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This study was conducted to characterize different colored lines of cherry tomatoes and derive information regarding their metabolite accumulation. Different colored cherry tomato cultivars, namely ‘Jocheong’, ‘BN Satnolang’, ‘Gold Chance’, ‘Black Q’, and ‘Snacktom’, were assessed for their firmness, taste characteristics, and nutritional metabolites at the commercial ripening stage. The cultivars demonstrated firmness to withstand impacts during harvesting and postharvest operations. The significant variations in the Brix to acid ratio (BAR) and the contents of phenylalanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid highlight the distinct taste characteristics among the cultivars, and the nutritional metabolites are associated with the color of the cultivars. The cultivar choices would be the black-colored ‘Black Q’ for chlorophylls, β-carotene, total flavonoids, and anthocyanins; the red-colored ‘Snacktom’ for lycopene; the orange-colored ‘Gold Chance’ for total phenolics; and the green-colored ‘Jocheong’ for chlorophylls, vitamin C, GABA, glutamic acid, essential amino acids, and total free amino acids. The antioxidant capacity varied among the cultivars, with ‘Gold Chance’ consistently exhibiting the highest activity across the four assays, followed by ‘Snacktom’. This study emphasizes the importance of screening cultivars to support breeding programs for improving the nutritional content and encourages the inclusion of a diverse mix of different colored cherry tomatoes in packaging to obtain the cumulative or synergistic effects of secondary metabolites.

Accumulating evidence indicates that mitotic protein kinases are involved in metastatic migration as well as tumorigenesis. Protein kinases and cytoskeletal proteins play a role in the efficient release of metastatic cells from a tumor mass in the tumor microenvironment, in addition to playing roles in mitosis. Mitotic protein kinases, including Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and Aurora kinases, have been shown to be involved in metastasis in addition to cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, depending on the phosphorylation status and cellular context. Although the genetic programs underlying mitosis and metastasis are different, the same protein kinases and cytoskeletal proteins can participate in both mitosis and cell migration/invasion, resulting in migratory tumors. Cytoskeletal remodeling supports several cellular events, including cell division, movement, and migration. Thus, understanding the contributions of cytoskeletal proteins to the processes of cell division and metastatic motility is crucial for developing efficient therapeutic tools to treat cancer metastases. Here, we identify mitotic kinases that function in cancer metastasis as well as tumorigenesis. Several mitotic kinases, namely, PLK1, Aurora kinases, Rho-associated protein kinase 1, and integrin-linked kinase, are considered in this review, as an understanding of the shared machineries between mitosis and metastasis could be helpful for developing new strategies to treat cancer.Cancer: Linking cell division to cancer spreadImproving understanding of the mechanisms linking cell division and cancer spread (metastasis) could provide novel strategies for treatment. A group of enzymes involved in cell division (mitosis) are also thought to play critical roles in the spread of cancers. Hyungshin Yim at Hanyang University in Ansan, South Korea, and co-workers in Korea and the USA reviewed the roles of several mitotic enzymes that are connected with metastasis as well as tumorigenesis. They discussed how these enzymes modify cytoskeletal proteins and other substrates during cancer progression. Some regulatory control of cell cytoskeletal structures is required for cancer cells to metastasize. Recent research has uncovered crosstalk between mitotic enzymes and metastatic cytoskeletal molecules in various cancers. Targeting mitotic enzymes and the ways they influence cytoskeletal mechanisms could provide valuable therapeutic strategies for suppressing metastasis.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is considered a Th1-mediated disease, supported by the over-expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the intestinal lamina propria. IFN-γ has a pleiotropic effect on the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), suggesting that IFN-γ-induced responses may differ between epithelial cell types. We established human small intestinal organoids (enteroids) derived from non-IBD controls and CD patients. Using human enteroids, the major response of IECs induced by IFN-γ was evaluated, focusing on the IFN-γ-induced programmed cell death (PCD) pathway. Identified IFN-γ-induced responses were validated in surgically resected intestinal samples and publicly available single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets. IFN-γ stimulated programmed cell death (PCD) of IECs in both control and CD enteroids in a dose-dependent manner. Pyroptosis, apoptosis. and necroptosis were activated in enteroids, suggesting that PANoptosis was the main process of IFN-γ-induced PCD in IECs. The response to IFN-γ depends on the cell type of the IECs. IFN-γ induced depletion of enterocytes with upregulation of PANoptosis-associated genes, while leading to expansion of goblet cells without significant change in PANoptosis-associated gene expression. Individual PCD inhibitors were insufficient to block IFN-γ-induced cytotoxicity, whereas the selective JAK1 inhibitor (upadacitinib) effectively blocked IFN-γ-induced cytotoxicity and PANoptosis. Furthermore, PANoptosis was significantly activated in surgically resected tissues and in publicly available single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets of intestinal tissues from patients with CD. IFN-γ induces PANoptosis in enterocytes, which can be treated with a selective JAK1 inhibitor in patients with CD.

