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Yersinia enterocolitica is occasionally detected in kimchi, a traditional food prepared from fermented vegetables. Changes in growth properties of Y. enterocolitica during kimchi fermentation are largely unknown. We investigated the viability of Y. enterocolitica during the fermentation of vegan and non-vegan kimchi at different temperatures. Changes in Y. enterocolitica population, pH, and titratable acidity were measured for 24 days. In a suspension test with kimchi juice, populations of three Y. enterocolitica strains were above 3.30 log(10) CFU/mL at pH > 5 for 7 days. Yersinia enterocolitica counts in vegan kimchi were considerably reduced at 0 °C and 6 °C. During fermentation at 6 °C, Y. enterocolitica populations in non-vegan kimchi and vegan kimchi were not detected starting from days 14 and 10, respectively. In kimchi samples stored at 0 °C and 6 °C, Y. enterocolitica survival correlated with pH changes during fermentation; in samples stored for up to 24 days, Y. enterocolitica was not detected. According to the k(max) values from the “log-linear with shoulder and tail” model, Y. enterocolitica was more sensitive to vegan kimchi fermentation than to non-vegan kimchi fermentation. Our findings provide an important basis for ensuring the safe production of kimchi without Y. enterocolitica contamination. Further research is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of Y. enterocolitica inactivation and the major bacterial and physicochemical factors involved in kimchi fermentation.

To accurately evaluate the protective effects of titanium dioxide-based emulsion from infrared-A rays (IRA) irradiation in daily life, we assessed the harmful effects of natural level of IRA irradiation on human skin cells. Using a well-defined solar IRA simulator, short-term (less than seven days) IRA irradiation on fibroblasts at 34°C elicited an increase in the matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) mRNA level and decrease in the collagen type-1 α-1 (COL1A1) mRNA level. While short-term IRA exposure showed negligible effects on cell proliferation at 34°C, long-term (24 days) IRA irradiation significantly decreased the proliferation of fibroblasts at the same temperature. However, in the presence of heat stress at 43°C, short-term IRA exposure also elicited severe damage including reduction in cell proliferation and procollagen type 1 C-terminal peptide (PIP) level. In addition, formulated titanium dioxide-based emulsion (IRA protective cream; IRC) with an infrared-A protection factor value of ten could successfully protect cells from damage by short-term and long-term IRA exposures. In this study, we demonstrated that IRC reduces mild and severe damages elicited by natural level of IRA irradiation mimicking system after short-term and long-term exposures.

Airborne pollutants have detrimental effect on the human body and the environment. Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are known to be major component of particulate matter (PM) and cause respiratory diseases and neurotoxicity. However, the effects of air pollutants on the sensory nervous system, especially on the olfactory sense, have not been well studied. Herein, we aimed to explore DEP-induced changes in the olfactory perception process. Olfactory sensitivity test was performed after DEP inhalation in mice. Microarray was conducted to determine the differentially expressed genes, which were then utilized to build a network focused on neurotoxicity. Exposure to DEPs significantly reduced sniffing in mice, indicating a disturbance in the olfactory perception process. Through network analysis, we proposed five genes (Cfap69, Cyp26b1, Il1b, Il6, and Synpr) as biomarker candidates for DEP-mediated olfactory dysfunction. Changes in their expression might provoke malfunction of sensory transduction by inhibiting olfactory receptors, neurite outgrowth, and axonal guidance as well as lead to failure of recovery from neuroinflammatory damage through inhibition of nerve regeneration. Thus, we suggest the potential mechanism underlying DEPs-mediated olfactory disorders using genomic approach. Our study will be helpful to future researchers to assess an individual’s olfactory vulnerability following exposure to inhalational environmental hazards.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable, which is also widely consumed in Japan and China. However, little is known about the kimchi proteome. In this study, Korean and Chinese kimchi proteomes were evaluated by shotgun proteomics. A total of 250 proteins were annotated, and 29 of these were expressed at > 1% of the average relative abundance. Discrimination of the geographical origins of Korean and Chinese kimchi samples was possible using multivariate analysis of the proteomic data, and 23 proteins were expressed differently between the two types (p

