No abstract available.
Animals ; Mice* ; Uterus*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate polymerization of TheraCal LC, one of the tricalcium silicate cements. To measure the Vickers hardness number (VHN), the specimens were cured at different light curing time and distance.As a result, the VHN of the upper surface was significantly higher than the lower surface's in all groups (p < 0.05). The VHN of the lower surface was increased significantly with the increase of the light curing time in all distance (p < 0.05). When the distance was more than 4.0 mm at all light curing time, the VHN of lower surface was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). When the specimen was light cured for 20 seconds, the VHN of the lower surface did not exceed 2, which corresponds to 10% of the upper surface's.These results suggested that the 20 second light curing time was not sufficient to polymerize the lower surface under specific conditions and that light-curing time should be increased.
Hardness ; Polymerization ; Polymers ; Silicates

Cancer metastasis to the skin, especially epidermotropic metastasis, is uncommon. Sometimes it is difficult to find the primary lesion; immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of cutaneous metastasis is used to determine the origin, but diagnosis may occasionally prove difficult. A 77-year-old man visited our hospital with a 1-month diagnostic history of multiple nodules in the right axilla. The patient had undergone surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma (T3N3M0) 21 years ago, and was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma 1 year previously; however, no treatment was ongoing. Biopsy of the lesions revealed atypical cells surrounding the papillary projections of the epidermis and tumor nests of the upper dermis. IHC staining was positive for CK7 and CEA and negative for CK5/6, CK20, napsin A, TTF-1, GCDFP 15, and p63. The tissues revealed glandular structures and tested negative for p63 and CK5/6 on IHC staining. The patient was diagnosed with epidermotropic metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Sigma-class glutathione transferase (GST) proteins with dual GST and prostaglandin synthase (PGS) activities play a crucial role in the establishment of Clonorchis sinensis infection. Herein, we analyzed the structural and enzymatic properties of sigma-class GST (CsGST-σ) proteins to obtain insight into their antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions in comparison with mu-class GST (CsGST-μ) proteins. CsGST-σ proteins conserved characteristic structures, which had been described in mammalian hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthases. Recombinant forms of these CsGST-σ and CsGST-μ proteins expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited considerable degrees of GST and PGS activities with substantially different specific activities. All recombinant proteins displayed higher affinities toward prostaglandin H2 (PGS substrate; average Km of 30.7 and 3.0 μm for prostaglandin D2 [PGDS] and E2 synthase [PGES], respectively) than those toward CDNB (GST substrate; average Km of 1,205.1 μm). Furthermore, the catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) of the PGDS/PGES activity was higher than that of GST activity (average Kcat/Km of 3.1, 0.7, and 7.0×10-3 s-1μm-1 for PGDS, PGES, and GST, respectively). Our data strongly suggest that the C. sinensis sigma- and mu-class GST proteins are deeply involved in regulating host immune responses by generating PGD2 and PGE2 in addition to their roles in general detoxification.

Sigma-class glutathione transferase (GST) proteins with dual GST and prostaglandin synthase (PGS) activities play a crucial role in the establishment of Clonorchis sinensis infection. Herein, we analyzed the structural and enzymatic properties of sigma-class GST (CsGST-σ) proteins to obtain insight into their antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions in comparison with mu-class GST (CsGST-μ) proteins. CsGST-σ proteins conserved characteristic structures, which had been described in mammalian hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthases. Recombinant forms of these CsGST-σ and CsGST-μ proteins expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited considerable degrees of GST and PGS activities with substantially different specific activities. All recombinant proteins displayed higher affinities toward prostaglandin H2 (PGS substrate; average Km of 30.7 and 3.0 μm for prostaglandin D2 [PGDS] and E2 synthase [PGES], respectively) than those toward CDNB (GST substrate; average Km of 1,205.1 μm). Furthermore, the catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) of the PGDS/PGES activity was higher than that of GST activity (average Kcat/Km of 3.1, 0.7, and 7.0×10-3 s-1μm-1 for PGDS, PGES, and GST, respectively). Our data strongly suggest that the C. sinensis sigma- and mu-class GST proteins are deeply involved in regulating host immune responses by generating PGD2 and PGE2 in addition to their roles in general detoxification.

Sigma-class glutathione transferase (GST) proteins with dual GST and prostaglandin synthase (PGS) activities play a crucial role in the establishment of Clonorchis sinensis infection. Herein, we analyzed the structural and enzymatic properties of sigma-class GST (CsGST-σ) proteins to obtain insight into their antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions in comparison with mu-class GST (CsGST-μ) proteins. CsGST-σ proteins conserved characteristic structures, which had been described in mammalian hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthases. Recombinant forms of these CsGST-σ and CsGST-μ proteins expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited considerable degrees of GST and PGS activities with substantially different specific activities. All recombinant proteins displayed higher affinities toward prostaglandin H2 (PGS substrate; average Km of 30.7 and 3.0 μm for prostaglandin D2 [PGDS] and E2 synthase [PGES], respectively) than those toward CDNB (GST substrate; average Km of 1,205.1 μm). Furthermore, the catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) of the PGDS/PGES activity was higher than that of GST activity (average Kcat/Km of 3.1, 0.7, and 7.0×10-3 s-1μm-1 for PGDS, PGES, and GST, respectively). Our data strongly suggest that the C. sinensis sigma- and mu-class GST proteins are deeply involved in regulating host immune responses by generating PGD2 and PGE2 in addition to their roles in general detoxification.

