Is residential exposure to oil refineries a novel contextual risk factor for coronary heart disease?

Despite a multi-decade decrease in cardiovascular disease, geographic disparities have widened, with excess mortality concentrated within the United States (U.S.) South. Petroleum production and refining, a major contributor to climate change, is concentrated within the U.S. South and emits multiple classes of atherogenic pollutants. We investigated whether residential exposure to oil refineries could explain variation in self-reported coronary heart disease (CHD) prevalence among adults in southern states for the year 2018, where the majority of oil refinery activity occurs (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma). We examined census tract-level association between oil refineries and CHD prevalence. We used a double matching method to adjust for measured and unmeasured spatial confounders: one-to-n distance matching and one-to-one generalized propensity score matching. Exposure metrics were constructed based on proximity to refineries, activities of refineries, and wind speed/direction. For all census tracts within 10 km of refineries, self-reported CHD prevalence ranged from 1.2% to 17.6%. Compared to census tracts located at ≥5 km and <10 km, one standard deviation increase in the exposure within 5 km of refineries was associated with a 0.33 (95% confidence interval: 0.04, 0.63) percentage point increase in the prevalence. A total of 1119.0 (123.5, 2114.2) prevalent cases or 1.6% (0.2, 3.1) of CHD prevalence in areas within 5 km from refineries were potentially explained by exposure to oil refineries. At the census tract-level, the prevalence of CHD explained by exposure to oil refineries ranged from 0.02% (0.00, 0.05) to 47.4% (5.2, 89.5). Thus, although we cannot rule out potential confounding by other personal risk factors, CHD prevalence was found to be higher in populations living nearer to oil refineries, which may suggest that exposure to oil refineries can increase CHD risk, warranting further investigation.

Genome-wide scans for detecting the selection signature of the Jeju-island native pig in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The Jeju native pig (JNP) found on the Jeju Island of Korea is a unique black pig known for high-quality meat. To investigate the genetic uniqueness of JNP, we analyzed the selection signature of the JNP in comparison to commercial pigs such as Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs. METHODS: We surveyed the genetic diversity to identify the genetic stability of the JNP, using the linkage disequilibrium method. A selective sweep of the JNP was performed to identify the selection signatures. To do so, the population differentiation measure, Weir-Cockerham's Fst was utilized. This statistic directly measures the population differentiation at the variant level. Additionally, we investigated the gene ontologies (GOs) and genetic features. RESULTS: Compared to the Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs, the JNP had lower genetic diversity in terms of linkage disequilibrium decays. We summarized the selection signatures of the JNP as GO. In the JNP and Berkshire pigs, the most enriched GO terms were epithelium development and neuron-related. Considering the JNP and Yorkshire pigs, cellular response to oxygen-containing compound and generation of neurons were the most enriched GO. CONCLUSION: The selection signatures of the JNP were identified through the population differentiation statistic. The genes with possible selection signatures are expected to play a role in JNP's unique pork quality.

The first comprehensive description of the expression profile of genes involved in differential body growth and the immune system of the Jeju Native Pig and miniature pig.

Sus scrofa provides a major source of animal protein for humans as well as being an excellent biomedical model. This study was carried out to understand, in detail, the genetic and functional variants of Jeju Native Pigs and miniature pigs through differential expression profiling of the genes controlling their immune response, growth performance, and meat quality. The Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform was used for generating 1.3 billion 90 bp paired-end reads, which were mapped to the S. scrofa genome using TopHat2. A total of 2481 and 2768 genes were differentially expressed with 8-log changes in muscle and liver samples, respectively. Five hundred forty-eight genes in muscle and 642 genes in liver samples had BLAST matches within the non-redundant database. GO process and pathway analyses showed enhanced biological processes related to the extracellular structural organization and skeletal muscle cell differentiation in muscle tissue, whereas the liver tissue shares functions related to the inflammatory response. Herein, we identify inflammatory regulatory genes in miniature pigs and growth response genes in Jeju Native Pigs, information which can provide a stronger base for the selection of breeding stock and facilitate further in vitro and in vivo studies for therapeutic purposes.

