Efficacy of a Multi-lamellar Emulsion Containing a Synthetic Sphingosine Kinase 1 Activator and Pseudoceramide in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have impaired barrier function, which decreases skin hydration, weakens their defense against microorganisms, and culminates in increased inflammatory responses. Here, we conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-lamellar emulsion (MLE) containing the pseudoceramide PC-9S and a synthetic sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) activator, Defensamide™, in improving mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.

Methods: Forty patients aged ≥ 2 years were randomized into a combined-therapy group treated with the MLE containing PC-9S and Defensamide™ plus a topical corticosteroid and a topical-corticosteroid-only group.

Synergistic effects of COVID-19 pandemic and sedentary lifestyles on obesity rates among South Korean adults.

Since March 2020, South Korea has implemented social distancing measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). These policies resulted in significant changes in the lifestyle of Korean adults, including spending more time indoors and experiencing increased sedentary time during the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the combined influence of sedentary lifestyle and the COVID-19 pandemic on obesity rates among adults residing in South Korea.

Impact of electronic cigarette use on the increased risk of diabetes: the Korean Community Health Survey.

Objectives: Only a few studies have solely investigated the health impacts of electronic cigarettes on diabetes while considering the impact of conventional cigarettes. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of electronic cigarette smoking on diabetes in Korean dual smokers, electronic cigarette smokers, conventional cigarette smokers, and non-smokers.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2021 and 2022 Korean Community Health Surveys of 460,603 Korean adults.

Stability and Equilibrium Structures of Unknown Ternary Metal Oxides Explored by Machine-Learned Potentials.

Ternary metal oxides are crucial components in a wide range of applications and have been extensively cataloged in experimental materials databases. However, there still exist cation combinations with unknown stability and structures of their compounds in oxide forms. In this study, we employ extensive crystal structure prediction methods, accelerated by machine-learned potentials, to investigate these untapped chemical spaces.

Comparison of alcohol consumption and tobacco use among Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes worldwide, and due to the strict "Social Distancing Plan" including school closures, Korean adolescents have experienced unprecedented changes in their lives. Considering the peer effect on adolescents' health behavior impacted due to the changes brought about by the pandemic, it would be interesting to explore differences in substance use in Korean adolescents. This study examines how these risk behaviors among Korean adolescents have changed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Extraction and Concentration of Waste Stems with Antioxidants and Anti-Melanogenesis Activity as a Novel Skin Whitening Agent for Natural Cosmetic Prototypes.

The root of (Willd.) is used commercially in different products, including dietary supplements, cosmetics, and teas, but its stem part is rarely used and studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activities of the bioactive fraction of stem and investigated whether the activated carbon decolorization technique would have an impact on its activity and chemical composition.

Association between dual smoking and dyslipidemia in South Korean adults.

Objectives: Dyslipidemia increases the risk of serious cardiovascular disease; and conventional cigarette smoking is widely recognized as a risk factor. Thus, as electronic cigarettes were introduced, many smokers utilized them for smoking cessation. However, due to the lack of researches scrutinized the relationship between dual smoking and dyslipidemia, a lot of those who failed in cessation end up utilizing both types of cigarettes (dual smoking).

A band-gap database for semiconducting inorganic materials calculated with hybrid functional.

Semiconducting inorganic materials with band gaps ranging between 0 and 5 eV constitute major components in electronic, optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. Since the band gap is a primary material property that affects the device performance, large band-gap databases are useful in selecting optimal materials in each application. While there exist several band-gap databases that are theoretically compiled by density-functional-theory calculations, they suffer from computational limitations such as band-gap underestimation and metastable magnetism.

Efficient Atomic-Resolution Uncertainty Estimation for Neural Network Potentials Using a Replica Ensemble.

Neural network potentials (NNPs) are gaining much attention as they enable fast molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for a wide range of systems while maintaining the accuracy of density functional theory calculations. Since NNP is constructed by machine learning on training data, its prediction uncertainty increases drastically as atomic environments deviate from training points. Therefore, it is essential to monitor the uncertainty level during MD simulations to judge the soundness of the results.

