Search

Simple Summary This research suggests a new potential therapeutic approach to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma to improve drug effectiveness and overcome drug resistance. A double actively targeted gemcitabine delivery system, consisting of polymeric micelles, was developed by microfluidic technique to ensure a narrow size distribution, a good colloidal stability, and drug-encapsulation efficiency for the selective and controlled release of the loaded drug, in response to the pH variations and uPAR expression in tumors. In vitro studies assessed that the release of the drug in the acidic environment was higher than in the neutral one, and that the pH-responsive and uPAR-targeted polymeric micelles enhanced the antitumor properties of gemcitabine in models resembling the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents a great challenge to the successful delivery of the anticancer drugs. The intrinsic characteristics of the PDAC microenvironment and drugs resistance make it suitable for therapeutic approaches with stimulus-responsive drug delivery systems (DDSs), such as pH, within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Moreover, the high expression of uPAR in PDAC can be exploited for a drug receptor-mediated active targeting strategy. Here, a pH-responsive and uPAR-targeted Gemcitabine (Gem) DDS, consisting of polymeric micelles (Gem@TpHResMic), was formulated by microfluidic technique to obtain a preparation characterized by a narrow size distribution, good colloidal stability, and high drug-encapsulation efficiency (EE%). The Gem@TpHResMic was able to perform a controlled Gem release in an acidic environment and to selectively target uPAR-expressing tumor cells. The Gem@TpHResMic displayed relevant cellular internalization and greater antitumor properties than free Gem in 2D and 3D models of pancreatic cancer, by generating massive damage to DNA, in terms of H2AX phosphorylation and apoptosis induction. Further investigation into the physiological model of PDAC, obtained by a co-culture of tumor spheroids and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF), highlighted that the micellar system enhanced the antitumor potential of Gem, and was demonstrated to overcome the TME-dependent drug resistance. In vivo investigation is warranted to consider this new DDS as a new approach to overcome drug resistance in PDAC.

“Seong-Yeun Yoo, In-Kook Kang, Namhyun Kim, Sanggyu Kim, Kangil Choe” were not included as authors in the original publication [...]

Colistin is a last-resort antimicrobial agent for treating carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. The activation of PmrAB by several environmental signals induces colistin resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of colistin resistance in A. baumannii under acidic conditions using wild-type (WT) A. baumannii 17978, ΔpmrA and ΔpmrB mutants, and pmrA-complemented strains. The pmrA or pmrB deletion did not affect the growth of A. baumannii under acidic or aerobic conditions. A. baumannii under acidic (pH 5.5) and high-iron (1 mM) conditions showed 32- and 8-fold increases in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of colistin, respectively. The ΔpmrA and ΔpmrB mutants at pH 5.5 showed a significant decrease in colistin MICs compared to the WT strain at pH 5.5. No difference in colistin MICs was observed between WT and mutant strains under high-iron conditions. The pmrCAB expression significantly increased in the WT strain at pH 5.5 compared to the WT strain at pH 7.0. The pmrC expression significantly decreased in two mutant strains at pH 5.5 compared to the WT strain at pH 5.5. The PmrA protein was expressed in the ΔpmrA strain carrying ppmrA_FLAG plasmids at pH 5.5 but not at pH 7.0. Lipid A modification by the addition of phosphoethanolamine was observed in the WT strain at pH 5.5. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that A. baumannii under acidic conditions induces colistin resistance via the activation of pmrCAB operon and subsequent lipid A modification.

In colonoscopy, computer vision and artificial intelligence technology have enabled the automatic detection of the location of polyps and their visualization. These advancements have facilitated considerable research in the field. However, deep learning models used in the segmentation problem for capturing various patterns of polyps are becoming increasingly complex, which has rendered their operation in real time difficult. To identify and overcome this problem, a study was conducted on a model capable of precise polyp segmentation while increasing its processing speed. First, an efficient, high-performance, and lightweight model suitable for the segmentation of polyps was sought; the performance of existing segmentation models was compared and combined to obtain a learning model that exhibited good accuracy and speed. Next, hyperparameters were found for the MobileNetV3-encoder-based DeepLabV3+ model and, after tuning the hyperparameters, quantitative and qualitative results were compared, and the final model was selected. The experimental results showed that this model achieved high accuracy, with a Dice coefficient of 93.79%, while using a limited number of parameters and computational resources. Specifically, the model used 6.18 million parameters and 1.623 giga floating point operations for the CVC-ClinicDB dataset. This study revealed that increasing the amount of computation and parameters of the model did not guarantee unconditional performance. Furthermore, for the search and removal of polyps in cases in which morphological information is critical, an efficient model with low model complexity and high accuracy was proposed for real-time segmentation.

Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are a rich source of nutrients and secrete multiple growth factors that can affect hair growth. As oxidative stress leads to hair loss in humans, it is considered to be one of the factors that can impair the function of DPCs. Herb-derived phytochemicals exhibit potent antioxidant activities; therefore, this study investigated whether a set of essential oils (lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, and chamomile oils) promote the hair-growth activity of DPCs. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased markedly in ultraviolet B-irradiated DPCs (50 mJ/cm2) and were efficiently blocked by essential oils. Essential oils upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of phase II enzymes (detoxifying and antioxidant), including heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1, and glutathione S-transferase pi. They also upregulated and activated nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, an essential transcription factor for phase II enzymes. Regarding biomarkers for hair growth, essential oils significantly increased vascular endothelial cell growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1 mRNA levels. In conclusion, phytochemicals in essential oils enhance hair growth through ROS-scavenging activity in DPCs.

Substrate-integrated waveguides (SIWs) are widely used in microwave systems owing to their low cost and ease of integration. In this study, an SIW-based resonator that reacts to the complex permittivity variation of solutions with dimensions of 79.2 mm × 59.8 mm is introduced. This octagon-shaped sensor can be installed on a preliminary monitoring system to test water quality by observing the parameter variations caused by external factors. The resonant structure was used to test different concentrations of ethanol–water and acetone–water mixtures for verification. The resonant frequency and quality factor (Q-factor) were found to vary with the relative complex permittivity of the liquid in the S-band, and the electric field distribution varied when liquid droplets were placed in the center of the substrate. The designed sensor operates at 2.45 GHz in the air, and the observed minimum resonant frequency shift with liquid was 15 MHz. The measurement error was approximately 3.1%, and the results reveal a relationship between the resonant frequency and temperature as well. Considering the observed sources of error, the measured relative permittivity is consistent with the actual values. The proposed sensor is economically convenient and suitable for various test environments.

