Ginseng intake and Alzheimer disease-specific cognition in older adults according to apolipoprotein ε4 allele status

BackgroundThe probable association among ginseng intake, Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-specific cognition, and apolipoprotein ε4 (APOE4) remains poorly investigated. Hence, we examined the association between ginseng intake and AD-specific cognition in older adults under the moderating effect of APOE4 status.MethodsThis study enrolled 160 adults aged 65–90 years without dementia. All participants underwent comprehensive dietary and clinical assessments including ginseng intake, AD-related cognition (i.e., delayed episodic memory, as the earliest cognitive change in AD), and non-memory cognition for comparative purposes.ResultsGinseng intake was associated with higher delayed episodic memory, but not non-memory cognition, compared to no ginseng intake. The interaction between ginseng intake and APOE4 status had a significant effect on delayed episodic memory. Subgroup analyses showed that ginseng intake was associated with higher delayed episodic memory in the APOE4-negative but not the APOE4-positive subgroup. The benefits of ginseng intake on delayed episodic memory were prominent in the high duration (≥5 years) and midlife onset (<65 years) groups.ConclusionOur study of older adults with no dementia suggests that ginseng intake (with high duration and midlife onset) had a beneficial effect on AD-specific cognitive decline, i.e., the delayed episodic memory. In addition, APOE4 status moderates the association between ginseng intake status and AD-specific cognitive decline

Quality of life outcomes including neuropathy-associated scale from a phase II, multicenter, randomized trial of eribulin plus gemcitabine versus paclitaxel plus gemcitabine as first-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: Korean Cancer Study Group Trial (KCSG BR13-11)

Background A phase II clinical trial of the comparison between eribulin plus gemcitabine (EG) and paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (PG) as first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) found that the EG regimen was less neurotoxic, but was similar in efficacy to the PG regimen. In the present study, we analyzed functional assessment of cancer therapy-taxane (FACT-Taxane) questionnaires from patients in this clinical trial to determine their quality of life (QoL). Methods QoL was assessed using the Korean version of the FACT-Taxane questionnaires. After baseline assessment, QoL was assessed every 2 cycles for 12 cycles and every 3 cycles thereafter. The linear mixed model was used to evaluate the difference in QoL between the EG and PG arms. Results Of the 118 enrolled patients, 117 responded to the FACT-Taxane questionnaires at baseline, 1 in the PG arm did not. Baseline QoL scores were not different between the EG and PG arms. During treatment, taxane subscale scores were significantly higher in the PG arm than in the EG arm after 2–13 cycles of chemotherapy (all P < 0.05), except for the 11th cycle. Neuropathy-specific analysis showed that patients in the PG arm had earlier and more severe neuropathic symptoms than those in the EG arm (P < 0.001). Conclusions In our QoL analysis, the EG regimen delayed and decreased neuropathy as compared with the PG regimen. Therefore, eribulin would be a reasonable substitute for paclitaxel as first-line chemotherapy for MBC.This study was supported by Eisai Korea Inc. (supplied eribulin), Dong-A ST Co., Ltd. (supplied gemcitabine), and Samyang Biopharmaceuticals (supplied paclitaxel). This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (HA17C0055) and by the National R&D Program for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (1720150)

Large-scale genetic study in East Asians identifies six new loci associated with colorectal cancer risk

Known genetic loci explain only a small proportion of the familial relative risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted the largest genome-wide association study in East Asians with 14,963 CRC cases and 31,945 controls and identified six new loci associated with CRC risk (P = 3.42 × 10−8 to 9.22 × 10−21) at 10q22.3, 10q25.2, 11q12.2, 12p13.31, 17p13.3 and 19q13.2. Two of these loci map to genes (TCF7L2 and TGFB1) with established roles in colorectal tumorigenesis. Four other loci are located in or near genes involved in transcription regulation (ZMIZ1), genome maintenance (FEN1), fatty acid metabolism (FADS1 and FADS2), cancer cell motility and metastasis (CD9) and cell growth and differentiation (NXN). We also found suggestive evidence for three additional loci associated with CRC risk near genome-wide significance at 8q24.11, 10q21.1 and 10q24.2. Furthermore, we replicated 22 previously reported CRC loci. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of CRC and suggests new biological pathways

