Multi-Omics Analysis of a Chromosome Segment Substitution Line Reveals a New Regulation Network for Soybean Seed Storage Profile.

Soybean, a major source of oil and protein, has seen an annual increase in consumption when used in soybean-derived products and the broadening of its cultivation range. The demand for soybean necessitates a better understanding of the regulatory networks driving storage protein accumulation and oil biosynthesis to broaden its positive impact on human health. In this study, we selected a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) with high protein and low oil contents to investigate the underlying effect of donor introgression on seed storage through multi-omics analysis. In total, 1479 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 82 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and 34 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in the CSSL compared to the recurrent parent. Based on Gene Ontology (GO) term analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment (KEGG), integrated analysis indicated that 31 DEGs, 24 DEPs, and 13 DEMs were related to seed storage functionality. Integrated analysis further showed a significant decrease in the contents of the seed storage lipids LysoPG 16:0 and LysoPC 18:4 as well as an increase in the contents of organic acids such as L-malic acid. Taken together, these results offer new insights into the molecular mechanisms of seed storage and provide guidance for the molecular breeding of new favorable soybean varieties.

Consensus statement-graft treatment in cardiovascular bypass graft surgery.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is and continues to be the preferred revascularization strategy in patients with multivessel disease. Graft selection has been shown to influence the outcomes following CABG. During the last almost 60 years saphenous vein grafts (SVG) together with the internal mammary artery have become the standard of care for patients undergoing CABG surgery. While there is little doubt about the benefits, the patency rates are constantly under debate. Despite its acknowledged limitations in terms of long-term patency due to intimal hyperplasia, the saphenous vein is still the most often used graft. Although reendothelialization occurs early postoperatively, the process of intimal hyperplasia remains irreversible. This is due in part to the persistence of high shear forces, the chronic localized inflammatory response, and the partial dysfunctionality of the regenerated endothelium. "No-Touch" harvesting techniques, specific storage solutions, pressure controlled graft flushing and external stenting are important and established methods aiming to overcome the process of intimal hyperplasia at different time levels. Still despite the known evidence these methods are not standard everywhere. The use of arterial grafts is another strategy to address the inferior SVG patency rates and to perform CABG with total arterial revascularization. Composite grafting, pharmacological agents as well as latest minimal invasive techniques aim in the same direction. To give guide and set standards all graft related topics for CABG are presented in this expert opinion document on graft treatment.

Strategies to Minimize Sternal and Leg Wound Complications after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using No-Touch Saphenous Vein Grafts.

PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to examine sternal and saphenous vein (SV) harvest site wound complication rates, and to assess the strategies to minimize the sternal and leg wound complications after coronary artery bypass grafting using a no-touch (NT) SV. METHODS: Patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using internal thoracic artery (ITA) and/or NT SV grafts from March 2021 to June 2023 (N = 166) at a newly opened cardiac surgical program were included. We obeyed the current guidelines for the prevention of sternal wound infection. In addition, unilateral ITA was used in most of the patients and the sternal wound was meticulously closed using multiple sternal wires (≥7) and ZipFix. For the NT SV harvesting, the LigaSure device was used to minimize thermal injury, and the wound was meticulously closed. RESULTS: Sternal wound infections developed in 3/166 (1.8%) patients; all three patients showed superficial sternal wound infections. Leg wound complications were present in 2/153 (1.3%) patients, who recovered after secondary intention healing. CONCLUSION: Sternal wound complications after CABG could be minimized by the unilateral ITA usage, meticulous closure of the sternal wound in addition to compliance with the current guidelines. Wound complications after NT SV harvest may also be minimized by preoperative evaluation, careful harvesting, and meticulous wound closure.

Feasibility of mixed herbal medicine for improving gastric function in an alcohol-induced gastritis model.

PURPOSE: Excessive exercise causes various gastric dysfunction. Gastritis is common among athletes who perform high-intensity training. Gastritis is a digestive disease involving mucosal damage caused by inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress. In this study, the effects of a complex natural extract on gastric mucosal damage and the expression of inflammatory factors were evaluated in an animal model of alcohol-induced gastritis. METHODS: A mixed herbal medicine (Ma-al-gan; MAG) was prepared with four natural products (Curcumae longae Rhizoma, Schisandrae chinensis Fructus, Artemisiae scopariae herba, and Gardeniae Fructus) identified by a systemic analysis using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology platform. The effects of MAG on alcohol-induced gastric damage were evaluated. RESULTS: MAG (10-100 µg/mL) significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. MAG (500 mg/kg/d) effectively prevented alcohol-induced gastric mucosal injury in vivo. CONCLUSION: MAG regulates inflammatory signals and oxidative stress and is a potential herbal medicine for gastric disorders.

