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Contents This study evaluated the structural changes in the reproductive tract of Asiatic black bears using serial transrectal ultrasonography. In addition, the ultrasonographic observations were compared with the results of vaginal cytology and hormonal analyses. The collection of blood for hormonal analysis, vaginal cytology and transrectal ultrasonography was performed in two bears (Bears 1 and 2) from June 2011 to August 2013 without mating and in a third bear (Bear 3) from April to December 2012, allowing natural mating. Serial ultrasonographic observations showed cyclic changes in ovarian structures (e.g. emergence of small follicles, growth and ovulation of dominant follicles and corpus luteum ( CL) formation) during the reproductive cycles of the three bears. The diameter of the uterine horns remained similar throughout the reproductive cycle in Bears 1 and 2, and it remained similar from April until October, but an enlargement containing foetuses was observed in Bear 3 in December. The ultrasonographic observations were consistent with the data obtained through vaginal cytology and progesterone analysis during the reproductive cycle. An average of 4.0 (±0.4) dominant follicles was observed during the oestrous stage (May-August), during which the superficial cells accounted for >90% of the total vaginal cells. In addition, the detection of an average of 2.6 (±0.2) CL was associated with increased plasma progesterone concentrations (3.0 ± 0.4 ng/ml) between June and December (near hibernation). In conclusion, serial transrectal ultrasonography demonstrated yearly oestrous (ovulation) cycles via follicular dynamics and CL formation on ovaries, accordingly with vaginal cytology and hormonal level in the Asiatic black bear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Females with low-risk endometrial cancer typically have low lymph node metastasis risk and promising prognosis without lymphadenectomy. However, the impact of grade 3 endometrial cancer on nodal involvement, recurrence, and prognosis within this specific subgroup remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the prognosis, patterns of metastasis, and recurrence in a subgroup of females with grade 3 early-stage low-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer., Methods: We identified patients from the endometrial cancer cohorts of seven institutional hospitals. The study included patients who underwent hysterectomy between January 2013 and December 2021 with preoperative endometrioid histological type, less than half myometrial invasion, no tumor spread outside the corpus on imaging, normal CA-125 level, and histological grade 3. The clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of the patients were collected. Recurrence-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test., Results: Overall, 36 patients were included in this analysis. Of the 33 patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, 1 (1/33, 3.0 %) had lymph node metastasis and 27 (75.0 %) received adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 58 months, three females (8 %) had recurrence and all cases involved lymph nodes. The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 88.7 %. No significant difference was observed in the recurrence-free survival between females who did and did not undergo lymphadenectomy (p = 0.554)., Conclusion: Females diagnosed with low-risk grade 3 endometrial cancer typically have favorable prognosis. However, lymph node metastasis and recurrence risks still exist, with all recorded instances of recurrence involving lymph nodes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered a significant microplastic discharge source. To evaluate the amount and characteristics of microplastics discharged from WWTPs in South Korea, we selected 22 municipal WWTPs nationally and investigated microplastics at each treatment stage. The mean microplastic removal efficiency by WWTPs was >99%, and most of the microplastics were removed by sedimentation with the second clarifier during wastewater treatment. Consequently, the microplastic removal efficiency of WWTPs did not significantly differ from that of the adopted wastewater treatment technology because a second clarifier was applied in most WWTPs. However, for WWTPs operating a tertiary treatment process, the removal efficiency was enhanced compared with that of WWTPs discharging after a second clarifier. Although the microplastic removal efficiency was high by WWTP, the discharge contribution to the water environment could not be ignored because of the amount of treated wastewater, resulting in an increase of 5.8-270.9 items/m 3 of microplastics in the receiving water. The characteristics of microplastics in WWTPs, including their components, shape, and size, were also evaluated. The most detected components included polytetrafluoroethylene and polyester. Most microplastics detected were categorized as fragments and fibers, while other types were hardly detected. The size of more than 70% of the microplastics detected in WWTPs was under 300 μm, implying that the size of microplastics required to control in WWTPs was much smaller than the defined size of microplastics. An evaluation of the correlation between other pollution factors and microplastic abundance did not reveal positive correlations, and microplastic occurrence was not affected by changing seasons, which may need to be evaluated with further studies. Research should also be performed on the effect of influent sources on the level of microplastic abundance and fate of ultrafine plastics in WWTPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since the coronavirus pandemic, mRNA vaccines have revolutionized the field of vaccinology. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are proposed to enhance mRNA delivery efficiency; however, their design is suboptimal. Here, a rational method for designing LNPs is explored, focusing on the ionizable lipid composition and structural optimization using machine learning (ML) techniques. A total of 213 LNPs are analyzed using random forest regression models trained with 314 features to predict the mRNA expression efficiency. The models, which predict mRNA expression levels post-administration of intradermal injection in mice, identify phenol as the dominant substructure affecting mRNA encapsulation and expression. The specific phospholipids used as components of the LNPs, as well as the N/P ratio and mass ratio, are found to affect the efficacy of mRNA delivery. Structural analysis highlights the impact of the carbon chain length on the encapsulation efficiency and LNP stability. This integrated approach offers a framework for designing advanced LNPs and has the potential to unlock the full potential of mRNA therapeutics., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Family physicians often treat patients who require urinary management with the use of external urinary devices, clean intermittent catheterization, or indwelling urinary catheterization. External urinary devices are indicated for urinary incontinence (postvoid residual less than 300 mL), urine volume measurement for hospitalized patients, nonsterile urine diagnostic testing, improved comfort for patients in hospice or palliative care, and fall prevention for high-risk patients. Indwelling urinary catheterization is indicated for severe urinary retention or bladder outlet obstruction; wound healing in the sacrum, buttocks, or perineal area; prolonged immobilization; and as a palliative measure for patients who are terminally ill. Clean intermittent catheterization is an alternative to indwelling urinary catheterization for acute or chronic urinary retention (postvoid residual greater than 300 mL) without bladder outlet obstruction, sterile urine testing, postvoid residual volume assessment, and wound healing. Suprapubic catheter placement is considered when long-term catheterization is needed or urethral catheterization is not feasible. Urinary catheters should not be used solely for staff or caregiver convenience, incontinence-related dermatitis, urine culture procurement from a voiding patient, or initial incontinence management. Common complications of urinary catheter use include obstruction, bladder spasm, urine leakage, and skin breakdown of the sacrum, buttocks, or perineum. The risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections increases with the duration of catheter use. Urologist referral is indicated for patients requiring urinary management who have recurrent urinary tract infections, acute infectious urinary retention, suspected urethral injury, or substantial urethral discomfort or if long-term catheterization is being considered.

In this study, we focused on confirming the steroid hormone receptor-mediated endocrine-disrupting potential of the pyrethroid insecticide fenvalerate and unraveling the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, we assessed estrogen receptor-α (ERα)- and androgen receptor (AR)-mediated responses in vitro using a hormone response element-dependent transcription activation assay with a luciferase reporter following the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guidelines. We observed that fenvalerate acted as estrogen by inducing the translocation of cytosolic ERα to the nucleus via ERα dimerization, whereas it exhibited no AR-mediated androgen response element-dependent luciferase activity. Furthermore, we confirmed that fenvalerate-induced activation of ERα caused lipid accumulation, promoted in a fenvalerate-dependent manner in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, fenvalerate-induced lipid accumulation was inhibited in the presence of an ERα-selective antagonist, whereas it remained unaffected in the presence of a glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-specific inhibitor. In addition, fenvalerate was found to stimulate the expression of transcription factors that promote lipid accumulation in 3 T1-L1 adipocytes, and co-treatment with an ERα-selective antagonist suppressed adipogenic/ lipogenic transcription factors at both mRNA and protein levels. These findings suggest that fenvalerate exposure may lead to lipid accumulation by interfering with ERα activation-dependent processes, thus causing an ERα-mediated endocrine-disrupting effect., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Bulky or multiple lymph node (LN) metastases are associated with poor prognosis in cervical cancer, and the size or number of LN metastases is not yet reflected in the staging system and therapeutic strategy. Although the therapeutic effects of surgical resection of bulky LNs before standard treatment have been reported in several retrospective studies, well-planned randomized clinical studies are lacking. Therefore, the aim of the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (KGOG) 1047/DEBULK trial is to investigate whether the debulking surgery of bulky or multiple LNs prior to concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) improves the survival rate of patients with cervical cancer IIICr diagnosed by imaging tests., Methods: The KGOG 1047/DEBULK trial is a phase III, multicenter, randomized clinical trial involving patients with bulky or multiple LN metastases in cervical cancer IIICr. This study will include patients with a short-axis diameter of a pelvic or para-aortic LN ≥2 cm or ≥3 LNs with a short-axis diameter ≥1 cm and for whom CCRT is planned. The treatment arms will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either receive CCRT (control arm) or undergo surgical debulking of bulky or multiple LNs before CCRT (experimental arm). CCRT consists of extended-field external beam radiotherapy/pelvic radiotherapy, brachytherapy and LN boost, and weekly chemotherapy with cisplatin (40 mg/m²), 4-6 times administered intravenously. The primary endpoint will be 3-year progression-free survival rate. The secondary endpoints will be 3-year overall survival rate, treatment-related complications, and accuracy of radiological diagnosis of bulky or multiple LNs., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05421650; Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0007137., Competing Interests: Yong Bae Kim received research funding from the National R&D Program for Cancer Control through the National Cancer Center (NCC) funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HA22C0021) and 2023 Bio Industry Technology Development Project funded by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (20024089). Asima Mukhopadhyay received honoraria from the National R&D Program for Cancer Control through the National Cancer Center (NCC) funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HA22C0083) for her lecture presented at the 2022 Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ASGO) webinar. Nirmala Chandralega Kampan received support for attending the meeting from Roche., (© 2024. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology, and Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology.)

Air Force pilots and some athletes (e.g., in sledding sports) are frequently exposed to high G-forces. High-intensity physical activity is essential to withstand gravitational acceleration, and morphological symmetry and functional movement are directly related to injury in those who perform these activities. However, the relationship between G-endurance and physical imbalance and the effect on physical performance is poorly understood. This study aimed to analyze the physical performance of those exposed to a high load of G-tolerance and who performed high-intensity physical activity. A total of 363 male cadets from the Korean Air Force Academy underwent functional movement screen tests, anatomical structure measurements, G-tests (fourth grade), and body composition and physical fitness tests. Participants were classified into the G-test-pass and -fail groups depending on the G-test results. The pass group showed significantly different bilateral imbalance in active straight leg raises (p < 0.05), while the fail group showed a significant difference in deep squats (p < 0.05), shoulder mobility (p < 0.01), rotary stability (p < 0.05), and functional leg length (p < 0.05). Leg length was significantly correlated with the hurdle step (p < 0.01), inline lunge (p < 0.01), and active straight leg raise (p < 0.01). Functional leg lengths on both sides and structural leg lengths were also significantly correlated (p < 0.01). High body balance positively affects gravitational acceleration and exercise performance. Therefore, functional movement and physical imbalance affect performance in pilots affected by gravitational acceleration. This study can also be applied to strengthen the performance of winter sports athletes affected by gravitational acceleration., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Betaine is a useful compound that has various activities and is the marker compound of Lycium chinense fruit in Korean Pharmacopoeia. we seek to support the stable production of medicinal goji berries, which have significant potential in the pharmaceutical industry due to their high values, and to provide foundational data for consistent quality control. This study's purpose was to examine the correlation among betaine content, environmental variables, and the growth characteristics of L. chinense fruits. The fruits were collected from 25 cultivation sites across South Korea. We investigated five growth characteristics and betaine contents in L. chinense fruits and twelve soil physicochemical properties, and seven meteorological data at cultivation sites. The fruit's growth characteristics included a length of 15.62-26.49 mm, a width of 7.09-11.38 mm, a fresh weight of 0.73-1.62 g, and a sugar content of 11.10-19.62 Brix°. Its betaine content ranged from 0.54% to 0.97%. The betaine content was positively correlated with electrical conductivity (0.327 **), exchangeable potassium (0.314 **), and sodium (0.259 *) and negatively correlated with annual average minimum temperature (-0.256 *) and annual average temperature (-0.242 *). Also, betaine showed a positive correlation with the length of the fruit (0.294 *) and the fresh weight of the fruit (0.238 *). These results can be used to find the best cultivation method and to manage quality control for the highly economical L. chinense fruit.

