Development and validation of an interpretable model for predicting sepsis mortality across care settings.

There are numerous prognostic predictive models for evaluating mortality risk, but current scoring models might not fully cater to sepsis patients' needs. This study developed and validated a new model for sepsis patients that is suitable for any care setting and accurately forecasts 28-day mortality. The derivation dataset, gathered from 20 hospitals between September 2019 and December 2021, contrasted with the validation dataset, collected from 15 hospitals from January 2022 to December 2022. In this study, 7436 patients were classified as members of the derivation dataset, and 2284 patients were classified as members of the validation dataset. The point system model emerged as the optimal model among the tested predictive models for foreseeing sepsis mortality. For community-acquired sepsis, the model's performance was satisfactory (derivation dataset AUC: 0.779, 95% CI 0.765-0.792; validation dataset AUC: 0.787, 95% CI 0.765-0.810). Similarly, for hospital-acquired sepsis, it performed well (derivation dataset AUC: 0.768, 95% CI 0.748-0.788; validation dataset AUC: 0.729, 95% CI 0.687-0.770). The calculator, accessible at https://avonlea76.shinyapps.io/shiny_app_up/ , is user-friendly and compatible. The new predictive model of sepsis mortality is user-friendly and satisfactorily forecasts 28-day mortality. Its versatility lies in its applicability to all patients, encompassing both community-acquired and hospital-acquired sepsis.

Identification of plastic-degrading bacteria in the human gut.

Environmental pollution caused by the excessive use of plastics has resulted in the inflow of microplastics into the human body. However, the effects of microplastics on the human gut microbiota still need to be better understood. To determine whether plastic-degrading bacteria exist in the human gut, we collected the feces of six human individuals, did enrichment cultures and screened for bacterial species with a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene (PP)-degrading activity using a micro-spray method. We successfully isolated four bacterial species with an LDPE-degrading activity and three with a PP-degrading activity. Notably, all bacterial species identified with an LDPE or PP-degrading activity were opportunistic pathogens. We analyzed the microbial degradation of the LDPE or PP surface using scanning electron microscopy and confirmed that each bacterial species caused the physical changes. Chemical structural changes were further investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy, confirming the oxidation of the LDPE or PP surface with the formation of carbonyl groups (C=O), ester groups (CO), and hydroxyl groups (-OH) by each bacterial species. Finally, high temperature gel permeation chromatography (HT-GPC) analysis showed that these bacterial species performed to a limited extent depolymerization. These results indicate that, as a single species, these opportunistic pathogens in the human gut have a complete set of enzymes and other components required to initiate the oxidation of the carbon chains of LDPE or PP and to degrade them. Furthermore, these findings suggest that these bacterial species can potentially biodegrade and metabolize microplastics in the human gut.

Biochar Production and Demineralization Characteristics of Food Waste for Fuel Conversion.

The pyrolysis of food waste has high economic potential and produces several value-added products, such as gas, bio-oil, and biochar. In South Korea, biochar production from food waste is prohibited, because dioxins are generated during combustion caused by the chloride ions arising from the high salt content. This study is the first to examine the water quality and the applicability of food waste-based biochar as solid refuse fuel (SRF) based on a demineralization process. The calorific value increased after demineralization due to the removal of ionic substances and the high carbon content. The chloride ion removal rate after demineralization increased with the increasing pyrolysis temperature. A proximate analysis of biochar indicated that the volatile matter decreased, while ash and fixed carbon increased, with increasing pyrolysis temperature. At 300 °C pyrolysis temperature, all domestic bio-SRF standards were met. The organic matter concentration in water decreased with increasing carbonization temperature, and the concentrations of soluble harmful substances, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were within the standards or non-detectable. These results suggest that biochar can be efficiently generated from food waste while meeting the emission standards for chloride ions, dissolved VOCs, ash, and carbon.

Biodegradation of polyvinyl chloride by Citrobacter koseri isolated from superworms (Zophobas atratus larvae).

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the widely used plastic products worldwide, and its accumulation in the natural environment has become a major global issue with regard to the environment and biotic health. There is accordingly strong demand for the development of solutions and methods for environmental remediation. Degrading plastic waste using microorganisms is an effective and eco-friendly method. However, evidence of bacteria that afford efficient biodegradation of unplasticized, pure PVC film has yet to be reported. Therefore, the biodegradation of PVC becomes very important. Here, we present results on the physicochemical and structural studies of PVC by Citrobacter koseri (C. koseri) isolated from the gut of the superworm, Zophobas atratus (Z. atratus) larvae. We also studied the biodegradability of PVC by the gut microbiota compared with C. koseri. We analyzed the microbial degradation of the PVC surface using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and confirmed that the physical and chemical changes were caused by C. koseri and the gut microbiota. The chemical structural changes were further investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and it was confirmed that the oxidation of the PVC surface proceeded with the formation of carbonyl groups (C = O), and hydroxyl groups (-OH) by C. koseri. Additionally, the gut microbiota composed of diverse microbial species showed equal oxidation of PVC compared to C. koseri. Further, we evaluated the capabilities of single bacterial isolate and gut microbiota for pure PVC film biodegradation. Our results verified that C. koseri and the culturable microbiota from the gut of superworms present similar potential to utilize pure PVC film as a carbon source. These findings provide a potential solution for the biodegradation of unplasticized PVC.

Analysis of facial vascular pattern characteristics in the Korean population.

BACKGROUND: Facial erythema is a common problem among patients visiting dermatologists. However, data on the clinical characteristics of facial erythema in healthy people are lacking. We aimed to compare and analyze the severity and pattern of facial vascularity in healthy subjects based on their age and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 198 Korean volunteers (126 females and 72 males) with Fitzpatrick skin types II, III, or IV. Fourteen different anatomical areas on the face were divided into facial erythema units. Each unit was scored from one (least erythematous) to five (most erythematous) according to the observed level of erythema on the red images implemented as hemoglobin content. We also evaluated the presence of facial telangiectatic macules. RESULTS: On average, the perinasal, nasal, and cheek units were the most hypervascular regions. In contrast, the degree of facial erythema was lowest in the labial (perioral), neck, and temporal regions. The average value of erythema was higher in males than in females. Additionally, the severity of erythema tended to increase with age. In both males and females, the number of telangiectatic macules increased with age. CONCLUSIONS: We analyzed the clinical characteristics of erythema in healthy subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types II, III, or IV in the Korean population. This study is expected to be used to identify the neurovascular pathogenesis of the most common regions of facial dermatosis in the future.

Physicochemical and Structural Evidence that Bacillus cereus Isolated from the Gut of Waxworms (Galleria mellonella Larvae) Biodegrades Polypropylene Efficiently In Vitro.

Biodegradation of plastic waste using microorganisms has been proposed as one of the solutions to the increasing worldwide plastic waste. Polypropylene (PP) is the second most used plastic used in various industries, and it has been widely used in the production of personal protective equipment such as masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, biodegradation of PP becomes very important. Here, we present results on the physicochemical and structural studies of PP biodegradation by Bacillus cereus isolated from the gut of the waxworms, Galleria mellonella larvae. We also studied the biodegradability of PP by the gut microbiota compared with Bacillus cereus. We analyzed the microbial degradation of the PP surface using scanning electron microscopy and energy - dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and confirmed that the physical and chemical changes were caused by Bacillus cereus and the gut microbiota. The chemical structural changes were further investigated using X-ray photoelectron microscopy and Fourier - transform - infrared spectroscopy, and it was confirmed that the oxidation of the PP surface proceeded with the formation of carbonyl groups (C=O), ester groups (C-O), and hydroxyl groups (-OH) by Bacillus cereus. Additionally, the gut microbiota composed of diverse microbial species showed equal oxidation of PP compared to Bacillus cereus. More importantly, high temperature gel permeation chromatography (HT-GPC) analysis showed that Bacillus cereus exhibited quantitatively a higher biodegradability of PP compared to the gut microbiota. Our results suggest that Bacillus cereus possesses a complete set of enzymes required to initiate the oxidation of the carbon chain of PP and will be used to discover new enzymes and genes that are involved in degrading PP. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10924-023-02878-y.

