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Korean ginseng (Panax ginsengMeyer), a traditional medicine plant cultivated in eastern Asia, has recently captured attention for its potential advancements in hydroponic cultivation, offering a sustainable and innovative resource. Additionally, in the typical processing of ginseng, stem-and-leaf are commonly discarded, leading to resource wastage and overlooking their economically valuable potential as an alternative to the conventionally prioritized roots.

For an analog‐based design of novel Wee1 inhibitors, we profiled in vitro ADMET and in vivo PK properties of adavosertib. Based on the properties of adavosertib, we aimed to improve its metabolic stability by designing a novel target compound 1awith an aminosulfonyl group instead of the 2‐hydroxypropan‐2‐yl moiety in adavosertib. Derivatives of target compound 1awere synthesized and evaluated for Wee1 enzyme inhibition and liver microsomal phase I stability. We identified compound 1aas a sub‐nanomolar Wee1 inhibitor and 10 additional compounds with one‐digit nanomolar Wee1 inhibitory activity, among which seven compounds including 1aexhibited improved metabolic stabilities compared with adavosertib. However, MDA‐MB‐231 cell growth inhibitory activities of all synthesized compounds and Wee1 substrate phosphorylation inhibitory activities of selected compounds were inferior to adavosertib overall. Moreover, the representative compound 1aexhibited low permeability, which may be the reason for the low cellular activities of compound 1a. A novel target compound 1a, with an aminosulfonyl group instead of the 2‐hydroxypropan‐2‐yl moiety in adavosertib was synthesized and showed improved Wee1 enzyme inhibitory activity and metabolic stability. However, it exhibited inferior cellular activities in MDA‐MB‐231 cell growth inhibition and Wee1 substrate phosphorylation inhibition compared to adavosertib, which may be attributed to its low permeability.

Background:: Despite promising advances in stem cell-based therapy, the treatment of ischemic cardiovascular diseases remains a big challenge due to both the insufficient in vivoviability of transplanted cells and poor angiogenic potential of stem cells. The goal of this study was to develop therapeutic human cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs) for ischemic cardiovascular diseases with a novel M13 peptide carrier. Method:: In this study, an engineered M13 peptide carrier was successfully generated using a QuikChange Kit. The cellular function of M13 peptide carrier-treated hCPCs was assessed using a tube formation assay and scratch wound healing assay. The in vivoengraftment and cell survival bioactivities of transplanted cells were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry after hCPC transplantation into a myocardial infarction animal model. Results:: The engineered M13RGD+SDKPpeptide carrier, which expressed RGD peptide on PIII site and SDKP peptide on PVIII site, did not affect morphologic change and proliferation ability in hCPCs. In contrast, hCPCs treated with M13RGD+SDKPshowed enhanced angiogenic capacity, including tube formation and migration capacity. Moreover, transplanted hCPCs with M13RGD+SDKPwere engrafted into the ischemic region and promoted in vivocell survival. Conclusion:: Our present data provides a promising protocol for CPC-based cell therapy via short-term cell priming of hCPCs with engineered M13RGD+SDKPbefore cell transplantation for treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Inner ear organoids (IEOs) are 3D structures grown in vitro, which can mimic the complex cellular structure and function of the inner ear. IEOs are potential solutions to problems related to inner ear development, disease modeling, and drug delivery. However, current approaches in generating IEOs using chemical factors have a few limitations, resulting in unpredictable outcomes. In this study, we propose the use of nanomaterial-based approaches, specifically by using graphene oxide (GO). GO’s unique properties promote cell–extracellular matrix interactions and cell–cell gap junctions, thereby enhancing hair cell formation, which is an essential part of IEO development. We also investigated the potential applications for drug testing. Our findings suggest that GO is a promising candidate for enhancing the functionality of IEOs and advancing our understanding of the problems underlying inner ear development. The use of nanomaterial-based approaches may provide a more reliable and effective method for building better IEOs in the future.

Increasing the number of charge carriers flowing through the charge transport channel to improve the electrical performance of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is important because it leads to a low driving voltage and a high drain current value. This paper proposes a new strategy, the corona poling process, to enhance the electrical performance of OFETs using an external electric field when forming a dielectric film using a PVDF-based high-k dielectric terpolymer, P(VDF-TrFE-CFE). A corona poling process was applied to align the dipoles with high-k dielectric molecules and improve the capacitance, thereby increasing the number of charge carriers. Through this process, by observing the phase transition of a PVDF dielectric through a corona poling process in the GIWAXS data, the phase transition through an external electric field was thoroughly revealed for the first time. As a result, the capacitance of high-k dielectric films can be improved, and the amount of charge carriers can be increased by a simple corona poling process. In addition, to reduce the effect of deep trap sites caused by the dipole alignment, a thin low-k dielectric, polystyrene (PS), was introduced between the active and high-k dielectric layers to provide trap site passivation, thereby increasing the electrical performance of the OFET. Therefore, through this strategy, using a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based donor–acceptor (D–A) copolymer as an active material of OFET, the average saturation region hole mobility was improved from 0.34 to 0.60 cm2/Vs. Thus, the electrical performances of the OFETs were improved by enhancing the capacitance through the corona poling process and reducing the charge carrier trap sites introduced by the high-k and low-k bi-layer dielectric layer. Importantly, this work offers a new strategy for the post-treatment to improve electrical performance of organic devices.

