Real Time Observation of Halide Segregation in Mixed Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

In this work, a novel real-time current-voltage (J-V) absorbance spectroscopy (RTJAS) setup is introduced for directly observing halide segregation in mixed halide perovskite solar cells under broadband light illumination, simulating solar exposure. The setup incorporates a broadband light source calibrated to one sun irradiation and a CMOS camera for simultaneous capture of all diffracted wavelengths. J-V measurements are performed concurrently with absorbance spectra collection, enabling in situ analysis of light-induced degradation due to halide segregation, including bandgap shifts and cell performance data.

Cotargeting Plk1 and androgen receptor enhances the therapeutic sensitivity of paclitaxel-resistant prostate cancer.

Backgrounds: Despite the clinical success of taxanes, they still have limitations, such as chemoresistance. To overcome the limitations of paclitaxel, genetic alterations and targeting effects of altered genes were observed in paclitaxel-resistant cancer. Because paclitaxel-resistant cancer shows high levels of Plk1, a promising target in chemotherapy, the effectiveness of Plk1 inhibitors in paclitaxel-resistant cancer cells has been investigated.

7-O-Methylwogonin from Scutellaria baicalensis Disturbs Mitotic Progression by Inhibiting Plk1 Activity in Hep3B Cells.

Polo-like kinase 1, a mitotic Ser/Thr kinase, has emerged as a molecular target for the development of anticancer drugs. In this study, we found that polo-like kinase 1 activity was inhibited by 7--methylwogonin and related flavones, including baicalein, dihydrobaicalein, and viscidulin II, isolated from . Although dihydrobaicalein exhibited the highest polo-like kinase 1 inhibitory activity among the four compounds, it also inhibited other kinases, such as vaccinia-related kinase 2 and polo-like kinase 2.

Comparative Analysis of a FRET-based PLK1 Kinase Assay to Identify PLK1 inhibitors for Chemotherapy.

Advanced techniques for detecting kinase inhibitors are in demand due to limitations of traditional approaches. Here, we used a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based kinase assay, a sensitive fluorescence turn-on biosensing platform, to identify a Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitor. The assay was developed with the Z'-Lyte™ FRET-peptide and PLK1 kinase purified from a baculovirus expression system.

Sensitivity of TP53-Mutated Cancer Cells to the Phytoestrogen Genistein Is Associated With Direct Inhibition of Plk1 Activity.

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a conserved Ser/Thr mitotic kinase, has been identified as a promising target for anticancer drug development because its overexpression is correlated with malignancy. Here, we found that genistein, an isoflavone, inhibits Plk1 kinase activity directly. Previously the mitotic disturbance phenomenon induced by treatment with genistein was not fully explained by its inhibitory effect on EGFR.

Antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of Eurycoma longifolia extracts.

Eurycoma longifolia is one of the most popular herbal medicines in Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of E. longifolia roots (TA) in vivo and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Differential Cellular Effects of Plk1 Inhibitors Targeting the ATP-binding Domain or Polo-box Domain.

The expression of polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) correlates with malignancy and is thus recognized as a target for cancer therapy. In addition to the development of ATP-competitive Plk1 inhibitors, the polo-box domain (PBD), a unique functional domain of PLKs, is being targeted to develop Plk1-specific inhibitors. However, the action mechanisms of these two classes of Plk1 inhibitors have not been thoroughly evaluated.

Calcium-sensing receptor and apoptosis in parathyroid hyperplasia of patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: This retrospective study investigated the characteristics of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) by examining the presence of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and the rate of cell proliferation and apoptosis in parathyroid glands.

Methods: Eighteen diffuse and 57 nodular hyperplastic parathyroid glands from 24 patients with SHPT were compared with 14 primary adenomas and 33 normal parathyroid glands using immunohistochemical staining of CaSR and a marker of proliferative activity (Ki67 antigen). Apoptosis was measured using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling assay.

The anatomy of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve in Koreans.

Background: Preservation of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) during thyroidectomy is important because its injury may lead to frequent occurrence of vocal fatigue and the inability to perform superenergetic phonation. Most studies on the anatomy of EBSLN have been performed in Western countries and, thus, have some limitations in their application to Koreans. We explored the anatomy of EBSLNs using intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in Korean adults.

A fraction of methylene chloride from Geum japonicum Thunberg inhibits tumor metastatic and angiogenic potential.

The plant Geum japonicum Thunberg (GjT) has been used as a diuretic in traditional medicine. Herein, we report that the GjT extract blocks both the spread of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on matrigel and the migration of B16 cells. We used various assays to test for cell attachment, spreading, wound healing and angiogenesis.

Aqueous extract of the Helianthus annuus seed alleviates asthmatic symptoms in vivo.

Molecular inflammation is a pivotal process in various degenerative immune diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis. In this study, we examined the effects of Helianthus annuus seed (HAS) aqueous extract on an in vivo anti-asthmatic model. Ovalbumin-induced mice were orally administered the aqueous extract of Helianthus annuus seeds, and their lungs were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining.

Anti-tumor activity of Gastrodia elata Blume is closely associated with a GTP-Ras-dependent pathway.

Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB) is an important medicinal plant in Korea. In order to confirm the anti-tumor activities of GEB extracts, we carried out various in vitro anti-tumor assays, including a wound assay and an invasion assay using an ethyl ether extract of GEB. The results showed that the GEB extract exhibits potent anti-tumor activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner.

Gastrodia elata Blume protects against stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions in mice.

Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB) is a traditional herbal plant that has been used in Asian countries for centuries as an anticonvulsant, analgesic, and also as a sedative for treating general paralysis, epilepsy, vertigo, and tetanus. Although numerous reports have addressed the effects of GEB against degenerative diseases, no previous study has examined the possible gastroprotective effects of GEB. Here, we examined the effects of pretreatment with GEB (0.

Dykellic acid inhibits cell migration and tube formation by RhoA-GTP expression.

Dykellic acid, a novel factor initially identified from the culture broth of Westerdykella multispora F50733, has been shown to inhibit matrix metalloprotease 9 activity, caspase-3 activity, B cell proliferation and LPS-induced IgM production, suggesting that this factor may have anti-cancer effects. In an effort to further address the possible anti-tumoral effects of dykellic acid, we used wound healing, invasion and RhoA-GTP assays to examine the effects of dykellic acid on cell migration, invasion and angiogenesis. Our results revealed that dykellic acid dose-dependently inhibits B16 cell migration and motility, and inhibits HUVEC tube formation.

Effect of core-needle biopsy vs fine-needle aspiration on pathologic measurement of tumor size in breast cancer.

Hypothesis: Core-needle biopsy (CNB) and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) play an important role in the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. However, CNB might alter the size of the tumor, which might subsequently change its pathologic stage and thus affect the decision about adjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients: Between January 2000 and May 2002, we studied 291 patients with invasive carcinoma lesion in a retrospective analysis.