Blood circulation effect of fermented citrus bioconversion product (FCBP) in EA.hy926 endothelial cells and high-fat diet-fed mouse model.

Background: The escalating global burden of cardiovascular diseases, largely driven by unhealthy lifestyle choices and dietary patterns, has intensified the search for effective and safe interventions. With current treatments often marred by significant side effects, the exploration of natural compounds such as flavonoids presents a compelling alternative.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of fermented citrus bioconversion product (FCBP), a fermented citrus bioflavonoid, on various markers of cardiovascular health in the context of a high-fat diet.

Fermented Gold Kiwi for Improved Gastric Health: Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety in a Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

This randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of fermented gold kiwi (FGK) in improving gastrointestinal health. A total of 100 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups. Over 8 weeks, the participants consumed an FGK or placebo preparation daily.

Gonadal efficacy of Thymus quinquecostatus Celakovski: Regulation of testosterone levels in aging mouse models.

Late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) is an age-related disease in men characterized by decreased testosterone levels with symptoms such as decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and depression. Thymus quinquecostatus Celakovski (TQC) is a plant used as a volatile oil in traditional medicine, and its bioactive compounds have anti-inflammatory potential. Based on this knowledge, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of TQC extract (TE) on LOH in TM3 Leydig cells and in an in vivo aging mouse model.

Anti-Wrinkle and Skin Moisture Efficacy of 7-MEGA: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Comparative Clinical Trial.

7-MEGA is a food product made from purified Alaska pollack fish oil containing palmitoleic acid (16:1), commonly referred to as omega-7. We sought to quantitatively evaluate whether this substance inhibits skin aging. A total of 101 middle-aged females were randomly allocated to the intervention ( = 50) or placebo group ( = 51).

Glial cell proteome using targeted quantitative methods for potential multi-diagnostic biomarkers.

Glioblastoma is one of the most malignant primary brain cancer. Despite surgical resection with modern technology followed by chemo-radiation therapy with temozolomide, resistance to the treatment and recurrence is common due to its aggressive and infiltrating nature of the tumor with high proliferation index. The median survival time of the patients with glioblastomas is less than 15 months.

Assessment of phthalate exposure at a fire site in Korean firefighters.

To determine phthalate exposure in 32 firefighters, the concentrations of urinary phthalate metabolites, immediately (exposure day) and three weeks (control day) after fire suppression, were compared. Mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-n-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and total phthalates (∑phthalates) levels, and creatinine-adjusted levels of MBP, MBzP, and ∑phthalates were significantly higher on exposure day than on control day. Phthalate concentration was significantly higher in firefighters who performed the fire extinguishing tasks (geometric mean [GM], 149.

Glomerular filtration barrier modeling on a chip with tunable basement membrane deposition and 3D cultured podocytes.

investigation of a glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) remains difficult because of the inability to mimic its specialized structure, although various kidney diseases are characterized by GFB dysfunction. Here, the development of a microfluidic model that replicates the physiology of the GFB has been achieved by tunable glomerular basement membrane (gBM) deposition and 3D co-culture of podocytes with glomerular endothelial cells (gECs). By precisely controlling the thickness of the gBM, our model successfully reproduced the biphasic response of the GFB, where variations in gBM thickness influence barrier properties.

Association between sleep quality and type of shift work in Korean firefighters.

Background: Shift work that interferes with normal sleep patterns, is known to be a cause of sleep disturbance and has been studied through various occupational groups. However, it is not known which shift type is better for sleep health.

Methods: This study included 568 firefighters.

Microfluidic model for in vitro acute Toxoplasma gondii infection and transendothelial migration.

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes one of the most common human zoonotic diseases and infects approximately one-third of the global population. T.

Recapitulated Crosstalk between Cerebral Metastatic Lung Cancer Cells and Brain Perivascular Tumor Microenvironment in a Microfluidic Co-Culture Chip.

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), which affects the brain, is fatal and resistant to anti-cancer therapies. Despite innate, distinct characteristics of the brain from other organs, the underlying delicate crosstalk between brain metastatic NSCLC (BM-NSCLC) cells and brain tumor microenvironment (bTME) associated with tumor evolution remains elusive. Here, a novel 3D microfluidic tri-culture platform is proposed for recapitulating positive feedback from BM-NSCLC and astrocytes and brain-specific endothelial cells, two major players in bTME.

Microfluidic one-directional interstitial flow generation from cancer to cancer associated fibroblast.

Tumors, unlike normal tissue, have vascular anomalies and create interstitial flow (IF), which allows soluble substances from cancer cells to be transported directionally toward the tumor stroma. In the stroma, IF activates fibroblasts. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are formed from stimulated cells and aid cancer growth.

Relationship between job rotation and work-related low back pain: a cross-sectional study using data from the fifth Korean working conditions survey.

Background: Job rotation was introduced in various industries as a strategic form of work for improving workers' job skills and health management. This study aims to examine the relationship between job rotation and work-related low back pain (LBP), one of the typical work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of Korean workers.

Methods: We conducted this study using the data of the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS).

Microfluidic Reconstitution of Tumor Microenvironment for Nanomedical Applications.

Nanoparticles have an extensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer treatment. However, their current clinical translation is slow, mainly due to the failure to develop preclinical evaluation techniques that can draw similar conclusions to clinical outcomes by adequately mimicking nanoparticle behavior in complicated tumor microenvironments (TMEs). Microfluidic methods offer significant advantages over conventional in vitro methods to resolve these challenges by recapitulating physiological cues of the TME such as the extracellular matrix, shear stress, interstitial flow, soluble factors, oxygen, and nutrient gradients.

