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Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) exhibit remarkable mRNA delivery efficiency, yet their majority accumulate in the liver or spleen after injection. Tissue‐specific mRNA delivery can be achieved through modulating LNP properties, such as tuning PEGylation or varying lipid components systematically. In this paper, a streamlined method is used for incorporating tumor‐targeting peptides into the LNPs; the programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) binding peptides are conjugated to PEGylated lipids via a copper‐free click reaction, and directly incorporated into the LNP composition (Pep LNPs). Notably, Pep LNPs display robust interaction with PD‐L1 proteins, which leads to the uptake of LNPs into PD‐L1 overexpressing cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate anticancer immunotherapy mediated by restoring tumor suppressor, mRNA encoding phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is delivered via Pep LNPs to PTEN‐deficient triple‐negative breast cancers (TNBCs). Pep LNPs loaded with PTEN mRNA specifically promotes autophagy‐mediated immunogenic cell death in 4T1 tumors, resulting in effective anticancer immune responses. This study highlights the potential of tumor‐targeted LNPs for mRNA‐based cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central nervous system (CNS)‐oriented compound collection was screened to find hit compounds for human glioblastoma T98G cell growth inhibition. A series of quinoxaline‐based derivatives were identified as hit compounds having one‐ to two‐digit micromolar GI50 values. Anti‐glioblastoma activity was improved in structure–activity relationship studies varying the substituents on the quinoxaline ring system, resulting in the discovery of four compounds exhibiting sub‐micromolar GI50 values. The potentials of the four compounds to induce apoptosis were confirmed by annexin V staining assay. The development potential of the four compounds as CNS drug leads was evaluated by in vitro MDR‐MDCK cell permeability and in vivo brain disposition in mice. The mouse pharmacokinetic and kinome profiling studies for compound 10g, which showed high brain‐penetrating ability, revealed that the compound is orally bioavailable and inhibits the kinase activities of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and Erb‐B2 receptor tyrosine kinase (ERBB3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glutamic acid is known to be effective for keratinocyte proliferation, but its dermatological application is limited due to its poor solubility in water and various solvents. Aim: Here, the efficacy of the arginine glutamate ion pair (named as RE:pair) for recovering damaged skin and improving skin elasticity was investigated through the analysis of keratinocyte proliferation and collagen synthesis. Methods: Following the structural analysis of RE:pair using spectroscopic methods, a scratch assay, and Pro‐Collagen I ELISA, skin tissue changes in wound‐induced artificial skin, changes in wound area after laser wound induction, and the sensory evaluation of skin improvement were investigated. Results: As a result of scratch assay, wound recovery of 94.55% ± 9.57% was confirmed at 10 ppm RE:pair treatment. When evaluation of expression efficacy of procollagen type I, it was found that the expression rate was increased by 32.47% ± 5.62% compared with the control group. Further, the upregulation of the proliferation marker Ki‐67 and filaggrin expression in the damage‐induced artificial skin was verified. Clinically, the improvement was subjectively verified in terms of the reduction of the wound area, the restoration of the barrier, the improvement of skin elasticity, and through the sensory experience of skin improvement. Conclusion: RE:pair shows a greater therapeutic effect than the individual effects of its constituent amino acids and those of the simple mixtures of these compounds. RE:pair exerts its therapeutic action by promoting the proliferation of keratinocytes and enhancing collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. Accordingly, it can be used throughout the cosmetic industry as an effective amino acid wound healing and skin elasticity improving material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the longitudinal, reciprocal effects between disability acceptance, self‐efficacy, and interpersonal ability and to discuss implications for persons with disability. For this purpose, we used the third (2018–2020) raw data of the second Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled (PSED), implemented by the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disability. We used an autoregressive cross‐lagged model to test reciprocal effects, and 4420 persons with disability responded to the three above‐mentioned waves of the PSED. The findings were as follows. First, disability acceptance, self‐efficacy, and interpersonal ability had significant effects on disability acceptance, self‐efficacy, and interpersonal ability in the third, fourth, and fifth waves. Second, there was a statistically significant longitudinal, reciprocal relationship between