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We examined the beneficial effects of an active principle in kimchi, 3-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HDMPPA), on atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE KO) mice. ApoE KO mice were fed an atherogenic diet containing 1% cholesterol (control group) with an intraperitoneal injection of chemically synthesized HDMPPA (10 mg/kg/day) (HDMPPA group) for 8 weeks. The aortic sinus atherosclerotic lesion size in the HDMPPA group (n = 10) was significantly smaller (control vs. HDMPPA, 280,790 vs. 165,409 microm(2), P < .001). The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the HDMPPA group was lower by 14%, compared with the control group (P < .05). Aortic NADPH oxidase activity was significantly lower in the HDMPPA group than in the control group. HDMPPA suppressed the mRNA expression of p47phox and rac-1 of NADPH oxidase by 27.2% and 46.0%, respectively, compared with values of the control group. In conclusion, HDMPPA in kimchi may attenuate atherosclerosis in apoE KO mice through retardation of ROS generation via down-regulating the mRNA expression of p47phox and rac-1, which are the components of NADPH oxidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene and MXenes have emerged as promising materials for gas sensing applications due to their unique properties and superior performance. This review focuses on the fabrication techniques, applications, and sensing mechanisms of graphene and MXene-based composites in gas sensing. Gas sensors are crucial in various fields, including healthcare, environmental monitoring, and industrial safety, for detecting and monitoring gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), and ammonia (NH 3 ). Conventional metal oxides like tin oxide (SnO 2 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have been widely used, but graphene and MXenes offer enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and response times. Graphene-based sensors can detect low concentrations of gases like H 2 S and NH 3 , while functionalization can improve their gas-specific selectivity. MXenes, a new class of two-dimensional materials, exhibit high electrical conductivity and tunable surface chemistry, making them suitable for selective and sensitive detection of various gases, including VOCs and humidity. Other materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and conducting polymers, have also shown potential in gas sensing applications, which may be doped into graphene and MXene layers to improve the sensitivity of the sensors.

Early blight caused by Alternaria solani is a common foliar disease of potato around the world, and serious infections result in reduced yields and marketability due to infected tubers. The major aim of this study is to figure out the synergistic effect between microorganism and fungicides and to evaluate the effectiveness of Bacillus subtilis NM4 in the control of early blight in potato. Based on its colonial morphology and a 16S rRNA analysis, a bacterial antagonist isolated from kimchi was identified as B. subtilis NM4 and it has strong antifungal and anti-oomycete activity against several phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes. The culture filtrate of strain NM4 with the fungicide effectively suppressed the mycelial growth of A. solani, with the highest growth inhibition rate of 83.48%. Although exposure to culture filtrate prompted hyphal alterations in A. solani, including bulging, combining it with the fungicide caused more severe hyphal damage with continuous bulging. Surfactins and fengycins, two lipopeptide groups, were isolated and identified as the main compounds in two fractions using LC-ESI-MS. Although the surfactin-containing fraction failed to inhibit growth, the fengycin-containing fraction, alone and in combination with chlorothalonil, restricted mycelial development, producing severe hyphal deformations with formation of chlamydospores. A pot experiment combining strain NM4, applied as a broth culture, with fungicide, at half the recommended concentration, resulted in a significant reduction in potato early blight severity. Our results indicate the feasibility of an integrated approach for the management of early blight in potato that can reduce fungicide application rates, promoting a healthy ecosystem in agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kil Yong Kim reports financial support was provided by Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Anthocyanins belong to phenolic pigments and are known to have various pharmacological activities. This study aimed to investigate whether anthocyanins could inhibit hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced oxidative damage in human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells. Our results indicated that anthocyanins suppressed H 2 O 2 -induced genotoxicity, while inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and preserving diminished glutathione. Anthocyanins also suppressed H 2 O 2 -induced apoptosis by reversing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibiting caspase-3 activation. Additionally, anthocyanins attenuated the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, which was achieved by interfering with mitochondrial membrane disruption. Moreover, anthocyanins increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as well as its activity, which was correlated with the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2). However, the cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic effects of anthocyanins were significantly attenuated by the HO-1 inhibitor, demonstrating that anthocyanins promoted Nrf2-induced HO-1 activity to prevent ARPE-19 cells from oxidative stress. Therefore, our findings suggest that anthocyanins, as Nrf2 activators, have potent ROS scavenging activity and may have the potential to protect ocular injury caused by oxidative stress.

Objective: The impact of the government-initiated senior employment program (GSEP) on geriatric depressive symptoms is underexplored. Unearthing this connection could facilitate the planning of future senior employment programs and geriatric depression interventions. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the possible association between geriatric depressive symptoms and GSEP in older adults., Methods: This study employed data from 9,287 participants aged 65 or older, obtained from the 2020 Living Profiles of Older People Survey. We measured depressive symptoms using the Korean version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. The principal exposure of interest was employment status and GSEP involvement. Data analysis involved multiple linear regression., Results: Employment, independent of income level, showed association with decreased depressive symptoms compared to unemployment (p<0.001). After adjustments for confounding variables, participation in GSEP jobs showed more significant reduction in depressive symptoms than non-GSEP jobs (β=-0.968, 95% confidence interval [CI]=-1.197 to -0.739, p<0.001 for GSEP jobs, β=-0.541, 95% CI=-0.681 to -0.401, p<0.001 for non-GSEP jobs). Notably, the lower income tertile in GSEP jobs showed a substantial reduction in depressive symptoms compared to all income tertiles in non-GSEP jobs., Conclusion: The lower-income GSEP group experienced lower depressive symptoms and life dissatisfaction compared to non-GSEP groups regardless of income. These findings may provide essential insights for the implementation of government policies and community-based interventions.

Aims: Microbial biocontrol agents have become an effective option to mitigate the harmfulness of chemical pesticides in recent years. This study demonstrates the control efficacy of Bacillus velezensis CE 100 on the anthracnose causal agent, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides., Methods and Results: In vitro antifungal assays revealed that the culture filtrate and volatile organic compounds of B. velezensis CE 100 strongly restricted the mycelial development of C. gloeosporioides. Moreover, a bioactive compound, butyl succinate, was isolated from the n-butanol crude extract of B. velezensis CE 100 (bce), and identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization hybrid ion-trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS) and one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Treatment with purified butyl succinate at a concentration of 300 μg mL-1 strongly controlled conidial germination of C. gloeosporioides with an inhibition rate of 98.66%, whereas butyl succinate at a concentration of 400 μg mL-1 showed weak antifungal action on the mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides with an inhibition rate of 31.25%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the morphologies of butyl succinate-treated hyphae and conidia of C. gloeosporioides were severely deformed with shriveled and wrinkled surfaces. Furthermore, butyl succinate was able to control carbendazim-resistant C. gloeosporioides, demonstrating that it could be a promising agent for the suppression of other carbendazim-resistant fungal pathogens. An in vivo biocontrol assay demonstrated that the strain ce 100 broth culture and butyl succinate showed higher control efficacy on apple anthracnose than bce., Conclusions: Our findings provide insight into the antifungal potential of B. velezensis  ce 100 and its butyl succinate for efficient control of phytopathogenic fungi, such as C. gloeosporiodes, in plant disease protection. This is the first study to demonstrate the antifungal potential of bacteria-derived butyl succinate for control of C. gloeosporioides., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.)

