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

Linearly Polarized Shaped Power Pattern Synthesis With Sidelobe and Cross-Polarization Control by Using Semidefinite Relaxation

© 1963-2012 IEEE. In this communication, the problem of synthesizing a linearly polarized shaped power pattern with accurate control on both sidelobe and cross-polarization (XP) levels is considered. For a user-defined desired polarization direction, the definitions of realizable co-polarization (COP) and XP directions for an arbitrary propagation direction in the shaped pattern are presented. With the help of such definitions, the considered problem is formulated as finding appropriate excitations so as to produce a shaped power pattern in which the realizable COP component meets prescribed lower and upper bounds, the realizable XP component and the total power pattern are less than their upper bounds in the regions of interest. The semidefinite relaxation method in the literature is then extended to solve this vectorial pattern synthesis problem. The proposed method can include the mutual coupling and platform effects by using vectorial active element patterns of an antenna array. A set of synthesis examples with different array geometries and radiation requirements are conducted to validate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method

Selenium nanoparticles as candidates for antibacterial substitutes and supplements against multidrug-resistant bacteria

In recent years, multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have increased rapidly, representing a major threat to human health. This problem has created an urgent need to identify alternatives for the treatment of MDR bacteria. The aim of this study was to identify the antibacterial activity of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and selenium nanowires (SeNWs) against MDR bacteria and assess the potential synergistic effects when combined with a conventional antibiotic (linezolid). SeNPs and SeNWs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential, and UV-visible analysis. The antibacterial effects of SeNPs and SeNWs were confirmed by the macro-dilution minimum inhibi-tory concentration (MIC) test. SeNPs showed MIC values against methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA), and vanco-mycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) at concentrations of 20, 80, 320, and >320 μg/mL, respectively. On the other hand, SeNWs showed a MIC value of >320 μg/mL against all tested bacteria. Therefore, MSSA, MRSA, and VRSA were selected for the bacteria to be tested, and SeNPs were selected as the antimicrobial agent for the following experiments. In the time-kill assay, SeNPs at a concentration of 4X MIC (80 and 320 μg/mL) showed bactericidal effects against MSSA and MRSA, respectively. At a concentration of 2X MIC (40 and 160 μg/mL), SeNPs showed bacteriostatic effects against MSSA and bactericidal effects against MRSA, respectively. In the synergy test, SeNPs showed a synergistic effect with linezolid (LZD) through protein degradation against MSSA and MRSA. In conclusion, these results suggest that SeNPs can be candidates for antibacterial substitutes and supplements against MDR bacteria for topical use, such as dressings. However, for use in clinical situations, additional experiments such as toxicity and synergistic mechanism tests of SeNPs are needed

Avoiding or restricting defectors in public goods games?

When creating a public good, strategies or mechanisms are required to handle defectors. We first show mathematically and numerically that prior agreements with posterior compensations provide a strategic solution that leads to substantial levels of cooperation in the context of public goods games, results that are corroborated by available experimental data. Notwithstanding this success, one cannot, as with other approaches, fully exclude the presence of defectors, raising the question of how they can be dealt with to avoid the demise of the common good. We show that both avoiding creation of the common good, whenever full agreement is not reached, and limiting the benefit that disagreeing defectors can acquire, using costly restriction mechanisms, are relevant choices. Nonetheless, restriction mechanisms are found the more favourable, especially in larger group interactions. Given decreasing restriction costs, introducing restraining measures to cope with public goods free-riding issues is the ultimate advantageous solution for all participants, rather than avoiding its creation.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

How the other half lives: CRISPR-Cas's influence on bacteriophages

CRISPR-Cas is a genetic adaptive immune system unique to prokaryotic cells used to combat phage and plasmid threats. The host cell adapts by incorporating DNA sequences from invading phages or plasmids into its CRISPR locus as spacers. These spacers are expressed as mobile surveillance RNAs that direct CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to protect against subsequent attack by the same phages or plasmids. The threat from mobile genetic elements inevitably shapes the CRISPR loci of archaea and bacteria, and simultaneously the CRISPR-Cas immune system drives evolution of these invaders. Here we highlight our recent work, as well as that of others, that seeks to understand phage mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas evasion and conditions for population coexistence of phages with CRISPR-protected prokaryotes.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure

Impaired decisional impulsivity in pathological videogamers

Abstract Background Pathological gaming is an emerging and poorly understood problem. Impulsivity is commonly impaired in disorders of behavioural and substance addiction, hence we sought to systematically investigate the different subtypes of decisional and motor impulsivity in a well-defined pathological gaming cohort. Methods Fifty-two pathological gaming subjects and age-, gender- and IQ-matched healthy volunteers were tested on decisional impulsivity (Information Sampling Task testing reflection impulsivity and delay discounting questionnaire testing impulsive choice), and motor impulsivity (Stop Signal Task testing motor response inhibition, and the premature responding task). We used stringent diagnostic criteria highlighting functional impairment. Results In the Information Sampling Task, pathological gaming participants sampled less evidence prior to making a decision and scored fewer points compared with healthy volunteers. Gaming severity was also negatively correlated with evidence gathered and positively correlated with sampling error and points acquired. In the delay discounting task, pathological gamers made more impulsive choices, preferring smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards. Pathological gamers made more premature responses related to comorbid nicotine use. Greater number of hours played also correlated with a Motivational Index. Greater frequency of role playing games was associated with impaired motor response inhibition and strategy games with faster Go reaction time. Conclusions We show that pathological gaming is associated with impaired decisional impulsivity with negative consequences in task performance. Decisional impulsivity may be a potential target in therapeutic management

