Adverse Reactions After Intradermal Vaccination With JYNNEOS for Mpox in Korea.

In response to the Mpox domestic epidemic, South Korea initiated a nationwide vaccination program in May 2023, administering a 0.1 mL intradermal dose of JYNNEOS (Modified Vaccinia Ankara vaccine, Bavarian Nordic) to a high-risk group. To investigate the adverse reactions after intradermal JYNNEOS vaccination, an anonymous online survey was conducted at the National Medical Center from May 22 to July 31, 2023. Overall, 142 individuals responded. Over 80% of the respondents reported local reactions of predominantly mild severity. The predominant local reactions were pruritus, redness, and swelling; their incidence rates after the first dose were 66.2%, 48.1%, and 49.4%, respectively; the corresponding rates after the second dose were 69.2%, 60.6%, and 53.8%. Fewer respondents reported systemic symptoms. The most common systemic symptom was fatigue, the incidence rates of which after the first and second doses were 37.7% and 24.6%, respectively. Overall, the intradermally administered JYNNEOS vaccine appeared well tolerated.

Isolation of a Potential Probiotic Levilactobacillus brevis and Evaluation of Its Exopolysaccharide for Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities.

The probiotic properties of ten lactic acid bacteria and antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) of the selected strain were investigated in this study. Levilactobacillus brevis L010 was one of the most active strains across all the in vitro tests. The cell-free supernatant (50 g/l) of L. brevis L010 showed high levels of both α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (98.73 ± 1.32%) and 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity (32.29 ± 3.86%). The EPS isolated from cell-free supernatant of L. brevis L010 showed 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical-scavenging activity (80.27 ± 2.51%) at 80 g/l, DPPH radical-scavenging activity (38.19 ± 9.61%) at 40 g/l, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (17.35 ± 0.20 mg/l) at 80 g/l. Further, EPS exhibited inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase at different substrate concentrations. Kinetic analysis suggests that the mode of inhibition was competitive, with a kinetic constant of Km = 2.87 ± 0.88 mM and Vmax = 0.39 ± 0.06 µmole/min. It was concluded that the EPS might be one of the plausible candidates for possible antioxidant and α-glucosidase activities of the L. brevis L010 strain.

Effects of Mobile-Based Forest-Therapy Programs Using Urban Forests for Symptoms of Depressed Patients.

This study investigated the effect of mobile-based forest therapy programs on relieving depression to advance non-pharmaceutical treatments for patients with depression. The effects of depression, sleep quality, and physical symptoms were analyzed as measurement indicators to determine the effectiveness of symptom relief in patients with depression. This study used a randomized controlled experiment design. Participants were randomly assigned, and a total of 44 people participated, including 23 in the experimental group and 21 in the control group. The experimental group participated in a mobile-based forest therapy program (participating once a week) for six sessions. As a result of this study, depression patients who participated in the mobile-based forest therapy program conducted in urban forests showed a significant reduction in MADRS (from 21.48 ± 4.05 to 7.13 ± 7.00). In addition, PSQI (from 19.78 ± 7.69 to 14.48 ± 8.11) and PHQ-15 (from 9.87 ± 5.08 to 7.57 ± 5.03) were also found to significantly improve symptoms. This suggests that forest-therapy programs using mobile applications can be applied as non-pharmaceutical interventions to relieve symptoms in patients with depression.

Benefits of Urban Forest Healing Program on Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Depressive Patients.

Depression is considered a widespread mental health problem worldwide. Moreover, anxiety symptoms are very closely related to depression in patients, and it is known that the coexistence rate of depression and anxiety diagnosed simultaneously is high. Treatment and preventive management of depression and anxiety are essential for public health. Forest healing is attracting attention as a form of low-cost preventive medicine that is safe and has no side effects. However, although the physiological and psychological effects have been scientifically proven, it is insufficient to reveal a direct relationship between forest healing and depression. This study investigated the benefits of an urban forest healing program on depression and anxiety symptoms in depressive disorders. We employed a randomized controlled trial design. Forty-seven depressive patients were randomly divided into an urban forest healing program group and a control group. Measures included the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires. Our results revealed that the combination of general treatment and forest healing programs for patients with depression is more effective in improving depression and anxiety than routine treatment alone. We expect our work to serve as a starting point for more sophisticated research discussing the availability of non-pharmacological treatments in forest healing.