Delayed graft function (DGF) is a serious complication associated with worsening outcomes in kidney transplantation. To facilitate DGF risk reduction, this study aimed to identify the incidence and modifiable risk factors of this condition in kidney transplant patients.This retrospective chart review included 220 patients who underwent kidney transplants between 2012 and 2021 at our kidney transplant center. Delayed graft function was defined as the requirement of hemodialysis within a week of transplantation. Clinical data from patients with DGF and those without this condition were compared to identify risk factors of DGF.Of 205 eligible patients, 20 (9.76%) developed DGF. In the univariate analysis, high hemoglobin level, deceased-donor type, and longer warm and cold ischemic times were significantly associated with DGF (P.05). In the variable selection in logistic regression analysis, high hemoglobin level, with a cutoff value of 11.35 g/dL, and deceased-donor transplants were associated with higher DGF incidence (P.05 for both factors).Our findings newly demonstrated that DGF occurred more frequently in patients with hemoglobin level11.35 g/dL. As such, improvement in kidney transplantation outcomes could be achieved by reducing this modifiable risk factor.

In this study, we examined cellular responses to acute and chronic IRA irradiation at mild and natural levels of exposure in two types of human fibroblasts, each isolated from a different donor, at physiological temperature (34°C).Two types of human dermal fibroblasts (derived from a 20- and 50-year-old women, respectively) were exposed to different repeat numbers of IRA exposure (3, 6, 10, and 14 times; 42 mW/cmWe demonstrated that chronic IRA irradiation-induced severe cellular damage, including prolonged cell proliferation, increased intracellular ROS levels, activated cellular apoptosis, and elongated cell morphology, whereas acute IRA irradiation had negligible effects at 34°C. In addition, it was evident that the degree of cellular damage due to IRA irradiation differed according to the type of fibroblasts.Considering the severe cellular damage induced by chronic IRA irradiation without heat, continuous exposure of skin to IRA irradiation during daily life may be harmful enough to induce photoaging.

Several studies have investigated the relationship between the thickness of the posterior meniscofemoral ligament (pMFL) and the presence of a discoid meniscus. We investigated the correlation between meniscal pathology and anatomic features of pMFL such as attachment type, thickness, and volume. We retrospectively evaluated 191 patients who underwent knee MRI. MR images were reviewed to assess the attachment type of the pMFL on the medial femoral condyle (high vs. low), the thickness of the pMFL, and the presence of a meniscal tear or a discoid meniscus. The pMFL volume was quantified by using three-dimensional (3D) segmentation software. The relationship between the frequency of medial or lateral meniscal tear and anatomic features of pMFL were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney U test. High type pMFLs had significantly greater thickness and volume than low type pMFLs (p0.001). Patients with degenerative lateral meniscal tear had significantly higher thickness and volume of the pMFL than patients with intact lateral meniscus (p0.05). The pMFL thickness and volume were not significantly related to traumatic lateral meniscal tear, medial meniscal tear, and discoid meniscus. High type pMFLs tended to be thicker and larger than low type pMFLs and higher thickness and volume of the pMFL was significantly related to the degenerative lateral meniscal tear. However, the attachment type of the pMFL itself was not significantly related to the lateral meniscal tear as well as the medial meniscal tear.

