Evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contents in marine products in South Korea and risk assessment using the total diet study.

This study investigated levels of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH8) compounds in both raw and processed marine products in South Korea. Katsuobushi exhibited the highest concentration of benzo[a]pyrene, at 14.22 µg/kg, exceeding the European Commission's regulation level of 5.0 µg/kg. The total PAH8 concentration in katsuobushi was 220.5 µg/kg. Among the product categories, shellfish had the highest detection rate (70%), followed by fish (19%) and crustacea (8%), with chrysene being the most prominent PAH8 congener in all marine products. Grilled fish predominantly contained pyrogenic PAHs from combustion byproducts, while shellfish primarily contained petrogenic ones from the aquatic environment. Grilling, smoking, and drying processes significantly contributed to the formation of PAH8 in these food products. Based on the results of a risk assessment using a margin of exposure approach through a total diet study, exposure to PAH8 from marine products is considered to pose low concern to the South Korean population. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01491-y.

Methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1/RAGE axis induces renal oxidative stress and renal fibrosis in vitro and in vivo.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are important contributors to the progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD), including renal fibrosis. Although the relationship between AGEs and renal fibrosis has been well studied, the mechanisms of individual AGE-induced renal injury remain poorly understood. This study investigated the adverse effect of methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1), a methylglyoxal (MG)-derived AGE generated by the glycation of MG and arginine residues, on kidney damage. We aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of MG-H1-mediated renal injury and fibrosis, focusing on the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) signaling and its effects on the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, MAPK pathway, and inflammatory responses. Our results suggest that the MG-H1/RAGE axis plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of CKD and its downstream events involving MAPK kinase-related factors and inflammatory factors. MG-H1 treatment modulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß) and MAPK proteins (ERK1/2, JNK, and p38).

Identifying high-risk factors and mitigation strategies for acrylamide formation in air-fried lotus root chips: Impact of cooking parameters, including temperature, time, presoaking, and seasoning.

This study was conducted to identify high-risk factors and mitigation strategies for acrylamide formation in air-fried lotus root chips by studying the impact of various cooking parameters, including temperature, time, presoaking, and pre-seasoning treatments. The temperature and time had a surprisingly high impact on acrylamide formation. The chips prepared at high temperatures with longer cooking times contained an extremely high acrylamide content, reaching 12,786 ng/g (e.g., 170°C/19 min). A particularly concerning discovery was that the chips with extremely high acrylamide content (up to 17 times higher than the EU benchmark level for potato chips) did not appear overcooked or taste burnt. Higher cooking temperatures required shorter cooking times to properly cook lotus root chips for consumption. A high temperature with a short cooking time (170°C/13 min) greatly benefited acrylamide reduction compared to low temperature with a long cooking time (150°C/19 min). Presoaking in a 0.1% acetic acid solution and pre-seasoning with 1% salt reduced acrylamide levels by 61% and 47%, respectively. However, presoaking in water, vinegar solution, and citric acid solution did not significantly decrease the acrylamide content in the chips. Furthermore, some seasonings significantly increased acrylamide levels (up to 7.4 times higher). For the first time, these findings underscore the high risks associated with air-frying lotus root chips without considering these factors. This study also provides proper air-frying parameters and pretreatment strategies for minimizing acrylamide formation in air-fried lotus chips.

Lactococcus lactis KF140 Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by Nε-Carboxymethyl-Lysine and High-Fat Diet.

SCOPE: Long-term consumption of excessive dietary advanced glycation end-products such as Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), which are produced by the Maillard reaction during food thermal processing, leads to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) along with high fat consumption. The study previously finds that administration of Lactococcus lactis KF140 (LL-KF140) detoxifies CML by decreasing CML absorption both in a rat model and clinical trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present study evaluates the ameliorative effect of LL-KF140 on NAFLD and fatty liver-related biomarkers in a mouse model induced by CML and high fat. LL-KF140 is orally administered to mice at a concentration of 1 × 107 or 1 × 108 colony-forming unit (CFU) per mouse for 8 weeks. LL-KF140 administration ameliorates the NAFLD-related symptoms by reducing body weight and fat mass gain along with levels of serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transferase, and lipids as well as glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in CML-treated mice. In addition, histological analysis including staining and western blotting shows that LL-KF140 suppresses the lipogenesis pathway and CML absorption, thereby suppressing CML-induced NAFLD. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that LL-KF140 attenuates dietary CML-induced NAFLD by suppressing the de novo lipogenesis pathway, and it may be used as a probiotic strain.

Evaluation of the root dentin bond strength and intratubular biomineralization of a premixed calcium aluminate-based hydraulic bioceramic endodontic sealer.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the dentin bonding strength and biomineralization effect of a recently developed premixed calcium aluminate-based endodontic sealer (Dia-Root Bio Sealer) in comparison with existing calcium silicate-based sealers. METHODS: The root canals of 80 mandibular premolars were filled with Dia-Root Bio Sealer, Endoseal MTA, EndoSequence BC Sealer, and AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer. Medial and apical specimens were then obtained by sectioning. The push-out bond strength was measured using the medial specimens, and the failure mode was recorded. Intratubular biomineralization in the apical specimens was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The push-out bond strength of Dia-Root Bio Sealer was significantly higher than that of the other tested materials, and a cohesive failure pattern was observed in all groups. Dia-Root Bio Sealer also exhibited a significantly higher degree of biomineralization than the other groups, and EDS analysis indicated that the biomineralized precipitates were amorphous calcium phosphate. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that Dia-Root Bio Sealer has the potential to be used as an adequate root canal sealer due to its favorable bonding performance.