Background: Classifying diverse skin types is crucial for promoting skin health. However, efficiently identifying and analyzing relevant biomarkers from a vast array of available genetic data is challenging. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a precise and efficient platform for analyzing specific skin biomarkers using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) with the minimal invasive skin sampling method (MISSM)., Materials and Methods: MISSM was used for RNA extraction from skin samples, followed by qRT-PCR analysis to quantify the expression of 20 biomarkers associated with skin characteristics (four biomarkers each for five skin characteristics). Noninvasive measurements from 299 Korean participants were utilized to correlate biomarker expression with skin parameters. Statistical analyses were conducted between biomarker expression levels and noninvasive skin measurements to select the relatively best-performing biomarker for each skin characteristic., Results: Collagen type 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1) and moesin (MSN) were identified as skin aging biomarkers. Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 5 (SPINK5) were identified as skin dryness biomarkers, whereas melan-A (MLANA) was selected as a biomarker for understanding pigmentation dynamics. Myelin protein zero like 3 (MPZL3) and high mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) were identified as markers of oily skin and skin sensitivity, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were found between the biomarker expression levels and noninvasive skin characteristic measurements., Conclusion: This study successfully developed a platform for the precise evaluation of individual skin characteristics using MISSM and qRT-PCR biomarker analysis. By selecting biomarkers that correlate with noninvasive measurements of skin characteristics, we demonstrated the platform's efficacy in assessing diverse skin conditions., (© 2024 The Author(s). Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Anti-aging products are widely used, but the desire for safe and more efficient anti-aging products continues to increase. Dissolving microneedle patches (MNPs) have provided a more efficient transdermal drug delivery solution. MNP is a promising candidate for developing better anti-aging products., Objective: To develop a more efficient anti-aging MNP product, we fabricated a dual anti-wrinkle microneedle patch (named DA-MNP) using droplet extension (DEN ® ) technology and evaluated its skin puncture ability, safety, and efficacy through clinical studies., Methods: A DA-MNP comprising hyaluronic acid (HA) polymer backbone, acetyl octapeptide-3, and L-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside and sodium cyclic lysophosphatidic acid was fabricated using DEN ® technology. Placebo MNPs comprising only HA were also fabricated. Twenty-four healthy subjects were enrolled in this comparative clinical study. The DA-MNP or placebo MNP was separately applied to the left and right eyes of subjects for overnight. Assessments, including wrinkle improvement, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), eye lifting and adverse effects were evaluated at each scheduled visit day for 28 days., Results: The DA-MNP showed mechanical strength enough for puncturing the stratum corneum. Compared to placebo MNP group, the DA-MNP treated group showed an effective eye wrinkles improvement and better anti-aging of skin, with reduced TEWL, enhanced skin elasticity and lifting, and no adverse effects., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the fabricated DA-MNP exhibited fast acting on deep wrinkles and enhanced anti-aging efficacy, with no skin safety concern. Thus, this DA-MNP may serve as a new transdermal delivery solution for skin wrinkling and aging., Competing Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose., (© 2024 The Korean Dermatological Association and The Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology.)

Objectives: Fertility-sparing treatment (FST) might be considered an option for reproductive patients with low-risk endometrial cancer (EC). On the other hand, the matching rates between preoperative assessment and postoperative pathology in low-risk EC patients are not high enough. We aimed to predict the postoperative pathology depending on preoperative myometrial invasion (MI) and grade in low-risk EC patients to help extend the current criteria for FST., Methods/materials: This ancillary study (KGOG 2015S) of Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group 2015, a prospective, multicenter study included patients with no MI or MI <1/2 on preoperative MRI and endometrioid adenocarcinoma and grade 1 or 2 on endometrial biopsy. Among the eligible patients, Groups 1-4 were defined with no MI and grade 1, no MI and grade 2, MI <1/2 and grade 1, and MI <1/2 and grade 2, respectively. New prediction models using machine learning were developed., Results: Among 251 eligible patients, Groups 1-4 included 106, 41, 74, and 30 patients, respectively. The new prediction models showed superior prediction values to those from conventional analysis. In the new prediction models, the best NPV, sensitivity, and AUC of preoperative each group to predict postoperative each group were as follows: 87.2%, 71.6%, and 0.732 (Group 1); 97.6%, 78.6%, and 0.656 (Group 2); 71.3%, 78.6% and 0.588 (Group 3); 91.8%, 64.9%, and 0.676% (Group 4)., Conclusions: In low-risk EC patients, the prediction of postoperative pathology was ineffective, but the new prediction models provided a better prediction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Jang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Surface-enhanced Raman optical activity (SEROA) is a promising method for analyzing chiral molecules' molecular chirality and structural changes. However, conventional SEROA measurements face challenges related to substrate stability, signal uniformity, and interference from electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Therefore, in this study, we present a uniform and stable substrate for SEROA measurements by utilizing Au nanoparticles on the Au nanofilm structure to confine hotspots to the film-particle junctions and minimize ECD interference. This method also uses the induction of chirality from chiral molecules to achiral molecules to overcome the limitation of chiral molecules in SEROA measurements, specifically their lower signal efficiency. Successful chirality transfer is demonstrated through distinguishable SEROA signals when the l/d-alanine mixture is present. Enantiomeric discrimination of different l/d-alanine ratios was achieved with linear responses in the circular intensity difference (CID). Altogether, the proposed chiral-induced SEROA on the AuNP&#95;on&#95;AuNF substrate shows promising potential for detecting and characterizing structural changes in biomolecules, thus making it a valuable tool for various research applications.

