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Ethnopharmacological relevance Evodiae Fructus (EF) is the dried, unripe fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa Benth., and one of the main components of traditional herbal prescriptions issued for the treatment of sterility caused by irregular menstruation in Korea. However, scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and action mechanism of EF is lacking. Aim of the study In this study, the authors established an in vitro screening tool to identify promising new drug candidates in herbal medicines for the prevention and treatment of premature ovarian failure. The protective effects of EF extracts against 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-induced ovotoxicity were investigated and the molecular mechanism responsible was sought. Material and Methods EF extract was prepared by boiling EF in water and its quality was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography. CHO-K1 (Chinese hamster ovary cells) and COV434 (human ovarian granulosa cells) cells were plated, pretreated with EF extract for 2 h and then treated with 1.5 mM or 0.5 mM VCD for 24 h, respectively. Cell viabilities were measured using an MTT assay, and protein levels were determined by western blotting. Results VCD significantly suppressed the viability of both CHO-K1 and COV434 cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced the apoptosis of CHO-K1 cells at 1.5 mM. EF extract dose-dependently blocked the ovotoxicity induced by treatment with VCD. Furthermore, EF extract significantly activated Akt and downstream effectors such as mTOR and GSK-3β in CHO-K1 cells. The ability of EF extract to prevent cytotoxicity by VCD was antagonized by pretreatment of LY294002, a PI3K/Akt inhibitor. Conclusion EF has the ability to protect ovary cells against VCD-induced ovotoxicity, probably via Akt activation. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of EF might be useful for preventing premature ovarian failure or unexplained infertility caused by environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chilling requirement varied among species and cultivars. • The dynamic model was the most precise model, followed by the Utah model. • Flowering date was significantly related with chilling requirement. • Initiation of chilling accumulation had been delayed during last 100 years. • Chilling accumulation was reduced during 100 years in chill hours model. Chilling and heat requirements of peach cultivars and spectrums of chilling accumulation over the last 100 years (1919–2018) were evaluated to determine phenological characteristics for dormancy break in Republic of Korea. Chilling requirement was calculated by using Chill Hours, Utah, Dynamic, North Carolina, and Low Chilling models and heat requirement was estimated in growing degree hours (GDH). Chilling requirement of 15 cultivars ranged between 263 and 2123 chill hour (CH), 377 and 1134 chill unit (CU), and 21.3 and 74.8 chilling portion (CP). The Dynamic model showed the highest precision with the smallest variation among years, followed by the Utah model. Heat requirement ranged from 4824 to 5506 GDH and was positively correlated with flowering date. During last 100 years, the initiation date of chilling accumulation had been delayed for 10–12 days in Chill Hours and Utah models. In contrast, the Dynamic model showed no significant changes in chilling accumulation spectrum. Although the chill accumulation was enough to fulfill the chilling requirement so far in Republic of Korea, reduced chills were monitored from 100-year data. Therefore, continuous monitoring or estimation of chilling accumulation in the future is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on description of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection outbreak in South Korea. It states observation of changes in viral loads infections among patients of MERS with increment in mortality of patients. It mentions categorization of the MERS patients under illustration of severe diseases. It highlights on increment in prolonged viral shedding among patients along with respiratory secretions with absence of viral RNA detection.