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Glomerulonephritis (GN) is characterized by podocyte injury or glomerular filtration dysfunction, which results in proteinuria and eventual loss of kidney function. Progress in studying the mechanism of GN, and developing an effective therapy, has been limited by the absence of suitable in vitro models that can closely recapitulate human physiological responses. We developed a microfluidic glomerulus-on-a-chip device that can recapitulate the physiological environment to construct a functional filtration barrier, with which we investigated biological changes in podocytes and dynamic alterations in the permeability of the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) on a chip. We also evaluated the potential of GN-mimicking devices as a model for predicting responses to human GN. Glomerular endothelial cells and podocytes successfully formed intact monolayers on opposite sides of the membrane in our chip device. Permselectivity analysis confirmed that the chip was constituted by a functional GFB that could accurately perform differential clearance of albumin and dextran. Reduction in cell viability resulting from damage was observed in all serum-induced GN models. The expression of podocyte-specific marker WT1 was also decreased. Albumin permeability was increased in most models of serum-induced IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and membranous nephropathy (MN). However, sera from patients with minimal change disease (MCD) or lupus nephritis (LN) did not induce a loss of permeability. This glomerulus-on-a-chip system may provide a platform of glomerular cell culture for in vitro GFB in formation of a functional three-dimensional glomerular structure. Establishing a disease model of GN on a chip could accelerate our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of glomerulopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A horospherical variety is a normal G-variety such that a connected reductive algebraic group G acts with an open orbit isomorphic to a torus bundle over a rational homogeneous manifold. The projective horospherical manifolds of Picard number one are classified by Pasquier, and it turned out that the automorphism groups of all nonhomogeneous ones are non-reductive, which implies that they admit no Kähler–Einstein metrics. As a numerical measure of the extent to which a Fano manifold is close to be Kähler–Einstein, we compute the greatest Ricci lower bounds of projective horospherical manifolds of Picard number one using the barycenter of each moment polytope with respect to the Duistermaat–Heckman measure based on a recent work of Delcroix and Hultgren. In particular, the greatest Ricci lower bound of the odd symplectic Grassmannian SGr (n , 2 n + 1) can be arbitrarily close to zero as n grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (US-PDT) has been adapted for use in intensive care units (ICU). US-PDT is comparable to bronchoscopy-assisted tracheostomy. However, compared to surgical tracheostomy (ST), its safety and effectiveness have not been well studied.Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of US-PDT compared to ST.Materials and Methods: A total of 90 patients who underwent US-PDT (n = 36) or ST (n = 54) between July 2019 and September 2020 were enrolled. US-PDT was performed in the ICU without a surgical assistant or bronchoscope. Data were collected retrospectively and analyzed regarding clinical characteristics, procedure times and details, complications, and mortality rate.Results: The success rate of US-PDT was 97.4% and the procedure time was shorter than ST (5.2 ± 3.1 vs. 10.5 ± 5.0 min). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics and procedure details. There was no procedure-related mortality in either of the groups.Conclusions: US-PDT is time-efficient and as safe as ST. Based on our results, US-PDT may be considered a potential alternative to ST in high-risk patients and in those who cannot be transported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) has several aetiologies and may be a presenting symptom of vestibular schwannoma (VS). The aim of this study was to investigate the recovery rate after steroid treatment and the prognostic factors of SSNHL with VS. This was a retrospective observational study wherein 32 patients with VS who presented with SSNHL were analysed at a tertiary referral centre. Hearing gain and prognostic factors were the main outcome measures for steroid treatment intervention. Among the 1698 patients presenting with SSNHL, VS was found in 43 (2.5%) patients. Eleven cases (34.3%) showed good recovery, with significant improvements in the pure-tone audiometry values. Even though age was a significant factor, there were no associations between steroid response and initial hearing level, presence of vertigo, tumour size, and tumour extension. Our study showed that hearing recovery of SSNHL does not exclude a VS diagnosis. We suggest that steroid treatment be considered in patients with VS presenting SSNHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress plays important roles in inflammatory responses during acute lung injury (ALI). Recently, nanoconstruct (Nano)-based drug-delivery systems have shown promise in many models of inflammation. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) loaded in a biocompatible Nano using a rat model of ALI. We synthesized a Nano with a good NAC-releasing capacity using porous silica Nano, which was used to produce Nano/NAC complexes. For in vivo experiments, Sprague–Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered NAC or Nano/NAC 30 min after intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide. After 6 h, bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and lung tissues were collected. The anti-oxidative effect of the Nano/NAC complex was confirmed by demonstrating reduced levels of reactive oxygen species after treatment with the Nano/NAC in vitro. In vivo experiments also showed that the Nano/NAC treatment may protect against LPS‐induced ALI thorough anti‐oxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects, which may be attributed to the inactivation of the NF‐κB and MAPK pathways. In addition, the effects of Nano/NAC treatment were shown to be superior to those of NAC alone. We suggest the therapeutic potential of Nano/NAC treatment as an anti‐inflammatory agent against ALI. Furthermore, our study can provide basic data for developing nanotechnology-based pharmacotherapeutics for ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PDE4 inhibitors are involved in anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses. Recently, they have been getting attention as a new class of drugs treating inflammatory airway diseases. The T lymphocyte is a major cell type present in the inflammatory infiltrate in the airway wall in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a previous study found that treatment with a PDE4 inhibitor significantly suppressed T cell proliferation. However, the mechanism of action of PDE4 inhibitors has not been elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate major signal transduction pathways of T lymphocyte and identify the phase, during which PDE4 inhibitors affect T cell proliferation. Isolated splenic CD4+ T cells were grown under stimulation with an anti‐CD3/CD28 antibody, and/or treated with roflumilast‐n‐oxide (RNO). A western blot assay was performed using major antibodies including anti‐p‐38, anti‐p‐PI3K, anti‐p‐JNK, anti‐p‐ERK 1/2, anti‐NFAT1 (NFATc2), and anti‐NF‐kB antibodies. Additional experiments conducted on the pathway showed significant change following RNO treatment, thus providing further evidence for signal transduction pathway concerning PDE4 inhibitors. T cell proliferation was suppressed by RNO treatment. In the pathways involved in T cell proliferation, only expression of anti‐NFAT1 antibody was suppressed by RNO treatment. In additional experiments on the NFAT pathway, the very first phase (TCR signalling) remained unchanged on treatment with RNO, but RNO treatment increased IP3R expression and suppressed calcineurin activity. Calcineurin activity, reduced by RNO, increased on treatment with an IP3 receptor agonist. PED4 inhibitor, roflumilast is