The effect of heat treatment and vacuum conditions on the textural properties and electrochemical performance of commercially available activated carbons (ACs) was investigated. The AC after post-heat treatment was characterized by nitrogen adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. The ACs treated under vacuum conditions exhibit a higher specific surface area and micropore surface area than those treated under nitrogen atmospheric pressure without significantly affecting the graphite structure of the AC. Under 800 °C temperature and vacuum conditions (AC-V800), the AC with the highest Brunauer– Emmett–Teller surface area of 1951.9 m2 g−1 (16.4% improvement relative to that of the original AC (1677.2 m2 g−1)) was obtained. This is attributed to the removal of oxygen-containing functional groups and volatile matters in the carbon by thermal treatment under vacuum conditions. Consequently, the electric double-layer capacitor using ACs treated under vacuum conditions (1 kPa) at 800 °C (AC-V800) shows considerably improved electrochemical performance in terms of higher specific capacitance and better cycling stability at a high working voltage (3.1 V), compared to the nitrogen-treated and commercial ACs.

Three-dimensional (3D) organoids act as model systems because they mimic in vivo tissue morphology. Recent advancements in the field have demonstrated that organoids derived from various organs have assisted in understanding the underlying mechanisms of disease modeling and expanded our knowledge of organ development in vitro. Furthermore, these organoids have become a promising biomaterial in regenerative medicine for therapeutic purposes as well as in nutritional research for feed efficiency measurement in livestock. Intestinal organoids of livestock, including pigs, cattle, chickens, and horses, have been developed. These could be used to examine host-pathogen interactions, such as interaction between enteric viruses and epithelial cells, and are potential alternatives to in vivo systems. However, there are very limited studies regarding species-specific medium to cultivate and establish intestinal organoids of livestock. Species-specific medium is applied differently between species for the cultivation of intestinal organoids, and its modification is important for the maintenance of specific cell types or genes from the cellular diversity of the intestinal epithelium. In this study, we introduce the histological development of a 3D culture system and a species-specific medium for the cultivation of intestinal organoids in livestock. Finally, we discuss the importance and future perspectives of intestinal organoids in the fields of agriculture and biotechnology for various purposes.

This study aimed to develop an environmentally friendly horticultural substrate that promotes the growth of organic onion(Allium cepa L.) seedlings. Four substrates were prepared by mixing different ratios of peatmoss, cocopeat, perlite, vermiculite, and zeolite. Their pH and electrical conductivities ranged from 5.12 to 5.60 and from 0.07 to 0.08 dS/m, respectively. Beneficial microorganisms, molasses, sesame oil cake, and sulfur were added to one substrate combination, which was named “environmentally friendly horticultural substrate” (EFHS). The chemical properties of the EFHS were analyzed and compared with a commercial organic horticultural substrate (OHS) and a commercial general horticultural substrate (GHS). The organic matter and inorganic ion (nitrogen, potassium, calcium, zinc, and sulfur) contents in the EFHS were higher than those in the OHS and GHS. The germination rates of onion seeds in the EFHS were higher than in the OHS and GHS. The mean number of leaves, sheath diameter per seedling, and weight of 30-day-old seedlings grown on the EFHS were greater than those of seedlings grown on the OHS and GHS. The length of the seedlings grown on the EFHS was comparable to that of the seedlings grown on the OHS and greater than that of the seedlings grown on the GHS. Overall, the growth parameters of onion seedlings grown on the EFHS were better than those of seedlings grown on the OHS and GHS, suggesting that the EFHS may be used as an organic horticultural substrate for growing organic onion seedlings.