Common chromosomal aneuploidy testing using non-invasive trophoblast retrieval and isolation from the cervix (TRIC) in pregnant women.

Purpose: Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for aneuploidy has been developed to overcome the limitations of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). NIPT, which analyzes cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in the maternal blood, can only detect a few aneuploidies, such as trisomies 13, 18, and 21. Trophoblast retrieval and isolation from the cervix (TRIC) is an alternative method that separates trophoblasts from endocervical cells using a Papanicolaou smear for NIPD.

Agreement of shear wave and strain elastography according to the size of the region of interest: a study of epidermal cysts.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the intra-observer agreement of ultrasound elastography according to region-of-interest (ROI) size in surgically confirmed epidermal cysts.

Methods: This retrospective study included 201 surgically confirmed epidermal cysts that underwent two consecutive strain elastography and shear wave elastography (SWE) examinations. Circular ROIs were drawn in the lesion and adjacent fat to obtain the strain ratio, shear wave (SW) velocity, and SW elasticity.

Agri-plastics in soils drive changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community and plant transcriptome in Arabidopsis.

Farmers use plastic mulching films to suppress weeds and protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses; however, these films can become a source of microplastics in ecosystems. To better understand how plastic film-derived microplastics influence the rhizosphere microbiome and plant health, we examined the effects of plastic residues on Arabidopsis thaliana grown in treated soils. Plastic residues (≥5 mm) were mixed with agricultural soils at 5% (w/w) and incubated at 25°C and 80% relative humidity in the dark for 120 days to allow microbial community stabilization.

Delayed Chlorosis in Arabidopsis Ecotype Dijon-G During Bacterial Infection and Dark-Induced Senescence.

Comparative evaluation of defence responses in different Arabidopsis ecotypes to pathogens is useful for understanding how plants acquire disease resistance and finding valuable genetic resources for disease resistance. In this study, leaf chlorosis was delayed in Arabidopsis ecotype Dijon-G (Di-G) in response to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) 8004 infection, as well as continuous darkness compared to the ecotype Columbia-0 (Col-0).

Usefulness of the fast spin-echo multi-point Dixon image of the knee joint on 3.0 T MRI for evaluation of meniscal tear.

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether a torn meniscus loses significantly more fat content than a normal meniscus and consequently shows a lower signal drop on opposed-phase (OP) images using the multi-point Dixon (mDixon) technique.PurposeTo evaluate meniscal injuries by performing a quantitative analysis of internal fat content using a signal drop.Material and MethodsA total of 99 patients who underwent knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the mDixon technique was included in this retrospective study.

Effects of anaemia development during pregnancy on maternal psychological health.

Background: Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period. However, the effect of anaemia development during pregnancy on maternal psychological health in non-anaemic women remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the effect of anaemia development during pregnancy on maternal psychological health during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Machine learning-based prediction of the necessity for the surgical treatment of distal radius fractures.

Background: Treatments for distal radius fractures (DRFs) are determined by various factors. Therefore, quantitative or qualitative tools have been introduced to assist in deciding the treatment approach. This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model that determines the need for surgical treatment in patients with DRFs using a ML model that incorporates various clinical data concatenated with plain radiographs in the anteroposterior and lateral views.

The impact of intimate partner violence on facial emotion recognition among Korean baby boomers.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can have lasting psychological and cognitive effects, potentially impairing facial emotion recognition (FER). This study examines the accuracy of FER among IPV survivors compared to individuals without IPV experience within the Korean baby boomer generation, aged 60-69, exploring the relationship between IPV, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and FER abilities. To assess whether IPV impacts FER accuracy and intensity and to investigate whether symptoms of PTSD moderate this relationship.

Therapeutic Targeting of the Galectin-1/miR-22-3p Axis Regulates Cell Cycle and EMT Depending on the Molecular Subtype of Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease; hence, it is crucial to understand its biology and identify new targets for the development of effective treatments. Galectin-1 is known to play an oncogenic role in breast cancer progression. It is known that oncogenic factors can influence cancer progression through interactions with miRNAs.

Deficits in facial emotion recognition and cognitive function among baby boomers.

Facial emotion recognition (FER), a key component of social cognition, plays a critical role in social interactions. In the aging process, FER among older adults holds significant potential as a tool for diagnosing cognitive function or enhancing interpersonal relationships. However, research in this area remains limited.

RAPO Attenuates Dermal and Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis through Macrophage Modulation and Growth of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Producers.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease with an unclear etiology and no effective treatments. Recent research has suggested involvement of the microbiome in SSc pathogenesis. This study aimed to identify specific microbial species associated with SSc and explore their therapeutic potential.

Prenatal Ultrasound Findings and Chromosomal Outcomes of Pregnancies with Mosaic Embryo Transfer.

Background: To investigate prenatal ultrasound findings and the chromosomal outcomes of mosaic embryo transfer.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on pregnant women who underwent mosaic embryo transfer following blastocyst-stage preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) at CHA Gangnam Medical Center from January 2021 to July 2024. Trophectoderm biopsy specimens were collected using standard protocols, and next-generation sequencing profiles were defined as mosaics when displaying copy number counts in the 20-80% range.

Enhanced virucidal activity of facet-engineered Cu-doped TiO nanorods under visible light illumination.

