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A systematically designed and synthesized ribitol phosphate (RboP) oligomer using a series of building blocks, which make up the wall teichoic acid (WTA) of S. aureus, is presented. Based on the use of a solution-phase phosphodiester synthesis, a library of ribitol phosphate tetramers, decorated with d-alanine and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), were generated. The synthesized RboP tetramers showed increased cytokine levels in mice in a subcutaneous air pouch model.

Background: Diabetic patients are predisposed to foot infections because of vascular insufficiency and peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic foot infection is a common cause of mortality and lower extremity amputations (LEAs) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We evaluated the risk factors for mortality and LEAs in patients with stage 3 CKD or higher with diabetic foot infections. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 105 CKD patients with diabetic foot infections between July 1998 and December 2011. We reviewed their demographic characteristics and laboratory parameters to evaluate the risk factors for mortality and amputations at 24 weeks after diagnosis of a diabetic foot infection. Results: The mortality of the 105 enrolled CKD patients was 21% at 24 weeks after the diagnosis of a diabetic foot infection. Cox proportional regression analyses revealed that age 60 years or older [odds ratio (OR) 3.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-9.02, P = 0.047] and initial serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level ≥ 3 mg/dL (OR 3.97, 95% CI = 1.17-13.43, P = 0.027) were independent risk factors for mortality at 24 weeks. Twenty-four patients (23%) underwent LEAs. On Cox proportional regression analyses, peripheral vascular disease (OR=4.49, 95% CI=1.98–10.17, P=0.01) and cerebrovascular accident (OR 2.42, 95% CI=1.09–5.39, P=0.03) were independently associated with LEAs. Conclusion: This study showed that age and serum CRP level, were independent risk factors for mortality at 24 weeks in patients with stage 3–5 CKD with diabetic foot infections. Peripheral vascular disease and cerebrovascular accident were significantly associated with LEAs.

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether NMED-01 or NMED-02 improves laboratory test results in participants with liver function disorder.Methods : This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in which participants, treating physicians and data management staff were blinded to treatment group. The study was conducted at Semyung university oriental medicine hospital in Jecheon where participants with high level of serum γ-GTP (60-350 U/L) were enrolled. The intervention consisted of three times daily ingestion of ei ther two capsules of placebo, NMED-01 (NeuMed. co. ltd., Seoul), or NMED-02 (NeuMed. co. ltd., Seoul) for twel ve weeks. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of NMED-01 and NMED-02, we primarily evaluated the degree of decre ment of serum γ-GPT level among three groups. Secondarily the decrement of serum ALT, AST, and trigly ceride level in each group were also evaluated. Adverse effects were monitored during the twelve weeks treatment.Results : The change of γ-GTP level of NMED-01 group was lower than that of placebo group at the end of 12-week administration (28.1±38.7 U/L vs. 9.3±27.0 U/L, p=0.046 ). Other variables including AST, ALT, and triglyceride level were not significantly reduced. The decremen t of γ-GPT, AST, ALT, and triglyceride level of NMED-02 group was not significant. There were no significant ad verse effects or toxicities during treatment period.Conclusions : Participants receiving NMED-01 had improvement in laboratory t est results. Despite a modest sample size, our results suggest that NMED-01 are safe and may be potentially effective in improving liver function. However, NMED-02 have lack of a detectable effect in this study.Key words : Hovenia dulcis, Pueraria lobata, γ-GPT, hepatoprotective effect, alcohol, liver, liver function

In this study, the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) of Mg alloy sheets has been tried using an apparatus devised with a CNC milling machine to give the precise control of joining condition including tool speed. The probe tool used is made of hard metal and composed of cylindrical shoulder and pin parts. The variation of morphologies formed after the friction stir spot welding depending on the plunge speed of the tool were investigated at each rpm of tool. The history of the temperature distribution and the vertical load induced during the spot welding with friction time were measured by using an Infrared Thermal Imager (THERMA CAMTM SC2000) and a loadcell located below the specimen fixture, respectively. Tensile-shear tests were also performed to evaluate the fracture load of welded specimens. In order to characterize the friction stir spot welding of Mg alloy sheets, the variation of the fracture load was discussed on micrographic observations, temperature distribution during the FSSW according to the plunge speeds of tool.