Redox homeostasis is essential for the maintenance of diverse cellular processes. Cancer cells have higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than normal cells as a result of hypermetabolism, but the redox balance is maintained in cancer cells due to their marked antioxidant capacity. Recently, anticancer therapies that induce oxidative stress by increasing ROS and/or inhibiting antioxidant processes have received significant attention. The acceleration of accumulative ROS disrupts redox homeostasis and causes severe damage in cancer cells. In this review, we describe ROS-inducing cancer therapy and the anticancer mechanism employed by prooxidative agents. To understand the comprehensive biological response to certain prooxidative anticancer drugs such as 2-methoxyestradiol, buthionine sulfoximine, cisplatin, doxorubicin, imexon, and motexafin gadolinium, we propose and visualize the drug-gene, drug-cell process, and drug-disease interactions involved in oxidative stress induction and antioxidant process inhibition as well as specific side effects of these drugs using pathway analysis with a big data-based text-mining approach. Our review will be helpful to improve the therapeutic effects of anticancer drugs by providing information about biological changes that occur in response to prooxidants. For future directions, there is still a need for pharmacogenomic studies on prooxidative agents as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of the prooxidants and/or antioxidant-inhibitor agents for effective anticancer therapy through selective killing of cancer cells.

The determination of aflatoxins in kimchi is essential as it contains red pepper powder which is susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. This study was designed to determine the concentrati...

Cross-contamination of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (PCC) from a stainless-steel surface to cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis) was evaluated. To investigate the PCC transfer pattern from mechanical knife surfaces to cabbage during 100 cuts, two mathematical models (power and logarithmic model) were fitted to the mean log10 detection data from cabbage. Overall, regression analysis determined that the best-fitting regression curves of planktonic cells and detached cells from biofilms transferred onto fresh cabbage were Y = 3.7X-0.41 , RMSE = 0.371 and Y = 4.6X-0.35 , RMSE = 0.254, respectively. For salted cabbage, the best-fit regression curves of planktonic cells and biofilm were Y = 5.8X-0.38 , RMSE = 0.209 and Y = 5.4X-0.23 , RMSE = 0.195, respectively. Our data provide a meaningful indication of the level of PCC cross-contamination.

Sunscreen can protect human skin from sunlight by decreasing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, specifically UV-B and UV-A. In this study, a new type of UV screen system is proposed using cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) capable of selectively reflecting UV-A within the human skin temperature range of 32–36 °C. Polycaprolactone (PCL) capsules with CLC mixture which had a helical chiral pitch corresponding to the wavelength of UV light were made by a solvent evaporation method. The average diameter of the capsules was about 34 μm. Consequently, it was confirmed that the CLC mixture (COC : CN = 80 : 20) could reflect UV-A light over 350–380 nm within the human skin temperature range. Also, it was confirmed that the CLC/PCL microcapsules could block UV light over 290–400 nm by about 6%.

Background Chronic exposure to infrared A (IR-A) irradiation causes photoaging. However, daily or acute exposure to IR-A rarely induces erythema or pigmentation. Thus, evaluation of the physiological changes taking place on the skin surface is insufficient for clinical investigations. Materials and methods We fabricated a novel device to obtain the IR-A protection factor (IPF) on human skin. This device consists of an artificial light source that mimics the actual IR-A intensity of sunlight, and a spectrophotometer to measure the spectral reflectance on the skin surface. The IPF can be determined by measuring the difference in spectral reflectance on the skin before and after the use of products and can be verified by the statistical criterion. A validation study was performed using different light intensities and two experimenters. Finally, we monitored the IPF on 12 commercial cosmetics. Results After considering the IPF and L*-values, we selected the optimal sample and performed a validation study. Neither the intensity of IR-A irradiation or the experimenters significantly affected the IPF. 12 commercial products exhibited their own IPF values and were verified by statistical criteria, with one exception. Conclusion The present IPF evaluation method was concluded to be robust and reliable. This method is simple and safe for the subjects, and could be helpful for the development of IR-A protection products and the confirmation of product performances.

The application of a colorimetric indicator for monitoring the degree of fermentation in Kimchi was studied. Changes in total color difference (TCD) occurred continuously from the initial to final fermentation stage with a maximum TCD value of 36.08 ± 0.72 after 28 days. The experimental data for the converted color response function, F(Xc) were demonstrated to be more linear (R2 = 0.986) than for TCD values. The coefficients of determination of pH: F(Xc) (R2 = 0.9583) and titratable acidity: F(Xc) (R2 = 0.9828) were sufficient to meet the zero-order reaction. Results of standardized residuals evidenced their normal distribution, indicating that 95% of the residuals of predicted pH or titratable acidity were in the range of −1.96 to 1.96. The coefficients of determination between predicted- and observed data were 0.841 (pH) and 0.912 (titratable acidity). Based on regression analysis, the colorimetric indicator could thus be applied as a Kimchi fermentation indicator.

