Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction of Ptaquiloside in Bracken Fern.

This study was conducted to determine the optimal boiling time to reduce ptaquiloside (PTA) and to carry out a risk assessment for PTA, a representative toxic substance found in bracken fern (BF; ), which is frequently consumed as food in East Asian countries. High-performance liquid chromatography showed that the concentration of PTA in BF was reduced by up to 99% after boiling for 20 min. Risk assessment results showed that the cancer margin of exposure (MOE; ≥ 25,000 = safe) to PTA for an average daily exposure scenario after boiling BF for 20 min was considered safe.

Risk assessment of unintentional phthalates contaminants in cosmetics.

A risk assessment was performed for three types of phthalates, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) unintentionally contaminated in cosmetics. A total of 100 products of 8 types of cosmetics were analyzed employing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). By applying the maximum detected values of phthalates based on the worst exposure cases, their systemic exposure dosage (SED) was calculated.

Quantitative structure-activity and quantitative structure-property relationship approaches as alternative skin sensitization risk assessment methods.

This study aimed to predict skin sensitization potency of selected chemicals by quantitatively analyzing their physicochemical properties by employing quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) approaches as alternative risk assessment methods to animal testing. Correlations between effective concentration for a stimulation index of 3 (EC3) (%), the amount of a chemical required to elicit a threefold increase in lymph node cell proliferative activity (stimulation index, ≥3), were calculated using local lymph node assay (LLNA) and physicochemical properties of 212 skin sensitizers and 38 non-sensitizers were investigated. The correlation coefficients between melting point (MP) and EC3 and between surface tension (ST) and EC3 were 0.

Alternative skin sensitization prediction and risk assessment using proinflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).

As an alternative to animal tests for skin sensitization potency and risk assessment, cell viability and biomarkers related to skin sensitization were analyzed in THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cells. Cell viabilities of 90% (CV90) and 75% (CV75) were determined for 24 selected test chemicals. Further biomarkers related to skin sensitization were also determined under equivalent comparative conditions.

Risk Assessment of Triclosan, a Cosmetic Preservative.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound used in consumer products. The purpose of current study was to examine toxicology and risk assessment of TCS based on available data. Acute toxicities of oral, transdermal and inhalation routes were low, and phototoxicity and neurotoxicity were not observed.

Risk Assessment of 5-Chloro-2-Methylisothiazol-3(2H)-One/2-Methylisothiazol-3(2H)-One (CMIT/MIT) Used as a Preservative in Cosmetics.

The mixture of 5-chloro-2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one (CMIT) and 2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one (MIT), CMIT/MIT, is a preservative in cosmetics. CMIT/MIT is a highly effective preservative; however, it is also a commonly known skin sensitizer. Therefore, in the present study, a risk assessment for safety management of CMIT/MIT was conducted on products containing 0.

Risk assessment of lithium-ion battery explosion: chemical leakages.

Use of lithium-ion batteries has raised safety issues owing to chemical leakages, overcharging, external heating, or explosions. A risk assessment was conducted for hydrofluoric acid (HF) and lithium hydroxide (LiOH) which potential might leak from lithium-ion batteries. The inhalation no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for HF was 0.

Risk assessment of endocrine disrupting phthalates and hormonal alterations in children and adolescents.

Risk assessment and hormone evaluation were carried out for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), in 302 Korean children (n = 223) and adolescents (n = 79) (< age 19). Urinary and serum concentrations of DEHP, MEHP (mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), DBP, MBP (monobutyl phthalate), and PA (phthalic acid, a common final metabolite of phthalates) were detected in children and adolescents. Daily exposure levels were estimated to be 16.

IL-1α and IL-1β as alternative biomarkers for risk assessment and the prediction of skin sensitization potency.

Potential biomarkers of skin sensitization in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages were investigated as alternatives to animal experiments and risk assessment. The concentrations that resulted in a cell viability of 90% (CV90) and 75% (CV75) were calculated by using a water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST)-1 assay and used to analyze the skin sensitization potency of 23 experimental materials under equivalent treatment conditions.

Inhibition of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)-induced endocrine disruption by co-treatment of vitamins C and E and their mechanism of action.

The endocrine disrupting actions of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on testicular functions are postulated to involve excess free radical generation. Thus the aim of this study was to examine the ability of antioxidant vitamins C and E to prevent DEHP-induced testicular disruption in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. SD male rats were administered DEHP alone or DEHP with vitamin C and/or vitamin E for 30 days.

