Stability Evaluation of National Reference Standards for Blood Products in Korea.

National reference standards (NRSs) for biologics are established through potency estimation by a multicenter joint study of standard materials used in the approval process for national lot release and quality control of vaccines, blood products, and other biologics. In this study, a stability evaluation was conducted to determine whether the potency of NRSs for six blood products was being maintained at a consistent level in Korea. The present study conducted real-time stability tests via in-vivo/in-vitro bioassay on NRSs for blood coagulation factor VIII concentrate (2nd standard), antithrombin concentrate, prekallikrein activator, anti-hepatitis B immunoglobulin, blood coagulation factor IX concentrate, and anti-tetanus human immunoglobulin, as well as a trend analysis using cumulative annual results. The real-time stability test results showed that the mean potency of six NRSs was all within the control limit. In the trend analysis, the potency of NRS for blood coagulation factor VIII concentrate (2nd standard) showed a decreasing trend, while the potency of all other products had been stably maintained. The present study confirmed that the mean potency of NRSs for six blood products had been stably maintained in Korea. The findings of the present study establish a foundation that can ensure the quality of NRSs for biologics in Korea, and it is expected to make a major contribution to the supply of high-quality biologics.

Bioinspired Multifunctional Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Carbon-Nanotube-Based Conducting Pastes by Facile and Scalable Printing.

Directly printed superhydrophobic surfaces containing conducting nanomaterials can be used for a wide range of applications in terms of nonwetting, anisotropic wetting, and electrical conductivity. Here, we demonstrated that direct-printable and flexible superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated on flexible substrates via with an ultrafacile and scalable screen printing with carbon nanotube (CNT)-based conducting pastes. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymer was used as an additive for conducting pastes to realize the printability of the conducting paste as well as the hydrophobicity of the printed surface. The screen-printed conducting surfaces showed a high water contact angle (WCA) (>150°) and low contact angle hysteresis (WCA < 5°) at 25 wt % PDMS-PEG copolymer in the paste, and they have an electrical conductivity of over 1000 S m-1. Patterned superhydrophobic surfaces also showed sticky superhydrophobic characteristics and were used to transport water droplets. Moreover, fabricated films on metal meshes were used for an oil/water separation filter, and liquid evaporation behavior was investigated on the superhydrophobic and conductive thin-film heaters by applying direct current voltage to the film.

Effect of laser irradiation on crystalline structure of enamel surface during whitening treatment with hydrogen peroxide.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to evaluate the effect of laser activation on the whitening and crystalline structure of enamel surface during whitening treatment with hydrogen peroxide. METHODS: Bovine teeth were treated with whitening gel containing 35% hydrogen peroxide. A whitening gel was applied on the enamel surface for a period of 5 min, and then irradiated using a diode laser (740 nm) during whitening treatment for 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180s for the GL0-W, GL30-W, GL60-W, GL120-W and GL180-W groups, respectively. The total whitening application time was 30 min for all groups. RESULTS: Laser-irradiated enamel groups showed a similar lightness compared to the GL0-W group. The thickness of porous layer observed on the enamel surface of GL0-W group was decreased by increasing the laser irradiation time. While the Ca and P contents of the GL0-W group were lower than those of the non-whitening treated group (GL0-C), the Ca and P contents of the GL180-W group were similar to those of the GL180-C group. The enamel crystallinity was dramatically decreased by whitening treatment without laser irradiation. However, the decrease of crystallinity was protected by laser irradiation during whitening treatment. Raman measurement verified that laser irradiation could prevent the loss of mineral compositions on enamel and maintain its crystalline structure. SIGNIFICANCE: The professional whitening treatment with hydrogen peroxide and diode laser activation improves not only the whitening effect but also protects the change of enamel structure compared to the treatment with only gel.

Facial soft tissue thickness database for craniofacial reconstruction in Korean adults.