Despite the importance of preventing the spread of human norovirus (NoV), effective disinfectants are lacking. In this study, the efficacy of disinfectants against NoV on various non-porous surfaces was investigated by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT-q)PCR. Monoclonal anti-NoV antibody-conjugated magnetic beads captured intact viral particles for RT-qPCR after the treatment of surfaces with disinfectants. Viral suspensions of approximately 5.97 log10 genomic copies were inoculated onto rubber, glass, stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood, and polyvinyl chloride surfaces. Various elution buffers were used to elute NoV from surfaces. Ethanol (50–70%), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl, 100–1000 ppm), sodium metasilicate (SMS, 0.1% and 0.3%), and quaternary compounds (1000–2000 ppm) were investigated as disinfectants; the observed reductions were

This study evaluated bactericidal effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA), caffeic acid (CFA), coumaric acid (CMA), and ferulic acid (FA), against Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (PCC) on Chinese cabbage using suspension and direct inoculation tests. Among suspension tests with four phenolic acids, CGA at 5–7 mM or CMA at 7–10 mM for 30 min effectively eliminated PCC, whereas CFA and FA effectiveness increased on prolonging treatment time to 60 min. For cabbage, CGA at 5–7 mM or CMA at 10 mM for 60 min achieved a log10 reduction of ≥3.98 log10 CFU/g. On comparison of soft rot development on Chinese cabbage after treatment with phosphate-buffered saline (negative control), 1% sodium hypochlorite (positive control), and 5 mM of CGA at 20 °C for 72 h, the first soft rot symptoms were observed after 12 h only for PBS treatment, and there were no significant differences between positive control and CGA treatment up to 36 h, after which the decay rate increased significantly. These results suggest that CGA at 5–10 mM for 60 min might allow significant shelf life extension of cabbage and prevent quality loss in kimchi by controlling the spread of the soft rot symptoms on cabbage.

Although Kimchi has health benefits, food poisoning associated with consumption of Kimchi has been frequently reported. Accordingly, microbiological properties of Kimchi (100 samples) and washing effects on microbial reduction against its ingredients (200 samples) were examined. Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Clostridium perfringens were quantified. In addition, B. cereus, Salmonella spp., Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, C. perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica were analysed qualitatively. Total aerobic bacteria count was approximately 1.4-9.0 log CFU/g, which were highest in ginger (8.8 log CFU/g), and Chonggak Kimchi (9.0 log CFU/g). The range of coliform counts detected in all raw materials was 0.5-7.3 log CFU/g and ginger showed the greatest number 7.3 log CFU/g among others. Contamination was decreased to 0.2-3.2, 0.3-2.7, and 1.0-3.9 log CFU/ g for total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and B. cereus, respectively, after washing. Minimising microbial contamination in Kimchi ingredients is necessary to ensure the safety of Kimchi. These results indicate that washing is a useful method to reduce bacterial contamination in Kimchi.

In recent years, fresh vegetables have frequently been associated with the foodborne transmission of enteric viruses, such as human norovirus (NoV). Therefore, several studies have focused on developing methods to inactivate foodborne viruses for preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is commonly used as a disinfectant, but results in undesirable effects on the appearance and taste of foods and can generate toxic byproducts when it exceeds the allowable concentration. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a range of NaOCl concentrations (50-1000 ppm) for reducing the amounts of human NoV (NoV GII.4) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa), celery (Apium graveolens L.), and white cabbage (Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata). In addition, the combination treatment of NaOCl and sodium metasilicate (SMS, 0.1-0.5%) pentahydrate was evaluated for its ability to decrease the populations of NoV GII.4 in the three food samples. An immunomagnetic separation procedure combined with reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for virus detection. For lettuce, celery, and cabbage, the NoV GII.4 recovery rates were 57.3% ± 6.5%, 52.5% ± 1.7%, and 60.3% ± 3.9%, respectively, using a glycine/NaCl elution buffer (0.25 M glycine/0.14 M NaCl, pH 9.5). The reductions of NoV GII.4 were 3.17, 3.06, and 3.27 log

