Optimizing Reversible Exsolution and Phase Transformation in Double Perovskite Sr2Fe1.5-xCoxMo0.5O6-δ Electrodes for High-Performance Symmetric Solid Oxide Cells.

Double perovskite (DP) oxides are promising electrode materials for symmetric solid oxide cells (SSOCs) due to their excellent electrochemical activity and stability. B-site cation doping in DP oxides affects the reversibility of phase transformation and exsolution, which plays a crucial role in the catalyst recovery. Yet, few studies have been conducted on this topic. In this study, the Sr2Fe1.5-xCoxMo0.5O6-δ (CSFM, x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) DP system demonstrates modulated exsolution and phase transformation reversibility by manipulating the oxygen vacancy concentration. The correlation between Co-doping level and oxygen vacancy concentration is investigated to optimize the exsolution and phase transformation properties. Sr2Fe1.2Co0.3Mo0.5O6-δ (3CSFM) exhibits reversible transformation between DP and Ruddlesden-Popper phases with a high density of exsolved CoFe nanoparticles under redox atmospheres. The quasi-symmetric cell with 3CSFM shows a peak power density of 1.27 W cm-2 at 850 °C in H2 fuel cell mode and a current density of 2.33 A cm-2 at 1.6 V and 800 °C in H2O electrolysis mode. The 3CSFM electrode exhibits robust stability during continuous operation for ≈700 h. These results demonstrate the significant role of B-site doping in designing DP materials capable of dynamic phase transformation in diverse environments.

Effect of biologic therapies on quality of life in severe asthma: Findings from the PRISM study.

Background: Anti-type 2 (T2) biologic therapies (biologics) improve exacerbation rates, lung function, and asthma-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with severe T2 asthma. However, studies comparing different biologics are lacking. We evaluated the QoL in patients with severe asthma comprehensively and compare the efficacy of different T2-directed biologics using QoL questionnaires. Methods: We compared the QoL between severe and mild-to-moderate asthma and between severe asthma with and without biologics treatment. Data of mild-to-moderate were extracted from the Cohort for Reality and Evolution of Adult Asthma in Korea, and data of severe asthma were collected from the Precision Medicine Intervention in Severe Asthma. We included 183 patients with severe asthma treated with T2 biologics or conventional therapy between April 2020 and May 2021 and assessed QoL of them using the Questionnaire for Adult Korean Asthmatics (QLQAKA), Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ), and EuroQoL-5Dimensions (EQ-5D) at baseline and 6 months. Results: The EQ-5D index (0.803) of severe asthma was lower than that of other chronic diseases representing a worse QoL. The scores for all questions of QLQAKA, except "cough," were lower (less control) in the severe asthma group than in the mild-to-moderate asthma group at baseline and 6 months (P < 0.05). The total scores and subscores of all domains of the QLQAKA, SAQ, and EQ-5D improved significantly 6 months after biologic therapy but not after conventional therapy. The total QLQAKA, SAQ, and EQ-5D scores improved after 6 months in the anti-IL-5 (P < 0.05) and anti-IL-4/IL-13 (P < 0.05) treatment groups with no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: QoL was worse in severe asthma than in mild-to-moderate asthma and other chronic diseases. T2 biologics equally improved QoL in patients with severe asthma.

Challenging Dogmas in Plastic Surgery.

In medicine, dogmas are subject to evolution and refinement as new research and technologies emerge. The aim of this study was to search for dogmas which were challenged and potentially revised in the plastic surgery field. A search on PubMed for "dogma and plastic surgery" yielded 80 papers. The queries "surgical dogma and craniofacial surgery" and "surgical dogma and flap" returned 9 and 21 papers, respectively. "Surgical dogma and hand" and "surgical dogma and wound healing" produced 41 and 25 papers, respectively. Removing 35 duplicate papers, 141 abstracts were reviewed. Of these, 78 were excluded, leaving 63 papers for analysis. The dogmas being challenged within the field of plastic surgery were classified into various categories. The distribution of these challenged dogmas was as follows: wound healing: 14.29%, epinephrine use: 9.52%, flap surgery: 7.94%, breast reconstruction: 6.35%, rhinoplasty: 7.94%, hand surgery: 4.76%, pressure sores: 4.76%, chemical peel: 4.76%, and hand injuries: 3.17%. The widespread focus on improving wound healing techniques indicates a need for more effective treatments and faster recovery times. Significant attention has been directed toward the use of epinephrine, particularly in fingers, which may reflect ongoing debates about its safety. Innovations and improvements in flap surgery could lead to better reconstructive outcomes. Challenging existing dogma is a vital process and a driving force in the advancement of clinical science. These challenges and potential revisions reflect the dynamic nature of plastic surgery, where ongoing research, patient outcomes, and evolving societal norms drive continuous improvement and adaptation in practices and principles.

