Neuropeptide Y improves cisplatin-induced bone marrow dysfunction without blocking chemotherapeutic efficacy in a cancer mouse model.

Cisplatin is the most effective and widely used chemotherapeutic agent for many types of cancer. Unfortunately, its clinical use is limited by its adverse effects, notably bone marrow suppression leading to abnormal hematopoiesis. We previously revealed that neuropeptide Y (NPY) is responsible for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function by protecting the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) fibers survival from chemotherapy-induced bone marrow impairment.

Early Experiences of Sandwich Technique to Preserve Pelvic Circulation during Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.

Purpose: To report experiences of the sandwich technique (ST) for preservation of pelvic flow during endovascular repair of complex aortic or aortoiliac aneurysms.

Materials And Methods: Eight patients underwent elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the ST between March 2013 and February 2017. The anatomic indications for the ST were complex aortoiliac aneurysms (5 cases), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) with non-diseased short common iliac arteries (2 cases) and AAA with unilateral occluded iliac artery (1 case).

Correction: Early onset hyperuricemia is a prognostic marker for kidney graft failure: Propensity score matching analysis in a Korean multicenter cohort.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Investigation of cationicity and structure of pseudin-2 analogues for enhanced bacterial selectivity and anti-inflammatory activity.

Pseudin-2 (Ps), isolated from the frog Pseudis paradoxa, exhibits potent antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. To develop antimicrobial peptides with anti-inflammatory activity and low cytotoxicity, we designed Ps analogues with Lys substitutions, resulting in elevated amphipathic α-helical structure and cationicity. We further substituted Gly with Pro (Ps-P analogues) to increase bacterial cell selectivity.

The impact of production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases on the 28-day mortality rate of patients with Proteus mirabilis bacteremia in Korea.

Background: The incidence of Proteus mirabilis antimicrobial resistance, especially that mediated by extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), has increased. We investigated the impact of ESBL production on the mortality of patients with P. mirabilis bacteremia in Korea.

Early onset hyperuricemia is a prognostic marker for kidney graft failure: Propensity score matching analysis in a Korean multicenter cohort.

It remains inconclusive whether hyperuricemia is a true risk factor for kidney graft failure. In the current study, we investigated the association of hyperuricemia and graft outcome. We performed a multi-center cohort study that included 2620 kidney transplant recipients.

Pressure control of a proton beam-irradiated water target through an internal flow channel-induced thermosyphon.

A water target was designed to enhance cooling efficiency using a thermosyphon, which is a system that uses natural convection to induce heat exchange. Two water targets were fabricated: a square target without any flow channel and a target with a flow channel design to induce a thermosyphon mechanism. These two targets had the same internal volume of 8 ml.

Electroacupuncture for insomnia disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects many adults either transiently or chronically. The societal cost of insomnia is on the rise, while long-term use of current drug treatments can involve adverse effects. Recently, electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat various conditions including insomnia.

Neoagarooligosaccharides prevent septic shock by modulating A20-and cyclooxygenase-2-mediated interleukin-10 secretion in a septic-shock mouse model.

Analysis of the signaling mechanism triggered by endotoxin-mediated toll-like receptor-4 activation using immune cell systems or rodent models may help identify potential agents for the prevention of Gram-negative bacteria infection. β-agarase cleaves the β-1,4-linkages of agar to produce neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOs), which have various physiological functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of NAOs in preventing experimental sepsis caused by the administration of endotoxin or Gram-negative bacteria.

Short Communication: HIV-1 Transmission Networks Across South Korea.

Molecular epidemiology can help clarify the properties and dynamics of HIV-1 transmission networks in both global and regional scales. We studied 143 HIV-1-infected individuals recruited from four medical centers of three cities in South Korea between April 2013 and May 2014. HIV-1 env V3 sequence data were generated (337-793 bp) and analyzed using a pairwise distance-based clustering approach to infer putative transmission networks.

High Thermoelectric Power Factor of a Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Low Bandgap Polymer via Finely Tuned Doping Engineering.

We studied the thermoelectric properties of a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based semiconductor (PDPP3T) via a precisely tuned doping process using Iron (III) chloride. In particular, the doping states of PDPP3T film were linearly controlled depending on the dopant concentration. The outstanding Seebeck coefficient of PDPP3T assisted the excellent power factors (PFs) over 200 μW mK at the broad range of doping concentration (3-8 mM) and the maximum PF reached up to 276 μW mK, which is much higher than that of poly(3-hexylthiophene), 56 μW mK.

Molecular dissection of the response of the rice Systemic Acquired Resistance Deficient 1 (SARD1) gene to different types of ionizing radiation.