Substances of plant and fungal origins stimulatory to sexual reproduction in Phytophthora

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-111).Microfiche.ix, 113 leaves, bound ill. 29 cmStimulatory effect of phospholipids, lecithin and cephalin on sexual reproduction of Phytophthora cactorum was increased by purification with column chromatography or thin layer chromatography (TLC). Gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry analysis (MS) failed to detect sterols in the highly purified phospholipid samples. Trace amount of cholesterol added to the cephalin did not significantly changed the amount of oospores produced. Therefore, confirming the previous reports that sterols are not essential to sexual reproduction in pythiaceous fungi. Purification and identification of oospore stimulatory compounds from com oil and crude soybean lecithin were carried out by saponification, Florisil column chromatography, TLC, digitonin precipitation, high performance liquid chromatography and GC-MS analysis. Phytol, one of the compound identified from com oil, stimulated sexual reproduction of P. cactorum and P. parasitica. The minimum concentrations of phytol stimulatory to sexual reproduction of P. cactorum and P. parasitica were 0.002 ppm. Lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, and geraniol and squalene induced oospore formation of P. cactorum following purification on TLC. Purified palmitoleic acid was stimulatory to oospore formation of P. cactorum and P. parasitica. Retinol and its esters were also stimulatory to sexual reproduction of P. cactorum and P. parasitica. Nutrient deprivation or growth limitation induced sexual reproduction of P. cactorum cultured on basal medium. The fungus grown in solid or liquid basal medium formed oospores after being transferred to water agarose. Mycelial age, concentration of the basal medium and size of petri plate affected the number of oospores produced by P. cactorum. The non-saponifiables extracted from mycelia of P. cactorum cultured in liquid basal medium stimulated oospore formation of P. cactorum and P. parasitica, while the saponifiables were stimulatory to P. cactorum only. Over all results showed that many compounds commonly found in plants and fungi are stimulatory to sexual reproduction in pythiaceous fungi. The contention that this group of fungi has an absolute requirement of exogenous sterols is, therefore, refuted

Evaluation of Lettuce Germplasm Resistance to Gray Mold Disease for Organic Cultivations

This study was conducted to evaluate the resistance of 212 accessions of lettuce germplasm to gray mold disease caused by Botrytis cinerea. The lettuce germplasm were composed of five species: Lactuca sativa (193 accessions), L. sativa var. longifolia (2 accessions), L. sativa var. crispa (2 accessions), L. saligna (2 accessions), and L. serriola (1 accession); majority of these originated from Korea, Netherlands, USA, Russia, and Bulgaria. After 35 days of spray inoculation with conidial suspension (3×10⁷ conidia/ml) of B. cinerea on the surface of lettuce leaves, tested lettuce germplasm showed severe symptoms of gray mold disease. There were 208 susceptible accessions to B. cinerea counted with 100% of disease incidence and four resistant accessions, IT908801, K000598, K000599, and K021055. Two moderately resistant accessions of L. sativa, K021055 and IT908801, showed 20% of disease incidence of gray mold disease at 45 days after inoculation; and two accessions of L. saligna, K000598 and K000599, which are wild relatives of lettuce germplasm with loose-leaf type, showed complete resistance to B. cinerea. These four accessions are candidates for breeding lettuce cultivars resistant to gray mold disease

Prevalence and incidence of sarcoidosis in Korea: a nationwide population-based study

Abstract Background The prevalence and incidence of sarcoidosis varies worldwide. We estimated the prevalence and incidence of sarcoidosis in Korea using nationwide claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Methods Cases of sarcoidosis were identified for any visit between 2007 to 2016 that listed the Korean Classification of Disease, 7th edition code of sarcoidosis and rare incurable disease exempted calculation code. A narrow case definition was used as follows: 1) ≥ two sarcoidosis-coded visits within 1 year of the first claim, 2) no claims for other diseases that could form granuloma. Results A total of 4791 patients (narrow, n = 2388) visited medical institutions for sarcoidosis during the study period; 2999 patients (narrow, n = 1696) were newly identified between 2009 and 2015. The sarcoidosis prevalence was 9.37 per 105 people (narrow, 4.69) and was highest between ages 60–69 years. The incidence rate was 0.85 per 105 population at risk (narrow, 0.48), with the highest incidence rate between ages 50–59 years. For incident cases (mean age: 48.5 year), the age distribution in whole population and females showed monophasic patterns peaking at aged 50–59 years, while males had biphasic incidence peak at aged 30–39 years and 60–69 years. The annual incidence rates showed increasing trends from 0.85 per 105 population at risk in 2009 to 0.97 per 105 population at risk in 2015. Conclusions In comparison with previous reports, the prevalence and incidence of sarcoidosis in Korea have increased and middle-aged women showed the highest risk

