Many studies have been carried out with respect to packaging methods and temperature conditions of beef. However, the effects of packaging methods and temperature conditions on the quality characteristics have not been extensively studied in low-grade beef. Low-grade beef samples were divided into 3 groups (C: ziplock bag packaging, T1: vacuum packaging, and T2: modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), CO2/N2 = 3:7) and samples were stored at 4°C for 21 days. The water-holding capacity (WHC) was significantly lower in T1 than in the other samples up to 14 days of storage. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and volatile basic nitrogen values were significantly lower in T1 and T2 than in C after 7 to 14 days of storage. The total bacterial counts were significantly lower in T1 and T2 than in C after 14 days of storage. In a sensory evaluation, tenderness and overall acceptability were significantly higher in T1 and T2 than in C at the end of the storage period (21 days). We propose that the MAP method can improve beef quality characteristics of low-grade beef during cold storage. However, the beneficial effects did not outweigh the cost increase to implement MAP.

To date, many anticancer drugs have been developed by directly or indirectly targeting microtubules, which are involved in cell division. Although this approach has yielded many anticancer drugs, these drugs produce undesirable side effects. An alternative strategy is needed, and targeting mitotic exit may be one alternative approach. Localization of phosphorylated barrierto-autointegration factor (BAF) to the chromosomal core region is essential for nuclear envelope compartment relocalization. In this study, we isolated brazilin from Caesalpinia sappan Leguminosae and demonstrated that it inhibited BAF phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated direct binding between brazilin and BAF. The inhibition of BAF phosphorylation induced abnormal nuclear envelope reassembly and cell death, indicating that perturbation of nuclear envelope reassembly could be a novel approach to anticancer therapy. We propose that brazilin isolated from C. sappan may be a new anticancer drug candidate that induces cell death by inhibiting vaccinia-related kinase 1-mediated BAF phosphorylation.

Targeting specific molecules is a promising cancer treatment because certain types of cancer cells are dependent on specific oncogenes. This strategy led to the development of therapeutics that use monoclonal antibodies or small-molecule inhibitors. However, the continued development of novel molecular targeting inhibitors is required to target the various oncogenes associated with the diverse types and stages of cancer. Obtusilactone B is a butanolide derivative purified from Machilus thunbergii. In this study, we show that obtusilactone B functions as a small-molecule inhibitor that causes abnormal nuclear envelope dynamics and inhibits growth by suppressing vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1)-mediated phosphorylation of barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF). BAF is important in maintaining lamin integrity, which is closely associated with diseases that include cancer. Specific binding of obtusilactone B to BAF suppressed VRK1-mediated BAF phosphorylation and the subsequent dissociation of the nuclear envelope from DNA that allows cells to progress through the cell cycle. Obtusilactone B potently induced tumor cell death in vitro, indicating that specific targeting of BAF to block cell cycle progression can be an effective anticancer strategy. Our results demonstrate that targeting a major constituent of the nuclear envelope may be a novel and promising alternative approach to cancer treatment.