Background & Aims: The global pandemic caused by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus led to the emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines to reduce rising morbidity and mortality. However, limited research exists on evaluating the impact of these vaccines on immunocompromised individuals, such as recipients of living donor liver transplantation, highlighting the need for further studies to better understand their effectiveness in this specific population.
Methods: From June 2021, we followed up on the effectiveness of the vaccine for patients taking immunosuppressive drugs after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
According to global regulations on hazardous chemicals, numerous alternatives have been manufactured and used in various consumer products. Suspect and non-target analyses are advanced analytical techniques used for identifying novel contaminants. In the present study, suspect and non-target analytical approaches using a gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer were applied to identify novel contaminants in 40 pooled serum samples from a sub-population (n = 400) of the 2015-2017 national biomonitoring program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with significant morbidity, including pruritus, recurrent skin lesions, and immune dysregulation. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative and anti-AD effects of peptides derived from hydrolyzed (Korea rockfish) tail by-products. Hydrolysates were prepared using various enzymes, including Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Neutrase, and Protamex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeptides, composed of 2-50 amino acids, have gained attention in anti-aging treatments due to their high safety, low irritation, and cost-effective production. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-wrinkle efficacy of Tetrapeptide-68, derived from the skin structural protein Loricrin, on periorbital wrinkles in women aged 30-65 years. A 12-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 25 participants who applied the Tetrapeptide-68 (100 ppm) O/W formulation around the eyes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance cholangiography (CE-T1-MRC) after gadoxetate disodium administration can be used for preoperative evaluation of the bile ducts in live liver donors. This study aimed to determine whether CE-T1-MRC with 3-hour delayed imaging improves bile duct visualization both qualitatively and quantitatively compared with 20-minute delayed imaging in potential living liver donors.
Methods: We retrospectively identified 33 potential living liver donors (mean age, 30.
Am J Transplant
November 2024
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection significantly elevates the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the HBV X protein (HBx) playing a crucial role in cancer progression. Sorafenib, the primary therapy for advanced HCC, shows limited effectiveness in HBV-infected patients due to HBx-related resistance. Numerous studies have explored combination therapies to overcome this resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we investigated the optical properties of a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) substrate via Mie-scattering-induced surface analysis (MISA). Employing near-field optical microscopy and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations, we systemically prove and directly visualize the Mie scattering of superspherical gold nanoparticles (s-AuNPs) at the nanoscale. Molybdenum disulfide substrates exhibited optical isotropy, while rhenium disulfide (ReS) substrates showed anisotropic behavior attributed to the interaction with incident light's electric field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Human cytochrome P450 2C19 catalyzes P450 enzyme reactions of various substrates, including steroids and clinical drugs. Recombinant P450 2C19 enzyme with histidine tag was successfully expressed in and purified using affinity column chromatography. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass (UPLC-MS/MS) spectrometry showed that the purified P450 2C19 enzyme catalyzed 5-hydroxylation reaction of omeprazole.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study investigated the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) effects of a novel peptide (CP) derived from a by-product hydrolysate. Alcalase, Flavourzyme, Neutrase, and Protamex enzymes were used to hydrolyze the by-product protein, and the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging activity was measured. Alcalase hydrolysate exhibited the highest ABTS radical-scavenging activity, leading to the selection of Alcalase for further purification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSiloxanes, widely used in various consumer and industrial products, are emerging concerns of contaminants. Despite this, limited studies have been conducted on contamination and time trends on siloxanes in coastal environments. In the present study, four cyclic and 15 linear siloxanes were measured in sediments collected from an artificial saltwater lake in Korea during 2001-2016 to investigate contamination, time trends, and ecotoxicological concerns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSiloxanes have been commonly used as additives in a variety of industrial and consumer products. Media and government investigations have revealed that defoamers containing siloxanes are used in the effluent of thermal power plants in Korea. However, investigations of the source impact of siloxane contamination from the discharge of thermal power plants into coastal environments are scarce.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study explores the potential of a natural composite formulation known as ED, consisting of ( family: Lessoniaceae) and Linne (, family: Asteraceae), in alleviating lung inflammation induced by fine particulate matter (PM). Initial assessments confirmed that neither ED nor one of its components, dieckol, exhibited cytotoxic effects on A549 cells. Subsequently, the impact of ED and dieckol on gene expression in A549 cells stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was investigated, revealing promising results that demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of gene expression.
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