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Salmonella Enteritidis is a common foodborne pathogen transmitted through poultry products, which are its main carriers. Poultry are vaccinated against Salmonella Enteritidis in many countries, despite the absence of clinical symptoms, using commercially available live-attenuated vaccines. We previously constructed a highly attenuated temperature-sensitive (ts) Salmonella Enteritidis mutant, 2S-G10. In the present study, we describe the construction and attenuation-associated characteristics of 2S-G10. We infected 1-day-old chicks with 2S-G10 and the parental strains to evaluate the attenuation. One week after infection, 2S-G10 was not detected in the liver, cecum, or cecal tonsil tissues of the orally inoculated chicks, contrary to the parental strain. This indicates that 2S-G10 was highly attenuated when compared to the parental stain. In vitro experiments revealed the inability of 2S-G10 to grow at the normal body temperature of chickens and invade chicken liver epithelial cells. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis between the complete genome sequence of 2S-G10 and its parental strain revealed SNPs in bcsE, recG, rfaF, and pepD_1 genes, which are involved in epithelial cell invasion and persistence in host systems, growth, lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis, and cellular survival under heat stress, respectively. These potential characteristics are consistent with the findings of in vitro experiments. Conclusively, chemical treatment–induced random genetic mutations highly attenuated 2S-G10, implying its potential to be developed as a novel live-attenuated vaccine against Salmonella Enteritidis.

Despite the success of proteasome inhibitors (PIs) in treating hematopoietic malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM), their clinical efficacy is limited in solid tumors. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the integrated stress response (ISR), a central cellular adaptive program that responds to proteostatic defects by tuning protein synthesis rates, in determining the fates of cells treated with PI, bortezomib (Bz). We found that Bz induces ISR, and this can be reversed by ISRIB, a small molecule that restores eIF2B-mediated translation during ISR, in both Bz-sensitive MM cells and Bz-insensitive breast cancer cells. Interestingly, while ISRIB protected MM cells from Bz-induced apoptosis, it enhanced Bz sensitivity in breast cancer cells by inducing paraptosis, the cell death mode that is accompanied by dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. Combined treatment with ISRIB and Bz may shift the fate of Bz-insensitive cancer cells toward paraptosis by inducing translational rescue, leading to irresolvable proteotoxic stress.

Background Recent studies on biportal endoscopic spine surgery in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis have reported good clinical results. However, these studies have been limited by the small sample sizes and use of a retrospective study design. Therefore, we aim to compare the efficacy and safety of biportal endoscopic decompressive laminectomy with those of conventional decompressive laminectomy in a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial. Methods This study will include 120 patients (60 per group, aged 20–80 years) with 1- or 2-level lumbar spinal stenosis, who will be recruited from six hospitals. The study will be conducted from July 2021 to December 2024. The primary outcome (Oswestry Disability Index at 12 months after surgery) will be evaluated through a modified intention-to-treat method. The secondary outcomes will include the following: visual analog scale score for low back and lower extremity radiating pain, EuroQol 5-dimensions score, surgery satisfaction, walking time, postoperative return to daily life period, postoperative surgical scars, and some surgery-related variables. Radiographic outcomes will be analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. All outcomes will be evaluated before the surgery and at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. This protocol adheres to the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines for reporting of clinical trial protocols. Discussion It is hypothesized that the efficacy and safety of biportal endoscopic and conventional decompressive laminectomy will be comparable in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. The results of this trial will provide a high level of evidence for the efficacy and safety of the biportal endoscopic technique in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and facilitate the development of clinical practice guidelines. Furthermore, the results of this study may indicate the feasibility of the biportal endoscopic technique for other types of spinal surgery. Trial registration The ENDO-B trial is registered at Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, cris.nih.go.kr) (KCT0006057; April 52,021).

