Optimization of Mass Spectrometry Imaging for Drug Metabolism and Distribution Studies in the Zebrafish Larvae Model: A Case Study with the Opioid Antagonist Naloxone.

Zebrafish (ZF; Danio rerio) larvae have emerged as a promising in vivo model in drug metabolism studies. Here, we set out to ready this model for integrated mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to comprehensively study the spatial distribution of drugs and their metabolites inside ZF larvae. In our pilot study with the overall goal to improve MSI protocols for ZF larvae, we investigated the metabolism of the opioid antagonist naloxone. We confirmed that the metabolic modification of naloxone is in high accordance with metabolites detected in HepaRG cells, human biosamples, and other in vivo models. In particular, all three major human metabolites were detected at high abundance in the ZF larvae model. Next, the in vivo distribution of naloxone was investigated in three body sections of ZF larvae using LC-HRMS/MS showing that the opioid antagonist is mainly present in the head and body sections, as suspected from published human pharmacological data. Having optimized sample preparation procedures for MSI (i.e., embedding layer composition, cryosectioning, and matrix composition and spraying), we were able to record MS images of naloxone and its metabolites in ZF larvae, providing highly informative distributional images. In conclusion, we demonstrate that all major ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) parameters, as part of in vivo pharmacokinetic studies, can be assessed in a simple and cost-effective ZF larvae model. Our established protocols for ZF larvae using naloxone are broadly applicable, particularly for MSI sample preparation, to various types of compounds, and they will help to predict and understand human metabolism and pharmacokinetics.

Evaluation of extraction methods for untargeted metabolomic studies for future applications in zebrafish larvae infection models.

Sample preparation in untargeted metabolomics should allow reproducible extractions of as many molecules as possible. Thus, optimizing sample preparation is crucial. This study compared six different extraction procedures to find the most suitable for extracting zebrafish larvae in the context of an infection model. Two one-phase extractions employing methanol (I) and a single miscible phase of methanol/acetonitrile/water (II) and two two-phase methods using phase separation between chloroform and methanol/water combinations (III and IV) were tested. Additional bead homogenization was used for methods III and IV (III_B and IV_B). Nine internal standards and 59 molecules of interest (MoInt) related to mycobacterial infection were used for method evaluation. Two-phase methods (III and IV) led to a lower feature count, higher peak areas of MoInt, especially amino acids, and higher coefficients of variation in comparison to one-phase extractions. Adding bead homogenization increased feature count, peak areas, and CVs. Extraction I showed higher peak areas and lower CVs than extraction II, thus being the most suited one-phase method. Extraction III and IV showed similar results, with III being easier to execute and less prone to imprecisions. Thus, for future applications in zebrafish larvae metabolomics and infection models, extractions I and III might be chosen.

Neural Stem Cells Overexpressing Arginine Decarboxylase Improve Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury in a Mouse Model.

Current therapeutic strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) cannot fully facilitate neural regeneration or improve function. Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) synthesizes agmatine, an endogenous primary amine with neuroprotective effects. Transfection of human ADC (hADC) gene exerts protective effects after injury in murine brain-derived neural precursor cells (mNPCs). Following from these findings, we investigated the effects of hADC-mNPC transplantation in SCI model mice. Mice with experimentally damaged spinal cords were divided into three groups, separately transplanted with fluorescently labeled (1) control mNPCs, (2) retroviral vector (pLXSN)-infected mNPCs (pLXSN-mNPCs), and (3) hADC-mNPCs. Behavioral comparisons between groups were conducted weekly up to 6 weeks after SCI, and urine volume was measured up to 2 weeks after SCI. A subset of animals was euthanized each week after cell transplantation for molecular and histological analyses. The transplantation groups experienced significantly improved behavioral function, with the best recovery occurring in hADC-mNPC mice. Transplanting hADC-mNPCs improved neurological outcomes, induced oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination, increased neural lineage differentiation, and decreased glial scar formation. Moreover, locomotor and bladder function were both rehabilitated. These beneficial effects are likely related to differential BMP-2/4/7 expression in neuronal cells, providing an empirical basis for gene therapy as a curative SCI treatment option.

