Analysis of Skin Humidity Variation Between Sasang Types

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between variations in skin humidity (SH) induced by perspiration across Sasang types and to identify novel and effective Sasang classification factors. We also analyzed the responses of each Sasang type to sweating-related QSCC II items. The results revealed a significant difference in SH across gender and significant differences in SH before and after perspiration between Tae-Eum and So-Eum men. In addition, Tae-Eum women showed significant differences in SH compared with women classified as another Sasang type. Furthermore, evaluation of the items related to sweating in the QSCC II and their relationship to each constitution revealed a significant difference between Tae-Eum and other Sasang types. Overall, the results of this study indicate that there is a distinct SH difference following perspiration between Tae-Eum and other Sasang types. Such findings may aid in Sasang typology diagnostic testing with the support of further sophisticated clinical studies

Ethylene Inhibitors Enhance Shoot Organogenesis of Gloxinia ( Sinningia speciosa

Shoot organogenesis and plant regeneration in Sinningia speciosa were improved using ethylene inhibitors. The leaf explants were cultured on initial shoot regeneration media (MS media with BAP at 2 mg/L + NAA at 0.1 mg/L) supplemented with different concentrations of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), cobalt chloride (CoCl2), and silver thiosulphate (STS). The addition of AVG, CoCl2, and STS significantly improved the regeneration frequency giving higher shoots per explant and longer shoot length. The highest shoot growth was found when STS at 5 mg/L was incorporated with generation medium, performing highest regeneration frequency with highest number of shoots. This treatment (STS at 5 mg/L) produced 40% more shoots per explant compared to control followed by STS at 10 mg/L with increasing 37% more shoots compared to control. In the cases of AVG and CoCl2 the highest shoot number per explant was found at 1 mg/L. Treated with AVG and CoCl2 at 1 mg/L increased shoot number by 16 and 12%, respectively, compared to control. Ethylene inhibitors could be used as a possible micropropagation and plant transformation protocol in S. speciosa for plant regenerations

Multilayer fabrication of unobtrusive poly(dimethylsiloxane) nanobrush for tunable cell adhesion

Precise modulation of polymer brush in its thickness and grafting density can cause unexpected cell behaviors and regulated bioactivities. Herein, a nanoscale poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) brush was employed to use as a controllable material for cell adhesion. Facile fabrication of ultrathin monolayer PDMS nanobrush on an underlying substrate facilitated regaining cell adhesion through long-range cell attractive forces such as the van der Waals forces. We showed that cell adhesion is diminished by increasing the number of nanobrush layers, causing a gradual decrease of the effectiveness of the long-range force. The result demonstrates that ultrathin PDMS nanobrush can either promote or inhibit cell adhesion, which is required for various biomedical fields such as tissue-engineering, anti-fouling coating, and implantable biomaterials and sensors

Incidental thyroid lesions detected by FDG-PET/CT: prevalence and risk of thyroid cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Incidentally found thyroid lesions are frequently detected in patients undergoing FDG-PET/CT. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of incidentally found thyroid lesions in patients undergoing FDG-PET/CT and determine the risk for thyroid cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>FDG-PET/CT was performed on 3,379 patients for evaluation of suspected or known cancer or cancer screening without any history of thyroid cancer between November 2003 and December 2005. Medical records related to the FDG-PET/CT findings including maximum SUV(SUV_max) and pattern of FDG uptake, US findings, FNA, histopathology received by operation were reviewed retrospectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred eighty five patients (8.4%) were identified to have FDG uptake on FDG-PET/CT. 99 patients with focal or diffuse FDG uptake underwent further evaluation. The cancer risk of incidentally found thyroid lesions on FDG-PET/CT was 23.2% (22/99) and the cancer risks associated with focal and diffuse FDG uptake were 30.9% and 6.4%. There was a significant difference in the SUV_maxbetween the benign and malignant nodules (3.35 ± 1.69 vs. 6.64 ± 4.12; P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the SUV_maxand the size of the cancer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that incidentally found thyroid lesions by FDG-PET/CT, especially a focal FDG uptake and a high SUV, have a high risk of thyroid malignancy. Further diagnostic work-up is needed in these cases.</p

