Heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WB3813 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WB3814 Alleviate LPS-Induced Inflammatory Damage and Apoptosis in A549 Cells.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic lung inflammation and apoptosis. Although paraprobiotics are known for their beneficial effects on respiratory health, research on their effect on COPD is limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WB3813 and Lact.

Preclinical studies and transcriptome analysis in a model of Parkinson's disease with dopaminergic ZNF746 expression.

Background: The parkin-interacting substrate (PARIS, also known as ZNF746) is a transcriptional repressor, whose accumulation and phosphorylation play central pathological roles in Parkinson's disease (PD). PARIS-induced transcriptional repression of PGC-1α or MDM4 contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction and p53-dependent neuron loss in PD. Despite the important role of PARIS in PD pathogenesis, unbiased transcriptomic profiles influenced by PARIS accumulation in dopaminergic neurons remain unexplored.

Fundamental modeling of microbial electrosynthesis system using porous electrodes for CO-to-acetate conversion.

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an emerging carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology that converts CO into value-added chemicals using microbial catalysts powered by electrical energy. Advancing MES toward commercialization requires rigorous mathematical models for process optimization and scale-up. This study presents a fundamental model for an MES system designed to produce acetate from CO incorporating real-world experimental conditions.

Korean Red Ginseng Marc-Derived Gintonin Improves Alzheimer's Cognitive Dysfunction by Upregulating LPAR1.

Ginseng is a well-established functional food for brain health. However, its active ingredients have not yet been identified. Gintonin is a promising compound isolated from white/red ginseng.

Development and external validation of a machine learning model to predict the initial dose of vancomycin for targeting an area under the concentration-time curve of 400-600 mg∙h/L.

Purpose: To develop and validate a novel artificial intelligence model for predicting the initial empiric dose of vancomycin, with the aim of achieving an area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 400-600 mg∙h/L, using individual clinical data.

Methods: Machine learning models were developed and validated internally and externally using data from adult patients who received intravenous vancomycin treatment between November 2020 and June 2023, using records from July to September 2023, sourced from two hospitals. This study included 205, 44, and 35 patients in the training, internal validation, and external validation sets, respectively.

Direct Tensile Testing of Free-Standing Ultrathin Polymer Films on Liquid Surface at High Temperature.

The fragile nature of ultrathin polymer films poses a challenge for precise mechanical property measurements in a free-standing state, despite their critical importance for the fabrication and performance of advanced electronic devices under thermal loading. Here, a novel high-temperature tensile testing method for free-standing ultrathin polymer films using a film on heated liquid (FOHL) platform is proposed. Glycerol is chosen for the thermally stable liquid platform for its high surface tension, high boiling point, miscibility with water, and chemical stability.

Ginseng and ginseng byproducts for skincare and skin health.

Ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine with a long history of use for the prevention and/or treatment of various diseases. Ginseng is used worldwide as a functional food to maintain human health. In addition, ginseng has been used as a raw ingredient in cosmetics with various applications, ranging from skin toning to anti-aging.

Paraprobiotic Levilactobacillus brevis KU15151 exhibits antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in LPS-induced A549 cells.

Levilactobacillus brevis KU15151, isolated from kimchi, has been reported in previous studies to possess probiotic properties. Here, we sought to explore the potential of heat-killed L. brevis KU15151 in improving respiratory health by identifying its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced A549 cells.

Dual inhibition of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase interacting multifunctional protein-2 and α-synuclein by steroid derivative is neuroprotective in Parkinson's model.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase interacting multifunctional protein-2 (AIMP2), a parkin substrate, possesses self-aggregating properties, potentiating α-synuclein aggregation and neurotoxicity in PD. Thus, targeting both α-synuclein and AIMP2 would present an effective treatment for PD pathologies. Herein, we developed small compounds with dual inhibitory activity against AIMP2 and α-synuclein.

Gintonin Stimulates Glucose Uptake in Myocytes: Involvement of Calcium and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Signaling.

Ginseng has anti-hyperglycemic effects. Gintonin, a glycolipoprotein derived from ginseng, also stimulates insulin release from pancreatic beta cells. However, the role of gintonin in glucose metabolism within skeletal muscle is unknown.

Antimicrobial effect of combined preservatives using chestnut inner shell, cinnamon, and ε-poly-lysine against food-poisoning bacteria .

