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Recently, the electrospun silk web has been intensively studied in terms of its biomedical applications, including tissue engineering scaffolds, due to its good biocompatibility, cytocompatibility, and biodegradability. In this study, the effect of relative humidity (RH) conditions on the morphology of electrospun silk fiber and the electrospinning production rate of silk solution was examined. In addition, the effect of RH on the molecular conformation of electrospun silk web was examined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. As RH was increased, the maximum electrospinning rate of silk solution and fiber diameter of the resultant electrospun silk web were decreased. When RH was increased to 60%, some beads were observed, which showed that the electrospinnability of silk formic acid solution deteriorated with an increase in RH. The FTIR results showed that electrospun silk web was partially β-sheet crystallized and RH did not affect the molecular conformation of silk.

There is an urgent need to find antidepressants that can be administered for long periods without inducing severe side effects to replace conventional antidepressants that control monoamine levels, such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). We sought to determine the antidepressant effects of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance (F. rhynchophylla Hance, FX) and its components on a reserpine-induced mouse model. One hour after oral administration of FX (30, 50, and 100 mg/kg), esculin (50 mg/kg), esculetin (50 mg/kg), fraxin (50 mg/kg), and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg), reserpine was delivered intraperitoneally to mice. Behavioral experiments were conducted to measure anxiety and depressive-like behaviors after 10 days of administration. FX and its components increased the number of entries into the center of an open field as well as distance traveled within it and decreased immobility duration in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. Reserpine-induced increases in plasma corticosterone concentrations were attenuated by the administration of FX and its components, which were also found to decrease the reserpine-induced enhancement of mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-12 p40, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, the diminished expressions of hippocampal phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by reserpine were increased by FX and its components. Our results suggest that FX and its components regulate anxiety and depressive-like behaviors through stress hormones, immune regulation, and the activation of neuroprotective mechanisms, further supporting the potential of FX and its components as antidepressants.

Bangpungtongsung-san (BTS) is a traditional Korean medicine consisting of 18 herbs, some which have antidepressant effects. Here, we used an animal model of reserpine-induced depression and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia to assess the antidepressant and anti-neuroinflammatory effects of BTS. Aside from a control group, C57BL/6 mice were administered reserpine (0.5 mg/kg) daily for 10 days via intraperitoneal injection. BTS (100, 300, or 500 mg/kg), vehicle (PBS), or fluoxetine (FXT, 20 mg/kg) was administered orally 1 h before reserpine treatment. Following treatment, a forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and open field test (OFT) were performed, and immobility time and total travel distance were measured. Administration of BTS not only reduced immobility time in the FST and TST but also significantly increased the total travel distance in the OFT. Furthermore, reserpine-treated mice showed significantly elevated serum levels of corticosterone, a stress hormone; however, treatment with BTS significantly reduced corticosterone levels, similar to FXT treatment. Serotonin in reserpine-treated mice was significantly reduced compared to that in control mice, while BTS mice exhibited increased serotonin levels. BTS mice showed increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a higher ratio of phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) to CREB (p-CREB/CREB) in the hippocampus. Additionally, reserpine-treated mice exhibited significantly elevated mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but BTS mice showed reduced mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the hippocampus. To further demonstrate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of BTS in vitro, we examined its anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia. BTS significantly reduced the levels of NO, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner via a decrease in the expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65. Furthermore, the neuroprotective factor heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was upregulated via the nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/CREB pathway. Taken together, our data suggest that BTS has considerable potential as an anti-neuroinflammation and antidepressant agent, as it has clear effects on depressive behaviors and associated factors caused by reserpine-induced depression.