An integrated in silico approach for functional and structural impact of non- synonymous SNPs in the MYH1 gene in Jeju Native Pigs.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to identify the non- synonymous polymorphisms in the myosin heavy chain 1 gene (MYH1) association with skeletal muscle development in economically important Jeju Native Pig (JNP) and Berkshire breeds. Herein, we present an in silico analysis, with a focus on (a) in silico approaches to predict the functional effect of non-synonymous SNP (nsSNP) in MYH1 on growth, and (b) molecular docking and dynamic simulation of MYH1 to predict the effects of those nsSNP on protein-protein association. RESULTS: The NextGENe (V 2.3.4.) tool was used to identify the variants in MYH1 from JNP and Berkshire using RNA seq. Gene ontology analysis of MYH1 revealed significant association with muscle contraction and muscle organ development. The 95 % confidence intervals clearly indicate that the mRNA expression of MYH1 is significantly higher in the Berkshire longissimus dorsi muscle samples than JNP breed. Concordant in silico analysis of MYH1, the open-source software tools identified 4 potential nsSNP (L884T, K972C, N981G, and Q1285C) in JNP and 1 nsSNP (H973G) in Berkshire pigs. Moreover, protein-protein interactions were studied to investigate the effect of MYH1 mutations on association with hub proteins, and MYH1 was found to be closely associated with the protein myosin light chain, phosphorylatable, fast skeletal muscle MYLPF. The results of molecular docking studies on MYH1 (native and 4 mutants) and MYLFP demonstrated that the native complex showed higher electrostatic energy (-466.5 Kcal mol(-1)), van der Walls energy (-87.3 Kcal mol(-1)), and interaction energy (-835.7 Kcal mol(-1)) than the mutant complexes. Furthermore, the molecular dynamic simulation revealed that the native complex yielded a higher root-mean-square deviation (0.2-0.55 nm) and lower root-mean-square fluctuation (approximately 0.08-0.3 nm) as compared to the mutant complexes. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the variants at L884T, K972C, N981G, and Q1285C in MYH1 in JNP might represent a cause for the poor growth performance for this breed. This study is a pioneering in-depth in silico analysis of polymorphic MYH1 and will serve as a valuable resource for further targeted molecular diagnosis and population-based studies conducted for improving the growth performance of JNP.

Application of genomic big data to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of Korean domestic chickens.

Genetic diversity analysis is crucial for maintaining and managing genetic resources. Several studies have examined the genetic diversity of Korean domestic chicken (KDC) populations using microsatellite markers, but it is difficult to capture the characteristics of the whole genome in this manner. Hence, this study analyzed the genetic diversity of several KDC populations using high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data. We examined 935 birds from 21 KDC populations, including indigenous and adapted Korean native chicken (KNC), Hyunin and Jeju KDC, and Hanhyup commercial KDC populations. A total of 212,420 SNPs of 21 KDC populations were used for calculating genetic distances and fixation index, and for ADMIXTURE analysis. As a result of the analysis, the indigenous KNC groups were genetically closer and more fixed than the other groups. Furthermore, Hyunin and Jeju KDC were similar to the indigenous KNC. In comparison, adapted KNC and Hanhyup KDC populations derived from the same original species were genetically close to each other, but had different genetic structures from the others. In conclusion, this study suggests that continuous evaluation and management are required to prevent a loss of genetic diversity in each group. Basic genetic information is provided that can be used to improve breeds quickly by utilizing the various characteristics of native chickens.

Fascin expression is related to poor survival in gastric cancer.