Acupuncture for Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background and Objectives: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. However, it is uncertain whether the use of acupuncture (AT) in children with ADHD is supported by the current evidence. This review aims to provide updated evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in children with ADHD. Methods: Nine databases were searched from their inception to 28 July 2022. Two authors independently screened potentially eligible studies. The quality assessment of the selected studies was performed using Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). The characteristics of the included studies were presented in a tabular form, and a meta-analysis was performed on the treatment effects of AT on ADHD symptoms. Results: Fourteen studies involving 1185 patients evaluating the efficacy of AT for ADHD treatment were included in this review. Compared to conventional medicine alone, the meta-analysis indicated that AT as an add-on to conventional medicine has a positive effect on improving conduct problems, learning problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and hyperactivity symptoms in ADHD patients. Similarly, AT alone was found to improve learning problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and hyperactivity symptoms in ADHD patients and exhibited better total treatment efficacy than conventional medicine alone. No major adverse events were reported. The risk of bias of the included studies was generally concerning. Conclusions: Evidence on the effectiveness of AT for ADHD patients is currently too limited to provide recommendations for its usage. More studies with the proper methodology are needed for the validation of AT interventions in treating children with ADHD.

Competitive Flow in Vein Composite Grafts Based on the Left Internal Thoracic Artery: Early and 1-Year Angiographic Analyses.

We assessed the incidence of competitive flow with early postoperative angiograms in patients who received a "no-touch" saphenous vein (NT SV) composite graft and reexamined the status of competitive flow at 1-year. Early postoperative angiograms were performed in 806 patients who underwent myocardial revascularization using a NT SV Y-composite graft based on the in situ left internal thoracic artery (LITA). Competitive conduit flow was observed in 102 distal anastomoses (102 of 3039 [3.4%] anastomoses) of 94 patients (94 of 806 [11.7%]; NT SV competitive flow in 74 and LITA competitive flow in 20). Of the 94 patients, 63 patients (50 with NT SV competition and 13 with LITA competition) were re-evaluated with 1-year postoperative angiograms. Fifty-six competitive NT SV conduits in 50 patients were reevaluated at 1-year postoperatively: 44 (78.6%) early competitive anastomoses had become patent and 12 (21.4%) were occluded. NT SV with pedicle tissue showed a higher tendency of being perfectly patent at 1-year postoperatively than NT SV without pedicle tissue (17 of 40 [42.5%] vs 2 of 16 [12.5%]; P = 0.007). Thirteen competitive LITA conduit anastomoses in 13 patients were reevaluated 1-year postoperatively: 9 (69.2%) early competitive anastomoses had become patent and 4 (30.8%) were occluded. Competitive flow was shown on early postoperative angiograms in 3.4% of distal anastomoses in patients who received NT SV Y-composite grafts. Approximately 80% of the competitive NT SV conduits were patent 1-year postoperatively, and perfect patency rates were higher in patients who had received NT SV with pedicle tissue than in patients who had received NT SV without pedicle tissue.

Rosae multiflorae fructus regulates the lipogenesis in high-fat diet-induced NAFLD mice model.

PURPOSE: Exercise helps modify the lipid profile in the body, partly through its impact on sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ). Individual differences in response to exercise and genetic variations may influence the response to PA. Therefore, this study explored Rosae multiflorae fructus (RMF) as a supplement candidate that improves exercise capacity and controls non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by suppressing lipogenesis and controlling lipid peroxidation. METHODS: RMF is a natural herbal medicine used in Dongui Bogam. RMF has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic effects. However, the effects of RMF on NAFLD have not yet been investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of RMF in a mouse model of high-fat diet-induced NAFLD. Mouse livers were isolated and analyzed using H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: RMF downregulated lipid peroxidation markers, such as CYP2E1, in the livers of mice with high-fat diet-induced NAFLD. Additionally, the RMF significantly reduced the lipid accumulation-related protein expression of CD36, SREBP-1, and PPAR-γ. CONCLUSION: RMF exerts anti-lipid peroxidation and anti-lipogenic effects in a high-fat diet-induced NAFLD mouse model.

