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The objectives of this study were to develop a novel bleaching material containing hydrated calcium silicate (hCS) particles and investigate the effects of hCS on the bleaching efficacy, microhardness, and surface morphology of bovine enamel. To prepare the hCS particles, white Portland cement was mixed with distilled water and ground into a fine powder. The particles in various proportions were then mixed with 35% hydrogen peroxide solution (HP), while HP without hCS was used as a control (HP), and teeth whitening gel was used as a commercial control (CC). Following the thrice application of experimental and control solutions on the discolored bovine enamel surface for 15 min, color change (n = 10), microhardness (n = 10), and micromorphology (n = 2) of the enamel surface were analyzed. The Δ E* of the enamel surface treated with the experimental solution containing hCS was significantly higher than that of the CC, but there were no significant differences between the different hCS contents. The experimental solution containing hCS reduced the percentage of microhardness loss on the enamel surface, and the percentage of microhardness loss significantly decreased as the content of hCS increased (p

Background Diffuse‐type gastric cancer (GC) is known to be more aggressive and relatively resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Hence, more optimized treatment strategy is urgently needed in diffuse‐type GC. Methods Using a panel of 10 GC cell lines and 3 GC patient‐derived cells (PDCs), we identified cell lines with high EMTness which is a distinct feature for diffuse‐type GC. We treated GC cells with high EMTness with ramucirumab alone, TGF‐β receptor kinase inhibitor (TEW‐7197) alone, or in combination to investigate the drug's effects on invasiveness, spheroid formation, EMT marker expression, and tumor‐induced angiogenesis using a spheroid‐on‐a‐chip model. Results Both TEW‐7197 and ramucirumab treatments profoundly decreased invasiveness of EMT‐high cell lines and PDCs. With a 3D tumor spheroid‐on‐a‐chip, we identified versatile influence of co‐treatment on cancer cell‐induced blood vessel formation as well as on EMT progression in tumor spheroids. The 3D tumor spheroid‐on‐a‐chip demonstrated that TEW‐7197 + ramucirumab combination significantly decreased PDC‐induced vessel formation. Conclusions In this study, we showed TEW‐7197 and ramucirumab considerably decreased invasiveness, thus EMTness in a panel of diffuse‐type GC cell lines including GC PDCs. Taken together, we confirmed that combination of TEW‐7197 and ramucirumab reduced tumor spheroid and GC PDC‐induced blood vessel formation concomitantly in the spheroid‐on‐a‐chip model., Diffuse‐type gastric cancer (GC) is known to be more aggressive and relatively resistant to conventional chemotherapy. In this study, we sought a drug candidate for this type of cancer treatment and confirmed that combination of TEW‐7197 and ramucirumab reduced tumor spheroid invasiveness and GC PDC‐induced blood vessel formation concomitantly in the spheroid‐on‐a‐chip model.

A simultaneous sample preparation for vitamins K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinones MK4 and MK7) was developed for vegetable drinks and natto by solvent extraction optimization for each matrix. Vitamin K has shown several health benefits, but no simple method exists for its rapid identification and quantification in food samples. The recovery rates were in the range 81.26–104.40%, with relative standard deviations between 0.46 and 4.10%. Monitoring studies were conducted on vegetable drinks and natto products sold on the Korean market. The range of vitamin K1 in vegetable drinks was 0 (not detected)–69 μg/100 g, and the range of vitamin K2-MK7 in natto was 285–1221 μg/100 g. The vitamin K2 content in natto was generally 2–4 times higher in frozen products than the content in refrigerated products. This method may be implemented in laboratories to save time and reduce the costs of disposable materials.

Lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) were produced from the biomass of Mongolian oak for the first time using deep eutectic solvent pretreatment and mechanical defibrillation. Three Choline chloride (CC)-based DESs were selected and the effect of various DES pretreatment conditions on the chemical composition of wood sample was studied first. CC/lactic acid (CC/LA) pretreatment caused high lignin and hemicellulose removal whereas CC/urea (CC/U) and CC/glycerin (CC/GLY) pretreatment increased the fiber’s susceptibility to defibrillation. With the significant influence of temperature, its effect on the subsequent mechanical defibrillation was also studied. For all three DESs, pretreatment condition of 1:2 mol ratio, 6 h time, and 140 °C was found optimal for LCNF preparation. LCNFs with diameter

In this study, the lignin-based poly(m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid) (PABS) copolymer was prepared via a successive two-step synthesis reaction to be used as a precursor for high-value-added biomaterials. Chemical structure analyses such as 1H NMR, FT-IR, elemental contents, and molecular size of PABS confirmed the presence of aromatic amine groups and sulfonic acid groups with Mn 17,400 g/㏖. The yield and chemical structure were analyzed by separating the lignin-based PABS prepared by graft polymerization into water-soluble and insoluble lignin-based PABS. Presence of the lignin and PABS functional groups was verified and the yield of the lignin-based PABS copolymer with insoluble lignin-based PABS was high. Therefore, it was confirmed that the compound was mainly composed of the water-insoluble lignin-based PABS copolymer. Moreover, the thermal decomposition temperature of the resulting insoluble lignin-based PABS copolymer was approximately 30℃ higher than that of lignin, indicating improved thermal stability.

Overcoming the FLT3-ITD mutant has been a promising drug design strategy for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Herein, we discovered a novel FLT3 inhibitor 17, which displayed potent inhibitory activity against the FLT3-ITD mutant (IC50 = 0.8 nM) and achieved good selectivity over c-KIT kinase (over 500-fold). Compound 17 selectively inhibited the proliferation of FLT3-ITD-positive AML cell lines MV4-11 (IC50 = 23.5 nM) and MOLM-13 (IC50 = 35.5 nM) and exhibited potent inhibitory effects against associated acquired resistance mutations. In cellular mechanism studies, compound 17 strongly inhibited FLT3-mediated signaling pathways and induced apoptosis by arresting the cell cycle in the sub-G1 phase. In in vivo studies, compound 17 demonstrated a good bioavailability (73.6%) and significantly suppressed tumor growth in MV4-11 (10 mg/kg, TGI 93.4%) and MOLM-13 (20 mg/kg, TGI 98.0%) xenograft models without exhibiting obvious toxicity. These results suggested that compound 17 may be a promising drug candidate for treating FLT3-ITD-positive AML.

In this study, the correlation between the specific growth rate of Phaeodactylum tricornutum and fucoxanthin (fucoxanthin) biosynthesis was investigated both in batch and in semi-continuous cultures. Fucoxanthin content from P. tricornutum biomass showed a positive correlation with specific growth rate during the normal culture period. The maximum yield of fucoxanthin (2.42 mg g−1 dry biomass) was observed at day 5, and the highest specific growth rate (1.91) was observed at day 4, both of which were during the exponential phase. Upon treatment with growth inhibitors (AZD-8055 or norflurazon) during the exponential phase, fucoxanthin content decreased with growth rate in a concentration-dependent manner. In a semi-continuous culture of P. tricornutum with dilution rates from 0.1 to 0.5 day−1, we found a positive correlation between specific growth rate and fucoxanthin biosynthesis in a steady-state condition. Based on the transcriptome analysis results, different metabolic and key regulatory genes were active at different growth phases. Particularly, during the exponential growth phase, various genes related to regulatory mechanisms, such as cell growth and replication, were expressed, whereas in the stationary phase, their expression was reduced. In the fucoxanthin biosynthesis pathway, 1-deoxy-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (ISPD) and violaxanthin deepoxidase (VDE) genes showed higher expression levels in the exponential phase, thus indicating that they are critical genes for the regulation of fucoxanthin biosynthesis in P. tricornutum. Our results are valuable to our understanding of the basic mechanism of fucoxanthin biosynthesis, thus providing theoretical guidance for the commercial production of fucoxanthin derived from P. tricornutum.

