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Background: Emerging research has suggested a link between ambient temperature and mental and neurological conditions such as depression and dementia. This systematic review aims to summarize the epidemiological evidence on the effects of ambient temperature on mental and neurological conditions in older adults, who may be more vulnerable to temperature-related health effects compared to younger individuals. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Ovid/Embase, Web of Science, and Ovid/PsycINFO on July 17, 2023, and updated on July 31, 2024. We included epidemiological studies investigating the association between ambient temperature exposures and numerous mental and neurological conditions in populations aged 60 years and older. Exclusions were made for studies on indoor or controlled exposure, suicide, substance abuse, those not published as peer-reviewed journal articles, or those not written in English. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed using a tool developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Qualitative synthesis was performed on all eligible studies, and random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on groups of at least four studies sharing similar study design, exposure metric, and health outcome. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework modified by the WHO. Results: From 16,786 screened articles, 76 studies were deemed eligible, primarily from mainland China and North America. There was notable heterogeneity in study variables and methodologies. The most commonly used exposure metrics were daily absolute temperature and heat waves, and time-series and case-crossover analyses were the most frequently employed study designs. Meta-analysis of four studies on the effect of a 1 °C increase in temperature on hospital admissions/visits for mental disorders showed a pooled risk ratio (RR) of 1.014 (95 % Confidence Interval, CI: 1.001, 1.026). Comparing heat wave days to non-heat wave days, pooled effect estimates showed increased risk in hospital admissions/visits (RR: 1.269; 95 % CI: 1.030, 1.564; six studies) and mortality related to mental disorders (RR: 1.266; 95 % CI: 0.956, 1.678; four studies). Despite the limited number of studies on cold exposures, they consistently reported that lower temperatures were associated with an increased risk of various mental and neurological conditions. Conclusions: This review presents epidemiological evidence of the adverse impacts of ambient temperature exposures, such as high temperatures and heat waves, on mental and neurological conditions among the older adult population, with overall moderate certainty. The findings highlight the need for greater attention to the mental and neurological health of older adults in the context of climate change and population aging.Registration number (PROSPERO ID): CRD42023428137.

Abstract Background Long-term exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to increased mortality risk. However, limited studies have examined the potential modifying effect of community-level characteristics on this association, particularly in Asian contexts. This study aimed to estimate the effects of long-term exposure to PM2.5 on mortality in South Korea and to examine whether community-level deprivation, medical infrastructure, and greenness modify these associations. Methods We conducted a nationwide cohort study using the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. A total of 394,701 participants aged 30 years or older in 2006 were followed until 2019. Based on modelled PM2.5 concentrations, 1 to 3-year and 5-year moving averages of PM2.5 concentrations were assigned to each participant at the district level. Time-varying Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate the association between PM2.5 and non-accidental, circulatory, and respiratory mortality. We further conducted stratified analysis by community-level deprivation index, medical index, and normalized difference vegetation index to represent greenness. Results PM2.5 exposure, based on 5-year moving averages, was positively associated with non-accidental (Hazard ratio, HR: 1.10, 95% Confidence Interval, CI: 1.01, 1.20, per 10 µg/m3 increase) and circulatory mortality (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.47). The 1-year moving average of PM2.5 was associated with respiratory mortality (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.67). We observed higher associations between PM2.5 and mortality in communities with higher deprivation and limited medical infrastructure. Communities with higher greenness showed lower risk for circulatory mortality but higher risk for respiratory mortality in association with PM2.5. Conclusions Our study found mortality effects of long-term PM2.5 exposure and underlined the role of community-level factors in modifying these association. These findings highlight the importance of considering socio-environmental contexts in the design of air quality policies to reduce health disparities and enhance overall public health outcomes.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji menganalisis (1). perencanaan dalam menggunakan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5, (2). pelaksanaan dalam menggunakan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5, (3). evaluasi dalam menggunakan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif dengan menggunakan jenis deskriptif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu observasi, wawancara, dan dokmentasi. Analisis data pada penelitian ini menggunakan reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Keabsahan data yang digunakan triangulasi data. Hasil penelitian ini sebagai berikut: (1) Perencanaan dalam menggunakan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5 MI Tarbiyatul Banin Kecamatan Gladagsari Kabupaten Boyolali dan MI Salafyah Kendal yaitu penyiapan Rencana Pelakasanan Pembelajaran (RPP), penyiapan media pembelajaran, dan penyiapan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA. (2). Pelaksanaan dalam menggunakan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5 MI Kecamatan Tarbiyatul Banin Gladagsari Kabupaten Boyolali dan MI Salafyah Kendal yaitu langkah-langkah pelaksanaan strategi peer lessons, pengkondisian saat melaksanakan strategi peer lessons, dan perbedaan strategi peer lessons dengan strategi lain. (3). Evaluasi pelaksanaan strategi peer lessons pada mata pelajaran IPA siswa kelas 5 MI Tarbiyatul Banin Kecamatan Gladagsari Kabupaten Boyolali dan MI Salafyah Kendal yaitu pada keaktifan, motivasi, dan hasil belajar siswa dalam menggunakan strategi peer lesson

