Ramlibacter paludis sp. nov., isolated from wetland.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped, aerobic and white-coloured bacterium (designated XY19T) was isolated from a soil sample of wetland from Godeok Ecological Park, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, strain XY19T clustered with species of the genus Ramlibacter and appeared closely related to R. ginsenosidimutans DSM 23480T (98.42 %), R. alkalitolerans JCM 32081T (97.68 %) and R. monticola JCM 31918T (97.66 %). The average nucleotide identity between strain XY19T and three strains (R. ginsenosidimutans DSM 23480T, R. alkalitolerans JCM 32081T and R. monticola JCM 31918T) were 80.7, 81.1 and 81.4 %. And the digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) calculated between strain XY19T and each of the three strains (R. ginsenosidimutans DSM 23480T, R. alkalitolerans JCM 32081T and R. monticola JCM 31918T) were 24.1, 24.4 and 24.5 %. ANI value and dDDH results were a novel species of the genus Ramlibacter. Growth occurs at 10-37 °C on R2A medium in the pressence of 0-1 % NaCl (w/v) and at pH 6.0-8.5. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.7 mol%, and ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) was the major respiratory quinone. The major cellular fatty acids (>5 %) were C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c (summed feature 3), C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo and C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c (summed feature 8). The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified lipids and unidentified aminophospholipid. Physiological and biochemical characteristics indicated that strain XY19T represents a novel species of the genus Ramlibacter, for which the name Ramlibacter paludis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY19T (= KACC 22220T = LMG 32190T).

Impact of instructors' online teaching readiness on satisfaction in the emergency online teaching context.

This study aims at investigating the predictive effects of online teaching readiness factors on instructors' satisfaction and confidence in the emergency online teaching context. The target population is instructors who experienced online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in South Korea. Two hundred and thirteen instructors from 15 universities in South Korea responded to a survey asking about online teaching readiness (technological, pedagogical, online communication, time and environment management, and institutional support readiness), satisfaction, and confidence. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that pedagogical and online communication readiness have significant positive effects on both satisfaction and confidence, while showing lower means than other online teaching readiness sub-categories. This research concludes that specific strategies and skills for pedagogical and online communication readiness have to be stressed in professional development programs for online teaching.

Demarcating the Exact Midplane of the Liver Using Indocyanine Green Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging During Laparoscopic Donor Hepatectomy.

Indocyanine green (ICG) near-infrared fluoroscopy has been recently implemented in pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (PLDH). This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of ICG fluoroscopy during liver midplane dissection in PLDH and to demonstrate that a single injection of ICG is adequate for both midplane dissection and bile duct division. Retrospective analysis was done with images acquired from recordings of PLDH performed without ICG (pre-ICG group) from November 2015 to May 2016 and with ICG (post-ICG group) from June 2016 to May 2017. 30 donors from the pre-ICG group were compared with 46 donors from the post-ICG group. The operation time was shorter (P = 0.002) and postoperative peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were lower (P = 0.031 and P = 0.019, respectively) in the post-ICG group than the pre-ICG group. Within the post-ICG group, the color intensity differences between the clamped versus nonclamped regions in the natural, black-and-white, and fluorescent modes were 39.7 ± 36.2, 89.6 ± 46.9, and 19.1 ± 36.8 (mean ± SD, P < 0.001), respectively. The luminosity differences were 37.2 ± 34.5, 93.8 ± 32.1, and 26.7 ± 25.7 (P < 0.001), respectively. Meanwhile, the time from when ICG was injected to when the near-infrared camera was turned on for bile duct visualization was 85.6 ± 25.8 minutes. All grafts received from the 46 donors were successfully transplanted. In conclusion, ICG fluoroscopy helps to reduce operation time and lower postoperative AST/ALT levels. ICG injection visualized with black-and-white imaging is most effective for demarcating the liver midplane during PLDH. A single intravenous injection of ICG is sufficient for midplane dissection as well as bile duct division.

