Muricauda spongiicola sp. nov., isolated from the sponge Callyspongia elongata.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, thin-rod-shaped, aerobic, non-motile and yellow-pigmented marine bacterium (designated strain 2012CJ35-5T) was isolated from a marine sponge Callyspongia elongata sampled in Jeju-do, Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 2012CJ35-5T belonged to the family Flavobacteriaceae, and was most closely related to Muricauda olearia KCCM 90075T (96.3 %), Muricauda alvinocaridis JCM 33425T (95.7 %), Muricauda flava KCTC 22665T (95.6 %), Muricauda koreensis KCTC 52351T (95.6 %) and Muricauda eckloniae KCTC 22266T (94.9 %). Average nucleotide identity, amino acid identities and digital DNA-DNA hybridization between strain 2012CJ35-5T and the closest related strain were 72.6, 73.6 and 17.3 % respectively, indicating that strain 2012CJ35-5T represents a novel species of the genus Muricauda. The genome size of strain 2012CJ35-5T is 3.8 Mbp and the G+C content is 43.9 mol%. Strain 2012CJ35-5T contained menaquinone 6 as the major respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminophospholipids and five unidentified lipids as major polar lipids. The fatty acids were mainly (>15 %) defined as C15 : 0 iso (31.7 %), C15 : 1 iso G (29.2 %) and C17 : 0 iso 3OH (18.0 %). Strain 2012CJ35-5T could be distinguished from the other members of the genus Muricauda by a number of chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics. Based on the results of polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strain 2012CJ35-5T (=KACC 22643T=LMG 32584T) represents a novel species within the genus Muricauda, for which the name Muricauda spongiicola sp. nov. is proposed.

Evaluation of machine-assisted irrigation on removal of intracanal biofilm and extrusion of sodium hypochlorite using a three-dimensionally printed root canal model.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the biofilm removal and apical extrusion of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) following machine-assisted irrigation using a three-dimensionally (3D) printed dentin-insert model. METHODS: Multispecies biofilms were formed in a 3D-printed curved root canal model with dentin insert. The model was then placed in a container that was filled with 0.2% agarose gel containing 0.1% m-Cresol purple. Root canals were irrigated with 1% NaOCl using syringe irrigation, sonically agitated (EndoActivator or EDDY) or ultrasonically activated (Endosonic Blue) irrigation. Samples were photographed and the color-changed area was measured. Biofilm removal was assessed using colony-forming unit counting, confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis and scanning electron microscopic observations. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: EDDY and Endosonic Blue demonstrated significantly greater reduction of biofilms compared to other groups. No significant differences were observed in the remaining biofilm volume in syringe irrigation and EndoActivator groups. Furthermore, EDDY and Endosonic Blue presented with numerous exposed dentinal tubules. EDDY showed significantly greater NaOCl extrusion compared to other groups. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic activation with a small-sized nickel-titanium file irrigation system may be beneficial in intracanal biofilm removal avoiding extrusion of NaOCl beyond the root apex.

Preparation of Black Hoof medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus (Berk. et M.A. Curt.) Teng (Aphyllophoromycetideae) beta-glucan sulfate and in vitro tumor cell growth inhibitory activity.

Polysaccharide beta-glucans were extracted from the medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus (Hymenochaetaceae, Aphyllophoromycetideae) and subjected to sulfation. Chemical modification of the beta-glucan was confirmed by structural analysis, and its biological properties were compared with those of native beta-glucan. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis indicated that successive preparation of the sulfated derivative yielded a degree of substitution of 0.47. Nitric oxide production measured by the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) experiments increased 1.5-fold after sulfation. In addition, the introduction of sulfate groups into the beta-glucan chains improved in vitro growth inhibitory activity against SNU-C2A cells. Therefore, sulfated beta-glucan extracted from Ph. linteus may be beneficial for immune support due to its incorporation of functional groups into its polymer structure.