Sigma-class glutathione transferase (GST) proteins with dual GST and prostaglandin synthase (PGS) activities play a crucial role in the establishment of Clonorchis sinensis infection. Herein, we analyzed the structural and enzymatic properties of sigma-class GST (CsGST-σ) proteins to obtain insight into their antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions in comparison with mu-class GST (CsGST-μ) proteins. CsGST-σ proteins conserved characteristic structures, which had been described in mammalian hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthases. Recombinant forms of these CsGST-σ and CsGST-μ proteins expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited considerable degrees of GST and PGS activities with substantially different specific activities. All recombinant proteins displayed higher affinities toward prostaglandin H2 (PGS substrate; average Km of 30.7 and 3.0 μm for prostaglandin D2 [PGDS] and E2 synthase [PGES], respectively) than those toward CDNB (GST substrate; average Km of 1,205.1 μm). Furthermore, the catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) of the PGDS/PGES activity was higher than that of GST activity (average Kcat/Km of 3.1, 0.7, and 7.0×10-3 s-1μm-1 for PGDS, PGES, and GST, respectively). Our data strongly suggest that the C. sinensis sigma- and mu-class GST proteins are deeply involved in regulating host immune responses by generating PGD2 and PGE2 in addition to their roles in general detoxification.

Pain is a major symptom in cancer patients, and most cancer patients with advanced or terminal cancers suffer from chronic pain related to treatment failure and/or tumor progression. In the present study, we examined the development of cancer pain in mice. Murine hepatocarcinoma cells, HCa-1, were inoculated unilaterally into the thigh or the dorsum of the foot of male C3H/HeJ mice. Four weeks after inoculation, behavioral signs were observed for mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia, and hyperalgesia using a von Frey filament, acetone, and radiant heat, respectively. Bone invasion by the tumor commenced from 7 days after inoculation of tumor cells and was evident from 14 days after inoculation. Cold allodynia but neither mechanical allodynia nor hyperalgesia was observed in mice that received an inoculation into the thigh. On the contrary, mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia, but not hyperalgesia, were developed in mice with an inoculation into the foot. Sometimes, mirror-image pain was developed in these animals. These results suggest that carcinoma cells injected into the foot of mice may develop severe chronic pain related to cancer. This animal model of pain would be useful to elucidate the mechanisms of cancer pain in humans.
Animals ; *Behavior, Animal ; Bone and Bones/pathology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cold ; Disease Models, Animal ; Foot ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplasms/*complications ; Pain/*etiology/physiopathology/*psychology ; Pain Threshold ; Physical Stimulation ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Thigh

Bone marrow aspirates concentrate (BMAC) transplantation is a well-known technique for cartilage regeneration with good clinical outcomes for symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an important role in evaluating the degree of cartilage repair in cartilage regeneration therapy instead of a second assessment via an arthroscopy. We experienced a case of hypertrophic regeneration of the cartilage and a presumed simultaneous regeneration of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus after BMAC transplantation for a cartilage defect at the lateral tibial and femoral condyle. This report provides the details of a case of an unusual treatment response after a BMAC transplant. This report is the first of its kind to demonstrate a MR image that displays the simultaneous regeneration of the cartilage and meniscus with a differentiation ability of the mesenchymal stem cell to the desired cell lineage.
Animals ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Marrow* ; Cartilage* ; Cell Lineage ; Horns ; Humans ; Hypertrophy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteoarthritis ; Regeneration*

Appetite controlling has been an main strategy for regulating food intake and energy balance in obesity treatment. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of drinking tea of the medicinal herbs, fennel and fenugreek, on the subjective appetite in overweight Korean women. The study was conducted using a placebo-controlled, single-blinded, randomized, and 3-way crossover design. Nine healthy women were given fennel tea (FT), fenugreek tea (FGT), or placebo tea (PT). After drinking a given tea, a lunch buffet was provided and then food consumption of subjects was analyzed. Subjective appetite, hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption were measured at seven independent time point using a visual analog scale (VAS). Mean age of 9 subjects were 49.7 +/- 4.5 years and their mean body mass index were 24.6 +/- 0.6 kg/m2. There was no significant difference in food consumption in the lunch buffet after drinking each tea; however, with respect to the subjective appetite scale, FGT decreased hunger, led to less prospective food consumption, and increased feelings of fullness compared with the PT (p < 0.05). Similarly, the consumption of FT resulted in decreased hunger, less prospective food consumption, and increased feelings of fullness compared with the PT (p < 0.05). The area under the curve of VAS graph indicated that FGT resulted in a higher feeling of fullness than the PT (p < 0.05). In conclusion, drinking the FT and FGT were significantly effective aid to suppress subjective appetite among overweight women in South Korea.
Appetite* ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Over Studies ; Drinking* ; Eating ; Female ; Foeniculum* ; Humans ; Hunger ; Korea ; Lunch ; Obesity ; Overweight* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Tea* ; Trigonella* ; Visual Analog Scale