Chestnut inner shell, cinnamon, and ε-poly-lysine (ε-PL) have been used for natural preservative of food grade, and combined preservatives (CP) has been formulated previously. This study examined whether growth could be controlled using CP in tryptic soy broth (TSB). CP inhibited growth by about 5 log CFU/mL in TSB.

Evaluating Free Thermal Expansion and Glass Transition of Ultrathin Polymer Films on Heated Liquid.

Thermomechanical properties of ultrathin films are crucial for fabrication and use of reliable thin electronic devices. Due to the lack of precise measurement techniques, the thermal deformation behavior of ultrathin films has not yet been clarified. Here, we propose a film on heated liquid (FOHL) method to simultaneously measure the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and glass transition temperature () of multiple ultrathin polymer films.

Nontraditional Roles of Magnesium Ions in Modulating Sav2152: Insight from a Haloacid Dehalogenase-like Superfamily Phosphatase from .

Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) infection has rapidly spread through various routes. A genomic analysis of clinical MRSA samples revealed an unknown protein, Sav2152, predicted to be a haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like hydrolase, making it a potential candidate for a novel drug target. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of Sav2152, which consists of a C2-type cap domain and a core domain.

Colon cancer: the 2023 Korean clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis and treatment.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Korea and the third leading cause of death from cancer. Treatment outcomes for colon cancer are steadily improving due to national health screening programs with advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and therapeutic agents..

miRNA profiling of B16F10 melanoma cell exosomes reveals melanin synthesis-related genes.

This study investigates the communication between skin cells, specifically melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts, which is crucial for the process of melanin production known as melanogenesis. We aimed to understand the role of melanocyte exosomes in regulating melanogenesis and to uncover the microRNAs influencing this process. We isolated exosomes and characterized them using advanced microscopy and protein analysis to achieve this.

3D epigenomics and 3D epigenopathies.

Mammalian genomes are intricately compacted to form sophisticated 3-dimensional structures within the tiny nucleus, so called 3D genome folding. Despite their shapes reminiscent of an entangled yarn, the rapid development of molecular and next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS) has revealed that mammalian genomes are highly organized in a hierarchical order that delicately affects transcription activities. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that 3D genome folding is implicated in diseases, giving us a clue on how to identify novel therapeutic approaches.

Heat-Killed Lactilactobacillus sakei WB2305 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WB2324 Inhibited LPS-Induced Inflammation in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

Asthma is characterized by inflammation of the airways, including the inflammatory and airway structural cells. Probiotics, which have diverse effects, even within the same species, are being studied to prevent and mitigate the severity of asthma. Lactilactobacillus sakei WB2305 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WB2324 were isolated from kimchi.

Unraveling diffusion behavior in Cu-to-Cu direct bonding with metal passivation layers.

Cu/SiO hybrid bonding presents a promising avenue for achieving high-density interconnects by obviating the need for microbumps and underfills. Traditional copper bonding methods often demand temperatures exceeding 400 °C, prompting recent endeavors to mitigate bonding temperatures through investigations into metal passivation bonding. In this study, we scrutinized the diffusion behavior associated with various metal passivation layers (Platinum, Titanium, Tantalum, and Chromium) in the context of low-temperature direct copper bonding and delved into the essential bonding mechanisms.

CRISPR-aided genome engineering for secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Streptomyces.

Unlabelled: The demand for discovering novel microbial secondary metabolites is growing to address the limitations in bioactivities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anthelmintic, and immunosuppressive functions. Among microbes, the genus Streptomyces holds particular significance for secondary metabolite discovery. Each Streptomyces species typically encodes approximately 30 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs) within its genome, which are mostly uncharacterized in terms of their products and bioactivities.

Optimization of Gate-Head-Top/Bottom Lengths of AlGaN/GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors with a Gate-Recessed Structure for High-Power Operations: A Simulation Study.

In this study, we propose an optimized AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) with a considerably improved breakdown voltage. First, we matched the simulated data obtained from a basic T-gate HEMT with the measured data obtained from the fabricated device to ensure the reliability of the simulation. Thereafter, to improve the breakdown voltage, we suggested applying a gate-head extended structure.

Atypical formations of gintonin lysophosphatidic acids as new materials and their beneficial effects on degenerative diseases.

Fresh ginseng is prone to spoilage due to its high moisture content. For long-term storage, most fresh ginsengs are dried to white ginseng (WG) or steamed for hours at high temperature/pressure and dried to form Korean Red ginseng (KRG). They are further processed for ginseng products when subjected to hot water extraction/concentration under pressure.