A sport supplement candidate of Erigeron breviscapus extract regulates lipogenesis in vitro and in vivo.

PURPOSE: One of the urgent research projects in exercise science should focus on sports supplements for obese people who lack exercise and physical activity. In this study, we explored the efficacy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice models using a Korean herbal medicine Erigeron breviscapus (EB). METHODS: Gene ontology analyses of active compounds in EB were performed using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and Cytoscape program, respectively. PA-induced acid (PA) induced-lipid droplets in HepG2 cells were analyzed using a 3D-hologram. To analyze the fat-suppressing efficacy of EB in animal experiments, NAFLD was induced through a 24-week high-fat diet. Subsequently, the same diet was continued for an additional 8 weeks, with concurrent co-administration of drugs for efficacy analysis. In the 8-week experiment, mice were administered saline alone, metformin (17 mg/kg/day), or EB (26 mg/kg/day). The mice were sacrificed and the liver tissue was isolated. The liver tissues were stained with H&E and specific antibodies such as sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- γ (PPAR-γ). RESULTS: Seventeen EB-active compounds were identified by whole-body analysis. EB downregulated lipid droplets in PA-treated HepG2 cells. EB regulates lipid accumulation in liver tissue of HFD-fed NAFLD mice Metformin and EB significantly reduced the expression of SREBP-1 and PPAR-γ in liver tissue. CONCLUSION: We suggest that EB is a candidate for the management of NAFLD and is an effective exercise supplement owing to its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation.

Acupuncture for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients often use complementary and alternative medicine to treat symptoms, and acupuncture is one option. This systematic review aims to assess whether acupuncture is an effective treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: We will search nine databases from their inception: PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, RISS, KoreaMed, KISS, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database. Two investigators will independently review the selected studies, extract the data, and analyze them. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool will be used to assess the risk of bias. DISCUSSION: Because this is a systematic review, no ethical approval is needed. The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated both electronically and in print. The review will be updated to support health policy and practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Reviewregistry1345.

Techniques and Outcomes of the No-Touch Vein Conduit as a Y-Composite Graft.

Although the saphenous vein is a widely used conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting, revascularization using the saphenous vein as an aortocoronary bypass graft has shown disadvantages of lower long-term graft patency rates and subsequently worse clinical outcomes, compared with revascularization using the internal thoracic artery. Of the various efforts to overcome the limitations of vein conduit that are resulting from structural and functional differences from arterial conduit, recent technical improvement in no-touch vein composite graft construction and outcomes of revascularization using no-touch vein composite grafts based on the left internal thoracic artery will be discussed in this topic.

Skin Closure After No-Touch Saphenous Vein Harvest: Strategies to Minimize Wound Complications.

The no-touch saphenous vein with surrounding pedicle tissue harvesting technique preserved endothelium and vessel wall integrity and demonstrated improved long-term saphenous vein conduit patency that was comparable to internal thoracic artery conduit patency. Despite improved saphenous vein conduit patency rates, there is a possibility that no-touch saphenous vein harvest may increase wound complication rates by increased tissue disruption, including venous and lymphatic channels. Comprehensive strategies to minimize leg wound complications after no-touch saphenous vein harvest are discussed.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the standard traditional Korean medicine-based health promotion program for disadvantaged children in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) is highly integrated with the modern health care system of South Korea and is actively used in the public health field. Since 2014, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea has supported the development of standard models for TKM-based health promotion programs. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a standard TKM-based health promotion program for disadvantaged children. METHODS: Using convenience sampling, we recruited 16 Community Children's Centers (CCCs) located in Busan and Yangsan, South Korea, which are welfare daytime facilities for children from socially disadvantaged families. The CCCs were divided into two groups of eight CCCs-intervention CCCs and control CCCs-through random allocation, and children in each group were selected as subjects for the study. For 12 weeks, the TKM-based health promotion program developed in this study along with the basic services of CCCs were applied to children in the intervention group, and only the basic services of CCCs were provided to children in the control group. Data were obtained through pre- and post-surveys with the legal representatives of the children prior to implementing the program and after the 12-week program, respectively. The outcome variables-the number of outpatient visits, absences, lateness/early leaves, infectious symptoms, and EuroQol-5D and EQ-visual analog scale scores-were measured and statistically compared between the groups by descriptive analysis, chi-square test, t-test, and difference-in-differences model with regression analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, there were 156 children in the intervention group and 153 children in the control group, among which 155 and 147 children, respectively, were included in the analysis. Results indicated that the number of outpatient visits was significantly lower (by 65%) in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.03), and this was similar in the sensitivity analysis. Regarding other outcome variables, the effects were not consistently significant. CONCLUSIONS: A standard TKM-based health promotion program has the potential to improve the health of disadvantaged children. In the future, studies with long-term interventions and a larger sample are needed to enhance the applicability of these programs in communities.