Traditional medicines are recently being focused on to treat diabetes and its complications because of their lack of toxic and/or side effects. This report describes the effects of 7-O-galloyl-D-sedoheptulose (GS), a polyphenolic compound isolated from Corni Fructus, on type 2 diabetic db/db mice with hepatic and pancreatic damage. We examined several biochemical factors and oxidative stress- and inflammation-related markers. In the serum, levels of glucose, leptin, insulin, C-peptide, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were down-regulated, while adiponectin was augmented by GS treatment. In addition, GS suppressed the reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in the serum, liver, and pancreas, but increased the pancreatic insulin and pancreatic C-peptide contents. These results were derived from attenuating the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunit proteins, Nox-4 and p22 phox . Augmented nuclear factor (NF)-E2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1 were reduced with a decrease in oxidative stress during GS treatment. NF-κB-related pro-inflammatory factors were also alleviated in hepatic tissue. Moreover, GS modulated the protein expressions of pro-inflammatory NF-κB, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphor-JNK, activator protein-1, transforming growth factor-β 1 , and fibronectin. Based on these results, we demonstrated that the anti-diabetic action of GS may be due to its anti-oxidative stress property and anti-inflammatory action.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of vision loss and a major complication of diabetes. Hyperglycemia-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important risk factor for DR. β-asarone, a major component of volatile oil extracted from Acori graminei Rhizoma, exerts antioxidant effects; however, its efficacy in DR remains unknown. In this study, we investigated whether β-asarone inhibits high-glucose (HG)-induced oxidative damage in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) ARPE-19 cells. We found that β-asarone significantly alleviated cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and DNA damage in HG-treated ARPE-19 cells via scavenging of ROS generation. β-Asarone also significantly attenuated the excessive accumulation of lactate dehydrogenase and mitochondrial ROS by increasing the manganese superoxide dismutase and glutathione activities. HG conditions markedly increased the release of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 and upregulated their protein expression and activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, whereas β-asarone reversed these effects. Moreover, expression levels of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome multiprotein complex molecules, including thioredoxin-interacting protein, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain, and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1, were increased in ARPE-19 cells under HG conditions. However, their expression levels remained similar to those in the control group in the presence of β-asarone. Therefore, β-asarone protects RPE cells from HG-induced injury by blocking ROS generation and NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome activation, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for DR treatment.

Background: Predicting the course of depression is necessary for personalized treatment. Impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) was introduced as a promising depression biomarker, but no consensus was made. This study aimed to predict IGM at the time of depression diagnosis and examine the relationship between long-term prognosis and predicted results., Methods: Clinical data were extracted from four electronic health records in South Korea. The study population included patients with depression, and the outcome was IGM within 1 year. One database was used to develop the model using three algorithms. External validation was performed using the best algorithm across the three databases. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to determine the model's performance. Kaplan-Meier and Cox survival analyses of the risk of hospitalization for depression as the long-term outcome were performed. A meta-analysis of the long-term outcome was performed across the four databases., Results: A prediction model was developed using the data of 3,668 people, with an AUC of 0.781 with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression. In the external validation, the AUCs were 0.643, 0.610, and 0.515. Through the predicted results, survival analysis and meta-analysis were performed; the hazard ratios of risk of hospitalization for depression in patients predicted to have IGM was 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.41, p  = 0.027) at a 3-year follow-up., Conclusions: We developed prediction models for IGM occurrence within a year. The predicted results were related to the long-term prognosis of depression, presenting as a promising IGM biomarker related to the prognosis of depression.

Phloroglucinol, a phenolic compound, is known to possess a potent antioxidant ability. However, its role in retinal cells susceptible to oxidative stress has not been well elucidated yet. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether phloroglucinol could protect against oxidative damage in cultured human retinal pigment epithelium ARPE-19 cells. For this purpose, ARPE-19 cells were stimula ted with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) to mimic oxidative stress. Cell viability, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial function, DNA damage, and autophagy were then assessed. Our results revealed that phloroglucinol ameliorated cell viability, cytotoxicity, and DNA damage in H 2 O 2 -exposued ARPE-19 cells and blocked production of ROS. Phloroglucinol also counteracted H 2 O 2 -induced apoptosis by reducing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, blocking activation of caspase-3, and inhibiting degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. H 2 O 2 caused mitochondrial impairment and increased expression levels of mitophagy markers such as PINK1and PARKIN known to be associated with mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) generation and cytosolic release of cytochrome c . However, these changes were significantly attenuated by phloroglucinol. Mito-TEMPO, a selective mitochondrial antioxidant, further enhanced the protective effect of phloroglucinol against dysfunctional mitochondria. Furthermore, H 2 O 2 induced autophagy, but not when ARPE-19 cells were pretreated with phloroglucinol, meaning that autophagy by H 2 O 2 contributed to the pro-survival mechanism and that phloroglucinol protected ARPE-19 cells from apoptosis by blocking autophagy. Taken together, these results suggest that phloroglucinol can inhibit oxidative stress-induced ARPE-19 cell damage and dysfunction by protecting DNA damage, autophagy, and subsequent apoptosis through mitigation of mtROS generation. Thus, phloroglucinol might have therapeutic potential to prevent oxidative stress-mediated damage in RPE cells.

A representative of titanium carbide MXene, Ti 3 C 2 T x is a promising candidate for high performance gas sensing and has attracted significant attention. However, MXene naturally has a multilayer structure with low porosity, which prevents its gas-sensing activity. Zinc oxide (ZnO) has long been utilized as a gas detector. Despite its good response to multiple gases, high operation temperature has limited its widespread use as a gas-sensing material. In this study, a room-temperature toxic gas sensor was prepared from ZnO/Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanocomposite consisting of 2D few-layered MXene and 1D ZnO nanoparticles. A simple technique for synthesizing the nanocomposite was established. The physicochemical properties of the nanocomposite were fine-controlled with more active sites and higher porosity. The sensitivity and gas-selectivity of the sensing material were closely examined. The nanocomposite showed enhanced response and recovery behaviors to toxic gases, which outperformed pure Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and pure ZnO. This study offers a practical strategy by which to increase the gas-sensing performance of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene, and expands comprehensive understanding of the gas-sensing process of ZnO/Ti 3 C 2 T x p-n heterostructure.

