Carbon-based nanocomposites for biomedical applications.

Carbon nanomaterials have attracted significant attention in the biomedical field, including for biosensing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. Based on their inherent properties such as their unique structure and high conductivity, carbon nanomaterials can overcome the current limitations in biomedical research such as poor stability of biomolecules, low sensitivity and selectivity of biosensors, and difficulty in precise drug delivery. In addition, recently, several novel nanomaterials have been integrated with carbon nanomaterials to develop carbon-based nanocomposites for application in biomedical research. In this review, we discuss recent studies on carbon-based nanocomposites and their biomedical applications. First, we discuss the representative carbon nanomaterials and nanocomposites composed of carbon and other novel nanomaterials. Next, applications of carbon nanomaterials and nanocomposites in the biomedical field are discussed according to topics in the biomedical field. We have discussed the recent studies on biosensors, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. In conclusion, we believe that this review provides the potential and applicability of carbon nanomaterials and their nanocomposites and suggests future directions of the application of carbon-based nanocomposites in biomedical applications.

Drug Evaluation of Parkinson's Disease Patient-Derived Midbrain Organoids Using Mesoporous Au Nanodot-Patterned 3D Concave Electrode.

Brain organoids are being recognized as valuable tools for drug evaluation in neurodegenerative diseases due to their similarity to the human brain's structure and function. However, a critical challenge is the lack of selective and sensitive electrochemical sensing platforms to detect the response of brain organoids, particularly changes in the neurotransmitter concentration upon drug treatment. This study introduces a 3D concave electrode patterned with a mesoporous Au nanodot for the detection of electrochemical signals of dopamine in response to drugs in brain organoids for the first time. The mesoporous Au nanodot-patterned film was fabricated using laser interference lithography and electrochemical deposition. Then, the film was attached to a polymer-based 3D concave mold to obtain a 3D concave electrode. Midbrain organoids generated from Parkinson's disease (PD) patient-derived iPSCs with gene mutations (named as PD midbrain organoid) or normal midbrain organoids were positioned on the developed 3D concave electrode. The 3D concave electrode showed a 1.4 times higher electrochemical signal of dopamine compared to the bare gold electrode. And the dopamine secreted from normal midbrain organoids or PD midbrain organoids on the 3D concave electrode could be detected electrochemically. After the treatment of PD midbrain organoids with levodopa, the drug for PD, the increase in dopamine level was detected due to the activation of dopaminergic neurons by the drug. The results suggest the potential of the proposed 3D concave electrode combined with brain organoids as a useful tool for assessing drug efficacy. This sensing system can be applied to a variety of organoids for a comprehensive drug evaluation.

Updates in Air Pollution: Current Research and Future Challenges.

Background: The United Nations has declared that humans have a right to clean air. Despite this, many deaths and disability-adjusted life years are attributed to air pollution exposure each year. We face both challenges to air quality and opportunities to improve, but several areas need to be addressed with urgency. Objective: This paper summarises the recent research presented at the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Symposium and focuses on three key areas of air pollution that are important to human health and require more research. Findings and conclusion: Indoor spaces are commonly places of exposure to poor air quality and are difficult to monitor and regulate. Global climate change risks worsening air quality in a bi-directional fashion. The rising use of electric vehicles may offer opportunities to improve air quality, but it also presents new challenges. Government policies and initiatives could lead to improved air and environmental justice. Several populations, such as older people and children, face increased harm from air pollution and should become priority groups for action.

Association between leisure-time physical activity and hypertension status in Korean adults / Asociación entre actividad física en tiempo libre y estado de hipertensión en adultos coreanos

Objective. To examine whether leisure-time physical activity (PA) is associated with hypertension status in Korean adults (men, 586; women, 1135) who visited a public health promotion center for a medical checkup in Seoul from 2010 to 2011. Materials and methods. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index, sleep duration, mental stress, education level, economic status, and drinking and smoking frequencies was performed. Results. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for having hypertension and performing PA compared to having hypertension and not performing PA were not significant for both sexes regardless of the PA frequency and intensity, except for moderate PA 3 times per week in women. Conclusion. We conclude that PA has no or little association with hypertension status in Korean adults.

Objetivo. Examinar si la actividad física en el tiempo libre (AF) se asocia con el estado de hipertensión en adultos (hombres, 586; mujeres, 1 135) que visitaron un centro de promoción de salud pública para una revisión médica en Seúl en 2010-2011. Material y métodos. Se realizó un análisis de regresión logística multivariado ajustado por edad, de índice de masa corporal, duración del sueño, estrés mental, nivel educativo, situación económica y consumo de alcohol y tabaco. Resultados. Las razones de momios y los intervalos de confianza del 95% para hipertensión y la realización de AF, en comparación con tener hipertensión y la no realización de AF, no fueron significativas en ambos sexos, independientemente de la frecuencia e intensidad de la AF, a excepción de AF moderada tres veces por semana en mujeres. Conclusión. Se concluye que la AF no tiene o tiene poca relación con el estado de hipertensión en adultos coreanos.