Benzalkonium chloride, diazolidinyl urea, and imidazolidinyl urea are commonly used preservatives in cosmetics. Recent reports suggested that these compounds may have cellular and systemic toxicity in high concentration. In addition, diazolidinyl urea and imidazolidinyl urea are known formaldehyde (FA) releasers, raising concerns for these cosmetic preservatives. In this study, we investigated the effects of benzalkonium chloride, diazolidinyl urea, and imidazolidinyl urea on ROS-dependent apoptosis of rat neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in vitro. Cells were isolated and cultured from embryonic day 14 rat cortices. Cultured cells were treated with 1-1,000 nM benzalkonium chloride, and 1-50 μM diazolidinyl urea or imidazolidinyl urea at various time points to measure the reactive oxygen species (ROS). PI staining, MTT assay, and live-cell imaging were used for cell viability measurements. Western blot was carried out for cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-8 as apoptotic protein markers. In rat NPCs, ROS production and cleaved caspase-8 expression were increased while the cell viability was decreased in high concentrations of these substances. These results suggest that several cosmetic preservatives at high concentrations can induce neural toxicity in rat brains through ROS induction and apoptosis.

Microglia, the central nervous system’s innate immune cells, mediate neuroinflammation and are implicated in a variety of neuropathologies. The present study investigated the antineuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects of Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GBH), a traditional Korean medicine, in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated murine BV2 microglia. BV2 cells were pretreated with GBH, fluoxetine (FXT), or amitriptyline (AMT) for 1 h and then stimulated with LPS (100 ng/mL). The expression levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, and chemokines were determined by the Griess method, ELISA, or real-time PCR. Western blotting was used to measure various transcription factors and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt activity. GBH significantly reduced the levels of NO, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, macrophage inhibitory protein- (MIP-) 1α, macrophage chemoattractant protein- (MCP-) 1, and IFN-γ inducible protein- (IP-) 10, regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed sequence (RANTES) in a dose-dependent manner. Expression of nuclear factor- (NF-) κB p65 was significantly decreased and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and PI3K/Akt by GBH, but not p38 MAPK, was decreased. Furthermore, production of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was upregulated via the nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway, collectively indicating the neuroprotective effects of GBH. We concluded that GBH may suppress neuroinflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-κB activation and upregulating the neuroprotective factor, HO-1. These results suggest that GBH has potential as anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents against microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory disorders.

Triclosan is an antimicrobial or sanitizing agent used in personal care and household products such as toothpaste, soaps, mouthwashes and kitchen utensils. There are increasing evidence of the potentially harmful effects of triclosan in many systemic and cellular processes of the body. In this study, we investigated the effects of triclosan in the survivability of cultured rat neural stem cells (NSCs). Cortical cells from embryonic day 14 rat embryos were isolated and cultured in vitro. After stabilizing the culture, triclosan was introduced to the cells with concentrations ranging from 1 μM to 50 μM and in varied time periods. Thereafter, cell viability parameters were measured using MTT assay and PI staining. TCS decreased the cell viability of treated NSC in a concentration-dependent manner along with increased expressions of apoptotic markers, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, while reduced expression of Bcl2. To explore the mechanisms underlying the effects of TCS in NSC, we measured the activation of MAPKs and intracellular ROS. TCS at 50 μM induced the activations of both p38 and JNK, which may adversely affect cell survival. In contrast, the activities of ERK, Akt and PI3K, which are positively correlated with cell survival, were inhibited. Moreover, TCS at this concentration augmented the ROS generation in treated NSC and depleted the glutathione activity. Taken together, these results suggest that TCS can induce neurodegenerative effects in developing rat brains through mechanisms involving ROS activation and apoptosis initiation.

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae) is an important ornamental shrub in horticulture and has been widely used as a medical material in Asia. The aim of this study was to assess the antidepressant and neuroprotective effects of a root bark extract of H. syriacus (HSR) and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using an animal model of restraint stress, we investigated the effects of HSR on depressive-like behaviors and on the expression levels of serotonin, corticosterone, and neurotrophic factors in the brain. The mice were exposed to restraint stress for 2 h per day over a period of 3 weeks and orally treated with HSR (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day). We also examined the neuroprotective effect of HSR using corticosterone-treated human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The cells were incubated with the extract for 24 h, followed by corticosterone stimulation for 1 h, and then cell viability assay, cellular ATP assay, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assay, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and western blotting were used to investigate the neuroprotective effects of HSR. Administration of HSR not only reduced the immobility times of the restraint-stressed mice in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests, but also significantly increased sucrose preference in the sucrose preference test. In addition, HSR significantly reduced the plasma levels of corticosterone and increased the brain levels of serotonin. The extract also increased the phosphorylation level of cyclic AMP response element-binding (CREB) protein and the expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The in vitro assays showed that HSR pretreatment increased cell viability and ATP levels, recovered MMP, decreased ROS levels, and increased the expression of CREB and BDNF in corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity. Taken together, our data suggest that HSR may have the potential to control neuronal cell damage and depressive behaviors caused by chronic stress.