Clinical effects of a new dispatcher-assisted basic life support training program in a metropolitan city.

This study estimates the effect of a new dispatcher-assisted basic life support training program on the survival outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Before-and-after intervention trials were conducted in Seoul. Patients who suffered OHCA in a private place from January 2014 to December 2017 were included. The intervention group was 3 districts; the other 22 districts were regarded as the control group. The primary outcome was survival up to hospital discharge. The difference-in-difference (DID) was calculated to evaluate changes in the survival outcomes of the 2 groups over the period. A total of 10,127 OHCA patients were included in the final analysis. OHCA patients in the intervention group were less likely to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (57.8% vs 61.1%; P = .02) and showed lower survival outcomes (5.7% vs 6.4% for survival up to hospital discharge; P = .34 and 2.8% vs 3.7% for good neurological recovery; P = .11), but this was not statistically significant. Compared to 2014, good neurological recovery in 2017 was significantly improved in the intervention group (DID for good neurological recovery = 3.2%; 0.6-5.8). There were no statistically significant differences in return of spontaneous circulation and survival up to hospital discharge between the 2 groups (DID for survival to discharge was 1.8% [-1.7 to 5.3] and DID for return of spontaneous circulation was -2.5% [-9.8 to 4.8]). Improvement in neurological recovery was observed in the 3 districts after implementing the new dispatcher-assisted basic life support training program.

Therapeutic Effects of Insulin-Producing Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Type 1 Diabetes Mouse Model.

In patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), compromised pancreatic ß-cell functions are compensated through daily insulin injections or the transplantation of pancreatic tissue or islet cells. However, both approaches are associated with specific challenges. The transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represents a potential alternative, as MSCs have tissue-forming capacity and can be isolated from various tissues. The human umbilical cord (hUC) is a good source of freely available MSCs, which can be collected through pain-free, non-invasive methods subject to minimal ethical concerns. We sought to develop a method for the in vitro generation of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) using MSCs. We examined the potential therapeutic uses and efficacy of IPCs generated from hUC-derived MSCs (hUC-IPCs) and human adipose tissue (hAD)-derived MSCs (hAD-IPCs) through in vitro experiments and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced C57BL/6 T1D mouse models. We discovered that compared to hAD-IPCs, hUC-IPCs exhibited a superior insulin secretion capacity. Therefore, hUC-IPCs were selected as candidates for T1D cell therapy in mice. Fasting glucose and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test levels were lower in hUC-IPC-transplanted mice than in T1D control mice and hAD-IPC-transplanted mice. Our findings support the potential use of MSCs for the treatment of T1D.

Relationship between type D personality, symptoms, cancer stigma, and quality of life among patients with lung cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of type D personality on quality of life in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: A correlational, cross-sectional research design was used. A convenience sample of 136 patients with lung cancer were recruited from an outpatient pulmonology clinic. Data collection was performed using a structured questionnaire between July and August 2019. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, the χ2 test, an ANCOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis, which were performed using the SPSS WIN 25.0 program. RESULTS: Type D personality was identified in 18.4% of the participants. Patients with type D personality had poorer quality of life and experienced more cancer stigma and more severe symptoms. Type D personality had the strongest association with quality of life among patients with lung cancer, followed by cancer stigma and symptoms. Poor quality of life was associated with non-married status and higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group grade. CONCLUSIONS: Type D personality, stigma, symptoms, and demographic and clinical factors should be considered when assessing quality of life in patients with lung cancer. Interventions that reflect these factors, including type D personality, may help enhance quality of life for patients with lung cancer in oncology nursing practice.

Induction of Liver Size Reduction in Zebrafish Larvae by the Emerging Synthetic Cannabinoid 4F-MDMB-BINACA and Its Impact on Drug Metabolism.

