The association of DNA methylation-based epigenetic age acceleration with facial expression recognition in older adults.

Background: Facial expression recognition (FER) abilities play a crucial role in fostering beneficial social relationships for healthy aging, however, these abilities tend to decline as people age. We investigated the association between epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and FER among older individuals.

Methods: Accuracy rates and response times for six emotions, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, were assessed in outpatients who visited the Veterans Health Service Medical Center.

The edible ethanol extract of suppresses colon cancer progression by inhibiting the proliferation-cell signaling-metastasis axis.

Background/objectives: has been demonstrated to exert biological effects on several cell types. This study investigated the efficacy of the edible ethanol extract of (EERH) against human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116) cells.

Materials/methods: HCT116 cells were cultured with different concentrations of EERH (0, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 µg/mL) in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium.

Association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with osteoporosis among cancer survivors: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that ambient air pollution may contribute to osteoporosis; however, research focusing on populations with greater susceptibility is lacking. This study seeks to explore the association between air pollution and osteoporosis focusing on cancer survivors.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed data from 8977 individuals (2245 cancer survivors, 6732 cancer-free population) obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) during 2007-2009 and 2015-2021.

Liquid flows induced in a rotating drum with different fill ratios.

In the present study, we experimentally investigate the liquid flow induced in a rotating drum (cylindrical tank with a short aspect ratio) aligned horizontally, focusing on the variation in the time-averaged and fluctuating flow structures with different fill ratios. For each fill ratio, controlled by varying the water height, we measure the velocity fields at different cross-sectional planes with particle image velocimetry while varying the rotational speed of the drum. Compared to the condition of a fill ratio of 1.

Antibiotic efficacy and resistance patterns of urinary tract infection-causing bacteria in dogs and resistome of multidrug-resistant via whole genome sequencing in South Korea.

Bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent in dogs and necessitate antibiotic intervention. However, the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria poses significant challenges to antibiotic therapy. Although fosfomycin has been demonstrated to achieve and maintain high concentrations in urine, suggesting its potential for treating UTIs in dogs, its efficacy and the resistance profiles of urinary pathogens from canine UTIs remain elusive.

Changes in work status after cancer diagnosis and their associations with depressive symptoms among cancer survivors: findings from the Korean longitudinal study of ageing.

Purpose: Cancer survivors encounter significant psychological suffering and are prone to develop depressive symptoms. Work contributes to personal fulfillment and social connections, and by doing so, enhances a cancer survivor's resilience against adversities. However, maintaining employment can be challenging for some cancer survivors.

PD-L1: From cancer immunotherapy to therapeutic implications in multiple disorders.

The PD-L1/PD-1 signaling pathway is the gold standard for cancer immunotherapy. Therapeutic antibodies targeting PD-1, such as nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and PD-L1, including atezolizumab (Tecentriq), durvalumab (Imfinzi), and avelumab (Bavencio) have received Food and Drug Administration approval and are currently being used to treat various cancers. Traditionally, PD-L1 is known as an immune checkpoint protein that binds to the PD-1 receptor on its surface to inhibit the activity of T cells, which are the primary effector cells in antitumor immunity.

Assessment of skin sensitization potential of zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, manganese oxide, and copper oxide nanoparticles through the local lymph node assay: 5-bromo-deoxyuridine flow cytometry method.

The advent of nanotechnology has significantly spurred the utilization of nanoparticles (NPs) across diverse sectors encompassing industry, agriculture, engineering, cosmetics, and medicine. Metallic oxides including zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO), manganese oxide (MnO), and aluminum oxide (AlO), in their NP forms, have become prevalent in cosmetics and various dermal products. Despite the expanding consideration of these compounds for dermal applications, their potential for initiating skin sensitization (SS) has not been comprehensively examined.

Bactericidal effect of water-washing methods on contaminated in a raw fish : water type, temperature, and pH.

This study aimed to evaluate a method for effectively reducing contamination in fish based on the type of washing water and method. Texture profiles and sensory evaluations were performed to determine the effect of the developed method on the quality and preference of the samples. The selected fish sample was , which is mainly consumed in Asian countries.

Evaluation of Artemisia dubia folium extract-mediated immune efficacy through developing a murine model for acute and chronic stages of atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a biphasic type of skin inflammation characterized by a predominance of type-2 (T2) and type-1 (T1) helper T cell-biased immune responses at the acute and persistent chronic phases, respectively. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Artemisia dubia folium extract (ADFE) on AD-like skin lesions through developing a murine model for acute and chronic stages of AD. To induce acute phase AD, the dorsal skin of BALB/c mice was sensitized twice a week with 1% 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), followed by challenge (twice) in the following week with 0.

Oral subacute polypropylene microplastics administration effect on potential immunotoxicity in ICR mice.

Exposure to microplastics may be associated with damage of immune system. Polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) with a wide range of beneficial applications have not been extensively studied with respect to the immune system. The aim of this investigation is to examine the influence of two different sizes of PP-MPs (5.

Structural Identification of Ginsenoside Based on UPLC-QTOF-MS of Black Ginseng ( C.A. Mayer).

Black ginseng (BG) is processed ginseng traditionally made in Korea via the steaming and drying of ginseng root through three or more cycles, leading to changes in its appearance due to the Maillard reaction on its surface, resulting in a dark coloration. In this study, we explored markers for differentiating processed ginseng by analyzing the chemical characteristics of BG. We elucidated a new method for the structural identification of ginsenoside metabolites and described the features of processed ginseng using UPLC-QTOF-MS in the positive ion mode.

Case report: Adjuvant therapy with toceranib for an incompletely resected renal cell carcinoma with suspected pulmonary metastasis in a dog.

