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This study aimed to investigate the history, nutrition, and functional value of saltedfish intake from prehistoric to modern times worldwide. There is a very long history of human salted-fish intake as demonstrated by the traces of salted seafood left in ancient Egyptian murals and the fact that salted seafood was an important trade product in the Mediterranean sea. The intake of salted seafood is believed to have spread throughout the world after it was established as a traditional fermented food in Southeast Asia. Although the ingredients used to produce salted-fish differ in every country, the purpose of salted-fish manufacturing has remained the same in every country: the long-term preservation of fish and shellfish and the supply of animal protein. In modern society, the need for salted fish and shellfish has declined with advances in refrigeration and storage technology, but consumers' needs for the unique flavor, nutrition, and functionality of salted seafood are increasing. We hope that this comprehensive review of the history and the nutritional and functional aspects of humans’ salted-seafood intake will aid in the development and distribution of salted seafood, which will further satisfy consumers' preferences and salted seafood’s functionality.

Purpose: This study investigated the antioxidant and enzymatic activities of 20 species of the most widely consumed edible flowers in South Korea to provide basic data on their bioactivity. Methods: After the selected edible flowers were processed based on the tea manufacturing method, the antioxidant activities (total polyphenol, flavonoid content, DPPH, and ABTS radical scavenging activities) were evaluated. Two species of edible flowers exhibiting exceptional antioxidant activities were selected and their enzymatic activities (tyrosinase, elastase, α-glucosidase, and ACE inhibitory activities) were assessed. Results: Among the 20 species of edible flowers used for tea manufacturing, Viola tricolor L. (V. tricolor L.) and Chamomilla recutita (C. recutita ) were found to have the highest overall antioxidant activity. Based on these results, V. tricolor L. and C. recutita were selected to determine their enzymatic activities; V. tricolor L. showed higher levels of tyrosinase, elastase, and ACE inhibitory activities, whereas C. recutita showed a higher level of α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Conclusion: Based on their exceptional antioxidant and enzymatic activities among the 20 species of edible flowers, V. tricolor L. and C. recutita are predicted to be of greater use in the development of inner beauty products.

The application of an aluminum (Al) capping layer on top of an In–Ga–Zn–O (IGZO) active layer is proposed to enhance the mobility of IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs). The Al metal layer forms a very thin and dense oxide film on the surface that prevents further internal oxidation, and an additional AlO x interlayer between Al and IGZO is formed using oxygen in the IGZO back-channel region due to its strong oxidation power. The formation of an aluminum oxide interlayer induces an oxygen-deficient region in the active layer, inducing free carriers that enhance the field-effect mobility from 11.3 to 72.6 cm2/Vs. The device reliability under positive and negative bias stress in the dark is relatively unaffected by the presence of the Al capping layer; however, the stability under negative bias illumination stress is accelerated, likely originating from the ionization of oxygen vacant sites.

The net force is enough to predict the motion of an object, but to predict its deformation, the distribution of the force inside the object should be known. In the continuum electromechanics, various expressions are used to calculate the electric forces acting on a dielectric object. The Kelvin and the Korteweg–Helmholtz forces are the most common electric body forces. The net force resulting from both of these “forces” is equal, but the distribution of these two forces inside a dielectric material is different because the expressions of both these forces lose their physical manifestation in the derivation process. This article is primarily aimed at revealing the common mistakes that are made when deriving volumetric force density. Then, the concept of an infinitesimal particle and external electric field is introduced. By using this concept, the electric force density inside a dielectric material is uniquely determined irrespective of the force expression, which is shown analytically and numerically.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal diseases which lack an early diagnostic marker. We investigated whether serum ferritin (SF) reflects risk for pancreatic cancer and potential genes that may contribute ferritin and pancreatic cancer risks. We performed a meta-analysis of relevant studies on SF and pancreatic cancer risk by searching articles in PUBMED and EMBASE published up to 1 March 2020. We also collected serum samples from Taipei Medical University Joint Biobank and compared SF levels in 34 healthy controls and 34 pancreatic cancer patients. An Oncomine database was applied as a platform to explore a series of genes that exhibited strong associations between ferritin and pancreatic cancer. Herein, we show that high levels of SF can indicate risk of pancreatic cancer, suggesting SF as the new tumor marker that may be used to help pancreatic cancer diagnosis. We also found that expressions of iron homeostasis genes (MYC, FXN) and ferroptosis genes (ALOX15, CBS, FDFT1, LPCAT3, RPL8, TP53, TTC35) are significantly altered with pancreatic tumor grades, which may contribute to differential expression of ferritin related to pancreatic cancer prognosis.

