MARSweb: a fully automated web service for set-based association testing.

Background: Despite the successes in GWAS, there is still a large gap between the known heritability and the part explained by the SNPs identified by GWAS. Set-based analysis is one of the approaches that has tried to identify associations between multiple variants in a locus a trait, leveraging allelic heterogeneity to increase power in association testing. MARS is a set-based analysis method that integrates likelihood ratio test with a recently developed fine mapping technique to accurately account for causal status of variants in a risk locus.

Propolis suppresses atopic dermatitis through targeting the MKK4 pathway.

Propolis is a natural resinous substance made by bees through mixing various plant sources. Propolis has been widely recognized as a functional food due to its diverse range of beneficial bioactivities. However, the therapeutic effects of consuming propolis against atopic dermatitis (AD) remain largely unknown.

Discovery of Protease-activated receptor 2 antagonists derived from phenylalanine for the treatment of breast cancer.

Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) has garnered attention as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer. PAR2 is implicated in the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) via G protein and beta-arrestin pathways, contributing to the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Despite the recognized role of PAR2 in breast cancer progression, clinically effective PAR2 antagonists remain elusive.

Discovery of a novel NAMPT inhibitor that selectively targets NAPRT-deficient EMT-subtype cancer cells and alleviates chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Exploiting synthetic lethality (SL) relationships between protein pairs has emerged as an important avenue for the development of anti-cancer drugs. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme of the NAD+ salvage pathway, having an SL relationship with nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRT), the key enzyme in the NAD+ Preiss-Handler pathway. NAMPT inhibitor holds clinical potential not only as a promising cancer treatment but also as a means of protection against chemotherapy-induced-peripheral-neuropathy (CIPN).

Structural optimization of novel Ras modulator for treatment of Colorectal cancer by promoting β-catenin and Ras degradation.

Ras protein has been considered a fascinating target for anticancer therapy because its malfunction is closely related to cancer. However, Ras has been considered undruggable because of the failure to regulate its malfunction by controlling the Ras activation mechanism. Recently, Lumakras targeting the G12C mutation was approved, and therapeutic interest in Ras for anticancer therapy has been rejuvenated.

Identification of CaAN3 as a fruit-specific regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepper (Capsicum annuum).

The novel gene CaAN3 encodes an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that regulates fruit-specific anthocyanin accumulation. The key regulatory gene CaAN2 encodes an R2R3 MYB transcription factor that regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in various tissues in pepper (Capsicum annuum). However, CaAN2 is not expressed in certain pepper accessions showing fruit-specific anthocyanin accumulation.

Nanotextured Soft Electrothermo-Pneumatic Actuator for Constructing Lightweight, Integrated, and Untethered Soft Robotics.

In this study, we fabricated a nanofiber-based electrothermo-pneumatic soft actuator (ETPSA) using electrospinning technique. The actuator uses liquid-vapor phase transition. The ETPSA developed in the present study goes beyond the limitations of the existing pneumatic soft actuators.

Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Identification for the Locus Controlling Fruit Orientation in Pepper ( spp.).

The orientation of fruits is a distinguishing morphological feature of pepper ( spp.) varieties. The pendent (downward curved) growth of the fruit stalks, known as pedicels, is highly correlated with fruit weight and pedicel length.

Supersonically Sprayed Washable, Wearable, Stretchable, Hydrophobic, and Antibacterial rGO/AgNW Fabric for Multifunctional Sensors and Supercapacitors.

Wearable electronic textiles are used in sensors, energy-harvesting devices, healthcare monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and soft robotics to acquire real-time big data for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Wearability is essential while collecting data from a human, who should be able to wear the device with sufficient comfort. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) were supersonically sprayed onto a fabric to ensure good adhesiveness, resulting in a washable, stretchable, and wearable fabric without affecting the performance of the designed features.

Fully automated web-based tool for identifying regulatory hotspots.

Background: Regulatory hotspots are genetic variations that may regulate the expression levels of many genes. It has been of great interest to find those hotspots utilizing expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis. However, it has been reported that many of the findings are spurious hotspots induced by various unknown confounding factors.