disability acceptance and self‐efficacy. In addition, self‐efficacy had a significant longitudinal, reciprocal relationship with interpersonal ability. However, interpersonal ability had a statistically significant longitudinal effect on disability acceptance, but not vice versa. Based on these results, we provided suggestions regarding how to improve disability acceptance, self‐efficacy, and interpersonal ability among persons with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmala alkaloid (HA) derivatives having 4,9‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrido[3,4‐b]indolium core structure were prepared and their anti‐ovarian cancer activities were explored. In the first screening of 14 compounds, dibenzylated 4e and 4f were found to be active against A2780 ovarian cancer cell line. Further preparation of active analogs led to discover 4f1 as active as 4f in three ovarian cancer cell lines including cisplatin‐resistant A2780 and SKOV3. Three compounds in 4f series showed single‐digit micromolar GI50 values against A2780 and cisplatin‐resistant A2780 cells. While the mechanism of action for the active compounds turned out to be involved in caspase‐dependent apoptotic cell death, anti‐ovarian cancer activities could be induced by inhibition of AKT Serine/Threonine Kinase 1 (AKT) signaling. This unprecedented scaffold 4 may be optimized further to find out clinically useful compounds for the treatment of ovarian cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Interleukin (IL)‐1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α are inflammatory cytokines that play an important role in periodontitis, and their genetic variations have been suggested to be associated with increased risk of periodontitis. Focusing on three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL‐1α + 4845, IL‐1β + 3954, and TNF‐α −863, we aimed to investigate the relationship between periodontitis risk and the polymorphisms of IL‐1 α/β and TNF‐α in Koreans. Material and Methods: Mouthwash samples from 548 subjects (135 controls without periodontitis, 387 generalized chronic periodontitis patients, and 26 generalized aggressive periodontitis patients) were collected for isolation of genomic DNA. Genotyping of selected SNPs was performed using real‐time PCR. Univariable associations between the polymorphisms and periodontitis were assessed by chi‐squared test or Fisher's exact test. To evaluate the association after controlling for confounding effects of various risk factors, we stratified the subjects according to the presence or absence of self‐reported diseases and employed multiple logistic regression model to adjust for age, smoking status, and oral hygiene indices and behaviors. Results: Significant association of IL‐1β + 3954 and TNF‐α −863 polymorphisms with periodontitis was observed after adjusting for the confounding risk factors, but not in univariable association analysis. The significant association between genotype CT of IL‐1β + 3954 and increased risk of advanced periodontitis was consistently detected regardless of the status of self‐reported diseases. In the polymorphism of TNF‐α −863, the genotype with minor allele (CA + AA) was significantly associated with periodontitis susceptibility, which was observed only in the subjects with self‐reported diseases. Conclusion: The results suggest that genetic variations of IL‐1β + 3954 and TNF‐α −863 are associated with increased risk of periodontitis in Koreans. In addition, our findings underscore the importance of controlling for confounding risk factors to detect significant association between genetic factors and risk of periodontitis. A further well‐designed large‐scale study is needed to warrant our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines longitudinal reciprocal relationships between self‐esteem, family support, and life satisfaction in Korean multicultural adolescents to draw implications for human service practice and policy. It uses data from the second (2012), fourth (2014), and sixth (2016) Waves of Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), which included 1,307 multicultural adolescents. For the study, the authors used an autoregressive cross‐lagged model to test longitudinal relationships between the variables. The results show that self‐esteem, family support, and life satisfaction were stable over a 4‐year period and that they were mutually and positively significant, except for life satisfaction, which did not show any effect on family support in the fourth and sixth waves. The findings suggest that human service agencies, including school social work services and Multicultural Family Support centers, may develop programs to enhance self‐esteem, family support systems, and life satisfaction for Korean multicultural adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A subset of cancer cells maintains their telomeres without telomerase through the recombination‐based alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway. Currently, it is not yet clear in what context ALT is induced and how the pathway choice is made. Here, we show that abrogation of Brca2 reinforces break‐induced replication (BIR) and engages