Fascin is an actin-binding protein that provides mechanical support and cell motility, and involves cancer cell metastasis. We investigated fascin protein expression in gastric cancer and assessed their relationship with clinicopathologic parameters and survival rates. In addition, we researched galectin-3 protein expression to study fascin action mechanisms. We performed immunohistochemisty with fascin and galectin-3 antibodies in 471 gastric carcinomas, using tissue microarrays. Fascin was positive in 14.9% (70/471) of the samples, and fascin expression was related to worse survival rates (P < 0.001), high clinical stage (P < 0.001), high T stage (P < 0.001), nodal metastasis (P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (P= 0.001) and the intestinal type of Lauren classification (P= 0.015). Galectin-3 protein expression was positive in 83.9% (395/471) of the samples and was reversely correlated with fascin protein expression (P= 0.020). Galectin-3 expression was related to low clinical stage (P < 0.001), but not to survival rates in multivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, fascin expression was related to worse survival rates (HR = 1.56, P= 0.036), and can be an independent poor prognostic factor in gastric cancer.

Residential exposure to petroleum refining and stroke in the southern United States.

BACKGROUND: The southern United States (U.S.) sustains a disproportionate burden of incident stroke and associated mortality, compared to other parts of the U.S. A large proportion of this risk remains unexplained. Petroleum production and refining (PPR) is concentrated within this region and emits multiple pollutants implicated in stroke pathogenesis. The relationship between residential PPR exposure and stroke has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the census tract-level association between residential PPR exposure and stroke prevalence for adults (≥18 years) in seven southern U.S. states in 2018. METHODS: We conducted spatial distance- and generalized propensity score-matched analysis that adjusts for sociodemographic factors, smoking, and unmeasured spatial confounding. PPR was measured as inverse-distance weighted averages of petroleum production within 2.5km or 5km from refineries, which was strongly correlated with measured levels of sulfur dioxide, a byproduct of PPR. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported stroke ranged from 0.4% to 12.7% for all the census tracts of the seven states. People with low socioeconomic status and of Hispanic ethnicity resided closer to petroleum refineries. The non-Hispanic Black population was exposed to higher PPR, while the non-Hispanic White population was exposed to lower PPR. Residential PPR exposure was significantly associated with stroke prevalence. One standard deviation increase in PPR within 5km from refineries was associated with 0.22 (95% confidence interval: 0.09, 0.34) percentage point increase in stroke prevalence. PPR explained 5.6% (2.4, 8.9) of stroke prevalence in the exposed areas. These values differed by states: 1.1% (0.5, 1.7) in Alabama to 11.7% (4.9, 18.6) in Mississippi, and by census tract-level: 0.08% (0.03, 0.13) to 25.3% (10.6, 40.0). CONCLUSIONS: PPR is associated with self-reported stroke prevalence, suggesting possible links between pollutants emitted from refineries and stroke. The increased prevalence due to PPR may differ by sociodemographic factors.

Ki67 Index Is the Most Powerful Factor for Predicting the Recurrence in Atypical Meningioma : Retrospective Analysis of 99 Patients in Two Institutes.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to identify predicting factors for local control (LC) of atypical meningioma, and we validated them with comparing the predicting factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS). We also examined the rate of LC after surgical resection with or without adjuvant treatment and RFS. METHODS: Clinical and radiological records of patients with atypical meningiomas diagnosed at two institutes from January 2000 to December 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. Histopathological features were also reviewed using formalin-fixed paraffin embedded samples from pathological archives. RESULTS: Of the 99 atypical meningiomas eligible for analysis, 36 (36.4%) recurred during the follow-up period (mean, 83.3 months; range, 12-232 months). The rate of 3-year LC and 5-year LC was 80.8% and 74.7%, respectively. The mean time-to-recurrence was 49.4 months (range, 12-150). The mean RFS was 149.3 months (95% confidence interval, 128.8-169.8 months) during the mean follow-up duration of 83.3 months (range, 12-232 months). Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional-hazard regression model showed that the extent of resection (hazard ratio [HR], 4.761; p=0.013), Ki67 index (HR, 8.541; p=0.004), mitotic index (HR, 3.275; p=0.044), and tumor size (HR, 3.228; p=0.041) were independently associated with LC. These factors were also statistically associated with RFS. In terms of radiotherapy after surgical resection, the recurrence was not prevented by immediate radiotherapy because of the strong effect of proliferative index on recurrence. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the extent of resection, proliferative index (according to Ki67 expression) and mitotic index, and tumor size are associated with recurrence of atypical meningiomas. However, our results should be further validated through prospective and randomized clinical trials to overcome the inborn bias of retrospective nature of the study design.