Crystal facet engineering has emerged as a promising approach to enhance photocatalytic activity of semiconductors by preferentially accumulating charge carriers (electrons and holes) on specific facets. This facilitates efficient electron and hole transfer across the semiconductor/cocatalyst interface, enabling their transport to the cocatalyst surface for redox reactions. In this study, three Cu-doped TiO nanorods with small, medium, and large ratios of reductive {110} to oxidative {111} facets were synthesized (namely Cu-TiO-SR, Cu-TiO-MR, and Cu-TiO-LR, respectively).

The Association between Low Fetal Fraction of Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes for Placental Compromise.

(1) Background: Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a screening test for fetal aneuploidy using cell-free fetal DNA. The fetal fragments (FF) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are derived from apoptotic trophoblast of the placenta. The level of fetal cfDNA is known to be influenced by gestational age, multiple pregnancies, maternal weight, and height.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1 regulates salt tolerance via GIGANTEA degradation in roots.

Excess soil salinity significantly impairs plant growth and development. Our previous reports demonstrated that the core circadian clock oscillator GIGANTEA (GI) negatively regulates salt stress tolerance by sequestering the SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE (SOS) 2 kinase, an essential component of the SOS pathway. Salt stress induces calcium-dependent cytoplasmic GI degradation, resulting in activation of the SOS pathway; however, the precise molecular mechanism governing GI degradation during salt stress remains enigmatic.

A consortium of and gut microbiota against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via data-driven analysis.

Despite many recent studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) therapeutics, the optimal treatment has yet to be determined. In this unfinished project, we combined secondary metabolites (SMs) from the gut microbiota (GM) and (HV) to investigate their combinatorial effects via network pharmacology (NP). Additionally, we analyzed GM or barley - signalling pathways - targets - metabolites (GBSTMs) in combinatorial perspectives (HV, and GM).

Effect of Oxidizing Agent on the Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles for Inverted Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices without Multiple Interlayers.

Inverted organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have been aggressively developed because of their superiorities such as their high stability, low driving voltage, and low drop of brightness in display applications. The injection of electrons is a critical issue in inverted OLEDs because the ITO cathode has an overly high work function in injecting electrons into the emission layer from the cathode. We synthesized hexagonal wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles using different oxidizing agents for an efficient injection of electrons in the inverted OLEDs.

Multistrain Probiotics Alleviate Diarrhea by Modulating Microbiome-Derived Metabolites and Serotonin Pathway.

Diarrhea, a common gastrointestinal symptom in health problems, is highly associated with gut dysbiosis. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of multistrain probiotics (Sensi-Biome) on diarrhea from the perspective of the microbiome-neuron axis. Sensi-Biome (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp.

Gut microbiota-derived indole compounds attenuate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease by improving fat metabolism and inflammation.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, and its prevalence has increased worldwide in recent years. Additionally, there is a close relationship between MASLD and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. However, the mechanisms of MASLD and its metabolites are still unclear.

Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression Among Korean Women: An Analysis Based on the Korean Pregnancy Outcome Study (KPOS).

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) can negatively affect infant well-being and child development. Although the frequency and risk factors of PPD symptoms might vary depending on the country and culture, there is limited research on these risk factors among Korean women. This study aimed to elucidate the potential risk factors of PPD throughout pregnancy to help improve PPD screening and prevention in Korean women.

Virucidal activity of Cu-doped TiO nanoparticles under visible light illumination: Effect of Cu oxidation state.

Copper (Cu) is an effective antimicrobial material; however, its activity is inhibited by oxidation. Titanium dioxide (TiO) photocatalysis prevents Cu oxidation and improves its antimicrobial activity and stability. In this study, the virucidal efficacy of Cu-doped TiO nanoparticles (Cu-TiO) with three different oxidation states of the Cu dopant (i.

Effects of Natural Extract Mixtures on the Quality Characteristics of Sausages during Refrigerated Storage.

Owing to the residual toxicity and adverse health effects of chemical preservatives, there is an increasing demand for using natural preservatives in food. Although many natural extracts have been evaluated, research on their antibacterial effects remains insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the possibility of developing , , and (Makino) Miyabe & Takeda extracts as natural food preservatives.

Promising Therapeutic Effects of Embryonic Stem Cells-Origin Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Experimental Pulmonary Fibrosis Models: Immunomodulatory and Anti-Apoptotic Mechanisms.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) involves persistent inflammation and fibrosis, leading to respiratory failure and even death. Adult tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show potential in ILD therapeutics but obtaining an adequate quantity of cells for drug application is difficult. Daewoong Pharmaceutical's MSCs (DW-MSCs) derived from embryonic stem cells sustain a high proliferative capacity following long-term culture and expansion.

Fabrication of biodegradable cellulose acetate nanofibers containing Rose Bengal dye by electrospinning technique and their antiviral efficacy under visible light irradiation.

Biodegradable cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers containing Rose Bengal (RB) dye were fabricated by electrospinning technique. RB dye, an anionic photosensitizer, has been used in photodynamic therapy due to its excellent biocompatibility and ability to absorb light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), but has a decisive disadvantage of water solubility on infection prevention. Firstly, water-insoluble RB dye was synthesized through complexation with cationic ionic liquid (IL) for antiviral agents.