Enzymatic synthesis of novel phloretin glucosides.

A UDP-glycosyltransferase from Bacillus licheniformis was exploited for the glycosylation of phloretin. The in vitro glycosylation reaction confirmed the production of five phloretin glucosides, including three novel glucosides. Consequently, we demonstrated the application of the same glycosyltransferase for the efficient whole-cell biocatalysis of phloretin in engineered Escherichia coli.

Structural and dynamic features of cold-shock proteins of Listeria monocytogenes, a psychrophilic bacterium.

Cold-shock proteins (Csps), proteins expressed when the ambient temperature drops below the growth-supporting temperature, bind to single-stranded nucleic acids and act as RNA chaperones to regulate translation. Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrophilic food-borne pathogen that is problematic for the food industry. Structures of Csps from psychrophilic bacteria have not yet been studied.

Thalassospiramide G, a new γ-amino-acid-bearing peptide from the marine bacterium Thalassospira sp.

In the chemical investigation of marine unicellular bacteria, a new peptide, thalassospiramide G (1), along with thalassospiramides A and D (2-3), was discovered from a large culture of Thalassospira sp. The structure of thalassospiramide G, bearing γ-amino acids, such as 4-amino-5-hydroxy-penta-2-enoic acid (AHPEA), 4-amino-3,5-dihydroxy-pentanoic acid (ADPA), and unique 2-amino-1-(1H-indol-3-yl) ethanone (AIEN), was determined via extensive spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configuration of thalassospiramide D (3), including 4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid (AHPPA), was rigorously determined by 1H-1H coupling constant analysis and chemical derivatization.

Prion protein conversion induced by trivalent iron in vesicular trafficking.

Iron dyshomeostasis has been observed in prion diseases; however, little is known regarding the contribution of the oxidation state of iron to prion protein (PrP) conversion. In this study, PrP(C)-deficient HpL3-4 cells were exposed to divalent [Fe(II)] or trivalent [Fe(III)] iron, followed by exogenous recombinant PrP (rPrP) treatment. We then analyzed the accumulation of internalized rPrP and its biochemical properties, including its resistance to both proteinase K (PK) digestion and detergent solubility.

Salmonella Promotes ASC Oligomerization-dependent Caspase-1 Activation.

Innate immune cells sense and respond to the cytoplasmic infection of bacterial pathogens through NLRP3, NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasome depending on the unique molecular pattern of invading pathogens. The infection of flagellin- or type III secretion system (T3SS)-containing Gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.

Cervicofacial tissue infarction in patients with acute invasive fungal sinusitis: prevalence and characteristic MR imaging findings.

Introduction: Tissue infarction is known as one of the characteristic features of invasive fungal sinusitis (IFS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristic MR imaging findings of cervicofacial tissue infarction (CFTI) associated with acute IFS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed MR images in 23 patients with histologically or microbiologically proven acute IFS.

Structural characterization of de novo designed L5K5W model peptide isomers with potent antimicrobial and varied hemolytic activities.

In an effort to develop short antimicrobial peptides with simple amino acid compositions, we generated a series of undecapeptide isomers having the L(5)K(5)W formula. Amino acid sequences were designed to be perfectly amphipathic when folded into a helical conformation by converging leucines onto one side and lysines onto the other side of the helical axis. The single tryptophans, whose positions were varied in the primary structures, were located commonly at the critical amphipathic interface in the helical wheel projection.

Brainstem pathways for horizontal eye movement: pathologic correlation with MR imaging.

Horizontal eye movements are conducted by the medial rectus and the lateral rectus muscles, which are innervated by the oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) and the abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI), respectively. The oculomotor and the abducens nuclei are interconnected by a tract in the brainstem named the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF). Through the MLF, the actions of the oculomotor and the abducens nuclei are coordinated, generating conjugate horizontal eye movements.

Accumulation of the parkin substrate, FAF1, plays a key role in the dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

This study reports the physical and functional interplay between Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1), a death-promoting protein, and parkin, a key susceptibility protein for Parkinson's disease (PD). We found that parkin acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase to ubiquitinate FAF1 both in vitro and at cellular level, identifying FAF1 as a direct substrate of parkin. The loss of parkin function due to PD-linked mutations was found to disrupt the ubiquitination and degradation of FAF1, resulting in elevated FAF1 expression in SH-SY5Y cells.

SEMIPARAMETRIC ROC ANALYSIS USING ACCELERATED REGRESSION MODELS.

The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve is a widely used measure to assess the diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers for diseases. Biomarker tests can be affected by subject characteristics, the experience of testers, or the environment in which tests are carried out, so it is important to understand and determine the conditions for evaluating biomarkers. In this paper, we focus on assessing the effects of covariates on the performance of the ROC curves.

Daxx is a key downstream component of receptor interacting protein kinase 3 mediating retinal ischemic cell death.

Receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3) has been implicated in ischemic necrosis of retinal cells. An in silico analysis followed by experimental validation identified death associated protein (Daxx) as a novel substrate of RIP3. In vitro binding studies revealed that RIP3 binds to the serine/proline/threonine-rich domain (amino acid 625-740) of Daxx.

A possible involvement of Nrf2-mediated heme oxygenase-1 up-regulation in protective effect of the proton pump inhibitor pantoprazole against indomethacin-induced gastric damage in rats.

Background: Proton pump is an integral membrane protein that is ubiquitous ATP binding cassette (ABC) involved in many transport processes in all living organisms, among which a specialized form of pump, so called p-type proton pump, exists in the parietal cells of stomach. Though proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently prescribed to prevent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastric damage, the acid suppressive actions do not suffice to explain.