Nowadays, we are critically facing various environmental issues. Among these, water contamination is the foremost issue, which worsens our health and living organisms in the water. Thus, it is necessary to provide an avenue to minimize the toxic matter through the development of facile technique and harmless photocatalyst. In this review, we intended to uncover the findings associated with various 0D, 1D, and 2D nanostructures featured photocatalysts for advancements in interfacial characteristics and toxic matter degradation. In this context, we evaluated the promising mixed-dimensional 0D/2D, 1D/2D, and 2D/2D bismuth oxyhalides BiOX (X = Cl, Br, and I) integrated TiO 2 nanostructure interfaces. Tunable mixed-dimensional interfaces highlighted with higher surface area, more heterojunctions, variation in the conduction and valence band potential, narrowed band gap, and built-in electric field formation between BiOX and TiO 2 , which exhibits remarkable toxic dye, heavy metals, and antibiotics degradation. Further, this review further examines insights into the charge carrier generation, separation, and shortened charge transfer path at reduced recombination. Considering the advantages of type-II, S-scheme, and Z-scheme charge transfer mechanisms in the BiOX/TiO 2 , we heightened the combination of various reactive species generation. In a word, the concept of mixed-dimensional BiOX/TiO 2 heterojunction interface endows toxic matter adsorption and decomposition into useful products. Challenges and future perspectives are also provided., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study was intended to prepare and optimize agomelatine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (AGM-NLCs) for augmented in vivo antidepressant potential. AGM-NLCs were optimized on several parameters including cumulative hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of surfactants, proportions of solid and liquid lipids, total amounts of drug and surfactants. AGM-NLCs were assessed for their physicochemical properties, in vitro AGM release and in vivo antidepressant effects in mice model. The optimized AGM-NLCs demonstrated spherical morphology with average particle size of 99.8 ± 2.6 nm, PDI of 0.142 ± 0.017, zeta potential of - 23.2 ± 1.2 mV and entrapment efficiency of 97.1 ± 2.1%. Thermal and crystallinity studies depict amorphous nature of AGM after its incorporation into NLCs. AGM-NLCs exhibit a sustained drug release profile after initial 2 h. Mice treated with AGM-NLCs exhibited reduced immobility time in behavioral analysis. Furthermore, cresyl violet staining demonstrated an improved neuronal morphology and survival in AGM-NLCs group. The concentrations and the expression of inflammatory markers (TNF-α and COX-2) in mice brain were significantly reduced by AGM-NLCs. Taken together, therapeutic effectiveness of AGM was markedly augmented in AGM-NLCs and thereby they could be promising nanocarriers for the effective delivery of antidepressants to brain., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Colletotrichum species are important fungal pathogens causing anthracnose of tropical and subtropical fruit and vegetable crops. Dual culture assay indicated that Bacillus velezensis CE 100 was a strong antagonist against C. acutatum , C. coccodes , C. dematium , and C. gloeosporioides . The volatile organic compounds produced by B. velezensis CE 100 affected mycelial growth of Colletotrichum species tested in our study and caused twisted hyphal structures of all these fungal species. Chloroform crude compounds of B. velezensis CE 100 inhibited four Colletotrichum species in a concentration-dependent manner and induced severe damage in hyphal morphology of these fungal pathogens, including swelling, bulging, and multiple branching. Moreover, the active cyclic dipeptide, cyclo-(D-phenylalanyl-D-prolyl), was isolated from chloroform crude extract and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry. The inhibitory effect of cyclo-(D-phenylalanyl-D-prolyl) on conidial germination of C. gloeosporioides occurred in a concentration-dependent manner. The conidial germination rate was completely inhibited by a concentration of 3 mg/mL of cyclo-(D-phenylalanyl-D-prolyl). Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the exposure to cyclic dipeptide resulted in seriously deformed hyphae and conidia with shriveled surfaces in dipeptide-treated C. gloeosporioides . Therefore, active dipeptide-producing B. velezensis CE 100 is a promising biocontrol agent for Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose.

Numerous active compounds derived from ginseng exhibit various pharmacological and therapeutic effects in humans. Despite the benefits of ginsenosides, little is known about their influence on embryonic development, especially in human embryonic models. In this study, we evaluated the effect of two ginsenosides (Rg3 and Rh2) on human embryonic development, using embryoid bodies and three-dimensional (3D) aggregates of pluripotent stem cells. We exposed embryoid bodies to varying concentrations of Rg3 and Rh2 (5, 10, and 25 μg/mL), and their embryotoxicity was evaluated by measuring the size of the embryoid body and the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. The growth rates of embryoid bodies were reduced upon treatment with a high concentration (25 μg/mL) of Rg3 and Rh2. In addition, Rg3 induced E-cadherin expression while inhibiting N-cadherin and vimentin expression, which implies the inhibition of EMT. Such a change in E-cadherin expression was not observed after Rh2 treatment, but the inhibition of N-cadherin and vimentin expression was observed to be consistent with that observed on treatment with Rg3. Taken together, using the human embryoid model, we found that the two active ginsenosides, Rg3 and Rh2, induce aberrant embryoid body formation and ablate normal EMT., (© 2022. The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea.)

Fisetin is a kind of bioactive flavonol, widely present in various fruits such as strawberries and apples, and is known to act as a potent free radical scavenger. However, the mechanism of action related to the antioxidant activity of this compound in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is not precisely known. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether fisetin could attenuate oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity on human RPE ARPE-19 cells. To mimic oxidative stress, ARPE-19 cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and fisetin significantly inhibited H 2 O 2 -induced loss of cell viability and increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Fisetin also markedly attenuated DNA damage and apoptosis in H 2 O 2 -treated ARPE-19 cells. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction in H 2 O 2 -treated cells was alleviated in the presence of fisetin as indicated by preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential, increase of Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio, and suppression of cytochrome c release into the cytoplasm. In addition, fisetin enhanced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), which was associated with increased expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). However, the HO-1 inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin, significantly reversed the protective effect of fisetin against H 2 O 2 -mediated ARPE-19 cell injury. Therefore, our results suggest that Nrf2-mediated activation of antioxidant enzyme HO-1 may play an important role in the ROS scavenging activity of fisetin in RPE cells, contributing to the amelioration of oxidative stress-induced ocular disorders., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Park, Noh, Jung, Leem, Hyun, Chang, Kwon, Kim, Lee and Choi.)