In the current research, we optimized a simultaneous method for quantifying deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivative forms, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G), 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-AcDON), 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15-AcDON), and nivalenol (NIV), in pet food using QuEChERS combined with liquid chromatography quadrupole mass spectrometry. The developed method’s linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, and precision were also validated. The limits of detection and quantification for this analysis method were 6.7–9.4 ng g−1 and 20.1–28.1 ng g−1, respectively. The average recovery (60.1–107.2%, RSD ≤ 9.3%) met the recovery (60–110%) and precision (RSDr ≤ 20%) criteria for DON specified in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 401/2006. A total of 246 pet food samples (68 cat and 178 dog food samples) collected in South Korea were analyzed. DON was detected in 11.8% of cat food and 8.4% of dog food samples, with concentrations ranging from 122.9 to 799.4 ng g−1 and 79.7 to 698.0 ng g−1, respectively. The co-occurrence rate of DON and its metabolites was 7.3% in dog food and 10.3% in cat food. NIV was not detected in cat food samples but was detected in two (1.1%) dog food samples at 23.4 and 32.0 ng g−1 contamination levels. All detected levels were below the regulatory guidance limit. Investigations of the effect of DON contamination levels according to the grain content of pet food revealed that the DON detection rate tended to increase with grain content. This study can be effectively utilized in quality control laboratories for high-throughput routine analysis of mycotoxins.

Abstract Context The long-term quality of life (QoL) in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) underwent active surveillance (AS) and immediate surgery is unclear. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of initial treatment choice on 2-year QoL in patients with low-risk PTMC Design, Setting, and Participants We analyzed 2652 QoL surveys from 1055 subjects enrolled in ongoing multicenter prospective cohort study on active surveillance of PTMC, in which the median follow-up duration was 24.4 months. Major Outcome Measure We evaluated QoL of patients with low-risk PTMC according to their treatment modality using generalized estimating equation. Results Six hundred and seventy-four subjects (male = 161; mean age = 48.8 ± 11.9 years) with low-risk PTMC chose AS while 381 subjects (male = 75; mean age = 45.7 ± 10.4 years) chose immediate surgery, including lobectomy/isthmusectomy (L/I) and total thyroidectomy (TT). Among the 817 subjects who completed baseline QoL surveys, 2-year QoL was good in order of AS (n = 500), L/I (n = 238), and TT (n = 79) groups after adjustment for age, sex, baseline tumor size, and baseline QoL scores. Among the 101 subjects who changed their treatment from AS to surgery during the follow-up period, 35 subjects who changed treatment due to disease progression had better QoL than 66 subjects who had no disease progression. Conclusions This study identified QoL as a major issue in choosing an initial treatment of low-risk PTMC and highlighted the possibility of using AS as the primary treatment.

Physical changes in arranged silver nanowires were monitored during progressive heating inside a transmission electron microscope. Using the in-situ experimental method, overall variation of silver nanowires and movement of the silver atoms could be assessed. The physical morphology of silver nanowires was rapidly transformed above 350 °C as they fused with each other, which led to extrusion of the silver atoms. Around 550 °C, silver nanowires were almost fused into one, filling a relatively large void between silver nanowires. However, above 575 °C, the united silver nanowire was completely cut off, starting from the region that was suspected to have defects. For the first time, the fusion of arranged silver nanowires and the configurational changes of silver atoms during heating were visualized, and the migration between silver atoms and the damage mechanism of silver nanowires were assessed. Moreover, the relationship of physical morphology and electrical property of silver nanowires according to the temperature were investigated using the ex-situ experimental method. As silver nanowires started to split at 300 °C, the electrical conductivity deteriorated greatly. Beyond 350 °C, the electrical conductivity was completely lost while silver nanowires disintegrated rapidly, and silver nanowires completely disappeared at 450 °C.