Pulpitis (toothache) is a painful inflammation of the dental pulp and is a prevalent problem throughout the world. This pulpal inflammation occurs in the cells inside the dental pulp, which have host defense mechanisms to combat oral microorganisms invading the pulp space of exposed teeth. This innate immunity has been well studied, with a focus on Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The function of TLR4, activated by Gram-negative bacteria, has been demonstrated in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons for dental pain. Although Gram-positive bacteria predominate in the teeth of patients with caries and pulpitis, the role of TLR2, which is activated by Gram-positive bacteria, is poorly understood in dental primary afferent (DPA) neurons that densely innervate the dental pulp. Using Fura-2 based Ca2+ imaging, we observed reproducible intracellular Ca2+ responses induced by Pam3CSK4 and Pam2CSK4 (TLR2-specific agonists) in TG neurons of adult wild-type (WT) mice. The response was completely abolished in TLR2 knock-out (KO) mice. Single-cell RT-PCR detected Tlr2 mRNA in DPA neurons labeled with fluorescent retrograde tracers from the upper molars. Using the mouse pulpitis model, real-time RT-PCR revealed that Tlr2 and inflammatory-related molecules were upregulated in injured TG, compared to non-injured TG, from WT mice, but not from TLR2 KO mice. TLR2 protein expression was also upregulated in injured DPA neurons, and the change was corresponded with a significant increase in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expression. Our results provide a better molecular understanding of pulpitis by revealing the potential contribution of TLR2 to pulpal inflammatory pain.

Background: A causative role between cervical ureaplasma colonization and adverse outcomes during pregnancy has remained controversial. We investigated whether cervical ureaplasma colonization affects the biochemically or histologically intraamniotic inflammation in preterm birth.Methods: Amniotic fluid was retrieved during delivery. Various chorioamnionitis-related cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, -6, -8, -10, and tumor necrosis factor-α) and regulators (matrix metalloproteins (MMP)-8 and MMP-9) were measured with Human Magnetic Luminex screening assay. We tested cervical swab specimens using real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of ureaplasma spp. colonization. Considering the clinical situation that causes intraamniotic infection, we arbitrarily divided into three categories of preterm labor with intact membrane, preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM), and control group with no exposure to preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membrane.Results: The incidence of cervical ureaplasma colonization was 49.3% (136/276). The incidence of histologic chorioamnionitis was 27.5% (76/200). All differences in cytokines and regulators according to histologic chorioamnionitis were significant. Of the 153 cases that experienced preterm labor with intact membrane, IL-10, MMP-8, and MMP-9 levels in the ureaplasma positive group were significantly higher than those of the ureaplasma negative group. According to logistic regression analysis adjusted to preterm labor with intact membrane, PPROM, and gestational age at delivery, cervical ureaplasma colonization was an independent risk factor of histologic chorioamnionitis (odd ratio: 2.622, 95% confidence interval: 1.443-4.766).Conclusions: Cervical ureaplasma colonization augments biochemically intraamniotic inflammation in preterm labor with intact membrane, and was an independent risk factor of histologic chorioamnionitis.