Melatonin for prevention of fetal lung injury associated with intrauterine inflammation and for improvement of lung maturation.

Inflammation is associated with injury to immature lungs, and melatonin administration to preterm newborns with acute respiratory distress improves pulmonary outcomes. We hypothesized that maternally administered melatonin may reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and structural injury in fetal lung and help fetal lung maturation in a mouse model of intrauterine inflammation (IUI). Mice were randomized to the following groups: control (C), melatonin (M), lipopolysaccharide (LPS; a model of IUI) (L), and LPS with melatonin (ML).

Evaluation of Sub-micrometer-Sized Particles Generated from a Diesel Locomotive and Jackleg Drilling in an Underground Metal Mine.

Concerns have been raised regarding small respirable particles, i.e. sub-micrometer-sized particles, associated with mining activities.

Genome‑wide analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression changes in an ovalbumin‑induced asthma mouse model.

The aim of the present study was to establish an integrated network of DNA methylation and RNA expression in an ovalbumin (OVA)‑induced asthma model, and to investigate the epigenetically‑regulated genes involved in asthma development. Genome‑wide CpG‑DNA methylation profiling was conducted through the use of a methylated DNA immunoprecipitation microarray and RNA sequencing was performed using three lung samples from mice with OVA‑induced asthma. A total of 35,401 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified between mice with OVA‑induced asthma and control mice.

MRI and Quantitative Magnetic Susceptibility Maps of the Brain after Serial Administration of Gadobutrol: A Longitudinal Follow-up Study.

Background The relationship between administration of macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents and T1-weighted signal intensity (SI) change of the globus pallidus (GP) and dentate nucleus (DN) is, to the knowledge of the authors, not known. Purpose To determine if quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can detect changes in magnetic susceptibility of the GP and DN after serial administration of macrocyclic gadobutrol in patients with primary brain tumors. Materials and Methods Patients diagnosed with primary brain tumors from August 2014 to February 2019 were eligible for this single-center retrospective study.

Shared functional neural substrates in Parkinson's disease and drug-induced parkinsonism: association with dopaminergic depletion.

While drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) is mainly caused by blockage of the dopaminergic pathway, multiple neurotransmitter systems besides the dopaminergic system are involved in Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, alterations found in both DIP and PD might be manifestations of dopaminergic dysfunction. To prove this hypothesis, we aimed to define the areas commonly involved in DIP and PD and determine whether the overlapping areas were associated with the dopaminergic system.

Dual-energy CT for differentiating acute intracranial hemorrhage from contrast staining or calcification: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT (DECT) for differentiating acute intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) from contrast staining or small calcifications via a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: The PubMed-MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to November 10, 2019. Original studies (prospective or retrospective cohort studies) with the primary aim of detecting ICH using DECT were selected.

Inherent Resistance of Seed-Mediated Grown MoSe Monolayers to Defect Formation.

Recent progress in the chemical vapor deposition technique toward growing large-area and single-crystalline two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has resulted in an electronic/optoelectronic device performance that rivals that of their top-down counterparts, despite the extensive use of hydrogen, a common reducing agent that readily generates defects in TMDs. Herein, we report that 2D MoSe domains containing oxide seeds are resistant to hydrogen-induced defect generation. Specifically, we observed that the etching of the edges of seed-containing MoSe was significantly less than that of pristine MoSe, without apparent seed particles, under the same H annealing conditions.

[Nursing needs assessment scale for women with infertility: development and validation].

Purpose: High-quality nursing care must be provided for women with infertility, and their nursing care needs must be identified. Although scales have been developed to assess infertility-related stress, quality of life, and psychosocial status, there is a lack of scales that assess the nursing care needs of women with infertility. The purpose of this study was to develop a needs assessment scale for nursing care in women with infertility and to verify its reliability and validity.

A novel pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidine, KKC080106, activates the Nrf2 pathway and protects nigral dopaminergic neurons.

The transcription factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) is known to induce neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects and is considered to be an excellent molecular target for drugs related to neurodegenerative disease therapy. Nrf2 activators previously tested in clinical trials were electrophilic, causing adverse effects due to non-selective and covalent modification of cellular thiols. In order to circumvent this issue, we constructed and screened a chemical library consisting of 241 pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidine derivatives and discovered a novel, non-electrophilic compound: 1-benzyl-6-(methylthio)-N-(1-phenylethyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4-amine (KKC080106).

Bioelectronic Skin Based on Nociceptive Ion Channel for Human-Like Perception of Cold Pains.

A bioelectronic skin device based on nociceptive ion channels in nanovesicles is developed for the detection of chemical cold-pain stimuli and cold environments just like human somesthetic sensory systems. The human transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (hTRPA1) is involved in transmission and modulation of cold-pain sensations. In the bioelectronic skin, the nanovesicles containing the hTRPA1 nociceptive ion channel protein reacts to cold-pain stimuli, and it is electrically monitored through carbon nanotube transistor devices based on floating electrodes.

Traditional Korean herbal formulae, Yuk-Mi-Ji-Hwang-Tang, ameliorates impairment of hippocampal memory ability by chronic restraint stress of mouse model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang (YJT) has been popularly prescribed to treat aging related disorders over than hundreds of years in East Asia countries.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate possible modulatory actions of YJT on chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced neurodegeneration on hippocampus neuronal injuries.

Materials And Methods: Mice were orally administered with YJT (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) or ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) before 4 h of stress for 28 days.

Prognostic value of computed tomography-based volumetric body composition analysis in patients with head and neck cancer: Feasibility study.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate whether computed tomography (CT)-based volumetric body composition analysis has prognostic value in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 79 patients with HNC treated with definitive radiotherapy from March 2009 to December 2018. The patients were assessed for (a) weight-based variables and (b) pretreatment and posttreatment CT-based body composition variables.