Real-World Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir and Its Acceptability in High-Risk COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir is highly effective in preventing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate severity. However, real-world performance data are limited, and the drug is not so acceptable to the COVID-19 patients at high risk who need it in Korea. METHODS: To evaluate the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, we conducted a propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study on patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for a severe disease who were hospitalized at four hospitals in South Korea from February 2022 to April 2022. A total of 236 patients in the treatment group (administered nirmatrelvir-ritonavir) and 236 in the matched control group (supportive care only) were analyzed for the primary outcome, i.e., the time to oxygen support-free survival. The secondary outcome was a composite result of disease progression. The reason for not prescribing nirmatrelvir-ritonavir to the indicated patients was also investigated. RESULTS: The treatment group showed significantly longer oxygen support-free survival than the matched control group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.31; P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age (aHR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.07), National Early Warning Score-2 at admission (aHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.08-1.71), nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment, female sex (aHR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.88), and time from symptom onset to admission (aHR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48-0.95) were significantly associated with oxygen therapy. However, none of the factors were related to the composite outcome. In the unmatched control group, 19.9% of 376 patients had documented explanations for nirmatrelvir-ritonavir non-prescription, and 44.0% of these were due to contraindication criteria. In the treatment group, 10.9% of patients discontinued the medication primarily because of adverse events (71.4%), with gastrointestinal symptoms being the most common (50.0%). CONCLUSION: Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir treatment significantly reduced oxygen therapy requirements in high-risk patients with COVID-19 during the omicron variant surge in South Korea. Physicians are encouraged to consider the active use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and to be watchful for gastrointestinal symptoms during medication.

Marine crime scene investigation using Balanus sp. fouling patterns.

Marine biofouling occurs when microorganisms, plants, algae, or animals gather on any surface of a man-made object or natural structure. Biofouling organisms are important components of marine ecosystems and vary seasonally and regionally, with environmental factors such as temperature, amount of light, and nutrient availability. Since marine organisms have unique growth patterns, they can be used in marine forensic investigations to estimate time and environment. As few such studies have been done, this study analyzed the growth rates of Balanus on 100 × 100 mm panels of PVC, stainless steel, wood, and cloth and compared these with environmental factors such as temperature. Sets of panels were immersed in Sokcho Harbor, South Korea, each month, and observed monthly after immersion using American Society for Testing and Materials methods. The Balanus on the test panels grew to 1-20 mm and showed different growth patterns depending on when the panels were first immersed.

Degradation Behavior of Poly(Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Monolayers Investigated by Langmuir Technique: Accelerating Effect.

Among biodegradable polymers, polylactides (PLAs) have attracted considerable interest because the monomer can be produced from renewable resources. Since their initial degradability strongly affects commercial application fields, it is necessary to manage the degradation properties of PLAs to make them more commercially attractive. To control their degradability, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) copolymers of glycolide and isomer lactides (LAs) were synthesized, and their enzymatic and alkaline degradation rates of PLGA monolayers as functions of glycolide acid (GA) composition were systematically investigated by the Langmuir technique. The results showed that the alkaline and enzymatic degradations of PLGA monolayers were faster than those of l-polylactide (l-PLA), even though proteinase K is selectively effective in the l-lactide (l-LA) unit. Alkaline hydrolysis was strongly affected by their hydrophilicity, while the surface pressure of monolayers for enzymatic degradations was a major factor.