In response to the extensive utilization of ionic circuits, including in iontronics and wearable devices, a new method for fabricating a hydrogel-based ionic circuit on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchip is reported. Prolonged UV/ozone oxidation combined with proper surface functionalizations and a novel microchip bonding method using thiol-epoxy click reaction enable the robust attachment of the photopolymerized hydrogel to the microchannel surface for eventual operation in electrolytes as an ionic circuit. The stretchable ionic diode constructed on the PDMS microchip shows a superior rectification ratio even under tensile stress and long-term storage stability. Furthermore, the combination of the ionic circuit and unique material properties of PDMS allows us to maximize the versatility and diversify the functionalities of the iontronic device, as demonstrated in a pressure-driven ionic switch and chip-integrated ionic regulator. Its iontronic signal transmission mimicking the excitatory and inhibitory synapses also evinces the potential of the hydrogel-based iontronics on the PDMS microchip as developed toward an aqueous neuromimetic information processor while opening up new opportunities for various bioinspired applications.

Conjugated polymers with a high absorption coefficient and high charge mobility are essential for high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and large area roll-to-roll processing of polymer solar cells. However, only a few conjugated polymers with both properties have been reported so far. Recently, we have reported an innovative naphthyridinedione (NTD)-based highly crystalline polymer (PNTDT-2F2T) with an exceptionally high absorption coefficient (α = 1.6 × 105 cm−1) and charge mobility (μh = 8.6 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1), which showed 9.6% PCE with a thick active layer (210 nm). However, the PCE decreases considerably to 7.4% with a thin active layer (80 nm) due to a reduction in the photocurrent owing to the still smaller absorption coefficient and rather larger crystalline domain size of PNTDT-2F2T. To develop a thickness-tolerant high efficiency polymer solar cell aiming at low-cost commercial manufacture, we report a newly designed NTD-based conjugated polymer (PNTD4T-2FB) with an increased absorption coefficient and controlled crystallinity that contains 1,4-difluorobenzene units, in this work. The smaller crystal size (crystalline coherence length (CCL) = 2.20 nm) and higher absorption coefficient (α = 2.0 × 105 cm−1) of PNTD4T-2FB compared to those of PNTDT-2F2T (CCL = 3.19 nm) facilitate charge generation while maintaining a high carrier mobility (μh = 2.92 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1). Consequently, the PNTD4T-2FB based device shows improved PCE (10.1%) with a thicker active layer (330 nm) while keeping a PCE of 9.2% for an active layer of only 70 nm thickness as well. Comparative analysis with PNTD4T-B (which does not contain fluorine) suggests that the superior characteristics of PNTD4T-2FB are attributable to the slightly twisted but rigid backbone arising from the S–F intra-molecular non-bonding interaction between 1,2-difluorobenzene and thiophene.

This study aimed to establish appropriate conditions for the washing and storage of radish microgreens by evaluating the effect of a sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) wash on the growth of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Sodium hypochlorite (50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L) was added to wash water and radish microgreens were treated for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min. Treatment with NaOCl (150 mg/L, 5 min) significantly reduced (2.3 log CFU/g) the populations of both bacteria (p10°C. To validate this hypothesis, we inoculated microgreen extract with the pathogens and incubated it under the above mentioned conditions. The growth of pathogens in the microgreens extracts corresponded to that observed after NaOCl treatment. The results of this study suggest that NaOCl treatment (150 mg/L, 5 min) and subsequent storage at temperatures

A series of polycations bearing one, two, and three pendant quaternary ammonium groups per repeat unit has been synthesized and combined with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) to produce hyperthin polyelectrolyte multilayers. Incremental addition of quaternary ammonium groups per repeat unit leads to decreased permeances for H2, CO2, and N2 and increased H2/CO2 and CO2/N2 permeation selectivities. These results, together with analysis of the composition from X-ray photoelectron spectra and values of Young’s modulus from nanoindentation analysis, show that oligo pendant ions provide a means for increasing volume charge density and tightening polyelectrolyte multilayers.