The number of companion animals living with humans has continually increased over the last few decades, and so has the interest of owners and stakeholders in the animal food and probiotics industry. Currently, the probiotic bacteria added to the feed of companion animals predominantly originate from the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) used for humans; however, there are differences between the microbiota of humans and that of their companion animals. This study aimed to determine the dominant LAB in dog feces and investigate their functional properties. Ligilactobacillus animalis (formerly called Lactobacillus animalis) was identified as the dominant lactic acid bacterium in dog feces. It displayed various inhibitory effects against pathogenic and enteropathogenic bacteria. This finding suggests that Ligilactobacillus animalis can potentially be used in novel probiotics or as a food additive for dogs.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens in the environment has been increasing, posing a threat to public health. Next-generation sequencing technology, which is both low cost and large scale, was used to identify antibiotic-resistance genes or toxin genes in these pathogens. Short-read sequencing cannot fully reconstruct bacterial chromosomes and plasmids carrying toxin genes and antibiotic-resistance genes because of their location on the insertion sequences or repeat regions. Third-generation sequencing generated long reads that could cover the repetitive and/or insertion sequences, allowing for complete chromosome and plasmid reconstruction. However, the optimal protocols for whole-genome sequencing of antibiotic-resistance pathogenic bacteria, from DNA extraction to genome assembly, are still being researched. To develop a pipeline of optimal methods for whole-genome sequencing of bacteria, we compared three commercial DNA extraction kits (column extraction, magnetic bead extraction, and precipitation extraction), two third-generation sequencing platforms (MinION and PacBio), and three assembly methods (flye, unicycler, and unicycler_hybrid). The assembly results were evaluated based on the number of contigs and the detection of anti-microbial-resistance genes. Magnetic bead extraction method generated longer N50 read lengths and greater read length distribution than the other two extraction methods. The Flye assembler in combination with magnetic bead extraction and MinION sequencing provided consistent successful plasmid assembly results and detected all antimicrobial-resistance gene in all datasets. DNA extraction, sequencing platform, and assembly methods can all have an impact on the results of bacterial whole-genome sequencing. Our findings could be a practical protocol for researchers who use third-generation sequencing to perform bacterial whole-genome sequencing by consistently resolving small plasmids carrying antibiotic-resistance genes.

An ideal vaccine for controlling Salmonella infection in chicken flocks should be safe, inducing both humoral and cellular immunity. Live attenuated vaccines against Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) have been used as a potential control method of Salmonella infection in the poultry industry. However, live attenuated vaccines can persistently infect poultry for long periods and can become virulent revertant strains. In this study, we assessed the immune responses and protective efficacy of a temperature-sensitive attenuated S. Enteritidis mutant as a potential vaccine candidate. In addition, we evaluated the combined vaccine administration methods to maximize both humoral and cellular immune responses in chickens induced by the vaccine candidate. Immune responses and protective efficacy were compared between the Oral/IM group, vaccinated using one oral dose at four weeks old and a booster intramuscular dose at seven weeks old, and the IM/Oral group, vaccinated using one intramuscular dose at four weeks old and a booster oral dose at seven weeks old. The Oral/IM group showed stronger immune responses than those of the IM/Oral group. Spleens from the Oral/IM group showed a promising tendency of reduction of challenged Salmonella compared with those of other groups. Overall, the results indicated that the S. Enteritidis mutant strain is a promising live attenuated vaccine candidate with good efficacy.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common spinal degenerative condition. Minimally invasive interlaminar full-endoscopic decompressive laminectomy provides greater patient satisfaction and faster recovery than open decompressive laminectomy. The aim of our randomized controlled trial will be to compare the safety and efficacy of interlaminar full-endoscopic laminectomy and open decompressive laminectomy. Our trial will include 120 participants (60 per group) who will undergo surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. The primary outcome will be the Oswestry Disability Index measured at 12 months postoperatively. Secondary patient-reported outcomes will include back and radicular leg pain measured via a visual analog scale; the Oswestry Disability Index; the Euro-QOL-5 Dimensions score measured at 2 weeks and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively; and patient satisfaction. The functional measures will include time to return to daily activities postoperatively and walking distance/time. The surgical outcomes will include postoperative drainage, operation time, duration of hospital stay, postoperative creatine kinase (an indicator of muscle injury) level, and postoperative surgical scarring. Magnetic resonance and computed tomography images and simple radiographs will be obtained for all patients. The safety outcomes will include surgery-related complications and adverse effects. All evaluations will be performed by a single assessor at each participating hospital who will be blinded to group allocation. The evaluations will be conducted preoperatively and at 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The randomized, multicenter design of the trial, blinding, and justification of the sample size will reduce the risk of bias in our trial. The results of the trial will provide data regarding the use of interlaminar full-endoscopic laminectomy as an alternative to open decompressive laminectomy that results in similar surgical findings with less invasiveness. Trial registration: This trial is registered at cris.nih.go.kr. (KCT0006198; protocol version 1; 27 May 2021).

