Laser‐induced graphene (LIG) is a newly emerging 3D porous material produced when irradiating a laser beam on certain carbon materials. LIG exhibits high porosity, excellent electrical conductivity, and good mechanical flexibility. Predesigned LIG patterns can be directly fabricated on diverse carbon materials with controllable microstructure, surface property, electrical conductivity, chemical composition, and heteroatom doping. This selective, low‐cost, chemical‐free, and maskless patterning technology minimizes the usage of raw materials, diminishes the environmental impact, and enables a wide range of applications ranging from academia to industry. In this review, the recent developments in 3D porous LIG are comprehensively summarized. The mechanism of LIG formation is first introduced with a focus on laser‐material interactions and material transformations during laser irradiation. The effects of laser types, fabrication parameters, and lasing environment on LIG structures and properties are thoroughly discussed. The potentials of LIG for advanced applications including biosensors, physical sensors, supercapacitors, batteries, triboelectric nanogenerators, and so on are also highlighted. Finally, current challenges and future prospects of LIG research are discussed.

BackgroundKorean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a well-known natural product with anticarcinogenic and antioxidant effects. We evaluated the antifatigue effect of KRG in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).MethodsEighty patients with NAFLD were prospectively randomized to receive 3 wk of KRG or placebo in addition to counseling on healthy eating and regular exercise. Liver function test, proinflammatory cytokines, adiponectin, antioxidant activity, and fatigue score were measured and compared according to the body mass index between the KRG and placebo groups.ResultsThe liver function tests were significantly improved after 3 wk of treatment in both groups. The mean levels (at baseline and after treatment) of tumor necrosis factor-α were 108.0 pg/mL ± 54.8 pg/mL and 92.7 pg/mL ± 39.0 pg/mL (p = 0.018) in the KRG group and 123.1 pg/mL ± 42.1 pg/mL and 127.5 pg/mL ± 62.2 pg/mL (p = 0.694) in the placebo group, respectively. There was a significant difference in change of adiponectin levels between the KRG (7,751.2 pg/mL ± 3,108.1 pg/mL and 8,197.3 pg/mL ± 2,714.5 pg/mL) and placebo groups (7,711.6 pg/mL ± 3,041.3 pg/mL and 7,286.1 pg/mL ± 5,188.7 pg/mL, p = 0.027). In patients with overweight, the fatigue score was significantly decreased in the KRG group (35.0 ± 13.2 and 24.5 ± 8.9, p = 0.019).ConclusionOur results show that KRG might be effective in reducing proinflammatory cytokine and fatigue in overweight patients with NAFLD, in addition to improvements in adiponectin levels.

The development of green flexible micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) is one of the biggest challenges in future wearable electronics. Flexible MSCs are mainly produced from non-biodegradable synthetic polymers, resulting in massive electronic waste. Moreover, complex multi-step fabrication increases their production cost. Here, the direct fabrication of highly conductive, intrinsically flexible, and green microelectrodes from naturally fallen leaves in ambient air using femtosecond laser pulses without any additional materials is reported. Hierarchically porous graphene is patterned on different types of leaves via a facile, mask-less, scalable, and one-step laser writing. Leaves consist of biominerals, which decompose into inorganic crystals that serve as nucleation sites for the growth of 3D mesoporous few-layer graphene. The femtosecond laserinduced graphene (FsLIG) microelectrodes formed on leaves have lower sheet resistance (23.3 Ω sq −1 ) than their synthetic polymer counterparts and exhibit an outstanding areal capacitance (34.68 mF cm −2 at 5 mV s −1 ) and capacitance retention (≈99% after 50 000 charge/discharge cycles). The FsLIG MSCs on a single leaf could easily power a light-emitting diode or a table clock and could be applied in wearable electronics, smart houses, and Internet of Things.

BackgroundMultiple pathogenic factors may contribute to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Peripheral blood markers have been used to assess biochemical changes associated with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and involved in their pathophysiology.MethodsPlasma samples and clinical data were obtained from participants in the Ansan Geriatric Study (AGE study). Plasma concentrations of four candidate biomarkers were measured in the normal control (NC), MCI, and AD group: interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).Body mass index (BMI), MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination), CDR(Clinical Dementia Rating) score and homocystein level were recorded with social and demographic information.ResultsTotal of 59 subjects were randomly selected for this analysis [NC (n = 21), MCI(n = 20) and AD(n = 18)]. In demographic data, educational year was correlated with the diagnosis states ( p < 0.0001). No significant differences in cardiovascular disease, BMI and use of NSAIDs were found in MCI or AD group compared with NC group, respectively. The involvement of inflammatory illness or conditions in subjects, WBC count, fibrinogen and homocystein of the three groups, but no significant differences were found in each groups. The plasma IL-8 level was lower in MCI and AD patients compared with the normal control group (respectively, p < 0.0001). The MCI and AD patients had similar MCP-1, IL-10, and TNF-α level.ConclusionsOur study suggests the existence of an independent and negative relationship between plasma IL-8 levels and functional status in MCI and AD patients.

BackgroundCadmium(Cd), a heavy metal, which has a potent harmful effects, is a highly stress-inducible material that is robustly expressed following disruption of homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (so-called ER stress). The mechanism Cd induced cell death of neuroblastoma cells complex, involving cellular signaling pathways as yet incompletely defined but, in part, involving the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Several studies have correlated GADD153 expression with cell death, but a mechanistic link between GADD153 and apoptosis has never been demonstrated.ResultsSH-SY5Y cells were treated Cd led to increase in intracellular ROS levels. ROS generation is not consistent with intracellular [Ca2+]. The exposure of neuroblastoma cells to Cd led to increase in intracellular GADD153 and Bak levels in a doses and time dependent manner. The induction of these genes by Cd was attenuated by NAC. Cd-induced apoptosis is decreased in GADD153 knockdown cells compared with normal cells. The effect of GADD153 on the binding of C/EBP to the Bak promoters were analyzed ChIP assay. Basal constitutive GADD153 recruitment to the –3,398/–3,380 region of the Bak promoter is observed in SH-SY5Y cells.ConclusionsThe exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to Cd led to increase in intracellular ROS levels in a doses and time dependent manner. The generation of ROS result in the induction of GADD153 is causative of cadmium-induced apoptosis. GADD153 regulates Bak expression by its binding to promoter region (between −3,398 and −3,380). Therefore, we conclude that GADD153 sensitizes cells to ROS through mechanisms that involve up-regulation of BAK and enhanced oxidant injury.