The fruit of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms improves arterial stiffness and blood pressure: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are 2 of the independent predictors for cardiovascular disease, while Acanthopanax senticosus Harms (ASH) is a traditional medicinal plant that can improve cardiovascular health. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the fruit of ASH on vascular function in apparently healthy subjects. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, consisting of healthy adults with at least 2 of the following 3 conditions: borderline high blood pressure (BP; 120 mmHg ≤ systolic BP ≤ 160 mmHg or 80 mmHg ≤ diastolic BP ≤ 100 mmHg), smoking (≥10 cigarettes/day), and borderline blood lipid levels (220 ≤ total cholesterol ≤ 240, 130 ≤ low density lipoprotein cholesterol ≤ 165, or 150 ≤ triglyceride ≤ 220 mg/dL). Randomly assigned 76 subjects who received a placebo or 2 doses of ASH fruit (low, 500 mg/day; high, 1,000 mg/day) completed the intervention. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), flow-mediated dilation, carotid intima-media thickness, and BP were measured both at baseline and following the 12-week intervention. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation was assessed by western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group, the low-dose group showed more significant changes after the 12-week intervention period in terms of systolic BP (0.1 vs. -7.7 mmHg; P = 0.044), baPWV (31.3 vs. -98.7 cm/s; P = 0.007), and the ratio of phospho-eNOS/eNOS (0.8 vs. 1.22; P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ASH fruit extract at 500 mg/day has the potential to improve BP and arterial stiffness via endothelial eNOS activation in healthy adults with smoking and the tendency of having elevated BP or blood lipid parameters. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0001072.

Molecular Markers in Sex Differences in Cancer.

Cancer is one of the common causes of death with a high degree of mortality, worldwide. In many types of cancers, if not all, sex-biased disparities have been observed. In these cancers, an individual's sex has been shown to be one of the crucial factors underlying the incidence and mortality of cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that differentially expressed genes and proteins may contribute to sex-biased differences in male and female cancers. Therefore, identification of these molecular differences is important for early diagnosis of cancer, prediction of cancer prognosis, and determination of response to specific therapies. In the present review, we summarize the differentially expressed genes and proteins in several cancers including bladder, colorectal, liver, lung, and non-small cell lung cancers as well as renal clear cell carcinoma, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The sex-biased molecular differences were identified via proteomics, genomics, and big data analysis. The identified molecules represent potential candidates as sex-specific cancer biomarkers. Our study provides molecular insights into the impact of sex on cancers, suggesting strategies for sex-biased therapy against certain types of cancers.

Sex-biased differences in the correlation between epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-associated genes in cancer cell lines.

There is a wide disparity in the incidence, malignancy and mortality of different types of cancer between each sex. The sex-specificity of cancer seems to be dependent on the type of cancer. Cancer incidence and mortality have been demonstrated as sex-specific in a number of different types of cancer, such as liver cancer, whereas sex-specificity is not noticeable in certain other types of cancer, including colon and lung cancer. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular basis for sex-biased gene expression in cancer. The mRNA expression of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-associated genes was investigated, including E-cadherin (also termed CDH1), vimentin (VIM), discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) in female- and male-derived cancer cell lines by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and the Broad-Novartis Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database analysis. A negative correlation was observed between DDR1 and ZEB1 only in the female-derived cancer cell lines via RT-PCR analysis. A negative correlation between DDR1 index (defined by the logarithmic value of DDR1 divided by ZEB1, based on the mRNA data from the RT-PCR analysis) and an invasive phenotype was observed in cancer cell lines in a sex-specific manner. Analysis of the CCLE database demonstrated that DDR1 and ZEB1, which are already known to be sex-biased, were negatively correlated in female-derived liver cancer cell lines, but not in male-derived liver cancer cell lines. In contrast, cell lines of colon and lung cancer did not reveal any sex-dependent difference in the correlation between DDR1 and ZEB1. Kaplan-Meier survival curves using the transcriptomic datasets such as Gene Expression Omnibus, European Genome-phenome Archiva and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases suggested a sex-biased difference in the correlation between DDR1 expression pattern and overall survival in patients with liver cancer. The results of the present study indicate that sex factors may affect the regulation of gene expression, contributing to the sex-biased progression of the different types of cancer, particularly liver cancer. Overall, these findings suggest that analyses of the correlation between DDR1 and ZEB1 may prove useful when investigating sex-biased cancers.

Structural and biological study of carboxymethylated Phellinus linteus polysaccharides.

Polysaccharides isolated from Phellinus linteus were chemically modified by carboxymethylation, and the structural and physiological properties of the derivative were investigated. 13C NMR spectroscopy showed that the polysaccharides extracted from P. linteus contained (1-3)-beta-glucans with a (1-6)-linkage. The carboxymetehylation of the P. linteus polysaccharides was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the degree of substitution was obtained by the potentiometric titration, which was calculated to be 0.63. The bronchoalveolar lavage experiments showed that the carboxymethylated derivative raised the nitric oxide production. In addition, the carboxymethylation stimulated in vitro cytotoxic activity against the HT1080 cell line. Thus, the derivative exhibited the enhanced activity of immune systems, which would be explained by the improved water solubility and structural changes by carboxymethylation. However, a slight decrease in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the derivative was observed.