Gastrodia elata rhizoma ameliorates thioacetamide-induced liver injury in dogs

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of Gastrodia elata rhizome (GR) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in dogs. We evaluated serum biochemical and hematological parameters, with emphasis on alanine transaminase (ALT), alanine phosphates (ALP), and nitric oxide (NO) levels, in dogs with TAA-induced liver injury.

Materials and Methods

The animals were divided into a control group (Con), TAA group, Silymarin group (Sil, 50 mg/kg), Gastrodia rhizome low dose (GRL) (low) + TAA, GRH (high) + TAA, and GR high-dose group (GRH) control group. GRL and GRH were given daily at 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. TAA was given on days 1, 4, and 7 at a dose of 300 mg/kg.

Results

GR significantly reduced liver injury in treated animals, as indicated by lowered levels of ALT (about 32% at day 21 in both GRL + TAA and GRH + TAA groups), ALP (about 17% and 21% at day 21 in both GRL + TAA, GRH + TAA groups, respectively), and NO (about 36% at day 21 in both GRL + TAA, GRH + TAA groups) compared to the TAA control group. Hematological parameters showed mild changes during the experiment. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed gastrodin, a major component of the GR extract, constitutes 2.6% of the extract.

Conclusion

The GR demonstrated significant hepatoprotective effects against TAA-induced liver injury in dogs. The study provides evidence for the potential therapeutic use of GR in the management of liver diseases.

Anti-Osteoarthritic Effects of Cartilage-Derived Extracellular Matrix in a Rat Osteoarthritis Model

BACKGROUND

The extracellular matrix (ECM) has many functions, such as segregating tissues, providing support, and regulating intercellular communication. Cartilage-derived ECM (CECM) can be prepared via consecutive processes of chemical decellularization and enzyme treatment. The purpose of this study was to improve and treat osteoarthritis (OA) using porcine knee articular CECM.

METHODS

We assessed the rheological characteristics and pH of CECM solutions. Furthermore, we determined the effects of CECM on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity in the chondrocytes of New Zealand rabbits. The inhibitory effect of CECM on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced cellular apoptosis was assessed using New Zealand rabbit chondrocytes and human synoviocytes. Finally, we examined the in vivo effects of CECM on inflammation control and cartilage degradation in an experimental OA-induced rat model. The rat model of OA was established by injecting monosodium iodoacetate into the intra-articular knee joint. The rats were then injected with CECM solution. Inflammation control and cartilage degradation were assessed by measuring the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and C-telopeptide of type II collagen and performing a histomorphological analysis.

RESULTS

CECM was found to be biocompatible and non-immunogenic, and could improve cell proliferation without inducing a toxic reaction. CECM significantly reduced cellular apoptosis due to TNF-α, significantly improved the survival of cells in inflammatory environments, and exerted anti-inflammatory effects.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that CECM is an appropriate injectable material that mediates OA-induced inflammation.

Efficient Photon Extraction in Top-Emission Organic Light-Emitting Devices Based on Ampicillin Microstructures

The desire to enhance the efficiency of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) has driven to the investigation of advanced materials with fascinating properties. In this work, the efficiency of top-emission OLEDs (TEOLEDs) is enhanced by introducing ampicillin microstructures (Amp-MSs) with dual phases (α-/β-phase) that induce photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL). Moreover, Amp-MSs can adjust the charge balance by Fermi level (E_F ) alignment, thereby decreasing the leakage current. The decrease in the wave-guided modes can enhance the light outcoupling through optical scattering. The resulting TEOLED demonstrates a record-high external quantum efficiency (EQE) (maximum: 68.7% and average: 63.4% at spectroradiometer; maximum: 44.8% and average: 42.6% at integrating sphere) with a wider color gamut (118%) owing to the redshift of the spectrum by J-aggregation. Deconvolution of the EL intensities is performed to clarify the contribution of Amp-MSs to the device EQE enhancement (optical scattering by Amp-MSs: 17.0%, PL by radiative energy transfer: 9.1%, and EL by J-aggregated excitons: 4.6%). The proposed TEOLED outperforms the existing frameworks in terms of device efficiency.

Blind and Compact Denoising Network Based on Noise Order Learning

A lightweight blind image denoiser, called blind compact denoising network (BCDNet), is proposed in this paper to achieve excellent trade-offs between performance and network complexity. With only 330K parameters, the proposed BCDNet is composed of the compact denoising network (CDNet) and the guidance network (GNet). From a noisy image, GNet extracts a guidance feature, which encodes the severity of the noise. Then, using the guidance feature, CDNet filters the image adaptively according to the severity to remove the noise effectively. Moreover, by reducing the number of parameters without compromising the performance, CDNet achieves denoising not only effectively but also efficiently. Experimental results show that the proposed BCDNet yields state-of-the-art or competitive denoising performances on various datasets while requiring significantly fewer parameters.

Comparison of actual amount of movement with surgical treatment objective in the orthognathic maxillary repositioning

OBJECTIVE

To compare the postoperative position of the maxilla with the surgical treatment objectives (STO) in bimaxillary orthognathic surgery for evaluating the surgical accuracy and investigating the pattern and cause of the discrepancy.

METHODS

Patients undergoing conventional bimaxillary orthognathic surgery by a single oral and maxillofacial surgeon were enrolled. Utilizing the superimposition of preoperative and postoperative computed tomography images, the actual amounts of positional change of both the maxillary central incisor and first molars were compared with those of STO. All the patients were divided into two groups according to the actual discrepancy between STO and the postoperative position and factors that may affect surgical accuracy were analyzed.

RESULTS

In 62 cases, the absolute mean value of the positional difference between STO and the actual outcome was 2.20 mm (X-axis, 0.93 mm; Y-axis, 1.31 mm; and Z-axis, 1.09 mm) in the maxillary central incisor. The signed mean value of the central incisor was -0.07 mm, 0.79 mm, and -0.57 mm in the X-, Y-, and Z-axes, respectively, and the value in the Y- and Z-axes showed a statistically significant difference in comparison with STO (P<0.01). Age, sex, skeletal Angle classification, maxillary and mandibular profile, use of 3D virtual surgery, facial asymmetry, and yawing correction did not show a statistically significant correlation with surgical accuracy at the central incisor.

