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Interatomic potentials for the Mo-M (M = Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, Ti) binary alloy systems have been newly developed based on the second nearest-neighbor modified embedded-atom method (2NN MEAM) formalism. The new interatomic potentials reproduce structural and thermodynamic properties of binary alloys reasonably well. They can be utilized to generate interatomic potentials for Pt-Mo-M multicomponent alloy systems. The present work extends the coverage of the atomistic simulations using 2NN MEAM interatomic potentials into Pt-based multicomponent systems, and the design of efficient noble metal catalysts using atomistic simulations is now enabled with a greater variety of alloying elements.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent proteases involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins. As one of the isoforms, MMP-1 breaks down collagen, and its activity is known to be important in wound healing. Its timely and adequate level of expression is pivotal because MMP-1 is also involved in the damage or aging of skins as well as in certain types of cancers. Thus, both assaying the MMP-1 activity and developing its inhibitors are of great importance. We here developed an in-house assay system that gave us the high degree of freedom in screening peptide inhibitors of MMP-1. The assay system utilized a circularly permutated fusion of β-lactamase and its inhibitory protein through an MMP-1-sensitive linker so that the activity of MMP-1 could be translated into that of β-lactamase. As a proof of concept, we applied the developed assay system to initial screens of MMP-1 inhibitors and successfully identified one lead peptide that inhibited the collagenase activity of the enzyme.

Ceramides in the human stratum corneum (SC) are a mixture of diverse N-acylated fatty acids (FAs) with different chain lengths. C24 is the major class of FAs of ceramides. However, there are also other classes of ceramides with diverse chain lengths of FAs, and these lengths generally range from C16 to C26. This study aimed to prepare several types of phytoceramide containing diverse chain lengths of N-acylated FAs and compare them with C18-ceramide N-stearoyl phytosphingosine (NP) in terms of their effects on the physiological properties of the SC. We chose natural oils, such as horse fat oil, shea butter, sunflower oil, and a mixture of macadamia nut, shea butter, moringa, and meadowfoam seed oil, as sources of FAs and phytosphingosine as a sphingoid backbone to synthesize diverse phytoceramides. Each phytoceramide exhibited a distinctive formation of the lamellar structure, and their FA profiles were similar to those of their respective natural oil. The skin barrier properties, as analyzed in human skin, clearly demonstrated that all the phytoceramides improved the recovery rate of the damaged SC and enhanced hydration better than C18-ceramide NP did. In conclusion, natural oil-derived phytoceramides could represent a novel class of ceramides for cosmetic applications in the development of an ideal skin barrier moisturizer.

Myoung Jin Oh,1 Young Hoon Cho,1 So Yoon Cha,1 Eun Ok Lee,2 Jin Wook Kim,2 Sun Ki Kim,2 Chang Seo Park1 1Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University, Chung-gu, Seoul, 2LCS Biotech, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea Abstract: Ceramides in the human stratum corneum (SC) are a mixture of diverse N-acylated fatty acids (FAs) with different chain lengths. C24 is the major class of FAs of ceramides. However, there are also other classes of ceramides with diverse chain lengths of FAs, and these lengths generally range from C16 to C26. This study aimed to prepare several types of phytoceramide containing diverse chain lengths of N-acylated FAs and compare them with C18-ceramide N-stearoyl phytosphingosine (NP) in terms of their effects on the physiological properties of the SC. We chose natural oils, such as horse fat oil, shea butter, sunflower oil, and a mixture of macadamia nut, shea butter, moringa, and meadowfoam seed oil, as sources of FAs and phytosphingosine as a sphingoid backbone to synthesize diverse phytoceramides. Each phytoceramide exhibited a distinctive formation of the lamellar structure, and their FA profiles were similar to those of their respective natural oil. The skin barrier properties, as analyzed in human skin, clearly demonstrated that all the phytoceramides improved the recovery rate of the damaged SC and enhanced hydration better than C18-ceramide NP did. In conclusion, natural oil-derived phytoceramides could represent a novel class of ceramides for cosmetic applications in the development of an ideal skin barrier moisturizer. Keywords: fatty acid, chain length, phytoceramide, skin barrier, natural oil