Impact of PNPLA3 (rs738409-G) polymorphism on post-transplant outcomes after liver transplantation for alcohol-related liver disease.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the association between PNPLA3 polymorphism and post-liver transplantation (LT) outcomes related to alcohol relapse (AR). METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients receiving LT for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) from 04/2014 to 12/2017. Liver-related clinical outcomes were assessed by the gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level and alcohol-related liver failure (ARLF). Genotyping was performed using prospectively collected DNA samples in both donors and recipients. RESULTS: A total of 83 recipients were enrolled. Post-LT AR occurred in 31 patients (37.3%). Thirty-one patients (14 AR, 9 abstainers) showed elevated GGT levels, and 3 AR patients experienced ARLF. In the multivariate analysis, rs738409 G allele carrier and heavy drinking (HRAR score ≥ 4) were independent risk factors for elevated GGT levels (odds ratio [OR] = 8.69, P < .01; OR = 13.07, P = .01) and ARLF (OR = 4.52, P = .04; OR = 19.62, P = .03). Among 15 heavy AR patients, being an rs738409 G allele carrier was related to GGT elevation (P = .03) and ARLF (P = .04), but it was not related to GGT elevation in mild drinkers (n = 16) or abstainers (n = 52). CONCLUSION: PNPLA3 polymorphism of the recipient genotype can independently affect the post-LT prognosis of LT patients for ALD, especially in heavy AR patients. Therefore, strong abstinence education is recommended in patients with this single nucleotide polymorphism.

The Mechanism of p53 Rescue by SUSP4.

p53 is an important tumor-suppressor protein deactivation of which by mdm2 results in cancers. A SUMO-specific protease 4 (SUSP4) was shown to rescue p53 from mdm2-mediated deactivation, but the mechanism is unknown. The discovery by NMR spectroscopy of a "p53 rescue motif" in SUSP4 that disrupts p53-mdm2 binding is presented. This 29-residue motif is pre-populated with two transient helices connected by a hydrophobic linker. The helix at the C-terminus binds to the well-known p53-binding pocket in mdm2 whereas the N-terminal helix serves as an affinity enhancer. The hydrophobic linker binds to a previously unidentified hydrophobic crevice in mdm2. Overall, SUSP4 appears to use two synergizing modules, the p53 rescue motif described here and a globular-structured SUMO-binding catalytic domain, to stabilize p53. A p53 rescue motif peptide exhibits an anti-tumor activity in cancer cell lines expressing wild-type p53. A pre-structures motif in the intrinsically disordered proteins is thus important for target recognition.

Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity is one of the neuroimaging candidate biomarkers of Alzheimer disease. However, no studies have investigated DMN connectivity at different stages of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of DMN connectivity and its breakdown among cognitively normal (CN), early MCI (EMCI), and late MCI (LMCI) subjects. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging data and neuropsychological test scores from 130 subjects (CN=43, EMCI=47, LMCI=40) were obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. DMN functional connectivity was extracted using independent components analysis and compared between groups. RESULTS: Functional connectivity in the precuneus, bilateral medial frontal, parahippocampal, middle temporal, right superior temporal, and left angular gyri was decreased in EMCI subjects compared with CN subjects. When the 2 MCI groups were directly compared, LMCI subjects exhibited decreased functional connectivity in the precuneus, bilateral medial frontal gyri, and left angular gyrus. There was no significant difference in gray matter volume among the 3 groups. Amyloid-positive EMCI subjects revealed more widespread breakdown of DMN connectivity than amyloid-negative EMCI subjects. A quantitative index of DMN connectivity correlated well with measures of cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the breakdown of DMN connectivity may occur in the early stage of MCI.

Common variants in RYR1 are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy assessed by electrocardiogram.

AIMS: To identify the genetic risk factors that influence the development of electrocardiographic (ECG) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a genomewide association study (GWAS) of ECG-LVH, in which the community-based Korea Association REsource (KARE) study (8432 controls and 398 cases) was analysed by Affymetrix SNP array 5.0. The GWAS results were validated in hospital-based samples (597 controls and 207 cases). Fourteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in eight genetic loci (5q35.1, 6p22.3-22.1, 8q24.2, 11p15, 11q21-22.1, 14q12, 17q11.2, and 19q13.1) were associated with ECG-LVH in the original GWAS study (P < 1 × 10(-5)). Of these SNPs, 12 were genotyped in the hospital sample. There was consistent association with the 19q13.1 region which contains RYR1 gene. The most significant SNP in the region was rs10500279, which had genomewide significance in the combined GWAS/replication sample [odds ratio = 1.58 (confidence interval: 1.35-1.85), P = 1.0 × 10(-8)]. Mutations in RYR1, which encodes a major Ca(2+) channel in the skeletal muscle, have been reported to correlate with CV diseases. CONCLUSION: We performed the first GWAS for ECG-LVH, implicating the skeletal muscle Ca(2+) channel protein RYR1 as a genetic risk factor. These results might increase our understanding of the development of ECG-LVH.

