Resveratrol modulates RTX toxin-induced cytotoxicity through interference in adhesion and toxin production.

Host-parasite contact is a prerequisite for the acute cytotoxicity of Vibrio vulnificus, which is mediated primarily by RtxA1, a repeat in toxin (RTX) toxin. We found that resveratrol (at 10 or 30 microM), a natural polyphenol, protected HeLa cells from V. vulnificus cytotoxicity.

Enzymatic analysis of Hemiscorpius lepturus scorpion venom using zymography and venom-specific antivenin.

Hemiscorpius lepturus envenomation exhibits various pathological changes in the affected tissues, including skin, blood cells, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. The enzymatic activity and protein component of the venom have not been described previously. In the present study, the electrophoretic profile of H.

Age and sex dependent genetic effects of neuropeptide Y promoter polymorphism on susceptibility to ischemic stroke in Koreans.

Background: In our previous study, the neuropeptide Y (NPY) C-399T promoter polymorphism (rs16147C>T) was identified as a risk factor for ischemic stroke in Koreans. In this study, we investigated whether age and sex modify the genetic effect of C-399T on susceptibility to ischemic stroke.

Methods: A total of 1,350 subjects (802 ischemic stroke patients, 548 healthy controls) were genotyped for C-399T using a primer extension method.

Matrix metalloproteinases are less essential for the in-situ gelatinolytic activity in heart muscle than in skeletal muscle.

In order to determine whether the contribution of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to the tissue gelatinolytic activity is similar between myocardium and skeletal muscle tissue, in-situ zymography was applied to myoblasts originated from myocardium or skeletal muscle of rodents as well as tissue sections of heart and soleus muscles of rats. Gelatinolyic activity was observed in cytoplasm and nucleus of both heart and skeletal myoblasts. The chelating agent EDTA blocked much of the gelatinolytic activity and the organomercurial activator of MMPs increased the activity in cells of both muscle origins.

Increasing frequency and burden of cerebral artery atherosclerosis in Korean stroke patients.

Purpose: Koreans have been undergoing rapid lifestyle changes that may have an effect on patterns of cerebral artery atherosclerosis. This study was aimed at determining the frequency and distribution of atherosclerosis in the cerebral arteries and associated temporal changes over the past eight-year period among Korean stroke patients.

Materials And Methods: By using stroke registry data registered between April 1999 and March 2007, we investigated the presence, severity, and location of cerebral artery atherosclerosis as determined by angiographic findings.

Inaccuracy of density functional theory calculations for dihydrogen binding energetics onto Ca cation centers.

We investigate the mechanism of dihydrogen adsorption onto Ca cation centers, which has been the significant focus of recent research for hydrogen storage. We particularly concentrate on reliability of commonly used density-functional theories, in comparison with correlated wave function theories. It is shown that, irrespective of the chosen exchange-correlation potentials, density-functional theories result in unphysical binding of H2 molecules onto Ca1+ system.

Leptin blocks the fasting-induced increase of pERK1/2 in the paraventricular nucleus of rats.

This study was conducted to define molecular mechanisms by which food deprivation increases phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (pERK1/2) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of rats. pERK1/2 immunoreactivity (-ir) is markedly increased in the paraventricular nucleus by 48h of food deprivation. Treatment with RU486, glucocorticoid antagonists, during food deprivation did not affect the fasting-induced increase of pERK1/2-ir in the paraventricular nucleus, but intracerebroventricular (icv) leptin blocked the increase of pERK1/2-ir by food deprivation.

Arctigenin blocks the unfolded protein response and shows therapeutic antitumor activity.

Cancer cells in poorly vascularized solid tumors are constantly or intermittently exposed to stressful microenvironments, including glucose deprivation, hypoxia, and other forms of nutrient starvation. These tumor-specific conditions, especially glucose deprivation, activate a signaling pathway called the unfolded protein response (UPR), which enhances cell survival by induction of the stress proteins. We have established a screening method to discover anticancer agents that could preferentially inhibit tumor cell viability under glucose-deprived conditions.

The activities of MMP-9 and total gelatinase respond differently to substrate coating and cyclic mechanical stretching in fibroblasts and myoblasts.

