Description of Roseibium sediminicola sp. nov. Isolated from Sediment of a Tidal Flat on the Yellow Sea Coast.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile, flagellated bacterial strain, designated as CAU 1639T, was isolated from the tidal flat sediment on the Yellow Sea in the Republic of Korea. Growth of the isolate was observed at 20-37 °C, at pH 5.0-10.5 and with 0-7% (w/v) NaCl. The genomic DNA G + C content was 60.8%. Phylogenetic analysis, grounded on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, revealed that strain CAU 1639T was closely related to species within the genus Roseibium. It shared the highest similarity with Roseibium album CECT 5095T, followed by Roseibium aggregatum IAM 12614T and Roseibium salinum Cs25T, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity ranging from 98.0-98.4%. It was observed that the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values ranged between 72.5-79.5 and 20.0-22.9%, respectively. The polyphasic taxonomic analysis reveals that strain CAU 1639T represents a novel species in the genus Roseibium with the proposed name Roseibium sediminicola sp. nov. The type strain is CAU 1639T (= KCTC 82430T = MCCC 1K06081T).

Gracilimonas sediminicola sp. nov., a moderately halotolerant bacterium isolated from seaweed sediment collected in the East Sea, Republic of Korea.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain CAU 1638T, was isolated from seaweed sediment collected in the Republic of Korea. The cells of strain CAU 1638T grew at 25-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6.0-7.0 (optimum, pH 6.5) and in the presence of 0-10% NaCl (optimum, 2 %). The cells were positive for catalase and oxidase and did not hydrolyse starch and casein. Strain CAU 1638T was most closely related to Gracilimonas amylolytica KCTC 52885T (97.7 %), followed by Gracilimonas halophila KCTC 52042T (97.4 %), Gracilimonas rosea KCCM 90206T (97.2 %), Gracilimonas tropica KCCM 90063T and Gracilimonas mengyeensis DSM 21985T (97.1 %), as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. MK-7 was the major isoprenoid quinone, and iso-C15  : 0 and C15  : 1 ω6c were the major fatty acids. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified lipids, two unidentified glycolipids and three unidentified phospholipids. The G+C content of the genome was 44.2 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain CAU 1638T and the reference strains were 73.1-73.9 % and 18.9-21.5  %, respectively. Based on its phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features, strain CAU 1638T represents a novel species of the genus Gracilimonas, for which the name Gracilimonas sediminicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1638T (=KCTC 82454T=MCCC 1K06087T).

Photoredox Selective Homocoupling of Propargyl Bromides.

Since the alkynyl moiety is one of the most versatile synthons for many other functional groups, 1,5-diynes (Wurtz-type products of propargyl halides) would be valuable synthetic building blocks for the synthesis of complex functional molecules. However, despite the high and similar reactivity of propargyl radicals compared to allyl and benzyl derivative radicals, a photoredox Wurtz-type reaction of propargyl halides has not yet been developed. In this study, we developed the visible-light-induced selective homocoupling of propargyl bromides to form 1,5-diynes. Electrochemical and photophysical experiments showed that the key propargyl radical generation involves a reductive quenching cycle of the photoexcited [Ir(III)]* photocatalyst in the presence of N,N-dicyclohexylmethylamine. The product 1,5-diyne underwent one-step conversion to the functionalized indole derivative via Rh-catalyzed coupling with N-phenylacetamide. These results indicated the high utility of the developed homocoupling method.

Proficiency versus lexical processing efficiency as a measure of L2 lexical quality: Individual differences in word-frequency effects in L2 visual word recognition.

This study investigated Korean-English second language (L2) speakers' recognition of high- and low-frequency English words and compared two individual difference measures in their role of representing lexical quality in L2: cloze test scores and inverse efficiency scores (IES; response latency corrected for the amount of errors committed), obtained from lexical decision on a separate set of words. Cloze test scores aimed to assess general L2 proficiency, whereas IES was purported to measure lexical processing efficiency. 109 adult Korean-English L2 speakers participated in the study. Results showed significant main effects of word frequency, cloze test scores, and IES on lexical decision times, replicating previous findings and confirming the predictions of the lexical quality hypothesis. Crucially, IES was revealed to be a better measure of individual differences in L2 lexical quality than were cloze test scores. These findings suggest that lexical quality (which can be operationalized in terms of online lexical processing efficiency) comprises a distinct subdomain of language skills on its own, which cannot be measured in full using conventional language proficiency tests.

