Anti-Warburg Mechanism of Ginsenoside F2 in Human Cervical Cancer Cells via Activation of miR193a-5p and Inhibition of ß-Catenin/c-Myc/Hexokinase 2 Signaling Axis.

Though Ginsenoside F2 (GF2), a protopanaxadiol saponin from Panax ginseng, is known to have an anticancer effect, its underlying mechanism still remains unclear. In our model, the anti-glycolytic mechanism of GF2 was investigated in human cervical cancer cells in association with miR193a-5p and the ß-catenin/c-Myc/Hexokinase 2 (HK2) signaling axis. Here, GF2 exerted significant cytotoxicity and antiproliferation activity, increased sub-G1, and attenuated the expression of pro-Poly (ADPribose) polymerase (pro-PARP) and pro-cysteine aspartyl-specific protease (procaspase3) in HeLa and SiHa cells. Consistently, GF2 attenuated the expression of Wnt, ß-catenin, and c-Myc and their downstream target genes such as HK2, pyruvate kinase isozymes M2 (PKM2), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), along with a decreased production of glucose and lactate in HeLa and SiHa cells. Moreover, GF2 suppressed ß-catenin and c-Myc stability in the presence and absence of cycloheximide in HeLa cells, respectively. Additionally, the depletion of ß-catenin reduced the expression of c-Myc and HK2 in HeLa cells, while pyruvate treatment reversed the ability of GF2 to inhibit ß-catenin, c-Myc, and PKM2 in GF2-treated HeLa cells. Notably, GF2 upregulated the expression of microRNA139a-5p (miR139a-5p) in HeLa cells. Consistently, the miR139a-5p mimic enhanced the suppression of ß-catenin, c-Myc, and HK2, while the miR193a-5p inhibitor reversed the ability of GF2 to attenuate the expression of ß-catenin, c-Myc, and HK2 in HeLa cells. Overall, these findings suggest that GF2 induces apoptosis via the activation of miR193a-5p and the inhibition of ß-catenin/c-Myc/HK signaling in cervical cancer cells.

Multipartite network analysis to identify environmental and genetic associations of metabolic syndrome in the Korean population.

Network analysis has become a crucial tool in genetic research, enabling the exploration of associations between genes and diseases. Its utility extends beyond genetics to include the assessment of environmental factors. Unipartite network analysis is commonly used in genomics to visualize initial insights and relationships among variables. Syndromic diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, are characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of various signs, symptoms, and clinicopathological features. Metabolic syndrome encompasses hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidemia, and both genetic and environmental factors contribute to its development. Given that relevant data often consist of distinct sets of variables, a more intuitive visualization method is needed. This study applied multipartite network analysis as an effective method to understand the associations among genetic, environmental, and disease components in syndromic diseases. We considered three distinct variable sets: genetic factors, environmental factors, and disease components. The process involved projecting a tripartite network onto a two-mode bipartite network and then simplifying it into a one-mode network. This approach facilitated the visualization of relationships among factors across different sets and within individual sets. To transition from multipartite to unipartite networks, we suggest both sequential and concurrent projection methods. Data from the Korean Association Resource (KARE) project were utilized, including 352,228 SNPs from 8840 individuals, alongside information on environmental factors such as lifestyle, dietary, and socioeconomic factors. The single-SNP analysis step filtered SNPs, supplemented by reference SNPs reported in a genome-wide association study catalog. The resulting network patterns differed significantly by sex: demographic factors and fat intake were crucial for women, while alcohol consumption was central for men. Indirect relationships were identified through projected bipartite networks, revealing that SNPs such as rs4244457, rs2156552, and rs10899345 had lifestyle interactions on metabolic components. Our approach offers several advantages: it simplifies the visualization of complex relationships among different datasets, identifies environmental interactions, and provides insights into SNP clusters sharing common environmental factors and metabolic components. This framework provides a comprehensive approach to elucidate the mechanisms underlying complex diseases like metabolic syndrome.

Vagococcus jeotgali sp. nov., isolated from cutlassfish jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented seafood.