Synergistic Effects of a Probiotic Culture Extract and Antimicrobial Combinations against Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Background and Objectives: Developing effective treatment outcomes for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) infections, with colistin and tigecycline the current frontline therapies, is challenging, because of the risk of renal toxicity and low blood concentrations of active ingredients when administered intravenously. This study aimed to identify the effect of combination therapy using conventional antimicrobial agents that are used for treating drug-resistant bacteria and the additional synergistic effect of four probiotic culture extracts isolated from the human body and Lactobacillus preparations. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial combination and synergistic effect of adding Lactobacillus extract against 33 strains of A. baumannii isolated from pus, urine, and other specimens submitted to the Department of Laboratory Medicine of a university hospital, located in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, was investigated over a 3-year period between January 2017 and December 2019. Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility tests on bacteria isolated in clinical practice demonstrated that 26 strains (79%) were MRAB, while multi-locus sequence typing indicated that ST191 was the predominant type (45%; n = 15). Checkerboard test results demonstrated that combination therapy using meropenem and colistin had the highest synergistic effect (fractional inhibitory concentration index = 0.5), while the time-kill assay test using Lactobacillus spp. culture extract exhibited an inhibitory effect within 1 h and complete inhibition of MRAB within 3 h. Lactobacillus paracasei exhibited the fastest antimicrobial reactivity and longest sustained antimicrobial activity. Conclusion: These findings provide useful foundational data for an appropriate combination of colistin with other antimicrobial agents for treating MRAB infection in clinical settings, and the use of various probiotic culture extracts to reduce the required dosage, and therefore toxicity of colistin.

Efficacy of acupuncture on cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus in Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to investigate whether acupuncture could be an effective complementary treatment for reducing the risk of macrovascular complications in diabetic patients currently taking antidiabetic medications using a nationwide population-based database. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the efficacy of acupuncture on cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients using data from patients between 40 and 79 years of age, newly diagnosed with diabetes between 2003 and 2006, found in the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) in Korea. From the data, we identified 21,232 diabetic patients who were taking antidiabetic medication between 2003 and 2006. The selected patients were divided into two groups-those who received acupuncture at least three times and those who received no acupuncture (non-acupuncture) in the year following their diagnosis of diabetes. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), each group had 3350 patients, and the observation ceased at the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), which was defined as either myocardial infarction, stroke, or death due to cardiovascular cause. RESULTS: After PSM, the acupuncture group had a lower incidence of MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.94; P = 0.0003) and all-cause mortality (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.70-0.84; P < 0.0001) than the non-acupuncture group; the HRs for stroke-related mortality (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.56-1.00; P = 0.0485), ischemic heart disease mortality (HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.34-0.84; P = 0.006) and circulatory system disease mortality (HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.55-0.82; P < 0.0001) were lower in the acupuncture group than in the non-acupuncture group in the secondary analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that diabetic patients receiving acupuncture treatment might have a lower risk of MACE, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. This population-based retrospective study suggests beneficial effects of acupuncture in preventing macrovascular complications associated with diabetes. These findings call for further prospective cohort or experimental studies on acupuncture treatment for cardiovascular complications of diabetes. Please cite this article as: Jung H, Won T, Kim GY, Jang J, Yeo S, Lim S. Efficacy of acupuncture on cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus in Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 176-183.

Prognostic Factors for Pulmonary Fibrosis Following Pneumonia in Patients with COVID-19: A Prospective Study.

The frequency and clinical manifestation of lung fibrosis accompanied by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are not well-established. We aimed to identify the factors attributed to post-COVID-19 fibrosis. This single-center prospective study included patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia from 12 April to 22 October 2021 in the Republic of Korea. The primary outcome was the presence of pulmonary fibrosis on a CT scan 3 months after discharge; the fibrosis risk was estimated by a multiple logistic regression. The mean patient age was 55.03 ± 12.32 (range 27-85) years; 65 (66.3%) were men and 33 (33.7%) were women. The age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, lactate dehydrogenase level, aspartate aminotransferase level, and Krebs von den Lungen-6 level were significantly higher and the albumin level and the saturation of the peripheral oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (SpO2/FiO2) ratio were significantly lower in the fibrosis group than in the non-fibrosis group; the need for initial oxygen support was also greater in the fibrosis group. An older age (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.21) and a lower initial SpO2/FiO2 ratio (AOR 7.17; 95% CI 1.72-29.91) were significant independent risk factors for pulmonary fibrosis after COVID-19 pneumonia. An older age and a low initial SpO2/FiO2 ratio were crucial in predicting pulmonary fibrosis after COVID-19 pneumonia.