Psychological factors associated with COVID-19 related anxiety and depression in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the corresponding lockdown have drastically changed our lives and led to high psychological distress and mental health problems. This study examined whether psychological factors such as loneliness, perfectionism, and health anxiety are associated with COVID-19 related anxiety and depression during the pandemic in young Korean adults, after controlling for various socio-demographic factors and early life stress. METHODS: A total of 189 participants (58.2% women) completed a cross-sectional online survey including the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, 3-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, and Whiteley Index-6. Hierarchical linear regression analyses with three blocks were employed to identify the factors that contributed to COVID-19 related anxiety and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that higher health anxiety was significantly associated with more severe COVID-19 related anxiety (standardized regression coefficient, ß = 0.599, p < 0.001). Additionally, higher levels of loneliness (ß = 0.482, p < 0.001), perfectionism (ß = 0.124, p = 0.035), and health anxiety (ß = 0.228, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher depression scores. The three psychological factors explained 32.8% of the total variance in depressive symptom scores, after taking all covariates into account. CONCLUSION: The results showed that health anxiety was a risk factor for both COVID-19 related anxiety and depression in young adults. Loneliness was the strongest predictor of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings highlight the importance of identifying vulnerable individuals and encouraging psychological counselling and social connections to reduce the burden of psychiatric disorders during the pandemic.

Decoding the Roles of Amyloid-ß (1-42)'s Key Oligomerization Domains toward Designing Epitope-Specific Aggregation Inhibitors.

Fibrillar amyloid aggregates are the pathological hallmarks of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. The amyloid-ß (1-42) protein, in particular, is a major component of senile plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and a primary target for disease treatment. Determining the essential domains of amyloid-ß (1-42) that facilitate its oligomerization is critical for the development of aggregation inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents. In this study, we identified three key hydrophobic sites (17LVF19, 32IGL34, and 41IA42) on amyloid-ß (1-42) and investigated their involvement in the self-assembly process of the protein. Based on these findings, we designed candidate inhibitor peptides of amyloid-ß (1-42) aggregation. Using the designed peptides, we characterized the roles of the three hydrophobic regions during amyloid-ß (1-42) fibrillar aggregation and monitored the consequent effects on its aggregation property and structural conversion. Furthermore, we used an amyloid-ß (1-42) double point mutant (I41N/A42N) to examine the interactions between the two C-terminal end residues with the two hydrophobic regions and their roles in amyloid self-assembly. Our results indicate that interchain interactions in the central hydrophobic region (17LVF19) of amyloid-ß (1-42) are important for fibrillar aggregation, and its interaction with other domains is associated with the accessibility of the central hydrophobic region for initiating the oligomerization process. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the self-assembly of amyloid-ß (1-42) and highlights key structural domains that facilitate this process. Our results can be further applied toward improving the rational design of candidate amyloid-ß (1-42) aggregation inhibitors.

Proposal of facial pigmentary unit and facial hyperpigmentation type for Fitzpatrick skin types II-IV.

BACKGROUND: Studies on facial hyperpigmentation across different facial units are limiting. We aimed to analyze melanin pigmentation images to observe facial pigmentary demarcation lines (FPDLs) and suggest facial hyperpigmentation types for normal individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 3D facial melanin pigmentation images of 173 volunteers were obtained and analyzed for the presence of FPDLs. Pigmentation severity was assessed for each of the thirteen facial pigment units. The images were then grouped according to a pattern of hyperpigmentation to suggest three facial hyperpigmentation types-dark spot, photoaging and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. RESULTS: Four groups of FPDLs including a novel group I were observed. Nasal, frontal, auricular were the darkest pigmented facial pigment unit, and the anterior neck was the least pigmented. The dark spot type was the most common facial hyperpigmentation type. The photoaging type and the PIH type showed age-dependent distribution, as the photoaging type was more common among the subjects over 40s, and the PIH type was more common in younger subjects. CONCLUSION: Facial hyperpigmentation among healthy individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types II-IV is often accompanied by FPDLs and categorized into three types. Each type is modeled after the pattern of pigmentation associated with certain dermatological disorders. The practical implications of facial hyperpigmentation types can be resourceful in various fields including prevention and treatment of pigmentary disorders.

