Gut commensal Bifidobacterium-derived extracellular vesicles modulate the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although immunotherapy such as anti-programmed death-1 and its ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) is a standard treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), many patients do not derive benefit directly. Several studies have elucidated new strategies to improve the antitumor immune response through gut microbiota modulation.

Microfluidic Printing-Based Method for the Multifactorial Study of Cell-Free Protein Networks.

Protein networks can be assembled in vitro for basic biochemistry research, drug screening, and the creation of artificial cells. Two standard methodologies are used: manual pipetting and pipetting robots. Manual pipetting has limited throughput in the number of input reagents and the combination of reagents in a single sample.

Application of Engineered Zinc Finger Proteins Immobilized on Paramagnetic Beads for Multiplexed Detection of Pathogenic DNA.

Micro-scale magnetic beads are widely used for isolation of proteins, DNA, and cells, leading to the development of in vitro diagnostics. Efficient isolation of target biomolecules is one of the keys to developing a simple and rapid point-of-care diagnostic. A zinc finger protein (ZFP) is a double-stranded (ds) DNA-binding domain, providing a useful scaffold for direct reading of the sequence information.

Building protein networks in synthetic systems from the bottom-up.

The recent development of synthetic biology has expanded the capability to design and construct protein networks outside of living cells from the bottom-up. The new capability has enabled us to assemble protein networks for the basic study of cellular pathways, expression of proteins outside cells, and building tissue materials. Furthermore, the integration of natural and synthetic protein networks has enabled new functions of synthetic or artificial cells.

Orthogonal tuning of gene expression noise using CRISPR-Cas.

The control of gene expression noise is important for improving drug treatment and the performance of synthetic biological systems. Previous work has tuned gene expression noise by changing the rate of transcription initiation, mRNA degradation, and mRNA translation. However, these methods are invasive: they require changes to the target genetic components.

Escherichia coli removal from model substrates: Underlying mechanism based on nanofluid structural forces.

Understanding the interactions between bacteria and solid surfaces that result in bacterial adhesion and removal is of immense importance for reducing foodborne illness outbreaks. A nanofluid formulation comprised of a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar aqueous solution in the presence of an organic acid (as a pH controller) was used to test the E. coli K12 removal from two substrates, polyvinylchloride (PVC) and partially hydrophobic glass.

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease from elevated olfactory mucosal miR-206 level.

MicroRNA-206, which suppresses the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, is known to be elevated in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We performed intranasal biopsy of the olfactory epithelia of early dementia patients (n = 24) and cognitively healthy controls (n = 9). Patients with significant depression (n = 8) were analyzed separately, as their cognitive impairments were thought to be caused by their depression.

Seasonal Variation, Cranial Autonomic Symptoms, and Functional Disability in Migraine: A Questionnaire-Based Study in Tertiary Care.

Objective/background: Seasonal variation of migraine attack frequency has been described as a phenomenon. We aimed to compare functional disability and the occurrence of cranial autonomic symptoms (CASs) in patients who reported a seasonal variation in their migraine attack frequency with those who did not.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based observational study on patients with migraine without aura who visited our institution from January 2005 to December 2013.

The first korean patient with severe aortic stenosis and bilateral iliofemoral artery disease treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation by transsubclavian approach.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is indicated as an alternative treatment modality to surgical aortic valve replacement for high risk patients. The standard retrograde approach through the femoral artery is not feasible in the case of unfavorable iliofemoral anatomy or severe peripheral arterial disease (PAD). However, patients with aortic stenosis (AS) have a higher prevalence of for PAD because both diseases are consequences of atherosclerotic degenerative changes.

The First Case of Successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using CoreValve in Korea.

Surgical replacement of the aortic valve is the standard therapy for severe aortic valve stenosis. However, it is generally associated with increased mortality and morbidities in older individuals. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive procedure and has shown similar clinical outcomes as surgical treatment in elderly patients at high risk for conventional surgery.