Risk assessment of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) in cosmetics.

N-nitrosamines and their precursors found in cosmetics may be carcinogenic in humans. Thus the aim of this study was to carry out risk assessment for N-nitrosamines (N-nitrosodiethanolamine [NDELA], N-nitrosodiethylamine [NDEA]) and amines (triethanolamine [TEA], diethanolamine [DEA]) levels in cosmetics determined using validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) procedures. NDELA and NDEA concentrations were present at levels of "not detected" (N.

Non-cancer, cancer, and dermal sensitization risk assessment of heavy metals in cosmetics.

The heavy metal content of cosmetics may be a cause for concern in that exposure to these metals is associated with adverse consequences. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess consequences attributed to exposure to heavy metals in cosmetics as determined by non-cancer, cancer, and sensitization risks methodologies. The quantification and exposure assessments of aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), and titanium (Ti) were performed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Formation and inhibition of N-nitrosodiethanolamine in cosmetics under pH, temperature, and fluorescent, ultraviolet, and visual light.

N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA), a type of nitrosamine, is a possible human carcinogen that may form in cosmetic products. The aim of this study was to examine the formation and inhibition of NDELA through chemical reactions of secondary amines including mono-ethanolamine, di-ethanolamine (DEA), and tri-ethanolamine (TEA), and sodium nitrite (SN) under varying conditions such as pH, temperature, and fluorescent, ultraviolet (UV), and visual light (VIS) using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. In a mixture of TEA and SN under acidic conditions pH 2, residual NDELA concentrations rose significantly under various storage conditions in the following order: 50°C > 40°C > UV (2 W/m) > VIS (4000 lux) > fluorescent light > 25°C > 10°C.

Detoxifying effect of pyridoxine on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity via suppressing oxidative stress injury.

The detoxifying effect of pyridoxine against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated. HepG2 cells were co-treated with APAP and pyridoxine to compare with betaine or methionine for 24 h. LDH, ALT and AST activities were measured to determine direct cells damage in vitro and in vivo.

Risk assessment of zinc oxide, a cosmetic ingredient used as a UV filter of sunscreens.

Zinc oxide (ZnO), an inorganic compound that appears as a white powder, is used frequently as an ingredient in sunscreens. The aim of this review was to examine the toxicology and risk assessment of ZnO based upon available published data. Recent studies on acute, sub-acute, and chronic toxicities of ZnO indicated that this compound is virtually non-toxic in animal models.

Dietary hydroxycinnamates prevent oxidative damages to liver, spleen, and bone marrow cells in irradiation-exposed mice.

Dietary hydroxycinnamates are considered as attractive materials for radioprotection. This study explores whether hydroxycinnamates protect against γ-radiation-induced cellular damages and hematopoietic stem cell senescence. C57BL/6 mice were orally administered with each of caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid (20mg/kg body weight) once per three days for five times before exposure to total body radiation (5 Gy).

Intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of the seeds of Raphanus sativus L. in experimental ulcerative colitis models.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Water extract of Raphanus sativus L. (RSL) seeds was traditionally used to treat digestive inflammatory complaints in Korean culture. RSL seeds exerted antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-septic functions, suggesting their pharmacological potential for the treatment of inflammatory pathologies associated with oxidative stress such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Breast Cancer Screening Knowledge and Perceived Health Beliefs among Immigrant Women in Korea.

Purpose: Recently, through international marriage, immigrant women have rapidly increased throughout Korea. This study was performed to identify health beliefs and practices related to breast cancer screening in immigrant women in Korea.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between March and July 2012, and study population included immigrant females from six other Asian countries (Cambodia, China, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, and the Philippines).

Monitoring of vegetation impact due to trampling on Cadillac Mountain summit using high spatial resolution remote sensing data sets.

Cadillac Mountain--the highest peak along the eastern seaboard of the United States--is a major tourist destination in Acadia National Park, Maine. Managing vegetation impact due to trampling on the Cadillac Mountain summit is extremely challenging because of the large number of visitors and the general open nature of landscape in this fragile subalpine environmental setting. Since 2000, more intensive management strategies--based on placing physical barriers and educational messages for visitors--have been employed to protect threatened vegetation, decrease vegetation impact, and enhance vegetation recovery in the vicinity of the summit loop trail.

Anomalous behaviors of visible luminescence from graphene quantum dots: interplay between size and shape.

For the application of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) to optoelectronic nanodevices, it is of critical importance to understand the mechanisms which result in novel phenomena of their light absorption/emission. Here, we present size-dependent shape/edge-state variations of GQDs and visible photoluminescence (PL) showing anomalous size dependences. With varying the average size (d(a)) of GQDs from 5 to 35 nm, the peak energy of the absorption spectra monotonically decreases, while that of the visible PL spectra unusually shows nonmonotonic behaviors having a minimum at d(a) = ~17 nm.

Identification of a peptide that interacts with Nestin protein expressed in brain cancer stem cells.

Glioma stem cells (GSCs) are presumably major culprits for brain tumor initiation, progression, and recurrence after conventional therapies. Thus, selective targeting and eradication of GSCs may provide a promising and effective therapeutic approach. Here, we isolated a GSC-targeting (GSCT) peptide that demonstrated selective binding affinity for many undifferentiated GSCs using in vitro phage display technology.

Time-resolved energy transduction in a quantum capacitor.

The capability to deposit charge and energy quantum-by-quantum into a specific atomic site could lead to many previously unidentified applications. Here we report on the quantum capacitor formed by a strongly localized field possessing such capability. We investigated the charging dynamics of such a capacitor by using the unique scanning tunneling microscopy that combines nanosecond temporal and subangstrom spatial resolutions, and by using Si(001) as the electrode as well as the detector for excitations produced by the charging transitions.

Detecting vegetation cover change on the summit of Cadillac Mountain using multi-temporal remote sensing datasets: 1979, 2001, and 2007.

This study examines the efficacy of management strategies implemented in 2000 to reduce visitor-induced vegetation impact and enhance vegetation recovery at the summit loop trail on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park, Maine. Using single-spectral high-resolution remote sensing datasets captured in 1979, 2001, and 2007, pre-classification change detection analysis techniques were applied to measure fractional vegetation cover changes between the time periods. This popular sub-alpine summit with low-lying vegetation and attractive granite outcroppings experiences dispersed visitor use away from the designated trail, so three pre-defined spatial scales (small, 0-30 m; medium, 0-60 m; and large, 0-90 m) were examined in the vicinity of the summit loop trail with visitor use (experimental site) and a site chosen nearby in a relatively pristine undisturbed area (control site) with similar spatial scales.

Identification of a peptide sequence targeting mammary vasculature via RPLP0 during lactation.

To find novel targeting moieties to lactating mammary gland, in vivo phage display screening was conducted with lactating rats and a peptide ligand, CLHQHNQMC (designated as MG1), which specifically homes to the mammary tissue during lactation, was identified through the consecutive in vivo biopannings. MG1 peptide ligand showed specific binding affinity to lactating mammary tissue without any preference to other organs tested in ex vivo and in vivo validation, and microscopy analysis revealed that systemically introduced MG1 could be specifically localized in the lactating mammary gland associated with mammary epithelia and alveolar vasculature. Based on the observation that binding of MG1-encoding phage to lactating mammary gland was competitively inhibited by synthetic MG1 peptide ligand, we attempted to identify a counterpart molecule corresponding to specific recognition of the MG1 and the acidic Ribosomal Protein Large P0 (RPLP0) was selected as a candidate receptor for MG1 by peptide affinity pull-down assay with protein extracts from lactating mammary tissue.

Identification of a peptide sequence that improves transport of macromolecules across the intestinal mucosal barrier targeting goblet cells.

In this study, we demonstrated that the CSKSSDYQC-peptide ligand which was identified from a random phage-peptide library through an in vivo phage display technique with rats could prominently improve the transport efficiency of macromolecules, such as large filamentous phage particles (M13 bacteriophage), across the intestinal mucosal barrier. Synthetic CSKSSDYQC-peptide ligands significantly inhibited the binding of phage P1 encoding CSKSSDYQC-peptide ligands to the intestinal mucosal tissue and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the CSKSSDYQC-peptide ligands could be transported across the intestinal mucosal barrier via goblet cells as their specific gateway. Thus, we inferred that CSKSSDYQC-peptide ligand might have a specific receptor on the goblet cells and transported from intestinal lumen to systemic circulation by transcytosis mechanism.