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated OISW-25T, was isolated from seawater in Republic of Korea. Strain OISW-25T grew optimally at 25 °C and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain OISW-25T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of Colwellia species. Strain OISW-25T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.5, 97.2 and 97.1 % to the type strains of C. piezophila , C. maris and C. psychrerythraea , respectively, and of 93.6–96.6 % to the type strains of the other Colwellia species. The average nucleotide identity values between strain OISW-25T and C. piezophila ATCC BAA-637T and two non-type strains of C. psychrerythraea were 78.16–79.35 % and DNA–DNA relatedness value of strain OISW-25T with the type strain of C . maris was 17 %. The DNA G+C content of strain OISW-25T was 39.2 mol% (HPLC) or 38.7 mol% (genome data). Strain OISW-25T contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) and C16 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain OISW-25T were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. Distinguished phenotypic properties, along with the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain OISW-25T is distinct from Colwellia species. On the basis of the data presented, strain OISW-25T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Colwellia , for which the name Colwellia ponticola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is OISW-25T (=KCTC 62426T=NBRC 113187T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped or filamentous bacterial strain, designated SHSM-M15T, was isolated from a salt marsh at Siheung in Republic of Korea and identified by polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain SHSM-M15T grew optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 1.0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SHSM-M15T clusters with the type strain of Ancylomarina subtilis , showing 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.8 %. Strain SHSM-M15T had 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of less than 93.7 % with the type strains of other recognised species. Strain SHSM-M15T contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and anteiso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipid detected in strain SHSM-M15T was phosphatidylethanolamine. The DNA G+C content of strain SHSM-M15T from genomic sequence was 36.6 %. Mean DNA–DNA relatedness value between strain SHSM-M15T and the type strain of A. subtilis was 18 % and the average nucleotide identity value between strain SHSM-M15T and the type strain of A. subtilis was 87.98 %. The phylogenetic and genetic data and differential phenotypic properties indicated that strain SHSM-M15T is separated from A. subtilis . On the basis of the polyphasic data presented, strain SHSM-M15T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Ancylomarina , for which the name Ancylomarina salipaludis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SHSM-M15T (=KACC 19862T=NBRC 113749T).

Gamma irradiation is a useful technology to change the physical and biological properties of natural molecules. In this study, we investigated whether gamma irradiation improve properties of chrysin as an anti-inflammatory candidates. Chrysin was converted into two compounds (CM1 and CM2) by gamma irradiation. We determined the therapeutic potential of these compounds in bone marrow-derived macrophages and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in Balb/c mice. The structural changes to chrysin led to the reduction of cytotoxicity without loss of anti-inflammatory properties in BMDMs. Purified CM2 inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced overexpression of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and surface molecules without cytotoxicity in BMDMs, while CM1 revealed strong cytotoxicity. Furthermore, treatment with CM2 significantly alleviated AD-like skin symptoms and clinical signs in DNCB-induced AD mice model. The suppression of AD mediated by CM2 treatment was accompanied by decrease inflammatory T cell cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-4, and IL-17). The chemical structure of CM2 and structural transformation mechanism were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Our study findings provide evidence that CM2 produced by gamma irradiation of chrysin can be an attractive therapeutic agent for AD.

