Human-mediated forest transition shapes long-term occurrence patterns of pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus spectabilis) in the Korean Peninsula.

Both intrinsic and exogenous factors affect the population dynamics of forest insects. Time series analysis based on long-term data provides insights into the ecological processes driving their oscillation or fluctuation. This study investigated the long-term occurrence patterns of the pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus spectabilis) based on both historical records and recent monitoring data.

A temperature-responsive PLA-based nanosponge as a novel nanoadjuvant and efficient delivery carrier of Ag85B for effective vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, the only licensed TB vaccine, has insufficient protective efficacy in adults, necessitating the development of new TB vaccines. Ag85B, a protein-subunit TB vaccine, is a promising candidate due to its high immunogenicity.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Peripheral 5HT Antagonists for Liver Fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, leading to the distortion of liver architecture and function. Recent studies have shown that antagonizing 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2B (5HT) stimulates the apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells and inhibits their proliferation while concurrently regressing hepatocyte proliferation. In this study, we present compound , which demonstrates promising efficacy both and .

Do Random Forest-Driven Climate Envelope Models Require Variable Selection? A Case Study on (Theridiidae: Araneae).

Climate Envelope Models (CEMs) commonly employ 19 bioclimatic variables to predict species distributions, yet selecting which variables to include remains a critical challenge. Although it seems logical to select ecologically relevant variables, the biological responses of many target species are poorly understood. Random Forest (RF), a popular method in CEMs, can effectively handle correlated and nonlinear variables.

Mechanical properties of a polylactic 3D-printed interim crown after thermocycling.

Polylactic acid (PLA) has garnered attention for use in interim dental restorations due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, low cost, ease of fabrication, and moderate strength. However, its performance under intraoral conditions, particularly under heat and moisture, remains underexplored. This study evaluated the mechanical properties of PLA interim crowns compared with those of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and bisphenol crowns under simulated intraoral conditions with thermocycling.

Continuous Production of Docetaxel-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Using a Coaxial Turbulent Jet Mixer with Heating System.

The continuous synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) has been actively studied due to its great potential to produce NPs with reproducible and controllable physicochemical properties. Here, we achieved the high throughput production of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) using a coaxial turbulent jet mixer with an added heating system. This device, designed for the crossflow of precursor solution and non-solvent, combined with the heating system, efficiently dissolves solid lipids and surfactants.

Association between calcium channel blocker use and the risk of interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A longitudinal cohort study.

Introduction: Ca2+ signaling in fibroblasts would be one of the important mediators of lung fibrosis. This study investigated the relationship between calcium channel blocker usage and the risk of developing interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Material And Methods: This cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort spanned from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015.

Chitosan-coated PLA/poloxamer nanoparticles stimulate immunologic cancer cell death and synergistic chemo-immunotherapeutic efficacy.

Cancer, a key factor in declining global life expectancy, has driven the integration of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to address multidrug resistance and influence the tumor microenvironment. We developed a novel vaccine delivery carrier, a chitosan-coated polylactic acid/poloxamer nanoparticle (CPP NP), designed to co-encapsulate an anticancer drug and antigen without any chemical conjugation process, enabling effective and synergistic cancer chemo-immunotherapy. The CPP NP achieved synergistic efficacy through paclitaxel (PTX), an immunogenic cell death-inducing chemotherapeutic agent; ovalbumin (OVA), which promotes dendritic cell maturation; and enhanced cellular uptake facilitated by chitosan.

Phytochemical-Based Nanoantioxidants Stabilized with Polyvinylpyrrolidone for Enhanced Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities.

Despite the inhibitory effect of phytoncide (Pht) on food-borne pathogenic bacterial growth, the hydrophobic nature and susceptibility to biodegradation under physiological conditions limits its applications. Here, we developed Pht-loaded polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) micelles (Pht@PVP MC) via micelle packing. Pht was solubilized using different types of PVP as micellar vehicles.

A novel transdermal drug delivery system: drug-loaded ROS-responsive ferrocene fibers for effective photoprotective and wound healing activity.

The present study proposes an innovative transdermal drug delivery system using ferrocene-incorporated fibers to enhance the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. Using electrospinning technology, the authors created ferrocene polymer fibers capable of highly efficient drug encapsulation and controlled release in response to reactive oxygen species commonly found in wound sites. The approach improves upon previous methods significantly by offering higher drug loading capacities and sustained release, directly targeting diseased cells.

Tacrolimus-loaded chitosan-based nanoparticles as an efficient topical therapeutic for the effective treatment of atopic dermatitis symptoms.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic cutaneous disease with a complex underlying mechanism, and it cannot be completely cured. Thus, most treatment strategies for AD aim at relieving the symptoms. Although corticosteroids are topically applied to alleviate AD, adverse side effects frequently lead to the withdrawal of AD therapy.

Tuning the CO Reduction Selectivity of an Immobilized Molecular Ag Complex beyond CO.

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) to produce fuels and chemicals has garnered significant attention. However, achieving control over the selectivity of the resulting products remains a challenging task, particularly within molecular systems. In this study, we employed a molecular silver complex immobilized on graphitized mesoporous carbon (GMC) as a catalyst for converting CO into CO, achieving an impressive selectivity of over 90% at -1.

Association between hemoglobin trajectories and the incidence of dementia in a cohort of females aged 55-79 years.

Purpose: To assess the association between pattern changes in hemoglobin levels over time and the incidence of dementia using trajectories in females aged 55-79 years.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using females of aged 55-79 years from the National Health Insurance Service National Health Screening Cohort in Korea. To identify hemoglobin trajectories over eight years (2002-2009), we performed a three-step approach comprising measures of change, factor analysis, and cluster analysis.

Association between mechanical power and intensive care unit mortality in Korean patients under pressure-controlled ventilation.

Background: Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed.

Host-specific growth responses of Larix kaempferi and Quercus acutissima to Asian gypsy moth defoliation in central Korea.

As the risk of gypsy moth outbreaks that have detrimental effects on forest ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere increase due to climate change, a quantitative evaluation of the impact of gypsy moth defoliation is needed to support the adaptive forest management. To evaluate the host-specific impact of gypsy moth defoliation, radial growth and annual carbon accumulation were compared for one severely defoliated (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière) and one moderate defoliated (Quercus acutissima Carruth.

Association between Antacid Exposure and Risk of Interstitial Lung Diseases.

Background: The mechanisms leading to lung fibrosis are still under investigation. This study aimed to demonstrate whether antacids could prevent the development of interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods: This population-based longitudinal cohort study was conducted between January 2006 and December 2010 in South Korea.