No abstract

Endophytes, important plant-associated mycobionts, have attracted a great deal of attention because of their bioactive secondary metabolites. Even though halophytes have been reported to overcome salt stress via associations with their endophytes, few studies have investigated the metabolites produced by the endophytes from halophytes. In this study, a dark septate endophytic fungal strain (JS0464), identified as Gaeumannomyces sp. by ITS sequencing, was isolated from the rhizome of a halophyte, Phragmites communis, in Suncheon bay, South Korea. This strain was cultured on a large scale and extracted with ethyl acetate. Chemical investigations of extracts of JS0464 led to the isolation of two glycosylated dialkylresorcinol derivatives (1-2), an anthraquinone derivative (3) and eight known compounds (4-11), which were identified by spectroscopic analyses incorporating one-dimensional/2D NMR and MS. Nine compounds showed significant nitric oxide reduction activity in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated microglia BV-2 cells, seven of which did not impair cell viability. The results suggest that endophytes from the halophytes could be potential resources for bioactive natural products.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between patterns of localized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects and the degree of myopia in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with high myopia (42 eyes; spherical equivalent [SE] < −6.0 diopters [D]), low to moderate myopia (93 eyes; SE −6.0D ~ and −0.5D), and emmetropia (65 eyes; SE −0.5D ~ +0.5D), all of which were diagnosed as having NTG with localized RNFL defects. On RNFL photographs, the proximity of the RNFL defect to the center of the fovea (angle I) and the sum of the angular width of the defects (angle II) were determined. The patterns of localized RNFL defects were then compared with respect to differences in angles I and II.ResultsAngle I was significantly smaller in the high myopia group than in the low to moderate myopia group (p = 0.028) and the emmetropia group (p = 0.044), while angle II was significantly larger in the high myopia group compared with the low to moderate myopia group and the emmetropia group (p < 0.001, p = 0.007).ConclusionsAmong subjects with NTG, localized RNFL defects are wider and closer to the fovea in eyes with high myopia than those with low to moderate myopia or emmetropia.

The number of elderly people living alone worldwide is increasing, and the responsibility of the state in this context is emerging. This study aimed to develop a community-based integrated service (CBIS) model of health and social care for older adults living alone. The model was designed based on a literature review of previous community care models and per older adults’ health and daily life needs. Thereafter, feedback on the integrated model was taken from older adults living alone by conducting a survey (n = 1023) and focus group interviews, after which the opinions of the Public type Health Management Promotion Council were considered and content validity was confirmed. The model, comprising eight healthcare services and five social care services, was tested on 22 older adults for two weeks to assess its feasibility and preliminary efficiency. Each service included screening, assessment, providing service, evaluation, and quit. Participants rated their overall satisfaction with the services as 9 out of 10. Care navigators reported feeling comforted and discovered their own sense of being while providing the services. We believe that the CBIS model may foster independence among community-dwelling older adults living alone, thereby improving their quality of life through “aging in place”.

Corticosteroids have been often found to be added to a dietary supplement for the purpose of illegally improving the effect of their products. Thus, it is imperative to develop or improve a method that enables one to rapidly and reliably analyze corticosteroids in health or dietary supplements, for the safety management purpose. In the present study, results from liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) experiments for the selected 35 corticosteroid compounds are presented, which can be useful for the qualitative screening of corticosteroids in health or dietary supplements. Specifically, retention times, accurate mass data of the protonated steroids, m/z values of major fragment ions are given for the 35 corticosteroids. Further, fragmentation pathways for the selected steroids are also suggested. Based on the suggested fragmentation pathways, it was shown that an unknown steroid compound can be readily identified using the knowledge of a group of unique and specific common skeletal fragments. The high selectivity and sensitivity of the LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS results combined with the knowledge of the fragmentation pathways can offer a new opportunity for rapid and accurate screening of corticosteroids, thus preventing health-related incidents involving adulterated products and clamping down on illegally circulated health products. Figure 6. MS/MS spectra of (a) testosterone protonated ions at m/ z 289.2 and (b) the precursor ions at m/z 345.2 (an unknown compound proposed to be testosterone-17-propionate).