Hypo-trimethylation of Histone H3 Lysine 4 and Hyper-tri/dimethylation of Histone H3 Lysine 27 as Epigenetic Markers of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the methylation status of major histone modification sites in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) samples and examine their prognostic roles in patients with PCNSL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2007 and 2020, 87 patients were histopathologically diagnosed with PCNSL. We performed immunohistochemical staining of the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of PCNSL for major histone modification sites, such as H3K4, H3K9, H3K27, H3K14, and H3K36. After detection of meaningful methylation sites, we examined histone modification enzymes that induce methylation or demethylation at each site using immunohistochemical staining. The meaningful immunoreactivity was validated by western blotting using fresh tissue of PCNSL. RESULTS: More frequent recurrences were found in hypomethylation of H3K4me3 (p=0.004) and hypermethylation of H3K27me2 (p<0.001) and H3K27me3 (p=0.002). These factors were also statistically related to short PFS and overall survival in the univariate and multivariate analyses. Next, histone modification enzymes inducing the demethylation of H3K4 (lysine-specific demethylase-1/2 and Jumonji AT-rich interactive domain [JARID] 1A-D]) and methylation of H3K27 (enhancer of zeste homolog [EZH]-1/2) were immu- nohistochemically stained. Among them, the immunoreactivity of JARID1A inversely associated with the methylation status of H3K4me3 (R2=-1.431), and immunoreactivity of EZH2 was directly associated with the methylation status of H3K27me2 (R2=0.667) and H3K27me3 (R2=0.604). These results were validated by western blotting in fresh PCNSL samples. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that hypomethylation of H3K4me3 and hypermethylation of H3K27me2 and H3K27me3 could be associated with poor outcomes in patients with PCNSL and that these relationships are modified by JARID1A and EZH2.

Evaluation of Semen Quality of Jeju Black Cattle (JBC) to Select Bulls Optimal for Breeding and Establish Freezing Conditions Suitable for JBC Sperm.

To optimize the reproduction of Jeju black cattle (JBC), freezing conditions for sperm were established and sperm motility, vitality, morphology, and fertility were evaluated to select the optimal bull for breeding. Semen samples from five JBC bulls were individually mixed with freezing medium at a final concentration of 1 × 108 sperm/mL and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor at a height of 3 or 7 cm (referred to as 3 cm sperm and 7 cm sperm, respectively). When the freezing conditions were compared, the motility of 7 cm sperm was significantly higher than that of 3 cm sperm for the JBC-A bull. The motility, curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, and average path velocity of fresh and frozen-thawed sperm were the highest for the JBC-A bull. The vitalities of fresh and frozen-thawed sperm were the highest for the JBC-A/E and JBC-A bulls, respectively. The percentage of normal cells in fresh sperm was the highest for the JBC-D bull. The rates of the normal formation of two pronuclei and total sperm penetration were the highest in zygotes fertilized with sperm from the JBC-A bull. The sperm from the JBC-A bull had superior qualities and are thus the most appropriate choice for the preservation and reproduction of these endangered cattle.

Self-Assembled Hybrid Gate Dielectrics for Ultralow Voltage of Organic Thin-Film Transistors.