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is a successful method for indoor air purification, especially for removing low-concentration pollutants. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) form a class of organic pollutants that are released into the atmosphere by consumer goods or via human activities. Once they enter the atmosphere, some might combine with other gases to create new air pollutants, which can have a detrimental effect on the health of living beings. This review focuses on current developments in the degradation of indoor pollutants, with an emphasis on two aspects of PCO: (i) influence of environmental (external) conditions; and (ii) catalyst deactivation and possible solutions. TiO2 is widely used as a photocatalyst in PCO because of its unique properties. Here, the potential effects of the operating parameters, such as the nature of the reactant, catalyst support, light intensity, and relative humidity, are extensively investigated. Then the developments and limitations of the PCO technique are highlighted, especially photocatalyst deactivation. Furthermore, the nature and deactivation mechanisms of photocatalysts are discussed, with possible solutions for reducing catalyst deactivation. Finally, the challenges and future directions of PCO technology for the elimination of indoor pollutants are compared and summarized.

Cardiac arrest (CA) and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), a global ischemia and reperfusion event, lead to neuronal damage and/or death in the spinal cord as well as the brain. Hypothermic therapy is reported to protect neurons from damage and improve hindlimb paralysis after resuscitation in a rat model of CA induced by asphyxia. In this study, we investigated roles of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the lumbar spinal cord protected by therapeutic hypothermia in a rat model of asphyxial CA. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to seven minutes of asphyxial CA (induced by injection of 2 mg/kg vecuronium bromide) and hypothermia (four hours of cooling, 33 ± 0.5 °C). Survival rate, hindlimb motor function, histopathology, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were examined at 12, 24, and 48 h after CA/ROSC. The rats of the CA/ROSC and hypothermia-treated groups had an increased survival rate and showed an attenuated hindlimb paralysis and a mild damage/death of motor neurons located in the anterior horn of the lumbar spinal cord compared with those of the CA/ROSC and normothermia-treated groups. In the CA/ROSC and hypothermia-treated groups, expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear Nrf2 and HO-1 were significantly higher in the anterior horn compared with those of the CA/ROSC and normothermia-treated groups, showing that cytoplasmic and nuclear Nrf2 was expressed in both motor neurons and astrocytes. Moreover, in the CA/ROSC and hypothermia-treated group, interleukin-1β (IL-1β, a pro-inflammatory cytokine) expressed in the motor neurons was significantly reduced, and astrocyte damage was apparently attenuated compared with those found in the CA/ROSC and normothermia group. Taken together, our results indicate that hypothermic therapy after CA/ROSC attenuates CA-induced hindlimb paralysis by protecting motor neurons in the lumbar spinal cord via activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and attenuating pro-inflammation and astrocyte damage (reactive astrogliosis).

In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis are conducted to evaluate the medical applications of Opuntia humifusa (OH). A total of 171 articles are peer-reviewed; however, only 15 individual studies were included after the manual screening to eliminate unnecessary studies. A comparative standardized means difference (SMD) between the OH and control groups is used as a parameter to demonstrate the beneficial effects of OH for skin aging, cancer, and diabetes treatments based on its antioxidant activities. The OH treatment exhibits positive results in improving collagen synthesis and demonstrates that it is nontoxic to normal human cells without analytical heterogeneity (SMD = 1.18 [0.11, 2.26] and I2 = 0%). Moreover, the results confirm the effectiveness of OH treatment on downregulatory cancers in terms of decreased cancer cell proliferation and tumor weight and increased numbers of cancer cells in the apoptosis phase (pooled SMD = −1.17 [−1.72, −0.62]). However, this comparison does not yield a statistically significant result (I2 = 69%). Additionally, the OH treatment is found to reduce the symptoms of diabetes in diabetic rats, particularly by lowering glucose and triglyceride levels and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. This study suggests that OH extracts are helpful for the prevention of human diseases and might be potential candidates for future medicines.

Epitaxial synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials on pristine 2D materials is of interest in the development of nanostructured devices and nanocomposite materials, but is quite difficult because pristine surfaces of 2D materials are chemically inert. Previous studies found a few exceptions including AuCN, AgCN, CuCN, and Cu0.5Au0.5CN, which can be preferentially synthesized and epitaxially aligned onto various 2D materials. Here, we discover that Au1/2Ag1/2CN forms diamond-shaped nanocrystals epitaxially grown on pristine graphene surfaces. The nanocrystals synthesized by a simple drop-casting method are crystallographically aligned to lattice structures of the underlying graphene. Our experimental investigations on 3D structures and the synthesis conditions of the nanocrystals imply that the rhombic 2D geometries originate from different growth rates depending on orientations along and perpendicular to 1D molecular chains of Au1/2Ag1/2CN. We also perform in situ TEM observations showing that Au1/2Ag1/2CN nanocrystals are decomposed to Au and Ag alloy nanocrystals under electron beam irradiation. Our experimental results provide an additional example of 1D cyanide chain families that form ordered nanocrystals epitaxially aligned on 2D materials, and reveal basic physical characteristics of this rarely investigated nanomaterial.

(1) Background: To analyze changes in treatment patterns for advanced retinoblastoma over time and differences in globe salvage rates, (2) Methods: Retrospective, observational case-control study of 97 eyes of 91 patients with advanced retinoblastoma (Group D and E)., (3) Results: Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were treated before or after intraarterial chemotherapy (IAC) was introduced in our center in 2010. Before 2010, primary treatment pattern was enucleation, which was performed in 57.6% of cases, whereas primary treatment pattern after 2010 was IAC combined with intravenous chemotherapy (IVC), which was performed in 78.1%. Intravitreal chemotherapy (IVitC) has been performed to treat vitreous and subretinal seeding since 2015. The 5-year globe salvage rate of IVC alone was 24.0% for Group D and 0% for Group E, whereas that of IVC–IAC was 50.4% for Group D and 49.7% for Group E. Whether IVitC was performed or not did not significantly contribute to globe salvage rate. There was one metastatic death in the IVC alone group., (4) Conclusions: Primary treatment pattern changed from enucleation to IAC-based treatment, which can now save nearly half of eyes with advanced retinoblastoma with excellent safety profile and survival rate.

