Efficacy and safety evaluation of black ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey.) extract (CJ EnerG): broad spectrum cytotoxic activity in human cancer cell lines and 28-day repeated oral toxicity study in Sprague-Dawley rats

Abstract Background Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey.) has been used as a valuable ingredient in traditional medicine for thousands of years mostly in Asian countries due to its therapeutic effects in various diseases. Among the processed ginseng products, black ginseng is produced by a repeated steaming and drying process of ginseng roots and has been known for its superior efficacy based on high accumulation of minor ginsenosides as recently discovered. Despite its popularity and increasing use, the toxicity information on black ginseng still remained largely lacking, raising safety concerns. This study was therefore carried out to determine the repeated oral toxicity of black ginseng extract (BGE; CJ EnerG) with evaluation of cytotoxic activity as validation of its pharmacological activity for toxicity testing. Methods Prior to the toxicity test, we examined the cytotoxicity of BGE in six cancer cell lines derived from distinct human tissues in comparison with red ginseng extract (RGE), ginsenosides Rg5 and 20(S)-Rg3, and then assessed 28-day repeated oral toxicity in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using daily administration of up to 2000 mg/kg BGE. Results BGE showed higher cytotoxicity than RGE in all the cell lines used in this study. Interestingly, the efficacy of BGE closely resembled the cytotoxic pattern of Rg5, suggesting Rg5 as the main effector in the cytotoxic activity of BGE. During the toxicity study, BGE-treated groups showed no noticeable abnormality in clinical signs, body weight gain, food and water consumption and urinalysis. Furthermore, hematological, serum biochemical and histopathological analyses did not find any BGE-related toxicity. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that BGE has broad-spectrum in vitro cytotoxic activity, and that NOAEL of BGE in SD rats is > 2000 mg/kg, providing the essential safety information for human consumption

Clinical Significance of Ki-67 Labeling Index in Pituitary Macroadenoma

The aim of our study was to investigate the correlation of the proliferative activity of pituitary neoplasms with clinical characteristics and recurrences. Tumor specimens were obtained from 44 consecutive patients with pituitary macroadenomas who underwent surgery between July 1998 and August 2003. Specimens were immediately fixed in 10% buffered formalin and then embedded in paraffin. The Ki-67 antigen was assessed by immumohistochemical analysis using the monoclonal antibody. We investigated the correlation of the Ki-67 labeling index with the following clinical and radiological characteristics: sex, age, presence or absence visual field defect, tumor classification, maximal tumor diameter, Hardy's classification, type of tumor, invasiveness, and recurrence. Our study suggests that the clinical characteristics such as visual field defect and recurrence are correlated with the high Ki-67 labeling index. No statistical differences were observed in the Ki-67 labeling index in relation to the following characteristics: sex, age, tumor classification, maximal tumor diameter, Hardy's classification, type of tumor, and invasiveness into the sphenoid sinus or cavernous sinus

Induction of Neuronal Death by Microglial AGE-Albumin: Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have long been considered as potent molecules promoting neuronal cell death and contributing to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we demonstrate that AGE-albumin, the most abundant AGE product in human AD brains, is synthesized in activated microglial cells and secreted into the extracellular space. The rate of AGE-albumin synthesis in human microglial cells is markedly increased by amyloid-β exposure and oxidative stress. Exogenous AGE-albumin upregulates the receptor protein for AGE (RAGE) and augments calcium influx, leading to apoptosis of human primary neurons. In animal experiments, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), pyridoxamine or ALT-711 prevented Aβ-induced neuronal death in rat brains. Collectively, these results provide evidence for a new mechanism by which microglial cells promote death of neuronal cells through synthesis and secretion of AGE-albumin, thereby likely contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD

Plasma Display Panel??? ?????? ????????? ????????? ?????? Paste ??? Photolithography ?????? ??????

PDP??? ????????? ??????(barrier rib)??? ????????? ????????? ????????? ?????? ????????? ??????????????? ????????????, ????????? ????????? ?????????, ????????? ??????(crosstalk)??? ???????????? ????????? ??????. ?????? ?????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ????????? ??????????????? ?????????, ?????? ??????, ?????? ????????????, ?????? ??????, ?????? ????????????, ????????? ?????? ??????????????????. ??? ??????????????? ????????? ????????? PDP??? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ?????? paste??? formulation ??? ?????? ????????? photolithography ?????? ????????? ?????? ???????????????. ????????? ?????? ??????????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????????? 3MMB ????????? 20 wt%??? ????????? ?????? ????????? ??????????????? EB600/PETA=50/50 wt% ?????????, ?????????????????? HSP 188 ??? ?????? ????????? ????????? ?????? ????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????. ????????? ?????? ??????????????? ??? ??????, ??????, ??? ????????? ??????????????? ?????? ??? ?????? 110 ??m, ?????? 80 ??m ??? ?????? 420 ??m ?????? ????????? ????????????????????? ?????? ??? ?????????.clos

