Effects of resection volume on postoperative micturition symptoms and retreatment after transurethral resection of the prostate.

PURPOSE: Despite advances in technology, such as advent of laser enucleation and minimally invasive surgical therapies, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) remains the most widely performed surgical technique for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We evaluated resection volume (RV)-derived parameters and analyzed the effect of RV on post-TURP outcomes. METHODS: This observational study used data from patients who underwent TURP at two institutions between January 2011 and December 2021 Data from patients with previous BPH surgical treatment, incomplete data, and underlying disease affecting voiding function were excluded. The collected data included age, prostate-specific antigen, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)- and uroflowmetry-derived parameters, RV, perioperative laboratory values, perioperative International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS), follow-up period, retreatment requirements and interval between the first TURP and retreatment. RESULTS: In 268 patients without prior BPH medication, there were no differences in prostate volume (PV), transitional zone volume (TZV), or RV according to IPSS. A total of 60 patients started retreatment, including medical or surgical treatment, within the follow-up period. There was a significant difference in RV/PV between the groups without and with retreatment respectively (0.56 and 0.37; p = 0.008). However, preoperative TRUS- and uroflowmetry-derived parameters did not differ between the two groups. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that RV (p = 0.003) and RV/TZV (p = 0.006) were significantly associated with differences in perioperative IPSS. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only RV/PV was correlated with retreatment (p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Maximal TURP leads to improved postoperative outcomes and reduced retreatment rate, it may gradually become a requirement rather than an option.

Nutritional composition and phytochemical screening in different parts of Hibiscus syriacus L.

As the national flower of Korea, the Hibiscus syriacus L. (Rose of Sharon) is symbolic in its abundance and is a prominent feature of Korean culture. H. syriacus has played an important role in Korea, not only as an ornamental plant but also as an essential ingredient in folk remedies through its various parts. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional and biochemical composition of each plant unit of H. syriacus "Wonhwa." The units are namely: the petals, leaves, roots, and sprouts from its seeds. According to the results each unit produced, the sprouts had the highest content of amino acids and fatty acids which adhere to the requirements of nutritionally excellent food ingredients. The petals produced high quantities of glucose, sucrose, and fumaric acid, with the highest antioxidant activity among the four units. The main bioactive compounds detected in H. syriacus extracts in the four units were o-coumaric acid, p-coumaric acid, schaftoside, isoschaftoside, apigenin-6-C-glucoside-7-o-glucoside, and kaempferol-3-O-galactoside-7-O-rhamnoside. Overall, the highest number of bioactive compounds, 2 phenolic acids and 22 flavonoids, were identified in the petals. These results suggest the possibility of excellent pharmacological activity in the petals.

Metabolite profiling of a Sargassum micracanthum methanol extract with in vitro efficacy against human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma aggressiveness.

OBJECTIVE: Extracts from the brown algae Sargassum micracanthum have documented anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities as well as potential anti-tumor efficacy against several cancer types. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effect and molecular mechanisms of methanol extract of S. micracanthum (MESM) on the aggressiveness of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using in vitro cell culture-based models. DESIGN: To test the potential efficacy of MESM on the migratory and invasive properties of HNSCC cells, we used wound healing, transwell cell migration and invasion assays. Proteome profiling and functional in silico analysis were applied to investigate the possible modes of action by MESM. We also examined the metabolite profiling of MESM using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: MESM inhibited the motility of human HNSCC cell lines as well as invasiveness without influencing cell survival. Proteome profiling identified 19 oncogenic proteins significantly downregulated by MESM treatment. Protein-protein interaction network and gene ontology analyses revealed that Tie2 and associated angiogenic signaling pathway components were significantly enriched among these downregulated oncogenic proteins, which was confirmed by validating the reduced Tie2 expression in MESM treatment groups. Metabolite profiling of MESM identified six-carbon sugar alcohols such as D-sorbitol and/or D-mannitol as the main bioactive compounds. D-sorbitol and D-mannitol effectively reduced Tie2 expression and the aggressiveness of human HNSCC cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that six-carbon sugar alcohols in MESM have promising anti-cancer efficacy for the treatment of human HNSCC and further identify Tie2 signaling components as potential treatment targets.

Methanol extract of Sedum oryzifolium and its constituent, trehalose, impede the invasiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines via downregulation of Slug.

