Brain and Subjective Responses to Indoor Environments Related to Concentration and Creativity.

Electroencephalograms (EEGs) can be used to study the influence of environmental elements on human emotions, cognition, and behavior. EEGs can reveal unconscious responses and fill in the gaps left by subjective responses provided in survey questionnaires or interviews. EEG research on the impact of classroom design elements on concentration and creativity is scarce; the design elements studied have not been diverse enough.

Determination of Leuprolide-Fatty Acid Conjugate in Rat Plasma Using LC-MS/MS and Its Pharmacokinetics after Subcutaneous Administration in Rats.

Leuprolide is a synthetic nonapeptide drug (pyroGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-d-Leu-Leu-Arg-Pro-NHEt) that acts as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist. The continuous administration of therapeutic doses of leuprolide inhibits gonadotropin secretion, which is used in androgen-deprivation therapy for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, central precocious puberty, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and other sex-hormone-related conditions. To improve the pharmacokinetic properties of peptide drugs, a fatty acid was conjugated with leuprolide for long-term action.

Older Adults' Response to Color Visibility in Indoor Residential Environment Using Eye-Tracking Technology.

Older adults spend relatively more time in indoor residential environments than young people. As their visual and cognitive abilities decline, they experience a high risk of accidents in indoor environments; thus, understanding their gaze behavior while considering cognitive capacity is essential in preventing potential accidents and planning for aging-friendly environments. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of color in living environments affects the visual attention of older adults.

Global Research Trends on Smart Homes for Older Adults: Bibliometric and Scientometric Analyses.

A growing aging population across the world signifies the importance of smart homes equipped with appropriate technology for the safety and health of older adults. Well-designed smart homes can increase the desire of older adults' aging-in-place and bring economic benefits to the country by reducing budgets for care providers. To obtain a structural overview and provide significant insights into the characteristics of smart homes for older adults, this study conducted bibliometric and scientometric analyses.

Emerging Minimally Invasive Technologies for the Detection of Skin Cancer.

With the increasing incidence of skin cancer, many noninvasive technologies to detect its presence have been developed. This review focuses on reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), pigmented lesion assay (PLA), and Raman spectroscopy (RS) and discusses the basic principle, clinical applications, advantages, and disadvantages of each technology. RCM provides high cellular resolution and has high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of skin cancer.

Korean Immigrants' Perception of Mental Well-Being and Help-Seeking Behaviors.

This article describes a study that investigated Korean immigrants' perception of mental well-being and help-seeking behaviors with particular focus on those with mental illness. Participants with probable diagnoses of anxiety or depression were more likely to recognize their mental health problems and their impact than those without such diagnoses. However, many of them did not acknowledge experiencing mental health problems and did not show high likelihood of seeking professional mental health services.

Spatial Color Efficacy in Perceived Luxury and Preference to Stay: An Eye-Tracking Study of Retail Interior Environment.

Color is a significant interior element with the power to influence emotions and behaviors in a particular environment. Numerous studies have investigated the impact of a single color on emotion; however, the collective emotional, cognitive, and behavioral effect created by combinations of colors applied to a space has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study involving both a survey as well as eye-tracking technology, we explored shaping the concept of spatial color efficacy by examining different applications of the same color combination in a space to determine whether they may cause different emotional responses, thereby impacting viewers' perception of luxury and intention to stay.

Visible-Light-Promoted Synthesis of Dibenzofuran Derivatives.

Dibenzofurans are naturally occurring molecules that have received considerable attention for a variety of practical applications, such as in pharmaceuticals and electronic materials. Herein, an efficient and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of dibenzofuran derivatives via intramolecular C-O bond formation, which involves the in situ production of a diazonium salt, is described. The transformation requires a diazotizing agent and is promoted by the use of an organic photosensitizer under visible-light irradiation.

Understanding breast cancer screening behaviors of Korean American women in sociocultural contexts.

This study examines the breast cancer screening behaviors of Korean American women focusing on their cultural beliefs and access to health care. A total of 111 Korean American women participated in the cross-sectional survey research. Korean American women who felt embarrassed about breast cancer screenings were less likely to have received clinical breast exams or mammograms.

Synthesis of Substituted Oxazoles by Visible-Light Photocatalysis.

A simple and practical method for the synthesis of substituted oxazoles has been developed using readily available α-bromoketones and benzylamines by visible-light photocatalysis at room temperature. The process, which requires 1 mol % of [Ru(bpy)3]Cl2 photocatalyst with K3PO4 and CCl3Br, is effective for accessing a variety of valuable oxazole compounds. The synthetic utility of our protocol was also demonstrated by preparing a natural product, texaline.

Effectiveness of an Ongoing, Community-Based Breast Cancer Prevention Program for Korean American Women.

The study evaluates the effectiveness of an ongoing, community-based breast cancer prevention program offered by a local social services agency in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Korean American women who participated in this breast cancer prevention program were compared with those who did not participate in their knowledge, attitude, and screening behaviors. The study found that the intervention group was more knowledgeable on breast cancer and related services and reported more positive attitudes toward breast cancer screening services than the comparison group.

Novel method for setting up 3D navigation system with skin-fixed dynamic reference frame in anterior cervical surgery.

Purpose: To introduce easy and useful methods using 3D navigation system with skin-fixed dynamic reference frame (DRF) in anterior cervical surgery and to validate its accuracy.

