To examine the relationship between the chemical composition of light-absorbing organic aerosols and the absorption properties of the aerosols, daily PM2.5 samples were collected during winter at an ...urban site of Gwangju, Korea, and analyzed for organic carbon and elemental carbon (OC and EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), humic-like substances (HULIS), and water-soluble inorganic substances. The real-time black carbon (BC) concentration in PM2.5 was also measured using a dual-spot aethalometer. During the study period, average WSOC/OC and HULIS-C/WSOC ratios were 0.53 and 0.52, respectively. K+/EC and K+/OC ratios indicate that biomass burning (BB) emissions are a possible source of the observed carbonaceous aerosols and K+. Moderate-to-strong correlations of HULIS with NO3−, oxalate, SO42−, K+, CO, and ΔBC (=BC@370nm−BC@880nm) suggest that in addition to the primary BB emissions, secondary processing is another important contributor to the formation of HULIS in winter at the site.
The average absorption Ångstrӧm exponent (α) of fine aerosols for the wavelengths of 370–950nm and 590–950nm was 1.29 and 1.18, respectively, but the aerosol α value was higher in the near UV wavelength range (370–520nm), with an average of 1.51 (0.76–2.36), indicating that aerosol absorption characteristics during winter were influenced by BB aerosol sources, as well as by traffic emissions. Over the study period, the α370–520nm value during the highest EC, highest OC, and Asian dust events was 1.42±0.10 (1.26–1.59), 1.44±0.15 (1.16–1.68), and 1.90±0.28 (1.54–2.36), respectively. Higher α370–520nm values during the Asian dust event were attributed to the influence of dust particles. In addition, the light absorption coefficients of aerosols at 370nm were strongly correlated with OC (R2=0.76), water-insoluble OC (R2=0.70), and water-soluble HULIS (R2=0.64). These tight correlations suggest that water-insoluble fractions of OC, as well as the water-soluble brown carbon, could be important contributors to aerosol light absorption. This study demonstrates that a newly-developed dual-spot aethalometer could be utilized to characterize light absorption properties of organic aerosols and dust particles.
•Sources and formation processes of water-soluble HULIS in wintertime were examined.•A dual-spot aethalometer was used to characterize the aerosol absorption properties.•Spectral characteristics of aerosol light absorption were discussed.•Water-insoluble OC and HULIS contributed significantly to aerosol light absorption.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The recent tendency to delay pregnancy has increased the incidence of age-related infertility, as female reproductive competence decreases with aging. Along with aging, a lowered capacity of ...antioxidant defense causes a loss of normal function in the ovaries and uterus due to oxidative damage. Therefore, advancements have been made in assisted reproduction to resolve infertility caused by reproductive aging and oxidative stress, following an emphasis on their use. The application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with intensive antioxidative properties has been extensively validated as a regenerative therapy, and proceeding from original cell therapy, the therapeutic effects of stem cell conditioned medium (CM) containing paracrine factors secreted during cell culture have been reported to be as effective as that of direct treatment of source cells. In this review, we summarized the current understanding of female reproductive aging and oxidative stress and present MSC-CM, which could be developed as a promising antioxidant intervention for assisted reproductive technology.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
There is an increasing emergence of antibiotic-resistant Vibrio alginolyticus, a zoonotic pathogen that causes mass mortality in aquatic animals and infects humans; therefore, there is a demand for ...alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment and prevention of infections caused by this pathogen. One possibility is through the exploitation of bacteriophages. In the present study, the novel bacteriophage pVa-21 was classified as Myoviridae and characterised as a candidate biocontrol agent against V. alginolyticus. Its morphology, host range and infectivity, growth characteristics, planktonic or biofilm lytic activity, stability under various conditions, and genome were investigated. Its latent period and burst size were estimated to be approximately 70 min and 58 plaque-forming units/cell, respectively. In addition, phage pVa-21 can inhibit bacterial growth in both the planktonic and biofilm states. Furthermore, phylogenetic and genome analysis revealed that the phage is closely related to the giant phiKZ-like phages and can be classified as a new member of the phiKZ-like bacteriophages that infect bacteria belonging to the family Vibrionaceae.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
In this study, the 24-h PM2.5 samples were collected from an urban site in Korea during summer and winter. The collected samples were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), ...water-soluble OC, humic-like substances (HULIS), and ionic species. Furthermore, in-situ measurements of PM2.5 aerosol absorption coefficients were made by using a dual-spot multi-wavelength Aethalometer. Primary traffic emissions and secondary formation were the major contributors to the HULIS concentration during summer. Furthermore, biomass burning (BB) contributed to HULIS concentration to a certain extent. During winter, the HULIS with higher OC/EC ratio (6.4) were strongly associated with BB and secondary formation, while the HULIS with lower OC/EC ratio (2.9) was mainly attributed to secondary formation and, to a certain extent, primary combustion sources. Light absorption by brown carbon (BrC) was significantly enhanced in the near-ultraviolet and visible spectral regions and exhibited strong spectral dependence. Ambient BrC absorption was estimated to account for 2.1–16.6% and 5.9–29.3% of the total aerosol absorption during summer and winter, respectively. The average values of absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) in the wavelength range of 370–660 nm for light-absorbing BrC aerosols were estimated to be 4.0 and 4.4 during summer and winter, respectively. This study demonstrates that the AAE values for BrC can be derived from multi-wavelength Aethalometer data without filter sampling and detailed laboratory analysis.
