SNP-based QTL mapping and identification of panicle structure-related genes in rice.

Rice is a staple crop providing a significant portion of the global food supply. It is then crucial to develop strategies for breeding high-yield cultivars to meet global food security challenges, including the UN's zero-hunger goal. In this study, QTL mapping was employed to pinpoint key genomic regions linked to traits influencing rice yield, with a focus on panicle structure-a critical determinant of grain number.

Interactions between and New Therapeutic Agents in Atopic Dermatitis Affecting Skin Barrier and Inflammation in Recombinant Human Epidermis Model.

Several studies have reported the pathogenic role of in atopic dermatitis (AD); the significance of 's influence on AD needs to be further investigated. Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody to anti-Interleukin (IL) 4Rα, and ruxolitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK)1/2 inhibitor, are the first approved biologics and inhibitors widely used for AD treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate how () affects the skin barrier and inflammation in AD and interacts with the AD therapeutic agents ruxolitinib and anti-IL4Rα.

Ex Vivo Treatment with Allogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cells of a Healthy Donor on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Severe Alopecia Areata: Targeting Dysregulated T Cells and the Acquisition of Immunotolerance.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune condition related to the collapse of the immune privilege of hair follicles. Certain AA populations present severe clinical manifestations, such as total scalp hair or body hair loss and a treatment refractory property. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of allogenic human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) from healthy donors on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of severe AA patients, with a focus on the change in the cell fraction of Th1, Th17, and Treg cells and immunomodulatory functions.

Road Speed Prediction Scheme by Analyzing Road Environment Data.

Road speed is an important indicator of traffic congestion. Therefore, the occurrence of traffic congestion can be reduced by predicting road speed because predicted road speed can be provided to users to distribute traffic. Traffic congestion prediction techniques can provide alternative routes to users in advance to help them avoid traffic jams.

Preventive Effects of a Human Hematopoietic Mesenchymal Stem Cell (hHMSC) Therapy in Ovalbumin-Induced Food Allergy.

No effective therapeutic strategies have been developed against food allergies. Immunomodulation during early infant period could prevent the development of food allergies. We investigated the preventive effects of human hematopoietic mesenchymal stem cells (hHMSCs) in mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Antagonize IFN-Induced Proinflammatory Changes and Growth Inhibition Effects via Wnt/β-Catenin and JAK/STAT Pathway in Human Outer Root Sheath Cells and Hair Follicles.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy (MSCT) has been shown to be a new therapeutic option for treating alopecia areata (AA). Outer root sheath cells (ORSCs) play key roles in maintaining the hair follicle structure and supporting the bulge area. In human ORSCs (hORSCs), the mechanism for this process has not been extensively studied.

Antioxidant, Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory, and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities of Extracts of the Invasive Plant (Cord-Grass).

Since 2016, the invasive halophyte has been colonizing mudflats along the western coast of South Korea. In order to minimize costs on expansion management and waste-treatment of collected biomass, the potential application of the collected biomass of was investigated. Ethanolic extracts and subfractions thereof (hexanes, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, 1-butanol, and water-soluble) of the aerial and belowground parts of showed free radical-scavenging [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)], tyrosinase inhibitory, and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities.

Two new secondary metabolites, saccharochlorines A and B, from a marine bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. KCTC-19160.

Two new chlorinated secondary metabolites, saccharochlorines A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from the saline cultivation of a marine-derived bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. (KCTC-19160). The chemical structures of the saccharochlorines were elucidated by 2D NMR and MS spectroscopic data.

Proteomic studies of putative molecular signatures for biological effects by Korean Red Ginseng.

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been widely used as an herbal medicine to normalize and strengthen body functions. Although many researchers have focused on the biological effects of KRG, more studies on the action mechanism of red ginseng are still needed. Previously, we investigated the proteomic changes of the rat spleen while searching for molecular signatures and the action mechanism of KRG.

Vision Improvement with Refractive Correction Does Not Completely Exclude Major Eye Diseases: Analyses of Visually Impaired South Korean Population in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2011.

Purpose: To investigate the association between vision improvement with refractive correction in the visually impaired eyes and the prevalence of ocular comorbidities in the South Korean population.

Materials And Methods: The data of 24,620 individuals in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2009-2011) were reviewed. Visual impairment was defined as a presenting visual acuity < 20/60.

Lodopyridones B and C from a marine sediment-derived bacterium Saccharomonospora sp.

HPLC-UV guided isolation of the culture broth of a marine bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. CNQ-490 has led to the isolation of two new natural products, lodopyridones B and C (1 and 2) along with the previously reported lodopyridone A (3). Their chemical structures were established from the interpretation of 2D NMR spectroscopic data and the comparison of NMR data with the lodopyridone A (3).

Characterization of Marinovum faecis sp. nov., an alphaproteobacterium isolated from marine sediment.

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, chemoheterotrophic, beige-pigmented, ovoid bacterium, designated YP194, was isolated from marine sediment in the Republic of Korea. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the novel marine strain belongs to the family Rhodobacteraceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria, with high sequence similarity (98.4%) to Marinovum algicola FF3.

Longitudinal Changes in Refractive Error in a Pediatric Referral Population in Korea.

Purpose: To investigate changes in the spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error and astigmatism in a pediatric referral population in Korea with longitudinal follow-up and to evaluate the effect of risk factors on changes in refractive error.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series. In total, 221 patients who presented to a tertiary care hospital when aged 3 to 9 years and who underwent at least 10 years of follow-up were enrolled.

Inhibitory Effect of Three Diketopiperazines from Marine-Derived Bacteria on HMGB1-Induced Septic Responses in Vitro and in Vivo.

The nucleosomal protein high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), which has recently been established as a late mediator of lethal systemic inflammation, has a relatively wide therapeutic window for pharmacological interventions. Compounds produced by marine-derived microbes have been widely investigated for their potential use as bioactive natural products. Cyclic dipeptides, which are also known as diketopiperazines, are molecules that are frequently found in marine-derived microorganisms.

Monitoring of antibiotic resistance in bacteria isolated from laboratory animals.

The drug resistance of microorganisms isolated from laboratory animals never treated with antibiotics is being reported consistently, while the number of laboratory animals used in medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, agriculture, nutrition, and environmental and health science has increased rapidly in Korea. Therefore, this study examined the development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from laboratory animals bred in Korea. A total of 443 isolates (7 species) containing 5 Sphingomonas paucimobilis, 206 Escherichia coli, 60 Staphylococcus aureus, 15 Staphylococcus epidermidis, 77 Enterococcus faecalis, 27 Citrobacter freundii, 35 Acinetobacter baumannii were collected from the nose, intestine, bronchus and reproductive organs of ICR mice and SD rats.

Congenital sudoriferous cyst within the orbit followed by esotropia.

Purpose: To report a case of congenital sudoriferous cyst of the orbit with esotropia.

Methods: A 20-day-old male, born prematurely presented with a palpable lump on left upper lid. Orbital ultrasonography including color doppler image and orbital magnetic resonance image were performed to evaluate the lid lesion.

Validated LC-MS/MS method for quantification of gabapentin in human plasma: application to pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies in Korean volunteers.

A sensitive validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS) for gabapentin (GB) in human plasma has been developed and applied to pharmacokinetic (PK) and bioequivalence (BE) studies in human. In a randomized crossover design with a 1-week period, each subject received a 300 mg GB capsule. The procedure involves a simple protein precipitation with acetonitrile and separated by LC with a Gemini C(18) column using acetonitrile-10 mm ammonium acetate (20:80, v/v, pH 3.