A transcriptome-wide association study of uterine fibroids to identify potential genetic markers and toxic chemicals.

Uterine fibroid is one of the most prevalent benign tumors in women, with high socioeconomic costs. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several loci associated with uterine fibroid risks, they could not successfully interpret the biological effects of genomic variants at the gene expression levels. To prioritize uterine fibroid susceptibility genes that are biologically interpretable, we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) by integrating GWAS data of uterine fibroid and expression quantitative loci data. We identified nine significant TWAS genes including two novel genes, RP11-282O18.3 and KBTBD7, which may be causal genes for uterine fibroid. We conducted functional enrichment network analyses using the TWAS results to investigate the biological pathways in which the overall TWAS genes were involved. The results demonstrated the immune system process to be a key pathway in uterine fibroid pathogenesis. Finally, we carried out chemical-gene interaction analyses using the TWAS results and the comparative toxicogenomics database to determine the potential risk chemicals for uterine fibroid. We identified five toxic chemicals that were significantly associated with uterine fibroid TWAS genes, suggesting that they may be implicated in the pathogenesis of uterine fibroid. In this study, we performed an integrative analysis covering the broad application of bioinformatics approaches. Our study may provide a deeper understanding of uterine fibroid etiologies and informative notifications about potential risk chemicals for uterine fibroid.

Booster BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccination Increases Neutralizing Antibody Titers Against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Both Young and Elderly Adults.

Concerns about the effectiveness of current vaccines against the rapidly spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant are increasing. This study aimed to assess neutralizing antibody activity against the wild-type (BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020), delta, and omicron variants after full primary and booster vaccinations with BNT162b2. A plaque reduction neutralization test was employed to determine 50% neutralizing dilution (ND50) titers in serum samples. ND50 titers against the omicron variant (median [interquartile range], 5.3 [< 5.0-12.7]) after full primary vaccination were lower than those against the wild-type (144.8 [44.7-294.0]) and delta (24.3 [14.3-81.1]) variants. Furthermore, 19/30 participants (63.3%) displayed lower ND50 titers than the detection threshold (< 10.0) against omicron after full primary vaccination. However, the booster vaccine significantly increased ND50 titers against BetaCoV/Korea/KCDC03/2020, delta, and omicron, although titers against omicron remained lower than those against the other variants (P < 0.001). Our study suggests that booster vaccination with BNT162b2 significantly increases humoral immunity against the omicron variant.

Identification and Functional Characterization of FLOWERING LOCUS T in Platycodon grandiflorus.

Platycodon grandiflorus roots have been used as a foodstuff and traditional medicine for thousands of years in East Asia. In order to increase the root development of P. grandiflorus, cultivators removed the inflorescences, suggesting the possible negative effect of flowering on root development. This indicates that the genetic improvement of P. grandiflorus by late flowering is a potential approach to increase productivity. However, nothing is known about key genes integrating multiple flowering pathways in P. grandiflorus. In order to fill this gap, we identified potential homologs of the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene in P. grandiflorus. The alignment with other FT members and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the P. grandiflorus FT (PlgFT) protein contains highly conserved functional domains and belongs to the FT-like clade. The expression analysis revealed spatial variations in the transcription of PlgFT in different organs. In addition, the expression level of PlgFT was increased by high temperature but not by photoperiodic light input signals, presumably due to lacking the CONSTANS binding motif in its promoter region. Furthermore, PlgFT induced early flowering upon its overexpression in P. grandiflorus, suggesting the functional role of PlgFT in flowering. Taken together, we functionally characterized PlgFT as a master regulator of P. grandiflorus flowering under inductive high temperature, which will serve as an important target gene for improving the root productivity.

