Objective: To evaluate the effects of Catalpa bignonioides fruit extract on the promotion of muscle growth and muscular capacity in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Cell proliferation was assessed using a 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assay kit. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of related factors. The effects of Catalpa bignonioides extract were investigated in mice using the treadmill exhaustion test and whole-limb grip strength assay. Chemical composition analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Catalpa bignonioides extract increased the proliferation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. It also induced metabolic changes, increasing the number of mitochondria and glucose metabolism by phosphorylating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. In an in vivo study, the extract-treated mice showed improved motor abilities, such as muscular endurance and grip strength. Additionally, HPLC analysis showed that vanillic acid may be the main component of the Catalpa bignonioides extract that enhanced muscle strength. Conclusions: Catalpa bignonioides improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles, suggesting its potential as an effective natural agent for improving muscular strength.

Objective: To demonstrate the effect of dieckol from Eisenia bicyclis on osteoclastogenesis using RAW 264.7 cells. Methods: Murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells were subjected to dieckol treatment, followed by treatment with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) to induce osteoclastogenesis. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity was examined using a TRAP activity kit. Western blotting analysis was conducted to examine the level of osteoclast- related factors, including TRAP and calcitonin receptor (CTR), transcriptional factors, including c-Fos, c-Jun, and nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to examine the expression of c-Fos, c-Jun, and NFATc1. Results: Among the four phlorotannin compounds present in Eisenia bicyclis, dieckol significantly hindered osteoclast differentiation and expression of RANKL-induced TRAP and CTR. In addition, dieckol downregulated the expression levels of c-Fos, c-Jun, NFATc1, ERK, and JNK, and suppressed NF-κB signaling. Conclusions: Dieckol can suppress RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Therefore, it has therapeutic potential in treating osteoclastogenesis- associated diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity of Brassica napus L. hydrosols (BNH) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. METHODS: Composition analysis of BNH was conducted via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after BNH were extracted. The nitric oxide (NO) production was measured using the Griess assay. Prostaglandin E RESULTS: Compared with LPS-stimulated cells, BNH markedly decreased the generation of NO and PGE CONCLUSION The anti-inflammatory activities of BNH were mediated via blockage of the NF-κB signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome contains binding sites for hepatocyte nuclear factors (HNF) 3 and 4 in the core domain of enhancer 1 (Enh1), and mutations in this domain have a strong impact on virus replication. We aimed to identify frequent base-mutation sites in the core domain of Enh1 and to examine the impact of these mutations on viral replication. METHODS: We studied virological characteristics and genetic sequences in 387 patients with chronic hepatitis B. We evaluated functional differences associated with specific mutations within the core domain of Enh1. RESULTS: Mutations in the core domain were found with significant frequency in C1126 (122/387 [31.5%], the binding site for HNF3) and in C1134 (106/387 [27.4%], the binding site for HNF4). A single mutation at nt 1126 (C1126) was identified in 17/123 (13.8%), and 105/123 (85.4%) had double mutations (C1126/1134). The level of HBV DNA (log10 copies/mL) was lower in single mutants (C1126, 5.81+/-1.25) than in wild (6.80+/-1.65) and double mutants (C1126/1134, 6.81+/-1.54). Similarly, the relative luciferase activity of C1126 and C1126/C1134 was 0.18 and 1.12 times that of the wild-type virus, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Mutations in the HNF3 binding site inhibit viral replication, whereas mutations at the HNF4 binding site restore viral replication.
Binding Sites ; DNA ; Genome ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hepatocyte Nuclear Factors ; Humans ; Luciferases ; Virus Replication ; Viruses

No abstract available.
Endosonography ; Gastric Mucosa/pathology ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Total 530 patients with T2DM were included. To evaluate the severity of atherosclerosis, we measured the coronary artery calcification (CAC) score, intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery, and the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI). Subjects were classified according to body mass index (BMI), a marker of general obesity, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), a marker of regional obesity. The insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was measured by the short insulin tolerance test. All subjects were classified into four groups, according to BMI: the under-weight group, the normal-weight (NW) group, the over-weight (OW) group, and the obese (OB) group. WHR and systolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDLC), free fatty acids (FFA), fibrinogen, and fasting c-peptide levels were significantly different between BMI groups. TG, HDL-C, FFA, fibrinogen and ISI were significantly different between patients with and without abdominal obesity. In the OW group as well as in the NW group, carotid IMT, ABPI and CAC score were significantly different between patients with and without abdominal obesity. This study indicates that abdominal obesity was associated with atherosclerosis in T2DM patients.
Aged ; Atherosclerosis/complications ; Blood Pressure ; Coronary Vessels/pathology ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/*complications/*genetics ; Triglycerides/metabolism ; Tunica Intima/pathology ; Tunica Media/pathology