Primary renal neoplasia is rare in humans and dogs, with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) being the most common form of this cancer. As RCC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, pulmonary metastasis is frequently observed. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the standard adjuvant treatments for metastatic RCC in humans.

Co-exposure to lead, mercury, and cadmium induces neurobehavioral impairments in mice by interfering with dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in the striatum.

Humans are exposed to lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) through various routes, including drinking water, and such exposure can lead to a range of toxicological effects. However, few studies have investigated the toxic effects of exposure to mixtures of metals, particularly in relation to neurotoxicity. In this study, 7-week-old male mice were exposed to Pb, Hg, and Cd individually or in combination through their drinking water for 28 days.

Development of a daily predictive model for the exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Acute exacerbation (AE) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compromises health status; it increases disease progression and the risk of future exacerbations. We aimed to develop a model to predict COPD exacerbation. We merged the Korean COPD subgroup study (KOCOSS) dataset with nationwide medical claims data, information regarding weather, air pollution, and epidemic respiratory virus data.

Association of immunotoxicological indices with lung cancer biomarkers in poultry, grape, and rose farming workers.

Exposure to occupational hazards like dust, pesticides, diesel emission particles, or physical hazards in the agricultural sector is known to cause adverse health effects on farm workers. Our study aimed at addressing the association of immunomodulatory status with plasma levels of lung cancer biomarkers in farming population, attempting to recognition of vulnerable farming group. Blood samples from apparently healthy 51 chicken husbandry, 19 grape orchard, and 21 rose greenhouse workers were subjected to evaluate plasma levels of two representative lung cancer biomarkers, pro-gastrin releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) and cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA 21-1).

Polytetrafluorethylene microplastic particles mediated oxidative stress, inflammation, and intracellular signaling pathway alteration in human derived cell lines.

Microplastics (MPs) are now widely distributed across the aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. Thus, exposure to MPs via the oral, inhalation, or dermal routes is inevitable. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-MPs is mainly used for manufacturing nonstick cookware, semiconductors, and medical devices; however, their toxicity has been rarely studied.

Immunodysregulatory potentials of polyethylene or polytetrafluorethylene microplastics to mice subacutely exposed via intragastric intubation.

Unlabelled: Microplastics (MPs) have been recently recognized as posing a risk to human health. The adverse health effects of MP exposure have been recently reported, especially via the oral exposure route. The present study investigated whether subacute (4 week) exposure to polyethylene (PE) or polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) MPs via gastric intubation caused immunotoxicity.

Increasing the accuracy of the asthma diagnosis using an operational definition for asthma and a machine learning method.

Introduction: Analysis of the National Health Insurance data has been actively carried out for the purpose of academic research and establishing scientific evidences for health care service policy in asthma. However, there has been a limitation for the accuracy of the data extracted through conventional operational definition. In this study, we verified the accuracy of conventional operational definition of asthma, by applying it to a real hospital setting.

Liposomes targeting the cancer cell-exposed receptor, claudin-4, for pancreatic cancer chemotherapy.

Background: Claudin-4 (CLDN4), a tight junction protein, is overexpressed in several types of cancer, and is considered a biomarker for cancer-targeted treatment. CLDN4 is not exposed in normal cells, but becomes accessible in cancer cells, in which tight junctions are weakened. Notably, surface-exposed CLDN4 has recently been found to act as a receptor for Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) and fragment of CPE (CPE17) that binds to the second domain of CLDN4.

Association between Heavy Metal Exposure and Parkinson's Disease: A Review of the Mechanisms Related to Oxidative Stress.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a gradually progressing neurodegenerative condition that is marked by a loss of motor coordination along with non-motor features. Although the precise cause of PD has not been determined, the disease condition is mostly associated with the exposure to environmental toxins, such as metals, and their abnormal accumulation in the brain. Heavy metals, such as iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb), have been linked to PD and contribute to its progression.

The association between tobacco or nicotine product use behaviors and non-compliance with mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Korea.

Objectives: It is necessary to investigate tobacco or nicotine product (TNP) use which acts as a risk factor for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Especially, wearing a mask is difficult to practice while using TNP. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between TNP use behaviors and non-compliance with mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fine-scaled climate variation in equatorial Africa revealed by modern and fossil primate teeth.

Variability in resource availability is hypothesized to be a significant driver of primate adaptation and evolution, but most paleoclimate proxies cannot recover environmental seasonality on the scale of an individual lifespan. Oxygen isotope compositions (δO values) sampled at high spatial resolution in the dentitions of modern African primates ( = 2,352 near weekly measurements from 26 teeth) track concurrent seasonal precipitation, regional climatic patterns, discrete meteorological events, and niche partitioning. We leverage these data to contextualize the first δO values of two 17 Ma individuals from Kalodirr, Kenya, from which we infer variably bimodal wet seasons, supported by rainfall reconstructions in a global Earth system model.

Comparison of Overall Immunity Levels among Workers at Grape Orchard, Rose Greenhouse, and Open-Field Onion Farm.

Background: Occupational hazards in crop farms vary diversely based on different field operations as soil management, harvesting processes, pesticide, or fertilizer application. We aimed at evaluating the immunological status of crop farmers, as limited systematic investigations on immune alteration involved with crop farming have been reported yet.

Methods: Immunological parameters including plasma immunoglobulin level, major peripheral immune cells distribution, and level of cytokine production from activated T cell were conducted.

Evaluation of potential toxicity of polyethylene microplastics on human derived cell lines.

Microplastics bare of major concern for environmental conservation and animal welfare in recent years as its use has increased tremendously. Polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) are the most common microplastics and could get exposed to humans via different routes with oral>inhalation>dermal. Internalization of MPs through epithelial tissue could expose MPs to various cells such as dendritic cells, macrophages/monocytes, and/or T cells.