Social Network Analysis (SNA) provides a dynamic framework for examining interactions and connections within networks, elucidating how these relationships impact behaviors and outcomes. This study targeted small residential communities in Gangwon State, South Korea, to explore network formation theories and derive strategies for enhancing health promotion services in rural communities. Conducted in 12 small residential areas, the survey led to a network categorization model distinguishing networks as formal, informal, or non-existent. Key findings demonstrated that demographic and socio-economic factors, specifically age, income, living environment, leisure activities, and education level, significantly influence network formation. Importantly, age, environmental conditions, satisfaction with public transportation, and walking frequency were closely associated with the evolution of formal networks. These results highlight the importance of early community network assessments, which must consider distinct network traits to develop effective health promotion models. Utilizing SNA early in the assessment process can improve understanding of network dynamics and optimize the effectiveness of health interventions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The formation of shoots plays a pivotal role in plant organogenesis and productivity. Despite its significance, the underlying molecular mechanism of de novo regeneration has not been extensively elucidated in Capsicum annuum 'Dempsey', a bell pepper cultivar. To address this, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis focusing on the differential expression in C. annuum 'Dempsey' shoot, callus, and leaf tissue. We further investigated phytohormone-related biological processes and their interacting genes in the C. annuum 'Dempsey' transcriptome based on comparative transcriptomic analysis across five species., Results: We provided a comprehensive view of the gene networks regulating shoot formation on the callus, revealing a strong involvement of hypoxia responses and oxidative stress. Our comparative transcriptome analysis revealed a significant conservation in the increase of gene expression patterns related to auxin and defense mechanisms in both callus and shoot tissues. Consequently, hypoxia response and defense mechanism emerged as critical regulators in callus and shoot formation in C. annuum 'Dempsey'. Current transcriptome data also indicated a substantial decline in gene expression linked to photosynthesis within regenerative tissues, implying a deactivation of the regulatory system governing photosynthesis in C. annuum 'Dempsey'., Conclusion: Coupled with defense mechanisms, we thus considered spatial redistribution of auxin to play a critical role in the shoot morphogenesis via primordia outgrowth. Our findings shed light on shoot formation mechanisms in C. annuum 'Dempsey' explants, important information for regeneration programs, and have broader implications for precise molecular breeding in recalcitrant crops., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Beauvericin (BEA) is a cyclic depsipeptide secondary metabolite of Fusarium species. It causes chemical hazards in food products and exists in an environment containing soil and various food types. On the other hand, the purified BEA has various biological activities and is regarded as a potential candidate for pharmaceutical research. This study was performed to assess the anti-proliferation activity of BEA against human breast cancer cells by regulating the estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα)/p38 pathway. TA and BA assays verified that BEA is a completed ER antagonist. Additionally, BEA suppressed cell proliferation in the anti-proliferation assay involving ER-positive human breast cancer cells co-treated with BPA and BEA. In respect to an anti-proliferation activity, the BPA-induced phosphorylation of p38 protein was inhibited in the presence of BEA. These results suggested that BEA exerts inhibitory potentials on endocrine disrupting effect and possibly acts as a natural therapeutic material for human estrogen hormonal health., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As the concentrations of different neurotransmitters can indicate the presence of certain disorders affecting brain functions, quantitative analyses of neurotransmitters have attracted increasing attention in various fields. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is an outstanding spectroscopic analytical tool that enables detection at the single molecule level with high specificity. As local field enhancement of surface plasmon is effective within nanometers, active interaction between SERS-active noble metals (gold and silver) and analyte molecules enhances the molecular detection capacity of SERS. However, neurotransmitters and noble metal nanoparticles are often not affinitive, because neurotransmitters generally have a hydroxyl group rather than a thiol group. As a result, the interaction between the two typically remains inactive, which makes detection more difficult. To overcome this limitation, in the present work we utilized metal-chelation to attract dopamine, a neurotransmitter molecule, close to the surface of silver nanoparticles. AgNS was capped with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and sequentially integrated with copper ion to bind dopamine in the form of chelate bonding between dopamine and copper. The PVA linked AgNS and metal ions through a coordinate bond between hydroxyl groups and metal ions. This metal-chelation-functionalized nanoprobe allowed us to stably detect dopamine in aqueous solution at a concentration of less than 10 -6 M. Therefore, this method provides a convenient and easy-to-prepare option for the effective detection of dopamine, thus meaning it has the potential to be applied to other neurotransmitters., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In current study, Fusarium mycotoxin, beauvericin (BEA), has endocrine disrupting potential through suppressing the exogenous androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcriptional activation. BEA was classified as an AR antagonist, with IC 30 and IC 50 values indicating that it suppressed AR dimerization in the cytosol. BEA suppress the translocation of cytosolic activated ARs to the nucleus via exogenous androgens. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of environmental conditions for BEA production on rice cereal using response surface methodology. The environmental factors affecting the production of BEA, namely temperature, initial moisture content, and growth time were optimized at 20.28 °C, 42.79 % (w/w), and 17.31 days, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that BEA has endocrine disrupting potential through suppressing translocation of cytosolic ARs to nucleus, and temperature, initial moisture content, and growth time are important influencing environmental factors for its biosynthesis in Fusarium strains on cereal., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To investigate the risk of recurrent herpes zoster (HZ) reactivation under continued Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) therapy in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) who developed HZ reactivation., Methods: Data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ulcerative colitis (UC) gathered from 2007 to 2021 were analyzed., Results: A total of 3947 (RA 3540, UC 407) receiving JAKi were included. After median 0.95 years (IQR, 0.93-2.58) of therapy, 611 (15.5%) patients developed HZ reactivation (incidence rate: 8.38/100 person-years [PY]). After excluding 151 patients with lack of data after HZ reactivation, 460 patients (JAKi continuation group, n = 386 [83.9%]; JAKi discontinuation group, n = 74 [16.1%]) were analyzed for the risk of subsequent recurrent HZ reactivation. During further follow-up of median 1.11 years (IQR, 0.53-1.91), 36 (9.3%) and 6 (8.1%) patients in the JAKi continuation group and JAKi discontinuation group experienced a recurrence of HZ, respectively. The incidence rate of subsequent recurrent HZ reactivation was not significantly different between the two groups (5.3/100 vs. 5.9/100 PY; P = 0.52). After adjusting for age, sex, usage of corticosteroids, and antiviral agents, continued use of JAKi was not a significant risk factor for subsequent HZ reactivation (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.71 [CI, 0.29-1.72], P = 0.45)., Conclusion: In this nationwide population-based study on patients with RA or UC, continued use of JAKi was not associated with a significant risk of subsequent recurrent HZ reactivation. JAKi therapy may be maintained in patients with IMID even after HZ reactivation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest (in relation to this article)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we examined the difference in the vaginal microbiota of women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), according to menopausal status. A total of 75 cervicovaginal swab samples from 38 pre- and 37 postmenopausal women with HPV infection were obtained from the Korean HPV cohort. Vaginal microbiota analysis, including microbial diversity and specific bacterial abundances, was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The mean age of the pre- and postmenopausal women were 29.5 and 55.8 years, respectively (p < 0.0001). Lactobacillus spp. were predominant in both groups; however, a marked decrease was observed in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women (44.3% vs. 74.2%). Various anaerobic bacteria also showed a relatively high abundance in the postmenopausal group; Atopobium vagina and Gardnerella vaginalis significantly increased in postmenopausal women. Interestingly, no significant differences in bacterial richness were observed between the two groups. However, significant differences in beta-diversity were observed using the Bray-Curtis (p = 0.001), Generalized UniFrac (p = 0.002), Jensen-Shannon (p = 0.001), and UniFrac algorithms (p = 0.002). Theres results indicate that postmenopausal women with HPV infection exhibited a higher degree of vaginal dysbiosis than premenopausal women. Further, HPV-infected postmenopausal women had increased vaginal microbial diversity, characterized by an increase in anaerobic bacteria and concomitant depletion of Lactobacillus spp., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study was to compare survival outcomes of 3 different radical hysterectomy (RH) types, namely total abdominal radical hysterectomy (TARH), total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH), and laparoscopy-assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy (LARVH), in patients with FIGO stage IB2 cervical cancer. We retrospectively identified a cohort of patients who underwent RH for cervical cancer between 2010 and 2017. Patients with stage IB2 cervical cancer were included and were classified into TARH, TLRH, and LARVH treatment groups. Survival outcomes were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to estimate the independent association of RH technique with outcome. 194 patients were included in this study: 79 patients in the TARH group, 55 in the TLRH group, and 60 in the LARVH group. No significant differences were found in clinicopathological characteristics between the 3 RH groups. On comparing survival outcomes with TARH, both TLRH and LARVH showed no significant difference in terms of 5-year overall survival (TARH vs TLRH, P = .121 and TARH vs LARVH, P = .436). Conversely, compared to the TARH group, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly worse in the TLRH group (P = .034) but not in the LARVH group (P = .288). Multivariate analysis showed that TLRH surgical approach (hazard ratio, 3.232; 95% confidence interval, 1.238-8.438; P = .017) was an independent prognostic factor for PFS in patients with IB2 cervical cancer. Our study suggests that in patients with FIGO stage IB2 cervical cancer, among the minimally invasive RH approaches, TLRH and LARVH, only TLRH approach was associated with worse PFS when compared with the TARH approach., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Sodium bicarbonate is used as an ergogenic supplement to enhance people's performances in various exercises. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intestinal delivery of sodium bicarbonate on bicarbonate absorption and associated side effects in an experimental human trial. After preparing and assessing enteric-coated and uncoated sodium bicarbonate tablet formulations, pharmacokinetic analysis and gastrointestinal symptom tests were performed after oral administration in the human body. The dose required to increase blood bicarbonate concentration over 5 mmol∙L -1 for the purpose of improving performance during high-intensity exercise was also determined. Enteric-coated tablet formulation protects sodium bicarbonate under acidic conditions and releases bicarbonate in the intestine. Enteric-coated tablet formulation also reduced the oral dose required to achieve a blood bicarbonate concentration over 5 mmol∙L -1 from 300 mg∙kg -1 of uncoated tablet formulation to 225 mg∙kg -1 . Gastrointestinal discomfort was significantly decreased for the group given 225 mg∙kg -1 enteric-coated tablets compared to that given 300 mg∙kg -1 uncoated tablets. These results suggest that enteric-coated tablet formulation could reduce the oral dose required in order to achieve a blood bicarbonate concentration over 5 mmol∙L -1 by 25%, from 300 mg∙kg -1 to 225 mg∙kg -1 , along with its ability to reduce gastrointestinal discomfort associated with the dosage.