We developed self-assembled hybrid dielectric materials via a facile and low-temperature solution process. These dielectrics are used to facilitate ultralow operational voltage of organic thinfilm transistors. Self-assembly of bifunctional phosphonic acid and ultrathin hafnium oxide layers results in the self-assembled hybrid dielectrics. Additionally, the surface property of the top layer of hafnium oxide can be tuned by phosphonic acid-based self-assembled molecules to improve the function of the organic semiconductors. These novel hybrid dielectrics demonstrate great dielectric properties as low-level leakage current densities of <1.45×10-6 A/cm², large capacitances (up to 800 nF/cm²), thermal stability (up to 300 °C), and featureless morphology (root-mean-square roughness ˜0.3 nm). As a result, self-assembled gate dielectrics can be incorporated into thin-film transistors with p-type organic semiconductors functioning at ultralow voltages (<-2 V) to achieve enhanced performance (hole mobility: 0.88 cm²/V·s, and Ion/Ioff: > 105, threshold voltage: 0.5 V).

Growth factors improve the proliferation of Jeju black pig muscle cells by regulating myogenic differentiation 1 and growth-related genes.

OBJECTIVE: The growth rate of pigs is related to differentiation and proliferation of muscle cells, which are regulated by growth factors and expression of growth-related genes. Thus, the objective of this study was to establish optimal culture conditions for Jeju black pig (JBP) muscle cells and determine the relationship of various factors involved in muscle growth with the proliferation of JBP muscle cells. METHODS: Muscles were taken from the femur skeletal muscle of JBP embryos. After isolation of the muscle cells, cells were cultured in a 6-well plate under four different culture conditions to optimize culture conditions for JBP muscle cells. To analyze proliferation rate of JBP muscle cells, these muscle cells were seeded into 6-well plates at a density of 1.5×105 cells per well and cultured for 3 days. Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were applied to verify the myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD) expression and growth-related gene expression in JBP muscle cells, respectively. RESULTS: We established a muscle cell line from JBP embryos and optimized its culture conditions. These muscle cells were positive for MyoD, but not for paired box 7. The proliferation rate of these muscle cells was significantly higher in a culture medium containing bFGF and epidermal growth factor + basic fibroblast growth factor (EGF+bFGF) than that without a growth factor or containing EGF alone. Treatment with EGF and bFGF significantly induced the expression of MyoD protein, an important transcription factor in muscle cells. Moreover, we checked the changes of expression of growth-related genes in JBP muscle cells by presence or absence of growth factors. Expression level of collagen type XXI alpha 1 gene was changed only when EGF and bFGF were added together to culture media for JBP muscle cells. CONCLUSION: Concurrent use of EGF and bFGF increased the expression of MyoD protein, thus regulating the proliferation of JBP muscle cells and the expression of growth-related genes.

Clinical outcomes and breast cancer subtypes in patients with brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: The principal objective of this study was to assess clinical outcomes by breast cancer subtype in patients with brain metastases. METHODS: Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) status was evaluated via immunohistochemical staining. Four survival time intervals were compared according to the subtype (ER+/HER2-, HER2+, triple negative (TN)). RESULTS: 20 (30.3%) of the 66 patients in this study were ER+/HER2-, 20 (30.3%) were HER2+, and 26 (39.4%) were TN. The disease-free survival rates of ER+/HER2-, HER2+, and TN patients were 30.0, 17.0, and 17.9 months, respectively (p = 0.040). The median time intervals from distant metastasis to brain metastasis were 20.6, 19.5, and 9.0 months, respectively (p = 0.012). The times from initial diagnosis to brain metastasis were 52.9, 33.6, and 25.5 months, respectively (p = 0.026). However, the overall survival rates did not differ significantly (p = 0.276). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with TN breast cancer were more likely to develop distant metastasis earlier, and also evidenced poor overall survival. Triple receptor status may be employed as a prognostic marker for breast cancer patients with brain metastases.