Silica dioxide nanoparticles (SiONPs) have been increasingly used in various industries, however, this has raised concerns regarding their potential toxicity. SiONPs are also a major component in the Asian sand dust that causes pulmonary diseases among the general public. Melatonin exerts some inhibitory effects against lung inflammation. In this study, we explored the therapeutic properties of melatonin against lung inflammation using an SiONPs-induced lung inflammation murine model and SiONPs-stimulated H292 cells, human airway epithelial cell line, by focusing on the involvement of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in the modulation of the MAPKs/AP-1 axis. We induced an inflammatory response by exposing mouse lungs and the H292 cells to SiONPs and confirmed the anti-inflammatory effect of melatonin. Melatonin inhibited the expression of various inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, in SiONPs-exposed mice and SiONPs-stimulated H292 cells, this inhibition contributed to a decline in inflammatory cell accumulation in the lung tissues. Furthermore, melatonin treatment decreased the expression of MAPKs and AP-1 by downregulating TXNIP, eventually decreasing the production of SiONPs-induced inflammatory mediators. Overall, these data suggest that melatonin reduces SiONPs-induced lung inflammation by downregulating the TXNIP/MAPKs/AP-1 signalling pathway, thereby supporting the use of melatonin as an effective approach to control SiONPs-induced lung inflammation.

Simple Summary Owing to climate change and human overdevelopment, the number of endangered species has been increasing. To face this challenge, the CITES treaty has been adopted by many countries worldwide to prevent the extinction of endangered plants and animals. Additionally, since customs clearance inspections for goods at airports and ports take a long time, and due to the difficulty of distinguishing such species by nonexperts, smugglers have been exploiting this vulnerability to illegally import or export endangered parrot species. If these cases continue to increase, the extinction of species with fewer populations can be accelerated by illegal trade. To tackle this problem, in this study, we constructed an object detection model using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to classify 11 endangered species of parrots. Utilizing artificial intelligence techniques, the procedures for inspection of goods can be simplified and the customs clearance inspection systems at airports and ports can be enhanced, thus protecting endangered species. Abstract Owing to climate change and human indiscriminate development, the population of endangered species has been decreasing. To protect endangered species, many countries worldwide have adopted the CITES treaty to prevent the extinction of endangered plants and animals. Moreover, research has been conducted using diverse approaches, particularly deep learning-based animal and plant image recognition methods. In this paper, we propose an automated image classification method for 11 endangered parrot species included in CITES. The 11 species include subspecies that are very similar in appearance. Data images were collected from the Internet and built in cooperation with Seoul Grand Park Zoo to build an indigenous database. The dataset for deep learning training consisted of 70% training set, 15% validation set, and 15% test set. In addition, a data augmentation technique was applied to reduce the data collection limit and prevent overfitting. The performance of various backbone CNN architectures (i.e., VGGNet, ResNet, and DenseNet) were compared using the SSD model. The experiment derived the test set image performance for the training model, and the results show that the DenseNet18 had the best performance with an mAP of approximately 96.6% and an inference time of 0.38 s.

The widespread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is of great concern in clinical settings worldwide. It is urgent to develop new therapeutic agents against this pathogen. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potentials of compound 62520, which has been previously identified as an inhibitor of the ompA promoter activity of A. baumannii, against CRAB isolates, both in vitro and in vivo. Compound 62520 was found to inhibit the ompA expression and biofilm formation in A. baumannii ATCC 17978 at sub-inhibitory concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. These inhibitory properties were also observed in clinical CRAB isolates belonging to sequence type (ST) 191. Additionally, compound 62520 exhibited a bacteriostatic activity against clinical clonal complex (CC) 208 CRAB isolates, including ST191, and ESKAPE pathogens. This bacteriostatic activity was not different between STs of CRAB isolates. Bacterial clearance was observed in mice infected with bioimaging A. baumannii strain 24 h after treatment with compound 62520. Compound 62520 was shown to significantly increase the survival rates of both immunocompetent and neutropenic mice infected with A. baumannii ATCC 17978. This compound also increased the survival rates of mice infected with clinical CRAB isolate. These results suggest that compound 62520 is a promising scaffold to develop a novel therapeutic agent against CRAB infections.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) or broomcorn millet is among the most important food crops to be domesticated by humans, it is widely distributed in America, Europe, and Asia. In this study, we genotyped 578 accessions of P. miliaceum using 37 single-sequence repeat (SSR) markers, to study the genetic diversity and population structure of each accession. We also investigated total phenolic content (TPC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and performed association analysis using SSR markers. The results showed that genetic diversity and genetic distance were related to geographic location and the fixation index (Fst). Population structure analysis divided the population into three subpopulations. Based on 3 subpopulations, the population is divided into six clusters in consideration of geographical distribution characteristics and agronomic traits. Based on the genetic diversity, population structure, pairwise Fst, and gene flow analyses, we described the topological structure of the six proso millet subpopulations, and the geographic distribution and migration of each cluster. Comparison of the published cluster (cluster 1) with unique germplasms in Japan and South Korea suggested Turkey as a possible secondary center of origin and domestication (cluster 3) for the cluster. We also discovered a cluster domesticated in Nepal (cluster 6) that is adapted to high-latitude and high-altitude cultivation conditions. Differences in phenotypic characteristics, such as TPC, were observed between the clusters. The association analysis showed that TPC was associated with SSR-31, which explained 7.1% of the total variance, respectively. The development of markers associated with TPC and SOD will provide breeders with new tools to improve the quality of proso millet through marker-assisted selection.

Backgrounds and Objectives: The spacer block technique in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has still a concern related to the precise position of the component in the coronal and sagittal planes compared to intramedullary guide technique. The purposes of this study were to explore whether the spacer block technique would improve the radiological alignment of implants and clinical outcomes compared with the outcomes of the intramedullary guide technique in fixed-bearing medial UKA. Materials and Methods: In total, 115 patients who underwent unilateral, fixed-bearing medial UKA were retrospectively reviewed and divided into group IM (intramedullary guides; n = 39) and group SB (spacer blocks; n = 76). Clinical assessment included range-of-motion and patient-reported outcomes. Radiological assessment included the mechanical femorotibial angle, coronal and sagittal alignments of the femoral and tibial components, and coronal femorotibial congruence angle. Results: All clinical outcomes showed no significant differences between groups. The coronal femoral component angle was valgus 2.4° ± 4.9° in IM group and varus 1.1° ± 3.2° (p < 0.001). In group IM, the number of outlier in coronal femoral component angle (