So far, six Fannia species have been discovered in Korea. During a taxonomic survey of this genus, the authors found two newly recorded species for the first time in Korea: F. barbata (Stein, 1892) and F. japonica Nishida, 1974. Diagnoses, illustrations, and keys to the Korean species are provided.

Abstract Although altered networks inside the hippocampus (hippocampal intra-networks) have been observed in dementia, the evaluation of hippocampal intra-networks using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is challenging. We employed conventional structural imaging and incident component analysis (ICA) to investigate the structural covariance of the hippocampal intra-networks. We aimed to assess altered hippocampal intra-networks in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A cross-sectional study of 2122 participants with 3T MRI (median age 69 years, 60.9% female) were divided into 218 patients with MCI and 1904 cognitively normal older adults (CNOA). By employing 3D T1-weighted imaging, voxels within the hippocampus were entered into the ICA analysis to extract the structural covariance intra-networks within the hippocampus. The ICA extracted 16 intra-networks from the hippocampal structural images, which were divided into two bilateral networks and 14 ipsilateral networks. Of the 16 intra-networks, two (one bilateral network and one ipsilateral networks) were significant predictors of MCI from the CNOA after adjusting for age, sex, education, disease history, and hippocampal volume/total intracranial volume ratio. In conclusion, we found that the relationship between hippocampal intra-networks and MCI was independent from the hippocampal volume. Our results suggest that altered hippocampal intra-networks may reflect a different pathology in MCI from that of brain atrophy.

Background: Transition from pediatric to adult healthcare and services is an important event in the life course of all youth, including youth living with medical complexity. Data from the National Survey of Children’s Health indicates less than 20 % of youth receive health care transition services. The goal of our study was understanding the support, tools and resources that facilitate successful health care transition of young adults living with medical complexity. Methods: Young adults living with medical complexity and their parents shared their lived experience of ‘what worked’ and ‘what is needed’ for successful health care transition during focus group sessions. Content analysis of transcripts used an iterative and deductive approach guided by a priori themes. Findings: The voices of ten young adults and fourteen parents were shared during three virtual focus group sessions. They described health care transition (HCT) as an individualized process with success relying on consistent, clearly-defined and systemwide guidelines and resources. Moving from pediatric/family-focused care to adult/patient-focused care requires increased self-management and young adults often felt under-prepared for this role. Support from formal transition coordinators would improve communication between the multiple health, county/state agency and education systems involved during the transition period. Conclusions: Understanding the support, tools, and resources specifically needed by young adults with medical complexity for successful pediatric to adult health care transition is a critical first step in addressing the documented lack of transition services for this vulnerable population. This includes formal peer support programs for young adults with medical complexity and their parents.

Damage to the intestinal barrier causes intestinal inflammation, which could lead to the development of gastrointestinal diseases. Nut oils contain an abundance of unsaturated fatty acids, which are responsible for most of the bioactivities of nut oils. Here, the protective effect of four nut oils on the intestinal epithelial barrier was confirmed using Caco-2 cells damaged by tumor necrosis factor-α/interferon-γ treatment. Nut oils effectively increased transepithelial electronic resistance and lowered paracellular fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran permeability in damaged Caco-2 cells. Furthermore, the nut oils inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokine production of interleukin-6, which was induced by the inflammatory response. In particular, walnut oil effectively improved tight junction protein (occludin and zonula occludens-1) expression and distribution in damaged Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, our findings suggest that nut oils are promising candidates for impaired intestinal barrier protection.