A novel, Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, and non-motile bacterial strain, designated B2T-5T, was isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented seafood. Colonies grown on gifu anaerobic medium agar plates were cream-coloured, irregular, and umbonate with curled margins. Optimal growth of strain B2T-5T occurred at 20 °C, pH 8.0, and in the presence of 1% (w/v) NaCl. Strain B2T-5T was negative for oxidase and catalase activity. Hippurate was not hydrolysed and acetoin was not produced. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1 ω9c and C16 : 0. The cell-wall peptidoglycan was of the A4α type containing l-Lys-d-Asp. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylcholine. According to the phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain B2T-5T was most closely related to Vagococcus teuberi DSM 21459T, showing 98.2% sequence similarity. Genome sequencing of strain B2T-5T revealed a genome size of 2.0 Mbp and a G+C content of 33.8 mol%. The average nucleotide identities of strain B2T-5T with Vagococcus teuberi DSM 21459T, Vagococcus bubulae SS1994T, and Vagococcus martis D7T301T were 75.0, 74.7, and 75.1%, respectively. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic data, strain B2T-5T represents a novel species of the genus Vagococcus, for which the name Vagococcus jeotgali sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B2T-5T (=KCTC 21223T=JCM 35937T).

Molecularly imprinted polymer-based extended-gate field-effect transistor chemosensors for selective determination of antiepileptic drug.

Ultrathin molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) films were deposited on the surfaces of ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) and nanosheets (ZNSs) by electropolymerization to afford extended-gate field-effect transistor sensors for detecting phenytoin (PHT) in plasma. Molecular imprinting efficiency was optimized by controlling the contents of functional monomers and the template in the precursor solution. PHT sensing was performed in plasma solutions with various concentrations by monitoring the drain current as a function of drain voltage under an applied gate voltage of 1.5 V. The reliability and reproducibility of the fabricated sensors were evaluated through a solution treatment process for complete PHT removal and PHT adsorption-removal cycling, while selectivity was examined by analyzing responses to chemicals with structures analogous to that of PHT. Compared with the ZNS/extracted-MIP sensor and sensors with non-imprinted polymer (NIP) films, the ZNR/extracted-MIP sensor showed superior responses to PHT-containing plasma due to selective PHT adsorption, achieving an imprinting factor of 4.23, detection limit of 12.9 ng/mL, quantitation limit of 53.0 ng/mL, and selectivity coefficients of 3-4 (against tramadol) and ~ 5 (against diphenhydramine). Therefore, we believe that the MIP-based ZNR sensing platform is promising for the practical detection of PHT and other drugs and evaluation of their proper dosages.

Fine-Scale Spatial Prediction on the Risk of Plasmodium vivax Infection in the Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUND: Malaria elimination strategies in the Republic of Korea (ROK) have decreased malaria incidence but face challenges due to delayed case detection and response. To improve this, machine learning models for predicting malaria, focusing on high-risk areas, have been developed. METHODS: The study targeted the northern region of ROK, near the demilitarized zone, using a 1-km grid to identify areas for prediction. Grid cells without residential buildings were excluded, leaving 8,425 cells. The prediction was based on whether at least one malaria case was reported in each grid cell per month, using spatial data of patient locations. Four algorithms were used: gradient boosted (GBM), generalized linear (GLM), extreme gradient boosted (XGB), and ensemble models, incorporating environmental, sociodemographic, and meteorological data as predictors. The models were trained with data from May to October (2019-2021) and tested with data from May to October 2022. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). RESULTS: The AUROC of the prediction models performed excellently (GBM = 0.9243, GLM = 0.9060, XGB = 0.9180, and ensemble model = 0.9301). Previous malaria risk, population size, and meteorological factors influenced the model most in GBM and XGB. CONCLUSION: Machine-learning models with properly preprocessed malaria case data can provide reliable predictions. Additional predictors, such as mosquito density, should be included in future studies to improve the performance of models.

Sporosarcina jeotgali sp. nov., Sporosarcina oncorhynchi sp. nov., and Sporosarcina trichiuri sp. nov., Isolated from Jeotgal, a Traditional Korean Fermented Seafood.

