots and were then studied with the use of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). The endophytic fungal strains belonged to 33 genera. Alternaria (18%) and Fusarium (12.8%), of the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes, were most rampant in the coastal salt marsh plants. There was a higher diversity in fungal endophytes that are isolated from S. glauca Bunge than in isolates from other coastal salt marsh plants. Plant growth-promoting experiments with the use of Waito-C rice seedlings show that some of the fungal strains could encourage a more efficient growth than others. Furthermore, gibberellins (GAs) GA1, GA3, and GA9 were seen in the Sa-1-4-3 isolate (Acrostalagmus luteoalbus) culture filtrate with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Diversity and Plant Growth-Promoting Effects of Fungal Endophytes Isolated from Salt-Tolerant Plants.

Fungal endophytes are symbiotic microorganisms that are often found in asymptomatic plants. This study describes the genetic diversity of the fungal endophytes isolated from the roots of plants sampled from the west coast of Korea. Five halophytic plant species, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda australis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Phragmites australis, were collected from a salt marsh in Gochang and used to isolate and identify culturable, root-associated endophytic fungi. The fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 was used as the DNA barcode for the classification of these specimens. In total, 156 isolates of the fungal strains were identified and categorized into 23 genera and two phyla (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota), with Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes as the predominant classes. The genus Alternaria accounted for the largest number of strains, followed by Cladosporium and Fusarium. The highest diversity index was obtained from the endophytic fungal group associated with the plant P. australis. Waito-C rice seedlings were treated with the fungal culture filtrates to analyze their plant growth-promoting capacity. A bioassay of the Sm-3-7-5 fungal strain isolated from S. maritima confirmed that it had the highest plant growth-promoting capacity. Molecular identification of the Sm-3-7-5 strain revealed that it belongs to Alternaria alternata and is a producer of gibberellins. These findings provided a fundamental basis for understanding the symbiotic interactions between plants and fungi.

The Transmittance Modulation of ZnO/Cu/ZnO Transparent Conductive Electrodes Prepared on Glass Substrates.

With the explosive development of optoelectronic devices, the need for high-performance transparent conductive (TCE) electrodes for optoelectronic devices has been increasing accordingly. The two major TCE requirements are (1) visible light average transmittance higher than 80% and (2) sheet resistance lower than 10 Ω/sq. In this study, we investigated the critical role of the top and bottom ZnO thicknesses for the ZnO/Cu/ZnO electrodes prepared on glass substrates. It was shown that the required Cu thickness to meet the conductivity requirement is 8 nm, which was fixed and then the thicknesses of the top and ZnO layers were independently varied to experimentally determine the optimized conditions for optical transparency. The thicknesses of the top and bottom ZnO layers were both found to significantly affect the peak transmittance as well as the average visible light transmittance. The ZnO/Cu/ZnO electrode exhibits peak and average transmittance of 95.4% and 87.4%, excluding the transmittance of glass substrates, along with a sheet resistance of 9.7 Ω/sq, with a corresponding Haacke's figure of merit (φH=Tave10Rs) of 0.064, which exceeds the reported value for the ZnO/Cu/ZnO electrodes, manifesting the need of experimental optimization in this study.

Biosynthesis of (R)-(-)-1-Octen-3-ol in Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Lipoxygenase-1 and Hydroperoxide Lyase Genes from Tricholoma matsutake.

Tricholoma matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, related with the host of Pinus densiflora. Most of studies on T. matsutake have focused on mycelial growth, genes and genomics, phylogenetics, symbiosis, and immune activity of this strain. T. matsutake is known for its unique fragrance in Eastern Asia. The most major component of its scent is (R)-(-)-1-octen-3-ol and is biosynthesized from the substrate linoleic acid by the sequential reaction of lipoxygenase and peroxide lyase. Here, we report for the first time the biosynthesis of (R)-(-)- 1-octen-3-ol of T. matsutake using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a host. In this study, cDNA genes correlated with these reactions were cloned from T. matsutake, and expression studies of theses genes were carried out in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The product of these genes expression study was carried out with Western blotting. The biosynthesis of (R)-(-)- 1-octen-3-ol of T. matsutake in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae was subsequently identified with GC-MS chromatography analysis. The biosynthesis of (R)-(-)-1-octen-3-ol with S. cerevisiae represents a significant step forward.

