Effect of vacancy disorder in phase-change materials.

Ge-Sb-Te-based phase-change materials (PCMs) exhibit contrasting electrical and optical properties upon change in atomic structures, which contain the octahedral p -orbital bonding and also substantial disordered vacancies. While extensive studies have been carried out, there is little detailed analysis of how the vacancy distribution and bonding nature are inter-correlated to affect the physical properties. We studied the effect of vacancy distribution on the octahedral p -bonding network in PCMs using a simple tight-binding model and ab initio calculations.

Luteolin and luteolin-7--glucoside protect against acute liver injury through regulation of inflammatory mediators and antioxidative enzymes in GalN/LPS-induced hepatitic ICR mice.

Background/objectives: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities of luteolin and luteolin-7--glucoside were compared in galactosamine (GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatitic ICR mice.

Materials/methods: Male ICR mice (6 weeks old) were divided into 4 groups: normal control, GalN/LPS, luteolin, and luteolin-7--glucoside groups. The latter two groups were administered luteolin or luteolin-7--glucoside (50 mg/kg BW) daily by gavage for 3 weeks after which hepatitis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of GalN and LPS (1 g/kg BW and 10 µg/kg BW, respectively).

Anti-H antibody of unusually high titer showing variable reactivities against group A red cells and broad thermal amplitude in a patient with lymphoma.

We report a case of a patient with high titer anti-H antibody showing broad thermal amplitude and variable reactivities against group A red cells. A 62-year-old Korean female was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma involving multiple organs. Her ABO/RhD type was A+ and her genotype was ABO*A.

Cleavage of cytoplasm within the oligonucleate zoosporangia of allomyces macrogynus.

Allomyces macrogynus produces zoosporangia that discharge uninucleate zoospores after cleavage of multinucleate cytoplasm. Cleavage of cytoplasm within the oligonucleate zoosporangia of A. macrogynus was visualized by constructing three-dimensional models based on electron micrographs and confocal images.

Luteolin and luteolin-7-O-glucoside inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses through modulation of NF-κB/AP-1/PI3K-Akt signaling cascades in RAW 264.7 cells.

Luteolin is a flavonoid found in abundance in celery, green pepper, and dandelions. Previous studies have shown that luteolin is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative agent. In this study, the anti-inflammatory capacity of luteolin and one of its glycosidic forms, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, were compared and their molecular mechanisms of action were analyzed.

Enhancement of the catalytic activity of a 27 kDa subtilisin-like enzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH51 by in vitro mutagenesis.

AprE51 from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH51 is a 27 kDa subtilisin-like protease with fibrinolytic activity. To enhance the catalytic activity of AprE51, two residues, Gly-169 and Ser-101, which, according to the three-dimensional structural model of subtilisin, are located in the P1 substrate-binding site and S3 subsite, respectively, were mutated by site-directed mutagenesis. Results of the mutational analysis showed that substitution of alanine for Gly-169 increased the fibrinolytic activity 1.

Fibrinolytic and antiplatelet aggregation properties of a recombinant Cheonggukjang kinase.

This study characterized the efficacy of recombinant Cheonggukjang kinase (CGK) 3-5-rich fraction as a thrombolytic agent, which we overexpressed in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC10716, a strain normally lacking fibrinolytic activity. We found that CGK3-5 is a plasmin-like protease that directly degrades fibrin clots and does not activate plasminogen during fibrin clot lysis and platelet-rich clot lysis assays. We also confirmed antiplatelet and antithrombotic activity by CGK3-5-rich fraction both in vitro and in vivo.

Cytokinesis of the binucleate zoosporangia of Allomyces macrogynus.

Allomyces macrogynus, a true fungus, produces zoosporangia which discharge uninucleate zoospores after cytoplasmic cleavage. Binucleate zoosporangia of A. macrogynus were induced and examined to understand the basic principles of cytokinesis associated with the multinucleate zoosporangia.

Cloning of aprE86-1 gene encoding 27 kDa mature fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH86-1.

A gene, encoding the major secreted fibrinolytic protein of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH86-1, was cloned from the genomic DNA. DNA sequencing showed that the gene, aprE86-1, could direct the synthesis of a mature protein of 275 amino acids long after processing. When aprE86-1 was introduced into B.

Characterization of a 27 kDa fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CH51 isolated from cheonggukjang.

Bacillus amyloliquefancies CH51 isolated from cheonggukjang, a traditional Korean fermented soy food, has strong fibrinolytic activity and produces several fibrinolytic enzymes. Among four different growth media, tryptic soy broth was the best in terms of supporting cell growth and fibrinolytic activity of this strain. A protein with fibrinolytic activity was partially purified from the culture supernatant by CMSephadex and Phenyl Sepharose column chromatographies.

Methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia modulates lipoprotein profile and oxidative stress but not progression of atherosclerosis in aged apolipoprotein E knockout mice.

It is documented that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, but whether elevated plasma homocysteine contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis in aged animals with hypercholesterolemia is still unknown. HHcy was induced in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice (male, 32 weeks old) by feeding 2% methionine/low folate (1 mg/kg) diet for 20 weeks. HHcy induced by methionine feeding significantly increased oxidative stress, as measured by thiobarbituric-reactive substances in livers (P < .

Methionine supplementation accelerates oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappaB activation in livers of C57BL/6 mice.