with ALT pathway. Brca2 depletion in telomerase‐null mouse cells alleviated the growth defect, accompanied by telomere elongation, suggesting the induction of ALT. We also found that Brca2‐depleted telomerase‐null cells exhibited dynamic clustering of telomeres from G2 phase in Promyelocytic Nuclear (PML) bodies. For Brca2‐deficient ALT induction, Rad51 was dispensable but Mre11 and Rad52 were required. Congruently, conservative telomeric DNA synthesis was apparent in mitosis, indicating that the absence of Brca2 directed towards Rad52‐mediated BIR. Collectively, we propose that Brca2 abrogation can instigate ALT tumourigenesis through the induction of BIR. This study implies that inhibitors of BIR may be useful for BRCA2‐associated ALT‐type cancers. Assessing ALT features may be considered for the tailored therapy of BRCA2‐associated cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to air pollution aggravates symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children in the population studies. Variability in individual patient's response from individual susceptibility is needed to be explored. Objective: This study aimed to investigate spectrum of individual variability in the associations between AD symptoms and air quality. Methods: We enrolled 89 children aged 0‐6 years with AD (22 890 person‐days). Daily manifestation of symptoms was recorded for an average of 257 days (range 100‐499). Both an individual analysis using logistic regression models and an overall analysis using a generalized estimating equation were performed. Results: The odds ratios of an individual ranged 0.24‐8.11 for particulate matter <10 μm in diameter (PM10), 0.09‐101.92 for nitrogen oxide (NO2), 0.03‐44.00 for ozone (O3), 0.11‐58.30 for sulfur dioxide (SO2), 0.00‐15.83 for carbon monoxide (CO), 0.00‐39 446.94 for temperature, and 0.03‐5.18 for relative humidity, demonstrating a wide individual variability. In the overall analysis, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO had a significantly positive association, whereas temperature and relative humidity were negatively associated with AD symptoms. Air pollution was responsible for aggravation of symptoms from 24.7% (O3) to 39.3% (SO2) of AD children. Overall, 71.9% of the AD children responded to at least one or more air pollution and weather variable. Conclusion: Responses of AD children to air pollution and weather variable were considerably variable among individuals. An individualized model would be useful to forecast and manage AD symptoms in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and Aim: Recently, the application of hemostatic powder to the bleeding site has been used to treat active upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the polysaccharide hemostatic powder (PHP) in patients with non‐variceal UGIB. Methods: We reviewed prospectively collected 40 patients with UGIB treated with PHP therapy between April 2016 and January 2017 (PHP group) and 303 patients with UGIB treated with conventional therapy between April 2012 and October 2014 (conventional therapy group). We compared the rate of successful hemostasis and the rebleeding between the two groups after as well as before propensity score matching using the Glasgow–Blatchford score and Forrest classification. Results: Thirty patients treated with the PHP and 60 patients treated with conventional therapy were included in the matched groups. Baseline patient characteristics including comorbidities, vital signs, and bleeding scores were similar in the matched groups. The rate of immediate hemostasis and 7‐day and 30‐day rebleeding were also similar in the two groups before and after matching. In the subgroup analysis, no significant differences in immediate hemostasis or rebleeding rate were noted between PHP in monotherapy and PHP combined with a conventional hemostatic method. At 30 days after the therapy, there were no significant PHP‐related complications or mortality. Conclusions: Given its safety, the PHP proved feasible for endoscopic treatment of UGIB, having similar effectiveness as that of conventional therapy. The PHP may become a promising hemostatic method for non‐variceal UGIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and Aim: Although propofol has been widely used for sedation during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), adverse events including hypoxia and hypotension may be a concern in the propofol‐based sedation. We aimed to analyze whether administration of midazolam would improve safety and efficacy of propofol‐based sedation in EGD. Methods: One hundred twenty patients who were scheduled to undergo diagnostic EGD were randomly assigned to either midazolam plus propofol (MP) or propofol alone groups. In the MP group, 2 mg of midazolam and 10 mg of propofol were given initially. In the propofol alone group, 40–60 mg of propofol was given initially. In both groups, 20 mg of propofol was given repeatedly to maintain moderate sedation as needed. Vital signs including oxygen saturation were monitored every 2 min. After the patients fully recovered, satisfaction score was investigated from endoscopists, nurses, and patients, respectively. Results: The