Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by dinoflagellates like Alexandrium pacificum pose significant ecological and public health risks due to their production of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs). Bacterial populations, particularly Alexandrium cyst formation-promoting bacteria (Alex-CFPB), are known to significantly influence growth, encystment, toxin synthesis, the composition of toxic components, and bloom dynamics of these dinoflagellates. However, the role of Alex-CFPB in Alexandrium toxin synthesis and the mechanisms thereof are still unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe prediction of algal blooms using traditional water quality indicators is expensive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming, making it challenging to meet the critical requirement of timely monitoring for prompt management. Using optical measures for forecasting algal blooms is a feasible and useful method to overcome these problems. This study explores the potential application of optical measures to enhance algal bloom prediction in terms of prediction accuracy and workload reduction, aided by machine learning (ML) models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Previous studies on the weekend effect-a phenomenon where stroke outcomes differ depending on whether the stroke occurred on a weekend-mostly targeted ischemic stroke and showed inconsistent results. Thus, we investigated the weekend effect on 30-day mortality in patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke considering the confounding effect of stroke severity and staffing level.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients hospitalized for ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018, which were extracted from the claims database of the National Health Insurance System and the Medical Resource Report by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.
Sediments are sinks for microplastics (MPs) in freshwater environments. It is, therefore, necessary to investigate the occurrence and fate of accumulated MPs in the sediments, which pose a risk to aquatic organisms. We conducted the first comprehensive investigation of MPs in riverine sediment in South Korea to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of MPs in the sediment at the two main branches and downstream of the Han River.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, various outcomes over 3-year period in patients with early stage psychosis including remission, recovery, relapse and medication adherence were investigated. Predictor for full recovery at year 3 was also examined. Three-year follow-up data in 534 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (PNOS) were examined for overall outcome trajectories.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The molecular weight of hyaluronic acid (HyA) depends on the type of organ in the body. When HyA of the desired molecular weight is implanted into the human body for regeneration of damaged tissue, it is degraded by hyaluronidase in associated with an inflammatory response. This study sought to evaluate the effects of HyA molecular weight and concentration on pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in murine macrophages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe precise determination of the chemical composition in crops is important to identify their nutritional and functional value. The current study performed a systematic delineation of the rice metabolome, an important staple in Asia, to investigate the following: (1) comparative features between brown and white rice; (2) variety-specific composition (Ilpum vs. Odae); and (3) cultivation of region-dependent metabolic content.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding the transition to the reproductive period is important for crop breeding. This information can facilitate the production of novel varieties that are better adapted to local environments or changing climatic conditions. Here, we report the development of a high-density linkage map based on genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) for the genus perilla.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClassification and characterization of agricultural products at molecular levels are important but often impractical with genotyping, particularly for soybeans that have numerous types of variety and landraces. Alternatively, metabolic signature, a determinant for nutritional value, can be the good molecular indicator, which reflects cultivation region-dependent factors such as climate and soil. Accordingly, we analyzed the integrative metabolic profiles of Korean soybeans cultivated in 7 different provinces (representative production areas), and explored the potential association with geographic traits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZiziphus jujuba var. inermis Rehder is an edible fruit-producing species of the Rhamnaceae family. In the present study, we isolated eight triterpenoids (1-8) from the fruits of Z.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCarbon nanotubes can be randomly deposited in polymer thin film matrices to form nanocomposite strain sensors. However, a computational framework that enables the direct design of these nanocomposite thin films is still lacking. The objective of this study is to derive an experimentally validated and two-dimensional numerical model of carbon nanotube-based thin film strain sensors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer is a major public health burden in both developed and developing countries. Plant-derived compounds have played an important role in the development of useful anti-cancer agents. The current study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of chemical compounds from the stem bark of Styrax obassia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdsorption isotherms of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO) were studied using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chemical reduction of GO resulted in a greater extent of carbon adsorption with a higher degree of isotherm nonlinearity, suggesting that heterogeneous adsorption sites were additionally created by GO reduction. Two protein-like and two humic-like components were identified from EPS by EEM-PARAFAC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nanosci Nanotechnol
March 2015
A series of polyimides were synthesized by a polycondensation reaction using various aromatic dianhydrides and diamines containing bulky cardo and hydroxyl groups. The imidization and chemical structure of the polyimides were confirmed by NMR and FT-IR. The thermal and gas properties of the polyimides were measured by time-lag, XRD, TGA, and DSC studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effects of skin pores on skin topographic features can be reduced by decreasing excessive production and accumulation of sebum and elimination of comedones. Therefore, a cosmetic cleanser that regulates sebum homeostasis is required. In the present study, the effects of a cosmetic cleanser that contained folium, and var.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe quantity and spectroscopic features of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in treated wastewaters were studied for up to 57 facilities across 12 industrial categories to evaluate the potential influences of the effluents on downstream ecosystems and the feasibility of spectroscopic techniques in discriminating pollution sources. The average dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration was 3.30±0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, the adsorptive fractionation of a humic acid (HA, Elliott soil humic acid) on graphene oxide (GO) was examined at pH 4 and 6 using absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM)-parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The extent of the adsorption was greater at pH 4.0 than at pH 6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for distant metastasis (DM) as a primary site of failure in early-stage breast cancer. Data from 294 patients diagnosed with pathologic stage I or II breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. Median follow-up duration was 81.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, selected spectroscopic characteristics of sediment organic matter (SOM) were compared and discussed with respect to their different isolation methods, the source discrimination capabilities, and the association with the extent of phenanthrene binding. A total of 16 sediments were collected from three categorized locations including a costal lake, industrial areas, and upper streams, each of which is likely influenced by the organic sources of algal production, industrial effluent, and terrestrial input, respectively. The spectroscopic properties related to aromatic structures and terrestrial humic acids were more pronounced for alkaline extractable organic matter (AEOM) isolates than for the SOM isolates based on water soluble extracts and pore water.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman keratinocytes are located in the outermost skin layer and thus particularly vulnerable to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure. Previous studies have focused on the cellular and molecular perspectives of UVB-induced keratinocyte damage. In the present study, it was demonstrated that pretreatment with the phytochemical arctiin, one of the lignin compounds, protects human HaCaT keratinocytes from UVB-mediated damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferent land uses of upstream catchments may affect the quantity and the quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in watersheds, but the influence may differ by season. In this study, we examined concentrations and selected spectroscopic properties of DOM and the propensity to form trihalomethanes (THMs) for 19 different middle-sized watersheds across the Han River basin in Korea. Sampling was conducted for non-storm events during pre-monsoon (May) and monsoon seasons (July).
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