Prognostic factors and clinical outcomes in Fournier's Gangrene: a retrospective study of 35 patients.

BACKGROUND: Fournier's gangrene is a severe form of infectious necrotizing fasciitis affecting the perineum, perianal, and genital areas; it is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Hence, it is important to identify prognostic factors that can predict clinical outcomes and guide treatment strategies. Thus, our study aimed to analyze patient characteristics and determine prognostic factors affecting clinical outcomes in Fournier's gangrene. METHODS: This retrospective study involved examining medical records spanning 18 years for patients with Fournier's gangrene at our institution. Considering the exclusion criteria, data from 35 patients were included in this study. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age of the patients showed no statistically significant difference between the survivor and non-survivor groups. The Charlson Comorbidity Index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score were not significantly different between the two groups. Notably, the initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was significantly higher in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 17.1%. Moreover, the prevalence of multidrug resistant bacterial infection was markedly higher in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group. Coagulation dysfunction was significantly more prevalent in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group, and had the most significant impact on in-hospital mortality. A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified multidrug resistant bacterial infection to be independently associated with high in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Coagulation dysfunction and multidrug resistant bacterial infection were identified as independent negative prognostic factors, highlighting the need for prompt monitoring and proactive strategies against Fournier's gangrene.

Missing a Lipiodol-laden hepatocellular carcinoma?: Silent iatrogenic hepatoduodenal fistula after transarterial chemoembolization: a case report.

RATIONALE: Owing to the abundant collateral blood supply to the duodenum, the development of a hepatoduodenal fistula after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an extremely rare complication that usually requires hospitalization and intensive medical intervention. Here, we report a case of a silent hepatoduodenal fistula following TACE. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 74-year-old man with a history of alcoholic liver cirrhosis and type 2 diabetes. He had undergone a partial hepatectomy due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 7 years ago. In addition, he had undergone 4 TACEs for the treatment of recurrent HCCs but still had a viable tumor in S4b of the liver, which abuts the duodenal 1st portion. DIAGNOSES: HCC. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent a 5th TACE and was discharged from the hospital without major adverse events. OUTCOMES: Follow-up computed tomography scans showed a 2 cm-sized air cavity instead of a compact Lipiodol-laden tumor in S4b, which had shrunk over time. The patient had experienced a fluctuating nonspecific mild fever for 3 months, with improvements in symptoms and laboratory findings following conservative treatment alone. LESSONS: Hepatic fistulas may arise following TACE for HCCs near the gastrointestinal tract and may be present with nonspecific symptoms. This case suggests that increased efforts should be directed toward achieving selective embolization when treating HCC adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract, with close monitoring required after treatment.

Association between personality, lifestyle behaviors, and cardiovascular diseases in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a population-based cohort study of UK Biobank data.

INTRODUCTION: Various strategies aim to better assess risks and refine prevention for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who vary in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the prognostic value of personality and its association with lifestyle factors remain elusive. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We identified 8794 patients with T2DM from the UK Biobank database between 2006 and 2010 and followed them up until the end of 2021. We assessed personality traits using the Big Five proxies derived from UK Biobank data: sociability, warmth, diligence, curiosity, and nervousness. Healthy lifestyle behaviors were determined from information about obesity, smoking status, and physical activity. The primary outcome was a composite of incident CVD, including myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke (IS), atrial fibrillation (AF), and heart failure (HF). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 13.6 years, a total of 2110 patients experienced CVDs. Among personality traits, diligence was significantly associated with a reduced risk of primary and secondary outcomes. The adjusted HRs with 95% CIs were: composite CVD, 0.93 (0.89-0.97); MI 0.90 (0.82-1.00); IS 0.83 (0.74-0.94); AF 0.92 (0.85-0.98); HF 0.84 (0.76-0.91). Healthy lifestyle behaviors significantly reduced the risk of composite CVDs in groups with high and low diligence. The findings of a structural equation model showed that diligence directly affected the risk of the primary outcome or indirectly by modifying lifestyle behaviors. CONCLUSION: This study revealed which personality traits can influence CVD risk during T2DM and how patients might benefit from adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors in relation to personality.