Pentoxifylline Attenuates Methionine- and Choline-Deficient-Diet-Induced Steatohepatitis by Suppressing TNF- α

Background. Pentoxifylline (PTX) anti-TNF properties are known to exert hepatoprotective effects in various liver injury models. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PTX has beneficial roles in the development of methionine- and choline-deficient-(MCD-) diet-induced NAFLD SD rats in vivo and TNF-α-induced Hep3B cells in vitro. Methods. SD Rats were classified according to diet (chow or MCD diet) and treatment (normal saline or PTX injection) over a period of 4 weeks: group I (chow + saline, n=4), group II (chow + PTX), group III (MCD + saline), and group IV (MCD + PTX). Hep3B cells were treated with 100 ng/ml TNF-α (24 h) in the absence or presence of PTX (1 mM). Results. PTX attenuated MCD-diet-induced serum ALT levels and hepatic steatosis. In real-time PCR and western blotting analysis, PTX decreased MCD-diet-induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression and proapoptotic unfolded protein response by ER stress (GRP78, p-eIF2, ATF4, IRE1α, CHOP, and p-JNK activation) in vivo. PTX (1 mM) reduced TNF-α-induced activation of GRP78, p-eIF2, ATF4, IRE1α, and CHOP in vitro. Conclusion. PTX has beneficial roles in the development of MCD-diet-induced steatohepatitis through partial suppression of TNF-α and ER stress

Comprehensive Proteome Profiling of Platelet Identified a Protein Profile Predictive of Responses to An Antiplatelet Agent Sarpogrelate

Sarpogrelate is an antiplatelet agent widely used to treat arterial occlusive diseases. Evaluation of platelet aggregation is essential to monitor therapeutic effects of sarpogrelate. Currently, no molecular signatures are available to evaluate platelet aggregation. Here, we performed comprehensive proteome profiling of platelets collected from 18 subjects before and after sarpogrelate administration using LC-MS/MS analysis coupled with extensive fractionation. Of 5423 proteins detected, we identified 499 proteins affected by sarpogrelate and found that they strongly represented cellular processes related to platelet activation and aggregation, including cell activation, coagulation, and vesicle-mediated transports. Based on the network model of the proteins involved in these processes, we selected three proteins (cut-like homeobox 1; coagulation factor XIII, B polypeptide; and peptidylprolyl isomerase D) that reflect the platelet aggregation-related processes after confirming their alterations by sarpogrelate in independent samples using Western blotting. Our proteomic approach provided a protein profile predictive of therapeutic effects of sarpogrelate. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.1

A Protein Profile of Visceral Adipose Tissues Linked to Early Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Adipose tissue is increasingly recognized as an endocrine organ playing important pathophysiological roles in metabolic abnormalities, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), as opposed to subcutaneous adipose tissue, is closely linked to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and T2DM. Despite the importance of VAT, its molecular signatures related to the pathogenesis of T2DM have not been systematically explored. Here, we present comprehensive proteomic analysis of VATs in drug-naïve early T2DM patients and subjects with normal glucose tolerance. A total of 4,707 proteins were identified in LC-MS/MS experiments. Among them, 444 increased in abundance in T2DM and 328 decreased. They are involved in T2DM-related processes including inflammatory responses, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, and glucose metabolism. Of these proteins, we selected 11 VAT proteins that can represent alteration in early T2DM patients. Among them, up-regulation of FABP4, C1QA, S100A8, and SORBS1 and down-regulation of ACADL and PLIN4 were confirmed in VAT samples of independent early T2DM patients using Western blot. In summary, our profiling provided a comprehensive basis for understanding the link of a protein profile of VAT to early pathogenesis of T2DM. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.1