CONCLUSION

There was an acceptable range of discrepancy between postoperative maxillary position and STO after orthognathic surgery; however, there was a tendency for posterior and downward movement in the maxillary anterior teeth.

Highly efficient, heat dissipating, stretchable organic light-emitting diodes based on a MoO3/Au/MoO3 electrode with encapsulation

Stretchable organic light-emitting diodes are ubiquitous in the rapidly developing wearable display technology. However, low efficiency and poor mechanical stability inhibit their commercial applications owing to the restrictions generated by strain. Here, we demonstrate the exceptional performance of a transparent (molybdenum-trioxide/gold/molybdenum-trioxide) electrode for buckled, twistable, and geometrically stretchable organic light-emitting diodes under 2-dimensional random area strain with invariant color coordinates. The devices are fabricated on a thin optical-adhesive/elastomer with a small mechanical bending strain and water-proofed by optical-adhesive encapsulation in a sandwiched structure. The heat dissipation mechanism of the thin optical-adhesive substrate, thin elastomer-based devices or silicon dioxide nanoparticles reduces triplet-triplet annihilation, providing consistent performance at high exciton density, compared with thick elastomer and a glass substrate. The performance is enhanced by the nanoparticles in the optical-adhesive for light out-coupling and improved heat dissipation. A high current efficiency of ~82.4 cd/A and an external quantum efficiency of ~22.3% are achieved with minimum efficiency roll-off.

Light Field Super-Resolution via Adaptive Feature Remixing

A novel light field super-resolution algorithm to improve the spatial and angular resolutions of light field images is proposed in this work. We develop spatial and angular super-resolution (SR) networks, which can faithfully interpolate images in the spatial and angular domains regardless of the angular coordinates. For each input image, we feed adjacent images into the SR networks to extract multi-view features using a trainable disparity estimator. We concatenate the multi-view features and remix them through the proposed adaptive feature remixing (AFR) module, which performs channel-wise pooling. Finally, the remixed feature is used to augment the spatial or angular resolution. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms on various light field datasets. The source codes and pre-trained models are available at https://github.com/keunsoo-ko/ LFSR-AFR.

Determination of Ginsenosides (Ginseng Saponins) in Dry Root Powder from Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, and Selected Commercial Products by Liquid Chromatography: Interlaboratory Study

Twelve collaborating laboratories assayed 4 products, namely, Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, and 2 ginseng products, for 6 ginsenosides: Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, andRg1. Collaborators also received a negative control for the recovery study. Pure ginsenosides were provided as reference standards for the liquid chromatography (LC) analysis and the system suitability tests. The LC analyses were performed on the methanol extract using UV detection at 203 nm. For P. ginseng, individual ginsenosides were consistent in their means; repeatability standard deviations (RSDr)rangedfrom4.17to5.09% and reproducibility standard deviations (RSDR) ranged from 7.27 to 11.3%. For P. quinquefolius, the Rb1 and Rb2 ginsenosides were higher and lower in concentration than P. ginseng, with RSDr values of 3.44 and 6.60% and RSDR values of 5.91 and 12.6% respectively, and other analytes at intermediate precisions. For ginseng commercial products, RSDr values ranged from 3.39 to 8.12%, andRSDR values ranged from 7.65 to 16.5%. A recovery study was also conducted for 3 ginsenosides: Rg1, Re, andRb1. The average recoveries were 99.9, 96.2, and 92.3%, respectively. The method is not applicable for the determination of Rg1 and Re in ginseng product at levels &lt;300 mg/kg.

Replacement of n-type layers with a non-toxic APTES interfacial layer to improve the performance of amorphous Si thin-film solar cells

Hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) generally contain p/n-type Si layers, which are fabricated using toxic gases. The substitution of these p/n-type layers with non-toxic materials while improving the device performance is a major challenge in the field of TFSCs. Herein, we report the fabrication of a-Si:H TFSCs with the n-type Si layer replaced with a self-assembled monolayer (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the amine groups from APTES attached with the hydroxyl groups (–OH) on the intrinsic Si (i-Si) surface to form a positive interfacial dipole towards i-Si. This interfacial dipole facilitated the decrease in electron extraction barrier by lowering the work function of the cathode. Consequently, the TFSC with APTES showed a higher fill factor (0.61) and power conversion efficiency (7.68%) than the reference device (without APTES). This performance enhancement of the TFSC with APTES can be attributed to its superior built-in potential and the reduction in the Schottky barrier of the cathode. In addition, the TFSCs with APTES showed lower leakage currents under dark conditions, and hence better charge separation and stability than the reference device. This indicates that APTES is a potential alternative to n-type Si layers, and hence can be used for the fabrication of non-toxic air-stable a-Si:H TFSCs with enhanced performance.

Hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) generally contain p/n-type Si layers, which are fabricated using toxic gases.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a risk factor for cancer: a nationwide population-based study in Korea

OBJECTIVE

Specific differences in cancer risk have been observed between systemic lupus erythematosus patients and the general population. Although meta-analyses have estimated cancer incidence in systemic lupus erythematosus patients, results have been inconclusive. Hence, we aimed to assess malignancy risk in systemic lupus erythematosus patients, compared to the risk in the general population.

METHODS

Systemic lupus erythematosus patients ( n = 21,016; mean age 41.67 ± 13.14 years; female 90.22%) were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2008 and 2014. Age- and sex-matched controls were randomly sampled in a 5:1 ratio ( n = 105,080).

