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Inclusion body myositis is a rare condition of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Prior criteria for the diagnosis of inclusion body myositis essentially required pathological features of rimmed vacuoles, tubulofilamentous inclusions, and amyloid deposits. However, recently developed new diagnostic criteria emphasize clinical characteristics including weakness of finger flexors and knee extensors. In addition, a serological evaluation of anti-cN1A antibody is helpful for the diagnosis. We report a case of inclusion body myositis with clinical, pathological, and serological consideration.

Research in heart valve biology is a growing field that has yet to elucidate the fundamentals of valve disease. Human valvular interstitial cells (hVICs) are the best option for studying the cellular mechanisms behind valvular pathologies. However, there is a wide range of isolation procedures for these cells published in the literature. To what extent various isolation methods, patient pathologies, and seeding densities influence the behaviour of hVICs remains unclear. Here, we present an optimised method of hVIC isolation from diseased human valves donated at the time of surgery. We show that two rounds of 1000 U/mL collagenase digestion for not2 h results in a phenotypically stable cell culture with a near complete absence of endothelial cell contamination. We also suggest that cells should be seeded at 10,000 cells/cm

Muscle and nerve biopsy may be vital diagnostic tools in various neuromuscular disorders. Since these procedures are invasive, it matters to decide when to perform a biopsy, which muscle or nerve to be selected, and how to interpret the pathologies. This review addresses the indications, methods of biopsies, and also significant pathological findings frequently encountered in muscle and nerve pathology.

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, namely Kennedy disease, is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat in the first exon of the androgen receptor gene on the X chromosome. We assessed the clinical history, laboratory findings, functional scales and electrophysiological data, as well as the levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone, in 157 Korean patients with genetically confirmed spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (mean age at data collection = 56.9 years; range = 33–83 years). Hand tremor was the first symptom noticed by patients at a median age of 35 years, followed by gynaecomastia, orofacial fasciculation, cramps and fatigability in ascending order. Clinical symptoms such as paraesthesia and dysphagia appeared during the later stages of the disease. Cane use during ambulation began at a median age of 62 years. There were statistically significant differences between patients and controls in the results of sensory nerve studies, motor conduction velocity, and distal latencies. Furthermore, among the hormone markers analysed, the level of luteinizing hormone exhibited a negative correlation with the spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy functional rating scale, Korean version. However, among the patients with a disease duration of ≤5 years, the levels of luteinizing hormone showed a significant correlation with assessments using the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale-revised, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy functional rating scale, Korean version and the 6-minute walk test. In conclusion, our findings provide clinical information from a substantial number of patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy in Korea that accorded with that of patients with this disease worldwide but with updated clinical features.

Background Tendinopathy is a major complication of diet-induced obesity. However, the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on tendon have not been well characterised. We aimed to determine: [1] the impact of a HFD on tendon properties and gene expression; and [2] whether dietary transition to a control diet (CD) could restore normal tendon health. Methods Sprague–Dawley rats were randomised into three groups from weaning and fed either a: CD, HFD or HFD for 12 weeks and then CD thereafter (HF-CD). Biomechanical, histological and structural evaluation of the Achilles tendon was performed at 17 and 27 weeks of age. Tail tenocytes were isolated with growth rate and collagen production determined. Tenocytes and activated THP-1 cells were exposed to conditioned media (CM) of visceral adipose tissue explants, and gene expression was analysed. Results There were no differences in the biomechanical, histological or structural tendon properties between groups. However, tenocyte growth and collagen production were increased in the HFD group at 27 weeks. There was lower SOX-9 expression in the HFD and HF-CD groups at 17 weeks and higher expression of collagen-Iα1 and matrix metalloproteinase-13 in the HFD group at 27 weeks. THP-1 cells exposed to adipose tissue CM from animals fed a HFD or HF-CD had lower expression of Il-10 and higher expression of Il-1β. Conclusions In this rodent model, a HFD negatively altered tendon cell characteristics. Dietary intervention restored some gene expression changes; however, adipose tissue secretions from the HF-CD group promoted an increased inflammatory state in macrophages. These changes may predispose tendon to injury and adverse events later in life.

