Vitamin D and Exercise Are Major Determinants of Natural Killer Cell Activity, Which Is Age- and Gender-Specific

BackgroundThe coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic reminds us of the importance of immune function, even in immunologically normal individuals. Multiple lifestyle factors are known to influence the immune function.ObjectiveThe aim was to investigate the association between NK cell activity (NKA) and multiple factors including vitamin D, physical exercise, age, and gender.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional association study using health check-up and NKA data of 2,095 subjects collected from 2016 to 2018 in a health check-up center in the Republic of Korea. NKA was measured using the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) stimulation method. The association of NKA with 25-(OH)-vitamin D (25(OH)D) and other factors was investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe average age of subjects was 48.8 ± 11.6 years (52.9% of subjects were female). Among 2,095 subjects, 1,427 had normal NKA (NKA ≥ 500 pg IFN-γ/mL), while 506 had low NKA (100 ≤ NKA < 500 pg/mL), and 162 subjects had very low NKA (NKA < 100 pg/mL). Compared to men with low 25(OH)D serum level (< 20 ng/mL), vitamin D replete men (30–39.9 ng/mL) had significantly lower risk of very low NKA (OR: 0.358; 95% CI: 0.138, 0.929; P = 0.035). In women, both low exercise (OR: 0.529; 95% CI: 0.299, 0.939; P = 0.030) and medium to high exercise (OR: 0.522; 95% CI: 0.277, 0.981; P = 0.043) decreased the risk compared to lack of physical exercise. Interestingly, in men and women older than 60 years, physical exercise significantly decreased the risk. Older-age was associated with increased risk of very low NKA in men, but not in women.ConclusionPhysical exercise and vitamin D were associated with NKA in a gender- and age-dependent manner. Age was a major risk factor of very low NKA in men but not in women

Characterization of Trophic Structure of Fish Assemblages in the East and South Seas of Korea Based on C and N Stable Isotope Ratios

The aim of this study was to assess seasonal variation in the food-web structure of fish assemblages in the East (two sites) and the South (one site) Seas of Korea, and to compare the isotopic niche areas between the regions. To do this, we analyzed the community structures and the δ13C and δ15N values for fish assemblages, and their potential food sources collected during May and October 2020. There were spatial differences in the diversity and dominant species of fish assemblages between the two seas. The fish assemblages in the South Sea had relatively wide ranges of δ13C and δ15N (−22.4‰ to −15.3‰ and 7.4‰ to 13.8‰, respectively) compared to those (−22.1‰ to −18.0‰ and 9.8‰ to 13.6‰, respectively) in the East Sea. The δ13C and δ15N values of suspended particulate organic matter, zooplankton, and fish assemblages differed significantly among sites and between seasons (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05, in all cases). Moreover, isotopic niche indices were relatively higher in the South Sea compared to those in the East Sea. Such differences in food-web characteristics among sites are likely due to the specific environmental effects (especially, major currents) on the differences in the species compositions and, therefore, their trophic relationships. Overall, these results allow for a deeper understanding of the changing trophic diversity and community structure of fish assemblages resulting from climate variability

Interaction between the <i>PNPLA3</i> Gene and Nutritional Factors on NAFLD Development: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study

Genetic and nutritional factors contribute to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, gene–diet interactions in NAFLD development are poorly understood. In this case–control study, a large dataset from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study cohort (n = 72,299) comprising genomic data, medical records, social history, and dietary data was used. We investigated the interactions between the PNPLA3 rs738409 genotype and nutritional factors and their possible effect on the risk of NAFLD development in 2950 patients with NAFLD and 12,907 controls. In the PNPLA3 risk allele group, high protein, fat, sodium, phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B6 intakes were associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD. In the non-risk allele group, only high fat intake was associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD. Among these nutrients, high sodium intake had a significant protective interaction with the PNPLA3 genotype against NAFLD (p = 0.002). Among salty foods, only kimchi had a significant protective effect against the PNPLA3 genotype (p = 0.012). Thus, the PNPLA3 genotype is differentially associated with nutritional factors. In particular, it interacts with kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish. Therefore, fermented vegetables may serve as a tailored therapeutic food for people with the PNPLA3 risk allele

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Deep Tumor Delivery of Gold Nanorod for Photothermal Therapy

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with various sizes and morphologies have been extensively investigated for effective photothermal therapy (PTT) against multiple cancer types. However, a highly dynamic and complex tumor microenvironment (TME) considerably reduces the efficacy of PTT by limiting deep tumor penetration of AuNPs. Herein, we propose a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated deep tumor delivery of gold nanorod (AuNR) for a potent PTT. First, MSCs are treated with tetraacylated N-azidomannosamine (Ac4ManNAz) to introduce modifiable azide (N3) groups on the cell surface via metabolic glycoengineering. Then, AuNRs modified with bio-orthogonal click molecules of bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne (AuNR@BCN) are chemically conjugated to the N3 groups on the MSC surface by copper-free click chemistry reaction, resulting in AuNR@MSCs. In cultured MSCs, the appropriate condition to incorporate the AuNR into the MSCs is optimized; in addition, the photothermal efficiency of AuNR-MSCs under light irradiation are assessed, showing efficient heat generation in vitro. In colon tumor-bearing mice, intravenously injected AuNR@MSCs efficiently accumulate within the tumor tissues by allowing deep tissue penetration owing to the tumor homing effect by natural tumor tropism of AuNR@MSCs. Upon localized light irradiation, the AuNR@MSCs significantly inhibit colon tumor growth by the enhanced photothermal effect compared to conventional AuNRs. Collectively, this study shows a promising approach of MSCs-mediated deep tumor delivery of AuNR for effective PTT

Ultraflexible and transparent electroluminescent skin for real-time and super-resolution imaging of pressure distribution

The ability to image pressure distribution over complex three-dimensional surfaces would significantly augment the potential applications of electronic skin. However, existing methods show poor spatial and temporal fidelity due to their limited pixel density, low sensitivity, or low conformability. Here, we report an ultraflexible and transparent electroluminescent skin that autonomously displays super-resolution images of pressure distribution in real time. The device comprises a transparent pressure-sensing film with a solution-processable cellulose/nanowire nanohybrid network featuring ultrahigh sensor sensitivity (&gt;5000 kPa(-1)) and a fast response time (&lt;1 ms), and a quantum dot-based electroluminescent film. The two ultrathin films conform to each contact object and transduce spatial pressure into conductivity distribution in a continuous domain, resulting in super-resolution (&gt;1000 dpi) pressure imaging without the need for pixel structures. Our approach provides a new framework for visualizing accurate stimulus distribution with potential applications in skin prosthesis, robotics, and advanced human-machine interfaces. Electronic skin that spatially maps pressure distribution through imaging shows limited performance despite improvements to data acquisition. Here, the authors report ultraflexible, transparent electroluminescent skin capable of high-resolution imaging of pressure distribution over 3D surfaces.Y