The current study was designed to investigate whether the activities of TGC (total gelatinase and collagenase) as well as MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9, gelatinase B) secreted by the cultured fibroblasts and myoblasts were influenced by the specific extracellular substrates and by cyclic mechanical strain. Fibroblasts (Rat 2) and myoblasts (C2C12) were cultured with either fibronectin, laminin or collagen type I for 24 h and applied with or without a biaxial deformation at 1 Hz using the Flexcell FX-4000 system. MMP-9 activity was increased in fibroblasts when the cells were in contact with fibronectin and laminin, while in myoblasts, enhanced activity of the secreted enzyme was only observed when collagen was present.

Dieticians' intentions to recommend functional foods: The mediating role of consumption frequency of functional foods.

This study explored the conceptual framework of dieticians' intentions to recommend functional food and the mediating role of consumption frequency. A web-based survey was designed using a self-administered questionnaire. A sample of Korean dieticians (N=233) responded to the questionnaire that included response efficacy, risk perception, consumption frequency, and recommendation intention for functional foods.

Novel guggulsterone derivative GG-52 inhibits NF-kappaB signaling in intestinal epithelial cells and attenuates acute murine colitis.

We already showed that the plant sterol guggulsterone has been reported to inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and to attenuate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory effects of novel guggulsterone derivatives on IEC and preventive and therapeutic murine models of DSS-induced colitis. Novel guggulsterone derivates with high lipophilicity were designed and four derivates, including GG-46, GG-50B, GG-52, and GG-53, were synthesized.

Superoxide ions entrapped in water cages of ionic clathrate hydrates.

In the present work, we first described the stable entrapment of the superoxide ions in gamma-irradiated (Me(4)NOH + O(2)) clathrate hydrate. Owing to peculiar direct guest-guest ionic interaction, the lattice structure of gamma-irradiated (Me(4)NOH + O(2)) clathrate hydrate shows significant change of lattice contraction behavior even at relatively high temperature (120 K). Such findings are expected to provide useful information for a better understanding of unrevealed nature (such as icy nanoreactor concept, ice-based functional material synthesis and lattice tuning by specific ionic guests) of clathrate hydrate fields.

Prolongation and enhancement of the anti-apoptotic effects of PTD-Hsp27 fusion proteins using an injectable thermo-reversible gel in a rat myocardial infarction model.

Ischemic heart disease has emerged as a leading cause of death worldwide. Conventional surgery-based therapy for this disease, especially myocardial infarction, requires additional pharmaceutical agents using heart's endogenous protective mechanism to suppress the progress and recurrence of the disease. Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) has been considered to be a potentially therapeutic protein for the treatment of ischemic heart disease due to its anti-apoptotic and protective effects on cardiomyocytes under stressful conditions.

Modification of mesenchymal stem cells for cardiac regeneration.

Importance Of The Field: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the greatest potential for use in cell-based therapy of human heart diseases, especially in myocardial infarcts. The therapeutic potential of MSCs in myocardial repair is based on the ability of MSCs to directly differentiate into cardiac tissue and on the paracrine actions of factors released from MSCs. However, the major obstacle in the clinical application of MSC-based therapy is the poor viability of the transplanted cells due to harsh microenvironments like ischemia, inflammation and/or anoikis in the infarcted myocardium.

Acute electroacupuncture inhibits nitric oxide synthase expression in the spinal cord of neuropathic rats.

Objectives: To examine the effects of electroacupuncture stimulation on behavioral changes and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the rat spinal cord after nerve injury.

Methods: Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery by tightly ligating and cutting the left tibial and sural nerves. Behavioral responses to mechanical stimulation were tested for 2 weeks post-operatively.

Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of hierarchical metal nanoparticles/ZnO thin films hetero nanostructures assisted by diblock copolymer inverse micellar nanotemplates.

Metal dot-on-ZnO type hierarchical nanostructures composed of ordered arrays of noble metal nanoparticles with controlled areal density, prepared from poly(styrene-block-vinyl pyridine) diblock copolymer inverse micelles loaded with metal precursors, on sol-gel process based approximately 48 nm thick ZnO thin films exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activities compared with pure ZnO thin films in terms of photodegradation of methylene blue.

Reactive oxygen species inhibit adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells implanted into ischemic myocardium via interference of focal adhesion complex.

The integrity of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cardiac regeneration is dependent on cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion, which is inhibited by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in ischemic surroundings after myocardial infarction. Intracellular ROS play a key role in the regulation of cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. This study was designed to investigate the role of ROS on MSC adhesion.

Modulation of neuropathic pain by galanin and neuropeptide Y at the level of the medulla in rats.

This study was conducted to examine the role of galanin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the modulation of neuropathic pain at the level of the medulla. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neuropathic surgery. Intracisternal injections of galanin and NPY were performed 2 weeks after nerve injury and mechanical allodynia was monitored.

Brown alga Ecklonia cava attenuates type 1 diabetes by activating AMPK and Akt signaling pathways.

The antidiabetic therapeutic effect of Ecklonia cava, a brown alga, was investigated using streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus rats and C2C12 myoblasts. The methanol extract of E. cava (ECM), having a strong radical scavenging activity, significantly reduced plasma glucose level and increased insulin concentration in type 1 diabetes mellitus rats.

Nondestructive quality evaluation of periodically poled lithium niobate crystals by diffraction.

Quasi-phase-matching devices are usually fabricated by electric field poling over photolithographically defined electrode patterns on ferroelectric crystal substrates. For the optimal nonlinear optical performance of such devices, the micro-poled domain structure must ensure good fidelity to the designed grating structure. We present a nondestructive diffraction method to evaluate the quality of periodically poled lithium niobate crystals, by utilizing index modulation caused by the internal field effects.

Discovery of a novel Her-1/Her-2 dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of Her-1 selective inhibitor-resistant non-small cell lung cancer.

A novel series of (S)-1-acryloyl-N-[4-(arylamino)-7-(alkoxy)quinazolin-6-yl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxamides were synthesized and evaluated as Her-1/Her-2 dual inhibitors. In contrast to the Her-1 selective inhibitors, our novel compounds are irreversible inhibitors of Her-1 and Her-2 tyrosine kinases with the potential to overcome clinically relevant, mutation-induced drug resistance. The selected compounds (19c, 19d) showed excellent EGFR inhibition activity even toward the T790M mutation of Her-1 tyrosine kinase with excellent selectivity.

Rosuvastatin inhibits norepinephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophy via suppression of Gh.

Statins have recently been shown to produce anti-cardiac hypertrophic effects via the regulation of small GTPases. However, the effects of statins on G protein-mediated cardiac hypertrophy, which is the main pathway of cardiac hypertrophy, have not yet been studied. We sought to evaluate whether statin treatment directly suppresses cardiac hypertrophy through a large G protein-coupled pathway regardless of the regulation of small GTPases.

Selective cytotoxicity of Ponciri Fructus against glucose-deprived PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells via blocking activation of GRP78.

Pancreatic cancer cells are sometimes exposed to stressful microenvironments such as glucose deprivation, hypoxia, and starvation of other nutrients. These stresses, which are characteristic of poorly vascularized solid tumors, activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is a stress-signaling pathway present in tumor cells that is associated with molecular chaperone GRP78.

Preferential overexpression of glutaredoxin3 in human colon and lung carcinoma.

Glutaredoxin (Glrx) uses the reducing power of glutathione to maintain and regulate the cellular redox state. Substantial evidence indicates that the alteration of cellular redox status is a critical factor involved in cell growth and death and results in tumorigenesis. We investigated levels of expression of all Glrx genes in a variety of cancers using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Excitation of two-colored temporal solitons in a segmented quasi-phase-matching structure.

We conducted a numerical study on the excitation of a two-colored temporal soliton in a segmented quasi-phase-matching (QPM) structure. The device has three parts: a periodic QPM grating for second-harmonic generation, a single domain for phase shift, and a periodic QPM grating for soliton evolution. The second harmonic pulse generated in the first grating works as a seed in the cascaded up-and-down conversions in the second grating.