BACKGROUND: Sedum species are reported to possess diverse pharmacological activities in various solid tumors. However, the anticancer functions of Sedum orizyfolium and its constituents have never been determined in human cancers. PURPOSE: The present study focused on addressing the inhibition efficacy of the methanol extract of S. orizyfolium (MESO) and its constituents and the molecular mechanism underlying invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: After MESO treatment, a wound-healing assay, an invasion assay, and immunocytochemistry were performed in OSCC cell lines, coupled with in silico analysis and immunohistochemistry in OSCC patient samples, to investigate the role of the EMT transcription factor Slug. Trehalose, an active component of MESO, was identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Among the methanol extracts of 18 various wild plants from South Korea, MESO exhibited the highest anticancer functionality in OSCC cells by downregulating Slug expression. In silico analysis and immunohistochemistry indicated that elevated Slug levels are remarkably associated with tumor progression and invasion in patients with OSCC, suggesting that changes in Slug expression alter EMT progression and invasion in OSCC. Notably, treatment with trehalose, a sugar component of MESO, inhibited invasiveness and Slug expression in OSCC cells. CONCLUSION: Cumulatively, this study highlighted the beneficial role of MESO and trehalose in the inhibition of invasiveness of OSCC cells via suppression of Slug expression and suggested a new design for potential chemotherapeutic drugs against OSCC.

A dietary anthocyanin cyanidin-3-O-glucoside binds to PPARs to regulate glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in mice.

We demonstrate the mechanism by which C3G, a major dietary anthocyanin, regulates energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Oral administration of C3G reduced hepatic and plasma triglyceride levels, adiposity, and improved glucose tolerance in mice fed high-fat diet. Hepatic metabolomic analysis revealed that C3G shifted metabolite profiles towards fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis. C3G increased glucose uptake in HepG2 cells and C2C12 myotubes and induced the rate of hepatic fatty acid oxidation. C3G directly interacted with and activated PPARs, with the highest affinity for PPARα. The ability of C3G to reduce plasma and hepatic triglycerides, glucose tolerance, and adiposity and to induce oxygen consumption and energy expenditure was abrogated in PPARα-deficient mice, suggesting that PPARα is the major target for C3G. These findings demonstrate that the dietary anthocyanin C3G activates PPARs, a master regulators of energy metabolism. C3G is an agonistic ligand of PPARs and stimulates fuel preference to fat.

Decolorization of textile dyes in an air-lift bioreactor inoculated with Bjerkandera adusta OBR105.

A new decolorizing white-rot fungus, OBR105, was isolated from Mount Odae in South Korea and identified by the morphological characterization of its fruit body and spores and partial 18s rDNA sequences. The ligninolytic enzyme activity of OBR105 was studied to characterize their decolorizing mechanism using a spectrophotometric enzyme assay. For the evaluation of the decolorization capacity of OBR105, the isolate was incubated in an erlenmeyer flask and in an airlifte bioreator with potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium supplemented with each dye. In addition, the decolorization efficiency of real textile wastewater was evaluated in an airlift bioreactor inoculated with the isolate. The isolate was identified as Bjerkandera adusta and had ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase, lignin peroxidase (LiP), and Mn-dependent peroxidase (MnP). Its LiP activity was higher than its MnP and laccase activities. B. adusta OBR105 successfully decolorized reactive dyes (red 120, blue 4, orange 16, and black 5) and acid dyes (red 114, blue 62, orange 7, and black 172). B. adusta OBR105 decolorized 91-99% of 200 mg L-1 of each dye (except acid orange 7) within 3 days in a PDB medium at 28°C, pH 5, and 150 rpm. This fungus decolorized only 45% of 200 mg L-1 acid orange 7 (single azo-type dye) within 3 days, and the decolorization efficiency did not increase by prolonging the cultivation time. In the air-lift bioreactor, B. adusta OBR105 displayed a high decolorization capacity, greater than 90%, for 3 acid dyes (red 114, blue 62, and black 172) and 1 reactive dye (blue 4) within 10-15 h of treatment. B. adusta OBR105 could decolorize real textile wastewater in the air-lift bioreactor. This result suggests that an air-lift reactor employing B. adusta OBR105 is a promising bioreactor for the treatment of dye wastewater.