Marinobacterium arenosum sp. nov., isolated from a coastal sand.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain CAU 1594T, was isolated from a coastal sand sample collected in the Republic of Korea. Cells of strain CAU 1594T grew best at 30 °C, pH 7.5, and in the presence of 1% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, indicated that strain CAU 1594T was affiliated with the genus Marinobacterium and most similar to Marinobacterium jannaschii ATCC 27135T (95.1%) and Marinobacterium stanieri ATCC 27130T (94.9%). The whole genome of strain CAU 1594T was 4,917,683 bp, including 4,188 CDSs, with a 60.4 mol% G + C content. Based on draft genome sequences, the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain CAU 1594T were within the ranges of 71.9-73.1% and 20.0-2.1%, respectively, compared to reference strains. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8, and the major fatty acids were C16:0, summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c and C16:1 ω7c), and summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω6c and C18:1 ω7c). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on these results, strain CAU 1594T represents a novel species of the genus Marinobacterium, for which the name Marinobacterium arenosum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1594T (=KCTC 82405T=MCCC 1K05672T).

Halomarinibacterium sedimenti gen. nov., sp. nov., a carotenoid pigment-producing bacterium isolated from marine sediment.

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain CAU 1614T was isolated from a marine sediment sample collected in the Republic of Korea. Optimal growth of strain CAU 1614T proceeded at 30 °C, pH 7.0, and 2% (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene similarity was lower than 94.5% with genera Aureisphaera, Marinirhabdus, Aureitalea, Gilvibacter, Ulvibacter, and Jejudonia. The highest similarity was with Aureisphaera galaxeae 04OKA003-7T (94.5%). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, iso-C15:1 G, iso-C16:0 3-OH, and iso-C17:0 3-OH and the predominant menaquinone was MK-6. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphoglycolipid, an unidentified lipid, two unidentified aminolipids, and an unidentified glycolipid. The draft genome of strain CAU 1614T was 3.9 Mb and DNA G+C content was 36.0 mol%. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genomic data, strain CAU 1614T presents a novel genus in the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Halomarinibacterium sedimenti gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1614T (= KCTC 82457T = MCCC 1K06083T).

Marinobacter arenosus sp. nov., a halotolerant bacterium isolated from a tidal flat.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacterium, designated strain CAU 1620T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Incheon, Republic of Korea. Strain CAU 1620T grew optimally at 30 °C and pH 8.0 in the presence of 6.0% (w/v) NaCl. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain CAU 1620T showed the highest similarity to Marinobacter adhaerens DSM 23420T (98.5%), followed by Marinobacter algicola DSM 16394T (98.3%) and Marinobacter maroccanus LMG 30465T (98.2%). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation values between strain CAU 1620T and related strains were estimated as 75.6-78.1% and 19.5-20.9%, respectively. The DNA G + C content based on the draft genome sequence was 59.2%, and the major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-9. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C12:0, C16:0, C18:1 ω9c, and C12:0 3OH. The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol. According to phenotypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain CAU 1620T represents a novel species of the genus Marinobacter, for which the name Marinobacter arenosus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1620T (= KCTC 82431T = MCCC 1K06079T).

Sneathiella sedimenti sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment.

A novel bacterium, designated CAU 1612T, was isolated from coastal sediment sampled in the Republic of Korea. Cells of the strain were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and motile. Optimum growth occurred at 30 °C, at pH 7.0 and with 1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain CAU 1612T belonged to the genus Sneathiella and showed highest similarity to 'Sneathiella litorea' JCM 33810T (98.5 %), followed by Sneathiella chungangensis KCTC 32476T (97.7 %), Sneathiella aquimaris KCTC 12842T (96.0 %), Sneathiella chinensis LMG 23452T (95.5 %), Sneathiella limimaris KCTC 52846T (95.5 %) and Sneathiella glossodoripedis KCTC 12842T (95.4 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain CAU 1612T were estimated to be 68.5-81.7 % and ≤23.7 %, respectively, to members of the genus Sneathiella. The DNA G+C content was 54.1 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were C16:0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c). The major menaquinone was Q-10 and the predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. On the basis of taxonomic evidence, strain CAU 1612T represents a novel species, for which the name Sneathiella sedimenti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1612T (=KCTC 82427T=MCCC 1K06082T).

Estimation of the reproduction number of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in South Korea using heterogeneous models.