The field study was undertaken to examine the potential for adverse effects of transgenic soybean expressing bioactive human epidermal growth factor (with tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate, PPT) on the abundance and diversity of plant‐dwelling arthropods by comparing with those of a non‐GM parental cultivar, Gwangan soybean. Field surveys of soybean fields were carried out over two consecutive years, 2016 and 2017 at Ochang and Jeonju, Korea. The number of captured individuals associated with either of EGF and Gwangan soybean plants increased in 2017 compared with 2016 in both Ochang and Jeonju. During the survey period, the diversity and richness of the occurred insects and arachnids increased, dominance decreased, and the evenness of the insects remained static. The insects of Hymenoptera Order occurred most often comprised 25.4% of total captured insect pests. On the contrary, natural enemy from Hymenoptera Order and other insects from Diptera Order occurred more frequently (29.9% and 19.0%, respectively) in both the survey regions during the study periods. The score from PROXSCAL multidimensional scaling using combined data showed that the occurrence of insects and arachnids were separated due to their cultivation regions and years, irrespective of soybean cultivars. Consequently, the results indicated that there happened no notable change in the composition of arthropod communities in soybean agroecosystem due to GM event in soybean expressing EGF.

Abstract The resistive switching behavior of the solution processed SiOx device was investigated by inserting TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Compared to the pristine SiOx device, the TiO2 NPs inserted SiOx (SiOx@TiO2 NPs) device achieves outstanding switching characteristics, namely a higher ratio of SET/RESET, lower operating voltages, improved cycle-to-cycle variability, faster switching speed, and multiple-RESET states. Density functional theory calculation (DFT) and circuit breaker simulation (CB) were used to detail the origin of the outstanding switching characteristic of the SiOx@TiO2 NPs. The improvement in resistive switching is mainly based on the difference in formation/rupture of the conductive path in the SiO2 and SiO2@TiO2 NPs devices. In particular, the reduction of resistance and lower switching voltage of TiO2 NPs control the formation and rupture of the conductive path to achieve more abrupt switching between SET/RESET with higher on/off ratio. This method of combined DFT calculation and CB offers a promising approach for high-performance non-volatile memory applications.

In this study, we conducted whole-genome sequencing with six species of Pectobacterium composed of seven strains, JR1.1, BP201601.1, JK2.1, HNP201719, MYP201603, PZ1, and HC, for the analysis of pathogenic factors associated with the genome of Pectobacterium. The genome sizes ranged from 4,724,337 bp to 5,208,618 bp, with the GC content ranging from 50.4% to 52.3%. The average nucleotide identity was 98% among the two Pectobacterium species and ranged from 88% to 96% among the remaining six species. A similar distribution was observed in the carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) class and extracellular plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs). HC showed the highest number of enzymes in CAZymes and the lowest number in the extracellular PCWDEs. Six strains showed four subsets, and HC demonstrated three subsets, except hasDEF, in type I secretion system, while the type II secretion system of the seven strains was conserved. Components of human pathogens, such as Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 type type III secretion system (T3SS) and effectors, were identified in PZ1; T3SSa was not identified in HC. Two putative effectors, including hrpK, were identified in seven strains along with dspEF. We also identified 13 structural genes, six regulator genes, and five accessory genes in the type VI secretion system (T6SS) gene cluster of six Pectobacterium species, along with the loss of T6SS in PZ1. HC had two subsets, and JK2.1 had three subsets of T6SS. With the GxSxG motif, the phospholipase A gene did locate among tssID and duf4123 genes in the T6SSa cluster of all strains. Important domains were identified in the vgrG/paar islands, including duf4123, duf2235, vrr-nuc, and duf3396.

Abstract Transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted renewed interest for use as thermoelectric materials owing to their tunable bandgap, moderate Seebeck coefficient, and low thermal conductivity. However, their thermoelectric parameters such as Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity are interdependent, which is a drawback. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to adjust one of these parameters without affecting the other parameters. In this study, we investigated the effect of helium ion irradiation on MoSe2 thin films with the objective of controlling the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. At the optimal irradiation dose of 1015 cm−2, we observed multiple enhancements of the power factor resulting from an increase in the electrical conductivity, with slight suppression of the Seebeck coefficient. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that irradiation-induced selenium vacancies played an important role in changing the thermoelectric properties of MoSe2 thin films. These results suggest that helium ion irradiation is a promising method to significantly improve the thermoelectric properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. Graphical Abstract Effect of He+ irradiation on thermoelectric properties of MoSe2 thin films.

