Capsaicin is known to have tumor suppressive effects. However, the molecular mechanisms and targets of capsaicin involved in exerting anticancer activity are complex and remain to be clarified. The ...aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of capsaicin on human gastric cancer cells (AGS cells) and demonstrate that capsaicin induced apoptosis in AGS cells. Results of the MTT assay and flow cytometry revealed that capsaicin potentially inhibited the proliferation of AGS cells and induced apoptosis in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Cleaved caspase-3 was increased and Bcl-2 was reduced by treatment with capsaicin in AGS cells. Capsaicin treatment decreased the expression of phosphorylated ERK 1/2, p38 MAPK or JNK in AGS cells. The results of this study suggest that capsaicin may serve as an anti-tumorigenic agent in human gastric cancer.
Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae Kitam is an endemic and endangered species in urgent need of a comprehensive conservation strategy.
To develop an efficient cryopreservation protocol using in vitro ...shoot tips to complement traditional conservation approaches in case seeds are not available or insufficient for conservation programs.
Shoot tips of in vitro plants were cryopreserved using a droplet-vitrification method following improvement of pre-culture, osmoprotection, vitrification solution (VS), unloading and post-culture treatments. The starting protocol included step-wise pre-culture with 10% and 17.5% sucrose for 55 h and 17 h, respectively, followed by osmoprotection with C4-35% (17.5% glycerol + 17.5% sucrose) for 30 min, and cryoprotection with B5-80% (40% glycerol + 40% sucrose) for 60 min.
Shoot tips of A. altaicus were found to be moderately sensitive to the osmotic stress. Pre-culture and osmoprotection were not critical for the regeneration of cryopreserved explants when either of these treatments was applied. Osmoprotection with C4-35% on ice for 60 min followed by cryoprotection with A3-80%, a modified and diluted PVS2, on ice for 60 min resulted in the highest (65.3%) regeneration of cryopreserved shoot tips. Among alternative VSs tested, A3-80% and B5-80% were superior to PVS2 and PVS3 used under the same conditions. Step-wise recovery of shoot tips on ammonium-free medium followed by GA
-containing medium and medium without growth regulators were critical for the normal regeneration of both VS-treated and cryopreserved shoot tips.
Cryopreservation of in vitro shoot tips using droplet-vitrification was developed as a complementary conservation approach for A. altaicus. Adjustment of the composition of regrowth media depending on recovery stage was important for the regeneration of healthy plants from cryopreserved shoot tips.
To address the lack of awareness on environmental values, this study estimates the environmental value of mountain ranges (Jeongmaek) connected to the Baekdudaegan mountain system in South Korea. ...Seven Jeongmaek are studied during 2011–2016 using a questionnaire survey and the contingent valuation method. Based on willingness to pay (WTP) for biodiversity, this study finds that the lowest estimated WTP was KRW 5813 for Geumbuk and Hannam-Geumbuk Jeongmaek, and the highest value was KRW 120,471 for Hanbuk Jeongmaek. These differences in WTP appear to be significantly determined by education level and number of visits of respondents.
The effects of 3-(4′-hydroxyl-3′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HDMPPA) originating from Korean cabbage kimchi were investigated, showing an antioxidant effect on the prevention of ...atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Twenty-one 3-month-old rabbits were fed an atherogenic diet containing 0.5% (w/w) cholesterol and 10% (w/w) coconut oil, whereas another two groups were given an atherogenic diet with intravenous injection of either HDMPPA or simvastatin (0.33 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. HDMPPA inhibited the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (IC50 = 1.4 µg/mL) and increased 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.78 µg/mL) in a dose-dependent manner. In hypercholesterolemic rabbits, the thickness of intima of aorta of the HDMPPA group was significantly reduced (control versus HDMPPA, 42%; simvastatin, 38%) without a plasma cholesterol-lowering effect. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance formation in the plasma of the HDMPPA group was significantly decreased compared to that of the control group. Furthermore, the generation of vascular reactive oxygen species in HDMPPA group was suppressed as the cyclooxygenase-2 protein level decreased. These findings suggest that HDMPPA prevents the development of aortic atherosclerosis in high-cholesterol-fed rabbits. The antiatherosclerotic effect of HDMPPA may be due to an antioxidative effect at a low dose without cholesterol-lowering effects.
