Variations in candidalysin amino acid sequence influence toxicity and host responses.

Candida albicans causes millions of mucosal infections in humans annually. Hyphal overgrowth on mucosal surfaces is frequently associated with tissue damage caused by candidalysin, a secreted peptide toxin that destabilizes the plasma membrane of host cells thereby promoting disease and immunopathology. Candidalysin was first identified in C. albicans strain SC5314, but recent investigations have revealed candidalysin "variants" of differing amino acid sequence in isolates of C. albicans, and the related species C. dubliniensis, and C tropicalis, suggesting that sequence variation among candidalysins may be widespread in natural populations of these Candida species. Here, we analyzed ECE1 gene sequences from 182 C. albicans isolates, 10 C. dubliniensis isolates, and 78 C. tropicalis isolates and identified 10, 3, and 2 candidalysin variants in these species, respectively. Application of candidalysin variants to epithelial cells revealed differences in the ability to cause cellular damage, changes in metabolic activity, calcium influx, MAPK signalling, and cytokine secretion, while biophysical analyses indicated that variants exhibited differences in their ability to interact with and permeabilize a membrane. This study identifies candidalysin variants with differences in biological activity that are present in medically relevant Candida species. IMPORTANCE: Fungal infections are a significant burden to health. Candidalysin is a toxin produced by Candida albicans that damages host tissues, facilitating infection. Previously, we demonstrated that candidalysins exist in the related species C. dubliniensis and C. tropicalis, thereby identifying these molecules as a toxin family. Recent genomic analyses have highlighted the presence of a small number of candidalysin "variant" toxins, which have different amino acid sequences to those originally identified. Here, we screened genome sequences of isolates of C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, and C. tropicalis and identified candidalysin variants in all three species. When applied to epithelial cells, candidalysin variants differed in their ability to cause damage, activate intracellular signaling pathways, and induce innate immune responses, while biophysical analysis revealed differences in the ability of candidalysin variants to interact with lipid bilayers. These findings suggest that intraspecies variation in candidalysin amino acid sequence may influence fungal pathogenicity.

Ginsenosides Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 ameliorate dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotubes.

High doses or prolonged use of the exogenous synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex) can lead to muscle atrophy. In this study, the anti-atrophic effects of ginsenosides Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 on Dex-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy were assessed by XTT, myotube diameter, fusion index, and western blot analysis. The XTT assay results showed that treatment with Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 enhanced cell viability in Dex-injured C2C12 myotubes. Compared with the control group, the myotube diameter and fusion index were both reduced in Dex-treated cells, but treatment with Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 increased these parameters. Furthermore, Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 significantly downregulated the protein expression of FoxO3a, MuRF1, and Fbx32, while also upregulating mitochondrial biogenesis through the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway. It also prevents myotube atrophy by regulating the IGF-1/Akt/ mTOR signaling pathway. These findings indicate that Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3 have great potential as useful agents for the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy.

Secretion of the fungal toxin candidalysin is dependent on conserved precursor peptide sequences.

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans damages host cells via its peptide toxin, candidalysin. Before secretion, candidalysin is embedded in a precursor protein, Ece1, which consists of a signal peptide, the precursor of candidalysin and seven non-candidalysin Ece1 peptides (NCEPs), and is found to be conserved in clinical isolates. Here we show that the Ece1 polyprotein does not resemble the usual precursor structure of peptide toxins. C. albicans cells are not susceptible to their own toxin, and single NCEPs adjacent to candidalysin are sufficient to prevent host cell toxicity. Using a series of Ece1 mutants, mass spectrometry and anti-candidalysin nanobodies, we show that NCEPs play a role in intracellular Ece1 folding and candidalysin secretion. Removal of single NCEPs or modifications of peptide sequences cause an unfolded protein response (UPR), which in turn inhibits hypha formation and pathogenicity in vitro. Our data indicate that the Ece1 precursor is not required to block premature pore-forming toxicity, but rather to prevent intracellular auto-aggregation of candidalysin sequences.

Nanobody-mediated neutralization of candidalysin prevents epithelial damage and inflammatory responses that drive vulvovaginal candidiasis pathogenesis.