Pharmacological systemic analysis of gardenia fructus against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and validation of animal models.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the systemic pharmacological analysis of gardenia fructus (GF) and the proof of concepts. We examined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in high-fat (HF) diet mice. METHODS: The active compounds of GF and the target genes were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (oral bioavailability ≥ 30%, Caco-2 permeability ≥ -0.4, and drug-likeness ≥ 0.18). The rats were divided into four groups: untreated group, HF group, HF and metformin (17 mg/kg) treated group, and HF and treated with GF (28 mg/kg) for 8 weeks group. Hepatic lesion changes and markers were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry assay. RESULTS: In the systemic analysis, we identified 14 active compounds including A, B, and C. From these 14 compounds, 242 biological target genes were identified. The top 10 Gene Ontology were analyzed using GO-biological process analysis: removal of superoxide radicals, regulation of endothelial cell apoptotic process, and cellular response to lipopolysaccharide. GF extracts in high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice models significantly regulated hepatic lesion markers, such as mTOR, 8-Hydroxy- 2'-deoxyguanosine as well as oxidative stress activities, TGF-ß, and phosphorylation of ERK1/2. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that GF, as an exercise supplement, can alleviate NAFLD disease or fatty liver inflammation. Further studies are required to verify the synergistic effect of GF treatment combined with exercise, which is known to alleviate NAFLD and fatty liver inflammation.

Serial ultrastructural evaluation of myocardial ischemic injury after infusion of del Nido cardioplegia in the human heart.

OBJECTIVES: The safe ischemic time after a single-dose del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) infusion has not yet been established. This study evaluated the progression of myocardial ischemic injury to establish the safe ischemic time after a single-dose DNC infusion in the human heart using a transmission electron microscope. METHODS: Seven hearts extracted from heart transplant recipients after infusion of 1000 mL single-dose DNC were evaluated. Serial left ventricular myocardial tissue samples were collected every 30 minutes for 180 minutes. Ischemic injuries in the mitochondria and nuclei were scored from 0 to 3 (0 = normal, 0.5 = slight, 1 = moderate, 2 = severe, and 3 = irreversible). RESULTS: At the time of extraction, 83.5% of the mitochondria were normal. The proportion of mitochondria with moderate ischemic injury increased gradually from 1.4% at extraction to 52.5% at 180 minutes. From 90 minutes to 180 minutes, the proportion of mitochondria with severe and irreversible injury increased from 0.8% to 4.4% and 0.3% to 1.3%, respectively. A significant linear correlation was identified between the average ischemic injury score of mitochondria and ischemic time (P < .001). Most nuclei showed moderate to severe ischemic injury at every time point (61.0%-85.2%). A significant linear correlation was also found between the average ischemic injury score of nuclei and ischemic time (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial ischemic injury progresses gradually, and irreversible ischemic injury begins to occur 90 minutes after initial DNC infusion in the adult human heart. Therefore, redosing of DNC may be required after 90 minutes of aortic crossclamp time during adult cardiac surgery.