Zebrafish (ZF; Danio rerio) larvae have become a popular in vivo model in drug metabolism studies. Here, we investigated the metabolism of methyl 2-[1-(4-fluorobutyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (4F-MDMB-BINACA) in ZF larvae after direct administration of the cannabinoid via microinjection, and we visualized the spatial distributions of the parent compound and its metabolites by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). Furthermore, using genetically modified ZF larvae, the role of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) on drug metabolism was studied. Receptor-deficient ZF mutant larvae were created using morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs), and CB2-deficiency had a critical impact on liver development of ZF larva, leading to a significant reduction of liver size. A similar phenotype was observed when treating wild-type ZF larvae with 4F-MDMB-BINACA. Thus, we reasoned that the cannabinoid-induced impaired liver development might also influence its metabolic function. Studying the metabolism of two synthetic cannabinoids, 4F-MDMB-BINACA and methyl 2-(1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (7'N-5F-ADB), revealed important insights into the in vivo metabolism of these compounds and the role of cannabinoid receptor binding.

In vitro effects of conditioned medium from bioreactor cultured human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) on skin-derived cell lines.

INTRODUCTION: When stem cells are grafted into tissues, they differentiate and form specialized cells. However, the proficiency of stem cells to endure and assimilate the host cell is dependent on various growth factors and cytokines. According to various studies, these factors are available in the spent media of harvested stem cells, which can be used for treatment in regenerative medicine and cosmetic products. There are differences in cytokine secretion depending on the culture environment, which are clarified in this paper. METHODS: Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were cultured either in a bioreactor or in a flask. The conditioned medium from the hUC-MSC cultures in the flask and in the bioreactor was designated as "FM" and "BM", respectively. We assessed the effects of FM and BM on UVB-induced oxidative stress, anti-aging, and melanogenic properties. The amount of growth factors, cell viability, hyaluronic acid (HA), pro-collagen, and pro-melanin were quantitatively evaluated in the FM and BM treated groups. The induction of HA and collagen synthesis was measured in CCD-986SK cells. For melanogenesis, the effects of FM and BM on melanin content and tyrosinase activity were measured in SK-MEL-31 cells. RESULTS: In the present study, the secretion of growth factors, HA, and pro-collagen was significantly higher in the BM treatment, compared to that in the FM treatment. BM protected CCD-986SK cells against death from UVB induced oxidative stress. BM increased the promoter activity of the anti-oxidant genes SOD1, CAT, and GP; and downregulated the accelerating collagen decomposition gene, MMP-1, induced by UVB irradiation. In α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) stimulated SK-MEL-31 cells, BM reduced melanin production and decreased the levels of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. These results suggest that BM could be used as a skin protection agent, because of its anti-apoptotic, anti-aging, and anti-melanogenic properties. This could be attributed to the differences in culturing methods; it is difficult to maintain the temperature and sterility in FM culture, when compared to that in the automated culturing conditions of the BM system. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results indicate that using BM-conditioned hUC-MSC medium is very efficient process for producing raw materials for developing functional cosmetics.

Drug Administration Routes Impact the Metabolism of a Synthetic Cannabinoid in the Zebrafish Larvae Model.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae have gained attention as a valid model to study in vivo drug metabolism and to predict human metabolism. The microinjection of compounds, oligonucleotides, or pathogens into zebrafish embryos at an early developmental stage is a well-established technique. Here, we investigated the metabolism of zebrafish larvae after microinjection of methyl 2-(1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (7'N-5F-ADB) as a representative of recently introduced synthetic cannabinoids. Results were compared to human urine data and data from the in vitro HepaRG model and the metabolic pathway of 7'N-5F-ADB were reconstructed. Out of 27 metabolites detected in human urine samples, 19 and 15 metabolites were present in zebrafish larvae and HepaRG cells, respectively. The route of administration to zebrafish larvae had a major impact and we found a high number of metabolites when 7'N-5F-ADB was microinjected into the caudal vein, heart ventricle, or hindbrain. We further studied the spatial distribution of the parent compound and its metabolites by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) of treated zebrafish larvae to demonstrate the discrepancy in metabolite profiles among larvae exposed through different administration routes. In conclusion, zebrafish larvae represent a superb model for studying drug metabolism, and when combined with MSI, the optimal administration route can be determined based on in vivo drug distribution.