Cross-Linked Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Composite Films for One-Step Fabrication of Robust Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

Despite the recent demands of bioinspired superhydrophobic surfaces with self-cleaning properties in various industrial applications, a low-cost fabrication method for superhydrophobic films with excellent stability has rarely been studied. Herein, we report a robust superhydrophobic organic- inorganic hybrid composites film produced via a facile one-step solution-process. As coating materials for the facile one-step fabrication of the robust superhydrophobic films, we included Al2O3 nanoparticles for micro/nano hierarchical dual-scale structures, alkylsilane for low surface energy, and organic cross-linkers for increasing the stability of the hybrid composite films. Based on the hydrophobicity and stability tests of the hybrid composite films, the optimized composition of the robust superhydrophobic hybrid composite films showed high water contact angles (>150°) and low sliding angles (<5°) as well as excellent mechanical and thermal stability (up to 350 °C).

Recommendations for pathologic practice using digital pathology: consensus report of the Korean Society of Pathologists.

Digital pathology (DP) using whole slide imaging (WSI) is becoming a fundamental issue in pathology with recent advances and the rapid development of associated technologies. However, the available evidence on its diagnostic uses and practical advice for pathologists on implementing DP remains insufficient, particularly in light of the exponential growth of this industry. To inform DP implementation in Korea, we developed relevant and timely recommendations. We first performed a literature review of DP guidelines, recommendations, and position papers from major countries, as well as a review of relevant studies validating WSI. Based on that information, we prepared a draft. After several revisions, we released this draft to the public and the members of the Korean Society of Pathologists through our homepage and held an open forum for interested parties. Through that process, this final manuscript has been prepared. This recommendation contains an overview describing the background, objectives, scope of application, and basic terminology; guidelines and considerations for the hardware and software used in DP systems and the validation required for DP implementation; conclusions; and references and appendices, including literature on DP from major countries and WSI validation studies.

Epigenetic Role of Histone Lysine Methyltransferase and Demethylase on the Expression of Transcription Factors Associated with the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Lung Adenocarcinoma Metastasis to the Brain.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the epigenetic role of histone lysine methylation/demethylation on the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) associated transcriptional factors (TFs) during the metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma to the brain. METHODS: Paired samples of lung adenocarcinoma and brain metastasis (BM) were analyzed in 46 individual patients. Both samples were obtained by surgical resection or biopsy of the lung and brain. The paraffin-fixed formalin-embedded samples were obtained from the pathology archives in our institute. In samples of lung adenocarcinoma and BM, immunohistochemical staining was performed for epithelial markers, mesenchymal markers, EMT-TFs, histone lysine methyltransferase and demethylase. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity of EMT-TFs such as Slug (15.6% vs. 42.6%, p = 0.005), Twist (23.6% vs. 45.9%, p = 0.010) and ZEB1 (15.0% vs. 55.9%, p = 0.002) was increased in BM compared with that in lung adenocarcinoma. Epigenetic inducers such as H3K4 methyltransferase (MLL4, p = 0.018) and H3K36me3 demethylase (UTX, p = 0.003) were statistically increased, and epigenetic repressors such as EZH2 (H3K27 methyltransferase, p = 0.046) were significantly decreased in BM compared with those in lung adenocarcinoma. The expression of UTX-ZEB1 (R2 linear = 1.204) and MLL4-Slug (R2 linear = 0.987) was increased in direct proportion, and EZH2-Twist (R2 linear = -2.723) decreased in reverse proportion. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that certain histone lysine methyltransferase/demethylase, such as MLL4, UTX, and EZH2, regulate the expression of EMT-TFs such as Slug, ZEB1, and Twist epigenetically, which may thereby influence cancer metastasis from the lung to the brain.