Three novel, Gram-stain-positive, obligate aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive bacterial strains, designated B2O-1T, T2O-4T, and 0.2-SM1T-5T, were isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented seafood. Strains B2O-1T, T2O-4T, and 0.2-SM1T-5T exhibited distinct colony colors, characterized by pink, yellow, and red opaque circular colonies, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that three strains formed a paraphyletic clade within the genus Sporosarcina and shared < 99.0% similarity with Sporosarcina aquimarina KCTC 3840T and Sporosarcina saromensis KCTC 13119T in their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The three strains exhibiting Orthologous Average Nucleotide Identity values < 79.3% and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values < 23.1% within the genus Sporosarcina affirmed their distinctiveness. Strains B2O-1T, T2O-4T, and 0.2-SM1T-5T contained MK-7 as a sole respiratory menaquinone and A4α type peptidoglycan based on lysine with alanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. The common polar lipids include diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylethanolamine. Strain T2O-4T contained one unidentified phospholipid, whereas strain 0.2-SM1T-5T contained two unidentified phospholipids. Cellular fatty acid profiles, with C15:0 anteiso as the major fatty acid, supported the affiliation of the three strains to the genus Sporosarcina. Based on the polyphasic characteristics, strains B2O-1T (= KCTC 43506T = JCM 36032T), T2O-4T (= KCTC 43489T = JCM 36031T), and 0.2-SM1T-5T (= KCTC 43519T = JCM 36034T) represent three novel species within the genus Sporosarcina, named Sporosarcina jeotgali sp. nov., Sporosarcina oncorhynchi sp. nov., and Sporosarcina trichiuri sp. nov., respectively.

A Nationwide Study on HER2-low Breast Cancer in South Korea: Its Incidence of 2022 Real World Data and the Importance of Immunohistochemical Staining Protocols.

Purpose: Notable effectiveness of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients with HER2-low advanced breast cancer (BC) has focused pathologists' attention. We studied the incidence and clinicopathologic characteristics of HER2-low BC, and the effects of immunohistochemistry (IHC) associated factors on HER2 IHC results. Materials and Methods: The Breast Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists conducted a nationwide study using real-world data on HER2 status generated between January 2022 and December 2022. Information on HER2 IHC protocols at each participating institution was also collected. Results: Total 11,416 patients from twenty-five institutions included in this study. Of these patients, 40.7% (range: 6.0%-76.3%) were classified as HER2-zero, 41.7% (range: 10.5%-69.1%) as HER2-low, and 17.5% (range: 6.7%-34.0%) as HER2-positive. HER2-low tumors were associated with positive ER and PR statuses (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Antigen retrieval times (≥ 36 min vs. < 36 min) and antibody incubation times (≥ 12 min vs. < 12 min) affected on the frequency of HER2 IHC 1+ BC at institutions using the PATHWAY HER2 (4B5) IHC assay and BenchMark XT or Ultra staining instruments. Furthermore, discordant results between core needle biopsy (CNB) and subsequent resection specimen HER2 statuses were observed in 24.1% (787/3259) of the patients. Conclusion: The overall incidence of HER2-low BC in South Korea concurs with those reported in previously published studies. Significant inter-institutional differences in HER2 IHC protocols were observed, and it may have impact on HER2-low status. Thus, we recommend standardizing HER2 IHC conditions to ensure precise patient selection for targeted therapy.

Genomic attributes and characterization of novel exopolysaccharide-producing bacterium Halomonas piscis sp. nov. isolated from jeotgal.

Halophilic bacterial strains, designated SG2L-4T, SB1M4, and SB2L-5, were isolated from jeotgal, a traditional Korean fermented food. Cells are Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, catalase-positive, and oxidase-negative. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain SG2L-4T is closely related to Halomonas garicola KACC 18117T with a similarity of 96.2%. The complete genome sequence of strain SG2L-4T was 3,227,066 bp in size, with a genomic G + C content of 63.3 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain SG2L-4T and H. garicola KACC 18117T were 90.5 and 40.7%, respectively. The optimal growth conditions for strain SG2L-4T were temperatures between 30 and 37°C, a pH value of 7, and the presence of 10% (w/v) NaCl. The polar lipids identified included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unknown phospholipid, an unknown glycolipid, and an unknown polar lipid. The major cellular fatty acids were C16:0, summed features 8 (C18:1ω6c and/or C18:1ω7c), C19:0 cyclo ω8c, and summed features 3 (C16:1ω6c and/or C16:1ω7c). The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone with nine isoprene units (Q-9). Based on the phenotypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic results, strain SG2L-4T represents a novel species within the genus Halomonas, for which the name Halomonas piscis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SG2L-4T (=KCTC 92842T = JCM 35929T). Functional annotation of the genome of strain SG2L-4T confirmed the presence of exopolysaccharide synthesis protein (ExoD) and capsular polysaccharide-related genes. Strain SG2L-4T also exhibited positive results in Molisch's test, indicating the presence of extracellular carbohydrates and exopolysaccharides (EPS) production. These findings provide valuable insights into the EPS-producing capabilities of H. piscis sp. nov. isolated from jeotgal, contributing to understanding its potential roles in food and biotechnological applications.

