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Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by excessive accumulation of glucosylceramide in multiple organs. This study was performed to determine the detection rate of GD in a selected patient population with unexplained splenomegaly in Korea.This was a multicenter, observational study conducted at 18 sites in Korea between December 2016 and February 2020. Adult patients with unexplained splenomegaly were enrolled and tested for β-glucosidase enzyme activity on dried blood spots (DBS) and in peripheral blood leukocytes. Mutation analysis was performed if the test was positive or indeterminate for the enzyme assay. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with GD in patients with unexplained splenomegaly.A total of 352 patients were enrolled in this study (male patients, 199; mean age, 48.42 yr). Amongst them, 14.77% of patients had concomitant hepatomegaly. The most common sign related to GD was splenomegaly (100%), followed by thrombocytopenia (44.32%) and, anemia (40.91%). The β-glucosidase activity assay on DBS and peripheral leukocytes showed abnormal results in sixteen and six patients, respectively. Eight patients were tested for the mutation, seven of whom were negative and one patient showed a positive mutation analysis result. One female patient who presented with splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia was diagnosed with type 1 GD. The detection rate of GD was 0.2841% (exact 95% CI, 0.0072‒1.5726).The detection rate of GD in probable high-risk patients in Korea was lower than expected. However, the role of hemato-oncologists is still important in the diagnosis of GD.

BACKGROUND Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), which affect salivary gland function, is an autoimmune disease. SS may involve extraglandular organs. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of SS patients have clinically significant lung disease, but presentation of pulmonary amylodosis is extremly rare. The incidence of benign monoclonal gammopathy in SS patients is high, but multiple myeloma is rare. No case involving the simultaneous occurrence of two rare diseases, pulmonary amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, in the same patient with SS has been reported so far. CASE SUMMARY A 41-year-old male patient was referred to our hematology department due to incidentally detected gastric plasmacytoma. He had been diagnosed with SS four years earlier. Multiple miliary nodules, ground glass opacity in both lung fields, and enlargement of both inguinal lymph nodes was observed on chest and abdomen computer tomography. Based on the pathological findings of lung and lymph node biopsied specimens, the patient was diagnosed with pulmonary amyloidosis and multiple myeloma. Pulmonary amyloidosis and multiple myeloma associated with SS has rarely been reported. CONCLUSION This is an extremely rare case of simultaneous pulmonary amyloidosis and multiple myeloma in the same patient with SS.

Malignant nodular hidradenoma (MNH) is an infrequent, highly malignant tumor derived from eccrine sweat glands. MNH usually occurs on the scalp, trunk, and proximal extremities, and rarely on the hand. A 55-year-old male patient visited clinics with a gradually enlarging painless mass at fingertip. It begins a year ago. Recently, it has grown rapidly and starts ulceration, and bleeding over the past 3 weeks. According to the biopsy report, it has focal necrosis, atypia, atypical mitoses, and nuclear pleomorphism suggested that the mass was MNH. After histological diagnosis, tiny bone erosion was observed in the re-read radiographic finding. For the oncologic evaluation, the patient was transferred to the cancer center. Radical amputation was performed to the residual tumor that might remain based on re-reading of radiographs. MNH of the finger is especially difficult to the diagnosis given its rarity and variable histology. When ulcerative skin lesion and radiographic bone erosion are observed, one should suspect malignancy and makes out a proper therapeutic plan after histologic biopsy.

Background/Aim: Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an immune checkpoint protein involved in immune evasion of malignant tumors. Confirmation of PD-L1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is necessary for the determination of immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). PDL-1 expression is currently analyzed by immunohistochemistry and is the only available biomarker that can guide the treatment of NSCLC using ICIs. The present study was conducted to compare the expression of three different commercial clones of PD-L1 in order for immunohistochemistry (IHC) for these clones to become more reliable for surgical pathologists. Materials and Methods: This study examined the expression of PD-L1 in 76 cases of resected lung cancer using IHC. Three clones were examined: SP263, SP142, and 22C3PharmDx, which are commercially approved for quantifying PD-L1 expression in lung cancer. Results: Of the 76 patients whose samples were evaluated for PD-L1 using the IHC 22C3pharmDx assay, 19 (25.0%) had a tumor proportion score (TPS) of ≥50% and 41 (53.9%) had a PD-L1 TPS of ≥1%. Furthermore, using the SP263, 48.7% had a TPS of ≥1% and 18.4% of >50%. The SP142 assay was used to evaluate tumor cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs). Twenty (26.3%) cases were positive for TCs and 25 (32.9%) were reactive for ICs. Conclusion: These three commercial PD-L1 clones are comparable for detecting primary targets for anti-tumor immunotherapies. Careful evaluation by a pathologist is necessary to minimize misinterpretation errors.