Cytogenetic characterizations of central nervous system tumors: the first comprehensive report from a single institution in Korea.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors incorporates morphology, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and immunologic markers. Despite the relatively large number of CNS tumors with clonal chromosome abnormalities, only few studies have investigated cytogenetic abnormalities for CNS tumors in Korea. Thus, we investigated 119 CNS tumors by conventional G-banded karyotypes to characterize patterns of chromosomal abnormalities involving various CNS tumors, and 92.4% of them were cultured and karyotyped successfully. Totally, 51.8% of karyotypable CNS tumors showed abnormal cytogenetic results, including neuroepithelial tumors (75.0%), meningeal tumors (71.1%), pituitary adenomas (4.2%), schwannomas (44.4%), and metastatic tumors (100.0%). Glioblastomas had hyperdiploid, complex karyotypes, mainly involving chromosomes Y, 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, and 14. Monosomy 22 was observed in 56.4% of meningiomas. There was a significant increase in the frequencies of karyotypic complexity according to the increase of WHO grade between grades I and II (P=0.0422) or IV (P=0.0101). Abnormal karyotypes were more complex at high-grade tumors, suggesting that the karyotype reflects the biologic nature of the tumor. More detailed cytogenetic and molecular characterizations of CNS tumors contribute to better diagnostic criteria and deeper insights of tumorigenesis, eventually resulting in development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Mesorhizobium denitrificans sp. nov., a novel denitrifying bacterium isolated from sludge.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, facultative, rod-shaped bacterium (designated LA-28T) was isolated from a sludge sample from a wastewater treatment plant in Hanam city, Republic of Korea. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, strain LA-28T clustered with species of the genus Mesorhizobium and appeared closely related to M. jarvisii LMG 28313T (96.8%), M. waimense ICMP 19557T (96.7%), and M. huakuii LMG 14107T (96.7%). Growth occurs at 18-40°C on R2A medium in the presence of 1-4% NaCl (w/v) and at pH 6-8. The DNA G+C content was 61.2 mol%, and the predominant quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). The major cellular fatty acids (> 5%) were C16:0, C19:0ω8c cyclo, C18:1ω7c 11-methyl, and C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c (summed feature 8). Major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidyl-N-methylethanolamine (PME), and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Physiological and biochemical characteristics indicated that strain LA-28T represents a novel species of the genus Mesorhizobium, for which the name Mesorhizobium denitrificans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LA-28T (= KACC 19675T = LMG 30806T).

Whole genome sequencing analysis of horse populations inhabiting the Korean Peninsula and Przewalski's horse.

BACKGROUND: The Jeju horse is an indigenous horse breed in Korea. However, there is a severe lack of genomic studies on Korean horse breeds. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to report genomic characteristics of domestic horse populations that inhabit South Korea (Jeju, Jeju crossbred, and Thoroughbred) and a wild horse breed (Przewalski's horse). RESULTS: Using the equine reference genome assembly (EquCab 2.0), more than ~ 6.5 billion sequence reads were successfully mapped, which generated an average of 40.87-fold coverage throughout the genome. Using these data, we detected a total of 12.88 million SNPs, of which 73.7% were found to be novel. All the detected SNPs were deeply annotated to retrieve SNPs in gene regions using the RefSeq and Ensemble gene sets. Approximately 27% of the total SNPs were located within genes, whereas the remaining 73% were found in intergenic regions. Using 129,776 coding SNPs, we retrieved a total of 49,171 nonsynonymous SNPs in 12,351 genes. Furthermore, we identified a total of 10,770 deleterious nonsynonymous SNPs which are predicted to affect protein structure or function. CONCLUSION: We showed numerous genomic variants from domestic and wild horse breeds. These results provide a valuable resource for further studies on functions of SNP-containing genes, and can aid in determining the molecular basis underlying variation in economically important traits of horses.

Metaplastic breast carcinoma with extensive osseous differentiation: a case report.

We present a case of a 77-year-old female who had a metaplastic breast carcinoma with extensive osseous differentiation. Her mammogram showed a largely calcified mass, but the pathology revealed that the calcification was ossification. The radiologic differentiation between an osteoid matrix and a dense calcification is discussed. Radiologic and pathologic correlation is also provided.