RNA outperforms DNA-based metabarcoding in assessing the diversity and response of microeukaryotes to environmental variables in the Arctic Ocean.

The Arctic Ocean (AO) has a harsh environment characterized by low temperatures, extensive ice coverage, and periodic freezing and melting of sea ice, which has provided diverse habitats for microorganisms. Prior studies primarily focused on microeukaryote communities in the upper water or sea ice based on environmental DNA, leaving the composition of active microeukaryotes in the diverse AO environments largely unknown. This study provided a vertical assessment of microeukaryote communities in the AO from snow and ice to sea water at a depth of 1670 m using high-throughput sequencing of co-extracted DNA and RNA. RNA extracts depicted microeukaryote community structure and intergroup correlations more accurately and responded more sensitively to environmental conditions than those derived from DNA. Using RNA:DNA ratios as a proxy for relative activity of major taxonomic groups, the metabolic activities of major microeukaryote groups were determined along depth. Analysis of co-occurrence networks showed that parasitism between Syndiniales and dinoflagellates/ciliates in the deep ocean may be significant. This study increased our knowledge of the diversity of active microeukaryote communities and highlighted the importance of using RNA-based sequencing over DNA-based sequencing to examine the relationship between microeukaryote assemblages and the responses of microeukaryotes to environmental variables in the AO.

Establishment of patient-derived three-dimensional organoid culture in renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma is a heterogeneous kidney cancer, and over 403,000 cases were reported worldwide in 2018. Current methods for studying renal cell carcinoma are limited to two-dimensional (2D) culture of primary cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. Numerous studies have suggested that 2D culture poorly represents the diversity, heterogeneity, and drug-resistance of primary tumors. The time and cost associated with patient-derived xenograft models poses a realistic barrier to their clinical utility. As a biomimetic model, patient-derived three-dimensional (3D) organoid culture can overcome these disadvantages and bridge the gap between in vitro cell culture and in vivo patient-derived xenograft models. Here, we establish a patient-derived 3D organoid culture system for clear cell renal cell carcinoma and demonstrate the biomimetic characteristics of our model with respect to both primary kidney cancer and conventional 2D culture. Materials and Methods: Normal renal tissues and tumor tissues were collected from patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The dissociated cells were cultured as conventional 2D culture and 3D organoid culture. The biomimetic characteristic of the two cultures were compared. Results: Compared with 2D culture, the 3D organoid cultures retained the characteristic lipid-rich, clear cell morphology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Carbonic anhydrase 9 and vimentin were validated as biomarkers of renal cell carcinoma. Expression of the two validated biomarkers was more enhanced in 3D organoid culture. Conclusions: Patient-derived 3D organoid culture retains the characteristics of renal cell carcinoma with respect to morphology and biomarker expression.

Improved electrical performance of a sol-gel IGZO transistor with high-k Al2O3 gate dielectric achieved by post annealing.

We have explored the effect of post-annealing on the electrical properties of an indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) transistor with an Al2O3 bottom gate dielectric, formed by a sol-gel process. The post-annealed IGZO device demonstrated improved electrical performance in terms of threshold variation, on/off ratio, subthreshold swing, and mobility compared to the non-annealed reference device. Capacitance-voltage measurement confirmed that annealing can lead to enhanced capacitance properties due to reduced charge trapping. Depth profile analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy proved that percentage of both the oxygen vacancy (VO) and the hydroxyl groups (M-OH) within the IGZO/Al2O3 layers, which serve as a charge trapping source, can be substantially reduced by annealing the fabricated transistor device. Furthermore, the undesired degradation of the contact interface between source/drain electrode and the channel, which mainly concerns VO, can be largely prevented by post-annealing. Thus, the facile annealing process also improves the electrical bias stress stability. This simple post annealing approach provides a strategy for realising better performance and reliability of the solid sol-gel oxide transistor.

Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Canopy Photosynthesis Modeling Using 3D Plant Architecture and Light Ray-Tracing.

