Identification of Activated Cdc42-Associated Kinase Inhibitors as Potential Anticancer Agents Using Pharmacoinformatic Approaches.

Background: Activated Cdc42-associated kinase (ACK1) is essential for numerous cellular functions, such as growth, proliferation, and migration. ACK1 signaling occurs through multiple receptor tyrosine kinases; therefore, its inhibition can provide effective antiproliferative effects against multiple human cancers. A number of ACK1-specific inhibitors were designed and discovered in the previous decade, but none have reached the clinic.

Genetic Aspects of Small for Gestational Age Infants Using Targeted-Exome Sequencing and Whole-Exome Sequencing: A Single Center Study.

Background: The etiology of small for gestational age (SGA) is multifactorial and includes maternal/uterine-placental factors, fetal epigenetics, and genetic abnormalities. We evaluated the genetic causes and diagnostic effectiveness of targeted-panel sequencing (TES) or whole-exome sequencing (WES) in SGA infants without a known cause.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted on newborn infants born with a birth weight of less than the 10th percentile for gestational age between January 2019 and December 2020 at the Pusan National University Hospital.

Effect of upper extremity load on pelvic movements during wheeled upright walker use.

[Purpose] This study aimed to elucidate the effects of upper extremity loading on pelvic movements during wheeled upright walker use. [Participants and Methods] Thirteen healthy male adults participated in this intervention study. Participants walked under five conditions with targeted loads on their upper extremities of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of their body weights using a wheeled upright walker with armrests.

Clinical and Laboratory Findings of Nosocomial Sepsis in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants According to Causative Organisms.

Background: nosocomial sepsis remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Early and accurate diagnosis is very important, but it is difficult due to the similarities in clinical manifestation between the causative microorganisms. We tried to identify the differences between causative microorganisms in clinical and laboratory findings and to help choose antibiotics, when sepsis was suspected in ELBW infants.

Metabolic Engineering of for Production of α-Santalene, a Precursor of Sandalwood Oil.

α-Santalene belongs to a class of natural compounds with many physiological functions and medical applications. Advances in metabolic engineering enable non-native hosts (e.g.

Regulatory molecule cAMP changes cell fitness of the engineered Escherichia coli for terpenoids production.

Terpenoids are a class of natural compounds with many important functions and applications. They are synthesized from a long synthetic pathway of isoprenyl unit coupling with the myriads of terpene synthases. Owing to the catalytic divergence of terpenoids synthesis, microbial production of terpenoids is compromised to the complexity of pathway engineering and suffers from the metabolic engineering burden.

Improved Diabetic Wound Healing by EGF Encapsulation in Gelatin-Alginate Coacervates.

Topical imageplication of epidermal growth fctor (EGF) has been used to accelerate diabetic foot ulcers but with limited efficacy. In this study, we selected a complex coacervate (EGF-Coa) composed of the low molecular weight gelatin type A and sodium alginate as a novel delivery system for EGF, based on encapsulation efficiency and protection of EGF from protease. EGF-Coa enhanced in vitro migration of keratinocytes and accelerated wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice with increased granulation and re-epithelialization.

Accelerated wound healing in diabetic mice by miRNA-497 and its anti-inflammatory activity.

Diabetic foot ulcers represent one of the major and rising health issues, as the number of diabetic patients is increasing. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are among various bioactive molecules under investigation for diabetic wound healing. The prolonged pro-inflammatory phase in diabetic wounds partly attributes to its non-healing nature.

Gelatin-Alginate Complexes for EGF Encapsulation: Effects of H-Bonding and Electrostatic Interactions.

Gelatin Type A (GA) and sodium alginate (SA) complexes were explored to encapsulate epidermal growth factor (EGF), and thereby to circumvent its proteolytic degradation upon topical application to chronic wounds. Phase diagrams were constructed based on turbidity as a function of GA to SA ratio and pH. Various GA-SA mixtures were compared for polydispersity index, zeta potential, -average, and ATR-FTIR spectra.

Challenges and tackles in metabolic engineering for microbial production of carotenoids.

Naturally occurring carotenoids have been isolated and used as colorants, antioxidants, nutrients, etc. in many fields. There is an ever-growing demand for carotenoids production.

Microbial Platform for Terpenoid Production: and Yeast.

Terpenoids, also called isoprenoids, are a large and highly diverse family of natural products with important medical and industrial properties. However, a limited production of terpenoids from natural resources constrains their use of either bulk commodity products or high valuable products. Microbial production of terpenoids from and yeasts provides a promising alternative owing to available genetic tools in pathway engineering and genome editing, and a comprehensive understanding of their metabolisms.

Metabolic engineering of for production of mixed isoprenoid alcohols and their derivatives.

Background: Current petroleum-derived fuels such as gasoline (C-C) and diesel (C-C) are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons with different chain lengths and chemical structures. Isoprenoids are hydrocarbon-based compounds with different carbon chain lengths and diverse chemical structures, similar to petroleum. Thus, isoprenoid alcohols such as isopentenol (C), geraniol (C), and farnesol (C) have been considered to be ideal biofuel candidates.

Gelatin-alginate coacervates for circumventing proteolysis and probing intermolecular interactions by SPR.

Complex coacervates based on natural biopolymers have been explored as a protein delivery system to provide controlled release of loaded protein and circumvent the proteolytic degradation in chronic wounds. The coacervates composed of gelatin A (GA) and sodium alginate (SA) were optimized with respect to turbidity, size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), a model protein, was effectively encapsulated in the coacervates, resulting in protection from trypsin digestion and controlled release.

Revisiting in vitro release test for topical gel formulations: The effect of osmotic pressure explored for better bio-relevance.