Relationship between DNA mismatch repair and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in in the bovine ß-casein gene locus.

OBJECTIVE: Efficient gene editing technology is critical for successful knock-in in domestic animals. RAD51 recombinase (RAD51) gene plays an important role in strand invasion during homologous recombination (HR) in mammals, and is regulated by checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) and CHK2 genes, which are upstream elements of RAD51 recombinase (RAD51). In addition, mismatch repair (MMR) system is inextricably linked to HR-related pathways and regulates HR via heteroduplex rejection. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9)-mediated knock-in efficiency of human lactoferrin (hLF) knock-in vector in the bovine ß-casein gene locus can be increased by suppressing DNA MMR-related genes (MSH2, MSH3, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2) and overexpressing DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair-related genes (RAD51, CHK1, CHK2). METHODS: Bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells were transfected with a knock-in vector, RAD51, CHK1, or CHK2 overexpression vector and CRISPR/sgRNA expression vector to target the bovine ß-casein gene locus, followed by treatment of the cells with CdCl2 for 24 hours. After 3 days of CdCl2 treatment, the knock-in efficiency was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA expression levels of DNA MMR-related and DNA DSB repair-related genes were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: Treatment with CdCl2 decreased the mRNA expression of RAD51 and MMR-related genes but did not increase the knock-in efficiency in MAC-T cells. Also, the overexpression of DNA DSB repair-related genes in MAC-T cells did not significantly affect the mRNA expression of MMR-related genes and failed to increase the knock-in efficiency. CONCLUSION: Treatment with CdCl2 inhibited the mRNA levels of RAD51 and DNA MMR-related genes in MAC-T cells. However, the function of MMR pathway in relation to HR may differ in various cell types or species.

Effects of Urban Forest Therapy Program on Depression Patients.

Depression is a common serious mental health condition that can have negative personal and social consequences, and managing it is critical for treating depression patients. Forest therapy is emerging as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to improve mental health. However, although the effectiveness of forest therapy programs using forests far from the city has been proven, it is not well known that urban forests can be easily accessed in daily life. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of an urban forest therapy program on depression symptoms, sleep quality, and somatization symptoms of depression patients. To evaluate this, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was employed. A total of 47 depression patients participated in this study (22 in the urban forest therapy program group and 25 in the control group). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) were administered to each participant to assess the effects of the urban forest therapy program. The results of this study revealed that depression patients in the urban forest therapy program had significantly alleviated depression symptoms and improved sleep quality and somatization symptoms compared to the control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the possibility that the urban forest therapy program could be used as an effective non-pharmacological treatment to alleviate depression disorder.

Effect of Forest Therapy on Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of forest therapy on depression and anxiety using data obtained from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies. We searched SCOPUS, PubMed, MEDLINE(EBSCO), Web of science, Embase, Korean Studies Information Service System, Research Information Sharing Service, and DBpia to identify relevant studies published from January 1990 to December 2020 and identified 20 relevant studies for the synthesis. The methodological quality of eligible primary studies was assessed by ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I. Most primary studies were conducted in the Republic of Korea except for one study in Poland. Overall, forest therapy significantly improved depression (Hedges's g = 1.133; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.491 to -0.775) and anxiety (Hedges's g = 1.715; 95% CI: -2.519 to -0.912). The quality assessment resulted in five RCTs that raised potential concerns in three and high risk in two. Fifteen quasi-experimental studies raised high for nine quasi-experimental studies and moderate for six studies. In conclusion, forest therapy is preventive management and non-pharmacologic treatment to improve depression and anxiety. However, the included studies lacked methodological rigor and required more comprehensive geographic application. Future research needs to determine optimal forest characteristics and systematic activities that can maximize the improvement of depression and anxiety.