Background: Treating aged animals with plasma of an early developmental stage (e.g, umbilical cord plasma) showed an impressive potential to slow age-associated degradation of neuronal and cognitive functions. Translating such findings to clinical realities, however, requires effective ways for assessing treatment efficacy; ideal methods should be minimally invasive, amenable for serial assays, cost-effective, and quantitative. Methods: We developed a new biosensor approach to monitor anti-aging therapy. We advanced two key sensor components: i) a blood-borne metabolite was identified as a surrogate aging-marker; and ii) a compact and cost-effective assay system was developed for on-site applications. We treated aged mice either with human umbilical cord plasma or saline; unbiased metabolite profiling on mouse plasma revealed arachidonic acid (AA) as a potent indicator associated with anti-aging effect. We next implemented a competitive magneto-electrochemical sensor (cMES) optimized for AA detection directly from plasma. The developed platform could detect AA directly from small volumes of plasma (0.5 µL) within 1.5 hour. Results: cMES assays confirmed a strong correlation between AA levels and anti-aging effect: AA levels, while decreasing with aging, increased in the plasma-treated aged mice which also showed improved learning and memory performance. Conclusions: The cMES platform will empower both pre- and clinical anti-aging research by enabling minimally invasive, longitudinal treatment surveillance; these capacities will accelerate the development of anti-aging therapies, improving the quality of individual lives.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a common malignancy that shows high cancer-mortality and poor prognosis, in the absence of obvious symptoms and biomarkers for early diagnosis. Gemcitabine is a type of chemotherapy drug which commonly used to treat PDAC, however, the rapid acquisition of resistance to gemcitabine treatment has been observed in many of PDAC patients. The miRNA-producing enzymes Dicer is crucial for the maturation of miRNAs, and we found previously that ERK/Sp1 signaling transactivate both gene and protein expressions of Dicer, leading an acquisition of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we further identified that phosphomimetic S1016E of Dicer may regulate miRNAs maturation, resulting an imbalance of glutaminase (GLS) and glutamine synthetase (GS/GLUL). Metabolism analysis revealed that gemcitabine-resistant PANC-1 (PANC-1/GEM) cells have high glutamine dependence and GLS/GLUL ratio. Our study suggests that phosphomimetic Dicer S1016E plays a critical role in glutamine metabolism reprogramming and gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Ching-Feng Chiu, Ji Min Park, Yu-Shiuan Shen, Chia-Ying Lin, Tung-Wei Hsu, Yen-Hao Su, Hsin-An Chen. Phosphomimetic Dicer rewires glutamine metabolism and gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6386.

This study is designed to explore the effect of FTH1 on PDAC human pancreatic cancer cells, proline metabolism, and their crosstalk. Considering the high prevalence of pancreatic cancer with an absence of efficient therapy against PDAC, the present study may provide experimental evidence in support of the novel role of FTH1 in proline metabolism and suggest FTH1 as a potential target for PDAC patients. We further focus on the underlying molecular mechanism of how FTH1 cross-talks with PYCR1 and leads KRAS-mutated PDAC cell growth, investigating whether miRNAs regulation involves in FTH1 mediating PYCR1 expression. Taken together, our study provides a novel function of FTH1 and its cross-talk with PYCR1 may be a novel target for pancreatic cancer research and thus these findings will help us to find metabolite-based therapeutic strategies to improve KRAS-mutated PDAC. Citation Format: Ji Min Park, Ching-Feng Chiu. The cross-talk between FTH1 and PYCR1 drives pancreatic cancer progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6378.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated BPTF-M20T, was isolated from tidal flat sediment in the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea. Strain BPTF-M20T grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0–3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BPTF-M20T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of Pseudoruegeria species. Strain BPTF-M20T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.4–98.3 % to the type strains of Pseudoruegeria haliotis , Pseudoruegeria lutimaris , ‘ Pseudoruegeria litorisediminis’ and Pseudoruegeria sabulilitoris and 96.4–96.9 % to the type strains of the other Pseudoruegeria species. Strain BPTF-M20T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1 ω7c as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids detected in strain BPTF-M20T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain BPTF-M20T was 63.2 mol%. Mean DNA–DNA relatedness values of strain BPTF-M20T with the type strains of P. haliotis , P. lutimaris , P. sabulilitoris and ‘P. litorisediminis’ were 18–27 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic data, revealed that strain BPTF-M20T was separated from recognized Pseudoruegeria species. On the basis of the data presented here, strain BPTF-M20T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pseudoruegeria , for which the name Pseudoruegeria insulae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BPTF-M20T (=KACC 19614T=KCTC 62422T=NBRC 113188T).