Candida albicans can cause mucosal infections in humans. This includes oropharyngeal candidiasis, which is commonly observed in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients, and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), which is the most frequent manifestation of candidiasis. Epithelial cell invasion by C. albicans hyphae is accompanied by the secretion of candidalysin, a peptide toxin that causes epithelial cell cytotoxicity. During vaginal infections, candidalysin-driven tissue damage triggers epithelial signaling pathways, leading to hyperinflammatory responses and immunopathology, a hallmark of VVC. Therefore, we proposed blocking candidalysin activity using nanobodies to reduce epithelial damage and inflammation as a therapeutic strategy for VVC. Anti-candidalysin nanobodies were confirmed to localize around epithelial-invading C. albicans hyphae, even within the invasion pocket where candidalysin is secreted. The nanobodies reduced candidalysin-induced damage to epithelial cells and downstream proinflammatory responses. Accordingly, the nanobodies also decreased neutrophil activation and recruitment. In silico mathematical modeling enabled the quantification of epithelial damage caused by candidalysin under various nanobody dosing strategies. Thus, nanobody-mediated neutralization of candidalysin offers a novel therapeutic approach to block immunopathogenic events during VVC and alleviate symptoms.IMPORTANCEWorldwide, vaginal infections caused by Candida albicans (VVC) annually affect millions of women, with symptoms significantly impacting quality of life. Current treatments are based on anti-fungals and probiotics that target the fungus. However, in some cases, infections are recurrent, called recurrent VVC, which often fails to respond to treatment. Vaginal mucosal tissue damage caused by the C. albicans peptide toxin candidalysin is a key driver in the induction of hyperinflammatory responses that fail to clear the infection and contribute to immunopathology and disease severity. In this pre-clinical evaluation, we show that nanobody-mediated candidalysin neutralization reduces tissue damage and thereby limits inflammation. Implementation of candidalysin-neutralizing nanobodies may prove an attractive strategy to alleviate symptoms in complicated VVC cases.

Association of Muscle Mass Loss with Diabetes Development in Liver Transplantation Recipients.

BACKGRUOUND: Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is one of the most significant complications after transplantation. Patients with end-stage liver diseases requiring transplantation are prone to sarcopenia, but the association between sarcopenia and PTDM remains to be elucidated. We aimed to investigate the effect of postoperative muscle mass loss on PTDM development. METHODS: A total of 500 patients who underwent liver transplantation at a tertiary care hospital between 2005 and 2020 were included. Skeletal muscle area at the level of the L3-L5 vertebrae was measured using computed tomography scans performed before and 1 year after the transplantation. The associations between the change in the muscle area after the transplantation and the incidence of PTDM was investigated using a Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: During the follow-up period (median, 4.9 years), PTDM occurred in 165 patients (33%). The muscle mass loss was greater in patients who developed PTDM than in those without PTDM. Muscle depletion significantly increased risk of developing PTDM after adjustment for other confounding factors (hazard ratio, 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 1.84; P=0.001). Of the 357 subjects who had muscle mass loss, 124 (34.7%) developed PTDM, whereas of the 143 patients in the muscle mass maintenance group, 41 (28.7%) developed PTDM. The cumulative incidence of PTDM was significantly higher in patients with muscle loss than in patients without muscle loss (P=0.034). CONCLUSION: Muscle depletion after liver transplantation is associated with increased risk of PTDM development.

Improvement of analytical method for three azo dyes in processed milk and cheese using HPLC-PDA.

This study aims to develop and validate a method for simultaneously measuring three azo dyes (azorubine, brilliant black BN, lithol rubine BK) not designated in Korea. The HPLC-PDA analysis method was validated based on the ICH guidelines, and the color stability was evaluated. The milk and cheese samples were spiked with azo dyes, the correlation coefficient of calibration curve ranged from 0.999 to 1.000 and the recovery rates of azo dyes were 98.81 âˆ¼ 115.94%, with RSD of 0.08 âˆ¼ 3.71%. The LOD and the LOQ in milk and cheese ranged from 1.14 to 1.73 µg/mL and 3.46 to 5.25 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, the expanded uncertainties of the measurements ranged from 3.3421 to 3.8146%. The azo dyes appeared to be color stable for more than 14 days. The results indicate that this analytical method is suitable for extracting and analyzing azo dyes in milk and cheese samples, which are not permitted in Korea.