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the key factors of balance function in the early subacute phase after stroke., Design: Ninety-four stroke patients were included. Multiple variables were evaluated, including demographic factors, clinical variables (stroke type; lesion site; Mini-Mental State Examination; motor strength of the hip, knee, and ankle joints; Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity), neurophysiological variables (amplitude ratio of somatosensory evoked potential of the tibial nerves), and laterality index of fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract using diffusion tensor imaging. Balance function was measured using the Berg Balance Scale., Results: The Berg Balance Scale score was significantly negatively correlated with age and laterality index of fractional anisotropy and positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination; Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity; motor strength of the affected hip, knee, and ankle joint; and somatosensory evoked potential amplitude ratio (P < 0.05). The abnormal somatosensory evoked potential group and poor integrity of the corticospinal tract group showed significantly decreased Berg Balance Scale scores. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of lower extremity score, and ankle plantar flexion strength were significantly associated with balance function (odds ratios = 0.919, 1.181, and 15.244, respectively, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Higher age, severe initial motor impairment, and strength of the affected lower limb muscles, especially the ankle plantar flexor, are strongly associated with poor balance function early after stroke., To Claim Cme Credits: Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME., Cme Objectives: Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) Enhance ability to evaluate motor and balance function of stroke patients by learning common assessment tools including clinical tests, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies; (2) Explain the important factors associated with balance function impairment in early subacute stroke patients; and (3) Enhance planning rehabilitation strategies for improvement of balance function according to recovery stage after stroke., Level: Advanced., Accreditation: The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the relationship between maximal tongue protrusion length (MTPL) and dysphagia in post-stroke patients., Methods: Free tongue length (FTL) was measured using the quick tongue-tie assessment tool and MTPL was measured using a transparent plastic ruler in 47 post-stroke patients. The MTPL-to-FTL (RMF) ratio was calculated. Swallowing function in all patients was evaluated via videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), PenetrationAspiration Scale (PAS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS)., Results: The MTPL and RMF values were significantly higher in the non-aspirator group than in the aspirator group (MTPL, p=0.0049; RMF, p<0.001). MTPL and RMF showed significant correlations with PAS, FOIS and VDS scores. The cut-off value in RMF for the prediction of aspiration was 1.56, with a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 86%., Conclusion: There is a relationship between MTPL and dysphagia in post-stroke patients. MTPL and RMF can be useful for detecting aspiration in post-stroke patients.

Poor aqueous solubility of eplerenone (EPL) is a major obstacle to achieve sufficient bioavailability after oral administration. In this study, we aimed to develop and evaluate eplerenone nanocrystals (EPL-NCs) for solubility and dissolution enhancement. D-optimal combined mixture process using Design-Expert software was employed to generate different combinations for optimization. EPL-NCs were prepared by a bottom-up, controlled crystallization technique during freeze-drying. The optimized EPL-NCs were evaluated for their size, morphology, thermal behavior, crystalline structure, saturation solubility, dissolution profile, in vivo pharmacokinetics, and acute toxicity. The optimized EPL-NCs showed mean particle size of 46.8 nm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of elongated parallelepiped shaped NCs. DSC and PXRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure and the absence of any polymorphic transition in EPL-NCs. Furthermore, EPL-NCs demonstrated a 17-fold prompt increase in the saturation solubility of EPL (8.96 vs. 155.85 µg/mL). The dissolution rate was also significantly higher as indicated by ∼95% dissolution from EPL-NCs in 10 min compared to only 29% from EPL powder. EPL-NCs improved the oral bioavailability as indicated by higher AUC, C max , and lower T max than EPL powder. Acute oral toxicity study showed that EPL-NCs do not pose any toxicity concern to the blood and vital organs. Consequently, NCs prepared by controlled crystallization technique present a promising strategy to improve solubility profile, dissolution velocity and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs.

In this study, we propose a super junction insulated-gate bipolar transistor (SJBT) with separated n-buffer layers to solve a relatively long time for carrier annihilation during turn-off. This proposition improves the turn-off characteristic while maintaining similar on-state characteristics and breakdown voltage. The electrical characteristics of the devices were simulated by using the Synopsys Sentaurus technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation tool, and we compared the conventional SJBT with SJBT with separated n-buffer layers. The simulation tool result shows that turn-off loss (E off ) drops by about 7% when on-state voltage ( V on ) and breakdown voltage (BV) are similar. V on increases by about 0.5% and BV decreases by only about 0.8%.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the efficacy of fermented extract of sea tangle ( Laminaria japonica Aresch, FST) with Lactobacillus brevis on DNA damage and apoptosis in hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-stimulated osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and clarify related signaling pathways. Our results showed that exposure to FST significantly improved cell viability, inhibited apoptosis, and suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H 2 O 2 -stimulated cells. In addition, H 2 O 2 triggered DNA damage in MC3T3-E1 cells was markedly attenuated by FST pretreatment. Moreover, H 2 O 2 -induced mitochondrial dysfunctions associated with apoptotic events, including loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), decreased Bcl-2/Bcl-2 associated x-protein (Bax) ratio, and cytosolic release of cytochrome c , were reduced in the presence of FST. FST also diminished H 2 O 2 -induced activation of caspase-3, which was associated with the ability of FST to protect the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, FST notably enhanced nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the presence of H 2 O 2 with concomitant upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. However, artificial blockade of this pathway by the HO-1 inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin IX, greatly abolished the protective effect of FST against H 2 O 2 -induced MC3T3-E1 cell injury. Taken together, these results demonstrate that FST could protect MC3T3-E1 cells from H 2 O 2 -induced damage by maintaining mitochondrial function while eliminating ROS along with activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway.

Extensive epigenetic remodeling occurs during the cell fate determination of stem cells. Previously, we discovered that eudesmin regulates lineage commitment of mesenchymal stem cells through the inhibition of signaling molecules. However, the epigenetic modulations upon eudesmin treatment in genomewide level have not been analyzed. Here, we present a transcriptome profiling data showing the enrichment in PRC2 target genes by eudesmin treatment. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis showed that PRC2 target genes downregulated by eudesmin are closely related to Wnt signaling and pluripotency. We selected DKK1 as an eudesmin-dependent potential top hub gene in the Wnt signaling and pluripotency. Through the ChIP-qPCR and RT-qPCR, we found that eudesmin treatment increased the occupancy of PRC2 components, EZH2 and SUZ12, and H3K27me3 level on the promoter region of DKK1 , downregulating its transcription level. According to the analysis of GEO profiles, DEGs by depletion of Oct4 showed an opposite pattern to DEGs by eudesmin treatment. Indeed, the expression of pluripotency markers, Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog, was upregulated upon eudesmin treatment. This finding demonstrates that pharmacological modulation of PRC2 dynamics by eudesmin might control Wnt signaling and maintain pluripotency of stem cells.