Canopy photosynthesis has typically been estimated using mathematical models that have the following assumptions: the light interception inside the canopy exponentially declines with the canopy depth, and the photosynthetic capacity is affected by light interception as a result of acclimation. However, in actual situations, light interception in the canopy is quite heterogenous depending on environmental factors such as the location, microclimate, leaf area index, and canopy architecture. It is important to apply these factors in an analysis. The objective of the current study is to estimate the canopy photosynthesis of paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) with an analysis of by simulating the intercepted irradiation of the canopy using a 3D ray-tracing and photosynthetic capacity in each layer. By inputting the structural data of an actual plant, the 3D architecture of paprika was reconstructed using graphic software (Houdini FX, FX, Canada). The light curves and A/C i curve of each layer were measured to parameterize the Farquhar, von Caemmerer, and Berry (FvCB) model. The difference in photosynthetic capacity within the canopy was observed. With the intercepted irradiation data and photosynthetic parameters of each layer, the values of an entire plant's photosynthesis rate were estimated by integrating the calculated photosynthesis rate at each layer. The estimated photosynthesis rate of an entire plant showed good agreement with the measured plant using a closed chamber for validation. From the results, this method was considered as a reliable tool to predict canopy photosynthesis using light interception, and can be extended to analyze the canopy photosynthesis in actual greenhouse conditions.

Relationships between Body Image, Body Mass Index, and Smoking in Korean Adolescents: Results of a Nationwide Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the association between subjective body image or objective body mass index (BMI) and the risk of daily smoking in Korean adolescents, with a purpose of identifying the most suitable models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the 2013 9th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey data for 72,435 students, odds ratios were calculated for daily smoking in the past month, according to the subjective body image and calculated BMI using a respective multiple logistic regression model. The combined effect of these two factors was also analyzed by pairing a BMI category with a subjective body image category, using odds ratios for the same event within each sex group. RESULTS: Among the surveyed students, 7.2% of boys and 1.8% of girls were classified as daily smokers. Students who perceived themselves as being very obese tended to be at lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.61 in boys with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.79; OR=0.66 in women with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.93). In addition, boys within the obese or overweight BMI category showed a lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.96). Lean BMI was significantly associated with higher odds ratios for daily smoking only in female students (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.02-1.52). When pairing these two objective and subjective factors, results suggested that subjective body image has a greater effect on daily smoking than BMI in both boys and girls. CONCLUSIONS: In both male and female students, subjective body image had a greater effect on daily smoking than body mass index. A model using the combination of BMI and subjective body image was the best fit in girls, in contrast to the model using subjective body image only best suitable in boys, for the prediction of daily smoking. These results including several factors associated with daily smoking in Korean students, provide useful data for the development and implementation of smoking intervention and cessation programs for adolescents.

Efficient transduction with recombinant adenovirus in EBV-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines.

The Epstein-Barr-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines, LCL, which express antigens, are potential antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vitro. However, transfecting LCL with subsequent selection by antibiotics is notoriously difficult because the plating efficiencies of LCL are reported to be 1% or less. Therefore, this study investigated the optimal conditions for increasing the transduction efficiency of a recombinant adenovirus to LCL for use as a source of APCs. The transduction efficiencies were < 13% (SD +/- 2.13) at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100, while it was increased to 28% (SD +/- 9.43) at an MOI of 1000. Moreover, its efficiencies to LCL that expressed the coxsackie adenovirus receptor were increased to 60% (SD +/- 6.35) at an MOI of 1000, and were further increased to 70% (SD +/- 4.56) when combined with the centrifugal method. The cationic liposome or anionic polymer had no effect on the transduction efficiency when compared to that of the centrifugal method. These results may be used as a convenient source of target cells for a CTL assay and/or autologous APCs for the induction of the in vitro CTL responses that are specific to viral and tumor antigens.

Clinical case of ossifying fasciitis of the hand.

Ossifying fasciitis is a rare benign tumour similar to nodular fasciitis histopathologically, but, morphologically, composed of metaplastic bone with calcification and chondroid differentiation. This lesion may easily be misinterpreted as malignancy, clinically and histologically, because it presents as a rapidly growing mass originating from subcutaneous or deep fascial tissues. These lesions are usually located in upper and lower extremities and trunk. We present a case in which, unusually, it was located in the flexor tendon sheath of the hand, which caused limitation of motion. Clinical suspicion and accurate histopathology of this rare benign lesion is important because it is commonly misdiagnosed as a malignancy and results in unnecessary aggressively wide resection.