Implication of TIPE2 Expression on the Malignant Transformation of Oral Leukoplakia.

Background/aim: Identification of biomarkers involved in the malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia (OL) is required for the early diagnosis and management of patients with OL. This study aimed to evaluate the functions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) expression in the malignant transformation of OL.

Materials And Methods: The expression levels of TIPE2 and dormant cell markers phospho-ERK and phospho-p38 in a cohort containing 103 surgical specimens from patients with OL were evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

High-Strength Epoxy Nanocomposites Reinforced with Photochemically Treated CNTs.

A carbon nanotube (CNT)/epoxy nanocomposite was prepared using a photochemical surface modification process of CNTs. The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)-excimer lamp treatment created reactive sites on the CNT surface. Increasing the irradiation time increased the oxygen functional groups and changed the oxygen bonding state such as C=O, C-O, and -COOH.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-Derived ANGPTL3 Induces Cancer Associated Fibroblastic Phenotypes in Surrounding Fibroblasts.

Objective: Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) have emerged as both important regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism as well as insulin sensitivity. In particular, ANGPTL3 activity is one of the most important factors in cancer growth and invasion. Although ANGPTL3 have been studied in OSCC, but the role of ANGPTL3 between OSCC and CAFs has yet to be clearly defined.

Response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic of dental hygienists in South Korea-Part Ⅰ: Knowledge and practice of infection control.

Objectives: To evaluate infection control knowledge and its practice of clinical dental hygienists in response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Korea.

Methods: Nine questions (Q9-K) on the degree of knowledge acquisition of dental hygienists in response to COVID-19, and another 9 questions (Q9-P) on the practices for COVID-19 infection and spread prevention were prepared. From 500 clinical dental hygienists in South Korea, answers about their general characteristics, Q9-K, and Q9-P were collected.

Graphene Encapsulated Al Particles for Improvement of Thermal Conductivity in Composites.

Graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composites (GRAMCs) with improved thermal conductivity were prepared via a pH-controlled self-assembly process that involved adjusting the concentration of dispersed graphene oxide (GO) solutions. Uniform dispersion was achieved using GO coating on the aluminum (Al) surfaces. Graphene encapsulated Al powders (Al/GO) were sintered through spark plasma sintering (SPS) to prepare bulk composites, these were then analyzed to determine the thermal and mechanical properties.

Relationship between Subjective Oral Discomfort and Health-Related Quality of Life in the South Korean Elderly Population.

This study examined the relationship between oral discomfort and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the Korean elderly, using the datasets provided by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHNANES) over 6 consecutive years (2010-2015). A total of 13,618 participants aged 65 years and over were included in the final analysis. A complex sample logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of oral discomfort on HRQOL.

Chirality control for predominant metallic or semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes prepared using a mild etchant.

Highly oriented metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs were synthesized with different carrier gas compositions and etchants by the floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition method. The addition of acetone as an etchant resulted in metallic nanotubes. The acetone acted as both an additional carbon source and etching agent for carbon nanotube nucleation.

The Synergistic Effect of a Bimetallic Catalyst for the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Aerogels and their Predominant Chirality.

Synthesis of continuous spinnable carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers is the most promising method for producing CNT fibers for commercial applications. The floating-catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD) method is a rapid process that achieves catalyst formation, CNT nucleation and growth, and aerogel-like sock formation within a few seconds. However, the formation mechanism is unknown.

Influence of the Sulfur Content Catalyst on the Packing Density of Carbon Nanotube Forests.

For the fabrication of high-performance carbon nanotube (CNT) composites with practical applicability, the development of new methods for the controlled growth of high-aspect-ratio CNTs still constitutes a challenge. With the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the catalytic CNT growth, in this study, the effect of the catalyst composition is investigated using different mixtures of Fe(SO) and FeCl as catalysts. The relationship between the catalyst chemical state and the growth behavior of CNT forests is demonstrated by evaluating the alignment, diameter, length, and areal density of the CNT forests.

Structure transformation by sp hydrocarbon assisted carbon nanotube growth.

In this study, we investigated the effect of hydrocarbon species composition on carbon nanotube (CNT) growth using an iron catalyst by chemical vapor deposition. The atomic hydrogen and active carbon species from hydrocarbon affect to the nucleation and growth of CNT arrays. With increasing atomic hydrogen content, the interface layer distance of the CNTs decreased from 3.

CXCL1 induces senescence of cancer-associated fibroblasts via autocrine loops in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have emerged as one of the main factors related to cancer progression, however, the conversion mechanism of normal fibroblasts (NOFs) to CAFs has not been well elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism of CAF transformation from NOFs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study found that NOFs exposed to OSCC cells transformed to senescent cells.

