Reconfigurable Hanging Drop Microarray Platform for On-Demand Preparation and Analysis of Spheroid Array.

In response to the increasing demand for spheroid-based cancer research, the importance of developing integrated platforms that can simultaneously facilitate high-throughput spheroid production and multiplexed analysis is emphasized. In addition, the understanding of how the size and cellular composition of tumors directly influence their internal structures and functionalities underlines the critical need to produce spheroids of diverse sizes and compositions on a large scale. To address this rising demand, this work presents a configurable and linkable in vitro three-dimensional (3D) cell culture kit (CLiCK) for spheroids, termed CLiCK-Spheroid.

Effects of common co-occurring pesticides (a neonicotinoid and fungicide) on honey bee colony health in a semi-field study.

Multiple stressors are linked to declines of insects and important pollinators, such as bees. Recently, interactive effects of multiple agrochemicals on bees have been highlighted, including fungicides, which increase toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides. Here, we use a semi-field study across two seasons in controlled foraging tunnels to test the effects of a field application of a commercial fungicide product with two active ingredients (pyraclostrobin and metconazole) applied at label rates.

Synergism of a mixed diet of Myzus persicae and egg of Ephestia kuehniella on fitness of the predator Nabis stenoferus.

Nabis stenoferus is a zoophytophagous predator that lives in grasslands around agricultural fields. It is a candidate biological control agent for use via augmentation or conservation. To find a suitable food source for mass-rearing and to better understand this predator's biology, we compared the life history characteristics of N.

Towards multiplexed immunofluorescence of 3D tissues.

Profiling molecular expression in situ allows the integration of biomolecular and cellular features, enabling an in-depth understanding of biological systems. Multiplexed immunofluorescence methods can visualize tens to hundreds of proteins from individual tissue samples, but their application is usually limited to thin tissue sections. Multiplexed immunofluorescence of thick tissues or intact organs will enable high-throughput profiling of cellular protein expression within 3D tissue architectures (e.

Bi-directional crosstalk between cells and extracellular matrix leads to network morphogenesis in multi-layered tissues.

Cell-generated mechanical forces drive many cellular and tissue-level movements and rearrangements required for the tissue or organ to develop its shape. The prevalent view of tissue morphogenesis relies on epithelial folding resulting in compressed epithelial monolayers, overlooking the involvement of stroma in morphogenesis. Here, we report a giant web-like network formation of stromal cells in the epithelium-stroma interface, resulting from a multi-scale mechano-reciprocity between migrating cells and their extracellular environment.

Visuomotor anomalies in achiasmatic mice expressing a transfer-defective Vax1 mutant.

In binocular animals that exhibit stereoscopic visual responses, the axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) connect to brain areas bilaterally by forming a commissure called the optic chiasm (OC). Ventral anterior homeobox 1 (Vax1) contributes to the formation of the OC, acting endogenously in optic pathway cells and exogenously in growing RGC axons. Here, we generated Vax1 mice expressing the Vax1 mutant, which is incapable of intercellular transfer.

Handheld laser scanning microscope catheter for real-time and confocal microscopy using a high definition high frame rate Lissajous MEMS mirror.

A handheld confocal microscope using a rapid MEMS scanning mirror facilitates real-time optical biopsy for simple cancer diagnosis. Here we report a handheld confocal microscope catheter using high definition and high frame rate (HDHF) Lissajous scanning MEMS mirror. The broad resonant frequency region of the fast axis on the MEMS mirror with a low Q-factor facilitates the flexible selection of scanning frequencies.

Brain-wide mapping reveals that engrams for a single memory are distributed across multiple brain regions.

Neuronal ensembles that hold specific memory (memory engrams) have been identified in the hippocampus, amygdala, or cortex. However, it has been hypothesized that engrams of a specific memory are distributed among multiple brain regions that are functionally connected, referred to as a unified engram complex. Here, we report a partial map of the engram complex for contextual fear conditioning memory by characterizing encoding activated neuronal ensembles in 247 regions using tissue phenotyping in mice.

Functional response of Amblyseius eharai (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Amblyseius eharai is a generalist predatory mite that consumes spider mites, rust mites, thrips, and pollen, with a high adaptability to various plants. To better understand ecological and behavioral aspects of this species, we investigated its functional response to different stages of two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae. Furthermore, we compared its environmental adaptability with that of other referenced phytoseiids using a temperature-dependent model of the intrinsic rate of increase.

Cellular anatomy of the mouse primary motor cortex.

An essential step toward understanding brain function is to establish a structural framework with cellular resolution on which multi-scale datasets spanning molecules, cells, circuits and systems can be integrated and interpreted. Here, as part of the collaborative Brain Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN), we derive a comprehensive cell type-based anatomical description of one exemplar brain structure, the mouse primary motor cortex, upper limb area (MOp-ul). Using genetic and viral labelling, barcoded anatomy resolved by sequencing, single-neuron reconstruction, whole-brain imaging and cloud-based neuroinformatics tools, we delineated the MOp-ul in 3D and refined its sublaminar organization.

Comparison of life history parameters of two different genetic clusters of Bemisia tabaci MED (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) through single and cross mating.

Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is an economically important insect pest worldwide. Previously, we have reported that most B. tabaci Mediterranean (MED) populations occurring in greenhouse tomatoes in Korea have been displaced from well-differentiated two genetic clusters (C1 and C2) to one (C2) during one-year period.

Divergent pallidal pathways underlying distinct Parkinsonian behavioral deficits.

The basal ganglia regulate a wide range of behaviors, including motor control and cognitive functions, and are profoundly affected in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the functional organization of different basal ganglia nuclei has not been fully elucidated at the circuit level. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of distinct parvalbumin-expressing neuronal populations in the external globus pallidus (GPe-PV) and their contributions to different PD-related behaviors.