BACKGROUND: The reproduction number is one of the most crucial parameters in determining disease dynamics, providing a summary measure of the transmission potential. However, estimating this value is particularly challenging owing to the characteristics of epidemic data, including non-reproducibility and incompleteness. METHODS: In this study, we propose mathematical models with different population structures; each of these models can produce data on the number of cases of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 epidemic in South Korea. These structured models incorporating the heterogeneity of age and region are used to estimate the reproduction numbers at various terminal times. Subsequently, the age- and region-specific reproduction numbers are also computed to analyze the differences illustrated in the incidence data. RESULTS: Incorporation of the age-structure or region-structure allows for robust estimation of parameters, while the basic SIR model provides estimated values beyond the reasonable range with severe fluctuation. The estimated duration of infectious period using age-structured model is around 3.8 and the reproduction number was estimated to be 1.6. The estimated duration of infectious period using region-structured model is around 2.1 and the reproduction number was estimated to be 1.4. The estimated age- and region-specific reproduction numbers are consistent with cumulative incidence for corresponding groups. CONCLUSIONS: Numerical results reveal that the introduction of heterogeneity into the population to represent the general characteristics of dynamics is essential for the robust estimation of parameters.

Reactive microglia and astrocytes in neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage model are blocked by mesenchymal stem cells.

Severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in premature infants triggers reactive gliosis, causing acute neuronal death and glial scar formation. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has often showed improved CNS recovery in an IVH model, but whether this response is related to reactive glial cells is still unclear. Herein, we suggest that MSCs impede the response of reactive microglia rather than astrocytes, thereby blocking neuronal damage. Astrocytes alone showed mild reactiveness under hemorrhagic conditions mimicked by thrombin treatment, and this was not blocked by MSC-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) in vitro. In contrast, thrombin-induced microglial activation and release of proinflammatory cytokines were inhibited by MSC-CM. Interestingly, astrocytes showed greater reactive response when co-cultured with microglia, and this was abolished in the presence of MSC-CM. Gene expression profiles in microglia revealed that transcript levels of genes for immune response and proinflammatory cytokines were altered by thrombin treatment. This result coincided with the robust phosphorylation of STAT1 and p38 MAPK, which might be responsible for the production and release of proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, application of MSC-CM diminished thrombin-mediated phosphorylation of STAT1 and p38 MAPK, supporting the acute anti-inflammatory role of MSCs under hemorrhagic conditions. In line with this, activation of microglia and consequent cytokine release were impaired in Stat1-null mice. However, reactive response in Stat1-deficient astrocytes was maintained. Taken together, our results demonstrate that MSCs mainly block the activation of microglia involving STAT1-mediated cytokine release and subsequent reduction of reactive astrocytes.

Outcomes of Adjunctive Drug-Coated Versus Uncoated Balloon after Atherectomy in Femoropopliteal Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate outcomes using drug-coated balloon (DCB) in comparison with uncoated balloon as adjunctive treatment after atherectomy for femoropopliteal artery lesions. METHODS: This single-center retrospective and prospective study included 115 patients with 126 femoropopliteal artery lesions treated with endovascular treatment using atherectomy. Of these, 58 patients received adjunctive DCB after atherectomy (group A) and 57 patients were managed with uncoated balloon after atherectomy (group B). Immediate and late clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Baseline clinical and lesion data were comparable between the 2 groups. However, group A included more uses of rotational atherectomy (43.9% vs. 1.7%, P < 0.001) or embolization protection filter (53.0% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.001), and fewer cases requiring provisional stenting (4.5% vs. 18.3%, P = 0.014). Clinical primary patency at 1 year was significantly higher in group A than in group B (76.3% vs. 61.1%, P = 0.039). There was a trend toward higher 1-year target lesion revascularization (TLR)-free survival in group A (89.8% vs. 77.9% at 1 year, P = 0.275) without statistical significance. Proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that age (hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.99, P = 0.016) and provisional stenting (HR 9.78, 95% CI 2.20-43.46, P = 0.003) were independent factors associated with restenosis after combined treatment with atherectomy and DCB. CONCLUSIONS: In femoropopliteal artery disease, the combination of atherectomy with adjunctive DCB achieved better clinical outcomes in terms of clinical primary patency compared to atherectomy plus uncoated balloon while TLR-free survival may also be improved.

Cdk5 regulates N-cadherin-dependent neuronal migration during cortical development.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) controls neuronal migration in the developing cortex when multipolar newborn neurons transform to become bipolar. However, by which mechanisms Cdk5 controls cell adhesion in migrating neurons are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the functional interaction between Cdk5 and N-cadherin (Ncad) in newborn neurons when they undergo the multipolar to bipolar transition in the intermediate zone (IZ). Detailed expression analysis revealed that both Cdk5 and Ncad were present in GFP-electroporated migrating neurons in the IZ. Misexpression of dominant negative Cdk5 into the embryonic brains stalled neuronal locomotion in the lower IZ in which arrested cells were round or multipolar. When Ncad was co-introduced with Cdk5DN, however, cells continue to migrate into the cortical plate (CP) and migrating neurons acquired typical bipolar morphology with a pia-directed leading process. Similarly, downregulation of CDK5 resulted in lesser aggregation ability, reversed by the expression of Ncad in vitro. Down-regulation of activity or protein level of CDK5 did not alter the total amount of NCAD proteins but lowered its surface expression in cells. Lastly, expression of CDK5 and NCAD overlapped in the IZ of the human fetal cortex, indicating that the role of Cdk5 and Ncad in neuronal migration is evolutionarily conserved.