Purpose: Exposure to ionizing radiation induces plant defenses by regulating the expression of response genes. The systemic acquired resistance deficient 1 (SARD1) is a key gene in plant defense response. In this study, the function of Oryza sativa SARD1 (OsSARD1) was investigated after exposure of seeds/plants to ionizing radiation, jasmonic acid (JA) or salicylic acid (SA).

The incidence and clinical characteristics by gender differences in patients with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare, self-limiting disorder that typically affects the cervical lymph nodes (LNs). Although initially described in young women, KFD also occurs in men. There are no reports on the clinical manifestations and characteristics of male KFD patients.

The 13-year experience of performing pancreaticoduodenectomy in a mid-volume municipal hospital.

Purpose: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex surgery associated with high morbidity, mortality, and cost. Municipal hospitals have their important role in the public health and welfare system. The purpose of this study was to identify the feasibility as well as the cost-effectiveness of performing PD in a mid-volume municipal hospital based on 13 years of experience with PD.

Predictive Guide for Collective CO Adsorption Properties of Mg-Al Mixed Oxides.

Although solid adsorption processes offer attractive benefits, such as reduced energy demands and penalties compared with liquid absorption processes, there are still pressing needs for solid adsorbents with high adsorption capacities, thermal efficiencies, and energy-intensive regeneration in gas-treatment processes. The CO adsorption capacities of layered double oxides (LDOs), which are attractive solid adsorbents, have an asymmetric volcano-type correlation with their relative crystallinities. Furthermore, new collective adsorption properties (adsorption capacity, adsorptive energy and charge-transfer amount based on the adsorbent weight) are proposed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and measured surface areas.

HY5, a positive regulator of light signaling, negatively controls the unfolded protein response in .

Light influences essentially all aspects of plant growth and development. Integration of light signaling with different stress response results in improvement of plant survival rates in ever changing environmental conditions. Diverse environmental stresses affect the protein-folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thus evoking ER stress in plants.

Ethanol extract of the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa potentiates hippocampal synaptic transmission through mitogen-activated protein kinase, adenylyl cyclase, and protein kinase A pathways.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: As the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (Bunge) Hu ex H.F.

Cognitive Ameliorating Effect of Acanthopanax koreanum Against Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice.

Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai (Araliaceae) is one of the most widely cultivated medicinal plants in Jeju Island, Korea, and the roots and stem bark of A. koreanum have been traditionally used as a tonic agent for general weakness. However, the use of A.

Association of Serum Phosphorus Concentration with Mortality and Graft Failure among Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background And Objectives: Hyperphosphatemia in kidney transplant recipients has been shown to predict poorer graft and patient survival. However, studies examining hypophosphatemia are scarce.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: To evaluate the association of serum phosphorus level with patient and graft survival, we performed a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Predictors of Morbidity and Mortality After Surgery for Intestinal Perforation.

Purpose: An intestinal perforation is a rare condition, but has a high mortality rate, even after immediate surgical intervention. The clinical predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality are still not well established, so this study attempted to identify risk factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality after surgery for an intestinal perforation.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 117 patients who underwent surgery for an intestinal perforation at a single institution in Korea from November 2008 to June 2014.

Phloretin Exerts Anti-Tuberculosis Activity and Suppresses Lung Inflammation.

An increase in the prevalence of the drug-resistant necessitates developing new types of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Here, we found that phloretin, a naturally-occurring flavonoid, has anti-mycobacterial effects on H37Rv, multi-drug-, and extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 182 and 364 μM, respectively. Since cause lung inflammation that contributes to tuberculosis pathogenesis, anti-inflammatory effects of phloretin in interferon-γ-stimulated MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated dendritic cells were investigated.

Platelet-activating Factor Mediates Endotoxin Tolerance by Regulating Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase-dependent Expression of the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) mediates immune tolerance, and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) negatively regulates the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway. We determined previously that platelet-activating factor (PAF) protects mice against LPS-induced endotoxic shock, but its detailed mechanism of action was unknown. We performed survival experiments in and mice using an LPS-induced endotoxemia model and rated organ injury (neutrophil infiltration and liver function).

Control of stress-induced depressive disorders by So-ochim-tang-gamibang, a Korean herbal medicine.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: So-ochim-tang-gamibang (SOCG) is a Korean herbal medicine formula that has been applied to treat depressive moods and depression associated somatoform pain. This decoction consists of Cyperus rotundus L. (Cyperi Rhizoma), Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm.

Treatment Outcomes of Patients Treated for Pulmonary Tuberculosis after Undergoing Gastrectomy.

Gastrectomy is a proxy of malnutrition, which may lead to increased risk for developing pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Malabsorption in gastrectomy patients could lead to low serum levels of rifampicin, which may be related to higher treatment failure. However, there is limited information on treatment outcomes of TB in patients who have undergone gastrectomy.