Background and Aim DA-9701, a newly developed prokinetic agent formulated with Pharbitis Semen and Corydalis Tuber, has been shown to effectively treat functional dyspepsia. Recently, it has also been suspected to improve gastrointestinal motor function. The aims of this study were to assess the effect of DA-9701 on colonic transit time (CTT) and symptoms of functional constipation. Methods Thirty-three patients with functional constipation based on the Rome III criteria were prospectively enrolled. The patients received 30-mg DA-9701 three times a day for 24 days. CTT was estimated initially and at the end of treatment. Symptoms such as spontaneous bowel movements, straining, stool form, feeling of incomplete emptying and anorectal blockage, abdominal discomfort and pain, overall defecation satisfaction, and incidence of adverse events were also analyzed. Results Twenty-seven patients completed the study. DA-9701 was associated with a significantly reduced CTT from 34.9 ± 17.6 to 23.7 ± 19.1 h (P = 0.001). Segmental CTT also significantly decreased after treatment (right CTT: from 16.8 [0.0–28.8] to 6.0 [0.0–25.2] hours, P

Noble metal nanostructures have been intensively investigated as active substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) from visible to near-IR wavelengths. However, metal nanoparticle-based SERS analysis in solutions is very challenging due to uncontrollable and irreproducible colloid aggregation. Here we report the templated synthesis of porous gold-silica hybrid microspheres and their application as reusable colloidal SERS substrates. Mesoporous polymer microspheres are synthesized and used as templates for the synthesis of non-aggregated gold nanoparticles, followed by polydopamine-mediated silicification to fabricate mesoporous gold-silica hybrid microspheres. The mesoporous hybrid particles detect crystal violet in the order of 10–8 M and provide the structural durability of the immobilized gold nanoparticles, allowing them to be recycled for repeated SERS analyses for analytes in a solution with the similar sensitivity. This work suggests that the mesoporous gold-silica hybrid microspheres are attractive SERS substrates in terms of reusability, sensitivity, and stability.

염증성 장 질환에 일반적으로 사용되는 설파살라진은 고용량 및 장기 섭취 후 다양한 부작용이 있다. 본 연구에서는 TNBS로 유발된 마우스 대장염 모델에서 설파살라진, 육계와 시호 복합추출물의 항염증 및 세포 자멸 개선효과를 확인하고자 하였다. 실험은 정상군, TNBS 대조군, Sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg)군, Sulfasalazine (60 mg/kg)군, Sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg)+육계 및 시호 혼합 (30 mg/kg)군, 총 5개의 군으로 나누었으며, 7일간 경구투여 하였다. 염증 및 세포 자멸 단백질은 western blot을 통해 발현량을 확인하였다. SCB 투여는 염증 단백질 및 세포 자멸과 관련된 단백질의 억제에 유의한 효과를 나타냈다. 이러한 결과로 보아 설파살라진, 육계와 시호 복합 추출물은 염증과 세포 자멸의 억제를 통해 염증성 장 질환을 개선시킬 수 있으며, 염증성 장 질환의 치료 대안 가능 물질로 사료되는 바이다.

