The reduction of tumor cell proliferation and antimutaginicity of the essential oil from Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze and its major components such as methyl chavicol (82.8%), limonene (3.9%) and anisaldehyde (2.6%) were investigated by using four human carcinoma cell lines. Both the oil and its three major components were shown to possess low cytotoxicity on normal human liver cells, WRL68 by only inhibiting less than 12% of normal cell growth. Its inhibition percentage was much less than those from other medicinal herb extracts. The oil had relatively strong antimutaginicity when screened against a genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO AS-52) cell line, and the results of antimutaginicity were shown to be closely related to the effect of inhibiting cancer cell growth. In general, the oil had better inhibition effect on cancer cells than individual components: 63% for crude oil vs. 49% for anisaldehyde at 1 g/L of the treatment. It was found that the oil could effectively inhibit the growth of human lung cancer cell up to 82 %, having 0.09 of IC₅₀. The proliferation of other human cancer cell lines have also been retarded in the range of 40—80% by addition of the oil. This was well matched with the result of antimutaginicity as follows: 75% for the oil and 38–63% for individual oil components at 1 g/L, respectively. The functions of antimutaginicity and inhibiting cancer cell growth of the components were also confirmed by the kinetic analysis of human immune cell growth. The growth of both B and T cell lines was enhanced up to about 200% by adding the oil, but the oil components could not improve the human T cells. The results of a kinetic analysis using a microphysiometer revealed that the oil could affect human B cell growth rapidly within 10 min of the treatment showing up to 180% enhancement of the growth. While the individual components only reacted after 20 min. This may be interpreted that the oil (mixture of components) can have a synergistic effect on the growth of human T cells and better inhibition of cancer cell growth. These results also imply that the oil could selectively inhibit the proliferation of human cancer cells (>1.5 of the selectivity) better than the individual oil components, possibly due to the synergistic effect of the three major components and/or the combined effects by other unknown minor components in the oil.

Kim JH, et al. Yonsei Med J. 2022 Nov;63:e29. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2022.0339

In this study, we investigated the mortality of septic shock patients visiting emergency departments (ED) before and after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic onset. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and National Emergency Department Information System data of septic shock patients who visited the ED of a tertiary medical center in South Korea from February 2019 to February 2021. Following the COVID-19 pandemic onset, revised institutional ED processes included a stringent isolation protocol for patients visiting the ED. The primary goal of this study was to determine the mortality rate of septic shock patients from before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Durations of vasopressor use, mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, and hospitalization were investigated. The mortality rates increased from 24.8% to 35.8%, before and after COVID-19-onset, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.079). No significant differences in other outcomes were found. Multivariable analysis revealed that the Simplified Acute Physiology Score III (SAPS III) was the only risk factor for mortality (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04-1.10), whereas COVID-19 pandemic was not included in the final model. The non-significant influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on septic shock mortality rates in the present study belies the actual mortality-influencing potential of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This nationwide, population-based observational study investigated the association between the floor level of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) incidence and survival outcomes in South Korea, notable for its significant high-rise apartment living. Data were collected retrospectively from OHCA patients through the South Korean Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Surveillance database. The study incorporated cases that included the OHCA’s building floor information. The primary outcome assessed was survival to discharge, analyzed using multivariate logistic regression, and the secondary outcome was favorable neurological outcome. Among 36,977 patients, a total of 29,729 patients were included, and 1680 patients were survivors. A weak yet significant correlation between floor level and hospital arrival time was observed. Interestingly, elevated survival rates were noted among patients from higher floors despite extended emergency medical service response times. Multivariate analysis identified age, witnessed OHCA, shockable rhythm, and prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) as primary determinants of survival to discharge. The floor level’s impact on survival was less substantial than anticipated, suggesting residential emergency response enhancements should prioritize witness interventions, shockable rhythm management, and prehospital ROSC rates. The study underscores the importance of bespoke emergency response strategies in high-rise buildings, particularly in urban areas, and the potential of digital technologies to optimize response times and survival outcomes.

In this paper, an efficient beam-tracking technique for a mobile station (MS) in mmWave communication systems is proposed to identify the cause of beam error using a motion sensor based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) as well as an electrical signal. The motion sensor estimates the rotation angle and detects whether the device moves. The proposed technique tracks a beam by handling the specific situation depending on the cause of beam error, minimizing the tracking overhead. The performance of the proposed beam-tracking technique is evaluated by simulations in three typical scenarios.