Clinical Effects of a Home Care Pilot Program for Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGRUOUND: Given the importance of continuous self-care for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea launched a pilot program for chronic disease management. Herein, we applied a home care pilot program to people with T1DM to investigate its effects. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single tertiary hospital (January 2019 to October 2021). A multidisciplinary team comprising doctors, nurses, and clinical nutritionists provided specialized education and periodically assessed patients' health status through phone calls or text messages. A linear mixed model adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index was used to analyze the glycemic control changes before and after implementing the program between the intervention and control groups. RESULTS: Among 408 people with T1DM, 196 were enrolled in the intervention group and 212 in the control group. The reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) after the program was significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group (estimated marginal mean, -0.57% vs. -0.23%, P=0.008); the same trend was confirmed for glycoalbumin (GA) (-3.2% vs. -0.39%, P<0.001). More patients achieved the target values of HbA1c (<7.0%) and GA (<20%) in the intervention group than in the control group at the 9-month follow-up (34.5% vs. 19.6% and 46.7% vs. 28.0%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The home care program for T1DM was clinically effective in improving glycemic control and may provide an efficient care option for people with T1DM, and positive outcomes are expected to expand the program to include more patients.

Effectiveness of Fluid and Caffeine Modifications on Symptoms in Adults With Overactive Bladder: A Systematic Review.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is prevalent in men and women and negatively impacts physical and psychological health. Fluid and caffeine intake modifications, which are lifestyle modification interventions, are simple methods to manage OAB. However, studies that synthesized both interventions and found scientific evidence are scarce. This review aimed to synthesize scientific evidence on whether fluid and caffeine intake modifications are effective for OAB symptoms. PubMed, CINAHL (Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, KoreaMed, and RISS (Research Information Sharing Service) were used to search for studies and 8 studies were included. The Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 2.0) and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions) were used to assess the quality of selected studies. Due to the heterogeneous outcome variables, a meta-analysis was not conducted. Among the 8 included, 7 studies were randomized controlled trials and one was a quasi-experimental study. Four studies assessed urgency. Caffeine reduction was statistically effective for urgency symptoms, but increasing fluid intake was not. Frequency was assessed in 5 studies, which showed decreasing caffeine and fluid intake was effective in treating the symptoms. Urinary incontinence episodes were assessed in 6 studies, and nocturia in 2. Restricting caffeine intake was effective in treating these 2 symptoms, but restricting both caffeine and fluid intake was not. Quality of life (QoL) was examined in 5 studies, and modifying fluid and caffeine intake significantly improved QoL in 2. Although there were limited studies, our review provides scientific evidence that fluid and caffeine intake modification effectively manages OAB symptoms. Further research should examine acceptability and sustainability of interventions in the long-term and enable meta-analysis.

Association of nutrition management status, frailty, and social contact frequency with life satisfaction in older adults: A moderated mediation model.

OBJECTIVES: As the trend of aging has become global phenomenon, identifying the pathways to life satisfaction for older adults is important for maintaining their quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of nutrition management status, frailty, and life satisfaction, and the moderated mediating effect of social contact frequency to this relationship, to older adults in South Korea. METHODS: In this secondary data analysis using the dataset of the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans, the data from 6,663 of the original 10,097 participating older adults who were 65 years or older were included. The independent t-test; chi-square test; and mediating, moderating, and moderated mediating effect analyses were performed. RESULTS: The results confirm a mediating effect of frailty on the relationship between nutrition management status and life satisfaction in older adults. Social contact frequency had a moderating effect on the relationship between frailty and life satisfaction. Finally, a moderated mediating effect of social contact frequency on the mediating effect of frailty was identified. DISCUSSION: This study is the first to identify a specific path to the life satisfaction of older adults in South Korea using large-scale research. In addition, this study provided the basis for preparing basic data necessary to support older adults' life satisfaction in a global aging society. This study is expected to help prepare the necessary intervention measures to improve older adults' quality of life and life satisfaction.

