Collagen Immobilization on Ultra-thin Nanofiber Membrane to Promote In Vitro Endothelial Monolayer Formation

The endothelialization on the poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber has been limited due to its low hydrophilicity. The aim of this study was to immobilize collagen on an ultra-thin poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber membrane without altering the nanofiber structure and maintaining the endothelial cell homeostasis on it. We immobilized collagen on the poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber using hydrolysis by NaOH treatment and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/sulfo-N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide reaction as a cost-effective and stable approach. NaOH was first applied to render the poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber hydrophilic. Subsequently, collagen was immobilized on the surface of the poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofibers using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/sulfo-N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy were used to verify stable collagen immobilization on the surface of the poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofibers and the maintenance of the original structure of poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofibers. Furthermore, human endothelial cells were cultured on the collagen-immobilized poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber membrane and expressed tight junction proteins with the increase in transendothelial electrical resistance, which demonstrated the maintenance of the endothelial cell homeostasis on the collagen-immobilized-poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber membrane. Thus, we expected that this process would be promising for maintaining cell homeostasis on the ultra-thin poly (epsilon-caprolactone) nanofiber scaffolds.11Ysciescopu

Phenotyping of rice in salt stress environment using high-throughput infrared imaging

Phenotyping of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Donggin) in salt stress environment using infrared imaging was conducted. Results were correlated with the most frequently used physiological parameters such as stomatal conductance, relative water content and photosynthetic parameters. It was observed that stomatal conductance (R2 = –0.618) and relative water content (R2 = –0.852) were significantly negatively correlated with average plant temperature (thermal images), while dark-adapted quantum yield (Fv/Fm, R2 = –0.325) and performance index (R2 = –0.315) were not consistent with plant temperature. Advantages of infrared thermography and utilization of this technology for the selection of stress tolerance physiotypes are discussed in detail

Concurrent smoking and alcohol consumers had higher triglyceride glucose indices than either only smokers or alcohol consumers: a cross-sectional study in Korea

Background The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a noninsulin-based marker for insulin resistance (IR) in general practice. Although smoking and heavy drinking have been regarded as major risk factors for various chronic diseases, there is limited evidence regarding the combined effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on IR. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and smoking and alcohol consumption using two Korean population-based datasets. Methods This study included 10,568 adults in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and 9586 adults in the Korean Initiatives on Coronary Artery Calcification (KOICA) registry datasets. Multivariate logistic analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between smoking and alcohol consumption and the TyG index. To assess the predictive value of smoking and alcohol consumption on high TyG index, the area under the curve (AUC) were compared and net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analyses were derived. Results The combined effect of smoking and alcohol consumption was an independent risk factor of a higher TyG index in the KNHANES (adjusted odds ratio: 4.33, P < .001) and KOICA (adjusted odds ratio: 1.94, P < .001) datasets. Adding smoking and alcohol consumption to the multivariate logistic models improved the model performance for the TyG index in the KNHANES (AUC: from 0.817 to 0.829, P < .001; NRI: 0.040, P < .001; IDI: 0.017, P < .001) and KOICA (AUC: from 0.822 to 0.826, P < .001; NRI: 0.025, P = .006; IDI: 0.005, P < .001) datasets. Conclusions Smoking and alcohol consumption were independently associated with the TyG index. Concurrent smokers and alcohol consumers were more likely to have a TyG index that was ≥8.8 and higher than the TyG indices of non-users and those who exclusively consumed alcohol or smoking tobacco.This work was supported by the Technology Innovation Program (20002781, A Platform for Prediction and Management of Health Risk Based on Personal Big Data and Lifelogging) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE, South Korea) to JW Lee, and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) Baek et al. Lipids in Health and Disease (2021) 20:49 Page 9 of 11 (NRF-2019R1A2C1010043) to H Lee. Additionally, this work was supported by Institute for Information and Communications Technology Promotion (IITP) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (2019-31-1293), for autonomous digital companion framework and application to HJ Chan

Extranodal Interdigitating Dendritic Cell Sarcoma Presenting in the Pleura: A Case Report

Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS) is an extremely rare neoplasm arising from the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. This disease usually involves the lymph nodes, and rarely, extranodal sites may be affected. The authors report a case of extranodal IDCS presenting in the pleura. A 32-yr-old man presented with progressive chest pain. Imaging studies showed diffuse pleural thickening with pleural effusion. Morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of an incisional biopsy of the pleura were consistent with a diagnosis of IDCS; tumor cells were positive for S100 and CD45, but negative for CD1a, CD21, CD35, B cell and T cell markers. The patient was administered chemotherapy, but died of progressive disease. Although its incidence is extremely rare, this case suggests that extranodal IDCS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of undifferentiated neoplasms and that immunohistochemical staining be performed using appropriate markers

Introduction of Transmembrane Inner Ear (tmie) Gene Can Recover the Hearing Impairment and Abnormal Behavior in the Circling Mouse

The spontaneous mutant circling mouse (cir/cir) shows a circling behavior and hearing loss. We produced transgenic mice overexpressing the causative gene, transmembrane inner ear (tmie), for the phenotypic rescue of the circling mouse. Through the continuous breeding with circling mice, the cir/cir homozygous mice carrying the transgene (cir/cir-tg) were produced. The rescued cir/cir -tg mice were able to swim in the water with proper orientation and did not show any circling behavior like wild type mice. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis exhibited that the transgenic tmie was expressed in the inner ear. Inner and outer hair cells were recovered in the cochlea and spiral ganglion neurons were also recovered in the rescued mice. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) test demonstrated that the cir/cir -tg mice are able to respond to sound. This study demonstrates that tmie transgene can recover the hearing impairment and abnormal behavior in the circling mouse

Effect of Zoledronic Acid on Acro-Osteolysis and Osteoporosis in a Patient with Hajdu-Cheney Syndrome

Hajdu-Cheney syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia marked by acro-osteolysis of the distal phalanges and severe osteoporosis. Although there are more than 60 reports published to date, proper treatment and subsequent outcome have been scarce. Herein, we report a progress of anti-resorptive therapy with zoledronic acid, in a woman with Hajdu-Cheney syndrome. Results suggest that anti-resorptive therapy may be important in delaying the progress of osteoporosis and preventing fractures, but not necessarily acro-osteolysis itself

Tuning of oscillation modes by controlling dimensionality of spin structures

Harmonic oscillation of spin structures is a physical phenomenon that offers great potential for applications in nanotechnologies such as nano-oscillators and bio-inspired computing. The effective tuning of oscillations over wide frequency ranges within a single ferromagnetic nanoelement is a prerequisite to realize oscillation-based nanodevices, but it has not been addressed experimentally or theoretically. Here, utilizing a vortex core structure, one of spin structures, we report a drastic change of oscillation modes over the frequency range from MHz to sub-GHz in a 100???nm-thick permalloy circular disk. Oscillation mode was found to considerably depend on the shape and dimension of the vortex core structure and various oscillation modes over a wide range of frequencies appeared with dimensional change in the vortex core structure. This work demonstrates that oscillation modes of the vortex core structure can be effectively tuned and opens a way to apply spin structures to oscillation-based technology