Estimates of induced abortion in South Korea: health facilities survey.

AIM: The aim of this study was to estimate the national rates of induced abortion in South Korea, where no quantitative national studies of abortion exist because the procedure is illegal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey of 25 hospitals and 176 private clinics that provide induced abortions was conducted in 2005. The data were analyzed to estimate the nationwide rate of induced abortion. Indirect estimation methodology was used to calculate the number of annual induced abortions. RESULTS: In 2005, an estimated 342 433 induced abortions were performed in South Korea at a rate of 29.8 per 1000 women aged 15-44years. We observed that the abortion rate was higher in single women (31.6 per 1000 women) than in married women (28.6 per 1000 women). CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of induced abortions occur in both cohorts of married and unmarried women. To prevent serious physical harm to patients, the government should reconsider the practicality of the current statutes that prohibit women from seeking abortions from a qualified provider.

Association between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms in female workers: An exploration of potential moderators.

Work-family conflict (WFC), an inter-role conflict between work and family, negatively affects mental health. Using a nationally representative systematic sample, this study aimed to investigate the association between WFC, depressive symptoms, and potential moderators in the association of adult female workers. Data of 4714 female workers (aged ≥19 years) were obtained cross-sectionally from the 2018 nationwide Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (KLoWF). WFC was assessed using a 7-item questionnaire, based on which scores were classified into high (>75th percentile score) and low (≤75th percentile score) levels of WFC. Significant depressive symptoms were defined as a score of ≥10 on the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale. Female workers with high WFC levels were more likely to have depressive symptoms than those with low WFC levels (odds ratio = 2.29, 95% confidence interval = 1.91-2.74). In stratified analyses, high WFC levels were associated with the highest odds of depressive symptoms in the following groups: young adults (19-39 years), those with a college degree or above or with high income, never-married individuals, those with a family size of three or a single child, nonstandard workers, and pink-collar workers. This study replicated and extended previous findings on the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. The association was moderated by age, education and income levels, marital status, family size, number of children, and job conditions.

A regulatory SNP in AKAP13 is associated with blood pressure in Koreans.

High blood pressure contributes to more than 10 million deaths per year worldwide through stroke and ischemic heart disease. Yet, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified a small fraction of its underlying genetic factors. To identify biologically important single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that regulate variations in blood pressure, we analyzed SNPs in a genome-wide association study. Genome-wide genotype data (original study n = 7551, SNP = 352,228; replication study n = 3703, SNP = 20) were obtained from the Korea National Institute of Health, wherein 29,921 of 352,228 SNPs lay within 5 kbp upstream of genes. Linear regression analysis was performed for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by controlling for cohort, age, sex and body mass index. For the 20 SNPs that were associated with both blood pressure values, a replication study was performed in an independent population. A total of 20 SNPs were significantly associated with both blood pressure values in the original study, 13 of which lay in a conserved transcription factor-binding site. One SNP (rs11638762), in the GATA-3 binding site upstream of the AKAP13 gene, was significantly replicated in another cohort (P-value of the meta-analysis = 1.4 × 10(-5) for systolic blood pressure and 6.3 × 10(-4) for DBP). A functional GWAS was performed using upstream SNPs, and a novel genetic factor (AKAP13), which is essential for cardiac myocyte development in mice, was identified as a regulator of blood pressure.

Association between renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system-related genes and blood pressure in a Korean population.