RESULTS

During the 7 years of follow up, malignancy was detected in 763 (3.63%) systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 2667 (2.54%) controls. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients had a higher risk of malignancy than controls (odds ratio 1.44; 95% confidence interval 1.327-1.559), after multivariate adjustment. Systemic lupus erythematosus patients had a higher odds ratio for developing cervical, thyroid, ovarian, and oral cancer, as well as lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma than controls. Based on subgroup analysis, male systemic lupus erythematosus patients and patients younger than 40 years showed the highest lymphoma risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Systemic lupus erythematosus might be an independent risk factor for cancer. Therefore, the importance of cancer screening programs should be emphasized in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Our study is the first large nationwide cohort study for evaluating the risk of cancer in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Remifentanil vs. Lignocaine for Attenuating the Haemodynamic Response during Rapid Sequence Induction Using Propofol: Double-Blind Randomised Clinical Trial

This study was conducted to determine whether lignocaine or remifentanil effectively attenuate the response to endotracheal intubation during rapid sequence induction. Forty-eight patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group NS (n=16) received normal saline 0.1 ml/kg, Group L (n=16) received lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg, and Group R (n=16) received remifentanil 1 /μg/kg. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg/kg after glycopyrrolate 0.2 mg IV. Each study drug was given intravenously over 30 seconds after loss of consciousness. Cricoid pressure was applied until intubation. Succinylcholine 1.0 mg/kg was administered to facilitate tracheal intubation. After intubation, the patient's lungs were ventilated with sevoflurane 1% and nitrous oxide 50% in oxygen. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded before induction, at loss of consciousness, immediately before laryngoscopy and every minute after intubation for 10 minutes. Mean arterial pressure fell following propofol in all groups. The maximum increase in mean arterial pressure in Group NS and Group L were 46% and 38% respectively above the baseline value one minute after intubation, whereas the mean arterial pressure in Group R increased only back to the baseline value. Heart rate in Group NS and Group L were increased by 27% and 33% above baseline value respectively one minute after intubation, while that in Group R was increased only to the baseline value. The results indicate that remifentanil 1 μg/kg, but not lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg, effectively attenuates the haemodynamic response to endotracheal intubation during rapid sequence induction using propofol.

Survival outcome differences based on treatments used and knowledge of the primary tumour site for patients with cancer of unknown and known primary in Ontario

Introduction

Patients with cancer of unknown primary (cup) have pathologically confirmed metastatic tumours with unidentifiable primary tumours. Currently, very little is known about the relationship between the treatment of patients with cup and their survival outcomes. Thus, we compared oncologic treatment and survival outcomes for patients in Ontario with cup against those for a cohort of patients with metastatic cancer of known primary site.

Methods

Using the Ontario Cancer Registry and the Same-Day Surgery and Discharge Abstract databases maintained by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, we identified all Ontario patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2005. Ontario Health Insurance Plan treatment records were linked to identify codes for surgery, chemotherapy, or therapeutic radiation related to oncology. Multivariable Cox regression models were constructed, adjusting for histology, age, sex, and comorbidities.

Results

In 45,347 patients (96.3%), the primary tumour site was identifiable, and in 1743 patients (3.7%), cup was diagnosed. Among the main tumour sites, cup ranked as the 6th largest. The mean Charlson score was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in patients with cup (1.88) than in those with a known primary (1.42). Overall median survival was 1.9 months for patients with cup compared with 11.9 months for all patients with a known-primary cancer. Receipt of treatment was more likely for patients with a known primary site (n= 35,012, 77.2%) than for those with cup (n = 891, 51.1%). Among patients with a known primary site, median survival was significantly higher for treated than for untreated patients (19.0 months vs. 2.2 months, p < 0.0001). Among patients with cup, median survival was also higher for treated than for untreated patients (3.6 months vs. 1.1 months, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

In Ontario, patients with cup experience significantly lower survival than do patients with metastatic cancer of a known primary site. Treatment is associated with significantly increased survival both for patients with cup and for those with metastatic cancer of a known primary site.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: a nationwide, population-based study in Korea

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the incidence and clinical significance of cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

METHODS

We included systemic lupus erythematosus patients ( n = 18,575) without previous cardiovascular disease and age- and sex-matched individuals without systemic lupus erythematosus (controls; n = 92,875) from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database (2008-2014). Both cohorts were followed up for incident cardiovascular disease and death until 2015.

RESULTS

During follow up, myocardial infarction occurred in 203 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 325 controls (incidence rate: 1.76 and 0.56 per 1000 person-years, respectively), stroke occurred in 289 patients and 403 controls (incidence rate: 2.51 and 0.70 per 1000 person-years, respectively), heart failure occurred in 358 patients and 354 controls (incidence rate 3.11 and 0.61 per 1000 person-years, respectively), and death occurred in 744 patients and 948 controls (incidence rate 6.54 and 1.64 per 1000 person-years, respectively). Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus had higher risks for myocardial infarction (hazard ratio: 2.74, 95% confidence interval: 2.28-3.37), stroke (hazard ratio: 3.31, 95% confidence interval: 2.84-3.86), heart failure (hazard ratio: 4.60, 95% confidence interval: 3.96-5.35), and cardiac death (hazard ratio: 3.98, 95% confidence interval: 3.61-4.39).

CONCLUSIONS

Here, systemic lupus erythematosus was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, thus cardiac assessment and management are critical in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Gemigliptin, a novel dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor, exerts a synergistic cytotoxicity with the histone deacetylase inhibitor PXD101 in thyroid carcinoma cells

PURPOSE

The influence of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor gemigliptin alone or in combination with the histone deacetylase inhibitor PXD101 on survival of thyroid carcinoma cells was investigated.

METHODS

SW1736, TPC-1, 8505C and BCPAP human thyroid carcinoma cells were used. To assess cell survival, cell viability, the percentage of viable cells and dead cells, cytotoxic activity, ATP levels and FACS analysis were measured. To validate the impact of gemigliptin combined with PXD101, the interactions were estimated by obtaining combination index in cells treated with two agents.