baseline characteristics did not differ between the MP and propofol alone groups. The mean required doses of propofol was (mean ± standard deviation) 0.3 ± 0.3 and 0.8 ± 0.2 mg/kg in the MP and propofol alone groups, respectively (P < 0.001). In addition, sedation‐related adverse events and recovery time did not differ between the two groups. The proportion of satisfactory did not differ between the two groups (MP vs propofol alone; proportion; patient, 95.0% vs 93.3%, P > 0.999; endoscopist, 73.3% vs 80.0%, P = 0.064; nurse, 73.3% vs 76.7%, P = 0.551). Conclusion: Adding midazolam to propofol did not reduced the safety and efficacy, and sedation using propofol alone could be suitable for sedation during diagnostic EGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: We developed a highly efficient in vitro‐engineered mucosa equivalent using completely autologous mucosa and blood and investigated its feasibility and efficacy for oral surgical wound healing. Methods: Small oral mucosa samples were obtained from surgical patients, and keratinocytes and fibroblasts were primarily grown in media without animal products for generating 3D cell sheets. Results: Morphological characteristics of the cell sheets were comparable to those of human mucosa, although p63‐positive cells were more numerous in cell sheets. In addition, cell sheets were flexible, expandable, and easy to handle or transfer. In further in vivo rat experiments with deep wounding of the buccal mucosa and soft tissues, controls had significantly thinner epithelium and thicker collagen densities than those with cell sheets. Conclusion: Autologous cell sheets can be engineered in vitro from oral keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and fibrin, and can be used clinically to accelerate healing of oral soft tissue defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: We evaluated probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) in the margin delineation of early gastric cancer (EGC) for endoscopic submucosal dissection in comparison with white-light imaging with chromoendoscopy (CE). Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled study from November 2013 to October 2014 in a tertiary referral hospital. A total of 101 patients scheduled for endoscopic submucosal dissection due to differentiated EGC were randomized into pCLE and CE groups (pCLE 51, CE 50). Markings were made by electrocautery at the proximal and distal tumor margins, as determined by either pCLE or CE. The distance from the marking to the tumor margin was measured in the resected specimen histopathologically and was compared between the two groups by a linear mixed model. Results: Among 104 lesions, 80 lesions with 149 markings (pCLE 68, CE 81) were analyzed after excluding undifferentiated EGCs (n = 8) and unidentifiable markings (n = 13). Although the complete resection rate showed no difference between the groups (94.6% vs 93.2%, P = 1.000), the median distance from the marking to the margin was shorter in the pCLE group (1.3 vs 1.8 mm, P = 0.525) and the proportion of the distance <1 mm was higher (43.9% vs 27.6%, P = 0.023) in the pCLE group. Finally, subgroup analysis with superficial flat lesions (18 lesions, 31 marking dots) showed a significantly decreased distance in the pCLE group (0.5 vs 3.1 mm, P = 0.007). Conclusions: Among EGCs with superficial flat morphology, in which the accurate evaluation of lateral extent is difficult with CE, pCLE would be useful for more precise margin delineation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although several studies have shown that second-look endoscopy does not affect the incidence of bleeding after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), the potential roles of second-look endoscopy have not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to determine the role of second-look endoscopy after ESD through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods This study conducted a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library through March 2016 using the keywords 'second-look,' 'prophylactic hemostasis,' 'prophylactic haemostasis,' 'prevention,' 'prophylaxis,' and 'endoscopic submucosal dissection.' Studies were included if they evaluated the incidence of post-ESD bleeding according to second-look endoscopy or prophylactic hemostasis during second-look endoscopy. Results Four randomized controlled trials on post-ESD bleeding between second-look endoscopy and no second-look endoscopy and 12 non-randomized studies with a cohort design on post-ESD bleeding were included. On meta-analysis, second-look endoscopy did not affect delayed post-ESD bleeding (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.27 [0.80-2.00], I2 = 0%). During second-look endoscopy, patients who were considered as high-risk for post-ESD bleeding underwent prophylactic hemostasis. Delayed post-ESD bleeding was more common in patients who were treated with hemostasis during second-look endoscopy compared with those who were not (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.40 [1.87-6.18], I2 = 62%). In patients who underwent prophylactic hemostasis, the number needed to prolong a hospitalization period to avoid one additional post-ESD bleeding after discharge was 25. Conclusion Second-look endoscopy after ESD could not reduce the risk of delayed post-ESD bleeding. Delayed post-ESD bleeding was more common in patients who underwent prophylactic hemostasis than in those who did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the use of titanium dioxide in the photocatalysis of methylene blue (MB) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Topics include the enhancement of the photocatalytic properties of CNT and titanium dioxide composites, the higher photodegradation activity of titanium catalyst and the photocatalytic discoloration of MB.

Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the preventive efficacy of vitamin C/E complex supplementation for radiotherapy (RT)-induced xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer.Study Design: Prospective, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study.Setting: A single tertiary referral institution.Subjects and Methods: The trial group (n = 25) received antioxidant supplements (100 IU of vitamin E + 500 mg of vitamin C) twice per day during RT, while the control group (n = 20) received an identical placebo. Pre-RT and 1 and 6 months post-RT, patient-reported xerostomia questionnaires, observer-rated xerostomia score, and salivary scintigraphy were serially obtained to compare xerostomia severity between the 2 groups.Results: The trial group showed greater improvements in xerostomia questionnaire and score at 6 months post-RT when compared with those at 1 month post-RT (P = .007 and .008, respectively). In contrast, the control group showed no changes between 1 and 6 months post-RT. By salivary scintigraphy, there was no difference in maximal accumulation or ejection fraction between the 2 groups. However, the trial group maintained significantly better oral indices at the prestimulatory (P = .01) and poststimulatory (P = .009) stages at 1 month post-RT, compared with the control group. At the final follow-up, there was no difference in overall survival and disease-free survival between the 2 groups.Conclusions: Our data suggest that short-term supplementation with an antioxidant vitamin E/C complex exerts a protective effect against RT-induced xerostomia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim In the past decade, many chronic hepatitis B ( CHB) patients have undergone sequential treatment with lamivudine ( LAM), adefovir ( ADV), and entecavir ( ETV) to manage antiviral resistance or insufficient suppression of HBV- DNA. Very limited data are available on the efficacy of tenofovir ( TDF) rescue regimens in patients with multidrug resistance ( MDR). Methods We investigated the antiviral efficacy of TDF/ LAM combination therapy versus TDF/ ETV combination therapy in 52 patients who failed three previous antiviral therapies. Results The study subjects were treated with TDF/ LAM combination therapy ( n = 25) or TDF/ ETV combination therapy ( n = 27) for more than six months. Virologic response ( VR) occurred in 39 (75%) patients (19 patients belonged to the TDF/ LAM group and 20 patients belonged to the TDF/ ETV group). The VR rates were not different between the TDF/ LAM and TDF/ ETV groups (56.0% vs 51.9% at month 12, and 72.0% vs 78.8% at month 18; log rank P = 0.515). In addition, treatment efficacy of TDF/ LAM combination or TDF/ ETV combination was not statistically different according to types of MDR. In multivariate analysis, absolute HBV- DNA level at the start of TDF rescue treatment ( P < 0.001; OR, 0.452; 95% CI, 0.306-0.666) was only significantly associated with VR. Conclusions TDF/ ETV combination therapy was not associated with higher rate of VR compared with TDF/ LAM combination therapy in MDR CHB patients. These results raise the suspicion about the superiority of the combination therapy over TDF monotherapy. The lower HBV- DNA levels at the start of TDF-based rescue therapy were associated with higher VR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Metachronous recurrence often occurs after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer, and a method for preventing recurrence is unknown. We aimed to identify risk factors for metachronous lesions, and the effects of aspirin use and Helicobacter pylori eradication on preventing recurrence. Methods A total of 1041 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer between January 2007 and December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Every patient was examined endoscopically at 2, 6, and 12 months after endoscopic submucosal dissection, and then annually. Patients were classified into the metachronous group or non-metachronous group according to the existence of metachronous lesions and subdivided by Helicobacter pylori status into three groups: not infected, eradicated after infection, and not eradicated. Results At 39 months' median follow-up, metachronous gastric lesions had developed in 35 patients (3.4%), including 16 with dysplasia and 19 cancers. Metachronous group were significantly older than non-metachronous group ( P = 0.02). Although non-metachronous group took aspirin more frequently than metachronous