Protocatechuic Acid from Mitigates Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice.

The increasing prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative disorders owing to the aging population worldwide poses substantial challenges. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA), a compound found in various fruits, vegetables, and grains, using a scopolamine-induced hypomnesia mouse model. Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were orally administered PCA at doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for two weeks, along with intraperitoneal injections of scopolamine.

Oral Administration of Leaf Extract Ameliorates Alzheimer's Disease Phenotypes in 5xFAD Transgenic Mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and is frequently characterized by progressive and irreversible impairment of cognitive functions. However, its etiology remains poorly understood, limiting therapeutic interventions. Our previous study showed that the ethanol extract of leaves (EA) positively affected scopolamine-induced hypomnesia in the normal mouse model by promoting nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation.

Evaluating Therapeutic Healthcare Environmental Criteria: Architectural Designers' Perspectives.

This study presents architectural designers’ perception of the importance of healthcare environmental criteria in the implementation of user-centered, therapeutic hospital design. Architectural designers with over three years of professional experience (N = 182) in South Korea were surveyed using an empirical questionnaire. The extensive interviews of 15 hospital design experts followed to interpret the survey results and discuss the barriers and suggestions for the successful delivery of therapeutic healthcare design practice.

Influence of Intervertebral Fixation and Segmental Thrust Level on Immediate Post-Spinal Manipulation Trunk Muscle Spindle Response in an Animal Model.

Objective: To characterize the effect of unilateral (single and two-level) lumbar facet/zygapophysial joint fixation on paraspinal muscle spindle activity immediately following L4 or L6 high velocity low amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM) delivered at various thrust durations.

Methods: Secondary analysis of immediate (≤2 s) post-HVLA-SM trunk muscle spindle response from two studies involving anesthetized adult cats ( = 39; 2.3-6.

Semi-Automated Cell Panning for Efficient Isolation of FGFR3-Targeting Antibody.

Phage display technology is a widely used practical tool for isolating binding molecules against the desired targets in phage libraries. In the case of targeting the membrane protein with its natural conformation, conventional bio-panning has limitations on the efficient screening of the functionally relevant antibodies. To enrich the single-chain variable fragment (scFv) pools for recognizing the natural conformation of the membrane targets, the conventional bio-panning and screening process was modified to include the semi-automated cell panning protocol.

Effects of gamma ray, electron beam, and X-ray on the reduction of on red pepper powder ( L.) and (red pepper paste).

is the potential pathogenic mold in red pepper powder ( L.) and (red pepper paste), which can produce mycotoxins. This study investigated the effects of gamma ray, e-beam, and X-ray irradiation on the reduction of on red pepper powder and and physicochemical and sensory quality changes.

Evaluation of Early Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Using Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging.

Although progressive cardiac dysfunction is the leading cause of death in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), their cardiac function measured by conventional echocardiography has been generally interpreted as normal at a young age. We aimed to determine whether two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) or tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) could be used for early identification and detection of cardiac dysfunction in young patients with DMD. Thirteen pediatric patients (mean age, 9.

Differential effects on sodium current impairments by distinct SCN1A mutations in GABAergic neurons derived from Dravet syndrome patients.

Background: We investigated how two distinct mutations in SCN1A differentially affect electrophysiological properties of the patient-derived GABAergic neurons and clinical severities in two Dravet syndrome (DS) patients.

Materials And Methods: We established induced pluripotent stem cells from two DS patients with different mutations in SCN1A and subsequently differentiated them into forebrain GABAergic neurons. Functionality of differentiated GABAergic neurons was examined by electrophysiological recordings.

The evolution of electrocardiographic changes in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophies.

Purpose: Myocardial dysfunction and dysrhythmias are inevitable consequences of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We aimed to evaluate specific trends of electrocardiographic changes that reflect the progress of cardiomyopathy in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Methods: Fifty electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 30 patients (ages 1 to 27 years) who had not been prescribed medications for heart failure treatment at the time of examination were retrospectively analyzed and compared with 116 ECGs of age-matched healthy 116 controls.

Relationship Between Fragmented QRS Complexes and Cardiac Status in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Multimodal Validation Using Echocardiography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Holter Monitoring.

The presence of fragmented QRS is a known marker of heterogeneous ventricular activation around the myocardial scar area. We validated whether fragmented QRS shows any association with ventricular dysfunction, fibrosis, or ventricular arrhythmias in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Thirty-seven patients with DMD were evaluated using electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and 24-h Holter monitoring.

Assembly of Iron Oxide Nanocubes for Enhanced Cancer Hyperthermia and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Multiple formulations of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been proposed for enhancing contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and for increasing efficacy in thermal ablation therapies. However, insufficient accumulation at the disease site and low magnetic performance hamper the clinical application of IONPs. Here, 20 nm iron oxide nanocubes were assembled into larger nanoconstructs externally stabilized by a serum albumin coating.

Endoscopic resection of asymptomatic, colonic, polypoid arteriovenous malformations: Two case reports and a literature review.

A colonic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a significant vascular lesion of the gastrointestinal tract and a common cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. AVMs are usually identified endoscopically as bright red, flat lesions. AVMs with a polypoid appearance are extremely rare in the large intestine.

Vitamin D deficiency in children aged 6 to 12 years: single center's experience in Busan.

Purpose: This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in children.

Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 330 patients from the age of 6 to 12, who visited the endocrinology clinic of the Department of Pediatrics at Pusan National University Hospital, from September, 2013 to May, 2014. According to their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels, the patients were grouped into either the deficiency group (25(OH)D<20 ng/mL), or the sufficiency group (25(OH)D≥20 ng/mL).

In Situ Photocatalytic Synthesis of Ag Nanoparticles (nAg) by Crumpled Graphene Oxide Composite Membranes for Filtration and Disinfection Applications.

Graphene oxide (GO) materials have demonstrated considerable potential in next-generation water treatment membrane-based technologies, which include antimicrobial applications. GO antimicrobial properties can be further enhanced by preloading or chemically generating surface-associated nanoscale silver particles (nAg). However, for these systems, enhanced antimicrobial functionality decreases over time as a function of Ag mass loss via dissolution (as Ag(+)).

Giant coronary aneurysm caused by Kawasaki disease: consistency between catheter angiography and electrocardiogram gated dual-source computed tomography angiography.

We present the case of a 5-year-old child with coronary complications due to Kawasaki disease; this patient unintentionally underwent both dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) coronary angiography and invasive coronary angiographic examination in 2 months. This case highlights the strong consistency of the results between DSCT coronary angiography and invasive coronary angiography. Compared to conventional invasive coronary angiography, DSCT coronary angiography offered additional advantages such as minimal invasiveness and less radiation exposure.

Soft Discoidal Polymeric Nanoconstructs Resist Macrophage Uptake and Enhance Vascular Targeting in Tumors.

Most nanoparticles for biomedical applications originate from the self-assembling of individual constituents through molecular interactions and possess limited geometry control and stability. Here, 1000 × 400 nm discoidal polymeric nanoconstructs (DPNs) are demonstrated by mixing hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers with lipid chains and curing the resulting paste directly within silicon templates. By changing the paste composition, soft- and rigid-DPNs (s- and r-DPNs) are synthesized exhibiting the same geometry, a moderately negative surface electrostatic charge (-14 mV), and different mechanical stiffness (∼1.

The Effect of SSRIs on the Binding of (18)F-FP-CIT in Parkinson Patients: A Retrospective Case Control Study.

Purpose: (18)F-FP-CIT [(18)F-fluorinated N-3-fluoropropyl-2-beta-carboxymethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane] is useful for detecting striatal dopamine transporter (DAT). Since FP-CIT shows relatively high affinities for DAT and serotonin transporter (SERT), its binding can be influenced by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We aimed to evaluate the effect of SSRIs on the binding of (18)F-FP-CIT.

Gadolinium oxide nanoplates with high longitudinal relaxivity for magnetic resonance imaging.

Molecular-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often characterized by insufficient relaxivity, thus requiring the systemic injection of high doses to induce sufficient contrast enhancement at the target site. In this work, gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoplates are produced via a thermal decomposition method. The nanoplates have a core diameter varying from 2 to 22 nm, a thickness of 1 to 2 nm and are coated with either an oleic acid bilayer or an octylamine modified poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-OA) polymer layer.

Synthesis of multifunctional magnetic nanoflakes for magnetic resonance imaging, hyperthermia, and targeting.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IOs) are intrinsically theranostic agents that could be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and local hyperthermia or tissue thermal ablation. Yet, effective hyperthermia and high MR contrast have not been demonstrated within the same nanoparticle configuration. Here, magnetic nanoconstructs are obtained by confining multiple, ∼ 20 nm nanocubes (NCs) within a deoxy-chitosan core.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection is effective even in infants with external iliac artery pseudoaneurysms.

Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms are extremely rare in children. Conventional management of pseudoaneurysms in adults has included surgical repair, ultrasound-guided compression, and more recently, endovascular embolization. However, in infants and children, there is little information regarding the applicability of such treatment modalities, which have been effective in adults, because of its rarity.

Antioxidant properties of cerium oxide nanocrystals as a function of nanocrystal diameter and surface coating.

This work examines the effect of nanocrystal diameter and surface coating on the reactivity of cerium oxide nanocrystals with H2O2 both in chemical solutions and in cells. Monodisperse nanocrystals were formed in organic solvents from the decomposition of cerium precursors, and subsequently phase transferred into water using amphiphiles as nanoparticle coatings. Quantitative analysis of the antioxidant capacity of CeO2-x using gas chromatography and a luminol test revealed that 2 mol of H2O2 reacted with every mole of cerium(III), suggesting that the reaction proceeds via a Fenton-type mechanism.

Catheter-based treatment in patients with critical pulmonary stenosis or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: a single institute experience with comparison between patients with and without additional procedure for pulmonary flow.

Objectives: We report a single institute experience of transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy using the soft end of a guidewire followed or not by a systemic-pulmonary shunt in patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS) or critical pulmonary stenosis (CPS). In addition, we compare patients with or without an additional source of flow to support the pulmonary circulation after successful pulmonary valvotomy.

Methods: All neonates with PAIVS or CPS who underwent primary transcatheter pulmonary valvotomy between January 2004 and December 2010 were reviewed retrospectively.

Validation of the Korean translation of obesity-related problems scale assessing the quality of life in obese Korean.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to translate the obesity-related problems (OP) scale for Koreans and to validate it for use in Korean populations.

Methods: Translation and back-translation of the OP scale was performed and a pilot test was conducted. Following this, patients who had received treatment at the Obesity Center of Inha University Hospital were selected for participation in the field test.