Little is known about microbial communities associated with the kimchi manufacturing process. We investigated the structure of microbial communities, focusing on foodborne pathogens, such as Bacillus cereus, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica, during the kimchi manufacturing process, including the brining, washing, and condiment stuffing phases, using culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses. Foodborne pathogens were not identified in any test sample by the culture-dependent analysis, whereas the culture-independent analysis targeting the hypervariable regions V3 and V4 of the 16S rRNA gene detected traces of general or potential foodborne pathogens, such as Campylobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Escherichia or Shigella spp., Serratia spp., Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Enterococcus spp. However, as the kimchi manufacturing process proceeded, the structure of the microbial community changed, and potential foodborne pathogens were replaced by probiotics, such as lactic acid bacteria. Our results suggest that it may be worth utilizing the culture-independent analysis to complement the culture-dependent analysis for microbiological quality control of the kimchi manufacturing process.

Trauma nurses are exposed to suffering, death and dying, and vicarious trauma, which may result in nurses experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aims to investigate the extent of PTSD and the effect of the frequency of traumatic events, coping strategies, and social support on PTSD in South Korean trauma nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were 145 trauma nurses recruited from 6 regional trauma centers in Korea. The data were collected through convenience sampling using self-administered questionnaires, including the Korean version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R-K), the frequency of traumatic events, coping strategies, and social support. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression. The prevalence of IES-R-K score of 25 or more (indicating a high risk of PTSD) was detected in 57.2% of the trauma nurses. The frequency of traumatic events, work at traumatic emergency units, dysfunctional coping, emotion-focused coping, and social support were found to be significantly associated with PTSD. Therefore, it is necessary to develop PTSD management programs in order to provide effective coping strategies and social support for relieving PTSD symptoms. At the same time, efforts to improve the working environment are needed.

The cause of progression to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not fully understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate how curcumin, a natural phytopolyphenol pigment, ameliorates NAFLD. Initially, we demonstrated that curcumin dramatically suppresses fat accumulation and hepatic injury induced in methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet mice. The severity of hepatic inflammation was alleviated by curcumin treatment. To identify the proteins involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, we also characterized the hepatic proteome in MCD diet mice. As a result of two-dimensional proteomic analysis, it was confirmed that thirteen proteins including antioxidant protein were differentially expressed in hepatic steatosis. However, the difference in expression was markedly improved by curcumin treatment. Interestingly, eight of the identified proteins are known to undergo O-GlcNAcylation modification. Thus, we further focused on elucidating how the regulation of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification is associated with the progression of hepatic steatosis leading to hepatitis in MCD diet mice. In parallel with lipid accumulation and inflammation, the MCD diet significantly up-regulated hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) via ER stress. Curcumin treatment alleviates the severity of hepatic steatosis by relieving the dependence of O-GlcNAcylation on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in inflammation signaling. Conversely, the expressions of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and SIRT1 were significantly upregulated by curcumin treatment. In conclusion, curcumin inhibits O-GlcNAcylation pathway, leading to antioxidant responses in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mice. Therefore, curcumin will be a promising therapeutic agent for diseases involving hyper-O-GlcNAcylation, including cancer.

The precise mechanism of hepatic cirrhosis remains largely unclear. In particular, a potential regulatory mechanism by which protein kinase C-delta (PKC&delta, ) affects profibrogenic gene expression involved in hepatic cirrhosis has never been explored. In the present study, we investigated whether PKC&delta, activation is involved in liver inflammatory fibrosis in both lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 and CCl4-treated mice. PKC&delta, was strongly activated by LPS or CCl4 treatment and consequently stimulated nuclear factor (NF)-&kappa, B inflammatory response. Interestingly, the activation of PKC&delta, negatively regulated sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) expression, whereas PKC&delta, suppression by PKC&delta, peptide inhibitor V1-1 or siRNA dramatically increased SIRT1 expression. Furthermore, we showed that the negative regulation of PKC&delta, leads to a decrease in SIRT1 expression. To our knowledge, these results are the first demonstration of the involvement of PKC&delta, in modulating NF-&kappa, B through SIRT1 signaling in fibrosis in mice, suggesting a novel role of PKC&delta, in inflammatory fibrosis. The level of NF-&kappa, B p65 in the nucleus was also negatively regulated by SIRT1 activity. We showed that the inhibition of PKC&delta, promoted SIRT1 expression and decreased p65 levels in the nucleus through deacetylation. Moreover, the inactivation of PKC&delta, with V1-1 dramatically suppressed the inflammatory fibrosis, indicating that PKC&delta, represents a promising target for treating fibrotic diseases like hepatic cirrhosis.

