Tracing CO2 sources in urban and rural areas characterized by different land-use patterns using carbon isotopes.

Air samples were collected from urban and rural areas of Korea with different land-use patterns between October 2022 and April 2023 to identify the sources of atmospheric CO2. We analyzed representative end-members from natural and anthropogenic sources (soil, vehicle exhaust gases, and coal) to determine the CO2 concentrations and carbon isotope compositions of CO2 (δ13C-CO2). Urban samples exhibited lower δ13C values and higher CO2 concentrations than rural samples.

Reduced expression of gene in cortex glia causes dopaminergic cell death.

BackgroundParkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. While abnormal protein aggregation has been classically implicated in PD, increasing evidence suggests that lipid dysregulation may also contribute to neuronal vulnerability. Recent studies have begun to link abnormal phosphatidylserine (PS) metabolism to mitochondrial impairment and dopaminergic neuron loss in PD, yet the underlying cellular mechanisms remain poorly defined.

Precise progerin targeting using RfxCas13d: A therapeutic avenue for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), an extremely rare progressive genetic disorder, is caused by a point mutation in LMNA that induces progerin production, which disrupts cellular function and triggers premature aging and mortality. Despite extensive efforts, HPGS remains incurable. We successfully implemented a strategy using RfxCas13d to selectively target progerin mRNA at specific junction regions, without unintended cleavage and reduce its expression.

Heat Priming and Heat Stress Enhance Transgenerational Heat Tolerance in the Early Growth Stages of L. Progeny.

Rice ( L.) is a staple crop that provides essential nutrients and energy; however, it is sensitive to heat stress, posing a threat to sustainable productivity. Heat stress can cause delayed germination in progeny, increased oxidative stress, reduced biomass accumulation, and excessive water loss.

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy Using Semantic Segmentation based on Semi-Supervised Deep Learning.

Serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) is employed to achieve high-resolution volume reconstructions and detailed ultrastructural analyses of complex organelles. The performance of SBF-SEM is evaluated according to the accuracy of segmentation. Our study introduces a semi-supervised learning approach using a segment interpolation method to mitigate the costs of manual segmentation.

Concentration-dependent structural transition of huntingtin protein in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by the abnormal expansion of the polyglutamine (polyQ) tract (> 35Q) in the first exon of the huntingtin (Htt), HttEx1. This N-terminal fragment tends to form fibrillar inclusions, which constitute a key pathological hallmark of HD. Although polyQ expansion is commonly understood to be a primary cause of HttEx1 pathology, the molecular mechanism of aggregations of non-pathogenic polyQ tract with the N-terminally flanking region of N17 in HttEx1 (HttEx1-17Q) remains largely unknown.

Dietary modifications affect renal recovery during the healing phase following ischemic acute ischemic kidney injury.

Introduction: The effects of dietary modifications, such as varying amounts of salt, fat, and protein intake on the healing phase of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain to be elucidated. We investigated the effects of low- or high-salt/fat/protein diets on the intrarenal immunologic micromilieu and healing after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) using murine ischemic AKI and human kidney-2 (HK-2) cell hypoxia models.

Methods: Three cohorts of male C57BL/6 mice (9-weeks old) were fed the designated diet from the third day following renal IRI until sacrifice (6 or 12 weeks after bilateral or unilateral IRI, respectively) in groups as follows: cohort 1, control, high- and low-salt/fat/protein; cohort 2, control, high- and low-salt; cohort 3, control, high- and low-fat/protein.

Therapeutic Intervention of an Intranasally Administered Monoclonal Antibody Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein Against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection in Mice.

SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into several variants of concern, with Omicron and its subvariants currently being the most prevalent. Previously, we developed a mouse monoclonal antibody (m1E3H12 mAb) specific to the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein, and the mAb showed neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and its subvariants BA.

Exploration of a cultivation strategy to improve eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production and growth of a Korean strain of Nannochloropsis oceanica cultivated under different light sources.

To propose a strategy for the commercial cultivation of a Korean strain of Nannochloropsis oceanica, the growth, fatty acid content and bacterial community of N. oceanica cultures exposed to different light sources were investigated. Significant growth of N.

Platycodin D reverses tumor necrosis factor-α-induced endothelial dysfunction by increasing nitric oxide through G protein-coupled estrogen receptor-mediated eNOS activity.

Platycodin D (PCD) is a saponin extracted from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC.

Integrated multi-omics reveals different host crosstalk of atopic dermatitis-enriched Bifidobacterium longum Strains.

The infant gut microbiome is essential for long-term health and is linked to atopic dermatitis (AD), although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigated gut microbiome-host interactions in 31 infants with AD and 29 healthy controls using multi-omics approaches, including metagenomic, host transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. Microbial diversity was significantly altered in AD, with Bifidobacterium longum and Clostridium innocuum associated with these changes.

A hepatic zonation chip with an oxygen concentration gradient embracing the spatial distribution of metabolic function.

The development of hepaticmodels that replicate the physiological characteristics of liver tissue is critical for the accurate translation of drug test results. Current models often fail to mimic the spatial zonation by an oxygen concentration gradient in the hepatic acinus, limiting their ability to predict drug-induced hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to develop a hepatic zonation chip (H-chip) that replicates the oxygen gradient of the hepatic acinus, enhancing physiological relevance for drug testing applications.

Multifunctional CMOS-integrable and reconfigurable 2D ambipolar tellurene transistors for neuromorphic and in-memory computing.

Despite significant efforts to eliminate the von Neumann bottleneck with new two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial-based cutting-edge device structures, there remains room for exploring alternative computing architectures that leverage 2D nanomaterials. This study introduced a groundbreaking strategy featuring a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-integrable and reconfigurable ambipolar 2D tellurene (Te) transistor toward non-von Neumann computing architecture. The innovative scenario integrated seamlessly with CMOS technology, utilizing the p/n-switchable ambipolar characteristics inherited from precise Fermi-level alignment thermal atomic layer deposition.