RESULTS

In cells treated with gemigliptin or PXD101, cell viability, the percentage of viable cells and ATP levels were reduced, and the percentage of dead cells and cytotoxic activity were elevated. In cells treated with both gemigliptin and PXD101, compared with PXD101 alone, cell death was augmented, and all of the combination index values were lower than 1.0, suggesting the synergism between gemigliptin and PXD101. The percentage of apoptotic cells, and the protein levels of Bcl2 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were elevated, and the protein levels of xIAP and survivin were reduced. The protein levels of phospho-Akt and phospho-AMPK were elevated, and cell migration was reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that gemigliptin induces cytotoxicity in thyroid carcinoma cells. Moreover, gemigliptin has a synergistic activity with PXD101 in the induction of cell death through involvement of Bcl2 family proteins, xIAP and survivin as well as mediation of Akt and AMPK in thyroid carcinoma cells.

Two-dimensional plasmonic grating for increased quantum efficiency in midwave infrared nBn detectors with thin absorbers

We demonstrate a strategy for increasing the operating temperatures of nBn midwave infrared (MWIR) focal plane arrays, based on the use of two-dimensional plasmonic gratings to enhance the quantum efficiency (QE) of structures with very thin absorbers. Reducing the absorber volume correspondingly reduces the dark current in a diffusion-limited photodiode, while light trapping mediated by the plasmonic grating increases the net absorbance to maintain high QE. The plasmonically enhanced nBn MWIR sensors with absorber thicknesses of only 0.5 μm exhibit peak internal QEs as high as 57%, which enables a 5-fold reduction in dark current. Numerical simulations indicate the potential for further improvement.

Perisomatic changes in h-channels regulate depressive behaviors following chronic unpredictable stress

Chronic stress can be a precipitating factor in the onset of depression. Lentiviral-mediated knockdown of HCN1 protein expression and reduction of functional I_h produce antidepressant behavior. However, whether h-channels are altered in an animal model of depression is not known. We found that perisomatic HCN1 protein expression and I_h-sensitive physiological measurements were significantly increased in dorsal but not in ventral CA1 region/neurons following chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), a widely accepted model for major depressive disorder. Cell-attached patch clamp recordings confirmed that perisomatic I_h was increased in dorsal CA1 neurons following CUS. Furthermore, when dorsal CA1 I_h was reduced by shRNA-HCN1, the CUS-induced behavioral deficits were prevented. Finally, rats infused in the dorsal CA1 region with thapsigargin, an irreversible inhibitor of the SERCA pump, exhibited anxiogenic-like behaviors and increased I_h, similar to that observed following CUS. Our results suggest that CUS, but not acute stress, leads to an increase in perisomatic I_h in dorsal CA1 neurons and that HCN channels represent a potential target for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Evaluation of abundance of artificial radionuclides in food products in South Korea and sources

Food samples are collected nationwide from January 2016 to February 2017 and their contents of artificial radionuclides are measured to address the growing concerns regarding the radioactive contamination of food products in Korea. Specifically, 900 food samples are collected for this study and their contents of representative artificial radionuclides ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ^239,240Pu, and ⁹⁰Sr are analyzed. The analysis shows that the activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in fish range from minimum detectable activity (MDA) to 340 mBq/kg of fresh weight. The concentration factor (CF) determined for ¹³⁷Cs as a measure of its bioavailability is calculated to be ca. 74 and found to be very similar to that (100) recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency. With an MDA of <0.221 mBq/kg, the results reveal that ^239,240Pu values in fish are below the MDA. The activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr are lower than the MDA in both shellfish and seaweed, while the activity concentrations of ^239,240Pu in shellfish range from 0.26 to 2.18 mBq/kg, and for seaweed samples range from 2.07 to 3.38 mBq/kg. The atom ratios of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu in shellfish caught at the Korean coast vary from 0.209 to 0.237, with a mean of 0.227. The higher ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratio determined in shellfish is thought to be caused by the plutonium transported from the Pacific Proving Grounds rather than other sources such as the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. The activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in mushrooms are found to vary from 1.0 to 21.4 Bq/kg, with the highest concentrations observed in the Oak (shiitake) and Sarcodon asparatus. ¹³⁴Cs is detected in three mushroom specimens collected from Jeju Island and about 3-3.6% of ¹³⁷Cs present in the wild mushrooms native to the Jeju Island are introduced as a result of the Fukushima nuclear plant accident. The annual effective doses of ¹³⁷Cs received through consumption of mushrooms and fish are 2.0 × 10^-4 mSv yr^-1 and 3.9 × 10^-5 mSv yr^-1, and those values are negligible compared to the annual effective doses limit of 1 mSv yr^-1.

Unsupervised Primary Object Discovery in Videos Based on Evolutionary Primary Object Modeling With Reliable Object Proposals

A novel primary object discovery (POD) algorithm, which uses reliable object proposals while exploiting the recurrence property of a primary object in a video sequence, is proposed in this paper. First, we generate both color-based and motion-based object proposals in each frame, and extract the feature of each proposal using the random walk with restart simulation. Next, we estimate the foreground confidence for each proposal to remove unreliable proposals. By superposing the features of the remaining reliable proposals, we construct the primary object models. To this end, we develop the evolutionary primary object modeling technique, which exploits the recurrence property of the primary object. Then, using the primary object models, we choose the main proposal in each frame and find the location of the primary object by merging the main proposal with candidate proposals selectively. Finally, we refine the discovered bounding boxes by exploiting temporal correlations of the recurring primary object. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed POD algorithm significantly outperforms conventional algorithms.

Locator-Checker-Scaler Object Tracking Using Spatially Ordered and Weighted Patch Descriptor

In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective object descriptor and a novel tracking algorithm to track a target object accurately. For the object description, we divide the bounding box of a target object into multiple patches and describe them with color and gradient histograms. Then, we determine the foreground weight of each patch to alleviate the impacts of background information in the bounding box. To this end, we perform random walk with restart (RWR) simulation. We then concatenate the weighted patch descriptors to yield the spatially ordered and weighted patch (SOWP) descriptor. For the object tracking, we incorporate the proposed SOWP descriptor into a novel tracking algorithm, which has three components: locator, checker, and scaler (LCS). The locator and the scaler estimate the center location and the size of a target, respectively. The checker determines whether it is safe to adjust the target scale in a current frame. These three components cooperate with one another to achieve robust tracking. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LCS tracker achieves excellent performance on recent benchmarks.