AIMS. Blood pressure control is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors, and genetic susceptibility is important in the development of essential hypertension. Because the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) has a key role in vasoconstriction, vasodilation, and sodium and electrolyte balance, it is central in blood pressure control and so is an appropriate target in hypertension treatments. The present study assessed the association of RAAS-related genes with blood pressure and hypertension in a Korean population. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, n = 114) in nine RAAS-related genes (AGT, REN, ACE, ACE2, AGTR1, CYP11B2, NR3C2, MAS1, and CMA1) were assessed for their correlation with blood pressure and hypertension using genotype data of 8842 individuals from the Korea Association Resource subject pool. MAJOR FINDINGS. Linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant association with blood pressure of 10 SNPs in six genes (ACE, ACE2, CYP11B2, NR3C2, MAS1, and CMA1). An additional hypertension case-control study identified 10 SNPs in NR3C2 and ACE that were linked to hypertension. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION. Three SNPs (rs11737660, rs6810951, and rs10519963) in NR3C2 correlate with both blood pressure and hypertension. Genetic polymorphisms in RAAS-related genes appear to be associated with hypertension in a Korean population.

Alternative splicing of human height-related zinc finger and BTB domain-containing 38 gene through Alu exonization.

Recently, genome-wide association studies have identified a strong association between the ZBTB38 locus and human height. In a functional study, we detected two RT-PCR products of ZBTB38, amplified with primers in exons 7 and 8 from a chondrocyte cell line, C-28/I2. Sequencing revealed that the longer product contained an Alu segment in intron 7 of ZBTB38, which contained a potential splicing acceptor site that likely was used to generate the alternative transcript. Insertion of the Alu segment changed the consensus Kozak sequence of the ZBTB38 transcript, potentially altering translational efficiency. We performed RT-PCR using 16 tissue samples from humans and 8 tissue samples from primates to determine any tissue specificity or evolutionary conservation of the alternative splicing. Although we failed to identify any difference among the tissues, all primate samples expressed only the shorter Alu segment (lacking the transcript), suggesting that the alternative splicing event is hominid primate-specific.

Association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and depression: Moderation by age, sex, obesity, and aerobic physical activity.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade systemic inflammation evidenced by elevated serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels can be a biomarker for depression. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum hsCRP levels and depressive symptoms and to explore the potential moderating effects of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and aerobic physical activity on the association. METHODS: Data of 10,702 adults (≥ 19 years) were obtained from the nationwide cross-sectional Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of 2016 and 2018. Significant depressive symptoms were defined as ≥ 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and high hsCRP level was defined as > 3.0 mg/L. RESULTS: Adults with high hsCRP levels were more likely to have depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.84) and suicidal ideation (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.07-1.80) than those with low hsCRP levels. In the age- and sex-stratified analysis, high hsCRP levels were associated with depressive symptoms in the non-geriatric population (age ≤ 64 years) alone, with a higher OR in males than females. In subgroup analyses, the association between them was observed only among obese adults and adults without aerobic physical activity. LIMITATIONS: Causal interpretation is limited due to the cross-sectional design. CONCLUSIONS: Our results replicate previous findings of an association between high hsCRP levels and depressive symptoms in adults using a large nationally representative sample. The association between them was more prominent in the non-geriatric population, males, obese adults, and those without aerobic physical activity.

Association of Prefrontal Cortex Thinning with High Impulsivity in Healthy Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Studies have been conducted to identify brain structural alterations related to high impulsivity in psychiatric populations. However, research on healthy subjects is relatively less extensive. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the correlation between the cortical thickness of whole brain regions and the impulsivity level in a healthy population. METHODS: We included 100 healthy participants aged 19-65 years. Their T1-weighted magnetic resonance images and the 23-item Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) score were obtained. The patients were divided into high and low impulsivity groups according to the 75th percentile score of the BIS in the sample. The thickness of each cortical region was calculated using the FreeSurfer, and the difference in cortical thickness of the whole brain between the high and low impulsivity groups was analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance including age, sex, education level, and total intracranial cavity volume as covariates. RESULTS: The high impulsivity group showed significant cortical thinning in the left pars opercularis. The cortical thickness of the left pars opercularis significantly correlated negatively with the total, attention, and motor scores of the BIS scale. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that prefrontal cortex thinning may play an important role in the development of high impulsivity in healthy adults.