A dissimilar friction stir spot welding (FSSW) has been tried using an apparatus which was devised with a CNC milling machine to give a precise control of the friction time and the plunge depth. Variations of the vertical load applied and the temperature history during friction stirring were measured. In this study, the characteristics of dissimilar FSSW of a bulk metallic glass alloy to crystalline metals having lightweight were investigated. Through the investigation of fractographic observation, the EDX analysis and the joining strength, the welding performance of dissimilar FSSW of BMG was evaluated.

The friction welding of three kinds of Zr–Cu–Al bulk glassy alloys (BGAs) which show eutectic or hypoeutectic compositions to similar and dissimilar BGAs and crystalline metals has been tried. The shape and volume of the protrusion formed at the weld interface were investigated. In order to characterize the friction welded interface, micrographic observation and X-ray diffraction analysis on the weld cross-section were carried out. A successful joining of Zr–Cu–Al bulk glassy alloys to similar and dissimilar BGAs was achieved without occurrence of crystallizations at the weld interface through the precise control of friction conditions. In addition, the joining of Zr 50 Cu 40 Al 10 BGA to crystalline alloys was tried, but it was only successful for specific material combinations. The residual strength after welding of dissimilar BGAs was evaluated by the four-point bending test.

The friction welding of Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) rods and tubes to similar BMGs, and to crystalline metals were performed. An infrared thermal imager (FLIR-Thermal Cam SC-2000) was used to measure the temperature distribution at joining interface of the specimens during friction welding. All BMGs adopted in this study showed a successful friction joining to similar BMG. The shape of the protrusion formed at the weld interface were examined. In order to characterize the friction weld interface, the micrographic observation and the X-ray diffraction analysis on the weld cross-section were carried out. The obtained results were discussed based on the temperature distribution measured at the weld interface A successful joining of the BMGs to crystalline metals could be obtained for certain pairs of the material combination through the precise control of the friction condition. The residual strength after dissimilar friction welding of BMG was evaluated by the four-point bending test and compared with the cases of friction welding to similar materials.

Arylamine N-acetyltransferase type 1 (NAT1) is reported to be involved in the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to the terminal nitrogen of hydrazine and arylamine drugs or carcinogens. Gene-specific hypomethylation frequently occurs in a range of cancers and hypomethylation of the genes often correlates well with increased transcription levels. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the methylation status and the transcriptional activity of NAT1 in breast cancer tissues (n=72), benign breast tissues (n=31) and morphologically normal breast tissues (n=30). Our findings showed that the methylation of the NAT1 gene was identified in 39 of the breast carcinomas (54.2%), 23 normal (76.7%) and 25 benign breast tissue samples (80.6%). The breast cancer tissues showed significantly lower methylation rates of the NAT1 promoters than the normal and benign tissues (P=0.012). Furthermore, cancer tissues showed lower methylation density rates than normal and benign breast tissues (P=0.012). The tissues that showed aberrant methylation of NAT1 showed significantly less mRNA expression compared with the unmethylated cases by a thousand fold (P

Our previous study showed that KG-1, a human acute leukemia cell line, has mutational loss of 8-oxoguanine (8-hydroxyguanine; oh(8)Gua) glycosylase 1 (OGG1) activity and that its viability is severely affected by 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-oxodeoxyguanosine; oh(8)dG). In the present study, the nature of the killing action of oh(8)dG on KG-1 was investigated. Signs observed in oh(8)dG-treated KG-1 cells indicated that death was due to apoptosis, as demonstrated by: increased sub-G(1) hypodiploid (apoptotic) cells, DNA fragmentation, and apoptotic body formation; loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol, and the down-regulation of bcl-2; and the activation of caspases 8, 9, and 3, and the efficient inhibition of the apoptotic process by caspases inhibitors. This apoptosis appears not to be associated with Fas/Fas ligand because the expressions of these proteins were unchanged. Apoptotic KG-1 cells showed a high concentration of oh(8)Gua in DNA. Moreover, the increased concentration of oh(8)Gua in DNA, and the apoptotic process were not suppressed by the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, and thus the process is independent of reactive oxygen species. Of the 18 cancer cell lines treated with oh(8)dG, 3 cell lines (H9, CEM-CM3, and Molt-4) were found to be committed to apoptosis, and all of these showed very low OGG1 activity and a marked increase in the concentration of oh(8)Gua in DNA. These observations indicate that in addition to its mutagenic action, oh(8)Gua in DNA disturbs cell viability by inducing apoptosis.