Psychosocial factors affecting sleep quality of pre-employed firefighters: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There have been no health-related studies of pre-employed firefighters without firefighter-specific job-related factors (FSJRF). This study aimed to evaluate the sleep quality of pre-employed firefighters and to examine the relationship between sleep quality and psychosocial factors.

Methods: We conducted a self-report questionnaire survey for 602 pre-employed firefighters at 3 Fire Service Academies after brief lecture about sleep.

Evaluation of Cell-Penetrating Peptides Using Microfluidic In Vitro 3D Brain Endothelial Barrier.

In drug delivery to the human brain, blood vessels are a significant hurdle because they restrict the entry of most solutes to protect brain. To overcome this hurdle, an in vitro 3D model for brain endothelial barrier is developed using a microfluidic device with hydrogel providing a 3D extracellular matrix scaffold. Using the model, peptides known to utilize receptor-mediated transcytosis are verified, which has been one of the most promising mechanisms for brain-specific penetration.

Relationship between shift work and liver enzymes: a cross-sectional study based on the Korea National Health and Examination Survey (2007-2015).

Background: Shift work has well-known adverse effects on health. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between shift work and hepatic disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association between shift work and abnormal level of liver enzymes.

Graphene-oxide quenching-based molecular beacon imaging of exosome-mediated transfer of neurogenic miR-193a on microfluidic platform.

Graphene-oxide (GO) quenching-based molecular beacon was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of RNAs in living cells and tissues. Here, we applied GO quenching-based molecular beacon sensor to visualize neurogenic miR-193a levels delivered via exosomes during cell-non-autonomous neurogenesis in neural progenitor cells on a microfluidic platform. Exosomal transport was visualized using CD63-RFP plasmid vector, and FAM-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe for the miR-193 sequence was designed to detect endogenous miR-193 expression.

Metabolic syndrome status over 2 years predicts incident chronic kidney disease in mid-life adults: a 10-year prospective cohort study.

We investigated whether changes in MetS status over two years modify the 10-year risk of CKD and proteinuria. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 7,251 subjects without CKD at baseline. We categorized subjects according to MetS status over two years: non-MetS (no MetS at either visit), intermittent MetS (positive for MetS at one assessment), and persistent MetS (positive for MetS at two assessments).

Convective exosome-tracing microfluidics for analysis of cell-non-autonomous neurogenesis.

The effective role of exosome delivering neurogenic microRNA (miRNA) enables to induce efficient differentiation process during neurogenesis. The microfludic system capable of visualizing the exosomal behavior such as secretion, migration, and uptake of individual exosomes can be used as a robust technique to understand the exosome-mediated change of cellular behavior. Here, we developed the exosome-tracing microfluidic system to visualize exosomal transport carrying the neurogenic miRNA from leading to neighboring cells, and found a new mode of exosome-mediated cell-non-autonomous neurogenesis.

In vivo bioluminescence imaging for leptomeningeal dissemination of medulloblastoma in mouse models.

Background: The primary cause of treatment failure in medulloblastomas (MB) is the development of leptomeningeal dissemination (seeding). For translational research on MB seeding, one of the major challenges is the development of reliable experimental models that simulate the seeding and growth characteristics of MBs. To overcome this obstacle, we improved an experimental mouse model by intracisternal inoculation of human MB cells and monitoring with in vivo live images.

Fluorescence imaging of in vivo miR-124a-induced neurogenesis of neuronal progenitor cells using neuron-specific reporters.

Background: Facilitation of the differentiation of the stem cells toward neuronal lineage is crucial for enhancing the differentiation efficacy of grafted stem cells for the possible treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. MicroRNA124a (miR-124a) has been considered as a neuronal lineage regulator, possessing the capability to activate neuronal differentiation. In this study, using a neuronal promoter-based reporter and live-cell fluorescence imaging, we visualized in vitro and in vivo the enhanced neuronal differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells with miR-124a overproduction.

Noninvasive imaging of radiolabeled exosome-mimetic nanovesicle using (99m)Tc-HMPAO.

Exosomes known as nano-sized extracellular vesicles attracted recent interests due to their potential usefulness in drug delivery. Amid remarkable advances in biomedical applications of exosomes, it is crucial to understand in vivo distribution and behavior of exosomes. Here, we developed a simple method for radiolabeling of macrophage-derived exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (ENVs) with (99m)Tc-HMPAO under physiologic conditions and monitored in vivo distribution of (99m)Tc-HMPAO-ENVs using SPECT/CT in living mice.

In vivo bioluminescence imaging for viable human neural stem cells incorporated within in situ gelatin hydrogels.

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel-based stem cell therapies contribute to enhanced therapeutic efficacy in treating diseases, and determining the optimal mechanical strength of the hydrogel in vivo is important for therapeutic success. We evaluated the proliferation of human neural stem cells incorporated within in situ-forming hydrogels and compared the effect of hydrogels with different elastic properties in cell/hydrogel-xenografted mice.

Methods: The gelatin-polyethylene glycol-tyramine (GPT) hydrogel was fabricated through enzyme-mediated cross-linking reaction using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

In vivo bioluminescence reporter gene imaging for the activation of neuronal differentiation induced by the neuronal activator neurogenin 1 (Ngn1) in neuronal precursor cells.

Purpose: Facilitation of the ability of neuronal lineages derived from transplanted stem cells to differentiate is essential to improve the low efficacy of neuronal differentiation in stem cell therapy in vivo. Neurogenin 1 (Ngn1), a basic helix-loop-helix factor, has been used as an activator of neuronal differentiation. In this study, we monitored the in vivo activation of neuronal differentiation by Ngn1 in neuronal precursor cells using neuron-specific promoter-based optical reporters.