Increase in resting heart rate over 2 years predicts incidence of diabetes: A 10-year prospective study

OBJECTIVE

The association between resting heart rate (RHR) and the development of diabetes has yet to be fully elucidated, and the relationship between changes in RHR and incidence of diabetes also remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the association between changes in RHR over 2 years and the risk of diabetes.

METHODS

A total of 7416 adults without diabetes were included. All had participated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, a community-based, 10-year prospective study in which RHR was measured at baseline and 2 years later. Incident diabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose ≥126mg/dL, 2-h post-load glucose ≥200mg/dL during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test or current use of diabetes medication. The relative risk of diabetes associated with the 2-year change in RHR was calculated using Cox models.

RESULTS

During the 10-year follow-up, 1444 (19.5%) developed diabetes. Compared with RHR increases <5 beats per minute (bpm) over 2 years, increases >10bpm were significantly associated with development of diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.60), even after adjusting for glycometabolic parameters and baseline RHR. This significant association was attenuated in people who exercised regularly (P=0.650), but remained significant in those not doing any regular exercise (P=0.010).

CONCLUSION

An increase in RHR over a 2-year follow-up period is significantly associated with a risk of diabetes, independently of baseline RHR and glycometabolic parameters. Further investigations into ways to control RHR as a potential preventative measure against the development of diabetes are now needed.

Distribution of bisphenol A in the neuroendocrine organs of female rats

The distribution of 14C-bisphenol A (BPA) in plasma and neuroendocrine organs was determined in Fischer 344 female rats following three oral doses (0.1, 10 or 100 mg/kg). Plasma and tissue maximum concentrations (Cmax) were reached within 15-30 min of dosing. Plasma areas-under-the-curve (AUC) ranged from 0.06 to 53.9 mg-h/mL. The AUCs of the pituitary gland and uterus/gonads were 16-21% higher than that of plasma. The AUCs of hypothalamus and the rest of the brain were 43.7% and 77% of the plasma AUCs, respectively. In the brain tissue, the exposure increased linearly with the oral dose, as the dose was increased from 0.1 to 10 and 100 mg/kg; the exposure in the brain relative to the plasma increased by factors of 1, 1.19 and 1.24. This indicates that the brain barrier systems do not limit the access of the lipophilic BPA to the brain. The increases of the uterus/gonads relative to the plasma were 1, 1.07 and 1.04. Tissue partitioning was also examined in vitro by the uptake of 14C-BPA. The BPA tissue/blood partition coefficients were as follows: heart, 7.5; liver, 6.1; kidney, 6.4; fat, 3.6; muscle, 2.6; breast, 3.6; ovaries, 9.1; uterus, 5.9; stomach, 5.1; and small intestine, 6.7. The tissue/cerebrospinal fluid partition coefficients were as follows: pituitary gland, 12.8; brain stem, 6.1; cerebellum, 6.4; hippocampus, 7.1; hypothalamus, 6.1; frontal cortex, 4.9; and caudate nucleus, 6.8.

Video Stabilization Based on Feature Trajectory Augmentation and Selection and Robust Mesh Grid Warping

We propose a video stabilization algorithm, which extracts a guaranteed number of reliable feature trajectories for robust mesh grid warping. We first estimate feature trajectories through a video sequence and transform the feature positions into rolling-free smoothed positions. When the number of the estimated trajectories is insufficient, we generate virtual trajectories by augmenting incomplete trajectories using a low-rank matrix completion scheme. Next, we detect feature points on a large moving object and exclude them so as to stabilize camera movements, rather than object movements. With the selected feature points, we set a mesh grid on each frame and warp each grid cell by moving the original feature positions to the smoothed ones. For robust warping, we formulate a cost function based on the reliability weights of each feature point and each grid cell. The cost function consists of a data term, a structure-preserving term, and a regularization term. By minimizing the cost function, we determine the robust mesh grid warping and achieve the stabilization. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm reconstructs videos more stably than the conventional algorithms.

Interband cascade lasers with long lifetimes

Narrow-ridge interband cascade lasers were subjected to accelerated aging. The aging curves were statistically evaluated by a log-normal distribution of the failure time, and by the mixed effects of the degradation parameters. Based on 10,000 h of output power trend data for lasers operating at 90°C and the maximum cw power, an unexpectedly long lifetime is predicted. The projected lifetimes range from about 500,000 h (57 years) for the linear degradation model to 183,000 h (21 years) for the exponential one.

Generation of Charged Nanoparticles During Thermal Evaporation of Silver at Atmospheric Pressure

The generation of charged silver nanoparticles in the gas phase during thermal evaporation of silver at atmospheric pressure was confirmed by the nano-differential mobility analyzer (DMA). Effects of the evaporation temperature, the nitrogen gas flow rate and the amount of silver to be evaporated on the size distribution of charged nanoparticles (CNPs) were examined. Both positively and negatively-charged nanoparticles were generated under all processing conditions adopted in this study. The deposition behavior of CNPs was affected by the gas flow, which is affected by the temperature gradient in the reactor and by the applied electric bias. The electric bias, which not only enhanced the film growth rate but also produced a much denser film surface, turned out to be an important process parameter under the condition where an appreciable amount of CNPs is generated.

Gain and loss as a function of current density and temperature in interband cascade lasers

We characterize the internal efficiency, internal loss, and optical gain versus current density in 7-stage interband cascade lasers operating at λ=3.1 and 3.45 μm using a cavity-length study of the external differential quantum efficiency (EDQE) and threshold current density at temperatures between 300 and 345 K. We find that the pronounced efficiency droop of the EDQE at high current densities is primarily due to an increase in the internal loss rather than a reduction in the internal efficiency. On the other hand, if the current density J is fixed, the temperature variation of the EDQE at that J is due primarily to a decrease of the internal efficiency. The gain versus current density is fit well by a logarithmic relationship, although the magnitude of the experimental gain is >20% below the theoretical estimate.