Methods: From September 2012 to May 2013, 31 patients underwent anterior cervical surgery and a total of 48 caspar distraction pins were inserted into each cervical vertebra. Every operation was performed using O-arm® navigation system with skin-fixed DRF.

Inhibitory effect of hexane fraction from Myagropsis myagroides on pancreatic α-amylase in vitro.

A Myagropsis myagroides (Mm) methanol extract showed α-amylase inhibitory activity of 13% at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. Results showed that the hexane fraction from the Mm methanol extract exhibited α-amylase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 4.24 mg/ml.

The impact of weight changes on nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease in adult men with normal weight.

Background: Although it is known that losing weight has an effect on the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the studies that show how losing weight affects the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for the normal weight male adults are limited so far. In this study, we set body mass index as criteria and investigated how the weight changes for 4 years makes an impact on the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for the male adults who have the normal body mass index.

Methods: From January to December of 2004, among the normal weight male adults who had general check-up at the Health Promotion Center of Ulsan University Hospital, 180 people (average age, 47.

Comparison of Ecklonia cava, Ecklonia stolonifera and Eisenia bicyclis for phlorotannin extraction.

Phlorotannins are polyphenols of marine algae, particularly brown seaweed, having multiple biological activities. A reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography method was developed for rapid and routine quantification of two major phlorotannins, dieckol and phlorofucofuroeckol-A (PFE-A), from boiling water- and organic solvent-extracts of brown seaweeds Ecklonia cava, E. stolonifera and Eisenia bicyclis.

Analysis on bilateral hindlimb mapping in motor cortex of the rat by an intracortical microstimulation method.

Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) is a technique that was developed to derive movement representation of the motor cortex. Although rats are now commonly used in motor mapping studies, the precise characteristics of rat motor map, including symmetry and consistency across animals, and the possibility of repeated stimulation have not yet been established. We performed bilateral hindlimb mapping of motor cortex in six Sprague-Dawley rats using ICMS.

Inhibitory effects of brown algae extracts on histamine production in mackerel muscle via inhibition of growth and histidine decarboxylase activity of Morganella morganii.

This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of brown algae extracts on histamine production in mackerel muscle. First, antimicrobial activities of brown algae extracts against Morganella morganii were investigated using a disk diffusion method. An ethanol extract of Ecklonia cava (ECEE) exhibited strong antimicrobial activity.

The efficacy of hydroxyapatite for screw augmentation in osteoporotic patients.

The stability of screw constructs is of considerable importance in determining the outcome, especially in spinal osteoporosis. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been proven as an effective material for increasing the pullout strength of pedicle screws inserted into the osteoporotic bones. However, PMMA has several disadvantages, such as its exothermic properties, the risk of neural injury in the event of extravasation, and difficulties in performing revision surgery.

Solid fusion after lumbosacral arthroplasty.

A 55-year-old female was diagnosed with L5-S1 degenerative disc disease (DDD). Initial scores by the visual analogue scale (VAS) were 5 (back) and 9 (leg) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) was 32. Arthroplasty was performed.

The accuracy of 3D image navigation with a cutaneously fixed dynamic reference frame in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Objective: In contrast to preoperative image-based 3D navigation systems, which require surgeon-dependent registration, an intraoperative cone-beam computed tomography (cb-CT) image-based 3D navigation system allows automatic registration during the acquisition of 3D images intraoperatively. Thus, the need for spinal exposure for point matching is obviated, making a cb-CT image-based navigation system ideal for use in minimally invasive spinal procedures. Conventionally, the dynamic reference frame (DRF) is mounted to an adjacent spinous process or iliac bone through a separate incision.

Induction of antifouling diterpene production by Streptomyces cinnabarinus PK209 in co-culture with marine-derived Alteromonas sp. KNS-16.

An active antifouling diterpene was isolated from marine actinomycete strain PK209 and productivity was induced in a co-culture experiment. The active constituent was identified as the diterpene lobocompactol by interpretion of nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy data. A PK209 co-culture was designed and a lobocompactol-resistant bacterium, KNS-16, was selected as co-culture competitor to induce lobocompactol production.

Glycoglycerolipids isolated from marine derived Streptomyces coelescens PK206-15.

Glycoglycerolipids were isolated from seaweed-associated marine actinomycete strain PK206-15, which was identified as Streptomyces coelescens based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The structures were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance, high resolution-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and methanolysis.

Algicidal activity of marine Alteromonas sp. KNS-16 and isolation of active compounds.

The KNS-16 algicidal strain was isolated from a harmful alga bloom (HAB) area and identified as Alteromonas sp. based on 16S rDNA sequencing. The KNS-16 strain was found to control HABs by producing algicidal compounds in an indirect interaction.

Oblique paraspinal approach for thoracic disc herniations using tubular retractor with robotic holder: a technical note.

Introduction: Symptomatic thoracic disc herniations (TDHs) are uncommon and can be surgically treated. Although transthoracic decompression is considered the gold standard, it is associated with significant comorbidities. In particular, approach via a posterior laminectomy has been associated with poor results.

Isolation and structural determination of the antifouling diketopiperazines from marine-derived Streptomyces praecox 291-11.

Marine derived actinomycetes constituting 185 strains were screened for their antifouling activity against the marine seaweed, Ulva pertusa, and fouling diatom, Navicula annexa. Strain 291-11 isolated from the seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida, rhizosphere showed the highest antifouling activity and was identified as Streptomyces praecox based on a 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Strain 291-11 was therefore named S.