The oral consumption of capsicum has been reported to increase interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ production in Peyer's patches (PP); however, the active components responsible for these effects have not been completely identified. The beneficial biological effects of green peppers cultivated under environmentally friendly farming conditions (ECP), without the use of chemical pesticides, have rarely been compared with those of green peppers cultivated under conventional farming conditions (CCP). Oral administration of ECP extract significantly induced the production of IL-2 and IFN-γ in concanavalin A-treated cells from PP ex vivo; their levels were much higher than those in the CCP extract-treated group. A comparative analysis of the HPLC profiles indicated a 1.7-fold increase of a peak, named EF-1, at 415 nm in the ECP extract. The major component of EF-1 was identified as pheophytin a, which is a chlorophyll a molecule lacking a central Mg(2+) ion, as determined from NMR data. Intake of pheophytin a and chlorophyll a significantly increased IL-2 and IFN-γ production, and the percentage of IL-2- and IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T-cells in PP. Taken together, our data suggest that ECPs produce a higher content of pheophytin a than CCPs, and pheophytin a and chlorophyll a are immune-modulating components in green vegetables.

The comparative effects of the fibrinolytic, and tyrosinase inhibition activities and electrophoretical protein patterns with freeze-drying silkworm powder (FDSW), heating-drying silkworm powder (HDSW) and fermented silkworm powder by Bacillus subtilis or Lactobacillus hilgardii were investigated. When total protein patterns of FDSW, HDSW, both fermented SW, were analyzed by native- and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), there were slightly varietal differences in electrophoretical protein patterns. Major minerals of FDSW and HDSW were K, Ca, Mg, and Zn. Major compositional amino acids of FDSW and HDSW were glycine, alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and serine. Major fatty acids of FDSW and HDSW were linolenic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. Fibriolytic activity was the highest in the fermented FDSW by 5% B. subtilis among the various samples. Tyrosinase inhibition activity was higher in the water and 70% methanolic extract of FDSW than in HDSW. DPPH radical scavenging activity was slightly stronger in HDSW than in FDSW. In addition, DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher in FDSW or HDSW fermented by L. hilgardii than that fermented by B. subtilis, however, all samples exhibited a relatively low activity compared to the butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). These results may provide the basic data to understand the biological activities of fermented SW.

Monascus-fermented Korean red ginseng (MFRG), fermented by Monascus purpureus KCCM 12002, may be an ideal candidate for the hepatoprotectic, hypolipidemic and antioxidative activities. Effect of MFRG powder on these parameters in rats was investigated. Body weight gain, food intake, and water consumption were not significantly different among the groups. Total and relative weights of liver were significantly higher in MFRG group than that in other groups. The activities of AST and -GTP were highly lowered in MFRG group compared to control group. Contents of serum total lipid and triglyceride were significantly lowered in silymarin group and were significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group, but tended to be lowered in RG group. Serum content of total cholesterol tended to be lowered in silymarin, RG, and MFRG groups compared to control group. HDL-cholesterol contents was only significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group. At the same time, atherogenic index (AI) was also significantly lowered in silymarin, RG and MFRG groups compared to control group, and this effect was more pronounced in MFRG group. Content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the liver was significantly lowered in MFRG group and tended to lowered in silymarin and RG groups compared to control group. The hepatic glutathione concentration was significantly higher in silymarin and MFRG groups. Hepatic morphology in all experimental groups revealed clear-cut hepatic lobules with the uniform pattern of the polyhedral hepatocytes radiating towards the periphery from the central vein. These results suggested that MFRG may have anti-atherogenic index (AI) and antioxidative activity in normal dietary feeding rats.

