Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Aging Kidneys and Future Perspectives.

The rapid growth of the elderly population is making the need for extensive and advanced information about age-related organ dysfunction a crucial research area. The kidney is one of the organs most affected by aging. Aged kidneys undergo functional decline, characterized by a reduction in kidney size, decreased glomerular filtration rate, alterations in renal blood flow, and increased inflammation and fibrosis.

Blood pressure and mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: a population-based cohort study.

Revascularization procedures, including percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), for coronary artery disease (CAD) are increasingly performed in Korea. However, studies on blood pressure control targets in these patients remain insufficient. To assess the relationship between baseline blood pressure and all-cause mortality in CAD patients who underwent PCI.

Effect of pyroligneous acid on soil urease, amidase, and nitrogen use efficiency by Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris var. Pekinensis).

Urea is one of the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural soil and is easily decomposed by soil urease resulting in ammonium release. The produced ammonium can be volatilized or converted to nitrate, which is susceptible to leaching, leading to groundwater contamination unless used by plants. Hence, it is important to control the release of nitrogen from the urea.

A Mobile-Based Comprehensive Weight Reduction Program for the Workplace (Health-On): Development and Pilot Study.

Background: There is a growing interest in mobile technology for obesity management. Despite the known effectiveness of workplace-based weight loss programs, there are few studies on mobile phone-delivered interventions.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and verify an integrated and personalized mobile technology-based weight control program, named Health-On, optimized for workplaces.

Factors associated with quality of life in patients with depression: A nationwide population-based study.

Background: Depression, one of the most costly and common mental disorders, is reported to be associated with lower quality of life (QoL) in several studies. Improved understanding of the associated factors with QoL is necessary to optimize long-term outcomes and reduce disability in patients with depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors that are associated with lower QoL among patients with depression.

The clinical and prognostic value of antinuclear antibodies in NMO-IgG seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

In neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), the clinical and long-term prognostic value of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) is unclear. We analyzed registry data of NMO-IgG seropositive NMOSD patients (n = 74) according to ANA presence. The ANA-positive group (n = 32) demonstrated more frequent other autoantibodies (anti-SSA/Ro, anti-SSB/La, antiphospholipid, and anti-double stranded DNA antibodies) than did the ANA-negative group (n = 42).

Nonatheroscleotic Isolated Middle Cerebral Artery Disease May Be Early Manifestation of Moyamoya Disease.

Background And Purpose: Middle cerebral artery steno-occlusive disease (MCAD) is not an uncommon cause of ischemic stroke in young Asians. Aside from atherosclerosis, the pathogenesis of MCAD include various nonatherosclerotic vasculopathies, most of which are yet to be defined. This study investigated the pathogenesis of symptomatic isolated MCAD in young Asian patients using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) and mutation analysis of RNF213.

Role of fatty acid composites in the toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles used in cosmetic products.

It has been recognized that the use of nanoparticles (NPs) in the cosmetic industry results in products with better efficacy and functionality. However, recent advances in molecular toxicology have revealed that NP exposure can promote cytotoxicity and oxidative damage, which has raised health concerns in the use of NPs in personal care products. Nevertheless, the mechanistic basis for the toxicity and safety of cosmetic NPs is poorly understood.

Glomerular Filtration Rate and Urine Albumin to Creatinine Ratio Associated With Hearing Impairment Among Korean Adults With Diabetes: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

The objective of this study was to examine the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) with hearing impairment among diabetic adults in Korea. The study was based on data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 to 2012. Participants were 1206 diabetic adults, aged over 19 years, who completed audiometric testing supervised by nationally certified clinicians.

Omnidirectional Lamb waves by axisymmetrically-configured magnetostrictive patch transducer.

This work presents the generation of omnidirectional Lamb waves by a new magnetostrictive patch transducer (MPT) and investigates its generation mechanism. Although MPTs have been widely used for wave transduction in plates and pipes, no investigation reports the generation of omnidirectional Lamb waves in a plate by an MPT. For the generation, we propose an axisymmetrically-configured MPT that installs multiple axisymmetric turns of coil outside of a permanent cylindrical magnet located above the center of a circular magnetostrictive patch.

The role of androgen in the adipose tissue of males.

Adipose tissue, where various metabolic hormones are secreted, plays a role in metabolizing different substances including androgen. Within fat tissue, enzymes such as aromatase and aldo-keto reductase 1C are responsible for metabolizing testosterone into estrogen and 5-dihydrotestosterone into inactive metabolites. Adipose tissue can also affect the secretion of gonadotropin, which influences the formation of androgen in the testes.

Phospholipase-catalyzed hydrolysis in an artificial cell membrane in the presence of melittin.

Biomimicry involves the use of the structure and function of biological systems as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines. An artificial cell membrane was developed using biomembrane components, and the membrane, formed by a lipid bilayer, was analyzed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to monitor hydrolysis by phospholipase (PL). The simultaneous atomic force microscope (AFM) images show that PL catalyzed the nanometer-scale hydrolysis of the artificial lipid biomembranes through enzymatic hydrolysis.

Detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms using a biosensor-containing titanium-well array.

The rapid identification and verification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were demonstrated using a well array sensor containing anti-biofouling titanium (Ti). Probe single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was immobilized inside a titanium-well array on amine-modified glass surfaces with anti-biofouling behavior via a streptavidin-biotin interaction. Fluorescence intensity changes originating from the hybridization of nucleic acids to protein-bound nucleic acids linked to Alexa Fluor (FL) 647 were observed.

Higher torsional mode suppression in a pipe for enhancing the first torsional mode by using magnetostrictive patch transducers.

Small-sized defects in pipes can be better detected if the first nondispersive torsional mode is used in a higher frequency range. However, dispersive higher torsional modes accompany the first mode if the actuation frequency is above the first cutoff frequency, thereby making the detection difficult. This study proposes a new technique that is particularly useful for guided torsional waves in a pipe; it enhances the desired first nondispersive mode and suppresses the undesired second mode.

A case of multiple system atrophy-cerebellar type preceded by dementia.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic, adult-onset disease characterized by progressive degeneration of nervous systems including cerebellar, pyramidal, extrapyramidal, and autonomic system. Although a few recent studies reported that cognitive impairments could occur in patients with MSA, prominent dementia with progressive decline is not a typical clinical manifestation of MSA. In particular, dementia with MSA-cerebellar type is very rare.

Circumferential phased array of shear-horizontal wave magnetostrictive patch transducers for pipe inspection.

Several investigations report effective uses of magnetostrictive patch transducers to generate and measure longitudinal and torsional guided waves in a pipe. They can be used to form a phased array for the circumferential inspection of pipes. Although there are circumferential phased arrays employing piezoelectric transducers or EMAT's, no magnetostrictive patch transducer based array system has been attempted.

Bioconversion of compactin into pravastatin by Streptomyces sp.

Streptomyces sp. Y-110, isolated from soil, modified compactin to pravastatin, a therapeutic agent for hypercholesterolemia. In a batch culture, the highest production of pravastatin was 340 mg l(-1) from 750 mg compactin l(-1) in 24 h.