Research reports using animal models of ischemic insults have demonstrated that oxcarbazepine (a carbamazepine analog: one of the anticonvulsant compounds) extends neuroprotective effects against cerebral or forebrain injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion. However, research on protective effects against ischemia and reperfusion cerebellar injury induced by cardiac arrest (CA) and the return of spontaneous circulation has been poor. Rats were assigned to four groups as follows: (Groups 1 and 2) sham asphyxial CA and vehicle- or oxcarbazepine-treated, and (Groups 3 and 4) CA and vehicle- or oxcarbazepine-treated. Vehicle (0.3% dimethyl sulfoxide/saline) or oxcarbazepine (200 mg/kg) was administered intravenously ten minutes after the return of spontaneous circulation. In this study, CA was induced by asphyxia using vecuronium bromide (2 mg/kg). We conducted immunohistochemistry for calbindin D-28kDa and Fluoro-Jade B histofluorescence to examine Purkinje cell death induced by CA. In addition, immunohistochemistry for 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE) was carried out to investigate CA-induced oxidative stress, and immunohistochemistry for Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD2) was performed to examine changes in endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Oxcarbazepine treatment after CA significantly increased the survival rate and improved neurological deficit when compared with vehicle-treated rats with CA (survival rates ≥ 63.6 versus 6.5%), showing that oxcarbazepine treatment dramatically protected cerebellar Purkinje cells from ischemia and reperfusion injury induced by CA. The salvation of the Purkinje cells from ischemic injury by oxcarbazepine treatment paralleled a dramatic reduction in 4HNE (an end-product of lipid peroxidation) and increased or maintained the endogenous antioxidant enzymes (SOD1 and SOD2). In brief, this study shows that therapeutic treatment with oxcarbazepine after CA apparently saved cerebellar neurons (Purkinje cells) from CA-induced neuronal death by attenuating oxidative stress and suggests that oxcarbazepine can be utilized as a therapeutic medicine for ischemia and reperfusion brain (cerebellar) injury induced by CA.

Human respiration reflects meaningful information, such as one’s health and psychological state. Rates of respiration are an important indicator in medicine because they are directly related to life, death, and the onset of a serious disease. In this study, we propose a noncontact method to measure respiration. Our proposed approach uses a standard RGB camera and does not require any special equipment. Measurement is performed automatically by detecting body landmarks to identify regions of interest (RoIs). We adopt a learning model trained to measure motion and respiration by analyzing movement from RoI images for high robustness to background noise. We collected a remote respiration measurement dataset to train the proposed method and compared its measurement performance with that of representative existing methods. Experimentally, the proposed method showed a performance similar to that of existing methods in a stable environment with restricted motion. However, its performance was significantly improved compared to existing methods owing to its robustness to motion noise. In an environment with partial occlusion and small body movement, the error of the existing methods was 4–8 bpm, whereas the error of our proposed method was around 0.1 bpm. In addition, by measuring the time required to perform each step of the respiration measurement process, we confirmed that the proposed method can be implemented in real time at over 30 FPS using only a standard CPU. Since the proposed approach shows state-of-the-art accuracy with the error of 0.1 bpm in the wild, it can be expanded to various applications, such as medicine, home healthcare, emotional marketing, forensic investigation, and fitness in future research.

The diverse therapeutic feasibility of the sea urchin-derived naphthoquinone pigment, Echinochrome A (Ech A), has been studied. Simple and noninvasive administration routes should be explored, to obtain the feasibility. Although the therapeutic potential has been proven through several preclinical studies, the biosafety of orally administered Ech A and its direct influence on intestinal cells have not been evaluated. To estimate the bioavailability of Ech A as an oral administration drug, small intestinal and colonic epithelial organoids were developed from mice and humans. The morphology and cellular composition of intestinal organoids were evaluated after Ech A treatment. Ech A treatment significantly increased the expression of LGR5 (~2.38-fold change, p = 0.009) and MUC2 (~1.85-fold change, p = 0.08). Notably, in the presence of oxidative stress, Ech A attenuated oxidative stress up to 1.8-fold (p = 0.04), with a restored gene expression of LGR5 (~4.11-fold change, p = 0.0004), as well as an increased expression of Ly6a (~3.51-fold change, p = 0.005) and CLU (~2.5-fold change, p = 0.01), markers of revival stem cells. In conclusion, Ech A is harmless to intestinal tissues; rather, it promotes the maintenance and regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, suggesting possible beneficial effects on the intestine when used as an oral medication.

Schwannomatosis is characterized by the presence of multiple schwannomas without landmarks of NF2. It is considered the rarest form of neurofibromatosis (NF). Here, we report the first case of familial schwannomatosis with regard to the segmental/generalized phenotype, in which the proband and the daughter present a distinct phenotype in this classification. The proband presents a generalized, painless, extradural type of schwannomatosis, while the daughter shows a segmental, painful, intradural type of schwannomatosis. Whole-exome sequencing of the affected individuals revealed a shared novel SMARCB1 gene mutation (c.92A > G, p.Glu31Gly) despite the clinical variability. We thus suggest two points in the diagnosis of familial schwannomatosis: The identified novel germline SMARCB1 variant can be reflective of a phenotypical progression from a segmental to a generalized type of schwannomatosis, or an intrafamilial variability in inherited schwannomatosis, which was not reported in previous literature. The specific combination of somatic NF2 mutations may be a major factor in regulating the severity and scope of the resulting phenotype in schwannomatosis.

Positronium (Ps) is an unstable system created by the temporary combination of electrons and negative electrons, and Ps generation technology under resonance conditions at millimeter waves is emerging as a new research topic. In general, Ps can be observed when an unstable separate state remains after electron and positron pair annihilation, as in positron emission tomography (PET). However, in this study, a plasma wakefield accelerator based on vacuum electronics devices (VEDs) was designed in the ponderomotive force generating electrons and positrons simultaneously using annular relativistic electron beams. It can induce Cherenkov radiation from beam–wave interaction by using dielectric materials. According to the size of dielectric materials, the frequency of oscillation is approximately 203 GHz at the range of millimeter waves. At this time, the output power is about 109 watts-levels. Meanwhile, modes of millimeter waves polarized by a three-stepped axicon lens are used to apply the photoconversion technology. Thus, it is possible to confirm light emission in the form of a light-converted Bessel beam.