The dramatic spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has profound impacts on every continent and life. Due to human-to-human transmission of COVID-19, nuclear medicine staffs also cannot escape the risk of infection from workplaces. Every staff in the nuclear medicine department must prepare for and respond to COVID-19 pandemic which tailored to the characteristics of our profession. This article provided the guidance prepared by the Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine (KSNM) in cooperation with the Korean Society of Infectious Disease (KSID) and Korean Society for Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention (KOSHIC) in managing the COVID-19 pandemic for the nuclear medicine department. We hope that this guidance will support every practice in nuclear medicine during this chaotic period.

본 연구에서는 일라이트(illite) 점토광물의 표면을 고분자 그래프팅으로 개질하는 기술 및 표면개질된 일라이트의 유기용매상 분산거동 증진에 대한 연구를 진행하였다. 일라이트 표면개질을 위한 첫 단계로, 실란화 기술을 이용해 일라이트 표면에 일차 아민기를 도입하였고, 연속적으로 무수말레산(maleic anhydride, MAH)이 그래프트 공중합된 폴리에틸렌(polyethylene, PE)과의 표면반응을 통해 PE가 표면 그래프팅된 일라이트를 제조하였다. PE의 일라이트 표면 그래프팅은 적외선분광법, 고체핵자기공명분광법, 분말 X선 회절기법 및 열중량분석법을 사용하여 확인하였다. PE로 표면개질된 일라이트의 용액상 분산거동은 증류수 및 xylene에서 평가하였다. 수상에서 일라이트 원재료는 우수한 분산특성을 보였으나, PE로 표면개질된 일라이트는 침전거동을 보였다. 이 현상은 일라이트 표면 소수성 PE의 그래프팅에 기인한 것으로 사료된다. 반면, xylene에 분산 시 일라이트 원재료는 낮은 분산특성을 보이는 것에 반해, PE로 표면개질된 일라이트는 xylene에 용해가 가능한 표면 PE의 존재로 인해 우수한 분산특성을 보였다. 이러한 우수한 유기용매상 분산특성은 동적광산란을 이용한 용매상 산란강도 실험을 통해 추가로 입증할 수 있었다.

BACKGROUND: The effect of nano controlled sequential release of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the oral soft tissue regeneration was determined. METHODS: Hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan (HGC) nano controlled system was developed for the sequential release of TCA and EGF, and the release pattern was identified. The HGC-based nano controlled release system was injected into the critical-sized defects created in beagles’ palatal soft tissues. The palatal impression and its scanned body was obtained on various time points post-injection, and the volumetric amount of soft tissue regeneration was compared among the three groups: CON (natural regeneration control group), EXP1 (TCA-loaded nano controlled release system group), EXP2 (TCA and EGF individually loaded nano controlled release system). DNA microarray analysis was performed and various soft tissue regeneration parameters in histopathological specimens were measured. RESULTS: TCA release was highest at Day 1 whereas EGF release was highest at Day 2 and remained high until Day 3. In the volumetric measurements of impression body scans, no significant difference in soft tissue regeneration between the three groups was shown in two-way ANOVA. However, in the one-way ANOVA at Day 14, EXP2 showed a significant increase in soft tissue regeneration compared to CON. High correlation was determined between the histopathological results of each group. DNA microarray showed up-regulation of various genes and related cell signaling pathways in EXP2 compared to CON. CONCLUSION: HGC-based nano controlled release system for sequential release of TCA and EGF can promote regeneration of oral soft tissue defects. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13770-019-00232-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PSMD14, a subunit of the 19S regulatory particles of the 26S proteasome, was recently identified as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in diverse human cancers. Here, we show that the silencing and pharmacological blockade of PSMD14 in MDA-MB 435S breast cancer cells induce paraptosis, a non-apoptotic cell death mode characterized by extensive vacuolation derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. The PSMD14 inhibitor, capzimin (CZM), inhibits proteasome activity but differs from the 20S proteasome subunit-inhibiting bortezomib (Bz) in that it does not induce aggresome formation or Nrf1 upregulation, which underlie Bz resistance in cancer cells. In addition to proteasome inhibition, the release of Ca2+ from the ER into the cytosol critically contributes to CZM-induced paraptosis. Induction of paraptosis by targeting PSMD14 may provide an attractive therapeutic strategy against cancer cells resistant to proteasome inhibitors or pro-apoptotic drugs.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and the spread of antimicrobial resistance among various bacteria are major threats to the global community. Due to the increased failure of classical antibiotic treatments against MDR bacterial infections, probiotics and their antimicrobial compounds have been suggested as promising alternatives to deal with MDR bacteria. Various strains of lactic acid bacteria have been reported to produce antagonistic molecules against pathogens. A new strain of Ligilactobacillus animalis, L. animalis SWLA-1, isolated from the feces of healthy dogs, shows strong antimicrobial activity against not only common pathogens but also MDR bacteria. In this study, we compared the antimicrobial activity of L. animalis SWLA-1 with that of other lactobacilli and antibiotics using an agar spot assay. Additionally, a novel spot inhibition index was developed and validated to quantitively evaluate the inhibitory activities of lactobacilli and antibiotics. A competitive coculture assay of L. animalis SWLA-1 with MDR bacteria further demonstrated its antibacterial activity. Furthermore, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of L. animalis SWLA-1 and its stability under various conditions in vitro. We found that L. animalis SWLA-1 and its CFS are potential alternatives to classic antimicrobial agents.

