Partial purification and characterization of a cysteine protease inhibitor from the plerocercoid of Spirometra erinacei.

Helminthic cysteine proteases are well known to play critical roles in tissue invasion, nutrient uptake, and immune evasion of the parasites. In the same manner, the sparganum, the plerocercoid of Spirometra mansoni, is also known to secrete a large amount of cysteine proteases. However, cysteine protease inhibitors regulating the proteolytic activities of the cysteine protease are poorly illustrated.

Citrus fruit intake and pancreatic cancer risk: a quantitative systematic review.

Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the association between dietary intake of citrus fruits and pancreatic cancer risk.

Methods: Authors searched electronic databases and the reference lists of publications of studies addressing diet and pancreatic cancer up to December 2007. All of the epidemiological studies that obtained individual data on dietary intake of citrus fruits and presented risk estimates of the association between intake of citrus fruits and risk of pancreatic cancer were identified and included.

Effect of dietary ascorbic acid on growth and non-specific immune responses of tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes.

We report nutritional physiology and non-specific immune responses of ascorbic acid (AA) in puffer fish for the first time. This study aimed to examine the essentiality and requirements of AA in diets for the tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes based on growth performance, liver AA and bone collagen concentration, and non-specific immune responses. Five casein-gelatin based semi-purified diets were formulated to contain five graded levels of l-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate at 0, 40, 80, 160 and 700mg/kg (designated as AMP0, AMP40, AMP80, AMP160 and AMP700, respectively) and fed to triplicate groups of fish.

Cellular protection of morin against the oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Flavonoids are a class of secondary metabolites abundantly found in fruits and vegetables. In addition, flavonoids have been reported as potent antioxidants with beneficial effects against oxidative stress-related diseases such as cancer, aging, and diabetes. The present study was carried out to investigate the cytoprotective effects of morin (2',3,4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone), a member of the flavonoid group, against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced DNA and lipid damage.

Molecular characterization and gene expression analysis of a pattern recognition protein from disk abalone, Haliotis discus discus.

Pattern recognition molecules play an important role in innate immunity by recognizing common epitopes on the surface of invading microorganism. A pattern recognition protein (PRP) was isolated from a disk abalone, Haliotis discus discus, normalized cDNA library. It encodes 420 amino acids (aa) including a 20 aa signal peptide sequence.

Gossypol suppresses telomerase activity in human leukemia cells via regulating hTERT.

Gossypol is a polyphenolic compound originally isolated from cottonseed that has long been used successfully as a contraceptive drug for males. However, the molecular mechanism of anti-telomerase effects of gossypol is not entirely understood. In this study, we observed direct cytotoxicity and inhibition of telomerase activity with downregulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression.

Effects of gender, gonadectomy and sex hormones on growth and plasma cholesterol level in rats.

Background/aims: No studies have clearly demonstrated how sex hormones are involved in the observed gender difference in growth and plasma cholesterol levels in animals fed hypercholesterolemic diets. This study was conducted to determine the effects of gender, gonadectomy (GNX), and sex hormones on growth, plasma cholesterol and cortisol levels in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Methods: In the first of two experiments, equal numbers of male and female 4-week-old rats were divided into three groups: sham-operated control, GNX, or GNX + 17alpha-methyltestosterone (MT).

Irinotecan combined with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin as second-line chemotherapy for metastatic or relapsed gastric cancer.

Objective: We analysed the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil (FOLFIRI) chemotherapy as second-line treatment for metastatic or relapsed gastric cancer (MRGC) in a clinical practice setting. Factors to select patients who may benefit from salvage chemotherapy was also analysed.

Methods: Patients with MRGC with progression on or within 6 months after discontinuing platinum-based chemotherapy received FOLFIRI as second-line therapy.

Hyperoside prevents oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide in lung fibroblast cells via an antioxidant effect.

We elucidated the cytoprotective effects of hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-galactoside) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cell damage. We found that hyperoside scavenged the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) detected by fluorescence spectrometry, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. In addition, we found that hyperoside scavenged the hydroxyl radicals generated by the Fenton reaction (FeSO4)+H2O2) in a cell-free system, which was detected by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry.

Strain-dependent Differences of Locomotor Activity and Hippocampus-dependent Learning and Memory in Mice.

The behavioral phenotypes of out-bred ICR mice were compared with those of in-bred C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. In particular, this study examined the locomotor activity and two forms of hippocampus-dependent learning paradigms, passive avoidance and object recognition memory. The basal open-field activity of the ICR strain was greater than that of the C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains.

Transcriptional up-regulation of disk abalone selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase by H(2)O(2) oxidative stress and Vibrio alginolyticus bacterial infection.

Selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx) belongs to the family of selenoprotein, which acts mainly as an antioxidant in the cellular defence system. We have identified Se-GPx full length cDNA from disk abalone (Haliotis discus discus) designated as AbSe-GPx. It has a characteristic codon at (223)TGA(225) that corresponds to selenocysteine (Sec) amino acid as U(75).

Characterization, tissue expression, and immunohistochemical localization of MCL3, a C-type lectin produced by Perkinsus olseni-infected Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum).