Alkalimarinus alittae sp. nov., isolated from gut of marine sandworm (Alitta virens) and emended description of the genus Alkalimarinus.

A novel, Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, catalase- and oxidase-negative bacterial strain, designated A2M4T, was isolated from the gut contents of a marine sandworm Alitta virens, collected from the eastern coast of the Republic of Korea. Strain A2M4T formed translucent circular colonies and showed rod-shaped cells with peritrichous flagella. Optimal growth of strain A2M4T occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.0 and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain A2M4T was closely related to Alkalimarinus sediminis FA028T, with the highest sequence similarity of 98.9 %. The complete genome sequence of strain A2M4T was 4.25 Mbp in size and the genomic G+C content, calculated from the genome sequence, was 43.2 mol%. A comparison between the genome sequence of strain A2M4T and that of its closest relative, A. sediminis FA028T, showed an average nucleotide identity value of 76.63 % and a digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of 22.2 %. Strain A2M4T contained Q-9 as the sole respiratory isoprenoid quinone and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acids of strain A2M4T were C14 : 0, C16 : 0 and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c). Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic characteristics, strain A2M4T represents a novel species of the genus Alkalimarinus, for which the name Alkalimarinus alittae sp. nov. is proposed. The type is strain A2M4T (=KCTC 92030T=JCM 35924T). The description of the genus Alkalimarinus has also been emended.

Risk factors associated with death due to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in hospitalized Korean patients (2018-2022).

BACKGROUND: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has no vaccine or treatment and an extremely high fatality rate. We aimed to analyze and evaluate the risk factors for death associated with SFTS. METHODS: Among reports from 2018 to 2022, we compared and analyzed 1,034 inpatients aged 18 years or older with laboratory-confirmed SFTS who underwent complete epidemiological investigations. RESULTS: Most of the inpatients with SFTS were aged 50 years or older (average age, 67.6 years). The median time from symptom onset to death was 9 days, and the average case fatality rate was 18.5%. Risk factors for death included age of 70 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 4.82); agriculture-related occupation (OR, 2.01); underlying disease (OR, 7.20); delayed diagnosis (OR, 1.28 per day); decreased level of consciousness (OR, 5.53); fever/chills (OR, 20.52); prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (OR, 4.19); and elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase (OR, 2.91), blood urea nitrogen (OR, 2.62), and creatine (OR, 3.21). CONCLUSION: The risk factors for death in patients with SFTS were old age; agriculture-related occupation; underlying disease; delayed clinical suspicion; fever/chills; decreased level of consciousness; and elevated activated partial thromboplastin time, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatine levels.

Cortical-blood vessel assembloids exhibit Alzheimer's disease phenotypes by activating glia after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A correlation between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been proposed recently. Although the number of case reports on neuroinflammation in COVID-19 patients has increased, studies of SARS-CoV-2 neurotrophic pathology using brain organoids have restricted recapitulation of those phenotypes due to insufficiency of immune cells and absence of vasculature. Cerebral pericytes and endothelial cells, the major components of blood-brain barrier, express viral entry receptors for SARS-CoV-2 and response to systemic inflammation including direct cell death. To overcome the limitations, we developed cortical-blood vessel assembloids by fusing cortical organoid with blood vessel organoid to provide vasculature to brain organoids a nd obtained the characteristics of increased expression of microglia and astrocytes in brain organoids. Furthermore, we observed AD pathologies, including ß-amyloid plaques, which were affected by the inflammatory response from SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings provide an advanced platform to investigate human neurotrophic diseases, including COVID-19, and suggest that neuroinflammation caused by viral infection facilitates AD pathology.

Hypolipogenic effects of Icariside E4 via phosphorylation of AMPK and inhibition of MID1IP1 in HepG2 cells.

