N-Nitrosamine inhibition by strawberry, garlic, kale, and the effects of nitrite-scavenging and Nnitrosamine formation by functional compounds in strawberry and garlic, Food Control

Abstract High nitrate and amine-rich food intake may result in an increased risk of endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds (NOCs). We studied the eVects of whole strawberries, garlic and kale on the formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in a traditional Korean diet (amine and nitrate-rich) in simulated saliva and gastric conditions. The addition of whole strawberries, kale and garlic juices in the diet reduced NDMA formation by amine and nitrate. Strawberries and garlic juice were more eVective than kale. To identify active compound, isolated fractions were prepared from strawberries or garlic juice samples by preparative liquid chromatography. Inhibition of NDMA formation and nitrite-scavenging ability of each fraction (strawberries: S1-S4; garlic juice: A1-A5) was tested. Fraction A4 inhibited NDMA formation by 50.5 § 5.4% and increased the eVect of nitrite-scavenging by 72.3 § 8.7%. Fractions A3 and A4 were identiWed as 1,2-benzendicarboxy acid (A3) and S-oxodially disulWde (A4) compounds by mass spectrophotometry and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance

Two-gap and paramagnetic pair-breaking effects on upper critical field of SmFeAsO0.85_{0.85} and SmFeAsO0.8_{0.8}F0.2_{0.2} single crystals

We investigated the temperature dependence of the upper critical field [$H_{c2}(T)$] of fluorine-free SmFeAsO$_{0.85}$ and fluorine-doped SmFeAsO$_{0.8}$F$_{0.2}$ single crystals by measuring the resistive transition in low static magnetic fields and in pulsed fields up to 60 T. Both crystals show that $H_{c2}(T)$'s along the c axis [$H_{c2}^c(T)$] and in an $ab$-planar direction [$H_{c2}^{ab}(T)$] exhibit a linear and a sublinear increase, respectively, with decreasing temperature below the superconducting transition. $H_{c2}(T)$'s in both directions deviate from the conventional one-gap Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg theoretical prediction at low temperatures. A two-gap nature and the paramagnetic pair-breaking effect are shown to be responsible for the temperature-dependent behavior of $H_{c2}^c$ and $H_{c2}^{ab}$, respectively.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure

Hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of two dietary dosages (0.1% and 0.5%) of water and 80% ethanol extracts from hot-air dried Orostachys japonicus A. Berger were evaluated in the serum and organ tissues of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The STZ-induced diabetic groups supplemented with the O. japonicus extracts showed significantly higher body weight compared to a diabetic control group at the end of experiment. The extracts exhibited substantial hypoglycemic effects by significant reductions of fasting blood glucose levels at all time points tested compared to the initial stage before treatment of the extracts. Declines of serum and hepatic triglyceride levels were greater than declines of total cholesterol in the groups treated with the 0.5% O. japonicus extract (DBW2 and DBE2) when compared to the DBC group. Hepatic glycogen content was higher in the groups treated with O. japonicus extract, while lipid peroxide content was decreased in these treated groups compared to the DBC group. Hepatic antioxidant activity was significantly increased in the groups supplemented with the O. japonicus ethanol extract. The hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of the O. japonicus ethanol extract were significantly greater than the effects of the water extract. Based on this study, it seems that O. japonicus ethanol extract, due to its higher phenolic and flavonoid components than the water extract, may control blood glucose and alleviate hyperlipidemia in diabetes

Idarubicin Plus Behenoyl Cytarabine and 6-thioguanine Compares Favorably with Idarubicin Plus Cytarabine-based Regimen for Children with Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia: 10-Year Retrospective, Multicenter Study in Korea

We investigated the outcome of idarubicin plus N4-behenoyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine (BHAC)-based chemotherapy (BHAC group, n=149) compared to idarubicin plus cytarabine-based chemotherapy (cytarabine group, n=191) for childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Between January 1996 and December 2005, 340 children with AML from 5 university hospitals in Korea received the BHAC-based or cytarabine-based chemotherapy, with or without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. After induction therapy, 264 (77.6%) of 340 children achieved a complete remission (CR) and 43 (12%) achieved a partial remission (PR). The CR rate in the BHAC group was higher than in the cytarabine group (85.2% vs. 71.7%, P=0.004). However, the overall response rate (CR+PR) was not different between the two groups (93.3% vs. 87.9%, P=0.139). The 5-yr estimates of overall survival (OS) of children in the two groups were similar (54.9% for the BHAC group vs. 52.4% for the cytarabine group, P=0.281). Although the results were analyzed according to the treatment type and cytogenetic risk, the OS showed no significant difference between the BHAC group and the cytarabine group. In the present study, the clinical outcomes of the BHAC-based chemotherapy, consisting of BHAC, idarubicin, and 6-TG, are comparable to that of the cytarabine-based chemotherapy for childhood AML