While it is the most frequently observed subtype of all cutaneous soft tissue sarcomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is still uncommon, with a high local recurrence rate. Although surgical resection could be a simple curative procedure, surgeons can encounter difficulties when dissecting or closing the wound, depending on the location and the size of the tumor. We present a case report of direct repair of soft tissue defect with intraoperative tissue expansion after sarcoma resection. A 62-year-old male visited our clinic with an approximately 1.5×1.5 cm-sized mass on his lower leg. We excised the mass, which a pathologic study confirmed as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. The authors planned a wide excision of the lesion as soon as possible. The excised lesion was not large; however, the soft tissue defect could not be closed by direct approximation. We eventually closed the tumor resection wound using a Foley catheter as a tissue expander. The patient’s wound healed well, albeit leaving a minimal scar. This case suggests that a Foley catheter could be an effective and versatile tool that is readily available in any medical setting, including after a small tumor resection in outpatient surgery.

Background/aim Previous reports have indicated that increased expression of Jagged-1 (JAG1) may predict chemotherapy response and poor prognosis for patients with recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of JAG1 expression level in patients with CRC, including recurrence, especially in those diagnosed with lymph node-positive stage III CRC who underwent complete resection and appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and methods All patients were enrolled through a retrospective chart review, and only those for whom the clinical course and all clinical information were adequately determined according to the inclusion criteria were selected for retrospective review through medical records. Immunohistochemical staining of JAG1 was performed using paraffin-embedded tissue. JAG1 expression was determined by scoring for staining intensity and percentage of positively stained cells; the final JAG1 score was determined as the sum of both scores. Results Sixteen patients who experienced relapse and 15 without (for over 3 years) were selected. The protein expression level of JAG1 showed a tendency for being lower in the group without recurrence, although not statistically significantly (p=0.083); however, the mean JAG1 expression score was significantly lower in the group without recurrence (1.53 vs. 3.19; p=0.004). The patients were divided into two groups with low and high JAG1 expression. The results showed that high JAG1 expression was significantly associated with recurrence of stage III CRC (p=0.029). Conclusion The expression of JAG1 may be a potential novel biomarker for predicting CRC recurrence.

The present study assesses hepatoprotective effects of raw oyster lyophilized powder (OP) and subcritical water treated oyster powder (SOP) on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced toxicity and acute ethanol intoxication in mice. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that four phenolic compounds and glucose were identified from the SOP. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde were considerably lower for the oyster extracts and the levels of glutathione, γ-glutamylcysteinesynthetase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione reductase were higher in the D-GalN induced mice compared with those in the controls. Histology analysis suggested that SOP can protect against and heal the D-GalN toxified liver. For the acute ethanol intoxication study, the enzymatic activity of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and SOP’s alcohol dehydrogenase appeared better than that of OP. Overall, SOP may protect the liver from acute ethanol intoxication and D-GalN persuaded hepatitis.

This study was aimed at preparing zirconia samples via additive manufacturing (AM) and subtractive manufacturing (SM) and testing the following aspects: (1) the manufacturing accuracy of the zirconia samples and (2) the bond strength of porcelain to zirconia to evaluate the applicability of the zirconia fabricated by AM in dental clinics. We used three milling machines for SM (AR, K5, and UP) and a 3D printer for AM (AO). The manufacturing accuracy of the zirconia specimen in the internal and marginal areas was evaluated by superimposing techniques to calculate the root mean square (RMS) values. The bond strengths of porcelain to zirconia prepared via SM and AM were measured using a universal testing machine. The internal and marginal RMS values of the zirconia prepared by AM (AO) were within the range of those of the zirconia prepared by SM (AR, K5, and UP). Moreover, the bond strength value of the zirconia prepared by AM (35.12 ± 4.09 MPa) was significantly higher than that of the zirconia prepared by SM (30.26 ± 5.20 MPa). Therefore, AM technology has significant potential for applications in dentistry.

BACKGROUND Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is recommended for patients who do not achieve molecular remission or who have molecular or morphologic relapse. However, there are no guidelines for adjusting ATO dosage in patients with severe renal failure or on dialysis. Herein, we report the successful treatment of relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in a patient on hemodialysis with ATO single agent and review the cases in literature. CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old woman who has been on hemodialysis to chronic glomerulone-phritis for 15 years visited our hospital for pancytopenia. She had been seen for pancytopenia 3 years ago and had been diagnosed with APL. She also received chemotherapy for APL but unfortunately was lost to follow-up after her second consolidation chemotherapy. She was noted to have pancytopenia by her nephrologist during hemodialysis 1 mo ago. Bone marrow biopsy and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests revealed a diagnosis of relapsed APL. Treatment for relapsed APL with ATO single agent was started and she achieved molecular remission after administering 24 doses of ATO. Thus far, four consolidation therapies have been performed with the ATO single agent, and, to date, the molecular remission has been maintained as negative promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor-α fusion gene as confirmed by RT-PCR testing for two years. CONCLUSION This is a rare case of relapsed APL successfully treated with the single agent ATO in a patient on hemodialysis.

Achatina fulica, which is one of the land snails with high protein content, was decomposed by compressed hot water at various temperatures (100–300 °C) and characterized its physicochemical properties, Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory, and antioxidant activities. The physical properties of water such as an ionic product changed with increasing temperature produced polysaccharides and peptides by decomposition of the cell structure of A. fulica, indicating various physiological activities. The ACE inhibitory activity represented an IC50 value of 5.60 μg/mL at 200 °C; 75.88% of AChE inhibitory activity was determined, and ABTS radical scavenging activity was 311.06 ± 0.00 mM Trolox equivalent/g at 250 °C. This study found that compressed hot water can be used to selective producing of bioactive substances, depending on the temperature of water.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of anxiety and smartphone dependency on sleep quality in pregnant women with preterm labor. Methods: The participants of this study were 111 pregnant women who were between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation and experienced preterm labor. The data were collected from October 1, 2018 to October 25, 2019. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and standard deviation), as well as the t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Significant negative correlations were found between anxiety and sleep quality and between smartphone dependency and sleep quality. Participants’ history of preterm birth, pregnancy method, bowel movements, anxiety, and smartphone dependency significantly affected sleep quality, with an explanatory power of 18%.Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of sleep, which is an important health-related factor for pregnant women experiencing preterm labor, it will be necessary to identify a history of premature birth, pregnancies achieved using artificial reproductive technology, bowel problems, and smartphone dependency in advance and to provide nursing interventions accordingly.

Background/aim We investigated the clinical role of the molecular targets, APEX1 and Jagged-1, and the Apex1 - Jagged-1 cascade in gastric cancer cells. Materials and methods We used 6 human gastric cancer cell lines (SNU-1, SNU-5, SNU-16, NCI-N87, KATO- III and AGS), and demonstrated the chemosensitivity of APEX1 and Jagged-1 through the MTT assay and immunoblotting. Tumor growth was assayed following cisplatin and 5-FU treatment using a xenograft model injected with KATO-III cells. Moreover, gastric tumor samples from 9 patients, divided in 2 groups according to chemotherapy response, were examined by immunocytochemical (IHC) staining, and protein expression levels were scored. Results Following APEX1 knockdown, the MTT assay revealed that the IC50 of cisplatin and 5-FU in AGS cells was decreased approximately 7% and 15%, respectively, however, their decrease in chemoresistant KATO-III cells was decreased by approximately 21% and 67% for cisplatin and 5-FU, respectively. The tumor volume of KATO-III/sicontrol mice treated with cisplatin and 5-FU was affected less, compared with KATO-III/siAPEX1 mice treated with cisplatin and 5-FU. Also, the expression levels of APEX1, Jagged-1 and CD133, assayed by IHC staining, were higher in the chemorefractory group than in the chemoresponsive group. Conclusion Jagged-1-activated signaling by APEX1 plays a role in advanced gastric cancer.

Recent studies demonstrated a significant role of several microRNAs (miRs) in the development of leiomyoma. Here, we investigated miR expression profiles using microarray and found a significantly higher expression of miRs in leiomyoma than in adjacent myometrium. We also confirmed the upregulation of five selected miRs including miR-181a-5p, 127-3p, 28-3p, 30b-5p and let-7c-5p in cellular proliferation, extracellular matrix turnover, and angiogenesis by RT-qPCR. Interestingly, the miRs showed a higher expression in cases of large leiomyoma or in patients with a history of transfusion due to anemia. We then analyzed the expression of the miR target molecules including Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor 2 (TGFBR2) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 mRNA Binding Protein 1 (IGF2BP1) via immunohistochemistry. TGFBR2 and IGF2BP1 were positively stained in 81% and 62.5% of leiomyoma tissues but not in adjacent myometrium. Both were more frequently positive in patients with ≥ 6 cm leiomyoma and mass effect. The mean expression levels of miR-181a-5p, 127-3p, 28-3p, 30b-5p and let-7c-5p were higher in cases with TGFBR2 and IGF2BP1 positive leiomyoma. We observed several miRs were overexpressed in leiomyoma tissues, and these results provide insight into the role of miRs in the development and progression of leiomyoma and underscore the need to validate their utility as diagnostic or therapeutic targets.

BACKGROUND Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a fatal complication of solid organ transplantation or allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that is associated with immunosuppressive therapy. Potential manifestations are diverse, ranging from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to high-grade lymphoma. PTLD is usually of B-cell origin and associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Herein, we describe a case of PTLD involving the peritoneal omentum. There has been only case of PTLD as a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the peritoneum. CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 62-year-old man who had been receiving immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus since undergoing a liver transplant 15 years prior. He reported that he had experienced abdominal discomfort and anorexia 1 month prior to the current admission. Abdominal pelvic computed tomography (CT) revealed peritoneal and omental mass-like lesions without bowel obstruction. Ultrasonography-guided biopsy was performed, and he was histologically diagnosed with EBV-negative DLBCL. Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT depicted peritoneum and omentum involvement only, without any lymphadenopathy or organ masses, including in the gastrointestinal tract. Six cycles of chemotherapy with a “R-CHOP“ regimen (rituximab-cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone) were administered, and PET-CT performed thereafter indicated complete remission. CONCLUSION This is the first report of isolated peritoneal lymphomatosis defined as PTLD in a liver transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND Bronchobiliary fistula (BBF) is a rare disease characterized by an abnormal connection between the biliary system and bronchi. Traditional causes of BBF include trauma and infections, and more recent causes include malignancies and certain cancer treatments. Ramucirumab is an antivascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 monoclonal antibody, currently used as a second-line treatment for gastric cancer. CASE SUMMARY A 43-year-old man visited our hospital with the complaint of jaundice. He was diagnosed with inoperable advanced gastric cancer owing to invasion of the hepatic hilum by the tumor. After percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and stent placement, capecitabine and oxaliplatin were administered as first-line palliative chemotherapy. The tumor progressed, and paclitaxel and ramucirumab were administered as second-line chemotherapy. However, on the first day of the second cycle, the patient suddenly developed dyspnea and pneumonia. BBF was diagnosed on the basis of the presence of bilious sputum and the results of computed tomography, and PTBD was repeated. CONCLUSION This is the first report of BBF after administration of the new antiangiogenic agent ramucirumab.

Penaeus japonicus hydrolysates were produced by hot-compressed water treatment at 100 °C – 200 °C and 30 bar for 10 min. Hydrolysate yield varied from 44.87 ± 1.74% to 88.55 ± 2.15% with the maximum yield obtained at 200 °C. Hydrolysates showed alkaline pH, which incrementally increased with temperature. Protein, phenolic compounds, and Maillard reaction product were 45.76 ± 1.27 g/100 g dried mass, 12.47 ± 0.19 mg trolox/g dried mass, and 4.02 ± 0.01, respectively, in hydrolysates produced at 200 °C. Total and reducing sugar contents were 49.30 ± 0.11 mg/g and 14.18 ± 1.23 mg/g dried mass, respectively, in hydrolysates produced at 200 °C. P. japonicus hydrolysates showed strong free-radical scavenging capacity and DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP activities of 3.08 ± 0.04, 26.74 ± 0.06, and 12.12 ± 0.50 mg TEAC/g dried mass, respectively. The maximum free and total amino acid contents were found in hydrolysates produced at 175 °C; further temperature increment degraded amino acids.

