Dnmt1/Tet2-mediated changes in Cmip methylation regulate the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by controlling the Gbp2-Pparγ-CD36 axis.

Dynamic alteration of DNA methylation leads to various human diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although C-Maf-inducing protein (Cmip) has been reported to be associated with NAFLD, its exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to elucidate this mechanism in NAFLD in vitro and in vivo.

CT/MRI and CEUS LI-RADS Major Features Association with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

Background The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) assigns a risk category for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to imaging observations. Establishing the contributions of major features can inform the diagnostic algorithm. Purpose To perform a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to establish the probability of HCC for each LI-RADS major feature using CT/MRI and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) LI-RADS in patients at high risk for HCC.

Optical manipulation: advances for biophotonics in the 21st century.

Significance: Optical trapping is a technique capable of applying minute forces that has been applied to studies spanning single molecules up to microorganisms.

Aim: The goal of this perspective is to highlight some of the main advances in the last decade in this field that are pertinent for a biomedical audience.

Approach: First, the direct determination of forces in optical tweezers and the combination of optical and acoustic traps, which allows studies across different length scales, are discussed.

Halloysite Nanocapsules Containing Thyme Essential Oil: Preparation, Characterization, and Application in Packaging Materials.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), which are natural nanomaterials, have a hollow tubular structure with about 15 nm inner and 50 nm outer diameters. Because of their tubular shape, HNTs loaded with various materials have been investigated as functional nanocapsules. In this study, thyme essential oil (TO) was encapsulated successfully in HNTs using vacuum pulling methods, followed by end-capping or a layer-by-layer surface coating process for complete encapsulation.

Bactericidal Effect of Calcium Oxide (Scallop-Shell Powder) Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm on Quail Egg Shell, Stainless Steel, Plastic, and Rubber.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal effect of calcium oxide (CaO) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on quail eggshells and major egg contacting surfaces (stainless steel, plastic, and rubber). The samples were subjected to CaO treatments (0%, 0.01%, 0.

Green Extraction Methods for Polyphenols from Plant Matrices and Their Byproducts: A Review.

Polyphenols as phytochemicals have gained significant importance owing to several associated health benefits with regard to lifestyle diseases and oxidative stress. To date, the development of a single standard method for efficient and rapid extraction of polyphenols from plant matrices has remained a challenge due to the inherent limitations of various conventional extraction methods. The exploitation of polyphenols as bioactive compounds at various commercial levels has motivated scientists to explore more eco-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective extraction techniques, based on a green extraction approach.

Improved Extraction and Quality Characterization of Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Gamma-Irradiated Lentinus edodes.

Gamma irradiation was applied to the improved extraction of water-soluble polysaccharides (WSPs) from dried Lentinus edodes. Irradiation provided a dose-dependent increase in extraction yield (0 kGy, 2.01%; 7.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultured at high density express IFN-β and suppress the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Although it has been reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) suppress tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that type I interferon is expressed in adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured at high density, and ASCs and their conditioned medium (ASC-CM) suppress the growth of MCF-7 cells in vitro. Growth inhibition was amplified by glucose deprivation that resulted from high density culture of ASCs after 3days.

The role of growth factors in maintenance of stemness in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an active topic of research in regenerative medicine due to their ability to secrete a variety of growth factors and cytokines that promote healing of damaged tissues and organs. In addition, these secreted growth factors and cytokines have been shown to exert an autocrine effect by regulating MSC proliferation and differentiation. We found that expression of EGF, FGF-4 and HGF were down-regulated during serial passage of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

Upregulation of mitochondrial Nox4 mediates TGF-β-induced apoptosis in cultured mouse podocytes.

Injury to podocytes leads to the onset of chronic renal diseases characterized by proteinuria. Elevated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in kidney tissue is associated with podocyte damage that ultimately results in apoptosis and detachment. We investigated the proapoptotic mechanism of TGF-β in immortalized mouse podocytes.

Detection of prefracture hip lesions in atypical subtrochanteric fracture with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry images.

Purpose: To retrospectively assess how often and how early hip dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images show prefracture lesions in patients with atypical subtrochanteric fracture (ASF) and determine whether DXA images with assessment of prodromal symptoms could be used for early ASF prediction.

Materials And Methods: The retrospective research protocol complied with HIPAA and was institutional review board approved, with waiver of informed consent. Among 62 women with ASF, nine without hip DXA images and seven without clear documentation of prodromal symptoms were excluded.

Plum coatings of lemongrass oil-incorporating carnauba wax-based nanoemulsion.

Nanoemulsions containing lemongrass oil (LO) were developed for coating plums and the effects of the nanoemulsion coatings on the microbial safety and physicochemical storage qualities of plums during storage at 4 and 25 °C were investigated. The emulsions used for coating were produced by mixing a carnauba wax-based solution (18%, w/w) with LO at various concentrations (0.5% to 4.

Akt1 as a putative regulator of Hox genes.

In mammals, precise spatiotemporal expressions of Hox genes control the main body axis during embryogenesis. However, the mechanism by which Hox genes are regulated is poorly understood. To discover the putative regulator of Hox genes, in silico analyses were performed using GEO profiles, and Akt1 emerged as a candidate regulator of Hox genes in E13.