Objective Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Kidney biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing LN. Post-translational lysine acetylation modifications have emerged as potential biomarkers. This study explored using urinary lysine-acetylated peptides as novel biomarkers for diagnosing LN and assessing activity. Methods Urine samples were collected from patients with LN ( n  = 30), SLE without nephritis ( n  = 30), antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis (AAV-GN; n  = 11), and healthy controls ( n  = 25). The experiment involved two steps: screening through liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and quantifying five lysine-acetylated peptides through multiple reaction monitoring. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the ability of these peptides to differentiate LN from other conditions. Additionally, their diagnostic value for histopathological activity was evaluated. Results Among the five acetylated peptides analyzed, three (ALB-K36, ALB-K161, ALB-K402) were significantly elevated in LN compared to SLE, AAV-GN, and healthy controls. Urinary ALB-K36 exhibited the highest diagnostic accuracy for LN versus AAV-GN (AUC = 0.947). These peptides remained elevated in LN patients with low proteinuria (UPCR < 500 mg/g), suggesting a potential role in early disease detection. Combining ALB-K36 with UPCR improved the diagnostic performance of histological activity index > 2 (AUC = 0.706). Conclusion Urinary lysine-acetylated peptides are promising novel biomarkers for LN diagnosis and histologic assessment, complementing traditional markers, such as UPCR, and highlighting their clinical potential; however, further validation in larger cohorts is required.

Introduction The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‐mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large‐scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients. Methods The Korean EGFR Registry was designed to enroll 2000 patients with all stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC from 40 university hospitals across Korea. This study, encompassing both retrospective and prospective cohorts, aims to analyze clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes in these patients. Data collection will include patient demographics, smoking history, quality of life assessments, pathological data, and treatment outcomes, with follow‐up until December 2026. The primary endpoint is disease‐free survival in patients who have undergone radical therapy (surgery and radiotherapy) or progression‐free survival in those receiving targeted therapy (first, second, and subsequent lines), chemotherapy (first and subsequent lines), combination therapy, and palliative/maintenance therapy according to stages of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC. The study will explore the diagnostic methods for EGFR mutations, clinical outcomes based on treatment modalities, and metastatic patterns in EGFR‐mutated NSCLC patients. Moreover, it will investigate various aspects, including the safety and efficacy of a new third‐generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), lazertinib, approved for both first‐ and second‐line treatments. Discussion This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the epidemiology, risk factors, progression, and treatment outcomes of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC in Korea. The Korean EGFR Registry will contribute significantly to the understanding of the complex dynamics of EGFR‐mutated NSCLC, aiding in the development of more effective and personalized treatment strategies.

The role of the serine/glycine metabolic pathway (SGP) has recently been demonstrated in tumors; however, the pathological relevance of the SGP in thyroid cancer remains unexplored. Here, we perform metabolomic profiling of 17 tumor-normal pairs; bulk transcriptomics of 263 normal thyroid, 348 papillary, and 21 undifferentiated thyroid cancer samples; and single-cell transcriptomes from 15 cases, showing the impact of mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism in thyroid tumors. High expression of serine hydroxymethyltransferase-2 (SHMT2) and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2) is associated with low thyroid differentiation scores and poor clinical features. A subpopulation of tumor cells with high mitochondrial one-carbon pathway activity is observed in the single-cell dataset. SHMT2 inhibition significantly compromises mitochondrial respiration and decreases cell proliferation and tumor size in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of the mitochondrial one-carbon pathway in undifferentiated thyroid cancer and suggest that SHMT2 is a potent therapeutic target. Different types of metabolic rewiring are reported to drive cancer development and as a potential therapeutic target. Here, the authors perform multi-omics analyses in a cohort of human normal and malignant thyroid samples and show association of mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism with undifferentiated thyroid cancer.

Cases of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 reinfection have been reported in a number of countries. Further, the level of natural immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection is not fully clear, nor is it clear if a primary infection is protective against reinfection. To investigate the potential association between serum antibody titres and reinfection of SARS-CoV-2, ferrets with different levels of NAb titres after primary SARS-CoV-2 infection were subjected to reinfection with a heterologous SARS-CoV-2 strain. All heterologous SARS-CoV-2 reinfected ferrets showed active virus replication in the upper respiratory and gastro-intestinal tracts. However, the high NAb titre group showed attenuated viral replication and rapid viral clearance. In addition, direct-contact transmission was observed only from reinfected ferrets with low NAb titres (<20), and not from other groups. Further, lung histopathology demonstrated the presence of limited inflammatory regions in the high NAb titre groups compared with control and low NAb groups. This study demonstrates a close correlation between a low NAb titre and SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in a recovered ferret reinfection model.