High-turnover visible-light photoreduction of CO2 by a Re(I) complex stabilized on dye-sensitized TiO2.

Hybrid systems prepared by fixing a Re(i) complex and a dye on three types of TiO2 nanoparticles in two different ways commonly revealed persistent photocatalysis of the CO2 reduction to CO with no levelling-off tendency under visible-light irradiation in DMF, giving a turnover number of ≥435.

Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein regulates the expression of aldose reductase and protein kinase C δ in a mouse model of diabetic retinopathy.

Recent studies revealed that Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) directly regulates the transcription of aldose reductase (AR), which catalyzes the first step of the polyol pathway of glucose metabolism. Activation of protein kinase C δ (PKCδ) is dependent on AR and it has been linked to diabetic complications. However, whether TonEBP affects expressions of AR and PKCδ in diabetic retinopathy was not clearly shown.

Real-time knee adduction moment feedback training using an elliptical trainer.

The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in many aspects including presence, progression, and severity of knee OA. Despite of its importance, there is a lack of EKAM estimation methods that can provide patients with knee OA real-time EKAM biofeedback for training and clinical evaluations without using a motion analysis laboratory. A practical real-time EKAM estimation method, which utilizes kinematics measured by a simple six degree-of-freedom goniometer and kinetics measured by a multi-axis force sensor underneath the foot, was developed to provide real-time feedback of the EKAM to the patients during stepping on an elliptical trainer, which can potentially be used to control and alter the EKAM.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1α directly regulates nuclear clusterin transcription by interacting with hypoxia response elements in the clusterin promoter.

Differential transcription of the clusterin (CLU) gene yields two CLU isoforms, a nuclear form (nCLU) and a secretory form (sCLU), which play crucial roles in prostate tumorigenesis. Pro-apoptotic nCLU and anti-apoptotic sCLU have opposite effects and are differentially expressed in normal and cancer cells; however, their regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional level are not yet known. Here, we examined the transcriptional regulation of nCLU in response to hypoxia.

Depletion of Alloreactive T-Cells by Anti-CD137-Saporin Immunotoxin.

Depletion of alloreactive T-lymphocytes from allogeneic bone marrow transplants may prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without impairing donor cell engraftment, immunity, and the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. Alloreactive T-cells may be identified by their expression, upon activation, of CD137, a costimulatory receptor and putative surrogate marker for antigen-specific effector T-cells. In this context, we tested the use of anti-CD137-saporin immunotoxin to selectively deplete mouse and human alloreactive T-cells.

Heat-shock protein beta 1 regulates androgen-mediated bovine myogenesis.

To elucidate the functional significance of heat-shock protein beta 1 (HSPB1) in androgen-mediated myogenesis of bovine cells, we conducted 'loss and gain of function of HSPB1' assays by siRNA inhibition and gene overexpression. siRNA inhibition of HSPB1 expression reduced the expression of desmin (a myogenic marker) and repressed the formation of myotubes in cells induced for myogenic differentiation. In contrast, overexpression of HSPB1 enhanced the expression of desmin and accelerated formation of myotubes.

Tetrathiafulvalene as an electron acceptor for positive charge induction on the surface of silver nanoparticles for facilitated olefin transport.

Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), a well-known electron donor, can also behave as an electron acceptor after being adsorbed on the surface of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), thereby inducing a partial positive charge on the Ag NPs surface. The Ag NPs activated by TTF help propylene transport much faster than propane, i.e.

Decreased interaction between FoxO3a and Akt correlates with seizure-induced neuronal death.

Status epilepticus (SE) leads to neurodegeneration which likely contributes to the development of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Therefore, neuroprotection following SE is considered as a promising strategy for preventing chronic TLE, but molecular changes that occur following SE still remain unclear. The Forkhead homeobox type O (FoxO) family of Forkhead transcription factors mediates cell death in several pathological conditions, but the role of FoxO in the excitotoxic effects of kainic acid (KA) remains largely unknown.

Second primary mucosal malignant melanoma in hypopharynx.

Primary mucosal melanomas of the head and neck are rare. In addition, second primary mucosal melanoma following primary cutaneous malignant melanomas is very rare. We report a second primary mucosal melanoma.

Minimally Invasive Excision of Epidermal Cysts through a Small Hole Made by a CO2 Laser.

To improve the cosmetic results of removing epidermal cysts, minimally invasive methods have been proposed. We proposed a new minimally invasive method that completely removes a cyst through a small hole made by a CO2 laser. Twenty-five patients with epidermal cysts, which were 0.

Elevated aurora kinase a protein expression in diabetic skin tissue.

Background: Aurora kinase A (Aurora-A) plays an important role in the regulation of mitosis and cytokinesis. Dysregulated Aurora-A leads to mitotic faults and results in pathological conditions. No studies on Aurora-A expression in human diabetic skin tissue have been reported.

Characterizations of reflex and nonreflex changes in spastic multiple sclerosis.

Background: Spasticity, an increased resistance of a limb to movement, is associated with functional limitations and a major source of disability in neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke. Despite the clinical significance of spasticity in brain and spinal cord injuries, it is often not clear whether the spasticity is due to reflex or non-reflex changes.

New Method: Reflex and nonreflex properties of the human knee joint were studied in eight MS patients with spasticity and ten healthy subjects.

Construction and validation of the midsagittal reference plane based on the skull base symmetry for three-dimensional cephalometric craniofacial analysis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the reliable midsagittal (MS) reference plane in practical ways for the three-dimensional craniofacial analysis on three-dimensional computed tomography images.