Neuroprotective effect of Geijigadaehwang-tang against trimethyltin-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration: An in vitro and in vivo study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Patients with dementia are diagnosed with deficiency patterns and interior patterns in traditional Chinese medicine due to decreased physical strength, mental atrophy including cognitive function, and decreased motor function in the gastrointestinal tract. Since "greater yin symptom" in Shanghanlun has been interpreted as interior, deficiency, and cold pattern in traditional Chinese medicine, it is necessary to determine whether Geijigadaehwang-tang (GDT) has therapeutic effects on neurodegenerative diseases and the underlying mechanism if it has such effects. AIMS OF THE STUDY: Trimethyltin (TMT), a neurotoxic organotin compound, has been used to induce several neurodegenerative diseases, including epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of GDT for TMT-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration and seizures and to determine the mechanisms involved at the molecular level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main components of GDT were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. TMT was used to induce neurotoxicity in microglial BV-2 cells and C57BL6 mice. GDT was administered at various doses to determine its neuroprotective and seizure inhibition effects. The inhibitory effects of GDT on TMT-induced apoptosis, inflammatory pathways, and oxidative stress pathways were determined in the mouse hippocampal tissues. RESULTS: GDT contained emodin, chrysophanol, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, 6-gingerol, and liquiritin apioside. In microglial BV-2 cells treated with TMT, GDT showed dose-dependent neuroprotective effects. Oral administration of GDT five times for 2.5 days before and after TMT injection inhibited seizures at doses of 180 and 540 mg/kg and inhibited neuronal death in the hippocampus. In hippocampal tissues extracted from mice, GDT inhibited the protein expression of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1, glial fibrillary acidic protein, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3, and phosphorylated nuclear factor (NF)-κB/total-NFκB ratio. Additionally, GDT inhibited the messenger RNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain, caspase-1, interleukin-1ß, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1. CONCLUSION: This study's results imply that GDT might have neuroprotective potential in neurodegenerative diseases through neuronal death inhibition and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.

Triterpenoids from the leaves of Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus with their anti-melanogenesis and anti-tyrosinase activities.

Excessive production of melanin causes various dermatological disorders including hyperpigmentation. To search for anti-melanogenesis candidates from natural products, we discovered that leaves of Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus (OFA) suppressed melanin production. The extract of OFA leaves and its fractions were subjected to bioactivity-guided separation by targeting active constituents and a total of four triterpenoids were obtained: 3α,24-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28 oic acid (1), pomolic acid (2), maslinic acid (3), and corosolic acid (4). Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from this plant for the first time. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against melanin production and tyrosinase activity. Active compounds were further investigated to understand their mechanisms of action. Results revealed that they significantly down-regulated TYRP-1 and TYRP-2 expression levels. Our results clarified the whitening property of this plant and provided evidence that active constituents of this plant possessed anti-melanogenesis effect and anti-tyrosinase activity for the first time.

Oral administration of Jinan Red Ginseng and licorice extract mixtures ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating lipogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the main chronic liver diseases. NASH is identified by lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. Jinan Red Ginseng (JRG) and licorice have been widely used because of their anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. Hence, this study assessed JRG and licorice extract mixtures' effects on NASH progression. METHODS: Palmitic acid (PA) and the western diet (WD) plus, high glucose-fructose water were used to induce in vitro and in vivo NASH. Mice were orally administered with JRG-single (JRG-S) and JRG-mixtures (JRG-M; JRG-S + licorice) at 0, 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg/day once a day during the last half-period of diet feeding. RESULTS: JRG-S and JRG-M reduced NASH-related pathologies in WD-fed mice. JRG-S and JRG-M consistently decreased the mRNA level of genes related with inflammation, fibrosis, and lipid metabolism. The treatment of JRG-S and JRG-M also diminished the SREBP-1c protein levels and the p-AMPK/AMPK ratio. The FAS protein levels were decreased by JRG-M treatment both in vivo and in vitro but not JRG-S. CONCLUSION: JRG-M effectively reduced lipogenesis by modulating AMPK downstream signaling. Our findings suggest that this mixture can be used as a prophylactic or therapeutic alternative for the remedy of NASH.

Effects of demineralization on food waste biochar for co-firing: Behaviors of alkali and alkaline earth metals and chlorine.

A significant amount of chlorine, and alkali and alkaline earth metal (AAEM) in food waste has been a major limitation to the utilization of food waste as fuel. The present study aims to investigate the behavior of chlorine and AAEM in food waste biochar during pyrolysis, demineralization, and combustion. Food waste compost (FWC) and food waste feedstock (FWF) were selected as raw materials. Three different pyrolysis temperatures from 300 to 500 °C and two demineralization processes, water and CO2-saturated water, were employed. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, crystallized salt was removed through demineralization, which further increased the heating value. Effective removal of chlorine was demonstrated in both demineralization methods. During demineralization, re-adsorption of Ca on food waste biochar occurred, which was alleviated by CO2-water demineralization. The total amounts of volatilized Cl and AAEM after CO2-water demineralization were reduced by 74.79-99.38% for FWF and 98.34-99.9% for FWC compared to raw biochar. Furthermore, slagging and fouling potentials for all food waste biochar samples were estimated using various indices. The proposed behavior of Cl and AAEM in food waste biochar during various fabrication conditions provides insight into how food waste biochar can be applied in thermos-electric power plant for co-firing with coal.