Background Infrared radiation (IR) exposure generates reactive oxygen species and induces matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression in human skin. Moreover, while not as acute as ultraviolet radiation, repeated infrared irradiation can result in the photoaging of skin. Broad-spectrum sunscreens can protect skin from IR, but no human in vivo test methods for the evaluation of sunscreens' IR protection effect have been developed. We aimed to develop such a method. Materials and methods We included 155 Korean subjects in our three-part clinical study. The IR reflectance of subjects' skin was measured using a benchtop model of an IR light source and a reflectance measuring probe. We measured the IR reflectance in relation to skin color and hydration level to set up our experimental conditions. We then calculated the infrared protection factors (IPFs) of cosmetic emulsions as the IR reflectance ratio between cosmetic sunscreen-applied skin and non-sunscreen-applied skin and assessed the relationship between IPFs and the amount of sunscreen ingredients. Finally, this method was validated using several commercial sunscreen cosmetics. Results Skin color and hydration level did not influence the IR reflectance of subjects' skin. The IPFs of cosmetic sunscreens showed a positive correlation with the amount of inorganic sunscreen ingredients. Conclusion In this study, we developed a simple, fast, and ethically acceptable human in vivo test method for evaluating the IPFs of cosmetic sunscreens.

Charged phospholipids are employed to formulate liposomes with different surface charges to enhance the permeation of active ingredients through epidermal layers. Although 3D skin tissue is widely employed as an alternative to permeation studies using animal skin, only a small number of studies have compared the difference between these skin models. Liposomal delivery strategies are investigated herein, through 3D skin tissue based on their surface charges. Cationic, anionic, and neutral liposomes are formulated and their size, zeta-potential, and morphology are characterized using dynamic light scattering and cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). A Franz diffusion cell is employed to determine the delivery efficiency of various liposomes, where all liposomes do not exhibit any recognizable difference of permeation through the synthetic membrane. When the fluorescence liposomes are applied to 3D skin, considerable fluorescence intensity is observed at the stratum cornea and epithelium layers. Compared to other liposomes, cationic liposomes exhibit the highest fluorescence intensity, suggesting the enhanced permeation of liposomes through the 3D skin layers. Finally, the ability of niacinamide (NA)-incorporated liposomes to suppress melanin transfer in pigmented 3D skin is examined, where cationic liposomes exhibit the highest degree of whitening effects.

The present study aimed to investigate the comparative evaluation of pharmacological efficacy between sulfasalazine alone and sulfasalazine in combination with herbal medicine on dextran sodium sulfate- (DSS-) induced UC in mice. Balb/c mice received 5% DSS in drinking water for 7 days to induce colitis. Animals were divided into five groups (n=9): Group I (normal group), Group II (DSS control group), Group III (DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg)), Group IV (DSS + sulfasalazine (60 mg/kg)), and Group V (DSS + sulfasalazine (30 mg/kg) + Cinnamomi Cortex and Bupleuri Radix mixture (30 mg/kg) (SCB)). Colonic pathological changes were analyzed using hematoxyline/eosin staining. The antioxidant, inflammatory, and apoptotic protein levels were determined using western blotting. SCB supplementation, as well as sulfasalazine, suppressed colonic length and mucosal inflammatory infiltration. In addition, SCB treatment significantly reduced the expression of proinflammatory signaling molecules through suppression of both mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways and prevented the apoptosis of the colon. Moreover, SCB administration significantly led to the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes including SOD and catalase. Taken together, SCB treatment might offer a better treatment for human UC than sulfasalazine alone or may be useful as an alternative therapeutic strategy against UC, without any evidence of side effects.