Background: Current methods for evaluating efficacy of cosmetics have limitations because they cannot accurately measure changes in the dermis. Skin sampling using microneedles allows identification of skin-type biomarkers, monitoring treatment for skin inflammatory diseases, and evaluating efficacy of anti-aging and anti-pigmentation products., Materials and Methods: Two studies were conducted: First, 20 participants received anti-aging treatment; second, 20 participants received anti-pigmentation treatment. Non-invasive devices measured skin aging (using high-resolution 3D-imaging in the anti-aging study) or pigmentation (using spectrophotometry in the anti-pigmentation study) at weeks 0 and 4, and adverse skin reactions were monitored. Skin samples were collected with biocompatible microneedle patches. Changes in expression of biomarkers for skin aging and pigmentation were analyzed using qRT-PCR., Results: No adverse events were reported. In the anti-aging study, after 4 weeks, skin roughness significantly improved in 17 out of 20 participants. qRT-PCR showed significantly increased expression of skin-aging related biomarkers: PINK1 in 16/20 participants, COL1A1 in 17/20 participants, and MSN in 16/20 participants. In the anti-pigmentation study, after 4 weeks, skin lightness significantly improved in 16/20 participants. qRT-PCR showed significantly increased expression of skin-pigmentation-related biomarkers: SOD1 in 15/20 participants and Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) in 15/20 participants. No significant change in TFAP2A was observed., Conclusion: Skin sampling and mRNA analysis for biomarkers provides a novel, objective, quantitative method for measuring changes in the dermis and evaluating the efficacy of cosmetics. This approach complements existing evaluation methods and has potential application in assessing the effectiveness of medical devices, medications, cosmeceuticals, healthy foods, and beauty devices., (© 2024 The Authors. Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Groundwater contributes to an average of 8 % of the total water source capacity in the Republic of Korea. Hence, private residential households in rural areas in Korea are still using groundwater for drinking without any regular water quality inspection. This can increase the risk of exposure to natural radionuclides like uranium through drinking groundwater. This study investigated the uranium level in drinking groundwater all over the country by analyzing 11,451 samples from private residential drinking groundwater facilities and compared the exposure amount and its associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk based on the geological characteristics of the aquifer. Results yield that although the average hazard quotient (HQ) and excess cancer risk (ECR) of exposure to natural uranium through drinking groundwater were respectively below 1 and 1 × 10 -6 and do not indicate a potential health hazard, significantly high HQ and ECR up to respectively 70 and 4 × 10 -4 in samples where the aquifer is the Jurassic granite observed. Accordingly, regular water quality investigation and onsite treatment methods are required to provide healthy drinking water in such areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this work declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The emergence of infectious diseases worldwide necessitates rapid and precise diagnostics. Using gold nanoshells in the PCR mix, we harnessed their unique photothermal properties in the near-infrared regime to attain efficient heating, reaching ideal photothermal PCR cycle temperature profile. Our photothermal PCR method expedited DNA amplification while retaining its detection sensitivity. Combining photothermal quantitative PCR with real-time fluorometry and non-invasive temperature measurement, we could amplify the target DNA within just 25 min, with a minimum detectable DNA amount of 50 picograms. This innovation in photothermal qPCR, leveraging the photothermal properties of gold nanoshells, will pave the way for immediate point-of-care diagnostics of nucleic acid biomarkers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Fenhexamid are fungicides that act against plant pathogens by inhibiting sterol biosynthesis. Nonetheless, it can trigger endocrine disruption and promote breast cancer cell growth. In a recent study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the lipid accumulation induced by fenhexamid hydroxyanilide fungicides in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes. To examine the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-agonistic effect, ER transactivation assay using the ERα-HeLa-9903 cell line was applied, and fenhexamid-induced ERα agonist effect was confirmed. Further confirmation that ERα-dependent lipid accumulation occurred was provided by treating 3 T3-L1 adipocytes with Methyl-piperidino-pyrazole hydrate (MPP), an ERα-selective antagonist. Fenhexamid mimicked the actions of ERα agonists and impacted lipid metabolism, and its mechanism involves upregulation of the expression of transcription factors that facilitate adipogenesis and lipogenesis. Additionally, it stimulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) and significantly elevated the expression of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4). In contrast, in combination with an ERα-selective antagonist, fenhexamid suppressed the expression of adipogenic/lipogenic transcription factors. These results suggest that fenhexamid affects the endocrine system and leads to lipid accumulation by interfering with processes influenced by ERα activation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in the present study., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can impair the host genome stability and integrity. It has been well documented that activated transposons in plants are suppressed by small interfering (si) RNAs. However, transposon repression by the cytoplasmic RNA surveillance system is unknown. Here, we show that mRNA deadenylation is critical for controlling transposons in Arabidopsis. Trimming of poly(A) tail is a rate-limiting step that precedes the RNA decay and is primarily mediated by the CARBON CATABOLITE REPRESSION 4 (CCR4)-NEGATIVE ON TATA-LESS (NOT) complex. We found that the loss of CCR4a leads to strong derepression and mobilization of TEs in Arabidopsis. Intriguingly, CCR4a regulates a largely distinct set of TEs from those controlled by RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase 6 (RDR6), a key enzyme that produces cytoplasmic siRNAs. This indicates that the cytoplasmic RNA quality control mechanism targets the TEs that are poorly recognized by the previously well-characterized RDR6-mediated pathway, and thereby augments the host genome stability. Our study suggests a hitherto unknown mechanism for transposon repression mediated by RNA deadenylation and unveils a complex nature of the host's strategy to maintain the genome integrity., (© 2023 The Authors New Phytologist © 2023 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Background: Exposure to benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) may induce disorders in the male reproductive system. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here we investigated the effect of BBP on testosterone production and its molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we also investigated the role of gomisin N (GN) from Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) in testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells., Method and Results: First, we examined the effects of BBP on expression levels of testosterone biosynthesis-related genes (StAR, CYP11α1, CYP17α1, 3βHSD, and 17βHSD) and attenuation-related genes (CYP1β1, CYP19α1, and Srd5α1-3). Although testosterone biosynthesis-related genes did not change, attenuation-related genes such as CYP1β1 and CYP19α1 were upregulated with ROS generation and testosterone level attenuation in the presence of 50 µM of BBP. However, the compound with the highest ROS and ONOO - scavenging activity from S. chinensis, GN, significantly reversed the expression of BBP-induced testosterone attenuation-related gene to normal levels. Subsequently, GN improved the testosterone production levels in TM3 Leydig cells. These events may be regulated by the antioxidant effect of GN., Conclusions: On conclusion, our study suggests, for the first time, that BBP impairs testosterone synthesis by the modulation of CYP1β1 and CYP19α1 expression in TM3 cells; GN could potentially minimize the BBP-induced dysfunction of TM3 cells to produce testosterone by suppressing CYP19α1 expression., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Inflammasomes recognize endogenous and exogenous danger signals, and subsequently induce the secretion of IL-1β. Studying inflammasomes in the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) is crucial for wildlife veterinary medicine, as it can help control inflammatory diseases in foxes., Methods: We investigated the activation and intracellular mechanisms of three inflammasomes (NLRP3, AIM2, and NLRC4) in fox peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using established triggers and inhibitors derived from humans and mice., Results: Fox PBMCs exhibited normal activation and induction of IL-1β secretion in response to representative inflammasome triggers (ATP and nigericin for NLRP3, dsDNA for AIM2, flagellin for NLRC4). Additionally, PBMCs showed normal IL-1β secretion when inoculated with inflammasome-activating bacteria. In inhibitors of the inflammasome signaling pathway, fox inflammasome activation was compared with mouse inflammasomes. MCC950, a selective NLRP3 inhibitor, suppressed the secretion of dsDNA- and flagellin-mediated IL-1β in foxes, unlike mice., Conclusions: These findings suggest that NLRP3 may have a common role in dsDNA- and flagellin-mediated inflammasome activation in the red fox. It implies that this fox inflammasome biology can be applied to the treatment of inflammasome-mediated diseases in the red fox.

