Influence of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake on Potential Lipid Metabolite Diagnostic Markers in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study.

Non-invasive diagnostics are crucial for the timely detection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), significantly improving survival rates. Despite advancements, specific lipid markers for RCC remain unidentified. We aimed to discover and validate potent plasma markers and their association with dietary fats. Using lipid metabolite quantification, machine-learning algorithms, and marker validation, we identified RCC diagnostic markers in studies involving 60 RCC and 167 healthy controls (HC), as well as 27 RCC and 74 HC, by analyzing their correlation with dietary fats. RCC was associated with altered metabolism in amino acids, glycerophospholipids, and glutathione. We validated seven markers (l-tryptophan, various lysophosphatidylcholines [LysoPCs], decanoylcarnitine, and l-glutamic acid), achieving a 96.9% AUC, effectively distinguishing RCC from HC. Decreased decanoylcarnitine, due to reduced carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) activity, was identified as affecting RCC risk. High intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was negatively correlated with LysoPC (18:1) and LysoPC (18:2), influencing RCC risk. We validated seven potential markers for RCC diagnosis, highlighting the influence of high PUFA intake on LysoPC levels and its impact on RCC occurrence via CPT1 downregulation. These insights support the efficient and accurate diagnosis of RCC, thereby facilitating risk mitigation and improving patient outcomes.

Tailoring tokamak error fields to control plasma instabilities and transport.

A tokamak relies on the axisymmetric magnetic fields to confine fusion plasmas and aims to deliver sustainable and clean energy. However, misalignments arise inevitably in the tokamak construction, leading to small asymmetries in the magnetic field known as error fields (EFs). The EFs have been a major concern in the tokamak approaches because small EFs, even less than 0.1%, can drive a plasma disruption. Meanwhile, the EFs in the tokamak can be favorably used for controlling plasma instabilities, such as edge-localized modes (ELMs). Here we show an optimization that tailors the EFs to maintain an edge 3D response for ELM control with a minimized core 3D response to avoid plasma disruption and unnecessary confinement degradation. We design and demonstrate such an edge-localized 3D response in the KSTAR facility, benefiting from its unique flexibility to change many degrees of freedom in the 3D coil space for the various fusion plasma regimes. This favorable control of the tokamak EF represents a notable advance for designing intrinsically 3D tokamaks to optimize stability and confinement for next-step fusion reactors.

The study on the complete mitochondrial genome of Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi and its phylogenetic position.

Pleuronectidae is a well-studied familyin the order Pleuronectiformes. In contrast, genetic research on the flatfish Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi of the Pleuronectidae family is limited. This study reports the complete mitogenome of A. nadeshnyi. The mitogenome was 17,206 bases long and included 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a putative control region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of the 13 PCGs confirmed that A. nadeshnyi belongs to the Pleuronectidae family.

Characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Microstomus achne.

Microstomus achne (Jordan and Starks, 1904) is an economically valuable flatfish belonging to the family Pleuronectidae and the only flatfish that inhabits Korea. Here, we report on the complete mitochondrial genome of M. achne and the phylogenetic relationship between close species. The mitogenome is 16,971 bp long and encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs. The phylogenetic analysis showed that M. achne clustered with Glyptocephalus stelleri, which supports the conclusion that M. achne belongs to the family Pleuronectidae. The results of this study provide a better understanding of M. achne.

Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Notostomum cyclostomum.

Notostomum cyclostomum is a parasite that lays eggs on the snow crab shells and causes various diseases by parasitizing fish. Although there have been some studies on the life history of this parasite and the associated fish diseases, little is known about the molecular biology of this parasite. Thus, here we report the mitochondrial genome of N. cyclostomum, which is 16,972 bp long and contains 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a putative control region with a 92% AT-rich sequences between tRNA-R and tRNA-H. Phylogenetic analysis using 13 PCGs confirmed that N. cyclostoum belongs to the family Pisciodlidae. This is the first study revealing the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of N. cyclostomum.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Pseudopleuronectes herzensteini.

Pseudopleuronectes herzensteini belonging to Pleuronectiformes (family Pleuronectidae) is important in the fishery industry. However, the molecular biology of this valuable fish has hardly been reported. Thus, here we report the complete mitochondrial genome of P. herzensteini. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of P. herzensteini is 16,719 bp long and contains 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a putative control region between tRNA-P and tRNA-F distinguished by a single short noncoding region. Phylogenetic analysis using PCGs confirmed that this mtDNA sequence belongs to the family Pleuronectidae. This is the first study reporting the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of P. herzensteini.

Review of non-invasive urinary biomarkers in bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) is the sixth-most prevalent cancer. The standard diagnostic tool of BC is cystoscopy, whereas cystoscopy has several disadvantages in terms of symptomatic invasiveness and operator-dependency. The urinary markers are attractive because the testing is non-invasive and cost-efficient, and sample collection is easy. Urinary marker is thereby a good tool to detect exfoliated tumor cell in the urine samples for the diagnosis and therapeutic surveillance of BC to supplement the limitations of the cystoscopy. However, they are not recommended as a population-based screening tool because of the low rate of BC prevalence. Although both cystoscopy and urine cytology improve BC diagnostic power, the field still needs additional non-invasive, cost-effective, and highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools. Various urinary markers with different mechanisms and different targets have been developed and under investigation in these days. However, the accuracy of the urinary marker including its sensitivity and specificity is the most important factor for the diagnosis and surveillance in cancer that this review deals with multiple FDA-approved and non-FDA approved commercialized urinary markers with their accuracy in different purposes for BC. We then discuss more about the potential candidate targets for the future urinary markers in BC.