Methods: Five normal human dry skulls and 20 normal subjects without any dysmorphoses or asymmetries were used. The accuracies and stability on repeated plane construction for almost every possible candidate MS plane based on the skull base structures were examined by comparing the discrepancies in distances and orientations from the reference points and planes of the skull base and facial bones on three-dimensional computed tomography images.

Preclinical safety evaluation of intravenously administered SAL200 containing the recombinant phage endolysin SAL-1 as a pharmaceutical ingredient.

Phage endolysins have received increasing attention as potent antibacterial agents. However, although safety evaluation is a prerequisite for the drug development process, a good laboratory practice (GLP)-compliant safety evaluation has not been reported for phage endolysins. A safety evaluation of intravenously administered SAL200 (containing phage endolysin SAL-1) was conducted according to GLP standards.

Effects of chronic restraint stress on body weight, food intake, and hypothalamic gene expressions in mice.

Background: Stress affects body weight and food intake, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood.

Methods: We evaluated the changes in body weight and food intake of ICR male mice subjected to daily 2 hours restraint stress for 15 days. Hypothalamic gene expression profiling was analyzed by cDNA microarray.

Burkholderia eburnea sp. nov., isolated from peat soil.

A novel aerobic bacterium, designated strain RR11(T), was isolated from peat soil and was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach and identified in order to determine its taxonomic position. Strain RR11(T) is a Gram-negative, non-sporulating, motile, short-rod-shaped bacterium. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis identified this strain as a member of the genus Burkholderia of the class Betaproteobacteria.

Real-time tracking of knee adduction moment in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Background: The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is closely associated with the presence, progression, and severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of convenient and practical method to estimate and track in real-time the EKAM of patients with knee OA for clinical evaluation and gait training, especially outside of gait laboratories.

New Method: A real-time EKAM estimation method was developed and applied to track and investigate the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping on an elliptical trainer in both healthy subjects and a patient with knee OA.

Right adrenal venography findings correlated with C-arm CT for selection during C-arm CT-assisted adrenal vein sampling in primary aldosteronism.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of C-arm CT to confirm right adrenal vein catheterization during adrenal vein sampling (AVS) and to correlate adrenal venography findings with C-arm CT and/or biochemical results for right adrenal vein selection.

Methods: Forty-two consecutive primary aldosteronism patients (M:F = 21:21; age: 29-70 years) underwent C-arm CT assisted sequential AVS. After catheterization of right adrenal vein, C-arm CT was performed to confirm catheter position.

Blue toe syndrome treated with sympathectomy in a patient with acute renal failure caused by cholesterol embolization.

Blue toe syndrome is the most frequent manifestation of tissue ischemia caused by cholesterol embolization (CE), which can lead to amputation of affected lower extremities, if severe. However, any effective treatment is lacking. We experienced a case of spontaneously presenting blue toe syndrome and concomitant acute renal failure in a patient with multiple atherosclerotic risk factors.

PKCη Regulates the TGFβ3-induced Chondevrepogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell.

Transforming growth factor (TGF) family is well known to induce the chondevrepogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). However, the precise signal transduction pathways and underlying factors are not well known. Thus the present study aims to evaluate the possible role of C2 domain in the chondevrepogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells.

The GABAB receptor associates with regulators of G-protein signaling 4 protein in the mouse prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus.

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins regulate certain G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated signaling pathways. The GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R) is a GPCR that plays a role in the stress response. Previous studies indicate that acute immobilization stress (AIS) decreases RGS4 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hypothalamus (HY) and suggest the possibility of a signal complex composed of RGS4 and GABA(B)R.

A detailed investigation of light-harvesting efficiency of blue color emitting divergent iridium dendrimers with peripheral phenylcarbazole units.

The increase in phosphorescence efficiency was estimated by the energy transfer mechanism for divergent iridium dendrimers with peripheral phenylcarbazole units. A series of Ir-core/phenylcarbazole-end dendrons of the type, Ir(dfppy)2(pic-Czn) (Gn, n = 0, 1, 2, and 3), was synthesized, where dfppy, pic, and Czn (n = 2, 4, and 8) are 2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridine, picolinate substituted with Czn at the 3-position, and 4-(9-carbazolyl)phenyldendrons connected with 3,5-di(methyleneoxy)benzyloxy branches, respectively. Selective excitation of the Czn units of G1–G3 resulted in >90% quenching of the Cz fluorescence accompanied by the growth of phosphorescence from the Ir(dfppy)2(pic) core as a consequence of energy transfer from the excited-singlet Czn chromophore to the core.

Inhibitory effects of BiRyuChe-bang on mast cell-mediated allergic reactions and inflammatory cytokines production.

BiRyuChe-bang (BRC) is a Korean prescription medicine, which has been used to treat allergic rhinitis at Kyung Hee Medical Center. In this work, we investigated the effects of BRC on mast cell-mediated allergic reactions and inflammatory cytokines production, and identified the active component of BRC. Histamine release was measured from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs).

Genuine traditional Korean medicine, Naju Jjok (Chung-Dae, Polygonum tinctorium) improves 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesional skin.

Purpose: Naju Jjok (NJJ, Polygonum tinctorium) is a clear heat and release toxin medicinal. It has been used to treat various inflammatory diseases and as a dye in clothing in traditional Korean medicine. However, the effect of NJJ on atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been elucidated.