As a first-line treatment for lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET), eccentric exercise has been suggested as a conservative treatment method. This study aimed to investigate the impact of eccentric exercise on LET with regard to pain reduction, and strength and functional improvement. The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched, and studies up to May 2021 were included if (1) randomization was used for patient allocation, (2) the study comprised patients with LET, (3) the intervention was eccentric exercise, and (4) the primary outcomes included improvement in pain intensity, muscle strength, or function. The meta-analysis comprised of six studies, totaling 429 participants. Additional eccentric exercise with underlying adjuvant therapy significantly improved the visual analog scale (VAS) scores (standardized mean difference [SMD], −0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.90–−0.36) and muscle strength (SMD, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.78–1.33) compared with adjuvant therapy alone. Compared with the concentric or isotonic exercise group, the eccentric exercise group showed significantly improved VAS scores (SMD, −0.30; 95% CI, −0.58–−0.02). However, no differences in muscle strength and function were observed between the two groups. Eccentric exercise can improve pain and muscle strength in patients with LET. The limited number of included studies and heterogeneous exercise parameters are important when interpreting these findings.

Handwriting verification is a biometric recognition field that identifies individuals’ unique characteristics contained in their handwriting. A single written character shows subtle differences depending on habits accumulated over time or the manner of writing. Based on this, it is often adopted in forensic investigations and as evidence in court. Existing handwriting verification is conducted by an expert, and is affected by the expert’s ability or subjectivity, causing different results to arise depending on the expert. Therefore, we propose a handwriting verification method that excludes human subjectivity and has objectivity. Using computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), we derived results that excluded human subjectivity, and the judgment strength was expressed through a likelihood ratio. To improve the existing method’s accuracy, we performed a more accurate verification through multimodal use from the biometric field. Multimodal handwriting verification is conducted using up to four characters (not just one) because individual handwriting in each character is different. For learning, n-fold tests were conducted to maintain test objectivity, and the average performance of single character-based verification was 80.14% and the multimodal method averaged 88.96%. Here, we proposed the objectivity of handwriting verification through learning using AI, and show that performance improved through multimodal fusion.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen, which is a problem worldwide due to the emergence of a difficult-to-treat multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB). Endolysins are hydrolytic enzymes produced by a bacteriophage that can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for multidrug-resistant bacterial infection in replacing antibiotics. Here, we isolated a novel bacteriophage through prophage induction using mitomycin C from clinical A. baumannii 1656-2. Morphologically, ΦAb1656-2 was identified as a Siphoviridae family bacteriophage, which can infect MDRAB. The whole genome of ΦAb1656-2 was sequenced, and it showed that it is 50.9 kb with a G + C content of 38.6% and 68 putative open reading frames (ORFs). A novel endolysin named AbEndolysin with an N-acetylmuramidase-containing catalytic domain was identified, expressed, and purified from ΦAb1656-2. Recombinant AbEndolysin showed significant antibacterial activity against MDRAB clinical strains without any outer membrane permeabilizer. These results suggest that AbEndolysin could represent a potential antimicrobial agent for treating MDRAB clinical isolates.

In advance of building moored floating offshore platforms, in recent years, there has been a greater demand for two-way coupled simulations between a motion solver based on the viscous flow theory and a mooring line model, including cable dynamics. This paper introduces open-source libraries such as MoorDyn (the lumped-mass mooring line model) and OpenFOAM (the computational fluid dynamics libraries). It describes the methods by which they can be coupled bi-directionally. In each time step, the platform motions calculated by OpenFOAM are transferred to MoorDyn as the boundary conditions for the mooring system analysis. In contrast, MoorDyn calculates the restoring force and moment due to the mooring system and transfers them to OpenFOAM. The restoring force and moment act on the platform as the external force and moment for the platform motions in the next time step. The static tension and profile of the mooring system, dynamic tension of the mooring system, and free decay motions of the floating buoy in the still water were simulated to check the accuracy of OpenFOAM and MoorDyn. The coupled solver was used to produce simulations of the moored decay motions of the floating buoy in the still water and the moored motions with the Stokes 5th order wave. All simulation results were compared and showed good agreement with the numerical solution and experiment results. In addition, the characteristics of each solver were investigated.

The failure threshold time of semiconductors caused by the impact of irradiated high-power electromagnetic waves (HPEM) is experimentally studied. A SN7442 integrated circuit (IC) is placed in an emulator with a WR430 closed waveguide and is irradiated by HPEM generated from a magnetron oscillator. The state of the SN7442 component is observed by a light-emitting diode (LED) detector and the voltage measured in the SN7442 component. As the magnitude of the electric field in the HPEM is varied from 24 kV/m to 36 kV/m, the failure threshold time falls from 195 s to 17 s with dependence of the irradiated electric field (E) on the failure threshold time (T) from T~E−12 to a T~E−6.

Differential diagnosis of true gallbladder polyps remains a challenging task. This study aimed to differentiate true polyps in ultrasound images using deep learning, especially gallbladder polyps less than 20 mm in size, where clinical distinction is necessary. A total of 501 patients with gallbladder polyp pathology confirmed through cholecystectomy were enrolled from two tertiary hospitals. Abdominal ultrasound images of gallbladder polyps from these patients were analyzed using an ensemble model combining three convolutional neural network (CNN) models and a 5-fold cross-validation. True polyp diagnosis with the ensemble model that learned only using ultrasonography images achieved an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.8960 and accuracy of 83.63%. After adding patient age and polyp size information, the diagnostic performance of the ensemble model improved, with a high specificity of 88.35%, AUC of 0.9082, and accuracy of 87.61%, outperforming the individual CNN models constituting the ensemble model. In the subgroup analysis, the ensemble model showed the best performance with AUC of 0.9131 for polyps larger than 10 mm. Our proposed ensemble model that combines three CNN models classifies gallbladder polyps of less than 20 mm in ultrasonography images with high accuracy and can be useful for avoiding unnecessary cholecystectomy with high specificity.

This study investigates the association between the duration of smoking cessation or cumulative smoking amount with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. We assessed the decreasing risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer following smoking cessation in Korean adults who were former smokers compared with current smokers. This study used data from the 2016–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 5411 participants were included. The duration of smoking cessation and cumulative smoking amount were classified into cut-offs for 6 and 17 months, and 5 and 20 pack-years, respectively, using tertile values. Elevated serum hs-CRP level was defined as ≥1 mg/L. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. The odds ratio (OR) for elevated serum hs-CRP level was 0.73 times lower in the group whose duration of smoking cessation was 17 months or more than that in the group who were current smokers after adjusting for confounding variables (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57–0.92; p < 0.01). The OR for elevated serum hs-CRP level was 0.71 and 0.67 times lower in the groups whose cumulative smoking amounts were less than 5 and 5–20 pack-years than that in the group who were current smokers (95% CI: 0.50–0.99 and 0.50–0.92, respectively; both p < 0.05). This study reveals that a duration of smoking cessation of more than 17 months and a cumulative smoking amount of less than 20 pack-years were significantly associated with a decreased risk of elevated serum hs-CRP levels in Korean adults who were former smokers. Therefore, quitting smoking early and a low cumulative smoking amount are a potential preventive strategy for CVD and cancer that can be easily accessible using serum hs-CRP.

