Charge-spin correlation in van der Waals antiferromagenet NiPS3

Strong charge-spin coupling is found in a layered transition-metal trichalcogenide NiPS3, a van derWaals antiferromagnet, from our study of the electronic structure using several experimental and theoretical tools: spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray absorption and photoemission spectroscopy, and density-functional calculations. NiPS3 displays an anomalous shift in the optical spectral weight at the magnetic ordering temperature, reflecting a strong coupling between the electronic and magnetic structures. X-ray absorption, photoemission and optical spectra support a self-doped ground state in NiPS3. Our work demonstrates that layered transition-metal trichalcogenide magnets are a useful candidate for the study of correlated-electron physics in two-dimensional magnetic material.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figur

Hybrid star HD 81817 accompanied by brown dwarf or substellar companion

HD 81817 is known as a hybrid star. Hybrid stars have both cool stellar wind properties and Ultraviolet (UV) or even X-ray emission features of highly ionized atoms in their spectra. A white dwarf companion has been suggested as the source of UV or X-ray features. HD 81817 has been observed since 2004 as a part of a radial velocity (RV) survey program to search for exoplanets around K giant stars using the Bohyunsan Observatory Echelle Spectrograph at the 1.8 m telescope of Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory in Korea. We obtained 85 RV measurements between 2004 and 2019 for HD 81817 and found two periodic RV variations. The amplitudes of RV variations are around 200 m s^-1, which are significantly lower than that expected from a closely orbiting white dwarf companion. Photometric data and relevant spectral lines were also analyzed to help determine the origin of the periodic RV variations. We conclude that 627.4-day RV variations are caused by intrinsic stellar activities such as long-term pulsations or rotational modulations of surface activities based on H{\alpha} equivalent width (EW) variations of a similar period. On the other hand, 1047.1-day periodic RV variations are likely to be caused by a brown dwarf or substellar companion, which is corroborated by a recent GAIA proper motion anomaly for HD 81817. The Keplerian fit yields a minimum mass of 27.1 M_Jup, a semimajor axis of 3.3 AU, and an eccentricity of 0.17 for the stellar mass of 4.3 M_sun for HD 81817. The inferred mass puts HD 81817 b in the brown dwarf desert

Biotechnology for mechanisms that counteract salt stress in extremophile species: A genome-based view

Molecular genetics has confirmed older research and generated new insights into the ways how plants deal with adverse conditions. This body of research is now being used to interpret stress behavior of plants in new ways, and to add results from most recent genomics-based studies. The new knowledge now includes genome sequences of species that show extreme abiotic stress tolerances, which enables new strategies for applications through either molecular breeding or transgenic engineering. We will highlight some physiological features of the extremophile lifestyle, outline emerging features about halophytism based on genomics, and discuss conclusions about underlying mechanisms. © 2012 Korean Society for Plant Biotechnology and Springer

Duplication of the Extrahepatic Bile Duct in Association with Choledocholithiasis as Depicted by MDCT

We report here on an extremely rare case of duplicated extrahepatic bile ducts that was associated with choledocholithiasis, and this malady was visualized by employing the minimum intensity projection images with using multi-detector row CT. The presence of duplicated extrahepatic bile ducts with a proximal communication, and the ducts were joined distally and they subsequently formed a single common bile duct, has not been previously reported

Drug-Eluting Stenting Followed by Cilostazol Treatment Reduces Late Restenosis in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus The DECLARE-DIABETES Trial (A Randomized Comparison of Triple Antiplatelet Therapy With Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in Diabetic Patients)

ObjectivesWe sought to evaluate the impact of cilostazol on neointimal hyperplasia after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).BackgroundAlthough cilostazol has reduced the extent of neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis in patients after bare-metal stent implantation, it is not known whether this effect occurs after DES implantation in diabetic patients.MethodsThis randomized, multicenter, prospective study compared triple antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol, triple group, n = 200) and dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel, standard group, n = 200) for 6 months in patients with DM receiving DES. The primary end point was in-stent late loss at 6 months.ResultsThe 2 groups had similar baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics. The in-stent (0.25 ± 0.53 mm vs. 0.38 ± 0.54 mm, p = 0.025) and in-segment (0.42 ± 0.50 mm vs. 0.53 ± 0.49 mm, p = 0.031) late loss were significantly lower in the triple versus standard group, as were 6-month in-segment restenosis (8.0% vs. 15.6%, p = 0.033) and 9-month target lesion revascularization (TLR) (2.5% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.034). At 9 months, major adverse cardiac events, including death, myocardial infarction, and TLR, tended to be lower in the triple than in the standard group (3.0% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.066). Multivariate analysis showed that sirolimus-eluting stents and the use of cilostazol were strong predictors of reduced restenosis or TLR.ConclusionsTriple antiplatelet therapy after DES implantation decreased angiographic restenosis and extent of late loss, resulting in a reduced risk of 9-month TLR compared with dual antiplatelet therapy in diabetic patients

