An exploratory study; the gap between real reference interval and currently used reference interval of RBC AChE activities in South Korea.

The current reference interval (RI) FOR red blood cell acetylcholinesterase (RBC AChE) activity in South Korea was established with data obtained from populations outside the country. The aim of this study was to assess the transferability of current RI of RBC AChE activity for organophosphate (OP) poisoning and determine the biological characteristics, real RI, and interindividual variation in RBC AChE activity in South Korea. Data were retrospectively collected for RBC AChE activity as measured by the modified Ellman's method for 782 patients who presented to our hospital.

The novel human HtrA2 ortholog in zebrafish: New molecular insight and challenges into the imbalance of homeostasis.

High temperature requirement A2 (HtrA2) contributes to regulating mitochondrial quality control and maintaining the balance between the death and survival of cells and living organisms. However, the molecular mechanism of HtrA2 in physiological and pathophysiological processes remains unclear. HtrA2 exhibits multifaceted characteristics according to the expression levels and acts opposite functions depending on its subcellular localization.

Characteristics of Emergency Department Presentations of Pediatric Poisoning Between 2011 and 2016: A Retrospective Observational Study in South Korea.

Objectives: Pediatric poisoning represents a major preventable cause of morbidity. The epidemiology of pediatric poisoning differs by country and region. This study aimed to characterize pediatric poisoning in South Korea over the last 6 years and to discuss current regulations related to the causative agents involved in pediatric poisoning.

Effects of Paraquat Ban on Herbicide Poisoning-Related Mortality.

Purpose: In Korea, registration of paraquat-containing herbicides was canceled in November 2011, and sales thereof were completely banned in November 2012. We evaluated the effect of the paraquat ban on the epidemiology and mortality of herbicide-induced poisoning.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients treated for herbicide poisoning at 17 emergency departments in South Korea between January 2010 and December 2014.

Hydrogel Functionalized Janus Membrane for Skin Regeneration.

In this study, a hydrogel functionalized Janus membrane is developed and its capacity is examined as a wound dressing biomaterial. A hydrophobic fluoropolymer, poly(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate) (PHFDMA), is uniformly coated onto macroporous polyester membrane through initiated chemical vapor deposition process on both sides. PHFDMA-coated macroporous membrane exhibits antibacterial property, allows air permeation, and inhibits water penetration.

Does the traditional snakebite severity score correctly classify envenomated patients?

Objective: This study aims to help set domestic guidelines for administration of antivenom to envenomated patients after snakebites.

Methods: This retrospective observational case series comprised 128 patients with snake envenomation. The patients were divided into two groups according to the need for additional antivenom after the initial treatment based on the traditional snakebite severity grading scale.

The initial hyperglycemia in acute type II pyrethroid poisoning.

This retrospective observational case series study was conducted to describe the clinical feature of acute type II pyrethroid poisoning, and to investigate whether hyperglycemia at presentation can predict the outcome in patients with type II pyrethroid poisoning. This study included 104 type II pyrethroid poisoned patients. The complication rate and mortality rate was 26.

An exploratory study; the therapeutic effects of premixed activated charcoal-sorbitol administration in patients poisoned with organophosphate pesticide.

Objective: The effects of activated charcoal (AC) mixed with cathartics for gastric decontamination in the management of organophosphate (OP) poisoning remain unknown due to limited clinical evidence. This exploratory study assessed the effectiveness of premixed AC-sorbitol as a treatment for OP poisoning.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective observational case study included patients who either did not receive AC-sorbitol or received a single dose of AC-sorbitol within 24 h after OP ingestion.

Spectrum of patients intentionally poisoned with an emulsified concentrate pendimethalin herbicide.

Objective: Studies on the acute toxicity of pendimethalin herbicide in humans are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the clinical characteristics of acute intentional pendimethalin herbicide poisoning.

Material And Method: A retrospective observational case series was conducted involving 17 patients with a history of intentional pendimethalin herbicide ingestion.

Utility of red blood cell acetylcholinesterase measurement in mechanically ventilated subjects after organophosphate poisoning.

Background: Many patients with organophosphate poisoning require mechanical ventilation. Muscle acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity determines the impairment of muscle force generation, and red blood cell (RBC) AChE has been regarded as a surrogate for muscle AChE in organophosphate poisoning. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate whether RBC AChE at presentation can predict the duration of mechanical ventilatory support and whether RBC AChE at weaning can predict weaning trial outcomes in patients on mechanical ventilation for organophosphate poisoning.

An electroactive biotin-doped polypyrrole substrate that immobilizes and releases EpCAM-positive cancer cells.