Background: Suicide has emerged as a serious concern for public health; however, only few studies have revealed the differences between major psychiatric disorders and suicide. Recent studies have attempted to quantify research domain criteria (RDoC) into numeric scores to systematically use them in computerized methods. The RDoC scores were used to reveal the characteristics of suicide and its association with major psychiatric disorders., Objective: We intended to investigate the differences in the dimensional psychopathology among hospitalized suicidal patients and the association between the dimensional psychopathology of psychiatric disorders and length of hospital stay., Methods: This retrospective study enrolled hospitalized suicidal patients diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) between January 2010 and December 2020 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. The RDoC scores were calculated using the patients' admission notes. To measure the differences between psychiatric disorder cohorts, analysis of variance and the Cochran Q test were conducted and post hoc analysis for RDoC domains was performed with the independent two-sample t test. A linear regression model was used to analyze the association between the RDoC scores and sociodemographic features and comorbidity index. To estimate the association between the RDoC scores and length of hospital stay, multiple logistic regression models were applied to each psychiatric disorder group., Results: We retrieved 732 admissions for 571 patients (465 with depression, 73 with schizophrenia, and 33 with bipolar disorder). We found significant differences in the dimensional psychopathology according to the psychiatric disorders. The patient group with depression showed the highest negative RDoC domain scores. In the cognitive and social RDoC domains, the groups with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder scored higher than the group with depression. In the arousal RDoC domain, the depression and bipolar disorder groups scored higher than the group with schizophrenia. We identified significant associations between the RDoC scores and length of stay for the depression and bipolar disorder groups. The odds ratios (ORs) of the length of stay were increased because of the higher negative RDoC domain scores in the group with depression (OR 1.058, 95% CI 1.006-1.114) and decreased by higher arousal RDoC domain scores in the group with bipolar disorder (OR 0.537, 95% CI 0.285-0.815)., Conclusions: This study showed the association between the dimensional psychopathology of major psychiatric disorders related to suicide and the length of hospital stay and identified differences in the dimensional psychopathology of major psychiatric disorders. This may provide new perspectives for understanding suicidal patients., (©Dong Yun Lee, Jimyung Park, Jai Sung Noh, Hyun Woong Roh, Jae Ho Ha, Eun Young Lee, Sang Joon Son, Rae Woong Park. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (https://mental.jmir.org), 03.09.2021.)

Background: Pain management is crucial in palliative care for patients with advanced cancer. Here, we report a case of shoulder pain in a patient with renal cell carcinoma., Case Presentation: A 36-year-old male diagnosed metastatic renal cell carcinoma presented with pain and weakness on left shoulder for more than 6 months. Physical examination showed limited range of motion and atrophic changes on supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. Weakness in shoulder abduction and external rotation was also noted., Possible Courses of Action: In this case, suprascapular neuropathy, adhesive capsulitis of shoulder and metastatic lesions involving shoulder joint were suspected., Formulation of a Plan: We planned imaging studies including X-ray, bone scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and electrodiagnostic studies., Outcome: Imaging and electrodiagnostic studies showed suprascapular neuropathy by bone metastasis. Conservative treatment including injection and rehabilitation therapy reduced the patient's pain and improved the range of motion limitation., Lessons From the Case: Clinicians should be aware that bone metastasis in patients with advanced cancer can cause suprascapular neuropathy, shoulder pain and shoulder dysfunction., View on Research Problems, Objectives, or Questions Generated by the Case: More research is expected on development of an early surveillance model, barriers to cancer pain management, communication from patients' perspectives.

Objective: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has contributed to increase in the remission rate for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, current rTMS treatment is practically inconvenient because it requires daily treatment sessions for several weeks. Accelerated rTMS treatment is as efficient and safe for MDD patients as conventional rTMS., Methods: Fifty-one patients with MDD participated in this study; they were randomized into accelerated rTMS (n = 21), conventional rTMS (n = 22), and sham-treatment (n = 8) groups. The accelerated and conventional rTMS groups received 15 sessions for 3 days and 3 weeks, respectively. The sham-treatment group received 15 sham rTMS sessions for 3 days. Primary outcome was assessed using self-report and clinician-rated Korean Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (KQIDS-SR and KQIDS-C, respectively). Adverse effects were monitored using the Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Rating scale. Changes in depressive symptoms were compared among the three groups using mixed model analyses., Results: For the KQIDS-SR score, there was a significant main effect of "time" (F 3,47 = 11.05, p < 0.001), but no effect of "group" (F 2,47 = 2.04, p = 0.142), and a trend-level interaction effect of "group × time" (F 6,47 = 2.26, p = 0.053). Improvement in depressive symptoms, based on the KQIDS-SR score 3 weeks after treatment, was more prominent in the accelerated rTMS group than in the sham-treatment group ( p = 0.011). Tolerability was comparable among the three groups., Conclusion: The accelerated rTMS treatment group showed rapid improvement of depressive symptoms compared with the sham-treatment and conventional rTMS treatment groups. Therefore, accelerated rTMS treatment could be a viable option for MDD, with improved accessibility.

In this work, palladium nanoparticle (PdNP)-decorated Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene (Pd-Ti 3 C 2 T x ) was synthesized by a simple two-step process. For this, multilayer Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene (ML-Ti 3 C 2 T x ) was first prepared by a selective HF etching technique, and PdNPs were directly grown on the surface of ML-Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes using a polyol method. The relative weight fraction of PdNPs to ML-Ti 3 C 2 T x was elaborately controlled to derive the optimal size and distribution of PdNPs, thereby to maximize its performance as a hydrogen sensor. The optimized Pd-Ti 3 C 2 T x nanocomposite showed superb hydrogen-sensing capability even at room temperature with sharp, large, reproducible, concentration-dependent, and hydrogen-selective responses. Furthermore, the nanocomposite also unveiled some extent of hydrogen storage capability at room temperature and 77 K, raising a possibility that it can dual-function as a hydrogen sensor and hydrogen storage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Inflammation caused by the excessive secretion of inflammatory mediators in abnormally activated macrophages promotes many diseases along with oxidative stress. Loganin, a major iridoid glycoside isolated from Cornus officinalis, has recently been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, whereas the underlying mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of loganin on inflammation and oxidative stress in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Our results indicated that loganin treatment markedly attenuated the LPS-mediated phagocytic activity and release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 , which was associated with decreased the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, loganin suppressed the expression and their extracellular secretion of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Furthermore, loganin abolished reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and promoted the activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in LPS-stimulated macrophages. However, zinc protoporphyrin, a selective HO-1 inhibitor, reversed the loganin-mediated suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-treated macrophages. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the upregulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway is concerned at least in the protective effect of loganin against LPS-mediated inflammatory and oxidative stress, and that loganin can be a potential functional agent to prevent inflammatory and oxidative damage.

Background: Oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) are a popular marine product worldwide and have the advantage of nutritional benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of fermented oyster extract (FO) on growth promotion, including analysis of body size, bone microarchitecture, hematology and biochemistry in vivo ., Methods: The amount of nutrients and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) were determined. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, FO 50 group (FO 50 mg/kg), and FO 100 group (FO 100 mg/kg) were administered orally once daily and the recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) group (200 μg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected once daily for 14 days., Results: Oral administration of FO 100 significantly increased body length and had no effect on organ damage or hematological profiles. However, administration of rhGH significantly induced hypertrophy of the liver, kidney and spleen along with a marked increase in body length. Tibia length and the growth plate were increased, and bone morphometric parameters were slightly improved by FO and rhGH administration. Serum analysis showed that the levels of GH and insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were slightly upregulated by FO administration. Nevertheless, the protein expression of hepatic IGF-1 was markedly increased by FO 100 and rhGH administration., Conclusions: FO have high content of GABA, and induced positive effects on body length, tibial length, growth-plate length and hepatic IGF-1 synthesis in SD rats with no toxicity or alterations of hematological profile. Therefore, these results suggest that GABA-enriched FO could be considered a potential alternative treatment for growth stimulation., (© 2020 Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.)