The stratum corneum (SC) is the outermost layer of skin that functions as a barrier and protects against environmental influences and transepidermal water loss. Its unique morphology consists of keratin-enriched corneocytes embedded in a distinctive mixture of lipids containing mainly ceramides, free fatty acids, and cholesterol. Ceramides are sphingolipids consisting of sphingoid bases, which are linked to fatty acids by an amide bond. Typical sphingoid bases in the skin are composed of dihydrosphingosine (dS), sphingosine (S), phytosphingosine (P), and 6-hydroxysphingosine (H), and the fatty acid acyl chains are composed of non-hydroxy fatty acid (N), α-hydroxy fatty acid (A), ω-hydroxy fatty acid (O), and esterified ω-hydroxy fatty acid (E). The 16 ceramide classes include several combinations of sphingoid bases and fatty acid acyl chains. Among them, N-type ceramides are the most abundant in the SC. Mass spectrometry (MS)/MS analysis of N-type ceramides using chip-based direct infusion nanoelectrospray-ion trap mass spectrometry generated the characteristic fragmentation pattern of both acyl and sphingoid units, which could be applied to structural identification of ceramides. Based on the MS/MS fragmentation patterns of N-type ceramides, comprehensive fragmentation schemes were proposed. In addition, mass fragmentation patterns, which are specific to the sphingoid backbone of N-type ceramides, were found in higher m/z regions of tandem mass spectra. These characteristic and general fragmentation patterns were used to identify N-type ceramides in human SC. Based on established MS/MS fragmentation patterns of N-type ceramides, 52 ceramides (including different classes of NS, NdS, NP, and NH) were identified in human SC. The MS/MS fragmentation patterns of N-type ceramides were characterized by interpreting their product ion scan mass spectra. This information may be used to identify N-type ceramides in the SC of human, rat, and mouse skin.

A retromolar canal is an anatomical variation in the mandible. As it includes the neurovascular bundle, local anesthetic insufficiency can occur, and an injury of the retromolar canal during dental surgery in the mandible may result in excessive bleeding, paresthesia, and traumatic neuroma. Using imaging analysis software, we evaluated the cone-beam computed tomography (CT) images of two Korean patients who presented with retromolar canals. Retromolar canals were detectable on the sagittal and cross-sectional images of cone-beam CT, but not on the panoramic radiographs of the patients. Therefore, the clinician should pay particular attention to the identification of retromolar canals by preoperative radiographic examination, and additional cone beam CT scanning would be recommended.

For the purpose of production of GABA-rich tomato paste, this study was carried out to investigate GABA producing lactic acid bacteria from Korean traditional fermented food, Kimchi and optimize the culture conditions. As a result of fermentation, Lactobacillus brevis B3-20 among lactic acid bacteria isolated at the pre-experiments was the best producer of GABA at the tomato paste medium with 50%(wet-base) levels of dionized water. At the result of fermentation on the tomato paste medium with 0.5%(w/w) yeast extract, as a source of nitrogen, 3%(w/w) MSG(monosodium glutamate) and dionized water(the ratio of tomato paste and water was 2:8), Lb. brevis B3-20 produced the maximum GABA concentration, 143.38 mM. GABA-rich tomato paste showed the activity of free radical scavenging. Because GABA-rich tomato paste have functional ingredients such as ascorbic acid, lycopene, carotenoid, as well as GABA by lactic acid bacteria fermentation, GABA-rich tomato paste can be considered high functional materials. Key words: GABA, tomato paste, Lactobacillus sp., free radical scavenging

Device performance and reliability characteristics of various types of Ru–Al-based metal gates on HfSiO gate dielectrics were investigated for p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (pMOSFET) applications. Using the high work function of Ru and a dipole formed by Al atoms in a gate dielectric, the threshold voltage of the pMOSFET could be controlled successfully. However, the excessive diffusion of Al atoms generated more interface states and bulk trapping in the high-k dielectric layer and degraded the device performances and reliability characteristics. It was also found that the carefully tailored sequence of deposition and composition of Ru and Al metals can be used to prevent the excessive diffusion of Al atoms.