Effect of air-frying on formation and correlations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acrylamide, and heterocyclic aromatic amines in foods and risk assessment.

The levels of acrylamide (AA), four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4), and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in 184 air-fried agricultural, fishery, and animal products were measured using GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS. Among the tested samples, sea algae exhibited the highest levels of PAH4 and eight specific HAAs (HAA8), while root and tuber crops had the greatest amount of AA. Agricultural and fisheries products had higher levels of all three contaminants, while livestock products had an inverse correlation between PAH4 and HAA8. The margin of exposure in the Korean population is considered "unlikely a concern" for all samples for PAH4 and HAA8, however, that for AA in cereal, vegetable, and root and tuber crops is deemed "may be a concern", with a value < 10,000 in all age groups. These findings suggest a need to evaluate dietary AA exposure in certain food categories and further research to minimize AA formation during air frying. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-024-01639-4.

Analysis of Vaccenic and Elaidic acid in foods using a silver ion cartridge applied to GC × GC-TOFMS.

Background: Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are unsaturated fatty acids, with vaccenic acid (VA) and elaidic acid (EA) being the major constituents. While VA has been associated with beneficial effects on health and anti-cancer properties, EA is found in hardened vegetable oils and is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a novel method for the quantitative measurement of VA and EA, aiming to accurately analyze individual TFA and apply it for the assessment of products containing TFAs. Methods: The ratio of VA to EA (V/E ratio) was evaluated using a silver ion cartridge (SIC) solid phase extraction method removing cis-fatty acids (cis-FAs). Additionally, comparative analysis of the V/E ratio was conducted by the two methods (SIC treatment and untreated) using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS). Results: The removal efficiency of cis-FAs was greater than 97.8%. However, the total TFA contents were not so different from SIC treatment. Moreover, this approach not only allowed for a more precise determination of the V/E ratio but also revealed a significant distinction between natural trans fatty acids (N-TFAs) and hydrogenated trans fatty acids (H-TFAs). Conclusion: Therefore, the SIC coupled to the GC × GC-TOFMS presented in this study could be applied to discriminate N-TFA and H-TFA contents in dairy and fatty foods.

Effects of dodecacalcium hepta-aluminate content on the setting time, compressive strength, alkalinity, and cytocompatibility of tricalcium silicate cement

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of dodecacalcium hepta-aluminate (C12A7) content on some physicochemical properties and cytocompatibility of tricalcium silicate (C3S) cement using human dental pulp cells (hDPCs). Material and Methods High purity C3S cement was manufactured by a solid phase method. C12A7 was mixed with the cement in proportions of 0, 5, 8, and 10 wt% (C12A7-0, −5, −8, and −10, respectively). Physicochemical properties including initial setting time, compressive strength, and alkalinity were evaluated. Cytocompatibility was assessed with cell viability tests and cell number counts. Statistical analysis was performed by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (p<0.05). Results The initial setting time of C3S-based cement was shorter in the presence of C12A7 (p<0.05). After 1 day, C12A7-5 showed significantly higher compressive strength than the other groups (p<0.05). After 7 days, the compressive strength of C12A7-5 was similar to that of C12A7-0, whereas other groups showed strength lower than C12A7-0. The pH values of all tested groups showed no significant differences after 1 day (p>0.05). The C12A7-5 group showed similar cell viability to the C12A7-0 group (p>0.05), while the other experimental groups showed lower values compared to C12A7-0 group (p<0.05). The number of cells grown on the C12A7-5 specimen was higher than that on C12A7-8 and −10 (p<0.05). Conclusions The addition of C12A7 to C3S cement at a proportion of 5% resulted in rapid initial setting time and higher compressive strength with no adverse effects on cytocompatibility.

Effects of epicatechin, a crosslinking agent, on human dental pulp cells cultured in collagen scaffolds

ABSTRACT Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological effects of epicatechin (ECN), a crosslinking agent, on human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) cultured in collagen scaffolds. Material and Method To evaluate the effects of ECN on the proliferation of hDPCs, cell counting was performed using optical and fluorescent microscopy. Measurements of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red staining, and real-time polymerase chain reactions were performed to assess odontogenic differentiation. The compressive strength and setting time of collagen scaffolds containing ECN were measured. Differential scanning calorimetry was performed to analyze the thermal behavior of collagen in the presence of ECN. Results Epicatechin increased ALP activity, mineralized nodule formation, and the mRNA expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), a specific odontogenic-related marker. Furthermore, ECN upregulated the expression of DSPP in hDPCs cultured in collagen scaffolds. Epicatechin activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the treatment with an ERK inhibitor (U0126) blocked the expression of DSPP. The compressive strength was increased and the setting time was shortened in a dose-dependent manner. The number of cells cultured in the ECN-treated collagen scaffolds was significantly increased compared to the cells in the untreated control group. Conclusions Our results revealed that ECN promoted the proliferation and differentiation of hDPCs. Furthermore, the differentiation was regulated by the ERK signaling pathway. Changes in mechanical properties are related to cell fate, including proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, our study suggests the ECN treatment might be desirable for dentin-pulp complex regeneration.