The present study was designed to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) induced by methionine supplementation promotes oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) activation in livers of C57BL/6 mice when fed a 2% methionine and low folate (1 mg/kg) diet for 12 weeks. Plasma homocysteine concentrations of mice fed methionine were found to be 49 micromol/L by 12 weeks of feeding, which was five times higher than that of controls. HHcy induced by methionine feeding significantly increased oxidative stress, as measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < .

Effect of bamboo culm extract on oxidative stress and genetic expression: bamboo culm extract ameliorates cell adhesion molecule expression and NFkappaB activity through the suppression of the oxidative stress.

Background & Aims: This study was designed to investigate whether bamboo culm extract (BCE) supplementation may ameliorate risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: Oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in plasma, livers of C57BL/6 mice fed high-cholesterol diet and calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells. Briefly, C57BL/6 mice were fed the high-cholesterol diet which was supplemented with 1% (w/w), or 3% (w/w) of BCE for 16 weeks.

Protective effect of pinitol against D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity in rats fed on a high-fat diet.

The protective effect of pinitol against D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver damage was examined. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal control, GalN control, and pinitol groups (0.5%, 1%, and 2%).

Bamboo culm extract supplementation elevates HDL-cholesterol and ameliorates oxidative stress in C57BL/6 mice fed atherogenic diet.

Previously, we reported that bamboo culms possess a stronger antioxidative capacity than bamboo leaves in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether bamboo culm extract (BCE) supplementation ameliorates oxidative stress and hepatic nuclear factor kappaB (NF kappa B) activation in C57BL/6 mice fed an atherogenic diet. In addition, the effect of BCE supplementation on plasma lipid levels of the animals was tested.

Romidepsin (depsipeptide) induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and histone hyperacetylation in lung carcinoma cells (A549) are associated with increase in p21 and hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma proteins expression.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor such as romidepsin (depsipeptide, FR901228, FK228) is a promising new class of antineoplastic agent with the capacity to induce growth arrest and/or apoptosis of cancer cells. However, their precise mechanism of action is uncertain. Histone acetylation and deacetylation are involved in transcriptional activation and transcriptional repression, respectively.

Depsipeptide a histone deacetlyase inhibitor down regulates levels of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 mRNA and protein expressions in lung cancer cells (A549).

Background: A novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, depsipeptide FR901228 (FK228), is a promising anticancer and antiproliferative agent and has been proposed to regulate gene transcription and reported to lower the risk of several cancers in different cell lines. Depsipeptide showed therapeutic efficacy in Phase I trial of patients with malignant lymphoma. Based on the recognition that basement membrane disruption occurs in acute lung injury and that matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) can degrade type IV collagen, one of the major components of the basement membrane and known to involve in tumor invasion and metastases.

[The attitudes of nurses toward transsexuals].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the attitude of nurses toward transsexuals.

Method: The Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used. Twenty-nine nurses classified the 50 selected Q-statements into a normal distribution using a 9 point scale.

Cloning and functional expression of the gene encoding an inhibitor against Aspergillus flavus alpha-amylase, a novel seed lectin from Lablab purpureus (Dolichos lablab).

Maize is one of the more important agricultural crops in the world and, under certain conditions, prone to attack from pathogenic fungi. One of these, Aspergillus flavus, produces toxic and carcinogenic metabolites, called aflatoxins, as byproducts of its infection of maize kernels. The alpha-amylase of A.

Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of Saururus chinensis methanol extract in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Natural products are known to be sources of bioactive components exerting antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. We evaluated the suppressive effects of the methanol extract (0-45 microg/mL) of the aerial parts of Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill (Saururaceae) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production and oxidative stress buildup in the RAW 264.

Chlorella dichloromethane extract ameliorates NO production and iNOS expression through the down-regulation of NF kappa B activity mediated by suppressed oxidative stress in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Background: It has been proposed that chlorella extracts have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.

Methods: RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line was preincubated with various concentrations (0-100 mug/ml) of chlorella dichloromethane extract (CDE) and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce oxidative stress and inflammation.

Methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia promotes superoxide anion generation and NFkappaB activation in peritoneal macrophages of C57BL/6 mice.

It is well documented that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate whether some of the atherosclerotic effects ascribed to HHcy are mediated by oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) activation in peritoneal macrophages of C57BL/6 mice fed a high (2%) methionine/low (1 mg/kg) folate diet for 12 weeks. Plasma homocysteine concentrations in mice fed methionine averaged 49 mol/L after 12 weeks of feeding, five times higher than that of controls.

Attenuating effect of chlorella supplementation on oxidative stress and NFkappaB activation in peritoneal macrophages and liver of C57BL/6 mice fed on an atherogenic diet.

This study was designed to investigate whether chlorella supplementation may ameliorate oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) activation in peritoneal macrophages and liver of C57BL/6 mice fed on an atherogenic diet. The animals were maintained on an atherogenic diet (control), or an atherogenic diet supplemented with 3% (w/w) chlorella or 5% (w/w) chlorella for 12 wks. The plasma and hepatic lipid levels were not affected by chlorella supplementation.

Suppressive effects of genistein on oxidative stress and NFkappaB activation in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

This study was designed to investigate whether genistein may ameliorate oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) activation in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line. Treatment of RAW 264.