Though icariside E4 (IE4) is known to have anti-noceptive, anti-oxidant, anti-Alzheimer and anti-inflammatory effects, there was no evidence on the effect of IE4 on lipid metabolism so far. Hence, the hypolipogenic mechanism of IE4 was investigated in HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs) in association with MID1 Interacting Protein 1(MID1IP1) and AMPK signaling. Here, IE4 did not show any toxicity in HepG2 cells, but reduced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells by Oil Red O staining. MID1IP1 depletion decreased the expression of SREBP-1c and fatty acid synthase (FASN) and induced phosphorylation of ACC in HepG2 cells. Indeed, IE4 activated phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC and inhibited the expression of MID1IP1 in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, IE4 suppressed the expression of SREBP-1c, liver X receptor-α (LXR), and FASN for de novo lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. Interestingly, AMPK inhibitor compound C reversed the ability of IE4 to reduce MID1IP1, SREBP-1c, and FASN and activate phosphorylation of AMPK/ACC in HepG2 cells, indicating the important role of AMPK/ACC signaling in IE4-induced hypolipogenic effect. Taken together, these findings suggest that IE4 has hypolipogenic potential in HepG2 cells via activation of AMPK and inhibition of MID1IP1 as a potent candidate for treatment of fatty liver disease.

All-in-one microfluidic design to integrate vascularized tumor spheroid into high-throughput platform.

The development of a scalable and highly reproducible in vitro tumor microenvironment (TME) platform still sheds light on new insights into cancer metastasis mechanisms and anticancer therapeutic strategies. Here, we present an all-in-one injection molded plastic array three-dimensional culture platform (All-in-One-IMPACT) that integrates vascularized tumor spheroids for highly reproducible, high-throughput experimentation. This device allows the formation of self-assembled cell spheroids on a chip by applying the hanging drop method to the cell culture channel. Then, when the hydrogel containing endothelial cells and fibroblasts is injected, the spheroid inside the droplet can be patterned together in three dimensions along the culture channel. In just two steps above, we can build a vascularized TME within a defined area. This process does not require specialized user skill and minimizes error-inducing steps, enabling both reproducibility and high throughput of the experiment. We have successfully demonstrated the process, from spheroid formation to tumor vascularization, using patient-derived cancer cells (PDCs) as well as various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we performed combination therapies with Taxol (paclitaxel) and Avastin (bevacizumab), which are used in standard care for metastatic cancer. The All-in-One IMPACT is a powerful tool for establishing various anticancer treatment strategies through the development of a complex TME for use in high-throughput experiments.

Host phylogeny, habitat, and diet are main drivers of the cephalopod and mollusk gut microbiome.

BACKGROUND: Invertebrates are a very attractive subject for studying host-microbe interactions because of their simple gut microbial community and host diversity. Studying the composition of invertebrate gut microbiota and the determining factors is essential for understanding their symbiotic mechanism. Cephalopods are invertebrates that have similar biological properties to vertebrates such as closed circulation system, an advanced nervous system, and a well-differentiated digestive system. However, it is not currently known whether their microbiomes have more in common with vertebrates or invertebrates. This study reports on the microbial composition of six cephalopod species and compares them with other mollusk and marine fish microbiomes to investigate the factors that shape the gut microbiota. RESULTS: Each cephalopod gut consisted of a distinct consortium of microbes, with Photobacterium and Mycoplasma identified as core taxa. The gut microbial composition of cephalopod reflected their host phylogeny, the importance of which was supported by a detailed oligotype-level analysis of operational taxonomic units assigned to Photobacterium and Mycoplasma. Photobacterium typically inhabited multiple hosts, whereas Mycoplasma tended to show host-specific colonization. Furthermore, we showed that class Cephalopoda has a distinct gut microbial community from those of other mollusk groups or marine fish. We also showed that the gut microbiota of phylum Mollusca was determined by host phylogeny, habitat, and diet. CONCLUSION: We have provided the first comparative analysis of cephalopod and mollusk gut microbial communities. The gut microbial community of cephalopods is composed of distinctive microbes and is strongly associated with their phylogeny. The Photobacterium and Mycoplasma genera are core taxa within the cephalopod gut microbiota. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that cephalopod and mollusk gut microbiomes reflect host phylogeny, habitat, and diet. It is hoped that these data can contribute to future studies on invertebrate-microbe interactions.

Function Analysis of the PR55/B Gene Related to Self-Incompatibility in Chinese Cabbage Using CRISPR/Cas9.