Comamonas flocculans sp. nov., a Floc-Forming Bacterium Isolated from Livestock Wastewater.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, floc-forming, and non-spore-forming bacterium, designated as NLF-7-7T, was isolated from the biofilm of a sample collected from a livestock wastewater treatment plant in Nonsan, Republic of Korea. Strain NLF-7-7T, forms a visible floc and grows in the flocculated state. Cells of strain NLF-7-7T grew optimally at pH 6.5 and 30 °C and in the presence of 0.5% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain NLF-7-7T belonged to the family Comamonadaceae, and was most closely related to Comamonas badia DSM 17552T (95.8% similarity) and Comamonas nitrativorans 23310T (94.0% similarity). The phylogenetic and phenotypic data indicate strain NLF-7-7T is clearly distinguished from the Comamonas lineage. The major cellular fatty acids were C10:0 3OH, C16:0, and summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c/C16:1 ω7c). The respiratory quinone was Q-8. The polar lipids were composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and an unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain NLF-7-7 was 68.0 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic properties, strain NLF-7-7T represents a novel species of the genus Comamonas, for which the name Comamonas flocculans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is C. flocculans NLF-7-7T (=KCTC 62943T). The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Comamonas flocculans NLF-7-7T is MN527436. The whole-genome shotgun BioProject Number is PRJNA555370 with the Accession Number CP042344.

Design of Resistor-Capacitor Physically Unclonable Function for Resource-Constrained IoT Devices.

Keeping IoT devices secure has been a major challenge recently. One of the possible solutions to secure IoT devices is to use a physically unclonable function (PUF). A PUF is a security primitive that can generate device-specific cryptographic information by extracting the features of hardware uncertainty. Because PUF instances are very difficult to replicate even by the manufacturer, the generated bit sequence can be used as cryptographic keys or as a unique identifier for the device. Regarding the implementation of PUF, the majority of PUFs introduced over the past decade are in the form of active components and have been implemented as separate chips or embedded as a part of a chip, making it difficult to use them in low-cost IoT devices due to cost and design flexibility. One approach to easily adopt PUFs in resource-constrained IoT devices is to use passive components such as resistors and capacitors (RC) that can be configured at low cost. The main feature of this RC-based PUF is that it extracts the small difference caused by charging and discharging of RC circuits and uses it as a response. In this paper, we extend the previous research and show the possibility to secure IoT devices by using the RC-based PUF.

Penicillium ulleungdoense sp. nov. from Ulleung Island in Korea.

In a study of the fungal diversity on Ulleung Island in Korea, three novel strains of Penicillium were isolated. Different sites on Ulleung Island were selected for collecting endophytic fungi, and three endophytic fungal strains showed unique morphological characteristics. DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer, ß-tubulin, calmodulin, and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit regions of the strains were analyzed and they showed unique taxonomic position from the other species of Penicillium section Sclerotiora. The new strains were named Penicillium ulleungdoense sp. nov. As the novel endophytic Penicillium taxa were discovered in a unique environment, the data could be meaningful for understanding the geographical distribution of Ascomycetes on Ulleung Island.

The Transmittance Modulation of ZnO/Ag/ZnO Flexible Transparent Electrodes Fabricated by Magnetron Sputtering.