Classification of ginseng berry (Panax ginseng C.A. MEYER) extract using 1H NMR spectroscopy and its inhibition of lipid accumulation in 3 T3-L1 cells.

BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng is a famous traditional medicine in Korea for its beneficial effect on obesity, cardiac and liver associated diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolite in Panax ginseng (P. ginseng, Aralicaceae) berries depending on the ripen stages and evaluate its potential inhibition on adipocyte differentiation in 3 T3-L1 cells. METHODS: Different ripening stage samples of P. ginseng berry were analyzed through global metabolite profiling by NMR spectroscopy. Lipid accumulation in the cells was analyzed by Oil Red O staining. RESULTS: The PLS-DA clearly distinguished P. ginseng berry extract (PGBE) according to the partial ripe (PR), ripe(R) and fully ripe (FR) stage. Lipid accumulation of PGBE was examined by measuring triglyceride content and Oil-Red O staining. These results suggested that the FR stage of PGBE decrease in lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation and the amount of threonine, asparagine, fumarate, tyraine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine increased with longer ripening of ginseng berries. CONCLUSION: Metabolite profiling of P. ginseng was identified by 1H NMR spectra. P. ginseng extract efficiently inhibits adipogenesis in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes concluded that the P. ginseng has the antiobesity properties.

Simple preparative gas chromatographic method for isolation of menthol and menthone from peppermint oil, with quantitative GC-MS and (1) H NMR assay.

The quantitative performance of a simple home-built preparative gas chromatography (prep-GC) arrangement was tested, incorporating a micro-fluidic Deans switch, with collection of the target compound in a deactivated uncoated capillary tube. Repeat injections of a standard solution and peppermint sample were made into the prep-GC instrument. Individual compounds were eluted from the trapping capillary, and made up to constant volume. Chloronaphthalene internal standard was added in some cases. Recovered samples were quantitatively assayed by using GC-MS. Calibration linearity of GC-MS for menthol standard area response against number of injections (2-20 repeat injections) was excellent, giving R(2) of 0.996. For peppermint, menthol correlation over 2-20 repeated injections was 0.998 for menthol area ratio (versus IS) data. Menthone calibration for peppermint gave an R(2) of 0.972. (1) H NMR spectroscopy was conducted on both menthol and menthone. Good correspondence with reference spectra was obtained. About 80 µg of isolated menthol and menthone solute was collected over a sequence of 80 repeat injections from the peppermint sample, as assayed by 600 MHz (1) H NMR analysis (∼100% recovery for menthol from peppermint). A procedure is proposed for prediction of number of injections required to acquire sufficient material for NMR detection.

NMR-based metabolic profiling and differentiation of ginseng roots according to cultivation ages.

Ginseng is an important herbal resource worldwide, and the adulteration or falsification of cultivation age has been a serious problem in the commercial market. In this study, ginseng (Panax ginseng) roots, which were cultivated for 2-6 years under GAP standard guidelines, were analyzed by NMR-based metabolomic techniques using two solvents. At first, ginseng root samples were extracted with 50% methanol, and analyzed by NMR with D(2)O as the NMR dissolution solvent. The 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5/6-year-old ginseng root samples were separated in PLS-DA-derived score plots. However, 5- and 6-year-old ginseng roots were not separated by the solvent system. Therefore, various solvents were tested to differentiate the 5- and 6-year-old ginseng root samples, and 100% methanol-d(4) was chosen as the direct extraction and NMR dissolution solvent. In the PLS model using data from the 100% methanol-d(4) solvent, 5- and 6-year-old ginseng roots were clearly separated, and the model was validated using internal and external data sets. The obtained RMSEE and RMSEP values suggested that the PLS model has strong predictability for discriminating the age of 5- and 6-years-old ginseng roots. The present study suggests that the age of ginseng could be successfully predicted using two solvents, and the developed method in this study can be used as a standard protocol for discriminating and predicting the ages of ginseng root samples.

