Effectiveness and Safety of the Korean Medicine Senior Health Promotion Program Using Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Study of 500 Patients in Seoul, Korea.

Background: The management of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is becoming increasingly important. The Korean Medicine Senior Health Promotion Program (KSHPP) was developed in 2016, and it has been in use to date. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of KSHPP using herbal medicine and acupuncture for treating MCI and the safety of herbal medicine using liver and renal function tests.

Effects of a low-FODMAP enteral formula on diarrhea on patients in the intensive care unit.

Background/objectives: A dietary restriction on the intake of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) tract complications. Enteral nutrition (EN) is widely used for patients who cannot obtain their nutritional requirements orally, but many studies have reported EN complications, especially diarrhea, in up to 50% of patients.

Subjects/methods: We performed a single-center, non-randomized, controlled trial to determine the effects of a low-FODMAP enteral formula on GI complications in patients in intensive care units (ICUs).

Aspects of Health-Related Factors and Nutritional Care Needs by Survival Stage among Female Cancer Patients in South Korea.

Purpose: This study examined diet-related problems and needs associated with nutritional care according to survival stage in Korean female cancer survivors.

Methods: 186 outpatients (breast or gynecologic cancer survivors) recruited. Subjects were classified as (1) extended stage (ES, 2-5 years from diagnosis) and (2) long-term stage (LS, ≥5 years from diagnosis).

Effects of ionization on the toxicity of silver nanoparticles to Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos.

Increase in the use of manufactured nanomaterials (NMs) has led to concerns about the environmental impacts. Especially, hazard of metal-based NMs is more severe due to ions released from surface by water quality parameters and physicochemical properties after entering into the water environment. However, little is known about the effects of ionization on the toxicity of metal-based NMs in the water environment.

Repeated-dose toxicity and inflammatory responses in mice by oral administration of silver nanoparticles.

Toxicity of nanoparticles depends on many factors including size, shape, chemical composition, surface area, surface charge, and others. In this study, we compared the toxicity of different sized-silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) which are being widely used in consumer products due to its unique antimicrobial activity. When mice were treated with AgNPs 1mg/kg for 14 days by oral administration, small-sized AgNPs (22nm, 42nm, and 71nm) were distributed to the organs including brain, lung, liver, kidney, and testis while large-sized AgNPs (323nm) were not detected in those tissues.

Synthesis of mono-dispersed nano-scale fullerene (C60) crystals.

Fullerene (C60), which has a unique molecular structure, was used in the preparation of crystalline organic nano-crystals. Fullerene was dissolved in toluene and this fullerene solution was mixed with water drastically. During this process, fullerene transferred from toluene to water phase.

Bacterial cytotoxicity of the silver nanoparticle related to physicochemical metrics and agglomeration properties.

Silver particles are used in various consumer products due to their positive effects, which include sterilization and antibacterial properties. However, it has been reported that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have strongly acute toxic effects on various cells. Therefore, the cytotoxicity of AgNPs was investigated, using Escherichia coli as a model organism, from the standpoint of three key metrics (ionic ratio, size, and agglomeration) that are the most relevant physicochemical properties.

Gliosis in the amygdala following myocardial infarction in the rat.

We observed gliosis with cell death in the rat amygdala 3 and 14 days after myocardial infarction (MI). Cresyl violet-positive neurons had condensed cytoplasm, and Fluoro-Jade B-positive cells were detected in the amygdala 14 days, not 3 days, after MI. Only a few glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive astrocytes and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1)-immunoreactive microglia showed activated form; hypertrophied cytoplasm, and highly ramified and retracted processes of astrocytes and microglia in the amygdala at 3 days after MI, respectively.

Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 immunoreactivity and its protein levels in the gerbil hippocampus during normal aging.

Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) mediates neuronal synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation, and learning and memory in the hippocampus. In this study, we examined pERK1/2 immunoreactivity and its protein level in the gerbil hippocampus at various ages. In the postnatal month 1 (PM 1) group, very weak pERK1/2 immunoreactivity was detected in the hippocampus.

Pregnancy inhibits cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation without neuronal damage in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in C57BL/6N mice.

Neural changes occur in the dam during gestation, and brain size has been shown to decrease across pregnancy in humans as well as rodents. In this study, we monitored neuronal damage, cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) at age-matched virgin control (17- to 18-week-old), gestation day (GD) 14.5, 16.

Evaluation of the toxic impact of silver nanoparticles on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes).

The increased use of nano-sized metallic materials is likely to result in the release of these particles into the environment. It is, however, unclear if these materials are harmful to aquatic animals. Furthermore, because the dissolution of such nanomaterials will occur, it is probable that some of the adverse effects resulting will result from the dissolved metal species.