Display omitted
•Water-soluble HULIS and aerosol light absorption were measured.•Formation processes of HULIS were discussed.•Contributions of BC and BrC from aerosol light absorption were estimated.•Absorption Ångström exponent of BrC was derived without detailed laboratory analysis.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The association between acute cholangitis (AC) and acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. We investigated the incidence, and clinical course of AKI in patients with AC, and the long-term ...prognosis.
We performed a single-center retrospective study of patients hospitalized with AC in a tertiary care center from January 2011 to December 2017. The risk factors for AKI were evaluated, and AKI severity was analyzed using the Systemic Inflammatory Response System (SIRS), quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score, and 2018 Tokyo Guidelines (TG) grade. To calculate the relative risk of death based on AKI, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using Cox's proportional hazard models.
A total of 1,438 patients with AC were included, of whom 18.2% (n = 261) developed AKI. AKI patients were older, and had a lower systolic blood pressure and more comorbidities including hypertension (HT), chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular accidents. Disease severity (as assessed by SIRS, qSOFA, and the Tokyo Guidelines grade) was higher in the AKI group, as was the in-hospital mortality rate. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, HT, SIRS and qSOFA scores ≥ 2, and TG grade of III were significant risk factors for AKI. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly higher mortality in the AKI than non-AKI group. AKI (HR = 1.853; 95% CI: 1.115-3.079) and TG grade III (HR = 2.139; 95% CI: 1.190-3,846) were independent predictors of all-cause AC mortality, even after adjusting for all covariates. The annual rate of decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate was faster in the AKI than non-AKI group (2.9 ± 6.7 vs. 0.5 ± 5.3 mL/min/1.73 m2/year, p < 0.001).
AKI development increased AC severity and mortality. Our results suggest that clinicians should monitor AKI status and perform appropriate management as soon as possible.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Due to their important phylogenetic position among extant vertebrates, sharks are an invaluable group in evolutionary developmental biology studies. A thorough understanding of shark anatomy is ...essential to facilitate these studies and documentation of this iconic taxon. With the increasing availability of cross-sectional imaging techniques, the complicated anatomy of both cartilaginous and soft tissues can be analyzed non-invasively, quickly, and accurately. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed anatomical description of the normal banded houndshark (Triakis scyllium) using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with cryosection images. Three banded houndsharks were scanned using a 64-detector row spiral CT scanner and a 3 T MRI scanner. All images were digitally stored and assessed using open-source Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine viewer software in the transverse, sagittal, and dorsal dimensions. The banded houndshark cadavers were then cryosectioned at approximately 1-cm intervals. Corresponding transverse cryosection images were chosen to identify the best anatomical correlations for transverse CT and MRI images. The resulting images provided excellent detail of the major anatomical structures of the banded houndshark. The illustrations in the present study could be considered as a useful reference for interpretation of normal and pathological imaging studies of sharks.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Coagulation is a potential defense mechanism that involves activating a series of zymogens to convert soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin clots to prevent bleeding and hemorrhagic complications. ...To prevent the extra formation and diffusion of clots, the counterbalance inhibitory mechanism is activated at levels of the coagulation pathway. Contrariwise, this system can evade normal control due to either inherited or acquired defects or aging which leads to unusual clots formation. The abnormal formations and deposition of excess fibrin trigger serious arterial and cardiovascular diseases. Although heparin and heparin-based anticoagulants are a widely prescribed class of anticoagulants, the clinical use of heparin has limitations due to the unpredictable anticoagulation, risk of bleeding, and other complications. Hence, significant interest has been established over the years to investigate alternative therapeutic anticoagulants from natural sources, especially from marine sources with good safety and potency due to their unique chemical structure and biological activity. This review summarizes the coagulation cascade and potential macromolecular anticoagulants derived from marine flora and fauna.
