Kukoamine A from the root bark of Lycium chinense Miller enhances mobility in an aged Caenorhabditis elegans model by regulating mitochondrial function through HSF-1-mediated upregulation of heat shock proteins.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Lycium chinense Miller has long been used in East Asian medicine for muscle and bone support. Kukoamine A (KA), a bioactive compound from its root bark, has not been previously studied for its potential to counteract age- and heat-induced locomotor decline.

Aim Of The Study: This study aims to investigate whether KA improves mobility in aged animal models and to elucidate its underlying mechanism.

HY2782 improves the intestinal barrier and tract environment and ultimately prolongs the lifespan of .

is widely used as a model for investigating longevity owing to its short life cycle and the presence of human orthologs. This study aimed to ultimately prolong the lifespan of by evaluating the gastrointestinal tract conditions and intestinal permeability of fed HY2782 alone or fermented fecal products. The anti-inflammatory effects of HY2782 were determined based on interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels and intestinal permeability in human intestinal epithelial cells.

Mutant zebrafish lacking slc25a22a show spontaneous seizures and respond to the anti-seizure medication valproic acid.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder associated with abnormal neuronal activity in the central nervous system, resulting in recurrent seizures. Various anti-seizure medications (ASMs) are effective against epilepsy. However, approximately one-third of patients still do not respond to currently available ASMs either alone or in combination because the etiology of their epilepsy remains unclear.

Genetic Ablation of the Conidiogenesis Regulator Enhances Mycoprotein Production.

Mycoprotein, a filamentous fungi-based protein substitute for traditional meat products, plays a crucial role in ensuring global food security. While genetic manipulation of mycoprotein-producing fungi holds promise for improving key traits, such as higher protein content and biomass yield, substantial progress has yet to be made. In this study, we investigated the function of genes related to conidiogenesis to identify valuable genetic elements for increasing fungal biomass yields in .

Furan Acids from Nutmeg and Their Neuroprotective and Anti-neuroinflammatory Activities.

Nutmeg () has been traditionally valued for its culinary and medicinal properties. In our ongoing efforts to discover pharmacologically active compounds from this spice, five new furan acids (-, jusahos B-F), one new neolignan (, jusaho G), and six known compounds ( and -) were isolated from its nutmegs. The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated using NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS.

Genome Sequencing of Rare Disease Patients Through the Korean Regional Rare Disease Diagnostic Support Program.

Affecting fewer than 20,000 people as defined in South Korea, rare diseases pose significant diagnostic challenges due to their diverse manifestations and genetic heterogeneity. Genome sequencing (GS) offers a promising solution by enabling simultaneous screening for thousands of rare genetic disorders. This study explores the diagnostic utility and necessity of GS within the government-funded Korean Regional Rare Disease Diagnostic Support Program (KR-RDSP), a collaborative initiative involving 11 regional rare disease centers across Korea.

Beyond individual support: Employment experiences of autistic Korean designers receiving strength-based organizational support.

This study qualitatively examined the employment experiences of autistic designers in a South Korean company providing strength-based support at the organizational level. The experiences of 12 autistic employees (mean age = 27 years old, 83.3% male), 12 parents, and 5 non-autistic employees were examined using semi-structured interviews and multi-perspective interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Effectiveness and Immunogenicity of the MMR Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 Among Healthcare Workers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and immunogenicity of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers at one medical institution. The effectiveness of the MMR vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated in overall healthcare workers (HCWs). In addition, neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were measured according to the subjects' measles immunity status with serum samples collected before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic period.

Exome sequencing of 18,994 ethnically diverse patients with suspected rare Mendelian disorders.

We investigated the effectiveness of exome sequencing (ES) in diagnosing ethnically diverse patients with rare genetic disorders. A total of 18,994 patients referred to a single reference laboratory for ES between 2020 and 2022 were studied for the diagnostic rate and factors influencing the diagnostic rate. The overall diagnostic rate was 31.

Cationic Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Nanocomplexes and RANK siRNA/Zoledronate Co-Delivery Systems for Osteoclast Inhibition.

Background/objectives: In this study, HECP2k polymer, polyethylenimine2k (PEI2k)-modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was utilized to form the nanocomplexes with receptor activator of nuclear factor k-B (RANK) siRNA and zoledronate (Zol) for osteoclast inhibition. HECP2k/(RANK siRNA + Zol) nanocomplexes prepared by simple mixing were anticipated to overcome the low transfection efficiency of siRNA and the low bioavailability of Zol.

Methods: The characterization of both HECP2k/(pDNA + Zol) nanocomplexes and HECP2k/(RANK siRNA + Zol) nanocomplexes was performed.