Rice bran contains various polyphenolic compounds with anti-oxidative activities, and it has long been known to inhibit melanogenesis, but the inhibition mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Cofermentation of rice bran with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of the resulting extract to B16F1 melanoma cells. Marked reduction of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) induced melanin synthesis was also observed upon treatment with fermented rice bran extract but it had no direct inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity, while the intracellular tyrosinase activity was reduced by the extract. This result was further confirmed by an immunoblot assay measuring the level of tyrosinase protein. In addition, the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), a key regulator of melanogenesis, was significantly decreased by the extract. All together, the fermented rice bran extracts showed an inhibitory effect on melanogenesis through downregulation of MITF, along with reduced cytotoxicity.

In an effort to find topical agents that prevent or retard cutaneous aging, seven functional lipids were screened for their procollagen-upregulating and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1-downregulating activities in human dermal fibroblasts by Western blotting. The preventive effect on ultraviolet (UV)-induced decrease of procollagen was demonstrated in phosphatidylserine (PS), lysophosphatidylserine (LPS), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), N-acetyl phytosphingosine (NAPS), and tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS). Furthermore, PS, LPS, and LPA upregulated procollagen expression in unirradiated basal conditions. The inhibitory effect on UV-induced MMP-1 expression was seen in NAPS, TAPS, LPA, PS, lysophosphatidylglycerol, and LPS. PS was chosen as the most suitable candidate anti-aging chemical for the subsequent in vivo studies. We investigated the effects of PS on acute UV response and chronologic skin aging by topically applying it to young skin before UV irradiation and to aged human skin, respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blot revealed that in the young skin, PS treatment prevented UV-induced reduction in procollagen expression and inhibited UV-induced MMP-1 expression. PS also blocked UV-induced IL-6 and COX-2 gene expression in cultured fibroblasts dose-dependently. In the aged skin, PS caused increased procollagen transcription and procollagen immunostaining in the upper dermis, and a significant decrease in MMP-1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. These results indicate that topical PS has anti-skin-aging properties and point to the potential use of PS as a therapeutic agent in the prevention and treatment of cutaneous aging.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a product of sphingosine kinases (SphK), mediates diverse biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, motility, and apoptosis. In an effort to search and identify specific inhibitors of human SphK, the inhibitory effects of synthetic sphingoid analogs on kinase activity were examined. Among the analogs tested, we found two, SG12 and SG14, that have specific inhibitory effects on hSphK2. N,N-Dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a well-known SphK inhibitor, displayed inhibitory effects for both SphK1 and SphK2, as well as protein kinase C. In contrast, SG12 and SG14 exhibited selective inhibitory effects on hSphK2. Furthermore, SG14 did not affect PKC. In isolated platelets, SG14 blocked the conversion of sphingosine into sphingosine 1-phosphate significantly. This is the first report on the identification of a hSphK2-specific inhibitor, which may provide a useful tool for studying the biological functions of hSphK2.

Mortierella alpina was grown in a fed-batch culture using a 12-l jar fermenter with an initial 8-l working volume containing 20 g glucose l−1 and 10 g corn-steep powder l−1. Glucose was intermittently fed to give 32 g l−1 at each time. The pH of culture was maintained using 14% (v/v) NH4OH, which also acted as a nitrogen source. A final cell density of 72.5 g l−1 was reached after 12.5 days with a content of arachidonic acid (ARA) at 18.8 g l−1. These values were 4 and 1.8 times higher than the respective values in batch culture. Our results suggest that the combined feeding of glucose and NH 4 + to the growth of M. alpina could be applied for the industrial scale production of ARA.