As observed in the COVID-19 pandemic, RNA viruses continue to rapidly evolve through mutations. In the absence of effective therapeutics, early detection of new severely pathogenic viruses and quarantine of infected people are critical for reducing the spread of the viral infections. However, conventional detection methods require a substantial amount of time to develop probes specific to new viruses, thereby impeding immediate response to the emergence of viral pathogens. In this study, we identified multiple types of viruses by obtaining the spectral fingerprint of their surface proteins with probe-free surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In addition, the SERS-based method can remarkably distinguish influenza virus variants with several surface protein point mutations from their parental strain. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the SERS spectra systematically captured the key Raman bands to distinguish the variants. Our results show that the combination of SERS and PCA can be a promising tool for rapid detection of newly emerging mutant viruses without a virus-specific probe.

Background: Pheochromocytoma often carries a risk for perioperative hemodynamic instability (HDI). The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk factors of intraoperative HDI during minimally invasive posterior retroperitoneal adrenalectomy (PRA) for pheochromocytoma. Materials and methods: This retrospective study analyzed the prospectively collected data of 172 patients who underwent laparoscopic PRA or robotic PRA for pheochromocytoma between January 2014 and December 2020 at a single tertiary center. The patients were divided into two groups according to the intraoperative hypertensive event of systolic blood pressure (> 160 mmHg). The clinical manifestations and perioperative hemodynamic conditions were analysed. Results: In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the tumor size (> 3.4 cm) [OR 3.14, 95% confidence intervals (CI) (1.48–6.64), p= 0.003], type of preoperative alpha-blocker (selective type) [OR 3.9, 95% CI (1.52–10.02), p= 0.005], preoperative use of beta-blockers [OR 3.94, 95% CI (1.07–14.49), p= 0.039] and type of anesthesia [total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) vs. balanced anesthesia (BA)] [OR 2.57, 95% CI (1.23–5.38), p= 0.012] were determined as independent risk factors of intraoperative hypertensive events during minimally invasive adrenalectomy. Conclusions: The type of anesthesia was independently associated with intraoperative HDI along with larger tumor size, type of preoperative alpha-blocker and the use of preoperative beta-blockers. TIVA increased the risk of intraoperative hypertensive events compared with BA. Thus, the consideration of the type of anesthesia prior to adrenal surgery for pheochromocytoma along with the use of preoperative non-selective alpha-blockers may be beneficial in minimizing the risk of intraoperative HDI.

Main bioactive constituents and pharmacological functions of ripened red ginseng berry (Panax ginsengMeyer) have been frequently reported. Yet, the research gap targeting the beneficial activities of transformed green ginseng berries has not reported elsewhere.

Panax ginsengis one of the most important medicinal plants and is usually harvested after 5 to 6 years of cultivation in Korea. Heavy metal (HM) exposure is a type of abiotic stress that can induce oxidative stress and decrease the quality of the ginseng crop. Siderophore-producing rhizobacteria (SPR) may be capable of bioremediating HM contamination.

Ginsenoside Rh2 is well known for many pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antidiabetes, antiinflammatory, and antiobesity properties. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are ubiquitous enzymes present in nature and are widely used for the synthesis of oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoconjugates, and novel derivatives. We aimed to synthesize new ginsenosides from Rh2 using the recombinant GT enzyme and investigate its cytotoxicity with diverse cell lines.

The morphology of conjugated polymer thin films, determined by the kinetics of film drying, is closely correlated with their electrical properties. Herein, we focused on dramatic changes in the thin-film morphology of blade-coated poly{[N,N′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5′-(2,2′-bithiophene)} caused by the effect of solvent and coating temperature. Through in situ measurements, the evolution of polymer aggregates and crystallites, which plays a decisive role in the formation of the charge-transport pathway, was observed in real time. By combining in situ ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and in situ grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis, we could identify five distinct stages during the blade-coating process; these stages were observed irrespective of the solvent and coating temperature used. The five stages are described in detail with a proposed model of film formation. This insight is an important step in understanding the relationship between the morphology of thin polymer films and their charge-transport properties as well as in optimizing the structural evolution of thin films.