How to Study the Metabolism of New Psychoactive Substances for the Purpose of Toxicological Screenings-A Follow-Up Study Comparing Pooled Human Liver S9, HepaRG Cells, and Zebrafish Larvae.

The new psychoactive substances (NPS) market continues to be very dynamic. A large number of compounds belonging to diverse chemical groups continue to emerge. This makes their detection in biological samples challenging for clinical and forensic toxicologists. Knowledge of the metabolic fate of NPS is crucial for developing comprehensive screening procedures. As human studies are not feasible due to ethical concerns, the current study aimed to compare the NPS' metabolic pattern in incubations with pooled human liver S9 fraction (pHLS9), human liver HepaRG cells, and zebrafish larvae. The latter model was recently shown to be a promising preclinical surrogate for human hepatic metabolism of a synthetic cannabinoid. However, studies concerning other NPS classes are still missing and therefore an amphetamine-based N-methoxybenzyl (NBOMe) compound, a synthetic cathinone, a pyrrolidinophenone analog, a lysergamide, as well as another synthetic cannabinoid were included in the current study. Liquid chromatography coupled to Orbitrap-based high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze metabolic data. Zebrafish larvae were found to produce the highest number of phase I but also phase II metabolites (79 metabolites in total), followed by HepaRG cells (66 metabolites). Incubations with pHLS9 produced the least metabolites (57 metabolites). Furthermore, the involvement of monooxygenases and esterases in the metabolic phase I transformations of 4F-MDMB-BINACA was elucidated using single-enzyme incubations. Several cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes were shown to contribute, and CYP3A5 was involved in all CYP-catalyzed reactions, while amide and ester hydrolysis were catalyzed by the human carboxylesterase (hCES) isoforms hCES1b and/or hCES1c. Finally, metabolites were compared to those present in human biosamples if data were available. Overall, the metabolic patterns in HepaRG cells provided the worst overlap with that in human biosamples. Zebrafish larvae experiments agreed best with data found in human plasma and urine analysis. The current study underlines the potential of zebrafish larvae as a tool for elucidating the toxicokinetics of NPS in the future.

Predicting inadequate treatment response in children with chronic spontaneous urticaria.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the treatment response and associated factors for loss of control in children with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). METHODS: A total of 240 CSU patients (aged 0-17 years) were enrolled in a single-center study in Korea from May 2014 to May 2019. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and compared the duration of treatment and step of medications using the urticaria control test (UCT, range 0-16 points). Serum total immunoglobulin levels, eosinophil count, allergic sensitization, autologous serum skin test, antinuclear antibody, thyroid function test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein were measured. The patients were divided into well-controlled (sustained UCT ≥12), partly controlled (fluctuating UCT around 12), and poorly controlled (sustained UCT <12) groups. RESULTS: Of the 240 children, 150 (62.5%) achieved well-controlled status; 74 (30.8%), partly controlled; and 16 (6.7%), poorly controlled. Longer duration (adjusted odds ratio: 1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.13, P < .001) and higher treatment steps (5.61, 2.82-11.14, P < .001) for reaching the initial 12 points or more of UCT score, initial urticaria activity score (UAS) score (1.06, 1.03-1.09, P < .001), and food sensitization (1.88, 1.03-3.46, P = .041) were associated with inadequate treatment response. The mean duration to symptom free for 1 month without medication was 14.6 months in the well-controlled group and 22.1 months in the partly controlled group (P = .002). CONCLUSION: Children with CSU have a good treatment response. Longer duration and higher treatment step until the initial disease control, higher initial UAS7 score, and food sensitization can predict inadequate treatment response.

Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of the fentanyl homologs cyclopropanoyl-1-benzyl-4´-fluoro-4-anilinopiperidine and furanoyl-1-benzyl-4-anilinopiperidine.