We used gene targeting in mice to insert a His(6)-tagged mouse c-Myc cDNA, Myc(His), head to head into the mouse immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus, Igh, just 5' of the intronic enhancer, Emu. The ...insertion of Myc(His) mimicked both the human t(8;14)(q24;q32) translocation that results in the activation of MYC in human endemic Burkitt lymphomas and the homologous mouse T(12;15) translocation that deregulates Myc in certain mouse plasmacytomas. Beginning at the age of 6 months, Myc(His) transgenic mice developed B-cell and plasma neoplasms, such as IgM(+) lymphoblastic B-cell lymphomas, Bcl-6(+) diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and CD138(+) plasmacytomas, with an overall incidence of 68% by 21 months. Molecular studies of lymphoblastic B-cell lymphoma, the most prevalent neoplasm (50% of all tumors), showed that the lymphomas were clonal, overexpressed Myc(His), and exhibited the P2 to P1 promoter shift in Myc expression, a hallmark of MYC/Myc deregulation in human endemic Burkitt lymphoma and mouse plasmacytoma. Only 1 (6.3%) of 16 lymphoblastic B-cell lymphomas contained a BL-typical point mutation in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of Myc(His), suggesting that most of these tumors are derived from naive, pregerminal center B cells. Twelve (46%) of 26 lymphoblastic B-cell lymphomas exhibited changes in the p19(Arf)-Mdm2-p53 tumor suppressor axis, an important pathway for Myc-dependent apoptosis. We conclude that Myc(His) insertion into Igh predictably induces B-cell and plasma-cell tumors in mice, providing a valuable mouse model for understanding the transformation-inducing consequences of the MYC/Myc-activating endemic Burkitt lymphoma t(8;14)/plasmacytoma T(12;15) translocation.
We evaluated the clinical outcome of tendon reconstruction using tendon graft or
tendon transfer and the parameters related to clinical outcome in 51 wrists of
46 patients with rheumatoid arthritis ...with finger extensor tendon ruptures. At a
mean follow-up of 5.6 years, the mean metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint extension
lag was 8° (range, 0–45) and the mean visual analogue
satisfaction scale was 74 (range, 10–100). Clinical outcome did not
differ significantly between tendon grafting and tendon transfer. The MP joint
extension lag correlated with the patient’s satisfaction score, but
the pulp-to-palm distance did not correlate with patient satisfaction. We
conclude that both tendon grafting and tendon transfer are reliable
reconstruction methods for ruptured finger extensor tendons in rheumatoid
hands.
Purpose To compare the clinical and radiologic results of partial meniscectomy with those of refixation in patients with medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRTs) at a minimum 5-year follow-up. ...Methods Between 2005 and 2009, patients with MMPRTs who had been followed up for at least 5 years after a partial meniscectomy (group M, n = 20) or pullout repair (group R, n = 37) were recruited. The mean follow-up duration was 67.5 months in group M and 72.0 months in group R. Clinical assessments, including the Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form score, and radiographic assessments, including the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade and medial joint space width, were evaluated preoperatively and at final follow-up. We compared the preoperative results with the final results in each group, and we compared the final results of groups M and R. Five-year survival rates were also evaluated. Results The mean Lysholm score ( P = .039) and IKDC score ( P = .037) improved significantly. However, the width of the medial joint space ( P < .001) and K-L grade ( P < .001) worsened significantly in both groups. When we compared the final results, group R had significantly better Lysholm scores ( P = .002) and IKDC scores ( P < .001) than group M. Group R showed less K-L grade progression ( P = .005) and less medial joint space narrowing ( P < .001) than group M. The rate of conversion to total knee arthroplasty was 35% in group M, whereas there was no conversion to total knee arthroplasty in group R. The 5-year survival rates in groups M and R were 75% and 100%, respectively ( P < .001). Conclusions For MMPRTs, refixation was more effective than partial meniscectomy in terms of the clinical and radiologic outcomes and survival for at least 5 years' follow-up. Refixation slowed the progression of arthritic changes compared with partial meniscectomy, although it did not prevent the progression of arthrosis completely. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Two cysteine protease families, caspase and calpain, are known to participate in cell death. We investigated whether a stress‐specific protease activation pathway exists, and to what extent Bcl‐2 ...plays a role in preventing drug‐induced protease activity and cell death in a dopaminergic neuronal cell line, MN9D. Staurosporine (STS) induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis while a dopaminergic neurotoxin, MPP+ largely induced caspase‐independent necrotic cell death as determined by morphological and biochemical criteria including cytochrome c release and fluorogenic caspase cleavage assay. At the late stage of both STS‐ and MPP+‐induced cell death, Bax was cleaved into an 18‐kDa fragment. This 18‐kDa fragment appeared only in the mitochondria‐enriched heavy membrane fraction of STS‐treated cells, whereas it was detected exclusively in the cytosolic fraction of MPP+‐treated cells. This proteolytic cleavage of Bax appeared to be mediated by calpain as determined by incubation with 35Smethionine‐labelled Bax. Thus, cotreatment of cells with calpain inhibitor blocked both MPP+‐ and STS‐induced Bax cleavage. Intriguingly, overexpression of baculovirus‐derived inhibiting protein of caspase, p35 or cotreatment of cells with caspase inhibitor blocked STS‐ but not MPP+‐induced Bax cleavage. This appears to indicate that calpain activation may be either dependent or independent of caspase activation within the same cells. However, cotreatment with calpain inhibitor rescued cells from MPP+‐induced but not from STS‐induced neuronal cell death. In these paradigms of dopaminergic cell death, overexpression of Bcl‐2 prevented both STS‐ and MPP+‐induced cell death and its associated cleavage of Bax. Thus, our results suggest that Bcl‐2 may play a protective role by primarily blocking drug‐induced caspase or calpain activity in dopaminergic neuronal cells.
Toxic doping gases are usually used to produce hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers in thin-film solar cells (TFSCs). Hence, an alternative structure that avoids the use of toxic gases is ...desirable. In this work, we replaced both the p-type-a-Si:H and n-type-a-Si:H layers simultaneously in a normal TFSC to form a structure that is dopant-free. Molybdenum oxide (MoO3) and lithium fluoride were used as the p-type and n-type layers, respectively. The effects of the deposition method and the thickness of the MoO3 layer on the device performance were investigated. The power-conversion efficiency of the optimized hybrid solar cell reached a maximum of 7.08%, which is remarkable considering the novel structure of the dopant-free devices. The light stability of the devices with and without MoO3 was also compared: the light stability of the device with MoO3 was found to be much better than that of the device without MoO3 and with p-i-n Si layers. This was ascribed to the insignificant number of defect sites generated by the nondoping elements, which led to a less contaminated, more compact, and smoother oxide surface, resulting in an increase in the electron lifetime and improved light stability. This work opens up a new direction toward the development of a truly dopant-free device that does not involve the use of toxic gases during fabrication and provides the potential for further enhancement of the efficiency of future dopant-free solar cells.
Domino kidney paired donation (KPD) is a method by which an altruistic living nondirected donor (LND) is allocated to a pool of incompatible donor–recipient pairs (DRP) and a series of KPDs is ...initiated. To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of multicenter domino KPD, we retrospectively analyzed a cohort of DRPs who underwent domino KPD between February 2001 and July 2007 at one of 16 transplant centers. One hundred seventy‐nine kidney transplants were performed, with 70 domino chains initiated by altruistic LND. There were 45 two‐pair chains, 15 three‐pair chains, 7 four‐pair chains, 2 five‐pair chains and 1 six‐pair chain. A majority of donors were spouses (47.5%) or altruistic LNDs (39.1%). DRPs with a blood type O recipient or an AB donor comprised 45.9% of transplanted DRPs. HLA mismatch improved in transplanted donors compared to intended donors in pairs enrolled to improve HLA mismatch (3.4 ± 0.7 vs. 4.8 ± 1.0, p < 0.001). One‐year and 5‐year graft survival rates were 98.3% and 87.7%, respectively, with a median follow‐up of 46 months. One‐year and 5‐year patient survival rates were 97.2% and 90.8%, respectively. In conclusion, multicenter domino KPD could multiply the benefits of donation from LNDs, with patients and graft survival rates comparable to those seen with conventional KPD.
Multi‐center domino‐kidney paired donation in Korea could multiply the benefits of donation from living nondirected donors.
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