Chinese cabbage, a major crop in Korea, shows self-incompatibility (SI). SI is controlled by the type 2A serine/threonine protein phosphatases (PP2As). The PP2A gene is controlled by regulatory subunits that comprise a 36 kDa catalyst C subunit, a 65 kDa regulatory A subunit, and a variety of regulatory B subunits (50-70 kDa). Among them, the PP2A 55 kDa B regulatory subunit (PR55/B) gene located in the A05 chromosome has 13 exons spanning 2.9 kb, and two homologous genes, Bra018924 and Bra014296, were found to be present on the A06 and A08 chromosome, respectively. In this study, we performed a functional analysis of the PR55/B gene using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated system 9 (CRISPR/Cas9)-mediated gene mutagenesis. CRISPR/Cas9 technology can be used to easily introduce mutations in the target gene. Tentative gene-edited lines were generated by the Agrobacterium-mediated transfer and were selected by PCR and Southern hybridization analysis. Furthermore, pods were confirmed to be formed in flower pollination (FP) as well as bud pollination (BP) in some gene-edited lines. Seed fertility of gene-edited lines indicated that the PR55/B gene plays a key role in SI. Finally, self-compatible T-DNA-free T2 gene-edited plants and edited sequences of target genes were secured. The self-compatible Chinese cabbage developed in this study is expected to contribute to Chinese cabbage breeding.

Utility of Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Detection of Locally Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer After Surgical Resection.

BACKGROUND. Overlapping imaging findings between local tumor recurrence and postsurgical fibrosis represent a major clinical challenge after pancreatic ductal adeno-carcinoma (PDAC) resection. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of MRI with and without DWI for differentiating locally recurrent tumor and postsurgical fibrosis after PDAC resection. METHODS. This retrospective study included 66 patients (35 men, 31 women; mean age, 60.5 years) who underwent PDAC resection between January 2009 and March 2016, postoperative surveillance CT showing a soft-tissue lesion at the operative site or at the site of peripancreatic vessels, and subsequent MRI with DWI for further evaluation. CT at least 6 months after MRI served as the reference standard, with increase in size of the soft tissue by 5 mm or more differentiating locally recurrent tumor (n = 26) and postsurgical fibrosis (n = 40). Two observers in consensus evaluated MRI characteristics of the soft-tissue lesions. Two additional observers independently reviewed MRI examinations in two separate sessions (conventional MRI alone vs MRI with DWI), recording likelihood of recurrent tumor using a 1-5 scale. ROC analysis was performed, considering scores of 4 or 5 as positive. RESULTS. Subjective diffusion restriction was more common in locally recurrent tumor than postsurgical fibrosis (88.5% vs 25.0%, p = .01). Median ADC was lower for locally recurrent tumor than postsurgical fibrosis (1.3 vs 1.7 × 10-3 mm2/s, p < .001). For both observers, MRI with DWI in comparison with conventional MRI alone showed higher AUC for diagnosis of locally recurrent tumor (observer 1: 0.805 vs 0.707, p = .048; observer 2: 0.898 vs 0.637, p < .001) and higher sensitivity (observer 1: 88.5% vs 61.5%, p = .008; observer 2: 84.6% vs 42.3%, p = .001) but no difference in specificity (observer 1: 72.5% vs 80.0%, p = .08; observer 2, 95.0% vs 85.0%, p = .10). Interobserver agreement was moderate for conventional MRI (κ = 0.41) and good for conventional MRI with DWI (κ = 0.62). CONCLUSION. The addition of DWI to conventional MRI improves the differentiation of locally recurrent tumor and postsurgical fibrosis after PDAC resection, primarily because of improved sensitivity for recurrence. CLINICAL IMPACT. The findings indicate a potential role for MRI with DWI in surveillance protocols after PDAC resection.

Zika virus infection accelerates Alzheimer's disease phenotypes in brain organoids.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the progressive neurodegenerative diseases characterized by ß-amyloid (Aß) production and Phosphorylated-Tau (p-Tau) protein in the cerebral cortex. The precise mechanisms of the cause, responsible for disease pathology and progression, are not well understood because there are multiple risk factors associated with the disease. Viral infection is one of the risk factors for AD, and we demonstrated that Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in brain organoids could trigger AD pathological features, including Aß and p-Tau expression. AD-related phenotypes in brain organoids were upregulated via endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) after ZIKV infection in brain organoids. Under persistent ER stress, activated-double stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase-like ER-resident (PERK) triggered the phosphorylation of Eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) and then BACE, and GSK3α/ß related to AD. Furthermore, we demonstrated that pharmacological inhibitors of PERK attenuated Aß and p-Tau in brain organoids after ZIKV infection.

Cellulosimicrobium protaetiae sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the larva of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming, yellow-pigmented, non-motile, non-flagellated, facultative anaerobic and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated BI34T, was isolated from the gut of the larva of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis. Strain BI34T grew at 15-40 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 6.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in the presence of 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2 %). Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain BI34T belonged to the phylum Actinobacteria and was closely related to Cellulosimicrobium funkei NBRC 104118T (99.3 %), Cellulosimicrobium cellulans NBRC 15516T (99.1 %), Cellulosimicrobium composti BIT-GX5T (99.0 %), Cellulosimicrobium fucosivorans SE3T (99.0 %), Cellulosimicrobium marinum NBRC 110994T (98.4 %) and Cellulosimicrobium terreum DS-61T (97.0 %). The genome to genome relatedness of the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values calculated by the Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator between strain BI34T and its related species mentioned above were lower than the threshold of 95 and 70 % for speciation, respectively. The predominant menaquinone of strain BI34T contained MK-9(H4), and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. Strain BI34T had diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol as major polar lipids. The whole-cell sugars were galactose, glucose and ribose, and the cell-wall peptidoglycan contained lysine, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The DNA G+C content of strain BI34T was 73.8 mol%. The difference in physiological and biochemical characteristics and the below-threshold values of genome-to-genome relatedness indicate that strain BI34T represents a novel species in the genus Cellulosimicrobium, for which the name Cellulosimicrobium protaetiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BI34T (=KCTC 49302T=NBRC 114073T).

Generation of Cortical Brain Organoid with Vascularization by Assembling with Vascular Spheroid.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Brain organoids have the potential to improve our understanding of brain development and neurological disease. Despite the importance of brain organoids, the effect of vascularization on brain organoids is largely unknown. The objective of this study is to develop vascularized organoids by assembling vascular spheroids with cerebral organoids. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, vascularized spheroids were generated from non-adherent microwell culture system of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, human dermal fibroblasts and human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells. These vascular spheroids were used for fusion with iPSCs induced cerebral organoids. Immunostaining studies of vascularized organoids demonstrated well organized vascular structures and reduced apoptosis. We showed that the vascularization in cerebral organoids up-regulated the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. CONCLUSIONS: We developed vascularized cerebral organoids through assembly of brain organoids with vascular spheroids. This method could not only provide a model to study human cortical development but also represent an opportunity to explore neurological disease.

Juxtaneural ganglia arising from the hip joint: focus on magnetic resonance imaging findings and clinical manifestations.

OBJECTIVE: To present cases of juxtaneural ganglia arising from the hip with a discussion of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, presenting symptoms, and possible treatment option. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two radiologists performed a consensus review of MRI scans obtained between January 2013 and March 2021 to identify patients with juxtaneural ganglia around the hip. A total of 11 patients with 11 juxtaneural ganglia were identified. Medical records and MRI findings were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Eight patients had lesions involving the sciatic nerve, and three patients had lesions involving the obturator nerve. Sciatic ganglia arose from a paralabral cyst in the posteroinferior quadrant and continued through a narrow channel running along the posterior acetabulum, showing increased diameter in the sciatic foramen and intrapelvic portion. Obturator ganglia showed a J- or reverse J-shape on the coronal imaging plane and extended from a paralabral cyst in the anteroinferior quadrant via the obturator canal. Nine patients (9/11, 81.8%) had symptoms resembling those of lumbosacral radiculopathy. Four patients underwent arthroscopic surgery, and one patient underwent ultrasound-guided aspiration, all of whom showed partial improvement. Spontaneous decrease in the extent of the ganglion was observed in three patients (3/11, 27.3%). CONCLUSION: This article describes rare cases of juxtaneural ganglia arising from the hip joint and involving the sciatic and obturator nerves. The lesions share similar MRI findings, and each type of cyst (sciatic or obturator ganglia) involves a specific labral quadrant.