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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate whether acupuncture and moxibustion treatment could improve proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.Methods: A 25-year-old man diagnosed with immunoglobulin A nephropathy had severely increased proteinuria. We conducted acupuncture treatment and moxibustion treatment on the abdominal area between the abdominal aorta and kidney at level L2.Results: After five months of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, the patient’s urine albumin/creatinine ratio and urine protein/creatinine ratio had improved from 0.571 to 0.28 and 0.79 to 0.47, respectively.Conclusions: This case report suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion treatment may ameliorate proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Supplementary Figure S2. Daurinol increase the cell cycle abnormalities

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect and safety of herbal extracts in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: We investigated 19 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were administered Banhasasim-tang (BST), Gumiganghwal-tang (GGT), or Pyeongwee-san (PWS) at Kyung Hee University Korean Medical Hospital for at least three days between January 2012 and December 2021. Their clinical characteristics and laboratory tests were reviewed retrospectively. The glucose-lowering effect of the herbal extracts was assessed by comparing blood glucose levels, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), two-hour postprandial glucose (PP2) levels, and glycated hemoglobin levels. To evaluate the safety of the herbal extract, liver function test and kidney function test results were compared, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr).Results: After taking herbal extracts, PP2 and HbA1c levels significantly decreased from 205.82 mg/dL to 171.41 mg/dL and 7.58% to 6.62%, respectively. The safety profile reported no significant difference after taking herbal extracts.Conclusions: BST, GGT, and PWS may have hypoglycemic effects in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus taking hypoglycemic medication.

Supplementary Figure 1 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figures 1-6, Tables 1-2 from Elevated Epithelial Insulin-like Growth Factor Expression Is a Risk Factor for Lung Cancer Development

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) has been suggested to play a major role in tumor radioresistance. However, the mechanisms through which irradiation regulates HIF-1α expression remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms that mediate HIF-1 activation and thus radioresistance. Here, we show that irradiation induces survival and angiogenic activity in a subset of radioresistant lung cancer cell lines by elevating HIF-1α protein expression. Radiation induced HIF-1α protein expression mainly through two distinct pathways, including an increase in de novo protein synthesis via activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and stabilization of HIF-1α protein via augmenting the interaction between heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and HIF-1α protein. Whereas the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was activated by irradiation in all the lung cancer cells examined, the Hsp90-HIF-1α interaction was enhanced in the resistant cells only. Inhibition of Hsp90 function by 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin or deguelin, a novel natural inhibitor of Hsp90, suppressed increases in HIF-1α/Hsp90 interaction and HIF-1α expression in radioresistant cells. Furthermore, combined treatment of radiation with deguelin significantly decreased the survival and angiogenic potential of radioresistant lung cancer cells in vitro. We finally determined in vivo that systemic administration of deguelin resulted in profound inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis when combined with radiation. These results provide a strong rationale to target Hsp90 as a means to block radiation-induced HIF-1α and thus to circumvent radioresistance in lung cancer cells. [Cancer Res 2009;69(4):1624–32]

Supplementary Figure 2 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Materials and Methods, Figure Legends 1-7, Table 1 Legend from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figure 5 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figure 3 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Table 1 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I receptor (IGF-IR) signaling has been implicated in several human neoplasms. However, the role of serum levels of IGFs in lung cancer risk is controversial. We assessed the role of tissue-derived IGFs in lung carcinogenesis. We found that IGF-I and IGF-II levels in bronchial tissue specimens containing high-grade dysplasia were significantly higher than in those containing normal epithelium, hyperplasia, and squamous metaplasia. Derivatives of human bronchial epithelial cell lines with activation mutation in KRAS(V12) or loss of p53 overexpressed IGF-I and IGF-II. The transformed characteristics of these cells were significantly suppressed by inactivation of IGF-IR or inhibition of IGF-I or IGF-II expression but enhanced by overexpression of IGF-IR or exposure to the tobacco carcinogens (TC) 4-(methylnitrosamino)-I-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and benzo(a)pyrene. We further determined the role of IGF-IR signaling in lung tumorigenesis by determining the antitumor activities of the selective IGF-IR tyrosine kinase inhibitor cis-3-[3-(4-methyl-piperazin-l-yl)-cyclobutyl]-1-(2-phenyl-quinolin-7-yl)-imidazo [1,5-a]pyrazin-8-ylamine using an in vitro progressive cell system and an in vivo mouse model with a lung-specific IGF-I transgene after exposure to TCs, including 4-(methylnitrosamino)-I-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone plus benzo(a)pyrene. Our results show that airway epithelial cells produce IGFs in an autocrine or paracrine manner, and these IGFs act jointly with TCs to enhance lung carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the use of selective IGF-IR inhibitors may be a rational approach to controlling lung cancer. [Cancer Res 2009;69(18):7439–48]