Recovery of algal oil from marine green macro-algae Enteromorpha intestinalis by acidic-hydrothermal process.

In this study, the recovery of algal oil from Enteromorpha intestinalis based on an acidic-hydrothermal reaction was investigated. Overall, the algal oil yield after the acidic-hydrothermal reaction was increased under the conditions of high reaction temperature, high catalyst concentration, and long reaction time within the tested ranges. Significantly, catalyst concentration, compared with reaction temperature and time, less affected algal oil recovery. The optimal acidic-hydrothermal reaction conditions for production of algal oil from E. intestinalis were as follows-200 °C reaction temperature, 2.92 % catalyst concentration, 54 min reaction time. Under these conditions, an 18.6 % algal oil yield was obtained. By increasing the combined severity factor, the algae oil recovery yield linearly increased.

Development of two-grating spectrometer for the charge exchange spectroscopy system on KSTAR.

The charge exchange spectroscopy (CES) system on Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) was installed last year and had been applied to measure the C VI ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles. The ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles had been estimated from the C VI 5290.5 Å (n = 8-7) charge-exchange spectrum signal measured by a Czerny-Turner type spectrometer and a thinned back-illuminated charge coupled device (CCD) camera. However, the Czerny-Turner type spectrometer used for the KSTAR CES system showed so low signal to noise ratio for KSTAR plasmas in the 2010 experimental campaign that the time resolution of the CES system had been limited to 100 ms due to the increased exposure time of the attached CCD camera. Then, new two-grating spectrometer had been developed in order to improve the time resolution of the CES system. The spectrometer consists of two gratings (1200 g/mm and 1800 g/mm each) with additive configuration, concave mirrors (f = 50 cm), and a cylindrical lens (f = 50 cm). The time resolution of the CES system increases by a factor of 2-4 with the two-grating spectrometer. The C VI ion temperature and rotation velocity profiles obtained by the two-grating spectrometer are compared to those by Czerny-Turner type spectrometer in this paper.

Charge exchange spectroscopy system calibration for ion temperature measurement in KSTAR.

The charge exchange spectroscopy (CES) system including collection assemblies, lens design, and cassettes for the KSTAR experiment was installed to obtain profiles of the ion temperature and the toroidal rotation velocity from charge exchange emission between plasma ions and beam neutrals near the plasma axis by using a modulated neutral beam and a background system. We can measure the charge exchange spectra of an impurity line such as the 529 nm line of carbon VI to get ion temperature and rotation profiles in KSTAR. The CES and background systems will have absolute intensity and spectral calibrations using a calibrated source and various spectral lamps. The calibration was done inside the tokamak after all CES systems are installed and the optical systems are slid into the cassettes. This requires that the diagnostic systems are installed near the vacuum vessel inside the cryostat maintaining the superconducting state of the superconducting coils. Repeated spectral calibrations of the spectrometer and charge coupled device for CES will be made in the diagnostic room during the experimental campaign. We show a detailed description of the KSTAR CES system, how to calibrate, and the results of calibration.

Anti-edema effects of brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) extract on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced mouse ear inflammation.

The brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar is used in traditional medicine to treat fever, urination problems, lumps and swelling, and as a dietary supplement for post-childbirth women. We examined the anti-inflammatory activities of the seaweed. The methanol extract of the seaweed was active against mouse ear edema induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), with an IC(50) of 10.3 mg/ml. The extract reduced the edema to a half-maximal level when applied at the concentration of 40 mg/ml within 3 hours before or 2 hours after application of PMA. Extract taken from the blade section of the seaweed demonstrated the highest activity. The Northern form of U. pinnatifida was more active than the Southern form. In the analgesic test, the methanol extract suppressed the acetic acid-induced writhing response, with an IC(50) of 0.48 g/kg body weight. The extract also demonstrated antipyretic activity in yeast-induced hyperthermic mice. Activity-related constituents were arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and stearidonic acids.

Molecular cloning and characterization of ARS elements from the mud loach (Misgurnus mizolepis).

Autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) are thought to occur within, or adjacent to, the matrix attachment regions (MARs). To identify fish ARSs, MARs of the mud loach fish were obtained from nuclear matrices using a modified LIS method. These DNA fragments were screened for their ability to act as ARSs by being cloned into the ARS cloning vector, pURY19, and transformed into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sixteen ARSs were isolated, most of which were more efficient in transformation than the positive control vector, pURY19-2 microm, which contained the 2 microm circle origin of yeast. In particular, one clone, pURY19-ARS223, was 18 times more efficient in back-transforming E. coli than the positive control vector. Therefore, ARS223, which has strong ARS activity in yeast, could be a good candidate for inclusion in expression vehicles that are used to transfect fish cell lines or embryos. A DNA sequence analysis showed that the essential ARS elements contain potential ARS consensus sequences, and are predicted to have hairpin loop structures, or curved or kinked DNA. In addition, the MAR-Finder program suggested that ARSs also contain MAR motifs. These include AT tracts, ORI patterns, kinked DNA, ATC tracts, and Topoisomerase II consensus sequences. The in vitro matrix binding assay confirmed that all of the cloned ARSs could associate with the nuclear matrix. This indicates that ARSs elements may be located in or near the MARs. This is the first study that has identified and characterized ARSs in fish.