Glutathione is a well-known chemotherapeutic agent and a popular nutritional supplement for liver disease and oxidative stress. Our previous studies reported the suppressive effects of the glutathione- enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae FF-8 (FF-8) strain on carbon tetrachloride-and alcohol-induced oxidative stress in rats. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of the FF-8 strain on lipid peroxidation in tissues of rats with orotic acid (OA)-induced fatty liver. OA treatment showed a significant decrease in body weight gain compared to the normal diet, and simultaneous addition of FF-8 and OA had the same effect. OA treatment produced an increase in liver weight, however, this also increased with simultaneous addition of FF-8 and OA. Liver lipid peroxidation was significantly increased by OA, but was significantly decreased by FF-8 strain treatment. This same tendency was found in the kidney and heart. Concentration levels of hepatic glutathione and zinc are known to be closely associated with the antioxidant system, and OA treatment led to reductions in liver glutathione and zinc concentrations, whereas these were significantly increased by FF-8 strain treatment in OA feeding rats. These results suggest that the glutathione-enriched S. cerevisiae FF-8 strain may positively mediate orotic acid-induced oxidative stress by enhancing glutathione and zinc levels in rat livers.

Zinc is an essential trace element for human and plays an important biological role in antioxidant properties. We have been reported that zinc-enriched S. cerevisiae FF-10 contained 392 ㎎% in the YM basal and 3,193 ㎎% in the YM optimal medium. Antioxidative activity of FF-10 was tested in vitro models by DPPH (α,α‘-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation using linoleic acid (LA) and rat liver homogenate. DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher in the cell-free extract of FF-10 cultured in the YM optimal medium (YMOM) than that in the YM basal medium (YMBM). The inhibition activity of lipid peroxidation using rat liver homogenate was shown in the following order: BHT ＞ YMOM ＞ YMBM and these values were dose dependently. The lipid peroxidation of the control mixture by ferric thiocyanate and TBA methods using LA was increased rapidly as typical peroxidation curve of LA from one day and the antioxidation activity of the cell free extracts by cultivating FF-10 in the YMOM were higher than that of the YMBM. Result of this study indicate that the cell-free extracts containing a high intercellular zinc of S. cerevisiae FF-10 cultured in YMOM showed strong antioxidation capacities in DPPH radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation using LA and rat liver homogenate.

The purpose of present study was to investigate the protective effect of silkworm excrement powder (SEP) on alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Semisynthetic diet supplemented with SEP (3%, w/w) given to alcohol-feeding rats for 30 days, then blood and tissues were collected, processed and used for alcohol concentration mensuration, various biochemical estimations and histopathological examination. Chronic alcohol administration resulted in significantly increase in the activities of the clinically important liver marker enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Also, a highly significant increase in the blood alcohol level by alcohol treatment was observed. But alcohol-induced elevation of ALT and LDH levels markedly prevented and the level of blood alcohol decreased in SEP treated rats as compared to alcohol-administered control rats. SEP supplementation showed highly decreased the concentrations of total lipid, triglyceride and cholesterol in serum, as compared with alcohol treated control rats. Alcohol treatment induced the marked accumulation of large lipid droplets, hepatocytes necrosis and inflammation in the liver, but SEP administration attenuated to alcohol-induced accumulation of lipid droplets and hepatocyte necrosis. The results indicated that SEP may exert a protective effect against alcoholic hepatotoxicity through decreasing the activity of hepatic marker enzymes.