Flexible hybrid photodetector based on silver sulfide nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Herein, we reported a wearable photodetector based on hybrid nanocomposites, such as carbon materials and biocompatible semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), exhibiting excellent photoresponsivity and superior durability. Currently, semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) containing heavy metals, such as lead or cadmium (in the form of lead sulfide (PbS) and cadmium sulfide (CdS)), are known to display excellent detection properties and are thus widely employed in the fabrication of photodetectors. However, the toxic properties of these heavy metals are well known. Hence, in spite of their enormous potential, the QDs based on these heavy metals are not generally preferred in biological or biomedical applications. These limitations, though, can be overcome by the judicious choice of alternate materials such as silver sulfide (Ag2S) NCs, which are biocompatible and exhibit multiple excitons in Ag2S QDs. The other chosen component is a carbon-based material, such as the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), which is preferred primarily due to its strong and superior mechanical durability. In this study, a hybrid nanocomposite film was synthesized from Ag2S NCs and MWCNTs by a simple one-step fabrication process using ultrasonic irradiation. Additionally, this method did not involve any chemical functionalization or post-processing step. The size of Ag2S NCs in the hybrid film was controlled by the irradiation time and the power of the ultrasonic radiation. Further, appropriate composition ratio of the hybrid composite was optimized to balance the photo-response and mechanical durability of the photodetector. Thus, using this synthetic method, an excellent photoresponsivity property of the device was demonstrated for a near-infrared (NIR) light source with various light wavelengths. Furthermore, no visible change in photoresponsivity was observed for bending motions up to 105 cycles and for a range of angles (0-60°). This novel method provides an eco-friendly alternative to existing functional composites containing toxic heavy metals and is a promising approach for the development of wearable optoelectronic devices.

Recapitulation of two genomewide association studies on blood pressure and essential hypertension in the Korean population.

Essential hypertension causes high rates of morbidity and mortality, primarily due to its complications, and its development is regulated by genetic risk and environmental factors. However, until recent genomewide association studies (GWASs) were reported, the genetic factors were unknown. Two GWASs on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and hypertension in Caucasians-Global Blood Pressure Genetics (Global BPgen) and Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genome Epidemiology (CHARGE)-reported 51 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 12 loci at P<4 x 10(-7). Because the prevalence, age of onset and severity of complications of hypertension vary between ethnic groups, we wanted to investigate these results in other ethnic groups. We examined the association of 27 of the 51 SNPs in 8512 unrelated individuals from Korean Association REsource (KARE), a GWAS that was based on epidemiological cohorts in Korea. Four loci-ATP2B1 (ATPase, Ca(++) transporting, plasma membrane 1), CSK (c-src tyrosine kinase), CYP17A1 (cytochrome P450 17A1) and PLEKHA7 (pleckstrin homology domain-containing family A member 7)-were associated with blood pressure and hypertension in the Korean population.

Genetic variations in the sodium balance-regulating genes ENaC, NEDD4L, NDFIP2 and USP2 influence blood pressure and hypertension.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In humans, the kidneys regulate blood pressure by balancing sodium concentrations. Fine-tuning of renal sodium reabsorption and excretion depends on the epithelial sodium channel protein (ENaC: protein complex of SCNN1A, SCNN1B, and SCNN1G). The surface expression of ENaC components is directed by the ubiquitination of ENaC by NEDD4L, an ENaC-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, and is regulated by the deubiquitination of ENaC by USP2. The activity of NEDD4L in turn is regulated by phosphorylation by SGK1 and also through interaction with NDFIP2. METHODS: We analyzed 91 SNPs in 7 genes using the genotype data of 8,842 individuals from the Korea Association REsource subject pool for their correlation with blood pressure and hypertension. RESULTS: 25 SNPs in the SCNN1A, SCNN1B, SCNN1G, NEDD4L, NDFIP2, and USP2 loci were found to be associated with blood pressure. An additional hypertension case-control study identified 13 SNPs in SCNN1B, SCNN1G, and NEDD4L that were linked to hypertension. CONCLUSION: These results support our hypothesis that individual variations in blood pressure are attributed to variants of the genes that regulate renal sodium reabsorption and excretion. Our data also suggest that it would be meaningful to investigate the role of NEDD4L-mediated ubiquitination in the pathogenesis of hypertension.