Association of Lp-PLA(2) activity and LDL size with interleukin-6, an inflammatory cytokine and oxidized LDL, a marker of oxidative stress, in women with metabolic syndrome.

Objective: We investigated an association between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) activity, inflammation, and oxidative stress in women with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods: We performed a case-control study in MS women (n=368) and non-MS women (n=854). Lp-PLA(2) activity LDL particle size; leukocyte number; ox-LDL, LDL-cholesterol, TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP levels were measured.

Effective myotube formation in human adipose tissue-derived stem cells expressing dystrophin and myosin heavy chain by cellular fusion with mouse C2C12 myoblasts.

Stem cell therapy for muscular dystrophies requires stem cells that are able to participate in the formation of new muscle fibers. However, the differentiation steps that are the most critical for this process are not clear. We investigated the myogenic phases of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hASCs) step by step and the capability of myotube formation according to the differentiation phase by cellular fusion with mouse myoblast C2C12 cells.

Essential oil of Artemisia capillaris induces apoptosis in KB cells via mitochondrial stress and caspase activation mediated by MAPK-stimulated signaling pathway.

Artemisia capillaris has been used in traditional Korean medicine for its variety of pharmacological activities. Previous studies have suggested that the essential oil of A. capillaris has chemopreventive potential, even though the mechanism of its action is unclear.

Associations of plasma homocysteine level with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, LDL atherogenicity, and inflammation profile in healthy men.

Aims: To investigate the association of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) with arterial stiffness, measured as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), LDL atherogenicity, and inflammation profile in healthy men.

Methods And Results: In this cross-sectional study, 612 healthy men aged 31-79 years were classified into quartiles according to plasma tHcy concentration. In the total study population, tHcy concentration showed positive correlation with age (r=0.

Kinetic study of the quenching reaction of singlet oxygen by common synthetic antioxidants (tert-butylhydroxyanisol, tert-di-butylhydroxytoluene, and tert-butylhydroquinone) as compared with alpha-tocopherol.

Effects of synthetic phenolic antioxidants (BHA, BHT, and TBHQ) on the methylene blue (MB) sensitized photooxidation of linoleic acid as compared with that of alpha-tocopherol have been studied. Their antioxidative mechanism was studied by both ESR spectroscopy in a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidone (TMPD)-methylene blue (MB) system and spectroscopic analysis of rubrene oxidation induced by a chemical source of singlet oxygen. Total singlet oxygen quenching rate constants (k(ox-Q)+k(q)) were determined using a steady state kinetic equation.

Superfine saengshik improves liver protecting effect compared with fine saengshik in an animal model.

This study was performed to compare the effect of liver protection of fine saengshik (FS) and superfine saengshik (SS) and uncooked and powdered grains and vegetables, produced by the different mill technique on the acute hepatotoxicity induced by CCl(4) in mouse. As the result of particle size distribution in number, particles included under 0.955 microm dia were 7.

PAR2 exerts local protection against acute pancreatitis via modulation of MAP kinase and MAP kinase phosphatase signaling.

During acute pancreatitis, protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) can be activated by interstitially released trypsin. In the mild form of pancreatitis, PAR2 activation exerts local protection against intrapancreatic damage, whereas, in the severe form of pancreatitis, PAR2 activation mediates some systemic complications. This study aimed to identify the molecular mechanisms of PAR2-mediated protective effects against intrapancreatic damage.

Metal release from bottom sediments of Ocoee Lake No. 3, a primary catchment area for the Ducktown Mining District.

Ocoee Lake No. 3 is the first reservoir receiving suspended sediments contaminated with trace metals discharged by acid mine effluents from the Ducktown Mining District, Tennessee. Bottom sediments (0-5 cm) from the lake were sampled to assess the potential for future adverse environmental effects if no remediation controls or activities are implemented.

A mean field annealing approach to robust corner detection.

This paper is an extension of our previous paper to improve the capability of detecting corners. We proposed a method of boundary smoothing for curvature estimation using a constrained regularization technique in the previous paper. We propose another approach to boundary smoothing for curvature estimation in this paper to improve the capability of detecting corners.

RBF multiuser detector with channel estimation capability in a synchronous MC-CDMA system.

The authors propose a multiuser detector with channel estimation capability using a radial basis function (RBF) network in a synchronous multicarrier-code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system. The authors propose to connect an RBF network to the frequency domain to effectively utilize the frequency diversity. Simulations were performed over frequency-selective and multi-path fading channels.

Emergent behaviors of a fuzzy sensory-motor controller evolved by genetic algorithm.

Recently, there has been extensive work on the construction of fuzzy controllers for mobile robots by a genetic algorithm (GA); therefore, we can realize evolutionary optimization as a promising method for developing fuzzy controllers. However, much investigation on the evolutionary fuzzy controller remains because most of the previous works have not seriously attempted to analyze the fuzzy controller obtained by evolution. This paper develops a fuzzy logic controller for a mobile robot with a GA in simulation environments and analyzes the behaviors of the controller with a state transition diagram of the internal model.