Pre-Engraftment Syndrome after Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation: A Predictor of Engraftment and Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease

AbstractPre-engraftment syndrome (PES) is poorly characterized, and its clinical significance and the prognostic impact after unrelated cord blood transplantation (CBT) are unclear. To address these issues, we retrospectively analyzed the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of PES in unrelated CBT recipients. Data of 381 patients who received unrelated CBT from 18 medical centers in Korea were reviewed. PES was defined as unexplained fever >38.3°C not associated with infection, and/or unexplained skin rash with or without evidence of fluid retention before neutrophil recovery. PES developed in 102 patients (26.8%) at a median of 7 days after CBT. Of these patients, 74 patients (72.5%) received intravenous corticosteroid at a median dose of 1 mg/kg/day, and of these, 95% showed clinical improvement. Risk factors for developing PES included low risk disease, myeloablative conditioning, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis without methotrexate or corticosteroid, and >5.43 x 107/kg infused nucleated cells. Absence of PES was one of the risk factors for graft failure in multivariate analysis. The cumulative incidence of grade II to grade IV acute GVHD by 100 days after CBT was higher in patients with PES than in those without PES (56.0% versus 34.4%, P < .01). PES was not associated with chronic GVHD, treatment-related mortality, relapse, or overall survival. PES seems to be common after CBT and may be associated with enhanced engraftment without significant morbidity

Regulation of mouse steroidogenesis by WHISTLE and JMJD1C through histone methylation balance

The dynamic exchange of histone lysine methylation status by histone methyltransferases and demethylases has been previously implicated as an important factor in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. Using immunoaffinity TAP analysis, we purified the WHISTLE-interacting protein complexes, which include the heat shock protein HSP90α and the jumonji C-domain harboring the histone demethylase JMJD1C. In this study, we demonstrate that JMJD1C specifically demethylates histone H3K9 mono- and di-methylation, and mediates transcriptional activation. We also provide evidence suggesting that both WHISTLE and JMJD1C performs functions in the development of mouse testes by regulating the expression of the steroidogenesis marker, p450c17, via SF-1-mediated transcription. Furthermore, we demonstrate that WHISTLE is recruited to the p450c17 promoter via SF-1 and represses the transcription of prepubertal stages of steroidogenesis, after which JMJD1C replaces WHISTLE and activates the expression of target genes via SF-1-mediated interactions. Our results demonstrate that the histone methylation balance mediated by HMTase WHISTLE and demethylase JMJD1C perform a transcriptional regulatory function in mouse testis development

Effect of Growth Temperature on the Structural and Electrical Properties of ZrO2 Films Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition Using a CpZr[N(CH3)2]3/C7H8 Cocktail Precursor

The effect of growth temperature on the atomic layer deposition of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) dielectric thin films that were fabricated using a CpZr[N(CH3)2]3/C7H8 cocktail precursor with ozone was investigated. The chemical, structural, and electrical properties of ZrO2 films grown at temperatures from 250 to 350 °C were characterized. Stoichiometric ZrO2 films formed at 250–350 °C with an atomic ratio of O to Zr of 1.8–1.9 and a low content of carbon impurities. The film formed at 300 °C was predominantly the tetragonal crystalline phase, whereas that formed at 350 °C was a mixture of tetragonal and monoclinic phases. Electrical properties, such as capacitance, leakage current, and voltage linearity of TiN/ZrO2/TiN capacitors fabricated using the thin ZrO2 films grown at different temperatures were compared capacitor applications. The ZrO2 film grown at 300 °C exhibited low impurity content, predominantly tetragonal crystalline structure, a high dielectric permittivity of 38.3, a low leakage current of below 10−7 A/cm2 at 2 V, and low-voltage linearity