Mid-infrared multi-mode absorption spectroscopy using interband cascade lasers for multi-species sensing

An interband cascade laser (ICL) operating at 3.7 μm has been used to perform multimode absorption spectroscopy, MUMAS, at scan rates up to 10 kHz. Line widths of individual modes in the range 10-80 MHz were derived from isolated lines in the MUMAS signatures of HCl. MUMAS data for methane covering a spectral range of 30 nm yielded a detection level of 30 μbar·m for 1 s measurement time at 100 Hz. Simultaneous detection of methane, acetylene, and formaldehyde in a gas mixture containing all three species is reported.

Video deraining and desnowing using temporal correlation and low-rank matrix completion

A novel algorithm to remove rain or snow streaks from a video sequence using temporal correlation and low-rank matrix completion is proposed in this paper. Based on the observation that rain streaks are too small and move too fast to affect the optical flow estimation between consecutive frames, we obtain an initial rain map by subtracting temporally warped frames from a current frame. Then, we decompose the initial rain map into basis vectors based on the sparse representation, and classify those basis vectors into rain streak ones and outliers with a support vector machine. We then refine the rain map by excluding the outliers. Finally, we remove the detected rain streaks by employing a low-rank matrix completion technique. Furthermore, we extend the proposed algorithm to stereo video deraining. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm detects and removes rain or snow streaks efficiently, outperforming conventional algorithms.

Spatiotemporal saliency detection for video sequences based on random walk with restart

A novel saliency detection algorithm for video sequences based on the random walk with restart (RWR) is proposed in this paper. We adopt RWR to detect spatially and temporally salient regions. More specifically, we first find a temporal saliency distribution using the features of motion distinctiveness, temporal consistency, and abrupt change. Among them, the motion distinctiveness is derived by comparing the motion profiles of image patches. Then, we employ the temporal saliency distribution as a restarting distribution of the random walker. In addition, we design the transition probability matrix for the walker using the spatial features of intensity, color, and compactness. Finally, we estimate the spatiotemporal saliency distribution by finding the steady-state distribution of the walker. The proposed algorithm detects foreground salient objects faithfully, while suppressing cluttered backgrounds effectively, by incorporating the spatial transition matrix and the temporal restarting distribution systematically. Experimental results on various video sequences demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms conventional saliency detection algorithms qualitatively and quantitatively.

A technique for the prevention of greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) using the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana M130

The possibility of using hyphomycete fungi as suitable biocontrol agents against greenhouse whitefly has led to the isolation of various insect pathogenic fungi. Among them is Beauveria bassiana, one of the most studied entomopathogenic fungi. The objective of this study was to use B. bassiana M130 as an insecticidal agent against the greenhouse whitefly. M130 isolated from infected insects is known to be a biocontrol agent against greenhouse whitefly. Phylogenetic classification of M130 was determined according to its morphological features and 18S rRNA sequence analysis. M130 was identified as B. bassiana M130 and showed chitinase (342.28 units/ml) and protease (461.70 units/ml) activities, which were involved in the invasion of the host through the outer cuticle layer, thus killing them. The insecticidal activity was 55.2% in petri-dish test, 84.6% in pot test, and 45.3% in field test. The results of this study indicate that B. bassiana has potential as a biological agent for the control of greenhouse whitefly to replace chemical pesticides.

Bit allocation algorithm with novel view synthesis distortion model for multiview video plus depth coding

An efficient bit allocation algorithm based on a novel view synthesis distortion model is proposed for the rate-distortion optimized coding of multiview video plus depth sequences in this paper. We decompose an input frame into nonedge blocks and edge blocks. For each nonedge block, we linearly approximate its texture and disparity values, and derive a view synthesis distortion model, which quantifies the impacts of the texture and depth distortions on the qualities of synthesized virtual views. On the other hand, for each edge block, we use its texture and disparity gradients for the distortion model. In addition, we formulate a bit-rate allocation problem in terms of the quantization parameters for texture and depth data. By solving the problem, we can optimally divide a limited bit budget between the texture and depth data, in order to maximize the qualities of synthesized virtual views, as well as those of encoded real views. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm yields the average PSNR gains of 1.98 and 2.04 dB in two-view and three-view scenarios, respectively, as compared with a benchmark conventional algorithm.

Antifeedants against Acusta despesta from the Japanese Cedar, Cryptomeria japonica

During our studies on the components in Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica, we found that the crude methanol extract of C. japonica showed intense antifeeding activity against one snail species, Acusta despesta, which is well-known as a pest of many vegetables and crops.

The active components in the extract were separated into the hexane and ethyl acetate soluble fractions. From the active ethyl acetate soluble fraction, two norlignans, sequirin-C and agatharesinol, were isolated and identified as the active compounds. Both compounds inhibited feeding behavior of A. despesta at 30 μg/cm2 and 40 μg/cm2 concentrations, respectively, when applied by an eggplant leaf or filter paper containing 20 μl of 5% sucrose solution.

Expression of heat shock protein 90 in the kidneys of diabetic db/db mice

OBJECTIVE

To identify novel genes regulated in diabetic nephropathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Total RNA from the renal cortex of db/+ and db/db mice was isolated and DNA microarrays specific for diabetes signaling pathways were used for expression profiling. Expression of mRNA and protein was determined by RT-PCR and western blotting. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemical staining were assessed in renal cortex of db/db mice.

RESULTS

Microarray data revealed that 7 genes show up- or down-regulated pattern and diabetic mice specifically decreased heat shock protein (Hsp) 90α expression of genes compared to control mice (diabetic mice 0.68 vs. control mice 1 relative density). Expression of Hsp90α mRNA and Hsp90 protein was significantly decreased in the renal cortex of diabetic mice. However, Hsp70 mRNA and protein expression was not changed. Apoptosis was increased in glomeruli of diabetic mice due to increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that Hsp 90 expression was decreased in diabetic glomeruli and decreased Hsp90 expression may mediate podocyte apoptosis in type 2 diabetic kidneys.