Organic photosensitizers have been investigated as effective light-sensing elements that can promote strong absorption with high field-effect mobility in organic phototransistors (OPTs). In this study, a novel organic photosensitizer is synthesized to demonstrate broad-band photoresponse with enhanced electrical performance. An unsymmetrical small molecule of a solubilizing donor (Dsol)–acceptor (A)–dye donor (Ddye) type connected with a twisted conjugation system is designed for broad-band detection (ranging from 250 to 700 nm). This molecule has high solubility, thereby facilitating the formation of uniformly dispersed nanoparticles in an insulating polymer matrix, which is deposited on top of OPT semiconductors by a simple solution process. The broad-band photodetection shown by the organic photosensitizer is realized with improved mobility close to an order of magnitude and high on/off current ratio (∼105) of the organic semiconductor. Furthermore, p-type charge transport behavior in the channel of the OPT is enhanced through the intrinsic electron-accepting ability of the organic photosensitizer caused by the unique molecular configuration. These structural properties of organic photosensitizers contribute to an improvement in broad-band photosensing systems with new optoelectronic properties and functionalities.

Since quinoidal molecules have double-bond linkages between aromatic rings, they have many advantages for efficient charge transport resulting from high planarity and extended π-conjugation length. However, they unavoidably generate some isomers, which cause difficulty in purification and characterization. In this study, sulfur–oxygen conformation locking and steric repulsion approach is introduced to manipulate syn- and anti-isomerization of a quinoidal building block (bis-QEDOT). As a result, isomer-free bis-QEDOT is synthesized by introducing the 3,4-ethylenedioxy group, and the geometrical structure of bis-QEDOT is identified by thin-layer chromatography, 1H NMR, and density functional theory calculation. Furthermore, thiophene (T), bithiophene (2T), and thienylene vinylene (TV) as π-conjugated building blocks are polymerized with bis-QEDOT. Due to the quinoid structure, PQEDOT-T, PQEDOT-2T, and PQEDOT-TV show an intensified near-IR absorption and a low band gap around ∼1.16 eV. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction reveals that three quinoidal polymers show in the (h00) diffraction peaks up to third order after thermal annealing at 250 °C, demonstrating high crystallinity of the films. Finally, the electrical properties of the three polymers are investigated as an active layer in organic field-effect transistors showing hole mobilities of 4.3 × 10–2(PQEDOT-T), 1.8 × 10–2(PQEDOT-2T), and 7.8 × 10–3cm2V–1s–1(PQEDOT-TV).

The valuable medicinal plant Panax ginsenghas high pharmaceutical efficacy because it produces ginsenosides. However, its yields decline because of a root-rot disease caused by Ilyonectria mors-panacis. Because species within Ilyonectriashowed variable aggressiveness by altering ginsenoside concentrations in inoculated plants, we investigated how such infections might regulate the biosynthesis of ginsenosides and their related signaling molecules.

Background: Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles from medicinal plants has become an interesting strategy in biomedical research due to its exclusive properties including less toxic cellular level through its ecofriendly biological function. Objective: To examine the anti-lipid accumulation effect of spherical gold nanoparticles (size 10-20 nm) synthesized from Dendropanax morbifera Léveille (D-AuNPs) in both 3T3-L1 and HepG2 cells. Methods: 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes were stimulated with cocktail media to generate obese and fatty liver disease models. Cell cytotoxicity and cell proliferation assays were performed in adipocytes at different stages of growth. An anti-lipid accumulation assay was performed in 3T3-L1 obese and HepG2 fatty liver models using different doses of D-AuNPs. Expression of adipogenic genes of PPARγ, CEBPα, Jak2, STAT3, and ap2 and hepatogenic genes PPARα, FAS, and ACC was measured by real-time PCR. In addition, protein expression of PPARγ and CEBPα was evaluated by immunoblotting assay. Results: We found that D-AuNPs (size 10–20 nm) at concentrations up to 100 µg/ml were nontoxic to 3T3-L1 and HepG2 at post-confluent and mature stages. In addition, pretreatment of D-AuNPs at post-confluent stage reduced triglyceride content. In addition, the adipogenesis process was negatively controlled by D-AuNPs, with downregulated PPARγ, CEBPα, Jak2, STAT3, and ap2 expression in 3T3-L1 cells and FAS and ACC levels in HepG2 cells. Conclusion: These data indicated that D-AuNPs exert antiadipogenic properties. We hypothesize that Dendropanax contains a large amount of phenolic compound that coats the surface of gold nanoparticles and has the ability to reduce the excess amount of lipid in both cell lines.