Oral administration enhances directly mucosal immune system in intestine of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus).

Aquaculture is notably vulnerable to diseases, with Edwardsiella tarda causing significant mortality across various commercially important fish species in both freshwater and marine environments. In the aquaculture industry, sustainable disease control hinges on the effective development of vaccines. Oral vaccines present an appealing approach to immunization in fish due to their ease of antigen administration, reduced stress compared to non-oral delivery methods, and their potential applicability to both small and large finfish species. In mammals, the exposure of mucosal surfaces to antigens results in the secretion of antigen-specific IgA at these locations. Mammals have a common mucosal immune system, in which stimulation of one epithelium can also give rise to specific IgA or IgM responses in other mucosal organs. Mucosal immunoglobulins are particularly important in developing vaccines that provide mucosal immunity. However, it remains unclear whether fish share a common mucosal system. Moreover, neither Peyer's patches nor intestinal lymph nodes were identified. Nevertheless, oral vaccination remains an attractive method for inducing immunity. We investigated whether the activation of the mucosal immune response was induced by direct injection of the antigen. After oral antigen administration, antigen-specific antibody titers increased in the experimental group (E. tarda FKC vaccine). In the challenge experiment, the cumulative survival rate was 72% (E. tarda). This suggests that oral administration of antigens can activate intestinal mucosal immunity in flounders. Additionally, these results help understand the intestinal mucosal immune system of teleost fish. In the future, research on the signaling mechanisms of these genes is expected to provide helpful information for developing vaccine adjuvants.

Magnetically responsive micro-clustered calcium phosphate-reinforced cell-laden microbead sodium alginate hydrogel for accelerated osteogenic tissue regeneration.

The rising prevalence of bone injuries has increased the demand for minimally invasive treatments. Microbead hydrogels, renowned for cell encapsulation, provide a versatile substrate for bone tissue regeneration. They deliver bioactive agents, support cell growth, and promote osteogenesis, aiding bone repair and regeneration. In this study, we synthesized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Sp) coated with a calcium phosphate layer (m-Sp), achieving a distinctive flower-like micro-cluster morphology. Subsequently, sodium alginate (SA) microbead hydrogels containing m-Sp (McSa@m-Sp) were fabricated using a dropping gelation strategy. McSa@m-Sp is magnetically targetable, enhance cross-linking, control degradation rates, and provide strong antibacterial activity. Encapsulation studies with MC3T3-E1 cells revealed enhanced viability and proliferation. These studies also indicated significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells, as confirmed by Alizarin Red S (ARS) and Von Kossa staining, along with increased collagen production within the McSa@m-Sp microbead hydrogels. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and gene expression studies supported the osteoinductive potential of McSa@m-Sp, showing increased expression of osteogenic markers including RUNX-2, collagen-I, osteopontin, and osteocalcin. Thus, McSa@m-Sp microbead hydrogels offer a promising strategy for multifunctional scaffolds in bone tissue engineering.

Angiogenic factor-driven improvement of refractory thin endometrium with autologous platelet-rich plasma intrauterine infusion in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Objective: A beneficial effect on endometrial thickness (EMT) and improvement of pregnancy outcome after intrauterine infusion of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been suggested. This study assessed the effect of intrauterine PRP infusion on live birth rate and obstetrical outcomes and analyzed cytokines that can potentially improve pregnancy outcomes through PRP. Method: This study was a prospective cohort study conducted in a university hospital fertility center. The study included ninety-one patients who had a history of two or more failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts and refractory thin endometrium that remained unresponsive after at least two conventional treatments for thin endometrium. Patients were treated with an intrauterine infusion of autologous PRP between days 7 and 14 of their hormone replacement therapy-frozen embryo transfer (HRT-FET) cycle. PRP was administered at 3-day intervals until their EMT reached 7mm. After a maximum of three PRP administrations, embryo transfer (ET) was performed. The primary outcome was the live birth rate. Secondary outcomes included the implantation rate and increase in EMT compared to the previous cycle. We compared the cytokines related to angiogenesis in a patient's whole blood (WB) and PRP by utilizing a commercial screening kit. Results: The live birth rate in the PRP treatment cycle was 20.9% (19 of 91 patients), significantly superior to the previous cycle without PRP infusion (p < 0.001). The implantation rate was also significantly higher during the PRP treatment cycle (16.4%) compared to the previous cycle (3.1%) (p < 0.001). The mean EMT post-PRP treatment was 6.1 mm, showing a significant increase of 0.8 mm (p < 0.001). Nonetheless, an increase in EMT was also observed in the non-pregnancy group. No adverse effects were reported by patients treated with autologous PRP. Cytokine array analysis confirmed marked increases in well-known pro-angiogenic factors such as Ang-1, EGF, LAP (TGF-b1), MMP-8, PDGF-AA, and PDGF-AB/PDGF-BB. Conclusion: Intrauterine PRP infusion offers a safe and effective treatment for patients with refractory thin endometrium and implantation failures. The angiogenic cytokines present in PRP are the primary drivers of this improvement.