Altered neural substrates within cognitive networks of postpartum women during working memory process and resting-state.

Postpartum working memory decline has been investigated mostly with neuropsychological tests, but neural evidence is almost unknown. Here we investigated task-related neural alterations during working memory task (n-back) and intrinsic alterations during resting-state (rs) in postpartum women using functional MRI (fMRI). Behaviorally, postpartum women showed comparable working memory performances to the controls although there was a tendency of prolonged response time.

Sleep disturbance-related depressive symptom and brain volume reduction in shift-working nurses.

Disturbed sleep is the most common effect of shift work. A large corpus of research indicates an association between sleep disturbance and depressive symptom in shift workers. In this study, we proposed the mediating role of grey matter (GM) structure in the relationship between sleep disturbance and depressive symptom.

Graphene quantum dots as anti-inflammatory therapy for colitis.

While graphene and its derivatives have been suggested as a potential nanomedicine in several biomimetic models, their specific roles in immunological disorders still remain elusive. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) may be suitable for treating intestinal bowel diseases (IBDs) because of their low toxicity in vivo and ease of clearance. Here, GQDs are intraperitoneally injected to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced chronic and acute colitis model, and its efficacy has been confirmed.

Micelle-stabilized Olfactory Receptors for a Bioelectronic Nose Detecting Butter Flavors in Real Fermented Alcoholic Beverages.

A bioelectronic nose device based on micelle-stabilized olfactory receptors is developed for the selective discrimination of a butter flavor substance in commercial fermented alcoholic beverages. In this work, we have successfully overexpressed ODR-10, a type of olfactory receptor, from Caenorhabditis elegans using a bacterial expression system at a low cost and high productivity. The highly-purified ODR-10 was stabilized in micelle structures, and it was immobilized on a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor to build a bioelectronic nose for the detection of diacetyl, a butter flavor substance, via the specific interaction between diacetyl and ODR-10.

Endogenous TLR2 ligand embedded in the catalytic region of human cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase 1.

Background: The generation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses is required for successful cancer vaccine therapy. In this regard, ligands of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been suggested to activate adaptive immune responses by modulating the function of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Despite their therapeutic potential, the development of TLR ligands for immunotherapy is often hampered due to rapid systemic toxicity.

Effects of School-Based Meditation Courses on Self-Reflection, Academic Attention, and Subjective Well-Being in South Korean Middle School Students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of school-based meditation courses on middle school students' self-reflection, academic attention (ability to focus in classrooms), and subjective well-being.

Design And Methods: The research design was a nonequivalent group comparison (n = 163) with pretest and post-test. The experimental group (n = 81) was given an eight-week meditation course and the control group (n = 82) was given other elective courses such as calligraphy and reading.

Characterization of the Common -Originated Genomic Regions in the High-Yielding Varieties Developed from Inter-Subspecific Crosses in Temperate Rice ( L.).

The inter-subspecific crossing between and subspecies in rice have been utilized to improve the yield potential of temperate rice. In this study, a comparative study of the genomic regions in the eight high-yielding varieties (HYVs) was conducted with those of the four non-HYVs. The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) mapping on the Nipponbare reference genome identified a total of 14 common genomic regions of -originated alleles.

IDH1 mutation prediction using MR-based radiomics in glioblastoma: comparison between manual and fully automated deep learning-based approach of tumor segmentation.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether MR-based radiomics of glioblastoma can predict the isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation status and compare predictive performances between manual and fully automatic deep-learning segmentations.

Method: Forty-five glioblastoma patients with pretreatment T2-weighted MRIs were retrospectively evaluated. Manual segmentations of glioblastoma and peri-tumoral edema were trained via a deep neural network (V-Net).

Sclerotic changes of cavernous hemangioma in the cirrhotic liver: long-term follow-up using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Purpose: To determine the intra- and extralesional factors that predict sclerotic degeneration of hepatic hemangiomas in the cirrhotic liver on long-term follow-up computed tomography (CT) examinations.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-seven hepatic hemangiomas (> 5 mm in diameter) in 41 cirrhotic patients, recruited over a 5-year period (January 2005-December 2009), were subjected to CT to determine which factors predict sclerotic contraction or degeneration in hemangiomas. Prior and follow-up CT examinations (from 2000 to 2018) were included to observe time-related changes.

Is there a definite relationship between placental mTOR signaling and fetal growth?

Fetal growth restriction and overgrowth are common obstetrical complications that result in adverse perinatal outcomes and long-term health risks later in life, including neurodevelopmental dysfunction and adult metabolic syndrome. The placenta plays a critical role in the nutrition transfer from mother to fetus and even exerts adaptive mechanism when the fetus is under poor developmental conditions. The mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling serves as a critical hub of cell growth, survival, and metabolism in response to nutrients, growth factors, energy, and stress signals.

sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of an Oriental stork.

A novel, Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated strain H21T32, was isolated from the faeces of an Oriental stork, . Cells formed cocci grouped in pairs, tetrads or conglomerates, and colonies on solid medium were pale yellow. Strain H21T32 belonged to the genus , family , order and class .

Deep Learning Hybrid Method to Automatically Diagnose Periodontal Bone Loss and Stage Periodontitis.

We developed an automatic method for staging periodontitis on dental panoramic radiographs using the deep learning hybrid method. A novel hybrid framework was proposed to automatically detect and classify the periodontal bone loss of each individual tooth. The framework is a hybrid of deep learning architecture for detection and conventional CAD processing for classification.