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We report the Korean records for comet C/1652 Y1, which have not been introduced in previous studies on historical comets. According to Korean historical documents, this comet, described as bai xing (white star, in literal) or ke xing (guest star, in literal), was observed with the naked eye for 22 days from December 19, 1652 to January 9, 1653. In this study, we first cross-checked the records of comet C/1652 Y1 among Korean documents and presented the translations in the Appendix for future reference. We then compared the Korean observations with the orbital path determined from calculations using the orbital elements provided by Marsden (1983. Catalog of cometary orbit. Hillside: Enslow Publishers). We also compared the illustrations depicted by Weigelius and Schiltero (1653. Commentatio astronomica de cometa novo qui sub finem anni 1652 lumine sub obscuro nobis illuxit. Jenae: Typis Georgii Sengenvvaldi) and by Hevelius (1668. Cometographia, Totam Naturam Cometarum; Exhibens. Gedani: Typis Auctoris, & Sumptibus, Simon Reiniger). Cf) Marsden (1983. Catalog of cometary orbit. Hillside: Enslow Publishers). orbit. Hillside: Enslow Publishers). We found that the Korean observations show discrepancies with the orbital path calculated by Marsden and the illustration of Weigelius and Schiltero, particularly near the end of the observation period. In conclusion, we believe that this study will contribute to improving the orbital path calculation of comet C/1652 Y1.

Capsosiphon fulvescens (CF) is a green alga widely consumed in East Asian countries, particularly in Korea. It has a rich composition of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and bioactive compounds, which contribute to its multiple therapeutic properties. Its application ranges from acting as an antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory agent to supporting the skin system. Despite these benefits of CF, the effects and mechanisms of action related to photoaging of the skin have not yet been elucidated. To investigate the photoprotective effects of CF against photoaging, both animal (SKH‐1 mouse) and cell models (HaCaT cell line) were used in this study. As a result, administering the CF extract over a period of 10 weeks, which included times of Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, significantly reduced erythema and various UVB‐induced skin changes, such as wrinkle formation, and the thickening of the epidermis and dermis, as well as alterations in the length and depth of wrinkles. Furthermore, our investigation into CF extract's antiwrinkle properties revealed its efficacy in enhancing skin hydration and collagen content, counteracting the collagen depletion and moisture loss induced by UVB radiation. Also, the fact that the levels of p‐ERK, p‐p38, and p‐JNK proteins went down shows that the CF extract might have a controlling effect on the MAPK signaling pathways. Our findings suggest that CF holds significant potential for preventing photoaging, providing a foundation for the development of functional foods or botanical drugs targeting skin aging and related skin disorders. Practical Application: This research proved that Capsosiphon fulvescen, a green alga widely consumed in East Asian countries, provides photoprotective activities against UV‐induced skin aging. Therefore, Capsosiphon fulvescen can be utilized as functional foods or botanical drugs targeting skin aging and related skin disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate solar halo terms in observations recorded in the Crown Prince Sohyeon's Donggung‐Ilgi (Seventeenth century) and identify their equivalent terminologies in modern atmospheric optics. We refer to related historical Korean and Chinese materials (e.g. Pungun‐Gi, Observation Log for Wind and Clouds, for 6 December 1748), analyse the distributions of each term according to the sun elevation and consult modern studies on halo simulations. Then, we compare our findings with the results of previous works. This study will contribute to the understanding of halo events recorded in historical East Asian documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cruciferous vegetable sprout has been highlighted as a promising functional material rich in bioactive compounds called isothiocyanates (ITCs) and it can be grown in very short periods in controlled indoor farms. However, because ITCs content depends on multiple factors such as cultivar, germination time and myrosinase activity, those variables need to be controlled during germination or extraction to produce functional materials enriched in ITCs. Sulforaphene (SFEN), an ITC found primarily in radishes (Raphanus sativus L.), exerts beneficial effects on obesity. However, the optimal germination and extraction conditions for radish sprout (RSP) to increase SFEN content remain unascertained, and the extract's anti‐obesity effect has yet to be evaluated. RESULTS: The present study found that the SFEN content was highest in purple radish sprout (PRSP) among the six cultivars investigated. Optimal SFEN content occurred after 2 days of PRSP germination (2 days PRSP). To maximize the dry matter yield, total ITCs and SFEN contents in RSP extract, we found the optimal conditions for extracting PRSP [27.5 °C, 60 min, 1:75.52 solute/solvent (w/v), no ascorbic acid] using response surface methodology. Consistent with high SFEN content, 2 days PRSP extract significantly outperformed 3 days or 4 days PRSP extract in inhibiting lipid accumulation in 3T3‐L1 cells. Moreover, 2 days PRSP extract suppressed adipogenesis and lipogenesis‐related protein expression. CONCLUSION: Regarding the cultivar, germination time and extraction conditions, optimally produced PRSP extract contains high SFEN content and exerts anti‐obesity effects. Thus, we suggest PRSP extract as a potent functional material for obesity prevention. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient deprivation strategies have been proposed as an adjuvant therapy for cancer cells due to their increased metabolic demand. We examined the specific inhibitory effects of amino acid deprivation on the metastatic phenotypes of the human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines MDA-MB-231 and Hs 578T, as well as the orthotopic 4T1 mouse TNBC tumor model. Among the 10 essential amino acids tested, methionine deprivation elicited the strongest inhibitory effects on the migration and invasion of these cancer cells. Methionine deprivation reduced the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, as well as the activity and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, two major markers of metastasis, while increasing the mRNA expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, methionine restriction downregulated the metastasis-related factor urokinase plasminogen activatior and upregulated plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 mRNA expression. Animals on the methionine-deprived diet showed lower lung metastasis rates compared to mice on the control diet. Taken together, these results suggest that methionine restriction could provide a potential nutritional strategy for more effective cancer therapy.

Abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) contributes to tumorigenesis, while protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) contribute to tumor control. One of the most representative PTPs is Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1), which is associated with either an increased or decreased survival rate depending on the cancer type. Hypermethylation in the promoter region of PTPN6, the gene for the SHP-1 protein, is a representative epigenetic regulation mechanism that suppresses the expression of SHP-1 in tumor cells. SHP-1 comprises two SH2 domains (N-SH2 and C-SH2) and a catalytic PTP domain. Intramolecular interactions between the N-SH2 and PTP domains inhibit SHP-1 activity. Opening of the PTP domain by a conformational change in SHP-1 increases enzymatic activity and contributes to a tumor control phenotype by inhibiting the activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT3) pathway. Although various compounds that increase SHP-1 activation or expression have been proposed as tumor therapeutics, except sorafenib and its derivatives, few candidates have demonstrated clinical significance. In some cancers, SHP-1 expression and activation contribute to a tumorigenic phenotype by inducing a tumor-friendly microenvironment. Therefore, developing anticancer drugs targeting SHP-1 must consider the effect of SHP-1 on both cell biological mechanisms of SHP-1 in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment according to the target cancer type. Furthermore, the use of combination therapies should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]