We cloned and characterized a β-glucosidase (bgp3) gene from Microbacterium esteraromaticumisolated from ginseng field. The bgp3gene consists of 2,271 bp encoding 756 amino acids which have homology to the glycosyl hydrolase family 3 protein domain. The molecular mass of purified Bgp3 was 80 kDa, as determined by SDS–PAGE. The enzyme (Bgp3) catalyzed the conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 to the more pharmacologically active minor ginsenoside Rd and compound K. The Bgp3 hydrolyzed the outer glucose moiety attached to the C-20 position of ginsenoside Rb1, followed by hydrolysis of the inner glucose moiety attached to the C-3 position. Using 0.1 mg mL–1enzyme in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer at 40 °C and pH 7.0, 1.0 mg mL–1ginsenoside Rb1 was transformed into 0.46 mg mL–1compound K within 60 min with a corresponding molar conversion yield of 77%. Bgp3 hydrolyzed the ginsenoside Rb1 along the following pathway: Rb1 → Rd → compound K.

Cell therapy has been suggested as a treatment modality for ischemic diseases, but the poor survival and engraftment of implanted cells limit its therapeutic efficacy. To overcome such limitation, we used electrical stimulation (ES) derived from a wearable solar cell for inducing angiogenesis in ischemic tissue. ES enhanced the secretion of angiogenic growth factors and the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), myoblasts, endothelial progenitor cells, and endothelial cells in vitro. In a mouse ischemic hindlimb model, ES generated by a solar cell and applied to the ischemic region promoted migration of MSCs toward the ischemic site and upregulated expression of angiogenic paracrine factors (vascular endothelial, basic fibroblast, and hepatocyte growth factors; and stromal cell-derived factor-1α). Importantly, solar cell-generated ES promoted the formation of capillaries and arterioles at the ischemic region, attenuated muscle necrosis and fibrosis, and eventually prevented loss of the ischemic limb. Solar cell ES therapy showed higher angiogenic efficacy than conventional MSC therapy. This study shows the feasibility of using solar cell ES as a novel treatment for therapeutic angiogenesis.

Recently, a power source unit designable in the form of an in-plane device architecture has gained tremendous attention due to its practical accessibility toward next-generation miniaturized electronic systems. Among various energy storage units, micro-supercapacitors employing MXene-based electrodes have been recognized as viable candidates owing to their characteristic advantages of long-term cycling stability, high frequency response, and fast discharge/charge rate. In this study, we suggest an indirect green laser irradiation technique using a double-layered plasmonic photothermal heater to overcome the most critical drawback of MXene-based electrodes, the formation of highly stacked assemblies. We have designed a photothermal activation method in which the optical energy irradiated from the green laser source is converted to thermal energy inside the photothermal heater and then transferred efficiently to the composite layer comprising MXene and graphene oxide sheets. The fast laser scanning process at a speed of 400 mm/s enables an instantaneous thermal evolution of stacked MXene/GO layers as thin as 40 μm into unstacked MXene/RGO electrodes as thick as 450 μm. Our study reveals that the degree of expansion is adjustable according to the laser power, which decisively determines electrochemical performance of MXene-based micro-supercapacitors, allowing an areal capacitance as high as 97.4 mF/cm2. Based on the comprehensive interpretation on various electrochemical parameters, we clarify that a significant improvement in expanded MXene/RGO electrodes is attributable to the generation of relatively conductive 2D sheets with deep porous channels, which facilitates the energy and power density of 3.3 μWh/cm2and 0.4 mW/cm2, respectively.

AbstractStreptomyces blastmyceticusstrain 12-6 was isolated from a forest soil sample of Cheonan area on the basis of strong antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi. Butanol extracts of the cultural filtrates were active against C. acutatum, C. coccodes, C. gloeosporioides, F. oxysporum, and T. roseum. Active fractions were prepared by thin layer chromatography using silica gel plate; 12-6-2 (Rf0.36), 12-6-3 (Rf0.44). Scanning electron microscopy showed that the active fractions caused a change in surface texture of fungal spores from smooth surface to wrinkled surface. The lethal effect on the spores of the active fractions varied from 56% to 100%. It was shown that the spores of C. acutatumwere more sensitive to the antifungal fractions than the spores of F. oxysporum.Fluorescence staining using TOTO-1 indicated that the antifungal fractions could make the spores more sensitive to the fluorescence dye. Thus, it was suggested that antifungal agents prepared in this study exhibited the antifungal activity by damaging the plasma membrane of both fungal spores and hyphae. Identification of antifungal agents in the active fraction using GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of cyclo-(Leu-Pro) and 9-octadecenamide as major components that have already been known as antifungal substances.

