Loss of function by enhancer mutation leads to neuronal mitochondria dysfunction and motor deficits in mice.

Genetic changes and epigenetic modifications are associated with neuronal dysfunction in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the mechanism behind genetic mutations in the non-coding region of genes that affect epigenetic modifications remains unclear. Here, we identified an ALS-associated SNP located in the intronic region of (rs304152), residing in a putative enhancer element, using convolutional neural network.

Astrocytic autophagy plasticity modulates Aβ clearance and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Astrocytes, one of the most resilient cells in the brain, transform into reactive astrocytes in response to toxic proteins such as amyloid beta (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, reactive astrocyte-mediated non-cell autonomous neuropathological mechanism is not fully understood yet. We aimed our study to find out whether Aβ-induced proteotoxic stress affects the expression of autophagy genes and the modulation of autophagic flux in astrocytes, and if yes, how Aβ-induced autophagy-associated genes are involved Aβ clearance in astrocytes of animal model of AD.

Prognostic influences of B-cell lymphoma 2-positive expression on late recurrence in breast cancer.

Purpose: B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) has an antiapoptotic role, however, has resulted in it being a powerful favorable prognostic factor in breast cancer. Several studies revealed BCL2 is strongly associated with a lower rate of early recurrence after initial treatment in breast cancer patients, but study of a prolonged effect after 5 years is lacking. We investigated BCL2 as a prognostic factor in breast cancer in comparison to early and late recurrence.

Metastatic breast cancer from a hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report.

Breast metastases from extramammary malignancies are rare. Here, we report a case of breast metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after breast mass excision in a 63-year-old woman. A new breast nodule was noticed after transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization, and stereotactic body radiation therapy for HCC.

Modulation of histone H3K4 dimethylation by spermidine ameliorates motor neuron survival and neuropathology in a mouse model of ALS.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive paralysis due to motor neuron degeneration. It has been proposed that epigenetic modification and transcriptional dysregulation may contribute to motor neuron death. In this study, we investigate the basis for therapeutic approaches to target lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) and elucidate the mechanistic role of LSD1-histone H3K4 signaling pathway in ALS pathogenesis.

The different prognostic impact of age according to individual molecular subtypes in breast cancer.

Purpose: Young age at diagnosis has been considered a poor prognostic factor. However, considering young age itself as an independent poor prognostic factor for all breast cancers is unwarranted. We analyzed the different prognostic effects of age as a prognostic factor according to molecular subtype.

Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Effects of Paeonol against Oxidative Stress and Altered Carrier-Mediated Transport System on NSC-34 Cell Lines.

Paeonol is a naturally occurring phenolic agent that attenuates neurotoxicity in neurodegenerative diseases. We aimed to investigate the antioxidant and protective effects of paeonol and determine its transport mechanism in wild-type (WT; NSC-34/hSOD1) and mutant-type (MT; NSC-34/hSOD1) motor neuron-like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cell lines. Cytotoxicity induced by glutamate, lipopolysaccharides, and HO reduced viability of cell; however, the addition of paeonol improved cell viability against neurotoxicity.

Efficacy of Post-Operative Medication to Prevent Recurrence of Endometrioma: Cyclic Oral Contraceptive (OC) After Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Agonist Versus Dienogest.

Background: There are several medical treatment options for endometrioma. Progestin, especially dienogest, is an effective drug for preventing recurrence of endometrioma after surgery. Additionally, oral contraceptive (OC) use after conservative surgery has been reported to reduce significantly the risk of endometrioma recurrence.

Impact of rice paddy agriculture on habitat usage of migratory shorebirds at the rice paddy scale in Korea.

Approximately 58 shorebird species, including endangered and threatened species, use various habitats while traveling on their long-distance migratory routes in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Coastal rice paddies in midwestern Korea, which are located in the EAAF, serve as inland wetlands and provide important stopover sites for long-distance migratory shorebirds. We studied how shorebird population density is affected across periods, time since habitat formation, and field type, at the rice field scale.

Monocarboxylate transporter functions and neuroprotective effects of valproic acid in experimental models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devasting neurodegenerative disorder for which no successful therapeutics are available. Valproic acid (VPA), a monocarboxylate derivative, is a known antiepileptic drug and a histone deacetylase inhibitor.

Methods: To investigate whether monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and sodium-coupled MCT1 (SMCT1) are altered in ALS cell and mouse models, a cellular uptake study, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and western blot parameters were used.

Non-Cell Autonomous and Epigenetic Mechanisms of Huntington's Disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeat located in the exon 1 of gene in human chromosome 4. The HTT protein is ubiquitously expressed in the brain. Specifically, mutant HTT (mHTT) protein-mediated toxicity leads to a dramatic degeneration of the striatum among many regions of the brain.

Biocompatible artificial synapses based on a zein active layer obtained from maize for neuromorphic computing.

Artificial synaptic devices based on natural organic materials are becoming the most desirable for extending their fields of applications to include wearable and implantable devices due to their biocompatibility, flexibility, lightweight, and scalability. Herein, we proposed a zein material, extracted from natural maize, as an active layer in an artificial synapse. The synaptic device exhibited notable digital-data storage and analog data processing capabilities.

Transcriptome profiling implicated in beneficiary actions of kimchi extracts against infection.

Dietary intervention to prevent ()-gastric cancer might be ideal because of no risk of bacterial resistance, safety, and rejuvenating action of atrophic gastritis. We have published data about the potential of fermented kimchi as nutritional approach for . Hence recent advances in RNAseq analysis lead us to investigate the transcriptome analysis to explain these beneficiary actions of kimchi.