Medical students' perspectives on recommencing clinical rotations during coronavirus disease 2019 at one institution in South Korea.

PURPOSE: Clinical rotations of medical students across the world have inevitably been affected due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aims of this study were to explore medical students' perception on the school's response and management of clinical rotation during the COVID-19 pandemic and on how it had affected the quality of their education. METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to third year medical students at one institution whose clinical rotations re-started during the pandemic. The questions asked about the students' satisfaction with the school's policy and feelings of safety, and the impact of COVID-19 on clinical learning. RESULTS: The students' perception on the school's response to the pandemic was mixed. Re-commencement of the clinical rotations and procurement of personal protective equipment was positive but a third of students still felt unsafe. The decreased number of hospital patients did not seem to have impacted their overall clinical education with praise on the role of the supervising physicians. Seventy-six-point seven percent of students conferred the positive educational opportunities on medical professionalism presented to them only as the clinical rotation during the ongoing pandemic. CONCLUSION: Our observations on the re-commencement of clerkship during this pandemic may help equip medical institutions on future public health crisis.

Enhanced Prefrontal Neuronal Activity and Social Dominance Behavior in Postnatal Forebrain Excitatory Neuron-Specific Cyfip2 Knock-Out Mice.

The cytoplasmic fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1)-interacting protein 2 (CYFIP2) gene is associated with epilepsy, intellectual disability (ID), and developmental delay, suggesting its critical role in proper neuronal development and function. CYFIP2 is involved in regulating cellular actin dynamics and also interacts with RNA-binding proteins. However, the adult brain function of CYFIP2 remains unclear because investigations thus far are limited to Cyfip2 heterozygous (Cyfip2+/- ) mice owing to the perinatal lethality of Cyfip2-null mice. Therefore, we generated Cyfip2 conditional knock-out (cKO) mice with reduced CYFIP2 expression in postnatal forebrain excitatory neurons (CaMKIIα-Cre). We found that in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of adult Cyfip2 cKO mice, CYFIP2 expression was decreased in both layer 2/3 (L2/3) and layer 5 (L5) neurons, unlike the L5-specific CYFIP2 reduction observed in adult Cyfip2+/- mice. Nevertheless, filamentous actin (F-actin) levels were increased only in L5 of Cyfip2 cKO mPFC possibly because of a compensatory increase in CYFIP1, the other member of CYFIP family, in L2/3 neurons. Abnormal dendritic spines on basal, but not on apical, dendrites were consistently observed in L5 neurons of Cyfip2 cKO mPFC. Meanwhile, neuronal excitability and activity were enhanced in both L2/3 and L5 neurons of Cyfip2 cKO mPFC, suggesting that CYFIP2 functions of regulating F-actin and excitability/activity may be mediated through independent mechanisms. Unexpectedly, adult Cyfip2 cKO mice did not display locomotor hyperactivity or reduced anxiety observed in Cyfip2+/- mice. Instead, both exhibited enhanced social dominance accessed by the tube test. Together, these results provide additional insights into the functions of CYFIP2 in the adult brain.

The role of CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells in the maintenance of pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, and labor.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of the regulatory T cell subset in peripheral blood caused by gestational age and premature rupture of membranes (PROM) with or without labor to verify the role of regulatory T cells in pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated regulatory T cell distribution in the peripheral blood of pregnancies during the first trimester (group I, n=2), the second trimester (group II, n=12), and the third trimester without PROM and labor (group III, n=15). In addition, we evaluated pregnancies in the third trimester complicated by PROM (group IV, n=4) and labor with no complication by PROM (Group V, n=5). Comparisons were made with non-pregnant controls (group VI, n=4) using flow cytometry. RESULTS: During uncomplicated pregnancy, the CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cell population decreased with advancing gestational age (group I=3.35+/-0.47, group II=2.91+/-1.44, group III=2.81+/-1.36, group VI=2.52+/-0.71, p=NS). When we compared group IV with group III and V to evaluate the changes of the regulatory T cells with PROM, the CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cell population was significantly decreased in group IV compared to group III (p=0.001) and group V (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: The present results revealed that the regulatory T cell population increased in early pregnancy but decreased in pregnancies complicated by PROM, indicating that regulatory T cells might be related to the maintenance of pregnancy.