This study aimed to determine the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity among Korean adults. We used the data of 7364 participants (men 3219, women 4145) aged 19–64 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2016–2018. Food items were classified using the NOVA food classification system, depending on the extent and purpose of food processing: (1) unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (2) processed culinary ingredients, (3) processed foods, and (4) ultra-processed foods. Consumption of ultra-processed foods accounted for 26.8% of the total energy intake. After adjusting for potential confounders including sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, subjects with the highest consumption of ultra-processed foods (fourth quartile of % energy intake from ultra-processed foods) had 0.61 kg/m2 higher body mass index (BMI, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23–0.99, p-trend 0.0047), 1.34 cm higher waist circumference (WC, 95% CI 0.35–2.34, p-trend 0.0146), 51% higher odds of being obese (BMI &gt, 25 kg/m2, odds ratio [OR] 1.51, 95% CI 1.14–1.99, p-trend 0.0037), and 64% higher odds of abdominal obesity (men: WC ≥90 cm, women: WC ≥85 cm, OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.24–2.16, p-trend 0.0004) than those with the lowest consumption (first quartile) among women. However, no association was found in men. These findings provide evidence that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is positively associated with obesity in Korean women. Further studies with a large-scale cohort or intervention trial are needed to identify the mechanism of associations between consumption of ultra-processed foods and health-related outcomes including obesity in Korea.

Background: The oncogenic Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutation was reported to be the signature genetic event in most cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Hepassocin (HPS/FGL1) is involved in regulating lipid metabolism and the progression of several cancer types; however, the underlying mechanism of HPS/FGL1 in the KRAS mutant PDAC cells undergoing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) treatment remains unclear. Methods: We measured HPS/FGL1 protein expressions in a human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPNE) normal pancreas cell line, a KRAS-wild-type PDAC cell line (BxPC-3), and KRAS-mutant PDAC cell lines (PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and SUIT-2) by Western blot methods. HEK293T cells were transiently transfected with corresponding KRAS-expressing plasmids to examine the level of HPS expression with KRAS activation. We knocked-down HPS/FGL1 using lentiviral vectors in SUIT-2 cells and measured the cell viability by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and clonogenicity assays. Furthermore, a lipidomic analysis was performed to profile changes in lipid metabolism after HPS/FGL1 knockdown. Results: We found that the HPS/FGL1 level was significantly upregulated in KRAS-mutated PDAC cells and was involved in KRAS/phosphorylated (p)-signal transduction and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling, and the knockdown of HPS/FGL1 in SUIT-2 cells decreased cell proliferation through increasing G2/M cell cycle arrest and cyclin B1 expression. In addition, the knockdown of HPS/FGL1 in SUIT-2 cells significantly increased omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and EPA production but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Moreover, EPA treatment in SUIT-2 cells reduced the expression of de novo lipogenic protein, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC)-1, and decreased p-STAT3 and HPS/FGL1 expressions, resulting in the suppression of cell viability. Conclusions: Results of this study indicate that HPS is highly expressed by KRAS-mutated PDAC cells, and HPS/FGL1 plays a crucial role in altering lipid metabolism and increasing cell growth in pancreatic cancer. EPA supplements could potentially inhibit or reduce ACC-1-involved lipogenesis and HPS/FGL1-mediated cell survival in KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancer cells.