Supplementary Figure 4 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figure 6 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figure 7 from Arrest Defective 1 Autoacetylation Is a Critical Step in Its Ability to Stimulate Cancer Cell Proliferation

Supplementary Figure Legends and Methods from Targeting Heat Shock Protein 90 Overrides the Resistance of Lung Cancer Cells by Blocking Radiation-Induced Stabilization of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α

Supplementary Figures 1-2 from Targeting Heat Shock Protein 90 Overrides the Resistance of Lung Cancer Cells by Blocking Radiation-Induced Stabilization of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α

The N-acetyltransferase arrest defective 1 (ARD1) is an important regulator of cell growth and differentiation that has emerged recently as a critical molecule in cancer progression. However, the regulation of the enzymatic and biological activities of human ARD1 (hARD1) in cancer is presently poorly understood. Here, we report that hARD1 undergoes autoacetylation and that this modification is essential for its functional activation. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and site-directed mutational analyses, we identified K136 residue as an autoacetylation target site. K136R mutation abolished the ability of hARD1 to promote cancer cell growth in vitro and tumor xenograft growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that hARD1 autoacetylation stimulated cyclin D1 expression through activation of the transcription factors β-catenin and activator protein-1. Our results show that hARD1 autoacetylation is critical for its activation and its ability to stimulate cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Cancer Res; 70(11); 4422–32. ©2010 AACR.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether Korean medicine could improve unilateral testicular pain caused by recurrent varicocele without unfavorable side effects.Methods: A 46-year-old man diagnosed with varicocele, identified with a scrotal ultrasound scan, had right-side testicular pain. We administered Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san to observe changes in the degree of pain.Results: After one month of taking Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san, testicular pain improved.Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine might be effective for managing testicular pain caused by varicocele.

Nerve injury-induced protein 1 (Ninjurin1, Ninj1) is a membrane protein that mediates cell adhesion. The role of Ninj1 during inflammatory response has been widely investigated in macrophages and endothelial cells. Ninj1 is expressed in various tissues, and the liver also expresses high levels of Ninj1. Although the hepatic upregulation of Ninj1 has been reported in human hepatocellular carcinoma and septic mice, little is known of its function during the pathogenesis of liver diseases. In the present study, the role of Ninj1 in liver inflammation was explored using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-gal)-induced acute liver failure (ALF) model. When treated with LPS/D-gal, conventional Ninj1 knock-out (KO) mice exhibited a mild inflammatory phenotype as compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Unexpectedly, myeloid-specific Ninj1 KO mice showed no attenuation of LPS/D-gal-induced liver injury. Whereas, Ninj1 KO primary hepatocytes were relatively insensitive to TNF-α-induced caspase activation as compared with WT primary hepatocytes. Also, Ninj1 knock-down in L929 and AML12 cells and Ninj1 KO in HepG2 cells ameliorated TNF-α-mediated apoptosis. Consistent with in vitro results, hepatocyte-specific ablation of Ninj1 in mice alleviated LPS/D-gal-induced ALF. Summarizing, our in vivo and in vitro studies show that lack of Ninj1 in hepatocytes diminishes LPS/D-gal-induced ALF by alleviating TNF-α/TNFR1-induced cell death.