N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 2 (NDRG2) Function as a Positive Regulator of Apoptosis: A New Insight into NDRG2 as a Tumor Suppressor.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a tumor suppressor gene that increases tumor sensitivity to anticancer drugs, slows tumor progression, and inhibits metastasis. NDRG2 is suppressed in various aggressive tumor positions, whereas NDRG2 expression is associated with patient prognosis, such as an improved survival rate. In this review, we summarize the tumor suppressor mechanism of NDRG2 and provide information on the function of NDRG2 concerning the susceptibility of cells to apoptosis. NDRG2 increases the susceptibility to apoptosis in various physiological environments of cells, such as development, hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and cancer drug treatment. Although the molecular and cell biological mechanisms of NDRG2 have not been fully elucidated, we provide information on the mechanisms of NDRG2 in relation to apoptosis in various environments. This review can assist the design of research regarding NDRG2 function and suggests the potential of NDRG2 as a molecular target for cancer patients.

Development of a Rapid Diagnostic Kit for Congestive Heart Failure Using Recombinant NT-proBNP Antigen.

Background and Objectives: In patients with congestive heart failure, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are released due to excessive heart muscle expansion; they can be used for the early detection, progress monitoring, and treatment of congestive heart failure. Recently, considerable efforts have been made to develop an NT-proBNP-based biomarker for detecting heart failure. This study attempts to develop a rapid and accurate congestive heart failure diagnostic kit using NT-proBNP. Materials and Methods: A new gene based on NT-proBNP was selected, recombined, and expressed in Escherichia coli strains, and then monoclonal antibodies were produced using the hybridoma technique. Additionally, antigen-antibody reactivity was confirmed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, the first pair and full-strip pair tests were conducted to select candidate clones; these were applied to a rapid diagnosis kit based on gold conjugates and compared with other currently available antigens. Results: NT-proBNP-based antigens with high specificity and monoclonal antibodies were produced, and the optimal antigen-antibody reactivity was confirmed using indirect ELISA. The first pair and full-strip pair tests were performed to select the optimal candidate clones, and a rapid diagnosis kit with excellent reactivity was developed by applying these to a rapid diagnosis kit based on gold conjugates. Conclusions: The development of this rapid diagnosis kit with excellent performance in congestive heart failure is expected to improve disease management by providing an early assessment of the risk of heart failure.

Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of Heat Stress-Responsive Superoxide Dismutases in Garlic (Allium sativum L.).

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are key antioxidant enzymes that can detoxify the superoxide radicals generated by various stresses. Although various plant SODs have been suggested to improve stress tolerance, SODs in garlic, an economically important vegetable grown worldwide, remain relatively unknown. In this study, we found that heat stress strongly induced the activities of Cu/ZnSODs, FeSODs, and MnSODs in garlic leaves. In addition, we cloned four garlic SODs (AsSODs) and suggest that heat stress-increased SOD activity was reflected at least by the induction of these AsSODs. The results of the agro-infiltration assay suggested that the cloned AsSODs encoded functional SOD enzymes belonging to the Cu/ZnSOD and MnSOD families. As a first step toward understanding the enzymatic antioxidant system in garlic plants, our results provide a solid foundation for an in-depth analysis of the physiological functions of the AsSOD family.

A Mixture of Humulus japonicus Increases Longitudinal Bone Growth Rate in Sprague Dawley Rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of administration of a mixture of Humulus japonicus (MH) on longitudinal bone growth in normal Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. We measured the femur and tibia length, growth plate area, proliferation of chondrocytes, and expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) phosphorylation after dietary administration of MH in SD rats for four weeks. The nose-tail length gain and length of femur and tibia increased significantly in the group that received MH for a period of four weeks. We performed H&E staining and Bromodeoxyuridine/5-Bromo-2'-Deoxyuridine (BrdU) staining to examine the effect of dietary administration of MH on the growth plate and the proliferation of chondrocytes and found that MH stimulated the proliferation of chondrocytes and contributed to increased growth plate height during the process of longitudinal bone growth. In addition, serum levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 and expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 mRNAs in the liver and bone were increased, and phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT5 in the liver was increased in the MH groups. Based on these results, we suggest that the effect of MH on longitudinal bone growth is mediated by increased JAK2/STAT5-induced IGF-1 production.