Synthesis of low-phenylalanine polypeptides

Low-phenylalanine-peptides for dietotherapy of phenylketonuria (PKU) were prepared from soybean protein isolate. Soluble fraction of soybean protein isolate was hydrolysed by α-chymotrypsin then followed by carboxypeptidase-A. Molecular weight distribution and amino acid analysis were made on the resultant polypeptides. The chymotrypsin hydrolysate was divided into two fractions, Fraction I (molecular weight > 2500) and Fraction II (molecular weight between 1000 and 2500). The phenylalanine content of Fraction I (3.1%) was lower than that of Fraction II (5%), indicating the nonuniform distribution of phenylalanine in soybean protein. Carboxypeptidase hydrolysis of Fraction I further reduced the phenylalanine concentration to 2.3%, approximately half of the original concentration in soybean protein isolate.     

Mechanical properties of chitosan films: Effect of solvent acid

The apparent Young's modulus shows a linear relationship with junction density of chitosan films. The linear relationship of apparent Young's modulus with chitosan concentration is also observed. The linear relationship depends of the acid used in the casting solution. Relaxation times were of the order of 10⁴ seconds, indicating a slow physical process. Stress-relaxation behavior of swollen chitosan films, prepared by solvent casting from dilute acetic or propionic acid solutions, can be represented by a one-component Maxwell model.     

Intermediate dose 5-fluorouracil-induced encephalopathy

As an acute neurotoxicity, high dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-inducedencephalopathy is well-known, but encephalopathy associatedwith lower dose is rarely reported. Here, we report a case ofa male with anal cancer who was treated with 5-FU 1000 mg/m²,continuous infusion for 5 days q4 weeks. At the second and thefourth cycles of chemotherapy, sudden confusion, cognitive dysfunctionand disorientation occurred during 5-FU infusion. They wereaccompanied by hyperammonemia in the absence of focal neurologicaldeficits or structural abnormalities. These symptoms completelydisappeared and the serum ammonia level returned to normal afterdiscontinuation of 5-FU and conservative care. In order to investigatea possible deficit of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD),we checked its mRNA level before and after treatment using real-timePCR. The patient's pre-treatment level was 80% compared withreference group, and it was elevated up to 187% of initial after5-FU treatment, implying that that his encephalopathy may be5-FU catabolite type rather than DPD deficiency. In conclusion,we report that encephalopathy can develop even with the doseof 5-FU lower than ever reported, and it should be consideredas a differential diagnosis for proper management.     

Potent antiandrogen and androgen receptor activities of an Angelica gigas-containing herbal formulation: identification of decursin as a novel and active compound with implications for prevention and treatment of prostate cancer

Androgen and androgen receptor (AR)-mediated signaling are crucial for the development of prostate cancer. Identification of novel and naturally occurring phytochemicals that target androgen and AR signaling from Oriental medicinal herbs holds exciting promises for the chemoprevention of this disease. In this article, we report the discovery of strong and long-lasting antiandrogen and AR activities of the ethanol extract of a herbal formula (termed KMKKT) containing Korean Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) root and nine other Oriental herbs in the androgen-dependent LNCaP human prostate cancer cell model. The functional biomarkers evaluated included a suppression of the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA and protein (IC50, approximately 7 microg/mL, 48-hour exposure) and an inhibition of androgen-induced cell proliferation through G1 arrest and of the ability of androgen to suppress neuroendocrine differentiation at exposure concentrations that did not cause apoptosis. Through activity-guided fractionation, we identified decursin from AGN as a novel antiandrogen and AR compound with an IC50 of approximately 0.4 microg/mL (1.3 micromol/L, 48-hour exposure) for suppressing PSA expression. Decursin also recapitulated the neuroendocrine differentiation induction and G1 arrest actions of the AGN and KMKKT extracts. Mechanistically, decursin in its neat form or as a component of AGN or KMKKT extracts inhibited androgen-stimulated AR translocation to the nucleus and down-regulated AR protein abundance without affecting the AR mRNA level. The novel antiandrogen and AR activities of decursin and decursin-containing herbal extracts have significant implications for the chemoprevention and treatment of prostate cancer and other androgen-dependent diseases.     

Relationship between inspiratory muscle strength and cough capacity in cervical spinal cord injured patients

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective single centre study. OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary rehabilitation focuses on improving the expiratory muscle function in order to increase the reduced cough capacity in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (SCI). However, an improvement in the inspiratory function is also important for coughing effectively. Therefore, this study was to examine the significance of the inspiratory muscle strength on the cough capacity in the patients with a cervical SCI. SETTING: SCI unit, Yonsei Rehabilitation Hospital, Seoul, Korea. METHODS: The vital capacity (VC), maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured. Moreover, the unassisted peak cough flow (PCF) and assisted PCF under three conditions were evaluated. RESULTS: All three assisted cough methods showed a significantly higher value than the unassisted method (P < 0.001). The VC correlated with the voluntary cough capacity and the MIP (R = 0.749) correlated more significantly with the VC than the MEP (R = 0.438) (P < 0.01). The MIP showed a higher correlation with both the unassisted PCF and all three assisted PCFs than the MEP (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The management of the inspiratory muscle strength should be considered in the pulmonary rehabilitation at cervical SCI patients.