Different ionic liquids (ILs) and their mixtures with organic solvents (OSs) were investigated to determine their effects on pretreatment for enzymatic saccharification of pussy willow and Korean pine. Combinations of three ILs, namely (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]Ac), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([BMIM]Br), and 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methyl sulfate ([MMIM]MeSO4)) and three OSs (N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)) were used. Acremonium cellulase and Optimash BG were used for enzymatic saccharification. The viscosity of ILs and their mixtures with OSs was reduced by adding and increasing the OS amount in mixtures. The viscosity of [BMIM]Br was considerably decreased by the addition of OSs. For both species, the water-soluble fractions (WSFs) obtained using pure ILs decreased with increasing OS content in mixtures. For all co-solvent systems, the WSFs for pussy willow were twice as large as those for Korean pine. For both species, the yields of glucose and xylose were higher for [EMIM]Ac and its mixtures with OSs than for [BMIM]Br, [MMIM]MeSO4, and their mixtures. However, only small differences between glycan and xylose yields among the products pretreated by [BMIM]Br, [MMIM]MeSO4, and their mixtures were observed. The overall xylose yields for pussy willow were higher than those for Korean pine for all pretreatments because xylan is the main hemicellulose component of hardwood.

Significant aggregation between ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) dispersed in polar and nonpolar solvents hinders the formation of high quality thin film for the device application and impedes their excellent electron transporting ability. Herein a bifunctional coordination complex, titanium diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate) (Ti(acac)2) is employed as efficient stabilizer to improve colloidal stability of ZnO NPs. Acetylacetonate functionalized ZnO exhibited long-term stability and maintained its superior optical and electrical properties for months aging under ambient atmospheric condition. The functionalized ZnO NPs were then incorporated into polymer solar cells with conventional structure as n-type buffer layer. The devices exhibited nearly identical power conversion efficiency regardless of the use of fresh and old (2 months aged) NPs. Our approach provides a simple and efficient route to boost colloidal stability of ZnO NPs in both polar and nonpolar solvents, which could enable structure-independent intense studies for efficient organic and hybrid optoelectronic devices.

Hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs) such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB; protocatechuic acid) and its ester with methanol (methylparaben [MP]) are known to have various functional biological properties, including antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiaging, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. Since these compounds are widely used in cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries, the use of renewable feedstocks for the production of HBAs is an area of growing interest. In this study, we used Escherichia coli to synthesize these three hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives (4-HBA, DHB, and MP). We overexpressed ubiC in E. coli to synthesize 4-HBA from chorismate, a substrate that is produced by the shikimate pathway in E. coli. For the synthesis of DHB, an additional gene (pobA) was introduced, while hbad and EHT1 were co-expressed to synthesize MP. To supply more chorismate, we introduced the shikimate gene module construct and selected the best construct for increased yields. Using this approach, 723.5 mg/L 4-HBA, 942.0 mg/L DHB, and 347.7 mg/L MP were synthesized. Our study showed that the shikimate gene module constructs can be applicable to increase the yields of HBA derivatives in HBA-tolerant microorganisms.

Effects of deep eutectic solvent (DES) treatment were determined for the chemical composition of the sapwood and heartwood of red pine (Pinus densiflora). Two DES systems were made from the mixture of choline chloride (ChCl) and two different hydrogen bond donors (HBDs), namely, lactic acid (LA) and glycerin (GLY), with different molar ratios (1:2, 1:6, and 1:10). The yield of the solid residue after DES treatment decreased with an increase in the HBD concentration and treatment time, indicating that the water-soluble fraction was increased. The amount of solid residue was lower in the DES with LA than in DES with GLY, and higher in sapwood than in heartwood during both DES treatments. There was no substantial change in the lignin content of the samples, each being 24.7 to 29.5 wt.%, based on the mass of the treated product. Similar to the yield of the solid residue, cellulose and hemicellulose content in the treated product decreased with an increase in the HBD concentration and treatment time, and it was higher in sapwood than in heartwood. The cellulose crystallinity exhibited a slight increase with increasing treatment time, but there was no difference among the treatments using different molar ratios and between sapwood and heartwood.