The two fentanyl homologs cyclopropanoyl-1-benzyl-4´-fluoro-4-anilinopiperidine (4F-Cy-BAP) and furanoyl-1-benzyl-4-anilinopiperidine (Fu-BAP) have recently been seized as new psychoactive substances (NPS) on the drugs of abuse market. As their toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic characteristics are completely unknown, this study focused on elucidating their in vitro metabolic stability in pooled human liver S9 fraction (pHLS9), their qualitative in vitro (pHLS9), and in vivo (zebrafish larvae) metabolism, and their in vitro isozyme mapping using recombinant expressed isoenzymes. Their maximum-tolerated concentration (MTC) in zebrafish larvae was studied from 0.01 to 100 µM. Their µ-opioid receptor (MOR) activity was analyzed in engineered human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 T cells. In total, seven phase I and one phase II metabolites of 4F-Cy-BAP and 15 phase I and four phase II metabolites of Fu-BAP were tentatively identified by means of liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry, with the majority detected in zebrafish larvae. N-Dealkylation, N-deacylation, hydroxylation, and N-oxidation were the most abundant metabolic reactions and the corresponding metabolites are expected to be promising analytical targets for toxicological analysis. Isozyme mapping revealed the main involvement of CYP3A4 in the phase I metabolism of 4F-Cy-BAP and in terms of Fu-BAP additionally CYP2D6. Therefore, drug-drug interactions by CYP3A4 inhibition may cause elevated drug levels and unwanted adverse effects. MTC experiments revealed malformations and changes in the behavior of larvae after exposure to 100 µM Fu-BAP. Both substances were only able to produce a weak activation of MOR and although toxic effects based on MOR activation seem unlikely, activity at other receptors cannot be excluded.

Tools for studying the metabolism of new psychoactive substances for toxicological screening purposes - A comparative study using pooled human liver S9, HepaRG cells, and zebrafish larvae.

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are an emerging topic amongst abused compounds. New varieties appear constantly on the market, without any knowledge about their toxicodynamic and/or -kinetic properties and knowledge of their metabolism is crucial for the development of analytical methods employed for their detection. Controlled human studies would of course be best suited but due to ethical reasons and lack of preclinical safety data, they are usually not available. Often, in vitro models are used to evaluate similarities to human in vivo hepatic phase I and II metabolism and systems explored include primary human hepatocytes, pooled human S9 fraction, and HepaRG, a human hepatic cell line. All these in vitro models have considerable limitations and drug distribution, reabsorption, enterohepatic circulation, and renal elimination cannot be studied. In the recent years, zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae (embryos) were discussed as a potential in vivo model to overcome these limitations. To date, no studies demonstrating its suitability for studying NPS metabolism in the context of analytical toxicology are available. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether zebrafish larvae can serve as a surrogate for human hepatic metabolism of NPS to develop toxicological screening procedures. Here, we used methyl 2-(1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (7'N-5F-ADB), a new synthetic cannabinoid, whose human metabolism was recently described in the literature, as a model compound to evaluate zebrafish larvae as a new tool for metabolism studies. Different conditions for zebrafish larvae and HepaRG protocols were tested. As zebrafish larvae and HepaRG cell incubations provided the highest number of metabolites and the most authentic spectrum of human metabolites. The most suitable larvae protocol was the incubation via medium and the analysis of the extracted zebrafish larvae. The zebrafish larvae model might be a promising preclinical surrogate for human hepatic metabolism of NPS.

Effects of HAD-B1 on the proliferation of A549 cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells.

The present study investigated the toxicity of HangAmDan-B1 (HAD-B1) on A549-Cisplatin resistant (A549CR) cells. HAD­B1 inhibited the growth of A549CR cells in a concentration­dependent manner; HAD­B1 was more effective at inhibiting A549CR cell viability compared with vehicle­treated cells. The reduction in viability may be due to S­phase cell cycle arrest and the induction of apoptosis in HAD­B1­treated cells. Cell cycle protein profile analysis of HAD­B1­treated A549CR cells using an InnoPharmaScreen (IPS) ProteoChip­based antibody microarray chip indicated downregulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. The activities of caspase­3, ­8 and ­9 were significantly increased in HAD­B1­treated cells when compared with the vehicle­treated control group. Furthermore, the HAD­B1­treated group exhibited similarly increased caspase levels when compared with the Afatinib­treated group. Taken together, these observations suggest that HAD­B1 may be a promising candidate for further research into the therapeutic management of cisplatin-resistant lung cancer.

Characterizing isotopic compositions of TC-C, NO3--N, and NH4+-N in PM2.5 in South Korea: Impact of China's winter heating.

The origin of PM2.5 has long been the subject of debate and stable isotopic tools have been applied to decipher. In this study, weekly PM2.5 samples were simultaneously collected at an urban (Seoul) and rural (Baengnyeong Island) site in Korea from January 2014 through February 2016. The seasonal variation of isotopic species showed significant seasonal differences with sinusoidal variation. The isotopic results implied that isotope species from Baengnyeong were mostly originated from coal combustion during China's winter heating seasons, whereas in summer, the isotopic patterns observed that were more likely to be from marine. In Seoul, coal combustion related isotopic patterns increased during China's winter heating period while vehicle related isotopic patterns were dominated whole seasons by default. Therefore, aerosol formation was originated from long-range transported coal combustion-related NOx by vehicle-related NH3 in Seoul. δN-NH4+ in Seoul showed highly enriched 15N compositions in all seasons, indicating that NH3 from vehicle emission is the important source of NH4+ in PM2.5 in Seoul. In addition, Baengnyeong should be consistently considered as a key region for observing the changes of isotopic features depend on the contribution of individual emissions to the atmospheric as a result of the reduction of coal consumption in China.

Nutriproteomic Analysis of Hwangmaemok-Induced Antiangiogenic Effect Using Antibody-Arrayed Protein Chip Assay.

We investigated the antiangiogenic effects of Lindera obtusiloba Blume (Hwangmaemok, HMM), which is a plant in the Lauraceae family that is commonly used to treat colds and gastritis. Moreover, given that a recent study reported the inhibitory effects of HMM extract on cancer metastasis, we hypothesized that HMM extract might possess and antiangiogenic function. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of HMM extract on endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and neovascularization in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), and investigated the molecular mechanism of antiangiogenesis using a ProteoChip-based proteomics technology. To examine the effects of HMM extracts on endothelial cell proliferation and migration, we conducted basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation and migration. To assess the molecular mechanism of the antiangiogenic effects of HMM extract, a ProteoChip-based forwarded phase antibody array was employed to identify the differential expression of cell cycle proteins in HMM-treated HUVECs. HMM extract inhibited bFGF-induced HUVEC proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner and CAM angiogenesis. The ProteoChip-based antibody microarray data showed upregulation of Nibrin/NBS1 and downregulation of Plk-1 and Cyclin E, which are involved in cell division and controlling the cell cycle in bFGF-induced HUVECs. These data suggest that HMM may be a potent antitumor medicinal herb. The present study demonstrates that the antiangiogenic effect of HMM may be due to suppression of endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, these results emphasize the potential to use HMM extract as a potent angiogenesis inhibitor to treat cancer.

Updated national emission of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from wastewater treatment plants in South Korea.

A nationwide emission estimate of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is required to understand the source-receptor relationship of PFASs and to manage major types of WWTPs. In this study, the concentrations of 13 PFASs (8 perfluorocarboxylic acids, 3 perfluoroalkane sulfonates, and 2 intermediates) in wastewater and sludge from 81 WWTPs in South Korea were collected. The emission pathways of PFASs were redefined, and then the national emission of PFASs from WWTPs was rigorously updated. In addition to the direct calculations, Monte Carlo simulations were also used to calculate the likely range of PFAS emissions. The total (Σ13PFAS) emission (wastewater + sludge) calculated from the direct calculation with mean concentrations was 4.03 ton/y. The emissions of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, 1.19 ton/y) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, 1.01 ton/y) were dominant. The Monte Carlo simulations suggested that the realistic national emission of Σ13PFASs is between 2 ton/y and 20 ton/y. Combined WWTPs treating municipal wastewater from residential and commercial areas were identified as a major emission source, contributing 65% to the total PFAS emissions. The Han and Nakdong Rivers were the primary contaminated rivers, receiving 89% of the total PFAS discharge from WWTPs. The results and methodologies in this study can be useful to establish a management policy for PFASs.