group (15.5% vs 5.7%), the difference was statistically insignificant ( P = 0.11). In the not eradicated group, the odds ratio of metachronous lesion was 7.762 compared with the not infected group (95% confidence interval, 1.483-60.854; P = 0.02). In the eradicated group, the odd ratio of metachronous lesion was 8.120 compared with not infected group (95% confidence interval, 1.950-58.985; P = 0.01). Conclusion Helicobacter pylori infection was an independent risk factor for metachronous gastric lesions. However, eradication of Helicobacter pylori alone does not prevent all metachronous lesions in an inflamed stomach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A visible light-curable polysaccharide conjugate was prepared and was included with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for wound healing application. Alginate was modified with furfurylamine, and the furfuryl alginate (F-alginate) was mixed with Rose Bengal for visible light reactivity. The introduction of furfuryl group was confirmed by 1H-NMR and UV/vis spectroscopy. Visible light-induced crosslinking was evaluated by micropatterning and weight measurement. Swelling ratio was also determined. To verify its applicability in wound healing applications, EGF was included in the system of F-alginate and Rose Bengal. After the confirmation of no cytotoxicity of F-alginate and murine EGF release from the system, cell proliferation, antibacterial activity, and animal test were performed on the system. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the system was useful for wound healing. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40113. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND To extract natural volatile compounds from tea ( Camellia sinensis) flowers without thermal degradation and residue of organic solvents, supercritical fluid extraction ( SFE) using carbon dioxide was employed to prepare essential oil of tea flowers in the present study. Four important parameters-pressure, temperature, static extraction time, and dynamic extraction time-were selected as independent variables in the SFE. RESULTS The optimum extraction conditions were the pressure of 30 MPa, temperature of 50°C, static time of 10 min, and dynamic time of 90 min. Based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, 59 compounds, including alkanes (45.4%), esters (10.5%), ketones (7.1%), aldehydes (3.7%), terpenes (3.7%), acids (2.1%), alcohols (1.6%), ethers (1.3%) and others (10.3%) were identified in the essential oil of tea flowers. Moreover, the essential oil of tea flowers showed relatively stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than essential oils of geranium and peppermint, although its antioxidative activity was weaker than those of essential oil of clove, ascorbic acid, tert-butylhydroquinone, and butylated hydroxyanisole. CONCLUSION Essential oil of tea flowers using SFE contained many types of volatile compounds and showed considerable DPPH scavenging activity. The information will contribute to the future application of tea flowers as raw materials in health-care food and food flavour industries. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halo-ester-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) are successfully prepared by the transesterification of alkyl halo-esters with PEGs using Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) as a biocatalyst under the solventless conditions. Transesterifications of chlorine, bromine, and iodine esters with tetraethylene glycol monobenzyl ether (BzTEG) are quantitative in less than 2.5 h. The transesterification of halo-esters with PEGs are complete in 4 h. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy with MALDI-ToF and ESI mass spectrometry confirm the structure and purity of the products. This method provides a convenient and 'green' process to effectively produce halo-ester PEGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effect of a 10-week cognitive behavior treatment program in 30 mentally ill sex offenders. The effect of the program was evaluated using the Interpersonal Responsiveness Index ( IRI), UCLA Loneliness Scale ( UCLALS), Coping Using Sex Inventory ( CUSI), and Rape Myth Acceptance Scale ( RMAS). Data were analyzed using the paired t-test. The ability of sex offenders to cope with sexual acts when they faced stressful situations and to accept the rape myth was significantly improved on CUSI ( t = 2.09, p = 0.04) and RMAS ( t = 5.45, p < 0.001). Feelings of isolation and the ability to empathize based on IRI ( t = 0.62, p = 0.54) and UCLALS ( t = 0.88, p = 0.38) were not significantly improved. To prevent recidivism, treatment for mentally ill sex offenders should focus on changes in their cognitive and emotional characteristics in addition to their main psychiatric illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: There are no data on how metabolic syndrome (MetS) affects the prevalence of synchronous colorectal neoplasm (CRN) in gastric neoplasm (GN) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate a model for risk stratification for colorectal screening by evaluating the clinical characteristics of