speculated to suppress T cell proliferation by interfering with IP3‐IP3R binding to inhibit calcium emission, blocking pathway activation from this phase onward, eventually decreasing the level of a growth factor for T cell proliferation, IL‐2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Systematic design approach of elastic metagratings for retroreflection of flexural waves was proposed. • Near-perfect efficiency were accomplished for single- and multiple-angle retroreflection. • Simply configured, easily manufacturable hole-type scatterers compose the unit cells of the retroreflecting metagratings. • An optimization-based design formulation is posed for effective suppression of unwanted diffraction modes. The potential of elastic wave retroreflection is substantial for various applications such as structural identification and detection. However, realizing accurate retroreflection presents significant challenges owing to the need for high-efficiency anomalous reflection from boundaries. This study delves into the relatively less-explored field of flexural wave retroreflection in thin plates and proposes the use of metagratings for its realization. The present metagratings, which are built from unit cells created by possibly-overlapping circular holes, offer a simple fabrication process owing to their straightforward geometry. They hold an advantage over metasurfaces, which often struggle with wave steering because of their unmanageable higher-order diffraction modes. However, no systematic approach has been proposed so far to design metagratings for flexural wave retroreflection. To address this gap, we have established an optimization problem that identifies the optimal geometries and locations of the circular holes built into the proposed retroreflecting metagratings using a gradient-based optimizer. The design process involves diffraction grating theory and spatial fast Fourier transform. Both single and multiple retroreflections at various angles were considered and the numerical findings were substantiated by experimental results. The findings of this study imply that the investigated metagratings and design approaches have promising potential for more sophisticated wave manipulations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the independent influence of maternal age on the risk of emergency cesarean section (CS) due to nonreassuring fetal heart rate or arrest disorder. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on women with nulliparous pregnancies, who are attempting vaginal delivery at term and have a cephalic presentation without the indication of elective CS at the onset of labor. The primary outcome was the rate of emergency CS. Independent risk factors were elucidated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 3513 women, 541 (15.4%) delivered by emergency CS during a trial of vaginal delivery, with theses being due to nonreassuring fetal heart rate (N = 150) or arrest disorder (N = 391). In univariate analysis, both individual CS rate due to nonreassuring fetal heart rate or arrest disorder and total emergent CS rate increased with maternal age. The risk of emergency CS was also significantly higher when labor induction was performed (odds ratio (OR) 2.489, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.043–3.033), while fetal weight was heavier (neonatal weight ≥3.5 kg; OR 2.396, 95% CI 1.956–2.934), and maternal BMI was higher (before pregnancy ≥25 kg/m2; OR 2.751, 95% CI 1.980–3.823, at delivery ≥28 kg/m2; OR 2.375 95% CI 1.915–2.946). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the risk of total emergency CS in mothers over 35 years of age, compared to that in women less than 30 years old (35–39 years group; adjusted OR 1.805 95% CI 1.347–2.418, ≥40 years group; adjusted OR 4.659 95% CI 2.709–8.013). CS due to nonreassuring fetal heart rate increased in mothers over 40 years of age (adjusted OR 5.354, 95% CI 2.386–12.017) and CS due to arrest disorder was also increased in mothers over 30 years of age (30–34 years group; adjusted OR 1.343, 95% CI 1.010–1.785, 35–39 years group; adjusted OR 1.906, 95% CI 1.357–2.679, ≥40 years group; adjusted OR 4.663, 95% CI 2.480–8.768). Similar to the result of univariate analysis, labor induction increased the risk of emergency CS (adjusted OR 2.241, 95% CI 1.828–2.747). Conclusions: Advanced maternal age is an independent risk factor of emergency CS due to nonreassuring fetal heart rate or arrest disorder during the trial of vaginal delivery. The risk of emergency CS was also increased when labor induction was performed. Therefore, the risk of emergency CS needs to be considered, especially when the labor induction is planned, in women aged 40 or more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevation of total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in patients with preeclampsia is well-known; however, whether this change precedes the onset of symptoms remains inconclusive. Here, we conducted a nested case–control study to determine the elevation of cfDNA levels in women who subsequently developed preeclampsia. Methylated HYP2 (m-HYP2) levels were determined in 68 blood samples collected from women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, along with 136 control samples, using real-time quantitative PCR. The measured m-HYP2 levels were converted to multiples of the median (MoM) values for correction of maternal characteristics. The m-HYP2 levels and MoM values in patients with preeclampsia were significantly higher than in controls during the third trimester (P < 0.001, both), whereas those for women who subsequently developed preeclampsia did not differ during the second trimester. However, when patients with preeclampsia were divided based on the onset-time of preeclampsia or 10th percentile birth weight, both values were significantly higher in women who subsequently developed early-onset preeclampsia (P < 0.05, both) and preeclampsia with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonate (P < 0.01, both) than controls. These results suggested that total cfDNA levels could be used to predict early-onset preeclampsia or preeclampsia with SGA neonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetric varieties are normal equivariant open embeddings of symmetric homogeneous spaces and they are interesting examples of spherical varieties. The principal goal of this article is to study the rigidity under Kähler deformations of smooth projective symmetric varieties with Picard number one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smooth Schubert varieties in rational homogeneous manifolds of Picard number 1 are horospherical varieties. We characterize standard embeddings of smooth Schubert varieties in rational homogeneous manifolds of Picard number 1 by means of varieties of minimal rational tangents. In particular, we mainly consider nonhomogeneous smooth Schubert varieties in symplectic Grassmannians and in the 20-dimensional F -homogeneous manifold associated to a short simple root. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel metagrating for simultaneous realization of mode-converting and anomalous steering of elastic wave reflection is proposed. • Near-perfect mode-conversion efficiencies are achieved for in-plane waves in thin elastic plate. • Metagratings realize longitudinal-to-shear and shear-to-longitudinal wave mode conversions in scattered refection field. • Higher-order scattered diffraction modes are effectively and selectively suppressed in metagratings. Metasurfaces have recently received much attentions for manipulating waves. However, it is difficult to control all high-order or diffracted modes using the popularly employed metasurfaces. Herein, we propose a new way for converting a normally incident elastic longitudinal (or shear) wave mode to an obliquely reflected elastic shear (or longitudinal) one, using metagratings of elaborately designed and arranged strips. For a longitudinal (or shear) wave incidence upon the free end of an elastic plate, it is intrinsically difficult to realize full-power mode conversion and steer the converted mode without generating undesired reflected waves. We show that our elaborately designed and optimized multiple rectangular strip-type metagratings are effective in simultaneously fulfilling the mode conversion and anomalous steering of elastic waves. Unlike metasurfaces, the proposed metagratings operate via the diffraction theory and multiple rectangular strips permit sufficient design freedom to fulfill the two design objectives. Several numerical simulations in this work show that the proposed strip-type metagratings achieve near-perfect mode-conversion efficiencies reaching 96 %, and the performance is supported by experiments. Applications of the designed metagratings in nondestructive evaluation are also demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of separate and combined tests using cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA), cell-free total DNA (cfDNA), and biochemical markers for the early detection of pregnancies with hypertensive disorders.Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted with 135 singleton pregnancies including 17 gestational hypertension cases, 34 preeclampsia (PE) cases, and 84 controls. We performed real-time quantitative PCR to measure levels of DSCR3 and RASSF1A as cffDNA markers and HYP2 as a cfDNA marker in the first and early second trimesters. Levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), α-fetoprotein, β-human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol, and inhibin A were also determined.Results: Compared with controls, the median levels and multiples of the median (MoM) values of HYP2 were significantly higher in the PE and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) groups at 6-14 and 15-23 weeks. Frist-trimester PAPP-A MoM was significantly lower in PE and HDP than in controls. For PE and HDP, the best model included the first-trimester DSCR3, HYP2, and PAPP-A MoM values achieving detection rates of 67 and 58% at a fixed 10% false-positive rate, respectively [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.832 (95% CI 0.689-0.928) for PE; 0.751 (0.607-0.863) for HDP].Discussion: The study demonstrates the potential utility of combined first-trimester cffDNA, cfDNA, and PAPP-A for the early prediction of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phyllodes tumor of the male breast is an extremely rare disease, and far fewer cases of borderline phyllodes tumors than benign or malignant tumors in the male breast have been reported. We report a case of borderline phyllodes tumor in the male breast with imaging findings of the tumor and pathologic correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphisms in the genes encoding enzymes in the folate metabolism pathway have been associated with male infertility and chromosome abnormalities. The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) polymorphisms in fertile men and infertile men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). A case-control study comprising 85 infertile men with NOA and 246 fertile men as controls was carried out.MTHFRc.677C > T (rs1801133),MTHFRc.1298A > C (rs1801131),MTRc.2756A > G (rs1805087), andMTRRc.66A > G (rs1801394) polymorphisms were determined using the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. There were significant differences in AC + CC genotype (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.2) and C allele frequencies (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.2–2.8) ofMTHFRc.1298A > C polymorphism between NOA patients and controls after applying the Bonferroni correction. Moreover, the 1298AC genotype, 1298AC + CC genotype, and 1298C allele frequencies were statistically significant in NOA with chromosomal abnormalities and/or a Y chromosome deletion compared to the controls (AC genotype: OR = 3.0; AC + CC genotype: OR = 3.0; C allele: OR = 2.3). Considering the other polymorphisms, no differences were found between cases and controls. Our findings suggest theMTHFRc.1298A > C polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of male infertility, i.e., NOA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The optical film made of liquid crystal molecules can have useful anisotropic optical properties by controlling the alignment of molecules. In order to apply those films to commercial display, we have to know the way to control the thickness, appearance, refractive index, adhesion, and many properties in macroscopic scale. In this presentation, we show how can we control alignment of liquid crystal molecules in macroscopic scale and make the Film Patterned Retarder (FPRTM) used in the polarization type stereoscopic 3D-displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nonhost resistance (NHR) is a plant immune response to resist most pathogens. The molecular basis of NHR is poorly understood, but recognition of pathogen effectors by immune receptors, a response known as effector-triggered immunity, has been proposed as a component of NHR. • We performed transient expression of 54 Phytophthora infestans RXLR effectors in pepper (Capsicum annuum) accessions. We used optimized heterologous expression methods and analyzed the inheritance of effector-induced cell death in an F2 population derived from a cross between two pepper accessions. • Pepper showed a localized cell death response upon inoculation with P. infestans, suggesting that recognition of effectors may contribute to NHR in this system. Pepper accessions recognized as many as 36 effectors. Among the effectors, PexRD8 and Avrblb2 induced cell death in a broad range of pepper accessions. Segregation of effector-induced cell death in an F2 population derived from a cross between two pepper accessions fit 15 : 1, 9 : 7 or 3 : 1 ratios, depending on the effector. • Our genetic data suggest that a single or two independent/complementary dominant genes are involved in the recognition of RXLR effectors. Multiple loci recognizing a series of effectors may underpin NHR of pepper to P. infestans and confer resistance durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theadhesion of electrodeposited metal film to polymeric circuitboard substrate is one of the key elements to successful miniaturizationof electronic devices. However, as the size of the circuit patterncontinuously decreases, a novel method is urgently required to increasethe adhesion of the metal film on the substrate, especially on thesmooth surface, which is critical to decrease the minimum featuresize of the metal pattern. In this research, we developed an adhesionpromoter layer by depositing metal chelating poly(4-vinylpyridine)(P4VP) film onto various organic and inorganic substrates via initiatedchemical vapor deposition process (iCVD) to enhance the adhesion betweenthe electroless deposited copper (Cu) layer and the substrate. Thehighest peel strength obtained between the electroless deposited Culayer and P4VP coated substrate was 1.22 kgf/cm. Many advantageouscharacteristics of the adhesion promoter layer, including extremethinness, the improved adhesion strength, conformal coverage, scalabilityof the deposition process, and short process time, will prompt theapplicability of this adhesion promoter layer to industrial scaleproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quantification of cell-free fetal DNA by methylation-based DNA discrimination has been used in non-invasive prenatal testing of fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. The maspin (Serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade B (ovalbumin), member 5; SERPINB5) gene, located on chromosome 18q21.33, is hypomethylated in the placenta and completely methylated in maternal blood cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of non-invasive detection of fetal trisomy 18 using the unmethylated-maspin (U-maspin) gene as a cell-free fetal DNA marker and the methylated-maspin (M-maspin) gene as a cell-free total DNA marker in the first trimester of pregnancy. Methodology/Principal Findings: A nested case-control study was conducted using maternal plasma collected from 66 pregnant women, 11 carrying fetuses with trisomy 18 and 55 carrying normal fetuses. Median U-maspin concentrations were significantly elevated in women with trisomy 18 fetuses compared with controls (27.2 vs. 6.7 copies/mL; P<0.001). Median M-maspin concentrations were also significantly higher in women with trisomy 18 fetuses than in controls (96.9 vs. 19.5 copies/mL, P<0.001). The