This study investigated the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) via a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A total of 5467 articles obtained from electronic databases were assessed; however, only 34 RCTs were eligible after manually screening and eliminating unnecessary studies. The beneficial effect was addressed by assessing the risk ratio (RR) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) of the meta-analysis. It was demonstrated that CP therapy is not effective in improving clinical outcomes, including reducing mortality with an RR of 0.88 [0.76; 1.03] (I2 = 68% and p = 0.10) and length of hospitalization with SMD of −0.47 [−0.95; 0.00] (I2 = 99% and p = 0.05). Subgroup analysis provided strong evidence that CP transfusion does not significantly reduce all-cause mortality compared to standard of care (SOC) with an RR of 1.01 [0.99; 1.03] (I2 = 70% and p = 0.33). In addition, CP was found to be safe for and well-tolerated by COVID-19 patients as was the SOC in healthcare settings. Overall, the results suggest that CP should not be applied outside of randomized trials because of less benefit in improving clinical outcomes for COVID-19 treatment.

In recent decades, harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been significantly affecting environments, aquatic ecosystems, and human health, as well as damaging economies, especially near rivers and lakes, and in coastal regions. Microcystis and Anabaena are two genera of harmful cyanobacteria that will often predominate during toxic microalgal blooms. In this study, we employ a method for control and mitigation of HABs by microalgal cell instability using different types of aminoclays (ACs). Allelopathic interactions between the two strains of algae are studied in mono-culture, co-culture, and filtrated cell-free medium in the presence of the ACs. The growth of the Anabaena strain is significantly reduced by the cyanobacterial strains in the co-culture media, and both are significantly affected by the Acs’-enhanced algicidal activity. Anabaena sp. KVSF7 shows higher sensitivity against the ACs than does Microcystis sp. KW. In this way, the algicidal activity of ACs is harnessed, the effects of which are in the order of aluminum aminoclay (AlAC) &gt, magnesium aminoclay (MgAC) &gt, calcium aminoclay (CaAC). The ammonium sites in the ACs carry positive charges to induce instability of HABs along with the electrostatic attraction between algal cells and AC. Therefore, the utilization of the algicidal activity of the ACs can effectively reduce HABs, especially on cyanobacterial blooms.

We hypothesized that external laryngeal manipulation would reduce cervical spine motion during video laryngoscopic intubation under manual in-line stabilization by reducing the force required to lift the videolaryngoscope. In this randomized crossover trial, 27 neurointerventional patients underwent two consecutive videolaryngoscopic intubation attempts under manual in-line stabilization. External laryngeal manipulation was applied to all patients in either the first or second attempt. In the second attempt, we tried to reproduce the percentage of glottic opening score obtained in the first attempt. Primary outcomes were cervical spine motion during intubation at the occiput-C1, C1–C2, and C2–C5 segments. The intubation success rate (secondary outcome measure) was recorded. Cervical spine motion during intubation at the occiput-C1 segment was significantly smaller with than without external laryngeal manipulation (7.4° ± 4.6° vs. 11.5° ± 4.8°, mean difference −4.1° (98.33% confidence interval −5.8° to −2.3°), p &lt, 0.001), showing a reduction of 35.7%. Cervical spine motion during intubation at the other segments was not significantly different with versus without external laryngeal manipulation. All intubations were achieved successfully regardless of the application of external laryngeal manipulation. External laryngeal manipulation is a useful method to reduce upper cervical spine motion during videolaryngoscopic intubation under manual in-line stabilization.

Conventional respiration measurement requires a separate device and/or can cause discomfort, so it is difficult to perform routinely, even for patients with respiratory diseases. The development of contactless respiration measurement technology would reduce discomfort and help detect and prevent fatal diseases. Therefore, we propose a respiration measurement method using a learning-based region-of-interest detector and a clustering-based respiration pixel estimation technique. The proposed method consists of a model for classifying whether a pixel conveys respiration information based on its variance and a method for classifying pixels with clear breathing components using the symmetry of the respiration signals. The proposed method was evaluated with the data of 14 men and women acquired in an actual environment, and it was confirmed that the average error was within approximately 0.1 bpm. In addition, a Bland–Altman analysis confirmed that the measurement result had no error bias, and regression analysis confirmed that the correlation of the results with the reference is high. The proposed method, designed to be inexpensive, fast, and robust to noise, is potentially suitable for practical use in clinical scenarios.

Salicin is a major natural compound of willow bark and displays diverse beneficial biological properties, such as antioxidant activity. However, little information available for the neuroprotective potential of salicin against ischemic brain injury has been reported. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the neuroprotective potential of salicin against ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury and its mechanisms in the hippocampus using a gerbil model of 5-min transient ischemia (TI) in the forebrain, in which a massive loss (death) of pyramidal neurons cells occurred in the subfield Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) among the hippocampal subregions (CA1-3) at 5 days after TI. To examine neuroprotection by salicin, gerbils were pretreated with salicin alone or together with LY294002, which is a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, once daily for 3 days before TI. Treatment with 20 mg/kg of salicin significantly protected CA1 pyramidal neurons against the ischemic injury. Treatment with 20 mg/kg of salicin significantly reduced the TI-induced increase in superoxide anion generation and lipid peroxidation in the CA1 pyramidal neurons after TI. The treatment also reinstated the TI-induced decrease in superoxide dismutases (SOD1 and SOD2), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the CA1 pyramidal cells after TI. Moreover, salicin treatment significantly elevated the levels of phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), which is a major downstream target of PI3K, in the ischemic CA1. Notably, the neuroprotective effect of salicin was abolished by LY294002. Taken together, these findings clearly indicate that salicin protects against ischemic brain injury by attenuating oxidative stress and activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway.