Zinc is an essential trace element participating in many physiological functions and notably an important function for sperm physiology. Zinc-enriched yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, isolated from tropical fruit rambutan. This strain contained 306 ppm zinc concentration and other components contained by K 28,640 ppm, Mg 2,342 ppm, Na 1,048 ppm, Ca 366 ppm, Fe 236 ppm and Mn 4 ppm. The serum concentration of testosterone was decreased in ethanol treatment rats. As compared with ethanol treated control rats, the zinc-enriched yeast strain supplementation showed significantly increased the testosterone concentration in serum. In addition, zinc concentration in serum was decreased in alcohol treatment, but this reduction was significantly increased by zinc-enriched yeast strain supplementation in ethanol feeding rats. These results indicate that zinc-enriched yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain could play an important role in the sperm physiology by the marked elevation of serum testosterone concentration.

As glutathione is now widely used in medicine, functional health food and cosmetic industry, the commercial demand for glutathione has been expending. We have previously reported that Saccharomyces cerevisiae FF-8, an intracellular glutathione producing yeast strain, was isolated from Korean traditional rice wine. Glutathione production by FF-8 strain was 90 mg/l from basal YM medium in flask-scale fermentation, but that in optimal YM medium increased 2.27-fold to 204 ㎎/l. As large scale fermentation is generally applied to achieve more efficient production of bioactive components, this study was also tried to optimization of fermentation parameters to enhance the glutathione production using S. cerevisiae FF-8 in bioreactor process. The highest cell growth and glutathione concentrations of S. cerevisiae FF-8 in 7 l fermenter were observed to be the culture conditions containing culture temperature 30℃, adjusted initial pH 6.0, agitation speed 200 rpm, and aeration rate 2.0 vvm. The maximum glutathione production by FF-8 was cultured under the inner pressure 0.8 kgf/㎠ in a 100 l bioreactor and it was 255.8 ㎎/l. The investigation of significant parameters for improving the glutathione production could be very useful in optimizing processes.

This study investigated the applicability of minced shepherd's purse root containing high peroxidase activity as a catalytic agent instead of purified and immobilized peroxidase for the remediation of soil contaminated with phenolic pollutants, using 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) as a model pollutant. The removal of 2,4-DCP in the soil was extremely fast when treated with peroxide and minced shepherd's purse root, and maximal removal was achieved within 10 min. Increasing the reaction temperature did not significantly influence removal of 2,4-DCP incubated with shepherd's purse. The removal of 2,4-DCP was dependent on the amount of shepherd's purse and the soil moisture content. Increasing the amount of shepherd's purse and moisture mixed with soil caused an increased removal of 2,4-DCP. Calcium peroxide was more effective than hydrogen peroxide, and maximal removal was achieved in 20 mM of both peroxides. The efficiency of 2,4-DCP removal decreased with increasing 2,4-DCP concentration but was greater than 60% at 500 to 1000 mg kg(-1). Our results provide strong evidence that shepherd's purse can be used to remediate soil contaminated with phenolic pollutants.

products were N-tert-butyl acetamide (3, 80%, 0.80 mmol), thianthrene 5-oxide (ThO, 96%, 0.48 mmol), thianthrene 5,5-dioxide (SSO2, 52%, 0.13 mmol) and thianthrene (Th, 104%, 0.26 mmol) as determined by quantitative GC and GC/MS analyses (Scheme 1). Work somewhat analogous to ours has been reported by Kim and Shin 9 , which describes the nucleophilic addition of 2 to 1 in a molar ratio of 1.23:1.00 and the characteristics of oxidation of thianthrene, reduced oxidant. Kim had shown that the major products were not characteristic of tert-butyl cations but acetone was obtained from tert-butyl peroxy radical. For example, products of the reaction in MeCN at room temperature were Th (66%), ThO (27%), thianthrene 5,10-dioxide (SOSO, 7.7%), 5-acetonylthianthrenium perchlorate (1.1%), and 3 (12%). Unusual is that, in the report of Kim nor SSO 2 was

Positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) was attained in heavily niobium-doped BaTiO3 through the addition of BaTiO3 seed particles. The seed particles containing a double twin grew during heat treatment, and a uniform microstructure composed of large, coarse grains was obtained. The incorporation of niobium into the grain via grain growth probably caused the semiconducting and PTCR character of the niobium-doped BaTiO3.