Kangwon National University

We investigated the springtime variability of ozone in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) over East Asia using data from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) onboard the Metop satellite series (Metop‐A, Metop‐B, and Metop‐C), complemented with ozonesonde observations and MERRA‐2 reanalysis data. The accuracy of the IASI ozone profiles was confirmed through validation against ozonesonde measurements, demonstrating their reliability for monitoring UTLS ozone dynamics. An empirical orthogonal function analysis revealed that the first principal component explained more than half of the variance in UTLS ozone during springtime, with strong positive correlations in regions influenced by the East Asian jet stream (EAJS). The analysis showed that the strengthening of the jet stream was associated with increased ozone concentrations, likely driven by enhanced baroclinic wave activity and stratospheric intrusion. Moreover, the intensification of the EAJS was associated with strengthening of the local Hadley Cells and the meridional temperature gradient over the upstream region even during springtime.

Current therapies for rheumatoid arthritis, including anti-inflammatory agents and immunomodulators, primarily target common inflammatory mechanisms. However, the efficacy of most bioactive compounds claimed to possess anti-arthritic properties remains mechanistically unproven, particularly against progressive conditions like pannus development. This study investigates the pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and impact of reported anti-arthritic polyphenols on HIF-regulated pannus development in rheumatoid arthritis through in silico and in vitro approaches. Eighty bioactive compounds with documented anti-arthritic properties were selected from the literature and subjected to sequential evaluation of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic activity. The study identified five promising candidates qualified to perform in vivo toxicity and in vitro biochemical assays. Toxicity testing using Galleria mellonella larvae indicated dose-dependent effects on the midgut, with no mortality observed at doses up to 2000 mg/kg body weight. In vitro assays, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory evaluations, further validated the therapeutic potential of these compounds. Compounds that satisfied all predictive criteria were subjected to molecular interaction analysis against hub-gene targets implicated in HIF-regulated angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis. RA-associated proteins were identified from NCBI-GEO and DisGeNET (GWAS) databases. Functional annotation and protein-protein interaction analysis identified IL-6, IL-1β, HIF-1α, PPARG, and TIMP1 as key hub targets. Molecular docking using PyRx revealed the binding affinities of the selected bioactive compounds against these targets. These findings suggest that the screened bioactive polyphenols exhibit low toxicity and hold potential as regulators of HIF-mediated angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis, offering a novel therapeutic approach for progressive disease management.

Background The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical characteristics, discrepancies in postnatal diagnosis, and outcomes of prenatally diagnosed arachnoid cysts without extra‐CNS anomalies. Methods This study was a multi‐center retrospective cohort study from 16 participating university hospitals in South Korea, with patient data pooled from January 2010 to December 2019. This study focused on cases with prenatally diagnosed arachnoid cysts and analyzed postnatal diagnoses related to CNS anomalies, the need for surgery, and clinical outcomes. Results Thirty‐seven fetuses with fetal arachnoid cysts were ultimately included in our analysis. These included 27 supratentorial cysts and 10 posterior fossa cysts, with 11 cases (29.7%) presenting associated CNS anomalies. The most common associated anomalies were ventriculomegaly (18.9%) and callosal abnormalities (10.8%). No chromosomal abnormalities were detected during antenatal care. Postnatal regression was observed in 14.8% of supratentorial cysts and 10.0% of posterior fossa cysts. Neurologic complications, present in 21.6% of all cases, were more prevalent in cases with associated CNS anomalies compared to isolated arachnoid cysts. Conclusion In cases diagnosed with prenatal arachnoid cysts, ventriculomegaly and callosal anomalies are the most commonly associated CNS anomalies. The presence of additional CNS anomalies is the most critical factor affecting neurologic outcomes.

Perilla is a self-fertilizing crop widely used in East Asia for its seeds and leaves. Of the two varieties of Perilla, P. frutescens var. frutescens has long been used as a folk plant in South Korea. The seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which offer significant health benefits, making them popular for use in seed oil or as a spice. The leaves, with their high perilla ketone content and unique aroma, are used as leafy vegetables and spices. The morphological characteristics of crops are complex for various reasons, such as environment factors, multiplicity, etc. To better understand the morphological variations among three types of Perilla collected from three regions of South Korea, 7 qualitative traits and 10 quantitative traits were investigated using 500 Perilla accessions. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the first two components together explained 52.2% of the overall variation. The 500 Perilla accessions clearly distinguished cultivated var. frutescens from weedy var. crispa and also revealed differences between cultivated and weedy types of var. frutescens . Significant morphological differences were observed among the three types of Perilla , especially in seed and plant characteristics. When the PCA results were analysed by region, regional differences were observed for all three types of Perilla . Therefore, this study provides a better understanding of the morphological and geographical differences in Perilla grown and naturally occurring in South Korea, which will aid research on crop evolution and differentiation, as well as Perilla breeding programmes.