Efficacy of alternative antiandrogen therapy for prostate cancer that relapsed after initial maximum androgen blockade.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effectiveness of second-line maximum androgen blockade (MAB) with an alternative antiandrogen in patients who relapsed after initial MAB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 47 patients with prostate cancer who relapsed after initial MAB, including surgical or medical castration combined with antiandrogens, from January 1998 to December 2009. When the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was increased on three consecutive occasions, we discontinued the antiandrogen and then administered an alternative antiandrogen. Seven patients were assessed for antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome (AWS). The effect of the second-line MAB was evaluated by the serum PSA level, and response was subdivided into ≥50% and <50% PSA reductions from the baseline PSA at the start of second-line MAB. RESULTS: PSA reduction was observed in 32 patients (68.1%). Among them, 23 (48.9%) achieved ≥50% PSA reductions with a mean response duration of 13.4±5.4 months. Nine (19.2%) patients reached <50% PSA reductions with a mean response duration of 12.2±6.2 months. The time to nadir PSA level after first-line MAB in the ≥50% PSA reduction group, <50% PSA reduction group, and PSA elevation group was 15.6±12.9 months, 11.8±6.0 months, and 8±6.5 months, respectively. That is to say, it was significantly longer in the responder groups (p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Second-line MAB using an alternative antiandrogen is an effective treatment option before cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients who relapse after initial MAB.

Rapid sequential separation of essential oil compounds using continuous heart-cut multi-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for separation and identification of peaks in essential oil samples based on rapid repetitive heart-cutting using multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC)-mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with a cryotrapping interface is described. Lavender essential oil is analyzed by employing repetitive heart-cut intervals of 1.00 and 1.50 min, achieved in a parallel MDGC-MS/GC-FID experiment. The number of peaks that were detected in 1D GC operation above a given response threshold more than tripled when MDGC-MS employing the cryotrapping module method was used. In addition, MDGC-MS enabled detection of peaks that were not individually evident in 1D GC-MS, owing to effective deconvolution in time of previously overlapped peaks in 1D GC. Thus separation using the cryomodulation approach, without recourse to using deconvolution software, was possible. Peaks widths decreased by about 5-7-fold with the described method, peak capacity increased from about 9 per min to 60 per min, and greater sensitivity results. Repeatability of retention times for replicate analyses in the multidimensional mode was better than 0.02% RSD. The present study suggests that the described heart-cutting technique using MDGC-MS can be used for general improvement in separation and identification of volatile compounds.

(1)H-NMR-based discrimination of thermal and vinegar treated ginseng roots.

To investigate the changes in nonvolatile metabolites of thermal and/or vinegar treated ginseng (TVG), samples prepared using various treatment conditions were analyzed using an (1)H-NMR-based metabolomics technique. The processing conditions of the ginseng in this study were 100, 140, and 180 degrees C with and without vinegar and the duration of exposure to each temperature was 10, 30, and 50 min, respectively. There was a clear separation in the score plots among various treatment conditions. Major compounds contributing to the separation of 50% methanol extracts of TVG with various process conditions were valine, lactate, alanine, arginine, glucose, fructose, and sucrose. As temperature increased, valine, arginine, glucose, fructose, and sucrose concentrations decreased, whereas lactate, glucose, and fructose increased in the vinegar-treated samples compared to non-vinegar-treated samples. The present study suggests the usefulness of an (1)H-NMR-based metabolomics approach to discriminate TVG samples, subjected to different processing conditions.

Classification and prediction of free-radical scavenging activities of dangyuja (Citrus grandis Osbeck) fruit extracts using (1)H NMR spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis.

Different parts of dangyuja (Citrus grandis Osbeck) fruits at different maturation stages were classified using a (1)H NMR-based metabolomic technique. Principal components analysis allowed the clear separation of fractions extracted with 50% methanol of different parts of dangyuja fruits at different maturation stages by combining principal components PC1 and PC2, which together accounted for 80.4% of the variance. A loading-plot analysis revealed that sucrose, glucose, oxaloacetic acid and citric acid were dominant in mature flesh, while naringin, tyramine, proline and alanine were dominant in immature fruit samples. Projections to latent structures using a partial least squares (PLS) model were used to predict the free-radical scavenging activities (FRSA) of dangyuja fruit extracts based on their (1)H NMR spectra. The present study suggests the usefulness of combining (1)H NMR spectroscopy with multivariate statistical analysis for discriminating dangyuja fruit samples, and predicting the FRSA of different parts of dangyuja fruit samples at different stages of maturation.