Rabbits are being increasingly used as companion animals, and in research; thus, the need for proper veterinary care for rabbits has increased. Surgical access is more challenging in rabbits under inhalation anesthesia compared to other animals, such as dogs and cats. Rabbits have a very narrow and deep oral cavity, large incisors, and a large tongue. Moreover, their temporomandibular joint has limited mobility, making it more difficult to approach the larynx. Various methods have been proposed to overcome this difficulty. The video laryngoscope was introduced in 1999 and is useful when airway intubation is unsuccessful using a conventional laryngoscope. We postulated that a video laryngoscope with a modified size 1 Macintosh blade (McGrath MAC Video Laryngoscope, Medtronic, USA) would facilitate the intubation of New Zealand White rabbits. Sixteen specific-pathogen-free male New Zealand White rabbits weighing 3.45–4.70 kg were studied. All rabbits were intubated using the video laryngoscope. Typically, a 3.0 mm endotracheal tube was used for rabbits weighing 4 kg. During surgery, anesthesia was well maintained, and there were no major abnormalities in the animals’ conditions. No rabbit developed breathing difficulties or anorexia after recovering from anesthesia. We established an intubation method using a video laryngoscope with a modified blade and stylet in the supine (ventrodorsal) position and successfully applied it in 16 rabbits. It is useful for training novices and for treating rabbits in veterinary hospitals with few staff members and animal research facilities where there are insufficient human resources.

Evidence suggests that diets with high pro-inflammatory potential may play a substantial role in the origin of gastric inflammation. This study aimed to examine the association between the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DIITM) and gastric diseases at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 7.4 years in a Korean population. A total of 144,196 participants from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study_Health Examination (KoGES_HEXA) cohort were included. E-DII scores were computed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to assess the association between the E-DII and gastric disease risk. In the prospective analysis, the risk of developing gastric disease was significantly increased among individuals in the highest quartile of E-DII compared to those in the lowest quartile (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.08–1.38). Prospective analysis also showed an increased risk in the incidence of gastritis (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.04–1.37), gastric ulcers (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.16–1.85), and gastric and duodenal ulcers (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.17–1.81) in the highest E-DII quartile compared to the lowest quartile. In the cross-sectional analysis, the E-DII score was not associated with the risk of gastric disease. Our results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet, indicated by high E-DII scores, is prospectively associated with an increased risk of gastric diseases. These results highlight the significance of an anti-inflammatory diet in lowering the risk of gastric disease risk in the general population.

This work proposes an InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well flip-chip blue ultrathin side-emitting (USE) light-emitting diode (LED) and describes the sidewall light emission characteristics for the application of backlight units in display technology. The USE-LEDs are fabricated with top (ITO/distributed Bragg reflector) and bottom (Ag) mirrors that cause light emission from the four sidewalls in a lateral direction. The effect of light output power (LOP) on lateral direction is consistently investigated for improving the optoelectronic performances of USE-LEDs. Initially, the reference USE-LED suffers from very low LOP because of poor light extraction efficiency (LEE). Therefore, the LEE is improved by fabricating ZnO nanorods at each sidewall through hydrothermal method. The effects of ZnO nanorod lengths and diameters on LOP are systematically investigated for optimizing the dimensions of ZnO nanorods. The optimized ZnO nanorods improve the LEE of USE-LED, which thus results in increasing the LOP > 80% compared to the reference LED. In addition, the light-tools simulator is also used for elucidating the increase in LEE of ZnO nanorods USE-LED.

