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The leaves of Aster yomena (Kitam.) Honda have long been used as a traditional herb for treating disorders including coughs, asthma, and insect bites. According to recent studies, A. yomena leaf extracts have several pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-asthmatic activities. However, little information is available regarding their anti-obesity effect. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of the ethanol extracts of A. yomena leaves (EEAY) on adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. When 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with various concentrations of EEAY (ranging from non-toxic), the number of lipid droplets, lipid content, and triglyceride production, the typical characteristics of adipocytes, were suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner. During this process, EEAY significantly reduced the expression of adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α and β, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c. In addition, EEAY was also found to potently inhibit the expression of adipocyte-specific genes, including adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein and leptin. In particular, EEAY treatment effectively enhanced the activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway; however, the co-treatment with compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK, significantly restored the EEAY-induced inhibition of pro-adipogenic transcription factors and adipocyte-specific genes. These results indicate that EEAY may exert an anti-obesity effect by controlling the AMPK signaling pathway, suggesting that the leaf extract of A. yomena may be a potential anti-obesity agent.

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a new liquid embolic material, Embol, in embolization of the renal artery.Embol is a new embolic material obtained by partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate mixed in absolute ethanol and Iopromide 370 and manufactured by Schering Korea, Kyonggido, Korea. Six patients who underwent embolization of the renal artery using Embol were evaluated. Four were male and two were female and their ages ranged from 11 to 70 (mean, 53) years. Clinical and radiologic diagnoses referred for renal artery embolization were renal cell carcinoma (n = 3), renal angiomyolipoma (n = 2) and pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery (n = 1). After selective renal angiography, Embol was injected through various catheters, either with or without a balloon occlusion catheter. Changes in symptoms and blood chemistry which may have been related to renal artery embolization with Embol were analyzed.The six patients showed immediate total occlusion of their renal vascular lesions. One of the three in whom renal cell carcinoma was embolized with Embol underwent radical nephrectomy, and the specimen thus obtained revealed 40% tumor necrosis. In the two patients with angiomyolipomas, the tumors decreased in size and abdominal pain subsided. Bleeding from pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery was successfully controlled. Four patients showed symptoms of post-embolization syndrome, and one of these also showed increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. One patient experienced transient hypertension.Embol is easy to use, its radiopacity is adequate and it is a safe and effective embolic material which provides immediate and total occlusion of renal vascular lesions.

SummaryFollowing ovulation, oocytes undergo a time-dependent deterioration in quality referred to as post-ovulatory ageing. Although various factors influence the post-ovulatory ageing of oocytes, oxidative stress is a key factor involved in deterioration of oocyte quality. Artemisia asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. has been widely used in East Asia as a food ingredient and traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, cancer, and microbial infections. Recent studies have shown that A. asiatica exhibits antioxidative effects. In this study, we investigated whether A. asiatica has the potential to attenuate deterioration in oocyte quality during post-ovulatory ageing. Freshly ovulated mouse oocytes were cultured with 0, 50, 100 or 200 μg/ml ethanol extracts of A. asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. After culture for up to 24 h, various ageing-induced oocyte abnormalities, including morphological changes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, apoptosis, chromosome and spindle defects, and mitochondrial aggregation were determined. Treatment of oocytes with A. asiatica extracts reduced ageing-induced morphological changes. Moreover, A. asiatica extracts decreased ROS generation and the onset of apoptosis by preventing elevation of the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio during post-ovulatory ageing. Furthermore, A. asiatica extracts attenuated the ageing-induced abnormalities including spindle defects, chromosome misalignment and mitochondrial aggregation. Our results demonstrate that A. asiatica can relieve deterioration in oocyte quality and delay the onset of apoptosis during post-ovulatory ageing.

In 16 patients with unifocal thyroid autonomy suffering from hyperthyroidism and in 2 patients and euthyrosis 2-4 ml 96% alcohol was instilled to destroy the autonomous thyroid tissue while permanently monitoring the procedure by means of sonography. 17 of the patients were suffering from struma nodosa. Localization of the focally autonomous adenoma was possible, together with differentiation against concomitant thyroid nodes with normal or reduced function, by coinciding the findings obtained via colour Doppler sonography and scintiscanning. In one female patient local pain occurred during instillation that had to be alleviated by means of analgetics; there were no other noticeable side effects. 12 of 16 patients suffering from hyperthyroidism were euthyrotic 5 weeks after the first alcohol instillation; the thyrostatic dose had to be reduced in 4 patients. B-image sonography showed a reduction in size of the instilled adenomas and echo-poor and partly cystic transformation. Colour Doppler sonography revealed a marked reduction of internal vascularisation with preserved marginal vessels. Scintiscan control no longer visualised the autonomic foci (n = 10) or only with reduced activity (n = 7). Sonographically monitored on-target instillation of alcohol into autonomic thyroid adenoma is an effective, low-risk and low-cost procedure that can also be applied to outpatients by physicians well-versed in colour Doppler sonography and sonographic puncture technique. Colour Doppler sonographic localization of autonomic foci is methodically mandatory in patients suffering from struma multinodosa.

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are discharged into receiving water bodies mainly from sewage treatment plants. Due to the inefficient removal in conventional wastewater treatment facilities, PPCPs have become a major concern to aquatic ecosystems, water quality, and public health worldwide since they cause harmful effects on aquatic life and human even at low doses. Among the PPCPs, carbamazepine (CBZ) is one of the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant drugs and consumed more than 1,000 tons per year. Due to its structural complexity, CBZ is known as recalcitrant compound highly stable during wastewater treatment. Consequently, it has become one of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals in waste water, surface water, and even drinking water. In this study, Korean indigenous microalgae strains were tested as eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions for CBZ removal. Based on the preliminary biological CBZ degradation tests, Tetradesmus obliquus KNUA061 demonstrating the best CBZ removal rate was selected for further experiments. In order to increase strain KNUA061's CBZ removal efficiency, NaOCl, which is widely accepted in the water purification process, was used as an additional stimulus to induce stress conditions. At around 20 μg L−1 CBZ, addition of 1.0 mg NaOCl resulted in approximately 20% of removal rate increase without suppressing cells growth. Roughly 90% of CBZ remained its original form and the composition of the transformed secondary metabolites was less than 10% during the biodegradation process by the microalga. Based on the results of the antioxidant enzyme activities, degree of lipid oxidation, and amino acid contents, it was concluded that the redox-defence system in microalgal cells may have been activated by the NaOCl treatment. Biomass analysis results showed that higher heating value (HHV) of strain KNUA061 biomass was higher than those of lignocellulosic energy crops suggesting that it could be utilized as a possible renewable energy source. Even though its biodiesel properties were slightly below the international standards due to the high PUFA contents, the biodiesel produced from T. obliquus KNUA061 could be used as a blending resource for transportation fuels. It was also determined that the microalgal biomass has acceptable feasibility as a sustainable dietary supplement feedstock due to its high essential amino acid contents.

Bone remodeling and homeostasis are largely the result of the coordinated action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation. The differentiation of osteoblasts is regulated by the transcription factors, Runx2 and Osterix. Natural products of plant origin are still a major part of traditional medicinal systems in Korea. The root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. (LR), the purple gromwell, is an herbal medicine used for inflammatory and infectious diseases. LR is an anti-inflammatory and exerts anticancer effects by inducing the apoptosis of cancer cells. However, the precise molecular signaling mechanisms of osteoblastogenesis as regards LR and osteoblast transcription are not yet known. In this study, we investigated the effects of ethanol (EtOH) extract of LR (LES) on the osteoblast differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts induced by bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and the potential involvement of Runx2 and Osterix in these effects. We found that the LES exhibited an ability to induce osteoblast differentiation. LES increased the expression of the osteoblast marker, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as its activity, as shown by ALP staining and ALP activity assay. LES also increased mineralization, as shown by Alizarin Red S staining. Treatment with LES increased the protein levels (as shown by immunoblotting), as well as the transcriptional activity of Runx2 and Osterix and enhanced osteogenic activity. These results suggest that LES modulates osteoblast differentiation at least in part through Runx2 and Osterix.