In this study, we obtained a new structural insight into the charge-transporting properties in TPD-based polymers that cannot be solely explained in terms of the type of orientation. We synthesized two types of copolymers comprising mono-TPD or bis-TPD as the accepting unit. Although the planarity and energy levels are similar with the mono-TPD unit, the aggregation state is quite different, and the X-aggregation tendency seems to be stronger when the bis-TPD unit is incorporated. In the case of TPD1, an effective π–π orbital overlap is found to originate from the H-aggregates, and 3D charge transport pathways are formed with a bimodal orientation of edge-on and face-on, resulting in an efficient charge transportation (1.84 cm2·V–1·s–1of hole and 0.31 cm2·V–1·s–1of electron). In contrast, despite the well-aligned edge-on orientation of TPD2, it exhibited a relatively very low mobility and splitted emission characteristics in photoluminescence spectra because of the tilted intermolecular stacking pattern with an X-shape (0.015 cm2·V–1·s–1for hole and 0.16 cm2·V–1·s–1for electron). An overall characterization of the semiconducting polymers was performed, and it was found that the type of aggregation in the final thin films, such as H- or X-aggregation, is indeed important and perhaps more important than the orientation to obtain polymers with a high charge carrier mobility.

A simple green approach for the synthesis of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles was prepared using Lycium chinense(LC) fruit extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by relevant surface plasmon resonance peaks for gold and silver nanoparticles at 536 and 480 nm, respectively, with an ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer. The confirmation of gold and silver elements in the synthesized NPs with maximum distribution profiles and the crystallographic nature of the synthesized NPs were confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental mapping, and X-ray diffraction analysis. LC-prepared silver NPs (LC-AgNPs) antimicrobial activity demonstrated inhibitory activity against pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coliand Staphylococcus aureus.The synthesized LC-prepared gold NPs (LC-AuNPs) did not show inhibitory activity. The LC-AgNPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity to the human breast cancer MCF7 cell line and less cytotoxicity to non-diseased RAW264.7 (murine macrophage) cells, whereas LC-AuNPs showed minimal toxicity to both cell lines. The rapidly synthesized NPs could play a role in the field of nanotechnology and in biomedical applications.

Korean ginseng is an important cash crop in Asian countries. However, plant yield is reduced by pathogens. Among the Ilyonectria radicicola-species complex, I. mors-panacisis responsible for root-rot and replant failure of ginseng in Asia. The development of new methods to reveal the existence of the pathogen before cultivation is started is essential. Therefore, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method was developed to detect and quantify the pathogen in ginseng soils.

Bioactive compounds in plant extracts are able to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles through the process of green synthesis. Panax ginsengis an oriental medicinal herb and an adaptogen which has been historically used to cure various diseases. In addition, the P. ginsengleaves-mediated gold nanoparticles are the value-added novel materials. Its potential as a cosmetic ingredient is still unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, moisture retention and whitening properties of gold nanoparticles (PgAuNPs) in cosmetic applications.

Cylindrocarpon destructans/Ilyonectria radicicolais thought to cause both rusty symptom and root-rot disease of American and Korean ginseng. Root-rot disease poses a more serious threat to ginseng roots than rusty symptoms, which we argue result from the plant defense response to pathogen attack. Therefore, strains causing rotten root are characterized as more aggressive than strains causing rusty symptoms. In this review, we state 1- the molecular evidence indicating that the root-rot causing strains are genetically distinct considering them as a separate species of Ilyonectria, namely I. mors-panacisand 2- the physiological and biochemical differences between the weakly and highly aggressive species as well as those between rusty and rotten ginseng plants. Eventually, we postulated that rusty symptom occurs on ginseng roots due to incompatible interactions with the weakly aggressive species of Ilyonectria, by the established iron-phenolic compound complexes while root-rot is developed by I. mors-panacisinfection due to the production of high quantities of hydrolytic and oxidative fungal enzymes which destroy the plant defensive barriers, in parallel with the pathogen growth stimulation by utilizing the available iron. Furthermore, we highlight future areas for study that will help elucidate the complete mechanism of root-rot disease development.

Ginsenoside F1 has been described to possess skin-whitening effects on humans. We aimed to synthesize a new ginsenoside derivative from F1 and investigate its cytotoxicity and melanogenesis inhibitory activity in B16BL6 cells using recombinant glycosyltransferase enzyme. Glycosylation has the advantage of synthesizing rare chemical compounds from common compounds with great ease.

We report on the fabrication of an organic thin-film semiconductor formed using a blend solution of soluble ambipolar small molecules and an insulating polymer binder that exhibits vertical phase separation and uniform film formation. The semiconductor thin films are produced in a single step from a mixture containing a small molecular semiconductor, namely, quinoidal biselenophene (QBS), and a binder polymer, namely, poly(2-vinylnaphthalene) (PVN). Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on QBS/PVN blend semiconductor are then assembled using top-gate/bottom-contact device configuration, which achieve almost four times higher mobility than the neat QBS semiconductor. Depth profile via secondary ion mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy images indicate that the QBS domains in the films made from the blend are evenly distributed with a smooth morphology at the bottom of the PVN layer. Bias stress test and variable-temperature measurements on QBS-based OFETs reveal that the QBS/PVN blend semiconductor remarkably reduces the number of trap sites at the gate dielectric/semiconductor interface and the activation energy in the transistor channel. This work provides a one-step solution processing technique, which makes use of soluble ambipolar small molecules to form a thin-film semiconductor for application in high-performance OFETs.

Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are commonly used to investigate interactions between cell membranes and their environment. These model platforms can be formed on electrode surfaces and analyzed using electrochemical methods for bioapplications. Carbon nanotube porins (CNTPs) integrated with SLBs have emerged as promising artificial ion channel platforms. In this study, we present the integration and ion transport characterization of CNTPs in in vivoenvironments. We combine experimental and simulation data obtained from electrochemical analysis to analyze the membrane resistance of the equivalent circuits. Our results show that carrying CNTPs on a gold electrode results in high conductance for monovalent cations (K+and Na+) and low conductance for divalent cations (Ca2+).

Background: Compound K (CK) is the minor ginsenoside present in fermented Panax ginsengextract. Despite the pharmacological efficacy of CK, its industrial use has been restricted due to its low water solubility and poor permeability. To overcome this defect, our study was to synthesize gold nanoparticles from CK (CK-AuNPs) to investigate their potential as anticancer candidates. Methods: To biologically synthesize CK-AuNPs, a novel strain, Curtobacterium proimmuneK3, was isolated from fermented ginseng beverage, then combined with CK and gold salts to biosynthesize gold nanoparticles (CurtoCK-AuNPs). Their physicochemical characteristics were evaluated using UV–Vis spectrometry, FE-TEM, EDX, elemental mapping, XRD, SAED, DLS and TGA. Results: CurtoCK-AuNPs exerted significant selective cytotoxic effects on AGS human gastric cancer cells. Fluorescence staining with Hoechst, propidium iodide, and MitoTracker demonstrated that CurtoCK-AuNPs induce apoptosis and mitochondrial damage, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting analyses showed that cytotoxic effect of CurtoCK-AuNPs were involved in apoptosis, based on their activation of Bax/Bcl-2, cytochrome c, caspase 9, and caspase 3, as well as their suppression of PI3K–Akt signaling. Conclusion: Our findings provide data for understanding the molecular mechanisms of nanoparticles; thus, providing insight into the development of alternative medications based on gold nanoparticles of ginseng-derived CK.

Adipocytes, which are the main cellular component of adipose tissue, are the building blocks of obesity. The nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ is a major regulator of adipocyte differentiation and development. Obesity, which is one of the most dangerous yet silent diseases of all time, is fast becoming a critical area of research focus.

Most chronic tympanic membrane (TM) perforations require surgical interventions such as tympanoplasty because, unlike with acute perforations, it is very difficult for the perforations to heal spontaneously. The purpose of this study was to develop novel therapeutic techniques and scaffolds that release growth factors to treat chronic TM perforations. We evaluated the cell proliferation effects of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) on in vitrocultures of TM cells using an MTT assay. They both showed similar efficacy, so we used EGF because of its lower cost. We then constructed an EGF-releasing chitosan patch scaffold (EGF-CPS) based on previous studies. We analyzed its toxicity and strength, and we studied it using scanning electron microscopy. EGF was released from the EGF-CPS for 8 weeks in an in vitrosystem. In animal studies, the EGF group, which was treated with EGF-CPS, showed healing in 56.5% of the animals (13/23), while the control group, which did not receive any treatment, revealed 20.8% healing (4/24) (p=0.04). Transmission electron microscopic studies of regenerated eardrums in the EGF group showed much greater preservation of histological features, and TMs of the EGF group were thinner than spontaneously healed TMs. In conclusion, this novel EGF-CPS can be used as a nonsurgical intervention technique for treatment of chronic TM perforations.

Synthesis of gray ceramic pigment was carried out by doping cobalt on Tialite crystal structure. Tialite was synthesized by using Al2O3 and TiO2, and was doped with Co3O4 as a chromophore material. To prevent the thermal decomposition during cooling procedure Fe2O3 was added by 0.05mole as a stabilizer. Samples were fired at 1400~1500℃ for 2hours and cooled naturally. Crystal structure, solubility limit and color of synthesized pigment were analyzed by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, UV and UV-vis. Yield percentage of Tialite was 96.15% with using Fe2O3 as a stabilizer. It was found that solubility limit of Co2+ in Tialite crystal was 0.03 mole% through analysis of XRD and Raman. By adding pigment with 0.03 mole% of Co2+ to lime-barium glaze, stabilized Dark Gray color glaze having 46.12, -1.26, 0.53 as CIE-L*a*b* was synthesized.