Pharbitis nil (L.) Choisy is a medicinal herb, and herbal remedies based on its seeds have been used to treat of obesity and liver diseases, including fatty liver and liver cirrhosis in East Asia.Liver fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic liver inflammation such as that caused by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. However, no effective pharmaceutical treatment for liver fibrosis has been approved. In this study, we aimed to investigate that ethanol extract of pharbitis nil (PNE) alleviates the liver fibrosis.We studied the effects of PNE on two preclinical models. Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with CClPNE treatment ameliorated hepatocyte necrosis, inflammation, and liver fibrosis in CCl

Background Particulate matter (PM) is one of the principal causes of human respiratory disabilities resulting from air pollution. Animal models have been applied to discover preventive and therapeutic drugs for lung diseases caused by PM. However, the induced severity of lung injury in animal models using PM varies from study to study due to disparities in the preparation of PM, and the route and number of PM administrations. In this study, we established an in vivo model to evaluate PM-induced lung injury in mice. Results PM dispersion was prepared using SRM2975. Reactive oxygen species were increased in MLE 12 cells exposed to this PM dispersion. In vivo studies were conducted in the PM single challenge model, PM multiple challenge model, and PM challenge with ovalbumin-induced asthma using the PM dispersion. No histopathological changes were observed in lung tissues after a single injection of PM, whereas mild to moderate lung inflammation was obtained in the lungs of mice exposed to PM three times. However, fibrotic changes were barely seen, even though transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed the presence of PM particles in the alveolar macrophages and alveolar capillaries. In the OVA-PM model, peribronchial inflammation and mucous hypersecretion were more severe in the OVA+PM group than the OVA group. Serum IgE levels tended to increase in OVA+PM group than in OVA group. Conclusions In this study, we established a PM-induced lung injury model to examine the lung damage induced by PM. Based on our results, repeated exposures of PM are necessary to induce lung inflammation by PM alone. PM challenge, in the presence of underlying diseases such as asthma, can also be an appropriate model for studying the health effect of PM.

Leaky gut is a condition of increased paracellular permeability of the intestine due to compromised tight junction barriers. In recent years, this affliction has drawn the attention of scientists from different fields, as a myriad of studies prosecuted it to be the silent culprit of various immune diseases. Due to various controversies surrounding its culpability in the clinic, approaches to leaky gut are restricted in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding irritating factors, and practicing alternative medicine, including the consumption of supplements. In the current study, we investigate the tight junction-modulating effects of processed Aloe vera gel (PAG), comprising 5–400-kD polysaccharides as the main components. Our results show that oral treatment of 143 mg/kg PAG daily for 10 days improves the age-related leaky gut condition in old mice, by reducing their individual urinal lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio. In concordance with in vivo experiments, PAG treatment at dose 400 μg/mL accelerated the polarization process of Caco-2 monolayers. The underlying mechanism was attributed to enhancement in the expression of intestinal tight junction-associated scaffold protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 at the translation level. This was induced by activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, which inhibits the translation repressor 4E-BP1. In conclusion, we propose that consuming PAG as a complementary food has the potential to benefit high-risk patients.

Organic neuromorphic computing/sensing platforms are a promising concept for local monitoring and processing of biological signals in real time. Neuromorphic devices and sensors with low conductance for low power consumption and high conductance for low‐impedance sensing are desired. However, it has been a struggle to find materials and fabrication methods that satisfy both of these properties simultaneously in a single substrate. Here, nanofiber channels with a self‐formed ion‐blocking layer are fabricated to create organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) that can be tailored to achieve low‐power neuromorphic computing and fast‐response sensing by transferring different amounts of electrospun nanofibers to each device. With their nanofiber architecture, the OECTs exhibit a low switching energy of 113 fJ and operate within a wide bandwidth (cut‐off frequency of 13.5 kHz), opening a new paradigm for energy‐efficient neuromorphic computing/sensing platforms in a biological environment without the leakage of personal information., Concepts of organic neuromorphic computing/sensing platforms for local monitoring and processing of biological signals in real time are presented. With a nanofiber architecture as a channel of a transistor, low‐power neuromorphic devices and wide‐bandwidth sensors are fabricated together on a single substrate without changing the materials, structures, and fabrication processes, demonstrating the future applications for neuromorphic computing/sensing platforms.