Complexation of drug and hapten-conjugated aptamer with universal hapten antibody for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Owing to a lack of reliable markers and therapeutic targets, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains the most lethal malignant tumor despite numerous therapeutic advances. In this study, we utilized cell-SELEX to isolate a DNA aptamer recognizing the natural conformation of the target on the cell surface. PAp7T8, an aptamer optimized by size and chemical modification, exhibited specific targeting to pancreatic cancer cells and orthotopic xenograft pancreatic tumors.

Establishment of Patient-derived Preclinical Models for Invasive Papillary Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background/aim: Invasive papillary cholangio-carcinoma (IPC) is a minor subtype of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. However, its etiology and characteristics remain unknown because of the unavailability of in vitro and in vivo models. We aimed to establish a novel preclinical model for translational research of IPC.

Cohnella cholangitidis sp. nov., a novel species of the genus Cohnella isolated from a clinical specimen in Korea.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain 1605-214, was isolated from the blood sample of a patient with cholangitis. Based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence, the strain 1605-214 belonged to the genus Cohnella and exhibited 97.9% sequence identity with Cohnella luojiensis DSM 24270 (GQ214052).

Intradiploic epidermoid cyst in a dog.

Case Description: A 10-year-old 7-kg (15.4-lb) neutered male Shih Tzu was referred for evaluation because of a sudden onset of dullness and intermittent vomiting of 1 to 2 weeks' duration. Two days prior to evaluation, clinical signs had worsened and 1 seizure was reported.

A Variant of SLC1A5 Is a Mitochondrial Glutamine Transporter for Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells.

Glutamine is an essential nutrient that regulates energy production, redox homeostasis, and signaling in cancer cells. Despite the importance of glutamine in mitochondrial metabolism, the mitochondrial glutamine transporter has long been unknown. Here, we show that the SLC1A5 variant plays a critical role in cancer metabolic reprogramming by transporting glutamine into mitochondria.

Detection of Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane vesicles using DNA aptamers.

Infection of various pathogenic bacteria causes severe illness to human beings. Despite the research advances, current identification tools still exhibit limitations in detecting Gram-negative bacteria with high accuracy. In this study, we isolated single-stranded DNA aptamers against multiple Gram-negative bacterial species using Toggle-cell-SELEX (systemic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) and constructed an aptamer-based detection tool towards bacterial secretory cargo released from outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria.

Measurement of Vibrating Tympanic Membrane in an In Vivo Mouse Model Using Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has a micro-resolution with a penetration depth of about 2 mm and field of view of about 10 mm. This makes OCT well suited for analyzing the anatomical and internal structural assessment of the middle ear. To study the vibratory motion of the tympanic membrane (TM) and its internal structure, we developed a phase-resolved Doppler OCT system using Kasai's autocorrelation algorithm.

Cell-SELEX Based Identification of an RNA Aptamer for and Its Use in Various Detection Formats.

are important indicator organisms, used routinely for the monitoring of water and food safety. For quick, sensitive and real-time detection of we developed a 2'F modified RNA aptamer Ec3, by Cell-SELEX. The 31 nucleotide truncated Ec3 demonstrated improved binding and low nano-molar affinity to .

Endoplasmic reticulum stress induces 5-fluorouracil resistance in human colon cancer cells.

Colon cancer can be treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), but 5-FU resistance frequently occurs. We determined whether 5-FU resistance arises as a result of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. 5-FU-resistant SNUC5 colon cancer cells (SNUC5/FUR cells) expressed higher levels of ER stress-related proteins than drug-sensitive SNUC5 cells.

Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress via Reactive Oxygen Species Mediated by Luteolin in Melanoma Cells.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether luteolin, a flavonoid, induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells via endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Materials And Methods: To investigate the effects of luteolin in human melanoma cells, the anti-proliferation, apoptosis, ER stress induction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were evaluated using MTT, Hoechst 33342, ER-tracker Blue White DPX and DCF-DA staining assays, respectively.

Results: Luteolin inhibited cell proliferation and increased apoptotic body formation.

