Modulation of A375 human melanoma cell proliferation and apoptosis by nitric oxide

The present study aimed to assess the effect of NO• on melanoma A375 cell growth and apoptotic cell death. Trypan blue exclusion assay was employed to detect the cytotoxicity induced by controlled steady-state concentrations (given in µM • min) of NO•. The characteristics of the cellular cell cycle and apoptosis in NO•-treated A375 cells were also analyzed by Annexin V/PI and DNA fragmentation assays. Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (p53, Bax, Fas, DR5, caspase-3 and -9, and PARP). When exposed to preformed 100% NO• for 8 h reactor system, a cumulative dose of 3360 μM • min reduced the viability by 22% 24 h after treatment and promoted apoptosis, 2.9- and 12.2-folds 24 and 48 h after treatment higher than the argon control, respectively. Cell cycle analysis 48 h after treatment revealed S-phase arrest in cells treated with 3360 μM • min NO•. It was also observed that the expression of p53, DR5, caspase 9 and PARP increased significantly upon NO• treatment. In addition, the present study assessed the inhibitory effects of endogenous NO• on the proliferation of human melanoma cells by employing specific (AMG, 1400W and/or SMTC) and nonspecific (NMA) NO• synthase (NOS) inhibitors resulting in melanoma cell growth inhibition; the highest cytotoxic effect was seen when inducible NOS inhibition by 1 mM 1400W treatment. Collectively, the present data suggest that NO• is involved in a key mechanism limiting melanoma proliferation and apoptosis, which may play in improving the efficacy of melanoma treatment

Reliability of DEXA on Body Composition in Korean Athletes

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of DEXA for measuring body composition in Korean Athletes. METHODS: Twenty-nine athletes (n=29) registered for the college athlete program voluntarily participated in the study. Participants’ height and weight were measured, and BMI (Body Mass Index) was calculated before the participants’ body composition was measured. Muscle mass (kg), lean mass (kg), bone mineral density (BMC) (g·cm-2), and total fat mass (kg) of each participant was assessed by DEXA lunar DPX-L (GE Lunar, Madison, USA) for four times within a day to examine the difference by time frames. Four trials consist of ‘early in the morning × 2 with fasting’ with 30min break between two trials, ‘after lunch × 2’ with 30 min break between the two trials. Intra-class correlation (ICC) was conducted for overall reliability (p\u3c0.05) and a repeated measure ANOVA was performed to compare the difference of each trial (p\u3c0.05). RESULTS: The mean ± SD of muscle mass, lean mass, BMC, and fat mass was 56.4 ± 4.6kg, 59.4 ± 5.0kg, 2.3 ± 0.4g·cm-2, and 9.3 ± 4.8kg respectively. Each trail (mean ± SD) of muscle mass were 56.4 ± 4.7kg, 56.1 ± 4.8kg, 56.5 ± 4.6kg, and 56.4 ± 4.7kg, respectively, lean mass were 59.4 ± 5.1kg, 59.2 ± 5.1kg, 59.5 ± 5.0kg, and 59.4 ± 5.0kg, respectively, BMC were 3.0 ± 0.4g·cm-2, 3.0 ± 0.4g·cm-2, 3.0 ± 0.4g·cm- 2, and 3.0 ± 0.4g·cm-2, respectively, and fat mass were 9.3 ± 4.9kg, 9.2 ± 4.8kg, 9.3 ± 4.9kg, and 9.3 ± 4.9kg, respectively. Reliability of the ICC test showed strong agreement on muscle mass (r=0. 994 and p\u3c0.0001), lean mass (r=0. 995 and p\u3c0.0001), BMC (r=0. 995 and p\u3c0.0001), and fat mass (r=0. 998 and p\u3c0.0001). Cronbach’s alpha were 0.99 (muscle mass), 0.99 (Lean Mass), 0.99 (BMC), and 1.00 (Fat mass). No significant difference between each trial was observed in fat mass (p\u3e0.36). However, there was a significant difference in muscle mass (p\u3c0.001), lean mass (p\u3c0.001), and BMC (p\u3c0.04). CONCLUSION: Although all of the variables showed strong agreement on overall reliability from the ICC test, the reliability for the muscle mass, lean mass, and BMC showed significant differences in different time frame

Effects of nucleon resonances on η\eta photoproduction off the neutron reexamined

We investigate $\eta$ photoproduction off the neutron target, i.e., $\gamma n \to \eta n$, employing an effective Lagrangian method combining with a Regge approach. As a background, we consider nucleon exchange in the $s$-channel diagram and $\rho$- and $\omega$-meson Regge trajectories in the $t$ channel. The role of nucleon resonances given in the Review of Particle Data Group in the range of $W \approx 1500 - 2100$ MeV and the narrow nucleon resonance $N(1685,1/2^+)$ is extensively studied. The numerical results of the total and differential cross sections, double polarization observable $E$, and helicity-dependent cross sections $\sigma_{1/2}$, $\sigma_{3/2}$ are found to be in qualitative agreement with the recent A2 experimental data. The predictions of the beam asymmetry are also given.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure