Anti-Periodontitis Effects of H.Lév Leaf Extract on Ligature-Induced Periodontitis in Rats.

Periodontitis is caused by pathogens in the oral cavity. It is a chronic infectious disease that causes symptoms including gingival bleeding and tooth loss resulting from the destruction of periodontal tissues coupled with inflammation. H.

Antihyperuricemic Effect of Leaf Extract in Rodent Models.

is a well-known traditional medicine used in China and Korea to treat intestinal disorders, urosis, diuresis, and chronic glomerulonephritis. Hyperuricemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by a high uric acid level in serum due to an imbalance between uric acid production and excretion and causes gout. Recently, the prevalence of hyperuricemia worldwide has been continuously increasing.

Development and Validation of a Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Multigene Assay to Predict the Prognosis of Estrogen Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Multigene assays provide useful prognostic information regarding hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based platforms have numerous advantages including reproducibility and adaptability in local laboratories. This study aimed to develop and validate an NGS-based multigene assay to predict the distant recurrence risk.

Examination of the Biomark assay as an alternative to Oncotype DX for defining chemotherapy benefit.

Currently the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) assay called Oncotype DX is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline for defining the benefit of chemotherapy. To overcome the cost disadvantages of the Oncotype DX assay and the turnaround time, a multigene assay was examined to compare the correlation of the RS and the predicted score (PS) of the present study. Paraffin-embedded tissues of 50 cases with early-stage estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, who underwent the Oncotype DX test were used.

A retrospective analysis on the relationship between intraoperative hypothermia and postoperative ileus after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Postoperative ileus (POI) is an important factor prolonging the length of hospital stay following colorectal surgery. We retrospectively explored whether there is a clinically relevant association between intraoperative hypothermia and POI in patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery for malignancy within the setting of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program between April 2016 and January 2017 at our institution. In total, 637 patients were analyzed, of whom 122 (19.

Optimization of RNA Extraction from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Blocks for Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Purpose: Breast cancer has a high prevalence in Korea. To achieve personalized therapy for breast cancer, long-term follow-up specimens are needed for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and multigene analysis. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples are easier to store than fresh frozen (FF) samples.

Whole-lung lavage complicated with pneumothorax: a case report.

A patient with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis underwent whole lung lavage of the right lung. Lavage of the left lung was not immediately possible because of severe hypoxemia. Three days later, after correction of hypoxemia, we re-attempted the left lung lavage.

EGF induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition through phospho-Smad2/3-Snail signaling pathway in breast cancer cells.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) can contribute to tumor invasion, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy or hormone therapy. EMT may be induced by a variety of growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF). Most studies regarding EMT have focused on TGF-β-Smads signaling.

Hornerin Is Involved in Breast Cancer Progression.

Purpose: The S100 gene family, which comprises over 20 members, including S100A1, S100A2, S100A8, S100A9, profilaggrin, and hornerin encodes low molecular weight calcium-binding proteins with physiological and pathological roles in keratinization. Recent studies have suggested a link between S100 proteins and human cancer progression. The purpose of the present study was to determine the expression levels of hornerin, S100A8, and S100A9 and evaluate their roles in the progression of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

Anticancer effect of metformin on estrogen receptor-positive and tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cell lines.

Acquisition of tamoxifen resistance (TR) during anti-estrogenic therapy using tamoxifen is a major obstacle in the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. As a biguanide derivative, metformin is commonly used to treat type II diabetes. It has recently emerged as a potential anticancer agent.

6-shogaol attenuates HO-induced oxidative stress via upregulation of Nrf2-mediated γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and heme oxygenase expression in HepG2 cells.

The signaling pathway by which 6-shogaol protects HepG2 cells against HO-induced oxidative stress was investigated. Cellular anti-oxidant activities, the GSH level, and anti-oxidant response element (ARE) promoter activity were analyzed. Activated protein kinases and nuclear transcription factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) accumulation in the nucleus, and phase II detoxification and anti-oxidant enzymes were analyzed using western blotting.

Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes: A Functional Genomics Tool for the Study of Positive-strand RNA Viruses.

Reverse genetics, an approach to rescue infectious virus entirely from a cloned cDNA, has revolutionized the field of positive-strand RNA viruses, whose genomes have the same polarity as cellular mRNA. The cDNA-based reverse genetics system is a seminal method that enables direct manipulation of the viral genomic RNA, thereby generating recombinant viruses for molecular and genetic studies of both viral RNA elements and gene products in viral replication and pathogenesis. It also provides a valuable platform that allows the development of genetically defined vaccines and viral vectors for the delivery of foreign genes.

Molecular dynamics simulation strategies for protein-micelle complexes.

The structure and stability of membrane proteins can vary widely in different detergents and this variability has great practical consequences for working with membrane proteins. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that operate to alter the behavior of proteins in micelles are poorly understood and not predictable. Atomic simulations could provide considerable insight into these mechanisms.

Anti-cancer effect of metformin by suppressing signaling pathway of HER2 and HER3 in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells.