Drug delivery to the brain across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been a challenge for drugs unable to passively diffuse through it. Various parameters of the drugs contribute to the potency to cross the barrier made up of tight junctions of the epithelial cell membrane. For drugs with low permeability, novel nanoscale drug carriers have been developed to enhance delivery into the brain by circumventing the BBB. The carriers are fabricated in nanoscale for better penetration of the tight junctions in BBB. Understand the physiology of the blood-brain barrier and the mechanism of molecular transport across it is crucial for designing effective drug carriers. Physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) modeling is a powerful tool for simulating the permeability of drugs and drug carriers across the BBB. The perfusion-limited kinetics and permeability-limited kinetics are two key equations that describe the transport of the drug into the brain and aiding in the determination of whether surface modifications to the drug carrier are necessary to improve the permeability. This review discusses the mechanisms of molecule transfer across the BBB, the parameters that filter drugs from the blood, the role of nanocarriers in enhancing permeability, the significance of PBPK modeling in extrapolating in vivo permeability data of the drugs, and the recommended surface modifications to optimize drug delivery to the brain.

This study investigated the impact of exogenous L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) combined with supplemental LED lighting on the growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and yield of paprika plants (Capsicum annuum L.) under the challenging environmental conditions of the summer season, in response to climate change. The optimal concentration of 5 mM L-glutamic acid, which was determined through preliminary experiments, was used in conjunction with three types of LED interlighting spectra: quantum dot-applied blue + wide-red + far-red (QD), blue + red (B + R), white (W), and a control with no supplemental LED lighting. The results demonstrated that the foliar application of L-glutamic acid, particularly when combined with supplemental LED lighting, significantly increased the plant height, leaf spectral reflectance indices, and overall fruit yield compared with those of the controls. Notable improvements were observed in photosynthetic parameters such as stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), and photosynthetic rate (A), especially in middle canopy leaves. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, and vegetation indices were significant factors driving variations in growth and yield. K-means clustering further demonstrated that the combination of L-glutamic acid with LED lighting consistently resulted in superior plant performance, whereas the absence of both treatments was associated with the most detrimental effects. The study concluded that integrating L-glutamic acid with supplemental LED lighting effectively mitigates the stress associated with high temperatures and low light conditions, thereby increasing paprika productivity in greenhouse environments.

The purpose of this study is to develop a model for identifying prohibited doping drugs through AI-based pill image analysis. To achieve this objective, the study utilized the oral medication image dataset provided by AI Hub. The dataset was divided into prohibited and allowed drugs, and a total of 160,056 images of 500 types of oral medications were used. The performance of the prediction model was evaluated using five metrics: Recall, Precision, Sensitivity, Specificity, and Accuracy. A CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) model and the SIFT (Scale-Invariant Feature Transform) algorithm were applied to analyze the external features of the drugs, such as size, color, and shape. The model demonstrated a high accuracy of 96.5% in distinguishing between prohibited and allowed drugs. Moreover, it achieved superior performance in key metrics, including Recall/Sensitivity (95.2%), Precision (98.6%), and Specificity (98.2%).

Obesogens, such as bisphenol A (BPA), are emerging models for obesity research, yet their mechanisms remain less explored. While BPA has been extensively studied for its estrogen receptor interactions, its effects on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) remain unclear. This study explored the role of the GR in BPA-induced lipid accumulation using the GR antagonist mifepristone (10 μM) and the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 (15 μM) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Both antagonists significantly reduced BPA-induced lipid accumulation. Furthermore, co-treatment with Brassica juncea extract (BJE, 800 μg/mL) or its bioactive component sinigrin (36 μM) alongside the antagonists preserved the inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation without compromising cell viability. Mechanistic investigations revealed that BJE and sinigrin suppressed phospho-GR and PPAR-γ protein expression. Overall, the findings indicate that BPA promotes adipocyte differentiation via both GR and PPAR-γ pathways and that BJE and sinigrin may serve as natural anti-obesogenic agents targeting these mechanisms.

This article analyzes how recent conflicts have influenced strategic choices in Europe and East Asia, contrasting the European Union (EU)’s persistent yet uncertain inclination toward strategic autonomy with East Asian allies’ increasing alignment with the USA. Key events, such as Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, China’s military activities in the Taiwan Strait, and the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict, are interpreted as attempts to disrupt the existing international order. In East Asia, South Korea and Japan have strengthened their cooperation with the USA, evident in frameworks such as the ROK-US-Japan trilateral partnership and the Quad, to address these emerging threats. In contrast, while EU countries maintain their alignment with the USA, they continue to display an ambiguous inclination toward strategic autonomy, despite ongoing conflicts and an expanding US military presence in Europe. This article argues that the EU’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is more significantly influenced by gradual shifts in US grand strategy than by concerns regarding a potential return of former President Trump. Moreover, the EU’s distinctive response is shaped by its unique historical experiences and assurance institutions, differing from those of its East Asian allies.