Impaired ketogenesis is associated with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: The ketogenic pathway is an effective mechanism by which the liver disposes of fatty acids (FAs) to the peripheral tissues. Impaired ketogenesis is presumed to be related to the pathogenesis of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), but the results of previous studies have been controversial. Therefore, we investigated the association between ketogenic capacity and MAFLD in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A total of 435 subjects with newly diagnosed T2D was recruited for the study. They were classified into two groups based on median serum ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB) level: intact vs. impaired ketogenesis groups. The associations of baseline serum ß-HB and MAFLD indices of hepatic steatosis index, NAFLD liver fat score (NLFS), Framingham Steatosis index (FSI), Zhejian University index, and Chinese NAFLD score were investigated. Results: Compared to the impaired ketogenesis group, the intact ketogenesis group showed better insulin sensitivity, lower serum triglyceride level, and higher low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and glycated hemoglobin levels. Serum levels of liver enzymes were not different between the two groups. Of the hepatic steatosis indices, NLFS (0.8 vs. 0.9, p=0.045) and FSI (39.4 vs. 47.0: p=0.041) were significantly lower in the intact ketogenesis group. Moreover, intact ketogenesis was significantly associated with lower risk of MAFLD as calculated by FSI after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.91, p=0.025). Conclusions: Our study suggests that intact ketogenesis might be associated with decreased risk of MAFLD in T2D.

Radical Scavenging-Linked Anti-Obesity Effect of Standardized Ecklonia stolonifera Extract on 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and High-Fat Diet-Fed ICR Mice.

Ecklonia stolonifera, belonging to the Laminariaceae family, is an edible widely distributed perennial brown marine alga that is rich in polyphenols. Dieckol, a bioactive component of the E. stolonifera extract (ESE), is a major phlorotannin compound found only in brown algae. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of ESE to inhibit lipid accumulation caused by oxidative stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet-fed obese ICR mice. We report that ESE-treated obese ICR mice, which were fed a high-fat diet, showed reduced whole-body and adipose tissue weights with improved plasma lipid profiles. In vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that ESE inhibited the expression of adipogenesis-related genes associated with fat accumulation through AMP-activated protein kinase activity and increased the expression of lipolysis-related genes. In addition, ESE reduced the expression of enzymes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased the expression of antioxidant enzymes, thereby reducing ROS levels. These findings suggest that ESE possesses strong antioxidant properties and inhibits oxidative stress-induced lipid accumulation by reducing ROS production during adipocyte generation.

Anti-adipogenic Effects of Sulforaphane-rich Ingredient with Broccoli Sprout and Mustard Seed in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes.

Glucoraphanin (GRA) is a precursor of sulforaphane (SFN), which can be synthesized by the enzyme myrosinase. In this study, we developed and validated HPLC analytical methods for the determination of GRA and SFN in mustard seed powder (MSP), broccoli sprout powder (BSP), and the MSP-BSP mixture powder (MBP), and evaluated their anti-adipogenic effects in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We found that the analysis methods were suitable for the determination of GRA and SFN in MSP, BSP, and MBP. The content of GRA in BSP was 131.11 ± 1.84 µmol/g, and the content of SFN in MBP was 162.29 ± 1.24 µmol/g. In addition, BSP and MBP effectively decreased lipid accumulation content without any cytotoxicity. Both BSP and MBP significantly inhibited the expression of adipogenic proteins and increased the expression of proteins related to lipolysis and lipid metabolism. BSP and MBP inhibited the expression of adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and inhibited the expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Meanwhile, BSP and MBP also increased the expression of the lipolysis-related proteins, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1). Moreover, MBP exerted anti-adipogenic to a greater extent than BSP in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Intact ketogenesis predicted reduced risk of moderate-severe metabolic-associated fatty liver disease assessed by liver transient elastography in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Aim: Hepatic ketogenesis is a key metabolic pathway that regulates energy homeostasis. Some related controversies exist regarding the pathogenesis of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). We aimed to investigate whether intact ketogenic capacity could reduce the risk of MAFLD based on transient electrography (TE) in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A total of 361 subjects with newly diagnosed T2D were recruited and classified into two groups based on the median serum ß-hydroxybutyrate (ßHB) level, referred to as the intact and impaired ketogenesis groups. The glucometabolic relevance of ketogenic capacity and associations of the baseline serum ß-HB and MAFLD assessed with TE were investigated. Results: Compared to the impaired ketogenesis group, the intact ketogenesis group showed better insulin sensitivity, lower serum triglyceride levels, and higher glycated hemoglobin levels. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was lower in the intact ketogenesis group without statistical significance (289.7 ± 52.1 vs. 294.5 ± 43.6; p=0.342) but the prevalence of moderate-severe steatosis defined by CAP ≥260 dB/m was significantly lower in the intact group. Moreover, intact ketogenesis was significantly associated with a lower risk of moderate-severe MAFLD after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio 0.55, 95% confidence interval 0.30-0.98; p=0.044). Conclusion: In drug-naïve, newly diagnosed T2D patients, intact ketogenesis predicted a lower risk of moderate-severe MAFLD assessed by TE.