Fermented kimchi rejuvenated precancerous atrophic gastritis via mitigating -associated endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress.

Dietary intervention to prevent ()-gastric cancer might be ideal by long-term intervention, rejuvenating action, and no risk of bacterial resistance. Stimulated with finding that kimchi prevented -gastric cancer, we compared the efficacy of cancer preventive kimchi (cpkimchi) and standard recipe kimchi (skimchi) and the efficacy between fermented kimchi and non-fermented kimchi (kimuchi) in -initiated gastric cancer model and explored novel mechanisms hinted from RNAseq transcriptome analysis. Animal models assessing gastric pathology on 24 and 36 weeks after initiated, salt diet-promoted gastric mutagenesis model showed fermented cpkimchi afforded the best outcome of either rejuvenating atrophic gastritis or inhibiting tumorigenesis compared to skimchi and kimuchi.

The Association between Job Quality Profiles and Work-Life Balance among Female Employees in Korea: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Women's participation in society has been increasing; however, they often remain overloaded with housework, and this gender role difference can hinder their work-life balance in Korea. Therefore, this study classified latent profiles according to job quality indices for South Korean female employees and examined the characteristics of each profile and how they affect work-life balance. This study was a secondary analysis of data collected through the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey in South Korea.

Development and Evaluation of a Screening Scale for Indirect Trauma Caused by Media Exposure to Social Disasters.

As a result of mass media development, disaster-related information, such as the severity of damage, can be easily shared; thus, the issue of consequent indirect trauma has become as important as that of direct trauma. This study developed a scale to measure the degree of indirect trauma caused by media exposure to social disasters and then verified this scale's reliability and validity. Initial items were developed through a literature review; 39 items were selected by examining their content validity and conducting a pretest.

Factors Associated with Quality of Dying and Death in Korean Intensive Care Units: Perceptions of Nurses.

The objective of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the quality of dying and death among terminally ill patients in an intensive care unit in Korea using a cross-sectional, online survey. A total of 300 nurses in the intensive care unit who had cared for a terminally ill patient for at least 48 h prior to death in the past six months were chosen to participate. The person-centered critical care nursing (PCCN) score and quality of dying and death (QODD) had a positive correlation.

Anti-glioma effects of 2-aminothiophene-3-carboxamide derivatives, ANO1 channel blockers.

Anoctamin1 (ANO1), a calcium-activated chloride ion channel (CaCC), is associated with various physiological functions including cancer progression and metastasis/invasion. ANO1 has been considered as a promising target for cancer therapeutics as ANO1 is over-expressed in a variety of cancers including glioblastoma (GBM) and inhibition of ANO1 has been reported to suppress cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GBM. GBM is one of the most common and aggressive cancers with poor prognosis with median survival for 15 months.

The first small molecules capable of strongly suppressing proliferation of cancer cells harboring BRAF class I/II/III mutations.

BRAF mutants are categorized into three classes according to dependency on RAS signaling and RAF dimerization-dependency. Class I BRAF V600 mutants (RAS-independent monomer) are sensitive to vemurafenib. In contrast, both class II mutants (RAS-independent dimer) and class III mutants (RAS-dependent heterodimer) are insensitive to vemurafenib.

Comparison of Job Quality Indices Affecting Work-Life Balance in South Korea According to Employee Gender.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for both males and females. Nevertheless, gender segregation still exists in labor markets in South Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate differences in occupational characteristics, job quality indices, and work-life balance between male and female employees.

Flexible Behavior of the Black-Tailed Godwit is Key to Successful Refueling during Staging at Rice Paddy Fields in Midwestern Korea.

Successful refueling at staging sites is essential for the survival and reproduction of migratory birds. Understanding their staging ecology is therefore crucial for the conservation of migrant species. Rice fields in the mid-western region of the Korean Peninsula serve as staging habitats for the black-tailed godwit ().

Two-photon probes for the endoplasmic reticulum: its detection in a live tissue by two-photon microscopy.

We report blue- and green-emitting two-photon probes derived from naphthalene and fluorene derivatives (as fluorophores) and an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retrieval peptide (KDEL; as an ER-targeting moiety) that can detect the ER in a live cell by both one-photon and two-photon microscopy (TPM) and in a live tissue by TPM.

Successful heterotopic pregnancy with prior radical trachelectomy after transabdominal cervico isthimic cerclage with methotrexate treatment.

Heterotopic pregnancy with cervical incompetence is very uncommon. And yet there is no definite treatment for cervical incompetence occurring after radical trachelectomy. We are reporting a rare and novel case of a following in vitro fertilization combined intrauterine pregnancy and interstitial pregnancy which was successfully treated with maintenance of the pregnancy to term.

Evaluation of the Korean version of the self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies scale.

Background: In order to assess nursing students' informatics competency, we need a comprehensive Korean version scale that reflects the important advances in nursing informatics and can make up for the lack of an existing measure. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies Scale (SANICS) into Korean (K-SANICS) and verify its validity and reliability with nursing students.

Methods: The design of this study was a methodological approach to translate and evaluate the Korean version tool (K-SANICS).

A population-based observational study of patients with pulmonary disorders in intensive care unit.

Background/aims: Only a few epidemiologic studies on the patients with pulmonary disorders admitted to intensive care unit exist. We investigated the characteristics and clinical outcomes of the patients with severe pulmonary disorders.

Methods: The sample cohort database of National Health Insurance Sharing Service from 2006 to 2015 was used.