A mini review of recent advances in environmentally friendly microplastic removal technologies in water systems.

The current increase in microplastic (MP) occurrence worldwide is predicted to cause severe environmental crises in the future. Therefore, it is imperative to develop innovative MP removal technologies that can effectively mitigate MP emissions in any given scenario. This review discusses recent environmentally friendly advances in MP removal technologies that aim to overcome the limitations of current technologies, prevent secondary pollution, and utilize low energy.

Hair Growth Effect and the Mechanisms of Extract in DHT-Induced Alopecia Mice Model.

is a medicinal plant known for its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antimicrobial benefits. The pharmacological effects of extract on hair loss have not yet been documented. This research sought to assess the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of action of water extract (RWE) in a mouse model of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced alopecia.

Metabolic Profiling Changes Induced by Fermented Blackberries in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice Utilizing Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic changes associated with the anti-obesity effects of fermented blackberry extracts in the liver tissues of high-fat-diet-fed mice using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis. C57BL/6J mice were divided into eight groups: normal-diet-fed mice, high-fat-diet-fed mice, high-fat diet treated with blackberry extract, high-fat-diet mice treated with blackberry fermented by , and high-fat diet with blackberry fermented by . After 12 weeks, the high-fat-diet group exhibited a greater increase in liver weight compared to the control group, and among the groups, the group administered with blackberry fermented with showed the most pronounced reduction in liver weight.

Anti-Obesity Properties of Blackberries Fermented with JBMI F5 via Suppression of Adipogenesis Signaling Mechanisms.

Blackberries (), which are known to include a variety of bioactive substances, have been extensively studied for their antioxidant properties. Blackberries possess multiple health beneficial effects, including anti-inflammation, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activity. However, the potential biological effects and precise molecular mechanisms of the fermented extracts remain largely unexplored.

Anti-Obesity Effect and Signaling Mechanism of Potassium Poly-γ-Glutamate Produced by in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

The purpose of this work was to examine the effects of potassium poly-γ-glutamate (PGA-K) on mice fed a high-fat diet consisting of 60% of total calories for 12 weeks. PGA-K administration reduced the increase in body weight, epididymal fat, and liver weight caused by a high-fat diet compared to the obese group. The triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which are blood lipid indicators, were significantly increased in the obese group but were significantly decreased in the PGA-K-treated group.

Effective clearance of rituximab-resistant tumor cells by breaking the mirror-symmetry of immunoglobulin G and simultaneous binding to CD55 and CD20.

Complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), which eliminates aberrant target cells through the assembly and complex formation of serum complement molecules, is one of the major effector functions of anticancer therapeutic antibodies. In this study, we discovered that breaking the symmetry of natural immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies significantly increased the CDC activity of anti-CD20 antibodies. In addition, the expression of CD55 (a checkpoint inhibitor in the CDC cascade) was significantly increased in a rituximab-resistant cell line generated in-house, suggesting that CD55 overexpression might be a mechanism by which cancer cells acquire rituximab resistance.

Therapeutic Effect of Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Cervi Cornu Collagen NP-2007 and Potential for Application in Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Cervi cornu extracts have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various disorders, including osteoporosis. However, since it is not easy to separate the active ingredients, limited research has been conducted on their functional properties. In this study, we extracted the low-molecular-weight (843 Da) collagen NP-2007 from cervi cornu by enzyme hydrolyzation to enhance absorption and evaluated the therapeutic effect in monosodium iodoacetate-induced rat osteoarthritis (OA) model.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect and Signaling Mechanism of Hydrolyzed with Enzymes from KMU01 in a Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis Mouse Model.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that hydrolyzed with enzymes from KMU01 has on dextran-sulfate-sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Hydrolysis improves functional health through the bioconversion of raw materials and increase in intestinal absorption rate and antioxidants. Therefore, was hydrolyzed in this study using a food-derived microorganism, and its anti-inflammatory effect was observed.

Isosinensetin Stimulates Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Secretion via Activation of hTAS2R50 and the G-Mediated Signaling Pathway.

Bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) are G protein-coupled receptors localized in the taste buds of the tongue. They may also be present in non-lingual organs, including the brain, lung, kidney, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Recent studies on bitter taste receptor functions have suggested TAS2Rs as potential therapeutic targets.

Attenuates Allergic Asthma Exacerbated by Water-Soluble PM by Downregulating the MAPK Pathway.

Exposure to water-soluble particulate matter (WPM) containing heavy metals can cause severe inflammatory responses and trigger and exacerbate the onset of asthma. As a follow-up study of (RL), this study analyzed the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of oral and intratracheal administration of RL and demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in asthma models. Worse T-helper cell type 2 (Th2)-related inflammatory and pro-inflammatory responses were observed after simultaneous challenge with ovalbumin (OVA) and WPM.

Stack LSTM-Based User Identification Using Smart Shoes with Accelerometer Data.

In this study, we propose a long short-term memory (LSTM)-based user identification method using accelerometer data from smart shoes. In general, for the user identification with human walking data, we require a pre-processing stage in order to divide human walking data into individual steps. Next, user identification can be made with divided step data.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Polygalin C Isolated from Houtt. via Suppression of the Adipogenic and Lipogenic Factors in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), heart diseases, and cancer. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Polygalin C (PC) isolated from Houtt. in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Gancaonin N from Attenuates the Inflammatory Response by Downregulating the NF-κB/MAPK Pathway on an Acute Pneumonia In Vitro Model.

