C5 Extract Induces Apoptosis in B16F10 Murine Melanoma Cells through Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathways and Sub-G1 Phase Arrest

Purpose: To investigate the anti-cancer activities of C5 extract (C5E), a new herbal preparation from Korea, on B16F10 cells.Methods: The anti-proliferative effects of C5E were assessed by culturing B16F10 cells in the presence or absence of C5E. Cell cycle progression was analyzed by PI staining using flow cytometry. The quantities of apoptosis-inducing proteins were measured by Western blot.Results: C5E inhibited the proliferation of B16F10 cells but not human keratinocytes. C5E induced S phase arrest by interfering with cell regulatory factors such as cyclins B1, D1, D3, and E, and cyclindependent kinase 2, in B16F10 cells. Furthermore, immunoblot analysis confirmed that treatment with C5E induced apoptosis and cleaved caspase-3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, via extrinsic pathway, whereas Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated. In addition, the suppression of cell proliferation by C5E is through down-regulation of p-Akt, up-regulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog protein expression via phosphoinositol 3 kinase survival signaling pathways in B16F10 cells. The combined cytotoxic effects of C5E and vinblastine generated 10 % increase in activity in contrast to the sum of the inhibitory effects of the individual agents.Conclusion: C5E shows promising anti-cancer activity and can be a useful adjuvant with vinblastine in combination therapeutic treatment of skin cancer.Keywords: Melanoma, Apoptosis, Anti-cancer, p53, Vinblastine, Cell cycle arrest, Caspas

Unassisted photoelectrochemical water splitting exceeding 7% solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency using photon recycling

Various tandem cell configurations have been reported for highly efficient and spontaneous hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical solar water splitting. However, there is a contradiction between two main requirements of a front photoelectrode in a tandem cell configuration, namely, high transparency and high photocurrent density. Here we demonstrate a simple yet highly effective method to overcome this contradiction by incorporating a hybrid conductive distributed Bragg reflector on the back side of the transparent conducting substrate for the front photoelectrochemical electrode, which functions as both an optical filter and a conductive counter-electrode of the rear dye-sensitized solar cell. The hybrid conductive distributed Bragg reflectors were designed to be transparent to the long-wavelength part of the incident solar spectrum (lambda>500 nm) for the rear solar cell, while reflecting the short-wavelength photons (lambda<500 nm) which can then be absorbed by the front photoelectrochemical electrode for enhanced photocurrent generation.114129Ysciescopu

Personality Factors Predicting Smartphone Addiction Predisposition: Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Systems, Impulsivity, and Self-control

The purpose of this study was to identify personality factor-associated predictors of smartphone addiction predisposition (SAP). Participants were 2,573 men and 2,281 women (n = 4,854) aged 20-49 years (Mean +/- SD: 33.47 +/- 7.52); participants completed the following questionnaires: the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (K-SAPS) for adults, the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System questionnaire (BIS/BAS), the Dickman Dysfunctional Impulsivity Instrument (DDII), and the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS). In addition, participants reported their demographic information and smartphone usage pattern (weekday or weekend average usage hours and main use). We analyzed the data in three steps: (1) identifying predictors with logistic regression, (2) deriving causal relationships between SAP and its predictors using a Bayesian belief network (BN), and (3) computing optimal cut-off points for the identified predictors using the Youden index. Identified predictors of SAP were as follows: gender (female), weekend average usage hours, and scores on BAS-Drive, BAS-Reward Responsiveness, DDII, and BSCS. Female gender and scores on BAS-Drive and BSCS directly increased SAP. BAS-Reward Responsiveness and DDII indirectly increased SAP. We found that SAP was defined with maximal sensitivity as follows: weekend average usage hours > 4.45, BAS-Drive > 10.0, BAS-Reward Responsiveness > 13.8, DDII > 4.5, and BSCS > 37.4. This study raises the possibility that personality factors contribute to SAP. And, we calculated cut-off points for key predictors. These findings may assist clinicians screening for SAP using cut-off points, and further the understanding of SA risk factors.111413Ysciescopu

Is lymphovascular invasion a powerful predictor for biochemical recurrence in pT3 N0 prostate cancer?: Results from the K-CaP database

To assess the impact of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) on the risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) in pT3 N0 prostate cancer, clinical data were extracted from 1,622 patients with pT3 N0 prostate cancer from the K-CaP database. Patients with neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (n = 325) or insufficient pathologic or follow-up data (n = 87) were excluded. The primary endpoint was the oncologic importance of LVI, and the secondary endpoint was the hierarchical relationships for estimating BCR between the evaluated variables. LVI was noted in 260 patients (21.5%) and was significantly associated with other adverse clinicopathologic features. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, LVI was significantly associated with an increased risk of BCR after adjusting for known prognostic factors. In the Bayesian belief network analysis, LVI and pathologic Gleason score were found to be first-degree associates of BCR, whereas prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, seminal vesicle invasion, perineural invasion, and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia were considered second-degree associates. In the random survival forest, pathologic Gleason score, LVI, and PSA level were three most important variables in determining BCR of patients with pT3 N0 prostate cancer. In conclusion, LVI is one of the most powerful adverse prognostic factors for BCR in patients with pT3 N0 prostate cancer.1132Ysciescopu