Contrast enhancement based on layered difference representation of 2D histograms

A novel contrast enhancement algorithm based on the layered difference representation of 2D histograms is proposed in this paper. We attempt to enhance image contrast by amplifying the gray-level differences between adjacent pixels. To this end, we obtain the 2D histogram h(k, k + l ) from an input image, which counts the pairs of adjacent pixels with gray-levels k and k + l , and represent the gray-level differences in a tree-like layered structure. Then, we formulate a constrained optimization problem based on the observation that the gray-level differences, occurring more frequently in the input image, should be more emphasized in the output image. We first solve the optimization problem to derive the transformation function at each layer. We then combine the transformation functions at all layers into the unified transformation function, which is used to map input gray-levels to output gray-levels. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm enhances images efficiently in terms of both objective quality and subjective quality.

Akt inhibition enhances the cytotoxic effect of apigenin in combination with PLX4032 in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells harboring BRAFV600E

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of apigenin in combination with BRAFV600E inhibitor PLX4032 on cell survival, and to investigate the influence of Akt inhibition on the combined effect of apigenin and PLX4032 in ATC cells harboring BRAFV600E. In 8505C and FRO cells harboring BRAFV600E, after treatment of apigenin and PLX4032, the cell viability decreased, and the percentage of dead cells increased in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, respectively. In apigenin- and PLX4032- treated cells, compared with apigenin alone-treated cells, the cell viability was lessened, and the percentage of dead cells was multiplied. In the addition of PLX4032 to apigenin, compared with the treatment of apigenin alone, the protein levels of cleaved PARP-1 and cleaved caspase-3 were elevated, and phospho-ERK protein levels were reduced, and the protein levels of total ERK, c-Myc, BRAF, phospho-Akt, phospho-p70S6K and phospho-4EBP1 were not varied. Compared with the treatment of PLX4032 alone, phosphop70S6K protein levels were reduced, and the other protein levels were not altered. Phospho-ERK protein levels were reduced only in 8505C cells. Under the co-treatment of apigenin and PLX4032, administration of the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin further decreased the cell viability, and increased the percentage of dead cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that PLX4032 augments apigenin-induced cytotoxicity in ATC cells harboring BRAFV600E. Moreover, Akt suppression potentiates the combined effect of apigenin and PLX4032 in ATC cells harboring BRAFV600E.

Motion-compensated frame interpolation based on multihypothesis motion estimation and texture optimization

A novel motion-compensated frame interpolation (MCFI) algorithm to increase video temporal resolutions based on multihypothesis motion estimation and texture optimization is proposed in this paper. Initially, we form multiple motion hypotheses for each pixel by employing different motion estimation parameters, i.e., different block sizes and directions. Then, we determine the best motion hypothesis for each pixel by solving a labeling problem and optimizing the parameters. In the labeling problem, the cost function is composed of color, shape, and smoothness terms. Finally, we refine the motion hypothesis field based on the texture optimization technique and blend multiple source pixels to interpolate each pixel in the intermediate frame. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm provides significantly better MCFI performance than conventional algorithms.

In vitro bactericidal effects of 625, 525, and 425 nm wavelength (red, green, and blue) light-emitting diode irradiation

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of 625, 525, and 425 nm wavelengths, providing average power output and effects on three common pathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND DATA

Ultraviolet (UV) light kills bacteria, but the bactericidal effects of UV may not be unique, as 425 nm produces a similar effect. The bactericidal effects of light-emitting diode (LED) wavelengths such as 625 and 525 nm have not been described. Before conducting clinical trials, the appropriate wavelength with reasonable dose and exposure time should be established.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The bactericidal effects of 625, 525, and 425 nm wavelength LED irradiation were investigated in vitro for the anaerobic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis and two aerobes (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli DH5α). Average power output was 6 mW/cm(2) for 1 h. The bacteria were exposed to LED irradiation for 1, 2, 4, and 8 h (21.6, 43.2, 86.4, and 172.8 J/cm(2), respectively). LED irradiation was performed during growth on agar and in broth. Control bacteria were incubated without LED irradiation. Bacterial growth was expressed in colony-forming units (CFU) and at an optical density at 600 nm in agar and broth.

RESULTS

The bactericidal effect of LED phototherapy depended upon wavelength, power density, bacterial viable number, and bacteria species. The bactericidal effect of 425 and 525 nm irradiation varied depending upon the bacterial inoculation, compared with unirradiated samples and samples irradiated with red light. Especially, P. gingivalis and E. coli DH5α were killed by 425 nm, and S. aureus growth was inhibited by 525 nm. However, the wavelength of 625 nm was not bactericidal for P. gingivalis, E. coli DH5α, or S. aureus.

CONCLUSIONS

Irradiation at 625 nm light was not bactericidal to S. aureus, E. coli, and P. gingivalis, whereas wavelengths of 425 and 525 nm had bactericidal effects. S. aureus was also killed at 525 nm.

Socioeconomic disparities of periodontitis in Koreans based on the KNHANES IV

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify the socioeconomic factors associated with the prevalence of periodontitis in Koreans.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from 12 763 subjects, 15 years old and above, who underwent periodontal examinations were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (2007-209). Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate the association between socioeconomic indicators and prevalence of periodontitis.

RESULTS

A significant association was found between increasing age and periodontitis. Participants with higher income were less likely to have periodontitis (aOR = 0.9 and 95% CI = 0.78-0.98, and aOR = 0.7 and 95% CI = 0.60-0.80 in the middle and highest quintiles of monthly household income, respectively). In addition, participants living in rural areas were less likely to have periodontitis (aOR = 0.9 and 95% CI = 0.81-0.99), and current smokers were more likely to have periodontitis (aOR = 1.7 and 95% CI = 1.49-1.89). The analysis of comorbidities revealed that individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) were significantly more likely to have periodontitis (aOR = 1.4 and 95% CI = 1.18-1.68).