synchronous CRN in GN patients classified according to the presence of MetS. Methods: A cross-sectional, case-control study of 492 patients (368 males and 124 females) with GN, and 492 age-matched healthy controls undergoing simultaneous upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, was conducted. Results: The GN group involved 446 patients without MetS, and 46 patients with MetS. In total, 177 (39.7%) and 28 (60.9%) synchronous CRN were detected in GN patients without MetS and with MetS, respectively ( P = 0.006). A total of 143 (34.7%) synchronous colorectal adenomas were detected in GN patients without MetS, whereas 17 (48.6%) were detected in GN patients with MetS ( P = 0.101), as well as more synchronous colorectal cancers (11.2% vs 37.9%, P < 0.001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of GN (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.18-2.00, P = 0.001) and the presence of MetS (odds ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval: 1.19-2.78, P = 0.006) were significant independent risk factors associated with the prevalence of CRN. The frequency of synchronous CRN in GN patients with MetS was 1.96 times greater than that in the GN group without MetS. Conclusion: The risk of synchronous CRN is significantly increased by the presence of GN, especially in MetS patients. Screening for synchronous CRN is highly recommended for GN patients with MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The most informative staging system regarding survival outcomes for treatment-naïve hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) remains debated. We evaluated prognostic values of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer ( BCLC) stage compared with other staging systems, and identified discrepancies between treatment options chosen in Korean clinical practice and BCLC guidelines. Methods Between 2003 and 2008, 1717 prospectively enrolled patients with treatment-naïve HCC were analysed. Prognostic ability of each staging system was assessed using time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic ( ROC) curves. Results The most common aetiology was hepatitis B virus (1238, 72.1%); 167 (9.8%) patients were classified as BCLC stage 0, 526 (30.6%) as A, 333 (19.4%) as B, 608 (35.4%) as C and 83 (4.8%) as D. Median overall survival was 22.5 months, and 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year survival rates were 62.6, 48.3, 39.9, 34.7, and 29.3% respectively. Of six staging systems, BCLC had the highest area under ROC ( AUROC; 0.821) for overall survival, followed by JIS (0.809), Tokyo score (0.771), CLIP (0.746), CUPI (0.701) and GRETCH (0.685) system. In both subgroups stratified according to treatment strategy (curative vs. palliative), BCLC also showed the best AUROCs (curative, 0.708/palliative, 0.807) for overall survival. Regarding discrepancies between treatment options chosen in our cohort and BCLC guidelines, more than half with very early/early-stage HCC underwent transarterial chemoembolization, rather than resection or local ablative therapy; most of those with advanced-stage HCC received intra-arterial chemotherapy-based treatments rather than sorafenib. Conclusion BCLC was the best long-term prognostic model for treatment-naïve HCC in a large-scale Korean cohort. However, treatment modalities did not exactly match BCLC paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Liver stiffness (LS) measurement can distinguish individuals with potential liver disease (LD) from the general population. However, if LS is sex-sensitive, prevalence of LD may be incorrectly estimated when the same reference LS value is applied irrespective of sex. Here, we evaluated whether normal ranges of LS differ between healthy men and women. Methods: LS was measured in a cohort of healthy living liver and kidney donors, none of whom suffered from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hepatitis B or C virus infection, heart or liver dysfunction, or metabolic syndrome. Patients with abnormal laboratory findings related to potential LD (platelet count < 150 × 103/µL; aspartate aminotransferase > 40 IU/L; alanine aminotransferase [ALT] > 40 IU/L; albumin < 3.3 g/dL; total bilirubin > 1.2 mg/dL; gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase > 54 IU/L; alkaline phosphatase > 115 IU/L) were excluded. Results: Among 242 patients analyzed, the mean age was 34.1 for men ( n = 121) and 40.5 years for women ( n = 121) ( P < 0.001). Men had a higher mean LS value than women (5.2 ± 1.2 vs 4.8 ± 1.1 kPa/ P < 0.001). Multivariate-linear regression analysis identified sex as the only independent factor for LS values ( β = 0.361/ P = 0.021). Using the 5th-95th percentiles, we determined normal LS ranges of 3.7-7.0 kPa in men and 3.3-6.8 kPa in women. In subgroups with ALT < 30 IU/L (subgroup-1, n = 216) and ALT < 20 IU/L (subgroup-2, n = 163), men had significantly higher LS values than women (5.2 ± 1.3 vs 4.7 ± 1.1 kPa/ P = 0.003 and 5.1 ± 1.2 vs 4.7 ± 1.1 kPa/ P = 0.030, respectively), demonstrating an independent sex effect ( β = 0.483/ P = 0.003 and β = 0.389/ P = 0.030, respectively). Conclusions: An independent sex effect on LS values