UV-LED lights enhance the establishment and biological control efficacy of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae).

The zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is one of the biological control agents against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a major pest of greenhouse crops. The successful establishment of a biological control agent and its co-occurrence with the target pests increases the efficacy of biological control programs in greenhouses. In this study, we explored the effects of different wavelengths of LED light on establishment of N.

Protection of tissue physicochemical properties using polyfunctional crosslinkers.

Understanding complex biological systems requires the system-wide characterization of both molecular and cellular features. Existing methods for spatial mapping of biomolecules in intact tissues suffer from information loss caused by degradation and tissue damage. We report a tissue transformation strategy named stabilization under harsh conditions via intramolecular epoxide linkages to prevent degradation (SHIELD), which uses a flexible polyepoxide to form controlled intra- and intermolecular cross-link with biomolecules.

Efficient recovery of recombinant CRM197 expressed as inclusion bodies in E.coli.

CRM197, which retains the same inflammatory and immune-stimulant properties as diphtheria toxin but with reduced toxicity, has been used as a safe carrier in conjugated vaccines. Expression of recombinant CRM197 in E. coli is limited due to formation of inclusion bodies.

Rational modification of substrate binding site by structure-based engineering of a cellobiose 2-epimerase in Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus.

Background: Lactulose, a synthetic disaccharide, has received increasing interest due to its role as a prebiotic, specifically proliferating Bifidobacilli and Lactobacilli and enhancing absorption of calcium and magnesium. The use of cellobiose 2-epimerase (CE) is considered an interesting alternative for industrial production of lactulose. CE reversibly converts D-glucose residues into D-mannose residues at the reducing end of unmodified β-1,4-linked oligosaccharides, including β-1,4-mannobiose, cellobiose, and lactose.

Multiplexed and scalable super-resolution imaging of three-dimensional protein localization in size-adjustable tissues.

The biology of multicellular organisms is coordinated across multiple size scales, from the subnanoscale of molecules to the macroscale, tissue-wide interconnectivity of cell populations. Here we introduce a method for super-resolution imaging of the multiscale organization of intact tissues. The method, called magnified analysis of the proteome (MAP), linearly expands entire organs fourfold while preserving their overall architecture and three-dimensional proteome organization.

Simple, Scalable Proteomic Imaging for High-Dimensional Profiling of Intact Systems.

Combined measurement of diverse molecular and anatomical traits that span multiple levels remains a major challenge in biology. Here, we introduce a simple method that enables proteomic imaging for scalable, integrated, high-dimensional phenotyping of both animal tissues and human clinical samples. This method, termed SWITCH, uniformly secures tissue architecture, native biomolecules, and antigenicity across an entire system by synchronizing the tissue preservation reaction.

Left brain cortical activity modulates stress effects on social behavior.

When subjected to stress, some individuals develop maladaptive symptoms whereas others retain normal behavior. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to control these adaptive responses to stress. Here, we show that mPFC neurons in the left hemisphere control stress effects on social behavior.

Youngiasides A and C Isolated from Youngia denticulatum Inhibit UVB-Induced MMP Expression and Promote Type I Procollagen Production via Repression of MAPK/AP-1/NF-κB and Activation of AMPK/Nrf2 in HaCaT Cells and Human Dermal Fibroblasts.

This study investigated the effects of youngiaside A (YA), youngiaside C (YC), and Youngia denticulatum extract (YDE) on extrinsic aging and assessed its molecular mechanisms in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The results showed that YA, YC, and YDE decreased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and production in HaCaT cell and HDFs and increased collagen expression and production in HDFs. In addition, YA, YC, and YDE significantly increased antioxidant enzyme expression, thereby down-regulating UVB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) signaling in HaCaT cells.

Curcumin induces apoptotic cell death via Oct4 inhibition and GSK-3β activation in NCCIT cells.

Scope: Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) is a key regulator of pluripotent embryonic stem cell maintenance. However, increasing evidence has suggested that Oct4 is also expressed in cancer stem cells (CSCs) and is associated with tumor progression and chemoresistance. Curcumin (CUR) is a widely used cancer chemopreventive agent, and it has been used to treat several diseases including cancers.

Heterogeneity of tremor mechanisms assessed by tremor-related cortical potential in mice.

Background: Identifying a neural circuit mechanism that is differentially involved in tremor would aid in the diagnosis and cure of such cases. Here, we demonstrate that tremor-related cortical potential (TRCP) is differentially expressed in two different mouse models of tremor.

Results: Hybrid tremor analysis of harmaline-induced and genetic tremor in mice revealed that two authentic tremor frequencies for each type of tremor were conserved and showed an opposite dependence on CaV3.

Daurinol, a catalytic inhibitor of topoisomerase IIα, suppresses SNU-840 ovarian cancer cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest in S phase.

Daurinol, a lignan from the ethnopharmacological plant Haplophyllum dauricum, was recently reported to be a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor and an alternative to the clinical anticancer agent etoposide based on a colorectal cancer model. In the present study, we elucidated the detailed biochemical mechanism underlying the inhibition of human topoisomerase IIα by daurinol based on a molecular docking study and in vitro biochemical experiments. The computational simulation predicted that daurinol binds to the ATP-binding pocket of topoisomerase IIα.

Secretome profiling reveals the signaling molecules of apoptotic HCT116 cells induced by the dietary polyacetylene gymnasterkoreayne B.

Dietary polyacetylenes from various foods have been receiving attention as promising cancer chemopreventive agents. However, until now, the detailed molecular mechanism and the regulatory proteins underlying these effects have not been elucidated. We investigated the effects of gymnasterkoreayne B (GKB), a model dietary polyacetylene from wild vegetables, on the programmed cell death of HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells.