Algicidal effect of hybrid peptides as potential inhibitors of harmful algal blooms.

Objectives: To biochemically characterize synthetic peptides to control harmful algal blooms (HABs) that cause red tides in marine water ecosystems.

Results: We present an analysis of several short synthetic peptides and their efficacy as algicidal agents. By altering the amino acid composition of the peptides we addressed the mode of algicidal action and determine the optimal balance of cationic and hydrophobic content for killing.

ARF7 increases the endogenous contents of castasterone through suppression of BAS1 expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Homeostasis of brassinosteroids (BRs) maintained by the balance between their biosynthesis and inactivation is important to coordinate the diverse physiological and developmental responses of plants. Although BR signaling regulates the endogenous levels of BRs via negative feedback regulation, it remains largely unknown how the biosynthesis and inactivation of BR are triggered. BAS1 encodes CYP734A1, which inactivates the biologically active BRs via C-26 hydroxylation and is down-regulated by a BR-responsive transcription factor, BZR1.

Injectable and Thermosensitive Soluble Extracellular Matrix and Methylcellulose Hydrogels for Stem Cell Delivery in Skin Wounds.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support and biochemical cues for tissue development and regeneration. Here we report a thermosensitive hydrogel composed of soluble ECM (sECM) and methylcellulose (MC) for injectable stem cell delivery. The sECM was prepared by denaturing solid ECM extracted from human adipose tissue and then blended with a MC solution.

Dyspnea, depression and health related quality of life in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and devastating disease which is characterized by worsening dyspnea and exercise tolerance. These patients are often found to have concomitant, depression, anxiety and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The interrelationship of dyspnea, depression and HRQOL in these patients is not well studied.

Effects of probiotics (cultured Lactobacillus subtilis/Streptococcus faecium) in the treatment of alcoholic hepatitis: randomized-controlled multicenter study.

Background: Probiotics might reduce gut-derived microbial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by restoring bowel flora in patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH). We evaluated the therapeutic effects of probiotics in patients with AH.

Patients And Methods: Between September 2010 and April 2012, 117 patients (probiotics 60 and placebo 57) were prospectively randomized to receive the 7 days of cultured Lactobacillus subtilis/Streptococcus faecium (1500 mg/day) or placebo.

Reconstructing facial contour deformities using stereoscopic thoracodorsal artery perforator adipofascial flaps.

Purpose: Correcting facial contour deformities is a challenge, as it demands thoughtful planning on design, composition of flap, and secondary procedures. The thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap has become a workhorse flap for various reconstructions. In this report, we present our experience of reconstructing facial contour deformities using the free TDAP adipofascial flap, focusing on its customized design.

Developing Streptomyces venezuelae as a cell factory for the production of small molecules used in drug discovery.

The heterologous expression of biosynthetic pathways is an indispensable tool for drug discovery and development from natural products. Streptomyces venezuelae is a promising heterologous host as it offers several attractive advantages, such as rapid growth rate, convenient genetic manipulation, and an abundant supply of common biosynthetic building blocks. In recent decades, several S.

High-mobility group box 1 suppresses resolvin D1-induced phagocytosis via induction of resolvin D1-inactivating enzyme, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) enhances inflammatory reactions by potentiating the activity of pro-inflammatory mediators and suppressing the phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils. However, the effects of HMGB1 on phagocytosis induced by pro-resolving mediators, such as resolvins, have not been studied up until this point. In this study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanism of HMGB1 on resolvin D1-induced phagocytosis of MDA-MB-231 cells, which were selected as a model system based on their phagocytic capability and ease of transfecting them with a plasmid or siRNA in several cancer cell lines.

β-Caryophyllene potently inhibits solid tumor growth and lymph node metastasis of B16F10 melanoma cells in high-fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6N mice.

We reported previously that high-fat diet (HFD) feeding stimulated solid tumor growth and lymph node (LN) metastasis in C57BL/6N mice injected with B16F10 melanoma cells. β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene found in many essential oils and has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory activities. To examine whether BCP inhibits HFD-induced melanoma progression, 4-weeks old, male C57BL/6N mice were fed a control diet (CD, 10 kcal% fat) or HFD (60 kcal% fat + 0, 0.

Ethanol extract of Innotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) induces G1 cell cycle arrest in HT-29 human colon cancer cells.

Background/objectives: Inonotus obliquus (I. obliquus, Chaga mushroom) has long been used as a folk medicine to treat cancer. In the present study, we examined whether or not ethanol extract of I.

Chemical constituents of the Annona glabra fruit and their cytotoxic activity.

Context: Traditional Chinese medicines have attracted increasing interest as potential sources of novel drugs with a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. Annona glabra Linn (Annonaceae) is used in traditional medicine as an anticancer drug. Phytochemical investigation of this plant led to the isolation of acetogenins, ent-kauranes, peptides, and alkaloids.

Effects of dihydrotestosterone on rat dermal papilla cells in vitro.

Androgenetic alopecia involves the action of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on dermal papilla cells (DPCs) that line the base of the hair follicle. However, the mechanism of DHT action is not completely understood. The effects of DHT on DPCs, regulatory cells that function in follicle growth and the hair cycle, were examined in immortalized cells derived from rat vibrissa follicles.

Analyses of the TCR repertoire of MHC class II-restricted innate CD4⁺ T cells.

Analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of innate CD4(+) T cells selected by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-dependent thymocyte-thymocyte (T-T) interaction (T-T CD4(+) T cells) is essential for predicting the characteristics of the antigens that bind to these T cells and for distinguishing T-T CD4(+) T cells from other types of innate T cells. Using the TCR(mini) Tg mouse model, we show that the repertoire of TCRα chains in T-T CD4(+) T cells was extremely diverse, in contrast to the repertoires previously described for other types of innate T cells. The TCRα chain sequences significantly overlapped between T-T CD4(+) T cells and conventional CD4(+) T cells in the thymus and spleen.

The anticancer effect of (1S,2S,3E,7E,11E)-3,7,11, 15-cembratetraen-17,2-olide(LS-1) through the activation of TGF-β signaling in SNU-C5/5-FU, fluorouracil-resistant human colon cancer cells.

The anticancer effect of (1S,2S,3E,7E,11E)-3,7,11,15-cembratetraen-17,2-olide (LS-1) from Lobophytum sp. has been already reported in HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells. In this study, we examined the effect of LS-1 on the apoptosis induction of SNU-C5/5-FU, fluorouracil-resistant human colon cancer cells.

Cardamonin Suppresses TGF-β1-Induced Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition via Restoring Protein Phosphatase 2A Expression.

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the first step in metastasis and implicated in the phenotype of cancer stem cells. Therefore, understanding and controlling EMT, are essential to the prevention and cure of metastasis. In the present study, we examined, by Western blot, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and confocal microscopy, the effects of cardamonin (CDN) on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced EMT of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Association of hair manganese level with symptoms in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Objective: The study examined the association between hair manganese level and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Korean children.

Methods: Forty clinic-referred children with ADHD and 43 normal control children participated in this study. The participants were 6-15 years old and were mainly from the urban area of Seoul, Korea.

Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled, Cross-over Study.

Objective: A randomized double-blind cross-over trial was conducted in patients with persistent auditory hallucinations (AHs) to investigate whether bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at the temporoparietal area or Broca's area is more effective at high- or low-frequencies compared to a sham condition.

Methods: Twenty three patients with persistent AHs who remained stable on the same medication for 2 months were enrolled. They were randomized to one of four conditions: low-frequency (1 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (L-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (H-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to Broca's area (H-B), or sham.

Pharmacokinetic study of metformin to compare voglibose/metformin fixed-dose combination with coadministered voglibose and metformin.

The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic characteristics of metformin between a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of voglibose/metformin and coadministered individual voglibose and metformin tablets in healthy Korean volunteers under fasting conditions. A randomized, open-label, single-dose, two-treatment, two-way crossover study with a 7-day wash-out period was conducted. Plasma samples were collected for up to 24 hours and were analyzed for metformin using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry (LC/MS).

Rapid detection of protein phosphatase activity using Zn(II)-coordinated gold nanosensors based on His-tagged phosphopeptides.

We report a rapid colorimetric assay to detect protein phosphatase (PP) activity based on the controlled assembly and disassembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via Zn(II)-specific coordination in the presence of His6-tagged phosphopeptides. Among divalent metal ions including Ni(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), and Zn(II), only Zn(II) triggered a strong association between phosphopeptides with hexahistidine at a single end and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-modified AuNPs (21.3 nm in core diameter), leading to the self-assembly of AuNPs and consequently changes in color of the AuNP solution.

Effects of Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng), urushiol (Rhus vernicifera Stokes), and probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and Lactobacillus acidophilus R0052) on the gut-liver axis of alcoholic liver disease.

Background: Roles of immune reaction and toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) have widely been established in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Methods: We evaluated the biologic efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), urushiol, and probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 and Lactobacillus acidophilus R0052) in mouse models of ALD. Sixty C57BL/6 mice were equally divided into six feeding groups for 10 weeks: normal diet, alcohol, control, alcohol + KRG, alcohol + urushiol, and alcohol + probiotics.

Isolation and identification of aromatic compounds in Lion's Mane Mushroom and their anticancer activities.

Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceum) is a traditional edible mushroom widely used in culinary applications and as an herbal medicine in East Asian countries. In the present study, two new aromatic compounds, hericerin A (1) and isohericenone J (5), along with five known compounds, isoericerin (2), hericerin (3), N-De phenylethyl isohericerin (4), hericenone J (6), and 4-[3',7'-dimethyl-2',6'-octadienyl]-2-formyl-3-hydroxy-5-methyoxybenzylalcohol (7), were isolated from a methanol extract of the fruiting bodies of H. erinaceum.

Lysophospholipid profile in serum and liver by high-fat diet and tumor induction in obesity-resistant BALB/c mice.

Objective: Our previous study revealed that chronic consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) stimulates colon cancer progression in obesity-resistant BALB/c mice. The aim of the present study was to investigate the significant alteration of metabolites caused by tumor progression and an HFD in the serum and liver in the same mouse model.

Methods: Male BALB/c mice were fed either a control diet or a HFD for 20.

Proposed Motor Scoring System in a Porcine Model of Parkinson's Disease induced by Chronic Subcutaneous Injection of MPTP.

Destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is a common pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Characteristics of PD patients include bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, tremor at rest and disturbances in balance. For about four decades, PD animal models have been produced by toxin-induced or gene-modified techniques.

Steroidal constituents from the edible sea urchin Diadema savignyi Michelin induce apoptosis in human cancer cells.

Bioassay-directed fractionation and purification were used to isolate 12 steroids (1-12) from a CH(2)Cl(2) extract of the edible Vietnamese sea urchin Diadema savignyi Michelin. The cytotoxic activity of the CH(2)Cl(2) extract and 12 steroids was evaluated in three human cancer cell lines (HL-60, PC-3, and SNU-C5). Relative to the effects of the positive control, mitoxantrone, the CH(2)Cl(2) extract (with an inhibitory concentration of 50% [IC(50)] values ranging from 1.