One hundred Korean adults (50 men, 50 women) were scanned in the upright position using a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanner. The soft tissue (ST) thicknesses were measured at 31 landmarks, 10 midline and 21 bilateral landmark sites, and the means and standard deviations were obtained for male and female subjects. While 18 of 31 landmarks showed sex differences, the majority showed higher values for male subjects with the exception of a few landmark sites corresponding to the zygoma area, which showed smaller values in men than in women. The mandibular area showed greater differences between the right and left sides. Overall, the ST thickness measurements obtained in this study can be used as a database for the forensic craniofacial reconstruction of Korean adult faces.

Dichloromethane fraction from Gardenia jasminoides: DNA topoisomerase 1 inhibition and oral cancer cell death induction.

CONTEXT: A growing body of evidence shows that compounds of plant origin have the ability to prevent cancer. The fruit of gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (Rubiaceae), has long been used as a food additive and herbal medicine, and its pharmacological actions, such as protective activity against oxidative damage, cytotoxic effect, and anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activity, have already been reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence of DNA topoisomerase 1 inhibitor in various solvent fractions of Gardenia extract and examine the induction of oral cancer cell death upon treatment with Gardenia extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methanol extract of Gardenia was partitioned with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. RESULTS: In the DNA topoisomerase 1 assay, n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions inhibited topoisomerase 1 and led to a decrease in the cell viability of KB cells. The dichloromethane fraction (0.1 mg/mL) also showed 77% inhibition of cell viability in KB cells compared with HaCaT cells. Treatment with dichloromethane fraction led to apoptotic cell death as evidenced by flow cytometric analysis and morphological changes. In addition, treatment with Gardenia extract dichloromethane fraction led to the partial increase of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 activities and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that the dichloromethane fraction from Gardenia extract induces apoptotic cell death by DNA topoisomerase 1 inhibition in KB cells. These findings suggest the possibility that Gardenia extract could be developed as an anticancer modality.

Bony landmarks for determining the mechanical axis of the femur in the sagittal plane during total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: There is no accepted landmark for the mechanical axis of the femoral axis in sagittal plane in conventional total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: As palpable anatomic landmarks of the femur, lateral epicondyle, and anterior margin of the greater trochanter were identified. The line connecting these two landmarks was defined as the "palpable sagittal axis". The mechanical axis of the femur was compared with the palpable sagittal axis and the distal femoral anterior cortex axis. These axes were also compared with sagittal bowing of the femur. RESULTS: The distal femoral anterior cortex axis and the palpable sagittal axis were flexed by 4.1 degrees and 2.4 degrees more than the sagittal mechanical axes, respectively (p < 0.05). However, the palpable sagittal axis was not correlated with sagittal bowing of the femur (Spearman's rs, 0.17; p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: The palpable sagittal axis showed a consistent relationship with the sagittal mechanical femoral axes regardless of the severity of the sagittal bowing of the femur.

Cell death and intracellular distribution of hematoporphyrin in a KB cell line.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of intracellular photosensitizer distribution on tumor cell death after photodynamic therapy (PDT). BACKGROUND DATA: The photosensitizer accumulates in tumor tissue during PDT, and generates intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in tumor cell death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out to elucidate the effects of PDT in a KB oral cancer cell line using hematoporphyrin with irradiation at 635 nm and 5 mW/cm(2). After irradiation, the MTT reduction method, agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry, and Diff-Quick staining were performed. The intracellular ROS level was measured by DCF-DA. Intracellular hematoporphyrin was monitored with a confocal microscope, and Western blot and caspase activity assays were performed. RESULTS: In our study, cell survival was reduced by about 50% after 3 h of hematoporphyrin incubation time. In DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry, and Diff-Quick assay, necrosis was identified within 12 h and apoptosis soon thereafter. Confocal microscopy revealed that hematoporphyrin was localized in the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus as time passed. The quantities of intracellular ROS correlated with the time of hematoporphyrin accumulation. Additionally, Western blot analysis of Bcl-2/Bax, the release of cytochrome C, and activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 showed that apoptosis followed the mitochondria-dependent pathway. CONCLUSION: PDT with hematoporphyrin in the KB cell line showed morphological changes of cell necrosis and apoptosis, which were associated with the time of distribution and localization of hematoporphyrin. Also, the apoptosis evoked followed the mitochondria-dependent pathway.