Hemistepsin A, a sesquiterpene lactone compound isolated from Hemistepta lyrata, has been identified a variety of pharmacological actions including anti-hepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Nevertheless, the antioxidant effects of hemistepsin A and the underlying mechanisms have not been investigated properly. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the protective effect of hemistepsin A against oxidative stress in HaCaT human keratinocytes. The results demonstrated that hemistepsin A suppressed 500 μM hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage by blocking ROS accumulation. 10 μM Hemistepsin A also prevented apoptosis by preventing the mitochondrial dysfunction and the cytosolic release of cytochrome c, reducing the rate of Bax/Bcl-2 expression, and decreasing the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, suggesting that hemistepsin A protected cells from H 2 O 2 -induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. In addition, hemistepsin A markedly promoted the activation of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which was associated with the enhanced expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the presence of 500 μM H 2 O 2 . However, inhibiting the expression of HO-1 by artificially blocking the expression of Nrf2 or HO-1 using siRNA significantly eliminated the protective effect of hemistepsin A, indicating that hemistepsin A activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in HaCaT cells to protect against oxidative stress. Therefore, these results suggest that hemistepsin A may be useful as a potential therapeutic agent against various oxidative stress-related skin diseases., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Highly strain-endurable gas sensors were implemented on fabric, which was taken from a real T-shirt, employing a sequential coating method. Multidimensional, functional nanostructures such as reduced graphene oxide, ZnO nanorods, palladium nanoparticles, and silver nanowires were integrated for their realization. It was revealed that the fabric gas sensors could detect both oxidizing and reducing gases at room temperature with differing signs and magnitudes of responses. Noticeably, the fabric gas sensors could normally work even under large strains up to 100%, which represents the highest strain tolerance in the gas sensor field. Furthermore, the fabric gas sensors turned out to bear harsh bending and twisting stresses. It was also demonstrated that the sequential coating method is an effective and facile way to control the size of the fabric gas sensor.

This study investigated the effects of skate skin collagen peptide (SSCP) with different molecular weights (MWs) on the lipid metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue. Male db/db mice were orally administered with water (control group) or low SSCP (LCP group) or high SSCP (HCP group) MW for 8 weeks whereas male m/m mice were used for comparison (normal group) ( n = 10 each group). Compared to the control group, the LCP and HCP groups had lower adipose tissue mass, plasma and hepatic lipid concentrations, and plasma leptin levels ( p < 0.05). Protein expression levels of lipogenesis-related protein were reduced in both liver and adipose tissues of SSCP-fed groups whereas those for lipolysis were elevated ( p < 0.05). In particular, the LCP had the higher effects relative to the HCP. The above results were supported by histological analysis, revealing that SSCP administration decreased the size of adipose droplets and suppressed hepatic lipid accumulation. Our results showed that SSCP has potential antiobesity properties through the improvement of lipid metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue; in particular, the lower MW of collagen peptide had the greater effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background/objectives: In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of skate cartilage extracts containing chondroitin sulfate (SCS) on hyperlipidemia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in high cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed mice in comparison with the effects of shark cartilage-derived chondroitin sulfate (CS)., Materials/methods: Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR-KO) mice were fed HCD with an oral administration of CS (50 and 100 mg/kg BW/day), SCS (100 and 200 mg/kg BW/day), or water, respectively, for ten weeks., Results: The administration of CS or SCS reduced the levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and LDL cholesterol and elevated the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, compared with those of the control group ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, CS or SCS significantly attenuated inflammation by reducing the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and hepatic protein expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and IL-1beta ( P < 0.05). In particular, the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was reduced only in the 100 mg/kg BW/day of SCS-fed group, whereas the IL-6 level was reduced in the 100 and 200 mg/kg BW/day of SCS-fed groups ( P < 0.05). In addition, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production were attenuated in the livers of the CS and SCS groups mediated by the upregulation of hepatic proteins of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: These results suggest that the biological effects of SCS, similar to those of CS, are attributed to improved lipid profiles as well as suppressed inflammation and oxidative stress induced by the intake of HCD., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interests., (©2020 The Korean Nutrition Society and the Korean Society of Community Nutrition.)

Objective: Early detection and proper management of mental illness can help to prevent severe deterioration. However, with limited financial and human resources of community mental health services, it is not practical to carry out all conventional screening tools simultaneously. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a brief but comprehensive screening questionnaire for four common mental illnesses of the elderly., Methods: The brief screening for four mental illnesses of elderly (BS4MI-elderly) is a 14-item binary response questionnaire that covers dementia, depressive disorder, sleep disorder, and hwa-byung. To test validity, we compared conventional scale scores for three groups of participants classified using the BS4MI-elderly. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of positive test, likelihood ratio of positive test and internal consistency of the BS4MI-elderly were assessed. Finally, a correlation analysis between the BS4MI-elderly and general mental health scales was conducted., Results: A total of 254 participants aged over 65 years were recruited. The BS4MI-elderly showed moderate to high sensitivity for the test that distinguishes the normal group from the risk and disorder groups (dementia: 0.61, depressive disorder: 0.88, sleep disorder: 0.85, hwa-byung: 0.94) and high specificity for the test that distinguishes the disorder group from the normal and risk groups (dementia: 0.91, depressive disorder: 0.93, hwa-byung: 0.84, sleep disorder: 0.84). The BS4MI-elderly also exhibited good internal consistency and significant correlations with general mental health scales., Conclusion: The BS4MI-elderly, a brief but comprehensive screening tool, could be a useful instrument for screening the elderly in community mental health services.

It has been well established that hepatic insulin signaling is significantly affected by the antioxidative status of the liver. In this study, we first confirmed that skate skin collagen peptide (SSCP) administration has dose-dependent positive effects on the change in the glucose level as evidenced by oral glucose tolerance tests. Therefore, the beneficial effects of SSCP-showing antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities-on insulin resistance were examined in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. C57BL/6J mice orally received SSCP at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg per kg bw per day along with a HFD for 8 weeks (n = 9 per group). Water was given to the HFD- or chow diet-only group as a vehicle. Compared with the HFD group, the final body weight was reduced in all the SSCP-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. The hepatic protein expression levels of the phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate, phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and phosphorylated protein kinase B were increased in the SSCP-treated groups, which led to reduced plasma insulin and HOMA-IR levels (P < 0.05). The hepatic protein expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-mediated antioxidant enzymes were increased in the SSCP-treated groups, whereas those of nuclear factor kappa B-regulated inflammatory enzymes and mediators were decreased (P < 0.05). These effects were dose-dependent. It is apparent that SSCP might enhance insulin sensitivity by increasing the antioxidative status and suppressing the inflammatory response in the liver.