Understanding the temporal behaviors of naturally occurring radioactive materials is important for safeguarding groundwater as a secure water resource for drinking, agriculture, and industry usage. This study reports the vertical profiles of 238 U concentration and 222 Rn activity and the management of in situ monitoring systems during intensive field sampling of a national groundwater-monitoring borehole for seven years (2015-2021). The aim was to capture the seasonal characteristics of the 238 U concentrations and 222 Rn activity. Both factors were low in the rainy season and high in the winter season, reflecting the dilution effect of rainfall recharge. The 238 U and 222 Rn behaviors were associated with water-rock interactions of calcite dissolution in fracture zones filled with carbonate minerals. Furthermore, multilayer perceptron models estimated the 238 U concentration and 222 Rn activity with reasonable regression and classification accuracy. Hydrometeorological indicators (temperature and groundwater-level fluctuations) were more important estimators of 238 U concentration and 222 Rn activity than geochemical process indicators. The regression accuracy performance was higher at deeper sampling depths, where seasonality in the 238 U and 222 Rn behaviors dominated. From the predicted distributions of 238 U concentrations and 222 Rn activities, we could estimate the ranges of 238 U concentrations and 222 Rn activities emerging from groundwater boreholes. High exposure threats from 238 U and 222 Rn during groundwater usage were found in the winter season. When the multilayer perceptron models use the entire in situ monitoring data at refined temporal resolution, we can quickly determine the naturally occurring radioactive materials and further develop the national groundwater-monitoring borehole equipped with the in-situ monitoring system, supplementing the occasionally obtained field-measurement data., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Hypothesis: The dip coating of suspensions made of monodisperse non-Brownian spherical particles dispersed in a Newtonian fluid leads to different coating regimes depending on the ratio of the particle diameter to the thickness of the film entrained on the substrate. In particular, dilute particles dispersed in the liquid are entrained only above a threshold value of film thickness. In the case of anisotropic particles, in particular fibers, the smallest characteristic dimension will control the entrainment of the particle. Furthermore, it is possible to control the orientation of the anisotropic particles depending on the substrate geometry. In the thick film regime, the Landau-Levich-Derjaguin model remains valid if one account for the change in viscosity., Experiment: To test the hypotheses, we performed dip-coating experiments with dilute suspensions of non-Brownian fibers with different length-to-diameter aspect ratios. We characterize the number of fibers entrained on the surface of the substrate as a function of the withdrawal velocity, allowing us to estimate a threshold capillary number below which all the particles remain in the liquid bath. Besides, we measure the angular distribution of the entrained fibers for two different substrate geometries: flat plates and cylindrical rods. We then measure the film thickness for more concentrated fiber suspensions., Findings: The entrainment of the fibers on a flat plate and a cylindrical rod is primarily controlled by the smaller characteristic length of the fibers: their diameter. At first order, the entrainment threshold scales similarly to that of spherical particles. The length of the fibers only appears to have a minor influence on the entrainment threshold. No preferential alignment is observed for non-Brownian fibers on a flat plate, except for very thin films, whereas the fibers tend to align themselves along the axis of a cylindrical rod for a large enough ratio of the fiber length to the radius of the cylindrical rod. The Landau-Levich-Derjaguin law is recovered for more concentrated suspension by introducing an effective capillary number accounting for the change in viscosity., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Alban Sauret reports financial support was provided by National Science Foundation., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Animal activity recognition (AAR) using wearable sensor data has gained significant attention due to its applications in monitoring and understanding animal behavior. However, two major challenges hinder the development of robust AAR models: domain variability and the difficulty of obtaining labeled datasets. To address this issue, this study intensively investigates the impact of unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) for AAR. We compared three distinct types of UDA techniques: minimizing divergence-based, adversarial-based, and reconstruction-based approaches. By leveraging UDA, AAR classifiers enable the model to learn domain-invariant features, allowing classifiers trained on the source domain to perform well on the target domain without labels. We evaluated the effectiveness of UDA techniques using dog movement sensor data and additional data from horses. The application of UDA across sensor positions (neck and back), sizes (middle-sized and large-sized), and gender (female and male) within the dog data, as well as across species (dog and horses), exhibits significant improvements in the classification performance and reduced the domain discrepancy. The results highlight the potential of UDA to mitigate the domain shift and enhance AAR in various settings and for different animal species, providing valuable insights for practical applications in real-world scenarios where labeled data is scarce.