Two new dammarane-type triterpene saponins from Korean red ginseng and their anti-inflammatory effects.

Panax ginseng has been the subject of extensive research on potential medicinal materials. The goal of this study was search the chemical constituents and biological activities of processed Panax ginseng, Korean red ginseng. Our efforts led to the isolation eleven compounds (1-11) including two new compounds 1 and 2 from Korean red ginseng using various chromatographic techniques. Chemical structures of isolated compounds were demonstrated by spectroscopic methods (1D-, 2D-NMR, and HR-ESI-MS). The anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds were investigated by inhibiting IL-6 and TNF-α secretion in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells. Additionally, the effects of the compounds on the expression of COX-2 and iNOS were examined by Western blotting. Compound 1 significantly reduced the level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α secretion in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells and the expression of COX-2 and iNOS inflammatory enzymes in the cells. These results suggested that compound 1, a new ginsenoside might useful in treatment of inflammation.

An interictal EEG can predict the outcome of vagus nerve stimulation therapy for children with intractable epilepsy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy and identify predictive factors for responsiveness to VNS. METHODS: Medical records of pediatric patients who underwent VNS implantation at two Korean tertiary centers were reviewed. At 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 years post-VNS implantation, the frequency of the most disabling seizures in each patient was assessed. Responders were defined as showing an overall 50 % reduction from baseline seizure frequency during follow-up. The clinical characteristics of responders and non-responders were compared. RESULTS: Among 58 patients, approximately half (29/58) were responders. The mean age at implantation was 10.9 years (range, 2.7-20.9) and the mean follow-up duration after VNS implantation was 8.4 years (range, 1-15.5). At 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 years after implantation, 43.1, 50.0, 56.9, and 58.1 % of patients exhibited ≥50 % seizure frequency reduction disabling seizures. The patients with focal or multifocal epileptiform discharges were more likely to be responders than those with generalized epileptiform activities by video or conventional EEG at the time of VNS implantation (Pearson's and χ 2 test, p = 0.001). No other clinical variables were found to be associated with seizure outcomes. Wound infections caused VNS removal in two cases. All other adverse events, including cough and hoarseness, were tolerable. CONCLUSION: VNS is a well-tolerated and effective adjuvant therapy in pediatric patients with intractable epilepsy. Notably, patients with focal epileptiform discharges alone rather than those with generalized epileptiform discharges maybe better candidates for VNS.

Changes of oxidative/antioxidative parameters and DNA damage in firefighters wearing personal protective equipment during treadmill walking training.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of personal protective equipment on the oxidant/antioxidant parameters and DNA damage in firefighters during training and recovery. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve male nonsmoking volunteer firefighters (35.1 ± 7.2 years) underwent two maximal treadmill training (9 METs, 6 km/h), within 2 weeks, one in regular clothes and one in personal protective equipment weighing 22.1 kg. Blood samples were obtained before, right after, and 40 min after training. Plasma conjugated dienes, total radical trapping antioxidant potential, erythrocytes antioxidant enzymes activities, and leukocyte DNA damage were measured. [Results] Wearing personal protective equipment during treadmill walking training resulted in increases of plasma conjugated dienes, total radical trapping antioxidant potential, and leukocyte DNA resistance to oxidative stress, which were recovered after in 40 min of rest. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes activities remained unchanged during the training either with regular clothes or personal protective equipment. [Conclusion] These results suggest that wearing personal protective equipment during firefighting work could induce oxidative stress, which was enough to produce DNA damage in leukocytes.

Strongly increased exposure of meloxicam in CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of CYP2C9*1/*3 and *3/*3 genotypes on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of meloxicam were evaluated in healthy Korean subjects. METHODS: After oral administration of 15 mg meloxicam, the plasma concentrations of meloxicam were assessed in 11 CYP2C9*1/*1 individuals, eight CYP2C9*1/*3 individuals, and three CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals. The pharmacodynamic effects were determined by measuring thromboxane B2 generated in blood. RESULTS: A nine-fold lower apparent oral clearance and an eight-fold higher AUC0-∞ of single-dose meloxicam were observed in CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals when compared with CYP2C9*1/*1 individuals. CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals also showed markedly increased inhibition of thromboxane B2 generation by meloxicam. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals may be at a higher risk for concentration-dependent adverse effects during long-term treatment with standard doses of meloxicam.