This study was conducted to investigate the anti-obesity effect of peptides derived from defatted mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larvae) and to determine the expression level of obesity-related membrane-associated proteins in the rat muscle. The production of functional peptide was produced by hydrolysis of mealworm protein using commercial enzymes. To evaluate anti-obesity effects through animal feeding experiments, a total of thirty-two rats were randomly divided into control diet (CD), 5% mealworm peptide supplemented control diet (CT), high-fat diet (HD), and 5% mealworm peptide supplemented high-fat diet group (HT). The weight loss of HT was confirmed by mealworm peptides feeding. The weights of fat tissues (perirenal and epididymal) of HT were significantly decreased, however, soleus muscle weight of HT was significantly increased compared to those of the HD, respectively. The expression levels of obesity-related membrane-associated proteins (FABPpm, PGC-1α, and PPAR) in HT group involved in fatty acid transport and utilization were significantly higher than that of the HD. From these results, mealworm peptide supplement showed an anti-obesity effect by stimulation of FABPpm, PGC-1α, and PPAR-δ in skeletal muscle and then showed an increase in muscle weight along with body weight loss in HT group.

Objective: To expound the roles of mTOR and NF-kB signaling pathway in intermittent hypoxia (IH)-induced damage of hippocampal neurons.Methods: For rat experiments, mTOR inhibitor (Rapamycin, Rapa) and NF-κB signaling inhibitor (ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, PDTC) were applied to inhibit mTOR and NF-κB signaling, respectively. For neuron experiments, hippocampal neurons from rat were successfully cultured. Different concentrations of Rapa and PDTC were added to the cultured hippocampal neurons. Rat or primary hippocampal neurons were exposed to normoxic or IH conditions after administration of Rapa and PDTC. The effects of Rapa and PDTC administration on learning and memory ability of rats and hippocampal injury after IH exposure were assayed by Morris water maze and H&E staining. Electron microscope was utilized to examine primary hippocampal neuron ultrastructure changes after IH exposure and Rapa or PDTC administration. The expressions of NF-κB-p65, IκBα, IKKβ, BDNF, TNF-α, IL-1β, PSD-95 and SYN in hippocampal neurons were examined.Results: Compared with normal control rats or neurons, IH-treated group had elevated expression levels of NF-kB, TNF-α and IL-1β and suppressed expression level of BDNF, PSD-95 and SYN. These results were reversed upon pre-treatment with Rapa and PDTC. Furthermore, IκBα and IKKβ expressions were down-regulated in IH group. No notable difference was manifested in PDTC pre-treatment group, while a prominent increase was shown after Rapa pre-administration.Conclusion: The administration of PDTC and Rapa could prevent IH-induced hippocampal neuron impairment, indicating that inhibition of the mTOR and NF-κB pathway may likely act as a therapeutic target for obstructive sleep apnea.

Three types of tail-to-tail (PDCBTTT), head-to-tail (PDCBTHT), and head-to-head (PDCBTHH) regioisomeric polythiophene copolymers were synthesized by modification of the substitution positions of their alkoxycarbonyl side-chains. Chain conformation, and optical, electrochemical, morphological, and charge-transport characteristics of the polymers were significantly influenced by their regiochemistry. PDCBTHH showed an amorphous morphology due to strong steric hindrance between its head-to-head alkoxycarbonyl side-chains, resulting in the poorest performance in organic solar cells and transistors among three types. PDCBTHT had a regiorandom structure with both head-to-tail and tail-to-head linkages in a polymer chain. As determined by field-effect mobility measurements, a highly regioregular and planar PDCBTTT exhibited the highest hole mobility (μ = 0.065 cm2 V-1s-1), which was two orders of magnitude higher than that of the regiorandom PDCBTHT. The highest photovoltaic performance was also measured for PDCBTTT:a fullerene acceptor (PC71BM), by maintaining the packed structures of pristine PDCBTTT polymers in the blend with PC71BM. Altering the topology of alkoxycarbonyl side-chains of the copolymers resulted in significant differences in crystalline morphologies and electrical properties and thus should be carefully considered in the molecular design of organic semiconductors.

The detection of ions is of critical importance for environmental, industrial, and physiological applications, where sensitive and disposable ion sensing is still challenging. Herein, we present a sensitivity-tunable ion-sensing platform based on reverse electrodialysis, which is suitable for convenient and sensitive on-site analysis of various ions. It is revealed that this sensing system does not require any external power supply, and the sensitivities can be modulated by altering the number of stacks, possibly higher than the theoretical limitation, the Nernstian slope. The sensing system is integrated with a multicolor detection system via the introduction of polyaniline as a reporting material, which enables direct quantitative analysis based on a continuous color change gradient observable with the naked eye. Overall, the adopted approach by introducing reverse electrodialysis represents remarkable progress toward self-powered and disposable ion sensors with high and easily tunable potentiometric sensitivity.