Effect of a calcium hydroxide-based intracanal medicament containing N-2-methyl pyrrolidone as a vehicle against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm.

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of a calcium hydroxide (CH) paste (CleaniCal®) containing N-2-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as a vehicle on Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms compared with other products containing saline (Calasept Plus™) or propylene glycol (PG) (Calcipex II®).

Methodology: Standardized bovine root canal specimens were used.

Effects of different silica-based layer coatings on bond strength of Y-TZP to bovine dentin.

This study investigated the effects of different silica-based layer coatings on shear bond strength (SBS) between Y-TZP and bovine dentin. Three different silica-based layer coatings were applied to the Y-TZP surface: tribochemical silica coating, vitrification (glaze coating), and composite resin sintering. A silane coupling agent (SIL) was applied to the silica-coated Y-TZP surface in the presence or absence of hydrofluoric acid (HF) treatment.

Quantitative Liver Fibrosis Using Collagen Hybridizing Peptide to Predict Native Liver Survival in Biliary Atresia: A Pilot Study.

Background/rationale: Biliary atresia (BA) is a cholangiopathy characterized by bile flow obstruction due to destruction of the biliary tree. Without surgical correction with Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE), BA leads to death or liver transplant (LTx). Early-onset, progressive liver fibrosis is a defining characteristic of BA.

Wearable transparent thermal sensors and heaters based on metal-plated fibers and nanowires.

Electrospun metal-plated nanofibers and supersonically sprayed nanowires were used to fabricate hybrid films exhibiting a superior low sheet resistance of 0.18 Ω sq-1, a transparency of 91.1%, and a figure-of-merit of 2.

Packing of metalized polymer nanofibers for aneurysm embolization.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is the extravasation of blood into the subarachnoid space and is fatal in most cases. Platinum coils have been used to fill the hemorrhage site and prevent the extravasation of blood. Here we explored the use of Pt-coated polymer nanofibers (NF) to prevent blood extravasation and were able to achieve improved results in vitro.

Self-Cleaning Anticondensing Glass via Supersonic Spraying of Silver Nanowires, Silica, and Polystyrene Nanoparticles.

We have sequentially deposited layers of silver nanowires (AgNWs), silicon dioxide (SiO) nanoparticles, and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles on uncoated glass by a rapid low-cost supersonic spraying method to create antifrosting, anticondensation, and self-cleaning glass. The conductive silver nanowire network embedded in the coating allows electrical heating of the glass surface. Supersonic spraying is a single-step coating technique that does not require vacuum.

Effects of alveolar bone displacement with segmental osteotomy: micro-CT and histomorphometric analysis in rats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of segmental osteotomy on the blood vessels and osteoclasts in rats using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histomorphometric analysis. After segmental osteotomy was performed around the maxillary first molars of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 72), the samples were divided into a control group (no displacement), 0.5 D group (0.

The antioxidant property of pachymic acid improves bone disturbance against AH plus-induced inflammation in MC-3T3 E1 cells.

Introduction: The cytotoxicity of resin-based sealer is influential on the inflammatory reaction and cell survival for oral periapical cells. In this study, pachymic acid as an antioxidant was investigated for the improvement of bone disturbance against AH Plus (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany)-induced inflammation in MC-3T3 E1 cells.

Methods: AH Plus was prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.

PPARγ inhibits inflammation and RANKL expression in epoxy resin-based sealer-induced osteoblast precursor cells E1 cells.

Objectives: The AH26 of epoxy resin-based sealer is used widely owing to its excellent physical characteristics but it induces oxidative stress and cytotoxicity at the periapical tissues. AH26 exhibited cytotoxicity towards MC-3T3-E1 cells, which resulted in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ) has an anti-inflammatory effect in several tissue and cells, but its action of AH26-related inflammation is not completely understood.

Attenuation of AH26-induced apoptosis by inhibition of SAPK/JNK pathway in MC-3T3 E1 cells.

Introduction: The cytotoxicity of AH26, a resin-based sealer, induces apoptosis in osteoblast cells. However, the apoptosis pathway is not completely understood. This study examined the apoptosis pathway and its regulation of AH26 through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs), which may play a role in reducing the cytotoxicity of AH26.