The human gut contains a diverse range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Although research has predominantly focused on bacterial populations, emerging evidence highlights the significant role of the gut mycobiota, particularly in the context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. This study investigates the intestinal mucosal mycobiota of UC patients, aiming to isolate and characterize live Malassezia fungal strains from the gut mucosa. Our analysis confirmed the presence of Malassezia in the intestinal mucosal layer of UC patients, with live Malassezia globosa strains being successfully isolated. As Malassezia is generally associated with the skin, the genomic and transcriptomic profiles and virulence of the M. globosa gut isolates were compared with those of the skin isolates. While both gut and skin isolates of M. globosa shared high genomic similarity, transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct responses to oxygen levels, suggesting niche-specific adaptation. Compared with the skin isolates, the gut isolates exhibited higher virulence in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse colitis model, resulting in more severe disease, reduced survival rates, and elevated proinflammatory cytokine levels in the host. Our findings highlight the potential role of M. globosa in the pathogenesis of IBD and underscore the importance of niche-specific adaptations in fungal virulence. IMPORTANCE Malassezia fungi predominantly reside on human skin and are associated with several skin diseases, such as seborrheic dermatitis. They have also been implicated in various other diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While Malassezia DNA has been detected in many fungal microbiome studies using fecal samples, no previous research had isolated live Malassezia strains from the gut or confirmed that live Malassezia cells reside within the gut environment. In this study, we successfully isolated live Malassezia globosa strains from the gut mucosal surface of ulcerative colitis patients and compared them to M. globosa skin isolates. Our results revealed significant differences in pathogenicity between the gut and skin isolates and suggest the important role of M. globosa in the gut and its involvement in IBD.

This paper presents an implantable cardiovascular biopotential acquisition and stimulation circuit with body-channel (BC) data communication and power transfer capabilities for a transcatheter leadless pacemaker. The power and size requirements of leadless pacemakers, specifically for implantable electronics and minimally-invasive transcatheter delivery, are highly challenging. To reduce size, electrocardiogram (ECG) sensing, pacing, timing and control logic, and body- coupled wireless transceivers are integrated into a single chip. The ECG sensing channel is designed using a current-reused current-feedback instrumentation amplifier to reduce power consumption. The pacing circuit is implemented using a switched-capacitor stimulator with passive discharge for high stimulation efficiency. The pacemaker utilizes BC communication instead of RF communication to achieve low power consumption. The measured input-referred noise of the sensing channel is 3.69 μV_RMS, and the power consumption ranges from 4.5 to 19.4 μW. The downlink and uplink speeds of BC communication are 10 Mbps and 16 kbps, respectively. The internal rechargeable battery is properly charged when a 600 mV_PP, 20 MHz input signal is applied. The leadless pacemaker prototype is implemented with a small size of 5.89 mm and 26.5 mm in diameter and length, respectively. The performance of the leadless pacemaker prototype is evaluated through in vivo experiments using swine.

Cisplatin‐loaded hyaluronic acid‐dopamine microsphere (MS) is interconnected by metal ion (e.g., calcium ion and iron ion)‐catechol coordination and polydopamine linkages to form an MS‐aggregated hydrogel (MAH) system to enable convenient peritumoral injection and efficient tumor infiltration in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapy. Cisplatin (inhibition of DNA replication and cellular H2O2 generation), calcium peroxide (self‐generation of H2O2), and ferrous sulfate (conversion of H2O2 to OH radicals) are integrated into the MAH system for chemo/cascade chemodynamic therapy. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced by calcium peroxide and ferrous sulfate, which can assist Ca²⁺ overload in inducing calcicoptosis in cancer cells. Both iron and calcium ions increase the degree of lipid peroxidation, leading to enhanced ferroptosis in cancer cells. Cisplatin and ROS generation induces apoptosis in cancer cells. Viscoelastic modulation for prolonged therapeutic delivery with enhanced tumor penetration of the jammed MAH system is demonstrated physicochemically and mechanically. Anticancer capabilities are also assessed in 4T1 cells and orthotopic 4T1 tumor mouse models. Remarkably, the MAH system strongly inhibited the recurrence of residual 4T1 tumors in a mouse model. These findings indicate that the MAH system can be applied for the ROS‐assisted induction of multiple apoptosis/calcicoptosis/ferroptosis pathways in TNBC therapy.

Novel food processing technologies, such as ohmic heating, ultrasonic heating, cold plasma, high‐pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEFs), and enzymatic hydrolysis, have the ability to extend shelf life, improve quality, regulate the freshness of food products, and have diverse effects on food components, that is, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Understanding the overall effects and mechanisms of these methods on food proteins from a multidimensional perspective is a core foundation for driving further innovations and advancements related to food protein modifications and their applications in the food industry. Therefore, this review aims to explore novel food processing technologies and their impacts on the particle size, structure, solubility, emulsion stability, foaming properties, and bioactivity of food protein, which affect the nutritional and functional properties of foods. Recent studies have shown that all these technologies have a significant effect on protein structure, solubility, functionality, and bioactivity. For instance, HPP primarily affects the particle size, secondary structure, and coagulation properties. PEF has been shown to enhance protein solubility and modify protein structure. Enzymatic hydrolysis breaks down proteins, improving their texture, proteolytic activity, degree of hydrolysis, and solubility. Processing‐induced changes in protein properties significantly enhance the overall qualities of the final food products. While novel food processing methods show promise for enhancing food proteins, they also have several drawbacks. To reduce these negative effects, combining different processing techniques may offer a solution, and computer‐based tools can help simulate, optimize, control, and validate these processes.