Acute pneumonia is an inflammatory disease caused by several pathogens, with symptoms such as fever and chest pain, to which children are particularly vulnerable. Gancaonin N is a prenylated isoflavone of that has been used in the treatment of various diseases in oriental medicine. There are little data on the anti-inflammatory efficacy of Gancaonin N, and its effects and mechanisms on acute pneumonia are unknown.

Self-Activating Therapeutic Nanoparticle: A Targeted Tumor Therapy Using Reactive Oxygen Species Self-Generation and Switch-on Drug Release.

One of the recent advances in nanotechnology within the medical field is the development of a nanoformulation of anticancer drugs or photosensitizers. Cancer cell-specific drug delivery and upregulation of the endogenous level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important in precision anticancer treatment. Within our article, we report a new therapeutic nanoformulation of cancer cell targeting using endogenous ROS self-generation without an external initiator and a switch-on drug release (ROS-induced cascade nanoparticle degradation and anticancer drug generation).

Effect of on PM10-Induced Inflammatory Response of Human Lung Epithelial Cells.

Particulate matter 10 (PM10) with a diameter of less than 10 mm causes inflammation and allergic reactions in the airways and lungs, which adversely affects asthmatic patients. In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory effects of (RL), which has been previously investigated medicinally in Korea and China for the discovery of plant-derived anti-inflammatory agents with low side effects, using a PM10-induced lung inflammatory disease model. Using MTT assay, we confirmed that in A549 cells pretreated with RL, cytotoxicity induced by PM10 (100 g/mL) exposure was attenuated.

A case of one-lung ventilation using a single-lumen tube placed under fiberoptic bronchoscopic guidance in a 4-year-old child: A case report.

Rationale: One-lung ventilation (OLV) is essential for adequate visualization and exposure of the surgical site via a videoscopic approach. Although many instruments facilitating OLV are available, the choice is limited in pediatric patients.

Patient Concerns: A 4-year-old female (weight: 18.

Anti-Cancer Potential of in Pancreatic Cancer Cell through Regulation of the ERK/Src/STAT3-Mediated Pathway.

As a plant medicine, has been used to treat various diseases in Korea. However, there is little data on the anti-cancer efficacy of , particularly . This study aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effect of methanol extract (OOE) and its regulatory actions on pancreatic carcinoma.

Ophiopogonin D ameliorates DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesions in BALB/c mice and TNF-α- inflamed HaCaT cell.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) can occur in both children and adults, and the symptoms include itching and eczema, which in turn cause patients to suffer. Ophiopogonin D (OP-D) is a steroidal glycoside from Radix Ophiopogon japonicus, which is well known as an effective anti-inflammatory herbal medicine in many Asian countries. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of OP-D, using an AD mouse model and inflamed HaCaT cells.

Comparison of T790M Acquisition Between Patients Treated with Afatinib and Gefitinib as First-Line Therapy: Retrospective Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Afatinib, a second-generation, irreversible pan-HER inhibitor, shows better suppression of T790M-positive lung cancer cells than gefitinib in preclinical studies. However, whether the effect of afatinib on T790M acquisition differs from that of gefitinib when used clinically as first-line therapy remains unclear. To reaffirm the preclinical efficacy of afatinib on T790M-positive lung cancer cells, H1975 cells and established PC-9 cells resistant to gefitinib and erlotinib by T790M were used.

Understanding medical students' empathy based on Enneagram personality types.

Purpose: High self-awareness can promote communication and empathy. The Enneagram is a well-known personality tool to enhance self-awareness. We evaluated differences in empathy among medical students using the Enneagram typology.

The clinical significance of brain microbleeds in patients with Alzheimer's disease: Preliminary study.

Background: Microbleeds (MBs) are observed frequently in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and suggested to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology, but their clinical significance remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: The study recruited 100 patients with AD who were diagnosed at the memory clinic in Seoul Medical Center in 2014. For each patient, baseline characteristics, neuropsychological tests, cerebrovascular risk factors, medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTLA), and severity of small vessel disease (SVD) according to the existence of MBs were evaluated.

Risperidone in a child with untractable emergency delirium: a case report.

A 6-year-old boy was scheduled for thoracic magnetic resonance imaging under deep sedation with midazolam 1.8 mg and propofol 100 µg/kg/min via intravenous injection. He showed emergence delirium in the post-anesthesia care unit.

Randomized trial of subfascial infusion of ropivacaine for early recovery in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Background: There is a need for investigating the analgesic method as part of early recovery after surgery tailored for laparoscopic colorectal cancer (LCRC) surgery. In this randomized trial, we aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of an inverse 'v' shaped bilateral, subfascial ropivacaine continuous infusion in LCRC surgery.

Methods: Forty two patients undergoing elective LCRC surgery were randomly allocated to one of two groups to receive either 0.

Comparative genomic analysis and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-, m-, and p-xylene (BTEX) degradation pathways of Pseudoxanthomonas spadix BD-a59.

Pseudoxanthomonas spadix BD-a59, isolated from gasoline-contaminated soil, has the ability to degrade all six BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-, m-, and p-xylene) compounds. The genomic features of strain BD-a59 were analyzed bioinformatically and compared with those of another fully sequenced Pseudoxanthomonas strain, P. suwonensis 11-1, which was isolated from cotton waste compost.