The electrical dynamic range (EDR) has been suggested to be related to auditory performance in cochlear implant (CI) users. However, few reports have evaluated postlingual CI users who have used CIs ...for long periods in comparison with prelingual CI users. Here, we evaluated auditory perception and speech performance in terms of the EDR in long-term CI users. The EDR, and auditory and speech performances, were compared between pre- and post-lingual CI users.
We enrolled all patients who received CIs from April 2000 to December 2010 at Seoul National University Hospital, and who had ≥5 years of experience with CIs. The EDRs affording subjective responses at the threshold level (T-level) and comfortable level (C-level) were analyzed in terms of their relationships with pure tone audiometry levels, speech evaluation scores, including those on the Phonetically Balanced (PB) Word List test, vowel and consonant tests, a sentence test, and the Korean version of the Central Institute for the Deaf (K-CID) test; we also calculated Category in Auditory Performance (CAP) scores.
We found no significant difference in the average EDR, CAP, K-CID, PB word, consonant, or vowel scores between pre- and post-lingual CI users. The EDR was weakly associated with the PB word (P = 0.003, r = 0.462) and consonant scores (P = 0.005, r = 0.438). Other speech evaluations, such as the CAP, K-CID, and vowel scores, were not significantly associated with the EDR T-level. We found no association between pure tone thresholds at 0.5, 1, or 2 kHz, and the speech evaluation scores or EDRs of low-, middle-, or high-frequency channels.
The EDR was only weakly associated with speech performance, such as scores on consonant and PB word tests in long-term CI users, irrespective of pre- or post-lingual deafness status.
Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) release extracellular vesicles such as exosomes, apoptotic bodies, and microparticles. In particular, exosomes are formed inside cells via ...multivesicular bodies (MVBs), thus their protein, DNA, and RNA content are similar to those of the parent cells. Exosome research is rapidly expanding, with an increase in the number of related publications observed in recent years; therefore, the function and application of MSC-derived exosomes could emerge as cell-free therapeutics. Exosomes have been isolated from feline AD-MSCs and feline fibroblast cell culture media using ultracentrifugation. Feline exosomes have been characterized by FACS, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and transmission electron microscopy imaging. Moreover, cytokine levels were detected by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in exosomes and LPS-induced THP-1 macrophages. The size of the isolated exosomes was that of a typical exosome, i.e., approximately 150 nm, and they expressed tetraspanins CD9 and CD81. The anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased in feline AD-MSC-derived exosomes. However, pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, IL-8, IL-2, RANTES, and IFN-gamma were significantly decreased in feline AD-MSC-derived exosomes. This was the first demonstration that feline AD-MSC-derived exosomes enhance the inflammatory suppressive effects and have potential for the treatment of immune diseases or as an inflammation-inhibition therapy.
A two‐stage genomewide association (GWA) analysis was conducted to investigate the genetic factors influencing ultraviolet (UV)‐induced skin pigmentation in Korean females after UV exposure. ...Previously, a GWA study evaluating ~500 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 99 Korean females identified eight SNPs that were highly associated with tanning ability. To confirm these associations, we genotyped the SNPs in an independent replication study (112 Korean females). We found that a novel SNP in the intron of the WW domain‐containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene yielded significant replicated associations with skin tanning ability (P‐value = 1.16 × 10−4). To understand the functional consequences of this locus located in the non‐coding region, we investigated the role of WWOX in human melanocytes using a recombinant adenovirus expressing a microRNA specific for WWOX. Inhibition of WWOX expression significantly increased the expression and activity of tyrosinase in human melanocytes. Taken together, our results suggest that genetic variants in the intronic region of WWOX could be determinants in the UV‐induced tanning ability of Korean females. WWOX represents a new candidate gene to evaluate the molecular basis of the UV‐induced tanning ability in individuals.
•The novel role of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in hypoxia-induced human lung epithelial cells.•The involvement of MAPKs in hypoxia-induced PRMTs regulation.•The regulation of PRMTs in ischemia of miniature pig ...lungs.
Severe hypoxic and ischemic injury leads to primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation. Arginine methylation, which is responsible for the regulation of a variety of biological functions, is mediated by protein arginine methylation transferases (PRMTs). This study examined the role of hypoxia in PRMT activation in A549 human lung epithelial cells, as well as the role of ischemia in PRMT activation in the lung of miniature pigs. In A459 cells, hypoxia increased the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5, and overexpression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 induced apoptosis. The transfection of PRMT1 and PRMT5 small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α expression and apoptosis in A549 cells. Hypoxia-induced expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 was blocked by p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors, but not by an inhibitor of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2. In the lungs of miniature pigs, ischemia stimulated PRMT1 and PRMT5 expression and induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK (p-p38), phosphorylation of JNK (p-JNK), and apoptotic molecules. These results demonstrate that PRMT1 and PRMT5 are involved in hypoxia and ischemia-induced apoptosis via p-p38 MAPK and p-JNK in in vitro and in vivo models.
Diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication for diabetic patients, yet the precise mechanism that underlies the development of diabetic complications remains unknown. We hypothesised that dietary ...antioxidant supplementation with single N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or vitamin C combined with either vitamin E or vitamin E and NAC improves diabetic renal inflammation through the modulation of blood glucose levels, oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Experimental animals were treated with alloxan monohydrate to induce diabetes. Mice were divided into five groups and supplemented with single or a combination of antioxidants. Body weights and blood glucose levels were measured once a week. After 8 weeks of dietary antioxidant supplementation, mice were killed and blood urea N (BUN) and plasma creatinine levels were measured to evaluate renal function. NF-κB protein was indirectly demonstrated by the phosphorylated IκBα (pIκBα) level, and the expressions of oxidative stress- and inflammatory response-related proteins were also determined. We demonstrated that dietary antioxidant supplementation decreased lipid peroxidation levels demonstrated by thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances, BUN and plasma creatinine levels in diabetic kidneys. Moreover, dietary antioxidant cocktail supplementation improved blood glucose levels and selectively regulated the expressions of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase, haeme oxygenase-1, pIκBα, inducible NO synthase, cyclo-oxygenase-2 and C-reactive protein in diabetic kidneys effectively. These findings demonstrated that diabetic renal failure was associated with inflammatory responses induced by hyperglycaemia. In addition, results in the study suggest that antioxidant cocktail supplementation may have beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy through selective reduction of blood glucose levels and inflammatory response.
The powder and extract of safflower seeds are known to be effective in the prevention of bone loss in ovariectomized animals. However, the inhibitory effect and molecular mechanisms of safflower bud ...(SB), the germinated safflower, on bone destruction is unclear.
The present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect and molecular mechanism of SB on osteoclastic differentiation and on bone loss in ovarietomized (OVX) mice.
Osteoclastogenesis was determined by TRAP staining, F-actin ring formation, and bone resorption assay. NF-κB and MAPKs activation was analyzed by transfection assay and Western blot, respectively. Real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of osteoclastogenesis-related genes. Histological changes, increases in TRAP-positive cells, and cathepsin K expression were examined in the metaphysis of OVX mice. Density of bone marrow was evaluated by µCT.
SB inhibited the RANKL-induced differentiation of BMDMs into osteoclasts in a dose-dependent manner. F-actin ring formation and bone resorption were also reduced by SB in RANKL-treated BMDMs. In addition, SB decreased the activation of NF-κB and MAPKs and the expression of osteoclastogenesis-related genes in BMDMs treated with RANKL. Feeding of SB-included diet prevented bone loss in OVX mice. The number of TRAP-positive cells and level of protein expression of cathepsin K was reduced and bone mineral density was increased in the metaphysis of mice fed SB compared with OVX mice.
These findings suggest that SB can be a preventive and therapeutic candidate for destructive bone diseases.
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A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, alkalitolerant, and halophilic bacterium–designated as strain NKC3-5
T
–was isolated from kimchi that was collected from the Geumsan area in the Republic of Korea. ...Cells of isolated strain NKC3-5
T
were 0.5–0.7 μm wide and 1.4–2.8 μm long. The strain NKC3-5T could grow at up to 20.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 10%), pH 6.5–10.0 (optimum pH 9.0), and 25–40°C (optimum 35°C). The cells were able to reduce nitrate under aerobic conditions, which is the first report in the genus
Salicibibacter
. The genome size and genomic G + C content of strain NKC3-5
T
were 3,754,174 bp and 45.9 mol%, respectively; it contained 3,630 coding sequences, 16S rRNA genes (six 16S, five 5S, and five 23S), and 59 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA showed that strain NKC3-5
T
clustered with bacterium
Salicibibacter kimchii
NKC1-1
T
, with a similarity of 96.2–97.6%, but formed a distinct branch with other published species of the family
Bacillaceae
. In addition, OrthoANI value between strain NKC3-5
T
and
Salicibibacter kimchii
NKC1-1
T
was far lower than the species demarcation threshold. Using functional genome annotation, the result found that carbohydrate, amino acid, and vitamin metabolism related genes were highly distributed in the genome of strain NKC3-5
T
. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that strain NKC3-5
T
had 716 pan-genome orthologous groups (POGs), dominated with carbohydrate metabolism. Phylogenomic analysis based on the concatenated core POGs revealed that strain NKC3-5
T
was closely related to
Salicibibacter kimchii
. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified lipids. Anteiso-C
15:0
, iso-C
17:0
, anteiso-C
17:0
, and iso-C
15:0
were the major cellular fatty acids, and menaquinone-7 was the major isoprenoid quinone present in strain NKC3-5
T
. Cell wall peptidoglycan analysis of strain NKC3-5
T
showed that meso-diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid. The phephenotypic, genomic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic properties reveal that the strain represents a novel species of the genus
Salicibibacter
, for which the name
Salicibibacter halophilus
sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain NKC3-5
T
(= KACC 21230
T
= JCM 33437
T
).