Background Biportal endoscopic surgery has recently been performed in lumbar discectomy, with advantages over conventional surgery, such as less skin scarring and muscle damage. However, the clinical results have not been established. Although previous studies reported no difference between the biportal endoscopic and microscopic discectomy clinical results, the evidence was weak. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the biportal endoscopic discectomy versus the microscopic discectomy. Methods This prospective multicenter randomized controlled equivalence trial is designed to compare the efficacy and safety outcomes of patients who underwent lumbar discectomy using biportal endoscopy or microscopy. We will include 100 participants (50 per group) with a lumbar herniated disc. The primary outcome will be the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score 12 months after surgery based on a modified intention-to-treat strategy. The secondary outcomes will include the visual analog scale score for low back and lower extremity radiating pain, the ODI score, the Euro-Qol-5-Dimensions score, surgery satisfaction, walking time, postoperative return to daily life period, postoperative surgical scar, and surgery-related variables, such as postoperative drainage, operation time, admission duration, postoperative creatine kinase, and implementation status of conversion to open surgery. Radiographic outcomes will also be analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) and simple radiographs. Safety will be assessed by evaluating all adverse and severe adverse events and surgery-related effects. The participants will be assessed by a blinded assessor before surgery (baseline) and 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Discussion This trial will be the first prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to analyze the efficacy and safety of biportal endoscopic discectomy in lumbar herniated disc. This trial is designed for evaluating the equivalence of the results between biportal endoscopic and microscopic discectomy including adequate sample size, blinded analyses, and prospective registration to reduce bias. This trial will provide enough data on the effectiveness and safety of biportal endoscopic surgery and will be an important study that allows clear conclusions. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service (cris.nih.go.kr.) (KCT0006191). Registered on 27 March 2021

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is an avian pathogen that causes respiratory disease, infectious synovitis, and eggshell apex abnormalities in chickens. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-independent MS was first reported in 1975. Despite the atypical traits of NAD-independent MS, its independence from NAD has not been studied. In this study, we isolated five NAD-independent strains from Korea and assembled their genomes using sequencing reads obtained from Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technology platforms. The assembled genomes were compared with the genomes of MS-H vaccine strain and type strain WVU1853. We found that the coding sequences of nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, and a unique coding sequence were present only in the genomes of NAD-independent isolates.