Yersinia enterocolitica, the primary cause of yersiniosis, is one of the most important foodborne pathogens globally and is associated with the consumption of raw contaminated pork. In the current ...study, four virulent bacteriophages (phages), one of Podoviridae (fHe-Yen3-01) and three of Myoviridae (fHe-Yen9-01, fHe-Yen9-02, and fHe-Yen9-03), capable of infecting Y. enterocolitica were isolated and characterized. fHe-Yen9-01 had the broadest host range (61.3% of strains, 65/106). It demonstrated a latent period of 35 min and a burst size of 33 plaque-forming units/cell, and was found to have a genome of 167,773 bp with 34.79% GC content. To evaluate the effectiveness of phage fHe-Yen9-01 against Y. enterocolitica O:9 strain Ruokola/71, we designed an experimental model of the food market environment. Phage treatment after bacterial inoculation of food samples, including raw pork (4 °C, 72 h), ready-to-eat pork (26 °C, 12 h), and milk (4 °C, 72 h), prevented bacterial growth throughout the experiments, with counts decreasing by 1–3 logs from the original levels of 2–4 × 103 CFU/g or ml. Similarly, when artificially contaminated kitchen utensils, such as wooden and plastic cutting boards and knives, and artificial hands, were treated with phages for 2 h, bacterial growth was effectively inhibited, with counts decreasing by 1–2 logs from the original levels of ca 104 CFU/cm2 or ml. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the successful application of phages for the control of Y. enterocolitica growth in food and on kitchen utensils.
•Virulent phages active against Y. enterocolitica were isolated and characterized.•fHe-Yen9-01 had a broad host range.•A model of Yersinia contamination at food markets was developed.•fHe-Yen9-01 treatment prevented Yersinia growth in pork and milk and on utensils.•First report of phage use for control of Y. enterocolitica in food and on utensils.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Display omitted
•Authors extracted polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRN) from Patiria Pectinifera.•PDRN from P. pectinifera has a wound-healing activity.•Authors fabricated PCL/gelatin nanofiber ...incorporated with PDRN.•Fabricated nanofiber enhances the initial wound healing process in normal and critical skin-defected mice model.
Conventional wound dressings have several shortcomings because they are unspecific and partially effective for wound healing. To enhance the therapeutic efficiency of wound dressings, we extracted polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRN) from Patiria pectinifera, and characterized using absorbance-based analysis, chemical composition analysis, and electrophoresis. We evaluated their cytotoxicity and wound healing activity on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Next, we used electrospinning to fabricate polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (Gel)/PDRN nanofibers for wound dressing application. The average fiber diameters of PCL (P), PCL/Gel (PG), and PCL/Gel/PDRN (PGP) nanofibers were 582.88 ± 202.65, 435.65 ± 149.87, and 334.63 ± 98.09 nm, respectively. The biocompatibility of the nanofibers was assessed using MTT assay and FDA/PI staining on HDF and HaCaT, no cytotoxicity was observed. In vivo experiments with full-thickness skin defect mouse models confirmed that the PGP nanofiber accelerated the initial wound healing process, as shown by wound closure analysis and histological analysis. Our results suggest that the PGP nanofiber has potential as a biomaterial for wound dressing applications and skin tissue engineering.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
PDF