Antigen-induced degranulation of mast cells plays a pivotal role in allergic and inflammatory responses. Recently, ceramide kinase (CERK) and its phosphorylated product ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) have emerged as important players in mast cell degranulation. Here, we describe the synthesis of a novel F-12509A olefin isomer, K1, as an effective CERK inhibitor. In vitro kinase assays demonstrated that K1 effectively inhibits CERK without inhibiting sphingosine kinase and diacylglycerol kinase. Treating RBL-2H3 cells with K1 reduced cellular C1P levels to 40% yet had no effect on cell growth. Furthermore, treatment with K1 significantly suppressed both calcium ionophore- and IgE/antigen-induced degranulation, indicating that K1 interferes with signals that happen downstream of Ca(2+) mobilization. Finally, we show that K1 affects neither IgE/antigen-induced global tyrosine phosphorylation nor subsequent Ca(2+) elevation, suggesting a specificity for CERK-mediated signals. Our novel CERK inhibitor provides a useful tool for studying the biological functions of CERK and C1P. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that inhibition of CERK suppresses IgE/antigen-induced mast cell degranulation. This finding suggests that CERK inhibitors might be a potential therapeutic tool in the treatment of allergic diseases.

Ficus deltoidea from the Moraceae family is a popular medicinal herb in Malaysia. It possesses strong antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of F. deltoidea extract on UVB-irradiated HaCaT Keratinocytes were investigated. HaCaT Keratinocytes were UVBirradiated (12.5 mJ/cm3) and were treated with 0.05, 0.08 or 0.1% of F. deltoidea extract. Cell viability following UVB irradiation was significantly higher in the groups treated with the F. deltoidea extract at doses of 0.05, 0.08 or 0.1% than in control group with UVB irradiation only. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) play primary roles in the inflammation process upon UV irradiation and are known to be stimulated by UVB irradiation. Treatment with the F. deltoidea extract dramatically inhibited the UV-induced TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-6, and COX-2 expression. These results suggest that the F. deltoidea extract inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and may be an effective protective agent for the treatment of skin diseases., {"references":["K. B. Beckman, and B. N. Ames, \"The free radical theory of aging\nmatures,\". Physiol. Rev., vol. 78, pp. 547–581, 1998.","S. Pillai, C. Oresajo, and J. Hayward, \"Ultraviolet radiation and skin\naging: roles of reactive oxygen species, inflammation and protease\nactivation, and strategies for prevention of inflammation-induced matrix\ndegradation — a review,\". Int. J. Cosmet. Sci., vol. 27, pp. 17–34, 2005.","A. Pupe, R. Moison, P. De Haes, G. B. Van Henegouwen, L. Rhodes, H.\nDegreef, and M. Garmyn, \"Eicosapentaenoic acid, a n-3 polyunsaturated\nfatty acid differentially modulates TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha, IL-6 and PGE2\nexpression in UVB irradiated human keratinocytes,\". J. Invest.\nDermatol., vol. 118, pp. 692–698, 2002.","C. E. M. Griffiths, G. Russman, G. Majmudar, R. S. Singer, T. A.\nHamilton, and J. J. Voorhees, \"Restoration of collagen formation in\nphotodamaged human skin by tretinoin (retinoic acid),\". N. Engl. J.\nMed., vol. 329, pp. 530-534, 1993.","L. J. McCawley, and L. M. Matrisian, \"Matrix metalloproteinases:\nthey're not just for matrix anymore,\". Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol., vol. 13, pp.\n534–540, 2001.","E. J. Jung, J. Lee, J. Baek, K. Jung, S. Huh, S. Kim, J. Koh, and D. Park,\n\"Effect of Camellia japonica oil on human type I procollagen production and skin barrier function,\". J. Ethnopharmacol., vol. 112, pp. 127–131,\n2007.","S. R. Pinnell, \"Cutaneous photodamage, oxidative stress, and topical\nantioxidant protection\". J. Am. Acad. Dermatol., vol. 48, pp. 1–19, 2003.","I. A. Jahan, N. Nahar, M. Mosihuzzaman, B. Rokeya, L. Ali, A. K. Azad\nKhan, T. Makhmur, and M. Iqbal Choudhary, \"Hypoglycaemic and\nantioxidant activities of Ficus racemosa Linn. Fruits,\". Nat. Prod. Res.,\nvol. 23, pp. 399-408, 2009.","R. K. Singh, S. Mehta, D. Jaiswal, P. K. Rai, and G. Watal,\n\"Antidiabetic effect of Ficus bengalensis aerial roots in experimental\nanimals,\". J. Ethnopharmacol., vol. 123, pp. 110-114, 2009.\n[10] A. Grone, \"Keratinocytes and cytokines,\". Vet. Immunol.\nImmunopathol., vol. 88, pp. 1–12, 2002.\n[11] L. Rittie, and G. J. Fisher, \"UV-light-induced signal cascades and skin\naging,\". Ageing Res. Rev., vol. 1, pp. 705–720, 2002.\n[12] Z. Adam, M. Hamid, A. Ismail, and S. Khamis, \"Effect of Ficus\ndeltoidea extract on hepatic basal and insulin-stimulated glucose\nuptake,\". J. Biol. Sci., vol. 9, pp. 796-803, 2009.\n[13] M. R. Sulaiman, M. K. Hussain, Z. A. Zakaria, M. N. Somchit, S. Moin,\nA. S. Mohamad, and D. A. Israf, \"Evaluation of the antinociceptive\nactivity of Ficus deltoidea aqueous extract,\". Fitoterapia, vol. 79, pp.\n557-561, 2008.\n[14] M. J. Oh, M. Abdul Hamid, S. Ngadiran, Y. K. Seo, M. R. Sarmidi, and\nC. S. Park, \"Ficus deltoidea (Mas cotek) extract exerted antimelanogenic\nactivity by preventing tyrosinase activity in vitro and by\nsuppressing tyrosinase gene expression in B16F1 melanoma cells,\".\nArch. Dermatol. Res., vol. 303, pp. 161-170, 2010.\n[15] Z. Abdullah, H. Khalid, I. Zhari, and M. A. Rasadah, \"Antiinflammatory\nactivity of standardized extracts of leaves of three varieties\nof Ficus deltoidea,\". Int. J. Pharm. Clin. Res., vol. 1, pp. 100-105, 2009."]}