Spatial regression analysis of traffic crashes in Seoul.

Traffic crashes can be spatially correlated events and the analysis of the distribution of traffic crash frequency requires evaluation of parameters that reflect spatial properties and correlation. Typically this spatial aspect of crash data is not used in everyday practice by planning agencies and this contributes to a gap between research and practice. A database of traffic crashes in Seoul, Korea, in 2010 was developed at the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level with a number of GIS developed spatial variables.

Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by Dictyopteris undulata Extract Leads to Apoptosis in Human Melanoma Cells.

In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that a marine brown algae, Dictyopteris undulata ethanol extract (DUE), provokes apoptosis in a human melanoma cell line, A2058, via reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. DUE inhibited A2058 cell proliferation and increased apoptotic body formation, as indicated by the presence of fragmented nuclei and the activation of caspase-3. Moreover, DUE-treated cells showed elevated ER staining, mitochondrial calcium cation (Ca2+) overloading, augmented levels of ER stress-related and cell death modulatory proteins, including RNA-dependent protein kinase-related ER kinase, phospho-inositol-requiring enzyme 1α, phospho-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein, as well as increased intracellular ROS levels.

Dictyopteris undulata Extract Induces Apoptosis via Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Human Colon Cancer Cells.

Background: Induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells represents an alternative approach for cancer therapy. The objective of this study was to elucidate whether ethanol extract of the marine brown alga Dictyopteris undulata can induce apoptosis, via ER stress, in human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Methods: Anti-proliferative activity was evaluated by the colony forming assay.

Efficient intracellular delivery and multiple-target gene silencing triggered by tripodal RNA based nanoparticles: a promising approach in liver-specific RNAi delivery.

RNA interference (RNAi) triggering oligonucleotides in unconventional structural format can offer advantages over conventional small interfering RNA (siRNA), enhanced cellular delivery and improved target gene silencing. With this concept, we present a well-defined tripodal-interfering RNA (tiRNA) structure that can induce simultaneous silencing of multiple target genes with improved potency. The tiRNA structure, formed by the complementary association of three single-stranded RNA units, was optimized for improved gene silencing efficacy.

Validation of the Korean version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2: psychometric properties and cross-cultural comparison.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) in Korean patients with eating disorders and healthy controls, and to investigate cultural differences of EDI-2 between a Korean group and a North American standardization sample.

Materials And Methods: The Korean version of the EDI-2 was prepared after comprehensive clinical assessment of Korean patients with eating disorders (n=327) as well as female undergraduates (n=176). Results were compared between eating disorder subgroups (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorders not otherwise specified) and those of a North American standardization sample and healthy controls.

Driver-injury severity in single-vehicle crashes in California: A mixed logit analysis of heterogeneity due to age and gender.

This research develops a mixed logit model of driver-injury severity in single-vehicle crashes in California. The research especially considers the heterogeneous effects of age and gender. Older drivers (65+ years old) were found to have a random parameter with about half the population having a higher probability of a fatal injury given a crash than the comparison group of 25-64 year olds with all other factors than age kept constant.

Effect of GCSB-5, a Herbal Formulation, on Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritis in Rats.

Therapeutic effects of GCSB-5 on osteoarthritis were measured by the amount of glycosaminoglycan in rabbit articular cartilage explants in vitro, in experimental osteoarthritis induced by intra-articular injection of monoiodoacetate in rats in vivo. GCSB-5 was orally administered for 28 days. In vitro, GCSB-5 inhibited proteoglycan degradation.

Characterization and immunopotentiating effects of the glycoprotein isolated from dioscorea batatas.

We demonstrate that glycoprotein isolated from Dioscorea batatas (GDB) has immunostimulatory effects including macrophage activation. Analysis of infiltration of inflammatory cells into peritoneal cavity showed GDB treatment significantly increased the recruitment of macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes into the peritoneal cavity. Treatment of spleen cells isolated from C57BL/6 mice with GDB significantly increased the proliferation of B cells and T cells induced by LPS and ConA, respectively.