Minimally invasive treatment of symptomatic thyroid nodules is now commonplace. Ethanol ablation (EA) of thyroid cystic nodules has been performed since the 1990s, but there is no global consensus or guideline. Although various limitations of EA have been described, recommendations for practical application are necessary. Therefore, the Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology initiated the present consensus statement and here we provide recommendations for the role of EA in the management of symptomatic thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on evidence to date from the literature and expert opinion.

AbstractClimate change is an increasingly important global concern, requiring urgent action. To achieve environmental sustainability, identifying the predictors influencing individuals' actions is necessary. Individuals with negative psychological responses to climate change, such as eco‐anxiety, are more likely to engage in pro‐environmental behaviour. However, eco‐anxiety and other perceptions associated with climate change and sustainability can differ based on an individual's unique background. Therefore, this study aimed to identify potent predictors of individuals' environmental sustainability interest and examine the impact of eco‐anxiety on environmental sustainability interest. Data from 459 South Korean adults (19–65 years) were included in this secondary analysis. Eco‐anxiety, climate change risk perception and future event cognition were assessed by the Climate Change Anxiety Scale, the Climate Change Risk Perception Inventory and Future Event Questionnaires, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that eco‐anxiety was the most potent predictor of environmental sustainability interest, followed by climate change risk perception, age 60–65 years, future event cognition and age under 30 years. Considering that eco‐anxiety is the most potent predictor of environmental sustainability interest, mental health nurses should assess patients' eco‐anxiety level and help them recognize and manage their anxiety levels appropriately. Age‐specific approaches should be considered for interventions to enhance environmental sustainability interest. Further studies are needed to determine the cut‐off anxiety level that influences the positive impact on environmental sustainability interest and to develop programmes to manage eco‐anxiety.

A large amount of radioactive material was released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in 2011 and dispersed into the environment. Though seven years have passed since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, some parts of Japan are still under the influence of radionuclide contamination, especially Fukushima Prefecture and prefectures neighboring Fukushima Prefecture. The long-term effective doses and the contributions of each exposure pathway (5 exposure pathways) and radionuclide (131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs) were evaluated for people living in the regions of Fukushima and neighboring prefectures in Japan using a developed dose assessment code system with Japanese specific input data. The results estimated in this study were compared with data from previously published reports. Groundshine and ingestion were predicted to contribute most significantly to the total long-term dose for all regions. The contributions of each exposure pathway and radionuclide show different patterns for certain regions of Japan. Keywords: Radionuclide, Radiological dose, Long-term effective dose, Exposure pathway, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident

The rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) have been used in Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of α-cyperone, a major active compound of Cyperus rotundus, are poorly understood.PGE2 and cytokines released from cells were measured using an EIA assay kit. The expression of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 was measured by real-time RT-PCR and/or Western blot analysis. A luciferase assay was performed to measure the effect of α-cyperone on NFκB activity.The n-hexane fraction of the 80% EtOH extract from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus was found to inhibit both NO and PGE2 production in RAW 264.7 cells. α-Cyperone isolated from the n-hexane fraction significantly inhibited PGE2 production by suppressing the LPS-induced expression of inducible COX-2 at both the mRNA and the protein levels. In contrast, α-cyperone had little effect on NO production and iNOS expression. Additionally, α-cyperone downregulated the production and mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Moreover, treatment with α-cyperone suppressed the transcriptional activity of NFκB and the nuclear translocation of the p65 NFκB subunit in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.The anti-inflammatory activity of α-cyperone is associated with the down-regulation of COX-2 and IL-6 via the negative regulation of the NFκB pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.