Andong National University

The bacterial strain Pseudomonas qingdaonensis BD1 and the clay mineral Illite have demonstrated individual potential in stress mitigation; however, their combined impact on soybean performance under salt stress are not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the combined application of BD1 and Illite in enhancing salt stress tolerance in soybean. The survival of BD1 was tested across a range of NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mM) and Illite concentrations (0-7%), with maximum growth observed at 100 mM NaCl and 3% Illite. The treatments were applied independently, and the combined treatment of BD1 and Illite was most effective in mitigating the salt stress. Their co-application significantly enhanced the plant growth and photosynthetic efficiency under salt stress. This combination (BD1+Illite) also reduced oxidative stress by lowering hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, likely due to elevated antioxidant enzyme activity. Ion analysis revealed that BD1+ Illite reduced Na ⁺ accumulation by 26.7%, while increasing K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and phosphorus uptake by 46.5%, 52.7%, 29%, and 28.7%, respectively. Additionally, their co-application decreased abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) by 40% and 20.3%, respectively, whereas jasmonic acid (JA) increased by 44.4%, indicating a favourable hormonal shift. Enhanced accumulation of sugars, organic acids and amino acids further contributed to osmotic adjustment. Gene expression analyses revealed upregulation of GmCYP707A2, GmSALT3, GmLAX1, GmLAX3 and GmNHX1 and downregulation of GmNCED3, GmCLC1, and GmPAL1, supporting improved stress adaptation. In summary, while BD1 and Illite individually alleviated salt stress, their co-application resulted in the most effective and consistent improvement in salt stress tolerance in soybean plants primarily through enhanced antioxidant capacity, improved ion homeostasis, hormone regulation, and stress-responsive gene expression. Thus, their combined use represents a promising and sustainable amendment for agriculture in salt-affected environments.

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics have been shown to improve adherence and clinical outcomes in schizophrenia treatment. However, issues with compliance and early discontinuation of LAIs remain a significant challenge in real-world settings. Understanding the factors influencing successful initiation and maintenance is essential to maximize their clinical benefits.

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with the maintenance of paliperidone LAI (PLAI) during the first year of treatment in a real-world clinical setting, focusing on initiation practices and baseline clinical factors.

This was a non-interventional, retrospective observational study conducted at three hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected from electronic medical records from January 2010 to January 2023.

This study included 664 patients who initiated PLAI treatment. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate clinical and demographic factors influencing the 1-year discontinuation rate.

The 1-year discontinuation rate was 51.5% (342/664), with most discontinuations occurring in the early phase of treatment. Factors significantly associated with a lower risk of discontinuation included initiating PLAI with the standard starting dose of 150 mg (hazards ratio (HR) 0.766, p  = 0.021), concurrent use of antipsychotics at baseline (HR 0.630, p  = 0.019), a higher dose of concurrent antipsychotics (HR 0.985, p  = 0.005), and outpatient initiation (HR 0.671, p  < 0.001). Baseline clozapine use was associated with a lower risk of treatment discontinuation (HR 0.755, p  = 0.096). A predictive model incorporating these factors demonstrated moderate ability to predict 1-year discontinuation (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.61)

The findings highlight the importance of adhering to the standard dosing regimen for PLAI initiation and its potential as an augmentation agent in combination with other antipsychotics. Initiating PLAI in an outpatient setting and addressing adherence challenges early in treatment may enhance long-term treatment continuity in patients with schizophrenia.

Human breast milk-derived extracellular vesicles (HMEVs) have various physiological functions, including immune regulation, cell regeneration, and inflammation suppression, as well as potential therapeutic applications; however, research on the role of HMEVs in bone growth and bone remodeling is insufficient. This study examined the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from human breast milk on osteoblast differentiation and mineralization and elucidated their role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The study’s results showed that HMEVs significantly enhance osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization, as confirmed by increased expression of proteins and genes related to bone formation. These effects are mediated via the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. In other words, this study suggests that HMEVs may have a beneficial effect on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by promoting differentiation and mineralization of bone cells through the BMP2 and MAPK signaling pathways.