A self-organized n+/n homojunction is proposed to achieve ultrahigh performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) based on an amorphous (Zn,Ba)SnO3 (ZBTO) semiconductor with sufficiently limited scattering centers. A deposited Al layer can induce a highly O-deficient (n+) interface layer in the back channel of a-ZBTO without damaging the front channel layer via the formation of a metal-oxide interlayer between the metal and back channel. The n+ layer can significantly improve the field-effect mobility by providing a relatively high concentration of free electrons in the front n-channel ZBTO, where the scattering of carriers is already controlled. In comparison with a Ti layer, the Al metal layer is superior, as confirmed by first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations, due to the stronger metal-O bonds, which make it easier to form a metal oxide AlOx interlayer through the removal of oxygen from ZBTO. The field-effect mobility of a-ZBTO with an Al capping layer can reach 153.4 cm2/Vs, which is higher than that of the pristine device, i.e., 20.8 cm2/Vs. This result paves the way for the realization of a cost-effective method for implementing indium-free ZBTO devices in various applications, such as flat panel displays and large-area electronic circuits. A layer of aluminum improves the performance of electronic devices useful for high-resolution flat displays, according to researchers in South Korea. Thin-film transistors are ultrafast electrical switches comprising stacked layers of semiconductors, metals and oxide materials. Their tiny size and planar architecture make them useful for large-area electronics and displays. A key performance metric for these devices is mobility: a measure of how quickly a charged particle can move through the semiconductor. Ji-Min Park from Chungnam National University in Daejeon and colleagues have shown how adding a capping layer of a highly oxidizing metal such as aluminum can greatly enhance the mobility of zinc barium tin oxide thin-film transistors. This cost-effective and useful improvement was achieved without introducing significant defects into the semiconductor. The formation of the conductive region (n+ layer) in (Zn,Ba)SnO3 (ZBTO) semiconductor is proposed to achieve high performance of thin-film transistors (TFTs). The aluminum metal capping layer is adopted to enhance the field-effect mobility of ZBTO TFTs. The capped Al layer takes out oxygen in the back-channel region, where the AlOx interlayer is formed. As a result, the field-effect mobility of Al-capped ZBTO TFTs is remarkably increased from 20.8 to 153.4 cm2/Vs. Furthermore, the Al-capped ZBTO TFTs are stable even when exposed to air for 3 months.

Cancer cells can secrete exosomes under various stressful conditions, whose functions are involved in the delivery of various biologically active materials into host cells and/or modulation of host immune responses. Therefore, an improved understanding of the immunological interventions that stress-induced tumor exosomes have may provide novel therapeutic approaches and more effective vaccine designs. Here, we confirmed the phenotypical and functional alterations of dendritic cells (DCs), which act as a bridge between the innate and adaptive arms of immunity, following non-irradiated (N-exo) and gamma-irradiated melanoma cancer cell-derived exosome (G-exo) stimulation, and evaluated the N-exo- and G-exo-stimulated DCs as therapeutic cancer vaccine candidates. We demonstrated that G-exo-stimulated DCs result in DC maturation by the upregulation of surface molecule expression, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and antigen-presenting ability, and the downregulation of endocytic capacity. In addition, these cells promoted T cell proliferation and the generation of T helper type 1 (Th1) and interferon (IFN)-&gamma, producing CD8+ T cells. However, N-exo-stimulated DCs induced semi-mature phenotypes and functions, eventually inhibiting T cell proliferation, decreasing IFN-&gamma, and increasing IL-10-producing CD4+ T cells. In addition, although N-exo and G-exo stimulations showed similar levels of antigen-specific IFN-&gamma, production, which served as tumor antigen sources in melanoma-specific T cells, G-exo-stimulated DC vaccination conferred a stronger tumor growth inhibition than N-exo-stimulated DC vaccination, further, this was accompanied by a high frequency of tumor-specific, multifunctional effector T cells. These results suggest that gamma irradiation could provide important clues for designing and developing effective exosome vaccines that can induce strong immunogenicity, especially tumor-specific multifunctional T cell responses.