A novel C-type lectin designated Manila clam lectin 3 (MCL3), with a molecular weight of 17.380kDa, was identified among haemocyte expressed sequence tags of Perkinsus olseni-infected Manila clams. MCL3 was expressed in Escherichia coli M15 cells and purified with a Ni-NTA His-binding resin matrix.

The radioprotective effects of the hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Callophyllis japonica in mice that undergo whole body irradiation.

The radioprotective activity of extracts from the red seaweed Callophyllis (C.) japonica was investigated in mice that underwent whole-body exposure to gamma radiation. A methanol extract of C.

Curcumin attenuates ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation by regulating nitric oxide.

Curcumin has been strongly implicated as an anti-inflammatory agent, but the precise mechanisms of its action are largely unknown. In this study, we show that curcumin contributes to anti-inflammatory activity in the murine asthma model and lung epithelial cell A549 through suppression of nitric oxide (NO). To address this problem, curcumin was injected into the peritoneum of ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice before the last allergen challenge.

Induction of heme oxygenase-1 by plant extract KIOM-79 via Akt pathway and NF-E2 related factor 2 in pancreatic beta-cells.

The objective of the present study was to determine the mechanism by which KIOM-79 induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in rat pancreatic beta-cells (RINm5F). A mixture of plant extracts (KIOM-79) was obtained from Magnolia officinalis, Pueraria lobata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Euphorbia pekinensis. HO-1, an antioxidant phase 2 enzyme, was previously reported to possess cytoprotective properties in pancreatic beta-cells.

Molecular cloning and characterization of three sigma glutathione S-transferases from disk abalone (Haliotis discus discus).

Three novel glutathione S-transferase (GSTs) cDNAs were cloned from a disk abalone (Haliotis dicus discus) cDNA library. Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis of three GSTs revealed that their closest relationship is with insect sigma GSTs. Recombinant GSTs were over-expressed in Escherichia coli as soluble fusion proteins.

Radioprotective effects of fucoidan in mice treated with total body irradiation.

The effects of fucoidan on the survival rate of mice treated with total body irradiation were examined. BALB/c mice were pretreated with various doses of fucoidan prior to total-body irradiation and were monitored for 30 days. A significant improvement of survival was observed by pretreatment with fucoidan at 100 mg/kg body weight.

Cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma presenting with intratumor bleeding, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematoma.

Introduction: Massive intracranial hemorrhage is a very rare initial presentation of cerebellar pilocytic astrocytomas. There are no reports in the medical literature on a cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma presenting with intratumor bleeding (ITB), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and subdural hematoma (SDH).

Case Report: A 15-month-old boy presented with lethargy and nausea to our hospital.

Eckol protects V79-4 lung fibroblast cells against gamma-ray radiation-induced apoptosis via the scavenging of reactive oxygen species and inhibiting of the c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase pathway.

The radioprotective effect of eckol against gamma-ray radiation-induced oxidative stress and its possible protective mechanisms were investigated. Eckol was found to reduce the intracellular reactive oxygen species generated by gamma-ray radiation. Moreover, eckol also protected against radiation-induced cellular DNA damage and membrane lipid peroxidation, which are the main targets of radiation-induced damage.

Fermented guava leaf extract inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 and iNOS expression in Mouse macrophage cells by inhibition of transcription factor NF-kappaB.

The goal of this study was to elucidate the antiinflammatory activities of Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaf. To improve the functionality of guava leaf, it was fermented with Phellinus linteus mycelia, Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

New Erwinia-like organism causing cervical lymphadenitis.

The first case of cervical lymphadenitis due to infection by a new Erwinia-like organism is reported. The organism was identified initially as Pantoea sp. by a Vitek 2-based assessment but was finally identified as a member of the genus Erwinia by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.

Protective effect of butin against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis by scavenging reactive oxygen species and activating antioxidant enzymes.

The antioxidant property of butin was investigated for cytoprotective effect against H(2)O(2)-induced cell damage. This compound showed intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. This radical scavenging activity of butin protected cell damage exposed to H(2)O(2).

Decomposition of hydrofluorocarbons in a dielectric-packed plasma reactor.

This study investigated the decomposition of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) having high global warming potentials by using a dielectric-packed-bed nonthermal plasma reactor with barium titanate beads as the packing material. The target HFCs were 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a) and 1,1-difluoroethene (HFC-132a). The effects of several parameters such as reaction temperature, oxygen content, and initial concentration on the HFC decomposition efficiency were evaluated.

Induction of G2/M arrest, endoreduplication, and apoptosis by actin depolymerization agent pextenotoxin-2 in human leukemia cells, involving activation of ERK and JNK.

Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) is a natural compound from marine sponges and has been known to inhibit cytokinesis through the depolymerization of actin filaments. To investigate the role of actin dysfunction by PTX-2 in human leukemia cells, we analyzed the effect of PTX-2 on the cell cycle and apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis showed that the depolymerization of actin with PTX-2 induces G2/M phase arrest at 12 h and endoreduplication at 24 h.