Superimposition has been used as a method to evaluate the changes of orthodontic or orthopedic treatment in the dental field. With the introduction of cone beam CT (CBCT), evaluating 3 dimensional changes after treatment became possible by superimposition. 4 point plane orientation is one of the simplest ways to achieve superimposition of 3 dimensional images. To find factors influencing superimposition error of cephalometric landmarks by 4 point plane orientation method and to evaluate the reproducibility of cephalometric landmarks for analyzing superimposition error, 20 patients were analyzed who had normal skeletal and occlusal relationship and took CBCT for diagnosis of temporomandibular disorder. The nasion, sella turcica, basion and midpoint between the left and the right most posterior point of the lesser wing of sphenoidal bone were used to define a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical reference co-ordinate system. Another 15 reference cephalometric points were also determined three times in the same image. Reorientation error of each landmark could be explained substantially (23%) by linear regression model, which consists of 3 factors describing position of each landmark towards reference axes and locating error. 4 point plane orientation system may produce an amount of reorientation error that may vary according to the perpendicular distance between the landmark and the x-axis; the reorientation error also increases as the locating error and shift of reference axes viewed from each landmark increases. Therefore, in order to reduce the reorientation error, accuracy of all landmarks including the reference points is important. Construction of the regression model using reference points of greater precision is required for the clinical application of this model.

Contemporary and future programming languages for HPC promote hybrid parallelism and shared memory abstractions using a global address space. In this programming style, data races occur easily and are notoriously hard to find. Existing state-of-the-art data race detectors exhibit 10X-100X performance degradation and do not handle hybrid parallelism. In this paper we present the first complete implementation of data race detection at scale for UPC programs. Our implementation tracks local and global memory references in the program and it uses two techniques to reduce the overhead: 1) hierarchical function and instruction level sampling; and 2) exploiting the runtime persistence of aliasing and locality specific to Partitioned Global Address Space applications. The results indicate that both techniques are required in practice: well optimized instruction sampling introduces overheads as high as 6500% (65X slowdown), while each technique in separation is able to reduce it only to 1000% (10X slowdown). When applying the optimizations in conjunction our tool finds all previously known data races in our benchmark programs with at most 50% overhead when running on 2048 cores. Furthermore, while previous results illustrate the benefits of function level sampling, our experiences show that this technique does not work for scientific programs: instruction sampling or a hybrid approach is required.