Apoptosis-related microRNA-145-5p enhances the effects of pheophorbide a-based photodynamic therapy in oral cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate key biological processes, and their aberrant expression has been related to cancer development. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as one of the most promising modalities for cancer treatment. However, the application of PDT has been limited to superficially localized human cancerous and precancerous lesions.

Insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA binding protein-3 and podoplanin expression are associated with bone invasion and prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA binding protein-3 (IMP3) and podoplanin (PDPN) as therapeutic targets against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with bone invasion.

Study Design: We elucidated the correlation of IMP3 and PDPN expression with bone invasion in 160 OSCC tissue specimens, and assessed a mouse calvarium xenograft model using an IMP3- and PDPN-depleted OSCC cell line.

Results: The retrospective analysis revealed that the expression of IMP3 and PDPN is significantly correlated with T stage, lymph node metastasis, and the overall survival of OSCC patients.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promotes cancer invasion by modulating cathepsin D via early growth response (EGR)-1.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) contributes to tumor progression as well as maintaining telomere length, however, the mechanism by which hTERT promotes invasiveness is not yet completely understood. This study aims to unravel the precise mechanism through which hTERT promotes cancer invasion. We established an hTERT-overexpressed immortalized cell line (IHOK/hTERT).

Extracellular vesicle-derived protein from Bifidobacterium longum alleviates food allergy through mast cell suppression.

Background: The incidence of food allergies has increased dramatically during the last decade. Recently, probiotics have been studied for the prevention and treatment of allergic disease.

Objective: We examined whether Bifidobacterium longum KACC 91563 and Enterococcus faecalis KACC 91532 have the capacity to suppress food allergies.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase is a promising target for cancer inhibition in squamous cell carcinomas.

Background/aim: The present study aimed to investigate whether the down-regulation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) may induce an anti-invasive effect in oral squamous cell cancer cell lines.

Materials And Methods: A genetically-engineered squamous carcinoma cell line overexpressing hTERT in immortalized oral keratinocytes transfected by human papilloma virus (HPV)-16 E6/E7 (IHOK) was used. In vivo tumorigenicity was examined using an orthotopic xenograft model of nude mice.

RUNX3 expression is associated with sensitivity to pheophorbide a-based photodynamic therapy in keloids.

Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) has recently been reported to be a possible predictor of sensitivity of cancer cells for photodynamic therapy (PDT), a promising therapeutic modality for keloids. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the implications of RUNX3 for keloid pathogenesis and sensitivity to pheophorbide a-based PDT (Pa-PDT). RUNX3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression were examined in 6 normal skin samples and 32 keloid tissue samples by immunohistochemistry.

RUNX3 confers sensitivity to pheophorbide a-photodynamic therapy in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with photosensitizer is one of the promising modalities for cancer treatment. For clinical use of PDT, screening process should be preceded to enhance sensitivity to PDT. Thus, we investigated a molecular biomarker to determine the sensitivity to pheophorbide a (Pa)-PDT in immortalized human oral keratinocytes (IHOK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines.

[A predictive model on turnover intention of nurses in Korea].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose and test a predictive model that could explain and predict Korean nurses' turnover intentions.

Methods: A survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted with 445 nurses in Korea. Six instruments were used in this model.

[Contingent nurses' burnout and influencing factors].

Purpose: This study was designed to identify burnout and factors influencing burnout in contingent nurses.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted with a sample of 228 contingent nurses randomly selected from 25 general hospitals in Korea. The tools used for this study were scales measuring burnout (8 items), job stress (8 items), job satisfaction (9 items), self efficacy (9 items), organizational commitment (9 items), empowerment (9 items), autonomy (7 items) and social support (8 items).

Fabrication of single-phase titanium carbide layers from MWCNTs using high DC pulse.

Single-phase layered titanium carbide (TiC) was successfully synthesized by reacting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) under a high direct current (DC) pulse. Single-phase TiC layer fabrication is confirmed as the transformation of multi-layered graphene from MWCNTs. Therefore its thickness and width is almost identical to those of transformed graphene layers.

Empowerment, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment: comparison of permanent and temporary nurses in Korea.

Aim: This study was conducted to describe and compare empowerment, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment between permanent and temporary nurses in Korea.

Background: Since Korea's economic crisis of 1997, Korea's labor market has been undergoing dramatic modification, and the rate of temporary nurses employed in health care organizations has gradually increased. However, studies focusing on nurses' employment status, which potentially affect the individual and hospital organization, have been rarely conducted.