specificities of U-maspin and M-maspin concentrations for non-invasive fetal trisomy 18 detection were 96.4% and 74.5%, respectively, with a sensitivity of 90.9%. Conclusions: Our results suggest that U-maspin and M-maspin concentrations may be useful as potential biomarkers for non-invasive detection of fetal trisomy 18 in the first trimester of pregnancy, irrespective of the sex and genetic variations of the fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between anti-angiogenic factor soluble c-Met (sMet) concentrations in maternal plasma and the risk of preeclampsia. Methods: The pregnant women included in this study (1) had subsequent preeclampsia ( n = 52) and were compared to normal controls ( n = 104) at the time of amniocentesis (15-20 weeks); and (2) had preeclampsia ( n = 63) and were compared to normal controls ( n = 112) at the time of diagnosis of preeclampsia (29-40 weeks). sMet concentrations were measured by ELISA. Non-parametric statistics were used for analysis. Results: Maternal plasma sMet concentrations were significantly higher in both women with subsequent preeclampsia (median: 1372.7 ng/ml versus 1100.5 ng/ml; p = 0.036) and women with preeclampsia (median: 1651.9 ng/ml versus 1364.7 ng/ml; p < 0.001) than in the controls. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the risks of developing preeclampsia were as follows: adjusted odds ratio 2.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.2; p = 0.016) for second trimester sMet concentration with a cut-off value of 1223.5 ng/ml and 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 2.2-9.1; p < 0.001) for third trimester sMet concentration with a cut-off value of 1460.3 ng/ml. Conclusion: Elevated maternal plasma sMet concentrations were independently associated with the increased risk of preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the literature, numerous trials using neuroimaging techniques have investigated brain function in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the contrasting results showed that improvements, including in the study design, were required to reach consistent and convincing conclusions. This study evaluated the functional neuroimaging pattern of resting cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in patients with PTSD related to sexual assault. Twelve patients were enrolled for both brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) investigations. All data were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping 2 (SPM2). The PTSD patients showed significant relative decreases in perfusion in the left hippocampus and in the basal ganglia compared with the control group. The PTSD group also had significantly lower cerebral glucosemetabolic activity in the left hippocampus and the superior temporal and precentral gyri than in the control group. These specific patterns of perfusion and glucose metabolism may be closely related to various neurophysiologic symptoms of PTSD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Detection of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma has given rise to the possibility of new non-invasive approaches for early prenatal diagnoses. We evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of non-invasive fetal gender determination using quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) analysis of circulating cffDNA in the first-trimester maternal plasma. Methods: Plasma samples were prospectively collected from 202 singleton pregnancies at 4 to 13weeks of gestation. Fetal gender was determined by QF-PCR with the sex-determining region Y (SRY) and amelogenin X/Y (AMELX/Y) genes. The result was confirmed by fetal karyotyping or phenotype at birth. Results: Of the 202 pregnancies, 162 had pregnancy outcomes available and could be included in our evaluation. The accuracies of AMELX/Y, SRY, and combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis for fetal gender determination were 83.3%, 82.1%, and 97.5%, respectively, compared with those of the invasive approach and the fetal gender outcome at birth (82 males and 80 females). Combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis had the highest sensitivity (98.8%) for fetal gender determination with a specificity of 96.3%. Moreover, fetal gender detection by the combined AMELX/Y + SRY analysis at 11 to 13weeks of gestation was 100% correct. Conclusion: Fetal gender determination could be accurately determined from maternal cffDNA in the first-trimester using QF-PCR analysis of combined AMELX/Y + SRY. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Citation Kim SY, Park SY, Choi JW, Kim DJ, Lee SY, Lim JH, Han JY, Ryu HM, Kim MH. Association between MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism and spontaneous abortion with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 252-258 Problem Polymorphisms in genes involved in folate metabolism are commonly associated with defects in folate-dependent homocysteine metabolism, which can result in DNA hypomethylation and chromosome nondisjunction. This prospective study aimed to investigate the associations between MTHFR 677C>T, MTHFR 1298A>C, MTR 2756A>G, MTRR 66A>G, and CBS 844ins68 polymorphisms and spontaneous abortion (SA) with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. Method of study Subjects included 33 SA with normal fetal karyotype, 24 SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy and 155 normal controls. Polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP and QF-PCR analysis. Results The frequencies of MTHFR 1298AC and combined 1298AC/CC genotypes were higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in controls. The 1298C allele frequency was also significantly higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in controls. Moreover, the 1298C allele frequency was higher in SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy than in SA with normal fetal karyotype. The combined 1298AC/CC genotype was significantly associated with the risk of SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy compared with that of the 1298AA genotype (adjusted OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.11-7.69). There was no association between SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy and other polymorphisms. Conclusions Our findings indicate that MTHFR 1298A>C polymorphism may be an independent risk factor for SA with fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective: Mutations in the GJB2 gene are a major cause of hereditary hearing loss. However, only a few studies have investigated carrier frequencies of GJB2 mutations in the general population. The aim of this study was to estimate the carrier frequencies of three GJB2 mutations, including 235delC, V37I, and G45E, in the general Korean population. Design: A standard questionnaire of self-reported hearing loss was used to identify and recruit subjects. Screening for three mutations was performed using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and direct DNA sequencing. Study sample: A total of 1256 unrelated healthy individuals were analysed in the present study. Results: Of the 1256 individuals, 24 had GJB2 mutations; 11 were found to be heterozygous for 235delC, 11 were heterozygous and one was homozygous for V37I, and one was heterozygous for G45E. One individual had a compound heterozygous mutation of 235delC/V37I. The allele frequencies of 235delC, V37I, and G45E mutations were 0.44%, 0.52%, and 0.04%, respectively. The carrier frequency of either the 235delC or V37I mutation was estimated to be 0.88% with 95% binomial CI, 0.44-1.56. Conclusions: These results will facilitate diagnosis of, and genetic counseling for, hearing loss in Koreans. Sumario Objetivo: Las mutaciones del gene GJB2 son una causa muy importante de pérdidas auditivas hereditarias. No obstante, solamente pocos estudios han investigado las frecuencias portadoras de las mutaciones del GJB2 en la población general. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar las frecuencias portadoras de tres mutaciones del GJB2, incluyendo la 235delC, V37I y G45E, en la población general de Corea. Diseño: Se utilizó un cuestionario estándar de pérdida auditiva auto-reportada para identificar y reclutar sujetos. El tamiz de las tres mutaciones se realizó usando una reacción en cadena de la polimerasa alelo-específica (PCR), el polimorfismo de los fragmentos de restricción PCR y la secuenciación directa de DNA. Muestra de estudio: Se analizaron en este estudio 1,256 individuos sanos, no relacionados, (sanos en este estudio). Resultados: De los 1,256 individuos, 24 tenían mutaciones del GJB2; 11 se encontraron como heterocigóticos para el 235delC, 11 fueron heterocig ticos y uno fue homocigótico para V37I y uno fue heterocigótico para G45E. Un individuo tenía una mutación heterocigótica compuesta del 235delC/V37I. Las frecuencias de las mutaciones del alelo de 235delC, V37I, y G45E fueron del 0.44%, 0.52%, y 0.04%, respectivamente. La frecuencia portadora de las mutaciones tanto del 235delC como del V37I se estimó en 0.88%, con CI binomial del 95% de 0.44-1.56. Conclusiones: Estos resultados facilitarán el diagnóstico y el asesoramiento genético en casos de pérdida auditiva en la población de Corea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and cytochrome P450c17α (CYP17A1) are key enzymes involved in the metabolism of steroid hormones; genetic polymorphisms in these genes affect enzyme activity. Recently, functional polymorphisms in the COMT and CYP17A1 genes have been suggested as a susceptible marker for intrauterine fetal growth restriction, a typical complication of preeclampsia. Moreover, a close association between COMT and preeclampsia was reported. We therefore investigated the relationships between COMT and CYP17A1 polymorphisms and the risk of preeclampsia.A total of 164 preeclamptic women and 182 normotensive women were enrolled. COMT (Val158Met) and CYP17A1 (-34T/C) polymorphisms were genotyped by quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risks of preeclampsia according to genotypes.The adjusted odds ratios (adjOR) for the risks of preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia and preeclampsia for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants were 1.97 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-3.83], 3.29 (95% CI: 1.60-6.77), and 4.05 (95% CI: 1.78-9.22), respectively, in women homozygous for the variant COMT allele. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to CYP17A1 polymorphisms, indicating that variants of this gene have no effects on preeclampsia. The highest risks of preeclampsia were found among women with homozygous variant genotypes of both genes [adjOR (95% CI): 4.58 (1.92-22.81)]. Moreover, the adjOR for preeclamptic complications in those women was 5.09 (95% CI: 1.93-27.88) for severe preeclampsia and 15.65 (95% CI: 3.19-76.82) for SGA preeclampsia.These findings suggest that homozygosity for the variant allele of the maternal COMT gene may increase susceptibility to preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal models are used for preclinical toxicity studies, and the need for in vitro alternative methods has been strongly raised. Our study aims to elucidate the potential mechanism of change in EGR1 expression under situations of toxic injury and to develop an Egr1 promoter–luciferase gene reporter assay for an in vitro alternative method for toxicity prediction in drug discovery. We first found an increase in early growth response-1 (EGR1) mRNA/protein expressions in the liver and kidney of cisplatin-treated injured rats. Additionally, the EGR1 protein level was also elevated under situations of ocular injury after sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) eye drops. These in vivo observations on injury-related EGR1 induction were confirmed by in vitro studies, where human corneal epithelial cells were treated with representative irritants (SLS and benzalkonium chloride) and 17 chemicals having different UN GHS irritant categories. Additionally, our results suggest the involvement of ERK, JNK, p38 MAPK pathways in EGR1 elevation in response to gamma-butyrolactone-induced injury. As EGR1 is considered to be a pivotal factor in proliferation and regeneration, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Egr1 promoted cytotoxic potential through a delay of injury-related recovery. More importantly, the elevation of promoter activities was observed by various irritants in cells transfected with Egr1 promoter-reporter vector. In conclusion, Egr1 can be a potential biomarker in a promoter-reporter system to improve the accuracy of in vitro predictions for ocular irritation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Triangular GaN–BN core–shell nanocables were synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition using GaN/B2O3/NH3 reaction. They consist of single-crystalline wurtzite GaN nanowires (avg. diameter=60nm), grown along the [010] direction, and 3nm-thick crystalline h-BN outerlayers. The h-BN outerlayers lead to superhydrophobicity, and probably reduce the surface defects of GaN nanowires. Field emission from as-grown GaN–BN nanocables shows large current densities and low turn-on voltages, which are comparable to those of bare GaN nanowires. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) were synthesized by using thermal chemical vapor deposition on MgO-supported Fe–Mo catalysts, in the temperature range 800–1000°C. Outer diameters were 1.5–2nm at all growth temperatures. As growth temperature was increased, C1s peaks of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy became broader and valence band intensity increased due to stronger van der Waals interaction between DWCNTs induced by higher crystallinities. Field emission from the as-grown DWCNTs exhibited a large current density enhancement with increasing growth temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-purity N-doped double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition, and investigated by synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As the photon energy increases, the N content increases up to 3at.%, indicating that the inner wall contains the higher N content than the outer wall. The graphite-like and pyridine-like N structures exist as about 1:1 ratio. The self-consistent charge-density-functional-based tight-binding calculation shows that the N-doping of the inner wall yields the more stable DWNT than that of the outer wall, which supports the XPS result. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in neovascularization and are consistent with postnatal vasculogenesis. In vitro, they differentiate into endothelial cells (ECs). Prior reports have suggested that circulating human AC133+ cells have the capacity to differentiate into ECs as progenitor cells. However, recent studies have demonstrated that circulating CD34−CD14+ cells also have EPC-like properties in vitro and in vivo. We tested whether AC133−CD14+ cells from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) have the potential to differentiate into ECs. The AC133−CD14+ cells were isolated from HUCB by magnetic bead selection and cultured on fibronectin-coated six-well trays in M199 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and insulin growth factor (IGF-1). The AC133−CD14+ cells adhered slightly within 1 day of culture and subsequently underwent a distinct process of morphological transformation to spindle-shaped cells that sprouted from the edge of the cell clusters. After 14 days, the cells formed cord- and tubular-like structures. The AC133−CD14+ cells showed a strong increase in the endothelial marker P1H12 over time, whereas CD14 decreased, and CD45 did not change, respectively. In addition, the cells expressed endothelial markers von Willebrand’s factor (vWF), platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1)/Flt-1, VEGFR-2/Flk-1, eNOS, and VE-cadherin, but did not express Tie-2 after 7 days of culture. The present data indicate that AC133−CD14+ cells from HUCB are able to develop endothelial phenotype with expression of endothelial-specific surface markers and even form cord- and tubular-like structures in vitro as progenitor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel elastic metagrating model is proposed for efficient realization of anomalous steering of elastic waves. • The first and higher-order scattered longitudinal waves are selectively suppressed or preserved. • An analytic model is established for the proposed beam-type