Isolation and characterization of IgG3 glycan-targeting antibodies with exceptional cross-reactivity for diverse viral families.

Broadly reactive antibodies that target sequence-diverse antigens are of interest for vaccine design and monoclonal antibody therapeutic development because they can protect against multiple strains of a virus and provide a barrier to evolution of escape mutants. Using LIBRA-seq (linking B cell receptor to antigen specificity through sequencing) data for the B cell repertoire of an individual chronically infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), we identified a lineage of IgG3 antibodies predicted to bind to HIV-1 Envelope (Env) and influenza A Hemagglutinin (HA). Two lineage members, antibodies 2526 and 546, were confirmed to bind to a large panel of diverse antigens, including several strains of HIV-1 Env, influenza HA, coronavirus (CoV) spike, hepatitis C virus (HCV) E protein, Nipah virus (NiV) F protein, and Langya virus (LayV) F protein. We found that both antibodies bind to complex glycans on the antigenic surfaces. Antibody 2526 targets the stem region of influenza HA and the N-terminal domain (NTD) region of SARS-CoV-2 spike. A crystal structure of 2526 Fab bound to mannose revealed the presence of a glycan-binding pocket on the light chain. Antibody 2526 cross-reacted with antigens from multiple pathogens and displayed no signs of autoreactivity. These features distinguish antibody 2526 from previously described glycan-reactive antibodies. Further study of this antibody class may aid in the selection and engineering of broadly reactive antibody therapeutics and can inform the development of effective vaccines with exceptional breadth of pathogen coverage.

Contemporary Statistics of Acute Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack in 2021: Insights From the CRCS-K-NIH Registry.

This report presents the latest statistics on the stroke population in South Korea, sourced from the Clinical Research Collaborations for Stroke in Korea-National Institute for Health (CRCS-K-NIH), a comprehensive, nationwide, multicenter stroke registry. The Korean cohort, unlike western populations, shows a male-to-female ratio of 1.5, attributed to lower risk factors in Korean women. The average ages for men and women are 67 and 73 years, respectively. Hypertension is the most common risk factor (67%), consistent with global trends, but there is a higher prevalence of diabetes (35%) and smoking (21%). The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (19%) is lower than in western populations, suggesting effective prevention strategies in the general population. A high incidence of large artery atherosclerosis (38%) is observed, likely due to prevalent intracranial arterial disease in East Asians and advanced imaging techniques. There has been a decrease in intravenous thrombolysis rates, from 12% in 2017-2019 to 10% in 2021, with no improvements in door-to-needle and door-to-puncture times, worsened by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. While the use of aspirin plus clopidogrel for non-cardioembolic stroke and direct oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation is well-established, the application of direct oral anticoagulants for non-atrial fibrillation cardioembolic strokes in the acute phase requires further research. The incidence of early neurological deterioration (13%) and the cumulative incidence of recurrent stroke at 3 months (3%) align with global figures. Favorable outcomes at 3 months (63%) are comparable internationally, yet the lack of improvement in dependency at 3 months highlights the need for advancements in acute stroke care.

Efficacy and safety of inflator-monitored balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration for gastric varices.

PURPOSE: To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of inflator-monitored balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (ImBRTO) in detecting balloon rupture and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ImBRTO in treating gastric varices. METHODS: Between June 2018 and June 2024, 31 consecutive patients (age: 61.7 ± 12.4 years; male 20, female 11) underwent ImBRTO for gastric varices. An occlusion balloon was inflated with an inflation device to monitor for balloon rupture during sclerosing, maintaining the balloon inflation for at least 3 h. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100%. The incidence of balloon rupture was 6.5% (2/31), both diagnosed by a pressure drop in the inflation device. In one of the two patients, catheter replacement and an additional injection of a sclerosing agent were required due to early balloon rupture (< 3 h). Clinical success and complete elimination of gastric varices were achieved in all cases. No procedure-related complications were observed. There were no cases of recurrent variceal bleeding at the end of the follow-up (median: 5.2 months). CONCLUSION: ImBRTO proves to be an effective and safe technique for treating gastric varices. The real-time monitoring of balloon integrity allows for timely decisions, resulting in excellent clinical outcomes.