CONCLUSIONS

In a rapidly increasing Korean population, the lower socioeconomic groups as well as individuals with DM were significantly more likely to present with periodontitis.

(Micro)spectroscopic analyses of particle size dependence on arsenic distribution and speciation in mine wastes

The chemical speciation and distribution of potentially toxic metal(loid)s in mine wastes is critical to assessing the risks posed by these wastes and predicting the potential bioavailability of the metal(loid)s present. Of additional potential importance is the role of particle size in the fate, transport, and toxicity of contaminated mining materials. Spectroscopic analyses of size-separated mine tailings and adjacent background samples from the Randsburg Historic Mining District, California were conducted to quantify the speciation and distribution of arsenic (As) as a function of particle size. Micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) mapping of separate size fractions was used to identify multiple populations of particles with different As:Fe ratios, indicating a variety of distinct arsenic-bearing species. Bulk extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy identified phases including arseniosiderite, Ca2Fe3(3+)(AsO4)3O3·3H2O, and As(V) sorbed to iron hydroxides (ferrihydrite, goethite), confirming a strong statistical correlation between arsenic and iron observed in both μXRF studies and bulk chemical analyses. Differences in As speciation between the mine tailings and background samples also suggest that weathering of crystalline As-bearing phases in tailings leads to sorption of dissolved arsenic to iron hydroxides in nontailings background material.

Inhibition of p21 and Akt potentiates SU6656-induced caspase-independent cell death in FRO anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells

SU6656 is a small-molecule indolinone that selectively inhibits Src family kinase and induces death of cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of SU6656 on cell survival and to assess the role of p21 and PI3K/Akt signaling in cell survival resulting from SU6656 treatment in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) cells. When 8505C, CAL62, and FRO ATC cells were treated with SU6656, the viability of 8505C and CAL62 ATC cells decreased only after treatment with SU6656 at a dosage of 100 μM for 72 h, while the viability of FRO ATC cells decreased after treatment with SU6656 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Cell viability was not changed by pretreatment with the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk. Phospho-Src protein levels were reduced, and p21 protein levels were elevated. Phospho-ERK1/2 protein levels were multiplied without alteration of total ERK1/2, total Akt, and phospho-Akt protein levels. Regarding FRO ATC cells, the decrement of cell viability, the increment of cleaved PARP-1 protein levels, and the decrement of phospho-Src protein levels were shown in p21 siRNA- or LY294002-pretreated cells compared to SU6656-treated control cells. ERK1/2 siRNA transfection did not affect cell viability and protein levels of cleaved PARP-1, p21, and Akt. In conclusion, these results suggest that SU6656 induces caspase-independent death of FRO ATC cells by overcoming the resistance mechanism involving p21 and Akt. Suppression of p21 and Akt enhances the cytotoxic effect of SU6656 in FRO ATC cells.

A retrospective study of clinical outcomes of α-blocker or finasteride monotherapy followed by combination therapy: determination of the period of combination therapy of α-blocker and finasteride

AIMS

We investigated outcomes after discontinuing alpha-blockers or finasteride in patients who initially received combination therapy and compared differences by duration of combination therapy.

METHODS

Patients with international prostate symptom score ≥ 8, serum prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) < 4 ng/ml, prostate volume > 25 cm(3) and combination therapy of alpha-blockers and finasteride for more than 6 months were classified into three groups. Group 1 continued combination therapy; group 2, alpha-blockers monotherapy; and group 3, finasteride monotherapy. All parameters were evaluated before and after changing to monotherapy. Patients who received combination therapy for 6-9 months and those who received combination therapy for longer were comparatively analysed.

RESULTS

Mean age of the 106 patients was 66.9 ± 7.8 years. No significant differences in baseline symptom scores, PSA or prostate volume were found. Following combination therapy, symptom scores, and quality of life (QoL) decreased for all groups. Group 1 maintained decreased PSA and prostate volume, and improved uroflowmetric profiles. No differences in uroflowmetric parameters were found after 6 months. Group 2 maintained improved symptoms, QoL and uroflowmetric profiles, although PSA and prostate volume returned to baseline. Group 3 maintained lowered PSA and prostate volume, whereas Qmax returned to baseline. QoL scores showed no change. Patients who received combination therapy for ≥9 months improved more in symptoms and QoL than those who received shorter combination therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Discontinuation of alpha-blockers or finasteride after combination therapy for ≥ 6 months maintained improvements in symptoms. The appropriate period of combination therapy was ≥ 9 months.

CCAAT/Enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein sensitizes to SU5416 by modulating p21 and PI3K/Akt signal pathway in FRO anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells

SU5416, vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor inhibitor, suppresses hypoxia-induced angiogenesis, growth, proliferation, and metastasis in cancer cells. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP) has pivotal roles in regulation of growth and survival. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of SU5416 on cell survival, p21, and PI3K/Akt signal pathway in FRO anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) cells. Moreover, we investigated the roles of CHOP in cell survival under condition of SU5416 treatment in FRO ATC cells. After SU5416 treatment, cell viability, PARP-1, and caspase-3 protein levels were not changed. p53 and p27 protein levels decreased while p21 protein levels increased. Phospho-Akt protein levels were not altered. In SU5416-treated situation, cell viability was not different before and after administration of either p21 siRNA or LY294002 whereas it was lessened after co-administration of p21 siRNA and LY294002. Compared to SU5416 treatment alone, cell viability was reduced with CHOP plasmid but it was unchanged with CHOP siRNA. PARP-1 and caspase-3 protein levels with CHOP plasmid were elevated whereas the protein levels with CHOP siRNA were similar. While CHOP plasmid transfection diminished p21 and phospho-Akt protein levels, CHOP siRNA transfection did not alter the protein levels. In conclusion, these results suggest that CHOP may sensitize FRO ATC cells to SU5416 thereby inhibiting cell survival by modulating p21 and PI3K/Akt signal pathway. Furthermore, these findings imply that CHOP may be a possible candidate as the chemosensitizing factor for induction of cytotoxicity in ATC cells exposed to SU5416.