Background: Being overweight or obese is associated with poor outcomes and an increased risk of failure after rotator cuff (RC) surgery. However, the effect of obesity on enthesis healing has not been well characterized. Hypotheses: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) would result in inferior enthesis healing in a rat model of RC repair, and a dietary intervention in the perioperative period would improve enthesis healing. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 weight-matched groups (n = 26 per group): control diet (CD), high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD until surgery and then CD thereafter (HF-CD). After 12 weeks, the left supraspinatus tendon was detached, followed by immediate repair. Animals were sacrificed, and RCs were harvested at 2 and 12 weeks after surgery for biomechanical and histological evaluations. Metabolic end points were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and plasma analyses. Results: DIO was established in the HFD and HF-CD groups before surgery and subsequently reversed in the HF-CD group after surgery. At 12 weeks after surgery, the body fat percentage ( P = .0021) and plasma leptin concentration ( P = .0025) were higher in the HFD group compared with the CD group. Histologically, the appearance of the repaired entheses was poorer in both the HFD and HF-CD groups compared with the CD group at 12 weeks after surgery, with semiquantitative scores of 6.20 ( P = .0078), 4.98 ( P = .0003), and 8.68 of 15, respectively. The repaired entheses in the HF-CD group had a significantly lower load to failure ( P = .0278) at 12 weeks after surgery compared with the CD group, while the load to failure in the HFD group was low but not significantly different ( P = .0960). There were no differences in the biomechanical and histological results between the groups at 2 weeks after surgery. Body mass at the time of surgery, plasma leptin concentration, and body fat percentage were negatively correlated with histology scores and plasma leptin concentration was correlated with load to failure at 12 weeks after surgery. Conclusion: DIO impaired enthesis healing in this rat RC repair model, with inferior biomechanical and histological outcomes. Restoring a normal weight with dietary changes after surgery did not improve healing outcomes. Clinical Relevance: Obesity is a potentially modifiable factor that impairs RC healing and increases the risk of failure after surgery. Exploring interventions that improve the metabolic state of obese patients and counseling patients appropriately about their modest expectations after repair should be considered.

Key message A Chip Processing phenotype in potato was characterized using both the case-control genome-wide association study and selective sweep approaches, pinpointing the associated genetic variants on chromosome 10, as well as finding variants under selection across the genome. Although with booming potato chip industry, distinct chip processing clones have been released over the past 60 years, the genetic architecture of their chip processing characteristics remains largely unknown. The case-control genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using SolCAP SNP array data for Chip Processing clones versus all other market classes in the 359-line potato diversity panel (Jo et al. 2022) were performed to detect significant signals on chromosome 10. The signals were redetected in the GWAS test using the strata-corrected 190-line panel and also genomic scans employing selective sweep approaches such as the cross-population composite likelihood ratio method (XP-CLR) and PCAdapt. Through applications of four selective sweep approaches including XP-CLR, PCAdapt, the integrated haplotype homozygosity score (iHS), and the cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) for a 227-line panel separated into two groups (chip processing vs non-chip processing) by principal component analysis, various genetic variants were found across the genome that had been differentially selected. These genomic regions under selection are involved in carbohydrate-related genes or loci and transcription factors, indicating to be associated with the improvement of chip processing performance of potato cultivars. The results could have implications for genomics-assisted breeding of the promising chip processing cultivars in potato.

The effects of container type on plant growth, yield and production cost of seed potatoes were investigated. Potato cultivars ‘Saebong’, ‘Geumsun’ (early-maturing) and ‘Haryeong’ (mid-maturing) were grown in four types of plant container: small (25 cm × 25 cm × 19 cm, L × W × H), medium (63 cm × 22 cm × 15 cm) and large (53 cm × 37 cm × 19 cm) plastic boxes and a styrofoam bed (100 cm × 52 cm × 31 cm). Shoot growth expressed as plant height was vigorous in the substrate culture system, especially in the styrofoam bed, whereas the roots tended to be longest in the small plastic box. ‘Haryeong’ showed the greatest shoot and tuber growth across plant container types. Tuber number (87.2–104.1 tubers m−2) and tuber weight (7.6–9 kg m−2) were greatest in the large plastic box and in the styrofoam bed. Furthermore, seed tuber (30–250 g) percentage of all tubers produced was high (93–95%), but no significant differences were observed among container types. The incidence of tuber physiological disorders was low (