Our aim was to study whether visceral adiposity is a predictor of diabetic fatty liver in Korean type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this study, abdominal ultrasonography was used to assess the presence of fatty liver in 1,898 patients with type 2 diabetes. We measured visceral fat thickness by high-resolutional ultrasonography and insulin resistance by Kitt. Half of the cohort had a fatty liver (50.2%). High visceral fat thickness had the highest odds ratio for developing fatty liver in both sexes (odds ratio [S.D]: 3.14 [2.24-4.69], p<0.00 in male, 2.84 [2.04-3.93], p<0.00 in female). In addition, visceral fat thickness of 42.45 and 37.7 mm in men and women, respectively, were chosen as the discriminating value to predict the presence of fatty liver with a sensitivity of 71% and 73% and a specificity of 70% and 70% in men and women, respectively. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve was 0.759 in men and 0.764 in women. Therefore we could conclude that the degree of visceral adiposity predicts the presence of fatty liver type 2 diabetes mellitus, whether centrally obese or not, suggesting that hepatic fat accumulation in a diabetic fatty liver may be influenced by visceral fat accumulation regardless of waist circumference.
Aged ; Aorta/pathology ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Complications/*diagnosis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*diagnosis/pathology ; Fatty Liver/*complications/*diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; Odds Ratio ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

This is the first report of papillary thyroid carcinoma combined with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) in Korea. MEN1 is a hereditary disease comprising neoplastic disorders such as pituitary, parathyroid and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, such as gastrinoma. But papillary thyroid cancer was never regarded as its component before in Korea. Herein we present a 39-year-old woman who manifested typical features of MEN1 with a coincidental papillary thyroid carcinoma. Although the family history of MEN1 was definite, her genetic analysis of DNA had revealed no germline mutation in MEN1 gene locus. Unidentified culprit gene unable us further genetic study to find LOH (loss of heterogeneity) in 11q13, the possible explanation of papillary thyroid carcinoma as a new component of MEN1. As we have first experienced a case of MEN1 combined with papillary thyroid carcinoma in Korea, we report it with the review of literature.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary/genetics/*pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1/genetics/*pathology ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics ; Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics/*pathology

Twelve strains of V. vulnificus isolated from clinical specimens in 2002~2004 in Jeollado province were determined for their biologic groups, serotypes, presence of vvhA (hemolysin/cytolysin) gene, DNA sequence, and PFGE patterns of NotI-restricted genomic DNA. The following results were obtained. All 12 isolates were biogroup 1, and API 20E profiles were: 5146105 for 5 (41.7%) isolates, and 5148125 for 2 isolates with sucrose fermentation. Ten (83.3%) of the 12 isolates was V. vulnificus serotype O4A, and two sucrose-fermenting isolates belonged to serotype O2. Alleles of cytolysin-hemolysin gene were detected in all 12 isolates. The nucleotide sequences of vvhA genes from strains WKHC 212 and WKHC 221 showed 94~97% similarity compared with those from previously reported 7 strains, YJ016, CMCP6, L-180, CDC B3547, IF Vv10, CIP 75.4T and CNRVC 970121. PFGE of NotI-restricted genomic DNA from the 12 isolates showed approximately 48.5 to 873-kb fragments and they were clustered to five (A to E) patterns. Two sucrose-fermenting isolates belonged to pattern D with 95% similarity with each other. Two strains isolated from two different patients had two identical patterns C and D. It is concluded that sucrose-fermenting strains also exist among clinical isolates of V. vulnificus in Korea, and they can be identified by using API 20E system, and by detecting vvhA gene. DNA sequences and PFGE pattern of NotI-restricted genomic DNA suggested that the two sucrose-fermenting isolates belonged to an identical clone, and two strains each isolated from two different patients belonged to two identical clones.
Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Clone Cells ; DNA ; Fermentation ; Humans ; Korea ; Sucrose ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio*

Insular carcinoma of the thyroid is a rare thyroid malignancy, and this was named in 1984 by Carcangiu when he described its characteristic histology. Histologically, insular carcinoma is characterized by uniform cells arranged in distinct nests or an insular pattern that contain variable numbers of small follicles. Clinically and morphologically, it is considered to be in an intermediate position between well-differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid (papillary or follicular) and undifferentiated or anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid. This thyroid malignancy is distinctive, aggressive and often lethal. However, most authors believe it to be an independent entity. The prognosis of this tumor is worse than that of classic differentiated thyroid carcinoma, and most authors advise aggressive therapy, which can achieve pro-longed survival in some cases. We describe here a patient (a 42 years-old woman) who was managed with completion thyroidectomy after unilateral lobectomy of the thyroid with confirmation of the permanent pathology as insular carcinoma. I-131 ablation (175 mCi) was performed on the remnant thyroid tissues after follow-up of I~131 whole-body scanning.
Carcinoma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy