Application of sodium alginate-based edible coating with citric acid to improve the safety and quality of fresh-cut melon ( L.) during cold storage.

The safety and quality of fresh-cut melons is reduced by a series of decay processes by enzymatic browning and microbial contamination. This study aimed to assess the impact of a 2% sodium alginate-based edible coating (ALC) combined with different concentrations of citric acid (CA; 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) on the microbial safety and physical quality of fresh-cut melons during a 7-day storage period at 10 °C.

Corrigendum: Korean Ginseng Berry Extract Enhances the Male Steroidogenesis Enzymes and .

This corrects the article on p. 446 in vol. 41, PMID: 36649918.

Microbiological quality and safety of fresh mushroom products at retail level in Korea.

Several investigations and recalls have demonstrated that can occur on mushrooms. This study aimed to assess the microbiological quality and safety of four types of edible mushrooms (, and ) available in the Korean market, and to evaluate the prevalence of spp., including .

Korean Ginseng Berry Extract Enhances the Male Steroidogenesis Enzymes and .

Purpose: Testosterone hormonal replacement is the most commonly prescribed solution for men with reproductive issues; however, this treatment has various drawbacks. Hence, the identification of a natural product that promotes steroidogenesis is urgently needed. Ginseng is a popular traditional medicine.

Evaluation of microbiological quality and safety of fresh-cut fruit products at retail levels in Korea.

The risk of foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens could be increased in fresh-cut fruit products owing to contamination during processing. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the microbiological quality and safety of commercial fresh-cut fruit products in Korea. Additionally, the growth of in selected fresh-cut fruits was evaluated, and their growth curves were analyzed using predictive growth modeling.

Epigenetic Regulation of Filaggrin Gene Expression in Human Epidermal Keratinocytes.

Background: Loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG), which encodes an epidermal protein crucial for the formation of a functional skin barrier, have been identified as a major predisposing factor in the etiopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Recent reports of relatively low frequencies of FLG-null mutations among specific ethnic groups with AD necessitated analysis of the epigenetic regulation which may control FLG expression without altering its DNA sequence.

Objective: The study aimed to identify DNA methylation-dependent regulation of FLG expression.

Steroidogenic effects of extract on the levels of steroidogenic enzymes in mouse Leydig cells.

In this study, we investigated the steroidogenic effect of extract on mouse TM3 Leydig cells, which produce male hormones by increasing the levels of steroidogenic enzymes. Steroidogenic enzymes are involved in the production of testosterone in the testis. To date, the steroidogenic effect of has not been reported.

Epigenetic suppression of the anti-aging gene in human prostate cancer cell lines.

was originally identified as an aging-suppressor gene that causes a human aging-like phenotype when tested in -deficient-mice. Recent evidence suggests that functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting signaling. gene silencing, including DNA methylation, has been observed in some human cancers.

Distinct Histone Modifications Modulate DEFB1 Expression in Human Vaginal Keratinocytes in Response to Lactobacillus spp.

Vaginal commensal lactobacilli are considered to contribute significantly to the control of vaginal microbiota by competing with other microflora for adherence to the vaginal epithelium and by producing antimicrobial compounds. However, the molecular mechanisms of symbiotic prokaryotic-eukaryotic communication in the vaginal ecosystem remain poorly understood. Here, we showed that both DNA methylation and histone modifications were associated with expression of the DEFB1 gene, which encodes the antimicrobial peptide human β-defensin-1, in vaginal keratinocyte VK2/E6E7 cells.

DNA Methylation-Mediated Downregulation of DEFB1 in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Epigenetic aberrations play crucial roles in prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. The DEFB1 gene, which encodes human ß-defensin-1 (HBD-1), contributes to innate immune responses and functions as a potential tumor suppressor in urological cancers. We investigated whether differential DNA methylation at the low CpG-content promoter (LCP) of DEFB1 was associated with transcriptional regulation of DEFB1 in PCa cells.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for α-synuclein with species and multimeric state specificities.

Abnormal intracellular deposition of aggregated α-synuclein is the characteristic feature of a number of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Although α-synuclein is typically known as a cytosolic protein, a small amount is secreted by exocytosis in both monomeric and aggregated forms. The extracellular forms of α-synuclein in human body fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood plasma, might be a diagnostic target for PD and related diseases.

Non-classical exocytosis of alpha-synuclein is sensitive to folding states and promoted under stress conditions.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by deposition of misfolded/aggregated alpha-synuclein proteins in multiple regions of the brain. Neurons can release alpha-synuclein; through this release, pathological forms of alpha-synuclein are propagated between neurons, and also cause neuroinflammation. In this study, we demonstrate that release of alpha-synuclein is consistently increased under various protein misfolding stress conditions in both neuroblastoma and primary neuron models.