Development of new therapeutic strategies is becoming increasingly important to overcome tamoxifen resistance. Recently, much interest has been focused on anti-tumor effects of metformin commonly used to treat type II diabetes. Increased protein expression and signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family is a possible mechanism involved in tamoxifen resistance.

Functional Roles of Aromatic Residues and Helices of Papiliocin in its Antimicrobial and Anti-inflammatory Activities.

A cecropin-like peptide, papiliocin, isolated from the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus, possesses high selectivity against gram-negative bacteria. Since Trp(2) and Phe(5) are highly conserved residues in cecropin-like peptides, we investigated the role of Trp(2) and Phe(5) in antibacterial activity. Substitution of Trp(2) and Phe(5) in papiliocin with Ala (papiliocin-2A and papiliocin-5A) revealed that Trp(2) is a key residue in its antibacterial activities.

Profiling of viral proteins expressed from the genomic RNA of Japanese encephalitis virus using a panel of 15 region-specific polyclonal rabbit antisera: implications for viral gene expression.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is closely related to West Nile (WN), yellow fever (YF), and dengue (DEN) viruses. Its plus-strand genomic RNA carries a single open reading frame encoding a polyprotein that is cleaved into three structural (C, prM/M, and E) and at least seven nonstructural (NS1/NS1', NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5) proteins, based on previous work with WNV, YFV, and DENV. Here, we aimed to profile experimentally all the viral proteins found in JEV-infected cells.

Risk factors of emergence agitation in adults undergoing general anesthesia for nasal surgery.

Objectives: To identify the incidence and the risk factors of emergence agitation in adults undergoing general anesthesia for nasal surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 792 patients aged ≥18 years who underwent general anesthesia for elective nasal surgery between July 2012 and August 2013. Patients in the postanesthesia care unit with a Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale≥+1 at any time were considered to have emergence agitation.

A molecularly cloned, live-attenuated japanese encephalitis vaccine SA14-14-2 virus: a conserved single amino acid in the ij Hairpin of the Viral E glycoprotein determines neurovirulence in mice.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes fatal neurological disease in humans, is one of the most important emerging pathogens of public health significance. JEV represents the JE serogroup, which also includes West Nile, Murray Valley encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis viruses.

Neuregulin-1 induces cancer stem cell characteristics in breast cancer cell lines.

In breast cancer, neuregulin-1 (NRG1) is known as a ligand for the HER3 receptor, which has no intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. When activated by NRG1 binding, the HER3 receptor forms a heterodimer with other HER family receptors and mediates downstream signaling pathways, leading to multiple effects including growth, proliferation, decreased apoptosis, cellular migration and angiogenesis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subgroup of cancer cells, are considered to have features of stem cells such as self-renewal ability and pluripotent differentiation into other types of mature cells.

Nrf2-mediated HO-1 induction coupled with the ERK signaling pathway contributes to indirect antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in HepG2 cells.

The objective of this study is to investigate the contributing effect of the nuclear transcription factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated signaling pathway on the indirect antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. The result of an antioxidant response element (ARE)-luciferase assay showed that CAPE stimulated ARE promoter activity resulting in increased transcriptional and translational activities of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). In addition, CAPE treatment enhanced Nrf2 accumulation in the nucleus and the post-translational phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) among several protein kinases tested.

Genistein inhibits osteoclastic differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells via regulation of ROS production and scavenging.

Genistein, a phytoestrogen, has been demonstrated to have a bone-sparing and antiresorptive effect. Genistein can inhibit the osteoclast formation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced RAW 264.7 cells by preventing the translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), a redox-sensitive factor, to the nucleus.

LRP1-dependent pepsin clearance induced by 2'-hydroxycinnamaldehyde attenuates breast cancer cell invasion.

2'-Hydroxycinnamaldehyde inhibits breast cancer cell invasion. This study examined whether 2'-hydroxycinnamaldehyde, acting as a Michael acceptor, interferes with the ligand binding of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 to mediate breast cancer cell invasion. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, one of the direct molecular targets of 2'-hydroxycinnamaldehyde, is a multifunctional endocytic receptor.

Relationship of bispectral index to minimum alveolar concentration during isoflurane, sevoflurane or desflurane anaesthesia.

Objective: To determine bispectral index (BIS) values produced by equipotent concentrations of commonly used volatile anaesthetics.

Methods: Female patients undergoing thyroidectomy were randomly assigned to receive isoflurane, sevoflurane or desflurane anaesthesia. After induction, anaesthesia was maintained by the volatile agent at 1 minimum alveolar concentration and supplemented with remifentanil infusion.

HRG-β1-driven ErbB3 signaling induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells.

Background: Heregulin (HRG; also known as neuregulin) is a ligand for ErbB3. One of its isotypes, HRG-β1, binds to ErbB3 and forms heterodimers with other ErbB family members, thereby enhancing the proliferation and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. HRG stimulation may contribute to the progression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor metastasis in breast cancer.