Abstract Formaldehyde (FA) is an important substance that induces sick house syndrome and diseases, such as asthma and allergies. Oxidative stress is involved in the development of respiratory ...disease, and diverse antioxidants may protect respiratory tract cells from apoptosis. Peroxiredoxin is a pivotal endogenous antioxidant. In the present study, FA induced death in A549 cells, a lung epithelial cell line, in a dose-dependent manner. FA also increased lipid peroxide formation (LPO) in A549 cells, suggesting a role for oxidative stress. Additionally, FA decreased peroxiredoxin 2 (Prx 2) protein levels after a 24 or 48 h exposure to FA. We also examined whether the FA-induced decrease in Prx 2 was associated with apoptosis. Prx 2 overexpression protected against FA-induced cell apoptosis but not necrosis. Prx 2 overexpression blocked FA-induced increase in Bax, a pro-apoptotic molecule, and a decrease in Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic molecule. Prx 2 overexpression also protected against FA-induced activation of some special apoptosis-associated proteins caspase-3, caspase-9, and polypeptide poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Furthermore, we examined the signaling molecules involved in the FA-induced decrease in Prx 2 expression. The FA-induced decrease in Prx 2 and increase in cell apoptosis was restored by treatment with SB203580 a p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, but not by SP600125 a c-jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor. Also, FA-induced events were blocked by treatment with p38 siRNA, but not by scrambled siRNA. Indeed, FA increased p38 MAPK activation, suggesting a role for p38 MAPK in FA action. In conclusion, FA mediated apoptosis in lung epithelial cells by decreasing Prx 2 via p38 MAPK.
Lactobacillus johnsonii 7409N31 was isolated from the feces of a healthy 11-day-old Hanwoo calf from a farm in Geochang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. The genome of the strain was completely sequenced ...using the PacBio RSII sequencing system, and it was confirmed that it was composed of one circular chromosome. The size of the entire genome was 2,198,442 bp, and it had 35.01 mol% guanine + cytosine (G + C) content and 2,222 protein-coding sequences, 24 rRNA, 3 ncRNA, and 112 tRNA genes. Strain 7409N31 possessed genes encoding enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of both fibrous and non-fibrous carbohydrates. These data provide a comprehensive theoretical understanding for developing industrial probiotic feed additives that improve nutrient digestibility.
Five new constituents, 5,4′-dihydroxy-7,3′-dimethoxyflavone-4′-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(2a→1b)-2a-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(2b→1c)-2b-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-2c-octadecanoate (1), ...5,4′-dihydroxy-7,3′-dimethoxyflavone-4′-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2a→1b)-2a-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2b→1c)-2b-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2c→1d)-2c-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-2d-octadecanoate (2), kaempferol-3-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2a→1b)-2a-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2b→1c)-2b-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2c→1d)-2c-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-2d-hexadecanoate (3), methyl salicylate-2-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2a→1b)-2a-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2b→1c)-2b-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2c→1d)-2c-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2d→1e)-2d-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2e→1f)-2e-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2f→1g)-2f-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-(2g→1h)-2g-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-2h-geranilan-8′,10′-dioic acid-1′-oate (4), and oleioyl-β-d-arabinoside (5), along with eight known compounds, were isolated from a methanol extract of Oryza sativa straw. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopies in combination with IR, ESI/MS, and HR-ESI/FTMS. In bioassays with blue-green algae, the efficacies of the algicidal activities of the five new compounds (1–5) were evaluated at concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 mg/L. Compound 5 had the highest growth inhibition (92.6 ± 0.3%) for Microcystis aeruginosa UTEX 2388 at a concentration of 100 ppm (mg/L). Compound 5 has high potential for the ecofriendly control of weeds and algae harmful to water-logged rice.
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