Warty carcinoma (WC), known as condylomatous carcinoma, generally derives from genito-urethral area. Its symbolic lesion is the exophytic and verruciform mass associated with human papillomavirus infection. A 90-year-old female presented with growing cauliflower-like mass in her back. A wide excision was performed for two masses. It was finally confirmed as WC throughout histopathological findings—arborescent papillomatosis, hyperkeratosis and acanthosis. The patient was an ordinary housewife and there was no recurrence and any postoperative complication 6 month after the surgery. Accordingly, careful physical examination and history-taking as well as wide-excision securing safety margin are essential, especially for senile patients.

Background Although several novel resistant breast cancer cell lines have been established, only a few resistant breast cancer cell lines overexpress breast cancer resistance proteins (BCRP). The aim of this study was to establish new resistant breast cancer cell lines overexpressing BCRP using SN38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), an active metabolite of irinotecan and was to discover genes and mechanisms associated with multidrug resistance. Methods SN38-resistant T47D breast cancer cell sublines were selected from the wild-type T47D cells by gradually increasing SN38 concentration. The sensitivity of the cells to anti-cancer drugs was assessed by 3-(4,5-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Expression profiles of the resistance-related transporters were examined using RT-qPCR, and western blot analysis. Intracellular fluorescent dye accumulation in the resistant cells was determined using flow cytometry. Results The SN38-resistant T47D breast cancer cell sublines T47D/SN120 and T47D/SN150 were established after long-term exposure (more than 16 months) of wild-type T47D cells to 120 nM and 150 nM SN38, respectively. T47D/SN120 and T47D/SN150 cells were more resistant to SN38 (14.5 and 59.1 times, respectively), irinotecan (1.5 and 3.7 times, respectively), and topotecan (4.9 and 12 times, respectively), than the wild-type parental cells. Both T47D/SN120 and T47D/SN150 sublines were cross-resistant to various anti-cancer drugs. These resistant sublines overexpressed mRNAs of MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, MRP4, and BCRP. The DNA methylase inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine and the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A increased the expression levels of BCRP, MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, and MRP4 transcripts in T47D/WT cells. Fluorescent dye accumulation was found to be lower in T47D/SN120 and T47D/SN150 cells, compared to that in T47D/WT cells. However, treatment with known chemosensitizers increased the intracellular fluorescent dye accumulation and sensitivity of anti-tumor agents. Conclusion T47D/SN120 and T47D/SN150 cells overexpressed MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, MRP4, and BCRP, which might be due to the suppression of epigenetic gene silencing via DNA hypermethylation and histone deacetylation. Although these resistant cells present a higher resistance to various anti-cancer drugs than their parental wild-type cells, multidrug resistance was overcome by treatment with chemosensitizers. These SN38 resistant T47D breast cancer cell sublines expressing resistance proteins can be useful for the development of new chemosensitizers.

The recovery of amino acids and other important bioactive compounds from the comb penshell (Atrina pectinata) using subcritical water hydrolysis was performed. A wide range of extraction temperatures from 140 to 290 °C was used to evaluate the release of proteins and amino acids. The amount of crude protein was the highest (36.14 ± 1.39 mg bovine serum albumin/g) at 200 °C, whereas a further increase in temperature showed the degradation of the crude protein content. The highest amount of amino acids (74.80 mg/g) was at 230 °C, indicating that the temperature range of 170–230 °C is suitable for the extraction of protein-rich compounds using subcritical water hydrolysis. Molecular weights of the peptides obtained from comb penshell viscera decreased with the increasing temperature. SDS-PAGE revealed that the molecular weight of peptides present in the hydrolysates above the 200 °C extraction temperature was ≤ 1000 Da. Radical scavenging activities were analyzed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the hydrolysates. A. pectinata hydrolysates also showed a particularly good antihypertensive activity, proving that this raw material can be an effective source of amino acids and marine bioactive peptides.