Background Advances in minimally invasive surgery have expanded the indications for interlaminar full-endoscopic discectomy. Although the clinical outcomes for this approach may be equivalent to those of conventional microscopic discectomy, the supporting evidence is still based on small, single-center, prospective, and retrospective studies. Therefore, a multicenter randomized controlled trial is warranted. Methods This will be a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of interlaminar full-endoscopic discectomy to those of conventional microscopic discectomy. The trial will enroll 100 participants with a lumbar disc herniation, 50 in each group. The primary outcome will be the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score at 12 months post-surgery. Secondary outcomes will be back and leg pain (visual analog scale); the ODI; the EuroQol-5-dimension score; patient satisfaction; and walking distance/time and time to return to daily activities post-surgery. Surgical outcomes will include postoperative drainage, operative time, duration of hospital stay, postoperative creatine kinase level as an indicator of muscle injury, and postoperative scarring. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and simple radiography will be performed to evaluate radiographic outcomes between the two surgical approaches. Surgery-related complications and adverse effects will be evaluated as safety outcomes. A single assessor at each participating hospital, blinded to group allocation, will assess the enrolled participants at baseline, at 2 weeks, and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Discussion This trial is designed to determine whether interlaminar full-endoscopic discectomy is clinically comparable to microscopic discectomy to treat lumbar disc herniations. All efforts will be made to reduce bias, including adequate sample size, blinded analyses, and multicenter prospective registration. The outcomes will inform practice, providing the evidence needed for using interlaminar full-endoscopic over microscopic discectomy by confirming the potential of this technique to improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Trial registration: Clinical Research Information Service; cris.nih.go.kr. (KCT0006277); protocol version (v1, June 8, 2021).

We developed Fenton-like reaction performing mineralized nanoparticles as novel oxidative stress amplifying anticancer agents. We fabricated Cu-doped superoxide dismutase (SOD)-loaded calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-mineralized nanoparticles (Cu/SOD-MNPs) that could simultaneously release hydrogen peroxide-generating SOD and Fenton-like reaction-inducing copper ions within cancer cells. The CaCO3 core of the Cu/SOD-MNPs effectively inhibited the release of the entrapped SOD and copper ions in physiological pH (7.4). In contrast, in acidic pH (5.0), the release of SOD and copper ions was facilitated by CaCO3 dissolution. We demonstrated that the Cu/SOD-MNPs elevated the level of highly toxic apoptosis-inducing hydroxyl radicals in the cancer cells. The Cu/SOD-MNPs showed specific toxicity for cancer cells (MCF-7 cells), whereas no or negligible toxicity was found for normal cells (NIH3T3 and HEK293 cells). This mineralized oxidative stress amplifying nanoparticle may serve as a novel cancer-specific anticancer agent.

BACKGROUND The Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) evaluates frontal lobe and executive function. Therefore, it can be helpful in differentiating cognitive deficits. However, there are no studies comparing the COWAT performance according to the type and stage of cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE To compare performance among persons with Alzheimer dementia (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and Parkinson disease dementia (PDD) on the COWAT according to stage of cognitive impairment. DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SETTINGS University hospital rehabilitation psychology center. PATIENTS We reviewed the medical records of 246 persons diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the Korean-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL). Patients were divided into a control group, Alzheimer groups (amnestic mild cognitive impairment [aMCI] + AD), Vascular groups (vascular mild cognitive impairment [VaMCI] + VaD), and Parkinson groups (Parkinson disease-mild cognitive impairment [PD-MCI] + PDD). METHODS Total scores (ie, total number of words produced in 60 seconds on the semantic and phonemic fluency tests of the COWAT) were analyzed. Secondary analysis included calculating percentage scores of words produced during each of the four, 15-second segments from the total number of words produced in each trial. RESULTS All MCI groups scored significantly lower than the control group on both semantic and phonemic fluency tests. Among the dementia groups, the VaD (mean ± SD, 5.6 ± 5.1) and PDD (5.5 ± 5.5) groups' scores were significantly lower and worse than that of the AD (11.0 ± 8.8) group on the phonemic test (P

The transferred microbiota from mother to baby constitutes the initial infant gastrointestinal microbiota and has an important influence on the development and health of infants in human. However, the reproductive tract microbiota of avian species and its inheritance have rarely been studied. We aimed to characterize the microbial community in the chicken reproductive tract and determine the origin of the chicken embryo gut microbiota. Microbiota in four different portions of chicken oviduct were determined using 16S rRNA metagenomic approach with the IonTorrent platform. Additionally, we analyzed the mother hen’s magnum and cloaca, descendent egg, and embryo gut microbiota. The microbial composition and relative abundance of bacterial genera were stable throughout the entire chicken reproductive tract, without significant differences between the different parts of the oviduct. The chicken reproductive tract showed a relatively high abundance of Lactobacillus species. The number of bacterial species in the chicken reproductive tract significantly increased following sexual maturation. Core genera analysis detected 21 of common genera in the maternal magnum and cloaca, descendent egg shell, egg white, and embryo gut. Some elements of the maternal oviduct microbiota appear to be transferred to the embryo through the egg white and constitute most of the embryo gut bacterial population.

Accumulating reports demonstrate that apoptosis does not explain all the effects of cancer therapy due to the innate and acquired apoptotic resistance of malignant cancer cells. Recently, paraptosis, a type of programmed cell death accompanied by dilation of mitochondria and/or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), has garnered interest in cancer research as an alternative way to kill apoptosis-resistant cancers. We describe here the adaptation and validation of a high-content cell-based assay to screen and identify novel paraptotic regulators employing the malignant breast cancer cells undergoing curcumin-induced paraptosis. We used YFP-Mito cells, which express fluorescence selectively in mitochondria, to select paraptosis-related genes whose corresponding siRNAs appeared to modulate mitochondrial dilation, a morphological feature of paraptosis. From the selected 38 candidate genes, we chose ubiquitin specific peptidase 10 (USP10), a ubiquitin specific protease, as a strongly active candidate that warranted further evaluation of its involvement in paraptosis. We found that both siRNA-mediated knockdown of USP10 and treatment with the USP10 inhibitor, spautin-1, effectively attenuated curcumin-induced paraptosis. This systematic assay, in which a siRNA library is screened for the ability to ameliorate paraptotic changes in mitochondria, may enable researchers to identify potent regulators of paraptosis and new candidate genes/drugs to combat malignant breast cancer.

We report on doxycycline (DOXY)-loaded calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineralized nanoparticles (DOXY-MNPs) that can induce selective topical release of antibiotics to target oral plaque biofilms with acidic pH (ca. 4.5–5.5). The DOXY-MNPs were fabricated through a block copolymer-templated mineralization approach with simultaneous loading of an antibacterial drug, DOXY. The CaCO3 mineral core of DOXY-MNPs inhibited the leakage of entrapped DOXY in environments with normal salivary pH. However, in acidic pH, the DOXY release was triggered by the dissolution of CaCO3 mineral cores. The DOXY-MNPs showed effective antibacterial therapeutic activity to Prevotella intermedia bacterial cells with a potent treatment of biofilms.

본 연구에서는 지역주민의 정책리터러시 결정요인을 분석하고 정책적 시사점을 논의하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 지방정부에서 추진하고 있는 아동친화정책을 중심으로 지역주민의 개인적 요인인 인구사회학적 요인과 정책효능감, 정책적 요인인 지방정부의 정책PR을 독립변수로 설정하고, 이들 요인이 지역주민의 정책리터러시에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 이를 위해 아동친화정책을 시행하고 있는 S시 지역주민들을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하고 가설을 검증하였다. 위계적 회귀분석 결과, 전통적 정책리터러시에는 인구사회학적 요인인 연령과 자녀수, 정책PR과 정책효능감이 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 분석되었다. 기능적 정책리터러시에는 성(남성), 정책PR, 정책효능감이, 비판적 정책리터러시에는 연령과 학력, 자녀수, 정책효능감이 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 분석되었다. 이러한 분석결과를 토대로 본 연구에서는 지역주민의 정책리터러시 향상을 위한 이론적·정책적 시사점을 제시하였다.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum causes chronic respiratory diseases in poultry and economic losses to the chicken and turkey industry. We report the complete genome sequence of the field isolate strain KUVMG001 of Mycoplasma gallisepticum from South Korea.