Effects of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms on atomoxetine pharmacokinetics.

Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Atomoxetine metabolism is mediated by CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of atomoxetine and its metabolites, 4-hydroxyatomoxetine and N-desmethylatomoxetine. A single 40-mg oral dose of atomoxetine was administered to 40 subjects with different CYP2C19 genotypes (all participants carried the CYP2D6*1/*10 genotype). Concentrations of atomoxetine and its metabolites were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in plasma samples that were collected up to 24 hours after drug intake. For atomoxetine, the CYP2C19 poor metabolizer (PM) group showed significantly increased maximum plasma concentration and AUC0-∞ (area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to infinity) and decreased apparent oral clearance compared with samples of the CYP2C19 extensive metabolizer (EM) and intermediate metabolizer (IM) groups (P < 0.001 for all). The half-life of atomoxetine in the CYP2C19PM group was also significantly longer than in the other genotype groups (P < 0.01 for CYP2C19EM and P < 0.05 for CYP2C19IM groups). The maximum plasma concentration and AUC 0-∞ of 4-hydroxyatomoxetine were significantly higher in the CYP2C19PM group compared with those in the CYP2C19EM and IM groups (P < 0.001 for CYP2C19EM and P < 0.05 for CYP2C19IM, respectively), whereas the corresponding values for N-desmethylatomoxetine in the CYP2C19PM group were significantly lower than those in the 2 genotype groups (P < 0.001 for both genotype groups). These results suggest that the genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C19 significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of atomoxetine.

Ursodeoxycholic acid, an inhibitor of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α, did not increase the systemic exposure of pitavastatin.

OBJECTIVE: Pitavastatin, a highly potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-methylglutarylcoenzyme A reductase, is a known substrate of OATP1B1. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) inhibits OATP1B1 expression by repressing hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF1α). Thus, the effects of UDCA on the pharmacokinetics of pitavastatin were investigated in healthy subjects. METHODS: An open-label, 2-phase, parallel study was conducted with 13 healthy volunteers. In the control phase, after an overnight fast, each subject received a single dose of 2 mg pitavastatin. After a 1-week washout period, in the UDCA phase, subjects received a daily oral dose of 600 mg of UDCA (300 mg b.i.d.) for 14 days. On day 15, 2 mg of pitavastatin was administered as described previously for the control phase. RESULTS: In the UDCA phase, the maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) of pitavastatin was slightly higher than in the control phase (48.6 ± 22.9 ng/mL vs. 42.4 ± 16.1 ng/mL). However, the overall pharmacokinetic parameters of pitavastatin and pitavastatin lactone during the two study phases were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: UDCA had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of pitavastatin. These results do not support the notion that UDCA increases the systemic exposure of OATP1B1 substrate by inhibiting HNF1α and decreasing OATP1B1 transporter expression.

Electrochemical production of hydroxylamine from nitrate on metal electrodes: A comparative study of selectivity and efficiency.

Despite the great potential of electrochemical nitrate reduction as a hydroxylamine production method, this strategy has not been sufficiently examined, and the effects of electrode material type on the selectivity and efficiency of this reduction remain underexplored. To bridge this gap, the present study evaluated six metals (Ag, Cu, Ni, Sn, Ti, and Zn) as cathode materials for the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to hydroxylamine, showing that the selectivity of hydroxylamine production was maximal for Sn, while the corresponding faradaic and energy utilization efficiencies were maximal for Ti. Although all tested materials favored nitrate reduction over hydrogen evolution, the disparity in the onset potentials of these reactions did not adequately explain the variations in nitrate removal efficiency, which was found to be influenced by material resistance and charge-transfer properties. The rate constants of elementary nitrate reduction steps determined from the time-dependent concentrations of nitrate and its reduction products (nitrous acid, hydroxylamine, and ammonium) were used to calculate the selectivity and efficiency of hydroxylamine production for each electrode. In turn, these selectivities and efficiencies were correlated with the density functional theory-computed adsorption energies of a key hydroxylamine precursor on different electrodes to afford a volcano-type plot with Ti and Sn at its pinnacle. Thus, this study introduces valuable descriptors and methods for the further screening of electrocatalysts for hydroxylamine generation and the establishment of more environmentally friendly hydroxylamine production techniques utilizing sustainable electricity.