Evaluation of RMplex system for differentiating father-son pairs using Y-STRs in a Korean population.

Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) at rapidly mutating (RM) loci have been suggested as tools for differentiating paternally related males. RMplex is a recently developed system that incorporates 26 RM loci and four fast-mutating (FM) loci, targeting 44 male-specific loci. Here, we evaluated the RMplex by estimating Y-STR mutation rates and the overall differentiation rates for 542 Korean father-son pairs, as well as the genetic population values for 409 unrelated males.

Engineering the physical characteristics of biomaterials for innate immune-mediated cancer immunotherapy.

It has recently been recognized that the physical characteristics of biomaterials - such as size, structure, shape, charge, mechanical strength, hydrophobicity, and multivalency - regulate immunological functions in innate immune cells. In immuno-oncology applications, biomaterials are engineered with distinct physical properties to achieve desired innate immune responses. In this review, we discuss how physical characteristics influence effector functions and innate immune signaling pathways in distinct innate immune cell subtypes.

Adjuvant sequential chemotherapy for salivary duct carcinomas: a retrospective comparative analysis.

Introduction: This study aimed to report the efficacy and safety of adjuvant sequential chemotherapy after definitive treatment of salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) compared with the standard treatment alone (surgery with postoperative radiation therapy).

Methods: This was a retrospective study of pathologically confirmed 135 SDC patients (study period 2009 to 2022). After curative surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy, 55 of 135 patients decided to receive additional chemotherapy (OP+RT+Chemo group), while 80 opted for surgery and radiation (OP+RT group).

Polystyrene nanoplastics promote the blood-brain barrier dysfunction through autophagy pathway and excessive erythrophagocytosis.

There is increasing concern regarding the risks posed by plastics to human health. Nano-sized plastics enter the body through various exposure routes. Although nano-sized particles circulate through the bloodstream and access the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the harmful impacts of nano-sized plastics on BBB function including endothelial cells are not well known.

Optimization of microbial consortia and materials composition enhances gluconic acid content in kombucha.

The objective of this study was to optimize the microbial and ingredient composition of kombucha for enhanced production of gluconic acid (GA). Fourteen strains of Komagataeibacter spp. and one yeast strain of Dekkera sp.

Evaluating lead-free alternatives for radiation shielding in diagnostic radiology: a case study from a tertiary general hospital in Korea.

With the continued increase in the number of pieces of diagnostic medical radiography equipment being used, radiation shielding in radiology departments is becoming increasingly important. Lead is the most commonly used material for radiation protection; however, there are numerous disadvantages associated with the use of lead, including environmental hazards and harm to the human body. Alternative shielding materials that can be used as replacements include barium sulfate, tungsten, or bismuth.

The impact of resilience and coping strategies on depressive symptoms among Korean American older adults during COVID-19.

Objectives: This study examined how resilience and coping strategies were associated with depressive symptoms among Korean American older adults during COVID-19. The prevalent depressive symptoms and low use of mental health services in this population have raised significant concerns among healthcare professionals. Therefore, this study aims to understand the relationships between resilience and coping types on depressive symptoms and provide valuable insights into addressing these issues within this ethnic group.

Establishment of porcine embryonic stem cells in simplified serum free media and feeder free expansion.

Background: The establishment of stable porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs) can contribute to basic and biomedical research, including comparative developmental biology, as well as assessing the safety of stem cell-based therapies. Despite these advantages, most pESCs obtained from in vitro blastocysts require complex media and feeder layers, making routine use, genetic modification, and differentiation into specific cell types difficult. We aimed to establish pESCs with a single cell-passage ability, high proliferative potency, and stable in long-term culture from in vitro-derived blastocysts using a simplified serum-free medium.

Distinct properties of putative trophoblast stem cells established from somatic cell nuclear-transferred pig blastocysts.

Background: Genetically modified pigs are considered ideal models for studying human diseases and potential sources for xenotransplantation research. However, the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique utilized to generate these cloned pig models has low efficiency, and fetal development is limited due to placental abnormalities.