Right gastroepiploic artery versus right internal thoracic artery composite grafts: 10-year patency and long-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the 10-year graft occlusion rates and long-term clinical outcomes of right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) composite grafts with those of right internal thoracic artery (RITA) composite grafts. METHODS: From 2000 to 2008, 548 patients had undergone total arterial revascularization for multivessel coronary artery disease using the RGEA (RGEA group; n = 389) or RITA (RITA group; n = 159) as a second-limb Y-composite graft based on the in situ left ITA. A propensity score-matched analysis was used to match the RGEA group (n = 152) with the RITA group (n = 152). The 10-year angiographic occlusion rates and long-term clinical outcomes were compared. The follow-up data were complete for all 304 patients (100%) with a median follow-up of 143.7 months. RESULTS: The early clinical outcomes were similar between the matched groups. The overall graft occlusion rate was 9.5% at 10 years in the matched group patients (matched RGEA and RITA groups, 10.3% and 8.4%, respectively; P = .639). The 10-year occlusion rates of the second-limb conduits showed no differences between the matched RGEA and RITA groups (14.1% and 10.2%, respectively; P = .487). No statistically significant differences were found at 15 years postoperatively in the overall survival (52.9% vs 49.4%; P = .470), cardiac mortality-free survival (92.1% vs 90.9%; P = .560), freedom from target vessel revascularization (83.0% vs 91.4%; P = .230), freedom from reintervention (68.8% vs 76.2%; P = .731), or freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (56.4% vs 64.6%; P = .364) rates between the matched groups. CONCLUSIONS: Total arterial revascularization using RGEA composite grafts showed comparable results to those using RITA composite grafts in terms of the 10-year occlusion rates and long-term clinical outcomes.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Pannus after Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence rate and risk factors of subaortic pannus (SAP) after bileaflet mechanical aortic valve (AV) replacement. METHODS: Between 1990 and 2014, 862 patients underwent primary AV replacement with bileaflet mechanical prosthesis. SAP was defined as (1) gradual increase in mean pressure gradient through mechanical AV without any evidence of motion limitation of the leaflets on echocardiography and (2) AV mean pressure gradient >40 mm Hg or AV peak velocity >4 m/s on echocardiography, and (3) any visible subaortic tissue ingrowth beneath the mechanical AV on echocardiography or computed tomography. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up durations were 13.8 ± 8.0 and 10.7 ± 7.9 years, respectively. RESULTS: Mean age was 51.1 ± 12.1 years and concomitant surgeries were performed in 503 patients (58.4%). Overall survival at 10 and 20 years was 84.2 and 67.1%, respectively. SAP occurred in 33 patients, and in only 2 patients during the first 10 years after surgery. The cumulative incidence of SAP formation at 10, 20, and 25 years were 0.3, 5.0, and 9.9%, respectively. The Fine and Gray model demonstrated that small prosthetic valve size (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval, CI] = 0.738 [0.575-0.946]), young age (HR [95% CI] = 0.944 [0.909-0.981]), and concomitant mitral valve replacement (MVR) (HR [95% CI] = 3.863 [1.358-10.988]) were significant risk factors for the SAP formation. CONCLUSIONS: SAP occurred gradually over time with 10- and 20-year cumulative incidence of 0.3 and 5.0%, respectively. Young age, small prosthetic valve size, and concomitant MVR were risk factors for SAP formation. Therefore, we recommend efforts to select large prostheses for young patients requiring concomitant MVR.

Skin Closure After No-Touch Saphenous Vein Harvest: Strategies to Minimize Wound Complications

ABSTRACT The no-touch saphenous vein with surrounding pedicle tissue harvesting technique preserved endothelium and vessel wall integrity and demonstrated improved long-term saphenous vein conduit patency that was comparable to internal thoracic artery conduit patency. Despite improved saphenous vein conduit patency rates, there is a possibility that no-touch saphenous vein harvest may increase wound complication rates by increased tissue disruption, including venous and lymphatic channels. Comprehensive strategies to minimize leg wound complications after no-touch saphenous vein harvest are discussed.

Techniques and Outcomes of the No-Touch Vein Conduit as a Y-Composite Graft

ABSTRACT Although the saphenous vein is a widely used conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting, revascularization using the saphenous vein as an aortocoronary bypass graft has shown disadvantages of lower long-term graft patency rates and subsequently worse clinical outcomes, compared with revascularization using the internal thoracic artery. Of the various efforts to overcome the limitations of vein conduit that are resulting from structural and functional differences from arterial conduit, recent technical improvement in no-touch vein composite graft construction and outcomes of revascularization using no-touch vein composite grafts based on the left internal thoracic artery will be discussed in this topic.