YAP and TAZ maintain PROX1 expression in the developing lymphatic and lymphovenous valves in response to VEGF-C signaling.

Lymphatic vasculature is an integral part of digestive, immune and circulatory systems. The homeobox transcription factor PROX1 is necessary for the development of lymphatic vessels, lymphatic valves (LVs) and lymphovenous valves (LVVs). We and others previously reported a feedback loop between PROX1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) signaling.

Soft Pneumatic Gripper With a Tendon-Driven Soft Origami Pump.

In this study, we propose a soft pneumatic gripper that uses a tendon-driven soft origami pump. The gripper consists of three pneumatic soft actuators that are controlled by a tendon-driven origami pump. An external air compressor that supplies air to the pneumatic actuator is replaced by an origami pump.

Complementary Wnt Sources Regulate Lymphatic Vascular Development via PROX1-Dependent Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is necessary for lymphatic vascular development. Oscillatory shear stress (OSS) enhances Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cultured lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) to induce expression of the lymphedema-associated transcription factors GATA2 and FOXC2. However, the mechanisms by which OSS regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling and GATA2 and FOXC2 expression are unknown.

Comparing Inpatient Falls Guidelines to Develop an ICNP.

This study compared and synthesized clinical guidelines for inpatient falls with the aim of developing an ICNP-based nursing catalogue for use in electronic nursing records. The identified content will influence nursing services provided to patients and the associated documentation.

Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout of North Korean Refugees Service Providers.

Objective: The current study investigated the burnout and secondary traumatic stress of service providers for North Korean (NK) refugees based on the conceptual framework of theJob Demands-Resources (JD-R) model of workplace burnout.

Methods: A cross-sectional self-administered survey was conducted with a national sample consisting of all 63 organizations in direct services to North Korean refugees. Of the estimated total number of 230 service providers comprising of social workers, psychotherapists, job counselors and paraprofessional counselors, 179 completed the survey, a 77.

Mechanotransduction activates canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote lymphatic vascular patterning and the development of lymphatic and lymphovenous valves.

Lymphatic vasculature regulates fluid homeostasis by returning interstitial fluid to blood circulation. Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are the building blocks of the entire lymphatic vasculature. LECs originate as a homogeneous population of cells predominantly from the embryonic veins and undergo stepwise morphogenesis to become the lymphatic capillaries, collecting vessels or valves.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as a Mediator Between Trauma Exposure and Comorbid Mental Health Conditions in North Korean Refugee Youth Resettled in South Korea.

A structural equation model was used to investigate the relationship between trauma exposure and comorbid mental health problems and the mediation effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between trauma and mental health variables. The research model is based on the stress-vulnerability conceptual framework in which PTSD as a comorbid disorder mediates the relationship between trauma exposure and mental health problems. A self-administered survey was administered to 144 North Korean refugee youth residing in South Korea.

Reliability of self-administered Work Ability Index questionnaire among Korean workers.

Although the Work Ability Index (WAI) has been used in many countries, its reliability is yet to be validated in Korea. In our study, test-retest results of WAI total score, WAI category and seven subscales were compared. The correlation coefficients of WAI total score and subscales 1 and 2 between test and retest were 0.

Subsequent afebrile seizure in children who have a first seizure with fever after 6 years of age.

The objective was to evaluate the risk and the risk factors associated with subsequent afebrile seizures in 31 children who experienced their first seizure with fever after 6 years of age. The children were classified into two groups. Group I comprised children with their first seizure with fever after 6 years of age (n = 15).

Polymorphism of haptoglobin in patients with premature rupture of membrane.

Purpose: To investigate whether allelic polymorphism of haptoglobin (Hp) is associated with premature rupture of membrane (PROM), the Hp phenotypes of pregnant women with PROM were analyzed.

Patients And Methods: The Hp phenotypes of 221 pregnant Korean women (187 control and 34 PROM patients) were determined by benzidine/hydrogen peroxide staining, following native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of hemoglobin-mixed sera. The Hp allele frequencies were calculated from the data of Hp phenotypes, and overall association with PROM was evaluated using Pearson Chi-Square test.

Production of donor-derived sperm after spermatogonial stem cell transplantation in the dog.

Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) offers unique approaches to investigate SSC and to manipulate the male germline. We report here the first successful performance of this technique in the dog, which is an important model of human diseases. First, we investigated an irradiation protocol to deplete endogenous male germ cells in recipient testes.

Parturition prediction and timing of canine pregnancy.

An accurate method of predicting the date of parturition in the bitch is clinically useful to minimize or prevent reproductive losses by timely intervention. Similarly, an accurate method of timing canine ovulation and gestation is critical for development of assisted reproductive technologies, e.g.

Effect of donor age on success of spermatogenesis in feline testis xenografts.

Ectopic xenografting of 'donor' feline testicular tissue into a 'recipient' immunodeficient mouse is a promising tool to preserve the male genome from genetically valuable felids. To define parameters under which the technique can succeed, we compared the effect of donor age on xenograft spermatogenesis among four age groups of domestic cats (Felis catus; age range 8 weeks to 15 months). In all cases, fresh tissue was grafted into castrated mice and collected 10, 30 and 50 weeks later.

Recipient preparation and mixed germ cell isolation for spermatogonial stem cell transplantation in domestic cats.

The loss of genetic diversity poses a serious threat to the conservation of endangered species, including wild felids. We are attempting to develop spermatogonial stem cell transplantation in the cat as a tool to preserve and propagate male germ-plasm from genetically valuable animals, be they threatened wild species or lines of cats used as models for inherited diseases. In this study, we investigated the use of local external beam radiation treatment to deplete the endogenous germ cells of male domestic cats, a step necessary to prepare them for use as recipients for transplantation.

Atractylodes japonica suppresses lipopolysaccharide-stimulated expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Atractylodes japonica has traditionally been used for the treatment of pain and arthritis. The effect of Atractylodes japonica against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), nitric oxide detection, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) immunoassay in mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Effects of Puerariae radix on cell proliferation and nitric oxide synthase expression in dentate gyrus of alcohol-intoxicated Sprague-Dawley rats.

Traditionally, Puerariae radix had been used for the treatment of alcohol-related problems. In this study, effects of Puerariae radix on cell proliferation and nitric oxide synthase expression in the dentate gyrus of alcohol-intoxicated Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated via 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry. Alcohol administration was shown to inhibit the numbers of both BrdU-positive and NADPH-d-positive cells, while Puerariae radix treatment was shown to increase those numbers.