The GCR1 gene product is required for maximal transcription of yeast glycolytic genes and for growth of yeast strains in media containing glucose as a carbon source. Dominant mutations in two genes, SGC1 and SGC2, as well as recessive mutations in the SGC5 gene were identified as suppressors of the growth and transcriptional defects caused by a gcr1 null mutation. The wild-type and mutant alleles of SGC1 were cloned and sequenced. The predicted amino acid sequence of the SGC1 gene product includes a region with substantial similarity to the basic-helix-loop-helix domain of the Myc family of DNA-binding proteins. The SGC1-1 dominant mutant allele contained a substitution of glutamine for a highly conserved glutamic acid residue within the putative basic DNA binding domain. A second dominant mutant, SGC1-2, contained a valine-for-isoleucine substitution within the putative loop region. The SGC1-1 dominant mutant suppressed the GCR1 requirement for enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate kinase, phosphoglycerate mutase, and pyruvate kinase gene expression. Expression of the yeast enolase genes was reduced three- to fivefold in strains carrying an sgc1 null mutation, demonstrating that SGC1 is required for maximal enolase gene expression. Expression of the enolase genes in strains carrying gcr1 and sgc1 double null mutations was substantially less than observed for strains carrying either null mutation alone, suggesting that GCR1 and SGC1 function on parallel pathways to activate yeast glycolytic gene expression.

Melanin synthesis is stimulated by various effectors, including α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), cyclic AMP (cAMP)-elevating agents (forskolin, isobutylmethylxantine, glycyrrhizin) and ultraviolet light. Our investigation focused on the identification of the melanogenic efficacy of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) leaf extract with regard to its effects on melanogenesis in B16F1 melanoma cells, since it has been known to possess strong anti-oxidant activities. The mangosteen leaf extract was found to stimulate melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner without any significant effects on cell proliferation. Cytotoxicity of the extract was measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; the highest concentration of the extract that did not affect cell viability was 32 µg/ml. Formation of melanin from cultured B16F1 melanoma induced by extract treatment was estimated using spectrophotometry. In order to clarify the subsequent mechanism of tyrosinase activation by the extract, the levels of tyrosinase expression in B16F1 melanoma were examined using an intracellular tyrosinase assay and tyrosinase zymography. Up-regulation of intracellular tyrosinase expression seemed to correlate with an increase in microphtalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) protein levels since MITF is the key factor for genes involved in melanogenesis. Both of the results showed that tyrosinase activity was markedly enhanced from extract-treated cells. The overall results suggest that mangosteen leaf extract may be a promising candidate for the treatment of hypopigmentation disorder and useful for self-tanning cosmetic products.

Labisia pumila (Myrsinaceae), known as "Kacip Fatimah," has been used by many generations of Malay women to induce and facilitate child birth as well as a post partum medicine. However, its topical application on skin has not been reported yet. In this study, we have focused on the anti-photoaging effects of L. pumila. Extract of L. pumila was first analyzed for their antioxidant activities using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) since UV irradiation is a primary cause of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the skin. The 50% free radical scavenging activity (FSC(50)) of L. pumila extract was determined to be 0.006%, which was equal to that produced by 156 microM ascorbic acid. TNF-alpha and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) play a primary role in the inflammation process upon UV irradiation and are known to be stimulated by UVB. Treatment with L. pumila extract markedly inhibited the TNF-alpha production and the expression of COX-2. Decreased collagen synthesis of human fibroblasts by UVB was restored back to normal level after treatment with L. pumila extract. On the other hand, the enhanced MMP-1 expression upon UVB irradiation was down regulated by L. pumila extract in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, treatment of normal keratinocytes with L. pumila extract attenuated UVB-induced MMP-9 expression. These results collectively suggest L. pumila extract has tremendous potential as an anti-photoaging cosmetic ingredient.

