Roles of prion proteins in mammalian development.

Prion protein (PrP) is highly conserved and is expressed in most tissues in a developmental stage-specific manner. Glycosylated cellular prion protein (PrP) is found in most cells and subcellular areas as a physiological regulating molecule. On the other hand, the amyloid form of PrP, scrapie PrP (PrP), causes transmissible pathogenesis in the central nervous system and induces degeneration of the nervous system.

eHealth Communication Intervention to Promote Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among Middle-School Girls: Development and Usability Study.

Background: As the age of initiating sexual intercourse has gradually decreased among South Korean adolescents, earlier vaccination of adolescents for human papillomavirus (HPV) is necessary before their exposure to HPV. Health communication includes "cues to action" that lead to preventive health behaviors, and recently, social networking services, which operate with fewer time and space constraints, have been used in various studies as a form of eHealth communication.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the feasibility and usability of an eHealth communication intervention for HPV vaccination in middle-school girls aimed at the girls and their mothers.

Physiology of Cellular Prion Proteins in Reproduction.

Cellular prion protein (PrP) encoded at gene is well-known to form a misfolded isoform, termed scrapie PrP (PrP) that cause transmissible degenerative diseases in central nervous system. The physiological role of PrP has been proposed by many studies, showing that PrP interacts with various intracellular, membrane, and extracellular molecules including mitochondrial inner membrane as a scaffold. PrP is expressed in most cell types including reproductive organs.

International consensus on sleep problems in pediatric palliative care: Paving the way.

Objective: Sleep problems constitute a common and heterogeneous complaint in pediatric palliative care (PPC), where they often contribute to disease morbidity and cause additional distress to children and adolescents and their families already facing the burden of life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. Despite the significant impact of sleep problems, clinical evidence is lacking. The application of general pediatric sleep recommendations appears insufficient to address the unique challenges of the PPC dimension in terms of disease variability, duration, comorbidities, complexity of needs, and particular features of sleep problems related to hospice care.

Dynamic Imaging of Lipid Droplets in Cells and Tissues by Using Dioxaborine Barbiturate-Based Fluorogenic Probes.

Lipids are essential for various cellular functions, including energy storage, membrane flexibility, and signaling molecule production. Maintaining proper lipid levels is important to prevent health problems such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Monitoring cellular lipid droplets (LDs) in real-time with high resolution can provide insights into LD-related pathways and diseases owing to the dynamic nature of LDs.

Effects of paternal involvement in nighttime childcare on child and maternal sleep: exploring the roles of relationship satisfaction and maternal competence about child sleep.

Study Objectives: Supportive coparenting between couples has been shown to have positive effects on the dyadic relationship, child development, and parental and child sleep. This study aimed to investigate the association between paternal involvement in nighttime childcare and child and maternal sleep, while exploring relationship satisfaction and maternal competence about child sleep as mediators.

Methods: The sample consisted of 290 mothers (mean age ± standard deviation = 34.

Optimization of cultivar, germination time and extraction for radish sprout extract with high sulforaphene content.

Background: Cruciferous vegetable sprout has been highlighted as a promising functional material rich in bioactive compounds called isothiocyanates (ITCs) and it can be grown in very short periods in controlled indoor farms. However, because ITCs content depends on multiple factors such as cultivar, germination time and myrosinase activity, those variables need to be controlled during germination or extraction to produce functional materials enriched in ITCs. Sulforaphene (SFEN), an ITC found primarily in radishes (Raphanus sativus L.

Effects of Nonylphenol on the Secretion of Catecholamines and Adrenocortical Hormones from Short-Term Incubated Rat Adrenal Glands.

Previously, we showed that a chronic-low-dose nonylphenol (NP) exposure resulted in histological changes with sexually dimorphic pattern in rat adrenal glands. We hypothesized that such structural changes are closely related to the hormonal secretory patterns. To test this hypothesis, we developed the short-term adrenal incubation method, and measured the levels of catecholamines and cortical steroids using the high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.

Sulforaphane Mitigates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity by Enhancing Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Skeletal Muscle via the HDAC8-PGC1α Axis.

Scope: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a crucial role in the transcriptional regulation of various genes which can contribute to metabolic disorders. Although sulforaphane (SFN), a natural HDAC inhibitor, has been reported to alleviate obesity in humans and mice, the specific mechanisms and how HDACs contribute to SFN's anti-obesity effects remain unclear.