In this study, the combustion characteristics and emission of toxic gases of a non-class 1E cable in a nuclear power plant were investigated with respect to the aging period. A thermal accelerated aging method was applied using the Arrhenius equation with the activation energy of the cables and the aging periods of the cables set to zero, 10, 20, 30 and 40 years old by considering the lifetime of a nuclear power plant. According to ISO 5660-1 and ISO 19702, the cone calorimeter Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy test was performed to analyze the combustion characteristics and emission toxicity. In addition, scanning electron microscopy and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer were used to examine the change in the surface of the sheath and insulation of the cables according to the aging periods. To compare quantitative fire risks at an early period, the fire performance index (FPI) and fire growth index (FGI) are derived from the test results of the ignition time, peak heat release rate (PHRR) and time to PHRR (tPHRR). When comparing FPI and FGI, the fire risks decreased as the aging period increased, which means that early fire risks may be alleviated through the devolatilization of both the sheath and insulation of the cables. However, when comparing heat release and mass loss, which represent the fire risk at the mid and late period, fire intensity and severity increased with the aging period. The emission of toxic gases coincided with the results obtained from the heat release rate, which confirms that the toxicity of non-aged cables is higher than that of aged cables. From the results, it can be concluded that the aging period significantly affects both the combustion characteristics and toxicity of the emission gas. Therefore, cable degradation with aging should be considered when setting up reinforced safety codes and standards for cables and planning proper operation procedures for nuclear power plants.

Cisplatin, a representative anticancer drug used to treat cancer, has many adverse effects. In particular, it causes significant damage to the kidneys. Thus, many researchers have studied the delivery of drugs, such as cisplatin, to cancer areas using targeted drug-delivery systems. Here, we propose a new way to treat cancer by delivering anticancer drugs directly to the tumor site using the electrospray (ES) technique. We determined the optimal conditions for ES to promote the introduction of cisplatin into cancer cells. In our results, the group with cisplatin delivery-based electrospray (CDES) at 6 kV had an apoptosis of cancer cells approximately two times more than the group treated with cisplatin alone. We also confirmed that ES alone did not affect the survival of cells up to a voltage of 6 kV, but increased the permeability of the cell plasma membrane instantaneously, facilitating the influx of the drug.

Simple Summary Ferroptosis is a type of cell death, which is morphologically and mechanistically distinct from other type of cell death pathways such as apoptosis and necroptosis. Lipid peroxidation is a hallmark of ferroptosis and directly destroys cellular membranes, thereby causing ferroptosis. Since lipid peroxidation, which induces ferroptosis, occurs in polyunsaturated fatty acid on specific phospholipids, various lipid metabolic pathways are involved in lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Besides, various metabolic and signaling pathways directly and indirectly regulate lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Since ferroptosis is associated with a variety of human diseases such as cancer, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, kidney diseases, liver diseases, and neuronal diseases, a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis can provide insights and treatment strategies for related diseases. Abstract Ferroptosis is a type of iron-dependent regulated necrosis induced by lipid peroxidation that occurs in cellular membranes. Among the various lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) associated with several phospholipids, such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), are responsible for ferroptosis-inducing lipid peroxidation. Since the de novo synthesis of PUFAs is strongly restricted in mammals, cells take up essential fatty acids from the blood and lymph to produce a variety of PUFAs via PUFA biosynthesis pathways. Free PUFAs can be incorporated into the cellular membrane by several enzymes, such as ACLS4 and LPCAT3, and undergo lipid peroxidation through enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. These pathways are tightly regulated by various metabolic and signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of how various lipid metabolic pathways are associated with lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Our review will provide insight into treatment strategies for ferroptosis-related diseases.

Listeriosis is a food-borne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Ampicillin (AMP) alone or in combination with gentamicin (GEN) is the first-line treatment option. Membrane vesicle (MV) production in L. monocytogenes under antibiotic stress conditions and pathologic roles of these MVs in hosts have not been reported yet. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the production of MVs in L. monocytogenes cultured with sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of AMP, GEN, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) and determine pathologic effects of these MVs in colon epithelial Caco-2 cells. L. monocytogenes cultured in tryptic soy broth with 1/2 MIC of AMP, GEN, or SXT produced 6.0, 2.9, or 1.5 times more MV particles, respectively, than bacteria cultured without antibiotics. MVs from L. monocytogenes cultured with AMP (MVAMP), GEN (MVGEN), or SXT (MVSXT) were more cytotoxic to Caco-2 cell than MVs obtained from cultivation without antibiotics (MVTSB). MVAMP induced more expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene than MVTSB, MVGEN and MVSXT, whereas MVTSB induced more expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 genes than other MVs. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes by L. monocytogenes MVs was significantly inhibited by proteinase K treatment of MVs. In conclusion, antibiotic stress can trigger the biogenesis of MVs in L. monocytogenes and MVs produced by L. monocytogenes exposed to sub-MIC of AMP can induce strong pro-inflammatory responses by expressing TNF-α gene in host cells, which may contribute to the pathology of listeriosis.

Calbindin-D28k (CB), a calcium-binding protein, mediates diverse neuronal functions. In this study, adult gerbils were fed a normal diet (ND) or exposed to intermittent fasting (IF) for three months, and were randomly assigned to sham or ischemia operated groups. Ischemic injury was induced by transient forebrain ischemia for 5 min. Short-term memory was examined via passive avoidance test. CB expression was investigated in the Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) region of the hippocampus via western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Finally, histological analysis was used to assess neuroprotection and gliosis (microgliosis and astrogliosis) in the CA1 region. Short-term memory did not vary significantly between ischemic gerbils with IF and those exposed to ND. CB expression was increased significantly in the CA1 pyramidal neurons of ischemic gerbils with IF compared with that of gerbils fed ND. However, the CB expression was significantly decreased in ischemic gerbils with IF, similarly to that of ischemic gerbils exposed to ND. The CA1 pyramidal neurons were not protected from ischemic injury in both groups, and gliosis (astrogliosis and microgliosis) was gradually increased with time after ischemia. In addition, immunoglobulin G was leaked into the CA1 parenchyma from blood vessels and gradually increased with time after ischemic insult in both groups. Taken together, our study suggests that IF for three months increases CB expression in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, however, the CA1 pyramidal neurons are not protected from transient forebrain ischemia. This failure in neuroprotection may be attributed to disruption of the blood&ndash, brain barrier, which triggers gliosis after ischemic insults.

Several epidemiologic and toxicological studies have commonly viewed ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), defined as particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm, as a significant potential danger to human health. PM2.5 is mostly absorbed through the respiratory system, where it can infiltrate the lung alveoli and reach the bloodstream. In the respiratory system, reactive oxygen or nitrogen species (ROS, RNS) and oxidative stress stimulate the generation of mediators of pulmonary inflammation and begin or promote numerous illnesses. According to the most recent data, fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is responsible for nearly 4 million deaths globally from cardiopulmonary illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory infections, chronic lung disease, cancers, preterm births, and other illnesses. There has been increased worry in recent years about the negative impacts of this worldwide danger. The causal associations between PM2.5 and human health, the toxic effects and potential mechanisms of PM2.5, and molecular pathways have been described in this review.