Associations between Meal Companions and Obesity in South Korean Adults.

Dinner, considered the main meal of the day, forms a large portion of an individual's overall food intake. Therefore, having family dinners has a significant impact on peoples' health. This study examined the relationship between meal companions and obesity among South Korean adults.

The Effects of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma treated Titanium Surface on Behaviors of Oral Soft Tissue Cells.

Here, we investigated the possible use of the technology known as non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma on integration and control of cytokine release of soft tissue on titanium surface. After NTAPP was applied to titanium samples, changes of surface characteristics were measured as topographical features, contact angle, surface tension, and with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Protein absorption was evaluated using a bovine serum albumin absorption assay.

Effect of the ultraviolet light treatment and storage methods on the biological activity of a titanium implant surface.

Objective: We evaluated whether the biological activity of the surface of titanium, when stored in an aqueous solution, in low vacuum, and under ambient conditions after ultraviolet light (UV) treatment is comparable to that of the surface immediately after UV treatment for 15min and that after dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment for 15min.

Methods: Grade IV titanium discs with machined surfaces were irradiated with UV and their surface properties were evaluated immediately and after storage for 28days in distilled HO (dHO), a vacuum desiccator (31.325kPa), and a sealed container under air.

Bacterial attachment on titanium surfaces is dependent on topography and chemical changes induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma.

Here, we investigated the antibacterial effects of chemical changes induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) on smooth and rough Ti. The morphologies of smooth and rough surfaces of Ti were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both Ti specimens were then treated for 10 min by NTAPP with nitrogen gas.

Overcoming the biological aging of titanium using a wet storage method after ultraviolet treatment.

We evaluated whether the biological activity of the surface of titanium, when stored in an aqueous solution after ultraviolet (UV) treatment, is comparable to that of the surface immediately after UV treatment. We subjected Grade IV titanium discs with machined surfaces to UV radiation for 15 min and then tested them immediately and after storage for 28 days, with and without distilled HO (dHO). We evaluated the surface characteristics using surface profiling, contact angle analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in terms of the surface zeta-potential.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma functionalized dental implant for enhancement of bacterial resistance and osseointegration.

Objective: Even though roughened titanium (Ti) and Ti alloys have been clinically used as dental implant, they encourage bacterial adhesion, leading to failure of the initial stability. Here, the non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (NTAPPJ) functionalized Ti and Ti alloy were investigated to promote cellular activities but inhibit the initial attachment of the adherent pioneer bacterium, Streptococcus sanguinis, without topographical changes.

Methods: After the produced radicals from NTAPPJ were characterized, bacterial adhesion to specimens was assessed by PrestoBlue assay and live-dead staining with or without the NTAPPJ functionalizing.

Time-dependent effects of ultraviolet and nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma on the biological activity of titanium.

Here, we evaluated time-dependent changes in the effects of ultraviolet (UV) and nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPPJ) on the biological activity of titanium compared with that of untreated titanium. Grade IV machined surface titanium discs (12-mm diameter) were used immediately and stored up to 28 days after 15-min UV or 10-min NTAPPJ treatment. Changes of surface characteristics over time were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, surface profiling, contact angle analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface zeta-potential.

Long-Term Antibacterial Performance and Bioactivity of Plasma-Engineered Ag-NPs/TiO₂.

We prepared TiO2 nanotubes (NT) on commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) substrate by plasma electrolyte oxidation and adapted magnetron sputtering for incorporation of Ag-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) onto the nanotubes (Ag-NPs/TiO2 nanotube). Power input to the Ag target per unit time was varied (5, 10, 15 W/cm2) to fabricate different shapes of Agnanoparticles onto the nanotubes while net energy input was fixed by maintaining a constant total sputter time (30, 15, 10 s, respectively). For investigation of experimental samples' characteristics, FE-SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, SPM analysis and contact angles measurement was carried out.