SummaryMeteorin is an orphan ligand which has been previously reported to control neuritogenesis and angiogenesis, as well as gliogenesis.However, the precise function of this factor in CNS development and the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that meteorin is involved in GFAP-positive glial differentiation through activation of the Jak-STAT3 pathway, by using neurosphere and retinal explant culture systems. During embryonic brain development, meteorin is highly expressed in neural stem and radial glia cells of the ventricular zone and immature neurons outside the ventricular zone but its expression disappears spontaneously as development proceeds except in GFAP-positive astrocytes. In cultured neurospheres, meteorin activates STAT3, and in turn increases the transcriptional activity of GFAP by enhancing the binding of STAT3 to the promoter. By meteorin stimulation, differentiating neurospheres show increased numbers of GFAP-positive cells, but the effect is abrogated by a blockade of the Jak-STAT3 pathway using either a Jak inhibitor or STAT3 siRNA. Furthermore, we expand our findings to the retina, and show that meteorin increases GFAP expression in Müller glia. Together, our results suggest that meteorin promotes GFAP-positive glia formation by mediating the Jak-STAT3 signaling pathway during both cortical stem cell differentiation and retinal glia development.

Historically, German chamomile (GC) oil has been used for treatment of skin disorders. BALB/c mice were sensitized twice a week with 100 µL of 1% 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and challenged twice the following week with 100 µL of 0.2% DNCB for atopic dermatitis induction. Thereafter, 3% GC oil was applied daily (70 µL, 6 times week) on the dorsal skin for 4 weeks. Saline or jojoba oil was used for the control mice. Blood was collected after second DNCB challenge, and at 2 and 4 weeks after initiating oil application. Serum IgE levels were significantly lowered in the GC oil application group at the end of the 4-week application period. The GC oil application for 4 weeks resulted in reduction in serum IgG1 level compared with that after 2-week application. The GC oil application group showed a significantly lower serum histamine level than the control group 2 weeks after oil application. Scratching frequency of the GC oil application group was significantly lower than either control groups. This study is to demonstrate GC oil's immunoregulatory potential for alleviating atopic dermatitis through influencing of Th2 cell activation.

Using two longitudinal samples, we sought to identify the beginnings of relationship decay by validating the partner-focused go/no-go association task (partner-GNAT), an implicit measure assessing evaluations of romantic partners. In Study 1, we assessed positive and negative attitudes using generic positive and negative stimulus words (e.g., gift and death, respectively) as targets, whereas in Study 2, we used relationship-specific positive and negative stimulus words (e.g., accepting and attacking, respectively) as targets. Results from both samples showed that positive implicit partner evaluations were associated with a reduced risk of breakup over the following 12 months, even after controlling for self-reported relationship satisfaction, hostile conflict, and neuroticism. This suggests that the earliest seeds of relationship decay might be found within attitudes that subjects might be unaware of or are unable or unwilling to report. Both studies also offered support for the importance of negative implicit partner evaluations. In Study 1, this support was in the form of an interaction (revealing that individuals with both low positive and high negative evaluations were at greatest risk for breakup). In Study 2, this support was in the form of a main effect (negative implicit partner evaluations marginally predicted increased risk of breakup).

Daily life has changed due to COVID-19. This has affected nursing education and caused a shift in online learning. This study examined the effects of online learning on nursing students’ knowledge, self-regulation, and learning flow. We used a quasi-experimental design on a sample comprising 164 senior nursing students. We compared pre- and post-test scores to examine the educational effects. The pre-test was conducted a week before the educational intervention, and the post-test was conducted a week after it. We found a significant increase in knowledge (t = −14.85, p < 0.001) and learning flow (t = −2.15, p = 0.033) in the post-test. We also found an increase in self-regulation (t = −1.57, p = 0.119) from the pre- to the post-test that was not statistically significant. The results could help instructors to provide additional information in online learning. They highlight the need to assess learners’ readiness for online learning and to prepare the learning environment with systematic educational planning, design, development, and evaluation for improving the effectiveness of online learning outcomes.

This article empirically examines the lead-lag relations among the KOSPI200 spot market, the KOSPI200 futures market, and the KOSPI200 options market, and provides some explanations for the observed lead-lag relations. In general, the KOSPI200 futures and options markets lead the KOSPI200 spot market by up to 10 minutes in terms of returns and by 5 minutes in terms of volatilities, even after purging the infrequent trading effect as well as the bid-ask spread effect. The KOSPI200 options market leads and lags the KOSPI200 futures market by 5 minutes only in terms of returns. The observed lead-lag relations seem to be caused by the difference in transaction costs of the three markets. JEL Classification: G13; G14