Nontarget screening using passive air and water sampling with a level II fugacity model to identify unregulated environmental contaminants.

It is thought that there are many unregulated anthropogenic chemicals in the environment. For risk assessment of chemicals, it is essential to estimate the predicted environmental concentrations. As an effort of identifying residual organic contaminants in air and water in Korea, nontarget screening using two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) was conducted at 10 sites using polyurethane foam passive air sampler and at 6 sites using polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) passive water sampler in three different seasons in 2014. More than 600 chemical peaks were identified satisfying the identification criteria in air and water samples, respectively, providing a list for further investigation. Chemical substances with reported national emission rates in 2014 (n=149) were also screened for potential existence in the environment using a level II fugacity model. Most of chemical substances classified as not detectable were not identified with detection frequency greater than 20% by nontarget screening, indicating that a simple equilibrium model has a strong potential to be used to exclude chemicals that are not likely to remain in the environment after emissions from targeted monitoring.

Tracking SVOCs' Transfer from Products to Indoor Air and Settled Dust with Deuterium-Labeled Substances.

Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) can be released from products and distributed in the indoor environment, including air and dust. However, the mechanisms and the extent of substance transfer into air and dust are not well understood. Therefore, in a small-scale field study the transfer of nine SVOCs was investigated: Four artificial consumer products were doped with eight deuterium-labeled plasticizers (phthalates and adipates) and installed in five homes to investigate the emission processes of evaporation, abrasion, and direct transfer. Intentional release was studied with a commercial spray containing a pyrethroid. During the 12 week study, indoor air and settled dust samples were collected and analyzed. On the basis of our measurement results, we conclude that the octanol-air partitioning coefficient Koa is a major determinant for the substance transfer into either air or dust: A high Koa implies that the substance is more likely to be found in dust than in air. The emission process also plays a role: For spraying, we found higher dust and air concentrations than for evaporation. In contrast, apartment parameters like air exchange rate or temperature had just a minor influence. Another important mechanistic finding was that although transfer from product to dust currently is postulated to be mostly mediated by air, direct transport from product to dust on the product surface was also observed.

International Classification of Diseases 10th edition-based disability adjusted life years for measuring of burden of specific injury.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10th edition injury code-based disability-adjusted life year (DALY) to measure the burden of specific injuries. METHODS: Three independent panels used novel methods to score disability weights (DWs) of 130 indicator codes sampled from 1,284 ICD injury codes. The DWs were interpolated into the remaining injury codes (n=1,154) to estimate DWs for all ICD injury codes. The reliability of the estimated DWs was evaluated using the test-retest method. We calculated ICD-DALYs for individual injury episodes using the DWs from the Korean National Hospital Discharge Injury Survey (HDIS, n=23,160 of 2004) database and compared them with DALY based on a global burden of disease study (GBD-DALY) regarding validation, correlation, and agreement for 32 injury categories. RESULTS: Using 130 ICD 10th edition injury indicator codes, three panels determined the DWs using the highest reliability (person trade-off 1, Spearman r=0.724, 0.788, and 0.875 for the three panel groups). The test-retest results for the reliability were excellent (Spearman r=0.932) (P<0.001). The HDIS database revealed injury burden (years) as follows: GBD-DALY (138,548), GBD-years of life disabled (130,481), and GBD-years of life lost (8,117) versus ICD-DALY (262,246), ICD-years of life disabled (255,710), and ICD-years of life lost (6,537), respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficient of the DALYs between the two methods was 0.759 (P<0.001), and the Bland-Altman test displayed an acceptable agreement, with exception of two categories among 32 injury groups. CONCLUSION: The ICD-DALY was developed to calculate the burden of injury for all injury codes and was validated with the GBD-DALY. The ICD-DALY was higher than the GBD-DALY but showed acceptable agreement.