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Prephase Steroid Treatment before Remission Induction Chemotherapy in Patients with Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Using Common Data Model-Based Real-World Data: A Retrospective Observational Study

Yoona Choi,1,2,&ast; Bo Kyung Kim,3,4,&ast; Jung-Hyun Won,2,5 Jae Won Yoo,6 Wona Choi,7 Surin Jung,7 Jae Yoon Kim,7,8 In Young Choi,7 Nack-Gyun Chung,6 Jae Wook Lee,6 Jung Yoon Choi,3,4 Hyoung Jin Kang,3,4,9 Howard Lee1,2,5,10,11 1Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Center for Convergence Approaches in Drug Development, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 4Seoul National University Cancer Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 5Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 6Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 7Department of Medical Informatics, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 8Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 9Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 10Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology, Suwon, Republic of Korea; 11Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Howard Lee, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea, Email [email protected] Hyoung Jin Kang, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea, Email [email protected]: Rapid reduction of leukemic cells in the bone marrow during remission induction chemotherapy (RIC) can lead to significant complications such as tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). We investigated whether prephase steroid treatment before RIC could decrease TLS incidence and improve overall survival in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Methods: Data were extracted from the Common Data Model databases in two tertiary-care hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Patients were classified into the treated or untreated group if they had received RIC with prephase steroid treatment ≥ 7 days before RIC in 2012– 2021 or not, respectively. Stabilized Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (sIPTW) was applied to ensure compatibility between the treated and untreated groups. The incidence of TLS within 14 days of starting RIC, overall survival (OS), and the incidence of adverse events of special interest were the primary endpoints. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed.Results: Baseline characteristics were effectively balanced between the treated (n=308.4) and untreated (n=246.6) groups after sIPTW. Prephase steroid treatment was associated with a significant 88% reduction in the risk of TLS (OR 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03– 0.41). OS was numerically greater in the treated group than in the untreated group although the difference was not statistically significant (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.25– 1.64). The treated group experienced significantly elevated risks for hyperbilirubinemia and hyperglycemia. The reduction in TLS risk by prephase steroid treatment was maintained in all of the sensitivity analyses.Conclusion: Prephase steroid treatment for ≥ 7 days before RIC in pediatric patients with ALL reduces the risk of TLS, while careful monitoring for toxicities is necessary. If adequately analyzed, real-world data can provide crucial effectiveness and safety information for proper management of pediatric patients with ALL, for whom prospective randomized studies may be difficult to perform for ethical and practical reasons.Keywords: pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, tumor lysis syndrome, remission induction chemotherapy, prephase steroid treatment, common data mode

Direct nitrogen fixation at the edges of graphene nanoplatelets as efficient electrocatalysts for energy conversion

Nitrogen fixation is essential for the synthesis of many important chemicals (e.g., fertilizers, explosives) and basic building blocks for all forms of life (e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA, amino acids for proteins). However, direct nitrogen fixation is challenging as nitrogen (N2) does not easily react with other chemicals. By dry ball-milling graphite with N2, we have discovered a simple, but versatile, scalable and eco-friendly, approach to direct fixation of N2 at the edges of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs). The mechanochemical cracking of graphitic C-C bonds generated active carbon species that react directly with N2 to form five- and six-membered aromatic rings at the broken edges, leading to solution-processable edge-nitrogenated graphene nanoplatelets (NGnPs) with superb catalytic performance in both dye-sensitized solar cells and fuel cells to replace conventional Pt-based catalysts for energy conversion.open302

C-Kit Binding Properties of Hesperidin (a Major Component of KMP6) as a Potential Anti-Allergic Agent

Accumulation of mast cells can be causally related to several allergic inflammations. Stem cell factor (SCF) as a mast cell chemotaxin induces mast cell migration. To clarify a new effect of Pyeongwee-San extract (KMP6, a drug for indigestion) for the treatment of allergy, we investigated the effects of KMP6 on SCF-induced migration of rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). A molecular docking simulation showed that hesperidin, a major component of KMP6, controls the SCF and c-kit binding by interaction with the active site of the c-kit. KMP6 and hesperidin significantly inhibited SCF-induced migration of RPMCs (P<0.05). The ability of the SCF to enhance morphological alteration and F-actin formation was also abolished by treatment with KMP6 or hesperidin. KMP6 and hesperidin inhibited SCF-induced p38 MAPK activation. In addition, SCF-induced inflammatory cytokine production was significantly inhibited by treatment with KMP6 or hesperidin (P<0.05). Our results show for the first time that KMP6 potently regulates SCF-induced migration, p38 MAPK activation and inflammatory cytokines production through hindrance of SCF and c-kit binding in RPMCs. Such modulation may have functional consequences during KMP6 treatment, especially mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation disorders