Young persimmon fruit (YPF) has recently been reported to have a regulatory effect on lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the YPF aqueous extract (YPFE) exert an antiobesity effect by modulating lipid metabolism in the white adipose tissue (WAT) of obese C57BLKS/J db/db mice. YPFE (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight/day) or distilled water as a vehicle was orally administered by gavage to 12-week-old obese male db/db mice for 3 weeks ( n  = 7 for each group). YPFE administration significantly reduced body weight and WAT size. Furthermore, YPFE considerably reduced triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in serum and WAT. Obese vehicle treated mice exhibited an enhanced protein expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes. However, this increased expression was alleviated in the YPFE-fed groups, resulting in inhibition of adipogenesis and downregulation of fatty acid synthesis. In addition, there was an increase in the level of transcription factors associated with fatty acid oxidation in the YPFE-treated group. In obese mice, the expression of proteins associated with cholesterol metabolism was augmented. YPFE did not affect cholesterol synthesis, but cholesterol efflux-related proteins were significantly upregulated. YPF exerts beneficial effects on obesity by inhibiting adipogenesis and reducing lipid synthesis and accumulation by regulation of lipid-related transcription factors in the WAT of obese mice.

Herein, we describe the synthesis of highly water-dispersible and biocompatible 3D adsorbents via a rapid two-step strategy employing a mesoporous magnetic nanomulberry-shaped Fe 3 O 4 (MNM) on diatomaceous earth (DE) and cucurbituril (CB; MNM-DE-CB). Coating of CB on the surface of MNM-DE via hydrogen bonds not only enhanced the dispersibility of CB, but also improved the stability of MNM-DE. The ability of the adsorbent to remove dyes from water was investigated as a function of metal ions, solution pH, temperature, and concentration to determine optimum reaction conditions. Unlike MNM-DE, MNM-DE-CB exhibited highly efficient, rapid dye removal and recyclability in aqueous solution, and low cytotoxicity toward cancer cells in drug delivery tests. MNM-DE-CB is a promising green adsorbent with potential for diverse applications including water remediation, interface catalysis, bio-sample preparation, and drug delivery.

Three-component nanocomposites (Fe 3 O 4 /Pd/mpg-C 3 N 4 ) have been systematically synthesized using a three-step solution method for the photocatalytic bacterial decontamination. The mesoporous g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (mpg-C 3 N 4 ), which were prepared by the acid treatment, showed a great improvement in photocatalytic performance. The photoluminescence intensity of the mpg-C 3 N 4 nanosheets was disclosed to drop about 60% from the value of normal g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. Decoration of mpg-C 3 N 4 with palladium (Pd) nanoparticles led to the effective suppression of carrier recombination and the carrier migration to Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. It was revealed that the three-component nanocomposites degraded 99.9% of E. coli and 99.8% of S. aureus bacterial strains within 2 h of solar light irradiation at a 100 μg/mL concentration, demonstrating their superb photocatalytic antibacterial activity. In addition, the nanocomposites could be easily separated from the bacterial cells and repeatedly used for photocatalytic bacterial degradation with good recyclability. The strong photon-induced antibacterial activity and good recyclability of the three-component nanocomposites may represent their potential as a promising antibacterial photocatalyst.

Near-monodisperse zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs) are synthesized by a co-precipitation method and deposited on the surface of silver nanowires (AgNWs), employing a stepwise solution method. The resulting hybrid nanostructures (ZnFe 2 O 4 @AgNWs) show a thin and uniform layer of ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs at an optimum weight ratio of 1:6 between the two component nanostructures. The hybrid nanostructures retain the high crystal quality and phase purity of their constituents. It is demonstrated that the ZnFe 2 O 4 @AgNWs hybrid nanostructures are effective at inhibiting the biofilm formation of Candida albicans cells. The biofilm inhibition activity of the hybrid nanostructures is estimated to be more than 50% at a low concentration of 100 µg/mL from both crystal violet assay and XTT assay, which are more than 8-fold higher than those of pure AgNWs and ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs. This greatly enhanced biofilm inhibition activity is attributed to the ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs-carrying membrane penetration by AgNWs and the subsequent interaction between Candida cells and ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs. These results indicate that the ZnFe 2 O 4 @AgNWs hybrid nanostructures have great potential as a new type of novel antibiofilm agent.

Background: The mTOR/S6K1 signaling pathway is often activated in cervical cancer, and thus considered a molecular target for cervical cancer therapies. Inhibiting mTOR is cytotoxic to cervical cancer cells and creates a synergistic anti-tumor effect with conventional chemotherapy agents. In this study, we identified a novel S6K1 inhibitor, rosmarinic acid methyl ester (RAME) for the use of therapeutic agent against cervical cancer., Methods: Combined structure- and ligand-based virtual screening was employed to identify novel S6K1 inhibitors among the in house natural product library. In vitro kinase assay and immunoblot assay was used to examine the effects of RAME on S6K1 signaling pathway. Lipidation of LC3 and mRNA levels of ATG genes were observed to investigate RAME-mediated autophagy. PARP cleavage, mRNA levels of apoptotic genes, and cell survival was measured to examine RAME-mediated apoptosis., Results: RAME was identified as a novel S6K1 inhibitor through the virtual screening. RAME, not rosmarinic acid, effectively reduced mTOR-mediated S6K1 activation and the kinase activity of S6K1 by blocking the interaction between S6K1 and mTOR. Treatment of cervical cancer cells with RAME promoted autophagy and apoptosis, decreasing cell survival rate. Furthermore, we observed that combination treatment with RAME and cisplatin greatly enhanced the anti-tumor effect in cisplatin-resistant cervical cancer cells, which was likely due to mTOR/S6K1 inhibition-mediated autophagy and apoptosis., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that inhibition of S6K1 by RAME can induce autophagy and apoptosis in cervical cancer cells, and provide a potential option for cervical cancer treatment, particularly when combined with cisplatin.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate associations among spirituality, coping strategies, quality of life (QOL), and the effects of depression and anxiety thereon in cancer patients., Method: In total, 237 cancer patients referred to a psycho-oncology clinic at a university hospital in Korea were enrolled. After identifying predictors of patient QOL in a stepwise regression model, we developed a hypothetical path model wherein interpersonal coping was considered as a mediating variable between spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL and wherein depression and anxiety affected each of these three variables., Result: The direct effect of spirituality (meaning/peace) on QOL was 36.7%. In an indirect model, interpersonal coping significantly mediated the relationship between spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL. Depression exerted the largest negative effect on spirituality (meaning/peace), interpersonal coping, and QOL. Anxiety had negative effects on spirituality (meaning/peace) and QOL, but a positive effect on interpersonal coping., Significance of Results: Interpersonal coping strategies work as a partial mediator of the relationship between meaning/peace subscales of spirituality and QOL. Effective management of depression may help in achieving better outcomes associated therewith. Greater attention and efforts to improve social connectedness and meaning of life in spiritual well-being may improve the QOL of cancer patients.