Increasing rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage will result in more vaccine-related side effects, including acute myocarditis. In Korea, we present a 24-year-old male with acute myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination (BNT162b2). His chest pain developed the day after vaccination and cardiac biomarkers were elevated. Echocardiography showed minimal pericardial effusion but normal myocardial contractility. Electrocardiography revealed diffuse ST elevation in lead II, and V2-5. Cardiac magnetic resonance images showed the high signal intensity of T2- short tau inversion recovery image, the high value of T2 mapping sequence, and late gadolinium enhancement in basal inferior and inferolateral wall. It was presumed that COVID-19 mRNA vaccination was probably responsible for acute myocarditis. Clinical course of the patient was favorable and he was discharged without any adverse event., Graphical Abstract

The present study assesses hepatoprotective effects of raw oyster lyophilized powder (OP) and subcritical water treated oyster powder (SOP) on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced toxicity and acute ethanol intoxication in mice. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that four phenolic compounds and glucose were identified from the SOP. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde were considerably lower for the oyster extracts and the levels of glutathione, γ-glutamylcysteinesynthetase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione reductase were higher in the D-GalN induced mice compared with those in the controls. Histology analysis suggested that SOP can protect against and heal the D-GalN toxified liver. For the acute ethanol intoxication study, the enzymatic activity of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and SOP’s alcohol dehydrogenase appeared better than that of OP. Overall, SOP may protect the liver from acute ethanol intoxication and D-GalN persuaded hepatitis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00941-9.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify personal listening device (PLD) usage habits, listening belief, and perceived change in hearing, and to investigate how the variables related to perceived change in hearing among adolescents. Methods: The participants were 183 middle school students and 233 high school students from Ulsan. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaires from August 1, 2019, to October 22, 2019, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ2 test, Mann–Whitney U test, and hierarchical multiple logistic regression. Results: Most students started to use PLDs from elementary school, and mean preferred listening level was 70.13 dB. Mean perceived susceptibility to music-induced hearing loss (MIHL) and perceived barriers to prevent MIHL were 5.18 and 3.40, respectively. Perceived change in hearing was reported on 14.2% of middle school students and 32.2% of high school students, and as the average score of perceived barriers to prevent MIHL increases by one point, the odds of decrease in hearing increase by 2.05 times (p

Pacific oyster muscle hydrolysates were prepared by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) at process conditions ranging 125 °C/20 bar ∼ 275 °C/140 bar to investigate various physico-chemical and bio-functional parameters. Degree of hydrolysis was increased with increasing temperature and pressure and at 275 °C/140 bar, hydrolysis was found to be highest. Glycogen, protein, reducing sugar, and phenolic content of the hydrolysates were increased obtained from 125 °C/20 bar to 225 °C/100 bar, but decreased after raising over 250 °C/120 bar. Total and free amino acid contents were subsequently decreased as temperature and pressure increased over 175 °C/60 bar. Radical scavenging activity and antihypertensive activity was found to be highest at 225 °C/100 bar at which condition, the protein molecular size and carbohydrate molecular weight of the hydrolysates were 15 kDa or lower and 300–1000 Da, respectively. This study suggests the 225 °C/120 bar conditions for bio-functional Pacific oyster hydrolysate preparation.

In this study, chitin was exclusively extracted from shrimp shells (Marsupenaeus japonicas) through a green solvent called deep eutectic solvent (DES), and various types of DES were utilized to extract chitin. The physicochemical properties of the obtained chitin were compared with the conventional method. A high purity of chitin was obtained while using DES-8 (choline chloride-malonic acid) with a yield of 19.41% ± 1.35%, and purity was confirmed using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. The DES-produced chitin was utilized to produce chitin films and was compared with standard chitin films. The obtained films were characterized by SEM, AFM, TGA, DSC, FTIR, mechanical properties, moisture sorption, swelling behavior, and biodegradation. The DES film showed similar properties to the standard film, while the mechanical properties, swelling behavior, and biodegradation of the DES chitin films proved to be similar to standard chitin film. These chitin films can be used as wound healing resources.