Background Gender and fertility variation have an impact on mating dynamics in a population because they affect the gene exchange among parental members and the genetic composition of the resultant seed crops. Fertility is the proportional gametic contribution of parents to their progeny. An effective number of parents, derivative of effective population size, is the probability that two alleles randomly chosen from the gamete gene pool originated from the same parent. The effective number of parents is directly related to the fertility variation among parents, which should be monitored for manipulating gene diversity of seed crops. We formulated a fundamental equation of estimating the effective number of parents and applied it to a seed production population. Results Effective number of parents (Np) was derived from fertility variation (Ψ) considering covariance (correlation coefficient, r) between maternal and paternal fertility. The Ψ was calculated from the coefficient of variation in reproductive outputs and divided into female (ψf) and male (ψm) fertility variation in the population under study. The Np was estimated from the parental Ψ estimated by the fertility variation of maternal (ψf) and paternal (ψm) parents. The gene diversity of seed crops was monitored by Ψ and Np. in a 1.5 generation Pinus koraiensis seed orchard as a case of monoecious species. A large variation of female and male strobili production was observed among the studied 52 parents over four consecutive years, showing statistically significant differences across all studied years. Parental balance curve showed greater distortion in paternal than maternal parents. The Ψ ranged from 1.879 to 4.035 with greater ψm than ψf, and the Np varied from 14.8 to 36.8. When pooled, the relative effective number of parents was improved as 80.0% of the census number. Conclusions We recommend the use of fertility variation (i.e., CV, Ψ), Person’s product-moment correlation (r), and effective number of parents (Np) as tools for gauging gene diversity of seed crops in production populations. For increasing Np and gene diversity, additional management options such as mixing seed-lots, equal cone harvest and application of supplemental-mass-pollination are recommended.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). No treatment is available. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) in mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) are potential novel therapeutic agents because of their ability to regulate gene expression by inhibiting mRNA. Thus, they may degrade the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2. EVs can transfer miRNAs to recipient cells and regulate conditions within them. MSC-EVs harbor major therapeutic miRNAs that play important roles in the biological functions of virus-infected host cells. Here, we examined their potential impact on viral and immune responses. MSC-EVs contained 18 miRNAs predicted to interact directly with the 3’ UTR of SARS-CoV-2. These EVs suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells. In addition, five major miRNAs suppressed virus activity in a luciferase reporter assay by binding the 3’ UTR. MSC-EVs showed strong regenerative effects and potent anti-inflammatory activity which may prevent lethal cytokine storms. We confirmed that EVs regulated inflammatory responses by several cell types, including human brain cells that express the viral receptor ACE2, suggesting that the brain may be targeted by SARS-CoV-2. miRNAs in MSC-EVs have several advantages as therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2: 1) they bind specifically to the viral 3’ UTR, and are thus unlikely to have side effects; 2) because the 3’ UTR is highly conserved and rarely mutates, MSC-EV miRNAs could be used against novel variants arising during viral replication; and 3) unique cargoes carried by MSC-EVs can have diverse effects, such as regenerating damaged tissue and regulating immunity.

We utilize a novel identification strategy to analyze the impact of assets in place on firms' decisions for future projects. We exploit the context in the pharmaceutical industry, where the loss of market exclusivity for a branded drug can be used to separate the impact of cash flows generated by a firm's current assets in place from the characteristics of its future investment opportunities. We first show that around the exclusivity losses in our sample of large drugs, the affected firms' profitability drop significantly. The timing of this profitability decrease was predetermined many years ago, and therefore, arguably independent of current investment opportunities. Nevertheless, we find that R&D spending drops by approximately 25% over two years following the loss of exclusivity. We also find that stock repurchases and cash balances decline significantly. Our findings do not support the predictions of traditional capital budgeting, but are more consistent with the pecking order theory. These results further point to a lack of long-term lifecycle management that could mitigate the effect of predictable negative shocks to cash flows.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate changes in serum antioxidant vitamin levels after consumption of balanced Korean diet (BKD), recommended American diet (RAD), and typical American diet (TAD) among Korean adults from a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Among 54 adults aged 25–65 years with body mass index ≥23 kg/m(2) and blood LDL-cholesterol ≥120 mg/dL who finished a crossover feeding study conducted between 2015–2017, 16 subjects were selected for analyses of serum β-carotene, retinol, and α-tocopherol levels at baseline and after consumption of each diet for 4 weeks. Serum antioxidant vitamin levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Mean levels of serum β-carotene, retinol, and α-tocopherol at baseline were 0.37, 0.34, and 7.19 mg/L, respectively. After consumption of BKD, increase in serum β-carotene and retinol levels was observed compared to the baseline, whereas α-tocopherol level was decreased. After consumption of RAD, serum β-carotene, retinol, and α-tocopherol levels were increased. However, retinol level was reduced after consumption of TAD. CONCLUSIONS: This study may provide evidences about effects of diets on antioxidant vitamin levels in human body. FUNDING SOURCES: This work was carried out with the support of ‘Research Program for Agricultural Science and Technology Development’, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea (Project No. PJ013475022018).