Release test methods for topical dosage forms including pharmacopeial tests require a large volume of release media, with limited application for high throughput screening. In the present study, we evaluated Transwell assay to miniaturize the release test method for optimization of thermoreversible topical gel formulations. We also explored the osmotic effect on the in vitro release rates from gel formulations to understand the bio-relevance of release media.

Role of High-Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) in Transplantation of Rat Pancreatic Islets.

BACKGROUND The potential role of tissue damage factor high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in islet cell transplantation is poorly understood. We investigated the role of HMGB1 in pancreatic islet cell isolation and culture in vitro and after pancreatic islet cell transplantation into diabetic nude mice in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS To generate damaged islets, isolated islets were treated with 1 mg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Poloxamer-Based Thermoreversible Gel for Topical Delivery of Emodin: Influence of P407 and P188 on Solubility of Emodin and Its Application in Cellular Activity Screening.

Emodin is a component in a Chinese herb, Baill, traditionally used for diabetes and anticancer. Its poor solubility is one of the major challenges to pharmaceutical scientists. We previously reported on thermoreversible gel formulations based on poloxamer for the topical delivery of emodin.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Exocrine Pancreas Spontaneously Express Pancreas Progenitor-Cell Markers in a Cell-Passage-Dependent Manner.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and most connective tissues have been recognized as promising sources for cell-based therapies. MSCs have also been detected in human pancreatic tissue, including endocrine and exocrine cells. These adult human pancreas-derived MSCs have generated a great deal of interest owing to their potential use in the differentiation of insulin-producing cells for diabetes treatment.

Diagnostic value of tolerance-related gene expression measured in the recipient alloantigen-reactive T cell fraction.

The efficient development of tolerance-inducing therapies and safe reduction of immunosuppression should be supported by early diagnosis and prediction of tolerance in transplantation. Using mouse models of donor-specific tolerance to allogeneic skin and islet grafts we tested whether measurement of tolerance-related gene expression in their alloantigen-reactive peripheral T cell fraction efficiently reflected the tolerance status of recipients. We found that Foxp3, Nrn1, and Klrg1 were preferentially expressed in conditions of tolerance compared with rejection or unmanipulated controls if their expression is measured in CD69(+) T cells prepared from coculture of recipient peripheral T cells and donor antigen-presenting cells.

An effective immune-monitoring protocol based on gene expression profiles in the peripheral T-cell fraction reactive to graft antigens.

Background: The ability to induce tolerance, or at least minimize the need for immunosuppressive therapy, is a high priority in organ transplantation. Accomplishing this goal requires a novel method for determining when a patient has become tolerant to or is rejecting their graft. Here, we sought to develop an efficient monitoring protocol based on gene expression profiles of recipient T cells in murine skin and islet allograft models.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells support rat pancreatic islet survival and insulin secretory function in vitro.

Background Aims: Recent evidence has suggested that transplanted bone marrow (BM)-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are able to engraft and repair non-hematopoietic tissues successfully, including central nervous system, renal, pulmonary and skin tissue, and may possibly contribute to tissue regeneration. We examined the cytoprotective effect of BM MSC on co-cultured, isolated pancreatic islets.

Methods: Pancreatic islets and MSC isolated from Lewis rats were divided into four experimental groups: (a) islets cultured alone (islet control); (b) islets cultured in direct contact with MSC (IM-C); (c) islets co-cultured with MSC in a Transwell system, which allows indirect cell contact through diffusible media components (IM-I); and (d) MSC cultured alone (MSC control).

Implementation and success of nurse telephone counseling in linguistically isolated Korean American patients with high blood pressure.

Objective: Nurse telephone counseling can improve the management of chronic conditions, but the effectiveness of this approach in underserved populations is unclear. This study evaluated the use of bilingual nurse-delivered telephone counseling in Korean Americans (KAs) participating in a community-based intervention trial to improve management of hypertension.

Methods: KAs were randomized to receive 12 months of hypertension-related telephone counseling that was more intensive (bi-weekly) or less intensive (monthly).

Mail education is as effective as in-class education in hypertensive Korean patients.

Many Korean American persons have hypertension, but competing life priorities often prevent them from attending health-promotion educational activities. Using principles of community-based participatory research, the authors conducted a prospective clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of a mailed vs an in-class culturally tailored education intervention. A total of 380 hypertensive Korean American persons from the Baltimore/Washington area were assigned to a more intense in-class education group or a less intensive mail education group.

Knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors about hypertension control among middle-aged Korean Americans with hypertension.

This report describes the management and control of high blood pressure (HBP) in a sample of middle-aged (40 to 64 years) Korean Americans (KAs) with HBP. Participants in the Self-Help Intervention Program for HBP care (SHIP-HBP), a culturally tailored clinical trial for HBP management in KAs through lifestyle approaches, underwent baseline assessments to determine HBP control status and knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to HPB control. Data were stratified by sex.

Does knowledge matter?: intentional medication nonadherence among middle-aged Korean Americans with high blood pressure.

Aim: To examine predictors of intentional and unintentional nonadherence to antihypertensive medication regimens and their relationships to blood pressure outcomes.

Background: Although poor adherence to medical regimens is a major concern in the care of patients with high blood pressure (HBP), our understanding of the complex behavior related to adherence is limited. Moreover, few studies have been devoted to understanding adherence issues in ethnic minority groups, such as the interplay between cultural beliefs and HBP medication-taking behaviors.

Effects of a theory-driven music and movement program for stroke survivors in a community setting.

Many countries lack effective community-based rehabilitation programs despite the increasing numbers of stroke survivors. Therefore, we have conducted a pilot investigation in South Korea of a newly constructed community-based intervention program combining rhythmic music and specialized rehabilitation movement. The 8-week program was based on rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) theory, which uses rhythm to enhance stroke survivors' movements.