Efficient Deep-Blue Light-Emitting Diodes Through Decoupling of Colloidal Perovskite Quantum Dots.

Metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have exceptional color purity but designs that emit deep-blue color with high efficiency have not been fully achieved and become more difficult in the thin film of confined perovskite colloidal quantum dots (PeQDs) due to particle interaction. Here it is demonstrated that electronic coupling and energy transfer in PeQDs induce redshift in the emission by PeQD film, and consequently hinder deep-blue emission. To achieve deep-blue emission by avoiding electronic coupling and energy transfer, a QD-in-organic solid solution is introduced to physically separate the QDs in the film. This physical separation of QDs reduces the interaction between them yielding a blueshift of ≈7 nm in the emission spectrum. Moreover, using a hole-transporting organic molecule with a deep-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (≈6.0 eV) as the organic matrix, the formation of exciplex emission is suppressed. As a result, an unprecedently high maximum external quantum efficiency of 6.2% at 462 nm from QD-in-organic solid solution film in PeLEDs is achieved, which satisfies the deep-blue color coordinates of CIEy < 0.06. This work suggests an important material strategy to deepen blue emission without reducing the particle size to <≈4 nm.

Validation of Claims-Based Frailty Index for Identifying Moderate-to-Severe Dementia in Medicare Beneficiaries.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research using the National Health and Aging Trends Study showed that a claims-based frailty index (CFI) could be useful for identifying moderate-to-severe dementia in Medicare claims data. This study aims to validate the findings in an independent cohort. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The study included 658 fee-for-service beneficiaries with dementia who participated in the 2016-2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey in the community-dwelling. METHODS: We operationalized the Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST) scale (range: 1-7, stages 5-7 indicate moderate-to-severe dementia) using survey information. CFI (range: 0-1, higher scores indicate greater frailty) was calculated using Medicare claims 12 months before the participants' interview date. Using the previously proposed cut point of 0.280, we calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for identifying moderate-to-severe dementia. Survey procedures were used to account for survey design and weighted to reflect national estimates. RESULTS: The population had a mean age (SD) of 80.7 (8.9) years, 58.5% female, and 101 beneficiaries (14.8%) had moderate-to-severe dementia. The CFI cut point of 0.280 demonstrated sensitivity 0.49 (95% CI, 0.38-0.59), specificity 0.80 (0.77-0.84), PPV 0.30 (0.23-0.38), and NPV 0.90 (0.87-0.93). Compared with those with a CFI <0.280, beneficiaries with a CFI ≥0.280 had an elevated risk of mortality (2.9% vs 4.1%) over 1 year. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results confirm our previous findings that CFI among beneficiaries with a dementia diagnosis is a useful measure of moderate-to-severe dementia for Medicare claims data.

Highly conductive, stretchable, and biocompatible graphene oxide biocomposite hydrogel for advanced tissue engineering.

The importance of hydrogels in tissue engineering cannot be overemphasized due to their resemblance to the native extracellular matrix. However, natural hydrogels with satisfactory biocompatibility exhibit poor mechanical behavior, which hampers their application in stress-bearing soft tissue engineering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a double methacrylated gelatin bioink covalently linked to graphene oxide (GO) via a zero-length crosslinker, digitally light-processed (DLP) printable into 3D complex structures with high fidelity. The resultant natural hydrogel (GelGOMA) exhibits a conductivity of 15.0 S m-1as a result of the delocalization of theπ-orbital from the covalently linked GO. Furthermore, the hydrogel shows a compressive strength of 1.6 MPa, and a 2.0 mm thick GelGOMA can withstand a 1.0 kg ms-1momentum. The printability and mechanical strengths of GelGOMAs were demonstrated by printing a fish heart with a functional fluid pumping mechanism and tricuspid valves. Its biocompatibility, electroconductivity, and physiological relevance enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts and neuroblasts and the contraction of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. GelGOMA demonstrates the potential for the tissue engineering of functional hearts and wearable electronic devices.

Fam49b dampens TCR signal strength to regulate survival of positively selected thymocytes and peripheral T cells.