The application of rice wine on skin is known to have beneficial effects such as enhancement of the skin barrier function and skin whitening. In this study, we focused on examination of the anti-aging effects of rice wine. The treatment of fibroblasts with rice wine in vitro increased the expression of procollagen and laminin-5, a key basement membrane component in cultured human fibroblasts. Rice wine significantly reduced the expression of UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in a dose-dependent manner in both cultured human fibroblasts and keratinocytes. In addition, treatment with rice wine decreased UV-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production in human keratinocytes. An in vivo study using hairless mice showed that topical application of rice wine protected mouse skin from photoaging. Thus, we suggest that rice wine may have potential as an effective agent for the prevention and treatment of UV-induced skin aging.

This study describes the use of personal computer (PC)-based three-dimensional computed tomographic (3D CT) images in the evaluation of supernumerary and ectopically impacted teeth. Three selected cases were presented as examples of the more complex cases in which 3D CT imaging added information not readily available from periapical, occlusal, or panoramic radiographs. Patients were CT scanned from the occlusal plane to the periapical region of the impacted teeth. Digital Image and Communications in Medicine CT data were transferred to a personal laptop computer using a network line. 3D volume rendering was performed using PC-based volumetric analysis software. 3D CT-reformatted imaging of the teeth is a useful way to investigate and localize supernumerary or impacted teeth. Newer software that enables this investigation using a PC provides a relatively inexpensive way to carry out such investigations, making it easier for dental practitioners to request such investigations and to view the results in real time in their own offices.

We have developed an integrative transformation system for metabolic engineering of the tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS)-secreting yeast Pichia ciferrii . The system uses (i) a mutagenized ribosomal protein L41 gene of P. ciferrii as a dominant selection marker that confer resistance to the antibiotic cycloheximide and (ii) a ribosomal DNA (rDNA) fragment of P. ciferrii as a target for multicopy gene integration into the chromosome. A locus within the nontranscribed region located between 5S and 26S rDNAs was selected as the integration site. A maximum frequency of integrative transformation of approximately 1,350 transformants/μg of DNA was observed. To improve the de novo synthesis of sphingolipid, the LCB2 gene, encoding a subunit of serine palmitoyltransferase, which catalyzes the first committed step of sphingolipid synthesis, was cloned from P. ciferrii and overexpressed under the control of the P. ciferrii glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoter. After transformation of an LCB2 gene expression cassette, several transformants that contained approximately five to seven copies of transforming DNA in the chromosome and exhibited about 50-fold increase in LCB2 mRNA relative to the wild type were identified. These transformants were observed to produce approximately two times more TAPS than the wild type.

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the compatibility of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) synthesized cephalograms with conventional cephalograms, and to find a method for obtaining normative values for threedimensional (3D) assessments. Materials and Methods: The sample group consisted of 10 adults with normal occlusion and well-balanced faces. They were imaged using conventional and CBCT cephalograms. The CBCT cephalograms were synthesized from the CBCT data using OnDemand 3D software. Twenty-one angular and 12 linear measurements from each imaging modality were compared and analyzed using paired-t test. Results: The linear measurements between the two imaging modalities were not statistically different (p¤0.05) except for the U1 to facial plane distance. The angular measurements between the two imaging modalities were not statistically different (p¤0.05) with the exception of the gonial angle, ANB difference, and facial convexity. Conclusion: Two-dimensional cephalometric norms could be readily used for 3D quantitative assessment, if corrected for lateral cephalogram distortion. (Imaging Sci Dent 2012; 42 : 201-5)

not Available.