Methods: In order to document the effects of pantoprazole, one of PPIs, on the NSAIDs-induced gastric damage, in vitro and in vivo studies were performed.

Effects of phytoplankton cell size and chloride concentration on the bioaccumulation of methylmercury in marine phytoplankton.

In the current study, the effects of phytoplankton cell size and methylmercury (MeHg) speciation on the bioaccumulation of MeHg by marine phytoplankton were investigated. Volume concentration factors (VCFs) of MeHg were determined in relation to the surface area to volume ratio of the cells for four species of diatom and a cyanobacteria species cultured in unenriched seawater. The VCFs of MeHg, ranging from 7.

Endogenously synthesized n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fat-1 mice ameliorate high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have well-documented protective effects against obesity-induced insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Here, we investigated the effects of endogenous n-3 PUFAs on diet-induced fatty liver disease using fat-1 transgenic mice (fat-1) capable of converting n-6 to n-3 PUFAs. Wild-type (WT) and fat-1 mice were maintained on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 5months.

Diallyl trisulfide induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells through ROS-mediated activation of JNK and AP-1.

Multiple lines of evidence support an inverse association between consumption of garlic and the risk of cancer. Chemopreventive effects of garlic have been attributed to its oil-soluble sulfur ingredients, such as diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), and diallyl trisulfide (DATS), but their underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unresolved. In the present study, we found that DATS showed the most potent anti-proliferative effects in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Imaging findings of brain death on 3-tesla MRI.

Objective: To demonstrate the usefulness of 3-tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), T2*-weighted gradient recalled echo (GRE), and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in diagnosing brain death.

Materials And Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging findings for 10 patients with clinically verified brain death (group I) and seven patients with comatose or stuporous mentality who did not meet the clinical criteria of brain death (group II) were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Tonsilar herniation and loss of intraarterial flow signal voids (LIFSV) on T2WI were highly sensitive and specific findings for the diagnosis of brain death (p < 0.

Revaprazan, a novel acid pump antagonist, exerts anti-inflammatory action against Helicobacter pylori-induced COX-2 expression by inactivating Akt signaling.

Chronic gastric inflammation developing after Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is responsible for either dyspeptic symptom relevant to gastritis/peptic ulcer or gastric tumorigenesis, in which acid suppressants, especially proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), play role in relieving dyspepsia as well as the eradication regimen. Among several mediators engaged in propagating gastric inflammation after H.

A 12-week after-school physical activity programme improves endothelial cell function in overweight and obese children: a randomised controlled study.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is associated with childhood obesity and is closely linked to the amount and function of endothelial progenitor cells. However, it remains unclear whether endothelial progenitor cells increase with after-school exercise in overweight and obese children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an after-school exercise programme on endothelial cell function in overweight and obese children.

Molecular mechanisms elucidating why old stomach is more vulnerable to indomethacin-induced damage than young stomach.

Background/aims: Detailed underlying changes have never been explored to explain how old stomach is more susceptible to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced gastric damage than young stomach, although presumptively speculated as weakened mucosal defense system as well as attenuated regenerating capacity in old stomach.

Methods: In order to investigate molecular mechanisms relevant to NSAID-induced gastric damage, we administered indomethacin to 6-week-old and 60-week-old rats.

Results: In spite of the same oral administration of indomethacin (0.

Effects of a single nucleotide polymorphism in the chicken NK-lysin gene on antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of cancer cells.

NK-lysin is an effector protein of the innate immune system and an important component of host protection. We isolated a SNP in the NK-lysin coding sequence among different chicken breeds. This A to G substitution at the position 271 nucleotide in the ORF results in an Asn (N) to Asp (D) amino acid alteration.

CD36 in the periphery and brain synergizes in stroke injury in hyperlipidemia.

Objective: Hyperlipidemia exacerbates ischemic stroke outcome and increases CD36 expression in the postischemic brain as well as in peripheral monocytes/macrophages. By exchanging bone marrow-derived cells between CD36-expressing and CD36-deficient mice, this study investigates the contribution of peripheral CD36 in comparison with that of brain CD36 to stroke pathology in hyperlipidemia.

Methods: Following bone marrow transplantation, mice were fed a high-fat diet for 11 weeks and then subjected to ischemic stroke.

Platelet-derived growth factor receptors differentially inform intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity.

Growth factor-mediated proliferation and self-renewal maintain tissue-specific stem cells and are frequently dysregulated in cancers. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) ligands and receptors (PDGFRs) are commonly overexpressed in gliomas and initiate tumors, as proven in genetically engineered models. While PDGFRα alterations inform intertumoral heterogeneity toward a proneural glioblastoma (GBM) subtype, we interrogated the role of PDGFRs in intratumoral GBM heterogeneity.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al2O3 composites with surface-treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs): dispersibility of modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on Al2O3 matrix.

Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) matrix have been reinforced by the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to overcome the inherent brittleness of Al2O3 matrix. In order to increase mechanical properties of MWCNTs-Al2O3 composites, MWCNTs need to be well dispersed and individually incorporated in Al2O3 matrix. In this work, aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) used as a Al2O3 precursor and MWCNTs were mixed in an aqueous solution for the homogeneous mixing of hetero-particles, as functions of the content of MWCNTs and the potential hydrogen (pH) of Al(OH)3 suspension.

Independent impact of body mass index and metabolic syndrome on the risk of type 2 diabetes in Koreans.

Background: Although obesity and metabolic syndrome have been associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it is unclear whether obese or overweight people without metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for T2DM.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data were assessed in 8,748 subjects without diabetes (5,707 men, 3,041 women; age 20-79 years) who underwent voluntary medical check-ups at a 5-year interval. The subjects were categorized by body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome status at baseline, and the incidence of diabetes over 5 years was assessed.