Expensive herbs like oriental medicinal plants are always possible targets for fraudulent labeling or misuse in many countries. In the genus Cimicifuga, most species have been used as “Sheng‐Ma” for oriental medicinal purposes. Among the Cimicifugaspecies, C. heracleifoliaKom., C. dahurica(Turcz. ex Fisch and C.A. Mey.) Maxim., C. foetidaL., and C. simplex(DC.) Wormsk. ex Turcz. were used as certified medicinal materials in Korea, China, and Japan. To identify these four Cimicifugaspecies, the internal transcribed spacer was used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, and nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in the four Cimicifugaspecies. Four specific primers were designed from their polymorphic sites to identify Cimicifugaspecies using multiplex PCR. The established multiplex‐PCR proved to be effective for the differentiation of Cimicifugaspecies in commercial materials.

Abstract: Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Korean name “Hyung-Gae”) is an oriental medicinal plant that is widely used in Korea, China and Japan. S. tenuifolia (Hyung-Gae) has many pharmacological activities and is mostly used for many medicinal preparations. The dried aerial part (spikes and stems) of three oriental medicinal plants, S. tenuifolia (Hyung-Gae), Agastache rugosa (Kwhak-Hyang) and Elsholtzia ciliata (Hyang-Yoo) belonging to the same family, mint family Labiaceae, have such similar shape and smell that it is difficult to differentiate between them. The trnL-F regions of chloroplast DNA of the three medicinal plants were sequenced and used as targets in multiplex PCR reaction to identify S. tenuifolia. After alignment of trnL-F sequences of the authenticated plant samples, one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific to S. tenuifolia was found. Based on this SNP, a new primer was designed that specifically amplifies the trnL-F region of S. tenuifolia. The established multiplex-PCR was proven to be effective in the differentiation of commercial S. tenuifolia samples from A. rugosa and E. ciliata. This rapid and accurate molecular method is highly promising for use in the food industry.

In order to increase the bioavailability of mountain ginseng (MG), gold nanoparticles (MG-AuNPs) were biologically synthesized from MG extract, and an oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion (SMG-AuNEs) was prepared from MG-AuNPs and a phytochemical silydianin. The physical stability of SMG-AuNEs were monitored and optimized in terms of particle size, pH value, zeta potential, and polydispersity index. The chemicostructural properties of the prepared MG-AuNPs and SMG-AuNEs were characterized using various spectrometric and microscopic analyses, such as EDX spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and TEM. The effect of both nanomaterial samples on the anti-inflammatory activity and their underlying mechanism was compared in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. SMG-AuNEs did not show toxic effects against RAW 264.7 macrophages, HaCaT keratinocytes, and normal dermal fibroblasts. SMG-AuNEs exhibited significantly higher inhibition of pro-inflammatory genes and proteins, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, compared with those of MG-AuNPs and silydianin. Western blotting analysis revealed that the MAPK and NF-κB signalings were highly inhibited by SMG-AuNEs treatment. Hence, this study shows that nano-emulsification of gold nanoparticles prepared from MG is a useful method for augmenting the anti-inflammatory potential of MG. This study may serve as a foundation for using MG as a functional ingredient in anti-inflammatory agents. Our results may implicate the use of nanoemulsions to develop new anti-inflammatory products using MG.

Graphical Abstract:

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are characterized by high rates of recurrence and poor clinical outcomes. Deregulated E3 ligases are involved in breast cancer pathogenesis and progression, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we find that F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 16 (FBXL16) acts as a tumor suppressor in TNBCs. FBXL16 directly binds to HIF1α and induces its ubiquitination and degradation, regardless of the tumor microenvironment, resulting in blockade of the HIF1α-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis features of breast cancer. In TNBCs, FBXL16 expression is downregulated by the p38/miR-135b-3p axis, and loss of FBXL16 expression restores HIF1α-mediated metastatic features of breast cancer. Low expression of FBXL16 is associated with high-grade and lymph node-positive tumors and poor overall survival of breast cancer. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that modulation of FBXL16 expression may offer a favorable strategy for treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer, including TNBCs.

The ginsenosides in Panax ginsenghave vast structural and pharmacological efficacies. We covalently conjugated polyethylene glycol on the surface of CK (PEG-CK) through an acid-labile ester-linkage that showed increased solubility of CK. HPLC analysis showed that the release of CK was enhanced at acidic pH 5, whereas it was dramatically decreased at physiological pH 7.4. This might enhance the efficacy of CK.

To enable the application of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sc-SWNTs) in advanced technologies, the SWNT chiralities must be sorted from the mixture of as-synthesized SWNTs. Interestingly, conjugated polymers have the ability to sort sc-SWNTs with different chiralities selectively, and this sorting effect is dependent on the polymer backbone structure. However, design principles for polymer backbones that allow the selective separation of desired SWNT chiralities are still unknown. To investigate the relationship between the polymer backbone structure and the sorting effect systematically, we used three pyrene moieties to prepare different structural topologies of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymers. As expected, the backbone of three synthesized polymers is gradually linearized from P(1,8-pyDPP) to P(1,6-pyDPP) and P(2,7-pyDPP). Further, these polymers successfully enrich sc-SWNTs of the high-pressure carbon monoxide (HiPco) SWNTs by using an efficient washing process. We obtained high-quality sc-SWNT solutions without impurities or excess polymer by using P(1,6-pyDPP) because of the good dispersibility arising from the slightly kinked backbone. It was also found that the very kinked backbone of P(1,8-pyDPP) increased the preference for specific diameters of SWNTs, whereas the linear backbone of P(2,7-pyDPP) was favorable for the sorting of sc-SWTNs with large diameters. We believe that our findings regarding the polymer-backbone-topology-dependent sorting ability for sc-SWNTs offer important fundamental information on the structural design of conjugated polymers.

