Methods: In this study, we isolated the exosomes using the tangential flow filtration (TFF) system with exosome-depleted fetal bovine serum and performed the characterization tests via western blotting, reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and transmission electron microscopy. Results: In transmission electron microscopy, the exosome had a diameter of approximately 100–200 nm and had a spherical shape, whereas in the NTA, the exosome had an average diameter of 142.8 nm with a concentration of 1.27×1010 particles/mL. The flow cytometry analysis showed the expression of CD63 and CD81. The western blotting analysis showed the positive markers. Conclusions These findings showed that isolating the exosomes via TFF resulted in high-quality EF-MSC exosome yield. Further studies with exosomes from EF-MSC are needed to evaluate the function and role of the EF tissue.

The concept of a super-aged society has led to a steady increase in the average lifespan and hence, interest in a healthy life has increased. Aging is a major risk factor for many diseases, including osteoporosis. Osteoporotic fractures have a significant impact on the quality of life of the elderly and hence, it is pivotal to provide effective treatment of osteoporosis after menopause. Osteoporosis requires proper management and the treatment must be centered on long-term goals. New drugs with diverse mechanisms have been developed for treating osteoporosis. Current management of osteoporosis generally focuses on the importance of risk-based strategies to maximize the effectiveness of existing treatments and mitigate potential negative side-effects. Additionally, there is a need for sequential treatment of osteoporosis in the future. This review discusses the dynamic strategies for osteoporosis treatment and the importance of long-term management in postmenopausal women.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a crucial tool for evaluating mediastinal masses considering that several lesions that appear indeterminate on computed tomography and radiography can be differentiated on MRI. Using a three-compartment model to localize the mass and employing a basic knowledge of MRI, radiologists can easily diagnose mediastinal masses. Here, we review the use of MRI in evaluating mediastinal masses and present the images of various mediastinal masses categorized using the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group’s three-compartment classification system. These masses include thymic hyperplasia, thymic cyst, pericardial cyst, thymoma, mediastinal hemangioma, lymphoma, mature teratoma, bronchogenic cyst, esophageal duplication cyst, mediastinal thyroid carcinoma originating from ectopic thyroid tissue, mediastinal liposarcoma, mediastinal pancreatic pseudocyst, neurogenic tumor, meningocele, and plasmacytoma.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii infection is a significant health problem worldwide due to increased drug resistance. The limited antimicrobial alternatives for the treatment of severe infections by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB) make the search for other therapeutic options more urgent. Linalool, the major oil compound in Coriandrum sativum, was recently found to have high antibacterial activity against A. baumannii. The purpose of this study was to investigate the synergistic effect of linalool and colistin combinations against MDRAB and extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii (XDRAB). METHODS: A total of 51 strains of A. baumannii clinical isolates, consisting of 10 MDRAB and 41 XDRAB were tested. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of linalool for the test strains using the broth microdilution method and searched for interactions using the time-kill assay. RESULTS: The time-kill assay showed that the linalool and colistin combination displayed a high rate of synergy (92.1%) (by synergy criteria 2), low rate of indifference (7.8%), and a high rate of bactericidal activity (74.5%) in the 51 clinical isolates of A. baumannii. The synergy rates for the linalool and colistin combination against MDRAB and XDRAB were 96% and 92.1%, respectively. No antagonism was observed for the linalool and colistin combination. CONCLUSION The combination of linalool and colistin showed a high synergy rate, which may be beneficial for controlling MDRAB infections. Therefore, this combination is a good candidate for in vivo studies to assess its efficacy in the treatment of MDRAB infections.