Isobavachalcone suppresses the TRIF-dependent signaling pathway of Toll-like receptors.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are integral membrane-bound receptors that are central to innate and adaptive immune responses. They are known to activate a cascade of downstream signals to induce the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and type I interferons. Dysregulated activation of TLR signaling pathways can induce the activation of various transcription factors, such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). TLRs act via MyD88- and TRIF-mediated pathways to induce inflammatory responses. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of isobavachalcone (IBC), a natural chalcone component of Angelica keiskei, we examined its effects on signal transduction via TLR signaling pathways. IBC inhibited the activation of NF-κB and IRF3 induced by TLR agonists and their target genes. IBC also inhibited the activation of NF-κB and IRF3 induced by overexpression of downstream signaling components of TLR signaling pathways. These results suggest that IBC can regulate both MyD88- and TRIF-dependent signaling pathways of TLRs, resulting in a dramatic increase of new therapeutic options for various inflammatory diseases involving TLRs.

Identification and Functional Characterization of Two Noncoding RNAs Transcribed from Putative Active Enhancers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Enhancers have been conventionally perceived as cis-acting elements that provide binding sites for trans-acting factors. However, recent studies have shown that enhancers are transcribed and that these transcripts, called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), have a regulatory function. Here, we identified putative eRNAs by profiling and determining the overlap between noncoding RNA expression loci and eRNA-associated histone marks such as H3K27ac and H3K4me1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. Of the 132 HCC-derived noncoding RNAs, 74 overlapped with the eRNA loci defined by the FANTOM consortium, and 65 were located in the proximal regions of genes differentially expressed between normal and tumor tissues in TCGA dataset. Interestingly, knockdown of two selected putative eRNAs, THUMPD3-AS1 and LINC01572, led to downregulation of their target mRNAs and to a reduction in the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Additionally, the expression of these two noncoding RNAs and target mRNAs was elevated in tumor samples in the TCGA dataset, and high expression was associated with poor survival of patients. Collectively, our study suggests that noncoding RNAs such as THUMPD3-AS1 and LINC01572 (i.e., putative eRNAs) can promote the transcription of genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation and that the dysregulation of these noncoding RNAs can cause cancers such as HCC.

Antioxidant Compounds, Kirenol and Methyl ent-16α, 17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oate Bioactivity-Guided Isolated from Siegesbeckia glabrescens Attenuates MITF-Mediated Melanogenesis via Inhibition of Intracellular ROS Production.

Siegesbeckia glabrescens (Compositae), an annual herb indigenous to Korean mountainous regions and has been eaten as a food in Korea. This study investigated ABTS, DPPH and nitric oxide (NO) radical-scavenging activities, and melanin production and TYR inhibitory effects-guided fractionation to identify therapeutic phytochemicals from S. glabrescens that can attenuate oxidation and melanogenesis in murine melanoma B16F10 cells. Nine compounds with inhibitory effects on melanin production, and TYR activity, and ABTS, DPPH, and NO radical scavenging activity were isolated from the 100% ethanol fraction from S. glabrescens. Among the nine compounds, kirenol (K), methyl ent-16α, 17-dihydroxy-kauran-19-oate (MDK) had strong inhibitory effects on melanin production and TYR activity with antioxidant effects. Western blot analysis revealed that K and MDK suppressed tyrosinase-related protein (TYRP)-1, TYRP-2 and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression. Moreover, these two compounds inhibited intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-treated B16F10 cells. Our results suggest that S. glabrescens containing active compounds such as K and MDK, which has antioxidant and antimelanogenesis effects, is the potent therapeutic and functional material for the prevention of oxidation-induced hyperpigmentation.

Seed-Specific Expression of Arabidopsis AtCYP85A2 Produces Biologically Active Brassinosteroids Such as Castasterone and Brassinolide to Improve Grain Yield and Quality in Seeds of Brachypodium Distachyon.