While quinoidal moieties are considered as emerging platforms showing efficient charge transport and interesting open-shell diradical characteristics, whether these properties could be changed by extension to the conjugated polymer structure remains as a fundamental question. Here, we developed and characterized two conjugated polymers incorporating quinoids with different lengths, which have a stable close- and open-shell diradical character, respectively, namely, poly(quinoidal thiophene-thienylene vinylene) (PQuT-TV) and poly(quinoidal bithiophene-thienylene vinylene) (PQuBT-TV). A longer length of a quinoidal core led to enhanced diradical characteristics. Therefore, the longer core length of QuBT was favorable for the formation of an open-shell diradical structure in its monomer and in the quinoidal polymer. PQuBT-TV exhibited high spin characteristics observed by the strong ESR signal, a low band gap, and improved electrochemical stability. On the other hand, as QuT maintained a closed-shell quinoid structure, PQuT-TV exhibited high backbone coplanarity and strong intermolecular interaction, which was beneficial for charge transport and led to high hole mobility (up to 2.40 cm2V–1s–1) in organic field-effect transistors. This work successfully demonstrated how the control of the closed/open-shell character of quinoidal building blocks changes charge transport and spin properties of quinoidal conjugated polymers viaquinoid–aromatic interconversion.

Topographic features play a crucial role in the regulation of physiologically relevant cell and tissue functions. Here, an analysis of feature‐size‐dependent cell–nanoarchitecture interactions is reported using an array of scaffolds in the form of uniformly spaced ridge/groove structures for engineering wound healing. The ridge and groove widths of nanopatterns are varied from 300 to 800 nm and the nanotopography features are classified into three size ranges: dense (300–400 nm), intermediate (500–600 nm), and sparse (700–800 nm). On these matrices, fibroblasts demonstrate a biphasic trend of cell body and nucleus elongation showing the maximum at intermediate feature density, whereas maximum migration speed is observed at the dense case with monotonic decrease upon increasing feature size. The directional organization of cell‐synthesized fibronectin fibers can be regulated differently via the nanotopographical features. In an in vitro wound healing model, the covering rate of cell‐free regions is maximized on the dense nanotopography and decreased with increasing feature size, showing direct correlation with the trend of migration speed. It is demonstrated that the properties of repaired tissue matrices in the process of wound healing may be controlled via the feature‐size‐dependent cell–nanoarchitecture interactions, which can be an important consideration for designing tissue engineering scaffolds. Nanotopographic featuresplay a crucial role in the regulation of physiologically relevant cell and tissue functions. Here, the feature‐size‐dependent cell–nanoarchitecture interactions are systemically analyzed using an array of directional matrix nanotopography. It is shown that the properties of repaired tissue matrices in the process of dermis wound healing may be controlled via nanotopographical density‐mediated cellular behaviors.

B cell leukemia/lymphoma 3 (Bcl3) plays a pivotal role in immune homeostasis, cellular proliferation, and cell survival, as a co-activator or co-repressor of transcription of the NF-κB family. Recently, it was reported that Bcl3 positively regulates pluripotency genes, including Oct4, in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). However, the role of Bcl3 in the maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal activity is not fully established. Here, we report the dynamic regulation of the proliferation, pluripotency, and self-renewal of mESCs by Bcl3 via an influence on Nanog transcriptional activity. Bcl3 expression is predominantly observed in immature mESCs, but significantly decreased during cell differentiation by LIF depletion and in mESC-derived EBs. Importantly, the knockdown of Bcl3 resulted in the loss of self-renewal ability and decreased cell proliferation. Similarly, the ectopic expression of Bcl3 also resulted in a significant reduction of proliferation, and the self-renewal of mESCs was demonstrated by alkaline phosphatase staining and clonogenic single cell-derived colony assay. We further examined that Bcl3-mediated regulation of Nanog transcriptional activity in mESCs, which indicated that Bcl3 acts as a transcriptional repressor of Nanog expression in mESCs. In conclusion, we demonstrated that a sufficient concentration of Bcl3 in mESCs plays a critical role in the maintenance of pluripotency and the self-renewal of mESCs via the regulation of Nanog transcriptional activity. [BMB Reports 2018; 51(2): 92-97].