The specific capture and remotely controlled release of the EpCAM-positive cancer cells from biotin-doped polypyrrole (Ppy) films in response to an electrical potential is presented. As Ppy allows the direct incorporation of biotin molecules during the electrochemical process, densely packed biotin molecules can serve as the binding sites for streptavidin-tagged biomolecular complexes. This study demonstrates not only the enhanced capture and enrichment of EpCAM-positive cancer cells but also "on-demand" release of the viable cells from conductive Ppy in an electrical-potential-dependent way.

A nanowire-based label-free immunosensor: direct incorporation of a PSA antibody in electropolymerized polypyrrole.

We have suggested a novel method for the preparation of a label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as target marker for prostate cancer. Direct incorporation of PSA antibody (anti-PSA) into polypyrrole (Ppy) electropolymerized on a three-dimensional Au nanowire array has resulted in enhanced molecular interactions, ultimately leading to improved sensing performance. The electrochemical performance of the nanowire-based immunosensor array were characterized by (1) differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to evaluate the specific recognition of PSA, (2) impedance and cyclic voltammetry to observe surface resistance and electroactivity, and (3) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to demonstrate the three-dimensional architecture.

Inhibition of microRNA-181 reduces forebrain ischemia-induced neuronal loss.

MicroRNA (miRNA), miR-181a, is enriched in the brain, and inhibition of miR-181a reduced astrocyte death in vitro and infarct volume after stroke in vivo. This study investigated the role of miR-181a in neuronal injury in vitro and hippocampal neuronal loss in vivo after forebrain ischemia. miR-181a levels were altered by transfection with mimic or antagomir.

HtrA1 is a novel antagonist controlling fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling via cleavage of FGF8.

Accumulating evidence suggests that HtrA1 (high-temperature requirement A1) is involved in modulating crucial cellular processes and implicated in life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and neuropathological disorders; however, the exact functions of this protease in vivo remain unknown. Here, we show that loss of HtrA1 function increases fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) mRNA levels and triggers activation of FGF signaling, resulting in dorsalization in zebrafish embryos. Notably, HtrA1 directly cleaves FGF8 in the extracellular region, and this cleavage results in decreased activation of FGF signaling, which is essential for many physiological processes.

The sCMV IE enhancer/promoter system for high-level expression and efficient functional studies of target genes in mammalian cells and zebrafish.

Human and simian cytomegalovirus immediate-early (IE) enhancer/promoter (hCMVp and sCMVp) are the most widely used system for high-level gene expression; however, studies on detailed comparative analyses of the promoters are scarce. Using GFP reporter gene and immunoblotting assays, we have shown that the transcriptional activity of sCMVp was two to four fold higher than those of hCMVp in human-, monkey-, mouse-originated cell lines, and zebrafish as a vertebrate animal model. Notably, HtrA1 driven by the sCMVp induced cell death at relatively high-levels in HEK293 cells, but HtrA1 driven by the hCMVp had almost no effect on cell death, as shown by more than 4-fold increase in the expression levels of HtrA1.

Gold nanorod arrays as plasmonic cavity resonators.

Hexagonal 2D arrays of Au nanorods support discrete plasmon resonance modes at visible and near-infrared wavelengths when coupled with light at normal incidence (k(z)). Reflectance spectra of nanorod arrays mounted on a thin Au baseplate reveal multiple resonant attenuations whose spectral positions vary with nanorod height and the dielectric medium. Simulations using 3D finite-element method calculations reveal harmonic sets of longitudinal standing waves in cavities between nanorods, reminiscent of acoustic waves generated by musical instruments.

Capture and alignment of phi29 viral particles in sub-40 nanometer porous alumina membranes.

Bacteriophage phi29 virus nanoparticles and its associated DNA packaging nanomotor can provide for novel possibilities towards the development of hybrid bio-nano structures. Towards the goal of interfacing the phi29 viruses and nanomotors with artificial micro and nanostructures, we fabricated nanoporous Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membranes with pore size of 70 nm and shrunk the pores to sub 40 nm diameter using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Aluminum Oxide. We were able to capture and align particles in the anodized nanopores using two methods.

Controlled Growth of Gold Nanorod Arrays from Polyethylenimine-coated Alumina Templates.

Au nanorod arrays were grown by electrodeposition in Au-backed nanoporous alumina templates modified with polyethylenimine (PEI) as an adhesion layer. By varying the concentration and molecular weight of PEI, the length of nanorod arrays could be finely controlled. The local length distribution was extremely narrow with relative standard deviations on the order of 2% for rod lengths from 700 nm to 17 microns.

Uniform gold nanorod arrays from polyethylenimine-coated alumina templates.

Monolithic Au nanorod arrays can be grown by electrodeposition in Au-backed nanoporous alumina templates using polyethylenimine (PEI) as an adhesion layer, with excellent height control between 300 nm and 1.4 microm. The local height distribution can be extremely narrow with relative standard deviations well below 2%.