Brachypodium distachyon is a monocotyledonous model plant that contains castasterone (CS) but no brassinolide (BL) as the end product of brassinosteroids (BR) biosynthesis, indicating dysfunction of BL synthase, which catalyzes the conversion of CS to BL. To increase BR activity, Arabidopsis cytochrome P450 85A2 (AtCYP85A2) encoding BR 6-oxidase/BL synthase was introduced into B. distachyon with the seed-specific promoters pBSU1, pAt5g10120, and pAt5g54000. RT-PCR analysis and GUS activity revealed that AtCYP85A2 was only expressed in the seeds of the transgenic plants pBSU1-AtCYP85A2::Bd21-3, pAt5g10120-AtCYP85A2::Bd21-3, and pAt5g54000-AtCYP85A2::Bd21-3. The crude enzyme prepared from the seeds of these three transgenic plants catalyzed the conversion of 6-deoxoCS to CS. The transgenic plants showed greater specific enzyme activity than the wild-type plant for the conversion of 6-deoxoCS to CS, indicating enhanced BR 6-oxidase activity in the transgenic plants. The enzyme solution also catalyzed the conversion of CS into BL. Additionally, BL was identified from the seeds of transgenic plants, verifying that seed-specific AtCYP85A2 encodes a functional BL synthase to increase BR activity in the seeds of transgenic Brachypodium. In comparison with wild-type Brachypodium, the transgenic plants showed better growth and development during the vegetative growing stage. The flowers of the transgenic plants were remarkably larger, resulting in increments in the number, size, and height of seeds. The total starch, protein, and lipid contents in transgenic plants were higher than those in wild-type plants, indicating that seed-specific expression of AtCYP85A2 improves both grain yield and quality in B. distachyon.

Pyrolytic valorization of water treatment residuals containing powdered activated carbon as multifunctional adsorbents.

This study investigated the possibility of applying pyrolysis as an alternative method to recycle powdered activated carbon-containing water treatment residuals (PAC-WTRs) discharged from the Cheongju water treatment plant as a multifunctional adsorbent. WTRs pyrolyzed for 1 h at 200-700 °C were compared with raw material. The carbon content of the PAC-WTR reaches 19.27%, with about 25% Al and 17% Si. Changes in PAC through pyrolysis imparted new adsorbent properties to WTR. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, the purity of PAC increased, and pores were regenerated to recover the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) from 6.5 m2 g-1 to 131.8 m2 g-1. In addition, the basicity increased as the carboxylic and phenolic groups on the carbon surface were decomposed, which increased the cation (methylene blue) adsorption capacity and reduced heavy metal leaching. As the coagulant regenerated with increasing pyrolysis temperature, the amount of aluminum leached and phosphate removal efficiency were increased. In the case of simultaneous removal of cations (MB+) and anions (PO43-), the removal efficiency was higher than that for single adsorption without competition through multi-layer adsorption by Al complex and PAC complex. Therefore, the pyrolyzed PAC-WTR is capable of adsorbing and removing anions and cations simultaneously without the peril of substance leaching. The regenerated WTRs containing PAC is expected to be utilized as a multi-functional remediation material for wastewater containing various pollutants.

p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid ß-d-Glucosyl Ester and Cimidahurinine with Antimelanogenesis and Antioxidant Effects from Pyracantha angustifolia via Bioactivity-Guided Fractionation.

This study evaluated bioactivity-guided fractionation as a means to identify therapeutic phytochemicals from Pyracantha angustifolia that can attenuate melanogenesis and oxidation. Seven compounds with inhibitory effects on melanin production and tyrosinase (TYR) activity, and ABTS and DPPH radical-scavenging activities, which have not been reported as whitening materials, were isolated from the n-butanol fraction from P. angustifolia leaves (PAL). Among the seven compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid ß-d-glucosylester (HG), and cimidahurinine (CH) had strong inhibitory effects on melanin production and TYR activity, as well as ABTS and DPPH radical-scavenging activities. Western blot analysis showed that HG and CH suppressed tyrosinase-related protein (TYRP)-1 and TYRP-2 expression. Moreover, HG and CH inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-treated B16F10 cells. These results suggest that P. angustifolia containing active compounds, such as HG and CH, is a potent therapeutic candidate for the development of hypopigmenting agents.