Extrusion process using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]Ac) in co-solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), was conducted to improve the pretreatment effect on the enzymatic saccharification of pussy willow (Salix gracilistyla Miq.). The use of a twin screw extruder capable of continuous processing increased the solid loading to 50% in [EMIM]Ac and its co-solvent DMSO. The water-soluble fraction was increased by increasing the [EMIM]Ac amount in co-solvent and the extrusion temperature but decreasing the screw rotating speed and solid loading. The surface morphologies of the extruded product showed remarkable disruption of the cell wall structures and fibrillation with increasing amounts of [EMIM]Ac in co-solvent. With increasing [EMIM]Ac amount in co-solvent and extrusion temperature and with decreasing screw rotating speed and solid loading, the crystalline structure of cellulose was more disrupted, resulting in the increase in saccharification yield. The highest yield of glucose and xylose was 99.0% and 99.5%, respectively, from the pretreated products using only [EMIM]Ac under solid loading of 15% at 160 °C extrusion temperature and 5 rpm screw rotating speed. The initial saccharification rate was faster in the pretreated product precipitated in alcohol and acetone than in water.

Salt stress limits crop productivity worldwide, particularly in arid and heavily irrigated regions. Salt stress causes oxidative stress, in which plant cells accumulate harmful levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thioredoxins (Trxs; EC 1.8.4.8) are antioxidant proteins encoded by a ubiquitous multigene family. Arabidopsis thaliana Trx h-type proteins localize in the cytoplasm and other subcellular organelles, and function in plant responses to abiotic stresses and pathogen attack. Here, we isolated the Arabidopsis genes encoding two cytosolic h-type Trx proteins, AtTrx-h2 and AtTrx-h3 and generated transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) plants overexpressing AtTrx-h2 or AtTrx-h3. Heterologous expression of AtTrx-h2 in B. napus conferred salt tolerance with plants grown on 50 mM NaCl having higher fresh weight and chlorophyll contents compared with controls in hydroponic growth system. By contrast, expression of AtTrx-h3 or the empty vector control did not improve salt tolerance. In addition, AtTrx-h2-overexpressing transgenic plants exhibited lower levels of hydrogen peroxide and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, compared with the plants expressing the empty vector control or AtTrx-h3. These results suggest that AtTrx-h2 is a promising candidate for engineering or breeding crops with enhanced salt stress tolerance.

Background/Aims. Buyang Huanwu decoction (BHD) is a traditional Chinese and Korean herbal medicine prescription that has been widely used to treat various diseases including cerebral ischemia, gynecological disease, and neurological disorders. BHD is commonly used as a variable modified combination for synergistic therapeutic effects. However, the mechanism by which modified BHD (mBHD) produces anti-inflammatory effects has not been elucidated yet. The purpose of this study was to develop mBHD with diminished potential side effects and verify its anti-inflammatory effects. Methods. A cytotoxicity assay for BHD was performed using the MTT assay. Following treatment with BHD, mBHD-1, and mBHD-2 in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), nitric oxide (NO) secretion was detected in cell supernatants using a NO detection kit. The expression of proinflammatory mediators was detected using RT-PCR and western blotting. To verify the mechanism of mBHD, specific inhibitors of JNK (SP600125) or p38 (SB203580) were used for co-treatment with mBHD, and then the changes in NO and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured. Results. Both mBHD-1 and mBHD-2 showed greater anti-inflammatory effects than BHD. Both mBHD-1 and mBHD-2 inhibited NO secretion and decreased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS. Treatment with a p38 inhibitor and a JNK inhibitor in mBHD-1- and mBHD-2-treated cells resulted in inhibition of NO and iNOS. Conclusion. We provided the first experimental evidence that mBHD may be a more useful anti-inflammatory than BHD. High concentrations or long-term use of BHD may be harmful to inflammatory status. Therefore, the length of treatment and concentration should be considered depending on the targeted disease.