Sorption and Biodegradation of Vapor-Phase Organic Compounds with Wastewater Sludge and Food Waste Compost

To test the possible use of composted food waste and wastewater sludge as biofilters to treat gas-phase volatile organic compounds (VOCs), batch experiments were conducted with an isolated strain that could degrade aromatic compounds under aerobic conditions. A benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE) mixture was used as the gas-phase pollutant in experiments with composted food waste, sludge, and soil. Under aerobic conditions, benzene was degraded as a primary substrate and TCE was degraded cometabolically, with water contents varying from 6 to 60% (volume of water added/volume of solid). Optimal water content for VOC removal was 12% for the soil, 36% for the composted food waste, and 48% for the sludge

SELECTION OF QUANTITATIVE RESISTANCE POTATO CLONES AGAINST PHYTOPHTHORA LATE BLIGHT IN KOREA

Incidence and progress of potato late blight largely depends on susceptibility of the host in organic farming cultivation. In susceptible hosts, the disease completely destroys whole leaves within two weeks in organic farming fields. However, potato leaves of 14 quantitative resistance hosts remained healthy for 5 weeks after the first symptom appearance in the susceptible host. Area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) of quantitative resistance host ranged from 37.5 to 112.5 and slowly expanded compared with that of susceptible host. On detached leaves assay, seven clones of quantitative resistance host did not produce any sporangia against three isolates collected from different areas in Korea. Physiological races of the pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, were diversified as R0, 1,3,4,5,7,10,11 in organic farming fields and the races distributed with similar patterns in different areas

Expression of <i>SLC5A5</i> in Circulating Tumor Cells May Distinguish Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas from Adenomas: Implications for Blood-Based Preoperative Diagnosis

Preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules reduces unnecessary surgery. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may contain information of primary tumor(s). We asked whether the peripheral blood expression of genes specific for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) differentiates benign thyroid nodules from malignant nodules. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from thyroid nodule patients (n = 20) were isolated preoperatively and the expression of seven CTC-associated genes was measured in patients with thyroid nodule(s) (n = 20). Among the tested genes, the expression of SLC5A5 and LGALS3 were validated in a larger number of patients (n = 64) and our results show that SLC5A5 expression differentiated follicular adenomas from follicular carcinomas (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.831). The expression of SLC5A5 in CTCs may preoperatively distinguish thyroid follicular adenomas from follicular carcinomas

Evaluation of Watermelon Germplasm for Resistance to Phytophthora Blight Caused by Phytophthora capsici

This study was conducted to determine the Phytophthora rot resistance of 514 accessions of watermelon germplasm, Citrullus lanatus var lanatus. About 46% of the 514 accessions tested were collections from Uzbekistan, Turkey, China, U.S.A., and Ukraine. Phytophthora capsici was inoculated to 45-day-old watermelon seedlings by drenching with 5 ml of sporangial suspension (10⁶ sporangia/ml). At 7 days after inoculation, 21 accessions showed no disease symptoms while 291 accessions of susceptible watermelon germplasm showed more than 60.1% disease severity. A total of 510 accessions of watermelon germplasm showed significant disease symptoms and were rated as susceptible to highly susceptible 35 days after inoculation. The highly susceptible watermelon germplasm exhibited white fungal hyphae on the lesion or damping off with water-soaked and browning symptoms. One accession (IT032840) showed moderate resistance and two accessions (IT185446 and IT187904) were resistant to P. capsici. Results suggest that these two resistant germplasm can be used as a rootstock and as a source of resistance in breeding resistant watermelon varieties against Phytophthora