Stem cell treatment for patients with autoimmune disease by systemic infusion of culture-expanded autologous adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells

Prolonged life expectancy, life style and environmental changes have caused a changing disease pattern in developed countries towards an increase of degenerative and autoimmune diseases. Stem cells have become a promising tool for their treatment by promoting tissue repair and protection from immune-attack associated damage. Patient-derived autologous stem cells present a safe option for this treatment since these will not induce immune rejection and thus multiple treatments are possible without any risk for allogenic sensitization, which may arise from allogenic stem cell transplantations. Here we report the outcome of treatments with culture expanded human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAdMSCs) of 10 patients with autoimmune associated tissue damage and exhausted therapeutic options, including autoimmune hearing loss, multiple sclerosis, polymyotitis, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis. For treatment, we developed a standardized culture-expansion protocol for hAdMSCs from minimal amounts of fat tissue, providing sufficient number of cells for repetitive injections. High expansion efficiencies were routinely achieved from autoimmune patients and from elderly donors without measurable loss in safety profile, genetic stability, vitality and differentiation potency, migration and homing characteristics. Although the conclusions that can be drawn from the compassionate use treatments in terms of therapeutic efficacy are only preliminary, the data provide convincing evidence for safety and therapeutic properties of systemically administered AdMSC in human patients with no other treatment options. The authors believe that ex-vivo-expanded autologous AdMSCs provide a promising alternative for treating autoimmune diseases. Further clinical studies are needed that take into account the results obtained from case studies as those presented here

Release of SOS2 kinase from sequestration with GIGANTEA determines salt tolerance in Arabidopsis

Kim, Woe-Yeon et al.--Environmental challenges to plants typically entail retardation of vegetative growth and delay or cessation of flowering. Here we report a link between the flowering time regulator, GIGANTEA (GI), and adaptation to salt stress that is mechanistically based on GI degradation under saline conditions, thus retarding flowering. GI, a switch in photoperiodicity and circadian clock control, and the SNF1-related protein kinase SOS2 functionally interact. In the absence of stress, the GI:SOS2 complex prevents SOS2- based activation of SOS1, the major plant Na+/H+-antiporter mediating adaptation to salinity. GI over-expressing, rapidly flowering, plants show enhanced salt sensitivity, whereas gi mutants exhibit enhanced salt tolerance and delayed flowering. Salt-induced degradation of GI confers salt tolerance by the release of the SOS2 kinase. The GISOS2 interaction introduces a higher order regulatory circuit that can explain in molecular terms, the long observed connection between floral transition and adaptive environmental stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.This research was supported by the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (Systems and Synthetic Agrobiotech Center, no. PJ008025), a Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ007850), and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for the World Class University (WCU) program (R32-10148) from the Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea, and by grant BIO2009-08641 financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the FEDER program.Peer reviewe

Pathogen-induced binding of the soybean zinc finger homeodomain proteins GmZF-HD1 and GmZF-HD2 to two repeats of ATTA homeodomain binding site in the calmodulin isoform 4 (GmCaM4) promoter

Calmodulin (CaM) is involved in defense responses in plants. In soybean (Glycine max), transcription of calmodulin isoform 4 (GmCaM4) is rapidly induced within 30 min after pathogen stimulation, but regulation of the GmCaM4 gene in response to pathogen is poorly understood. Here, we used the yeast one-hybrid system to isolate two cDNA clones encoding proteins that bind to a 30-nt A/T-rich sequence in the GmCaM4 promoter, a region that contains two repeats of a conserved homeodomain binding site, ATTA. The two proteins, GmZF-HD1 and GmZF-HD2, belong to the zinc finger homeodomain (ZF-HD) transcription factor family. Domain deletion analysis showed that a homeodomain motif can bind to the 30-nt GmCaM4 promoter sequence, whereas the two zinc finger domains cannot. Critically, the formation of super-shifted complexes by an anti-GmZF-HD1 antibody incubated with nuclear extracts from pathogen-treated cells suggests that the interaction between GmZF-HD1 and two homeodomain binding site repeats is regulated by pathogen stimulation. Finally, a transient expression assay with Arabidopsis protoplasts confirmed that GmZF-HD1 can activate the expression of GmCaM4 by specifically interacting with the two repeats. These results suggest that the GmZF-HD1 and –2 proteins function as ZF-HD transcription factors to activate GmCaM4 gene expression in response to pathogen

Home blood pressure monitoring: a position statement from the Korean Society of Hypertension Home Blood Pressure Forum

Abstract Home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) has the advantage of measuring blood pressure (BP) multiple times over a long period. HBPM effectively diagnoses stress-induced transient BP elevations (i.e., white coat hypertension), insufficient BP control throughout the day (i.e., masked hypertension), and even BP variability. In most cases, HBPM may increase self-awareness of BP, increasing the compliance of treatment. Cumulative evidence has reported better improved predictive values of HBPM in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than office BP monitoring. In this position paper, the Korean Society of Hypertension Home Blood Pressure Forum provides comprehensive information and clinical importance on HBPM