Prevalence of CTX-M types among ESBL-producing pathogenic isolates from foodborne diarrheal patients in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

Unlabelled: Prevalence and characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing pathogenic from foodborne diarrheal patients were studied. Analysis of 495 isolates revealed that 80 isolates were ESBL-producing pathogenic , and enteroaggregative and enterotoxigenic were two of the most prevalent pathotypes. In silico Clermont phylo-typing of the 80 ESBL-producing showed that phylogroup A (49/80) and D (22/80) were the predominant phylogroups.

Discovery of novel arylpyridine derivatives for motile ciliogenesis.

Motile cilia are crucial for maintaining healthy bodily functions by facilitating fluid transport and removing foreign substances or debris from the body. The dysfunction of motile cilia leads to ciliopathy. In particular, damage to the motile cilia of the airways can cause or worsen respiratory disease, making it an attractive target for therapeutic interventions.

Photodynamic treatment increases the lifespan and oxidative stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Photodynamic therapy is a noninvasive treatment in which specific photosensitizers and light are used to produce high amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can be employed for targeted tissue destruction in cancer treatment or antimicrobial therapy. However, it remains unknown whether lower amounts of ROS produced by mild photodynamic therapy increase lifespan and stress resistance at the organism level. Here, we introduce a novel photodynamic treatment (PDTr) that uses 20 μM hypericin, a photosensitizer that originates from Hypericum perforatum, and orange light (590 nm, 5.

Genome-informed investigation of the molecular evolution and genetic reassortment of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a viral pathogen causing significant clinical signs from mild fever with thrombocytopenia to severe hemorrhages. World Health Organization has paid special attention to the dramatic increase in human SFTS cases in China, Japan, and South Korea since the 2010s. The present study investigated the molecular evolution and genetic reassortment of SFTSVs using complete genomic sequences.

The effect of intranasal dexmedetomidine administration on emergence agitation or delirium in pediatric patients after general anesthesia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Emergence agitation or delirium can occur in pediatric patients after anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine is known to reduce the impairment of postoperative cognitive function.

Aims: This study aimed to identify the role of intranasal administration of dexmedetomidine in lowering the development of emergence agitation or emergence delirium in pediatric patients after general anesthesia.

Performance evaluation of newly developed surrogate virus neutralization tests for detecting neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

We evaluated newly developed surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNT) for detecting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the receptor binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). VERI-Q SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Detection ELISA Kit (MiCo BioMed, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, hereafter, "eCoV-CN") is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based sVNT, and VERI-Q SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Rapid Test Kit (MiCo BioMed, hereafter, "rCoV-RN") is a point-of-care lateral-flow immunochromatography test with auto-scanner. A total of 411 serum samples were evaluated.

Intraoperative 5-HT receptor antagonists decrease the prevalence of postoperative delirium in older adults undergoing hip fracture surgery: a single-center retrospective study.

Purpose: Postoperative delirium (POD) occurs commonly in older adults, resulting in unfavorable outcomes. Several recent clinical studies have suggested that 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT) receptor antagonists can treat and prevent POD. In this retrospective study, the association between 5-HT receptor antagonists and POD was investigated in older adults who underwent hip fracture surgery.

Discovery and characterization of a new genotype of serovar Bareilly isolated from diarrhea patients of food-borne outbreaks.

Since the first food-borne outbreak of serovar Bareilly in the UK (2010), it has been recognized as a new type of food-borne pathogen in To detect and characterize this new serovar pathogen in South Korea, a total of 175 strains was isolated and 31 isolates were identified as Bareilly from various food-borne outbreaks between 2014 and 2018. While pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis using I revealed two major groups (A and B) each with two subgroups (A1, A2/B1, B2), average nucleotide identity (ANI), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analyses confirmed only two major groups. Interestingly, extended SNP analysis with 67 Bareilly strains from outbreaks in other countries revealed that A group strains between 2014 and 2016 shared a close evolutionary relationship with the strains from outside of South Korea; however, the B group strains in 2018 were located in a separate SNP tree branch.

Multidimensional Early Prediction Score for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

Background And Purpose: Achieving favorable postoperative outcomes in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) requires early referrals for preoperative examinations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of a user-friendly early DRE prediction model that is easy for nonexperts to utilize.

Methods: A two-step genotype analysis was performed, by applying 1) whole-exome sequencing (WES) to the initial test set (=243) and 2) target sequencing to the validation set (=311).

Near-Infrared Fluorescence Probe for Specific Detection of Acetylcholinesterase and Imaging in Live Cells and Zebrafish.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a pivotal enzyme that is closely related with multiple neurological diseases, such as brain disorders or alterations in the neurotransmission and cancer. The development of convenient methods for imaging AChE activity in biological samples is very important to understand its mechanisms and functions in a living system. Herein, a fluorescent probe exhibiting emission in the near-infrared (NIR) region is developed to detect AChE and visualize biological AChE activities.