We report copper(II) arsenite (CuAS)-integrated polymer micelles (CuAS-PMs) as a new class of Fenton-like catalytic nanosystem that can display reactive oxygen species (ROS)-manipulating anticancer therapeutic activity. CuAS-PMs were fabricated through metal-catechol chelation-based formation of the CuAS complex on the core domain of poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly(3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine) (PEG-PDOPA) copolymer micelles. CuAS-PMs maintained structural robustness under serum conditions. The insoluble state of the CuAS complex was effectively retained at physiological pH, whereas, at endosomal pH, the CuAS complex was ionized to release arsenite and cuprous Fenton catalysts (Cu

Paraptosis is a type of programmed cell death that is characterized by dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and/or mitochondria. Since paraptosis is morphologically and biochemically different from apoptosis, understanding its regulatory mechanisms may provide a novel therapeutic strategy in malignant cancer cells that have proven resistant to conventional pro-apoptotic treatments. Relatively little is known about the molecular basis of paraptosis, but perturbations of cellular proteostasis and ion homeostasis appear to critically contribute to the process. Ca2+ transport has been shown to be important in the paraptosis induced by several natural products, metal complexes, and co-treatment with proteasome inhibitors and certain Ca2+-modulating agents. In particular, the Ca2+-mediated communication between the ER and mitochondria plays a crucial role in paraptosis. Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload from the intracellular Ca2+-flux system located at the ER–mitochondrial axis can induce mitochondrial dilation during paraptosis, while the accumulation of misfolded proteins within the ER lumen is believed to exert an osmotic force and draw water from the cytoplasm to distend the ER lumen. In this process, Ca2+ release from the ER also critically contributes to aggravating ER stress and ER dilation. This review focuses on the role of Ca2+ transport in paraptosis by summarizing the recent findings related to the actions of Ca2+-modulating paraptosis-inducing agents and discussing the potential cancer therapeutic strategies that may effectively induce paraptosis via Ca2+ signaling.

The Salmonella enterica subspecies serovar Enteritidis is the one of main serovars isolated from human patients with food poisoning and poultry without clinical signs. Consumption of poultry products contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis is a common source of human salmonellosis. This study was aimed to determine the genetic relationships between Salmonella Enteritidis strains isolated from human patients and those isolated from poultry sources using whole-genome sequencing analysis. Seven of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of Salmonella Enteritidis were isolated from 234 retail chicken meats, internal organs of chicken, and straw bedding samples at chicken farms. Whole genome sequences of the MDR strains were determined using the Oxford Nanopore sequencing and compared with available whole genome sequences of the Salmonella Enteritidis strains previously isolated in Korea. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the whole genomes showed that all MDR Salmonella Enteritidis strains were genetically close and related to the FORC_019 strain isolated from human blood in 2015 in Korea. All of the MDR Salmonella Enteritidis strains contained a 110 kb of plasmid, and comparative plasmid analysis showed that all of the MDR Salmonella Enteritidis strains carried a novel fusion plasmid with genes coding virulence factors and antibiotic resistance proteins. The almost identical plasmid, with an extra 7.5-kb insertion sequence was also found in the FORC_019 strain. These results suggested that the single genetic lineage of MDR Salmonella Enteritidis that can cause salmonellosis in human is currently contaminating the Korean poultry industry.

In this work, we have developed photosensitizer-loaded bubble-generating calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-mineralized nanoparticles that have potential for ultrasound imaging (US)-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors. A photosensitizer, chlorin e6 (Ce6)-loaded CaCO3-mineralized nanoparticles (Ce6–BMNs), was prepared using an anionic block copolymer-templated in situ mineralization method. Ce6–BMNs were composed of the Ce6-loaded CaCO3 core and the hydrated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) shell. Ce6–BMNs exhibited excellent stability under serum conditions. Ce6–BMNs showed enhanced echogenic US signals at tumoral acid pH by generating carbon dioxide (CO2) bubbles. Ce6–BMNs effectively inhibited Ce6 release at physiological pH (7.4). At a tumoral acidic pH (6.4), Ce6 release was accelerated with CO2 bubble generation due to the dissolution of the CaCO3 mineral core. Upon irradiation of Ce6–BMN-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells, the cell viability dramatically decreased with increasing Ce6 concentration. The phototoxicity of the Ce6–BMNs was much higher than that of free Ce6. On the basis of tumoral pH-responsive CO2 bubble-generation and simultaneous Ce6 release at the target tumor site, these CaCO3 mineralized nanoparticles can be considered as promising theranostic nanoparticles for US imaging-guided PDT in the field of tumor therapy.