In-Depth Understanding of Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura: A Review of Its Bioactivities and Bioactive Compounds.

Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura (ES) is mainly distributed in the coastal areas of the middle Pacific, around Korea and Japan, and has a long-standing edible value. It is rich in various compounds, such as polysaccharides, fatty acids, alginic acid, fucoxanthin, and phlorotannins, among which the polyphenol compound phlorotannins are the main active ingredients. Studies have shown that the extracts and active components of ES exhibit anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, and other pharmacological properties in vivo and in vitro. Although ES contains a variety of bioactive compounds, it is not widely known and has not been extensively studied. Based on its potential health benefits, it is expected to play an important role in improving the nutritional value of food both economically and medically. Therefore, ES needs to be better understood and developed so that it can be utilized in the development and application of marine medicines, functional foods, bioactive substances, and in many other fields. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the bioactivities and bioactive compounds of ES to promote in-depth research and a reference for the comprehensive utilization of ES in the future.

Experience of Nurses with Intravenous Fluid Monitoring for Patient Safety: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Purpose: Medication administration is a complex process and constitutes a substantial component of nursing practice that is closely linked to patient safety. Although intravenous fluid administration is one of the most frequently performed nursing tasks, nurses' experiences with intravenous rate control have not been adequately studied. This study aimed to explore nurses' experiences with infusion nursing practice to identify insights that could be used in interventions to promote safe medication administration. Patients and methods: This qualitative descriptive study used focus group interviews of 20 registered nurses who frequently administered medications in tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected through five semi-structured focus group interviews, with four nurses participating in each interview. We conducted inductive and deductive content analysis based on the 11 key topics of patient safety identified by the World Health Organization. Reporting followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Results: Participants administered infusions in emergency rooms, general wards, and intensive care units, including patients ranging from children to older adults. Two central themes were revealed: human factors and systems. Human factors consisted of two sub-themes including individuals and team players, while systems encompassed three sub-themes including institutional policy, culture, and equipment. Conclusion: This study found that nurses experienced high levels of stress when administering infusions in the correct dose and rate for patient safety. Administering and monitoring infusions were complicated because nursing processes interplay with human and system factors. Future research is needed to develop nursing interventions that include human and system factors to promote patient safety by reducing infusion-related errors.

Anti-Obesogenic Effects of Sulforaphane-Rich Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) Sprouts and Myrosinase-Rich Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) Seeds In Vitro and In Vivo.

Glucoraphanin (GRA), a glucosinolate particularly abundant in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) sprouts, can be converted to sulforaphane (SFN) by the enzyme myrosinase. Herein, we investigated the anti-obesogenic effects of broccoli sprout powder (BSP), mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seed powder (MSP), and sulforaphane-rich MSP-BSP mixture powder (MBP) in bisphenol A (BPA)-induced 3T3-L1 cells and obese C57BL/6J mice. In vitro experiments showed that MBP, BSP, and MSP have no cytotoxic effects. Moreover, MBP and BSP inhibited the lipid accumulation in BPA-induced 3T3-L1 cells. In BPA-induced obese mice, BSP and MBP treatment inhibited body weight gain and ameliorated dyslipidemia. Furthermore, our results showed that BSP and MBP could activate AMPK, which increases ACC phosphorylation, accompanied by the upregulation of lipolysis-associated proteins (UCP-1 and CPT-1) and downregulation of adipogenesis-related proteins (C/EBP-α, FAS, aP2, PPAR-γ, and SREBP-1c), both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, MBP exerted a greater anti-obesogenic effect than BSP. Taken together, these findings indicate that BSP and MBP could inhibit BPA-induced adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by increasing the expression of the proteins related to lipid metabolism and lipolysis, effectively treating BPA-induced obesity. Thus, BSP and MBP can be developed as effective anti-obesogenic drugs.