Design and Fabrication of 77GHz HEMT Mixer Modules using Experimentally Optimized Antipodal Finline Transitions

77GHz PHEMT gate mixer module and resistive mixer module were fabricated for automotive applications using LG-CIT low noise PHEMT process and WR12-to-microstrip antipodal finline transitions. Experimental optimization of the finline transitions was attempted for wideband operation and low insertion loss by adjusting geometrical design parameters. The average insertion loss was measured o be 0.74dB per transition in 75~90GHz. Thefabricated gate mixer module and the resistive mixer module showed very good conversion loss of 2dB and 10.3dB, respectively, including finline transition loss and IF cable loss, which were very competitive performances

Thermodynamics of sulfur in carbon saturated Ni–Mo alloys

Nickel-molybdenum alloys can be produced by the carbothermic reduction of spent catalysts containing nickel and molybdenum discarded from the petroleum refinery operations for desulfurization. However, sulfur can be picked up into alloy melts from the sulfur bearing spent catalysts during the smelting process. Thermodynamics of sulfur in this alloy melt is very important for producing low sulfur Ni–Mo alloys to be used in steel industry. In the present study, thermodynamic interaction coefficients of carbon and molybdenum on sulfur in carbon saturated liquid Ni–Mo alloys were measured using the slag/metal equilibration technique at 1 773 and 1 873 K. The equilibrium sulfur distribution was measured between a slag with a known sulfide capacity and carbon saturated liquid Ni–Mo–S alloys of various compositions. The carbon solubility in liquid Ni–Mo alloy was significantly changed with molybdenum content, and the specific effects of carbon and molybdenum on sulfur was determined using Wagner’s formalism as the first- and second-order interaction parameters.Peer reviewe

Surgically Treated Tuberculum Sellae and Diaphragm Sellae Meningiomas: The Importance of Short-term Visual Outcome

OBJECTIVE: The visual outcome in patients with tuberculum and diaphragm sellae meningiomas treated with microsurgery was evaluated. Prognostic and diagnostic values of short- and long-term postoperative visual outcome and etiology for postoperative visual deterioration are discussed with special attention. METHODS: Clinical data for 30 surgically treated patients with tuberculum and diaphragm sellae meningiomas were reviewed retrospectively. The mean duration of the follow-up period was 75.9 months (range, 12–151 mo). Mean tumor diameter and volume was 25.9 mm (range, 16.3–63.3 mm) and 12.4 cm3 (range, 2.3–125.6 cm3). A visual impairment score was used to assess the short-term (2 wk after surgery) and the long-term (6 mo after surgery) postoperative visual outcome. Various predictive factors for visual outcome were tested statistically. RESULTS: Complete resection was achieved in 23 out of 30 (76.7%) patients. Average preoperative, short- and long-term visual impairment scores were 48.2, 43.4, and 40.9, respectively. Favorable visual outcome was achieved in 80% of patients in the short term and 70% in the long term. Short-term postoperative aggravation of visual function was an ominous sign of further aggravation or at least of little hope for recovery, whereas there was a tendency to improve in the long term if short-term postoperative visual function showed favorable outcome. Recurrence or regrowth of tumor fully was responsible for late deterioration of visual function. No significant prognostic factor for visual outcome could be found. CONCLUSION: Short-term postoperative visual outcome was a strong indicator of permanent visual outcome after surgery for tuberculum sellae and diaphragm sellae meningiomas.This work was partially supported by grants from the Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital and the Korea Brain and Spinal Cord Research Foundation

Fabrication and Characterization of 0.2m

Metamorphic InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT are successfully demonstrated, exhibiting several advantages over conventional P-HEMT on GaAs and LM-HEMT on InP substrate. The strainrelaxed metamorphic structure is grown by MBE on the GaAs substrate with the inverse-step graded InAlAs metamorphic buffer. The device with 40% indium content shows the better characteristics than the device with 53% indium content. The fabricated metamorphic HEMT with 0.2m T-gate and 40% indium content shows the excellent DC and microwave characteristics of V th =-0.65V, g m,max =620mS/mm, f T =120GHz and f max =210GHz