In this study, the critical role of the oxide thickness at the top and bottom layers of the ZnO/Ag/ZnO flexible transparent conductive electrodes was investigated. The peak transmittance of an 8 nm thick Ag electrode was observed at a wavelength of 320 nm, while the addition of the top and bottom ZnO layers, which serve as antireflection coating, resulted in peak shifts to the visible light wavelengths with a simultaneous improvement in the transmittance as well as the spectral uniformity. By independently varying the thickness values of the top and bottom ZnO layers, it was determined that the thickness variation of the top ZnO layer had a dominant effect in the transmittance, while a lesser but still significant contribution was obtained by varying the thickness of the bottom ZnO layer. At the optimized values of thickness for the top and bottom ZnO layers, the ZnO/Ag/ZnO electrode exhibits peak and average transmittance of 97.2% and 89.7%, respectively, along with a sheet resistance of 7.8 Ω/sq, with a corresponding Haacke's figure of merit (ΦH = T10ave/Rs) of 0.043, which exceeds that of the conventional indium-tin-oxide electrodes.

Observing Oxygen Vacancy Driven Electroforming in Pt-TiO2-Pt Device via Strong Metal Support Interaction.

Oxygen vacancy formation, migration, and subsequent agglomeration into conductive filaments in transition metal oxides under applied electric field is widely believed to be responsible for electroforming in resistive memory devices, although direct evidence of such a pathway is lacking. Here, by utilizing strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between Pt and TiO2, we observe via transmission electron microscopy the electroforming event in lateral Pt/TiO2/Pt devices where the atomic Pt from the electrode itself acts as a tracer for the propagating oxygen vacancy front. SMSI, which originates from the d-orbital overlap between Pt atom and the reduced cation of the insulating oxide in the vicinity of oxygen vacancies, was optimized by fabricating nanoscale devices causing Pt atom migration tracking the moving oxygen vacancy front from the anode to cathode during electroforming. Experiments performed in different oxidizing and reducing conditions, which tune SMSI in the Pt-TiO2 system, further confirmed the role of oxygen vacancies during electroforming. These observations also demonstrate that the noble metal electrode may not be as inert as previously assumed.

The safety and efficacy of EGF-based cream for the prevention of radiotherapy-induced skin injury: results from a multicenter observational study.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topically applied recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) for the prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis in cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From December 2010 to April 2012, a total of 1,172 cancer patients who received radiotherapy (RT) of more than 50 Gy were prospectively enrolled and treated with EGF-based cream. An acute skin reaction classified according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 6-point rating scale was the primary end point and we also assessed the occurrence of edema, dry skin, or pruritus. RESULTS: The percentage of radiation dermatitis with maximum grade 0 and grade 1 was 19% and 58% at the time of 50 Gy, and it became 29% and 47% after completion of planned RT. This increment was observed only in breast cancer patients (from 18%/62% to 32%/49%). Adverse events related to the EGF-based cream developed in 49 patients (4%) with mild erythema the most common. Skin toxicity grade >2 was observed in 5% of the patients. Edema, dry skin, and pruritus grade ≥3 developed in 9%, 9%, and 1% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic use of an EGF-based cream is effective in preventing radiation dermatitis with tolerable toxicity. Further studies comparing EGF cream with other topical agents may be necessary.

Crystallographic anisotropy of the resistivity size effect in single crystal tungsten nanowires.

This work demonstrates an anisotropic increase in resistivity with decreasing width in single crystal tungsten (W) nanowires having a height of 21 nm. Nanowire-widths were in the range of 15-451 nm, with the anisotropy observed for widths below 50 nm. The longitudinal directions of the nanowires coincided with the <100>, <110> and <111> orientations of the body centered cubic phase of W. The resistivity increase was observed to be minimized for the <111>-oriented single crystal nanowires, exhibiting a factor of two lower increase in resistivity at a width of ~15 nm, relative to the thin film resistivity (i.e., an infinitely wide wire). The observed anisotropy is attributed to crystallographic anisotropy of the Fermi velocity and the resultant anisotropy of the electron mean free path in W, and underscores the critical role of crystallographic orientation in nanoscale metallic conduction.