Results: In this study, we unprecedentedly established putative porcine trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) using SCNT and in vitro-fertilized (IVF) blastocysts through the activation of Wing-less/Integrated (Wnt) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathways, inhibition of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) pathways, and supplementation with ascorbic acid.

North Korean CO emissions reconstruction using DMZ ground observations, TROPOMI space-borne data, and the CMAQ air quality model.

Emission uncertainty in North Korea can act as an obstacle when developing air pollution management plans in the country and neighboring countries when the transboundary transport of air pollutants is considered. This study introduces a novel approach for adjusting and reallocating North Korean CO emissions, aiming to complement the limited observational and emissions data on the country's air pollutants. We utilized ground observations from demilitarized zone (DMZ) and vertical column density (VCD) data from a TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), which were combined with the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) chemistry transport model simulations.

Advancements in 2D and 3D In Vitro Models for Studying Neuromuscular Diseases.

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are a genetically or clinically heterogeneous group of diseases that involve injury or dysfunction of neuromuscular tissue components, including peripheral motor neurons, skeletal muscles, and neuromuscular junctions. To study NMDs and develop potential therapies, remarkable progress has been made in generating in vitro neuromuscular models using engineering approaches to recapitulate the complex physical and biochemical microenvironments of 3D human neuromuscular tissues. In this review, we discuss recent studies focusing on the development of in vitro co-culture models of human motor neurons and skeletal muscles, with the pros and cons of each approach.

Stem cell factor's role in enhancing the quality of fertilized and cloned porcine embryos for improved embryonic stem cell derivation.

Stem cell factor (SCF), a cytokine growth factor, is expressed in various tissues of the male and female reproductive organs, including the testis, ovary, and endometrium. Its primary function involves cell survival, differentiation, and proliferation, achieved through its binding to the c-kit receptor. This study aimed to scrutinize the effects of SCF treatment during culture (IVC) on both the developmental potential and the efficiency of establishing embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from fertilized and cloned porcine embryos.

Impact of ozonation on the formation of particulate nitrosodi-methylamine (NDMA) in atmosphere.

The contribution of ozonation to the formation of particulate nitrosodi-methylamine (NDMA) in the aqueous aerosol phase was investigated using measurement data from 2018 in Seoul, Republic of Korea and a box model. The correlation between the NDMA concentration and aerosol liquid water content and box model results showed that aqueous aerosol phase reactions, including nitrosation and ozonation, might contribute to the formation of NDMA. The concentration of NDMA and the ratio of O/dimethylamine exhibited a negative correlation, suggesting that the contribution of ozonation to NDMA formation may not be significant.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Eculizumab in Patients With Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria and High Disease Burden: Real-World Data From Korea.

Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by uncontrolled terminal complement activation. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody C5 inhibitor was introduced in Korea in 2009 and has been the standard treatment option for PNH.

Methods: This study assessed the long-term efficacy/safety of eculizumab in PNH using real-world data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

Phantom study of layered sensor module for photon-counting BMD detector.

In this study, we perform bone mineral density (BMD) calculation by designing a layered sensor module (LSM) that divides high- and low-energy spectra from a single shot of X-rays. Gamma-ray evaluation supports this mechanism; low-energy gamma rays are absorbed in the front detector, whereas high-energy gamma rays are absorbed in the rear detector. In this phantom study, LSM divides a single shot of X-ray into two spectra with different distributions of energy, thereby affording X-ray images with different properties, such as contrast and gray scale.

Imaging of Facial Nerve With 3D-DESS-WE-MRI Before Parotidectomy: Impact on Surgical Outcomes.

Objective: The intra-parotid facial nerve (FN) can be visualized using three-dimensional double-echo steady-state water-excitation sequence magnetic resonance imaging (3D-DESS-WE-MRI). However, the clinical impact of FN imaging using 3D-DESS-WE-MRI before parotidectomy has not yet been explored. We compared the clinical outcomes of parotidectomy in patients with and without preoperative 3D-DESS-WE-MRI.