metagratings and coupled with elastic waves in a continuum. • The effective manipulation of anomalous reflections and beam steering of elastic longitudinal waves is demonstrated. • The physics related to the present metagratings is explored and experimental validation is performed. Metagratings have recently received much attention for effective realization of anomalous wave steering. Governed by the diffraction grating theory and the concept of metamaterials, metagratings allow to suppress superfluous propagations of high-order scattering modes in a selective manner such that wavefronts are accurately steered as designated. While numerous metagratings have been reported in electromagnetic wave research field, little has been explored in the elastic wave regime because of difficulties caused by complicatedly coupled motions among various types of elastic waves. In this circumstance, we newly propose a novel elastic metagrating model to realize anomalous steering of longitudinal waves in elastic continuum medium. Modeled by a periodic arrangement of a single or array of so-called beam-type elastic members, the present elastic metagratings resolve the difficulties in steering a specific scattered mode of elastic longitudinal waves by suppressing undesired modes in the scattered wave field. As the metagratings are attached to a boundary of elastic continuum, both longitudinal and flexural motions in the beam-type members are so coupled with elasticity wave solutions in the elastic medium as to thoroughly manipulate the reflected longitudinal waves from the interface. A set of appropriate geometric parameters of the beam-type members are searched for a direct control of the scattered modes quantitatively. As practical applications, the proposed elastic metagratings are applied to realize anomalous reflections and asymmetric splitting of longitudinal elastic waves. As well as experimental verifications, performance of the designed elastic metagratings are physically interpreted in the perspective of phase modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of the septum pellucidum is a rare brain abnormality, especially when it co-occurs with schizophrenia. This report describes an unusual case of a middle-aged adult with chronic schizophrenia found to be missing the septum pellucidum. The relationship of the septum pellucidum to the other structures in the limbic system suggests that disturbance of the septum pellucidum may have a role in the neurological etiology of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy does not always follow the normal distribution due to the characteristics of natural energy. The system advisor model (SAM), a well-known energy performance analysis program, analyzes exceedance probabilities by dividing solar irradiance into two cases, i.e., when normal distribution is followed, and when normal distribution is not followed. However, it does not provide a mathematical model for data distribution when not following the normal distribution. The present study applied the skew-normal distribution when solar irradiance does not follow the normal distribution, and calculated photovoltaic power potential to compare the result with those using the two existing methods. It determined which distribution was more appropriate between normal and skew-normal distributions using the Jarque–Bera test, and then the corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc). As a result, three places in Korea showed that the skew-normal distribution was more appropriate than the normal distribution during the summer and winter seasons. The AICc relative likelihood between two models was more than 0.3, which showed that the difference between the two models was not extremely high. However, considering that the proportion of uncertainty of solar irradiance in photovoltaic projects was 5% to 17%, more accurate models need to be chosen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in adolescents, neuroimaging evidence on the effects of sleep disturbances on their developing brains remains limited. Therefore, we explored gray matter volumes (GMVs) at the whole-brain level and investigated their relationship to sleep disturbances in a sample of Korean adolescents in the general population. We recruited participants from one middle school and high school. All participants and their legal guardians gave informed consent before participating in our study. We used component 5 of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to measure sleep disturbances and conducted a voxel-based morphometry-DARTEL procedure to measure GMVs. We performed partial correlation analyses to examine whether the GMVs were associated with sleep disturbances. A total of 56 adolescents participated in this study. Our results revealed that GMVs in multiple global regions were negatively correlated with sleep disturbances. Moreover, most of these identified regions belong to large-scale brain networks categorized by functional neuroimaging studies. We found an association between regional GMVs in multiple global regions involved in large-scale networks and the severity of sleep disturbances in the adolescent population. Based on this evidence and previous neuroimaging evidence, we suggest that structural alterations in the networks may be linked to sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various congenital anomalies and anatomical variations of the spleen (CAAVS). CAAVS are common and are often associated with systemic anomalies. Widespread use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in a variety of clinical situations has increased the detection of CAAVS. However, CAAVS are frequently overlooked and are occasionally misdiagnosed as pathologic disease entities. This article aimed to review the various manifestations of CAAVS with radiologic findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate added value of late portal venous phase (LPVP) for identification of enhancing capsule (EC) on gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI (GD-MRI) for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Methods: This retrospective study comprised 116 high-risk patients with 128 pathologically proven HCCs who underwent GD-MRI including arterial phase, conventional portal venous phase (CPVP, 60 s), LPVP (mean, 104.4 ± 6.7 s; range, 90–119 s), and transitional phase (TP, 3 min). Two independent radiologists assessed the presence of major HCC features, including EC on CPVP and/or TP (CPVP/TP) and EC on LPVP. The frequency of EC was compared on GD-MRI between with and without inclusion of LPVP. The radiologists assigned Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 categories before and after identifying EC on LPVP. Results: Of the total 128 HCCs, 74 and 73 revealed EC on CPVP/TP for reviewer 1 and 2, respectively. After inclusion of LPVP, each reviewer identified seven more EC [Reviewer 1, 57.8% (74/128) vs. 63.3% (81/128); Reviewer 2, 57.0% (73/128) vs. 62.5% (80/128); P = 0.016, respectively]. Sensitivities of LR-5 assignment for diagnosing HCCs were not significantly different in GD-MRI with or without LPVP for EC identification [Reviewer 1, 71.9% (92/128) vs. 72.7% (93/128); Reviewer 2, 75.0% (96/128) vs. 75.8% (97/128); P = 1.000, respectively]. Conclusion: Including the LPVP in GD-MRI may improve identification of EC of HCC in patients with CLD. However, LI-RADS v2018 using GD-MRI showed comparable sensitivity for diagnosing HCC regardless of applying LPVP for EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis lung disease (MTB-LD) have similar clinical characteristics. Therefore, NTM-LD is sometimes incorrectly diagnosed with MTB-LD and treated incorrectly. To solve these difficulties, we aimed to distinguish the two diseases in chest X-ray images using deep learning technology, which has been used in various fields recently. Methods: We retrospectively collected chest X-ray images from 3314 patients infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) or nontuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM). After selecting the data according to the diagnostic criteria, various experiments were conducted to create the optimal deep learning model. A performance comparison was performed with the radiologist. Additionally, the model performance was verified using newly collected MTB-LD and NTM-LD patient data. Results: Among the implemented deep learning models, the ensemble model combining EfficientNet B4 and ResNet 50 performed the best in the test data. Also, the ensemble model outperformed the radiologist on all evaluation metrics. In addition, the accuracy of the ensemble model was 0.85 for MTB-LD and 0.78 for NTM-LD on an additional validation dataset consisting of newly collected patients. Conclusions: In previous studies, it was known that it was difficult to distinguish between MTB-LD and NTM-LD in chest X-ray images, but we have successfully distinguished the two diseases using deep learning methods. This study has the potential to aid clinical decisions if the two diseases need to be differentiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking or weight loss is a risk of tuberculosis (TB) development. However, the impact of weight change after smoking cessation on the occurrence of TB remains elusive. We aimed to determine the relationship between weight change after smoking cessation and the risk of TB development. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the national database in Republic of Korea. Of the 10,490,491 subjects who underwent health check-up in 2009, we enrolled 9,953,124 subjects without a previous TB history and followed them until 2017. We divided all study participants into the following three groups: never, former, and current smokers. The primary endpoint was newly developed TB. Results: Among 9,953,124 subjects analyzed, 5,922,845 (59.5%) were never smokers, 1,428,209 (14.4%) were former smokers, and 2,602,080 (26.1%) were current smokers. The risk of TB development was significantly higher in current smokers than in never smokers (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.158; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.131–1.186). Among current smokers, individuals who stopped smoking and maintained weight after baseline evaluation had a significantly lower risk of TB development compared with those who continued to smoke (aHR 0.771; 95% CI 0.741–0.892). However, even after smoking cessation, individuals who lost weight were at a significantly higher risk of TB development compared with those who continued to smoke (aHR 1.327; 95% CI 1.119–1.715). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that smoking is a risk factor for TB and weight maintenance (neither gaining or losing) after quitting smoking might reduce the risk of TB development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that determines the distribution of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) alleles and the prevalence of permutation (PM) and full mutation (FM) of the gene in Korean women. It describes the method of the study that uses polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot on 5829 of reproductive age. It notes the result of the study which indicates the carrier frequency in Korean women of reproductive age, which is lower than the Caucasians.

Although cisplatin is an effective platinum-based anticancer drug against solid cancer, its availability is limited owing to its adverse side effects. Our study aimed to identify the potential relationship within cisplatin-induced multi-organ physiological changes and genetic factors associated with sex differences in nephrotoxicity susceptibility. To investigate this, mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin. Cisplatin administration resulted in renal dysfunction, as evidenced by the elevation in serum biomarkers of renal damage (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine) and the degree of histopathological alterations. In particular, along with testicular damage and low testosterone levels, we also observed a decrease in male-specific (CYP3A2) or male-dominant (CYP2B1 and CYP3A1) CYP isoforms in the livers of rats with hepatotoxicity following cisplatin treatment, which may be associated with an imbalance in male hormone regulation caused by renal and testicular injury. Notably, we found that male rats were more susceptible to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, as characterized by histopathological and biochemical analyses. Therefore, RNA sequencing was performed at baseline (pre-treatment) and at 48 h following cisplatin administration (post-treatment) to identify the genes associated with sex differences in nephrotoxicity susceptibility. Gap junctions, which play a role in replenishing damaged cells to maintain tissue homeostasis, and mismatch repair associated with a pathological apoptotic mechanism against cisplatin nephrotoxicity were significantly enriched only in males following cisplatin treatment. Moreover, among the 322 DEGs showing different basal expression patterns between males and females before cisplatin treatment, the male expressed high levels of genes, which are responsible for transmembrane transport and regulation of apoptotic process, pre-cisplatin treatment; additionally, genes involved in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the oxidation–reduction process were significantly lower in males before cisplatin treatment. Collectively, our comprehensive findings provided valuable insight into the potential mechanisms of sex differences in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity susceptibility. [Display omitted] • Along with renal and testicular damage, cisplatin reduced male-specific hepatic CYPs. • Male rats were more vulnerable to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. • KEGG categories for gap junction and mismatch repair were significantly enriched only in cisplatin-treated males. • Male showed higher mRNA expressions on transmembrane transport and regulation of apoptotic process pre-cisplatin treatment. • Genes involved in PI3K-Akt signaling and oxidation–reduction process were expressed lower in males pre-cisplatin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between anger management style, depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms in anxiety disorder and somatoform disorder patients. The subjects comprised 71 patients with anxiety disorders and 47 with somatoform disorders. The level of anger expression or anger suppression was assessed by the Anger Expression Scale, the severity of anxiety and depression by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) anxiety and depression subscales, and the severity of somatic symptoms by the Somatization Rating Scale and the SCL-90-R somatization subscale. The results of path analyses showed that anger suppression had only an indirect effect on somatic symptoms through depression and anxiety in each of the disorders. In addition, only anxiety had a direct effect on somatic symptoms in anxiety disorder patients, whereas both anxiety and depression had direct effects on somatic symptoms in somatoform disorder patients. However, the anxiety disorder group showed a significant negative correlation between anger expression and anger suppression in the path from anger-out to anger-in to depression to anxiety to somatic symptoms, unlike the somatoform disorder group. The results suggest that anger suppression, but not anger expression, is associated with mood, i.e. depression and anxiety, and somatic symptoms characterize anxiety disorder and somatoform disorder patients. Anxiety is likely to be an important source of somatic symptoms in anxiety disorders, whereas both anxiety and depression are likely to be important sources of somatic symptoms in somatoform disorders. In addition, anger suppression preceded by inhibited anger expression is associated with anxiety and somatic symptoms in anxiety disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) are both involved in the degradation of various biogenic amines which have been hypothesized to have a relationship with personality traits. The present study investigated the possible relationships between the genotypes of COMT Val158Met and MAOA-uVNTR polymorphisms and personality traits measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). We recruited 286 normal, unrelated Korean subjects (138 males and 148 females). There were no associations between the COMT Val158Met genotypes or the TCI subscales in the male subjects. However, a significant correlation was observed between the COMT genotype and harm avoidance (HA, F =6.0, p =0.003) in females. Post hoc analyses showed that the subjects with the Met/Met genotype had the lowest mean HA (HA=13.8±5.7, p =0.02), Val/Met group had an intermediate mean HA score (HA=16.3±7.0, p =0.02), and Val/Val group had the highest mean HA value (HA=19.6±7.0, p =0.02). There were no associations between the MAOA-uVNTR and the TCI subscales in either the male or female subjects. These results suggest that genetic variants of the COMT Val158Met gene may play a role in HA in Korean females but not in males. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Clinical cisplatin use is often limited by its drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Particularly, individual differences in susceptibility to DILI can cause life-threatening medical conditions. This study aimed to uncover the inherent genetic factors determining individual variations in hepatotoxicity susceptibility. Rats were subjected to liver biopsy and a 3-week postoperative recovery period before cisplatin administration. At 2 days post-treatment with cisplatin, the rats exhibited histopathological and serum biochemical alterations in the liver, and changes in hydrogen peroxide and cytochrome P450-2E1 levels. Based on these results of liver-related biochemical markers, 32 rats were grouped into the susceptible (top five) and resistant (bottom five) groups. Using RNA-sequencing, we compared gene expressions in the liver pre-biopsied from these two groups before cisplatin treatment and found 161 differently expressed genes between the Susceptible and Resistant groups. Among them, the clock-controlled Ccrn4l responsible for 'rhythmic process' was identified as a common gene downregulated inherently prior to drug exposure in both cisplatin- and acetaminophen-sensitive animals. Additionally, low Ccrn4l levels before cisplatin treatment in the Susceptible group were maintained even after treatment, with decreased antioxidants, increased nitration, and apoptosis. The relationship of Ccrn4l with catalase and mitochondrial RNAs in the liver was confirmed by correlation of their hepatic levels among individuals and similar patterns of circadian variation in their mRNA expression. Remarkably, Ccrn4l knockdown promoted cisplatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in WB-F344 cells with antioxidant catalase and apoptosis-related Bax changes. Inherent individual hepatic Ccrn4l level might be a novel factor affecting cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity susceptibility, possibly through regulation of mitochondrial and antioxidant functions. Image 1 • We used a pre-biopsy method to discover the genetic factors for DIH susceptibility. • Cisplatin caused hepatotoxicity with increased hepatic CYP2E1 and H 2 O 2 levels. • Ccrn4l was found to be lower before drug exposure in cisplatin-sensitive animals. • Ccrn4l expressions were positively correlated with catalase expressions in individuals. • Ccrn4l -siRNA silencing aggravated cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unlike the emphasis on negative results of video games such as the impulsive engagement in video games, cognitive training studies in individuals with cognitive deficits showed that characteristics of video game elements were helpful to train cognitive functions. Thus, this study aimed to have a more balanced view toward the video game playing by reviewing genres of commercial video games and the association of video games with cognitive functions and modulating factors. Literatures were searched with search terms (e.g. genres of video games, cognitive training) on database and Google scholar. Results: video games, of which purpose is players' entertainment, were found to be positively associated with cognitive functions (e.g. attention, problem solving skills) despite some discrepancy between studies. However, the enhancement of cognitive functions through video gaming was limited to the task or performance requiring the same cognitive functions. Moreover, as several factors (e.g. age, gender) were identified to modulate cognitive enhancement, the individual difference in the association between video game playing and cognitive function was found. Conclusion: Commercial video games are suggested to have the potential for cognitive function enhancement. As understanding the association between video gaming and cognitive function in a more balanced view is essential to evaluate the potential outcomes of commercial video games that more people reported to engage, this review contributes to provide more objective evidence for commercial video gaming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Evaluation of Engerer Model for derving DNI from GHI at minute scale in the Korean Peninsula. • Producing the prediction interval of DNI estimates by using Monte-Carlo simulation. • Comparison of Monte-Carlo simulation with multi-model ensembles and bootstrap technique. Abstract Solar resource assessment is carried out in a feasibility study using reliable meteorological elements including solar irradiance. In concentrating solar power plants, the direct normal irradiance is the key variable in the system operation. However, direct normal irradiance is rarely measured as compared to global horizontal irradiance. There are several models that can be used to derive the direct normal irradiance from global horizontal irradiance. In this study, the Engerer model is used as a decomposition model, then evaluated against in situ observations at three ground stations: Seoul, Buan, and Jeju ground stations. The relative root mean square errors between the observed and direct normal irradiance estimated by the Engerer model are 15.0%, 19.4%, and 17.1% at Seoul, Buan, and Jeju ground stations, respectively. The uncertainty of estimates is represented by the prediction interval from probabilistic prediction through Monte-Carlo simulation that employs the bias between estimation and ground truth for training datasets. The prediction interval for 90% confidence level is 117.9 W m−2 at the Seoul station, resulting from Monte-Carlo simulation. The prediction interval coverage probability is 92.8%, implying that the probability that observed DNI is not included in the prediction interval is 7.2%. The error metrics for probabilistic prediction indicates that Monte-Carlo simulation provides both valid and more informative estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: NADPH oxidase (NOX) plays an important role in inflammatory response by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS). The inhibition of NOX has been shown to induce anti‐inflammatory effects in a few experimental models. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a NOX inhibitor, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced acute lung injury (ALI) in a rat model. Sprague‐Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered by DPI (5 mg/kg) 30 minutes after intratracheal instillation of LPS (3 mg/kg). After 6 hours, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected. The NOX activity in lung tissue was significantly increased in LPS‐treated rats. It was significantly attenuated by DPI. DPI‐treated rats showed significant reduction in the intracellular ROS, the number of inflammatory cells, and cytokines (TNF‐α and IL‐6) in BALF compared with LPS‐treated rats. In lung tissue, DPI‐treated rats showed significantly decreased malondialdehyde content and increased activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase compared with LPS‐treated rats. Lung injury score, myeloperoxidase activity, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression were significantly decreased in DPI‐treated rats compared with LPS‐treated animals. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that DPI significantly suppressed LPS‐induced activation of NF‐κB and ERK1/2 and SAPK/JNK in MAPK pathway. Our results suggest that DPI may have protective effects on LPS‐induced ALI thorough anti‐oxidative and anti‐inflammatory effects which may be due to inactivation of the NF‐κB, ERK1/2, and SAPK/JNK pathway. These results suggest the therapeutic potential of DPI as an anti‐inflammatory agent in ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]