Methods And Results: Oral administration of SFN in mice fed high-fat diet increases peroxisome proliferator activating receptor γ coactivator (PGC1α)-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle.

Micro-grinding-based production for sulforaphene-enriched radish seeds extract via facilitating glucosinolates-myrosinase reaction, and evaluation of its anti-adipogenic effects.

Sulforaphene (SFEN), an isothiocyanate (ITC) abundant in radish (Raphanus sativus) seeds (RS), has many health benefits, including anti-obesity effects. SFEN content is affected by multiple factors during processing, such as glucoraphenin (GLE) (the precursor of SFEN) availability, myrosinase (essential for conversion from GLE to SFEN) activity, and SFEN stability. We examined the physiochemical-properties and anti-adipogenic effects of SFEN-enriched RSE produced by two processes, roasting and micro-grinding.

A randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention for decreasing bedtime procrastination using a wait-list control group in a non-clinical sample of young adults.

Study Objectives: Bedtime Procrastination (BP) is defined as the behavior of going to bed later than intended, without external reasons. This study is a randomized controlled trial aiming to establish efficacy of a behavioral intervention to decrease BP in a non-clinical sample.

Method: This was an open-label trial that was conducted in sixty participants (mean age 21.

Structure-activity relationship analysis of activity-based probes targeting HTRA family of serine proteases.

High temperature requirement A serine proteases (HTRA) are ubiquitously expressed and participate in protein quality control and cellular stress responses. They are linked to several clinical illnesses, including bacterial infection, cancer, age-related macular degeneration, and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, several recent studies have revealed HTRAs as important biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets, necessitating the development of an effective detection method to evaluate their functional states in various disease models.

Comparison of the differences in iron and anemia-related markers by ultramarathon distance.

Background: Iron and anemia-related markers in long-distance runners have mostly been investigated following single distance marathons, with contradictory findings. This study compared iron and anemia-related markers according to marathon distance.

Methods: Iron and anemia-related markers were analyzed from blood samples of healthy, adult male (aged ≥40-60 years) long-distance runners before and after ultramarathon races of 100 km (N.

Bioproduction of porphyrins, phycobilins, and their proteins using microbial cell factories: engineering, metabolic regulations, challenges, and perspectives.

Porphyrins, phycobilins, and their proteins have abundant π-electrons and strongly absorb visible light, some of which bind a metal ion in the center. Because of the structural and optical properties, they not only play critical roles as an essential component in natural systems but also have attracted much attention as a high value specialty chemical in various fields, including renewable energy, cosmetics, medicines, and foods. However, their commercial application seems to be still limited because the market price of porphyrins and phycobilins is generally expensive to apply them easily.

A fluorescent molecular rotor for the imaging of latent fingerprints.

Efficient techniques for developing latent fingerprints are invaluable resources to solve crimes. In this work, we developed a fluorescent molecular rotor probe that responds to hydrophobic and viscous environments and visualizes latent fingerprints with level 3 details. We believe that the simple and convenient features of LFP-1 will benefit forensic practice.

A general approach to identify cell-permeable and synthetic anti-CRISPR small molecules.

The need to control the activity and fidelity of CRISPR-associated nucleases has resulted in a demand for inhibitory anti-CRISPR molecules. The small-molecule inhibitor discovery platforms available at present are not generalizable to multiple nuclease classes, only target the initial step in the catalytic activity and require high concentrations of nuclease, resulting in inhibitors with suboptimal attributes, including poor potency. Here we report a high-throughput discovery pipeline consisting of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based assay that is generalizable to contemporary and emerging nucleases, operates at low nuclease concentrations and targets all catalytic steps.

Small Molecules for Enhancing the Precision and Safety of Genome Editing.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genome-editing technologies have revolutionized biology, biotechnology, and medicine, and have spurred the development of new therapeutic modalities. However, there remain several barriers to the safe use of CRISPR technologies, such as unintended off-target DNA cleavages. Small molecules are important resources to solve these problems, given their facile delivery and fast action to enable temporal control of the CRISPR systems.

Prediction of impending mood episode recurrence using real-time digital phenotypes in major depression and bipolar disorders in South Korea: a prospective nationwide cohort study.

Background: Mood disorders require consistent management of symptoms to prevent recurrences of mood episodes. Circadian rhythm (CR) disruption is a key symptom of mood disorders to be proactively managed to prevent mood episode recurrences. This study aims to predict impending mood episodes recurrences using digital phenotypes related to CR obtained from wearable devices and smartphones.