Prognostic Estimation of Advanced Heart Failure With Low Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Wide QRS Interval.

Background And Objectives: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been known to improve the outcome of advanced heart failure (HF) but is still underutilized in clinical practice. We investigated the prognosis of patients with advanced HF who were suitable for CRT but were treated with conventional strategies. We also developed a risk model to predict mortality to improve the facilitation of CRT.

Heat-processed ginseng enhances the cognitive function in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: Ginseng has been reported to improve cognitive function in animals and in healthy and cognitively impaired individuals. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a heat-processed form of ginseng that contains more potent ginsenosides than raw ginseng in the treatment of cognitive impairment in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Forty patients with AD were randomized into one of three different dose groups or the control group as follows: 1.

Improvement of cognitive deficit in Alzheimer's disease patients by long term treatment with korean red ginseng.

A 24-week randomized open-label study with Korean red ginseng (KRG) showed cognitive benefits in patients with Alzheimer's disease. To further determine long-term effect of KRG, the subjects were recruited to be followed up to 2 yr. Cognitive function was evaluated every 12 wk using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) and the Korean version of the Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) with the maintaining dose of 4.

Transplantation of patient-derived adipose stem cells in YAC128 Huntington's disease transgenic mice.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by abnormal expansion of CAG in the huntingtin gene. In R6/2 HD transgenic mice, human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can slow disease progression via secretion of multiple paracrine growth factors. In order to prompt autologous ASCs transplantation in HD, we isolated ASCs from subcutaneous adipose tissues from a HD patient and a normal volunteer.

Protective action of the immunomodulator ginsan against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury via control of oxidative stress and the inflammatory response.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate immunomodulator ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver injury. BALB/c mice were injected i.p.

White matter hyperintensities and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer disease.

The effect of white matter lesions in magnetic resonance imaging or vascular atherosclerosis on cognitive function is not fully understood in Alzheimer disease (AD). In this investigation, we examined the influence of white matter lesions on cognitive decline in AD. A total of 142 patients with AD (44 men, mean age 65.

N-acetylphytosphingosine enhances the radiosensitivity of lung cancer cell line NCI-H460.

Ceramides are well-known second messengers that induce apoptosis in various kinds of cancer cells, and their effects are closely related to radiation sensitivity. Phytoceramides, the yeast counterparts of the mammalian ceramides, are also reported to induce apoptosis. We investigated the effect of a novel ceramide derivative, N-acetylphytosphingosine (NAPS), on the radiosensitivity of NCI-H460 human lung carcinoma cells and its differential cytotoxicity in tumor and normal cells.

The Effect of Paroxetine on the Reduction of Migraine Frequency is Independent of Its Anxiolytic Effect.

Background And Purpose: Anxiety is the most important precipitating factor of migraine attacks, and more than half of migraineurs have coexisting anxiety disorders. Paroxetine, an antidepressant, is one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that has an anxiolytic effect, and is also known to be effective for migraine prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the anxiolytic effect of paroxetine on the prevention of migraine.

The immunomodulator ginsan induces resistance to experimental sepsis by inhibiting Toll-like receptor-mediated inflammatory signals.

Ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng, has multiple immunomodulatory effects. In this study, we show that pretreatment of ginsan (25 mug/kg) protected mice from lethality induced by Staphylococcus aureus challenge. This survival benefit was associated with enhanced bacterial clearance from circulation, spleen and kidney.

Radiation protective effect of an extract from Chelidonium majus.

We earlier reported that CM-AIa isolated from Chelidonium majus had mitogenic activity, generated lymphokine-activated killer cells, and increased the number of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC). In an extended effort to search for other immunostimulatory effects, we evaluated the protective effects of in vivo injected CM-AIa against irradiation. CM-AIa was found to increase the number of bone marrow cells, spleen cells, GM-CFC, and platelets in irradiated mice.