Thioacetamide (TAA) is known to induce lipid accumulation in the liver. In the present study, we investigated the effects of magma seawater (MS) rich in minerals on hepatic lipid metabolism by evaluating lipogenic enzymes regulated by sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs). Rats ( n = 10 per group) were intraperitoneally injected with TAA (200 mg/kg bw) thrice a week for seven weeks in combination with a respective experimental diet. Rats in the TAA-treated group received either a chow diet (Control group) or a chow diet containing MS (TMS group, 2.05%) or silymarin (TSM group, 0.05%). Rats in the normal group were injected with PBS as a vehicle and received a chow diet. Rats in the TMS group showed significantly lower hepatic lipid concentrations than rats in the control group ( p < 0.05). Hepatic protein expression levels of fatty acid synthase, SREBP-1, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, and SREBP-2 were significantly downregulated in the TMS group, whereas carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 levels were upregulated ( p < 0.05). Hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels were lower in the TMS group, whereas protein levels of glutathione peroxidase and catalase were elevated ( p < 0.05). The effects of MS were comparable to those of silymarin. Our results evidently showed that MS inhibits hepatic lipid accumulation by suppressing lipid synthesis, accompanied by lipid oxidation and elevation of antioxidative status.

A crystal-damage-free nanodoping method, which utilized the vacuum drive-in diffusion of Al into ZnO nanorods, was developed. In this method, vertical ZnO nanorod arrays that were grown by chemical bath deposition beforehand were deposited with Al thin film and subsequently heat-treated under a high vacuum. At an optimum condition, the surface Al atoms were completely diffused into ZnO nanorods, resulting in Al-doped ZnO nanorods. Stretchable gas sensors were fabricated by sequentially drop-casting the Al-doped ZnO nanorods and silver nanowires on polydimethylsiloxane substrate. The resistance and response of the sensor could be optimized through the elaborate control of relative densities of Al-doped ZnO nanorods and silver nanowires. The sensor showed a high response of 32.3% to 10 ppm of NO 2 gas at room temperature, even under a large strain of 30%. The NO 2 -sensing mechanism of Al-doped ZnO nanorod/silver nanowire bilayer sensors is discussed on the basis of a synergistic interplay of Al-doped ZnO nanorods and silver nanowires.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulates cortical excitability and facilitates motor learning to improve motor recovery after stroke. Action observation (AO) therapy effectively facilitates physical training for motor memory formation., Objective: To compare the effectiveness of rTMS alone with that of combined rTMS and AO for the functional recovery of upper extremity function in subacute stroke patients and to verify the safety of the interventions., Methods: The present study was a prospective, randomized controlled trial involving subacute unilateral stroke patients. In total, 22 patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: the trial group (rTMS with AO) and the control group (rTMS alone). Both groups received 1 Hz rTMS (intensity: 120% of resting motor threshold; rMT) over the contralesional primary motor cortex for 20 minutes on 10 consecutive days. Trial group received rTMS while watching a video of 5 different complex hand movements. The functional parameters were the Brunnstrom stage, Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) score of the upper extremity, Manual Function Test (MFT) score, and grip power. The following motor evoked potential (MEP) parameters were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle: rMT, latency, and amplitude. Both parameters were measured before and after the 2 week intervention., Results: After the 2 week trial, the total FMA and MFT scores were significantly improved in both groups, but the MFT subscores of hand motor function and grip power were significantly improved in the combination therapy group only. In contrast, the changes (Δ) of FMA, MFT, grip power test, and MEP outcomes were not significantly different between the 2 groups. No adverse events or complications were reported., Conclusions: Distal upper extremity function, as measured by MFT and grip power, was improved after rTMS and AO in combination. The combination of rTMS with AO may be applied safely to improve upper extremity function after stroke.

Background and Purpose: While providing medical services, hospitals generate many data about patients. Such medical data could contribute to better treatments once their associations or patterns have been identified. With properly analyzed medical data, traditional knowledge at an individual level could be further extended to broader populations. This comprehensive study was performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of light using medical data accumulated over 15 years., Methods: Patients who were admitted to the window or door side of a six-bedded room were included. Patients admitted to the emergency room and elderly people aged >80 years were excluded. Patients' length of stay was compared per what bed they were in (excluding middle beds). A multiple regression analysis was performed with patients admitted to the window or door side to determine whether the window affected their hospital stay. In addition, a multiple regression analysis was performed after adjusting for confounders by 1:1 matching between the two groups (ie, age, sex, and admitting department)., Results: Participants were 38 788 patients with a bed near the window and 46 233 patients with a bed near the door. Results revealed that patients' length of stay was shorter for those near the window compared with those near the door, which was also true after group matching (33 921 participants in each group)., Conclusions: Clinical trials that test evidence-based designs of physical environments in wards or hospital rooms are usually difficult to perform. As an alternative strategy, using accumulated electronic medical data, we assessed this key element of hospital design., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of collagen peptide derived from skate skin on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. All C57BL6/J male mice were fed a HFD with 60% kcal fat except for mice in the normal group which were fed a chow diet. The collagen-fed groups received collagen peptide (1050 Da) orally (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg body weight per day) by gavage, whereas the normal and control groups were given water ( n = 9 per group). The body weight gain and visceral adipose tissue weight were lower in the collagen-fed groups than in the control group ( p < 0.05). Plasma and hepatic lipid levels were significantly reduced by downregulating the hepatic protein expression levels for fatty acid synthesis (sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)) and cholesterol synthesis (SREBP-2 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR)) and upregulating those for β-oxidation (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1)) and synthesis of bile acid (cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 (CYP7A1)) ( p < 0.05). In the collagen-fed groups, the hepatic protein expression level of phosphorylated 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) and plasma adiponectin levels were higher, and the leptin level was lower ( p < 0.05). Histological analysis revealed that collagen treatment suppressed hepatic lipid accumulation and reduced the lipid droplet size in the adipose tissue. These effects were increased in a dose-dependent manner. The findings indicated that skate collagen peptide has anti-obesity effects through suppression of fat accumulation and regulation of lipid metabolism.

This study investigated the inhibitory effects of kimchi bioactive compounds against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis in amyloid beta (Aβ)-injected mice. Mice received a single intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ 25-35 , except for the normal group. Mice were subjected to oral administration of 10 mg of capsaicin, 50 mg of 3-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HDMPPA), 50 mg of quercetin, 50 mg of ascorbic acid, or 200 mg of kimchi methanol extract (KME) per kilogram of body weight for 2 weeks ( n = 7 per group). In the in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability test, all bioactive compounds penetrated the BBB except ascorbic acid. The protein expression level of APP, BACE, and p-Tau elevated by Aβ injection was decreased by kimchi bioactive compounds ( P < 0.05). Quercetin, HDMPPA, and KME decreased oxidative stress, as indicated by ROS and TBARS levels ( P < 0.05). The protein expression level of ER stress markers GRP78, p-PERK, p-eIF2α, XBP1, and CHOP and the proapoptotic molecules Bax, p-JNK, and cleaved caspases-3 and -9 decreased ( P < 0.05). In contrast, the protein expression level of antiapoptotic molecules Bcl2 and cIAP increased ( P < 0.05). These results were supported by histological analysis.