Groundwater quality management is pivotal for ensuring public health and ecological resilience. However, the conventional water quality indices often face challenges related to parameter selection, geographic coverage, and scalability. The integration of machine learning and spatial analysis represents a promising methodological shift, allowing for high accuracy and adaptive management strategies. The Safe Groundwater Project in Unsupplied Areas (2017-2020) employed a comprehensive Groundwater Quality Index (GQI) to evaluate potable groundwater quality across South Korea, utilizing a large dataset comprising 28 water quality parameters and 3552 wells. This study revealed that over 50 % of the evaluated wells (Total 8326 wells) were inappropriate as sources of drinking water, indicating a pressing need for policy revision. The averaged neural network model achieved a high predictive accuracy of approximately 95 % for GQI grades, outperforming other classification models. The introduction of 2D spatial analysis in conjunction with machine learning algorithms notably increased the predictive accuracy for unevenly distributed groundwater samples. Moreover, this combined approach enabled the intuitive visualization of groundwater vulnerability across various regions, which can inform targeted interventions for effective resource allocation and management. This research represents a methodologically robust, interdisciplinary approach that holds significant implications for a framework for future groundwater quality management and vulnerability assessment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Large amounts of microplastics are discharged into wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), from where some of them are released into natural waterbodies on account of their not being fully eliminated by WWTPs. To investigate the behavior and emission of microplastics from WWTPs, we selected four WWTPs with different treatment technologies, including anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A 2 O), sequence batch reactor (SBR), media, and membrane bioreactor (MBR). The number of microplastics detected using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy ranged from 520 to 1820 particles/L in influent and from 0.56 to 2.34 particles/L in effluent. The microplastic removal efficiencies of four WWTPs were over 99%, indicating that the type of treatment technologies did not significantly affect the removal rate of microplastics. In the unit process for each WWTP, the major stages relating to microplastic removal were the secondary clarifier and tertiary treatment processes. Most microplastics detected were categorized as fragments and fibers, while other types were hardly detected. The size of more than 80% of microplastic particles detected in WWTPs ranged between 20 and 300 μm, indicating that they were significantly smaller than the size threshold defined for microplastics. Therefore, we used thermal extraction-desorption coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (TED-GC-MS) to evaluate the microplastic mass content in all four WWTPs, and the results were compared with those of the FT-IR analysis. In this method, only four components, namely polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate, were analyzed because of the analysis limitation, and the total microplastic concentration represented the sum of four components concentrations. The influent and effluent microplastic concentrations estimated by TED-GC-MS ranged from not detectable to 160 μg/L and 0.04-1.07 μg/L, respectively, indicating a correlation coefficient of 0.861 (p < 0.05) between the TED-GC-MS and FT-IR results, when compared to the combined abundance of the four microplastic components by FT-IR analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Placenta previa (PP) is one such complication related to several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Adverse outcomes are likely greater if PP coexists with antepartum hemorrhage (APH). This study aims to evaluate the risk factors and pregnancy outcomes of APH in women with PP. This retrospective case-control study included 125 singleton pregnancies with PP who delivered between 2017 and 2019. Women with PP were divided into two groups: PP without APH (n = 59) and PP with APH (n = 66). We investigated the risk factors associated with APH and compared the differences between both groups in placental histopathology lesions due to APH and the resulting maternal and neonatal outcomes. Women with APH had more frequent antepartum uterine contractions (33.3% vs. 10.2%, P = .002) and short cervical length (< 2.5 cm) at admission (53.0% vs. 27.1%, P = .003). The placentas from the APH group had lower weight (442.9 ± 110.1 vs. 488.3 ± 117.7 g, P = .03) in the gross findings, and a higher rate of villous agglutination lesions (42.4% vs. 22.0%, P = .01) in the histopathologic findings. Women with APH in PP had higher rates of composite adverse pregnancy outcomes (83.3% vs. 49.2%, P = .0001). Neonates born to women with APH in PP had worse neonatal outcomes (59.1% vs. 23.9%, P = .0001). Preterm uterine contractions and short cervical length were the most significant risk factors for APH in PP., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Complex pectin, originating from terrestrial plant cell walls has been attracting research attention as a promising source of a new innate immune modulator. Numerous bioactive polysaccharides associated with pectin are newly reported every year, but the general mechanism of their immunological action remains unclear owing to the complexity and heterogeneity of pectin. Herein, we systematically investigated the interactions in pattern-recognition for common glycostructures of pectic heteropolysaccharides (HPSs) by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The compositional similarity of glycosyl residues derived from pectic HPS was confirmed by conducting systematic reviews, leading to molecular modeling of representative pectic segments. Via structural investigation, the inner concavity of leucine-rich repeats of TLR4 was predicted to act as a binding motif for carbohydrate recognition, and subsequent simulations predicted the binding modes and conformations. We experimentally demonstrated that pectic HPS exhibits the non-canonical and multivalent binding aspects for TLR4 resulting in receptor activation. Furthermore, we showed that pectic HPSs were selectively clustered with TLR4 during endocytosis, inducing downstream signals to cause phenotypic activation of macrophages. Overall, we have presented a better explanation for the pattern recognition of pectic HPS and further proposed an approach to understand the interaction between complex carbohydrates and proteins., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease whose pathogenesis, cause, and treatment have been extensively studied. The association of AD with Th2 cytokines is well known; therefore, the analysis of this association is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of AD. This study aimed to present a new method for measuring protein biomarkers in patients with AD, before and after treatment, using minimally invasive microneedles., Materials and Methods: First, hyaluronic acid-loaded microneedle patches (HA-MNs) for skin sample collection were fabricated. Next, after Institutional Review Board approval, 20 patients with AD were recruited and skin samples were taken before and after treatment using four different sampling techniques: (1) tape stripping, (2) hydrocolloid patches, (3) hollow microneedles, and (4) HA-MNs. Lastly, proteins were isolated from the collected samples, and AD-related biomarkers were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: Proteins were successfully extracted from the skin samples collected by tape stripping, hydrocolloid patches, and HA-MNs, except hollow microneedles. Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and interferon-γ were detected in the HA-MNs only. By comparing the biomarker level correlation before and after treatment and the improvement score of the patients, we observed a significant negative correlation between IL-4 and IL-13 with an improvement in AD symptoms., Conclusion: Overall, our results verified that HA-MNs can be used to effectively analyze protein levels of biomarkers from skin metabolites of patients with AD and can be applied to monitor the treatment progress of patients with AD in a minimally invasive manner., (© 2023 The Authors. Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)