Predictors for runaway behavior in adolescents in South Korea: national data from a comprehensive survey of adolescents

BackgroundRunaway behavior is reported to impede the growth, mental health development, and social adjustment of adolescents. Exposure to harmful media causes problematic behaviors in adolescents, sometimes inducing them to run away from home.MethodsThis study examined the factors influencing adolescents’ runaway behavior. Utilizing the data of 11,354 adolescents from the Survey of Media Usage and Harmful Environment among Adolescents, a hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted using the SPSS 24.0 program.ResultsThe significant predictors of runaway behavior were the grade of the adolescent, deviant behaviors (drinking, smoking), autonomous control ability, relationship with family, and harmful media (p < 0.001). This regression model explained 13.1% of the variance in runaway behavior. A significant outcome of this study is that harmful media was identified as one of the factors affecting adolescents’ runaway behavior. Adjusted OR and 95% CI of harmful media was 1.23 (1.10–1.38).ConclusionThis study showed that individual, family, social factors, and harmful media influence adolescents’ runaway behavior. The results emphasize the importance of health teachers and the need for early intervention programs, for the identification and prevention of risk factors for adolescents’ runaway behavior

Linear Polarization of Class I Methanol Masers in Massive Star-forming Regions

Class I methanol masers are found to be good tracers of the interaction between outflows from massive young stellar objects with their surrounding media. Although polarization observations of Class II methanol masers have been able to provide information about magnetic fields close to the central (proto)stars, polarization observations of Class I methanol masers are rare, especially at 44 and 95 GHz. We present the results of linear polarization observations of 39 Class I methanol maser sources at 44 and 95 GHz. These two lines are observed simultaneously with one of the 21 m Korean VLBI Network telescopes in single-dish mode. Approximately 60% of the observed sources have fractional polarizations of a few percent in at least one transition. This is the first reported detection of linear polarization of the 44 GHz methanol maser. The two maser transitions show similar polarization properties, indicating that they trace similar magnetic environments, although the fraction of the linear polarization is slightly higher at 95 GHz. We discuss the association between the directions of polarization angles and outflows. We also discuss some targets having different polarization properties at both lines, including DR21(OH) and G82.58+0.20, which show the 90° polarization angle flip at 44 GHz

increased Igfbp2 Levels By Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Glucose Metabolism in a Taa-injured Rat Model Via ampk Signaling Pathway

The insulin resistance caused by impaired glucose metabolism induces ovarian dysfunction due to the central importance of glucose as a source of energy. However, the research on glucose metabolism in the ovaries is still lacking. The objectives of this study were to analyze the effect of PD-MSCs on glucose metabolism through IGFBP2-AMPK signaling and to investigate the correlation between glucose metabolism and ovarian function. Thioacetamide (TAA) was used to construct a rat injury model. PD-MSCs were transplanted into the tail vein (2 × 1

Increase of Orexin A in the Peripheral Blood of Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Overindulgence in Internet gaming, which is related to rapid development of the online game industry, can cause a psychiatric disorder known as Internet gaming disorder (IGD). The number of adolescents with IGD is on the rise in countries with developed Internet technologies, such as South Korea. Therefore, it is important to develop biomarkers to detect patients at high risk of IGD. This study investigated expression levels of proteins in the blood of adolescents to provide insight into the development of biomarkers. METHODS: We collected blood samples from 73 subjects [40 healthy adolescents (Internet gaming control, IGC) and 33 adolescents with IGD] between 13:00 and 15:00. We analyzed the expression levels of orexin A, oxytocin, cortisol, melatonin, BDNF, sICAM-1, RANTES, and NCAM using multiplex assay kits. RESULTS: Orexin A was significantly (p = .016) elevated in the IGD group and the expression levels of melatonin tended to be higher (p = .055) in the IGD group. On the other hand, increased Internet gaming time in the IGD group was negatively correlated (p = .041) with expression of BDNF. On the contrary, sICAM-1 associated with inflammation exhibited the tendency of the positive correlation (p = .073) with Internet gaming time in the IGD group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified elevation of orexin A in the peripheral blood of adolescents with IGD and a negative correlation between Internet gaming time and BDNF in adolescents with IGD. Our results provide useful information to understand the pathophysiology of IGD in adolescents

Visfatin exerts angiogenic effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells through the mTOR signaling pathway

AbstractThe biologically active factors known as adipocytokines are secreted primarily by adipose tissues and can act as modulators of angiogenesis. Visfatin, an adipocytokine that has recently been reported to have angiogenic properties, is upregulated in diabetes, cancer, and inflammatory diseases. Because maintenance of an angiogenic balance is critically important in the management of these diseases, understanding the molecular mechanism by which visfatin promotes angiogenesis is very important. In this report, we describe our findings demonstrating that visfatin stimulates the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which plays important roles in angiogenesis. Visfatin induced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human endothelial cells. Inhibition of the mTOR pathway by rapamycin eliminated the angiogenic and proliferative effects of visfatin. The visfatin-induced increase in VEGF expression was also eliminated by RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), a downstream target of mTOR. Visfatin inactivated glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) by phosphorylating it at Ser-9, leading to the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Both rapamycin co-treatment and p70S6K knockdown inhibited visfatin-induced GSK3β phosphorylation at Ser-9 and nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Taken together, these results indicate that mTOR signaling is involved in visfatin-induced angiogenesis, and that this signaling leads to visfatin-induced VEGF expression and nuclear translocation of β-catenin

The genetic diversity among strawberry breeding resources based on SSRs

Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a high value horticultural crop. In this study, the genetic diversity of 160 strawberry accessions was determined using five highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Sixty different alleles were identified, with allele frequencies in the range of 0.006 to1. Similarity scores were in the range of 0.034 to 0.963 (average: 0.507). The accessions were categorized into five groups. Group 1 contained two diploid Fragaria vesca species and one unknown accession. Group 2 contained one accession (F x ananassa). Group 3 contained 20 F × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Group 4 contained 48 F. × ananassa accessions, one octaploid Fragaria chiloensis species, and six unknown accessions while Group 5 contained 69 F. × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Accessions within a pedigree were frequently grouped together. A total of 30 novel accessions were categorized alongside existing accessions. These results will allow breeders to develop strategies which incorporate more genetic diversity into new cultivars

Crystal structure of xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus (XMRV) ribonuclease H

RNase H (retroviral ribonuclease H) cleaves the phosphate backbone of the RNA template within an RNA/DNA hybrid to complete the synthesis of double-stranded viral DNA. In the present study we have determined the complete structure of the RNase H domain from XMRV (xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus) RT (reverse transcriptase). The basic protrusion motif of the XMRV RNase H domain is folded as a short helix and an adjacent highly bent loop. Structural superposition and subsequent mutagenesis experiments suggest that the basic protrusion motif plays a role in direct binding to the major groove in RNA/DNA hybrid, as well as in establishing the co-ordination among modules in RT necessary for proper function.Molecular and Cellular Biolog