In order to meet the growing demand for food safety, the rapid classification of sulfadimidine and sulfapyridine in duck meat based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was investigated us...

Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury contents of Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus linteus, Umbilicaria esculenta, Trametes versicolor, Agaricus blazei, Hericium erinaciium, Paecilomyces japonica, Fuscoporia obliqua, Sarcodon imbricatu and Hypsizygus marmoreus mushroom samples from the South Korean market were analyzed using validated methods. Method validation was performed, and the limits of detection and quantification were determined to be 0.38–0.66 and 1.21–2.09 μg/kg, respectively. The recoveries of the target metals ranged from 91.3% to 103.5%. The contents of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were significantly different among the ten mushroom species, and the ranged from 0.006 to 3.9, 0.025 to 5.8, 0.01 to 0.21, and 0.004 to 12.3 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. Additionally, the estimated daily exposures to these metals from consumption of mushroom used in this work were found to be safe in accordance with the provisional tolerable weekly intake. Considering the results in this study, it could be mentioned that the consumption of the ten mushrooms species from Korea presented no noticeable health risk to the general public.

In accordance with the rapid increase in demand for selective and spatial chemical tagging, and accurate detection of proteins of interest, we develop a sensitive protein detection method, termed "Supra-blot" capitalizing on high-affinity host-guest interaction between cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and adamantylammonium (AdA). The method can directly detect chemically tagged proteins without false-positive signals caused by endogenous biomolecules. Not only a single specific protein, but also spatially localized proteins in cells were labeled with AdA, and selectively detected by a host molecule-enzyme hybrid, CB[7]-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (CB[7]-HRP) generating amplified chemiluminescence signals. This study shows the great potential of Supra-blot for accurate and reliable detection of proteins of interest in cells.

Objective: Recent reports have corroborated that micro­RNAs (miRs) are related to the pathological changes of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CIR) induced injury. This work aimed to unearth the role and potential mechanism of miR-325-3p in regulating neuronal survival in CIR injury. Methods: To conduct this investigation, we established an in vitro model of CIR injury by subjecting neurons to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R). Gain and loss of function of miR-325-3p and receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 3 (RIP3) in neurons were performed to observe its effect on cell apoptosis and the release of lactate dehydrogenase. The levels of miR-325-3p and RIP3 in neurons were detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was employed to inspect the levels of caspase3, Bax, and Bcl-2, as well as p38 and JNK phosphorylation. The relationship between miR-325-3p and RIP3 was detected by TargetScan and validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: Firstly, miR-325-3p expression was obviously downregulated while RIP3 expression was upregulated in neurons following OGD/R treatment. Overexpressed miR-325-3p or downexpressed RIP3 ameliorated OGD/R-induced neuronal injury. Besides, RIP3 was a direct target mRNA of miR-325-3p. Additionally, Western blot revealed the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was involved in the regulation of miR-325-3p on OGD/R-induced neuronal injury. Furthermore, miR-325-3p was verified to hinder OGD/R-induced neuronal injury through downregulating RIP3. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that miR-325-3p targets RIP3 to inactivate the MAPK pathway, thereby protecting neurons against OGD/R-induced injury.

Gastric motility is controlled by slow waves. In general, the activation of the ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels in the smooth muscle opposes the membrane excitability and produces relaxation. Since metabolic inhibition and/or diabetes mellitus are accompanied by dysfunctions of gastric smooth muscle, we examined the possible roles of KATP channels in human gastric motility. We used human gastric corpus and antrum smooth muscle preparations and recorded the mechanical activities with a conventional contractile measuring system. We also identified the subunits of the KATP channels using Western blot. Pinacidil (10 μM), a KATP channel opener, suppressed contractions to 30% (basal tone to -0.2 g) of the control. The inhibitory effect of pinacidil on contraction was reversed to 59% of the control by glibenclamide (20 μM), a KATP channel blocker. The relaxation by pinacidil was not affected by a pretreatment with L-arginine methyl ester, tetraethylammonium, or 4-aminopyridine. Pinacidil also inhibited the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced tonic and phasic contractions in a glibenclamide-sensitive manner (42% and 6% of the control, respectively). Other KATP channel openers such as diazoxide, cromakalim and nicorandil also inhibited the spontaneous and ACh-induced contractions. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a gastric neuropeptide, induced muscle relaxation by the activation of KATP channels in human gastric smooth muscle. Finally, we have found with Western blot studies, that human gastric smooth muscle expressed KATP channels which were composed of Kir 6.2 and SUR2B subunits.

Semitransparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs) are considered to be an influential tool for aesthetic and economic building-integrated photovoltaics, which can be fabricated by the printing technology. A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and ionic liquid (IL) composite has been considered as an electrode for ST-OSCs because of its high electrical conductivity, high transparency, and printability. However, we found that the introduction of IL into the PEDOT:PSS solution for enhancing its electrical conductivity results in (1) nonreliable printing of PEDOT:PSS/IL composite films because of gradual gelation of the mixture solution and (2) the production of chemically reactive ion pairs during ion exchange between PSS and IL, which induces the oxidation of the underlying organic semiconductors during printing. To solve these problems, we developed a sequential printing method using pristine PEDOT:PSS and IL solutions to retard ion exchange, thus preventing chemical doping of organic semiconductors by newly generated ion pairs. Finally, by using only solution processes, we demonstrate efficient ST-OSCs with a printed PEDOT:PSS/IL composite as the top electrode, exhibiting a power conversion efficiency of 6.32% at an average visible transmittance of 35.4%.

Upon necroptosis activation, receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase (RIPK)1 and RIPK3 form a necrosome complex with pseudokinase mixed lineage kinase-like (MLKL). Although protein phosphorylation is a key event for RIPK1 and RIPK3 activation in response to a necroptosis signal, relatively little is known about other factors that might regulate the activity of these kinases or necrosome formation. Through a gain-of-function screen with 546 kinases and 127 phosphatases, we identified casein kinase 1 gamma (CK1γ) as a candidate necroptosis-promoting factor. Here, we show that the decreased activity or amounts of CK1γ1 and CK1γ3, either by treatment with a chemical inhibitor or knockdown in cells, reduced TNFα-induced necroptosis. Conversely, ectopic expression of CK1γ1 or CK1γ3 exacerbated necroptosis, but not apoptosis. Similar to RIPK1 and RIPK3, CK1γ1 was also cleaved at Asp343 by caspase-8 during apoptosis. CK1γ1 and CK1γ3 formed a protein complex and were recruited to the necrosome harboring RIPK1, RIPK3 and MLKL. In particular, an autophosphorylated form of CK1γ3 at Ser344/345 was detected in the necrosome and was required to mediate the necroptosis. In addition, in vitro assays with purified proteins showed that CK1γ phosphorylated RIPK3, affecting its activity, and in vivo assays showed that the CK1γ-specific inhibitor Gi prevented abrupt death in mice with hypothermia in a model of TNFα-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Collectively, these data suggest that CK1γ1 and CK1γ3 are required for TNFα-induced necroptosis likely by regulating RIPK3.

Carbazoles are excellent chromophores for electrochromic (EC) applications owing to their exceptional oxidation properties. Herein, we synthesized a donor-acceptor-type small molecule semiconductor, named LGC-D023, containing carbazole as a core donor, diketopyrrolopyrrole as a weak-acceptor π-linker, and 3-octylrhodanine as an electron-acceptor end-unit; and characterized its optical, thermal, and EC properties. LGC-D023 exhibited good organic solvent solubility, as well as distinct melting and crystallization transitions above 200 °C. Spectroelectrochemical spectra showed blue (L*: 88.28, a*: −6.56, b*: −1.29)-to-red (L*: 93.61, a*: 2.94, b*: −0.75) color switching with a high optical contrast (35.3%), fast response time (>0.3 s), and desirable coloration efficiency (91.9 cm2/C). These results confirmed that this donor-acceptor small molecule could be a new promising candidate for an EC material.