Technical approaches of 3D reconstruction from protein complex using the mixture of differently stained images: providing suggestive evidence for improving its resolution.

Negative staining electron microscopy remains a valuable tool for structural biology, particularly for initial characterization of large protein complexes. However, the limitations of single staining methods often result in incomplete structural information. Here, we present a novel multi-stain approach for negative staining electron microscopy, applied to the structural analysis of the pyruvate dehydrogenase E2 (PDH E2) complex.

Siebold & Zucc. Induces Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells by Inhibiting c-Myc Through the Mediation of RPL5.

Colorectal cancer remains a significant global health concern. In this study, we investigated the anticancer potential of Siebold & Zucc. (CS&Z), a traditional medicinal plant known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and antioxidant properties, in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Effect of Heat Treatment Duration on the Recrystallization and Electrochemical Properties of Cold-Rolled Cantor-Type High-Entropy Alloy.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs), such as the Cantor alloy, are considered for various structural applications owing to their excellent corrosion resistance and high strength at low temperatures, typically below -70 °C, including cryogenic conditions. However, during metalworking, introducing stresses and grain refinement can reduce the corrosion resistance of HEAs. Recrystallization heat treatment relieves these stresses and homogenizes the grain structure, thereby restoring their corrosion resistance and physical properties.

Evolutionary unique -glycan-dependent protein quality control system plays pivotal roles in cellular fitness and extracellular vesicle transport in .

A conserved -glycan-dependent endoplasmic reticulum protein quality control (ERQC) system has evolved in eukaryotes to ensure accuracy during glycoprotein folding. The human pathogen possesses a unique -glycosylation pathway that affects microbial physiology and interactions with the infected host. To investigate the molecular features and functions of the ERQC system in we characterized a set of mutants with deletion of genes coding for the ERQC sensor UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase () and putative α1,2-mannose-trimming enzymes (, , , and ).

Hydrogen Bond-Assisted PCET and Formation of W─OH in Bis(Dithiolene) Complex.

The redox non-innocent nature of dithiolene ligands is well known for stabilizing high-valent metal ions and facilitating proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes. Until now, proton reactivity at the dithiolene site has been primarily associated with low-valent metal centers, as high-valent metal-dithiolene complexes were not considered viable for such reactivity. This study introduces high-valent bis(dithiolene) tungsten (W)-oxo complexes featuring hydrogen-bonding interactions, unveiling a novel proton reduction mechanism mediated by the dithiolene moiety.

Pss knockdown in the midgut causes growth retardation in Drosophila similar to that in human LMHD.

Background: Phosphatidylserine synthase (PSS), localized in the mitochondrial membrane, synthesizes phosphatidylserine. In humans, mutations in Pss lead to Lenz-Majewski hyperostotic dwarfism, a disorder affecting growth and development. The effects of Pss mutations on the growth of Drosophila melanogaster are not fully known.

Amber in the Cretaceous deep sea deposits reveals large-scale tsunamis.

Large-scale tsunamis destroy coastal areas and rapidly transport huge amounts of plants and other debris over long distances. However, due to their poor preservation potential and the lack of unequivocal identifying features, tsunami deposits are rarely recognized in the geological record except for geologically young Holocene coastal deposits. This study focuses on pelagic settings as potential archives of large-scale paleo-tsunami events.

Synphilin-1 regulates mechanotransduction in rigidity sensing through interaction with zyxin.

Background: Synphilin-1 has been studied extensively in the context of Parkinson's disease pathology. However, the biophysical functions of synphilin-1 remain unexplored. To investigate its novel functionalities herein, cellular traction force and rigidity sensing ability are analyzed based on synphilin-1 overexpression using elastomeric pillar arrays and substrates of varying stiffness.

Alternatively spliced mini-exon B in PTPδ regulates excitatory synapses through cell-type-specific trans-synaptic PTPδ-IL1RAP interaction.

PTPδ, encoded by PTPRD, is implicated in various neurological, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. PTPδ trans-synaptically interacts with multiple postsynaptic adhesion molecules, which involves its extracellular alternatively spliced mini-exons, meA and meB. While PTPδ-meA functions have been studied in vivo, PTPδ-meB has not been studied.

BeStSel: analysis site for protein CD spectra-2025 update.

Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is a widely used technique to characterize the secondary structure composition of proteins. We have developed the Beta Structure Selection (BeStSel) method (PNAS, 112, E3095), which solves the main problem of protein CD spectroscopy-namely, the spectral variability of β-structures. The BeStSel web server utilizes this method to provide tools to the community for CD spectrum analysis.

Region-specific characterization and ecotoxicity assessment of PAH compounds in winter PM from three capital cities in Northeast Asia.

Industrialization and urbanization in Northeast Asia have heightened PM pollution, posing significant public health risks. This study examined the spatial and chemical variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their ecotoxicity in winter PM from three capitals-Ulaanbaatar (UB, Mongolia), Beijing (BJ, China), and Seoul (SE, South Korea)-using two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF MS). PM samples collected between December 15, 2020 and January 14, 2021 revealed UB had the highest concentrations (85.

Transition Temperature-Guided Design of Lipid Nanoparticles for Effective mRNA Delivery.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are promising mRNA delivery vehicles due to their biocompatibility and tunable characteristics. While current rational design approaches focus on ionizable lipids' p and zeta potential to optimize mRNA encapsulation and endosomal escape, the selection of helper lipids remains largely empirical. We propose that the lipid transition temperature (), marking the shift from the gel to the liquid crystalline phase, can guide rational helper lipid selection.