Menopause is defined as the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle sustained over 12 months and caused by reduced secretion of estrogen and progesterone in ovaries. These hormonal changes lead to menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, depression and osteoporosis. Hormone replacement therapy, such as the administration of estrogen, estrogen plus progesterone and phytoestrogen, and nonhormonal therapy, including hormone reuptake inhibitors, are used to manage menopausal symptoms. In this study, the estrogenic acidity of Ecklonia cava (E. cava) and the therapeutic effect of E. cava on depression and osteoporosis symptoms in an ovariectomized mouse model of menopause were investigated. The estrogenic activity was increased by treatment with E. cava extract (ECE). In an evaluation of the antidepressive effect of the extract, ECE treatment significantly decreased the duration of depressive immobility in the tail suspension test and forced swim test. The levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine were recovered by ECE treatment. In an antiosteoporotic evaluation, bone microarchitectures and trabecular bone mineral density were improved by ECE treatment. Furthermore, the serum levels of C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) and receptor activator of nuclear factors κB ligand (RANKL) were decreased, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) was upregulated by ECE treatment. Taken together, these results indicate that E. cava could ameliorate menopausal depression and osteoporosis and be used for managing these symptoms.

Abstract TiOx-based resistive switching devices have recently attracted attention as a promising candidate for next-generation non-volatile memory devices. A number of studies have attempted to increase the structural density of resistive switching devices. The fabrication of a multi-level switching device is a feasible method for increasing the density of the memory cell. Herein, we attempt to obtain a non-volatile multi-level switching memory device that is highly transparent by embedding SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) into the TiOx matrix (TiOx@SiO2 NPs). The fully transparent resistive switching device is fabricated with an ITO/TiOx@SiO2 NPs/ITO structure on glass substrate, and it shows transmittance over 95% in the visible range. The TiOx@SiO2 NPs device shows outstanding switching characteristics, such as a high on/off ratio, long retention time, good endurance, and distinguishable multi-level switching. To understand multi-level switching characteristics by adjusting the set voltages, we analyze the switching mechanism in each resistive state. This method represents a promising approach for high-performance non-volatile multi-level memory applications.

Obesity is a serious health problem worldwide and can lead to the development of metabolic syndromes, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperglycemia. Therefore, we investigated the effect of an ethanol extract of Sargassum horneri (SH) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. To determine whether SH has an anti-obesity effect, C57BL/6 mice fed with HFD containing SH (100 and 300 mg/kg) were investigated for 7 weeks. The administration of SH significantly reduced body weight, white adipose tissue weight, fat accumulation in the liver, and white adipose tissues by increasing the mRNA expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3 in brown adipose tissues. Additionally, serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and leptin levels were significantly decreased in the mice administered SH compared with those of the HFD group. Our results showed that the ethanol extract of SH may be used as a functional food for treating obesity.

Objectives To understand a 20-year trend of gender-specific smoking prevalence among adults in South Korea.Design Age-period-cohort analysis using the intrinsic estimator method was applied to examine the separate contribution of age, period and cohort effect on smoking prevalence. The Driving Force-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action (DPSEEA) framework was used to explain the observed smoking trends by mapping potential determinants and to address policy implications.Setting General adult population in South Korea.Participants 34 828 men and 43 632 women who aged 19–78 years, were not currently pregnant and were without a prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or cancer.Outcome measures Gender-specific current smoking prevalence using the 1998–2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Results Our results showed gender-specific age and birth cohort effects. More specifically, the smoking prevalence peaked at their mid-20s (prevalence rate ratio (PRR): 1.54, 95% CI: 1.49 to 1.59) and cohort born in 1959–1963 (PRR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.57 to 1.70) and then decreased in men. On the other hand, in women, the smoking prevalence consistently increased until their mid-40s (PRR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.27 to 1.84) and in recent birth cohort groups (PRR in 1994–1998 cohort: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.13). The period effects declined from 1998−2002 to 2003–2007, following increasing fluctuations in both genders. The smoking-DPSEEA framework showed the absence of policy actions to target female smokers and emphasised a proactive approach that tackles the upstream causes for smoking in women.Conclusions Men and women are clearly in different phases of the smoking epidemic in Korean population, and gender-tailored policies should be implemented.

Contrary to expectations that the coronavirus pandemic would terminate quickly, the number of people infected with the virus did not decrease worldwide and coronavirus-related deaths continue to occur every day. The standard COVID-19 diagnostic test technique used today, PCR testing, requires professional staff and equipment, which is expensive and takes a long time to produce test results. In this paper, we propose a feature set consisting of four features: MFCC, Δ2-MFCC, Δ-MFCC, and spectral contrast as a feature set optimized for the diagnosis of COVID-19, and apply it to a model that combines ResNet-50 and DNN. Crowdsourcing datasets from Cambridge, Coswara, and COUGHVID are used as the cough sound data for our study. Through direct listening and inspection of the dataset, audio recordings that contained only cough sounds were collected and used for training. The model was trained and tested using cough sound features extracted from crowdsourced cough data and had a sensitivity and specificity of 0.95 and 0.96, respectively.

The prevalence of osteoporotic fracture is increasing globally due to rapid population growth and aging. Current evidence suggests adverse impacts of air pollution on bone mineral density loss and osteoporosis, but population-based evidence for the associations between fine particulate matter (particulate matter no larger than 2.5 μ m in diameter [PM _2.5 ]) and osteoporotic fracture is limited due to the small number of studies. This longitudinal study assessed the associations between long-term exposure to PM _2.5 and osteoporotic fracture incidence in adults aged ⩾40 years, who enrolled in the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort data in 2002–2019 in South Korea. A time-varying moving window of past exposures of PM _2.5 up to ten past years was estimated for participants’ residential addresses using modeled PM _2.5 . We used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of time-variant moving concentrations of PM _2.5 exposure and osteoporotic fracture. The Cox models calculated HRs for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM _2.5 exposure, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, health behaviors, medications, disease history, income, and urbanicity. We assessed 161 831 participants over 993 104 person-year of follow-up. Results suggested linear and positive exposure-response associations for past PM _2.5 exposure in the prior four years or more. The IQR increase in 5-year moving average PM _2.5 was significantly associated with increased osteoporotic risk (HR = 1.079, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.164). The HRs were significant in women (1.102, 95% CI: 1.011, 1.200) and the subset of women aged 50–74 years (1.105, 95% CI: 1.005, 1.214) but not in men overall or by age groups. The association was not significantly different by income, physical activities, urbanicity, or diet. Overall, long-term PM _2.5 exposure was associated with increased osteoporotic fracture risks in Korean adults, especially women.

Although thermal tolerance along geographical gradients gives an insight into species’ response to climate change, current studies on thermal tolerance are strongly skewed towards global-scale patterns. As a result, intraspecific variations are often assumed to be constant, despite a lack of evidence. To understand population-specific responses to thermal stress, we investigated the presence of intraspecific variations in the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of tadpoles in two anuran species, Rana uenoi and Bufo sachalinensis. The study was conducted across a five-degree latitudinal gradient in the Republic of Korea. We exposed the tadpoles to increasing temperatures and recorded the CTmax for 270 R. uenoi individuals from 11 sites, collected in rice paddies, and for 240 B. sachalinensis individuals from ten sites, collected in reservoirs. We also recorded the swimming performance and behavior of the tadpoles when placed in an experimental apparatus during CTmax measurements. We then used linear regressions to determine the relationship between abiotic factors and CTmax. In R. uenoi, we found a positive relationship between latitude and CTmax, but the tadpoles did not display specific thermoregulatory behaviors. In B. sachalinensis, none of the abiotic factors such as climate and geographic coordinates were related to CTmax, but we detected a tendency to swim close to the water surface when water temperature was increasing. For R. uenoi, we tentatively relate the CTmax variability across the latitudinal gradient to a physiological adaptive response associated with habitat characteristics that are assumed to be fluctuating, as the species inhabits small water bodies prone to drying out. In the case of B. sachalinensis, the behavior observed may be linked to oxygen depletion and thermoregulation, as it may buffer temperature changes in the absence of physiological adjustment. These findings suggest that intra-specific variations in CTmax are greater than generally accounted for, and thermal conditions of natural environments are important for understanding thermal tolerance in ectothermic species. Our results highlight that species’ specific responses to climate warmings need to be studied to better protect species against climate change.