In Vitro Biophysical Characterization of Candidalysin: A Fungal Peptide Toxin.

In 2016, the first peptide toxin in any human fungal pathogen was identified. It was discovered in Candida albicans and was named candidalysin. Candidalysin is an amphipathic cationic peptide that damages cell membranes. Like most lytic peptides, candidalysin shows alpha-helical secondary structure. As the helicity and the membrane lytic activity of candidalysin are key factors for pathogenicity, here we describe in vitro approaches to monitor both its membrane-lytic function and the secondary structure. First, membrane permeabilization activity of candidalysin is measured in real time by direct electrical recording. Second, the secondary structure and helicity of candidalysin are determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy. These biophysical methods provide a means to characterize the activity and physical properties of candidalysin in vitro and will be useful in determining the structural and functional features of candidalysin and other similar cationic membrane-active peptides.

Improvement of methods for analysing sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) in soft drinks using GC-FID and evaluating antioxidant effects in the SAIB emulsion system.

Sucrose acetate isobutyrate SAIB (E444) is a mixture produced by the esterification of sucrose with acetic anhydride and isobutyric anhydride. It is a food additive that is used as an emulsifier in soft drinks. It is difficult to analyse SAIB quantitatively because there are 256 synthesisable structures in the mixture. This study developed an analytical method for SAIB using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The pre-treatment of SAIB in soft drinks was performed using a liquid-liquid extraction method, which demonstrated a recovery rate of 107.8 ± 7.2%. In the GC-FID analysis of SAIB, numerous peaks were observed in the chromatogram, and the content of SAIB was calculated as the sum of these peak areas. A series of analytical methods were validated according to International Conference for Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Accordingly, the applicability of the developed analytical method was confirmed for both domestic and imported soft drinks distributed in Korea. Additionally, in the linoleic acid emulsion, SAIB exhibited better lipid oxidation stability than the natural antioxidant α-tocopherol and had similar efficacy to the synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Although SAIB has excellent lipid oxidation stability, it must be used within legal standards according to consumer demand to reduce the use of synthetic materials in processed foods. The validated GC-FID analytical method will enable subsequent monitoring of the distributed products.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Polysaccharide from Fermented Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni) on RAW 264.7 Macrophage and Balb/c Mice.

This study aims to determine the immunomodulatory effects of a polysaccharide fraction from fermented M. citrifolia L. (FMP) in RAW 264.7 macrophages and Balb/c mice. M. citrifolia was fermented for 72 h using Lactobacillus brevis; polysaccharides were extracted using ethanol precipitation. The RAW 264.7 cells exposed to FMP (50, 100, and 200 µg/mL) for 24 h showed increased NO production, proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α) release, and COX-2 and iNOS protein expression. FMP (100, 200 mg/kg) and deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) (20 mg/kg) administered orally to Balb/c mice for 14 days upregulated NO production and NK cytotoxicity in abdominal cavity and spleen, respectively. Th1 and Th2 cytokines production and immune cell numbers increased in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), peritoneal exudate cells (PEC), Peyer's patches (PP), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Therefore, FMP containing DAA can be used as materials for health functional foods to enhance immune responses.

Wireless Stand-Alone Trimodal Interactive Display Enabled by Direct Capacitive Coupling.

With recent advances in interactive displays, the development of a stand-alone interactive display with no electrical interconnection is of great interest. Here, a wireless stand-alone interactive display (WiSID), enabled by direct capacitive coupling, consisting of three layers: two in-plane metal electrodes separated by a gap, a composite layer for field-induced electroluminescence (EL) and inverse piezoelectric sound, and a stimuli-responsive layer, from bottom to top, is presented. Alternating current power necessary for field-induced EL and inverse piezoelectric sound is wirelessly transferred from a power unit, with two in-plane electrodes remotely separated from the WiSID. The unique in-plane power transfer through the stimuli-sensitive polar bridge allows stand-alone operation of the WiSID, making it suitable for the wireless dynamic monitoring of medical fluids. Moreover, a haptic wireless stand-alone trimodal interactive display mounted on a human finger is demonstrated, whereby touch is wirelessly displayed in various outputs of EL, inverse piezoelectric sound, and tactile vibration, making it suitable for a wireless three-mode smart braille display.