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic and rod-shaped or ovoid bacterial strain, designated MYP2-2T, was isolated from the intestinal tract of a squid (Todarodes pacificus) collected from the East Sea, South Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain MYP2-2T grew optimally at 30–35 °C and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain MYP2-2T belonged to the genus Vitellibacter . Strain MYP2-2T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 95.4–96.6 % to the type strains of Vitellibacter species and of less than 94.5 % to the type strains of other recognized species examined. Strain MYP2-2T contained menaquinone MK-6 as the predominant respiratory quinone and iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids detected in strain MYP2-2T were phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain MYP2-2T was 41.6 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain MYP2-2T is separated from recognized species of the genus Vitellibacter . On the basis of the data presented, strain MYP2-2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Vitellibacter , for which the name Vitellibacter todarodis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MYP2-2T (=KCTC 62141T=NBRC 113025T).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, DBTF-13T, which was isolated from a tidal flat sediment of the Yellow Sea in South Korea, was characterized taxonomically. Strain DBTF-13T grew optimally at 25–30 °C and pH 7.0–8.0, and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain DBTF-13T formed an evolutionary lineage independent of other genera, including the genera Pseudooctadecabacter and Octadecabacter . Strain DBTF-13T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 96.9 % to the type strain of Pseudooctadecabacter jejudonensis , and of 95.8–96.5 % to the type strains of Octadecabacter species. Strain DBTF-13T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1 ω7c and C16 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain DBTF-13T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain DBTF-13T was 61.6 mol%. The chemotaxonomic data and other differential phenotypic properties made it reasonable to differentiate strain DBTF-13T from the genera Pseudooctadecabacter and Octadecabacter . On the basis of the data presented, strain DBTF-13T constitutes a new genus and species within the class Alphaproteobacteria , for which the name Aestuariibius insulae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DBTF-13T (=KACC 19432T=NBRC 113038T).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, DBTF-15T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment on the Yellow Sea in South Korea. Strain DBTF-15T grew optimally at 25–30 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain DBTF-15T joined the cluster comprising the type strains of species of the genus Palleronia . Strain DBTF-15T exhibited higher 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values to the type strains (96.5–96.7 %) of Maribius pelagius and Maribius salinus than to those (94.6–96.1 %) of the three species of the genus Palleronia . It exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of less than 93.9 % to the type strains of the other recognized species. Strain DBTF-15T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1 ω7c as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids of strain DBTF-15T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain DBTF-15T was 68.7 mol%. The chemotaxonomic data and other differential phenotypic properties made it possible to distinguish strain DBTF-15T from the genera Maribius and Palleronia . On the basis of the data presented, strain DBTF-15T constitutes a novel genus and species within the class Alphaproteobacteria , for which the name Pseudomaribius aestuariivivens gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DBTF-15T (=KACC 19431T=NBRC 113039T).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterium, designated AH-MY3T, was isolated from a tidal flat on Aphae island of the south-western sea, South Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain AH-MY3T grew optimally at 35 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0–3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain AH-MY3T joined the cluster comprising the type strains of Yeosuana aromativorans, Snuella lapsa and Meridianimaribacter flavus, showing sequence similarities of 93.9, 93.7 and 92.6 %, respectively. Strain AH-MY3T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 94.0–94.7 % to the type strains of ‘Aestuariibaculum scopimerae’, Winogradskyella aquimaris, Winogradskyella poriferorum and Gaetbulibacter aestuarii. Strain AH-MY3T contained MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone. The fatty acid and polar lipid profiles of strain AH-MY3T could be distinguished from those of the type strains of phylogenetically related taxa. The DNA G+C content of strain AH-MY3T was 37 mol%. The phylogenetic data and differential chemotaxonomic and other phenotypic properties revealed that strain AH-MY3T represents a novel genus and species within the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Aestuariivivens insulae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Aestuariivivens insulae is AH-MY3T ( = KCTC 42350T = NBRC 110723T).