Background: Pompe disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by the deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment with enzyme replacement therapy have remarkable effects on the prognosis of Pompe disease. We performed the expanded screening for late onset Pompe disease (LOPD) at eight centers in Korea.Methods: From September 1, 2015, GAA activity were measured from both dried blood spot (DBS) and mixed leukocyte for 188 available patients. For 12 patients with low GAA activity, we performed Sanger sequencing of GAA gene.Results: Among 188 patients, 115 were males. The mean of age of symptom onset and diagnosis were 34.3 years and 41.6 years. Among 12 patients with decreased GAA activity, two patients were confirmed to have LOPD with genetic test (c.1316T>A [p.M439K] + c.2015G>A [p.R672Q], c.1857C>G [p.S619R] + c.546G>C [leaky splicing]). Other two patients had homozygous G576S and E689K mutation, known as pseudodeficiency allele.Conclusions: This study is expanded study of LOPD screening for targeted Korean population. We found two patients with LOPD, and the detection rate of LOPD is 1.06%. With application of modified GAA cutoff value (0.4), which was previously reported, there were no false positive results of GAA activity test using DBS. Therefore, it could be an appropriate screening test for LOPD in especially East-Asian population, in which pseudodeficiency allele is frequent.

Due to the unpredictability of global events such as a COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to prepare for a crisis management strategy at the macro-level in each country to respond to crises that bring about social change. This study is designed to discover critical priorities and agendas in crisis management in Saudi Arabia by grasping the most recent social issues of the COVID-19 pandemic addressed in the most trusted media sources. The data were collected from news media (Saudi Press Agency and Al Arabiya) and social media (Twitter and YouTube) in big data from February to August 2020, then analyzed through semantic network analysis. This study provides the uncanny and marvelous power to help any individual, organization, even society, and country to be more innovative and proactive by acquiring trend, agenda-based approaches into uncertain future crises using advanced technology in big data. This research also shows how a country can use those big data to detect “key social issues” and then make a subsequent strategy or decision-making system to develop a public communication or new policy in future events. Accordingly, this study provides meaningful and insightful implications for managing a coming crisis and social change, ensuring stability and sustainability at the micro- and macro-level.

This study aims to examine the latest research trends in higher education for business by grasping the key trends, topics, and interrelationship of each subject. For this study, 304 research articl...

This article conceptualizes organizational advocacy as a relational communication strategy by which organizations take stances on controversial, sociopolitical issues to signal shared commitment with key publics. The authors conducted a series of two-by-two experimental surveys—controlling whether an organization took a defined position (advocacy vs. silence) and whether it acted alone or in line with peers (leader vs. follower)—across both less partisan (Study 1) and highly partisan (Study 2) issues. Findings indicate advocacy is an effective relational communication strategy that strengthens organization–public relationships (OPRs) and increases publics’ support for the organization. Theoretical contributions and practical applications are discussed.

Monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is a high‑capacity lactate transporter in cells and the alteration in MCT4 expression harms cellular survival. The present study investigated whether hypothermia affects tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) and MCT4 immunoreactivity in the subfield cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (IR) in gerbils. Hypothermia was induced for 30 min before and during ischemia. It was found that IR‑induced death of pyramidal neurons was markedly augmented and occurred faster under hyperthermia than under normothermia. TNF‑α immunoreactivity in the pyramidal cells started to increase at 3 h after IR and peaked at 1 day after IR under normothermia. However, in hyperthermic control and sham operated gerbils, TNF‑α immunoreactivity was significantly increased compared with the normothermic gerbils, and IR under hyperthermia caused a more rapid and significant increase in TNF‑α immunoreactivity in pyramidal neurons than under normothermia. In addition, in the normothermic gerbils, MCT4 immunoreactivity began to decrease in pyramidal neurons from 3 h after IR and markedly increased at 1 and 2 days after IR. On the other hand, MCT4 immunoreactivity in pyramidal neurons of the hyperthermic gerbils was significantly increased from 3 h after IR, maintained until 1 day after IR and markedly decreased at 2 days after IR. These results indicate that acceleration of IR‑induced neuronal death under hyperthermia might be closely associated with early alteration of TNF‑α and MCT4 protein expression in the gerbil hippocampus after IR.

Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is characterized by early respiratory insufficiency which is inappropriate to the degree of limb muscle weakness. Recently, mutation in TTN gene was found in HMERF patients with the aid of gene sequencing. We describe the first case presenting with distal leg weakness and early respiratory failure confirmed by TTN gene mutation in Korea.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional milk glycoprotein that promotes bone regeneration. Local delivery of LF at the bone defect site is a promising approach for enhancement of bone regeneration, but efficient systems for sustained local delivery are still largely missing. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of the poloxamers for sustained delivery of LF to enhance local bone regeneration. The developed LF/poloxamer formulations were liquid at room temperature (20 °C) transforming to a sustained releasing gel depot at body temperature (37 °C). In vitro release studies demonstrated an initial burst release (~50%), followed by slower release of LF for up to 72 h. Poloxamer, with and without LF, increased osteoblast viability at 72 h (p < 0.05) compared to control, and the immune response from THP-1 cells was mild when compared to the suture material. In rat calvarial defects, the LF/poloxamer group had lower bone volume than the controls (p = 0.0435). No difference was observed in tissue mineral density and lower bone defect coverage scores (p = 0.0267) at 12 weeks after surgery. In conclusion, LF/poloxamer formulations support cell viability and do not induce an unfavourable immune response; however, LF delivery via the current formulation of LF200/poloxamer gel did not demonstrate enhanced bone regeneration and was not compatible with the rat calvarial defect model.

Characterizing the genetic diversity and population structure of breeding materials is essential for breeding to improve crop plants. The potato is an important non-cereal food crop worldwide, but breeding potatoes remains challenging owing to their auto-tetraploidy and highly heterozygous genome. We evaluated the genetic structure of a 110-line Korean potato germplasm using the SolCAP 8303 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Infinium array and compared it with potato clones from other countries to understand the genetic landscape of cultivated potatoes. Following the tetraploid model, we conducted population structure analysis, revealing three subpopulations represented by two Korean potato groups and one separate foreign potato group within 110 lines. When analyzing 393 global potato clones, country/region-specific genetic patterns were revealed. The Korean potato clones exhibited higher heterozygosity than those from Japan, the United States, and other potato landraces. We also employed integrated extended haplotype homozygosity (iHS) and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) to identify selection signatures spanning candidate genes associated with biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. Based on the informativeness of SNPs for dosage genotyping calls, 10 highly informative SNPs discriminating all 393 potatoes were identified. Our results could help understanding a potato breeding history that reflects regional adaptations and distinct market demands.

Interspecific somatic hybridization has been performed in potato breeding experiments to increase plant resistance against biotic and abiotic stress conditions. We analyzed the mitochondrial and plastid genomes and 45S nuclear ribosomal DNA (45S rDNA) for the cultivated potato (S. tuberosum, St), wild potato (S. commersonii, Sc), and their somatic hybrid (StSc). Complex genome components and structure, such as the hybrid form of 45S rDNA in StSc, unique plastome in Sc, and recombinant mitogenome were identified. However, the mitogenome exhibited dynamic multipartite structures in both species as well as in the somatic hybrid. In St, the mitogenome is 756,058 bp and is composed of five subgenomes ranging from 297,014 to 49,171 bp in St. In Sc, it is 552,103 bp long and is composed of two sub-genomes of 338,427 and 213,676 bp length. StSc has 447,645 bp long mitogenome with two subgenomes of length 398,439 and 49,206 bp. The mitogenome structure exhibited dynamic recombination mediated by tandem repeats; however, it contained highly conserved genes in the three species. Among the 35 protein-coding genes of the StSc mitogenome, 21 were identical for all the three species, and 12 and 2 were unique in Sc and St, respectively. The recombinant mitogenome might be derived from homologous recombination between both species during somatic hybrid development.

Tendinopathy is a major complication of diet-induced obesity. However, the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on tendon have not been well characterised. We aimed to determine: [1] the impact of a HFD on tendon properties and gene expression; and [2] whether dietary transition to a control diet (CD) could restore normal tendon health.Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into three groups from weaning and fed either a: CD, HFD or HFD for 12 weeks and then CD thereafter (HF-CD). Biomechanical, histological and structural evaluation of the Achilles tendon was performed at 17 and 27 weeks of age. Tail tenocytes were isolated with growth rate and collagen production determined. Tenocytes and activated THP-1 cells were exposed to conditioned media (CM) of visceral adipose tissue explants, and gene expression was analysed.There were no differences in the biomechanical, histological or structural tendon properties between groups. However, tenocyte growth and collagen production were increased in the HFD group at 27 weeks. There was lower SOX-9 expression in the HFD and HF-CD groups at 17 weeks and higher expression of collagen-Iα1 and matrix metalloproteinase-13 in the HFD group at 27 weeks. THP-1 cells exposed to adipose tissue CM from animals fed a HFD or HF-CD had lower expression of Il-10 and higher expression of Il-1β.In this rodent model, a HFD negatively altered tendon cell characteristics. Dietary intervention restored some gene expression changes; however, adipose tissue secretions from the HF-CD group promoted an increased inflammatory state in macrophages. These changes may predispose tendon to injury and adverse events later in life.