Purpose: The present study was performed to clarify the relationship between periodontal disease severity and selected immunological parameters consisting of serum IgG titer against periodontopathogenic bacteria, the expression of the helper Tcell cytokine by gingival mononuclear cells, and patients’ immunoreactivity to cross-reactive heat shock protein (HSP) epitope peptide from P. gingivalis HSP60. Methods: Twenty-five patients with moderate periodontitis had their gingival connective tissue harvested of gingival mononuclear cells during an open flap debridement procedure and peripheral blood was drawn by venipuncture to collect serum. The mean level of interproximal alveolar bone was calculated to be used as an index for periodontal disease severity for a given patient. Each of selected immunologic parameters was subject to statistical management to seek their correlations with the severity of periodontal disease. Results: A significant correlation could not be identified between serum IgG titers against specific bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and Streptococcus mutans) and the severity of periodontal disease. Expression of interleukin (IL)-10 by gingival mononuclear cells was statistically significant in the group of patients who had higher levels of alveolar bone height. However, a similar correlation could not be demonstrated in cases for IL-4 or interferon-γ. Patients’ serum reactivity to cross-reactive epitope peptide showed a significant corre lation with the amount of alveolar bone. Conclusions: It was concluded that expression of IL-10 by gingival mononuclear cells and patients’ sero-reactivity to the cross-reactive HSP peptide of P. gingivalis HSP60 were significantly correlated with alveolar bone height.

We investigated the effect of novel phytosphingosine derivatives, N-acetyl phytosphingosine (NAPS) and tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS), on induction of apoptosis in HaCaT cells in comparison with C 2 -ceramide. NAPS/TAPS effectively decreased cell viability in a dose dependent manner mainly due to apoptosis. An apoptosis expression array analysis showed that in the TAPS treated cells 13 genes including COX-2 encoding cyclooxygenase-2, the most induced by TAPS, were up-regulated while 23 others down-regulated. Therefore, we examined the mechanism underlying the altered expression of COX-2. Assays with inhibitors and antibodies against proteins involved in signal transduction demonstrated that NAPS and TAPS elevated COX-2 expression via tyrosine kinase, src, PI-3 kinase and PKC, followed by ERK activation. However, P38 was not involved in the NAPS-mediated COX-2 expression but in the TAPS-mediated. We further demonstrated by FACS analyses that NAPS- or TAPS-mediated apoptosis was greatly increased in cells treated with celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Inhibition of the ERK pathway apparently involved in the NAPS/TAPS-mediated COX-2 expression enhanced the NAPS/TAPS-mediated apoptosis, whereas inhibition of the P38 pathway did not. These results suggest that expression of COX-2 in the TAPS- or NAPS-treated cells may be increased to counteract the effect of those compounds on apoptosis.

Rice bran contains various polyphenolic compounds with anti-oxidative activities, and it has long been known to inhibit melanogenesis. Cofermentation of rice bran with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae significantly reduced the melanin synthesis of the resulting extract to B16F1 melanoma cells. However, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects of these fermented rice bran extracts (FRBEs) were not investigated. The objective of this work was to investigate the ability of FRBE to protect fibroblast cultures against ultraviolet B (UV-B)-induced damage in vitro. To study the effect of FRBE on collagen synthesis, human fibroblasts were treated with 0.1, 0.5, or 1% of FRBE or 25 μM of As-2p over 3 days. The morphological change of fibroblasts, secretion of IL-1α, and pro-MMP-1 levels were evaluated. The rate of cell growth was reduced upon exposure of fibroblasts to UV-B radiation (30 mJ/cm2) and did not recover after FRBE treatment. FRBE did not induce morphological changes and necrosis in a dose-dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry confirmed increased collagen synthesis in a dose-dependent manner after UV-irradiated fibroblasts were treated with FRBE. FRBE treatment reduced the UV-B-induced release of IL-1α to levels found in non-irradiated controls. In fibroblasts subjected only to UV-B irradiation, the level of pro-MMP-1 increased approximately fourfold compared to non-irradiated cells. However, treatment with FRBE decreased the level of pro-MMP-1 to a level similar to that of As-2p treated cells; this result was confirmed by western blot analysis. This work indicates that FRBE can increase the synthesis of type I collagen, decrease the expression of MMP-1, and inhibit the production of IL-1α in UV-B irradiated human fibroblasts.