The fate of developing T cells is determined by the strength of T cell receptor (TCR) signal they receive in the thymus. This process is finely regulated through the tuning of positive and negative regulators in thymocytes. The Family with sequence similarity 49 member B (Fam49b) protein is a newly discovered negative regulator of TCR signaling that has been shown to suppress Rac-1 activity in vitro in cultured T cell lines. However, the contribution of Fam49b to the thymic development of T cells is unknown. To investigate this important issue, we generated a novel mouse line deficient in Fam49b (Fam49b-KO). We observed that Fam49b-KO double positive (DP) thymocytes underwent excessive negative selection, whereas the positive selection stage was unaffected. Fam49b deficiency impaired the survival of single positive thymocytes and peripheral T cells. This altered development process resulted in significant reductions in CD4 and CD8 single-positive thymocytes as well as peripheral T cells. Interestingly, a large proportion of the TCRγδ+ and CD8αα+TCRαß+ gut intraepithelial T lymphocytes were absent in Fam49b-KO mice. Our results demonstrate that Fam49b dampens thymocytes TCR signaling in order to escape negative selection during development, uncovering the function of Fam49b as a critical regulator of the selection process to ensure normal thymocyte development and peripheral T cells survival.

Lateral Piezoelectricity of Alzheimer's Aß Aggregates.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly aged over 65. The extracellular accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aß) aggregates in the brain is considered as the major event worsening the AD symptoms, but its underlying reason has remained unclear. Here the piezoelectric characteristics of Aß aggregates are revealed. The vector piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) analysis results exhibit that Aß fibrils have spiraling piezoelectric domains along the length and a lateral piezoelectric constant of 44.1 pC N-1. Also, the continuous sideband Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) images display that the increment of charge-induced surface potential on a single Aß fibril is allowed to reach above +1700 mV in response to applied forces. These findings shed light on the peculiar mechano-electrical surface properties of pathological Aß fibrils that exceed those of normal body components.

Extracts of Phlomoides umbrosa Turczaninow alleviate allergic airway inflammation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and ovalbumin-induced hyper-responsiveness mouse model.

Phlomoides umbrosa Turczaninow (PU), a traditional Korean medicinal herb, exhibits osteogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. This research explored the effect of PU extracts on hyperimmune responses within the respiratory tract using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and an ovalbumin-induced hyper-responsiveness model. The inflammatory cytokines, protein expression linked to airway inflammation, antioxidant enzyme activity, histopathological observation, and expectorant activity were measured. The results revealed that PU treatment led to a concentration-dependent reduction in Th2 cytokines and the expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, phosphatase-tensin homolog, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Simultaneously, antioxidant enzyme activity increased. Furthermore, PU exhibited substantial enhancements in lung tissue condition and expectorant activity relative to the allergic rhinitis-induced group. These findings indicate the potential of PU to mitigate airway inflammation and excessive mucus production by suppressing NF-κB, MAPK, and iNOS pathways. Consequently, PU emerges as a promising anti-inflammatory agent for respiratory tract applications. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-024-01521-3.

Nationwide Birth Prevalence of Crucial Congenital Heart Defects From 2014 to 2018 in Korea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A comprehensive survey of congenital heart disease (CHD) prevalence has not yet been conducted in South Korea. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CHDs in Korean children and lay the foundation for national CHD epidemiology. METHODS: Target patients were infantile crucial CHDs, which include critical CHDs (requiring urgent procedures after birth with common hypoxemic defects) and diverse categorical defects excluding simple shunt defects. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Service over a 5-year period (2014-2018). Birth prevalence (new cases per 1,000 live births) of CHDs in Korea was analyzed and compared with that of other countries. RESULTS: The birth prevalences of right heart obstructive defects (pulmonary valve stenosis and pulmonary atresia), conus anomalies (tetralogy of Fallot and double outlet right ventricle), and total anomalous pulmonary venous return showed significant increases in the East Asian group (P < 0.001), whereas those of left heart obstructive defects (coarctation of aorta, aortic stenosis, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome), truncus anomalies (D-transposition of great artery and persistent truncus arteriosus), atrioventricular septal defect, and hypoplastic right heart syndrome were significantly decreased in the East Asian group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The overall birth prevalence of crucial CHDs in Korea was similar to that of critical CHDs in previous studies from other countries. Some subtypes of right heart obstructive defects, left heart obstructive defects, and conotruncal anomalies showed significant differences between East Asian and Western populations. This study contributes to a foundation for national CHD epidemiology in Korean children.