Purpose: We investigated whether a deep learning algorithm applied to retinal fundoscopic images could predict cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH), as represented by a modified Fazekas scale (FS), on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Participants who had undergone brain MRI and health-screening fundus photography at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital between 2010 and 2020 were consecutively included. The subjects were divided based on the presence of WMH, then classified into three groups according to the FS grade (0 vs. 1 vs. 2+) using age matching. Two pre-trained convolutional neural networks were fine-tuned and evaluated for prediction performance using 10-fold cross-validation. Results: A total of 3726 fundus photographs from 1892 subjects were included, of which 905 fundus photographs from 462 subjects were included in the age-matched balanced dataset. In predicting the presence of WMH, the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.736 ± 0.030 for DenseNet-201 and 0.724 ± 0.026 for EfficientNet-B7. For the prediction of FS grade, the mean accuracies reached 41.4 ± 5.7% with DenseNet-201 and 39.6 ± 5.6% with EfficientNet-B7. The deep learning models focused on the macula and retinal vasculature to detect an FS of 2+. Conclusions: Cerebral WMH might be partially predicted by non-invasive fundus photography via deep learning, which may suggest an eye–brain association.

Recently, utilizing natural bioactive compounds for active ingredients in cosmetics has become a growing worldwide trend. More and more studies aim to identify the sources of herbal ingredients for applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. Additionally, in order to optimize the safety of natural ingredients, choosing an environmentally friendly extraction method also plays an important role. In this work, an eco-friendly extraction technique for Dendropanax morbifera using microwave treatment and microwave-assisted Dendropanax morbifera extract (MA-DME) was investigated. The results indicate that higher yields of MA-DME were obtained than with conventional methods and that D. morbifera’s antioxidant properties were enhanced. Moreover, we found that MA-DME exhibited extraordinary antioxidant, anti-aging, and skin-whitening activities. We suggest MA-DME as a potential cosmeceutical ingredient than could be utilized for comprehensive protection of human skin.

The mechanical properties of polyamide 6 glass fiber (PA6/GF) long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) composites were characterized by studying the process conditions in terms of manufacturing methods (direct extrusion and pultrusion) and material characteristics (void content and fiber volume fraction). The LFT composites prepared through the pultrusion process have higher mechanical properties than those prepared via the direct extrusion process. The PA6/GF composite prepared via pultrusion had the tensile and flexural strengths of 233 MPa and 338 MPa, respectively. The impact strength measured using the Izod method was 296 J/m, which is 64% higher than that of the composite fabricated via the direct process. The optical microscope images showed that the glass fiber length of the pultruded composites is longer than the fiber length of the direct composites, leading to higher mechanical properties of the LFT composites prepared through the pultrusion process. Moreover, the interfacial shear strength between the resin and the fiber, measured via single fiber pullout tests, can account for the higher fiber reinforcing efficiency. If the void content of a composite is sufficiently small to not be detrimental to the composites, the mechanical properties are observed to be proportional to the fiber volume fraction of the composites.

Drug resistance limits the efficacy of targeted therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); however, a substantial portion of the drug resistance mechanisms remains unexplained. In this study, we identified LPIN1 as a key factor that regulates gefitinib resistance in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Unlike TKI-sensitive HCC827 cells, gefitinib treatment induced LPIN1 expression and increased diacylglycerol concentration in TKI-resistant H1650 cells, followed by the activation of protein kinase C delta and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in an LPIN1-dependent manner, resulting in cancer cell survival. Additionally, LPIN1 increased the production of lipid droplets, which play an important role in TKI drug resistance. All results were recapitulated in a patient-derived EGFR-mutant NSCLC cell line. In in vivo tumorigenesis assay, we identified that both shRNA-mediated depletion and pharmaceutical inhibition of LPIN1 clearly reduced tumor growth and confirmed that gefitinib treatment induced LPIN1 expression and LPIN1-dependent NF-κB activation (an increase in p-IκBα level) in tumor tissues. These results suggest an effective strategy of co-treating TKIs and LPIN1 inhibitors to prevent TKI resistance in NSCLC patients.

Astaxanthin is a powerful biological antioxidant and is naturally generated in a great variety of living organisms. Some studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of ATX against ischemic brain injury in experimental animals. However, it is still unknown whether astaxanthin displays neuroprotective effects against severe ischemic brain injury induced by longer (severe) transient ischemia in the forebrain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of astaxanthin and its antioxidant activity in the hippocampus of gerbils subjected to 15-min transient forebrain ischemia, which led to the massive loss (death) of pyramidal cells located in hippocampal cornu Ammonis 1-3 (CA1-3) subfields. Astaxanthin (100 mg/kg) was administered once daily for three days before the induction of transient ischemia. Treatment with astaxanthin significantly attenuated the ischemia-induced loss of pyramidal cells in CA1-3. In addition, treatment with astaxanthin significantly reduced ischemia-induced oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in CA1-3 pyramidal cells. Moreover, the expression of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD1 and SOD2) in CA1-3 pyramidal cells were gradually and significantly reduced after ischemia. However, in astaxanthin-treated gerbils, the expression of SOD1 and SOD2 was significantly high compared to in-vehicle-treated gerbils before and after ischemia induction. Collectively, these findings indicate that pretreatment with astaxanthin could attenuate severe ischemic brain injury induced by 15-min transient forebrain ischemia, which may be closely associated with the decrease in oxidative stress due to astaxanthin pretreatment.

The removal of radionuclides from the primary coolant system of nuclear power plants occurs with the dissolution of corrosion metal oxide layers deposited with the radionuclides. Kinetic dissolution experiments were conducted with a synthetic magnetite specimen in the form of a thin plate using an aqueous solution of oxalic acid as a reducing agent. The effects of acid concentration and temperature were investigated on the kinetics of the reductive dissolution of a magnetite specimen. In particular, the kinetic experiments were performed in a wide temperature range from low (57 °C) to high (120 °C), above the normal boiling point of water. The dissolution of magnetite increased with increasing acid concentration and temperature. The acid concentration dependence of the dissolution reaction rate of Fe at a given temperature was correlated with the nth power of the oxalic acid concentration. Additionally, the temperature dependence of the dissolution reaction rate of Fe at a fixed oxalic acid concentration was studied with an Arrhenius-type equation.