PGB pair production at LHC and ILC as a probe of the topcolor-assisted technicolor models

The topcolor-assisted technicolor (TC2) model predicts some light pseudo goldstone bosons (PGBs), which may be accessible at the LHC or ILC. In this work we study the pair productions of the charged or neutral PGBs at the LHC and ILC. For the productions at the LHC we consider the processes proceeding through gluon-gluon fusion and quark-antiquark annihilation, while for the productions at the ILC we consider both the electron-positron collision and the photon-photon collision. We find that in a large part of parameter space the production cross sections at both colliders can be quite large compared with the low standard model backgrounds. Therefore, in future experiments these productions may be detectable and allow for probing TC2 model.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures. slight changes in the text; notations for curves changed; references adde

Longitudinal residual strain and stress-strain relationship in rat small intestine

BACKGROUND: To obtain a more detailed description of the stress-free state of the intestinal wall, longitudinal residual strain measurements are needed. Furthermore, data on longitudinal stress-strain relations in visceral organs are scarce. The present study aims to investigate the longitudinal residual strain and the longitudinal stress-strain relationship in the rat small intestine. METHODS: The longitudinal zero-stress state was obtained by cutting tissue strips parallel to the longitudinal axis of the intestine. The longitudinal residual stress was characterized by a bending angle (unit: degrees per unit length and positive when bending outwards). Residual strain was computed from the change in dimensions between the zero-stress state and the no-load state. Longitudinal stresses and strains were computed from stretch experiments in the distal ileum at luminal pressures ranging from 0–4 cmH(2)O. RESULTS: Large morphometric variations were found between the duodenum and ileum with the largest wall thickness and wall area in the duodenum and the largest inner circumference and luminal area in the distal ileum (p < 0.001). The bending angle did not differ between the duodenum and ileum (p > 0.5). The longitudinal residual strain was tensile at the serosal surface and compressive at the mucosal surface. Hence, the neutral axis was approximately in the mid-wall. The longitudinal residual strain and the bending angle was not uniform around the intestinal circumference and had the highest values on the mesenteric sides (p < 0.001). The stress-strain curves fitted well to the mono-exponential function with determination coefficients above 0.96. The α constant increased with the pressure, indicating the intestinal wall became stiffer in longitudinal direction when pressurized. CONCLUSION: Large longitudinal residual strains reside in the small intestine and showed circumferential variation. This indicates that the tissue is not uniform and cannot be treated as a homogenous material. The longitudinal stiffness of the intestinal wall increased with luminal pressure. Longitudinal residual strains must be taken into account in studies of gastrointestinal biomechanical properties

LHC Predictions from a Tevatron Anomaly in the Top Quark Forward-Backward Asymmetry

We examine the implications of the recent CDF measurement of the top-quark forward-backward asymmetry, focusing on a scenario with a new color octet vector boson at 1-3 TeV. We study several models, as well as a general effective field theory, and determine the parameter space which provides the best simultaneous fit to the CDF asymmetry, the Tevatron top pair production cross section, and the exclusion regions from LHC dijet resonance and contact interaction searches. Flavor constraints on these models are more subtle and less severe than the literature indicates. We find a large region of allowed parameter space at high axigluon mass and a smaller region at low mass; we match the latter to an SU(3)xSU(3)/SU(3) coset model with a heavy vector-like fermion. Our scenario produces discoverable effects at the LHC with only 1-2 inverse femtobarns of luminosity at 7-8 TeV. Lastly, we point out that a Tevatron measurement of the b-quark forward-backward asymmetry would be very helpful in characterizing the physics underlying the top-quark asymmetry.Comment: 35 pages, 10 figures, 4 table

Counter-current chromatography for the separation of terpenoids: A comprehensive review with respect to the solvent systems employed

Copyright @ 2014 The Authors.This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Natural products extracts are commonly highly complex mixtures of active compounds and consequently their purification becomes a particularly challenging task. The development of a purification protocol to extract a single active component from the many hundreds that are often present in the mixture is something that can take months or even years to achieve, thus it is important for the natural product chemist to have, at their disposal, a broad range of diverse purification techniques. Counter-current chromatography (CCC) is one such separation technique utilising two immiscible phases, one as the stationary phase (retained in a spinning coil by centrifugal forces) and the second as the mobile phase. The method benefits from a number of advantages when compared with the more traditional liquid-solid separation methods, such as no irreversible adsorption, total recovery of the injected sample, minimal tailing of peaks, low risk of sample denaturation, the ability to accept particulates, and a low solvent consumption. The selection of an appropriate two-phase solvent system is critical to the running of CCC since this is both the mobile and the stationary phase of the system. However, this is also by far the most time consuming aspect of the technique and the one that most inhibits its general take-up. In recent years, numerous natural product purifications have been published using CCC from almost every country across the globe. Many of these papers are devoted to terpenoids-one of the most diverse groups. Naturally occurring terpenoids provide opportunities to discover new drugs but many of them are available at very low levels in nature and a huge number of them still remain unexplored. The collective knowledge on performing successful CCC separations of terpenoids has been gathered and reviewed by the authors, in order to create a comprehensive document that will be of great assistance in performing future purifications. © 2014 The Author(s)