Amphibian diseases and invasive amphibian species are both generally introduced through the wildlife trade, either for human consumption or for the pet trade. However, adequate regulations can prevent such introductions. In the Republic of Korea, the establishment of invasive Lithobates catesbeianus populations resulted in the alteration of native species’ ecology and in an increase in Batrachochytrid load on local species. While not exemplified yet, the same risk arises from all species in the trade, some of which are already found in the wild despite the potential threats to the ecosystems. While regulations exist for the trade of wildlife in general, they are not directly addressing the amphibian trade, especially newly traded species. Thus, we recommend a restriction on the trade of amphibians in Korea.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) such as methylglyoxal (MGO) play a vital role in the pathogenesis of nephropathy, a diabetic complication. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-glycation and renal protective properties of Ishige okamurae extract (IOE) against AGE-induced oxidative stress. HPLC analysis confirmed that bioactive phlorotannins such as diphlorethohydroxycarmalol and ishophloroglucin A are predominantly present in IOE. IOE showed strong anti-glycation activities via inhibition of AGE formation, inhibition of AGE–protein cross-linking, and breaking of AGE–protein cross-links. In addition, in vitro studies using mesangial cells demonstrated that IOE effectively suppressed intracellular reactive oxygen species production, intracellular MGO accumulation, and apoptotic cell death by MGO-induced oxidative stress, in addition to regulating the expression of proteins involved in the receptor for AGEs and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response elements (ARE) signaling pathways. Therefore, IOE can serve as a natural therapeutic agent for the management of AGE-related nephropathy.

Determining the range, status, ecology and behaviour of species from areas where surveys and samplings are uncommon or difficult to conduct is a challenge, such as in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea). Here, we used genetic samples, field surveys, call recordings, photographic identification and a literature review to estimate the presence, range and status of amphibians in the DPR Korea. From our combined results and based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, we were able to estimate the national threat levels for most species. Our results demonstrated the presence of 18 native species and the suspected presence of Karsenia koreana and two Onychodactylus species. We reported the first record for Rana uenoi in the vicinity of Pyongyang using molecular tools and similarly confirmed the presence of Dryophytes japonicus at the same location. Based on distribution and modelling, we can expect the contact zone between species within the Rana and Onychodactylus genera to be located along the Changbai Massif, a mountain range that marks a shift in ecoregions and acts as a barrier to dispersion. The species richness was higher in the lowlands and at lower latitudes, with such areas populated by up to 11 species, while more northern regions were characterised by species richness of about half of that value. The combination of ecological models and known threats resulted in the recommendation of ten species as threatened at the national level following the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. This high number of threatened species was anticipated based on the high threat level to amphibians in bordering nations and globally. While the ecology of species in the DPR Korea is still understudied, we argue that species relying on agricultural wetlands such as rice paddies are not under imminent threat due to the enduring presence of extensive agricultural landscapes with low rates of chemical use and mechanisation. The maintenance of such landscapes is a clear benefit to amphibian species, in contrast to more industrialised agricultural landscapes in neighbouring nations. In comparison, the status of species dependent on forested habitats is unclear and threat levels are likely to be higher because of deforestation, as in neighbouring nations.

Background and purpose: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a significant, treatable cause of postural headache, although the best diagnostic approach to diagnosing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks remains uncertain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the most common techniques used to diagnose leaks, the most frequent leak sites, and epidural patch treatment characteristics. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records and radiographic findings of 30 patients clinically treated for SIH at a single university hospital between January 2015 and December 2016. Clinical symptoms, imaging findings and epidural patch details including dates, injection location, and amount of blood/fibrin injected were recorded. Results: Of 30 SIH patients identified, 11/30 (37%) had a localized leak and 14/30 (47%) had a non-localized leak. The first modality to identify the leak was most commonly CT myelogram (17/25, 68%), followed by MRI spine (6/25, 24%) and MRI myelogram (2/25, 8%). The most frequent leak sites were C7–T1, C5–C6, and T10–T11 in decreasing order. All patients underwent CT-guided epidural patch, averaging 2.3 procedure sessions, 3.4 injection sites, and 7.8 mL of injectate per site. Conclusion: Spinal CSF leak remains a challenging diagnosis, with CT myelography most frequently confirming the diagnosis, supplemented by spine MRI and MRI myelography. Patients frequently require multiple injections at multiple sites, and physicians and patients should be aware of the possible need for repeat treatments. Given the most common sites of leak, empiric blood patch at the cervicothoracic or thoracolumbar junction should be considered if no definitive leak is identified. Keywords: Headache, Cerebrospinal fluid leak, Blood patch

Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) has been used as a functional food material, but other parts of it such as leaves are wasted as a byproduct. This work concentrated on developing turmeric leaves as a functional food material by establishing its optimal extraction condition. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize turmeric leaf extraction conditions. Turmeric leaves were pulled out with water and ethanol (10, 30, and 50%). Then, total phenolic compound content, total flavonoid content, and radical-scavenging activity of each extract were quantified to confirm the optimal extracting solvent. According to the results, water was the most efficient solvent to extract antioxidant contents such as total phenolic compounds (3.65 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (4.99 ± 0.17 mg QCE/g) content. Radical-scavenging activity was also higher in water extract compared with others such as DPPH (51.10 ± 2.29%), H2O2 (25.39 ± 2.69%), and ABTS (91.08 ± 0.15%). Central composite design was applied to confirm the effect of independent variables such as temperature (X1) and time (X2) to the yield (Y1). After conducting experiments, the extraction condition was established as 150 min with 1 : 25 ratio at 85°C with a 15.58% yield. Proximate compositions of the extract were determined to suggest background data for further research. In conclusion, this study confirmed the antioxidant property of turmeric leaves and developed the optimal extraction condition of the leaves to promote its application in food industry as a new food source.

Access to urban greenspace has many benefits such as improved health and social cohesion. If access differs by population, these benefits make access to greenspace an environmental justice issue, but little is known regarding accessibility of parks among different sub-groups in Seoul, South Korea. We explored potential socioeconomic inequities for access to parks in Seoul measuring two park provision metrics: total park area per capita (TPPC), and park accessibility index determined by size and proximity of parks. We assessed correlations between a deprivation index for the 25 Gus (administrative unit equivalent to the US borough) and each park provision metric. Regression analyses were applied for the associations between eight socioeconomic indicators of the 424 Dongs (equivalent to the US neighborhood) and each park provision metric. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in percent elderly (⩾65 years) (3.2%) was significantly associated with larger TPPC (1.6 m ^2 /person, 95% CI: 0.8, 2.4). Park accessibility index was associated with more socioeconomic variables than was TPPC. An IQR increase in percent elderly and divorce rates (1.2/1000 population) was associated with increased park accessibility by 3571 km (95% CI: 1103, 6040) and decreased park accessibility by 1387 (95% CI: −2706, −67), respectively. An IQR increase in percentage of the population receiving social low-income support aid (2.2%) was associated with increased park accessibility (reflecting park size and proximity of parks) of residential parks near residential areas by 1568 (95% CI: 15, 3120). Results suggest higher park access for socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. Findings indicate that measures of detailed park access considering spatial proximity and park size may more accurately measure park inequity compared to more basic metrics (e.g. TPPC), which may bias estimation of park inequity by capturing only one characteristic of parks. Detailed park measures should be considered in urban planning and health studies of greenspace.

Oxidative stress, caused by the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), results in cellular damage. Therefore, functional materials with antioxidant properties are necessary to maintain redox balance. Turmeric leaves (Curcuma longa L. leaves; TL) are known to have antioxidant properties, including 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-Azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging activity in several studies. The antioxidant effects of TL come from distinct bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Therefore, in this study, the antioxidant effects of a water extract of TL (TLE) against H2O2 treatment were assessed in vitro Vero cells and in vivo zebrafish models. The intracellular ROS generation and the proportion of sub-G1 phase cells were evaluated in H2O2- or/and TLE-treated Vero cells to measure the antioxidant activity of TLE. TLE showed outstanding intracellular ROS scavenging activity and significantly decreased the proportion of cells in the sub-G1 phase in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, cell death, ROS generation, and lipid peroxidation in the H2O2-treated zebrafish model were attenuated as a consequence of TLE treatment. Collectively, the results from this study suggested that TLE may be an alternative material to relieve ROS generation through its antioxidant properties or a suitable material for the application in a functional food industry.

Cervical cancer is one of the frequent types of cancer seen in females. It has been suggested that natural compounds can be used effectively for cancer treatment. Apoptosis and autophagy related cell death play important roles in suppression of tumorigenesis. Apigenin and curcumin are natural products isolated from plant extracts known to have antitumoral, antibacterial and antiviral effects. Varying doses of curcumin and apigenin were applied to HeLa cancer cell lines. The expression of the genes related to apoptosis and/or autophagy related cell death were measured using qRT-PCR and cell viability was measured using MTT assay. Our results showed that curcumin and apigenin are effective on apoptosis and autophagy related cell death in HeLa cells. We suggested that these natural products seem to be a new promising therapeutic approach in cancer.