was confirmed. Thus, sex-specific references should be used for effective screening based on LS measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaves of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. are a valuable source of the terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) anticancer drugs, vinblastine and vincristine. In particular, the precursor molecules vindoline and catharanthine are harvested from leaves and used for the semisynthetic production of vinblastine and vincristine. Because of this application, catharanthine and vindoline can be used to screen for high-yielding TIA cultivars. In this study, we compared the TIA concentrations in the leaves of 64 different cultivars of C. roseus in the soil experiments. The highest concentration of serpentine was found in Cooler Rose Hot (461 ± 46 μg/g DW). Concentrations of vindoline (2082 ± 113 μg/g DW) and catharanthine (2903 ± 384 μg/g DW) were highest in Pacifica Peach. To eliminate the abiotic and biotic effects of the soils on the plant growth, sterile agar experiments were performed to investigate the TIA concentrations and mRNA transcript levels of selected TIA pathway genes. Six cultivars were investigated (two each of the high level, mid level, and low level producers of TIAs). © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

XB51 protein is known to interact with the amino-terminal of the X11L protein and to be involved in Aβ40 generation, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we isolated a zebrafish xb51 homologue and analyzed its spatio-temporal expression pattern during early brain development. The xb51 transcript was first detected in the forebrain at 22 hr post-fertilization. Expression of xb51 in the brain persisted by 36 hpf and became more complex in the brain after 48 hpf. The detailed expression domain of xb51 in the dorsal telencephalon was defined by several molecular markers: emx1, dlx2, lim1, islet1, neurod4/ zath3, ngn1, her4, and elavl3/ huC. The location of xb51-expressing cells was restricted in a subset of cells positive for elavl3/ huC and acetylated alpha-tubulin, markers of differentiating and/or differentiated neurons. Together, these results suggest that xb51 may be required for maturation and maintenance of xb51-expressing neurons in the forebrain. Developmental Dynamics 237:3921-3926, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Notch signaling has an evolutionarily conserved function for cell fate determination and stem cell maintenance. Previously, we identified a novel component of the Notch signaling pathway in zebrafish, mind bomb, which encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase essential for Notch signal activation. Further studies showed that Mind bomb −/− mouse embryos exhibited pan-Notch phenotypes in various tissues, suggesting that Mind bomb function is conserved in mammals. Therefore we sought to understand the various molecular partners of Mind bomb using yeast two-hybrid screening. In this search we identified Sorting nexin 5 (Snx5) as a novel interacting partner of Mind bomb. Furthermore we demonstrated that Snx5 colocalizes with Mind bomb in early endosomal compartments, suggesting that Snx5 is important for Mind bomb trafficking. In addition, we identified zebrafish orthologue of Snx5 and showed that snx5 is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic and endothelial precursor cells in zebrafish. We also found defects in hematopoiesis and blood vessel development in snx5 morpholino-injected embryos. Taken together, we show that Snx5, a novel interacting partner of Mind bomb, may have an essential role for cell fate determination in early development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Toll signalling pathway, which is crucial for innate immunity, is transduced in insect haemolymph via a proteolytic cascade consisting of three serine proteases. The proteolytic cascade is downregulated by a specific serine protease inhibitor (serpin). Recently, the serpin SPN48 was found to show an unusual specific reactivity towards the terminal serine protease, Spätzle-processing enzyme, in the beetle Tenebrio molitor. In this study, the mature form of SPN48 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The purified SPN48 protein was crystallized using 14% polyethylene glycol 8000 and 0.1 M 2-( N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid pH 6.0 as the precipitant. The crystals diffracted X-rays to 2.1 Å resolution and were suitable for structure determination. The crystals belonged to space group P21. The crystal structure will provide information regarding how SPN48 achieves its unusual specificity for its target protease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the contents and separation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in Coix lachrymal-jobi seed using non-aqueous-reversed phase high performance liquid chromatophy (HPLC)-evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD). Topics cited include quality evaluation and control of Coix seed which is used as a herbal plant, liquid chromatography separation of TAGs using different solvent systems, and determination of linolein and olein.